Christmas Time

For my December scripture study I am reading past First Presidency devotionals. This one was from President Monson in 2009.

"My brothers and sisters, finding the real joy of the season comes not in the hurrying and the scurrying to get more done or in the purchasing of obligatory gifts. Real joy comes as we show the love and compassion inspired by the Savior of the World, who said, 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these ... ye have done it unto me.'" Dec 2009


If you get chance, read the whole talk and then cry like a baby like I did. Some people just remind you what it means to be compassionate. 

1 Week

Yes, I have noticed that I have one week left of my youth left until my body starts to decay. (According to Charleah anyways.) I have dreaded this day for a year and it is finally upon me.

What will I be doing to celebrate my last week?

Working. And then working. Not eating sweets. Grading Papers. Listening to Christmas music.

Hopefully I can get some sleep in there somewhere. Just joking. I might be busy, but like I'll sacrifice my sleep.

A Commitment

Hello Internet. I have made a decision that I need to be held accountable for somehow. This is one option I am trying.

I am going to eat no sweets until Christmas break.  (Minus my birthday on December 8 and our class Christmas party on the last day of school for the semester.)

This will possible make up for my eating habits the last few months and no running. And I will try to start running again. Getting sick totally throws off my groove. It should be easier now that Chris is training for a marathon.

So no more of these

I can do it!

Pictures

Sometimes my students make me laugh. While grading a timeline of events, I saw these pictures depicting the French and Indian War.

Come What May and Love It

The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude.


Joseph B Wirthlin

Love/Hate Netflix

I have a love/hate relationship with Netflix.

Today I was browsing on Netflix and there are so many new shows on Instant. If you don't know what that is, then you either don't have Netflix, or you aren't using it properly. Fix that.

For example, all seasons of Monk, Psych and Eureka are on it now. That I love.

However, I have been waiting for Office Season 6 to be on instant since it came out about a month ago. And it never did. Finally I broke down and bought it and it came on Friday.

But guess what else in on instant? That's right, The Office season 6. So I didn't need to buy it. I would have of course bought it eventually. But it would have been when it was on sale for like $15!

Moral of the story: Don't get out smarted by the TV show people. The knew that people like me would be impatient. Wait to buy TV seasons.

In other news, this is my first post in forever. Sorry, I'm busy teaching and planning and grading and sleeping and planning and watching TV.

Emoticons

I am still working on getting my 100% teaching certificate. As part of my work, I have to do internship projects throughout the teaching year and turn them into my Alternative Certification Program.

I am about to write up my first assignment. I was a little nervous about how tough they were going to grade my work, so I started reading their help section.

This is one part of it.

I have to agree that sometimes online -in chats- it may be difficult to express emotion.

I was an international relations major and you don't use emoticons in professional writing. (and basically anyone who went to college or high school can attest to this.)

So the point? I guess they won't be taking it that seriously. I'll let you know.

TV

Someone at work said the other day that TV today isn't what it used to be.

Well, it isn't, but who said that is a bad thing?

Yes, this is premiere week for like every TV show I love. And all the new ones I am super excited about.

It starts with How I Met Your Mother.

--She just went through a break-up.
--With hygiene?

Sammie

Sammie posted on her blog for my birthday.

Although it is almost two weeks late, I posted on my other blog for her birthday. Go check it out.

Learning Patience

It has officially been 1 year since Chris and I started trying to have a baby. Obviously, we have no baby yet.

The past year has been hard. After the first month and a negative pregnancy test, I cried a lot. I was hoping we would be one of those couples who would quickly get pregnant. But I knew it was too good to be true. Then the second month came around and another negative. I cried more. Than the third month... you get the picture. I have cried a lot.

The last few months I have been able to distract myself and focus on other things. I haven't cried about this since about June. I am pretty proud of myself for being able to hold it together.

But I don't think I have just been distracted. I have learned a lot in the last year.

There is a scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants 98:1-2:

"Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks;
Waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord..."

I have "Not thy will only Lord, but thy timing also" written next to it. It isn't easy accepting Heavenly Father's plan for Chris and I when it isn't what I want. It has been a lot of prayer, fasting and scripture study to finally get to the point I am at today.

I know that one day I will get to be a Mother. I will get to hold a little baby in my arms and love him or her unconditionally from the beginning. I am still not sure when or how. While I would love to know the answers to those questions, I don't need to know them to be happy. I know that Heavenly Father loves Chris and I and is watching out for us.

In the mean time, I am not just someone waiting to be a Mother. There are so many roles that I have and I can work to be the best at what I am doing. I am a wife and a teacher. And I am not perfect in either of those areas.

President Uchtdorf said

"I learned that patience was far more than simply waiting for something to happen—patience required actively working toward worthwhile goals and not getting discouraged when results didn’t appear instantly or without effort.

There is an important concept here: patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can—working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!"

Right now I can say that I am enduring well.

Too Young

I was going to show a video to my students for Constitution day yesterday. (We didn't get to watch it because they would not stop talking! But that is besides the point)

It was a clip from 1776 the musical which has Mr. Feeny in it. I asked them if they had heard of the show Boy Meet World. And not one student had. How horrible is that!



Don't they show reruns of this anymore?

Needles

"The Texas Department of State Health Services will be available to administer the flu vaccine to all NISD employees and their families Monday, September 20, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. "

The first time I read this email two weeks ago, I freaked out. I could feel my face getting warm and my stomach start to church almost immediately. If they had told me I would have to get a shot to teach, I might have seriously considered it.

As soon as I could calm myself down, I ran into my teach teacher/mentor's room and asked her if we were required to get a flu shot. She assured me that it was not required. Hopefully they don't change their mind. Because I might just freak out.

Last time I got a shot, I fainted. Literally. I was 16 and I was getting my tetnus shot. I always tell myself that I won't watch. When it comes down to it though, I can't tear my eyes away. I watched the needle go in and then come out. Then I turned to my dad sitting next to me and fainted.

So no, I don't think I will be getting the shot. I'll need someone there with me and it is a long drive.

Tired

This is how you know I am extremely tired. Not "it's the middle of the day I want nap" tired.

1. I am a little mean to you.

2. My words don't make sense.

For example, we went to Sonic tonight. I told Chris that I wanted a Reese's Sub. Instead of a Reese's Blast. I also wrote earlier that I put a blog on my button. Instead of a button on my blog.

And that is why I go to bed by 10pm every night. Because if I don't, I just sound silly.

"For like a minute!..."

**Look I added a blog to my button!**--------------------->

New Dress A Day

I wish I was this creative. This girl spends $1 or less a day on a used clothing item and remakes it into something new.

Like this:

Into this:

Sleep

I love my sleep. And I make sure that I get it. And I hate being tired. Like, I loathe the feeling.

I have to wake up at 6am every morning. I know that there are some people who have to wake up earlier, but I haven't woken up that early consistently since early morning seminary in high school. The past 6 years, the earliest thing I had was an 8am class or work at 8am. So I woke up at 7:20.

But now, its 6am. Surprisingly I am not extremely tired throughout the day, without a nap! But I attribute that to one thing.

I am in bed by 10pm. Sometimes earlier. I have heard people say that you should just expect to go through life tired.

Um, no. I do not understand that. You are supposed to prioritize the important things and to me, sleep is up there.

Why go through life tired when there is an easy solution? Go to bed earlier.

I get the important stuff done. If that means I sit in my room and not watch TV to finish it, then I can do that. (Thank goodness for DVR.) If that means working on Saturday or a Friday night, then I'll do it.

Maybe in five (or less) years my attitude will change. But you know that if they say "sleep when the baby sleeps" that I will do it. Who cares if the kitchen is dirty.

Trust me, me sleeping is for your benefit. When I am tired, I am not the nicest person. I don't try to be mean, but for some reason if I talk when I am tired I make someone upset.

(**I am aware that some people have circumstances in their life that make it impossible for them to go to bed earlier. Some people may not loathe being tired as much as I do and they prioritize sleep somewhere else. We are all different.)

New TV

Here are my plans for the fall for new TV shows. In case you need to know how I spend 85% of my "free" time. 

Monday

Mike and Molly

Tuesday

Running Wilde

Wednesday

Better with You

Undercovers

Thursday

Nikita

Outsourced

TV

Did you know that I L.O.V.E Television? You should; I repeat it enough times.

I am going to copy Sammie and give you my tv schedule for the fall. But... I think there are so many shows that I'll have to divide it up into returning shows and new shows.

There are more shows that will get recorded but I'll only watch if I have nothing else to watch on a Saturday or something. These are my "I have to watch every week shows."

Monday

How I Met Your Mother

Tuesday

NCIS

Glee

Parenthood

Wednesday

Modern Family

Cougar Town

Thursday

Big Bang Theory

The Office

Community

30 Rock

Friday

Supernatural

Wash Your Hands

I was sitting in my classroom yesterday when I heard this in the hallway.

Teacher: If you need to wash your hands before recess, go wash them now.

Pause


Teacher: Don't lick you hands!

Mind you, these are fifth graders.

Hello

I have only been teaching for a week and a half. But I think that I am already feeling what teachers feel and have experienced a lot in the past week.

I have been accidently spit on, talked to parents, gotten notes (excuses) on why a student couldn't do their homework, have a student cry, been told I am the best teacher, have a student tell me they don't want to be in my class, had to address bad language...

There is probably more. I am still getting used to everything. I am so exhausted; I didn't know I could feel like this.

But mostly I really hope I can teach these children life lessons. Don't tell them, but they won't use expanded notation in the real world. They won't need to know different periods of numbers.

But they do need to know that you shouldn't expect to be rewarded for good behavior, it something you should just do it. They should know to take responsibility for their actions and not say "It wasn't me." Or "What did I do?"

I know they are only 10-11 years old. But now is as good of time as ever to start learning.

I am so ready for Labor Day.

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter

This book was better than I expected. It is interesting to me that in ever vampire story, the author has a different type of vampire. Those that have to drink human blood, those that pick a human to "snack"on sometimes and those that sparkle in the sun.

But this book read like a very good biography. It went through Abraham Lincoln's life story; it just had some vampires thrown in there. I haven't checked yet, but I wouldn't doubt that most of the facts were correct, just not all of them obviously.

The story begins at the beginning of his life when Abraham first learns of vampires. His mother had just died of "milk sickness." (Which is actually what she died of.) But surprise, it was really a vampire. Once Abraham realized the truth behind her death, he became a vampire hunter.

I liked most of the book. I tend to like how stories have coincidences with real history. Although I think this one had a few more than I was comfortable with. But, I would recommend it.

Also, I listened to it on CD. Sometimes music would start playing in the background for no reason. It kind of scared me sometimes because I listened to it on my ipod while I decorated my room last week.

***I don't remember much cursing, although some parts may have a bit descriptive when vampires were being killed. I would not recommend it for Relief Society Book Club.

Mockingjay

Just a warning...

If anybody lets slip to me any part of the this book before I have a chance to read it, I might freak out. I really want to read it. In fact, it is sitting next to me right now screaming at me to read it.

But I know that I won't want to put it down. And then all day tomorrow and Friday, I will look for excuses to make my students silent so I can read just one more page. Or just two pages. Just till the end of the chapter.

So I have to wait until Friday. And I will be reading it until the time I get home until it is finished.

But until then, please no spoilers. It will ruin my life.

I'm Here, again

Oh Hey! Did anyone want to know how my first three days of school have been?

Can I get back to you on that?

Just kidding.

It has been like I have expected it to be.

I knew that I would have students. Some would be perfect students and some would not.

I guess that is the problem and it isn't a surprise at all. Just something I have to deal with.

And I am learning how to deal. I think today went better than yesterday and tomorrow will go better than today.

And that's all I can really say right now. I have a notebook with things I think I did right. I am also writing ways I could have done something better. I have to say the improvements fill up most of the space, but who said I would be a 100% perfect teaching. I still know that I have a lot I can teach these kids. In the next week and a half, we will get classroom management down so I can teach it to them.

Without Interruption.

So nobody misinterprets, I do love like love it.

First Day of School

(Written on August 22)

It's 7:45 am on Monday, August 23, 2010. It is my first day as a teacher where I'll actually have students in my classroom. Right now.

I hope that I am not freaking out. I hope that I am not so nervous that I start shaking. I keep thinking back to my school teachers. I don't remember judging them. I just wanted to know what I could expect out of the class for the year and if I thought she would be nice to me. And I think that is all my students will be thinking. They don't care if I am nervous. I need to fake my confidence if it turns out I don't have as much as I want.

But here I am. There is no turning back, not that I want to.

In 7 1/2 hours, I'll have survived the first day of school.

What Teachers Make

Sammie posted this video on her blog awhile ago. To be honest, I don't usually watch videos posted on blogs because I usually read blogs while watching TV and you can't watch both at once.

But I digress.

This is exactly what I needed to make me feel more confident going into tomorrow. (My first day of teaching.) I'll probably watch it all week long to remind myself what I hope to be able to do.

Weird Stuff

Here is a recent poll that Gallup did about things people in America believe in.

These numbers are not exclusive. So total, 73% of Americans believe in one of these things. 

I believe in 4, maybe 5, of these things above. I have actually been things about one lately.

I think the school I teach at is haunted. (Don't tell any of my students that.) Whenever I have been up there on a Saturday or late at night, I see people out of the corner of my eye which aren't there when I look more closely. 

So, I do believe in ghost, or more accurately spirits. I believe that there are both good and evil spirits. 

Mom and Dad also both believe in ghosts and say that they have seen the same two at different times. Freaky. Supernatural has corrupted my view of them.

How many of these do you believe in? Or are you of the 27% who don't believe any of it?

Get Fuzzy

I know that I posted Get Fuzzy on my other blog, but this one is so funny. Be prepared for me to share some more as I start to get relaxed for the first day of school.

Click on it to see the whole thing. I promise that I will fix it later.

It's not Lupus

Chris Says...

Chris had to take a test today for a class he has been taking for the past week. Afterwards he texted me:

"I finished. They way underestimated my intelligence. There's no way that test would take 2 hours. I finished in like 20 minutes."

I laughed when I got it. It is just so Chris.

The Ghost by Robert Harris

I just finished listening to The Ghost by Robert Harris.

Since I drive about 80 minutes there and back to work everyday, I have been listening to books on cd. Which I love. I could listen to it all the time, but Chris doesn't like it.

Anyways, this was a book I wanted to read after I saw the trailer to the movie. It looked like good suspenseful story.

Here's the gist. A former Prime Minister of the UK is writing his memoirs. He is using a ghost writer to actually write his book. His first ghost writer ends up committing "suicide" and in comes the new ghost writer. I can't even remember the name of the main character. In the process of writing the autobiography, he uncovers some pretty sinister stuff about the former Prime Minister.

I probably would not have finished reading this book if it hadn't been on cd. I got more than half way through the book when I realized that nothing had happened yet. It was very slow moving and in the end I didn't feel like much happened. It could have been so could because there were lots of things in the story that could have been elaborate on.

One thing also annoyed me. The author would have long lists of stuff sometimes. Like one time the main character was looking up things on the internet and the author just listed the the websites the character was looking at. And I mean full websites with the .htmls and the slashes etc. Kind of annoying.

I have heard good things about Robert Harris and I plan to read more of his books.

**This book has language. It would not be appropriate for a Relief Society Book Club.

I've Survived

So, I've survived the first week of in-service. Which means that I have been so tired to do much after school. No actual teaching has begun and I am anxious to start.

I have 1 1/2 bulletin boards done. And I have 3 more to go, with 2 of them big spaces. Everything should be done by Thursday for Meet the Teacher night.

I also signed myself up for a Teach American History Grant. I am still not sure what it all entails or what I have signed myself up for. But I love history, so it can't be that bad.

I am also very glad that I am working at Navasota ISD. From the people I have met, everyone really cares about the students and has made me feel really welcome. I know that there are tons of other teachers that I can turn to and they will help me. Which is much appreciated as a first year, alternative certification teacher.

I'll promise that I'll post more later. In case you care.

Dreaming

It has begun. Usually before I do something life changing/big, I start dreaming about it. Every year before I started school, I would dream. The night before my interview I had dreams about it. You get the picture. But these aren't good dreams. They're the kind that keep me awake because I think they are real and I start freaking out.

So, I've started to dream about the first day of school. And I mess everything up in them. I don't greet the students at the door, I end up yelling at them to be quiet, I mess up in front of the principal, I don't know answers to questions. It's horrible!

Now, as long as I don't have to wake up early the next day, these dreams aren't horrible. But I know that the night of August 22, I will have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep because I will be so excited and I'll dream all night long of messing everything up.

I have a plan. It means not taking a Sunday nap. We'll see how that goes.

(My first day of inservice is Tuesday!)

My Classroom!

I got to see my classroom this week. There is still another teacher's stuff in it, but you get the idea. I need some desperate help with some ideas. I am so excited to decorate it, but I am not sure what to do. The only thing I've got is a word wall and a welcome sign on the door and a small section describing me.

Does anyone remember their favorite Elementary or Middle School classroom? What did you like best about it? I am sure that it is mostly the teacher that matter when making a classroom inviting and comforting, but I don't want to have bear walls.

String Cheese

I am eating string cheese right now, and I still peel it off. It seems like there is more when I do it like that. And I am all about psyching myself out.

Does anyone just eat it all at once?

It reminds me of an office quote.

Toby: [watches Ryan bite his string cheese] Wow, you just dive right in.
Ryan: You know, around age 12, I just started going for it.

Comments

I am going to do it.

I am going to beg for comments. But it is for a good reason.

I know you guys are out there. I know I get visitors, but no one comments. It could be because ya'll are shy or my blog posts are not stimulating enough to make you want to respond.

But, I am going to need some advice over the next couple of weeks. And what better place than the internet?

So don't be shy! Tell me what you think.

Mockingjay

Do you know what comes out one month from today?

I am super duper excited. Expecting not to get any sleep that night. Actually since I am now employed, i should probably wait until the weekend to read it. We'll see. 

If you haven't read The Hunger Games or Catching Fire. Do it now. And feel lucky that you didn't have to wait as long for the last one.

I am published

You can check out my name here. Further proof that I am actually going to be a teacher.

That is me, right there.

And I found out I will be teaching 5th grade Math and Science. Who would have thought?

And tomorrow we are going to see WICKED. Life is good.

What scares me

When I went to my interview last week, I was really nervous the days leading up to it. By the time the interview arrived, I had mostly calmed myself down. I had told myself that if I didn't know how to answer a question now, there was nothing I could do about it.

So I went into the school and introduced myself to the secretary. She had me take a seat while the panel prepared for me.

I was fine for about a minute, and then I realized where I was sitting. Right next to the nurse's office.

I started freaking out a little bit.

You see, I am afraid of any doctor's or nurses office. And blood and pain. Go here if you need a reminder. I am pretty sure I have only been to the nurse's office a handful of times in my school career. And never voluntarily.

I remember in kindergarten I refused to go to the office. All the time Mrs. Gibson would ask students to go to the office for various tasks and these kids agreed and even volunteered! If I was asked, I would say no.

Why? Because to me The Office=Doctor. And I was scared of it. I eventually realized that wasn't the case, but my fear of the doctor has not gone away.

And that was the most nerve-wracking thing about my interview. Sitting next to the nurse's office.

Teaching Philosophy

"I was successful because you believed in me." Ulysses S Grant to Abraham Lincoln

I saw this quote yesterday and I immediately knew that I needed to include it in my teaching philosophy.

I realized this quote was true not too long ago.

I have never been one to workout. In high school, I didn't need to. (I wish I would have known that then.) But then I started working at TCBY and we could have something free everyday we work. And then I gained weight.

I lost some of it, but later I got married. And I gained some more weight.

All during this time, I said I was going to start working out. And nobody believed me. It started to be a joke with all of us. I'd say I am going to run 3 times this week, and someone else would say "Yeah, right."

I'd joke that I got my exercise of the day by climbing the stairs up to my apartment. This went on for 5 years. The longest I ever worked out consistently was a few weeks.

Basically, nobody believed I would do it. And I didn't either.

I had to overcome that and I finally did. Now I work out. If I go a few days with out doing it, my family asks "what's wrong?" "Are you alright?"... I know that they believe I can do it. And it makes me not want to prove them wrong.

I wouldn't say that the only reason I didn't work out was because no one believed I would. But if everybody hadn't said "yeah, right" I would have had a better start.

This same principal applies in the classroom with students. They have to know that someone believes in them. And this is the number one reason why I want to teach. So many children do not have someone who believes in them. I see that in my primary class right now. One parent always apologizes that her son is disruptive and wants us to notify her if he ever misbehaves. And guess what? He is not a problem for us. I imagine that he is for her, because she expects that from him.

Teaching is my calling. And I know that I can make a difference in the lives of my students. Because I care and I believe that all children can succeed. I need to help them see it too.

I can barely contain my excitement

I am not a overly emotional person. When I am excited about something, if you didn't know me you probably couldn't tell. There are few times in my life when I have been jumping up and down with joy. One was when my favorite roommate told me she was engaged. Another is now.

I GOT A TEACHING JOB! And I am freaking out, in a good way.

I guess it isn't official official yet. But I am going tomorrow to sign the contract.

Either way, I am still so happy. I can now end the freaking out, in the bad way.

I know I will be teaching either 4th or 5th grade, but I'll find out for sure tomorrow.

Round of Applause Please

I am officially finished with all my pre-service teaching requirements. I even have a letter to prove it.

Here is my to-do list for anyone who is interested:

1. Get a Job
2. ...

That's all I have to do. So, I'm ready for any school to call me and interview me and hire me.

Please?

Never Buy A Kodak

I consider myself a clumsy person, but I am very careful with expensive stuff. This one time I broke the top of an oil lamp of my parent's friends, and I felt horrible. So I try to not break the expensive stuffs. Pens and pencils I break all the time.

Well, I dropped my camera of four years last August.

Exhibit A
It has a lens error. Yes, it was opened when I dropped it. So we had to get another one. I did some research and chose a Kodak.

It broke within two weeks. And I promise that I didn't do anything. The shutter things stopped opening. We took it back to Best Buy. And they sent it to Kodak and we didn't hear anything. Well, we were about to move and I wanted my camera back. So we went back to Best Buy who couldn't really tell us anything except Kodak couldn't fix it, so they gave us our money back. Then we bought a Blu-ray player so we could watch Netflix on our big screen.

We didn't get another camera because I wanted to do some more research. And then we moved to Texas and we had to be tighter with our money. But we finally got another one and I decided to stick with Canon. It has been more than two weeks and it hasn't broke. I suspect it won't unless I drop it. But I will stick with Canon from now on.

BYU

Chris and I had our last day of training before we can get hired as teachers today. We were talking to the guy who was sitting at the same table as us and it came up that we were all Mormon.

It came up that we went to BYU. He asked us what brought us to Texas. We told him that we were both from here and just went to Utah for school. And he said,

"So you guys are the some of the ones who went to BYU just to get married."

Oh my, I wanted to hit him. No, I did not go to BYU to get married. It wasn't even in my top ten reasons for going to BYU.

He was also up in Provo for the first time last week. He said he told his wife he should have gone to BYU because there were so many pretty girls there to choose from.

Here we have a case of a guy trying to be funny, but really just making people mad.

Hire Me!

Did you know that I am looking for a job? A teaching job?

Did you also know that I am the best employee ever?

And finally, did you know that my number one weakness is interviews?

I do not joke about any of those things. I really want to be a teacher. I have for a while now and I first posted about it here.

And I am the best employee anyone will ever had. It is one of the few things I can say with 100% confidence.

BUT... I am so horrible at interviews! I do my best when I can draw upon the experience I have had, because that is how I learn best. But guess what. I have 0 teaching-children-in-a-real-classroom experience. The closest I have is teaching 9 year olds in Sunday School.

The last two jobs I had I was second choice. At SM, I am pretty sure they only hired me because they were hiring Chris and felt sorry for me. They even put me in verification, ew. But that didn't last long and soon it was clear I was a superstar. (P.S. The HR person told me before I left I was the highest paid person in my department, and our pay was based on sales.)

At the BYU Bookstore, I was literally the second choice. They called to tell me they picked someone else. And then they called later in the week to say she didn't work out. And then I ended up being Employee of the Month in January 2007. My picture was hanging in the Bookstore and everything. (I can't believe I never got a picture of that.) Obviously, I was awesome.

My point is, there is always someone who looks better than me on paper and sounds better than me in an interview. But when it comes to actually doing the work and being awesome, I do that!

How do I know I will be good at teaching? I care about children and I want to help all children realize that they can be and do whatever they want. I want to teach them to be good people and to help others.
And I can manage a classroom. And I can differentiate instruction and find ways to involve all types of students in my classroom. And I follow instructions well from my supervisors. Tell me to do something else, try something else... I'll do it.

So if a principal stumbles on my page and doesn't find me arrogant based on this post (I promise I am not.) Give me a chance. You will not be sorry. You don't want to be the one who let me get away.

I Am Vampire. Hear Me Twinkle.

Do you love Twilight? Do you hate Twilight? Then I have the thing for you. (If you don't mind a little language.)

Twilight in 15 minutes
New Moon in 15 minutes
Eclipse in 15 minutes 

This stuff just makes me laugh.

While Chris is Sleeping

Time for another episode of "Chris started talking while I was waking him up."

Chris: Did you put the rocking chair back into the stockroom?"
Me: "No."
Chris: "You better."
Me: "Why?"
Chris: mumbles "I don't know."

I am guessing no one is as amused by this as I am. But it makes waking up a little more fun.

American Crafts Ink Pad Challenge

I am not a very good stamper. I love stamps, I just never know what to do with them. It is a bit overwhelming. But the challenge this week was stamping, so here is my card.

Supplies

Embossing Powder, Rainboot Stamp, Patterned Paper, Ribbon- American Crafts

get well soon stamp- Heidi Grace

Cardstock- Walmart Cardstock

Ink- Martha Stewart

The Office Part V

                                                                                                                                                                          

[Erin covers her face with her hair]
Michael Scott:	What are you doin'? What are you doing.
Erin:	In the foster home my hair was my room. [starts yelling under her hair]
Michael Scott:	Ok, ok. You know what? You know what? Everybody's looking at you now.[yelling] I'll have what she's having!

                                                                                                                                                                         

Michael Scott:

You know what, I resent the implication that I would keep that secret. Everyone here knows that I can't and won't keep a secret.

                                                                                                                                                                         

Michael Scott:

I have got to make sure that YouTube comes down to tape this.

                                                                                                                                                                         

Michael Scott:	We are not always going to be there, to coddle your heart back, when it disappears to be working. What are you going to do when your heart stops?
Stanley:	I would die.
Michael Scott:	And you're okay with that?
Stanley:	I'm okay with the logic of it.

                                                                                                                                                                         

Phyllis:	It is a big deal. You almost killed Stanley.
Dwight Schrute:	Yeah. Right. I filled him full of butter and sugar for fifty years and forced him not to exercise. Now take a lesson from Stanley and jog on up here and sign this, ok? Make a line. Let's form a line right here. ... Sign it. Sign it!

                                                                                                                                                                         

Dwight:               Girl scouts? I don't know. I think it is kind of dangerous to teach young girls self-esteem and                  leadership skills.

                                                                                                                                                                         

The Office Part IV

                                                                                                                                                                         

Dwight Schrute:	Michael, what's wrong?
Michael Scott:	Everything is wrong, Dwight. The stress of my modern office has made me depressed.
Dwight Schrute:	Depressed? Isn't that just a fancy word for feeling, 'bummed down?'
Michael Scott:	Dwight, you ignorant slut!

                                                                                                                                                                         

Kelly:	I swallowed a tapeworm last night. It's going to grow up to three feet inside of me and then it eats all my food so that I don't get fat. And then, after three months I take some medicine and then I pass it. Creed sold it to me. It's from Mexico.
Creed:	That wasn't a tapeworm.

                                                                                                                                                                         

Michael Scott:	We will still get to use the little cups though, right?
Gabe:	Little cups? Like, uh, paper or plastic or?
Michael Scott:	I don't know what they're made of.
Dwight Schrute:	They're two ounce paper cups dipped in plastic he goes through twenty a day.
Gabe:	Ok. Well. I bet you could fit twenty little cups of water in your aluminum bottle.
Michael Scott:	You know what can't fit in a bottle are the twenty little trips I take to the cooler. And the twenty little scans I do of everybody to make sure everything's running smoothy and the twenty conversations that I have with Stanley.
Stanley:	That's okay.

                                                                                                                                                                         

Michael Scott:	Corporate has given Dwight two strikes. They are very, very upset with him. So, as a disciplinary measure, he is going to have to issue a formal apology. Dwight, have you prepared your statement of regret?
Dwight Schrute:	I have.
Michael Scott:	Let's hear it.
Dwight Schrute:	[unfolds piece of paper and reads from it] I state my regret.
Jim Halpert:	You couldn't have memorized that?
Dwight Schrute:	I could not because I do not feel it.

                                                                                                                                                                         

Andy:

Did I do this for me? No. I did this, for the little guy. For Joe six pack. The guy who wakes up every morning in his four hundred dollar a month apartment, wonders how he's gonna pay his mortgage that month. Wonders how he's gonna fill his car up, with oil. Wonders how am I gonna pay my kids' orphanage bills. That guy, shouldn't have to wonder where he's gonna park.

                                                                                                                                                                         

Michael Scott:

Toby is in HR, which technically means he works for corporate, so he's really not a part of our family. Also, he's divorced, so he's really not a part of his family.

                                                                                                                                                                         

Oscar:	Great. They stole my laptop.
Kevin:	Yeah, well, they stole my surge protector.
Oscar:	How does that even compare!
Kevin:	Oscar I'm now going to be prone to surges