SUP.

Hi, guys. It's been awhile, eh? How are you?
My life is so good. I have been very busy with my health plan and working/teaching 6th grade full time. This two things keep me quite busy and I am grateful for them, but sometimes, after these long days, the last thing that I want to do is write, ya know?
Sometimes it is good to just write an update on our lives. I don't journal as much as I used to. Okay, well, I haven't journaled since June, but you win some, you lose some. So sometimes this blog becomes a journal. A less "personal" journal, that is.
Side note: I never want my children to read some parts of my journal. There are some deep, not-so-kind, sad moments in there. Before I die, I want to rip those pages out so they don't have to read those. I want my children to read my spiritual moments, read the happy parts, and perhaps, even some of the challenging posts. But there are some things written in there that I don't want anyone to read. Does that make sense?

Anyway, UPDATE TIME.
(all photos: my instagram)

Currently:


Obsesssing over: Snow capped mountains in Utah. No, I do not love winter. When one has to swim oneself through seasonal affective disorder, winter can be challenging. But, I LOVE the cozy feeling that my home gives me during the holiday season. I don't love the cold. I don't love the cloudy, snowy, rainy days. But I LOVE the views of the snow on the mountains. Look, I'm being positive about winter. Aren't you proud?

Working On: MY HEALTH. Update on my health plan. I am down three inches in my waist and one inch in the hips. THREE INCHES, GUYS. This is awesome. I was a little discouraged because I am only down 12 pounds in two months, but when I measured the other day, I realized that my body is altering. It is gaining muscle and altering the overall look. I notice that my clothes fit me better and that is way more important than my weight (at least I need to keep reminding myself that!). It hasn't been easy. I have had some serious down days. I thought that the weight loss was going to move a bit faster, but it is working. Slowly, but surely. And I am working hard and doing what I can, yes, even with a few slip ups. That's what's important, right? (Also, Saylor has FOMO and wanted to be in the picture.)

Thinking About: How grateful I am for this hunk, T Money. How grateful I am for many things in my life! I hate that we aren't as "well off" financially as we could be, I wish we had more money in our savings account. But I am so grateful for my hardworking, loving husband.

Anticipating: THANKSGIVING AND THE BREAK. THE BEST. NEXT WEEK. SO SOON. NEED IT NOW. Also, decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving! Huzzah.

Reading: Well, I am currently reading/listening to FOUR different books right now. I don't know how I do this. I have a huge list of books to read and not enough time. I am in the middle of "The Martian" by   Andy Weir, Go Set a Watchmen by Harper Lee, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, and "I am Malala" by Malala Yousafzai.

Watching: How To Get Away with Murder (live),  The Voice (live), Jane The Virgin (Netflix), and White Collar (Netflix) with T Money. Also, I am watching Saylor attack her poor teddy bear. Poor bear. But look at cute #saylorthepup is. Love her. Also watching BYU Basketball. The season has begun. My favorite sport!

Listening to: "I am Malala" by Malala Yousafzi (what an amazing woman!), Christmas music (I JUST STARTED TODAY. DON'T HATE ME! It snowed this week and it's freezing. How can I not? Plus it puts me in a good mood). I have been listening to General Conference talks and LDS music on my way to and from school and I have noticed a huge difference in my demeanor. Sometimes these uplifting words help my attitude. Also, hello Adele and Carrie Underwood's new albums. So good.

Making: My students stay inside for recess (and blocking the clock so they stop looking at!). My sixth graders have been "on one" recently. This always happens during the holiday season, but it has started earlier than I was expecting. Yikes. It's been a rough couple of weeks with attitude and chaos and loudness. We all need a break, I think. It helps when I get emails from past students' parents with notes like these. Sometimes I need these kind of reminders to reiterate that I am doing a career that I love! I still love those kiddos. :)

My life is so good. Not too much is going on except for a rigid health plan and a rigid sixth grade teacher ;). I am so happy and content. I LOVE the holiday season and I am so grateful for all that I have in my life. I think I need to do some more of these posts. I enjoyed writing this.

K BYE.

What are you grateful for? 
What are some of your updates? 

What's In Your Purse?

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias Inc., and it's advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BeHealthyForEveryPartofLife #CollectiveBias

My purse is my little sidekick. I find that I am constantly outside of my adorable new home so I am in constant need of all of the essentials in my purse. As the winter time is starting to roll around, sickness is among us. I have been down and out with sickness for a few weeks. And yes, to be honest, I am sick of it! 10 points for alliteration. (The life of a teacher. In both senses ;) ). Because I am just getting over being sick, I need to build up my immune system again. I am constantly hauling around Vitamin C, Advil to help with sinus headaches, and natural vitamins to help boost my immune system in my purse. My friends like to make fun of me because I always have everything in my purse: gloves (in the winter), sunglasses (in the summer), gum, q-tips, bobby pins, medicine, Advil, chapstick, lipstick, etc. Hey, I just want to be prepared! I take my Mary Poppins purse as a compliment, thank you. 

Got my "Mary Poppins" purse stocked full and I am ready to go out! 

There are many things that I keep in my purse, essentially during the winter time. I always have Advil, my Emergen-C Vitamin Chewable, and Centrum Daily Vitamints. 

I carry these items for the following reasons: 

Centrum Daily Vitamints- These new Centrum Vitamints are adult multivitamins with a refreshingly minty taste that you can take/enjoy any time of day without food or water. I am constantly on the go, in my car or in my classroom and sometimes I do not have the luxury of having food or water with me. This is the perfect way to get these daily vitamins while in a hurry. And they taste pretty good as well! 

Emergen-C Vitamin Chewable: Helps boost my immune system! It helps with my more healthy days, more healthy nights. 

Advil Tablet Vial: Nothing's stronger, longer lasting or better on your tough aches and pains than Advil, and nothing works on more pains than Advil (among OTC pain relievers). 

Along with my "healthy" items, I find that I am always keeping gum, lipstick, Tide To Go (because, let's be honest, I am always spilling), and pens, in case they are needed. Which, in fact, all of these items are ones that I am digging out on a regular basis. 

What are some of your personal purse favorites? 

I found these products under "Personal Care" and "Multivitamins/Headache" aisles specifically, at my local Walmart.  The advil was located by the checkout stand!