The Season for Baby Showers

The other night, I went to my friend Leisy's baby shower.  Most of the evening was spent talking about pregnancy, the ups and the downs, baby names, different sicknesses during pregnancy, deliveries and so on.  I loved being there with all of the girls, but I didn't have much to contribute to the conversation. 

Towards the end of the night, I was talking with Aleese and as I looked around, I realized that I was the only one there that was NOT pregnant.  I couldn't help but laugh at the situation.  Right now, there are 13 women at church that are pregnant.  That is an insane amount!  There are also several that are trying to adopt and a couple that just had a baby.  There is only one other couple that does not have kids/not pregnant.  The next couple months are going to be full of baby showers.  I better learn how to make a diaper cake now.

14 Questions for Valentine's Day

This post is for the comment that asked for the update.  I just haven't had a lot going on lately to write about.  I also thought my mom was the only one that reads my blog.  So here is a new post for you!  My friend Marjorie did this same questionnaire and asked all her blogging friends to do the same. 

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

Our first date was December 2009, so 2 years and 2 months

2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}

I first saw Travis in an institute class and I referred to him as the cute blonde boy.  Later, we were introduced to each other by our friend Caleb, but it never went anywhere.  It wasn't until he moved into my ward and we were in the same family home evening group that we actually became friends.  The rest is history. 

3. If married, how long have you been married?

7 months!

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding?

We were married in the Washington DC temple.  It was a small wedding with just our family and close friends.

 5. Do you have any nicknames that you call one another?

We are working on that.  Mostly we just call each other babe.

6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.

He takes really good care of me when I am sick.

We can laugh together.

He is a very hard worker.

7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?

It is a long story.  Here is my version and his.  He is a better writer than me, so I would read his. 

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?

He is the romantic one.  I would say strawberries, sparkling cider and rose petals.

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?

For Valentine's Day...sunset dinner on the beach.  Our normal date is watching a movie on the couch. 

10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?

My dream is to go to Tahiti!  I would love to go and relax there with Travis!  Beautiful place!

11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day. 

I will write about our Valentine's day later.  We will probably do something this weekend too!  He proposed to me this time last year!

12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day?

No

13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love. 

I don't have a long time of experience, but my advice would be to laugh often.  Laugh with each other, laugh often, and laugh instead of getting mad!

14.  Show us a picture of what love means to you.

Movie Night

For those of you that don't know, I work with the 12-13 year old girls at church.  A couple of the girls have been asking to have a get-to-know you night because we have had several girls join our class lately.  Well, do you know what that means?  I kicked Travis out and hosted a get-to-know you/movie night.  There were 8 girls, another leader and her baby that came to my little apartment.  Travis was worried that we wouldn't have room for all the girls to sit, but you decided.

This was the most eventful night I have had in a while.  We ate pizza, watched Enchanted, played fruit basket turnover, murder in the dark, and of course socialized and laughed!  Oh what it would be like to have as much energy as they did!  There was not a quiet moment all night!  I forgot what it was  like to be a teenager, but they reminded me quickly.  Teenagers love to talk, laugh, squeal, and they never sit still!  I loved every minute of it, but I flopped in to bed as soon as they left because I was so tired.

They have decided that they want to do a get-together every month because they had so much fun.  I vote a bigger house next time!  (or maybe I can convince Travis that we NEED to buy a house now)

Substituting

Substituting is waaaaay different than teaching your own class.  I have really tried to get as much as I can out of this experience.  Some days I love it, but other days I hate it and just want my own class again.  Today was a day that I loved, so I decided that I would make a list of things I love about substituting.

• I get to see a lot of different daily routines.
• I get to see a lot of different management strategies.
• I get to see a lot of different reward systems.
• I get a lot of new ideas on how to teach a specific objective.
• I get a lot of new activity ideas.
• I meet tons of new students.
• I get to meet lots of principals (good for next year)
• I see different strategies for preventing behavior problems.
• I don't have to write lesson plans.
• I don't have to prep everything.
• I don't have to deal with report cards.
• I don't have to deal with parents.
• I don't stay up all night trying to think of ways to challenge the student that is way ahead of the class or ways to help the students that are falling behind.
• I don't have to stay up worrying about how to help a specific student fit in socially.
• If the class is horrible, I only have to deal with them for a day and be done.
• I get to be the "nice" sub
• I actually leave work on time.
• I get lots and lots of hugs
• I get to start every day fresh
• I make my own schedule
• And the number one reason (not really): I have students spreading a rumor that I am a model.  hahaha...Let's just say that it made my day!!

Studying

I should be studying right now.  I purposefully didn't schedule any days to work this week so I could study, but for some reason I can not find the motivation to do it.  I think I have forgotten how to study to be quite honest.  I will study for an hour and start to get distracted.  I don't have the studying stamina that I used to.  Now I have to bribe myself to get it done.  Only one more day of it then I have my test.  Then my life will be mine again!  I have never liked studying, but now it is probably one of the top three things I like to do least.  I can do hard things!

6 Months!

Today marks 6 months that Travis and I have been married!  In some ways it seems so short and other ways it seems like a long time.  This past week, Travis spent any free second studying and then was away in Texas for the weekend taking his final certification exam, so we had no time to celebrate.  This week, I am spending every free second studying and on Saturday I am taking my Ohio teaching certification exam, so we will have no time to celebrate.  Boring huh?  Well, let me assure you that the past 6 months have been anything but boring.  Here are a few things that have happened (in no particular order):

• Obviously, we got married.  :)
• I went on my first cruise
• We went on 1 trip to Oregon (reception)
• We went on 3 trips to Georgia (reception, Thanksgiving, Christmas)
• Travis totaled 2 cars (neither were his fault)
• We bought 1 new car and another one on the way
• We took a trip to Chicago (my first time)
• We visited 3 temples for the first time (Chicago, Columbus, Washington DC)
• I got 2 new jobs
• We have been apart 2 times  (1-I was visiting my grandparents. 2-He was taking his exams)
• Travis finished his residency! YAY!
• We both got new callings-Mission Prep teacher/YW Presidency
• We became the "go to" couple because we don't have kids (I love stealing other peoples' kids so I am ok with it.)
• We play a weekly game of Qwirkle (I always win)
• We have made lots of new friends
• We have learned how to compromise
• I am still learning how to cook
• And we fall in love again every day

I can't wait for another wonderful 6 months!

Insanity

I have decided that I don't really do New Year's Resolutions.  I like the idea of evaluating my life at the beginning of the year and seeing things I can change, but I don't like setting unrealistic expectations.  I try to constantly work on something new.  I feel like it is a never ending process. 

Anyways, now that you know where I stand on that, Travis and I began the Insanity workout program at the beginning of the year.  We both keep saying that we want to work out more consistently and this helps hold us more accountable.  It is not a resolution, so if I miss a day I don't have to feel like a failure. 

It is a 60 day cardio program.  We even took before pictures so that we can compare them at the end.  (I will spare you the pain of seeing them)  I am really excited to see the results.  I just know that for now, I feel like an old woman getting out of bed every morning because I am so sore. 

I will get back to you on March 1st with our results.