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.......