Where's The Love?

1.IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Burn This City (Cartel)

2.WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Untie My Hands (The Fat Potato)

3.WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
So Long (Guster)

4.WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
When It Rains (Maria Mena)

5.WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Dying to Find Out (Benton Paul)

6.WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Dear Daddy (Black Eyed Peas)

7.WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
The only thing worse than beating a dead horse is betting on one (Relient K)

8.WHAT IS 2+2?
Passing Afternoon (Iron & Wine)

9.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Semi-Charmed Life (3rd Eye Blind)

10.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Mientes Tan Bien (Sin Banderas)

11.WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Tell Her (Del Amitri)

12.WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Broken Man (Boys Like Girls)

13.WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Follow Through (Gavin DeGraw)

14.WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
The Boob Fairy (Diedre Flint)

15.WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
This Land is Mine (Dido)

16.WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
They Call You Holy (TJ McCloud)

17.WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Curbside Prophet (Jason Mraz)

18.WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
To Be With You (David Archuleta)

19.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Snails (The Format)

20.WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
What Matters (Edwin McCain)

21.HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Here It Goes Again (okgo)

22.WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
The Last Song Ever (Secondhand Serenade)

23.WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Memory (Sugarcult)

24.WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Ground On Down (Ben Harper)

25.WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Drop By Drop (D&C Seminary Soundtrack)

26.WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Emily (Book of Mormon Seminary Soundtrack)

27.DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Limon y Sal (Julieta Venegas)

28.IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Wish I (Jem)

29.WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Son de Amores (Andy y Lucas)

30.WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Where's the Love? (Hanson)


Which ones are your favorites?????

My "THANKFULS"

Well, it's funny, I haven't made a physical written list of things that I'm grateful for since 2006...and that was actually quite a project. I made it in Argentina and had ideas for it to turn into something bigger when I got home but I haven't done anything with it besides occasionally read it. Our mission president encouraged us to get a notebook and keep track of things we were thankful for. I divided it then into a few different categories. I would like to add to those categories now with a few that I have on my mind.

1. People

Lately I have had the attitude that I don't need anybody (listen to the Collective Soul song "Needs" it's my theme song) but there are some people that have greatly come to influence my life due to the fact that I spend more time with them than anybody else. Those people are my students. I cannot begin to express how they have influenced me and how much my life is blessed through interactions with them.

2. Events/Opportunities

I was so very thankful for this past General Conference and the messages that I received. I am thankful for Sundays and for my new calling. I am thankful I was given the opportunity to teach at Elk Ridge--I really do feel so lucky to be there. I love that I can see the beautiful Wasatch mountains from my window every single day. This next one might not be considered an event but I am so very thankful for prayer and priesthood blessings.

3. Trials

Since I have been home from my mission I haven't really noticed any trials in my life. Any time I might start to worry about something, I just remember how things have always worked out. Heavenly Father is always watching out for me and His tender mercies are truly everywhere. He has really taken care of me this year and while I am worried about some things going on with my family right now, I see that He is helping my parents and siblings and doing what is best for all of us.

Lately I have also been feeling extremely grateful for some very simple things that I might not be able to put into those categories and I would like to address those. First of all, I am thankful for the ability (which I have lost this week) to TASTE and to SMELL. Thanksgiving dinner isn't the same when you can't taste it, and part of what makes guys so appealing is when they smell good. I'm thankful for HAIR, one of my co-workers (an 8th grade English teacher) has been going through chemo for several years now and she wears a bandana to school most days. When she put that one on her list I decided to never complain about my hair because the truth I would always prefer a bad hair day over a no hair day. I'm thankful to live in a house with FLOORS not made of dirt or cement. I'm thankful for WASHING MACHINES because I know from 18 months of personal experience (and 3 just recently) that life stinks without them.

"When you are discouraged thinking all is lost, count your many blessings; name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done"

"So amid the conflict, whether great or small, do not be discouraged; God is over all. Count your many blessings; angels will attend, help and comfort give you to your journey's end."

Hymns, p. 241

It's Drop Everything And Read

So since it's DEAR I decided to take this time and write. We aren't supposed to be grading papers during this time, but I don't have anything to read so I will write. I love my students. I love Elk Ridge. Of course there are certain things I don't care for, more having to do with the district or co-workers and administration...but I think my students are wonderful. This school hasn't yet reached it's potential I don't think, but I hope that I can be a part of making it better. The end.

PS. I love David Archuleta, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

I should be grading tests right now.

4 places I visit over and over:

1. Elk Ridge Middle School

2. The Bathroom

3. Walmart

4. La Pequeñita

4 people who call, text, or email me regularly:

1. Jessica

2. Mom

3. Andrea

4. Lindsay

4 favorite foods:

1. Anything grilled on the barbeque

2. Cafe Rio Salad

3. Sandwiches

4. Tortellinis

4 places I would rather be:

1. Argentina

2. The Beach

3. 1999

4. I like where I'm at.

4 movies I would watch over and over:

1. Miracle

2. Motorcycle Diaries

3. The Heroes seasons 1 and 2 dvds

4. The Best 2 years

4 bands or groups I love to listen to:

1. Relient K

2. Angels and Airwaves

3. Guster

4. Death Cab for Cutie

I stepped on a slug barefoot.

So Oregon has been wonderful but also provided me with a little dilemma. I was chatting with a family friend on the 4th of July and he is the principal of a Junior High about an hour west of Portland. He totally wants me to interview. Well, I gave him all of my information (evals, resume, letters of rec) but then I chickened out for the interview. I don't want to live in Oregon, I really don't. I have Marci and Collette visiting in August and September, millions of friends getting married, an awesome place to live and I love my roommates. I was just afraid that they would offer me a job on the spot (which it kind of sounds like the way Mario was talking) and that would be so tempting to take. It would be an awesome position to teach geography IN SPANISH. So I just don't know what to do, but I decided that I need to get back to Salt Lake, let my head clear a little bit (because it's hard to think clearly in my crazy house). See if any thing starts opening up at the beginning of August. It's just ironic that it's usually super-hard to find a job in Oregon without a masters and there's supposedly a great shortage of teachers in Utah but my job lead is in Oregon and I have nada in Utah.

Well, some good things about Oregon is that I get to grill all the time. I forgot how much I LOVE my dad's barbeques. The weather is fabo, being with the family is good and I've been spending some quality time with both parents. This week, however, has been a bit of challenge because they are both gone at girl's camp and I am home with the 2 youngest brothers and my little sister. Riley has been smoking weed every day, which my parents are sort of aware of what he's been doing, but I don't think they realize how bad of a problem it is. And Joel's had a rough week, one of his close friends drowned in the Sandy river. Being the mother figure is difficult, I've been carting them all over town, making sure dinner is ready and trying to keep the house clean...what a job. It hasn't left much time for friends but tonight I got a much needed break by hanging out with my friend Tammy. We got some curry and then went to her house and watched the office and played cards. My friends definitely keep me sane, that's for sure.

Oh, and I think having someone pump gas for you is wierd. I missed it while I was in Utah, but now that I'm here it just doesn't feel right.

And also, I love Fonzie.

Oregon

So, I am ready to pay home a little visit!!! I will leave Thursday for Oregon and stay there for almost a month! I am excited to see some Oregon friends, go camping with the family, shop without sales tax and have someone else pump my gas. Exciting stuff huh?

People Who Need People

Yesterday I got an email from an old mission buddy who lives in Buenos Aires. We entered the field at the same time and so when we would run into each other we would chat about our progress and our crazy trainers and so on. It totally made my day because he just wrote the nicest things to me. It's funny because I realized that I am more sentimental than I thought. I have gotten to talk to a few "long lost" friends lately who have expressed that they appreciated having me in their lives...wow, it's just nice to know that these guys meant so much to me and that I also meant something to them. Okay, this is getting kind of mushy...I'm going to go watch So You Think You Can Dance.

Mexico

I really want to go to Mexico, but the ticket to Dallas was just too expensive. I am going crazy not working. You would think I would like not having to do anything, but I don't really enjoy it. I would love to be interviewing places and finding a job for fall, but so far, the only openings in GSD are for Elementary.

ROCK BAND Makes Everything Better!

Yesterday I was kind of bummed out for reasons that I cannot say. Reasons that I choose not to say because this blog is all about things that make me smile and not things that make me frown. But at the height of my bummed-out-ness while I was venting to Ms. Peck in the hallway I heard the sweet strains of ROCK BAND wafting out of her classroom. I entered to find not 1 but 2 tv's set up in opposite corners of the room, each with the full set-up. I quickly grabbed the base and started playing some song I've never heard of. The song just kept going and going. I kept looking at the clock and realized the bell was about to ring and my 7th graders would be leaving the cafeteria only to find their classroom locked and the teacher nowhere to be found. I was tempted to pass the bass on to an onlooking student but right about that time I got booed off the stage. Anyways, the last few weeks of school make me smile. For other teachers it might feel like a chaotic time, but I am actually very relaxed because all of the students are finally in good moods.

Big Gulps huh?

Today I am smiling because I got a paycheck in the mail! Seriously...I have been waiting for this since April. I am so stoked!!! I am also smiling because I had a interview at Union Middle. It was a good interview...not that it means I'm getting hired. I wish it did, but I'm the first interview they've had so I have to wait a week to find out. Hopefully I can get more soon. I'm also smiling because it's an A-day and I got to see my favorite math students.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

So---I got some graduation cards today. Whoo-hoo. The best one was from my parents; they said that the car they have been letting me use is my graduation gift. So I am relieved because I was wondering when I was going to be able to pay them for it. That made me smile. So did the other cards from people that I love.

Also, I smiled today when Jessica came in to find out her missing assignments. She has been uber-snotty the past few days, we are talking eye-rolling every 5 seconds I ask her to do something, yelling at me for helping her too much, yelling at me for not catering to her every need. BIG ATTITUDE. Anyways, she was polite and refrained from any rude comments today. That makes me glad because I really do like her and think she's a good girl. Just one of those people that you hate to be on their bad side.

Finally, another thing that made me smile today was when Jose Urcino got really, really up in my face and said "wanna fight". Completely random. I wasn't even talking to him. I had said maybe 5 words to him the whole class period. I inhaled, stepped even closer and said, "ni ahi papa". We both just busted up laughing.

AI and Math 7

I'll tell you what. American Idol makes me smile. Well, I should clarify that really it's David Archie that makes me smile. I'm sorry but if I were a 17 year old girl I would have been screaming like Kelsey tonight. Also Jason Castro makes me smile but for different reasons. Maybe smile isn't the right word. It was almost more of a wince or grimace. It's still close enough for me to go into the smile category though. He is just a goober. I don't think he listened to a single thing the judges said (although they were kind of mean tonight). I just don't think he tries to sing well--I don't know if he really cares.

Okay, on to other things that make me smile. Last week Gena Sanchez (the only 7th grader I know who can pull off a nose piercing) told me that their class only acts so bad because Mrs. Kofoed made them that way. I had to laugh because it's so absolutely ridiculous. I thought about replying, "oh, well, in that case you can just keep acting like little hellions...since it's not your fault you choose to behave that way." Seriously, who is their teacher now? ME! That's what I thought.