The Wedding

This Christmas break has been anything but relaxing!! My little brother got married Friday in Salt Lake. It was fun to see family I haven't seen for awhile but it was FREEZING!!! The temple was jam packed too--there were 75 weddings. We came home and crashed. Between the funeral, the wedding, and many family get togethers, and trying to switch my Utah teaching license to a Wyoming teaching license I feel ready for a vacation from my vacation!!

Just an update...

So Sunday afternoon my sweet grandpa lost his fight and passed away. Jeff and I will be heading to California tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon. The funeral will be on Wednesday morning so we will probably just barely make it. Thank you so much for all of your kind words and prayers! I am very lucky to have such wonderful friends in my life!

Grandpa George

It's funny how you think you have everything planned and then one phone call changes your life and all of your plans. This weekend was supposed to be pretty boring except for my little brother coming to stay the night on his way home from college at BYU-I tonight. For Christmas Jeff and I were just going to stay home without any big plans and enjoy a little down time while getting ready for our life changes in Wyoming. Then my dad called me this afternoon to tell me my grandpa is in a coma and will most likely only live another day at best. Jeff and I had gone down in October to visit and he seemed to be doing pretty well. I'm so glad we went. It looks like we may end up in California for Christmas afterall depending on what happens. I really hope for a miracle and that he will be able to pull through but I know the chances of that happening are really slim. I guess I should just count my blessings that I have had him in my life for as long as I have. So if I'm a little teary eyed or ignore you in the next few days, just know my mind is somewhere else. I love you grandpa!

2nd Grade Christmas Program

Yay!!! The program is over!!! I love doing the Christmas program and I have mixed feelings about it already being over, but right now I feel relief. Thank you second grade team for letting me have my last hoorah with the program!! I just can't believe Christmas is already here. I know it's crazy, but I think about how many days of school have already passed and how little time I have left with my class and at Pony and I get sad. I love how cute the kids are and I absolutely adore my kids this year. Sometimes I think I am too attached to my job and like it a little too much. I mean, I know some days I am ready to rip my hair out but there isn't a job I would rather be doing right now. If I didn't get so attached it would be easier to leave.

What is wrong with me???

Okay, so lately I have turned into a major ditz and clutz and I am not kidding. I drop things all the time and have become extremely forgetful. I don't know if I am just getting old, or if I have lost a few brain cells somewhere along the way. A few examples if I may.

1. Yesterday I walked into the bedroom with my makeup and dropped my container of powder spewing it all over the room and all over Jeff's clothes he so conveniently left laying on the floor. You might wonder if I happened to trip. Oh no, I just dropped it. So there I was vacuuming at 6:15 in the morning. I am sure my neighbors loved it.

2. Two times this year I have made my lunch and put in a bag. Then I walk out the door. 15 miles down the road I realize that I have actually left my lunch sitting on the counter. How does that happen? I don't get it. I literally just put it together!

3. One time this year I got my purse ready to go, grabbed my school bag, locked the door and shut it. Just as I heard the door shut the fact that my purse AND keys were still in my apartment flashed through my memory. Thank heavens Megan let me stay at her place until Jeff came home at 7:30.

Well, today takes the cake. Allow me to give you my fourth reason to prove I have turned into a complete idiot.

4. I got home today and Jeff was busy typing a paper. I had forgot to put the chicken out this morning (surprise, surprise) and he forgot to take it out for me. Well, so I am already flustered because I am a bit behind schedule (we don't have a microwave in case you were wondering why I cared about the chicken). So I get the other things ready. I put the frozen corn in the pan and set the pan up. (It's one of those pans where you put the steamer on top and water in the bottom pan. So I deal with the chicken and then it's time to start the corn. I turn on the burner. About 15 minutes later I think, "Hmmm, I haven't heard the water boiling yet. That's weird." I go over to the stove and pick up the lid. I then realize that I never actually put water in the bottom pan. Not only does the corn look terrible, but the bottom pan has actually MELTED. Didn't know that was possible. I call Jeff in and he thinks it's incredible. He can't stop laughing as I am in tears thinking about how I have just ruined my pan. Don't worry, because he thinks it is a great science experiment. He now wants to grind the metal that came off the pan so he can see "what color it is" to figure out the metal. Whatever. I guess I'm in the market for a new set of pans.........UGH!!

Decision 2008

No, this post has nothing to do with the presidential election. A decision has actually been made and we now know where we will be moving in May. We have known for a couple of weeks now but I haven't posted because I guess I kept hoping something else would open up. Jeff and I will be heading to Green River, Wyoming in June. I am so happy for Jeff because it is the job he really wanted and he will be doing exactly what he wants to do (don't ask me what that entails because I don't really understand...typical). Jeff was also offered a job in Idaho Falls but it wasn't as good of an offer and it wasn't what Jeff wanted to do. I was really hoping that if we were going to move we would move somewhere back east or in the midwest, but there weren't really any opportunities for starting engineers. Oh well, maybe in a 3-5 years. Change is really hard for me and I really don't want to leave my job but I am excited to move onto something new and hopefully to a house. I'm not sure what my chances are for finding a job in a smaller place, but I really hope to find a teaching position because subbing really doesn't sound appealing. I know it won't be like being at the Pony, but at least it will keep me busy. We are currently going through the whole home buying process of getting approved for a loan, etc. etc. so we are keeping busy. Jeff's company (FMC) is paying for us to go up and find a home in December so hopefully we won't come back without at least some ideas. I think finding a home will help me be more excited about moving. Too bad the market there is CRAZY!!!!

Sleepover!!!

So my parents called Saturday and said they would be at my house in 3 hours. What the?? They last minute decided to come to Idaho for Thanksgiving. That is so my family. Anyway, my little sister decided to have a sleepover at my place. I didn't exactly sleep well with that little wiggler but it was still fun. She kept waking up in the middle of the night and saying, "BETH!!" When I told her I was right there she would say, "Oh, I didn't see you." It was funny. She is such a hoot. I wish I could figure this video thing out with my camera because she is a lot funnier in person.

BYU Track

Okay, so this picture has nothing to do with my post but I think it is so funny. One day back in the day (probably about a month ago) Chelcie and I were using our prep time really wisely and started playing around with photo booth. Everytime I see this picture I think of pretty much one of my all time favorite songs...I like big butts and I cannot lie...Don't you think it would be so funny if someone on American Idol just came out and busted out with that song? I would totally vote for them. Or better yet "ICE ICE BABY". But of course they would have to make sure they wore a really sweet windbreaker that said, "WORD TO YOUR MOTHER" on the back so that when they flipped around with a really cool turn we could see the best phrase of all times.

Okay, now for my real post. Today I was really grateful to live in Provo. The wind was whipping when I got home and ready for my run so we went to the BYU indoor track. Now mind you there was a really smelly person we had to keep running past and a weird guy in red shorts that liked to run with his butt out in the air and running around the track 25 times gets really old, BUT it is much better than the wind so for that, I am grateful to live in Provo again. Thank you BYU.

All the Water....

So just when I think my life is pretty uneventful we have a very exciting evening. We have had roofers at our apartment for a could of days reshingling the roof of our place. Because there used to be swamp coolers the water to the swamp coolers needed to be shut off. Our neighbor called us to say that our was still on. Of course I was already at work and he was at school. Jeff said he already shut ours off months ago and couldn't figure out how ours was on. So yesterday when I got home from work I went to turn the knob off from under the bathroom sink. I called Jeff because I thought I was turning the wrong knob because it was already shut off, just as he had thought. So anywho, I decided to go for a run while I waited for him to get home. I'm out running thinking, "I feel pretty good. I should go six miles because I always feel best when I go six miles.." Then I saw that his truck was home and I had put dinner in the over so I decided to come home. Good thing I did. I walk in expecting to be greeted happily but instead I hear, "BETH!!! COME HERE QUICK!" in a very frantic voice. Jeff is under the sink holding gallons and gallons of water back. Apparently the reason our water was the one not shut off is because our valve was broken. Anyway, I'm not exactly sure how the whole thing works but Jeff had to sit there and hold with all his might this heavy force of water for 25 minutes while he waited for me to get back!! Then he tried to show me how to hold it so he could go shut the water off to the apt. The water wouldn't shut off and he came running up to hold the water in for me (I wasn't very good at holding it) while I called plumbers. Luckily one of our neighbors was home and came to help Jeff hold the water in so he could go find the right switch for our water. He got the water off and luckily only a few gallons ended up in our bathroom (most of which escaped when I was trying to hold the water) and luckily we were able to contain what did leak into our mop bucket. What an adventure! Oh and don't worry, dinner was completely burnt. Oh well, things could have been A LOT worse! But we do thing Jeff pulled a muscle in his hand from holding the water for so long!

The MP3 Player and Loose Dogs...

So I was informed today that I really don't post enough. I realize that this is true so I am going to try to post more even if it is not all that exciting. So since school started I have been having the hardest time running (perhaps you've noticed the extra weight I have been carrying). Anyway, I have made plenty of excuses of why I can't run because I have to leave so much earlier this year and where I live now is way too hilly and I don't have anyone to run with anymore since Jeff is too busy and the list goes on and on. I decided there are no more excuses so this week I have been running after school all by myself with my trusty MP3 player. I can't believe how lame I am these days. Running a 3.5 mile loop nearly kills me. (I pretend in my head it counts as 4 miles since I am practically running up a mountain. That way I don't feel so bad.) So ever since I saw the naked guy last year I take pepper spray with me. Today while I was running there were FIVE LOOSE DOGS!!! Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't like dogs, I just don't really appreciate someone else loose dog following me. In Texas it was really bad because there were always pit bull attacks, but I mean, why don't people just keep their dog in or hold them back??? I mean, they might know their dog is friendly, but to me it is just a big, huge, hairy mess with sharp teeth that could potentially rip off one of my limbs or less dramatically bite me in the butt. Now I know that I have this handy little pepper spray in my hand but I am too chicken to actually spray it. I keep thinking I'll spray it the wrong way and it will end up in my eyes instead. So I guess I am just saving it for the day a really mean dog or naked man starts to attack. I mean, I do only have 8 squirts so I better use it when it counts right???

So I'm sorry if this post seemed pointless, but if you see me, ask me if I ran the day before--it will keep me motivated.

Halloween at the Pony

So as everyone knows, today is Halloween. Wow. I have got one big headache! I have to say though, I love Halloween even though it is a crazy day and the kids are completely out of control. I love seeing how excited the kids are over the silliest little things and my favorite comment is always, "I couldn't even sleep last night I was so excited!" Oh to be seven again! My kids this year are sooo darling and my room moms had a great party. I am so lucky because I have cute Bea Twede this year and at one of the stations she had the kids put their names on a cute Thanksgiving apron. I love things that help me remember the kids. I don't know how I got so lucky this year with moms and students! This year I dressed up as Gooney Bird Greene from the book "Gooney Bird Greene". No one knew who I was except the second graders, but that's all that counts right??

ChemE Car

Okay, so this isn't really Jeff's chemE car, but you get the idea. Jeff has been working with the U of U team since last year. Last year he helped design and build their car. They won first place at the regional competition in AZ last spring. Now he is in charge of heading up the National competition at the U next week. Because he has been in charge he can't help prepare their car. He has been rethinking heading it up because he would much rather be prepping the car. He has been so stressed with classes, the competition, and all his job interviews. We hardly see each other anymore. I know he's excited for the competition to be over, but I think I am even more excited because I want my husband back!!!

Santa Barbara Zoo

While in California we went with my sister to the Santa Barbara zoo. It is the greatest zoo because the temperature is perfect year round and it is always beautiful--you can see the ocean from places in the zoo. We love it. They have famous giraffe with a crooked neck, but really we were just having fun watching my sister talk about all the animals. It's a lot more fun when kids come!

Going to California!!

Okay, okay, I know we have been out of the blogging world for awhile. To be honest we are pretty boring! I guess once all of Jeff's job interviews are over and we know what we are doing next year we will be a little more exciting. Anyway, this last weekend was fall break and my dad was passing through on his way back home from an audit in Wyoming. We decided to hitch a ride with him and keep him company since he had to head back to Wyoming again the next week. On the ride home I got a little bored in the back seat so I had some fun with my computer. Jeff couldn't figure out why I thought I was so funny entertaining myself in the back seat!

My funny sister

My parents were back in town this weekend on their way back to California so I got to see my sister Melissa again. She is so funny and I really wish she lived closer. She is always singing even though she isn't always on key. She is starting pre-k back in California so I am sure she will have plenty of things to tell me in the near future. We painted her toenails and fingernails while she was here and she was pretty thrilled with that. She wanted to have another sleepover but since I have school tomorrow and they were heading home it didn't really work out. We are going to California is October and I can't wait to see her again.

Provo River Trail

This morning Jeff and I decided to go for a run along the Provo River Trail. Running along the trail made me realize yet again how much I love Utah. I can't wait until fall starts coming even stronger and all the leaves change even more. Jeff and I have had a really slow start getting back into running since being back in Utah. The altitude change has been really hard but more than that we just haven't been very good about getting up early enough. We just need to get back onto our 4 AM rise and shine schedule again and then we will be fine. I think this run helped us because as we were running there was a race coming the opposite way and we both looked at those runners with their numbers with jealousy! I could feel Jeff all of a sudden start picking up his pace and we both were wishing we were in the race. I'm hoping that did the trick so we can be more motivated to go to bed earlier and get up earlier before winter hits!

Heidi Clifford's Prank

Today was a great day at Pony Express. We were just finishing B track and in walked Heidi Clifford! I was so happy to see her. It has been a hard year with so many of my good friends gone. Anyway, Heidi and I like to play pranks on each other. Today when I got home I found a letter addressed to "Mrs. Hunziker". I was really confused wondering what child had my new address. When I opened it up, it all became clear. Heidi had pretended that two past second graders had written me a letter. Both of these students had bathroom problems so the letter said I would have a special surprise in my room. I almost peed my pants when I read the letter and saw that it was post marked in Phoenix. Of course I knew it was Heidi. But the funniest part was when I found out she actually had one of her students write the letter. I can't imagine what the little guy was thinking as he copied the note. Heidi sure made my day!

Photo Booth

Okay, so once I showed Jeff photo booth we had to play around with it. We couldn't stop laughing at how ridiculous we looked. This is one of our favorites. I guess since we can't prank my brother and sister in law anymore we have to entertain ourselves with something else!

My Friend Julie

At our team meeting today my good friend Julie, aka Juls Hartley showed us photo booth. Our new computers even have cameras. Isn't Julie a doll?

Back in Utah!!

We could not be happier to be back in Utah. We love the mountains! Jeff didn't know how he would surive the whole summer without camping and four wheeling. We love our new place in Provo even though it means Jeff and I both have a little bigger commute. We have had a hard time running in Utah and getting used to the altitude change, but it is so nice to be closer to family again. Jeff graduates this year and we aren't sure where we will be. I wouldn't mind staying in Utah because I don't want to leave my job at Pony Express but of course I am willing to go wherever he gets the job he wants...well, maybe not Corpus Christi, but I guess if I have to......

Carlsbad Caverns

On our way home from Texas we stopped at the Carlsbad Caverns. They were so cool. I couldn't believe how big the caves were. This is just the opening of the cave. We couldn't get a whole lot of pictures in the cave because of how dark it was.

Johnson Space Center

One weekend we went up to Houston. I liked Houston more than Corpus Christi, but still not my number one place to live. We just missed the mountains too much. We thought the Johnson Space Center would be really cool, but really it wasn't. It cost a lot of money and then there really wasn't anything to see. We're glad we went to Houston though.

King Ranch--Yee Haw!

We went to King Ranch in Kingsville. Whoo. King Ranch is one of the world's biggest cattle ranches. We got on a little bus and they drove us around some of the ranch. The most interesting thing was all the different animals they had on the ranch. We were amazed at how many different animals they had in Texas. On the ranch we saw, cattle, horses, all kinds of birds, armadillos, alligators, cats, dogs, and I'm sure there were roaches.

World War II Aircraft Carrier

The USS Lexington Aircraft Carrier is in Corpus Christi. We had a great time and once again I learned a little something about history. We could have spent hours going through all the little areas of the ship. Our parking meter only had 2 hours but we definitly could have stayed for a lot longer.

San Antonio

We went to San Antonio one weekend. We went to the San Antonio temple and then spent the weekend touring the Riverwalk and the Alamo. I loved the Alamo! I learned so much and decided I should be more like Jeff and try to learn more about history. Maybe I should watch the history channel more often...oh wait, we don't have cable. I guess I could go to the library...you know utilize the things I lecture my students about!

Texas State Aquarium

One weekend we went to the Texas State Aquarium. We had a great time until it started raining and the bird show we were at was cancelled. They had a lot of really cool things to see including alligators. The aquarium was right by the ocean so the view was really pretty. Too bad it rained 12 inches a day in Texas or we could have seen a lot more. The aquarium had dolphin shows as well. If you're ever in Corpus Christi, we highly recommend the aquarium!

South Padre Island

Even though we didn't love Texas as much as we hoped, we were able to make some great memories. Every weekend we would go and do something new. The first weekend after I got there we went out to South Padre Island. South Padre Island is absolutely beautiful and the water was so nice and warm. The onyl problem was that we had no sunscreen and we got really, really burned. Good thing we didn't stay any longer than we did. We also decided that since we were so close to the border we would go into Mexico. We stopped at a place to eat in Brownsville, which is a border town, and we thought we were already in Mexico. Everyone around us spoke spanish and we felt really out of place. We don't really ever want to go back to Mexico, but it was fun to say we went.

More Pics of Melissa

Here are more pictures of Melissa. I can't believe she is already 4! She is such a character and acts like she is 40. Her new thing is singing little gospel songs. Our neighbor in California died recently and her sister was out visiting. While she was there she fell in love with Melissa and taught her a couple little gospel songs. Melissa likes to look at herself in the mirror while she belts out, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine". It's hysterical.

My Sister Comes to Town!

My sister Melissa came to visit us this weekend. She is hysterical. My parents were staying in a hotel and Melissa decided she would try to have a sleepover with her older sister. We had a blast. Jeff made the futon into a bed which she was thrilled about. She didn't sleep well because she had the giggles. The worst part was when she had to leave and I had to see her sad little face say, "I am going to miss you!" I wish she lived closer.

The New Blog

Well, Johnathan (aka Jonna) you should be so proud of me because I am actually trying to start this blog thing. I really have no idea what I am doing but I'm sure once I fiddle around enough I will figure it out! Everyone will have to help give me tips along the way.