Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Lake Powell!!!
Family vacation! We are at lake Powell until Saturday. We leave dock tomorrow morning and I cannot wait. It is going to be great.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Getting old?
I always thought that my body would continue to let me do what I've always done. I mean, I'm not even 23 yet! But it has recently given me a few reminders that I am no longer a carefree energetic youth.
1. I am ALWAYS tired. This might be in part due to a fairly stressful work load lately...But also because I can't stay up until 3 am, sleep until 8, and make it through the whole day just fine like I did my freshman year.
2. My stomach notices every little thing. Really. Elevators get me, even if I am just going up one floor. Dips in the road catch me off guard, even if I am driving and I see it coming. I never expect my stomach to be so sensitive! Bus rides are hands down the worst though! Remember when that used to be fun?
3. Swinging for more than five minutes makes my head hurt. This one makes me really sad. I love swinging next to my kids (see who can swing the highest) but recently I've had to hold back.
4. Aches & pains. Bumps & bruises. But if you talk to my mom, she would tell you that I've always been this way. I remember coming home from elementary school and telling her about a headache or a funny bump somewhere. Then she would just call me an old lady...
1. I am ALWAYS tired. This might be in part due to a fairly stressful work load lately...But also because I can't stay up until 3 am, sleep until 8, and make it through the whole day just fine like I did my freshman year.
2. My stomach notices every little thing. Really. Elevators get me, even if I am just going up one floor. Dips in the road catch me off guard, even if I am driving and I see it coming. I never expect my stomach to be so sensitive! Bus rides are hands down the worst though! Remember when that used to be fun?
3. Swinging for more than five minutes makes my head hurt. This one makes me really sad. I love swinging next to my kids (see who can swing the highest) but recently I've had to hold back.
4. Aches & pains. Bumps & bruises. But if you talk to my mom, she would tell you that I've always been this way. I remember coming home from elementary school and telling her about a headache or a funny bump somewhere. Then she would just call me an old lady...
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
What a day!
I have not had a day as good as today for a long time.
We started the day with a field trip to Salem Pond. This is a field trip that I have come to love. Most special ed units in Utah County go and it is just absolutely wonderful. The kids all get to fish and then we have lunch. It was supposed to rain today (and it did), but not while we were at Salem Pond! That was a blessing. Then I just kept hoping and praying that I would run into my cute kids from last year. Guess what!? I saw them and nearly cried. That class changed my life, especially one particular stud that I love with all of my heart. I ran up to my old class and started giving hugs, scared to look for my little stud because I didn't want to find out he wasn't there and be heartbroken...but then it was like the parting of the Red Sea as everyone moved to the side and that is when we saw each other. He is something else and I treasure the blessing that I can still be involved in his life, even if it is only once a year, for a few minutes, on a field trip. Then my class was behaving so well! With so many classes in such a small place, it is easy to get distracted and lost. Everyone stayed with their teacher. Everyone was smiling. And everyone was exhausted when we got back to school.
I left school a little early to make it to my cousin's wedding. She looked stunning. The reception hall was SO beautifully decorated by her mom. They had a sweet little ring ceremony - Sami and Mike are just so happy and in love, everyone could see and feel it. I am so proud of my baby cousin. She has done amazing things with her life and now she will be doing them with Mike. I love them so much. Aren't they so sweet?
At one point, I went to go give Samantita a hug and look what happened! My necklace got hooked onto her dress! haha We spent a good minute stuck together while onlookers just laughed.
Then the dancing started. What a blast! I love dancing with my sisters and we were definitely going wild on the dance floor. Mom was getting really into it too. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect night.
And to end the day, I filled up my tank and I just absolutely love the way my car feels after it's been filled.
Monday, May 9, 2011
She is 23!
Happy birthday to my dearest, most wonderful, best friend Aubrey. I just realized that I have not yet done a birthday post for this very important person in my life...so here's your first birthday post Aubrey (but it's definitely not the first post dedicated/totally all about you. I just did a search. You are at least mentioned in at least 41 of my posts. Wow.)
I sure got lucky meeting her at BYU. Mom always told me that the friends you make in college are the ones you will keep forever. Aubrey proved this true because, for me, she is that friend.
I am so very grateful for Aubrey. There is no one like her. Seriously, no one. She gets me and I get her. We met freshman year at BYU - we lived on the same floor. I wish I could say it was an instant friendship and, don't get me wrong, we liked each other and we hung out here and there, but it wasn't until the end of the '07 basketball season that we entered each other's lives for forever. We were roommates our sophomore and junior years and then neighbors our senior year. We were only neighbors because she didn't sign the contract early enough. Our whole ward was asking if we had had a fight or broken up. We were always together.
Aubrey and I both got boyfriends around the same time and then went through the break up around the same time too. She was just a few weeks ahead of me in both of these and I am so grateful that she knew exactly how I was feeling because she had just been there. A little blessing.
Aubrey loves the students I work with. You would be amazed at how many people are uncomfortable around students with severe disabilities. The first time she came to visit the class that I aided in, I was worried. I didn't want her to get dirty or feel weird with some of the behaviors the kids had. She didn't notice any of that at all. She got right in there with the thick of them, the slobbery, the stinky, the messy and all. She sang with them. She loved them. She listened to my stories of all the stress, the fun times, and the love.
Aubrey has this amazing ability to entertain and make people laugh. She is hilarious. I wish she still had her blog. It was phenomenal. A good read that was so her. Then she can dance. Ohhh can she dance! I remember getting ready for dance parties while we were roommates. She always got ready to "Cyclone" by Baby Bash. Every time I hear it I can see her at the sink, curling her hair, singing, and dancing. She always told people she was half latin. They believed her...But when I told people that I had family from Argentina, no one would believe me. I never thought that was fair. We both loved aerobic dance too. We were a hoot to watch! Check this one and this one out for a good laugh.
Oh and did I mention that together we were the greatest BYU fans in the whole world. We would do anything for football and then practically give our lives for basketball (we would camp out in snow just for front row seats!). Doing those things alone just wouldn't have been any fun and in fact, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed my BYU life as much without her because I would never have done that alone. I remember the first time we put up a tent outside of that Marriott. Aubrey walked by and saw that there was a tent out. I don't even remember what game it was for, but it was a few days before gameday. She called me and sounded very urgent. "Tati! There is a tent at the Marriott! We have to get one up NOW!" That night we became the second tent and made friends with follow fans that we still do all things sports with.
Then in April of 2010, we graduated from BYU. We both cried that day. I think we were the only two sad to graduate. We lived our life to the fullest at BYU. We danced, we laughed, we cried, and we grew together. We knew that our lives were changing and that we only had 2 months left together.
June 18th. She left me for the world of New York where she is thriving and being influential in the lives of others. Lucky them. But lucky for me, I have seen her a few times. AND she is coming out here in a month! I cannot wait.
Aubrey, I couldn't have asked for a better friend. You are everything I could have asked for plus some. You are a light to so many and have been such an example to me. I am excited for the next stages in our lives and knowing that while we might be almost as far as we could be from each other, you are still my best friend. I wouldn't be who I am today without your influence. So happy birthday! Know that someone (a lot of someones) love you in Provo, and that I have the greatest birthday present for you - you just have to come out here to get it (and I am just not quite as good at sending things in the mail as you are!)
I sure got lucky meeting her at BYU. Mom always told me that the friends you make in college are the ones you will keep forever. Aubrey proved this true because, for me, she is that friend.
I am so very grateful for Aubrey. There is no one like her. Seriously, no one. She gets me and I get her. We met freshman year at BYU - we lived on the same floor. I wish I could say it was an instant friendship and, don't get me wrong, we liked each other and we hung out here and there, but it wasn't until the end of the '07 basketball season that we entered each other's lives for forever. We were roommates our sophomore and junior years and then neighbors our senior year. We were only neighbors because she didn't sign the contract early enough. Our whole ward was asking if we had had a fight or broken up. We were always together.
Aubrey and I both got boyfriends around the same time and then went through the break up around the same time too. She was just a few weeks ahead of me in both of these and I am so grateful that she knew exactly how I was feeling because she had just been there. A little blessing.
Aubrey loves the students I work with. You would be amazed at how many people are uncomfortable around students with severe disabilities. The first time she came to visit the class that I aided in, I was worried. I didn't want her to get dirty or feel weird with some of the behaviors the kids had. She didn't notice any of that at all. She got right in there with the thick of them, the slobbery, the stinky, the messy and all. She sang with them. She loved them. She listened to my stories of all the stress, the fun times, and the love.
Aubrey has this amazing ability to entertain and make people laugh. She is hilarious. I wish she still had her blog. It was phenomenal. A good read that was so her. Then she can dance. Ohhh can she dance! I remember getting ready for dance parties while we were roommates. She always got ready to "Cyclone" by Baby Bash. Every time I hear it I can see her at the sink, curling her hair, singing, and dancing. She always told people she was half latin. They believed her...But when I told people that I had family from Argentina, no one would believe me. I never thought that was fair. We both loved aerobic dance too. We were a hoot to watch! Check this one and this one out for a good laugh.
Oh and did I mention that together we were the greatest BYU fans in the whole world. We would do anything for football and then practically give our lives for basketball (we would camp out in snow just for front row seats!). Doing those things alone just wouldn't have been any fun and in fact, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed my BYU life as much without her because I would never have done that alone. I remember the first time we put up a tent outside of that Marriott. Aubrey walked by and saw that there was a tent out. I don't even remember what game it was for, but it was a few days before gameday. She called me and sounded very urgent. "Tati! There is a tent at the Marriott! We have to get one up NOW!" That night we became the second tent and made friends with follow fans that we still do all things sports with.
Then in April of 2010, we graduated from BYU. We both cried that day. I think we were the only two sad to graduate. We lived our life to the fullest at BYU. We danced, we laughed, we cried, and we grew together. We knew that our lives were changing and that we only had 2 months left together.
June 18th. She left me for the world of New York where she is thriving and being influential in the lives of others. Lucky them. But lucky for me, I have seen her a few times. AND she is coming out here in a month! I cannot wait.
Aubrey, I couldn't have asked for a better friend. You are everything I could have asked for plus some. You are a light to so many and have been such an example to me. I am excited for the next stages in our lives and knowing that while we might be almost as far as we could be from each other, you are still my best friend. I wouldn't be who I am today without your influence. So happy birthday! Know that someone (a lot of someones) love you in Provo, and that I have the greatest birthday present for you - you just have to come out here to get it (and I am just not quite as good at sending things in the mail as you are!)
love love love you!
(These pictures are not in any order. It took me an hour just to pick these ones, we seriously have 1,000's of pictures together.)
Sunday, May 8, 2011
She's my best friend.
Happy mother's day!
My mom is absolutely and completely, totally wonderful. You don't find many ladies as kind, selfless, and loving as her. She is beautiful. She has the world's greatest hair. This might be a little biased, but I think she has raised five pretty amazing kids. She has the cutest snort in her laugh, which is starting to appear in my own laughing. She gives and gives and gives. She has good intentions behind every act. She ends every conversation with "I love you", and that is now something we all do with each other. She is the kind of mother that I would like to be.
I depend on our daily conversations to get me through my long days. Now, with my family living so close, I get to see her whenever I want. Before they moved to Utah we'd go months without seeing each other. I am not sure we can do that anymore. If we go a week without seeing each other, I always get a call from her telling me how much she misses me. I absolutely love that. If I don't call her before she goes to bed, I will get a text from her asking if I am alright or if I am mad at her because she never heard from me. Isn't she sweet?
We always have a blast together. I love when she offers to meet me after work for dinner. I love how I can tell her everything. She knows my heart, in fact, she knows me better than I know myself.
I love when she comes into my classroom. She is great with my students. When we go on field trips, she is constantly making sure that I know where all of my kids are (which I do, don't worry), but she is still my mom and no matter how big/grown up I get, she will always check that I am doing my job right. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
Mom, I love you. Thank you for the countless hours you have served me (and all of the lucky people who have come to know you). Thank you for the example that you are always setting. Thank you for your patience with me, for talking things out with me when I don't know how (or refuse to) grow up. Thank you for knowing me, for being able to tell if I am happy, stressed, or frustrated just by hearing my voice. Thank you for loving me. Happy Mother's Day.
My mom is absolutely and completely, totally wonderful. You don't find many ladies as kind, selfless, and loving as her. She is beautiful. She has the world's greatest hair. This might be a little biased, but I think she has raised five pretty amazing kids. She has the cutest snort in her laugh, which is starting to appear in my own laughing. She gives and gives and gives. She has good intentions behind every act. She ends every conversation with "I love you", and that is now something we all do with each other. She is the kind of mother that I would like to be.
I depend on our daily conversations to get me through my long days. Now, with my family living so close, I get to see her whenever I want. Before they moved to Utah we'd go months without seeing each other. I am not sure we can do that anymore. If we go a week without seeing each other, I always get a call from her telling me how much she misses me. I absolutely love that. If I don't call her before she goes to bed, I will get a text from her asking if I am alright or if I am mad at her because she never heard from me. Isn't she sweet?
We always have a blast together. I love when she offers to meet me after work for dinner. I love how I can tell her everything. She knows my heart, in fact, she knows me better than I know myself.
I love when she comes into my classroom. She is great with my students. When we go on field trips, she is constantly making sure that I know where all of my kids are (which I do, don't worry), but she is still my mom and no matter how big/grown up I get, she will always check that I am doing my job right. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
Mom, I love you. Thank you for the countless hours you have served me (and all of the lucky people who have come to know you). Thank you for the example that you are always setting. Thank you for your patience with me, for talking things out with me when I don't know how (or refuse to) grow up. Thank you for knowing me, for being able to tell if I am happy, stressed, or frustrated just by hearing my voice. Thank you for loving me. Happy Mother's Day.
hug hug, kiss kiss, hug hug, big kiss, little hug, kiss kiss, little kiss.
Friday, May 6, 2011
So much...
...has been going on! I seriously haven't had one day to slow down. Life is on fire right now and thankfully, school gets out in something like, oh, 19 days. But who's counting?!
Get this though. Last week I bought an iPhone. I am currently typing this blog on it while watching the Lakers lose for the third game in a row to the Mavs. It (the phone, not this sad game) has been a beautiful addition to my life. It makes everything so simple and convenient.
I am watching the game with my Burley boys. Mr. Sam Preston is leaving us for a grown up world in Salt Lake. I told him it is breaking my heart. These boys are my longest BYU guy friends (meaning we have been friends for FOUR years now!!) and they are always around to make me laugh and pick me up. Sure love them!
Also, yesterday was cinco de mayo and since we all know that I am 8 weeks Mexican...
And maybe, someday, I will get to posting more cruise adventures.
Get this though. Last week I bought an iPhone. I am currently typing this blog on it while watching the Lakers lose for the third game in a row to the Mavs. It (the phone, not this sad game) has been a beautiful addition to my life. It makes everything so simple and convenient.
I am watching the game with my Burley boys. Mr. Sam Preston is leaving us for a grown up world in Salt Lake. I told him it is breaking my heart. These boys are my longest BYU guy friends (meaning we have been friends for FOUR years now!!) and they are always around to make me laugh and pick me up. Sure love them!
Also, yesterday was cinco de mayo and since we all know that I am 8 weeks Mexican...
And maybe, someday, I will get to posting more cruise adventures.
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