Winter Semester 2011

So, I decided this time around that I was going to stay out at school during my off track. Normally I would go home and work from December-April, but last year, I just got really bored. So, I applied for Fast-track which means that I can go to school year round. Although that means I do not get any breaks, I will graduate a year and a half early and get to stay at school with my friends. So far, it has been great! Christmas break at home was great, but it is nice to be back at school in a routine. I am not much for writing about what has been going on in my life. I like pictures better :) So I will just post some pictures of what I have been up to the last month. We have been doing lots of stuff outdoors-ice-skating, sledding, and playing in the snow! Let me say, I am no longer a fan of sledding! The last time we went, last weekend, I totally got hurt!! I fell backward, slapped my back on the edge of the sled, and had the wind knocked out of me. I couldn't breath for like 2 minutes and my back is still aching (a week later!!). But all in all, it was way fun!! Oh and twister is our new favorite game!!!

Christmas

Well, I have decided that I am a horrible blogger!! So, now I need to catch up on the last month and a half. December was busy with finals and getting ready to head home for Christmas vacation. Let's just say, I was definitely ready to go home and get away from the Rexburg 'bubble' for a little while. It was great heading home for a few weeks. Rachel and Jeremy drove out with the kids for Christmas so everyone was at the house. I loved seeing Brooklyn, Jace and Madelyn and spent most of my vacation with them. Brooklyn, Jace and I made cookies for Santa and we went on a little date to see Yogi Bear one day. Let's just say, it gets harder and harder to leave home every time, especially when I wasn't there for very long. I didn't have enough time to get sick of Mom and Dad nagging on me!! However, it is nice to be back in my own apartment and on a schedule. First day of classes was today and I don't think it will be too bad of a semester. Well, here are some pictures from Christmas vacation!!

Making cookies for Santa with Brooklyn and Jacerman! :)


Palmer girls with mom


Palmer family

Thanksgiving in North Carolina

So like I said, I am spending Thanksgiving at Rachel and Jeremy's in North Carolina! I love it here!! My favorite part, aside from seeing my sweeties, Brooklyn and Jace, is the AMAZING weather! It was been in like the 70's all week; much better than the blizzards going on back in the west!! And the scenery here is so pretty!! Trees everywhere!!! aww I love it! Anywho, I flew in on Friday (thank goodness everything was on time and good conditions). On Saturday, mom, dad, Rachel and the kiddos and I headed out to Lazy 5 Farm, where you drive through and get to feed animals out of your car windows. It was insane!! There were buffalos, llamas, pigs, deer, zebras, camels, hippos, giraffes, birds, and of course KANGAROOS!! It was a lot of fun. We also got to watch Brooklyn in her Primary Program at church (however, she got a bit of stage fright and Rachel ended up sitting on stage with her the whole time), and her preschool Thanksgiving program. Other than that, we have just been eating out and hanging out in Rachel and Jeremy's beautiful new house! It has been lots of fun so far, and we still have 3 more days!! Unfortunately, poor Jace caught a bug and has been throwing up all day today :( Hopefully he will start feeling better soon!! Here are some pictures so far!! More to come....

Of course, I took advantage of my mom being out in NC at the same time and had her do my hair. I chopped off
about 4 inches and got a completely new hair-do which I absolutely LOVE!! I also dyed it a little darker!


Here is a picture of one of the kangaroos at the farm. It was sleeping in this position and we were all dying laughing!!
Who knew animals, kangaroos especially, slept in a position that looked like they were porn stars?? hehe


Me and 'Blue Sky.' Brooklyn was an Indian for preschool and they got to pick out their own names and she chose blue
sky!!

Lately..

I know, I am a horrible blogger! While at school, I only blog like three times, so I already have so much to catch up on! Basically, the last month I have just spent doing homework and hanging out. At the beginning of October, Carly and I headed down to SLC to go to general conference. We stayed at my Grandma's and drove down on Saturday to attend conference. It was the first time I had ever actually gone to conference at the conference center and it was amazing!! I loved every minute of it and Temple Square was packed! There were people from all over there!! After going, I have made it my goal to go to a session every time since I am so close to SLC.
For Halloween, my roomies and I dressed up as Greek Goddesses and went to our ward Halloween party. Only about 20 people showed up, so it was sparse, but we had a lot of fun at it.
Last week, I headed down to Blackfoot for the day. My cousin Shawn was blessing his little baby boy Tayven and I got to take part in that experience. It was so much fun to get to meet that beautiful baby and hang out with my family. I really wanted to bring Tayven back to school with me, but I don't think Shawn and Destiny would have liked that haha! I fell in love with that little boy.
Other than that, I am just trying to finish off the semester. I am definitely ready for a vacation though!! In two weeks, I will head out to North Carolina to spend 8 days with Rachel and the kids and I am really excited for that!


Me, Carly and Brandi at Guitars Unplugged


Carly and I ready for our Halloween party!


Part of our Family Home Evening group at the party

Me with Mario and Luigi (aka Matt and Shaun)

The Three S's of College

The other night, my roommate was telling me about how she heard that in college, there are 3 S's, sleep, studying and socializing. Out of those three, you are only able to have 2, which is completely TRUE!! Holy cow, there is no way you can study, socialize and get 8 hours of sleep in college!! Lately, I have been choosing the socializing and studying and not the sleeping part. Actually, my whole apartment has chosen these two...we don't sleep throughout the week at all!! This clearly is not a healthy choice, but I obviously can't give up studying and I really don't want to give up the social aspect of college. haha Anyway, lately, there have always been people over at our house at night. This was fun at the beginning of the semester, but now, it would be nice to have a night at home where I can just lay on the couch and relax without having to entertain people. :)
As part of my socializing S, this week, my roommate Brittany and I went on a double date with our good friends, Shaun and Matt. They wouldn't tell us what we were doing, so it was a complete surprise. Anyhow, we ended up having a food fight in Porter Park. It was so much fun! There was pudding, cake, jello, pop, frosting, chocolate syrup, flour, etc. and it was so much fun. Here is a before and after picture of a very memorable date :)



Here is the before picture...They got us these awesome clothes from D.I.!!



The after picture :)

An assignment

So for my educational technology class, we had to create a blog and if we already had one, we had to create a post about ourselves that we would show to our students. So, for those of you who actually read this, that is why this post is here. So here it goes...

My name is Vanessa Palmer and I go to Brigham Young University-Idaho and love it. I love kids and teaching and am excited to get this year started. I am the youngest of four girls and I love my family very much! I love my nieces and nephew and love spending time with them. I love to be outside and travel, watch movies, and spend time with my friends.
I also LOVE teaching young children! I love the their incredible positive attitudes and how much they love to learn. I want to be able to love each and every one of them and help them reach their full potential. I love seeing how their faces light up when they have mastered a new skill. They are never afraid to ask for help and try new things.

College Sophmore Year

Well, I am back in good ol' Rexburg and I have been awful about blogging!! BUT, here is a little recap of the last month and my first month back at school. The middle of August, I headed out to Blackfoot, ID where I worked at the Eastern Idaho State Fair with my aunt. She graciously got me a job there and let me crash at her place for 2 weeks and it was a blast! I got to spend time with her and my uncle and hang out with my cousins. So, I spent 2 weeks working (80 hrs a week) and made bank! haha Then I headed up to Rexburg to move in and start classes. I am living with my friends Brandi, Carly and Brittany and then we have two new roommates. They are both brand new freshman and are both from like 30 minutes away, so we don't see too much of them. My roomie Brittany and I have also been incredibly social lately! I think I made more friends in the first week here than I had in the last two semesters!! We made it our goal to meet as many new people as we could and we have been doing great at it!!! Other than that, we have just been staying up way too late, watching movies and catching up.
I am taking 18 credits so I am totally swamped but I am loving one of my education classes! I am doing my practicum and get to be in a kindergarten class two days a week in St. Anthony and I LOVE it!! I love my kindergartners and I have a great cooperating teacher!! I am excited to see what new things I learn this semester from being in an actual elementary classroom!
Well, here are some pics from the fair and the first few weeks of school. For the benefit of my family, I will try to be better about posting this semester!! :)