Oh what a day! I'm so thankful...

I am thankful... SO thankful!

I am so thankful to live in such a wonderful place... and no this isn't a post to say that I'm so happy Obama is in office again because to be completely honest, I wouldn't have been happy at the end of the night no matter who won. I didn't like either candidate, both for different reasons. So why am I so happy??

I am so happy because I live in a beautiful place. A place where I have freedom to make my own choices, a place where I can work and play where and when I want. I have the freedom to choose my religion and speak freely about it. I live in a time where I always have my heavenly father to turn to. I'm so lucky to know that whatever happened tonight, the Lord has a plan for us and we need to turn to him with faith. 

My favorite thing about today was not to see who our new president is... 

It's reading all the ridiculousness that pops up on my facebook stream.

It just cracks me up and puts a smile on my face. I'm glad that I don't have such right or left wing ideas. I'm not an extremest in anyway (except when it comes to education views haha). I really want to write on some peoples posts (because I'm really honestly curious) What is SOO  bad?? What do you really think he is going to do that is going to make our country THAT terrible? 

Yes we are facing some BIG issues, but what is your worry going to do about it?

Here is my favorite quote from the night:

"Our country is screwed! Might as well move."

My comeback: 

"Please start packing your bags.. If you really think that a different could ever be better than this beautiful country, WE DON'T WANT YOU!!!!" 

But I am too nice... and don't think facebook is the place to start a political fight because at this point it doesn't matter anyways. 

You have your views and I have mine and to be able to speak them openly is the beauty of this country.

The 4 month long interview....

I wish I was exaggerating! 

So back in July Brandon started the very long process of interviewing for a Patrol Officer spot with the IFPD.  It started with 169 candidates. Everyone that applied got to take the "test". The candidates that scored in the top 30 then went on to participate in a P.T test. Brandon rocked both his test AND his PT test, he was one of the top scores on his test and had THE TOP SCORE on his PT test! Whoever passed their PT test was invited to participate in an Oral Board interview. Brandon got a call and was told that he was number 4 on the list! As bummed as he was, we thought it was so cool that he was #4 out of an original 169! 

After that we waited and waited and waited! During our long wait we kept having neighbors and friends say that the chief had contacted them and had grilled them about Brandon but we had to just keep waiting!

In September, Brandon got a phone call to come into the police department and take a polygraph test. We were so excited because it meant that they were getting ready to hire! He took the test and after talking with the officer found that he was most likely in one of the first spots! After the poly... we got to wait some more! (lame I know!)

Finally last week on October 9 (our first anniversary) Brandon had an interview with the chief of police. He was fighting for a 1 of 2 spots against 6 other people. He was told that we would have an answer by the end of the week. Well Friday rolled around and there was no word. Brandon's hopes went to the dump! I am always the optimist and kept trying to cheer him up.
Well Monday the 15th came (our 2nd anniversary) and I got the most wonderful text in the middle of 2nd hour! 

Brandon has been waiting for this for so long.. July seems like it was forever away! We are more than excited about this opportunity and the doors it is going to open for us! Can't wait to share more :)

Hello Fall!

Don't worry, Brandon and I haven't gone into hibernation... yet! haha

I can't even begin to express how busy we have been. Yet, at the same time if feel like we've had much more time to relax than normal. Funny how life works like that when everything (most everything) seems to be going according to plan. I'm still waiting for some life altering event to come and uproot us!

Anyhow.. let's get down to what's been happening.

For me (Jessie) life is stressful (like thats new). But I've heard that most of your first year teaching is just  surviving! 7th grade isn't anything like I remember it. This age of students I think has to be by far one of the toughest. They aren't new to whole changing classes things, they think they are Pro's! They are also the top dogs of the school, and act accordingly! They are also experiencing a new rush of hormones.. and don't know how to control their feelings apparently! Hence the conversation that took place on Wednesday: (*names have been changed!)
Me: "Sit down and stop chatting we need to get started."
Class: ignoring me
Me:"5..4..3..2..1.. That's a loss of a point and there goes ALL of your points.. great job!"
Class: "SSSHHHHHHHHHH she's serious!"
Me: "Katie and Kellen you aren't exempt from this, sit down and look up here."
2 min later.....
Me: "Katie and Kellen you have 3 minutes between EACH class and a 30 min lunch to flirt.. stop doing it in my classroom."
Katie: "oops"
5 min later....:
"Katie this side of the room. Kellen this side of the room. I don't know what's in the air but you need to STOP FLIRTING in my class.. you'll still like each other in 40 min when class ends!"


Seriously I don't make this crap up! So my kids are going to hate me but we are splitting up the class into girls and boys sides! Maybe they will get the picture!

I will fill you in on more later.. for now it's time to get some DINNER! yum!

Bandwagon leaping

Yes I've jumped on the sign making bandwagon.. more like leaped. (leaped is such a better word, it makes me feel like the money mom and dad put into dance class was well placed and I indeed came out a ballerina... haha well one can dream!) I don't blame myself though, I blame Pintrest, gosh darn pintrest =] 

I've seen so many people produce these beautiful signs. Barn Owl Primitives is one of my favorites. If I had hundreds of dollars laying around I would buy SO many, almost all of them definitely! I love that she hand-paints each and every sign. It makes them so much more personal. I also love Say It On The Wall. I especially like their religious and holiday vinyl. I like the look of vinyl and how it is easy to use (not that I really have ever used it but it looks like it will be fabulously easy!).  Again.. wish I had the money to spend and decorate our BRAND NEW APARTMENT(that will be another post!). 

So since I don't have all the money I want to spend on the things I like, and I still really want them... I've decided to LEAP on the bandwagon and try to make them myself! So here is my first attempt...

The letters are really white, the lighting in the kitchen at night just isn't the best! 

This is one of my absolute favorite songs.

Back in the fall of 2010 Brandon and I were living in a tiny apartment. As difficult as it was trying to find a place for everything, I loved that place. It was our first apartment together and we were always close to each other when we were at home. It was in this apartment that we found out Brandon was going to be deployed. That whole fall we had loved this song and once we learned he was going to be leaving it quickly moved to my favorite song. We would lay in bed and Brandon would softly sing to me as I fell asleep. Every time I hear this song I think back to those nights. 

Stay tuned for more signs to come!

Getting my sewing on!

I started this summer with a LONG list of sewing projects.. some got done.. others are still just patterns in my mind :) but slowly, ever so slowly they will get done! 

When I first got my sewing machine I started on some projects for my niece Lyric (who was not born at the time) these are the project's I've done for her:

A banner for her baby shower and birthdays or whatever Holly wants to use it for :)

This is a bad picture but some onesies were done. I didn't get a
picture of all of them individually :(

And my favorite.. The two stuffed owls. They turned out SO well! I loved them!

So for the first few months of my machines (I haven't decided on an appropriate name quiet yet!) life with me was all about Lyric! But finally I started doing something for myself! I made a couple of dresses. Two were just plain black swimming suit cover-ups for our time in Mexico and on the boat. I don't have pictures of either unfortunately. One of them worked SO well.. the other was a bust! 

BUT I had a dream of making a maxi dress. I thought about it for a month or two and then one day I was in Downeast Outfitters with Kim and we were talking and I had a sudden inspiration as she was trying on a maxi dress... I had on one of their cropped Half tee's and I said, "What if i just sewed on fabric to the bottom of this! It would be super simple and I wouldn't have to worry about a top!" 

So....... a month later...... I finally bought fabric and started...

It wasn't as simple as I thought.

But after much pinning.. unpinning.. repinning. and sewing I got it done. Here is the finally product. (sorry for the bad pictures.. I'm still learning, bear with me!)

The front

Close up. notice the sash?

Back

Side view

I think I have the sewing bug! Sometimes I wish that's all I ever did, and then their are other times I'm glad I have a teaching job to worry about! The dress was such a success that I'm in the process of making one almost identical for my sister. I also have two skirts that I'm formulating in my mind and a dog bed for Bronco... This next week will be busy but it will help pass the time that Brandon is at A.T (annual training). 

Things are changing around here

Yes yes, again things are going to change! I feel that's all our lives are right now.. just moments between the changes :)

So what is going to change you ask? Well, for starters: our address! Tomorrow is the start of our move to Rexburg. We are moving so that I can be closer to my school and Brandon will be starting college again up at BYUI. It just made more sense to be in Rexburg than to drive all the way each day!

Both of our summer jobs are done with! I had such a great time managing the pool. It was a lot more work and responsibility  than I was anticipating but it was a good experience for me :) I did get to teach some of my favorite students and got a great tan while I was at it! I was super bummed to say goodbye on Friday but I know that I'll see them again and I'm headed toward another time in my life!

Brandon's  work at the country club was a good experience for him as well. He didn't like the early hours or the hard labor but he learned a lot and got to play golf for free which was worth the work!

Our summer has been a great one, filled with seeing family and friends. I know this is a random, not well put together post but I just wanted to fill everyone in on what's happening. Hopefully when we are settled there will be a better post!

Till then!

OH Summer....

Summer is in full swing here... but someone should probably tell mother nature! The weather has been all over the place lately! It might be just me but I keep forgetting that here in eastern Idaho we can go from a 90 degree perfect summer day to a 30 degree freezing night all in a matter of hours! geesh!

Brandon is working at the Country Club this summer doing some course maintenance. It's not his dream job (thank goodness!) but it pays and lets both of us play for free at the Country Club which is a HUGE bonus. We do love our golf and if we can play for free (especially at a nice course) we are a happy couple!

I am the new manager at the Shelley Swimming Pool. Let me tell you it isn't a piece of cake like most would believe. I do love working at our pool, getting tan, playing in the water with little swimmers and it's a pretty laid back environment but being a manager is pretty hard work! But it's a great job and is good for me to start being in charge of a group of children. I am getting excited and very nervous about starting school (its still like 3 months away!) I'm bummed I can't get into my classroom until mid-August which has probably got me the most stressed out! I'm trying to gather things for my classroom starting now and getting things ready so when August rolls around I'm ready to go. If you have any suggestions please let me know. Pinetrest is a pretty great place to go for ideas but sometimes I just get overwhelmed seeing veteran teachers classrooms!

Last weekend we were fortunate enough to be able to attend my Aunt's wedding in Colorado. It was a great weekend, we got to golf with family, have a mini family reunion and witness the joining of a family. We are so excited to welcome in Steve and my new cousin Niki, we love them already!

We have so many fun things planned for this summer. Lots of traveling and visiting with so much family and friends! Here's some sneak peaks!

#1: Boating... lots and lots of time on the lake (crossing my fingers!!) 

#2. Hopefully in the next week or so our good friends Kim and her little guys will be able to come visit while Nick is away at training. Their little boys are so much fun!

 #3. Mexico... our honeymoon is FINALLY going to happen! and we get to spend 5 days away with my aunt and her new husband.

#4. Island Park: I'm hoping that for our annual boating trip we can get it put together and rent a cabin at Island Park for a couple days! (the wildlife there is unbelievable!)

#5. Wedding Bells! Brandon's mom, Rhonda, is getting married at the end of July to Chris. We are so excited and can't wait for it to get here!

#6. Also at the end of July one of my best friends is going to come for a visit. Annaliesa and her husband David will get to experience the fun of idaho :)

#7. And last but not least at the end of August/first of September School starts and I will get to begin my teaching career in Rigby, Idaho as a Middle School Math Teacher. I'm so excited =]

Our Trip To Temple Square

A couple Saturday's ago we had the opportunity to go visit Temple Square with our good friends Nick and Kim and their boys. I got to ride a train for the first time, I've got to say, they are very convenient! It was also my first time ever going to Temple Square, Brandon had been once before with a friend from back home. It was such a fun day!

In 11 months we will be sealed in the Logan, UT Temple :)

So beautiful

Nick, Ryan, Randen, and Kim

Playing in the reflection pool

It's been real Utah...

4 years... I can't believe just like that I'm graduating college, have a career now and are moving back to Idaho.

I started college in August of 2008. I remember the night before moving, packing up, not  knowing what was in store for me... it seems like a lifetime ago. I can't believe that I was ever that silly little girl! I found the man of my dreams, changed my major ((twice)), said goodbye to the man of my dreams for 8 LONG months while he went to training, got him back, got MARRIED, said goodbye again, fought through a deployment, [all the while still going to school!], got him back again!, had to spend a semester apart while I taught and he worked, reunited, student taught... which brings us to now.

NOW:
We are in Idaho for the long hall!
On May 5th I will graduate from Utah State University  with a B.S in Elementary Education with an endorsement in Middle School Mathematics. This is a time when I should be freaking out! I should be scouring for a job, praying that interviews went well, stressing to the max... but I'm not :D You see, I've already snagged a job! I was lucky, I got in quick and now I'm stress free (haha not really but I like to pretend!) I will be a 6th (and maybe 7th) grade math teacher at Midway Middle School in Rigby, ID. I am beyond thrilled at this opportunity.

This is how we begin the next chapter in our life.

Brandon will be attending EITC in the fall, studying to become an RN. He is excited to begin, though he still claims he HATES school! I keep trying to remind him that this isn't like the college he's been to before, but we'll see when the time comes.

Other than that we are just happy to be moving onward and upward with our lives. We are looking forward to our vacations this summer: first to Grand Junction for my aunts wedding, then to MEXICO with the same aunt for my graduation vacation, then to California for my Mother-In-Laws wedding [[so excited!!]] and somewhere in the middle will be our annual boating extravaganza, hopefully to Island Park this year! and of course all of the boating days can't come soon enough, I want to be on the lake, soaking up the rays!

The Pictures I Promised!

This blog is chuck full of pictures.. just a warning :) 

Brandon in his pretty sling :(

 

The Queen of faces!

Meet Lyric LaShawn Lacey, the most beautiful niece! 

LOVING my Lyric time!

Proud Uncle

Dad (Akilah) , Lyric and Mom (Holly)

Mom and Bronco on our hike

Dad and Bronco taking a rest

Bronco playin in the puddles!

Uncle Todd, Me and Brandon on my baptism day.

Annaliesa and I after the "dunk"!

Finally a Time to Post

I don't think my life has EVER been this crazy... Okay maybe it has like when I was planning a wedding and a deployment... or teaching and getting ready for Brandon's homecoming. I was probably this busy and stressed, but boy oh boy how crazy it's making me now!

Since it has seriously been probably like two months or so since I've posted heres a run down of our lives!

Brandon has been healing nicely from his accident. He just finished physical therapy last week and goes back to see the doc. this Friday so he can tell Brandon he's all fixed :) Today was Brandon's first day back to hard labor with his uncle. Since the accident Brandon has done a bunch of busy, office work while waiting for his elbow to heal and gain some strength. He said he was very excited to get back outside but is totally beat tonight!

Bronco's doing well. He is growing like a weed and losing baby teeth all over the place! For the most part Bronco is the best puppy we could have ever asked for, I just have to keep telling myself he's still a puppy! We went on an 1.5 hour long hike behind our house last Saturday and he had a BLAST! There were some good sized puddles that he just plunged right into! I can't wait to see him this summer at the lake! But for now, he'll just continue dozing at my feet :)


I have 2 more weeks of actual teaching in my student teaching. I can't believe I'm really almost done! I love my 5th graders and have had the best semester. College just flew by, it's amazing that its already graduation time!

I am an AUNT to the most beautiful baby girl I've ever seen. She totally took both Brandon and my heart before we had even met her. Honestly I love her with all of my heart. She is perfect. Her name is Lyric, I wasn't sold on the name but from the first minute I saw her I just realized she is Lyric and no other name would have fit!


Last Friday was a pretty exciting time for me and my family. I was able to be baptized in the LDS church.  I can't even describe the feelings that I have in my heart. I have an wonderful sense of peace and joy in my life. I know that my decision to be baptized has allowed me and my family to receive some pretty amazing blessing. I can't wait for a year from now, when my family can be sealed together in the temple.

I have more to come but don't want to bog everyone down TOO much =] stay tuned for more info and pictures!!

Love you all
Jess

Not How I Planned on Spending Today

Today was supposed to be a great day. I was off from school, got to sleep in, was going to get a whole bunch of projects done today..... So far, not so good.

This is how our day SHOULD be going: 
Brandon got up and went to work, I get to sleep in!!
I would get up and do some grocery shopping, get my hair trimmed.
At noon Brandon would get to come home and spend the rest of the afternoon with me and pack for his trip.
I would spend the day sewing and getting tons of the little projects done that I've been meaning to do.
In the evening, we would take Brandon to his uncles so they could pack up the car and drive to LA where they would fly to Hawaii for a week long work trip.
I would come home and get ready for my next week of teaching.


This is how our day HAS gone:
Brandon got up and went to work, I got to sleep in till 9 (fabulous I know :] )
I played with Bronco and then went and got my hair trimmed. 
As the stylist was finishing up my trim, Brandon called.. twice. I didn't answer thinking he was just calling to tell me he got off work early or was going to leave earlier in the evening. I thought it could wait. It couldn't.
When I listened to my voicemail he told me to go to the hospital right away. I knew something pretty bad had happened if he was going to the hospital. 
I called and called him as I started to drive, no answer. The whole way there, I prayed and prayed that everything would be okay. 
I called our Uncle (who he works for) and got our aunt. I asked her what happened to Brandon and she said she didn't know that it was Brandon but that someone had fallen off of the scaffolding (It's a masonry company) and wasn't doing very well. 
Not something you want to hear. Luckily the hospital was only a 5-10 minute drive from where I started. 
When I got to the hospital, I learned that he had fallen from the 12 foot scaffolding and fell in a 2 foot wide space. He had fallen on his left arm and from the look of it, he had probably broken 6 bones or more. 
His arm looked terrible. He was in SO much pain, I've never seen him like that. Brandon is a tough guy, even when he's hurting he doesn't like to show it and just sucks it up. Not this time, which is why I knew that it wasn't good. 
We got the X-ray's back and somehow, someway there was NO broken bones. Brandon had dislocated his elbow (pretty badly) but from what they could see, there was no other injuries. 
Through talking to Brandon and the other guys at the job site we still couldn't figure out exactly why he fell. Brandon thinks he might have stood up to fast and blacked out, causing him to fall. 

Through this whole thing all I can think of is how lucky we are! A fall from 12 feet with a nail gun is serious. We can deal with a missed work trip to Hawaii, with a 2 week splint and sling, and we will count our blessings that, that is all we have to deal with. Thank you to whomever is looking down on us from above.

Owls are on my mind!

I LOVE the new owl trend! They are SOO cute! My sister found this owl on Pintrest (here) and asked if I could make it for her baby Lyric. I was so excited to take on this project. So here is my first project with my new sewing machine :)

 The after the eyes are put on

 Putting things together.

 Almost done!

All Stuffed!

Allie the Owl (my name for her =]) Turned out soo well! There are little things I need to get better at but for my first project I'm very pleased with the results! Owls part 2 is coming soon! 

Life as a teacher

I never knew how exhausting teaching is! Right now I am doing my student teaching in a 3rd grade classroom until March when I move to a 5th grade classroom.
Third graders are so sweet! I love that they are beginning to become independent with their work and have started to think beyond what I say and reason for themselves. But they are still young and so cute! I am having a blast with my class and I love my cooperating teacher. She is a fabulous teacher and has such good management. I can see how good classroom management allows for us as teachers to teach so much more in the day!! We have some challenges in our classroom but it's just a great experience for me!
Student teaching really takes up most of my life between sleeping, planning and being at school I don't have much of a life! Brandon has been SO sweet and patient with me. He's a wonderful husband and I couldn't ask for more! Besides my student teaching life has been pretty quiet around here except for the new addition to our family =]

Meet Bronco, our new little guy!

He is 3/4 Black Lab with 1/4 Australian Shepard.

We got him a week ago, He is 10 weeks old and so full of energy!

 Bronco and Daddy LOVE to play outside! 

 Bronco laying dad, blocking him from watching hockey.

Bronco LOVES to cuddle with mom!

I didn't realize how much like a baby, puppies really are! It's been an interesting week but we love him so much and are so excited to have another member of our little family!

A little something fun!

I was asked to do an interview over at Melissa Jaine and she posted it yesterday.
Check it out here: http://www.melissajaine.com/blog/2012/1/11/an-army-wife-teacher-book-lover.html

Top 10 of December and the start of a New Year

December's Top Ten:

1. I finished my last semester in Logan. I have one more semester to go and then I will be completely finished with my Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education.

2. I got my student teaching placements. I will get to spend 2 months in a 3rd grade class and 2 months in a 5th grade class. I am beyond excited! I can't believe that I have only one more semester to go until I am officially a College Graduate. I can't wait to have my own classroom and to b able to do things my way!

3. Brandon and I are FINALLY living together after being apart all semester long. I think we might just have the craziest start to a marriage ever. But I guess that' all part of the Military lifestyle. 

4. We got to spend 8 days in sunny, warm California this Christmas season. We got to spend so much time with Brandon's family and it was wonderful. The weather was perfect and we had such an great time. 

5. I got to go to my first ever professional Hockey game. We watched the Anaheim Ducks play the Los Angeles Kings. It was the best game to watch! It ended up going into overtime and then into a shootout! The Ducks lost in the shootouts but it was still so cool!

6. I got to spend my very first Christmas with Brandon. I haven't ever gotten to celebrate with him on Christmas and I feel so very blessed that I finally got my Christmas. I know this is only the beginning, but the beginning feels SO good. 

7. I got my very own SEWING MACHINE!! I'm so excited to start using it!!!

8. Brandon and I got an Ipad 2 for Christmas from his family. It is so fun to play with. The possibilities are endless! Brandon's taken his claim on it but he's pretty good at letting me use it (when he's not home hahahah).

9. After California we spent 5 days in Idaho with my family. I love going back home! We had a blast hangin out with my parents. I went shopping with my mom and got to start using my new sewing machine! Brandon got to go golfing with my dad. I know I know golfing in JANUARY in Idaho is pretty unheard of! 

10. We spend New Years with my sister and her husband. We played games and hung out. Got to see the baby's nursery. I can't wait for that little bundle to get here! 

That's our December. Lots of driving (I mean LOTS!) and so much time spend with family, which is exactly how it should be. 

Our new year has started quietly. But let me tell you there are a couple of BIG (and I mean BIG) things happening soon. I'll try really hard to keep you all up to date! Love you all tons!!!