San Francisco (Part 1)

So last Friday Jessica and I left Provo for California and it was so much fun! We got a late start Friday and decided to stay in Winnemucca to break up our drive. Saturday morning we got ready and left. We decided to take the scenic route and visit Lake Tahoe on our way to San Francisco. It was lovely, so lovely in fact that we stopped for lunch and ended up getting in the water but sadly not too far in, we still had a drive ahead of us. 

After arriving at our hotel in Concord we decided to head to Pier 39 to walk around. After hitting traffic and a bit of a freakout about in the city driving we had a great time although the sea lions weren't out...

 

I took this picture on the drive... I love the light!

So...

I struggle with this keeping up the blog thing but I figure anything is better than nothing and a lot has happened since February...

-I worked my last big catering event with this lovely lady...













-I went on a trip to Vegas and LA with Meagan. While in Vegas my car was injured in an accident but nobody got hurt so it was all right! 

My poor car!

In California I got to go to the beach, the temple, the Griffith 

At the volleyball game

observatory, the Cupcake ATM, the BYU volleyball game, and adventuring with Alicia and Zach!

The lovely LA temple

The Perfect pineapple tree, or
palm tree for you traditional folks.

We were super excited to start our adventuring

I won a prize at the Midway at
Circus Circus

Jumping for joy at the beach

The delicious Cupcake ATM

-I went to my first concert... 
Andy Grammer and it was great!

Not bad for a five dollar concert!

-I went with Melissa to take pictures for graduation announcements and apparently I have a natural smile for pictures. :)

-I walked across the stage to get an empty diploma! ;) A woman from my parent's ward made me some lei's to wear and Grandma and Grandpa came up to celebrate. After convocation we went to the Tulip Festival.

This lovely lady was graduating too!

I rather love this picture...

-I went to a wedding. :)

-I got a job (I will be at the same school next year)! I am so excited!!!
-I celebrated national donut day with old roommates! 

-I officially finished my first year of teaching!!!!

Taken on my way out
of the school on the last day!

-I've been playing more Ukulele...
-I've been adventuring (Details forthcoming, I promise)

Update

So this was a few weeks ago...

So life as an intern is ridiculously busy and on Friday I just about had a breakdown. I had just had a meeting with my Facilitator (Mentor teacher) and found that I had 3-4 observations next week between Tuesday and Thursday. One by a BYU person and two from my principal. Then I went and had a meeting with my team and they filled me in on an assembly, kids marketplace, PLC times were being changed because of Parent teacher conferences coming up. On top of that I am in the middle of my teacher work sample, my TELL practicum (Certification for teaching English Learners), Math Benchmarks due on the 7th and a new end of year testing program starting on March 10th. I had to grade the tests from the week but I also had to plan some amazing lessons for these observations and make sure that I am meeting the needs of my students. In other words everything was coming at once and I was feeling extremely stressed. On the ride home I heard this song and I think it was playing just for me on that moment! ;)

Fast forward a few weeks...

Today I had what I hope is my last BYU evaluation as an intern... If not, I will survive. Then I got home and got an email about ordering a cap and gown for graduation. I got so giddy looking at everything for graduation. I was looking at announcements, and rings (I never got a class ring from high school), and caps and gown information (but there isn't much variety there). Then I got onto my BYU account and looked at my standing for graduation. It is so exciting to see all the "Completes" and only two "In Progress" notifications (My TELL Practicum and Internship) and I just want to point out I AM GRADUATING COLLEGE!!!!! I know that lots of people do it but I have always been so proud of myself for getting there and finishing. I have never been a decisive person but I knew when I signed up for college that I would finish it and yes it has been hard and there have been plenty of times that I have been sick of everything, but I can happily say that in April I will be Graduating from Brigham Young University with a B.S. in Elementary Education, a minor in TESOL, and a minor in Music!!!!!! ... and now I feel like this is the video for me! ;)

Also, my kiddo's are doing their wax museum tomorrow. Being the person that I am I told them to make their presentations interesting so I don't eat chips during their presentation... I showed the video first so they got the reference

Lastly... Just because I heard this today and fell in love here is an amazing cover of Say Something (Which has been stuck in my head for days... the song, not the cover). If you haven't seen it yet, you are welcome!

A Teacher's Battery Life

So true... and I go back to school in a week!

Bring it on!

I was stalking some blogs and I found something I really enjoyed on my cousins blog. She had a bucketlist of sorts for 2013. I think that is a brilliant idea and I want to try it for 2014. Some of these things are about to happen but I am going to count them because when I look back at 2014 I can say I did ________ during 2014! I want to keep it pretty simple and I want to go with 14 ideas (for 2014) so here they are:

1. Read at least 1 book each month
2. Graduate college
3. Learn 5 New songs on my Ukelele
4. Learn to play at least 5 Hymns
5. Not eat anything after 8:00 (except for special, planned occasions and weekends)
6. Indexing/Family history for some time most week
7. Try a new recipe each month
8. At least 1 get-together each month (attend or host)
9. Get out of Utah for a trip... anyone want to have me come visit ;)
10. Plan my week, or day...
11. Memorize at least 1 scripture each month
12. Temple visits each month
13. Volunteer at the MTC
14. Try something new each month

2013 in review

With all of the 2013 review posts I have decided I should join in. I haven't updated my blog for a while so here goes (By the way, there is absolutely no order to this madness):

2013
I performed (Well, half performed [I got sick]) in my last BYU Lu'au... unless they decide to change the requirements.

I started teaching and have the most adorable class of 28 third graders!

I finished my last college class. All that's left is the internship.

I faced some major disappointments but they worked themselves out in time.

I turned 22 and had a song that I could sing... ;)

I made some great friends and new traditions.

I lost my grandma but she's in a better place now.

I have gained the respect of parents and had some laughs from their kids (Lots of laughs).

I played a massive game of connect the dots (sidewalk version)

I worked my last football game with BYU catering and had some adventures in the tent...

I had some good friends get married (though I didn't make it to all of the weddings).

I got bangs.

I've taught my class in 4 different classrooms, 2 different schools and I got my carpet redone on a Monday while I temporarily taught in the portable (third graders should not be in a portable!)

I have seen some beautiful sights

And last but not least I grew up and bought a car!