Rambling...

I've been having a bit of bloggers block lately, and haven't been able to come up with anything good to blog about. I can only blog about how much I love my job so many times in a row before it starts to get monotonous, you know? And other than our new jobs, David and I don't do a whole lot. Mostly, we go to work for 10+ hours every day and then come home and grade/lesson plan at night. (Well... I grade/lesson plan - David watches basketball and helps me run through lesson ideas.)  Not much else is going on.

I've been thinking about maybe doing a wedding blog post challenge that I saw, where you take a couple of weeks and write several posts about your wedding. How you met your husband, what your wedding dress looked like etc... I think that it is fun, and I would love to get some of that stuff on our blog. Plus, I love reading about other people's wedding's and looking at their pictures and things. So maybe I will do that... but I haven't decided yet. What do you think?

Tonight, I asked David what I should blog about - and he told me that I should blog about Nertz. Nertz is a game that we have really been loving lately, and basically play it with anyone that we can con into it. Pretty much any time we are at David's house in West Jordan, or my house in Morgan, we force people to play with us. Luckily for us - it really is a fun game and we don't have to work too hard to find at least a couple of people to play with us. We have also been lucky enough to have a couple of visits from my sister Jenna, and David's sister Amy, and we have made it clear that they weren't allowed to leave until they played at least one game with us.  We go through phases with games. Before Nertz, we were really into "Buy" - and before that we played Canasta pretty much any time there were at least four people. If you have any other good card games - let me know. As much as I love Nertz... I suspect that we will be switching games in the near future. However, until that point, if any of you want to challenge us to a game of Nertz... count us in!

We "love" playing Nertz.

Okay... I have a confession. I went shopping yesterday with Wendy and Amy and bought another trench coat. Yes. That brings my total up to 4. Remember this post? Yes. Well - If not ... let me refresh your memory. I bought a red trench coat a couple of months ago - in preparation for the early spring that we are experiencing in Lehi (early by Logan standards I guess). I saw it and fell in love with it. Then because I loved it so much, I convinced David to take me back to the store and buy two more - a blue one and a black one. (They are all the same coat- but the colors make it look so different. I just love them all.) Then when I was in the store I saw this coat:

(Well... one very similar to this. I couldn't find the exact one online. Mine is a little more tan-ish.)

It was beautiful and 60% off. I texted David and told him that I may or may not be thinking about buying another trench coat. After I got his very supportive reply, I walked away with it for $21.00. It was too good to pass up. I'll be honest - I wear one of these coats EVERY day. They have already been such a great investment. The thing is... I'm a grown up now and am expected to dress like one. I can't really show up to work in a sweatshirt, and my winter coat is just a tad bit much for this spring weather. Moral of the story: I love these coats and am SO excited to add this tan beauty to my collection. Addicted? Maybe. Happy? Definitely.

Well... David just challenged me to a game of Speed (Which is similar to Nertz... but for two players) so I should probably wind this rambling post down. Wish me luck!

{half birthday}

Today is my half birthday. I am 21 & 1/2 - er... I mean 23 1/2.

I love to celebrate life - and half birthdays are a great way to celebrate! Luckily for me, I am surrounded by people who love me and celebrate with me. This morning I found a card on our coffee table from my sweet husband wishing me a happy birthday. Then a little bit later I got a text from my sweet sister Jenna wishing me a "Happy Half Birthday!" It makes me so happy. I really am surrounded by the greatest people out there. 

Picture from here.

So, for all of you who need a reason to celebrate today - celebrate with me and go out and buy yourself an ice cream cone or other delectable treat. 

After all, half-birthdays only come once a year!

Update: My sweet sister Jenna and her friend Shaylee showed up on our doorstep today with a half-bowl of half-cookies for my half-birthday. She is the greatest! We played Nertz, ate loads of popcorn, and had even more fun. Happy March 15th!  

The Carl Bloch Exhibit

I didn't have work today. It was wonderful! I lounged about this morning and worked on lesson plans (hooray!) and then I was able to go to the Carl Bloch exhibit at BYU with Sam, Wendy, and their kids. It was really cool. Carl Bloch is an amazing artist, and it was really interesting to learn more about him and his paintings.

Carl Bloch was born in Denmark in 1834. He painted several paintings that are considered the foremost artistic expression of the Savior's ministry. It was amazing to see his rendition of Christ and his life.

I loved the description about this picture. It talked about how the curve of the fountain bends so as to include the viewer in the painting, as if we were there with the savior as he healed the sick, suggesting that we too may have come to the fountain to be healed. Amazing.

I think that the kids very favorite part was an interactive exhibit that we found in the basement after we were done with the Carl Bloch exhibit. It was called "Healing 1" and it uses algorithms to create a glowing pool of organic patterns projected on the floor. These patterns tear and rebuild themselves as viewers walk across the projection, mirroring the healing process as a scar develops over a wound and reflecting the memory that those scars may hold. Mostly, the kids just loved running, jumping, and rolling over it and then watching it change. I'm not going to lie, it was pretty cool.

My favorite part of the exhibit was when we learned about how Bloch received a prestigious commission to paint a series of paintings for the Frederiksborg Castle in Denmark. The paintings were for the "Kings Oratory." He worked on these paintings for fourteen years. The twenty-three masterworks he produced present the story of Jesus Christ from the Annunciation to the Resurrection. It was amazing. They had a movie of the Kings Oratory room, and it was breathtaking. You have to realize that I am really into the whole "Interior Design/Architecture" thing, but honestly... the art surrounded by all of the amazing architectural features was stunning. I found a panorama of the room and really want you to go look at it. Just click on this link: Kings Oratory. Please do it!

I was happy to be able to spend a couple of hours with Wendy and her sweet family. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful sister-in-law!

Here are some more pictures from the day: 

If you get a chance to go, I would highly recommend it! There is the option to rent an iPad and take a virtual tour with it. Have any of you been already? I've heard of a lot of people who have gone.

Beauty and the Beast

My little brothers are amazing. Seriously, they are both extremely talented, funny, and incredibly handsome. Last weekend we had the chance to go to Morgan to watch them perform in Morgan High School's rendition of "Beauty and the Beast." Jacob was a townsperson/spoon and Matthew was Cogsworth the Clock. They both did a great job. Matthew especially was incredible. He was so funny, and he played the part amazingly well!

Here are some pictures from the big night:

We had quite the turnout. Grandma and Grandpa Walker, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa Knowles, Uncle Lloyd and Aunt Berthene, Jeremy and John Oliver, David and I, Jenna and Kevin, and Melissa. 

Jenna and Kevin

Mom and Dad

Grandma and Grandpa Knowles

Aunt Berthene and Uncle Lloyd.

Grandma and Grandpa Walker

Jeremy and John Oliver

Jenna, Melissa and I. My darling sisters!

With Jacob after the play. Isn't he cute?

Melissa and I.

With Matthew after the play.

And here we are. Aren't we cute?

Chocolate Chips

Right now, I am sitting at my desk at school enjoying a small handful of chocolate chips. I brought them to school with me one day when I knew that I was going to need a treat and I have been grateful for them many a day. (They have lasted me a surprisingly long time.)

As I was sitting here, taking a break from my lesson planning and grade entering, I was just thinking... you know? Just thinking about how it is the small things that make life so good. Small things like having a bag of milk chocolate chips hanging out in your desk drawer. Or being able to chat with your darling husband throughout the day so that between classes you can come back to a message on your computer that says something like "I really love you a lot and hope your day is going well." That is a little thing that makes life just a little bit brighter.

The more I think about it, the more "little things" I come up with. Here are just a few:

-My new "scissor hangers." I was having a hard time with my students using my fabric scissors to cut paper with and so I asked the metal shop teacher to make me some scissor hangers. He got them to me last week and the custodians hung them up last night! I love them.

-Rearranging my classroom. I had my aide help me start rearranging my classroom and I am loving the way that things are working out. There isn't much I can do about the arrangement of the desks, but even the small changes make this classroom feel like my very own. I love it.

-My red trench coat. I've always loved the trench coat look, especially the red-trench coat look, but Logan has always been too cold for be to be able to justify buying it. After we moved to Lehi, I bought this red trench coat - and I have been loving being able to wear it during this "spring-like" weather. In Logan I would still be packing around my winter coat.

(Can you say "I-love-this-coat-and-think-it's-the-greatest-thing-since-sliced-bread.")

-The fact that David understood how much I love this coat, so he took me back to the store to buy me one in black and one in blue! (That is right ladies and gents - these coats are perfect for this Lehi weather. I now own three of them. And yes, I know that David is wonderful to me.)

-Having my students see me in the hall and say "Hi Mrs. Peaden!" with a big smile on their face. (Mostly this means that at least some of my students like me.)

-Having a Meal Plan so that I know what is for dinner. Seriously, this is a tiny thing, but it helps so much with my stress level. I love it! 

-Spending time with my family! Last weekend David and I spent quite a bit of time with family. For part of the weekend we went to Morgan to watch my little brothers in the school play and it was awesome. I only wish that I could show you some scenes from the play because it was so amazing. More on this to come. Spending time with my family is the best. I just love them!

-Being able to write all of my crazy thoughts and feelings on this blog. (I just realized that I said "I love it/them at the end of half of my "little things". Oh well, I can be happy if I want to be. It's my blog.)

These are just a few of my little things, but unfortunately, my lessons are beckoning to me. My goal is to get at least one week ahead in all of my classes - but lately I have been stuck at a steady 2-3 days. I just need to focus a little bit more to be able to make it over the hill and get to my full five days. Wish me luck!

Oh, and before I forget... leave me a comment and tell me about one of your "little things" I would love to hear about them!

Jenna and Kevin - Engaged-

Oh my goodness! I am so excited to post about this.

This is my little sister:

Her name is Jenna Anne Walker. 

As of August 12, 2011 - her name will change to Jenna Anne Haderlie. 

I am SO, SO happy for her!

You see, Jenna has been my best friend since - well forever. 

She is the sweetest, kindest, most sincere, most darling, most amazing girl i've ever known. 

She has always been supportive of me. I've always known that I could count on her. 

I've always considered Jenna to be like Jane Bennett, and myself like Elizabeth Bennett. 

Jenna is the sweet one who would never say anything bad about anyone. I'm the opinionated stubborn prideful one. I want to be like Jenna. (In fact, I am planning to name a daughter "Jane" after Jenna.) 

Isn't she beautiful?

Oh sorry, back to the point. Jenna got engaged this week to Kevin Haderlie. I can't believe that my sweet little sister is getting married. I was able to go dress shopping with her, and I must say... she is going to be a beautiful bride! Kevin is one lucky guy to be getting such an amazing girl. (And from what I know, Jenna is getting a pretty sweet deal herself!)

And so, this post is dedicated to my sweet little sister and her fiance Kevin. Congratulations you two. Married life is amazing. There is nothing like it in the whole world. I love you both!

(p.s. Jenna, I need more than one picture of the two of your together from Facebook. The one picture just isn't doing it for me!)