Hoppy Easter

Kace, Tatum girl, and I wish you all the hoppiest of hoppy Easters! 

Hope it was full of delicious chocolates, egg hunts, and the reminder of the greatest gift any of us have ever and will ever receive.

He is risen.

#twentyone #realtalk #picz #tbt

please understand that i have a lot to fit into this post. so, for your convenience, i have titled each section. if a title doesn't sound intriguing to you, simply skip right over it until find something that tickles your fancy. if, by chance, nothing happens to do so...well then why are you on my blog? jokes. enjoy. 

also, i understand the majority of these pics have already made their debut on the book and gram. surrrry.

#TWENTYONE

yep. im 21 snitches. 

how exciting for the world, right?

look out, i now have permission to run wild.

but really, my bday was golden.

it started out with my sweet sweet rommies and bests taking me to din in logan.

followed by the gifts and cake!! (muy bien mel #1 and mur)

you all know how much i love and adore my friends, so i think it goes without saying that they made it a wonderful pre-birthday bash!

on my actual bday, my sista friend took me to get a mani then shopping. what more could a girl ask for?!

then it was lunch with the fam and home to bake my cake.

remember how i am practically going to college to learn how to bake? I have developed quite the case of OCD when it comes to baked goods, resulting in me making my own birthday cake. Some may look at that as a burden, i look at it as my only option. And i thoroughly enjoyed it.

the rest of the day was fun and relaxing filled with great people, a delicious mexican feast (thanks mom) and hot tubbing. People in my life are FAR too good to me. i'm one grateful gal.

I didn't think Tatum bug could get any cuter. Then we put her in a Kimono and bunny ears...

#REALTALK

you guys. I was a teacher this week. and i loved it! For one of my courses up at school, I had to complete 30 hours of clinical work with a teacher in either a high school or junior high that teaches in the FACS program. I was placed with my fave teacher from HS, Mrs Orton. I got to help with the lessons, grade all of the big midterm projects, witness the hiiiiilarious wedding ceremonies that she has her students do for the wedding/marriage section, and be around some cool kids. I have learned so much in 3 days, it was pretty cool. and probs one of the biggest reality checks. 

I felt like such an adult this week. teaching all day long, renewing my drivers license all by myself, picking tatum up from daycare, having to schedule my friends in for lunch, then working at my real job at night. 

It's scary and super nuts, but after this week, i have gained confidence in myself. I have finally been able to see my hard work paying off. It was certainly a humbling experience because i still have SO much to learn and have areas in my life that require a ton more progress, but it was comforting to see how I handled situations and succeeded in certain areas. IM AN ADULT. yikes..

#PICZ

Katie Flitton - easily one of my favorite people in the entire world. She's graduating from high school this year and asked me to take some pictures for her announcements! Of course you all know it is a secret obsession of mine to be a cool photographer and take pics all  day long, so that mixed with my love for katie, I absolutely could not say no. it was a hoot trying to get her to relax in front of the camera. I made Anna come with me so she could make Katie laugh and be natural. If i do say so myself, we got some great shots. And managed to utilize my favorite setting - the self timer. 

SHE'S TOO PRETTY!!!

We took some of Anna, too. They are my fave sister pair.

#TBT

thursday night, i was moving some books around on my bookshelf and out falls the best thing that could have fallen out of any book at any time. a photobooth strip of me and the boyf. i died. DIEEED! it was from our grad party and i don't think i have seen them since they were taken. i am pretty sure i just stared at each one for a solid hour. SO many memories. and HOLY HUNK! He is such a hottie. plus, the top left one is proof that he thinks i am hilarious because that is his "real laugh" smile. in the top right one, my bff Abby yanked the curtain open in the middle of the pic hoping to catch us kissing (which would NEVER happen) and I cannot get over keat's dirty look he is giving her. sorry ab!! lolz. 

I know a lot of you don't care about this, but it really did make my heart melt. it's always a tender moment finding things that remind me of this cute kid. happy happy happy.  

#truth

These couldn't be closer to the truth concerning my friends.

we die everytime.

too good.

Just reminiscing.

Miss Anna, Keats little sis, sent me a picture tonight. I have never seen it before. And I love it.
This was at our graduation back in 2010.
It got me thinking about how long it really has been since I've known keat. We had been dating for over a year when we graduated and now, it has been almost 4. Granted, we've been over 6000 miles apart the last almost 18 months, but I wouldn't change it for the world.
Our relationship is fun. Even though we are two of the biggest homebodies you will ever meet, but I am very satisfied with that. We just like being around each other and I think that's been one of the hardest parts of this whole mission thing - just not being in one another's presence.
It's gonna be a good day when that can happen again.
#Smileyface. (For you, Melanie Duffy)
#annoyinggirlfriendpost

Personal Teaching Philosophy

Hi readers...this is for a class assignment (Hi Stacie!).
I promise I've got a great post coming your way this weekend, though. Stay tuned.
  
  My personal teaching philosophy is definitely still a work in progress. My whole life I knew I wanted to be a teacher of some sort, but didn't know where or what I wanted to teach. My senior year of high school I had the best Adult Roles & Financial Literacy teacher. She is pretty much the one person who made me aware of the Family and Consumer Sciences Education program. I fell in love with it as soon as I began my first course at Utah State University. It is almost everything I enjoy - cooking, sewing, design, human development, future planning - compiled into one major. In reality, I am going to school to be a good mom. I think that being able to teach these life lessons to secondary education students is vital for their futures. I feel that this study is the most applicable to the real world. They will use what they learn in school every single day - I know I have.
        My future plans as far as actually teaching in the classroom, right now, are a little unsure. I hope to be able to teach Adult Roles and Responsibility courses to upperclassmen in the secondary education system, but we all know that sometimes we will just have to take what we can get. I am glad, though, that this degree does involve so many different aspects which brings more opportunities to teach.

The evolution of a Tatum Kiss.
If you don't mind ending up covered in slobber and a few strands of hair being pulled out, then this girl is the one to go to for some loves.
I sure do love her.

the second legal and vday lovin.

2.14.13 was a grand day.
it was lovers day as facebook and instagram made you all aware, am i right?
flowers, chocolate, engagements, red/pink/purple, hearts, cute outfits, teddy bears - the whole shebang flooded my newfeeds. i actually really do love valentine's day. I have never disliked it, but i guess that's because i have never had a super romantic and over-the-moon experience to compare to. which is strange to me because since sophomore year of high school, i have had a boyfriend.
i guess i owe my thanks to wisdom teeth extractions, volleyball tournaments, and russia for my lack of romance on this special day.
remember last year, though?
Lady Antebellum and Darius Rucker with my sweet momma?? Heaven.

Feb 14th is also my bff Mel's bday!! This year was especially fun.
I was dumb and totally didn't get a reservation for dinner early enough so she chose the ever so classy - yet perfectly delicious - Chick-Fil-A for her birthday dinner! Im pretty positive there were no complaints in the shewolf house about it. After din and after some pretty great gift openings and singing with cake, we all headed to the movie theater for SAFE HAVEN.
HOLYYYY. I died. i highly recommend reading the book before seeing the movie. it is magnificent. even thought the movie is a bit different, i am sure this is going to be one i am ok with watching over and over again. and plus, my boyfriend Josh Duhamel is in it, so what's not to like?
I bawled, but what's new? It is just so romantic and lovely and suspenseful. Julianne Hough isn't my fave actress, but her beauty makes up for it... she is outta this world!

I just wanna give melly belly a quick shout out. we always talk about how truly unique our friendship/situation is. it is rare that you find girlfriends like the ones i've snagged. our love for one another is one of my greatest blessings and i know we didn't fall into one another's lives by accident. we like to think of one another as soulmates. i love you mel, thanks for putting up with my craziness and always making me laugh. my life would be a whole lot more boring without you in it. love you boo.

the things we do before a picture is taken. we are such girls...

yes, that is jordan's head on a stick.