Whoopsee...shhh....

So today was wonderful by the way. My teacher had a meeting this afternoon and so I had free reign of the whole classroom from lunch until the end of the day. I do believe I did a few things poorly though and I will probably end up paying for it in the end. Let me explain...So I had everything planned, my students came in from lunch, and there was just a sense of power that fell upon me. It was magical really.

I had them switch for science as they always do, and my lesson with the other class went really well. I feel like I am getting more control over them everyday, which is a wonderful feeling. Then my students came back in, and everything almost kind of went down the drain. I informed them that Mrs. Williams was gone for the rest of the afternoon and that I was going to be their substitute...and they cheered...what a great feeling it is to be worshiped. Ha. Just kidding.

They just completed their District Writing Assessment for Persuasive Writing and what a wonderful feeling it is for them to have that out of the way after working non-stop on persuasive writing for the past couple of months. However, I thought it would be hilarious (go figure) to inform them that Mrs. Williams wanted them to do one more persuasive writing today, as a joke. You should have heard and seen their reactions. It was perfect. Exactly how I wanted it to be. Groaning, moaning, slamming heads on their desks...perfect.

Eventually I told them I was kidding, and from that point on, I could not stop laughing. Whenever I would try to give them a serious instruction, I kept laughing. I think I lost all of the respect that they had for me, because I just couldn't stop laughing. I told them I was trying to be serious, and so they started laughing, and we really just had a fun time. I suppose it was good for them to see that I can be relaxed and that I do laugh every once in a while. But I taught them. The whole afternoon. All by myself. So...awesome....I tell you what. And I told them to not tell Mrs. Williams that I could not be serious, that it would be our little secret.

And to make myself feel even better, one of the writings that we did today has an extension activity tomorrow. I told them that Mrs. Williams will be doing that extension activity with them tomorrow because I have a meeting to go to tomorrow afternoon, so I am not going to be there, and they sounded so disappointed. Again, it feels so good to be liked. Such a good feeling. Fun.

My addiction...

I have a problem...and I am willing to admit it, because I am pretty sure everyone knows about it anyways. (Anyone who has seen my closet anyways). If you have not figured out what my problem is by my statement in parentheses..I don't actually know how to spell that word...it is shopping. I probably have more clothes than any normal human should acquire. However, I do believe I am getting better. I went shopping with Allison and I did buy several shirts, and a pair of pants. The majority of those shirts, however, were priced under ten dollars, which I do believe for me is quite a steal.

Let me tell you a little bit about my shopping history. In my early years, I am sure that my mother bought me really cute little girl clothing, because as everyone knows, girls clothing is much cuter than boys clothing. Duh. But I would never allow my mother to dress me. I had to do it myself, which is why I received the nickname "The Bag Lady". I think that carried on throughout my youth, because growing up, I hated, hated, hated, hated shopping. You never thought that could ever be possible? Well, it was. Why you ask? Well, because I had an evil mother and grandmother who loved to throw in shopping for certain "unmentionables" whenever we would go shopping. Yes, you know what I am talking about. Awkward. And, I had the weirdest body type (and still do) and nothing ever fit, and everyone was always cuter than me. I hated trying clothes on because they never fit right. Needless to say I had a very limited choice in what I could wear.

I decided probably in my final year in high school and my early years in college, now that I was making my own money and could buy my own clothing, that I was going to be cute. I got really into shopping, and to this day, I am an avid shopper. It doesn't help my habit much that my 14 year old niece Peighton claims that I have to be the cutest teacher, because of course that is the most important thing in being a teacher. You have to look good for your students. Otherwise you look old and your students won't listen to you. Apparently it's a proven fact. I don't know. I suppose I will listen to Peighton though, because I want my students to listen to me. And if they aren't listening to me now even when I have cute clothes, I can't imagine what my classroom would be like if I was wearing out-of-date or "unfashionable" clothes. Heaven forbid. :)

There you have it. I won't justify my horrible habit. I know it's bad. Although, if anyone wants to go shopping with me, there is some excellent shopping in Utah. I do believe that is one of the only things to do here. Also, if you have any advice to help with my addiction, feel free to share.

Several weeks have passed...

I am going to begin this post by just saying that teaching is not the easiest thing in the entire world, in case anyone was wondering. As I get more and more into my student teaching, I am slowly realizing that I really have to work hard to control my nerves and I have to really work to make things fun for my students...and it's kind of a tiring process. Needless to say, I almost cried today because my teacher is slowly letting me take over more of the classroom, and it was hard today. Let me explain...My teacher just did a science unit covering the topic of matter, you know solids, liquids, gas, things of that nature, for the past three weeks, and finished it up last week. Now we have different students, and my teacher is having me teach the exact same unit that she just taught. You would think that it would be easy to teach something that you just barely saw someone teach...but it is NOT. The beginning of the lesson went really well, but they got a little bit out of hand at the end and they were asking me all of these questions all at once, and it was just a bit overwhelming. So I turned to my teacher, and she whispered, "It's all you." Those are not the words that I wanted to hear at a time like that. Scary. Oh well. Today is over and I can move on to tomorrow with a positive attitude and more severe consequences like beatings if the little hoodlums get out of control. Well, that is how the beginning of this week has begun...but on a lighter note...

This past weekend and the previous weekends before this past one have been so amazing. Spending time with friends is just what I need to break up my life a little bit. I laugh so hard when I am with my very best friends, and I even lost my voice this weekend and it hasn't quite come back yet. I guess those are some consequences that I am willing to accept if it means getting to spend time with amazing, hilarious, talented, beautiful/handsome, incredible people. Here are just a few of the people that I have seen in the past couple of weeks (with me of course)

Mel, Matt, Me, Melissa, Shiloh, Nate

Allison and Me

Me and Camille

Me and Tiffanie

Me and Kimberly

Will, Shiloh, Me, Melissa, Matt, Sydney, Thomas, Mel

Like I said before, amazing people. You know who you are and I really appreciate that. Thanks for pushing me to be who I am also. It really helps to have people that you can count on to always be there no matter what. So..thanks again! Love you!

Also, on another lighter note, I finally went to the singles ward here and I met some more really cool people. I was just thinking, if I am ever going to meet anyone and have any friends while I am in Utah, I just have to put myself out there. That was all there was to it, and no one could change my mind. So there you go. I went last Sunday, Fast Sunday, and I decided to be brave and bear my testimony. When I went up to the pulpit, I introduced myself and here is what I said...I thought it was quite clever (and I know that I am not supposed to tell stories, but I think introducing yourself is a different story...correct me if I am wrong)..."Hi, my name is Megan Slaughter and I just moved to Utah 5 weeks ago. I am in my last semester at BYU-Idaho and I am doing my student teaching here. I don't know anyone, so needless to say, Facebook has been one of my very best friends. I would really like to meet some new people. I don't exactly know why I am here in Utah yet, but I know that Heavenly Father knows my situation and knows that I need to be here at this time. So there you go." I said a few other things, but I just thought you all would be so proud of me for putting myself out there.

Just in closing, I do believe what I said about Heavenly Father knowing what I need is so true. He never ever lets me down, even if I don't know what He wants from me at the time. I feel much better about being here now, even if I still don't know what lies in store for me. I have a purpose in life and even though it's hard sometimes, I am lovin' it. I suppose I will "keep on keepin' on" and I will continue to be happy. It's the only way to be.

Don & Linda..

The "Mother and Father" of mine for the next month and a half are probably two of the most hilarious human beings on the planet. They probably make me laugh at least three or seven times a day...and what makes it even better is that they talk about the most random nonsense. For example, also the reason for my post tonight, is about how long I have had my cold.

I came home from school today with my continuing cold, and Don was not home yet. So I visited with Laurel and Linda...so fun. Don came home eventually and did his rounds of asking everyone how their day was, and when he got to me he casually said, "Still got the snot nose I hear.." Now how exactly am I suppose to respond to such a remarkable compliment? I calmly said, "Yep," as I most often do when Don asks me such an intellectually stimulating question like the one that I just mentioned. He continues on to tell me of a Polynesian group who solve the stuffy/runny nose by sticking carrots up their nostrils. This is where it kind of got hilarious to me.

Linda: "Where did you hear something like that?"
Don: "Oh let me try to remember in my graphic computer-like mind, because I remember where I hear everything that I tell you."
Linda: "Well that is gross, and why would anyone stick carrots up their nostrils to clear up a runny nose? That would just clog it even more. And the Polynesians don't farm things like carrots. They mostly farm things like pineapples."
Me: "I am most definitely not sticking pineapples up my nose."
Don: "Oh and you of all knowledge know exactly what the Polynesians farm?"


Then they got into talking about how he probably found it on the internet and how the internet is the "most reliable" source. I was laughing so hard. They are such a sarcastic pair. That's why I probably think they are so funny. You probably had to be there. But, when that conversation was over, Don starting talking in his accents again, and so I excused myself for bed. Maybe the reason why I thought this conversation was so funny was that I am a little bit loopy right now. I need to get better sleep. I just thought Mel would enjoy another unexpected post. Well, Goodnight!

Yipee Skipee!

So here's the thing...Mel wanted me to write a new post so that she doesn't have to be bored when she gets home and doesn't want to do anything except for become entranced in my life, only to come to find out that I have not posted anything new on this blessed Blog of mine. So on behalf of Melissa, I am writing this post, requested by Queen Hart herself, only because I love love love her. And because she puts up with me. :) Love ya Sista!

So here it goes... This week has been absolutely exceptional, minus the fact that I have a rotten cold. However, I am overcoming this evil nose congesting, throat soring, headache causing, stuffy cold with the help of my really good friend, acetaminophen dextromethorphan phenylephrine...aka Tylenol cold daytime and nighttime..:) Love it! Of course I am not one to take a lot of medicine to help me get over annoying obnoxious things like colds and such, ok, actually I am, so forget my next thought. I am a wimp, and so I will take whatever medication that I need to in order to deaden whatever is causing my distress. Just call me Baby. Oh wait, Shiloh already does that. So, needless to say, I am slowly but surely getting over this blasted thing. Beautiful miracle.

Next on my list of things to write about is my P.E. lesson from yesterday. IT WAS SO GOOD! Now you are thinking, why did Megan teach physical education? Well, here is the answer boys and girls. Because I wanted to. See, they don't have p.e., music, or art specialists at my school, so the teachers teach those subjects. And my teacher asked me if I wanted to teach p.e., and I said yes. So I did. And it was so much fun. I love every second of it. I think one of the reasons why it went so well is because my students love p.e., and so they did not want to waste one second of their precious p.e. time by blabbering to their friends and listened ever so carefully to each important detail of what I wanted them to do. It was wonderful. I had them warm up by separating them into 10 different stations, where each station had something different to do; such as station 1 did push-ups, station 2 did sit-ups, station 3 did jumping jacks, and so on. They did each station for 30 seconds, and I told them that if they didn't work their hardest at each station, they would have to do them for longer. So needless to say, they cooperated extremely well, not just because they love me, ok, yep, that's actually the reason. Then they rotated stations until they had gone to each station. Then I had them stretch out their poor little tired worn out muscles, with me as their fearless stretching leader. They worship me really. Just kidding. Then I taught them a really fun game that they absolutely had a blast doing. And I won't go into very much detail, but I will just tell you that they had a ton of fun, and it was so fun to watch them...especially when I would change it up on them and their little minds would get so boggled. It was rather hilarious.

Tomorrow, I am teaching a way fun reading/writing aka language arts lesson on adding the element of voice to writing. I am reading a Patricia Polacco book called Chicken Soup to them, one because most of the books that she writes are based upon experiences that she had growing up, so of course her voice is definitely in all of her books, so the students will really be able to understand where I am coming from when I say "voice in writing", and two because I just really like the book. Then I am going to have them write about an experience that they have had, applying what they have learned about voice. I have decided that if you can hear yourself telling the story out loud when you read the story to yourself, you have mastered the art of voice in writing. I should be able to know how you are feeling at each moment in your story, and it should just be as if you are telling me the story to my face. I think it will be good. I sure hope so anyway. Because if this lesson fails, I am completely giving up on my major and I am dropping out of college. I will be a plumber for the rest of my life.

Finally, I just want to say thank you to all of my wonderful friends who I got to see this past weekend. You are all so wonderful, hilarious, happy, supportive, and talented and I am so blessed to have such amazing friends. See you next weekend! Hopefully sooner than later next weekend, because I think I may get to leave a little bit early on Friday because my teacher is going to be gone! So until then...love ya! We can make it through the next week! I believe in us! GO US! GO TEAM AWESOME!

P.S. Mel, I hope you loved reading all of this, because I stayed up way past my bedtime to write this for you.

P. P. S. You are definitely not getting me to do this every day blessed girl. Maybe every other day, but my making you un-bored is making me sleepy.

P. P. P. S. Love you.

P. P. P. P. S. See you in two weeks and one day.