Halloween Festivities!

We had an awesome Halloween party with our friends, Camie, JD, Bryce and Rachel! We all met in the ward and have a lot of fun together! We ate chocolate and cheese fondue with bread, pretzels and fruit. I've never really had fondue before but I must say that I'm a believer! Cami and JD made some tasty and bubbly apple cider and also provided the pumpkins! They have been growing them all summer and there were huge ones as well as small ones. The boys carved the gigantic ones and the girls carved the smaller ones:) We listened to some old school halloween music and chatted about past Halloweens! We are so grateful to have wonderful friends like them! Here are some pictures to document our adventure:
Everyone's spooky and awesome Jack-o-lanterns!!!
Adam's is the large one on the left and mine is the bull on the right
My battle wound when my pumpkin bit back:)
My "tat" of "I love Jesus"
Our Jail Bird Costumes (thanks Tress and Kevin!)
JD making some bubbly brew while Cami changed into her costume. They were John McCain and Sarah Palin!!! Freaking Awesome costumes!
Rachel and Bryce McEwen...we love them!
At Cornbelly's with some of the Young Marrieds in our ward

National Blogging Month!

Yesterday we ended the night by going to Wade and Paula's house to play some games and gawk(sp?) over Wyatt as usual!! While we were there Paula reminded me that November is National Blogging Month and that I needed to post EVERYDAY! (LOL) I remember her writing about it in one of her earlier posts but I've decided to give it a try. I'm going to start my field experience at Scera next Monday so I'm sure I'll have plenty to share each day!
Now time for some catch up with pictures:
For our anniversary we stayed a night at the Little America in Salt Lake. We stayed there for the beginning of our honeymoon as well. Adam kept telling me that we were going somewhere but would never tell me where or what I needed to pack! Now, for those of you that know me I have a hard time with surprises that I can't plan for.... I think it stems from my control freak side (and some wonder why I'm going to be a teacher...it's the perfect job for control freaks!!! ha ha ha). The poor kid had to endure questions for a week. I tried everything I could to get him to squeek but nothing worked. Finally, the day after our anniversary when we were supposed to go away on a "trip" I freaked out a little bit because I wanted to know how much money we were going to spend since Adam had told me were going to San Diego or maybe Mesquite or maybe Park City.... can you imagine my frustation..?! I know I'm such a dork. Back to the story, Adam let me be frustrated for a bit until he finally cracked and told me we were only going to Salt Lake. I really do have a wonderful husband! He puts up with so much from me.
Feeling bad about ruining the surprise a few hours early, I agreed to go shooting at a rifle range in Salt Lake. Here are some of the pictures.
Adam shooting his 22 ( or at least I think that is what it's called:)

Me shooting the same gun. It was so loud in there!

Shooting what I called the "war gun". It took Adam a good five minutes to convince me to shoot it. I was weary of it because it looked like a gun that you would use in a war. He was so excited to shoot it though and doubly excited when I agreed to shoot it a couple of times.

In Memory of My Mom

Here is a poem I wrote tonight in my ESL Methods class. Hope you like it.

My Mom's Hands

They held me when I wanted to cry
and scolded me when I tried to lie.
They lightly tickled my ears at night
and helped me count my years just right.
I miss them running through my hair
or waving goodbye to me in the air.
Their shape was perfect in every way
and were always there when it was time to pray.
They shaped my life through service and love
and continue to do so from up above.
Now when I look at my hands I see
the person my mother always wanted me to be.

Love you mom and will always strive to be that person!

One year down..... and all eternity to go!!!

October 10, 2007 to October 10, 2008

This is where the party began!!


The evolution of Adam and Jamie....

Come on... hold the sexy serious pose for a minute...

Ahhhh, forget it! This is just how we are!

"We're not really married, ...are we? Don't we have to complete some sort of obstacle course or something first?

I'm so grateful to Adam just for the fact that he was worthy to take me to the temple! We are sealed for all eternity and life has never been better!!

This is one of my most favorite wedding pictures!!

I can't believe that a year has passed by already! Some days it feels as if we have always been together and other days it appears that we just got hitched! I'm sure that I'm not the only one to have felt this way and as the years go on it will just get better and better! This past year taught me a lot about who I am as a person and a wife. I have also been able to see the man that Adam is becoming and the husband he wants to be! I guess the biggest thing that Adam has taught me is to take joy in the journey. Sometimes I get caught up in the little things that aren't that important and I forget to take in the moments that are happening. The Lord knew that I would need Adam and I'm so grateful that he led me to him. He is my everything and on the days when we both leave early and get home late I realize more and more how happy he makes me just by being there (whether awake or asleep:) Life really does just keep getting better and better!

Ta-Da!!

Three more pounds down the drain!!! That's all:)

One more month and then....

As most of you know, my 7-7 schedule is officialy back in swing. Therefore my blogging has been decreasing but I promise that I do have lots of news to share. I've been keeping myself quite busy with lesson plans for language arts, differentiation, math and physical education. I start my field work with Miss Greaves on November 3rd and will be there for three weeks. I'm excited, overwhelmed and yet mostly relaxed all at the same time.:) Sometimes I feel like a walking oxymoron. I'm getting more nervous about my student teaching in January but I talked to one of my intern friends about what's going on with her and she told me one piece of advice that I liked a lot. Here it is, "Don't be afraid to go on instinct and wing it!" Planning is great but there is a lot of instinct that goes into the teaching process. I'll make sure to let you all know how it goes.
Some of my recent obstacles are....
Figuring out where I will work during field and student teaching.
Passing my praxis II exam to get my certificate.
Keeping my house clean.... an on going process.
What to get Adam for Christmas?
Cutting down on some bills, etc.
and many more!! I'm sure you all have things you're doing as well:)
Things we've been doing lately?
Adam and I have mostly kept busy with school but we have had a little bit of time to go out and have some fun!

We celebrated my Grandma Tate's 75th birthday over the weekend. I loved being able to see a lot of my family and also spending some good old fashioned "Tate" time at Becky's! I'm so grateful for my Grandma and can't express how much of a support she has been to me without my mom here. She is always so mindful of us and very present in every aspect of my life! I love you Grandma and I already know that there's no way I can ever repay you for what you have done for me:)

Adam's little brother, Scott, came home from his mission in El Salvador in September. I know that you can't see Scott in the picture but it's a good photo that shows Adam and Scott seeing each other after 4 years. Adam was almost home when Scott left, so it's been awhile. We went up the weekend after he got home to spend time with all of the family and then the weekend after for his sacrament talk! It's been great getting to know Scott, since he was gone when I came into the family. We made fruit pizza for the shindig after and it was a great hit!
That's all that I can get out this evening but I'm going to round up some more pictures and get them posted soon!

She gave them to me

This is Adam. So those three pounds that jamie lost, yeah, she gave them right to me. Now I have to lose them. OOOH boy...