first week of preschool

annual park city get-away

I love when we get to run away overnight somewhere.  Park City is an easy place to get to with things to do and see.  I'm not sure what was wrong with me because I wasn't a shopping risk this time.  We bought only a few little things, but we ate at a couple of yummy places.  I'm so thankful to have a husband to likes to do this stuff.  Park City is our "school is about to take over our lives again" retreat.  Happy School Year everybody!

a blast from the past

I've been going through all of my mom's old family night and neighborhood preschool materials while I have been preparing for preschool.  The stories I have been keeping, I have retyped because the old typewriter or purple ink photo copies from decades ago, won't last forever.  Here are the first two I have done.  I'll add more as I get them done, in case anyone is interested.

The Tater Family
The family of Common, Irra, Imma, etc., working together to have more harmony in their home.  I was thinking, for our family, I will put, "Hello. My name is:" tags or toothpick flags with names on real potatoes for the story.  Of course, for dinner we will be eating potatoes.

Where Dinosaurs Roam
A trip into the dinosaur age where you meet dinos with poor manners.  For this one, either I'll do clip art of the dinosaurs on tongue depressors or I'll use the toy dinos we've got in the toy box downstairs.

Santa Makes a Change
Santa thinks his suit is outdated so he tries out a few alternatives.  When we use this story, I think our theme will be, "You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit."

Bugs at School
Bugs eat the garden and flowers, and bugs can bug in school too.  Maybe use this on Manner's Day?

Pin It Tuesday

Pin It Tuesday!

I used these two recipes for dinner one night and they were a HIT!  We will definitely eat these again and again.  I felt like a champ when they really turned out!  It turns out, all you have to do is follow the instructions and anyone can be a cook.  YES!

Green Bean Casserole

Sweet & Sour Chicken!

this is me

this is me

Jobs I've Had

1. I have done a LOT of babysitting (20 years & counting)
2. Golden Swirl or Golden Spoon or something (4 months)
3. Filing at IHC (I have no idea how long that lasted)
4. Hancock Fabrics (1 year)
5. Nanny (3 months)
6. Teller, Back-up Lead Teller, Lead Teller, Loan Officer (4.5 years)
7. Job Coach Trainer (5.25 years)
8. Stay at Home Human & Preschool Teacher (A recent occupational move)

I really liked the fabric store.  It was pretty fun.

I really liked the D.I. for a lot of reasons.  I'll probably write about that forever.  I have so many stories to share.

Tomorrow is my Little Duck Preschool Open House.  And, Tuesday will be my first day with a load of children.  I'm curious to see how that plays out, but I am excited.

a really HAPPY girl

Abbi has made it through her first week of school with flying colors!  She is so happy to be at a new school and LOVES her teacher and new best friends, Brooklyn and Kate.  When I pick her up, she is always proud to tell me that she has "no red today."  Abbi has a goal to make it through the entire 2nd grade without a "red."  A lot of classrooms use colors for behavior, and red, obviously, is the worst.  Good thing Abbi is such a good girl.  She doesn't really have anything to worry about :)

when did I change?

I guess there comes a time, for pretty much everyone, when you don't get new, random friends when you get somewhere new.  There are friendly people almost everywhere, but not like when you're young.

We went to Abbi's school Open House the other day and when we left Abbi showed us this:

She said she has a new friend.  On the first day of school, we saw her again and made sure to learn her name.

How old were you before you wouldn't have given this note to someone?  How long has it been since someone treated you so nicely?  Why does age keep us from being so welcoming to new friends?  Are we too busy?  Think too little or too much of ourselves?  Think too little or too much of others?  Can you think too much of others?  Should that keep you from introducing yourself?

A couple of months ago I was having lunch by myself in Ogden.  I liked to get away from D.I. to eat and read on my break.  I would always sit alone and enjoy whatever I was reading and a big, cold Diet Coke.  On this particular day, a man came into the restaurant where I was eating, and was talking to everyone he passed.  In my mind, I felt like he was lingering and bothering people who were having lunch or visiting with who they had come with.  I made a judgment about him and what kind of person he was.  When he came near me, I made sure to move my iPad and turn my body away from the other tables or people.  I didn't want him to talk to me.

As soon as he went by, I wondered why I had judged him.  I thought, "He is a child of God, too."  Unfortunately, that wasn't a natural thought for me.  But as soon as it passed through my mind, I felt bad for my thoughts and actions.  What would have happened if he talked to me?  Nothing.  I could have been polite and said hello to him, too.

I guess I have some work to do.

Z is for ZOO

Z is for ZOO

Tricky title because I'm really going to stray ....

Have you ever wondered, "How did I get this old and not know that?"  That happens to me once in a while.  Here are somethings I may not know a lot about...

history, math above algebra, vocabulary, lingo that may be naughty but it seems like other adults know, animal species, the Old Testament, cooking (like hard boiling an egg), science in general, etc.

Every time I ask my sisters what something means they tell me to look it up ... or they laugh and tell me to ask our mom.

Here's a funny tidbit ... I have always thought about being a teacher, like for high school.  I felt like there wasn't more than one teacher I had in high school who prepared me for college.  That's the other funny thing ... I have a college diploma ... where I got good grades.

Z is for Zoo because when I was a teenager my dad noticed that I had no idea what most animals were.  I couldn't identify them by sight.  So, he took me on a field trip to the zoo.  When I was younger than that my mom already had noticed I had an animal-identification problem when I pointed out the elephants as we drove to West Warren.  They were cows.  My brother had taught me they were elephants and no one every corrected me.

Further more, before I transferred to Utah State, I commuted to Hyrum for work.  Do you know people have things other than cows and horses in their yards?!?  There were llamas and other things too.  I think bison? buffalo? ox?  I'm still not sure.

Then, I moved to Logan and lived across the street from the Ag Physiology Farm where there were a lot of sheep.  One day, I saw a dog chasing them all around.  It was a sheepdog!  He moved them from one corral to the other.  Sheepdogs really move the sheep!  What?!?!

Anyway, Z is for Zoo and other things I don't know.

another summer is over

We had our 2nd Annual Back to School Cousin Party!  All the cousins are in school this year!  3rd grade, 2nd grade, 1st grade, and three in Preschool.  Jimmy and Amber made a great meal for us and the kids loved the waterslide.  We spent a lot of time watching the chickens in their new coop, too.

 Last Friday, we found out that after 8 months on the waiting list, we made it into the charter school.  We are all so happy!  I wasn't so happy about a second round of school clothes and supplies but we are happy to be at Good Foundations.  Abbi loves her uniforms ... She thinks they are awesome!

Pin It Tuesday

Pin It Tuesday!

my FAVORITE pinterest board

this is me

this is me

Education - Me at Preschool

My mom organized a neighborhood preschool, like a co-op.  Several moms participated and took turns being the teacher.  On preschool day, I would go (or stay home) to another 4 year old's house to learn.  I loved it.  Back in the day, I could walk to those houses down the road.  I can't imagine sending my small child to walk a block now.

As I have been preparing to teach preschool myself, I have been going through all of my mom's supplies.  It makes me thankful for computers and for real photocopy machines.

Education - Me in Elementary School

I was a Riverdale Roadrunner.  "We are the Roadrunners for Riverdale School!  We'll stand together, loyal forever!  Something ...... So let's all give a cheer!  Something .... We're the greatest school in the land!"

Kindergarten - Mrs. Sheen

I really looked forward to, and begged, to be able to right 1990 on my papers.

1st Grade - Mrs. Tremea

My dad checked me out of school to get my ears pierced.  Darci Hyer got to wear dangly earrings on the first day of school.  I loved them.

2nd Grade - Mrs. Unck

I got baptized after school on my birthday.  Mrs. Unck made me feel good about that.  This is the year I learned what constipated means when a little girl got to sit on the rocking chair all day.

3rd Grade - Mrs. Hyde

I could beat Mrs. Hyde at the times table tests.  I loved that.  And I remember getting in a fight about what day and channel you could watch TGIF.  Those were the days.

4th Grade - Mrs. Whitney

 My friend got in trouble for talking when I was talking too.  But Mrs. Whitney said I knew how to work and talk at the same time.  Also, I had to carry a barf bucket for my friend to the office.

5th Grade - Mrs. Scalise

This is the year I began to learn that I was not the smartest or the most popular.  Thanks for that, Mrs. Scalise.  I remember starting to envy others for their brains and votes for class president.  I almost had it, Brandon.

6th Grade - Mrs. Handy

I started Young Womens during 6th grade.  I felt very young because I was in elementary school.  My Grandma Stone died that January.

Education - Me in Junior High

 

TH Bell Junior High - three years there taught me a lot of lessons.  I liked a lot about the curriculum because it was so varied and more challenging compared to elementary school.  The memorable lessons I learned were more life lessons that science or algebra.

1. If I give my best effort, it will be recognized.

2. Girls have babies in junior high.

3. If I don't try, I don't get to choose the consequence (retaking Algebra)

4. When I do my work and focus, I'm a pretty good student.

5. Teachers don't think smart-alecs are funny.

6. It frustrates teachers when they know you're smart but you don't try.

7. Kids get involved in dangerous activities, even crimes.

8. I'm a good organizer.

9. Art is not a class for me.

10. You have to work to earn what you need, not just what you want.

11. Friends don't determine who you are, you get to choose, and sometimes that means they aren't your friend anymore.

12.  The Young Women's Program/Church is the best hobby for teenagers.

Education - Me in High School

 

Bonneville High School was filled with things I had never seen or heard of before.  During my junior year, there were about 50 girls who were pregnant or who already had a child (or two).  Drugs and alcohol were available but I was naive enough not to know where they were or why or how you would get them.  I am disappointed with my high school performance because it could have been so much better.  The year 2000 was pretty much my worst year.  Luckily, my senior year went well.  I attended and I got a 4.0 GPA all year.  It wasn't that hard to do, but I can see that a little focus goes a long way.

I loved being apart of my ward and the Young Women's.  That really was my interest and how I spent my time, besides babysitting.  I gained a testimony then, that I can see much better now, that focusing on the Gospel is the happiest and safest place to be.  I was proud to wear my YW Torch and Medallion.  Although, I was surrounded with negative things and people during my junior and high school, I never felt tempted or interested in what I could see happening around me.  Instead, my young brain had no idea how others were getting involved with everything we had been warned against all our lives.  I was a junior or senior when I was offered marijuana and beer.  It wasn't where I was, I was being invited to it, but I just laughed at the person who offered it and invited them to mutual that night.  In fact, that person is pictured in this blog.  I thought after that many years of being friends, we would know each other a little better.

 

During the last quarter of my senior year, I started dating a returned missionary.  Teenagers are so dumb.  I found out that I don't like people telling me what I can't do, so I moved to New Jersey after graduation to be a nanny.  Don't worry, the RM and I got together several more times and even though it still didn't work out I didn't keep moving across the country.

When I graduated, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do until the fall.  For being such a planner and list maker, I left high school with no plans other than a trip to California.  I was job searching across the country for a nanny job and that seemed most intriguing.

 

Education - Me in College

 

I started school the same day I started working at America First Credit Union.  I lived in South Salt Lake with Wendy, I worked in West Valley, and I went to school at Salt Lake Community College.  I loved college and I loved working.  I attended seminary, too.  Also, I loved George W. Bush.  I loved Public Speaking and Math 970 (too bad I didn't try harder in high school).  I took a government and political ideology class.  I got a 4.0 GPA while taking 17 credit hours.  That's when I decided my major would be Political Communications.  I wanted to be the next Ari Fleischer.  After a year of school in Salt Lake I moved home.

Weber State University is not the school for me.  After a semester there, I knew I didn't care for it.  But it was a blessing to be home that semester to be with my parents.  In 2004 I bought my first Toyota.  After the spring semester I transferred to Utah State University when I found their Family and Consumer Finance Program.  Over the summer, I did a class from home and commuted to the Hyrum Branch of America First.

In the fall, I moved to Utah State.  Moving day was kinda funny because my dad was in meetings and my mom was doing stuff so I packed my car and told her goodbye and I drove away.  I settled in quickly before seeing any roommates.  Luckily, we had some roommate switcheroos so Lisa could move in.

Utah State and Logan was the place for me.  I loved it there.  I worked 30 hours at the Logan Branch, I went to school at least 15 credit hours every semester, I volunteered, I did internships, and I played and played.  I'm not sure how college students fit all of that in but they do.  I loved what I studied and I worked for two of my professors when I could.  During college, it's probably safe to say I only went out with the aforementioned RM on an unplanned but annual basis.  Well, except the one guy from Salt Lake, but that's not worth mentioning other than it gave me more perspective.  I was sad to leave Logan after graduation because that is where I became an adult, I think.

 

 

Does everyone experience a "I Wish I Had Known...." after their education is over?  I would have done a few things differently.  I would have focused more regularly.  I would have excelled it I had tried.  That's okay, though.  I made it through alive and with a college diploma.  And now I know things I didn't know before, and not just about credit reports.

Summer Olympics

Abbi and I made the longest paper chain EVER to decorate the cabin for our Cousin Carnival: Summer Olympics.

It would be fun to hang in the house, too, if we were gonna be home to watch the real Olympics.

Hulahoop Kickball

While I was hoping to facilitate a fun round of Kickball Croquet, it turned into a fun race of Hulahoop Kickball.  It turns out that by the end of a week-long vacation, I'm a little worn out.  I changed a few of the Cousin Carnival Olympic Games but the kids didn't even know.  They had lots of fun running and chasing each other.

For Hulahoop Kickball, I laid out the hulahoops and gave all the kids a small dollar-store ball that they had to kick (no hands) from one hoop to the next.  They had lots of fun.  We played a few versions of kicking or throwing it through a hoop that I held in the air.  I think what we all know is true ... kids don't care how great the game is, they just want you to play it with them.

After the Kickball Games, we played a vigorous round of Balloon Pingpong!

Y is for YOU

Y is for You

 

Please tell me who you are.  Please.  As a favor to me, will you please leave me a comment and tell me who you are?

 

To my visitors I don't personally know, I'm so glad you found my blog, but I want to hear from you too!  Who are you?  How did you find me?  I'd LOVE to know.  Please leave a comment.

 

Let's be friends.  I like YOU!

my favorite kids at our favorite place

Noodles & Company.  I didn't know they would fall in love with it the way I did.  We are happy campers when we get to eat our noodles and chicken.

Pin It Tuesday

Pin It Tuesday!
 I read this while I was in Bear Lake.  It was pretty good but so predictable, like Nicholas Sparks stories are.  They all seem to be the same, even based in the east, but different ages or names of people who get together, get in a fight, then get back together, and some character always dies.  Why do I keep reading him?  Anyway ... it was on my Kindle so I read it.  I just found out it was a movie when I looked it up for Pin It Tuesday.   I bet I see it.

The Lucky One

Grandpa's Sour Kraut

I'm not sure why they would, but my kids tasted Grandpa Hansen's favorite dish of Sour Kraut with Hot Dogs.  Here is their review: