Summer Fun

On Saturday Kelly, Melinda, Deah and Emily came to Salt Lake for fun and of course I needed a study break so we went downtown.

We ate dinner at the Blue Iguana and then walked around Temple Square and City Creek.

The Joseph Smith Memorial Building/Hotel Utah is celebrating 100 years and they had a lot of fun exhibits. This one showed the people that had stayed there, and of course we had to take Emily's picture with Bing.

Deah on the other hand was trying to fake a date with Heber J. Grant!

The Lecheminants came into town this week and we spent Wednesday at Temple Square. Kaden and Trey were doing a program for me outside the church office building.

Andy took us on a VIP tour on top of the conference center which was very cool. It started to rain really hard while we were on top of the building and Andy was having a little trouble getting the door open, but I have to say it made for a very funny picture.

Andy took us on a "VIP" tour through the conference center and we got the chance to see the center from the stage point of view. It was amazing!

After the conference center we went to the Beehive House and took the tour. Julie and I decided that the furniture today is just not what it use to be.

It was a very fun day full of surprises and I can't wait to do it again.

Waiting for Superman

I have been on bar exam preparation overload so I decided to take a break tonight and watch a movie I have been wanting to see since its theater release. Those of you who know me know that I had it on hold at the Salt Lake Public Library and of course my hold finally came through.

Waiting for Superman is a documentary about the school system throughout the nation and some serious problems it is facing. As I started to watch the movie my first thought was oh great, another movie to tell us all how teachers are not cutting it and only some public, charter, and private schools are successful.

I was a public educator for eight years and now work in disability education law so I know there are problems but I really don't like it when we have these "the world is all wrong and there is no solution, except one, type stories."

How wrong I was about this movie. As the movie continued and as I watched the bonus features I realized that what the creator was trying to say is that we need to think outside the box, look at what is working and find ways to implement or duplicate it whether it be through districts or charter school systems. The only part that was not addressed in this film, though I think it is an issue that need a movie all its own, is the influence of family and community on the the student's future.

I am fortunate that I live in Utah where education, though lacking in funds, is valued with a 72% graduation rate in 2009. This movie is worth watching. It made me extremely grateful for those teachers I remember by name who changed my life forever!

www.waitingforsuperman.com

Visitors, Visitors, Visitors, I love Visitors!

Kris and Michelle brought their kids to the zoo on June 3rd and since I live so close I decided to join them for the day. They had dinosaur animatronics all over the park and the kids loved them.

This dinosaur was spraying water and as you can see Cole was just waiting to get wet!

Kris made this dinosaur almost seem real.

Cole and Josh both put their heads in the dinosaurs mouth. I think Josh was a little more nervous about this than Cole was.

Ali became quite the model at the zoo. She is a cutie!

I had to take a picture of this elephant slide because it has been there since I was a kid, is still made of metal, and is still as hot as ever!

I was taking pictures in the playground at the zoo and of course Josh kept hiding from me. Needless to say I found him in a log!

I am not sure what to say about this picture but I think it is extremely funny! What a fun day at the zoo!

On Monday, June 6th the Larsens came to Salt Lake so of course we had to celebrate because it was Kerri's birthday!

We went to a local place called The Blue Plate Diner.

Kaitlyn got a pancake the size of her head and ate almost the whole thing!

We got Kerri cake and ice cream for her birthday and of course Alyssa helped blow out the candle because her birthday was just four days away.

And of course everyone helped in the eating. I love having visitors it is so much fun!

One final visitor came Washington, my roommate, Jessica Gardner. I don't have a picture of her but I have a picture of the great graduation gift she gave me below. She knows me well!

This Just Makes Me Giggle....