I'm in love! I'm in love! And I don't care who knows it!

I'm in love!

Remember at the end of last year when I got rid of my old machines and my brand new machines had to spend the summer in boxes?

Well two weeks ago, the machines (or "sewing computers" as the manual calls them) were released from their boxes and installed in my classroom.

Today was the first time any of my classes used them.  

I love them!

They're so quiet.  They handle better.  They sew cool designs.  They have a pretty LED light.  They have a computerized screen.  Nothing is broken on them (yet...I know it will eventually happen).  They handle so much better.  The students are loving playing with the settings.

I love them!

High Five

My friend Laura sent this to me today...

And I just laughed and laughed.

Thanks for making my day, Laura!

I did something crazy

I signed up for a half marathon.

Am I insane?

My friend Carie put the idea in my head a couple months ago, so I've been thinking about it/planning on it for a couple months.  But as soon as I actually registered, I got nervous!

It's the Halloween Half on October 29th down Provo Canyon.

It's all downhill.  And it's encouraged that you wear a costume.  

That's fun, right?

I can't believe I'll be running 13.1 miles.

(Well, in reality, I'll probably be running a mile and walking the rest)

Things that help me transition to reality

Remember me? Remember how I haven't blogged since the first week of summer?

Well I promise to update you on my great summer adventures, but for now I'm trying to transition back into reality.  Yesterday was the first day of school.  It's been a long couple of days, but it's good to be back.

This morning, I had a sweet boy in one of my 9th grade classes give me an apple at the end of class.

Such a simple thing helps the transition back into teaching much easier.

Thank you to the sweet mom who sent the apple with him for the first day!

Oh what do you do in the summertime?

I can't believe it's only been a week since the last day of school?  

Have I ever told you much I love summer break?

I LOVE SUMMER BREAK!!!

I need it!

Every year, a miracle takes place...once August rolls around, I'm actually excited and ready to teach again.  I'm hoping for that miracle again this year. :)

Until then, here's a little of what I've been doing this past week.

The Lighting of the "G"

In honor of Pleasant Grove High School's graduation, they lit the "G" on the mountain.  My roommate Joleen has a fascination with things that light up...like fireworks and letters on mountains. :)  So we popped some popcorn, made some hot chocolate, and set up lawn chairs on the grass outside our condo.

Special Olympics

After school got out on Friday, we headed down to Cedar City to volunteer for the Special Olympics.  Joleen has been working with them for the past several years, so she invited us to go with her this year.  We had no clue she would be such a celebrity with those in charge!  I almost want to get her autograph...she was that cool!  We helped at the finish line for the races with timing and recording.  It was so much fun!  I'm pretty sure I'll be wanting to do this again!

Running

I have a new fascination with running.  Never in my life did I think I would like it.  But I've been trying it out the past couple weeks.  On Monday, Annie and I ran 5 miles down Provo Canyon.  I've gone on at least a little run everyday since school got out.  Some longer...some shorter.  By no means am I shooting for 26.2 miles, but it's been pretty fun. :)

Hiking Squaw Peak

Annie and I took off early Tuesday morning to hike up Squaw Peak in Provo.  It got my heart pounding and muscles sore, but it was pretty spectacular!  The view at the top was pretty great!  

Pretty sick picture, especially since the sun was in our eyes, but it's evidence that we made it!

 Babysitting

I always wish that my nieces and nephews lived closer to me.  Unfortunately, they don't.  So until then we'll watch someone else's kids. :)  On Tuesday we watched our old Bishop's three kids for the afternoon.  It was so fun!  It got me excited to see my 16 nieces and nephews in a couple of weeks!

Car Stuff

Wednesday was my car day...oil change, safety and emissions tests, registration, and new tires!

Friends

I feel like I don't see friends much during the school year.  This week I met up with two of my favorites...Laura and Kristen.  I went to a movie and chatted with Laura.  Yesterday I met Kristen in SLC for lunch and a trip to a fun cookie shop downtown.

Lost

I resumed my netflix account.  That means I'm watching Lost again.  It's pretty great. :)

Monticello/Moab Trip

Over Memorial Day weekend, my roommate Annie and I took a little trip to the middle of nowhere.  Two summers ago, Annie and I decided we wanted to go to every temple in Utah.  It's taken us longer than we thought, but we're almost done!  We checked off another one when we went to Monticello.

We left after school on Friday and arrived there late that night.  Hotel pickings are slim there, so we stayed at a stinky place that smelled like the old brown trailer that some of our old ranch hands would live back in Drummond.  I'm thinking only my family and the Mackay's will appreciate how sick that is! :)

I can't believe Monticello has a temple.  It's such a tiny town!  But the temple was beautiful!

After the temple, we drove up the road to Moab for lunch.  We ate at this place that had the most amazing omelets I think I'll ever have.  Who knew that salmon and avocado was a good combination?  Trust me...it's delicious!
Then we hit Arches National Park for an afternoon of hiking to Double O Arch.

 

It was so nice to leave the great rains of Utah County to enjoy some sunshine!  Don't worry, as soon as we came out of Spanish Fork Canyon, it was raining again.  Shocking.

Best Yearbook Posts of 2011

Today was yearbook day!  It's easily the easiest, yet boringest (spell check says that is not a word...I submit that it is!) day of the year.  I was just glancing through comments kids wrote in my yearbook.  In addition to the classic comments like "Thanks for being my teacher!", here are a few of my favorites...

• Eat your vegetables & fruit. They are good for you.  --Will
• You're the best! --Jaclyn Bieber (the girl really think she's married to Justin Bieber)
• Sorry I'm loud!  --Maddy
• 1 Nephi 2:15  --Jessica
• Lacey, stay sexy.  --Anonymous, but definitely a boy
• Hope you love the underwear I made u. --Bailey (she sewed some "underwear" out of scraps the other day.  They were too small for her, so she gave them to me...I don't know, either)
• Lacey, Thanks for teaching next to me at school. "It was so out of control!"  --Rachel (turns out I say "it was so out of control" a lot, and Rachel calls me out on it :)
• Don't get hit by a bus.  --Brandon
• No man is worthy of you, Lacey.  You're that good.  --Jessica  (She's the type that always kept tabs on my love life)

Love these kids!  But I'm extra excited that there are only 8 hours and 15 minutes of school left!