Update Your Address Books

My new email address is torifischer@hotmail.com. I tried to email everyone, but if you didn't get an email, update me in your address books!

Forgotten Carols

For the past couple years, my dad and I have had a little Christmas tradition to go see the Forgotten Carols show. Of course, Matt had to come this year and my dad also got tickets for Cassie, my grandma and grandpa Norton, and my cousin Holly and her husband Dallin. I LOVE the music and the whole experience. I always leave feeling the wonderful spirit of Christmas, and usually crying, although this year I didn't cry... that much. We had great seats, really close up, and that made it even better. Matt was a little bummed he had to miss the Jazz game, and also didn't really think the humor was that funny, but he was still a good sport and didn't complain. He even said that he liked it. Well he said the music was good. Thanks dad for a fun experience. If I knew how to put music on this post for you to listen to, I would put some of the songs from the show, but since I don't know how to do that, you will just have to look them up yourselves.

Matt and I couldn't resist our usual cheesy smiles

Matt's Early Christmas Present

Matt, being who he is, was so excited for his early Christmas present. He was at Sportsman's and wanted to go in on a new ice fishing tent with Lance and Tim. He called me to ask if it was okay, and I figured since I still needed to finish his Christmas shopping that I would just tell him to buy it as his early Christmas present. He was so excited! Of course he had to tell me he loved me about a million times that night, and of course he had to set it up in our front room. Our front room could barely contain this tent, as you will see in the video. Of course, he had to take it over to his parent's house and set it up for them to see, and then set it up again when Timmy came over. I don't think I ever need to have children with Matt around. I totally saw how kids are so excited on Christmas morning in Matt's eyes that day he brought his new ice fishing tent home. He is actually gone today to test it out. He sent me a picture of a fish he caught and I will not put it on the blog because it is disgusting! I guess one of these days I'll have to go up and see how this whole ice fishing thing works. But only if I have on a lot of warm clothes and a really good book and a really good heater!

Matt and Timmy setting up the tent in our front room

Graduation!

On December 12, 2009, I officially graduated from Utah State University with my bachelor's degree in elementary education! It is official now... I am a licensed teacher! What a special experience. I wasn't very excited about graduating until I got there and walked through the tunnel into the Spectrum, where the walls of the tunnel were lined with USU professors clapping and smiling. I got all choked up with emotion. I felt like I was truly joining the ranks of other Utah State alumni who were excited and proud of my accomplishment, and the accomplishments of the other 1,900 students graduating.

After the ceremony, the band played the Scotsman and everyone stood and participated in the school song. I was filled with so much school pride. I loved every minute of being an Aggie. There's just something special about a school where 15,000 people will stand up and pretend to milk a giant cow at basketball games. I am so glad I was able to complete my education through the many challenges that I have gone through over the past 3 and a half years.

My roommate Jenni also graduated in the College of Education, although not Elementary Ed. Now, she is going to grad school at USU to get her Master's degree in physical therapy (or something close... I can never remember the real name! Sorry Jen!). While I love being married, I miss my cute roommates and all the fun times we had. Like the time when we saw Jeana holding hands with Marc (it was a big deal), or the time that Natalie and I bought a Valentine's card for Jenni and it happened to be the same one her boyfriend got her! Or the many, many boys in and out of our apartment at late hours... ("we were reading a book..."), and the hours of not studying or writing essays at 4:00 in the morning for your 7:30 class... okay that was me. I miss all those girls so much!

There it is! My name in the program!

Thank you Matt for supporting me as I finished my education. I know Matt was excited to be able to get back into school now that I am finished, but it was so wonderful to see how proud he is of my accomplishment. It makes it all worth it.

My mom and Jeff, my dad, my grandma and papa Decker, Diet and Myrna, and Randy were all able to come to the ceremony to support me. I was so happy to see them all up there, cheering as they read out my name and I walked up to take my pretend diploma (I won't get the real thing until like February!). Thank you so much for your support, and everyone who couldn't make it but was supporting me through the process.
After the ceremony, we met Jenny and the kids at Olive Garden with about a thousand other graduates and their families. We waited forever to get our table, which of course brought out some grumpy Fischers! Finally, we got seated and had a fun meal together. The waiter dumped water all over my papa and, being as cute as he is, he just laughed! Needless to say, the restaurant gave us a few free goodies that afternoon. Then, sadly, we had to go home through the winter storm raging in Logan. It felt so normal driving in a blizzard through Sardine Canyon. I should have worn my snow boots as I graduated to really represent my experience at Utah State!

This Week's Schedule

I am very excited for this week, and wanted to share everything with you guys! I finish my student teaching on Tuesday. I am taking Wednesday off and on Thursday I am going to spend the day in my new school in the classrooms of the other fifth grade teachers, getting to know the schedule and different programs they use there. On Friday, I'm going to interview the students that will be in my class throughout the day, while the substitute is teaching, so I can get to know the kids and where they are at in fifth grade. On Saturday, I have graduation up at Utah State University! The commencement ceremony starts at 10:30 AM. I'm really excited to graduate! Next Monday I start teaching!
Today at church I was thinking about how blessed I am right now. In a difficult time, I got a job with a long-term contract and a salary. I am graduating from college, and Matt will be able to start again. We have everything we need. I can't explain it. I was overcome with emotion just thinking about everything. Thanks to everyone who has been such a huge support as I've gone through the last few years.

Officially Employed!

It's true, I'm officially employed! I am a fifth grade teacher at Copperview Elementary! On salary and everything! I am such a grown up!

Giving Thanks

This year I have a lot to be thankful for, so making a list would be pretty difficult (and long!). It was my first Thanksgiving with Matt, and we spent Thursday with my side of the family. We went shooting in the morning with my mom and Jeff, and Diet and Myrna. Matt brought along many of his different guns, as did Diet, and we had a lot of fun shooting the clay pigeons and setting up targets. My mom was scared of Matt's big guns, and actually his 30.06 was pretty scary to shoot, even for me!
My mom and Jeff

Matt with his 30.06


On Friday, Matt went fishing with Bill and I spent the day doing crafts with my mom. It was really relaxing and way fun to actually spend time doing this stuff, since I rarely have a spare minute for anything besides school. We made the counting blocks you can see in the picture of the fireplace sitting in the middle of the mantle. I also painted my Christmas letters that Matt got me for my birthday and put my new frames on the wall that I have been wanting to do forever! I am really excited with how everything turned out, and especially can't wait to put the pictures in our new frames.
On Saturday, Matt's family introduced me to the Christmas tree cutting tradition. We went up with Diet and Myrna, and Lance and Kendra, to cut down our own Christmas tree. I tried not to be too picky, but it is harder than it seems! We had a fun time climbing all over the mountain through the snow to find a good tree for our little apartment. We had to hurry so we would be home in time for the Utah vs. BYU game, and we had fun heckling the BYU Fischer family. What a fun game! Of course, we had to watch the Jazz game afterward, and luckily the Jazz didn't suck, otherwise it would have been a very long night!


Our Pepsi Christmas tree- Matt is so excited!

My Christmas letters and picture frames- During the year, the letters will just say "Fischer"

I must admit, my mom made our Pepsi wreath, but I love it!

Our fireplace

I love feeling festive and feeling ready for the Christmas season. I can't wait for the fun things we are planning for the rest of the year!

Also, I am only 7 school days away from being done with my student teaching! I graduate with my bachelor's degree on December 12! I can't believe it is already almost over. I am so excited. I am also interviewing for available jobs right now and have a good chance to get one here really soon! I'll keep you all posted.