we may wait...

After experimenting with this Paul and I may just wait a while to have kids...



After a few attempts a more normal version of a human being appeared...

hopefully our genes combine a little better than these photo's predict:)

so this is what teachers do on their breaks...

Hello again!

We hope all is well with all of our loyal blog followers and that you all had a wonderful Christmas:) Paul and I are enjoying some time off of school... I've completely forgotten that I am a school teacher for the time being and am enjoying some extra sleep. Paul finished the semester really well and is going to be a TA for anatomy this coming semester! He's really excited, and I am excited for him! I am looking forward to seeing all of my darling 5th graders again... next week that is! Here is a few pictures...


The first ever Mt. Mahogany Chorus concert!
My darling students writing tehir spelling words in the snow!

Paul and I watching our friend Noelle at a Skeleton race in Park City... it was cold.

Not to shock you...

I know- two months without a post and then 2 in one day? I saw this on Emily's blog and I started thinking about it- it was nice to not think of school things for once! I decided to do it in school teacher fashion as best I could though...


I am - A 5th grade teacher.

I think - reverse psychology is a God send.

I want -to score well on my evaluation Thursday.

I have - 25 students.

I wish - I could keep my bookshelves organized Or anything organized for that matter.

I hate - after school meetings.

I miss - being able to see the sunshine.

I fear - that I won't get grades entered on time.

I feel - overwhelmed 95% of the time.

I hear - someone's watch going off. I've told them multiple times that it must go, but by the end of the day what 5th grader remembers to turn their watch alarm off so it doesn't drive their teacher crazy?.

I smell - the lingering scent of 25 5th graders who are hit and miss with deodorant.

I search - for information on plotting graphs for tomorrow's math lesson.

I wonder -If teaching will ever be easy:)

I regret - that I didn't talk to each one of my kids today.

I love - that I get to interact with 25 wonderful, kind, beautiful children everyday, and that some of them leave me little notes all over my stuff.

I care - so much about my loved ones, it's hurts sometimes. I can't change this of Emily's. Its so true.

I always - lose my whiteboard markers. And then find them in my pockets at night.

I am not - a good multi-tasker.

I believe - in not asking stupid questions.

I dance - for my kids when they sing for the traveling show. They are the only people on this entire planet that truly believe that I can moonwalk. I think I tore my ACL last time I tried.

I sing - to myself in the car. On the way home from school.

I don't always -hold my tongue. Sometimes I have to apologize to 10 year olds. I hate that.

I write - on the whiteboard the daily schedule so I don't get, "Mrs. McAllister, what are we doing today?"

I win -#1 teacher award. The post it note from Table 2 on my computer says so.

I lose - Everything that enters my hands.

I never - finish my work day before 5.

I listen - to what my kids are saying to their peers. This is a scary world we live in.

I can usually be found - sitting at my desk from 8-6 every day :)

I'm scared -that my kids won't score well on the end of year testing. Stupid NCLB.

I read - my kids papers so I can decode who's handwriting is whose, because once again, they didn't put their name on their paper.

I'm happy about - going on a run while its still light out.

One Year

I realize its been forever since I have actually sat down to compose something for all of our "faithful" blog followers. (Ha ha) but I frequently think about it! Paul and I are both doing well. We are living in Salt Lake and have a whole house to ourselves. We are about to celebrate our first anniversary this weekend! I can't believe how fast time flies. I don't know about all of you married people, but I feel like we're just getting started :) I'm still teaching 5th grade and I love it. Paul is working so hard in school. Put those two things together and our "together" time pretty much consists of sitting in the same room while he does homework and I do lesson planning. Some of the things we've done lately:

-gone to numerous swim meets to watch BOTH sides of the family (My mom coaches and my brother and sisters as well as Paul's younger brother all swim on the high school team. Its nice to be able to support multiple people at once:)

-had an uneventful but fun Halloween (from a schoolteacher's standpoint, Halloween should ALWAYS be on a Friday!!)

-Helped start the school's first ever choir:)

-Missed Michael (He's been gone more than 6 months already!!!)

- Had the hard drive on my computer crash and lose everything (That was not a highlight so much as an event of epic proportion.)
I have no other pictures- so here's a blast from the past (a whole year ago Saturday!)


Till next month:)

my class...

OK- so I know its been months since I've written. Mostly out of self-preservation. I'll admit also that we haven't done much that is worth posting about! I just thought I would post something quick about my class. I love them to pieces... but I am so ready for UEA. 

Just to give you an idea of how awesome we are... out of the entire 5th grade WE ran the most laps combined in our PE fitness challenge. 743 to be exact. Thats 165 miles total. This is us after our 2nd day of doing it and demolished the competition.

 

Hooray for UEA!!!

We're alive.

excused absence

yes, I realize we have taken a bit of a hiatus from blogging in the past few weeks/months. Let me assure you that we have been using our time wisely. To recap:

July 31- I found out that instead of teaching Computers as my contract stated I would be teaching 5th grade

August 1- Paul and I moved from our darling apartment in Orem to live with some friends in Salt Lake until they leave on their mission.

August 1-August 15- I don't see the sun. I am getting my classroom ready.

So there you have it. That's what we've been up to.

If that wasn't enough, here is the picture summary.

Our "Summer Vacation" up to the Alpine Slide

Hiking up to Silver Lake

Canyon trip with Larissa & Ryan

Brian Regan with Melody & Jonny

Saying goodbye to our primary class and moving to Salt Lake

Other fun things we've done this summer:

• I coached the summer rec swim team again and also taught swimming lessons

• Paul played numerous tennis matches and even convinced me to play with him!

• We took a trip to Kamas (or thereabouts) with Jill & Scott & Melody & Jonny and had a blast together

• Ran multiple 5k's
  
• Went to too many swim meets to count...

We had a great summer (however short it might have felt) and are now getting back into the swim of things for a brand new school year.