around the house: spring break

 blurry lemons

 wheat grass in my window

 messy kitchen, pretty light

 I did not make my bed

seeds (hopefully) growing

Spring break week.  I have loved spending time with sisters and in-laws and nieces and nephews, going to lunch with friends, exercising in the mornings, ironing for hours, and generaly being lazy and satisfied.  I am also overjoyed with spring.  Looking forward to conference.

Happy life.

making me happy monday: resolutions and roasted potatoes

It's Monday and it's the middle of January.  Here are some things making me happy today:

I have really tried to get specific with my resolutions this year.  I mean really hone in on what I want to to and how I'm going to do it.  First, I am starting a book club!  We meet at my house on the third Tuesday of every month.  I am extremely excited about this because I will a) read more, b) reconnect with friends old and new, c) have motivation to clean my house-- though I make no guarantees, and d) try out some new dessert/treat recipes. Win, win, win, win.  If you would like to, please come.  First meeting on January 22 at 7:03 pm!

My next resolution is to make dinner at least 3 times a week.  For you domestic goddesses out there, this may seem like a cinch.  I like to cook, but I often find that when I get home from school the last thing I want to do is come up with something to make, start making it to find I am missing half of the ingredients, improvise with things I have, dirty several pots and pans, burn something while waiting for Samuel to get home, take ten minutes to shovel down whatever I've managed to salvage, and then still have a mountain of dishes to wash.  I may be exaggerating a little, but needless to say-- it's a goal.  My sister Bryttin (who actually is a domestic goddess) saved me these first couple weeks of the year by introducing me to the "Freezer Meal" concept, and let me tell you... it is amazing.  I just come home, pull something yummy out of the freezer (that I made a week ago at Bryttin's house under her watchful eye), throw it in the oven and 30 minutes later-- voila! Dinner.  Another saving grace has been the 2 week plan.  This was introduced to me by the Food Nanny. Have you ever seen that show on byu tv?  The lady is kind of annoying, but her methods are true!  Knowing what I'm going to make in advance (and shopping for those meals specifically) makes a big difference in my weekly dinner making record.

This is where the roasted potatoes come in.  Tonight I made yogurt parmaesan chicken and roasted potatoes... and it's only Monday.  Yes.

Another resolution I have is to use the space in our home for productivity.  Samuel and I have this infamous "back room."  It has been full of stuff for nearly 3 years.  It has been an embarassment for nearly 3 years.  It has been giving me anxiety for nearly 3 years.  It has been a source of contention in our home for nearly 3 years.  Well, no more!  We have spent some time going through things, rearranging, stacking boxes, and taking things to DI-- and the room is finally starting to look live-able.  Even though we still have a way to go, I am motivated to go through things, organize, and get rid of what I don't love/use.  I'm letting go of "stuff" and it feels good!  It also feels good to actually be using the space we have rather than whining about the space we don't have. (This has been a problem for me.  Tell me I'm not the only one?)

What resolutions have you made this year?

Have a happy week, everyone.

ahhh christmas.

a timeline:

thanksgiving was fantastic in colorado.  we loved hanging out with family and eating good food.  Samuel got the 24 hour flu.  long, beautiful drive.

back to school for a few weeks.  holidays around the world.  music, crafts, multiplication.  books, books, books.  I love seeing my students write their letters to santa.

december good times-- jazz game with a buzzer beater final shot, incredible tabernacle choir concert with nana, henry schein holiday party, family parties, music.

Samuel's birthday is on Saturday!  we have big plans for some skiing, dinner, and presents.

I can't believe that Christmas is only a few days away.  There are still so many things I hope to do: see the lights, get together with friends, make candy at grammy's, relax, wrap gifts, watch it's a wonderful life.  Maybe even greet new twin nieces?!

wishing you peace and joy for the season.

Christmas Card

A GROVER YEAR IN REVIEW:

January: Brynn celebrates her big 2-5, Samuel settles into his new job at Henry Schein Practice Solutions. February: we host our nieces and nephews for a Valentine Party. March: Samuel does a winter ascent of Mount Olympus. April: We celebrate our 2 year anniversary at the tulip festival. may: we visit hebgen lake in the snow over memorial day. Samuel helps chop wood and make-over the upstairs bathroom. June: School is out for the summer! brynn starts teaching a book group at the king’s english bookstore.  July: Samuel hikes the 32 mile teton crest trail. Brynn plans and executes an Olympics party at the cabin. August: brynn inventories her classroom library. We party at the grover family reunion.  September: we head to hebgen over Labor Day. Brynn run/walks the canyon rim 5k. October: we set an all time record by having 5 trick-or-treaters come to our house.. November: we drive to denver and enjoy Thanksgiving with some of the grover/McAllister clan. December: we cut down a fresh christmas tree.

Wishing you all the best this holiday season!  

Love, Brynn & Samuel

November! Hey!

I have a large gap between Parent-Teacher conferences this evening, so (inspired by Bailey) I thought I'd take a leap and update the blog.  Some realizations for me as of late:  (kind of on the serious side-- sorry).

School this year has been good.  I have gained a great respect for mothers-- all mothers, but specifically mothers of children with special needs.  I admire your unconditional love.  I admire how hard you "fight" for your kid.  I mean, even if it is sometimes against the teacher, against the administration, against the psychologists and the pathologists and the other students, if you don't stick up for your kid-- who will?  It has been a good lesson for me to learn, though not always the easiest.

I would like to give a shout out to my Grandpa.  He is the most giving, dependable, calm person I know.  He comes to my wild classroom three times a week, and captures my students' hearts by giving them candy and practicing their spelling.  I find that his mere presence boosts me up during the hard days-- just knowing that he is there and that he will still like me even if I make a student do their work when they don't want to.  Or if I give up on making them do their work because they make me crazy.  He is the best.

November always gets me thinking about things I am thankful for.  I am so grateful for a supportive husband who is honest and true.  I am so grateful for loving families who love us despite our shortcomings.  I am grateful for friends who never let me down.  I am grateful for a job I love, and for students I love more.  I am grateful for supportive colleagues, who help me keep a good perspective.  I am thankful for the beautiful surroundings I get to enjoy (and snow!).  I am thankful for the gospel, and the temple, and the scriptures--they keep me grounded.  I am really grateful for 3 days off next week, and a road trip to look forward to.  I love Thanksgiving.  It's one of my favorite holidays because it's all about things I love: fall, food, families, PIE (and... the parade!).  I hope its a good one, wherever you are.

bad hair day?

Today as I was greeting my students at the door, one particularly adorable child looked up at me and said, "Miss Brynn, are you having a bad hair day?"

Oh, those kids.

school time again

hi guys.  school starts in less than a week.  just thought you might want to know.

I've been up at the school for the past couple of weeks organizing and getting ready.  my classroom library got a revamp, I've learned about teaching different personality types, I lost all of the fonts on my computer- then spent a lot of time downloading new ones. workbooks have been printed.  desks and chairs have been placed.  it's only a matter of time.