Aspen Grove

During the Summer of 2008 I went to Aspen Grove. This part of my life was known to many as Prison :). It was TONS of fun except for

1. we lived on the mountain

When we first got there it was FREEZING

2. the food was disgusting

Thursdays was meat loaf day and by July we left every Thursday to eat in Provo

3. the dorms were disgusting

4. cleanings on Fridays

Large families staying in one cabin during vacation = big NASTY mess

5. being used as slaves

Like picking up rocks from trails and sweeping the parking lot

6. Having nothing to do every night

To compensate for the lack of activities available to us we: did pilates, watched lots of movies in the DH, read Twilight, drive down to Provo to get slurpees or eat lots of candy, but Tuesday nights were fun with pioneer night and free vanilla snow cones YUM

What made it fun was these girls:

These girls are the loves of my life (besides Woody, Jack Sparrow and Harry Potter - which by the way I'm not in love with HP himself, just the books- of course)

From left - right, it's Kim, Paige, Sara, Canda, Me, Natalie.

Canda, Paige, Natalie and me were all in the 0-2 year olds and Kim and Sara were in older groups. I am so grateful for these girls and the impact they have had on my life. I could not have survived the summer without these girls and we had a lot of good times!! And a lot of crazy children :) So even though I would NEVER do it again, I absolutely loved it

Anyways I just was thinking about it and thought I would share :)

My First Week of TeaCHInG

I am currently in my cohort during school. What this means is that the first half of the semester I went to classes Tuesday - Friday. I had all my classes with the same group of girls (love them) and in the same classroom, lovely. NOW we have moved forward (hooray) and I am at a school for Monday - Wednesday and I am loving it!!

I got assigned to teach third grade which I was a little nervous about because I have been imagining teaching Kindergartners!! Talk about a big jump. Yes, they are older and bigger and definitely a different kind of cute, but still cute!!!

My first two days I mostly just observed and would walk around the classroom helping the students out individually. I am really grateful to be in the classroom and think it is worthwhile even if this is all that I ever did. Kids benefit so much from the one-on-one scaffolding and a teacher cannot make it around to all of them. I definitely feel more prepared to be in a classroom and remember things that I have been taught and apply them which is SUPER

I taught my first lesson today. It went pretty good and I'm not sure if that is because I did a good job or because my teacher threatened them that if they misbehaved they would miss their recess. Sadly, a couple of boys still had to miss their recess, poor kids.

I love all of the students and really love seeing all their different personalities and how all of them are unique. I'll tell you about a few, but I won't use their names, just their initials, cuz that's probably illegal or something to use their names (now a days it's all illegal!!)

S- this boy is a Polynesian and this is exactly what I imagine as what Heather and Jordan's son would be like.
-He wears board shorts and then a t-shirt usually from GAP. And he does the whole long sleeve under short sleeve. cool, but not skater cool
- And then there are these twisties that EVERYONE has and he wears so many of them that they go up to the middle of his forearm.
- He befriended the new kid
- Basically he the epitome of cool, chill you know
- He goofs around but he's not a trouble maker and not a bad kid, I'm willing to bet Jordan acted like him in school

B- he is the new kid
- shy but smart
- looks tuff with his baggy sweater and his earrings :) but he is SUPER sweet

v- This little girl looks exactly like Dakota Fanning and she has a quirky personality which for some reason I tag along with Dakota Fanning also

P- This little girl looks like she's twelve and kind of acts like it too

J- This is my smallest boy and he's soo cute he always comes and tells me stories and has a little bit of a lisp I just love him.

Z&K- These two little boys are very smart and quiet. They are always so well behaved and just perfect little citizens I love it. Z gets vegetables with his lunch and this is how he ate them today: he drank his green beans in his chocolate milk, ate his cucumber on top of his cookie and then put like his carrots and stuff on top of his pizza. I'm thinking his mom makes him get the vegetables and he tries to disguise their taste by eating them with the other food... smart kid!

OK I suppose I'll stop I'm betting anyone who started to read this stopped a long time ago except for my mom cuz she loves me and Shani cuz she's a teacher, but I'm willing to bet not even Heather will make it to the end :)

The Ultimate WISH LIST

1. Robert Munsch BOoks!!!!

I need these for multiple reasons

1. They are stinking funny

2. I need them for when I am a teacher

3. I definitely need them for when I am a mommy

4. I love them :)

2. Cardigans

Cuz I have none and apparently you have to have them if you are a teacher it's like a "must have" and they are real cute

3. Inheritance Cycle

This is the series that includes Eragon. The series is pretty similar to Lord of The Rings, but better, except for movie form. LOTR movies are good and Eragon movie stinks

I read these books over the summer and I really really like them and would love to own them

4. All of the Harry Potter Books

Wait.. how did this get so low on the list???? It should probably be put at number one.

5. Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites books

These books are about how people go back into the time period of the Book of Mormon and also the Bible.

I love these books and I especially want them for my kids because they make the scriptures come alive and seem so much more real.

6.High Heels

Because I would love to have a different pair of high heels for every outfit.. that'd be beautiful

Now of course there is a million bajillion other items on my wishlist.... but I thought since Christmas is coming near I'd just send this out to the Internet abyss and see if people send me packages.. worth a try right???

oh... and a new bathing suit cuz I didn't get one this year :)

and maybe a cruise

and a trip to Disneyland..

Family Memories

I just am sitting here eating my dinner, I just got off the phone with Heidi and was pondering about how amazing my family is and how much I just love them. I honestly have been singing in my head our family song,:

A

l

and a b r

i

g

h

t

spells albright

never been a shame connected to my name,

albright that's me!!

(I'm pretty sure when Rachel was little Grandpa Albright asked if she knew how to spell Albright and she said "a, l, n, a, b, r, i, g, h, t... oo cute!!)

And I was thinking how grateful I was for amazing parents and spectacular siblings and how I love how close we all are. and then I had to chuckle as I remembered our earlier days:

Heather has been the cause of my spraining practically all of my fingers

Heidi used to cry just because she knew we'd get in trouble for it

When I got sick in fourth grade (like sick everyday sick) Heather and Shani used to tell me all the time that I was a faker, and then they found out a billion things wrong with me.. I hope they felt bad

Adam's the only one who has always been nice to me.. Thanks ADam :)

But we all love each other now and I am so grateful for the bond that I have my with my family, and that we are friends!!!