Teaching: A Great Career

Well everyone, I have survived three weeks of teaching and am on my fourth week. So far it has been great! I feel very fulfilled already. I like the feeling that I am actually contributing to society. I love teaching a lesson and watch the light go on. Some days are better than others, but for the most part it is a blast.
I have to admit I have never had so many headaches, or been as sick as I was, or as tired as I’ve been. I work at least 10 hours a day and I always feel like there is another 5 hours of work to be done each day. It’s wonderful when the kids are there, it’s when they leave and I am tired and have to plan everything that gets me so run down. And it’s not as though I can just plan a lesson and be done, because everyone is at a different level. Some kids are at a kindergarten level while others are at a six-grade level with the rest in between somewhere. And yet I absolutely love it, and I feel it is so worth it. I actually like going to work. It’s the perfect job for me, because I can be really weird and everyone thinks I am really funny. Third grade is the perfect age because they don’t have too much attitude yet, they get jokes, they still say hilarious things and are just so cute.
I love each of them so much; I know the end of the year is already going to be hard.
I am a little worried about being sick all year, but I am going to fight it (don’t worry Mickey I will use airborne)…. maybe.
All I can say is it’s not an easy job, my mind goes a million miles a minute, but that it’s definitely worth every minute.

Summer Adventures

Well this summer has been a blast, we got back yesterday and I began all my meetings today. This is a picture collection of our 3 1/2 week vacation. We had so much fun, and ninja (the civic) did very well. It was fun spending time with friends and family, and being very adventurous as well. My favorite part was probably back-packing. It was tough but very rewarding. Let me just say that there were a few dark hours. The second day was by far the most difficult, we weren't exactly sure we were on the right path and we climbed some serious mountains with a lot of weight on our backs! It's not a good feeling doing switchbacks for three hours and thinking the mountain goes on for eternity. BUT.. we made and it felt good to reach the top. There wasn't a whole lot of talking for those hours, to me it's just best to not say anything at all. We went about 24 miles in three days. It feels so good to accomplish something like that. Anyway, we had a great time! Enjoy all the pics!

Here is Drew after we climbed some sand dunes

Here we are looking at the dunes from afar

We found a waterfall nearby but we had to walk through the river to get to it. It was freezing.

A nice sunset

The waterfall was in a cave



The beginning of our backpacking trip, I didn't even know what was ahead of me.

This is our first night, and a lovely dish that we cooked up. It's funny how anything tastes great!

A little lunch break

This was how we got water, it was very slow and there were lots of bugs, notice that Drew is doing it, that happened a lot:)

Drew was real excited about this one, yes... it's very scary.

We crossed a lot of rivers

This is where our campsite was the second night. It was awesome.

Ok, it's a little out of order, but this is where we went when we got back. A few hours after we started we discussed where we would go right when we got back. We agreed on Pizza Hut. We were happy campers:)

The first day we saw a ghost town a little ways off the trail.

Inside the house.

Look at how good I am at making a fire!

What a man!

This is the second day after the long hike up, look how happy I am going down hill.

Very nice

Goose Creek!

Best friend Emily gets engaged!


We stayed at a nice bed and breakfast in Cody, and had fruit for dinner.

We had such a great time with the Worland Foster's. Joy is so good at styling hair.

This is Yellowstone. It smelled a little.

This is the Grand Canyon (in Yellowstone). This is the lower falls.

She's gonna blow! (Not me, the geyser)

These Buffalo where everywhere, they just walk across the street. We also saw a mule deer, with some sweet antlers.

This is at Jena's wedding. It was so fun to see some of the my girls. They are awesome people.

It was a country wedding in Montana. The car was a nice touch.

Calm Before The Storm

Last April I was offered a job as a third grade teacher at Spring Creek Elementary. I have been so excited ever since, but I have to admit it hasn't seemed real that I am actually going to be a teacher with my own class. My greatest nightmare is the kids realizing that they out number me, and take over (I actually had this dream a few weeks ago).
Even though I am a little nervous about having the right classroom management, or the fact that I don't really know what I am doing, or that I am working with all women (let's be honest that's a lot of hormones), I still feel at home in the classroom and I know that I will fall in love with my students right away, even the tough ones.
One thing that I have learned is that there needs to be mutual respect. If I don't respect them they won't respect me. I don't believe in talking down to students or raising my voice. I told that to a teacher and she laughed at me, but I know that it can be done with a little patience and a little love. Here are a few pictures for your enjoyment. I am doing a camping theme, maybe you never had a theme in your classroom, but I thought it would be fun and the kids really get into it. A lot of things will have to do with camping. There is still more decorating to come, but this is all I can do before I leave for a while.

This is my school!

This is outside my classroom, I am going to take pictures of all the kids and put them up.

This is mean Mrs. Foster

This is the tent I have in the room

for the kids to read in or play in

when they earn enough "camper cash."


Where's Waldo? (Drew)

I have a campng chair for when I do

read-alouds, I will call it, "sittin around

the campfire."

Here is one of my patriotic students

This is my dest and behind it is a fake tree Drew constructed.

A Nice Hike

Yesterday Drew and I went hiking in Spanish Fork. We hiked up a trail for about 2.5 miles until we reached the hot springs. They look like hottubs. We had a fun little adventure. Also there is a picture of my niece Kyla, she is soo cool, just look at her.

A Day In The Life of Kristen and Drew

We thought that everyone would be interested in what a normal day looks like at the Foster home (Drew and Kristen that is). We decided to take a few pics to help you visualize us in Provo.

This is in the morning, when I reach over to press snooze. Drew hates the snooze, but I love it. I set it about fifteen or twenty minutes before I actually want to get up. I need a gradual awakening.

This is Drew studying in the morning, he really tries to be productive every minute:)Just look at the man.

This is what I do everyday, I teach little kids. I practice with one right before I head out. He just loves big books!

Here is the outside of our mansion. I know you thought it was probably a little more trailer like, or a bit smaller, but you were wrong because we are livin the life my friends.

Here is my wonderful husband making cinnamon fingers. He has done a great job, and luckly he thinks he is the best at making them and therefore won't allow anyone else to. That really works out for both of us.
Well, I couldn't get any more pictures up because it I guess that is all the space available, but there were just a few you missed out on, like Drew practicing his karate kid moves, and a nice shot of us in the wonderful weather.
I hope this allowed to see what our lives consist of. Don't worry we know that it is very exciting.

Ah.. The Married Life

Well we have been married for 2 1/2 weeks now, and it has been wonderful. Whenever people ask me how married life is I just say that it is soo much fun. I realize that it has only been a couple of weeks, but we have spent all of our time together, and it feels so normal now. I didn't really know what to expect, but I feel like I finally realize what it's all about. Marriage is such a special and sacred thing, a bond that you can't get anywhere else.
I am beginning to learn how to cook for a man. I used to cook for two all the time with my old roomate, I just have to think that I am cooking for 3 or 4 when I cook for Drew. At first I cooked way too little, then way too much, so hopefully now I got it.
We have played a lot of card/board games, watched a few movies, and used our gift cards to go out to dinner. It is just the little everyday things that I love. I don't really care what I am doing as long as it's with him.
I am sure we will have times of trouble, but being married to Drew has already been the most amazing experience of my life.