Reading

So I've decided that since it is summer I'm going to do a lot of reading. The book I recently picked up is The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax. My mom has read all of the Mrs. Pollifax books so I thought I'd give it a try. It is a really fun book. I'm not even half way through the book, but I really like it. It is about this widow with grown children who decides she needs to do something interesting with her life. So she goes to the CIA and volunteers to be a spy. Surprisingly she ends up in Mexico City on a simple mission, but everything goes wrong. It is definitely an older book, but I like it anyway. I'm just excited to be reading for fun! I'll let you know what book I'm going to read next. My goal is to read books so that I can keep up with my 30 by 30 list.
Have a nice day!

Day 10

  An insecurity

I have to be honest. I'd really like to skip this one. Lol, I think I feel insecure writing about this. :) Does that count? One of the books on my list to read is "So Long, Insecurity" by Beth Moore. I haven't had time to read it yet, but I know I will benefit from it. A LOT! 
One of my insecurities is how I look. I have several pounds to lose so it is hard for me to feel confident in how I look. I'm constantly looking for clothes to make me look skinnier or checking in the mirror to make sure I look ok. I also get really insecure about how I look when I'm not exactly sure how I am supposed to dress for an event. Just recently my sister can attest to this. I get a little nervous about being over or underdressed. Usually I'm just fine, but once I get the idea in my head it is hard to get it out. 

The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. - 1 Samuel 16:7

 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. - Psalm 139: 13-16

The context of the first verse is when the Lord is telling Samuel whom to choose to be the new king of Israel. It is such a good reminder to me that God doesn't see me the way I see myself or the way other people see me. He knows my heart and that is what makes me beautiful to Him. In Psalm 139 I'm reminded that God made me just the way I am. God is perfect, He doesn't make any mistakes. Now I do know that I need to be healthy and work on my weight some, but it shouldn't be something I'm insecure about because God thinks so much better of me. 

Stalling

Ok, so I know what I should be doing right now and I don't want to do it. I really don't like cleaning my apartment, which is why it is a disaster area right now. I should have caution tape outside my door in case anyone were to come by. "Caution... messy apartment! Cleaning in progress!"
So in order to stall just a little longer I'm going to make a to do list for the rest of the day. You've gotta have a plan right?

Here's what I'm going to do:

Straighten up apartment

Vacuum apartment

Cut fabric for apron

Iron pieces for baby quilt 

Make dinner

Read a few chapters in a book

Hopefully I'll be able to report back later telling you all (all 3 readers) that I've made some accomplishments today. Have a lovely day!

Day 9

A show

As I think about my favorite shows this one is definitely at the top of my list. I could watch this show all the time. I own the first 2 seasons and it doesn't matter how many times I watch it I still laugh hysterically in all the same places. Shawn and Gus are such a great duo. 
I think I might just have to watch a few episodes sometime today. 
If you haven't seen it you should. It isn't your average detective show. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. 

Day 8

Day 08 - A pet peeve


Because school just got out that is fresh on my mind. So my pet peeve has to do with school. 
I really, really, really dislike tattling. And you must know that working with elementary students this happens a lot. 


Sarah's not standing in line quietly.  
Bobby cut in front of me. 
Henry's not sitting down while he's eating. (Jen, I used that name just for you :) 


Those are just a few examples. Sometimes the tattling is for good reason and other times it is ridiculous.  I try to not get annoyed when this happens. I remind the kids to tell me when someone is in danger not to try to get them into trouble. I also tell them to remind the other student of what they should be doing and then let them make the right or wrong choice. And other times I just say, "Ok, thanks for letting me know." Some kids will walk away just feeling content that they've done "their job" while other kids will look at me waiting for me to scold the other child. Kids are so funny sometimes. 

Day 7

Day 07 – A picture of you when you were little.

Yes, it is random that I'm holding a banana in this picture, but I still like the picture. 

Day 6

Day 06 – A blog


I guess I'm supposed to talk about a blog that I read. How on earth am I supposed to pick just one of the blogs that I follow? I use Google Reader to follow most blogs, all except for the ones that my friends set up as private. I follow friend's blogs, art blogs, photography blogs, teaching blogs, cooking blogs, craft blogs, quilting blogs, and Christian blogs. I know I'm a little strange in all the blogs I like to look at. My sister makes fun of me for the amount that I follow. But I really like it. :) So there!


Ok, so if I were to pick one blog to talk about right now it would be... I have to go through them to figure it out. 


One that i like to look at sometimes is the Cake Wrecks blog. This blog is so much fun to look through and read. Some of the cakes they get pictures of are hilarious! But not only that there is the running comments by the authors. Sometimes they really get me laughing. Another thing I like about it is that on Sundays they post pictures of cakes that are really done well. Often they show cakes I've seen on the Food Network, but most of them are cakes from other places. Some people are so talented when it comes to decorating cakes. Wow. And as seen on the Cake Wrecks blog, some cake decorator really need some help. Thankfully I think I'm somewhere in between. :) 

Day 5

Day 05 – A person you miss


I know, I skipped a few days, but that is because I spent the weekend in Calistoga babysitting and the family's computer is super slow. So here I am back at my 30 day blog challenge. I tend to not finish things I've started so I'm feeling very determined to finish this blog challenge. 

There are several people that I miss. Some that are with the Lord and others who are just far away. Lately I've been thinking a lot about my good friend Kelley. She lives in Sac and I haven't seen her in ages, something I'm hoping to fix this summer. She and I have been close since jr high. We went to the JC together and for those 2-3 years we were inseparable. We loved being spontaneous, having Hitchcock marathons, watching American Idol, and shopping. After we both finished at the JC she moved to Sac to finish college and I went down to Masters. After a year in Sac she got married and now has two beautiful children. Her family keeps her busy so we don't get to talk too often. But part of that is to blame on me too. Lately I'm feeling like a chicken with my head cut off. (I think I need to schedule a day at the spa) Anyway, Kelley has always been such a great friend to me. She is one of those friends of mine that even though I don't see her often we are able to pick up where we left off. I love that. Last time I saw her she was calling me Auntie Jamie so her daughter would catch on to it. So special.

Day 4

Day 04 – A goal 


First of all I'm excited that I can say I've met a goal recently. Next year I'll have my own class to teach. I know that is what my posts have been about lately. 


So now my goal is to clear my California Teaching Credential. California is such a goofy state when it comes to teachers. There are major requirements for someone going into the teaching profession. I did a lot of work while I was getting that credential after college. But the strange thing is that I'm not done. All I have is a preliminary credential. Now that I'll have my own class I have to do work to clear my credential. It is going to be a lot of work, and I'm hoping to get it done in 1 year. I think the frustrating thing is that a lot of what I'll be doing is things I did while I was working on my preliminary credential. 


The good thing about a California Teaching Credential that is cleared is that it is pretty much good in every state. Because California is so strict other states will take it with only a few other requirements. I have no idea where God is going to lead me in the future, so it is nice to know that my career will be able to go almost anywhere. 

Day 3

Day 03 – A thing thats on your mind.


Ok, let's see, what is on my mind. 
There are a few things that are on my mind right now. 

1. People trying to set me up with guys - sometimes an awkward experience - Something that occurred tonight. 
2. Summer Day Camp
3. School ending in a week. 

Honestly I don't really want to talk about being set up at the moment. I'll have to save that for another post. So I'm going to go with school ending in a week. 

Oh my goodness!!! School is over in a week! Yikes! Can I just say that I have so much to do?! This has been a great school year. I love my students, even the sometimes obnoxious jr high students. I will miss having these students, but I'm excited for my new class of 3rd graders next year. It is going to be so much fun to have my own class next year. I'm already thinking about what I'm going to do. I'm really hoping that I can get super organized over the summer so that the school year goes relatively smoothly. :) I know there will be glitches here and there but I really want to start out strong. This will be my first year teaching on my own. 

So what I need to do now is to make a list of the things I need to do before and right after school gets out. I need the visual of crossing things off the list. It makes me feel like I've accomplished something. :) 

Day 2

Day 02 - A hobby


I have a lot of hobbies. Part (only part) of the reason why my apartment is messy most of the time is because I have so much stuff for my different hobbies. I'm not sure where to put it all. 


I'm kinda funny with my hobbies too. I'll be committed to one hobby for a few weeks and then switch to another one. Thankfully I pretty much go in a rotation. It would be bad if I picked new hobbies all the time. Then I'd need a bigger apartment. :) 


My current hobby in the rotation is sewing. I really enjoy sewing. I haven't done anything overly complicated but I like what I have done. The apron is the newest thing I've sewn and I have fabric to make more of them. I've made several baby quilts for my friend's new babies and my niece when she was born. I think it is such a nice gift to give someone. 


I especially love sewing on rainy days when I'm stuck at home. It just feels like a cozy hobby to me. My dream would be to have a spare room to just have all of my sewing and craft stuff in. That would be so nice. 

Blog Challenge - Day 1

I'm always looking for things to blog about. I love blogging even though I don't think I'm that good at writing. There are a lot of ideas for blog challenges all over the internet.

Here is one I found that looked interesting to me.

Day 01 – A paragraph about yourself.
Day 02 - A hobby.
Day 03 – A thing thats on your mind.
Day 04 – A goal.
Day 05 – A person you miss.
Day 06 – A blog.
Day 07 – A picture of you when you were little.
Day 08 - A pet peeve.
Day 09 – A show.
Day 10 – A insecurity.
Day 11 – A actor.
Day 12 – A thing that worries you.
Day 13 – A list of favorite memories.
Day 14 – A bad habit.
Day 15 – A wish.
Day 16 - A picture you took.
Day 17 – A secret.
Day 18 – A thing your afraid of.
Day 19 – A recipe.
Day 20 – A picture of your “crew”.
Day 21 – A dream you had recently.
Day 22 – A thing you do every day.
Day 23 – A meme.
Day 24 – A topic that makes you think.
Day 25 – A song.
Day 26 – A thing you want to do before you die.
Day 27 – A thing that makes you mad.
Day 28 – A quote.
Day 29 – A place that gives you wanderlust.
Day 30 – A future.


------


Day 1 - 
I have to be honest. I don't like writing about myself. But here I go anyway. 
The first thing I have to say about myself is that I'm a Christian. I live in Santa Rosa, CA, which is my hometown. I love Santa Rosa, but there are times I would like to move away, usually during allergy season. :) I love spending time with my family and friends. In my spare time I love reading, sewing, quilting, watching movies, shopping and hanging out at coffee shops. I'm a teacher and I'm super excited to teach 3rd grade next year. 

Exciting Times!

So many exciting things are going on in my life right now! I can't believe it has taken me this long blog about it. Ok, where to begin? I'm totally a list person, so I'll make you a list. :)

1. Next year I'm teaching 3rd grade!! I've been waiting and waiting to tell people this and I finally can! I've been waiting to teach my own class at RVC and that waiting has paid off. I've loved my 3 years of teaching/aiding at Rincon, but my heart's desire has always been to have my very own class to teach. God has taught me so much during those 3 years and I know that I still have a lot to learn, but I'm super excited about next year. One of the blessings is that I know the kids who will be in my class pretty well. I worked with them in Kindergarten as well as this year while they've been in 2nd grade. I already know many of their strengths and weaknesses, which will give me a great head start for next year. 
2. One of my dear friends got engaged a few weeks ago! I'm so excited for Lindsay and Jeff, who will get married in September. I'm going to be her maid of honor! (Another reason to be excited) I am a little sad that I won't be near her to help her with the planning of her wedding. The Lord has blessed me with several people whom I would call my best friends and Lindsay is one of them. I'm excited that the Lord has brought this man into her life!
3. School is almost out! This is exciting and overwhelming all at the same time. There is a lot to do at the end of the school year. But I know that God will give me the strength I need to get everything done. School being out also means that Day Camp is starting soon. We have a few new families for this summer and several returning. It will be great to see how God uses us this summer in these families' lives. Many of them don't know Christ so this is a huge witnessing opportunity. 
4. My birthday is tomorrow! That is always exciting. :) Just going to spend a nice day with my family. Coffee at Aroma Roasters, walk around Railroad Square (unless it is raining), and finish off with dinner at PamPosh (An Indian restaurant in town). Should be a great day!

Feeling Blessed

Just returned today from Mt. Gilead where my church has their women's retreat. It was such a blessing. For one thing the weather was beautiful and I was able to have a little break from my allergies. It was also nice to be able to spend time with my friends and get to know other ladies from my church. This is only my second time going to a lady's retreat and I always wonder why more ladies don't come. One of the best parts of the time there is playing games at night in the dining hall. Last night the table I was at was laughing so hard that my abs hurt. It was great! I love times like that.

But way more important than the fun fellowship is the challenges and encouragement in my walk with the Lord. This year's speaker was Marlean Felix. She was wonderful. I'm still processing all that I learned. She spoke on Becoming a Woman of Radiance.

Here are a few things I got out of her teaching time:

• Don't be paralyzed by the fear of what will happen next. Smile at the future because God is in control. 
• It is a lie when we say we don't have time to be in God's Word. 
• We need to continuously be praying for God to order our footsteps because we are prone to wander. 

That is only a little of what I got out of the teaching time. I have been challenged so much. 

During one of the teaching sessions Marlean brought up a song that I absolutely love and I've had the song stuck in my head ever since. 

Don’t Let Me Lose My Wonder - by Keith and Kristyn Getty

I’ve seen days melt into nights in circles of lights,
I’ve watched a spider spin a star between the window box flowers,
I’ve heard you laugh and cry in a single sigh,
And a story form within.

Don’t let me lose my wonder,
Don’t let me lose my wonder.

I saw her broken dreams inside but helping others fly,
I saw his eyes without a doubt though other lights faded out,
And though her calling roared,such graciousness poured
From the vision of her soul.

Don’t let me lose my wonder,
Don’t let me lose my wonder.

A baby cried through the dark beneath a jeweled spark,
I knew Your voice upon the hill and heard my lostness still,
I found my home in the light where wrong was made right
And You rose as the morning star.

Don’t let me lose my wonder,
Don’t let me lose my wonder.

I'm so thankful for the time I had out there this weekend. And I'm praying that I will continue to grow in Christ from what I learned during that time. 

Biggest Loser people spotted in Safeway!

Had to run to Safeway around 9:00 tonight. Something I usually avoid doing because I know it would scare my mom. Tonight while I was in the produce section there were only two other people there. I looked at the lady and thought to myself "How do I know her? I totally recognize her. Did I take a class with her at the jc? I don't think so." Hmmm...

After finding what I needed I looked back at her again and realized that she was from the Biggest Loser!! Then I looked at the guy with her and he was too! It was Ashley and Koli from season 9!
Koli and his cousin Sam were my favorites that season.

Do I even need to say that I was excited?! I didn't say anything to them, but it still made my day.

Now I want to keep shopping at that time! Who else can I run into?