Dear School Year

You seem to have taken forever to get here, but alas, you are now upon me.
Thank you for the many highs and ever so more lows this year. I have experienced
many new and interesting things that I will carry into next year. This has truly
been a roller coaster ride of a year. Never have I been so stressed, so nervous,
or so grateful for my upbringing as I have this year. So many changes have happened.
School has officially destroyed my social life, but that's okay since summer is upon me and
a social life can begin again. No more stressful days and sleepless nights. You have
no idea how much I am looking forward to that first Saturday of the farmer's market
and finally being able to really clean the apartment. I also look forward to packing boxes
and searching for a new place to live. This summer is going to be full of surprises and
blessings. 2010-2011 school year, you are finally coming to a close. Only three full days
and two half days left. Thank you for everything (except the 20 extra lbs).

Love Always,

Katie =0)

Eight Grade Graduation

DONE and DONE! That is a huge load off my shoulders, whew! It was a nice evening if you are talking to one of the parents. To me, it was a little disastrous, but that's only because I know of all the mistakes and problems we had. If I did not have the help of some of the teachers there, it would have been a complete nightmare. Thankfully, I work with a group of dedicated teachers who are always willing to help at the drop of a hat. I think, after all the complaints and remarks about having to go to an 8th grade graduation, all the kiddos had fun. I saw some smiles on some kids that were doing the most complaining. Clark gave a great little speech, I was a little choked up, but I can control my emotions and get over it quickly. I know in a couple of years if I am still at this school, I know I will not be able to control my emotions. In 2013 my first class of sixth graders from my first year of high school will be graduating. It's been fun and a interesting watching them and guiding them through their teenage years. If my kids turn out like most of those kiddos, I will be one proud parent. Back to grad. I was amazed as to how many people attended. I had the kiddos set-up about 200 chairs for 72 (actually less since about 15 kids did not attend) graduates. We had to add about another 50 chairs to the set-up. Kids were bringing their mom, dad, gma, gpa, aunt, uncle, aaaaalllll the cousins, and their neighbors to an 8th grade graduation. It's almost as if they were graduating high school or college. I understand that for some families this is the highest level of schooling to be completed by a member of the family so it's a pretty big deal. I thought I had bought enough food with two full sheet cakes, two very large veggie relish trays, two very large fresh fruit trays, and a donation of six dozen cookies. By the time I got to the food, there was nothing, literally nothing, but a couple of carrot sticks and a few pieces of broccoli left. At least, I got some icing scraps, so that made me happy. As long as the guests had a good time and liked, that's all that matter. Only five days left and no more kiddos at work. It's going by way, way too slow.

Time to call some parents and work out some deals so kiddos don't get expelled. Have a great one!

A real quick shout out to my friend, Rebecca: Congratulations on your recent engagement! You are heading into one wild, exciting, tiring, full of joy experience. Have fun with it all, don't stress over the little things, and remember what you are preparing for. It makes all the difference.

Oh, and one more thing: The job in Utah is no longer an option. The position was filled, yeah! No Utah and 6 months of winter for me! Prayers are answered, no matter who is sending them. Also, Heavenly Father knows that I would not be happy in the frozen north during the winter. This means we are back to the drawing board and everything is really uncertain, but at east it's not Utah (so far).

He now knows how I feel every night I come home. It only took all school year for Leland to feel what I feel every night. Our roles were switched last night as I had some work to do at the real computer while he fell asleep on the couch at 8:00pm. I finally finished my work around 10:00pm and he got off the couch and said, "I now know how you feel every night". Finally, he saw the light or should I say the inside of his eyelids. I am happy he understands where I am coming from and why it is so hard for me to get back to the bedroom almost every night of the week.

I have been feeling like such a slacker and a horrible wife lately that I did something to say, "I'm sorry for slacking and making you do all the work lately. I love you!" Leland loves WWE. I personally don't care for it. But WWE is in SA tonight so I decided that I would give him a little gift, I bought him two tickets so that he could go with anyone he wanted to go with. I knew his first choice would be me, so I told him to take a friend. I am happy I did that because, in exchange, I get to go see Josh Groban Wednesday night with a friend. It's a fair trade.

I have been so crazy busy these past couple of weeks that I haven't had time to breathe, and this afternoon I get to take a deep breath. I just keep counting down my school year by the number of events I have left to go to. Tomorrow is NHS induction, Thursday is 8th grade graduation (I still don't understand why 8th graders need a graduation), Friday is Teacher Appreciation dinner and ward spaghetti dinner and auction for the youth camps this summer, Saturday is auxiliary training and NHS rummage sale, next Thursday is high school graduation and finally next Friday is the Senior Reception. Once that is over, summer can officially begin, if I make it to that point. All day I have been trying to tie up lose ends for the 8th grade grad and have been falling asleep behind my desk. I should say that I have been trying to fall asleep, no one ever lets me do that though. Only a few more events left.

Things are not looking too good right now for Leland in finding jobs in SA. All the places that told him to let them know when he finishes now have no openings. One person was asking about him, but his firm is up in Dallas. The other option, if he gets the job, is Utah Valley University. I told Leland about a week ago that I keep having this feeling that we will not be in SA much longer. I hate that feeling. I had that feeling before and it turned out I left. On the other had, I did have that feeling the summer Leland and I started dating but ended up staying and look what happened, something amazing! Anyway, I just want to know what is going to happen so I can start getting things prepared. I just hope we are moving to another apartment not another city or state. This is one time I wish I had the gift of being able to see directly into my future.

I better finish my work. I still have grad stuff to work on. Hope all is well with all of my followers, even if you don't ever read this or learn anything from it. Have a wonderful week!

Buh-Bye Lakers

The LA Lakers were swept by the Mavs yesterday. The Mavs! Really LA!? The Mavs, really!? And the way you went out? Classless, totally classless. I know it was only a couple of people, but a couple of people represent the whole team. I really hope David Stern steps up to the plate and suspends those players for their blatant attempts to hurt an opposing player. They should be suspended for at least the first 50-60 games of the next season. If there is a lockout of any kind next year then whenever the NBA regular season starts, those players should be suspended. On top of that, they should be fined at least $50,000. You may say I am being too harsh, but c'mon. These players are role models whether they want to be or not. They placed themselves in the soptlight. If they are not served with the most serious of consequences for their actions, then middle school, high school and college players will start doing what the pros do. Kids will alway mimic what their role models do. You may make a rebuttal that pros should not be role models, and I agree, but you have to look at reality. Realistically speaking, not many kids want to be like their moms or dads when they are barely getting by living from paycheck to paycheck. Heck, I didn't want to be what my mom and dad were because I thought we were poor. I wanted to be the first professional female soccer player to play for a men's team oversea's where they get paid millions of dollars, but reality struck when I got older. Now I have followed somewhat in my father's footsteps. Kids want the lavish lifestyle they see on tv and in the mags. They want to buy the fastest cars, the biggest houses, all the latest releases of everything and the best boats. How are they going to do that on the salary of a teacher or a janitor or a farmer. They aren't, so they look to the professional athletes and models and actors/actresses. They mimic their bad behaviors and think it's okay. "Those Lakers players didn't have any consequences when they played in that one game that one time so why am I getting punished for the same thing?" That is the mindset of impressionable minds. Lakers, you are ridiculous. One the plus side, Phil Jackson is retiring. I liked him when he was with the Chicago Bulls back in the day of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Steve Kerr, but he went to LA and became a sell-out. Buh-Bye to your championship dreams Lakers, buh-bye.

Dearest Students,

I love how you make me laugh everyday and keep my life very interesting. Your deeds of the day always give me something to talk about when I go home for the evening. I do not understand a few things. I wish you could actually explain them to me. Why do you not tell me what is going on then try to take things into your hands? Why do you tell your parents what is going on and when they say they are going to tell me you tell them not to say anything and that you will take care of it, but then you do not say anything to me? Why is it that when I talk to you about what happened and you write down everything that happened and signed it, after you talk to your parents new information arises? Why can you not tell me everything that has happened? Why must there always be a surprise visit by a parent with new information about whatever incident has occurred? I also can't seem to figure out how after I get one situation with you under control and over with, a new one always arises and it seems to be the same thing with different people. I just don't get it.
Please remember, even though you seem to think you are, you are not adults. You do not know how to handle things appropriately. Hitting another person is not going to make it all better. You may feel better, but the problem is still there. Nothing has been solved, and you in turn, have become the bully. I understand you are trying to defend yourself, but did that person hit you before you hit them (and throwing a piece of paper at you doesn't count)? I just don't get it, please enlighten me.

Sincerely,

Me

No Life

This next month of my life is going to be the busiest ever! Let's take a look at my schedule for the month of May, shall we?

May 6 Multicultural Fair and Fundraiser Night

May 11 Dodgeball Tournament

May 12 PTO

May 13 Prom

May 19 8th grade Graduation

May 20 Teacher Appreciation Dinner and Ward Auction (hopefully I can do both)

May 26 Class of 2011 Graduation

May 27 Senior Reception

Every Wednesday is Young Women Night. Every Monday is volleyball night, Tuesday and Thursday nights are Body Pump, and Sundays are my only relaxing day with church. Social life this month? Not so much. I just have to get through this month then it's on to summer. I still have to work, but at least there will be no kiddos around for that time and I can come in later. Summer, you are so close but oh so far away. If I don' t think about you, maybe you will come faster =0) Have a great Wednesday!

After 10 Years. . .

the families of 9/11 have some closure. Last night Barak Obama announced that Osama Bin Laden had been killed. The Navy Seals did their duty and got that S.O.B. Thank you to all the military who have been working their tales off trying to get this guy and protect our soil! Without our armed forces, we would not be able to sleep peacefully at night. We would have to wonder if the next time we start our car it will be ht last. Thank you intelligence forces and armed forces.

Not to take away from this glorious moment, but I have to be the one to look at this realistically. Bin Laden may be dead, but that is not the end of the terrorism. His number two man is still out there and there are still many followers that are quite upset over this. We cannot rest. They are not going to try to strike now when everyone is on high alert. No, they will wait until everyone is at ease once again, like when 9/11 happened, then strike. They are not dumb people. Misguided and hateful? Yes. Dumb? No. Keep up your guard America, this is not the end. This is the last days as prophesied in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. The world will grow angrier and more resentful before it gets better. Am I ecstatic that Osama is now dead? Of course I am! Am I still cautious? No doubt about it. Living in TX is especially scary for me because we don't have the security on the southern borders that we need. I should know, I lived in EP for six years and saw what came across on a daily basis. If we don't get protection to our borders Bin Laden being dead won't mean anything.

To end on a positive, he is dead. What do you think of your 72 virgins now bin Laden? Are you taking that one back yet? The rest of eternity in perdition doesn't seem so great now does it? At least you can no longer terrorize people on this earth. Now, families and to some extent the USA has some closure knowing that the ring leader of 9/11 has been sunk to the bottom of the sea. Thank you again to all who have so proudly and bravely served this great country and worked until the mission was accomplished. Now, if only the rest of the terrorists would throw up their arms in surrender.