Learning As I Go, My Experiences in Teaching & Life

Baby Barrett 22 Weeks

2012-01-23T18:11:00.000-08:00

How Far Along: 22 Weeks

Size of the baby: Baby Barrett is now the size of a papaya, approx..8 inches long & approx 1.2lbs.

Total Weight Gain/loss: I have gained 6lbs (as of my last doctors appointment, I don't really want to get on the scale at home) and as you can see from the picture there is definitely a little bump there now =) It is growing everyday. I swear when I wake up the morning it has grown overnight.

Maternity Clothes: I can still wear some of my longer shirts, but all of my pants are now maternity or stretchy yoga pants. I am still totally in LOVE with leggings and sweaters.

Gender: SURPRISE!! We are not going to find out till Baby Barrett arrives in May! We have lots of guessing going on in the family, right now we are pretty split.

Movement: Definitely have been feeling movement. Baby B is moving all day long now. It is such an amazing feeling to feel baby flipping and kicking all day long. My mom & sister were able to feel Baby B move yesterday which was so fun to share.

Sleep: Sleeping okay. I am really not normally a side sleeper. I have always slept on my stomach so I am still trying hard to get used to my new sleeping position. I am thinking I may need to invest in a body pillow.

What I miss: Not having smells literally have me running for the bathroom.

Cravings: Ummm... Let's see this week I have had a major sweet tooth. Ice cream and hot chocolate in particular =)

Symptoms: Nothing new this week. I have been able to keep the heartburn under control with TUMS as needed. A friend recently introduced me to the smoothie flavored TUMS and they are much better than the traditional chalky version. Although my husband and I were lucky enough to catch the stomach flu this week which was a lovely added bonus.

Best moment this week: Laying on the couch with hubs feeling the baby move and hearing hubs say "I love our baby so much!" I about cried right then and there.

Baby Barrett 21 Weeks

2012-01-15T10:58:00.000-08:00

How Far Along: 21 Weeks

Size of the baby: Baby Barrett is now the size of a spaghetti squash, approx..8 inches long &approx 1lb.

Maternity Clothes: I can still wear some of my longer shirts, but all of my pants are now maternity or stretchy yoga pants. I am still totally in LOVE with leggings and sweaters. I started back to work on Monday so I will be stretching my wardrobe to make sure I can still look professional. I have two pairs of maternity work skirts and my maternity pencil skirt so I will be rotating them out and seeing how many outfits I can make!

Gender: SURPRISE!! We are not going to find out till Baby Barrett arrives in May!

Movement: Definitely have been feeling movement. Baby B is moving all day long now. It is such an amazing feeling to feel baby flipping and kicking all day long.

Sleep: Sleeping okay. I am really not normally a side sleeper. I have always slept on my stomach so I am still trying hard to get used to my new sleeping position.

What I miss: Not having smells literally have me running for the bathroom.

Cravings: Ummm... nothing too much this week. Although I went to dinner with one of my best friends this week and I picked the restaurant that had Italian Sodas because it sounded really good =)

Symptoms: The new one that struck the other night was the most awful leg cramp I have ever had. What a way to wake up in the middle of the night. I have been able to keep the heartburn under control with TUMS as needed. A friend recently introduced me to the smoothie flavored TUMS and they are much better than the traditional chalky version.

Best moment this week: Seeing the finished crib and changing table in Baby B's room. I almost cried because it made it that much more real, we are really going to have a baby before we know it! Hubs has been working hard on refinishing and antiquing hand me down items for the room, the crib was my nieces and the changing table was actually mine when I was a baby, Pictures to come soon.) I am actually running out the door now to go shopping for bedding with my mom, I am so excited!

Baby Barrett, 20 Weeks

2012-01-07T15:44:00.000-08:00

I couldn't decide on a photo for this week. So here are all three. Cabella, our yellow lab decided she needed to be in the photo this week too =)

How Far Along: 20 Weeks

Size of the baby: Baby Barrett is now the size of a small cantaloupe, approx..6.5 inches long &approx 10oz.

Total Weight Gain/loss: I have gained 6lbs and as you can see from the picture there is definitely a little bump there now =) It is growing everyday. I swear when I wake up the morning it has grown overnight.

Maternity Clothes: I can still wear some of my longer shirts, but all of my pants are now maternity or stretchy yoga pants. I am still totally in LOVE with leggings and sweaters. I start back to work on Monday so I will be stretching my wardrobe to make sure I can still look professional. I found the most adorable maternity pencil skirt yesterday at the mall which I am very excited about!

Gender: SURPRISE!! We are not going to find out till Baby Barrett arrives in May! It's amazing the flack we have been receiving about this but I know what I want so I am just letting it go =)

Movement: Definitely have been feeling movement. Especially at night, I think we may have a night owl on our hands. It is the craziest and most amazing feeling in the world. Last night was my nieces 4th birthday and the baby was moving all around with the sound of the other little kiddos ringing through the house.

Sleep: Sleeping okay. I am really not normally a side sleeper. I have always slept on my stomach so I am still trying hard to get used to my new sleeping position.

What I miss: Not having smells literally have me running for the bathroom.

Cravings: Ummm... soy! I am loving soy lattes, decaf of course. I bought soy milk today at the store so I am hoping that I can use it as a creamer in my coffee and it will be almost as good (we don't have a coffee shop in our little town).

Symptoms: Really no new symptoms this week. I have been able to keep the heartburn under control with TUMS as needed. A friend recently introduced me to the smoothie flavored TUMS and they are much better than the traditional chalky version.

Best moment this week: Getting the see Baby Barrett again at our 20 week ultrasound. It is so incredible to watch our little peanut move around on the big screen. And we got some gorgeous keepsake photos! It was also really special to be able to share this moment with both of our moms (the grandmas to be).

Our little one's feet, crossed at the ankles =)

Face & one hand up by the face

Monterey

2012-01-06T21:49:00.000-08:00

The hubs and I have been trying to plan a trip back to Monterey ever since the night we got engaged there. You can read that story here, if you haven't already. Well finally this week we were able to escape back to Monterey for a nice week long vacation. Our friends and their 3 kiddos joined us on the trip and it was such a great vacation, we decided we need to make it a yearly tradition. One of the hubs rice growers owns a home in Pacific Grove and he was kind enough to let us use his home for the week. It was beautiful, one street back from the Ocean and in a great central location between Monterey and Caramel.

Our beautiful view for the week!

The guys had the opportunity to play both Poppy Hills & Spanish Bay, both of which they said were incredible courses. Since they golfed twice the guys decided that we (Betsy & I) deserved a little treat. We both got 80 minute facials at the Spa at Pebble Beach. Let me tell you. I have never felt more spoiled in my whole life. The whole experience was like a dream. And I swear my face is still glowing. After a luxirious day at the spa we all went and watched the sunset at The Inn at Spanish Bay while watching the bagpiper come up the course. If you are ever in Caramel, this is a MUST SEE!

The Bagpiper coming over the hill

My beautiful cousin and her boyfriend, who joined us for a drink at sunset.

We were also able to to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium & Dennis the Menace Park! So much fun!

It was a wonderful vacation! One I will not soon forget and hopefully we will be able to go again next year.

Baby Barrett

2012-01-01T13:23:00.000-08:00

How Far Along: 19 Weeks

Size of the baby: Baby Barrett is now the size of a mango, approx..6.5 inches long &approx 10oz.

Total Weight Gain/loss: I have gained 5lbs and as you can see from the picture there is definitely a little bump there now =) It is growing everyday. I swear when I wake up the morning it has grown overnight.

Maternity Clothes: I gave up on using the bellyband and put on my first pair of maternity jeans and let me tell you, they are comfortable!!! However, I am still totally in LOVE with leggings and sweaters.

Gender: SURPRISE!! We are not going to find out till Baby Barrett arrives in May! It's amazing the flack we have been receiving about this but I know what I want so I am just letting it go =)

Movement: Definitely have been feeling some movement. Especially at night, I think we may have a night owl on our hands. It is the craziest and most amazing feeling in the world. Yesterday our little peanut moved all day long!

Sleep: Sleeping okay. I am really not normally a side sleeper. I have always slept on my stomach so I am trying hard to get used to my new sleeping position.

What I miss: Not having smells literally have me running for the bathroom.

Cravings: Ummm... nothing in particular this week. Although I have noticed it's much harder to watch cooking shows lately because I want to make and eat everything they make.

Symptoms: Really no new symptoms this week. I have been able to get the heartburn under control with a few TUMS as needed.

Best moment this week: Laying in bed with hubs while we both laughed and smiled with complete and utter joy as we felt baby Barrett move around.

New Year, New You =)

2011-12-30T14:30:00.000-08:00

As I was browsing around on my computer today, I came across a blog with the following article and I knew I just had to repost on my own blog.

Even though the 30 items below are all things we think we know, I know they are things I catch myself doing all the time. And as I grow older I realize more and more that is is so much more important to be happy with yourself than to focus on making others happy. In 2012 my resolution is to focus on avoiding the 30 things below because I really think it will help me to become a better person and most important a better soon to be mom =)

30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself

Article written by Marc at Marcandangel.com

When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.

As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Nothing could be closer to the truth. But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you. You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot. Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth. And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
2. Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on. No, it won’t be easy. There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them. We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems. That’s not how we’re made. In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall. Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time. This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
3. Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself. Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves. Read The Road Less Traveled .
4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too. Yes, help others; but help yourself too. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
5. Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you likeeveryone else. Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you. Don’t change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
6. Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.
7. Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing. Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success. You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
8. Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us. We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future. Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
9. Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive. But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
10. Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either. You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else. Read Stumbling on Happiness .
11. Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place. Evaluate situations and take decisive action. You cannot change what you refuse to confront. Making progress involves risk. Period! You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
12. Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises. Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely. It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company. There’s no need to rush. If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
14. Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet. Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you. But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
15. Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others doing better than you. Concentrate on beating your own records every day. Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.
16. Stop being jealous of others. – Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own. Ask yourself this: “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”
17. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you. You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough. But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past. You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation. So smile! Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
18. Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart. You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate. Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.” It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.” Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself! And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too. If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.
19. Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
20. Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway. Just do what you know in your heart is right.
21. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break.– The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting. Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
22. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things. The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.
23. Stop trying to make things perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done. Read Getting Things Done .
24. Stop following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile. Don’t take the easy way out. Do something extraordinary.
25. Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. – It’s okay to fall apart for a little while. You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well. You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears. The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
26. Stop blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life. When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
27. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. – Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out. But making one person smile CAN change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world. So narrow your focus.
28. Stop worrying so much. – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy. One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time? Three years? Five years?” If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
29. Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen. Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story. If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
30. Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs. Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

CREDIT: Full article written by Marc at Marcandangel.com HERE

Photo by Rob Brucker

Baby Barrett

2011-12-27T09:49:00.000-08:00

How Far Along: 18 Weeks

Size of the baby: Baby Barrett is now the size of a mango, approx..6 inches long &approx .5lbs.

Total Weight Gain/loss: I have gained 5lbs and as you can see from the picture there is definitely a little bump there now =)

Maternity Clothes: I can still fit in most of my regular clothes, aside from the fact that my jeans will no longer button. I finally went and bought a belly band from Target and let me tell you, that is a lifesaver. I have been wearing most of my maternity tops now because they are a little longer in the front to accommodate the growing baby belly. Also I am totally in LOVE with leggings and sweaters, much comfier than tight jeans.

Gender: SURPRISE!! We are not going to find out till Baby Barrett arrives in May!

Movement: Definitely have been feeling some little flutters. Especially at night, I think we may have a night owl on our hands. It is the craziest and most amazing feeling in the world.

Sleep: Sleeping okay. I am really not normally a side sleeper. I have always slept on my stomach so I am trying hard to get used to my new sleeping position.

What I miss: Not having smells literally have me running for the bathroom.

Cravings: My latest craving has been salami. Hubs made me the most delicious sandwich on Christmas Eve and I have had one everyday since then =).

Symptoms: There's a new one this week, HEARTBURN. Something I have never experienced before and let me tell you it is not a pleasant symptom, but it is better than the morning sickness.

Best moment this week: Showing off the baby bump at Christmas Eve and Christmas Dinner, also Baby Barrett received some adorable presents, which was quite touching!

Baby Barrett

2011-12-19T10:39:00.000-08:00

Please excuse the bad photo, I had to take one today before I got even further off track

How Far Along: 17 weeks 2 Days ( I missed a week getting ready for the last few days of school before Christmas break.)

Size of the baby: Baby Barrett is now the size of a sweet potato, approx.. 5.5in long & 5 oz.

Total Weight Gain/loss: I have gained almost 3lbs. According to my books I should have gained around 5 so I'm almost there.

Gender: SURPRISE!! We are not going to find out till Baby Barrett arrives in May!

Movement: Definitely have been feeling some little flutters. Especially after eating. It is the craziest and most amazing feeling in the world.

Sleep: Sleeping pretty good, between my multiple nightly bathroom breaks. Except for this annoying cold that I managed to get =(

What I miss: Not having smells literally have me running for the bathroom.

Cravings: Let's see, last week I made pancakes at 8:00 at night and yesterday I just had to make an egg salad sandwich.

Symptoms: Some dizziness when I've been standing for too long, but nothing severe.

Best moment this week: Last night Brian was able to feel the baby move for the first time, it was such an incredible experience to share with him.

Baby Barrett

2011-12-05T16:34:00.001-08:00

Brian & I are thrilled to announce that we are expecting our 1st baby this May. We decided shortly after getting married that we were ready to start a family. It took a little longer than we had expected to get pregnant but as things always seem to go the timing couldn't be more perfect. The official due date is May 26th, which almost allows me to finish the whole school year with my wonderful 1st graders. And I am secretly hoping Baby Barrett will be 4 days late because I think that would be the most amazing birthday present. Pregnancy has definitely taken a toll on my emotionally and physically (I am part of the lucky group, who has "morning sickness" all day long). Luckily now that we have officially finished the 1st trimester, it is getting better, but much to my frustration it is not gone. But I know it will all be worth it in the end!

So I stole this adorable idea from Emily @ One Day at a Time:

How Far Along: 15 weeks 2 Days

Size of the baby: Baby Barrett is now the size of an avocado, he/she is approx.. 4 to 5 inches and weighs approx.. 3 to 5 oz!

Total Weight Gain/loss: I have gained almost 3lbs. According to my books I should have gained around 5 so I'm almost there. It's been a struggle with the "Morning" sickness.

Maternity Clothes: I can still fit in most of my regular clothes, aside from the fact that my jeans will no longer button. But I did buy a couple tops from Gap the other day to accommodate my growing belly.

Gender: SURPRISE!! We are not going to find out till Baby Barrett arrives in May!

Movement: They say with the 1st pregnancy you most likely won't feel anything for 16 to 18 weeks but I swear I felt a little flutter last night.

Sleep: Sleeping pretty good, between my multiple nightly bathroom breaks.

What I miss: Not feeling nauseous and not having smells literally have me running for the bathroom.

Cravings: Little Cuties (the baby oranges) I can eat like 5 in a day.

Symptoms: Nausea

Best moment this week: Pouring over baby rooms with the hubs on pinterest and cleaning the room out so we can get started on decorating. Also I have a Doctor's appointment on Thursday where I will get the hear the heartbeat again, which is always amazing!

Still Laughing

2011-09-19T18:44:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness I know I don't have to tell any of you this but I have NO free time. I don't know how I have so much to do but I sure do. But I LOVE my class, I LOVE my kids and I feel lucky everyday to be able to go do a job I love. We started our reading intervention workshop today and now we have any less time in our day so it's going to be a struggle to fit it all in but we are doing our best! I found this on pintrest and I just had to share because I was literally laughing out loud.

How are all of you doing? Are you enjoying your classes?

Complete and Utter

2011-08-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

EXHAUSTION!
That pretty much sums up in one word how I am feeling right now. But I am loving every single moment of it.
My class is wonderful. I love my kiddos and we are learning so much together.
We had Back to School Night tonight and I had a 78% success rate. I was absolutely terrified going into it (did I have enough to say, what if the parents were bored, etc, etc) but it went wonderfully and if anything I talked to much. Next year I am definitely cutting down my powerpoint.
How are your 1st couple weeks of school going?

Top Ten Reasons You Know It's Back to School

2011-08-19T21:08:00.000-07:00

Ha ha ha, I am still laughing from this adorable video from Tunstall's Teaching Tidibts , just had to share: I also joined her Top Ten Reasons You Know It's Back to School, check it out and link up (BTW her blog is amazing):
1. I set my alarm for 5:30 instead of 8:00 so I make sure I can make it to school by 7:30am, NO more sleeping in =(
2. My wallet is stuffed to the gills with recipets totaling absorbant amounts of money spent at Target, Walmart and Dollar Tree.
3. I can no longer mindlessly watch tv at night I now have something to cut out, something to hole punch, something to sort, something to put together, etc.
4. I have pinned more ideas than I could possibly get to in a school year on pinterest and I keep finding new ones everyday.
5. I have post it note lists covering my entire planner, desk and everything else, which frequently get lost and rewritten.
6. My shorts and flip flops have slowly found their way to the bottom of my dresser drawers.
7. I always plan to leave school by 4:30 but I always end up staring up at the clock pushing the time back in 5 minute increments until it's at least 5:30 and I have to force myself out the door.
8. My weekly trips to Target no longer perusing the clothing section but searching the dollar bins for anything and everything school related.
9. My cute bracelets and bangles have been replaced by my trusty watch.
10. My voice sounds scratchy and I know I won't have one by the end of next week.
11. Also my hands are incredibly dry from the amount of sanitizer I put on everyday.
What are your top 10?

Mrs. Barrett's 1st Grade

2011-08-16T21:07:00.000-07:00

WOW! I do not even know where to begin. I had originally planned on doing a final room reveal before class started on Monday but unfortunately my camera with the pictures on it, got major water damage (even though it was SUPPOSEDLY waterproof). So school started and the final room reveal never happened. But I must say I am loving my room, here are a few pictures from my phone, I apologize for the quality but you know how it goes with cell phone photos.

I just love my 1st class. They are adorable and so far (the 1st two days of school) we have had a wonderful time. It is such an amazing feeling to know you have a job you love and can't wait to go back to the following day (if you ever go home =)). The 1st day was definitely a little nerve wracking but I had a ball and I think my kiddos did too (they all came back the next day).
This is what was on their desks the 1st day of school:

I adapted it from a Valentine's idea on pinterest.
With tired feet and a hoarse voice, I sign off. Still getting used to the amount of energy you expend in one day =)
How is everyone else enjoying their first week back?

Meet Mr. Spot

2011-08-07T22:32:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about how to put together a classroom mascot for weeks now because I still vividly remember, Swinger, my 2nd grade teachers mascot for our classroom. However, I really couldn't think of exactly how to go about creating such a mascot so you can imagine my excitement when I found this post of Erica's (click here) all about classroom mascots. Erica over at Erica Bohrer's First Grade always has the most wonderful ideas. So in true teacher form, I borrowed alot of Erica's wonderful ideas. And Ladies and gentleman I proudly introduce:

Mr. Spot

Mrs. Barrett’s

1^st Grade

Classroom Mascot

I created a little journal for him which will be going in a binder. I will now we on the hunt for a bag and some books to go along with him. Any ideas on good dalmatian books for 1st grade?

Classroom Set Up Day 3 & 4

2011-08-07T20:21:00.000-07:00

My oh my! I truly had no idea how much work went into getting your classroom ready for the 1st day of school. But if I do say so myself it is turning out perfectly! I still have some work to do but I think it will easily be ready for next Monday, the 1st day of school.
Last time I blogged I asked what to do with all of this empty cabinet space and was given a wonderful suggestion by a fabulous blogger. So I started a bragging spot with a place for each student to hang work they are proud of. I think it turned out beautifully!
My dear mother and grandmother came and helped for quite a few hours this weekend and they were so kind to organize our bookshelf, doesn't it look gorgeous?!?
Now I just have to buy a new rug, make (well actually have my mother's upholstery shop make) a few pillows and our reading corner will be all set. I tried to buy a pre-made rug at Walmart but nothing fit my sizing, so I am thinking I will go to a carpet place tomorrow and pick out a remnant. What do you do for your classroom rugs?
My mom and grandma also helped me start organizing the desks and the students books. It is really all coming together.

Today I also had the help of a very dear friend, who put on nametags and set up pencil boxes. I feel so lucky to have so many people willing to help me.
I may be a little ambitious, but I think I may be able to finish, aside from lesson planning with one more full day in my classroom.
Can't believe in one week. I will be teaching 1st grade with a wonderful group of students and very talented staff!

Classroom Set Up Day 2

2011-08-02T22:34:00.000-07:00

I did not accomplish nearly as much as I had hoped to today, but my classroom is coming along. I had no idea how much prep really went in to setting up a classroom. My sister and I were discussing today we didn't even know if our elementary teachers had bulletins, if any of my teachers are out there I am very sorry for not appreciating all of your hard work, I always remember the rooms were organized and clean.

I almost finished two whole bulletins. I have decided that I will go with a spot or polka dot theme, so this is our morning meeting spot board. It has a calendar, a hundreds chart and a few other items necessary for our morning.

I found the most adorable polka dot labels through pintrest, which linked me a great blog, PreKinders, if you're interested the labels are on her TPT for FREE, that's right FREE. Anyways being that I LOVE polka dots I was so excited to put them in my classroom:
On a side note, I have decided that I will "borrow" the pencil policy of one of the teachers, I did a long term sub job for, each student is responsible for getting 1 sharpened pencil at the beginning of the day. If/when that pencil needs to be sharpened they may hold 3 fingers in the air and wait for me to dismiss them to trade their pencil. What's your policy on pencils?

I also found this great idea on pintrest, students must highlight their name before turning in their paper, to ensure less no name papers. What do you do to avoid no name papers?

I added polka dot fabric to my overhead table in hopes of sprucing it up a bit. What do you think?
This is by far my favorite thing I did today. I just love how it brightens up the whole room and just makes me happy =)
The cabinets behind my desk however need something. Any ideas? I found this stick on calendar and message board at Target, but it needs more...
I won't be in the classroom tomorrow because I need to run some errands before school starts up again. But I'll be back on Thursday so I'll update then =)

Classroom Set Up Day 1

2011-08-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it, today was the day. I was finally able to get into MY classroom, that's right I have my very own classroom.
I can't explain how exciting it was to walk up and see my name on the door!
Upon actually walking through the door though, I was a little lost. The janitors did an amazing job of cleaning the floors, I am pretty sure I could see my reflection in them. But the furniture was all in one giant pile in the middle of the room.
So it took me quite a while to figure out exactly where to begin...

After quite a bit of aimless wandering and some chit chat with the few other teachers on campus today I decided to put my desks in order first, I decided on two U shapes facing the front of the room.
(Please excuse the mess, I am still trying to figure out where to put all the boxes of stuff)
How do you set up your room?
After finishing the desks, I moved on to a few bulletins, I never realized how much work they were to put up. I didn't get nearly as far as I had hoped I would but I am trying to take it one step at a time.

I am pretty excited about this one. I found this adorable polka dot fabric for $7 at Walmart. Then I found the great idea for a telephone script on pintrest. Not quite sure what else is going on this bulletin.
Ideas?
The hardest part was the high bulletins and dear hubs was kind enough to come help after work, isn't he the greatest?!?
I have so much more left to do tomorrow. Thank goodness, my wonderful sister is going to come help for the day. Can't wait to see what I can get done!

Celebrations

2011-08-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, we had the pleasure of attending, not one but two very special events in one day. Saturday afternoon we headed down the Pleasanton to celebrate, my hubs godmother's 100th birthday. That's right 100 years young. She is quite the woman and even at 100 years old she still has her sense of humor. It was so incredible to see and feel the love in the room as we celebrated such a momentous occasion.

The hubs family & I with Aunt Hermina
After the incredible birthday celebration, we headed back home and up to Glenn to celebrate a wedding of one of my hubs, friends. It was a beautiful celebration. They had the wedding in her parent's backyard, which was breathtaking and held all 425 guests! That's right 425?!? And I thought our wedding was big at 225.
We felt so lucky to be able to attend 2 such very special events.
I just love parties, especially weddings, what about you?

Our Anniversary

2011-08-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness, I do not know how I keep letting my blogging fall behind. I have so many fun things to share.
The weekend before last the hubs and I celebrated our 1st Anniversary as a married couple, I do not know where time went. I swear just yesterday, I was walking up the aisle to him to say I do. We went back and forth about what we wanted to do for our Anniversary and when it finally came down to it we decided to head up to his family's cabin in Lake Almanor to be with the fam since our anniversary is also on my father in laws birthday. It was a wonderful weekend full of boating, tanning and hanging out with good friends.

My hubs and a few of our friends!
Sunday, after an early birthday celebration for my father in law
hubs and I headed home for a quiet evening in our backyard
We bbq'd steaks and oysters and enjoyed a wonderful night in our beautiful yard!

Hubs even "did the dishes" or at least his version =).

2 weeks left

2011-07-29T18:08:00.000-07:00

Until school starts and I will officially be a 1st grade teacher. I have dreamed about this day since the day I decided I wanted to become a teacher and now as it gets closer, I am thrilled and excited but also scared and nervous. I have so many things I want to do in my classroom and so much I want to accomplish. I am loving all the new teaching blogs I have found because so many of them are giving me inspiration to make things and do things for my classroom. Also I have become addicted to pinterest, are you pinning?

I have decided on a polka dot theme for my classroom, so I am thinking something like these adorable goodies:

Source: perciousperks.blogspot.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: web.me.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: clutterfreeclassroom.blogspot.com via Amanda on Pinterest

I also used one of our last wedding gift cards to purchase this:

Source: pbteen.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Can you tell I am a little excited to get into my classroom and get started!!!

Graeagle: Baker Family Vacation

2011-07-21T21:17:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember we have always gone on a yearly family vacation with my mom's side of the family! It has always been a trip I look forward to all year long. We have been numerous places but we keep going back to Graeagle, CA. If you have never been it's worth a visit. It is the cutest little town about an hour outside of Truckee up Highway 89.

This year just like every other year was a vacation to remember.
We hung out in our beautiful rental house, cooked meals together, played games

played golf (my hubs and I even found a Par 3 course, I was in heaven, I actually felt like a decent golfer),

laid by the pool,

hiked the creek

Can't wait for next year! (Hopefully my brother and Tricia and Alisa will all be joining us)
I am so blessed to have an amazing family!
And also so blessed to have an amazing husband who enjoys being with my family.
On a side note, our Anniversary is this Sunday, where did time go?!? It seems like just yesterday we were exchanging our vows at the beautiful Ryde Hotel.

Our Backyard (The Man Cave)

2011-07-12T21:13:00.001-07:00

Summer is here! My hubs latest project has been our backyard patio, for those of you who have read my blog before you already know my hubs is the jack of all trades and once he decides on a project you may as well consider it done. For whatever reason my hubs decided that he wanted to stain our patio and so he did, and he did it in under two days. And I must say it turned out pretty fantastic.

Before:

My makeshift outdoor counter =)

After:
I added the pillows tonight =)
This is still a work in progress, we ordered the granite slab for the top today, this was my husbands solution to my makeshift counter =)

And our yard is totally ready, well almost totally I still would like some more flowers in the back and the hubs would like a tv (which I have told him is completely unnecessary, but he begs to differ, so I am sure we will have one soon). He claims that since our house isn't quite big enough for him to have a man cave inside he will turn the outside into a man cave. Next step according to the hubs, a huge overhang so we can be on the patio in all weather.
Open ended Monday Night Football Invite at our house????

Musical Mondays

2011-07-11T21:24:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe it is already July! Where has the first month of summer gone? It sure flew by. I cannot believe that I have only one month left until school starts. I am getting very excited for next year. As of August 1st I can get into my classroom and start putting things together. I have been imagining my own classroom for a couple of years now so I have some pretty high expectations to live up to =)

I was able to enjoy a quiet day at home today getting my house back in order after numerous vacations (not that I am complaining one bit).
Our living room finally back in order, is it weird that I physically feel better when my house is clean? (Also we have been working on the yard, blog coming soon)
We are home until Thursday and then we escape to the adorable mountain town of Graeagle, CA for a long weekend with my mom's family! Golf, Swimming, Fishing & Biking here we come! I can't wait!
Isn't it the cutest little town!
So my song for this week is, Summer of '69, it came on the radio while I was cleaning today and it seemed fitting for this week:

5 Question Friday

2011-07-07T21:32:00.000-07:00

So I haven't done this in forever, but one of my favorite blogs, My Little Life, is totally faithful with her 5 Question Friday, so I decided to get back into the spirit of blogging this would be the perfect post:

1. Do you think cursive writing is overrated? (Schools in Indiana have now voted to take teaching cursive writing out of their curriculum.)

Hmmm... As a student who learned the beautiful art of cursive writing and as an Elementary School teacher every inch of me says no. I can see how people would think it is silly to teach something our students will never use. But on the other hand I cannot see never learning it. Writing is such a basic part of communication I feel like our students still need to learn it.

2. Do you still use a pocket calendar or notepad or do you keep your info on your smart phone?

I don't honestly know if I can live without my phone, okay not really but honestly I keep my entire life on my iphone. My calendar, my notes, my everything...

3. What 3 things would you save if your house was burning down? (family & pets are already safe)

Our box of wedding photos, our photographer took some of the most amazing photographs I have ever seen and I can't wait for our children to see them one day.

My wedding ring, I cherish my ring so so much!

My computer, it holds all of our photos from the day I met my husband to now

4. Country Mouse or City Mouse, err Person?

Well a couple of years ago I would have told you I was a total city person but after moving to the country with my hubby. I know have to say I love the country and I am not sure I could move back to the city...

5. If you could pick ANY reality show to go on, which would you pick?

Well I know hands down my hubs would say Survivor he is dying to be on that show. But me, I think I would like to go on Fear Factor, if it was still on the air, simply because it only lasts one day and it's over =)

I am officially a bear

2011-07-07T21:17:00.000-07:00

Let me clarify, I am not just any bear, I am a Pierce Bear, as in Arbuckle Elementary Schools mascot, well I am not actually the mascot but I am officially a contracted full time 1st grade teacher beginning in August! Yay! I am officially a teacher. And not only a teacher but a teacher at the adorable, wonderful elementary school right here in the community where we live! I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am for my 1st year as a teacher. I have been finding a ton of wonderful blogs about teaching and I cannot wait to steal some of their wonderful ideas.

Katie Lynn's Graduation

2011-06-26T21:58:00.000-07:00

I cannot even believe how quickly time flies! How is it already the end of June!?! When did that happen? This summer has been so incredible already and there is still so much more to come. My beautiful little sister graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a Masters in Biomedical Engineering with an emphasis in stem cell research. Impressive right? (My sister is a genius =). And did I mention she's also beautiful!
Since my sister was graduating the whole family decided to turn it into a vacation, we rented one of the most incredible homes I have ever seen in San Luis Obispo. The home was built by a family on their 650 acres just outside of San Luis Obispo. On vrbo it is appropriately named Sky House because when you are inside the house it literally feels like you are living in the sky, if you're ever looking for a home in SLO for vaca I would highly recommend it!
One of the many incredible views!
The incredible infinity edge pool

Oh how I have missed thee...

2011-04-14T22:19:00.000-07:00

OMG! I have so many things to blog about and so much to say. But things have been CRAZY ever since I started teaching full time, one of these days I swear there will be more time in the day or something...
But tomorrow is the final wake up before Spring Break. So I will have a full week to catch up on life!
But I had to give a quick shout out to Ashley @ The Shine Project, if you have not checked out her blog you MUST do so. I just receieved my beautiful necklace and I LOVE it! She makes these LOVELY necklaces, she'll even include special dates or names if you would like, mine has 7.24.10 (my anniversary). And the profits go directly to inner city school children.
Go check it out and read all about it.
Hope all is well! Can't wait to tell you about my life & catch up with all my blogs!
Happy Friday!

Family

2011-02-21T15:51:00.000-08:00

Not only was today a holiday, so I got to have a three day weekend! Today was extra special because I got to talk to two of my favorite people in the ENTIRE world! My sister and my brother! My sister is living in San Diego right now doing an internship in stem cell research and my brother is living in Finland, studying abroad until May. They are two incredible people and I am so lucky to be able to call them my family! It made me so happy to be able to chat with them today! I miss them both so much but no matter how long we go without talking we can always start right were we left off.
Happy Girl, that's me =)

Thought I would leave you all with one of my favorite quotes: Hope you're all having a wonderful Monday!

So What Wednesday...

2011-02-09T19:37:00.001-08:00

So following suit and linking up with Life After I Dew I decided on join in on So What Wednesday..

So What if I drink my morning cup of coffee all day long and I actually think I may enjoy it more when it's ice cold at the end of the day.

So What if I fell asleep at 7:30 on my couch last night and still had a hard time getting up this morning for work.

So What if I have papers to grade and I am writing this blog instead.

So What if some nights I'd rather have a bowl of cereal than make anything substantial for dinner.

So What if I have set the dryer to wrinkle release the same load of clothes 3 times now and have yet to fold them.

What are you saying SO WHAT to?

SO WHAT WEDNESDAY!

Neighborly Love

2011-02-09T19:22:00.001-08:00

Yesterday in our we had a terrible wind storm and unfortunately it damaged our neighbors fence. It broke off the post and left half her fence laying broken on the ground.
As luck would have it her husband happens to be out of town this week and she was unable to move the broken fence piece on her own. So she came to our house and my husband and I were happy to help her.

Between the three of us we were able to move the broken fence piece into her yard and fence off her yard with chicken wire to avoid any animals getting into her yard, given that her pool is unfenced. Of course we were more than happy to help her and did it purely because we feel so blessed to live in our wonderful little community, but tonight she showed up at our door with hot banana bread and it is to die for!

We are so lucky to have such wonderful neighbors!
What about you? Do you have great neighbors?

A Woman's World

2011-02-06T20:38:00.000-08:00

As I was purusing blogs I follow, I came across this email on Kelly's blog @ Kelly's Avenue, it was too funny not to share!
In the world of romance, one single rule applies:

Make the woman happy.

Do something she likes, and you get points.

Do something she dislikes, and points are subtracted.

You don't get any points for doing something she expects.

Sorry, that's the way the system is set up.

Here is a guide to the point system:

SIMPLE DUTIES

You make the bed. (+1)

You make the bed but forget the decorative pillow. (0)

You throw the bedspread over rumpled sheets. (-1)

You go out to buy her what she wants. (+5)

In the rain. (+8)

But return with Beer. (-5)

You check out a suspicious noise at night. (+1

You check out a suspicious noise, and it is nothing. (0)

You check out a suspicious noise and it is something. (+5)

You pummel it with rocks. (+10)

It's her pet. (-20)

SOCIAL ENGAGEMENTS

You stay by her side the entire party. (0)

You stay with her a while, then leave to chat with a college buddy.(-2)

Named Tina. (-10)

Tina is a dancer. (-20)

Tina has silicone implants. (-80)

HER BIRTHDAY

You take her out to dinner. (+2)

You have a coupon for the meal (-2)

You take her out to dinner, and it's not a sports bar. (+3)

Okay, it's a sports bar. (-2)

And it's all-you-can-eat night. (-3)

It's a sports bar, it's all-you-can-eat night, and your face is painted the colors of your favorite team. (-10)

A NIGHT OUT

You take her to a movie. (+1)

You take her to a movie she likes. (+3)

You take her to a movie you hate. (+6)

You take her to a movie you like. (-2)

It's called 'Death Cop.' (-3)

You lied and said it was a foreign film about orphans or animals (-15)

YOUR PHYSIQUE

You develop a noticeable potbelly. (-15)

You have developed a noticeable potbelly & exercise regularly.(+10)

You have developed potbelly & start wearing baggy jeans and loose

Hawaiian shirts (-30)

You say, "It doesn't matter; You have one too."(-1000)

VALENTINE'S DAY

Give her chocolate (+10)

Give her money (+100)

Give her diamonds (+1000)

Give her fake diamonds (-1000)

Give her Victoria Secret Panties or a padded bra (-2000)

THE BIG QUESTION

She asks, "Do I look fat?" (-5) [Answer "Yes", you lose points no matter what]

You hesitate in responding. (-10)

You reply, "Where?" (-35)

Any other response. (-20)

COMMUNICATION

When she wants to talk about a problem: You listen, displaying what looks like a concerned expression.(0)

You listen and tell her how to fix the problem (-50)

You listen, for over 30 minutes. (+50)

You listen for more than 30 minutes without looking at the TV.(+500)

She realizes this is because you have fallen asleep. (-1000)

Good luck, guys!

The Happiness Project: Chapter One

2011-01-31T21:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Chapter One - blog post!
Better late than never right, sorry for the delayed post, I have been a little busy the last couple of days with my new long term teaching job.

(copy and paste for your page)

This week I would like for us to reflect on how we can accomplished these tasks for ourselves:

How can you sleep better?
Sleeping better was a big part of Rubin's 1st chapter and I have to say it rings true in my life as well. I have been working really hard on sleeping better to increase my own energy and productivity. My methods for sleeping better include going to bed early regardless of whether or not I am tired. Sounds easy right? Wrong it is so hard, I have become quite the night owl and I do not like going to bed early but I do love being able to wake up in the morning not feeling like a I need toothpicks to hold up my heavy eye lids.

What can you do to improve your workout routine?
Workout, what is that? No just kidding! But really I have been a total slacker about working out lately. I was getting back on track for running and then I came down with a cold and have not found the motivation to get back into it. But what I need to do to improve my workout routine is to have a schedule. I have decided that I will wake up early on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and workout for a minimum of 20 minutes before getting ready for work. As Rudin explains "even a quick ten minute walk provides an immediate energy boost and improves mood - in fact exercise is an effective way to snap out of a funk."
Wish me luck =)

How can you get organized in your life?
Taking some advice from Rudin I started in my closet and begin organizing every part of my house. I know this sounds quite crazy but opening my kitchen cabinets and seeing organiztion has made me happy =). I have also begun trying to pick up after myself as Rubin says "Do it now! Don't postpone any task that could be done in less than one minute." And as silly as it sounds this one rule has been so helpful to me in organizing my life.

What is a nagging task that you need to complete?

(Post it, and tell us a goal for when it will be completed.)
Hmmm...when reading the book I thought it would be easy to come up with a nagging task but I think because it is a nagging task I have filed it away in the back of my mind in order to forget it exists. One nagging task I need to complete is organizing our home office, complete with filing system, pictures and scrap-booking supplies, realistically it probably won't get down until this summer when school gets out.

How can we get our energy levels up?
Energy levels...my energy levels have actually gone up just by doing all of the above things but one more thing that has really helped bring my energy levels up is just a "fake it till you make it" approach to energy!

Teaching

2011-01-29T21:14:00.000-08:00

My life is about to become just a little bit crazier. Starting Monday I begin a long term substitute position at Arbuckle Elementary School, the elementary school located in our home town. I am so excited! Not only will my commute change from more than 100 miles per day down to less than 5 miles per day. I also love teaching, it touches a part of my soul that no other job has been able to fulfill but at the same time it was hard to leave my old jobs. Aside from my time off for student teaching I have worked for both my mom and my dad at their respective businesses since I graduated from college. I loved working with both of my parents and I enjoyed those jobs as well, Thursday and Friday were exciting and sad days as I said goodbye to those jobs for the time being.

I will be teaching 4th grade until the end of April and then will move to 2nd grade until the end of the school year. Wish me luck, I know I have a lot of work ahead of me but I also know I have a lot of fun ahead of me! I know many of my students because I had them last year in the 3rd grade class where I did my student teaching.
Hopefully my desk doesn't end up looking like this:

I am crossing my fingers for a full time position next year!

Shout Out

2011-01-28T10:42:00.001-08:00

So one of my friends from high school, Meghan at Forever Young, has always had one of the most breathtaking voices, I have ever heard. And not only does she have a beautiful voice, she is beautiful inside and out. And she is super crafty and an adorable, new mother!

Take a listen you won't be disappointed! And then go and check out her blog, she always posts the most adorable projects

Blog Giveaway

2011-01-27T21:08:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite bloggers, Tracy @ Then I got to Thinking, is doing a fabulous giveaway on her blog, if you haven't already seen it you should check it out:

HERE
Happy Thursday!

One more work day until the weekend!
Image found here

My 12 Commandments!

2011-01-23T20:10:00.000-08:00

Inspired by Gretchen Rubin author of The Happiness Project, I decided to write my own 12 commandments:

1. Always be true to myself
2. Do not take things personally
3. Act the way I want to feel
4. Do not procrastinate!
5. Live in the moment
6. Always find the silver lining
7. Jealousy is a waste of time and energy
8. Money doesn't grow on trees
9. Surround myself with people who make me happy
10. Do not gossip
11. Do not judge, you never know what someone else is dealing with
12. Remember what's important, LOVE

You can find more information the blog book club being hosted by Elizabeth @ Musing Experiences.

A Woman Should Have... A Woman Should Know...

2011-01-23T19:40:00.000-08:00

While pursuing blogs this evening I came across this fabulous email on Kelly's blog @ Kelly's Avenue:

A Woman Should Have .....

Enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own, even if she never wants to or needs to...

A Woman Should Have ......

Something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A Woman Should Have .....

A youth she's content to leave behind....

A Woman Should Have ......

A past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age....

A Woman Should Have .......

A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A Woman Should Have ......

One friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...

A Woman Should Have ......

A good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family....

A Woman Should Have ......

Eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honoured...

A Woman Should Have ......

A feeling of control over her destiny.

Every Woman Should Know .....

How to fall in love without losing herself.

Every Woman Should Know .....

How to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship...

Every Woman Should Know .....

when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

Every Woman Should Know .....

that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..

Every Woman Should Know .....

that her childhood may not have been perfect...but its over...

Every Woman Should Know .....

What she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

Every Woman Should Know .....

How to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...

Every Woman Should Know .....

Whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally.. ..

Every Woman Should Know .....

Where to go, be it to her best friend's kitchen table, or a charming inn in the woods; when her soul needs soothing...

Every Woman Should Know .....

What she can and can't accomplish in a day...a month...and a year...

The Happiness Project: Getting Started

2011-01-23T18:46:00.000-08:00

For those of you who missed my last post, I have the honor of being part of a blog book club, being hosted by Elizabeth @ Musing Experiences. You should check it out too:

Please copy and paste it on your blog!
Happy Reading!
The day after finding this exciting blogging book club, I downloaded, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin on ibooks using my iphone. I read through the first section, Getting Started, in no time flat. From the opening, A Note to the Reader, I was hooked. Rubin's book The Happiness Project, explains to readers her definition of a happiness project is "identifying what brings you joy, satisfaction and engagement, and also what brings you guilt, anger, boredom and remorse," (pg.7). Rubin then explains that you must take this information and make resolutions with concrete actions to boost your happiness. Rubin's book goes in depth about her own happiness project in hopes that others can learn from her journey. I enjoyed Rubin's openess and honesty, I felt as if she was speaking directly to me, as if we were friends sharing a cup of coffee. Rubin shares with readers her twelve commandments for Happiness:
1. Be Gretchen
2. Let it go
3. Act the way I want to feel
4. Do It now
5.Be polite and be fair.
6. Enjoy the process
7. Spend out.
8. Identify the problem
9. Lighten up
10. Do what ought to be done
11. No calculation
12. There is only love
(pg.46)
Rubin also came up with a more comical list, the Secrets of Adulthood:
People don't notice your mistakes as much as you think.
It's okay to ask for help.
Most decisions don't require extensive research.
Do good, feel good.
It's important to be nice to everyone.
Bring a sweater.
By doing a little bit each day, you can get a lot accomplished.
Soap and water remove most stains.
Turning the computer on and off a few times often fixes a glitch.
If you can't find something clean up.
You can choose what you do; you can't choose what you like to do.
Happiness doesn't always make you feel happy.
What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while.
You don't have to good at everything.
If you're not failing you're not trying hard enough.
Over-the-counter medicines are very effective.
Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
What's fun for other people may not be fun for you - and vice versa.
People actually prefer that you buy wedding gifts on their registry.
You can't profoundly change your children's natures by nagging them or signing them up for classes.
No deposit no return.
(Pg. 46 - 50)
While Rubin's list of twelve commandments seems very broad, and slightly overwhelming for someone like me, who is seriously considering coming up with their own happiness project, she explains that she will be breaking down her resolutions into smaller pieces each month in order to accomplish her more broad commandments.
Rubin explains that she wants to "change her life without changing her life" (pg. 52). Rubin also explains that "contemporary research shows that happy people are more altruistic, more productive, more helpful, more likeable, more creative, more resilient, more interested in others, friendlier and healthier. Happy people make better friends, colleagues and citizens," (pg. 59) sounds like someone I would like to become, how about you?

I can't wait to dive into chapter one of Rubin's book, check back for updates.

Blog Book Club

2011-01-21T20:41:00.000-08:00

As I was browsing blogs today I came across a blogging book club, being hosted by Elizabeth @ Musing Experiences. With her permission I will be part of this exciting new group. You should check it out too:

Please copy and paste it on your blog!

Happy Reading!

Wedding hints

2011-01-06T21:43:00.000-08:00

So tonight I was working on a wedding binder for a couple of friends and I realized that the information I put in it would make the perfect blog.

Congratulations on your engagement! Don’t stop staring at that beautiful ring! Oh and use the word fiancée as often as you can just because you can AND it’s fun to say =).
When I got engaged a friend of mine gave me a wedding planning binder and it became a bible to me. I hope it’s just as useful to you.
I also thought I would share some of my wedding planning knowledge from my special day. I really hope it’s helpful to you!
The location: pick a place that speaks to you. Also the more the location takes care of the easier it will be on you the day of the wedding (tables, chairs, dishes, food, cake). My mom and I were very thankful that we didn’t have a lot to do the day of the wedding as it is already a stressful day. Also make sure you like the people who work at the location, you will be working with them a lot over the course of your wedding planning.

THE DRESS: try lots and lots of them on and enjoy every moment of it! Take pictures, make memories and cherish this special time. Drink champagne; bring your mom and your friends and whoever you want to be there when you find THE ONE. And I know it sounds cliché but you will just know it when you find the right dress.

The photographer: If you are going to splurge on anything this is the place to do it because they make the mementos you will keep for your lifetime. Also pick someone you love because you will be working very closely with them on your special day. If I can make a recommendation call Rebecca @ Ford Family photography, she is absolutely incredible to work with.
The flowers: pull lots of pictures out of magazines, look at pictures on the Internet, attend bridal showers and take photos. All of these will be helpful when you meet with florists. If I can make another recommendation call Melissa @ Floral Creations, she is very talented and has visions you could not imagine. Helpful hint if you pick flowers that are in season it is less expensive.
The DJ: Good music makes for dancing and dancing makes for a great party. Last recommendation I swear but call Joe @ SJ’s Disc Jockey. He’s great to work with and plays awesome music. Also he can bring a photobooth, which is so much fun and makes for great memories to look back on. If you do get a photobooth make sure you put it in a location where people have to pass by it multiple times throughout the night, that will ensure you will get lots of great pictures.
Of course I am sure there are a million things I have missed. But just remember to have fun and enjoy every moment of the planning and the big day because it really will fly by. And most importantly remember that this day is about the two of you celebrating the commitment you are making to spend the rest of your lives together as husband and wife, make it special and make it yours!

My sister in law gave me one of the most important pieces of advice after we first got engaged and I would like to pass that piece of advice along to you, “Remember that no matter what happens at the wedding at the end of the day you will be MARRIED!”
Photos compliments of Rebecca @ Ford Family Photography

Our Wedding Video

2010-12-20T10:36:00.000-08:00

So I just have to share the fabulous new wedding momento, we just recieved, courtesy of the fabulous Rebecca @ Ford Family Photography.

Amanda + Brian from Ford Family on Vimeo.

M - I - Double SS - I - Double SS - Double PP - I

2010-11-21T13:14:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know my wonderful husband is a rice farmer, he grew up in the huge (sarcasm) town of Maxwell, California. His family has been farming rice for many generations and my dear husband also works in the rice industry, buying and selling rice for ADM Rice. So as you can probably guess, rice is a huge part of our lives. We even took our beautiful engagement photos in his families rice fields.

Photo courtesy of Rebecca @ Ford Family Photography

So I know now you're saying we get it move on your husband is very involved in rice. Well December 6th - 10th, my husband is going to Biloxi, Mississippi to interview for a spot in the 2011 class of the Rice Leadership Program, and I get to join him!!!
I am so excited I have never been to the South and I am looking forward to spending a week with my husband in a new place.
However, I am hoping I can get some input from my blogger friends, on must see/do activities in Biloxi, Mississippi???

2010-11-13T16:41:00.000-08:00

I received this in an email and then found it again today on MJ's blog, Teaching in Heels. It's too funny not to pass along, enjoy =)
ADULT TRUTHS

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blu Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay.

17. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

19. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?

20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

22. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch three consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

23. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey – but I'd bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from three feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time.

Omega Nu Conclave 2010

2010-11-09T20:29:00.000-08:00

Last year I was given the honor of an invitation to become a part of the Alpha Kappa chapter of Omega Nu in Colusa County. For those of you who do not know, Omega Nu is a women's group or sorority (but not affiliated with a college) which raises money for groups within their region who are in need of monetary support. Our biggest effort in Colusa County is to give scholarships to high school seniors going on to college. This past weekend the Alpha Kappa Chapter of Omega Nu hosted the annual conclave for all of the Omega Nu chapters in California. Conclave took place at the Beautiful La Rivage hotel in Sacramento, California. Friday night was a hosted cocktail party followed by a beautiful dinner at Scott's Seafood

Saturday was a beautiful Murder Mystery Dinner Dance and Sunday was lovely hosted brunch.

It was a wonderful weekend with some of the most amazing women I know. I feel so lucky to be in a group with such wonderful women!

Our Kitchen

2010-11-09T20:11:00.000-08:00

So our latest project is finally ready for revealing! Brian & I (mostly Brian) have been working on remodeling our kitchen for a couple months now.
Here is the before:

as you can see there was really nothing wrong with our kitchen. It was very functional and for all purposes worked very well. But since we have moved in we have talked about wanting granite and wanting to get rid of the wood cabinets which seemed to overhelm the whole room.
So we decided it was time to demo:

New granite, new backsplash, new sink, new faucet and refinished cabinets:

Not bad if I do say so myself! I have to admit I am very lucky to have such a talented husband!