those little first graders. . .

'Miss Sparks, I need help!" she says for the 1000th time as she erases her correct answers, and ready for me to explain the concept that she already understands.

Then, the sweetest, smartest girl in class unknowingly flips me off by showing me her spider ring -

And when I introduced myself, I told the class I like riding my bike, ice cream, and don't like asparagus. To my surprise, so did at least five of the students.

And little, sweet Austin, as he was sounding out 'sheet', said a swear without realizing.

{not a child in my class. via papertissue}

Oh, I love first graders.
And, sometimes it's really hard not to laugh.

(It's only day 3. I have five more weeks of this fun)

all HALLOWS eve.

I'm so excited.
It's my absolute favorite holiday.

The other day, I told a lovely story to my dear friend, Sam.
It was a story of when I was Peter Pan for Halloween.
(I was Peter Pan twice. This story corresponds with the bottom right picture directly above these words)
I was waiting for the bus.
Then I saw Landon come out of his home.
He was Hook.
We battled, not only at the bus stop, but for the entire day.
It was the greatest Halloween ever.
We didn't even plan it.

I'm so excited for Halloween.
and this year, I'm going home
where I will
have soup,
eat homemade donuts,
carve pumpkins,
make a gravestone,
and see my cute nephews in their cute halloween costumes

I even made a playlist to get pumped up

(check it out on the right)

are you excited for halloween?

oh no.

I feel myself getting sick.

Not a good time to get sick.

Please, sickness, whoever you are, will you come back in 7 weeks when I'm done with school?

It would be very much appreciated.

(I do not want to make up my practicum hours over Christmas break when I will have no place to live)

my resolution

It's not new years.
but a have a new resolution.

take more pictures.

Recently, I have realized how few photos I have.
It makes me a little sad.
And when going through my days, I often think, oh my that would make a lovely photo!

So, today, as I was riding my bicycle through the graveyard,
I took a few photos.

what do you think?

{now do you understand why I choose to ride my bike through here every day?}

I so want to become a great photographer.
I'm a pretty good faker.
I even just made a flickr account.
hopefully I'll have at least five more photos added to it tomorrow

Heima

If you're not sure what to get me for Christmas, this film will do. . .









I once saw it in 2007 when it first came out. And it was magnificent.

I think I probably cried. I think probably we all cried : David, Landon, Jacob, Greg, and I.
(Maybe even Ken when he walked in to see what we were watching)

It really was magnificent.

And it would be a dream come true to be able to watch it over and over and over again.

Oh, it is love.

Please Jón Þór “Jónsi” Birgisson, Georg “Goggi” Hólm, Kjartan “Kjarri” Sveinsson, Orri Páll Dýrason come play in Salt Lake.

And not on a Sunday, like in 2008. And this time you can play in a 21 + venue if it's sometime after February.
(I was very sad when you played at the depot back when I was a young girl)

You inspire me, Sigur Ros.

Take me to Iceland,
let me speak Hopelandic,
and see you play,
with my true love,
and i will be happy forever.

Phobias

Phobias sometimes make me laugh.

Not like -

Pocrescophobia (fear of getting fat), Phasmophobia (fear of ghosts), Tocophobia (fear of child-bearing), or Acrophobia (fear of heights)

But phobias like -

Vestiphobia (fear of clothing), Papyrophobia (fear of paper), Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia (fear of long words), Ophthalmophobia (fear of opening one's eyes), Cathisophobia (fear of sitting), Anatidaephobia (fear that somewhere, somehow, a duck is watching you), phobophobia (fear of developing a phobia), and Telephonophobia (fear of telephones)

Hmm.

I think that someone may just be having a bit too much fun with this whole phobia thing. . . .

But, maybe I'm wrong.

Maybe there is someone, somewhere who hasn't opened their eyes for the last twenty years, because they're too afraid.

Fall

I love fall.
So much.

Not the fall where it's like, 'Yay! summer was yesterday and it's snowing today!'

But the fall in Alpine

Where the leaves change colors.
And where you don't have to wear a jacket everywhere you go.
The fall where it's still warm enough to go camping
And where you can smell pumpkins and get excited for Halloween.

I love that fall.

And I found a new reason to love fall:



I went mountain biking for the first time.


It was incredible.

I loved feeling the wind through my clothes, the sound of my wheels against the rocks and ground. I loved the look of the fall colors, the pretty yellows, oranges, and reds. I loved the feeling of being invincible. I loved the feeling of being in the best place on earth. I loved the sound of my chains and brake pedal squeaking (my bike is old). I loved the feeling of where I was sure I was going to fall, but quickly pulling out and recovering. I loved the feel of my heart beat and sound of my breathing. I loved being so tired, yet wanting to do it again. I loved forgetting about itching (except for when my leg decided to run into some stinging nettle). I loved riding my bike on trails so few go. I love mountain biking.

I want to go tomorrow.

Who's with me?