Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift

I will vow to read this daily. I printed and framed it and put it on my desk. LOVE this!


1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.



2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.


3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.


4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.


5. Pay off your credit cards every month.


6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.


7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone...


8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.


9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.


10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.


11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.


12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.


13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.


14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.


15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.


16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.


17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.


18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.


19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.


20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.


21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, and wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.


22. Over prepare, and then go with the flow.


23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.


24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.


25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In five years, will this matter?"


26. Always choose life.


27. Forgive everyone everything.


28. What other people think of you is none of your business.


29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.


30. However good or bad a situation is it will change.


31. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.


32. Believe in miracles.


33. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.


34. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.


35. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.


36. Your children get only one childhood.


37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.


38. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.


39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.


40. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.


41. The best is yet to come.


42. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.


43. Yield.


44. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Autumn leaves are falling down, falling down, falling down...

Autumn leaves are falling down, ALL around the town. Ok, well maybe not yet, but it needs to hairy up! I love singing this song with my kids :)

I am soo ready for FALL! I feel like the season is teasing and taunting me in the face. Football, Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes, marking my calendar for October and November save- the- dates, the hint of a cool breeze and the emergence of fun decor. A few months ago, yes I mean in July, we went to Hobby Lobby and what's the first thing out of Nick's mouth?? Gees, they're already putting out Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations? And my reply, naturally, is "I know, that's crazy" but inside I am like a giddy school girl who CAN'T WAIT to start putting up holiday knick-knacks! I even bought a cute little ornament just to get in the spirit :) I feel like we've been looking forward to all our of wonderful trips coming up that I don't want to overshadow the warm and fuzzy feeling of the holidays. Especially since we have a beautiful home that I've been dying to decorate to my liking. I've already picked out the Christmas tree spot. I'm a dork like that. So, to all the nay sayers who want to gripe about hyping up the seasons and thinking that someone created a timeline on 'when' we are allowed to start putting up orange, brown, red and green, I say...you can be a grinch all you want. I, on the other hand, will start unloading my boxed paraphenalia of pumpkins, ghosts, witches, scarecrows and faux twigs, stick in my baked roll scentsy brick, start thinking about planning some parties and savor every moment of my favorite season. I might even put on a scarf, some boots and sit by a homeade fire. Because I want to and I can. So ha-ha on you :P

It's all in a days work...

I love being a teacher. Especially to six year olds. Don't get me wrong, there are times when I ask myself  "What was I thinking?" I can say I hand picked the grade I wanted to teach every year. And it never crossed my mind to choose any other grade. Didn't seem fitting to think twice about it. Do I wish that I could JUST have-at-least-five-minutes-to-sit-at-my-desk-peacefully-without-any-disruptions? Absolutely. That when I walk by an upper grade classroom I'm not secretly jealous on the inside that the room is quiet and the teacher is at her desk grading papers? Always. That I wish I could hand them a worksheet without explaining every detail or going over it as a group and still getting confused looks on their face like I just handed out a paper written in jibber jabberish? Without a doubt. Do I wish they still took afternoon naps? The kind the teacher is allowed to extend upon discretion? Everyday. And that when I tell them that I am testing a student and not to come up to my desk unless they are bleeding or barfing and they come up to tell me that "yes it's an emergency" Sally is using marker and YOU said to use crayon, I don't want to sigh and throw my hands up in the air. Err, sometimes. :)
Do I always get gratification in knowing that they believe everything I say and they still get scared. Yup. Do I get annoyed that no matter what, or how much trouble they get in, they still love me and think of me as the coolest person on the planet? Not one bit. That they can easily detour any lesson if they ask me questions about my doggies and I will completely allow them to take control of the topic? Never. Or if they start to tear up or give me an excuse about why they threw their food away (because seriously, who likes veggies, they are blaah!) or stuck their tongue out at Billy because 'at least they didn't punch them in the face' I pretend it didn't happen? I admit, I'm a sucker. Too cute to punish. (Don't judge). When I reflect on these daily happenings, I wonder why I ever doubted it...

Today's chronicles of first grade ramblings: (Still on the lesson of families in Social Studies and talking about how times have changed between now and then)

"Well, use to they had to mail writings and letters and they had to ride in a wagon. But now, they can talk to their friends on Facebook! Ms. Hargrove are you on Facebook? You could be friends with my mom!"

"Nowadays, you can get a fast car and speed to your uncles house. Because used to, my uncle, he drooved (yes, drooved, the past tense version of drove??) really far all the way from San Frisco,  you know, where you live Ms. Hargrove, (I'm assuming she meant San Fransisco) and it would take like a billion minutes to get to us."

OH and how could I forget: After one of my precious little girls had to move her card to yellow I say "What's up with you today? and her reply with some eye batting:
"Oh man, all I can say is I'm having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day today"
Seriously? How can I be upset after that??

Ahh, to have the sweet, sweet, innocent minds of them :))

Would I rather trade my paycheck for a six figure salary?  Not a chance.

Other things I love on a daily basis:

XOXO

I admit it

I suck at this whole blogging thing. Not that anything too exciting has been going on. But it has in our world I suppose. It's just that I don't feel like I'm on top of everything lately. And I'm too freaking tired to think, let alone write and be witty. I LOVE my new school and my new class! They are wearing me down though! So full of life, energy and stories (which I'll get to in a minute) I can't help but smile. Then want to come home and relax with vino, my honey and our four legged babies. The gym membership I convinced Nick to get and I 'swear I'll go at least three times a week' spill, has sadly been used once in two months. I feel like saying, you spend 8 hours of your day in uncomfortable shoes chasing around 19 six year olds, repeating everything you say 28398 times, utilizing your lunch break making copies, stuffing folders and emailing parents back and call that not burning more calories than you consume in a week. But I don't. Because I can't complain. My boyfriend is amazing. True story. I came home yesterday to an immaculate house b/c he called a maid. And scheduled her for the first of every month. Where did I find this guy?? I'm so glad I did. My life is so wonderful right now, I can whine and whimper when I come home then something happens to put everything in perspective. I wake up excited to see my kids again, then can't wait to get home to my fabulous (and now a little boring, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world) life.

Last Friday night I had a much needed happy hour with my new teaching friends then got home and Nick and I went and saw The Switch. Recommend it highly. Saturday night we had a friend's 30th bday surprise party at The Londoner in Frisco. We had a fat and lazy Sunday and watched movies all day. We ordered The Back-up Plan on On-Demand. And then decided to make a 'Bucket List'. I'll add to it more but here's what I have so far:

1. Go to Fashion Week in NYC
2. Run a marathon (we'll start with a 5K first)
3. Foster a child
4. Start a foundation
5. Go rock climbing and hiking
6. Meet Tony Romo
7. Own a pair of real Christian Louboutins
8. Attend a red carpet event
9. Learn to cook from scratch
10. Learn to snowboard
11. Ski a black slope
12. Adopt a shelter animal
13. Overcome my fear of car washes
14. Speak another language (I'm semi-fluent in Spanish, but I prefer Italian) so romantic
15. NOT procrastinate
16. Watch the sun come up in an amazing country with my love
17. Live on a farm

This should be an ever-expanding list, yet I feel like I've lived my life pretty much to the fullest thus far, so I am a little grateful that it is so short...I guess you can never stop dreaming though! Wow, cheesy.

That'll be it for now. No pictures because I'm too tired to upload my camera.
First grade post of the day: We were talking about rules at home and how you help out with your family and at dinner...
"I help set the table and my dad cooks while my mom breastfeeds" (Horrifying look on everyone else's faces) Me- hiding my face behind the book trying so very hard not to bust out laughing and wondering if I should explain anything or let it slide and change the topic. And that is what I mean when I say I have the world's best job :)

P.S. Just got home from the vet because my exploring loving precious boxer had an allergic reaction to something and his face swelled up like a balloon. Ahh...if it's not one thing, it's your mother :) LOVE YOU MOMMA!!! :)))