Filled With Joy

This week we have read one Dr. Seuss book and completed an activity to go with it. We make creature bookmarks to go with "There's a Wocket in my Pocket;" redesigned Dr. Seuss's hat for "The Cat in the Hat;" and today we had a turtle stacking competition for "Yertle the Turtle." Who would have thought that some index cards and green paper cups could bring so much joy. It was a very loud 15 minutes but it was AWESOME! There were students thinking, rethinking, and rethinking again. Students worked together. Students stood on chairs and tables. The highest stack was 10. I'm sure with more time they would have gotten higher. I love when students explore and experiment.

Oh the joy! There is so much good in this picture. I'll list the good things that I see. 1. SUN! We have had days and days and days of clouds. This evening, while working on homework, I noticed a hint of sun bouncing off the neighbor's house. I had to go outside to see. 2. GRASS! While snapping the picture I noticed that in the last three days, despite the snow falling from the sky, grass has managed to poke its head out in a few select places. Three days ago this was unthinkable. 3. DRIPPING WATER! On Sunday we spent time thinking about what to do with the FEET of snow on our flat roof. Knowing that shoveling would void a warranty, we opted for doing nothing but crossing our fingers. Mother nature is taking care of it for us. A small waterfall is tumbling down. 4. CH RI ST MA S L IG HT S. (Notice the period this time.) Poor Trent would like to take them down with the Christmas decorations. I kind of like them because they add some color to our extremely bland house...

Today I had a terrible headache that wouldn't go away. Basically I did nothing but wallow in self-pity because I had a headache. Trent went to the store and brought home gem of a Coke - Orange Vanilla Coke. Two things happened. 1: My taste buds rejoiced because it is delicious! I am hoping for the willpower to stay away from Maverick on a daily basis. 2: My headache went away. I'm sure that could have something to do with time passing; doing nothing; and ending a very difficult day at school. I'm going to say it was the Coke. Either way, I'm so happy!

Snow day meant a day to catch up. Well, I didn't get much done on the literature review, but I did find a lot of resources to help me get it done. That was helpful because APA is really stretching my brain. I was also able to catch up with my eye doctor. They had an appointment this morning so I could go get my eyes checked. I thought I was seeing fairly clearly currently, but with some adjustments I'm going to be seeing even better. I love choosing new frames. It is so fun. Started out with a pile of about fifteen pairs and whittled it down to three. Tough choice. Ended up going with ones that are very similar as the current pair because I just didn't think I was fashion-forward enough to pull off the modern glasses. Maybe next year. Joy in feeling comfortable!

So.MUCH.Snow!!! It just keep coming and coming. Today the wind came, too. Now, we are out of school tomorrow. I'm not excited about that but I'm not disappointed either. I'll get so much done, I hope. Today I decided to find the beauty in the snow. The Falls River is always beautiful, but it is spectacular right now. (P.S. I'm beginning to worry about our roof. There is practically the same amount of snow on our roof as is on those rocks.)

I try to enjoy snow. I try it find positives with it. With every inch and passing day finding the good becomes more difficult. We have gotten about 12 inches of new snow in the last 24 hours. More is expected to come. I have decided that I will give the snow until Friday, March 1 to stop then I'm going to start complaining to the person in charge. Today, we embraced the snow and went sledding at the Sand Dunes. The snow was falling so heavily we couldn't see where hills, cliffs, or flats were. You just had to take your chances. The powder was incredible. It was a blast. So much joy was found in all that fluff.

STEM rotations. This is my favorite activity on a Friday afternoon. The students in my room love it. They are so excited to explore and play. I try to set up something for each area. Today we didn't do any science because we had been working on that in the last few weeks. I'm grateful my district is willing to support my excitement of STEM and help me acquire the tools I want/need to spark an interest in my students. The excitement on their faces as they walk into the classroom and see all the rotations set up makes me happy and feel like it is probably worth the work it takes to get them ready. (One other note: Rotations take up a lot of time, students are engaged, and I don't have to manage behavior very often. JOY!)

I am not a ramen noodle fan. When Katy came home from New Zealand she introduced us to a few of the fine foods she ate while on her mission. These noodles are a step above the normal noodles because they have five  seasoning packets for each package. We have to order them from Amazon. They arrive in two days. They are joy in a small package. So delicious!

These are Buddy-barrier rocks. Adri and Katy painted them in high school. They didn't think they would serve a purpose. They do! We put them in the chairs of the living room so Buddy doesn't get i them during the day. He is such a hairy beast with hair that weaves its way into the fabric making it impossible to remove. These rocks make me much happier. I don't have to vacuum the chairs as often. Buddy despises them.

Today I was looking at my refrigerator and noticed, again, the magnets. I started collecting them this last summer while Trent and I were on a trip with my parents to the Midwest as we visited some church history sites and national parks. They remind me of all the places we have been and the good memories we have built. So much joy in these memories. McKenna got the Hawaii one for me. I didn't visit there. I love visiting new places with people I love.

Drove to work today because I had to get my haircut right after school. I'm so glad I did because when I pulled into the parking lot I saw this amazing sight. The moon was so bright and full. I would have missed it had I walked to school because it would have been behind me. What a blessing, and a joy, to have been able to witness the beauty.

February has been our month to conduct and teach at the JCC. Today I taught the Sunday School lesson. We use the Come, Follow Me curriculum. Not all things are relevant to the kiddos at the JCC. We try to find one aspect of the lesson that we feel will be beneficial to them and then build a lesson on it. This week I felt impressed to talk to the kiddos about the love our Heavenly Father has for them, for us. I loved this talk by Elder Holland, and I especially loved this quote. Yes, the first great truth is that He loves us and always will no matter where we are, where we have been, or where we are going. His love will be there for us. That brings me great comfort and joy.

T Tonight Kenny came to visit us. His dad had to coach a basketball game and Kenny didn't have anyone to sit with. We got the benefit of that as he came to play our Wii and entertain us with his skills at Mario Cart. We also went to the school to play in the indoor playgrounds. We had a great time. Hearing him giggle is one of the greatest joys. He had so much fun and we had so much fun being with him. Come again, Kenny!

We have So.Much.Snow! It is almost more than my heart can bear. However, today the snowplow came by because it was warm enough that we had slush. Slush brought me joy because slush is a sign of spring. Unfortunately, the weather report does not indicate that anything spring-like is in our future. Today we were able to use the snowblower to remove slush boulders from our driveways. The girls had a great time assisting. Once again I am so thankful for that snowblower.

Happy Valentine's Day. Sure glad I have had my wonderful Valentine for 30 years now. I knew he was a keeper then and so I'm glad I didn't let him go. For most of those thirty years, I have received a bouquet of flowers. For the last thirteen years, I have had them delivered to me at the school. Today, school was canceled and so the flowers came home. My sweet is the best and one of the greatest blessings in my life. I have been able to bloom and thrive because he has been beside me encouraging me with every step. I love you, Trent!

Adri and I headed to the river today, in the rain and sleet. Adri had an assignment for her Humanities class to take pictures. The river is perfect for it. We saw three bald eagles flying overhead. They were spectacular. That would have been enough joy for a day. But, we had so much fun trudging through the snow, laughing, and taking pictures in one of my most favorite places in the world. The times that I get to spend with my kiddos, doing these kind of things, truly does bring me joy.

I really like podcasts. I have my favorites. I learn so many things from them. When I can't sleep, I plug in my headphones, turn on a podcast, and usually fall asleep quickly. But, sometimes, I don't want to fall asleep. My favorite podcast is "The Sisterhood Podcast" that drops each Tuesday. I try to wake up earlier on Tuesday mornings so that I can listen to the whole episode before it is time to wake up. It is funny, inspiring, educational, and even spiritual at times. It is always clean and so I don't have to worry about something popping up that I don't want to here. It is a joy to begin my day with these two Sisters.

Today I had recess duty. Mondays are always recess duty. Also, I have a student teacher in my classroom. She is great. Her name is Kennedy. She is wonderful. She has been so willing to adapt to my crazy in the classroom. She also is willing to do recess duty. Today we split it. I was teaching in the morning and so she did morning recess. She was teaching in the afternoon and so I did afternoon recess. That is how it works. Such joy! I love when we are able to share the work load to help each other. That is how life should be. I hope to be aware of the needs of others so I can help them and shoulder a burden or two.

Today was full of snow. There was so much snow when we woke up. Trent shoveled so we could get the van out of the driveway when we left for church. But, then the girls decided they would take the van to Rexburg because it is better on the roads. That meant that the other car needed to be cleaned off. I went out, in my bare legs and about how warm it was. But when we pulled out later, I realized that the freezing cold wind was blocked because of the enormous snow piles on all sides of our driveway. All day the cold wind blew and the snow fell.We got mucho snow today. That meant lots of shoveling. None of those things brought me joy. I'm over the snow. I'm ready for spring. But, what did bring me joy was the sunset that turned the entire world pink and purple. It was incredible. I wish this was my picture, but this is what it looked like outside our house. (I had told myself I couldn't get distracted from the entry I was working on for my class and so I didn't take a p...

One of our favorite Saturday activities has become visiting with Grandma and Grandpa Grant. Today we weren't able to stay very long because the twins had some obligations later, but it was still a great visit. Grandpa isn't feeling well and Grandma has rebounded from some very nasty sickness that lingered longer than it should have. Our kids have been greatly influenced by these two wonderful people. Grandma is so spunky. The twins and she will laugh and laugh and it makes a heart happy to hear it. What a joy it is to have them in our lives still.

Sometimes, I see something that I just find so funny I can't stop thinking about it. Today was the day to do lots of laughing because as I was walking home from the school, I saw a sight that made me stop, stare, and take a snap. These two dogs, "The Fence Dogs" as I refer to them, were running around on the top of this garage. As soon as I saw them they froze. It was awesome. I burst out laughing, a true belly laugh, right there on the sidewalk, all by myself. I hope I see that again, soon. Belly laughing is a joy!

I loved the hotel room bed. It was absolutely comfortable and perfect for all my achy joints, bones, and muscles. However, the pillows were not that fantastic. The pillows on my bed at home are my favorites. They are old and still perfect. They probably stink from all the night drool but I don't care. I still love them. So great joy was found as I melted into my pillow when I arrived home just in time for bed. Also, I found a lot of joy being back home with this awesome guy by my side. He is the best.

Divergent. Today's keynote speaker spoke about being divergent. I had to look it up because I really wasn't sure how that applied to me. The definition I found, the very first one, is "Things that are divergent are diverging - moving away from a path or a standard. A teacher who comse to work in a clown outfit is being divergent; a clown who comes to work in a business suit is also being divergent. Divergent people and things are changing course - moving off the beaten path." When teaching, I think I have the most fun and have the most effect when I am divergent. So, I will continue. Being divergent brings me joy - no clown costumes for me, however.

When we lived in Boise, I grew to love an old building called The Egyptian Theater. It is right downtown and I assumed it must have been spectacular back in its heyday. It was old and rundown while we were there. But, the city was beginning to revitalize the downtown and so I suspected that the theater would receive a makeover with time. Today, I got to watch a movie in there. It is beautiful. By beautiful I really mean BEAUTIFUL with fancy letters and lots of gold. It has the old seats, the old paintings, curtains, replica carpet, and all. What a joy it was to be in there and see something old brought back to such magnificent new-ness.

I'm in Boise still. Tonight went drove to a restaurant out on the other side of town. Our driver took a wrong turn. We weren't lost. We just went a different way. haha Anyway, had we not "gone a different way" then we wouldn't have seen the most beautiful rainbow. The problem with this always getting to point b from point a is that we don't diverge from the norm and easiest path. In doing so, we miss some of the most amazing things - like a full double rainbow. (I couldn't get it all in one picture. It was incredible.) I have found a lot of joy by diverging from the norm. I hope to continue.

Trent and I serve at the JCC. It has been a wonderful experience and we have met many wonderful people. In the two years that we have served, there are a few kids that I have really grown to love. I don't really get to know them because we only see them on Sunday. But, occasionally, we meet one that just worms their way into your heart. Miranda is one of them. She has had a very difficult life. I can't even comprehend the life she has come from, the life she has, and how she will survive. But, she is the strongest 17 year old I have ever met. If only a few stars can align up for her, she will make it. Tonight I am in Boise and Miranda and I were able to get together for dinner. It was her first Chinese food and her first cheesecake. It was fun to see her enjoy the food. It was a joy just to be with her. May she be blessed for her strength!

This piano is a source of joy and has been for nearly 30 years. This piano was given to our family by my in laws. I played this piano when Trent and I were just dating. I played it when we visited over the first years of our marriage. I played it when we lived in their house after Collin was born. I played it when we lived in their basement. And, when we moved to St. Anthony, it came with us. This piano gave me the opportunity increase my piano skills when I played for the choirs at the high school. All of our kids have played it as they have grown up. And now I play it to release stress, overcome boredom, or just for fun. The journalist Hunter S. Thompson said, "Music has always been a matter of music to me, a question of Fuel. Sentimental people call it Inspiration, but what they really mean is Fuel. I have always needed fuel. I am a serious consumer. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right mu...

Trent invited me to a movie. We went to The Upside  tonight. It was really cute. I loved being there with my love and it was a movie that made you feel good. It is worth the $5 per ticket. Actually, it is worth more, probably, but that is how much we pay at our town's theater. It is a steal. I feel so happy seeing movies there because it is just what our little town needs. Well, except for that one time I saw Aquaman  for free there. That wasn't worth it. It is dumb. Now, I've got to go research and find out more about the true story it is based on.