Student Teaching

Just a quick report on my semester thus far...I'm supposed to be working on homework. For those of you who didn't know, I started my last semester of school Monday and I'm doing my student teaching at Fiddlers Elementary in Cedar City. My first placement is in 1st grade, and after 30 days I'll move up to 4th grade (yay!). It's gone pretty well so far, and I'm remembering why I love teaching so much. I have an amazing mentor teaching and she's all too willing to help me to become a better teacher. Tomorrow she'll be gone all day and she's hired a sub but told her that I'll be teaching the entire day. So cross your fingers that I don't mess those kids up in one day! There are definitely some down parts to teaching first graders, like I tie about 50 shoelaces a day, hand out 20 bandaids and yesterday a kid pooped his pants...for real! It's very rewarding too though when the day's over and I get to go home feeling like I've done something productive. Kassidy's adapting fairly well to Daycare but still crying occassionally. It'll take a bit of time to adjust, but I'm proud of my little boppy. Kevin's doin well at school too, working on a senior research project (testing steroids on fish), taking a full class load of upper division courses, and being a TA for two professors who absolutely adore him. We have high hopes for Pharmacy school this year. Thanks for thinking of us and know that we miss you all!

M-Dawg's wedding

This last weekend I had the opportunity to escape, to flee from Cedar City and motherhood and all responsibility and just have a wonderful girl's weekend. I am so thankful that Kevin stayed home with Kassidy and made this possible...you're wonderful honey! One of my best friends from HS got married, so I got to go up and hang with the old crowd and get in some sister/mother bonding time. Marie's wedding was beautiful and she was the prettiest bride I've ever seen! James is a lucky guy to be getting a gal like Marie. I rode up to Logan to the temple with Hawken and Eric and Janelle and we had a ball! The boys were a little worried that since I got married I wouldn't be any fun, but I think we laughed and talked the entire drive up and back. Alyssa met us up at the wedding breakfast, so if Jen had been there it would have been complete! We missed you Jenny-poo! After all the wedding hoopla, me and my mom and sis went to the movies and saw Mama Mia! If you haven't seen this movie, take a bunch of girls who you really like and be prepared to laugh for 2 hours! It was fabulous and I had a ball with my girls. The weekend was fabulous and I was a little reluctant to come home to "life" again, but my house wasn't burnt down and Kassidy was happy and well, so I feel like I wasn't too much of a delinquent. I took too many pics to post, so I'll put them in a slide show if you're interested.

My little Mozart

Kassidy loves to play the piano, and I'm amazed at how she already knows how to push all the buttons to change the songs and the voice of the piano. She's a regular little Mozart...I just wish we lived close enough for Grandma Shelly to teach her piano lessons in a few years!

Here's the little master at work. "Look Mom! I can even play backwards!"
Cheesy grin...Ta Da! I did it!
And...she's done. "That was exhausting!"

As a rule, man's a fool

Although I don't really have anything new or exciting to share today, I feel the urge to post today. I'm sitting here at two in the afternoon listening to my daughter scream in her bedroom. After she managed to put off her nap for 2 hours I snapped and decided she could just cry herself to sleep...I know, horrible mother, that's me. Babies just don't get it! They have it great: Someone else changes their poop, they get to eat about 6 times a day, not to mention 2 hour naps in the middle of the day. So why are they so determined to do what the big people are doing? I guess that just goes to show how our society runs; we always want what we don't have. My mom always quotes this poem which I know I'll slaughter:

As a rule, man's a fool.

Always wanting what is not,

Never wanting what he's got.

When it's cold he wants it hot,

When it's hot he wants it cold.

Never wanting what he's got,

Always wanting what is not.

Or something like that. By the way, it's hot today and I wish it were cold :)

My little cutie pie

Just wanted to say how much I love my little munchkin today! She's such a blessing in my life and I don't knopw what I'd do without her. She definitely keeps me busy, but then if she didn't my life would be pretty boring. I love you Kass!

Xander's birthday

Here's my second post for the day. I guess that's what happens when you try and play catch-up. Kassidy went to her friend Xander's 1st birthday party on Tuesday. It was so fun to see all the kids swim and play together. Kassidy kept trying to pull Xander's b-day hat off, I'm not sure why. Thanks for the invite Bree and happy birthday Xander!

Bear Lake & July 24th

So we finally had our first vacation of the summer...all the way to Beaver, Spanish Fork and Bear Lake. We were just excited to get out of Cedar City! Our 24th of July vacation started in Beaver where Kevin's sister and fam came to visit. Kass had a blast playing with her cousins and being around other kids. This is Kassidy and Lyndie in the tub (they're only 11 days apart, but Kassidy's got Lydie outweighed by about 6 pounds! ), aren't they cute?

Next we made our way up to good ole' SF, my hometown. Kevin and I got to the rodeo with my brother Kevin (two Kevins) on the 23rd while Gma and Gpa Hicken watched Kassidy. Apparently she cried the whole time, sorry!!! But the cowboys were great and the Mutton Busters were so cute! The next morning we had a good time at the Fiesta Days parade with the Hicken clan. Kassidy was very interested in the floats and sat so nicely in her chair.

Isn't this a cute picture?

Next we made our way to Garden City to play at Bear Lake for the weekend. We stayed at Grandma and Grandpa Bills' trailer (thanks!) and played at the beach Saturday. The weather was gorgeous and we all had a blast...even Karina, who for some reason didn't want to come and play with us (she's a teenager).

The fam at the Bear Lake pizza place. We waited almost 40 minutes for our pizza, but it sure was delish!

Kevin got a little sunburnt on all that white skin because he didn't listen to me and put on sunscreen. Told you so!

Loungin' in the lake with Mom

Over all we had a blast and a great vacation. Thanks Mom!