pencils in the pantes

Students steal my pencils.

That is a fact. It drives me crazy.

But don't worry, one of my boys came up with a fool-proof plan to keep my pencils safe:

He taped little notes to each of my pencils saying, "This was in my pantes."

What a smart, little cookie. (Even with his "pants" misspelling).

I believe my pencil stealing problem may be solved.

the time I thought I was going to die at provo lake

When Nathan first left on his mission, I liked to go on long drives to clear my head and get out of my lonely apartment. After a while, I found a spot that kinda became "my place." It was Provo Lake and I loved it. Especially in the winter and fall because it was dead and I could walk or drive around or just sit and think. I wrote a billion letters at that Lake. There are also beautiful back roads and tons of beautiful places. I loved that place and it meant a great deal to me. I couldn't wait to share it with Nathan.

We were in provo for a few hours on Saturday, so I decided to share "my place" with him. Super cheesy and special right? Wrong.

Here's why:

It was so windy.. my TEETH hurt if I opened my mouth!

The waves looked terrifying. It looked like we were in a storm out at sea. We spent most of the time laughing. It was so weird. The windier it got.. the more we laughed. We probably looked maniacal.

 Here's me with the calm, enclosed part of the lake behind me.

Here'r the not so calm part.

 Nathan's hair is so awesome. I wish it always looked like that.

So the trip was not as "special" as originally planned.

But now I can say I have experienced wind so strong, I couldn't breathe properly.

People I love

Today I got to hang out with these people.

I love these people.

It was mainly to celebrate this girl (aka my baby sister) turning 20.

 

I love this girl.

Countdowns..

09 days until I go through the temple
10 days until my bridal shower in California
14 days until our 4 year anniversary
44 days until the wedding
100 days until school is out for the summer
108 days until our Mexican honeymoon

So many exciting things coming up soon! I can hardly believe it. Remember when I was counting down to Nathan coming home from his mission? Oh man, those were not the days.

 Life is sooooo good right now Sportsfans. So, so good.

thanks for the holiday weekend, Mr President

This President's day weekend was faaaaantastic!

Get ready for picture overload. I was AMAZING at documenting this weekend. Mostly with my iPhone, but it works.

Nathan, Shawn, and I got to head down to Logandale for a surprise retirement party for Papa Merkley!

It was so nice to get out of Utah. We love long drives, especially when the temperature continues to rise the longer the drive gets.

We got to Amanda and Brad's late Friday night and stayed all Saturday morning. The surprise wasn't until later that day so we got to play with Kalvin. Plus Amanda made us breakfast. It was like a bed and breakfast where the owner let's you play with their baby. And their baby is really cute. And happens to be your nephew.

Brad and Clarky were already in Logandale so we met up and played at the park to kill time. Then we kicked the kids out and went shooting and did more then just kill time. We killed animals. Just kidding. We shot at cans. Mostly I shot at the air. Aiming is a lot harder than you think. Hopefully I never have to shoot someone. Pretty sure I would miss.

Then, PARTY TIME!!! We headed over to decorate while mama Merkley kept our guest of honor busy at the store. It was a Hawaiian themed party and it was fun to decorate. Plus we got to wear flower bras and grass skirts. Nathan looked particularly stunning in his I must say. Then we dressed Zoe up in a grass skirt and the party got a billion times cuter. There is nothing better than a dog in Hawaiian attire.

Anywho, the surprise came and I think we blew his mind. He had no idea! He just stood in the doorway starring at us for the longest time. It was hilarious. Then we ate delicious food and hula danced and gave presents and had an amazing time. Nathan and I even scored our first wedding present! It was from Grandma and Grandpa Merkley. It was one that I knew was coming and I couldn't wait for! My colonial girl quilt :) It's a tradition in the Merkley family. Makes me feel even more official! 

(Notice this was one of the only times I actually got out my real camera to document. I am so lazy).

Sunday was a nice, relaxing day. Church and family time. Including a never-ending game of chess. Then some intense card games that mostly resulted in Brad dominating and Nathan zoning out and forgetting we were playing at all. Nathan and I watched the sunset and discussed how amazing it will be to live somewhere where winter doesn't exist. One day..

Monday called for sleeping in, playing with Clarky, then getting on the road. We found the normal treats on our seat from Amanda and Brad (we love you guys!) and basically spent the whole drive home reading Hunger Games aloud. Nathan's gotta catch up! It's always so sad to leave family-filled, relaxing weekends behind. But alas, here I am. Sitting back in my cold apartment. Good thing I have some pretty exciting stuff coming up so soon :)

Thanks for a wonderful weekend Merkley's! Congrats on retiring! We love you!

I'm in love, I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!

Valentine's day 2008- Nathan and I weren't together. We started dating 2 weeks later.
Valentine's day 2009- We were with family in Saramento and decided not to celebrate
Valentine's day 2010- Nathan has left on his mission 1 month prior.
Valentine's day 2011- Yep.. he was still gone on his mission.
After 4 years of dating, this was technically our first Valentine's day together
and I was pretty excited.

I love Valentine's day. Not just because I have a hot fiance. I have always loved it. I am cheesy and cliche and romantic and just plain lame. That's just how I roll.

Nathan said he wanted to plan Valentine's day. I pretended to protest for like, 5 seconds, but I was basically like, "Yes please plan it and buy me lots of things." But in a more respectful manner.

Guys, Nathan is such a stud. He always makes me feel like I am eating cotton.

(That's a weird way of saying he makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside).

He came waltzing into my 6th period Langauge Arts class with the most beautiful roses I have ever seen.

He's met my students before so when I didn't notice him because I was helping a student, one boy yelled out, "Holy crap Ms. Graff!! It's NATHAN!!"

I looked over and seriously had a heart attack.

I was so surprised. I haven't been that surprised in a long time.

He was supposed to be at work. He works 40 minutes away. But there he was, so handsome and in my classroom.

He couldn't stay too long because he had taken and extra long lunch, but all my student applauded and talked about nothing but our wedding the entire afternoon. I swear my students are more excited for me to get married than I am.

After work our night began when Nathan took me to the Gateway to pick out earrings!

Then to my favorite place in the entire world besides my bed.

The Olive Garden.

This is what I consider high class and freaking delicious fine-dining.

All you can eat breadsticks? Are you kidding me?

After dinner and so more little gifts and chocolate, we went back to Nathan's where we had a candle lit dance floor all set up for us. (Just like he did on my 20th birthday, almost 4 years ago)!
We slow-danced and fast-danced and crazy-danced and swing-danced, and hip-hop-danced and country-danced and laughed a lot.
I sure do love that boy.

ps. What is the past tense form of swing dance?!?! I sat and stared at it forever. Swing-danced? Swung-danced? Swung-dance? My brain hurts. Happy Valentine's day.

My artist

student: "You are being kidnapped by a giant godzilla and he is climbing up a giant building and a fire-breathing giraffe ridden by a top-secret ninja is chasing after you trying to save you and a devil donkey is peeing on the godzilla and blowing his boogers on him and a helicopter is trying to rescue you oh and and the godzilla has another person or something and he has an AK-47 so you are like, super scared and there is a bomb connected to the building at the bottom that the government can set off any time they want and there is already fire coming out of some of the windows, and.. yeah."

me: "Wow, very detailed. But what does this have to do with the assignemnt?"

student: "Oh. Um.. nothing."

Gotta give him props for his imagination.

Stuff I See

My brain is not functioning well enough to form a coherent post of the happenings lately. Or the "haps" as I like to call them to myself when no one is listening. So here are some pictures of the crap I have seen via my camera lens. And when I say camera, I mean iPhone.

 Wednesday night tradition: We go to McDonalds after work. Nathan does homework. I eat and facebook stalk.

The wedding countdown my students made

The ring I basically decided I can't live without.

More McDonalds? Well, alright.

Double cheeseburge combined with a hot N' spicy. Sick.

                                            Cousin/sister love this weekend. I love these ladies!

After dinner with the cousins, we decided Nathan needed his first experience at sweet tooth fairy. At first he was happy..

 .. and then he felt like this. But mostly he feel in love with cakebites.

Nevermind the fact that this is a disgusting picture. Just enjoy it for what it's worth. Which is not much.

I love her.

Sometimes.. I just stare at my ring.

Valentine presents from my students! Most intense candy necklace of all time.

Umm.. Kelsey.. why do you guys live in Arizona?

I like these guys.

He loves me so much he thinks my burps are cute! Sometimes I wonder how I found Nathan. Pretty sure no one else in the world has the patience for me.

We ate a real meal!! (We secretly still wanted McDonalds though).

The view from one of the law firms Nathan works for. I can't wait to live down town again!

Where do broken hearts go?

Guys, Whitney Houston died.

I happened to be with some of my favorite people at the mall and we found out because Justin Bieber tweeted it. 

I swear we aren't laughing because she died. We're laughing because after Shawnee announced what J.Biebs tweet said, we all whipped out our phones in the middle of the mall and discussed the tragedy. What an awesome world we live in.

RIP Whitney. Hope you get to dance with somebody. Somebody who loves you.

Things my students say

If you followed my previous blog, you know what these are. Basically I keep track of the funny things my kids say to preserve for when I need a good laugh. I really love my middle schoolers.

EY: Ms Graff your boyfriend is so amazing.. I see why you chose him.. I wish he was my dad..

Me: You guys can't come to my study hall anymore.
CK: Why not!? Is it because I put those coke bottles up my shirt and pretended they were boobs?

BS: Why are you eating cheerios? Are you trying to lower your cholesterol?

CK: With breakfast I shall have milk. Milk straight outta the utter!

*We were roasting marshmellows in science. I watched from across the room as a student lifted a flaming marshmellow to his mouth and licked it.*
KS: Ow! Ms Graff it burned!
Me: Of course it did! It's fire!
KS: I thought since the fire was on a marshmallow that it would soft and fluffy

CK: Hey Ms G! Wanna arm wrestle after class?
Me: No.
CK: Why? You afraid you'll loose? COS YOU WILL!

CK: Ms G I decided I am not going to go to the assembly. I'll trick everyone and have my twin go.
Me: You have a twin?
CK (His twin brother): Is this something I should know about?

KS: Why does hot water burn? Water is so soft! And clear! (Yes this is the same student who licked the flaming marshmello)

CK: Ms Graff I have the best story!
Me: Finish your starter.
CK: And then I can tell you?
Me: Finish your starter.
CK: And then I can tell you?
Me: Finish your starter.
CK: I guess I'll just finish my starter and good things will come to me. Like when I keep the commandements.

Me: MI, stop braiding her hair
BS: But Ms Graff,he's being charming!

CK (explaining why he is mad at his twin brother): when I was in the womb with my brother, he sucker punched me and I am still mad about it.

BS: I bet Ms Graff's fiance was a nerd in high school. He probably drank out of the water fountain and wore shorts.

CK: Ms Graff is you ever need eggs just come get them from our house. You can just sneak into our backyard my dad won't mind. Just don't hurt the chickens. He gets real mad about that.

CK: Ms Graff today I am grumpy at you so don't try to make me laugh.

Students had to fill out self evaluations. Here's some of the things they listed they do best in school:
-Compliment the teachers
-Look pretty
-Tell jokes
-Look like I am paying attention
-Sing

BM (describing the substitute): She had big hair and she yelled real loud. I woud definitely say she was coo-coo for coco puffs.

BS: That kid was so dumb. I bet he doesn't even know what LeBron James' jersey number is.
JE: What does that have to do with being smart?
BS: Psshh, you are so dumb.

BS: Ms Graff when I bite down I hear this weird sound in my head. What does that mean? Holy crap.. am I gonna die?

Thank You

"Anyone can be passionate.

But it takes real lovers to be silly."

-Rose Franken

Nathan, thank you for reminding me what it is to laugh.

Laugh so hard my face hurts.

Laugh so hard my stomach hurts.

I think it's the best kind of pain I have ever felt.

Nathan, thank you for keeping me smiling through the bumps.

Sometimes life is hard.

Sometimes life is busy and there are a lot of reasons to frown.

But I feel like I can't frown when you're there.

I can rest assured knowing that I am marrying a man who can make me laugh on the hardest of days.

 Nathan, thank you for reminding me what it feels like to be in over-the-moon, out-of-the-park, word-series kind of love.

I can't wait to laugh with you forever.

sixzero

sixty days.

just sayin.

Weekend Highlights

Nathan took me on a surprise date to see Beauty and the Beast 3D!!!! My favorite Disney movie of all time! ALL TIME!

We snuck in Carl's Jr. and felt freaking rebellious. 

Saturday morning we went furniture shopping and this sign made me laugh. They are so excited to be going out of business. FOREVER!!

We had Panda Express for lunch. I. LOVE. CHINESE. PEOPLE. FOOD.

We visited the Gateway for the first time since Nathan has been home and he saw how our beautiful place of meeting was turned into a trendy yogurt shop. Tears were shed. 

We went to Ross to get Nathan fancy new work clothes. When we got home I asked him to try them on for me. Instead he came out wearing one of my dresses. Should I be worried?

I got this amazing picture from my sister and my heart almost exploded!

We ate Smart Cookie for dinner. I didn't regret it one bit.

We had our engagements taken and designed and ordered our invitations! Yay!

This is not the one we chose.

Ps. The weather is almost TOO amazing. I didn't even wear a jacket on Sunday.