Ginger Spice

Last week, I took a make-up vacation for what was supposed to be a 7 day cruise to Mexico. The boat we were scheduled to go on started on fire a few weeks before mid-sailing so that got canceled. As an alternate, we went to California and planned some fun stuff. Well, as luck would have it, it rained the ENTIRE time. But, as a result of being stuck in a hotel room for way too long, I decided to take a risk and colored my hair. So, now you can call me Ginger Spice! :)

I honestly love it. I was blonde for longer than usual but it was time for a change. For real. Anyway, the highlight of my trip to California would be going to this show:

That's right! We scored tickets to Jay Leno when Owen Wilson was the guest! And man is he gorgeous in person!!!! Kaytee's aunt's friend works for the Tonight Show so she hooked us up with VIP tickets, so rather than waiting in the rain, we got yummy food in the green room before the show and then scored front row seats directly across from Jay Leno! So, I had a perfect view of Owen. It was great and so much fun! I can't wait to go see the show in person again!!

I've been spending my two weeks off of work from the school baking and catching up on everything I haven't gotten done in the last few weeks! My family had a great Christmas and I'm looking forward to my first New Year's in Vegas! I usually keep it pretty low key, so this year will be different for sure. Otherwise, I'm just keeping busy with school and slowly making it through the semester, as well as wishing football season lasted longer (the end is in sight :( ) and praying my Packers make it to the playoffs so I can enjoy a few more weeks!!

Hopefully everyone had a great year and hopefully next year is even better! I'm sure there is some exciting stuff in store!!

Lifestyles of the rich & the famous

As I was scrolling through pics on my fabulous phone, I decided there were some I should upload to my blog, simply for the sake of having something to blog about. So, here are some of the pics of my summer (minus the ones already on from WI state fair, clubbing with Jared & cosmic bowling....)

This would be the first card I ever made. Then, in classic Kyrie style, I never sent it. Then, my roommate moved it and sprayed it with nasty water while doing dishes. Tragic.

This would be how I made my money this summer; making up crafts for a special needs summer school. It was great fun! I loved it. This picture was taken by one of the special needs kids and I didn't realize he had taken my phone to take pictures of everyone, thus the special picture of me.

They say everything is bigger in Texas, but this is a WI creampuff. That would be my cousin's hand comparing size and his hands aren't small by any means. Unfortunately, I was informed it didn't taste as swell as it looked... which is actually probably a good thing. A couple of those could probably kill a person.

This would be what one would've seen at Wisconsin State Fair. A t-shirt proclaiming how I feel about Brett Favre. Love it!!! If only Utah was as fun and open minded as the home town!!!

Although I complain about the Washington County fair, in all justice, I did get a sweet henna tattoo so the world can know just exactly how I feel about Edward Cullen (gag). This is the fun we resort to in Utah. We get fake tattoos mocking gay movies. Joyous.

I moved into a new condo this summer. It is such a pain to move. I hate it. However, we made our own fun of it. This would be how we loaded my queen size mattress into the back of my small-size SUV. Pretty epic. The box spring came a couple weeks later when we finally had a truck to move it.

This would be Travis & myself at Big Al's Oyster Shack in the New Orleans Casino in Vegas. I've never really had this sort of food before, but it was boss. And, I had an oyster for the first time, wrapped up in a kamikaze shot. Yeah, that was an experience. It was good enough that I took another in a lemon drop shot.

This would be the sweet cake my dad made for my birthday. LOVE IT!!! It was awesome and it was sooooo yummy since he made it from Ghiradelli brownies. He also made some bomb spaghetti and sausages. It was a great dinner & birthday!

This would be at my birthday fiesta down in Mesquite the following night. We went to my favorite Mexican resturant (Los Lupes in Mesquite... delightful!), went bowling (where this pic is and where I scored my best game ever!!!). I won some money on black jack, we watched some hillbilly people karoake in the dirtiest casino I've ever been in, and then went hot tubbing at the Casablanca. It was sooo much fun!

Now this would be Cooper before his most recent groom. He'd been out in the crazy rain we've gotten lately and he looks a hot mess. Adorable, but in desperate need of a groom.

This would be post-groom. Doesn't he look like a stud!!!! I love it. He looks amazing. I have finally found a groomer who makes him look good and not retarded, and for half the price of the past groomers. Yes, it is amazing. If anyone would like her number, I would be happy to hook you up. I could not be happier with the outcome.

So that's all for now. I'm going to Cali this weekend to Disneyland! And to the beach, so I'm sure there will be more pictures soon. Then, November brings a weekend in Laughlin... random, yes, but should be fun regardless. However, it is December I'm waiting for with the cruise to Mexico!!

What a night for a dance, you know I'm a dancing machine

It has been a crazy couple of weeks!! I went to Wisconsin, which was wonderful. My grandma, as well as my dad's brother & sister and their families are LOVELY!! It was so good to see everyone and just get away for a couple days. The day after I got home was DRAMA!!!! It sucked, but I'm glad I got it over with before I started resuming life with work and school, that's for sure.

School started the next day and can I just say, I love my job SOOOOOO much. I have the best job ever. It can be stressful and it can be hard, but the kids make it worth it. I've had to learn so much trying to do the job of someone who is amazing and totally did more than I ever knew she did. She's a workhorse. I am so in awe of Brenda. She's amazing. There aren't even enough words for me to express how much I am in awe of this woman. And I miss her.

Anyway, school's good, but crazy. Working full days with special ed is exhausting, but it's preparing me for when I get done with school and have to be a real teacher and work my butt off!! Our kids in severe are so much fun! I love them. I am so grateful for having such an amazing rewarding job. It makes my day, even though it's exhausting some days, it makes every day worth it!

Also, I need to just say I have the greatest friends! They have been so good to me while I've been mopey and struggling the last week. It's been a tough week... drama drama. But my friends have kept me in check and have helped me SOOOOO much. I don't know what I'd do without them. But life is so much better today than it was a week ago and I owe it to my fabulous friends. You know who you are and you know I love you to death and I've always got your back peeps. Always. Thanks for being there every time I need you!

Also, we moved into our new house and I love it. It's so nice and I love having my own space. I desperately needed it. The stress has gone down so much just because I can relax. My amazing parentals have taken Cooper in for the duration of the lease and I appreciate it more than they realize. Coop loves my mom so much! I may have competition! ;) They don't ever read my blog but they're awesome. I love my parents so much. Seriously, I'm one blessed, spoiled chica between my friends and family!!

So I've thrown down a couple pics:

This would be the big slide at the Wisconsin State Fair!!! Love it!

That would be me rolling down it. I look like crap, but it was super fun!

Jared, myself and Kaytee at the new house. Love it, love them, good times!

I am such a dork, but life is good. Blue Steel all the way. I can't do picture any other way!

Oh and I finished the 2nd semester at WGU 100% which is such a relief. I am now in the teaching program portion of my degree and I'm sure all my fun is about to begin, ha ha. Lucky, lucky me!! Love you all, thanks for being amazing!

Dwight Schrute????

I should be packing to go to Wisconsin tomorrow, but I can't resist posting these videos. For those of you wondering what Dwight Schrute does during summer vacation, I have found him!! Yeah, he looks a little different, but same difference...

He's got some pretty sweet moves, huh??? I'm a little jealous.....

Anyways, I was up in Northern Utah this past weekend with Amber & CJ (who are amazing and hilarious!!!!) and Amber and I saw a full double rainbow after a big thunderstorm struck and it was super gorgeous, no lie. However, our reaction doesn't even compare to Mr. Psylocibin Mushrooms/ Acid Trip Major dude here. I mean it wasn't even close. I wish I had seen this video before I had seen the rainbow, than maybe I could have given fair credit to it...

Alright, Wisconsin tomorrow so I've got stuff to do. Pictures should follow when I return. Peace.

Just Dance

I freaking love the summer! Who doesn't? Late nights, random road trips, old friends back home from school... It's lovely.

A couple weekends ago, Jared & myself decided to go down to Vegas and get our clubbin on. It was completely random and totally kick ass. It may have been one of our best decisions ever. We photo scrapbooked the entire trip...but I'm going to just throw the highlights on here. All the pics are on facebook, if you so care to see them:

Fueling up the car SO equals a photo op!!!

J & K in Coyote Ugly!
I am such a dancing fool. It's a little sad, maybe...

Naturally, we'd get dressed to go to a club and then eat dinner at McDonalds. Who would have it any other way????

The classic car shot to begin the ride. Yeah, I got them in the wrong order, so what?

So much fun; so worth the drive, lack of sleep, feet that were dying from wearing the most inappropriate shoes, the short term hearing loss..... Fantastic night!

Alter Ego

Can you see the resemblance?! I may have found my true calling in life......

I love that it's summer and all the amazing things that come with summer! I haven't gotten a snow cone yet, but that's definitely on the To Do list.

I'm working the extended school year with the special needs kids and it's fabulous. I love it. For three days a week, we have two different groups of kids that we do some lessons with and then play games and do crafts and have a fun time! It's fabulous. And four-day weekends is where it's at. I think that school districts should seriously consider just switching to them for the entire school year.

Lynda has a gorgeous new hair do thanks to someone super amazing.... yeah, that'd be me. :)

I cut and died it a cola color with red chunks of color in it. Oh it looks dang good if I can say so myself.

Cooper Pooper

What a stud, huh??

As promised...

As promised, here is a pic with the blonde hair - I absolutely LOVE it!!! And there's a good view of my kick ass signed MBR poster behind me which I also love. :)

I have trouble taking pictures with a straight face... hence the "Zoolander" Blue Steel pose.

Here's a super adorable pic of Gabby just a couple days before she passed away. :( She was so perky and happy though that I really thought she might pull through.

Yeah, that's my dad snoring in the bed next to her, lovely, huh?? :)

And here is Cooper looking extra scruffy and a bit smaller than he is now, but he's due for another bath now and taking a pic now wouldn't look much better. Maybe after he goes in Saturday for his summer cut I'll put on more pics of him looking at fluffy and gorgemous, but for today, this is all I have on my computer and I haven't gotten any pics of him on yet so here...

Anyways, taxes are finally in (as of 3 hours ago) and it has been an insanely long day so I'm going to throw on some "Weeds" and ignore the rest of the world until I have to get up in the morning. :)

April Update

My grandma emailed me the other day and reminded me I haven't blogged in a while, so here's an update...

Spring Break ended up being NOTHING I planned... but that's typical, right??

On a sad :( note, my parents puppy dog of 12 years passed away early Monday morning.

Gabby Marie... what a pretty girl, huh? So, Easter wasn't as cheery as it normally would be but she was super happy and sweet til the end!!

I'm super busy between working both jobs and school stuff, but it's going pretty good!! The university approved my transfer to elementary ed and I'm very happy with that decision. I think it's going to be a really good fit. So, that's exciting.

Cooper turned one on April Fool's Day! He's such a good puppy! He is totally my version of having a child, except I don't have as much responsibility - considering he can be left alone while I'm at work and what not, but it's challenging sometimes!

I also am getting the tattoo on my arm removed. I went down to Vegas for the first treatment last Friday - super fun trip, super painful experience but WAY better than laser. Basically, they tattooed over the original tat with lidocaine which was bad until it numbed out and then they poured this stuff on it that is suppose to pull the color out. Basically, they tattooed over it with a SUPER big needle and for ever - they needed to have the entire tattoo open enough to soak in the ointment stuff. So, we drive off to meet my little sis for lunch and boy howdy, the lidocaine wore off. Hurt like a freaking mo-fo. (I have no idea how to properly spell that...) Anyway, it's been an experience. I should know in a couple days how much this first treatment did, and I should only need one more at most, so it's a lot less treatments than laser and probably less painful too.

OHHHHH and the biggest news of the last 30 days is that I'm blonde again!!!!!!! Yeah, I love it! I need to take some pics and post them because it is GORGEOUS! I have the best girl who has done my hair for the last few years and she rocks!!!!

Alright, I'll post again, hopefully it won't take another 30 days!

I spoke too soon

I'm not completely sure I'm going to keep the second blog. I think one is enough effort for me. I thought it'd be fun to do a vegetarian one, but I think if there's anything great I need to post, my plain old normal blog works just fine.

I am looking forward to spring break. The kids at school have been insane. I'm pretty sure spring fever has hit and it has hit hard. So, starting March 6th at 1 pm I am on some beach, some where, even if I am just sitting at home. In my head I will be laying out in front of the waves!!!

I have some exciting news. I know I am very well known for changing my major, like everyday...but this was a economical change. I've spoke with some principals and other people who have inside information on the hiring at schools and it seems that being a social science teacher is pretty common. I mean REALLY common...as in all the bros become history teachers so they can coach football in some way to relive their glory days. So, flush all my dreams down the toilet because I'm never going to get a job and who can get all these student loans and then be unemployable, right? Boo hoo. Just kidding...I've switched to elementary ed so I can teach K-8. Much more jobs, shorter program (I'm cutting something like 20 credits off I think), and I'm absolutely loving my job right now with 6 & 7th graders, so I figure it should be a good fit. Then, I'm planning on getting my master's in special ed from the the same school I'm at right now and things will be peachy keen. But we won't set my future plans up too much...as we know how frequently those sorts of things change. :)

I need a new groomer too. La De Paws made Cooper look like a sad little dork and took off an extra inch of hair which really made me mad since I went over the length, like 10 times. Then, when I complained I was told it was my fault. How messed up, huh? So, I gave him a bath and blow out last time, but his hair is starting to get scraggly and his nails need some trimming...and I am at a loss of where to go that won't gouge me in price and won't make him look like Tim Curry's hot tranny mess from Rocky Horror. If anyone knows anyone who's good and reasonable, do share please!!

Things That Are Awesome

When I get bored or feel the unrelenting urge to procrastinate homework (which is more often than not...), I rely on some websites for help. Facebook is the obvious one. I don't go on there to play farmville or mafia wars or sorority life, like my sister. I watched her playing that the other day and I gave a little prayer of thanks for my strength to not give into temptation and play that one - I'd so be addicted to that stuff!! However, there are a couple other sites that rock my world...those being this gem and the greatness found here. Also, every Sunday morning, I wake up and check out all the new postcard secrets at Frank's blog which is awesome and epic and I love it. I nervously anticipate the new week's postings on Saturdays.

I also saw something very very awesome a couple nights ago. We've been getting the first season of "Glee" on DVD from netflix and it is extremely cheesy, pretty hilarious (Jane Lynch - the woman is outrageous!!), has some great eye candy (seriously, Cory Monteith is delicious), and sometimes, it is perfect. Such was the case with this particular episode. The Glee Club is preparing for sectionals and they've found out their competition - one school is for troubled girl's and the other is a school for deaf youth. So, there are a TON of jokes about it, and if you think about it, its a funny situation...right? Well, they get a performance done for them by the girls' school and there is a ton of booty shaking and some grinding...they did Beyonce proud. Then, the coach from the deaf school comes in and wants equal treatment, so they do a little "scrimmage" with them. The kids get up and start to perform "Imagine." It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen on any television program ever. One of the boys in the front spoke the words while the entire group signed them. Of course, the Glee club got up and sang with them and it was all butterflies and roses, but it really didn't distract from the beauty in the performance. It was just one of those moments that takes your breath away and gives you chills and I'm super proud of the show for putting it on air and showing that people from all walks of life can do anything. That's the American Dream right there baby!!! :)

Love It!

I always feel like I need to blog frequently...because people live and breath to read my thoughts, right?? :)

So, since my life is dull and nothing super exciting happens EVER, I thought I'd share something with the world that gave me an "aaw" moment yesterday.

I aide in a couple 6th grade science classes and they are currently teaching the kids astronomy. Yesterday, the sub was telling the kids about how the moon was a piece of the earth that broke up 4.5 billion years ago or something (I don't know how true any of this stuff is... I'm just sharing background, I'm not a scientist.) and one of the kids turns to me and says the cutest thing ever! To truly appreciate this though, you have to know that this kid has been kind of negative lately. He's a sixth grader getting closer to seventh grade... it's pretty normal So, he turns to me and says "The Earth is God playing with play dough." I thought it was so adorable!!!!!! Well, it's school and I don't want to get too in depth on this conversation because I quite like my job and don't feel like getting in trouble for the whole church/school politics so I just said "Well, I hope God doesn't get tired of playing with the play dough then?". He just looks at me and says "No, he won't." It was super cute. I loved it. Totally totally made my day.

So I Throw My Hands Up...

This last week I finished my first semester of the teaching program!!! Well, technically my semester is over on Feb. 28th, but I have turned in all my finals and am just waiting to get the grade on the last one. So, until March, I am free to either slack off :) or get going on coursework for the next semester as they have all the course information available to students for their entire program. I figure since I am trying to get done with school as quickly as I can chug papers, I am pressing forward. I took the pre-assessments for my Gov. class and the Math class I'm set to start next and I passed both of them, so it looks like I'm going to be able to get through both of those classes pretty quickly which is AWESOME!!! I am grateful for the teachers I had at Hurricane High - I think they prepared me more than I gave them credit for. I know that I learned most of the stuff I use from them and maybe one or two college professors I had at Dixie.

Becky was down over Christmas break and I had such a blast hanging out with her!! The girl is so fun and we always have a crazy good time when we get together. She is one of the few people I don't have to act my age around. We do all sorts of fun stuff. This time, we spent one night hiking around the Dixie rock with only cell phones for light. Oh it was genius. Plus, we had played sand volleyball earlier, so none of us were really dressed for the weather. But super fun. And, I got a little schooled on constellations, which I know nada about and the kids at school are learning about in 3 of the classes I aide in, so I felt a little more prepared....not much though. I am learning with them every day. :) Then, Saturday night, we got in some beastly vehicles and trucked out to the boonies of Virgin where we had a semi-successful bonfire. Bonfire is probably not the word for it......but it was fun regardless. We roasted marshmallows, explored the area some, and then played some glow stick hide-and-go seek. Oh yeah, that's right. The last time I did this was in the Snow Canyon caves and it was epic. Well, this time was pretty good-all I can say is dang I know how to hide. I'm not going to give out any of my secrets, but I'll tell you this much - I got trampled once by a fellow hider who thought they were jumping over a rock and slugged by Beck's bro who thought he was just throwing his arm down to hide. And I don't remember how many times the seekers walked right past me and didn't notice. Oh, it was awesome. Such a good time. I cannot wait until we can all get together again - it was such a fun group of people that I think we could've had fun doing almost anything.

Oh and I intoxicated my blackberry. Apparently the phone was not to fond of the punch I accidentally knocked over in a rare clumsy moment. The phone itself remained surprisingly dry, but it got into the microphone so the next day when I got any calls, I had to pretty much yell for anyone to hear me. Oh, it was probably a sight. So, I spent 5 hours this weekend looking at phones on ebay, seeing as I recently upgraded at Verizon and don't feel like shelling out more than $50 for a freaking phone. Yeah, that was an ordeal - comparing phones and trying to find the best deal and making sure the ESNs were clear. Anywho, I settled on a phone that's an upgrade on the Chocolate 2 - it's like the Chocolate 3 minus the spinny wheel on the front. Yeah, it feels a little old school to go back to a flip phone, but I kind of miss the simplicity my life had when I didn't get emails and have to check my facebook every chance I got on my phone. Hopefully this will help me somewhat overcome that technology addiction. :/ If nothing else, I'll be saving $25 a month not having to have a data plan on my phone bill, right? So thank you fruit punch, you done a good job.... sort of.