The Heavens

So I figure it's been almost a month since I updated, so it's time to update...i have been really really busy as it has been Christmas and back to school and team leader meetings and SAC meetings and collaboration meetings and...when do I correct papers? I'm not really sure, but somehow things get done and now I have a TA and it will be great! So, let's get started back in the when I went to my sister's house for Christmas in N.M. These are my thoughts as I flew out and looked at the vast heavens. Clouds of all different shapes and sizes, fluffiness etc.

I thought, what a wonderful world we live in. Lots of things we think matter, really don't, like the weight limit of 50 pounds at the airport that I had to pay 50 bucks extra when i could have just taken 22 pounds out of my bags and just carried them, but i wasn't quick enough to think of that and so i forked over the 50 bucks begrudginly and then was upset about it the whole flight over...how silly was that? But now, it's like this event that didn't even really happen and yet, i let it affect me far too much. I need to remember that next time there is a silly thing to get upset about like the fact that there is not literally one clean plate in my apt. Just use a bowl, or heaven forbid, i should get some soap and water and just clean one! It amazes me! Anyway, these are some of the thoughts that pass through my mind when I think of why we are all here. And i look at the purity of the heavens that our Father created for us to just look at in wonder and amazement and know that above it all, there is something much more important than 50 bucks or dirty dishes or rubberbands for that matter. (Liz and I got in an arguement about rubberbands while i was at her house! Oh, the silly things we can find to argue about!) So I am grateful for simple moments to just take it all in and there i am stuck on a plane looking at the beautiful clouds that i used to know the names of. Oh, knowledge is a wonderful thing, even if i tend to forget it after I have learned it. I guess that's why the scriptures say "Remember, Remember" so much...keep remembering...that's what I need to do! Well, because it's late for me, i'm going to just add this one post and do the others later, cause i still have scriptures to read and a journal to write in...better yet, i'll cut and paste this blog entry...oh i love blogs! So enjoy the beautiful cloud pictures. i took like 30. i enjoy pictures, clouds, bugs, designs, colors, fabrics, etc...whatever they be, because in the end, all things denote there is a God. Even the fact that i'm downloading new songs on my IPOD...what a wonder technology...and the timing. He's so good to us and I know that I'm at the place in my life where I need to be...right where I'm at! It's good to be here and to enjoy it! Good times to be had...and it is miraculous to me how each day it just seems to fit into place. The puzzle pieces really just go together, like my students and how much I love them...today I was actually giddy, because I felt so much love for them on an individual basis, even those who struggle, it just helped me know that Heavenly Father loves each of them, no matter how they struggle in school, they all have their own special purpose and talent...it's just the patience and perspective it takes me to get there!

Well, as you can tell it was a good day and now "Bubbly" is on! that makes me happy! K night.

For old time's Sake

This is us. There's no other way to put it. We are who we are. We're as cute as they come.

These are the memories I have of being little and whenever we would get soda cans on special occassions, we would drink the soda and refill the can like a hundred times, til it got holes in it and we would go outside and drink it in front of the neighbor kids, cause back in the day it was cool to have soda. I guess that would be the equivilant of kids with Rockstars these days...cool, but not good for you. Osteoporosis here we come.

My favorite is Mike with his muscle shirt on and just letting it all hang out.

We were well kept kids, with a mom who loved us very much. Mom, if you read this, I hope you know we love you. Thanks so much for taking such good care of us, even when it was hard. I love you. I hope you have a very merry Christmas. Thanks for putting up with my special haircuts i used to give myself. Always something new.

Inspiring quote by C.S. Lewis

“The load, or weight, or burden of my neighbor’s glory should be laid on my back, a load so heavy that only humility can carry it, and the backs of the proud will be broken. It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you say it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or the other destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations-these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit-immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But out merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously-no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption. And our charity must be a real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinner-no mere tolerance, or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment. Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses. If he is your Christian neighbor, he is holy in almost the same way, for in him is also Christ vere latitat- the glorifier and the glorified, Glory Himself, is truly hidden.”

What a magnificent thing to think about. I just read this quote on one of my friend's sites and I have recently been thinking about the way we treat other people. Why is it that is seems so easy get upset or to misunderstand? Today I have the blessed opportunity to read President Hinckley's Message "Slow to Anger" from the Priesthood session of conference. I saw that title peeking out of my bag today at school and I thought, "Why is it that I am so quick to be impatient? So quick to pass judgement and to point fingers?" Recently, I have noticed that a lot in my character and I am not sure exactly why that is. I've thought of a lot of reasons why, but no matter what the reason, it always goes back to eternity, each person I talk to, am impatient with, snub, go off on in my imperfectness is, in essence a potential god or goddess and I forget that. I am so grateful, that at the end of the day, when I have messed up so many times, that I can kneel down and apologize to the one who I essentially hurt each day in my actions and ask for help as I try to refine my actions. Unfortunately, I have noticed this lack of patience increasing and luckily, I have noticed so that I can put a stop to it. If any of my students read this, I am sorry for my quick to judge personality. And if my roommate reads this, I am sorry for the words that come out of my mouth with rage or so much emotion that they are hard to gather and take in...I apologize for this mouth that inevitably gets me in trouble on a daily basis. But after all is said and done, I am grateful to know that this is the reason we are here; to learn how to overcome our natural man and to be better one moment, minute, second and day at a time. So thank you, all of you who are my friends, who at one time or another I have crossed with hurtful words (and it has inevitably happened to everyone reading this, because if you know Becca, you also know her frankness...I'm working on it!), I appreciate your patience and your love. That is what keeps me striving to be better and to even try. Thank you. I am inspired by words by people like C.S. Lewis and President Hinckley, who know what is going on and why we're here and who are bold enough to say, "Hang on...can't we all just get along?" I agree...it just comes out funny sometimes! Thanks for loving me inspite of myself.

Lights at Temple square!

Good times at temple square with the ward. Kevin and I were joking that this would be a perfect engagement photo...but um...i guess that means we have to be dating to be engaged. Kevin, you're a great friend...thanks for always making me feel good! You're so photogenic.

I love the lights at Temple square. It was really cold, but really fun. For FHE we went and listened to the singers in the different locations and had a jolley old time. Then we went and got hot chocolate and Kara thought she left her wallet, but Kevin had picked it up for her at the cash register. So it was really a good time had by all. I really enjoyed sitting in the warm buildings with the choirs. They did such a good job. It always reminds me of one of my favorite parts on Home Alone 1 when he runs into the church and sees the scary man's granddaugter singing that amazing song. I love the peaceful music of Christmas. It's a wonderful thing to have music. I almost got the Josh Groban Christmas CD for myself for Christmas, but I had to stop after I got Celine's new CD and the best of Andrea Bucelli and James Taylor...It will be a happy musical Christmas. Merry Christmas.

Tis the Season...

Santa Clause came to town at our Cheerleader benefit breakfast we just had at school! It was fun! Let's not forget his helper reindeer ruldolf and the lovely helper int eh apron!

Clifford and friends at school to celebrate the upcoming bookfair!

I'd never met Clifford the big red dog until Friday, December 7, 2007...what a treat!

Ward Talent Show!

This is an annual event and my second year being the MC..I do this old granny character who just got back from her hawaii trip (ironic that i've never been to Hawaii) it is a blast...we have some amazing talent in this ward!

Aren't we cute! Good times

The people you meet and the things you do!

After a long day of shopping (can you see the car loaded with lots of bags!!!) I finally decorated and finished the Tree! So there i was volunteering at the festival of trees and a lady came up to me to

ask me what other trees were for sale. I showed her the ones that I knew of and said, "For 750 dollars you could pay me and i would make you a beautiful tree!" After not being able to find a tree she liked and was willing to pay that much for, she took me up on my offer...so off i went to michaels and Joann's and consulted with my sister Liz and Kelsey my decorator extraordenare friend and after we bought like 500 dollars worth of stuff at Tai Pan (that's the best place to go) we had it. So i went to their house and listened to Celine's Christmas album while i decorated this tree...it may not look like much, but there's quite a few details. Well, she loved it and needless to say...i'm going to be able to buy Christmas presents now!!! so yay for me...It was a good time and a great learning experience...p.s. you put the ribbon on first! oh, plus she's lining me up on a date with some really nice guy she says! Cool! Kill two birds with one stone!

Festival of trees time again

I loved the festival of trees this year. It was amazing. There were so many amazing trees and whatnot...here are a few of my favorites:

I saw so many amazing trees! They were beautiful, unique and special. Here are a few of them...

This is the peppermint one. It was done so well. i loved it. and the cute little snowmen on a different one.

Woody and Buzz at it again. I loved this tree. It was dedicated to a little boy and had tons of toys like transformers or other things. All the trees were amazing! People really put a lot of work and dedication into their donations. It makes me want to do one and give a little more!

Spirit Week

Spirit week was a blast...twin day Proper and Soper! Then it was dress like your favorite character...I chose Mr. G...biggest yankees Fan I know...I even went as far as bringing in a 2 Liter of his favorite Dr. Pepper, Chips and Hostess Snack cakes! It was a good day!

Funny Spanish video

I'm a spanish teacher and this is so perfect...i have actually made a whole lesson unit off of this video..it inspired me to have an assignment where my students make their own videos...it is awesome..so take a look at it..olay

http://www.runawaybox.com Learn how to romance a girl with one semester of Spanish put to a romantic love song.

hopefully this works..if not, go to yahoo videos and type in Spanish and it's the first one called, One semester of Spanish Spanish love song. (don't look at the other videos they're pretty trashy)...k have fun!

Good friends, good times!

I hadn't seen Nicole for a long time, like 10 years and she saw me in Rumbi's and totally recognized me...so cool! i used to have a crush on her brother since like 5th grade! And so here we are ten years later...the girl that was shorter than me, now towers me. And then there's Katie's little baby girl Emily. It just amazes me how people grow up and change and wow!!! I'm a lucky girl.

Cookie Night

We have quite the array of cookies here tonight..I made this really cool sunset one with a black tree on it and then Bishop came up and got a little crazy with the frosting. Aaron made these really creative cookies...no, no, the ones on the left, not the bottom...for being an artist, you would think he would do a better job...go figure, he's an interesting kid!

And so the frosting war continues...we wrestled and he got it all over me, but as you can tell...

I got him pretty good too! That was quite gross, but lots of fun! Bishop is nuts, but we love him!

Halloween fun times...lasted like 3 days! Lotsa partying going on.

Kevin got Lucky and got a kiss on his cheek from me, which he undoubtedly announced durning Elder's Quorum the next Sunday!

Good times had by all...I was the hippest old lady ever. Kara and me...she was Tracy Turnblad from Hairspray...she even had her trusty can of Hairspray with her at all times!

Can you believe what fun teachers we have at my school? WE ROCK! I can't believe kids don't think school is the funnest place on Earth...practically Disneyland on Halloween! Keep posted for updates of Spirit week which is coming up pretty quick here.

Miss Tamee and I.. We just know how to party and so do my tootsie roll and I! We have good times, always. So I'm not really sure what I was for, but I had fun being whatever it was I was!