Another Great Conference Weekend!

So two weeks ago was conference, and I really enjoyed it. I really felt like some of the talks were just for me, though I am sure that I wasn't the only one who felt that way. On Sunday morning Paige and I went down town and sang on the sidewalks, so we could get tickets to the morning session. The church has started asking singles wards to come sing on the temple square sidewalks to help bring the spirit and help people be able to avoid listening to the obnoxious protesters. While we were there, I started wondering why someone would take time away from their lives to protest as people attend a church meeting... they must have some pretty boring lives if they find it enjoyable to come yell at a bunch of Mormons as they go to church. Glad that's not my life. On Sunday afternoon Paige and I went home to watch the afternoon session... as usual we all piled onto the bed and poked each other to make sure the other person wasn't sleeping. (Jamie, this photo is for you!... Bring back memories?) It was nice to be able to enjoy at least one session together!

Drinking it all off...:)

So, it was another crazy week... my work is driving me to drink!!!
Okay so maybe it's just rootbeer, but it sure
made me "feel good"! At least I wasn't alone... :)

7 year olds...

So, two weeks ago there was a child taken from one of the second grade teachers classes and placed in my class, due to his "behavior" issues. I being the "charitable" (right!) person that I am said I would take him, since my other students were really well behaved and quite enjoyable... what was I thinking!

So the past two weeks my life has been full of exciting experiences while I attempt to learn how to be patient... again, what was I thinking! This new student is constantly off task - literally - and spends most of his days in "think time" or time out. I have tried my best to not loose my temper with him, but today I guess I reached the boiling point.

Becuase of all of the time outs he has had the past 5 days, he had to go to "in school suspension" for the entire day. So, once he got to school - he was late of course - I sent him to do his "suspension" in another classroom and then as he came back from lunch he landed himself BACK in think time before we even got inside the building. As he came back to class from the time out he was interupting the class once again - SO I decided he would do the rest of his work in the hall - I shut the door to my room and the room next door. As I shut the door next door, I pushed a door stop out of the way then went back into my classroom to give my kids a test. I came back a few min later to check on him (to make sure he wasn't running up and down the halls...) I went to open the door, but it only opened an inch. So I closed it thinking he had moved his desk enough to block to the door. I tried to open it again, but again it wouldn't open... So I looked down and noticed that the door stop that used to hold the neighbors door OPEN was keeping MY door shut. I was "locked" in my classroom by a 7 year old! While I admit the idea was quite brilliant, when he finally pulled the stop out of the door, I was livid! I don't normally get TOO upset when my kids are being naughty, but I couldn't believe that he had "locked" me inside of my room! It was the last straw! I walked out and asked him why he had done that, and he said it was becuase I hurt his feelings when I sent him to think time. So, then I really was upset! As if I like sending my kids to time out... I proceeded explain my feelings on this (that I thought it was high time he quite blaming his think times on other people and realize that it was HIS behavior that put him there and nobody elses) but man I was ticked off!

So, needless to say I don't think I will every leave him in a hall with a doorstop again. I don't know if I'll ever turn my back to him either - you never know what he'll do the next time his feelings are hurt... I may just need some professional counciling. Boy, I love my job! :)

Utah Football

Okay, I think I am getting the hang of this...:) So, this last weekend I had the privledge of attending a University of Utah football game with some of my favorite people - the Hurtado clan. Yes, I traveled up to the Universtiy of Utah in time to enjoy the pre-game tail-gating festivities (though I declined the offers for beer, etc) and then walked over to the stadium to enjoy the coldest game I have ever sat through (and I only stayed till the beginning of the 3rd quarter!) Okay so it wasn't really that bad, since Jess let me barrow Joan's coat, which made a HUGE difference in my ability to stay warm and then supplied me with a blanket for my lap and a poncho to keep the rain/snow off. Though I was seceretly rooting for the Aggies (I mean, I am one now...) I enjoyed watching & cheering for the Ute's as they beat the oh so humble Aggie Football team once again... As Jared put it, it was the type of afternoon that memories are made of!

Women's Conference

So, I am attempting to post a picture, but think I may have messed that up already! Anyways, this past weekend, I went to the Relief Society General Meeting at the conference center with my sister Paige, my Mom and my Grandma Ellison. We ate dinner and rushed over in hopes that my parking pass would get us into the church office building parking. On the way there, someone who was parked right on the side of the road pulled out in front of us and we literally parked across the street from the door we were supposed to go in. It was sweet! So, we went in and I throughly enjoyed the conference! The past 2-3 weeks have been rather stressful and I have been fairly overwhelmed with everything that I am expected to do each day, and it was just awesome to be able to sit there and listen to what the Lord wanted me to do to become better! I especially enjoyed President Monson's talk on focusing on scriptures, prayer and service. Sometimes I think that I forget these simple things and then my life becomes much harder than it needs to be because the Lord can't give me those basic blessings unless I am obedient to those basic commandments... Anyways, I left feeling fed and well directed! I love being a woman!

Starting off small...

I am staring this blog page in response to my sister wanting to know more about my day to day life (not that its that exciting...) I am hoping this will be a good way for me to do more "journaling" and sharing with my family and friends of some of the small things I seem to forget to tell about... the things that really make up my normal, but exciting life as a teacher, student and exhausted person. Here we go... feel free to leave comments, criticisms, or whatever else you can think of doing...