Kindergarten Dream Come True

It sure has been awhile since I've posted. My life has been oh-so-crazy! I received a job, a house, and had some personal problems all in one week. I'm so glad to have the support of my family and boyfriend. I wouldn't have made it through that week otherwise.

Well, the day is finally here. I am going to be what I have wanted to be since the first day of Kindergarten when I walked in that room and saw the glorious teacher. I remember thinking "yep! that'll be me one day... I'll even wear a purple dress like Mrs. Sleff!". And here I am... 

This fall I will be the third grade teacher at Kankakee Trinity Academy. I am so looking forward to it. The excitement I get when I even begin to think about it overwhelms me. I have already started putting together teaching materials. I can't even count the hours I have poured into this already... and I love every minute of it. 

Bring on third grade (probably without the purple dress)! 

There are two classrooms up for grabs. Whomever has the bigger group of kids (me or the second grade teacher) will get the bigger classroom. Above is the smaller one. I'm banking on this one because so far I have fewer kids. It's small, but its a dream come true! 

Check it out!

Check out my "Summer Reads" list, its been updated!!

More to come after this week of vacation :)

Eat, Drink, Get Married?

I've always heard that the amount of weddings when you graduate college is outrageous, but I didn't realize how true that was until a few months ago. If it wasn't an engagement, it was a wedding, or better yet... a pregnancy! I counted over Christmas break this year and ended with a total of 19 engagements. NINETEEN! I guess its the season.

All that to say, though, I celebrated with a dear friend this past weekend. I had the honor of standing next to her on her big day! How fun. I truly do enjoy watching all these love stories unfold. I believe I have 5 more weddings to attend this summer. I can't wait!

And although I sometimes feel slightly jealous, I know my big day will come someday too. Until then, I am happy watching brides and groom's faces light up around me :)

Here is a group of the bridesmaids with the bride celebrating at the bachelorette party! 

Getting hitched. I'm cut off in the photo.

Away they go! 

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abeantogo

When I come home from Olivet, one of the first things I do is grab a cup of coffee from the coffeeshop in town. It is called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abeantogo. Get it? Cute, huh! 

Anyway, it is much different than a typical coffeeshop because they actually roast their own beans right there in the store! They have a huge roasting machine and the perfect location. They are in a garage. Most of the time the garage door is open right on to the street. It's really quite a unique little place. 

I stumbled across their website and found this on their about page:
www.abeantogo.com/about-us/
(check it out)

What a cool analogy! Just like the coffee going through the fire, so do we as Christians. We are being refined and made whole... so that the end result is a good tasting, cup of a person. What a great picture and prayer for our lives. 

I often forget the purpose of trials. During those awful seasons in my life, I think, "when is this going to end! what is the point of this?". Student teaching gave me days like that, long distance with Michael gives me days like that, my struggling Grandma gives me days like that, my lack of a job gives me days like that, my deep thoughts give me days like that, no money gives me days like that... and so on and so on (for my whole life). But it is during those moments, those beautiful and refining moments, that I need to remember what that end result is. I am growing as a Christian, through every trial I go through. I am forced to seek the Lord and depend on Him during those times as well. It's not always easy and often times feels like it will never end, but I must remember that fire. That good, refining fire. 

My prayer is that I can come out as a good, strong cup of coffee than before I started as a raw, bitter bean. 

Pinterest Projects

I think there should be a button that says "did it" on pinterest. You could share your experience too. Because there is not, I figured I'd share my pinterest projects and give them my rating. 

It was great when I first got an apartment because I had all these ideas for decorating. It really was fun. I can't wait to do it again in the next place I live! 

Pretty much my whole apartment was one big DIY project. I painted the pictures on the shelf from a pinterest project. I sanded and painted both tables. I sewed all the pillows. Even my couches were found on the back of a truck and I used pinterest to shave and vacuum them! 

I did not like how this project turned out. It's a simple DIY project of making letters. I just stopped by Hobby Lobby to find letters and added materials I already had. The one thing I did learn was that you can buy fake moss (note the "A"). 

This was my Fall pinterest project I had done with my good friend Joy. I just kept adding until it looked decent. I now have a wreath I can work on for every season. 

I just made some hair accessories from material I already had. Easy, simple, and fun! I have to admit, I rarely wear them though. 

Seems like this pinterest project has been going around for awhile. I made this back in the Fall for Michael. I bought a dollar store mug, drew on it with permanent marker, and baked for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. One thing to note was that the inside writing washed away very quickly (so now Michael is too scared to use it). 

Take notice of the lit up canvas. I found this canvas dumpster diving. So, I painted it with what paint I had and poked Christmas lights through. On pinterest they have more of a flowery pattern, but I liked this waterfall look. This was my mediation/calm area- note the waterfall machine. 

I had an old table that my Grandma was getting rid of, so I took it as an opportunity. I painted it with remaining colors, taping out the letters for "EAT". The big mistake I made, though, was not sealing it with something before using it. I put my coffee on the table and now there is a spot where the paint is pulled up. 

My Fall gift baskets I had made for Eth, Randi, and Michael. Everything in it was a Pinterest recipe. I had homemade pumpkin butter, pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, Fall trail mix, gourmet caramel apples, and homemade cookies. I filled it with scraps of burlap to add to the look. I have all the recipes if you would like! 

My Christmas cooking began with a Rudolf cake ball. Cake balls are so simple, but Pinterest added the pretzel antlers and eyes and nose to make it festive. I have to admit it does not look as good as Pinterest. 

I love projects and crafting. I am always working on something new, but I don't often take pictures of what I am working on. I'll try to be more consistent! 

Summer Reads

I always enjoy the time that summer gives me so I can enjoy some personal reading! This summer (starting May 5, 2013)
I've decided to make a "scale"for my preferences:

• 1: terrible book, don't even bother picking it up
• 2: not the greatest book, could have been much better
• 3: it was good, but details, characters, and settings could have been improved
• 4: good book! kept me entertained
• 5: I loved it and would suggest it to anyone!! 

 Here are the books I have read this summer so far (to be continued...):

• The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
• This was another story that is considered a classic read. It is the story of a woman who ends up going a little crazy. It is set in the 1930's and 40's where shock treatment was used to cure all kinds of "brain diseases". The most interesting part of the story was that it is considered somewhat autobiographical of the author, who ended up committing suicide after the book was published. Reading it with that knowledge gave the book a better entertainment angle. 
• I give this book a 3. I didn't want to put the book down because it left me hanging often; however, this is not a book that I would read again or readily suggest to someone. 
• The Giver by Lois Lowry 
• A classic book that I've wanted to read for years, was finally accomplished. I have to say The Giver was one of my favorite reads so far this summer. It is the story of Jonas, a boy reaching manhood where he has to establish himself in the community with a specified career given by the government. His career is more unique than anyone else's though... he is the Receiver. He is trained by the Giver to receive all the emotions and feelings from the community. In the end, he has to make some tough decisions regarding the future of his beloved community. 
• I give this book a 4.5. It was a story that I wanted to continue. I love science fiction novels and this was among the best. I would recommend this to anyone. 
• Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussman 
• I can't say that I was ever able to connect the title to this story, although I think it has something to do with a poem (ignorance). Anyway, it was a book that reminded me of Wuthering Heights and The Great Gatsby. The story takes place in the 1940s and extends through the 1960s. It is about a pair of cousins, their marriage, their children, a summer home, and a murder. Each section is from a different character's perspective. I loved the beginning and I loved the ending... the middle was fairly uninteresting. 
• I give this book a 3.5. It was a very mysterious read, but the story did not get truly interesting until the last 1/3 of the book. Overall it was entertaining. 
• Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante
• I don't think I have ever read anything like this story before. It is the story of Dr. Jennifer White who is forced to retire as an Orthopedic doctor because of early stages of dementia. As the story continues, she continues to lose her memory. The real problem, however, is that her best friend of 30 years is found dead with four fingers perfectly cut off. Dr. White is accused of the murder, but can't remember if she did it or not. The story unravels (told from her perspective) as snipets of her life and the incident are recovered. 
• I give this book a 3. It gave me a better understanding of how my Grandma's mind works which was beneficial. It lacked a certain, thrill though. Overall, it was a unique and somewhat interesting book. 
• The Summer We Read Gatsby by Danielle Ganek
• I found this little gem at the Dollar Store. I found out later its $25 at places like Barnes and Noble and Amazon. Lucky find because it was a great book! It's the story of a young woman that moves to New York to inherit her late aunt's beach house at the Hamptons. She has to get along with her dramatic cousin, but finds a little fun in the summer adventure of that old beach house. It is a parallel story of The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald with a twisted ending (of course!). 
• I give this book a 4. It was an easy and fun read! 
• True Believer by Nicholas Sparks
• Anyone that has read Nicholas Sparks pretty much knows what to expect. He is a romantic author that gives easy, fun reads to his audience. True Believer was no different. It was the story of a journalist/writer from New York that makes it big because of his honest exposures of people that commit fraud (such as psychics or ghost hunters). He wants to do the same thing to this mysterious town filled with "ghost lights", but along the way falls in love with the smalltown librarian. The story is filled with love, passion, stress, and of course (because its Sparks) sadness. 
• I give this book a 3. It was enjoyable and a quick read, but overall a typical Sparks book.
• The Big Four by Agatha Christie
• I have always enjoyed Agatha Christie. She was a fantastic mystery writer of her time and always a good read. This book was nothing short of a mystery. The famous Hercule Poirot is at it again cracking down the four most powerful con artists he's ever met. It was a hunt worth reading about.
• I give this book a 2.5. It was a typical Agatha Christie mystery with a surprising ending. 
• A Series of Unfortunate Events (the first) by Lemony Snicket
• First of all, it is a great book just because of the author's pen name. What a whimsical name! This is a children's bookset, but since I am going to be a teacher I figured I should dabble in some children's literature. What a great children's bookset this is too! The first of the many, many books in the set is the introduction to the three Baudelaire children who lose their parents to a fire and have to live in the unfortunate situation of their distant cousin, Count Olaf. 
• I give this book a 4. It was a mysterious, whimsical, unfortunate story with an enticing ending. 
• The Truth-Teller's Lie by Sophie Hannah
• This was a purchase from a used book store. I read the back and thought, "hmm sounds good" and bought it. It ended up being pretty interesting. It is the story of a woman with a dark secret that she uses to defend the one she loves. It is a twisted, detailed, unexpected story with a not-so-good ending.
• I give this book a 3.5. It was a book that kept me from putting it down, but it had a terrible ending and made me feel a little sick at the end. 

Here we go!

I have always wanted to be one of those avid bloggers, but I have never had a reason to blog. I figured now is a good as time as ever... entering the "real world". I recently graduated college and I am going to be starting my life in the adult world away from any type of "bubble" I've formally been in. New things await me, like a job, a marriage, children, owning a house... all those fun adultish things. What a journey. I am excited to see where the wind blows me and how God uses me, teaches me, and molds me. 

Adventure is out there. 

me with my crew