top 10 with sarah (been a long time draft, finally ready to release)

it is true, i'll admit it...i love stacy julian. she's a scrapbooker. she's a pro. and she is down right nice! can i be her someday? (i did meet her once last january in ca at cha. i reminded her and her friends/collegues that i had been a runner-up in their coolest album ever contest and told her which album was mine. she acted like she remembered me and my album. totally cool moment!)
anyway, i was looking at some of her websites (yes, she has multiple) and she is full of ideas. so many that i don't even think i could keep up with her if i tried everyday for the rest of my life. that many. but i came across this "top ten" that she had as her bio on "big picture scrapbooking". i have avoided many q & a things before, but this one intrigued me. so i copied and pasted it here and i'm filling in my own responses. (thanks stacy)

Top 10 with sarah...
TEN "essentials" that I cannot scrapbook without:

• bazzill cardstocks - textured please!
• fiskars paper trimmer
• corner rounder
• ribbon - any brand
• ink pad to distress the edges of the paper
  
• music, movie, or tv
  
• brads - all colors and sizes
  
• beautiful pattern paper - october afternoon, doodlebug, american crafts, bella blvd, (who am i forgetting????)
• letters - stickers, chipboard, rub-ons, stamps...love them all!
• a deadline - i just work better that way

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NINE things I love are:
fun print socks, hot chocolate, ice cream, historical fiction, vanilla scent, college football, major league baseball, autumn, wearing sweaters that come down past my wrists, & saying i'm from MA

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EIGHT of my coping strategies, in no particular order:

1. call my sister(s) or friend
2. take a shower
3. take a nap
4. get lost in a magazine or book
5. exercise
6. say a prayer and write out my thoughts
7. do something I WANT to do
8. turn on music and dance

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SEVEN things I love about my "every day" life …

• my house, secretly i would love to be a homebody
  
• getting hugs from kids everyday, even if they've just been yelled at
  
• doing something "scrapbooky" - sketching ideas, looking at blogs or magazines, or actually working on a project
  
• using my own laptop
  
• curling up on my own bed
  
• cuddling with my kids
  
• being on a schedule, even though sometimes it is crazy busy!

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SIX places I'd love to visit before I die:

• France (again)
  
• Hawaii
• Ireland (again)
• a tropical island (other than Hawaii)
• Washington State
• a bed and breakfast in NH, it was adorable

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FIVE things I do everyday, without fail:

• hug and kiss my kids
  
• check my emails
• look in the mirror and wonder if i look my age
• write something (a list, a note, a blog post, an email)
  
• fall into bed tired and counting the number of hours i have to sleep before i have to be up again

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FOUR websites I frequent

1. scrapbooking companies and sites with sketches
2. facebook & pinterest
3. Old Navy & The Loft - i dream of a more put together wardrobe
4. friends' blogs

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THREE photos I love:

just like kimbrel backstage at the shoemaker dance recital just like me

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TWO decisions I've never regretted

• having 2 children, they are everything to me
• knowing i had to work, choosing to work in education, i have been able to be with my children a majority of their school years and it is a passion, not just a job

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ONE additional and very important thing you should know about me is …
i am terrible about cleaning. i put it off, mostly due to lack of time, and then move things around and around, from one room to another and into boxes to clean out later. oh, and i have a really hard time throwing things away.
i'm working on it.

summer 2013 coming

summer is coming. it is only a week away. one more week of school, two post planning days...then off for 2 months. amazing how fast time goes. and this school year flew by. all the changes, all the dance classes and baseball games. all the craziness with schedules. and here it is at the end.

well, bring on the summer! i have a week and two days to get myself organized for a summer of productivity! that's right. no lounging around for me. well, not true. hoping to work with the kids on reading and activities, get cluttered areas of the house uncluttered, and still have some time to do things i WANT to do. my goal is to go through my pinterest boards and choose activities, organizational ideas, craft projects and recipes that i have pinned and give them a try.

oh, and take lots of pictures. last summer was a blur, the entire month of july was a waste...cause i was lost and didn't have a plan. well, not going to happen this summer. looking forward to it.

cassidy @ 6

it is miss c's birthday!
she is 6 today....
big attitude in little body, for sure.
here is a snapshot of her at the beginning of her 6th year.

she is full of drama.
favorite color: light blue and light pink
favorite food: macaroni and cheese
favorite
friends: Madison, Kennedy, Ava, Alli
still hates having her hair brushed
loves to be crafty - glue, paint, scrapbook supplies

saturday may 5th

So today we started the morning at the “festival” with an outdoor amphitheater. It warmed up really quick. It was hot waiting out there. But X, C & T were great. T & X did a clogging routine and C did her recital piece.

We left there, went to the ballpark, Xander changing in the back seat.

We got there and we found out that it wasn’t a double elimination tournament, it was single. So if the Astros lost this was going to be their final game. And it was. Xander had a single that scored our 2 runs, but it wasn’t enough. Then his good friend on the other team hit a home run and the score ended up being 6 to 2. Bummer!

Then we went back to the dance studio and dropped Xander off to practice for the finale of the recital coming up. He was the only guy with 30 girls. He seemed a little unsure at first, but when he came home he was all excited about it.

We did some grocery shopping, and made dinner and then fed three missionaries at the house.

We left just after they did and went to the Towne Center. They had a huge screen set up and we laid out blankets and watched the Braves game. The kids ran around, we met up with two other of X’s baseball buddies. I like that he has good friends through baseball. They stick together, I just wish they could keep playing together, but they switch up the teams each season.

So we stayed at the park until the game went to rain delay and the Braves were up 12 to 8.

We got home at 11:30. All exhausted and slightly sunburned from spending so much time outside.

It was a good day.

student teaching sum up

it could take pages and pages to write all that i did and learned through my student teaching....but then again, I could probably sum it up pretty quick.

This whole experience has been great. I know where my weaknesses are, and some of the same mistakes I made teaching Pre-K, I made here at the elementary school. But overall, I thought I did okay. It is when you hear other people’s comments of you that you realize that maybe what I did was better than okay. I just do what I think is best, not to impress anyone…so it is good when your actions are acknowledged by others.

Today I went into a Kindergarten classroom for 3 hours. I helped as I saw needed and taught a lesson to small groups of students. Later that afternoon I overheard that K teacher telling another K teacher how great it was to have me in the classroom helping out. She complimented my ability to work with the students, talk to them, etc. She did not know that I was in the hallway. Then she came out of her room and saw me as I was passing. She told me she had just complimented the way I helped in the classroom. Small victories!

Then this afternoon I met with the principal. We called it an interview that really wasn’t an interview…because she does not have any openings at the school and although things change, she doesn’t forsee any for the next school year.

I admit I sat there hoping slightly that she would give me some ray of hope or have another school she had heard of that needed someone. But she said that the whole county was the same way. No job openings. Schools are having to let teachers go, and as a result they are not hiring anyone new, just juggling around what they already have.

She said that I could email my resume and she would consider it if anything did come up…after all the certified teachers were in place, and after all para pros (assistant teachers) that had their certification were in place, and then if she had a para pro opening or a long term substitute need she would give me a call.

I’m afraid that the news is the same for the county I live in too. Gwinnett County is huge, but they are not hiring either.

I’ll take the next steps I need to become a substitute on the county lists…but really I don’t want to be a substitute.

I have to pray for a miracle.

Do you pray? Do believe in prayer? If so…then pray for a miracle.

Anyway, I stayed up tonight to make a gift for my cooperating teacher. It was something I’ve made before, so not hard at all, just had to wait for a few things to dry.

Last day. I might be more nervous about last day than my first day.

I don’t like to make big scenes or have a fuss made over me. But I have a feeling that it is going to be harder to leave than just walking out. I’ve already cleaned out my desk and brought it all home, so I’m not carrying some ridiculous bags or boxes when I leave tomorrow. Just my laptop, purse and lunch bag.

There is my story for now. I’m nervous about how it is all going to work out. But I’m going to have faith that things will work out as they need to, and the way they should. I’m praying for a school that is a good fit for me, and for the kids (cause I can take them to whatever school I get hired at), and that I’ll be in the right place for the students that come through my classroom.

my last day...

The day was hysterical. I think I laughed 90% of the time. The kids begged me to stay. Told me that I was ordered to stay. Begged me not to go. Begged me to take them home with me. Told me that my professor had called and said that I failed…so I had to stay. Told me my class wasn’t over until the end of the year, so I had to stay. Told me that Mrs. Griffin (my cooperating teacher) couldn’t do it without me and I had to stay to help her. Even offered my the empty classroom in the Kindergarten hallway and said they would put a sign out in front of the school saying "Students Wanted" 

It was comical. I laughed and laughed. I videoed three performances of  different songs written just for me. Again, with begging included.

I gave my gifts…and they gave me some. A metal bucket with teacher supplies, A&W root beer and Kit Kats. And a stool. Not in the bucket, it’s too big. But a kitchen stool, painted with bright colors. And the seat of the stool was signed by every student in my class, and the other third grade teachers. Many of the teachers I said goodbye to today told me that they hoped there was an opening there at their school so I could come back. (They don’t know what the principal told me yesterday.)

Overall, great great day!

Gonna get started on emailing principals and signing up to substitute. Doing everything I can do, and the Lord with help with the rest. I must have faith.

iscrapbook

Yes, it is true. But I have not gotten as many layouts done in the last little while. Digital files need to be sorted through and printed. I have needed to organize what I’ve already done.

So tonight I had some time (ha ha ha, really it was time I should have been doing something that would help me prepare for my upcoming student teaching, but it is Sunday, so we’re going with the “Family History” thing.) Anway, I took the time to pull out all the layouts I have ever done. 1/8 of them are in page protectors, the rest have been waiting for a home. Well, I finally decided on what kind of album I’m going to use – black 12x12 3-ring binders. I feel better having finally made that decision. I got one for Christmas and was feeling excited to start filling it up. But I didn’t know what I wanted in that one. So I started to organize my layouts. In typical “Sarah is organizing” fashion, I sat on the living room floor and spread the layouts into piles all around me. When I was done I consulted with Todd about how I wanted to get them into the album(s). I wanted to begin with the end in mind. So, what am I going to do in 15 years? Send the albums with the kids? Be 50 and sitting at home going through them myself? Well, I think I have this figured out too now. I will put the layouts in the albums chronologically. I’ll mix pages that are Xander’s  or Cassidy’s with family pages. And I’ll continue to make mini-books, as a way of fueling my creativity and to highlight special events or special pictures. Then, in 15 years, the kids may take some of the layouts and have a biography of sorts, or they may not care or put as much thought into as I do and they’ll just let the books be buried with me. Not that I’m saying I’m going to die at 50…Oh anyway, I feel better now that I’ve sorted that out in my head. We can all sleep peacefully tonight.

money, money, money...

You know the song from “mama mia”? the one when she sings about not having money? Sure, that could be my song.

There always seems to be something that needs to be fixed, bought, paid for…so my worthy, do my heart good purchases keep getting pushed back. Waaayyy back!

But tonight, I was proud of myself! Now first, let me say, I am not a coupon-er. I have not had the time for it. I haven’t even tried to figure out how to play that game.

However, with Todd’s help we download coupons onto our grocery store card, collect the few that come in the mail and even hold onto the ones that come with the receipts from previous trips to the store.

And tonight we saved $75.00! That is the most I’ve saved in one trip and I am super excited about it.

Will it get me my new couches or hard wood floor? Nope, but it sure felt good anyway.

coming to an end

this week has gone by in a blur. kids back in school, taking down christmas, prioritizing what needs to be done before my free time is gone.
i have one more week at home, and then i'll be part of the work force again. well, technically i'll be in the work force, but not getting paid. not yet anyway. i'm finally beginning my student teaching to complete my master's degree. i begin on january 17th and will continue until mid april. i have been placed in a third grade classroom. i met my cooperating teacher and briefly her class. in all her 13 years of teaching this is her best class yet. after some of my recent pre-k classes i'm very happy to be training in a well-behaved, respectful class. in addition, i have heard amazing compliments for the cooperating teacher i'll be learning from. if i'm going to become a teacher, then i want to be a teacher that students want to come back to and that parents request for their other children. i want to have a classroom that runs well with routines and schedules. organized and well-maintained. make no mistake about it, i am nervous and anxious. maybe about the amount of paperwork i have to do along with the lesson plans.
crossing my fingers!

it's quiet around here

Everyone is gone. Todd is back to work. The kids are back to school.

I admit it. I took a nap. I had to. I didn’t sleep well last night and it was so quiet…it did me in.

It was so cold today. Coldest day in a year…? That’s what they said on the weather report.

Oh, and I started taking down Christmas.
Here they come…the winter blues.

things i love...

a friend's email prompted me to start thinking about some of my favorite things...
so i thought i'd put a few down. some seem to be seasonally related, as we just went through the holidays.

drinking vanilla coke through a straw * laying in a hammock outside on a warm sunny day * cuddling with my kids * warm socks and slippers * getting something accomplished and crossed off a list * calendars & planners * getting christmas cards * scrapbooking for me and vainly, getting recognized for the scrapbooking i do for others * hot chocolate * summer & 4th of july * bread bowls * reading * a clean house * being loved

it's a new year

and i'm thinking about TIME
as i sat in church on sunday morning, after staying up late to toast the new year with the husband, sister and kiddos... and feleling just a wee bit sleepy, i couldn't help but feel that i was in the right place, a great place to start off the new year.
several talks were given this morning, but one in particular was just what i needed to hear. the speaker devoted her talk to TIME and how quickly TIME is moving, with the craziness of schedules filled with activities and technology that speeds everything up for us.
but we need to find TIME to do those activities that are good. we need to find TIME to serve. we need to find TIME to better ourselves.
so my goal for this new year is to work on TIME...
for my blogs
for children
for myself
for exercise
for cleaning and decluttering
for reading scriptures
for keeping in touch with family

some of these seem to echo years past, and it maybe something that i am always working on, as we know, TIME is always moving, always changing.

happy new year!

december daily #25

christmas day!
it is finally here! we've been counting down, keeping busy and enjoying the season!
todd, rachel and i got to bed kind of late...later than i was thinking i would. but we still beat santa.
xander came into my room and woke me at 2:30am and said that he heard santa land on the roof and open the bottle of coke we left for him.
i convinced him that he could wait til the morning to go downstairs and off he went to bed.
cassidy woke up at 3:00 and went to todd, told him that her covers had come off her bed.
so it was a restless evening.

we had to wake the kids at 7:30 because we had church at 9:00. we woke, we met at the top of the stairs, and we filed into the living room....

here is a list of the gifts received....

the day was good, lazy and full of food and music. summer sausage, cheese, monkey bread and fruit pizza for breakfast YUM!

xander was worried for a bit, as there were no presents from santa under the tree for him. instead he found an envelope in the tree that had both his name and cassidy's name on it.
inside was a word puzzle. "cross out all the letters in the word SNOW. you'll find your next clue at the place named with the letters that are left." so the first clue sent them to the fridge, then to the garage, the stairs, the laundry room and finally santa's bag. inside the bag cassidy found a present and xander found 3 presents bundled together. i think they also found a little bit of relief!
cassidy's present - an MP3 player. xander's presents - a Nintendo 3DS and 2 games.

we went over to g&p's house for dinner. the food was restaurant amazing! seriously couldn't have been any better if we had gone to a restaurant. and then we played a rousing game of christmas bingo, thanks to courtney. so funny. followed by yummy gut busting deserts and a few attempts at “just dance kids”…gummy bear was the best one!

 coming down the stairs

 always amazes me!

after church, before changing back into PJ's

 found in Santa's bag

the mess left behind

we are Longhorns

 christmas bingo

december daily #20

a funny tonight... rachel asked cassidy if she knew how to spell christmas. cassidy responded with "c-a-s-s-i-d-y". ha ha ha!

it was a great night. the kids danced at lake lanier's magical nights of lights. i couldn't stop smiling watching them. they were amazing.
it is so impressive to watch them. they may not be the best dancers or bound for broadway, but they love to dance and it shows!

december daily #16

tonight was the ward Christmas party. Sad…I didn’t take any pictures. But one someone was set up with a camera for Santa pictures, and got one of Cassidy. I don’t think Xaner even knew he was there, he just spent the whole night running around. Yes, that was my crazy, loud, hooligan running through the halls…sorry!

december daily #13

A new friend in my ward is currently living at lake lanier. She had a pass to get into the Magical Nights of Lights and gave it to us to use. We went and saw the lights tonight. It is an impressive light show, and more impressive is the work that must go into setting it all up, but not for the price. So we were very grateful that we could see it for free. After driving through the lights we went over to their house. The kids made gingerbread houses. They had a great time getting all sugared up, but they were entertained enough that “the adults” were able to talk and enjoy ourselves too.

december daily #10

Tonight was the Christmas party at All Stars. We had a good time. Although slightly crowded the kids enjoyed dancing and doing tricks. And much to my surprise Todd agreed to sing karaoke…he chose “White Christmas”. Cassidy sang with him. Totally blew me away, I would have thought he would have “declined” the offer, profusely. But he gave in pretty quickly when Mr. Alex asked. Too bad he doesn’t sing more often.

december daily #9

We let the kids sleep under the Christmas tree tonight.

december daily #6

We had a few presents ready… we had books printed with pictures from our trip to Disney and plan on giving them to Courtney, Shaun, & Chad. So we started wrapping those tonight.

december daily #5

for FHE tonight we talked about the symbols of Christmas. I found a great introduction to Jesus and Christmas, …at latter-dayhomeschooling.com

"Pretty soon we might have a special guest visit our house. You never know! I'm going to give some clues that describe this person and you guess who it is." The clues included:

• he sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good.
• he has a beard and a kind face
• he spent his life giving to others
• he's often pictured in red and/or white clothes
• he loves little children
• he gives the very best gifts
• you can never see him, but you can feel him
• he gives us a wonderful, special warm feeling
• he can get into our homes even if the doors are locked
• he has special, wonderful powers
• we want to give gifts back to him, but he doesn't need anything we could buy; he just wants us to give to other people. (My kids have been talking about giving a present to Santa.)
• I ended with, "He encourages us to be good so we will be ready when he comes."

do you know what they guessed? do you know how surprised they were when I told them I was talking about Jesus and showed them this picture?

we talked about how candy canes, wreaths and trees had other meanings, not just decorations for the holiday. it was eye opening for them.

we followed up the lesson with snowman ice cream sundaes.

december daily #12

tonight we watched a dvd about Christ's birth put out by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After having children of my own I am more in awe of Mary and the thought of holding a little baby, knowing what she knew, and yet just wanting to hold her baby as a mother. i don’t know that I said that right, but it makes me stop and think. as I talked about it with the kids tonight of course i teared up. they got worried because i was having a hard time keeping my voice even.
when were done we attempted a gingerbread nativity. xander and i had a fun time trying to figure out how to make the people. his star was the crowning glory though!