Don't miss your chance...

DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE OF A LIFETIME...

Now is your chance to get your very own program that has been signed by no other than Katie Nelson. Yes, that is an authentic signature, hard to believe but I got it. Don't ask questions but alas it is real. Also, if you notice the smug up in the right hand corner you will see a blob of some lip gloss. Not only is it lip gloss but it's Jacki Nelson's lip gloss that was on her very own lips. Yes, this program was S.W.A.K-ed by Jacki (Sealed With A Kiss). The bidding for this program will start at priceless and bids will go up from there.

This offer won't last for long so act now!




(P.S.-Katie your song was beautiful and it moved me to tears. You're incredible and your endless talents never cease to amaze me. Also Jacki you know that you are pretty cool so enough said.)

Zombie Girl

I want to start this blog with a question and here it is...Have you ever felt like a zombie?...Well I have, and it has lasted for quite a while. This past little while has been a little crazy and a part of me doesn't know what to think of it all. This blog posting is going to list my recent events for the purpose of journaling, sharing, and just so I can make sense of it all. So my disclaimer for this blog posting is that it probably won't be very uplifting but it will be real nevertheless, so don't read past this point if you're having a blue day. Usually I like to express gratitude and the blessings of life, but at the moment my heart is calling for realness. I rarely express my emotions vocally so here I am vocalizing my venting through words.All of these events may seem silly but it's just the combination of everything that has put me into a zombie-like trance.

Event #1-Brace-Face
About a month ago I became initiated into the braces club. I have had braces before and I thought that braces would be no big deal,but previously I received invisalign and I have come to realize that the two are completely different. I soon learned of the fun that comes with braces: achy teeth, scars on the inside of your mouth, and being put on a diet that you don't want to be on all because eating becomes a chore and is no longer a sport (this may be a perk but for now I'm going through meat withdrawals).Overall, it's much better now then it was and I'm learning to deal with the aliens that are invading my mouth.

Event #2-Sick of being sick
So a few days after getting my braces I got sick and it has only been transforming over time. First it started as a fever,sore throat,and body aches. Over time is has become a bad cough, constant fatigue, runny nose, lose of voice, and at this moment pleurisy and a pulled muscle under my left rib. This recent development makes it hard for me to walk and hence why I'm typing on a computer. Luckily I'm on Lortab, which is helping a little bit but not as much as I would like. I'm usually against drugs and doctors but today I threw in the towel.
P.S. I believe the culprit to my being sick is my braces. Darn metal intruders!

Event #3-Work
With summer starting I'm required to have a lot more energy and it just hasn't been happening. I love my kids at the Boys and Girls Club and I just wish that I could give them a more fun Kandie and not zombie girl. Also, a week ago I interviewed for my dream job and I'm pretty sure I didn't get it. I haven't received any word, so I'm taking that as a sign. I would of been a fourth grade teacher working along-side with my very own fourth grade teacher from back in the day (she personally was my all time favorite teacher and she was the one that made me want to become a teacher in the first place), and I would of been working with my best friend from growing up as well. Oh well, hopefully other opportunities will come. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason-so come what may.

Event #4-Heartbreak
I recently lost my best friend and it stinks!!! No deaths have occurred but it has been a struggle nevertheless. Without going into detail it suffices me to say that heartbreak is not fun and I'm sorry for all of those that are experiencing it.

Event #5-New Calling
So I just got called to be the Relief Society President in my Singles Ward. Everyone has been really nice to me and I have been congratulated a lot. I usually just joke when words of congratulation happen and I say stuff like, "I wonder why no one congratulated me when I was called to be the Ward Prayer Coordinator." Anyway everyone has been really great, but I feel like a Relief Society President is someone that has a lot to offer others and I feel completely empty handed. I've been the tin woman who is the one in need of a wizard. However, life is an adventure and I'm grateful for the experiences that I have been given. I am excited for the opportunity the new calling will provide and for the chance to serve. I always could of served before but I'm the type that needs a push every once in a while-or maybe I'm the type that always needs a push.


Okay, that's all, sorry if you read all of that and you feel less enlightened for doing so. It's funny because as I write this I can't help but think of a Christmas card that my friend shared with me once. It was a family Christmas card and it listed everything wrong that was going on in their life and there was a lot. It was a sad letter overall, but we couldn't help but laugh ourselves to tears because of detail that was written. It had everything from a teenager that suffered from acne to a child who would soon be released from jail.

Nevertheless, that has been my life lately. The glass is still half-full and maybe ice cream or cookies will bring new life into me. Never hurts to try.

And thanks if you read all of that. If you did you must have some love for me, so thanks. It was a long and mainly a purely selfish posting, so thanks again for caring enough to even read it.

Willard Bay

A video of some of the cool kids that I work with at the Boys and Girls Club.

Willard Bay

The Faith of Little Children

Recently I have had some sweet experiences with the faith that little children have and I want to share the cuteness of these kids...


Story #1
This first one happened while I was doing my student teaching. There was a particular girl in my class that has a really hard life (sadly yes and she's only seven) and she demanded a lot of attention and a lot isn't an exaggeration. However, those are the ones that always pull at your heart strings because the statement that says the more you give the more you get is 100% true. So one day during our writer's workshop she came up to me and asked for my helped to draw a picture of Jesus. She had saw the Christus at Temple Square and she had wanted to write about it. Of course, immediately I got onto the internet to LDS.org and pulled up a picture of the Christus. It was so cute to see her try to draw in detail when in fact detail is a subjective word. This was such a sweet moment; mostly because all this little girl can write is chicken scratch. When she writes she says her words out loud while she scribbles silly marks on paper. Which if anyone doesn't know that isn't typical; most of my first graders were writing quite intelligently. I don't remember ever being that smart in first grade but I guess it's 2010.

Story #2
I have started to work at the Boys and Girls Club again and I really love it. The job doesn't come without attitude filled children but that makes it all the better. Sometimes I'm just refereeing and I'm actually a pretty poor one at that. However, one morning I had one of my kids bring in a Book of Mormon and it was pretty sweet to see the care that he gave to it. This kid is actually a first grader at Discovery as well and even though he wasn't in my class I still got to teach him at times. Anyway, this particular boy is very adorable and unique as well. He has the sweetest temperament but he has slurred speech and he's very quiet and it's difficult to always know what he's saying (and being a girl with a lisp myself helps me to have sympathy for him-cause I know it's not fun). He also has a hard life but just the sight of the boy makes you want to squeeze him because he oozes of cuteness. Anyway, he comes walking into the club and he was so proud to show me his Book of Mormon. I told him that I thought it was awesome but I also told him that he should probably put it into his backpack so that he wouldn't lose it. Every time I told him this however he would tell me " but I ont to ead it." Which translates to "I want to read it." Which he never really did and he isn't quite capable of reading it, which makes it all the cuter. He even had a kid tell him that the Book of Mormon is a stupid book and he got made fun of, however those comments seemed to just slide off his shoulder. On the flip side, another kid told him that they have one too but that their Book of Mormon was bigger. Overall, it was pretty precious to see how he just treasured the scriptures.

So those are my two stories that I want to share. I want to share them mostly because it was touching to see the hope that kids received because of their faith. Kids are amazing and I believe that we can learn a lot from them. Both of these particular children really do have it hard and I can't adequately describe them but they are stronger than they know and have set a wonderful example for me to follow.