Fulfilling my Goals

I've been student teaching for the past two week out at Castleford HS. I absolutely love it!! I'm having a blast with the kids and finally fulfilling my goal of becoming an ag teacher. It's funny to think that I made up my mind about six years ago while I was at the Idaho FFA Convention listening to Stacia Berry from Wyoming. She was the National FFA Secretary and the convention was my first big FFA event. I decided from then on that I would be an ag teacher. I went to CSI during high school and finished college in three years so I could reach that goal as fast as I could. It feels good to be almost there!


The other day I had a vet come into my animal science class and dissect a calf. The kids loved it! They talked about it all day. It was kind of gross, but it was a really good introduction to internal anatomy of animals.

On a different note, Richard and I are definitley ready to start living together, not apart! He's coming home for my spring break in two weeks and then he'll come to Moscow for graduation on May 16th. Then, come the middle of June, we'll be done with school, done with the Marine Corps, and ready for life together!!

A Few Updates

I haven't posted in a while because I've been so busy!! Right now I'm back in Southern Idaho student teaching but I'll post about that after this... Before I left to come down here, I had the opportunity to go to the Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Convention in Sacramento, CA. While I was there I got to participate in the Collegiate Discussion Meet. It was a really fun experience and I'm so glad I went. A discussion meet is kind of like a debate, but sort of opposite... if that makes sense. Participants get points for cooperative attitude, speaking content and quality, and opening and closing statements. You're supposed to work with the other participants to find a solution for the topic given. The topics I discussed were "How does the aging infrastructure affect transportation of agricultural commodities?" and "How do we correct the misconceptions of Farm Bureau?"Here's me before my first round. The young lady at the end of the table ended up making it to the Sweet 16 semi-final round.

Here's my biography poster. There were about 40 participants from all over the U.S.
Alex V. was the other participant from Idaho. He qualified for the Sweet 16 Semi-finals. I did not qualify, but I felt ok about it because at least two people from both my rounds qualified. I had some tough competition!

On the last day of the conference, I got to go to the Jelly Belly, Campbell's Soup, and California Rice Growers factories. I also got to see my best friend Shayla while I was there. The Sacramento area is really nice and it changed my mind of what California is really like. I'd only been to big cities and Sacramento was a very agricultural area. It was a good trip!

We are FAMILY

This morning I was getting dressed, I looked through my jewelry to find a necklace to wear. I picked out the necklace my brother got my for Christmas. The necklace is a silver pendant that says "A sister shares childhood memories and grown-up dreams." My brother picked it out all by himself and was really, really excited to give it to me. It was really cute (and he chose really well!!).

Sooo... that got me thinking about siblings and how much I love mine.

This is a Thanksgiving photo of my sister Megan,
my brother Jacob, Richard, me, and the dog Casey

My sister and I are three years apart and are really pretty different people. Meg has always been into sports and horses and I've been more the "nerdy" type with school, piano, and clubs. She is an amazing athlete in rodeo, basketball, and track. And has straight A's to boot. After I graduated from high school, we've had a lot closer relationship than when we were kids, but it could still be better!

Megan is planning to go to University of Montana- Western in Dillon, MT this fall. She's going to do college rodeo and major in everything horsey! I can't wait to see her succeed in life. She has an awesome love for the Lord and she's friends with everyone she meets. She's an amazing young lady!


My brother Jacob is a firecracker! He is ten years old and in the 4th grade. He plays the guitar, plays basketball, snowboards, kayaks, and raises chickens. His favorite thing in schools are Idaho History and Science. I was 11 years old when he was born and he slept in my bed as soon as he could walk. I still remember the door cracking open and hearing "Sissy, can I sleep with you??"

Jake can cook, too! (And if you like pizza and brownies, you're set!) He's going to make a great boyfriend and husband one day (but that's a long way off). He's very compassionate and sweet, yet tough and driven at the same time.



I am very blessed to have such great siblings. I love them both very much and am excited to go home so I can spend more time with them. Only a few more weeks in MOSCOW!

2009 Already??

I realize we are almost half way through January, but I haven't posted since 2008, so here goes! I was in North Carolina with Richard for New Year's. We had decided to go down to Carolina Beach, NC, "The Island of Lights" for New Year's Eve. We found the event on the internet and it was supposed to be a family-friendly beach party on the Pier. We got there at about 9pm and had hot cocoa at this cute, old restaurant called the Old Pier House.

It was a fun time. It was so cheesy and lame, though. Richard and I totally fit in! There was a DJ that played lots of oldies dance songs, new songs, etc. Oh, they also played the chicken dance and made all the guys do it. I caught Richard with the camera.

At midnight, the city firefighters dropped a lighted beach ball that was hung from the ladder. There were fireworks and kissing and then we drove the 2 hours home. It was a really fun night.

On New Year's Day, Richard and I went out to the beach and saw a pod of dolphins really close to the shore. We watched them swim up and down the coast for a while. It was really cool to see them so close up. I went back to Idaho on the 5th of January.

I made two resolutions for 2009: 1- I will not buy anymore new clothes until I have a full-time job! 2- I will run a 5K with my mom. So far, I'm doing well with both. So far, I'm doing well with both! Let's see how long they can hold up!

In other news, I'm back in Moscow for one month before I start student teaching in Castleford. I'll be living at home, which I love. It's not so lonely when you have a clingy little brother to play with all the time!

I'm going to CA in February for a the Collegiate Farm Bureau National Discussion Meet. I get to see my best friend Shayla so I'm excited. Richard's probably coming to Idaho for spring break and then again for graduation on May 16th.

2009 will be a year of lots of changes! With God's help and my husband's support, I'm ready and willing for wherever the road takes us! Bring it on!!!

O' Christmas Tree!

Richard and I were in North Carolina for Christmas this year. We've been so blessed to spend every Christmas together. We've missed one Thanksgiving, all birthdays but one each, all Valentine's Days, and all anniversaries. Richard found and decorated a Christmas tree before I got to NC. It's a real tree, by the way!

On Christmas, Richard and I slept in (haven't done that in a while on Christmas morning!), ate sticky buns (my Grandma's very yummy recipe), and opened presents. For dinner, Richard's buddy Ty came over and we had stuffed pork chops, Waldorf salad, rolls, and green beans. After dinner we went to the theater to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with Brad Pitt. It was a good movie, but after two and a half hours, we left because the movie was soooo long! We saw Madagascar 2 the next day and it was really good (and only 90 minutes!)

A few days after Christmas, we went to New Bern and spent the night at the Aerie Inn Bed and Breakfast. We took a horse drawn carriage to dinner and enjoyed a jacuzzi bubble bath afterwards! It was a great get away, even if it was only a few miles away.

I'm in NC until after New Year's and am just savoring the days! I'm doing laundry right now as Richard had to work today and tomorrow. I hope everyone had a great Christmas!

Dun Dun Dun....

It's finally here! Finals week. My last finals week! It's pretty anti-climatic, though. I only have one final to take. It's Macro-Economics, which doesn't seem hard, but it is hard when you take it from a professor that thinks wheat is measured in pounds (not bushels.)

Anyway, I'm leavin' town on Wednesday morning! My apartment is almost all cleaned out. Stuff is in boxes and tubs and bags. I'm excited... this means I'm one semester away from graduation!

It's my dad's birthday today, too. So Happy Birthday Daddy!

Finally Snowing!!!!

This picture is from the webcam on top of the Student Union building on campus. I'm SOOO excited it's finally snowing!!! Maybe now I'll get to test out my 4-wheel drive in my sweet new truck!