What should I call my class?

maybe have it start with a "sh" so it sounds cooler. like shooting stars or shamrocks. Then I can theme my whole classroom after it! I am going to have so much fun.

When I smell these, I think of killing spiders

because these are the things I have used to kill spiders my whole life. It's the best way, because there is no contact, just smells.

throughout my life

I have associated songs with one another if they have the same words. When I was in elementary school the two songs that were most popular to roller skate to at Classic Skating were "Don't Turn Around," by Ace of Base and "total eclipse of the heart," by Bonnie Tyler "TURN AROOOUUUND..." Those songs were ironic, I thought to myself: "what does it take for someone to love you? Turn around or don't?"

Ever since I have naturally paired up songs that say similar things. like "Tick Tock," by ke$ha and "4 minutes," by JT & Madonna "we only got 4 minutes (wicky wick) 4 minutes tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock" By the way Tick Tock has been stuck in my head for months. Booooo.

Then there's these crazy people that show their love by walking 1,000 miles:
"I'm gonna be," by proclaimers (I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more) = 1000 miles and "1,000 miles," by Vanessa Carlton.

Wow, people that write songs. Please google your lyrics so they don't say the same thing as a song that is probably cooler! I'll catch on.


Justin Bieber, I'll let your hit "Find me Somebody to Love" slide. (like Queen's but NOT!) I enjoy that song a hecka lot, JB. so you're ok. Sorry I'm too old for you, maybe if age doesn't count in the hereafter we can work something out.

Anyone found this connection as well? What other songs are the same to you?

CALIFORNIAAAAAA

I just got back from visiting my friend Katherine in CALIFORNIA!
I drove down with my cousins who were visiting my house last week. The car was packed but I slept most of the way! They live in Orange county so I rode the train down to San Diego where Kath picked me up.
Sunday we went to church and ate food at the bishop's after. stuffed myself. Since it was the fourth we said "hey! let's go watch fireworks!" so we did. Crazy traffic but hey. it's a holiday. what did we expect?

picture of Denise (Kath's cousin) Katherine, and ME at fireworks!

Monday Kath and I waited in line for like an hour for breakfast a Konos. Worth it? YES! Just yum yum food food. It was our first time and people told us to share but we ignored them. We each got the big breakfast which included an english muffin, eggs, amazing potatoes (with cheese and onion) and bacon. We should have shared.
On the way back from breakfast, oh it's now noon by the way, we decided to go to DISNEYLAND! So we did. And it was the best decision I've ever made. Traffic was bad. But again, may I remind myself, what do you expect on the day off for a holiday?
Disneyland was, of course, PIZACKED! But we got to squeeze in all our favorite rides. My top three are Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Screamin California, and Soarin. (hehe I had to say four because it's DISNEYLAND and I can.) What are yours?


TUESDAY kath had to workey work. So she let me just drop her off and use her car. And listen to how lame I am. I dropped her off, then I went back to the house and just slept :) Till lunch. When I woke up, I got a call. I GOT THE JOB! My life was officially real life now. No more playing around with no salary.
Picked kath up for lunch, we went to this new york sandwich place.
Then I buckled down and went to places after dropping her off. Went to Balboa park, so beautiful. Then to Sea World GUESS WHAT? You can buy a shopping pass there for $69 dollars and if you come back within an hour they REFUND you all the money! So I jogged around the whole park and was able to see/do everything I wanted. Including seeing SHAMU jump vertically completely out of the water!!!!! Amazing.
We got REAL Thai food that night. mmmmm.

Wednesday I dropped kath off at work then went to the TEMPLE which is so beautiful, I've always wanted to go. I wish I could see the whole thing :) Someday! With a lover! I will!
Went to this crappy bagel place by Von's. DON'T EAT THERE.
then to La Jolla Cove where I hiked around the rocks and saw widdle baby cwabs! and SEA WIONS! I gave the bagel idea another shot and got yummy yummy a blueberry scone at a bakery off the beach. Breakfast was redeemed.
Then to old town. I just drove around, didn't look like something I'd enjoy. Then to Cabrillo National Monument. They have a lighthouse you can walk into and a nice little path on the rocky cliffs off the beach.
Met Kath and her friends at lunch at this DELICIOUS place called Croutons. Salads. Soups. Sandwich.
Then I went to my favorite place that i want to live at forever. Coronado. So beautiful and it reminds me of the nice towns of New Zealand. sniff sniff. Parked. no change for the meter! there was 20 minutes left from the last guy. whew. Went to Coronado Hotel and walked the beach.
Then to the FARMER'S MARKET! I allowed myself one treat. I got four. he gave me a DEAL! I ate one on the beach, gave one to kath when I picked her up, and two are in my freezer.

I FELT AN EARTHQUAKE!!!!!!!!!
5.4 magnitude. I was gettting gas before picking up katherine. I didn't have shoes on. I put the nozzle in the car. The ground swayed and I looked around, trying to decide where I could be the safest. I froze. I couldn't move. the guys next to me swore and labeled the shake as a "big" earthquake. I figured there would be an aftershock and I'd be alone!!! So I just put the nozzle back in the machine and drove away to be with Katherine. AHHHHH! I survived an EARTHQUAKE!

I made it to Katherine's work (wheW!!) and she drove my to the airport. Wah. I am back to normal life. Not that my life is normal. BUT I LOVED MY TRIP! I did everything I wanted to do and I got to go to DISNEYLAND. So magical. It was good to be with my friend and step out of my life.

I GOT A JOB! 5th grade!

a sneeze that kills

I was walking down the hall from my room to go downstairs. My dad was working at the room just at the top of the stairs; I could hear him typing his loud, chicken-pecking way. (I usually have him shut his door when I am asleep because I can hear this from my room with my door closed) Just as I reach the top of the stairs, I hear a thunderous boom that makes me jump out of my skin and causes me to scream bloody murder. Then I realize, oh. That is just my dad, sneezing.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Yesterday I went to the play at the Hale Center Theater. Before going, I decided to read some of the book, which I will finish today! I just love this book. The characters are hilarious, I relate to Scout a ton. And I want to marry a man like Atticus. So deep and complex. And his parenting style is beautiful. The play was really entertaining and the kids were darlings. Go see it! just a couple more days at the hale center theater!

family reunion

I just have one story because I don't have much to say about it other than there was no cell service. which was the best.

10:30 pm. Everyone was in bed, in their individual cabins, ready for the generator to be shut off.
they assigned a cabin to four girls, four single girls. Me, gina, fav cousing Cara, her sis lins.
11:00pm. Still awake, pitch dark. The generator had been shut off. you couldn't see the hand in front of you.
11:05pm. We hear someone stumbling up the steps to our cabin porch. Oh by the way. none of the cabins had locks on their doors. Because it's a family reunion ranch, the closest town is 20 miles away.
11:06pm. whoever is outside is moving around the chairs on our porch, dragging their feet...
I yell out "What do you want?! We know you're out there!"
Gina: "Daron? (brother) Is that you?"
Me: "We have hard objects!"
silence. more movement.
our minds are racing. Is it a drunk cowboy? An animal?
We hear the screen door open. By now we have our lantern on.
Gina and I bolt out of our beds. We grab the first harmful-like objects we could see: Gina got a mega-large aerosol hair spray can and I got the blow dryer. The two girls in the other room peek out to our room, staying hidden. For a moment we waited, objects held high, ready for attack. I pictured how I could use my blow dryer. Maybe swing it around like a helicopter so the attacker couldn't approach without being seriously injured.
Gina is brave enough to open the door.

"Hey guys, just checking up on you, how's it going?"
It was my brother. Playing a little pranky prank. I should have hit him with the blow dryer anyway.

shows

I had goosebumps the entire hour I watched the finale. It's just good stuff.



Then I'm of course totally into So you think you can dance. I just love watching dancers. and feeling something from that. And hello all-stars allison and neil and lauren? jackpot.

Tell me why

I am still using an electric blanket to stay warm...in JUNE?



Happy June by the way.

Take a chance

Lately I've decided to not listen to my usual songs, to give the 4,000 + other songs on my iPod a chance. It's so fun to find hidden treasures you never knew you had.

Like "Silver Lining" by Rilo Kiley
or "OSET" by Jojo
and of course the oldies of Mariah, n'sync, I can't believe I called those oldies.

Just take a challenge and do the same. Give your other songs a chance and refresh your groove! Let me know how it works out.

Birthday Card lol moment

Each member of my family signed a birthday card for me. I have revisited this card a couple times since my bday because I knew it would crack me up. So I wanted to share some selections of this card and give you a lol moment if you don't mind.

"We love you. I have often wondered about that. -Ethan"
"Love you. Peace. -Daron"
"Hallie, You bring that light to your life that nobody else can see except Michelle (his wife). love, Khyl"
And without reading Khyl's comment, Michelle wrote: "Hallie- I am in love with you. Will you marry me? Wait...I guess Khyl is kind of like your twin. That's why I married him. Because he's male."

I don't need to stop to smell the roses, I can just drive my scooter near one

I like just driving my scooter and breathing in deeply through my nose as I pass anything blooming. Smells so good outside in many places.

Smell of the week: I specially love the smell of those hanging flowers, called wisteria. (my mom knew that...and now you and I do)

I'm three and twenty

And so far it's been splendid.

I woke up Saturday morning, when it was my bday, threw on some clothes and went to Mimi's with daddy and Gina.  

Then Gina and I went to Downeast and got some marked down designer jeans I tried on and fell in love with.  This doesn't happen very often when you have a body like mine.  Usually my parents give me money and I just use it to pay off my credit card but this year I decided to use my birthday money on something I wanted.  

Driving on the way to the farmer's market we stopped at a red light.  I saw that the stoplight would take a while so I turned up the music, got out of the car, and just danced around it.  It was my birthday and that is what I felt like doing.  So I did.  And the people in the cars around me looked at me like I was crazy.  Well I got news for you mr driver with sunglasses.  I am.

Walked around the farmer's market and tasted some honey from a wildflower region in the mountains.  it tasted so interesting and good.  

Then to the baseball game!  I met my dad, nephews, Daron, and Krystal there.  We had J-dawgs at this tailgate party.  I love J-dawgs so blasted much.

The game was fun.  Gina was on a group date so my dad and I did my best to embarrass her, yelling out stuff.

I got my hair died darker brown then trimmed.  My cousin does hair and I've wanted to see what she could do.  She was amazing.  It was fun to chat with her.  and I love getting my hair done.

Met some friends and family at Wingers.  My brother poured popcorn seeds into my kiwi sprite.

Then my birthday was over because I went to a couple parties, one was a bday party for my nz friend and the other was a tim tam slam/thai food party and no one knew it was my bday.  I liked that. It was my little secret.  And I had fun.  And the food was bomb.

Then I watched The Princess and the Frog which I have only heard bad things about.  But I really loved it.

My party could have been better if Katherine hadn't moved away and my mom wasn't in Hawaii with her sisters.  BUT I'M 23!  YAY!

I didn't get the job

but that doesn't mean anything. It just means I have endless possibilities and I'm not tied down to that one school anymore. I know there is a class out there that I am destined to teach! Can't wait till this is over. I am sooo done with my black pencil skirt, panty hose, and ironing shirts. Then getting all nervous for the interview. Then feeling really good about the interview. then waiting to hear back. That is almost worse than any other part. Finally hearing back and having them tell you everything you want to hear. But the fact that you didn't get the job. It'll be worth it when it finally works out though.

See, this is me and my future employer.

Hold on for one more day

This song is my favorite right now and I listen to it on repeat because it totally encompasses everything I am feeling today!
Because one more day, and I'll know.

here is a comment on the page of this video: "ive listened to this song 35 times in a row now. im hooked!! yes i am a man and NOT GAY!! HAHA this song has KEPT ME FROM KILLING MYSELF."

The power of this song can touch your life too.
Oh dang it!! It won't let me embed the original. So here's just the song while you look at random metal doors or windows or something:



It's crazy how many things hang on getting a job - this job.

• paying off my debt
• going to Belize this summer
• the quality of my relationships

jk about the last one but seriously the first two are pretty big deals.

Bye Katherine

This post is a kind of thick so don't read it if you feel awkward pretty easily.

Having your best friend move away is like getting a limb torn off.
I would know.

It's kind of annoying because last year I came back from New Zealand and she had her own group of friends so I found my own friends. But that didn't last very long, our separate lifestyles. Because we are just better when we have the other as part of our lives. So we see each other every day. Except not today. because she moved to San Diego today.



Now we are both left to make do with the other friends we have. Not that they aren't amazing and make us better, but that we will miss that reinforcing response when we do something crazy. We will feel silence in the moments where we are usually reassured.

The future is unknown; no fall semester to surely be back for. Only the hope that we will be lifetime friends, be it long or short distance. (we are both THE WORST at keeping in touch with old friends, so this may require a miracle.) And the hope of fulfilling the joking prediction to live as old ladies together with lots of cats; after our husbands have passed and our children have gone away.

upidy date

I interviewed for two positions yesterday and it went really well. There were 7 people in the conference room, staring me down and interrogating me! jk I was totally loving it and had a good time. I have a gift for interviewing. But that doesn't ensure ANYTHING because it's all about what they want, not how the interview went.

I will hear back in a week at the EARLIEST! dying here!

panic

The Mt. Timpanogos Temple Prayer Roll's mailbox is FULL!

WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO????

So you're telling me there's a chance

tomorrow at 2:30 will be the most important moment of my CAREER!
It's an interview for the two openings at the school I am an aide at.
I hear they are getting about 150 applicants a day for these openings.
And I am among the least experienced.
But we are just focusing on that small percentage that I will get it!
I totally got this.