Oh how I miss you....

Today I am having one of those days where I am homesick for Arizona!!! I am missing my old ward, I'm missing the warm weather, my job? weird I know, going swimming when it's 115 outside and getting burnt to the crisp, my loving friends, I miss that I never had to get ready to leave my house because I never would run into anyone I knew, I miss the adventure of being on our own, I miss having a fresh slate where no one knew my past, I miss Raylene and Scott and their sweet kids, and good ol' Raylon, I miss the huge malls all within 10 miles of our house, I miss spring training games, I miss the brown scenery (never thought I would miss that), I miss the beautiful sunsets, the beautiful spring colors when everything is in bloom, I miss the stucco houses, I miss In N Out Burgers, I miss the cactus, I miss hiking, and I miss having a billion things to do all within 10 minutes of our house.

Derek and I eventually want to end back up in Arizona once we are done here at BYU-Idaho, and I honestly can't wait for this day!! Who knows if it will happen, but as for now, this is our plan. Today I was looking up jobs and housing in Arizona, and there was the exact job in the exact city that I want. The job is working as a Physical Therapy Technician in Maricopa Arizona. Do you know how tempted I am to apply? But then, this would throw off our schooling. I hate timing sometimes!! Right now you can buy a 4 bedroom 3 bath house for $80,000, and I really am hoping we will still be able to get an opportunity like this in a couple of years. Ugh, timing is everything, but apparently I am supposed to be right here right now. Oh how I love you Arizona, and I can't wait to join you again someday soon!! Until then, I will just keep dreaming about you!

A "Memoriable" camping trip

Sometimes.... things come out of my mouth, now I'm not saying I like the things that come out of my mouth, but sometimes I don't think it all the way through first. Last weekend we had the opportunity to go camping with our friends the Pasley's. While on our camping trip, getting mixed up with the weekends obviously, because Memorial day is this weekend.... I said, "This camping trip is will be a great memoriable weekend." Well, it stuck, and this is the terms we used to describe the weekend.
We had a fun time! We went up last Saturday and set up camp. I always amaze myself at how little I know about camping, so I gave myself the easiest jobs possible. I "helped" set up the tent, and I gathered sticks. Due to this, I was given the title of "Mary, the stick gatherer." Sydni started to prepare food and was given the name, "Sydni, the food preparer." She wasn't thrilled about this name so we re-established the name of "Sydni, the knife slicer." Ryan was given the name,"Ryan, the prepared man." Let me tell you.... Ryan brought EVERYTHING!! He had like a thousand little bags filled with everything you could imagine. I laughed at this, but in all reality, I think I'm going to take him on every trip with me. It's always handy to have the friend that is prepared. We gave Derek the name of, "Derek, the wood chopper." We had very important jobs and all felt so special with our names.

We made corn on the cob and tin foil dinners filled with hamburger, carrots, and potatoes. They were good other than the fact that we burned the CRAP out of them. They were still good considering, and it was the experience that mattered. Afterwards it started raining so we hung out in the tent for about 30 mintues. Once it stopped raining we sat around the camp fire laughing, talking, and of course making yummy s'mores. All in all it was a great weekend full of laughter and fun memories. I will say that I learned how to chop wood and I pretty much went crazy with the ax and wood. I may have got carried away.... but who's to judge? Anyways, Derek and I forgot our camera, so I stole a few from Ryan and Syd. Enjoy! For real this time... have a "Memoriable" weekend..... it's more fitting this time!! I know I will. Dawson family reunion, here I come!!

I really should be studying but....

I have an Anatomy and Physiology test tomorrow, and a Statistics test, and a whole lot of reading to do, but...... instead I found myself here. I don't have much time but I thought I would write a quick blurb.

Derek is officially certified as an EMT. Well.... I guess technically he has to wait for a certificate to come in the mail, but yes, he's taken all of the tests and he passed!! I am so proud of him, he truly worked so hard for this!! We stayed the night in Pocatello on Friday night, and woke up at 5:30 to go to Preston where he could take his Practical Test. He did awesome, and he is so thrilled to be done and to have passed.

Of course you can't go on a weekend trip without having car problems... I don't want to get into that story but Derek worked his little fanny off on our car for hours and hours and hours on Friday and Saturday. Derek is extremely talented and when everyone gives up and says, "I can't do it", that's when Derek says...., "Well I can, and I will prove it!" I married one hard worker you guys!! I love him to pieces and I am so grateful that our car is now working right.

It was my mom's birthday over the weekend, and we were stuck in Blackfoot working on the car, so I wasn't able to go see her until Sunday. We went to my parent's and ate dinner with them. It was fun because my brother and his fiance were able to visit us on their way from Montana to Boise. I haven't seen Karl since Christmas break so it was sooo fun to see him! I got to see his fiance's beautiful ring. I literally don't know how Karl turned out to be this cute romantic boyfriend, but he did something right. Haha, I'm really happy for them to get married and I'm excited for Tanya to become a member of the family!

On a side note, I have decided not to teach ballroom next year because we are moving to Rexburg and I was asked to be a on a local performing team. I am really excited about it! The TA from when I was on Dance Alliance my first year of college is starting up her own company. Auditions haven't even been held yet, so I was thrilled when she came to me and asked if I would join her company. We will be performing locally, I get to dance for free, and she is trying to find sponsors to pay her dancers. Living in Idaho Falls, this is probably not likely to happen, but I don't care. If I get to dance on a company and perform for free, sign me up, I'm in!

So other than that nothing else is new. We are just sleep deprived college students, trying our best to get straight A's, and trying to live up to our highest potential!! I hope all ya'll are doing well!!

Love these kiddos!!

Do you want to see the cutest kids in the world?? Well I am lucky enough to have been their dance teacher over the past year. We have had some fun times, and some not so fun times. We had adventures when some kids decided to wrestle each other rather than play freeze dance, we've had crying, laughing, screaming (for joy), some yellow puddles of oops, I was having so much fun I forgot to tell you I had to go to the bathroom, (to clarify, I never had this probelm, it was a student), and most of all we have all grown to love each other. I am so proud of these kiddos for not only learning 1 dance routine, but 2 dance routines. They have also learned the basic steps to the cha cha and all love to say 2, 3, cha cha cha, 2, 3 cha cha cha. The girls love to shake their hips, and smile pretty up on stage. The boys love the physical aspect of it, and sometimes I don't know quite how to handle it when they decide they want to start wrestling in the middle of the dance routine.

Let me tell you. I have really grown to love and adore these children. They are the biggest sweet hearts, and they have grown immensely over the past year. The very first day of class I thought I was doomed when I could not even get them to do a rock step. Well let me tell you, they know how to do a rock step and sooo much more, and even if they don't know all the steps, they are still darn cute and are having the time of their lives!!

Friday is the end of the year concert and it is a bitter sweet time. So happy for a break, but so sad to see these kids go!! I have adored working with each student and I love them with all my heart!! Enjoy their cuteness!! I don't blame you if you're jealous that I got to work with them! :)

Ever had one of those weeks?

Ok.... let me tell you about my week. It is ridiculous really, but please eat a snack and enjoy the comedy of my life.

Let's see.... I'll start out with I no longer am employed. It is a long story, and extremely frustrating but long story short, my boss knew I was looking to move to Rexburg so she took my hours away and I couldn't afford to stay. Put us in a crappy situation so I walked away from the job. Not to mention we were under new employment, the business was up for sale, and our boss was a month behind on paying her employees. Sounds professional eh? Needless to say, a load has been lifted off my shoulders. Working with 30 girls is way too much drama.

2nd of all.... we found a place that we are in LOVE with in Rexburg. It is everything we are looking for and in our price range. There was only 1 draw back, and it was that this condo was $50 more than the exact same condo next door. Reason being is that each complex is owned by a different land lord, and regardless whether they were bought during bad times or good times of the economy depends on how expensive rent would be. Well we decided the $50 more although it's annoying was not too big of a deal and we could still afford it. So we call the land lord first thing in the morning and guess what? Someone had JUST beat us to the catch. They called her right before us, so we are 2nd on the waiting list. Yes... poopy I know.

3rd... I thought I qualified for a $2000 smart scholarship. My friend works in financial aid and she was the one that told me about it. Well she looks everything up and guess what? I'm 5 credits short of getting this scholarship. Plus it is the very last semester they are handing this out. Yeah, I really wish I hadn't even heard about this scholarship.... then I would have not been let down.

4th, my friend works in student housing on campus. She texted me and told me to call this number because there was an opening in the exact same condo we want and it was for the $50 cheaper. So I called, and I was excited as ever! Well guess what? The tenants decided that they wanted to stay for another year. Who does that? Who posts it online and then decides to stay another year? Well... they definitely knew how to top it all off for me.

5th my friend texted again with a number for the same condos. I call.... and it was a realtor who sales the condos, not rents. I felt foolish.

6th, first day of school yesterday. I'm on overload and already stressed with how I'm going to make it through the semester. Well it's towards the end of the day, I'm starving, I had to stay after class to add the class, and I'm speed walking across campus to make it to my Statistics class. I had 3 minutes to spare and I literally was going to pee my pants. I rush into the bathroom a little dizzy because I am so hungry. Afterwards I rush into my class room, climb all over the students to get into the crammed seat in the very middle of the lecture hall. Well I'm all settled in with my notebook and pencil out. The teacher hands our notecards and tells everyone to put their name, and then write yes or no if they are willing to pray in class. I put my name and write yes, and pass it back down to the end of the row. Next we pray and then the teacher says, "Welcome to Psychology 211", and writes Psychology on the chalk board. I am mortified! How the heck did I go to the wrong class? Who does that? I sat and debated in my head whether to sit in the wrong class for the entire hour, or lower my pride and go find my Statistics class. Well, I decided I had to make it to Statistics the first day so I wouldn't get behind everyone else. So.... I literally climb over all of the students in my row. I stepped on several toes, and wacked the back of many people's heads with my massive backpack. I have to face the class and walk all the way to the door with everyone staring at me. I felt like I was living one of my nightmares I've had before. It was awesome, I tell you what!

I don't know if I'm doing something wrong and the things I want out of life are not where I'm supposed to be. Or whether I'm going in the right direction and Satan is trying to keep me from getting there. Regardless, I really hope that this comes to an end. Haha it really is quite entertaining. It really has been a silly week. Rather than breaking down and wondering why we keep coming so close to getting a condo, or getting scholarships, I finally had to step back and laugh at myself. I'd rather deal with it that way than cry over all these frustrating things going on in our lives.

On a lighter note, my Birthday is Wednesday, Easter is Sunday, and I am married to the man of my dreams!! I hope that you guys are all having a much better week than I am, and if any of you are struggling I hope you can look back and laugh at yourself. It's too hard to take life seriously all the time.

3 words....

Ok I have 3 words for you.....

JUST DANCE 2!!!

This game is so fun and hilarious! This weekend was my Grandpa's 90th birthday. We had a fun party for him at his church. I truly have decided that I hope I get his genes in the family. That man is still sharp as a tack. After his party we just spent the weekend as a family partying it up at my parent's. My sister Julia came up for the weekend and brought her boyfriend. They are the cutest couple I know. We had way too much fun this weekend! My voice was hoarse from laughing so hard!

I wish you all could have seen my parents dancing, and Derek and my sister's boyfriend busting out duets together. We had so much fun! I highly recommend you all play this game!! If you don't know anyone who has a Wii or this game, call me up and I will play with you!! Too fun!

I really am alive I promise!!

Holy moly!!! I know it, I suck at this blogging thing! It's been far too long my friends! I will tell you why.... first of all, I don't have free time. I'm going to school full time, teaching dance, and working as Assistant Manager at Massage Envy. When I'm not at school or work, I am doing homework up the ying yang!! A typical day at the Dawson residence anymore is Derek and I sitting next to each other quietly going to town on our homework. It's crazy how we're together but so not at the same time. Driving to and from Rexburg we find ourselves talking about more school on top of it all.... can you tell what's always on our minds?

We are doing really good! We are staying super busy with school, and on top of going to school full time during the day, Derek is taking an EMT course at EITC and he is gone to class all night. Poor guy, I honestly don't know how he does it!! Actually I do know how... because he is amazing!! I really do enjoy school, and I enjoy learning. It's always fun when you have a random fact to share with others about something you learned in class. Right now in my Anatamy class we are learning about the muscles. That means.... cadavar lab for me. Now that they no longer use fermaldihyde (I have no clue how you spell it), I actually am able to stay in the same room as the cadavars without wanting to pass out. The human body is fascinating, and it truly is a gift from our Heavenly Father! So that is roughly what is new with us. To be honest, a lot more has been going on, but it's pretty private. I have a hard time with blogging right now because I have a lot on my mind but I don't want to share it all publicly. That's another reason why I've been avoiding blogging. When I'm writing a lot of the time I like to just get things off my chest, but that's what my journal is for! Everything is all good, but all I ask is for a few prayers for my family. :) Thanks you guys! I really hope everything is going well for all ya'll, and let me know what's new with you guys!! Anyone else getting spring fever? And any other Glee fans our there getting ready to ditch Glee because of their past couple of episodes? Hit me up, and let me know what's new!!