Official

Michael T. (MTB)

Bob Bennett

I love my mom and dad!

My family. My little brothers are bigger than me!

My grandparents!

My grandpa. My grandma couldn't make it because she had knee surgery. (Love you Nanny!)

My aunt Cristina, Uncle Jonathan, and cousin Ethan. Thanks for coming guys, I love you too!

Two of my favorite professors! Peggy on the top was one of my block professors, and Carrie on the bottom was my art integration professor (art integration=my absolute favorite class I've ever taken. One day I'll tell you all about integrating the arts into teaching the curriculum, if you're dying to know.)

Me getting my holder. I refuse to buy this picture (that explains the PROOF)

Some block friends. Another picture I refuse to buy.

The block room. Oh the memories (six hours a day for every freaking day of my life!)

K, so my brothers snuck out after I got my diploma and did this. They say it was done in my honor. I love them.

We have this thing about doing pioneer pictures.

Last Friday and Saturday I became an official graduate. My family was there, Bob Bennett spoke, my brothers wrote my name in the football stand, and I officially left Cedar City for good. I am a real adult now, yikes.

What I'm doing now:

1. Looking for a job

2. Substitute teaching (I've been in this Kindergarten class. I will share more about that later. I can honestly say I made the right choice NOT getting my emphasis in early childhood)

3. Voting for/cheering on/buying songs from Dewyze (someone out there should know what I'm talking about, or maybe I'm super pathetic...)

I am going to miss my time at SUU. I loved my time there. Cedar City is optional, but SUU is the greatest. My biggest class was 75 people, my teachers know my name, I've had 200 hours of practical experience in real classrooms (not including student teaching), and I learned so much and had so much fun doing it.

I had this awful dream Saturday night that I didn't pay for my cap and gown so I had to wear my blue one for graduation. It was scary. I'm pretty sure I did pay for it, but I will call SUU tomorrow just to make sure. But guess what?

I FREAKING GRADUATE IN 3 WEEKS!!!!

You are so invited and you can come to the after party at my house. My mom and I are going to make some announcements, if you want one, just let me know!

So I absolutely in love with the fourth grade. I really hope I get to teach 4th graders again.

I am looking for a job for the fall. So far I've applied to Tooele School District, Canyons School District, Jordan School District (I know), Morgan School District, and a place called Summit Academy in Draper. I have to try my hardest to stay in Utah for at least 3 years. I this scholarship thing that basically paid for my school, but in return I have to teach in Utah as many years as I received it or I have to pay it all back, plus some. So hopefully I can find something here. Pray for me. haha

Can I also say how much I love general conference? I didn't watch as much as I probably could have this session, but it was so fun to watch it with my family while we all fell asleep during the Sunday morning session. My family is da best!

My brother turned in his mission papers. He just needs a few more interviews and then he's official. We won't really find out where he's going for a couple of more months, but we have definately taken some guesses. My mom for sure thinks it's England. I think Texas or Canada. My dad think Cambodia. My other brother thinks Kansas. We will see. This summer is going to be rough with him leaving, but we are so proud of him and his decision to go. He's so great!

Quick Update

I'm a little busy right now, but I will give you a brief update in case you were all dying to know what's going on.

I am in the 4th grade now (in case you didn't know). I love it!! I love discussing football and Taylor Swift integrated with fractions and igneous rocks on a daily basis. It truly completes me. I will discuss more on my transition later.

I attended my first job fair. It was a good experience talking with representatives from different districts. I am thinking I like Tooele.

That's about all. Until I update next, you should all be jealous that I am friends with Evan Lysacek on facebook. Here's another link for you to study up on so you know and understand the importance of this event.

When my life is made into a motion picture show...

...THIS will be a scene. This will happen during the part when I find a job or when I win a lot of money. Do you sometimes wonder "if they make a movie about me, who will play me?" (It's one of my reoccuring thoughts before I go to bed.) I haven't casted myself yet, but I will be wearing a cute blue dress.

I have more to blog about, but I watched this movie instead. I loved it!

Oh, but if I were a recording artist I would want to sing like THIS. And if she actually recorded THIS I would totally buy it! (just fast forward to :56, and don't mind Kara's annoying-ness.)

Just something to blog about

*This is my last week in the 2nd grade. I am going to miss those little suckers! I am going to move up to the 4th grade next week. I am super excited! I have taken over my class and I am realizing how much I really can't wait to have a class of my own.

*I want to play the piano better. To help me out, I am using this:

No luck so far. I will keep you updated, since you are dying to know.

*I am going to be attending 2 career fairs in March. There will be some interviews going on with some districts. My advisor gave us some tips and highly reccomend us to wear our "power suits". I am thinking of purchasing this, but probably won't.


(I love shabbyapple.com!)

*My brother is working on his mission papers. On "Any Additional Information", he wrote "I don't like to talk to people" then changed it to "I hate seafood and I am extremely racist". (He erased it)

*This fool FINALLY got her mission call. Chile will be lucky to have her!

*I. Love. The. Olympics.

*A shout out to my aunts for making cute babies here and here.

*I graduate in May!!!

Thought for the night

I am so sick of baby names.

Seriously.

I think it's important for everyone to have some baby names picked out before you get pregant so all your crazy hormones won't effect your decision of what to call your child.

Seriously.

It was super bad in Cedar City, but it's pretty bad here too!

I don't care what you say but Jagger, Sundance, Dafton, Calico, Jersey, and Rodrick are not cute names.

Also, I don't care if your great grandma's name was Mabel. You shouldn't name your daughter that.

And just so you know, Jackson isn't spelled Jaxon, Jason isn't Jaysen, and Kelsey isn't Kelsee.

Also, why not save girl's names for girls and boys names for boys?

I say if you want to be unique, you should just name your kid James or Katie. No one has those names anymore.

I guess I shouldn't be so mean. But can I tell you how much I cringe when I hear "Dafton, come here!" It's usually a mom with big hair. (that may or may not have been a rude stereotype)

Some names I've heard really aren't that bad. I think some names totally fit the babies they belong to. Example, my friend's niece's name is Josie and she is definately one. And it makes more sense if the name actually has some meaning to it. Not in the meaningful "I'm going to name her Izzy because Grey's Anatomy is my FAV-OR-ITE!" way.

But anyway, name away people! Let your kid grow up with a weird name! Let them all grow up to be 80 year old Izacks who marry Jesslyn Raes. It could be fun to see.

Week One: Check

Me with my badge. Pretty legit, eh?

I am happy to report that I survived my first week of student teaching. I feel like I didn't need to survive it. I had so much fun! My teacher is super nice and the kids are so cute. There are 21 students 10 of whom are ESL and about 10 of them can't pronounce their "r's" which is my favorite.

Some highlights include someone throwing (thankfully in the hall), watching the class in an assembly by myself, faculty room gossip, teaching about Antarctica, and taking over the opening in the mornings. My teacher basically gave me this whole week, so wish me luck!

On a side note, one of my favorite movies is called Once. Actually, the movie is pretty alright but I LOVE the music. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are some of my favorites ever since I've seen the movie. I am listening to the soundtrack right now. One of my favorite songs comes from that movie. I was uncertain of Kris Allen from American Idol last season (and I know some people hate him) but he sang me some Falling Slowly and he gained a new fan (don't judge).

As another side note, can I say how I love Photo Booth? I do.

Happy New Year!

10 years ago in 1999 my family made a time capsule for New Year's Eve to open New Year's 2010. In our capsule we put in an old Comp USA ad so we could compare techonoloy, old newspapers, and we wrote letters to ourselves and wrote some of our favorite things. This New Year's Eve we opened it up and read our letters. I was a pretty smart child. This is me 10 years ago:

Dear Me,
Now I'm writing in 1999 when I'm 11 yrs old. Ten years have gone by and I should be 21 years old. I'm telling that it's been ten years and I hope you have spent my life wisely! You should be in school now and in a good college or university (such as BYU). You should have made a choice of being a lawyer or a teacher and I HOPE you thought about it carefully. I also hope you kept up with the piano and violin and maybe have learned how to play another instrument. If you want to be really smart, choose wisely who you want to marry or date. (But if you are married, I have one word to ask-Why?) Do you still like the people I like? (They were good friends so try to keep in touch!) Just to let you know, don't go out with anyone whose last name starts with a G, O, Q, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z. Please don't, they probably are bad luck! Well, have a fun time as an adult and don't let me down!
BYE!!!!
P.S.-Can you believe that people thought that after 1999 there would be Y2K and that everything that was run on computers would go out! What a laugh!

My Favorite Things in 1999
Favorite Color: Purple and Blue
Favorite Food: Ice Cream
Favorite Book: Harry Potter Books-J.K. Rowling
Favorite Game: Sattergories
Favorite Song: "That's the Way it is"-Celine Dion (seriously)
Favorite Kind of Music: Pop, Latin (???)
Favorite Movie: Prince of Egypt and Toy Story 2
Favorite TV Show: Boy Meets World, Caroline in the City, and Who Wants to Be a Millionare
Favorite Candy: Pop rocks
Favorite Past-time: Reading
Favorite Place to be: Room
Favorite School Subject: Math, Reading, Writing
Most Important Event of 1999: Max was born, moved to a new house, went to 6th grade

We are welcoming 2010 with open arms! Happy New Year!!!!

Monday:

I start student teaching.
Please excuse me while I spit out what I just threw up in my mouth.

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I may have forgotten I have this blog...or I'm just super lazy and like to read everyone else's blog.

Anyway...

I am home in the Provo land for good for now. This last semester was a tough one. Even though it was crazy, I think I am really going to miss my classes and the people in them. There were 31 people in the block with me and we had 5 classes all together in the same room, in the same seat, three days a week. Then when I we were all at the same elementary and middle school the other two days. Basically, everyone drove me crazy but I was sad to say goodbye. I am also going to miss the friends I made in Cedar City. Most of them are from what we call down there "up north" (because I just roll that way), but a lot of them are from Cedar or somewhere not "up north". Sad day. Plus I will miss my lovely roommates. I've had some pretty crappy ones (well 2 or 3), but for the most part I have gotten along and became close friends with most of them. I have missed my family and home like CRAZY!!! but I am so glad I moved out and had that opportunity to live with people I didn't know and did strange things (like date people who resemble Patrick Star). I have met some incredible people who truly have influenced my life. I will also miss my dear Native American friends. Some gave me grief, but they are so great! I will also miss Cody Alderson (just seeing if anyone is reading this)

I will now give you a brief montage of my life in Cedar City Utah (most photos taken by my more responsible friends who use their cameras) Oh and I am in most/every single one. Get over it.

Year One: My roommates minus one. The other one had to rush home to catch Oprah. Whatev.

My dear dear friend Sam. This was taken during a bad snowstorm that shut the school down (after my all my classes were done).


When Sam was my roommate, she sometimes drew little things for me. Like this.

One night we realized that good old Manzanita was going to be torn down that summer and we hadn't even taken a picture of it yet.

Ward Activity at Parawon Gap. It was freezing!

Seriously the best year ever!

Maturity at it's finest.


Halloween this year with a bunch of crazies.


I am the bull

The fire in New Harmony taken from Main Street in Cedar City. There was ash everywhere and the sky was orange for days.

At Kolob Canyons


Sam hosted this photo shoot her roommate and my roommate Syndi (not pictured...duh). I'm not sure what I am doing, but she used poster boards as reflectors. It was so fun!

Institute 80's dance.

Sam's idea to make our apartment look like a monster. We totally won 2nd place in our complex's Halloween decorating contest!

Enough of that...

I am going to be student teaching at Scera Park Elementary School in the 2nd and 4th grade. I am SO excited! I met my teacher today and she is way nice and it is a super cute school. I am living at home right now. It doesn't really feel like I'm home yet, just on Christmas break, but I'm sure it will hit come January 4th.

Anyway, that's basically what's been going on. I promise I will be better about updating my blog. I have the internet now and hopefully my computer will get fixed soon! That's another story...

Today I am wearing Berry Peach Lip Smackers

I am so bored at work today. It is the end of the term and there's an assembly. Basically, half of my kiddies are failing at least one of their classes...and yet they are partying it up at the assembly.

Oh well.

Last week, I was down in Saint George observing a school down there. It is a language emergent school where each teacher has a sort of team teacher. One day, the students will learn in English and the next day they will learn that same thing in Spanish and the other class will learn the first day in Spanish and the next day in English. I was in a second grade class and I was able to switch between the two classes. It was an interesting set up, but it was cool to see. I love the kids. They are my little amigos who called me maestra and I said little things to them like "muy bien Carlos" and "como se dice ______?" (I said that a lot). I loved the second graders because one minute they were sooooo onrey and tattled about everything, and then the next minute David lost a tooth and they were sooooo excited. Ballet West came for an assembly one day and my teacher had to hold an emergency recess afterwards to let them get their dance out...even the little boys. It was super cute. I sure miss them.

I also went home to see my other amigos in el Provo who live en mi casa. I sure miss them, but get this: I will be home for good in like 5 weeks!!!! Holy Cow!!

p.s. Sometimes I speak fake Spanish...the kind where I mix in Spanish words into normal English sentences. It drives my dad crazy! Haha

Yay

Do you likey my new layout?
Here's a shout out to mi madre for making it look good.
Gracias madre!

Ew

So if you ever feel way gross about eating something, just direct your attention to THIS website.
You won't feel so bad.

P.S. Will someone help me fix my blog?

So I guess I forgot I had this blog...

Sorry for no updates! I've just been kind of busy. Plus, my computer is super sick with 40 different viruses so I have to use my internet time wisely when I have access to it.

Here's what's been up:
-I am back working with my Native American friends. It's good to be back at work, making some money after going all summer without any! The majoirty of them are still failing and giving me grief about not wanting to do their biology homework because their teacher is so mean and failing their test on purpose will show him! I tell they really don't care, but they fail anyway. Oh well, I am glad to be back except someone keeps stealing all my post-it notes...

-School is a bit overwhelming. Gotta love them 18 credits! I am so happy to be almost done! I have taught some lessons and I am learning some really great things. We don't really take tests in my classes (which is very nice) but everything is assessed with lesson plans, evaluations, and portfolios. I love it! Yesterday we made learning centers and we set them up at the SUU preschool and we get to teach them today. My center is about music so we are making rain sticks and they are going to learn a song and play with their sticks. I am super excited!

-As a part of my block classes, I have a practium class. I was placed at Cedar Middle School in a 6th grade class. A few months ago, people would ask me what I want to teach and I would say, "the younger grades like 1-3" but I am seriously loving these 6th graders! I taught multiplication last Thursday and gave a few spelling tests. It's the greatest.

-I got called as a Relief Society teacher. The bishop told me he had high hopes since I was an education major (which means nothing, btw) My first lesson is this Sunday. Wish me luck!

-The other night, I went to Wendy's with my roommate. We went through the drive-through. I went to pay with my card and as she was handing it back to me, she threw it and it fell in front of my car. I then had to get out and go pick it up. This has never happened to me before and I have never seen this happen.

-I am pretty sure I am going to marry the student body president. Pretty sure. (I mainly just wrote this to see if anyone will read this. haha but seriously)

Anyway, that's what's been goin on. I'll be better with the updates!

So school has started. Yay!
I am a bit overwhelmed right now.
I turn in my student teaching forms next week as well as my license. Yikes!
This semester, I am going to be working in a 6th grade classroom. Gross!
But my roommates are really good. Yay!
I will blog more a little bit later.

Walking Talking IPOD Commercial-WTIC for short

School is starting this next week and everyone is crowding the parking lots at my apartment again.
This guy lived here last year and maybe again this year. We call him "The Walking Talking IPOD Commercial". WTIC dances down the street with his IPOD. It really is the funniest thing. One of my new roommates saw him last year and asked if she could film him and make him famous on Youtube. He took her and her friend to our clubhouse to show them his moves.
Enjoy!

Little kids make me laugh

So last night I hung out with my friend Liz who is getting married next weekend. We hung out at her new apartment because she quit her job and is bored and she needed a "study buddy" for the the class we "worked on" all afternoon. Her mom called and gave her a friendly reminder that she needed to send out Thank You's for her bridal shower. We headed over to Robert's Craft because I told her I could show her how to make easy little cards.

Anyway, while we were there, we were talking to our friends Brittany and Karli who work there. Then this little boy named Tony ran up to us. Liz, Brittany, and I all taught lessons in Tony's class during our art integration class. If you have seen the movie UP, he's kind looks like that kid.
He ran up to us and started talking to us about summer, and what class he was in next year, and if he was good his mom was going to buy him a balloon, and how his little sister eats paint, and lots of other things.

Then out of the blue he was like "So who's Robert?" and we were all like "Um...Robert?" then he was like "You know, the guy who owns this place?" We started laughing. Then he was like "Maybe he comes in at night time, when everyone is asleep" and we're like "Yeah, maybe". Then Tony had to leave.

Then Liz and I left and "worked on" some more homework.

That's what I did last night.

Seeing the light!

On Friday, I took my last math test before the final. I think I did pretty well, I studied liked crazy so I will now have to study double hard for my final!

Also on Friday, I got my letter officially welcoming me into the block. I am so nervous, but so so so so so very excited to be in the block. I got my schedule as well:

Monday
Methods of teaching Math 9:00-11:50
Tuesday
Practicum 9:00-11:00 and 1:00-3:00
Wednesday
Methods of teaching Language Arts 9:00-11:50
Methods of Classroom Management 1:00-3:50
Thursday
Methods of teaching Social Studies 9:00-11:50
Methods of teaching Science 1:00-3:50
Friday
Practicum 9:00-11:00 and 1:00-3:00

It's going to be tough schedule, but I am way excited. School starts August 24th. I can't wait!!

Send Brandon home. Love, me

So I have to finish my class by this weekend so I am a little busy right now, so I will blog later on this weekend.

In other news, have you been watching So You Think You Can Dance? It is one of my favorite shows. Sadly, I will miss the show tonight but don't tell me who makes the top 4, k?

I want Evan and Ade to be the top guys. I am a big fan of voting for people from Utah, but Brandon seriously weirds me out and I think he is getting a whole lot of hype for nothing. (feel free to look him up if you must) Just saying.

I just really want Kayla in the top 2 girls. The other two Melissa and Jeanine annoy me, so I don't really care (yeah, I'm kind of bitter about Jeanette going home last week).

Anyway...

A few posts ago I said you should come and see me this summer and in return I promised you some cookies. Well guess what? Summer's almost over, so no cookies for you fool!

I got a call from Robert's Craft the other day and I won a free Cricut cartridge. It's the paper doll one. I love it. I have to write some lesson plans for my class. (Thank you for asking what they are about!) I had to pick a topic taught in all grades and write 5-10 lesson (a unit), then write 4 assessments-kindergarten, 1st-2nd, 3rd-4th, 5th-6th. The lessons are about health and feelings and emotions. I decided to tie it into the art curriculum as well. I have a book called "The Black Book of Colors" (one of my new favorites!) that describes the different colors and a song about the different colors and the rainbow. For the younger assessments, I made some little people with my new cartridge. I think they are pretty darn cute if I do say so myself. I still have a few more to dress up but here are a few of them.

k so maybe I'm crazy and you don't want to come and visit.

Anyway, I have to present my lessons on Monday. Usually in my regular classes, presenting a lesson means teaching the lesson to the rest of the class. Since you have to do a few times per class it's not too bad. Since this is a summer online class, presenting means teaching the lessons to 4 of my teachers...which may be kind of awkward. Good thing I know these teachers pretty well. The one I'm worried about is my actual teacher for this class. He is the department chair and he kind of scares me a bit. Oh well. I have to teach at least one from each group of assessments...I'm probably confusing everyone now and I'm sure no one is reading so I will just end it here. I'll let you know how it goes.