Grateful

So this week and the past weekend Clint and I have been so excited to have my family in town for Jake's hip surgery!! We've been staying up late, watching chick flicks (mom and I were not that impressed with the "Lucky One" movie we got at redbox... although we both just think Zac Efron is really cute as a marine...) and eating a bunch of food!

Next week is Thanksgiving. Here is my list of top 10 things I am thankful for right now. In no particular order...

1. Clint

It was the best decision I have ever made to make this man my forever partner. He is loving and kind and gives me a back rub anytime I ask. He makes me laugh and helps me when I am way too stressed to handle life. We have learned so much in the last year and a half and look forward to all the great things this coming year will bring! 

2. Family
My family and my in-laws are the best ever! I don't know what I will do when we have to move away from them next summer to go to Tennessee



3. My job. I seriously have the best job in the entire world. I love my kiddos so much and they make me laugh and smile everyday. If you would like a picture for this one... go to an earlier post.... :)

4. Clint being accepted into Optometry School. I feel so blessed to be able to have this decision made and not have to stress about it anymore. Although I am still scared out of my mind if I think about it too much, I am so grateful that we have our little future plan and our little family is moving forward in it.



5. The Church. I am a proud member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am proud to be a mormon. I enjoy the blessings of the gospel in my life everyday. It helps me be happy, it helps me have hope and it gives me knowledge of what is really important.

6. Where we live now. I know who would have thought this one right? I know so many people talk about how they can't wait to get out of Provo, Utah... but the closer I get to moving out of it, the more I think of things I love about it. Like the fact that it is where I met my #1 blessing and we flirted and dated and got engaged and started our life together. Or how the leaves look in the fall. Or all my adventures at BYU and hiking the Y... good times.


7. Friends. I have the BEST friends ever! I seriously couldn't put all their pictures in here and if I tried I might miss one, so I won't, but I talk with them, and cry with them and vent about all life's crazyness.

8. Books. I think I'm the libraries biggest fan. And I also think they should include library fines in that placque with the library donors, because with how much I pay them, I probably have made it up there. It's ok Springville library, I'll be an annyonomous donor.  I love you anyways.

9. Laughing. Clint will roll his eyes when he sees that I posted this because he couldn't get through the whole thing with how awkward he felt, but I really love it. So here's a laugh for you. Because everyone needs at least one good one a day :)

Ellen's practical Joke

ps. I don't know how to put in this youtube video for some reason so follow the link.

10. Food. Let's be honest. I am a major fat kid at heart. I love food and I love making it and I love eating it and I love enjoying every single bite of the healthy and unhealthy food I create. Clint and I have so much fun cooking together. It's one of my favorite things for sure!


Well, I hope you made it. I am so glad I get to live my life. It's not always perfect, but it's a lot of learning and growing and I love it.

Politics

I know you're a little worried with a title like that... But i'm just going to say that politics are really funny when you are in second grade. Let me give you some examples. Enjoy :)

1. I know exactly what each parent in my class voted based on their Child's comments to fellow classmates...
"Romney lies.."
" Romney has my vote"
"Obama ruined our country"
" Obama gives us have hospitals and takes care of us when we're sick"
"Ron Paul is the only one who can save us!"

2. My kids are obsessed with knowing who I voted for. Not going to tell, sorry. It just seems ridiculous to defend my political opinions to 7yr olds. And believe me, if I had said, I would have some heated 7 yr olds...

3. It is now one of my kids ambitions to be the president. I told him I'd vote for him to which a little girl responded "you won't vote for him! You'll be a grandma!!" So I said " who says grandmas can't vote?" So there!

4. I have officially banned all political discussion in my class room unless we are saying the pledge or saying how much we love our country and everyone in it.

Man, if this is any indication of their lives later on, these kids are going to grow up to be very involved political citizens!! :)

Happy Halloween!!

Here are our costumes! I was a flapper girl and Clint was a gangster.... and Cosmo was Robin...we just couldn't resist a picture with BYU's mascot. :)
We spent the evening at BYU where the athletes had a little trick-or-treat/carnival/shin dig and we passed out some candy. We saw some CUTE costumes and got a lot of compliments on ours too. In fact, I think Clint may have decided to wear his fedora permanently. He loves it. A. LOT.

Also, let me just give you a little insiders view. Me (my teacher self that is) and Halloween have a love hate relationship. One one hand, my kids are just the cutest. They are happier than a witch in a broom store (ps, have you seen those GEICO commercials? I laugh out loud every time. I seriously love them) and they have the cutest costumes ever. I had two spiders, two devils, a ghost, an army guy, the mad hatter, a ninja turtle, a platypus, a wizard, and a whole slew of other cute things in my class yesterday. Then there is the other side of that excitement which is also called crazy. yes. crazy. hyped up on candy- well at this point, just the thought of candy- and they know we'll have a party in the afternoon. and a parade. and a monster mash dance with the school... lets just say the almost "normal" morning I had planned went out the window because these kids were not having any learning  fit into their holiday. And this teacher just loves to see her kids happy. O darn. Throw the lesson plans out the window for a day and play Halloween BINGO for a half hour? fine. pull my leg. yes. we can do that.

 Here is a picture of all of us after the parade :)

Ya, bumblee is the go to costume for school mostly because I can still wear my slacks and feel semi-professional... second because my kids would have no idea what a flapper girl was...

I hope your Halloween was as good as this one! 

Blessed

Sometimes I look at my life and I think "What in the world am I doing?! Am I ever going to get this right?!"

Other times, like tonight, I feel so happy and blessed with exactly how everything is going.
Which is weird a little...since this week is parent teacher conferences + I have a nasty cold which made me have to reschedule half of them and do sub plans + I'm taking this medicine which is making my body go kind of bizerk = crazyness.

 But tonight I turned on my Memphis song mostly because I love that man's voice, and also because I still get a little nervous about going across the country next year so far away from my family(s) and its a scary unknown so that song helps me. While I listened to it, I decided to look through all my facebook pictures. That sounds weird, but pictures and music... they get me everytime. (I also recently rewatched our wedding video. o man. love that. and it just reaffirms that the babies I give birth to will be so cute I just can't even wait to see them) 

 

So I was watching these photos of the last 2 years Clint and I have been dating/married and listening to the Memphis song about the adventure coming up for us and I felt so blessed. So blessed that although this is by far one of the scariest decisions we've had to make in our marriage, I get to go across the country and have an adventure with my best friend. And I'll cry a lot at first (someone recently reassured me that was ok) and it will be an adjustment, but I'll have Clint to cry to. And he is always willing to go get some ice cream or just talk to me to help me calm down. And I'll also probably laugh a lot cause Clint and I do some funny things together and I like that. He is seriously just perfect for me. We're opposites in a lot of ways, but we just fit together and complement the strengths and weaknesses of the other.

So here is to new adventures and taking life one day at a time and remembering that when life does or doesn't feel crazy, I have my best friend to cuddle up with every evening and that makes me the luckiest girl in the world.

Fall break

I love my job. For some reason that i'm not entirely sure of, some say it originated with hunting or harvesting, I have today and tomorrow off work for fall break! I have nothing planned except a little cleaning of the apartment and a lot of reading, snacking, and laying around still in my pjs :)

Now if you will please excuse me, I have some relaxing to do :)

Funnies

I promise I will be better at this because my kiddos are too funny to not document. So I have two for you today.

First, we were reading a cute book about a raccoon mom sending her baby off to school and she gives him a kiss on his hand to put on his cheek whenever he misses her. At the end of the book there is a picture of a little raccoon hand giving the sign language sign for I love you. So I explained:
Me: kiddos, some people can't hear so they use hand signs to communicate. This sign means I love you.
Chatty little girl: no Mrs. Prestwich, that is what spider man does to wrap people up.
Little boy next to her: well, maybe he's saying, hey I love you, but you're a bad guy so I have to wrap you up.

Yep, spider man, the sign language hero.

Next. I have a very talkative boy who is really so so sweet that he's probably one of my favorites... Except that he really can't close his little mouth. He's in for the first 3 minutes of recess almost everyday for this reason. And he always is telling me a new reason that he needed to talk.
"I just have so many friends"
"I got this watch from the carnival and I was talking at the carnival so it just reminds me to talk."
"This ring is cursed and whispers at me to talk"
.... the list goes on and on. We're at the point now that I don't even need to ask him, he'll just give me a new reason as soon as the rest of the class leaves for recess. I always try my best to look extremely understanding of all these hardships he has to face then give my teacher look without busting up laughing while I try to discipline him. Then one day, in the middle of a math lesson, when he hadn't even really been talking, he raises his hand and asks if he can speak to me privately. we went to the back of the room...
Me: yes?
Boy: I know the real reason I can't stop talking.
Me: I think you've been doing really great all morning.
Boy: no, I need to tell you this. You know Kathy (no her real name isn't Kathy) in our class?
Me: yes...
Boy: well... I think she's cute.
Me: honey, you don't even sit by her... How would that make you talk?
Boy: well, you see, I just think she is so pretty that even if I see her from all the way across the room, I just feel like talking, even if it's not to her.
Me: I see... i'm sorry this is Problem for you, but it still isn't ok to talk when you're not supposed to ok?
Boy: ok, but one more thing... Don't you think it's peculiar (yes, he did use that word. He's bright. Talkative, but bright) that we have the same last name?
(they do have the same last name. I didn't have the heart to tell him that Jones is a pretty common last name...)
Me: I suppose that is a little peculiar..
Boy: ya, I've been thinking about that a lot lately...

And just like that he turned and got to work on his math. Sometimes you just have to get that overwhelming feeling of love off your chest in second grade I guess :)

Love my class

Walking in... where?

That's right!! It's decided! Next August, Clint and I will be moving to MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE!!!!! Pretty much I plan on singing this at least 5 times a day once we get there. Probably blast it every afternoon when Clint comes home from grad school... see how long he goes with that.. :)

But ya, we'll be living in the big city (or right outside it preferably) for 4ish years while Clint goes to Southern College of Optometry (SCO) for Optometry school! He'll train to be the best eye checker there ever was and hopefully I'll be staying home with some cute kidlets - no, not an announcement, but I like to dream :)

It's been quite the process to get to this point. When we were first looking into schools Clint was set on Ohio State and I REALLY liked the idea of living about 10 minutes away from where I grew up so I liked SCCO in Fullerton, California. Clint got his first interview at Tennessee however, and it all changed. I was attending Education Week at BYU while he was gone and he called soo excited about Tennessee. He loved everything about it and his interview had gone really well. He ruled out Ohio, but went to the interview he got at SCCO for me. I called him while he was in California and the excitement just wasn't in his voice. Then, we got a little phone call yesterday informing us that SCO (the school in Memphis) is awarding Clint their highest scholarship and...well... since grad school basically costs your arm, your leg, plus your first born child... we decided that would be really helpful and the decision was practically made for us.

Clint sent me this video when he went for his interview. Ya, we're aware its upside down... don't know how to switch that haha

It's going to be a crazy change for us, but we are so excited to learn and grow and try new things (like good southern BBQ and going to Nashville for the country music awards... or just to stalk a few country stars... ) Also, should you feel inclined to try these new things too - since I doubt Clint will really want to stalk the country stars with me...- please come visit while we're there! I promise we'll show you a good time :)

Happy moment

Every day on my way to work, I drive down this street and the sun is seriously shining right at me. let me tell you, best way to start a day.

Our Rhythm

Right now life is getting into a rhythm around here. 

Clint is going to school.
Last year at BYU yay!!!

 yes. this is an old picture...but I failed to take a first day of school picture of Clint...

I am teaching my cute second graders.
which reminds me... I have funny stories already. I will definitely be posting about that soon.

Clint is flying to Optometry interviews.

We're down to two options. Clint got accepted to this school in Tennessee, and he'll be interviewing at a school in Southern California on the 15th of this month.
 We'll be really happy for either of these schools so we're very excited! 

And suddenly we don't have a vacation lined up in the next few weeks. laaame!

From our vacation this summer to the Pitt family reunion

From our stay in Idaho with the Prestwich clan

and our trip to Yellowstone

It has been a really fun summer, we enjoyed it thoroughly, but it is nice to have a little bit more structure to our life. 

<3

School is starting!!

I am so so excited for this coming school year! I am back to teaching second grade and I have my new classroom set up and I will be meeting my kids tomorrow! I have my outfit all planned out, I got a new hair cut and I painted my nails... I think I'm ready. I wanted to post some pictures of the room I've been working so hard on, so enjoy!! I went with polka dot theme this year :)

The view as you walk in the door

 I seriously love how my word wall turned out with the pom pom balls

 This banner was my project when Clint was away in Tennessee at his first Optometry school interview (which went well by the way. but more about that another time.)

 My student work board... and the birthdays :)

 you can't tell as much as I hoped... but I put polka dot fabric behind the letters... also, don't mind my to do list... including take pictures for my mom haha... also, I forgot those clock numbers are up there. they were there when I got my class and I don't like them. Taking them down tomorrow.

 This will be our Literacy corner, giving an overview of everything we're learning in literacy every week.

 My Library.

 love how my job board turned out. class store is waiting to be improved upon still...

our calendar/rug area. Nice and comfy rocking chair for me. Love that they left me this from last year. 

So there you have it! My second grade classroom. I am so so excited to meet my kids and get started! 

Wish me luck!

<3

Stadium of Fire

Two posts in one day. Forgive me.  But this was cool.

On July 4th Clint and I went to the Stadium of Fire! We got free tickets because the Stadium recruits the student athletes to come haul sand bags and set up chairs and Clint brought me along! We got to see the Beach Boys 50th year anniversary show and American Idol Scotty McCreery. SO SO SO FUN!

 a little scotty... but he turned so you can't see his face on the mega screen... lame.

ya, we're cool. we go to stadium of fire! (better photo of my new hair cut soon)

It was so fun! The fireworks were amazing and I was singing along to every beach boys song! I took a video of a ton of them... but it takes forever to load... so you'll have to imagine it...

Happy birthday America!

Happy Anniversary to us!!

That's right folks! This little Prestwich family has been going strong for one year! (and a month since this is so late...) Here were some of our adventures: Enjoy!

Clint came home with a dozen roses for me... melt my heart... I love him.

 Then we went on a cruise!!! 

We went to Catalina...

And dressed up all fancy (Thank you Emily for the beautiful prom dress)

Can you believe it? I ate seafood! And it was actually really good. Clint thinks I just have expensive taste when it comes to seafood. Maybe....

Lovin' the towel creations...

"Clint, I feel awkward just standing here..."

"No Alissa, this is like a photo shoot..."

with weird camera angles...? haha I love you babe! 

We also went to Mexico!

Looking good!!

 and we hung out at my family's house in Huntington before and after the cruise. I just love my adorable niece and nephews!

All in all, it was the perfect anniversary/belated honeymoon :) It's funny, everyone says the first year is the hardest... but I've just had a blast getting used to living with my best friend! We laugh and chat and tease and have such a fun time all the time. In this past year, we've just gotten to know each other that much better and I love him more with every new thing I learn about him. I feel so blessed to have married such an amazing man. He is my best friend. He is a righteous Priesthood holder in our home. And we get to be together forever, just laughing and chatting and growing our little family. I can't think of a better way to spend eternity than with him! 

<3

Family

My mom had this up on Facebook and I kind of love it a lot. I can think of so many people who I consider family who aren't exactly related by blood. I love them just as much and I would do anything for them. 

Ps. 3 hours and 14 minutes until we leave for california!!!! then 4 days until our CRUISE!!! 

13 minutes now....

Summer Adventure #1 - Camping in Beaver

So here's our first summer adventure. It was well planned cause Clint is officially done with Spring classes (only a few finals this next week) and it's summertime for both of us!!! YAY!

So Marissa and Ty invited us to Beaver to spend some time camping. It was so so fun! I love camping! And although there were a few "city girl" moments... like forgetting jeans (apparently shorts aren't good enough for camping?) and not having cool boots like everyone.... (my rainbow sandals don't cut it either... but I did remember some shoes this time, just not cool boots) ... it all turned out fun and I hope we can do it again! Now for the pictures:

 looking good babe!

                        Clint riding a horse for the first time ever!!                                                this is my  pal  Bo.      

 me riding Gus with my friend Sonya

    we're pretty cute!

 marissa and ty are the best!

 yes. that look on my face means I'm scared. but I did shoot it anyways. :)

 clint on the other hand, was not scared.... in fact he wants to buy a gun... we'll see.

It was such a fun weekend! Thank you Prisbreys for inviting us!!