Mr. Quarterback

I stepped onto the cold, muddy field.  Puddles had begun to form, I could see my breath.  People who could not normally care less turned their eyes toward the football field.  I heard my name being called out, there was a frenzy that had rarely been seen before.

I had arrived, Mr. Quarterback, it had a nice ring to it.  But I didn't have time to dwell, the time was now!  Game clock started, it was the first play.  I yelled orders to my team.  Hike!  It was like a roar, a battle-cry coming from my lips.  My team began to run their routes, the other team was rushing.  I scrambled, narrowly avoided their grasp, set my feet and let it fly.

The ball spiraled toward the end-zone in a way that would have made David of old, and his slingshot, proud.  I heard a collective gasp, they had never seen such a pass, TOUCHDOWN!

The crowd wanted more, there was no way they were going to let me leave the field.  All-time QB they pleaded.  I graciously accepted. I began to lead the opposing team down the field.  Slants, posts, even running it a time or two, another touchdown!

In the space of 15 minutes I had 8 touchdown passes, and 1 rushing touchdown.  Then the bell rang and recess was over.  We lined up and went inside, but the mud on our shoes, and each squishy step they made, reminded us of the magic we felt that day.

I Am Still Alive

It has been a while since the last time I blogged.  In that time I was able to do something I had always wanted to do, go skydiving.

How many people say they would love to do something like this, and then how many actually do it?  When I was given the opportunity I had to take it.  My brother sent me a message saying he knew some people that were going, and wondered if I was interested.  I sat there for about five seconds, and then I said yes and never looked back.  In those five seconds I discovered that it is a lot easier to say you want to do something, than to actually do it.

I was so excited, but it never quite felt real.  I figured the second I stepped out on to the edge of the plane I would get freaked out, but even that didn't scare me.  It was the thrill of a lifetime!  The closest way I can describe it would be sticking your head out a car window driving 120 mph.  Except it's your whole body, and instead of cars passing by you get to see the earth get closer and closer.

It was a free-fall for about a minute.  Then we pulled the parachute and got to float around for a couple of minutes.  I would do it again in a second.  Just getting to fly around in the little plane and see the beautiful Utah landscape and mountains was beautiful.

We didn't get any good pictures of us actually in the air, but here is a picture of four of us pre-jump.

Since then I have also done a few other things I have always wanted to do.  I bought my very own bowling ball, and look forward to getting it this week!  In my excitement I bowled my first over 200 game on Friday.  I got six strikes in a row to start, and ended up with a score of 215.

Who knows what I will do next?

Best of Utah on Twitter

Several people have asked me what I do during the summer when school is out.  Well first of all, I've been to school 4 out of 5 days this week.  I have also done a much better job of exercising, and plan to finally get some work done in my yard.

Besides all of these things, and some good old fashioned time wasting, I started a new blog.  This blog began with a hunger, I wanted a burger.  So I thought I would use Twitter to help me decide the best burger around. The only requirements was they had to be on Twitter, and they had to be within driving distance.  It ended up being a lot of fun and I got a really good response.  So I posted my results on a blog, and I want to make it a weekly thing.

It would really help me out if you would go there, comment, and click follow.  I would like it to look more official, I kind of threw it together really quickly today, but it has possibilities.  In less then 12 hours I have already had over 50 views.  Now if I can get follows, +1's and comments I may be in business.

The website is http://bestofutahontwitter.blogspot.com/

Thank you!

Last Days

The last week of school is always bittersweet.  Having time off is never a bad thing, but you have gotten so close, and care so much about your students.  Several of my students didn't want to leave the last two days, many told me I was their favorite teacher.  I know they say that every year, and they should, your current teacher should always be your favorite, but it still feels really good to hear it.  Here are a few of the notes I got today:

Dear Mr. Horan, Thank you for always being there for me.  Thank you for helping me understand my math.  I will miss you.  You were my favorite teacher.  When I'm in 5th grade I'll try to come and visit you every day.  You are the best!

Dear Mr. Horan you are a really great teacher I hope you had a good year, I did.  You really made me feel special.  I hope (my sister) gets you.  (Then her mom gave me a phone number of a girl she wants me to ask out)

Mr. Horan You are the best teacher I have had, besause all my other teachers did not make sense.  You made me feel welcome, you helped me with math so I would get it, and you are AWESOME!!  Go Jazz!

Thank U for being my 4th Grade teacher!  U were the best teacher I've ever had!

Dear Mr. Horan Thank you for being such a nice Teacher.  You the best teacher I've had yet.  I will miss you dureing the summer.  I hope I'm one of your fav. students I tryed to be the best.

Dear Mr. Horan - Thanks for making 4th grade the best at freedom.  You are a fun teacher.  I hope you find a lovely women to hang out with.  Your the best!

Thanks for a GREAT PERFECT year!  Your the Best teacher EVER!  Mr. Horan, You are a great teacher!  You have been my favorite!  I am going to miss you!  The journal I gave you is for you to record what you did this summer!  Thanks for a GREAT year!  (She then gave me this awesome notebook that she had decorated the cover and labeled for me to write about the things I did this summer. They even gave me a list of some fun ideas, very clever and thoughtful!)

I did try really hard to make every child feel special and that they were one of my favorites.  Hopefully they felt that, because I really did care about them.  I started and ended the year reading a book called You Are Special, and these wonderful children will always have a special place in my heart.  I had a lot of favorites, and it's good to see that they not only saw that I cared about them, but they cared about me.  Hopefully I find that lovely women to hang out with this summer!