'Tis the Season for Pumpkins

For FHE we ate pizza and carved pumpkins! O what fun! I made the spider and my favorite Jack-O-Lantern was Mr. Frank N. Stein.


The sad part is that we carved them so early on in October that they probably won't last until Halloween...but I'm sure going to enjoy it while it lasts!

I found the templates on this great website that offered free ones. It was at http://www.pumpkinlady.com/pattern.htm#2006 . There are all sorts of great patterns, I want to do them all, but alas I want to graduate from college more...therefore I will restrain myself.

And by the way, does anyone know how to rotate the pictures so they face the right way when you post them?

What Would I Do Without My Twin?

I certainly wouldn't have a new cute header and blog format, that's for sure! Thanks for the totally great work Lisa!

Kids Say the Darndest Things!

A couple of weeks ago a little girl walked into the Speech Room, took one look at me and said, "You have really hairy arms!" "Yep," I replied...what else could you say when it's stated so matter-of-factly?

It's funny, a little kid said that exact same thing to me while I was on my mission, and Evan told me that the little kids used to pet his arms when he was a missionary. The next time someone tells me that I'm going to say, "Yep, and they're long too...just like a monkey's oo oo a a a a!"

Testing the Limits

I've begun my student teaching at a school in Smithfield. It's an elementary school that begins with kindergartners and goes through the second grade. Total student enrollment? 500 Kiddos! It's a pretty large school, and my supervisor says that after I finish at the end of the semester they're going to have to hire a couple of Speech Aids or another Speech-Language Pathologist if they hope to be able to treat all of the students in her school.

As it is, we don't even have time for lunch. Every now and then we have a 5 minute break during which we hurriedly wolf down lunch, head to the restroom, or grab a quick drink of water. I love it. It's fun to be so involved with the kids, having a steady stream of work to do and working like crazy. Generally I enjoy my down time, but when I'm at school, I just can't wait for the next kid or group to show up.

One challenge with working in the schools, however, is that the language and speech groups that I am working with are testing their limits. The first few days I was there I watched them come in, sit down quietly, and work with the Mrs McWhorter, but now they have switched over to me for their instruction, and these same little angels are falling out of chairs, hiding under tables, and insisting that they have to have a drink or use the restroom, or they just won't be able to make it!

It's pretty entertaining. This past Thursday I was sitting next to one little boy and he was rocking his chair side to side. Mrs. McWhorter and I were working with the group as a whole, and I had successfully tuned him out (I'm good at that, compliments of Mom's genes) when all of the sudden he flew half a foot to the side with his arms flailing helplessly in the air and his feet successfully kicking me right on my shin. He landed completely sprawled out on the floor. The startled expression on his face was priceless. Fortunately, I managed to check my laughter and gently remind him that this is why rocking our chairs is against the rules: "we can get hurt..." -I'm not hurt!- he replied... "and [envision me rubbing my bruised shin] we can hurt other people..." Oh what fun! Who needs TV when your working with elementary kids?
I have one client at the clinic on campus, too. She is absolutely adorable. I'm working on fluency with her because she has a pretty significant stutter (along with language and speech difficulties as well, poor kid), and so far she has been an absolute delight to work with. My supervisor told me that she's never talked so much before. Generally she's been very shy/quiet/reserved, but that hasn't seemed to be an issue as of yet.

I'm Easily Amused

I'm easily amused, let's see if you are too:

Why do milking stools only have three legs?













Because the cow has the udder.

Girls Like Girls and Boys Like Boys...

Today I was studying in the Lillywhite Building. It's basically my second dwelling place on campus and I study better there than I do at home (less distractions), so I decided that if I wanted to be productive today, I ought to spend a few hours there. It worked, too. I finished all of my reading for this coming week.

While I was there, though, one of the Audiology professors was as well. She brought her children and this is the conversation I overheard out in the hall:

Little Boy: "Why won't you play with me?"
Little Girl: "Because girls like girls and boys like boys. That's just the way it is."
Little Boy: "Oh...but my mom and dad like each other!?"

Too cute! I just had to share it.

The Joys of Missionary Service

This Sunday I drove down to Springville to listen to my cousin share his homecoming talk. It was wonderful to hear about how he worked with such good and valiant members of the church, and how he was able to share and strength the faith and testimonies of the people where he served and of himself. I'm looking forward to hearing my other cousin in Malad speak this coming Sunday. Missionary work is a deeply rewarding experience, and like so many other gospel principles, it's the gift that keeps on giving. I returned from New Jersey 2 years and 4 months ago, but I still feel I'm being blessed for that year and a half that I set aside to serve the Lord.


About three months ago I received a phone call from some members in New Jersey to whom I had taught the gospel lessons. The couple I worked with were married and baptized while I was serving as a missionary, and a year later I was able to fly out to New Jersey and see them sealed in the temple for time and all eternity. I love this family dearly. Each time I talk to them I feel blessed that we have been able to develop a friendship and a bond through the sharing of the gospel. When they phoned, they announced that their family had a new little addition, a sweet little girl. I was excited to speak with them, and to know that they were still strong members of the church (he is a member of the branch presidency and she is a counselor in the Relief Society), and so happy!


I ended the phone conversation and told my mom how thrilled I was that they are still such a faithful little family and how they now had a new little girl. Knowing how excited and happy I was for them, my mom offered to help me make a baby quilt for the little tyke. I pieced it, Mom machine quilted it and sewed the binding on, and I just finished the binding on it. It turned out beautifully! (The pictures just can't do it justice). I'm going to send it off today.