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! :)

A Lot of People Go to College for 11 Years...

Well Internet,

After 3 schools and 11 years I FINALLY made it! Graduation was on Mother's day. It was long, it was hot, the fire alarm went off twice, but I graduated!

 I don't often tell people about my educational journey. But I figure since I finished, maybe someone could learn from my experience. I attended BYU-Idaho right after I graduated high school. Life at home was stressful as my mom had just been diagnosed with cancer. I am so grateful for my time in Rexburg. I know I was supposed to be there. I still have some of my best friends who I met during that time. In my 3 years in Rexburg, perhaps the greatest lesson I learned was how to have fun and enjoy life. I may or may not have slept through my bowling class for 4 semesters in a row.... I also didn't really have an advisor, and I didn't have a clear plan of what classes I should take. Then, I met that boy, he broke me heart and I got really depressed. I wore my giving up on life pants, and when combined with my past years of play, I was put on academic suspension. I left Rexburg, and a piece of my heart.

I am grateful that I was able to come home and re-group. It wasn't until later that I really addressed my issues with depression, but it helped put me on a path where I could move forward. I then moved to Utah and decided I would try school again. It was frustrating because most of my credits didn't transfer, and I still didn't have an advisor. I was again overwhelmed and quit going to school. After this setback I convinced myself that I wasn't good at school, I'm a 2 time college drop out and obviously I wasn't cut out for higher education.

I then got my job with Alyeska, which was again a great experience, but I wasn't doing what I loved, what I knew I should be doing. I knew I needed to be a teacher. But that meant facing my fears and inadequacies, I had to go back to school. My job with Alyeska ended and I went to care for my grandmother and I remember so many people encouraging me to go back to school. I kept thinking "Yeah, but I'll never make it. I fail every time I try."

August 2010. I woke up one morning and decided I wanted to go back to school. I went to UAF, registered for classes starting the next week and found out who the Elementary Education Advisor was. I am so thankful for my advisor. She looked at my transcripts and made me a plan. It wasn't going to be easy, it was going to take 3 years, in addition to the 3 years of credits I already had, but I could do it.

I poured my heart and soul into school, because this time I knew this was what I wanted and needed to be doing.

It wasn't easy. At least once a semester I had a full-on meltdown, tears, "I can't do this," the works.

But I did it! (And with a 3.8 GPA might I add.)

My cousin threw me a fabulous graduation party, with a Wizard of Oz theme, which is special for me because when I was little I was obsessed with the movie.

 But there was a quote from the movie that she posted on the mantel that really hit me.

The quote made me realize that my family knew I could be successful in school. I didn't have to let my past experiences define me because I had the power and ability to get my degree, I just had to realize it.

I couldn't have done it on my own, but I am thankful for the support of my friends and family for getting me to this point!

Now on to the job hunt.....

Napaskiak or BUST!

Hi Internet!

I know, you read the title and thought, Napaski-WHAT?! Well, a while back I was selected to participate in a 1 week exchange in rural Alaska. SO, Sunday morning I'm heading to Napaskiak, Alaska! Napaskiak is a small (400 people) Yupik village on the Western coast of Alaska.

So, first things first.

How do you say Napaskiak?

nuh-PASS-key-ack

WHERE is Napaskiak?!

So, to get there... I take a plane from Fairbanks to Anchorage. Then fly from Anchorage to Bethel (the "big" city).  And from Bethel I'll take a tiny bush plane across the Kuskokwim river to Napaskiak! Hopefully someone will be there with a snow machine to meet us with our gear when we get off the plane. (There's no airport. :) )  Then we'll go to the school where we'll be staying for the week, sleeping in the library. Jealous?

But I get to work with a kindergarten class with 10 kids, so I'm excited to see a new school and culture!

So, fingers crossed that I don't get weathered in, that I have a great adventure and I have internet access to share it with you!

Wish me luck!

Gooooaal Progress

Hi Internet, 

Happy 2013. The world didn't end. Christmas Break is 1/2 over and I already miss my kids and am ready to get back to school. 

In honor of the new year, and to help remind myself of my goals, I give you an update on my progress on my 29 before 29 list. Only 63 days to get it finished. Yikes!

 

Krystal’s 29 before 29 List

1.        Donate Blood (I'm gonna do it this week!)

2.      Get Associates Degree Diploma

3.      Beat my last year time in the Chena River Run (Didn't do it. Wish I had)

4.      Wear my Retainer 60 days in the year (My Teeth hurt cause I'm wearing it. 5 days down...)

5.      Make the Chancellor’s List

6.      Run the Midnight Sun Run, beat last year time Same time

7.       Sew Rag Quilt

8.       Run in the Beat Beethoven Race (See #3)

9.      100% Visiting Teaching (For December. Holla)

10.    Save more money for Europe (Unpaid internships and full time classes SUCK!)

11.      Go on a vacation outside of Alaska

12.    Go camping (aka sleep in a tent) Or a cabin with no heat

13.    Read/listen to 20 books for pleasure

8 Down, 12 to go... unless picture books count, then I'm DONE! haha

14.    Wear make-up more often

15.    Be on time

16.    Finish another Couch to 5k program (Exactly 9 weeks til my Birthday. Perfect!)

17.    Compliment 1 person each day

18.    Start my Internship year!  HALF WAY DONE!!

19.    Complete another online English Class With Divine Intervention! Must post about this.

20.  Pay off my car

21.    Read scriptures for at least 5 minutes a day (Try to use my phone for this)

22.  Learn how to make Cream Brulee

23.  Make my bed every morning (Epic FAIL)

24.  Own a pair of designer jeans (I'm a poor teacher)

25.  Buy teacher clothes Wear them every day!

26.  Go on 1 date- I might have been on a date? I never know if I'm being dated. He bought my movie ticket?

27.  Go to church activities Went to a few, could be better.

28.  Buy a little black dress

29.  Participate in Santa’s Mailbag program Not as many letters from the Bronx this year. WHEW!

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!

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.

No Excuses, Just Happiness

Hi Internet.

The only excuse I have for not blogging is that I have been so busy crossing things off my 29 before 29 List! Holla!

Check me out!

5.      Make the Chancellor’s List

 BOO-YA!

2.      Get Associates Degree Diploma

 Sorry, I just got out of the shower, BUT, if you had worked for 10 years for a diploma, you wouldn't care either!

11.      Go on a vacation outside of Alaska

Brace yourself for lots of pics from the family Vacay to So. Cal

First Stop. San Diego to visit Aunt Bev and Uncle Jack, complete with a visit to the Mormon Battalion site, Old Town, the BEST food at Fred's, San Diego Temple and the USS Midway

I'll be honest. When I heard we were going to the Midway, I wasn't excited. But, I was really surprised how cool it was! Not only did I learn so much (Like did you know the Midway Laundry did over 4,000lbs of laundry an HOUR??) But it was also the location of the American Idol Auditions where they found runner-up Jessica Sanches! Cool Huh?

Oh, and look who is my TWIN! Same gift shop!


After a visit to the mall and Balboa Park it was off to Anaheim! We rented a house less than a mile from the park. It was great! We were the first people to stay there after a complete renovation and it was a bummer that we didn't have more time to swim in the pool, play air hockey, ping pong and watch tv!

Because we had 3 amazing days at the Happiest Place on Earth!

A. Standing outside the Tower of Terror B. Us girls ready to ride the Winnie the Pooh Ride! C. Levi, pretending NOT to be excited. D. Tower of Terror, Aubrey and I were terrified! E. Magic Kingdom F. Captain EO... Movies have improved a TON in 30 years! G. Corn Dog, legendary H. Dad and Nate on Splash Mountain (Dad's arms are raised) I. Me and Jules before it's a Small World J. Jules and Aunt Aub K. Creepy Princess Aurora did NOT stop for pictures L. California Adventure at night.

Oh! And I went to church with this guy!

All in All, an incredible family vacation! Can't wait til the next one!

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!