I "heart" Monticello

I love Monticello Utah. Most people don't even know where it is (my answer: about 45 minuites south of Moab...and no it is NOT warmer there). But I have loved it for as long as I can remember. Being here this weekend has, like always, brought me relaxation and peace that I just can't seem to find at home. And I can't seem to stop making a mental list (I do love a good list!) of the things I "heart" about Monticello.

I love that the air smells fresh and clean...except when it smells like wood burning stove (which is a smell I love even more).

I love that I can see so many stars here...I had sort of forgetten how many stars there are since I never see them.

I love the sound of the wind chimes...which is fairly constant since the wind is ALWAYS blowing in Monticello.

I also love the sound of the wind blowing through the trees.

I love that you can literally go to the store, buy something, and get home within 10 minutes.

I love the 1 stop light sitting right in the middle of town...and I love that I'm not sure it is necessary.

I love that I can really think here...things seem to slow down for me here and make it possible to really work things out in the crazy jumble of my mind.

I love that people wave and say hi...even though they don't know me, they are sure they know someone I'm related to, so that is good enough.

I love the mountains behind grandma's house.

I love the way you can see for miles and miles because there is only open space.

I love my family here.

Now if they could get a Super-Target here...I might think about moving here.

I Didn't Die

HUGE relief, right?
I know all of you were so worried (maybe) about me since I posted about turning 30, and how I was going to blog about all my exciting (maybe) new experiences...and then I haven't. I know some of you were thinking, "Did she try to read 30 books in 2 days...and her brain exploded?" But no worries, I am fine. I am working dilligently (maybe) on some of my list, but my life has just been too crazy to post. But I promise some awesome (maybe) blog posts in the near future.

I Am 30 Years Old

I am 30 years old. I can say it (barely).

Over the past few weeks, as my birthday loomed in the future, I "might" have been obsessing about what it means to be "30." And the conclusion I have finally come to is that I have absolutely NO IDEA what it means to be "30." I cannot seem to define this age and this moment in my life. There is so much I love about my life and so much that I do not want to change...but also I feel as though my future is this huge open space in front of me and it is my responsibility to fill it...and (because I'm a perfectionist) to do a fantastic job of filling it. 30 years from now I would love to look back at this day as the day I truly took control of my life and made it what I want it to be!

So I have created a list (me make a list...shocking I know) of things I want to experience during this year that I am "30." My plan is to do these 30 things before December 10, 2011 and (lucky you) blog about them all.

Please to enjoy my list: (in no particular order)

1. Celebrate my 30th Birthday in Vegas!

2. Learn to cook with Tofu.

3. Go somewhere completely new to me.

4. Read 30 books that I have never read before.

5. Try rock climbing.

6. Sew something, on a sewing machine, all by myself.

7. Teach Emma to cross stitch.

8. Spend an entire day at a movie theater, going to movies one after the other all day long.

9. Re-pierce my ears (the 4th time is the charm?)

10. Get my arm pits waxed.

11. Make Beignets.

12. Take a dance class.

13. Go paragliding.

14. Learn to make Grandma Allie's Rolls

15. Figure out (and implement) the best possible skin care regimen for a woman in her "30's."

16. Go real camping, in an actual tent, for at least 2 nights.

17. Write a children's book manuscript.

18. Try Indian food.

19. Live 2 weeks without spending ANY money.

20. Spend an entire day (open to close) at a bookstore.

21. Go on a random road trip.

22. Make, write, and mail a card to 30 people who have influenced my life.

23. Learn to crochet.

24. Be caffeine free for 3 months.

25. Keep a plant alive for 6 months.

26. Do something that absolutely terrifies me.

27. Take an art class.

28. Eliminate 30 items, that I don't actually need, from my life.

29. Learn to make toffee and caramels.

30. Buy myself something with a diamond in it.

I am accepting applications from people who would like to join me for any of these (hopefully) super-awesome experiences.

Stay Tuned..........

Potty Time

The question that has been nagging me lately is this:

Why won't preschoolers flush the toilet?

I really can't figure it out. It takes mere seconds, seconds! I know that they are old enough to know that it isn't a monster that is going to get them. And it doesn't take an abnormal amount of finger strength to accomplish. But it seems like a very large percentage of preschool aged children I work with are not inclined to flush the toilet after they go. I swear I say "did you flush the toilet?" at least 20 times a day...really I'm not exaggerating. I haven't been able to come up with an answer...I think it is one of those great un-answerable questions (related to the chicken and the egg one) so I suppose I'll just have to try to move on.

But while we're on the subject, here are some funny moments...

Little Boy: "Hey, Miss Dawn. I have the itchies, the bum itchies."

Me: "Oh really?" (in my head: "GROSS!!" but I am a professional....sort of.)

Little Boy: "Well, I haven't really been wiping my bum very good lately."

Me: "That doesn't seem like a good idea."

Little Boy: "Yeah, usually I just use one toilet paper to wipe when I go poop. But my mom said to use 3 toilet papers to wipe when I go poop."

Me: "That sounds like a really good plan. And also, don't itch your bum at school."

Another day and another little boy...

Using my "super-spidey-sense" I *knew* that one little boy needed to head into the bathroom.

Me: "Do you need to go potty?"

Little Boy: "No."

Me: "I really think you do."

Little Boy: "I don't."

Me: "Then why are you dancing around?" (okay so maybe it's not a super-spidey-sense)

Little Boy: "I just want to practice my dance moves."

Me: "Oh really? Then stop dancing."

Little Boy: "I can't."

Me: "Because you need to go potty. Please go into the bathroom and go."

Little Boy: "Oh I know! I can just pinch it...then I won't have to go anymore."

Then he did in fact pinch it (yup...it's exactly what you think) and apparently didn't need to go anymore because the dancing stopped.

I have to say that although I LOVE being a preschool teacher I do sometimes day dream about having a job where I am not required to care about the bathroom needs, habits, or issues of anyone other than myself. I wonder what a day would be like if I never said "Do you need to go potty?" or "Did you flush the toilet?" or "Did you wash your hands?" or (and this more than any other) "Did you have an accident?" I don't think I would miss that...but I would miss "my kids." So I will keep worrying about what is (or isn't) going on in the bathroom in exchange for all the painting, silly jokes, games, singing, giggling, pictures that are drawn for me, and hugs that I get. Oh yeah, and also all the funny things they say.

But I will still keep trying to get them go when they need to, to wash their hands after and mostly to flush the damn toilet!

My Grandpa

I have always loved coming to my grandparents' home in the tiny town of Monticello Utah. A large part of that are my wonderful grandparents. Well, them and the 'candy cupboard'. Today I am in Monticello again, sitting in my grandpa's office surrounded by two or three desks cluttered with envelopes, invoices, computers, checkbooks, and piles of papers. I can see him sitting in this very office working on all the paperwork for his cattle operation. In fact, everywhere I go in this house there are memories of my grandpa. In the kitchen I can remember him from when I was a child, getting out his recycled milk jug of frozen water as he headed off for a day of hard labor on the ranch. When I smell the wood burning stove I remember him chopping wood in the garage and countless trips from the garage to the house with arms full of wood. I can picture him at the kitchen table playing barnyard rummy with a handful of grandchildren, games that he regularly won because he never played favorites or let anyone win at cards. I can imagine him in his recliner in the family room, flipping channels on the TV until he found the weather channel or a news channel to fall asleep to. Outside there are handfuls of memories of riding horses, learning about different plants and flowers, and piling into the back of his pick-up to go for a ride. I can still hear him on a Sunday morning as he walked down the hall dressed in his suit and tie as I asked, "Where are you going Grandpa?" and without fail his answer was "Crazy. Wanna come?" Not that long ago he sat in the red chair in the living room and told the unbelievably romantic story of how he carved his and grandma's initials on the mountain side by knocking down hundreds of trees. But my favorite memory usually took place in the dining room, just moments after I entered through the side door. He would always get up to come hug and kiss me and welcome me into his home. That was my favorite moment of being here. And it was the lack of that moment this weekend, when I arrived and he wasn't there with his ready kiss and warm hug, that broke my heart. My grandpa passed away a week ago and I miss him so much, and I always will. So I will hold on tightly to all the memories I have of him and to the knowledge that I was his "Favorite Granddaughter" (just like all the others!)

I love you Grandpa!!

My Family

I really do love my family...I know I'm not always great at showing it (to the grown ups that is). There are times that these people are my favorite people in the entire world....and then there are times they make me want to move to Australia...but mostly they are great.

This is a quick "snapshot" of our family during our recent family vacation

(yeah we just hang out in semi-wooded areas near ponds with expensive cameras and tripods)

But I personally like this version better....

I feel like it's a more accurate portrayal of our family dysfunctionality

(if you want to really see how awesome this pic is....click on it)

But even when we were "randomly" snapping this photo we knew it would soon be outdated..(just check out the baby bumps on Cami and Lindsay!)

Just a few days ago Lindsay delivered Adam Washburn Taylor.

And only 3 weeks before that, Cami delivered Eddie Samuel TimothyI am grateful for my family...my sisters for having babies so I can be an auntie....my sister-in-law for taking great "snapshots"....my brothers for reminding me of all my short comings (but secretly thinking I am pretty amazing?)....my niece and nephews for being SO adorable!!

And mostly for my mom being the most amazing mom I know!

Back To School 2010

School has officially started again at Discovery Corner Preschool! Here are the top ten ways I can tell school has started:

10. My thighs are sore from the work of sitting down on and getting up from chairs made for 3 year-olds.

9. I get free lunch at mom's house everyday!

8. I get to see my good friends at Maverick almost every morning....as my need for caffeine has sky rocketed.

7. I keep checking things off my preschool "to-do" list.

6. My preschoool "to-do" list doesn't seem to be getting any shorter...regardless of number 5.

5. There is constantly some combination of paint/sharpie/yogurt on my hands.

4. I am staying up way too late and not sleeping nearly enough.

3. I ask "Did you flush?...Did you wash your hands?....With soap?" at least 20 times a day.

2. My pile of To-Be-Read-Books has (sadly) sat un-touched for several weeks.

1. I am almost always smiling or laughing...how can I not when I'm surrounded by 10 little smiling faces.

I love being a preschool teacher...it is the best job I have ever had!! Now if I can just back into a regular sleeping routine I'll be set. :)