Veteran's Day

Nevada is so fabulous in so many ways. The way I truly appreciate this weekend is that they go all out to celebrate Veteran's Day. They have a huge parade, free stuff to Veterans all over town, etc. Did I go to the parade? Nope. Did I get any of that free stuff? Nope. BUT, I did get the day off...which basically rocked.

My dear husband has an addiction. So, we drove downtown Las Vegas, past the lights and the Strip, to the scary end of town. It was time to make all his dreams come true.

Yes, it was in this ghetto building with a ghetto sign and inside was no different. There were broken games lining the back wall and a strange smell throughout the room. But, don't worry- they had a snack bar....

The beauty of this place was not the fancy germ infested popcorn machine. The beauty of it is the history of the American culture that can be seen. The beauty of it is found when you see it for what it really is...a giant room of pinball machines. Rows and rows of them. $.25-$.75 a play. Pinball machines from the sixties to special edition Lord of the Rings with the highest pinball technologies.

Andrew loved it. I even did too.

The weekend didn't stop there. Let's just say: 2 dogs, 2 drinks, 2 churros, 5 bucks. Gotta love Costco dates.

Today, the finale will be a movie and ice cream from Coldstone (paid for by a gift certificate and a BOGO coupon I got from signing up for the Coldstone newsletter.) Summary of this weekend: good deals, good times.

Vegas

Yes, I know. I've been terrible and I wish I could say I would do better, but I'm just not sure if I can commit to that. Quick and to the point: I had an awesome summer-going to Brazil, the Carribean, being homeless and hanging with fam-but now we've made it to Vegas...obviously.

The beginning of the school year was nuts. I was doing school stuff nonstop. But, now it seems to be slowing down and even getting to the point where it's fun. Don't get me wrong, there are those periods where I wonder what the heck I am doing trying to teach such crazy hooligans anything, but there are also those days where it's just fun. There was a trunk or treat a couple weekends ago at the school. Andrew and I dressed up like little red riding hood and the big bad wolf. It was pretty good if I may say so myself!

We haven't had a chance to do anything too Vegassy (yes, that's a word now) yet. I had Friday off because of Nevada Day. It's this state holiday where the state decided to take the day off. I'm not sure why, but I definitely didn't argue with a day off. Andrew and I went to Red Rock Canyon and hiked around a bit. It's pretty (note the pics) and it's one thing off my "to do" list.

We like living here though. There was a few weeks where we were doubting it because of the never-ending heat, but lately it's been beautiful.

Andrew and I don't have cable or satellite, so we started Lost on Netflix. We finally finished Saturday and are just glad that it's over and we're free from it. Although, I do have to admit I've dreamt about it the past few nights. At first I hated the ending, but I guess it grows on ya the more you think about it.

I'll try to do better with the blog. But till then: Peace!

One Year!

Tomorrow is our anniversary. And yes, it did go fast. Here's 12 things that recap a few things during our first year of marriage:

1) Our favorite movie (meaning one that we agree completely on) is "How to Train Your Dragon"

2) Our biggest "fight" was over toothpaste. (And no it is not because one of us is anal about the cap or anything)

3) We have spent 365 days next to each other when we sleep at night (meaning neither of us has gone out of town overnight or something)

4) We are addicted to shows on A&E, The History Channel, and Discovery. They're really good. We even made sure to be home on Friday nights in time to watch "Gold Rush." Wow. That feels good to get that off my chest. Yes, we were fans of Gold Rush.

5) This year I have spent more at the grocery store than I think I have during my three years living on my own combined. It was hard at first.

6) We still sleep with separate blankets. Let's face it: Andrew's not a good blanket sharer.

7) I now know more about sports than I ever wanted to know. . . and I'm still learning....unfortunately. And I still don't get why you need to watch 5 different sets of highlights for a game you just watched. Maybe this year I will figure it out.

8) We actually agree on a favorite restaurant: Texas Roadhouse, Baby!

9) Our favorite date was definitely indoor skydiving.

10) Andrew is still the only person that can truly make me angry.

11) It creeps me out how well Andrew knows me. He can sense the minute I am upset...when I usually can fool other people quite well. Sometimes I don't like this trait of his.

12) Andrew and I are very complimentary in our financial view. He is willing to spend money on things I don't like to (like food) and I am willing to spend money on things he is not (like trips to Brazil). So, although this may seem problematic, because it sounds like we're big spenders...it actually just keeps us from being lame. We actually enjoy life instead of just being obsessive about our bank account go up.

Moral of this story....we've enjoyed life together and can't wait for other adventures to come our way!

Happy Celebrations

Happy Easter! Happy Graduation! Happy Life!

The weekend with the parents and Jeff was great! It was so much fun, but as always too short.

Graduation was not the most thrilling thing for everyone to watch. Bonnie, Lee, Jeff, Andrew, Mom, and Dad endured the little less than 2-hour ceremony. (I am just glad my college isn't one of the popular ones!) But, it was fun and definitely gave me the officially done feelin'.

Final Days

Student teaching was fun. It was an absolutely great experience. But...(and there is always a but..) I am so glad it is over. And yes, you heard right: IT IS OVER. I'm done student teaching. Basically done with college. Tomorrow I have to show up for a ten minute interview. Then the 22nd I have to show up for an hour and half ceremony dressed in a funny cap and gown. Then, I'm legit. Quite nuts really. I can't believe I have spent four years here and now we finally get to move on. Was it always the best time of my life down here in Provo? Heck no. Would I have rather been doing something else? No way Jose. It was a great time of life and I wouldn't change a thing. It was a blast and full of life memories and experiences that are irreplaceable. Go BYU.

Summer Adventures

Our summer is going to be great. Here's the update for June.
From June 21-28, we will be in Brazil. We bought our tickets Friday night. It's official.
Exciting. Should be an adventure!

A blonde moment...It was inevitable

This week I experienced a blonde moment. I have these once in a while, but only a few that I think I will remember forever. This might be one of those.
Here is how it played out. Two students (we'll call them S1 and S2) were chatting quite loudly while they were working on the assignment. I was just cleaning up from the lesson, so I was still positioned in the front of the classroom. And remember my cooperating teacher is Mr. B.....and action.
S1:....Area 51!
Me: You guys are too young to go to Area 51!
S2 and S1: Really?!?!
S1: But I had a friend that went there.
Me (not wanting to get into any discussions about Area 51 and the things that go on there): Well, anyway, just stop talking about it and start workin'.
S2: Well what is Area 51?
Me: Don't worry about it, just get working on your assignment.
S2: I'm going to go home and go look it up then.
Me (not wanting parents to think it's because of me that they are looking such a thing up) :It's just this dancing place.
S1 and S2: A dancing place?!?! Where?!?!
Me: In Salt Lake. Now work!
Mr. B: The secret government place, Area 51, is in Nevada.
My face then turned bright red. Because of course the students had been thinking of the secret government facility and not the club... in Salt Lake...that I thought of.
Duh.
I've never even been there! (To the club I mean...well actually I've never been to either of them...) The point is that it isn't because I was a clubber that this happened. It was just, just, just a blonde moment. End of story.

Student Teaching Saga Continues

Well I am officially half way done with student teaching. It's fun...but I'll be glad when it'll be over.
Here is the story of week. A boy that is in a Pre-Algebra class (so I'm not the one who teaches it...my partner does) has had to come in during E-time (a twenty minute period four days a week where students have a kind of study hall) to re-take quizzes and tests. He finally passed everything he needed to, but then the class had another quiz so he had to start coming back in. Here is the conversation that followed during the class. We'll call this boy B and two girls that sit by him will be G1 and G2. I'm sitting at the desk in the back of the room with my cooperating teacher...Mr. B.
B: I've been coming in here during E-time so much lately...I'm sick of it. I'm tired of being in here! (He's a way sweet kid...so this was more of a joke than a negative comment)
G1: He just likes to come in to stare at Mrs. Jenkins!
(B blushes...I just ignore the comment)
G1: No, really, Mrs. Jenkins...he wants to marry you.
Me: (Since they're all looking back at me now, I have to respond.) I'm already married.
G2: Just get a divorce.
Me: Well, I'm happily married.
Another boy from the class: Wow you just crushed his dreams!
(This point I'm blushing and just grateful the conversation has stopped....so I thought anyway.)
Mr. B: Ya know, that isn't the first time I've heard stuff like that.
Me: What do you mean?
Mr. B: Well, I just didn't want to tell you because I didn't know how you'd react...But, one day you were teaching and the door was closed and I was coming back into the classroom and there was a group of boys standing outside the door and looking through the window. I asked them if there was somethign they needed to talk to my student teacher about. Then as I was coming in to the classroom I said 'Sorry boys, she's married.' And they said 'Oh. Dang!'.

Oh, those sweet little seventh-graders.

The Best V-day Ever!

I work tomorrow night...so we celebrated V-day yesterday. But, let's begin with the start of the day.

8:00AM- Andrew starts the GMAT
12:00 Noon-Andrew finishes the GMAT
4:45 PM-Andrew and I go indoor skydiving
5:00 PM- Andrew and I can't get over how fun it was

Sunday 7:55 PM- Andrew and I still talk about how fun yesterday was and wonder when we can go again.

We have a video from our experience and once I can edit it a bit...I'll post it. It's hilarious actually.

It was a great weekend. Andrew did great on his test. We actually got some time to hang out and indoor skydiving is always a fun way to spend it. Definitely the best Valentine's Day yet!

Life is weird when nothing weird happens...

Student Teaching Week 3:



Nothing noteworthy happened. Nothing out of the ordinary. No major misbehavin'. It was kinda nice, but strange. I've decided teaching is a very humbling occupation though. No matter how good you want to be, there's always ways to improve or be better. You can never do a lesson perfectly...or even near perfectly for that matter. You can plan all you want, but things never go as planned. You never know what students will say. You never know how they will interpret or understand what you are teaching. You constantly have to be on your toes and think quickly. It's challenging and I only hope I'll continue to get better as we go.


I've been reading the book How to Make Friends and Influence People. It's an awesome awesome book. The only thing I'd like better is to be able to remember and apply every word in it. Every page has something fascinating and worthwhile, so the problem comes in remembering all of it. In the preface of the book the author suggests reading each chapter twice. When I read that I thought "Who does this guy think he is? What he says is so deep that I'd do better if I read it twice?? We'll see if I can even tolerate him to make it through the first chapter once!" But, I take it all back. It's a good idea. He knows what he's talking about.

ST Week 2

Story of Week 2:

Thursday was the last day of the term, so my student teaching partner and I did a getting to know you activity with all the students. Students must say their name, where they were born, and what their dream job would be. Responses were creative and anywhere from a vet to a gunsmith. It was going great, until...
Case Study 2- Exhibit S said he wants to be a terrorists when he grows up. Half of the class laughs. I look at that half and very sternly say "That's not funny at all." Then I stared at the kid, trying to figure out what the correct way to handle this response was. I knew I did not want to give it any more attention, because that is what he was going for. So, I moved onto the next student.
Learning experience: I should have told the kid to see me after class. That makes students know that he is being reprimanded for such an inappropriate answer. And also gives the teacher time to really decide what to do .
Remember cell phone girl from last week...well, she has been living in a city like 45 minutes away and had to drive to Spanish Fork everyday for school. But, with the end of the term, her parents decided that she should just go to school in the city they live. Problem Solved.
But another thing can be learned from this situation. I had talked to her and found more about her situation. Her parents are divorced and she is having a hard time with her new step-mom and step-sibs. It's just proof that you need to understand someone before you judge and make opinions. I was having a hard time with that student, but after understanding her, it explains why she does the things she does. Definitely makes you more understanding when students act up.

On another note, Andrew recieved his diploma in the mail! What an awesome feeling! And hallelujah! Way to Go Andrew!!

Student Teaching Week 1

Case 1: Third period: Math 7 and totally out of control. There is one boy that has a desire to prove the teacher wrong constantly, we'll call him "Case Study I." There are two boys who talked so much during class that they are seperated and sit on complete opposite sides of the room. This doesn't stop them from talking. We'll call them Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. Next, we have a boy who just loves attention and will spat out every single answer, even if you are asking another student to answer, we'll call him "Case Study G." Finally, we have a girl that sits in the front row and thinks the world revolves around her. Although her personality is cute at first by being extremely confident about herself, one soon finds her confidence and outspokenness is truly just obnoxious. We'll call her "Case Study G."
Let, us now begin our journey of Student Teaching: January 2011: Day 1: Period 3.
Teacher has to address an emergency. I take over going over a homework problem.
Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum start talking across the room. I ask them to be quiet.
The class continues to talk.
I explain that this is homework and the more we get done in class, the less they have to do at home.
Case Study I makes the remark that since we're working on it in class it is not homework.
I say something to counter his smart-aleck comment.
I continue to work on the problem with the students. I ask for someone in Row 2 to help out. Case Study G answers (he is not in row 2). I ask for someone in another area to answer. Case Study G answers. Finally, I tell Case Study G that he has helped a lot and let's try to give someone else a chance.
Meanwhile, Case Study G brings out her cell phone and says she's listening to someone's ringtone and is playing with her phone. And making everyone send their attention her way. I tell her to give me her phone. And continue with the math problem at hand. She gives it to me. I continue. She raises her hand and says "Can I have my phone back?" I ask her to read the rules that are written on a poster in the room and especially focus on number one (which talks about electronics). I continue with the math problem. She continues to ask about her phone and I tell her we'll talk about it later. Then, the teacher returns and takes over again. And now, Case Study G has a favorite saying EVERY time she sees me... "She hates me. She took away my phone."

The sad thing about all of this was that only 5 stinkin' minutes had passed since the teacher left and returned. I might not be the students' favorite yet...but at least they know I mean business. Case closed.

But, overall student teaching will be fun. This week was crazy just trying to get used to everything, but I'm sure there will be exciting stories ahead.

Where to Start

I'm to the point that I have so much to write that I don't want to do this. So, to keep it tolerable....this is just a glance into the last month of KateLyn and Andrew.
Finals done. (Andrew officially done with his Bachelor's!)
Christmas with the Jenkins including: bowling, good ol' Johnny's, Christmas morning, movies, church, a Jazz game, Temple Square lights, Tuscano's, birthday soups. Fun Times.
Nights without having to tutor. (tutoring was replaced by some great TV shows :)
I bought a Christmas tree for Christmas 2011.
Laziness.

The truth is, we've been so lazy lately that I'm utterly terrified for this week to start. I'm scared for my long days ahead. With how many naps I've taken (yes, I actually took naps) and how I've slept in....my body is going to go into shock this week. Here we go...

This time of year is one of reflection. And really it's quite crazy to compare where I was at this time last year and where I am now. Quite a bit. I wasn't even engaged last January. And here I am now...an old married hag that only has three and a half months left of school . It's so interesting to think how much can change in one year. This year is just so different too because we really don't know what our life will be after June. So many unknowns ahead... this year could get crazy!! One can only imagine what is in store for us in 2011.