JK Wedding Entrance Dance

Mom showed me this video yesterday...love it! Love to see people live life to the fullest....not taking themselves too serious:)

bookshelf

Mom came up to help me at school this week. She's AMAZING help! Best part was this book shelf she made for me! She's so crafty and super talented when it comes to the arts....too bad her youngest daughter didn't receive this amazing talent. Anyways, here are some pics of the shelf.

long-time bachelorette weekend

Had bachelorette weekend with my long time friend, Brooke....when I say "long-time" we're talking 5th grade! She is getting married this Saturday. Had the best time talking, laughing, and eating:) So excited for her! Her and her future hubby will be serving in the student ministry at a church in Betonville, AK. They will be amazing!...and yes...although you can barely see it...I am sporting my super cool skinny jeans!

And yet another...

And yet another first this week....who knew there could still be so many firsts! Guess I haven't experienced enough:) Went to Urban Outfitters with Sarah tonight...and with a little encouragement....I walked out wih my first pair of skinny jeans! I'm pretty excited about them! Can't wait to wear them:)

A week of firsts

So I had another first today.....Korean Food. Kay and Sean decided to take me to a Traditional Korean restaurant to end our tutoring. While I so enjoyed the atmosphere, friendly people; I can honestly say I am not a fan of Korean Food. I was really expecting it to be very similar to Japanese or Chinese, but it was completely different! Note even close! Unfortunately, I think my taste buds weren't accustomed to the flavors because it was all so, so healthy! I ate acorn pudding, raddishes, spicy cabbage, mushroom noodles, and rice juice!

However, being in a culture I am not used to, hearing a whole new language, being a foreigner always makes for lots of fun, interesting observations, and humility. Working with Kay and Sean was so much fun and a definite learning experience. Everyday I couldn't wait to teach them something new in English......it was really fun being on the other side today:)

Thankful for other cultures and the experiences they bring.

There's a first for everyone!

Took me two entire evenings.....on number 2 today. Let me just say this:
I have never really been a big fan of Star Wars, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings..or any movie/book series for that matter. It's not that I didn't enjoy them; I just wasn't a fanatic.

Well...there's a first for everyone...Twilight is mine. I even ordered a shirt the other day: "Team Edward." What's wrong with me? I seriously couldn't believe I loved a story about "vampires" so much! I'm already planning the party I'm going to have when the new movie comes out. Can't get the Carter Burwell, Rob Pattison, and Muse out of my head......seriously....I'm sick.

Sweet Potato Fries

Made Baked Sweet Potato Fries tonight to go along with dinner.....they were mmmm, mmmmm, good! Got the recipe from watching Giada on Food Network. Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
5 sweet potatoes, cut into about 1 by 5-inch "fries"
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the sweet potato "fries" on a foil-lined baking sheet and toss with the olive oil. Bake until golden, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile combine the basil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. In another small bowl combine the mayonnaise, garlic, and lemon juice, and stir to combine.

When the sweet potato fries come out of the oven, sprinkle with the basil salt. Serve with the garlic mayonnaise alongside for dipping.

please come back

Can't find my phone....and it is KILLING me piece by piece!! I lost it early this morning, and have retraced every step ....still lost! This is the first time I've ever lost my phone, like LOST, LOST it...and I must say...it's really challenging. Every 5-10 minutes I stop and realize that I have nothing to check....so weird, but maybe good for a short amount of time? Not sure, but I am sure that I need to find it or head down to Apple. Here's a letter I wrote to my iphone...in hopes that it will come home soon:)

Dear iphone,

You have been so, so great for this one year we have been together. As Bono would say, " I can't imagine life with or without you." Your smooth touch and wide variety of Apps has definitely made my life easier. One thing I know....one thing I promise is that if I find you....I will never, never let you out of my sight again. I'm so sorry I lost you. Please come home....I miss you.


Apply yours,


Lane

on tutoring and prayer

Have been tutoring two students from Korea this week. They are here visiting a family friend here in Gwinnett who pastors a Korean church. So I took them to experience the World of Coke today along with some of my family. Thought it would make for some good language learning.

Favorite part on the way home:
We were all yawning. They asked me what time I get up in the AM...I said, "7." I asked them the same question. They explained that on Monday and Fridays they get up at 4:30 AM with the pastor and go to their church (which is about 20 minutes away) to pray with the church members!

I was blown away at their commitment and passion to meet and pray so early in the morning. I guess this is so huge to me because I am sooooooo not a morning person...AT ALL!!!


Thankful for people with the passion to pray.

The lost art of love letters.

Both of my grandparents (dad's) have passed away. My grandmother in 2005 and my grandad just a few months ago. My dad and uncle are slowly cleaning through their house. I went there yesterday to help dad sort through the memories. On a small table beside the door was a stack of letters that were now a light brown from the aging. I had heard of these letters but never read them. They were love letters from my great-grandfather to my great-grandmother when he was dating her. He worked for the Atlantic Railroad Station and wrote her so many letters that she saved. Here is one letter I found. My great-grandmother's name was Effie but we called her Deedee. His name was Joe but was "Dick" back in the day (both of my grandad's parents).


4:30 AM
November 21, 1915

My dear, sweet Effie:

Yours of the 18th just received a few minutes ago & I sure did enjoy reading it. That was a funny dream you had about us. With that part of it, about us being married and having a little Dick was so true. If I can get a job that will warrant our support, want to get married right away & if I don't get the job we'll have to wait until Spring when I come back here. I would like to quit railroading & am going to make an awful effort to do so. Effie, I sure do want to see you bad. Seems like I haven't seen my darling in two years. I know there hasn't been a second since I left you, that I wasn't thinking of you & wishing we were together. I am not making much money now. Just about breaking even. Have only made $47 so far this month. Well my sweet sweetheart, don't know a thing, so will go to bed now & get a little hay. Will take my annual bath & Sunday shave when I get up. Am feeling all O.K. Be sure and take good care of yourself & and above all, don't work too hard. It sure does get my goat, when I think that my little girl has to work. With love and kisses.
Yours,
Dick


I love his writing, his penmanship, and his eagerness to marry my great-grandmother. I love that he wants to be with her so badly that he is trying to line up just the right job so he can provide for her. I love that he says things like "my sweet sweet Effie" and "my darling." I was saddened that letters like this are so rare now. It made me realize that letter writing like this was definitely an art in our nation's past-time and that emails, texts, and facebook messages are now our primary source of communication. Whether it's through email, text, or letters, I think the most important thing is that "love" is expressed.....but the art of love letters is so captivating and just straight up romantic.

Hope this art never fully leaves.

Here's a pic. of the letter envelope.

Baby Shower Party Favors

Made these cute party favors for a baby shower this weekend. Got the idea from Leslie....of course...she's little Mrs. Martha Stewart:) It's Pink Lemonade, topped off with lemonheads, in a plastic icing bag ($10 for a pack of 50 at Micheal's), and tied with a cute ribbon. Such an easy, cheap favor that everybody loved!

Twilight

Finally got to watch what ALL of my middle school girls (and the rest of the female gender) have been raving about: Twilight. Bff sarah said I would be a believer if I would just watch....and she was right. Def. a chick flick, def. worth it, def. will read the books. And the sound track! I found a new track I can play in my classroom!

I really want to watch it again. Like right now..... It really does suck you in.

The Cake Boss

So this is my new show I have picked up during my summer break. "Cake Boss" on TLC. I LOVE this show! Can't get enough of it. There are a couple of reasons I find this show so appealing:
1. watching him make these cakes is UNBELIEVABLE!
2. The Jersey accents and almost run-ins with the "mafia" at the Social Club is hysterical!
3. These Jersey/Italian boys (who are all family) are all for the DRAMA! They are HARDCORE! and i LOVE IT!
4. Even though they can be pretty nasty with each other.....it is obvious they LOVE their family more than anything else!

Michelle Rhee: Leading a Revolution of Change in Education

Have a new "person I want to meet." That's right: Michelle Rhee...chancellor of Washington D.C. public school system. What she has done in the district is unbelievable and inspiring. She is truly an unstoppable force and has turned a menace of a school system into a power house. Superintendents all over the country call and seek her help. She is recommended by the chancellor of Ed. in NYC and is now one of the most revered educators in history. She is leading a revolution of change in education....and this is why I would like to meet her.

Check out the article in TIME.

Ben Comen

Brett showed me this video a few days ago. Stories like this never get old to me.....it's such an inspiring story of perseverance and love.

Thankful for people who pursue those who don't feel pursued.

On Educators and NFL Players

Read this article a while back in the New Yorker. Found it interesting. Gladwell makes some great analogies...and even better arguments. Just something for educators and NFL players to think on.... Here is a much shorter version on Gladwell's blog.

Eyes Wide Open

So I got this book several months ago.....with the mad dash to get out of school and then the mad dash to get back into school...things have been a little crazy. But I have finally gotten to it .... at this point this will be my third book I have read by Jud Wilhite since Christmas. My husband and I quickly became fans when we read Uncensored Grace....actually it messed us up (in a good way) and gave us a new out look on some upside down perspectives. And that's the common thread I am finding in all of his books...including "Eyes Wide Open." There is a moment in each book where it all clicks, where it all begins to "mess with me" and make me think a little deeper.

Here's what I read in one of these "messy moments" today:
"Servants are free from the constant one-upping mentality that drives so many in our culture. They are free from the relentless need for attention, for affirmation, for the spotlight. They are free from so many games that go on in the name of success."

What an amazing thought. Coming from a person whose "love language" is affirmation, this was an incredibly challenging and freeing paragraph.

If you haven't read it....you should.

Blog World Tours???

Read about this idea over at Two Writing Teachers. Mark Overmeyer is a well-known author for his book "When Writing Workshop Isn't Working." He has a blog and is currently on a BLOG TOUR! This is what I think is so cool. He even has a schedule of when he will be at a particular blog. His last stop was today at the Two Writing Teachers. He answered all types of questions and gave some great thoughts on writing in the classroom.

I think this is an awesome idea! Blog world is becoming just like a regular convention center....just minus having to travel to a new city!

Wonder who I will be catching on tour in blog world next?

the Proposal

Watched "The Proposal" for a movie night with friends last night. LOVED IT! One of the better romantic comedies I've seen in a LONG time! I forgot how funny Sandra Bullock is....and Ryan Reynolds was equally as funny! and if you're a fan of "The Office" there is a surprise guest that makes the movie even better!