One Lucky Dude

This is Ethan. I have highjacked my wife's blog. I've never posted on a blog before, don't have a Facebook page and social media is a little foreign to me. But Ive got something really important to say.

I have the greatest wife ever.

 That's not a shot at all the other great moms and wives out there its just a fact that I have no doubt that I made the best decision I have ever made when I asked her to come gold-panning with me over three years ago. She may not be perfect but she is perfect for me and I will ALWAYS love her. Alright, I'm not going to get all squishy on here, so that all for now. Peace Out.

Goodbye, College...

Well, its here. I have been waiting for this moment in my life for the past 5-ish years. Say hello to one of BYU's most recent graduates- me! I have officially graduated from BYU with a degree in elementary education and a minor in history teaching. It still hasn't hit yet- I feel like I'm just on Christmas break and have to go back in January. I'm sure when Ethan goes back to school in January it will hit me. It still feels great, regardless of whether my mind has caught up with me or not. I don't have any homework to worry about. Unfortunately for me, I chose a profession that requires me to take a lot of my work home with me. At least it isn't homework and I'm not getting graded on it.

I just finished my last block of student teaching at Southland Elementary in a 5th grade classroom. I had so much fun with those kiddos. I have to admit they intimidated me at first because most of them are as tall as me. But I quickly learned they are just like really tall second graders. They love all the dorky kids stuff just like the little ones, even if they act too cool for it. We are able to have some cool lessons, though. They are older and can handle doing more during the lessons. We did things like cool science experiments, had our own class tax system while learning about the Revolutionary War, and even learned the Lewis and Clark rap. Come on, you know you are jealous. I miss those kids already.

Here is the crazy class on Halloween, just after we finished our Halloween Fear Factor.

It makes me excited for my own classroom. I can do all of those cool things the way I'd like to do them. Excited, and also very nervous. But in a good way. I'm in the candidate pool at Jordan School District, and I apply for jobs as they come up. I'm just waiting to hear back on some of them. If nothing turns up, that's ok too. I'm not feeling too much pressure- I can always substitute teach until the new school year starts. That way I can get my face out there so principals know who I am, and I can get to know schools in the area so I can see what I like and what I don't. 

In other news, Ethan finished another semester with great grades. He's a smarty pants, even if he tries to deny it. We are looking forward to the next few weeks off. He'll keep working, but not quite full time so we will get to spend more time together. We are headed to Odessa the day after Christmas, so to all of our Odessa friends, we look forward to seeing you! We've missed you bunches since we came back. I'm also looking forward to being a part of all the Newman family traditions, like fudge making, Hatch's hot chocolate and temple square, watching the Grinch, and all the others. We started a new one this year that just might stick- dressing up in crazy Christmas decorations and caroling at my uncle Kerry's house, or as I like to call it... kerry-ling! ha! Ok, ok. I know I'm the only one who finds my puns funny. I love Christmas so much, and I'm so excited to really relax and enjoy it this year, as well as see all of my favorite people, in both Utah and Texas.

our kerry-ling costumes...

see mom, aren't you glad you saved all those old decorations?

my personal favorite.

a close second favorite...

 I'm having trouble uploading the rest- as soon as I get it to work I'll add them.

Isn't it crazy the year is almost over?
I realize this was a long post, so thanks for hanging in there, but we've had a lot to catch up on! Now that I'm graduated, maybe I'll be able to find more time to keep our blog updated!

Happy 2012 everyone!

Settled.

Well, I don't know about you, but I sure love conference weekend! General Conference is my favorite times of year. This one couldn't have come at a better time. I've really needed a relaxing weekend to rejuvenate. Also it gives me time to catch up on my blog, which is good because it is has been awhile and a lot has happened!

We are finally settled in our new basement apartment! We are just a few houses down from my parents in South Jordan. I think I can speak for both of us when I say we love it here! I love being back in my hometown. We were so lucky to land this awesome place, (thanks, Curt and Nat) and to have our own place again.

A shot of our new place, and Ethan, of course.

Overall, as we moved back to Utah to start this new semester, we have be so blessed! Ethan was able to get a paid internship position with my brother Curtis, working for Thatcher. He is a trooper and commutes to school at BYU Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Then he commutes to Salt Lake on Tuesday and Thursday for work. I'm so blessed to have such a supportive husband who agreed to live in South Jordan so I could be close to my school for student teaching. That way,  I don't have a long commute every day. He works so hard for us. He's the best!

At the BYU game. Loving football season.... even though our teams aren't awesome right now...

I have been student teaching at Riverton Elementary so far this semester. I'm in Mrs. Bianucci's second grade class. Let me tell you, I have never been so continuously exhausted. However, it is totally worth it! I've completely fallen in love with my cute class. They are such good kids. I just finished my first week of solo teaching and it went very well. It gave me confidence that I can do this! Next week is my last solo teaching week at this school. On October 22, block 2 starts! I can't believe it is half way through the semester already! I have a lot of work to do within the next two weeks, but after those are over, my work load will decrease a lot, and I will really be able to enjoy the next half of student teaching. Next semester, I'll be at Southland Elementary, also in Riverton. I don't know what grade yet, although I do know it will be an upper grade. I'm so excited and nervous! Even though I'm having a great time student teaching, December can't come fast enough. I can't wait to graduate!

My cute 2nd graders!

That's all the highlights for now! We will keep updating as updates come along! :)

No Place Like Home

Well, it has certainly been awhile... Its already AUGUST! I can't believe summer has flown by so fast. For the last few weeks in July, I got to go home to Utah. I love Utah summers, and I've missed seeing the green mountains and sitting outside on a warm night. I got to see some of the people I've missed so much, too! I got to have lunch with this beautiful girl- my best buddy Erin!

Lunch at Cafe Rio and Erin is pretty much one of the best ways to spend an afternoon!

I was so glad to see her before she is off on her adventures for the summer!
It was so good to see my family. I got to be there for the 24th of July and we had so much fun at the neighborhood BBQ that ended with a great fireworks show!

Ruby with her cute little friend Owen

Ruby wanted to hold him of course.

waiting for fireworks to start!

Only a few days after getting her tonsils out and she gives us this gem of a picture. What a champ.

The fireworks were pretty spectacular, and Ruby was so brave!

All the family except Ethan. We missed him but it was a great Pioneer day.

 

We got to play in the yard and swim...

My all time favorite way to spend a summer night.

Then I got to see some more of my favorite people!

I love these guys, and hanging out at our favorite spot! The thinking spot will always be the greatest.

Some of my favorite people! I wish I could have seen all my friends, but I'm so glad I got to see these guys!

I loved getting to see my friends. I love how we've known each other for so long and when we get together we can pick up right where we left off. Even though we are all moving on with our lives, getting married, having babies, graduating from college, we are still good friends. I'm so lucky to have such great friends. I love these guys!

Finally, Ethan came back! We spent the last weekend of our trip hanging out with family, and it was great.

 

Ruby missed her buddy

All too soon, it was time to leave. Luckily, we got to bring some family with us on the trip home! My dad's bank owns a plane, and we were lucky enough to be able to go to Texas in it. It was small and a bit freaky, but really fun. And the no security thing was a major bonus. 
Michelle and my dad came along for the ride.

We pretended we were on the bachelorette with our sweet headsets.

There's our plane!

Now we are back in Texas for a few more weeks! This weekend, we got to go to Dallas and Six Flags! I love me some roller coasters! The kids all went to Six Flags and Lynn and Sterling went to art museums with Kenley. We had dinner and came home on Sunday.

Even though we were so tired and Ethan lost his phone, we had such a fun time at Six Flags! We'd have taken more pictures but we were too busy being awesome and riding roller coasters. 

Dinner Saturday night... haha apparently the flash was too bright for Ethan! :)

Its been a great few weeks! Before we know it we will be moving back to Utah! Hopefully soon we'll have our situation figured out for the fall. More updates as they come!

Softball nights

I love summer! There is something so magical about being outside on a warm night. This summer Ethan has been playing in a softball league, so every Tuesday and Thursday we get to hang out watching softball with our friends. They win some, they lose some... but we love watching them anyway!  I'm sad its coming to an end.

Ethan

Sunset + softball = great combination.

The boys in the dugout.

Good work on the picture, KK. Ethan at bat.

Buddies.

Love Londy!

KK is crazy...

Love Kenley!

Jonathan looks like a giant from this angle...

All the boys in the outfield. Look at those clouds!

 Also, tomorrow I'm leaving to visit HOME! I am so excited to come back to Utah, see my family and my mountains. I've loved my summer here but there is nothing quite like home. I'll post some more once I get up there! Can't wait!!

Simple Pleasures

Every once in awhile, life can be a lot to handle. Luckily there are little things that get us through. Even if some of them are silly, and maybe its just me who gets excited about some things. Things like:

a new tube of mascara.

sugar snap peas.

a hard working husband.

having a pool in my back yard.

a new pack of socks.

cupcakes.

softball games on a summer night.

sunsets.

Harry Potter. It never gets old.

drive in movies.

chapstick.

video chats.

fireworks.

encouraging text messages.

clean towels.

a new book.

flip flops.

goldfish crackers.

otter pops.

recognizing your blessings.

Anyway. Those are just some of them. Sometimes I forget to take a minute and think about those things.
 Isn't life great?

Happy 2 Year Anniversary!!

It is still so weird to think that Ethan and I have been married for 2 years!! Time has never flown faster in my life than it has since I've been married. Which I must say worries me just a bit- I don't want the rest of my time with Ethan to just fly by! I want to enjoy it. So I will. It will just also fly, and there isn't really much I can do about it.
As promised, I am going to write about our little anniversary trip. Unfortunately, there really isn't a whole lot to write about. But I'll tell you anyway.
We knew we wanted to get away to somewhere for our anniversary. We also knew that to go anywhere it would require quite a lot of driving. We were all for Six Flags in Dallas until we realized that it was the first weekend school was out- we'd already missed slow-ish time of year to go. Ethan works so hard that we just needed a relaxing weekend, really. So, we found ourselves in Lajitas, Texas. This is a little (and I mean so little) resort town on the border of Texas and Mexico. All that is in this town is this tiny golf resort. It was great! It was almost completely deserted because who really wants to go to the hottest place in the world in the middle of June? We're not afraid. We went. And it was SO HOT. But there was some beautiful desert scenery, and we could literally throw a rock at Mexico. The resort was right on the Rio Grande. Which was really a misnomer, at least in Lajitas. More than anything, it was just nice to spend time together.

In those buildings ahead was our room.

On the boardwalk in the little resort. As you can see, Mexico is only 0.25 miles away.

A view of the golf course. Those mountains are Mexican! :)

It was a great, relaxing weekend. It was so nice to have 3 whole days to ourselves!  We swam in the pool, I got a massage, and we ate some yummy food.

He was hungry. Hence the look.

On the boardwalk, about to go to dinner.

This place wasn't much to look at during the day, but when the sun started setting the scenery was beautiful!

On Sunday, we decided to drive home through Big Bend National Park. It was cool to see the desert formations. We drove down to the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon, where one side of cliffs is Texas, the other side is Mexico. It was pretty cool!

So hot. So sweaty. Please don't judge.

Skipping rocks. He's very good.

Left side Mexico, right side Texas

Well, that was pretty much our little weekend! I'll post again soon! Chelsie is coming to visit in 2 days and I couldn't be more excited about it! Until next time... Happy anniversary to the best husband a girl could ask for! I love you, Ethan.