Get Your Tennis Shoes!

   There are moments in my life that I will look back on from time to time where I can remember my exact emotions, feelings and actions. My 10th birthday is one of those times. I can remember opening my last present thinking that I was a lucky girl to have family that loved me enough to celebrate my birthday and give me awesome gifts. When I finally brushed aside the torn wrapping paper to look inside the package I saw a strip of paper with the words, "Look in the back" printed on them. I looked up at my aunt with confusion and excitement because this particular aunt was always up to something. She lead me outside to the back of her vehicle then popped the door open to reveal a brand new pink bike. I jumped. I shrieked. I yelled. That 10th birthday will always be on my list of good moments to look back on.
 
   There are other important moments that are on my list as well. The moment when I found out my grandfather passed away, forcing me to face death for the first time in my young life. Or the time when I went to the San Fransisco Music Box Company with my aunt to pick out a special gift for my mom because she had just given birth to my baby brother. Instead of finding mom the perfect gift I fixated on a music box that featured Clara and her nutcracker. I can remember just staring at it thinking of the ways I could convince my aunt that this was the gift for my mom because I had to have it. She wound up getting it for me. I still have it. All these moments are mixed with the good and the bad.

  Thursday morning I was able to collect another important moment that will go on my list. I'm a teacher who works in a state where tenure is no longer a thing for new teachers. I began my teaching career last year and that turned out to be rough time for my district. Sadly at the end of the school year instead of packing up my classroom to put it away for the summer months I had to pack it up and move it out into storage because I was let go. After a miserable summer I got a call that there was a position available at my old school. I applied, interviewed and was offered the position of third grade teacher.

    I worked very hard this year to grow and develop my craft. As the school year started drawing closer the end the nerves started eating at me. I didn't want to relive those miserable weeks that I had endured last year. I kept wondering if I be let go again. I questioned if all of my hard worked paid off.  I love teaching so my heart would have broken again if something were to happen and I wouldn't be able to come back to my school next year. With only five weeks left that meant I would find out if I was going to come back very soon.

  On Thursday my AP told me "Get your tennis shoes, you're going to kindergarten." That's right, ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to teach kindergarten! Getting official word that not only was coming back, but that I get to teach a grade level I've been wanting to teach since my second internship was one of the best moments ever. My face has had a smile plastered on it since Thursday and I don't think it's going anywhere. Next year cannot come soon enough (Until the end of summer break actually arrives and then I'll wish I had more time with the Baby Monster. Oh life, how fickle you are).

   While I enjoyed my time as second grade and third grade teacher, I know I'm made for kindergarten. I fell in love with it during my second internship. For that internship I taught half a semester in second grade which I really liked. The thought of leaving it for kindergarten kind of scared me because I liked the independence of the second graders and the curriculum. So when I switched second grade for kindergarten I was a bit apprehensive. It only took me about ten minutes of me being in there to fall in love with everything. My mentor teacher was awesome, the students were great and I couldn't believe what they were capable of accomplishing at such a young age. I was simply amazed.

   The second half of the semester flew by because I was enjoying my time teaching so much. When it was time to request my grade level for my final internship I made sure kindergarten was the top of my list. Later in the summer the letter arrived to inform me that I would indeed be placed in a kindergarten classroom for my final internship. I was ecstatic. My experience in my new classroom only confirmed what I knew to be true- I was made to teach kindergarten. I had hoped to get a position in that grade level my first year teaching, but I was offered second grade and I was pretty happy about that. I was chosen out of 200 applicants for that position so I was honored. Plus, I do like second grade! This is why I love teaching. There is something about every grade level that I truly enjoy. Kindergarten just has that special something.

  It has taken me three tries, but finally I get to teach kindergarten again. I cannot wait to work with the wonderful ladies on my team. I worked with them before during my final internship and when I took a long-term substitute job. My Pinterest account is flooded with kindergarten goodness. I'll have to make sure I pin some great looking tennis shoes! I'll need more than the one pair I have. I'm ready!

 

 

Painting Like A Pro

   Well, shucks, it's been 7 days, an entire WEEK since I've checked in. It has taken forever to get this post up. My excuses are valid. The baby monster has been sick for the past week with a cold so he's been needing extra love and care. I'm also going to be honest- my laptop died and I never keep in plugged in so I've been lazy and have let it sit on my table for the past 5 days. It's getting to be a hassle every time I plug something in that has a cord longer than an inch. Apartment living with an active 8 month old who enjoys chewing wires is not all the fun it games it seems to be. It's much easier to let the laptop battery die then let the Wire Detector find it.

   My laptop's charged now so I can post this!

Lovely painting, no? I created that. Well, actually copied what an instructor did, but this version is all mine! I celebrated my belated birthday with my friends at this awesome place called Painting With A Twist. If you have one in your area I highly recommend it. So what you do is sign up for an artwork you would like to paint. You pay to reserve a seat for a class. The "twist" part is that you can bring any beverage and snack that you like with you. And when I say beverage, I mean your favorite adult beverage. It's fairly inexpensive. I booked a private party because I knew I wanted to celebrate my birthday with a group of friends. It did not cost me extra to book a party. We all still paid $35 for a two hour session. Everyone had a blast. After we left that night I got a lot of texts and calls from my friends who thanked me for a great night. All of them said they had fun. My one friend is scheduling a private party for June because she enjoyed the class so much. Check out this link to see if you can find a studio near you. It was a good time.

Look at that smile! That's the sign of a fun night out. 

  My fancy art work will be displayed just as soon as the hubs gets to it. I'm banned from ever hanging anything on our walls because I'm terrible at making things level. Everything always has a tilt to it. I'm proud of my painting, even if my glass jar isn't leveled. It reminds me of a summer night in New Jersey catching lightning bugs during a balmy summer evening. Everyone down here in Florida calls them fireflies, just in case you were wondering what I was talking about. I usually get confused looks when I mention lightning bugs.

Well that's all I have for now. I got some really exciting news today at work, but that's for a post all it's own.


 

Simple Pleasures

   There are many things that make me happy because I am genuinely a happy person. Right now I am beyond happy, dare I say giddy, because I have a brand new  pencil sharpener in my classroom! Early in the school year I had to take over a classroom. I was welcomed with a great class, great set-up and a not-so-great pencil sharpener. I stuck with it because a good pencil sharpener is NOT cheap.
   Last week I finally caved and ordered a new pencil sharpener because I couldn't stand it any longer. It was seriously taking about 2 minutes to sharpen one pencil. It was getting to the point that I had to use another teacher's pencil sharpener. My brand new beauty arrived in the afternoon yesterday and I was able to use it today. Amazing! I couldn't sharpen enough pencils. What took 2 minutes now takes mere seconds. I feel like a new woman.
   Sharpening pencils was one of the best moments of my day. Now I don't have any more pencils to sharpen because a pencil monster seems to eat them all up. May I should invest in a never ending pencil!

Go Away Monday

  Why do Mondays have be so....Monday? It doesn't matter how delightful my weekend was, Monday always finds a way to let me know it's the beginning of the work week, the real world week (this is when everything shuts down on Friday and you forget about it until the cycle starts again on Monday), and that I'm still far away from Friday. Tuesday isn't as fun either. I'll take Wednesday and Thursday over Monday and Tuesday.
  Today is a Monday due to the fact that I'm coughing like a mad woman again! This time I have a stuffy/runny nose combo instead of aches, chills and a fever. I really hope it's allergies bothering me this time and not another chest infection. While I was waiting my turn in line at the drug store so I could buy some allergy medication the woman in front of me heard me cough and said, "Oh that sounded like me last week. I thought it was allergies too, but it turned out to be bronchitis." I told her if my immune knew what was good for it then it wouldn't play that game because I just finished being sick a month ago. If I have bronchitis my immune system needs to have serious heart-to-heart because I am over this. I
   Also, this lovely Monday is the day that I'm supposed to make a payment on my veggie share through Annie's Buying Club. Guess what website isn't working? If I don't pay for it tonight I don't get my yummy vegetables or there are fees or something like that. I'll be upset if I don't get to finally try this buying club out! Organic veggies are on my to get-healthy list and it's important that I am able to start soon.  I'm just a bit agitated.  And impatient.
   I guess my Monday wasn't that horrendous, but it could have kept the upbeat attitude from Easter. The Baby Monster and I had to spend his first Easter without my hubs because of work. We still had fun though! The night before Easter we dyed eggs while my husband was at work- I'm seeing a pattern here. Then Easter morning we looked in his  Easter basket and the Easter Bunny was real good to him. He got Bible stories, an Easter onesie and Here Comes Peter Cottontail. We were able to watch that with my hubs. The rest of the day was followed by naps and dinner with my grandmother, aunts, mom, dad, and cousin. It was a lovely day and I only hope everyone else enjoyed their Easter Sunday as well.
   Oh gee, I'm having a coughing fit again. It makes it hard to type when I'm constantly coughing, so for now I have to say goodnight.
 
 

Wednesday's Moments

    Today lived up to The Many Moments Blog's title. They are all note worthy moments and, let's be honest, Wednesdays need some spice. Unless you've been living under a rock, you may have heard of the Blood Moon that made it's appearance early Tuesday morning. The rare phenomenon was talked about on just about every news station in my area. Unfortunately, I needed to sleep that morning and missed it. That's okay because today at recess my kiddos and I gazed upon a sun halo.
    I had no idea what was going on, but my kiddos kept saying, "It's a rainbow by the sun! Look at the rainbow!" I thought they were seeing things because I was looking for a very bright "traditional" rainbow, but once I followed the direction of their pointed fingers I saw it. Science lesson: a sun halo occurs when the light shines through ice crystals. It A rainbow is when light passes through water droplets. And if you are curious to know what a sun halo looks like, check out this link. I had never seen a sun halo before today and I'm glad that I did. I've seen halos around the moon thinking that they were simply beautiful to look at.
    Nature didn't stop it's performance after the halo sighting. While I was sitting on the couch feeding the Baby Monster, I looked out the window quickly and had to stop. Sitting on a tree branch was a beautiful, bright red cardinal. My phone was next to me so I took a picture because the sight was too pretty to pass up. When I lived in New Jersey I remember my mom telling me how much she loved to see a bright red cardinal against the snowy winter backdrop. I haven't seen snow in 12 years, but seeing the cardinal brought me right back to my childhood.

I love this photo because from the top to the the branch that the bird is sitting on reminds me a New Jersey winter, while it mixes with the bottom half that is a typical day in Florida when the clouds roll through. It's like how I had to mix it up when I moved here. 
    Last, but not least, I got my behind off the couch and got my sweat on! My little man fell asleep at 8:15. This mama could not be happier that he's going to bed earlier. Ever since he started crawling and trying to stand he sleeps better. That means I am able to get work outs in. 
    I completed Day 4 of my S-P-P challenge and then found myself on Youtube to use a video by Dance Fitness with Jessica. If this is the first time you have heard of her then go check her out right after reading this! The video showed up on my FB news feed late February when a friend posted about her great leg workout. At that time I was trying to figure out what type of exercise I would actually be interested in doing when I saw the video. It was like a sign from God telling me to get off my behind so I can live long enough to enjoy my son. 
   Back in my heyday (sadly it feels like I peaked at age 14) I used to be a cheerleader and a dancer. It all ended when The Move happened. I don't know why it never occurred to me to use dance as a workout routine, but you know hindsight is 20/20. Bam! I am full of over used cliches tonight. I had been planning to use this video since February, but I needed to buy new sneakers. I finally bought new sneakers that are AWESOME and never started because I got horribly sick in March during my Spring Break which I had decided was my launching point. Tonight just seemed perfect for it. I LOVED every moment of it. I even did two videos. My legs are going to kill me tomorrow, but secretly I am going to enjoy every hurt because I know it's leading me to something greater. 
   

Sabotage

My decision making process concerning food choices is stuck on repeat. I make the same stupid mistake over and over again. I can't even call it a mistake. A mistake is something that results from committing an act where you weren't aware of the consequences. When I make these poor choices I aware of the consequences and how they make me feel. Sometimes I wonder if it is food addiction, but I think that is going to the extreme. What I suffer from is boredom. I have no reason to be bored. Once I get home from work I have a baby to take care of and a home to maintain. When I get bored I eat. That is not a healthy cause and effect relationship. When I'm bored I should read a book, organize something that I know needs organization, get my son out of the house and take a walk; instead I turn to food because it's right there. All I have to do is walk to the kitchen grab something and have instant satisfaction. The entire time I'm doing it I know I shouldn't because I know how terrible I am going to feel. It makes me feel ashamed. It makes me feel weak. It makes me feel foolish. When I eat healthy, make time for exercise and make the right choices I feel invincible. Maybe that seems silly, but it is difficult for me not to turn to food. Goodness, my entire life revolved around food. I've talked about it before. What is easier to get your kids when you're struggling with financials, but what to give them a treat? A Happy Meal. What's something easy to do when you're husband is working two jobs and you are left feeling like a single mother to three children? Make the fastest, simplistic meal possible. I don't fault my parents. I know they tried their best. My mom was just trying to gift us with a luxury she didn't have growing up. My father was just passing on family habits that he learned while growing up. I'm trying to break them now and it's a fight! Making the conscience decision to eat right and be active is a daily struggle that I face every day when I wake up. I'm not addicted to the food, I'm just used to my habits. Changing a habit or creating a new one does not happen overnight. For instance, I've been doing Weight Watchers since August. I have lost 44 pounds since then. It's been about 7 months since I started and it wasn't until recently did I acknowledge I had lost so much weight. I felt like I should have been working harder at it, however I realized the reason why tracking my food didn't feel like "work" was due to the fact that it has become a part of my life. It took me 7 months to feel that way. I don't want to just track food anymore. I don't want to eat a bag of potato chips just because I can and it is within my point range. I want to choose foods that I will not only enjoy, but have a healthier pay off. That is where I am struggling. Add the boredom (which is me getting tired of this routine I created) to the struggle and that is why I make the poor decision every time. I am stronger than that! I went to work 11 days after having my son because I needed to provide for my family after Life threw us a major curve ball. I have stayed strong for every moment my mother has had to go to the hospital, wondering if that visit was her last because she would never come home. I survived the fear that overcomes a person when they learn their mother went into cardiac arrest. At 14 years old I was able to pick up the pieces of my life when it turned upside down after having to move 2,000 miles away from everything and everyone I knew and loved because my family had to. Yet, the ability to make a good choice concerning my health cuts me at the knees. Two weeks ago my week was fantastic. I was 4 pounds away from seeing the 100's again. Last week was horrible and the result was not good. I promised myself that this week would be better, but here it is, Tuesday with nothing but poor choices for the past two days. I still have five days to turn this week around so I vow to do it. A lot can happen in five days. It has to because I am done with the self sabotage. I don't care if I'm bored, stressed, sad, happy or anything else. I will not use food to help. No more of this, I have better things to write about than my constant struggles and defeats related to food and health. I am better than this. Next time I talk about food I am going to talk about how I chose to use it for fuel instead of fun. I'm also going to talk about the new, exciting hobby or activity I completed in food's place. I'm turning off repeat.

Get Your Squats, Push-Ups and Planks On!

   Happy Sunday! It has been a beautiful day here in the Sunshine State. My sister took the Baby Monster shopping with her today. Aunt and nephew bonding time gave me a few hours to myself. Normally I would take this time to sleep, but my son finally got the hint that weekends are for sleeping in past 6:30 A.M. and he woke up two hours later than normal Those extra two hours allowed me to feel well rested.
   Since two hours to myself is like vacation time I went to the mall to pick up our family portraits from the portrait studio, bought two adorable outfits for Baby Monster because I couldn't help myself, visited the hubs at work, and had an iced coffee with one of my nearest and dearest. It was heaven. Then I spent the rest of the afternoon with my baby boy and mom. Like I said, it was a lovely day.
  My day was almost ruined by a selfish driver who did not stop at the stop sign. One major pet peeve of mine has always been people who think they are above the law or any rules that society follows. Now that I am a mom it infuriates me even more when I come across those kinds of people. We were almost home from my visit with my mom when I pulled into my complex. I'm incoming traffic and therefore do not have to stop. However, the man driving the car who wanted to exit the complex thought he did not have to stop either even there are signs there say, "Incoming traffic does not stop". He didn't even acknowledge my car. He just blew right through the stop sign. I knew he was going to do it and stopped because I saw he wasn't slowing down as he was approaching the sign. I should have blown my horn, but I was angry. My baby was with me. It's one thing if someone were to hit my car with just me in it. That driver would get a piece of my mind and a visit from law enforcement. It's another thing if someone were to hit me while my son was in the car with me. Then I'd rain all hell on you. Selfish people like that get my blood pressure going which is why I need to work out.
  Here is the challenge that I talked about in yesterday's post.  I think I need to do another round of these this evening after my experience, but I finished Day 2 this morning before baby boy woke up.

As you can I did not create this challenge. It looks like it belongs to Dawn ( it is called Dawn's 30 Day S-P-P Challenge). It came from this blog, doe Stuido. Here is the link http://doestudio.blogspot.com/. It also has a great 52 Week Saving Challenge that I pinned four months ago and have been trying to follow (but forgot about...oops!).
  While I am only on Day 2, my thighs, butt and arms are killing me. Apparently I am more out of shape than I thought. If I can get my eating back under control I think this challenge will help tighten things up. It does not take a lot of time. This morning while my son slept I actually wanted to complete Day 2 because it's so easy to knock out. By Day 30 I'm confident I'll cry when I see I need to complete 100 squats. I'll just forget about those for now.