Happy Momma's Day

Dearest Mother~

Today is a day set aside to honor you. It is your day. Your day to eat breakfast in bed while enjoying some peace and quiet, even though you will get lonely and come join the wild ones at the kitchen table. Your day to put your feet up and relax, even though chances are you will either help with dinner or the dishes. It is your day to receive countless hugs and kisses, even though we could never give you enough to make up for all that you do. Your day to demand that all your children love each other and be nice, even though the reason we got into a fight was because someone was making too much noise and its Mother's Day so SHHHHH (as one child hits the other to make them be quiet)!! Your day for the world to revolve around you and each individual child as they brag about how hard they worked on that card and art project at school.

The older I get I wiser you have become. Meaning I now see that you and Dad really DO know a lot more about life than I ever gave you credit for back in high school. Your advice is given in a loving manner and with only good intentions, not in a controlling "I want to tell you how to live your life" way as previously thought. Your tears are my tears as your knee got scraped every time mine did, you failed that test every time I did, your heart broke every time mine did after a breakup. Your spit is the world's best cleaner getting anything and everything off of a dirty child's face. Your hugs make the whole brighter and your cooking never so good as when I had to starting cooking for myself.

In honor of Mother's Day I made each of my students write a Top 10 list of things their mother's do. Here is mine:

MY TOP 10 MEMORIES OF MOM

10. Staying up late editing all those papers. I can still hear you saying "What is "it"? What are you talking about? Which one sounds better...? You're paper needs to be reader friendly."
9. Watching Alicia face as you grabbed her arm and pulled her this way and pushed her that way to get the measurements for her toga. HAHA her face was priceless! You are a lets get down to business mom. By the way..thanks for those togas!!!
8. When my heart broke you rubbing my back for hours till I cried myself to sleep. I know those were long nights for you.
7. Walking around Disneyland and you had your map out, hat on your head, backpack and fannypack on, waterbottle in your hand, and you were cruising. "We need to get these Fastpasses then get those Fastpasses.Then be here for this show, come back and use the Fastpasses and then we will need to go here to watch this parade. On our way we can pick up a Fastpass for that ride...."
6. Your VOODOO medicine. I'll never admit that it actually works.
5. Your face when I was learning to drive and took that turn going 60 MPH.
4. Watching you load up the van after Girl's Camp. I don't know how you crammed it all in, but I do know that it took you holding everything inside with your foot while you tried to close the door. What an amazing balancing act!
3. Getting packages from you! Especially that ones full of cheesy sayings that are attached to the most random of things. They always put a smile on my face!
2.You and Dad getting off the ski lift and Dad following over (No worries Dad I've done it a thousand times.) and hearing him say "Why'd you push me Rhonda? Don't push me!"
1.The way you sign every card with "I'll love you forever. I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living my baby you'll be."

Happy Momma's Day!

Love,
Your Favorite Child

C...Eh!...N...Eh!...D...Eh!

Yes this post is long overdue, but as the saying goes, better late than never. Spring Break is a much need hiatus from everyday life after a long winter (here in Utah winter starts in in Oct/Nov.) It is one of the perks of being a teacher. It almost makes up for being underpaid...ALMOST. This year I became a salmon and swam upstream. Everyone else I know headed south, I head north to Grandma's smiles, hugs, and yummy cooking not to mention the rest of my crazy and loving Canadian family. :o) I love you guys!

Like with many of the trips I take, I consider the road trip to my destination one of my favorite parts. There is just something to be said about windows down, scenery flying past, singing at the top of my lungs to my iPod, and eating junk food with Carla. We have way too much fun in the car together, poor Jake had to suffer through our debates and endless random conversations. On the way up we decided to take the scenic route which according to Jake would show us some of "the most beautiful country." Here is what we were suppose to see...



A bit of Heaven on Earth wouldn't you say? Well this is what we actually ended up seeing...



Thats right it snowed all the way from Rexburg until we were probably halfway through Montana. No worries though we got to enjoy the scenery on the way back. The next adventure was at the border. We were actually stopped and had to go in and show someone our passports and answer the same questions over and over again. I have a few theories about this. 1) Carla, Jake, and I look like sketchy people. 2) Mariah Carey's Hero was playing in the background when we pulled up to the border guard. 3) The question, "Do you have any guns or ammunition on you?" and Jake wanting to answer "I didn't know I needed them." Whatever the reason we made it through.



While in the First Nation of Hockey we played in the Canadian Rockies. They are just gorgeous. I live at the base of the mountains here in Utah and they still took my breath away. They are so jagged and steep. You can almost just see where plates collided and one shot up. Our adventures included enjoying the Banff hot springs, and shopping. Here are a few of the treasures we found.







You can't go to Canada in the winter and not go to a hockey game. We went to the Calgary Hitman. They are the minor league team that the NHL drafts from, and since you have to be 21 to be in the NHL there are a lot of really good players in the minor league. My uncles swear it is actually better hockey than the pros. I won't lie while the game was amazing...we killed them (7-1) the mascot got more of my attention.




Overall it was an amazing trip. It was one of those trips where you truly come back rested and ready to face life again. It was relaxing, low key, fun, and it doesn't get any better than hanging out with family. So THANK YOU to everyone!!!

O Canada!

Most people head South to white sandy beaches and tan lines for Spring Break, I headed up the the Great White North to hang out with family. In honor of the trip and to keep everyone entertained until I can blog about all my adventures here are a few videos about Canada.

March Maddness BABY!!

With the Final Four chosen and the games a week away I thought I should take a moment to honor one of the few reasons March is allowed to be a month, St. Patrick's Day is the only other. As a teacher, March is the bottom of the barrel, the epitemy of all that is bad, it is the one month that I dread above all others. It's LONG and SNOWY and Spring Break isn't until April. Back to the Final Four...



First off the bench we have Michigan St. They earned its fifth trip to the national semifinals since 1999, the most in the nation over that span of time. Other than that I don't know a lot about them and don't really have the time to start researching either. So sorry but I will wish you good luck!



UCONN-"The most powerful team in college basketball," Rick Pitino called the Huskies Sunday in Indianapolis. The Huskies who are powerful both in Men's and Women's basketball have a real shot. Not my favorite though.



Villanova- The classic Cinderella team. I personally think their road to the Final Four has been the most demanding. They beat out Duke AND Pitt!!! Personal feelings aside, the Duke game was a trial run just a warm up for this super talented team who is full of heart. Haha sorry Brendan but I will sing the praises of any team that knocks Duke out of the tournament. Plus Scottie Reynolds graduated from Herndon High School and I having personally attending the Hornets Summer Basketball Camp am rooting for this underdog even if it means that my bracket is screwed.



And finally the fabulous UNC!!! They are my pick to win it all! Tyler Hansbourgh is a beast! Not only is he a force on the court but he is also a team player. In the semifinals he had more assists than baskets."It's the way we've always tried to run our program," Roy Williams said, "to have more than one guy be the star." All season people say they have been over rated, still good but over rated. Well they are the team to beat and always have been! Their bench is deep and they rely on no single stratedgy to win games. They are flexible and adjust according to their opponents. I guess the only thing left to say is GO TAR HEELS!!

Don't Worry Be Happy

I never understood how people could say that they were having a hard year. I mean a hard/long week sure, but really a bad year? 365 days in a row that are hard? Haha I will never question that statement ever again. 2009 has not been a good year for me, which is not good because its not even half way over! On the bright side of things it can only get better from here. Yes, it has been that bad. It can't really get much worse.

Last night while laying in bed dreading sleep. You know because sleep makes time go by faster, and I just do not want to live through another hard day it dawned on me that I HAVE TO CHANGE MY ATTITUDE. Yes life is hard at the moment. Very hard. A huge trial and test of my faith in my chosen profession. While I can't change other people's attitude towards education, my teaching style, or teaching their child to be responsible and respectful I can change my attitude. And basically have to if I want to survive this school year. 2 months is an extremely long time to get through so here is my plan... I am going to count my blessings...all of them... in hopes that this will lift my spirits and give me some sort of force field to help me get through the rest of this week. Which between report cards, parent teacher conferences, and the fact that it is only half over doesn't hold much promise.

HERE I GO. WISH ME LUCK!

My amazing family. My health. My iTunes collection. My jetta (oh how I love her!) My friends. Empanazas. Frozen yogurt from Hello Yogurt. House. One Tree Hill. The Office. Grey's Anatomy. Hot Chocolate. Summer is only 2 months away. Spring Break is 3 weeks away (Canada here I come.) Students that say thank you. Harry Potter. Fabulous Roomies. Signing a contract on a townhouse for next year. The beautiful 60 degree weather we are enjoying. Beautiful sunsets over Utah Lake. Glorious sunrises over the mountains. Wearing flip flops. Friday is a Teacher Work Day. Krissy lives 5 minutes away and is pregnant!! Alicia and Kaitlyn are getting married!!! Going to Seattle and Portland in May. My blog. The wonderful teachers I work with in 5th grade. The stack of books next to my bed I will eventually get around to reading. A hot shower. My splint is off and my wrist is slowly getting stronger. CHOCOLATE!! There are no dishes in the sink. Jake created his blog. Getting tickets to Dave Matthews in Sept. My comfy bed. New makeup. The fake fireflies Mom sent me. My bands are freaking cute. My fabulous and very supportive family. Duke is ranked #2 and UNC is ranked #1 in the NCAA bracket. I ate the best brownies today. Gas is still under 2 dollars. Spring is coming. Sleeping in on Saturdays. Cereal. My slippers. Underground parking (no wiping snow off my car.) French Toast from Kneaders. All of my super cute shoes. Diet Coke. My counselors in Relief Society. Holly is coming to Utah next year. Shylo. Rambo. I have a college degree. Facebook. TV on the internet. Ice cream. Memories. Dreams. My faith. Great Neighbors. March Madness. Road trips with Carla. Taking crazy pictures. My electric toothbrush. Wearing sweatpants. Country Music. Taylor's CD mixes. Email. Cellphones. Texting. My own room. Hot Pink. Going out to eat. I have a steady job. I get my summers "off" (teachers still work all summer prepping for the next year.) Fireflies. Humidity. Green trees. Seasons. Holidays.

You Might Be An Educator IF...

You Might Be An Educator If..

~You believe the staff room should be equipped with a Valium salt lick.

~You think they should put Ritalin in candy form and distribute it on the playground.

~You want to slap the next person who says, "Must be nice to work from 8 to 3 and have your summers free!"

~ You believe chocolate is a food group.

~You can tell it's a full moon, snowing, hailing, an holiday, or a beautiful day in the middle of winter without ever looking outside.

~You believe "shallow gene pool" should have its own box on the report card.

~You believe that unspeakable evil will befall you if anyone says, "Boy, the kids sure are mellow today."

~When out in public you feel the urge to talk to strange children and correct their behavior. This includes telling children to "Go pull their clip/card" without even thinking about it.

~You have no time for a social life between August to June.

~Marking all A's on report cards would make your life SO much simpler.

~When you mention "vegetables" you're not talking about a food group.

~You think people should HAVE to get a government permit before being allowed to reproduce.

~You wonder how some parents ever MANAGED to reproduce.

~You laugh uncontrollably when people refer to the staff room as the lounge.

~You believe in aerial spraying of Prozac.

~You drink AirBorne like its Hot Chocolate

~You encourage an obnoxious parent to check into charter schools or home schooling. Have offer to help them pack when they move out of the School District.

~You believe no one should be permitted to reproduce without having taught in an elementary school setting for at least 5 years.

~You've had your profession slammed by someone who would never DREAM of doing your job.

~You don't know what to name your children because there's no name you could give a child that wouldn't bring on high blood pressure the moment you uttered it.

~You think caffeine should be available to staff in IV form.

~You know you're in for a MAJOR project when a parent says, "I have a great idea I'd like to discuss. I think it would be such fun!"

~Your personal life comes to a screeching halt at report card time.

~Meeting a child's parents instantly make you go "OH! That explains why your child is the way they are."

~You think that Halloween and Valentine's Day should always be the last Saturday of the month.

Pros and Cons

OK so I have a HUGE decision coming up and I need some help so I am pleading for ya'll two cents. I am currently trying to decided if I should head home and teach somewhere in the DC area or stay in Utah and teach another year. If you ask me what I want its to go home. I came to Utah to go to college and gain a degree and well I have accomplished that goal. I miss my family and friends, the humidity, snow days, fireflies, and that is where I ultimately want to spend the rest of my life somewhere on the east coast. Now this might seem like a no brainer after that last sentence and I'm sure you are probably thinking "Well, just go home!" but its not actually that easy. Let me explain.

This wonderful economy of ours is effecting education as well as every other field out there. Most school systems are having to make major cut backs this includes a pay freeze, hiring freeze, and/or losing a lot of extracurricular things that make school fun. Now, normally schools just offer incentives for older teachers to retire so that they and pay new teachers less money (in the teaching profession your pay is based on your experience) but no one wants to retire because their 401Ks suck. Thank you wall street and stupid selfish CEOs with your million dollar bonuses, private jets, and no accountability!

ANYWAY...basically even finding teaching jobs is getting harder to do, especially since I have to apply for a VA teaching license. Its not that hard to do since I already have a Utah one. It does, however, just take time. Time I don't necessarily have since my principal needs to know in the next few weeks if she should fill my position. AARRRGGG I hate jumping through hoops which is what I am having to do! So here are my pros and cons for staying and going...


STAYING IN UTAH PROS:

I love the other teachers I work with!
I love the school...the students are so sweet (most the time!)
I have a guaranteed job for next year!
California, Vegas, and Idaho are less than a day's drive away!
I am in the middle of some of the greatest ski resorts in the world.
It will be my 2nd year teaching 5th grade which means SO MUCH LESS PLANNING!!!
It means I won't have to move across the country.
Holly got accepted to BYU and Roxy is probably transferring.
I finally found a doctor out here so I feel sorta settled.
There are so many amazing things to experience out here when it comes to the Church...Conference, CES Firesides, Temple Square, etc.

STAYING IN UTAH CONS:

It means staying in Utah.
Utah drivers.
The Provo Dating Scene.
6 months of winter (I'm tired of being frozen!)
NO SNOW DAYS!
The Provo Dating Scene.
I am a 3 day drive or a 5 hour $400 plane ride away from home.
I have 2 weddings to come home for next year THATS A LOT OF MONEY IN TRAVELING!!
The Provo Dating Scene.
Its so freaking dry out here!
The lack of greenness.
Shylo is in Virginia.


GOING BACK EAST PROS:

Its not Utah!!
There is an appropriate amount of winter (3 months!)
Snow Days!
New dating scene with normal people!
My family1
My friends!
I won't have to buy a plane ticket to come home for Sunday Dinner, go to a wedding, or a family gathering.
Where better to teach about American History than in the Historic East! Think of all the field trips!
A days drive from NYC, Philly, Boston, the beach, and just about everywhere!
ITS GREEN!!
It's home and there is where my heart is!
I could meet someone who wants to stay back east which seems easier than trying to meet somewhere out here in Utah who wants to go back east.
I'd make more money!


GOING BACK EAST CONS:

No guaranteed job.
Might have to move in the parents for awhile.


Ok so there it is laid out in pluses and minuses. Let me know what you think I need all the advice I can get!