Dress Shopping!

Remember how my bff Jenn is getting married? I got to go with her and her mom and sisters to look at dresses on Monday. Thanks for the day off, MLK, Jr.! And for everything else, too. . .

So, it was so fun! I have only been dress shopping one other time, with my friend Bonnie who put together a wedding in a two weeks. We went to a dress shop that was on 7th east in Sandy, called Bridal Experience/Extravaganza/Excaliber something. They had soo many dresses to choose from, but luckily Jenn had checked it out online and found some that she really liked and wanted to try on. She had about nine dresses put into the room to try on, and narrowed it down to two. One was really pretty and simplistic with ribbons in lines at the bottom (that description doesn't do it justice, maybe I'll see if I can find a picture) but the second one was stunning. It was so fun to see Jenn's face the first time she had it one, you can see that the smile says it all! When another bride was talking to her mom about loving both dresses, Jenn's mom said "it is the one that makes you beam" which I thought was a cute way to describe it. She chose the second dress, saying "this is the one". I love how wedding dresses take on a persona, but we all know it's the bride's day, right?! She will look so breathtakingly beautiful as she walks down the aisle with the ruffled skirt trailing behind her. I'm excited to see Allen's face. And don't worry, I'll capture it on film. Thanks for letting me come!

Finally! Barn Bridals!

Guys, I've been wanting to take bridals by a barn forever. I asked Kami (my new sister-in-law) if her farm/barn would work for pictures and she looked at me funny. I guess there are different kinds of farms. Anyway, I am doing a wedding for Sharla, a friend of a friend (thanks for the referral, Lucky/Valerie!) on Saturday so I went up to Layton this past saturday and took her pictures and I loved how they turned out! I don't know what it is with me and barns, but it's just plain magical. Sharla is darling and her family is so cute! I'm excited for saturday, I know they'll be great pictures! Here are a few of my favorites:

Two Down, Ten to Go.

Weeks, that is! I have already finished two weeks of my student teaching! It went by so fast, I can't even wrap my mind around it. It's been rough at times, but the rest of the time, it is great! Well, as great as 8th graders can be. . . J/K you guys, j/k. I haven't cried, yet. I will admit, though, that I have had the "I am out of my mind" thought quite a few times. Seriously. But then I suck it up and get on with it.
I am teaching four periods, 1, 3, 5 and 6. It is so nice to have a break between everything (lunch is between 5 and 6).
The best story I have so far is when I called a kid a retard. . . I know, that is so bad. Nobody be mad at me. It just came out. Curb that tongue, Kathrin! Anyway. I was sitting in the middle of the class at an empty desk while I graded a couple memoirs and the kids in front of me were throwing stuff at each other. This was why I moved there, to maybe help them stop doing that. Anyway, a wrapper bounced off the kid it was aimed at and hit me and I threw it back at the kid on impulse and said, "you just hit me, retard!" It just came out. Like my word vomit. And everyone did the usual "ohhhhh!" and one kid gave me a knuckles/pound/stones. That's all.

I'll try and post more stories.

2009, Is That Really YOU?

Dear 2009,

I have been waiting for you for so long, I was beginning to think you were like a fairy tale that would never come true. The idea that I would actually be done with random classes and busy homework was just to overpowering to put my faith in. But, alas, it is true. You arrived late last night (or early this morning, however you "technically" want to look at it) and I might, just might, pee a little. So many things will happen this year! I start student teaching in THREE DAYS! What? Really? So soon? Yes, it's true. I will be starting at Glendale Middle School in south Salt Lake on Monday, teaching four periods of 8th graders. One class is an ESL class, the other three are English. I will be teaching a myriad of things, and I don't know if I feel completely ready. Also, after three months of student teaching, I will graduate on MAY 8. Yes. You read that correctly, I will be graduating from college. FOR REAL. There will be a huge party that night, stay tuned for more information. Among other activities, there will be a grand bonfire where I will burn all of my useless papers that I kept for some unknown purpose. Mostly linguistics crap. I never want to see another anything with the words "Morphology" and "tree" on the same paper.
Also in 2009, I myself will turn 29. On the 29th. CAN YOU EVEN BELIEVE IT??? It's almost too crazy to even think about. Oh, that's of May, by the way. I should do something really incredible. Like kiss 29 guys or something. In 29 seconds. In fact, maybe I'll make it a(nother) goal to actually kiss a boy this year. We'll see. Maybe I'll buy 29 pairs of shoes? Or eat 29 scoops of ice cream? Oh wait, I already do that. In any event, it will be a B-I-G deal.
There will be a lot of other big things happening this year, like my first niece getting baptized, getting another baby (in the same family of many children) in May, getting a REAL job that will actually use my degree and will pay me more than $17k/ year, go on my first cruise, see my best friend Jenn get married (finally) (and I can only say that because, well, I can, and I'm almost 29) (oh yeah, and not married) to a man she is so happily in love with, go skydiving, and lots of other great things. I might even buy a house if the whole "teacher next door" thing pans out the way I want it to. So, really, most of my life-long goals will be met by next New Years eve, so I just might be translated. If it works that way. I might kick a dog, just to be safe, because I know you guys want me around still, because if I don't turn into a hermit and watch tv all night, I might have big parties at my swingin' bachelorette pad. Why don't we hear more about those? I guess I could call it my Old Maid Mansion or my Spinster Soiree Site. . . But I'm not really either of those, really, so I'll just call it "biph's place" or something equally special.

I hope that you guys will find 2009 to be equally as awesome, if that is possible (of course it is, sillies, don't get worried) and I hope all your dreams come true!