heart, might, mind and soul.

My new hobby

2011-10-25T17:53:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I started couponing. I am still learning how to be really good at it, but I am amazed at how much money it can save. Today we had another successful shopping trip. We got:

A gallon of milk

3 Schick Hydro Shaving Gels

2 Cans of Tomato Sauce

Box of 12 taco shells

8 regular yoplait yogurts

8 greek yoplait yogurts (my favorite)

16 pounds of sugar

2 packages of roast beef

Sara Lee whole wheat bread

Bag of chocolate chips

Bundle of Romaine lettuce

1 lb of carrots

2.5 pounds of red grapes

....................all for $19!! Awesome.

3 Months Ago Today...

2011-09-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

I went to the temple and married the best man I know. He is so kind and good to me. He is so patient and supportive. I feel so blessed.

It was such a happy day with family. That's all I really wanted, to have all my family there (we missed you Nate). My family worked so hard to make this special for me. I will never really be able to thank them enough.

My mom made all the food. And it was amazing. She even made my wedding cake. Rebecca was in charge all week of keeping us

on schedule and getting things done. She is an angel. Rachel made my bouquet and it was literally the most beautiful bouquet I have ever seen.

My parents drove me to the temple in the morning. My dad joked that I needed to roll down the window and wave to all my fans lined up. My mom told

me to pretend we were riding in a glass carriage.

I'm glad they understand my love of all things royal. It probably helped that the royal wedding had just happened....

Greg showed up just in time for the sealing after working into the morning so he could make it. I almost cried from happiness.

The reception was so much more than I could have dreamed of. Classic oldies played all night. My dad had dug a hole in the middle of our lawn and constructed the white light tent I have always wanted. He was outside the night before until late with my uncles and brothers and they were all making sure that it looked just right. The lights were beautiful and made everything look so romantic and festive.

I was able to dance with my dad to the song "The House That Built Me." I thought this was very appropriate because we were dancing on the lawn

of the house that has literally built me. He and my mom created a home t

hat has shaped each of us kids and holds all our memories. It was a very sweet and emotional moment for me. My dad is a giant of a man and Troy and I hope to be able to do for our kids what he and my mom have done for us.

We had a fun dance party with our families. The Jennings sure know

how to make things exciting! It was so fun to be out there with our siblings and friends.

When we left we walked through bubbles and my dad let us take his nice car. It was such a fun party that neither one of us really wanted to leave!

The day was unforgettable. There were so many sweet moments at the ceremony and the reception that neither one of us will forget and we will cherish forever. Thank you to all who worked so hard to make this so special for us. I love that we were surrounded by all our family all day. We wouldn't have had it any other way.

...23 years later...

Changes

2011-06-02T16:50:00.001-07:00

I am sitting in room 169. The walls are bare. I took down all the decorations that I had so carefully and thoughtfully put up 10 months ago. My stuff is all boxed up and waiting by the door for Mr. Jennings to load (they are very heavy).

And I am real sad.

I feel like a big part of my chest is being yanked out when I think about my 30 little guys coming tomorrow and giving me one last hug goodbye. It may seem dramatic, but I never knew how much I would love these guys.

When I started teaching in August I was ready for a new adventure, a distraction, so I could focus on that for a while. I was excited about interacting with my 7 year olds. But I never knew how much they would change me. This has been a life changing experience. I am better because I saw them and talked with them every day. They are my best friends. They make me laugh. They make me cry. But mostly laugh.

So forgive me if it hurts my heart a little.

I told them yesterday that I won't be returning next year. One of my boy's little sisters ran up to me at lunch today and asked me if I could move in the middle of next year instead of before school starts because "she just wants a chance to have me as a teacher". This is the same girl that walked with me during the whole walkathon and told me that I am her favorite singer because she has heard me sing before and it is the best she has ever heard. I love these kids. It has been a year and a class I will never forget.

In August I thought that the first day of school was going to be the hardest, scariest day of my life. I didn't realize then that the last day would be so much worse.

Rookie Goalie

2011-03-12T07:17:00.000-08:00

I put together an intramural soccer team this semester, but the problem is, we are always short girls. So I added the best athlete I know: Rachel. She wasn't very enthusiastic because she has never played soccer, but I bought her shin guards (sorry they ended up being kid size and don't fit over your shin) and she took the field, offering to be the goalie so all of our guys could be out playing. I play defense. The whole time I could hear her behind asking me, "Tanny, do I come out of the goal or do I just sit here?"

Playing with her was a dream come true. It should have been filmed. Here are the 2 highlights:

1. Ist Half
A guy on the other team broke loose and was heading to the goal, while a pass was booted right in front of him. Our team was screaming for Rach to come out and get the ball before he could, but she looks at me and screams "Tammy get it!" I was too far away so she stayed in the goal and he came with the ball one on one. He kicked it right at her, but right at that moment Rachel screamed loud enough I'm pretty sure they heard it in California. The amazing thing was that she blocked the kick! The ball just dropped and they both just stood there looking at it. I came and kicked it away but the ENTIRE field was laughing hysterically. I cried because I was laughing so hard.

2. 2nd Half
Again a guy was going to kick it one on one against her. She blocked it and the ball fell again. He kicked it again and she turned and blocked it with her booty and the ball went out of bounds. It really was amazing. She was so happy after wards that she stood up and raised both hands in the air and ran around and hugged everyone. It was like a flash back from when she had an amazing kill in volleyball.

She also had a diving stop. Literally. Welcome to the team rookie. You are a great addition. Can't wait for the next game!

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T15:08:00.000-08:00

One of the best parts of teaching elementary school is that you get to relive your childhood. One thing I had forgotten was how fun and exciting Valentine's Day is. The boys draw just as many hearts on their valentines bags as the girls. Everyone is so excited. Especially when one boy hands out mustaches for everyone as a valentine. It makes for an instant party...

Antarctica Week

2011-01-30T09:04:00.000-08:00

This week I have:

-Parent teacher conferences that I still need to fill all forms out for
-An observation by my principal
-A 23rd birthday
-A room to constantly clean and organize
-Too many papers and documents to file

BUT, the sun is out in Utah. It is a little warmer than it has been. And, this week I am taking in a penguin that is 70+years old and a polar bear skin to show my students. I think my Grandpa would be happy that they will be viewed by such appreciative recipients. I know they will love it, and I can't wait to show them. Here is question for those of you who know: Do you know of any good stories that Grandpa told that I can relate to my class? We are learning about the continent Antarctica and I would love to tell some of his experiences when he was there.

p.s. I know that polar bears are in the Arctic, not Antarctica.

Dear Mr. Jennings,

2010-12-10T15:17:00.000-08:00

Thank you for being the most patient man on the planet. Really though, you are so patient (because I can sometimes be difficult...)

Thank you for always putting so many fruits and vegetables into my lunches that you make me everyday to take to work. Today one teacher told me that her husband packed her a lunch that day so that he wouldn't keep getting upstaged by other husbands.

Thank you for driving over to my house at 6:55 am every morning to give me those lunches that you make me. I know you get up a little earlier to do this every day so that I can sleep a little longer.

Thank you for being so tall. Not only can I wear heels, but you so often use your height to serve me. For example, you always stand in front of me to block the wind if I am cold, and you hang things in my classroom that would require any other person to stand on a chair or two.

Thank you for understanding that I am not a morning person and can sometimes be slightly grumpy. I think I snap out of it quickly when you are around...

Thank you for knowing that I love doing romantic things like going to the ballet and then looking at Christmas lights. My dream of seeing "The Nutcracker" will finally be realized!

You have such a better memory than me. Thanks for always remembering the things I tell you to remember so that you can remind me when I forget.

My class loves you.

You remind me a lot of my parents in that you are completely selfless. I'm trying to be a little more like you.

I love playing basketball with you.

I'm really, really, really lucky to have you.

Love always,
The future Mrs. Jennings

p.s. do you promise that we can come back to moonlight a lot?

Funny Stories

2010-11-07T08:29:00.000-08:00

Funny things happen in room 169 all the time. Here are a few of the highlights. Remembering makes me laugh. I hope it does the same for you...

1. During partner work I hear two boys having the following conversation:
"I have never seen Mr. Dyer"
"That is because she doesn't have a husband"
At this point I asked them what they were talking about. One boy asked to clarify that I'm not married. I said, "Nope I'm not married yet." Then the first boy replied, "Well I think someday you will find the right guy".

2. On the Friday before Halloween we had a ten minute discussion about brushing teeth and why it is so important to do after eating all the candy (especially the sticky candy). I passed out toothbrushes that a company had sent me (Colgate!) and made everyone promise me that they would brush their teeth after eating their Halloween candy. Right before the kids left, a boy came up to me and said, "Ms. Dyer I am not going to go trick-or-treating. I think I will just stay home and pass out candy." I asked him why and told him that he should go and have fun. I was expecting him to say that he didn't want to get cavities, but he looked me very seriously in the face and said, "I don't like to brush my teeth."

My students are awesome.

Happy Halloween from the best 2nd grade class!

2010-10-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

We had quite the celebration yesterday. Aren't they cute?

little notes

2010-10-23T16:51:00.000-07:00

Today as I was grading some math assessments, I turned one girl's page over and saw that she had written me a note on the back of her test after finishing. It said:

we all love you!

I guess she forgives me for having to take away her cell phone toy. It's still on my desk.

Gratitude Today

2010-10-10T10:59:00.000-07:00

This week I have had a very grateful heart. Today I am expressing gratitude for:
-Parents that video chat with me and read to my class
-A job at a great school
-28 students that I love so much and who will sometimes tell me they love me as they walk out the door
-A healthy body
-Parents that taught me to save my money
-An apartment to live in
-Extended family gatherings
-Church leaders and conference. I support them in every way.
-Students that love to read. They remind me of myself when I was their age.
-Women that come up to me in the library on Sunday morning and tell me thank you for working today so that they can come do their genealogy work
-A car to drive to work everyday

Can I Just Say...

2010-09-28T20:32:00.001-07:00

That I love playing basketball with my sister? We just won a game with only four players... mostly because of her rebounds and motivation. Rach, I will make my free throws next time.

Sincerely,

your cherished one

2010-09-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

Friday was a hard day at work. I had my first official observation. It went well, but I was a little hyper sensitive given the fact that I was feeling very sick all day. The kids were excited for the weekend. The air conditioning went out in the whole school. I was sweating. So were the kids. After recess one of my boys came up to me and said, "Mrs. Dyer, some kid out there said you are the worstest teacher ever. Really, its true, he said it!" After politely reminding him to return to his seat I just thought .... "of all the days to hear that..."

First of all, worstest isn't a word. And I have to remind myself that it was some kid who doesn't even know me and was probably pulling the whole "my teacher is better than yours" thing. I was telling this to my sister later that night, trying to lick my wounds, and she said, "You are not allowed to care what a 7 year old thinks about you." Then she added that he probably said that because he was jealous that he wasn't in my class.

That made me think, and I have decided that I agree. I was sick and emotional that day. But regardless of that, I do have a fun class. We love read alouds. We get really into them. I have a store where they can buy silly bands and candy. I hug them everyday and tell them how much I love having them in my class. So even though Friday was rough, I am looking forward to Monday. Because I may not be a perfect teacher, but I am trying my hardest to be the best teacher I can be for them. And you know what? I think they know that.

A letter...

2010-09-12T14:16:00.000-07:00

Once a week my students write friendly letters to someone. Since we are still practicing, I had them write their letters to me again this week. As I was going through them and responding this weekend, I found this one:

September

Dear Miss Dyer

I know we are going to haf a grat year. I am glad I got you so far its fun. this is long. Learning is fun and it is grat grat.

From,
*****

It warmed my little heart. I think learning is great great too, little buddy. See you in class tomorrow.

Dear Man driving the truck outside my window,

2010-09-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

Is it really necessary to blast your music and sing along at the top of your lungs at midnight? Right outside an apartment complex? It is summer, people sleep with their windows open so they don't have to break the bank keeping the air conditioning on. I know it is Provo, but there are still some people that need to sleep and be responsible. I'm sorry, but I don't think it is funny when you make pig noises and other strange animal noises very loudly to your passengers and honk to get the person you are waiting for to hurry up.

That being said, I am sorry that I yelled at you. Well, really I just yelled out my window. But if you did hear it among all the other noises you were making, I apologize. I will keep it classy next time. But maybe you should too.

Sincerely,
me

2010-09-02T17:36:00.001-07:00

I received my first official love note today. The girl obviously wrote it at home because it was written on cardboard. It says "Teacher. You are so nise."

Also, one student kept calling me "Teacher" in class and one little boy turned to him and yelled "Call her her name. Call her Mrs. Dyer"

Speaking of my name, there is some confusion in the school. On my door is a big sign that says "Welcome to Miss Dyer's class!" Clearly my students are using this to know how to write my name because when I read their letters they wrote me the other day, half of them started with "Dear Ms. Dyer's,". I have the the task of being on recess duty this week and as I was holding the door open for one other 2nd grade class to go through, one girl said "Hi Mrs. Dyer's".

I love my job.

...little things

2010-08-31T18:23:00.000-07:00

...are saving me in this job.

Like yesterday when I took my class to lunch feeling as though I had just failed as a math teacher and was feeling very despondent, one of my boys came up to me and said:

"I like your clothes. I like this," as he pointed to my coral sweater.

I just thought to myself: bless you child.

Little did he know that that morning I was about to put on my gray sweater but then decided to wear a brighter one because maybe the kids would think it was fun.

That little comment turned my day around.

...until I made the mistake of asking track 2 if they were excited to come back the next day...

Tokens

2010-08-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

I am the kind of person that is comforted by good luck tokens. You know, things that you have on you to remind you of someone or something when you look at it. I needed that comfort on my first day of school. As I sat in my room counting down the final minutes before I went and picked up my class, I realized that I am very blessed as I looked around at all the tokens I have in my room.

For instance, there are the hundreds of books from my second grade teacher (many of which I read myself as a seven year old) with S. Walker written inside of them. There are crayon boxes with names labeled on every one by my mom because "she would have wanted her crayons labeled in school". Each of my books are marked with a beautiful sticker from my sister who designs beautiful things. Outside my wall are 29 bees hot glued to clothespins to display work on. My dad hot-glued on every one of those bees hours before open house. I have big dragonflies hanging from my ceiling over the reading chairs from Sister Jennings. I have books, flashcards, and math tools from my mom who has been handpicking them out at garage sales for the past several months. My sister pinned up the number line on the back wall because only she was able to reach it. My teaching chair comes from a good, good friend who taught several years herself and loaned this one out to me. All of my folders and spirals were labeled with the help of family and friends.

I couldn't have done it without you. My room was built and prepared with a lot of love. From a lot of people. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

2 weeks from today

2010-08-11T18:30:00.001-07:00

My students will be walking into my classroom.

I get very overwhelmed thinking about everything I have to do before then, so I am just going to start tackling that list one thing at a time. First up, finish decorating the room by Friday.

My little brother will also be going into the MTC 2 weeks from today. I am sad that I won't be able to be there to drop him off, but I think it is fun that we are going to be starting something very new and exciting on the same day. He is going to do great things down there in Argentina.

It is official...

2010-08-03T19:00:00.000-07:00

My plaque. And my one purple wall.

My very own classroom

2010-08-02T19:47:00.000-07:00

Today I used the keys to room 169.

I took down the desks and inventoried the drawers and cupboards. I arranged my teacher's desk and tried to organize 30 desks into groups of 5 and 6 while still allowing a portion of carpet space for group instruction. (They are surprisingly heavy. It was hard work by myself)

I designated the area for the listening center and book nook. (Anyone know where I can buy cheap pillows for the nook? Or can anyone help me sew some quick ones?)

I plugged in the pencil sharpener. It didn't work. (I will have to figure that out)

I organized my tissues and clorox wipes, which are the only things I have brought into the classroom so far.

Then I sat in my teacher's desk and thought for a while.

This summer hasn't been what I had expected. Sometimes things don't happen as easily as you want them to.

Sometimes things take you by surprise. But then I realized that in three weeks time I will have 30+ new friends. I won't have any time to feel lonely or sad because I will be responsible for their learning and keeping them engaged throughout the day.

Then I realized that I am really excited. I'm nervous, and I am too overwhelmed for words, but I can't wait to meet my students.

Hopefully the room will be ready by then.

I would like to say thank you...

2010-07-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

To the people that let me cut in the security lines. For the upstairs terminals AND the downstairs terminals (because I went to both).

To everyone that did not point out the fact that I was soaked through my gray shirt with sweat as I booked it through the airport.

To the TSA man who took an extra long time checking my ID in order to "teach me a lesson" (I did not appreciate the humor at the time).

To the man behind me in the plane that pushed my bag up for me the rest of the way into the overhead bins when it was clear I was not going to make it (I was so so tired). I think the woman sitting in the seat below it was glad the bag did not come crashing back down on her (because it would have).

To my mom who drove me to the airport in bumper to bumper traffic and endured a near rear ending.

To my dad who came to the airport straight from work just so he could hug me goodbye.

more SF adventures

2010-06-08T16:45:00.000-07:00

I have been having so much fun with Nicole. She is so positive and happy all the time and makes me laugh all day long. I love her! I am sad to be leaving tomorrow but here are a few of the adventures we have had lately:

-Weekly checkups. Everything looked great again. Seeing Baby D on the ultrasound and hearing his heartbeat is amazing. The other day Nicole made a comment along the lines of , "Most women who have a baby with spina bifida, that keep it, are religious." That statement kept going through my mind as I saw his head and his heart beating on the screen. How anyone could do that to their unborn child is beyond me. I have seen him and heard him. Baby D is a human being. He has as much of a right to this life as any other baby. He is going to have great parents and a great extended family that love him beyond words. Because he will have some physical limitations does not make him any less special. If anything, he is more special. I know he will bring so much joy to our family and I can't wait to meet him.

-More fun lunches and dinners. San Francisco sure knows how to do good food.

-Packages from Mr. Jennings. He sent up some of my very favorite treats, which are total contraband in rooms, but Nicole and I have been enjoying the sugar.

-Ghiradelli Square. They give out free samples! Which was awesome. It was very big and pretty being right there next to the water.I'm going to miss this girl. Thank goodness for sisters.

exploratorium and park day

2010-06-03T17:41:00.000-07:00

The exploratorium was a success. There were a lot of cool things to explore. I'm sure Nicole will post some more pictures of our adventures in there. The highlights inside the exploratorium:
-The mood bubble (or germ bubble according to Nicole) that you placed over your head
-Shadow box which captured your shadows at a particular moment up on the wall
-Speech Delay machine
-Startle Response Booth (even though neither one of us were very startled)

Outside the exploratorium was a really pretty "tribute to love" dome and column outside by a lake with swans in it. It was very romantic. I guess it is called the palace to Fine Arts. I feel like Emily would have loved it.

Today we went to the park because it was actually sunny and warm outside today. We sat on a blanket in the botanical gardens for a few hours, playing Monopoly (the card game) and reading. Even though we are a little burnt from the outing, it was totally worth it. We watched a gopher stick his head up and get ALL THE WAY OUT of his little hole. I have never seen one do that before! Did you know that gophers actually have tails like mice? I bet you didn't because they never come all the way out of their holes. Look for pictures of the gopher on Nicole's blog. It was a highlight of the day.

San Francisco!

2010-06-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

Well I have been here in San Francisco for three days now. I must admit that I was really looking forward to returning to California for great weather, but I think it is worse here than in Utah! It is windy and cold (well at least for my cold blooded genes) but it is very pretty. This is my first time in this city.

Nicole is doing great! She is pretty fun to hang out with all day. Every night we eat out, come back and video chat with someone and then watch a show or movie. Last night was Young Victoria. You should all watch it. We loved it.

Yesterday was appointment day at the hospital. I pushed her up to the hospital and we were able to see Baby D on the sonogram. It was amazing. We saw a perfect picture of his little ear and the outline of lots of hair on his head! Its incredible that technology can do that. I love that little guy so much already.

We had a two hour break after that so we went to this little restaurant named Pamelo for lunch. It is "globally refreshing". (Everyone here in San Fran is very concerned with being healthy and organic. I have learned that we should ONLY be eating meat from grass fed cows. Any other way is just inhumane. Don't forget it.) The hilarious thing was that this restaurant was two big hills down. It was pretty hard wheeling the chair down these hills. I had a firm grasp on the handles and couldn't talk because I was so focused on not letting Nicole go. Could you imagine? We made it though and the food was very exotic. I had plantains in my Cuban dish. The hard part was getting back up the hills. My goal was to make it to the top of the block without stopping. I put my head all the way down and pushed with my legs. I told Nicole to tell me if I was going to run into anything. Needless to say, I wish we had a picture documenting it. We were laughing so hard though and I achieved my goal! The other highlight of the day was hearing Baby D's heartbeat. That was a really cool experience for me.

Hope you all had a great Memorial Day! Nicole and I were able to go to the beach with some friends from the Ward and have hot dogs and fruit and other treats. Granted, we were all bundled up in our sweatshirts and blankets, but we were at the beach! That is another thing I am so glad about. There are so many couples in the Ward up here that are so kind to Nicole and her support person. They are always offering rides, and inviting us to events. Seeing that has made me more resolved to be that kind of a person because I know now more than ever how appreciative the recipient is.

Today we are going to the science Exploratorium! Pictures and stories will follow soon.

This planet earth

2010-04-25T12:59:00.000-07:00

Right now Amazon is showing the first episode of the Planet Earth series for free on video on demand. It is called "Pole to Pole" and I suggest you watch it right now. (And really, watch the entire series if possible)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00321SMFO/ref=s9_simh_gw_p318_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0NJEMBNXAMHGG8A6A3KH&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

I don't know how someone can watch this and say that they don't believe there was a Creator that put this world together. It is incredible. I'm so grateful that He made it so beautiful.

my new apron

2010-04-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

Last week I was briefly explaining to Troy how much I love aprons. I just love cooking in them. I mentioned that I saw an apron years ago that I have loved and wanted ever since. I only mentioned that it was online somewhere and it was black with sparkles on it. I told him that it would be such a glamorous apron to cook in...

Fast forward to yesterday when he surprised me with a present. Inside was the EXACT SAME apron I saw those years ago and wanted. He told me that he had google imaged "black apron" and went through page after page until he found one that was black with sparkles on it, and it was the same one! He told me this was my present for finishing classes and that I could now "feel glamorous as I cooked". What a cutie.

maybe i'm not ready for this...

2010-04-23T10:17:00.001-07:00

Today the good majority of my friends I started this BYU journey with are graduating.

I'm so happy for them, but I can't help to feel a little nostalgic. I myself sat in a meeting at the district office yesterday to sign my contract and listen to all my insurance options. Somewhere between listening to flex spending and life insurance with the optional dental and vision insurance I started to feel a little overwhelmed. I began to wish that I could go back to freshman year of college where all we needed to worry about was making it to the Cannon center before they closed and whether or not the vending machines were restocked, or at least to be able to call my dad and have him explain all of this business stuff to me before I had to write it down on my contract. How am I supposed to know what to claim on my W-4 forms without him?

I loved being a student. I loved the predictable schedule of classes and work every single day. Now I have the "real world" to worry about. Being a grown up is a little overrated. But I am grateful for the experiences I have been able to have for the last four years and I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to teach 2nd grade this coming year. I will make it through this grown up life one day at a time for now.

At least my dad is on speed dial.

bowling poses

2010-03-22T17:49:00.002-07:00

This weekend we went bowling with the kids. Highlight came when I realized that my niece was literally posing herself and waiting for me to take her picture. On each pose.

She totally did this on her own.

all of us bowled 2 games for free thanks to this guy. i think he is a keeper.

Chad Becker

2010-03-20T18:11:00.001-07:00

In second grade, I was the queen of the handball court. Nobody could beat me. I am pretty sure I had one of the longest running records of being undefeated too.

This same year, my teacher used a money system in the classroom. We could earn different amounts of dollars that would be exchanged or taken away when candy or some other treat was purchased (I always saved my money for a long time and bought the lunch date at Burger King with the teacher). I even figured out a way to get more money. I had my mom buy a bucket of fire balls at sam's club and I sold them to my classmates, for their class money, for 50 cents a piece. This lasted for a few days until the teacher found out about the business I was running and put an end to it. (No worries, I had already sold out of my bucket and was very rich).

Anyways, one day at lunch we were having another handball tournament. I was on the court and had been the entire recess, until Chad Becker came on the court. It was a close game and he won on a questionable move. The whole line broke into applause and shock (because nobody ever beat me) and kept telling me that I lost and had to get in the back of the line to wait my turn to play again. I threw the ball on the floor and shouted, "You guys are so mean!" and ran away (probably to the jungle gym, I still pretended at this point that it was a pink bubble gum castle).

When I came into class after recess, there was a five dollar bill (of class money) on my desk with a little note written on it that said:

i'm sorry
-Chad

Even in second grade I knew enough to be embarrassed for my tantrum I had thrown because someone had actually beaten me. This note made me feel even worse.

I'm not sure why I remember this episode so clearly, but I do know this. I am now teaching second grade, and we are using the money system in my classroom. Those students will do ANYTHING for money. They love earning whatever they can. They count their money every morning (and some compare as to who has more). This has only made me realize what a big deal that was for Chad to give me that $5. I mean, when you are earning mostly quarters at a time, five whole dollars is a lot. What a sweetheart he was. I have no idea what happened to him after second grade, or why I can remember his full name, but wherever Chad Becker is, I hope he still has such a big heart. I bet he does.

Family

2010-03-08T16:02:00.000-08:00

The best thing about families is that we go through things together. We are a unit. We cry with each other, laugh with each other, and love each other unconditionally.

I know this more now that I ever have before.

there was a surprise waiting for me...

2009-12-28T16:00:00.000-08:00

i went upstairs to use the (girls) bathroom.
the lid was down. so i lifted it up.
and screamed.
a cricket kept hopping up and down trying to get out.

i flushed him down the drain.

why didn't the first person think to do that?

Dear Campus Snow Shovelers...

2009-12-07T06:33:00.000-08:00

Thank you for shoveling the walks before I went to work at 6AM. As early as it was for me to get up and get my day started, it must have been much harder for you. It was such a relief to walk on shoveled walks after trucking through what seemed like 4 inches of unplowed roads and sidewalks on my way up to campus. My boots were soaked up to the mid calf. I always forget about these experiences with winter. Maybe I'm blocking the memories out on purpose.

Anyways, you made my day a little easier (it is exhausting work walking through inches of fresh powder)

i wish i had a picture to show you all what I experienced.

11 days to encinitas...

2009-11-19T06:23:00.000-08:00

you know it is going to be a great day at work when, as you change into your uniform at 6:30 AM, the key peg flys off your police belt, bounces up off the floor, directly into the toilet bowl.

happy thursday.

p.s. we won the flag football championship game last night. champions.

happy birthday dad!

2009-11-16T20:01:00.000-08:00

Today is my dad's birthday.
I wish I could be at home with them to blow out candles and make wishes.

My dad is the best person I know.
He is the one that confronted teenage boys for me in high school when they told me that I wasn't scholarship material, like my sister (and I was devastated)
He is the one that has taught all of us to be generous, especially to those who need it most.
He is the one that drove from downtown San Diego to the San Onofre power plant in 35 minutes when I was on the side of the freeway after an accident.
He is the one that taught me to love John Denver and Marty Robbins.
He is the one that teaches me more about gardening each time I go home.
He is the one that has taught me the principles that have shaped who I am today.

Daddy, I am so grateful for you! Thank you for making me feel so loved all the time. Thank you for being the best example of living the Gospel that I could have. Each day I strive to be more like you. Happy birthday! My wish for you this year is that you and mom will be able to go to Cancun (I really think this could be the year...)

I love you so, so much! I love you forever.

winter schedule

2009-11-14T12:25:00.000-08:00

i bought my very own gym pass.
i'm going to join the yoga, hip hop, and abs only classes.
the manager invited me to join him in his boxing lessons on tuesday nights. that would be sweet, right?

my new winter schedule is going to look a lot like this:
drinking lots of Stephen's hot chocolate (that I already bought at costco)
gym three times a week
lots of reading
dreaming about going home for thanksgiving and christmas

it's going to be a great 5 weeks.

tammy's in love

2009-11-13T09:14:00.000-08:00

for the first time ever, i have found the song that brought about my name

my mom told me that she chose my sister's name from the Bible, and mine because she loved this song.
i'll take it mom.

ray on vinyl

2009-11-05T14:17:00.000-08:00

Amazon is selling ray lamontagne on vinyl. For only $16.

as soon as I saw this I had a vision of me sitting down in my front room with the blanket I crocheted, a mug of hot chocolate (that I am going to buy from costco) on the small couch by the window so I can look out on the snow, lights, and people while I listen to a record of ray.

great vision, right? I totally think so. it makes me think of my sister up in the grandma house. i think she would have a similar vision.

I am determined to make this a reality.

Anyone know where I can buy a (inexpensive) record player?

p.s. I also want an otis redding record to listen to, preferably one that has "White Christmas" on it.

tink 1 and tink 2

2009-11-01T08:01:00.000-08:00

halloween

2009-10-31T07:11:00.000-07:00

I made my costume this year, as well as my niece's. They are matching (more pictures to come).
I've been very crafty lately, but I love it.
We are tinkerbell. Our wings light up and everything.

For some reason I have been very nostalgic this Halloween. When we were all young, we had a set Halloween tradition. After getting our costumes on, my mom would take our pictures in front of the big front door. After trick or treating in our own neighborhood (the fisher's always had the best candy - and decorations), mom and dad would drive us around other neighborhoods to trick or treat. But first we had to go to Grandma Hiner's house, where she always had orange jello and Halloween goody bags waiting for us. After we were done collecting candy for the night (Lance always got the most), we could go into the family room, dump our buckets into piles in front of us, and trade our candy until we were fully satisfied.

Two times, in junior high, I begged my mom to let me go trick or treating with my friends. I thought it would be more fun to go with them than my family. I regret that so much now. I would give anything to have two more opportunities to ride around in the car with my family, jumping out of the car to hit a bunch of houses and then meeting dad at the next corner before we did it all again. I wish I had two more opportunities to have my mom pose us in front of the door as she takes several because she wants to get the picture "just right". I wish I had two more opportunities to trade my candy with my siblings and let Spencer have all the kit-kats.

Happy Halloween!

david archuleta

2009-10-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

i came across this and really enjoyed it.

just what i needed today

2009-10-22T19:45:00.000-07:00

i have been working 12 hours today.
i am very tired.
but that all changed when Julene told me about Stephen.
Julene is my co-worker, but as her second job she works with a 45 year old down-syndrome man named Stephen (whom I love).
I asked her to bring him in tonight so I could see him.
She later texted me and told me that Stephen didn't want to come in because I would flirt with him and "he already has a wife. In heaven."

i could have cried, that touched me so much.
i'm so grateful for people like stephen that make things seem so simple and pure.

p.s. he came in to visit. he let his stuffed panda bear give me a hug. thank you stephen.

can i really do this?

2009-10-18T11:45:00.001-07:00

I just realized that in 9 months I am going to be Ms. Dyer.
I will have my own classroom.
Be responsible for teaching 20+ youngsters.
Have to create and get all my lesson plans approved.

is it too late to change my major?

2009-10-17T13:19:00.001-07:00

i can't stop crocheting.

trying to stay afloat

2009-10-13T22:06:00.000-07:00

I'm drowning in school work.
It's really sad when you realize half way through the semester that you bit off more than you can chew. Because now there isn't anything you can do about it.

I actually have lots of things and stories to blog about.

maybe i will be able to someday when I actually come up for air.

but for now: anyone who has children in grades 4-7, have them read Heir Apparent by Vivian Velde. They will love it.
(i'm in a children's literature class. it is like heaven every monday and wednesday.)

big baby

2009-09-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

here's to hoping that my first child won't be born weighing 19.2 pounds
like this one in Indonesia

his dad has a good attitude about it though:

"I'm very happy that my baby and his mother are in good health," father Muhammad Hasanuddin said Friday. "I hope I can afford to feed the baby enough, because he needs more milk than other babies."

2009-09-24T14:54:00.000-07:00

dear travelling veterinarian:
thank you for coming to my house so that he could go in dignity.

i love you scout

I got pepper sprayed...

2009-09-23T19:58:00.000-07:00

so for work i got pepper sprayed again. Since this was my second time, I had to do an "obstacle course" afterwards. I know it doesn't look hard, but after getting sprayed in both eyes with pepper spray, it is really hard to see anything. All you can think about is the liquid fire in your eye balls. It immediately swells your eyes shut, so I wanted to finish the course before I was incapacitated. This was for sure the last time I did it. Sam was kind enough to come along and film and help me recover after. Thought I would share with all of you...

made my morning

2009-09-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

beyonce changing the lyrics of "halo" for this girl, Chelsea, who has leukemia. awesome.

Scout...

2009-09-17T20:42:00.000-07:00

remember that night we brought you home as a puppy? you wouldn't stop crying all night, so i laid by your cage in mom and dad's bathroom and sang you "I am a child of God".

Thank you for always eating the rest of my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that my mom made me for school when I didn't finish them myself. That way I didn't need to feel bad about wasting anything.
Thank you for walking quickly down the hall when I snuck you through the house. The faster you walked, the less likely mom was to see.
i still can't believe that Sunday night when you raced into the house, jumped up on the dining room table, ate a chunk of butter, and then ran back outside.
one night i went out to visit you in the garage. i was sad. i sat petting you on the step, and you came up and put your head on my shoulder and kept it there for a long time. i needed that.
i never could beat you in keep away.
you are the most beautiful dog i have ever seen.
thank you for always remembering me when i came home. i always knew i was loved by you.

you are an old man now. but it has been a good run. thank you for being in our family. i have no doubt that we picked the right puppy when we had to choose. maybe you and blacky can be friends now.
home won't be the same without you.

i love you forever.

v for vendetta

2009-09-17T06:55:00.000-07:00

we won our first intramural soccer game last night.

Our team name is V for vendetta... we are coming back to claim our spot in the championship game, a place we should have been in last year.

one awkward moment: when I ran back onto the field in the middle of the second half, realized I was the only one playing defense, and yelled out "who is playing D with me?". My team then reminded me I was on the wrong side, so really I was playing super forward at the time.

good thing there are no off sides.

dear summer of 2009...

2009-09-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

thank you for letting me have adventures, like going to hawaii.
thank you for a great job.
thank you for lots of family time.
thank you for letting me stand right underneath the stadium of fire fireworks. the ash in my hair was totally worth it.
thank you for sisters weekend.
thank you for letting me play with scout again.
thank you for teaching me how to crochet
thank you for letting this be one of the happiest summers of my life.

i will miss you.

but here's to fall.

36 years!

2009-07-27T19:19:00.000-07:00

Today is my parents 36th wedding anniversary.

I'm so grateful for the examples they are, the love they offered us, the way they raised us, the siblings they gave me, and the things that they have taught me.

I was told that this song was their wedding song. I'm not sure if that is accurate, but I love the song anyways, and think that it is so fitting for them.

I love you guys! Thanks for being such great parents!

pizza pizza

2009-07-26T01:00:00.000-07:00

i recently made my first pizzas.

nicole sent me the recipes.

they were delicious. i can't wait to try new types.

sam cut off my head on the alfredo picture, but i had to include it as a shout out to the 1000 "lance and nicole holding a pizza" pictures.

hilarity

2009-07-24T12:22:00.001-07:00

i find this wildly entertaining

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga-ULeG09QY

dear mary kay lady,

2009-07-23T18:02:00.000-07:00

i know that you have been in the business for 23 years and that you are 60 years old, but i think it is a little unfair to play the sympathy card. you knew i would want to buy something from you so that i could help your business. i feel taken advantage of.

please don't ask me what my favorite products are and then write them up on a receipt and tell me how much that would be in "four easy payments". i didn't say that i would want to buy them.

please don't spend 30 minutes talking to me about starting up my own business after i have already told you that i'm not interested. and it is probably not a good idea to tell me that its so easy "all you have to say to a person is...."

...when that is the exact line you used on ME to get inside my house.

sincerely,
tammy

so i went to the midnight showing of harry potter....

2009-07-15T18:16:00.000-07:00

...but don't worry, we brought our blankets we are crocheting to work on while we sat outside the theater waiting to get in.

p.s. can you tell who i am?

a REAL woman

2009-07-13T10:33:00.000-07:00

i thought that when i learned how to crochet earlier this summer that i had earned my ticket to being a real woman. but i was wrong. i think i earned it last night when i made my very first roast, mashed potatoes, and homemade rolls dinner. granted, jennifer helped me with most of it, but it actually turned out great! i think my mom would be proud...

p.s. im starting to love learning how to cook new and exciting things

sisters

2009-07-11T19:20:00.001-07:00

my sisters are my best friends. they always will be. i'm glad i have them to call for advice, laughs, sad stories, and countless other reasons. today i called R and talked her ear off for 30 minutes about an issue in my life. she listened to everything very sincerely and helped me not be so frantic. the whole time she had a baby on her lap, too. the last time i went up to emilia's she made a sandwich, with avocado. i needed that. rachel asks me for updates all the time on my life and she writes beautiful things that make me wish i could blog like her. jennifer takes me to the store at midnight to show me what i need to buy for the cafe rio dinner i was making the next day. julie gives me all her britney spears dvd's. nicole lets me eat the pizzas she and lance makes.
thanks for all you do for me. i can't wait for sisters weekend.

Fireworks and the Jonas Brothers

2009-07-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

i got to work stadium of fire on the 4th of july. specifically, i worked backstage dignitary protection. i was assigned to sit outside of the jonas brothers' trailer and make sure that nobody tried to get in. i had to work from 6am to midnight that day, and we were not allowed to sit down at all. that makes your legs crazy tired. i was fully decked out in my police gear. i had to wear an ear piece, and a hidden knife around my neck (in case of an emergency).

i did get to see a lot of the brothers, and two of them spoke to me as they walked past. i am not very familiar with their music, but i do have to admit that they are beautiful boys. (note: boys, not men). I was so surprised at how little they are though. they are so short and skinny. all three of them. but they were very nice and very willing to interact with their fans, which i think is cool.

the swarms of screaming, teenage girls that they attracted was unreal. i have never seen anything like it before. a group of hundreds of girls started to gather at my gate, and i had to keep making sure they didn't push over the barricade and answer question after question as to whether i could "just let me talk to them for 5 minutes to tell them i am their biggest fan". I met so many of the jo bro's "biggest fans". girls were bursting into tears right in front of me when they *thought* they saw a brother entering or exiting the trailer. this picture doesn't even do it justice. the crowd got SO much bigger.

one girl very seriously tried to convince me that she was selena gomez (another huge disney star). she said to not freak out when she told me who she was and didn't want to ruin the concert by letting people know she was there. she just had to talk to nick jonas for 5 minutes.
i told her no.
(the fact that she was wearing an "i love the jonas brothers" t-shirt gave her disguise away...)

it was such a fun experience though. and the fireworks show was out of this world. if anyone is in provo next year, you have to watch the fireworks from stadium of fire. words wouldn't do them justice, so i will just leave it at that.

i'm grateful that i was able to celebrate our independence. i love America.

happy birthday nicole!

2009-06-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

i am so, so happy that my brother married nicole. she is truly one of the sweetest, and most caring people i know. she knows how to make a person feel loved. i'm so glad that she is my sister. today is her birthday! so here goes the dyer birthday tradition:

nicole. i appreciate you because you make me pancakes and cry with me when i'm sad.
but you also have such a positive way of looking at situations,
and you are such a good influence on my brother.

my wish for you is that you will find lots of "classic" books to use in your classroom.

i love you

bambino!

2009-06-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

Bambino Clark #2 is being born today. I am so, so happy. My sister Becca is an angel. She is so caring and patient and loving. She is such a great mom. Everytime I am around her and B-Man, I take notes on how good she is at parenting. I think it helps that B-Man is an angel himself. (seriously though, he is a gift from heaven). Bambino #2 has been a long process in the making. As an extended family, we have spent a lot of time in prayer that B-Man would be able to have a sibling. I have watched with awe at how Becca and M have handled this process. They are so full of faith and knew that somehow and some way, their family would grow.

Today I am so grateful for miracles and for answers to prayers. I'm so grateful that B-Man will have another "man" around the house. I'm grateful for the example of faith and endurance that Becca and M have shown me. I'm grateful for families and the fact that when one of us is going through something, we can all band together and go through it with them. dyer's are like that.

i can't wait to see this little man.

i love my dad

2009-06-22T11:18:00.000-07:00

dad, i love you because:

you taught me how to thin a fruit tree. whenever you go to the grocery store you bring home cinnamon rolls and gum drops, and soda. you don't mind that every time I call, I cry. you gave me the "beware of wolves in sheeps' clothing" speech 10 times before I went away to school. you are the most generous person I know. you taught all of us to love johnny cash and john denver. you always call to check up on me just when I need to hear from you most.

happy father's day. i love you forever.

summer

2009-06-18T18:19:00.000-07:00

you know it is summer when:

you can sit on the grass and have bugs swarming all around you. but you still love it.
baseball is back (major AND little leagues)
you want to bike everywhere
your dog gets sick from eating too many peaches and plums that have fallen from the trees
you officially pack away warm clothes (big deal in Utah)
it is light outside until 10pm
hiking and running actually sounds like fun
your family goes to the fair
you are tempted everyday to go take impulsive trips to visit your sisters
you have no plans. you don't know where you will spend the next few weeks, but you aren't concerned.

i can't wait to see what the rest of this summer brings...

on hard work

2009-06-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

i meet the best people at work. people that are just good, good souls. i just made a new friend. his name is reid. he is old, but not as old as richard. he has worked at byu for the electrical shop for decades and decades. today i had to accompany him as he worked on a project. usually when we do this, we bring a book because nobody talks and it can get real boring. reid talked to me. so much that he didn't finish his project. he asked me what my major was. when i told him, he proceeded to tell me about his daughter (who lives with him) that just got a new foster baby and how he is already too attached to her, even though he isn't supposed to be. he started to cry when he told me that sometimes this foster child says "daddy" because she misses her parents. he told me that i should call his daughter and talk to her about foster parenting so i can write a paper on it. he told me all about the electrical wiring, power sourcing, and installing that needed to be done on this project as if i was his partner. but i had no idea what he was talking about. i just kept saying, "this is tricky". when i had to rotate back to one of the desks, reid walked part way back up with me. i told him that we could be friends now. he said "yeah like on that website where you become friends". i said "facebook"? he replied "yeah, my friend signed me up for it and now i'm hooked."

i think i'm going to add reid as a friend on facebook.

i noticed that reid's hands are cracked and callused. he works hard. i admire people that know how to work hard and put in honest effort. i think people in reid's and richard's generations know how to work hard. it was a part of the learning process. i love that.

hawaii

2009-06-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a very last minute trip to Hawaii. It was perfect for so many reasons:

it was a perfect place to heal,
to reflect,
to try new things,
to be brave and bold,
and to appreciate beautiful places

...i think that out of all of God's creations, these are two of the most beautiful

on new friends

2009-06-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

i have a new friend at work. his name is richard. at my job i have the opportunity to talk with lots of people. but richard is different. he is in his 80's. he always wears a hat. the kind of hats that men wore everyday back in the 40's and 50's. he comes in everyday to work on his special project - the Joseph Smith papers. but he always stops to talk to me first. he calls me tamara.

and i kind of love it.

for some reason i feel so attached to richard. maybe it is the fact that he works so hard. last week i came to pick up a friend from the library at 11:30 pm. richard was just walking out of the building. he had been there all day working. he told me that he told his wife that morning that he was going to be at work all day so she should go do something fun for herself. maybe it is the fact that he always stops to talk to me, even though he is holding a briefcase and his arms start to shake. maybe it is the fact that he asks me questions about my life and really cares about the answers. maybe it is the fact that after he walks past me, on his way to his office, he always looks back and smiles. or maybe it is the fact that he calls me by my full name and tells me every time that it is beautiful.

all of my grandparents have been passed away for a long, long time now. i miss them. i try to remember them and things that they taught. often times i wish that i had asked them more questions and asked more advice from them. but then i remember that i was still very young. every time i talk to richard i am reminded of them. i'm grateful that richard wants to be my friend and that he takes the time to talk to me. for some reason my day gets so much better when i catch a glimpse of his hat and briefcase walking through the glass doors...