Adventure #19: You know you lived with someone too long when...

You wear the same outfit to school without even talking to each other! Ash and I got back from break and realized we bought the same shirt in different colors (this happens fairly often by the way). This morning I got up to work out (there were way too many Christmas cookies involved in my break!) and I was in the bathroom when Ash left for school and didn't see her before I got to school. Well we maybe need to check with each other before we get dressed because I walked into the copy room and realized we were wearing pretty much the same outfit in different colors! Great minds think alike I guess :)

The first couple days back have been pretty good! My kids have actually been fairly well behaved which I was not expecting but am really enjoying. I am really enjoying getting back into the groove of things and catching up with everyone. Break was really relaxing and refreshing for me and I was able to come back excited to be back to teaching and everything that goes with that! We'll see how long this new found energy lasts...a few more nights of grading 3,250 math facts and I might be ready for another break :)

Adventure #18: Wonderful Break in a Winter Wonderland

Christmas break has been wonderful so far! I have done lots and lots of relaxing, which is amazing :) I've visited with old friends, hung out with family, read books just for fun, went shopping with my mom and my sister, eaten way too many Christmas cookies and bars, and enjoyed the lovely Minnesota weather. There is so much snow, it never seems to end, but it is beautiful! Yesterday it was frosty and glittery beautiful! It is really cold, and I will definitely not miss that when I head back to Arizona, but I will miss the snow :)

I still get a few more days with the snow though :) I'm looking forward to hanging out with more friends and spending time with the kiddos I used to nanny. Plus there's always a little school work that needs to get done and before I know it, it will be Sunday morning and I'll be on my way back to warmer temperatures and all the adventures the next year is going to hold!

Adventure #17: Christmas Preparations

The past month has been a busy one! I've been hustling and bustling running this way and that getting things ready for the drama club performance, the class Christmas party, buying presents for people, and enjoying all the events that come along with the holiday season.


Teaching has been going really well! As early as some mornings come and as much as I sometimes wish I could just sleep instead of waking up to teach 27 first graders, I love getting up every morning to teach. I have really started to see some gains in my students and it is exciting to see them learning. We just started learning how to do subtraction a couple weeks ago and they think it is the coolest thing in the world to be able to do and are working so hard to learn their facts :) It still hits me every once in a while as I walk down the hallway with 27 little ones following me that I am a teacher, these are my students and their education for this year is in my hands. Its a scary thought, but I know God is giving me the strength I need everyday to take on the challenge.

Our drama club performance turned out wonderfully! The stage turned out so cute (after several late nights of hard work) and the kids did a wonderful job. Some of them went all out on their costumes and they were so cute! Ashley and I are so thankful the play is over, but we both had a lot of fun doing it and I think the kids did too!



Once the performance was over, there was still a round of parties to go to to celebrate! Our principal hosted a staff Christmas party at her house and we had a blast playing boys versus girls Family Fued. We had a white elephant gift exchange with our small group. There were some fascinating gifts with lots of laughs to go around as well. We also celebrated with the Lights by going out to dinner! And of course we had to have a class Christmas party! I had a bunch of parents who came in to help so it went wonderfully :) I sugared them up and sent them home for two weeks. I will miss them, but it is nice to have a break as well and I think they were ready for a break! I know we will all come back refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the year!


And now I'm back in the frozen north enjoying all the Christmas fun in Minnesota. I already got to go to the Holidazzle parade in downtown Minneapolis and celebrate an early Christmas with my mom's family. I've played in the snow with my cousins and shoveled the driveway after it snowed again today! I'm looking forward to lots more winter fun like sledding with friends and ice skating and hopefully more playing in the snow :) I'm also looking forward to spending some time with my friends and family as well as relaxing and enjoying my break.



I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and an enjoyable time with your friends and family!!

Adventure #16: To Minnesota and Back Again

I had a great trip to Minnesota for Thanksgiving! It was so wonderful to see my family and get to spend some time with them and of course the food was delicious :)It was crazy to see snow-and really really cold- but really pretty! Then I also got to take on the adventure of Black Friday with my mom, my aunt Crissy, and my Grandma. It was a little crazy but so much fun! And I got some shopping done too!

I also got the chance to visit some friends while I was there. I got to see some of my favorite little kiddos. They were all so excited to see me and it was so great to see them- I miss getting to hang out with them all the time! They have all grown up sooooo much too :) And I got to see some of my friends from forever- it was so nice to see them and catch up on life!

The whole trip was a little bit of a whirlwind, but I loved it! I am looking forward to going home again at Christmas when I will be there for a little longer and get to actually rest and relax and be at home :)

And now I'm back to school. My kids have been awesome this week!!! I missed them a little bit over break :) Its been a good start to the week. We had drama again today- it was a little nuts, but I think its going to turn out to be a good play! I've really enjoyed getting to spend time with the kids and interact with them on a different level!

It keeps hitting me this week- I'm a real live teacher! This is my job, these are my co-workers, I'm getting paid, these 27 kids staring at me are my students, I am their teacher. i need to teac them everything they need to learn in 1st grade, no one else is going to teach them. This is my life. Its crazy and scary and really exciting all at the same time!! Sometimes I can't believe what has happened to me in the past few months. Its mind-blowing, and amazing, and such a huge blessing!

Well the papers are piling up and I suppose I should make some dinner evenutally and figure out what in the world I'm going to teach these children tomorrow :)

Adventure #15: Give Thanks

The sermon today was about giving thanks- fitting since this week is the holiday focused mainly on giving thanks. But it got me thinking about all the things I have to be thankful for. There are so many things I'm thankful for...

For God and my faith in Him. It is through his strength alone I can wake up every day and through His amazing work in my life that I am where I am today!

For my family. They are amazing and I love them soooo much!


For my amazing roommate! I don't know what I would do without her :)


For friends-new and old!


For my adopted Arizona family and their sweet little girls!



For my job-and all the lovely papers that cover my coffee table every weekend because of it!


There are so many little blessings I see everyday. Thanksgiving is a wonderful reminder that I need to be thankful everyday for all the things God has blessed me with. Even on the hardest days, when my kids are incredibly talkative and I feel like I am a horrible teacher, and I miss my family, I still have a roof over my head, a closet full of clothes, plenty of food, and great people around me. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy the day of eating, hanging out with family, and counting your blessings!

Happy Thanksgiving- 2 1/2 day week and freezing north (supposed to be the coldest Thanksgiving since 1989- it was 65 and sunny here today) here I come!

Adventure #14: Another Wonderful Week

This week was pretty good. Nothing too exciting, but sometimes that is good! My kids were fairly good this week, a little chatty, but they are getting better- I think :) It has been fun to continue to get to know them better and see their little personalities. I really enjoy getting to see them everyday, even when they drive me nuts and I don't know what to do with them, every morning when they come back with their sweet smiles and little hugs I remember why I love this so much!

We had Thursday off for Veteran's day and while it felt a little weird to have a random Thursday off, it was really nice! Ashley and I had lunch with the Lights at a really good Mexican resturant and then we drove up to Tempe to go to IKEA. We spent a couple hours wandering around looking at everything and ended up getting some stuff for our classrooms. Then we had a relaxing night of putting together scripts for drama club. We are getting really excited for our play! It could be extrememly chaotic, but I think we are going to be able to pull it off and make it really cute!

Last night we went to the Cheesecake Factory in Chandler with the Light girls (Stacey, Lexi, and Reese), and the two other first grade teachers Stephanie, and Heather (and her daughter Cady). It was really fun to hang out with these ladies outside of school and talk about things besides our crazy kids and trying to figure out what grammar thing to test on next week :) And the cheesecake was delicious!!!!

All this added up to another wonderful week in sunny Arizona :) Hope all of you in the frozen north are staying warm and enjoying the snow! Can't wait to see it in a couple weeks!

Adventure #13: A Quick Trip to Minnesota

What a whirlwind week it has been! I found out on Monday night on my way back from Monday night football at the Lights that my great-grandpa had passed away. He was 95 years old and lived a good full life so it was not so much of a sad passing but more of a celebration of life.

Nevertheless, I really wanted to be home for the funeral. My great-grandma (his wife) passed away the day I left to drive out to Arizona so there really was no possible way I could have been at that funeral. It was really hard for me to not be there with my family supporting my mom and my aunts and uncles and my grandparents. Anyway, I really wanted to be there, so I talked with my parents and thanks to my dad's frequent flyer miles I was able to get a flight back for really cheap!

So I got a sub for Friday (which was only a half-day anyway) and flew back to Minnesota late Thursday night. I still can't really believe I was there. It was so crazy and so last minute, but so wonderful!

It was wonderful to hug my family and see how tall my sister has gotten. It was wonderful to hug my puppy and pet her. It was great to be at my house, even though I was only there for a short time. It was wonderful to hug my grandma and grandpa and aunts and uncles and cousins. It was wonderful to joke with my older cousins and catch up on life. It was wonderful to hold my youngest cousin and rock her to sleep and see how much she has grown and become a little person.

The best thing about the funeral was seeing the legacy my great-grandparents left behind. They were married for 70 years, my grandpa was 95 when he died and I think my grandma was 97. It was amazing to hear stories about their lives and their faith and to think about all the things they have seen and lived through in their lives. All the wars and trials and times of joy. They lived simply but fully, working hard to make sure their family was provided for but taking time to enjoy their lives as well. The memories I have of them are wonderful; going over to visit them at their little house listening to their stories. Grandpa walking their dog Dolly and Grandma digging into her purse to make sure we all got a dollar bill. I remember Grandpa reminding us what Christmas was really about by reading the Christmas story from Luke when we were all together waiting in eager anticipation to open presents.

It was amazing to sit in the church on Friday afternoon and look around at my extended family all sitting there and think about the legacy my great-grandparents had passed down to all of us. It is a legacy of great faith in the Lord and of the importance of family. We have all gone many different places and directions, but that common thread is running through all of us. It is amazing to see and think about. I only hope that I can live a life as faith filled and full as the life my grandparents lived.

It was great to be home and to be able to share this time with my family. And be there to support them during this time. And I got to see the 10-point buck my dad got on Saturday morning. I'm so thankful I was able to go home and see them all. The best part is that I didn't have to say "good-bye see you in 4 months", I got to say "see you in a couple weeks for Thanksgiving!"

And now I'm back to WARM Arizona- it was a bit chilly in Minnesota :)- and back to my world here of grading papers and planning lessons. And now I need to go get started on our newest adventure...drama club. 63 children staring at Miss Fix and I waiting for us to help them become wonderful actors and actresses! Not too sure what we got ourselves into, but moving 1600 miles away from home and becoming teachers worked out okay, so hopefully this will too :) (Suggestions and tips are welcome!!)