Preschool Gems

Last week I finished up a seven week practicum in a 4- and 5-year-old preschool class. The preschool I was in is a play-based program, similar to Montessori. This means that they believe (and I definitely agree) that children learn through play, so they set up intentional play stations and the children are free to do basically whatever they want for most of the day. In the class I was in there were 20 children and 6 teachers so the teachers could facilitate and guide the play to help the children learn about numbers, letters, colors, sorting, sequencing, problem solving, science concepts, conflict resolution, etc. while they played. It's actually really cool. I definitely recommend putting your child in a play-based preschool program that uses the philosophies of Developmentally Appropriate Practices (or DAP) if you get the chance.

Here are some of my favorite preschooler quotes from the time I was there:

"The bug died. He's with Jesus now."
We're sailing to the promised land!" (while playing on a "pirate ship" that was set up in the dramatic play area)
"We're going to planet penis!" (We think he meant Venus...)
"The guinea pig has hair like Dominic!"
"You can't eat that! We haven't said the prayer yet."
"Teacher, do you go to church?"
"It's turning into BEER!"
"Teacher, I want some string too." "What can you do to get some?" "You can get it. I know you're just going to give it to me anyway."
"Come with me." "Where are we going?" "It's time to go on our mission."

Obviously we had a large percentage of LDS kids in the class. Let's just say, I was sad to leave. This week I started kindergarten and I already miss all my preschoolers. We'll see if kindergarten brings as many laughs.

Something I'm Working On

Crossing My Fingers (and toes!)

...So I can win me one of these!

 

Check out this blog if you want to enter too. (But actually, please don't, 'cause I wanna win!)

11 Weeks Later...

...I am finally getting around to blogging about our wedding day. After many requests, here is how it all went down...

The day: June 9, 2011

At 12:45 PM on June 9th, Tyson and I were sealed for time and all eternity in the beautiful Bountiful Temple. (We aren't in to the whole "'til death do us part" thing.)

We were surrounded by lovely family and friends who came from all over Utah, Idaho, and Arizona to support us.

Lots of hugging went down.

Then we took the traditional family pictures on the steps of the temple. We have lots of family!

  

And of course, we took some pictures on our own.

 

We brought an umbrella because it had been raining all morning (and was actually still raining while we were inside the temple)...

 

  

...But the sky ended up being stunningly blue, and not a single drop of rain fell the rest of the day.

Our photographer insisted we take a picture by this sign.

I still don't get it.

........................

That evening we had a garden reception at the lovely Eldredge Manor.

Once again, lots of smiling, hugging, and picture taking went on.

Lots of people came, and they even brought us presents!

  

There were lots of yummy desserts, although I didn't really get to eat any.

The centerpieces were potted calla lilies on doilies and pictures held with miniature antique chairs.

We weren't going to have a wedding cake, but my good friend Kari made this beauty as her first ever wedding cake.

My extremely talented siblings provided live music throughout the evening...

...Which gave everyone a chance to dance.

 

My siblings then presented us with lots of useful gifts.

After stealing our keys and torturing Tyson until he revealed the location of our hidden car, Tyson's siblings finally got what they wanted.

 

After stopping at a gas station to clean off our windows and throw away the balloons, we finally disappeared into the night.

 

All photos are courtesy of RLT Photography. To see all of our wedding day pictures, click here. If you want to check out our bridals and groomals, click here (highly recommended). For engagements, here.

Birthday

Welcome to the world,

Legend Jack Vaitai Williams

Born Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 4:49 pm

7 lbs 6 oz

20 inches

Report Card

My last grade this semester was finally posted today.

I am proud to say that I walked out of the hardest semester of my life (17 credits, super demanding full-time job, terrible roommates, the worst professor I've ever heard of, and planning a wedding all at once)

with... drum roll, please...

5 'A's and 1 'A-' (in Elementary PE, of all classes)!!

I accept flowers, candy, gift cards, and concert tickets as gifts for doing so well.

I must be doing something right.

You Do the Math

 

+

 

=

The perfect "I'm not doing homework even though I should be" snack!

It's a really good thing this semester ends in three days.

Tomorrow... French Toast Night!

SURPRISE!!!

I'M ENGAGED!!!

...To this hunk right here!

We will be married in the Bountiful LDS Temple on 

June 9, 2011!

...Details coming soon...

One Hundred

Well folks, it's finally that time. After nearly two years of haphazard blogging, I have finally reached my 100th post! To celebrate this not-so-monumental occasion, I will bless your life by telling you one hundred semi-interesting things you probably never cared to know about me. So without further ado and in no particular order, I give you an excruciatingly long list that you probably won't finish reading. Cheers!

1.       I was named after my grandma Nell who was named after her father’s favorite horse.

2.       My family has lived in the same house my whole entire life and I’ve traded bedrooms more times than I can even count.

3.       You know how most little kids have monsters or ghosts under their beds? When I was little, I was convinced that there was a giant purple hairy octopus and a witch residing under mine.

4.       I STILL remember a dream I had when I was 3 or 4 years old where I got kidnapped by the milkman.

5.       I always keep Play-Doh, coloring books, and a large box of crayons on hand.

6.       I eat cereal as a late-night snack more often than I do for breakfast.

7.       Someday I want an old Victorian house with a huge yard, complete with a picket fence and wooden swing hanging from the giant willow tree out front. Oh, and don’t forget the breakfast nook.

8.       I am almost done with my sophomore year at Utah State University, and I love being an Aggie! I am dual majoring in Elementary and Early Childhood Education with a dual emphasis in math and English as a Second Language (ESL).

9.       Thanks to my daddy, baseball has always been my favorite sport.

10.   I will see Beyonce perform live and in the flesh before I die.

11.   I not-so-secretly wish I could belt it like a black girl.

12.   It is not rare for me to narrate my life in my head.

13.   One thing I cherish above most others is the close, personal relationship I share with both of my parents and all six of my siblings.

14.   Ever since I was little, I’ve had a strange love for elephants. Someday I will ride one.

15.   I’m not what you would consider the “outdoorsy type,” but I love spending time in nature. I like to think of nature as God’s artwork.

16.   Bear Lake is probably my favorite place in the world. I have gone at least once a year since I was born.

17.   Cheesecake is my greatest weakness.

18.   I really want a puppy.

19.   I have never cheated in school.

20.   In sixth grade, everyone called me George.

21.   I love pizza.

22.   I can spend a whole day in a bookstore just browsing. I want to have a library in my house one day.

23.   Hot chocolate should only ever be made with milk, not water.

24.   My favorite accessory is earrings.

25.   My milk of choice is 1%. I drink two gallons a week by myself.

26.   I absolutely love birthdays!

27.   Sometimes I buy underwear from the little girls’ department. I have no hips or bum.

28.   I am probably the whitest person I’ve met. I don’t tan, meaning I stay my winter shade of white even in the summer time.

29.   I have never owned an iPod.

30.   If I could go back in time and learn an instrument, it would be the cello.

31.   I get really excited about the idea of being a teacher.

32.   Even more than a teacher, I want to be a mommy.

33.   I’m not afraid to slip into the world of the imaginary.

34.   As far as I know, I was not born with any birthmarks.

35.   I frequently skip places instead of just walking.

36.   One of my biggest pet peeves is when cupboard or closet doors get left open.

37.   I have a lot of OCD tendencies.

38.   Ever heard of the love languages? My top two are quality time and physical touch.

39.   The ukulele is my instrument of choice.

40.   In high school I learned how to sword fight for our production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. I’m probably a nerd for liking it so much, but sometimes I wish I could do it again.

41.   I don’t miss a single thing about high school, but I really miss the stage.

42.   Pet peeve #2: crumbs on the counter.

43.   I hate living with roommates. I can’t wait till my only roommate is my husband.

44.   In general, I really don’t like the color pink.

45.   I could read by the time I was four. I may not be very smart, but I’ve always loved learning.

46.   I was super shy when I was little. Really though.

47.   Even though I sometimes like to pretend otherwise, I’m probably more of a country girl than a city girl.

48.   I’ve always thought it would be fun to buy a trailer and a dog and spend a year or so road-tripping across the whole United States.

49.   I know it will never happen, but one dream of mine has always been to be the voice of a character in an animated movie.

50.   I take a nap almost every day.

51.   All three of my brothers are my heroes in different ways, and all of my sisters inspire me.

52.   I have an unhealthy love for TLC (as in “The Learning Channel” on TV).

53.   I am not afraid to belch and can usually out-perform most guys.

54.   I don’t shower every day.

55.   I have a slight fear of escalators.

56.   I secretly hope that my future family consists of mostly boys.

57.   My boys WILL be gentlemen.

58.   I thoroughly enjoy climbing trees.

59.   For a long time, I thought the tall towers with fire on top at the refineries were so we could still see in case the moon went out. (I have my sister to thank for that one.)

60.   Growing up, my favorite thing to do was to play house with my siblings.

61.   I am 20 years old and not a registered voter.

62.   I really regret quitting piano, and not practicing harder when I was taking lessons.

63.   I sleep curled up in the fetal position.

64.   I love being a big sister.

65.   Whenever I get stressed, my room gets really messy and I hate it.

66.   I relate everyday events to Harry Potter.

67.   Speaking of Harry Potter… I adore the books and hate the movies.

68.   I still enjoy watching cartoons. I’m a fan of Phineas and Ferb.

69.   I am terrible at getting my visiting teaching done.

70.   I have a secret, undying love for office supplies.

71.   I want to live in IKEA.

72.   I frequently find myself deciding what songs I would sing to certain people in various situations if my life were a musical.

73.   I’m poor, and I’m okay with it.

74.   When I was still a fetus, the doctor sent my mom to a specialist because my head was too small. They thought I was going to be handicapped, but it turns out my head is just a really weird shape.

75.   My skin is so fair that at one point, I started special ordering my makeup to get it light enough.

76.   I went through a phase as a child where I wanted to be a ventriloquist. I got a dummy for Christmas one year and would sit in my room practicing for hours.

77.   I went through another phase where I became obsessed with balloon-tying. I learned how to make all sorts of animals, toys, and hats out of balloons.

78.   I’m the only one in my immediate family with blue eyes.

79.   I’m really good at sounding like I know what I’m talking about.

80.   One time I dreamed that I was a golden retriever.

81.   Another time I dreamed that I was Steve Martin.

82.   I like to think that if I went to Hogwarts, I would be good friends with Fred and George Weasley.

83.   I have terrible eyesight. I can’t wait to have Lasik surgery one day.

84.   I love people-watching.

85.   Sometimes I talk in different accents in public if I don’t know anyone around me.

86.   I’m terrible with words, but I’m a really good speller.

87.   I love to play games with people, especially my family.

88.   Someday I want to own a children’s bookstore and/or old-fashioned toy store.

89.   My ultimate goal in life is to become the world’s coolest grandma.

90.   I have to learn to play the recorder in my elementary music class. Instead of actually learning the notes, I just watch other people’s fingerings and then play by ear.

91.   My mom has always been my best friend.

92.   I read for fun.

93.   I love hanging out with my family.

94.   I have always been close to the cousins on my mom’s side of the family. My dad’s family, on the other hand, conveniently forgets to invite us to stuff on a regular basis.

95.   In sixth grade, the computer teacher let me play games instead of doing the regular assignment whenever we were in the computer lab because I could type almost 60 words a minute.

96.   I consider myself a top-of-the-line Facebook finder. (It’s not stalking.)

97.   Maybe I’m just cocky, but I’ve always considered myself to be very mature for my age.

98.   I really like to talk, but I tend to be really quiet in unfamiliar settings.

99.   I love having painted toenails.

100.   I am a firm believer in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Words of Wisdom

I had a great conversation with my mom today. It went something like this:

Mom: Girls are just mean. There's no way around it.

Me: Sometimes I wish I was a boy.
Mom: Then you would be dumb and insensitive.

Me: So mean and catty or dumb and insensitive are my only options?

Mom: Yep.

It's sad because it's true. I have to leave for class in a few minutes, so naturally instead of working on homework I'm listening to music. Here is my song of the day: (I don't know why it is so huge...)

 Low Rising by The Swell Season

I wanna sit you down and talk
I wanna pull back the veils

And find out what it is I've done wrong

I wanna tear these curtains down

I want you to meet me somewhere

Tonight in this old tourist town

And we´ll go

Low rising

´Cause we´ve gotta come up

We´ve gotta come up

Low rising

´Cause I fear we´ve had enough

Low rising

´Cause there´s no further for us to fall

Low rising

Oh for the love of you

I wanna take you to the rock

I wanna jump right in

And see what that big ocean's got

I wanna turn this thing around

I wanna drink with you

All night till we both fall down

Till we go

Low rising

´Cause we´ve gotta come up

We´ve gotta come up

Low rising

´Cause there´s no further for us to fall

Low rising

And I fear we´ve had enough

Low rising

Oh for the love of you

Low rising

´Cause we´ve gotta come up

We´ve gotta come up

Low rising

And I fear we´ve had enough

Low rising

´Cause there´s no further for us to fall

Low Rising

Oh for the love of you

For the love of you

Low rising low rising

I wanna sit you down and talk

I wanna sit you down and talk about it now 

I have a secret love for The Swell Season. You should check them out.

Here's another gem, shown to me by a good friend who doesn't realize just how great he is:

And...I still think "dumb and insensitive" is better than being a girl. Just sayin.

Missing in Action

Sometimes--a lot of times--life gets crazy. And sometimes when life gets especially crazy and busy, I forget to take time for myself. My whole life lately has been devoted to school and work and everything else that goes along with that. Obviously, I have been missing from the blogging world lately. Now, I don't know what my excuse for summer was because all I did was sit on my butt for six weeks after I had surgery, but it has been quite a while since I have had a significant blog post. So here is a quick synopsis of my life as of late:


Summer
My summer was spent having and then recovering from re-constructive plastic surgery to fix my nose that I broke when I was about seven. The doctor reconstructed my nose to improve functionality (I couldn't breathe out of my nose for several years prior to surgery) and to bring it back to what it would have looked like if I had never broken it. It was probably the most painful experience of my life. I felt (and looked) like I had been hit by a truck. Want to watch what they did to me? Click here to watch the video of my surgery. I wouldn't recommend watching if you have a weak stomach. (The actual surgery lasted about an hour and a half. I'm just glad I was asleep for the whole thing.) I had black eyes for a couple of weeks, was miserable for a couple more, and took the full six weeks to recover fully. It will take a whole year for my nose to fully finish adjusting to the surgery.


Fall, Part One: Work
I got hired at the end of the school year to be an RA (resident assistant) for USU housing this year. I moved back up to school two weeks early for training. I was in training or working for 10 to 12 hours every day for nearly the full two weeks. Pretty much I hated my life. The job is going well and I'm finally figuring out how not to let it run my life. Living where I work has its advantages, but it also gets really hard. Luckily I've made some awesome new friends this year who provide a good means of escape. 

I have my name on my door. I'm so official.

 Fall, Part Two: School
I have been officially accepted into the Emma Eccles Jones School of Teacher Education and Leadership, changed my major to Early Childhood and Elementary Education Composite major (previously it was just elementary K-6), and will finally start the program in the spring. I am doing math and ESL (English as a Second Language) endorsements. I'm done with math and I'm  taking my first ESL class this semester which I absolutely love! Yes, I am taking on a lot with basically a dual major/dual minor, but I'm happy with it. It's a good thing I love school because I'm going to be in college for a long time!


Fall, Part Three: Fun!
College wouldn't be college without a little fun. Granted, I haven't had a lot of spare time this semester, but I still find ways to keep myself entertained. My best friends definitely help with that! Justin is also an RA and keeps me from quitting my job, my roommate Angie keeps me from murdering the rest, and Ellis keeps me laughing. 
This semester I have...


 gone fishing for the first time in my life (thanks to Ellis),

I caught one! Too bad it was a smart fish and broke free...

played with Angie in Shelley, ID (where she's from) and spent fall break shooting terrorists, warming up at Lava Hot Springs, riding four-wheelers through spud farms, eating way too much chocolate, visiting the Idaho Falls Temple, cruising around town in a big truck, and learning how to make funnel cakes,

Me and Angie on our way to Idaho

got caught in several rain storms and was reminded of how terrible our football team is,

Roommate Melanie, Me, Brady, Roommate Angie

enjoyed the fall colors and the beautiful mountains,

Logan City Cemetery

come up with the worst possible clashing of colors and patterns,

I tie-dyed that apron myself. I'm that cool.

welcomed  in the arrival of basketball season,

Our homemade game-day tutus

had a police officer show me what marijuana smells like, used a fire extinguisher, witnessed and helped monitor a hilarious week of campus-wide Human vs. Zombies, pulled a series of harmless pranks, sang the National Anthem at a basketball game (and no, I will not post the video), made new friends, got an old one back, and much more.


Go Aggies!