Viva Las Vegas!!!

I have made it to Vegas. It is officially Fall Break. I am getting better at typing on this new gadget. I was glad to have my Mom congratulated me on my purchase. One of my friends judges me on my buying. She just doesn't understand me and that is ok. This is a toy that I know I will use every single day. I am staying with Morgan and Derek and Morgan was picking on me for playing with my "iPhone." Silly it is an itouch. My Students also called it a phone and told me to put my phone away because they are not allowed in class. Silly kids thinking the adults have to follow the rules! I thought it was so handy to use my Touch to take attendance during PE today. I can totally write this off as a business expense now, right? I think I need to get a life if I am so excited about a piece of electronics.

I loved driving into Sin City. I am a sucker for the lights of the strip. I also enjoyed my In-N-Out Burger for dinner. I love burgers lately. I am excited to have some fun with friends. I am also looking forward to the Belagio fountains. I have been here enough to be over the Strip, but I always love the Belagio experience.

Well, I better get some sleep. I LOVE Fall Break!!

Spoiled Brat

Me and my new Ipod Touch. Notice that it is actually on my blog site.

So I caved in and bought an Ipod. Say what you will about me seeing I have complained a lot about Apple and their lack of compatibility. I guess their amazing marketing ploy worked on me. I did get a great deal on it and am glad I bought it even though I know it will now consume my time now that I have to get all my music onto it which will be challenging with my compatibility issue. Well, not mine but my other mp3 player's. I told a friend last night that I am jealous of myself now like I have been of the guys at work who all have Touches. It is so cool. I am posting this on my new toy. I know you are impressed. Just hold your jealousy! :)

Winter Already?

We got this cool tile from our retreat. I like it!

Hi. It is cold here right now. I have had the heater running the past few days. It is weird. Mentally, it is not time to be cold yet. Luckily, this little storm will be moving through and we will warm up again next week. I am not quite ready for winter, but it was pretty to see some snow this weekend.

Friday night I went with my friend, Kerri, to our Relief Society's retreat up in Kamas Utah. On the way we got some wonderful shakes at Granny's in Heber City. We got there just in time too, because they were closing ten minutes after we got there. We then headed to the cabin where the retreat was. Luckily, we found one of the members of our bishopric who was also lost because we could not find our way. The directions we had cut off about five steps in the directions. We got to the gate(it was like a gated community of cabins, odd) about five minutes before they would have locked us out. NICE. It was a nice time in the cabin. I got to know a few more of the girls in my new ward. The Relief Society President talked for a bit as well as the wives of two of the counselors in the bishopric during a little spiritual program. It was a great message about having a good attitude based on the scriptures in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 in the Bible, which reads: Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God concerning you." That is a great bit of counsel and I really have been thinking about this concept a lot lately. Really, we are here to "rejoice." I truly believe that our Heavenly Father has put us here on this earth in order to find joy and be happy. I also know that this does not come unless we decide to be happy. I have noticed in my life that attitude is indeed everything. If I choose to have a good day, then I will have one. If I chose to look on the positive, then life is good. If not, the opposite happens. I am not saying that I am perfect at this but so far this year, I have been having a good time with my students because I have adjusted my attitude a bit. Being thankful is also a part of this. Dwelling on what we don't have breeds negativity. Being happy with what we have and being thankful for the small stuff helps us stay positive. It was nice to have this reminder while up in the beautiful mountains of Kamas.

When we woke up the next morning, there was snow gently falling. It actually was very pretty. I was only worried about the driving in the snow so we didn't stay too much longer. It wasn't too bad to drive in but it was predicted that there would be a foot of snow in that area later that day. It was weird to get the snow brush out and I don't know why. I guess it isn't too strange for snow to come in October. Maybe time is just going really fast for me and mentally I am back in August. Luckily, the snow did not stick here in Provo. I can handle cold but I need a little while more to mentally prepare for snow! Like Kerri said though, I really need to find the positive in snow. I guess it is nice because it actually brings us water in the spring and helps us not have droughts next summer and it really is pretty to see it falling! I guess you can find the positive in everything. I will have to work on it to find the positive in the little leak I found in my hot water closet this morning. That is still hard. It is okay though because it wasn't too bad. Just a little water on my floor and vacuum. It could have been worse I guess.

This next week of school is only three days long. We have Fall Break on Thursday and Friday. I am heading down to Vegas to hang with some friends. I am looking forward to a fun break. It will be relaxing and needed!

Well, I hope you are having a fabulous Sunday. I am off to get ready and go to church.

I should be sleeping Alice right now.

Thursday. Special Day. The day The Office is on. It was an okay show. Kind went to fast if you ask me. I hate when it is only thirty minutes long.

I am tired. I should be sleeping. I don't want to sleep. Weird. Usually, I am good at going to bed. Not tonight. I am writing very short sentences. Peculiar.

I don't have much else to say, so this is it. I hope you had a great Thursday.

If you really knew me...

I did this during third hour today.  I made my students do a silent "If You Really Knew Me..." for two minutes and this is what I typed:

IF YOU REALLY KNEW ME….

 You would know that I struggle with my third hour .

You would know that I get tired of yelling at them

You would know that for a while I gave up on "challenging"  them because they complained too much.

You would know that I know it is more than just not wanting to share feelings but that it is hard to share feelings.

You would know that I haven't been living up to the challenges I made for myself in July at Next Step, but I really want to turn around

You would know that I have great days when I decide to have great days.  Attitude is everything.

You would know that I really want all of my students to succeed but I don't know how to do it and that makes me really sad and disappointed.  What is the secret answer?

You would know that I am glad I was able to do if you really knew me because I missed it.

If you really knew me you would know that I hate to cry in front of people and it is always easier to keep that in and be tough but I have learned that that doesn't help me.  I need to cry sometimes.  I wish we would teach people that it is okay so that when people were crying they wouldn't be judged as weak or weird.

You would also know that I wish more people around me would actually be more real about their emotions because I know there are people in my life who are hurting real bad but won't reach out for help and I want to be there for them but it is hard when they won't reach out and admit that there are things that hurt.

You would also know that this has been the best start of a school year I have ever had because I have chosen to make it good.  Each day I try to figure out who I can reach out to and help and I LOVE all of my students,  even those ones who get under my skin and make me want to throw things!  I am so glad I have found this key to make it through every day because life is hard but so worth it!  Yipee!!!!!