Go UTES! Tribute to Tasha!

Thanks to Tasha and facebook, here are some pics from the UTES game!

Tribute to Tasha! Tasha is one of my new friends and new co-workers! We both teach 3rd grade and have a blast doing it! It's so funny because people at school ask us all the time if we were friends before we started working together, but nope, we just seemed to hit it off as friends and teachers having a good 'ol time planning curriculum and laughing together. Also, I've never met someone who has so many of the same clothes as me without ever knowing each other, I must say it's a little creepy! Tasha is hilarious! She keeps me on my sarcastic toes and keeps teaching fun and interesting, she never misses a beat! I don't know what I'd do without her! With all the new adjustments in my life, she makes them a whole lot more fun! And as you can see by the pics we even hang out, outside of work! She came over on Sunday for "Breakfast at Tiffany's", too! Yummo! Niki and I've decided to get to know more people and have Sunday dinners every once in a while, it was fun! Oh, and Bryan Hinton came to our Sunday dinner too, that was a blast from the past! Bryan and I went to High school in Colorado together and just ran into each other a little while ago! Small world! Sorry, I don't take pictures of every event, shucks...there will be more "breakfast at Tiffany's" to come!

Happy Anniversary! 26 Years Later!

Jeff & Dixie Finley

Established September 3, 1982

Thanks for sticking it out! Ha! DAD and MOM, I love you both! I am so glad you two got hitched, life wouldn't be the same without you, literally:)! You are an amazing couple! You bring so much to the table and together our family has a great feast! Man, I am cheesy... Seriously though, you two really are wonderful. I'm am so grateful to have parents who despite all the frustrations of the world, work hard to make your marriage work and make family number one! Congratulations and cheers to another 26 years!

Love the FAVORITE child! JK!

Family, Isn't it about time?!

Tribute to the Finley Family...

I love my family. I love, love, love, love, love, love, love them... times infinity and beyond! Did I mention I love my family????! So tonight, Niki and I decided to travel around town and visit our families! We went to her parents and had a grand 'ol time and then headed over to my fams place.

My mom, Niki, and I all went on a little and by little I mean a 3 mile walk around the neighborhood, chatting it up and just have fun.

I think my mom is great, she is so funny, she really is! She is smart, beautiful, spiritual, thoughtful and the list just goes on! I really admire her:). She was telling us about all her great garage sale deals and her clearance deals! She cracks me up. When we got home we chatted with the rest of the fam, while mom showed us all her cute clothes and dad showed off all his handy work and remodeling on the house. My dad is also VERY funny! He was walking around with this little head lamp that clips onto his baseball cap. My dad is amazing...since neither one of my parents brag about themselves nearly enough, I feel that it my duty to share their wonderful talents! My dad is one of the most generous, kind, hard-working guys I know! He can fix ANYTHING! He can cook ANYTHING! And he has a way of making everyone feel welcome at our house.

So now that I'm on a family bragging kick, here's what great about all my siblings...

Leslee, 22, is going to UVU, has her associates and is kicking but in classes! Last semester she got a 4.0! Go Les! She too, is so generous! If I'm having a bad day, she doesn't even hesitate to lift my spirits by hanging out, having an extra long conversation with me or buying me a gift...that last one is my favorite, jk! I love my favorite sister! She understands my soul and knows what makes me tick.

Joey, 20, is on a mission in Brazil! He is now a Zone leader and the second counselor in the Bishopric, weird! He has more charisma and positive attitude than a monkey on steroids! He is awesome! He only has 9 months left...I can't wait to hang out with him again!

Aaron, 16, is now a dater and a driver! He is the "cool" one in the family, seriously he radiates coolness. He is handsome and down to earth! Aaron works his tail off at school and at his job at Larry H! So I thought I was pretty awesome at math in high school, oh no, Aaron puts me to shame with him kick-butt college Algebra classes! I can't believe some of the classes he is in! Aaron rocks!

Ryan, 15, is now a trader, going to Jordan High School....ha! The three middle kids all went to Alta but Ryan decided to switch it up a little this year. Ryan is awesome! He's been playing football and kickin' the other teams trash! Last year Ryan came and helped out in my classroom, he is always so kind and willing to serve, man I love this kid!

Beau, 7, our family dog. He is the love of our lives...every night, still to this day, all the kids fight over sleeping with him! My parents got him during the middle of my senior year of high school (makes me feel old!). He is the sweetest dog ever! He's always there to give some lovin' and absolutely loves to go on walks!

Man, this post makes me have an attitude of gratitude! Lately, I've just been so grateful for my life and for the people who have made it so wonderful, both family and friends...I know this post is a little gushy and over the top, but who cares! I love them and after all, I am the "emotional" on in the family! I'm also grateful for my Heavenly Family, meaning Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. Prayers are answers, when you seek, ye will find, I promise! :) I have a testimony of that, no doubt about it.

PS The CES fireside on Sunday was AMAZING! If you didn't get a chance to watch it and want to, click here! This was one sure fire way of knowing the Lord knows me and knows what I need to learn and hear in my life at this time:)!

Camp Finley is Back in Business! Now Located in Taylorsville!

So, so, soooo much to say… I started teaching at Taylorsville Elementary School two weeks ago! New school, new district, new grade! Talk about a whirl wind of changes!



THE PERKS:

My students are ADORABLE!

I love my team and my principal!

It only takes me 12 minutes to get to my new school!

I get paid a couple thousand more a year!

Insurance is an awesome price!

Did I mention I love my team!



The Kidos:

I think I’m really going to like third grade! I love that the kids are older and are able to do so many more things and understand bigger concepts.

We had parent teacher conferences the first week of school and that was a little strange…I looked up their test scores from the year before and to help me and the parents make goals for the upcoming year. Meeting the parents is always interesting...entertaining, frightnining, and a lot of "ah ha" moments:)!

One set of parents argued about the custody their child right in front of me! A few parents needed translators. Something I never had at my last school... One family is from Somlia, Africa and we didn’t have any translators for them, so the fourth grade son translated and did a pretty good job (I’m assuming).

Another event from this kid involved slapping, punching, black eyes, and in school suspension!
This kid hates school and thinks everyone is an “ediat” spelled by him…

So needless to say, my new school is going to have it’s challenges…oh, and did I mention their reading levels, I have students who barely know their letter sounds up to kids who can read at a sixth grade level! I have my work cut out for me…but I feel empowered, knowing I am teaching children who really need it and appreciate it! Bring it on!

First, Smokey Moutain. Next, Spoon Me!

"Okay, fine, we will stop reading and go PLAY!"

BELOW...Tiffany's six step half-up hair process! Natalie had a little fun with the Camera!


Left: Step 1 Right: Step 2

Left: Step 3 Right: Step 4

Left: Step 5 Right: Step 5, Ta da!

Niki and Me

Nat and Me

Middle: Natalie does take out the trash!!!!!!!! Left and Right, the middle windows of this apartment is our place!

Memorial Park!

Continued...

Awe...the roommates...2+ years and going strong!

Smokey Mountain!

Our "Wilson" pictures! Inspiration=Natalie!



Salt Lake Cemetery

Yesterday was Labor Day as you all know! I started out the day very lazy and really not feeling well...so what did I do? Read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??!?! I've been meaning to read the second book in the Twilight series for months now...well now I have little to no distractions and finally finished, thanks to my lazy morning yesterday! I read a total of 400 pages this weekend and still had a fun, busy time! Well, after my lazy, but yet VERY productive morning of lounging and reading, Natalie one of my favorite roommates suggested that Niki I get out of the reading grove and do something! PS Niki was a little more productive than me, she also did homework! So we decided to go to lunch and a movie! We went to a restaurant called Smokey Mountain, and I must say it has highly recommendable food, but SLOW service! Then we couldn't help but notice the frozen yogurt joint next store, Spoon Me! So we decided to meander over there and check it out, it was pretty good, but not on my top ten list (however, I do think the name is catchy! hehe!) Then we headed for the movies only to find out that it was all sold out!!!!!!!! Sad day! Have no fear, Tiffany is here with tons of suggestions! I started giving ideas of places to go, and my roommates looked at me like a was crazy, I suggested going to the Copper Mines, the Planetarium, the Aquarium in Sandy, This is the Place Monument, the gun Museum up in Ogden, the Alpine Slide, the Heber Creeper...so I have just happened to hear about all these places over the years and have started storing them in memory in case I get bored and want to do something...turns out I'll have to do them ALONE because no one seems to think they're great places to visit...So if you want to go, just let me know! Or if you know someone who would want to go, and they aren't too creepy or weird, let me know:). Okay, enough rambling, what did we end up doing? We went to Memorial Grove! Not a place on my list, but it was great non-the-less, it was beautiful!!!! Then we went to the Salt Lake cemetery to check out a grave sight that Natalie had heard about that says "victim of the beast 666" on it! Good thing it was daylight or else I think I would have had to change my shorts later!

Go Alta Hawks!

Last Saturday Ryan had one of his first games of the season! The whole family went to support! I'm a natural at yelling, so naturally, I had a great time! Ryan played really well! Their team kicked some royal behind and won the game!

Left: Team Mom, Dixie Finley, ready to pick up the trash! Right: Team sister "watching" the game! :)

Left: This is one of our favorite parts of the season, holding this big 'ol piece of butcher paper and watching, I'm mean watching out so you don't get knocked out when the football players run through it!

Aaron and Dad being supportive!

Above you see 5 pictures of the champion, Ryan Shane Finley!

Leslee and Aaron...Aaron looks like he'd make a great cheer leader! NoT!