Month 10: January

For those who know me know that I love traditions! I remember one year my parents suggested that maybe our family was getting old enough to just skip the idea of "Santa" gifts and I about died. Yes I believe in Santa hardcore, so doing away with him would be like doing away with my grandpa but it is also just the tradition of Santa that is so magical. I believe that traditions bring families together. Too cheesy? Probably.

So now that Jeremy and I have started our little family, we have been discussing our families traditions and also new ones that we would like to start now. One holiday that could use some more traditions is New Years. It is such a special day but very left out. So I came up with this one. Celebrate like a birthday! We kept it simple by just having cupcakes with candles that we all got to blow out (when does that ever happen?!) and singing happy birthday to the new year. My poor family thinks I'm crazy but they put up with me and at least pretend to think it's a good idea. :) I love it!

Funfetti cupcakes with special candles thanks to Mama Rudd!

When it comes down to it, I just wanted an excuse to eat cupcakes!

This picture was difficult to take...this is as good as it gets...my lovely family.

Jeremy and I were spoiled to be the only children at home. We are so loved!

After the holidays, it was back to Rexburg for yet another semester. Except this semester was different for me....it was my last! I though it would never come. 

I did a first day of school picture because I would be spending this entire semester in a sixth grade classroom. Can you tell I'm nervous?

Growing up, first days of school were THE WORST! My poor mother had to deal with stomach aches for weeks beforehand every time it was mentioned and then the day of was a nightmare. This trend continued up until the first day of my senior year of high school and then carried on into college (we had to pull over a couple times driving to Rexburg for my first semester for me to try and throw up on the side of the road) for every first day of every semester. And in college you have two first days of school at least twice a year. Terrible! This is one trait I don't wish to pass on to my posterity.

 So going back to an elementary school brought back these feelings 10 fold. I had nightmares about my sixth grade classroom for weeks beforehand. The main idea of these dreams was me walking into the school and gravitating toward the sweet smiling faces of the second graders only to be redirected to the sixth graders who were twice my size and all wearing scary faces and pounding their fists against their hands ready to beat me up. It was altogether awful! It didn't help that when I got there and everybody found out what class I was teaching in, their response was, "Oh, I'm so sorry. Good luck with that." Not a good sign. Come to find out that these kids have had a horrible reputation since kindergarten. Just my luck!

The good news is that it wasn't that bad and I actually had a lot of great experiences. More on all that later. 

Jeremy too was back in school. What a trooper to come back to with on his offtrack. We decided that it would be best for him to finish as quickly as possible so right off his mission he applied for fast grad so he could attend school all year round. This was his first Winter semester and I don't think he was too excited about it. 

But was just bundled up and enjoyed the ride!

My sweet Logie Bear had his birthday this month and we got to spend it with him and the rest of the Lucas gang. Aren't they the cutest?

Jeremy made Logan's cake this year. What a good uncle!

Aside from the Lucas/Howell clan, Bob and Amy, Jeremy and I, and Cathy were all here to celebrate with Logan. Bobby and Amy stayed with us and we loved having them. Aside from a gross close up that Bob took of himself, I didn't take any pictures of their short visit, but we loved having them. 

I thought I would end with this little gem. This month my sister Jen got in a terrible car accident. Her boyfriend Marc called me in the middle of the night and left a message explaining what had happened. When I woke up early the next morning and heard what had happened all I could think about was getting there as soon as possible to see her. I was getting ready so fast that landed on my open straightener heated to 375 degrees. Not a smart plan. I was so distracted that I didn't really notice until I slowed down enough in the car to realize that my arm was burning like crazy. I looked at it to find two huge lines on either side of my forearm. When I got to the hospital I asked for some aloe but they didn't have any...what kind of a hospital is this?! Jen was in pretty rough shape but they let me see her in ICU just long enough for her to tell me I was beautiful (and for her nurse to say I looked like Snow White...compliment or just a suggestion to get a tan?) and for me to say how much I loved her. Later we were able to compare scars...hers are better but this is a little reminder of the day I almost lost her. Honestly when I look at them I do remember that day and count my blessings that Heavenly Father was watching over her. He knew she was still needed too much on Earth and I am grateful for that. I don't know what I would do without my big sister. I do also think about all the funny things she said and did while on the pain meds..."Does Cathy have blue hair?" Again, what would I do without her? She does make me laugh. :)

Oh the picture...this was my attempt to keep out the hot water. It was blistering pretty bad. One of my students did bring me a part of his aloe plant. So sweet. I think it was for his own benefit. Anytime I would pull up my sleeve all my students stared at it with a look of absolute disgust. After that I tried to keep it covered. I can't blame them. I always had the the hardest time with the teachers who had weird things on their bodies or face or even wouldn't wipe the board all the way. I would just stare. Ok enough of the tangent! Happy New Year!