I'm Back

There are mixed feelings about being home from this long vacation. It was nice to sleep in my own bed, have more than 10 options for clothes (actually since today was Sunday I had more than two options). Not being stuck on the bus for hours at a time. But there are things I am going to miss. The people I met, the places I've seen, and the feelings I felt. There is no way to try to describe the trip to you all. This trip was just so much more than the sites I saw. It was all the feelings I had and all the people I met.
My favorite non-church site. . . I think it would be. . . Boston, Washington D.C., or Ft. McHenry in Baltimore. I can't pick just one, they all have such an amazing rich history. So much more than I would ever imagine. If you didn't know Ft. McHenry in Baltimore is where The Star Spangled Banner was written during the War of 1812.
My favorite church site was The Sacred Grove. There isn't much to it, but I personally had an incredible experience there. But everything else was absolutely amazing to. Just so many feelings so hard to explain.
Here is a quick overview of where I went. We started in Salt Lake City, on Tuesday, drove down close to Moab, and took the 70 all the way through Colorado and Kansas. That part of Colorado is so pretty, I want to go back someday and take tons of pictures. Then we got into Liberty Missouri around 4 on Wednesday and went to the jail. Then Independence, Richmond, and Far West on Thursday and Adam-ondi-Ahman to Nauvoo on Friday. Stayed in Nauvoo two nights went to the temple and Carthege Jail on Saturday. There is a funny story about a frog here, I was talking on the phone waiting for ice cream when I noticed a frog in the parking lot. I kicked it a bit to see if it was dead or alive, and it didn't move. So I left it. After about ten minutes I had a couple of the girls I was over come and check it out. I told them it was dead and they asked how I knew and I told them I had kicked it. So, I kicked it again, and it jumped about 5 feet away. Yes, there was a lot of screaming. When something is supposed to be dead you expect it to stay dead, and this frog did not stay dead. After we got over our initial shock it became something for us to play with for awhile. Sunday we had sacrament and drove all the way to Ohio, then Monday we drove to Pennsylvania where we had dinner with an Amish family, the Kings. We went to D.C. Tuesday and went to the temple there, spent the night and then we spent Wednesday at the sites in D.C. This is where my good friend Alisha got her appendix taken out, and Chris broke his leg. A total of 27 hours in the hospital. Thursday New York, not my favorite place to be, too busy, too many people. Friday Boston, I loved Boston. I want to go back and just take in so much more than I was able to. Then to Sharon, Vermont (Joseph Smith was born there). It was so weird to tell people where we had been and to say we were just in Boston. And now we were on the border of New Hampshire and Vermont. Saturday we went to Harmony Penn. and did some stuff there and back to Palmyra, New York for Sunday. We had church in Fayette which is where the church was organized. One of the other chaperons mentioned how lucky we were to have the sacrament just steps away from where the first sacrament was given. Monday and Tuesday we went to Kirtland. I loved Kirtland, just such a great feeling there. Then we headed home on Wednesday. We stopped in Kanesville, where Brigham Young was sustained president, and in Winter Quarters. Then we traveled across Nebraska (Thursday) and Wyoming (Friday) stopping at Martin's Cove. Saturday we came home.
That is pretty much my trip without the pictures. I took over 400 and I don't think you'll want to see them all, I will sort through and pick some of the best ones and post them with more about what we did at each site.

Preview of My Trip

Okay, so I was just thinking I have written about this trip I am going on, but I haven't really given any details. I know a lot of you are wondering what I am doing this summer to fill my time. Well, this trip really encompasses a lot of my summer so let me tell you about it.
I am traveling, on bus, from Salt Lake City to Vermont and back, with a group of about 50 teenagers.

Yes, I am crazy, but I have dreamed about this kind of trip for most of my life. Well, actually this trip came after Australia but it is more cost effective right now. For those of you who don't understand what the appeal to go that far on bus is, let me tell you about a few of my stops. Nauvoo Illinois, Jackson County Missouri, Kirtland Ohio, Boston, New York, Washington D.C. Palmyra New York, Rocky Ridge, and Salt Lake City. For me this is a trip of a life time. For three weeks I will be learning more about U.S. History, but more importantly, Church History. I also get to go with one of my best friends. Some of you may know that I have done EFY for three summers and I decided this summer not to do it mostly because of this trip. The biggest reason is four girls in one hotel room that I will be chaperoning. I get to do devotionals and all that fun stuff with them, but I get to be with them for three weeks. So, from June 10-28 I will be on this fabulous trip.
When I talk about this trip I tend to get so excited. I have spent a lot of time already on the trip. (Some people think I am crazy for doing all this work just to go on a trip but it is worth it.) I have spent about 14 Saturdays with Alisha studying about where we are going, reading stories, and histories about the early people of the church, different U.S. History information, and pioneers. We just spent about three hours today getting thoughts ready for our nightly devotionals. Also, I need to get another devotional ready for the whole group, and I am going to bake my world famous Candy Bar Cookies. It has been work, but just like anything else in your life, if you don't work for it, you don't appreciate it as much. Then there are a few more sacrifices for this trip I am going to make. First is music, our tour director has asked that we only listen to "church music" while we are out there, then he explained that is anything Deseret Book would sell. So, at least I can have Josh Groban out there, and Colors. But, I have over 1500 songs on my iPod and I am going to delete them all, just so I won't be tempted to listen to The Fray or John Mayer. Music is a huge thing in my life, a lot of you know, but I am willing to do whatever I need to have the best experience possible. The next one is Novels. Yes, I have to try to survive three weeks without a book. I almost find that impossible. I am going to compromise and take some church books, Lectures on Faith, Jesus the Christ Just so I have something to read, or I will go crazy especially when we are on the bus and I am not learning stuff or sleeping. But, I really want to have the best trip possible so I am willing to do whatever I can to invite the spirit. Now that I have those thoughts off of my mind. I will leave this blog until I return on the 28th. I hope these next three weeks everyone has a great time. I will post pictures when I get back.

Oh, What Do You Do in the Summertime?

Yes, I know. I have been asked millions of times since school got out (and before):
"What are you doing this summer?"
"How is your summer going?"
"You have the life, you get three months off and get paid."
Yea, it is kind of nice. But, I do a lot of work for 9 months of my time. I deserve to have the time off. However, I've been out of school for two weeks, and I am starting to go crazy. Here is the Top 10 List of how I spend my days:
10. Sleep in until 11 a.m. (my internal clock keeps waking me up around 6, maybe I should get up then.)
9. Shop, eat, shop, and watch movies. (This was really my day today.)
8. In 24 hours plan and take trip to Park City to. . . shop.
7. Waste $4.00 a gallon gas to get rid of boredom.
6. Play computer, check e-mail, check updates on blogs, and win Zuma.
5. Go to bed at midnight.
4. Talk on the phone use more minutes than I have in three months, put together.
3. Worry about school.
2. Dream about school.
1. Get ready for three week trip.
I know a lot of you are reading this and saying, "What does she have to complain about, that sounds wonderful to me?"
It is wonderful, for three days. Then it gets old. Just like anything else. You can only take so much of a good thing.
However, I need to remember this may be my only chance to enjoy a summer like this. I need to enjoy it and not worry about it and what is going to happen. I just need to stop looking ahead of myself and start enjoying the moments. Like this morning, I had left my window open last night. It started to rain, my room was cold, and I was loving it. I just laid in my warm bed, daydreaming, and happy. The other thing. My mom is taking care of my niece this week. My mom works from home and my niece will have to be very quiet so my mom can work. I offered to take my niece on Friday so my mom won't have to worry about it for two whole days. I couldn't do that if my situation were different. So, I have resolved, from now on I will be happy about the summer and what I am able to do.
I am not sure if I will write before my trip. If I do great, if I don't I will write when I get back. And I will post pictures for everyone to see.

Just a Light Story

So, today my friend, Rachel who teaches Kindergarten, and I went to school to do some last little clean up everything. (We both slacked on Friday.) The first thing, I was cleaning out my ball box and in it I was left a gift, a paper 3-D art, it looked like the Lock Ness Monster. I should have kept it to take a picture it, was hilarious. I don't know many kids who would be content enough with about 5 pieces of paper, staples, tape, and markers. It had ridges on its back, a tail, I thought I was going to die. I went and put it on the principal's desk, because I knew he would throw it away and I couldn't get myself to do it.
The last little thing. We got a new custodian today. While we were just finishing up my principal was taking him around the school to show him, and they were going to the custodian's office. I was waiting for Rachel in the kindergarten room which is right across the hall. My principal introduced us to him and then made a comment that Rachel and I are kept far apart because when we are separate we are good, but you get us together. . . "Oh! That reminds me," I started. "As I was walking down the hall I was thinking. You should really move me closer to Rachel. I have to walk to far." Needless to say I was just laughed at. Hey, I think it was worth a try.
I finished getting things in order, now I can enjoy my summer until Aug. 13. I will keep updating with all my fun and exciting things I am doing. I am sure I will have plenty of pictures when I get back from my trip.

I'm done. . . Now what?

The school year ended on Friday. Mixed emotions, it is so great knowing that I have the first year behind me. It is sad because I am going to miss my class. I realized the down part of teaching 6th grade in an elementary school, I don't get to see my kids in the halls, or at activities. I'll only see them if they come and visit me.
The moment it really hit me, I was taking things off of my wall, and I have a poster I had made into a puzzle on the first day we put it together, and then they all signed it. I was looking at all their names, and I wanted to cry. They were so much fun to be around all year. It is kind of disheartening to hear at the beginning of the year how bad this class is going to be, not from the other teachers, but from the parents. That is how my year started out. Then on Friday I heard a different story from the parents, they all were so grateful I was here for those kids. I am grateful I was here for them, and they were here for me. I think I shocked a couple of parents by telling them how much I loved their kid in my class. There is no doubt it was a hard year. But at least I had the students who brightened my day every time I saw them. Let's hope next year is just as fun and just as good.
Now what? Well, I leave on my Church History trip in 14 days. When I get back I will have a month before I go to CORE academy for three days. An old roommate is getting married that same week. Then the next week I am going camping in Southern Utah with my ward. Then that next week I have to come back to school to get ready for next year. Busy, busy summer, I know, but it will be worth it.

Six Days. . . and counting

Okay, so this has to be quick becuase I have about a billion things that need to be done, and I am not doing any of them. But, I just got my raw scores from CORE testing. And at this moment there are some feelings of being a failure and there are some feelings of I am so great. Then there is the "next year I will. . . " I have been filling that sentence in all month. The biggest one on my list, "Next year I will not leave during the last two weeks of school." The others are all just as thought provoking and needed. Oh well. Back to CORE I felt really good until I saw the other two teachers scores, and I know I can't compare myself to them, but it is hard not too. I just totally feel like I will never match up to them. I also have a feeling of I need to match up to them. I just need to let that go and not worry about it. "Next year I will make sure I cover the CORE with enough time to study and prepare more."

Bliss

Bliss for me comes in many forms. Today it is the fact that for the last hour I haven't really had to deal with any of my students. I love their guts don't get me wrong. I just don't love their attitudes sometimes. Yesterday, they did Shakespeare plays for the whole morning, and I didn't have to deal with them until noon. That was very wonderful and nice. The day wasn't too busy they got to watch a movie and then I took the 6th grade out for recess and had to deal with the fifth graders. I had more problems with the 5th graders than the 6th grade. 9 days, well almost 8, and that is another moment of bliss for me.
Last night I went to their plays because my roommate wanted to see them. They did a great job and I am so proud of them. They are such a great group and a lot of them really shined out there on the stage. I did laugh quite a bit during Hamlet, but that was because personalilties were coming out on stage, and my goof offs were mostly in that play. So, I was laughing at that.
I don't know how much I can say this and not make it sound dumb, or fake, but even though I am ready for the school year to end, I am going to miss those kids in my class. There are so many fun personalilties. I have a lot that you just can't help but like. They drive me crazy sometimes, but I still think they are the best ever. The hardest thing for me this year hasn't been the students, it has been the team I work with. But, That is something out of my control so I will be happy with what is good, and with my students.