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 :)

Snow Day

I'm presuming many, many people across the country are posting on their blogs today with the title "Snow Day" or something similar. I'm gonna go with the crowd and write, too, because it was a tremendous day.

One of the top 5 feelings in the world is knowing you can sleep in, that there is no alarm soon to be blaring in your face. That's how the day started. I did the right thing and stayed in my pajamas until, oh, 3 o'clock. Glorious. I love that snow days are pure extra time in your week. Saturdays and Sundays don't include work (for a lot of people), but it's a given that the weekend is your time. A snow day is time that you get suddenly, so no plans. And usually not even an opportunity to do much thanks to the outdoor conditions! So today was a sweet mix of allowed laziness and time for leisurely productivity.

I packed up my whole bedroom today. My roommate and I are moving in 2 days to our new townhome, finally! Moving would be a lot more stressful had I not had time to organize before I packed up. My roommate is not like me...she can just put things together at last minute. I always always tear apart my room, throw out junk, and pack in it an organized fashion. Just ask anyone who knew me in college; my room was always a rat's nest as I was packing up for summer!

Eventually, I did get out of the apartment later this afternoon. It was nice to see the snow beauty before it melts (probably like tomorrow). That's the fun of living in the banana belt. We were super lucky to get a snow day this year! It always snows on the mountains, skips us, and then hits the midwest. We didn't miss out this time.

I ended the day with homemade white chili and pretty pink nail polish. I painted them early; they're glitzed up for the Oscars party I'm going to on Sunday (complete with red carpet and movie-themed food). Hopefully there will be a sweet post about that. Until then, enjoy pink.

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!

<

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!

How to make a chalkboard.

 

So on Pinterest there are lots of links to tutorials for homemade chalkboard paint. I really wish I lived in a place where I could paint the walls to my liking, but that’ll happen someday. I would love a whole wall with chalkboard paint so I could decorate it however I want and change it any time! But I found a cheap alternative that was super fun to do. Plus I did it on a whim at about 10:30 pm. That’s when the creativity is greatest, it seems. :)

I bought this cute wood frame thingy at Hobby Lobby. Used my 40% off coupon, so it was only a couple of dollars.

To make the chalkboard paint, you can use any type of paint, which is nice because I have a ton of acrylic paint. I just mixed up some colors until I found a shade I really liked. To make it official chalkboard-writeable paint, you have to add some non-sanded grout. Hobby Lobby+40% off coupon= super cheap again. Mix 1 Tblsp. grout with 1/2 cup of paint until it is really smooth. Paint the frame, wall, table, chair, or whatever is going to be your new chalkboard surface until you are satisfied with the thickness (maybe 1 coat, maybe more).

 

When it is dry, take a piece of fine-grit sandpaper and sand the surface. You’ll also want to “condition” it by rubbing a piece of chalk over the surface and then wiping it off with a slightly damp cloth. Not sure why, but that’s what Pinterest said. :)

When you are done you can decorate it any way you want! I like to put quotes or bible verses, things that are inspiring. My favorite part is that I can change it to whatever I want, anytime I want. So fun and cheap!