Recollection

I've been teaching 5 years now. FIVE YEARS. That is crazy. Especially since 5 years ago I didn't think I would be anywhere near here.

Five years ago I was...

• Living in a townhouse. Cute one too. Biggest room upstairs which was really swanky. Loved it.
• Serving as RS President. Huge calling. Especially when the girl from the ghetto apartments in our ward had her abusive boyfriend drive from who-knows-where and beat her up. Yeah, that was interesting.
• Teaching at Springville Jr. First year! Hated it. Hated my students, and had no clue what the heck I was doing. Pretty sure I went several weeks without even seeing the sun. Seriously wanted to QUIT my job every day. The last day in May I vowed I'd never teach again. Guess my word means nothing.
• Driving my brown Honda Accord. I liked that car. Even if it didn't start all the time. And my license was suspended. And Lindsey, bless her heart, would come and pick me up and drive me to school.
• On my 27th roommate. One was from Mexico. One was a dancer. One lived in the basement and tried to get me to apply to the Bachelor. We did. We didn't make it. Good thing!
• Obsessed with 5 Dollar Hot 'n' Ready. And Pipeline. This was after my Costa's obsession. That was a good obsession.
• Crushing on a short boy. And a different taller boy. Both didn't like me. Although the taller boy made it seem like he did. He didn't. The short boy was from Texas. I don't think he even knew I existed. Good thing. All boys liked my roommates. They were Beautiful.
• Went on a "married" date to get free food. (Only married people were invited to the event) The food wasn't that good. We learned about Fire Saftey. It was wierd now that I think about it. That boy is still single. He shouldn't be. He's amazing.
• Went on a lot of walks and talked about another different boy. This one I didn't like. We just talked about how weird he was. We still do.
• Driving to church even though it was 2 blocks away. But 1 of those 2 blocks was a steep hill. And it was snowing. So it was justified.
• Knew a girl 2 doors down who shared my name. Never had that before. Or since. Really liked her.
• Donating Plasma. Still. 20 bones each time. It was worth it. Helped with the entertainment costs of life.
• Watching VHS on a little TV. We were college students. It worked then.

What were YOU doing 5 years ago? Are you where you thought you'd be?

Behind--Catching up

1) We went to Medieval Times for FHE this past week with some of the neatest people on the planet. (Seriously, afterwards both of us just couldn't get over how much we like the Wallaces. How lucky we are to call them friends). It was beyond fun. Highlights include:
-- "Three Waves for Tom" followed by flag waves in unison. Totally unplanned.
-- Eating without utensils. Something about the mug made me feel like a Barbarian. Weird.
-- The horse dances and actual Jousting. How do people get that job? Do they see the show and think, yes, I'd like to do that. Our "serf" had been doing it for TWO YEARS! Wow.

2) Other dear friends the Marcum's visited town Saturday and we got to spend the day in Disneyland with them. Mark took the day off so it was Disney from sun-up to sun-down. And I must say, when Mark and I do Disney, we tend to spend more money then we originally plan. But it is so delicious! And I love it. Highlights from that trip included
-- The Hunt of the Army Man. Such a cute tradition. I must boast, I did find the placement for the newest addition.
-- Delicious Salad bowl and Mexican food.
-- Seeing Fantasmic...twice.
-- Jack Skeleton? Weirdest costume ever.
-- The "hands belt" invention
-- For the record, I totally rocked everyone on Toy Story Mania. I don't think I am even that good, but I do love it.

3) School has been funny today. Discussions include:
-- Why do you scratch your leg?
-- Do you have those clear braces right now? Or is it just a lot of plaque?
-- Are you going to Couples Therapy? (when I told them I had a thing after school that I like to look nice for, which led to a meeting with my husband, which led to couples therapy? Don't ask)
-- "I prayed to my friend to win! And I did! I'm so happy!" (we draw tickets for "free quizzes". You prayed to your friend? really?)

4) I'm insanely busy. I realized last night that I have NO TIME for anything. I don't have time to mail my sisters Only me October package that has been in pieces on my floor since mid August. I haven't talked to my distant friends in weeks. I barely see my husband. All my time is dedicated to school, tutoring, grading, sleeping, church responsibilities, meetings, hosting guests, more school, and an occasional catch up on my favorite shows: Amazing Race, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, ANTM, 18 Kids and Counting, House Hunters, Top Chef, Toddlers & Tiaras, and a few Biographies.

5) I'm beginning to really like the look of the yearbook. Finally. I was uber excited about it in the start, and then I felt like it just wasn't jiving. Recently, I've added some color effects and wa-la: it is looking better. This is very likely my last year doing yearbook becuase I don't have an English Crediental and they can only excuse me so long. That and I may-or-may-not be an employee here at all if we have a move in our future.

I'm pretty sure I ask Mark several times a week when are we going to retire and just enjoy life! I think we've put in our time. No? All in favor of early retirement and a life of luxery and fun say I. (or say nothing--as most of you do since our comments are minimal. Another thought, how do people get 14-24 comments or more per post. Really? I always knew I wasn't the popular girl! This just confirms it :) hahahaha)

Thank You

I'd like to thank the man who was swearing like a sailor at the park today.

While waiting for parent/teacher conferences to start, I usually head over to the local city park and lay out my blanket for some reading and nap time. It is usually quite relaxing. Today, there was a man who was extremely opinionated about the affairs of the country and our president. Kudos to him and having an opinion. I just don't think everyone wanted to hear him. And I'm pretty sure he was talking to himself. The problem wasn't that he had a loud opinion, it was that his language was RIDICULOUS! Seriously, Every. Other. Word! He just sounded stupid. We're talking the BIG four swear words.

As I was trying to enjoy my afternoon nap under the shade of a tree, I finally got tired of listening to his jargon, so sat up to leave. Literally TWO SECONDS after I sat up, a bird pooped on the very pillow which I rested my head. I kid you not! I was SAVED by the swearing.

So thank you Swearing Sailor man and your loud opinion that disrupted my nap under the tree in the beautiful autumn weather. I can now meet all my parents without bird poop!

Our Morning Jog

WE DID IT!!! Life goal #1--check. Done and Done.

Saturday night we decided to stay in Long Beach to save us a few more hours in sleep knowing we had to be up bright and early to get to the starting line. Funny story about our hotel, it wasn't exactly the Quality we were paying for and the first room we were given was a smokers room that was...really bad. So the only upgrade they had was a 2 bedroom suite, complete with kitchenette. Was it really that much better? No, it was just more ghetto in one space. Nice!




Race day came bright and early. We were out the door by 5:30 for a start time of 7:00. Parking wasn't as bad as we thought but the line to the portable potties was terrible! We soon found ourselves in the sea of people stepping onto the starting line. Wave 3--we were off.



Mile after mile, we didn't stop. We both felt that miles 8-12 were the longest. Although the beach was pretty, the path was thin and it just kept going! By mile 10 they had "power balls"--aka donut holes which was a bit funny. When we hit mile 11 both Mark and I picked up our pace just a bit to finish off the race for my dad who would have joined us if he were here. Our shirts defiantly got some comments too. Many in fact. We had them made just for the event with "Team Morrell" on the front and 2 runners. Mark's back said "if you can read this I'm either still running or Dead!!! Please respond accordingly". Mine said "shoes...$, Registration Fee...$$, Completing a Life Goal...Priceless."

We crossed the finish line together; even holding hands! (ah for cute). Malissa met up with us there! Such a great cheer team to congratulate us on our accomplishment.

Pretty sure the rest of the day and all day Monday we were so sore, simply standing up and sitting down was way more work then it was worth. If it wasn't within our reach, we chose to do without.

Team Morrell
13.1 Miles -- 2:22:33

Once Upon a Time...

I use to have time. Time to eat lunch at my desk without feeling guilty that I wasn't catching up on grading or work. Time to sit and watch my TV shows. Time to call my dearest friends and see what is up in their lives. Time to read a book, or sit by the pool, or take a run, or clean my house, or do my laundry.

Once upon a time, I use to sleep plenty at night. And would got to bed after 9; not falling asleep on the couch at 7:30. I use to make it through an entire day at work without feeling the need to sit while lecturing, or sleep between bells.

Once upon a time, life was simpler. I went to work, came home, relaxed, and had a life. I didn't tutor until 4 everyday. I didn't commit 60-80 minutes running. I didn't have mutual nights, or house guests, or basketball games.

So I'm sorry to those that feel I have neglected them. I haven't really. Someday I'll call you, or hang out with you, or see you. Someday. Just not today.

Family

When it comes to in-laws, I'm pretty sure I got the jackpot! How many people can say their sister-in-law calls just to check up on you, and you actually enjoy talking to her. And your brother-in-law thinks to bring you a computer game that is funner then it sounds like its going to be. Mark seems to think they talk to me more then they do to him! I don't think thats true, but I must say, the Morrell's are a fabulous family to be married into.

Sunday was Malissa's birthday. As a surprise, Tom flew in and Mike came down after I practically begged him to. We had dinner at Tortilla Joe's over in downtown Disney and then the next day headed into LA to have an afternoon and dinner at the home of some of Mal's dear friends. Can I just say---I was next door to Casey Affleck, and I'm pretty sure Ben and Jen stopped by since it was Sunday, and I'm pretty sure I was sort of a stalker and peered into their open garage. The home we stayed at was beautiful and historically charming. Built in the 1920's with all the Hollywood history to make my history heart flutter. Wally gave us a marvelous tour with the detailed stories of the old house and the updates and the old owners. It was as magical as an ice cream parlor. (and if you know me, thats a really big deal!) We were fed non stop with delightful cheese and bread and chips and pigs in a blanket and of course a full meal to boot. Such a glamorous birthday hoo-ra-ra! I need friends in Hollywood.

The boys stayed with us. They all bonded with Little Big Planet and Plants vs Zombies.

Of course, spending time with my love is the best spent time of my week. I couldn't be luckier to be married to a man who sacrifices so much for me. Lets be honest, what other husbands would run 13.1 miles with their wife just to be supportive of a life goal. We're running on Sunday; keep your thoughts on us! :) And it may be lame but we totally got personalized race shirts. Again, supportive husband! Love him!

Memories

I remember weird things. And I think of them all the time. Like

1. I remember my mom telling me that she doesn't spend more then .20 cents an ounce on cereal. I use this as a bse for our purchases. I remember standing in food for less, searching the endless options of cereal, and her making this statement. Now I think of it every time I buy cereal. wow.

2. I remember my dad's constant Model Home comment. I only really remember him coming with us on one. But I distinctly remember him giving his opinion. The distance between the garage and kitchen needs to be minimal. Why? Groceries. the end.

3. I remember Tessa and I laughing at the tv guy saying "please try to find the humor in this". It still makes me laugh. I do say it almost all the time.

4. I remember David's advice about rounding that corner on Clayton Road, just beyond Peacock Ridge before there was a light there. Just as you get up that hill, you can speed cuz the cops won't be there till Marsh Creek. (the school).

Weird that I remember those little things. But it still makes me chuckle. And it still affects my days. Happy.

Caught!

Today I hit a limit. Not the first time I must admit. In 4th period I have a kid that genuinely might rid me of my sanity. I can't control him. I've tried everything in the book. I've tried calm and collected, I've tried putting him in the corner, sending him to On Campus Suspension, calling home, corners and closets. Everything. Today, I couldn't handle his little antics. He randomly outbursts in class, does these outlandish dance moves across the front of class mid-lecture, throws paper! Seriously everything. So-I broke. I yelled a little. And threw my pen at him. Then banned him to the office room to sit and be alone so I could finish my lecture about pre-Revolutionary French Estates in peace. From the office window he continued to make faces at the other students, tap on the window, and whatever other distracting things he could think of to get attention.

I mean no disrespect but the "excuse" I often get from administration is he has an undiagnosed ADHD. I understand that this makes attention difficult and at times can be frustrating. I don't know personally anyone with it, but have several students who have it. This particular student I think takes it to a whole new level. My annoyance comes when it becomes the crutch. Almost like he doesn't have to even try to behave. Seriously, if his antics are this out of control, he should be in a more supervised class where other students aren't disrupted. Anyway, I digress.

After class, I calmly confronted the student saying, this was his last straw. I'm contacting his counselor and father to have him removed from class. Or to find a solution because I can't do this everyday anymore.

I was quite proud because I didn't fall for his whimpering eyes and promises to be better today. I called dad (got answering machines) and contacted his counselor.

I got a return call from the counselor. Mostly good news and totally on my side with some good suggestions for solutions. Until the counselor said..."and one more thing. Don't throw s*** at the students girl. You couldn't get into SERIOUS trouble for that. We're talking legal stuff. Don't do it!"

Woops. My bad. Guess that means I should stop shooting rubber bands at them too. :)

The good news is that the students has been formally confronted with administration. Is apparently up for expulsion. Is it bad that I'm hoping it goes through? Tomorrow is another day. I hope I can keep my cool for at least 10 minutes.

I did it!

Our "Smart Goal" in the History Department this year is to lower our fail rate from 30% to 25%. Hence why I have been working so hard in after school hours to try and get these kids to make up their work and get that passing grade.

Today marks the end of our 6 week progress report grading period. Reports will be mailed home early next week. After calculating my kids scores--I have a 21% fail rate. This counts the 7 students I have on my rolls that have more truancy's then actual days attended. (3 I have never seen.) If you ask me, that is pretty darn good. That means I have 130 passing students.

I must say, my 2nd period class are pretty much rock stars. All of them. I have 16 A's in that 33 student class alone. Followed by 11 B's and NO D's. So kudos to them.

I can't say that this improvement in grades has anything to do with me. I have changed my teaching methods slightly this year. I do my notes differently, and have done a different activity here or there, but overall I think its the same stuff. So, maybe I am getting to be a better teacher, or maybe its just a smart year of kids. I will say, I got an email today from one of my parents (I'm really making a concerted effort to email/call/contact all my parents frequently) responding to an email I sent that his kid had an A and was just a good kid overall. He responded saying thanks and that I "must be an OUTSTANDING educator!!!" That made me feel good.

Self-great day!

Aquarium of the Pacific

As a part of our weekend getaway, Mark and I made a short drive over to Long Beach to see the Aquarium. Simply BEAUTIFUL. I can see why people would want to live in that specific area. The drive over from the freeway was a little sketchy, but the Bay there was just beautiful. We saw the route we'll be running in a few weeks for our marathon. That was motivating. And the weather was just beautiful!

The Aquarium was really great. We pet the rays, held the birds, and saw the new baby tiger shark that will grow up to 15 feet and 1600 pounds.

Mark was really good at the "2 finger touch". I wasn't so good. I was gentle! Just used all my fingers instead. :) I'm a rebel without a cause.

These birds really had no fear. With clearance from the volunteer, we just had to stick out our arm and they would jump right on! What is it about holding birds that is so interesting?

A really fun day. We wish our schedules were more conducive to fun outings. I find that I am working more then I thought I would with my extra 6th period and tutoring after school. I think I'm seeing a difference in my grades though, maybe? The 6 week grading period is here and our goal was to have lowered our fail rate to only 25%. We'll see if I pass.

Disney Weekend

As a fabulous perk in Mark's job, we were invited to test the new Vacation Club suite's in the Grand Californian hotel. Swanky! We arrived for a relaxing Sunday-Monday evening full of a little Disney magic, a free arcade, and a comfortable room complete with a DVD player and robes. We hadn't seen the new dragon at the Fantasmic show so we made a point to go into the park specifically to see the much anticipated change. With a two hour wait on the banks of the Rivers of America, time can get a little slow. Mark then found this fun trick with our camera. Made the time past for a little while!

Disney pulled through again with a marvelous show. The Dragon was just remarkable! Really neat. After Fantastmic we ran with the crowd down Main Street to see Dumbo fly over the Castle. That was a little less then fabulous, but the fact that we got to walk to our swanky room made it totally worth it!

We've now decided that we need to get rich and retire quick so we can live like this more often!

Tagged

What is your current obsession? Luckily, I'm "in between" obsessions right now. The last was Sims3 probably. Or digital scrapbooking. I was consumed with it a few months back.

What do you hate that most everyone else seems to love? Not a surprise to some, but potatoes. I'm apparently not American.

What are you wearing today? My red "bowling" shoes that I haven't worn in a while. Love those. Jeans and the La Sierra Basketball shirt from 2 years ago. It's casual and comfortable-don't judge.

What’s for dinner? Probably cereal. Mark won't be home until after dinner so...I'll probably not think much about it.

What would you eat for your last meal? Its hard to say. I love so many things. Whatever it is, it will definatly include fresh Sourdough French Bread. And I'll never be full from it!

What’s the last thing you bought? Gas this morning to get to work. $3.17/gal.

What are you listening to right now? The kids outside on lunch and Mr. Ramaswamy on the other side of my wall in the middle of his very exciting Math lesson. He is really a loud teacher, but so am I so we balance each other out.

What is your favorite time of day? Morning. Crisp Fall Mornings!

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Home to be with my hubby. Then I'd take him to Venice, Italy. It is SO romantic and beautiful there and their gelato carts are cheap and amazing!

What is a hobby of yours? Running (although not as of late). Scrapbooking, cooking (even though you wouldn't guess based on our past meals), travelling.

What’s your favorite quote? I can't choose just one, so here are my top 5

5. "If I'm going to get cheap stuff, I want quality cheep stuff" -Lauren Kammeyer regarding the need for a Walmart at all times!

4. "Life rewards Action" - Sarah Krause

3. "Life - lived properly - is romantic" -Ryan Sutter

2. "There's a billion people on the planet, I mean what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything...the good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things...all of it, all the time, every day. You're saying... 'Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go unwitnessed, because I will be your witness.'" -Shall We Dance

1. "I love you" - my husband

What is your favorite color? Yellow

If you could be proficient at anything without having to practice it over and over again, what would it be? The piano and volleyball

What is your dream job? I'm a lucky one who is doing her dream job. Better yet, I'd love to do yearbook ALL DAY! Its insane how perfect that class is for me!

Describe your personal style? I really like business casual but don't ever dress it. More of a jeans/top kind of girl.

What’s your favorite flower? Don't have a favorite, but really love roses.

What are you going to do after this? Chew out the yearbook class for their "he said/she said" 3rd grade crap. Then watch 6th period read. Then go home and clean my house, go for a run, clean more of the house, and then go on my Holidate! :)

What’s your favorite fruit? Strawberry

What inspires you? Music, Really dedicated athletes, My mom.

Who was the last person you kissed? My love.

What are you currently reading? Harry Potter 7. I know, I'm a bit behind.

Go to your bookshelf, take down the first book with a red spine you see, turn to page 26 and type out the first line: It brings you the energy you need to work long hours without burning out. (StrengthsQuest: Achiever)

What is your favorite sound? Main Street in Disneyland. And the after-fireworks music from Wishes.

What delighted you most today? The fact that I got 2 hours off for the assembly that I was supposed to attend but didn't.

Did you laugh today? Not yet. Class has been a little boring.

What is a new year’s resolution that you have kept? I've tried to keep to a budget all year. Thats kinda a big deal. A bigger deal is that the past month we've really tried double hard to stick to it. Kinda rewarding.

Our "normal"

Today I got home from work around 4:30.

We went to Chili's around 5:30 where we ordered too much food. The skillet queso was delight, we splurged on beverages and the strawberry lemonade didn't disappoint although the ICB rootbeer isn't "free refills". Disappointing.

We returned from Chili's around 7:00 too full to be comfortable.

Mark napped.

I watched TV.

Mark woke up and began playing the football game on his playstation.

I read blogs.

We'll probably think about bed around 9:30.

Fun eh? Bet you wish your lives were cool like ours?

Girls Weekend

What a fun chance to get away for a few days and enjoy St. George with dearest Lauren. We headed up Friday afternoon and spent the weekend relaxing, eating, sitting by the pool, and just enjoying a little time together. The highlight of the trip was probably the first night when we saw Annie at the Tuachan Theater! What a delightful show. I'm a little embarassed to admit I had never seen the movie so this was a special treat for sure! The sets were amazing, the vocals surpurb, and the red rock backdrop made for a perfect evening. And yes, we did stand in line to get our photo with Annie, specifically for the post! Delightful.We certainly enjoyed lots of time sitting in our hotel room just relaxing. Those beds were pretty much worth every penny. And if the breakfast bar didn't have such a huge line, it would have been more enjoyable. Seriously, there was a man at the waffle counter who was making a waffle for the whole world. So annoying. And to top off the perfectness of our hotel, it was within walking distance to this little gem! A super W--and who would have ever thought that a Super W would have a clearence! I tell you. Magic.

We spent a little time in St. George seeing the historical sites like the Tabernacle, Brigham Young's winter home, and the temple grounds. The historian in me was in love with it and to my advantage, Lauren is quite the history buff herself so didn't mind the detour. We then spent Sunday in Zion National Park amidst the beauty of the red rock and ample tourists.

We hiked up the Emerald Pools Trial. Lauren is a definate trooper as I think that bag around her shoulders was equal to the weight of another person. She still trooped up that hill with no problem. The views were amazing, the conversation delightful, and the company splendid! Couldn't have asked for anything better.

How I love vacationing with Lauren. She and I seriously think on the same path. I'm pretty sure she finished my sentence several times as well. We enjoyed good food from Chinese to Pizza to a very european Cheese and crackers and fruit buffet. Let me just tell you, it doesn't get any better then her! We have already made plans to return to the city, specifically for another play at the Tuachan because it was that good.

Today I...

--picked up a bagel at Vons on the way to work. I love morning fresh bagels with delightful Cream cheese. EXCEPT: my bagel was NOT fresh, and they didn't have the cream cheese flavor I wanted. And I think that OJ is overpriced.

--realized I haven't had more than 16oz of water the past 3 days. So I'm trying to correct that by overdosing on the bottle. I now have a hard time getting through the class period without having to excuse myself.

--have our 3rd day of "Senior Me" photos. Its hetic. This year in the yearbook the Senior class will get a "personality" shot next to their senior mug shot. Such a simple thing has created such confusion. Of the 750 Seniors, we only have 100 done. This could be bad news in the end. I suppose since it IS the first year, it will take a season to get it off the ground. Next year will be more popular.

--was offered an additional period to teach. Teachers here are contracted to teach 5 periods a day with 1 conference period. To help the master schedule, I have been given a 6th period class in lieu of my conference period. They start tomorrow! Wow. I haven't taught a last period of the day in 5 years! That was the year I almost quit my job. This will be interesting. Bonus--I get paid an "overtime" hour everyday!

--am super excited for my Holidate episode where the girl flat out tells the guy she isn't going to give him the plane ticket to see her; and to watch ANTM which recorded on our blessed DVR last night!

--am going Grocery shopping. I still love doing this. And I'm pretty sure Mark and I have been living off cereal and leftovers for about 10 days now. And I thought it was going to get better after marriage. Nope, we still eat lamo dinners. At least we set the table. That counts.