Tales of Work

Me: How old are you?

Dancer: 20!

Me: 20?! Are you sure? Are you 3?

Dancer: No! I'm 20!

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Dancer: I had a taco today!

Me: You did? Did your mom make it for you?

Dancer: No. I got it at McDonald's. We waited in the car and then I ate it.

Me: That sounds fun! What did you have for breakfast?

Dancer: I just had a taco!

Me: You didn't have breakfast?

Dancer: No! I had a taco!

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Me: How old are you?

Dancer: 3. My birthday's tomorrow!

Me: How old will you be tomorrow?

Dancer: 5!

Me: Will you be 4?

Dancer: 5!

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My dancers (ahem, my 3 year old dancers) can all be very insistent when they tell me things! But I love them and laugh every time I go to class with them. So really I started writing this post with the intention of telling the world about my day yesterday, but then wanted to include some funny conversations I had with my girls. So now the real story:

Having 4 jobs makes for a crazy schedule. Literally every single day is different. I don't even leave my house at the same time everyday (except Monday, Wednesday, Friday). So up to this point I have always checked my calendar for the day to make sure I know what time I need to be everywhere. Well, on Monday I knew I had to be at work in Phoenix in the morning (class then office hours) then a school in Mesa for an hour, then dance at Dance Element for 3 hours. 

In my head the whole day I was thinking I needed to end my office hours at 1:45 so I could be on the road by 2pm. Drive for about 45 minutes, teach an hour at the school, then drive 30 minutes and teach from 4-7pm at the studio. 

Have you noticed what I failed to notice? 

Those numbers don't add up right. Especially since I like to give myself an extra 15-20 minutes for each drive just in case something happens. Guess what time I was supposed to leave Phoenix? No later than 1pm. What time was I supposed to be at the school? By 2:10. When did I realize that? At 1:45pm. I had 25 minutes to make a 45 minute drive, change my clothes, and I wasn't even to my car yet. 

Oh. My. Gosh. 

My heart literally sank right to the ground. My worst nightmare was coming true. I panicked and took off at a run to my car (real professional like) and sped off. I called my boss to break the news. (Sidenote: For this job, we are an after school program. If we are late, I get charged $25 by the school. If we are more than like 20 minutes late meaning a no show we get charged a $100). Tender mercies. Let me tell you about them. Just for that particular Monday, I had an assistant that would be teaching with me. And she was already at the school. Also, my boss and her assistant were visiting my school as their first stop that day. Meaning they would cover for me. And my boss was so sweet and understanding about it.

I ran into the school only about 10 minutes late (tender mercy #3: no cops = no speeding ticket) still wearing my work pants with just my dance top thrown on. And I was super frazzled. But lesson learned. ALWAYS check my calendar. Even if I think I know my schedule.

Sidenote: I have 269 students. And I can name about 100 of them. Go me.

I heard it on the radio

I have recently started spending a lot of time in my car. About a minimum of 2 hours a day. Sometimes I am lucky and it is less. Like today! But time in the car = time listening to music (or a quick call to catch up with Utah friends, but they are typically busy with class when I am driving). When I was in Utah I always said that I missed listening to John Jay and Rich in the mornings (104.7) cause that's what I always listened to in the mornings in high school. And I never thought that I would say this, but they are kind of annoying. Like super irritating annoying. Especially John Jay. In all honesty, I feel like he belittles people and is just rude to others. Okay, sorry. Not my place to judge. But hard feelings going on there. Got it? I don't like listening to 104.7 anymore. So I switch between stations a lot. And I have recently discovered this song.

I love it. So now I just switch back and forth all the time between 102.5 and 107.9 and I usually hear it about twice a day. Today I decided that I just needed to buy it so I could listen to it forever. But, it is NOT. ON. iTUNES. What the heck?! What song isn't on itunes?? This song needs to get on there fast. Although, by the time it is I will probably already be hooked on some different song. Because, let's be honest, all good songs get overplayed and then you just can't take it anymore.

Oh well. For now I will love it and just keep flipping stations hoping to hear it.

Never Ever Breaking Up

Even if you aren't a fan of t-swift, you have probably heard her new song "we are never ever getting back together". Well, I was shown this little beauty today. It's awesome. Laugh out loud awesome. Pretty dang hilarious. Well worth the 4 minutes of your time to watch it.

How to pay the bills

...that is if I had any bills! [thanks to my parentals for free rent]

It's official! I have a job! Well, if we want to get technical: I have a couple of jobs! And I am pretty excited about all of them. It will get pretty crazy in the next couple of weeks, but I am ready to be busy!

So here is the run down. I currently have 4 jobs, with an agreement for a 5th job come November. Crazy, I know. But for some of the jobs I work less than 5 hours a week. Where are all these jobs? Good question. Here is a typical day for me:

Around 8am I head down to Grand Canyon University where I am an Instructor's Assistant for 2 classes. I am on campus until about 1 (sometimes a little longer) and then I leave. But it is not even close to being time to go home! Then I go on to job #2. This is working for a dance company that holds after school dance programs in the elementary schools. So I have 3 schools I am assigned to (one for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) and I just go teach dance for an hour! And then I go teach studio dance! This ranges for anywhere from 1 to 3 hours. Then one day a week after studio dance, I go back to an elementary school to teach dance for an acting/singing/dancing program. I get done with work at a different time everyday, but it is anywhere from 3 to 7pm.

My life is lots of teaching right now. And lots of driving. And lots of everything I love. I am teaching math, dance, and zumba and I absolutely love it! Let's just hope I can keep everything straight and get to the right schools and studios on the right day at the right time!

People think I am crazy with my long dance background, but then my degree is in math. Well, this is how I get to use both of them!

My Best Friends' Weddings

So the last 3 weekends one of my close friends [all of them also being former roommates] were sealed in the temple to their best friend! I am so incredibly happy for all them - and they all couldn't have married a better guy for them.

The weddings started off with Camille.

Camille and I met our freshman year at BYU - she was living with McKenzie and Meredith, some of my friends from high school, but she was from Mesa! Small world! So then we ended up living together the next two years. We have had some fun adventures together and I am so happy for her and Riley!

The next wedding was McKenzie!

McKenzie and I have been friends since our sophomore year of high school, and room-roommates for the last two years. We have had so many adventures together (skydiving, DisneyWorld, Ragnar/San Fran....) and she has been there for me through some of the hardest trials I have had to go through. And hopefully I have been there for her as well. McKenzie is one my closest friends and I am so glad I got to be there for her on her special day. Her wedding was also one of the most unique weddings I have EVER been to: The bride got sick an hour before the ring ceremony and reception. The bride and groom never made it to either of those events, so the majority of us at the reception ended up swimming in the pool. Fully dressed. And the bride and groom spent their wedding night in the ER. No worries though, everything turned out fine and after two I.V.'s the bride was doing well and they headed off on their honeymoon! Something eventful and memorable would happen at McKenzie's wedding!

The last wedding was Alix! And I am so bummed cause after the reception last night I realized I never got a picture with the bride! So this picture will have to do.

Alix and I have known each other the longest out of any of these friends. We have memories of each other going back to like third grade, but we weren't really friends until 7th grade. And then we were freshman roommates and entered the scary world of college together. We have stayed friends over the years and I am so grateful for that! Alix married her high school sweetheart, Jake, last night and I am so happy for them and excited for them to begin this phase of their lives together! Congratulations to you both!

Now with all these weddings over, what am I supposed to do on the weekends?! :]

That Moment Changed My Life!

Once upon a time [last year to be exact] I had a roommate named Meaghan. She was from Tennessee. And all 5 of the rest of us were from Arizona. So upon completion of the school year, she decided to come down to Arizona for a week before heading home for the summer. Well, seeing as how Disneyland and the beach are only 5 to 6 hours from the valley, a small group of us decided that she needed to have those experiences before she headed back on home. And so we went!

Towards the end of our wonderful day at Disneyland and California Adventures. Kaitlyn, Meaghan, and I split off to ride some of the little kid rides. Guess who we saw on our way to Fantasyland? None other than Mr. Mickey Mouse himself! And no one was waiting in line to see him! That is a rare circumstance at Disney and so we took complete advantage of it. We ventured on over and started taking pictures with Mickey. Earlier in the day, we had gotten Meaghan a pin that said "My First Visit" and it didn't take long for Mickey to notice that little guy. Well Mickey got super excited and gave Meaghan a huge kiss and the two of them were just awesome together.

After saying farewell to Mickey, we completed the journey to Fantasyland (grabbing some Dole Pineapple Whip Floats on our way) and got in line for Peter Pan. While in line, Meaghan was still on cloud 9  from having seen the magical mouse himself and exclaimed, "That moment changed my life!" I was dying laughing with how happy Meaghan was and I told her that I absolutely loved the picture we got of Mickey kissing her. She then informed me she was going to put that picture on a pillowcase and mail it to me for my birthday. I loved that idea and said please do. 

While still waiting in line for Peter Pan, I received a text from Meaghan. Confused, I started reading it and it said, "For Morgan's birthday send her a pillowcase with my Mickey picture on it and have it say 'That moment changed my life!'" I busted up laughing again, showed it to Meaghan, and of course she meant to send it to herself and not to me. But after all of that, I have wondered all summer whether or not I would get that pillowcase. Ladies and gentlemen, get excited. Last night, she gave me this beauty:

One of our other roommates {McKenzie} got married yesterday, and Meaghan came out for the wedding. All day she kept telling me she had a present for me. And all day I kept hoping it would be this pillowcase. Finally at about 10:30 last night she gave me the present and it was what I hoped it would be. I was estatic! I screamed, I jumped up and down, and {admittedly} I cried. I was so happy with this pillowcase. But Meaghan went above and beyond what she said she was going to do. She added this little beauty to the back: 

Yes. That is me. And yes. My shorts are hiked up as high as they can go and my shirt is tucked in. Upon arriving home last night, that baby went on my pillow. One of the best presents. Ever.

One year older. Wiser too?

Remember that post forever ago about how I was freaking out for my 20th birthday? I was already stressing out about getting older? Well that has completely flipped. I am so happy with where I am right now and feel like I am really at a great age!

Being an adult is fantastic. I am at the point in my life where I am working, but I can have so much fun too. I can do the traveling I want to do, go on crazy adventures, and just do whatever! It's so great. Although if something [read someone] were to come along and change that, I wouldn't be opposed to it. But for right now I am loving life!

I have had a pretty crazy year since my last birthday, so here are the highlights (many of which have been mentioned before...but it was a big year so deal with it :] )

San Francisco/Ragnar Relay

The greatest roommates I could have ever asked for! They helped me through some of the hardest times this year. And yes, we are all wearing matching shirts that have our faces plastered on them. We love each other.

Disneyworld!! With my 3 bestest friends :]

Graduated College! 

Disneyland! Truly the happiest place on earth - especially when you are there with fantastic people.

Six Flags! I love amusement parks :]

And then the greatest trip ever. A stop in St. Louis

The turn around point: Cedar Point Amusement Park. And yes, we waited over an hour to go on a ride that goes only straight up and straight back down. But it was completely worth it.

Chicago!! Love that city...I think I could live there and be one happy girl :]

Mount Rushmore - I love national monuments. There is just something about them that pulls me in.

Many people have asked so here are the stats on this trip:

5,207 miles driven

15 days traveled

18 states visited

7 nights camping, 7 nights hotel

4 nights camping in pouring rain

1 night camping in the most horrible windstorm of my life

1 night of sweltering humid heat

2 amusement parks

The best burger I have ever eaten in my life (I will go back to Denver just to eat at the Cherry Cricket)

I will need a couple of weeks of not being in the car for a minimum of 3 hours every day, and then I will be ready to plan our next roadtrip! Northwestern corner of the US maybe?