Talking in Dove...

Ok, I am going to be honest. I read one of my best friend's Kelsey's blog... and it makes me want to blog. I have nothing important to say about anything... So here are my thoughts put to thoughts I got from Dove chocolate wrappers. I hope you enjoy.

"Close your eyes and relax"

This one goes to my TWS. It is due on Monday morning and I've been stressing about it for weeks and weeks and it is ALMOST DONE!!! yay! I have not much left and a little tweaking and this time next week I will be sooo done! then I can Close my eyes and relax.

"Learn to say "I Love You" in a different language"

Eu amo-o. There you go. Portuguese. I got it off freetranslation.com (it sounds better when Clint says it... the computer is so lame...) so sorry Clint if it's totally wrong but this one goes out to you! I am so in love. I look down at my ring and just think, I must be the luckiest girl in the whole world to have my clint forever <3

"Slow down, take notice, savor the moment"

This goes to my kids. I have to remind myself of this one so I recognize all the really great things they do and say. I love those little kiddos.

"Even small celebrations deserve a dance"

Like getting all 5/5s on my observation last week. This week only one 4/5. yes. I had a dance party with myself in my car on the way home. you better believe I'm an awesome teacher! ;)

"Patience is a virtue"

Kind of like what clint said when I told him maybe we could just stop in Vegas on the way back to Utah... haha I was joking. Mostly. June will just be a great month. I can't even wait to officially have my love forever :)

There are more. My roomy Corrie and I talk in Dove whenever we have the chance. It's pretty therapeutic. Give it a try. I highly recommend it.

<3

Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day:

me: (we're talking about endangered animals) Does anyone know what endangered means?
Abby: It means they are about to go extinct.
me: ya know, that's an awfully big word... extinct? what does that mean?
Abby: It means that they will never come back because they are all dead.
me: you are so smart! you're absolutely right

I see Abby raising her hand again.... so I call on her

Abby: I just wanted to say that they won't NEVER come back, because we're all going to come back in the second coming. They just have to wait til then like everyone else who dies.

yes. I teach in Utah and I pretty much just love everyday of my life.
<3

a ring a ring, who's got a ring... ME!

I am officially engaged to Clinton Roger Prestwich :) Here is the story...
We've talked about this for awhile, Clint asked my dad's permission over Christmas, I knew it was coming but I was still COMPLETELY suprised. (Well done babe)

Valentines Day came around and Clint had to work all day-way lame I know- but he still made it special for me. He bought me purple tulips (my favorite) and wrote me the sweetest note I've ever read. We decided to really celebrate the next day when we had more time.

Tuesday. I went to work. (ps. I never know whether to say I went to school or went to work because both work... just a tid bit of information for you) My kids were awesome that day. I think it may be because they were coming down from a major sugar high from Valentine's Day, but that's just my guess. :)
I was in charge of teaching half of the lesson in the theater that day to the whole 2nd grade. My good friend Shaunna was going to teach the other half and asked if she could go first. It didn't matter to me so I said sure. Here is how theater went.... with my thoughts

Shaunna : Boys and Girls, I am so excited for this lesson today. I even lost sleep about it last night! ok, I understand we try to get the kids excited about every lesson, but you lost sleep? maybe exercise and the food pyramid isn't THAT exciting.... I just have to get a few things.

She walks out of the theater and runs into the office... she comes back with a box of tissues and her camera 1. these have nothing to do with exercise. 2. maybe with the principal watching we should have all our things already ready... this isn't like Shaunna...

She runs out of the theater again and into Julie's (my facilatator who is in charge of all the interns) office. When she comes back out... Clint is following in his suit and tie. o my gosh. o my gosh. what is he doing here? o my gosh (man, he always looks so good in his suit...)

Shaunna: We have a special visitor for Miss Pitt. Does anyone know who this is?
*Shouts come from the theater-Her husband! -no....well, not yet....
-Her Boyfriend! -yes!
Miss Pitt, will you please come to the front of the theater?

So I walk up to the front and everyone says my eyes were all big and I looked like I was shocked... that's probably because I was... haha
Clint said "Alissa, 5 months ago, I asked you a question. (it was our 5 month day of dating) I asked you if you were willing to give us a try. You said yes and I think it's gone pretty well, so today I have another question for you." He got down on one knee and said "Will you marry me?"

I was smiling like a fool and shaking like no other and I couldn't get the word "Yes" out of my mouth so I just nodded my head a lot and put out my left hand -which Clint later said he was grateful for because he doubted his ability to grab the correct hand in that moment... haha- and he put on my ring.

I was excused for the rest of the school day (there was only about 20 minutes left) and Clint and I left.

I don't even know if it has fully hit me yet. I am marrying the most amazing man I've ever met. He treats me like a queen and is so thoughtful and kind to me and everyone else around him. Clint is genuinely interested in everyone and is so aware of how people are feeling. I keep looking at this beautiful ring on my finger and I have to remind myself that it means I get to keep him forever. I love that! I can't believe this is real life. It is so easy. Why didn't anyone tell me it was going to be this easy? Clint is just easy to be with always. It just fits. It is perfectly perfect as my second graders would say :)

I'm in love and engaged to the boy of my dreams
<3

Night on the Town...

... if by that you mean going to Macey's with my awesome roommates while we all had on the most ridiculous hats we could find? YES! best girls night ever!

Ok, so this is actually the 3rd time I've tried writing this blog and the 3rd time the blog froze when I tried to move that picture down... so although I'm sure you want to see all the really great pictures we took, and I would love to share them with you, I cannot move them and it would drive me crazy so you get this one :)

I hope you notice a few things. And if you didn't, you now will

1. Nikki has on a coon skin hat. yes. I got that for her one time I was driving back to utah from california because we have this strange love for it... long story. but I love it.

2. I am not in this picture... because obviously I was taking it... but I would like you to know that I too had an awesome hat. It belongs to Corrie and I loved it.

3. My roommates are so great! Who else puts on sweet hats and goes and gets 52 cent ice cream and takes the best pictures ever and makes my life so happy? I love them.

It was so fun to go out with the girls! I've been kind of sad that Clint works a lot these days (But it is super impressive that he is such a hard worker. He is going going going all the time and never even complains about it. He is just amazing<3)But anywho, it was so great to get out of the house and not sit and do lesson plans while watching my favorite chick flicks- although I do love those- this was so much better! I am so lucky to have such great roommates and have such fun times!>

I love my life.

<3

Illegal

So I was reading a book to my kids the other day (There is a Boy in the Girls Bathroom-they think its the funniest thing in the whole world) and there is a boy who says some funny comment about beating up some girl....

Boy in my class-Bobby: He shouldn't do that...

me: o ya? why do you say that?

bobby: he could get in trouble with the police... doesn't he know? hurting girls is illegal.

I seriously love my job.

<3

My Christmas Miracles

So here I was laying in bed, praying actually, that I would just not be sick anymore.

For those of you who live with me/know me pretty well, you already know I have probably had every sickness known to man in the last 2 months. Weird colon problems, strep throat, mono, head to toe itchy hives... I'm currently feeling nauseous...it's going around my apartment... it only seems logical I would get it too... haha

So here I was, feeling sorry for myself. Then I remembered something Clint showed me a little bit ago. His mom always finds a Christmas miracle every year and writes a little blog about it. So I stopped praying to not be sick and instead prayed for a Christmas miracle. Then I realized how many I've already had and I have to share.

My students are angels.
I realized this month how absolutely INSANE kids get from really little things. Snow for example, or even just really cold wind if we're being honest haha. Also, pictures coming back from the school (yes. I got my class picture today. I'm framing it this weekend! ) And if little things get them excited, you had better believe that Christmas would make them crazy.
But they aren't.
The other teachers are amazed at how mellow my class is. I know it's not me. I haven't been very consistent with their schedule this week and I give them art projects and they still are just so so good. And o how grateful I am for that.

I am safe
There have been some sketchy things happen around my apartment complex in the past few months, some coming way closer to home than I would ever want. When all is said and done though, I am safe. I carry my pepper spray around with me everywhere I go and my apartment has our FHE brothers and my strong Clint who is willing to escort us around the parking lot and anywhere else we don't feel safe. I could go through this category alone and find enough Christmas miracles to last the whole blog... a cell phone out and ready, the right words to say... I am so blessed.

Peace
I think this is my biggest one. It's not anything I can measure like the others, but it fills my heart everyday. Life is crazy. I'm not saying this to get pitty parties or anything, I don't want you to feel bad for me. That isn't the point of this post. Things in life are chaotic right now, but I have so many miracles that I see everyday and peace fills my heart.
When Christ was born, the angels brought glad tidings of great joy. They proclaimed peace on earth. I know my peace comes from this same source. The love I feel from everyone surrounding me, the patience and understanding of people that are counting on me to teach their children or to help the girls in my ward, the overwhelming feeling that things will just work out... I know these feelings come from the prayers said on my behalf and the fact that the Lord is aware of how much I can take. I have learned so much about the Atonement through all of this. I have learned to take the things that I cannot handle and give them away to the Lord. Of course, I'm not perfect at this, but I'm getting better... hopefully. I have learned that I can't do all of this alone. I need the help of people around me, I need the help of my family, but the most help I get is from the Savior, after whom this season is named for. The things I have gone through haven't gone away, but the promise of peace proclaimed to shepherds so long ago is real. I feel it everyday. It makes me happy.

So these are my miracles. Thanks for sharing with me.

Merry Christmas

Geometry

Miss Pitt: Boys and girls, today we are learning something new. It is called geometry! Only really really smart kids get to learn geometry but I think you can do it. Tap your head if you have heard the word geometry before (a few kids tap their heads). Now I want you to touch your nose if you can tell me what it means....

One little boy touches his nose.

Yes bobby (obviously not his real name)

Bobby: That's when you sit at the computer a really REALLY long time and you look at a bunch of stuff and its the names of your family from a long time ago. Like your ancestors.

Miss Pitt: Well Bobby, that is genealogy.... close, but geometry actually means we're going to learn about shapes...

O the mormon moms that would be o so proud if they knew what their kids knew in second grade :)