Semi-Annual Pilgrimage to the Homelands

As soon as I finished school, I started on what ended up as the biggest project of my life. It is a family tradition to receive a quilt when you are married. I volunteered to make the quilt for my sister's wedding. She picked the fabric, and I drew up a plan. It was a great plan... if I had had several months do to it. Luckily, I had all day every day for 3 weeks to work on it. I used a technique I found on The Welsh Quilter.

 the back of the quilt is gray and yellow. this is square 1 of 100... I quilted a treble clef/bass clef/heart design on each square. I actually ended up mis-calculating and making 45 extra squares (?!) so there may be a mini-version of this quilt up on etsy in the not-so-near future.

This quilt was huge, she took over my entire desk!

It's hard to see in this picture, but I embroidered their names and a quote from Shakespeare about love and music.

 Brian was also working on the biggest project of his life: studying for Step 1 Exam for the Medical School Boards (aka "The Test of questions about anything in existence"). So he didn't mind that I was completely occupied. He studied for 6 weeks, 14 hours a day, 6 days a week for that bad boy. He resisted all kinds of social temptations (movies, game nights) that were posed to him. And he conquered that 8-hour test! He just got his scores back this week and he scored above the Vanderbilt average! (cue the music.. "Hail the conquering Hero! da da dun dun dun....."

We flew to Arizona for Sarah and Zach's wedding. We had a week full of Chimichangas, Just Dance 3, decorating, ice cream, and generally enjoying the Arizona sunshine.

Mom and Sarah manning the frying station.

Michael and Brian claimed the "quality control" station while making chimis

 Just Dance3... bringing families together

 Beautiful centerpieces for the reception

 caught in the act...

The wedding was beautiful, the day was beautiful (though HOT), the bride was beautiful, and everything went generally smoothly. It was so fun to be their photographer! My amazing friend Amanda has been so great to help me along as I learn how to take better pictures.

After the chaos died down, we flew to Oregon. There we had a week full of sleeping in outrageously late, visiting the Keldsens in Bend, s'mores, puzzles, golfing, Disney Sing-Alongs, nieces and nephew, mini-golfing, movies, reading, PS3 gaming, the beach, fireworks, and (of course) more ice cream.

500 piece puzzle!

 Eli--Commanding and Conquering

Disney Princess sing-alongs

 cute Avery!

 Silly Alayna

 Reading the Bearnstein Bears

Jenna, Alayna, and Uncle Brian shooting for Par

 Brian likes his ice cream...

 Alayna and Aunt Stacey

 Fireworks!

  The Oregon Coast is beautiful, but COLD!

All too soon it was time to fly home. It's back to real life... I am studying for the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Exam and Brian is starting his rotation in Anesthesiology. Always staying busy!

Another Year Over

 Well, blog world, I did it. I made it through 2 years in the Nashville public school system. I've officially survived 4 years of teaching! Who knew I would ever get this far? A year ago, I wasn't so optimistic. But moving into the main building from a portable really helps brighten your outlook on life!

I was so blessed to work closely with an amazing teacher and friend-- it made swapping students during the reading block a cinch!

  

I tried something new with my computer station and took the legs off the table! The kids like sitting on the floor while they use the machines, and there are 4 less chairs to deal with. I loved it so much I am going to do the same thing to about half of my desks! Stay tuned....

We got to go on a fun field trip to the Grand Ole' Opry House.

 My kids had some serious dancing skills .The students got to show off at a SWPBS Big Ticket dance!

 Crabs and frogs and millipedes (millipedes not pictured) joined our class as part of an animal studies science unit. I was so disgusted. We all loved them. :D The frogs lasted about a week. The crabs and millipedes were indestructible, and they reeked. Eventually I told the students we had to release them because they weren't happy in their plastic containers.  I think next year our animal studies unit will be a little less "hands on."

 We did a lot of work... and correcting work....

 I started using Data Notebooks with my students. They each keep a notebook where they keep track of their goals, scores on assignments, mastery of the curriculum, and reflections of their progress. They love it and it really helps them to see where they are in relation to where they need to be. I was afraid that it would be discouraging, but for most students it became a good motivator. They would get very excited during "Data Time" where we would record scores and talk about our goals. I am still new to this idea and definitely got started on something I wasn't ready to keep up with fidelity, so next year I will be doing a simpler version

I made so many memories with this crazy group of kids. It's so hard to let them go on to big bad middle school. I'll miss them just as much as every other group I've had.

Now looking forward to year number FIVE! 19 days until the madness begins again!

Arise and Shine Forth

We presented our "New Beginnings" program this week! Each Spring, the Church begins a new year-long theme for the youth program. Activities throughout the year center around that theme. The Young Womens' program has a special evening ("New Beginnings") where the new theme is presented.

This year's theme is Arise and Shine Forth. It comes from a book of modern revelations and scriptures, The Doctrine and Covenants Section 115 verse 5: "Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations." This is such a beautiful scripture. To me, it is a challenge to be the best you can be and shine the light of Christ through your actions and the way you live your life, bringing others towards His light. It is a good reminder.

We decided to have a "Tangled" New Beginnings. All of the references to light in the movie were a perfect fit with the theme. It was a lot of work (especially making all the purple pennant flags!), but the result was beautiful.

The girls helped make a large poster (that hopefully we can re-use during girls' camp this summer!)

Brooke made a cake to look like Rapunzel's castle. I found out afterwards that it is really just frosted donuts!

Simple centerpieces for the tables.

We got a spiffy chart to keep up with all of the girls' goal setting for the Personal Progress Program.

Me, Carrie, Farrah, Theresa, and Chanda

For refreshments, we had berries, nutty bread, cheese, veggies, and mixed nuts.

All of our girls are so sweet and so fun!

I am so blessed to be around such wonderful people, and to have constant reminders to be my best and shine the light of Christ by following His perfect example.

A Rough 24 Hours

We've had a rough couple days here in Nashville. It started Friday with severe torando warnings across the state of Tennessee. I planned to leave school right after dismissal and hurry home, but as I was leaving I remembered that I had to write substitute lesson plans for Monday and hadn't done them. I hurried and wrote them, but just as I finished, the sirens started going off near my school. The adults left in the building, along with the after school daycare, went down to the basement room and waited it out. Meanwhile 15 miles away, Brian was waiting under a rug in the center of our apartment while hailstones the size of golf balls pounded our apartment.
After the main storm passed, I made a break for home and got home safely before some smaller spots hit. We were so blessed to be so safe during this storm that was devastating to other parts of the midwest and south.

Fast forward 24 hours. We had just finished moving, loaded all the leftover junk into our car, and were on our way to Goodwill and then the airport to pick up Brian's sister, Stacey. We were driving along 8th Ave. South. Two cars ahead of us, a car had stopped to turn left across traffic. The car in front of us slowed and stopped, so we slowed and stopped. Seconds later, a Jeep Grand Cherokee plowed into us from the back. It was such a shock! I couldn't stop saying "Oh my goodness..." and Brian was saying "what just happened?" It was all very confusing.

We pulled over and then waited 30 minutes for a police officer to come file a report. We looked like we had been living out of our car-- there was Goodwill-bound junk everywhere. Our back window was completely shattered and gone, and our hatchback trunk was smashed 1.5-2 ft into the vehicle. The officer told us that we could drive our car but not after dark and only as much as we absolutely needed to. So we eventually got Stacey and made it home.

Our poor, sad Mazda.
Thankfully we are both fine, besides some very sore/stiff necks and backs. It is a miracle that things weren't much worse!

Time Warp

We're back! Actually, we've always been here, I've just been neglecting our poor blog since my discovery of pinterest. If you don't know what it is, check it out. You will either thank me for opening a world of possibilities or curse me for the imminent addiction. Or maybe a little of both. So..... here's what we've been up to!

August: To celebrate/commemorate the ending of summer, we cabin-ed (too luxurious to say camped) in Gatlinburg with some good friends.
September: I whipped my students into shape. :) Here they are executing perfect restroom behavior.

I went with my girlfriends to Atlanta for a baby shower and Ikea Trip.
October: We both had fall break at the same time, so we spent a few days in Atlanta

...highlight of the trip was the Atlanta Aquarium and the whalesharks!Brian turned 27 and all his birthday wishes came true! (Costco cake and Wicked Tickets)


November: We had a fantastic Thanksgiving with friends! Somehow, the only picture I took was of the place settings...

December: Our Christmas break started with a bang (or, rather, a crash) in Tucson when Michael crashed his bike and suffered a minor concussion and 3 fractured vertebrae. It is a huge blessing that he is ok and only needs to wear a neck brace for 3-6 months.

Brian was cast as "Joseph" in the traditional Oldham Family Christmas Eve Nativity Story thanks to his newest and biggest fan, Carrie (who played the part of Mary).

We went to a UofA Basketball game (Go Wildcats!)

Brian constructed a Gingerbread-stadium. Well, technically speaking, it was made of graham crackers.
We got to spend New Years in Oregon-- we enjoyed the beautiful real tree, playing with neices, and dancing to Wii games with family (I'm so bugged I didn't get any photo evidence of that)!January: Brian gave me the BEST birthday present EVER: a teddy bear that is almost as big as me. Coupled with a warm blanket and the books Stacey gave me for Christmas, I was in my version of paradise.