Beginnings & Endings

New Beginnings

New Possibilities

SO MUCH to be thankful for...

______________________________________________________________

Words can not even describe this month.   

I'll just let it be by saying that it was simply amazing.

May 23rd 2013

My fiance and I closed on our first home :)

 So excited to be home owners!

May 24th 2013

It's real. We moved in!

I especially love our kitchen & baking yummy Pinterest goodies!

May 25th 2013

The fiance and I drove to St. Joseph to pick up our new family member!
We are pleased to welcome this little Schnoodle (Schnauzer + Poodle Mix) to our new home.

Meet Miss LOLA :) 

Lola Bear :)

 She didn't know what to think of the silly Scooby-Doo slippers!

 Playing with daddy.  (Steps were scary!)

 One pooped pup!

Can you tell I'm a little obsessed?  I love my baby girl ♥

May 29th 2013

The students LAST day of school. I had to say goodbye to an amazing group of second graders.  They were an absolute joy to work with and I will cherish the memories we had in our classroom forever. 

I got this cute gift from a kiddo (no doubt her mom checked out Pinterest for this creation!) 

It is jam packed with tasty spices for our new home!

May 30th 2013

LAST DAY for teachers!  My first year of teaching is officially over! 

Where did time go? It all happened SO fast.

 Hero Unit: The students picked a hero of their choice, decorated their hero and wrote three reasons on the back.  

It's things like this that make me smile.  I can honestly say that I LOVE my job and making a difference in my students' lives

 :)

May 31st 2013

My final comps presentation for graduate school! It's f.i.n.a.l.l.y. over!

June 7th 2013

Lola started puppy class! She had a blast and let me tell you, was quite the charmer.  All the male pups were drawn to her!  She is going to be a little handful! ;)

5 more weeks of classes left!

_________________________________________________________

SO much has happened in such little time.

I feel blessed to have such a loving fiance, supportive family, and great friends!

Can't wait to see what the summer and future has in store for us :) 

What are your summer plans?

♥ erinj0

I'm Back :) Happy Easter!

First. Happy Easter ♥
I hope you all enjoy plentiful amounts of time with your loved ones!  Spring is such a beautiful time of the year and it is the day to remember how blessed we are!



I made some yummy cupcake puppy chow.

Doesn't the look of it just make your mouth water?
It is simply fantastic.
Check our the recipe here!

Second. Hi! I'm Back :)

Who knows if anyone even look at this blog anymore, but wow, I have missed some old blogger friends.  My life has been quite busy to say that least.  Actually the busiest it has ever been (and potentially EVER will be). 

So what have I been up to in this past YEAR, you ask? Here are my top 5 things going on in my life...

ONE.

I got engaged! 

Eeek. 

Yes, finally :) 

We have been together now for 8 1/2 year and he is my high school-sweetheart, whom I adore! I feel so lucky to have someone life him.

TWO.

I started grad school. I will walk THIS May with a MS in Education & a focus in Literacy :) 

THREE.

I am second grade teacher and absolutely love my students.  They are at the age where they you are the greatest thing known to man and have mad rad skills (such as: you am the best artist, you SO knowledgable...(almost genius!), and the list goes on!) 

FOUR.

We're getting a house! Now, this is exciting but also incredibly stressful.  Holy paperwork! My life is officially signed away with mortgage loans and what have-ya. Whoa, nothings "official" yet, but we're darn close!

FIVE.

We will be adding another addition to our family soon...

A PUPPY :) 

Thoughts about particular breeds? We want to adopt a small-medium sized furry friend!

Well, if you happen to mosey on over and find this post, let me know something new that's been happening in your life! It will take awhile to get back into the swing of things and read old friends posts, but I thoroughly intend to, quite soon too!

Have a happy and blessed day, friends!

xoxo

erin.

What a Week + Awesome News

There are many reasons I smiled this week.

Just like this owl, I am a very happy camper ...and have a lot to be thankful for!

plus, I absolutely LOVE owls. extra smile.

Reason #1

I had two interviews scheduled for a potential job.

I was just excited to get interviews at a time where finding a job is incredibly difficult

Reason #2

A kiddo made me laugh. A lot. Here's the story...

There is boy I work with that has very poor fine motor skills. He cannot write
(it is not legible whatsoever, so he is required to type all of his assignments)
Well, I was looking through his health homework about "morals" and I noticed it has scribbles (his writing) for every answer and a 100% plastered on the front. I said "Bobby (obviously not his name) why did we write our assignment? Obviously your teacher can't read this buddy." I then proceed to ask him what his answers say, as I am just a tad curious...

The first question said "You didn't study for your test. The teacher  has you sit next to the smartest kid in class. What do you do?" 

His response (literally, verbatim and 100% serious) was: I would make sure the teacher wasn't looking and then copy his answers.

I stare at him in utter disbelief and immediately respond, "Bobby!" "You can't do that, that's called cheating!"

He then looks at me, with a weird look on his face and responds...

"I would make sure the teacher is not looking first... DUH!"

too funny. I have to give him props for his mad honesty. 

needless to say, we had to have a "talk".

...after I finished laughing

:)

Reason #3

VitaTops in morning. 

Absolutely delicious and fairly healthy!

Reason #4

Fish frys with friends :) 

It's never a dull Friday when a fish fry is added in the day!

Reason #5

My interview on Wednesday!

...it went well I thought

Reason #6

*last but certainly NOT least*

The missed call I received on my phone around 8:30am...

The email message I received around 8:35am....

The note from my school office brought down to me around 8:45am...

...all saying to contact the principal I interviewed with the day before :)

I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will officially be a second grade teacher this August.

Grad school begins THIS May and I will receive my masters in 14 months.

FOR FREE :) 

just an added bonus

It will be a lot of work.

First year teacher+Full time grad student= no life

But I'm ready for the ride. To tackle this exciting new start. 

To spend all summer taking classes and getting my classroom ready.

I think this week was definitely worth a BIG SMILE.

:)

So excited.

xoxo

Mondays are back

It's MONDAY!

Any-who, today was my my first day of sped student teaching.

Hopefully it will be a good experience :) 

  

...but most importantly 

Mondays are the Bachelorette!!!

If you missed the premiere last week, click here to watch it on abc

If you have followed my blog for awhile, you know that my mom and I absolutely love the Bachelorette and we always get together every Monday night to veg out, dish on the ladies/gentlemen and make predictions! 

It is quite entertaining and a good girls night to say the least!

Here are our latest rankings.

PLEASE let me know who's your favorite! I would love to hear your thoughts.

Harley is approving our opinions ;)

 We actually had differing opinions. I was so surprised!
During the show, we cannot tell each other our thoughts.
After, we compare our scores and pick our favorites!

My thoughts!

Moms thoughts!

 .Episode One Snippets.

The old lady you saw on the preview was there to support her grand-daughter. Very cliche, and fairly stupid in my opinion. Whatever.

The girl from Nebraska did not portray an adequate picture of my state. at all.please disregard any information that she stated. I do not eat cow nuts. I am NOT that girl, nor are most people from here.

Emily did a fantastic rap. I absolutely loved it. it too, was cliche, yes but original. I could never come up with these lyrics. I give her mad props. check it out.

Monica is just a flat out b. She is incredibly rude. beware viewers.

Jenna is a blogger from NYC. I do not believe that she accurately portrays us bloggers either. We do not act like that :) 

Anyways. 

Yes the Bachelor is rather stupid and getting redundant, but if you don't watch  it... you should! It is a wonderful guilty pleasure that I would love to talk about with y'all!

T - 1 minute till' it airs!

xoxo

-erinj0

New Year = New Beginning

Hello Friends! Happy 2012 :) 

Oh gosh, it's been one week since I have last posted. It seems like a lifetime.
Okay, slight exaggeration, but it feels like forever.

...So what have I been doing?

drum roll please....
I am officially done applying for graduate school! Whooooo. (insert scream here).
Applications to the University and the districts are all complete! Now it's a waiting game.

The grad school opportunity I applied for would pay for my masters degree AND I would finish in fourteen months. Totally awesome, right? So pretty much, 14 months of work and hell for one FREE, awesome degree! I will totally take the bait and go to school to increase my future pay if someone else is willing to pay for it! Who wouldn't?!

Double bonus. Yesterday, I got my first call and I am in the process of finding a time to go interview! I couldn't be more excited (and absolutely nervous as heck) to begin my future!

This is actually rather anti-climatic.
It has been 60 degrees in Nebraska! In January!
Crazy...
Via

Before I start my last semester of my student teaching and dive into the interviews, I must enjoy this one last weekend of my holiday break! G'night friends and enjoy your weekend!

What are your future plans? Anything exciting thus far in 2012?

xoxo
erinj0.

Recap of [2011]

January

The start of my final semester of classes. Student teaching interview. 
Continuing to work with my cardiac-electrophysiogist.
Researching the power of a healthy diet and it's effects on the body.
   

via

February

Grandma turns 90! 

We had a big open house for her and all of her friends :)

**she has more friends than I do!**

Starting undergoing chiropractic care.

March 

Mom's birthday!

POTS Symptoms were running rather high :/

Spent hours and hours in sped classes learning how to administer the WRAT assessment.

(one long and lengthy comprehension test!)

One out of the many pages...
we scanned them as we had to practice administering this test on many a friends ;)
Extra copies just in case we needed a new sheet for mess ups!

April

Blizzard in mid April! Crazy!

POTS symptoms controlling my life :/ Not a fun month.

Countdown until geneticist appointment.

May

BUSY MONTH!!! THINGS START TO LOOK UP :)

Revelation of our family history and nationality -- received grandpa's old adoption papers.

Letter official: Fall Student Teaching Placement

Start my coupon craze!

Osama-Bin-Laden is dead!

Monday mom nights: The Bachelorette starts!

Here is a snippet of my grandpa's adoption summary.
He was brought to the agency is a suitcase!

June

Omaha/Iowa flooding worsens.

Chauffeuring Grandma and funny stories develop!

Pinterest became highly-addictive!

 Famous information about our family!!!

 July
Geneticist appointment is here! I have an amazing genetic counselor and specialist.
...after 6+ months of waiting
Official EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) diagnosis is revealed.
Click here for more information regarding EDS!

August

Student teaching in 1st grade begins! 

Funny stories of past students!

via

September

I turn twenty-three and received adorable gifts from the kiddos.

Husker football season is here!

How sweet is this?

Her and her mom baked the whole class homemade carrot-cake cupcakes :)
She was SO proud.

October

Fall Break is here!
Halloween parties in first grade.
A much needed rest and catch up picking pumpkins :)
Blog break for awhile and more awesome pictures from my lovely kiddos.

Acres and acres FULL of millions of pumpkins!

Mad skills for first grade! (especially the beginning of first grade!)

November

 Assessment presentation - Mom saves the day! Story here

(a.k.a. the big kicker for assessing your knowledge of teaching and assessment)

12-14 minutes. NO going over. 

You were graded on: confidence, oral presentation skills, knowledge of content, and more specific target areas.

CRAZY nervous.

Lesson for my project! 

Pictures were incorporated during my presentation

Introducing domino's to teach addition!

part-part-whole concept using manipulatives

Differentiation & Formative Assessment :)

Summative Assessment

December

Fall Elementary Education student teaching comes to an end :/ 

Bittersweet.. 

Spring 2012 special education placement received: Middle School. I have mixed emotions.

Currently: Applying for grad school & employment for August 2012!

What a year it has been. 

Primarily, it has been full of doctors appointments/health and teaching! 

I'm so proud of everything I was able to accomplish and am anxiously awaiting an even more busy 2012 year! SO much to look forward to :)

My blog has grown so much and amazing friendships have emerged.

I'm hoping these relationships continue throughout 2012 and beyond 

♥

Best wishes for a new year, friends!

See you in 2012.

xoxo

erinj0.

What made you smile today?

Today has been filled with multiple reasons to smile

Here are some examples...

-One of the girls in my class with down syndrome mastered her SIX sight words today! 

(when she said them all, I had her read them again & felt like a proud momma!) 

♥ photo credit

 

-A mom dropped in during lunch today and brought the first grade teachers some delicious Qdoba burritos for lunch! 

How sweet!

♥photo credit

-Getting big, loving hugs from six year old's at the end of the day :)

♥photo credit

 

What made you smile today?

xoxo

ONE week.

ONE week.

One week until I will officially be done with undergraduate classes.

One week until I will officially start student teaching.

In one week, my life will be different.

♥ photo credit

Exciting? Yes - Bittersweet? Yes

For the past 5 years I have been taking college classes, building a routine and actually enjoying the college life...yes, even the school work! It may seem odd, but I actually enjoy learning and being in class.
Throughout my last two years, I have become part of this family. I have become so close with the people in my education classes, (primarily my special education classes). We spend hours on end working on projects together, laughing, joking about stupid things, going out to the schools and completing practicum hours, and cramming last minute for exams!

Now, don't get me wrong, I am very happy to apply all the knowledge I have learned into the classroom and step into the schools full time, but I will miss everything I am leaving behind. We are all in different schools, spread out across different districts throughout multiple cities. The thing I will miss the most is not seeing them every week. I think change is difficult for everyone, and this is definitely bittersweet for me.

♥ photo credit

My to do list
*that needs to be completed in ONE week*

• Purchase teaching clothes: I have a couple dress pants, but could use plenty more. I really looking to purchase multiple colored cardigans that I can switch up with a couple shirts for my staple "go to" look. Shopping trip soon!!!
• Organize all my children's books & make a spreadsheet where I can look them up for easy access! 
• Speaking of books, sadly Border's is closing...but! CHEAP BOOKS! I will definitely be making multiple stops there throughout the month! :) You can never pass up sweet deals!
• Plan out my lunches. I need to go shopping and buy food that I can bring with me. If you have some good tips or food that you like, I would love to hear all of them!
• Take my gram shopping on our last Wednesday together! :) As many of you probably know, I take my gram to Organ class and take her so she can go out to eat with her friends after. She is dying to have a new "stylish" purse and requests that we go to the mall this Wednesday together!
• Finish ALL my projects for my final class. They are all due the day I start student teaching :/ eeeek - This is going to be one BUSY week.
• Doctors appointment on Monday. I finally got a new internist :) Your internist/PCP is the one you should have a good connection with and who will listen and work with you/your other doctors. I did not have a good relationship with my previous one and am excited to move forward with my new one!
• ...and making time for everything else that may pop up and come my way

♥ photo credit

Take care all

♥ erinj0

Do you ever wonder...

...What is happening with our culture/society?

It truly saddens me to see young people participating in such forward behavior. By forward behavior, I am referring to the way they dress, act, and how the morals of these individuals. Now, I am totally fine with self-expression and people's own personal beliefs (whatever they may be) - but there is line that shouldn't be crossed.

When you walk down the street or see kiddo's in shorts so short, that you can see things you shouldn't be seeing...that's a problem no matter what your beliefs are. I am sorry, but no one cares to see you flaunt your stuff (whether you have it or not) and it really sends the wrong message. It seems that people are so caught up in their physical appearance that they loose focus on "just being a kid".

As I am sitting here, looking towards the future - I wonder just how different the world will be when we have kids that are in the tween-age.  I remember when boys had cooties and make-up wasn't worn until freshman year of high school. I remember when long biker shorts were "in" and we had pants with stirrups(yeah, I was that cool)...I remember when I would play street hockey, stay out late to play outside, and not worry about what I looked like... (sigh)I remember...

It's funny - I just had a conversation with my mom not all that long ago about this topic. I asked her, so...when I am your age (she's around 55ish), what will be considered "oldies music?" She looked at me and laughed. Her response "I hope not all that rap-crap". Think about it. What will our generation of "oldies" really be like thirty or so years from now?

I just see kids growing up SO fast. The time you have as a kid should be treasured. It is the best time in your life, where everything is carefree, without a worry in the world. Nothing is holding you back and you are free to take on the world. I hate seeing these youngsters worry about things like their weight and being perfect...

No matter how hard you try, life is never perfect. The imperfections are what make life and YOU, unique. Don't fall in someone elses' shadow - Being you, your unique self is what makes the world special - And always remember, the hardships make us stronger - and the beauty lies within.
                 ♥ photo credit

Embrace your inner child!

xoxo,
-erinj0

I am famous :)

Okay, so I'm not really famous.

But still. 

Lately, my family has been really into our genealogy and my Grandma just happens to mention that she has information about her parents tucked away somewhere (you're just telling us know Gram!)

After I initiated the information about my Grandpa's adoption, she immediately got the urge to learn more about our history and started rummaging through her things to try and find the records she had. As hours went by, she finally found her parents family tree that dates back to 1751!

We found some pretty cool stuff! Check out this excerpt...

My family was on the Ways & Means Committee during the Revolutionary Way

We knew Mrs. Abraham Lincoln!

♥ photo credit

They sold their land and slaves to President George Washington! 

*This land is/was the present site of Mount Vernon

♥ photo credit

(Mt. Vernon was the home and estate of George Washington)

it is now an educational tourist attraction, open seven days a week!

I can't believe how much information I can acquire through ancestry.com and even just by simple things like Google searches. While I am learning so much more information via my own researching and through the internet,  I only know for a fact that this paper is accurate. 

I won't post anymore about genealogy, but I thought this was pretty cool & just had to share!

Plus, I'm showing some history :)

xoxo

-erinj0