Good News!

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haha. just kidding. But I did get offered a job for next year in 501! No details about which grade or school yet, but I will be guaranteed a position if I sign, yadda yadda, without having to interview. Yay!

I have been following the story of Christian and Stephanie Nielson (like SO many others).

This article is beautiful.

While I will never write as well as the Nielson sisters, I hope that in light of a trail so terrible, I can have the faith that this family has.

Hazel Hill

For you Topekans who haven't been, I would HIGHLY recommend a trip to Hazel Hill downtown (about Kansas and 7th). SO YUM! Since Todd and I have had a rough week, I decided I would drop by and grab a treat on the way home from parent-teacher conferences. He has this horrible memo due, plus an "unannounced" midterm (evil professors), and with all the help I've been this week (none), we both need a yummy pick-me-up.

We have already had their frozen cheesecake. It is wonderful Cheesecake Factory cheesecake (oh, please, please, build one here!) covered in chocolate, and it is SO good and only 2.75. What a deal! Todd and I split one and were so happy, plus we got our CF fix. The next time I came with my teaching friends, I got an apple pie caramel apple...one of the best flavors! It is so good covered in cinnamon.

Today I went and got an infamous Snickers apple. They are more expensive, at $6, but they are SO much better than Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory! A lot better! We devoured most of it (after our BK dinner, aren't we so healthy?) and are leaving a bit for during The Office. There are lots of other things I want to try though, like their "things" "landslides," as well as their huge peanut butter cups, which I drool over every time. Plus, every time you go, they always ask you to try something new of theirs. Today it was a chocolate covered blueberry...mmmm!

So anyway. Go. Eat your heart out. You can't take it with you, so you might as well gorge while you can :)

I survived Monday and Tuesday

Well, the doctor didn't tell me it was going to get WORSE before it got better. Over the course of starting antibiotics, I developed chills, nausea, vomiting, and white spots on my tonsils. Fabulous, right? So, Monday night and Tuesday were able as miserable as can be, plus I was given another prescription for the nausea that was, well, you can guess what that was.

Fortunately for me, Todd was able to give me another blessing last night, and I slept! Real sleep! My first real sleep in four days. I woke up feeling wonderful (well, compared...I'm by no means 100%), ready to eat something other than Gatorade...that's all I drank yesterday, Gatorade. I am SO ready for real food!

I am REALLY hoping it won't get any worse than this, it can't, can it?

My Weekend

Ya know, I had started to go hoarse by Friday, but I thought, Hey I've been teaching everything all week, it's probably from talking so much. I felt okay on Friday night, and Todd and I went to the JRC volleyball night which was lots of fun (and whoever made those Rice Krispies....yummmm). Anyway, Friday night we were both exhausted, but we stayed up long enough to catch up on the Office and the SNL that we had missed Thursday.

So anyway, I thought that Saturday I would sleep in, get some rest, relax, and work on feeling better. I woke up at 9, and by 10:30 was completely exhausted again. I gave in, and slept from 11 to 1. Todd and I had talks to give on Sunday, as well as a Sunday School Lesson, so I worked on that, most of the day. As the evening progressed, my throat started to feel worse and worse, but I figured it wouldn't get much worse..

Wrong!! Saturday night I slept terribly, even with the aid of Benadryl, and Sunday morning Todd and I both woke up exhausted. I guess I had been coughing off and on all night, which kept poor Todd up...and of course, we have early church, and needed to be on Church on time, so we were up at 7:30. I prayed that I would be able to make it through my talk without dying, and was really blessed. However, by the end of Relief Society, I had a raging headache, the throat was sore, and my ears were starting to hurt. Not good. I spent Sunday on the Love Sac, checking my temperature occasionally to make sure I wasn't feverish. After tossing and turning, I woke up with a temperature of 100 at 2 am. Not good. I called in sick to my mentor teacher after a restless night, and fell asleep again. I was able to drag myself into the shower, and into urgent care, because I was worried about having the flu, or strep. By then, the pressure in my ears was worse than I have ever experienced (I RARELY get earaches, and never have sinus problems). Anyway, the doc prescribed amoxicillin in case of strep, and robitussin with codeine to help me sleep.

Wish I could say things are better, but when Todd came home around 5, my temperature peaked at 101. 5. We called the doc again to make sure that wasn't too high, and they told us it would take 48 hours for me to begin to feel better (ARGH), and that if my temperature hit 103, to head to the ER. I have been sitting with a cold pack on my face for a couple of hours, drinking lots of fluids, taking my medicine, and waiting to feel better, which has yet to happen.

Anyway, this is a long boring story, but I apologize to anyone I've breathed on in the past week! I feel sicker than a dog, and will probably miss at least one more day of school, but I've been thankful for modern medicine, Gatorade, and the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice. Hopefully next weekend will be much better than this one, and Friday is a day off anyway...I am getting more days off this week than I had planned.

Books

After one day, I am already sick of having political stuff at the top of my blog. So...

I LOVE getting books from the library in the mail! So I was excited to get my next two books:
1. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.
2. Austenland by Shannon Hale

I just finished reading Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale, and I loved it. It turned out exactly the way I wanted it to, but it read differently than some of the ones I've been reading. I'd recommend it to someone looking for an easy read, something fun, romantic, and about a different culture.

I also just finished Candy Shop Wars by Brandon Mull, who also writes the Fablehaven series (great books, fun to read, sort of Harry Potter-ish, but not, get it, right?) I thought Candy Shop Wars was great as well, also a fun read, something I would tell my kids to read. Brandon Mull is an LDS author, and his books are geared towards 3rd grade and up. If I remember correctly, there is no language (I would hope not, but I am so desensitized I hardly notice language unless it is totally vulgar, is that bad?). Anyway, those are fun books too.

Just finished the Scarlet Pimpernel too...so fun! I didn't think I would like it that much (maybe because the title sounds like the Scarlet Letter, which is ick, which I never finished).

Anyway, thats the current roundup. Can ya tell the husband is gone a lot?

Sometimes, the media just stinks

One more thing.

I find Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddox very annoying on MSNBC. Chris Mathews and Andrea Mitchell are a bit easier to handle. Sorta sad that our basic cable gives us MSNBC and not any other choices.

And thanks to the Prophet and this gospel, I don't feel angry, sad or depressed, like the media keeps telling me I'm supposed to be. I feel hopeful.

The end.

More Debate and Education

Sorry, but indulge me in my political thoughts for a moment...I think that I will run out of steam to talk about this kind of stuff REAL SOON.


I started watching the debate, tuned out for a while, and came back at the end during the discussion on education. As an educator (and I consider myself one, I HAVE GONE TO ENOUGH SCHOOL!), I find it interesting when the candidates talk about topics related to ed. Here are my fragmented thoughts:

Obama-Yes, give the schools more money! However, I don't know if giving federal money at schools is the right way to go...but because of property taxes, this may leave some areas at a disadvantage. But I want smaller governement!

Recruit new teachers (me!)...Check! The way I see it, there are plenty of people interested in teaching. I don't know if this is a profession that will see a drought...most people don't do it for the money!

More professional development, well, there's already a lot. I completely believe that professional development is important, and I think teachers of any age should continue to go. But more? Maybe as long as its enriched with good stuff!

College affordable? Ummm...student loans? Aren't those widely available? Scholarships, especially for minorities? Maybe I'm just biased because I grew up middle-class but it seems that most people can afford at least community college, especially if they take out some loans, and work while they go to school. I just think that kids that really want to go, will find a way to GO.

Thank YOU, PARENTS NEED TO SHOW RESPONSIBILITY. YOU GOT IT BUD. Thank you so much for saying that! This is something I have thought a long time about. We are always being compared to China in our math and science performance. Well, what's different in China??

*Parents are invested in their child's future.
*Kids care about their work
*The importance of school is ingrained in their culture.
*DISCIPLINE!
*They go to school for longer hours, these kids know the value of work
*However, I guess it IS easier for parents, because they can only have one kid, right?

It is very difficult for kids to feel invested in their school, when 1) the parents don't care, 2) the parents are on drugs or in jail, 3) the parents don't raise their kids to value hard work and responsibility....okay, I'll stop, I don't want to offend anyone. But I think at the core of education IS THE FAMILY.

I don't like the idea of performance pay, I don't think there is ANY WAY IN HECK that anyone can make that process objective. Good luck to ya.

McCain-Choice in schools, good. Competition--hmm...I think its nice when schools can work together as opposed to competing.

Throwing money at schools--Haha, its probably true that some of the worst schools have a lot of money. I think the system has to be fixed first before we throw money into it...wouldn't mind starting that process by burning some of those state tests.

I like his encouragement of Teach for America and Troops for Teachers, but they need the screening and the training that people in a college program get.

I liked when he talked about autism. In a system that is full-inclusion, we see so many kids that could benefit from research into the autism spectrum.

I don't know much about vouchers...I'll have to read up on this. Anyone have any opinions on charter schools?

I love how the news channels keep talking about how we are in a recession and we had our worst week ever in the stock market last week and how we are in this huge economic crisis.

And the DOW came back up 900 points today. I'm not an expert or anything, but people seem to be going on as they normally do. Or maybe its because I know a bunch of Mormons and other hard-working people who are doing as they were counseled and staying out of debt and saving hard.

I mean, it hasn't been as bad as the SNL "news show" reported last Thursday, I mean, people haven't started wearing fedoras again right? (Wasn't their debate episode AWESOME??)

And thank you very much, but our gas prices were at 2.69 yesterday, which is FABULOUS!!!

My Husband STILL Takes Me On Dates!

Even though we are now dirt-poor, both of us making NO money, and both of us in school (can I get a hallelujah for only having two months left?), my kind husband took me out for a date a few weeks ago. One of our habits has been to use our credit card points to buy gift cards out to eat, and we decided to head to Red Lobster so we could get a seafood fix. We ate tons of food, made silly faces, and just talked. It was so nice!

Yes, there are about a million plates in front of me. I had an appetizer plate, the plate the appetizers came on, my salad plate, and my dinner plate. We Thomasons like to eat! I think I am holding a DELICIOUS seafood stuffed mushroom in my hand. If there is one thing I have grown to love as an adult, it is mushrooms--fresh or sauteed!

After we had convinced our waiter that he had broken our camera, we got it to work again. I think our clothes match nicely with the dinner plates. Didn't we plan that well?

Cute! Cute! This is more his "why are you taking pictures of me" face, but he looks pretty good for the billions of hours of studying he is doing. I don't really think he is in the "I love law school!" phase of his life, considering that he is campus from 7 am to 9 or 10 pm most days, with short breaks home for lunch or dinner or a run. I am very proud of him for working so hard, but I still have not adjusted to not seeing him whenever I want. I am also not a big fan of the complete lack of cell reception in the law building. I think they do that on purpose....thank goodness for Gmail chat and the new laptop!

We are liking it here in Kansas. Our apartment complex has been really awesome at getting stuff fixed really quick. Our shower went out one morning last week. I didn't get a shower that morning, but by the time I came home, we had brand new fixtures and everything was back in working order. Our neighbors are quiet, and we are close to everything. The weather has been beautiful, and we love taking walks around the campus or the neighborhood close by. Our ward members have been so kind, we have met a lot of people from Rexburg or who went to BYU, and our ward and the JRC do a lot of fun stuff (mostly we eat...a lot!)

Todd and I are enjoying our calling teaching the 12 year olds. I am learning a lot of things by teaching them, although I have to admit it is a bit hard planning lessons all week, and then coming home and doing it some more. Teaching the gospel is so different though, and its good for me to immerse myself in the principles of our Church.

We are keeping our fingers crossed that things will work out so that we can visit PA over our Christmas break!

Debate

I am SO sick of politics right now. I am getting to the point where the only politics I can handle is on SNL and the Simpsons. Sad, huh? I think I am just tired of the bickering, the slams, the dancing around questions, the fancy rhetoric, and the biased media.

Truth be told, I will vote Republican. Those ideals more closely align with mine, and I'm more interested in conservative judges, smaller government, and less taxes. But I'm not super impressed with either ticket. I can say that the more the media and so-called celebrities slam Sarah Palin, the more apt I am to like her.

Can I write in a Romney/Palin ticket?

Baked Dijon Salmon

This is a super easy recipe that has helped Todd and I go through two bags of salmon in three weeks. We just buy those salmon fillets that come in about 4 4 oz. fillets in a bag. These directions are for two fillets, double if you are doing four.

2 T butter
1 1/2 T Dijon mustard (I use regular mustard and its still yummy)
2 1/4 t honey

2 T dry bread crumbs (I crushed up Ritz crackers, still yummy)
2 T finely chopped pecans (pecans are icky, I omitted them)
2 T chopped fresh parsley or oregano

2 4 oz. salmon fillets
salt and pepper to taste
lemon juice to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a small bowl or cup, mix together butter, mustard, and honey. Set aside. In another bowl (I do it in the baggie I crushed the crackers in), mix together crumbs, pecans, and parsley. (I also add a bit of parmesan cheese).
3. Brush each fillet lightly with honey mustard mixture, and sprinkle the tops with the bread crumb mixture.
4. Bake salmon 12 to 15 minutes or until it flakes easily with a fork. In my oven, its actually finished in more about 9 minutes.

My Notes on Conference

Disclaimer: This is basically like my journal. I can't stand writing with pen and pencil anymore, I am a keyboard girl! So this is pretty much for me...it will probably be totally boring to anyone else. And don't look at this and go, oh wow, she watched ALL of conference. I didn't. I slept through parts, and went for a walk during other parts, and wrestled with our internet another part of the time. Will have to catch those other parts later!


Conference Notes

Saturday Morning (started watching right at the end)

Elder Oaks talk: A great reminder to keep the sabbath day holy. Loved when he said that sleeping was a better activity than disturbing the worship of others. A reminder to get my lessons done before sacrament meeting!

Elder Uchtdorf: I needed his message of hope this week. It was a reminder to lean on the Hope of Israel. I loved the message at the very end. Heavenly Father is ready to welcome us in His arms when we ask, as He did for me this week. I need to continue to have faith, hope, and charity and never surrender to feelings or temptations of darkness. For me, his talk reminded me to have the confidence to press forward, to continually grow in my strengths and faith in the Lord.

Loved the ending rendition by the choir of "I Need Thee Every Hour." They sung it beautifully, and the theme was of the song was a perfect ending to the session.

I also watched the World Report (cried through the temples part), as well as the documentary on President Monson following that. I was so impressed with it, and loving seeing the interviews with people who President Monson had touched. I especially loved the interview with the man that Pres. Monson had blessed before Christmas at the barracks, as well as the Crystal Methvin story. That one is a classic, but it was touching to listen to it directly from her parents. If there ever was a man qualified to be our prophet today, it is President Monson. I support him, and have a testimony that he is a prophet of God.

Saturday Afternoon Session (wish I hadn't missed the Primary choir...will have to go back and listen!)

Elder (I'm horrible. I should know this. Need to study my general authorities pictures. As soon as I figure it out, I will smack my head and say "Duh" Okay, It's Elder Wirthlin): Sometimes our trials will not disappear overnight. Sometimes we may struggle for years, as his daughter did. Maybe we will even struggle our entire lives. However, the Lord is with us, as long as we have hope and faith in Him. This seems to be a theme of this general conference.

Elder Holland: (side note: where can I get the tie Elder Holland wore? The purple plaid one? I love it!) Heaven is very close. His help is near. Our history is filled with accounts of ministering angels (that scripture I blogged about a month or so ago? It was about ministering angels...) Most often their purpose is to comfort and give merciful attention. Even Christ had need of heavenly comfort. Remember the Lord has said he will fight our battles, our children's battles, as we strive to keep our covenants. This is not a time to fear and tremble, but to be believing and remember our covenants. One of my favorite talks so far. Story about the little boy crossing the river made me cry (what is WRONG with me!!??)

Sometimes our angels are in the form of people we know (like my husband). God never leaves us alone. Love the scripture shared, that Pres. Monson loves as well, "I will go before your face..."

Elder C? (I missed his last name, I think it was foreign): Be as a little child. Christ has never made the gospel so complicated that no one can understand it or live it. The gospel is so simple that even a child can understand it.

Elder Corbridge: Just because Christ set the standard, this doesn't mean that we have to feel inadequate every day because we will never make it to the mark that he has set. Christ makes up the difference, the atonement will make up where we fall short as long we endure to the end. I loved how emphatic he was about not quitting. Elder Corbridge said it simply, "May we have the sense to follow Him." It's as simple as that. I hope I continue to have the sense!

Elder Christofferson: Zion existed for 365 years (Elijah's Zion). Didn't know that! Got distracted during his talk when my internet did something funky and his voice "s t ar t ed to dOOO thISS" in a really deep voice. It was funny.

Are we doing what we can, all that we can, in regards to the poor and needy? Can I learn to be content with what is sufficient for my needs? This talk is one of those that makes me think I might be a bit too materialistic when it comes to certain things. Let us look after one another the best we can.

*Got to see the kiddies sing. sooooooooo cute. internet messing up, but I can still hear it at least. Unfortunately, I don't think Todd and I's children will have any sort of singing ability. That is def not our forte here in the Thomason house. Look at all the white shirts and ties! Okay, crying again (I'm not SOBBING, just tearing up a bit. C'mon, it's cute!).

Elder Bednar: Meaningful prayers throughout the day are linked together, and they fulfill the admonition to pray always. I should pray more. I think most of my prayers end up as desperate pleas during the day to get me through grammar, reading, math, etc. with those ornery fifth-graders. Some of our most meaningful prayers will contain more "thanks," than "please bless me with _______" I can relate to this. Some of my most heartfelt prayers were thanks for getting me through, or helping me see blessings in my life.

*Last song by the kids...so good!

Sunday Morning Session

President Eyring: Unity is part of our gospel that Heavenly Father wants us to have. He encourages us to gather into families, wards, classes. Children of God have more in common than they have differences.

Elder Hales: We can never be contentious when discussing the gospel. We must always approach conversations with a Christ-like attitude and spirit, or we are not representing the gospel accurately. We need our friends who are not part of the gospel. It is always better to stay on the higher ground of mutual respect when dealing with people who are contentious towards the gospel. We are not better than other people, but we should seek to show them a better way.

Bishop McMullin: Faithful elders are there to do what the Lord would do if he were there: heal the sick, and give blessings to those who are deeply troubled.

Sister Dalton: Media messages can cause us to forget our divine identity. We can change the world through our virtuous influence. Quote from New York marathon runner: "The will to win is nothing without the will to prepare." I really liked when she talked about her granddaughter being blessed, and her wish that her grandbaby be encircled by righteous priesthood leaders not only at her birth, but throughout her life. I loved that image of the baby surrounded by those priesthood leaders. Its one of those images that will stick.

Elder Ballard: I really liked his talk on the growth of the Church. I did not know that Joseph Smith had prophesied in 1842 that the Church would grow in the Rocky Mountains. I also didn't know that we had sent out our one millionth missionary. "We are not asking you to die as a martyr, we are asking you to live as Christian. We are not asking you to cross the plains, we are asking you to cross the street to talk to your neighbor."

President Monson: I LOVED his talk about having joy in the journey, and about not letting our tomorrows or yesterdays drown out what is in the NOW. This is a principle I am slowly getting better at. I don't want to be constantly wishing I have that baby NOW, I have that house NOW, I'm done with school NOW, Todd is done with school NOW. This journey here in Kansas is part of our progression, and I want to enjoy those happy moments and learn from the hard ones. I loved that he said that we will never regret kind words spoken. Gratitude is one of the noblest virtues.

Sunday Afternoon Session

I will have to catch up on this session. I was doing that slumbering thing Elder Oaks talked about :)

Elder Gavarret: We have a responsibility to seek after those who are not at Church. I am bad at this. Other people scare me. Is there a phobia for that? However, it was Christ who was our example in this and who instructs us to feed His sheep.

Elder Godoy: Lost our internet connection. boo.

Missed who this was because of the connection: The sweet and the bitter together are necessary. The ideal gift for Pres. Monson would be to find someone who is having a hard time and help them...that would be our gift to our Prophet.

President Monson: Be a good citizen of the communities that we live in. Contributions allow the Church to respond almost immediately to disasters (how cool is that?!) Live as Christ would.

I have to say I tried a bit harder this time to listen to all of conference. This is the first time I have taken notes in a long time. I am proud of myself for doing this much.

New Temples!

Of the five new temples announced today, one will be in Kansas City, and one will be in Philadelphia! I was actually so excited to hear this that tears were brought to my eyes!

With all of the craziness that is happening in the world today, it's nice to know that the Church is still growing, and that more people are getting opportunities to have temples close by.

Well, after a long and slightly depressing (and terrifying...and nerve-wracking...and horrible) week, it is nice to say I made it through with all my hair still on my head (although I considered pulling it all out on more than one occasion).

What WAS good about this week was the fact that my husband holds the priesthood and was able to give me a blessing, or I think I would have needed a VIP pass to the mental institution. I am SO grateful for him, for his kindness, for prayers, and the gospel, and for that small kick of confidence--from both Todd and my Heavenly Father--that I needed so badly. I'm not sure if there is a luckier girl on the planet, to have been blessed to marry the kindest, sweetest, gentlest, most humble, most loving husband.

It's always nice to end a long week knowing that no matter how hard and long the weeks are (and probably will continue to be), I've got the best man on my side.