Good Advice

“All you have to do is trust your Heavenly Father. Trust Him enough to follow His plan.” 

~Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Your Happily Ever After,” Ensign, May 2010, 127

Potato Chips Make You Sluggish

We played a fun game called Partner Tag today.

As we finished up, RM says, "I'm not a fast runner. . .I need to give up potato chips."

I just thought it was funny.  I'm hoping these kids get as funny as my class last year.  I think they're getting there.

Today Was a 3 Coke Kind of Day

Remember how I gave up soda?  Well. . .today that ended. 

I'm an idiot and think that if I don't go to sleep tomorrow won't come.  I'm always wrong about that.  Tomorrow always comes and it comes way too early. 

I know this is something I need to work on.  (I've said this all before...I've gone through all of this before...Remember? Here? Followed by this one?  Followed by this one?)  I talked about recommitting myself to sleep here.  I didn't really do that though.  I think the goal lasted about 3 days.  I know sleep is important but I just always think of a million more things that I'd rather do. 

One day, I will get enough sleep on a regular basis.  I promise.  One day...

Life Is Too Short to Not Be Happy

via 

First Day of School = Epic Success

Last year, 10 students missed the first day of class...this year, 2 students missed the first day of school.  Much better then last year but seriously, who in the h.e. double hockey sticks misses the first day? 

That being said, I am in L. O. V. E. with my class.  They are fabulous!  It is such a different vibe than last year.  I loved my class last year, but they were freaking difficult (remember here, here, here and here?  I sure do!).  It looks like this year will be much different.  It looks like we'll have an amazing time learning and growing together.  I am so excited for this year! 

JB has already said I'm the funniest teacher she's ever had...just you wait, JB...Just you wait!  I get funnier (or crazier) as the year progresses.  I have a feeling you'll be rolling on the floor laughing by December. 

Let's cross our fingers and our toes that this year remains as stellar as the first day was!

Butterflies? What Butterflies?

Remember last year at this time when I was vomiting with anticipation about the beginning of a new school year?  It's not happening this year.  I'm so excited to go to sleep and there will be no worrying about what this new year has in store for me.

I'm excited about this year but at the exact same time I'm not excited.  I think I want a little more summer.  Blah.  Six weeks sure does spoil a girl.

Adventures in Ash J. Land

Oh, man!  Today was an adventure!

The day began by heading to work to get some stuff ready for my classroom...not that adventurous...then Ryan came...you know, this guy...

Being at work wasn't really part of the adventure but it was the beginning to a very interesting day.

Once we left school, we decided to go canoeing.  Yep, you read that right, canoeing...who goes canoeing?  We do apparently.  I got a great arm workout and a great sunburn...I knew I should have put on sunscreen! 

After canoeing, we ate lunch and hung out at my house for a while.  While there, Ryan made a Facebook group about a camping trip.  No big deal.  Ryan also secretly updated my status and added a picture.  He was so excited about his prank that he told me 5 minutes after he did it.  Here's the picture he added:

Let's just say I had a lot of comments to sift through and a lot of damage control to do.  **This is not my hand...This is not an announcement...This picture was obviously taken in the fall and I wasn't even dating in the fall...I AM NOT ENGAGED.  Though Ryan would like you to believe that.**

After that fiasco, I went bowling with Anthony and two of his friends.  I'm not a horrible bowler but I'm not an excellent bowler either.  I generally break 100 and end any where from 105 to 115, when I really try.  On the other hand, these boys I bowled with are good.  They always smoke me.  Tonight was a different story.  Here's the picture of the screen at the end of the game (it's super blurry so I added a little something to help you out.  You're welcome.):

That's right...I tied for first place.  Go team me!  I think I'll give up bowling now so I can end on a high note. 

I'd like to take this time to publicly retire from bowling.  I don't think I can ever do this well again...or the guys can do this poorly...either way I'll never taste bowling victory again.

Celebritites Make Excellent Presidential Candidates

Things you learn while listening to NPR:

Wyclef Jean...yes, as in 1/3 of the 1990's group Fugees...is running for president of Haiti. 

Just thought you'd like to know.

Be Awesome

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Just One More Week

School starts exactly 168 hours from right now.

I thought I was excited to get back.  I've decided I'm not...at least not yet. 

I shouldn't be complaining about the fact that I just had a crazy long summer vacation and I'm not ready to go back considering most people don't get summer break after they graduate but I'm going to any way.  Learn to deal people.

Let's hope I get more excited in 168 hours...that's 7 days in case you didn't want to do the math.

Day 25--Blog Challenge

What I would find in your bag

My purse has this nasty habit of turning into a black hole.  I put things in and they disappear.  Right now my purse is pretty organized and I can find things easily but give me a week or so and it will be crazy again. 


I downsized to this smaller purse so that I didn't have as much room to throw my crap.  I miss my giant bag though.  It had so many great treasures in it!

 The Vortex

Everything laid out.  That pink bag is my favorite...how many people carry glue sticks, post-its, pens and permanent markers in their purse?

Reasons Why We Yell (In a Loving Way) At Ryan...

He thinks we live in a barn.  The boy can't shut our door to save his life.  Here's proof:

Ikea, Burt Reynolds and The Hoff

I've lived in my house for 9 months now...NINE!  Holy cow!  Times flies when you're awesome having fun.  Anyway...I'm not good at decorating.  My house is bare.  Here's photographic evidence. 

You can't argue with photographic evidence.

I bought some pictures at Ikea a LONG time ago and they've just been sitting on the floor since.  Well, today was the day we hung them on the wall.

Assembling our supplies.

As we began, the doorbell rang.  We didn't answer because we were busy.  As we kept taking pictures we decided we should have answered the door so the salesman could take pictures of us both doing our decorating thing.

First, Ikea...what the heck am I supposed to do with this bracket thing?  Your instructions with the goofy looking guy and a question mark sure didn't help me.   We decided to just throw them away.

We are so puzzled...

We measured the wall and the art and made a very difficult formula to figure out the middle of the wall in proportion to the couch.

 Okay, we didn't really.  We just measured a little and hammered a lot.

But we did level the pictures.  We are so super.

Oh so level.

We decided I needed a picture of myself so you know I really did help.  I only took pictures when we stopped and posed these.

Two down, one to go!

And there you have it, folks!  This wall now makes it look like people actually live here.  Now we just need to find something to put on the giant wall across from this wall.

I'm thinking life size portraits of Burt Reynolds and David Hasselhoff...it will be classy.

Driving & Sleepy, Bobbing Bryce

As we drove from St. George to Las Vegas, there was a time that Jaynee had to swerve to not hit something.  This swerving made the sleeping Bryce bob his head quite dramatically.  We decided we'd try to capture it on video. 

We all thought this was hilarious.  Is it funny for people who weren't there?

Blogging ADD

I have self-diagnosed ADD. 

I'm getting really bored with this blog challenge so I'm stopping.  Maybe I'll post the the ones I really want to post but I'm not doing the lame ones.  I'm hating this blog challenge because I'm not being very creative with my posts...I don't do well when I'm expected to write certain things. 

There I said it, I'm so done.

San Jorge

Jaynee, Bryce, Ryan and I went on a weekend trip to St. George and Las Vegas.  It was so much fun!  I highly recommend road trips with these fabulous people!

Driving to St. George...This was supposed to be a Jaynee and Ash picture but the boys got in on it too and I think it is now one of my favorites of the trip.

Our first night in St. George there was a beautiful sunset so we made the most of it.

Look how cute this picture would have been if Ryan and Bryce hadn't ruined it.  I think I'll crop them out and frame the picture of Jaynee and me.

When you wait for Jaynee, you take a bunch of pictures like this:

On our first full day in St. George, we went to Sand Hollow.  We swam and jumped of giant cliffs...but we didn't take the camera...sorry.  On the way back to the hotel, we saw a creepy, abandoned bowling alley/mini-golf/water park.  Obviously, we investigated.

The big white and blue building was once where the water slides began.

The tunnel entrance to the slides.

This is a totally random piece of playground equipment.  The rest of this area is weeds and dirt...no playground in sight.

Don't you just want to swim here?

Self-timers + really hot weather + really bright and sunny = bad quality photo.   But the pool...so funny!  Dirt and weeds...that's it!

Our original plan was not to go to Las Vegas but we had a free afternoon so we took the hour and a half drive to Sin City...(FYI, we didn't sin).

I love this picture!

Bryce really wanted to go to the MGM Grand buffet...so we did.  Look at my knife (left side) in comparison to a regular knife (right side).  I'm assuming the story behind the bent knife is one of those "stays in Vegas" stories.

I just ate two giant plates of food so obviously I'd love six different desserts.  

The white one with the giant raspberry on top was delicious.  Ryan showed me how to eat the circular chocolate one properly...it doesn't involve any silverware. 

Jaynee's Tower O' Desserts

Jaynee's fallen Tower O' Desserts

One of the great things about Las Vegas...random gift shops.  These were the most appropriate option for a couple of Mormon ladies to wear.

We bought a flattened penny at the Rain Forest Cafe.  It's a game for Jaynee and me now.  We have to get it into the other person's possession without that person knowing.  I still have it but have an epic plan to get it to Jaynee.

Bryce and Ryan also bought flattened pennies...obviously Bryce is not as excited about it as Ryan is.

After Vegas, we headed back to St. George to visit Jaynee's friend Kandace.  While there we went to Dixie Rock and took some killer photos.

Isn't Bryce cute?

Bryce, Me, Jaynee, Kandace

"Missing you from St. George." 

On Sunday, we went to church then visited the St. George Temple. 

Ryan and Bryce were talking about their missions, I was part of the conversation but stopped because Jaynee was taking and picture and I try to avoid those lovely closed-eyes-tongue-sticking-out kinds of pictures.

As much as I wanted this to be really cute, it really isn't.

Driving home. 

Jack in the Box tacos...so good tasting but so disgusting looking.  

Good trip, Team Fun!

We also made some amazing videos while on the trip, one of which you saw here, but now I'm having a hard time upload the videos...hopefully I'll be able to get them up sometime soon.  We need people who weren't on the trip to tell us if they are actually funny or if we are just crazy people.

Day 23--Blog Challenge

Something you crave a lot

Cafe Rio pork salad.  I could eat that every day of my life and be happy...fat but happy.

Ah, man, my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Day 22--Blog Challenge

What makes you different from everyone else

Ugh...gag me!  What makes me different form everyone else? This is a ridiculous thing for me to even talk about.  I have no idea!  AAAHHHH!!! 

Wow.  Now that I've calmed down I think I can proceed.

I'm really excited to go back to work.  I don't know that I can wait 2 more weeks.  I'm dying to get back to my classroom and meet all my new students and have new adventures and new funny stories to tell.  Most people would be stoked to get 6 weeks off work but let me tell you, it gets kinda redundant after a while.  I need something to do!

Wedding Video Love

Summer makes me constantly have weddings on the brain.  When you're invited to one a week, it just kinda happens.

When I saw this video on a lovely little blog called A Cup of Jo (maybe you've heard of it?  She's got over 12,000 followers...no biggie.  I'm catching up slowly...16...woot!  Huge tangent there...my apologies!) and I fell in love with the joy of this wedding.  


Max & Margaux Stop Motion from Shark Pig on Vimeo.

Considering the fact that this video is posted on A Cup of Jo, I really don't have to post it because let's face it, everyone who reads blogs reads A Cup of Jo.  Too bad.  You're watching it twice and that's final!

Day 21--Blog Challenge

A picture of something that makes you happy

 Bag o' fruit snacks with only strawberry flavored snacks (except for one grape).

Freaking amazing sunset in St. George

St. George Preview

I went to St. George and Las Vegas with a few friends over the weekend.

We had an A-MAZ-ING time.

I'll post pictures soon-ish but I don't want to at the moment.

Here's a video to tide you over.

Oh, that Ryan! he's a goof ball!

Day 20--Blog Challenge

Someone you see yourself marrying/being with in the future

This is a really hard question for me to answer.  I've mentioned my list many times on this blog.  I want to get married.  I hope it happens soon-ish.  I'm just going to go with a very vague answer:

I see myself marrying a man who meets the criteria.


Wow.  That sounds super lame but it's true.

August Videos

This one is for Ryan.



I was lame this month and didn't find any more that were worthy of my blog.  Sorry.