Can we talk about how much I love this?

Just so you all know, I am alive. I didn't get swept away in the tsunami, or eaten by a shark (or my students). I have just been ridiculously busy. And kind of lazy. So this post is brought to you in picture form with minimal explanations.  I would like to apologize in advance to those of you who follow me on Instagram as you will have seen many of these pictures before. Enjoy!

 Sushi delivered on a conveyor belt. I don't hate it.

The culinary kids at school bring me food ALL.THE.TIME. I also don't hate this. 

 Are you getting a feel for all that I do here in Hawaii?

 One time I was volunteered to chaperone some children on a community service hike

You would think I had never seen a paycheck before the way I react every time I get one...

These are real sweet potatoes (Okinawan) NOT play dough

One time for a relief society activity we made ghosts for Halloween

Okay, really? How many of the things on this menu would you eat?

I obviously love grading things

The things I do on the weekends to support my department and children

Pumpkin Carving!

Sometimes I'm a demanding diva and make people play instruments for me. It's fine.

This picture, and the next 2 are drawings my FAVORITE 5 year olds (in Hawaii) did on my whiteboard one day when we were hanging out after school. Can you tell which one is me in each picture? I couldn't either.

I figured out the hard part of being in Hawaii

EVERYONE (this is obviously an exaggeration) is sassy

and I am sassy, but they are out sassing me

which I am not used to

I am used to being the sassy one, and now that I have all this sassy competition I don't know how I am supposed to act

It is an interesting game of trying to figure out how I fit into the Hawaii culture, and the only thing I feel right now is that I don't quite fit

I am too white

But everyone is still nice and welcoming, I am just trying to figure out how I am supposed to act around people and this is one of my least favorite discoveries any time I have to do it

really people though, come visit me! You will love it!

If you want to read an update on hawaii go here!

6 days into my stay in Hawaii and I haven't been to the beach yet

But let's be honest, there will be plenty of time for that

I have been to a lot of meetings where I have fallen asleep

(educators and administrators can be so boring sometimes)

I still have no clue what I am teaching, and school starts in about a week

but if they aren't worried about it, then I am not going to let myself be worried about it

My classroom is a MESS

The previous teacher left everything, including 4 layers of dirt, in the classroom and I don't even know where to begin with cleaning it

Thank goodness my mother came with me, I honestly would not have been able to make the move as smoothly without her assistance

For reals, my mom is the best

She has spent so much time cleaning my new house, my classroom and teaching me how to drive stick

and just generally taking care of me and being my mom

Within the next few weeks I should be able to establish more of a routine and figure out my classes and such

then I expect LOTS of visitors!

So remember that one time when I said I turned down a teaching job in Hawaii?

Well I am moving there.

Tomorrow.

Life has a funny way of not turning out how you expect, but at the same time being exactly what you expect

you know?

Wish me luck on my new adventure

I am pretty terrified of having my own classroom

Who thought it was a good idea to give me a diploma and a teaching license?

I have become a terrible texter

It all started when I got my new phone in January(I think that's when I got it...)

I misspell words ALL the time 

(turns out making the switch from t9 to a full keyboard is tricky business)

and I forget to text people back

I am going to blame this mostly on the following factors:

1. Having a full time job AND a part time job

2. Living at home, which leads to 

3. Not caring about my social life very much, because I don't really have a social life here

All these factors combined have led to me being a terrible texter and I apologize from the bottom of my litte heart to everyone who has texted me within the past 6 months

Please forgive me

A quick run down

Got 2 summer jobs

Thanks to Miss Emily and Miss Morgan I am making {and saving} lots and lots of money

(okay, not that much, but more than I have ever had in my life)

Thanks to Anna I got a job offer for a teaching position in Hawaii 

that I turned down (which is another story entirely)

I have started making friends in Arizona

ones that I plan on leaving come August

but ones that are good to me and help make my time here more enjoyable

I am still looking for a grown up job

teaching

training

designing

really anything that won't make me hate my life

and exploring the option of moving back to Provo

only time will tell

Real talk

I would love for my children to be like this

5 years ago this was happening

and about a month ago this happened

and then a week later this happened

I mean, really, what else is there to accomplish with my life?

For more wonderful pictures from this marvelous wedding check out the slideshow from the talented Lexy Popa!

EVERYONE!

listen to this

NOW!

Guys

I'm totally a ward project

and all I can do is laugh

and think they are about 4 months late

Really obsessed with this song right now

Simply Perfect

Why Ron Swanson is the greatest TV character ever and why you should all watch Parks and Rec

(I came up with that title all on my own. Be Impressed)

I have this thing when I am in public where I convince myself that no one can hear me singing

So I sing out loud, in public, all the time.

It has only gotten me in trouble a few times and only resulted in awkward situations a handful of times

Today I was called out again, but I was fine with it

I was at Costco filling lil' red up with gas

quietly (Or so I thought) singing the one that got away i'm a little obsessed these days - it's fine

All of a sudden there is an old man who works at costco standing next to me

asking me how I am doing

then he leans in close and says, do you know any good ones?

I awkwardly laugh and then realize he is referring to the song I was just singing

to which I reply

"Unfortunately not"

He starts laughing and I get in my car as fast as I can

and feel my face turning red

whatevs

Here's some happiness for your ears

After reading this article, my newest life goal is to travel across the country by train. It sounds so dreamy and romantic, and highly entertaining depending on the people you come across. No one can make me think otherwise. Nathan, can we please please please do this?

I am doing this thing where I work out several times a week

and when I say work out I really mean I am just running/doing leg exercises

but it is going to evolve into working out more of my body

and eating better (juicing some things)

and possibly lead up to a 5k

and dare I say the ragnar?

we shall see

Beautiful

Gets me every time

Warning, you may need some tissue

The inventor of the web cam might be my most favorite person

EVER

I can't wait for Feb. 21st

In case you guys were wondering I am alive

My life consists of this:

5:00am - wake up

6:00am(ish) - Arrive at school

6:30am-3 or 4pm - Teach the ninos, plan, eat lunch and other school related activities

4:30pm - arrive home

5pm-9pm - watch tv shows/movies in my bed, nap, eat stuff, maybe attend a high school athletic event

9pm-10pm - shower, get ready for bed, make my lunch for the next day, other responsible activities

10pm-5am - sleep

Then the weekend comes and I stay up until 2am every night and party hard

and die when monday morning comes

I had a (fantastic) birthday recently and I am getting old

But I am pretty okay with that

I like being old these days

For my birthday I got

A beautiful lei overnighted from Hawaii (thanks meggie!)

A roundtrip flight to Boston to visit Raquel

tickets to the Sleeping Beauty Ballet (she's my favorite princess)

Clothes money since I have to dress all professional like

All in all I was very pleased

I still need some Utah (or Nevada... Nathan...) visitors

The weather is nice so don't be shy!