A few videos from the past couple of weeks...

The kids have had some fun while they've been off for Christmas vacation. Here are just a few videos of them :) Enjoy!

Just a few wedding photos...

Thankful

Today my heart is full of gratitude for the many blessings in my life. I am reminded of a song that Josh Groban sings entitled "Thankful". Here are the lyrics from the chorus:

"So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be.
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see.
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for"

As this year comes to a close, I have been reflecting on who I've become, who I will continue to become this next year and throughout my life, and how to live my life so as to bring me even closer to the Lord in order to be who He would have me be. An overwhelming feeling of gratitude comes over me as I think about how the Lord has strengthened, protected, and comforted me throughout my whole life and especially the past few years. I know it is through Him that I am where I am. I am in awe of how Heavenly Father has worked things out for my good and how I feel the assurance that He will continue to do so.

The experiences I have had have made me who I am today and I look back with gratitude for the wisdom of a loving Heavenly Father who knows me better than I know myself and who knows exactly what I need...and who provides that in His time and in His way. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for agency, the power to choose, the chance to learn and to grow and to become more like Him. I am also grateful for the wonderful friends and family who have been such a strong support for me, and who have truly been instruments in the Lord's hands.

I really believe that Heavenly Father sends people into our lives for a reason and have felt that so often in my life. A year ago today, I had no idea how much my life would change within the course of this year---I met my best friend in April, we got engaged in August, and were married for time and all eternity in September. I became an instant mom of three kids and that has been an amazing, trying, difficult, joyful, stretching, learning experience so far. Though there are days (more than I'd like to admit) when I really don't think I'm cut out to be a mom and where I'm just not sure Heavenly Father picked the right person for the job :), ultimately I know this is where I'm supposed to be and that there is much good that is and can be done. Heavenly Father knew that John was out there and guided us to each other at the right time and place for both of us, though completely unexpected. I never imagined someone so perfect for me as John and a family where I fit so well.

So, today I am grateful, as "there's so much to be thankful for".

Merry Christmas from the Winklers!!!

Here is our Christmas card and newsletter! Enjoy!!!

Dear family and friends,

We hope you are all doing well! Here is a little update on our family...

We just returned from a fabulous trip to Washington DC! We stayed with family out there and had an open house in Falls Church, VA. We were able to see several of Rachel's friends and former co-workers who John and the kids had never met. We visited a few museums and the kids had a blast playing with their cousins. It was so good to be back and I miss it, but it's also good to be home in Tucson!!

John is working hard in his residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Arizona. He finishes at the end of June (yay!), and got his dream job in Denver, which will start mid-July. He is an amazing husband and father and keeps us all laughing, happy, and feeling loved.

Rachel is having adventures being an instant mom of three. Keeping busy with all there is to do as a mom and wife, and taking breaks to do those things I love. Exercise, playing the piano, naps, and Jane Austen movies have been saving graces for me :) I feel very blessed to be in this eternal family!

Jonas reads all the time and is constantly looking to learn more. He qualified for the school spelling bee and is now in the 4th grade math group along with two other 3rd graders. He is such a kind and loving big brother!!

Vera is learning to read and loving it! She is spelling and sounding out words everywhere we go. She is doing SO well at school and is full of energy and life! Vera loves to play with friends, eat ice cream, and do special time with Mom and Dad.

Anna is a little singer. She sings herself to sleep at night and "plays" on the keyboard often, singing along with the demo songs. She loves to learn and "do letters" and is actually recognizing many of the letters of the alphabet. She is a sensitive, sweet little girl and loves giving hugs and kisses.

We love you all and hope you have a wonderful holiday season!!

Love,
The Winkler Family
John, Rachel, Jonas, Vera, and Anna

Flowers from a wonderful husband!

Just a quick post...John and I were very lucky the other day to go out on a date! One of our friends from the ward watched Anna for a couple of hours in the morning and John and I hiked up to the Sabino Dam in Sabino Canyon. It was SO wonderful to be able to just talk uninterrupted and BE with each other. I sure love my husband. He is an amazing man and I realize that more and more everyday. Later that day, he went to the store with the kids and got me flowers. I LOVE roses and John got me beautiful red and white roses. See photo above :) I feel pretty lucky!

Vera has been sick the past couple of days. She's had a cough, cold, and fever, poor thing. It's gone around our family---I had it first, then Anna got the cold and cough, and John is sick with it as well. Vera doesn't have a fever now and is recovering, thank goodness, but we've had two days of movies, Emergen-C, lemon and honey, childrens tylenol, and early bedtime :) Luckily I got better a few days before Vera got sick so I have some energy to help her. I can't imagine what it would be if all of us were sick at the same time. Thank goodness it's all in the family, but not all in the family at the same time :) :). Ha. Well, at least this time :) John has only two more days of PICU and then we're done! We celebrated yesterday because it was his last on-call EVER! Yahoo!!! Celebrate good times :) :) Hopefully John and Vera will get better soon!

Wedding Photos!!!

Our wedding photos are posted on our photographer's website!!! Here is the link:

www.jilljacksonphotography.com

Go to the clients section and type in the password: winkler

We are so happy with how they turned out. It was a beautiful, wonderful day! Enjoy!!!

Ah Sunday

I love Sundays. While I was single, I loved starting Sunday morning with some nice church music and playing the piano, singing, and/or studying scriptures. It just set apart the day for me and was such a nice change. Now with the kids and John, I decided to do a similar thing and start Sundays by turning on church or classical music when we all get up and it seems to set a great mood. I don't normally get the relaxing nap and time to myself I did when I was single :), but we have started some other traditions that really make Sundays for me. Mind you, these are things we could and like to do on other days, but they are fun Sabbath day activities. The kids love to make cookies for friends and neighbors, so we've done that the past couple of weeks and I think it's helped the kids see how good they feel doing service and how good it helps others feel as well. All of us love to bake and cook and the kids love to help, so sometimes we try out a new recipe. So fun! We've got a box of Sunday activities that John's late wife Britney put together when she was alive and I'll have the kids choose a couple of those to do. They love it! Last week we sang Primary songs and went on a family walk. The kids love to sing (yay!!!) and we have a good time doing it. What a blessing it is to have fun traditions and to have Sundays as special days to remember family and why our family is able to be together!! It makes me so grateful for the Savior and His sacrifice for us and for the plan of our Heavenly Father that allows families to be together forever and to build lasting and loving relationships on this earth that continue in the life after this.

Just a quick update on us...things are still crazy, but John is finishing his PICU (pediatric ICU) month in a week and so we are all breathing a sigh of relief. It has been a rough month with many challenges. Satan has really worked hard on our little family and I have felt stretched to my limit. However, I know that Heavenly Father will not allow us to be tempted or tried more than we are able to bear, so I find comfort in that. I am also grateful for the beauty of the eternal marriage covenant and temple sealing. That has brought so much comfort to me knowing that John and I have committed to each other and to God that we will love each other and take care of each other through everything. We continue to do our best and to involve Heavenly Father in all we do. I know that because of that, we have been given and have felt so much strength that is much more than our own. John truly amazes me in so many ways each day as I see how mature he is and how much faith he has. He makes me want to be a better person. He is so patient and loving and has such a good heart and cherishes me. He is committed to the Lord, to me and to our family. I am so blessed! I always prayed that Heavenly Father would provide a man like him and sure enough, He did. Heavenly Father guided me to the perfect man for me.

The kids are doing well and adjusting to all the life changes :) They are all calling me Mommy (sometimes Rachel, too, or Mommy Rachel)---which has been an adjustment, but a good one. It really melts my heart when they do.

Anna often requests to read "fipfurs" (scriptures) before bedtime and brings me the Book of Mormon so we can read a few verses. She also loves to sing "sunbeam" (Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam--a children's Primary song we sing in church) and "rock" (The wise man built his house upon the rock---another Primary song from church) before bedtime. She and I dance and sing to a lot of the songs that I used to do with students at the private school where I taught back east. She loves it! She also loves to watch me put on make-up and wants to put on "farkles" (sparkles--eyeshadow), and sings herself to sleep at night with all sorts of made-up songs. It's pretty adorable. She's not taking naps much anymore, so we've started doing quiet time (so Mommy can have some quiet time :) ).

Vera has just started reading and is LOVING it. We use the website www.starfall.com and I think it's great! Reading has really clicked for Vera now and she wants to read all the time. She got 100% on her spelling test the other day and we are so proud of her! She loves playing with her triplet friends who live next door and who are her age. She is constantly drawing pictures for John and me and LOVES to color with markers and paints. Vera is so loving, very social, and is always the first to give a hug. She is very vocal about her feelings (which was hard at first, but is good and is also giving me a thicker skin :) ).

Jonas is such a sweet boy. He is very loving and has such a sweet heart. He is SO smart. Jonas has started reading the Book of Mormon every night and tells us what he learns each day. He is the king of random facts and will tell you everything there is to know about pretty much anything he discovers. He loves to read and is currently in a 3rd/4th grade split class, which is a challenge for him, but he loves it. His new thing these days is plants versus zombies, a game that John has on his iPhone. He loves spending quality time with John and told me the other day that his "love language" is quality time. Love these kids!

Well, gotta run to get ready for church, but until next time!

San Francisco and PICU

Just a little update on our happy life :) :) So John has his last ICU month/On Call month ever this month and we're so excited!!! No need for John to ever have a pager again!!! Yahoo!! It's going to be quite the crazy month, but we'll get through. I also got called as a cub scout award coordinator, so that should be interesting. Completely out of my comfort zone, but here we go!

We had the great opportunity of going to San Francisco a couple of weekends ago for a residency conference and John's mom watched the kids (she is amazing) so that we could have a weekend away. It was much needed! Apart from the misadventures at the airport (3 hr delay for our connecting flight---ugh), we had an awesome trip! We first stayed at the Hilton in Oakland (you'd think that'd be nice right? ;) ), but were very disappointed when it was pretty, well, ghetto. So...we canceled that hotel in Oakland and ended up staying at a Sheraton on the Bay. It was BEAUTIFUL! We went for a run along the shore and took some great pictures. We also got to visit my sister Jen, her husband Justin and their kids in Roseville and had an awesome time with them. It was so fun for them to meet John and for John to meet all of them. Little Eli (2) was pretty shy at first, but he warmed up to me on Sunday, when, while we were eating dinner, he came over and told me all about his soccer ball in his special language. I was surprised I could understand! Ha ha. Maybe I'm just used to speaking 2 yr old??? ;)

Anyway, it was a wonderful trip and it was difficult to leave and come back to reality! I'll post some pics of our trip soon!

Married, 3 Kids, and Wow!

So...it's been WAY too long since I updated this blog, but I thought since I had a little time tonight I'd update on what's been going on. When I last posted, John and I had only known each other for just over a month and were emailing back and forth. So much has happened since then!! Here is the skinny (my journal entry which is also on our wedding website) on how we met, fell in love, and are making our happily ever after!

John and I met on EHarmony. I had told myself I wouldn't do the online dating thing again as I had already tried one dating site and had a bad experience, but a co-worker suggested I try it out just to at least have some options. I decided to do it, thinking "Well, why not? What do I have to lose?" Ha ha. Little did I know what was in store :) :) Just a couple of days after I joined, EHarmony matched John and me together. The first time I saw his profile, I thought "Wow, his countenance really glows and if he is for real, I would really like to get to know him better." I sent him a little "flirt" (so cheesy, I know ;) ), saying how I liked his smile, and he responded by starting the getting to know you process with questions and all. We emailed back and forth for about a month or so, then decided to skype and start talking on the phone. I was a little overwhelmed at first with the thought of John being a widower and having 3 kids already (John's wife had passed away over a year ago) but couldn't get over how perfect he seemed for me. I honestly felt like I had found my best friend. We talked about how it felt we had known each other for longer than we had and it really surprised both of us. John had a medical conference in Boston the first part of May and so called me every day/night when he was free and we ended up talking for hours. As we continued to get to know each other, I thought "Wow, how does he seem to know me and fit me so well?" He sent me a card for my birthday that was so thoughtful and would do little things that meant so much, like sending me an email just before starting work just to say hi. He would write me novel emails that took hours when he didn't have that much time being in residency and raising three kids. I was so impressed with his dedication to the Gospel and to his family. I was also amazed at how intelligent and ambitious he is. He completely won me over with how well he treated me and how much he cared about me and all I was doing. He treated me so much better than anyone I had ever dated and it seemed so easy, not forced at all. I felt like I was at home with him. He is so committed to all he does, especially relationships, and that impressed me most of all. After his medical conference in Boston, we talked about meeting in person. We had both thought about it before, but had been scared to bring it up. We talked about John coming out to DC to visit, but since it would be difficult with the kids, I suggested going out to Tucson and visiting them. I looked up flights and it just so happened that flights to Tucson from DC were really cheap (go figure ;) ). I bought a ticket and planned to fly out after my trip to Israel and Egypt. I would be gone for three weeks and we thought we wouldn't be able to talk because of international rates, but John found a cheap way to call me on Skype. We just continued to fall for each other even more. I flew out to Tucson a few days after my big trip and John's mom and the kids met me at the airport. I was SO nervous, but the kids ran up to me and gave me huge hugs, instantly easing any nervousness. We went to lunch and read stories, and I could hardly wait until John got home from work. He called me when he was almost home and I got butterflies. I was SO excited! He walked in to the apartment and I instantly knew. I thought "Ok, I'm sold." Ha ha. I never believed in love at first sight, but I certainly do now. :) We had developed such a great friendship and relationship over the past few months that it was even that much better in person. We went out on our "first date" that night and just had such an amazing time. I felt so at home with John and the kids and couldn't believe it. I thought I was crazy for knowing instantly that he was who I wanted to marry, but also couldn't deny how right it felt. We talked about everything and anything the whole weekend and I just felt I had come home. We talked about marriage that weekend and both just felt it was right and that we should and wanted to go forward. I felt I had found the man I had been looking for my whole life.

I can't believe I am so lucky to have found John and the kids. When John and I first talked about marriage, we thought we'd get married sometime next Spring or even after he got done with his residency, but that seemed way too long to wait, so we talked about November. We discussed Thanksgiving and semi-decided on that. I was talking to my friend Teresa one day and she said "So when are you moving to Tucson?" and, I know, kind of crazy, but that was completely a new idea to me. I had thought we would just do the long distance thing while we were engaged, then get married in November. The thought of moving to Tucson scared me a little bit (I had my dream job and was really happy in DC---big change), but I considered it and prayed about it. I suggested it to John the next day and he was so surprised that I would do that for him. I just felt it was really important to date each other in the same state and get to know each other even better. I started looking into dates when I could move. I figured I would give Nysmith the option to have me work into the school year if they couldn't find anyone, then move out as soon as they found someone. I emailed Linda, our HR person, and told her I was engaged and looking to move to Tucson and that I would be willing to work until they found someone, asking what they would like me to do. She emailed back telling me congratulations and that they would just find someone for the whole year, so I went in the next day for my exit interview and that was that! It was crazy to leave that job---very bittersweet. I know I was led to that job in so many ways---for the experiences I had, the people I met and befriended---I will never forget that wonderful chapter in my life. There were so many people at Nysmith, and in DC, who left footprints on my heart and who I will always remember so dearly. After the exit interview, things just fell into place. John and I talked about my going out to Tucson after Labor Day, when he would fly to DC to meet all of my friends. I was planning on going to Denver in August to meet his family, drive down with him and the kids to UT to meet my family, do some wedding planning, then fly back to DC. As we thought about it more, we felt that it would make more sense to just be moved out when I flew to Denver---so, that meant me moving and selling and complete craziness for about two weeks!!! The day after we made the decision for me to move out on August 4th, I sold my housing contract, sold the rest of my things by the time I left, and had all ready to go, two suitcases in hand, by the time August 4th came and I was on my way to Denver. Phew!!! I still can't believe it all happened!! I had a lot of stuff that I wanted to send to Tucson, and just figured I would ship it. A good friend of mine told me a couple of nights before I left for Denver that she was driving out to UT and would let me put some things of mine on the UHaul truck she was renting. Talk about a blessing and completely meant to be. I felt like that was every minute of this whole adventure. Things just kept falling into place---I truly believe they do when things are right and when Heavenly Father is guiding the situation. It's not often easy, but it always works out in the way and at the time that it should. I flew out to Denver and met John's family. I had already met his mom, so it was great seeing her again. I felt so at ease with John's family and immediately accepted into his family. I was pretty nervous about meeting ALL of the family (including John's in-laws), but prayed constantly that hearts would be softened and that it would go well. John and I went over to his late wife Britney's parents house and I was SOOO nervous. Immediately, though, Jana, Britney's mom, gave me a hug and we started talking. She just got tears in her eyes and told me she knew John was so in love by how happy he looked and that she had prayed for someone to come along with whom it was right and here I was. We both shared some tears and some very precious experiences and I knew, again, Heavenly Father had guided this situation in all aspects. It was so incredible!! After a couple of days in Denver, John and I drove down to UT to meet my family. We stayed at my parents house and John was nervous, I think, but my family instantly loved him (how could they not??!!!!). I was so relieved and felt so blessed. My dad had been pretty sick prior to us getting there, and John wanted to ask my dad if he could marry me, but wasn't sure when would be a good time. I guess the moment didn't need to be planned, though, because John was asking my mom when she thought it would be good to ask my dad, and my dad walked in and said "Yes, of course. Just take good care of her. She is a precious daughter." Ha. My dad was instantly sold just like me :) :) The next day, August 8, 2011, we went to my brother Judson's house for Family Home Evening, then Jud and Marisa let us get away from the kids for some "alone time". I knew the proposal was coming, I just didn't know how he was going to do it :) John took me up the canyon by my parents' house and showed me the song he had written me. He said he had written it one night after we talked on the phone and had felt such love for me that he wrote all of his feelings down in a song. It was so tender and heartfelt that I began to cry. He knelt down on one knee and asked me if I would marry him. I said yes!!!! It was honestly one of the most joyous and beautiful nights of my life. My heart almost leaped out of my chest because I was so happy! I felt so lucky to be engaged to marry the most wonderful man for eternity. Heavenly Father had answered my prayers in every way. I had prayed for a man to come along who recognized me and who I recognized, who was my best friend, and who loved me for all of me, for who I am. It is absolutely incredible to me how all of those prayers offered over 31 years were answered in the Lord's time and in His way. I just had to submit my will to His, continue living righteously, doing all I could, and He would do the rest. John and I were so prepared for each other, and I was prepared in all the experiences I had had to that point to be an instant mom of three kids.

We were married on September 17th, in the Bountiful LDS Temple, and it was such a joyous day! It was more beautiful than anything I could have imagined and I'm so grateful to all the friends and family who were there and who helped out with everything. John and I spent our honeymoon in a beautiful cabin in Heber and just enjoyed our time together! We got back to Tucson last Wednesday night and are exhausted, but so happy. It's been quite the adjustment being an instant mother of 3 and wife and living in a new state. There have been some rough days and I'm sure still will be, but I do love our little family and am so excited to continue this adventure with my best friend!

Best birthday ever!

So I turned the big 31 yesterday and it was one of the best birthdays I have had. So many people remembered and I felt so special. It's amazing when even the kindergartners see you in the hallway and say "Happy Birthday Miss Wall" when you wouldn't even think they'd remember after you'd mentioned it in passing a few days earlier. So cute! My 8th grade musical theater class threw me a surprise birthday party at school and sang to me. It was the cutest, most touching thing ever. I really did start to cry. I am such a girl :) Then I went to dinner with a bunch of friends and just enjoyed quality time spent with friends. My parents called me later that night and sang "Happy Birthday" to me. I felt so loved and it was incredible. This year will be an adventure, I think, and I'm looking forward to what it has in store.

Choir

So I have the opportunity of directing the choir in our congregation at church and today we had choir practice. This was the turnout :) Pretty good odds for Annie!

The Garden

I had the wonderful opportunity of singing in one performance of the allegorical oratorio "The Garden" by Michael McLean this past Saturday. I went into the performance with several things on my mind and several things I was working out within myself. Words can't completely express the experience I had on Saturday night, but I will do my best. As "The Man With Many Names" was singing his solo entitled "Not My Will", I was overcome with emotion as I pictured the Savior and the sacrifice He made for each and every one of us and I got tears in my eyes. My heart was softened and I was reminded that He knows me, He knows my thoughts, my emotions, my heart, and my desires. He knows exactly how I feel because He has been there and has suffered for me personally. He loves ME, with all my strengths and weaknesses, and is always there with arms outstretched if I will but go to Him and let Him in my life. I know He performed the Atonement for each and every one of us, that He suffered for our sins, that He died for each one of us, and that He was resurrected and HE LIVES again. My Savior lives and loves me unconditionally as does my Father in Heaven, who, out of love for us, sent the Savior to perform that sacrifice so that I can return to live with Him again. I will be eternally grateful for this knowledge and for that experience I had last night. I am SO blessed.

Galactic Blues

So I was teaching a reggaeton dance routine to our 5th graders this past Friday and accidentally said "toys" when I was referring to moving their toes opposite their arms. I said it several times and just got funny looks from the students. They were probably thinking Miss Wall had gone crazy (or perhaps they already think that ;) ). Nevertheless, it was an interesting experience. We saw some of our 5th graders today and asked how many of them had shown the dance to their parents and several of them raised their hands. I sure hope that was a good thing! :)

Oh, and school is out in a month!!!! Yahooo! I think both the teachers and students are ready to be done. It's time for a break!! And then...Israel, Egypt, Paris, and Switzerland for me. It seems surreal that I'm actually going to 4 places on my bucket list. I'm surely looking forward to it! Perhaps I'll point my toys in that direction for the moment. Ha ha ha. I'm glad I crack myself up.

Papa loves Mambo...Mama loves Mambo...

Today Cathy (my co-worker) and I made up some choreography to a Mambo song I found and we had a blast. Yes, we were working, I promise! ;) We are doing a world music unit with the 5th graders and teaching them dances from the Caribbean on Thursday. Let's just say there were arms flying, hips shaking, and lots of laughter...I love my job!

Waffles, Pot Roast, and Blogging Oh My!

Today was a great day! I got to sleep in, work out, run errands...you know, typical Saturday stuff. A highlight of my day was having my co-workers over for a brunch. We ate great food (homemade whole wheat waffles and buttermilk syrup---recipes included below---my favorite!, blueberry muffins, scrambled eggs, and fresh fruit and fruit juice---yum!), relaxed, and spent time with each other, no students included :) It seemed to be a day of cooking as I got to try out a new recipe for dinner rolls from my sis-in-law Marisa for a dinner later with roommates and a former roommate and her husband. It was so nice to catch up and it made me grateful for such blessings in my life as wonderful friends and family who have influenced me so much for the better. The rolls and pot roast were a success as was the smell in the kitchen. :) It reminded me of home when my mom would make roast in the crock pot on Sundays and we'd come home from church to that deliciousness. Mmmm Mmmm good.

I can't believe tomorrow is the 1st of May! I will have lived here for six years, which seems just crazy to me. I never planned on being here for so long, but often the Lord has other plans (which I am discovering more and more each day :) ), for which I am very grateful. The experiences I have had here have helped me grow so much and learn more about myself as a daughter of God. Having a Father in Heaven who knows me so well to refine me as He has is a great blessing. Not that I would relive some of those experiences, but that I am truly grateful for where they have brought me at this point in my life.

I received my study guide, packing list, and other info for the trip to Israel in June and I can't believe it's actually happening! I'm SO excited. Delta re-routed my flight from Cairo to...drum roll please...Paris! I'm VERY tempted to extend it for a few days so I can go visit people from my mission as well as see a bit of Switzerland. We'll see how I can work it out :) :)

Before I forget, here are the recipes for the waffles and buttermilk syrup:

Waffles (from Better Homes and Gardens)

1 ¾ c wheat flour

3 t baking powder

½ t salt

2 egg yolks

1 ¼ c milk (I add 2-2 ½ cups—batter is too thick otherwise)

½ c oil/shortening/butter

2 egg whites

Sift dry ingredients. Combine egg yolks and milk. Pour into dry ingredients and stir. Stir in butter and any other extras (fruit, PB, etc.). Fold in egg whites. Pour batter into waffle-maker.

**I add in chopped apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg and it's yummy!**

Absolute Best Pancake Syrup

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Absolute-Best-Pancake-Syrup/Detail.aspx

**I don't add corn syrup and use honey instead. I also use at most 1/2 of the sugar (brown) and add nutmeg and almond extract. Delicious!**

Here are a couple of videos from Brian Regan, one of my favorite comedians, to finish off this fantastic Saturday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBko_3wT44Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9em-ZCddWk&feature=related

Some favorite student quotes...

As a teacher, I get to spend time with kids all day and, of course, get to hear all the hilarious things they say. I decided I'm going to record some of the things they say here on my blog...enjoy! Here are a few of my favorites so far:
Kindergartner: "Miss Wall, you look like...you look like...you look like YOU!" Now that was unexpected, though very very true.
My co-worker Cathy: "What will you play for us today?" Kindergartner: "Stand, Stand Up for Jesus" Kindergartner #2: "Jesus? I love Jesus" Kindergartner #3: "Me too!"
Co-worker Cathy: "What animal do you think of in the Spring?" 4 yr old student (confidently, I might add): "A Ghost!!!" Uh, all right. The is neither an animal nor do we typically identify it with springtime, but hey, let's go with it ;)
While learning a new song, a kindergartner said: "So the Queen of Hearts made tarts all day, and the Knave of Hearts stole them. I just don't get it. That's weird." Yes, yes it is.
1st grade piano student: "Well, people say that playing with your pinky finger means the sound is higher, but this sound is lower." Me: "I have no idea what you mean, but explain it to me." Student: "Yeah, everybody says that playing with your pinky finger means the sound is high." Me: "Hmmm. What people are those?" Student: "Oh, just everybody." Ah ha. I knew there was something I'd been missing this whole time.
6th grade student: "Miss Wall, how can you be so good at the piano for being so young?" Me: "How young do you think I am?" Student: "You're 18, right?" Oh yes, just keep thinking that, my friend. I'm having my 18th birthday for the 12th time this year ;)
Co-worker Cathy (while learning the notes on Treble Staff): "What was above the grass in the story? What type of flowers were growing there?" 1st grade student: "Assodils!!!" Assodils. It's the "new" flower. ;)
6th grade student (said just after misbehaving in class and me asking him to stop): "You're really pretty, Miss Wall. In fact, you're beautiful." Now this was obviously an attempt to distract me from his misbehaving, and, let's be honest, it worked...well, for about a minute. ;)

Pictures from life's adventures...

These are pics from some adventures I've had in the past several years. Life is good! The first pics are from a cruise I took to the Bahamas this past summer. My friend McKaylee and I went to the Atlantis Resort in Nassau. It was one of the coolest experiences I've had. There were so many interesting things to see and do. Of course, the food on the cruise was incredible and i went snorkeling for the first time. The next couple of pics are from Miami and the Caribbean cruise. We had planned on renting a car when we got to Miami. but when we got there, they didn't have any other cars available except the red mustang. They asked us if that was ok...um, yes, please! Drive around Miami in a red mustang??? Awesome. Such a blast! We also went parasailing in St. Maarten's. It was fantastic!
The pic on the bottom is of Boston from a few years ago over the 4th of July. I made so many attempts at a good jump shot and FINALLY got this one. I look kind of ridiculous with my mouth wide open, but hey, it was fun :) We also went sailing with my brother and watched the fireworks from the harbor. The postcard like photo you see at the top is what we saw the night of the fireworks. Absolutely beautiful!

Dance

So tonight I get to chaperone for our school dance. This should be fun and interesting. I think it will definitely bring back memories of the awkwardness that was middle school :) I'm excited, though. Should be fun to see the kids in that light...all dressed up and dancing the night away. Ha. I might even break out a few dance moves myself...but we'll see :) I'm looking forward to the weekend as I get to have co-workers over for brunch tomorrow and then a few friends over for dinner tomorrow night. Here's to dancing through life (name the musical) and uh, the middle school dance... ;)

Just some thoughts...

I have been studying Christlike attributes lately and felt impressed today to listen to the talk by Elder Holland, an apostle in the Church, called "Broken Things to Mend". I am always struck by Elder Holland's talks and the emotion with which he delivers them. Tonight was no different. As I read this talk, though I felt discouraged, I came away with a bit of comfort and renewed faith that the Savior will always be there and that He will lighten our burdens if we go to Him and do as He would do. He has "graven us upon the palms of His hands" (2 Nephi 21:16). What an incredible gift He has given us to repent and become better day by day and to not only repent of our mistakes, but also to help us overcome trials and difficulties in our lives. I know Christ is our Savior and that He loves each one of us with a love that we can't even fathom and because of that love, He sacrificed His own life for us so that we could one day live with our Heavenly Father once more if we live according to His plan. Elder Holland quoted this poem in his talk, written by George Blair, entitled "The Carpenter of Nazareth", and I copied it below:

In Nazareth, the narrow road,

That tires the feet and steals the breath,

Passes the place where once abode

The Carpenter of Nazareth.

And up and down the dusty way

The village folk would often wend;

And on the bench, beside Him, lay

Their broken things for Him to mend.

The maiden with the doll she broke,

The woman with the broken chair,

The man with broken plough, or yoke,

Said, “Can you mend it, Carpenter?”

And each received the thing he sought,

In yoke, or plough, or chair, or doll;

The broken thing which each had brought

Returned again a perfect whole.

So, up the hill the long years through,

With heavy step and wistful eye,

The burdened souls their way pursue,

Uttering each the plaintive cry:

“O Carpenter of Nazareth,

This heart, that’s broken past repair,

This life, that’s shattered nigh to death,

Oh, can You mend them, Carpenter?”

And by His kind and ready hand,

His own sweet life is woven through

Our broken lives, until they stand

A New Creation—“all things new.”

“The shattered [substance] of [the] heart,

Desire, ambition, hope, and faith,

Mould Thou into the perfect part,

O, Carpenter of Nazareth!”

I am grateful for the peace and bit of comfort I received tonight. I am truly blessed!

Listen to this playlist: rwall2011's Playlist

What I believe...

Another New Recipe...

During Spring Break, I decided I would try out a few new recipes I had collected and see how they turned out. Here are a couple that have been delicious...enjoy!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Big-Soft-Ginger-Cookies/Detail.aspx

These remind me of my dad :)

Here's another great recipe for chicken:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Lemon-Chicken-with-Mushroom-Sauce/Detail.aspx

With this one, instead of baking the chicken first, then adding the sauce, I lightly breaded the chicken breasts (eggs and bread crumbs), made the sauce as directed and poured it over the raw chicken breasts, then baked for about an hour or so with foil on top. It was delicious! Served it with mashed potatoes, asparagus, and cheddar herb biscuits (see recipe below).

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/03/cheddar-and-herb-biscuits.html

These biscuits are, hands down, the best I've had. Enjoy!

Chicken Tikka Masala

So I LOVE Indian food. Here is a great recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala that I have made a couple of times (from AllRecipes). It's awesome! I just use 1 t cayenne pepper as otherwise it's too spicy for me. Also, I cook the chicken in a regular saucepan instead of grilling it. There's a great whole grain naan you can get at Safeway or Giant as a side dish as well as quinoa. I just recently discovered quinoa and love it! I boil it in chicken broth instead of water and saute 1/4 of an onion before adding the quinoa and chicken broth to give it a little more flavor. For a vegetable, I do a spinach salad with sliced almonds, craisins, and poppyseed dressing. Delicious!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Tikka-Masala/Detail.aspx

Happy Spring Break!

So today is the last day of Spring Break. I'm enjoying it, but will probably be ready to go back tomorrow (that's the hope anyway ;) ). After we go back, there will only be a little over a month of school left. Crazy! I can't believe it. The year has gone by so quickly. I'm looking forward to summer and going to Israel. It will be such a great opportunity to walk where the Savior walked. Yesterday was a wonderful Easter Sunday and I'm so grateful for my Savior, His resurrection and Atonement. I know He lives and loves me! Here's to a wonderful week!

Cherry Blossom Time!

The cherry blossoms in DC with my friend Hannah! I love this time of year!

Half-Marathon!

So I finished my first half-marathon and I've got to say, it felt GREAT (besides the soreness and the "I want to sleep for a few days now" feeling :) :) ). I loved training for and accomplishing something like that. And, let's be honest, now I can put the 13.1 bumper sticker on my car and feel cool ;)