One Week Down...39 More to Go

The first week of school was exciting, stressful, hot, and fun. I am SO glad that it's over. I think the first week is the hardest. Here are the highlights:

-We have no air conditioning (despite the construction all summer at my school to put it in, no cold air just lots of dust and nails on the floor) and this week was one of record breaking heat in ole' Salt Lake City. Many schools in the valley made attendance "optional" and my sister substituted for a teacher who had heat stroke. Us? We just trudged thorough in a 95 degree classroom. Those poor kids begged me not to send them to recess. We're crossing our fingers for air after this week.

-I've got 29 students: 46% hispanic, 40% white, 7% polynesian, and 7% black. That's a bit more diverse than last year. The biggest difference between my last class and this one though is not their ethnicity. Last year I had an academically high class. This class is...a little less than high. I've only got 11 students that tested to be "on grade-level" this week, that is "on grade-level" for the beginning of the year, not where they need to be by the end. I have several resource and ESL students and two little autistic boys. I've got my work cut out for me.

-At the end of the first day we wrote in our journals about the first day and coming back to school. I think almost every student wrote that they were happy to have a nice teacher, maybe it was just too soon. I got several hugs. One of my students said I was like Miss Honey from Matilda, now that I have reached teaching perfection I'm just not sure where to go from here.

Take a look at the new room (looks a lot like the old room considering it's still all the same stuff but the rooms in the building are a bit more spacious than the old portables):

This American Life

With school starting back up soon, I've recommenced the commute to West Valley. On a good day I can make it in about 25 minutes each way. On a bad day...it can be rough. I've gone through cycles of what I do during that time: radio, books on CD, general conference talks, podcasts, mormon channel, ipod music, silence, calling people and having long conversations, etc. The best of all the game is This American Life.

Heather introduced me to this podcast years ago and it was a life saver during occasional long hours of data entry at the Admissions Office where I worked through college. I hooked the rest of the office onto them and we'd all search through the archives and write our favorite ones down for each other. I am confident that I have listened to almost every episode. 

The point of the podcast is just to tell stories. They pick a theme and then find stories from people's "American Lives" that go along with the theme. It is incredibly entertaining. 

After years of research, I suggest one of the following to begin with:

Something For Nothing, Break-Up, or Mistakes Were Made. Please enjoy and let me know what you think. 

Back to Reality

This week I went from the dreamiest summer...

Back to the ole' grind stone. Monday was the first day I was able to go into my school all summer. We've been getting new air conditioning in the building so the last day I was in was the day I packed up my old room, dropped off my boxes, and frolicked off for summer vacation. It was overwhelming and depressing to go back in to a room covered in a healthy layer of construction dust, boxes to unpack, and cabinets still full of other teachers left behind junk. It's been a long two days but things are coming along (pictures to come when it actually looks presentable, probably next week).

Umm, Jayme, is that a piano in your room? Why yes, yes it is. What a prize for me to get to push around my classroom.

Raise the Debt Ceiling

Bernanke makes it rain.

Girls Camp

Last week I got to spend the whole week at girls camp. What an experience. We had just under 30 young women and about 5 leaders at any given time. I was stinky and greasy and so ready to come home by the end but we had a great time. 

We crafted...so many crafts (not my forte)

We acted...skit night, very interesting

We hunted...snipes, we caught a few

We served...tutus and hat flowers for little girls with cancer, cutest service project

We hiked... unfortunately I was not able to pass along my love of hiking to the girls, this was (almost) the worst hike ever

All of the leaders in all of our glory. The ones that look cute are the ones that just came up for this night, the rest of us have...inner beauty, lots of dirt, little sleep

I can't believe I'm saying it but it has been a few days, I hope I get to go again next year!

Whipple Service Champions

Today was the 16th visit from Whipple Heating and Air Service Champions since we moved into our townhouse just over a year ago. I sincerely hope it is the last and I hope to sleep with my comforter on tonight and the two extra fans in our room off. 16 visits? Service champions? I have my doubts.

Brittany and Johan's Wedding

My cousin Brittany's wedding was so beautiful! Brittany and I are close in age and were good friends growing up. It was fun to go to her wedding and see how beautiful she looked. Her new husband is so nice and will be fun to have in the family. 

The ceremony

Our table at dinner (Stephen and Grandma Robinson didn't really want to smile in this one I guess)

The happy couple

Brittany's beautiful dress (with pockets!)

The cake

The gorgeous venue (Wadley Farms in Lindon)

Congrats Britt and Johan and thanks for letting us share your special day!

I'm an Aunt!

Stephen and I became a first time aunt and uncle yesterday! Congratulations to Chris and Nicole (Stephen's older brother and wife) on the birth of your amazing little boy. We hear that Nicole had quite the time so our hats go off to her especially. Thanks for brining some babies into our all adult family. 

The Greatest, The Greatest, The Greatest

This is photographic proof that my husband is the greatest. Despite generally disliking the Harry Potter craze (that is my Harry Potter craze) he went with me not once to the new movie but twice. We had tickets to go with my family the night after it opened but when we got a chance at tickets to the midnight movie (thanks again Morgan) he agreed to go with me twice, after maybe just a bit of coaxing. The midnight show was everything I hoped it would be with cheering crowds and fanatics dressed up as every character I could think of. The award for best dressed goes to Voldemort on the left, so amazing.

I know I am nerdy for loving Harry Potter but I just can't help it. I read the first book when I was in sixth grade and the last in college. I'm sad that it's all over but at least I'll get to enjoy the seventh movies one more time when my brother Spencer gets home from his mission. Glad I had Stephen to fill in for him and support my oddities. Maybe I'll finally get him to read the books one day.

My New Favorite Mountain

I love the mountains in Utah. Since Stephen and I got our bikes this spring we have gone on a beautiful canyon ride almost every weekend, the hills can be killer but you can't beat the scenery. This weekend we went up American Fork Canyon/The Alpine Loop. It was a gorgeous ride and the views of Mount Timpanogos were stunning.

Stephen is always so far ahead of me. He's nice to wait up sometimes but I'm not sure about the pictures of me riding (sometimes crawling) up a hill.

This is just a small taste of what we got to enjoy, pictures never do something this wonderful justice.

If I haven't convinced you that this is a worthwhile view I should mention that you can drive the whole thing. It will go by faster but it's beautiful from a car as well. Stephen and I drove this route last fall when the leaves had changed and it was amazing. I think that Mount Timpanogos is my new favorite mountain in Utah.