I Might Not Be Cut Out for This...

Hi Internet,

So, I was talking to a friend last week and came to the realization... I probably picked the worst career for myself. Allow me to explain:

- Occupational hazards such as lice and whooping cough. (True life, they have those across the hall, I've threatened my kids with their lived if they share hats or don't wash their hands with soap.)

- Working 70 hours a week.

- Crying every day about the difficult challenges my 5 and 6 year old students are facing.

-Wanting to take my kids home at the end of the day because I know their lives are rough.

My conversation with my friend went a bit like this:

Me: I'm going to need to get married sooner rather than later, cause I am so not cut out for working full-time and I kinda want to take all my kids home everyday.

Friend: laughs

Me: No. Serious.

Friend: Yeah, but that's what makes you so great at it, because you care.

Blah, blah. That' doesn't change that I can't look at one of my kids without tearing up. And this whole waking up early is totes cramping my style.

But, there are a few perks to my job.

-Getting a billion school pictures of myself as a grown lady... (weird)

-Being surrounded by kids who think knock knock jokes are HILARIOUS.

-Introducing my kids to 90's treasures such as "Reading Rainbow" and Cassette Tapes

-My kids will dance on command.

-I get called Mom daily and then get to reassure their horrified looks that it's ok.

-The girls who tell me they love me every morning when I call attendance.

-Hearing my kids (upon realizing I'm losing my patience with the class) say "Don't make her turn into Viola Swamp!"

 -The things my Russian kids say, like when I ask if any of them have seen anyone get hurt on the playground:

Russian Student (With THICK Russian Accent):  Yes. Thees one time I'm playing soccer and he keek thee Bol, he's keeking, he keek me in the bols!" (Points at his crotch) 

Russian Student's Cousin: Yes. Keek him in the bols! (Points at his crotch) 

Me: Uh, I'm sorry. I bet that hurt.

Russian Student: KEEK ME IN THE BOLS! (Still pointing)

-Trying not to laugh when every class discussion makes me feel like I'm in one of these commercials: 

Seriously, in math we had to talk about quantities  that are more and less. And the class discussion was almost like this verbatim.

I love my kids. Maybe too  much. I do love my job. But it's a lot more emotionally involved than I had imagined.

I'm a teacher!!

Hi Internet!

Frazzled teacher here! Here are the highlights:

-Last minute got switched from a Kindergarten teacher to a Kindergarten AND 1st grade teacher.
-Went from 9 kids to 16 students, over night!
-District Superintendent came to visit my room on day 1
- Had a student fracture his growth plate in his ankle on day 2
- Have 2 students who speak Russian as their primary language and don't speak much English

But my classroom is pretty awesome!

Oh, the joys of being a 1st year teacher!

So, here's where you come in. There's this cool website called DonorsChoose Oprah and Bill Gates are all about this mess.

Anyhow. I wrote a proposal to get some supplies for my students.

I'm asking for donations of any size to help my kids. For the next week, any donation you make to my project will be doubled (up to $100). If you know anyone who is passionate about education, cute kids, helping nice people (like me!) please pass this along. Your donation will brighten my students' school year, and help me a TON!

Here's my classroom request:
iRead!Promoting Beginning Literacy with Technology!

To have your donation matched dollar for dollar, enter the match code INSPIRE on the payment screen. This awesome match offer lasts through September 2, 2013.

My students and I greatly appreciate your support.

Spread the word!!

Thanks!

Might As Well Post as I Procrastinate Packing

Hi Internet,

I didn't forget about you. Summer happened. Life happened. So, here's what's up.

May: Finished school. Got my Bad A job and left for my graduation tour.
Spent a week in DC with my cousin Danielle and her adorable family:

Highlights: loving on 2 week old Lainey, playing "LADY" with Elsie, reading Magic Tree House with Liam, making yummy foods, a first trip to Trader Joe's, Searching for a cadet in Annapolis, visiting all the cool shops in Georgetown, DC Cupcakes- NO LINE to wait in! Staying up late catching up with my frousin (Friend+Cousin)

June:
2 weeks in Utah with NO agenda!

Highlights: Planning with Amy about how we're both going to spend our money now that we both have real teacher jobs, Music and the Spoken Word, Watching TV with Julia Janice Marlin, kisses from baby Jesse, Getting blacklisted at Aqua Aerobics, NOT working up a sweat at Aqua Zumba, Day Road trips, Olive Garden Lunches, Visiting BYU-I*, Craigo's and impressing the hostess that we came back after 7 years for a mini reunion to Rexburg- she was so touched she gave us a free jumbo "Cookie Monster- YUM!", staying up late with Julia and Spencie trying to solve all of the worlds problems.

MORE Highlights: Impromptu Roommate reunion with Bre, Merika and Pam (Amy and Lester were missed terribly), Bre's awesome salads, Alton's great idea, Pam's boy problems, Merika's Vegas stories, IKEA, Farr's Ice Cream with Merika, Brazilian grills, Cheesecake Factory, buying things for my classroom, session in the SLC temple with Hoppes, staying up late reminiscing about 11 years ago when we were young and funny in college.

Then... I had to come home.

Highlights: Watching Levi's soccer games, water fights with Ju-Ju, finding bargains at yard sales for my new crib and classroom, play date with Hannah at the Library, lounging by the pool with Ju-Ju, Organizing my classroom library, avoiding packing, watching DVD's about the Daily 5, family dinners, taking a BBQ class, walking the Midnight Sun Run, stressing/getting excited to move and start my real job!

So, this summer has been pretty full, and really great, I hate to see it end, but I really can't WAIT to meet my kindies! I've been planning and prepping and I'm going in a week to visit Sterling and hopefully see my classroom and begin decorating! Ahhh!

Well, I'm off to bed. If you feel inclined to come pack a box or two for me, by all means come on over! :)

No News

Internet! 9 days!!!


NINE DAYS UNTIL GRADUATION!!! All that stands between me and that funky black robe and hat is a presentation and a reflection paper. AHHHHH! It has taken me 11 years, but I'm so close I can almost taste it!

Still no job prospects. :( I'm a little sad about that. I keep applying, so pray, cross your fingers etc. that I will find a job.

I keep thinking about getting a summer job... but then I don't want to.... And then my mom says that my idea of a "summer of self-exploration" isn't gonna fly. Party pooper!

AND, because blog posts without pictures are boring...

Here is a picture of my classroom, and the leaky roof. Apparently there isn't money to fix this, but ceiling tiles are rotting and falling. Nice.

If Only In My Dreams...

Merry Christmas Internet,

Hard to believe Christmas has come and gone. I survived. 

Christmas time is always a bit painful for me.

Partially because it's a reminder of how my life has taken a different path than I had planned. (Not a worse or better plan, only different.) I always imagined by this time in my life I would be married with children. My family would have our own little home to decorate and fill with traditions and I'd be finished with school.

Sometimes I get bitter and sad. 

I don't have the husband, the kids or the home. 

(I do have TONS of people who love me, an internship *that's 1/2 way done* that I love and 24 kids who I adore! I really can't complain about that)

And then I kick myself, stop doing that, and try to find a way that I can fill that hole in my life and help someone else.

So, I "visited Santa" to make sure that all of my friends under the age of 10 got custom letters from the Jolly man himself. *Kris Kringle and I have VERY similar writing styles. WEIRD!

A few of my local favorites!

I made Gifts for all 24 of my kids. 

Hair Clips for the girls

I stayed up til the wee hours of the morning to make my kids rainbow Jello.

I made bread for all my friends at school.

Homemade Cinnamon Chip and White bread!

The Finished presents wrapped and ready to go!

When we went Christmas Caroling, we stopped at one of my kids' houses. I think he waved at me about 20 times while we were singing.

And I come to understand better, as I serve others, how much my Savior loves me. 

I Can Almost Taste It!

Internet.

I wrote lesson plans for 10 hours on Saturday. 10 HOURS. Today I turned them in along with 2 other major assignments. Here's all that I have left to do. I can almost taste the end of the semester.

Never mind all the acronyms, I don't know what half of them mean myself. haha!

Still no plans for my life, but at least I'm not dropping out of college this week!

Well, Now What?

Well Internet,

I just applied for graduation. Crazy. I really never thought this day would come. And now it's here and I'm terrified. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to be finished, crossing something major off my list of life to dos. I won't graduate until May, and I still have a lot of homework to do before then. But then what? What do I do after graduation.

Still nothing feels right. Trying to have faith, but I kinda stink at that.

Someone want to make a life plan for me and just tell me what to do? I'd really be fine with that.

What Next?

Hi Internet,

Can you believe October is almost OVER?! I can't! Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away and then Christmas, and before you know it... 2013.

So, I've been thinking and trying to figure out what next.

(This might be long, I feel a need to get somethings off my chest, apologies in advance.)

I went to my 10 year class reunion this summer. I was really dreading it, but a few good friends convinced me to go. I'm glad that I did. On graduation night we had a poster where we were supposed to write where we would be in the year 2012. It was painful to read what my naive 18 year old self wrote 10 years ago. I'm supposed to be married to a wealthy lawyer with 2 kids.

That has not happened.

It's been hard to mourn what I thought was going to happen. I still very much would love to be a wife and a mother. That goal is still first and foremost in mind. I have an overwhelming desire to be in the PTA and make Mickey Mouse Pancakes and go on dates with my husband to the Nutcracker.

But for whatever reason, that hasn't happened in my life.

For a long time I was angry and hurt that I haven't been blessed with those things in my life. I finally realized that I couldn't sit around and wait for those blessings to come to me, they may not come right away and waiting would be a waste.

So, I decided to go back to school. I found something that I love to do, that I'm great at, that consoles that hole in my heart that wants to have a family. I really love my job and my students.

But I've almost finished school, and now I have to figure out what next. I honestly never thought I would be in the position that I'm in, having to make the choices that I do. Remember, at graduation, I thought this would all be behind me in 2012. :) 

I wish I could say that I know exactly what to do. Have a plan. I always need to have a plan!

I'm fortunate in that I have limitless opportunities. I could pursue graduate degrees, I could teach in rural Alaska, I could teach in Fairbanks, I could teach anywhere else. (Except Georgia and Utah, cause they don't accept my teaching certificate.)

But none of those options feel 100% right.

And maybe that is because it's not time to make any decisions. I really hope that's the case, because I graduate in May and I'm going to need to make SOME decision. haha

So, right now I have to have patience and exercise a little faith.

I'm so bad at that.

I'm an instant gratification kinda gal. I like instant streaming on Netflix and instant pudding.

So, I've been trying to wrap my head around what having faith looks like. How do I put it into practice in my life. 

So, I'm gonna keep moving, and trust that the Lord has a plan for me.

Because I Love Those of You Who Don't Live Across The Pond

Hi Internet,

My nose is healing well. I think I'm gonna make it out without any major scarring. WHEW!

I've been meaning to post this, but I keep forgetting/run out of time.... So, here it is.

Remember how I LOVE Downton Abby? 

 And it's like my favorite show?

 And we've had to wait SOOOO long to see what happens to Mary and Matthew?!

Remember how you thought you'd have to wait til Janruary 2013 to find out? 

WRONG! 

It's playing right now in the UK! YES!! I've been watching with my friend HERE, and it's GOOD! 

You're Welcome!

You may send your thanks in the form of well wishes, prayers for me finding a husband and naming first-born children after me.

Questions AND Answers

Hi Internet,

Here's your blog post for October. With the rate I'm blogging, I hope you savor it and make it last until November.

Life has been crazy. Being a teacher is hard work dude! Especially 1st grade. And while you are taking classes.

A few people have asked me what the difference between a student teacher and a student intern is, so I decided I would enlighten you all. (You are welcome in advance.)

In most teacher education programs your last year of university you spend half of your time learning methods of teaching. You learn methods of teaching math, social studies, etc. The second half of your year is spend student teaching.

Well, at the school I attend, they have combined those 2 semesters into a 1 year internship. It has its pros and cons.

Pros:

I get to be in the same class for an entire year.

I get to build relationships with my kiddos.

I get to see what the first days of school actually look like.
Some states require a year of student teaching to be certified. CHECK!

Cons:

I can't work.

I have to go to school AND be in the classroom and do homework AND lesson plans. UGH

I have to pay to work for free.

So, I am in university classes 2 days a week and with my kiddos 3 days. I really love those little guys. Even though I've had a cold for like a month straight and some days I'm too busy to go to the bathroom.

And since a post without a picture is boring... here's a gratuitous Grandma Krystal Picture of me and my grandkids at a wedding this summer.

And now, off to bed so I can try to recharge my immune system.

It's my party and I'll cry if you yell at me!

Happy Birthday Internet!

Well, first things first, my record temperature remains unscathed.

 

Secondly, my family party yesterday was AMAZING! I seriously have the best family EVER! My cousins and aunt went on my Pinterest boards and MADE me gifts from my pins! How cool is THAT?!

A K for Krystal made from buttons out of Grandma's button collection that she inherited from HER grandmother, many that were cut off of clothing from the depression! I wish Grandma were around to share the story behind every button!

Super cool, and apparently VERY time consuming/frustrating paper sculpture that is going to look INCREDIBLE in my room!

Hannah learned how to say my name! "Tistol"

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Jules was just happy to be there!

AND! My parents and Brother and S-I-L are making me a custom headboard! 

Take THAT IKEA!

Totally compensates for the mean lady at work, who is NOT my boss who yelled at me for something that wasn't my fault. If only she knew it was my birthday....

Thanks for fantastic day!