Happiness is...

Walking past the spare room and seeing this....

May 21st...

Taking guesses- Boy or Girl?

Happy Birthday to Me

So this past Thursday was my 26th birthday. For those of you who don't know me, I love my birthday.... it is my favorite holiday! My husband has figured out how much I love my birthday and has made it a point to make my birthdays extra special. This year for my birthday, he woke me up and made me breakfast in bed and then I got to open my present. He got me a beautiful picture of Christ from the Reflections of Christ collection. I love this picture and mentioned to him that when we get a house I wanted a big picture to hang on my wall. He remembered and got it for me. It is lovely!
I went to work and had a great day. My mom brought me a birthday sign to hang in my classroom and I wore a birthday hat too. My kids had a fun time singing to me all day and telling me Happy Birthday. When I got home, my husband was waiting for me with another present.... a trip to HAWAII!!!! I am so excited. We are leaving in a couple of days and had already talked to my boss and got substitutes lined up to take my class. We are driving down to Mesa on Friday to spend a day with my best friend ( Yea Colette!!!!), then on Saturday we are flying straight to Kauai and we get to spend 4 days there. I am super excited and Derek did a great job at keeping it a secret so I would be surprised! Thanks to all for the many birthday wishes... It was a great day!!!!!

Ode to Alison

So for the past 4 years, I have been teaching preschool at Challenger and have loved it. This year, I have had the opportunity to move into Kindergarten with Alison Clark. She is amazing and I have had so much fun with her. Some of the kids ask us if we are sisters because we kind of look alike. Kind of funny... I like her so much, I even moved next door to her ( I really did, but it was not on purpose. The house we liked the most just happened to be in her neighborhood and we didn't know that until after we had looked at the house and fell in love with it). We are doing our Spring Programs right now and having so much fun singing and dancing with the kids. The school year is almost over and I am ready for the summer but I have had the best year teaching with Alison. Here's to many more...

I DID IT!!!!!!

I graduated from Utah Valley University with my Bachelors in Psychology.
Me and my brothers Caleb and Bryson... Kelsie is living in Minnesota for the summer and Taylor couldn't miss school. He graduates from high school next month so he couldn't miss anymore school. Missed you guys.
The fam-damily
The whole crew. Bryson, my mom, my dad, Caleb, Derek, and my mother in law Julie. Thanks guys for coming at the butt crack of dawn (8am) to support me. You rock
My friend Angie who graduated with me in Psychology. We had classes together. She helped me make it through the semester.

Here are pictures from my graduation today. It was such a great experience. Anyone who says that walking in Commencement is not worth it, is totally a liar. Yeah, it was a long day, but I wouldn't have traded it for the world. President Monson was our guest speaker and the whole first presidency was there too. Elder Uchtdorf came back in the hall to see us, and he walked right past me and shook my hand and said "Congratulations! Way to go!" to me. Pretty freaking neat. I didn't trip when I was walking across the stage- I was worried that it might happen ( I was wearing my 3 inch pink heals). Good thing. My husband is taking me back to Arizona for a graduation trip so I can show him where I grew up and lived. What a great husband I have?! Yea for hard work, yea for a year of stress and tears, yea for it all being over!!!!

Well done thou good and faithful student...

The other day I finished my last final... I was pretty excited. I am graduating tomorrow and I am super excited. I think that peeing my pants more explains my feelings. Derek actually went out and bought a video camera so we can have documented proof that I actually finished. Thanks to everyone who kept pushing me and making me go to my classes when I didn't want to go, and encouraging me especially when I was worn out and super tired. Thanks to all!

9 days and counting...

To be honest with you all, I never thought I was going to be a college graduate ( you can all ask my parents; they will all agree with me). I hated it with such a passion, that I would get sick to my stomach when I would go to my classes. not quite sure why, but none the less, that resulted in me not going to alot of my classes and then deciding that I needed a break. That semester break turned into a 3 year break. I had a great job and I really didn't think that it was important to finish. One day, my cute, but funny husband commented to me, "Well, since you are making me go to school, I think that we should wait to have kids till you go back to school and finish!" So I did. I busted my butt, took way too many classes and had alot of late night homework sessions all the while I was still teaching at Challenger and the 1st counselor in the Young Womens Presidency. To make matters worse, I thought I should cram my last 7 Psychology classes into one semester instead of 2 :) ha ha... yeah, I am seriously an idiot. I have cried myself to sleep many nights wondering what I was doing, seen my husband a totally of maybe 2 hours a day (not counting while we are sleeping) and moved into a new house and all the while, have actually maintained A's in all 7 of my classes. Who would have thunk. Heavenly Father really does bless you when you are doing what is right, I guess. Well, folks, this is it. My last 9 days as a college student. It is about freaking time! Who cares how long it has taken me to do this, or what my final GPA will be, all that matters is that I did it!!! If any of you want to send me Congratulation Thoughts via ESP on May 1st at 8 in the morning, they would be greatly appreciated :) "Done, done done done done done"... (that was the Graduation Song for those of you who couldn't tell... ha ha ha)

It's about time!!!

It's about time... seriously! We are finally in our new house. There has been massive drama with our house. Seriously, we should write a book called, "How not to buy a house" ha ha... Well, it is late, but I will update everyone. Quite the story... keep checking for the update and more pictures of our cute house. Can I get a "Hip Hip Hooray" for new houses?

What is this world coming to?

I have to wonder what this world is coming to when people start stealing other people's Welcome Mats? Seriously peeps... they only cost 20 bucks at Target! If you are that hard up for a front door mat, please come talk to me and I will loan you the money, but don't steal mine! That is all!
PS- If you were the one who stole it, if you kindly return it to my front door, I won't ask any questions, I won't call the cops, I won't bother you any more... just please return it. My front door is lonely :(

Our New House!

Derek says we are officially adults because we bought a house and got a Costco card all in the same week! Can i get a raise the roof for being an adult? Our house is in Herriman which is about 10 to 15 minutes away from where we live now in West Jordan. For those of you who want to know, it is 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms with an unfinished basement for Dereks man cave. 2 car garage with about 2,300 square feet. I love it! Here are some pictures of it. There is the kitchen which we are getting all new stainless steel appliances, the one with the brown wall is our Monster Master Bedroom ( you can't tell from the picture but it is huge!). The red wall room is the front room ( yea for accent walls) and there is a little makeup counter right out side the master bath just for me! Remember that it needs some TLC, which I am excited to give! Didn't get a picture of the front because it was dark the last time we went over there. I will post one as soon as I remember to take one when we are there and it is light. We are closing on it in a couple of weeks and then we get to go in and major clean and then move in... Yea for no more apartments! I have to give a quick tribute to our wonderful apartment that has been our home for the last 2 years. We have had tons of memories and it was our first place when we got married. I will miss that cozy little place of ours, but it is time for bigger and better things!

It's about time...

Yea we are buying a house! Yea for being an adult! Pictures to come!

Better Late than Never

So, this year for my new years resolution, I want to make my life more interesting by doing more things. I found this list of "Things you have done" and thought it was interesting.Do it yourself. First you copy and paste this and then bold the ones you've done and tally up your score.
1.Been in a car accident
2.Started your own blog
3.Slept under the stars
4.Played in a band
5.Visited Hawaii
6.Watched a meteor shower
7.Given more than you can afford to charity
8.Been to Disneyland
9.Climbed a mountain
10.Held a praying mantis
11.Sang a solo
12.Bungee jumped
13.Visited Paris
14.Watched a lightning storm at sea
15.Taught yourself an art from scratch
16.Adopted a child
17.Had food poisoning
18.Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
19.Grown your own vegetables
20.Seen the Mona Lisa in France
21.Slept on a train
22.Had a pillow fight
23.Hitch hiked
24.Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
25.Built a snow fort
26.Held a lamb
27.Gone skinny dipping
28.Run a Marathon
29.Ridden in a gondola in Venice
30.Seen a total eclipse
31.Watched a sunrise or sunset
32.Hit a home run
33.Been on a cruise
34.Seen Niagara Falls in person
35.Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
36.Seen an Amish community
37.Taught yourself a new language
38.Had enough money to be truly satisfied
39.Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
40.Gone rock climbing
41.Seen Michelangelo’s David
42.Sung karaoke
43.Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
44.Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
45.Visited Africa
46.Walked on a beach by moonlight
47.Been transported in an ambulance
48.Had your portrait painted
49.Gone deep sea fishing
50.Gone without food or water for 24 hours or longer
51.Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
52.Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
53.Kissed in the rain
54.Played in the mud
55.Gone to a drive-in theater
56.Been in a movie
57.Visited the Great Wall of China
58.Started a business
59.Taken a martial arts class
60.Stayed up for 24 hours with NO sleep at all
61.Served at a soup kitchen
62.Sold Girl Scout Cookies
63.Gone whale watching
64.Got flowers for no reason
65.Donated blood, platelets or plasma
66.Gone sky diving
67.Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
68.Bounced a check
69.Flown in a helicopter
70.Saved a favorite childhood toy
71.Visited the Lincoln Memorial
72.Eaten Caviar
73.Pieced a quilt
74.Stood in Times Square
75.Toured the Everglades
76.Been fired from a job
77.Changed a lightbulb
78.Broken a bone
79.Been on a speeding motorcycle
80.Seen the Grand Canyon in person
81.Published a book
82.Visited the Vatican
83.Bought a brand new car
84.Mowed the lawn
85.Had your picture in the newspaper
86.Read the entire Bible
87.Visited the White House
88.Killed and prepared an animal for eating
89.Had chickenpox
90.Saved someone’s life
91.Sat on a jury
92.Met someone famous
93.Joined a book club
94.Lost a loved one
95.Had a baby
96.Seen the Alamo in person
97.Swam in the Great Salt Lake
98.Been involved in a law suit
99.Owned a cell phone
100.Been stung by a bee
Score: 45 out of 100...I'd say not too bad for only being 25. Boy, there is so much left to do!

"Remember Who You Are!"

Today was a hard day, and yet one that I would have not traded for the world. My Grandpa McCleary... or more commonly known as Grandpa Mac, passed away yesterday (January 9, 2009) at 3:15 in the afternoon surrounded by family and loved ones. He was fighting an ongoing battle with Alzhiemer's Disease, and finally lost. It is never an easy thing to say goodbye to someone who means so much to you. I consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world to have the special privledge of being one of his granddaughters for time and all eternity! My grandpa was a pretty important person here in Utah. He was known as "Jumping Jerry" to many and principal, teacher, coach, or Mr. McCleary to others. He was the first principal and opened up West Jordan high school, and when he retired, they named the football field after him. If you are ever in West Jordan, take a drive up Jaguar Drive to West Jordan High School and take a look at "McCleary Field". Grandpa was always very interested in his grandchildrens lives and loved giving us advice on school, boys, life and church. He aways would remind us to "Remember who you are". I hope that I can carry on my grandpa's good name and make him proud of who I am and what I will become. I love you grandpa and I will miss you so much. Thanks for letting me be a part of your legacy!