Our Lives After The Y

Marriage

2011-05-17T14:17:00.001-07:00

Hey just wanted to let you guys know that I am getting married next week! If you want to come, please do. The reception is at a church building in West Valley and I would love to see all of you again!
Karlie

Something To Smile About :)

2011-03-02T22:54:00.000-08:00

Here's the LINK to a story you will all enjoy! :)

These are the "moments" in teaching.

From scratch Gingerbread House!!

2010-12-28T14:02:00.000-08:00

I did it- i finally did! I made my very own Gingerbread House from scratch! This is the steps. I guess it's best to wait a week. My lovely neighbor gave me the recipe and said to let the pieces dry for a week or so before putting them together. So above and below: day 1

Below: day 5- I couldn't wait any longer! She also suggested using melted sugar to glue the pieces together. This isn't for the inexperienced (that's why I had such a hard time!) it makes a mess and eventually burns even off the heat. But it really does stick well! My other addition would be to use a knife or other straight cutting tool when cutting the pieces from dough, then straightening them once they are cooked and before they are dried out. My house was so lumpy!
Day 6- Gave up on the melted sugar and put the roof on with Royal frosting once the sides had dried. Dont try to put the roof on before the sides dry! What a mess! :) it doesn't take a day, i was just lazy~
Now the decorating! I made this a family event. Much more fun that way! Baby wasn't much help, but did enjoy the candy! Hmmm, we are bad parents! :)

The finished product! Yay! See our family in cookies? We had a lot of fun!

Umm, the background needs to be changed so you can see the words! If you are looking before it's changed try highlighting them to see! :)

2010-09-02T12:07:00.000-07:00

Update on life... :)

2010-09-02T12:01:00.000-07:00

Hello ladies! I thought I'd update since I'm feeling so inclined! :) This is our sweet baby- he's quite the character already! look at that face! He makes so many faces!

This is us celebrating the 4th of July

Here's our sweetie in this great angle we caught of him. So funny and cute! We love him!

I hope you all are doing well!
The End :)

End of School Year and New BABY!

2010-06-16T10:13:00.001-07:00

Hey girls!

I just thought I'd give you all a quick update...

I had my little baby girl on Feb. 4! She got sick with RSV and had to go to the hospital for 2 weeks when she was 8 days old. I took an extended maternity leave and came back to school after spring break. For those of you who didn't know...I taught K-6 music full time at Amelia Earhart Elementary in Provo this last year. I LOVED IT! Anyways, I had a great year teaching, but I'm going to take the next few years off to take care of my little one! :) Here's some pictures of my "Pirate" classroom and of my little Merrilee Anne Brewer! Enjoy!

I need your addresses!

2010-04-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

Hey girls! For those of you who didn't know, I am getting married June 12th. I am sending out announcements in the next week, so if you'd like an announcement please send me or post your address. I will try to find my cohort e-mail list and just send the announcement in an e-mail just in case. Love you girls and hope that you are doing well.
Love, Jen Elison

New hair!

2010-04-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

Hi Girlies!! It was so , much fun to all get together at Chilies! We definitely have to do it again!

Since this was such a huge change for me I just thought I'd show you all my new haircut! My sister cut it then did a little photo shoot. She's amazing!

More Changes!

2010-02-25T01:15:00.000-08:00

Per Jessica's request, we will now get together at 12:30pm... still at Chili's... still on March 13th. Can't wait to see you all!

TIme Change for March 13th

2010-02-22T18:33:00.000-08:00

The time for our get together has been changed to 1pm. Still on March 13th @ Chili's.

March 13th!

2010-02-20T11:47:00.000-08:00

Here are the details for our get together. Please pass on the word!

Date: Saturday, March 13th.
Time: 11:00am
Place: Chili's in Orem (on University Pkwy)

Come for a chance to visit and catch up. I was thinking we could share appetizers 0r get a light lunch. I can't wait to see all of you!

Love, Meg

Get Together

2010-02-08T11:12:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking it's about time that we get together again. What are your preferences in getting together? Weekends? Weekdays? February? March? Let me know what you think and I'll let everyone know the time and place.

I Have This WONDERFUL Rug In My Classroom...

2010-01-31T12:13:00.001-08:00

...there's just one problem:

What do I do with student number
31?

Houston-- we've got a problem...

Loving Third Grade

2010-01-17T19:07:00.000-08:00

I am loving my third graders. I feel like we have developed our own little world and we feed off of each other all day long. My students' latest is to comment about my "waiting face." They'll start whispering to each other, "Miss Larsen has her waiting face on, be quiet." Sometimes, however, their whispering makes me laugh and then they'll start to argue about whether or not I have my "waiting face" on because I am smiling. They also enjoy giving me a hard time about my Diet Coke addiction. I told them that I have to drink it because I'm allergic to third graders and Diet Coke is my medicine. I love my 23 kids and look forward to each day I get to spend with them.

Kids Say the Darndest Things!

2009-11-22T15:11:00.000-08:00

Ok . . . so remember Gabriel? Well, he's back.

He's been at a provisional school, but got kicked out of it (yeah . . . really . . .)
So they sent him back to me . . .

(I don't get it either)

. . . until they can ship him off to a Unit.

He was suspended again on his second day back.

But lucky for me, I have 3 hilarious tales from that day that override the Gabe issue.

i LOVE kids

Story #1

(sniffling Kiera) "Ms. Turner? I'm sorry . . . (bursts into tears) . . . but I really don't want anyone to have a crush on me!"

"Oh, hon, it's ok. Did you know that it just means that he thinks you're really nice? There's nothing wrong with that."

"But I have a crush on someone else."

"Do you know what? There will be a lot of boys who will have crushes on you as you get older. That doesn't mean you have to have crushes on them."

"Do I have to play with them at recess?"

"You should be nice to them. You can play with a lot of friends at recess."

"Ok." (sniffles back to her desk -- 10 minutes later she's as cheerful as ever!)

Story #2

(the other half of story #1)

"What's going on, bud?"

(boy with his hair slicked back and wearing a button-up collared shirt who had stormed out of the classroom) "I dressed up for no reason!"

"That's not true! I think you look very nice today!"

"But I dressed up for Kiera -- and she won't be my girlfriend!"

"That's ok. You can still be her friend!"

"But I try every recess to get a girlfriend! I need a girlfriend!"

"Guess what? I don't have a boyfriend. But, you know what? Girls like it when the boys are being nice and following the rules -- will you come back in?"

"I don't care! I'm going to wash the gel out of my hair . . ."

Haha -- oh the love life of a 6-year-old! :)

and finally . . .

Story #3

My students were getting several new sight words. So far we had only had one "B" word, but finally we were getting another one: "but" . . . which in itself was giving a few of the students a good laugh (nevermind that it's the wrong "butt").

After I had added it to the word wall (wild words in our class -- to go with my jungle theme), one of my students came up to me:

"Teacher? I know something funny on the wild words."

"What's that, Demetreuz?"

"The 'B's'."

"Why are the 'B's' funny?"

"Because it says 'big' 'but'!"

. . . I think I need to switch the order a bit, don't you? . . .

☺

Free stuff if anyone is interested!

2009-11-19T09:33:00.000-08:00

Hey girlies! As you may know I'm not going to be teaching for awhile. So I have these items that are too big to store and I want to give them to you if you think they would be useful! Just leave a comment or send me an email to let me know! I can meet you somewhere to give them to you if you want, we are now in our new house in SF.

This is a good-sized bus with clear vinyl pockets. Good for centers, pictures or whatever. I like it. It's in great condition but I know it won't be if i store it for years!

This is that Bingo game we made during classes. If you didn't get to make one or need another one here it is! I got a little hole in it, sorry. I never got to laminate it.
Plus there are some month labels for your calendar. I won them for one of those meeting drawings. Still in package. Let me know, I'd like to get rid of them as soon as possible so I don't hurt them! :)
Alex
PS if you need moving boxes let me know- we have at least 30, same-sized (perfect size) moving boxes to get rid of! Plus a brown love seat, a metal over-the-door shoe rack and a picnic-ready silverware set! :)

Big Favor

2009-11-10T23:08:00.000-08:00

Hey girls!
I have a favor to ask. I'm going to be looking for a teaching job again to start at the beginning of the new semester. I was wondering if you guys could help me out by checking and seeing if any teachers at your schools will be quitting over the holidays. I'm living in Utah so anywhere around here would be lovely. Thanks for you help! Love you guys!
~Chelsie

Work, Swine Flu and a House!

2009-10-21T11:13:00.001-07:00

Yeah! I am so happy to hear from all of you! It's so fun to read what everyone is doing! I haven't updated anything for a long time, well, since the baby shower. Since then and a little before I've been working at an accounting firm as the receptionist. It's fun, but it's pretty much over (it was a temporary position) which I'm glad for because now I'm sick, and so is Mike, and so is my whole family!

We're pretty sure my sister brought the swine flu up from Arizona with her and contaminated the rest of the family. I've been VERY cautious keeping me and baby safe, and even have spent the past 2 days only looking at Mike from the other room or at least other side of the room :( I think I may just have a cold, but he definitely has what the others have! Yucky bug! I can't wait for everyone to get through with it so I can feel safe again!

So I'm sitting in bed, eating soy pudding (yeah, my soy milk had a recipe! Don't try to use soy milk in regular pudding! :), waiting to get better. But I think about packing all day because we are moving also!

I guess I should announce our exciting news- we are buying a house in Spanish Fork! We should be closing at the end of this month so we will be moving soon. It's great and we have a 2 bedroom basement apartment that we are going to rent out- so if anyone needs or knows someone who needs a 2 bedroom apartment... ! :) Let me know!

That will be all for now. Good to hear from everyone!
PS- I also have a personal blog that you can visit if you like! (sorry, I may double post here and there! :) macollett.blogspot.com

You know you are a first year teacher when...

2009-10-19T14:22:00.000-07:00

Your students keep asking you when we are going to stop doing the same things as the class across the hall. I don't know about you guys but I have the best mentor teacher ever. She pretty much just gives me what she does and then I use it in my classroom. The problem is that the kids talk to each other and my students now think that I come up with nothing on my own. Oh well. I am okay with it!

TWS

2009-10-15T19:07:00.000-07:00

I feel so far behind from ya'all. Working people? Pregnant people? I am neither and who knows when I will be either. I am currently in the middle of my Teacher Work Sample - that oh so gloriously organized and well thought out piece of work that clearly demonstrates all the learning I've ever acquired throughout my years of hard work at BYU. It's due in a week and a half and I'm surprised I haven't thrown up yet. I have never put in so much effort in all my life as I have so far during my student teaching semester. My whole heart is in this and if I fail, I think I shall never look in a mirror and find a smile. Ok, I'm being dramatic. This is really hard work, but I keep telling myself I just need to take it a day at a time. I'm also trying to complete a Children's Lit course via online. AND I'm trying to complete some travel documents so that my husband and I can teach in China next semester. Lots of stuff. Good stuff. I think I thrive on the overwhelming, stressfulness of life. Well, I'm so happy to hear how ya'all are doing. Keep finding laughs out of little things. Love ya'all!

Kristine Marie Hardy/Kirk
Student Teacher @ Larsen Elementary 4th Grade

PS: Congratulations my beautiful pregnant peers! I'm probably a couple years behind ya!

The Teaching Side of my Life . . .

2009-10-05T12:33:00.000-07:00

Just so you all know, I have my own blog as well:

Jessica Leigh

Which you are free to read for a more complete update on my life ;)

As for teaching . . . I've had some interesting adventures!
For those of you who don't know, I'm teaching 1st Grade out in West Valley City (Granite SD) and despite having tagged myself for the older kids -- I love it!

But, I will never name a child Gabriel. Ever.

Why?

We'll summarize it this way:

- He learned in Kindergarten that if he misbehaves enough he "gets" to stay home and play games (it's called suspension -- it's supposed to be a punishment) and had this "reward" within two weeks of school.

- Throwing chairs, climbing on/hanging off/jumping off furniture, breaking other kids crayons, coloring on the cubbies, running away -- all considered normal.

- Try to talk to him -- he'll "turn [his] ears off".

Mind you, he can be absolutely perfect . . . if he ever feels so inclined . . . and that's a big if. (Ok, anytime I'd mention there were only a couple minutes until recess, he'd shape up -- thinking he could somehow still go?)

We tried everything.
So now, he's in a safe school until at least the middle of November.

We've been VERY productive the past couple weeks!

I also have a very wide spread. One boy can't even speak in full sentences (and no, he's not ELL) and a couple are still learning their letters. On the other end of the spectrum, I've got one girl who writes stories in her spare time, spells almost everything correct and I'm constantly giving her altered math assignments.

And I have a 6-year-old "boyfriend". He's my little low boy (not the one who can't speak in full sentences) and he melts your heart. He likes to tell me I'm beautiful :)

6-year-olds are such morale boosters! You get a lot of hugs from these little dears! Even those who are trouble-makers . . . they still love you after you get mad at them.

The other day, they were working on their self-starter and one of them came up randomly to give me a hug -- and they all followed! I felt so loved!

So far, I've also survived SEP Conferences (no yelling parents!) and a VERY WET field trip!

Life is grand, ain't it?

☼☼☼

My life :)

2009-10-05T10:53:00.000-07:00

Hey ladies! I'm not teaching right now either. I didn't get a job. I actually didn't even get any interviews. Sad, I know. So... right now I'm working for a cute little family as a nanny 3 days a week. Its actually pretty fun- and I'm sure way less stressful than teaching for now:) I'll just give y'all a few pics of my cute little kids. Right now I'm teaching the four year old how to read. He's SO smart!
Here they are. The older one is four and the younger is about four months. They are so funny!

Then, I just had to put this picture up because it cracks me up. I live with the family and Parker really likes to hang out with me. Yesterday I was in the shower and the whole time he was shouting me name to talk to me. I decided to ignore him, hoping that he would go away if I didn't say anything. When I got out of the shower I looked down and saw this. :) SO FUNNY!

Prego People

2009-10-04T18:58:00.001-07:00

I recently went to a fabulous baby shower for Cherish! It was a blast. You all missed out, except Maura :) Can you guess why we are standing in this order?

Alex plus one! ...almost :)

2009-09-24T19:15:00.000-07:00

So, nobody is adding amazing teaching things on this (as we all should since we're all applying our amazing new skills right?:) so I'm just going to add me! :) I am not teaching, actually, right now I am a temporary receptionist at a tax firm. This was the perfect job because I'll stop working when I'm 7 months pregnant and that will be plenty! Well, the reason I'm not teaching is pretty obvious, so I thought I'd show off my big gut and let you all know how I'm doing! Besides this kid (he's a boy) eating my ribs all the time recently, it's been a pretty nice pregnancy, as far as pregnancies go! So here's a run through of myweeks! (for those who don't know, a pregnancy lasts 40 weeks)

4 weeks........19 weeks......24 weeks......28 weeks (this is now)

Yes, I look a little funny in the last picture, I didn't take a very good one, so that's what you get! :) I try to wear the same shirt to get a good idea of the change, but I'll be honest with you , 24 weeks looks bigger than 28! (I had a little growth spurt!:) But in the last two pictures you can see me sporting my new haircut! Fun!

So what is everyone else up to?? I want to see pictures of you and your adorable rooms at school, or whatever you are up to!

Thanks again Megan for setting up this blog!! :)

Wacky Wasps!

2009-09-06T17:07:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I am loving teaching despite all of the stress and work. I have a funny story for you. The other day a wasp followed one of my students in from recess. My kids went crazy over it. They paid a lot more attention to it than to me. Finally I decided that I would use the wasp to my advantage. We have been talking about alliterations so I had my students help me list as many "w" words as we could think of. I then had them write stories about wasps in which they had to include at least 10 other "w" words. It taught me that when unexpected things happen in your classroom you just have to try to turn them into teaching moments. Hope that you are all enjoying teaching and your students! Love, Megan

1st year teaching...eek! This is helpful...

2009-08-09T16:25:00.001-07:00

http://www.ed.gov/pubs/FirstYear/index.html

Welcome To Our Blog!

2009-08-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome! This blog has been created to keep us all in touch now that we have graduated from BYU and gone our separate ways. It can include (but is not limited to) engagements, marriages, babies, funny stories from teaching, teaching ideas, etc. I don't know if I have the correct emails for everyone so feel free to send the link to whoever and let me know who I need to add as authors so they can post too.