Has the best girlfriends in the world

 

Last weekend I spent with the most amazing girls ever.  Who would have known 10 years ago that when I moved into "the house" (sometimes referred to as the chicken coop) my life would change forever!?  I met 7 girls who truly helped me to "blossom like a rose" -- that is for you Garn.  

We lived, we loved, we laughed way before that saying was even popular.  True story.  We went our separate ways and came back together again, time and time again.  Whether we were living in a house all together or in apartments blocks apart we always found our way back to each other.  When school was hard, tuberculosis was on the rise, boyfriends were breaking our hearts or finally someone had found "the one" we celebrated together.  There were costumes, shared clothes, quotable quotes, bowls of ice-cream, charts of fun, pranks, gardens grown, tears shed, boy time, dinners like a train wreck, garbanzo bean surprise and Chilean hot dogs, but most of all there was growth -- all of us changed for the better and became who we are -- together.  

It was so great to be together again with these girls who I love.  We spent the weekend getting massages, shopping, learning about our feng shui, sitting in the hot tub, shopping more, eating good food, and just being together.  It was the perfect spring break.  Time with the girls is never a waste of time.  

has a classroom full of poets

We had our official "poetry celebration" today at school. For the past 3 weeks or so we have been writing poems in our first grade classroom. I have been shocked at how good the kids are at this. We have been learning about how we can see things through poets eyes. I got lots of poems about animals (not my favorite) and nature and a few about feelings emotions etc. . . really, it was fun to just let the kids explore.

Sad that the best little poet in the class wasn't even here the past two days. Her poem even was read on the announcements. She honestly sees things through a different set of eyes for sure.

Here is an example of one of her poems.

Flowr

a flowr is lik a tree to a mous
smoth flowr
prity flowr
cum mous
see the flowr

We even put 'awards' on their poems which consisted of a gold sticker that was like true gold to them. There is nothing better than watching those little minds soak up all that new knowledge and think they are the smartest people ever!

Thinks 75 degree weather is not quite bikini weather

Seriously what is it about the first rays of sunshine each spring that brings out the bikini clad women? I wish I could say I could count on one hand the number of people I have seen wearing bikini's in the last 24 hours but I am pretty sure it would take both hands and possibly a few of your fingers too.

Nobody, and I repeat, NOBODY needs to be wearing a bikini and short shorts to longboard, walk or bike in the canyon. It is only 75 degrees for heaven sakes. Better yet, how about the 4 girls who were "laying out"/reading on the grass behind my house yesterday. Just soakin' up a little skin cancer starting on April 22nd. At least wait until the official start of summer to subject your skin to deathly rays

Don't get me wrong, I am not proclaiming myself to be the modesty nazi, because I have my fair share of what my mom would deem 'un-becomng' outfits and I don't even put on sunscreen every time I go out. I love the sun and I sometimes think that things that are immodest are really cute (especially cocktail dresses, but that isn't relevant right now).

I guess I was just shocked because I am pretty sure that this weekend when it rain/snows again in the great state of Utah these girls are going to be hard up for clothes to wear and I am going to be grateful that I still haven't made the closet transition yet. . . and that my closet doesn't really allow for bikini's in public. You should all be grateful too! I am one less finger that you have to put up when you are counting.

Now, if you are counting spandex clad bikers. . . I fit into that category so I will just apologize ahead of time. I hope that your adventures in the great outdoors have been more clothed than the ones that I have had! Happy Spring!

wants to ride her bike to school

Yesterday I saw something really touching. . . . (yes, this will be a little bit of a sappy post so stop reading now if that is not your thing).

Every Tuesday morning and afternoon I am on "outside duty" at school. What that means is that I get to stand outside in hail, rain, snow, wind and sometimes sunshine to make sure that no small children are injured on their way across the crosswalk, through the church parking lot or down toward the school. It is good PR with the parents, and it is fun to see all the kids come running in to school excited to start a new day.

Yesterday, it was beautiful and sunny and I made my way toward the church parking lot which was my station. The school I teach at is not a "bussing school" so all the kids walk, ride bikes/scooters or carpool to school. I have a little girl in my classroom who has been telling me every day how she is going to ride her bike to school.

Yesterday, she did.

This might not seem monumental and it probably wasn't but what I saw will always stay with me. It wasn't just Maggie riding her bike to school. Her dad was riding his bike with her. Obviously, I have seen children riding bikes with their parents before - - no big deal right? Not really an uncommon thing. I rode bikes with my family all the time growing up.

The touching part was that this was obviously the first time that Maggie had ridden her bike to school and right by her side was her dad, the whole time. She was pedaling away just as fast as her little legs could take her on her pink and white barbie bike. She had on a matching helmet and her backpack -- and a huge grin on her face. Her dad went to the bike rack with her, helped her lock up her bike and then I watched as he gave her a hug and a kiss and hopped back on his bike to ride home. I might have teared up just a little bit.

At the end of the day, the dad was right there waiting for Maggie and helped her un-do the lock and they pedaled their way home.

There is something about a dad and a little girl that just kind of gets to me. Maybe because I am a daddy's girl. . . . . Kind of silly but it made me want to be a little girl again. It was easier back then.

Somehow riding my bike to school, while fun and good exercise just isn't as "cute" as that. Either way, it made the whole day worth it and maybe next Tuesday when I am on duty again I'll find something new to smile about!

Counts to 10. . . (even on Spring Break)

Counting during Spring Break goes a little something like this:

Zero -- The number of times I felt bad about not seeing my students for the next 5 days.
One -- Excited nephew who is coming to sleepover in just a few minutes.
Two -- Days until Garnet flies into town and the "girl time" begins. There is nothing better than girlfriends (and a quick shout out to their husbands who are willingly taking care of all the little ones to make this possible)
Three -- Books that I checked out at the library yesterday so that I can read all day long tomorrow if I choose too.
Four -- Tulips that have bloomed in the last 24 hours (I am sure that they know it is Spring Break and that I had high expectations for their arrival -- now if the other 12 or 13 would bloom that would be great)
Five -- Number of conference talks I printed off to prepare my talk for Sunday. Obviously, I don't know how to say no. . . seriously, it is my spring break, what was I thinking. I have to pick my favorite conference talk which means now I have to decide which one was my favorite.
Six -- Hours that it would take me to clean, organize and sort through all of my craft supplies and holiday decorations. I am undecided as to if this will be a "good" use of my time or not.
Seven -- Items that will come in my clinique bonus that I need to go to Macys and get when Garnet gets here on Thursday. I love the springtime bonus and I love Garn for reminding me that it was bonus time. It will be just like old times at the university mall!
Eight -- Stores that I will need to shop at when we go to the outlets in Park City.

(Ann Taylor, Bannana Republic, Tommy Hillfiger, Nine West, Pearl Izumi, Cosmetics Company, Gap, The Paper Company)

Nine -- Time I can sleep in until if I choose too, but lets be honest I don't think I really have it in me to sleep that late. I might try just one day.
Ten -- Number of miles I hope to run at some point this weekend if the weather ever turns nice. Hopefully in under 1:20

3 days of Spring Break + one weekend = 5 days of vacation. . . . . and I am so excited I might not be able to sleep
(well that and the fact that Ethan will probably kick me all night long unless I can get him to sleep in the guest room).

HOORAY FOR SPRING BREAK!

wishes she had a new Easter Dress

Today I am a little bit sad that I am not a little girl.

I want my mom to wake me up in the morning and surprise me with a brand new Easter Dress (and possibly hat) that I can wear to church, looking like a million bucks. I want new white Mary-Jane shoes with fold down anklets with just a little bit of lace.

Since I am not 7 years old nor do I have a young child to get all decked out I will just have to admire the little girls at church tomorrow morning.



I guess I could always go out and buy myself a new Easter Dress, only that would defeat the fact that I just cleaned out my closet and decided I don't need any more dresses, skirts or clothes at all!

However, if I do end up going to the mall today and something pastel is screaming my name I might just have to get it.