Friday, September 30, 2011

fridays, fall, and fondue...

Friday: The farther we get into the school year, the most I love and cherish my Fridays.  I just love them!  Seriously, sometimes I get giddy thinking that I'm almost there...It's almost Friday, and I can just leave work at work and spend my glorious weekend at home with Brian doing whatever I want.  This weekend is especially exciting because it's General Conference and we get to see parts of both our families (hopefully,) listen to a living prophet speak (live on Sunday,) and get the spiritual boost I need to last me another 6 months until April. 

Fall: I'm also loving right now the fall colors in Park City.  That's one thing about Georgia that didn't ever measure up.  There's just too many pine trees that stay green all year long.  We are really lucky to have a trail system right behind our house, and now that I'm training to run a half marathon again, I've been taking advantage of running it.  Nature is awesome.  The colors and scenery are gorgeous and even saw a snake on the path!  I need to take my camera with me on my next run, but in the mean time...here is a picture of my view just from school so you can get an idea.
Yes, I get to enjoy this view everyday at lunch.  No wonder the P.E department does a hiking unit this time of year!
Fondue: And last but not least, yesterday was a first for the Moote's.  One of our wedding gifts that we've been over the moon for is our fondue maker.  Over the past several months, we have enjoyed many chocolate fondue nights...such a delicious and romantic desert. :)  But last night for the first time, we branched out and tried our first cheese fondue recipe.  It was awesome!  I don't know how often we'll do it as after participating in the grocery shopping, Brian is now a little disillusioned at the cost of cheese, but hey...it's still a heck of a lot cheaper than The Melting Pot.  I give the whole meal an A+.  I mean how can you go wrong with melted cheese?  Here are some pics of the experience. Yum....


Happy Conference Weekend!



Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Did I really just do what I think I just did?

Yes.
Yes I did.
That's right I just signed Brian and myself up for our second Salt Lake City Half Marathon.


Fool me once right?  Well I guess they got me again.  Maybe it was Lyndsey training for the Atlanta half. Maybe it was the fact that my best friend Amy can no longer run one because she is pregnant (yay!), and I want her to be able to live vicariously through me.  Maybe it's because on Sunday at church we learned that accomplishing goals together is one of the most important tools in strengthening your marriage.  Maybe it's simply because I really, really need something to motivate me to lose the 10+ lbs I've gained since married bliss.  Maybe, it really is "the hard that makes it great." (A League of Their Own)

I guess it doesn't really matter in the end, because I've already paid, and there are No Refunds.  There's no turning back now.  I really can't believe, I paid money...again...to run...?!?!


Anyway,  come April expect to see some new pictures like the ones below...


Anyone want to run with me? Whitney? Renae? Lyndsey want to fly out? Click here if you do!

Monday, September 19, 2011

Welcome to my world, I mean my Classroom...



Sometimes I really feel like this pretty much sums up my whole world.  :)  I spend 9 hours here Mon-Fri.  It changes a little bit everyday, but this is my room!  It feels good having a whole room to myself this year (after sharing with 2 other people last year,) and even though it was incredibly stressful putting it all together, I am now reaping the rewards of having my own space. 

Can't you just feel the positive, engaging, safe, interactive, welcoming learning environment I've created?!?!

Friday, September 16, 2011

It's the little things that count...

This week has been SUCH a long week for both Brian and I.  Brian started midterms, and I just had an overwhelming week at work.  TGIF, right?!?!  But coming home to this, just seemed to make everything better...


Roses, snickers, and 2 red boxes I know I'd rather see than Brian.  I have the best husband ever!  Now, I'm off to snuggle up on the futon with a movie, my hubbie, chocolate fondue, and strawberries.

P.S.  Congrats to my amazing sister Whitney on getting her new job working with Autistic kids!  And as for tomorrow....GO BYU!

Happy Weekend!

Monday, September 12, 2011

My September 11th Story...

I've never actually written down my 9/11 story.  I should have.  Even as a 16 year old girl, I knew it would live on as an important historical event and that I was witnessing something that would change my life forever.  Somehow I intrinsically knew, even in high school, that one day my future children and even my grandchildren would ask me, "Where were you on September 11th?"

On 9/11 when the towers were hit, I was sitting in my AP U.S history class at McIntosh High School in Peachtree City, GA. 

It was the beginning of my Junior year; I was on the Varsity Dance Team, and in fact our next performance was supposed to be to Outkast's "Bombs over Baghdad" a popular song at the time; my favorite movie was "Pearl Harbor;" I thought about being a history teacher when I grew up; I had only been one funeral in my life, my Great Grandpa Smith's; I worried about things like what to wear to school, when was I going to get my own car, and what I would be doing on the weekends with my friends.  I was for the most part just your average teenager.

I remember the whispers and the vibrations of cell phones going off all around me.  I remember the irony of knowing that something terrible and historic was happening right at that moment, but for some reason Mr. McDuffy, my AP U.S history teacher, wouldn't let us turn on the TV and watch.  I was in U.S history, and I wasn't allowed to watch U.S history in the making!

I remember being confused, afraid, and nervous.  At first nobody knew what airlines had been taken over.  My dad was working, but I couldn't remember if he was just teaching at the training center in Atlanta or flying on a trip.  I found out later that one of the main reasons the school made the decision not to let us watch the news was because so many of the students had parents working for Delta, and they didn't want to create an even greater panic because it was too early to know how many airlines were involved.

It wasn't until I got home from school that I was able to actually watch the attacks.  I remember we were all piled up with my mom on her bed watching the news for hours and hours.  I didn't know any of the September 11th victim's directly, but over the past ten years I have had the opportunity to come into contact with several individuals who loved and lost someone close to them in the attacks.  They will never be forgotten.  I will never forget that day.



The prophet from my church, President Thomas S. Monson, wrote an article here in The Washington Post about the surge in spiritually and religion in the aftermath of the attacks that has since diminished.  Here are some of my favorite lines in that article...

Our Father’s commitment to us, His children, is unwavering. Indeed He softens the winters of our lives, but He also brightens our summers. Whether it is the best of times or the worst, He is with us. He has promised us that this will never change.  


If there is a spiritual lesson to be learned from our experience of that fateful day, it may be that we owe to God the same faithfulness that He gives to us. We should strive for steadiness, and for a commitment to God that does not ebb and flow with the years or the crises of our lives. It should not require tragedy for us to remember Him, and we should not be compelled to humility before giving Him our faith and trust. We too should be with Him in every season.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Camping Pics

So as usual, I wasn't the best at taking pictures of our Labor Day Weekend Camping Adventures.  In my defense, I barely remembered last minute to pack the camera and then our battery died on us pretty early on.  Thank goodness for good people (Mayra and Becky) who let me steal some of their pictures to supplement mine.

P.S.  Camping was so much fun!


















































Friday, September 2, 2011

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

What are you doing this weekend?
I'm going...
Camping!

Hope y'all enjoy your extra long weekend!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

summer at a glance...

I guess now that it is officially September, it's time to say goodbye to summer.

I have bitter sweet feelings about summer drawing to a close. We spent this summer just like I have spent every summer since junior year of high school (excluding the summer I was on my mission) - teaching Swim Lessons.  I love swim lessons because... I get to go home to Georgia and be with my family; I get to be in the pool all day; It's really good money; I don't have to worry about clothes or make-up for 2-3 whole months; I absolutely love teaching and seeing kids improve; My hair bleaches out and my skin gets tan; And this year, I got to do it all with Brian. :)  It was so great being able to spend all day, everyday together.

But all good things must come to an end, and there are some things I'm ready to leave behind at least until June like...sunburns and swimmer's ear and sharing a bathroom with so many people and going to bed hot and sweaty.  Plus change is good they say.  Brian and I are looking forward to having a little place for just the two of us to call home again, and we are above and beyond excited to have a full kitchen and a dishwasher. :)  We moved back to Park City now when the weather in my opinion is at its finest.  And although the start of school will have be discussed in greater detail in my next post, there is something to be said about new beginnings, fresh starts, and having a concrete schedule.

Summer and a cracked computer screen made me quite the lazy blogger the last couple months, but here are a few pics of what we have been up to...

So summer...I'll see you again in June.  I'm ready for the leaves to change colors and for hot chocolate and apple cider, but don't worry, no one will be ready for you more than me when I finally see you again.


Here is a look at our summer according to my camera...