What I'm Thankful For...

A friend of mine (Tiffany...I follow her!) started a blog to comment on all the things she's thankful for!  What a wonderful idea!  So, as they say(not sure who THEY are...but still), copying is the best form of flattery!  So I thought I would begin to post (hopefully daily...or at least weekly) with things that I'm thankful for!


Wednesday October 19, 2011
Good Workouts
There is absolutely nothing better than a great workout!  I won’t take much time on this post…see my actual blog update from today!  But what I will say is this:
I have a great trainer and I am so thankful to my dear friend Courtney Young for introducing me to her!  Annamarie is fantastic…she’s motivating and energetic and keeps me going when I really want to stop.  She does a great job talking me through each workout I’m doing and which muscle groups I’m targeting!  I’m actually learning a lot about lifting weights, toning up, as well as the muscle groups within the body!  So not only am I working out my body…but I’m working out my mind with her as well!  I always feel so wonderful after a workout…it’s like a workout high where I just want to keep working out!  This is the feeling that I need to remember when I really don’t want to work out some days!  There’s just such a feeling of accomplishment following a great session at the gym!  Ahhh…the feeling of getting in shape!   


Tuesday October 18, 2011
Car Heaters
Oh man!  You really don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone!!!  And when something good is gone it sucks!!!  Big time!  My low coolant light has been on for a while and I really didn’t think too much of it…but then my heat stopped working!  I didn’t need heat before due to our unseasonably warm fall…but now that the temps have turned cooler the heat is becoming a necessity!  After a little research (not done by myself…let’s be real) it was concluded that the lack of heat could be from a)low coolant or b)a thermostat problem.  I was hoping for just the low coolant.  And wouldn’t you know…it was just low coolant!!!  What a relief!!!  SO THANKFUL TO HAVE HEAT AGAIN!!!!!!!

Monday October 17, 2011
Netflix
Such a cool concept.  I don’t get the DVDs mailed to me…who wants to pay extra for that…not this chica!  But we do have a family account that allows us to watch streaming videos on our computers!  I wasn’t fully sold on this concept when my family first starting using Netflix…but that could easily be because I was living my summer life in Europe at the time…but now that I’m back in the states I love having the ability to watch great movies online!

Sunday October 16, 2011
Water
It seems only fitting that after I’m thankful for college that I’m thankful for water…or maybe I should have said Gatorade!  I love that we have free flowing water that is actually drinkable straight from the tap!  It’s great!  Although I love the taste of water from the tap…I really enjoy filtered water from the fridge.  It’s so cool and refreshing!  I feel like we take our running water for granted at times and that’s definitely not a good thing!  We need to make sure we are protecting our environment so that our children will have the same luxury of fresh, wonderful, running water that we have!  I fully realize that I am not living the most “green” of lives…but I do understand the importance of protecting the earth we live on! 

Saturday October 15, 2011
Bradley University
I had the best college experience!  I love the campus, especially in the fall…it’s just beautiful…and now that they’ve put 150 million into campus it’s even better!  It’s definitely a school I would be PROUD to send my children to!  I went down for homecoming this past weekend and had just the best time.  It was great to see the buildings again and walk the paths I took to class.  I spent way too much money at the book store, drank way too much at the bars (we’re all human right?!?!?), had way too much fun cheering on the BU soccer team to a victory over SIUE, and felt humbled at the new Alumni Center!  I hadn’t been back to Bradley in a few years and so much has changed…yet so much remains the same!  It’s amazing to think about all the fun and interesting and exciting times I’ve had there.  As part of the Alumni Center they have these displays of Bradley through the years…some have video slide shows others just have pictures and artifacts!  Now, imagine my surprise when I was watching the slide show in the 2000’s case and someone pointed out a picture of me…then upon looking further at the display there was another color photo of my!  WOW!!!  I really do bleed Red and White!   

Friday October 14, 2011
Field-trips!
Today I was fortunate enough to chaperone a fieldtrip to Navy Pier. We could not have asked for better weather!  Oh my gosh was it beautiful out!  The Independent Study Preschool class takes a yearly trip to the Children’s Museum and today was the day!  We had a group of about 38 ladies and 2 gentlemen!  Let me tell you…those boys were troopers…I don’t think it hurt that one of them was paired with their girlfriend for the trip!  Man, that was another thing we had to “watch”…making sure they didn’t sneak off…but they were good!  We left school around 8:30, spent 10-12 at the museum, ate lunch from 12-1 and returned to school around 2:30. 

The class was split into two groups…one group attended a hands-on lecture that revolved around teaching books to preschool aged children and keeping it interesting while the other group explored and played in the exhibits throughout the museum…then after an hour they switched!  I know that there is a lot of work that goes into setting up a field-trip and I’m so thankful that I got to be a part of this trip this year! 

Thursday October 13, 2011
Movies Directly to DVD
Okay, so I was thinking about a few of my favorite movies today and I realized that a bunch of them were made directly to DVD.  Which got me thinking…why?  Why are some movies made for the big, silver screen while others get released directly to blockbuster?  It’s just an interesting idea.  I know it can probably save some money in not releasing a movie in theaters…and I’m glad that I peruse the isles and isles of movies for ones I haven’t seen!!!  Just something to think about!  

Wednesday October 12, 2011
Laundry Help
I have a student who is super hard to reach at times.  He can have really good days or really bad days!  And those bad days make the class bad for everyone else.  He’s the first student that I’ve actually gone home worried about because I couldn’t make a connection with him.  When I met his mom at open house she stayed back after the class hour was over to talk to me about him.  Her exact words were “good luck to you.  He’s a really good kid, but tends to not do a whole lot of school work.”  She then went on to tell me how he’s looking forward to cooking but has no plans of helping his group clean up.  He also has no intentions of actually doing the course work…you know it’s going to be a crazy year when a mom warns you from the beginning.  Hmmm…well let’s just say I’ve been trying it all.  He really is a “good kid” and means well…but his off days and REALLY off!!!  So, I’ve begun to try something new on his off days.  He now tells me what type of day he’s having when he enters the room…if it’s a bad day…he’s on laundry detail…that’s right!  He stands up by me in the front of the room and we fold laundry together.  We chat about why it’s a rough day and how we can make it better.  This has really been working well for the last month!  It’s really a win-win…he gets to talk it out and I get my towels/dish rags folded! 

Tuesday October 11, 2011
Random Phone Calls
Isn’t it just the best when you get a totally random phone call from an old friend???  Doesn’t it just warm your heart  to connect with someone you haven’t heard from in like forever…it’s it so fun to pick back up where you were and catch each other up in a matter of minutes (or hours!)???  I love these surprises and am going to try to warm other people’s days by calling them out of the blue just to chat!  It can’t hurt! 

Monday October 10, 2011
Cat Toys
Today’s thought of thankfulness is, yes, you read it correctly…cat toys.  How fun are they!?!?!  They can keep your pet entertained for HOURS…literally hours!  Well, maybe not all cats…but my cat sure likes them!  Tucker is a little too cool for long-term toys but not Izzi!  She’s all about them!  Today, she’s loving on the “dog”.  It’s a small purple dog toy with what sounds like tin foil inside!  She loves to toss it in the air and chase it and tumble over furniture to retrieve it!  She’s a riot!  We also have little mice that they enjoy chasing around and pushing under the couch and stove!  They crack me up just watching them!  It literally makes a bad day good…the simplicity of it all! 

Sunday October 9, 2011
Cozy Socks
I LOVE COZY SOCKS!!!!  They are just my favorite!  Today I am thankful for the ability to be cozy…all snuggled up in a hoodie, some yoga pants, and the coziest socks in the world!  A few years ago Dave (or maybe his mom) gave me a pair of AMAZING socks for Christmas…they are fluffy and warm and go all the way up to my knees…they even have little grippers on the bottom so that I don’t slip on slick floors.  Whenever I’m cold, or sad, I can slip these socks on and immediately feel better!  It’s just a great feeling when your feet are warm and cozy!!!

Saturday October 8, 2011
Driving Nowhere!
There are times when I miss the freedom of college.  There were a few times I can vividly remember hopping in a car and just driving where the road led.  If we came to a stop…flip a coin…heads right/tails left…just see where it goes!  Who cares about gas, or studying, or maps…just drive…with good friends, fun music, a not a real care in the world!  Things haven’t changed…I still absolutely love car rides.  Although I tend to fall asleep easily in the car (I blame my parents and them using the car as a strategy early on to get my to fall asleep)…I still love the feeling of being in a car, driving down a road, and ending up where you end up!  I love driving down an open highway with the windows open and the wind in my hair…but sometimes this angers me when it gets all knotty and my sunglasses get stuck in it!  Major bummer!!!  But I have to say, I love being in the passenger’s seat WAY more than driving!!! 

Friday October 7, 2011
Pumpkin Patches
Aren’t pumpkin patches just the best things?  How cool are they!  Today, with how awesome the weather has been it’s just perfect for the fall.  And pumpkin patches are one of my favorite ways to celebrate fall!  Them and apple orchards!  I love walking through the fields of pumpkins, looking for just the right one…one with the best “face” side and the coolest “handle”.  It reminds me of being a little kid and picking out pumpkins with my daddio!  We always carved the best, most traditional pumpkins!  I also love everything that comes with pumpkin patches…like hay rides, hot apple cider, fresh popped kettle corn, pumpkin donuts, etc.  Although I don’t actually really like the taste of pumpkin…during this time of year I can make an exception and enjoy it just a little more.  But pumpkin flavored items will forever and always remind me of college and the Morton Pumpkin Festival!!!  Oh happy memories of pumpkin EVERYTHINGS!!!! 

Thursday October 6, 2011
Stop Lights
What a wonderful invention!  A machine (really!  I think) that dictates who gets to go and who has to wait!  In our fast-paced society I think it’s kinda cool that we have a machine that can make decisions for us about our arrival at a destination!  I know that they can totally be a pain in the arse…they make you late for things…at times they go straight from green to red…some have silly cameras attached to them…etc.  But as I was driving home today I was thinking about how much more efficient they are at certain places than a simple stop sign would be!  But maybe I’m liking them today because all the ones I went through were green!  Catch me on a day they are all red and I may just feel a little differently!!! 

Wednesday October 5, 2011
Fresh Air
Okay, think about it for a second!  How awesome is fresh air?  ESPECIALLY FALL fresh air!  Oh, the crispness, the thrill of it, the way it smells and feels!  Ahhh!  I love it!  I feel that I take it for granted all too often though.  There are many days that I don’t think about what I’m actually breathing and then get a little over whelmed when I really take the time to ponder it!  Also, I curse at the air when I smell something unpleasant which probably isn’t the best choice I could be making!  So, I’ll make a pact now…I’m going to take a big deep breath as I exit my car in the school parking lot each morning and think about how lucky we are to live in an area where the air smells so yummy! 

Also, along those lines…think about all the cool scents of air that are out there!  The smell of grass and trees.  The smell of burning leaves and fireplaces.  The scent of fresh rain and cool wind.  The smell of nighttime vs. daytime.  Hmmmmm….all so wonderful!!! 

Tuesday October 4, 2011
Using Gift Cards
It’s a funny thing…gift cards!  We love to get them but sometimes I just have the hardest time spending them!  It’s so weird it’s actually like free money and yet I hoard them like it’s nobody’s business and tend to even forget that I have them!  I was out to dinner recently with a friend who got to use a gift card and you’d have thought they’d won the lottery with how exciting it was to not really have to “pay” for our meal!  As a teacher, I tend to get gift cards twice a year…Christmas and the end of the year.  Last year I totally lucked out…a group of my senior students went in together and bought me a SHOE gift card!  Now, let me tell you…that was awesome!  WAY better than Starbucks or Panera or Barnes & Noble!!!  Shoes are practical and so fun to shop for.  It was so fun to hold onto that gift card until this fall when I outfitted myself with a few new pairs of cute fall boots!  Thank you seniors! 

Monday October 3, 2011
Microwave Popcorn
This may be a complete guilty pleasure but I absolutely LOVE microwave popcorn and will go out of my way to have some!  Something that I love about fall is that fact that the boy-scouts are out in full force selling their goods (popcorn being one of them!!!).  As I was at breakfast this past weekend we walked past a table of boy-scout popcorn.  Here's the trouble...the dad was at the table, the mom was sitting in the car, and the son (presumably the actual boy-scout) was actually lying on the ground 50 feet away from the table (I guess it was warmer in the sun!!)  I had to laugh a little as the dad tried to sell me his son's popcorn...ummm...no thanks...I asked if they would be there a while and felt relief when he said yes...I went inside, ate and came back out ready to make my purchase.  To my surprise they was a new set of boy-scouts this time.  They were all in 1st grade and this was their first time selling popcorn.  I made sure to make an effort to talk to the boys and not their parents!  The moms totally got it!  This one little kid was an awesome upseller.  He went through all of the prices and then suggested one that he thought I would enjoy...yup...being swindled by a 1st grader!  :)  So I went with the 18 pack for 18.00.  I gave the little one a 20 and asked if he knew how much change I would need...he looked back up at me and said sure...2.00!  I was so impressed with this little guy that I ended up just giving the 2.00 back to the troop!  :)  Such a sweetie!!!  

Sunday October 2, 2011
"Autumn Leaves"
This is one of my all time favorite Yankee Candle fall scents!  So yummy!  It actually smells like driving through the tree lined streets of small Wisconsin towns with the windows down on a crisp fall day!  :)  Such a wonderful fall scent!  I love to come home, light a candle and enjoy the smell as it fills the condo!  I finally understand how great candles can be.  However, I'll be honest...I need to get better at remembering to blow them out when I leave the room.  I know I can leave a candle lit in a room if I'm in the house...but that worries me!  :)  So for now, I'll just light them and carry them from room to room with me as I go about my night!  That seems to work just fine!  HAPPY FALL!!!  

Saturday October 1, 2011
Homecoming
Today ended the week of Homecoming festivities at FHS.  Happy Homecoming week!  Some highlights from the week include:
  • Powder Puff Game (Seniors won against the juniors)
  • AAG (Almost Anything Goes...a relay race type event...battle of the classes)
  • Daily dress-up days (pj day, under that sea (theme), birthday (to celebrate the 50th anniversary of FHS), class color, and school spirit) 
  • Raffle prize drawings (anything from gift cards to an iPad!) 
  • The pep assembly w/mini court (teacher's children) 
  • Flash mob performed by teachers
  • Golf cart parade with Alumni dating back to the 1970s!
  • A winning Homecoming game
  • The dance (my freshman had some of the cutest questions about the dance!!!)

It was a great week all in all and a lot of fun was had!  :)  GREAT WEATHER for it all!  :)


Friday September 30, 2011
Community
It was really neat to see the teachers come together today to surprise the students with a flash mob...it was so hard to keep it a secret though.  We all know I am not the best at keeping secrets so I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't let this one leak!  :)  YEAH ME!  I was honestly impressed with the amount of teachers who actually participated...it ranged from administrative assistants to cafeteria workers to teachers and teaching assistants all the way to administration.  It was so great to see everyone in the "community" coming together to surprise the kids!  :)

Thursday September 29, 2011
Acting like a kid
Sometimes you just have to act like a kid!  
-Sing along with the radio...off key...in the car...with the windows open.
-Dance in the rain...and not worry about getting sick!
-Stick your head out the window...of a moving car
-Hang out with your best friend...upside down from a monkey bar (when did this stop being okay?) :(
-Take a bath...with your friends...it isn't weird when you're 5 and wearing swimsuits
-Spitting out food you don't really care for...into someone else's hand
-Falling asleep on the phone with a loved one...just so you can hear them breath
-Using text lingo in actual sentences...not okay past 18!!! (LOL)
-Speaking your mind...without using a filter
-Eating PB&J or mac & cheese...for every meal
-Taking bubble baths...okay...I still do this one
-Running through the sprinkler...in the front yard
-Selling lemonade...to strangers...from the front of your house...weird at 27!
-Underestimating how awesome it is to not have total adult responsibilities
-_____________________ fill in your childhood memory here!  :)

Wednesday September 28, 2011
Songs from the past
Today was like a country flashback day on the radio!  :)  I kept hearing all these songs that reminded me of things from my past.  It may be been a drive on was on, or a date I was with, or an event I was attending, or a concert I was on the way to, or people I was with, or...

Isn't it just amazing how a song can stir up so many emotions...pain, anger, sadness, joy, happiness, anxiety, etc.  Just hearing the opening notes of a song and it's over!  All those emotions come flooding back...being a softy...it's hard for me not to cry at some songs, laugh out loud at other, smile just thinking of the memories of other, etc.  Crazy!  But so fun...very psychological!  :)  

Tuesday September 27, 2011
Unexpected mail
So ever since I've been home from Europe I've been sending Dave small notes through the actual mail to say that I care and am thinking about him.  I don't send them on a schedule or anything...just when I think about it (which is actually more than I actually send...if that makes any sense!).  But today I got a card FROM him!  It was just a surprise and not something I was expecting at all (I guess that's what makes something a surprise!  hehehe).  It warmed my heart so much just to know that he was thinking about me and wanted me to know!  This isn't something he would typically do which makes it even more special!  I'm truly blessed to have such a wonderful man in my life!  :)  ILY

Monday September 26, 2011
The right of way
Okay, totally random...but I really like to be able to give "away" the right of way when I'm driving.  I like to pause longer than most to let pedestrians cross the road, or to let another car go ahead of me.  I tend to slow up if a lane is merging with mine so that the car merging has a little more space to come in.  I like to way at the other person if I come to a stop at the same time as another driver.  As much as I love doing those simple things...it's super fun when it's done for you!  Today I had TWO of these right of way examples done TO me!  Wow!  Such a fun treat!!!  I was running and was coming up to a cross street that I needed to cross...as I calculated the distance between the car coming towards me and my speed I realized that the car would get there just before me.  The driver could have easily rolled through the stop, cut in front of me and continued on their path...but instead they came to a slower stop, smiled and waved me through the intersection!  :)  WOW!  THEN...as I was driving I needed to merge onto the highway and the cars in the right lane we totally slowing up so that I could have a little more time to merge!  So nice!  

Sunday September 25, 2011
3rd Grade
I've started teaching Sunday School this year.  As a member of the church council I've been seeking a way to get more involved with my church as well as give back more.  I felt a strong urge to volunteer more time and energy within the church (I'm already doing bunches outside...but I felt called I guess you could say to do more within the church!).  I had this urge over the summer to teach sunday school but I was concerned about the time commitment.  I know it doesn't seem like a every lot but sunday really seemed daunting to me (as I wasn't currently attending church each and every week).  I had a great conversation about this "call" with Dave over the summer and we came up with a great list of pros/cons but agreed that the ultimate decision was mine.  He reminded me that I was already giving up a lot of my weeknights for volunteering and this would be adding to my weekends.  I realized that it would be a large commitment but at the end of the day I felt that it really was calling to me.  Seeing as I had never taught sunday school before I was hesitant to go into it fully...so I requested to co-teach with someone.  As I looked over my fall calendar this was looking more and more like a grand idea!  I've been paired with a woman whose son is in our class and it's perfect because she knows what 3rd graders are like.

I love my little ones.  They are precious and have the best stories.  They are attentive when they need to be, chatty at times, complimentary (what girl doesn't like to hear that her dress is pretty on a weekly basis???), funny, communicative, and involved...they still like school!  :)  YEAH!  This was seriously one of the best decisions I've made in a long time!!!  :)

Saturday September 24, 2011
Scoop-able Cat Litter
Ah, yes, we knew the day would come that I would have to be thankful for something other than kittens and flowers!  So, yes, as I change out the cat litter after another week I am reminded of how wonderful clumping cat little is!  I don't really need, nor do I want, to truly elaborate on this topic...but just mentioning it should be good enough!  :)  

Okay...I really do have to comment just a little on how awesome it is.  I would like to thank whoever created this litter...and then shake the hands of the person who thought to add odor eliminating crystals.  With two cats...this little is a must!

Friday September 23, 2011
Best Friends 
Today is my oldest (well longest...she's not really the actual oldest) friend's birthday!  I took some time today to think about our friendship over the years!  We met over a box of saltine crackers in 1988...I was 5...she was 3.  Our parents were both building houses in the same neighborhood and we became instant friends...little did we know that our parents would hit it off just as well!!!  Over the years we've gone to different schools, hung around completely different crowds, lived in separate states (countries even) but nothing has come between our friendship!  We have the ability to go for months without seeing each other and yet we pick right back up where we left off!  :)  It's so wonderful to have friends like her that have seen you at your best as well as at your worst.  We've been together through many trials and triumphs!  Falling in love, moving out of our parent's houses, graduating (high school and college), fights (with other people of course...never each other!), break-ups, moving states (and countries)...oh the list could go one.  But really...today I am just thankful for her!  For her love, her support, her humor, her groundedness (apparently that isn't a word....she's the english major...not me!)...again...I could go on!  

Thursday September 22, 2011
"Nice" Kids
I'll say it...I love having the "nice" kids in my classes!  It just makes the day so much more bearable and enjoyable.  Today was kinda a crazy day in the foods lab as the students had to really follow the directions carefully in order to fully complete their lab and have time left at the end to enjoy their creations.  Well, this was much easier said than done in some classes!  I have a group of students...who truly are great...but they are nutzo!  I mean...off the wall, iPod out, roaming around the room, not doing dishes, towel snapping, knife juggling (thank GOODNESS I caught this before it actually got started)...nutzo!  And if they didn't have such sweet hearts I don't think I would like them nearly as much!  I put a group of students in "time out" today because they needed to separate and think about what they had done to deserve sitting apart from their friends (yes, I let them choose who they will work with...could be a downfall...I know).  I had one of the boys (the one I need to reprimand DAILY for his excessive talking, wandering around, and iPod usage) come up to me and apologize.  CRAZY!  He was sincere about it too.  He was even nice enough to offer to help me fold all the laundry (and asked how I would like it folded since he knows I'm super OCD about things like that).  I think he just liked to stand behind the "teacher counter" to keep an eye on the rest of the class...but it was a tremendous help!  :)  So today I am thankful for the wonderful hearts that my students have!  I would say 90% of them are the sweetest things!  

Wednesday September 21, 2011
Faculty Participation
As I've mentioned before (or later depending on the way you are reading this) it is FHS's 50th B-Day this year.  WOWZERS!  Anyways...today was 80's dress up day and the Fashion teacher I work with designed (put together) a mini fashion show to be run during the lunch hours in the cafeteria.  It was a lot of work for a short amount of time...but it was AMAZING to see the faculty and students get out there and strut their stuff on the catwalk!  Depending on the hour there was anywhere from 15-30 teachers that we involved with the show.  I think the students in the cafe really got a kick out of seeing the teachers having so much fun and it was such a good feeling to have such a great turn-out!  I feel like it is so much easier to get the students involved in something if the teachers are all in as well!  

Tuesday September 20, 2011
Late Start Mornings
I know there may come a time where I will write a post about NOT enjoying Late Start Mornings at school but today is not that day!  I actually enjoy our morning work sessions because it gives us time to collaborate with other teachers who are teaching the same (or similar) classes.  It's nice to be able to "bounce" ideas off of each other or discuss how one person may introduce a topic, theory, or idea.  It does make for a crazy day however seeing as the periods are all shortened from 50 minutes (short as it is) to under 40 minutes...can you really get a whole lot accomplished in under 40 minutes in a FOODS LAB????  Nope...not so much.  But I do like the time I am able to spend with my colleagues!  It's great to get on the same page and go through some of our curriculum material as we don't all attend the same meetings.  I feel that these mornings are put to great use in our department and I have actually been looking forward to them!  I know...call me crazy...this may come back to bite me in a while!  But for now...I'll take it!  :)  

Monday September 19, 2011
Karen - the Shopper!
I'll admit...I love to shop...but I don't think I'd like to shop for every food lab I have to run...every time!  Which is why today I am paying tribute to Karen...our district shopper!  She does all of our grocery shopping every week!  I can only imagine how tough of a job that must be!  :)  She shops 4 days a week for the 5 D211 schools...what a job!  She shops for 2 schools on Mondays and Wednesdays and then for the other 3 schools on Tuesdays and Thursdays!  Wowzers!  I have a true appreciation for all that she does for it can't be a simple task...it's not like she can pay for it all at once...each order per school needs a separate receipt!!  Right now at my school alone we are ordering for Foods 1 & 2 (same receipt), Chemistry of Foods, & Life Studies...now times that by two (or three) and she needs to "check out" 6-8 times per trip...AND remember which bags go to each school...and get them delivered!  Crazy!  She is truly appreciated and such a time saver!  Catering to about 20 teachers cannot be an easy task either!  She's golden to us!  :) 

Sunday September 18, 2011
Fall Boots
Oh how I love fall boots!  They are cuter and cuter each year!  And of course I don't need new fall shoes...but who can resist?  Especially when you're students have stopped getting you Panera and Starbucks gift-cards...they have moved on to Famous Footwear and DSW gift-cards!  Oh how they know me well!  At then end of last year a group of my senior students all went in on an end of the year gift-card for me along with a stack of shoe store coupons!  What an amazing gift...really!  I loved it and avoided purchasing shoes all summer due to the fact that I knew I'd splurge in the fall for new fall shoes!  And splurge I did!  But, before you judge, hear (or read) me out!  I purchased a total of 8 new pairs this weekend...BBBBUUUUTTTTT spent less than $100.00 of my own money because of the deals I waited for, the coupons I had, and the gift-cards I hadn't yet used!  Not too shabby if you ask me!  :)  I already busted out a pair and can't wait for the weather to get cooler so I can wear more jean/sweater/boot outfits!!!  :)  YEAH FALL!!!!


Saturday September 17, 2011
Pools Open Late
I'm SO thankful that I joined a gym with an outdoor, resort like pool open until the end of OCTOBER!  I would have never thought that I'd want to lay out when it's 65...but for some reason the sun was super warm today and my mom rehabbing her knee in the water...so I could think of nothing better than relaxing on the side of the pool in running shorts and a hoodie!  Well, the sun got warmer and the pool more inviting so I ditched the hoodie and hung out in a green tank top and pink shorts...TOTAL watermelon...but no one was there to judge me...good thing!  I'm looking forward to a few more outdoor days at the pool before it closes for the season!  Oh wait...it's only closed until May 1st!  :)  That's right!  My pool is open for 6 months out of the year...in ILLINOIS!  It's awesome!  And it doesn't hurt that the gym offers a complete selection of wine, beer and spirits as well!  :)  Now that's a gym I can regularly find myself at!  I believe I was told during my orientation to the gym that it was more of a "club" than "gym".  Yup...that's the right place for this lady!  

Friday September 16, 2011
Togetherness!
This year marks Fremd's 50 Birthday...a major celebration!  As a school we've decided that instead of focusing on one main event to celebrate we would be throwing a year-long celebration!  This month (September) was my department's month to organize the celebrating...so naturally we had dress-up days throughout the month related to certain decades!   

60's - I wore black/white (geometric shapes) dress with tall boots 
70's - I was the roller-skating teacher with bell bottoms and a turtleneck sweater...very Marsha Brady!  And yes, I rocked the roller SKATES!!!  Not roller-blades...but true roller-skates...2 wheels up front, 2 in the back, and a front brake/pusher-offer thing!  
80's - hasn't happened yet...but it's looking like a snow-mobile suit!  Royal blue and gold...puffy...swishy...big bangs...crimped hair... HOTTNESS!!!!

Aside from the dress-up days there have been "bring back alumni" events throughout the fall sport seasons as well.  At the last home football game they recognized 50 years of FHS Football.  And at tonight's game Jane Richards invited all past pom/Vikette (flag) members to come perform before the Varsity game with the band!  It was a fun experience and I'm glad I was able to take part in it!  



Thursday September 15, 2011
Designated Drivers!  :) 
It's so nice when a group of individuals go out to get drinks and someone at the start of the night agrees not to drink a whole lot so that they can drive people home!  It's a wonderful feeling knowing that you are in good hands and are free to enjoy yourself for an evening!  :)  I know it isn't the most fun task being "labeled" as the DD but, speaking from experience, it is so nice to get home safe and legally and in one piece.  I've been on both sides of the DD situation and as much as I love to have a good time I truly don't mind staying sober to take care of others...so long as when the shoe is on the other foot they are there for me!  For people who like to go out but not drink being DD is often just assumed but how mean is that!  I truly believe you should always check with everyone before a decision is made.  Maybe the non-drinker doesn't want to babysit (as most DDs get roped into doing anyways) that evening but they still want to be social!  All I am saying...is cover your basis at the beginning of an evening so that everyone can have a good time!  No worries!  It's all good regardless!  But to my friends out there that have been my DD...I thank you with all of my heart for watching out for me, taking care of me, getting me home safely and in one piece!  You are truly appreciated!!!  :)

Wednesday September 14, 2011
Road Runs
Oh my goodness!  What a difference a road makes!  I've been trying to get back into shape at the gym I belong to and I've been getting quite good at running (well...let's be honest...jogging) on an indoor treadmill.  And that's all fine and good...except that these races that I've signed myself up for are all outdoor...which equals uneven ground and hills!  So I took my run outdoors today and mapped out a little route for myself!  2.66 miles...not bad right?  Um...WRONG!  It was so awful and hot and tough because there were hills and turns and dogs and cars and people watching...grrrrr....a lot harder than I thought it would be...but then I don't really know what I was expecting on day 1 of "Kate's Outdoor Running Adventures".  I think I also got ahead of myself on the whole pace thing!  Way too fast!  There's no way I should have run over 2 miles in the time I did...I was trucking!  Oops!  But the amazing feeling I had when I was finished made me want to run it again!  And again!  And again!  Wow!  To feel the sun on my face, the wind in my hair, the sweat down my back (TMI...sorry), the burning in my lungs (fresh, cool air for the first time)...it was great!  Most definitely will have to do it again super soon!  :)    

Tuesday September 13, 2011
Fellowship & Service
Today I am thankful for the opportunity to serve other people.  Although I don't have a lot of money it feels so wonderful to be able to give back in the things I do have...time, energy, resources, enthusiasm, etc.  I have been blessed with what I have been given and by what I have been able to achieve up to this point in my life and I fully realize that there are so many individuals out there who are working hard but continuously coming up short...so to be able to give back to them is a blessing to me!   I am forever thankful for the opportunities that I have been able to participate in this past year to help others in this community!  Sometimes people forget that in any area there are people on both ends of the spectrum!  It's wonderful that I have been able to connect with as many new organizations as I have to help serve others!  A few places that I have been serving include:
  • Sunday school teacher - yup...I've got 3rd Grade this year!  
  • Junior High ministry - 6th grade - Sunday night small group
  • Feed My Starving Children
  • Fellowship Housing
  • And so many more opportunities through SOS at FHS
If you haven't tried volunteering I would highly recommend it!  Give it a shot!  It's the best times you'll have!!  Promise!!!

Monday September 12, 2011
Old Times!  Good Times!
Tonight I had the opportunity to coach the girls I coached last year because their coach had another commitment!  But I wasn't coaching alone...the woman who I shadowed my first year coaching was there too!  It was just like old times and I had such a wonderful time with the girls.  It was nice to get back into coaching for a few days (we helped out at another practice as well).  But what was even nicer and made me more thankful was the feeling that I had while I was doing it.  As much as I loved being there with the girls and Nicole I truly felt that I had made a good decision to step down and pursue another route for my life.  I love coaching and I can definitely see myself getting back into it some day...but for now I am truly appreciating my new experiences and life changes that have been being made!  It's always nice to look back on your past with the fondest of memories!  :)     


Sunday September 11, 2011
Our Troops
I don't really know what I can even say in this section to pay tribute enough to those who are serving on our behalf!  I feel like a simply blog posting is not enough to say thank you for everything you have done.  We all remember where we were 10 years ago today!  Who could forget.  But I try not to look back with sadness.  I don't think that's what those who have died serving our country would want!  I try to focus on how well our country bonded together during a major crisis and time of need.  I feel bad that this is going to be a short post...but I really feel like I can't do justice to how thankful I am for all the individuals serving our country!  But really, not only that...I'm thankful for their FAMILIES!  They are daughters, sons, moms, dads, aunts, uncles, cousins, best friends, wives, husbands, grandchildren, nieces and nephews...they are more than just individuals!  They are part of a bigger picture!  And they are serving so selflessly!  It's truly amazing!  THANK YOU TROOPS!  You're dedication, devotion, courage, and honor don't go unnoticed!!

Saturday September 10, 2011
Fun Dates!
Think about it!  Today's date is AWESOME!!!! 
9/10/11
Ha!!!!  How fun is that?!?!  Almost as cool as back in 2009 when it was 7...8...9!  That was a fun one too!  What are some other fun dates!?!?
  • 10/24...my birthday...always a fun date
  • 6/8...I met Dave
  • 7/4...what American doesn't love the fourth of July?!
  • 10/25...Christmas morning
  • 12/31...kinda over-rated at times...but can be a blast!  :)
  • 11/15...the day I became a big sister!  (22 years ago this November)
  • 3/14...FREE PIE at Baker's Square!  PIE day!
  • 01/02/03
  • Really...any time the numbers are in order!  :)
  • 01/01/01...my first accident!  I was the first police report for an accident that day!  Oops!  But NOTE: It was NOT my fault!  I wasn't even in the car when it happened!!!!  :)


Friday September 9, 2011
Pretzels and PB
For a reason unbeknown to me I absolutely love the mixture of pretzels and peanut butter!  Actually, in all honesty, I love the mixture of ANYTHING and peanut butter!  Think about it (well, if you are a peanut butter fan)!  Celery...yes please!  Ice cream...heck ya!  Pretzels...gotta try it!  Cookies...yup!  Oh I for sure could go on!  But what IS it about the mixture of Pretzels and peanut butter that does it for me? Not really sure but I feel like it may be the salt and crunch of the pretzel and the creaminess and sweetness of the peanut butter...and together they are just fantastic!  I can't believe how great of an after-school snack they are!  

I have a student with a nut allergy this year and I feel so bad for her!  She'll never experience the goodness that is peanut butter...but apparently almond butter is just as good...but aren't almonds nuts too?  That's crazy!  Not sure if she can eat almonds but I'm assuming she can if she told me about almond butter...maybe she just has a "peanut" allergy...not an "overall" nut allergy!  :)  


Thursday September 8, 2011
A Quiet Class 
I'll be honest...I'm spoiled with my classes this semester! I mean, sure they can get a little rowdy at times but for the most part they are (in total) probably the best classes I have had when it comes to manners and behavior.  Now, I really hope I am NOT jinxing myself...but I am truly blessed.  Today my foods kids were taking a quiz on kitchen terms and equipment and I had to run back into my office for something...now typically a teacher NEVER leaves the room if students are being quizzed because you never quite know what is going to happen...but I had to take my chances and walk across the hall.  And you know what?  They were SILENT when I left...and just a quiet and still working diligently when I returned.  I've had a few teachers comment on what a nice class they are...and really...I can't complain.  They make my job easy!  

Besides foods, I also teach Child Development.  We recently had a guest speaker come in to talk to the students for a few days and my classes (I have 2 sections this year) were so wonderful and polite and asked questions at the right time and listened when they were supposed to...I was proud to be their teacher!  :)  

Wednesday September 7, 2011
Annamarie
Upon returned from Europe I've begun to notice that some of my fall clothes are fitting just a little snugger than they had in the past.  I blame it on the fantastic foods I was fortunate enough to eat for 3 months with very minimal exercise...well...it's come back to haunt me!  Annamarie is a trainer at Midtown Athletic Club and she's fantastic!  She's a combination between a kick your booty trainer, work you until you feel it, laugh at your insane comments as you do exercises you didn't know your body could handle, and a buddy you could just hang out with on the ellipticals!  I've decided to get back into working with her on a regular basis, but since I'm trying to be conscious of what I'm spending I've decided to only work with her every other week...then I have to hold myself accountable for our times between!  I really think this will help and motivate me to get my booty in gear!  I love the way I feel during a good hard-core workout and I love even more the way I feel when it's over...so why then, is it so hard for me to get myself to the gym!?  I can't even motivate myself to run my 1.5 mile loop near my house on a daily basis!  What the heck is wrong with me???  Grrr....I'm hoping I can get into a routine and that will be that...NO MORE EXCUSES!!!!

Tuesday September 6, 2011
COSTCO Runs!
Today I made a Costco run for some things (okay, a bunch of things) we needed for school.  I haven't been there since I returned from England and had forgotten how fun that place can be!  There's not much to report, other than the fact that I am extremely thankful that they sell things in bulk there...and at a lower cost!  It would have been MUCH more expensive to purchase the amounts of animal crackers, pretzels, and 5oz dixie cups if I had to go to say like a Jewel!  Wowzers...however, after being in England I have to say it angers me at times to think about how wasteful we are as Americans!  In Europe it's very common to go grocery shopping every day and typically only purchase what they know they will consume!  There are many things that I will forever remember from my summer in England!  :)

Monday September 5, 2011
4 Year Olds
Today we celebrated my cousin's daughter's 4th birthday and I'll admit...4 year olds are a pretty neat bunch!  Although it was a low-key b-day lunch with only family and no friends...it was really fun to get to play one-on-one with Cara!  My family gave Cara a play apron and chef's hat with matching kitchen gadgets (like a spatula, oven mitt. whisk, etc!).  She looked so cute with the whole outfit on!  :)  Gotta get her started early!!!  We also got her a playdoh ocean kit!  Cara and I played with playdoh while she told me all about her trip to the cabin!  (Her mom/dad/mimi/papa took her and her brother to our cabin near the dells for a few days!!!)

She is so cute (as I'm sure most 4 year olds are) but she came up with the most darling things to say!  She told me all about how she was able to swim through the seedweed and she wasn't even scared!  It was like slimy and stuff but it couldn't hurt her!  Then she told me about the train restaurant where a train would bring your drinks!  And if there were no drinks to be delivered it would just go around the track and blow bubbles!  We all refer to the house as either a cabin or a cottage...she proceeded to call it a cabbage!  Which is funny because I used to call it a cabinet for some reason!  She's very creative!  We also had fun counting and identifying shapes!  :) 

Sunday September 4, 2011
Sweatshirts
When we woke up at the lake it was cold...dang cold!  Like too cold even for my zip-up and yoga pants...but that was all I brought!  I wasn't planning on wearing sweats at the lake (like I said...I was hoping for some fun in the sun!)...but I am SOOOOO glad I brought the cozy clothes with me!  It was a wonderful fall day!  Well, maybe not wonderful, but a fall day nonetheless!  It was chilly (very chilly) and windy and cool and the lake didn't look very inviting...but it was awesome to sit curled up in my sweatshirt and comfy pants and hang out with my mom and brother!  We definitely missed my dad (he stayed home to work on a paper for a class he's taking) but he didn't really miss much!  I never thought I would be thankful for warm clothes in the beginning of September...but I LOVE the fact that it's almost fall!  :)

Saturday September 3, 2011
Long Weekends 
Although it may be cliché I have to say that I thoroughly enjoy 3-day weekends.  As I've said a million times...I love my job...but sometimes those single days off attached to a weekend are so welcome!  I was secretly hoping for some fantastic summery weather for this Labor Day...but wasn't so lucky!  Mom and I went to the lake house over night (Jared joined us after his training run...he's working on the Chicago Marathon...crazy boy!) and I was so looking forward to laying on the beach and swimming to the raft.  But upon our arrival it was about 65, windy and drizzely (is that even a word??).  As I made dinner we could hear thunder in the distance and it soon began to rain.  :(  Mom and I left for WI early this morning with a plan to stop at Target and Bed/Bath in Madison (thank goodness for my girlie friends that live there for their awesome directions!) and then head to Oxford (which is near the Dells).  The Madison stop was successful with lots of fun new things for the cottage!  

I also learned to play a new word game called Scrabble Slam!  It's a super quick and fun game that can be played by 2-4 people!  So fun...but you kinda have to be good at spelling...some of the words I tried were denied!  :)

Friday September 2, 2011
FRIDAY...enough said!
I didn't really want to be the one to say TGIF (Thank Gosh It's Friday)...but I will!  This week actually went by really quickly, which if it's any indication of how the entire semester will go, is crazy!  I can't believe we've been back at school for two weeks now!  It truly feels like I didn't have a summer...I'm so back in the swing of things and loving all my classes.  Today a co-worker walked into my classroom at the end of the day (during 8th hour) and they were silent...I mean you could hear a pin drop they were so quiet because a few of them still had an assessment to finish.  A few asked if they could sit in the doorway because they wanted to quiz each other to study for a quiz next week...who am I to say "no...you can't go study quietly"...but anyways...this co-worker could not believe that it was a)that quiet b)the end of the day and c)the day before a long weekend (no school on Monday).  My students are just that awesome!  You always hear horror stories of rotten foods classes at the end of the day...well, and I hope I don't jinx myself, but this semesters class is pretty great!  :)  

But it is nice knowing that we made it through a 4 day week, then a 5 day week and now we have a nice little reward of a day off on Monday.  So THANK GOSH IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!!  Yeah!  

Happy loooooooong weekend everyone!  :)

Thursday September 1, 2011
Dumpster Diving...aka...Shopping at Goodwill
So this year is the 50th year of Fremd High School and we are having an all-year celebration in its honor!  Yeah for parties!!!  On the first day of school there was free cake (for BOTH staff/faculty AND students).  Then each department was given a month to take charge of as far as planning celebrations goes.  Since we (Family & Consumer Sciences) are a smaller department we were paired with another smaller department (music) and given the month of September!  I like going first for a few reasons a)it's done b)your ideas are all new and exciting c)the students are still on board!  We've decided to do fashion and music through the decades.  Beginning next Wednesday (9/7/11) we will intro the 60's.  Faculty/Staff and students are encouraged to dress up in 60s type clothing and we will be playing 60s music in the hallways during the passing periods.  On 9/14/11 we will celebrate the 70s and 9/21/11 will be a tribute to the 80s!  In order to gear up for this epic event a few of the girls in my department and I all took a trip to Goodwill together.  And let me tell you, one of them is a ROCKSTAR at finding decade-type clothing!  It was so fun to look through everything and I truly believe we all walked out of there with something classic for our dress-up days!  :)  I did slightly feel guilty as I would charge out of an isle with something and yell, "is THIS 70's??" or "do you think this looks 60's?" while people were actually purchasing "real" clothes.  But isn't it fantastic that they have stores that sell fantastic clothing at a discount price!?!?  And there are like 5 super close to me that I didn't even know about!  Crazy!  You can actually find somet really neat stuff it you take the time to check it out!  :)  

60s...I've got covered...an A-line dress, flipped out hair, and a thick headband.
70s...polyester bell bottom plaid pants, a cowl-turtle neck light sweater and old-school roller skates!  
80s...a one-piece royal blue snowsuit with a scrunchy belt and gold closures.

Can't wait!!!  :)  

Wednesday August 31, 2011
The Sounds of Summer
As I stood on my balcony today, while the cats rolled around on the cooling cement, I just listened.  I took a seat on the deck chair and observed the world around me...it was quite peaceful and almost serene...like time was slowing down just for those moments to allow me to truly take it all in.  Such a wonderful experience.  The sun was beginning to set behind a large, mature maple tree as I looked west down Palatine Road.  The sky was a beautiful mixture of pinks and oranges and purples and blues...like something you'd see in a water-colored painting.  The air was still warm from the day but the balcony was cool on my bare feet due to being shaded for part of the afternoon.  The cats were enjoying the freedom as I wasn't concentrating on their every move...and I eventually caught Tucker eating what I think was either a)a spider web or b)the actual spider!  Oops...bad cat mommy moments...but he'll be fine...I'm sure it's just a little protein!  

As I allowed my senses to take it in...I closed my eyes...and just listened to the sounds around me.  Palatine Road is typically a well traveled and busy road, especially later in the evening as people are returning from work...but today it was eerily vacant.  I could hear all the wonderful sounds of summer time...
     -a child laughing in the park
     -a dog barking
     -birds overhead
     -Izzi's collar tags (Tucker doesn't have his on at the moment)
     -cicadas 
     -crickets
     -someone in the distance mowing their lawn
     -a playing card stuck in the spokes of a bike
     -the hum of a bee in the flowers 
     -an air-conditioning unit 
     -flirty banter of a couple walking down the street
     -wagon wheels on the sidewalk
     -water splashing for the fountain in front of the building next to us
     -the buzz of a busy restaurant (Heng Weng...awesome Chinese!)
     -music from a car that passed by 
I could go on...but these were the sounds that popped out as I began to truly listen to what was going on around me.  It was so great to just sit there on the porch with nothing to do but take in the surroundings.  It was truly relaxing!  :)

Tuesday August 30, 2011
Photocopy Machines
Seriously!  What did we do before them?  I know that there are teachers that remember ditto machines...but these machines are such a wonderful convenience in today's busy go-go-go schedule!  Wow.  I know that in the past I have taken them for granted and that at times I get angry when they break...but we demand so much from these poor little electronics!  It's such a great thing to be able to hand things out to our students that all look the same!  I've thought of trying to save paper lately and just put things on my website and have the students pull information from there...but I have SO many visual students that I really enjoy having the ability to give them handouts.  And, oh my, all the things that copiers can do...staple, collate, 3-hole punch, un-collate, print on two sides of a sheet of paper, turn a two sided handout into two separate single sided pages, use color paper, enlarge the print, shrink the print, copy entire books, etc...I could go on and on.  I always make sure that when I'm using the copier at school that I speak nicely to it.  I praise it.  I say thank you to it.  I don't expect it to work faster than it can.  Sometimes I give it a little pet as it's working.  I make sure to take breaks throughout a large job...just to let it cool off a little.  So today, I am thankful for this wonderful teaching convenience!  :)   


Monday August 29, 2011
Giving Back
Today I had the most wonderful opportunity to serve the Lord with a group of amazing high school leaders.  *See my blog post from today*  It's such an amazing feeling to be able to give so much back to those who have so little.  I was in awe at the amount of work we were able to do when we all came together for a little over an hour.  We were able to feel 21 children 1 meal a day for a year...it may not seem like a lot to you and me...but it's the difference between life and literally death for these kiddos!  WOW!  And to think that some people would rather play video games or watch television when they could be out there volunteering just an hour of their time and accomplishing so much more!  We heard a statistic today that nearly 18,000 children die each day from starvation or starvation related causes...and just an hour of our time today will be able to help a child survive!  Now that's giving back!  Truly!  Such an inspiring event!  I can't wait to do it again!  It really was fun and the students I was there with really got into it!  But we weren't the only ones there...don't get me wrong...it literally takes a village...we probably had about 15 in our group...but there were 4-5 other groups there as well...what REALLY impressed me, though, was a group of Brownies.  They were roughly 3-4th grade and totally into it...although they resisted the hairnets at first...they were troopers (hehehe) once it all got started!  But that's not it...at the beginning of the intro speech the director asked if anyone had done this before and about 1/2 of the young Brownies raised their hands!  How great is that?!?!  Wow!  Very impressive!  And they were super cute too!


Sidenote...I definitely got mistaken for a high schooler today though!  I was working the "sealing" station because I was one of the few people there over 18...(let me back up a little...1 person scooped the "chicken" and veggies; 1 person scooped the soy and rice; 2 people weighed the packages; 1 person "sealed the bags (had to be over 18) and 1 person boxed up the packages once there were 36 made...I was a sealer).  Well, one of the actual workers came around and asked one of the other SOS sponsors if I was over 18.  I looked at her and asked politely "are you serious?  I'm 27." The lady was so cute...she was like, "oh my gosh...you look SOOOOO young...I definitely didn't think you were really over 18 and that's why there was a sponsor next to you".  That TOTALLY made my night!  


Sunday August 28, 2011
Fuel Efficient Cars
With all this driving I've been doing to WI and back (dating Dave for 4 years - think Chicago-Sheboygan...every weekend...well...it was both ways...some weekends he'd drive here, others I'd go there...but still...AND...driving to Milwaukee to see my brother at Marquette...who's now a SENIOR there...still can't believe that one!!!!) it's been nice to have a car that gets relatively decent gas milage!  It's difficult to think that my little Allie is 10 years old already!  That's crazy...and I know she isn't getting the milage she used to...but she's hanging in there and treating me just fine!  (SOMEONE PLEASE KNOCK ON WOOD FOR ME!!!!)  I've been having new car envy of all my friends that have been getting new cars over the past year!  And I won't lie...I've been tempted myself at times to look for something "newer" or "higher off the ground" or "with better gas milage"...but with Allie the Alero working as well as she is and me not really knowing what the next few years will be bringing me...I really have no reason to be looking!  It's tough though...I do love that new car smell...but I will NOT get one of those tacky air-freshners that SMELLS like new car...nope...don't want to go that route!  :)  


Saturday August 27, 2011
Hand-held Laminators
I LOVE MY LAMINATOR!!!!  It is probably my very most favorite office supply I have purchased in a long time...even more my favorite than my color coded file folders...and for those of you that know me...that's a BIG statement!  We have the ability to laminate things at school but it can't be done on our own time.  We have to turn the things we want laminated in to the technology department and then when they have enough things to make it worthwhile they will laminate it all and get it back to you...which sounds great in theory...but when you are a slacker beginning of the year teacher like me...you don't have the flexibility of having something finished "when there's enough other things to laminate!"  Now, I really can't complain because the tech department is AWESOME and willing to do these things for you...but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to OWN my very own laminator when I saw it at Costco at the end of last school year.  Of COURSE I had to get it!  


Now I'll be very honest and say I was actually skeptical about it at first.  It's one of those laminators that use the heat pocket folders to laminate and I'm not really familiar with those...but I HAD to give it a try anyways!  And let me tell you...It's truly amazing!!!  It works great...although, not the fastest piece of office equipment...it gets the job done very well!  AND, bonus!, you can cut through it and it doesn't peel apart!  I spent my Saturday morning and afternoon getting so much accomplished because I had printed things in color at school and now I could laminate them and save them forever!!!!  :)  YEAH!!!!


Friday August 26, 2011
Student Helpers
I have a student who comes into my foods class during her lunch hour and study hall period to help me set up my labs and organize my class.  She also assists within the lab if the students have questions.  She's a tremendous asset and I'm so thankful to have her in my room.  I can't believe that she gives up her lunch (although I let her eat in the foods lab) AND her study hall to come "hang out" with me.  She technically could leave the building for her lunch and be done for the day due to the fact that she's an upper class-man and has off campus privileges...but instead she comes to my room 7th hour and stays for the beginning of 8th hour.  And I have to say...She's awesome and I am SO thankful to have her assistance!  It's been a while since I had a full foods class (at least 3 years) so 24 to me seems a little nutty at times, especially when a handful of them are special education students who require a little extra attention!  It's such a special treat to have this Senior in my room!  It's an added bonus that she's already taken the class, therefore has the ability to REALLY help when needed!  I think we BOTH need this...as I help her keep on top of her assignments (she had a little trouble academically last year) and she helps me in my classroom!  Win-Win!!!  :)


Thursday August 25, 2011
Mini Bottles of Soda
I LOVE little bottles of soda.  They are just perfect!!!  I have a really hard time purchasing 2 liters of soda because they always go flat before I can finish one...plus...no single person should finish off 2 liter bottles of soda all on their own!  These little bottles (12 fl oz) are even a little much for me at times.  I think if they were a cup (8 fl oz) it would be even better!  But really, it's so nice to grab one and take one with me where I go.  I can typically make a small bottle last the entire afternoon at work...often popping it back in the fridge for a while.  They are just a neat idea if you ask me!


Wednesday August 24, 2011
Home-made Lunches
A home-made lunch is such a lovely thing, isn't it!?  The last week I was in England I started getting up with Dave and making him lunches.  It was a great bonding time for us in the morning...we'd joke and talk and laugh in the kitchen while he ate breakfast and I made lunch.  It was also fun knowing that when he was eating his PB&J and finishing his crisps he may have been thinking of me!  :) YEAH!  I've decided to try making my lunches this year.  Last year I got in a really bad habit of working through my lunch hour and then snacking all night.  This year here's my plan...but it hasn't really been put into effect yet!  Wake up, shower, make lunch, go to work, teach 1 class, eat breakfast, teach 2 classes, advise my freshmen, eat lunch, teach a little more, sponsor something, after school paperwork, workout, dinner, read/tv, bed.  I'm getting closer to this schedule...but haven't mastered it yet!  It's a work in progress!!!  


But back to the lunches.  I love PB&J or lunch meat with leafy greens on wheat bread.  Maybe a side of snap peas or peppers and some grapes or cantaloupe.  With a bottle of water (I bring my own re-fillable water bottle from home and fill it with tap water from the sink) and salts of some sort!  It's awesome!  I've made it only a few days...but it is really nice and definitely gives me more energy to get through my afternoon!  :)   

Tuesday August 23, 2011
FANTASTIC Students
I have to say...I have GREAT students this semester!  1/2 of my classes are only a semester long so 1/2 of my students will change at the end of January...but I have to say...I am very fortunate to have fun kids to work with this go-round!  I'm teaching 1st hour this year so I was a little anxious to see how much energy both the students and I would have that early!  I was ready to go...my typical, bubbly self...and the students met me there!  They are awesome...they participated (I'm never sure if they will the first day), they joked with me, they told me personal information (a few times too personal...but I'll take that over the locked in students).  Sweet story: I had a freshman boy in my foods class ask towards the end if he could go try to get his locker open...I looked down and noticed that he had like 5 textbooks he was carrying....he saw me look and replied "I got my locker open this morning and was able to put my backpack in it but since then it hasn't opened"...now he's in my 7th hour class...which means he's been carrying his books all day!  So of course I let him go.  The sweet part...was when he reached for a piece of paper to take with him before he left...I caught a glimpse of it...it was the school map with his classrooms highlighted.  Such a sweetie...he took the map with him and came back BEAMING with his backpack in hand.  When I asked him what the trick was...he said..."I just had to take a deep breath and take my time...I must have been rushing too much before".  I LOVE FRESHMEN!!!!!!


I'm looking forward to going back tomorrow to start again!  :)


Monday August 22, 2011
A Fresh Start
Wow!  I can't believe we are already beginning a new school year!  How can the summer possibly be over already?  And why am I not more prepared!?!?  It's crazy how fast the time truly flies when you are having fun!  But I have to say it...I LOVE MY JOB!!!!  How many people can say that at the end of a big project they can put everything away, take 3 months off, and come back refreshed with new projects to begin!?  That's teaching for you!!!


It's always a little scary to come back to a new school year.  We've all been there though...think back to high school!  On the first day there are so many unknowns!  Who will you sit with at lunch?  Will you be able to find all your classrooms?  Do you know the best route to each class?  It's so fun to see everyone figuring it out for the first time.  A lot of the students did a walk through last week so they had an idea of where they were heading!  But it was really cute to help the new freshmen navigate the hallways.  I found myself stationed in the hall during a few passing periods to help point students in the right direction!  At least they were confident enough to ask!  


I'm excited to talk about all my new students during tomorrow's post!


Sunday August 21, 2011
Friendly Co-Worker Helpers
It's so wonderful to have loved ones that are able to help you out in a time of need or trouble.  Today I am thinking about everyone who has helped me...whether it's getting things done for school, being my taxi to/from the airport, fundraise donators, etc.  There are so many, too many to name really, people that have been there for me.  And I hope they that know that I will be there to help them when/if the time comes.  I am forever grateful for people that help pick me up when I am down.  Cheer me up when I am sad.  Support me when I am weak.  Celebrate success with me.  Those people that I can lean on when I am in need.  I don't know where I would be without these special individual!  :)  


Sometimes people come out of the wood work when help is needed!  These individuals are amazingly important and, most times, go unnoticed.  It's not on purpose that these people don't get the thanks they deserve...I feel it's that sometimes, those of us receiving the help don't realize how much help they were given until much much much later.  I am going to challenge myself to look more closely at my relationships and thank my helpers more often!   


Saturday August 20, 2011
Flight Attendants 
I have to say that I am thankful for those people who serve you during flight.  They really don't have an easy job!  Always walking up and down the isles collecting trash and offering water or beverages...repeating the same things over and over again.  While most of my flight today was sleeping these individuals were carrying on with their job...keeping us happy and safe!  What I do find interesting though is that they dress differently depending on where they are working in the plane.  I've noticed that the business and first class attendants are typically better dressed and accessorized than the attendants in coach/economy.  And while I am at it...I have to quote "When In Rome"...two characters are talking about planes and the second character says "wouldn't it be great to work in a place that groups men according to class?".  Kinda funny!  


With the major commotion that was going on before my flight took to the air...I have to say I have a new found respect for the job that the attendants do.  It can't be easy.  Fussy children, drunks (?), anxious fliers, etc.  And they continue to serve with a smile...sometimes I wish, though, that I could follow them behind the curtain and hear what they REALLY have to say!


Friday August 19, 2011
Expandable Luggage
As I began to pack up my "summer life" I realized that I have a lot of clothes...and realizing that it's not as warm here in Cheltenham as it is in Palatine during the summer...a lot of clothes I didn't actually wear!  Oops!  Next summer will be more pants, leggings and long-sleeves...or just suck it up and wear cute summer clothes and just be cool.  But I digress!  As I sit staring at my luggage I have to say...I really appreciate the ability to expand a suitcase should the need arise!  I think I've got it all covered...and non-expanded...but still...know the expansion is an option is very reassuring.  Sometimes I look at the carry-on suitcases of others and think...hmmm...I could fit my shoes and hair products in that bag with a pair of PJs...I hope they aren't going somewhere for very long!  But it's all in the art of packing I guess.  I mean, I've managed to fit everything I brought here (in 3 suitcases...2 the first time over and 1 more when we returned from our vacation to the states...never thought I would say that!) into only 2 suitcases and a backpack!  Very proud of myself...but then...I really didn't purchase a whole lot this summer...at all!  I was actually quite save-y with my money!  Even in Rome...where our apartment was in the heart of the shopping area!  Geesh...when did I grow up!?!?  


Anyways...back to packing.  I have to admit...I am pretty proud of myself and my packing abilities!  I even know where everything is in my luggage!  Yeah me!!!  


Thursday August 18, 2011
Rainy Days
Toady I took a moment to really think about the productivity of a rainy day!  I had all these things I wanted to get done "in town" today...but thanks to mother nature I had to rearrange my plans and do more "indoors-y" type things.  So, naturally I cleaned up a little and did all the laundry...including figuring out how to bleach the sheets!  They were getting a little gray...who knew if you actually watched the commercials on TV they show you pretty cool things!  :)


The rain in Cheltenham, well England really, is a lot different from the rain in the states.  What they call a "pisser" or down pour we might call a shower.  It really doesn't rain very hard here.  And the drops are not like the buckets we are used to...it's more like a mist.  I got caught in a shower here the other day as I was running errands and it was almost magical.  Peaceful.  The sounds of traffic were dulled.  Things seemed to slow up a little (well, some people moved faster...they obviously haven't seen the Myth Busters episode that proved that you get MORE wet the faster you move in the rain!!!).  And the showers here don't last very long...except for todays!  It was pretty much on and off all day.  


Now, I can't say that ALL rainy days are productive...there are plenty of them in the states where I can think of nothing better than curling up on the couch and watching Lifetime movies!  That's for sure!  But today's rain got me in the mood to get things accomplished.  It was either the rain or the realization that I really have to say good bye to this place in less than 48 hours.


Wednesday August 17, 2011
Midwest Summers
My first Thankfulness posting!  What am I thankful for?  I can't say everything...right???  

So...here goes nothing!  Today I am thankful for Summertime!  What an amazing time of year, especially for teachers!  :)  But more specifically...I'm thankful for MIDWEST SUMMERS!  The heat!  The sun!  The ice cream and popsicles! The way the warm blacktop feels on your feet!  The way your car always looks way better after a hand washing on the driveway than it does after going through the automatic car wash!  The way it smells after a good summer storm!  A summer storm in general!  Lying in the grass!  Playing on the lake!  Spending time with friends!  A good tan (well, sunburn for this little pale chica!)!  A chance to regroup and refresh before the next school year!  The way you feel after a cool shower!  The smell of fresh cut grass!  Nature walks!  Being outside!  The awesomeness you feel as you walk into an air-conditioned room/house/building after being outside!  Reading!  (Yes, I realize you can read during the rest of the year...but this time you don't have anything in your way!)  


I have to say it!  I miss the midwest summertime more than I ever thought I would!  As much as I don't want to leave England, and Dave, I am very glad to have warm weather waiting for me! :)

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