Thanksgiving Time. . . .

Leavitt/Merrill 1st Annual Softball Game!!

(THE All-Stars posing for a pic. . .well at least before we played)

Hey Batter, Batter. . .

My thoughts, "Keep your eye on the ball, just keep looking at the ball. . . DON"T MISS!!!!"

Our first EVER attempt at deep frying Turkey-Gobble, Gobble!!

TA-DA!!

It was delicious-the best turkey yet!!

(Yep. . .that's my husband)

Do ya think we can fit more in the kitchen!!

I kept out of the preparations hysteria. . . . but later became clean up crew, which I will take any day!!

This is your face after a heaping dose of Turkey Dinner. . . .and then some!!

After dinner we all played games, went 4-wheeling, rock crawling in the Jeeps, taught young children how to hunt with a bow. . . .ya it was the usually get together!! :)

Then the big boys had to have their turn!

It was a great Thanksgiving!! It was terrific to see all of Jesse's family again!! Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving time!!

GRADUATION!!

The whole crew. . . I have had the amazing opportunity to be with this terrific group for the past two years - (The AP RED Cohort) It has been a long and almost never-ending two years, but the sweat, blood, and tears have paid off-FINALLY!!

"Wannabe's"NO MORE!! Way to go all-We Made It!!

Anne, Eliza, Me, Mary-Elizabeth

Love you all-Thanks for being there for me!!

After our Senior Banquet-hugs all around

Thanks Jess for being my rock and supporting me!!

I love you Mom & (Dad) for all your prayers, support, and guidance throughout my life and for raising me to know the value of an education.

Thank you!!

THE BIG DAY!!

Picture Time. . . . .

Mama'D & Papa'D

I couldn't help but add this picture. . . we were giggling at Jesse and the camera snapped. Just a cute moment!

Love ya Mom!!

The big moment. . . .

My last walk through Dixie's "D"

I'll always be a 'Rebel'

I did it. . . . . (great cheeser babe!!)

Oops! Camera was still rollin'. . . . .

Thanks to all for your love and support as I have ended another chapter in my life. Now a new chapter begins as I start out as a 4th grade teacher, yahoo! Someday I plan on getting my masters, but I need a little break for a minute before I go back. Maybe a family is in my near future - who knows. . . time will tell!!

Strawberries 'n' Sunday

What a post I just had to laugh at this. . . .

Sundays are crazy days when you have the "privilege" of attending church at 1 to 4. It is a switch I tell ya from the 9 to 12.

Well, as we walked in the door, not 10 seconds later, I turn around to find Jess stationed on the counter eating strawberries dipped in sugar.

(Or should I say sugar dipped in strawberry-SUGAR BUZZZZZ!!)

I just had to laugh and snap a picture of him and the delicious treat he so hastily concocted for himself.
Well I wasn't about to let him have all the fun and deny my taste buds of such a definable, summer-days delicacy, so I joined in!!

Yep!! Strawberries and Sundays go hand-in-hand (especially when you are starved from lack of nourishment for the better part of the day)

What a little quirk from the lively leavitts!!!
Never a dull or lacking moment-just the way we like it!!
FUN & SWEET!

GUESS WHAT. . . . . (No, not what you think!)

There are so many reasons to be celebrating!!! Where to begin. . . .

Teaching positions in Washington County has been slim to none this year and the pressure and necessity of finding a teaching position has been weighing me down. BUT NOT ANYMORE!! I will be teaching 4th grade at Bloomington Elementary School next year! YES I HAVE A TEACHING JOB!!! AHHHHHHH I am so thrilled!!

I have had one of the best experiences of my life working at Bloomington and I had hoped for a position there. Well dreams do come true!!! I got the official phone call from the district Wednesday. I finally feel that all of my hard work and countless prayers have paid off. I am so excited to be working with a great 4th grade team and especially finally have my own class!!

Next, I will also be graduating in 14 days and I am also graduating with honors!! It has been a long journey, but I will FINALLY have my Bachelors in Elementary Education. Someday, after a year or two of teaching, I want to begin work on my masters, but for now I am content and can't wait to begin work planning for next year!

Birthday Blessings!

I'm a little slow on the go in blogging about this . . . but I guess better late then never!

Birthdays are just not the same as when you are little and can't sleep the night before, because you are reeling in the anticipation of the biggest day of the year. Quite honestly I rested well the night before MY DAY. Here's what the day had in store for me.

5:45am, my darling husband rolls over and gives me a bear hug and wishes me a Happy Birthday to wake me up for my big day!!

I arrived at school to find my desk all decorated!! (Thanks Annelies)

The day previous, March 24, was my mentors birthday! I decorated the door for her and had secretly planned a party for her with the help of her fiancee. Well . . . unanticipated by both of us. . . . she had a little party planned as well. So we partied twice that day and send the kids home on a major sugar buzz!
(Although it's way past and I am so late blogging this . . . Hope YOUR day was fabulous Annelies-your the greatest and I appreciate all you do for me!!)

My Birthday Balloon Buddy!!

During lunch, Jesse showed up with a dozen roses and balloons!! What a darling husband!! He had come to eat lunch with me and meet the kids. (The students had been asking me from the first of the year when they could meet him and they were so excited when he finally came-He loved it)
Thanks babe for making my day to wonderful - Your Amazing!!

Just before he left he told me to come home as soon as possible and get dressed in some warm clothes. He anticipated my question and stopped me mid-sentence to say, "Don't ask questions on your Birthday!!)

I was totally excited to get home!!


These are the darling Gerber Daisies that Nicole and her family sent me at school. They were so vibrant and beautiful. Thanks sis!!

Here were a few gifts from the kids and Annelise
(Thanks to ALL!)

I almost forgot to show you MY birthday present from Jesse! Well, technically is OURS, but since the purchase of our new OUTLANDER 800 was so close to my birthday I call it MY Birthday present!!

Pretty FLASHY huh??!

So. . . when I arrived home Jesse was ready to go!! I went to ask where we were going, but got the 'quit asking questions and hurry and get dressed' look. Needless to say-I was so excited!!

Here we are as we venture off into the mountains on "MY" new ride!

Jesse had planned for us to go on a picnic up to Browse, by the old ranger station. This is the place where we went on our first date and where he sent me on a "treasure hunt" where he proposed.

It has become our little spot. We had not been up in a while and I was so excited! It is gorgeous and has breath-taking views!

Well, we came to a little problem. . . the gate was locked!! What a BUMMER!! So we picked a spot on a nearby ledge and had our picnic. Below are some picture of where we were.

You can see Kolob in the background.
Although we didn't reach our destination-I was loving every minute of it!

We had subway sandwiches-same as we had on our first date . . . . I scarfed mine down-yeah the whole thing!

As we finished eating Jesse gave me my birthday present-Tennis Balls!!

The roses, balloons, and classroom visit was terrific and on top of that I got Tennis Balls too-WOW Jess you went overboard!! Ha Ha!

(We had talked about going and playing tennis forever-we both have our rackets but we never bought the balls-but now we are set!!)

After he laughed and I giggled, because I couldn't tell if he was serious or not. . . (what a tease) he pulled out a coupon for a massage to a salon of my choice and a little coupon booklet. I was elated by the massage, but the handmade "Happy Birthday Coupon Book" was priceless.

Jesse had made it and it was filled with things like: Good for one full-body massage for 30 from him, Good for any (on the spot) hunny-do, Good for one car wash from your husband, Good for one a romantic night on the town-my choice-and other than the usual we do, Good for one 'night off'-Jesse makes dinner, clean the dishes, cleans, etc., good for anything I want-NO questions asked (gift, chore, favor, $$), plus a few more!!

Really. . . what a tearjerker!! I began to cry-it was so thoughtful and meant more to me than any expensive gift ever would. Honestly this was the best Birthday present I had ever received-it was purely made out of love.

I have the most amazing and thoughtful husband ever!!

It truly is the little things in life that make the biggest difference. I can't imagine my life without you babe.

Thanks for all you do for me. . . &

Thanks for being my Knight in Shining Armor!

XOXO