Las Vegas Summer Tradition

Ever since my sister Lynsie moved to Vegas to teach, I have made it a summer tradition to come and visit her for a couple of weeks. Since we both are teachers its nice being able to sleep in, shop and go to the pool. The first summer was in 2004. She lived with roommates who were obsessed with the Gilmore Girls, so here is what a typical summer day would include. Waking up late, eating some good breakfast, watching season one of the Gilmore Girls, going to In and Out eating it by the pool, getting some skin cancer, finally getting ready for the day and then probably hitting up the Ross or the Goodwill...or probably both.

The next summer she was in love with Ezra, I still came down when she got off track and we would do the same thing. It has now been six summers and I have always came down to sweat in the Las Vegas heat, eat at restaurants we don't have, layout at the pool, hit the stores, and watch the subsequent seasons of the Gilmore Girls.

This year since I now have a gorgeous little nephew named Cyrus this summer is definitely different. Kids do change things. I came down to nanny him for the last couple of weeks while Lynsie finishes school. You moms rock!!! Watching a 7 month old is hard work...no more of the sleeping in till 10, laying out by the pool or shopping. Although, I wouldn't trade in his beautiful smile and contagious giggle for any of that. Just look at this gorgeous dude I get in trusted to watch for a couple of weeks.

Cyrus and first pair of sunglasses.

Cyrus and his Fourth of July jammy's. Notice the drool on his chin. He is getting his back teeth and drooling like a mad man.

The fireworks at the B-Bque we were at and then little Cyrus....
He slept through his first Fourth of July fireworks show.

"The Proposal"

Ok..so most of you know that I am finally engaged. Yeah!!!! For some of you it might come of a shock and amazement, but its true. I am going to share the story of the whole engagement story.

At the end of March, Teddy and I decided to get married. We have been dating for over three years. We met in March of 07, we broke up in March of 08, we got back together and then broke up in March of 09, and then back together again. I figured out that March just wasn't the best month. I am going to blame it on my birthday and the fact that I get depressed about getting old. So this March was different...we had the decision to either move forward or end it. After much prayer and fasting, I realized that I couldn't picture my life without Teddy. And I asked a direct question and got a direct answer. So that was that. Teddy will tell you that the first moment he saw me, he knew he was going to marry me. But this is my story. We told our families and close friends, but kept it on the down low from everyone else...until I got the ring. Teddy decided to take a sales job on the other side of the country for the summer. By the time we decided and the time he left was only about three weeks. Plenty of time to get a ring...or so I thought...and so did my sisters and family. I will be honest though, I had a whole list of ways that Teddy couldn't propose to me. I know, I know its really my fault.

Teddy being the teaser that he is "fake" proposed to me. Even up till the moment he drove away I still thought he was going to do it. Ok details I know. So fast forward to June 3rd. I flew to Virgina Beach to see him. I was hoping he would propose, but still didn't know 100%. We had a great time in Virgina. The Beach, Jamestown, we even drove to DC to go to the temple.

So on Saturday June 5th, we went to dinner. A very nice restaurant in Virgina Beach called Fire and Vine. When I sat down there was this beautiful vase full of roses on the table, I totally thought they were just part of the table, so I moved them aside. Teddy had to turn them around so I could see the card. So this wasn't out of character for Teddy. He will get me flowers and every 6 months or so we do get dressed up and go out to a nice dinner.

After dinner we drove to the beach. He was acting a little a nervous. So we took off our shoes and started to walk on the water line. I noticed some photographers on the beach but there were some surfers, so I thought they were taking pictures of the surfers...they weren't they were taking pictures of us.

Teddy stopped, turned me toward him took a deep breath. He told me how much he loved me and then got down on one knee and asked me to marry him and become his wife. The whole time I am thinking...really...your really doing this...no joking this time. He had the beautiful ring on his finger and amidst my shaking and almost tears he put it on my finger. I said yes...and the spectators on the beach started cheering and clapping. He then told me to keep smiling because I was on camera. That little trickster had hired a photographer and they had been shooting us the entire time. It was beautiful and a perfect moment. The world seemed to stop for just that one moment. I am way excited and the big day is September 4, 2010.

catching up

So my sister told me if your going to have a blog you need to update it atleast once a week. And seeing how it has been since January I guess I will do a little catching up. Here are some of the big events that have happened since January. I finished my tenth year of teaching....so crazy to think that I have been doing this for a decade. My DECA students did very well this year, and I took three of them to Nationals in Louisville Kentucky. It was right before the big Derby, so we got to go to a horse race. Definitely a different type of crowd. My good friend Melanie drove up to see me in Louisville, we had some good times. The rest of the school year went by just as fast. My students did horrible on their state tests this year. I felt like a failure. I cried. I had two students that felt bad for me so they made me a cake. It was very nice. I am going to miss my seniors. The last day of school I left for Virgina Beach to see my Tedward. That story is the next post.

Have you seen my stapler?

Now only true office fans will appreciate this post. I had a student whom asked me, "hey Ms. A, did you ever find your stapler?" My reply..."I didn't know it was missing." Not uncommon if you have seen my desk at the end of the semester. Anyhow...I forgot about the missing stapler until one Friday my student brought me in my missing stapler. I laughed my face off...it totally made my day. My students know that not a day goes by when I don't refer to the office or quote the office. So in true appreciation to Jim and his awful pranks on Dwight....below is my missing stapler.

Hello 2010

I figure its been awhile since I have posted something and since tomorrow is the last day of the decade, I might share some things I have learned and loved about 2009. It has been an awesome year. I went through the temple and I see and feel those blessings everyday of my life. Ashley got married, which leaves me the last and the lone one. Lynsie had a beautiful baby boy and he really is so stinkin cute. Here are a few more things from 2009.

1. My family is the best!
2. Life isn't fair, my sister Lou only weighs five more pounds than me and she had a baby only 7 weeks ago.
3. I love the temple...going...and seeing it everyday from my window.
4. I'm never too old to be a princess...just last week I was Cinderella.
5. I love my career...I can't believe I have been teaching an entire decade.
6. Cafe Rio...still a favorite
7. Although I hope to be a mom someday I love being an aunt!
8. Broken hearts can heal.
9. Forgiveness really is freedom.
10. The gospel is true and I know it!

Thanksgiving Festivis

I seriously am so blessed. I live in a free country, I have a awesome family, a nice house, a great career and food to eat! I often wonder what I did to be put in the place that I am today.

We had a amazing family dinner yesterday. Even though we were missing Nate, who is in Taiwan, Lou and Ez in Vegas with the most beautiful new baby, and Ash and JB visiting his family. I really missed my sisters when I went by myself to do a little black Friday shopping...it was not very much fun at all. '

Ash and I did go to Vegas last week to meet little Cyrus for the first time. He is awesome! Lyns is a great mom, and Ezra loves being a new dad. It was so much fun, and he knows I am the favorite aunt.

I had Emma, Rhett and Tanner sleep over at my house the day before Thanksgiving...we had so much fun. As I was getting the kids ready to head over to my parents house my niece said the funniest thing. She picked out her outfit and I curled her hair and added the four hair pieces...I told her she looked beautiful. I told her to go look in my full length mirror at how great she looked. So she did, I asked her "Don't you look beautiful?", she politely told me "no Amy, I don't fink(think) so", so I asked her what was wrong. She then told me "I fink there is something missing" so I asked okay what would that be? Her reply..." I fink I need to wear one of your necklaces and bracelets". What a silly thing for a three year old to say...already knowing the importance of accessories! A girl after my own heart. Of course I let her pick out of my jewelry box, and she looked lovely.

See how blessed I really am!

wow....

WOW...is the word. My sister Lou called me on Sunday about 12:45, "congratulations you have a new little nephew. 9.7 oz, 22 inches long". My response...in tears....WOW! I am so excited for Lynsie and Ezra they have waited so long. I can't help to think how much I want to be a mom, how much I want to start my own little family. I know it will happen one day! I also got a call from a sweet close friend tonight. She told me she has breast cancer, she is my age and she has breast cancer....WOW. I didn't know what to say, what do you say? I am constantly reminded how precious life really is...looking at the miracle of a new born baby and learning that life can be changed instantly. I was reading in first Nephi, its the part where Nephi has to get food for the fam, but everyone is murmuring so its not working out the best for him. There is the part of the scripture that says "by small means the lord can accomplish great things" or something similar. Isn't that so true. The lord wants us to be great! I can be great! We all can be great! In order to be great we have to do the small simple things. Thats my random thoughts of the day.

Family...its all about family.

I haven't blogged in such a long time. School has been keeping me busy, and then I was sick for two weeks...I didn't have a voice for days. I recently was called as a relief society teacher. I teach for a living, but this is my first teaching calling. I am pretty excited about it. So today we had the lesson from the Joseph Smith Manual #42, Family: The sweetest union from here into eternity. It was such a sweet lesson and while I was preparing I couldn't help but think how blessed I am to be in the family unit that I am in. I have so much support from all sides...immediate and extended. I often wonder what I did to be born where I am in and in the family that I am in. The thought can be quite overwhelming. I am grateful for the knowledge that I have and I truly love my family.

Hood Rat Reunion 09

When I lived in St.George and went to school, four of my good friends and I got the nick name of the hoodrats. We didn't understand that it was such a negative title but we were really proud of it. We decided that we haven't been together for about six years and it was time for a little girls trip. We choose beautiful San Diego. Raquel is expecting her baby in October and her doctor wouldn't let her fly, so sorry Quel but we had tons of fun without you.











Our first stop was of course pedicures...oh a little something extra for Alecia...although I don't think she will want me to share it.

We found this cute little store at the Village Shops in La Jolle, it was called Local. All the merchandise in the store is made by local artists. We decided to each purchase one of these super cute and unique rings. Mine is the big green flower...and I love it.
So Jenn the tall one in the black. She still likes to club. So we decided since she did everything we wanted to do that we would go out with her. Don't get me wrong I still love to dance, but the idea of going clubbing is not that exciting for me. But we went. We didn't last very long, but we went.

This is a pic sitting on the couch at the club. I danced all of about five minutes before someone spilled their drink on me. Luckily Jenn decided we were all lame and then we could leave. I never thought I would be lame.

Down at Seaport Village. Word to the wise, don't lose your parking ticket...or it will cost you.

La Jolle beach. It was so much fun. I could have stayed there for hours. Don't worry I wore sunscreen.

We had such a good time. We only got one parking ticket and got our room comped for one night because of a broken toilet. I am so blessed to have life time friends like these lovely ladies. We get together after years and it was just like we saw each other yesterday. Hoodrats 09! Love you girls!

Slumber Party Adventures

I had my two little (okay not so little anymore) nephews over for a couple of nights. We had a really good time. While we were driving to my house, my nephew Tanner made the statement, man I wish it was Christmas. I asked him why, and then he said so we could make gingerbread houses. It told him we could make graham cracker houses at any time of the year, so we did. It was fun and of course messy. We also went over to Aunt Ashley and swam in her pool and ordered pizza. We went and saw GI Joe and then did a little school shopping for the boys. Not to forget the Lake. I miss these boys, I wish they lived closer to me.


The finished products. Looks good enough to eat....oh wait we did!

We went to the new Daybreak Lake. It was a lot of fun, the sand was really nice. The boys had a good time.

Emma and James building their sand castle.

Isn't he the cutest. He kept eating handfuls and handfuls of sand. I told my sister she is going to have fun changing those diapers.

It was 10:30 and I was ready to be up, but these boys were still snoozing away. I finally made lots of noise in the kitchen. Of course they woke up for delicious German Pancakes on day one. and french toast on day two. Tanner told me that I make the best breakfast ever. I told him that was because they were so special!

some more summer fun

This is my friends wedding. We had a great time. Doesn't Mel look great?

My twenty dollar toes! Aren't they cute?

Seven Day Summer Road Trip

I just had a great little summer road trip with my mom and my sister Lou. We flew into Kansas City, Missouri and headed on our little LDS church history tour. The tour guide...myself. Our first stop was Independence. What a great little city with a fun little facts about our amazing church. We found this great little candy store and Mike the owner made us fresh cotton candy. It was also amazing to see the LDS visitors center across from the Community of Christ and the Church of Christ. I loved learning about both of these other religions and it made my testimony grow even stronger.

Day two...Liberty Jail. It was super amazing and such a good spirit. I also learned that my fifth great grandmother was one of the women to prepare food for the Prophet and others while they were in the jail. Stop two....Far West...what a beautiful place this was, definitely a holy land. It was great to see the corner stones of the temple lot. Stop three Adam-ondi-Ahman...wow so beautiful. Pictures do not do this place justice. We then drove through cute Jamesport a little Amish community and spent the night in Chillicothe.

Day three...Hannibal...home town to Mark Twain (okay Samuel Clemens). We road the Mark Twain riverboat up and down the Mississippi. I also found a cute antique shop and spent a little too much money on a great 1910 circa steamer trunk( Oh Fiddlesticks)We then left and headed to beautiful Nauvoo. This town is amazing. So much to see, do and learn. The whole place has such a sweet spirit. It was just another testimony to me on why I love the church. The pageant was super great, along with all the other shows...almost Broadway worthy and they are FREE!!!

The temple was probably the highlight of my time in Nauvoo. I loved the history and the story of the temple and loved the inside.

We spent three nights in Nauvoo and still didn't get to do and see everything.

St.Louis was our next stop. I price lined the hotel and we had a great four star room at the Hilton downtown. It was by far the nicest place we stayed and the cheapest...even with the $18 a night parking. We were two blocks from the amazing Gateway Arch. In a pod and up a tram 630 feet to the top of the arch. It was a little freaky at the top but so worth the ten dollars we spent. The next day we found a church and hit the St. Louis Zoo. Its was free also and it was a super awesome zoo. We had fun acting like zebra's, monkeys and bears. Or maybe a Tizard, Girabbit and a Hornelphant ( inside joke, right Lou?) We then went to the Delmar Loop ranked one of the top ten streets in America. A fun little place with lots of fun shops and vintage clothes. I scored a super cute timeless dress.

We then meet Pat. Our friend Pat from Arizona, he took our picture in front of Busch Stadium and then joined us for dinner. He is retired from the military and before we knew it it paid for our dinner, said thanks and to pray for our troops and left. What a nice kind stranger. Our last day in St. Louis we went on a free tour of the Budweiser Plant, not originally in our church history plans but super interesting non the less.

So overall I had a great time and didn't spend as much money as I thought. I loved every moment and was glad to share it with my mom and sister. My heart is full for the love of our early saints who came and paved the way before me. I know more than ever that the church is true. Life is great! Even if my summer is slowly coming to an end.

summer days

I have had the opportunity to serve a couple times at the new Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house. I am so excited to have a new temple five miles away. The temple is absolutely beautiful inside and out. Today I worked the 11-4 shift and was helping with transportation and parking. I actually got to greet every car as it came in and I couldn't believe where people came from. California, New York, Iowa, Canada, Texas, Washington, and Colorado just to name a few. I have three temples that I can see from my back porch, I seriously am so blessed.

I had a slumber party with my niece again. We had such a good time and she says the funniest things. For example, her mom asked her if she slept good, her reply." I didn't get any sleep because aunt Amy was snoring so loud." I admit I could have been snoring, but she did sleep at least until 6:15 when she woke up...super early. Then she was in my closet and asked if she could try on my shoes. She picked out this gold pair and then asked if she could try walking int them, and then said these almost fit. I laughed. She walked over to my mirror and then came back for another pair. This pair was white patented leather, she then asked me if those were my wedding shoes, because they looked like glass slippers. It was so cute, she would then walk over to my mirror and admire them, take them off and then back for another pair. When she was done I had about ten pairs in front of my mirror, and her favorite were the pink pair of glass slippers. I knew I owned alot of shoes, but I never knew I owned that many pairs of glass slippers.

First Day of Summer

Ok, so technically today was my first day of summer break....complete with thunder showers and cool tempertures. My friend Julie just wrote about how teachers don't really get three months off like they used too. Its so true. I am going to a conference next week and then off to leadership camp on the 22. I have a few things planned for July, but then I too will be teaching a new class next year and have many things to read and to plan for the new year.

As for my first day of summer...I slept in....well sort of. I didn't get to sleep as long as I wanted but I did sleep past 5:45 so I guess that is sleeping in. I went and meet one of my favorite roommates from the Dixie days. It was so good to see her and catch up. We haven't' seen each other in over five years (reunited on FB), but its like we just saw each other yesterday.

I then went shopping. One of my favorite things to do. I was shopping for my two nephews and my nieces birthday, but I did pick up a few things for me.

I do love summer nights and plan to enjoy and savor each one. I have decided that I think about the past and worry about the future but I don't spend much time to enjoy the present. So that is my goal for this summer. I will keep you updated.

Sometimes bad things happen to good people

I had a student come in and talk to me. It wasn't about homework or a project, it was a sincere chat. This student has had a hard life. I can't imagine some of the things high schoolers have to deal with. But this student has overcome those things, and will be graduating with honors in a few more weeks. But he asked me if I believe in God? And I told him I did with all my heart. The follow up question, why do bad things happen to good people? How do you answer that? I mean I did answer it and told him what I believed in, I guess it was a little missionary moment for me. But yes yes, sometimes bad things happen to good people. There is a talk by Elder Richard G. Scott, and he talks about trials and challenges. He says our trials are a result of two things. One would be sin on our part, and the other one is because the lord favors us and wants to make us stronger.

Last week when I was in California my mom called me and left a message. I could tell by her voice that something was wrong. She told me the next morning that my nephew was in a really bad motorcycle accident and he is so blessed to be alive and not paralyzed, but he did break his back. I was saddened and relieved at the same time. I don't know why things happen the way they do, but I do know that it is part of a bigger plan and bigger test. I just hope that I won't miss the lesson.

California

I had the opportunity to go to DECA Nationals last week in Anaheim, California. I had one student qualify and then I was helping chaperone another school in our district. We had a successful time, but I wanted to write about some of the highlights.

We had a four day hopper pass to Disneyland and California Adventure, but the end of the trip I was all disneylanded out. I get motion sick ever since the incident so some of the rides I can't do. I still think Snow Whites Haunted Castle is scary...I was traumatized as a child and will never forget the witch and how she pops out at the end. In fact, she pops out more than once, I think they must have remodeled the ride. The Tower of Terror is by far one of the funniest rides there. Walt Disney really knew what he was doing. I am so amazed at the logistics of it all, it is a marketing teachers heaven. I should start a class just to study Disneyland, and then we would have to take two field trips one to Cali and one to Florida, just to compare and contrast the differences. I wonder if my district will buy into this one:)

We also had the chance to go to a Dodgers game. It was quite excited even if we got their late. Our bus driver thought he was save time by exiting early and going the back roads, but it ended up not being a short cut. In fact, it took us three hours to get there, and I was getting bus sick...all the stop and go. We had super high seats, but the Dodgers pulled it off and we won. 55,000 fans...sold out. Not to mention the $6.00 water and the $6.00 nachos, I would have to say the memory is priceless. The bus ride home...40 minutes.

I also got to see my good friend Jenn. We headed out to Huntington Beach for a couple of hours, complete with TK Burgers and some sun. ( Most of the week was lacking the sun)

Oh lets not forget the reason we were over there. DECA Nationals. Utah didn't do as well as we hoped. We had 8 finalists.

We also went and saw Ghosts of Girlfriends Past...super lame ladies. Save your money. I wanted to leave like thirteen times, but kept thinking it was going to get better....but it didn't.