It's Been A Long Time Coming...

The search for the perfect job...

It's a long road!

I've wanted to be a dance teacher my WHOLE life, but in 9th grade I had my "Career Exploration" teacher tell me that dance teachers didn't make any money... so I couldn't pick that occupation.

Real encouraging, huh?

For several years I was so confused about what I wanted to do...

Dietetics, Elementary School Teacher, Exercise Science-

none of it fit.

That is, until I stumbled upon the "Dance Education" program at BYU.

It was perfect.

I loved every second of it, and was so excited for student teaching and being able to teach in a public education setting.

Enter Jon Brame.

I fell pretty hard, and pretty fast for this boy.

I had two years left of school... he had one.

After his graduation he was planning on leaving and going to grad school...

 and I didn't wanna lose this kid.

SO I changed my major to Dance and graduated with him.
I knocked off a year of school, but that meant

no teaching certificate.

But it was ok- because I had Jon :)

I took a job teaching at a dance studio.

It was a great learning experience- but not quite exactly what I envisioned with my life.

I dreamed of teaching older kids...

Not pre-schoolers.

I love how sweet 2-5 year olds are, 

but I just wanted to be doing something more with my degree.

 So I went back to school this past semester and got my Texas Teaching Certificate.

Lots of Saturday classes, lots of online classes, and lots and LOTS of applying for jobs.

With the budget cuts this year, I lost hope in getting a teaching job.

I was prepared to go back to the studio I previously worked at, 

or work at Burger King ;)

But this past Monday I traveled BACK to Houston to interview with three different schools...

an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school.

I had to cover all ages...
 AND

 I'm so excited to say that I accepted a full time dance teaching position at
North Shore Senior High School!!!!!!!!!!!

 I am now a Mustang-
and proud of it!

Road Trip!

6 hours in the car...

For two hours here...

Totally worth it. 

Oh, and we did have a little pit stop on the way home...

Jon is now the happiest boy in Mississippi :)

A Camping We Will Go!

So I just got back from Girls Camp with the Houston Young Women...

I think we averaged about 5 hours of sleep per night and then played hard all day. 

Those girls know how to par-tay!

And I am wiped out!

Tuesday we drove up to camp Cho-Yeh, about an hour and half north east of Houston.

 They have their stuff and are ready to go!

Confession- we slept in air conditioned rooms.

But I'm not ashamed one bit.

Being outside all day in 100+ degree weather and 80% humidity-

they deserve those AC cabins!

 Me and Kim Ellsworth- we all wish she could have stayed longer!

I'm pretty good at weaseling my way into going to Girls Camp every year.

Truth is- I love Girls Camp and still wish I could go as a youth every year!

I've decided it's kind of hard growing up...

as a youth I had girls camp, EFY, youth conferences, etc. to look forward to every summer...

And these experiences were imperative in building my testimony.

Then there was a mission... which was full of testimony strengthening experiences.

But now I'm just old and boring and there aren't week long Relief Society camps to look forward to!

And let's be honest...

if there were, they wouldn't be NEARLY as cool as Girls Camp!

We went swimming...

 made crafts...

 went swimming in the lake!

 

Don't worry- we didn't have any fun at all...

The lake only had a blow up trampoline, teeter totter, slide, zip line, and blob that you could bounce each other off of.

 Ok, I lied. 

The lake was DEFINITELY the highlight of camp!

SOOOOOO much fun!

 Drying off...

 These girls rocked the ropes courses!

Michaela did the hardest one...

 Selene did amazing!

 and they all did awesome on the rock climbing wall!

 Did the fun stop there?

Oh no!

Now do you see why I have Girls Camp hangover?

Not only did we stay up until 1 every night...

but we played hard all day!

We had a lip-sync super jam which was hilarious!

I didn't know so many Justin Beibers lived in the Houston South Stake!

 We gave ourselves pedicures...

 Cute toes!

 Sister Eccles taught us how to cook in a Dutch oven...

 We did lots, and lots, and lots of french braiding!

The theme for Girls Camp was "The Amazing Race"... 

and yes we did re-enact the show with lots of crazy challenges.

Like wrapping each other up in toilet paper...

And cutting and tying blankets for a children's hospital...

 ANND it looks like I didn't take many pictures of the Amazing Race!

Hahaha oh well...

We did find a nest of daddy long legs.

Can you say "DISGUSTING?!?!"

 Funny story-

This guy Randy was staff from Camp Cho-Yeh and was in charge of taking us to all our various activities. 

WELL, since he was the only boy around- all the girls decided they had crushes on him.

What a lucky guy.

A 22 year old with a bunch of 13 year olds after him.

The last day- they chased him down and made him take a picture with them...

As they chanted "We love Randy!"

Put 80 girls in the wilderness for four days and I think they go a little crazy without boys!

And here are some pics of the amazing girls.

Aren't they beautiful?

I think so.

 Cristina...

 Gracie...

 Joselyn and Gracie...

 Desiree...

 Brianna...

 Michaela...

 And the goof- Alejandra

I'm gonna miss these girls while we're in Mississippi!

200th Blog Post!

A monumental occasion for a 200th blog post... 

Ok not really.

I finally made my way to Mississippi and am just happy to be back with my Jon.

People always ask if we like Mississippi...

and we do.

It's a slower pace of life,

and it's just refreshing to not have much to do.

We slept in until 10:30... 

(Who does that? I haven't done that since high school! I think I had a Girls Camp hangover... more about girls camp coming soon...)

went grocery shopping...

played the Wii...

and just hung out.

Cheers to Mississippi, a relaxing summer, and 200 blog posts 

:)

A Big Brame Weekend

Along with all the dancing...

we had some visitors this weekend!

Visitors are our favorite thing (right along side chocolate and Blue Bell ice cream!)

The purpose of the visit was three fold...

1- To visit their favorite kids (of course!)

2- To see our recital

3- And lastly to bid farewell to this goofball! He's leaving on his mission in a month and we won't be able to make it up to his farewell :(

 We had fun chattin' with each other...

 Cooking together...

 Going to NASA together...

 And of course- eating together.

What can bring a family closer together than a little Texas BBQ at T-Bone Tom's?

I'm not quite sure there is anything ;)