Loo-a-vull!

Well, for that past 4 glorious days, I have been in Louisville, KY. I have to say that it was really nice to get out of Utah for awhile! It didn't take me long to realize that my western pronunciation of the city was, indeed, wrong. But once I got it, I got it!

Anyways, I was there for the annual International Technology Education Association conference. Basically, it's a conference for a bunch of educators, both elementary and secondary education as well as college. You pretty much just go to a bunch of workshops, see what products are new, meet new people, and, in my case, eat a ton of great food. I went to only 2 workshops over the course of 3 days, but I also had the opportunity to present some of the research I have been doing for the past year.

The presentation actually went better than I had thought. I got a really bad time. The last time slot on the last day of the conference. But, to my surprise, a lot of people showed up (20-25 people). The name of the presentation was "Technological Literacy: What does it really mean?" I presented some research findings and we had a great discussion. A bunch of people came up to me and wanted the powerpoint I used as well as a copy of the survey. So, as far as I know, my research will reach as far as Australia and the Netherlands, as well as Canada! Pretty cool.

Now the reason I went to only 2 workshops is because during the conference, there are also competitions between then different attending schools. I was on the "communications" team, which means we made a video. It was supposed to be about the watercraft of the Ohio River. Only problem, this is the one time a year where there are practically no boats on the Ohio. So that meant it was a lame topic. Anyways, we had fun with it and the following is what we came up with:



Needless to say, our video didn't even place in the top 4. Here's why. All the people who judged the video were also those who competed in other events. The TECA presidency. None of them have any background in video production so none of them know what a good video looks like. Also, the paper work (in this case, the storyboards) are weighted almost 3 times heavier than the actual video itself. Some of the schools had binders full of essays and color drawings and photos of ALL their ideas. We just submitted the required storyboard. I told everyone at the beginning of the competition that if we didn't win, it's not because ours wasn't the best. And let me tell you, ours kicked the crap outta ever video there. I'm not just saying that because its ours. After all the awards were handed out, 4 or 5 different schools got mad that ours didn't win. So yeah, there needs to be a lot of changes in the judging.

Moving on, there isn't that much to really talk about. There's not really that much to do in Louisville this time of year. We did go to the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory which was interesting. I got to hold some of the bats they were making for some pro baseball players. The picture below is the worlds largest bat. We did eat at some good places. I got a freakin' good bratwurst from a guy on the side of the street. We ate at a Thai place that was amazing. Other than that, everything was pretty chill.



So yeah, that's about it. It was a good few days. It was a vacation that was much needed and looked forward to, although it would have been better if Jen was there.

I don't want to drive to Heaven in a Sports Car

I can't wait until I'm 60! Let me explain...For church, we had an enrichment night on Tuesday, and it was a birthday dinner. We have a very mixed ward with newlyweds to widows. At this birthday dinner, one woman from each decade in life (one representing those in their 20's, 30's,all the way to 80's) stood up and listed the top 10 things about being that age. As each woman got up, as each woman got older, their list became more priceless and so meaningful. I always thought that getting old would be so hard, but after Tuesday, it seems like life is finally comes together. They expressed how they've experienced their joys and sorrows with children, work and life; watched their kids grow up and raise children of their own. These family members adore them and their life is so full of meaning and purpose. They have drawn closer to their savior and can spend more time doing the important things. They can take the time to sit and talk with friends, console others, serve others, take a nap, serve at the temple, etc.

We go through life learning the things and overcoming the trials that will get us to that next step that we need to be at in order to complete the next task. There is a purpose and a plan for our lives. Our Heavenly Father knows our needs and wants us so desperately to return to him. He gives us these stepping stones to get back to him. And on that path back to him, hence the title of this blog, I would like to quote Marjorie Pay Hinckley, on how I want to arrive to meet my Savior:

"I DON'T WANT TO DRIVE UP TO THE PEARLY GATES IN A SHINY SPORTS CAR, wearing beautifully tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want o drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

Teaching Video for BYU

Well, I have been working on this little project off and on for the last few months. It actually started in October-ish and a presented a rough to the TEE department at BYU in January. I haven't worked on it since then - until today! Check it out and tell me what you think. It's my first project done in After Effects, so that is an accomplishment if you know anything about AE. Everything, including the smoke and earth, was produced be me. Enjoy!

License Plates & Initials

So back when Jen and I first started dating, she got me looking at license plates to see if I could find my initials. At first I flirtily complied, but before long I found myself looking at every passing cars in hope of finding the letters that defined my name: BWB. Well, as seems to be the case with practically everything in my life, things happen when I least expect them to, or even want them to. Anyways, I went to pick up one of my good friends and there, in the parking lot of his apartment complex, was a lone car. The license plate caught my eye as it was an Oregon plate. Feeling a sense of pride, I moved closer to the butt end of the car where, to my surprise, were my initials - BWB. Now this whole thing was kind of a double-whammy because a) there were my initials and, b) it was on an Oregon plate.

So now I can cross that off of my list of things to do/find before I die. You should try it out too. Who knows, you might find it. And if you're really lucky, you'll find it on the state of your choice. And if you're even luckier still, you'll find it more than once.

Finally!

Hello everyone, we are alive and doing well! It's been a long time since we wrote! I get on each of your blogs when I see there is a new post and I love reading about all the new and exciting things going on in your lives! I then see "Braden and Jen" listed under your blog lists and a small "2 months ago" under our names and I say, we need to blog, it's been that long?! So, I'm not going to let us get to three months old on your blogs.

Here's a quick recap and rundown since we blogged last - a lot has happened! We had wonderful holidays! We spent Thanksgiving in Idaho with Braden's mom's family! My birthday was December 11th and I am now a quarter of a century old! :) We spent Christmas with my parents in South Jordan, and then we spent New Years at Braden's Parent's in American Fork. Braden started Student Teaching at Alta High School, and will soon be done with that and moving onto a middle school in Alpine. We got a brand new primary class of fun and eager to learn 4-year-olds. We have started our two TV series for the year: LOST and 24 - oh my gosh - SO GOOD!!! So good in fact, I was getting butterflies this week before we watched 24! Since we blogged last we have also gotten a new President of the United States and celebrated Valentines Day and President's Day, which Braden got to take the day off and got to sleep in (a much needed break.) We went to the open house of the new Draper Temple which was beautiful. We also had our one year mark of being engaged on January 8th, man time sure has flown! We are so happy and doing so well. I love going home every night to my wonderful husband. I've learned so much about him, and me and love him more and more everyday. Life is so exciting and wonderful.

I know this was quite the list, but if I don't blog about it all now, I'll just need to keep catching up and never get to it - like my journal! :) Now we can blog regularly from here on out. Below I will post lots of pictures. For now, I have a small link and picture of a give-away that I found on a new crafty website! I think the aprons are really cute! Click here to go to the website.




One of our dates - we had a picnic in a homemade tent! Peanut butter sandwiches, cream soda, and frosted grahm crackers!


We get to babysit Braden's nephew's, Jerik and Jackson and we have so much fun!


We came home one Saturday and a family on our street had this in their front yard.


Thanksgiving in the church in Idaho! Left to right, Lu, Brittney, Gibson, Tim, DeLanea, Dill, and Braden

I thought this was pretty funny. I'll probably try other songs too!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Our First Christmas Tree

Yay! Our first Christmas Tree! We were really lucky, we got Braden's sisters' old tree and it fits' perfectly in our apartment! Our ceiling isn't that tall, the tree is a 7 footer. Then, second bit of luck was that Tim and DeLanea (Braden's parents) gave us our Christmas present early and took us to Walmart to pick out our ornaments. I have always loved those really fancy trees and I married into the perfect family for that. Jenell, Braden's sister worked at an interior decorating store and that was her job for the Holidays. She did our tree, hers, and Britney's (Braden's other sister). She wants to start a business decorating trees - I think she'd do great! The night she decorated it, we had the whole family over and we all helped while we watched Christmas with the Kranks, I was going to take a picture of the event but forgot until after everyone left.

Having the tree lit every night is so calming and really getting me in the mood for Christmas - since the weather doesn't point to the season being here at all (not that I'm complaining.) :)

Speaking of the lights on the Christmas tree, I LOVED what President Uchtdorf said tonight in the Christmas Devotional. He talked so wonderfully of our Savior and of the Christmas season. He started his talk by saying how, "as a child I associated Christmas with light. As I have grown in my understanding of the Gospel, I'm even more convinced that Christmas truly is about light...Let us ever remember that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world. May we remember the humble dignity of His birth, His gifts and His life. May we, through our simple acts, of kindness, charity, and compassion, fill the world with the light of His love and His healing power. I testify that Jesus the Christ lives today." If you click on the above "Christmas Devotional," you can watch the entire thing, or click on Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk and just watch that. It was truly inspirational.