Ada Goes to Kindergarten

Yesterday I took Ada in to meet my mom's kindergarten class. Well, half of them. This is the afternoon group making funny faces so that Ada will laugh!

I had Ada in the Bjorn in front of me, and she loved it! While my mom was teaching, she was jabbering away and repeating along with the kids. I think she's going to love school just like her Mommy did :)

(That's Ada's arm in the bottom right corner)

I love how when I first got there, everyone was on the carpet. Slowly, all of the girls ended up on the edge over by the baby. They kept saying, "She's so cute!" "Hi Ada!" & "She's so chubby!"

It was adorable...girls really are little mommas from the beginning!

Grades

I took 7 classes last semester. 21 credits in 4 months.
While getting up at 6:30 every morning to be at work by 8 AM. It was crazy!
Final grades posted, and I got 4 A's and 3 B's.
Not to toot my own horn or anything...but beep beep!!!
I'm just a little proud of myself :)
I thought for sure there'd be a C in there somewhere!

Myrna the Pirate

I'm taking an 8-week health class this term. I'll have my Associate's Degree after this class (finally) so I figured why not.
Even though I'm graduating with my Bachelors in Fall 2009, I decided it's good to have something to show for all of the credits I've taken for at least a year until I get the big piece of paper :)



I was somewhat worried going into this class because I have a lot on my plate.
16-week Literature class
16-week Film class
8-week Linguistics class
8-week Liberal Studies class
So adding another 8-week Health class seemed crazy.
But I did it anyway.
After the first day of class, I knew it was going to be just fine!

My teacher is a riot! I've been writing down the things she says so I can relate them to Matt when I get home. Imagine Michael Scott from The Office...but with blond hair and pretty. She delivers everything with a straight face! I don't think most of the class gets it. This one kid and I are always cracking up while the rest of the class looks confused...like, "Is she serious?" This makes it even more funny, of course :)
Here are some of her quotes:

"Put on your quiet shirts...or whatever it is teachers say..."
- After taking roll

"I'm too busy what? Getting my freak on."
- Ways to avoid depression

"Machete attack. That's not genetic. Don't worry about dying from a machete attack."
- Learning about our family trees and genetic diseases

"Dude, show me some attention instead of recycling all the time!"
- Learning about Lazlo's hierarchy and why it would be unwise to date a homeless guy at the bottom of the pyramid! (This one is my personal favorite)

"Can somebody get the lights? It's way too bright for this pirate."
- Class before Halloween, she was a pirate. Sword and all.

"Doctor, lawyer, fisherman, PIRATE."
- Respectable jobs

"We're all in a big pirate ship on our way to Health Island!"

That's all I have for now, as the class goes on I'll add more!

You Can Vote However You Like!

This teacher is a genius. What a great way to get the students involved with the election!

Study Habits

Matt:

Kara:

Hey...at least the book is still in my hand! 

Chapman, May Grisham, Labor Day...

We babysat Avery & Logan last Saturday night. Aren't they the cutest?! We adore these little girls.

Logan says her boyfriends are Lightning McQueen and Matt :)

. . . 

This is what I'm constantly showing some of my students:

Sometimes it works. 

I have one sweet boy in 3rd grade who told me, "It's an honor to work with you." After we finished his math worksheet :) And he quotes the Ten Commandments to me and quizzes me, I need to brush up on my Old Testament!  

I love elementary kids. A day doesn't go by that I don't get a compliment...I love it! They are so sweet. Well, I work with one that is not sweet. But there's always one, isn't there?

The first two weeks of school, I was working 8 AM-2 PM because they hadn't hired another aide yet. I would come home at 2, do homework, then go to class from 5-10 PM Monday through Thursday. I was EXHAUSTED! Poor Matt got a hug and a kiss and I was asleep. I think I fell asleep one night when he was still talking to me. Sorry babe! 

I finally called the District Office on Friday and said, "I can't do this anymore, we need to get a sub or hire another aide." I just felt myself getting stretched too thin so early in the year, and I can't afford to get sick! There will be a sub this whole week. 

Today was my first day going part time, and it feels great! Now I have plenty of time when I get off at 11:30 to do my homework, eat, recharge and blog (of course). I'm glad I took the morning position, because I know myself. If I was supposed to go in at 11:30 I'd be sleeping in until 10 and wasting my day! This way I am up and ready for the day and can take a nap after work if I need to.

Here are some of my projects from my Chapman classes so far...

I love my classes! They are very time consuming, but it's all things I love to do.

. . .

On Sunday I was released from my Young Women's calling as Personal Progress Leader. :( 

I cried when my uncle extended the release...and get welled up just writing about it! I love those girls so much. They are incredible. I can't do Wednesday mutual nights anymore since I have class. I can't reschedule either, it would just postpone my graduation. I know the next PP Leader will be amazing and the girls will love her!  

Saturday I went to Avila Beach with my mom and Wiberg. It was a perfect day! (Minus the ocean eating my mom's prescription sunglasses)

It's amazing how fast your tan fades...one week and I already felt pasty. Not fair since I worked for that tan all summer! 

We are going to go to the beach every Saturday until it's too cold to go anymore! 

On Monday, Matt and I slept in, did Pilates together, went to the Ward BBQ Picnic, cleaned our room... 

and dyed my hair!

The roots were getting WT bad...

So this is the solution until I get paid! 

WHEW! I think we're all caught up :) Hope everyone is doing well with school, work, etc! 

Ketchup!

My mom had to move classroom's after the first week of school. 

Such a bummer! 

They ended up having to make her co-teacher's class a K-1st combo, so my mom's Kindergarten class was moved to a dusty, old portable. Luckily Lindsay and I are bulletin board PROS and had the empty room looking great in no time!

I thought the clouds around the A/C was pretty cute...

This is serious business.

I constantly surprise myself with the hideous faces I can make!

My wonderful Mommy, sorting through books. 

***If anyone has a small chair that they don't need, please let me know! In moving, my mom has lost half of the classroom stuff. So she needs a sturdy chair for the Super Star to sit in during the week. Thanks! 

Someone Hates Obama & Someone Loves Fig Newtons!

These have made me laugh recently as I walked through the parking lot at school...

Enjoy! :)

A Peek Inside My Head...

So I was cleaning out my binder to make room for my new classes this semester/quarter.

I found this in my French notes:

If you look at the date, you can see the semester was almost over. So I was a bit antsy!

It made me laugh...I have always drawn these weird cartoon thingys. I think it started in church when I was little to make my brother and sister laugh. My aunt Liz named them Goobers on Sunday when I made one with everyone's name for place cards. 

This one was Matt's favorite: 

He's saying, "Bup bup bup". Matt can't stop saying it either. He says he loves the faces I make to describe my animals...if they can be classified as animals! Lindsay wants me to draw them for her kids rooms in the future. Hopefully they don't scare the poor kiddos! :)