Life in Transition

list

2009-02-07T13:47:00.003-06:00

I'm not a writer. I don't like to write, I don't like to teach writing to my kids, and I'm jealous of those who can write. I think that's the reason it's so hard for me to keep up with my blog. So here is another list to update myself and you millions of readers. :) * Pre-marital counseling has been ok. The book we are reading is really more for the inexperienced and somewhat naive. The last chapter told us that marriage will not solve all your problems (duh), that your partner isn't perfect (yeah, we both know that already), and that everything in our relationship will not magically get better after we're married (really????). Matthew is worried that we're wasting our money on counseling, but I just feel better doing it. We are starting the Five Love Languages at church tomorrow though, and I'm really looking forward to that. * I'm really looking forward to Valentine's Day. Matthew gets to choose what he wants me to cook, we found a quiz book for engaged couples that we're going to do, and we are finally going to watch Fireproof. It should be fun. * I have lost about 7 pounds since the beginning of January. I'm really proud of myself! My goal is to lose about 8 more before the wedding. I'm doing weight watchers online again and have been walking and doing Wii Fit. It feels good! *School is ok. The kids in my class really have personality conflicts. Plus, they are already starting to like each other!! Come on, this is 2nd grade!! So between the arguing and the kissing behind the slides, I really have my hands full. * I am now starting to apply to some school districts. It's so weird to not have any clue where I'll be teaching next year or where we'll be living. I just need to leave it all in God's hands. I guess that's it for now! I don't have any new pictures or I would post them. I'll try to write about once a week from now on!

frustrated

2009-01-03T15:27:00.003-06:00

I am frustrated with blogger. Can anyone tell me how to make it easier to create a post and add pictures? Everyone else's looks so cute and mine is just BLAH!!!

elfyourself

2008-12-18T18:09:00.001-06:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

bad blogging

2008-12-04T17:38:00.002-06:00

I am being a very bad blogger these days. It's not that I don't have anything going on...I guess it's the opposite. I never find the time to sit down and write something, and when I do have a few minutes I can't think of anything to say!!! Here are a few highlights from the past couple of months: *Wedding planning galore. I have gotten so much done for the wedding and for the most part I haven't been stressed. We found a place, preacher, cakes, dresses (mine and bridesmaid's), caterer, band, tuxes, ordered Save the Dates, favors, bubbles, and more. It's been fun and I know the most fun is yet to come!! *Thanksgiving. I had a very nice Thanksgiving with my family. Matthew and I went to Abilene and ate, ate, ate!!!! We also sang lots of karaoke and watched LOTS of sports. *Christmas shopping! I am so excited about the gifts I'm giving this year! And I'm almost done! I actually have several presents under my tree!! This is seriously the highlight of my life right now.:) *Church. I love it more each time I go. Matthew and I are involved in our small group and are making some good friends. I feel so blessed to have found such an amazing place where the people are so real! So that's me in a nutshell right now. I'm sure there's more, but I need to go bake a cake. Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays!!!

we're engaged!!

2008-09-28T12:55:00.010-05:00

Matthew proposed to me on Friday! I told him afterwards that it was completely perfect. It just shows how well Matthew knows me because I couldn't have even put into words what I wanted...but he figured it out anyway! This is how it happened... I was not feeling well at all on Friday morning. My throat hurt so badly that I thought I might have to call in sick and I was hoping it wasn't strep. After my shower I felt a little better so I decided I'd be okay, BUT I was going to leave as soon as I could after school so that I could get some rest. Matthew had a football game that night (so I thought) so I would have the evening to myself. I told Matthew sometime during the day how I felt, and I remember him saying, "Well don't you skip out early from school!" Little did I know why he said that. I ran into Matthew's mom (Cathy) during the day (she's the assistant principal) and she could tell I wasn't feeling well. I told her that I hoped to leave right after school. Well, on my way back from dismissing the kids, Cathy told me that she and the principal needed to see me in her office at 3:45. I was kinda bummed because I wanted to leave, but of course I said okay. I went down there and they started talking to me about my Literacy Stations, acting all interested and asking me a ton of questions. I was trying to be short so that I could just get out of there. Finally we were done and I headed back to my room to gather my things. When I returned to my room I opened the door and turned on the lights and I saw this: He said some really sweet things and asked if I'd marry him. Of course I said yes! It was perfect that he did it at school because this is where we met for the first time two years ago. The ring is absolutely beautiful! We went to tell Rachel across the hall from me (who had been in on the whole thing and had let Matthew into my room), and then we went down to the office to tell his mom. It was then that Matthew said we probably needed to get going because we had dinner reservations at 6:00. He wouldn't tell me where. So, we went back to my place so that I could change clothes and then headed out. Of course I had called my mom, dad, brother, and some friends by this point. I started crying in the car because after I told my dad he said, "I wish I could hold you right now." I told Matthew that I wished I could see my parents. We pulled up to A Taste of Italy and went inside. The waitress took us to the back of the restaurant and when we walked in I was so surprised to see this... My family, his family, and some friends were waiting for us. This was such a special surprise. We had a great time eating and chatting about all the lies Matthew had been telling me over the past few weeks. It turns out I'm a little nosy and hard to keep a secret from. Who knew??? Here are some more pictures from the restaurant: Afterwards we went back to the Irby's for dessert where some more friends joined us. This was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. I'm so thankful that God has given me a man who loves me enough to do all of this for me. Wedding details to come!!!

fall

2008-09-13T14:42:00.003-05:00

I think that our fall weather might finally be getting here! I'm no weather forecaster but the rain and wind makes me excited for the change in seasons. I absolutely LOVE this time of the year for many reasons. Here they are: jack-o-lanterns, cute ghosts, black cats pumpkins, scarecrows, fall-scented candles changing leaves cooler weather thinking about buying halloween candy matthew's birthday our anniversary apple cider and hot chocolate thinking about turkey and what to cook for thanksgiving (to bring to mom and dad's) a change in wardrobe not being miserable at recess fall stationery for the kiddos starting my christmas lists of what to buy everyone anticipating listening to christmas music starting early so that i don't feel like the season got away from me Enjoy your "cooler" week!

my camera's broken!!

2008-09-01T20:23:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure how it happened, but my camera is no longer working:( So my posts will be a little boring until I can buy a new one. It's too bad my birthday is the day before Christmas!!!!! The first week of school went very smoothly. A couple of my kids ended up not coming, so as of now I have 19. So far, my kids have been pretty well-behaved and I don't forsee any of them being huge challenges (discipline-wise). I'm really looking forward to the rest of the school year. It was really nice to have a long weekend. Friday night I stayed up at school until about 7 just trying to get ahead, Saturday and Sunday I went to Grandma's and Katina's to hang out, Sunday we went to church, and today I've been ironing, watching Lifetime movies, and that's about it!! Speaking of church, I don't think I've really said much about it on here. Matthew and I are so blessed to have found Bridge Way. We love it! We have made several friends, joined a small group, taught in the nursery...it's a wonderful place. You don't have to worry about being judged when you go there...there are people from every background so we really feel like we fit right in. And the worship is amazing. I look forward to it every week, and I never want it to end!! If you live around the DFW area and would like to check it out, Friends Day is Sept. 28th. Let me know and we can go together! Their website is http://www.bwchurch.org/ Have a wonderful, short week!!

Goals

2008-08-23T09:33:00.002-05:00

School starts on Monday! I can't believe another school year is here. I'm excited and nervous about this one. I've learned that I have 13 boys and 7 girls (yikes!). I feel much more confident this year, and I'm so excited to improve my literacy stations, my word wall activities, and my guided reading groups. I'm also looking forward to our new math curriculum. Last year was wonderful...I had a great group of kiddos and some outstanding parents. Who knows what this year will bring??? We have had some really good staff development meetings this year. In one of these, one of my colleagues challenged us to make a list of goals for this school year. I've thought long and hard about these, posted them in my classroom as a daily reminder, and now I thought I'd share them here. GOALS: 2008/2009 1. Working together effectively: I want to teach my students to solve social problems/disagreements with minimal or no teacher intervention. 2. Take responsibility for own learning: My goal is for my students to be excited to learn new things and to apply the things they learn to other aspects of their lives. 3. Possess problem solving and higher level thinking skills: I want to teach my students to "think outside the box." 4. Care about others: I want to teach my students to be caring individuals who treat themselves and others with respect. I hope and pray that I can be a good teacher to these kiddos, teach them the things they need to learn, establish a love of learning in them, give them confidence to achieve their own goals, and ultimately show them Christ's love.

8 days left

2008-08-04T15:10:00.009-05:00

I just realized that it's been a month since I've posted!! It's not that I haven't had enough time...because I have...so I'll blame it on the lifetime movies I keep watching!! I have had a blast during this second-half of summer. Our friends got married, mom and I went to South Padre on vacation (where we had a blast), I got my hair cut short, and we moved my Granny to Abilene. I've also worked on a few things for school and have taken care of some doctor's appointments. Here are some pics from all of those activities: Me and Matthew at Casey and Ashley's wedding Mom eating more food than I've EVER seen her eat! Me and Mom by the ocean...nice hair!! On the Dolphin Cruise I have 8 more days of summer and there is still fun to be had!! During the next 8 days I'm planning on... *Spending a day at Six Flags *Watching Matthew's last two softball games *Getting my hair cut again *Working in my classroom *Watching Lifetime movies Enjoy your week!

austin and a sick puppy

2008-07-02T12:48:00.023-05:00

Matthew and I went to Austin this weekend to visit Chloe and Andrew. We all had a great time!! Friday night Andrew cooked out on the grill and we ate fajitas. Then we drank some yummy drinks and played Friends Scene It and of course the Wii. We knew that the dogs would be staying outside quite a bit over the weekend, so on Saturday morning we decided to buy them a pool. Yoshi was NOT a fan, but we found out that Max is definitely a water dog! He cracked us up laying in it and sticking his face in the water. He was so cute!! Chloe and I got pedicures on Saturday and then we all went to play disc golf and miniature golf that evening. I was the dog nanny while we played disc!! On Sunday we floated down the Guadalupe River. We had so much fun! That night we went to The Oasis to eat. The place is huge and overlooks a beautiful lake. On Monday we went to see Walle..so good.. and then went on the bat cruise. The bat cruise takes you around a river and underneath a bridge where bats fly out at sunset. It was really cool! We had such a fun weekend and Max and I both got to see our BFF's!!! On our way home yesterday, though, Max started getting sick. He threw up pretty much right after we left Austin, and did it several more times on the way back to Dallas (we drove with the windows rolled down!). I wasn't too worried because I knew that he had eaten some treats that he wasn't used to, but the throwing up didn't stop. He woke me up in the middle of the night and that's when I got really scared. I've heard of dogs eating parts of toys and then having to have surgery that costs thousands of dollars and I just KNEW that's what happened to Max. I kept thinking, "I love him but I don't have thousands of dollars to spend!" I slept with him on the couch because I thought this might be my last night with him (I get dramatic in the middle of the night). This morning I took him to the vet who did some expensive x-rays. The vet thinks he just ate something different, but wants me to watch him for the next few days. I'm pretty sure he'll be alright but I was so scared! He is definitely my baby!! Thanks for reading this insanely long post! Enjoy your week! **UPDATE: Evidently Max ate an entire squeaker out of a toy. Don't ask me how I found out.

redeeming love

2008-06-22T17:32:00.003-05:00

These past couple of weeks have gone by in a whirlwind! I got through the end of school, went home for a few days, celebrated with Sara and Jason as they got married, and moved into a new apartment. Things have been crazy and it's nice to be settled down again. This morning Matthew and I met with our preacher again. This guy has been through a lot and he has such great insight into the scriptures and just life in general. He's really challenging us (not just Matthew and I but the whole church) to be better people and to not live lives of complacency. God has given me a lot so he expects a lot out of me. It's a very simple message but hard to understand and act on. I pray that I am embarking on a new spiritual journey unlike any other in my life. How exciting!! BTW if you have not read Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers you really should. It's the story of Hosea put into modern times. It is a great story of the love and forgiveness of the Father, something that we all need to be reminded of from time to time. I read it a couple of years ago and I decided to start it again today. This week I'll be busy trying to get my apartment like I want it, helping out with VBS, and laying by the pool. What a fun week!!

what holiday are you?

2008-06-02T18:55:00.002-05:00

You Are Easter

You are an optimistic, hopeful, and genuinely sweet person.
Sensitive and affectionate, you are easily touched.
You love nature, animals, and anything cute or cuddly.
For you, every day is a new chance - no matter what happened yesterday.

What makes you celebrate: Almost anything. You love most holidays and celebrations.

At holiday get togethers, you do best as: The peacemaker. You can prevent any squabbles that might break out.

On a holiday, you're the one most likely to: Remember to include everyone

What Holiday Are You?

2008-06-01T16:31:00.005-05:00

I feel old. My youngest cousin graduated from High School this weekend. He is the BABY of the family!! No, really I'm so proud of him and excited to see what happens in his future. Here's a picture of the frousins, plus Matthew: It was so good to see everyone, even if it was for a short time. On another note: THREE MORE DAYS OF SCHOOL!! I can't believe it! I honestly have mixed emotions. I am so excited to sleep in, clean, go on trips, sleep in, watch movies, etc. , but I'm really going to miss my class. They have been amazing! I've hardly had any discipline problems this year and they have really taught me a lot. Things My Class has Taught Me This Year: * Making a mess is okay and even fun, and it will get cleaned up * You can teach mealworms tricks * It's sad when a silkworm dies * Kids can learn English extremely quickly when they need to * Girl drama starts YOUNG * My classroom is the only safe place for some kids and I need to love them like Jesus does each and every day (NOT an easy task!!) I am looking forward to so much this summer! Here's a quick preview (can you tell I'm a list-maker??) * Trip to Abilene * Rangers games * Sara and Jason's wedding * Moving in with Valerie * VBS * Trip to Austin to see Chlova * Trip to South Padre with mom * Sleeping in and laying by the pool Enjoy your week!

memorial day fun

2008-05-26T18:45:00.007-05:00

I am so ready for summer! Today definitely got me in the mood. I enjoyed the weekend so much more knowing that I didn't have to get up early today. This weekend was busy but so much fun! Here's a rundown of it: Friday: My second grade team had an end of year party. We gathered at Linda's house for hamburgers and just talked. We had a really nice time. Saturday: I spent a good part of the day cleaning out my ENTIRE closet. My closet is huge and I've just been putting things in there when I don't know what to do with them. I'm trying to get rid of things before I move so that I won't have so much junk to take over to the new apartment. Oh, and I found a dress for Sara and Jason's wedding. It's so pretty and I'm really excited about it. Sunday: Matthew and I went to church. Art, the preacher, talked to us about doing a 4 week bible study with him. We are really excited to get to know him better. We then watched the Ranger's game, went to a birthday party, and hung out with a couple of Matthew's friends that night. We ended up playing Wii until midnight...it was a blast. Monday: Matthew was so nice to take me to the arboretum. I just love that place! It was beautiful but extremely humid, so we didn't stay as long as we had planned. We ended up going to eat at Dodie's afterwards (really good cajun food). Then Matthew had to work so I went home and cleaned out my dresser! Here are a couple of pictures from the arboretum: Enjoy your week!

i must be bored...

2008-05-16T20:56:00.003-05:00

You know I'm bored when I post twice in one day! I was just reading over my blogs and saw that I had posted one called "why i love cooler weather". I LOVE the change of seasons and right now is just about perfect. So... Why I love Warmer Weather *i can finally wear sleeveless shirts again *i get in the mood to cut my hair short (which I did last week) *it stays lighter later *spring cleaning! *the anticipation of summer break *it's an excuse to buy summer clothes *it's an excuse to buy a new swimsuit *laying by the pool *long walks *planning summer trips *Ranger's games *watching softball games *getting ready to RELAX! Enjoy the warm weather!

i know it's been a while....

2008-05-16T16:27:00.004-05:00

Okay I know it's been forever since I've posted. I think there are only like three people who read this, so this is for you!! Actually several things have been happening lately... My mom and dad are moving! I went last weekend to help them pack up our memories. They are only moving down the block, but the house is bigger, has a beautiful backyard, and has the nice big kitchen that my mom has always wanted. I'm really excited for them and to help them decorate! We are finally committing to Bridgeway! Matthew and I have decided to place our membership this Sunday and we are both really excited. It's really the perfect place for both of us. Yay! I got my stimulus check!! Thanks George!! I am so very excited about this because it's much-needed. Keep reading to find out why... I'm moving! I have lived in this apartment for two years, but now I have an opportunity to save some money (which is something I have NOT been able to do since I've been here). Valerie and I have decided to live together, and I'm really excited. We're just moving to a different apartment in my complex, but it'll cost a bit to move because of a new pet deposit, a transfer fee, etc. I'll be saving lots of money in the long run, so I really think it's a good move. Now I've just got to start packing and throwing away! Oh one last thing: I started doing Weight Watchers. I have seriously been gaining weight lately, and it needs to STOP!! I started about two weeks ago and I have lost 3 pounds! I actually really enjoy it. I have 22 points/day and I log them online every day. I have 35 extra points/week so that I can splurge on my chocolate, cake, whatever I feel like. Plus, they provide tastey recipes that are low fat/cal. So, it's pretty much the perfect diet. And it's helping me to eat healthier. I think that's it for now. Sorry, no pictures to post today. Enjoy your weekend!!

count your blessings

2008-03-30T19:14:00.005-05:00

I haven't written anything here in almost two months. I don't know if anyone still reads this, but I thought that it's probably time that I post something, if not for others then for myself. I think I'll write about things that I've been thankful for over these past two months. Bridgeway: Matthew and I have been attending Bridgeway Church and we are both really loving it. The people have been incredibly welcoming and we are going to join a small group this Friday. We are taking it slowly this time, making sure that this is the place for us before getting too involved or making any commitments. Let me know if you would like to hear more about this church. I'm really excited about it. Matthew's job: This is both a blessing and a major stress right now. If you want to know more, just ask. But prayers are much appreciated. Spring Break: Matthew and I went to Abilene over spring break to help out mom after her surgery. We all had a great time! It was fun taking care of mom, watching movies, going on walks, laughing at Max, and just hanging out. I was also excited that my good friend Michael came down for the day while we were there. It had been two years since I'd seen him and we had a great day together playing disc golf and just catching up. He'll always be a special friend. Easter: I really wanted to be back home in time for church on Sunday, but that meant being away from my family on Easter. Matthew's family welcomed me in for Easter lunch and the Easter bunny even brought me a basket! Things I'm looking forward to: Small group Rangers games starting next week! Faith's wedding in Montana Max's birthday laying by the pool Summer break! Enjoy your week!

lent and other things

2008-02-10T19:36:00.000-06:00

Well, it's been forever since I've posted. There have been several times that I've thought about it, but I guess I haven't had a lot to say! I gave up drinking diet cokes for lent (except for one every morning to wake me up). The first day I had a major headache, but it's been fine since then. It's funny -- I've been putting off giving up diet coke because I thought it would be this extremely hard thing to do, but it hasn't been bad at all! I bought some Crystal Light today so I'll be drinking lots of water. Matthew and I celebrated Valentine's Day early last night by eating dinner at a restaurant called Shinsei. It was delicious, and the cook (who is on a famous cooking show, I don't know which one because I don't get that channel!) came and talked to us!! We were all dressed and afterwards we went to this little kids' ice cream shop. It was such a fun night! On Valentine's Day we'll go to Bennigans because it's where we went last year on V day and where we went on our first date. It's a special place for us! We're going to Abilene for Sing Song this weekend. I'm really excited because I'll get to spend time with my family, go to Woodlawn, and probably see my cousins! I haven't been home since before Christmas, so I'm missing it! I guess that's it for now! This week will be really busy, but lots of fun. I can't wait to get some sweet Valentine's from my kiddos!

resolutions

2008-01-01T13:37:00.000-06:00

We had a really fun New Year's Eve!! Our friends Casey and Ashley came over and I cooked for everyone in my new crock pot! We then played games and ate some amazing cheese dip that Ashley made. We had such a fun time! The thing I'm the most proud of is the way Max acted. He was an angel, even while we were playing games in the middle of the floor. He's growing up!! Now onto my new year's resolutions. I make resolutions every year and, like most people, I don't really follow through with them. I keep them up for maybe a month and then life gets the best of me. Well, I'm trying to start a-new this year. I'm telling myself that it's okay if I mess up on my resolutions, just as long as I get back on track after I get off. Hopefully if I share my goals on here, I'll be more likely to keep them. Here they are: 1. Drink more water. I need to drink a bottle of water for every diet coke I have. (That's gonna be lots of water!!). 2. Work out. At least four times a week. Can include walking Max, doing my new Tae Bo videos, or going to the gym. 3. Cook more. I'm going to really try to cook an actual meal at least twice a week. I plan to use my new crock pot!! 4. Read the Bible/pray more. This is on my list every year. 5. Find a church. Matthew and I are still looking for a church that's right for us and where we can get involved. A new year is not the only time for making goals, but it's easier for me to start over if I feel like I have a clean slate. I hope you are successful in your resolutions!

christmas

2008-01-01T13:24:00.000-06:00

I had an amazing Christmas! I enjoyed spending time in Abilene with my family, we came to Dallas to spend time with frousins, and I got to be with Matthew's family some, too. Here are some pictures from the week: Mom holding a present we got her Dad wearing his new Cowboys baseball cap us with Granny me and my sweetie girl frousins I hope your Christmas was wonderful, too!

i love the holidays!

2007-12-17T19:09:00.000-06:00

Christmas is so much fun! It's a great excuse to go out and do fun holiday activities. This weekend was packed full of holiday fun. On Saturday Matthew, Carrie, and I went to the Abilene High vs. Flugerville playoff game. Sadly, AHS lost in overtime. They did well though and it was a fun game. Before the game when Matthew came to pick me up, he gave me my early birthday present: a pair of beautiful DIAMOND earrings!! I was so surprised and excited!!! He said he gave them to me early so that I could show them off and I have really been doing that!! On Sunday Matthew and I tried out a new church. We really like Forest Grove, but it may be too small for us. We really want to make some new friends at the church we decide to go to. The church we tried out on Sunday was way too huge, though. The worship was great but I don't think it would be very easy to get involved. We're going to keep looking. After that we went with some friends to Holiday in the Park at Six Flags. It was FREEZING but we had a really good time. I love all of the lights on the roller coasters!! Here are some pics from our fun weekend. Merry Christmas!!

friends

2007-12-09T17:42:00.001-06:00

I've always known that I have amazing friends, but I guess now that I'm out of Abilene and completely by myself I really do appreciate special time spent with friends. Virginia and Carrie came into town this weekend and we had such a great time! Friday night they wanted to take me out for an early birthday dinner. We went to Rockfish and then walked around Dallas. Then we ate some delicious birthday cake made by Virginia!! They gave me some beautiful earrings which was a really sweet surprise. On Saturday we went shopping and I got most of mine done! I only need to buy a couple of more things!! YAY!! Then I went to my Aunt Katina's graduation and surprise party. That was fun because we really were able to surprise her! On Sunday we all went to church and then out to eat (Matthew included). We had such a great time talking sports and babies (I told them that since they had talked sports for about 45 minutes I could talk about babies. They all started freaking out, as usual). Then we opened some early Christmas presents. Sadly, we finally had to take Virg back to the airport, so we said our goodbyes. I'm so glad that I got to spend time with some great friends. I've recently started wondering about who I would pick for my bridesmaids (in the future, don't worry), and I've worried that I'll have too many to choose from. I decided today that this is a GOOD problem and who cares how many bridesmaids you have??? I'm absolutely BLESSED to have the friends that I have and I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world.

blessed

2007-11-29T20:48:00.001-06:00

I am absolutely loving my life right now. I love my job, church, family, boyfriend, friends, apartment, the holidays...and the list could go on for several more lines. Just the other day while I was teaching my 2nd graders, I had this overwhelming sense of thankfulness. Sure, I'm not always as patient as I could be. Sure, I get irritated when I'm teaching about the properties of an object and someone raises their hand just to ask what we're having for lunch. Yes, I sometimes come to hate my own name because I hear it millions of times in one day. And yes, I feel shocked (yet a little giggly) when I see that one of my boys got his folder signed in gym for bending over and telling girls to look at his bottom ("But the girls didn't tell me to stop!!!"). But an "I love you" or "Can I squeeze you?" makes it all worth it. My kids (well, really all kids) are so precious and I feel so blessed! Here's a picture of Max dressed up for Christmas. I can't wait to have my own kids so that I can dress them up, but Max will have to do for now. Enjoy your weekend!

somebody loved

2007-10-28T17:34:00.001-05:00

Check out this video from The Office. I cry every time I watch it. It's too sweet!

why i love cooler weather

2007-10-22T20:21:00.001-05:00

It finally feels like Fall! The change in weather prompted me to make a list of all the reasons i love cold weather. Here they are in random order... *i get to wear sweaters that have spent months in my closet *i don't have to paint my toenails as often *hot chocolate! *it's one more excuse to take a hot bubble bath *it's an excuse to buy new clothes! *gloves and scarves! *lower electricity bill *it gets me thinking about Christmas and listening to Christmas music *i don't feel as guilty wrapping myself in a blanket and watching tv when it's cold (it's too cold to take Max for a walk or grade papers!:) *it's a great time to snuggle...whether it's with a big ol' dog or a boy!

september

2007-10-08T20:08:00.001-05:00

I haven't posted anything in a while, so I thought I'd share some highlights of the past few weeks.

Max and I went to Austin to visit Chloe and Andrew. We had a blast and Max made a new friend!!!
I have some new favorite songs. I love The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson. It's the song off of the new Old Navy commercial. I also have fallen in love with Joshua Radin, especially his song called Only You. If you like laid back, acoustic-style music, you would probably like these two artists.
Teaching is going really well. We have started our literacy stations and they are making life TONS easier! I really feel like I'm being a good teacher and that the kids are taking responsibility for their own learning.
Matthew and I went to our last Ranger's game a few weeks ago.:( I can't wait til next season!!
Our one-year anniversary is next week!
I'm still really liking the church I'm going to (it's called Forest Grove Christian Church). I'm hoping to get involved really soon.
I'm trying to volunteer at a hospital, holding the newborn babies! I've been sending out emails, so I'll keep you posted.
I'm so excited about the upcoming holidays! I love making holiday crafts with my class, buying Christmas presents early, and anticipating cold weather! (I may get to anticipate for a while!!!!!).
Matthew and I are about to start watching the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I've never seen them, but so many people say they're good. I'll give it a try.

Well, I think that's it for now. Enjoy your week!!

random acts of kindness

2007-09-20T19:44:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I put a couple of bags of trash outside my door, intending to take them out later that night or today. When I went out a few hours later, they were gone! My neighbors seem nice enough, but I've never really gotten to know any of them. I can't believe that someone saw my trash and took it to the dumpster for me! The bags were really heavy and I'm sure it wasn't a simple job to take them. Another act of kindness that sticks out to me happened when I was a freshman at ACU. I drove to Taco Bueno for lunch and got something in the drive-thru. When I got up to the window to pay, the lady told me that the people in front of my had already paid for my meal! I was shocked!! When I see or hear about people doing things like this it lifts my spirits and makes me want to do more for others. It seems that I get so busy and have so much on my mind that I don't think of what I can do for others often enough. I want to serve others, doing random acts of kindness whenever I can.

church

2007-09-16T15:15:00.000-05:00

Last week I tried out a new church and I really liked it. It is very small and the people are so welcoming. They invited me out to lunch and really seemed to be interested in getting to know me. This morning, Matthew went with me to the same church. I'm so excited because he liked it, too! It's a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ is another name I think). They do pretty much the same things as churches of Christ, but there are minor differences of course. The pastor uses lots of scripture, we sing familiar songs, and they have communion every Sunday. They also have several areas where I could get involved (children's and youth ministries especially). I'm planning on going back next week. I really hope this is the church for me! If you're reading this, I would like to ask you to stop a moment and pray. I am in serious need of a church family, and I'd really like to find a place that Matthew likes and one that he feels comfortable going to with me. I feel like this church is an answered prayer. Matthew says he saw lots of similarities between the service this morning and things done at Catholic churches. I've been praying for a church that's a kind of "middle ground" between both of us. I'm excited to see what God has up His sleeve!! Enjoy your week!

i love fall!!

2007-09-16T14:56:00.000-05:00

I love the change of seasons. I don't care which one it is...I just enjoy the change I guess! Well, fall is quickly coming and you can feel it in the weather. This motivated me to re-decorate my apartment this weekend, adding a touch of fall. Here are some pictures:

This one is my favorite. My willow tree angels are on top of the fireplace, and I put a pumpkin and scarecrow girl on the tile. That's Max's tail on the left!

Here is my couch and pictures. With my next paycheck I'm going to buy some fall-looking pictures to replace these.

My favorite room in my apartment! I love the bathroom because it is huge, has a huge closet, and it's pink!!

Here's a picture from my bedroom. I put a little scarecrow on top of my dresser. Matthew gave me those roses for Valentine's Day and I can't bear to part with them!

I took this picture from my doorway. As you can barely see, Max is lounging on my bed (this is one of his favorite activities)!!!

Decorating is so much fun! I can't wait for Christmas!!

funny kids

2007-09-07T19:44:00.001-05:00

Kids are so funny. Most of them don't even try to be...they just are. I have this little boy, let's call him Drew (that's not his real name). He takes seriously FOREVER to try to explain things. And sometimes I just think he raises his hand because he wants to talk. Usually this drives me up the wall because I try to move quickly to fit everything into one day, but not with this kid. He's just too cute!! Yesterday we were talking about things we can do to help our community. I called on Drew, and he just went on and on about seemingly nothing. Well he finally got to his point (I still have no idea what it was). After that, I just couldn't hold the laughter in. I could feel myself losing control, so I just told the kids, "Ya'll are so cute and you make me laugh. That's a very good thing." And then I just started cracking up. I was laughing so hard that I was crying! Of course my kids started laughing too, and we just had a good ole time laughing and crying. I'm sure they'll have some pretty interesting things to tell their parents about Miss Watkins. Well, I'm off to the dog park with Max! I haven't taken him there in months and he really needs to get out. Hopefully he won't get attacked like he did before! Have a great weekend!

i love my job!!!

2007-08-31T16:53:00.001-05:00

This week has been one of the most stressful but wonderful weeks of my life! God knows how much I can handle and he did a beautiful job of balancing the good with the bad this week. I won't even talk about the bad (because it's over and done with), but I would LOVE to talk about my PRECIOUS second graders!!! Last year was hard. I had some tough situations in my class, and I really did not have my classroom management down (which is an understatement!!). This year has been at least 100 times better so far!!! When you combine 17 sweet kiddos with a teacher who somewhat knows what she's doing, you get a wonderful school year!! I'll write more later but so far my kids have made me laugh and love. I think I forgot how little incoming second graders are! They are just babies! I have some funny stories, but I'll have to save them for later. I'm going to Abilene!! Have a great holiday weekend!!

can't wait til monday!

2007-08-24T18:03:00.001-05:00

This time last year I was completely overwhelmed and scared. I am still scared, but I actually feel prepared for the first day of school! I am so excited for the first day! I met some of my kiddos last night and they are completely precious (of course!!). I just have to have the control to be firm next week and consistent. I want these kids to know that I mean business!!:) Here are some pics of my classroom:

I'll put students' work on this bulletin board.

These are my jobs, rules, etc.

I moved my reading center this year and I really like it.

Here's my calendar, which I really hope to keep up with this year!!

I'm trying to stay more organized and to have better classroom management than I did last year. Enjoy your week!!

on a deeper note

2007-08-19T16:07:00.000-05:00

I am an emotional person. Always have been, and I'm sure I always will be. I can't help it. I cry at movies, weddings, funerals, greeting cards, sweet commercials, TV shows, songs, when I step on my dog's paw, during church, when I see babies, and sometimes I even tear up at school when one of my kids says something sweet. I honestly wish I weren't so emotional (or sensitive and I prefer to call it), but I guess it's just something I was born with. What I never realized, however, is how much being in love would make me cry. I cry when we fight, when I think about our future, when we've planned a fun activity for a while and it's suddenly over, and sometimes for no reason at all! Has this happened to anyone else? Love is such a wonderfully complex emotion, and I think it causes different reactions in different people. I mean, Matthew certainly doesn't cry because he's in love with me!! The poor guy doesn't know what to do about all of my blubbering, but thank goodness he is patient. I wasn't sure if I should blog about this, but I'm just so excited that I've put my finger on the reason I've been crying so much lately. Here's a cute picture of us to wrap things up:

Thanks for reading and enjoy your week!

bored

2007-08-16T20:47:00.000-05:00

So, nobody tagged me to do this or anything, but I thought I would anyway because I'm so bored!! 4 Jobs I've Had: 1. the filer at a dr.'s office 2. Registrar's Office at ACU 3. Day Nursery of Abilene 4. Children's Ministry Intern 4 Movies I Could Watch Over and Over 1. The Notebook (I've never not cried when I've watched it...it's sooo sweet!!) 2. Home Alone (So funny!) 3. School of Rock (I love Jack Black!!) 4. Phantom of the Opera (love the music) 4 Favorite TV Shows 1. American Idol 2. Friends 3. Everybody Loves Raymond 4. Full House (I want to own the seasons!!) 4 Places I've Lived 1. Mom and Dad's 2. ACU 3. Bruce Way (fun college house) 4. Here in Richardson 4 Places I've Been 1. Calgary, Canada (what a fun and beautiful trip!) 2. Mexico (on a cruise) 3. Georgia (family vacation) 4. Oregon (SBC) 4 Favorite Foods 1. pineapple 2. enchiladas 3. Reese's Pieces 4. Grilled hamburgers 4 Least Favorite Foods 1. onions 2. mushrooms 3. peppers 4. most Chinese food 4 Most frequented websites 1. Facebook 2. My blog 3. Other people's blogs 4. webkins.com :) Enjoy your week!

lately

2007-08-13T18:10:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that two weeks from today I will have met my new precious second graders!! I am so excited! I went up to school today and worked in my classroom. There is tons of work to be done, but I'm feeling so much more confident than I was this time last year. I want to change lots of stuff that did not work last year, but I also have a few things I'm going to do the same. I'll post some pictures when I'm done with my room...it'll be a cute place to learn!!

I am trying to become creative in the things that I cook. Last week I made salmon and veggies...and it was really good! I wasn't too sure if Matthew liked it--until he had three helpings! Yes, it was a little expensive so I won't be doing that too often, but it's fun to be adventurous sometimes! Here's a picture of the finished product:

Yes, those ARE oranges...they gave the salmon a really nice taste I think!

This weekend I went to Abilene. It was the first time I'd been all summer, and it was really good to be back. I finally got a car...it was much needed. It's a really cute Toyota Corolla and it has a sunroof! Here are some pics:

Thanks mom, for helping me to the whole car-buying thing. I will NEVER do it again!!

Enjoy your week!!

la-z-ness

2007-08-05T19:27:00.000-05:00

I am being so lazy right now. I should be cleaning, going through my school stuff, taking Max for a walk, doing laundry, but instead I get addicted to playing with my... WEBKINZ!! Have you heard of them? You buy these little stuffed animals at the store, look at the "secret code" in their tag, go to webkinz.com, and play with them!! You can feed them, decorate their room, buy them clothes...it's TOO MUCH FUN!! Mine's name is Tucker and he's a little golden retriever. I bought him some blue jeans and a red baseball cap. I also bought him a treadmill and trampoline so he won't get bored. Keep in mind that these toys are meant to be played with by probably 1st to 6th graders, and here I am 24 years old, and I enjoy it just as much! Hopefully I won't be so bored this week. I'm going to a Ranger's game tomorrow night, cooking SALMON on Tuesday (yes, I am trying to be Ms. Suzie- homemaker), and heading to Abilene on Wednesday through the weekend. I hope my webkinz won't miss me too much!!:) Please keep reading my blog. I promise it'll get better and won't be so silly once school starts!! Enjoy your week!

laughter

2007-07-30T09:30:00.000-05:00

I was going to sleep-in really late today, but Max would not leave me alone! I guess it's my fault for letting him sleep with me, but he kept licking my face and clawing at my arm. So I'm mad at him for a while. This was such a fun weekend. Chloe came to visit for the weekend. I think that I laugh more with Chloe than with anyone else. We find the same things hilarious and when we get to laughing it takes us a while to stop. When I laugh with her I always end up crying because I'm laughing so hard. Andrew and Matthew find it a little annoying to be with the two of us, and I think it's because we're so much a like!! (Too much of a good thing I guess! ;) Anyway, we met Valerie for dinner that night. Then we watched The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants which is about the cutest movie I've ever seen! On Saturday we went shopping and layed out for a while (and I didn't spend all the money I had budgeted!! I am so proud of myself! So I'm going shopping today and I'll probably spend the rest:). Then Saturday night Chloe and I picked up Matthew and we met Kiley and his friends at Billy Bob's. I've never been there before but it was HUGE and so much fun!! Chris Cagle was performing so that made it even better. It's been ages since I've seen Kiley so it was fun catching up. Sunday we all went to church at Prestoncrest. I had never been there and I think I'll try it again. Then we had an old-fashioned game night. We used to do this all the time in high school and in college when we were all in town. We played some really fun games and had lots of good laughs. Sometimes I get sad because I don't have lots of good friends around here, but fun times like these make up for it. I have a really relaxing week ahead. I'm working a couple of days and I'm getting Max fixed. (then he'll be mad at me!!!) I'm going to try and get some school stuff done because the first day of school is really creeping up!! Enjoy your week!!

good job Rangers!!

2007-07-22T20:07:00.000-05:00

This was another great weekend. I could really get used to this no-working lifestyle! I don't have to care about what I have to do on Monday!! On Friday night I went out to eat with my grandma and aunt. We had a great time eating and shopping at Goodwill and Central Market. We went to Goodwill on a whim, where I found a little kid's rocking chair (which I sanded and re-finished yesterday for my classroom!!!), a filing cabinet, and some other chairs for kids. Yay!! Last night I went to my fifth Ranger's game of the season. This is more baseball games than I've watched in my LIFE and I'm LOVING it!! It doesn't hurt that they did really well last night and beat the other team BIG TIME!!! (I can't remember who the other team was, though!!:) Oh, and Ven Diesel was there! This morning I went to church with Matthew. He's been to church with me several times, so he had asked if I wanted to go with him today. Church was very interesting, and not in a bad way at all. I've always known that Matthew and I are very similar in our beliefs, even though we grew up in completely different kinds of churches (he a Catholic church, me a Church of Christ). Although the worship service was different than what I am used to, they do basically the same things that we do (sing, pray, read scripture, take communion) and that was encouraging. Of course Matthew and I still have spritual things to work through, but it was good to see what kind of church he grew up in. I have faith that God will work within us, and that the outcome will be just what He wants for us. That's all for now! I have a conference at 8:00 in the morning so I better get to bed pretty soon!!! Enjoy your week!

it's the most wonderful time of the year

2007-07-15T20:55:00.000-05:00

I love Christmas!!! I know you probably want to punch me right now and say "Amy, it's only JULY!!" I'm sorry, but I can't help but get excited! This weekend was our "Ornament Premiere" weekend at Hallmark (where I'm working this summer). That means that we got some of our Christmas ornaments in, we were serving Christmas cookies, we got to wear red and green, AND we are playing Christmas music all week in the store!! If you know me very well, then you know that I am pretty much obsessed with Christmas and everything about it. My brother even told me once that I get so excited about Christmas that it sucks the excitement from everyone else. (Don't worry, he apologized for that comment about two years later!!) Anyway, I was very happy to have a little Christmas in July this weekend. I also went to see Harry Potter and License to Wed this weekend. I'm not a huge Harry fan, but I did enjoy the movie. License to Wed was really cute, plus it had like 5 people from The Office in it!! This morning I decided that the church I've been going to is not right for me. I guess I'll go back to visiting around. Enjoy your week!

a year from now

2007-07-12T20:26:00.000-05:00

I took Max for a nice walk tonight. I haven't done this in a very long time because of the rain! I don't want him to get wet because he starts to stink really bad after he's been in the rain. When he stinks I feel like everything in my apartment is tainted with the smell and I can't stand it!! So, since it was a clear night we ventured out to the path outside of the apartment. As we were walking, I started to reflect a little on my life. One year ago, I knew that I had a teaching job, but that was about it. I don't think I had found my apartment yet, I hadn't gotten to know the other teachers on my team, I hadn't gone to church anywhere...so I really didn't know what kind of experiences the upcoming year would bring. In some waysI am pleased with how my life has turned out in a year, and in others I'm really not. I'm very blessed to live in my apartment. Although it is a little expensive and eats up most of my paycheck, I feel safe every night and I've met some really sweet people here. I'm also happy with the relationships I have built so far. I have a really great 2nd grade team at school. They are so supportive and fun! I'm also so thankful that I met Matthew. I honestly do not know where I'd be without him! The one thing I am disappointed in is that I have not found a church to settle down in yet. I had such a wonderful support system at my church in Abilene and it is kind of a shock to go from that to absolutely nothing. I have really realized this year that I need Christian people around me to keep me on track. I wonder where I will be one year from now. Will I still be living in my cute little apartment? Will I have made some new friends at school? Where will Matthew and I be in our relationship? Will I be settled in a church? I hope and pray that I will only be stronger and wiser in one year.

Time to Start

2007-07-12T10:34:00.000-05:00

I decided that I needed to start blogging so that I can keep up with my life. I feel like the days pass me by and I don't have a record of the funny and interesting things that happen! I don't journal very well, so I'm hoping I can keep up with this.