"We can cry about it or we can dance about it!"

There is a video that has been going around facebook that is so cute and quite quotable. I wanted to share it here as I was thinking about putting it up I thought about another amazing video so I figured I would post them both so you now get two motivational video's. Lucky you!!! These are my favorite and it just shows you how amazing kids truly are...





Okay I lied. One more... I promise!!! This kid is just so invested I had to share it!

Icy Conditions

For those of you not in Provo this lovely day you are missing out... The Icy rain has caused conditions that can lead to a lot of fun. If you are not afraid of slipping, or crashing into others. On second thought maybe these Icy Conditions are more dangerous and everyone should take care.

Wikipedia Races

Today for FHE we played wikipedia races... It was so much fun. We started at one topic and had to get to another topic by clicking on links. (Similar to  Degrees to Kevin Bacon) For example we had to get from Mario to Firefly (TV Series). At times this game was difficult but it was really fun.

As I was thinking about this game I was thinking about how great it could be for a classroom. Wikipedia is not usually something that teachers advocate but through playing this game with students I can help them make certain connections between topics in a fun way. I think it is definitely worth a try.

Mr. Wright

I saw this video the other day and it just amazed me! This teacher is making learning interesting and applicable while connecting with his students. (It's a semi-long video but it is worth it)

What is Your Superpower?

Last semester in my Math class we would always start with a question one of the questions was what is your superpower? Not what would your superpower be but what is it? There were some girls who could always find great deals, or amazing parking. My superpower was never having to pay a fine at the BYU library. I have had many experiences with fines and the library (see here) so I thought this was the best superpower to share. I now have a new account of my superpower to share...

During Practicum I rented the Book Click Clack Moo to teach my wonderful first-graders about letter writing formats. I didn't turn this book in until it was late but I was in a hurry when I went to turn it in and I couldn't pay the fine at the moment. I then forgot that I even had a fine... Today I was checking out five books for my literacy class and the Librarian told me I had a $6.00 fine for Click Clack Moo. I gave her money to pay for it and she looked at my card, gave it back, and told me she could wave the fine for me this time but to be careful about the due dates.

In case there was any doubt... superpower still intact and I have to say: as a future teacher this could come in handy! :)

Also last night I was in the front room with my roommates and a few others playing Apples to Apples. After getting tired of Apples to Apples we played the nap game. Now the nap game is brilliant! I can't believe I've never played before all those days babysitting this would have been perfect. How to Play: You send a person out of the room (This person can be called the Nap Fairy unless the term fairy is offensive) they then count to whatever while everyone else assumes a sleeping position. The Nap Fairy then comes back into the room and chooses the best sleeper... Don't be jealous when I tell you that we played this game for about half an hour.

It amazes me what people can do when they put their minds to it. I love this!

Growth is Eternal

I was thinking today of a C.S. Lewis quote that I heard once before the quote goes like this:

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You though you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace."

I love this quote for many reasons but at the same time there is more to it than we recognize. If we do not allow God to do his will no growth will take place. We may not recognize why something is happening in our life but we can try to learn from the experiences we encounter. If we do and we strive to continue our growth, because there is always more to learn, the growth that we must experience to perfect us will be more bearable.

This may be a little off topic but this lovely singer and I go way back (she used to baby-sit me). This is her first music video and I thought I'd share it...

Peanut Butter Bars

These are delicious and really easy! Plus they don't use the oven annd you refrigerate them (perfect summer treat) Anyway here is the recipe...

2 1/2 Cup Crushed Graham Crackers (You can use a blender/Processor to help with the crushing)
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup Butter (Melted)
2 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
2 Cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips (Melted)

To make these you take all of the ingredients (minus the chocolate) and mix them together. I use my hands to mix it well. After mixing put the ingredients into a cake pan (You shouldn't have to grease it but you can if you would like to). After spreading the mixture in the cake pan melt the chocolate chips and spread them over the top. Put the pan into the fridge to set (you can get it out in about five minutes to score the bars and then put it back in the fridge) after they are set you can eat as many as you want! ;)

What a day...

Let's just morn the fact that I lost over 200 dollars today in fees for class and my internship application:

$30 for Science

$30 for a temporary teaching license

$150 (yes really) for the PRAXIS (Let's hope I don't fail any of the subjects...)

Now that we are done with that I can say that I am halfway done with the internship application and I will finish the rest tomorrow. After a full day of spending money, attending classes, and work I was exhausted but I decided to take a break and go to institute. It was a great choice, the spirit and friends were just what I needed tonight. One of the instructors is the director of studio C and decided to show the following clip which was thoroughly enjoyed...

Side story: I didn't know where to sit at institute but ended up sitting next to a guy who I was talking to before institute started and then some good friends came in to sit by me as well. As these friends sat down (right after the musical number was announced) we started talking, basic hello's and all. The piano started playing and the boy next to me turns to me and says (in a serious tone) "When the music starts the performance starts". I guess he wanted us to stop talking but didn't want to ask... It made me laugh a little. 

Drowning already

Just a thought but when your reading for a math class (Three chapters) takes longer than your reading for a literacy class I'm pretty sure there is a problem!

By the way only two days of class so far and I am behind... This last semester is going to be harder than I thought...

Welcome Back

So today is the first day of school and this is how I feel after attending my math class:

"I've just decided to switch our Friday schedule to Monday, which means that the test we take each Friday on what we learned during the week will now take place on Monday before we've learned it. But since today is Tuesday, it doesn't matter in the slightest. Pencils ready!"

Tad bit confusing, right? The teacher is great, very sweet but at the same time very scattered. I'm sure she has her own way of organizing the class. I just haven't caught onto it yet. Well here's to hoping that it makes more sense soon...

Oh and did I mention I bought myself a planner? I'm going to try to become a planner person so we shall see how it goes. I bought a really cheap ugly one and tried to make it cute, that way if/when I lose it I didn't waste much money on it but let me just say it is a cute one! Travel size ;)

Linnea and I with out lovely planners...

Bump! Set! Spike!

As much as I dislike the freezing cold that is the winter in Utah I love that volleyball has started and that I got to go with friends to watch BYU win tonight! I have loved going to the volleyball games every year, it will be one of the things I miss the most once I graduate but it is easier to leave when the players I love have graduated and left...

Here are some memories in picture form because I love pictures and sharing said pictures!

This last picture has nothing to do with BYU but everything to do with volleyball... On Thursdays I play volleyball with a group of friends. One of my friends decided he was going to make 'volleyball pictures' for everyone. Here is mine, along with the caption...

As our fourth reveal, we have Corrine Fiso. An iconic figure for not only female empowerment, but all things dance. Though she's a cunning volleyballer, her true strength lies in her flawless dancing finesse. She's been known to bust out a pirouette, foutte, split center leap, or even a straight-legged scorpion into a down, while at the same time being ready for the hardest fastest driven dall. All of this resulting in a truly asthetive athletic play, just as one would expect from a dancer of her skill. Also while she's not actually a trained CPA, she can keep score like no accountant's business. If anyone is in doubt of the score, one doesn't have to go far. Look to Corrine as the end all authority. Coupling these skills together, she's a vital and important part of any team.

Just in case you can't tell... I love volleyball!

No Greater Call

So I got Teaching, No Greater Call for a class a while back and I loved what I read of it but I didn't read anymore than was required for the class. I recently decided that I should read the whole thing and on the first page there is this quote that got me thinking about the power of teaching:

"As teachers you stand upon the highest peak in education, for what teaching can compare in priceless value and in far-reaching effect with that which deals with man as he was in the eternity of yesterday, as he is in the mortality of today, and as he will be in the forever of tomorrow. Not only time but eternity is your field."

I love the last sentence "Not only time but eternity is your field". I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints I believe that the knowledge gained in this life will carry over into the next. Due to the knowledge I have of this I see the importance of teaching. Not only teaching so that students are more knowledgeable when they leave my classroom but also so that they can see how to act. I want to teach through my actions as well as my words. I love the idea that what I teach my students will be with them in the eternities but as much as I love that idea it also scares me. My actions and words will be shaping the youth of the future and as scary as that can be I know that the Lord is watching over me and will help me to teach my students successfully.

Happy New Years!!!

Sometimes I don't understand all of the celebration and resolutions that come with the New Year. But I do understand the need for change and the importance of trying to become a better person. So I pray that this year brings hope and that we all can become better as we look forward with faith.