Oscar Birthday Party!

Nate and I spoke in church on Sunday. Little did I know that one of the Seventies was on the pulpit and going to be speaking too. Yeah...I feel a little dumb. The whole time I was up there, I had no clue who the guy was. Everyone kept saying Elder Koelliker over and over. You would think that I would get the hint by the title part, but no... Anyways, he gave a great talk and was really nice when we talked to him. We lounged around for a bit before heading to his sister's house for the Oscar/Birthday party. 

Every year the Warburton fam gets together to see who will win the Oscars for the year. Nate and I didn't really watch many academy-nominated movies that came out this year so, we scored pretty low when we voted. Between watching  each award we played games and celebrated Emily's and Cecily's birthday. The food was delicious...meatballs, my cheese bread, rob's beef roast, veggies, and delicious desserts.

 The classic Warburton bunny cake

 We played this really fun game called Dixit--kinda like Apples to Apples but with pictures. 

Since it was the Academy Awards, we played using the theme of movie titles, in relation to our cards. It was a fun eventful night.

Little on the creepy side...

 Nate kept making silly faces the whole time I tried to get a good smiley one. Silly goose! He finally makes faces that aren't 'the look' and it's not when I hopin' for it. Lol.

 Jenetta was so entertained and smiley everywhere she went. Scott and Shaely enjoyed chasing each other everywhere they went. It got a little crazy with all the kids running about, but it made the family time all that more worth it. 

We're rockin' it!

Lesson...Disaster

On Tuesday, Feb 22 I managed to totally bomb one of the math lessons I was teaching with the 1st grade. Due to miscommunication and confusion on my part, with my CT, I didn't make a lesson plan for math... causing myself to "wing it". Which is a HUGE, beyond HUGE NO-NO!!! I learned my lesson... 

We didn't get through everything we wanted to and I lost the management of the classroom. On a brighter note, they did manage to grasp the concept we were trying to teach even though it was a tad chaotic and rowdy. I mixed up a few key signals and phrases with the class and confused them as to what I wanted them to do. Plus, my teacher stepped in to redirect where the lesson was going, which probably got me even more confused. The students know her procedures in doing math and how her games work. I, on the other hand, am not as fortunate as making it flow so smoothly. There are certain logistics of teaching math where I am struggling, such as: time management, transitioning from one activity to the next and addressing the students' math skills developmentally. I know my CT was disappointed with me that day, which really stinks...but at the same time--my math teaching skills are extremely novice compared to her brilliant techniques (She's a math coach for the district). I can't do what she does exactly having no practice. Am I little freaked and stressed to teach math after a day like that one? H YES! What am I to do?! 

I'm losing that confidence in becoming a good at teaching one day.

Do I even have it in me to be a successful teacher? :S

Callings!

In the depths of sleep on a Sunday morn, Nate's phone rang to awake us from slumber. A message was given asking the both of us to meet with the bishop before church started.....

Did someone say callings?

Nate is now the Ward Athletic Director. Kind of a fitting calling for him, don't you think? 

I was called to be the Music Chairman for the ward. I'm supposed to pick the hymns, organize who is doing what musically in sacrament and work with the ward choir, then report back to the bishopric.

We're excited to fulfill our callings to best of our abilities.

Long Weekend

With SEP Conferences completed, teachers and students got Friday off with the added bonus of Monday being President's Day. I spent most of Friday lounging around, doing what I wanted to do. It began with the missed experience of painting. I worked on the western piece of a cowboy that I started last summer.

I managed to start and complete the puzzle Nate got me for Valentine's Day. It was so much fun!

On Saturday, for an hour, I pushed myself  to the max in a Xbox Kinect work out. We recently got an exercising game for our Xbox that helps you keep track of your progress and work out with the computer. It's so crazy how well it follows your moves, almost like a mirrored image! ...Needless to say, my triceps and legs were extremely sore the next day. Throughout the day, Nate made fun of me several times since I walked like an old lady because of the moments where I hurt so bad. Lol. I will admit, it was pretty funny.

Saturday night, Nate and I catched the movie Sherlock Holmes 2.

If you liked the first one, you'll like this one too. It has a way of having you on the edge of your seat.

"Horses are dangerous at both ends and crafty in the middle. I don't like being on top of something that has a mind of it's own." LOL (my favorite quote, for some reason it made me immediately think of Larry)

Monday, I drove down with my sister in law to Em's house to have some good family time. It was a little odd and new since Nate had to work and couldn't be with me for all the fun. I completed some reflections for school, the girls played with our new exercise Xbox game and headed out to the theatre to see Muppets.

Ashley's boyfriend, Ryan, (who is very humorous and very good with Em's kids) came along too. He's a good match for Smash, if I do say so myself.

I saw Muppets for the first time with Nate on our Honeymoon and it was funny. But this time, it was HILARIOUS! My brother-in-law, Rob, made it all that much more entertaining. Classic Rob! You could hear his laugh throughout the theatre at the most subtle sarcastic and humorous parts. I was dying from laughter by the end of the show.  

After the movie, we met up with Barbara and Larry at a delicious Indian restaurant. I got the chicken tandoori and made sure to bring some of that Indian spice home for Nate. We really like Indian food these days, thanks to Jake and Kim.

I forgot my SD card for my camera, so I had to resort to my phone. :S Sorry about the quality...

Valentine's Day

I surprised Nate when he got home with a very romantic apartment setting. I had a trail of rose petals leading from the door to the bedroom, where I was planning to wait for him with his valentine's present. 

I had dinner ready for him when he got home, including salad, pasta, delicious cheese bread and sparkling red grape juice. I also placed candles and spare rose petals in various locations.

I made an Adventure book full of things we've done since we've known each other, ending with valentine's day. It wasn't completely finished, but it was pretty cute just the same! He loved it!

When Nate came home, he was shocked. :) He gave me a bouquet of yellow roses, some chocolate and my favorite candy when he first saw me. He then snuck into the closet to reveal his gift for me....

A puzzle! If you don't know me very well, I ADORE puzzles. I've been drawn to them since I was little. Once I start, it's hard to stop until it's finished

Nate brought home creme cake for dessert, it was delicious!

It was quite the Valentine's to remember! I love this man!

Day with Family

The morning began with Nate playing basketball with the ward's men's basketball team. When he got back, we went and picked up Bountiful Baskets. We were so surprised! You get a butt load of vegetables and fruit to take home for only 15 bucks. Worth it? I think so. You can do it as often as you want and every once in awhile you get a surprise like a coconut or a fig. This time round, we got an eggplant and pears. 

Nate cleaned out the Subaru so he can sell it. Later we ran errands and then headed to the Center Street Grill for lunch with his family. Jake and Kim were in town for the Aggie basketball game, so we caught up with them as well at the restaurant. It was great and delicious. Nate and I went home to play some Rayman before taking a nap. It was well needed. Around 6:30, we went to his parents house for some family fun. Emily brought some caramel brownies that were really good. I spent a lot of the time talking to Kim and working on  Nate's valentine's gift. He was in the room too...but he wasn't really paying attention. It was really good to enjoy the night with the Warburton Family, full of laughter and great conversations. 

Stake Valentine's Dance

February 10, 2012

After a terrible day of headaches and tears, Nate and I went to our Stake Valentines Dance. It was catered by Maddox and was delicious! Both married student stakes were invited, so it was good to see some of our friends that live in different areas of Logan and some members from our new ward. We chatted it up with Justin and Jessica Robins and Bob and Kaydee McMahon. It was so much fun to get to know other people in our ward while eating a delectable dinner. They also served Aggie Ice Cream for dessert. Nate and I decided not to stay for pictures that they were doing for free for each couple. After the majority of people were done, everyone cleared some tables for the dancing to begin. 

We danced a few songs before leaving to our friends' house for games. We played In A Pickle and Guillotine with Mindy and Aaron Chadwick. It was a lot of fun to relax with laughter and good company. Enjoying the night out with ward members and our friends made my terrible day into a much better day. 

Warburton Update!

Recently, for those of you wondering, life has been pretty great for our small little family. In a nutshell, here's what is new:

Fish has lost weight and enjoys running around and discovering things with his nuzzling nose

Nate is working hard with his online classes and works full time

I'm learning loads with my student teaching and wondering if I will/can be a great teacher in the future

We got our Xbox back and working, this week!

Nate and his dad, Larry, fixed the Subaru and it now runs so smoothly. 

We are also now trying to sell it.

Our new ward has been very welcoming of us and has a warm atmosphere that we love

We have set a goal for ourselves to exercise and eat healthy on a weekly basis

Nate and I spent a lot of time organizing and cleaning our little humble abode to make it better

R.E.S.P.E.C.T

I recently taught my first graders a lesson on what it means to be respectful. We talked about the 'Golden Rule' and the qualities of a respectful person: They learned about it's importance and the definition of respect:

·         Respect is to treat others kindly without criticizing or judgment

·         Respect is to treat others as we would like to be treated (Golden Rule)

·         Being courteous and polite

·         Listen to what others have to say

·         Don’t make fun of others or pick on them

After I finished my lesson, a thought crossed my mind on my way home. We teach our children about how to be respectful, but do show respect as adults to those around us? To those we love? I think more often than not we take our family for granted, biting them down with harsh and unkind words and actions until we fill empowered---all under the common safe phrase "I'm just joking". I'd like to hope that instead of criticizing for flaws and misconducts that we can see the good in others and uplift one another instead for their redeeming qualities. I know that often times we pick on loved ones in jest. But how far can you go before it's no longer loving and becomes hurtful and rude? I mean it's your family! Why are we so quick to speak unkindly to our family and be nice to our friends? Families are forever. If you were to place a price on all that family means to us, would you think that we should treat them with more respect?

Just a thought on my walk home.

This Last Weekend!

This last weekend we had a great idea to visit my family in Salt Lake. We were so excited to spend time with them....now that they generally all live in the same house. We showed up on Friday night and played Wipeout and Just Dance 3 on our Xbox with my fam and Tania. It was a fun experience to play with everyone even if it wasn't for too long that night. On Saturday, a whole bunch of things happened. Everyone went in separate directions running errands. I went to Target to spend a giftcard and then to Reams for some yams. That was the bulk of my errand running and it wasn't very long. By the time I got back, the house was quiet and peaceful. My mom and I decided to watch the Cosby show via Netflix while waiting for everyone to return. My dad and Nate went to a pick-n-pull, stopped at Groves (Fabulous sandwich place) and did a few other random things. Jess and Mike went for men's shoes and baby clothes. For lunch, to go along with our delicious Groves sandwiches, I decided to make sweet potato fries for the fam. DELISH! I love these things. Tasty and healthy. Within the next hour, Mike and Jess went to a Jazz game and dinner with her family while the rest of us played a game of Fluxx and lounged around until they got back. Nate, Boomer and Mike played a computer game while Jess and I talked about several things.  :) 

Sunday morning was a bit of a rush, running around trying to be ready in time. During sacrament, I got to hold Chloe for a good part of the meeting and before long, she was being completely entertained at grabbing Nate's beard. Haha! I don't know if she's even seen it before with her other uncles, but this was quite the sight. She was concentrating so hard on grabbing his whiskers or even just feeling it with her hand. Every once in awhile, she'd managed to grab onto a piece or two and yank. LOL! :) I love this little girl. When we got back, we had dinner, took naps, and played Apples to Apples and Buzz Word.

I love my niece!

Nate and I had to head back to Logan shortly after to catch the Joseph Smith Commencement with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland at 7.

We had a fun weekend and were grateful to spend it with family.