Wow What a Year!

As I sit here contemplating the goings on here in my life I shed a few tears of sorrow, joy, laughter, and of love. This year has brought many emotions to the surface. I have gained so much and lost alot this year.

I lost one of THE greatest men in my life...lets just say he is one of the MOST INCREDIBLE men I will ever meet. My Grandfather passed from this mortal life into the next to be with my Grandmother who preceded him in death. That happened in January and it made for a very hard month. I really wanted to have him at my wedding to see me in my wedding dress and meet the man of my dreams. I wanted to get a hug from him and have him give the man I marry a few words of wisdom and such. But with this loss, I have gained so much. He has left behind a love greater than anything in this world. His example and love have touched my heart and soul to the very core. He gave and gave his entire life and I my life has been changed because of him. I am forever grateful for all he taught and for all the love and joy he has brought into my life and my family.

I found out that my cousin Mindy is having a baby...and it's going to be a boy! I found out an old colleague from work is pregnant with a girl. My hilarious blog reader, old roommate, and festive friend Marisa is pregnant as well. And my cousin's wife Lisa is pregnant as well! I am very excited for them and wish them the best of health as they carry these little angels! I have some very cute gift ideas for them...hint, hint!;)

I made it through another year of teaching Kindergarten! Whew, glad that is over! I had a huge class, but they were so very fun! Each year is a challenge and I learn so much from them! I learn how much patience I have...my patience monitor is reading a bit low...I have used alot of it! But then summer comes along and it get re-filled and I have a bunch more for the next set of 27-30 kids that come into my classroom!

In September I started another year of school and I am enjoying my class. They are proving to be hard workers and highly hilarious! I am pushing them hard to learn so they can be successful and they are pushing me hard to test my boundaries! I have had alot of them out sick with some sort of illness this year, wether it is H1N1, the "regular kind of FLU", a cold, asthma, sore throats, etc. They are very giving little tykes...I got the flu from them and had to spend one weekend in bed away from family and all the excitement in my house. I was bored sick...well I did find a scary movie to watch that I highly recomend! If you can handle suspense!
Anway, most of my students are on track to begin blending and segmenting words and making word families in class. It is going to be fun learning all these new things and writing those words will be a joyful adventure as well! In math they will be doing addition, subtraction, growing patterns, story problems (I hate those), and a whole heap of other exciting things. We will be going on a field trip to the farm at Thanksgiving Point in April and the ZOO in May. Both of those are going to be a blast and I hope we can make it through! I get so worn out with field trips! I might need some helpers for those too! Anyone?!

In September my family had a gift enter our lives! My niece Abigail was born. She has stolen our hearts and made our lives even more joyful! After losing my Grandpa it was a great blessing to have Abigail enter my life. I love to watch her grow and annoy her mother! I get to use my creative juices to make things for her and I have spent a bunch of mulaa at Lakeshore to get her things to play with and help her learn! I love her smile, her attempt to laugh, and her snuggling. I have mastered how to get her to sleep and found she loves music...especially the Beach Boys! Now if I can get her to like NSYNC...we will be best pals! ahahaha!

Another good thing happened this year...my BF Leah got engaged. I guess blessings do come from working with elderly people! She met her fiance at the care center in which they both work. She took a bold move and asked him to a party, he accepted and...this is the shocker! He called to confirm they were still going and what time they would be leaving. How cool is he!?!
I have had the opportunity to do some of their pictures to help them out and to help me improve my skills! Though the pictures I took won't be their announcement pictures, I am glad to have them be in their scrapbook! They will be married in March and I am so excited! Leah has found a great guy and he has found an incredible woman that will be by his side through thick and thin! I think its great that a guy that is taller than me is marrying a gril that is shorter than me...by about a foot or more! Now where is mine?!

I just have to say that I have learned so much this year about others, about the Church, about Christ, Heavenly Father, family, friends, and myself. I have learned that there are crazy people out there driving and they really scare me! I have gained confidence in myself...that someone tried to rip away from me. It didn't work but oh well! Like I mentioned in my other post I have lost some weight and I hope to lose alot more in time for my BF's wedding in March. I am going to need some help on that one. All this holiday food is finding places to store itself on me. UGH!

Thank you for reading my blog and I wish you and your family a very MeRRy ChRiStMas and a HaPPy NeW YeaR!

The GYM!

So many of you know I have a goal to lose weight! I have lost 50+ pounds so far and have lots more to go but the journey has been amazing! Hard, but trully mind bogling! I have learned so much about myself mentally, spiritually, and physically. Such as, I am a WUSS! I have been trying to condition my body to run for more than 1 minute on the treadmill. I give up really fast and go back to walking! It is pretty embarrassing when I look over and some old man is running like he is being chased by a girl! So as I compare myself to old men...I get frustrated and think I can't ever reach my goal of weight loss or running. There goes my dream of running 5K's and 10K's...RIGHT?!
Ha, no! I am part of an elite club that really has made a HUGE difference in my life! There are some REALLY great ladies that have listen to my ups and downs in life and don't judge me or make me feel like a moron who can't more faster or be thin! They share suggestions, laugh with me, and cry with me when I am donw and really feel low. It's a great deal all around because I am able to do the same for them! They have helped me get to where I am and are pushing me to keep having success and reach all my goals. I couldn't ask for better friends...from around the country!
So yes I attend the gym. I am a 24hr. Fitness Gal and I love going there. Though the trainers are snobs (they don't talk to anyone unless they pay them to work with them)! There is a wide variety of people there and I feel very comfortable going there to get healthy and lose some of this baby/tween/teen/early 20's fat! I love going there...except for the locker room. I hate going in there sometimes. There are times when I am frantic and have to go in there and other times I hate going in there. My biggest complaint is that some people are to comfortable in their own skin. EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! Cover up! I guess I will just have to get to be friends with the tiles on the floor! But really FOR THE LOVE, be considerate of other peoples eyes! OH and whats more...how rude is it for people to talk on the phone in the bathroom! Some functions are not meant to be shared with family and friends, especially when the functions are from strangers! Ahaha! True story! No, I won't share!
So my journey to be healthy and thin is out in the open and I believe I am ready for others perspectives and help! I am ready to share this journey and if you are okay with it I hope you join me in this life long journey to be healthy, active, and strong! The choice stars NOW!

Abigail Suzanne Brown

Here is my niece! I am sorry for those who have been waiting to see her. I have been under A TON of STRESS and PRESSURE.
I was testing out my new SLR camera and putting my little lady in differnt poses. She was so patient and fun!

Abigail was born on September 12, 2009. She has long feet, long fingers, a bit of hair, and a sweet little smile! Yes, Aunt Sara has gotten her to smile. Even when she was a day old, I got her to smile. I love moving her mouth and saying things like she is talking! One thing that gets her is saying while she is sleeping "Abigail, come to earth."! It melts my heart!

I have had the opportunity to change many of her diapers and while doing so, she loves the sound of running water!! I have given her baths, that is so fun! She is like a fish and a frog! Her little legs are always doing the frog kick/jump! LOVE IT!

Enjoy the pictures!

Any Day Now

For those who know, my sister Becky is pregnant. She has been for about 9 months now. Well she is due any day now and I am getting more and more excited as time ticks slowly by! We did have a adreline rush the other day as Becky thought she was having contractions. Well that didn't amount to much other than alot of franticness and a trip to the hospital!

Oh and by the way, while we were waiting for news from Robert, Becky's husband, I destroyed one of the straps on my purse. Now my cheapie WalMart purse has one strap and is totally UGLY! I really need to get a new purse. But I can't find one anywhere. No matter how many stores I go to I can't find anything that catches my eye. So help me if I don't find one by the time the baby comes!

For those who are interested in "Baby Brown" keep checking back, I will keep you up to date as best I can!

Best wishes on a wonderful weekend!

PS
My heart goes out to those mourning the death of a loved on this 9/11/09. I am trully happy to have my family safe around me!

Anahera Gifts

If you went to Snow College with me then you probably met my great roommate LeAnn. She is married now and has her own business that she does out of her home. She has put her creative skills to great use and makes diaper cakes, sushi, cupcakes, etc. They are adorable! Check out her blog and see all the great stuff that makes. I got a castle for my sister's baby shower and everyone LOVED it. Her blog address is: http://anaheragifts.blogspot.com/
If you have a babyshower coming up or you know someone that is going to one and ya'll need a gift, these gifts are awesome for such occasions and many others!

I HavE pIctUrEs! Wooooohooooo! These are some pictures from Family Camp. Now, please remember that I don't normally look....oh whats the word. Um, gross, weird, psycho, etc! There great times had by all! It was fun to get frantic looking Michael, watch the skits, tredge up the hill each and every day...at least 3 times, eat mac and cheese, get lectures by B's dad, actually it was teasing and conversations, snow cones, fish jumping out of water, Bariann and her kids canoeing, bugs scaring the _____ out of me, and playing around with some adorable little 3-4 year old kids. I had a blast and I know this sounds really bad, but I am glad that Leah got sic so I could go! I hope that next year I can go again! I will have to make sure that I have some AmAzIng bUg sprAy! I hate bugs, but love camping! OH and I will be doing more Bow and Arrow shooting next year. I learned how to do that this year and it is tough, but so cool! The kids were better than I was! I hope next year I can do better!

Well here are some pictures, I hope I do this right. I will add them and then tell you what is going on. I don't know how to do it...so here we go!



This is me looking mighty HoT in the camping chair! Yes, my hair was pulled up and out of my face the whole time! I hate the sweaty neck thing!



This is Bariann, Jacob, David, and Spencer out on the lake. Yes, it is filled with a whole heap of silvery, slimy fish. Of course I am freaked out by fish that can swim by and touch me and such! I'm a dork, I know! Anyway, on to the next picture!



This is me and some of the kids I was worked with while at camp. We were doing our skit. We did "Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You See?". They were so cute! Some of them just stood there with their picture, while others held their picture and sang their song. I loved my time with those cute kids!



This was our last day of "class" and the kids were so excited to do a pinata. They all got a chance to hit it, actually they got I think 3 turns. Finally we had to rig it and the candy came out! They scrambled and took as much of the stuff from it as possible. It was so funny, they reminded me of the Verizon commercial with the pinata and the dad yelling "DON'T EAT AUNT MARSHA"! I wanted to yell that! But I restrained myself!



The last night we had boat races...I of course lost. I made the boat on the first day and raced it the last night. I also made a man to race on it as well and he didn't work, he was to heavy. So I raced it with the one captain (I made as well). OH, to race them, we had to blow them down rain gutters placed on tables and filled with water. I lost I think 2 times...that was enough of a pride wounder for me!

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST....



On the last day of camp I decided to try my hand, arm, chin, and head at Bow and Arrows. I hit my chin which caused my teeth to hit each other! But I got in the middle circle one time, it was so close to the bulls eye! More or less my arrows flew right on past the target and hit the net behind it or the ground. I got all the people there laughing at my shooting antics! JoYFuLNeSS!


Well I hope you have enjoyed my tutorial of my first experience at Famiy Camp '09!

Hugs and Squishes,
Sara

So I wasn't able to get those pictures after all...sorry to those of you who read this and wanted to see them! They were cool I bet!
Anway, I just wanted to wish you all a happy Pioneer Day! I am so grateful for my family and my ancestors. Their strength and faith has been a strength to me in my many hours of need. I hope as you celebrate this Pioneer Day that you will take time to remember those who risked so much to come to beautiful...HOT valley! I am also grateful I don't have to wear a dress like the pioneer women did. I would die! What great ladies they are!

Oh and by the way...I am going to be an aunt soon! YIKES!

Family Camp '09

I just got back from Family Camp '09! It was a blast...I don't know why I didn't start going earlier in life! I will report more on this at a future date! Right now, I am TIRED...I have a hard time sleeping on the hard ground and little kids wacking me ALL night!
MORE TO COME!

School...

All I have to say is.....
2 MORE DAYS....JUST 2 MORE DAYS!
Anyone want to paryt?!
Heather, you and I and Wheeler Farm...7AM!

BRING ON SUMMER!

Memorial Day Weekend

As Memorial Day approaches I am reminded again of the sacrifices our family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. have made in our behalf. It humbles me and brings so many things into focus that have been out of focus for so long. Having 2 grandparents serve in the Military during WWII and having 3 cousins and multiple friends serving in the current war, I am honestly so grateful for their love and example. I constantly pray for their safety and well being. I worry about them all the time and wish on every star for them to come home safely to their families. I do hope this war is over soon so our troups can come home soon. What a great reunion that will be!
I hope that during this Memorial Day weekend you will take some time to remember all that is going on to keep you safe and free. I hope you will remember that many have died in your name and will continue to do so as long as our nation is under attack. As long as this goes on, there are countless men and woman who willingly put themselves in harms way to keep us safe.
Our freedom comes with a cost, and I find it trully humbling that there are special people out there who care and are willing to do what it takes to keep our freedom intact. It is to them that I share my deepest gratitude and love for all they so willingly do for me, for you, for us, and for future generations. It is to them that I dedicate this Memorial Day and weekend to! They are a strength to me and I hope that in some way they will know how much I appreciate and love them!
I pray for their safety and yours during this weekend and always! I hope you will keep our troups in your heart and mind always!

Peace and best wishes to you all!

5K

Well today I did a 5K and it was pretty cool! I didn't think I was going to be able to do it! I kept having knee pains from an old injury that slowed me down. Oh and not to mention the RAIN, HUGE puddles, and pot holes.
I was blessed to have my sister Lisa by my side the entire time and we had a blast! We had our iPods and jokes! I tried multiple times to push her into huge puddles but she wouldn't be persuaded! We kept each other going through our running and walking spurts by cheering each other on! I know that if she wasn't there I would not have been able to do what I did!
Towards the end of the "race" I was jumping in as many pot holes and puddles as I could find to get her and two people that were nice enough to come back for us wet! I am so glad that there are nice people like that in my ward!
I have to say that this has been a wonderful motivator for me and it has boosted my confidence in myself! I have overcome a hurdle in my life and this has helped me to overcome the next, and the next, and the next...and so on. I don't know how to explain the emotions going on in my heart and mind having accomplished this. I feel like I can do it again, where as before I would have told myself I would never be able to anything like this and who would really care if I did! My thinking has changed and that is, I don't need to have others acceptance and praise to keep going at this and that BELIEVING in myself and continuing to tell myself that I CAN do it and WILL do it. I think that believing in yourself means more than having others believe in you. When you are in the race or the game it is your mind you hear the most and makes the most difference!
Lisa and I were talking and we would like to do more of these kinds of things next year! I don't think I could it in the next few months because I want to do more running than walking and I need to condition my body do that! I wish I knew some ways to get my body ready for that! Anyone that reads this....if there are any! If you have any ideas I would love the help!
Stay cool and make good choices...they follow you where ever you go!

SPRING BREAK

Well it is that time of year again, when teachers and students get the grand opportunity of having a few days off! SPRING BREAK....YEA!!!!! For me I get to have an entire week off...yes, I get 5 work days off from work to relax, garden, workout, read, and hassle people I love.....OH WAIT......and watch some CSI!
Other than that, my life is pretty much the same, for those who read this! ahahaha!
I do have news that my sister is going to be having a baby in August and she told me what she is having but because my mom doesn't want to know what it is...wait a minute. Becky's husband pretty much gave it away at Lisa's birthday party. What a big mouth bass! He said something about Abigail not being lactose intolerant like me, whatever that means. It's not like it is a disease! DUR!

I need to correct my earlier comment about nothing else going on in my life. I am actually "training" for a 5K. I am not to the point that I want to be at, because I pretty much would love to be able to run it, but my body is not ready for that. I need to be more concious of my abilities and running is not one right now. If you have any advice for me I would LOVE it!
Anyway, the 5K is a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis. I am doing it because I have this new thing for "Causes". I would like to help as much as I can in ways I can and this is a grand opportunity to give of myself to help someone else. It also is allowing me to get healthier and build my confidence! If you are able to you should check out this site for ways you too can help to fight or find a cure for CF. www.cff.org/Great_Strides/SarahKamper

Good night and Happy Easter to one and all! Also good luck on the egg hunts, make sure you leave some eggs for the little tykes!

Over and Out!

Valentine's Day and President's Day Weekend

I just got back from visiting my precious friend Leah in Provo. Now I am so exhausted and want to just sleep! I am mad with Leah and I need to tell you why! It all started when I got to her apartment....

I was putting my bags in Leah's room when she asked me if I wanted to watch a show that she had picked out special for the weekend. I said of course because I had just made it through horrible traffic on the freeway and on University Parkway, after hosting 2...not 1 but 2 parties for my class. To say the least...I WAS EXHAUSTED!

So Leah puts the DVD in and I got comfy on her little couch/love seat. As it began I was getting nervous that it would be a sappy love movie...which would have sent me over the edge since I had cried at my apt. earlier that day! Then the screen came up with the title of the show and I about chocked on my water! Of all the shows or movies she could have picked she picked that one. I couldn't believe it! I was ready to get up and put in some Disney movie so I wouldn't have to think about anything (or Ever After...and fall asleep like the good old days back in Cedar Ridge)! But I had patience and watched!

Well after watching the things on that DVD Leah asked me if we should go get some more...I said of course. That one single disk made me wake up, gain 11/2 crushes, and decide I needed MORE! My adrenaline was pumping and I needed MORE! So we went to Hollywood Video and got some DVDs to watch. I was so excited, I couldn't stand it! We went back to her aptartment and put one of the new DVDs in and watched it until....3 AM! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!

We did the same thing the next evening after going to lunch, a movie, and shopping! I couldn't NOT watch them! I love suspense and these DVDs were jam packed with it and to help make matters worse...2 gentlemen on them that are so amazingly ATTRACTIVE! I was melting into my seat! And when they cried...I cried, well not as bad as Leah!

We finished watching the DVDs on Sunday and I started going through withdrawls! They were totally my BIB's! Well actually, they still are! ohhh la, la! I now need to find more disks that these two bothers are on, so I can find out what happens to them. I was left with my heart pumping frantically as they were running from approaching cars!

If any of you know what I am talking about let me know...I need to find out and I am frantic to get that information! AHHHHH!

If you don't know what I am talking about, I am talking about Dominic Purcell and Wentworth Miller. They are brothers on Prison Break, the TV series. It has caught my heart and is dragging me along. The only problem is I can't get the DVDs so I can watch them to find out what happens to them and so I can catch up to the current season.

So thank you Leah for getting me hooked! Now either you or I need to get the other seasons so I can find out what happens. If anyone has the Prison Break seasons on DVD and is willing to let me borrow them I would love it!!

Good night for now!

It's About Time!

That's right...I have started bloging and I have no clue what I am doing! I would love to change the format and add my personality to this, but I haven't a clue how to do it! I need some major guidance here!
Anyway...keep checking back for some fun surprises!
Yeehaw!