oatmeal in my kitchen

I think oatmeal is simply delightful, if it's packed full of yummy toppings that is :) I buy it frequently at the store because it always looks so good and there are so many different types to try. But then, I get them put away and I don't eat them because well, for some odd reason, cold cereal with milk just seems better and a lot quicker than heating up a bowl of oatmeal when you are trying to rush out of the house and make it to school on time.

Yesterday as I was organizing one of my kitchen cabinets I found five boxes of oatmeal. yep. five. All opened. All with only one packet eaten. That is why I have decided that I will only allow myself to eat oatmeal for breakfast until all of the oatmeal is gone. I had some this morning and I quite enjoyed it.

here

I like a lot of BetterOats oatmeal. The strawberry is especially yummy. What I really enjoy is a nice warm bowl of steel cut oats, but far too often I'm really hungry and lazy first thing in the morning and I'm just too impatient to make them. But I really like the chewiness of them. Top them with a a few almonds and some dried berries, and it makes a delicious, healthy, and filling breakfast. In fact, it sounds so yummy I just might make it for dinner tonight. 

Or, have you ever had Amish Baked Oatmeal? No? You are missing out my friends. Missing out. It's a life changing experience, let me tell you. I am going to make some soon (after I finish all of the other oatmeal I'm trying to eat up), share a mouth watering picture of it with you and a delightful recipe so you can make it yourself. You will thank me :) 

Do you like oatmeal? Why or why not? What kind is your favorite? 

time...

O goodness gracious. I have done Nothing today. Nothing. It's pathetic. The hubs is coming home in a little bit and I still have to finish folding and putting the laundry away, put the dishes away, and wash the new dirty dishes.

But, here I sit. Doing nothing. Productive for my house that is. The way I look at it, it's impressive that I got two loads of laundry folded and ready to be put away.

What have I done with all my time, you might ask. Goofed around on the internet. And that's pretty much all. Can you say Pinterest? Yeah. I've been looking a little too much today, I'd say. More than I have in the past five months. eh. oh well. It's my day. I'll do better tomorrow :)

I've decided to make a plan. When I get up I'll write myself a little schedule and I'll follow it. It always worked for me at work. Writing a list of things I need to do, that is. I think it's because I get to check the little box once I've accomplished that goal.

Wanna know something else? Today Puppy has spent approximately 95.7% of his day under the couch. It is his favorite spot. He darted under there this morning when it was storming something fierce this morning. He came out eight hours later. No joke. Eight hours. For seven minutes and then disappeared for another three hours. I decided we could both use some fresh air and I took him on a little stroll. It was quite a lovely little walk around the neighborhood until the big loud bang sounded. At which point Puppy jumped on me, his eyes imploring me to pick him up. I pet him for a minute or two and then tried to coax him into finishing our walk. His feet would not budge. So, I decided to be nice and not drag him on the rest of the walk. We turned around and it was he who was dragging me all the way home. Silly Puppy. Is my puppy the one who is terrified of thunder and other loud sounds? Do your puppies run for cover?

Anyhow. That was my day :)

toodles.

summer goals

So, it's been a little bit... and sadly happily I cannot blame my lack of writing on the business of school. No. I have been enjoying being off. My first full week has been glorious. I cleaned and packed up my room at school and just have one box sitting in my car waiting to come into the coolness of our home. My first full day off I did nothing. Not one single thing. It was beautiful. I stayed at home, enjoyed a yummy lunch by my lonesome, caught up on some shows, read a little bit, took a nap, and went to Target. The next day I got busy. I vacuumed our entire house (I think it had been since spring break since the last vacuuming!), swept, mopped, cleaned the kitchen, read, journaled (if that's a word), cleaned the bathrooms, gave puppy a bath, and fixed a real live healthy dinner for me and the hubs, oh, and I went on a three(ish) mile run with puppy. Maybe not in that order, but I still did them all. Productive? I think yes.

Today I've been thinking about what I want my summer to look like, everything I want to do... and this is what I've come up with, a list of goals if you will...

1. Write (in my journal and in blog land) every day

2. Read for at least an hour every day (...knowing me it will probably be more :)

3. Enjoy a nice little quality quiet time every day

4. Fix one new meal every week (I LOVE going to the library and checking out the cookbooks! there are so many yummy things I want to try :) I plan on sharing the success (or lack of) of these culinary adventures

5. Order some books for school and work on lesson plans for next year (I'll say, maybe for a week or two total...)

6. Go on some fun adventures with the hubs, we have two planned, I'm pretty excited about them! The first trip is going to be my favorite I think. I'm going to show hubs my "home"(more on that later) in the great Northwest: mainly Portland and Seattle. The second trip will be to the Jersey Shore and then to New York City! ... I love adventuring with the hubs!

7. Exercising regularly or more. Right now I have fun at Zumba every Monday and Wednesday, but I want to start doing a little bit more. Maybe cardio two more times a week and some toning too... we shall see.

8. Take puppy on a walk every day and to the dog park two or three times a week.  

9. Be healthy.

That's all.

I hope you all have enjoyed your Monday!

shine a little light

Today was closing day at school. In a way it reminded me a lot of what it was like at college after finals. Everyone in their rooms packing up their precious belongings. Moving furniture around. Stopping by different rooms to chat for a minute and see what everyone is up to. Wrapping up the school year. It made me miss the good ole' college life. I think it's rather unfortunate it has been so long since I was moving in and out of William's Hall freshman year. And the other three dorms I lived in. Those were some good days. And bad ones too. But a lot of good.

Back to today ... after most of my room was all packed up and I only had grades left to do I found myself sitting in my teacher chair. I remembered sitting in that same chair about nine months ago for the first time. My stomach in knots. An overwhelmed mind. A racing heart. Sweating palms. Thinking about how I was a teacher. A real teacher. Wondering what I was going to teach. Praying for the students that would sit in those seats facing me as I looked at all of the empty seats wondering about all of the different little lives I would meet. Praising God for the opportunity for me to be there and praying for strength to get me through.

Today I sighed a sigh of relief. Maybe the biggest one yet. Prayed yet another prayer of of thanksgiving for the day, for the strength God provided me with through this year. For knowing I survived my first year of teaching. For knowing that I would be back in the room in a few short months and that I would be doing it all over again with new kids. New lives. New adventures. For hope that it will be better.

It is a crazy blessing. Sometimes more one than the other. I just hope that even though there were a lot of kids this year and a lot of them didn't really care for me (at all) that I was able to shine a little bit of Light into at least one little life. That they didn't all think I was a complete joke or witch with a "b" as they graffitied in numerous textbooks (and that I erased today). If I shared a little joy, love, or Light with at least one student, that would make me happy, make it all worth it. Though I suppose there is no real way of knowing.... Anyhow. I've just been thinking about that a lot today.  

That and how excited I am for summer vacation!! :)

Happy Friday y'all!

you think my tractor's sexy...

no. I don't. It's just a song some singer sings (is it sad that this is one of the few country songs I know?). But tractors were the talk around school today (which made me think of this song. sad? eh, probably). "Why were tractors all the buzz today?" you may ask.

It's because .... today was Drive Your Tractor to School Day (aka: the last day of school :). EVERYONE drives their tractor to school on the last day. I meant to bring my camera to school today so I could take a picture to show y'all. It's a yearly thing so I'm sure most teachers would think it silly taking a picture of the tractors at school. But I don't really care. I'll just have to wait until the end of next year to get my picture of a high school parking lot full of tractors. shucks. I went outside because a lot of my boys asked if I wanted to see their tractor, at least a dozen and a half of them drove their tractors to school. They weren't joking when they said they drove their tractor to school. The parking lot was full of them. Yesterday they asked me if I was going to drive mine to school. If I had one I think I probably would have. But I don't. So I didn't. Oh, those country boys, I love them. They always make me smile, especially mine :)

Anyhow. Happy Drive Your Tractor to School Day!  

my new love

The other day the hubs and I went up to visit some friends and family. We were going to see his mama, aunties, and grandma for Mother's Day, and some friends that live up in the area while we were up that way. We were actually very productive when it came to getting all of our visits in. We had brunch with some friends from our small group that moved up there a few months ago. After brunch we went to the hospital where his family was visiting his cousin who had just had her baby (everyone is having babies!). Then we got to see more family and friends after the hospital visit. All in all, we had four very nice visits that day. 


Anyhow, on to the juicy bit of the story ... we had a few hours to kill between finishing brunch and visiting the hospital. So, hubs took puppy to the dog park and I went shopping. Not intending to buy anything. Really. I was just happy to walk around by my lonesome and look at nice pretty things. It had been a while since I had time to shop (aka: look around and admire pretty things that I will never own). Then I passed a shoe store. And I thought, "Eh, I might as well go in. They might have a nice pair of black flats."  I may not have mentioned this before, but, I have been looking for some nice black flats for a while now. I have had a wonderful pair for a few years now, sadly the sole is worn down and floppy which makes me trip in front of all my students, graceful, let me tell ya. Plus, puppy got a hold of one of the shoes when he was a wee little fellow and chewed one of the little bows off. They are not so pretty to wear any more, but they are the only black flats I have, so when I need to wear black shoes, out them come. It's a little pathetic. 


Anyhow. I went into the store thinking I might find something, but not hoping because I have been looking for about a year now with no luck. After wandering around for a while I spotted them. The perfect black shoe. And I had a coupon. But they didn't have my size. Of course that would be my luck. Thankfully, the nice lady at the store said they could order them for me. So they did. And they arrived at my door step this afternoon. I heart them so much. They are one of my comfiest paris of shoes by far. So conformable I am temped to order (or go buy) another pair of shoes by this shoe company right this very minute. If only I had another coupon. 

from here

When I wear them it's like walking on a marshmallow. That's why I love them so much. I'm usually very indecisive about making purchases, and even once I do I regret it terribly. Especially for an expensive purchase like this one. That is not the case with these little cuties. I think this may have been one of the smartest shoe purchases ever. I think as a teacher you must have comfy shoes, I have found mine and I want more :) Have you ever tried B.O.C. shoes before? I think I'm hooked. 


... I'm trying to think of what outfit I can wear tomorrow so I can wear these little pretties. .... oh, how exciting! Do you love getting a nice new pair of shoes? What kind is your favorite? 

  

two more days

That's right, folks. Two more days until I'm a real live teacher of one year. That's my big accomplishment for the moment. What's yours?

Also, I love rainy weather. gray, drizzly days are my favorite. Most especially when I can spend them at home, with a book, and maybe some tea or some other equally yummy warm beverage. I could live there. some place where it is like that all the time. oh, it would make my heart happy. Not that I don't love sunshine, I do. But days like those just make my heart sing. What kind of days make your heart sing?

that's all from my scattered little brain for the moment :)

to the mamas :)

I have known a few mamas here and there and it seems like I find out one of my friends is going to be a mama pretty much every day now (though, I'm sure that's not completely true). I am just so thankful for all of the many wonderful mamas out there (especially my own mama and my mother-in-law). They do so much and often don't get much thanks. Moms have to have a lot of patience (and a lot of everything else too, I'm thinking that all these things are given to you the moment you become a mama. Like the baby comes with Super-Mama Powers. Please let me keep this perfect idea in my mind and don't spoil it for me, it's the only way I'll even think about having children :). I'm pretty sure if I had been my mom, I would have killed me already, thankfully my mom didn't do that, even though I was pretty rotten. ...probably I will get pay back for that by having a daughter who is even worse than I was. Oh, boy. I hope not. .. ugh. Sorry Mom. And thanks, for putting up with me all those years :)

So Happy Mother's Day to all of the wonderful mamas I know, and don't know. You are loved and appreciated even if it may not seem like you are. And a special Happy Mother's Day to all you brand spankin' new mamas out there. I hope you are having a blessed day.

ok. that's all. See ya tomorrow.

lovely day

Today the freshman class went on a little outing, to a Bats baseball game. I was going as a chaperone. At first I was a little apprehensive. Lots of kids to watch, not in a classroom. But then we herded the kids into the busses and went on our way. 

It was a wonderful trip. Nothing eventful happened (which is exactly what we were hoping for) and all of the kids returned to school with us that afternoon (at least I think they did :). The weather was perfect. The kind of weather that makes you want to sit outside all day long. Which we did. Weather with bright blue skies and white puffy clouds. Sunshine shinning on me with a little breeze tiptoeing around the whole time. I sat and chatted with two of my teacher friends about the students (and yelling at them to keep their little hands and faces to themselves), cakes, boxes of muffins, summer time, and more. It was really quite lovely. Quite enjoyable. So much so that I did not want to leave. Which is really saying something, because I do not enjoy baseball games. I think it was just a little blessing of the most perfect weather and company one could be given. 

I wish I could do it again tomorrow... 

But for now, I'm going to cut up lots of Plunder Points so I can make sure all my kiddos pass this here class of mine (plunder points gives them the opportunity to give them back to me in two days for extra points on their grade :) ... just helping them out however I can.  

cheers. 

1000 gifts

As I was driving home this afternoon I looked up in the sky (for an ever so brief moment) and started thinking of all the things I have been blessed with. Which got me to thinking about my 1000 gifts list. That I stopped at 63 way back in September. I started reading the book again, "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp, it's a shame I stopped. I have found that I am a loverly person when I am thankful and joyful than when I am negative and in a rut. So I am counting all of the gifts my God had blessed me with, a few at a time.

64. I passed KTIP! No longer will I have to do any of that evil stuff any more :)

65. puffy white clouds in shapes of dragons, bunnies, and owls in the bright blue sky.

66. my hydrangea bush is blooming! beautiful soft pink and purple blooms.

67. there are only eight more days of school!

68. I have nearly survived my first year of teaching, thank you Jesus.

69. yoga pants and eating tasty peanut butter ice cream. contradiction? eh, it's the best of both worlds, so no :)

70. puppy kisses greeting me when I walk in the door.

71. zumba with friends.

72. peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

73. changes.

74. a marshmallow of a bed and a good nights sleep.

75. orange-blue-purple-pink-yellowish watercolor splashed sunrises.

Happy Monday, y'all.

a walkabout

For the past few months I have been feeling as though the title of this blog should encompass who I am. And while I love "Cheery Bees" I didn't truly feel as though it gave even an inkling of who I am or what I am about. I wanted people to see the title of this here little blog of mine and draw a little connection between it and what they might expect to find written in the posts. So I have been chewing on the idea of changing my blog title to something a little closer to my heart. After a long while of thinking on this I decided I would do it. Change it over. Make it a little more personal (if a title can really be that personal), or at least put some of me into it.

So I did.

Not many things have been consistent in my life. I have moved more times than I count, lived in more rooms and towns than I can really keep straight. Making new friends and saying good-bye to dear ones has always been a part of life for me. I feel like I have always been on one journey or another, if it's not a physical one it's mental or spiritual.

The majority of my childhood was spend in Papua New Guinea. This is not a well known fact to most people I know. I'm not even sure I have shared that before here. But I did. Papua New Guinea is a wonderful island country and I am blessed to be able to say that's where I was raised.

via

Because of the close proximity to Australia and friendships that I have had with many Australians (who are all wonderful) I became familiar with terms that are used Down Under. One of my favorite being "walkabout" which pretty much means journey.

And that is what life is about. Especially mine. Just like you have in the past, you will find my musings about little adventures the Hubs and I go on or just about daily little adventures that come my way. I am excited to share this walkabout with you. And apologize for any confusion this little change may cause you. But I think it's time and I'm excited about it.

Have a lovely Saturday!

ktip = check!

I am pleased to announce that I have finished my KTIP. Binder and tasks that is. I still have my last meeting. But that's nothing...

If you are a teacher in Kentucky, or if you have ever taught in the state of Kentucky, you will be able to truly understand what a miraculous feat this is.

For some reason, first year teachers in the state of Kentucky are given the task of completing the impossible. KTIP - the Kentucky Teacher Internship Program (Killing Teachers via Incredible Pain). Basically your life. And the only thing that consumes you and your first year of teacher. You "get" to write up fancy detailed lesson plans, reflections of the lessons, give all kinds of assessments and graph the progress of your class.... and a lot of other things. A lot. And that still might be an understatement. Pretty much, it makes me want to crawl into a little dark hole with a box of muffins and never come out. Ever. Or at least, not until all 200,000 papers and lessons and reflections are finished. But I couldn't do that. I had to look the enemy straight in the face, and type my little fingers to death. Figure out how to make fancy charts that show all kinds of data (thank you, Jesus, for my genius hubby who can actually make charts).

In the week that I had to get through the last bit of KTIP I thought I was going to die. And also my house fell apart. Which pretty much means I have died. For those of you who don't know me very well, I cannot stand a mess. Dirty or unorganized. If a space of mine is either of these that means I'm not feeling well. If both are out of whack, then I am hiding in that little dark hole with my box of muffins.

I only have one meeting left and then I am done with this torture grand undertaking.

And also, I only have one more Friday with the kids. I have almost survived them! I have almost survived my first year of teaching. Praise the Lord!! : )