Wow, how the year flies when you are keeping busy! Some things that have happened to me in the past few months are: 1. Got a student teacher in my classes and he is doing great with the kids. 2. Wrote my thesis, turned it in (felt so good) now I am just waiting for my defense. 3. Have been going down to Park City and Provo a lot for a school program I am in called Jordan Associate Program 4. I am one of the teachers over Snow Blitz at my school and have enjoyed going night skiing. 5. Hanging out with family and friends. 6. Dinner Dates 7. Pinteresting...I love Pinterest 8. Learning some new gluten free recipes. 9. Got my concealed weapon permit 10. Am currently reading "To kill a mockingbird" and I am loving it. Anyway, life is great I really can't complain. The winter made a snowy commute this year, but luckily I carpool with a lot of fun people so it keeps my stress levels down. Hopefully I graduate from Weber State with my Master's degree in April, and I will post some pictures of that. Here is one of my favorite thoughts (so glad I love working in the education world!): "Your work is going to fill a LARGE part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. The only way to do great work is to love what you do." -Steve Jobs Ready for Spring so I can go running outside again! (Steamboat Springs, CO)

Winter time

Well, not posting shows that life has been pretty busy! To update you on my past 4-5 months: 1. Started my 5th year of teaching and my kids are great this year (knock on wood). 2. I have one more semester of grad school left....if I pass my thesis (crossing my fingers). 3. I broke my wrist playing flag football at my school....awesome (actually very frustrating, first broken bone.) 4. I have enjoyed going to Park City about every 6 weeks to stay at the Canyons resort for teacher meetings....it's been a nice get a way. 5. My oldest brother moved to Norway....long ways away. 6. My car (Silvia) got side swiped by a Jordan school district bus, with 5 Jordan school district teachers in my car (don't worry, the district paid for that, and my wrist too...meaning I have cost my school district an extra $5,000 this year! 7. My salary was unfrozen after 4 years...YAHOO! 8. Found out I will be getting a student teacher for 3rd quarter! 9. I have enjoyed going to quite a few concerts of all sorts. 10. The true heartbreaker...I lost my dear grandmother. The only grandparent I know and my emotions were strong. Bottom line is, I realized how blessed I was to be her granddaughter, and to have the knowledge I can be with her again one day. Love her and miss her dearly! I'm looking forward to Christmas break and hope to update sooner next time:) LIFE IS GOOD:) Christy

Summer time life...

So it has been a while since I blogged. I have been all over lately but it's summer time right so it's a good time for me to vacation a bit:) Well, the school year came to an end and I will be honest that last week of school is always pretty rough, but we made it. It's always hard to say goodbye to great students so it makes it a little bitter sweet, but we were ALL ready for summer! I am taking grad school classes all summer on Wednesday nights. I am signed up for 3, but currently am down to my last class. I have been taking: Problems in Education, New Media, and am currently taking an Interview class. It keeps me busy with reading and writing, but it's sooooo much easier to do when I don't work full-time so I really can't complain right now. In June I went with my guy friends on a random trip to Steamboat Springs Colorado for a good get away and it was so fun and relaxing. The end of June and beginning of July my parents and I took a cruise from Canada through New England.....it was a blast!! I posted some pix of it. The rest July I will be going to the rodeo (we go to every year), I am turning 27 years old (crazy), and I am going to California with friends! My family is great and I hope to see them all a bit more over the summer. It's crazy to me because my oldest nephew is going to be a junior in high school....that's right a junior! Crazy how old they are getting, it just makes me realize I really need to make an effort to spend time with them because they really do grow up so fast! I hope to be better at blogging more, we will see what we can do about that....:)

Spring Time

Spring Time 2012

I don't know about you, but I have been ready for spring for a long time now! I love the warm weather and being able to walk/run outside again! There is a fun little route up in the avenues that I run on and I LOVE going on that versus the treadmill in the gym.
I just had spring break, and it was nice to see family. I have been on some fun dates, nothing serious just fun. And teaching is winding down and it's crazy I will be in my 5th year of teaching next year....time flies!
Grad school is keeping me busy but I only have one more year, so now I need to start getting my thesis ready...wish me luck on that, I will need it:)
My nieces and nephews are adorable as ever. My nephew who is 16 went on his first date a few weeks ago, and that weirds me out....A LOT!
My parents are great, and they keep us laughing. It is always nice to have them come visit.
I am hoping to go to New England this summer for a vacation so I am crossing my fingers that works out.
I am reading a great book "Unbroken" and would suggest it to anyone. It is a true story about a WW II vet.
Well, that is all for the update at this point, hopefully I will be better at blogging as the year goes on!
Enjoy the great weather!

Update on life.....

For a little update on life......

I am grading a lot, but I have finally gotten to the point to where I am not bringing AS MUCH home....thank goodness!

My student's finished up learning about immigration and Ellis Island. In my class they researched a country one of their ancestors came from, then made a paper doll to go with it and I was impressed with how creative they got with their paper dolls! Even the boys really got into it, it was a fun unit to teach!

My nieces and nephews are still my very favorite...I look forward to seeing them all. It is weird because I come from a very spread out family. I have a teenage nephew, and teenage nieces, down to newborn baby Harper. My teenage nieces love to help with the little ones and it makes it fun.

---Also, I am amazed at how well kids can figure out technology! My 6 year old niece figured out how to do crazy pix on my i-pad, you should have seen how carried away they got! Halle, my 3-year-old niece joined in the fun as well!

---Grad school has been so much less stress this semester. I finish with the 8 week course this week then start up a new class----Strategic Com. so we will see how that goes. One year left and I graduate....Yay!!

---I am excited about President's day off! A 4 day week is wonderful...

----I am loving Pintereset probably too much. Usually when I should be doing other things...nope I am looking at Pinterest to distract myself.

----I am getting into the Bachelor, we go to my friends house every Monday night and I hate to admit I am sucked in. And if you are too, all I can say if he chooses Courtney I am going to scream! (Pathetic that I have such an opinion about it).

---My favorite sport is over....Football, but the Jazz are keeping me entertained and I have gone to 3 games so far.

---Overall, I can't complain. I am keepin' busy but not too stressed:)

---I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes:

“Between the optimist and the pessimist, the difference is droll. The optimist sees the doughnut; the pessimist the hole!”
-Oscar Wilde

Oh January.......

I say "Oh January" for a reason because that is how I feel sometimes during this month. It's hard to come back to school after Christmas break, especially because I get thinking about all the things I need to get accomplished in the next month. My goal is, to take it slow and enjoy the moments and not get too stressed....right:)

Luckily, I have been able to see a lot of family and close friends this month so that is a plus! I started my communications class which emphasizes leadership in the workplace and I am REALLY liking the class and the reading....so that is a plus too!

My Raider's may have not made it to the Superbowl, but my 2nd favorite team did...the Patriots, so you know who I will be rooting for Superbowl Sunday.

Teaching has been great, EXCEPT for today. I got some major attitude from one of my 9th graders which I didn't appreciate and I let him know, and I also let his mom know too:) And yes, the 9th grade science class had an escape....their class snake escaped and I was NERVOUS all morning until the relief of finding out they found the fugitive. Of all things to lose in a school....a snake is the worst!

My dad has his big 71st birthday this month so we will be celebrating that.

For a church meeting, our president works for the Jazz so we had our meeting at the Jazz game and it was the best church meeting I have ever experienced:)

And my nieces and nephews are as cute as ever, I love them to pieces....

Well, January won't be too bad when I come to think of it, there are a lot of great things about it:)

Almost a year ago from now I was sailing on a nice, warm, Caribbean cruise...seems like it was just yesterday, time sure flies. Great memories!

Good Year 2011!!

2011----Quite Eventful!

JANUARY 2011: My cute hilarious papa turned 70 and we had a family party for him at his favorite place in the world.....SIZZLER! He keeps us all laughing. My brothers and I enjoy telling each other "the latest thing Rog did or said." For example, last night I took him and my mom to the movie in SLC and when it the bill came to $26 bucks for 3 movie tickets Rog said "Holy &$%## that much for a movie!" He doesn't care that people are around he says what is exactly on his mind and it is pretty dang funny!

FEBRUARY 2011: I want on a Western Caribbean Cruise and it was absolutely amazing! I went with my good friend Cami Slade. I didn't know the 2 boys we would be going with, but by the end of the trip we were the best of friends! It was so fun, relaxing, and WARM! I of course had to take off one week of school, but it was worth it, and I hate to admit it, I didn't think about school once!

MARCH 2011: I found out that I got into Weber State's Master's of Communications Program and I was excited to be furthering my education in a field that I had always loved.

APRIL 2011: My parents, and nephew (Tanner) and I went to D.C. for spring break! My friend Brian, that I met on the cruise, lived in D.C. and he talked it up enough that we decided to visit. It was soooo fun! My nephew Tanner, who literally lives in the sticks was our lifesaver on the metro system, we were impressed with his sense of direction!

MAY 2011: I found out I would be a bit busier at my school. I was appointed Department Head of the Social Studies Department. I Started my master's program and I really enjoy the people in my co-hort.

JUNE 2011: Yay!!! School is out for the summer! I ran the Ragnar with friends and really enjoyed it! Oh, and for a school project I made a brochure for my brother's company NSUPPS.com. He is still buffer than ever and is preparing to try and break his deadlift record in 2012...go Brady!

JULY 2011: My big 26th birthday! My close friends went on a St. George trip and had a blast!

AUGUST 2011: I got back to my roots and went to a derby in Heber with a bunch of friends....good times. The bad part, because not everything is perfect in a year right, I landed in ER. I woke up one morning at 4 a.m. with sharp pains in my stomach. I started throwing up profusely (gross I know) and I couldn't leave my bathroom, luckily I had grabbed my phone and of all people---I call my parent's who live 2 hours away, but it was so comforting to talk to them. They rushed up here, took me to the hospital, and from there they gave me an IV so I didn't get dehydrated. They ran all sorts of tests, and really could find the reasoning why I was in pain and throwing up. They narrowed it to 3 things---My celiacs disease acting up, a stomach virus, food poisoning. Anyway, I was sick for a week, and my parents took me to E town and took care of me....I don't know what I would do without them!

SEPTEMBER 2011: The school year is going great....it's my 4th year of teaching and my 7th graders are the best group I have EVER taught (knock on wood:))

OCTOBER 2011: Juggling teaching with going to school full time is pretty crazy but my friends help me by keeping my social life going a bit too...very busy time!

NOVEMBER 2011: On the 2nd of November my 7th niece is born to my brother Brady and his wife Jane. Halle is the big sister, and they named my beautiful new niece Harper. I adore her and could hold her all day long if she let me!

DECEMBER 2011: My awesome research partner and I finished our big--long research paper where we studied the impact of school announcements in my middle school. Christmas parties, shopping, packing.....yay for Christmas and New Years!

I am lucky to have an amazing family and great friends! I still love running, beading, and watching football. I love my job and the people I work with. I still have places I want to travel to so hopefully I can visit somewhere fun in 2012, if there is a beach I will always be happy!

May everyone have an even better year during 2012..Happy New Year!!

New Baby in the family!!

Harper Elizabeth Nielson....11/2/2011

So I just don't think there is anything more precious than a new baby in the family!! Harper Elizabeth Nielson is my newest niece and she weighed 5 lbs. and 13 ounces...just a cute little thing! Her mama was happy that she only had to push 5 minutes versus 7 hours for her first.
I went to the hospital after my class and held her for a few hours. Harper was so sweet and just slept the entire time. Her skin is so soft and smooth and I could literally hold her all day! I love little girls and it will be so fun to have this new addition to our family!
Congrats Jane & Brady!

Yay for Fall!

So fall is my very favorite season of all, I am pretty sure I have posted this before but I love everything about fall! My favorites are:

1. Football Season (BYU isn't great this year but the Raiders are getting better!)
2. Fall leaves....my friends and I just took a drive up to Snowbird and Alta and the leaves were beautiful!
3. Great Holidays to look forward to!
4. Hot Chocolate
5. Burning Pumpkin Spice Candles
6. Birthday parties-I am not joking when I say 80% of my fam. is born in the fall, and I CAN'T WAIT for my new neice Harper to join our family this next month!
7. Candy corn!!! Love it!
8. Sweater season, jackets, scarves, etc..
9. Crisp weather...not too hot, not too cold.
10. Curriculumn...I love my fall curriculumn it's Native American's & LDS pioneers.

The list can go on and on but I really enjoy fall, there are many things to look for ward to...it's a great change!

Oh, and I am adding an adorable picture of my 2 1/2 year old niece Halle Jae who will be a big sister soon...she is growing right up and I think she looks beautiful in this picture! I love my nieces and nephews they are wonderful!

My randomness

So It is July 19th and I should be working more on my final project for my class, but I figured this would be a good....productive distraction. So I will update my life with pictures because those are much more fun....Well, since I last wrote I ran the Ragnar Relay and as much as I was dreading it, I had fun because my group was awesome!
I have made quite a few trips down to Ephraim and LOVE going up to the mountains. It literally takes like 10 min. to get winding up the mountain in my hometown and I love it, it is sooooo peaceful.
In other random news, the Nielson Farm was happy to get their first crop of hay up before all the rain. Yes, even though the rain has been nice...it can be very costly for farmers so this year my dad and brother were less stressed because their hay was NOT ruined by rain. Whenever it rains I love it, but I always worry a bit during crop seasons, the farmers daughter in me:)
I have tended my cute niece Halle Jae and she keeps me smiling and on my toes!
I went with friends to St. George and we had a great time going to dinner, relaxing, shopping, watching movies, and catching up!
I had a birthday! It was a wonderful birthday, I turned the big 26 and had a great day. My friends and I hit the Ute Stampede Rodeo as we do every year, but the saddest thing happened....a horse broke it's leg and therefore, we all knew they would have to put it down so that was sad to see!
I am finished with my summer class this Monday and I CAN'T WAIT!
I love the summer and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE sleeping in!
Oh......and I HATE the back to school commercials, they at least need to get us through July without them right:)

Summer thus far.....

So I seriously can not believe it is July already! June literally flew by this time, and I really need savor my summer moments before school starts back up!
Here is what I have been up to lately:

1. Been to Ephraim to visit my parents a few times...so relaxing.
2. Been on a few dates...
3. Been swimming.
4. Been working on my Master's program....but I went from 3 to ONE class now so it's much more chill!
5. Been....gettin' a scholarship for school! I was so relieved to get a mini scholarship and save some mula!
6. Been hangin' out with friends and roomies...(I even "dragged State Street" like a teenager last night and it was a blast!
7. Been reading....Started "The Help" and highly suggest it....I love it!
8. Been buying music off of itunes here are a few: Matt Wertz, Blake Shelton, Rihanna, Cranberries....that's right, I have a wide genre.
9. Been playing with my ADORABLE nieces and nephews
10. Been going for runs and walks and even cancelled my gym membership for the summer because I LOVE being outside to work out....Need that Vitamin D right!

Well, no vacations planned because I went during the school year....so I think fondly of my time I spent at the beach in February and longingly wish I could go back to the beach this summer....but--at least I have pictures to reminisce about the beach with:)
Enjoy the summer it goes WAY too fast!

Grad School and DC

So this past month has gone by SO fast and I feel like a lot has happened. For Spring Break me, my parents, and my 15 year old nephew went to Washington DC together and we had a great time! I feel like it has been a rat race since I got home so I have not uploaded pix yet but they will be coming.....There was so much history there, I will definitely have to go back because there is no way to get it all in, in 4 days but we sure tried! Probably my favorite thing to see was George Washington's house at Mt. Vernon...it was absolutely beautiful!
Something else that is just beginning is grad school...through Weber State this time. I started grad school through SUU last year and took 2 classes that transferred over to Weber State. I am in the MPC (Masters of Professional Communications) program. I went to a 6 hour presentation on Saturday and go a feel for what I will be doing for the next two years. I know it is going to be A LOT of work...but it should be a great experience, I enjoy learning about communications a lot. There are 26 of us in the program so I am sure by the end of the program, I will know each one of them very well.
Something else really cool, is I took out my endowments in the Manti Temple. I have been wanting to for a while, and I was finally proactive about it. It was a wonderful experience...the temple is beautiful!
I have decided not to work this summer so that when I get done with my grad school classes I can take a full out mental break and just chill....that will be nice to get to that point! In the meantime, 18 DAYS LEFT OF TEACHING!

Cruisin and Springtime....

So it has been a while since I posted! A lot has happened to me....the big thing is I went on a Western Caribbean Cruise! I went with some friends in February, took an entire week off of school and everything but it was very well worth it! We hit the Cayman Islands, Honduras, Cozumel, Mexico, and the Bahamas. We had a blast swimming, snorkeling, and laying out in the sun. We all agreed that Cozumel was our favorite spot because we rented mope-heads and drove the length of the island and it was beautiful! The week went by way too fast...but now that Utah is KIND OF starting to get warmer it's better here. My students are into their 4th quarter so that means school is almost out. And I start up my masters classes again at the beginning of May....only this time I am going through Weber State instead of SUU (Yes, it is my 5th college...I have become the expert transfer student, but I wouldn't recommend the stress to anyone). Anyway, I am looking forward to springtime and being outside more.....can't wait!

Chocolate

SO I HAVE DECIDED CHOCOLATE IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT JUST A LUXURY IN MY LIFE....IT IS NECESSITY! THOSE THAT KNOW ME WELL KNOW THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE REESES PEANUT BUTTER CUPS, IT IS DEFINITELY THE BEST CANDY BAR OUT THERE. I HAVE DECIDED THE LOVE OF CHOCOLATE IS AN INHERITED GENE BECAUSE MY MOM LOVES IT AND ALWAYS HAD HER CRAVINGS FOR IT AND I AM THE SAME WAY. MY SISTER-IN-LAW TOLD ME THIS PAST WEEKEND THAT MY LITTLE NIECE KATIE IS ALWAYS FREAKING OUT WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE CHOCOLATE IN THE HOUSE.....YEP, IT'S DIAGNOSED SHE HAS THE CHOCOLATE CRAVING. I AM GETTING BETTER BECAUSE NOW I JUST BUY THE MINIATURE CHOCOLATE CANDIES SO THAT I AM NOT EATING THE BIG CANDY BARS EVERYDAY BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW HOW BAD THAT CAN BE RIGHT:) ANYWAY, I HAD NO IDEA HOW MUCH I LOVED CHOCOLATE UNTIL MY SISTER IN LAW SAID "KATIE IS JUST LIKE YOU AND YOUR MOM...SHE NEEDS HER CHOCOLATE." AND HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW THE LAST TIME I WENT A DAY WITHOUT CHOCOLATE! IT'S JUST A DANG GOOD THING I UTILIZE MY GYM MEMBERSHIP RIGHT...SO I CAN SOMEWHAT CANCEL IT OUT!

Christmas Time

It is almost Christmas and I can hardly wait! I have finished my final for my masters class, so now I just need to count down the school days. The students get really hyper this time of year and us teachers don't have a lot of patience so it is not the best combination:) I have most of my Christmas shopping done so I am excited about that. I went and saw the lights last night with friends, and I am going to Kurt Bestor's Christmas concert on Saturday. I am really excited! Some things I am looking forward to over the break.....

1. Not having to wake up at 5:30 a.m!
2. Having work off
3. Being with family
4. Being in Ephraim (out of the city)
5. Reading for pleasure
6. Watching everyone open presents
7. Eating my mama's great cookin!
8. Watching fun T.V. shows (we always watch White Christmas)
9. Listening and playing holiday music
10. Having time to think about all the things I have to be grateful for in my life.

I wish you all a very merry Christmas! May your new year be happy and bright all the year through. I know there will be great things in store for you all!

What I am Grateful for........

SO I HAVE COME TO REALIZE,EVERYBODY AND THEIR DOG HAS PROBLEMS OF ALL SORTS RIGHT. AND YET, WE ALSO ALL HAVE THINGS TO BE GRATEFUL FOR. SOMETIMES IT IS EASIEST TO OVERLOOK WHAT WE HAVE, AND FOCUS IN ON WHAT WE DON'T HAVE. THUS, I HAVE DECIDED MY KNEW GOAL IN LIFE IS TO FOCUS ON WHAT I HAVE TO BE GRATEFUL FOR, BECAUSE LIFE IS SHORT AND I FIGURE IT IS BEST TO KEEP IT POSITIVE RIGHT!
WELL I LOVE MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS FIRST AND FOREMOST. WHAT WOULD I DO WITHOUT THEM, PERIOD! I HAVE BEEN SO BLESSED IN THE FAMILY/FRIENDS AREA AND I AM SO GRATEFUL!

ALSO, I AM SO GLAD TO HAVE THE GOSPEL IN MY LIFE........DON'T KNOW WHERE OR WHO I WOULD BE WITHOUT IT, AND I AM GLAD AND BLESSED TO HAVE THE TRUTH IN MY LIFE.

MY JOB.......YES I MAY COMPLAIN AT TIMES BUT I REALLY DO LOVE MY JOB AND I LOVE WORKING WITH TEENAGERS........YES TEENAGERS I SAID IT. THEY REALLY HAVE SUCH A LOVE FOR LIFE AND IT MAKES MY JOB AND LIFE IN GENERAL MORE EXCITING. PLUS, I HAVE THE GREATEST FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATION TO WORK WITH.

I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR MUSIC. SOME MAY CALL ME AN ADDICT, I DON'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I WENT A DAY WITHOUT LISTENING TO MUSIC. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT MUSIC,IT IS THERAPEAUTIC AND PEACEFUL TO ME.

HOBBIES.....I LIKE TO GO ON WALKS, MAKE JEWELRY, DO CRAFTS, WATCH SPORTS (ESPECIALLY FOOTBALL) WATCH MOVIES, ETC. BASICALLY, I AM GLAD THAT I AM IN A POSITION WHERE I HAVE LITTLE PROJECT TO WORK ON FOR FUN, I REALIZE NOT EVERYONE HAS THAT AND I FEEL BLESSED.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR MY HEALTH. YES I HAVE CELIACS DISEASE AND FLOUR AND WHEAT ARE MY ENEMIES IN LIFE. BUT IT COULD BE WORSE, MUCH, MUCH WORSE! I AM GRATEFUL THERE ARE SO MANY GLUTEN FREE RESOURCES TO TURN TO OUT THERE, IT MAKES LIFE GREAT!

WELL, MY LIST CAN GO ON AND ON I REALIZE THIS IS A GOOD NEW OUTLOOK FOR ME. I HOPE TO CONTINUE LOOKING AT THE GLASS HALF FULL, NOT JUST DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER WHEN WE CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING...........BUT ALWAYS.

"DON'T FORGET TO OPEN YOUR EYES AND REALIZE........LIFE IS GREAT, AND IT'S READY FOR YOU TO MAKE IT GREATER!"

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

I AM POSTING RANDOM PICTURE OF THINGS THAT MAKE MY LIFE GREAT.......