A Little Slice of Sunshine

Why I Love Teaching Seventh Grade

2012-01-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

~~Many~~ Most 7th graders don't have a filter, and some of them just quite haven't figured out some social norms. This makes every day entertaining and I can never predict what they will say or do. With the change I recently made to full time, I have acquired several more students. Having over 200 students greatly increases the chances that one or more of them will do something a little quirky, totally out of the blue, or just plain funny. Just this week, I have witnessed or heard the following:

- Lime green velvet pants. Oh, and they were zebra striped.

- A sweet boy dancing around the hall ballerina style while waiting for me to unlock my door. As far as he was concerned, he was the only person in that hallway.

- One girl brought her old school type writer with her to class today. Not because we were going to be writing any thing. Not because she was using it as a prop for something. Just because she wanted to bring it. I think it weighs as much as she does. It was quite the sight to see her lugging it around. And then she stored it in my room. And forgot to come back for it.

- A boy came running into class and said, "Miss Koster! I had the worst dream ever last night!" When asked what it was about, he responded, "I had a dream that Mrs. J really did retire and that you really are my new teacher." Me: Pause. "Um, I'm sorry, but your dream is true. She did retire and I am your new teacher." Him: "Oh. Really? Like you mean she's never coming back?" Me: "Yeah. She's not coming back. I'm sorry." (Thank you, good sir. It's a good thing I have enough confidence in myself and don't need the approval of a 12 year old.)

- Two girls were done with their essays and were playing an online horse trading game. They "purchase" and create pet horses for their collection. Apparently it's quite a big deal to those involved. I heard lines like, "Unicorns are very rare.", "Oh! Pax is a uni-reject!" (NO clue what that means), and "So how is Striking Beauty doing?" I still have no idea what this horse thing is about, but they were rather excited about it.

- Three very easily distracted boys, as they were supposed to be working on their essays, stopped me and said, "Hey, Miss Koster, do you have a boyfriend?" Me: "Maybe." Boys: "Come on! Just tell us!" Me: "Why does it matter if I do?" Boys: "Oh! That means you do!" Me: "What are you going to do about it if I tell you I do have one?" Boys: "We're going to go find him!" Me: "Haha, good luck with that. We're not even in the same country right now." Boys: "Oooooooh!" followed by giggles.

- One of my classes entered a writing contest which required them to make multiple copies of their essays. I asked the class who needed to make the additional copies. Five or six raised their hands. Feeling like I couldn't send them down to the lab by themselves (and the rest of the class needing to get some energy out), the entire class took a field trip to the lab. As I was walking around, I noticed that two of the boys who had initially raised their hands were playing games. I asked them if they finished printing. Their response, "Oh. Well, we never even had to print anything. We just raised our hands so we would have a better chance of coming down here." Really, boys? Really? Sneaky 7th graders: 1, Miss Koster: 0.

Don't you wish you had a job as entertaining as mine?

*Note: These stories are not posted to mock or in any way make fun of my students. I just thought they were funny and wanted to document them! :)

Out With the Old, In With the New

2011-12-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one who can't believe that we are already to the end of another year? Here's a quick recap of my crazy goings on and shennanigans this year.

I turned 27

Had a crazy adventure with Marianne while getting to and from Omaha, NE for Spring Break

Welcomed my new nephew, Emmett

Went to Women's Conference for the first time

Had several Just Dance parties

Saw cute lil' David Archie at the Stadium of Fire

Anxiously awaited the release of Harry Potter 7.2

Saw HP 7.2

A few trips to 7 Peaks

Saw AIDA with Mike

Took Skyler to the Storytelling Festival

Celebrated Labor Day at the family cabin

Went to California with my family

Halloween Party

5K/Mile Fun Run to support my cousin's Eagle Project

Thanksgiving with my family

Ended the year by getting a full time position at my school

A rockin' Christmas party with my closest friends
Christmas with my family and friends

Other notable events included going on several dates--- some not so great, but enough really good ones to balance it all out, lots of craft projects, lots of late nights chatting and laughing, I read more books than I can count, and I spent lots of time with those I love most.

2011 was a great year, and I have a gumption that 2012 will be just as good, if not better.

Merry Christmas to Me.

2011-12-05T20:26:00.001-07:00

A while ago, a lovely young lady graduated with her Bachelor's Degree in English Education. Wanting to use her degree, she began the job search and interview process. Unfortunately, a gazillion other people were doing the same thing and full time work was hard to come by. Luckily, she was able to land an hourly teaching position. She came to love the people she worked with, and came to love the students at the school just as much. Thankfully, she was able to continue teaching part time this school year.

One of her favorite coworkers decided that she would be retiring midway through this year. This opened up a great opportunity for this awesome little teacher. But... legalities made it so that she couldn't just slide into the position. Once the job was posted, she quickly applied. And then she waited. And waited. Finally, they called her for an interview. And guess what? She wooed them with her wit and charm and will now be teaching full time!

Woohoo! This job couldn't have come at a better time and I'm so ready to step in. I hit the ground running right after Christmas break, and I couldn't be more excited about it.

BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER!

Gratitude

2011-11-24T13:00:00.001-07:00

Since it's Thanksgiving, and I have some free time, I thought I'd post a few things I am especially grateful for right now.

My family and the fun we have together.

My sisters. I am thankful for the close relationship I have with both of them. They are both incredible girls.


Friends. I love hanging out with these ladies. I love that they appreciate celebrations and parties as much as I do	.

While my list of things I am thankful for is quite a bit longer, these three are at the top of my list. I'm so glad I am surrounded by so many good people. It sure makes life more fun.

Southern California Adventures

2011-10-27T20:05:00.002-06:00

My awesome parents decided to take the whole family to Southern California for Fall Break this year. It was a blast, and I loved every minute of it! We spent a day at the beach at Dana Point, explored California Adventure, and then played at Disneyland. It had been years since we had been on a vacation as a family, and it was fun to just be together and have fun.

Me and Nicole on the beach

Me and Kelsey

Me, Mia, and Emmett

My favorite little brother

(he didn't even protest at the request to take a picture with me!)

Waiting in line for Soarin' Over California

Fam Pic at the beach

Can't go to Disneyland without taking a picture by the Mickey face

We got stuck on Thunder Mountain Railroad. See the fear on our faces? Someone thought it would be a brilliant idea to stand up while the ride was going. Apparently he didn't think of the repercussions of such a decision. The entire ride was shut down and everyone had to be escorted out. Awesome.

Mia wasn't interested in taking a picture with me. I took one anyway.

Emmett was my car buddy. It made for excellent bonding time.

The time flew by too fast, and it was hard to go back to work after such a nice break, but I am so glad we all were able to go. We even got to meet up with Scott & Melinda and their kids at both parks and ride some of the rides with them. We learned that Fast Passes and Parent Swap passes are the best way to go. The longest line we waited in was about 40 minutes (and that's because we didn't have Fast Passes for that one). Not too shabby. It was a fun trip and I can't wait to do it again sometime!

Thanks, mom and dad!

You can see more pictures and read more about it here and here.

Top Dog 5K Race

2011-10-26T21:51:00.000-06:00

My cute little cousin Nathan is doing his Eagle Project next month. He's decided that he'd like to put on a 5K run to raise money to help the police department purchase bullet proof vests for their K-9 units. Check out the website here to read more information about the race and to register! :)

Couldn't Have Said it Better

2011-10-13T12:55:00.000-06:00

Found this little gem here

A Little Misinterpretation...

2011-09-27T10:07:00.000-06:00

I asked my Creative Writing students to write a short story about a beaver and a fox. One student, apparently love-struck and obsessed, took it as "Write a story about Bieber and a fox".

Apparently she has other things on her mind...

Recent Events

2011-09-07T21:36:00.000-06:00

Labor Day this year was pretty low-key, but the days leading up to it were filled with lots of fun things. I was lucky enough to get hold of some tickets to the Storytelling Festival, so I (or my mom) convinced Skyler to go up with me for a little bit. It was my first time going, and it was really fun! That afternoon, we watched the BYU game and just relaxed the rest of the day. For dinner on Sunday, my family headed up to our family cabin to eat and enjoy some time with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. 'Twas a lovely evening!
And since I don't post on here all that often, here is some pictoral evidence of the previously mentioned events!

Me and Skyler

I made football shaped Rice Krispie Treats for the game! :)

Emmett, Kelsey, Me, and Nicole at the cabin

My sisters are the best. I'm lucky to have them!

When I came home from the cabin, I was greeted by a ginormous (the thing was the size of a quarter with it's legs out) black widow just outside my front door. Not willing to share my home with her, I grabbed the spider spray and promptly took care of things. I did take a picture of it, but it's disgusting and gives me the heebie-jeebies, so I won't post it. I was rather proud of myself, though, for dealing with it without screaming. Spiders are not my favorite, but I wasn't going to just let this one go.

And last, but certainly not least, head on over to my amazing friend's (and hair stylist) hair blog! She gives great tips, has fun tutorials, and even has a giveaway going on now! You can check out what services she offers, see pictures of her work, and learn so much about hair all in one spot! You can check out Julie's work here.

It's going to be a fun year...

2011-08-23T15:01:00.001-06:00

Today was the first full day of school. I can already tell I will have my work cut out for me with some of my kids. It's amazing how quickly you can pick out the "popular" kids, the chatty ones, the ones who love attention, etc. They are so fun, though, and I am enjoying being back at work!
I had my kids fill out information sheets about themselves today. I asked them to write something unique about themselves. This is what I got from some of them:
- I had streat A's in elementary. (Umm. Hmmm.)
- I have HDHD. (Maybe he watches too much TV?)
- I have droken every bown exip 1. (Oh boy.)
- And, my favorite, "I like 'Pretty Little Liars' (shhhh!)". (I should note that this was from a boy...)

So here's to a new school year. Summer flew by waaaay too fast, but I am excited to have a new bunch of kids to teach!

They're Kind of A Big Deal

2011-08-03T00:56:00.000-06:00

Mia and Emmett are my favorite little people. I'm a pretty lucky girl to get to be their aunt. Oh how I love them!

Mia turned 2 last week, so we ventured to the park to take her pictures. Kelsey and Emmett came too, and we were able to get some good shots of both kiddos. These are my favorites of the night.

Miss Mia

Mr. Emmett

Me and the kiddos.

(Mr. E was a bit hungry, hence the scowl on his sweet lil' face...)

Sometimes we do fun things

2011-06-15T20:46:00.002-06:00

Like go to Summerfest.

Me and Mr. E at the parade

Me and Mike waiting for fireworks to start

(Sadly, I do not have pictures of me with my other friends and family in attendance. BUT... My mom, Skyler, Kelsey, Marianne, Chris, Julie, Ryan, and Kyle were all there, too.)

And sometimes we go to Summer Sno.

First visit of many. Mr. E even came along for this one.

Marianne & me- Chris had never been, so I tagged along for his first visit.

And sometimes we are even crafty.

My mom's Mother's Day gift

Patriotic Pride

We even do other fun things like sleep in, go to movies, exercise, and eat yummy food. But I don't have any pictures of those. So just imagine what they would look like. (Except me exercising. Yikes.)

Blast from the past

2011-05-19T15:10:00.001-06:00

Do you ever hear a song that takes you back to another time and place? There have been several times lately when I am driving in my car that I hear a little gem from back in the day, and suddenly I am transported to the time when I was an awkward teenager, new to high school, and still trying to figure out a new set of social norms. It's like I am suddenly right back in an exact moment. I can smell the smells, see/hear who and what was there, and feel like I am actually are there (minus the tube bangs and flared jeans, of course). Isn't that the best?

Take this little treasure for example:

Thank you, Nick, Howie, A.J., Brian, and Kevin. You sent my little 15 year old heart into a tizzy. And let's be honest... when I hear you now, you still kinda do.

(How can you not love Nick's middle-parted bowl cut? And what about Brian's soulful voice and smooth moves? Oh how they both melted my teenage heart. Welcome back, 1998. Welcome back. You still put a grin on my face.)

Destination: Omaha

2011-04-22T10:15:00.000-06:00

Omaha proved to be quite a happening place to go for Spring Break. The fun didn't stop the entire week we were there. It was certainly worth the adventure we had in getting there. And, I finally made it farther east than Denver! Life is good.

While there, we:

Pretended to be pioneers while visiting the Winter Quarters Visitor's Center

Made friends with the gorillas and other animals at the zoo

(Notice how large the gorilla is that I am sitting on? Yeah. It took some acrobatics to get up there. Impressed I made it? Thought so.)

Saw the Missouri River

Got stuck on a statue by the Missouri River

(All I wanted to do was sit on his shoulders. Thought it would make a good photo op. Didn't go as I had planned. Here, Teresa and I are strategizing how to get me down...)

Stood in two states at one time

(This footbridge spanned the Missouri River and went from the Nebraska side to the Iowa side)

Ate at the delicious California Tacos. Yum.

(As featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives)

Ate scrumptious ice cream at e Creamery. Also yum.

Rode the train home. After 23 hours on it, we made it home!

Other activities included sewing projects, visiting Creighton Law School, laughing, eating lots of good food, late nights chatting, sleeping in, playing with William, napping, and much, much more.

Jealous? You should be. :)

A Little Story

2011-04-17T11:09:00.010-06:00

Once upon a time, two friends wanted to take a Spring Break vacation to Omaha, Nebraska. The reservations were made, the dates were set, and the countdown began. The day of departure finally arrived and the girls were more than ready to go. As they blissfully set off to the airport to begin their journey, they had no idea what was in store for them. See, the plan was to arrive at the airport at 3:30, check in, fly out at 5:00 and arrive in Omaha by 10:00.... a seemingly simple task. This, instead, is what they experienced:

3:30 pm: Check in, go through security, etc. Wait.
5:15 pm: Find out the plane they were supposed to be boarding had a mechanical issue. No worries... it should be fixed by 6:00.
6:00 pm: Problem is still not fixed. At this point, it is realized that the connecting flight from Denver to Omaha wasn't going to be happening as scheduled.
7:0o pm: Still waiting.
8:00 pm: Still waiting.
8:30ish pm: The problem is finally fixed. The plane was boarded, and off they went.
8:45 pm: Shortly after taking off, the pilot comes on and says, "Flight attendants, prepare for landing."
9:00 pm: The plane lands back in Salt Lake, after a brief tour of the air around the airport. Apparently the problem wasn't really fixed.
9:30 pm: Still waiting for the airline to decide what they are going to do.
10:00 pm: Ticket agents announce that the plane won't leave until 7:00 the next morning. All passengers are to head downstairs to get new boarding passes, new connecting flights, hotel vouchers, food vouchers, etc.
10:05 pm: The girls get in line to obtain said passes and vouchers.
11:00 pm: The line has moved a few feet. There is ONE ticket agent attempting to help the situation. However, the girls have met some new friends to make the time go quicker.
12:00 am: Still in line.
1:00 am: Still in line.
2:00 am: Still in line.
2:30 am: They finally reach the ticket counter after 4 1/2 hours in line, and get the vouchers and passes.
3:00 am: The hotel shuttle comes, and they make it to the hotel by 3:15.
3:45 am: They drift off for a quick nap.
4:30 am: It's time to get up and get ready to be back to the airport by 5:00.
5:00 am: Back to the airport, get checked in, and wait some more.
7:00 am: Sing praises! After 16 hours, the plane to Denver actually takes off and stays airborne!!!
8:30 am: Denver is reached! (and a 6 hour layover begins)
2:30 pm: The girls leave Denver and fly to Omaha.
4:30 pm: At long last, Omaha is reached. It's never felt so good to be to a destination!

Yes, we had quite the adventure getting ourselves to Omaha. Thank goodness for a patient and good friend to travel with, laptops, games, food, and good conversation to make the time go.

This is before we knew what was coming to us.

Waiting for the shuttle at 3 am. You'd look like this, too, if you had been through what we had.

An unlikely combination of friends. They certainly made the night/early morning entertaining and go by a little quicker, though. From left to right: Rachel, Michael, Marianne, Me, Karla, and Andrew.

And there is the story of our adventurous journey of getting to Omaha. It was certainly unforgettable. But we made it out alive and have a great story to tell. Oh, and did I mention the airline gave us $400 toward tickets for another trip? Saweeeeeet. I think we'll be heading somewhere fun.

More Omaha fun to come. Stay tuned.

Happy Lists and Little Letters

2011-03-06T15:24:00.005-07:00

Things that make me happy as of lately:
1- Rain. The sound, the smell, and the feel of it.
2- Spring Break is only 1 month away.
3- There is only 1 month until Marianne and I head to Omaha!!! Can't wait to fly again!
4- For said vacation, I'm pretty pumped about riding the train home! That's right, folks. We're taking the train! Woot! :)
5- French Fries. Especially when dipped in fry sauce. Yum.
6- Lazy days. Oh how I love those.
7- Netflix. Best. Thing. Ever.
8- Weekends. Need I say more?

Dear Spring,

Please stop teasing me and just get here already. Thank you.

Dear Couple in Front of Me at Stake Conference,

The chapel is NOT the place to snuggle and cuddle and be annoyingly lovey-dovey. And please do not kiss while in church meetings.

Dear Students,

I know you want Spring Break to come. I do, too. However, I think I want it more. Please behave until we get there, though. 4 more weeks. We can make it.

Dear Monday,

Please do not come. My weekend went by too quickly and I am not quite ready for you yet.

Thank you.
Love,
Logan

A Lovely Little Surprise

2011-02-04T18:46:00.005-07:00

My job is pretty awesome. But, like any job, there are some days that I come home wondering what I've gotten myself into. Teenagers can sometimes a bit to handle, ya know? Those are the days when I wonder why I am even teaching in the first place and if my kids are even hearing what I say.

And then, out of the blue, this comes through my door in the middle of class:

Complete with treats, gift cards, and adorable Valentine's decorations

And a not-so-great week turns around. One of my student's parents gave me this. Just because they wanted to tell me that their daughter enjoys my class. Now that's just sweet. And it totally made my week.

(*Please note: 2, count 'em, 2, posts in one day. Coming from one who rarely blogs, I must say that I am quite impressed with myself!)

Mi Casa

2011-02-04T18:12:00.007-07:00

Thought I'd post some pictures of my new place. And by new, I mean kind of new. I realize that we have been in our condo for going on 6 months now, but better late than never, right?

And yes, we do realize that some of our walls still are a little bare. We're working on it. But I'd have to say that our little place is perfect! It's nice and cozy and definitely feels like home.

Hasta La Vista 2010

2010-12-27T21:42:00.011-07:00

Holy smokes. Another year is almost over. I know it seems overstated, but seriously... where does the time go? It's crazy! It hardly seems like a year ago I was recovering from shoulder surgery and turning in my senior projects at school.

This year went by quickly, but it was full of all kinds of crazy shenanigans and fun times. Such as: (these are in no particular order)

Turning 26
GRADUATING COLLEGE (with my papa, too!)!!!
Spending a week in Phoenix, AZ
Getting totally awesome cankles from a horrible sunburn
Getting paid to go to Lagoon (and getting to bring Mare with me!)
Being put in the RS presidency
Hiking to Stewart Falls
Taking a bike ride up the canyon, and surviving the crash that came with it
Moving into an condo with Marianne
Learning how to cook more than 2 meals
Finally making it up to our family cabin
Getting a job teaching 7th grade English
Playing lots and lots with Mia
Finding out I am getting a nephew in April
Surviving a 5 hour date in Park City with a slightly less than stable guy
Lots of late nights laughing, eating good treats, and watching Psych & other good things
Paying off my car
Letting myself out of my comfort zone (a little bit, at least)
Winning several dance-offs while playing Just Dance (and losing my fair share as well)
Learning that I can't control what others do... I can only control what I do
Realizing just how blessed I am
Becoming a fan of Diet Coke. Yum
Attempting to improve my sewing and crafting skills
Reading, reading, and more reading
Watching & falling in love with Mr. Thornton, Mr. Knightley, & Mr. Darcy. Mmmm :)
Looking forward to what 2011 will bring. Good things, I'm sure!

Happy New Year!

Words of Wisdom

2010-12-17T12:26:00.002-07:00

Did you know...

That the importance of family is probably the most cause of gangs in America?

I didn't until I was grading journals today and came across this lovely morsel of knowledge. I also didn't know that "most cause" is grammatically correct. Oh wait. It's not. Awesome.

The New Haircut

2010-11-08T11:34:00.004-07:00

At the beginning of every week, we have a few minutes of a "weekend recap", where my students tell all about the fun things they did over the weekend. It usually consists of about 85% of my class giving a very detailed account of their activities.

During this process today, several of the students noticed that my hair is a bit shorter (at least I know they are paying attention to something in my class!). One of my boys enthusiastically exclaimed, "Miss Koster! You even got an A-line haircut! That's awesome!" Hmm. Should I be worried or impressed that a 12 year old boy knows what an A-line is?

All Hallow's Eve

2010-11-03T16:44:00.005-06:00

We like to think of ourselves as problem solvers in our apartment. So when we (and by we, I mean Marianne) came up with the idea to be Mario and Luigi for Halloween this year, we went on a hunt for overalls. Easier said than done. Holy smokes. Apparently denim overalls were a hot commodity at D.I. and Savers. Khaki ones, however, were rather plentiful. Enter our problem solving skills. We invested in packets of blue dye, and, after 8 packets of dye and 2 rounds of dyeing them, voila! We had blue overalls. And ya know what? The color of the dye was even closer to Mario and Luigi's overalls than denim would have been. Ten points for us.

Here we are doing round 1 of the dyeing:

The results:

Not bad at all, if I do say so myself.

A Few Letters...

2010-10-08T21:02:00.004-06:00

Dear Fall Break,

I am so glad you are next week. Two days of no plans and sleeping in sound like pure bliss. You couldn't have come at a more perfect time.

Dear Students in Mrs. L's B1 and B2,

If I sub your class again, please don't swear at me again and say mean things. Please do your work when I ask you to. Please don't throw things and try to get away with all manner of naughty behaviors and make me have to call in the vice principal. It makes me grumpy when you do things like you did to me today. So not fun.

Dear Logan,

Next time you want to make pumpkin bread, read the labels. Don't get canned pumpkin pie mix next time. Good ole' plain canned pumpkin is what you want. Silly Loges.

Dear David Archie,

You bring me joy and happiness. You music makes me smile.

Dear Peanut Butter M&Ms (and other treats),

Why must you be so tasty and tempting? Really. You're not doing friendly things to my waistline.

Dear Fall Rain Storms,

You are awesome. I love listening to you pound on the windows and the roof. Yet another thing that brings me joy.

Love,
Loges

Back To School

2010-08-24T22:41:00.008-06:00

Holy smokes. It's the end of August already. The summer flew by way too fast. I can't believe school has started already. Yikes. Time to plan lessons, grade papers, write tests, and teach. This year should be fun:

1- I'm at a new school... in Lindon. Which means my drive to work is only 10 minutes. Love that.
2- I have 7th graders this year. They (hopefully, and at least for now) aren't quite as jaded as my 9th graders were last year.
3- I only teach 2 periods. That means the amount I will be grading will be significantly less. Bonus.
4- I get to teach fun books like Holes and The Lightning Thief.
5- What can I say? I love teaching. Kids are so fun. I think I have the coolest job ever.

(Please excuse the lameness of my title. I seriously stared at my screen for 15 minutes trying to come up with something creative and witty... but, as you can see, I was seriously lacking in those areas.)

Dear iTunes Account Hacker,

2010-07-08T15:38:00.003-06:00

I am really, really upset that you somehow found your way into my iTunes account and bought $143 worth of stuff for your iPad. You have caused me lots of trouble and have caused me to be grumpy and irritated with what you did. It's been a pain and a half trying to contact the iTunes people, and then trying to get my bank to reverse the charges. All I wanted was one Justin Bieber song, and you thought it'd be fun to let me pay for the stuff you wanted. So not fair. Please don't do that again. Please.

Thank you,

Innocent iTunes Customer

It's Over Already?

2010-05-27T14:39:00.002-06:00

How can it be May 27 already? I mean, it really fees like school started only a month or two ago. The school year flew by. Today was the last day. It was a very bittersweet day for me. I knew it was coming, and I knew it would be hard to say goodbye to my kids and colleagues. But I didn't know it would be as hard as it was. Those kids were my kids. I became rather attached to them. I loved seeing them progress and change. I loved getting to know them. I loved hearing about what was going on in their lives. I loved the chance to celebrate with them, and also to mourn with them. It made my day when they would come bouncing into my room saying, "Miss Koster, Miss Koster! Guess what?" and would proceed to tell me something exciting that is going on. But most of all, I loved getting to see their faces and teach (and learn from) them for the past 9 months. They taught me patience (lots of it, too), understanding, how to laugh at things, and most importantly, how to love. Hopefully I was able to reach at least one of them. If that happened, I would be completely satisfied, for that is why I teach.

The Perks of Being a Teacher

2010-05-19T19:02:00.006-06:00

I love my job. Today I loved it even more. Today was Lagoon Day, and who was I to deny a free ticket into Lagoon? I mean, seriously. I got paid to have fun? Best day ever. And actually, what really made it the best day was that Mare was able to come with me. She even rode the bus up with us ('cause she's an awesome friend like that who saved me and my sanity). We had a great time, and were highly entertained by the students. What's better than a fun day with your best friend, free passes in, free lunch, and free entertainment? Not much, I say. Not much.

One highlight of the day included the kid who made an attempt to flirt with me. He was trying to get me to go on a ride with him by telling me he was scared to go on it alone. He thought things were going pretty smoothly until he asked which school we were from. I simply replied, "I teach in Payson." He immediately froze and said, "Oh! That's a nice town." and silently slid back to his friend.

A Whole Lot of Pomp & Circumstance

2010-05-02T16:27:00.003-06:00

After 54 classes, 11 semesters, 143 credits, more money than I am willing to admit, lots of late nights, lots of tears and near mental breakdowns, many tests, term papers, and presentations, and enough good memories to fill a house, I can finally call myself a college graduate. And I must say, it feels incredible!

But one of the most awesome parts of the day? My dad graduated, too. It was so neat to share the day with him. I am so proud of him for sticking with it and finishing.

A HUGE thank you goes to my parents for their support. Their pushing and encouragement made it possible for me to finish.

And thank you to my friends and family who came and celebrated with me.

Here are a few pictures from the day. Sadly, some of the pictures we took after the ceremonies didn't turn out. But here are some that did!

The graduates- UVU Class of 2010

Nicole, Me, Kels

Me & My Mom

Mare, Kels, Jules, Me

Jen, Kasie, Me-- These girls made my classes so fun!

She's All Mine!

2010-05-01T13:23:00.003-06:00

Meet Nissy. She is my loyal little car who has been on so many adventures with me. She has been to San Diego, Reno, Pocatello, and has been my trusty means of getting myself to Payson every day for the last 9 months. She survived giant potholes in California. She made it through a week in the shop when a lady backed her SUV into her bumper. She survived a flat tire on the side of Geneva Road. She has dutifully helped me haul my stuff as I have moved in and out of apartments. And today I paid her off! And now she is all mine! :)

(Yes, I realize I am posting about my car before I post about graduation. Fear not. A graduation post will be coming shortly.)

I Have Officially Graduated....

2010-04-20T17:11:00.004-06:00

from Physical Therapy (aka physical torture). That is a lovely thing.

On another note, which just might be as equally as happy (or more so), there are only 25 days left for me to teach my dear sweet kids. 5 Mondays. 5 Fridays. 25 days total. Wowzers. That year went fast.

2 Days

2010-03-31T17:46:00.003-06:00

That, my friends, is the length of time until I am on Spring Break. And boy does that feel good.

(Those of you who are in school... don't be too jealous. You'll be able to rub it in my face when you are out of school a whole MONTH before I am!!)

On Your Marks, Get Set, Go!!!

2010-03-14T21:19:00.006-06:00

Once upon a time (4 years ago), my way cool friends Marianne and Julie convinced Kelsey and me to run the Rex Lee Run with them. We all ran it together the first couple of years. Sadly, last year I had to skip the run and sit on the sidelines because of a nasty cough and broken rib. This year, I was determine to run it. Unfortunately, Mare had to skip it this year, since the walking boot she is currently sporting does not allow for running. Kels decided to skip it because she wanted to use her money for other causes, and Jules was in the process of moving. Lucky for me, my sister Nicole decided she would take on the challenge with me (despite her currently-healing foot). So we packed up Miss Mia in the stroller and started off.
I'm proud to say we survived. And I'm amazed that after a 4-5 month hiatus from any exercise in general, the soreness is at a minimum.

The Crew- Mare, Kels, and Mom came to cheer us on as we crossed the finish line.

We survived!

She slept through the entire race and woke up as we crossed the finish line. What a good sport!

(Also... Happy 100th Post!!!)

A Funny Story

2010-03-07T00:23:00.005-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I got a call from the secretary in the stake. A member of the stake presidency wanted to meet with me, which set my mind reeling as to what they wanted with me. Panic set in at this point. Turns out they just wanted me to say the closing prayer in the Saturday night session. Sweet. I figured I would be able to only call minimal attention to myself, seeing as how it's a prayer... and everyone should be closing their eyes.

Fast forward to tonight. We sing the rest hymn, and then the counselor gets up to announce the rest of the program. He announced the rest of the speakers and the closing hymn. The rest of his announcement went as follows:
"And our closing prayer will be offered by Brother Logan Koster. Logan, are you here? Will you please stand up so I can make sure you are here?"
Don't worry... I was already on the stand... and as I felt my face getting hotter, I knew all hopes of drawing little attention to myself were gone. After a few snickers from the congregation and a few pointing fingers, he turned around to see me. And then with a shocked look on his face turned back to the microphone and said, "Oh! It's a sister! Sister Logan Koster will give our closing prayer." Poor guy was mortified. He apologized quite humbly after the meeting ended. I assured him he wasn't the only one to have made the mistake. I must say, however, this was the first time it happened to me in such a large setting.
I found it all quite amusing. So much for only having minimal attention called to myself. :)

(I realize the attention grabber could have been much worse... tripping, falling, clothing malfunctions, etc. Thank goodness it wasn't! And at least it wasn't something that I did to myself. I do feel bad for the counselor, though. Poor guy.)

I've Been Thinking...

2010-02-24T21:25:00.002-07:00

- There are only about 3 months left in the school year. How'd that happen?
- I need to start looking for a job. Hmmm. It sounds daunting.
- I REALLY want spring to come. I am thinking that the bitter cold can be done. I won't miss it.
- Why do I crave treats... all the time? Why can't I crave a good apple or carrots or something?
- The Olympics are so fun to watch. And it's especially neat when we win.
- In fact, watching them has made me think that I should give skiing another try. It kinda looks fun.
- Only 2 months until graduation. Holy smokes. I can hardly wait to put on the glamorous cap & gown and hold that diploma. It's been a long time coming.

I should probably go take care of that craving for a treat. Have a happy day!

Words of 9th Grade Wisdom

2010-02-08T18:55:00.004-07:00

I was helping a student with an assignment today after school, and my phone happened to ring. (side note: my ring tone is "Bleeding Love") I quickly silenced it and apologized to her. She just laughed and said, "Oh, it's okay. You have like the worst ring tone ever. I hate that song. It's like totally last year. I like Lady Gaga."
Well, at least she was honest. And good thing I don't really care if they approve of my music choices. It just made me laugh.

Also, I was forced to once again ask myself the question (this has crossed my mind at least weekly since school started... today was just particularly bad): "Why do 9th graders SMELL SO BAD?" I want to tell them that attempting to cover their post-P.E. stench with various noxious body sprays does not work very effectively, and yes, I can still smell them... from across the room... and so can their classmates. I pity the kids who have to sit next to the especially odiferous ones. Hopefully by the time they graduate high school (or hopefully sooner), they have discovered the magic of a bar of soap.

And... to the sweet girl who picked up her pencil the other day and proceeded to talk on/to it like a phone, while I was teaching, nonetheless, I would like to say that perhaps she should not draw attention to herself in such odd ways. But, I must admit that it provided a bit of entertainment as went through my day.

(Sorry if you find these stories pointless and boring... I just wanted to remember some lovely moments from my crazy kids!)

I've Just Gotta Say...

2010-02-05T17:04:00.004-07:00

TGIF.

I LOVE weekends. They are quite possibly the bomb dot com. Really. Time to sleep in, relax, hang out with friends, and get caught up on so many things! Is there anything better?

Am I The Only One

2010-01-18T15:15:00.003-07:00

that wishes the long weekend won't end? That tomorrow morning, school will magically be canceled? And I can have one more day to relax? That'd be swell.

Well Hello There...

2010-01-11T20:52:00.007-07:00

If anyone knows where the time goes, please clue me in, because I am amazed at how quickly it flies by. Yet another month has gone by since I last posted.

Here's what has been happening over the past month:
- I completed course work for my degree! (YAY!) I will walk in April and make it official!
- The school year is already half way over. And it's time to start sending my file into new districts. (yikes!) Here's to hoping that there is an English job somewhere... anywhere. :)
- I had lots and lots of fun spending time and relaxing with my family and friends over the holiday.
- I enjoyed 2 straight weeks away from school and a break of forced relaxation.
- I am becoming better and better at being one-armed (and left handed). My students still laugh at my horrible left-handed handwriting. Most of the time it looks like Skyler wrote on my board. Nice. Hey... at least it's legible. (and it's far better than some of theirs...)
- I read a few good books, and added a bunch more to my list! (kudos to Mare who is the best at finding me new books to add! Thanks!)

I think that about sums it up. While my list does not look all that impressive or super exciting, I assure you that I have not been too incredibly bored nor have I wished I was busier. Life is great. Here's to 2010 and the good things it will bring. I think it will be a fabulous year!

And, just for kicks... here is a picture of me and my sisters (and niece) ringing in the New Year! (Please excuse the somewhat frumpy look I've got going on. I didn't feel the need to get all gussied up to sit at home.)

Just A Little Thought...

2009-12-11T19:31:00.002-07:00

Today... I will---
be everything I want to be.
Tomorrow... I will---
love everything I have become.
Next week... I will---
love others for what they want to be.
Next month... I will---
love others for what they have become.
Next year... I will---
have achieved everything.
In two years... I will---
become everything.

I found this on the back of one of my student's papers (apparently she gets bored during class...). I thought it was pretty neat.

Happy Weekend! :) Enjoy the beautiful snow!

Sisters Make Good Friends

2009-12-01T16:23:00.003-07:00

Oh how I love these two girls. They are seriously two of my very best friends. And I love that as we have grown older, we have grown closer. They are awesome sisters, wives, mommies (Nicole), and friends. Oh, and did I mention that both are incredibly talented and extremely beautiful? I am so thankful I get to be their big sister.

Veteran's Day

2009-11-11T20:54:00.004-07:00

Today was a good day. In 1st period today, we watched a very touching movie that showed various pictures of military servicemen/women from WWII to the present. I had a hard time not getting emotional as I listened to the music and watched the images. It made me so thankful for good men and women who give up so much to defend our incredible country and the amazing freedoms we enjoy.
To honor our soldiers, we wrote thank you letters today in class. My kids became so involved in their letters and really put a lot of thought into it. It was very touching. I even got 3 other teachers to join in on the fun. 274 letters later, they are ready to send off and will be delivered to very deserving soldiers in Iraq.
So thank you to those incredibly brave men and women making sacrifices, risking their lives, and fighting their hearts out so that we can live the way we do. And thank you to those who have already taken their turn serving. The service rendered has not been forgotten.

Sigh...

2009-11-02T16:14:00.005-07:00

Another month has gone by and, once again, I have been a slacker on the blogging front. For the 3 of you that read this, I'm sorry! No excuses, really. I just haven't blogged. There. I admitted it. I'm lazy. (Hey, isn't admitting it the first step to recovery? Sweet. Then I'm part way there.)

I wish I could say that I have been up to all kinds of crazy shenannigans, but unfortunately, 'tis not the case. But, here are some pictures of Halloween this year:

The Addis family made fabulous zoo keepers and a cute little monkey, the Mauch family dressed up as awesome Boston players, Sky was the best secret service agent ever, and I was a sassy rock star. I even had a guitar. That's right. I totally rocked. (no pun intended)

In other news, I made it through the first term of the school year! Grades are submitted, papers and projects are graded, and I'm still sane (well, I suppose that is debatable). It flew by. Seriously. I feel like it was just the first day of school. Hey, time flies when you're having fun!

Well, I think that about sums it up. I will make no promises as to when you will see another post on this blog, since I seem to be a slacker, but I'll do my best. :) Until then...

Quote of the Week and Other Random Ramblings

2009-10-02T21:23:00.005-06:00

How has it been a month since I last posted? Apparently time is flying faster than I realize. That, and I suppose I have been a bit busy. But it's a good thing. :) Teaching is more fun than I ever thought it would be, and I am loving my kids (who knew that 200 fourteen year olds could be so much fun?!?!? Well, most of the time at least!).
Speaking of my kids, they come up with some pretty goofy things sometimes that make me giggle. Some of the girls in my 6th period class have taken it upon themselves to be matchmakers. Take the following conversation as an example:
Student #1: "Hey, Miss Koster, there is a sub across the hall today. He's 24. You might like him."
Student #2: "Oh! Hey! My cousin is 24, Miss Koster. He's coming home from his mission soon!" (this is the 2nd time she has offered to set me up with her cousin)
Me: Oh, thanks guys! I love your matchmaking! :) (Thinking to myself: Oh my. Really? Is this conversation really happening right now?)
Gotta love it.

In between writing lesson plans and grading papers, I have been having all kinds of crazy fun. You know, fun things like...

playing with this sweet little girl! Isn't she precious? I just love her to bits.

going to BYU football games,

and of course, going to see Miley in concert!

It was SO much fun! Yes, I'm 25, and you are mistaken if you think I am too old for such a thing. Not so, my friend. Not so. Kels, Mare and I had a great time and loved every minute of it! No shame here. None at all.

So there you have it. My life in a nutshell. Have a happy weekend! (Enjoy Conference!)

This Is What Happens...

2009-09-06T20:27:00.006-06:00

When you stay at JCW's for too long after finishing your shakes. The cute worker/waiter apparently thought we were pretty awesome and brought us an order of free fries. When you're given free fries, you eat them... no matter how full you are! Upon completion of this tasty, yet unexpected little treat, my dear, sweet friends saw a matchmaking opportunity. As seen in the picture above, Kels wrote my name (notice she put my middle name so it was clear to him that I am a girl...) as well as my phone number on the tray liner. In order to draw attention to said name and number, Jules created the arrow out of fries. I made futile attempts to stop them, and Mare giggled through the whole ordeal. I finally gave in and joined the giggle fest.
We left the tray on the table in hopes that he would see it, call me, and take me out for the date of a life time. He hasn't called... yet.
But it's only been 2 days. :)

2009-09-03T20:11:00.004-06:00

Instead of tackling the daunting task of grading the 175+ tests that are sitting next to me, as well as planning tomorrow's incredibly exciting lesson on summarizing, I decided that blogging would be a better option.
Today at school I decided to implement a new technique to get my kids to quiet down quickly and listen when I am talking (this has been a big struggle prior to today). While telling my first period class how the new method would work, one student looked at me, and with all sincerity, tapped his shoulder and said, "Miss Koster, you have a little devil right here." I just smiled.

In between grading papers and planning lessons, I have been having lots of fun! Last weekend, my bff's Mare and Jules ran the Top of Utah half-marathon. I had so much fun going up to Logan with them and watching them finish the race! I was glad I could be part of the cheerleading team! Hopefully I will be crossing the finish line with them next time. :) A special thanks to Ambs for coming to the hotel to get me so I could get to the park!

Here we all are after they finished. Good work, ladies!

I'd like to give a birthday shout-out to two of my favorite people in the world! Kels celebrated yesterday and Mare will celebrate tomorrow! These two ladies are incredible and make life so fun. Happy birthday!!! I love you both!

Well, there you go. I updated. And now I feel better.
I don't think I can avoid those tests anymore...

Two Days Down...

2009-08-20T16:06:00.002-06:00

Only 182 to go! I made it through the first couple of days and so far, it's been great! There are already a few certain students that are lots of fun. (insert sarcasm) And that I would rather not have to deal with. :) At least they will keep me on my toes!
Favorite line from the first day (after I opened it up for questions on what they wanted to know about me):
Student: Miss Koster, are you dating someone, or are you looking for a man?
Me: Uh, I'm not dating anyone.
Student: So, you're lookin' for a man?!
Me: I guess you could put it that way.

Oh boy.

Ready or Not...

2009-08-16T14:19:00.006-06:00

Classroom set up and ready? Check.
All new teacher meetings complete? Check.
Disclosure documents written and ready? Check.
Lesson plans ready? Check.
New wardrobe? Check.

Feeling ready mentally for the first day? Not so much.

School starts this week. In 3 days to be exact. Wowzers. Where did the summer go?
I think I have a pretty fun adventure ahead of me. It's going to be 9 months of insanity, stress, crazniess, and business. But most of all, it's going to be 9 months of fun, happiness, learning, growing, and experiencing. And the best part of it all? I finally get to put to use all the stuff I have worked so hard to learn. And I get to help students learn and grow. That alone will make the craziness worthwhile.
So, ready or not, the students will come. And ready or not, I get to teach them. And I can hardly wait to do it! :)

(Below are some pictures of my classroom)

Sweet Little Mia

2009-08-03T21:17:00.006-06:00

I'm sorry if you all get tired of me posting about my beautiful new niece, Mia. But... she's kind of a big deal right now. We had a fun photo shoot today... until we put her little beanie on. Then she was done. But we did get some good pictures in before then. Enjoy!

Good work, Nicole and Chaz! She's a keeper. Thanks for letting me have some fun with her! :)

I'm Going There Someday...

2009-08-01T22:08:00.002-06:00

We finally made it up to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house. It was well worth the trip up there, and I am glad we did it. It was gorgeous inside and out!

It Came...

2009-07-31T22:03:00.003-06:00

And boy was it sad. Today was my last day working at Dr. Parkinson's office. It's kind of hard to let part of you go. Especially after it has been part of you for 7 years. I will miss my coworkers. I will miss the patients I loved so dearly. I will miss the work I got to do. It was a very surreal feeling walking out of there today. I still kind of feel like it's not real and that I will wake up Monday morning, put my scrubs on and head to work.
But I won't. Instead, I get to dive into my classroom and get things ready to teach! And that is very exciting. August 19 will come sooner than I think. But I am SO excited to start teaching! It's gonna be great! :)
So here's to moving forward and turning a new page. Life is good.

I'm an Aunt!!!

2009-07-26T16:35:00.003-06:00

Finally, after months of waiting, I am officially Aunt Logan, and it's the best thing ever! My awesome sister Nicole and her husband Chaz welcomed Mia Nicole on Friday night! She is such a pretty baby! See? Take a look:

Congratulations, Nicole and Chaz!

"Come What May and Love It"

2009-07-23T23:32:00.008-06:00

"Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts."

I'm not a big fan of change. I never have been. Even the good changes are hard. But as I am in the midst of some major changes, I am learning that they are okay. Because they will cause me to grow and to become better. No pain, no gain.
There's comfort in knowing that I am not alone in this and that the people I am closest to are changing, too. Weddings happen, babies come, and school decisions must be made. But we make those adjustments and continue living. Because if we don't, we stop while life keeps moving. We grow and change together, and that makes it so much easier to handle.

2009-07-19T21:05:00.005-06:00

We went to see The Fray and Jack's Mannequin in concert last night, and I was seriously impressed! Both bands were incredible live! I had been waiting so long to see The Fray in concert, and they were everything I expected. Hearing them live made me remember just how much and why I love their music.

Usana Amphitheater is such a good place for a concert like this! It was fun to just chill on the grass all night. After watching the people next to us, I wondered yet again how consuming large amounts of alcohol can make the concert experience more exciting. We stopped counting after their 5th or so glass. I doubt they will remember the amazing concert they drank their way through. So sad, 'cause it was dang good!

One Last Hoorah

2009-07-19T13:50:00.006-06:00

I love my job. I work with some pretty awesome people, and we have so much fun together. Dr. P treated us all to a fun little trip down to Cedar City this weekend to attend the Shakespeare Festival. After a tasty dinner, we got to see The Secret Garden. It was fantastic. It is such a sweet story and was even better live.
I got to drive down with Carrie and Becky, as well as room with them, and we had a blast! I discovered that even though Cedar is not a very big city, I was able to get us completely lost. So lost that we ended up in Paragonah because we took a wrong turn. Oops. So after about 45 minutes of circling Cedar City (and surrounding areas), we made it to our hotel, only to discover that it was right off the freeway and in plain sight the whole time... I think that's the last time they will let me navigate.
I'm glad I got to do one more fun thing like that with my friends at the office before I leave. We did lots of giggling, talking, remembering, making new memories, and having lots of fun. I will sure miss them. A lot.

Becky, Me & Carrie

Have You Seen It?

2009-07-15T18:33:00.004-06:00

'Cause if you haven't, you should. The new Harry Potter movie is everything I had hoped for and more. It was incredible. Mare, Dave, Karlie, their friend Cami and I woke before the sun was up and went to the 5:30 a.m. showing! That's right... we are hard core fans. Mare and I even wore our HP shirts to make the occasion even more fun. And it was totally worth the sleep deprivation that was experienced all day.

Scootin' Along

2009-07-11T18:19:00.002-06:00

Check it. A motorized scooter for kids... with training wheels! I saw a little girl cruising around on one while I was driving home from work today. Kinda made me giggle a little bit.

I Finished This...

2009-07-05T15:04:00.002-06:00

this morning. Such a good book. It pulled me in and I could not put it down. Props to J.K. Rowling for her amazing writing. And especially thanks to Mare for convincing me to read the series. I can now proudly proclaim my Harry Potter nerdliness without any shame. Now, if you'll excuse me, the 7th book is sitting next to me calling my name. I'm out.

Let Freedom Ring!

2009-07-05T14:45:00.003-06:00

This year's 4th of July was so fun! It was the perfect day! We didn't stop all day:
- Valerie & I ran the Freedom Run 5K (and I surprisingly did well! Beat my time from the race I ran 3 weeks ago by 5 minutes! Guess Jillian's trash kicking is paying off!)
- After the race, we went to the Freedom Festival Parade
- Then we had a tasty BBQ and fun swimming party at Scott & Melinda's house. Hamburgers, chips, fresh fruit & veggies, homemade raspberry lemonade, sno cones and birthday cake!
- Came home and took a nap
- Headed to Grandma and Grandpa's house where we watched the neighbor do fireworks
- Watched the Stadium of Fire fireworks with the kids
- Came home and crashed while trying to read Harry Potter

What a day! But it was so much fun. I think the 4th of July is one of my most favorite holidays. We have so much fun with our family all day, so it makes for one of the best holidays. Only 364 days until the next one! :)

2009-07-04T17:27:00.002-06:00

Happy Independence Day!

Girl's Day Out

2009-07-02T11:00:00.005-06:00

This week is my favorite week of the summer. All of my family starts to come into town for the 4th, and we have so much fun! Tuesday morning, the ladies all headed up to Salt Lake and went to Tai-Pan.
Sweet little Abby got to come with us since it was a girl's day. She is my favorite. (I know I'm not supposed to pick favorites, but I can't help it!) She is so dang cute! She just melts my heart. And, she is a fabulous manicurist. I am now sporting some lovely hot pink with purple sparkles fingernails thanks to her mad skills. Isn't she cute?

Summer

2009-06-23T16:14:00.003-06:00

It finally feels like summer! It was only in the 80's today so I took a break from homework and took Skyler and his friend McKay mini-golfing. So fun! McKay totally beat both me and Sky. Haha.

We went and got drinks after and the boys decided that they wanted to shake them up before they opened them (outside, of course). They wanted to see how big of an "explosion" they would make. And I let them. Yes, me. Anal, uptight, I-don't-like-messes-on-kids-me. And it was fun. They were so happy when they came in. And only a little sticky.

Hooray for summer!!!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T00:12:00.002-06:00

My dad is awesome. Here's why I love him:
- He makes me laugh.
- When he finds something he likes to do, he is passionate about it.
- He instilled in me a love for reading. I cherish the times during my growing up years that he would read to me and my sisters before we went to sleep every night.
- He treats my mom like the queen that she is.
- He lets me mow and trim his lawn and doesn't get upset when I chop it to bits with the trimmer.
- Whenever I had a big project for school, he would take charge and help me make the best thing possible.
- He does beautiful woodwork and I love all the boxes and cool things he has made me.
- He is interested in what each of his kids are doing.
- He is the only one who calls me Scooter and has since I was a baby.
- He lets me use his camera until I can get my own. :)
- He has a strong testimony.
- He is the best dad a girl could ask for!

I love you, Dad!

Feel the Burn

2009-06-16T10:58:00.003-06:00

Want a good workout? Give this totally awesome one a try. Mare & I did it last night. Oh my. I didn't think I would be able to get myself up the stairs afterwards. It was such a good workout... even though I wanted to die while doing it. It certainly kicked my trash. But in a good way!
Next on the list: Jillian's No More Trouble Zones Workout. I'm pretty stoked for that one.

So Fun!

2009-06-16T10:44:00.003-06:00

So Kelly Clarkson came to UVU. The ladies and I decided we needed to go. And we are so glad we did! She was amazing live! And so much fun!

The Hoodlums.

There she is!

Mike & the Ladies

Weekend Fun...

2009-06-07T23:13:00.010-06:00

This is what I did this weekend. And it was a blast. It's been years since I have been to an air show and I loved every minute of it... even our adventure getting out of there! (Thanks, Kels, for creating such a nice post that I could link to! I admit I am lazy. But you did such a nice job, I thought I would share! Oh, and I have yet to get all of the pictures from you!)

I also made a trip out to see my awesome friend Julie who gave me a new look for summer! She cut my hair and I love it! I even finally got teal glitter toes and they are so fun! Now... if I just had somewhere fun to go to show them off!

The Remote

2009-05-30T16:51:00.003-06:00

Skyler was reaching for the remote on the coffee table last night and just about put his little behind right into my food. I said something to the effect of, "Watch out! You are going to sit in my food!" He looked at me gave me a look that said, "Who cares?" and said, "I was just reaching for the remote! Maybe I should make a remote that controls YOU!"

Nice.

Me and the Weed Trimmer

2009-05-30T16:33:00.003-06:00

I got ambitious today and whipped out the weed trimmer after I had finished mowing the lawn. I have never in my 25 years operated a weed trimmer. And I attempted to do it today without any help. Oh boy. After trying to get the dang thing started for about 5 minutes (I finally found the right combination of levers and buttons), I proceeded to "trim" the yard. I started out in the back yard so as not to embarrass myself if it went wrong. I'm glad I did. There are a few places that are extra trimmed. And there may or may not be a few holes. Oops. But I tried. I thought I would have it down by the time I reached the front yard. Not so much. But at least it looks better than the backyard! Better luck next week! And I'm really glad my dad didn't get mad that he had to fix the weed trimmer when I was done with it. It's kind of a problem when you get too close to the fence too many times... it shortens your blades. A lot. Like to the point where there is nothing left on one side and only an inch or so left on the other. Oops. But the lawn looks lovely. Just don't look too close!

Perhaps it would have been better had I used a toy weed trimmer like this one...

Wonderful Wednesday and Other Random Thoughts

2009-05-27T13:46:00.003-06:00

It's Wednesday! And that means only 2 more days until Friday. I love that. Especially since today feels like Monday.
I counted the number of weeks I have left at my current job. Only 9. So weird. And then I have to be a grown up. It came quicker than I thought it would. Or wanted it to. Haha. Sometimes it's kind of nice to stay in a little bubble and not make huge life altering changes. But then life would be boring. So I will be brave and will venture into the world of the 9th graders of Payson. And it will be fun. (I think!)
So I will spend the next 9 weeks soaking in every minute of my time left at Dr. Parkinson's office. And I will also try cram in my last literature class as well as planning my curriculum for next school year. And I think there just might be some time for lots of fun, too!

Thought for the Day

2009-05-21T14:52:00.003-06:00

Happiness is the experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.

(Quote found on my Dove wrapper... I finally found a non-cheesy one!) :)

I Did It.....

2009-05-13T21:30:00.006-06:00

After countless problems and near crashes with my not so trusty PC laptop, I decided that I was done with it. It was tired of turning on my computer just hoping that everything would function as it should. So... my BFF Mare told me of her love for Macs and I fell in love. Instantly. My original plan was to wait until the end of the summer. But I couldn't wait that long. So I took myself down to the BYU Bookstore yesterday and picked me up a MacBook. And I don't regret it. Not one bit.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-09T12:56:00.003-06:00

My mom is simply amazing. Let me tell you about her. She is the best mom in the world! She works so hard to take care of our family and never complains! She is an amazing example of patience and Christ-like love and is always willing to help. My mom has taught me so much and I can't even begin to list everything, but I will list a few:
- She taught me how to sew and do embroidery.
- She taught me how to cook (a talent I still need her help with... and she gladly gives the help!)
- She taught me how to clean.
- She taught me how to work hard and that by working hard, we can achieve great things.
- She has supported me through my education and lets me know she is proud of what I do and the goals I have set.
- She teaches me that sometimes life doesn't go how you think it will, but that's okay, because it all works out in the end.
- She has taught me the importance of being patient.
- She has taught me how to be faithful through difficult times.
- She has been an incredible example of what it means to be Christ-like.
- She has taught me the importance of doing my best in everything I do.
- She has helped me to understand that the Lord is in control and we must trust Him.
- She has helped me to notice the beautiful things in life and to appreciate them.
- She loves her family more than anything else, and we all know that because of the sacrifices she makes for us.
- She lets me be myself and lets me make my own decisions, but is always there to support me and guide me.
- She and my dad have given me an incredible example of a good solid marriage.
- She is strong and faithful, and I love to watch her example.
- I learned the importance of prayer very young when I came into her room and saw her kneeling beside her bed. I will never forget that.
- She has taught me how to be a good mother, and I hope that someday I can be the kind of mother she is.

Mom, thank you for your amazing example. I love you more than you know. You are simply the best! I love you!

Perspective

2009-05-06T16:24:00.005-06:00

Skyler and I were walking to church on Sunday when we came across a lawn that was covered with dandelions and white dandelion seeds. Skyler got really excited, started picking the "flowers" and said, "Oh, Logan! Look how many wishes I can make!"

I couldn't help but giggle as I watched him blow the seeds off into oblivion. There was pure joy in his face and he was absolutely thrilled to be there in that moment. I'm glad I got to share it with him. He reminded me that it's all about perspective. I thought they were weeds. He thought of them as wishes.

Sure am glad I have this little guy around to remind me what's important.

Farewell

2009-05-01T18:09:00.003-06:00

To the CC113. It was kind of weird locking my bedroom door, leaving the apartment, and driving away knowing that I wouldn't be calling it home anymore. Very surreal. I even kind of cried. (Just a little bit.....)

So now I get to tackle the enormous mess that I made by moving home. Ug. I look at the piles of boxes and things strewn about, and I want to walk away. Let's be honest... unpacking is just not that exciting. I just hope I don't get sucked into the deep, dark abyss that the basement has turned into. Wish me luck. Send someone for me if I don't return.

It's That Time Again...

2009-04-24T17:03:00.004-06:00

Finals week is here... again. But, on the bright side, it's my last finals week... EVER!!! (unless I decide to go to grad school!) And that, my friends, is an incredible feeling! After this semester, I just have my senior portfolio due! Yay!!!

Now... if I can just get through the next three days which includes taking the Praxis Exam and writing final papers--- the demise of every English major--- I will be one happy camper! (I don't know why I ever thought that taking the Praxis exam would be a great idea the weekend before finals. But, alas, I am. And hopefully it goes well!)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

2009-04-21T12:09:00.005-06:00

As I was driving this morning, I looked up and saw Mt. Timpanogos covered in snow with a bright blue sky behind it. It was beautiful! I love that I can see it from pretty much anywhere I am in this valley!

And I also love how I get to remember the fun memories I have while I have hiked it. I especially thought about this day and I couldn't help but laugh!

BFF's

2009-04-12T23:32:00.002-06:00

I love these two ladies. They are simply fantastic. They are the best roomies a girl could ask for. They make me laugh. Alot. And I love them dearly.

This Weekend I:

2009-04-12T22:13:00.003-06:00

Saw the new Hannah Montana movie. Loved it.

Watched Marley & Me (and cried my eyes out, but loved it).

Got my hair cut by Jules. I love it!

Watched the kids hunt for eggs.

Made an attempt to do some homework.

Went to a wedding reception.

Went to my friend Reed's improv show.

Colored Easter eggs with my roomies.

Hung out with my family and ate way too much food and candy.

So, pretty much, it was a super fantastic weekend. Too bad I didn't squeeze more homework in there somewhere. Thank goodness for late nights (and caffeine) that will let me catch up!

Happy Easter!!!

One Step Closer...

2009-04-05T13:47:00.007-06:00

Kels, Mare, & Jules threw me a totally rockin' birthday party last weekend. They decked out the apartment in rock star decorations and made lots of tasty treats! We had a few friends over and played Guitar Hero and hung out! 'Twas a blast!

I am so lucky to have such awesome family and friends! They made my birthday weekend awesome, and it made turning 25 not quite as bad! :)

And a BIG thank you to mom and dad for Photoshop... it's so fun!!!

Dating Advice...

2009-04-04T19:34:00.004-06:00

From my waiter.

Just got back from a tasty dinner at Mama Chus. We have been loyal customers for years, and one waiter in particular knows us pretty well. (No, we don't go there that often; he just has a good memory!) I was impressed that he remembered my order, and even more impressed that he remembered that I was going to be a teacher. He asked me about that, then asked about Nicole and Chaz. He then turned to me and said:
"So when are you going to get married?"
Me: "That's a good question. I wish I knew the answer!"
(At this point, you could tell that he knew he had kind of put his foot in his mouth and was quickly searching his brain to find a way out of the hole he had just dug for himself.)
Him: "Well, you'll find someone! It's all in the timing. When you find him, you will do great!"
Me: "Haha. Yeah. It's all in the timing!"
(All the while, I was thinking, "Wow. Am I really getting dating advice from my waiter? This is pretty funny!")

Thank you, George. Perhaps a bigger tip would have been a nice way to thank him for his words of wisdom.

I Spoke Too Soon...

2009-03-22T19:54:00.003-06:00

Remember my last post about it being so beautiful and Springy? I forget sometimes that we live in Utah and that the weather is bipolar. Hmmm.

(Oh... and this is my 50th post!!! Woot!)

Happy Spring!

2009-03-20T08:58:00.001-06:00

Today is the first day of Spring! And it's actually looking like Spring out there! Love the sunshine!

2009-03-18T15:27:00.006-06:00

Here in apartment 113, we are always looking for a reason to celebrate. It's just what we do. So since yesterday was a holiday, we figured that we should party it up! Check it out:

We started off the day by making some tasty green shamrock-shaped pancakes! For dinner we had every thing green! (minus our grilled-cheese sandwiches) We had all manner of green veggies, and shamrock-shaped Jello jigglers and deocrated cupcakes for dessert! And to wrap up the festivities, we had strawberry daiquiris (not green, but still fun!)

Who says you have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

Just Call Me Miss Koster

2009-03-10T12:21:00.002-06:00

It's official! I accepted an internship opportunity at a junior high today! I will be teaching 7th Grade English starting in August and I couldn't be happier about it! It is the grade I wanted at the school I wanted, and life is just good! Yay!!!

Livin' It Up!!!

2009-03-09T13:13:00.002-06:00

So it's been a while since I've had a weekend as full as last weekend was. Ok, ok, so my weekends are usually full, but with homework. This weekend was a blast! We started it off by attending the "We Love America" program on Thursday that the first graders put on. It was entertaining, to say the least. And I must say that Skyler did an awesome job on his part and singing! (despite the funny little girl next to him who was completely hamming it up)

On Friday night, the ladies and I headed over to see our friend Hilary perform at BYU in Ballet in Concert. They performed West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet. It was amazing! It was my first ballet experience, and I loved it!

Saturday afternoon, Mare, Kels & I went to Olive Garden for lunch (thanks, Carrie), which was super tasty! After that, we went and saw Vocal Point perform. Wow! Those boys have serious talent! Truly amazing. Kels treated us to Cold Stone after, too!
To wrap up an awesome weekend, Mare & I made it to the last BYU home game on Saturday night. And we won, so that made it even better!

So that was my oh-so-fun and event filled weekend! Here's to another week... (is it Friday yet?)

I Like Him

2009-03-08T17:30:00.001-06:00

He makes me smile. I think I might be the luckiest sister in the world. Sure do love this little guy!

Have you ever wondered...

2009-02-24T12:05:00.006-07:00

- Why is it so dang easy to get distracted by completely useless things?

- After looking around yourself, have you ever asked yourself, am I just as crazy as the rest of them, or am I still holding onto at least a thread of sanity?

- Are there any good guys left in the world? Eligible, single bachelors, perhaps?

- Where in the world does the time go? Wasn't it just Halloween?

- Why do professors think that you only have their class, and thus feel the need to pile absurd amounts of homework onto your already-too-full plate?

- Why does winter seem to drag on and on and on and on?

- Why do little kids have absolutely no inhibitions? And why the rest of us can't just loosen up a little?

- Is it mean to laugh when the driver who cuts you off and speeds ahead gets stuck at the stop light? Or when he gets pulled over? You just kinda want to say, "Ha ha! You win!"

- Should it really be so difficult to find motivation to exercise? Honestly, people. Why is it so hard?

- And finally, is it really necessary to hold full volume conversations in the quiet computer lab? I mean, really. I don't want to hear about your boyfriend or your homework woes or your medical conditions. I just want to hear the click-clack of the keyboard as I mindlessly, yet effectively, avoid my homework.

Happy Love Day

2009-02-15T14:33:00.002-07:00

Valentine's Day was fabulous! The ladies and I got all dressed up for the evening and made a delicious steak dinner & yummy brownie sundaes for dessert!

I sure do love these girls! They were the best dates a girl could ask for!

I Want to Go Here:

2009-02-08T17:38:00.002-07:00

Just for a little while. Until the cold weather stops. Doesn't it look inviting?

Food For Thought

2009-01-25T19:31:00.002-07:00

"Happiness is not a destination. It is a method of life."

-Burton Hills

I came across this quote today, and it just makes sense.

Out of the Mouth of Skyler

2009-01-25T18:59:00.003-07:00

Skyler thought it was funny that the sign for his primary teacher said "Sis. Dayton". We explained that "sis" is short for sister, just like "bro" is short for brother.
The following conversation then began:
Skyler: "Hey, Bro! Peace, Bro!" (flashing the peace sign)
Dad: "Yeah, you know how Uncle Chris always says 'Hey, bro!'? That's part of his culture, because he is Hawaiian.
Skyler: "Peace, yo, dog. That's part of my culture."

Earlier during dinner, he smashed his dinner roll, proceeded to stand on his chair to perform CPR and say, "Help! It's having a heart attack! It needs suppication!"

Never a dull moment at a Koster family dinner.

Oh Boy

2009-01-18T14:58:00.002-07:00

I hope it's not a bad omen that I am only 2 weeks into the semester and I feel like this:

So instead of being productive and actually getting my homework done (or even started for that matter), I chose to see a movie with my BFF's (see previous post) and go bowling. Both activities were totally worth it and were definitely more exciting than reading textbooks. But... still not productive in the way of homework. So here's to a better and more constructive week (and semester). I need to get my buns in gear and get movin'!

I Saw This:

2009-01-18T14:40:00.003-07:00

And I loved it. I laughed. I cried. I laughed some more. Grab your best girl friend and go see it. You'll be glad you did.

2009-01-03T12:32:00.001-07:00

Holiday Fun

2009-01-03T12:20:00.006-07:00

So I've been a little lazy on posting lately... I've been enjoying my break from school and my time with my family. Here's a quick recap of what I've been up to:

This is what I came home to. Skyler had put my blanket on my bed, along with this note. He also filled a small stocking with treats and put it on my nightstand. He is so sweet!

Nicole & Me at the Clegg Family Christmas Party

Kels & Me at the party

The pile of BINGO presents... So fun!

Nicole & Me on New Year's!

My favorite little buddy and Me on New Year's!

Abby is so sweet. I love her to pieces. She always wants to take pictures with me, but I can never get her to smile!

Finally!

2009-01-01T12:07:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be an aunt!!! Nicole & Chaz are having a baby! Yay!

2008-12-28T19:19:00.003-07:00

Since my lovely sister Kelsey did a little post about our Christmas festivities this year, I figured I would just use her post as mine. Ha. Click here to check it out. I'm not lazy... I just forgot my cable to connect my camera to my computer, and since I would post the same pictures (and likely similar captions), I thought that her post would do just fine. Enjoy!

Also, check out this book (especially if you have kids):

It's pretty dang funny. We were all laughing out loud as we read it. I think we'll have to add it to the list of books we read every Christmas season. Thanks to my friend Kaylene for recommending it!

You asked for it

2008-12-21T15:14:00.003-07:00

Remember those tasty looking Oreo bars I posted about a while back? Well, a few of you wanted the recipe! Find it here. And I will just say that they are even tastier than they look. I made a pan of them after finals and they were delish! Give 'em a try! But don't blame me when you can't stop eating them! :)

If The Boot Fits...

2008-12-21T12:43:00.003-07:00

Words of Wisdom from Skyler as I was unloading my car last night (and he saw my tall boots):
Skyler: Wow. Those boots are hot.
Me: Oh, thanks, Sky. (trying not to laugh)
Skyler: Yeah. They are shnazzy.
Me: Oh wow. (then hysterical laughter)

Well, I'm glad that someone approves of my boots... even if he is only 7.

It's Happening...

2008-12-19T10:52:00.002-07:00

So I turned in my applications for student teaching/interning yesterday. That was weird. It's a very strange feeling knowing that life is changing and that I am actually almost done with school. I don't think I am old enough, or mature enough, to be a grown up. But, nevertheless, it's happening and I will admit that I am quite excited about it! Terrified out of my wits, yes, but super excited, too!

Shnuggles

2008-12-17T13:43:00.002-07:00

So I was helping with Skyler last night and was getting him ready for bed. As I put him into his bed, he looked at me and said, "Logan, are you going to shnuggle with me?" How can I resist that? So I shnuggled with him and we had all kinds of fun thinking of alliterations and onomatopoeiaic words. He also informed me that a "plefora" means a lot of something. He is one smart little guy. Sure do love him!