Soon to come

Life has been so crazy. I promise I'm alive and will put up some photos and fill in the goings on in my world.

I'm Alive ;)

I know it's been a long time.
I know there are *still* no photos.
I know that someone cares (or they don't, I just didn't want to sound completely negative).

In list format, and in no particular order, here is what I've been "up to" or "doing" since my last post. Well, I need to check first when my last post was. Please Hold.

*elevator music*

Ok, I just am realizing how lame I've become about posting. Eeeesh.

On to the list:

• I was in Washington for 16 days. Got to see all of my friends. Finished a cross stitch for a (former) co-worker. Saw (in theaters) Man of Steel and Monster's University. Overall, had a wonderful time (but I can't think of a Washington trip to the contrary)
• Spent a couple days in Logan, UT with friends. Partied it up with 5 awesome kids and 2 kick-ass moms ;) Watched World War Z in theater. Had a great time.
• I've been to work a couple of times since school got out. It's been good to be able to "get ahead" on some things - like changing the phone list/room numbers, changing up the school logo, cleaning my desk up, etc.
• Family parties. Can't have a summer without the family parties :) Good times, better food, best memories. As of today, there are 4 members of my family on missions. My sister, Crystal (Louisville Kentucky), and cousins (all from the same family!!) Rebecca (Little Rock Arkansas), Sarah (Scottsdale Arizona), and Peter (Eugene Oregon). So great to get emails from them :)
• Depression. What's a summer break without a little depression?? At first, I was messed up over the acute awareness of my "singleness". I got over that, but then something funky happened. Not sure what yet (still trying to figure it out), but something happened. But really, I'm ok.
• I am de-junking my "life" (all the stuff I own). I currently have 3 boxes sitting in my apartment, ready to be taken out. I am waiting until I've gone through boxes in storage, and loaded up a box or two with books and movies (probably this will be the hardest part of my de-junking... but I know I can do it).
• I've cleaned up my bedroom!! Which is awesome - especially because it happened without any prior planning. I was in the shower one morning and had the thought to clean up my room. So... I did :) I'm slowly making my way through my apartment on a cleaning kick. One thing at a time, right?
• Been staying up way too late (part of the depression thing), but I'm working on fixing it. I walk with my friend in the mornings (talking like, 6:30 or so), and when I'm running on 4.5 or less hours of sleep, then my body gets tired earlier. So I can go to sleep, right? Wrong :( I'm still up for all hours of the night. But, I'm making a more conscious effort about it, and it is getting better, so... yay :)
• Working on a fairy cross stitch, then I'll do a Darth Vader one (for some friends).
• Started reading Les Miserables. Have not gotten very far at all. So I gotta start reading again.
• Been playing games on the iPad WWWAAAYYYY to much. But they're games that you get daily rewards from, so you have to play, right? and some games I play against my friends, so you have to play, right? Right. Until school starts - then I'm deleting some of the games I have. They are already on the "black list" - but they don't know it yet, so please don't tell them. I don't want to be responsible for a panic.
• Hanging with friends. I like my friends way too much to just let them sit around and not do anything with them! So, whenever I can, I'll get together with someone. Even if it's just to sit around and play games on our electronic devices (sadly), cuz it's more fun to be lazy if you have someone else to be lazy with, ya? At least the conversation is better than when I'm sitting at home by myself.
• Saw Iron Man 3, Croods, and the new Star Trek  movies in the theater. Croods and Star Trek were on the same day. There are still a few movies I want to see, so I just need to go and watch them. I've also seen After Earth (that was before I left for Washington, so I'd forgotten I'd seen it. Ha)
• I've been walking some nights (as well as in the mornings). I can walk approx. 3.3 miles in an hour. I go at night because it's easier to clear my mind when I'm not being distracted by looking at what's around me. It's also more quiet at night.

I think that's a pretty good list. I feel like it covers the "major" things I've been doing. If I've forgotten anything, please let me know so I can add it to a later post :)
As always, thanks for reading, and I will really try (for reals!) to post more frequently. And with pictures (I'm having issues with my computer right now and the pictures contained thereon).

4th of July Project

According to my Facebook status a little bit ago, I said I'd post how to make this awesome windsock thing. Better late than never, right? Plus, it's still in time for the 4th of July :)

1- spray paint an empty can blue.

2- punch two smallish holes in the top for the string to go thru.

3- tie string thru the holes you just punched.

4- cut out stars from your favorite glittery paper (mine are on a corrugated cardboard).

5-  hot glue those stars to the outside of your can.

6- cut strips of red and white fabric, or use red and white ribbon - or basically any thing red or white you wanted to use, and hot glue them to the inside of the can.

Viola! A fun, super cute 4th of July project that doesn't take too much time to make at all!

I will be posting pictures from my Washington trip after I get home... So keep watching :)

Because I Need To

It's been a while since I've written anything... and since I have a minute here, I thought I'd post something quick like :)

But now... what to say...

School is out for the summer. I'm house and dog sitting for three different families these first two weeks. After that, I'm off to my summer Washington trip! I'll be there for a few weeks, and I'm very excited to go back and visit all my friends up there :)

I've been doing really well with my letter writing. Some weeks it's hard to know who to write to... but after a prayer or two, I know who to write to and it's awesome. I don't ever expect responses to my letters, but I tell you what - it sure makes my day when I get an unexpected response.

We got a new Stake Presidency on Sunday. Our previous presidency has been in "office" for the last 10 years. They have been wonderful, and I will miss them. I look forward to meeting and getting to know our new presidency.

Rumors that have been going around about me this year (there's always a bunch at the end of the school year...) include: I was teaching 3rd grade next year. I was teaching 2nd grade next year. Our current principal was retiring and I was gonna be principal next year. I was pregnant. It makes me laugh that kids come up with this stuff... but, I suppose it's better than what they COULD be starting about me :)

I'm going to try and post some pictures of things tomorrow or in the next couple of days. Cross your fingers I don't forget! Haha.

I'm still alive, and doing well - just crazy busy with stuff.
OH!!! My sister, Crystal, has left for her mission to Louisville, Kentucky. She's super excited and I know she'll do a great job :)

Thanks for reading!
Tune in next time to hear more ramblings from the coolest person you'll ever know! ;) j/k.
But really...

Sunday Musings

 Today was ward conference. I played a piano duet with my friend Brady. The spirit was in attendance and the song went really well and I got more compliments on the musical number today than I typically do. I was awesome. I love playing the piano :)
Because it was ward conference, the stake leaders taught our classes. During one of them, we were discussing how to teach kids about repentance, forgiveness, and respect. The comments that were made helped me realize that I am not doing a terrible job on the playground. A lot of the things that were said are things that I already do at work. It especially helped me feel like I will be a good mom someday.
Also during that meeting a comment was made about how everyone in the room was a mother, grandmother, or spouse. I looked at my friend and said, "or not even having a boyfriend...". She chuckled, and after the meeting, one of the stake leaders came up to me gave me a hug, and said "and there's Klara" (meaning that she knew I was not married, or had children). It made me laugh. But I did thank them for the content of the meeting, because it helped me feel good about the things I'm doing at work.

Daylight Savings

I personally do not like Daylight Savings... in either direction.
My thought: Change the clocks by half an hour, ONE TIME, then just leave it!!
I don't understand why we have to do it - and I think it is unnecessary.

But, that's just me.
Your thoughts??

Ummmm....

So, I did not realize that so much time has passed without me posting anything. Embarrassing.
I'll try to be better :)

52 Weeks

"Tho the years will go and the seasons change, the love I have in my heart for my friends and family remains constant. Words can not express how grateful I am for the people in my life; how blessed I am to have so many great and wonderful friends. A goal I have this year is to write at least one letter a week to someone who has made a difference in my life (and give it to them! Either in person or by mail).
52 Weeks of thankfulness and gratitude: a great way to lift another and make their day a little brighter! Who knows... YOU might be getting a letter this year too :)"

I just posted this on Facebook, and decided that to make it 'really real', I should post it here as well. I can keep better track of things via my blog than I can Facebook. Ha.

But I really am going to write at least one letter a week to someone who has made a difference in my life. Hopefully I can find addresses for people!
I don't think I am generally a selfish person, but in my brain's way of thinking, by not expressing my gratitude to someone, I am being selfish - I am not allowing that person the feelings of knowing that they have done a good thing for someone else.
*Does that make sense?*

I think that there needs to be more positive things going around the world right now, and this is a way to start it.
Thanks for reading, and I'll try to be better about posting more this year!