Get Ready for Year 25

This year marks the beginning of my 25th year teaching at BYU. Wow, I was 32 when I started. Annie Oswald teased that I was 4 when I started. 

BYU did some crazy schedule changes and classes started on a Wednesday instead of a Tuesday. As a result, I lost my Tuesday lecture time with my advanced class. I thought I had thought it through and planned well how to cover everything in 3 hours. I had to do intro to course, expectations, talk eggs, then have a lab that included an extra recipe. Well...I forgot to account for the 1.5 hours it takes to make Pavlova. YIKES! I finished talking with less than 1.5 hours left. We had to hurry and get the pavlova in the oven. A couple of groups had to start over because they added the sugar too soon to the egg whites. We finally got all the pavlovas in the oven and worked on Eggs Benedict. We only went about 10 minutes over. I apologized profusely for not planning well. Many of them want to teach foods, so I asked them what I could have done differently. They mentioned that I should have gotten them in the kitchen soon, and we could have talked while the pavlova baked. BINGO! That's what I should have done. That's what I will do in the winter. I've already changed my notes and rearranged the order of my slides. 

Whew, we made it. 110 went well. The students worked hard to get their muffins and smoothies done. I told them I needed them to work fast. I told them that junior high students make muffins in 45 minute labs, and that I needed them to work like junior high students. 

I got good news that my department voted for me to go further in the tenure process. I submitted my file in late July and they discussed my accomplishments and contributions in faculty meeting on September 5. Erin Holmes, our director, told me that my file was approved. Now it goes to the college, then to the AVPs office. I won't find out until May if I get tenure. BUT, if I don't hear from the college or the AVPs by May, that is a good sign. It means they don't have questions, that there aren't any red flags. Natalie found out when we were on study abroad, and I'll probably find out on study abroad.

Speaking of study abroad, we've met to create the tentative plan and budget for study abroad. We plan to take the kids to London, Paris, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Florence, Venice, and Milan. It's an ambitious 6 weeks. 

I was very busy with SFLSA. We were really busy putting out fires. We found that we didn't have access to the instagram. We didn't have access to the t-shirt design that they did last year. We didn't have access to so many things. Unfortunately, I got very little training. I've made calls, sent emails, and visited with people on campus. Our registration wasn't working. Our website wasn't up-to-date. Well, after a lot of work and stress and some tears, I got everything done. I hope. We had some recruitment booths for Freshman orientation and have our opening social this Wednesday. It's a very ambitious start of the school year. Whew. 

I'm also a mentor to our 2 national FCS Ambassadors, Ashley and Kourtney. We also have a local ambassador, Abby Richardson. Their job is to raise awareness about the FCSE major and to recruit students to the major. They will focus their efforts not only on campus, but also in the high schools. 

SFLSA presidency members, Kourtney Gleen, Emily Dana, and Ethan Lloyd

Me and Ashley Berges (FCS Ambassador and study abroad student) and Bruce Cui (study abroad student)

Me with our FCS Ambassadors, Ashley Berges and Kourtney Glenn

Me with SFLSA Presidency, Ethan Lloyd, Kourtney Glenn, Emma Lambert, and Emily Dana. These kids work so hard to make things work and help students find a place to belong.

I'm also trying to get to the bottom of some health issues - sleep apnea, insomnia, and hormone imbalance. It's been a very overwhelming couple of weeks. I'm very grateful for Natalie's support. 

Indiana State Fair - Winners Drink Milk

Allie's shirt

Allie was very busy and overwhelmed and there is a direct flight from SLC to IND, so I went to see my girl. I got upgraded to Delta Comfort+ both ways. I helped her with yard work, we went to Costco and Aldi. I cleaned the whole house, and we did some cooking. 

Tommy recently bought an old house that's just a couple of miles from downtown Indy, and it's beautiful. There is lovely woodwork. He said he didn't want me cleaning while I was their guest. Allie said "she said she was coming to clean and you have to let her clean." I told him that I can't just sit, so I was happy to do it.  

That's downtown Indy in the background

We also had fun! Allie and I went on walks, got yummy cookies, and went to the Indiana State Fair. The kids had already been there twice and Tommy suggested they take me. Allie's favorite is the tram. It's a tractor-pulled wagon that allows many people to sit and be driven from one point to another. It goes in a loop and is a hop-on/hop-off around the fair. Allie also loves the milk bar. For $.75, you get a cup of milk or chocolate milk. Evidently, the winner of the Indy 500 drinks milk after the race, so it's a staple at the fair. We had so much fun. We saw quilts and ate food. We didn't go on any rides. We also saw table scapes, which cracked us up. People actually submit their idea for a beautifully themed and set table. Tommy got a giant bag of kettle corn, a favorite of his. 

These are spiral-cut potatoes, fried and topped with cheese, sour cream, and chives

On the tram - me, Allie, and Tommy

Enjoying the animals

My shirt

Just before we left, we passed a booth with t-shirts. They really had some awesome shirts. I bought us each a t-shirt. I sent a picture to family, and Derek said he wanted the shirt that I got for Allie, so she drove me back to the fair later in the day and I grabbed it for Derek. 

Tommy's sister, Diari, lives in the house. She's a sharp young lady. I enjoyed visiting with her. Tommy's really good friend, also Tommy, came over one night. He's really nice. I only stayed 2 nights, but it was great. I got one of the last seats on the flight back to SLC. I'm really glad I went. 

Allie is currently waiting for her final check ride with the FAA for her private pilot's license, so she's traveling a bit. She's in Hawaii now, and says she's coming to Utah. I sure hope she comes. I love spending time with her. 

Can you believe this is my girl?