Take a Breath

This past week was like one bomb was dropped on me after another.
Bomb 1: With budget cuts in the district, lots of changes are coming for next year. My principal pulled me aside this week and told me I would be teaching 3rd grade next year. I have mixed feelings about this. I have always believed that being stagnant means I am not progressing and not improving myself. I have felt a little stagnant in the 4th grade. Being my 3rd year there, I have my curriculum under control. With the work I have done in my master's classes, I have put a lot of thought and work into what I have taught and the things that used to be difficult for me in the 4th grade have become second nature. Moving to 3rd grade will give me a chance to challenge myself and will keep me from being stagnant. Plus I am going to be working with some awsome teachers who have already been so open and helpful this week. Another plus, my pal Lyndsay is moving with me, so we will still be teaching together. And while a change is exciting and new, it will have it's challenges. The biggest being that I will need to make 6 weeks of maternity leave sub plans in a curriculum I don't know. Lucky for me, I will have Lyndsay and my other friends in the 3rd grade to help me out. They are the nicest ladies and I know they will help me out. In fact, Lyndsay and I are going 3rd grade shopping this afternoon. It also gives me a little boost knowing that my principal has enough faith in me to move me in the first place. At least someone thinks I can tackle this! (Note: There will always be an emtpy place in my hear where my 4th grade team once was. I love you guys!) So, wish me luck!
Bomb 2: Other stuff at school. Teaching other people's kids is stressful. With testing at my heels right now, and other issues in the classroom, I have experienced several sleepless nights the past few weeks. Lets just say I have the most awesome husband in the world who will come home from his long day at work and school to spend his evenings listening to me vent and doing everything he can to comfort me. If he could, he would fight my battles for me.
Bomb 3: Finding a babysitter is proving to be very difficult. Fortunately, I work in a school full of young mothers who have given me phone numbers, information and lots of advice. One piece of advice they gave me was to start looking for a sitter early. Unfortunately, every sitter I have called will not have room for a newborn. The best solace I can take is that if Heavenly Father has given me this baby, he will provide a way. I don't know if I have mentioned this, but Chad and I were not really planning to start our family just yet. But if the Lord will have it be, something will come up. I still have time, I am just not a good waiter!

How Grateful I am for a new week and a fresh start! I know that if I just take a breath and put all this into perspective, none of these things are a big enough deal to put me out or get me down. Besides, I have too many great friends, family, and an awesome husband to let me fall in the first place!

Fiasco in the Kitchen

Sunday dinner. I loved it growing up in my mom's home. I was excited to get married and have someone to cook a good meal for on Sundays. Today, I attempted something not so difficult but still scrumptious, and it turned into a fiasco.

It started with splattering cooking oil, EVERYWHERE. On my hands and up my arms, now blistering. On my kitchen floor, which is where I slipped and ended up on my rear end. Does being pregnant make you more of a klutz? Let's not mention clean up, it will just make me more tired.

Turns out Chad does not really like scones and honeybutter anyway.

Family,Conference and Easter

This past weekend, we had an opportunity to attend the Saturday afternoon session of conference. It was so spiritual and uplifting. What a great way to spend an Easter weekend. Thanks Adam for hooking us up!

Following the session, we met up with Chad's family in SLC to celebrate as his younger brother was set apart as an elder. As I sat there with the family gathered at Grandma and Grandpa Barton's, I could not help but think how lucky I am to have both sides of my family so strong in the gospel. It was cool to see so many men in the Barton family stand in the circle for Tyler. They are a great family and I am so blessed to be a part of them.
Next weekend, my oldest nephew Canyen is being baptised. I cannot believe he is that old! My younger brother Connor is going to be doing the baptism. They have such a special relationship and I am so excited for both Connor and Canyen. Also, next weekend Cody will be blessing my newest nephew Porter. With this generation of grandkids that is coming into my family, it has been difficult at times to narrow down the priesthood holders who will be standing in the circle because we have so many willing and able men who share their preisthoold blessings.

I felt like this conference focused a lot on families and parenting. That could be just because this is the phase Chad and I are entering in life, so that is what caught my attention. Not going to lie, there are a lot of things that scare me about bringing a baby into this world. But I get so much comfort and relief knowing that Chad and I both have strong, awesome families to back us up!

This next week is my spring break. Kind of bad timing, cause chad is so busy getting ready for finals and finishing (and, let's be honest...starting!) projects. I don't really have any plans besides cleaning and housekeeping and maybe some yard work if the sun ever decides to come out this spring. I am going to be one bored and lonely Mandi, so please call me and we can hang out!

Drumroll please....

Because Chad and I both come from small towns, and mothers who like to talk, you may already know this but I guess we should make it official....

drumroll please...

WE ARE HAVING A BABY!

I am 13 weeks along, due September 26 (Chad's birthday). We had a dr. appointment last Friday and got to hear the heartbeat. What an experience that is! I have been feeling pretty good. Yes...tired, nauseous, and hungry ALL the time. But I am functioning just fine and can't complain.

Chad and I are so excited. I cannot believe we have been given this opportunity. We feel so blessed and...well...excited! Chad has been singing me this song. Because of that, and the fact that is might be the most awkward song ever written, I have posted it here for you all. Also, we really like Glee!

Tune-in

Those of you who know me well, know that I am kind of a music junkie. I always like to have music playing whether I am in the car or cleaning the house or doing my hair. I LOVE my music! I sometimes think I was born in the wrong generation because I love the 70's and 80's, both soft rock and classic rock. Boston, Def Leopard, Styx, Journey, Tom Petty, Guess Who, Moody Blues, Neil Diamond, Air Supply, Doobie Brothers, Elton John, Queen, and my list goes on and on! I listen to The Arrow 103.5 every morning on my way to work, and when they play a good song, it just sets me in the best mood! I heard Blue Oyster Cult with some cow bell the other day, and I could not help but smile :) A few weeks ago I was enjoying my music as I was browsing around youtube. I love to look for songs I have not heard in a while and just jam out on my couch with an after school snack. On this particular day, I came across Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler. I started the song and my heart skipped a few beats because I absolutely LOVE this song! I started watching the video and I was just....taken back. This is the weirdest video I have ever seen. Take a look! If you have any idea what it is about besides strange glowing eyed men... please let me know!

Hypocrite

The title of this post is my confession to you all. I always look at the blog list on the side of my blog and the last dates that my friends have blogged, wishing you all would blog more so I had something to read while I sit on my couch and unwind from the day! Then I looked at the last time I blogged... ummmm... hypocrite! In my defense, not much has been going on lately.

My cousin Kelsey and I have been crafting. I have made a new bag for my school books, and painted some blocks to go on top of my piano. Maybe I will get some pics sometime.

We had a rockin super bowl party. I meant to get pictures of that too, but I was too busy eating and chatting to take any! We had the house decked out in blue and white. Chad came home from school one day to give me my very own Colts t-shirt. Although the game did not turn out as we had hoped, it was a great party anyway.

We spent the lasts few days visitng my family in Gunnison. We celebrated birthdays for my Dad, nephew Dillon, and Grandma Delma. I love them all so much and wish the happiest of birthdays.

Tomorrow we are going to meet our newest nephew... Tatum Tyrell Philpott! We are so excited for Tarrin and Tyrell and the new addition to their family. They are some of the coolest people I know, and great parents to boot. Congrats to the Philpotts!

Chad and I have decided to post-pone our Valentines til next week this year. We hae had a lot of family stuff going on this week, and what is the difference between Feb. 14 and Feb. 20?! We love each other either day!

Right now I am watching the olympics. I just finished the men's moguls. I have no idea what is going on in that sport (which is how it is for most olympic sports for me), but I just get so into it! I love team USA! I love Bob Costas! I even love Canada! I love that for the next two weeks, there with always be something worth watching on TV. I love the unity that comes with the olympics. I love it all! GO TEAM USA! I am now going to watch the movie "Miracle" to go along with the olympic spirit, along with a bowl of raspberry sherbet because I love that too!

There you have it... my update. Now, to all you bloggers out there, keep blogging! Not for yourself, but for all those like me, who care about you and what you are doing, or just need something to read while we unwind!

The Break...

Christmas break has be absolutely FABULOUS! We started the break by driving to Powell to spend Christmas with Chad's family. We left on Wednesday, and were lucky enough to spend 6 days there. It was such a great Christmas. It was the first Christmas I have ever spent away from my family, which was sad for me. But if I must be away, there is no one else I would rather spend it with than with Chad's family. We had a great week playing games, Super Mario, and eating like there was no tomorrow! Thanks Barton family for making our Christmas so enjoyable!


This is all the boys, and then Chad and I, in our Christmas Eve pajamas.

We were totally spoiled this Christmas. Chad bought me an elliptical. I absolutely love it! So, if you could all do me a favor... next time you see me ask me if I have been working out, and I will be able to say YES! Chad's parents gave us a wii, and we are having so much fun with it! Chad has always been a gamer, and I think I am going to walk into his web with this wii. Chad got a couple video games and some more Colts memorabilia. His dream is to someday have an entire room dedicated to the football team. My parents gave us a super cute ottoman. It goes so well with our older than the hills floral velvet couch, don't you think?!



After a long drive home, we had to shovel the driveway before we could pull in the car. Then we relaxed for a few days. I probably laid around too much, but it was just so great! I had this whole list of things to do during the holidays, but nothing got done, and I am ok with that! We spent New Years Eve with Nikki, Blake, Meggan and Kade. We ate the largest pizza I have every seen at Pirate Island. Chad and I decided to embrace life and sing some kareoke, "Don't Stop Believin'". After watching the video Blake took, I cannot believe I did that! I would post the video, but I am much to embarassed, so you just get to see a snapshot!


On New Year's Day, I went to Gunnison to spend the day with my family. They are so great and I always enjoy just sitting around and talking with my mom. I helped Connor write a paper for a scholarship application. I cannot believe he is 18 and getting ready to graduate. We had a panini party and spent some time with my grandparents and some of my cousins. It was not a really eventful day, but as chubby little Russell from "Up" (one of my new favorite movies) would say, "It sounds really boring, but sometimes it's the boring stuff I think I remember most". I hope you all had some time to enjoy the "boring" stuff this holiday season!

School starts for me tomorrow and for Chad in a couple days. I will be back at night classes and continuing working towards the Master's degree. And...Chad started a new job just before we left for the break! Yay! No more water delivery boy! I am so proud of him. He will be working at UVU with the same networking stuff he wants to do in his career, so it is a perfect job for him and a great opportunity. We will both hit the ground running next week, and will suffer in the first few days because of our laziness during the break. So wish us luck!