What I learned my first year of being a real adult.

1. There is an exhilarating feeling of being independent and moving to a new place!

2. When one is "grown up" and begins to pay for insurance, rent, utilities, etc. there is a feeling of accomplishment accompanied by a feeling of depression. All that money described in your salary schedule suddenly doesn't stretch very far!

3. When it rains, it pours. (Referring to medical expenses now that I can pay for my own insurance).

4. I have no advice to give on avoiding a tear to your Anterior Cruciate Ligament...it can happen anytime, without warning- so watch out.

5. Be careful when buying things on Craigslist. You might not find yourself in a dangerous situation, but it could be very, very embarrassing. (There's a reason we refer to our coffee table as the "lesbian coffee table"...if you want the story, just ask! Not one of my finer moments.)

6. It's important to find a church right away, and get to know people as soon as possible.

7. Make sure you find out if an apartment complex requires written notice of a lease non-renewal, or you will pay for it.

8. Sometimes you can get a dining room table and chairs in exchange for a 12-pack of Shiner Bock!

9. Your coworkers probably won't take you seriously if they have kids your age or older.

10. Even though a 1991 Oldsmobile is not glamorous by any means, if you are living on a teacher's salary you will appreciate no car payments!

11. There's a chance you might become a bigger Husker fan when you move out-of-state. Suddenly there's something about you that makes you stand out, rather than being the norm!

12. Make sure you have cash when parking in a parking garage in the evening, especially if there are cars behind you and you can't turn around and leave...

13. Always, always, ALWAYS keep an extra set of car keys with you. If you take them out of your purse for even one day, you WILL lock your keys in your car. Hopefully it's not running if you do (that also happened to me this year).

14. There are some days where Kindergarten cuteness > neediness, obvious questions, snot problems, pouting, etc. And there are some days where that is not the case.

15. Although the cost of living here is higher than Nebraska, Colorado is fabulous. =]

Labor Day camping south of Canon City

Olympic Training Center with a Nebraska friend :)

   Crazy Sock Day!                                   Halloween shenanigans 

 Pretty Christmastime

 Fixing the injury!                                          Lotsa concerts 

Colorful Colorado                                             Fun ski trip!        

Beautiful sunset

New friends!

Bring the inspiration.

I'm pretty sure I'm the most uninspired blogger, at least in this century. But there weren't many bloggers in the previous century, so that doesn't help much.

I'm not gonna kid myself and write something like "Oh hey guys! Sorry I haven't blogged for so long!" Because...nobody's out there losing sleep over the fact that I don't have anything to post save for a few spontaneous thoughts!

You know, this might be a result of being a college graduate. In college, I was constantly using my paper-writing brain muscles. I could take anything given- an atypical development disorder, the history of marching band at my university, the biography of Maria Montessori- and wrap it up nicely, tying everything together, and doing some fierce editing. Nowadays I just jot down my lesson plans, and at most, dash off an email to a parent or coworker. Not exactly the same caliber.

So maybe, just maybe, one of these days I'll find a writing spark again. My friends in real life know I have more than plenty to say. I'm thinking that this upcoming (fingers crossed) hopefully-more-permanent-sunshiney weather will do the trick. That, and I'll have 2 months of mostly no obligations. :)

I've been perusing through previous blog posts of mine tonight, and I feel inspired to post something. Not necessarily write something (I don't feel inspired at all, actually), but I really just want something posted.

Lately I've been noticing how everything I've recorded, whether it be on this blog, in a journal, or elsewhere, goes through changes over time. I'm almost embarrassed to read my journal entries from a few years ago. I feel waaaaay too enthusiastic and perky. I end almost every sentence like this! (with an exclamation point)
Nowadays it seems foolish to write the same way, almost fakey. In just this past year, I started being super real in my journal. A very different change from before. Not that I've written down a whole lot in this past year (it's rare when I actually write something out, even though I know I'm an external processor...crazy).

So while I hope what I write is something good to look back on and read (like I've spent time doing tonight), mostly I hope that it is spoken genuinely. I know that being real is pretty important. This post only includes one exclamation point, and only used as an example, but it's true stuff. Just a little of my thoughts.

Oscars Party 2013

In years past, the Oscars have been viewed in my living room (or dorm room), usually pajama-clad. This year standards have been raised. New friends, great food, and dressing up were all part of this past Sunday evening.

The wonderful hostess and I :)

Everything was cute and perfectly themed. And downright delicious-- have you tried the popcorn from Costco??

Everyone brought themed food from the movies nominated for Best Picture. I was intrigued by the "crabby snacks" that were mentioned throughout Silver Linings Playbook, so I decided to be adventurous and try out this recipe. Here we are posing with our "crabby snacks." They were actually so good!

"Crabby snacks" from Silver Linings Playbook

Homemade hummus and pita bread, inspired by Argo

Cajun Jambalaya, inspired by Beasts of the Southern Wild 

Two versions of "Life of Pi" punch, both very cute.

French bread, brie cheese, and red wine, inspired by Les Miserables

Oscar-themed wall decor

Of course, a red carpet!

And the art skills of a friend were on display with the little Oscar :)

I was not very accurate with my guesses for each category, but it was so fun to fill this out and have a little friendly competition during the awards!

These two ended up tying with the most correct guesses, so they shared the Oscar. We encouraged them to Hunger Games it out to decide who would keep it, but they were too nice.

So thankful for new friends :)

Real problems.

It was the 100th day of school today, which, for kindergarten, is a huge deal. I had lots of fun stuff planned! It was going well until lunch. I checked my voicemail, only to hear the words “…complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament…” over my teammate’s chatter.

I envisioned myself becoming this hardcore Colorado person when I first moved here. Skiing, hiking, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, the like.

Next month my roommate and I are moving to a townhome. We’re gaining 1 1/2 bathrooms, 500 extra feet, and…stairs. Perfect timing.

It’s also tough to realize that 18 out of 19 facebook friends who commented on my status with a concern live far away, not in this state. It’s hard not having many friends here yet.

I’ve seen ACL replacement surgery recovery when my sister went though it, and it’s pretty extensive. Apparently you aren’t back to being fully active for 9-12 months. Just when I got back into advancing my skating, too. It’s also my right leg, so driving will be gone for a long time.

It’s hard to find the positives in this, but I’m super thankful for insight I’ve gotten from Sia. It’s simple- some people have real problems. Like no rice or no legs. The album art for her record even shows this: a girl getting rained on is unhappy with life, while a girl with no legs still keeps on smiling. The irony. We think we’ve got it bad, but some people have real problems.

There’s also a random video from Sia ages ago on youtube that shows this, too!

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I think that’s gonna be my mantra through all of this. There’ll be some greater good.

Snapshot.

current guilty pleasure: white cheddar cheese popcorn
current nail color: hotttt pink
current playlist: Sia Furler’s early stuff.
current read: Mud, Sweat, & Tears by Bear Grylls
current drink: ice water
current food: Baja chili salad
current favorite show: Ellen
current wish list: A new laptop, a bigger bed
current needs: to rearrange my classroom seating arrangement
current triumphs: not taking a nap after work!
current bane of my existence: My bum knee. No skating.
current celebrity crush: …probably Johnny Weir.
current indulgence: intermittent hibernating.
current blessing: a friend who understands my first year teacherness
current outfit: college tee, pajama pants, neon socks.
current excitement: finally moving into our townhome SOON
current mood: kinda blah. Would you agree that Jan-March are the blah-est months of the year?
current link: http://pinterest.com/kimber_wimber/

The year has begun.

So most bloggers write a really self-reflective post on January 1st or shortly after thinking through what the previous year has brought, and what they would like to see come out of the new year. Welp, we are already halfway through January (like 1/24 through the whole year actually!) and I still haven’t produced one of those posts. But I should probably try. Here’s a break-down of 2012…

January- Began student teaching in 3rd grade and moved back in with my parents.

February- Learned about the chaos that is Valentine’s Day in an elementary school setting.

March- Started my second student teaching placement in 9-12 ESL

April- Applied for a gazillion jobs! Played the waiting game.

May- Graduated! Got a job! Found out I was moving to another state!

June- Started teaching summer school (3rd grade & K-1st drama).

July- Went to every garage sale in town. Did the Color Run! Went to the farmer’s market every week.

August- Started teaching a new grade level (Kdg) in a new state (CO). Met all new people. Made new friends.

September- Went Colorado camping for the first time ever! Hiking, too.

October- Turned 23. Had my first parent-teacher conferences. Learned how to party it up Halloween-style in Kindergarten.

November- Deepened my new friendships. Tried new things.

December: Went Colorado skiing for the first time ever!

 

It’s funny the things that stick out to me as I sit here typing this. I feel like these were the “big” things in my life this past year, but really? A lot of times it’s the small things that are bigger. So while I may have summed it up with a couple of grander events, a lot of the in-between things helped make 2012. Things I like to record on this blog, whenever that is.

I still hold to my (un)resolution of a few years ago, here. I can’t say I’ve excelled, but the least I can do is renew my resolve. To seek God more and ask him the hard questions.

And soon enough I’ll be back to feeling the pressures of new year’s/determination/resolutions/reflections, to post again while looking back. I just hope I do that oftener than January 1st. Here’s to 2013!

Let’s get praisy.

So there’s this blogger I follow—Jami Nato—and she’s absolutely hilario. She speaks truth like a gangsta. And she’s really creative. So she came up with this thing she hashtagged on instragram called #letsgetpraisy. Basically you take popular secular songs and find the gospel in them. Genius! The link to her post about it is here.

She started a competition to see who could come up with the best #letsgetpraisy quotes. I took part with this:

It’s based on Romans 8:37-39, where Paul states that we are more than conquerors through Christ. There may be stuff like, oh ya know…life, death, angels, demons, the present, the future, crazy powers, height, depth…but because of Christ we are like Titanium and are pretty much bulletproof. Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ.

So if you would like to vote for this little creation, it’s here. You can also check out all the other entries…they are awesome! I will never think of radio the same way again.

Weekend.

Last weekend I had one of the most enjoyable weekends I’ve had since moving to Colorado. Seriously, almost everything about it was perfect. That is rare! No school work involved whatsoever. Friday night I hung out with a group of friends and played board games and ate food. It was so good getting to know more new people! Games are just about the perfect activity because they require talking and are fun…I’m not so much of a movie watcher (I think I have movie/tv ADD), but I’ll play games anytime.

Saturday morning I slept in and didn’t wake up to an alarm! It was glorious. I cleaned my apartment which is pretty therapeutic, at least for me. Then I got in my car and just drove and stopped wherever looked interesting. I found so many good sales. I had fun shopping for prizes for my Kindergarten treasure chest, including awesome stuff like fake moustaches and  glasses and glow-in-the-dark aliens. The only downside to the afternoon was that I found out my car is leaking antifreeze/coolant, so I was “stranded” at the mall (how awful, right?) while I waited for my car to cool so I could check things out. I ended the evening at some friends’ where they found my radiator leak and calmed my worries. We partied it up with a little Fruit Ninja on the tv and I woke up with ridiculously sore arms the next morning. :)

If you don’t really care to read about my weekend events step-by-step, you just go ahead and close the page now, peeps. I want to record it, sort of like a journal, so I can look back and remember the wonderfulness. It was so good!

Sunday my roommate and I went to breakfast at a cute little cafe with another friend and then on to church. I asked around to see if anyone wanted to go skating with me that afternoon, but I had no takers. I guess people aren’t as passionate about it as I am. ;) So I just went down the road about a mile, where all the Olympians in this city train, and checked out the public skate session. It was one of the most fun and relaxing practice sessions I have ever had, not even kidding! It was cheap and not crowded; there were people of all ages and levels there, also. Back in Omaha I always felt judged when I would practice because I’m kind of old to be learning new things along with the little bitty kids. But here there were old grandpas learning three-turns along with the toddlers and everyone in between. I forgot how much I missed skating. I am certain that an old dog can indeed learn new tricks…so I have decided I am going to start taking lessons again! I am way beyond excited. :)

I wrapped up the weekend with homemade tacos at another friend’s house, probably the best tacos I’ve ever eaten. This weekend was such a blessing. It’s amazing how God knows exactly what you’re needing and delivers. He can dish up a weekend full of sweetness better than I could, or anyone else.

People.

Moving to a new place where you know no one is interesting. I’ve liked the anonymity, the chance to be free from obligations besides work. I can explore my new city at my own leisure without seeming anti-social.

It’s been so nice, too, having a roommate who is in the same boat as me. We are both first year teachers new to the district, let alone the state. We are actually very alike, which is crazy for being set-up without knowing each other! Both of us love hiking and the Colorado outdoors. We both like beer, but hate bananas and tomatoes. Neither of us is super extroverted, but we like going out and staying busy. We are perfectly content to both sit on the couch after school, but not talk at all. It’s not awkward, because we both need non-people time to recharge. It’s good.

It’s always a process when getting to know someone new. My roommate have reached several levels of “closeness,” if you want to call it that. It’s okay now to take each other’s laundry out of the dryer if the other person needs it. We occasionally eat each other’s food without asking, too. But we aren’t so close that we pee with the bathroom door open yet. Not sure if that’ll ever happen. I’m okay with it, but she might be too classy. :)

My teammates at work are so great! Seriously, I can’t imagine my first year teaching anywhere else. They laugh with me, sometimes at me, too. I keep them updated with all the lessons I’ve learned since moving here. We even hang out on the weekends, that’s how much we like each other. These fun people make me excited to wake up and come to work!

I’m glad I have my Nebraska people to stay in touch with, in addition to all this new people craziness. (Thank goodness we live in the days of texting and facebook.) One of my best people is even coming to visit at the end of this week! Excitement!

Living life.

I’ve realized lately that I’m really bad at watching TV. And talking on the phone.

I think I my attention span is shortening. It could have to do with the fact that usually I try doing these things after a full day of wrangling 5-year-olds, but I think there’s more to it. My personal theory: modern technology has shortened the length of time I can focus on one thing. I’m naturally a multi-tasker, but with my smartphone I can be texting, uploading photos to instagram, playing Words with Friends, checking the weather, and more all at once. I think my brain is used to being over-stimulated, or something. When I can’t see a person’s face while talking on the phone, I have a hard time focusing on only what they are saying. I try to do so many other things because I feel like I’m not being productive, and then I end up with a lot of “uh-huh”, “mmhmm”, and the like. The same goes with watching TV- I feel like I have to be doing something else while I’m watching it that I don’t really pay attention. I guess that’s not as horrible, though, because no one’s feelings could get hurt. Just some thoughts.

Here is a snapshot of my life, currently.

On any given day at work, you will find me with:

* some color of ink on my hands

* at least 5 pieces of gum in my pocket for my kiddo who constantly needs to chew

* at least 2 paper cuts

* enough hair bands, head bands, hair clips, and jewelry on my desk to open an accessory shop (all confiscated from fidgety kids)

* Songs like this or this stuck in my head

At home, you will find:

* a mountainous pile of clothes on my floor. Why do I even have a dresser?? I should be cleaning that instead of posting this, probably.

* me listening to Sia. Her music is like crack. There hasn’t been a day the past week that I haven’t listened to her…seriously addicted. Why has no one told me about her before?! She is weird and beyond wonderful.

* dessert. Always. Once the chocolate cake was gone, there was peach crisp, and then root beer floats and brownies, and now chocolate chip cookies. My roommate and I clearly have our priorities straight.

* a pile of poop on the sidewalk near our door. We thought it was bear poop, because it definitely didn’t look like it was from a cat or dog…and a week later it’s still there. Lovely.

* a pumpkin, ready for carving this weekend! It was strange going to a pumpkin patch other than Vala’s, but fun nonetheless. I know Vala’s doesn’t have that view in the background!

What up!

I feel like I should update something on this blog of mine. I always say it’s a way to record important things in my life, or even just small everyday things…but neither one of those things have happened since August 18.

I tried to find one of those questionnaires to help me structure this post – you  know one of those “name 3 things currently in your freezer, 3 things pet peeves, 3 goals you have for your life in 10 years, etc." – one of those kind of things. I couldn’t really find anything quality, though. They were all junior-high-myspace-esque, i.e. Who do you have a crush on? Do you usually sleep in a bra? Ummm…no thanks.

So not sure if this post will make any sense at all. I just thought I’d write down some current thoughts!

1. Kindergarteners make me laugh. And test my patience. All. The. Time. I’m a pretty patient person, but they make sure that I am every single day! Good thing they say cute stuff every day, too. Like the little girl who pointed to a big pumpkin in our book today and said, “My mom is fat just like that pumpkin.” Too funny!

2. I have come to actually like my snaggletooth. Really! It’s unique. Just making the best of Dr. Driscoll messing up with my braces…

3. I haven’t been skating since like…May. I need to go soon. Good thing the rink is only a mile down the road (the same place I saw Johnny Weir with my own two eyes about a month ago) :)

4. Colorado this time of year is PERFECT weather for outdoorsy things. Hiking, biking, and running are all so good!

5. Scarecrow decorations, apple cider, and visiting the pumpkin farm are things that make it seem so much like fall. I really do miss fall in the Midwest! Driving down the road and being able to see combines harvesting crops isn’t something I can do here. I do have the mountains, though, and I am amazed at how they look different at every time of day! So beautiful.

6. I could really go for a philly steak and cheese sandwich right now.

7. It’s probably past my bedtime.

8. Trying to get to ten things on my list…

9. I give up! Nine is good enough. I’ll just leave some pictures on the bottom of this post.

Work it.

Colorado will tell you whether or not you’re in shape. Straight up.

Also, skinny ≠ in shape. Just to clarify.

I can balance easily on skate blades, which is definitely part of athleticism. But I think my lungs need to catch up. The air up here is so thin and when I went on a run today I just couldn’t feel satisfied anytime I took a breath. A couple of years ago my lungs were in excellent shape; in marching band we were constantly doing breathing exercises, including ones where we had to take in all the air we could, hold it, and then take in more sips of air on top of that. They told us the point of it was to tear our lungs a little so they could become capable of holding more air. Not sure if that was true, but it felt like it!

So I’ll be working on it.  The Manitou Incline is beckoning!

Creativity.

I am so thankful I have a  job that requires creativity. Oh boy, can I deliver. After years of wearing oversized forest-green polos and standing in front of a cash register, it’s a little unreal that I actually get paid to do the things that I love. Not that my summer jobs during college had to be dull…my cousin and I still found ways to spice things up.

I guess business must have been slow…

Coloring on the job.

Are those Lion King decorations on the cash register? Your eyes don’t lie.

That was “work” for us. All $7.25-an-hour of it.

Now everything’s amped up—a bigger salary, more responsibility (and consequently more stress), but also more fun. This summer I’ve had quite a few opportunities to exercise my right-brainedness.

The kids calculated the area of their hand by counting whole and half squares. I think it turned out well!

This week we made our own farms in a glove. Each finger section of the plastic glove has different seeds with a wet cotton ball, and then the glove is tied shut to keep the moisture in. They look pretty crazy hanging up in the window here. I wonder which seeds will sprout first???

Going along with the plant theme, the kids got to make the crayon leaf art that never gets old. I loved doing this as a kid.

In preparation for this upcoming school year, I decided to add cuteness to some of my essential classroom items. Presenting mod-podged clothespins…

And here’s a sort of refurbished lamp. Look at all the kindergarten cuteness.

All I can say is that it’s a win-win situation when I get to be creative and encourage kids to be creative, too!

Distressed. But not really.

I’ve never considered myself to be a crafty person when it comes to furniture. I’ve never really considered furniture, actually, until now that I’m moving and most of mine is too big to move! What’s in my bedroom in my parents’ house is just a random mis-matched dresser, bookcase, and shelves. I’m beginning to think about what I want to have in a house someday, and in an apartment for the near future.

I found a dresser at a thrift store the other day. It’s a small size, and will travel nicely the almost-600 miles I’ll be driving to my new home!

Here is the before picture…

And here it is after I got done with it.

I learned how to distress a dresser…pretty simple, actually. Just rough it up with sandpaper, paint it whatever color you want, and then rough it up with more sandpaper once the paint is dry. I changed the knobs and they’re actually distressed wood, too, painted green (at Hobby Lobby for two bucks a piece). I think it’s cute.

Even though my dresser is distressed, I’m really not. I’m actually pretty excited to move, to live in a place permanently, since the last few years I’ve lived in the dorms at school, in the dorms in Florida, in someone else’s apartment for two months, and at my parents’ house while student teaching. I feel like I practically live in my car sometimes, because I bring so much stuff back and forth so frequently. I’ll be farther away from everyone I know, but it’ll be nice to try something new!

click click.

I just love Instagram. It’s so fun to play around with, to feel like a professional with those little snapshots. It challenges me to look at life a little closer and find the things that make it so full. Sometimes it seems like life flits away…I want to remember it, but sometimes writing words takes too much time. Pictures solve that problem! This little blog lets me look back and remember.

Maybe someday I’ll get one of those really expensive cameras that make everyday life look extra beautiful. For now, I’ll use good old, free Instragram!

Enjoying.

Right now, I'm really tired.

My second week of teaching summer school is in the books, and I am ready for bed. It's only 6:30.

I took a short little snooze while sitting upright on the couch about an hour ago. Pathetic, right? This lack of energy makes me so much more thankful for the 3-day-weekends we get this summer. The kids need a break and I think I do, too.

Life is just so full right now. It usually is. But there are so many things to do, to think about, to plan for, that mind seems stretched in every direction. There's the internet bill, which was a surprising $177- it took me about 2 weeks and at least a handful of phone calls to finally get it fixed. They corrected it: only $13.29. I'd say it was definitely worth the effort to get it changed! Or then there's my out-of-state teaching license, which will cost me roughly $230 by the time I'm finished with everything. You'd think that $110 test I took last February would count for something, right? Right, Colorado? But just like Chuck Testa says...NOPE. So tomorrow I've gotta take an almost-identical-but-differently-coded test for another $110. No big deal. I just graduated from college. I've got bags of money lying around!

But really, besides me and my bank account being exhausted, life is really good. I got to see my family last weekend. That makes for some good times, especially when we go out to eat. It's always an adventure, that's for sure. I can say before last Saturday never in my life had I given my phone number to a random waiter at Texas Roadhouse...

And although I deposited my first ever all-grown-up bills in the mail WITHOUT stamps, it really was a beautiful 2.5-mile walk to the post office. Who cares if the bills will come right back to me? At least I get mail, right?! I got to enjoy the lazy atmosphere of summer. Walking through sprinklers rather than avoiding them, hollyhocks growing taller than the chipping window panes they stand in front of, an old guy dozing on his front porch, bras hanging on the line, gardens showing their promise, trampolines, hammocks, and bicycles strewn across the lawn. Taking time to enjoy right where I'm at.

P.S.- These pictures are from the last couple of weeks. I’m gonna try to take a picture (or two) a day this week as a challenge. We’ll see what I come up with!

Thoughts on garage sales…

Today was a garage sale-ing day.

I think my weekends this summer will be filled with lesson planning, looking for Kindergarten ideas on blogs, and going to garage sales. Using a teacher’s classroom filled with stuff as I teach summer school has made me realize how much stuff I don’t have. I need more books, more storage/bins/baskets/bookshelves, and even small things like binder clips. I want my students to have the best possible year- I don’t want to cheat them because I’m a first year teacher and haven’t accumulated all that stuff yet! So I’m working on it. It’s a process. If you have any teacher things you would like to give me, or know of anyone who has things they don’t need anymore, hit me up. I would greatly appreciate it!

So I just want to say how much fun it is to take a morning and go to garage sales. I know they usually have ads in the paper so you can plan your route beforehand, but I like to leave it up to spontaneity. I just drive around and stop at pretty much every one I see. Sometimes you can judge from the road whether or not it’s a good one, but sometimes the most treasured possessions are hidden at the most unexpected places. My favorite things to buy are children’s books! I love when people price them reasonably. I feel ripped off when I have to pay a dollar for a book…I just want to say “You know, SOME places I could get 6 books with this dollar!” It’s true. You’ve gotta be on the lookout. Sometimes, though, I almost pull up to a house only to realize that, um, it’s not a garage sale. They’ve just got a lot of junk in their yard. And their garage is open. With more junk in it. Ooops…

Despite those instances, most places are easy to find. Just follow the maze of neon pink signs with writing so small you have to pull out eyeglasses to read the address. Thankfully most have at least a big black arrow pointing in the general direction. Once you find a location, then the scouting begins. Even though mullets are out of style, and most people generally don’t wear light-washed, high-rise jeans, it’ almost inevitable to see the 1990s dust itself off and come out of hiding at a garage sale. And really, sometimes I’m tempted to buy those $3 roller blades or that Mary-Kate & Ashley VHS or those Lion King McDonald’s toys. It takes me back! I resist, though. I’m saving my pennies for classroom stuff.

It’s been a lovely day of sifting through junk to find treasures (a lamp I’m going to redecorate, quite a few books, and some paper trays)! Add to that some crisp, home-grown cucumbers from the farmer’s market, and smelling the freshly cut grass while on a run through the neighborhood. That sounds like summer to me. :)

I am not a mom blogger.

Out of all the blogs I follow, the majority of them are mom bloggers. They post the most often, have the cutest pictures, and are just so fun to read.

Well, obviously this blog is going to be different. I’m not a mom; I’m not even married.

Sometimes it’s a little disheartening not to have a circle of blogger friends who’ll leave me comments. I know some of the people who read this blog relate to what I write about; they’ve told me. But still. It’s a different sort of blog.

I can’t post pictures of cute babies and talk about things like “Oh he never likes to take naps” or “my kids did the cutest thing today”. But I still see the world from my perspective.

Here’s some things from my life lately that I find the most interesting.

I hate doing the dishes...but I've discovered an important equation.

Techno music is best. It really gets you pumped up, and before you know it…you can see the bottom of the sink.

Every Saturday after I skate, I go to Whole Foods for breakfast. I treasure this time there. It's my time to sit, relax, enjoy a latte, people watch. I'll spend $5 on a coffee and pastry, but that's it. I dream, though...when I actually have money (a whopping teacher’s salary), I’ll start buying all organic beef. Or, there's a mom carrying her baby in an organic, dye-free cloth sling...I bet she also uses cloth diapers and buys stuff like organic fruit snacks and cheese puffs for her kids. I like that. I'll do that.

I'm at the tail-end of student teaching and I've got money fever. After going a whole semester doing everything a paid teacher does with no salary, I can almost taste the money that's to come. It has quite the metallic taste. But seriously...it'll be nice.

My cat was tired during her photo shoot. How fierce she is.

 

Have you heard of “tie-dye” eggs?? They are pretty neat. I got the idea from the Our Best Bites website at this link here. It’s simple; you take some old neckties (must be 100% pure silk), and you boil the eggs with the fabric wrapped around each one. The dye from the ties colors the eggs and they look fabulous. Here’s how mine turned out.

I can't write from the point of view of a mom, like the majority of bloggers I follow. But I like being here. It's a unique perspective. I have not run across another blog out there in the blog universe written by a student teacher. I'm among the minority. I am not  a mom blogger. But it's all good.