Teaching Primary

Today was our first Sunday to teach the CTR6 kids in Primary. It was precious, and....EASY. :-) Going from 25 2nd graders to 4...FOUR...1st graders is a piece of cake! They are so sweet and tiny. Bryson was so cute, laughing and "aww-ing" the whole 2 hours haha. He even admitted that he got a little teary-eyed when they sang "He Sent His Son" duing closing exercises. The best part is, I get to be with Bryson the entire time during church! :-)

Just waiting...

For my husband to get home.

Until then, I'll just sit here on the couch, like a loser and play with my webcam haha.

A Little Piece of Heaven Here On Earth!

I was craving Muddy Buddies all morning, so I went to the grocery store and picked up the ingredients without telling Bryson. When I got home, he said (without seeing what I had bought) "We should make Muddy Buddies, I've been craving them all week." Were we meant to be, or what? haha

Delish! :-)

Brighten My Day

I can't even believe how blessed I am to have family who loves me and cares about me. I do not deserve any of this! Thank you SO much Auntie!! :-)

Today was the first day
in probably 10 years
that I was IN BED before 10:30.
What does this tell you
about hanging out with 2nd graders
all day? :-)

Whew, to have the energy of a 7 year old again.

The end.

Happy Birthday Karley and Becky!

Today is Karley's and Becky's birthday!

Today I told my class that it was my step-mom's AND my cousin's (Miss Karley, as they call her), birthday. They thought it was a miracle that BOTH of those birthdays occured on the same day. One of my little girls made Becky a birthday card and I sent it around the room and had everyone sign it (be on the look-out Becky haha). Remember how BIG OF A DEAL birthdays were when you were 8? Yesss they LOVE birthdays! Anyway, Happy Birthday to Becky! From the time I first met Becky, something I always thought was so neat, was that she is a great present giver. haha, I KNOW that is a random thing for me to think...but she always gives the absolute PERFECT presents to everyone for birthdays or Christmas...she really takes the time to think what each person would want and she finds the perfect gifts. She is an animal lover - she takes care of 6 animals (including 2 horses, which is a lot of work) and she loves old movies. So today Becky, I hope you get to take a long bubble bath, curl up and enjoy a great movie and I hope that my dad feeds the horses for you all day, so you get to relax! Happy Birthday!! :-) :-)

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY KARLEY!
Karley Kay is one of my best friends in the world. Karley is someone you can ALWAYS count on ... if you need a friend, she's there. She's will always make you laugh, knows just how to cheer you up, is a great listener, and truly CARES about people. Kar is a genuine person who really loves everyone - and everyone LOVES her! She came to read a story to my 2nd graders the other week. They loved her and thought she was, and I quote, "the funniest girl reader in the world." Since my kids know "Miss Karley," I had them write her birthday letters today and I put them all together and made a birthday book from "our 2nd grade class." They were so excited and decorated their pages with cute blonde stick figures labeled "Miss Karley," pink pigs and pizza slices (since that is what she told the class that she likes haha). They were so excited to give her their letters. So...happy birthday KAR KAR!!! Suuuure love ya!

And on a side note...I get to sleep in half an hour tomorrow morning. :)

Kids say the dardest things...

I know I have told this story to some people already, but for some reason it is the funniest story to me. So, this morning at school, we had a "Room Mom Tea" which is basicially where we meet with our room moms and eat breakfast together. Well, my room mom brought her son (who is obviously in my class) and she said, "Well, I probably shouldn't tell you this, because it might really embarass you....but..." And I'm thinking, "Oh great, I must have had major pit stains, a big wedgie or some big zit on my face one day and my kids ran home and told their parents, and now she's going to let me in on the secret." Well, she continues, "but...I'm going to tell you anyway."

"My son came home after the first day of school and his brothers ask him, 'How is your new teacher?' He says, 'Really nice, and she's really cute too.'"

OK, keep in mind, this kid in my class is 7!!!

She continues, "His brothers ask him, 'Oh yeah, what does she look like?' and he answers, 'Just like Megan Fox.'"

hahaha. The cutest thing about it is that his favorite movie is Transformers, so in his mind, all girls that have long brown hair look like the girl from Transformers. How cute. I told my room mom, "Oh, if only that were true, my husband would be one happy man!" :-)

Oh, to see the world through the eyes of a child. :-)

So Excited!

I am so excited to hear that my dad and brother are coming out for conference in October!! That means, Nam, Nampa, Jayson, my dad, and my cousin, Stephanie will all be here for conference! Mostly, I am BEYOND excited that my dad will be coming - every time Nam and Nampa have come out to Utah for conference, he calls me and says, "Oh that is just such a wonderful experience, I wish I could be there." This year, I finally put my foot down and said, "He NEEDS to come out this year!" He has never been to conference in the Conference Center, so I told Nam that we need to bond together in getting him to come out in October! AND...he is!! I am so excited! This will be a great experience! And I love my family so much, I am so excited to see them all! Spending Conference weekend with Nam and Nampa is always one of the weekends I look the most forward to. It really rejuvinates me and just fills me up again! WHICH is something I REALLY, really, rEALLy need right now! So, I'm incredibly excited!

I would once again like to express how much I LOVE my husband! :-) And we've been married for 4 months as of yesterday! He is such a trooper for hanging on even this long!! LOVE YOU HONEY BUNCH!! Here's to the next 4 months (and the next 4 months, and the next, and the next, and the next!) :-)

Funny Picture of the Day

Bridal Veil Falls

Today, we took a little walk to Bridal Veil Falls. I have passed this driving up Provo Canyon probably 100 times, but have never taken the time to acutally stop and get out and walk around. It was beautiful, and sooo crowded. Everyone was having picnics in the park and riding their bikes on the bike path. What a great way to spend a Sunday. :-) We tried to hike up the falls a little bit, but didn't have the right shoes.

And in case you haven't noticed...as if anyone even cares haha...my hair looks orange in all these pictures. orange. yessss, I need to get my hair done So bad! Any hair stylist recommendations??

A Beautiful Day in Salt Lake City

Today, Bryson and I were able to go to one of his old mission companion's sealings in the Salt Lake temple. It was a great experience for both of us! Kaitlyn came with us to Salt Lake and while we were at the sealing, she picked up Jayson from the airport. It was a perfect day for a wedding and temple square looked gorgeous, as always.

Bryson and Jayson, OF COURSE, watched the BYU football game and everyone ... and by everyone, I mean EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING in Provo partied hard that night after BYU beat #3 Oklahoma 14 to 13. I haven't seen Bryson that happy, NO JOKE, in a long time haha. He was like a little kid in a candy shop, smile from ear to ear, jumping up and down...yeah. And, he was NOT alone. The streets of Provo were insane - people all in the middle of the streets jumping up and down, carn horns honking all night. It was a great night in Cougar Town, that's for sure! :-) What a great way to start the season! Go COUGS!

Well, we ended the night by going to Trafalga and playing a round of mini-golf. Jayson dominated us all haha. It was fun. :-)
And my husband is hot! :-)

Latin Festival

Last year at this time, Bryson had just gotten home from his mission. One night, we (Kaitlyn, Brad, Bryson and I) were all driving around, trying to find something fun to do...when we drove by the Latin Festival on Center Street in Provo. Of course, Bryson saw the word "Latin" and jumped out of the car. It ended up being a super fun night - full of great food (Pupusas especially :-), good music and great people! There was food from the many latin countries, salsa dancing, a live band, and store vendors from various countries. Well, we were excited to go back this year and re-live the experience. We were even more excited when we realized Kait and Jayson would be here this year. So, Friday night, Kait, Bryson and I went (Jayson wasn't here yet) to the Latin Festival for round numero dos. It was so fun, and we are planning on going back on Monday night with Jayson. The best part of the night ... mango on a stick! Kait and I loved it! Made me think of, and MISS, Hawaii though!!

A Day in December

I cry every single time I hear this song. Written by Jayson Schooff (My little baby brother) :-)

A day in December
The coldest day of my life
It’s true
That I knew
It would never be the same without you
A day in December
The cold winds blew right on through with you
And now I’m here
With a tear
I can never wipe clear

All I remember is you
I’m running to your room
You kiss me on my head
As I jump into your bed
So here’s to you Mom
Cuz I miss you
And I wish you
Could tell me what I’m doing wrong
And what I’m doing right
To tell me if you’re proud of me
Or mad at me

But really, I just want to hear
That you love me
That you love me
That you love me
That you love me
That you love me
That you love me
That you love me

But I can’t
All because of that one single day
In December
I remember
The day
In December

**I hope I got the words right!! Jayson, if not, let me know! :-)

Family!!

I know I have posted about this many, many times before, BUT I just can't seem to say it enough...I LOVE MY FAMILY! Bryson, my mom my dad, Becky, Jayson, Kaitlyn, Lisa, Jeff, Bradley, Maddie, Blakey, Granny, Papa, Auntie, Uncle Kent, Kam, Karley, Tickie, Greg, Leah, Amy, Nam, Nampa, the Schooff family, the Bryson family, the Webster family. . . I couldn't ask for a better family! My sister, Kaitlyn has been in town the last week or so and just having her near (even though I'm sure she's been BORED out of her mind) makes me feel SO much better. There is nothing in the world like a sister. I learned this at an early age, watching my mom on a daily basis (at LEAST once a day) call her sisters and talk for hours. She would make it a priority to visit her sisters often, even if it meant driving for 3 days across the country with 3 small kids. I always just assumed that your sister was supposed to be your besst friend - that's just how it was. Kaitlyn and I have been best friends from the day she was born. Her sweet toast at my wedding says it perfectly:

"Ever since the day I was born, Ashley has been my best friend. We grew up together making forts in the living room, playing Barbies, and playing pretend, and I never knew that it was uncommon to have your sister as your best friend. We did, and we do, everything together from sharing our clothes and our makeup, to literally sleeping in the same bed."

When Kaitlyn was in 3rd grade - I THINK it was 3rd grade, she wrote me a note. Just recently, we found it and she read it to me over the webcam. I started laughing so hard that I literally cried - it was so sweet.

"ashley, thanx for the flowers. i love them. it's 1:30. we're doing reading. we have to read "soaring eagle." i saw you and mom writing notes to each other, so can we or i just wanted to write you a note. i love you so much. i love the note pad too. it's so cute. everydody is out for resses. (the playground) but i wanted to stay in to write you this note. it's 2:20 I round on time. i realy 2:18, but?) how was ridding the bus? i was fine. i sat with a girl named brandi (like the singer but not really) I played with her also for resses. i'm so nerves coming home on the bus. i have no place to sit. well, in the bus, do you have assigned seats. well we DO!! that's why i don't have any place to sit. (mad faces, means not fair or i dont like it that way.) well thanx any way. love ya so much. lylas (well we are sisters, so let's be best friends. deal?) (please tell me about your day and bus drive if you want.) GTG YRG ( you rule girl)"
your sister, kaitlyn schooff
ps you are cool"

As we've gotten older, people we have never met or seen before FREQUENTLY ask us, "Are your guys TWINS?" We look at them like, "Are you kidding?" Afterall, I have brown hair, she has blonde...I'm four years older - I think we look totally different. But, after being asked if we are twins at least once everytime we are out together, I'm starting to think maybe I'm just not seeing it. :-) This week, Kaitlyn has come down to my class three times, twice to read to my kids and once on Saturday to help me do teacher "busy work" - recording grades in the book, writing names on books, putting things in alphabetical order...all that stuff that no one really wants to do haha. She is amazing! The times she has come to read to my kids, they have literally been on the edge of their seats excited...wanting to ask her about a million questions. They all said today, "Miss Kaitlyn is so pretty and nice." And I, of course, said "I know! I'm so lucky to have such a great sister!" I am so sad, but at the same time ESTATIC for her, that she will be moving so far away, across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii for the fall. We were watching Little Women on Sunday and heard the quote, "Don't be silly! I could never love anyone more than I love my sister." So true! :-)

SO, today (and everyday), I am grateful that I was given Kaitlyn, my sister, my best friend. :-)