Day.Thirty.

Thirty Days!!! I am feeling accomplished!

Well today, school went wonderfully. We made jellyfish out of upside down paper plates and crepe paper! The kids loved them! They were swimming everywhere!! It made me smile just to watch their sense of wonder and their excitement.

After the bell rang and all of my kiddos where safely where they needed to be... my brain, for some strange reason, turned to MUSH!? I walked down to talk to a fellow teacher for a minute.. and forgot that I was supposed to tutor. I tutor the same child every Tuesday and Thursday for the past 4 months? strange...

Then, on my way to meet a friend at Polaris, I got two text messages. One from my friend asking to meet earlier which was perfectly fine... but I was still frazzled from missing tutoring. (I am obviously not one to make mistakes like this...) Then I get another text from my friends from my old school asking, "what time are we meeting, 4:30 or 5?" Immediately, what runs through my head... we are meeting? I thought that was Friday!? Again.. brain has lost it! (I will shop for the shower.. tomorrow) Here is a wonderful quote that sums it up:

(Courtesy of Pinterest)

After it was all straightened out, I got to see Courtney as she met me to drop of Michelle's gift AND Jennifer and Christine. Christine even had the babies! (I know, she is not a baby per say, but 2 is still a baby in my eyes) The little one even let me hold him and enjoyed my company!

I must say, I am glad that I am friends with people I work with. They are encouraging and never let me think about the negative. I am blessed with friends who care about me and really support me teaching. Dinner definitely reminded me that I was made to teach! (Thanks girlies<3) The journey has not been easy, but my day will come. Thank you for always supporting me Jennifer, Christine, and Khadine. You are truly a blessing in my life. We don't see each other often, but when we do.. it counts! This reminded me of you:

(Courtesy of Pinterest)

When I got home, I got straight to work on the cleaning. I have neglected to do it the past few days, so today I caught up. The kitchen is what I was dreading. I did a quick clean... I will organize next time. The dogs seem to be so calm when I clean up, then AS SOON AS I SIT DOWN, one is hitting the bell to go outside and then it is chase each other time, for about 10 minutes of constant barking and running. ((I hate when the vacuum lines are gone and I JUST vaccummed-They give me a sense of accomplishment!))

I am off to read some more of The Leader in Me and about writers workshop for Book Club Thursday morning...

Enjoy your night.
-Alexis

Day.Twenty.Nine.

Monday Monday Monday... I am exhausted! I had a day that was planned and went smoothly. I don't know why I am so tired.

After a good day at school, I headed to the gym. WOW! I couldn't even make it through my run! I had to stop and stretch and catch my breath.. then finish.. this is the first time in 6 weeks I have had to stop. My inhaler didn't help either.. Strange.

When I got home, I fed the dogs, fed myself and had to sit down. I am amazed at how tired I am. I am about to fall asleep. (I will finish the blog first)

Today is a day of fun season premieres! I have a guilty pleasure, of course, and that is classic teenage dramas! (Secret Life of the American Teenager and Make It Or Break It) AND! I just saw a great upcoming new series.... BUNHEADS! How perfect! I can't wait until it comes on.

I am such a TV junkie at times... so pathetic!

Off to watch some 'gripping' TV. (laugh at me... I know)

-Alexis

Day.Twenty.Eight.

Sunday. A Day of REST. (not so much...)

I got to sleep in and John made me eggs and toast! Yumm!

Then, it was off to get work done. I have a long list of things that need to get done. It is painful to look at!

First on the list, get things prepped for this weekend for the shower and for the baptisms. My goal today was to make a list of needed things as well as make the Easter basket filler for Mia and Zooey. I made it and had to blog! It is so cute, easy, and reusable! Perfect!
Here are the simple directions... pictures included:

1. Choose your fabric(s) <I used remnants>, pinking shears, and ribbon.

2. Cut the fabric with the pinking shears into pieces/strips. Mine were about 2.5 inches wide by 8 inches tall. (I just used the folds in the fabric to guide the scissors) They do not have to be perfect. Because I wanted the colors on both sides of the tie, I kept the fabric folded partially, so it was "two-sided".

3. String the ribbon (the length you want) between two chairs.

4. Start tying! I did just a single tie, then moved on. I did one color at at time to create the pattern. On my second one, I cut ALL of the fabric, and I just had to tie, tie, tie. It was easier to have it all cut then to tie.

 (yellow)

 (yellow and blue)

(yellow, blue and pink)

(yellow, blue, pink and green)

5. After all of the pieces are tied on, I spread them out and 'fluffed' them. They were still taught because of my tying, so I fluffed.

All Fluffy!!

6. Find a cute basket... (I only had this box, still cute) and lay it inside! Then, fill with goodies!!

I, personally, think they turned out super cute! 

**I think that this could be used in photos too... I made some for my favorite twins, so they might get to use them in their newborn pictures! :) **

Happy Crafting!
Off to do some more for the shower! <3

-Alexis

Day.Twenty.Seven.

Today, I had to sleep in! I was from my all night read I did with The Hunger Games. I got to sleep in a bit and really take the morning slowly. I met John at his classroom after practice to get some things organized in his room. We were going to go my room, but I was still exhausted! So, we went to the store, and then home. I got to take a NAP! Uninterrupted, and no dogs!! It was amazing. I woke up and headed straight to babysit. I got to hang out with Mason, Kennedy, Hudson and Stella tonight! First, we just hung out outside at their house. Stella loved to swing. Mason was swinging his bat! He can really hit a ball. (watch out baseball camp... he is on a roll) We decided that we would all go pick up John and get some ice cream. Yum! So, into the nanny van we hopped! We got to go to Dairy Queen. Double Yum! Kennedy lost a tooth, so she had money to spend.. it was burning a HOLE in her pocket. (when it came down to it, she didn't spend... but it was the thought that counts with a six year old)

We then had a small adventure at my house... We got to play with the DOGS! Stella fell asleep in the car, and slept through the entire play date! (I do not know how, they were SCREAMING--good for her!) They loved chasing the dogs and just screamed and ran for a solid 35-40 minutes. Not only should they sleep good, so will Adi. Aspen loved that they were distracting Adi and she could relax. Adi was in heaven. She loved playing tug of war with them. She pulled them all around the house.. check out these fun pictures!

Look at Stella just hanging out getting some quality alone time while the others are in bed... She is a pistol, but so sweet!

Have a great night... we are all going to sleep well. :D

-Alexis

Day.Twenty.Six

The Hunger Games! WOW! I started reading the book a couple days ago but was only able to get into the first 30 pages in the ten minutes of silent reading in KSACC. With the rest of the week flying by and busy as ever, I didn't get a chance to sit down and read. I wanted to, but priorities. So, Friday it was!

Yesterday, after school, I came home and sat and read. John was home, on Spring Break, and I decided I wanted to just read! I have another book waiting in the wings, so I wanted to get The Hunger Games finished. Well.. I did! I was up until 1am (I haven't seen that time in a long time...) and I finished. I want to see the movie, but I am scared the pictures won't match mine! (the conflict of the book turned movie continues) I give the book 4.5/5 stars! It was a good read and kept me intrigued and wanting to read more. I was also reading to see if a few 5th graders I know could handle the content and brutality.

What a twisted concept the whole book is based around. The more I think about it the more I compare it to things that happen in our world. Children made to kill. Sad, but it happens in our world today. I think that this book brings that to light in a way that doesn't make it seem brutal or wrong. The other thing that I found so interesting was the main characters, Katniss and Peeta, and home. In the book, they come from District 12. District 12 is modern day Appalachia where they mine coal. Sounds like home to me. I think that aspect made it dear to my heart and made me follow their 'home' story more. I recommend the book and hope that you enjoy it too! I will update you when I see the movie...

Next book for the weekend: The Leader in Me by Steven R. Covey. DCS is adopting a lot of the thoughts and ideas from this book, so I want to read up! I will keep you updated!

-Alexis

Day.Twenty.Five.

Whew! What a day! My class at school had a great time creating Roy. Roy G. Biv that is! We are so excited to see the growth of our green beans! We planted them about a week ago, and they are growing like crazy!! There are a few that haven't broken through the soil and of course those children are panicking! I am going to have to investigate and see what the deal is. Here are some pictures of our wonderful plants and their growth! Some are pretty tall...

This is probably the first thing that I have ever grown!

*Update on the cleaning...
I LOVE the schedule. It is frustrating at times to know that I have to clean, but knowing that I have spread it out over the week makes it easy because I only have a few little things to do each night. I am only halfway through the week but, I think it is going pretty good! Makes me think, 'wow, I should have been cleaning this way the whole time...'

Have a great night!
I have 3 books that I need to get read in the next couple days. So, off I go to read!

-Alexis

Day.Twenty.Four

Sorry this is a day late, but I was so busy last night, I didn't get a chance to write.

Well, after a day at school, I ran home to take care of the dogs and headed straight to Polaris Mall to meet up with Laurienne! (and I got to see Celia too!) We met to get some stuff for the upcoming shower at Party City. I will be making a lot of things from scratch with the help and guidance of Pinterest. The theme is 'Two Peas in a Pod' so we are going with the green and white color scheme... a hint of pink and blue, of course. I got to hang out with Celia! She is precious and getting so big! We bonded quickly.. could it have been my ridiculousness of making facing and trying to earn her love!? I did get a KISS goodbye. Laurienne said she doesn't just do that to anyone... so, I feel the love. Check out our photo session in the back of my car. (It was pretty sunny!)

 Oh, the binkie! 

 CHEESE! Piggie tails and all!

-Silly face, of course-

After we finished shopping, I headed to meet my fellow baseball widow for dinner. Yumm! We both got the same food, classic. Tito, our waiter, was trying to be a comedian. He wasn't that funny. Of course, on our way outside of the the HOT FRESH sign at Krispy Kreme lit the night! Jamie hadn't had them fresh off the line, so we had to go in and get one! We went in and the gave us a FREE one! Then we HAD to buy more. They didn't make it home and we definitely have a lot of running to do to get rid of those calories! We have a goal for this summer, and we are going to make it! 

Adi and Aspen thoroughly enjoyed sleeping on the temperpedic with just mommy! We spread out and and slept like babies! Look how well rested Adi was this morning! 

Off to write today's post... hehe

-Alexis

Day.Twenty.Three

84 Degrees on March 20th! 

After a great day at school (day two of ice cream sundaes) I decided I would take Adi to John's baseball game. The game was moved to home, so I knew I could make it!

After a quick run to the store, I came home, ran around getting the dogs fed, and then headed to the game with Adi in tow. She love to put her head out the window of the back seat! She also loves going on trips. She can handle the car ride and will just 'hang out' in the back seat. I don't complain one bit! Aspen (the beagle) is another story. She stayed home today...

The wonderful thing about Adi is that she draws a lot of attention. She is a bigger dog. She is a mix of a cane-corso and neopolitan mastiff. We thought she would be bigger, but she is staying steady at about 90 pounds. She is beautiful and very gentle. She will just sit and watch her surroundings. 

So, we get to the game. We walk over and hang out with John's dad for a bit before he heads home. Adi, in true form, just wanders and looks around. A small kid, I would say 4, comes up to Adi and asks if he can pet her. I have never had any issues with Adi and children. (I think my dogs know it is a requirement to deal with all and any torture from children under the age of 10...) So, thinking he would just pet her, I said, 'sure'. Well... the cutest thing ever happened next! This little boy and Adi were about the same height. They were face-to-face. He just grabbed her face and squished it all around! Adi just loved the attention! It was adorable to see him just get in her face and play with her. That same little boy came by us about 6 more times. How sweet. I think he used the bathroom just as an excuse to pet the puppy. 

Adi enjoyed the time outside and really liked all the people who would come and talk to her and pet her. She was in her heaven! 

Here are some super cute pictures of Adi at the game:

-Just 'Hanging' Out-

-We tested out the bleachers, she didn't enjoy the noises they made..but she was brave-

Have a great night & welcome to baseball season!

-Alexis

Day.Twenty.Two

Day Twenty-Two! I am impressed with my ability to continue to write nightly.

Today was a good day in Kindergarten. With the temperature reaching close to 80 degrees, the classroom was HOT! We were all sweating. It was a great day to have our ice cream sundae party! We got to have ice cream sundaes today because 13 of my 18 students have earned their T-Shirt level in the reading challenge. YUMMY! (Of course, they all wanted the whole shebang... chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and of course sprinkles!)

After school, I headed to the gym. My motivation is waning. I don't love to work out... but I need to keep it up. Today, I headed to the gym and was expecting to repeat the last run from the day before. I was quickly mistaken! I checked the app on my phone, and eeeek! It was warm up, run 20 minutes, cool down. WOW! I was nervous to even start. I made it through! I did take two 30 second breaks, and one break mid-way for my inhaler, but all in all, I ran 20 MINUTES! I am proud of myself.

What will the next run bring? I am scared to check!

I am going to start the process for the girl's Easter baskets soon. I am also, of course, going to be making it a habit to clean each night! That is up next, after I type this post.

(I bought The Hunger Games at Wal-Mart today.. so I may get in some reading tonight too!)

Have a great night!

-Alexis

(I see this all the time and I think it is time to print it HUGE and hang it somewhere visible)

Day.Twenty.One.

This morning was pretty calm and started off with a lovely breakfast of Eggo waffles with the hubs! Yum! John had to leave for baseball, so I decided to look on Pinterest... I saw a pin about spring cleaning in 8 hours and I was sold. (I repinned it if you want to check it out. Follow me!--->) Anyway, I decided, since I have everything for school tomorrow ready, I would clean. The house has taken on the lovely smell of 'dog' and I hate it! So, off I went... cleaning every little nook and cranny in my upstairs. Dusting, vacuuming, laundry, sweeping, swiffering, etc. The dogs were in a bit of their own little heaven when all of the sheets, blankets, pillows and dog beds were in the hallway. I cleaned so well, that when John got home, he said... it is like when we moved in! So clean and smells amazing! WOOT WOOT! I officially got rid of the 'dog' smell.

Then, it was time to tackle the stairs. I insisted that we get a two story house when we were purchasing/building! WHY? The carpeted stairs are a bit of an annoyance. It literally took me like 25 minutes to vacuum them! Of course, I am using my vacuum cleaner with the attachment. It was quite the workout.

Anyone have any solutions or ideas on how to vacuum the stairs an easier way? PLEASE comment them. I will try anything!

After cleaning the entire upstairs, John was home and grilled burgers (during the tornado warnings with sirens blaring) They were delicious! Just what I needed after all that work. I still have the downstairs to tackle. I am debating whether to just do it tonight, or wait until tomorrow... we shall see...

My sister-in-law had a nice little schedule of when she would do certain chores. It seems like a GREAT plan if you can get it all done that specific day. The good thing is, the list per day is pretty short, so it would be easy to do after school. It is going to take a lot of dedication on my part. I want it to become a habit!

Here is my 'Daily Household Cleaning' Schedule-->

If you want me to send this to you, just let me know. I am going to hang it somewhere I can see it, and get to work!

My injury from yesterday didn't slow me down today, but I am paying for that today. My thumb is really hurting. It sounds pathetic, but it does. Going to ice and rest.

Happy Spring Cleaning!
-Alexis

Day.Twenty.

Today started out EARLY! I got up, drove to Mechanicsburg, and hung out with family all day!

First, I got to watch Kerrigan play in her soccer game. She is proudly on the purple team, and started out as the goalie. It was fun to watch the intensity level and then it suddenly drop off (for all the kids) with about 3 minutes to go. They were ready for snack!

After the game...we headed to Wal-Mart. It is always an adventure, but add my sister and mom... double adventure. We were getting Wendy new curtains and some food. I was able to find GREAT remnant pieces for Mia Grace and Zooey Claire's Easter basket surprise! It is going to be perfect! (Pictures will come soon--pending completion) The colors are great, and I am excited to get started.

After Wal-Mart, we headed to the new apartment! I am happy that Wendy has a nice place to call home. The green paint in the bedroom.. NOT fun. The inspiration picture is beautiful and we got EVERYTHING accomplished. After three coats, the green was finally covered, the bed was up and dressed, the living room finished (complete with TV stand built by my mom and I) and the kitchen/dining came together great (without injury of course...) As Dale and I were flipping up the newly assembled table, the fold-down leaf did just that, fell down, on my hand. My thumb was instantly black and blue and in pain. I put ice on it... but it still hurts (I kept painting... and painting...)  With the move in complete on our end... John and I drove home. It is a pleasant drive with the windows down, country roads, and country music blasting!

Once I made it home, my hand was really hurting. So I am typing this with a bum left hand... impressed? So, I put my frozen veggies on my hand, and now it is time to relax. I will catch up tomorrow!

Oh, and by the way... HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! (thank you SJC for all of my green attire... no pinching here!)

-Alexis-

Day.Nineteen.

Friday, Friday, Friday! I love ending the week on a high note. My kids were excited for book buddies and the day just went nicely. The 75 degree weather helped too!

I got to see Shannon and Patrick today too! We got to have dinner after they scoured the city for places to live and places to work. I am excited to for their wedding and impending move to central Ohio! We will have more friends to hang out with...

After dinner, John and I headed to get some ice cream. Instead of buying one party pail... we bought TWO! Count them... two. We got a movie from redbox and we are ready to relax. Watching RED now.. Pretty good movie so far.

Tomorrow is going to be early. Off to help Wendy move to her new apartment and watch Kerrigan play some soccer!  Then home to clean up the house, throw open the windows, and relax.

Enjoy your night!

-Alexis-

Day.Eighteen.B.

Well, as I sat here relaxing I remembered a great moment from today, so I think I should share.

Because I did not work today, I had two subs in my room (am and pm). I was nervous about leaving my kiddos, but I knew they were in great hands! So, after school today, I headed in to check on the room, all of the things that they did and get the room ready for tomorrow. Most of my students go to the School Age Child Care program after school.

You would have thought I hadn't been in school for weeks by the reaction I got from my kiddos. It was very heartwarming! They ran up to me, gave me hugs, and told me all about their day! I was so excited for them and just hugged them!

So, one little girl comes up to me:
R:"Mrs. Edmonds, where were you today?"
Me: "R, I was at a meeting today..."
R: (cocking her head to the side and just grinning) "Why couldn't we go with you?"

If only they could have come...

They would have made everyone at the interview relax a bit... don't you think?

-Alexis-

Day.Eighteen.A

Today, I am writing EARLY! A few great things happened today:
1. I had my interview and I think it went pretty well.
2. After two weeks off, I worked out.

I want to thank all of those out there who were praying for me today. I was able to stay calm and focused.

I have fallen off the bandwagon on the working out. I have been doing the couch to 5K program that I have a cool app for on my phone. I would have never thought to myself that I could be a runner, but a friend of mine and I always joked that we wanted to be addicted to running like the runners! So, I started the couch to 5K program. (My sister and family and friends have all decided to enter a 5K) Lucky for me, DCS is having a 5K that I may join in on just to prove to myself that I can do it! Today, after two weeks of NO running. I thought I may die... but I didn't do terrible! I am on week 6 of the program and it is a 5 minute warm-up, run 9 minutes, walk 3, run 9 minutes, then cool down for 5 minutes. I made it through the first run doing well... then the second run came around, and WHEW was I struggling. I didn't have to use my inhaler, but I didn't make it through the last run. I didn't stop, but I struggled! I know that I cannot let working out take a backseat. It is definitely a struggle to make it a priority. Life just seems to get in the way... whether it be school, family, dogs, etc. I must keep focus!

I was more nervous today about how my students would be with a sub. This is the first time I have missed and it is a big stress. I wanted to make sure that everything went smoothly and the same procedures happen so that the students are comfortable and still learning. My mind was spinning this morning! But, all in all, the day went well and learning happened.

I am going to relax for the rest of the night. I think it is a much needed and well-deserved.

-Alexis-

Day.Seventeen.

I truly appreciate the beautiful day! I even took the kiddos out for extra recess because it was too nice not too! The day went by quickly and the lovely afternoon seems to have disappeared quicker! Because I am not going to be at school tomorrow, I had to prep for my subs. I started and then realized that they did not know the little procedural things and that will definitely throw my kids off tomorrow. (or they will all argue about how to do it, because they are always right...)

After I stayed at school until 6pm prepping for the sub I headed home and got to hang out with the puppies and catch up on my shows. I need to relax big time to get prepped... but I am not doing that well. Anyone who knows me, I don't stress and shut down, I work... I work hard! It is constant. Anything to keep me busy and my mind focused on other things.

I want to say thank you in advance to all of those loved ones who have contacted me, helped me realize my strengths, and given me pieces of calm. I really appreciate all of your guidance. I know that I am just over analyzing.. as always. Keep up the prayers and I know that God will find a place for me.

I had a GREAT story to share, but... my brain has lost it. If I think of it, I will be sure to share!

So much on my mind...

Goodnight and God Bless Readers!

-Alexis-

Day.Sixteen.

Today has been beautiful, from sun up to sun down! The weather has been perfect for relaxing and making the day run smoothly. Ohio in March isn't normally seeing temperatures in the high 60's, but I will take it! It was great to get the kids outside, and when I got home... I got to open all of the windows and air out the house. It is getting a little musty and 'wintery' in the house. The dogs loved listening to EVERY other dog in the neighborhood... resulting in a fresh hole in the screen door.

Still working on prepping for the interview. It is a bit stressful but still totally worth it in the long run. I am learning new things and I can use them in the interview.

Since today has been pretty mundane, I am going to get back to my 'studies' and get focused.

Keep praying that God will find me a job that will be best suited for me and my family.

-Alexis-

Day.Fifteen.

I do not always loathe Mondays. Sometimes, they really get the week off to a great start. My students today were very mellow (could have been a reaction to the time change). I have a very important week ahead of me. I have an INTERVIEW! This interview isn't for a specific position, but it is more like an entrance interview. I will be interviewing on Thursday, so I will update on that day. I have a lot of research to do for the specific school district to make sure I am on my game!! (So, if you pray... pray for me on Thursday that this door may be the one that leads to a job and security in my life) I am stressing a bit, so I am going to move on!

I thought I would take this moment to talk about my lesson plans. There are only a few... ok 11 more weeks of school... left. Because I am not in a 'real' classroom, I am able to plan the way I want, with no curriculum guides, specific curriculum to follow, etc. I do follow the standards and I try to use the same types of literacy that they use in the regular classroom. I get the freedom to do weekly themes. I love themes because the standards can be re-visited but with a new "look". I had all of my themes planned on specific weeks before the school year started. I used the overview of my plans to really lay out my lessons for the week. I put it in the front of my clear lesson plan binder so that when it is closed, and laying on my desk, I can read the lessons at a glance!

Here is a blank version... feel free to use it. If you want me to change anything, let me know in the comments and an email address and I will try to send you one that is personalized.

Hope you enjoy! Have a great night... I am off to prepare for Thursday! :)

-Alexis-

Day.Fourteen.

Sunday. I really enjoy Sundays. Today, I had the chance to catch up with my best friend Michelle! We got to spend the morning together looking for maternity clothes for her ever-growing belly... the babies even gave me a little kick! They love me already. I really don't know where I would be in life if Michelle wasn't part of it, so today's blog... all about Michelle!

Michelle and I grew up in the same small town in the Ohio Valley. We didn't go to the same elementary school, but by middle school, our small private schools had dances for us together! We all would crowd into a church basement dancing in circles of girls and circles of boys. We really didn't become good friends until high school. Of course our lives were full of boy drama. Michelle drove me to school because she drove passed my house.. so why not! I will never forget the multiple car rides in her white corsica with the squeaky door. She drove me to school the day my mom slapped me for agreeing with her that morning that I was being a B*tch. Michelle just laughed as I got in the car! (thanks friend)

Senior year came and FLEW by. I knew I wanted to go to college, but didn't know where. Michelle said to me one day, I am going to Ohio Dominican. I respond, "cool, I'll go too!" (looking back.. wow.. what a way to handle that gigantic life-changing choice) We headed to ODU (parentless), two small town girls and we got lost. I mean REALLY lost! We were in downtown Columbus... scared! No one could help us either. We persevered and made it to ODU orientation at least an hour late. We got to the campus and we liked it. We were going to be roomies of course and we already had the room decor picked out! (Crazy Daisy of course...) College came and went. We spent so much time together and I wouldn't EVER change that experience. Michelle and I are a lot alike and we have our differences. We know how to work together well. (whether it would be on school work--both becoming teachers-- or at Hoggy's waiting on people and bringing them their BBQ) We grew up together and here we were in college. I met John one day at ODU and we hit it off pretty well! We would hang out a lot. Michelle and I really needed a change of pace in our relationships. (true story... what were we thinking!) So, John and I had a brilliant idea...set Michelle up with one of his friends. Well, the initial set-up didn't happen, but Michelle did find a friend she eventually fell in love with. Two friends dating two friends. (perfect scenario) Michelle and I always were there for each other (still are). We call to vent, we call to laugh, and sometimes we call to cry. God gave me a friend and I couldn't have asked for a better one.

We have had times of excitement, happiness, sadness, nervousness, emotion, devastation, and we have always gotten through it. There were times that one of us would fall apart, and the other was there to put the pieces together. I would not be the woman I am today without Michelle. She gives me strength to get through the tough days and encourages me that there is tomorrow.

Fast forward... graduation! Michelle and Adam are engaged, John and I are engaged! Michelle and Adam move about an hour away to be by Adam's work. John and I are in Columbus. We both got married. (maids of honor who couldn't make it through a speech if we were being PAID!) *I was a blubbering mess... but to my defense, she got married first.. it was hard to let me best friend go*

Now, here we are, both looking for full time classrooms and on the road to a family. Michelle and Adam have been blessed with TWINS! How exciting! (and I am already an honorary aunt... no big deal)

I know we aren't sharing a bedroom anymore, sharing a kitchen and eating dinner together everynight, or working on schoolwork together, but in many ways as we grew up and inadvertently apart, Michelle and I have remained so close. We talk to each other often and try to visit as much as our schedules allow. Today, spending time with my preggo friend made me realize how blessed I am to have her and her family (the Grant Avenue one and the Fieldcrest one) in my life. They are all so supportive and full of life and love. I can not wait to be there when my friend brings a baby girl and a baby boy into the world! The twins are already blessed with amazing parents. I pray nightly for their development and growth. I pray that they will be successful and seek education. I pray that they are kind and loving. I will add to my prayers tonight... that they will be blessed with a friendship that Michelle and I share.

Here are a few pictures of me and my best friend throughout the years. I have a few that are on an old and broken computer that I *wish* I could share:

Oh Boy... I think that of all of the wonderful experiences we have shared, there are not many pictures we have to choose from.
More picture taking must commence!

<3love you mich

-Alexis-

Day.Thirteen.

Saturday! WOO HOO! I got to sleep in today...snuggled with the puppies. They are beautiful and I should share a picture:

(she doesn't share well)

After getting ready for the day, I headed to run a TON of errands. I headed into school and got my copies and plans done. I went to the baseball fields to get them lunch. (Baseball season has arrived). I got to visit Tiffany, Pete, Ellia and Remae! I had to talk to Tiff about the upcoming baby shower. She is a wizard in the kitchen, so I went to get a handle on the plans that are in my head. I got my portfolios printed, delivered one, and even got to buy dinner from a delicious BBQ place in Delaware. (They give FREE pickles! I can't pass that up!)

John and I got to enjoy dinner with no dishes. The dogs were exhausted when I got home, and haven't woken up. I get to finish my lesson plans, upload, and create the newsletter. I enjoy getting all of my work done before Sunday. Then, I can truly enjoy and relax on the day of rest. 

Speaking of lesson planning, I am addicted to Pinterest and the wonderful ideas that I find. John doesn't love social media, but he doesn't complain when I make a new recipe from Pinterest! I try to at least USE what I pin. I want to do more of the crafts, but that takes money and time. I love the foods that I have tried. Check out my boards. You can follow me by clicking on the Pinterest symbol. The thinspiration boards that I follow really make me think about my weight loss goals. I have been trying to lose a total of 20 pounds by summer time! I am down 7 as of this morning. I haven't been to the gym in two weeks. That sentence gives me shame.... I MUST return. I can only lose more weight if I get going to the gym. I am still changing my eating habits, and refraining filling myself completely, but the gym can only help!

Time to SPRING FORWARD! I am already tired!

-Alexis-

Day.Twelve.

It has been a few days, so I am going to try to catch up! Friday... Friday... Friday... What can I say, you bring a sense of relief and accomplishment after a long week in Kindergarten. I am still super focused on the job search! I have everything updated, printed, bound, and ready to go. Bring on the interviews!

After the school day on Friday, I got to babysit the kids I nanny in the summer. Mason (8), Kennedy(6), Hudson(4), and the newest addition Stella(5 months) had big plans for me! I decided we would try to adventure out. I need to prepare myself for the summer and getting out of the house. I somehow wrangled John into joining us for dinner. So, off we go in the 'nanny van'! We headed to get John at school and then off to Steak and Shake. Yumm! Well, as we arrived, the oldest three were behaving and excited to eat out, Stella on the other hand, did not like the idea. She wasn't tired, hungry, wet, or hurt... just being sassy. (She gets it honestly from her older sister) So, the only way that I could get her to be calm and not crying... stand and bounce. So, that is what I did, the entire meal! John gave my arm a rest for about 3-5 minutes, but she preferred me. Whew! That was a long meal! Needless to say, I am in for it this summer, but I wouldn't do anything else! I have loved these kids for the past 2.5 years and they are just amazing. Stella will get older in front of my eyes this summer... I am excited!

I am looking forward to spending my days playing, relaxing and having adventures with the fabulous four! They are going to be a handful at times, but it is all worth it!

-Alexis-

Day.Eleven.

Let the job search ensue! I have had a lot of blessings in my life but my ability to land a full time classroom position has been... absent! I am working really hard, and updating all of my information. I hope to get a full time position for next year. I REALLY want my own classroom! (I know, I have a classroom now, but I want to be a school employee)

Resume Update: CHECK
Cover/Intent Letter Update: CHECK
Applications Updated: Work in Progress
Mini-Portfolios Created and Bound: Working on them...

I hope that my efforts in the classroom and outside of it show and my abilities speak for themselves this year. It would not only be a blessing but a dream come true!

I appreciate all of the support from my family and friends. We are all working hard and I know that we will make it one day! It is hard not to get beaten down by the process, but I always stand up and try again. That's how you persevere...right?

One song that got me through a really tough time is by Superchick: Stand in the Rain. It is about being persistent and working hard, and not letting anything get you down. ((listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCTrMP_fEiw )) I can be persistent as much as I want, but, if it is not in God's plan, it is not going to happen.

(cue random thought process) Church Camp... This reminds me...

I attended church camp from eighth grade all the way until I was a counselor and frequent visitor! Camp Presmont is beautiful and very inspirational. It not only would lead me back to the right path, but brought me together with fellow Christians who were feeling the same things I was. I will never forget Maureen. She led Senior High that week and she loves to sing! Bringing out the inner teacher, she sang a Bible verse instead of just reading it. We all can still sing that song/verse to this day! (Don't deny it... you know you can!) It is a very strong passage that truly gives me hope on the days where the classroom I yearn for seems so far away.
Check it out:

(I think I need this plaque for my house...right by the door!)

Although the long road continues, I know deep down that I will get my classroom. I am not a quitter by any means, and one day, there are plans for me... of hope and a future!

I will keep you updated on the job search!

-Alexis-

Day.Ten.

Today was very productive on the homemaker side of the picture! I got to go to the chiropractor. Who would have thought that an alignment would alleviate so much pain. I went to the store and got to get the invitations for my best friend's baby shower! She is expecting twins, and I am nominating myself as an official aunt. She is going to be blessed with a little girl and a little boy! I am looking forward to getting the decorations for the shower and helping with the nursery!

As many are thinking, it is only a matter of time...well, yes, but I would like to keep my dream alive to become a full time classroom teacher. I know that is sounds silly when I read it back, but the truth is, I have worked and worked to become a better teacher. I have continued my education, worked in different grade levels. I am ready! I want to reach my goal, get settled in, and then think about adding to our family.

I must be on my way... I have invitations to rhinestone! Every girl needs a little rhinestone in her life... or maybe that is the dancer talking!

Here is how they turned out--> *blurred for privacy*

-Alexis-

Day.Nine.

It sure was a Monday! I stayed late at school today to get all of my plans uploaded, copies made, and organized. WHEW! It feels GREAT!

My students are keeping track of the minutes they read AT HOME. We have a contest going on where they can earn prizes and I have a graph on the bulletin board outside of my room. The challenge is for everyone to read 210 minutes, the TSHIRT level! If we all get a T-Shirt, we get a pizza party! YUMM! They are very excited and today, I gave away the seventh shirt. (Once we got six, popcorn party...once we get 12, ice cream sundae party, once we get all 18, pizza party!) We get to have our popcorn party tomorrow. Check out the bulletin board I have to keep track.-->

*note: this is outdated and not reflective of the current T-Shirt standings*

As a teacher, it is hard to sometimes get parents involved at home to read with their students. This is a great way to keep them focused and see their results. It also adds in a bit of math! 

Have a great night!

-Alexis-

Day.Eight.

WOW! I did it! One full week of blogging! I have found it very refreshing and relaxing to sit back, and just write about my day. It really has made me think about the writing process and the different aspects of writing. I hope to transition this blog gradually into a blog about my teaching and the classroom. But for now, I am going to just continue to write in order to make it my habit.

As for today, Sunday. I was excited to get to sleep in a bit. Wrong. (I went to bed super late because I was up, catching up with Alissa and Clayton. For those who do not know, Alissa is my cousin. She is two years older than me. She is a lot like another sister. We have always been really close.) Then, I was woken up at about 5:00am unexpectedly. Went, back to sleep and woke BACK up at 7:45 to get ready for the day. I had to get Kerrigan ready too!

The day began. I headed to breakfast at Bob Evans with some friends from church. My omelette was not wonderful, but it filled me up. We always have a great time catching up and chatting. We all grew up together in the church. We were Girl Scouts together, confirmed members of the church together, and the rowdiest Sunday School Class led through our teenage years by our trusty leader, Heather! She has been a wonderful role model and we are blessed beyond belief to have her in our lives. She always makes us laugh, talks us through any problems we are having and accompanies us on our trips to the zoo! Look how gorgeous the window is in our church-->

Of course, after breakfast, we headed to church. I am amazed every time I enter how warm and welcoming it is. Grace Presbyterian Church has been a integral part of my life! I grew up there. We are one big family at the church. We laugh together, we cry together and we definitely EAT together. Because we are so close knit, we got to throw our new Youth Minister a BABY SHOWER! (Baby Boy Connor will be here so soon!) Our church always finds a way to get together and eat. So, we did just that! We got to celebrate baby Connor and Lisa with food, presents, and diapers. She got a LOT of diapers! Congratulations Lisa, David, Olivia & James!

After the shower, I was off again, Kerrigan in tow, to the dance studio. If you don't know me or just met me, the dance studio is my home away from home. I found my passion to teach in the studio. I have been a dancer since I was 2! (that is 23 years... if we are counting) This past year, I gave up my position to teach at Oglebay Institute School of Dance to focus on my teaching career. It is hard to know that on Saturdays, all of my students are dancing. Today I got to return to the studio to work with a family friend on a dance for a dance line try-out. I got to see Cheryl and a few students. I got to dance for 2 hours too! It was exhausting but amazing all at the same time. ((Note to self: Keep Dancing! It just made me beyond happy)) Since I have left the studio, there was a gorgeous addition added outside. Oglebay Institute School of Dance is located among beautiful gardens full of copper statues. It made for great homecoming and prom photo ops! (believe me, we took advantage of that!) They added a dancer statue! It is gorgeous and truly emulates the art that is created in that building. I am of course blessed beyond belief to have found OI and become part of their dance family. They build me up in ways that I can't describe. Look how beautiful-->

After dancing, Kerrigan and I headed to my dad's building to pick up a few things. We got to see Aunt Nancy and Lydia again as well as PaPa (my grandfather, her great-grandfather) He, of course, fed us chicken noodle soup and we were on our way. The wonderful thing about PaPa's house is that it has a creek surrounded by HUGE trees that seclude the land. Well, with the recent high winds, a few trees fell down. It looks strange with the big gaps! I guess this just means more firewood for our cookouts!

Headed back to get a bit of a Mia fix! I just love her! She is changing so much, so quickly. Today, she decided she should eat the bread in the bag. It was hilarious to watch her pull it away from Clayton. She loved chewing on it!

We got a quick picture! Look how adorable that smile is! <3

Made it home safely, caught up on the blog, and am now headed to bed. Full week ahead! KSACC next week: Arctic Animals. Check back for more details! 

-Alexis-