Updates part 1

So I know that an update has been a long time coming and so here we go! ( I feel like I should say off to the races or something because it has been so long since I updated y'all it is going to be a race trying to remember everything)

Last semester was our last semester on BYU-Idaho campus. It was a wild wild ride and we stayed incredibly busy. Joe also decided that he wanted to be in one more show on

campus especially because one of his favorite people to work with (Roger Merrill) was directed Arsenic and Old Lace which is one of those plays that was on his list of wanting to be in. He was cast as Johnathon and had a blast doing it. (Even if washing out the hair color from his hair every night did make for a ruined (just for Robyn- it's ruint!) shower curtain and a perpetually dirty tub!)

I kept plenty busy taking 17 credits 6 of which were my senior practicum class where I taught in a third grade classroom in Rigby two days a week. I had a wonderful time at a great school with a great co-operating teacher and great kids (if I could have stayed I might have). It was such a blast and as I always suspected I love teaching third grade! It was very funny teaching in a predominantly mormon area though because once I taught a lesson about welcoming people to your community when they move there. I had the students create a list of things that they would do to welcome them. Among the things listed were "my bishop will welcome them into the ward" and "my mom will bring them bread"! Oh how kids make me laugh!

Because we knew that this semester would be bringing us to Las Vegas for student teaching and we were unsure what our lives had in store for us after that we decided to walk for graduation at the end of the fall semester. Basically we get to hold on to our diploma covers a little bit longer than everyone else. I know a lot of people that if they don't walk before they student teach end up never walking and I have worked too hard for that!!! So officially we graduate in April but we have done all of the commencement stuff already. We got to be the first group to have commencement in the new BYU-Idaho center (it is pretty impressive and is about like the conference center just with a few less rows).

p.s. Special thanks Mommy, Papa, Robyn, Esther, and the baby boy in Robyn's tummy for making the special trip to be with us!

I think esther may have been slightly tired at this point what do you think?

Expect more updates later because there is still plenty to tell you about but I have to teach in the morning so nighty night!

so close....

2 1/2 weeks. that's as much as i can think right now

I hate being sick

you would think that someone that has been sick in their life as much as i have would just get over it and realize well i'm sick again. well i say pooh! i'm sick of being sick! I've been sick for almost a week and i just do not have the time or energy to be sick. so frankly it just needs to go away because i don't have time to be sick so this stupid sickness is going to a stern talking to and told to get out of town.... somehow i don't think that it is going to work.....

guess what?

WE'S CUTE!!!

SO i know that i haven't updated in a while but here are the important things:

We are alive

We are in school full time

Joe works part time

Lesley is in third grade all day 2 days a week

Joe is Johnny in Arsenic and Old Lace

Both of us are very very busy all the time!!!!

So in one of my classes today we got in a heated discussion about how messed up this countries education system is and how the changes we have coming at us have some good parts but also have some very negative things. As we have reformed our education system we have changed the focus so that testing is the priority- seriously you would be shocked if you went into a school and saw how much we are testing the students. NCLB (no child left behind) has increased testing and the targets are consistently changing. Obviously the people making policy have no understanding of child development either because the standard for proficiency is 100% in 2014. How many of you really know a kid that can do anything 100% perfect every time. Well in 2014 they would have to be 100% perfect 100% of the time to be considered proficient according to testing. Obama's Blueprint would change some of this and some of the things that he is proposing are good ideas but surprise surprise he is going proposing that we add MORE testing! It is just so surprising to me and I wish that the policy makers would actually observe some regular classes. As the policy makers push more and more tests there are more and more teachers who are teaching to the test. And do you know what? It's hard to blame them. The way our system is set up, and will continue to be set up (only with even more severe consequences) with Obama's Blueprint, teachers are the ones that are being held personally responsible for student proficiency scores. I agree that teachers need to do all that they can to help students learn to be proficient but if we threaten teachers with tests then all that occurs in the majority of schools is that teachers teach to the test! we need to hold students responsible for learning and put value on teacher evaluations. anyways with all of my frustration this is a video that you have to watch because it is so sad and so hilarious because it is so true!!!!

www.notonthetest.com

Just think about what message we are sending to our children about life.

updates later

for now this is funny and you should watch it =)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGE1tqyyiRQ

Why?

Why did summer run away? I am totally FREEZING in the box office right now...... so so so so cold. and seriously Chris was right when he said I have a two degree comfort zone as far as temperature and right now i am not in it.... FROZEN!!!!!!