I love you mom and dad!

Every morning a delightful thing happens. I skip down the stairs and open the fridge to find wonderful contianers of food meant especially to be tucked into my backpack, carried off to work and enjoyed at lunch. Sometimes mom makes me a special salad, sometimes dad creates a special stir fry for me, on other occasions I snag the left overs from dinner. It is perhaps my most favorite part of my morning routine and I leave with a heartfelt appreciation for my parentals. They are kind people. and very good cooks. But Alas, today (for the first time all summer) there was no friendly tupperware awaiting my companionship. So... I decided I would take on a challege. I decided to try to go a whole day without eating. It sounds like i'm on a diet or trying to lose wieght. I asure you i'm not. It just sounded so inviting to have something hard to do, but all the magic in that idea wore off around twelve. Lucky for me the office just stocked up on snacks:)

like or like like

I've been debating whether I should actually blog about this or not. Which almost always means ya probably shouldn't, but... I kinda just want to:) hehe SO... at the extreme risk of being psycho, i'm going to blog about .... a boy.

Blogging friends... meet Matthew T. Burningham





He's a cheerful adventurous boy with a wide range of interests including knives, cooking, all things nature, salsa dancing and taylor swift. He's in the airforce training to be a sere specialist. Being a sere specialist is a lot like being Jason Borne. One could pretty accuartely say that Matty is training to be Mr. Borne. One would also be correct in describing his life as demanding. Like highly demanding, but that it also makes him desciplined, tough, hardworking and honest. He teases like crazy and sure makes me laugh a lot. :) He is righteouse and fun and As it turns out, (big breath)...we are dating. (I can already feel myself regretting this post)

ps. Dear Family (mostly Uncle Terry and Uncle keola;)) He is a returned missionary with a solid testimony and a righteouse glow:) ...he went to Spain

To see Matty eat a bug go here!! http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/video/video.php?v=771314093389&comments&set=t.1132050099&type=1

Que to the Tal!!

Aloha mi amigos de blogging! So there came this period of 7 months where I had absolutly no motivation nor interest to blog. like zero. BUT... I would like two things to be known. 1. To my credit I have been writting in my journal. Sometimes it's hard to do both and the Journal needed to know I like him the same as my blog. We just needed some time together. 2. I have not been completely gone... in fact (as creepy as this kinda is) I've been logging in to the ole blog at least once a week and reading everyones posts. That haveing been said there are a few things that need to be blogged.

1. Solve the mystery! (Jessica I dedicate this to you;) )
Thanksgiving... where do I go you ask????? It was New York City baby :) My uncle printed up these amazing itineraries. (he does this for nearly all of his planned events. It is both incredibly useful and just really cute) The whole trip was such a blast! One of the DC highlights for sure!

2. The shout outs
Theres a lot of theses. Shout out to the capital of America! This is a place where I learned that I can do hard things and even make a little bit of a difference:) Shout out to the Sakais! Some of my fondest DC memories were spent at their house. It was my save haven from stress. like I can't even explain. The spirit in their home is so strong and I adore my Auntie Kim and Uncle Keola. Auntie Kim is hilariouse, Uncle Keola is so quarky... which in turn also makes him hilariouse and the banter and obviouse friendship between the two of them is special and adorable. I miss them! Shout out to the cutest girl in the world! Lillie!! Lillie is a firework and I loved every second of every cousin party I had with her. She is so many special things:) Shout out to Wilson High School! I fell head over heels in love with every student there.

3. Where I am now
I graduated in December and moved back home. Like in with my parents. As in I share a room with my 11 year old sister, actually I share a bed with this child. I finished out the school year substitute teaching, and have not applied for jobs or even really done much in the way of making my resume cool. It sounds pretty bad I know, but here's the funny thing. These last 7 months have been so fulfilling and progressing making, and i've been so happy. My original plan was come home sub out the year then go begin life and contribute positively to society. There were many options: teach internationally, mission, HAWAII!!!, DC. It was exciting to think of all the places and advuentures I could go do, but as I pondered and prayed I just felt so much like I needed to stay home. (why is Hawaii never the answer??) Of all the options staying home is probalby not the most exciting, but its the one that stands out. And the Lord has this funny way of reassuring me i'm in the right place. Heavenly father, I asked, should I go on a mission?? he gives me some cool promptings and then boom. i'm called as a seminary teacher. ok Heavenly father so I know i'm suppose to stay home, but I think i'm going to go on a little summer adventure,boom he puts me in releif society. There's this scary pattern of everytime I think of leaving I get strapped with some big church resopnsibilities that keep me tied to the cheney institute building. SO, hint taken I'm in cheney. but really it's been this special time where Kale is home and I've gotten to spend time with my family all together, i've become really involved in my little singles ward and made some amazing friends there. I know i'm where I'm suppose to be and thats a peaceful thing.

Solve the Mystery!!

It's almost Thanksgiving! NO SCHOOL Thursday or Friday:) the positives of this = 2 days of lessons I don't have to plan!!! and more time for lesson planning!!! ... or so I thought.

I will be spending Thanksgiving with the SAKAIS in the east this year:) In Maryland... I think.

Last weekend Auntie Kim sent me an email telling me to get all my planning for the week after Thanksgiving because I would be too busy having fun to do any!!! Special holiday "festivities" are in the works, but I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY ARE!!!! I received a couple hints. see if you can figure out this mystery!!!



Hint #1
I got this one last night.
at 5:48pm I received this text from auntie Kim

"You got all your planning done for next week? Hope so cuz I just got word about the festivities and you're SOOO not going to have time to plan. ;) i'll give you a call tuesday to tell you what you need to bring for the long weekend."

My response:
"I'm soOoooOooo excited!! Give me a hint!!

Auntie Kim:
Oh...ok! Here is your hint! Because of our festivities, Uncle Keola INSISTED on putting up all our Christmas decorations. It's a time issue.

Me:
I don't get it. Can I please have another one?

Auntie Kim:
there may be more hints to follow in the coming days, so keep your phone close.

I have been keeping my phone very close, and very charged, but the next hint did not come via cell phone. I just checked my email and found this clever little poem:)

Hint #2
For this Thanksgiving break,
You'll want to pack light.
No textbooks, computer,
Or plan book in sight.

Pack comfy warm clothes,
And GOOD walking shoes,
A dress, and an umbrella (if you have one),
Those are things we'll definitely use.

If your camera phone
Is the only camera you've got,
Then don't forget your charger
Because pictures...you'll take a LOT!

Hint #3May come later today
By phone or by e-mail
So check both, don't delay!!

Auntie Kim : )

hmmmmmmm... still don't know what it could be...

Last Week

Dear Woodrow Wilson High School

My name is Haliaka Kauwe. I am 22 years old. I am not a student. Thanks

Just Last week...

1. A student asked how old I was. I gave her my typical "i'm older than you and younger than your parents" response. She followed that with "well, I just thought you had to be in college to do your student teaching"

2. I went to observe a teacher during my free period to get some tips and learn the ropes a little better. I sat down at a desk in the back and the kid next to me says "Hi i'm chris. are you a new student to the class?" No, chris darling I"M A TEACHER!!!! ;(

3. A security guard stepped in front of me as I was leaving school. apparently students are allowed to exit that particular way...

4. I was subbing for a teacher who had to leave. The kids were working on an assignment and I sat down at a desk to do some grading. Mr. Giddens came in the room, looked around, and then said to the class "Do you guys not have a teacher?" YO GIDDENS I"M PRESENT AND NOT A STUDENT!!

5. Devin walked into class and says "hmm, Ms. Kauwe's gone today" "Hi Devin" I say loudly because I am of course, not gone. "Oh dang. Hi Ms. Kauwe. I though you were a student hahahahaha"

yea yea yea Devin, you're not the only one lol

D.C. is D.efinately C.ool

Things that make me happy

*Cousin Parties!!!!
*the new habit Ant P is getting into of telling me I "look nice today" everyday:)
*the marriage of Chase and Cameron (This is a House reference)
*harry potter references in House
*how the apple truly never does fall far from the tree (I had parent teacher conferences yesterday)
*That Mr. Greiner (my mentor teacher) brought me hot cocoa so I could also make use of the coffee machine in the room... and also that he brought me a mug after I kept forgetting my own every day for weeks
*Waking up to little Lillie bounding in my room:)
*Chillen with my homegirl chris-to-the-tin-to-the-a
*When my students cheer for each other
*the musky/smoking smell of the hall way that leads to my apartment
*running down the hall way that leads to my apartment as fast as I can
*getting the fist seat on the metro
*seeing the sun shine on the Potomac in the morning
*starting a new book
*seeing my kids engaged in a lesson
*watching small children chase the gigantic goose that lives in the fountain in the middle of my apartment complex... so random
*Dinner with the Sakais
*listening to my kids rap the presidents- they are skilled. like for real.
*when I hear a kid drop the f bomb I tell them with a hurt expression that I don't like that word... every kid always apologizes and never says it again
*How today I asked Devin who general Weyler was during group study 4 times in a row and then when we played who wants to be a millionaire thats the question he got.
*getting mail
*hearing Hi Ms. K in a southern accent

Things that don't make me so happy
*they allow dogs in my apartment complex...meh:/
*that cameron left Chase- dosn't being MARRIED mean anything anymore??? lets work though our issues people

Here a little there a little

I'd like to make a quick plug for improvement. Today I taught a lesson 2nd period. The kids were fine, but I felt skattered and off. There lacked "flow". This made me quite nervouse then to teach my 4th period. 2nd period can handle a day when i'm off, but 4th period. hah oh 4th period. nother story. A story that needs flawless flow and a display of masterful teaching that I fear greatly exceeds me. They are a rough class and a treasure all the same. So after a volcanoe of stress and overwhelmingness erupted out of my stomach and trough my eyes I ate a sandwhich. It's incredible what eating lunch will do to calm a person down. Then I went back to the lesson plan. I tweaked and added according to my mentors input and put on my "bring it" face. and 4th went great!!! Ok so they talked while I was sometimes, little joe had to go out in the hall, angel refused to give up her phone and thus got written up, but... I think they learned something. I think they learned more than second period. I think my lesson and myslef as a teacher...improved. Am I a master teacher? Heck to the no. Am I even a decent teacher. idk. It's probably an arguable point, but am I a better teacher now than when I woke up this morning. I venture to say that I am. I'm learning to find satifaction in improvement. Sometimes that has to be enough.

p.s. Student teaching is hard. Like way hard, but the kids are GOLD. pure gold :)