Fall 2011

So it has been a while since our last blog post.

Here is what has been happening with AnnMarie.

I did student teaching up until Thanksgiving at Clare E Gale Middle School grades 7 - 9. I ended up teaching all the art classes by the end. My co-operating teacher was most excellent and we meshed really well. That was 12 weeks of hard work and effort and my finale was presenting my Work Portfolio to the Art Department Head and my supervisor. They made some suggestions to change but passed me! Booyeah!

Here is an example of a students work for my Drawing class.

I then got a job teaching for a math teacher at the same school I student taught at because I was recommended by my excellent co-operating teacher. I taught for about 2 weeks previous to my graduation.

Grandma and Grandpa Smith were able to drive up with Mom. Andrew took off work to attend everything and spend time with everyone, which made me so happy! He also got me a beautiful necklace as a present for finishing. So sweet.

My convocation was the best ever!!! We had musical and theatrical performances. We had a presentation about Graphic Design and then I eventually walked across the stage! I’m DONE!!!

Our Christmas was most excellent! It was great seeing family and making memories. Isaac is the most adorable baby ever!!! Too bad he couldn’t start walking while we were there. But as Andrew says, the Christmas squeaky shoes helped. Andrew got a lot of bow-ties which he has now worn all but three by now. It’s seeing a kid in a candy store. It is really hard to leave.

Two paintings I did for Christmas presents for family.

For Andrew

Andrew decided a new hair style.

He/we are now broadcasting for the Rigby Trojans. We did all the homecoming games in our area. So we were basically Homecoming King and Queen Broadcasters. Funny, I didn’t get a crown or a scepter; I should take this up with the people!

Andrew and I broadcasting a game. Lots of cords and equipment.

For Thanksgiving we went to the Roaches and enjoyed a delicious meal and games with great friends.

We made a trip to Yellowstone National Park on Tuesday before I start school. Since Andrew is dealing with back issues, we made it a quick trip and only visited the Paint Pots and Old Faithful.

Side note: He will be going to a doctor so he can get pain reliever for his back so its not so bad.

Back to the Yellow of the Stone. We have some pictures and comments about the experience bellow.

Here are the paint pots:

Now for Old Faithful. We waited about an hour to watch it blow. It gurgled a little and then went back down, then it shot into the air about 5 feet and went back down. This just kept getting my hopes up. There were these girls who kept clapping and cheering when it would start to gurgle like this.

So the camera goes sideways sometimes just tilt your head. I tried editing this but I don't have anything advanced enough. You might hear a kid talking loudly, that was the family sitting in front of us from South America or somewhere like that.

Finals week

Finals were crazy!

The whole week, I had trouble sleeping and once awake it was hard to force myself asleep because my mind automatically started going all the facts I’ve tried to remember for my finals. So lots of late nights and early mornings. That hit me on Saturday when I slept in till 10:30am and had to force myself out of bed. I even took a nap I was so tired! Andrew went by the same schedule, except of studying all day he worked about 12 to 14 hours a couple of days. We were pooped by the end. He finally stopped moving and thinking after his lesson on Sunday so his body told him he was done and needed some TLC. I made sure to get him in bed for a long nap after sacrament meeting. We hit the hay early as well.

I think I did well on my finals. I studied between classes on Wednesday for my Geometry Final. I missed a few but got some points back by talking with my teacher about the problems I got wrong. One of them was a True or False question asking about sides of a triangle using n to represent integers and the sides were something like 2n, 2n-1, and 2n+1. You were supposed to do some tricky math and find it True. Except I just plugged in 1 and found that a side was 0, which would not make a triangle. I pointed this out to him and I was right!!!!! He didn't realize that -1, 0, and 1 would not work so not all integers! YEAH ME!!!! Apparently he has given this question on tests before and no one has mentioned it. I'm glad I went to check on how I did! Genius!!! So I ended up getting a 93 on the test and he says he is willing to give a recommend for a job anytime. Sweet!

For my Proofs class, I began my studies right after taking my Geometry final and then carried on all day on Thursday. I took it early on Friday and finished 3 hours and 45 minutes later! So glad to be done!!! I don't know how I did on that yet but I'm hopping well enough with all the effort I put in. Brother Woodruff was impressed with my good work ethic and my determination. He pointed out how many students procrastinate till the day before or day of the homework assignment is due to start asking questions. Whereas I come in on the day we go over the subject in class way before it is due. He also says he is willing to recommend me for a job anytime pointing out that great quality I show!

My lab class was a reflection paper and many assignments throughout the semester. The point of the class was to learn how to write how we talk. Instead of using big works and making it way impersonal there are ways to fix something like the following:

The business or technical writing teacher can mitigate against his pragmatic students' recalcitrance toward language studies by pointing out the utility of knowing how to write well. However, rather than turning to hackneyed arguments or to literary evidence, he can motivate students more effectively by turning to compelling testimonials from leaders in business and industry, to appropriate personal experiences, and to stimulating classroom strategies that emphasize the importance of language ability in career, social, and civic aspirations. The lively use of such readily available resources can improve student attitude toward the course and should thus improve student performance.

You see what I mean!? You would need a translator for that! This was one of the things I worked on during all semester long. Along with making and revising a lesson and activity for a math class. I also learned how to write equations in Word and on Wiki. Good things to know if you are going to be a math teacher.

Andrew has been enjoying his jobs. He really likes working for the radio. He says he is nothing special because he is only the Saturday radio man. But he has that sparkle in his eye and is much happier with that job! He also says he has the best boss ever! She is so laid back along with all the other fellow workers for that station. You can tune in online at kbear.fm

His job for announcing games for the Sugar-Salem Diggers is going well. He doesn’t get paid, but it is experience that is the key. Every game he improves his skills. You can listen to him at eisnlive.com and then go to broadcast. The cameraman is me. So if you notice that the game is going on but you’re not seeing anything, that is due to my lack of camera skills. I take stats of both teams and control the camera so sometimes I’m busy trying to take note of something and the game is going on. OR I just get into the game and forget about the camera. OOOPS! I’m working on that.

That wraps up this semester! Now I’m looking for a job and preparing for Christmas. Woot!

Andrew ate a spider!

So we went shopping on Saturday for our monthly restock of food, we usually travel all the way to Idaho Falls to shop at Winco since it's cheaper food. We then came home to put all our food away and see some friends. When we got back, Andrew grabbed a whole nest of grapes to eat for a snack. Then he spits it out thinking he had a leaf along with the grapes. But he finds out its too pointy to be a leaf, but a spider! So we freaked out.

I decide to wash the grapes and I found a web which was made in the grapes! So it's not like the spider just jumped in there, it had a home in the grapes!!!!!! Then I looked online what kind of spiders hang out in grapes. Apparently, California in an attempt to go more green they have been including spiders as pesticides to eat the little critters that like grapes. Well, those spiders attract larger spiders that feed on them, such as black widows.....creepy!!!!!!!

I then decided to look into the symptoms of a black widow spider's bite. Usually, spider bites swell or are itchy maybe with some pain or numbness, which Andrew was experiencing on his tongue and roof of his mouth. The more severe ones would cause muscle cramps and such. Fortunately, Andrew is a healthy adult so he survived!!! YEAH!!!! However, we are way paranoid, still like grapes, but way paranoid. We also lost some sleep because of staying up for an extra hour to make sure he didn't show any of the more extreme symptoms.

The moral of this story is, WASH YOUR GRAPES!!!!!!

The Incredible Seagraves live to face another catastrophe.

Fun Weekend at Park City

It was crazy awesome!

It was fun going down with our friends. We did a lot of shopping or really, looking around and seeing what we would love to buy if we ever had the money.

We traveled down on Friday at about 6pm and arrived at Grandpa and Grandma's place around 10. Our friends really like the Park City home. We can’t disagree. It’s wonderful and holds so many fond memories for us. I’m glad we have the option of staying there every time we go down.

Saturday I went to my hair-removal appointment at Ideal Image in West Jordan, UT. They have a laser system which can remove all sorts of unwanted dark hair. They use it to zap at your hair targeting the roots of your hair. You have to go there several times because new roots replace the old, but this cycle only happens so many times. You have the option of using numbing cream for this procedure and I just dealt without it. The sensation you get from the zapping machine is a burning one which doesn't leave a physical burn after you're done with the process. They repeat this until the whole area is treated. It's not too bad, and the whole ordeal gets better after they put aloe where they did the zapping. I’m a little red for about 30 minutes after my appointment and then I’m all good. I thought I would write this out in case anyone else ever thought of wanting to do this. You can always go in to consult with them and see what they have to say. I’m glad I am not going to have to worry about those unwanted hairs anymore.

So after the appointment we walked around a local mall and I bought some Chinese stress balls, I'm not sure what they are called but they are two balls which are decorated with have bells in them that as you rotate them in your hand will jingle. They’re terrific for those stressful moments.

Later on, we went to the Cheesecake Factory. Our friend, Russell, wanted to go there because he loves their cheesecakes and it also served as a sort of birthday present to himself. Andrew and I shared a slice of cookie-dough cheesecake and it was amazing!!!!! We did more paroozing at the Park City mall after we got back. I was looking all day for a cute top, but never felt satisfied. Then as we were looking for our friends, my purse’s shoulder strap broke!!! A button broke off earlier which was a sign it was falling apart. Luckily we knew of a place we had been to earlier which had new, cuter, and sturdier purses! Now I have a purse that will go with any color except all black, but that’s not my style so I think I’ll be fine. So instead of a new shirt I have a new purse and love it! It doesn't have much space for stuffing my things in, but it works.

Sunday we went to the visitors ward at the Stake Center in Park City and enjoyed sacrament. We then went home for lunch and some down time and later on went to town to walk around the tourist section along Main Street. Amanda said it was a cute set-up and we all enjoyed being there. Andrew and I stop by this photo gallery every time we are there. This guy just takes pictures of nature and doesn’t do anything to the film. His photos are amazing, beautiful, and stunning! Some of his pictures can also be comical, too. I think some of his work would look great in the Park City house. He goes all over the world to take these pictures. Heck, he even takes photographs in Idaho! The great thing is that he's a biologist and doesn’t have as much of a photographic background as other nature photographers, but he does such an amazing job!

All in all it was a great trip! You know, you never seem to get the amount of sleep you hope for when you are supposed to be taking it easy because you want to do so much and sleep just gets in the way.

So many things have been going on this week!

First off school started again for me! I'm only taking 6 credits in three classes. Two of them are interrelated as in one is a lab for the other. They are all math classes and I'm totally stocked to learn about this new stuff like how to write math problems in Word or on a website. Its totally wicked!

I also cut Andrew's hair. It was nerve wracking the whole time. I ended up buzzing his whole head with a 1" length and did the areas that needed less with less. I think it looks pretty good for my first time. I did better with Mom's coaching on Dad. But I have to learn sometime.

To finish off the week we visited the ROACHES....La cucaracha, La cucaracha, da da da da.... over in American Falls. They have a nice little place they are renting and seem to be enjoying their time there. We went to the driving range. I got up to 75 yards!!! Andrew, of course, got up to like a 1000 yards! He kept coaching me on what to do, and repeating "Make sure your head is down" or "...your left arm needs to be straight." I was a little annoyed at first but after he came over and gave me the date hold to show me how its done I got to like it more and listened to him. *awwwww*

For the celebration of my birthday I actually had it over several days.

Birthday Meal: Andrew and I had my birthday meal on Friday. I really wanted Chilies because it is such a treat to go out there now. So we made the trip all the way to Idaho Falls to enjoy our meal. I had my usual chicken crispers, still delicious as ever!

Birthday Party: My party was held on Sunday at 7pm. I invited a lot of people only expecting a few to show up. It’s hard to have everyone there. But a lot did show up, so I was so happy with the turn out. We started off with presents, went to the cake, and then played Curses. I decided to start everyone off with a curse just to make things interesting. The way the game works is that you have two sets of cards. One set is a challenge, which you draw first. You must complete the challenge and then choose a curse to either give to someone or yourself. Its more fun giving them away. The player with the most curse cards wins. Unfortunately, as you receive more curses it becomes harder to keep track, but more fun for everyone else. Andrew had a curse where he had to talk in a falsetto voice. Later he had to talk like a vampire. So he was a falsetto vampire. It was hilarious and made the game much more interesting. As the evening wore on people slowly left having children to attend to or homework to start on. So we ended up just talking with those who stayed. Dan and Berry were still playing pool (as they were the entire time). The Ortons (Rebekah and Adam, Rebekah is my RS President and is an amazing fun person!) stayed to talk with Andrew and try to tap all the random words he has in his head. Audra, Emily (Hess, my only single friend), and I chatted until we were all kicked out. I had a great party and was happy to have so many of my friends there. Some of them couldn’t make it due to illnesses, moving and vacation.The girl cringing on the couch has a curse where if someone touches her she has to spasm as though she is being electrocuted. Her husband is trying to complete a challenge by taking her money.

Birthday Cake(s): The cake that I have been salivating over is red velvet cake! Oh, so scrumptious! So we went shopping for it on Saturday. We first tried Brouhlims and didn’t seem to find it there. We just thought that was because they didn’t supply it. So we tried our Super Wal-Mart, it’s actually not all the super, especially since they didn’t have the red velvet cake mix. Then we tried the last place – Albertsons. It wasn’t there either, but I did notice that there was a spot for it. So I asked one of the store personals where it could be and if I could have it. They said “If it’s not on the self then we are out.” I was so distraught! I started crying when I told Andrew that everyone took my Velvet cake and didn’t leave any for my birthday. So we bought some other cake and I just didn’t care because it wasn’t going to be my special birthday cake. (I know it sounds very dramatic, but I’ve been wanting velvet cake since my last birthday!)

In the end I looked up a recipe online and asked my darling husband, who never ceases to be amazing, to buy the ingredients we didn’t have. He did just that and I was able to bake the cake the next day! You just can’t be complete without the right birthday cake. I also had the other selection that I had chosen there too, just in case people preferred one over the other.

Presents: The surprise present that I wasn’t expected were cases for my coin collection. I have been (with the help of Andrew) collecting coins of all 50 states. Then the territories coin collection came out so we collected all those. I now have complete sets and awesome cases to display them in.

I also have been wanting to have dress pants. I should have thought of this sooner because being a secretary and having to wear skirts all the time was a drag! So I limited myself to only three pairs- black, gray, and brown (never found 'me brown pants'). I will have to have the hems taken down to fit my height but they look awesome and I can’t wait to enjoy them. (This is what the birthday money went towards).

In addition to the wonderful gifts I already received, there was more at my party. I wasn’t really expecting anything. I got a new card game, water guns, a box of Life cereal saying “Happy Birthday, and have a good Life,” a Dairy Queen gift card and some awesome cards. I really wasn’t expecting any presents so I was totally happy to receive them.

I also received some awesome cards from Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa Smith. I really like the personal stuff that you print out to say to me. It makes it all the more precious to me.

So I think my birthday(s) was a great event.