Five Question Friday

1. What's the best Christmas present you've ever received? I would have to say my Cabbage Patch Kid when I was 5 or 6 years old. He was exactly what I wanted - a boy, bald with brown eyes. I loved that doll. I'll have to dig out the picture of me with him still in the box on Christmas morning.

2. Worse/Funniest White Elephant gift I've ever received? Nothing stands out in my memory.

3. Is your Christmas tree plain and simple (white lights and matching ornaments) or is it wild and crazy (colored lights with lots of ornaments collected over the years)? I like simple and classy. I would do white lights with red bows every year if it were up to me, with a few traditional ornaments on the tree (ones my Gram made, ones we made as kids, ones in memory of loved ones, etc). But, I don't have my own house yet so I have to do it the way the 'rents want.

4. "How" do you iron your clothes? The old fashioned iron/ironing board, the shower, back in the dryer, etc. Depends. With the new washer and dryer, I've been really good about getting clothes out of the dryer when they're dry... leaving the majority of my clothes not needing ironing. I've been known to hang things in the bathroom during a hot shower and just Wednesday night I pulled out the ironing board and iron...

5. How much baking do you do for Christmas and what are your "must make" items? I always make peanut blossoms - the peanut butter cookies with hershey's kisses in the center. Other than that, I usually make sugar cookies and decorate them but that's not necessarily every year. I have some ideas of traditions I'd love to do with my own children one day, but that will have to wait I guess. :)

5 Question Friday

1. What is your favorite Christmas cookie? I’d say the peanut butter cookies with a Hershey’s Kiss in the center. It’s not very Christmasy, but it’s the only time of year I make them!

2. What’s your favorite holiday movie and why? I can’t pick a favorite. I love Rudolph because I have been watching it for decades. Christmas Vacation is special to me because Chevy Chase reminds me of my Uncle when we would spend Christmas with him and his family. I also had my Gramma sit down and watch the last Christmas she was here for. Elf is special because we saw it in the theatre the day after Christmas – something we never do as a family, and haven’t done again since then. A Christmas Story is just plain amazing – and it is on every Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in our house for the full 24 hours that TNT airs it.

3. Is there a gift you have bought for your kids but wished you hadn’t after they opened it? N/A

4. What is the messiest room in your house right at this moment? Probably the kitchen – and I should probably go clean it instead of posting this.

5. What is the furthest you have driven for the holidays? Michigan to see Tim & his family last year forThanksgiving. Or to Florida for Easter my freshman year of high school.

it's back! for today anyways...

1. What movie do you love to quote? If you're around me for more than a few minutes, chances are I will quote one of the following movies: Dumb & Dumber, Christmas Vacation or Elf.

2. Have you ever ridden a motorcycle? Yes - but nothing exciting. My aunt & uncle came down to my parent's house one afternoon a few years ago on his Harley and I happened to mention in passing I had never been on one. Scariest experience of my life... and he only went about 25mph.

3. What's your favorite thing to do on a rainy day? Sleep. Although lately it would be school work, then sleep.

4. Do you prefer a bunch of small gifts, or one really big (expensive) gift? My family has never been big on gift giving, so it doesn't matter much to me. My parents informed me this week that their gift to me this Christmas is going to be new tires for my car, and I was super excited. Opening gifts on Christmas and my birthday isn't what my parents have made those days about.

5. Do you ever lose track of days and end up somewhere wrong? Not yet! Even on crazy schedules with elementary schools. A few years ago I split a 5 day rotation between 4 schools and not once did I ever make a mistake. Great, yes... but I'd love to have a good stry to tell! :)

I have fallen in love with this song from the first time i heard it today.

5 Question Friday

Happy July!!

1.) If you were given the opportunity to bungee jump, would you? Um...... NO.

2.) Would you rather go to the movie theater or drive-in? Drive in because I have never been!

3.) Do you have your groceries delivered? No reason to have them delivered, unless laziness is a reason! I think it is a great thing for the elderly or disabled or if you have 50 kids and can't get to the grocery store... but otherwise I don't see a need to have your groceries delivered.

4.) Eyebrows: Do you wax, thread, pluck or stay au naturel? Try to stay on top of plucking, but if I get really behind I get a wax. Au Naturel would mean uni-brow in my case!

5.) Would the people you went to high school with be surprised by your life today? Seeing as I was a band geek and turned out to be a music teacher, I would say no. :)

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Wednesday already! I feel like this week is flying by! Last week was super busy, it seemed to drag... but of course my first official week of summer vacation and I don't know where the time is going...

Here's a list of what I'm lovin - I'm going to be boring this week and make it a picture-free post!

1.) Since school is over I have spent Monday and Tuesday deep cleaning the house. Monday was the kitchen, living room, dining room and bathrooms. I try to help my parents out by pulling some weight in the cleaning department, but usually don't have time or energy during the work week. What a difference it makes having all day, every day to make things tidy. All that to say, this week I'm loving all things Swiffer related!

2.) I'm certainly loving the warmer, summer-like weather.

3.) I'm loving that this weekend is 4th of July and I will be spending time with family!

4.) I'm loving that 5 weeks from today my twin nephews will be here for over a week!!!!!

5.) I'm loving that tonight I get to meet with my advisor to set up my classes for this fall that will go towards my Master's degree!

6.) I'm loving still being on a school schedule and that sleeping til 7 or 7:30 feels like sleeping in! (This usually only lasts a week or two... the late nights catch up to me quickly!)

7.) I'm loving a clean bill of health from the doctor and a 10-15lb weight change (lower!) than a year ago!

8.) I'm loving that my time in New London is D O N E and I'm on to bigger and better things :)

9.) I'm loving that a new baby is going to be joining our family in a little less than 10 weeks!

10.) I'm loving my precious puppy probably a little more than I should now that I'm home every day. :)

Hope you're having a happy hump day!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

I can't believe the day is nearly over. This has been such a busy week and it will continue to be busy until Sunday afternoon. I think at that point I will truly feel like school is out for the summer! My list is short but here's what I'm lovin'!
Days til summer vacation: ZERO!!! School's out for summer!!!!!
Speaking of school being out - this song has been playing over and over in my head!

THIS GUY graduated from my alma mater tonight! I couldn't be more proud!! How cute is he?!

I've been loving reading memories of my former student, Ruben... who sadly, passed away after a month long battle with a rare form of brain cancer. This guy was really one in a million... he was a beautiful soul and will be missed each and every day -

5 Question Friday!

1. What is your favorite summer time activity? The things I love about summer are - being able to wake up and not having to get in the shower and out the door 6 days a week, family get togethers and BBQ's, travel to see family and friends and just sitting on the front porch rockers until all hours of the evening enjoying a margarita!

2. Do you have one laundry sop you stick to, or do you buy whatever is on sale? I usually buy either Era or Tide. Tide is so stinking expensive... but it smells so stinking good! I've been using coupons to buy it at BJ's Wholesale so it is a little cheaper... but it still kills me sometimes to buy it!

3. What is your favorite dinner to make in the summer? I LOVE to grill out in the summer. I'm gonna go with either honey balsamic chicken or a burger... with a huge green salad, corn on the cob and.... a margarita!

4. Do you have any talents? No hidden talents that I can think of... other than worry like a pro about things that are totally out of my control! ha!

5. If you could instantly be an expert at something, what would it be? Why? I would LOVE to be able to be a talented photographer and have an eye for those amazing pictures that photographers have! Either that or I would be a mind reader :)

it's Wednesday - here's what I'm lovin!

it's Wednesday and you won't hear any complaining from me! here's what i'm lovin:

Gotta start with the school count down - after today (which is field day) we will have just THREE (technically 2 and a half but who's counting?!) days left this year!
I went to Yankee Candle last night and this is my absolute favorite scent! I completely burned the one I got earlier this spring and we have company coming this weekend so I had to get another one!

Speaking of company... I have been on a cleaning frenzy since this weekend, so I thought I would share some of the cleaning products I have been loving lately! First up - these pledge wipes. I love having the polish and the rag all in one wipe!
My dog sleeps in my room... and the carpet is beginning to smell like dog. Yuck. So, to freshen things up, I sprinkle this on the carpet before I vacuum and it lasts for a few days. i LOVE it!

For my windows and mirrors I use Windex Multi Surface. It smells so delish!

and for the bathroom and kitchen i LOVE these wipes... they not only smell lemon fresh but they are bio-degradable!

And some GREAT news! I have officially secured an internship for the fall. I will either be here at Great Neck Elementary School (where I interviewed AND where my cousin's daughter Haley will be in the 3rd grade)...

Or at Quaker Hill Elementary School (which is where my niece Briana is and will be in the 4th grade)...

Or here at Oswegatchie Elementary School... which is where I spent grades Kindergarten through 6th grade! Of course, it didn't look like this... but it is still MY school :)

A few years back my town voted to consolidate 5 elementary schools into 3... and they tore down the existing buildings to build new ones. No matter which school I am placed in, it is less than 3 years old and completely state of the art. I. AM. SO. LOVING. IT!!!! :o)

five question friday -

ho hum. another friday. 2nd to last friday of this school year. really experiencing mixed feelings about the end of this year. i digress. on to 5 question friday:

1. How close to your childhood dreams is your life now? Relatively? Here are the things I used to dream about when I was a little girl: being a teacher, getting married and having a family. So, I guess you could say 1/3 of my dreams have come true? I just got done stalking a friend of a friend on facebook who is a good 12 years younger than me... she is getting married and i was looking at her wedding shower pictures... and let out the hugest sigh i have ever heard and caught myself... I do long for those days... and hope that I am lucky enough to experience what it is like to have a bridal shower or feel a baby move inside me... but until then, I just keep dreaming.

2. What is one must have item for the summer? family BBQs. :)

3. Did your parents make you stay up on school stuff during summer vacation? Ok first of all I was SO confused with this question. I think I have it figured out. When I was young, summer was time for hard play and sleep. It wasn't until high school that they implemented a summer reading program. We had to read a book (The Hobbits) over the summer and were going to be quizzed on it the 1st day of school. I think I got a 13 on that quiz. Meh.

4. Do you can or freeze fresh produce? I haven't made a habit of it, other than blueberries. They freeze so easily. I do plan on going strawberry picking soon and make jam, which i will freeze. I'm looking forward to that! Other than that, all of our produce from the garden is consumed or given away.

5. Do you get ready for the day 1st thing in the morning? If it is a school day, yes. Typically in the summer I will get ready if I have somewhere to be or have a lot to do. If it is a weekend I usually just relax and get ready for the day mid to late morning.

Have a wonderful weekend :)

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Hump Day! Woo hoo! Here's what I'm lovin' -

There are EIGHT days of school left!!!

I am LOVING this cutie pie! Here is my almost 6 month old nephew Luke, on his baptism day:

i'm loving the opportunity to hopefully be a Pioneer this fall!I'm loving re-living my childhood with my 4th graders this week. We've been studying about musicals and are finishing the year watching "The Muppets Take Manhattan"

Have a great day!

5QF

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, Friday :)

1. If you had to choose, how would you prefer to spend money - on landscaping or a pool? Pool. Hands down. Granted I don't own a home, but I have helped my dad enough with landscaping that I know how to plant flowers and lay mulch.... i would never pay anyone to do that for me... i would definitely go with the POOL! even though here in CT we can only use a pool 2-3 months out of the year..... it would be enough for me!

2. Death penalty - yay or nay? Nay. I know the Bible says "An eye for an eye" and a lot of people think if a person takes a life they should have their life taken, i believe that God has the ultimate authority and will decide the fate of each one of us. that is simply not for any other human to decide, even if someone has decided to take someone else's life.

3. What is the worst thing your kid has gotten into when you turned your back/blogged/showered/blinked? n/a

4. How often do you really go to the dentist? i go twice a year! i always dread it but love walking out with clean teeth and gums that have been dug into to get rid of yuckiness! there have been a few times where i have gone longer than 6 months between visits... a few years ago i didn't have insurance for a few years so i stretched my visits... but generally i go every 6 months.

5. What is your favorite animal? As boring as it may seem... I have definitely become a dog-obsessed person. Never thought that would happen but being a dog owner has definitely made that happen.

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Here's a few things that I am loving this week:

*I'm loving that I will be going to Fenway at some point this summer! It is America's most beloved ballpark :)

** I'm loving that there are only 13 days of school left!!

***I'm loving plans for a girl's night at Flaco's this Friday! They have the BEST pineapple margaritas!

****I loved spending time with my family in Arizona for 5 days this past week, especially these 3 gorgeous kids!

*****This song... I sang it last night as a duet with Kim Thompson at a Women's Fellowship Night -

****** Happy Hump Day! ******

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Rachel over at Calton Corner is going to start linking up with Jamie for What I'm Loving Wednesday and since I only tend to blog once a week, I thought I would totally copy her and start too! :)

So, here goes -

I'm LOVING that I am headed to see my family in ARIZONA today!! In fact when this posts I will be in the air on my way there! (Don't hesitate to say a little prayer for ya girl).

I am LOVING this song! I'm a sucker for hymns, and guys singing a Capel

la.

I am LOVING this product and may be addicted to it. I add it to water and diet coke!

and i am LOVING and really thinking a lot about this quote:

"What if we woke up tomorrow with only the things we thanked God for today?"

5 Question Friday

Sometimes the 5QF depresses me because it has to do with kids and spouses... but oh well. I will make do :)

1. Do you and your spouse go to bed at the same time? I can't answer this but I would hope when and if I get married we would go to bed at the same time the majority of nights.

2. A question for the ladies... What kind of facial hair do you like on your man? Again I don't have a man... but I'm a scruff kind of a girl. No baby face but not lots of facial hair either.

3. What's the worst vacation you've ever taken? I would have to say a trip to D.C. as a kid. Our Volvo broke down in a real sketchy part of NY and we had to wait hours for it to be fixed. Or it could be my one and only trip to Disney where my mom got sick with Colitis and Dad was sick with Diverticulitis... we DID get to play in the pool for a week at the hotel but missed all of the major attractions.

4. What was the first-ever blog you followed? I cannot even remember. Blogs became popular in college and I had a LOT of friends with a livejournals and opendiarys.

5. Do you enjoy amusement parks? They're ok. My first experiences weren't great. When I was small we used to go to the Enchanted Forrest in Rhode Island. It was a Fairy tale-themed amusement park. I went on the kiddy roller coaster and had the wind knocked out of me and vowed never to go on another ride. I have stayed true to that - I will do the merry-go-round and sometimes the ferris wheel... but I am usually the bag holder :)

Five Question Friday!

1. Have you ever had roommates? Does my sister count? I shared a room with her until she moved out when she turned 18 and I was 7. After that it wasn't until my last semester of college and student teaching when I lived with my friends Dave Shoemaker and Brian Jurczyk. We rented a 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom house in East Hartford. We affectionately called the house the ShoeCzyKle house (Shoemaker, Jurczyk, Muckle). Brian moved out and (Mike) Gowdy moved in. The house then became the ShoeDyMuck house. Fun times.

2. How many names do your children have? Um, can't answer this one. My siblings and I all only have 2 names - a first and middle. But I CAN say all of my siblings and I have multiple nicknames we answer to... and that tradition has carried over to all of my nieces and nephews... and even the dog!

3. Did you watch the Royal Wedding? I was so annoyed with all of the coverage of the wedding leading up to it that I INSISTED i would NOT watch a second of it. Well I turned on the TV when I started getting ready for school last week and it was on and... WHO DOESN"T LOVE A WEDDING?! I DVRd some of it and watched the "I Do's" and the first kiss but that's about it.

4. What is the messiest room in your house? Mine! No but really. I have SO. MUCH. STUFF and I need to get rid of a lot of it. My bedroom is so small and I have a lot of school and music related things... time to start purging.

5. What is your ideal mother's day? Spending time with my momma :)

and a side note: Please pray for the Miller family. Sam (20 years old) passed away last Sunday afternoon. I was a youth leader for he and his sister Anna before they moved about an hour away. They are heavy on my heart. Dave (Dad), Ginny (Mom) and Anna could really use your prayers in the coming weeks. Sam suffered from epilepsy for about 12 years. Mrs. Miller shared tonight at his wake that he was just not "Sam" anymore - much of his creativity, musical and artistic talents had been stolen from what on some days were multiple seizures and the eventual damage it did to his brain. It caused depression and mental illness.

Sam decided Sunday afternoon that life was just too overwhelming for him and texted his dad and sister goodbye. I wish tonight that Sam could have seen the showing of love and support tonight - I wish so much he knew how much his life was valued by friends and family. If he could have seen the constant flow of people to pay their respects to him... it just seems his death could have been avoidable.

This song has been on my heart as a prayer for his family... I pray that the Lord does calm their spirits and give them the peace that surpasses all understanding.

5 Q F!

Hard to believe it is Friday again already... but I'll take it!! :)

1. If you could buy any car, money not an option, what would it be? Gosh am I boring. I would totally buy my current car. I *LOVE* it! The only thing I might change is the exterior color - I really like the black. I think it is rich looking... but the reason I didn't choose black is because during the winter it shows alllll the dirt and yuckiness. And with the winter we had, I'm glad I went with the metallic green! I may also have added a few extras with the interior, but overall.... i just love my 2007 Volvo XC90!!

2. What was your worst first date ever? Again, I'm super boring. I have only had 2 "official" first dates. My FIRST first date wasn't until I was in college. Ryan and I had been friends for a good year and a half before we both were honest and admitted there was some serious chemistry there. He came down from Middletown (where he lived) and went to a mutual friend's cottage in Mystic. Our friend's family hosted an awesome party where we spent the whole day just hanging out, playing games, and going out on his boat. I still think of that day and smile. It was definitely a stand out day... and I guess what makes it super horrible (which of course I didn't see it as super horrible when it happened, just now when I look back on it) would be the fact that he was "knee driving" because he was so busy smoking pot! Ack! I was so dumb and naive back in the day :)

3. How old were you when you fell in love for the first time? I think I was about 24. It was definitely with the guy mentioned above! We basically couldn't keep our hands off each other and were spending every spare minute we had together. At the time we told each other we loved each other all the time... but looking back I know I was in love with the man he had the potential of being. Of course he was selling and I just KNEW i could change him. Yeah. I got REAL smart about 2 years later. :)

4. When was the last time you reconciled your checkbook? I don't "balance" my check book very often, but I check my bank account daily to see what has cleared and what hasn't.

5. If you were going to fashion a "wanted" ad for a best friend, how would you word it? Wanted: Super cool person (male or female, but preferably male!) who can make me laugh! Loyal, trustworthy, honest, and someone who has goals for life but is also ok with doing nothing on any given night a must. expect to call and get my voicemail. if i like you i might call back. texting preferred. foul language users, back stabbers and general low lives need not apply.

5 Question Friday!

1. What is your favorite Easter tradition? Church. There is NOTHING like Easter Sunday morning! I usually cry every year - the hymns are just so emotionally moving to me. Dinner with the family is a close 2nd favorite tradition :)

2. Are you a "shower" or a "long, hot bath" type of person? First of all, I'm not sure why these questions are in quotes. I digress. I am a shower person, unless it is a cold, winter night... in that case I will take advantage of the 'rents whirlpool tub!

3. Can you parallel park, and if so, when is the last time you did? I can! I had to in order to pass my driving test. I think it's easy, but some people have a tough time.

4. What is your favorite Easter candy? Cadbury mini eggs! They used to only be available at Easter, but this year I noticed they came out with green, red and white balls.

5. Easter: Do you go all out with the Easter Bunny or focus on the religious part of the holiday? Well, seeing as I don't have kids I do focus on the religious aspect of the holiday. I would like to have a good mix of both for my kids when and if I am blessed with them. I think the Easter Bunny part of Easter is fun... but I would really like to focus on the meaning of Easter, which essentially is the making of my faith!

Five Question Friday!

I can't believe it is already Friday! and i'm on the verge of vacation!!!!!

1. What is your favorite sign of spring?

I would have to say my favorite sign of spring is the longer days. I love that we now change our clocks a few weeks earlier, so that adds to the loveliness of the season! Another sign I love is the smell of rain after a warm day. I was running errands last weekend and it wasn't super warm, but the sun was strong enough that it had warmed up the pavement and we had a quick shower... i just love that smell! Or the smell of fresh cut grass... which I haven't smelled yet but Yankee Candle has a candle that comes awfully close! OK, I was only supposed to name 1 favorite sign...

2. What was your best birthday ever?

I would have to say 29. My friends made the day so fun and I felt very special! I was loving life and working out regularly and it showed. Overall it was a great year where I learned a lot.

3. What is your favorite dessert?

Anything to that involves chocolate. My current favorite is fat free sugar free Jell-o brand chocolate fudge pudding. Super yum.

4. What is the best excuse you've used to get out of a ticket?

Never gotten a ticket... but I've come close. I was driving home from Michigan and got pulled over in Ohio. The officer was super nice and I told him I didn't realize the speed limit changed from 75 to 65. He let me go with just a warning. Let's hope I can avoid any flashing lights in my rear view mirror on this trip!

5. Do you wake up to your alarm, with your alarm or after hitting snooze several times?

All of the above! I wake up at least 2 or 3 times a night. Sometimes it's the dog that wakes me up to let her out - especially the past month since she's been on medication that makes me drink more... which of course makes her have to pee more... so I guess that counts as waking before my alarm. I obviously wake up with my alarm - some days just before it goes off and some days as it goes off. And some days... it's just necessary to snooze a few times.

Happy weekend!! :)

Five Question Friday!

1. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

Only 1 thing? I would change the fact that I love food so much... I mean really... why does it have to be so good? I would like to have more self control :)

2. Write about a time when you got lost.

The first thing that comes to mind is my road trip with Dishmoney to pick up Christie after her cruise. I think we crossed the Geroge Washington Bridge 7 times within the course of an hour... and somehow ended up in Harlem.

3. Camping or 5 star hotel?

Never been camping (although I would LOVE to try it!) so I'm going to have to go with 5 star hotel... although I've never been in one of those either.....

4. Have you donated blood?

Never. Want to, but haven't done it yet.

5. Do you have a budget or do you 'fly by' most months?

Definitely not a budgeter. Need to do more of that. I'm sure I'd be amazed at how much money I "waste" if I sat down and wrote a monthly or even bi-weekly budget.

Five Question Friday!

I'm a bad, bad blogger.

In order to have a regular, weekly post, I'm linking up with Mama M for 5 Question Friday! I'm hoping this will get me to blog at least once a week!

1. Have you ever had surgery?

I have had minor, day surgery. About a year and a half ago I had my gallbladder removed. I reported to the hospital at 6am and I was home by Noon. I dealt with the pain for about 3 years thinking it was an ulcer. Not having that pain any longer is AMAZING!

2. Ever ride in an ambulance?

I have not!

3. How are you in a medical emergency? Panicked? Calm?

I can't think of a medical emergency that I have had to take part in... but I think I would be calm. For me, the panic and stress usually sets in a bit after the emergency occurs.

4. Do you have a garden? Flowers or veggies?

Um, Poppa Muck has a garden! He does an elaborate vegetable garden every year and has already started his 2011 garden! Living at home makes me a lucky beneficiary! Tomatoes, Squash, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Spaghetti Squash, Beets, Eggplant... those are the regulars. This year he is trying to grow BRUSSEL SPROUTS!!! yumma!

5. When did you move out of your parents house?

ha! I moved into a house with 2 close guy friends in East Hartford in the spring of 2004. After graduating from college I decided I wanted to get a job closer to home and moved home "temporarily" in January 2005. Now, that was over 6 years ago. **SIGH**.

sensational seven

it's late and i'm tired! but here's a bulleted list of 7 positive things that happened this week:

1. i started working with the autism kids after school. they have their own club, so i get to see these kids that i absolutely adore 3 afternoons a week!
2. wednesday i broke up a fight at school. it was in the hallway during a transition, and i didn't get hurt! seriously, i went to bed thinking how it was possible that i didn't get punched in the process of getting in the middle of 2 7th grade boys throwing punches at each other. God definitely protected me!
3. wednesday night we conducted a successful business meeting at church. i'm so blessed to be a part of ghbc!
4. thursday was john & gabe's SIXTH birthday! doesn't seem possible. got to skype for about an hour with tim and luke while bridget put the birthday boys to bed.
5. mom & dad celebrated 49 years of marriage thursday. almost unheard of this day and age.
6. i'm 5 days of school away from vacation! AND we actually got a FULL WEEK of school in this past week. first full week since january 3rd (even though we had a half day monday and an early release tuesday for parent teacher conference... it wasn't a full week for the kids but it was for teachers).
7. got to spend this afternoon and evening with some GREAT friends! had a blast celebrating Brennan's 1st birthday and then got some girl time in with rachel and kathryn while kyle, clint and lauren went out for a bit. it was a much needed, very relaxing evening!

super!

seven sensational things from this past week:

1. it is currently thundering! it sounds like spring or summer outside... but it definitely still looks very much like winter! i don't think i will ever get used to thunder while there is snow on the ground... but it's pretty cool. the snow on the ground makes the lightning SO bright, too! oh, how i long for the snow to be gone. soon enough i'm sure i'll be complaining about the heat and humidity. add the previous two sentences to the list of reasons why i love living where i do and being able to experience all 4 seasons!

2. speaking of snow... we had 2 more snow days this week! i'm still amazed at how these storms keep coming... one after another. the jet stream is locked into a perfect track for us to be bombarded. and we have been! right now my last day of school with students is monday, june 20th. we have a rescheduled FULL day (shoot me now) of professional development to make up. so, my last day is tuesday the 21st. from what i've heard about the weather pattern, it is supposed to be changing after this coming week and they're talking about a warming trend. (is my weather geek factor completely off the charts, or what?).

3. i *COMPLETELY* forgot to mention in my post last week that my very best friend from high school... stacey lee orenstein gordon... affectionately referred to as "slo" or "jew girl" (yes, my inappropriateness did indeed start in high school)... had a BABY on 1/23/11! i don't think it is possible for me to be happier for her. she and her husband, lee, are going to be great parents! how do i know this? because little michael benjamin was a VERY wanted baby. i don't know personally the struggle with trying to conceive, but i can relate to being at the same place in life and having that biological clock tick-tick-ticking away... and how it feels to walk past the baby aisle in target or wal*mart and want to cry because it seems like it will never happen. i know this baby will be SO loved... and i wish there were more people in the world like them.

4. last night i got to pick up my recently-turned-10-year-old niece briana from cheer practice. this place is unreal! i walked into the gym and was greeted in the lobby by a sign that read "practice is closed to spectators :) ". um, not THIS spectator! i proceeded to walk into the gym... and holy macaroni! my niece is seriously AMAZING. they have a competition next weekend in hartford that they are preparing for... as well as a competition in FLORIDA in the coming months. these 4 girls (one of which is a former student of mine... she's in 9th grade this year... pretty cool) take my twig of a niece and toss her up in the air while she proceeds to do a kick mid air, add a toe touch before she SPINS TWO FULL ROTATIONS before landing in these 4 girls' arms. i know they may have their reasons why practice is closed to spectators (distractions for the kids) but now i know why practice should be closed to worrying aunties. crazy worried or not, my niece has some SERIOUS talent! so proud of her!!

5. i am just two short weeks... (or 8 full days plus 1 half day and 1 early release day, but who's counting?) from winter break! i'm excited to spend some time with mike and thea both on my way to and back from virginia! speaking of virginia... amanda... i'd like to put an order in for some warmer weather. i'll take 50-55 degrees. don't even need sunshine... just warmer temps. you've got 2 weeks, i expect you to come through.

6. can i just mention how much i love staples? as in, the store. this past week i went to get ONE thing... and ended up getting a few things to further help me organize my room at the middle school. it seems i could easily spend my paycheck each week (ok that may be an over exaggeration) on things to get me organized... but i just love it!

7. i just finished making oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and they're delish! been on a baking kick lately. so far i've made 2 loaves of bread and these here cookies since yesterday afternoon. now i need to start giving it away so i don't eat it all myself! :)

tears

i literally have tears rolling down my face from laughing so hard! i think 2 consecutive snow days has made me a little loopy!

cept

(thats french for 7) :)

so, it's 11:30 and i just realized i havent posted 7 super things yet! ack!

1. house! call me crazy, but i love saturday nights because of the house mini marathon every week. i just love his character! it helps that he's super good looking and easy on the eyes... and he sings... and plays piano.... and dabbles in guitar... need i go on??

2. my niece natalya turned FIVE years old last week. FIVE. and she still refers to ME as her best friend. love that girl.

3. speaking of nieces, briana turned 9 friday. i still remember walking back to the band building after a men's basketball game and calling home to find out she had arrived! love that girl.

4. 3rd week in a row with a snow day! not quite sure how i'm going to handle a full 5 day week when the time comes... thought this week might hand me a snow day, but now it's trending towards rain. we'll see.

5. i'm officially going to virginia for my february vacation!!!!!! i cannot WAIT to see amanda, josh and adah... and to meet miss michaela!!!!!! 2 weeks from friday i start the drive down! SO EXCITED!!!

6. i'm super blessed to have a great church family and i'm reminded of that on a weekly basis. my church family truly is my 2nd family and i cant express in words what they mean to me!

7. january is coming to an end and i'm about 7% done reading through the Bible! i'm really enjoying this chronological plan. annnnnnnnd of course i'm realizing NOW that i have yet to do it today, so i'm off!

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7

1. This week in my chronological Bible reading i read through the story of Lot in the book of Genesis, and it reminded me of back in September when Angie from Bring the Rain posted about it (here). i found it so cool that this time around, it had a totally different significance for me. i LOVE that about God's Word!

2. i had another 3 day work week this week! Monday was a holiday and Friday was supposed to be a PD day but because of the snow it was called off. The only downfall is that now we have to make up the PD day at the end of the year. We've only had one full week of school so far this year... I'm beginning to forget what it's like to work 5 our of 7 days a week!

3. I got to sit with Brennan tonight! That little bugger is so stinking cute! I just love him to pieces and was thrilled to be able to spend a little time with him before he went to bed! I also was thrilled to be able to give Kyle & Rachel a chance to go out!

4. Last night was a Ladies Game Night. They happen every 3rd Friday of the month, and last night was my first time attending. It was fun! We played Dicecapades, Buzz Word and Pit! It's always good to fellowship with people I hold in high regard and that are great Godly examples for me.

5. Things are work continue to be extremely stressful, and this week the Lord used Rachel to remind me of one of His great promises. She posted here about memorizing scripture, and the verse she had talked about was such a great reminder of the Lord wanting us to cast all of our cares and worries on Him. Not only will He take care of them, but He will sustain us! Can i get am AMEN?! :)

6. I'm thankful tonight for safety for my brother and sister in law along with my niece Briana. Friday morning my sister in law lost her brakes on her car and was able to "crash" into a snow bank, avoiding a much worse scenario. Due to her car being out of commission, my dad let them borrow his truck to travel to Providence for a Cheer competition for Bri. Chris ended up rear-ending another vehicle... the officer on the scene said it was unavoidable and no one was at fault. I'm thankful for the Lord's provisions once again.

7. I heard this week about a one year Master's in Nursing program right at UConn - Avery Point!!! Holy Moley! It's so close and convenient! With my job security being extremely low for the upcoming 2011-12 school year, this is something i am praying about and would appreciate your prayers, as well as i seek God's will in my life! Nursing was my 2nd choice (to teaching, of course) for a career in high school and i'm really excited (and scared) about this possible new venture in life!

seven spectacular things!

1.Poppa Muck came home Tuesday night from a week in Michigan. I'm praising God for travel mercies this week. He drove straight through from CT-MI on Monday, January 3rd... spent the week there and left Sunday afternoon. He stayed in an hotel in Ohio, just before the Pennsylvania border Sunday night. he drove through 97% of Pennsylvania on Monday and was able to spend Monday night and Tuesday morning with Mike & Thea. Next up is a trip to Arizona! (No worries, he'll fly there). My 70 year old father is certainly getting around in his retirement ;)

2. Snow days - I've been dreaming of a snow day since about mid-October and never thought I'd get two in a row. Wednesday was totally understandable, but Thursday, too?! amazing. the roads are actually still not that great in Waterford and New London... the New London roads are worse. Most back roads are very narrow and feel like they should be one-way only. The parking lots for school? Even worse. But I will not dispute having 2 days off in the middle of the week! Especially when it is followed by one day of work and a three day weekend!

3. Thursday I went with my mom to the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa. Holy Wonderfulness. I spent about 20 minutes on an exercise bike, followed by a 5 minute cool down. (Gotta start slow... I didn't realize how out of shape I am!) I then went in the pool for a bit and then jumped into the WHIRLPOOL!!! It was glorious. I took a 1-month membership as a trial. With the stress that school is bringing me lately, I think I will need it.

4. Thursday night it was so great to be back at praise team practice. Wednesday night prayer meeting and Thursday night praise team rehearsal are really what motivate me to get through the week! I just love setting aside time each week away from Sunday to praise God through song and prayer.

5. The power of prayer.... I don't know why, but the words "You're in my prayers" or "I'll be praying for you" never fail to bring tears to my eyes. They're welling up as I type this. The fact that someone cares enough to bring my struggle before the throne just moves me and makes me emotional. It was a rough week this week (even with 2 days off!), but God has proven faithful and answers prayers every day. This week 2 women near and dear to me were brought through surgery safely! Another dear woman of the Lord is facing surgery next week.

6. Football playoff season is in full swing, and tonight I went to the Thompson's house for a Steeler's/Ravens game. They're BIG TIME Steeler's fans, and it was entertaining to watch the game with them having no interest in the game other thanthe winner of that game would be playing the Patriots next week after they beat the Jets tomorrow. It was nice to just spend an afternoon and evening fellowshipping and spending time with good people... oh, and an adorable puppy :)

7. My niece is pretty stinkin' spectacular! if you don't believe me, just check out these pictures :)

sensational!

new year, new attempt at being a good blogger.

seven sensational things that brightened my week (in no particular order):

1. dad went away so i've had a lot of time with momma muck. i love when we don't have to switch back and forth between lifetime movies and basketball or football. i love that poppa muck got to meet his 8th grandchild and 5th grandson and is able to spend some quality time with the michigan muckles.

2. for coming off a week of vacation, the kids at school were great. i was expecting the L O N G E S T W E E K E V E R but much to my surprise, the week flew by! hard to believe we are nearly half way through the school year. things are really stressful with a new team of administrators and a new evaluation plan that quite frankly is AWFUL, but i am trusting God and finding my strength and joy in HIM each day.

3. had a GREAT night of worship with some young adults in the area on thursday night. it was so nice to just get together with fellow believers and worship the One who deserves our praise! kathryn told a story of a boy who asked God to keep a penny on a wall after he put it there, and it stayed for 2 weeks. becky told her story of doing the same thing and even made a video of it and posted it on facebook. if God cares enough about keeping a penny on the wall to show us He cares about the mundane things in our lives, how much more He cares for the things we worry and fret about! we serve an awesome God and i truly believe He is doing and is going to do some GREAT things in southeastern CT!

4. sheryl approached me about returning to praise team! when i initially came back i knew i didn't want to be overly committed again, but at the same time i really missed the praise team rehearsals. rehearsal time in both choir and praise team is so much more than fellowship and practice. it's an opportunity to gather with my church family and praise the Lord. it makes my heart happy, and i am thrilled to be a part of the group again.

5. today was briana's cheer competition at mohegan sun. that girl has some SERIOUS talent. i'm not just saying that because she's my niece :) mike and thea came up from pennsylvania, jerry and maureen came, along with bri's grandparents and great grandpa. we went to pepe's pizza after her performances to celebrate a job well done. we won't get the final results until after tomorrow's performances, but i'm sure they'll come out on top, as usual!

6. i'm really motivated to read through the Bible this year. so far i am enjoying the chronological plan. granted i am only a week in, but i'm in a good habit of coming home from work and doing my daily reading then.

7. old news but bears repeating: josh is the SINGLE captain of the varsity lacrosse team at waterford high! i think this is exciting for a few reasons... he only started playing lacrosse in the spring of 2010, and he made varsity then. he trained all summer and dropped his senior year of football to keep training for the sport that really gave him motivation. his grades are higher and he even battled through a knee injury to keep training. his hard work has been rewarded as he was named captatin this past week. i think what makes it so special is that it is at the same high school i attended and graduated from. looking forward to the spring and seeing him in action.

that's it! here's to a new year and another attempt at finding the positive in life! :)

January 3rd, 1993

one of my most favorite days EVER. i was 14 years old... a freshman in high school... it was the day before we went back to school after Christmas vacation...and it was also...

the day i became an aunt!

it's hard to believe that you are 18 years old today.

we knew we were in for it with you, because from day 1 you would have things your way or NO way...

you were about 6 weeks early... and after losing your twin not much earlier, we were worried...

you were small. small, but strong, and you pulled through. it killed me to have to look at you through the window of the NICU, but i held fast to the truth that one day you would be out of that hospital and i would get to know MY nephew.
you sang in the cherub choir at church:


i was there for your first day of school:

(and i'm sure i'll be bawling like a baby in 6 months when you walk across the stage to get your high school diploma.)

i've been to as many of your baseball and football games as i possible could


i love this picture because it shows how small you were as a freshman... stepping up to play QUARTERBACK in the Thanksgiving Day football game...

it's just like you, to overcome adversity... just like when your twin didn't make it in utero... YOU showed you had promise and determination and stamina... even then.

you have made me so proud... you've excelled on and off the field... earning honor roll...

and went against the advice of your father to quit football


and baseball

and just last year in 2010, you decided to give Lacrosse a try


and now, after all of your hard work and determination, you have been named CAPTAIN of the Varsity Lacrosse team!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY and CONGRATULATIONS JOSHUA! i don't think i could be more proud of you if you were my own child :)