Letting Go, Moving On and Changes

On Friday night I went to a going away celebration for some friends that are moving to Dallas, I wish I had been a better blogger and taken pictures besides of what I wore...but in my defense I was .exhausted. like had someone drive me home because I was afraid I would fall asleep exhausted. Always the life of the party this one.

I hate 'letting go' of friendships, there is something about that feeling that causes a ridiculously high amount of melancholy to settle in my soul and it takes a lot to let it go. Dallas really isn't that far from Austin but I don't make the 3 hour trip to Houston to see my family but 2-3 times a year so I don't foresee myself jetting up to Dallas too often. This is a couple that I have spent birthdays, holidays, random Saturdays with for the last seven years so saying goodbye to them was disappointing. 

I am making this sound extremely depressing I know...drama queen much...but something I have begun to notice is that as we start making choices for our own little families we end up losing friendships that we once held dear to us. This couple wanted something different than the friendships we could offer them: they wanted play dates and kids for their kids to play with and couples who want kids like yesterday and to live in suburbia...I completely understand the need to make choices for your own family...but I am not going to lie and say it didn't sting a little bit. Yes that makes me sound incredible selfish...sue me.

As I began to realize I was being a little judgmental, for choices that I couldn't understand, I felt guilty. 

Because the mister and I have been making some pretty big choices for our little family and I know that other people are judging those choices because they don't understand where we are coming from. And I let other people's judgements bother me way more than I should.

The mister and I decided to buy a house, I have shared this news with a few close friends and family members and I was waiting for this reaction.

But instead I got the: that's interesting or when are y'all getting married. Your enthusiasm is overwhelming...thanks.

Regardless of other people's opinions we were pretty happy with our decision, found an ideal neighborhood that we could afford and were going to build a new place and even got pre-qualified for a mortgage. Holy shit batman, I am pretty sure this makes me a grown up.

Then came the kicker, Austin is in such high demand that down payment assistance for first time home buyers is basically non existent. And we make a little, like barely over the limit, to get assistance through a program that helps teachers.

Disappointed would be an understatement. I had a friend comment, well don't you have 3.5%...that's basically nothing...who has 3.5% of the cost of a house sitting around? I think I have $45 sitting in my bank account so thanks for rubbing it in that I obviously make less than you.

So we have moved onto plan B. We plan to rent a cheap small apartment for the next 12 months and save the difference to use as our down payment at the end of this period...if we don't kill each other first. It's the responsible decision to make and the best decision for our family. But I am not going to lie and say that moving on from our first place together has been easy, I feel like I have been in a constant state of stress since we turned our sixty day notice in last week. 

So here is life for the next two months:

.next weekend. find a place to live.

.following weekend. garage sale, sell all of our things.

.first weekend in May. five day weekend in Chicago.

.two weekends later. move out of the house.

.two weekends later, Memorial weekend. turn our keys in.

Oh and you know continue teaching and you know living life. 

If you follow me on instagram, you probably already got a sneak peak of the craziness that has become my house. We have to somehow purge enough of our stuff from our four bedroom house, in order to be able to to actually live comfortable in whichever two bedroom apartment we find...aka...the mister prefers to not shimmy around boxes of my things on a daily basis. At first I was being a bit sentimental about all of my things, but after my second and third go around I realized its just stuff. 

Just the start of the garage sale pile.

So in the spirit of all of these big changes I am letting go of things from the past, moving on from stuff and friendships that I don't need to hold onto and only tackling those that I can take on...one at a time. With that being said I might not be around this little ole blog that much over the next few weeks so bear with me while we adjust to all of these changes.

Linking up with: Bre, Carly, LeeAnn, More Pieces of Me, On the Daily Express and Monday Mingle.

- The Babbling Box!

Dirty Laundry

In polite society we all know there are certain topics that are off limits, taboo to talk about or make people uncomfortable. 

.finances.

.intimate relationships. 

.politics.

religion.

.health issues.

Over the past few weeks I have read multiple blog posts from bloggers mentioning they wouldn't talk about these issues or issues similar on their blog. We all learned a long time ago that no topics are off limits for me and I will even make a blog post about topics that I am afraid to publish. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand the value of keeping things private or personal but I feel like hiding all of our 'dirty laundry' behind closed doors leads to more problems than solutions.

If you do decide to air your 'dirty laundry' on social media or in a group of friends its considering whining or over sharing...frankly it just makes people uncomfortable.

But why?

I don't feel like we live in the most supportive society, instead of getting advice you get criticism or catty remarks. Instead of people/friends celebrating your successes they are silently mocking you for boasting too much.

But if you look at divorce rates and the reasons for divorce, poor communication and financial issues top the list.

So my question is: if you aren't supposed to air your 'dirty laundry' in public who are you supposed to talk to? learn from? seek advice?

Let's focus on financial issues, at what point in your life did you learn to manage a check book, file taxes, seek a credit report and read it...etc? I can tell you how I learned, trial and error. And error. And error. And error.

Maybe some of your parents taught you how to handle your finances, I can tell you my parents spent 15 of their 17 years of marriage fighting about money, so the only thing I learned was that money was a horrible topic. Schools are so busy prepping students to take tests and get into college so their school rating increases, that they don't stop and teach some real life survival skills. I say this as a teacher who has financial standards shoved into her curriculum of Robotics, a class only a handful of each grade will ever take.

Most of my students are first year residents whose parents don't have bank accounts. Who think check cashing places are the way to go. Have no clue the power of credit cards.

And in four years some of them will be going to college and undertaking $30,000+ a year in loans to pay for their education. At 18 with no understanding of how to manage finances. Write a check. Or what an interest rate really means.

I say this from experience, as a 17 year old girl I was signing my life away to dear old Sallie Mae completely oblivious to the realities of the number of loans I was undertaking. Don't get me wrong I value my college degree and think it was a worthwhile investment but looking back at what I know now. A few trial and errors later. I would have certainly done a few things differently.

And that's my point. Chances are there was some other 17 year old girl with parents too busy focusing on a divorce to help her understand the fine print of financial aid. Or a boy whose parents don't speak English and have no clue what the documents even say. Or a girl whose parents barely have a high school diploma and aren't sure what they can do to help their child. 

Wouldn't it have been a novel idea if we all shared our experiences. If us older more 'experienced' gave advice to those high school graduates. I get this is what counselors are for, but most schools have one counselor per grade level...one person is supposed to assist over 300 students with financial aid...yea right!

Moving beyond college finance needs, what if someone shared:

.how they got out of credit card debt? 

.how they paid off a car loan?

.how they managed a save up or acquire a down payment?

.how they took annual vacations?

.how they managed the union, signed up for retirement, insurance, etc?

The list could really go on and on. But it still doesn't change the fact that it would be downright rude to ask someone one of these questions and airing 'dirty laundry' if you were to try and seek advice from friends or the social media world.

In total Americans owe 11.52 trillion dollars in debt and 46% of households have credit card debt.

I might not be a math teacher BUT if about 50% of Americans are getting divorced each year, the number two reason for divorce is financial issues and nearly 50% of households have credit card debt something doesn't add up.

What's stopping us from sharing: greed, envy, comparison, embarrassment? Chances are most people already know how much you make, what your car is worth and how much your house is worth...gotta love the internet.

Maybe I am making comparisons that aren't there, or stretching the data to fit my post but its my blog so I will post what I want...even if it is considered 'dirty laundry.'

Am I the only one who feels like the word 'dirty laundry' should be banished and we should start sharing our stories, learning from each other's struggles, celebrating each other's successes and helping our friends make a few less mistakes than we have made along the way?

I honestly don't think if it wasn't for this blog I would ever feel brave enough to demand this, but this little blogging world has opened my eyes of what friendships could look like if we weren't afraid of a little 'dirty laundry' and I like it. Plain and simple. And maybe non bloggers could benefit from a few share sessions themselves...just my little ole opinion.

Linking up with: Bre, Carly, LeeAnn, More Pieces of Me, On the Daily Express, Bloody Marys Count as a Salad and Monday Mingle.

- The Babbling Box!

Kisses A...

Three hours. The amount of time this evening I spent writing sub plans for the next two days. Believe me, I am not jetting off to some amazing vacation...in fact I will still be at school. Just in a different room, TELPAS testing 300 or so students while a substitute runs my classroom. I feel mildly bad for the substitute, I wrote a good eighteen pages of instructions...to be fair I haven't been out in over a year and I hate being away from my classroom.

I adore my students but they get off on eating substitutes and teachers alive...they still boast about the amount of teachers that left after their sixth grade year. 

I have threatened them to no end and they have a full plate of work for the next two days so fingers crossed the substitute makes it out alive.

One hour. The amount of time this evening I spent trying to locate three years worth of tax returns and W2's...does anyone else actually have all of this shit ready at their fingertips? I consider myself a pretty organized person but I don't print out things that are electronically filed, and I was certainly a little bitter to have to print all these documents...ink ain't cheap.

 

Fifteen minutes. The amount of time it would take to mail my bestie's birthday present but yet its still sitting on my desk...14 days after her birthday. best. friend. ever.

Hopefully she likes it...when she finally gets it.

I should mention that I love Pretty Little Liars, got my bestie hooked on PLL and if you weren't aware my name starts with A...so I thought this was the cutest present ever. Hopefully she doesn't read this blog post!

Four hours. The amount of time I have wasted on Worn On Tv searching for the perfect outfits worn on Pretty Little Liars. It's not like I can afford any of the clothes but knowing where Emily got this tank or Aria got...well frankly got everything...is pretty much the answer to my happiness.

  

Two. The number of times I took this Buzzfeed quiz until I got the results I wanted...because honestly Mona was just not an acceptable answer.

One. The number of times you will need to read this article in order to understand my obsession with Pretty Little Liars.

Fifty Five Minutes. The amount of time I waited for the biggest reveal ever during the PLL season finale...I am not spoiling anything for you I promise...but I would love to talk about the episode with you via email.

And the icing on the cake...finding out that PLL comes back June 10th, the day after my birthday...it's like they knew!

Yes, this post was all over the place...

Yes, this post contained way too many PLL gifs...

sorry. I am not sorry.

- Kisses A...

Teachers Have Fun Too!

Friday before Spring Break a kid mentioned that he was excited about spring break, I quickly corrected him that no one in that class was more excited about spring break than I was! For the next 9 days I would NOT be responsible for 160 little people, telling people to sit down, shut up (in a nicer way), spit out the gum, do this, do that...etc.

Don't get me wrong I love my job but sometimes the monotony can be taxing.

This spring break was a little different than my last two spring breaks: the mister would be working every night at a second gig, I had no friends from out of state coming in and I wasn't making the trek to Houston to see family. 

My hope was that I could balance 'adult' responsibilities with a bit of fun, a lot of relaxing and not drop all of monies at Target.

Like the crazy insane organized person I am I made a to do list...a two page to do list...I am pretty satisfied to say that I was able to take care of most things on the list. Granted I probably would have been able to take care of more items if I wasn't constantly waiting for a commercial breaks during Boy Meets World and the gazillion hours of HGTV I choose to obsess over...I have already suggested eight different countries/states we can move to, decorated my dream house and decided income properties are worth it...the mister is not amused.

What was amusing was my sister came to Austin to play keep me occupied for two days since the mister was slaving away at SXSW. We of course went shopping and spent way too much at Target...the stupid target app is justifying a lot of spending I wouldn't normally be doing...but these shoes were just too darn cute to pass up. And of course a few new maxi shirts, because well duh they are my jam.

The next day we went exploring and I took her to the Hope Gallery Wall where she was too chicken to climb up with me...I love her anyways...and then I thought giving her a glimpse of SXSW crazy would be fun. Instead I think she decided Austin is never a place she can live...its not for everyone...hint hint SXSWer's!

So instead we wondered through thrift shops, ate from food trucks and walked at least 5 miles around South Congress. It was a blast. end. of story.

Later on in the week I had plans to hang out with an old friend and experience SXSW music scene. There were: mishaps on the city bus, day drinking, live music, a house fire, 5+ miles of walking, lines of people, more drinking, more walking, some live music, meeting new people, a terrible accident, sunburns, more drinking and couch sleeping. 

I enjoyed myself thoroughly, sometimes a girl just needs to let go and have fun, although it will probably be a good few months before I let go that much again. There are no pictures of me because at the end of the day I am a teacher. 

My friend kept introducing me and including the "she's a teacher" line to nearly everyone of her friends as if to either explain my 'uncoolness' or as if it was some sort miracle that I knew how to have fun. 

Don't get me wrong I wasn't offended by the introduction, we all choose to live our lives differently and there is nothing wrong with the party scene but just because I don't live the life everyday doesn't mean that I don't enjoy it sometimes or know how to 'hang'...I managed to stay out for nearly twelve straight hours...I can hang.

Living in Austin can be hard sometimes, its never never land! And no one is judging you if your thirty still working in service industry and drinking or doing drugs every night. Sometimes I do feel like you are judged or stereotyped if that isn't the life you live. 

Believe me, I don't want/can't do that every night anymore but I am also not looking to buy a minivan and become a soccer mom. I often feel like I am stuck in the middle or forced over to one side, because I work the 8-5 and need to get sleep and not be hungover or cracked out while teaching the next day...adult problems. 

Friends I once had find other friends to hang out with that can and are willing to party every night. I understand it but sometimes its frustrating trying to figure out how you fit in or how to have it all. normalcy and the party lifestyle. And don't even get me started on finding new friends. 

So after a long day of drinking and even longer day of recovery, I certainly am not 21 anymore, I came to a very important realization: I don't want to fit in. 

I am a twenty eight year old teacher who lives in suburbia with my mister, drinks way too much, loves my job, loves to go out and listen to live music and socialize just as much as I love nights in watching tv or painting and bubble baths.  Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too!

For me this week was a lesson in balance or perhaps I needed to prove something to myself either way, I had some awesome sister time, took care of my real world responsibilities, focused on spoiling myself and proved that teachers can have fun too! I call that a win.

Linking up with: Bre, Carly, LeeAnn, More Pieces of Me, On the Daily Express, Bloody Marys Count as a Salad and Monday Mingle.

- The Babbling Box! 

The Mister and The Princess: Cohabitating

Yesterday I was wondering about SXSW with an old girlfriend and I somehow found myself telling her the story of how the mister brought up living together, so I thought I would share it with all you lovely people. 

A little back story: in June the mister and I will have been together for seven years and in August been cohabiting for three years. About six months or so before we decided to take a 'leap' of faith and share a lease I brought up the topic of us living together, he spilled his orange boozy drink all over my tan couch...apparently I frightened him a bit. So I dropped the topic and got lucky when the bestie and I were able to resign our lease for seven months so she could finish college before moving to be with her man. 

I should also add that I am a bit of a princess...or a whole lot princessy...depending on how you look at it. My personality isn't for everyone, I can be demanding, I can be extremely stubborn and I can be very set in my ways. When it comes down to it I am pretty darn selfish when it comes to my needs wants.

It's March 2011, I was working 60+ hours a week at a law firm and getting my teaching certification but it was the bestie's birthday weekend so...yolo...I invited the sister up to help us celebrate, the bestie's man flew into town and we had big plans of barbecue and partying it up on sixth street. Screw my eight am class that Saturday.

Then the bomb was dropped, not the moving into together bomb were not there yet. Booze has a way of making secrets come out and out they came. My sister decided to tell me she was married. And had been for the last three years. My little sister.

To say I drank a lot that night would be the understatement of the century. I don't even know how I made it to or through class the next day without vomiting or passing out. Oh to be young again.

After class my only desires were: food, a shower and laying on the couch with the mister. But it was still the bestie's birthday weekend and her man was still in town so we ate dinner together at the apartment and she had picked out some movies for us to watch. The problem arose when her man took up residence on my side of my couch. 

And oh how I pouted. And pouted. And pouted some more. I pouted to the point where I refused to even join them on the couch, I made a pallet and everything. Everyone knew I was being a princessy brat including myself BUT I was tired, cranky, hungover and wanted my 'normal'.

That night I went to bed in my huffy little princess mood and the mister joined me...looking back I wonder why he didn't just go home...must be love.

And he called me on my bullsh*t, told me I was acting like a brat, I needed to learn to go with the flow more and it wasn't his job to indulge in my princessy ways. BUT if I could handle that then in August when my lease was up we should move into together. It was the last thing I was expecting and of course it made my whole crazy weird weekend even more memorable. 

I think that if I were to try and explain the mister and I's relationship or why we work that story says it all. The mister goes out of his way to make me happy but when I being a princessy brat he calls me on my bullsh*t and its exactly what I need. I would be bored with a guy that indulged in my every princessy demand in about one month and annoyed if someone never told me when I was acting like a brat. 

Every girl and relationship is different and I don't presume to think that our relationship would be ideal for everyone BUT it works for us and I consider myself pretty darn lucky to find a guy who puts up with my princessy ways but still challenges them when he should.

The mister and I are working on figuring out our next living situation come June and while things have sure changed in the past three years, all for the best, I still enjoy that story and love remembering how it all started.

- The Babbling Box!

Going All Natural...Sort Of

My mom is crazy into doing things the all natural way, I love the concept but lets be real for a second: I love the smell of bleach after cleaning the kitchen, deodorant is not something I am considering giving up on and seriously who has time to make their own laundry detergent...they bottle it for a reason.

BUT

There have been a few tips she has passed onto me that I have tried and fallen in love with, so today's Tried it Tuesday is definitely not school related but I hope you find a few of these tips useful!

one. I haven't purchased makeup remover or face soap in over a year and my skin has never looked better!

I use coconut oil as my makeup remover, I just grabbed a glass bowl with a lid and used it to store the coconut oil in the shower. The nice part, in my opinion, of keeping it in the shower is that the heat will liquidfy the oil and makes it easy to use.

I use baking soda to exfoliate and wash my face, I used a salt and pepper shaker to make accessing it easy and keep one in each bathroom. 

I tend to have pretty oily skin so for me this combination has been amazing in erasing scars and preventing blemishes from popping up...cause lets be real here my skin still thinks I am a hormonal teenager half the time...but I have found that this winter has caused my skin to be a little dryer to I have added a small bit of coconut oil to my baking soda in order to not make it quiet so harsh.

Before I started this combination of skin care I had some annoying scars on my cheeks and regularly had blemishes popping up which made me super self conscious, my mom suggested rubbing the coconut oil on my face and then placing a damp hot towel on my face and that seriously has been the most AMAZING trick in fixing my skin. It basically just pulls out all the disgusting stuff that tends to clog my pores. I find myself wearing makeup less and less for errands and other things as I find that I don't really need it as much, I wish I had taken some before and after pictures.

two. Cleaning my makeup brushes falls about as high on my everyday to do list as dusting ceiling fans does. I am absolutely horrible at cleaning the brushes regularly...or more than once a year. 

I saw this idea of combining vinegar, dish soap and hot water soaking the brushes and running the brushes through cold water. Seriously, that takes a total of five minutes even I might be willing to do that every once in a while.

The motivator for me to repeat this process six or so weeks later...seeing all the junk that comes out of those brushes, shudder. Can you imagine if that's coming out of the brushes what you are putting on your face everyday!

three. When we moved in our house I was rather unpleased to see the glass tall showers, I have had those showers before and they are a real b*tch to clean. Enter pinterest again...I saw this idea of using a scotch brite dish wand and filling the wand up with vinegar and dish soap. I LOVE this idea because I can quickly wipe down my shower walls before getting out and it keeps me from having to really deep clean the shower. 

My wand is super gross right now, so enter a pinterest picture:

four. Coconut oil period is hands down the best thing since slice bread. 

Buy a bottle and keep it on hand:

.use it grease a pan

.use it as a substitute for oil

.heat up coconut oil, lemon juice and water and drink it first thing in the morning this helps with digestion and really is a great morning routine. Of course I follow this up with a Spark and Restore...cause caffeine is mandatory.

.hungover, stick a big spoonful in your mouth. no joke. 

.hair feeling dry? soak the ends in coconut oil and wrap in a hot towel for 30 or so minutes. wash thoroughly and your hair will be so soft and not a single tangle.

I could probably go on and on, but one long post a week is probably all you need.

What are your favorite all natural tricks around the house?

What do you use coconut oil for?

- The Babbling Box!

Sunshine, 22 Questions and a Whole Lot of GIFS

If you follow me on instagram...I am really not sure why you aren't...you probably already know a few things about life right now: it's spring break, sister was in town and its SXSW time. All of these factors combined have left very little time for blogging, answering comments and other activities that require being inside. Hello sunshine and 70 degree weather today. 

So now that sister has ventured back to Houston, my heart and stomach are completely full with delicious happiness I figured its time to do the following: make a beverage, turn on The Bachelor and play catch up. 

Last week both Alison and Heather nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award which truly warmed my heart and brought a smile to my face...also talk about excellent timing as I had a rough long week. 

I had this crazy idea that I could answer all 22 of their questions with gifs...but then I was worried some of you might throw up or unfollow me. BUT gif's bring sunshine to my posts so I figured I will 'balance' them throughout the questions as I try to answer all of Alison's and Heather's questions in one magnificent post. and go!

I do realize I am breaking the rules of the Sunshine Blogger Award, but this post could easily turn into a small long novel if I did every task...hopefully my gif's make up for it!

How long have you been teachin' and what is your absolute favorite grade to teach? (I know that's two questions, but they go together)

This is my third year to teach middle school, I am lucky enough to teach all three grades in mixed classes but I love my eighth graders...ask me again next year and I could easily have a different answer.

What's your favorite thing to watch on Netflix/Hulu?

Over the summer we got into Orange is the New Black and I LOVED it but this Christmas break we started House of Cards and we both became obsessed...like watch four episodes in a night obsessed!

If you had an opportunity to change one county, state, or national law about teachin', would you change anything?

More required career/computer classes or just more awareness about programs offered. 

I get that my ESL students end up losing most of their electives in order to have block classes and extra reading classes BUT at the same time to get eighth graders that have no clue how to save a word document, log in or take pictures from the internet is mind blowing. Technical skills are so important for being hireable in the career world, and these skills go beyond texting! 

The other side of that is our career and technical education programs are AMAZING at my district at the high school level but there is so little awareness that students can earn certificates from our community college with their high school diploma. I wish that the focus could move beyond passing a test and more into planning a path for their career life and then focusing on what high school has the best program. We have great high schools with culinary programs, cosmetology program, automotive, robotics...etc but they are spread out all over Austin and if you don't know whats out there you can't take advantage of free certifications. Frustrating.

What is your most memorable moment from teaching (good or bad!)?

I do not want to focus on the negative moments because there are way too many positive moments out there! Some of my favorite moments this year have been with my SEL class and/or my eighth graders...they are so darn nosy in my personal life that sometimes I feel the need to be like:

I can only answer one question at a time...or perhaps we should be learning something in here besides my personal history. BUT the relationships I have formed with some of my students are priceless and born from their interest in me and that makes all their paparazzi style questioning worth it!

Have you ever thought about teachin' abroad? If so, where?

I started teaching 'late' compared to most teachers, I had some fun time after college to just work in a bar and live that life and then I worked in the corporate world for three years before I began teaching so I never considered teaching abroad. 

If you could go on a shoppin' spree for one day and buy anything you wanted(money would be no object), what would you buy?

This question could literally be a blog post in and of itself...you all know how I love to shop!

This will never be me, so my answer would include: clothes, shoes, bags, makeup, wine, household decorations...greedy much?

What is one food that you could eat every single day and not get sick of?

Salad. This is such a weird answer but I have literally been eating salads for dinner for the last seven or so years and still crave them. Lettuce, mushrooms, olives, cheese, croutons and olive oil. Heaven.

What is your all time favorite children's book title and why should I read this book?

As a kid I loved Little Women and the Anne of Green Gables series! I was an book worm who read under the covers after I was supposed to be asleep or hid my book during class time so I could read while taking notes.

I loved all of these books, and reread them a dozen or so times. Strong female characters, adventure with a dose of love sprinkled in.

What is one app or piece of technology that you could not live without?

I have become a technology junkie over the past two years or so. I blame blogging. Pre blogging I just loved my DVR box and texting. But now I am constantly reading blogs, comments, posting on instagram or checking facebook...while accessing my DVR box. I honestly need to learn to put it all down and just relax in a moment sometimes. 

If you were in charge of your school for one day, what would you plan for that day?

Educate my students on all of the 'useful' bits of life that they aren't learning about between being glued to their cell phones, teenage angst/drama and preparing for testing.

What made you decide to start bloggin'?

My best friend just moved across the country, I just started navigating the world of teaching, moved in with the mister and was seriously lacking in some girl time. Blogging became my nightly vent/share sessions with a few girlfriends and a good glass of wine. It keeps me sane. Allows me a space to share my life. And most importantly has allowed me to connect with complete strangers and make friends with bloggers that I never would have expected.

What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas, hands down!

What has been the sweetest thing a student has given you/said to you?

I am a narcissist and love when students tell me that I am their favorite teacher...yep that's all it takes. But hands down this poem was the sweetest thing I ever received!

What is your favorite "me time" activity to do?

Painting. Drinking. Shopping. Chick flicks. Pool time. Hammock time. Gym time. Blogging. The secret to my happiness isn't complicated but always changing. 

What is your favorite thing to cook? And yes, we would love the recipe.

I don't necessarily consider these cooking but I make these No Bake Energy Bites at least twice a month! The mister gobbles them up. They save me on long days in the classroom when my sugar drops. And they are the perfect after lunch sweet item that doesn't make me feel that guilty.

If you could be any Disney character, who would you choose and why?

Before last night I would have said Belle hands down. I was once her for Halloween as a kid, she loves books, she sees the prince inside the beast and we are both brunettes.

But last night I watched Brave with my sister and fell in love with her character, so now I can't decide...what's new?!?

What's your favorite ice cream flavor?

Vanilla Heath Bar Crunch from Ben and Jerry's...but all I do is pick the Heath Bar's out so I guess I just don't care for ice cream that much.

What is your Starbucks order?

I am the girl that dislikes coffee, the taste, the smell, the price. If I go to Starbucks its generally for the Passion Tea but I bought a box of that stuff and probably haven't been to a Starbucks in over three years.

What was your favorite childhood book?

Answered above.

Tell us about your best vacation!

I love all vacations so I don't have a best vacation...seriously something about being in new cities, staying in hotels and being with the ones you love with no interruptions pulls at my heart strings.

I fell in love with NYC. The mister pretty much had me apartment looking in Chicago. I could be on the beach forever in Florida. And Denver actually had me job looking.

Where should I go on vacation and what should I do there?

Depends on what you are looking for: I think one of the best vacations we really planned was to Colorado. We flew into Denver, rented a car and went exploring. We were able to visit six+ breweries, go ice skating, see a hockey game and go snowmobiling. I loved the energy and excitement of NYC and had a blast exploring all of the TV and movie locations. I adore laying on the beach with the perfect mixed drink in a cute little cup. Nothing is more relaxing than the sand between your toes and the waves as your background music. And Chicago just has it all: museums, the high energy city, sports and so many fun adventures.

If I thought this post wasn't long enough I would include pictures from all of our vacations...but I am wrapping this up soon...promise.

What if your favorite blog, non teacher related?

This one is difficult for me because I follow alot of non teacher blogs but my favorite would probably be A Beautiful Mess...it was one of the first blogs I started reading before I got into blogging and I love their fashion sense, DIY projects and recipes.

Linking up with: Bre, Carly and LeeeAnn.

- The Babbling Box! 

Everything I Need To Know I Learned From TGIF

After yesterday's 'heavy' blog post I was searching for the perfect light gif filled topic and I have to thank Miss Lifesaver for inspiring me today with the perfect topic.

Let's travel back in time to the early 90's: it's Friday night and you are looking forward to two days away from the boring school day routine, your parents ordered pizza and the 7:00 hour is approaching. You have secured the 'perfect' spot in the living room and have all the necessary supplies: blanket, pillow, TV remote, soda and a bag of popcorn.  And for the next two hours your parents won't hear a peep out of you or your siblings, unless of course its laughter. 

It's Friday night

And the mood is right

Were going to have some fun

Show you how its done

TGIF

Every time I hear TGIF that memory pops in my head and I miss the simpler times when The Tanner's taught me the 'important' lessons in life with a few chuckles tucked in every Friday night. I don't even presume to know what sort of shows my students are watching Friday nights...shudder...

Here are a few more important life lessons TGIF style:

one. There is always a Dad more embarrassing than yours.

two. Middle school and high school are a time for self expression. Don't be afraid to stand out.

three. Families come in all shapes and sizes.

  

four. Good dance moves are essential to fitting in.

five. A good catch phrase is the ticket to looking cool or getting away with something.

And I couldn't resist ending this with a few Feeny words of wisdom:

What lessons did you learn from TGIF?

What were some of your favorite TGIF shows?

Linking up with Lauren, April, and Jennifer.

- The Babbling Box!