heres a little laugh

this is seriously so funny. mostly because i have already seen this video which is one of my favs. 

hercules

if only i had the swag of meg. 

Now is the time

source unknown

"This is the thing: When you hit 28 or 30, everything begins to divide. You can see very clearly two kinds of people. 

On one side, people who have used their 20s to learn and grow, to find … themselves and their dreams, people who know what works and what doesn’t, who have pushed through to become real live adults. 

Then there’s the other kind, who are hanging onto college, or high school even, with all their might. They’ve stayed in jobs they hate, because they’re too scared to get another one. They’ve stayed with men or women who are good but not great, because they don’t want to be lonely. … they mean to develop intimate friendships, they mean to stop drinking like life is one big frat party. But they don’t do those things, so they live in an extended adolescence, no closer to adulthood than when they graduated. 

Don’t be like that. Don’t get stuck.

Move, travel, take a class, take a risk. 

There is a season for wildness and a season for settledness, and this is neither. 

This season is about becoming. 

Don’t lose yourself at happy hour, but don’t lose yourself on the corporate ladder either. Stop every once in a while and go out to coffee or climb in bed with your journal. 

Ask yourself some good questions like: “Am I proud of the life I’m living? What have I tried this month? … Do the people I’m spending time with give me life, or make me feel small? Is there any brokenness in my life that’s keeping me from moving forward?”

 Now is your time. Walk closely with people you love, and with people who believe … life is a grand adventure. Don’t get stuck in the past, and don’t try to fast-forward yourself into a future you haven’t yet earned. Give today all the love and intensity and courage you can, and keep traveling honestly along life’s path."

it makes me happy

it makes me happy that i found a job that i love. sure, there are days that i wonder about my sanity. but in general i leave everyday so excited about my career. teaching is such a challenging and exciting job. the students test me to be better; to be more. everyday is completely different with new circumstances and ideas. the kids inspire me to be the best teacher i can be and everyday i feel that i am making a difference. 

it makes me happy that mcdonalds drinks are $1.00. extra large cup of caffeine. thank you sir. 

it makes me happy that tomorrow is friday. 

it makes me happy that there is a app called snapchat. life is suddenly so much more entertaining. 

it makes me happy that i have such an incredible husband. i am so grateful for everything that he is for me. he is my best friend, my rock and my happiness. i love our adventures and our simple times together. i love who i am when i am with him. i love who he makes me want to be. it makes me happy that i found him to spend the rest of eternity with. 

wow

if you have 7 minutes, take the time to watch this. this is incredible. 

on a completely unrelated note. parent teacher conferences. they are challenging and nerve racking. these kids are in 2nd grade! why are some parents so intense?! lol 

dont get me wrong, i love meeting parents and praising my good students. but it is hard to give praise for 15 minutes. however, 15 minutes is never enough when it is a problem child. =) 

it is good to keep parents informed but i teach for 7 hours and then i have 3-4 hours of conferences after school for 3 days. i am a little pooped. 

thank goodness i am going off track in a week in a half. 

**cue angels** HALLELUJAH! 

oh the life of a first year teacher. 

for reals

i am about to get a little religious. 

recently i have had a few experiences that have made me truly think about what i believe and what i want to do with that faith. 

the first experience is when i saw LIFE OF PI. it is such a good book and the movie was a pretty good representation. but my favorite part is at the end, when pi asked the author, so what story did you like better? and once the writer answered, pi simply stated "and so it is with god." such a simple sentence and yet it had me thinking for hours. there are so many stories of god on this planet; so many different ways to show our devotion and faith. there are so many different stories and it is up to us to choose which story best fits for us. i love movies that make us think and re-evaluate. this movie made me think about what i truly believe and why i believe it. it made me think about the story that best fits for me. if you would like to know more about it, you can visit http://mormon.org/

the second experience is when i went down to manti, utah. ry surprised me with an awesome weekend getaway. to read more about it you can go here he continues to amaze me. but while i was in the temple, that question came back into my head. "what story do you like better" and i really thought about what it was about the story that i liked. then i read alma 5 in the book of mormon and it reminded me of the meeting i will have with my savior. can i look at him once i die and tell him i have done everything possible to be a disciple of him? 

no matter what religion we are, our end goal is the same. to get back to our god, or savior and feel that we have done our best. i feel that is the beauty of religion. we all believe our own story, we all strive for different goals and yet we are united in our goals to be a better person. 

Growing up, early years

Growing up, early years: 

*Where did you grow up?  Describe it.
I was lucky enough to grow up on cheam avenue. it was a little 3 bedroom house in a cul de sac full of children.i shared a room with my sister who always made such a mess in our bedroom {totally joking... i was the messy roommate}i have so many fond memories with that house. playing in our doughboy pool, running around in the cul de sac, growing closer in that house. it was the perfect place to grow up in.  

*What was your earliest memory?
i have vague memories from pre-school times but my first true memory that i remember with absolute clarity is preview day at white oak elementary for kindergarten. i remember walking through all the classes meeting the teachers. and then i walked into mrs. frederick's classroom. she was sitting on the floor playing her guitar and singing. i was mesmerized and knew that was the class i wanted to be in. 

*What games did you play as a child?
i was a drama queen. nothing made me happier than singing and acting. luckily my sister and friends loved to play with me. =) we played house, hair salon, fairy land, anything that required our imagination. we were also really into making movies. we would come up with scripts and songs to sing. then we would enlist my mom or record it ourselves. we had so much fun coming up with the movie and then acting it out. all those videos have mysteriously disappeared but they are great memories.

*Where did you go to school? 
i went to school at white oak elementary school. i went there k-5th and then moved to middle school for 6-8th. 


*Who were your friends? 
i was fortunate enough to have amazing friends in elementary school. hannah, drew, erica, erika,sydney, and so many more. too many to name. they helped to make elementary school so much fun. i was even fortunate enough to have them all live near me so we hung out all the time. making movies, running around the neighborhood, and making so many awesome memories. thank you to those friends who made growing up such a great adventure. 

*Who were your favorite teacher and why?
i had incredible teachers in elementary school. white oak elementary was filled with outstanding teachers. mrs. mitchell (2nd) taught me to believe in myself. mrs. ginn (4th)  taught me to never give up. mrs. frederick(K) taught me to be myself and love myself for it. but my favorite teacher has to be mrs. beley (3rd) she was known as a hard teacher. she challenged her students and expected them to rise to the challenge. she had out of this world lessons. we made life size whales, memorized poems, dug up dinosaur bones and became inventors. mrs. beley taught me that hard work pays off. 

Birth and childhood.

My birth and family

*What is your full name and how did you get that name? Do you have any nicknames? 
My full name is Alexandra Shae Safford (now Ford) I was named after my great grandfather Alexander. My nickname is Alex for most, Al for some and galpal for my dad. 


*What are your parent's full names and birth dates and places? 
Dad- Kenneth David Safford. he was born on August 14th in Burbank, california 
Mom- Kellee Jolene Burkhead. she was born on March 2nd in Arcadia, California. 

*What is the date of your birth? Where were you born? What are some of the circumstances (when your mom went in to labor, how long, her doctor, your dad fainting, etc.) of your birth? 
My birthday is November 1, 1990 in Tarzana, California. I was born 4 weeks early so I was a little small =) My mom went into labor on Halloween night but because I was breach, they rushed my mom into a c-section. i was such a small baby that cabbage patch doll outfits were the only thing that would fit. 

*What are your sibling's full names and birth dates? 
sister- Hannah Arlene Safford. birthday- September 19, 1992. 
bro #1 Cole Christopher Safford. birthday- December 13, 1994
bro #2 Jack Arden Safford. Birthday June 16, 1998


*How did you help in your home?
We grew up with chores. We made our lunches almost every day for school, my sister and i were responsible to do the dishes every night, we had to make our bed and clean our rooms {something i could have really done better with} and we were always expected to help keep the house clean. once i was old enough to drive, i also helped drive my siblings around.

 *How was your relationship with your siblings and parents? 
I love my siblings. They are some of my best friends. I am really close to my sister. She has taught me so much about strength and love. She is so much fun to be around and is filled with life and enthusiasm. Cole and jack could not be more opposite and that is why i love them. cole is the artistic, bike riding cool guy. =) he is an example to me of fearlessness and fun. he knows what he likes and he sticks with it. Jackie- the family pitbull. he is a beast athlete and is so determined in everything he does. if he makes up his mind to do something, he finds a way. he is so funny and enthusiastic. 

I have always had a special relationship with my parents. they are two of the most inspirational people i have ever met. My mom is my best friend. i have been away from home for almost 4 years and it is still weird if i go more than 2-3 days without talking to her. she is my sounding board and the person i want to tell all my good and bad news to. I am my dad's galpal. we have a very special relationship and I feel so blessed to have such an incredible guy as my dad. He makes me feel so safe and helps me to feel grounded. he always knows exactly what to say and has the kind of humor that makes me always laugh. I love my parents and i am so grateful to have them. 

*What are some lessons you learned from you parents? 
wow. lessons i learned from my parents. there are quite a few lessons that my parents have taught me over the years. but i think the most important lesson they have taught me is the lesson of love. 

They are still 100% in love. They cuddle on the couch, leave notes for each other on the mirrors, surprise each other at work. they taught me how important it is to find the one who makes you the happiest and to show them just how happy you are everyday. i learned the value of love and the beauty of having so much love in a home. 

This is me challenge

I found this challenge on the website http://thisismechallenge.blogspot.com/ I think it is an awesome way to get to know people. So I am taking up the challenge. I will do posts weekly {hopefully}  about each category. I wont be able to answer ever category but I will answer every one that is applicable to me. want to join me? Go check out the awesome blog! There are a ton of blog prompts and things to write about. 


Your birth and family:  
*What is your full name and how did you get that name?  Do you have any nicknames?
*What are your parent's full names and birth dates and places?
*What is the date of your birth?  Where were you born?  What are some of the circumstances (when your mom went in to labor, how long, her doctor, your dad fainting, etc.) of your birth?
*What are your sibling's full names and birth dates? 
*How was your relationship with your siblings and parents?
*What are some lessons you learned from you parents?
*How did you help in your home?  

  
Growing up, early years: 
*Where did you grow up?  Describe it.
*What was your earliest memory?
*What games did you play as a child?
*Where did you go to school?
*Who were your friends?
*Who were your favorite teachers and why?
*What were your chores? 


Growing up, teenage years:
*What activities did you participate in?  (Sports, dancing, music, arts, etc.)  Explain what you did with each activity.   
*How did you learn how to drive?  What kind of car did you have?
*Who were your friends?  
*Did you have a girl/boy friend?  Talk about him/her (if your spouse is okay with it!).
*What did you like/dislike about school?
*What was your first paid job? 
*What were your chores at home?


College years:
*Did you attend college or a trade school of some sort?
*How did you choose what you wanted to be when you grew up?
*What did you think was the hardest thing about your chosen profession at that time?  Did it turn out that way?
*What dumb things did you do during those years?
*What good things did you do?
*Did you live on your own?  How well prepared were you for that?
*What life lessons did you learn?
*What choices did you make that affect where you are now?


Work:
*What jobs have you had?  (Give details of the dates, places, responsibilities, etc.)
*What did you like/dislike about each job?
*What did you learn at each job?
*Have you used any of that knowledge in later years?
*Who were your bosses?  Did you like them/get along?
*How did you get along with your co-workers?
*Which was your favorite job?
*How many years until you retire?
*Do you have any big plans for your retirement? (If retired: What have you done since retirement?  What's next?)



Marriage:
*How did you meet your spouse?  Was it love at first sight or did it take some time?
*How long did you date before you got engaged?  How long was your engagement?
*How did you get engaged?  (The story.)
*Who did most of the wedding plans?  Who helped?
*Who were your bridesmaids/best men? 
*Describe the details of your wedding:  the colors, the cake, the decorations, etc.
*Where did your wedding take place?  Who performed the ceremony?  Do you remember any words of advice given?
*Who attended your wedding?
*Where did you go on your honeymoon?  What adventures did you have?


Children:
*Give your children's full names, birth dates and places.
*How did you choose their names?
*What were the circumstances of each child's birth?
*What are some funny things that each child does/did or says/said?
*What do you love most about each child?  What are their strengths and weaknesses?
*What are your children involved in?
*How do you spend your time with your children?
*What are your favorite family activities?

Grand-children:
*Give your grand-children's full names, birth dates and places.
*What are the things you love the most about each grand child?
*Are there any traditions that you have with them?
*How often do you see them?
*What do you do to stay in contact? 


Celebrations:
*What are some of your personal and family traditions for each holiday?  (New Years, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Easter, Christmas, etc.)
*What traditions have you carried over from your childhood?  Which ones did you start in your own family? 
*How do you celebrate adult's birthdays?
*How do you celebrate children's birthdays?
*How do you celebrate your anniversary?


Religion:
*How did you gain your testimony of the Gospel?  
*Write your testimony.
*How has the Gospel and knowledge of Heavenly Father's plan helped you in your life?
*What ordinances have you completed?  (Baptism, Blessing, Endowment, Sealing, etc.)  Describe the day, circumstances, who was there, any advice you were given, how you felt, etc.
*What callings have you had?  Which were your favorite and least favorite?  What did you learn from them?
*What is  your favorite scripture/hymn/Conference talk?  Why?
*Did you serve a mission?  (See the "Just for RM's" tab on top for more in-depth questions!)


Home life:
*Describe the places you've lived.
*What was your favorite house or apartment?  Why?
*How do you like to decorate?
*What is it about home that you love?
*How has your standard of life changed through the years? 


Sleep:
*How many hours do you like to sleep at night?
*Do you take naps?
*Do you like a lot, or few blankets and pillows?
*Can you sleep anywhere, or does it have to be in your own bed?  
*What are your favorite conditions for a good-night's sleep?  Does it have to be completely dark and quiet?


Food:
*What are your favorite foods?
*What are your favorite desserts?
*Do you like to cook or bake?  What are your favorites to make?
*Do you have any food allergies?
*What are some foods you have a hard time saying "no" to?
*What foods do you HAVE to have name brand?  Which can you do generic?
*Do you try to eat healthy?
*Do you prefer eating out?  Where? 


Health:
*How is your overall health?
*Have you had any surgeries? (If yes, give details.)
*Have you had any broken bones?  (If yes, give details.)
*Do you have allergies? (If yes, give details.)
*What are you doing to keep healthy now?


Around the World:
*What major world events have happened in your lifetime?
*Has it affected who you are now? 
*Who was the President when you were born?  Who is it now?
*What natural disasters have you been in?


Politics: 
*Are you involved in politics?  How so?
*Are you a specific political party? 
*How do you choose who to vote for?
*Are you happy with the Government?
*What would you change if you could?


Nature:
*Where is your favorite place to go to get away from it all?
*What outdoor activities do you like to participate in?
*What are some of your favorite outdoor memories?


Traveling:
*Where in the world have you been?
*Where was your favorite vacation?  (As a child, as a teenager, as an adult, etc.)
*Where would your dream vacation be?
*How do you like to travel?  


Miscellaneous:
*What is the most daring thing you've done?
*What is the stupidest thing you've done?
*What is your most embarrassing moment? (Or moments.)
*What choices in life would you like to have a redo on?
*What is your general attitude toward life?


Personality:
*What kind of personality do you have?  (Shy, outgoing, calm, stressed, etc.)
*How has your personality changed over the years?  What made it change?
*How well do you associate with others?
*What makes you nervous/happy/angry/surprised/scared/etc?


Hobbies:
*What are your current hobbies?
*What hobbies have you had in the past?
*How often do you get to do your hobbies?
*What hobbies do you wish you could start? 


Death:
*What would you like to do before you die?  (Bucket list)
*What are your beliefs about death?
*Are you scared to die?
*How would you like to go?
*What are your final wishes?
*What are your wishes for your funeral and burial?
*What would you like people to say about you when you're gone?

He continues to amaze me

let me start off by saying, i think valentines day is over rated... and yet, i love celebrating the holiday. what girl wouldn't love to have her man cook her dinner, buy her flowers and make a big romantic gesture? 

ryan did not disappoint this year. he started off valentines by cooking me breakfast. then that night we had a romantic homemade dinner of pot roast, mashed potatoes and asparagus. my man knows how to cook! we finished the night off with an episode of Walking dead. =) in his card to me, ry surprised me with a romantic get-away this weekend. we went down to manti, utah and stayed in this awesome bed and breakfast. the next day we went through the manti temple. it is absolutely gorgeous and it is one of the few that do the sessions live. I loved our get away. it was perfect. after that we drove back home and just when i thought the celebration was over, he surprised me with dinner at CPK and seats to the BYU basketball game. 

 i love how valentines brings out the love in all of us. it is an excuse to shower the people in our lives with appreciation and adoration. ry made me realize just how much he loves me.

Im a big girl now.

guys... i made a blog button! moving up in the blogging world. sure, i was suppose to be making lesson plans, cleaning my house, getting some grading done, preparing for parent teacher conferences and hanging out with my husband. but i made a button instead. woot woot. now i have to decide what to do with it =)