How about some pictures?

There was this one time that Husband got bored while we were waiting for the girls in my carpool to show up, so he started dancing around in the snow. It was comical. And he was freezing when he finally decided to get back in the car. Ha.

 

Husband got us tickets to go see 'An Evening with Mark Ballas'. It was an incredible dance show. Probably one of my favorite ones that I have ever seen ever. I was definitely fan-girling the whole time and I lost my voice the next day as a result. But I didn't care because it was SO worth it.

My only regret was that we were sitting in the middle of the row and so I didn't stand up and dance with Derek Hough. I totally could have. No one else was brave enough to do it. Either that or they were upper-middle-aged ladies who were fan-girling along with me but who weren't going to get up and dance. Husband's only regret was that he didn't stand up and dance with Chelsie Hightower. But it's ok because we went home and danced with each other instead. ;)

For the record: we have been married for 515 days. Pretty awesome, right? I can't imagine it being any better.

Photo a Day

Remember back in September where I took a picture every day of the month following a list from this blog?

Well... I've decided to do it again. And February is a great month to do it. I'm feeling the good vibes.

Here is the list for February. And hey - send me the link to your pictures if you decide to do it, too! I'll be posting the pictures that I take every Friday. (except today of course)

Hoorah for February.

Days 1-7
Days 8-14
Days 15-21
 Days 22-28

Tired

I'm not sure what my deal has been the last few days, but I have been plain old exhausted. It doesn't seem to matter how much sleep I get or how well I sleep, I'm still tired all throughout the day. Granted, I haven't been sleeping very well. I have the weirdest dreams. Including one that featured Captain Jack Sparrow one night. Yes it's true. It's been the weirdest thing. I'm hoping that I get over it soon. It seriously messes with my motivation to get anything done when I'm fighting the urge to put my head down even for just a minute. Bah.

In other news, despite being so exhausted, Daniel and I have had a great week. We have had many exciting happenings that I am excited to share with you like dates and anniversaries and more dates. It's a blast. Hopefully that will happen soon.

Oh, and in other other news, I found out today that I am getting my fourth new student of the year. Yup. Fourth. And third boy. Granted, I recently lost one and so I have fewer than all the other second grade teachers. Also, none of the other move-ins have stayed more than a week (maybe I'm a really scary teacher?) except the first one who was a girl. BUT. Four move-ins? In four months? I mean....surely someone else could take one? There are two teachers that haven't had one. I'm only jealous because it's a big deal to get everything ready - the new desk, the new folders (with names on them), dig through the ancient files to get the forms required for parents to sign, etc. etc. etc. and then when the student doesn't show or only shows for about 5 school days?? It's a little disappointing. *sigh* Oh well. Hopefully the new guy will stick around and be awesome. I have a good feeling about it, so here's to hoping!

AND.... Just kidding. I think that's it. That was a long post that didn't say a whole lot. Sorry. But not really. :) It felt good. And I'm still tired. Ha.

Hope your week has been shaping up to be oh so very grand!

Husband here! How's it going?

I love how much Best Friend blogs. I have noticed that it is a relaxing activity for her. Now I realize that I married a writer. That being said, at times I feel left out from the happy-joy that is sharing my point-of-view. Usually I get over these feelings immediately, or at least after a little while, I forget about them, but I've been thinking for some time that my voice should be heard.
Don't worry, I'm not taking over, and I'm sure that my blogging spree will be much shorter than you're thinking. I don't pride myself on being a writer. You can hardly expect a peep out of me for another long while.

There has been too much that has gone on in the past few months to keep me quiet. In fact, with school getting underway again, holidays with family, growing together with wife, etc., I have a plethora of things to be grateful for and to get excited about now. If only I was better at saying so! (I bet Nashelle would appreciate that.)

For now I will say this:
I never expected to feel the exquisite joy that comes from simply spending time with someone I care for. I am confident that our Heavenly Father is pleased with my efforts, as short-sighted as they may be.

Now, let the wonderful adventure of life continue!

Finished!!!

I am no longer considered a student at BYU. For all intents and purposes I have 'graduated'.

HOWEVER.

I do not get the lovely piece of paper that tells me so until I do two things:
1- Complete this internship
2- Complete the Teacher Work Sample

Internship. Obviously. Survive the year = success. Be done at the end of May. Easy.

Teacher Work Sample (TWS) a ridiculous hoop to jump through. But I want that piece of paper. And guess what - I FINISHED IT.

That's right. I only have one more thing to finish before I can have that paper with my name all printed lovely on it and it will be easy because the annoying part is out of the way.

It feels so so good.

Soon I won't be a student and I'll have a piece of paper to prove it. Hallelujah.

And happy weekend! :)

A few school awesomes

This is the picture of me that two of my girls drew at school. Complete with crown AND bow. Oh, and a body. That's important, too.

This is the picture of Husband that the same two girls draw at school. The speech bubble at the top says, "I love you, Mrs. Jackson." He also has a crown, but no bow and no body. Also, his eyes are empty because the girls didn't know what color to do them. HA.

This is a letter that one of my boys wrote to me. It is so so touching. It's hard to read, so I typed up what he wrote below (complete with spelling errors and all because it's more endearing that way):

"Dear Mrs. Jackson I do not want to go to therd grayd becus because you are awsume! I do not want to go out of your classroom because you are the best teacher. You can be a good teacher for a good class you like us verry very much. I would like you for my therd grayd teacher next year I like to play with you alot at school I have fun with you. I can do ecsra (extra) jobs for you after school. I can clean your desck for now days. I will cleen the floor etra (extra) cleen and cleen the room. I can be a good magik eraser."

Also, once there was this funny thing that happened:

Austin: "Caidance, you're going to judge our pictures."

Caidance: "Why me?"

Austin: "Because. You're cute."

:)

The last few days have been kind of weird. I haven't blogged in awhile, maybe that's it. But really, my head has definitely not been 'in the game'. I have ten million thoughts a minute and I can't focus on what I want to focus on. When I'm at school I think about home and vice versa. It's been weird. So getting these pictures and this letter have brightened up my week considerably. I am so grateful for the wonderful opportunity teaching these second graders has turned out to be. They are such an incredible light in my life. I love it.

A Celebration Type of Day

Today feels really good for celebrating. And we have lots of reasons to celebrate in the Jackson house today.

- we are both feeling much less sick today

- I got a new pair of bright pink pajama pants

- the dishes are almost all the way done for the first time in a week (did I mention we've been sick?)

- we spent the morning with my mom and sisters

- there is no school on Monday

- we spent less than $30 on groceries

- we bought our very first salt and pepper shakers of our marriage

Yup. Today feels like a good day. It is a day for celebrating. At least, as long as we continue to feel healthy. :)

Have a great weekend!  And enjoy the holiday, too.

Sometimes I feel old

and sometimes that's a good thing and sometimes it is not.

I wrote this post in my head a couple days ago in response to some really dumb things that were happening at school. I got really irritated with some of the girls who do not plan. We had a teacher development day - where basically teachers get the whole day to themselves in their classrooms to do whatever they need to do - and one of the girls said that she did not do anything at all productive. And I'm thinking, what a waste of your life!!! I mean, I understand not being all the way productive. Sometimes that is hard to do. But to do nothing in an 8-hour time frame when you're sitting at your desk surrounded by piles of things that need to get done? I mean....seriously.

*sigh*

I have always felt a little bit older than people my age. And most of the time I love it. I love feeling mature and knowing that I am responsible and prepared and on task and able to love my life because I don't like being stressed out. At other times I hate it because it makes me irritated with other people who are not so mature, responsible and prepared. I need to find a better balance in my life in this particular area.

I feel so good about my life and where I am and what I'm doing. I guess what I really need to do is not worry about anyone else and let them make their own grown-up choices. ... Right?

Any suggestions or helps? Blah.

What we've been up to since Christmas

I realized today that it's about half-way through January and the last time I posted anything, it was either about 2012 or Christmas. Seriously. It's been awhile since I've blogged about current events. Granted, there hasn't been much going on lately, but there are a cuople of fun and new updates that are pretty quick. Oh yeah.

* Last year in January I wrote a post about organizing all my music & dvds. I mentioned in that post about how we needed another dvd case because we had so many. Well. A year later, we finally bought ourselves a new dvd bookcase / shelving unit / thing. It's beautiful and black and matches sooo well. We are so glad that we got it. And now we have lots of wiggle room for even more movies. Yay!

* Husband has officially begun his final semester at BYU. He had his last first day of school last week. Thankfully, he says he enjoys his classes and will do awesome this semester, so all should be on-track for him graduating in April. Hoorah! Oh, and we celebrated a little because last semester he got his best grades since we've known each other. And we've known each other for 6 semesters now, so...that's saying something.

* I finished another term at school and reached the half-way point of the year. AHHHH!

And I'm not saying any more about that.

So in other news, life is going great. We are happy and cheerful and recovered from our trip. We continue to hope to stave off the awful cold-and-flu yuckiness going around and we also continue to have the best of times together.

I'll go now before I get any more mushy. ;)

Happy Monday!

2012 (better late than never)

Our grandiose adventures summarized here for all to see! Huzzah!
Yeah. It's super late. I know.

JANUARY

The thing I remember most about January was turning in my application for my internship.

And taking an Irish dance class at BYU. Still my favorite ever.
Oh! And we reached Elder Pearson's one year mark. :)
And don't forget the memorable moment when I danced on the stage of the deJong.

FEBRUARY

My birthday. Dan's bro went into the MTC.

6 month anniversary. Drill Team State w/ my sister.
Super short hair cut. Started the practicum in a first grade class.

MARCH

Daniel performed in an opera called 'The Gondoliers'
Went to the Salt Lake Temple for the first time.
Competed at DanceSport and made it to the semi-finals. (mambo)

APRIL

Found out that I got the internship! Passed the Praxis test.
Started student teaching in kindergarten.
Went to Lagoon w/ the Pearson fam.

MAY

Alumni Council Reunion.
Larissa graduated high school.
Daniel's birthday (when my mom put on 28 candles. HA!)

JUNE

Started working on my classroom. Saw my old roommates.
Went to Aspen Grove for a family reunion.
Saw Lorraine & Jack and family when they came up to visit Utah.

JULY

Painted our house! Started having teacher trainings.
Saw the amazing balloon show in the early morning. Cadence Reunion.
Saw Mary & Luke & Liam when they came up to visit Utah.
Typed up my great-great-grandfather's journal.

AUGUST

Celebrated our one-year anniversary! :)
School started and I loved it. Bought a new car.
Went to St. George w/ my family to see Aladdin.

SEPTEMBER

Super spiritual month, including: witnessing 2 blessings for my sister,
the Brigham City Temple Dedication, and going to the temple w/ my best friend from high school.

OCTOBER

Saw Eric & Callie and family when they came up to visit Utah.
Read the John Carter of Mars series. Built a planetarium.
Mostly I remember just be frustrated during this month, though I'm not sure why...

NOVEMBER

Thanksgiving with my family in Vernal. Saw a couple of old friends which was fantastic.
Went to a baptism for my cousin & a baby blessing for Daniel's sister's baby.
AKA lots of traveling and time with family.

DECEMBER






Baked more goodies in one night than I ever have in my whole life.
Rode on the Frontrunner train from Provo to Salt Lake City and back.
Fantastic Christmas break in Utah, Texas, California, and everywhere between.


So... I just realized that there are about 50 links on this page. Really. Don't feel obligated to check them all.
I had a lot of fun looking back at our year. :)
Basically... 2012 was so awesome, I am thrilled for what 2013 is going to bring. Oh yeah.

Christmas Wrap-up

I hope these Christmas posts aren't getting you down. I tried to keep each section fairly brief so it wasn't too overwhelming, but then, it did take six days for me to wrap up Christmas... If I could have blogged as we were driving around then maybe it would have helped to spread it out. Oh well.

Our Christmas was fantastic. We had such an amazing time seeing all of our family members and spending time together. Yes - it was a long drive and at the end we were ready to come home. But I think that is the sign of a good vacation. Now we are ready to get back to work and a routine and everything else. Thank you to all those who helped make our vacation full of magic. ;) You know who you are. And if you don't, I'll be thanking you profusely in person again later.

Just a few more pictures and then you probably won't hear from me for a couple of days. Oh the joys of getting back to school and trying to catch up before SEPs in a week. Love it!

PS Wish Daniel luck - it's his last semester at BYU!!!

The above was taken Sunday morning when we thought we were going to be driving all the way home. But when it takes you 7 hours to get to Las Vegas because of holiday and weekend traffic, you decide to stop overnight at a hotel instead.

But that's ok because you get to take these pictures of your new Disney paraphenalia!

(and your really tired faces)

look! disney coasters! and they match our plates that we already have. hee hee :) 

we survived and made it home. thanks for the prayers and good-thoughts. it was an amazing trip!

Christmas Part 3B - California

Now for pictures from day two of California adventuring. It was rainy and cold, but that didn't get us down!

look! it's a Frosty the Snowman Car!!! :)

Crazy faces happen at night when you're exhausted and waiting for some fireworks.

Highly contagious. But not a terminal illness. ;)