Friday Flashback #7

I am sorry this is late- I promise I will be better this week!

When I was younger, my mom and aunt thought it was funny to stick balloons in my shirt so it would look like I had boobies. This is the result! (Sometimes they would stick golf balls in... now that I think about it... really anything that was round would go in my shirt.) This started when I was about 1 and in this picture I am probably 5 or 6.

How Cute Is This Girl?

Happy Presidents Day

Now that I have been student teaching for a month I now understand why God created weekends and Holidays! I used to think it was for the students.... how wrong I was.... it is for the teachers! I am so thankful for Presidents Day!

Today Matt and I grabbed a couple of Ted's Sandwiches and then picnicked and laid out at Sunset for a couple of hours.

How beautiful is this?

Later we are going to play some lacrosse and watch another Harry Potter movie. We got all of our work done Friday so we could play all weekend and it has be great. I can't wait till my next day off! What did you guys do with your holiday?

Friday Flashback #6

Sorry I am off a day. I started lacrosse practice yesterday so things were a bit busy.

This week this flashback is in memory of Whitney Houston. I know, I know- everyone is doing this now because of recent death, but with her death I remembered a memory of my childhood.

In 1996, Johnbenet Ramsey was killed at the age of 6. At that time I was 8 years old and I was deeply affected by this death. Her murder was all over the news and I remember feeling so sad about this, but looking back I know I did not really understand everything that was going on.

Anyway, around the same time I became addicted to Whitney Houston's cover of I Will Always Love You. I would sit down in my grandparents basement and play my cassette tape of the song and just sing it at the top of my lungs. And while I was singing it I would think about Johnbenet and just sing.

As I am writing this I am realizing how depressing all of this is, but when I was telling Matt we started laughing. So maybe you guys can just laugh and think about an awkward 8 year old sing alone in a basement... maybe? Well at least hopefully.

Happy Valentine's Day

I hope your Valentine's Day was more exciting than mine and Matt's. Today I woke up and got ready for student teaching. While I was doing that Matt made my breakfast and lunch (he does this every morning- I know very sweet!) At 7:00 am I rushed out the door with Matt helping me to the car (he does this every morning as well!) Anyway, we were in such a rush we did not even say Happy Valentine's Day.

I remembered when I reached Sunset Beach, one of our favorite spots on the beach, so I called and wished him a quick Happy V Day. The rest of the day was a rush of student teaching, dealing with crazy sugar hyped 11-12 year olds, and the hour drive home. Although, I did get a phone call from my sister Chantal so that was a bright spot.

However, that bright spot ended when I got stuck in traffic! My hour drive turned into an hour and a half! I finally made it back to Laie where I said hello to Matt and then rushed to work!

We had a staff meeting at five so I saw him for a bit then and then he went home and I stayed until 8. At 8, I went home and Matt went to work!!!! Another quick hello and then goodbye!

But when I got home this was waiting for me:

How cute is this little guy? I love sock monkeys for those of you that don't know! A sock monkey and a homemade card- it doesn't get better than this! (Lowe You Want is how we say I love you... when we were dating one night we were texting goodnight and I was extremely tired and texted Lowe You Want.. but I thought I said Love You... so now it's a little joke and now you are a part of it.)

Okay, so I said it doesn't get better than this, but then I looked up and there was a Stouffer's Lasagna in the oven! Soon after I got a text telling me that the lasagna was ready! How sweet of my husband!

This is my second Valentine's Day as a married gal and I must say I love it. We always say no gifts, but Matt always gets me a little something! Plus, this year he said Breaking Dawn could be another gift! How lucky! Janice and Kevin (my in-laws) sure raised a good seed! I love that he thinks of me because my dad, Barry, would always give me red carnations and my mom would always set out special Valentine's Day treats for all of us when I was growing up. I miss my family so much and I think Matt tries very hard to keep my spirits up! And he succeeds.

When I got home I finished my homemade card for Matt:

Do you like it?

Saturday we are going to go out to eat and have a real date night, and I will of course let you know how that goes! But today ended up pretty darn good and that's all thanks to my husband!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY FRIENDS! I hope y'all had a great day with your loved ones! Here is a song to share with that someone special. I love it, and I must say thanks to my friend Roxanne for sharing it with me!

My Baby

Ever since Jud came to us 6 and a half years ago he has been my little baby. He is the sweetest kid you will ever meet! He might have some personal space issues (will hug and kiss a stranger), but he is the greatest kid ever!

Somedays with Jud are hard because he is one wild boy, but I would not change ANYTHING about this little man.

And really how could you not love a face like this:

(Jud at the Pine Derby)

Friday Flashback #5

The flashback this week is an event that happened not too long ago... About a year ago to be exact. And this flashback is not really embarrassing to me; it is just sad and depressing!

A little over a year ago Matt and I moved to Hawaii to finish school. Our first apartment was not really an apartment but a bedroom. It was such a horrible place, but we were desperate for anything until we could get into TVA (the on campus married housing- it is about $600 cheaper than other married housing). For a reminder of our first home click here.

As you can tell our kitchen was right next to our bed, so when Matt would get ready for work (at 5:00 am) I could also hear him get ready and eat breakfast. Well, as most of you know or have experienced I get a little crabby, no VERY crabby, if I am woken up. However, I never really remember this crabbiness when I wake up.

Anyway, one thing that I hated about our first 'home' was that we always ALWAYS got ants. We would just think about making food and the ants would come out to play. So one morning I was getting ready in our bathroom and I noticed all these ants running around our shower and floor! I was so confused what was bringing them there since there was no food in our bathroom. So I just assumed maybe it was the sweet smell of my shampoo or body wash. I just ignored them, but day after day they remained!

Then one day I looked in the bathroom trash... and there was a granola bar wrapper in the BATHROOM trash!!!! What the heck? That was what was bringing the ants into the bathroom, but why was the granola bar wrapper in the bathroom? So I asked Matt why he would throw the granola bar wrapper in the bathroom trash, not the kitchen. Which lead to his story:

He had been eating his breakfast at our kitchen table (which was at the foot of our bed) and apparently his noise (the noise of him opening a granola bar) was bothering me enough that I had yelled at him time and time again. So being the nice husband he is and not liking being yelled at by his rude crabby wife he started eating his breakfast in the bathroom!

IN THE BATHROOM- He would put the toilet seat down and sit on top of the cover and eat his breakfast! When I heard this I was so overcome with guilt! What type of wife was I that had lead him to eat in the bathroom (gross)? A tired one? A selfish one? I don't know, but I felt bad!

Now, I can't say I have changed too much with not being the happiest about being woken up, but Matt no longer eats in the bathroom. Although, I am now the one that wakes up early- Matt is so nice he wakes up and makes my breakfast and lunch AND walks me to the car! If I have not said it before, I am saying it now- I am one LUCKY lady. I think at times our marriage is a little one sided. Now I think all marriages go through this at times, but Matt has never made me eat my breakfast in the bathroom and for that I think I will always be a bit guilty.

So while this was not some childhood memory or traumatic experience, this was still pretty sad. Hope you enjoyed it or at the very least feel a little sympathy for Matt.

Tutoring and Teaching

Over the last week I have realized how much I love my job(s). While Student Teaching does not really qualify as a job, but as a contiunation of school-- I still am counting it because if waking up at 6:30 and commuting an hour to school and an hour home and teaching for 6 hours is NOT a job- I don't know what is!

Anyway, back on track. I love student teaching. I am teaching 7th grade, and it is great. When I got my asssignment, I thought this would be the worse thing ever! While I am secondary education, which includes 6-12, I NEVER wanted to be anything but a high school teacher. So it surpised me when I actually started to enjoy these 11-12 year old rug rats. Overall, things are going great. While I don't really love or really feel comfortable with my content (Hawaiian and Pacific History), I find that it is pretty interesting. I started student teaching a couple weeks ago and I find myself exicted to see MOST of my students (there are those that I wish would take a sick day- hahaha - just joking- a little)!

I still HATE getting up at 6:30 and driving two hours total- overall it's good- plus, let's be honest when do I ever wake up? I hate mornings, whether those come at 6:30 or 10:30!

Okay, so part II- tutoring. While many student teachers opt to not teach while student teaching, that is not an option for me. As much as I hate to admit it, Matt and I are not rolling in the green. (I know that is a shock to some!) Anyway, I have to work. But I am blessed to work at the Reading Writing Center here on campus. I get to tutor students that need a little extra help with any assignments with ther classes. While sometimes this gets a little tedious, it really is one of the best, if not the best, jobs on campus. And luckly, Matt and I both work here!

Two weeks ago, I had a tutee come in for help with one of his EIL classes. He is from Korea and arrived in Hawaii three weeks ago. Our tutorial went really fast, so he asked if we could just talk. Now we don't usally do this here because there is a language cente that helps with speaking, but I felt that I should just finish our tutorial. And it was GREAT! I loved just speaking and helping him figure out how to say certain things in English. So for the past two weeks he has been coming in to see me and we go over his EIL homework and then just talk. I love seeing his inprovement and helping out any way I can.

The thing that most of you don't realize is that most of our students here are second langague learners. And they are not just learning a new language, but going to SCHOOL in a new langague and a completly new culture. This is something that I think outsiders, and sometimes insiders, overlook when looking at the school. People realize that we are an international school, but I don't think they realize what really goes into something to be international. These students that come all over the world to study here work thier butts off to succeed. So everyday when I go to both of my jobs- I KNOW I am making a difference.

Somedays I get bogged down because what I do is NOT easy, but at the end of the day, it is worth it!

Friday Flashback #4

This week I thought I would share a story with you. When I was young my family would go on vacation to Florida to visit my Aunt Nickie. Sometimes my mom would treat my brother and I to a trip to Disney World and one time we went with my Abuela and Papa. I was five or six around this particular trip with my grandparents. My mom always made sure I was close to someone or holding someone's hand so I would not get lost or taken.

Whenever we were standing in line, I made sure I was holding on to someone because I did not want to get separated. And this is where my story starts:

My family and I were standing in line for The Pirates of the Caribbean ride. And if you have ever been in the line you know it is really dark in there. So of course, I wanted to make sure I stood extra close to my Papa. So there we were walking along and then we stopped and were waiting...

My Papa had his back turned to me so to make sure I stayed close I put my hand in his back pocket (now remember I was five or six so that's not weird, plus I was short so it's all I could reach. And remember it was DARK!) But then all of a sudden I look up and my Papa turns around to look at me.... except it was not my Papa!!!!!!!!! It was a STRANGER and my hand was in his back pocket! I was really embarrassed, but at the same time I was scared because I did not see my Papa... or anyone in my family! Luckily, the stranger was pretty nice and he just smiled and helped me find my family (they were just a couple of people in front of me!) It all worked out, but of course I started crying and have never forgotten when I stuck my hand in a strangers pocket.

And there is my Friday Flashback! One of my most embarrassing moments of all times!

Stay tuned for next week.