Elf on the Shelf- Classroom Ideas

My co-worker, Colleen, and I have a lot of fun with Elf on the Shelf in our ESL classroom. Here are a few of the ways Jingle B. Jangle (B is for Bell) kept his eyes on the students this year...

Jingle started out with a bang by tying up the Grinch!

He tried bringing a snowman back from the North Pole. Oh, so sad.

Plant the Magic Seeds in the Magic Beans and watch what happens overnight!

Be ever so careful! You might get sprayed.

Did you know Hershey makes Kisses at Christmastime
that look like hats and say HO! HO! HO!?

I couldn't post these pics of our elf without bragging about Colleen's art skills...

We love ESL and Christmas! 

Learning CAN be fun. :)

From Butt-Ugly to Shabby Chic- Two

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

From Butt-Ugly to Shabby Chic

My husband is retired and enjoys refinishing dressers as a hobby. We were driving around, looking for garage sales one Saturday, and spotted this purple dresser near a trashcan in someone's driveway. Boyd decided to knock on their door and asked about it. The woman was so happy to not have to haul it to the dump that she gave it to us free. Score!

BEFORE

Boyd loves creating the distressed look and this piece sold very fast. 

Here is the finished product...

To see more of his work, click on this link... 

Boyd's Refinishing Projects

Kelly and Casey's Co-Ed Baby Shower

The Expecting Couple :)

Yummy Food...

Gifts Galore...

You don't live in Las Vegas without a pool!

Casey practicing holding a baby by holding his new nephew.

Games...

Guess How Many M&M's are in the Bottle

Kelly Explaining to Boyd how to Play

Parting Gifts...

It Might Take a Year, It Might Take a Day, but What's Meant to Be Will Always Find Its Way

Ten months ago I was heartbroken and pretty much expected that I was destined to go through the remainder of this life without a partner. My heart ached when I saw other couples, whether old or young, enjoying companionship and I realized that I no longer had that blessing in my life. I plead over and over with God "Please, there has to be someone out there whom I can love and will love me back...someone who will love my kids and my grand kids, who enjoys the same things I do, who worships and believes the same way I do, etc." Each day I went on and on and was very specific in my prayers with my wants, my needs, my desires.

Then, one day last fall, I was having a conversation with a coworker and good friend, Colleen. I told her that unless God basically drops someone in my path at Walmart, church or work, I will remain single, because I don't typically go anywhere else and there is NO WAY I am going to do the online dating thing. She responded to my pitiful, negative attitude by letting me know that a couple of her daughters met their husbands on LDSsingles. As I pondered on her words for a few days, I decided I would give the website a try. 

It didn't take long before Boyd Beatty messaged me. As I read his profile, I could not believe how much we had in common. I seriously thought that he had read my profile first and then changed his answers to match mine! It took a lot of convincing on his part to get me to actually go out on a date, but he was patient and his persistence eventually paid off. 

Despite my broken spirit from past relationships, he was able to win me over and prove to me that good guys do still exist in this world. (He even went to the police station and had a background check run on himself to prove to me he has no criminal history.)

Long story short, I am so glad I had that conversation with my coworker months ago and that Boyd reached out to me online. He is such a good man. He loves and respects me and he loves my children and grandchildren. There is not a day that goes by that he doesn't tell me "I love you! I am so grateful to have you and your kids in my life!" But most importantly, I learned a lesson that I will never, ever forget and that is God does hear and answer prayers. It may take years (as was the case of my divorce) or it may just be a few short months (like Boyd and I finding each other), but God does have a watchful eye over me and Cody. This I am absolutely positive of.

On Thursday, June 1st, Boyd and I had a small, intimate wedding ceremony in a private dining area at the Cliffside restaurant overlooking St. George. Here are a just few of the photos from that very special evening. I will share more on Facebook for close friends and family.

Grandpa Boyd telling our grandsons it's okay to lick the frosting off the tray.

I LOVE this pic SO much!

The only way the evening could have been better is if Casey and Kelly could have been there (they are in Las Vegas and expecting a baby soon) and if River could have lived to see her dad marry again. Rest in Peace River. We know you were with us in spirit.

Bellagio Botanical Gardens Spring 2017

Besides Dunkin Donuts (not even kidding here), one of my favorite places to visit when I am in Las Vegas is the Bellagio. Not only are the fountains spectacular, but the conservatory and botanical gardens are amazing!

This year Boyd and I were able to feast our eyes on the Japanese Spring arrangement where there are 65,000 flowers on display.

35-foot floral Kabuki figure

  

I hope we can go back and see the other seasonal displays this year. 

So. Much. Fun!

For more information, click on the bold links in the first paragraph of this post.