Car Show

Every year my dad is able to get some free tickets to the Thanksgiving weekend car show here in Phoenix. We normally go as a family but this year we were unable to. However, I was able to get four tickets and Josh and I went with a coworker and his family. It was a lot of fun! There was not as many cars as I remember but that is totally okay! We got to see a lot of really cool cars and we had a lot of fun!This is me in my one and only Toyota Highlander. I was able to sit in it and really take a good look at it. I cannot wait to be able to buy one in a few years. The one that I am sitting in is the hybrid but Josh and I are okay with getting just the Sport (we like it better and it happens to be less expensive). The Highlanders that they had there had a third row in it so I could see what it would be like with a third row. I LOVE IT! Once again, I cannot wait to get my own!

Me in an awesome convertible! It was really comfortable but difficult to get out of. I want to think that it was a Mazda but I don't really remember. I just thought that it was beautiful.
Josh looking like a giant in this car. Once again, I don't remember what type of car it was.

I told Josh to take this picture just for Kaiden. It is the Bumble Bee Transformers edition of the Camero. It was hard to get this picture because everyone was drooling over the car. However, I thought of Kaiden and I know he loves Transformers so I forced Josh to take a picture. I know, I'm so nice.

Jeep also had a course so you can experience the off-roading feel of the different Jeeps. At first we thought that you could drive them but we were unable too. However, you can ride in them as the Jeep experts talk to you about the different features. It was really cool and very different. It's a good thing we got there when it opened because the line wasn't that long. I tried to get some video and pictures but for some reason my camera didn't take them.

I love going to the car show every year but I always walk away wanting my Toyota Highlander. I'm getting closer every year! Once again, it was a total blast and definitely worth the free tickets!

Thanksgiving Rolls

I was so excited because this year for Thanksgiving I was able to make rolls. Josh and I ate with his family (it was their turn) and so I volunteered to make some rolls. I was so excited because I was able to use my Kitchen Aid mixer for the first time EVER! I started them Wednesday night. I thought that they were going to be really simple but I should have read the recipe before deciding anything. I had seen my mom make them many times so I thought that I knew what to do. Apparently I didn't. I did the yeast part wrong. I guess that you are supposed to activate the yeast then add the ingredients to it. I activated the yeast and then mixed it in with the ingredients later. Not good, I know. I had a breakdown. It's a good thing Josh was home to help me. This is him kneading the dough. As well as the big blob of it. We had a lot of fun cleaning our very large mess when it was all over. After about an hour and a half my mom called to check up on me (she knew about the meltdown) as well as the rolls. I told her that the dough was kind of rising but slowly. She suggested to place it by the oven when it was on warm. That definitely helped a lot! After rolling them out and getting them ready I placed them in the freezer overnight. I then let them rise a second time (to unthaw and rise). They didn't rise much the second time but I decided to try baking them. They turned out good (despite all the issues). I was so happy. Josh's mom LOVED them and has deemed me the designated roll maker for every Thanksgiving. That made me really happy. We had a lot left over so I let her take some and we have a gallon-sized bag left here at home. It was my first time making them but they turned out great. I cannot wait to bake more things with my Kitchen Aid!

Tuesday Truths

1. The truth is..All the hype of Thanksgiving is gone for me. I'm officially on my five-day vacation and the excitement is gone. Don't get me wrong, I want Thanksgiving to be here but for some reason all the excitement is gone.

2. The truth is... I had my students make a Thanksgiving card today. They had to plot the points to create the turkey (which is where the math comes in) and then they colored and cut it out and made a card. I made one too!

3. The truth is... Josh and I are going to the car show with one of my coworkers and his wife. I'm a little excited but nervous at the same time. Maybe I'll post some pictures... if I remember to take any.

4. The truth is... I get to make rolls for Thanksgiving. I'm kind of surprised that Josh's mom allowed me to do so. Nonetheless I'm excited for something normal at my Thanksgiving dinner. Not only that but I get to use my Kitchen Aid for the first time.

5. The truth is... Wendi (my sister) has used my Kitchen Aid more than I have. She's had it for over a year now! (But I haven't needed it until now so it's ok!)

Tuesday Truths

1. The truth is... sometimes it is hard for me to comprehend the Plan of Salvation. I know it is true it just is a little hard to really think about too long because its hard to see past this world. Is it just me?

2. The truth is... Josh is ready to end the semester. He wants better teachers. I'm ready to end too but for other reasons.

3. The truth is... having last Wednesday off spoiled me. No I don't think that I can make it through this week.

4. The truth is... Cutes (mini oranges) are really good. I don't like the big oranges but I can eat about 3 Cuties in a sitting. They are really tasty, easy to eat, and easy to peel!

5. The truth is... I don't know what to get Josh for Christmas. Does anyone have any ideas?

Zoo Trip

At the beginning of the school year I received some tickets for the zoo from the district. Why? I don't know, but I was excited because that meant a free trip to the zoo! I got three so we have one more (if we want to do again) although we have to pay for the other person. I'll admit I don't care. Anyway, we started out early leaving around 8:15 to eat some breakfast. We ate at Cracker Barrel because it is really good. (On a side note they has a really cute Christmas Penguin cookie jar. He was really cute and fat, but we don't need another cookie jar so we left without it.) Anyway, we finished around 9:00 and went to the zoo. Josh thought that it was weird to be there shortly after it opened but when we left he realized why we went when we did. There were no parking spaces! We spent about 2 hours at the zoo and pretty much walked around the whole thing. Pathetic and sad, I know. We did have a great time and what made it so great was that it was free! We also got some great pictures (not together) but we have some pictures of things that we are doing with us in them. Anyway, enjoy some of the awesome pictures we took!















The person that was pulling this wagon was really annoying us. They walked slow and took up the whole path (it was the children's path) so they really made me mad because we couldn't pass them!















I was really disappointed I couldn't get a picture with the giraffes. They were all at the new giraffe encounter and you can feed them and pet them. However, it costs money and we didn't want to pay any extra. So, I took a picture by a zoo lights giraffe.















This is me hugging Olloch from the book Fablehaven. Josh thought that he was really cool.















Josh feeding Olloch. After you feed him he comes to life and tries to eat you. I'm a little worried about him being eaten now. Not only that but he "gave" him a really good cookie.















This is the wrong was too. Sorry. This is me trying to be a flamingo. I was wearing white and pink so I fit in really well.















Josh had to see the bug turtles so I thought that I would take a picture of him with them. They were far away from the fence so it is a little hard to find them in the picture.















This is a Galapagos Turtle eating his breakfast. I thought that he was pretty cute!

One project done and only a billion more to go. I say a sign like this at my cousin Jesse and Amanda's house in February. I loved it but it was really small so I decided to make my own version. Ten months later I have finally made it and I am really excited about hanging it up in our house! I made another one for a Christmas present but I'm not going to say who it is for because then it will ruin the surprise. Anyway, I hope you like it!

In case you can't read it:
Every love story is beautiful
but ours is my favorite.

Just for Karen...

Karen has been bothering me for a long time to clean my stuffed animals. I've had them for five years and have never washed them. Disgusting, I know. So, after I got sick with the Swine Flu, I decided that I needed to wash them. These pictures are just for Karen... because I love you.

Here they are really dirty. Like I said, five years without cleaning. You can't really see the dirt until...you get a good close-up of Kitty. Yeah, she was really bad.

And here they are nice and clean.

A good clean close-up of Kitty. She was the dirtiest so I had to get a good close-up because she is so cute!

On a side note, yes I am weird because I sleep with stuffed animals. I don't think that it is a huge problem!

Tuesday Truths

1. The truth is... I'm really looking forward to tomorrow. It's Veteran's day so me and Josh have the day off of school. :) I can't wait!

2. The truth is... I might actually have a real post after tomorrow! Josh and I are going to the zoo!

3. The truth is... I need to correct a statement I said last week. I have friends, but most of them are family. It's almost pathetic.

4. The truth is... I am starting to panic about Christmas presents. We are going to draw names for Josh's family at Thanksgiving. For me... that is too late because I make everything and I don't have a lot of time! AHHH!

5. The truth is... Every Sunday while Josh and I are waiting for church to begin, we make a menu for the week. If I don't do it then I don't cook. I feel bad when I don't cook.

Tuesday Truths

1. The truth is... I'm not looking forward for AIMS. Today we did a district assessment (which took 2 1/2 hours) and I was BORED out of my mind.

2. The truth is... Making students sit for 2 1/2 hours and then trying to teach them something doesn't work well. Even if it is a fun probability M&M activity.

3. The truth is... I love this time of year. To be perfectly honest, I'm counting down for Thanksgiving (not just because I get time off).

4. The truth is... Josh is ready to end the school semester. He doesn't like his teachers so he is trying to find some good ones for next semester. Maybe it will make him enjoy school if he finds some good teachers.

5. The truth is... I have no friends.

Bumper Sticker

" We made history, now lets change the mistake. Impeach Obama."