The Year is Dying... & Bucket List

New Years Resolutions were written up today.  I remembered my Bucket List (listed below) and looked at last year's post about New Years Resolutions and realized why I still have a swearing problem. I can mark off another thing: I've visited Europe and Asia!  But nothing else :( I need to get crackalacking on this listalisting.   I guess if I got really detailed, visiting Europe and Asia would mark off dozens of things, like all the places and things I saw and ate!  I am currently working on re-writing a Europe Journal since I lost mine 2 days before I came home.  Still bitter.

Go skydiving
Get Married
Have Children
Visit South America and Africa
punch someone in the face
dissect more animals
eat shark
Have debt no more than one year at a time
have a garden every year
Hike a volcano
Helicopter ride
Death Valley
Niagra Falls
Maine crab legs and lighthouse
Eat at a five star restaurant yearly
Make a five star-worthy meal and dress all fancy and eat it
Weigh no more than I do now unless I have a child inside of me
Participate in a triathlon
Be on a talk show
Create art at least once a year
Learn to play guitar really really well
Take voice lessons
Meet the prophet
Be the general relief society president
Get a masters and PhD
Watch the sun rise and set in one day on a south or north facing beach
Go back to New Zealand
Do as much genealogy as possible
Serve a senior mission
Give high fives to strangers...often
Write a book or publish an article
Hot-air balloon across the country
See the northern lights
fly first class
SLC underground tunnels
BYU underground tunnels
Go to a movie by my lonesome
7 world wonders 
Parachuting
Paragliding
Ice climbing
Make snowboarding or skiing a hobby
Visit every temple in Utah and wherever I travel

kiss a stranger
go to New Zealand
go to Australia
bungy jump
zorbing
shotover jet
horseback ride through lord of the rings forest
cruise to mexico
cruise through fjords
New York
Eat at all the best places in New York
Harry Potter World
DisneyWorld
DisneyLand
DisneyLand Paris
Watch 6 movies in one day
Europe
(Eur)Asia


My main resolution is to be present wherever I am.  I'm not trying to be deep here, I mean temporally in the room I am sitting now, or the church meeting I go to, or the annoying bridal shower for the girl I don't care about.  (I hate bridal and baby showers, if I've gone to yours, please feel very loved.)  Not look at my phone, not be bored, not ignore people, not allow myself to find a way to leave as soon as possible.  Just BE there.  And be 100% there.  It's always been a struggle to enjoy where I'm at.  When I do get to leave, I find myself wanting to be done with the next thing.  So I will just back up one step and love where I'm at!

Christmas Songs

Instead of listening in church, I decided to read Christmas hymns and think about what they mean.  I've never thought of the lyrics in Christmas songs.  Unless it is "Last Christmas" or "All I want for Christmas."  Because those are extremely relatable, right?

When I got to "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" it was like reading my mind.  We hear the "old familiar carols," these "unbroken songs" that are seemingly mocked by pop singers, sung without reverence, jingled over and over, the meaning lost. But the last two verses are like: "Nuh uh!" and that was a nice punch in the face.  This song is definitely relatable.

My dad hates "Mary, Did you Know?"
Whenever it comes on the radio, he lets them sing the first line and calls out: "YES!  She did know!" then switches it.

So funny.  I bet you'll have a hard time forgetting that!

1. 1. I heard the bells on Christmas day
   Their old familiar carols play,
   And wild and sweet the words repeat
   Of peace on earth, good will to men.
2. 2. I thought how, as the day had come,
   The belfries of all Christendom
   Had rolled along th'unbroken song
   Of peace on earth, good will to men.
3. 3. And in despair I bowed my head:
   "There is no peace on earth," I said,
   "For hate is strong and mocks the song
   Of peace on earth, good will to men."
4. 4. Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
   "God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
   The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
   With peace on earth, good will to men."
5. 5. Till, ringing, singing, on its way,
   The world revolved from night to day,
   A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
   Of peace on earth, good will to men!

Teacher, do you love me?

Driving to school today, I saw a large flag off the freeway at half staff because of the tragedy in Connecticut.

Yesterday in Relief Society, the teacher played this beautiful primary song. (click here to listen) Tears immediately began flowing within the first line of the song.  There was so much in my heart at that moment.  Realizing how difficult some of my kids are, they still need to know I care.  They have the need to be reassured and loved despite how hard they make it for me to do so.  I hope they feel that.  The loved part, not how difficult it is.

Children are so precious.  I feel the weight of my responsibility to not only teach but to show I care and accept them.  This song encompasses every emotion I feel right now.  I listened to this song on the way to work today, and I think I want to make it a daily thing.

Just listen to the song.  You'll know what I mean.

Thought Process of Watching Recordings

It's hard being single and having all your favorite shows air on Sunday night.  I'm talking about Revenge, Once Upon a Time, and Mentalist.

Sunday is the busiest day for a single lass.

Ya wake up around 10:30.  Sometimes the parents are skipping out on Sunday school and chillin downstairs, sometimes they are still at church.

You know what that means?

It means I have the house to myself.  The ONLY time I have the house to myself the whole week.    How pathetic is that?  Pretty.  Besides their occasional date night with Aunt Sabrina and Uncle Daron.  And one of them comes home at least 3 out of 4 Sundays a month.

Then there's church, a mix and mingle or a break the fast, and family dinner with all the nieces and nephews.  Afterwards I usually split and go to ward prayer and then a thing after.  By the time I get home, there is no time for my shows.

Monday is worse, it's a MONDAY and there is FHE.

So by the time I get to the shows, I have my other favorite shows on the DVR as well: Parks and Rec and New Girl.

Last Friday night I turned down some get-togethers because all I wanted was to watch my shows.

I thought to myself: "Why did I used to have time to watch these shows night-of?"
Because I didn't exercise back then.

Moral of this story?
EXERCISE RUINS EVERYTHING.

Twitter

I recently re-aquainted myself with twitter. I have always thought it was the lamest thing ever, until my friend told me it was her alternate universe.  She used it to read up on her interests.  So I typed in all my hobbies and people I don't hate, following whatever struck my fancy.

I really like twitter now.  I can't get enough!  Everything is so interesting and I don't have to read crap I hate, like on facebook.  I get to stay up-to-date on all things and only the things I care about.

Plus, I am super bad at staying up on current events.  I can't concentrate with a newspaper for long enough to go to B4 and read the rest of the article!  Or when I see my scroll has gone down to the size of a pencil eraser?  Nightmare!  I like the simple, 140 character limit to tell me what happened and where.  For example, New York was crime free for more than 36 hours between Sunday and Tuesday.  So of course I'll click on the link and read about it!  (For as long as I could handle it, the scroller was teensy.)

My least favorite person I'm following is @justinbieber.  He is so vague.  His recent tweet was: "Toronto I'm bringing surprises" - No punctuation.  And he sounds like a creeper!  Maybe my recent dislike for his latest album and how it clearly showed he's not as pure and innocent as he was in his other albums.

I am not really following people I know yet...don't want to turn it into a facebook.  But you're welcome to follow me! @halshum.

The Skinny Rules

A week ago Sunday night I asked my sisters (who are all naturally skinny and have been their whole lives) how they do it.  One sister pulled up this pin on pinterest.  She says she hasn't ever thought about it, but these are pretty much the rules she lives by.  I have been trying this for about a week now and I don't hate it!  We'll see if my genetics and obsession with food will allow it... probably not.  But worth a try!?

Double Copper

Guess how many times I've been pulled over before this month?

Twice.

Guess how many times I've been pulled over this month alone?

TWICE!

The second Sunday of August was a relaxing day.  After a stake meeting, passing notes with a babe of a dude, I decided to make oatmeal-chocolate-chip cookies (DONT add flour like the comments suggest on this recipe) The guy I passed notes with had my iPod Touch and demanded cookies in exchange for it.

Naturally, I made double cookies and delivered to people that helped me move.  By the time I started back home, it was dark.  I turned a corner to go up a swirly hill with rumbly tumbly lines on the road.  I looked in my rear-view mirror and noticed someone was tailing me!  I didn't think I cut anyone off, but I guess I did.  And they seemed ticked (even though I couldn't see anything.)  So I sped up to get away and disregarded the rumblies and lines on the road and drove as straight as possible.

When I turned again, BAM!  The person behind me put on their lights.  They were a COP!  All along!

I was shocked.  So shocked that I didn't move, just in case he thought I was getting a gun.  (I have my concealed weapons permit but no weapon.)  I rolled down my window and began to explain how sorry I was and that I thought he was tailing me.  He asked for my license and registration, the latter I couldn't find because of all the papers in my glove box.  He asked where I was coming from and I said to take cookies to a friend, then offered one to him...ha.

He asked if I was drunk.
 I said he could do a drinking test but I assured him I was not drunk.  (He flashed my pupils with his flashlight)

He was off to his car to "look me up"

When he came back he informed me that it was my lucky day and he was letting me off.  Then he began his lecture of how he should have towed me for wreckless driving and drunk driving.  Heaven forbid a cop let me off NICELY.  But Phew, right?  Phew.

I wonder what they see when they look people up?  Do they see I am a teacher?  I know they see the accident/violation history...But I hope they see I am contributing to the community in some way.

Welp, it doesn't end there.  Yesterday I got pulled over by a hiding motorcycle cop!  He just popped outta no where!  I was going 14 over because people were waiting for a car to turn left going the other direction so I wanted to get out of their way.  The stupid thing was my natural instinct to turn off my car and UNbuckle my seatbelt while the cop was approaching!  When he pointed out that he heard a click as he was walking up, I told him I was an idiot and unbuckled after he pulled me over.  "You're not an idiot, but that's not the smartest thing to do."  He said.  DOIEE!

He let the seatbelt part go, but put me down for going 5 over, how kind.

Paris

June 6

Flew into Charles De Gal 

6 flights of stairs to the apartment room

Figuring out phone for Elizabeth

coming back 3 times to same phone place

Notre Dame pictures outside

Meeting Lauren, Elizabeth's friend

Eating Italian then gelatto

Got baguettes and pastries and quiche for the next day at a local patisserie

June 7

Louvre

Nike of Samothrace , greek sculpture

Venus de Milo – greek sculpture garden, alexandro of antioch

Oath of the Horatii, Jacques-Louis David

Egyptian

Leonardo da Vinci Virgin of the Rocks,

Liberty Leading the People Delacroix

Théodore Géricault, The Raft of the Medusa

Peter Paul Rubens

Marie de' Medici cycle

Johannes Vermeer

Water Lilies, Monet

monet

Spanish painting, Infanta Maria Margareta, Velázquez, 1655

Mona lisa

Van gogh

RENOIR

Picasso

French romantic sculptures

All the Davids

Cassatt

Degas

Tuilleries

Arch de Triumph

Dinner and gelato and latin quarter with Lauren and friends

River cruise

Climbing eiffle tower

Signed name

Walking around looking for Maudey’s restaurant, didn’t find till 12, ate at café

Escargo and steak

June 8

Sacre Coure./Montmontre

Art

Maudey

Rodin Museum gardens, “The Kiss” & “the thinker”

Café Constant

Meeting Christian Constant

Muse D’Orsey

Muse De O’rsay

Cezanne

Renoir

Manet

Monet

Seurat

Cassatt

Degas

Pub with Lauren and friends

June 9

E in Belgium

Sant Chapelle

Top of Notre Dame

Crème Brulee and Crepe

Cheese samples

Bus tour at night

“Bonsua”

E being in room 

June 10

Versailles with Maudey

Cheese on train on the way

Renting golf cart

Marie Antoinette’s Trianon and Hamlet

Angelina’s chocolate

Scarf

Seeing Elizabeth 

Palace

Crepes at Montmontre

Dinner mix-up at Les Tablettes

Korean by my hotel

June 11

Disneyland with Juliet

June12 

Muse D’Orsey with Maudey

More Degas and Cassatt 

Tried Falafel, carrot juice

Gelato 

Back to Versailles to get scarf

Bus

Angelina’s

Hamlet

7 course meal at Les Tablettes

June 13

Rented fiat – stick shift

Day trip to Mont Saint Michele – castle on island, night tide

surrounds

On the way: Rouen Cathedral painted by Monet several times

Beautiful scenery

Elizabeth driving

Savory Crepe restaurant...not amazing and tons of flies

Took a bus to island

Walked around

Church at top with view

Restroom

Drive back – gas and bathroom

Grocery store

Beef tartar

June 14

Notre Dame inside

Fly to Athens

I want a Fiat.

This just happened

And now all my wildest dreams will come true.

I'm going to Paris
Then on a Mediterranean cruise (Greece, Turkey, Places the apostle Paul visited)
Then to Italy
Then to the UK

All this was decided and executed within the past 5 days.  Ha!  Come with!  Or live through me.

I don't know who wrote this, but my sentiments exactly.

Spotlight student ?s

We have a student spotlight every week.  These are some of the questions the class asks the student:

"Who is your favorite SUPER villain?"
"How many horses would you say you have met in your whole entire life?"
"Who is your favorite SUPER HERO?"
Someone blurted: "George Lopez!"
Spotlight: "I HATE George Lopez"
"When was the first time you tasted FOOD?"
Couldn't stop laughing

Mowing the lawn

I love to mow the lawn.  When I was a teenager I used to sign my name...and maybe sometimes my crush's name...then mow around that.  Or make designs.  Nowadays I try and mow differently each time.  Maybe stick with the curve of the garden or deck instead of just the boring straight lines.  It clears my head.  It is like art for me, making something more beautiful.  It is good for me: to think about life and being hard at work...and get chased by wasps and stuff.

I listen to pandora and sometimes I have to b-line back towards the house to pick up the wifi again.  If only I could like running as much as I like mowing the lawn! 

1:38

That's how long my last conversation was with my gramma.

On Wednesday, I was reading up in my room and kept thinking that I should call her.  The thought kept coming and I kept brushing it away; I'd see her when she came into town for conference weekend!  I don't need to call her.  What would I say?  It was too late anyway...9:30pm. 
Reading...
I should ask my mom if maybe she's awake.
My mom says it's too late.
Reading...
epiphany!  Daylight savings doesn't happen in AZ!  It's 8:30!
So I call her.  She answers.  I tell her I'm excited to see her.
I still am.
















I wish she could be at my wedding! (Maybe she will because I'll die before that happens?)

I wish I could hear her say those awesomely offensive things again, like this or do amazing things like this.  She loved loved loved all 50 of her grandkids.  I felt like I was her only grandchild, the way she treated me like I was so important.  I remember on my sixteenth birthday card: "Stay so clean and pure." That always gives me strength.  I hope I can be a woman like gramma.

It broke an' I fixed it

I thought I was so cool, playing basketball with 9 fifth grade boys.

I was rebounding a shot and I heard a POP! It was ma left mid finga.  Ow.  I broke it.

I got one of my student's popsicle sticks and taped it with ma ring finga.  Hope it doesn't get all ugly and crooked like my lovely gramma's fingas.

I look just as hot as they do still, right?

You know you should seek help

When you are not even PMS-y and you cry at your friend's bridal shower when she says nice things about you.

And I am not talking about just tearing up.  There were tears.  streaming.  

It is great to feel a rainbow of emotions!  Yes it is.  Love being a woman.

Quote of the day

"academically this is crazy"
-Student

Another essay from Damon

I have a lizard and the kids write essays and interview for class jobs.  He wanted to be in charge of feeding the lizard.  Here is his "persuasive letter" to me. This is may or may not be from a student this year, and I have changed his name.

Dear Miss Shumway:

For my class job I would like to have cricket feeder or pooper scooper. Hi said pedro from unicorn land I like loli pops and candy because it makes me hyper. I am highly qualified for every single job that is not on here the ones that are on here I can not do. So please read this boring sa and it will scar you for life because it is so horrifying you will want someone to read it for you. And if you don't you will also never be able to have a good person in the job.

First you will have a good person in the job becuase you know that I am amazing. Also you will not have to get on me for not doing the job because I have a fishy named ponyo and I once fed Him for a month but it was his time to go so we gave him a swirly wirly in the tiolet and I couldn't see him go wee his is still in my fish tank and feed him even though he is dead. One time we had a weasel in are yard so I wanted to kill it but my dad wouldn't let me so I must be really nice because I snuck out and shot him. I shot him because he got into are compost and then I skinned him and then there was blood in the snow so I had to eat the snow to hide the evedince that I had killed that weasel but before it died it had a baby so I killed that one to so I put them in a cage and had some target practice none of them got away becuase I hate them.

Second about the pooper scooper I like to do that because I like to mess with poop. One time I built a sculpture out of poop but my dad told me it was mud so I played and rolled around in the poop and I was a man and used my hand. Another time my sisters friends came over and thay were throwing golf balls at us so Devin and I went up into the orchards and we found deer beans and I started throwing the deer poop at them and then I stuck some poo on a stick and chased them that is a true story. The next time my dad siad that the deer poop was beans the very best beans in the world they would make you strong and you could lift a barely lift a penny so I at the poop and it actually doesn't taste that bad but I still coudn't lift the penny so I ate mor and more and then my breath smelt like the poo and then I found some mountian dew in the snow so I tried some and it kind of tasted funny so I put it in a water bottle and brought it home and put it under a micro scope and I found out what it really is.

third I would like bellatrixes vegtables becuase I have A cat that I have and I pore the cheap cat food into his bowl. One day (when I was about 4) a baby sitter came and she said that cat food taste like pizza so I tried it and it tasted like pizza pocket so I kept eating it and after a while it tasted bad so I was sick and puked and puked and then my brother spun me arond on the carpet and I got a rug burn. Once I tried my fish food and it tasted gross so at walmart I tasted every fish food until I found one that tasted good but there wasn't but I could't tell after a while becuase the first ones tasted really bad so the taste stayed in my mouth. One day when I was at petsmart with my sister so she got 2 fishys but one ate the other one so she tried to kill it and she did but one day I convinced her that I could make her come back to life so I preformed surgery on her and I saved her life and that is why I was exepted to a music program at harvared and they will pay my whole tuition.

Miss Shumway I know that you will make the right chioce and will let me what I want. I am sorry for talking but please please don't take my chioce away because of that I have problems with my mouth it never stop moving but when it deosn't I am doing something that is notty. I know that you are an amazing teacher and will let me be pooper scooper I want that really bad and I will get over my fear of it. so I hope you let me.

Sincerely,
Damon

T-Bow Position

Teacher: What did you do this weekend? (Calls on a student)
Student: Braden and I rode our scooters around the neighborhood.  Then we sat in the T-Bow Position on someone's front lawn.  We stayed in their yard in the T-Bow Position for like 20 minutes and we didn't move.  Then we doorbell ditched them and ran off.  I can't use the name of the person's house because they are in this class.
Teacher and other confused students: What is the T-Bow Position?  (I was afraid to ask)
Student: It's the "thinking position" Like this! (Squats and puts fist to chin)

It was an awesome moment of laughs and giggles for all.

I put egg whites

in my HAIR today

Because I read an article that says it makes my hair grow faster.

But my hair is stiff.  How can it grow when it can't even move?  pssshhhh.