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

Feeling Lucky?

March 30, 2012

It was a given. I had to join in the festivities. Everyone was doing it. 

I've never purchased a one of these things, so I thought beginners luck could be in my favor.

With the grand prize skyrocketing up to 640 million dollars, I had to partake in the fun and take a chance in scoring big! Obviously, my chances are somewhere near the .01 percentile (or possibly lower) as statistics show your chances of getting hit by lightning are much greater! 

(...6x before you win a lottery ticket to be exact)

One dollar? 

I can burn a dollar if I don't win. Plus, what if I did win... what if. I couldn't take that chance of NOT buying one. Plus, all news stations made this such a big deal, it was fun to participate!

Off to Bucky's I go 

(our gas station)

The line was pretty big! About 15 people lined up (just in that short period I was there) to get their chance of becoming rich. People were purchasing 20, 30, even hundreds of tickets to get their shot in the big ol' lottery. I just wanted my one lousy ticket :) 

  

So what's better?

 Personal numbers you pick that mean something to you/that you deem to be "lucky"

or

 QP (quick-pick) a random select of computer generated numbers

...I went with the latter.

My philosophy was simple. If it's meant to be, it's mean to be. 

Plus, if I would have picked the numbers, I would of regretted choosing each and every one of them if I would have lost (which I knew I would, so hence my choice).

The final product

With a kiss after it was printed for good luck, here was my lucky charm.

Only, it wasn't so lucky.

...Not even one number

: /

So I didn't win, but it was fun to wish and dream about what it COULD have been like to come into contact with that much money.

It was quite difficult to come up with things I would have done.

------------------

Here is my "top 10 wish list" if I would have won

1. Get rid of student loans. Pay those suckers off.

2. Pay off family members debt and bills and share some of the winnings

3. Purchase a house. Nothing huge, but a nice living space with washer and dryer on the main floor and a scrapbook craft room. That is my biggest wish.

4. Purchase some much needed new clothes and shoes!

5. Travel to Ireland (with mom) and Australia (with the man)

6. Donate to the Lupus foundation, Dysautonomia Research, and the Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Foundation. All of these are so important to me as my mom and I share these conditions.

7. Start my own charity.

8. Create my own scholarship fund for those who are well rounded and active in their community (NOT focused on G.P.A) and for those who are disabled or struggle with their health trying to get accepted or make it in college.

9. Buy an iPad.

10. Have a fabulous, fun wedding and honeymoon : )

Hey, a girl can dream!

What would YOU have done with the money?

xoxo.

One of my school favorites

This is my favorite part of the school day...

Working on counting money :)

I made a price tag game and use "spacers" (a.k.a. little strips of paper) to help him with transitioning from one coin to another. It works great!

This kiddo has the best attitude and loves to learn!

What is YOUR favorite part of day?

Enjoy your Tuesday!

xoxo.

Whoa Nelly...

We're having a heat wave

...a mid-western heat wave

literally.

I don't know where you all are from, but around here (the mid-west) it is never 81degrees in mid early March. Typically, we have a big snow storm around this time! To make matters more crazy, this isn't just a fluke hot day, it is staying like this! According to the national weather pros, they are saying to expect these temperatures all month long. 

{insert gasp}

Okay, so to most of you 81 degrees is nothing; however, when you are experiencing brutal temperatures of 15-30 degrees or so and the next day it's 81! Now that is quite the shocker that my wardrobe was not expecting. Shorts? Flip-flops? Really!?

If this is what we are experiencing in March, I can't even fathom thinking what summer is going to be like :/ 

Brutal.Nasty.Intense.

Ew.

I heard 10,000 temperature records have been broken across the country in the past THREE days!

What is the weather like in your neck of the woods?

xoxo.

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.
   

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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!

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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.

Last Chauffeur Day of the Year

It's Winter Break, and I have free time, so that means I'm back to being my Gram's chauffeur! 

Where to, you might ask?

To organ class, where else?!

And might I tell you, it's not just any organ class as my gram would put it, "there are no beginners in this class... we all play very well and are quite experienced!"

after all, it is the advanced class

Typically,  she has classes every Wednesday 

(but due to the Christmas holiday and all, it was moved to Friday ...just for this week!)

Pretty snazzy looking for pushing 92, eh?

It was too funny. Last night I got a call from her. 

"Erin, I'm just checking again, you can still take me and pick me up from Organ tomorrow, right?"

..."yes gram, I'll be there promptly at 10:00am!"

that was the fourth time she reminded me.

In one week.

So, I got to thinking. Which is never good. But really. Listen to this.

My gram has two hearing aids. Without them, she is deaf. literally. 

When she plays the organ at home, you can hear it from three houses down.

I wonder how loud it really must be in the building where they play...

oh dear. I can't imagine.

Any who.

After her organ class, she goes out to lunch "with the girls" 

(cute, huh?)

She calls me from her little jitterbug (a.k.a old persons cell phone!) and fills me in on her where-a-bouts. 

It's always one out of three places.

i Hop

Garden Cafe

Fernando's

Today it was good ol' i Hop :)

When I go to pick her up from one of those three locations, I always have to sit and chat with the girls for awhile. I mean really, old people LOVE to talk and hear stories. I always have to budget for at least a good 30 minute conversation before I can leave.

Today, I brought them some goodies in a cute little mason jar, pulled tightly with a bow, for a late Christmas treat!

Santa's Chex Mix

Craisins

Pretzels

Peanuts

Corn Chex

(drizzle white chocolate and let cool)

add M&M's and mix together.

Santa-Hat's

Buggles

white non-parcels decorations

red (white chocolate candy melts)

mini-mallows

Click here for the full recipe

It was good to see the gals, but some were missing due to Christmas parties, traveling and all. Stay tuned Wednesday for pictures of the girls and some funny stories!

Until then, check out some older posts and funny stories from my gram this summer here and here. 

Can you believe TOMORROW is New Year's Eve?

My recap of the year in tomorrow's post.

xoxo

One door closed, another opened.

Wednesday, December 14th 2011.

My last day student teaching with first grade

Bittersweet.

A new chapter in my life is closed, leaving wonderful memories and a hopeful future.

Throughout the day, the kiddos were so sweet and loving saying things like 

"Miss Chase, please don't leave! Why do you have to go"

and the best one yet...

"Miss Chase, can I be your son?"

What do you say when a little first grade boy looks at you in all seriousness with big baby blues!?

Kids do say the darnest things. 

They were utterly convinced that I was not just leaving and moving on to different things, but that I was "retiring" 

The students would correct anyone who said different with 

{insert sassy first grade voice}"Um, NO. She is RETIRING!" {insert sassy first grade voice}

Too funny.

***

I was completely shocked at how well they kept a secret (for almost a MONTH) about my presents and surprises. They all put together a book of memories and brought in teacher goodies for me!

My handmade "Memory String Book"
(Based off the book "The Memory String")

 They all created a "bead" (circle) with their favorite memory of me 

and signed the hardback book of "The Memory String" for me to keep :)

Here are some of their memories...

She is a fabulous artist!!

I thought this one was SO cute!
It's always great to know they understand what you're teaching :)

I just bought the whole Junie B. Jones series for my future classroom!

:)

My Goodie Bin

This is the goodie bin I received that is full of gift cards, letters, drawings,
supplies and everything under the sun :)

I can't believe my time with all these lovely first graders has come to an end. This whole semester has made me realize that first grade is really where I want to be - I wouldn't mind a couple years older, but first grade is definitely my favorite! This coming January, I start my second semester of student teaching in a special education classroom at a local Middle School (talk about change!) I am looking forward to embracing this new opportunity and hope that I will enjoy it just as much :) 

You never know...

Until next semester, I am working hard applying for jobs and graduate school!

Eeeeek. 

Can you believe that applications need to be in THIS month for a job in AUGUST 2012?!

{insert jaw drop} I know, right? {insert jaw drop}

I will certainly be one busy bee this Christmas break!

What are your plans for the holiday season?

Any big events or things on the to-do list?

xoxo

-erin

Thankul Sunday

via

{1}

I must give a huge thank you to Reni over at In Her Shoes for the lovely makeup collection. 

She hosted an amazing giveaway that I just happened to win. 

It came at the best time (I was SO busy and stressed with school). 

I am so sorry for this delayed, but sincere "thank you!"  

P.S. My favorite item is the Nyx lip stick ...it is a-ma-zing.

In love. 

[I was so excited]

{2}

I passed my assessment presentation! 

Not only did I pass, but I received a perfect score :)

(I don't mean to gloat, I'm just pretty stoked!)

A big thank you to: 

My friends for encouraging me, giving me advice, and support

&

My mom who had to hear ALL about the stressful times :/

...and for buying me a fabulous outfit!

{3}

I received encouraging news from my autonomic specialist :)

I will post more about this topic later! 

SO much to update about.

I will be starting b12 injections soon.

nay: for the super painful muscle injections

yay: for hopefully gaining energy! 

{4}

 I was able to go out last night and enjoy myself for awhile! 
If your new to my blog, I have some health conditions which typically make it difficult to feel well enough to have a night out with friends or let alone...do anything.
Last night I was able to stay out until MIDNIGHT! 
Whooooooo!
I slept until 1:00pm today and am pretty exhausted, but it was well worth it!
Heck.Yes.
:) 

 {5}

My cousin (who lives in London) is coming for Christmas! 
Yes, I do have favorites in my family & as far as cousins go, she is my fav :) 
I do not get to see her all too often and when I do, it makes the holidays even better!
 




What were YOU thankful for this week?

xoxo.

Happy Halloween :)

Happy Halloween 

here are some fun pictures that were taken during our first grade Halloween party 

:)

Making ghosts!
(white square felt, stuffing, string, and eyes)

Look how cute they turned out :)
They hung on a stick and they could bobble them around.
Really neat idea!

They had SO many activities that the parents brought!

Monster Match
(just like memory)

Candy necklaces
except this time... they had to make them!
Great fine motor practice and they loved making their own :)

Working with patterns
(orange, orange, purple, purple...)

It was such a fun and busy day!

The kids had some fabulous costumes.

My favorite: a handmade duck costume. Super cute!

What is/was YOUR favorite Halloween costume?

xoxo

erinj0

via: all pictures are property of My life as erinj0