Halloween 2013

We went all out for Halloween this year.  By "all out" I mean Husband and I dressed up...and I didn't even have a classroom Halloween party to dress up for.

Baby H. and I went to Husbands work for their party.  Baby H. doesn't get Halloween yet.  He was just happy to be walking around and seeing other people.

After the party, we headed to my mom's to show off our costumes and eat some soup.  By the time we finally thought about getting a picture, Baby H. was not in the mood.

I have about 45 like this one but this is the only one that was mostly in focus.

Picking up Baby H. resulted in only slightly better photos.

Anyway, Happy Halloween from Mary Poppins, one of the penguins from Jolly Holiday and Bert.

Halloween Crafts

I freaking love Halloween!  Favorite time of the year, hands down.  I made some new Halloween decorations with my Silhouette and I love how they turned out.

First, a Happy Halloween banner.  I used this shape to create the banner. I deleted the spider webs and spiders then used the cracked font to make the words.

And a close up.  I love glitter paper!

Next, the spiders and web banner.  Same shape used exactly how it was made.

I also layered some of the spiders and webs. 


And the final Halloween decor...Bats.  So freaking cute...or scary?

I feel like I need a lot more for the space but they're looking awesome.  I used this shape from the Silhouette store and I only used the bottom bat in the pair.

Pumpkin Patchin'

We went to a pumpkin patch today.  Baby H. was more excited about the helicopters that kept flying over the field.

When did my baby grow up?

Once we got in the car though, he was very excited to hold the pumpkin in his lap.

And, pretty unrelated, these pajamas were mine almost 30 years ago.

Elf on a Shelf

I don't get it.  I think it's stupid and a waste of time and resources.  That being said, all I know about Elf on a Shelf is what I see on Facebook and Pinterest.

Source: m.pinterest.com via Susan on Pinterest

Source: designdazzle.blogspot.com via Sally on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Tina on Pinterest

Source: asmallsnippet.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Elizabeth on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Tamara on Pinterest

Source: 30daysoftwinkle.shutterfly.com via Lindsay on Pinterest

And why is the elf such a little turd?  Can't he do nice things like wash the dishes or vacuum the floors while he's watching and reporting back to Santa?

I've never actually read the book.  For any of you out there who love your little elf and are now cursing me and getting ready to leave a scathing comment, don't.  I already know what you'll say and I've tucked it nicely into my brain.

Elf on a Shelf is just not for me.  But, if it does ever happen, I will use it to scare the h.e. double hockey sticks out of my kids.  And our elf would do the dishes occasionally.


**This post brought to you by a 1 a.m. pumping session & Pinterest cruising**

MLK Jr.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power of love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies."

~Martin Luther King Jr.

Merry Christmas

Kids retelling the story of the birth of Christ...what could be better?

Happy Halloween!

Happy Father's Day

I was in charge of the craft for the nursery kids to make for their dads for Father's Day.  I decided on this card.  It turned out pretty cute even though ours were a bit ghetto with buttons I cut out...really made me want a Silhouette even more.

Cinco de Mayo 2011

Remember last year?  Jenny and I randomly deciding to put on sombreros and fake mustaches?  Yep, this year was better.  I wore my shirt that looked "most fiesta-like" according to Husband.

We had a little get-together at Jenny's.  It was seriously fun but I was seriously bad at taking pictures.  Here are the lovelies I did manage to take. 

I miss living with this lovely lady.

Jenny's little bro, Jonny.  He's one cool 19 year old.

Doesn't that mustache look awesome on Andrea?

Ole! This is as Mexican as we got.

April Fool's, Mrs. H!

I walked into my classroom today to find that I no longer had a desk.

My reaction?  "Ugh.  My desk." and immediately walked out to find RS and his crew of assailants.

They were nowhere to be found so I decided to talk to the janitor...he's always in on the practical jokes.  Unfortunately, he had no idea where my desk was.  As I walked in to show him, I noticed the camera taping my every move.

So I picked it up and said, "You think you're so funny, don't you?"  Then I heard it.   The laughter of a half dozen 12-year olds.   They had been standing outside the window peaking in and laughing the whole time. 

"You guys watch out" is what I told them in my most mischievous tone.  "You never know when I might get you back."

And get them back I did.  I gave them a "7th Grade Math Placement Test" with 9th grade honors curriculum on it.  I told them I wasn't allowed to help and any question that didn't have work shown would be graded wrong regardless of a correct answer or not...they also only got 30 minutes to finish.  (I should have made it 15, just to make them worry that much more.)

There were kids who were about to cry, there were kids who obviously just gave up, there were kids who whined, there were kids who tried really hard to figure things out, there were kids who sat and looked dumbfounded...it was glorious.

After the half-hour, they were distraught.  I thought about telling them about the joke before they went to lunch but why not let them squirm a little longer?

Next year, I will be prepared.  Next year I will have hilarious April Fools for my students.


Watch out class of 2012...

Best Valentine's Day Ever?

If you hadn't already noticed, I was sick...real sick...for a long time.  I don't remember being this sick EVER.  14 days of feeling awful to be exact. 

Here's how my very first super romantic married Valentine's Day went down:  I woke up feeling like a garbage truck hit me and The Situation punched me in the face a few times...but I had to go to school because I wasn't going to make a sub throw a Valentine's Day party for a bunch of sugar-high 12-year-olds.  I made it through the day by showing a few science movies and laying on the floor under my desk.  By the time 4pm rolled around I was ready to die. I drove home and crawled into bed and slept  from 4:30pm to 9pm.  At this point, I woke up, said hello to Husband, got a drink of water and tried to spend some time with Husband.  That last part didn't work out.  I'm pretty sure I was in and out of a Nyquil induced dream-like stupor.  I went back to bed at 10pm...and slept til 2pm the next day.  Best Valentine's Day ever?  Maybe not.  We'll try again next year.

Hence, no blog posts.  But I'm back and feeling awesome. 

Slave Sister

I made Courtney make the Valentine's for my students.  I did these again...just like last year but minus the lips...mustaches for everyone!

I also did not help her.  Husband said, "You're just going to make Court do all the work for you?"

"Yep.  Everyone needs a slave sister.  She's mine."

Court: "Everyone needs a slave sister and a crazy sister...I am NOT both.  If we had a crazy off...who would win?  DON'T say me!"

Court decided we should all wear mustaches.

 We are attractive people.

Especially me...sick...dirty...slightly reminiscent of Conando.

What I Love...Day 5, 2011

I love...

Cadbury Creme Eggs...and the fact that they are already in the store.  Hi...Easter is April 24th this year.  That's over 3 months away.  Not that I'm complaining.  I'm going to eat as many of these as possible between now and Easter.  And probably buy some bigger pants.

Delicious Cadbury Creme Egg I enjoyed on January 14th.  Exactly 106 days before Easter.  Mmmm.

What I Love...Day 3, 2011

I love...

Martin Luther King, Jr. and this wonderful holiday we have to remember him.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

Two More Weeks

I'm counting down...8 more school days (because today has already started so I'm not going to count it) and 17 regular days until I get married.  Woot!

Can we have 5 day weekends and 2 day work weeks just for the next two weeks?

I'm just a little bit ready to go off track...1 more Monday...Thanks for that Martin Luther King, Jr.

2010 Rewind

Everyone does this on/around New Years.  So why not me?

My friend Jaynee (one-third of the Trifecta of Awesome) put a post on her Facebook and asked people to write all the fun things we did through the year.  As I was writing my list, I remembered all the greatness that was 2010 and decided I needed it all in one convenient place.  Here goes.

January

~Spoke in church for the first time.

~Won a super sweet blog give away.

February

~Made awesome valentine's for my students.

~Loved mylifeisaverage

~Read the Hunger Games....and LOVED it!

~Found a hidden talent...dominating 12-year-olds at dodge ball.

March

~Realized I was officially shorter than many of my students.

~Dressed like Conan O'Brien for a school assignment.

~Made a list of things I wanted for my birthday.

April

~Learned that volleyball and cheap nylons are not best friends.

~I was asked on a date while driving on Bangerter...true story.

~Earth Day party...the first of many random holidays used to just have a party.

~My blog turned one!

~Free Pie! and a broken dead bolt.

May

~Fake mustaches and real sombreros on Cinco de Mayo.

~The Trifecta of Awesome was born at a Ground Control show.

~Had a weekend of awesomeness...which included bowling, finally building that dang IKEA desk, large amounts of ice cream, prophets and double rainbows.

~Spoke in church for the 2nd time in four months.

~Was called as the 2nd counselor in the Relief Society.

June

~Went to Lake Powell with the family.

~Sweaty Latin Dancing with Gabriel, Jenny and Rich.

~Manti Pageant with Jaynee, Jenny, Rich, Bryce, Gabriel, Ryan, Josh, Jayson and Anthony.  Side note...this was the first time Anthony and I ever really did anything together.

~Began playing football with the boys in my class...usually while wearing a dress.

July

~Last day of my first year of teaching and field day.

~Movie under the stars.

~Celebrated our very first half-birthday.

~Dane's birthday celebration.  I did a few things I never thought I would do.  Went on a giant water slide and got an atomic wedgie at Seven Peaks and decorated a trunk for a birthday party.

~24th of July celebrations.

August

~St. George and Las Vegas with Ryan, Bryce and Jaynee.

~Ryan said I was engaged.

~First day of my 2nd year of teaching...easy peasy mac and cheesey.

September

~Had a surprise half-birthday party...first surprise party of my life.

~Made up a new slang term.

~Saul turned 100,000 miles.

~Went to work accidentally dressed as a pirate.  Called the day Official Pirate Day.

October

~First 6th grade market day...had bright red hair for an entire day.

~Road trip to Los Angeles with Jaynee, Jenny, and Kellen to buy fabric for my wedding dress...before I was actually engaged.

~Went on a crazy road trip to Mississippi and Texas with Anthony.

~Got engaged!

~Went to the airport dressed as Zombie Ron Weasley and got Anthony out of a speeding ticket.

November

~Had a pumpkin carving party (in October) but blogged about it in November (not much happened in November).

December

~My car, Saul, died.

~Had engagement pictures taken.

~Finished the MEd portion of my Master's Degree.  Three more classes until I officially have a Master's.  I'm pretty awesome...even if I do say so myself.

~Tried to learn how to be a rapper.  Didn't turn out so well.

And that's the fun, (mostly) amazing things that happened this year.  My life really didn't start until about April...January-March were pretty boring.  I'm glad I have lots of amazing people in my life now.  Thanks for the good times.  Love you all!

It Came!

Nope...not snow or Santa or a truck full of happy attitudes for my 6th graders.

It came.

Oh, man!  I'm so excited to wear it.  It's so much cuter with the natural peacock feathers.

I'd post pictures but I want it to be a surprise when the wedding pictures come out...or when you come to my wedding.

Not to toot my own horn but I look freaking awesome.  I'm going to be a stunning bride...just saying.

And,

Have a very merry Christmas eve!

As Seen on TV

Remember how my sisters and I each received Snuggies for Christmas?  Well, we did and they are wonderful.  This year, I'm hoping for a shake weight...let's keep the traditional "As Seen on TV" gifts alive and well this year!

Winter Christmas Break!

Side note: I like how the school districts have become politically correct.  When I was in school, it was Christmas Break...how times have changed.

I'm out for Christmas break and I'm exhausted.  These last three days have been fun but mentally and physically exhausting...trying to keep 70+ eleven and twelve year olds entertained and doing school work when they'd rather be playing in the snow and snooping for their Christmas presents is hard work.

Here is a little something we've all been working on for the past month...enjoy.

To be a 6th grade teacher you need to be just a little crazy.

I wish I could show you the whole thing...the 6th graders were that good.  We had so much fun with this song.

The song we did was by Inside Out.  The cd is called Primary Colors. You should go check it out.  The song is called Once There Were Some Snowmen.  You can buy the MP3 here.

Thankful

"We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues."

~Thomas S. Monson

I'm thankful for so much this holiday season.

My life is blessed in so many ways by so many wonderful people.

Here is a list (in no particular order) of people and things I am thankful for:

• Anthony
• My mom
• My sisters
• My dad
• Family (both mine and Anthony's)
• Fabulous friends that I didn't know this time last year
• Fabulous friends that I've had for a long time
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
• My 6th graders
• A job I love
• A car that gets me around
• My education
• College
• A warm home
• Electricity
• The Internet
• Cell phones
• DVR
• Carbs
• Cute boots
• Our Savior
• The Atonement 
• A cute boy that can (and will) fix anything for me
• Washer and dryer
• Service
• Kind words

I'm sure I'm missing so many other things that I am truly grateful for. 

This is my favorite time of year and I hope that I can show how grateful I am to all those people who are in my life.