.the works!

We saw our first fireworks show of the season last night with the family! It was pretty spectacular!

I am still so excited that it’s summer. I went on two walks with Air’s Momma and Tiana before the fireworks show last night it was so nice!

In other news:

1. At church today I got asked to go help out at Young Women’s camp again this year!! AHH! haha

2. We’re coming to Utah at the end of next month! Plus, Air’s family is coming along for the first week! We're hoping to get a deal at Lagoon. Anyone have coupons or their Stake Lagoon Day during the last week of July?

3. Seminary graduation was yesterday morning. It is so fun to see those kids as they graduate from high school and enter the real world as adults. Plus, I got officially released…

4. I just baked a cake! Want some?

Pretty exciting stuff!

.My work here is done

Seminary is over. Today was the last day.

It's especially bittersweet for me this year since I've decided that it will be my last. I will miss it for sure.

BUT, I'm already feeling a bit relieved and a little excited to figure out what I can do now that I'll have some free time. Awesome.

I love these kids (even though they kinda put me through the wringer this year) and I’m so glad to know that a few of them love me too! I really hope that I served as their teacher the best that I could and didn’t lead them too far astray. And if I did, I hope that their teacher next year can bring them all back? haha

I love you too, Bethany and Ava Masked Mormons! :)

.D&C Minute to Win It

I organized a little Minute to Win It game for my seminary class this week. We play different games every Friday and this game was great for these kids because it got most of them pretty involved and playing. Of course, there are always gonna be those kids in my class who don’t care about being involved in anything, or the kids who complain about every little thing; but it was mostly really great! Do you wanna know how to play? Ok!

I divided the class into two teams and let them choose team names. (‘Golden Monkey Bosses’ and ‘United Order’)

I gave them a scripture mastery clue or a clue about a modern day prophet. Whichever team gets the right answer gets a point, and a chance to get a second point by playing a Minute to Win It game. (I assigned a student to keep score and another one to take pictures)

Here are the games:

Hymn-inos

Barbara knocked the books over and got them to hit the finish line within a minute.

Cookie Face

I let the whole team try this one. If anyone could get a cookie from their forehead to their mouth with no hands in a minute they win. Both teams tried, only two kids could do it. (this game is my FAVORITE)

Rapid Fire

Casson tried to knock the cans off the table with rubber bands but couldn’t do it in a minute. So the other team got a chance too. Not easy!

Nut Stacker

Aiden tried to stack eight nuts on top of each other in a minute, but could only get five. The other team tried and got the same.

This Blows

Casson had to use a balloon to blow 15 plastic cups off the table. He did it, easy.

I had more games planned, but we ran out of time! Maybe next time? Too bad I didn’t think of this game earlier this year, the school year is over in just two and a half more weeks! WOAH!

.Great Day in the Morning!

I had a most excellent morning today and I wanted to share it.

Early morning seminary we had a guest. Brother Patrick (the north-western Canada Seminary coordinator) came to our class to show us his re-enactment of Willard Richards from Carthage Jail at the time of Joseph Smith's martyrdom. It was excellent, Bro. Patrick is such an amazing teacher. I taped some of it for Air to see what he missed.

*he had this replica made of Joseph Smith’s little six-shooter

***************

My favorite breakfast. Sesame seed bagel covered in strawberry cream cheese with a side of strawberries and Kiwi's. Two delicious fruits that are very similar in taste.

I like to eat kiwi's with the skin on. I know, I'm a freak!

***************

Air and I have a new favorite item in our home. It's this workout game for the Kinect--EA Active. I highly recommend it. It’s really great because it sees you and tells you what to do and every workout you do is different. It also comes with this heart-rate monitor. Awesome. We've been working hard to get off those extra winter pounds.

Please let me lose those extra winter pounds… I am such a fatty.

.Love Month

Some things that I love.

On this, the loveiest month of all.

1.

This beautiful framed mirror we picked up a few months ago at Jysk for $20!!

2.

These ceramic trees were a Christmas gift from Air’s Grandma this year. I loved them so much I couldn’t bring myself to put them away with the Christmas decorations, so we’re pretending they’re ‘winter decorations’.

3.

This little acorn we found in Nauvoo last summer.

4.

Seminary students who love me. Even when they are eating cake during mutual the night before class.

I don’t think they call it “mutual” anymore. Do they?

5.

One last thing--I love my Air. Although I’ve been telling him lately that I don’t love him anymore because I “more than love him”. Maybe that’s where charity starts? I charity you Air-bear!

ooxxooXoXXx

.released

A little while ago my Air-bear was released from his church calling as a seminary teacher, because of his illness and inability to be there to teach early every morning.

...surprise!

To be honest, I haven't talked about it on here because we're very very sad. Its pretty much the saddest thing yet, aside from Air being so sick. Air loves teaching more than anything and it was perfect for us to prepare our lessons together, go to seminary and teach our classes together. His students love him and miss him too.

I'll be teaching alone from now on. That's a difficult thing to know.

Life throws us curve balls and we just work through them. It can't always go how we plan or how we expect.
Well, maybe it does for some people? But it definitely hasn't for us.

We can't complain though. We manage to be happy through whatever pathways life takes us. I love my life. So much. I'm incredibly blessed even though I can easily tell you that I didn't think I'd be where I am now at the age of (almost) 26. I'm still in a very good place at the age of (almost) 26. (Yikes! Am I really almost 26?)

There is just nothing to complain about here.

We have faith that everything happens for a reason. Most of the time that reason is unknown to us.

And I still have a feeling that things will get even better eventually. And that gives me hope. And hope gives me peace. And having peace brings me even more happiness. And having happiness is the best thing ever.

So, for now I'll just be teaching a class every day on my own, and Air will be enjoying his new calling as the ward employment and welfare specialist. He's gonna be great at it.

He's incredible at everything he does.

.Talent

Welcome to the Second Annual Seminary Talent Show!

Last year I decided to have a talent show at Christmas time so we could think of the gifts that God has given us as we think of the gifts that Santa is giving us. We wanted to celebrate our talents and each other. Knowing these kids has been the best gift for Air and me.

And they have so much talent!

Sharissa played the piano beautifully

Daniel showed us his incredible k’nex creations

Ava and Karissa sang us a song and played the guitar. They are amazing!

Corey is really fast at solving a rubik’s cube… 00:01:09

Riley showed us all how to do a plié.

Grant played and sang us a couple of ridiculously good songs

Jared sculpted a chameleon (his favorite) out of clay while Barbara played a classical song

And Sharissa remembered she could hula-hoop just before everyone left.

Air and I sorta shared talents... we didn’t want to take time from the kids though.

I “made” cookies for everyone

And Air took a picture of all the kids who were there.

There were way too many kids absent for this day, and they definitely missed out. It was so much fun!!!