The Praxis

In Utah in order to get your 2nd level teaching license after your third year of teaching you have to take the Praxis Test. Well you can take it any time but I waited until the very last moment to take the test and happenned to take it at a really stressful time in my life. In fact I was so stressed about that and my thesis and coaching that anytime anyone asked me about any of those three things I wanted to cry because I was so overwhelmed. It seems so stupid now but I was really overwhelmed and I could not see how I would accomplish all that I needed to do. Now in retrospect I can look at the past two months and see the Lords hand in my life and realize that those nights I spent on my knees wondering how everything would be done were heard by a Father who loves me and helped me.

So I studied for the test as much as I could but I was sooooo stressed about it. Then the day of the test arrived and it was at 3 pm. I am sorry but who schudules a test in the afternoon I was so bugged. Then I took the test and I was really worried after because I felt so rushed and I did not know how I did and the majority of the test was short answers which can be interpretted in numerous ways. So while it was a relief to finish the test I was still extrememly scared and nervous becasue my job next year hinged on me passing the test.

Well when I got home from spring break the test results were in the mail and I passed. I was so excited. The funny thing was is that not only did I pass I scored in the top 15% of anyone who has ever taken the test. I say that not to brag but to say I was honestly shocked and grateful. I never do well on standardized tests and so this was a huge accomplishment for me. Not only did I have the help of my Heavenly Father but my graduate school classes also helped. Last summer I took a class called learning theories and that class reintroduced me to all the theorists I should have remembered from college the first time. All in all I just wanted to say that I am grateful for the help we can recieve from Heavenly Father in our lives and I am grateful the last two months are over and that after a year of graduate school I finally have a long awaited and much needed two month break before I began again fulltime in the summer.

SAN DIEGO

In San Diego I had the opportunity of attending my first ever proffesional baseball game (I know I was deprived as a child). We went to PETCO Park to watch the Padres play. We started the night off with to quote Jennie, "The best hotdogs at PETCO." They were huge 1/2 pound hotdogs. Don't let the picture above deceive you we each ate our own like true baseball fans would. The park was beatiful and we had great seat right on the first baseline in the lower deck.
This is our little group that went to the game. The highlights of the night were the hotdogs, the company, the weather, and the nice park. The downside was that the game was really boring. No one was hitting the ball and we ended up being part of Padre history as attending the longest game ever, 22 innings. Yep we sang take me out to the ball game three times (because we had the 7th inning stretch three times). Because the game was slightly boring we had to make our own fun and Jennies friend Michelle helped us out there. This was her first game as well and she was not really into the game and so she kept asking Sam if she could paint his fingernails. In the 10th inning he told her if the game went 16 innings she could paint them. Yea, he thought there was no possible way the game could last that long, his bad, he got some pink stubs.
I am not going to lie but that was the highlight of the game. And then to top it off Michelle got some random guy behind us to agree to get his painted if we made it the the 18th inning. Well as you know we did. We were champion fans and stayed until the top of the 22nd, but lets be honest where do you draw the line. Jennie had to work the next day at 8am and it was 1:30am. So we did what anyone that is not a diehard fan would do and left early. But we listened to the game in the car. And after all that time and faithful attendance they lost. So I was not to sad that we left. It was way past my 11pm bedtime.
We spent the rest of our time in San Diego kayaking at the beach. Unfortunatley I forgot to buy a waterprook camera so I don't have any pictures of that. Sam and I became proffesional kayakers it was awesome. We had a great time. The weather was really nice. I was also able to put in a lot of miles on my bike which was really nice as well. Then we ended the trip at the SanDiego temple which was a real treat. I had seen it from the outside but had never been inside. Thanks to Jen and Janice for letting us sleep at their house, which by the way is really cute.

LAS VEGAS

Our first stop was in Vegas to hang out with Katie and Parley. I woke up early and was able to bike the 1st day, but the 2nd and 3rd day there were 50 mile am hour winds and so Sam and I went to Red Rock and took a little hike. It was really windy so we didn't hike to long. The sun was out and it was warm but the wind was not fun. I complained about it both days because I really wanted to bike.
We did some shopping and some eating out. I ate way to much. It is back on the exercise and diet plan now that I am back in Provo.
We went to the Bellagio Hotel and looked at their exhibit. The theme was butterflies. It was absolutely beautiful and I always love how good the flowers smell.
And we got to do a session in the Vegas temple. It was mine and Sam's first time seeing the Vegas temple so that was really fun. The temple was beautiful the celestial room was amazing. All in all Vegas was great. I was able to catch up on some much needed sleep so that was really nice as well. I feel bad because whenever I go to Katies I always sleep so much because it is vacation and that is the only time I have to catch up on it. Thanks Katie and Parley for letting us stay with you. It was lots of fun.

SPRING BREAK!!!

It is finally spring break. I am so excited to have a break from teaching, school, and coaching. Sam was willing to accompany me on the trip so he can help with the driving and hang out because he has spring break this week as well. I just wanted to post a picture of my car as we headed out of Provo so you could see all the fun we are going to have. PS-Today was the first day it felt like spring in Utah. I am soooo ecxited to be in Vegas with Katie where the weather is warm.

FOR ANGELEE

This week was parent teacher conferences and so I wore a skirt two days and naturally recieved a number of compliments from my students because they are not used to seeing me in a skirt. Well on Thursday it was back to a normal day and I was in my track warm-up suit because we had a meet later that day. I walked into the room after clearing out and locking the locker room and this was the interaction we had.

Student 1: Ms. Brown you look really cute.

Me: Thanks

Student #2: You told her that last class why do you always tell her she looks cute. (That is when I was in a skirt)

Student #1: I really like all of Ms. Browns clothes she always looks cute.

I was laughing because Angelee advised me not to always listen to the compliments of my students becasue apparently they don't always give the best fashion advice. To that I say 8th graders are a little different then 1st graders. I will add that this particular student is an athlete so naturally she would like warm-up suits as well as my normal clothes.

BIKE TRIP

So every year the physical education department takes 50 9th grade students on a 20 mile bike ride on the Provo trail. BYU students come with us and it is really fun. Well the kids get tired because they are not used to biking that much and they have fun but there are always a few complainers here is my interaction with two of my students while we were at lunch.

students: Ms. Brown what can we do to get in trouble?

Me: Why would you want to get in trouble?

Students: would we get in trouble if we dumped this water bottle on you?

Me: I don't think that would be a very good idea.

Students: Why not?

Me: Beacause I would be mad and I might have to throw you in the Provo river.

Students: Well if you just got mad you could let us ride back in the truck instead of throwing us in the river.

I now realize they want to get into trouble so that they can ride in the truck for the last 10 miles.

Me (standing next to the vice principal): If you throw water on me I will throw you in the river and you will still have to bike home in the cold.

Students: That is so mean, would you really throw us in the river.

I just smiled and didn't answer and the vice principal turned to me and said only if you don't want you job any more and we laughed. Junior high girls are so funny.