Sometimes I mix church and state, so sue me.

Insert attention getter here-----------------> {ATTENTION GETTER!}

It's Wednesday... Not sure how I feel about it, seems how I'm home, and not at the gym right now. Ya I don't like it. But I will be back soon enough. My teacher gave us a lecture about how important it is to put an attention getter at the beginning of your writing... so I did. My teacher is so cool. Please don't lay him off.

I just thought I'd give my two cents on the budget cuts that are supposed to take place on the first. {Ya, I'm cool and know about the world and stuff.} First off I'd like to say making these cuts in our educational system will only hurt the country worse. We are the future of America and the quality of our education depends on the funds our school receives. Without teachers the student's will be the ones who suffer. Do you really want to fix the nations economy by taking opportunity from the students? I don't know where you grew up and I don't know where you come from, but I don't think you have ever sat in a classroom that is over full. I have. I have been in a class with over 40 kids and only room for about 30. I struggled in that class because I got almost no help from the teacher. I didn't get to sit at desk for half the year. Please don't take money from my school. I don't think you have ever sat in a school that was so hot it was unsafe because it didn't have air conditioning. I have. There were students that were sent to the hospital because of heat stroke, and we had to do math in the hallways because it was 2 degrees cooler. Please don't take money from my school. I don't know if you ever got involved in the extra curricular activities, but I did. Theatre was a huge part of my Jr. High experience and is a big part of who I am today. These extra curricular activities such as sports and theatre keep kids out of trouble and give us something to achieve. Please don't take money from my school. I know you have never had to use an online text book because "online" was something foreign to you when you were growing up. The online text books don't work. They have typos and errors, and they make it hard for families with several children. I know you think every family in America has multiple computers, tablets, and apple products to use, but the reality... not everybody has those things. I may be fortunate enough to have resources in my home, but I know many people who don't. {I must also note that none of your text books work on Apple products since Apple has blocked these sights, and they don't work on Kindles either, because the Kindles don't read the format of the online books.} It is not fair for these students to have to suffer because you can't figure out the government. I may not know everything, but I know enough to say that the future of America rests in your hands. Please be careful with it.

Now I'm sure that was a long and boring paragraph for most of you. Congrats on finishing it! Now I'd like to leave some thoughts and scriptures with all y'all who, like me, are amazed by these great and terrible thinks taking place in the world. This was from my scripture study this morning. Take from it what you will.

1 Thessalonians 5

2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, peace and safety; then  sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, bretheren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.



I believe these scriptures go along perfectly with our theme schripture this year...

        "Wherefore, 

                STAND YE in holy places,                         

                                   and be not moved,    

                       until the day of the Lord Come;                

                                                                        for behold,                                         

            it cometh quickly, 

saith the Lord, Amen"                   

                                        -D&C 87:8

I believe these are dark times, and that they will get darker the nearer we get to our final hour. We must stand as an army of God, ready to contend with all evil. I encourage you to stay strong, and to keep on fighting.



Feel my Sunlight


p.s. I am going to watch the season 7 PSYCH premiere right now. And AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I can't wait! I can't even contain myself, Psychic forever! <3

p.s.s. What is your opinion on this font? Is it too hard to read? I can't decide.

Order of the Court

I went to see the judge {aka the Orthopedic Doc.} to day folks! He looked at my foot. The Verdict: Double ankle sprain (Not sure if that is a correct term, but basically I have I high ankle sprain as well as a normal ankle sprain from two different, recent occasions.)  The sentence? I am out for a week {I got off easy with some talk of my "international" meet in a few weeks}, and when I come back I can only tumble minimal amounts with athletic tape AND an ankle brace... oh and no trampolines YAHOO!  DARN IT! :(

So with all my free time this week when I am usually tumbling I might just get some homework done... then again, maybe not.




Feel my Sunlight




p.s. I changed my font! Now my "!!!!" look different than my "llll"! You're welcome.

Royal Army & a Swolen Ankle

Hey Bloggers and Bloggetts! How is my world wide network of people that just sits at their computers waiting and thirsting for me to post new pieces of my unimmaginable ammounts of knowledge and my buckets of inspiration?? Wonderful mother that reads every post and occasionally corrects my grammer so that I don't look illiterate if/when anybody else takes a chance at this humble blog of mine. Whew! Wasn't that an introduction?!

Well, really how are you? If you were to ask me I would probubly tell you I'm good, even dandy maybe... But the truth? I'm dying on the inside. And no this has nothing to do with me not going to sweethearts, or me and my always and forever "VL" (more on that later). No. this has everything to do with my wonderful Saturday morning workout and a spill that might just cost me my "international" meet. (You have no idea how hard it was to write that last sentence.)

Well it was almost 12:00 exactly. I was working fulls and my coach asked me if I had one more in me. I did (or so I thought). Well I ran, I roundoffed, I back handspringed, and I did something in the air, and well... the rest is history. So here I am with a swolen ankle and a funny limp. The parts that hurts the most is the fact that I have my last local meet in 2 weeks, and the Kalon Ludvigson Invitational (aka The meet with "out of state/out of country" compeditors) the week after! Yes I know it is part of the sport, and yes, I know its life, but it doesn't make it hurt any less. Now all I can do is pray and hope I am not out too long.

But really, who am I to complain? Compared to several people not too far from me my life is just roses. My heart goes out to the students at one of the other high schools in our district that recently faced the tragic loss of another suicide. To family and friends of this student, I send you my prayers. I learned of this heart breaking news through one of those social media sights that allows you to grow fake food, and "poke" people. My first thought was "again???" Then my second thought was "wow, look at the world we live in." Just think back on the last few months and years we have faced as a community, a nation, and as the human race. Think of the shootings, the floods, the natural desastors, the wars, the broken homes, the broken hearts, and the works of the devil. I don't know about you but I believe the prophecies proclaimed in D&C 88 have begun to come to pass. Now these terrible things are a proof to me that the 2nd coming is inching it's way around the corner, but the wonderful things are a proof as well. The fact that church memberships have gone from 1.5 million to 14 million in the last 50 years, the fact that missionary work has quickened, and the age to serve has been dropped, the fact that with these growing ammounts of missionaries the church has opened 58 new missions. This is in no doubt a preparation for the final hours. We are his later day army. We must prepare, and begin to fight.





Feel my Sunlight



p.s. Oh ya.... I was going to talk about the whole "VL" Thing.... haha fail. Ah well, here it goes! For those of you oldies who don't know... "VL" means "Virgin Lips" aka "Haven't been kissed" Well it is an on-going joke that my sister will have her "first kiss" before me due to her being the lead in the Jr. High musical. Well not too long ago my sister asked our bishop if it was okay if she kissed a guy if it is for a play. His responce... She must either wrap her lips around her teeth, or she must use seran wrap because their lips must not touch. Now just picture that. They are about to kiss when my sister turns away and pulls a piece of seran wrap out of her pocket an puts it on her lips. When the guy gives her a confused look she states "My bishop said our lips can't touch or I would have to repent." He also said that if they do he is going to stand up in the middle of the performance and yell "SUNDAY. 10:00. MY OFFICE!" Now let me ask you, have any of you ever had a conversation with your bishop that was so funny that you were laughing to the point where you were almost crying? Ya, didn't think so. #mybishopisgreaterthanyourbishop

p.s.s. I'm ready for summer now. All in favor pleas manifest by the uplift of hand. Any apposed by the same sign. Oh how I wish it was that easy.

funny things and nerdy stuff

Hey bloggy friends of mine! I am coming to you again from my little cubical in computer tech. I am really enjoying all this free time at a computer. So I just thought I'd share with you my favorite conversation with a child as of late. This little boy is about 4 and I teach him tumbling on a weekly basis.

Him- "Teacher, does your TV only play tumbling shows?"
Me- "No my TV plays all kinds of shows."
Him- "MINE DOES TOO!!!"

So I pretty much died. I can't ever get over how funny my kids are even if they are little stinkers the majority of the time.

Yesterday I got interested in family history all of the sudden. I know weird right? It's like old people stuff! But I read about a guy named James Reid...


Birth: Jan. 13, 1816, Scotland Death: Jun. 18, 1886 Smithfield Cache County Utah, USA Son of John Reid and Mary Murray
Married - Elizabeth Cumming, 29 Dec 1843, Kilmarnock, Ayr, Scotland
Children - James Reid, Elizabeth Reid, George Reid, Mary Reid, John Cumming Reid, Louis Cumming Reid, Margaret Ann Reid, Isabelle Reid, Robert Reid

History -

 When James was age two, his father was lost at sea near Indonesia. Forty years later James embarked on his own ocean voyage across the Atlantic. James, his wife, his mother, his step father and his half brothers, all departed Scotland bound for Salt Lake City. They reached present-day Wyoming by August, giving them plenty of time to reach Utah before snow fell. However, at Ft. Laramie, a bounty hunter mistaking him for a dangerous outlaw, shot and seriously wounded James, forcing the family to stay at the Fort for several weeks. After James began to recover, the family joined the Willie Company's ill-fated handcart journey across Wyoming.
His birth death dates for James are confirmed by his obituaries.
Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel

Family links:
Spouse:  
Elizabeth Cumming Reid (1824 - 1910)
Children:  
Mary Reid Lindsay (1851 - 1929)*  
Robert Reid (1867 - 1947)*

Now isn't that exciting? Shot by bounty hungers and his dad lost at sea! My family is pretty cool. Ya so I know what you are thinking.... what a nerd blogging about family history AT SCHOOL! Ha ya call me what you will. I enjoy it.

Please enjoy a picture of the first Apple computer that I had to coppy, paste, and email to my teacher for my test. Tricky stuff.

Feel my Sunlight



p.s. Is it Friday yet?!?

p.s.s. Today I have reached more people in Ukraine than I have in the United States! Shout out to my Ukrainian readers! :)

Computer Tech

Well, this has been a fun class... I have been sitting here at the computer for the last 40 minutes with nothing to do in a silent room. So it in the end resulted in pinterest, blogs, and well...this post! I thought it might be fun to send you back to some of my old favorite posts. Enjoy!

HERE                                                                  HERE
                                       here                                                HERE

           here                                 here

HERE                                                            HERE             HERE


Feel my Sunlight

Happy Single Awareness Day!

So here we are on February 14th. The day of chocolate hearts and red balloons. It has been an odd, yet normal day. Valentines day is just another day same as any else, except people think PDA is acceptable. Again I received no pink roses, but all truth to tell, I think I would feel incredibly weirded out if anyone gave me pink roses today. I'm not very close to very many boys right now and totally okay with it! I'm so cool I eat lunch in my history teachers class room. Boys are swarming me let me tell ya! So I will just blog and listen to On My Own from Les Miserables and sorrow in self pity at my dateless self. See, I usually tell people I am dating a guy named Jim....with the last name of Nastics. {yes say that out loud....whoo! I'm dating Jim Nastics!} But today I am not even going to the gym! What is up with that? So happy Valentines day Jim!
A team mate of mine posted a quote on facebook that I really like so I thought I just might steel it and post it on here.

“ Love 

                        is more than a paper heart. 

Love is of the very                       

       essence of life. 

                It is the

 pot of gold at the end of the          

 rainbow. ”                   

                            --Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley

 

So the odd part of my day consists hearing of the swat team and tear gas a few streets over and their happenings last night. Exciting stuff! {I think I watch to much Psych...} Me being extremely excited about a project in health {what the?!}, and well, its sugar day!

 

 

Happy Valentines day! 

 

 

Feel my Sunlight 

 

P.s. I have two blog post I think you should read by some pretty cool people. Click

HERE and HERE! One might make you cry... fair warning 

thoughts

I feel that my blog is lacking some of that deep-though-facebook-link-worthy-stuff. So here you have it. A whole bunch of deep from my mind. Hope it doesn't bore you.

I know I have written about this before, but I believe one of my greatest weaknesses is having to say goodbye. I don't ever cry.... unless there is a goodby involved. There is something about goodbyes that rip at your heart and tear at your soul. They never completely heal. I have a soft spot in my heart for several people that I may never talk to again. The boy from Jr. High that hugged me tight and I cried. Those groups of people I only knew for a week. That team mate that stuck with me for so long but slowly diminished out of my life. That class full of innocent pretenders that became so close. Those coaches that did so much for me I would never be able to thank them. Truth is...I miss you...all the time. Things are different now. They may be for the better, but they never feel any easier. I think about you often, and it saddens me when you don't want to talk. All I want is to talk and laugh like we used to even if it is just for one night. But I have come to learn something about goodbyes. They can never return to they way they were. They will never feel the same. Because the truth is we have changed. We have grown {not literally of course...}. And we have become new and greater people. The shapes of our puzzle pieces have changed, and we no longer fit together the way we used to. But even if we never speak to each other again, I hope you never forget the closeness we had, never forget the inside jokes, or the nicknames, and never ever forget the memories. And if you ever want to talk. I will be here...waiting.

So now that I have proclaimed my feelings towards the people I miss, I thought I might just proclaim my feelings on the people I have right now, since I know that the people I am with today, will be the ones I cry over tomorrow. So why not appreciate what I have?
Tonight was one of those nights where everything in the gym is just right. One of those sweet moments when you remember why you have done this so long and why you love it so much. Today we all came together and hit hard. With the music booming around us, and encouraging words being said you can't help but feel loved. You can't help but feel like you are in the right place with the right people. I just hope my team mates know how much I love and appreciate them. I know what it feels like to tumble in an empty gym and just want them to know how much I crave the days when we all come together. Thanks for being my team. It means the world to me.

<3 Teriyaki, StirFry, Kodee, Cid, Brittany, Brinna, Anedy, Cid, Kenz.



Feel my Sunlight




p.s. I finished my personal progress!!!!!!!!! I was torn because I like the look of the silver medallion better, but I am a tumbler that always strives for gold.... In the end I picked silver and am not sure how I feel about it... Can't I just have one of each?

p.s.s. I don't like when people bail. It makes me sad.

life of a tumbling coach

After I read THIS POST over on The Life of Bon about how much she loves her high school students it left me thinking about how much I love my students. {Though mine are much littler, and I don't teach them grammar....since I lack the knowledge myself.}

I teach tumbling. I believe it is the best job out there. Now there may be people who disagree with me, but I bet you would feel different after you spent some time with my kids.


Yesterday one of my 4 year olds ran  to me with the biggest smile on her face and says "WHITNEY! I brought you a present!" he then hands me a piece of gum.  I call this little one Jellyfish since she wears skirts that make her look like a jellyfish when she jumps. If I were to pick favorites she would definatly make the list. As would the rest of her class, along with my Wednesday intermediate class. These kids have been working so hard. Every single one of them learned there power hurdle roundoff today and am stoked!

1-Student learns a big new skill especially when it was a struggle for them.
2-Hugs... there nothing like love from a 3 year old.
3-When the kids have intense excitement about what we are doing. His name is Whitten and he brings me joy.
4-GOOD BEHAVIOR! {this does not include bringing your naughty 4 year old to the gym a half hour early and let her run around the entire gym expecting us to babysit her! We have classes that need our attention for crying out loud!}
5-And lastly, watching them grow.

In the short few years I have been teaching I have watched y kids grow up so much and I can't help wonder who they will become. I wonder sometimes how much of an impact I could have on these kids and it makes me think about what I have to offer them. I truly believe that the greatest thing I could give them is love. I have had kids that have come from foster homes, a girl with epilepsy, and a girl that could barley walk just to name a few. I have had some kids who have had it hard. I will never forget standing by the trampoline and watching the girl who struggled walking jump on the trampoline without falling. My kids have given me way more than I could ever give them. They have taught me about courage, they have taught me out working hard, they have taught me about patience, they have taught me about victory. They have given me enough love to last a lifetime. <3

I'd also like to do a quick shout out to my team mate Stirfry. Double mini was rough and I don't know what I would have done without you today. Thanks for the support.

So there you have it! My tumbling thoughts of the week! I've got a meet on Saturday and can't wait! That's all for now! I <3 my readers!!!

feel my sunlight

p.s. I am officially registered for EFY! I don't have a room mate yet, so if you don't want to go by yourself talk to me. Everyone should go register ASAP I promise you wont regret it!

Eat. Sleep. Tumble.

New post on my Tumbling blog! Everyone check it out!
CLICK HERE!.........CLICK HERE!...........CLICK HERE!

busy

well that was kinda fun. Yesterday was my cousin Aleatha's wedding. after the wedding my grandma came up to me and said "you might be next." I'm thinking "whoa grandma! I'm only 16 and have never been on a date. plus you have haven't heard my EFY counselor & possible mission plans." t hen I thought "What if shes right?!" crazy thought!
so today we had camp with Justin. That was fun. Thanks Justin for coming down and taking the time to work with us. I learn new stuff every time. After camp we came home and got ready for my baby sisters baptism. That was fun and I will post pictures later. Congrats Miki we are so proud of you!!

feel my sunlight

p.s. talking to boys is kinda fun.
p.s.s. I think country music is the greatest.