Well those weekly pregnancy updates obviously got pushed to the side. I wish I were better about getting on here and writing up things. But to be honest, when I have down time, I prefer to just RELAX. Truth be told, I've been going WEEKS without getting on my computer. Facebook on my phone has been my online social outlet, but even then it usually happens when I'm in public waiting on something.
All that being said, there's a lot to catch up on! I truly intended on each of these little things having their very own post, but alas, they do not. So here's what we've been up to:
THE TRIP TO VIRGINIA
We were fortunate enough to have the time and money to visit our future Air Force base in Virginia. I can't even describe to you how pumped we are to get there, now after seeing it with our own eyes. There's SO MUCH to do there! And it's green. AND there's an ocean! And ALSO a very awesome shopping area that reminds me a lot of Zona Rosa in Kansas City, which I always loved to visit. We made the decision while we were there to go ahead and keep our names on the wait list for the Air Force housing. We'll see what we get when it's moving time! We had way too much fun enjoying the bridge tunnel (at least I did) and admiring the views of the bay. Hard to believe that 3 months from now, we'll be there. Virginia, here we come!
THE HUSBAND LEAVES
Nic left around the beginning of March for his Commissioned Officer Training. They basically owned his life for the entire month of March. He was up at 4:30 and in bed around 11:30, and was both physically and mentally exhausted. He says he wasn't having fun (he said "fun" was the wrong word) but I think he did, and won't admit it. He still enjoys looking at his flight's Facebook page and stays in contact with his flight members.
As for my first taste of being the Air Force wife, forced to be alone without a husband- um... yea... it sucks. A lot. Nic and I are the type of couple that does nearly everything together. We were friends before we ever dated, and that has remained throughout our marriage. Once he was gone, I was just so SAD. I missed my friend! The first week was the hardest. I didn't even want to clean up things he'd left out because then the reminders of him living in our house would be gone. I cried. And THEN I got over it. I had my pity party, then I buckled up to try to make the best of it and tried to keep him in good spirits. I cleaned the house, sent him a care package, talked to him daily, thought of fun sexy things to make him smile while he was away, and it all worked out! It really did go by fast. And before I knew it, I was watching him graduate in Montgomery! (Which also meant I got to attend his fancy dining out, and got to meet his new friends. Ah, fun times.) :-) We also had the pleasure (seriously) of experiencing 18 hours in the car with Nic's parents. I'm honestly not being sarcastic here... Clark and Dendy are such fun people! It was a good time!
SPRING BREAK
A few weeks after Nic had been gone, school went on Spring Break. That was quite good timing for me-- right in the middle of his time away, which gave me some much wanted distractions and company. The highlight of my Spring Break (besides seeing my family, of course!) : The Missouri Baby Shower! My mom and my best friend, Rachelle, did a ridiculously FANTASTIC job of planning and prepping the shower. There was way more delicious food than necessary, the hugest diaper cake I'd ever seen, and a seemingly endless supply of generous gifts. I felt so blessed that day, to have all of those wonderful people in my life, loving me and loving Audra. I couldn't have imagined a more perfect shower. (And THANK YOU, again!) :-D
SCHOOL
It's hard to believe we're already in our last 6 week session! We've got it organized into a 2 week block, a STAAR testing week, then a 3 week block, then all of a sudden it's the last week of school! The days are going by so fast and I know it'll be here before we know it. This may seem so dumb for me to even mention, but if you all knew how long I'd been looking forward to the last day of school (pretty much as soon as I knew Audra would be coming around that time), then you'd know how important that day is to me. My heart is leaping with joy just knowing how quickly it'll get here!
THE BABY
Well, she's still cookin' away. I'm at week 32 now, so an update is beyond due! So for those who are interested:
How far along: 32 weeks
How big is baby: weighs about 4 lbs. now!
Maternity clothes: DEFINITELY went maternity shopping. These clothes changed my pregnant life! I wish we would all wear maternity clothes all.the.time! They're so comfortable! I should have done that a long time ago!
Sleep: No longer normal. I'm sleeping on my sides, as I'm supposed to, and my hips are constantly falling asleep-- and STAYING asleep! I wake up with my sides incredibly sore and the soreness barely wares off by the time I go to bed again. When I'm at home, I usually wake up only once for the bathroom (due to the TempurPedic putting less pressure on my bladder); when I sleep other places, I usually wake up about 3 times to use the bathroom. Audra doesn't wake me up, but when I roll over (again, due to the hip falling asleep), I feel her GINORMOUS kicks [which is actually kind of fun].
Gender: CANNOT WAIT TO MEET SWEET LITTLE AUDRA!!!
Movement: Movement, lol, how about ALMOST ALWAYS? It's so fun feeling her move around in there! I can tell she's getting so strong! Last night, I was sleeping on my side, with my arm kind of draped over my stomach, and she was kicking so hard she was moving my arm. It was crazy! There was a teeny little concern for a few days when she quit moving like crazy. She was moving, but not like the crazy mover I know her to be. So that worried me. I had a feeling it was connected with my workouts, and once I saw the doctor, my suspicions were confirmed. Basically, she's growing so quickly now that she needs a lot more from me than she ever needed before. My workouts (not all THAT intense, mind you) were stealing away the supplies she needed, so she was moving less to conserve her energy. Interesting, huh? I was advised to ease up on the workouts, and so I have. It feels like I'm doing hardly anything when I work out now, but... AH, the start of sacrificing for my little gal...
Belly-button: It's an innie, but it sticks out kind of (not plush with the rest of my rounded stomach). It's confusing to me, to tell you the truth. It doesn't LOOK weird, but it feels soft and I can push it in a little. Yet like I said, it's what we would all consider an "innie." Didn't anticipate this bellybutton weirdness.
Exercise: I've been sticking to my goal of 3 times a week, and I've been proud of it! I wish I could say my eating habits have reflected the healthy lifestyle, but that's not as much the case. I'm not going nutso like I was toward the beginning, but I'm not holding a whole lot back, either. I make sure I eat at least 1 pretty healthy meal a day so Audra gets some solid nutrients. But I also indulge in more ice cream now than I ever have in my life. Never really been a dessert fan until this pregnancy... and I kind of like it...
What I'm loving: The fact that she'll be here in less than 2 months!
What I'm NOT loving: Missing my husband. But trainings are over before we know it!
What I miss: Painting my toenails (but I DO love pedicures!), being able to take medicine, not waking up to pee, having a neat guest bedroom (which has been taken over by baby supplies... yet gifts are no reason to complain, I know!), having time to relax!
So there you have it! I'll try to be more regular with this, but I make no promises! As always, I hope this finds you and yours all very happy, healthy and well. Keep in touch! If you read, let me know so I don't feel like I'm just talking to cyber-space! :) Take care!
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Sunday, December 18, 2011
...December and There's Reason to Believe... [16 weeks]
Ok, well... that little goal of writing twice a week- yeah, that didn't happen. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you forgot this thing existed. Not only did I not post twice a week, I didn't even post ONCE a week, or AT ALL for that matter...for four months! So I'm sorry, and I agree- it's been too long! I'll try to get better. :-/ I promise I have a good excuse (and I bet by now you already know what it is)!
THE BIG MOMENT:
About a month and half into the school year, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I'd read about the symptoms, and they were spot on. After Nic went to work, I took the test and didn't really expect the outcome that it gave (despite the aforementioned symptoms). Instead of 1 line, there were TWO! So you guessed it, WE'RE PREGNANT! Nic and all of our families, of course, are elated. We knew some sources advised on waiting to tell family and co-workers, but, um... we didn't really do that. We told our families the same day we found out (because I'm really REALLY bad at keeping secrets), and I told my best work friends within that first week. My reasoning is that I WANT my support system there for us, should something go wrong. I don't really want to keep something like this (good or bad as it may go) to myself. So anyway, the day we found out was one of the most exciting days of our lives (I think it's safe to speak for him on this one), and even now- a few months later- it's all pretty surreal.
THE DISBELIEF:
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BABY. Isn't that something that other people do and I only dream about? It's a similar feeling to the one I had when I realized we were really getting married. Marriage... that's for other people. It seemed so unattainable for me, and then I met Nic and it happened and it was real and unbelievably amazing! And now, a baby! It's still hard to believe that WE will have OUR OWN BABY! Something that started from nothing, is going to grow into a huge baby, that will one day be on the inside of me- and the next day, will be on the outside of me. How strange.
THE BABY & THE JOB:
The due date is June 4. Yes, to those of you who are teachers (or think along the school timeline) that means I have the lovely pleasure of being pregnant almost the whole.entire.school.year. JOY! (Could you sense the sarcasm?) There aren't many things I can think of that are more miserable than having 28 8th graders, at their peak of adolescence (and corresponding attitudes), trying to TEACH them things they DON'T REALLY want to learn, while experiencing all of the pain that pregnancy brings. I've already gone through the first trimester (which meant I felt like puking on them at times) (too bad I couldn't, b/c I bet that would teach them to not mess with me), but I anticipate the 2nd being much better.
THE 1ST TRIMESTER:
I would be lying if I said my 1st trimester was completely miserable. I feel very fortunate in my pregnancy thus far. I haven't thrown up once (although the all-day nausea wasn't really that fun), and although I fall asleep MUCH earlier now, I don't feel like the baby has kept me from doing the things I most want or need to do. Score on that end! I look forward to my energy level picking up even more in the upcoming weeks. (And for those of you who may be wondering, yes I'm still doing CrossFit, but have begun doing CrossFit Mom workouts. Google it. :-) )
THE CONFUSING MATH:
Anyone who knows much about having a baby knows that the math is quite confusing. We've always been told it takes 9 months for a baby to come, right? Well, we found out we were pregnant at around 6 weeks, and now we're at week 17 (tomorrow). And we all know that 4 weeks x 9 months should equal 36 weeks (which would make the due date at the beginning of May) but they actually put the due date at 40 weeks (beginning of June). So, in my opinion, all of the talk about 9 months just makes things confusing to people. The kids ask me on nearly a daily basis how far along I am and when the baby's coming. It's confusing for them to hear that I'm starting on my 5th month this week, then they count on their fingers and and the end date comes out all wrong. Yea, I'm with you there, kids. Sometimes math is hard.
OK, enough baby talk. Let's talk about other things!
THANKSGIVING:
We had "Thanksmas" with my family in Missouri. It was SO great to see all of them! It was my parents year to host the BIG family, so that was just some icing on the cake. Our big Christmas gift this year was an AWESOME camera which we love. We spent quality family time dancing with the X-Box Kinect, putt-putt golfing, and of course- eating! :)
POST-GRADUATION:
Given the length of this post already, Christmas posts will have to wait until next time. (And I promise the next will be more recent than the last!)
I hope this finds you all happy and well. Feel free to comment so I know you're actually reading! :) Take care!
~*Stefanie*~
THE BIG MOMENT:
About a month and half into the school year, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I'd read about the symptoms, and they were spot on. After Nic went to work, I took the test and didn't really expect the outcome that it gave (despite the aforementioned symptoms). Instead of 1 line, there were TWO! So you guessed it, WE'RE PREGNANT! Nic and all of our families, of course, are elated. We knew some sources advised on waiting to tell family and co-workers, but, um... we didn't really do that. We told our families the same day we found out (because I'm really REALLY bad at keeping secrets), and I told my best work friends within that first week. My reasoning is that I WANT my support system there for us, should something go wrong. I don't really want to keep something like this (good or bad as it may go) to myself. So anyway, the day we found out was one of the most exciting days of our lives (I think it's safe to speak for him on this one), and even now- a few months later- it's all pretty surreal.
THE DISBELIEF:
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BABY. Isn't that something that other people do and I only dream about? It's a similar feeling to the one I had when I realized we were really getting married. Marriage... that's for other people. It seemed so unattainable for me, and then I met Nic and it happened and it was real and unbelievably amazing! And now, a baby! It's still hard to believe that WE will have OUR OWN BABY! Something that started from nothing, is going to grow into a huge baby, that will one day be on the inside of me- and the next day, will be on the outside of me. How strange.
THE BABY & THE JOB:
The due date is June 4. Yes, to those of you who are teachers (or think along the school timeline) that means I have the lovely pleasure of being pregnant almost the whole.entire.school.year. JOY! (Could you sense the sarcasm?) There aren't many things I can think of that are more miserable than having 28 8th graders, at their peak of adolescence (and corresponding attitudes), trying to TEACH them things they DON'T REALLY want to learn, while experiencing all of the pain that pregnancy brings. I've already gone through the first trimester (which meant I felt like puking on them at times) (too bad I couldn't, b/c I bet that would teach them to not mess with me), but I anticipate the 2nd being much better.
THE 1ST TRIMESTER:
I would be lying if I said my 1st trimester was completely miserable. I feel very fortunate in my pregnancy thus far. I haven't thrown up once (although the all-day nausea wasn't really that fun), and although I fall asleep MUCH earlier now, I don't feel like the baby has kept me from doing the things I most want or need to do. Score on that end! I look forward to my energy level picking up even more in the upcoming weeks. (And for those of you who may be wondering, yes I'm still doing CrossFit, but have begun doing CrossFit Mom workouts. Google it. :-) )
THE CONFUSING MATH:
Anyone who knows much about having a baby knows that the math is quite confusing. We've always been told it takes 9 months for a baby to come, right? Well, we found out we were pregnant at around 6 weeks, and now we're at week 17 (tomorrow). And we all know that 4 weeks x 9 months should equal 36 weeks (which would make the due date at the beginning of May) but they actually put the due date at 40 weeks (beginning of June). So, in my opinion, all of the talk about 9 months just makes things confusing to people. The kids ask me on nearly a daily basis how far along I am and when the baby's coming. It's confusing for them to hear that I'm starting on my 5th month this week, then they count on their fingers and and the end date comes out all wrong. Yea, I'm with you there, kids. Sometimes math is hard.
OK, enough baby talk. Let's talk about other things!
THANKSGIVING:
We had "Thanksmas" with my family in Missouri. It was SO great to see all of them! It was my parents year to host the BIG family, so that was just some icing on the cake. Our big Christmas gift this year was an AWESOME camera which we love. We spent quality family time dancing with the X-Box Kinect, putt-putt golfing, and of course- eating! :)
(Nic & my brother... I wish I had gotten their faces; this was BEYOND hilarious!)
POST-GRADUATION:
- Nic graduated and found a job at a hospital here in town. I knew he would-- he's too great to pass up!
- He got commissioned as an officer into the Air Force just this very weekend. My parents came into town and my dad (a retired Army Colonel) swore him in. It was quite a special time for him (and us).
- Of course, there's more to this Air Force story, but we'll have to wait until the time is right to tell you all about that. :)
Given the length of this post already, Christmas posts will have to wait until next time. (And I promise the next will be more recent than the last!)
I hope this finds you all happy and well. Feel free to comment so I know you're actually reading! :) Take care!
~*Stefanie*~
Friday, August 5, 2011
"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."
This is a special time in Nic and I's life as a married couple. I know other young couples go through similar events and changes, and that we're nothing new to this, but I'm sitting here just thinking... wow, this week is is a pretty big one.
He gets all blushy when I talk about him in front of his face, but at least if I do it here, you can't see him! :P I can't say enough great things about my husband. He's asleep right now so he'll be ready to go for his final in the morning. Did you catch the big word? FINAL. IT'S HIS LAST WEEK OF NURSING SCHOOL! This time last year, we had just moved to Texas and every day we were working like crazy to get the house and my classroom put together before the kids started school and Nic started his program. Here we are, a year later, and he's in his last week and I'm preparing for my second year of teaching. He's really put in A LOT of hard work with this program (understatement of the year!). He's practically lived in his books and on his computer, and somehow has pulled it off with awesome grades and still a smile on his face. Now let's just keep our fingers crossed that he lands a good job (preferably in an ICU to prep him for a Nurse Anesthetist program)! I'm SO PROUD of Nic and all that he's accomplished in one year. Seriously, think about it... he earned a whole degree in ONE YEAR! How INSANE is that? (Did I ever mention he's also really really cute and funny, and incredibly sweet?)
The anticipation for everything has gotten us quite excited. I can afford to be awake right now because, even though tomorrow is a work day, I've still got just A FEW days of summer left! I can't believe how fast it went by, and also can't believe all of the things I still have to do before the kids come. So within the next week, Nic will *officially* be finished with school, and I will *officially* be starting again. Isn't that the way things usually work? So we're sort of just sitting back and relishing this time we've got- me still with a bit of summer and him with assignments slowly tapering off as they get finished. I think about this time NEXT YEAR and how we'll likely be in our new home in Hampton and how we get to work like crazy to put the house together again, and how I get to work at making new friends all over again as well.
Speaking of friends, I can't tell you how many times I've thanked God for all of the AMAZING people we've met (and already knew) here in Texas. It was a treat, first of all, to be near Nic's family and get to spend more time with them. But it's just icing on the cake that I work with some really stellar people. I mean REALLY stellar people. These are honestly some of the funniest, sweetest, most outgoing, and sincere people that I've ever met. I've enjoyed eating lunch with them, planning with them, working for them, and seeing their faces every day. Teaching can be hard (another understatement of the year), especially in a school like ours. And while I don't think I ever really voiced it to them, they made my first year teaching a lot smoother than it could have been. They were there for me to talk to, to lean on, and to make me LAUGH on my best and worst of days. Part of me wonders how I ever got so LUCKY. And also part of me wonders if I'll EVER be this lucky again in Virginia. I really am looking forward to school starting again so I can see everyone EVERY DAY, not just on sporadic little dinner/lunch/pool dates.
I love days like this, when I know the next few days will be full of lots of FUN. Tomorrow's plan involves a POOL with some fun NURSING STUDENTS (celebrating 1 Final down), working out and then MORE FRIENDS in the evening... Saturday will again include friends in the evening, and Sunday will include brunch with Nic's parents, POOL again, then celebrating a friend's birthday in the evening. Monday and Tuesday? Well, they're the last two days of summer and I'm sure I'll be filling them with something fun! I know there's no real WORK in my very near future, and even on Wednesday when it all starts back up again... there's STILL fun in the plan (I'm hearing something about a team-building ropes course? Yippee!!!). I love knowing I've got plans to see people I really love spending time with in the very near future. Ahhhh Summer. Ahhhh end of Nursing school (it's great to get my husband back!).
Life.is.good.
He gets all blushy when I talk about him in front of his face, but at least if I do it here, you can't see him! :P I can't say enough great things about my husband. He's asleep right now so he'll be ready to go for his final in the morning. Did you catch the big word? FINAL. IT'S HIS LAST WEEK OF NURSING SCHOOL! This time last year, we had just moved to Texas and every day we were working like crazy to get the house and my classroom put together before the kids started school and Nic started his program. Here we are, a year later, and he's in his last week and I'm preparing for my second year of teaching. He's really put in A LOT of hard work with this program (understatement of the year!). He's practically lived in his books and on his computer, and somehow has pulled it off with awesome grades and still a smile on his face. Now let's just keep our fingers crossed that he lands a good job (preferably in an ICU to prep him for a Nurse Anesthetist program)! I'm SO PROUD of Nic and all that he's accomplished in one year. Seriously, think about it... he earned a whole degree in ONE YEAR! How INSANE is that? (Did I ever mention he's also really really cute and funny, and incredibly sweet?)
Speaking of friends, I can't tell you how many times I've thanked God for all of the AMAZING people we've met (and already knew) here in Texas. It was a treat, first of all, to be near Nic's family and get to spend more time with them. But it's just icing on the cake that I work with some really stellar people. I mean REALLY stellar people. These are honestly some of the funniest, sweetest, most outgoing, and sincere people that I've ever met. I've enjoyed eating lunch with them, planning with them, working for them, and seeing their faces every day. Teaching can be hard (another understatement of the year), especially in a school like ours. And while I don't think I ever really voiced it to them, they made my first year teaching a lot smoother than it could have been. They were there for me to talk to, to lean on, and to make me LAUGH on my best and worst of days. Part of me wonders how I ever got so LUCKY. And also part of me wonders if I'll EVER be this lucky again in Virginia. I really am looking forward to school starting again so I can see everyone EVERY DAY, not just on sporadic little dinner/lunch/pool dates.
I love days like this, when I know the next few days will be full of lots of FUN. Tomorrow's plan involves a POOL with some fun NURSING STUDENTS (celebrating 1 Final down), working out and then MORE FRIENDS in the evening... Saturday will again include friends in the evening, and Sunday will include brunch with Nic's parents, POOL again, then celebrating a friend's birthday in the evening. Monday and Tuesday? Well, they're the last two days of summer and I'm sure I'll be filling them with something fun! I know there's no real WORK in my very near future, and even on Wednesday when it all starts back up again... there's STILL fun in the plan (I'm hearing something about a team-building ropes course? Yippee!!!). I love knowing I've got plans to see people I really love spending time with in the very near future. Ahhhh Summer. Ahhhh end of Nursing school (it's great to get my husband back!).
Life.is.good.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Hey, Blogspot, it's been a while!
Ok. It's been so long since I've blogged that I couldn't even remember how to log in. How to LOG IN... Wow. I've been reading a great blog written by Emily Cassee (what a random and gloriously wonderful thing to stumble upon while doing a nightly Google search!), and it's definitely inspired me to get writing again. I love reading her stories about random and often very hilarious things, and I'd love to chronicle my life just the same. Wouldn't it be nice to look back and reflect on all those things that happened? Well, it would be... IF THOSE WRITINGS EXISTED! Seriously, guys, this is pathetic. I don't think I can even call myself a "blogger" at this stage in my non-blogging career. My last post was written in February- 5 MONTHS AGO! So as I was laying in be at 2 in the morning (long story)... (ok- Nic and I took a nap too late in the day therefore I couldn't fall asleep), reading Emily's blog, I liked how she recapped the time lapse between blog entries. She just included a list of important things that had happened since the last time she blogged. Where would I EVEN begin?!? How about here (in no particular order of importance):
1. School's out for the summer! (DUH!)
I successfully completed my first year of teaching! At a Title I school, at that! The feeling of walking into school on the last day of the academic year was... well, exciting, sad, and mostly triumphant! It's amazing how those little fireballs who got under my skin so many times ended up being some of those that I'll miss the most. It was a bit hard watching some of those crazies leave middle school for the last time. A lot of them still need so much guidance, and I really will be curious to know how they are and what they're doing in 4 years. (Hopefully graduating high school! But realistically... yea.)
2. My husband has been accepted into the Air Force Nurse Corps!
As if you haven't already seen all of my jubilated Facebook updates back in May, Nic was one of the 22 (out of over 130!) candidates selected for the Air Force Nurse Corps! This is what it means for us: First, Nic will finish his degree from the Tech accelerated Nursing program mid-August. Near the end of February, he'll report to Commissioned Officer Training in Montgomery, AL. (Where my girls at???) Around the beginning of April, he'll report to the Nurse Transition Program in San Antonio (I'm SOOOO looking forward to visiting & strolling along the River Walk and visiting the Alamo!), where he'll be until around June. I'll miss his cute face a RIDICULOUS amount, but I know he's going to have a blast. Hopefully they'll have wi-fi... We
That's right, people, that's a DUST STORM! I remember the first time we went out during one, I commented on how red the sky was and how creepy it looked. Mr. Lover Lover informed me that that the red color was, in fact, dust. EWWWWW! I was further informed that should it rain at that particular moment, it would RAIN MUD! MUD WOULD FALL FROM THE SKY. MUD, like in a MUD PIT! Unbelievable.
So can you blame me for being UBER excited for July 2012 to come so I can see:
3. My baby brother's getting married!
1. School's out for the summer! (DUH!)
I successfully completed my first year of teaching! At a Title I school, at that! The feeling of walking into school on the last day of the academic year was... well, exciting, sad, and mostly triumphant! It's amazing how those little fireballs who got under my skin so many times ended up being some of those that I'll miss the most. It was a bit hard watching some of those crazies leave middle school for the last time. A lot of them still need so much guidance, and I really will be curious to know how they are and what they're doing in 4 years. (Hopefully graduating high school! But realistically... yea.)
2. My husband has been accepted into the Air Force Nurse Corps!
As if you haven't already seen all of my jubilated Facebook updates back in May, Nic was one of the 22 (out of over 130!) candidates selected for the Air Force Nurse Corps! This is what it means for us: First, Nic will finish his degree from the Tech accelerated Nursing program mid-August. Near the end of February, he'll report to Commissioned Officer Training in Montgomery, AL. (Where my girls at???) Around the beginning of April, he'll report to the Nurse Transition Program in San Antonio (I'm SOOOO looking forward to visiting & strolling along the River Walk and visiting the Alamo!), where he'll be until around June. I'll miss his cute face a RIDICULOUS amount, but I know he's going to have a blast. Hopefully they'll have wi-fi... We
and
There's just an unbelievable amount of dust and dirt here!!!
Pretty much the most interesting thing, geographically, I've experienced was this phenomena:
So can you blame me for being UBER excited for July 2012 to come so I can see:
and
BUT MOST OF ALL...
the beach will be about 10... YES 10 minutes from our HOME!!!!!!!!!
Ok, enough gloating. (Can ya tell I'm excited?!?)
3. My baby brother's getting married!
Yes, little Briboy Casey is twitterpated. And you're right, he's not a baby. He's only 22. ;) Her name is Jessie, and they've been dating since summer of 2007. (Sidenote- they have the EXACT SAME BIRTHDAY. How amazing is that?!?) She grew up in J.C. as well, which is convenient for them to have their parents all bundled up in one Fabulous Family Spot. She's insanely cute (she runs MILES every day, so you KNOW she looks good!), and has a heart of pure gold. One of her greatest desires is to help children in Africa (she has a fun foot tattoo to symbolize this passion). I love the love (and let's be real- the structure, too) she's provided for my brother while they attended school in Cape. She got a job teaching Kindergarten (I'm TOTALLY JEALOUS of that, btw) and I SO look forward to hearing the cute little stories she'll have to share come fall. (Mrs. Monda, why does my dog lick his butt? Mrs. Monda... I made an oopsie! Mrs. Monda, she took my... she took my... she... [bursts into tears].) Just thinking about that job makes my heart swell three times its normal size. Such FUN! To top it all off, they have a cute little townhouse with HARDWOOD FLOORS, a beautiful doggie named Gracie, and they're going to have one of the most ROCKIN' weddings known to man. I can't wait!
4. We started CROSSFIT.
For those of you who don't know what CrossFit is, you need to Google it RIGHT NOW! It's only the most insane, glorious, make-your-body-hurt-like-its-never-hurt-before workout! After (unsuccessfully) trying P90X a couple of times (mid workout, I tended to "need" a drink or "need" to answer that text.... I mean I tried my hardest, most of the time... ok I just cheated. A lot.) we decided we SERIOUSLY needed something to kick our arses into shape. Nic has the goal of making a perfect score on his physical fitness test at COT, and we'd heard a lot about CrossFit- mainly from his brother in law- and decided to give it a whirl. That was last Tuesday and my.body.hasn't.stopped.aching.since. The gyms are pretty minimal (not like a Gold's Gym, Wilson's or Bodyworks). Just you, the weights, the workout, and the timer. The CrossFit coaches explain the workouts and set the time and you do your best to try to complete it in the set amount of time. Of course, they have accommodations if you're old (hehe jk!), out of shape (like me) or maybe both... but the main thing is that you really give it a go. Over time, your cardio will increase, your strength will increase, and your hours you stay awake into the night with your spouse will increase. ;) HAHA! But seriously. I can already feel my arms and thighs getting stronger, and I so look forward to the day when I can seriously ROCK that workout and look like the other girls that have been doing CrossFit for a while.
So there you have it! Quite a bit going on, but lovin' every minute! I have goals to update this layout, but mainly, to update MORE OFTEN! I promise not to forget you the way I have in the past, Blogspot, and I hope you can forgive me. Take care!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Sharpen Your Saw
"Time you enjoyed wasting was not wasted"- John Lennon
The head principal of the school I work introduced this phrase and concept at one of our first staff meetings: "Sharpen your saw." And while I forget the exact story he had that went along with it, the meaning stuck. I'll quickly give you a botched up version of what he means when he says that:
Each of us is like a saw; we're sharp and can be efficient at what we do. Over time, especially in our every day jobs, our saw becomes dull due to all work and no play. Every now and then, we need to take time to ourselves to do the things we enjoy and WANT to do rather than things we NEED to do; these things help us "sharpen our saws" so we feel rejuvenated, sharp and ready to go again. I love love LOVE that he told us to sharpen our saws whenever we can, and to not feel guilty about doing that. He recognizes that burnout is a serious problem, especially in teaching, and he advocates for us to not work ALL the time; spend time with family, do the things you enjoy so you are a happier, healthier, "sharper" employee. (He was careful to add to do this within reason.)
Why is this applicable to my life right now? Because yesterday was my birthday! Yes, I am now closer to 30 than I am to 20, as my brother reminded me in his voicemail yesterday. It was a Friday, and normally I would have been at school. Since it was my birthday, I decided to take the day to sharpen my saw. I felt like it was a good reason to not be telling children what to do, and a GREAT reason to not hang around and let certain 6th graders push my buttons and give me a stress headache. So I did, and I love that nobody gave me crap about it- in fact, it was smiled upon. What great colleagues!
So what did I do yesterday? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!! :) I slept 'till 10, watched 3 movies, cuddled with my husband, took my time getting ready for the day around 6:30 (haha!) ate some Mexican (my fav!), came back and played board games (yes, I'm THAT cheesy!) with my love and lastly, fell asleep to Dirty Dancing. Oh Beautiful Day!
I found the John Lennon quote at the top of this post on a friend's Facebook page. I love it! Because sometimes I do feel guilty for "wasting" time. I feel like I should be cleaning, or lesson planning, or getting out and doing things. But I agree with Lennon- doing little things you enjoy, even if it feels like time wasted, is not wasting time at all. It's sharpening your saw! I bet my principal didn't know he had some of the same philosophies as John Lennon. : )
It really is silly some of the things I love to do that can seemingly be wasting time. BUT, I'm going to share them with you b/c... well, b/c I can. : ) Warning: Frivolous girly talk ahead!
So what things do I love that could be seen as "wasting" time which actually sharpen my saw? Lately, it's been experimenting with eye make-up. I'll update you on other fun "saw sharpeners" as they develop, but today I'll just share about the eyes.
Eyes are SUCH an important part of you (for more reasons than being able to see)! Upon watching the documentary "The Science of Attraction" I learned that the first thing that attracts a person, weather male or female, is most often the eyes (assuming no crazy outfit or something of the type). That being said, I think some time should be spent paying attention to them! ...er...not that I'm trying to attract people... but if people look at them, I want them to look good!
I love me some great eyelashes; I think they can do so much for your face and I've been in constant search of the best mascara. Well, I think I found it! Slightly expensive as it may be, this is my current fav:
Flirt! Far Out Lengthening Mascara
Found at: Kohl's
Price: $12
Those that care about mascara will notice that it doesn't have a regular brush, but instead it has a comb-like end that helps ensure that lashes get separated evenly. It's not waterproof, which I was hesitant about at first (I always cry when I laugh really hard), but I really love the way it washes off easily in the shower. My husband laughs when I tell him it's a "good eyelash day." I swear, just like the hair on your head, eyelashes either cooperate or they don't. With this mascara, there are more good days than bad. ; )
Mary Kay Eyeliner Brush This came in the brush kit I had left over from the days that I sold Mary Kay. While I've gone on to use other makeup products, I still adore this brush! It's actually got a little comb and brush on the other end that you could use for eyebrows or eyelashes, but this little gal shown is SO thin that you can use it for eye-liner. Literally just take the brush and dab it on a dark color of eye-shadow (which increases color selection) and then keep the brush close to eyelashes when applying and TA DA! Beautiful easy eye-liner which is actually eye-shadow! Fun stuff!
So there you have it, a few things I do to sharpen my saw... or waste time... however you choose to see it. I hope you take some time to do silly little things to sharpen your saw as well!
Sorry if I bored you non-girly people to death, but thanks for reading anyway!
Have a great week and sharpen your saw! : )
♥ Stefanie
The head principal of the school I work introduced this phrase and concept at one of our first staff meetings: "Sharpen your saw." And while I forget the exact story he had that went along with it, the meaning stuck. I'll quickly give you a botched up version of what he means when he says that:
Each of us is like a saw; we're sharp and can be efficient at what we do. Over time, especially in our every day jobs, our saw becomes dull due to all work and no play. Every now and then, we need to take time to ourselves to do the things we enjoy and WANT to do rather than things we NEED to do; these things help us "sharpen our saws" so we feel rejuvenated, sharp and ready to go again. I love love LOVE that he told us to sharpen our saws whenever we can, and to not feel guilty about doing that. He recognizes that burnout is a serious problem, especially in teaching, and he advocates for us to not work ALL the time; spend time with family, do the things you enjoy so you are a happier, healthier, "sharper" employee. (He was careful to add to do this within reason.)
Why is this applicable to my life right now? Because yesterday was my birthday! Yes, I am now closer to 30 than I am to 20, as my brother reminded me in his voicemail yesterday. It was a Friday, and normally I would have been at school. Since it was my birthday, I decided to take the day to sharpen my saw. I felt like it was a good reason to not be telling children what to do, and a GREAT reason to not hang around and let certain 6th graders push my buttons and give me a stress headache. So I did, and I love that nobody gave me crap about it- in fact, it was smiled upon. What great colleagues!
So what did I do yesterday? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!! :) I slept 'till 10, watched 3 movies, cuddled with my husband, took my time getting ready for the day around 6:30 (haha!) ate some Mexican (my fav!), came back and played board games (yes, I'm THAT cheesy!) with my love and lastly, fell asleep to Dirty Dancing. Oh Beautiful Day!
I found the John Lennon quote at the top of this post on a friend's Facebook page. I love it! Because sometimes I do feel guilty for "wasting" time. I feel like I should be cleaning, or lesson planning, or getting out and doing things. But I agree with Lennon- doing little things you enjoy, even if it feels like time wasted, is not wasting time at all. It's sharpening your saw! I bet my principal didn't know he had some of the same philosophies as John Lennon. : )
It really is silly some of the things I love to do that can seemingly be wasting time. BUT, I'm going to share them with you b/c... well, b/c I can. : ) Warning: Frivolous girly talk ahead!
So what things do I love that could be seen as "wasting" time which actually sharpen my saw? Lately, it's been experimenting with eye make-up. I'll update you on other fun "saw sharpeners" as they develop, but today I'll just share about the eyes.
Eyes are SUCH an important part of you (for more reasons than being able to see)! Upon watching the documentary "The Science of Attraction" I learned that the first thing that attracts a person, weather male or female, is most often the eyes (assuming no crazy outfit or something of the type). That being said, I think some time should be spent paying attention to them! ...er...not that I'm trying to attract people... but if people look at them, I want them to look good!
I love me some great eyelashes; I think they can do so much for your face and I've been in constant search of the best mascara. Well, I think I found it! Slightly expensive as it may be, this is my current fav:
Found at: Kohl's
Price: $12
Those that care about mascara will notice that it doesn't have a regular brush, but instead it has a comb-like end that helps ensure that lashes get separated evenly. It's not waterproof, which I was hesitant about at first (I always cry when I laugh really hard), but I really love the way it washes off easily in the shower. My husband laughs when I tell him it's a "good eyelash day." I swear, just like the hair on your head, eyelashes either cooperate or they don't. With this mascara, there are more good days than bad. ; )
So there you have it, a few things I do to sharpen my saw... or waste time... however you choose to see it. I hope you take some time to do silly little things to sharpen your saw as well!
Sorry if I bored you non-girly people to death, but thanks for reading anyway!
Have a great week and sharpen your saw! : )
♥ Stefanie
Sunday, January 23, 2011
When I Grow Up...
I wonder how many people out there have jobs that they really really REALLY love. I mean, these people wake up super excited to go to their job and they would do it for free if they could afford it. I want that. Do you have that?
Don't get me wrong, I really love teaching. Although most people close to me know that middle school hasn't been my first choice, I've been truly enjoying this time with the hormonal drama-driven adolescents. I've been able to build some valuable relationships and inspire a few that I know aren't naturally inspired to excel in English. I've had a student say "Why can't all teachers be like you?" and multiple tell me that my class is their favorite or that I'm their favorite teacher. So that being said, my day is fun and full, and I know I'm making a difference.
My job is hard. And maybe that's what makes me want something different. It takes a lot of time to come up with interesting ideas-- and even then, sometimes what I think they'll enjoy ends up being a bust. It's a lot of time at the copy machine, a lot of meetings, and realistically- a lot of teen drama to put up with in one year (and often one day). I'll teach as long as I need to... but somewhere deep inside, I wonder what it is that I would REALLY REALLY want to do, if I could do anything in the whole world.
I would be surprised if I'm the only one who feels this way. I think most people are at least content with their jobs, and some are happy for the most part-- usually due to the co-workers and less the content (as in my case). But what would you do if you could pick up those great friends at your current job, uplift them then plant them into your new job (the one where you all are having a complete and total blast and don't even want to leave at the end of the day)? No, I'm not talking about job taste-testing food and beverages... I'm asking honestly, what would you do?
I often joke about what I'm about to say, but in all honesty- I'm not really kidding. I tell people that if I could do ANYTHING, I would love to be a SCUBA instructor, or do some type of SCUBA work. Something about water has always drawn me in: water is my favorite thing to drink, I love to sit by lakes and read, I love to swim, love driving on bridges that go over water, love being by the ocean (thus the destination wedding and Aruba honeymoon) and basically, if Nic weren't my husband, I would marry water because I love it so much (as the elementary saying goes).
Now, I may have some work cut out for me-- I'm not even a certified diver! You may wonder how I'm so certain of this dream without having dived before- but just roll with it and trust me when I say, I just know that job's for me. It's been a bit tough, not living by an ocean, and also- that stuff is EXPENSIVE! However, the dream may not be as far off as I think, since two of the places we preferenced for the Air Force are Pensacola and Virginia Beach (if he's accepted, we would likely be moving summer of 2012) and then one of the places he could do his clinicals for CRNA school (years down the road) is Hawaii. Believe me, once we get near an ocean and both have well-paying jobs, SCUBA certification here I come!
It'd be really cool to open my own SCUBA business and somehow tie God and Christianity into all of it. The sermon that we heard last night got me thinking how I can live my dreams for God. It's a really interesting 3-part series called 'You Can Do It!'- you can check it out here. SCUBA is definitely one of my dreams, and if I can even for a minute get a non-believer to dive and appreciate the fact that the beauty comes from God's hands, that's a small moment of success.
So, to you, are you 100% happy with your current job? If not, what is it that you really REALLY want to do? And what do you need to do to get there? Just a little food for thought.
I hope you all had a great week, and I hope your Monday starts off full of energy and ready to go! I know a lot of people have been sick lately, so stay well and drink your AIRBORNE!
See you later!
♥ Stefanie
Don't get me wrong, I really love teaching. Although most people close to me know that middle school hasn't been my first choice, I've been truly enjoying this time with the hormonal drama-driven adolescents. I've been able to build some valuable relationships and inspire a few that I know aren't naturally inspired to excel in English. I've had a student say "Why can't all teachers be like you?" and multiple tell me that my class is their favorite or that I'm their favorite teacher. So that being said, my day is fun and full, and I know I'm making a difference.
My job is hard. And maybe that's what makes me want something different. It takes a lot of time to come up with interesting ideas-- and even then, sometimes what I think they'll enjoy ends up being a bust. It's a lot of time at the copy machine, a lot of meetings, and realistically- a lot of teen drama to put up with in one year (and often one day). I'll teach as long as I need to... but somewhere deep inside, I wonder what it is that I would REALLY REALLY want to do, if I could do anything in the whole world.
I would be surprised if I'm the only one who feels this way. I think most people are at least content with their jobs, and some are happy for the most part-- usually due to the co-workers and less the content (as in my case). But what would you do if you could pick up those great friends at your current job, uplift them then plant them into your new job (the one where you all are having a complete and total blast and don't even want to leave at the end of the day)? No, I'm not talking about job taste-testing food and beverages... I'm asking honestly, what would you do?
I often joke about what I'm about to say, but in all honesty- I'm not really kidding. I tell people that if I could do ANYTHING, I would love to be a SCUBA instructor, or do some type of SCUBA work. Something about water has always drawn me in: water is my favorite thing to drink, I love to sit by lakes and read, I love to swim, love driving on bridges that go over water, love being by the ocean (thus the destination wedding and Aruba honeymoon) and basically, if Nic weren't my husband, I would marry water because I love it so much (as the elementary saying goes).
Now, I may have some work cut out for me-- I'm not even a certified diver! You may wonder how I'm so certain of this dream without having dived before- but just roll with it and trust me when I say, I just know that job's for me. It's been a bit tough, not living by an ocean, and also- that stuff is EXPENSIVE! However, the dream may not be as far off as I think, since two of the places we preferenced for the Air Force are Pensacola and Virginia Beach (if he's accepted, we would likely be moving summer of 2012) and then one of the places he could do his clinicals for CRNA school (years down the road) is Hawaii. Believe me, once we get near an ocean and both have well-paying jobs, SCUBA certification here I come!
It'd be really cool to open my own SCUBA business and somehow tie God and Christianity into all of it. The sermon that we heard last night got me thinking how I can live my dreams for God. It's a really interesting 3-part series called 'You Can Do It!'- you can check it out here. SCUBA is definitely one of my dreams, and if I can even for a minute get a non-believer to dive and appreciate the fact that the beauty comes from God's hands, that's a small moment of success.
So, to you, are you 100% happy with your current job? If not, what is it that you really REALLY want to do? And what do you need to do to get there? Just a little food for thought.
I hope you all had a great week, and I hope your Monday starts off full of energy and ready to go! I know a lot of people have been sick lately, so stay well and drink your AIRBORNE!
See you later!
♥ Stefanie
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