Holiday Letter

Dear Family and Friends,
It's been a full year and as I pause to reflect on this year, I feel overwhelmed by the many rich blessings I have been given.

In August, I entered my 8th year at South Jordan Middle School. It is a challenging job. I love it and am grateful to have steady employment.

I have 14 nieces and nephews with 2 more on the way this summer. They are growing so fast! The eldest of the bunch is 13 and the youngest is one. I love when we can be together.

I've also been blessed to be Gospel Doctrine teacher in my ward. Even what a ward boundary change came, it wasn't long before my prayers were answered and I was pulled back in as a Gospel Doctrine teacher. I can wait to teach the "Old Testament" and I'm betting there aren't many people out there w ho can say that.

I have the most amazing friends and family members. I thank each of them for their love, support, and appreciation. I wouldn't be much without them. Truly they are the best of Heavenly Father's children.

All my love to you and a most merry Christmas!!

A Christmas Carol

I just read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens for the first time. It didn't take me much time to complete. The book isn't very long. I have seen several film versions of A Christmas Carol, my favorite being the version starring George C. Scott. As I read the book, I wished I had read it long ago. If you like the movie versions, you'll love the book. If you love the book, the movie version you like will depend upon your own tastes.

I recommend the book. You won't regret taking a little time to read it.

Clouds Rock!

A couple days ago I was driving to work. While at a stop light, I saw an interesting sight in the sky. I'd like to think of it as a divine hug and kiss.



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Babysitting

It's one of the great things about being an aunt and I love that I get to spend time with these great kids.


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A Year. A Week. And a day...

That is the age difference between me and the sibling next in line to me. She had a birthday today. Here is a top 10 list dedicated to her.

10. She cuts me a break on the rent.
9. Knows how to decorate.
8. Is a talented artist (even if she doesn't think so).
7. Has a great sense of humor.
6. Likes the same shows I do (except Survivor...my guilty pleasure).
5. Stays in shape.
4. Inspires me to eat well.
3. Rigged family Christmas drawing one year so she could get me a guitar.
2. Has been with me since I was 1 year old.
1. She's my sister and friend. What more is there?






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Dress-Up Day

If anyone is familiar with the TV show "LOST" this costume I put together will be familiar. One can purchase a Dharma Initiative jumpsuit on the ABC website for a little more than $100. I went to Walmart where I found a much less expensive blue jumpsuit and then purchased a Dharma patch. Viola!

I hope you've enjoyed the trip through Ribbon Week.

Drugs and violence SOCK!!!

Well...they do.
Crazy sock day...here we come! And what could be crazier than socks for St. Patty's day near Halloween?

38

My mom and dad could very well say, "38 years we've had her! Just get rid of her!" Thankfully, they never would.

I wanted to thank everyone for their happy birthday wishes. They came in a variety of ways...a flower and a card, text and fb messages, phone calls, rousing and robust renditions of the traditional song, and a very nice dinner complete with chocolate cake (thank you, Karen!!).





Even Mother Nature left me a gift, though if any one out there knows my feelings on the subject of snow you'll know it wasn't the greatest gift ever...



-- Post From My iPhone

Don't sweat...

Don't do drugs!

Today we are moving through our Ribbon Week (fighting against drugs and violence). The students wanted a sweats day...so they got one.

There is a poster contest and games at lunch. This should be a fun day!

Ribbon Week

This week SJMS is participating in a campain against drugs and violence. I'm the PTSA Rep advisor and am in charge of the week together with the students I oversee. They are great kids and have worked really hard getting things ready.

They did a great job with the display case.




Today is Tie Day-Don't get "tied up with drugs or violence".


While Ribbon Week also focuses attention on other things...we only focus on the anti-drug and violence aspect of things.

It ought to be fun!!!


-- Post From My iPhone

When the teacher is away...

...some students will play. I went to the Reading Academy yesterday. Any absence on a teacher's part requires a substitute and (may I say right now, all hail to substitutes!) such was the case yesterday while I was away.

Ever since a substitute thanked the heavens for what I do and stated that I was never to call again, I have spent a great deal of any time away from school on a school day worrying about my students' behavior. Yesterday was no exception.

I train my students well. They know, for the most part, my expectations don't change when I am not there. I have set high (but reasonable) standards and I expect my students to comply with those standards.

In order to encourage them and let them know I would be thinking about them, I wrote the following note on the board:



I am happy to report I had mostly excellent reports (sigh of relief) and fr those students who dared be less than they can be...we will be having a wee chat about that today.

Yes, treats were handed out as a reward for good behavior and the negative consequences were severe (all privileges pulled) for those who were less than they should be.

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Blog Ideas, Anyone?

I'm posting this entry about the new chair I got for myself Friday at IKEA (all hail!). Now I am enjoying comfort at my desk at school.

How many teachers does it take to assemble an IKEA chair?

Three.

One to look atthe instructions (which are pictures, I might add), one to hold parts securely in place, and one to wield the Allen wrench.

If anyone thinks this post is lame...send me some ideas. I could use some good blog post ideas.


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Peach Days 2009

Peach Days have been around in Brigham City, Utah since 1904. I paid my first visit to the festivities in 2004 for the 100 year anniversary.

This last Saturday I joined good friends of mine in paying another visit to Peach Days.

Mmmm...peach cobbler.








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Kids

Here are all my nieces and nephews together for the first time. They had a blast together and I had a blast watching them together.


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Peanut

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Ready or not...

Here we go...the first day of school is well under way. It's hard to believe I am back in the world of disclosures and copiers, printers, computers, desks, rules, procedures, students...

It promises to be a good year. I hope the promise is kept.

Back in Business

Before the official start of summer I posted pictures of my classroom on the last day of school. Today, before the official start of fall and the school year, I finished putting my classroom back together again. Soon it will be a real live functioning classroom.








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Initiation

I don't need to write anything. The pictures will suffice.









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Tumbleweed

This is part of the scene in my neighborhood after a really nasty windstorm. These pictures are of the neighbors across from us.











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Sacramento

Last Thursday the lot of us went to Sacramento. We saw "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" which was awesome!!! Afterward we met my mom's sister, Kecia, her husband, my cousin Kecia and her three kids for lunch. It was wonderful spending time with them and catching up. Then we went into Old Sacramento. We had a lovely time in spite of the 106 degree temperature.














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A Day in Ess Eff

We went to SanFrancisco yesterday and had a ball. In Vacaville it was 106 and in the Bay Area a balmy 76. We saw all of everything from Twin Peaks. Beautiful!!





We drove down Lombard Street. That is always a lot of fun! We also roamed around Fisherman's Warf and Pier 39.



We ended our day's adventures at Fort Point at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was freezing cold. Luckily Karin and I, having done our part to stimulate California's ailing economy, had jackets. The fort has been around since the Civil War, perhaps before. It seems to me that the fort was something like a concentrated canyon because the winds were so fierce.














Amber did a great job driving us around in an SUV and I can't thank her enough for taking us around. It was a great time.

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California

I'm spending this week in California with my baby brother and his family. My baby niece is the cutest thing alive as shown here.








-- Post From My iPhone