Do you know what kinds of lions I've hunted?

(*disclaimer* Hunting lions is not to be taken literal in this case. This is not *that* kind of post)

Maybe I'm weird because I spend an overwhelming amount of time with 10 year olds, or maybe everyone watches an unhealthy amount of Kid History.  But the cool thing, there are lessons to be learned from EVERYTHING we put in our lives.  Over the last little while, a quote from an episode of Kid History has been playing through my mind on repeat:

"Do you know where I've been?" 

"Do you know what kinds of lions I've hunted?"

Humans are remarkable.  Every. Single. One. of us has been in different situations and "hunted different lions".  Yet, Every. Single. One. of us gets out of bed everyday and walks around doing remarkable things regardless of the lions we've hunted.  We go to our jobs, take care of our families, and smile--leaving the lions we've hunted behind.  So next time you see a fellow "lion hunter" smile and give them a high five. We are all doing the best that we can and we deserve it!

Word Talk

Remember this post?
Those words that I talked about there were the worst words I ever heard.  I'm done sugar coating it.  It sucked. For a long time.  Those words sent me on a life journey I never thought I would go on.
But, yesterday another sentences made it all go away.  It made the last three years of my life worth it. If I had to go through everything in order to hear that sentence, I would do it again.  This sentence also brought tears to my eyes, but this time they were happy,proud,relieved tears.  This sentence:subject,verb,noun:will make so many wonderful things possible.  Those words made me have hope in life again.

Besties

Today is 

National Best Friends Day

 I have some of the BEST best friends there are.

friendship is timeless

Friendship lasts through a lot of crap

ups

downs

and turn arounds

and keeps going strong

{Life is better with good friends}

Saturday

HELLLO blogophere:::: is anybody there?

Today is saturday.  The day of satting.  The day where it's perfectly acceptable to 

sit/lay and watch tv.  The day where you don't have to feel bad about not working

because DANG IT it's your day off.

Now, when you're a teacher/student, EVERYDAY

can be a SATurday 

during the three months of summa vacation.  And quite frankly,

it can get rather boring and mundane.

That's where I find my self.

Three "SATurdays" into summa and I'm going a little stir crazy. 

Sooooo

You're in luck.

I'm getting off my rear and bringing it back.

Bringing back the awesomeness of this blog....

Please be patient as this will take time. 

But it's going to be awesome. And I'm excited.

Jealousy

i hate that word.
absolutely. hate.
i especially hate that word when i allow that word to be a word that describes me.
and right now it does.

to me jealousy and insecurity are siamese twins.
attached at the heart.

i have tried hard my whole life to achieve a level of confidence to shun out any feelings of insecurity.  i have pushed aside any words people say, actions they take, or circumstances that come about that may cause this devil feeling to creep into me.

i don't compare myself to others.
i set my sights on what i want.
and normally, i get myself there.

but,
then somehow i forget that level of confidence and let myself shrink under the feelings of being inadequate and lameness.

in our world today it seems that these two little pesters have crept into every aspect of our lives.
social media.
social media.
and social media.

it is soo easy for me to see what other people have that i don't
it is soo easy for me to picture what my life "should be" in order to match what their life is.

that should be hard.

it should be easy for me to see that i have everything i need.
it should be easy for me to see that i am beautiful
it should be easy for me to see that i am doing great things.

There's nothing wrong with shaking what you've got

Wise words.  From Kevin Bacon.
My home town is famous.  Famous for being the site of the film "Footloose".  Pretty sweet.  When I was a senior in high school, Footloose celebrated its 25th anniversary.  We decided to write to Kevin Bacon and try to convince him to come back for the anniversary.  Instead of coming, he sent us this great video.  Enjoy.

Are you blind??

Last weekend I went on a date.
I'll give you a minute to let that sink in.




This date....was a blind date.  And it was awful. Thus resulting in this rant.

Let me tell you a bit about this date. Let's call him B.  B and I supposedly have a lot in common; career choice, love of baseball, witty humor.  However, I only know this because our mutual matchmaking friend informed me that the date wouldn't be a disaster and we would get along great.  I was prepared to answer all the basic blind-date get to know you questions upon meeting B. Where are you from? What's your favorite food?  What do you like to do in your free time? etc. etc. etc.  However, I never got a chance because B didn't ask me one.single.question.  And the questions I asked him, he answered pleasantly with one, or if I was lucky, two words.  Therefore I know he likes running and well, that's just about it.  When the joyous moment came for the misery to end, he showed me his love of running as he made a mad dash to get as far away from dating me as possible.

Here's the thing.  I wasn't looking to marry B.  I was simply looking to have a good time and get to know a supposedly interesting boy.

Upon a lot of reflection of this occasion, I determined my date was not only figuratively blind, but quite possibly actually blind.  Blind to what I have to offer.  Blind to what every girl he's ever met has to offer.  
I'm afraid most people my age (between 20-30) are dating (or not dating) blindly.  There are so many wonderful, interesting people out there for us to get to know.  They are literally EVE.RY.WHERE. But, we don't see them because we are blind.  Blinded by our cell phones, sharing useless photos on facebook, and tweet tweet tweeting. 

All I want to do is sit down with a boy and get to know him and have him get to know me.  I want someone to be interested in.  I want someone to be interested in me.  I want someone who takes the blinders off and sees me for who I am and for what I have to offer.

So, future suitors, OPEN YOUR EYES....

I don't know about you...

But I'm no longer 22.

I had a birthday.
Shout Hooray!

In the spirit of 23, here are 23 things I {will} accomplish this year:

1. Write 23 blog posts

2. Save 2300 dollars

3. Read 5 books

4. Try 23 new recipes

5. Lose 23 pounds

6. Create Art

7. Do 23 Random Acts of Kindness
8. Run a mile in less than 10 minutes
9. Go to the temple each month
10. Go to Disneyland
11. Get a pet
12. Paint with paint in balloons
{Princess Diaries style}
13. Try 3 new hairstyles

14. Go to a Drive-In Movie
15. Do a 5K
16. Go somewhere I've never been
17. Go to a concert
18. Go to the zoo
19. Make my bed more often
20. Read my scriptures every night
21. Fly a Kite
22. Go on a Hike
23. Ride on a bicycle made for two

If at first you don't succeed.

Today.
A student licked the bottom of his shoe.
I sent two kids into the hall.
I told a student I was sick of him and his behavior.
I wore too much eye liner on my right eye.
I made about a million spelling mistakes that were so lovingly pointed out by my students.
I missed a big ol' curl while straightening my herrr.

But alas....

If at first you don't succeed,

Lay in bed and watch Chopped all night! :) 

Would it be so bad?

I could be blogging about so many other things tonight, but this is what is on the ol mind so this is what's going on the ol blog.

I've been debating about doing something for a long while now. This something could potentionally change a lot of the things in my life. But then again maybe not.

And if it did change those things....would it be so bad?

Would it be so bad if I just did it? If I just manned up for a sec and got it out of the way. Maybe things would change for the better, maybe for the worse, or maybe not at all.

Would it be so bad if it means I don't have to wonder all the time what would/will happen if I just do it? I would know and I could then spend my wonders on other things.

Would it be so bad if the outcome wasn't what I think I want it to be? If it completely changed that part of my life.

Would it be so bad?

Bummer.

I haven't blogged for a very long time obviously.  And that's a bummer.  Maybe not for you, but it is a real bummer for me.  Basically I have no recollection of anything that's happened in my life for the last 8 months or so.  I haven't even written in my journal.  I mean right now it's not that big of a deal because I can remember stuff. But in a few years, I will have nothing to look back on.  That's a real bummer. 

I think the problem is that I don't have a lot of "cool" stuff to blog about.  I worry so much about if the everyday events of my life are "blog worthy".  If anyone really cares to read them.  But I'm getting over that because ya know what? I care to read them. I care to remember them.  So I'm going to get back on this bandwagon and record the everyday things that happen because they are significant! :)

Maybe this is wrong

Soooo I probably shouldn't admit this, and it will probably cause some judgements to be cast on me, but I don't mind. Judge me if you will. Here's the thing.....

I'm sick of being single.

I'm tired of watching everyone fall in love, get engaged, get married, have babies.
Lather, rinse, repeat.

I know.
I'm young.
My time will come.
Blah.
Blah.
Blah.

I'm tired of it.
So there.

Unselfish

Happy Holiday Season!!
I love this time of year.  Food, family, fun, friends and a lot of opportunities to be a good person.
Opportunities to serve our brothers and sisters here on earth.
Today, after braving the shopping centers, I was grumpy and hating on the other human beings that live on this planet. I was appalled by the actions of some people and the greediness that I saw.  I'm all for a good deal, but sometimes things don't matter.
But, people always matter. 

Then, while at Cafe Rio, a man brought me a shoe key ring.
I smiled and said thank you.
He just continued walking around handing everyone at the tables a key ring similar to the one he gave me.  I read the paper that was attached.

I looked around to see how others were reacting to this strange gift.

One man just pushed it the edge of his table.  Another lady scoffed at the idea of selling these "awful" things.

But, one of my fellow diners, pulled $40 out of his wallet and set it on top of the key chain.
I looked in my wallet and pulled out my donation.

The man who had given out the key chains came back around to collect them or the money.  I watched as nearly everyone handed back the key chain.
All these people who had undoubtedly just spend hundreds of dollars on other things, handed back the key chain instead of $3.

As I handed the man my small donation, he signed thank you and went to the man who handed him the $40.

The man searched through his pockets to find some change to give him.  The man who made the donation just smiled and patted his hands while mouthing, "keep it".  The man signed thank you and smiled a very large smile.

This experience got me thinking.  I usually turn down opportunities to give.
I say no pretty much every time a cashier asks me to donate money to charity.

My goal this holiday season is to focus on giving.
Focus on people, and what I can give to them.

I will Rise

A few weeks ago I attended a choir concert here at USU.  I loved every minute of it.  But, they sang a song that has stuck with me and been on my mind literally everyday since I heard it. 
They sang to honor a young  man who clearly had touched many lives. 
And now his memory has touched mine too.

As I listened to this beautiful song, I felt My God.
I felt His spirit stronger than I ever have before.

 

Jesus has overcome

 

I used to think people were crazy for letting themselves hit rock bottom before they sought help

whether from the Savior or from loved ones.

but, I did that.

 

 

I hit rock bottom in the Provo Mall food court with my mom

back in April

I couldn't do it anymore

I finally came to her for help

I was lost, confused, hurt, and abandoned.

I didn't know how to crawl back out of the hole I had got myself in.

I needed her.

 

She told me 

"You will rise above this

You will get beyond this

but,

You have to turn to God.

Becuase he's felt this pain.

and he has overcome it

He's there for you.

Reach up

He'll help."

 

And He did

and He still is helping me

every day

 

I know that God lives

I know that my Savior Jesus Christ

suffered for my sins

I know that He died for me

and I know that He will come again

 

and when he does,

 

I will rise

when He calls my name

No more sorrow

no more pain.

 

And so will you.

 

:) 





 

  



If wishes were fishes

Alright peeps. Here's the low down.
Sometimes I daydream.
Sometimes ilet my imagination go craycray.
Usually, this happens when I get too caught up in the monotony that is my life.

I start dreaming
Dreaming of my hot husband
Dreaming of my cute lil bebes
Dreaming of my nicely decorated house
my skinny toned butt
my successful job
My fashionable clothes
My blah blah blah blah blah BLAH!!!!!!!!

Then reality slaps me in the face

I'm single
My butt jiggles when I walk
I get paid less than someone who flips burgers

All of those things,
I don't have

Some of those things I may never have

Some of those things I may get someday

But the reality is,
Reality has to be enough
Reality is what I'm stuck with

I, Amy Beckert, was given this reality for a reason.
And I don't think it was to wish it was some other reality

I was given this reality to
ENJOY
It

To
EMBRACE
It

And to
ENHANCE
It

There it is,
my new life motto

Enjoy, Embrace, Enhance

Catch up and Rubber

Goodness. It's been awhile.

Sometimes I get all weird about how annoying blogging is because my life isn't as exciting as the other people's life and my pictures aren't as cool and blah blah blah blah blah.

But now I'm over it

and you are probably going to be bombarded with the pointless mumbo jumbo this blog specializes in :) 

So now I need to play catch up.

so here goes.

**SCHOOL**

This semester was supposed to be my last one.  But it's not going to be.  BUTTTT, that's ok. 

I'm doing an internship teaching 3rd grade for the year, so the pointless class I have to take next semester should fit in just fine.  

I'm enjoying teaching for the most part. ha 

most of the time, I love it

Some days I hate it

Such is life.

**PARACHUTE**

our state fair is the best state fair in the state

because

they had a FREE parachute concert

 it was joyful

**MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING**

so Brittnay has a husband

and I think he's pretty great

which is a good thing

they got married in September

it was beautiful

and I am beyond happy for them

**PLAIN OL' BORIN' LIFE**

thank heavens for instagram, so I have photos from my everyday life

I really love it. 

if you are extremely interested in these lovely photos, 

follow me

@amyjomama

FINALLY!

if you've read for awhile, you are well aware that I have search far and wide for a 

mustard cardigan

and I got one

and I wore it

and I love it

member how I won a wii at work?

it has been put to good use to help me polish up my mario skills

which need a lot of polishing

self-help books suck

especially when you have to read one for work

buttttt,

eggs, toast, and chocoalte almond milk 

make reading a little better

the fall colors in the canyon are BEAUtiful. 

and I'm real good at taking pictures while I drive.

who needs to pull over

I could marry WinCo

Utah State is good at football??

who knew!

Ahhhh

taco tuesday

mint limeaide

modern family

see, my life rocks

my super classy alma mater

payso hig school

guys, this is my favorite musical

so I went to it

and I liked it. 

and I can't wait for the movie

and I'm totally team Eponine

and I'm team Gale in hunger games

perhaps I'm just team

friendship can be loveship

mmmm

oh demo derby

and rednecks

I just love 'em

and that's what you missed

in the last months of my life!

Stay tuned for the next exciting events :) 

Currently

At this very moment....

I am listening to this.....on repeat



I should be doing lesson plans

My headband and my underwear match perfectly

I am going to vacum my floor....for the first time since I moved in...oops

I am feeling pretty grateful for this life I have.

I am working on a blog post to catch you up on the last upteen months of my life that I've been an absentee blogger.....oops

Seriously though.
This is the best thing ever.

don't forget

today was just a normal day.
got out of bed.
showered.
got ready.
went to school.

When I got to school, I started doing my everyday tasks.  They are mundane...
turn on the computer.
bring in the trash cans.
write the date on the board.

The date today was 9-11-12.  The significance of the date rang true in my mind.  I went back to that day in 5th grade.  The day I will always remember.

Then I looked at my lesson plan for the day.  There wasn't any mention of this day.  We were going to do normal things.  We were going to forget to remember.
My 3rd grade students were born in the year 2004 or 2005.  They weren't there that frightful day.  They weren't there to see a country rise from the ashes and join together as one.
Today while we said the pledge of allegiance, I looked at the 26 little faces in my classroom, facing the flag of the United States of America, speaking the words we do every morning.

and to the republic for which it stands
one nation, under God
indivisible
with liberty and justice for
all

those kids will have liberty.
they will know justice.

they are free to stand up in class everyday and utter those profound words.

I'm not sure that they know what the world trade centers were.
I'm not sure they've ever heard the word terrorism.
I'm not sure they know that 11 years ago, hundreds of people lost their lives because their liberty and justice was taken away.

After the pledge, I got caught up in the daily to-dos and didn't ever mention the significance of September 11th to my innocent students.
I forgot to remember.

But I did learn something today.
 for as long as I teach, as long as I'm in a classroom on this day, my students will know--my students will learn--that on this day in the year 2001, freedom was attacked.  They will know that their country joined together to overcome turmoil.  We will remember.

to read more about my feelings, go here 

Also, I'm linking up with other wonderful bloggers to show respect and remembrance for all those who lost their lives or loved ones 11 years ago.

Ran-Dumb

This is one of those posts
ya know the ones
the ones where by thoughts vomit on the computer
and you read them
and you're like
whoa.
Amy's weird.

Yup it's one of those.

So I just discovered this blog...ok not really JUST, but like a while ago and then I spent my whole 8 hour workday reading the posts and dying of laughter.
Then I was too ashamed to push follow because I'm weird about that.  It takes me awhile to commit to following a blog written by someone I don't actually KNOW because it makes me feel like a creeper.

Then low and behold, today we were reunited and once again, I spent most of my 8 hour work day catching up on the posts I've missed since our last encounter.  So then I decided I should just man up and click follow. So now I'm following it so I can laugh everyday instead of for 8 hours.

 Butttt here's my issue.  It's happened before that I come across a blog that I'm lovin, then I overcome my fear and push follow, then they stop posting awesome things and I'm like WTsmell? why am I following this blog? Has that ever happened to you? {maybe perhaps with this blog? :( I hope not!}  Phew. It's an issue.

Also, I'm in love. I don't mean highschool I love you I love you too, I mean I am in love and I want to be. There's nobody else in the world for me, and there never will be, I'm taken.


by a coldstone creation. It's called: "The way I roll" and it has my heart.   Seriously though. think about it....cake batter meets pecans, meets cookie dough, meets cinnamon. BOMB.  It's all I think about.  Mmmmmm Yummmmm.  okay. this needs to stop. I'm going crazy.

Also, can we just talk about Boy Meets World again for a minute.  I know, I know-- I'm annoying.  But here's the thing, this episode is FUN-NY. This is the episode when Cory and Shawn set up a Bed and Breakfast in Mr. Feeny's house.



Then they realized that they have to give the people breakfast.
 
 I seriously love it.

Also, I discovered this website that lets you cut portions of a youtube video. It's legit. It's called TubeChop and I think it's the bees knees. 

Also, I'm moving today.  Yikes.  I'm pretty excited yet scared out of my britches at the same time.

By the way, who gave time permission to go by so stinkin fast!?! seriously how is it already the middle of August???? Crazy.

ok, ok last thing.

Source: hazelgirl11.tumblr.com via Amy on Pinterest

kills me!

Ok actually just joking THIS is for real the last thing.

have a nice trip.

this trippin blogpost is soooo overdue.  I started it on time like 2 days after we returned, but then ya know real life got in the way, and It has yet to be finished.  Sooooo hopefully today I will be posting it. We'll see.

so last month (raise your hand if you think it's trippy that it's the MIDDLE of AUGUST already...whew) anyway. my family and I took a joyful road trip to the big A to the Z area code 480.  It was vonderful.

first stop....rainstrom.

this was a freak rainstorm.  Literally. God dumped the whole pacific ocean from the sky in two minutes and then it was done. 

Sin Citay. 

We stopped to watch the fountains and then went to the gardens in the Bellagio.  If you get a chance, go. It's pretty cool.

We stayed at Sam's Town and had wonderful pina colada's while we watched the light show

The next day, we headed out of Vegas.  We stopped to see the temple because we love to...

And I bought a house...nbd ;)

You're all invited to visit the day after I win the lottery.... 

Onward we went to good ol' Mesa

When we got there we went to Sweet Tomatoes {no pictures because I was busy...stuffing my face with the best food eva} 

Then we went to see the building of the Gilbert Temple.  

Love it.

Next day...POOL TIME

And Baseball time!

Randomly at the game, I found my future husband and child.  It was very convenient. 

http://i.usatoday.net/sports/_photos/2012/06/11/ADP-often-influenced-by-suspect-numbers-NF1LND2G-x-large.jpg

Just doin his thing ...playing 1st base...being sexy

And my/our future child. 

I have yet to talk it over with the hubs because he doesn't even really know we are married yet. 

details. details.

the picture doesn't even do him justice.  he's ADORABLE and a baller. love it.

Friday, we went to the natural bridge in Payson, AZ.  

the gift shop was pretty legit. Ghetto, yet legit.

Now here's the thing.  The first hike we decided to go on was to see a waterfall. I guess I had a distorted image as to what a waterfall actually was.  So let me look it up.....

wa·ter·fall/ˈwôtərˌfôl/

Noun:

A cascade of water falling from a height, formed when a river or stream flows over a precipice or steep incline.

So I was expecting a cascade. ya know....a large gushing wall of water. 

here's what we saw....

 

 see it?? no? ok close one eye and tilt your head to the left....

now do you see it?

drip. drip. drop. little april shower. 

So that was a wee bit of a disappointment.

The natural bridge, as I understand it, is completely naturally made by erosion from wind and water...

(do I sound like a 3rd grade teacher...cuz I'm gonna be one.  just practicing :))  

looking down from the top. looks pretty cool.

So you see those itty bitty people down in there? here let me zoom it in for you....

 

That's where we decided to go. 

Way down there. 

 

So anyway, we headed down the trail to see the bridge from below. 

the trail ended here.

 

 

 

then we thought it would be a brilliant idea to climb all the huge slippery rocks and walk under the bridge. 

brilliant.

and I only got stuck twice. 

pretty good.

So I really can't describe to y'all how intense this was climbing over all these boulders floating on water. 

 

I can only imagine what it would have been like if I was overweight and had awful balance...

oh wait....

But it was real cool, and I got real sweaty. 

Then we went for pizza! 

pizza has never tasted so good. 

Then we went to the pool. and I got fried like a pickle...

side note...what is with fried pickles

I've seen like 25 posts on blogs, instagram etc

about fried pickles

I'm thinking I must try these delectables...

now back on track.

That weekend, the OLYMPICS began. So the rest of the trip was pretty much spend in front of the TV listening to my grandma, who apparently coaches every Olympic athlete, cheer on her trainees. 

The last day, we partook of theeee best snowcones known to man on the planet earth at Bahama Bucks.

Delicious.

 

 Then we roadtripped it back to Utah. 
Sooo much fun was had. :)