Where do I start? I haven't blogged in so long and I haven't taken a lot of pictures. I have been super busy with music, more music, and more music with some baking on the side.
I guess I will explain the pictures first. The first one would be The Opskamatrist show at Sammies. They are a local band that two of my voice students are in. I love the music and I like the social part of it. The second pictures would be Natalia in her cute little Hello Kitty sweatshirt that Becca got her. She looks alot different now though because Jaden decided to cut her hair. That story will have to come later. The third picture apparently if me grading papers taken by one of my students who stole my phone. I thought you might like to see me in action. It's actually probably the only time I was actually sitting down this year. I am not a teacher that likes to sit still. The final picture is a shirt I found at Old Navy in Idaho Falls for Natalia! People are finally starting to realize who's the best team around. I had to get it. They had a matching one in my size but it was $25 and I just wasn't willing to pay that much right now. Maybe after I get paid this month.
So, I guess I should start with Christmas. We had a good Christmas we were in Kuna this year but we had a wedding in Utah three days later for Keenan and I made the wedding cake. It is by far my favorite cake I have ever made. It turned out amazing. You should look at the pictures of it at elisescakeshop.blogspot.com . I actually had some rough stuff happen right before Christmas that really affected the holiday for me. But, I got to go to the temple for the wedding and did so much better after that. It's still been a little rough but I'm doing ok. Because of the situation Tyson and I decided it was a good time for me to apply for a masters. Which I just did this week. I applied to the music program at BYU. My chance of getting in is slim I'm sure but I'm going to try anyway. I have a lot of experience and willingness to get better so we shall see what happens. I don't know that I really want to move to Utah but it's better than little old Idaho and I do have a lot more family there. I love the big city and that will help. Also I love music and I love music in the gospel I have a huge testimony of it so it's the perfect school to combine both at of course. So, pray that I get in if it's supposed to happen. I love teaching school and I love my students but I feel like I am in a rut and need to learn something knew and challenge myself some more.
So, Jaden decided one evening to cut Natalias hair. I was so so so so upset. Jut, luckily Jessica lives 15 minutes away and we went and got a hair cut. It's way cute on Natalia and fits that little spunky personality that she has. She is defiantly not one of those cutesy frilly girls. She has an attitude and loves music, dancing, shoes, and cat in the hat. She's still a girly girl though. Her favorite color is pink, she loves dolls and strollers and cooking in the kitchen. She is my little musician though. She loves to play any instrument. She found my flute a week ago and wanted to play it. We also have a drum set now. With the help of a student Natalia has come to love drums. He lets her sit on his lap and hold the drum sticks while he plays if she's around. I also wanted to learn a new instrument and I though drum set would be a fun one because it has so many techniques, you have to be able to multi task and all sorts of other good stuff. Plus I like the sound. She likes the piano also and loves singing to the radio. Whenever we get in the car she says "mommy I want music". This week when I took her to the school to get some stuff for my masters application she saw one of our students playing the cello. She was over there right away and he let her hold his bow with him while he was playing. He's an amazing cellist and has been playing since kindergarten. Natalia was so mad when he had to put it away to get to his next class. I have a feeling I am going to become rich so I can get all these instruments and have a room for all of them. I don't mind that idea though.
Jaden is in first grade and loves school. He is excelling so fast. He's teacher is really impressed. He went from being behind everyone in class to being average. He is getting better at reading but doesn't love it. Which I know I haven't helped with. He is amazing at spelling and he's getting pretty good at math. I am having a hard time with him though because he's an outside person and he is driving everyone nuts with the fact that he's stuck inside all day. It hasn't been as cold here lately but it's still cold and all the snow melts really fast which makes it muddy outside. I really appreciate good teachers. Jaden has had good ones so far. It's nice though because his teacher is really good about letting him get up and stand up while she's teaching because he has a hard time sitting still without getting side tracked. I'm the same way and that's why I run my classroom so different. My students are hardly ever at their seats. They are always getting up and crowding around the piano (which I love) or walking around. I think it helps there mind be free to explore new ideas and not be afraid to do so. My favorite is when they crowd around the piano. We are always talking about being a family and it just has a family feel when they are all around me. In fact we are getting some fun pictures taken this year because this class has connected so well to eachother. On Sunday I went to a mission farewell for one of my students and when I walked in I was surrounded by so many students. Graduated and present students. I sat down and I was sitting in the middle of three rows of students. It was the greatest feeling to see them all together again and singing together. It was amazing.
Tyson is the young mens president right now. He's busy with school and church but has been a great and supporting husband. He does most of the cooking dinner and getting the kids to bed because I'm not home a lot.
I am currently teaching school part time obviously. I also have four private students, PTO vice president, vice president of the Jefferson County Arts Council and will be directing the county adult choir in a month and a half. I am helping with the high school musical once a week arranging the music for them and helping small quartets with there music. I have students singing the National Anthem at games. I have a student doing a senior project with me as his mentor. He's writing a symphonic piece and let me tell you it's amazing. If you would like to hear it email me and I'll send you a link. Then I got to shows for the Opskamatrist once in a while, have cake orders, cook meals for families that have babies in the ward, Tysons candy machines, and I can't forget doing zumba and goign to the gym when I can, and who knows what else.
So that's the life of the Arnolds. We are rather busy but loving life and our moments together. I will update you when I find out about school.
