Friday Fives!

It's Friday!!! What a week it's been! This week's Friday Fives are five questions-enjoy!

1. Are you a MAC or a PC??? I am a PC, never have liked MACs but I think they look really cool!

2. If you could go anywhere on vacation this summer where would you go?? I would go somewhere I have never been before! I would love to go to explore more of California (I've only ever been to the Pasadena/LA area.

3. Which is your most cherished childhood memory? Christmases spent with my mom's side of the family including my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and of course my own family! I'll never forget those days, ever!!! They were some of the BEST!


4. What were you doing the last time that you had a good laugh? I was laughing at this precious little 1st grader who had the most hilarious facial expressions EVER when she read her book she wrote to my students today. Oh my gosh-she was the funniest thing!!!


5. What is your favorite book or magazine? I love People Magazine. Oh I just love it!! It's such a good magazine and I think it's one of the most credible magazines too, considering all of the celebrity gossip. It also has really neat articles on different things that I easily get hooked into!

I hope you have a wonderful 3-day weekend!!! :)

Stream of Consciousness

This post title is adopted from MckMama. It's a post she does about once a week, and it's a post of her real, flowing thoughts as they come. No order, no particular paragraphing, just a stream of random thoughts....exactly what this post will be! So, from now on, if you see a post titled "Stream of Consciousness," consider this your warning: it's gonna be a random one!
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I have had a substitute in my classroom the past two days. Yesterday I was at a "Thinking Maps" training and today was our monthly all-day planning for my grade level. Friday is our school's Young Author's Conference and the students' finished and completed books are due. Well, you know I've been out 2 days this week already, so I'm feeling behind on knowing the progress of these books which frustrates me. Oh well.

Meanwhile, in the midst of all of this, I have been dealing with a huge nightmare of car dealing. It's been one thing after the other and at one point yesterday, I was ready to throw in the towel and forget it for now. I know my credit isn't in stellar condition, but get over it creditors. I'm not the only one. Take a risk and look at the situation. Most of the time, in the real-world, college students don't have credit scores in the 800s. In your ideal, fantasy world, maybe, but not in mine. So if you're so concerned about how I'm going to make monthly payments (even though I'm making more money now than ever before in my life) lower my interest rate so that my payments are lower. But that's too easy for you to wrap your mind around apparently. I realize you have to be careful, you creditor people, but at some point, you do have to take a risk, sit back and realize the reality of this economy. I am so over this mess.

Let me also mention, that last week I was driving around what I thought was an approved deal only to find out 5 days after signing the papers that Lakeland Toyota was uncapable of finding approval. Completely unprofessional and poor customer service. That's fine if you can't approve me, whatever, but do NOT have me sign papers saying it's a done deal. Terrible, terrible, utterly terrible business. I have since found a dealer in Tampa to approve me and will be signing with them soon, and as soon as I do, you can count on one thing. I will be taking that car with its invoice to Lakeland Toyota and I will personally be speaking with Lakeland Toyota's General Manager. Not to mention, that Lakeland Toyota insisted the night I drove that car off of their lot that I have insurance under my own name (I was still listed on my mom's with my Honda)and have to get that money reimbursed now that the car is no longer "mine." Needless to say, Lakeland Toyota has royally messed up and their general manager will know about it. More on that later. I've spent probably 3 hours total on the phone today, on hold, on the phone, on hold, and on hold again that I'm just tired of talking about it! (But writing/typing helps me vent! Ha!)

So I've got 9 days left with my students this year. This first half year as a teacher has been a real challenge, but I'm so thankful for everything God has taught me in and through it all. I'm so ready to embrace August head-on...my first full year of teaching! Dayna and I are moving June 30th. So excited that it's really getting closer. I actually talked about that just a few posts ago. I guess I really am ready! Ha! My mom turns 50 a week from today. I'm hoping to be able to visit her this weekend. Which reminds me, it's a 3-day weekend; hooray!!! I'm working on end-of-the-year awards for my students and thinking of fun and educational activities to do the last week. I'm also putting together a Spelling Bee. Sometimes I wonder what I want to get my Master's in considering my eyes have been opened to so many aspects of education working at an "F" school.

I have a shower to take, papers to grade, and sleep to get, so I'm done with this random stream of consciousness, just as much as you are bored of reading it. Ha!

A Lazy Saturday

Today has been lazy and quite frankly, I'm not ashamed! I have slept off and on all day today. I'm not an early riser, but now that I work full-time as a teacher, I don't have a choice but to rise early. I can't wait to sleep in during the summer...so close!

There's been a lot going on with my current car situation (which I'll write about later) and today I was going to try another dealership but they've not gotten the approval they need yet, so I didn't go over there today. It just wasn't worth the drive to Tampa. I was glad though because I spent 9 1/2 hours at Lakeland Toyota last Saturday (not an exaggeration!) and I felt like I had no weekend because of it. Turned out to be a huge waste of time anyway. So...once I get the approval I need from this dealership, I'll make the trek over there to do some negotiating and hopefully drive away in a new car so that I can finally stop putting more miles on my Honda which has already reached it's maximum mileage for a lease-3 weeks ago.

I might add, I absolutely hate car dealing.

So anyway, although today has been rather lazy, it's not like I don't have anything I should be doing. Where shall I begin? My students have been working on making a book for our school-wide Young Author's Conference this coming Friday and I have to finish the typing of their books since they're only beginning typers and weren't able to finish in class. 14 books to type and although I'm a fast typer, that will still take some time! Their books still have to be illustrated, and I'm at a training on Tuesday and in all-day planning on Wednesday, so I won't get to keep up with my students' progress on their books which is just frustrating. So..me being out of the classroom for 2 days means writing 2 days worth of sub plans. I can't even tell you how much I despise doing those! Oh, and on Monday, I have writing training from 4-7, so that ties up my afternoon in which I would normally spend writing sub plans...so that means that these sub plans need to be written before Monday, so that I can leave them on my desk before I head to training on Monday afternoon. Hopefully Thursday when I'm back with my students, I can prepare them for the big day on Friday and decorate our room for our visitors, etc. I also have plenty of papers to grade this weekend so I can enter grades. So much work, I feel like I'm in college again! When I get stressed though, I remind myself that I do love being a teacher and how blessed I am to have a job. Seriously!

Dayna and I went to these two places tonight just to get out!

Chips, Hamburger, and paradise pie! So good!


Butter, milk, paper and ribbon to make invitations to end-of-year party for my students, cheesesticks, shampoo and conditioner

Moving day from boring Lake Wales to bigger and better Lakeland is getting closer! This move also means moving from a small, old, unsafe, and poor resident treatment apartment complex to an up-to-date, safe, resort-like, bigger and more friendly apartment complex! I am so excited! (I don't mean any offense to my friends who live in Lake Wales, but Lakeland is much more similar to the town I grew up in and that's where I work!)

I've enjoyed this lazy Saturday, but tomorrow, unfortunately will not be as lazy. Oh I sound pathetic!

5 Years Ago...

...I graduated from high school. It's crazy for me to think that was 5 years ago!! I'm starting to feel old but I know I'm not! Ha!

I remember that day so vividly. I couldn't wait to graduate. I was so over high school and all of the drama and that kind of thing-it just seemed to be so widespread and I was just ready to move on. My whole mom's side of my family was there and that meant a lot to me. However, my grandparents were both really sick at that point and my grandma had been released from the hospital on the day of my graduation, so it was best that she stayed home. I went over to their house afterward to get a picture with them in my cap and gown. My grandparents did come to my graduation party the next day, and I have a picture of the three of us in a frame from that day; some of my last months spent with them, as they both passed away my first year of college.

Oh how I miss them greatly.

I don't have many pictures on this computer of my graduation, but I'll share the few I do have just for fun. 5 years ago...time is flying!


Me with my parents


The morning after my graduation, my friend Jackie and I sang our graduation song at church.

Anyway, just thought I'd share the anniversary of today!

Show Us Your Life-Hometown!

Today at Kelly's Korner, is her usual Show Us Your Life blog carnival and the theme is hometowns. Well, although I don't live in Sarasota anymore, that is technically my hometown, where I'm from. Enjoy the debut of Sarasota, FL...home of one of the most beautiful beaches ever, Siesta Key!

Sarasota is located on the west coast of Florida. Some of its beautiful beaches include Siesta Key, Lido Key, and Longboat Key. It caters to many who like a beach lifestyle and who enjoy water recreation. Sarasota is also very artsy and houses the Ringling School of Art and Design. Anyway...let me get on with the pictures!


There is a dolphin in this picture! Look close!


This picture quality is poor, but I actually worked at this hotel for 2 summers while I was in college!


This is just beautiful! That bridge is probably 6 years old now, when it opened, the marching band I was in during high school marched on the bridge for its opening!


This is Marina Jacks. A small island you can walk on and look at boats, walk your dog, take children to play, go on a date, etc. In fact, my first boyfriend asked me out here over 8 years ago! It's a very pretty place! These dolphins are at the point of the island.


This is the Ca'D'Zan, a fancy and historic place on the water that many people have wedding receptions at or a nice place to take pictures.

If you've never visited Sarasota-you must visit the beaches there! Ask me if you have questions about places to go! Born and raised in this town! :)

Kelly's Korner- Favorite Books/Children's Books

This week at Kelly's Korner, bloggers are invited to share their favorite books and/or children's books. I love to read when I have the time...which is usually during the summer! Over the past few summers I have read some amazing books! Now recently, as a teacher, I'm able to read some of my favorite children's books which is fun!

#1. Redeeming Love. This is the first book I ever read by Francine Rivers, which then inspired me to read several of her other books which are all just as good! I love this book. Read it a few years ago and it is absolutely amazing. If you have never read it, I highly recommend this one!


#2. The Atonement Child. Oh my gosh...such an awesome book! I've read this twice and love it!! It's got a powerful message.


#3. The Scarlet Thread. Just another great one by Francine Rivers.


#4. Leota's Garden. Yes, Francine Rivers is my favorite author! I'd love to buy a new one of her books soon, it's been a while.


#5. Stolen Innocence. This was a book that, while shopping at Target one night, I just randomly picked it up off of the shelf and decided I wanted to read it. It was a very interesting book and while reading it I was just so frustrated with some of the behaviors of these people. Ugh! Good read, though!


#6. Witness. I read this book a few summers ago and although it wasn't a terribly thick book, I finished it within 2 days. I remember watching the Laci Petersen case and so it was interesting to read Amber Frey's account. Glad she turned him in!


And now onto children's books....

#7. Mr. Gumpy's Outing. Looooooved this book as a child. I remember my mom reading it to me and I always liked the part about all of the animals getting into the boat.


#8. Rumplestiltskin. I actually just read this book with my students not too long ago. The cover in this picture isn't the cover I had on the book when I was little. But anyway, good book!


#9. Goodnight Moon. I have loved loved loved this book from a very young age. My mom has told me that I knew all of the words to it and I would whisper the "hush" part. This will definitely be a book I plan on reading to my own children someday.


Speaking of Goodnight, that's what I need to be doing. Tomorrow is Friday!!! :)

Top 2 Tuesday: Dream Houses

Today's Top 2 Tuesday theme is dream houses! So I thought I'd share what my dream houses look like and some fun things they might have in them!

I have always loved the look of brick/stone houses. I think they're gorgeous. Of course, a brick house could come in many different styles and looks, but I didn't want to spend forever looking for a brick house on google images...when it's a "dream" post anyway! Ha! :) So here is an example of one I wouldn't mind living in someday!



And inside that house, this is an example of what my dream kitchen might look like...granite countertops and the cabinets a deeper wood color.



Another dream house I have looks like this:

Not exactly the colors I would choose, but I love the style of northern homes. I would LOVE to live that close to the mountains, what a view!!!

Two things I would love to have in a future dream home are:
red front doors (that of course match with the color of the house)


and...a soda fountain! I would have it in installed in the pantry so that my kitchen didn't look a restaurant....but I have a thing for fountain sodas and I would love to have one of these in my very own kitchen someday! I'm totally serious!


Wouldn't everyone think I had the coolest house if I had my own soda fountain?? Ha!

Oh to dream....

Singleness....inspired by a Mother's Day Sermon

First of all, Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers in the world! Always know, mothers, that your job is THE most important on earth; giving birth to and raising children in a positive way which prepares them for the messed up world we live in! Never take for granted the blessing of your children, especially when there are thousands of women who struggle to conceive! Your children were given to you by The One who created you! What an honor! I cannot wait to someday share in your joy of motherhood, but I'll be patient. ;)

I am not with my mom today, but let me explain so that you don't think of me as a heartless, good-for-nothing daughter! My car is a lease, and this past week it reached its maximum mileage and so if I took the trip to Sarasota, I'd be putting 200+ miles on my car...which I'd have to pay for. This next weekend I'm planning to trade in my lease and buy a new car, but my mom completely understands! I miss her though, and plan on celebrating Mother's Day with her in my own special way in a few weeks!

Today's message in church was absolutely excellent! I got so much out of it!!! Our pastor made it clear that the message would not be aimed just to mothers, but rather to all the women in church. He also spoke to the men and explained what their role is in honoring women, in a Biblically obedient way. Anyway, Pastor Bob talked about how women are to be honored not because of what they do, but because of WHO THEY ARE-daughters of the King! That is such a heavy thought but it is what we are commanded to do, by God. This is also true for women honoring women, not just men honoring women. It may be easy for some people to say, "well she did this or she did that [to me], why should I honor her?" GOD says we are to honor women BECAUSE they are daughters of the King-and for that reason alone! The scripture reference Pastor Bob spoke from is 1 Peter 3:7,

"Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers."

And here is where the "Singleness" of this post's title comes into play. I'm single. Completely single. No boyfriend, no fiance, no husband...no prospect! And...I am okay with this! I am content right now and do not see a need to act, look, or seem desperate to find a husband, especially when I know and have faith that God has it all taken care of already! He already knows who my next boyfriend will be, whether or not that guy will become my husband, what the guy's name is, what he looks like, the day we get engaged, the day we get married, how many children we're going to have, and how He plans for us to meet.

With that being said, I feel like many people think that something is wrong with us girls who are my age (only 23 mind you!) and don't yet have a serious boyfriend, fiance, or husband. Or they think because I live with my best friend who is my roommate, that maybe I'm a lesbian. Not true! It's sad that so many people put energy into other people's relationship status, and make judgments based on what that status is. But I have faith in a God who is real and I know in His perfect time, he will reveal his special plan for me and I'll meet the "man of my dreams." I have had a few boyfriends in the past in which I have learned a lot from and I think that these years of singleness will be so healthy for my future marriage as I focus on who I am as a person and in God.

Pastor Bob shared a personal story of his daughter relating to this very issue, and I was teary-eyed through the whole thing, which is really what inspired me to write this post. Pastor Bob's daughter recently got engaged to one of the church's missionaries. Before his recent trip to Germany for missions work, he worked under Pastor Bob as his assistant for a little over a year. He flew from Germany a few weeks ago to ask Pastor Bob's permission to marry His daughter. Because of Pastor Bob's and the church missionary's close relationship, it was easy for Pastor Bob to give him the permission he was seeking. Well anyway, Pastor Bob shared today that his daughter is 28 years old. She had been crying herself to sleep at night wondering when God would send her the man she would marry. Our pastor shared how he would always remind her, "Don't settle for less than God's best. You are a queen, a daughter of the King. Just be patient, God has a plan for you." And then, when she wasn't even looking, she met this missionary who she will be marrying in less than 8 weeks. After hearing a story like that, I need not worry!!! I may be 28, 30, 34 before God brings my husband into my life, but I have got to trust that He will provide, and not to settle for less! I know that if I'm 28 and still single, I'll have my days of wondering, "God? Are you there? Do you know I still don't have a husband yet?" But he DOES know. Of course He knows. Let me allow Him to do His work!

I will say, though, that I very strongly desire a husband. Oh my gosh do I ever! I've dreamed about my wedding day and my husband since I was a little girl. I'm not overtaken with the whole "fairytale" aspect, but I definitely have thought about my future husband and our marriage for a long time! I am so looking forward to having a husband to share life with someday, and raising a family together. I seriously cannot wait, but at the same time, I can wait. I'm sure if I were closer to 30, this would be harder to write and that it would be a lot harder to hold true to this faith that I have now. But I'm going to always try and keep this faith as long as it's necessary to! I would love to be married with at least one child by the time I'm 30, but those are my plans, and only God knows the timing on everything. So in the meantime, I'll be patient and wait, and enjoy life...single!

How Tacky!

So tonight, Dayna and I were at the Lakeland Mall eating dinner in the food court. It was about to close, so not a whole lot of people were there, but right above us was a couple eating their dinner. Kids were playing in the "Kid Area" next to all of the chairs where people sit to eat. Well, all of a sudden, the woman above us yells "SHUTUP" loudly, making known that she is annoyed by the sound of the kids playing. She gets up and throws her things away, and I think she catches my eye and the disgusted look I have on my face at her socially inappropriate and immature behavior. Not to mention, I doubt the kids heard her-as she was sitting opposite from where they were playing. The food court is NEXT to the kid's play area, like what did she expect? And even still, to yell shutup is just SOOOO tacky, immature, inappropriate, childish...and so many other words! I mean, first of all, that is how young children respond to having fun- making noise, but not thinking twice about how loud they might be. And second of all, this is a M-A-L-L, not some fine, 5-star restaurant with candle-lit dinners!

Get a grip, lady and loosen up! I'm just astounded as to the way some people act!

Virginia Trip-lots of pictures!

I have been meaning to create this post for a while now, but just have not had time to do it!

A few weeks ago, I went to Virginia for my cousin Chloe's First Communion. I am her Godmother, and so it was important to me to be there to support her on her special day. Although I am no longer Catholic, I still will support Chloe in her religious upbringing. Plus, that girl means a lot to me!

I was able to bring Dayna with me which made the whole trip experience a lot more fun! She had some major assignments to work on before she graduated, so the condition of her going was that I'd help her do them and we were successful! I took a half day off of work on Friday and then the whole day off on that Monday. It's nice being a teacher and having paid personal days! Ha! Anyway, here are pictures of our trip!


Just arrived in Virginia! So excited to see the season of Spring...and Spring we saw!


Chloe in front of the fireplace at Cracker Barrel




Carson and Chloe at Camp Creek's beautiful river. Dayna and I took the kids to the river and had so much fun!


Dayna LOVES rivers! They're so beautiful!


Me and Chloe enjoying the river!


She loves to pose!




Beautiful!!


Love this pic! Amazing Friends!


She sat down in this spot all on her own and said, "Kaitlin, take my picture!"


Making use out of nature!


These two kids had so much fun! So did we!


After we left Camp Creek, we stopped and got icees. Here is Carson with his icee!


Chloe with her icee!


My cotton candy icee! Cotton candy and bubble gum are the only kind of icees I ever get, I just love them! Dayna was asleep in the car during our icee experience.


Chloe's First Communion Day!




Such a sweet girl! This was my sister Keleigh's First Communion Dress.


Chloe and her Godmother :)


Dayna and I went shopping and exploring that afternoon and I wanted a picture with the mountains in the background..I LOVE mountains!


I got Chloe a Bible as a gift-developmentally appropriate for a 2nd grader-that's the teacher in me!


I am fascinated by how green everything is up north...so much more beautiful than Florida!


Beautiful colors of spring flowers everywhere!!! I have been so deprived of this beauty having lived in Florida my entire life!


Chloe lost her front tooth playing soccer in the yard! Tooth was never found, but with a special note to the tooth fairy explaining the situation, money was still delivered!


Dayna with Pumpkin




Reading to Chloe from her new Bible.


Some fun glasses we found in a gift shop...I wish I would have bought the pair I have on and incorporated them into my teaching somehow!


Watching planes land before heading home!

You may not even be reading anymore considering the large amount of pictures in this post...but if you are, I hope you enjoyed seeing a glimpse of my recent trip to VA!