I'm still alive!

Hello all you bloggers! I have finally found a few minutes to give you an update before its back to the books :-) I have been in school for a month and a half now, and I can honestly say I've spent most of that time in my bedroom doing home work or studying. I'm so enjoying being in the Teaching Program but it's definitely a lot of work.

Myth: Elementary Ed. majors have it so easy... it's all cutting and gluing.

Oh don't I wish it was that way. We have to study, take tests, and write papers just like every major. But on top of that, we have to write lesson plans, do massive individual projects as well as groups projects, and spend 40+ hours in a classroom, and maintain our sanity :-) Believe me, I have wanted to drop out and walk away from this at least 10 times since I've started. But I know that this is what God has called me to and I have to cling to that word.

But through all the madness and stress I have bonded with every person in my program. It's so wonderful to be around people who are passionate about teaching and kids in the same way that I am. We all understand the stress each other is going through and are able to encourage and push each other to stick with it. How great is that?

The most important thing for me to do is to keep my eye on the goal...





Well, it's time to finish up some reading for my online class.

Tag... I'm it!

I was tagged by Strider so here are my answers.


1. What was I doing 10 years ago:
I was 10 years old, finishing up 4th grade. That's about all I remember :-)

2. My five favorite snacks:
1. Chips and salsa
2. Chocolate Chip Cookies right from the oven
3. Cranberry Orange scones from Starbucks
4. Apples and Peanut Butter
5. Snickers

3. Five things on my to do list today:
Well, it's night time. So I'll tell you what I have on my list for tomorrow.
1. Work out
2. Go to Amanda's house
3. Find something to wear to Emily's wedding
4. Go to Emily and Steven's wedding
5. Go crazy at the reception woooo

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
I would move out and buy a sweet house here. Then buy another house in South Carolina, so me and my family could go visit Ty and Jenn whenever we wanted. Oh, I'd also buy a plane, again making visits easier :-) Then I'd buy a bunch of sweet clothes and shoes. I'd donate a lot of it to schools that are struggling financially. I would be the best billionaire ever lol :-)



5. Five jobs that I've had:
1. Stir The Water Customer Service Rep. (June 2008-Present)
2. Private Tutor (January 2007-Present)
3. Babysitter/Nanny (February 2003-Present)
4. Dental Assistant (June 2006-February 2008)


6. Five bad habits of mine:
1. Constant Gum Chewer
2. Impatient Driver
3. Perfectionist
4. Over-Achiever
5. I get annoyed easily at family members :-)


7. Five places I've lived: Richland, Washington and Kennewick, Washington


8. Five random things people wouldn't know about me:
1. I've played piano since I was 5
2. I was born with a hole in my heart
3. I used to play flute in middle school band
4. When I wear tennis shoes, I always put on my left sock and shoe first before
moving to the right foot.
5. Before deciding on a career in teaching, I was planning on becoming a
Pediatric Dentist



9. Five cds that I'd have to have on a desert island:
1. A worship mix
2. Soundtrack to national treasure
3. Soundtrack to Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
4. Natasha Bedingfield
5. Shane & Shane

I tag whoever wants to do this :-)

Moving On

After graduating high school in 2006, I began to attend a local community college (CBC) that fall ('06). I spent my time earning pre-requisites for the Teaching Program at WSU Tri-Cities and was able to work those in to an Associates Degree from CBC. This degree takes about 2 years to accomplish

Last week I spent studying for finals and preparing to graduate with my Associates. Finals were extremely rough on me... here are a few pictures I took last Tuesday (June 10)

My Room was a Mess:




All that hard work definitely paid off. On June 13, 2008, I graduated from Columbia Basin College with my Associates Degree. I also graduated with honors (GPA: 3.5 to 3.84). This was shown with a yellow tassel and yellow cords.

I'm very excited to be moving on to my next phase of life and college. For those of you who don't know, I'll be attending WSU Tri-Cities this fall where I'll finish my Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education. Here are a few pictures from my CBC graduation :-)

Amanda (pink shoes) and I (teal shoes) walking at graduation. Picture taken by the Tri-City Herald:


Me and Amanda after receiving our diplomas


My dad, Strider, and I


Little Sis and I (my graduation hat is pretty cool apparently)


The Gang... We Did It :-)

The Windy City

And no, I'm not talking about Chicago. My town, in South Eastern Washington, has been experiencing 25 MPH winds for the past 9 days. For the first day or 2, it's bearable... but day 9, is getting pretty ridiculous! Spring around here is normally windy, but not this bad. It usually calms down by June. Also, having moved into a new development a month ago, we have dirt and sand flying around from our neighbors un-watered lots (not ours, mind you). Lucky for me, I've been cooped up studying for finals this week (can you hear the sarcasm?). I have 3 finals starting tomorrow and I'll be done Thursday morning.

Anyways, I took on the wind to in order to get these pictures just for YOU (don't you feel special).
**Note: After taking these pictures, I had sand in my teeth and dirt in my contacts... oh the things I do for you :-)





Back to writing my paper and studying!

Simple Things

Unlike some, I tend to enjoy the random and simple things in life. Whether it be a something I observe in real life or a movie, it brings me great joy :-) Life is full of those unexpected moments, which makes life worth living. It's those unplanned moments that become treasured memories. So, to make this sound less like a graduation speech, I'd like to share some of my favorite random movie clips and photo's :-)


Movie: While You Were Sleeping


TV Series: Friends


Photos:
Jessica-Summer 2005


Josh and I- February 2007


Me, Jenna, Amanda- December 2007


Amanda and Me- April 2008


Home Videos:

My 19th Birthday- February 2007


Boaz Head Shake- March 2008

My Apologies

I apologize for not posting any new blogs. I haven't been feeling well the past couple of days and on top of that I have mid-terms at school this week! My family is also in the process of moving, so life is hectic. I'll be taking a break from blogger for a week or so. Be sure to come back, I have lots of ideas for new blogs!

Thought this was funny:

Just for Kicks

Hello all! It's a beautiful spring day and I thought this little math puzzle would be fun :-) Grab a calculator and a smile because this will be the best 2 minutes of your day! Well, at least for me it will be. Math has always been my favorite subject. To the point where I think it's cool and people think I'm a nerd... woo whoo :-D Here we go!

1. Type in the first 3 digits of your phone number (no area code).
*Example if your number was 555-6767, you would type into the calculator "555"
2. Multiply it by 80
*Example: 555x80= 44,400 (i can't help the examples, it's the teacher in me :-))
3. Add 1
*Example 44,400+1= 44,401
4. Multiply by 250
*Example 44,401x250= 11,100,250
5. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number
*Example 11,100,250+6767= 11,107,017
6. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number again
*Example 11,107,017+6767= 11,113,784
7. Subtract 250
*Example 11,113,784-250= 11,113,534
8. Divide by 2
*Example 11,113,534/2= 5556767

You should end up with your phone number!! Let me know if it worked!

It's been 1 Year!

Happy One Year of Blogging to ME :-) Yes, it's true. April 16th of 2007 I began my journey here on Blogger. Thanks to all of you who have read my blog for the past year. It means a lot that you take the time to read all my randomness :-)

I plan to continue blogging. Keep reading and I'll try to get more creative :-)

Down South (With Videos Working FINALLY!)

March 25th-29th I took a trip to Fort Mill, South Carolina. My brother, his wife, and my nephew just moved there recently. I spent the week helping them move into their new house and help out with the baby. It was an absolute blast! I had never gone on a long trip by myself and felt very "grown up" riding a plane a lone :-).

This blog is to share some pictures, memories, and video's of my fantastic time in SC. I must say, South Carolina is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. While there, temperatures reached 82 degrees (it was so hard coming back to FREEZING weather!!!)

Things I noticed in SC. There is a lot of RED!
Red Dirt: (this is caused by Iron in the dirt, hah my geology class has FINALLY payed off!)

Red Fire Hydrants:


But the best part of the trip was getting to spend time with my family. I will definitely miss them. Here are some pictures and videos of my trip. I apologize that the videos don't have sound to them, our digital camera doesn't record sound.

Tyler using the "stud" finder on himself haha


Dancing Boaz:
Boaz


Drinking Water:
Boaz


Tour Tyler and Jenn's New Home!:
Tyler and Jenn


It was an awesome trip. I hope you enjoyed seeing the pictures and videos from my trip, I certainly enjoyed taking them :-)

Almost There!

Yesterday was the official end of Winter Quarter at CBC. It also signified that I have 1 quarter left until I graduate with my AA. I can't believe that I'm almost half way done with college. Time definitely flies when you're having fun (haha can you hear the sarcasm?)

When I started as a freshman at CBC, I kept dreaming of the moment I would be finished there :-) Now, as graduation is only a few months away, I can definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel. I finished Winter Quarter with 2 4.0's (I only took 2 classes). So I'm very happy with my performance and the effort I put in.

This song, is what will get me through my final quarter at CBC.
(Fast-Forward the video to 1:45 and listen until 2:45 or Fast-Forward to -7:00 and listen until -6:00 depending on how the numbers show up)

Spring Time

It's that wonderful time of year, when the flowers are blooming and the wind is blowing non-stop. It's also the time when we realize summer is quickly approaching and we notice our little belly that somehow attached itself to our bodies. Ah yes, I'm talking about the "W" word that I absolutely hate. WORKOUT! AHHHHHHH

Now, I'm definitely not one to exercise. My idea of working out is running down our stairs in order to answer my cell phone :-) But as the warmer months are approaching, I have had this desire to actually get in shape. My cousin recently got engaged and asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. As we were trying on dresses last night, it hit me. Now, I'm not saying I'm fat but I could stand to tone up a little (don't we all).

So this morning I turned on "Turbo Jam" and did an ab workout. Who knows how long I'll actually keep this up (normally I do well for about a week haha) but I'm certainly striving to get in shape and live a healthy life.

Last Day as a T-T-Teenager

It's true; tomorrow I leave the land of "Teenager" and enter into the world of "The Twenties." I've always felt older than my true age, so I think being 20 is really going to fit me (finally). I remember the turning 13 and how excited I was to finally be considered a teenager. Now, I can't wait to turn 20 and no longer be a teenager haha.
I will say this, 19 has been the most awkward age I've ever been. Allow me to explain. A few months after I turned 19 I felt like I should be older than that, and that my age didn't fit where I was at maturity wise. I'm basically "over" being a teenager and soooo ready to move into a new phase of life.


So, here's to you, Awkward Age 19... I won't miss you :-)

Beauty in the Breakdown

So, let go, so let go
Jump in
Oh well, what are you waiting for?
It's alright
'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown
Let Go by Frou Frou

How true this song is in my life. I've been through a pretty rough time (see post: Over My Head) the past few months and I finally have finally decided to let go. I've decided to release my anger, hurt, judgments, and fear. And guess what, I've never been happier! God's grace has been pouring into my life and He is showing me such great things. I'm so excited for what the future holds and the changes God has for me.

The lyrics to Let Go by Frou Frou say it all "Let Go... What are you waiting for?"

I'm a Coug!

It's official! I just got accepted into WSU Tri-cities for the Fall 2008 semester :-) I'm so very excited. I'm currently filling out my application for the WSU College of Education, so I'll let you all know when I found out if I got in or not (so much paperwork!)

I'm extremely excited about this transition in my life. I'm so thankful that God told me to be a teacher, because if He hadn't, I'd currently be applying for the Dentistry program at UW (YIKES). Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I would have made a fine Pediatric Dentist, but it's so good knowing with all my heart that I am supposed to be a teacher. Plenty of people have tried to talk me out of it, but God spoke so clearly to me my senior year of high school, that no one's been able to shake me on it.

Blessings to you all!

Over My Head

It's been quite some time since I've blogged. I apologize to my faithful readers (i.e. my dad) for not posting anything sooner. I don't have anything interesting to write about, so this is a life update.

Where to start? All I have to say is I have never been in such a hard place in my entire life. The past 3 months have been an absolute nightmare. I've spent the last couple of months hiding all my frustration and anger, but I can't do it anymore. My best analogy for it is that I feel like I'm drowning. That the circumstances I have found myself in for the past 3 months, have truly begun to suffocate me. I'm not trying to have a pity-party and make people feel bad for me, that's not my heart at all. I would just like to ask (if you don't mind) if you would keep me in your prayers; it would be so appreciated.






Take me beyond this door
Lead me to something more
Over My Head by Starfield

Musings of a First-Time Snowboarder

Yesterday, I hit the slopes for the first time in my life. I've never skied or snowboarded in my 19 (almost 20!) years of being on this earth. I've had plenty of friends try to get me to go snowboarding with them, and I finally took a chance yesterday.

Dad, Tabitha, Amanda, Uncle Rick, and I headed off to Bluewood yesterday morning around 7. I had no idea what to expect or if I'd even been able to stand up on a snowboard. I'm not exactly the "athletic type" so believe me, I had my doubts on being able to accomplish anything my first day. So Amanda, Tabitha, and I took a snowboarding lesson. After spending most of the time falling on the bunny hill, I traded my "platter-pull" pass in for a lift pass in hopes that the steeper hill would be easier to learn on.

My first time down Triple Nickle was literally hell. I had no idea how to carve and control my board so I just would go really fast and fall every 4 seconds. I think it took me 45 minutes to get down on my first run and believe me, it was not a pretty sight. I did a face plant into a pile of snow as this 8 year old kid goes by and asks if I was ok. But I refused to give up, I knew I'd regret it later. On my third run, Uncle Rick gave me a couple pointers and went on his way. I took those pointers and applied them to my snowboarding... Guess What?!? I GOT IT! I was starting to carve and turn, I truly amazed myself! I went on a total of 7 runs and on my last one, I only fell a few times :-)

I couldn't believe that I actually learned how. I am so thankful that I didn't give up and kept persevering... hmm something I can apply to my day-to-day life.

Today, I'm completely sore. I could barely roll out of bed this morning. Every muscle in my body is screaming with pain, but I don't care. I had an absolute blast and am planning to go again in 2 weeks.

Just for Kicks

As most people know, I love kids. I love being around them because I truly feel like I am in my element. Well, I was cruising around youtube and found some really cute America's Funniest Home Video clips on kids/babies. So take a few minutes out of your day and have a few laughs. I think sometimes we forget how precious and wonderful each child is and hopefully these videos remind you of that :-)










I'll leave you with my favorite clip. I hope this makes you smile

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

It is my most favorite time of year; the Holidays are finally upon us! Now, I'm not just your average "Christmas fan", I go all out :-). My family can attest to this, I start listening to Christmas music right after Halloween (actually I start WAY before that but I keep the volume down low). I also watched The Santa Claus last weekend with Valerie and Amanda. And if I had it my way, the Christmas tree would already be up. I feel like a 3 year old kid on Christmas Eve.... soo EXCITED.

I think it is the atmosphere of it all. I love walking around the mall and seeing the great decorations or randomly talking to a person in line at Starbucks because it's almost Christmas. But one of my most favorite things (wow, I feel like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music) is to buy presents for people. I get so excited that I normally try to give them their present WAY before Christmas because I love seeing the look on their face. I guess you could call that one of my "love languages"; I definitely love to give gifts.

God also blessed me with the gift of receiving ;-) haha (I sound like my dad, scary). I'm not going to lie, I love getting presents haha :-D. It's not really the gift itself I'm excited about. I'm mostly excited because that person put the time into getting me something... it blesses me tremendously.

Well, I've rambled long enough. I hope you all enjoy this Holiday Season and spend as much of it as you can with your family! If you get the chance, I strongly encourage each of you to rent these movies during the Christmas Season :-)

Home Alone


White Christmas


It's a Wonderful Life


The Santa Claus