Miss Smith

I have had a few job interviews and gotten turned down each time. Each time the principal would tell me that I was a great interview and one of the finalists but there were just soo many people applying for teaching positions. It was down to a week and a half before school started. I knew I wasn't getting a job this year. I had talked about the driving schedule for my nanny kids and had planned on staying with them through the year. I was sad but ok with it. Well on Wednesday August 10th I got a call from Davis school district asking if I had gotten a job yet. I said no. She told me that the district might be getting some last minute emergency funding and they were having an abnormal interview at the district office where I would be interviewing with at panel of principals. I told her I would be there early Friday morning. I told my friends that I would have to be late to Bear Lake and was sad because I was missing some of my vacation and didn't even know if it would be worth it. I went to the interview and it was very nerve wracking. There were 7 or 8 principals if I remember correctly and the guy that was running the interview. In a way it was less pressure than one on one because the principals are all friends and they talked and laughed amongst each other. The principals just took turns and each one asked me a question and they just went around the table. They told me that they would know if the funding went through on Tuesday evening and then the principals would start making calls. I didn't really know what to expect and went straight to Bear Lake and tried not to stress about it. That was basically impossible. On Monday morning I got a phone call from the principal of Sand Springs elementary asking if I could come and meet with her to get to know her better. She gave me a tour of the school and told me that if the money came through then she would offer me a job. I was freaking out! I went boating and prayed that the money came through. Tuesday was one of the longest days ever. I nannied and then went home and sat in the front room with my home phone and cell phone on my lap. The meeting was supposed to get over at 6. Hollie was with her mom, who is a principal, and called at like 6:10 telling me that the district got the money. At about 6:15 my phone rang and it was my principal telling me that it was a go and that I needed to be to faculty meeting the next morning at 9:00 am. I was the new 2nd grade teacher at Sand Springs Elementary. I started bawling and called my nanny family first to give them a 14 hour notice. I felt horrible that it was this late of notice for them but there was nothing I could do. Then I called both grandmas and text friends and put it one facebook. Ha. That made it official. I sat there for about 30 minutes and then my mom and I went shopping! It was 7:oo on Tuesday night and school started the next Monday and I had a whole entire classroom to furnish and lessons to prepare. We had to get going! We went wardrobe shopping first and to Zurcher's to pick a theme for my room. Priorities! Wednesday morning I went to my faculty meeting, it got over at 12 and I went and saw my completely empty classroom, then I went and picked up my mom who took the rest of the week off to help me, and we went shopping again. We were both feeling very overwhelmed. My mom called Letia and Ann for emergency help. Good thing we have connections with women who know their way around an elementary! Letia, Ann, Kallee, Whitney, Abbey, and Jordan came at the drop of a hat and helped get my room done. I literally could not have done it without them. They worked so hard. They spent hours in my room on Wednesday and Thursday. Alyssa, Holly, my sisters, my dad, and Jeff also came and helped me a ton as well. My coworkers were amazed at how many people came to help me. They were all jealous! :) I had a couple of breakdowns but did pretty well for the most part. It was probably the longest 5 days of my life. I spent $1,200 very quickly and worked really hard but we did it. I was (kinda) ready for school to start on Monday morning. The district hired 35 teachers with that last minute funding they received. Not the most ideal way to start out the year and I hope that I never have to have that last minute stress again but I am so thankful that I got a job!

Part of my crew. I was too stressed to think about taking many pictures.

These are just some of pictures of my classroom. I chose to go with a Hollywood/stars theme. It turned out really cute and my kids like it.


Annie made this really adorable cake for me the night before school started. I'm sure that I teared up. I loved it.

I am so happy to have a class that I love at an amazing school that is pretty close to my house. It is literally my dream job. I have always wanted to teach 2nd grade. I love my kids so much! They are adorable and funny and I have awesome parents in my class. My kids say the funnies things sometimes. I get asked at least weekly why I am 25 and not married. Ha. They keep me humble. This job is seriously a dream come true and such a blessing. Definitely worth the stress and wait. I am so grateful that to everyone that helped me with everything that week, especially my parents, and especially my mom. There is absolutely no way that I could ever have done it without her. I hope that I can stay a Sand Springs Stallion forever!

Favorite Holiday... I think

I LOVE the 4th of July. I am pretty sure that it is my favorite holiday ever. I love fireworks, I love concerts, I love being outside, and I love doing fun things with my family! All of those things equal the 4th of July. I have also loved that the 4th has been on or near the weekend the past couple of years so that there are extra days to celebrate.

Here are us girls on the way to Provo for the Stadium of Fire! Lynsie decided to ditch us and go to Vegas.

We stopped for lunch at my favorite restaurant ever basically. Smash Burger. Way better than In-n-Out. It is delicious. I wish that I could eat there everyday.

On the way to Provo we had to stop at Cabelas. I wasn't too happy about it. I even tried to get into all of the things that it has to offer and I was still bored within about 2 minutes. I hate that place. Here are Morgan and my dad at the shooting gallery. Pretty cute.

We are finally to the concert! Yay! I don't think that it is a secret that I LOVE concerts. I spend way too much money on them but I seriously can't help it. Brad Paisley puts on a very fun concert. He definitely didn't disappoint. I loved it!

I always feel so patriotic during the Stadium of Fire. I can't help but tear up every time that the flag is flown in and the jets fly over! It really is magical. Also before the Stadium of Fire starts they say a prayer. It is at BYU after all. I know that not everyone there is LDS but everyone is respectful during the prayer and it is very magical to watch however many thousand people take their hats off, bow their heads, and be silent during the prayer. I know I'm a dork.

David Archuleta was the opening performance. He really is so adorable and entertaining. It was so cute too because he performed at the Stadium of Fire when he was little and so they started out showing the recording of him as a little boy and morphed it into him singing in real life. I loved it!

My boyfriend Jimmer gave us a little hello message because he couldn't be there. I loved that so so much.




Here we all are enjoying the concert! We love the USA!

I basically loved this performance so much because I LOVE country music! I loved this song and how he paid tribute to the country singers. So cute. I am pretty sure that I was crying.

Mmmmm! I love this man so much. I get lost in his big brown eyes every time that I watch him sing. His songs are adorable. His voice is beautiful. He is perfect. I think that he may be the best performer that I have seen at Stadium of Fire.

People that can't take pictures piss me off. I guess that I should be grateful to strangers that take pictures for me but I just wish that they would center them. It's really annoying.

So one of the reasons that this was the best Stadium of Fire to date is because of the AWESOME dance party that was outside of the stadium after the fireworks were over. We met up with our friends that were also there and basically rocked the dance floor. We were all sweaty and disgusting but had a blast!

Tyler was the designated purse holder during the dance. It was pretty great so that we didn't have to worry about them.

Morgan and I in the truck waiting in traffic. Stadium of Fire is over but we are still in our after concert high. I love this picture FYI.

Here we are at the West Point fireworks. I am so sad that the 4th of July is over. I love it so much! I had a GREAT weekend. I loved every second of it. We went to the RAC during the day on the 4th again this year. Basically all of the pictures were disgusting so I opted not to post any. I am also sad that the 4th is over because the summer flies by after the holiday. I don't want it to end.

Class of 2011!

It is finally over! The day that I have been looking forward to for basically my whole life, but definitely the past 6 years, is finally here! I am a graduate of Weber State! I literally never thought I would live to see this day. I can't say yet whether the $30,000, countless nights of sleep lost, innumerable cold sores, miles put on my car, and bins of books that are stashed at the Gunter's is worth it or not but hopefully when I get a job I will be able to say that it was! I am just more happy than I could ever express that I will never have to go to Weber State again except for the Fireworks and I will never have to pay another dime to that hellacious place (once my parking tickets are paid)! I am ecstatic!

Graduation day was so fun! I didn't know if it would be boring or not but it was actually so so great!

The stage before the ceremony started.

Walking to our seats...

Receiving my empty diploma holder.

Braden also graduated the same day so we are both cute little 2011 graduating cousins!

Kallee and Whitney came to my graduation. It was so nice of them because graduations are pretty boring. I love them!

Grandma and Grandpa Smith came to support both Braden and I. They are so cute!

Grandpa and Grandma with both of their graduates.

Mackenzie graduated too!

My family. Except for Morgan. She is too good of a student to miss school.

Morgan and I when she got home from school.

We went to Mandarin for dinner that night with everyone to celebrate.

Me with the cake that Annie made us! It was so cute!

My Grandpa and Sandie were out of town during graduation so they took me to Maddox. It was really fun and nice of them. It is one of my favorite places to eat.

All three of us.

I loved graduation day and am so glad that I finished school! Now no matter what happens I'll always have my degree. I love everyone that supported me! I have gotten lots of cards, money, my favorite ring ever, a nook, and books from people. Graduating is the best!

It's a New Year!

I love Christmas Break and New Years means that it is almost over. I hate that feeling. Especially since when my break is over that means that it is time to do my student teaching! Ahhh! But I still love New Years and the tradition that my Grandpa and Grandma Smith have kept going for many years. The long awaited Shrimp Fry! Mmm! I know that a lot of work goes into preparing for this meal but I am so glad that they do it!

These pictures are from last year but they show what my grandparents do for a LONG time on New Years so that there is enough shrimp, carrots, onions, and everything fried that we can think of. My favoite things to eat are the shrimp, sweet and sour and rice, and the onion rings.

After we have eaten all of the food that we can handle then we play games. Jaron always brings his Wii or Playstation so that that we can dance and karaoke.

Just Dance! Apparently we all have the same dance skills in the Smith Family and they are not the greatest. Our singing skills are much better...

And we look good while we sing! We are a talented bunch! Of course Steph and I are just a little bit better than everyone else but that's ok. Everyone can't be the best.

Kate is so dang cute. And this little bench brings back so many memories. I loved sitting on this bench when I was little. Every little kid loves it. I will be buying my parents one when they have their first grandchild.

Grandpa and I with clams. Not my favorite. I love seafood and have liked lots of things that I thought looked and would be disgusting but oysters are not one of them. I can eat them but I would never eat them for a meal.

Lynsie was a little more dramatic than anyone else. Shocking. Ha.

Everything besides the clams were delicious and it was so much fun! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for putting in all the time and money to make it such a fun day for everyone!