NBA All-Star Weekend

I have this amazing best friend and her name is Aubrey.  She works for the NBA and was in LA for the All-Star game last weekend, sooooo, naturally, we had to drive down to see her.

It was a pretty amazing weekend.  We left Friday around 1:30.  The agriculture check point in Yuma had to be the highlight of the drive.  I wasn't feeling very well so my head was down and Kelsey was driving while Cami and Mel chilled in the back.  For 4 years, I was never stopped driving through this point, but now with my Utah license....well, he had us roll down our window.  He siad, "Was there a beauty contest somewhere?!"  ha!  I pulled my head up from sick head down position and just looked at this man and we all laughed.  He asked us if we had fruits and the, I guess, normal check stuff.  Then before he waved us through he said, "Now girls, while you are in California you will be required to wear sunglasses at all times or else the boys won't have any protection from those beautiful eyes."  Thank you ag. check man for making our drive down awesome.

Oh and El Cajon pass (kels refuses to call it the el cajon (the the cajon) pass).  It was terrible.  Completely covered in a mist/fog.  Visibility was next to nothing.  My hands hurt from gripping the wheel.  Everyone had their flashers on, which was extremely helpful.  It was a long and slow drive down the pass.  And then the rest of the 91 to the 55 to the 73 (or whatever we did to get to Newport) was just a puddle mess.  It was just the greatest thing to drive in.

We stayed Friday night with my Grandparents in Newport Beach.  They are wonderful and it was great to be with them for a bit.  I am so blessed to have such amazing family.  We left Kelsey there, my cousin was getting married the next day and Kelsey was a surprise guest, while Cami, Mel, and I headed for another adventurous drive.

Saturday morning we left Newport for LA around 10:30, thinking we would for sure be there before 12:45 (the time we had planned on meeting up with Aubrey).  Boy, it was a close call!  Mel's TomTom took us up and down and all around.  We finally made it to the Staples Center/Convetion Center with just a few minutes to spare.  I was so giddy to see Aubrey and it didn't really hit me until we ran into friends from our last ward and then someone said, "Look, here she comes!"  I miss that girl so sooo much.  We tried to say hello, while letting her stay professional and everything, but it was so hard not to just jump out and hug her.  We got into the Jam Session and took pictures with all things Dwight Howard and the Laker cut outs.  

Told you we loved Dwight Howard....

My favorite though, was watching the Special Olympics clinic.  This clinic was the sweetest thing I have ever seen.  I was so impressed with how the players handled themselves and how they were really just there for the kids.  Shannon Brown had fans screaming at him from all around the audience and I was so happy to see him ignore them and just focus on the sweet people in front of him.  Shannon Brown, for that, you earned 9304820532871 points in my book.  Tim Duncan, Chocolate Thunder, Sam Perkins, Felipe Lopez, and a few WNBA stars were also at the clinic.  I fell in love with Felipe Lopez too.  He was a hoot to watch playing with the kids.  He loved it and was putting all of his energy into it.  I was totally distracted by his group the whole time.  Felipe Lopez, you too have earned 92290812904734 points in my book.  It was so fun to see the faces on these Special Olympic teams as NBA players came out to the court to work with them.  One of the cute girls closer to me was the first to spy Tim Duncan and she could hardly keep it all in.  I loved seeing these sweet people and seeing some of my own students in them.

After the clinic we finally got some Aubrey time and ate lunch.  We hung around for a little bit longer after lunch but went back to the hotel and hoped to find a hot tub.  Long story short - they didn't have one and that was a little bit of a let down.  Instead Mel, Cami, and I layed on the bed in our swimsuits and sweats and watched the Dunk Contest.  It was a little ridiculous how much we couldn't pull our eyes from the TV.   Then when Aubrey made it home, ESPN was still on and we had to wait and watch the Jimmer portion...of course.  Then we put on some movies and crashed pretty fast....And somehow, this is the only great picture we got with her.  The other ones are all make-up less and falling asleep, cute huh.  I thought I would spare the blogging world of my makeup-less, sleepy face.

 Sunday was a beautiful day.  We drove down to pick up Kelsey from grandma and grandpa's and we went off to Fashion Island.  I love Fashion Island and I have so many memories there as a child. When we lived with grandma and grandpa in Newport Beach when Kels and I were just little girls, mom used to walk us there.  We would always go to the little stepping pond with the huge koi and the popping water fountain (which is now sadly gone).   I might have spent too much money at Urban and Anthropolgie (all great buys though) and Melanie got a super cute new hair cut while we were there.

 Sunday was the most beautiful day.  We had to say goodbye to Aubrey (but I get to see her the second week of March thank you to the MWC basketball tournament!).  But as we were heading back to Utah, we decided to find a beach to visit.  Somehow we ended up at the Santa Monica pier!  It was amazing and wonderful and so much fun.

I had to get a picture on it...I just had to!

I learned this one from Blake Griffin during the dunk contest...

And of course, on the drive home we had to make a pit stop at Buffalo Bills to ride Desperado.  Probably my favorite roller coaster!

happy birthday beans!

My little Hannah Banana Beans turned 12 yesterday!  The time has just flown as my baby sister has grown up to be a beautiful young lady.  It's hard for me to believe that she can be 12.  Check out my previous Hannah  birthday posts.  Her 10th birthday (these are some classic Hannah photos!).  Her 11th birthday.

She was like my baby.  I remember taking care of her, wanting to bring her with me everywhere.  She is a fiery ball of fun with dance moves and model-like poses that just make you love her even more.  I love when she answers my mom's phone.  I love when she is the first one to see me when I sneak home.  I loved it when she would call when they first moved to Utah...she'd pretend to be ok, but pretty soon she is crying and I am driving to get her and we would spend the weekend together.  I miss that.  She has, not surprisingly, made so many new friends and has even picked up snowboarding.  She is always on the go.

Hannah has come into my class a few times and gone on field trips with us.  My students love her and she does so good with them!  I love seeing their interaction.  Seeing my family love waht I love to do makes me feel so wonderful.  There is one boy in my class who will occasionally ask how Hannah is doing and then say, "I am going to marry Hannah."  How cute is that?

Well, Beans, you are my baby sister and will always be my little Hannah banana.  I will forever remember your curly hair, the wawa always in your mouth, and the tiara never leaving your head.  You are such an example to me.  I love your style, your love, your heart, and your contagious happy smiling attitude. I love love love love loveeeeeeee you! YOU! YOU!

ohhhh February

Work has made me feel a little like this since February has started.

And it is in no way because of my students.  They are fabulous, sometimes a little defiant, but they keep me smiling.  It is mostly all of the paper work and the busy stuff that keeps me from my cute kids.  I just need a break SOOOO...

Los Angeles, here I come!  Aubrey is going to be there for the NBA All-Star game and I am going down to try and get some time with my best friend.  I cannot wait.

I also went to see the Justin Bieber movie last night :)  I was dreaming to Bieber tunes...that was amazing.

Haunting in 889

This has been a long time coming and happened probably over a month ago...but it is a good story.

My dear roommate Melanie...she loves, or did love, watching Ghost Hunters (my favorite) and loved even more, watching Ghost Adventures (which is totally not real and I am not a big fan of).  We went through a period of time where this was on our tv pretty often.  This left Melanie pretty spooked and on edge most nights.

One night, Mel and I were the only ones home.  We were upstairs getting ready for bed.  I had just blow dried my hair and had actually been in bed for a few minutes.  We were just chatting when we heard a huge bang downstairs.  We froze and a few seconds later we heard my blow dryer turn on...We both screamed a little but then I started thinking about what could have happened.  My blow dryer is super old and half broken so I just thought that the bang could have been my dryer falling off the counter and turning on because the switch is sensitive.  Even after explaining this to Melanie, with the dryer making noise in the background, we were still spooked.  I decided to be brave, but told Mel that she had to come with me.  I dragged her with me and she was still a full two arms length behind me.

We opened our bedroom door.

 Froze.

Waited for some courage to build.

Walked to the stairs.

The dryer sounded extra spooky and loud as it echoed through our small house.  I started walking down the stairs, but Mel wasn't moving which meant I wasn't going much further.  I reached back for her, held her hand, and tried so fearlessly to walk down the stairs.  We got the the bottom of the stairs and she ran to hide in the corner furthest from the bathroom and refused to move.

So, big, brave me walks to look into the bathroom all alone AND THE BLOW DRYER IS STILL ON THE COUNTER!  It did NOT fall off like I thought.  I ran back to her screaming and we sprinted up the stairs (mind you, Mel is doing all of this, still recovering from her ACL surgery).

What was the big bang?  How did my dryer turn on?  The questions and absurd answers raced through my head.  Once we get upstairs we realize we didn't fix anything.  My dryer was still going.

We inched our way back down the stairs.  I ran to the bathroom and hit the switch on the mad haunted appliance and then back to Melanie as fast as I could.  Then we sprinted back up the stairs. 

Once back in bed and hiding under my covers, I told Mel that I just flipped the switch when I should have unplugged it.  It could turn back on!! As we were discussing what we might have to do next, we heard the basement door open. 

"Helllooo!?!"
"Hey girls"- Jen, our roomate
"JEN! Could you unplug the blow dryer?!" 
"uhhh...sure." 

She comes up the stairs, sort of laughing.  We tell her the story and she says, "Oh!  I was wondering why you wanted me to unplug a blow dryer - it's not like a straightener or anything..."

Since then, I have tried using my blow dryer.  A few weeks ago it started smoking on me and I have permanently switched to using Melanie's until I buy a new one.  In fact, the haunted one made it's way into the trash can on Saturday.

Valentine's Day

Last Valentine's I wrote a post, recognizing it as a day of love - and it is!  My class this year is great and we are have had a great day, sharing valentines, making treats, and valentine bowling.

But this Valentine's Day is different.

I might (meaning, I really do) have someone to spend it with!

*** He even sent me flowers!

We visited my family.  Ate dinner.  Bought me some new black flats! YES! Went back to hang out with the siblings for some chocolate covered strawberries (thank you Kelsey).  Then talked for hours.  Wonderful.

Quote of the day:

One of my students walkes in from breakfast and says, "Have you seen any hippies?  They ..... (inappropriate for school information - so I asked him to stop saying that). Besides, they play the guitar and eat vegetables!"

tornado dreams

I had the strangest dream on Sunday afternoon.  I layed down for a good Sunday afternoon nap...in fact, Melanie and Kelsey were doing the same.  We were all sprawled between the two couches and the oversized chair in the front room.  I started drifting off into an uneasy sleep and before I knew it...

I was at school.  The power was out because, get this, a TORNADO was coming!  There was lightning, huge rolling thunder, and howling of crazy wind, and I was trying to keep track of my students by flashlight.  They were running all over the classroom and all I knew was that we needed to evacuate in this total chaos.  So, I finally get them in a line by the door and we are getting ready to go outside when I realize, I HAVE NO SHOES ON.  I had been wearing my favorite dark blue Ann Taylor heels (which I have only have done once to school!) and I did not know where they were.  I sent my aides out with the 12 kids and I was crawling around my desk in the dark until I found my shoes, but somehow, the heel on my right shoe had broken.  I couldn't go out barefoot - the wind was blowing who knew what all around and I didn't need to step on anything.  The search for something else to put on my feet began.  Luckily, I found something to put on and ran outside, very concerned about my students.  I get out there and the other life skills class is with us and we are playing on the playground under a very dark sky with thunder rolling, lighting thrashing, and wind blowing.  I see Miss Butler, the other LS teacher, sitting on the bench just watching everyone play.  I go sit next to her, lean over and ask, "So how long does this normally last?"

That's it.

One of my students was obsessed with tornadoes a little while back.  My guess is that he's the reason I had this dream.

**Favorite Quote of the Day**


Girl 1 in my class: "Justin Bieber is from Utah."
Me: "hmmm No, he is from Canada." (yes, I really do know this...)
Girl 2: "Oh ya?  Then does he speak Mexican!?"
Me: I just laugh.
Girl 1: "So does he speak Canadian?!"
Me: "They speak English in Canada..."


They were so set on proving me wrong.  Too bad I know my JB facts!

what a week...

I knew this week was going to be rough, but I never realized it would nearly kill me (well not really, but it sure feels like it)!

I woke up Monday morning completely overwhelmed.  It was SEP's (parent teacher conferenc) week, plus I had an IEP (some serious paper work that I get to do for each student because I teach special ed...lucky me) and my group had a tent up at the Marriott for the game this Saturday and we needed to take shifts.  I leave for work, running just a few minutes late, and my on ramp is backed up.  Shoot.  I was stuck in traffic for  a good 15 minutes until we finally pass a nearly nothing bumper to bumper.  Great, I am going to be late to work and I was so ready to get things done!  When I get to school, my principal calls me down to the office...He wants to come and observe me teach twice and at least once during the week.  ahhhh. School goes fine, a typical Monday, but then I stick around at school until 6 to rearrange my room (we got desks for my students instead of tables!) and get some cleaning/organizing done.   Got home at 7:00, just in time for FHE, followed by meeting with some girls from church.  Finally, around 10:00 I got to make myself dinner...Mac n cheese because I haven't had time to grocery shop....and no one in my apartment has milk. ahhh hahaha.  I went to bed after that.

Tuesday was another day and I woke up 15 minutes late.  I got ready as fast as I could and made it to work on time!  I stayed at work again until 6 but, this time, picked up some dinner on my way home.  Got home around 7:30, ate the food, went to the gym, and then stopped by our tent at the Marriott to keep Melanie company while she was on tent duty.  Then sleep!

Wednesday.  Groundhog Day! Wooo. First day of conferences.  Success but another late night.

Thursday.  I wake up 20 minutes early and get to work early to finish my IEP - I think I did a great job!  Ready to take a bow.  Oh and it's the 100th day of school...time to celebrate.  Then my principal is in to watch me teach my class.  I got my results back and I didn't do bad...not bad at all.  Then conferences and an even longer night...Driving home, I get onto the freeway, start driving, just over the speed limit and I see lights flash behind me.  My heart stops, or rather starts beating like crazy!  Don't worry, he didn't pull me over, but he did it to several cars as they would get onto freeway.  Just giving us all a warning that he is there.  I made it home safely and here I am watching Groundhog Day with Melanie.

I am exhausted.  It was the fastest week of my life, but my poor body is thrashed, exhausted, and extremely worn out.  Well, I am going to go watch my movie.  Goodnight!  Oh and please don't mind my poor grammer or bad spelling...I am writing this exhausted, just like I said.