Monday, March 3, 2014

WOW Time Flies

Wow,
I didn't realize I hadn't posted since Christmas. That's kinda ridiculous since it's already March! Ah well, such is the life of the insanely busy. So here's a quick update on the happenings of the Anderson girls.

Joy~
I am currently student teaching at Mount Logan Middle School in 7th Grade Utah History. I LOVE it! Yes, it certainly has it's moments, especially when the kids decide to act up but they are 12 years old. You kind of have to expect it, take a deep breath, and plow ahead.

I will start applying for jobs this month. Scary. No, it really is. I realized today I have not been on a job hunt in over seven years and then I have never been on the hunt for a truly professional job. This will be nerve wracking and the scariest thing I've done in some time. But push forward I shall!

Celestra~
Cele is pretty much living the musicians life, especially with the addition of her Sax. She's taking both Flute and Sax lessons, still second chair flute in her school band, AND performing in the school pep and jazz bands as well as the full concert orchestra. She's loving it but I still think she's a bit insane.

Her life revolves, as most teens, around her friends and school. She and her three best friends are actually working together to write a fantasy series. They are each working on their own specific character's development and try to get together as often as they can to hash out the worlds and basics of their story. From what I know of it (which is actually quite a bit since the kids like to talk about it quite a bit) it is quite the story and should be a fun read when they eventually finish. But don't get your hopes up. That won't be for quite some time yet. Years even.

Cele with two of her three story writing buddies

And that's pretty much our lives these days. Lots of school and music. So not really much different than any time in the past except we are reaching a crossroads in our lives. The next few months should be quite the ride. We will have to see where life takes us.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

A Spot of Christmas Music

Tonight was Cele's flute recital, so without further ado here are her songs. I will let you name them! Let's see how well you do!


Song # One


Song # Two

And to make the night even better these wonderful people came and joined us. We love having our family come listen to Cele perform her music. 

 Grandma Eiko, Celestra, and Joy

Grandma and Grandpa Brown, Celestra, and Joy

Cele did a great job, especially considering that she's only had four (yep just 4) flute lessons since October. That would be thanks to getting sick and the school musical but heh, tis the season!

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Extra, Extra Read All About It!!!

So if you haven't heard, I got my Student Teaching placement. Starting in January I will be at Mount Logan Middle School under Mr. Woodward, 7th grade Utah History. Cele is beyond excited as he is one of her all-time favorite teachers. It will hopefully be a good experience and I can learn lots.

Cele in the orchestra pit during the school musical

In other news, Cele's doing awesome. She just finished orchestra pit for the school musical with her next music event already on the horizon. Her band Christmas concert will be on December 18 at 7:30 pm at Logan High school. She's actually really excited about this concert since her band is playing some pieces by Mannheim Steamroller. Oh and if I forgot to mention, she did it again. She proved once again that she is quite talented at that flute of hers. She made 2nd chair flute as a Sophomore in a band with Juniors and Seniors. That's my girl!

Well here's hoping you all have a great Christmas season. Also, if you would like a Christmas card and I don't have your address will you please send it to me? Those will be going out probably next week.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

These Crazy Schedules!


So you all know I'm not so good at updating these days right? Well I blame that on absolutely INSANE schedules. Yup that's my excuse and I'm stickin' to it! So a whole month has gone by. Our lives are crazy busy as always. Cele is involved in pretty much everything musical she can possibly do at her school. This includes:
1) Band
2) Pep Band
3) Full Orchestra (band and orchestra mixed)
4) Jazz Band
AND
5) School Musical Orchestra Pit

Me thinks someones been busy practicing! Yup the place is just full of flute music these days. You can't tell she loves it can you?



These pics are from the first band concert of the year.

Me? Well that's just the usual school and work. Work I'm pulling around 30 hours a week (Mon-Sat) then school, I have my three classes and I just finished up clinicals for this semester. That has been my favorite thing for the last two semesters, so I will miss it but it will sure free up some of my time during the day. Of course, work will cover that one! I have one of my employees out for surgery through most of Nov. so I will be back on day shift for that. As far as student teaching, I start that in January, but I don't know yet where I'll be at. I will make sure to let you know when I find out.

And that's our lives right now. Not too exciting, but that's what you get with these crazy schedules! Just the daily grind. That and enjoying the gorgeous fall colors we always get up here. Gotta love Cache Valley for that!





Saturday, September 14, 2013

Cruel Summer

We're Back!!!

Sorry for the major hiatus, we just had a crazy busy summer and we figured it was time for a bit of an update. So here's a bit of how ours went...


Saturday, April 13, 2013

Bang Go The Drums

So I just realized I never posted about Celestra's last band concert. Oops. My excuse? Long hours at work, the end of the semester is upon me, and just life in general. Oh well, such is life but better late than never right!? So here goes, a few highlights from the kiddo's last band concert:

 Hey look! You can actually see her! Haha!

 Just mom 'nd me

Grandma and Granddaughter

Sunday, March 24, 2013

30 things my child should know about me

I found this list on Pinterest and felt it very poignant and something I really should fill out. Its things like this I wish I had more info on from my own mother. I don't think I'll tackle the entire list in one go but I will make a start and try to do at least one a week till its complete.


THE LIST:
1. List 20 random facts about yourself.
2. Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears.
3. Describe your relationship with your spouse/your child's other parent.
4. List 10 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could.
5. What are the 5 things that make you most happy right now?
6. If you could have three wishes, what would you wish for?
7. What is your dream job, and why?
8. What are 5 passions you have?
9. List 10 people who have influenced you and describe how.
10. Describe your most embarrassing moment.
11. Describe 10 pet peeves you have.
12. Describe a typical day in your current life.
13. What’s the hardest part of growing up?
14. Describe 5 and weaknesses strengths you have.
15. Describe when you knew your spouse was the one or how I fell in love.
16. What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?
17. What is the thing you most wish you were great at?
18. What do you think your spouse loves most about you?
19. How did you feel the moment you became a parent?
20. Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.
21. Describe your relationship with your parents.
22. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?
23. What’s your favorite holiday and why?
24. What’s your favorite and least favorite thing about parenthood?
25. If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?
26. What popular notion do you think the world has most wrong?
27. What is your favorite part of your body and why?
28. What’s your favorite quality in your spouse?
29. What are your hopes and dreams for your prosperity?
30. List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.

So here goes...
Twenty random facts about me for my daughter
1) Where I got my name: I was my mothers first born after over 20 miscarriages. She never thought she would be able to have a child. In fact, even after she found out she was pregnant with me and was passed the miscarriage stage, she wouldn't believe I was actually going to be born alive. Then I had to make her panic when I was born. I wasn't breathing and they couldn't find a heart beat. Obviously no ill effects from that, but I am my mothers miracle baby. Hence why I was named Joy. 
2) My middle name is also a legacy. I was named after my paternal grandmother, Ella Taylor. Sadly I don't know much about her as we lost contact with my paternal grandparents shortly after my fathers death. 
3) When I was 9 years old I spent a week in the hospital with a complete stomach blockage and three ulcers. The doctors had to pump my stomach to clear the blockage. Not pleasant. I spent a year after that on a very bland diet due to my ulcers. It took me a long time to like some of those foods again after that. Guess I just got sick of eating them.
4) One you already know. I am a bookworm and if I had more free time, I would probably read more than you do!
5) I love to bake. It is the one thing I hate about apartment living. The kitchens are never big enough and never have enough counter space to do the kind of baking I love.
6) Since bullying is such a focus these days, I should mention that I was badly bullied as a kid. I was the ostracized child that no one wanted to play with all because I was the poor kid in the rich kid school. I didn't have the right kind of clothes or possessions to fit in with the kids in elementary school. I am proud to say I feel I have risen above it and I feel that anyone who is bullied can do the same. It's not easy. It will leave emotional scars that will come back into focus when you least want them to but you can be the better person for it.
7) I started playing the violin when I was 8 and began singing when I was 9. That has fostered a love of music I am proud to say I was able to pass on to you.
8) I don't remember much of my childhood in actuality. My memory is very fuzzy on my past. My first real memory is of walking to school on the first day of kindergarten. 
9) Before I was 10 years old we had moved over 20 times.
10) I was born in Henderson, NV and lived in Las Vegas for the first 6 months of my life. After that we moved to the Mesquite/Bunkerville, NV area.
11) I broke my arm in second grade falling off the wall surrounding our school playground. This is what trained me to become somewhat ambidextrous since it was my right arm. I had to use my left for the full 6 weeks with the cast on my arm. My left hand writing still looks like a second graders handwriting but I can use it to write somewhat legibly. 
12) I have had to have stitches twice in my life. The first time was on the pointer finger of my left hand and the second was on my right calf. The stories (because there are always stories behind those) are: the first one was in fifth grade I slipped on the back steps out of our house, and in trying to catch myself my hand went backwards through the glass screen door (yes those were made out of glass once upon a time lol). The second was when I was a teenager your Aunt Penny broke the glass microwave plate and instead of taking it out to the outside garbage like Amma had asked her to, she set it on top. (proof that no teenager listens to their parents!) I walked past the garbage with a basket of laundry (meaning I couldn't see below me) and cut my leg on the glass.
13) When I was sixteen, I thought I wanted to become a councilor.
14) I knew I was pregnant with you almost immediately and I knew then that you were a girl
15) I was born with copper red hair (Aunt Penny's natural shade). Amma shaved my head when I was 2 because it was only coming in in clumps and your Aunt Penny kept pulling out those clumps. It grew back in blonde and very thick.
16) I love chocolate but I am picky about what styles I will eat. My favorite candy bar is Almond Joy
17) As a teenager I had a very special group of friends. Some of them you know, others you've never had the chance to meet. Obviously Aunt Desiree was part of that group :). Other people included people like Karen Rawlings Hoth, and Amber Bastian Riding. There are many more but, like you, I couldn't have asked for a better group of friends. Sadly, most of us have grown apart since we've left high school. Thank heavens for Facebook!
18) When we were living in Cedar City, Amma put me in a children's acting group. I loved it. I got to do things like play Raggedy Anne and be part of SUU's Shakespearean Festival as a sugar girl.
19) I am very eclectic in my music tastes. There is very little I don't like and I will give any type of music at least a shot. 
20) I had hazel/blue eyes until I gave birth to you. They changed color with what I wore. Now they stay blue. It is a genetic quirk in my family. It happened to Amma too.