Pre Wisconsin Diaries

There aren't many days left of school and my brain is definitely thinking about the summer! I'm so excited to spend the next couples of months in Wisconsin with my grandparents. It will be fun spending time with them. I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but I love drilling them with questions about our family. I keep a journal of the stories they tell of when they grew up. I'm hoping that by the end of the summer I'll have to buy a new journal. :)

I'm also looking forward to just a slower pase for a while. I'm bringing books, sewing projects, my guitar and walking/running shoes. Those are all things that I don't have time to do on a regular basis. It makes me so happy that I can spend time doing those fun things I love to do. (Let me clarify -- I don't love running, but I'm hoping to like running by the end of the summer)

So my question for you is:

How many books do I take? 

While I was there for 1 1/2 weeks at Christmas I ready 3 books and was ready to start a 4th. I went through my bookshelves last night and pulled out the ones I've been wanting to read and I have 15 books in a stack right now. Lol! That is a lot of books! Is that too many? Space won't be the issue because I'm going to ship a box of books and fabric so that I don't have to pack it for on the plane. (Thanks Steph for that great idea!)

Looking forward to seeing you soon Grandma & Grandpa! 

Happy Mother's Day!

I'm so thankful for the wonderful mom that God gave to me. I'm told on a regular basis how much like my mom I am. It is such a wonderful compliment. I love spending time with her. She is a great listener and gives great advice. I love that I can talk to her about anything. I especially love how she encourages me in my walk with the Lord. 

Love you Mom! 

Ugh

I think I'm going to set the record for how many times I can set off my smoke detector in one day. It went off this morning while I was making bacon and again tonight while I was making dinner. My neighbors must think I'm the worst cook on earth or that I'm trying to burn my house down.
Good grief!

I sure hope my dinner turns out ok. :)

Black Thumbs Anonymous

Hello, my name is Jamie and I kill plants. 

I feel like I need to join a group. Lol! I love plants, but I think because of how busy I am I just can't seem to keep them alive. I feel so sorry for the once beautiful hydrangea that is on my deck. It is looking pretty sad today.

So sweet

I love teaching! I think it is so much fun and I absolutely love my students.
Grading papers is probably one of my least favorite parts of the job. Not that grading 3rd grade papers is hard, it is just very time consuming and there is a lot of it. But I have to say that the best part of grading 3rd grade papers is that I find random drawings they have made more me. Just one or two slipped in with the rest of the papers. Such a sweet surprise! It brings a smile to my face every time. :)

It is in sight!!

Yes, I know it is still early...But after the rough day I had today all I can think about is...

SUMMER!!

It is just a little over 1 month away. I'm so looking forward to relaxing this summer. This will be the first summer that I won't spend the entire break working. I'm praying that I'll come back in the fall feeling very refreshed. In case you didn't know I'm going to be spending the summer in Wisconsin with my grandparents. I'm so excited to spend a long period of time with them, hear stories of when they were growing up, learn how to make my grandma's cinnamon rolls, sewing projects, read (lots of reading), and go for walks in the evening. (Sigh) Doesn't that just sound wonderful! I feel relaxed just thinking about it.

Here are two of the projects I am planning on doing while I'm in Wisconsin. 

This one is for me. I already own this fabric too! Yay!

 This will be the first time I'll actually finish a quilt for myself. 

I'm excited for this one to cover my bed.

Not sure who this one will be for...I might just keep it too. :)

Now, to keep my brain focused on work for the next several weeks. Ha!

Ooo, but my birthday is coming up!! Yay! 30, here I come!

Off to grade papers!

God's Plans for Me are Good!

Sleepover with Dani

Tales of a 3rd Grade Teacher

Last week on of my students invited me to move in with his family. :) So sweet! 

I love my class! 

Valentines

As a single woman this could have been a very depressing week with everything being about Valentine's Day. But I have to say that I didn't feel depressed at all! Yay! All week long I was overwhelmed with how much God loves me. I'd say this was the best Valentine's week I've ever had. God is good...all the time!

Now if I can just stay away from the chocolate my students gave me. :)

Favorite Kind of Saturday!

Love this view on a day off!

This is how I relax. 

And this is what my yoga pants look like after I sew all day long. Lol! 

Tales of a 3rd Grade Teacher

Last week was full of funny stories in my 3rd grade classroom.

In chapel last week the pre-k class did a little performance. My class was excited to see Danika up there. At the end of chapel our administrator said to the adults, "So parents and grandparents, who had the cutest child up there?" All of them rose their hands. The child sitting next to me tried to push my hand up. I looked at him and this is the short conversation we had.

"I'm not Danika's mommy, so I'm not going to raise my hand."
"But he said grandparents too!"
"What! I'm not Danika's grandma!!!"
"Then what are you?"
"I'm her aunt!"
"Oh"
"I'm not old enough to be her grandma!"

Then I proceeded to cry slightly because I was trying so hard not to laugh.
It was so extremely funny!

Sunrise

This picture doesn't do it justice, but there was a beautiful sunrise when I flew from San Fran to Wisconsin. I love the great reminders of how awesome God is! 

Toes

I've been slacking off on my Tuesday Treasures lately! Yikes!
Here is something that made me giggle a little. :)

God gave you toes as a device for finding furniture in the dark.

Thanksgiving

Well, today was probably the most random Thanksgiving I've ever had. But it was a great day!
I really have so much that I'm thankful for, but most of all I'm thankful for my salvation. I really don't deserve to spend eternity in heaven, but God chose to make me a part of His family. I can't even imagine what my life would be like without Christ. I'm so thankful to be His child!

Tuesday Treasure - A Shield

I feel so blessed to work at a Christian school. I love that I can start the day with a devotional and prayer time! And the funny thing is that I read through a kids devotional book and I feel challenged by it every day. I love that God knows exactly what I need to hear and when I need to hear it. Over the last week and a half I've struggled with some things at school. Words have been said to me that have stung and I'm such a people pleaser. I want everyone to be happy and I don't want anyone to be upset with me. The story from this morning's devotions was such a good reminder to me. "Satan would like nothing better than to sink his teeth into us. But God is like the thick glass that keeps the sharks away (in an aquarium). He acts as a shield and protects us. We stay behind the shield by learning and following God's Word. If we ignore what God says, it's as though we step out from His shield and become easy prey for the 'shark.'"

Psalm 3:3 "But you, O Lord, are a shield around me." 

When my focus is on God and I remember He is my shield the 'bites' that come my way won't hurt as much. I have to focus on God's truth!
I'm not sure if this all makes sense...I'm probably rambling, but it is something I treasured today.

Tuesday Treasure

Thankful that no matter who becomes president, 

my God is still on the throne and sovereign over all!

Tuesday Treasure

In my Sunday fellowship group we've been going through a dvd series by James McDonald called Gripped by the Greatness of God. It is such a great study. I've been challenged every week by the focus on God's greatness. One of them that hit me the most was the week when we talked about how awesome God is. Awesome is a word that is commonly misused. I misuse it all the time. Only God can be awesome! I've become very aware of how I use that word.

Today I'm treasuring how awesome God is.
In science I'm teaching my students about the solar system. We had a great discussion the other day about how awesome God is. With just a word He created so many things that we can't even understand. I can teach my students little bits of information about the solar system, but our awesome God knows so much more about it! How cool is that!

I love that I serve such an awesome God!

Tuesday Treasure

Just pulled this up while I was looking through some pictures. I very much treasure this picture. It represents a very fun day and a great friendship. So thankful for this wonderful friend!! 

Lovin' the Haircut

It has been a while since I got my haircut, but I still haven't posted a picture of it. Not the best picture of me, but here it is. I love my new hairdresser. She is great! I will definitely be going back to her.

Today was a fun day. Started out with some nice fellowship with ladies from church. Had some coffee and a muffin and listened to A close family friend share her testimony to the group. I love time of fellowship with my church family.

Next I went to my parent's house. As I arrived my dad was just leaving to go to an estate sale that had some tools. (my mom and sister had called him to tell him he should go to it) So instead of driving himself he hopped in my car and we went together. It was nice spending some time with just the two of us.

Elvis is in the building!

The afternoon was topped off with a family trip to the Sonoma County Harvest Fair. We were all excited to see how my dad's pumpkin did at the fair. We weren't disappointed. He got second place! Dad and Danika went on some rides while my mom, sister, and I found "treasures" in the vendors hall. We were pleasantly surprised with how much we found. One of the things I'll have to wait until Christmas to get, but oh well it will be fun when I get it. :)

It was a fun day. Finishing off the day with an Alfred Hitchcock movie (North by Northwest). His movies always remind me of college. My friend Kelley and I would have marathon movie nights where we'd watch a bunch of Hitchcock movies. It was the best! Nothing like a good suspense movie! Good times.

And there you have the random ramblings of Jamie. Lol!