hair.

it's getting longer. wooooo!!

it's december

Well it's DeCeMbEr and I have just a few ThIngS on my mind...
One week from tomorrow, student teaching is over!
Life is great!
Josh Groban has the best Christmas CD!

It's that time of year.

I love this time of year. I love that all week everyone focuses on being grateful for many different things, and then after Thanksgiving, we prepare for Christmas. I love it. I love the fact that the rest of this month and next, life revolves around family, giving, gratitude, and the birth of Christ (not to mention the fact that everyone just seems happier). I love love it!

Now I want to take the time to say how appreciative I am for the things that I have been truly blessed with:

1. My family - My family has been an incredible blessing in my life. I have been blessed with a mom and dad who believe that families are eternal and show their love to each other as well as their children. I love my family.
I'm grateful for my dad - I'm grateful for his strength in the gospel and the way he honors his priesthood. I love the way he treats my mom. I know he loves her and I know he strives daily to make her happy. I'm grateful for the love he shows me and my siblings. I see that love in the way he takes care of us and does whatever he needs in order for us to be safe, comfortable, and happy. Thank you dad.
I'm grateful for my mom - I'm grateful for her strength in the gospel and the way she strives to be obedient in every way. I know she has a testimony and am grateful for her example and the way she touches the lives of those around her. I'm grateful for the service she gives to her husband and children on a daily basis. She loves her family and she loves my dad. I have never doubted her love for those around her. I'm grateful I can relate to her on so many levels...chocolate chip cookies, not wanting to socialize, and our trips to Target. Thank you mom.

I'm grateful for Kristin - I'm grateful for her thoughtfulness. She has always been there for me and is a constant listening ear. She loves her family and I know she is a wonderful mother to her little Avery and is an amazing wife to Mike. I'm grateful for her example to me. I know I can call her if I ever just need to talk. I love that she's so crafty...I have so much to learn from her!! P.S. Let's craft over Christmas! Thank you Kristin.
I'm grateful for Jeremy - I'm grateful for his positive attitude for life. I know he is an amazing father to his little girls. I have always looked up to Jeremy as a hardworker and someone who is patient. I'm grateful for the way I see him treat those around him, always kind. I'm grateful for the way he loves Hannah. I love how goofy he can be and how he makes me laugh. Thank you Jeremy.
I'm grateful for Josh - I'm grateful for his sincerity and his ability to light up a room by simply walking in. He is truly Christlike and I know that he strives on a daily basis to do what's right. He loves his girls and is an amazing father and wife to Melissa. I love his sense of humor. You just can't help but laugh when you're with him, and he leaves you a better/happier person. Thank you Josh.
I'm grateful for Dustin - I'm grateful for his testimony and the love he shows to those around him, especially Mariel. I know he is a person who strives to do what's right. He is a goof sometimes, and I love his humor and the way he teases me sometimes (I am afterall, and will always be, his little sister). Thank you Dustin.

I'm grateful for Mike, Hannah, Melissa, and Mariel. I have been blessed with the best brother/sister-in-laws. The thing I've always wanted for my siblings is to be loved by someone as much as I love them, and they do. I'm grateful for their examples to me and the love they show to me and my family. (Us Skinner's can be kind of weird sometimes :)

I love my family. I'm pretty sure I have the best one.

I'm also grateful for -
the gospel, my testimony, my roomates, BYU, warm showers, heated cars, computers, chocolate, exercise, temples, thoughtful notes, and music.

Happy Thanksgiving!

halloween.

Yep, here we are again, just a little more grown up. It has after all been a month or so since we made cookies. Today we made No Bake cookies. They are D.E.Licious. Go to lickthebowlgood.blogspot.com. (I don't know how to do that cool link thing, so you can search for the recipe on your own, just like the good ol' days)

K, here's Emily...

Hey there everybody! I've been enjoying the college experience- good food+boys+homework=an awesome life. I hung out with my best friends for Halloween, and we dressed up as Captain Planet's Planeteers. If you don't know who they are, youtube it and educate yourself! And as usual, I love coming over to Whitney's house (even when she feeds me cookies for dinner) =)

P.S. I've started student teaching at Payson High School and am loving it so far. On Thursday I chaperoned their Sadie Hawkins dance. I felt like I was at a stake dance, so yes, I loved it. Unfortunately, I couldn't get up and dance. I had to be an 'adult' and sit back and watch all the kids having fun. It's all good though because the following night, I went to my own stake dance Halloween Party........Needless to say, I danced my heart out without a care in the world, probably because no one could even recognize us....

Happy Halloween!!!

Past due.

Does it ever feel like each year goes by faster and faster? I just can't believe this semester is already halfway over. Today I finished student teaching at the Junior High and will begin teaching at the high school on Tuesday. WOW! After finally uploading my pictures on my computer, I realized how little I have been posting about the fun things going on in my life. Hopefully these pictures will give you a glimpse of what I've been up to this semester thus far.

Our quick 4 hour getaway to Dave's cabin just past Heber.

My birthday at YoZone after a long day of Parent Teacher Conferences! Thanks girls!!!

The slide that magically appeared in our apartment. Okay, so maybe it was planned. Funny story, just recently we found a note attached to it from the apartment owners saying that if it hasn't been removed by the 1st of November they will come take it away. Well, today we had cleaning checks, needless to say, it's hiding behind the bushes in our front yard. It will be brought back out when the snow has piled up, but SHHH, don't tell!!!

Pretty sure the BYU fans are the most dedicated fans!!

Oh yes, it's fall, my favorite time of year up here!!!!

Oh and P.S....today I realized how rewarding teaching can be. I already miss those kids!

home

My family is my life. I want to go home.

P.S. Happy Birthday Grandpa. I love you!

..halfway there...whoooaaa..livin on a prayer

It's true, student teaching is almost half way over and I can't believe how fast it has truly gone. It feels like just yesterday that I was making my first test drive to SLC with mom just checking to see exactly how long it would take me to get there from Provo. In just 2 short weeks I will be switching from the Junior High level to the High School level. I can't believe it. These next couple months are going to be even busier than they have been, so expect to never see me!!
(You should probably be worried about me considering the fact the only social interaction I have is with children from the age of 7th to 9th grade. It's a problem when college kids don't begin hanging out at night until ten oclock, and my bedtime is 9:30 )

The picture is of my tag that I wear to school each day...just to make sure the faculty understands I am a teacher. I swear some of my students look older than I do (and that's at a junior high....I can't imagine what it'll be like at the High School.) Sometimes I am still caught in the hallway (A couple weeks ago I was taking my class to the computer lab and while we were all walking, the vice principal yells from across the cafeteria, "HEY!!! Where do you kids think you're going??" So I tried to sound in charge and replied with, "Oh it's okay, they're with me." I felt like a little girl playing school)

Every time I get a comment like "Miss Skinner, you look cute today" or, "Miss Skinner, is there anything I can do to help today," or "Miss Skinner, is it a sad day today," it quickly makes up for the 'tudes and sassy remarks from the kids. I'll sure miss those little cherubs.

Catch ya later!