Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Rachel 101

I have a fun game for us to play. List 101 things about you. Of course it's easier to rattle off only 10 things, but this way you have to think hard and we get to know each other better. Here's mine.

1. I've lived in 4 countries...United States, Germany, Canada, and Romania.


2. I may or may not be obsessed with Ultimate Frisbee.

3. I love the shows Alias, Bones, and Prison Break and feel like I vicariously live through them.

4. I can listen to a song on repeat for weeks...probably because I'm so detail oriented that every time I listen to it I pick up something new and it never gets old.

5. When I make friends, I try and keep them in my life forever.

6. I've never been the girly type.

7. I'm dependent on Natural Ice Chap Stick and always have it in my pocket.

8. I love male voices singing harmony.

9. I've worn a puka shell necklace since I was 16.

10. I love the school supplies isle.

11. I'm a big fan of extreme sports and could watch motocross and half pipe skating all day.

12. I text way more than talk on my phone.

13. I will always be an NSYNC fan.

14. I used to have a really hard time expressing myself in English...interesting how learning to survive in a foreign language can change that.

15. I'm not a fan of spiders or rodents.

16. I prefer driving a standard over an automatic.

17. Some of my biggest desires are also some of my biggest fears.

18. I am a deep thinker and love to teach that way as well.

19. I'm an organized perfectionist.

20. I love juice.

21. I am comfortable with silence and sometimes prefer it.

22. I like to get to the core of an issue.

23. If I say I'll do something, I'll do it.

24. I used to be really shy.

25. I absolutely hate being in skits and role plays.

26. I love learning life's little lessons.

27. I find observing people very fascinating and I learn more about myself when I learn about others.

28. I am not afraid to approach strangers.

29. I cannot stand the politics of life.

30. I'm not a fan of dances and feel uncomfortable at them.

31. I cannot stand manipulative people.

32. I got cut from the basketball team my senior year of high school before try-outs were even held...still ticked to this day (see #29).

33. I've never voted. I should probably change that.

34. I get frustrated very quickly by Hollywood and how delusional many people are.

35. I can't stand busy work.

36. I served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of later-day Saints in Romania.

37. I love deep conversations.

38. I am easily amused.

39. I do not like country music.

40. I almost always have gum and/or mints with me.

41. I could have a Berry Lime Sublime Jamba Juice everyday and never get sick of it.

42. My favorite holiday is Christmas. Often times the whole month of December is better than Christmas Day.

43. I love the smell of fresh laundry and Christmas trees.

44. I love it when people recognize my talents and strengths.

45. I don't have a favorite animal.

46. I want to be involved in delivery humanitarian aid.

47. My favorite colors are orange and green.

48. I am a really good secret keeper and I have a good memory.

49. I learn by repetition.

50. I am not a morning person and could sleep in everyday until noon if I didn't have obligations to get me up.

51. I cannot stand non-user friendly things and when simple things are supposed to work and don't.

52. I believe that much more teaching in the school system should be hands on learning, it's all about experiential education...thank you Parkdale Mall.

53. I got my driver's license when I was 18.

54. I get a lot of fulfillment from being productive.

55. I live for Sunday naps.

56. I've always wanted to play Ultimate Frisbee on Boise State University's blue turf.

57. My mom broke my nose when I was young. She didn't know I was behind her and she dropped the vacuum cleaner hose right on my nose.

58. I tumbled down the stairs in my walker a time or two when I was little and didn't cry.

59. I strongly believe dollar stores should be open 24 hours and Jamba Juice should deliver...is that too much to ask?

60. I love when my opinion is valued.

61. I'm a pretty private and reserved person and don't share everything with just anyone...basically this list is a huge step.

62. My first couple years of college, I went through a jar of peanut butter a week...I've slowed down a little.

63. I am very picky about what movies I see...there's too much filth out there. Good thing there was Clean Flicks and now there's Clear play.

64. I graduated from BYU-Idaho in Recreation Leadership and am using my degree at my first job -- Dixie State College in St. George, Utah, coordinating sports camps, youth conferences, and working with intramural sports and student activities.

65. I'm not big into reading for enjoyment.

66. I've been told by roommates that I occasionally hum in my sleep.

67. I have a list of activities that I want to do with my future family and creative ways of teaching things to my children...recreation classes are pretty inspirational.

68. I love the feeling of being all alone in a sporting facility...whether it's in a large basketball arena or a football stadium; I love the contrasts of it being completely quite and a place to reflect, to a loud boisterous location where you can't even hear yourself think.

69. I've always wanted older brothers.

70. I have a thing for athletic and skater shoes...I'm very picky about the laces too. If only you knew what I've done with eyelets and laces to make it just right.

71. I have an eraser collection of over 600 pieces ranging anywhere from the classic pink pearl to cars.

72. I would much rather be in a cooler environment than a warmer one.

73. I have sports induced asthma.

74. I can't stand it when people walk or drive slowly in front of me.

75. I can make a cup out of paper...who knew that skill would come in handy on a family road trip when we forgot cups.

76. I only like the sauce not the chunks in salsa. I may or may not have tried to blend up salsa when I was younger so it would only be the sauce.

77. When I walk outside and it's bright, the first thing I do is sneeze..I usually end up losing my gum or the mint I just put in my mouth (see #40).

78. I've never gotten a speeding ticket.

79. I'm a big fan of wearing layers.

80. I've been told many times that I have a unique vocabulary and if you've been around me long enough, you'll start talking like me.

81. My right ankle has a permanent bump from fracturing it twice and tearing a ligament from stepping on a rock while hiking in Romania and playing Ultimate Frisbee.

82. I cannot read music. I could at one point in 4th grade when I took piano lessons, then my teacher moved and we moved and that was the end of that.

83. I've had the same ring tone for almost 3 years and it never gets old...Sweetness by Jimmy Eat World. Hearing that song live was a dream come true.

84. My nickname from my first few years at college is Pacha...there are people to this day that still only know me as that.

85. I have to pop my knees at least a million times a day.

86. I cannot stand pet hair on my clothes.

87. I'm not a big fan of cooking...I've decided I either need to marry a chef or he has to be ok with us making every meal together.

88. If you want to annoy me in the mornings, just turn on the light.

89. I can't stand it when people aren't aware of those around them...especially when people are loud when others are trying to sleep.

90. I have always wanted to go to Jerusalem.

91. I don't have any stories of being a rebellious child...I was afraid of getting in trouble.

92. I love my Nixon watch.

93. I miss the good old days when Michael Jordan played for the Chicago Bulls.

94. I've been known to eat some pretty random things either for a dare or to just to get a reaction from people.

95. I wish I knew my grandparents.

96. I miss my 1A Idaho license plates.

97. I find the process interesting learning that parents are human too.

98. I wish I played soccer growing up.

99. I hate feeling unprepared.

100. I miss my rock tumbler.

101. I like to look at everything as an adventure.




Sunday, September 21, 2008

My classroom!

Here is me in my very first classroom! It's a brand new school too, so I got a lot of cool new stuff!

Life in Nampa

Hello Friends!
Well, I just miss you all terribly, so I decided to write you a little note about my life. I moved to Nampa, Idaho in August and I really just love it! I started teaching my little kindergarteners and feel that I've found my location and calling in life (for right now anyways). I really feel at peace and that I'm supposed to be here. I have a great ward and am slowly finding friends and making a life for myself here. I have my grandma, aunt, and cousins pretty close, so I was never completely alone, but it felt like it for a while there. I teach two half day kindergarten classes. There are about 20 students in each. I've already had many adventures teachers, most of which have been very positive. One girl did cut her hair in my class though, yikes! The parents have been very nice and very understanding though, haha. We have lots of fun and I just love those kids to pieces! I've recently started training for a 5k. Yes, you heard me, a 5k. Please do not laugh. I'm a beginner and I am actually doing a training schedule to work up to it, haha. One day, I'll be a superstar like Sara, but for now, I'm just having fun jogging and working towards a goal. Overall, life is great and I'm just genuinely happy and feel really blessed. I love you all and hope you're doing great!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

LET THE GUESSING BEGIN!!!

Hey All!!!

So I am back at the Y with my Sara and others and it makes me beyond happy!!! :D I have been doing a lot better lately because of all the love in our apartment! Sooooooooooooooooo we have a BIG map in our apartment up with everyone's guesses of where they think I will get my mission call. Which I am most likely going to be getting at the end of next month... SOOOO I WANT ALL OF YOUR GUESSES!! The winner will be getting two large bags of candy! I will ship it to you if you win or are the closest to the real place. Only one guess per mission or city so if the location is already taken I will let you know. Ok I love you all!!!! GOOD LUCK ... to both you and ME!

-Kait

update

hey everyone! I've updated!


check it out! :)

and ps I check this everday for updates, and am sad there are hardly ever any. Especially from little Kaitlyn. I need to know what's going on in your lives!!!!

Love you all!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Sara's Life

Hello everyone! So I just realized that I haven't contributed to this lovely little blog for quite some time, so I decided to give you all a little update! I'm getting ready to start school again and move in with Kaitlyn, Suz, and three other girls (one is mine and Suzy's friend from high school and two that Kaitlyn know). It will be amazing! To be honest, the thing I'm most excited for are the sports, but school should be good too...
A group of us hiked that wonderful mountain called Timpanogos this morning--that was quite glorious! That was a life goal of mine, now accomplished. We started hiking at like 1:00 in the morning and by the time we finished I went a lovely 30 hours without sleeping--probably not the best idea, but I managed to survive so it's all good.
I just had my last day at one of my jobs yesterday. The other one I'll be keeping during school. I'm still not quite sure how that's all gonna turn out, but I like working there, so it can't be too terrible.
Hmmm...I really don't know what else to tell you. I went to California a couple of weeks ago, that was amazing! Ken, Robert, Liz, Reid and I went on a little "older-sibling-road-trip" first and then met up with the rest of my family at our family reunion. It was one of the most amazing trips ever! It was sooo much fun. While there I accomplished another life goal. I went to a Major League Baseball game for the first time ever! It was incredible.
That's pretty much all I can think of! I'm still training for St. George again, but we have a while until it's time for that. Basically, life is good, Michael Phelps is my hero, I miss you all, and Olympians blow my mind. Love you!

Sunday, August 10, 2008