Arguing

I've never been much good at arguing. In middle school when learning how to debate, I remember quite specifically standing up to make my point and forgetting everything I was about to say. I guess I'm not that great at confrontation.

Now, obviously this becomes a problem during long, lengthy and important arguements. I get rather flustered and am easily swayed to one side or another just to avoid talking about it any more. The more frustrating thing however, is that when I'm trying to pick a silly fight. For example last night when I was on the phone with my friend he mentioned that, of the two of us, he was always the optimist. I laughed, saying that there were several times he'd been the pessimist. The trouble came when I couldn't produce an instance where this was the case. For some reason when I'm fighting with someone, all details and facts immediately leave me.

Problems also occur when throwing insults, bantering with friends or working with 2nd graders. I'm good for one good retort, and then I'm out. After that, I have to start using generic comebacks such as "your mom...insert clever comment here" or "I'll...insert whatever they said here...your face!" Not really very original, am I? When fighting with my 2nd graders I was often challenged as to what the consequence would be if they didn't do what I said. On one occasion in particular I remember saying, "Well I don't know what will happen, but it won't be good." Oh yeah, I've definitely got them scared now!

Therein lies my struggle. I often lose the arguements because I know that I don't have the facts to back me up. I get too flustered, defensive or annoyed to remember.

My point is this, it certainly becomes infuriating when I'm the one who picks the fight and I can't even finish it!

I am not a big advocate for snow. Sure it looks pretty, as it's falling down from the heavens, blanketing the world with white. However, I have come to a very simple and logical conclusion about snow. It is INCONVENIENT.

I'm sure I come across rather harsh, but that my friends is the truth of it.

When I was little, I looked forward to the first snowfall. I would spend hours outside in my "snow bunny suit" (affectionately named by my Dad) building snowmen and forts, and making snow angels. I wouldn't go inside until I couldn't feel my toes. Now that's dedication! Snow and I always had an understanding before.

Then...I moved up to LOGAN.
Then...I had to start driving in the snow.
Then...I had to endure snow for 6 months out of the year.
Then...I had to walk to class in the blizzard (which is quite difficult at a 70% incline of ICE)
Then...I had to pay my sky high heating bill because of the snow.
Then...I had to cancel important plans with friends because of the snow.

So now snow has become a bother, and a hastle to me. I propose a new deal, snow over Christmas Break! Not Before, Not After! Who's with me?

"Me and snow, we're through."

Have you ever had those moments when you just want to say EEEEE!!!! You are so giddy and so excited that it's all you can do to contain yourself from bouncing of the walls. You find that you cannot sit still in your chair, nor can you focus on anything but the happiness building inside you. You are smiling all the time...big toothy grins...the likes of which are rarely seen outside of cartoons. You go to bed smiling, you sleep soundly and you wake up smiling. Moments like these can be the result of many things. I'm sure most people have had a moment like this! If not, I feel sorry and hope that you will experience it soon.

This my friends is pure happiness. This is being content with your life and excited about the challenges you are about to face. This is what it feels like to be truly, incandescently happy.

Try it sometime...

Checklist for Life

I've had a particularly busy weekend, that will continue to be busy and in fact, get busier. Apparently, the world decided that this weekend was the time to pile everything on Megan. Sure a lot of the load has piled on due to my total lack of preparedness. Everytime I realize I'm procrastinating, I think...' tomorrow I will stop procrastinating.' Pretty bizarre logic right? I find myself making these lists on scraps of paper that I find at home or at work, or at preschool. The problem is, I never remember where I put them, so I end up having to start yet ANOTHER list. It doesn't help that I am absent minded, and frequently misplace things...like my wallet that I just realized was missing today...It doesn't help that ON TOP of everything I have going on I also have personal issues I'm dealing with, not to mention other people's issues that I've been made aware of. When I know someone is struggling I want to help...and that's my problem! I can't be selfish and just think about myself, NO, I have to help everyone else first.

So here is my to do list for today. I post it on the internet, where I know it will be. Because let's face it, I'm going to loose my written one anyway.

• Go to Lee's to get Bread Bowls for the Linger Longer
• Go to Macey's for Soup and Salad.
• Get the keys to the Ward Building from Jordan
• Go to the ward to find out how many plates/forks/cups/spoons etc. I have to get.
• Call the Relief Society President to see if she can make some treats for Sunday.
• Make 2 dozen cookies.
• Pay my Questar Bill, that will be late if I wait any longer.
• Find my wallet. (Hopefully it's at the movie theatre I went to last night)
• Find 3 or 4 more crock pots for Sunday.
• Find SOMETHING to put on the tables so that they don't get all gross.
• Hollow out 100 bread bowls
• Taste test the soup to make sure it's actually edible.
• Make a cooler full of lemonade
• Get ICE
• Write my missionary friend, and the friend in the Military.
• Practice the song I'm singing in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday.
• Pretend like this soreness taking over my throat is all in my head.
• 3 papers, 1 quiz and 2 sets of chapter notes...ick.

Maybe I'll sleep and eat at some point. But that stuff's overrated right?

You know you're a preschool teacher when...

• You come home with a paint handprint on your bottom, that you didn't know was there.
• You begin to praise adults with lingo like, "look at you! you are making dinner all by yourself."
• You see a toilet paper roll as an art supply.
• The song you have stuck in your head is Willaby Wallaby. No that is not a new rap artist, or a song by Katie Parry. It is in fact a highly effective children's song used to teach rhyming and alliteration. Let me demonstrate...

"Willaby Wallaby woo...an elephant sat on you. Willaby Wallaby We...an elephant sat on me. Willaby Wallaby wegan...an elephant sat on Megan. Willaby Wallaby wax...an elephant sat on Max." You get the general idea?

• You become more comfortable sitting on the ground than in your chair.
• You no longer blush when talking about body parts or where babies come from.

STORY: On the way into the classroom on Wednesday, one of the teachers was talking with Sadie (can't use her real name), one of our 3 year old students. While walking, Sadie was muttering something to her teacher very quickly, and quite incoherently. Figuring that Sadie was trying to ask her a question, the teacher asked "Did you say something about the grass?" Quite disgruntled Sadie said, "NO NOT GRASS..." She then repeated her original statement. To the astonishment of the teacher involved, Sadie had actually asked, "When am I going to get breasts?" The reason this teacher even realized what she was talking about was because Sadie was trying to locate them by grabbing at her own chest. The teacher quickly explained that she would get them when she got older, but that didn't stop Sadie. She continued to probe, asking why she couldn't have breasts like the teachers and her mom do, and was very upset that she was going to have to wait. Bless her.

• Bedtime is not only mandatory, but necessary. Personally on the days I'm in preschool I become so exhausted that I'm lucky if I make it past 10:30.
• 3 Triscuits and some grape juice can hold you over for at least 3 hours.
• Looking up at someone is a rare occurence.

AND FINALLY...

• You see children running around a grocery store screaming and flinch...wishing you could stop them. (Especially when you know just how to do so.)

The greatest part?

"Oh Teacher...I'm just thinking about how great preschool is..." AIDEN age 3

Yep...Totally worth it.