Happy Reminder

This school year is coming to a close!  Thank goodness!  It's been fun, but I am ready for a break.  I've lost my mind many a time this year so the summer can not come soon enough!  I have my students write in journals to write goals, reflect, talk about their assignments, etc.  I had one final journal entry where I told them to review their goals and reflect about the semester one final time.  I want to share one because I don't ever want to forget it.  It made the entire year worth it.  This is from a talented, hard working girl who never danced until this year. She was in both my dance 1a and dance 1b classes.

This semester in dance I feel like I have really progressed.  Out of all of my goals I feel like I have really gotten better at dancing and I can dance faster as well.  I am more comfortable dancing in front of everyone but I still have a ways to go before I am completely confident in myself.  I'm a little farther into my splits but I could have worked on it more than I did.  My kicks definitely got higher not by much but they did improve.  Out of all of my goals the one that I did best at was perfecting my spins.  My pirouettes have gotten so much better than they were at the beginning of the semester.  The feeling that I get when I'm dancing is incredible and I feel like I was born to dance.  It's incredible to think that a year ago I had no clue what a tendu even was and now I'm dancing around my kitchen everyday practicing my skills just because I can and it makes me completely happy.  I'm so proud of my progress this year and now that I discovered this amazing world I don't think I'll ever leave it.  Thank you for teaching me so much this year and helping me to come so far.  If it weren't for you I don't think I'd have gotten as good as I am now.  Thank you for being such an amazing dancer and teacher and inspiring me to do my best.  This year has been great.

Nothing makes me happier.  If I only help one student this entire year or my entire career it will be worth it.

This Makes Me So Happy

Conference

One of my favorites....






 Such a nice, relaxing, and uplifting weekend.

Fitness

Here I am blogging on a Friday night.  Kevin is at a movie with his friend.  I was invited, but declined.  It's one of those nights where all I feel like doing is laying on the couch and watching tv.  Kevin felt bad leaving me, but it's his last day of spring break and I don't mind because I can choose anything I want to watch! (and I'm tired and sore)

It has been almost a year since I graduated and thus stopped dancing everyday.  That, along with the long horrible winter I have not exercised as much as I should have.  This wonderful weather has motivated me to try to change my bad habits and start exercising again.  Last Saturday I took an awesome jazz class for the first time in a very long while and that got me pumped.  I was feeling so good when I got home I decided to immediately go for a run.  I have always hated running, but I have always wanted to be a runner.  It's the worst contradiction.  So I am trying to kick start my fitness by running more often.  I am proud to say that I have gone on a run everyday this week so far and I plan on finishing it off tomorrow.  This will definitely not last, but my goal is to go around 3-4 days a week.

Some days have been better than others, but I never go very long or very fast.  I have to start somewhere, right?  Kevin even went with me to Sugar House Park today.  He hates running more than me, or anyone else I know.  So I'm thinking we'll go on lot's of hikes this spring/summer, and running can be a solo activity for me. Unless anyone wants to go with me!  Just give me a few weeks until I feel a little more confident.  Don't worry, I won't post pictures of me in my sports bra or anything, but I decided to blog about my feeble running attempts so I won't give up.  Because then I'll just feel stupid.

Highs and Lows

Lows
-Kevin is on Spring break as of right now and I am not for another 3 weeks. UGGGHHHHH
-Still really don't like approx. 8 of my students.... could be worse.
-Feeling fat and lazy and literally crying to Kevin about my fat arms. (don't judge me). Kevin gave me a hug, then later laughed at me for being ridiculous.
- Kevin's laptop broke 2 months after the warranty expired. $$$
- School gets out June 6 and starts again August 21
-Kevin has to take the DAT ( this will be a low until May 16 or 23, whenever he decides to take it)
-Allergies

Highs
-Being mistaken for a middle schooler by the police officer at WJH today when I came in during 1st lunch.  He asked how I got into the building and one of the students said I was a teacher.  He felt stupid, I felt happy. Made my breakdown earlier in the day about my fat arms disappear.
- Chatting to my TA the whole time during 7th period while my students had journal time and fixed their choreography. She's the best, I was not that cool in 9th grade.
- Kevin telling me that I could go shopping at the Gap while he picked up his computer at CityCreek.  My limit was $20.  Good thing Gap was having an awesome sale.  Hello new sweater and shirt! Sisters and mom, if you are reading this, we need to go to CityCreek next shopping day because it's awesome!
-My cute little fish won 'the contest' for being the cleanest dance so far.  They get a prize and I am proud
-The snow is melting!
-Claritin

As always, the highs trump the lows. Happy Friday!

Captain Jax Saves the Day

Wednesday and Friday are the days where Kevin TA's.  We have to leave before 8am on these days so we're usually rushed and tired.  Last night I set my alarm for 7 so I could wake up early, shower, and get ready.  My alarm didn't go off or I turned it off in my sleep, and Kevin didn't set his alarm so we slept in.  Kevin can't be late and if he missed his lab it would be a BIG deal.  Luckily our little Jax saved the day by walking up my stomach and licking my face at precisely 7:45am.  Some days he chooses to wake me up and some days he chooses not to.  I am so glad he chose today to kiss my face good morning.  We owe you Jax.  He got some extra attention tonight.  One day we'll have kids and we won't post so many pictures of our cat.... but until then, we love our little weirdo.

Jax and Jax

He didn't quite fit

He lays on his back all the time. Odd.

Valentines Weekend

Happy Valentines Day! We had a low key day at home.  I had to work 'til 6 so Kevin made dinner! Steak, potatoes, rolls, broccoli and carrots.  It was delicious.  After dinner Kevin had to grade papers so I made chocolate covered strawberries.  Then we watched a movie, and went to bed early because Kevin had to get up early on Friday. 
I had the day off of school on Friday, so I got to sleep in!  Once Kevin got home from his TA job, I went up to work and did laundry.  It was tough going to work at the U when I had a day off of teaching, but I did it anyway.
Saturday we both got to sleep in because I didn't have to teach at CBT and Kevin didn't have class.  We cleaned and I did more laundry (yay), then we decided we wanted to go to Outback for dinner.  Once we got there, there was an hour and a half wait.  We were both starving so we decided against it and went to Wingers instead. 
Sunday we woke up early and went to church and taught Primary.  I'm starting to love this early church idea, I really love having the whole day to rest/nap/read/cook/do whatever we want.
Monday I woke up and went shopping with my mom. We went to fashion place mall and it was fun to go out and shop with no time line or anything we had to do that day.  My mom came to hang out for a little after and we played the Kinect. Then like every other night Kevin ended the day studying. Poor guy, this is going to be a rough week for him.
Today (Tuesday) was hard to go back to work and school.  I am so ready for spring/summer break.  It's my opinion that Valentines Day should be the first day of spring and so far the weather has been a little warmer!  Although I hear it's supossed to snow tomorrow.  Let's hope the rest of winter goes by fast!
xoxo

Nap Time

Creativity Block

Lately I feel like all I've been doing is choreographing dances.  All. The. Time.  I'm choreographing for my dance 1a and dance 1b classes for their concert in April. This is tricky because there are 28 students in each class, so I have to figure out groups, what movement they are capable of and somehow create a logical, interesting, and somewhat sophisticated dance. Plus I have to be prepared every single day.  I'm choreographing for my 4 jazz classes at CBT. This is easier, but still takes time and creative brain power that I am lacking lately.  I have been struggling to find something that interests me, and therefore interests my students.  Having a creative job is interesting because I am expected to constantly create, create, and create.  It's exhausting at times.  I need to go to a dance concert or something to spark some interest and get me excited again.


This is my favorite time of year teaching at CBT.  Everyone is starting to get ready for the performance in April (The Little Mermaid) and everyone is so excited.  My beginning class are fish, and it's going to be so cute.  Also, this is the time of year that I start to visually see my students learning.  They have been working hard and practicing and by Jan. or Feb. something clicks and they are stronger, and more capable of doing the things that we have been working on.  It is so rewarding, and it makes me proud.  I taught a 7th grader at school and she is in my most advanced jazz class.  At first she was very timid, flexible but not very strong, a little stiff, but a very hard worker.  Something happened this week and she was strong, confident, dancing fully, performing, and she looked AMAZING.  She was dancing with her whole self and it was beautiful to watch.  Watching my students understand what I've been telling them not only in their mind but in their body is awesome.  It makes me feel like what I'm doing is worthwhile and that I'm doing something right.

Paperman

This has been going around facebook today. I love disney animated shorts.

Random Wednesday

This post has no point other than to tell you about one of my favorite books, "The Ordinary Princess."  I have read this book probably like 10 times.  It's short, and I usually read it in one night.  It's basically a children's book, but I still love it, and I can't help it.  I don't necessarily love to read, but when there's  a book I like I go crazy for it. (Harry Potter, anyone??) 

The Ordinary Princess is about the youngest Princess who received the gift of being ordinary. Eventaully she runs away, lives in the forest, finds a job when her clothes are falling apart, and falls in love.  Maybe I connect with it because I am ordinary, I am the youngest, I always wanted to live in a magical forest, and I have something inside me that wants to do the unexpected at times.  Example:  In High School I was the only one of my sisters to not do Pep Club.  Maybe this silly act of 'rebellion' was to prove that I was different and had different interests.  Being the last of four girls could be challenging at times, but mostly awesome. :)  Don't worry though, instead of Pep Club I was a dance company officer my junior and senior years and that kept me PLENTY busy.  Plus for homecoming my senior year, my fellow non-pep clubber Abby and I dressed up like the Pep Club, learned their dance, and went down on the field during the Homecoming game to perform with them.  (That's a story for another time. We thought we were sooo funny.)

I know that I will keep coming back to this silly book as one of my favorites.  I will read this to my daughter.  If I don't have a daughter, my son will have to suck it up and listen to it. 

Another one of my favorite books is 'The Westing Game."  All of my favorite books are books I read when I was a pre-teen.  What does that say about me?  If you haven't read it, read it.  It's awesome.

Some Simple Things

Today has been a good day.  Today was the first day that we've seen the sun all year!  Ok, this might be an exaggeration, but I don't think so.... January has been awful.  Despite the snow storm last night, today has been warm (er) and bright and it has changed my mood dramatically.

Kevin is in the midst of studying for the DAT.  He is constantly going through flash cards and writing things on his white board.  He's doing a great job!  He did awesome on his first practice test.  The test isn't until May, so it's going to be a long ride.

I enjoy teaching more and more everyday.  At first I was missing my old students, but my  new group will be awesome too.  Except there are some in my Dance1A class that should be in my Dance 1B class and vice-versa.  There's a group in my Dance 1B class that are way behind everybody else and are chatty and they drive me crazy.  I'm hoping that once we start working on our dance for the concert they will shape up. Other than that, things are going good.  The best days are when I am in a good mood, my students are in a good mood, and the class goes so smoothly.  I live for these days, they  make everything worth it. 

On Saturday Kevin  had a guys night and I had a girls night.  I was able to see my BFFs Alexis and Jessica.  We haven't all been together since my wedding.  Things get busy!  It was great to spend some quality time with my girls. (Kevin had fun too.)

There you have it.  Some simple things that keep us busy, make us happy so that we can get through this winter!!

2012

Happy New Year!

For us, New Years Eve was pretty low key.  A lot of our family was sick, so we spent the time bowling with some friends, and rang in the new year while watching a movie.  2012 was a great year for us.  Full of excitement, change, and accomplishments.   It was such a great year, and I'm sad to see it go.  I am excited and looking forward to our future, but I know that I will always remember 2012 to be one of our best.

This year we...

-I graduated from College!
-We got engaged!
-Went to Lake Powell with the Bowens (where we got engaged)
-Went to California with the Biesingers (disneyland, knott's berry farm, beach house)
-I started working at Wasatch Junior High
-We moved into our cute little Duplex
-Started going to our new ward, which we love, and started teaching Primary
-Went on our Honeymoon to Mexico on a Cruise. (my first time using a passport)
-Adopted our Jax
-Our WEDDING. 10.5.12
-Had our first Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve as a married couple


A year of many firsts. 2013, you're following an incredible year.

Tomorrow I start working my 3 jobs again.  Next week Kevin starts school where he is taking many hard classes, TAing for Gen Chem 2 labs, and preparing to take the DAT.  We've had such a nice and relaxing break, it's going to be hard to go back.  Wish us luck!