Back To School . . . One Month Later

I know that most of you were probably not all too happy about school starting up... but if you know me, I am more than just super excited to return back-- but getting to do something that I love with all my heart.

I'm super thrilled to be announcing my return back to Westridge Elementary School this coming year and I honestly couldn't be more excited!!! I have really learned to love the school, working with their amazing students and faculty over these many years... but it has certainly turned into a wonderful/life changing experience for me. I love helping kids with anything that they need help with and getting to work with some of the best teachers ever has continued to be such a privilege. I know that this school year started a month ago, but since things in my life kind of got put to the side for awhile-- I've had to keep my focus on that and get myself together after everything that has happened. I cannot wait to get back into the classroom with my new to be third grade students and having an opportunity to help out one of my many favorite teachers!!!! I will also be helping out in a first grade classroom again this yr and I am thrilled to be meeting some new people, (hopefully they will enjoy having me in their class as well as getting better acquainted with them too!) 

It's certainly been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and I can't wait to do something that I not only love more than anything-- but sharing it with so many people!!! This will be my 8TH year as a volunteer at the Elementary School and I know it's been a very long time, but so worth it in the sense of everything that this experience has taught me. I have absolutely grown & learned lots of things from having been doing this for as long as I have... but seriously though, I love kids and can't wait to be in their presence again!!!! 

When I started this experience SEVEN YEARS AGO--- I never thought of myself being very good at helping with first grade students let alone kids for that matter, but it has continued to be such a fun & amazing experience for me. I'm grateful for the happiness and joy that they continue to bring into my life on a regular basis, but having said that-- I know that my life has never been the same and I can't wait to learn more from them during our time together.

Free Write

I came across this wonderful quote a few weeks ago, on my Facebook News Feed and ever since then it has continued to really stand out to me. I know that having reflected on this for the last little while, it has continued to make me really think about how important it really is to have faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ regardless of whatever situation we are facing. I feel so blessed to have the gospel in my life everyday and to know with a certainty that we'll not ever be given something that my Heavenly Father wouldn't be too easy or hard for any one of us to deal with. 

At one time in your lives or another, you have heard the phrase: "Fake it till you make it." and to me this never really made sense in the back of my mind about the emphasis behind what it truly means. I know for me if there was something I had been struggling with in my own life and tried to do whatever I could to "Fake it till I made it to the end and was able to look forward with my head held high... than that is probably what I would have chosen to do instead of just simply doing what I know will help me through any situation. It is simply just amazing to met hat until I saw this quote on Facebook and thought of just how much more important it is to never give up on ourselves (let alone our Savior to help guide/direct us on the straight and narrow path of where we need to be.)

Untitled Post

I'm sorry for neglecting to update my blog within the last couple of weeks, but so much has taken place in the last couple of weeks that I haven't really felt like writing too much. This last week I attended a camp out with my independent living center as well as a other one from the Salt Lake area and to be honest with you, I didn't really know if I was going to do it or not--because of everything that has been going on in my life... but it certainly seemed like a good way to get out of the house and spend time with my friends who I really ever see that often. I'm not necessarily much of a camper myself but getting to do it with other people just made it a little more relaxing for me and I am grateful that I was able to be a part of it. Despite a little bit of rainfall that we had to endure while being there, all of us enjoyed spending time together as well as getting to do some arts/crafts which I will say were actually pretty fun (since there was not a lot of activities planned expect for just laying back and hanging out with everyone who was there.) I really liked being able to meet some new people and reunite with some of the friends that I've known for the last couple of years (due to other activities that I have been able to participate in with them.) It was a little hard not being able to see some of my other friends that I wished had been there with us, but in the end I felt really grateful to be a part of this one and enjoy some time away from the chaos and busy things we all have to do in our lives everyday. 

Special Needs Institute

My twin sister and I started attending special needs institute at Utah Valley University awhile back, just so we could do something together and get my twin sister out of the house for a little bit during the day. It has definitely been such a wonderful thing to be a part of and getting to learn about the gospel has made me really feel more blessed to have something in my life that reminds me of why I'm here on this earth. I greatly miss our previous legit institute teacher more than anything in this world and getting to learn from her was such an incredible experience for me that I will cherish for the rest of my life!!! I am looking forward to what this new semester has in store for us and cannot wait to learn more about what I can do to live a more happier life each day...but we'll see what happens & how things will turn out for us from here. 

Westridge Elementary School Carnival 2017

One of my neighbors posted on our ward's facebook page that they needed extra volunteers to help out with activities going on at the elementary school's carnival & my mom asked if I would be more than willing to help out with it. I was definitely indeed more than thrilled to do whatever needed to be done and getting that chance to see some of my former students again was super fun for me!!!! I actually got to help out with one of the many games that were taking place & somehow it ended up being the most popular for the kids to play... which kind of surprised me considering how much other stuff was going on there at the same time. I really hoped to have run into both of the teachers I was going to be working alongside with this year and getting the chance to talk to them about things, but I'm kind of thinking both of them must have left home before I showed up to do what I was asked to help out with. It was a little bit of a bummer and considering the fact, if I'd been there earlier in the afternoon I would have run into them but no worries-- I had a lot of things on my mind & just needed to focus on what I was there to assist with. Overall, I was grateful for the experience more than anything else in this world & having the chance to do something fun instead of just chilling all over around my house for an entire night-- but I loved every single minute of it more than I could even put into words right now. I'm anxious to get back over to the elementary school and begin my official volunteering duties again in both of the classrooms I hope to be of assistance in this coming year!!!