Life.

I'm at a point in the school year where I wonder if I really like teaching.  I think I have this feeling every March, so I thought I'd write about it in case it comes up again.  

I feel like my creativity has been sucked from my soul.  I used to come up with creative teaching ideas for math every day; musical chairs, relays, races, games, group projects.  Now I feel like I'm just going through the motions and passing out worksheets, souless and hallow.  This month is probability and data analysis, which should be more interesting and interactive. 

In dance, I'm done with making up new dances.  I don't have another move in me :(  and I only teach one class right now while my student teacher teaches the others.  It has been nice to see what new things she has to bring to my dance classes.  I am trying to absorb some of her enthusiasm and ideas, but I'm too unfocused to remember anything useful.  Ahh the downward spiral!  When's spring break again...

To My Breast Friends...

           

Its that time of year to join together as Breast Friends and Race for the Cure!  If you're interested in joining my team (which is run by Ali Cole) check this out:  

http://race.komenslc.org/site/TR/Race/General?team_id=1582&pg=team&fr_id=1000&et=BshH_UQHTcSmoIfCuj72kg..&s_tafId=1000

Breast Friends is the team name.  

*If you'd like a sweatband headband with the team name we have them available for $4 in pink or white.

Rockin' the 80s

                      
So I've hit that time in my life when I see the style of my childhood come back to life.  Skinny jeans, leggings with long shirts and belts, acid washed jeans.  I do enjoy that they improved a little on the 80s - boots instead of leg warmers, leggings instead of shiny tight pants, cute long shirts instead of whatever I remember.  

Flash back Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer.

What a great concert.  They both tried out a few new songs, but they knew that isn't why people came to see them and they indulged us by giving the show we deserved in 1989!  Ice Ice Baby live was exhilarating.  Everyone sang along and did the Running Man (if you had enough room) and the Roger Rabbit.  The place was packed with 80s kids dressed to impress.  Hammer pants, neon spandex, big hair, leotards, leg warmers, pretty much everything.  I was surprised to see the younger generation there, but then again not really because MC Hammer is being played all over school now a days and the kids are dancing up a storm... making fun of the moves I cherished when I learned to groove.

I need to get more pictures from my friends and post some of the new MC and Vanilla...

Barbie or BUST or is that a barbie bust?

My first cake, by steph doyle...
    fondant is cool.    (FYI: barbie has no legs, just a stick... "oh because the legs would melt in the oven?!)  my teacher - sandra  my long hair...   adding piping and flowers.  

this is for lily wade's 6th birthday.   check out that bodice!  SWEET!  .  Barbie and steph are excited for this beautiful cake :)  

  final cake - barbie's photoshoot.  

The cake inside is strawberry (Lily requested a pink cake), the frosting under the fondant is purple (Lily requested purple frosting), the cupcakes are pink with pink, purple, or white frosting with flowers to match the dress and the letters spelling HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILY (Lily requested it say "Happy Lily Birthday" so I thought she could arrange the words however her heart desired).  Happy Birthday Lily and may all your princess dreams come true :)

Random Pix

  This is the "buzz in" phone and video.

 I felt like I was in a TV sitcom because we don't have these in Utah.  You can barely see my dad's face here, but in real life you can see it quite clearly.  So you know who you are buzzing into your building.
 Here is Special Agent Elder Doyle!  After his coat was stolen from the church he found this at the mission home (hat and all) and enjoyed it for a few days.
 Here I am with my cute bag, hat, scarf, and coat.  Probably not my warmest outfit for this FREEZING day, but after my unflattering France/England/Scotland pictures I focused on cute accessories - even a purse, I've never owned a purse!  This is at Chateau de Chillon in Switzerland.
  my suisse hat and scarf combo and new hair cut.(Ali is the best!)
 happy birthday to me.  brigite, me, and jeani at ZUPAS - YUM!

Student Teaching

I've always wanted a student teacher, but now that I have one I'm not so sure.  She is an amazing dancer, but its hard to give up classes to someone else.  Plus, my students are not like other students... they only like hip hop and must be tricked into other styles of dance.  This is a skill that has taken me several years to learn and for a student teacher to learn in a short 10 weeks, almost impossible.

I left her alone on Friday to see if not having me in the room would help the students respond better to her and not continually come to me.  I came in to pick up some CDs for the assembly and noticed some kids sitting out, but the rest seemed to be doing great.  When I asked her how it went, she cried.  I felt so sad.  I tried reminding her that 90% of the kids were having a great time, but sometimes we only see those kids sitting down with bad attitudes.

In teaching we tend to focus on the 10% that hate school, hate you, hate the other kids, and we give them all of our attention.  While the 90% of the kids are great and ready to learn, just waiting for us to notice them.  It was kind of an eye opener for me.  I have a lecture all ready for those students, because they better not make life hard for this cute teacher or I'll make life hard for them.  My students have told me that I have a look of death that is really scary.  SWEET!  I've been working on it for awhile and now it is working for me.  My sweet little student teacher does not have a look of death or a mean bone in her body... we'll have to work on that.  :)

When I was a senior in high school I had a student teacher in dance.  She gave me an A- and I talked to her several times about it, I argued that I was an A dancer and she had no right to give me an A-.  She never came back.  My teacher told me it wasn't my fault and that she just wasn't cut out to be a teacher, but I've always felt guilty about it (especially when I saw her on campus at BYU that next year).  I want my student teacher to have a positive wonderful experience... not be punished for my mistakes...

25 Random Things About Me

I hate even numbers, especially 8 and sometimes 6

I hate the color green because it seems even and circular, very similar to the 6

If I want something, I get it - almost obsessively

I'm an addict of TV, candy, dancing, and dreaming

I always assume everything will work out regardless of how ridiculous it is

Action movies are my favorite

I enjoy sharing my brain with others, and analyzing things

I am driven to make life easier for the less fortunate and to save the Earth

I secretly wish I worked in forensic science

I feel a need to be connected to people without wanting to connect with people

My life runs on a schedule though nothing is ever scheduled

I don't understand girl drama and feel uncomfortable when people cry

My OCD behavior is continually being under-minded by my desire to be lazy

I crave things I don't even want

The phone causes me anxiety

I read teen literature and sometimes life changing books

I love office supplies and stores - pens, pencils, paper, books, bags

Fitted clothing around my waist makes me feel claustrophobic

I hear music... always

I see dancing...always

I feel bad for inanimate objects' feelings

I talk to myself, sometimes even when others are around

I know I'll be famous for something someday

I hope you enjoyed a little randomness about me :)