Oh! The Joys of a Child

I got to keep August on Friday. She's so much fun! Between my mom, Pat, Jen, Bart, Rylan, and I..she had plenty of people to play with.



We put her in the cat shell and pulled her around in it. She loved it! She copies EVERYthing anyone does. From snorting to running and sliding on the floor. She was a blast to spend the day with! I'm hoping I still get to watch her this Friday too!

Motivation!

Mom usually walks outside while I run to my podcast..and sometimes Pat goes too...to walk with mom! Last night..it was a little chilly and raining a slushy mix. I begged mom to walk with me and kept telling her that I was just trying to motivate her to go outside with me to exercise..she thought I was insane! I was finally able to light a big enough fire under her butt to spark a little interest in walking. I ran upstairs to hurry and get ready before she changed her mind..and when I got back down stairs..her and Pat were both going! Talk about motivation! Pat was convinced he was not going out with me..but when I convinced mom, Pat decided to go also! Talk about dedication..it was cold..and the roads were getting slick..but we had motivation pushing us along! Then Leslie came over..the girl that has NEVER worked out a day in her life..and she wants to start running and working out with me..WOO HOO!! I am a motivator!

August's Christmas Present

I had a couple of ideas of what I wanted to get August for Christmas this year..but I just couldn't find the perfect gift that I just knew she would love. Saturday, mom and I were at WalMart shopping for a few little kids on our list. I randomly decided to go down an isle..and there it was! The perfect gift for August! And it's just her size! I can't wait to see the look on her face when I put her on it! I just hope she understands the point of it though. ;) I know she'll love it and get a lot of use out of it! I called her Mimi to ask her if August had one yet..and as far as I know..this will be her first ever! Oh I'm so excited! Merry Christmas August! I can't wait to see you!

My First Injury

Okay..so maybe getting the new Asics and high arch inserts were a bad idea...or at least the inserts were. For the past week, the side of my shin has been killing me. I've tried stretching it out..but I never could find a specific stretch that isolated that muscle so I could stretch it. So I gave in today and asked Mr. Buettemeyer about it. He used to be an athletic trainer and he really knows what he's talking about when it comes to athletics. He squeezed my leg exactly where it hurts and said I have shin splints. He told me a few stretches to do and to keep putting ice on it. I asked him what could have caused it..and the first thing he asked was if I had gotten any new running shoes or inserts. And of course..I had on our trip to Fairview Heights a few weekends ago. ARGHH! So his recommendation is to just take out the high arch inserts and try the original inserts that came with the shoes. And if that doesn't work..he said to go back to my old running shoes and gradually work my way into my new Asics. Oh the side effects of running.

4 lbs and counting

From Monday to Monday, I lost 4 pounds...that's even with 2 Thanksgiving meals in there! WOO HOO! I was so excited when I got on the scale Monday that I coulda peed my pants! That really made my Thanksgiving weekend! Rylan and I went shopping with mom and Pat Friday to Fairview Heights. Rylan and I only have 1 more shop to go to and we're done with our Christmas shopping! And..I already have all the presents wrapped! I'm so on top of things this year!

While in Fairview Heights, I bought new running gear. I finally got my UnderArmor leggings and mock turtle neck shirt to run in..and I picked up a new pair of Asics running shoes. Still going strong on the running thing! Not giving up yet..I've made it this far..why stop now right!?

Oh yea! Today is Mimi's Birthday! Everyone is taking stuff to her house for supper tonight! I got her a digital photoframe keychain. That way she can carry a picture of my beautiful face everywhere she goes! ;) haha! I know she'll love it though! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIMI!!

5K

So, I have been working out for about a year now. I have dropped 2-3 pant sizes and I'd still like to drop another. Last Spring, I was going to Shan's, they gym in town, every morning at 5:30am to work out and did a video every evening with mom at the Claremont School. Over the summer, I continued going to Shan's and walked 3-4 miles every evening with a friend. This fall, I went to Shan's for about a month and just decided that the $30 could be better spent else where and I would have to become creative on ways to work out. We continued to walk every evening until it got too dark. So now my working out ways have really been cut back. I started going to Kickboxing every Monday and I love it! It really works every element and muscle of your body.

Since Samantha moved out, Mom and I have decided to make her room into an exercise room. We are doing that tomorrow and I am so excited about it! So her and I are going to get up every morning and have our own little workout session! And the best part is that we don't have to get out in the cold..because it's in our own house!! :-)

So my evening workouts have went to running..jogging..walking. I am up to a running a solid mile! And my mentor at school, Tammy Powers, has been training to run a 5K and she runs 3 times a week and is up to 2.75 miles! So after talking with her and doing some research, I think I am going to try to run my first 5K this summer! I can't wait! And I'm even excited about training for it! There is a program called Couch to 5K in 9 weeks. They even have a PodCast for it! So that is my plan for tonight! To go home and download the 1st weeks PodCast and start training! The website is http://www.c25k.com/ and it is full of great information! Stretches, PodCasts, and much more! I encourage everyone to check it out! The PodCast is basically like being with a trainer for 20 to 30 minutes, 3 days a week. He tells you when to walk, when to run, when to stop, everything! Who needs more motivation than that!

This is a huge challenge for me but I am extremely excited about it! I love to work out but I love to walk even more! And I haven't ran a mile since I ran Cross Country in grade school! I know of several 5Ks around the area and am already planning to be in 2. ERFAEs is in June(if our honeymoon doesn't conflict!) and there is one in Robinson in the Fall.

So if anyone is needing to know something to get me for Christmas...exercise gear! I get a lot of my stuff from Kohl's because it's cheap and good stuff! I'm going to invest in a pair of UnderArmour leggings next weekend along with a mock long sleeve top. That way I don't freeze to death EVERY time I run.

Wish me luck! I'll keep everyone posted on what races I am in! By the way..I'm running to finish..not to compete...at least not yet! Come cheer me on!

Field Trip

I took my first field trip yesterday! All by myself too! I took 5 juniors from my Web Design I class to Olney to check out their WTGR News equipment and sit in on their Web Design class. The kids loved it and we got some really great ideas! During Mrs. Caraway's prep period, we created a video of our own, added in some footage in front of the green screen, edited the timeline, put in some music, and viola..we have a movie to show the rest of the Web Design kids today! I am so excited to incorporate video production into Web Design II next year. To get the kids geared up for it and give everyone a little taste of what's in store for next year, I think we are going to create a really cool commercial to advertise the Saddie Hawkins Dance in the Spring.

I thought the day went really well and so did the kids. We all learned more than I thought we would and it was a very productive day! We even made a bloopers video from the day spent at ERHS! It was neat going back to my high school. Things have changed a LOT though. Rules are not as strict, cell phones are basically okay as long as they are not used during class, new teachers, rude students, and many other things. It's different when you step away from things and look back at it all. The departments that were strong when I was there still seem to be the strong departments now...especially Ag! Wow! Very popular!

Anyways, our day was great and I cannot wait to show my Web Design class, colleagues, and administration what we learned!

BarackTails Anyone?

Oh yes! It was a late night last night for me. Didn't go to bed till 10:30. YIKES! That's late for me. We knew all along Barack would make us proud! Change is what we need and change is what we will get, along with history in the making. My family and I are huge Obama supporters and we were so excited last night when he won! He took states that haven't voted Democratic in decades! Leslie, Samantha, Rhett, and I watched the Road to 270 while Pat drank BarackTails(instead of cocktails). Then he headed into the Court House, Democratic Headquarters, and VFW with mom. What a night! We knew he would pull it off!! We have been behind him since he ran for the Senate in 2004. Mom and Pat have went to see him several times. We have buttons, stickers, magnets, and t-shirts that show our support for him. We only hope that we will prove the McCain supporters wrong and turn this country around.

Rylan and I were talking last night, and many of our students swear this world is coming to an end. Many students only see what is shown in the commercials and on TV. However, I have a few students that prove their peers wrong by pulling up the candidate's websites for the truth! It amazes me how the students really are involved in the politics.

Congratulations Barack Obama on a successful election! I look forward to see the changes that he has in store for us in the future!

Photography Blog

My best friend and I have started a blog that we can publish our photos on. I encourage everyone to check it out! http://amy-n-erin.blogspot.com/

Photography Class

This was my second week for my photography class. We had to take pictures last week and bring them to class this Tuesday to show everyone. My teacher and the classmates were all very impressed with my pictures. They said I take very artsy and creative pictures. So I decided to attach some of them for everyone to enjoy!

What's in a Name?

What's in a name?
That which we call a roseBy any other name would smell as sweet.
-Juilet, Shakespeare

Amy means: beloved. Latin origin.
Louise means: From the name Louisa, meaning fights with honor. French origin.

Rylan means: From the name Ryland, meaning from the Rye Land. English origin.
Andrew means: manly, courageous. Greek origin.

Six Random Things About Me

The rules
1. Post the rules on your blog.
2. Write 6 random things about yourself.
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post(or as many as you want)
4. If you are tagged, do it and pass the tag along.
5. Enjoy Six Random Things About Me.

Six Random Things About Me
1. I have a serious OCD problem. Ask Rylan..he'll tell you. Every drawer, shelf, closet, etc. must be perfectly organized. AND I instantly know when someone has taken something without permission, because it is missing from it's place! Yes, I'm that crazy!
2. I can become very claustrophobic especially whenever I get hot in a small space. Elevators are my worst enemy!
3. I LOVE chocolate! I could eat it everyday of my life!
4. I make a 'To Do' list every night before I go to bed. Otherwise, I can't sleep because I have SO many things running through my head that I don't want to forget to do the next day. The list helps me get the items off my mind so I can sleep better. It's true!
5. Rylan and I had our first kiss when we were nearly a year old.
6. Although I love my career as a teacher, I would love to spend my life owning and working on a huge grain and livestock farm for a living with Rylan and our kids..when we have them. ;)

Um..yah..so those of 6 random things about me. I could go on and on with things that are totally random about me, but you only get to know 6 of the millions. ENJOY! Erin....now it's your turn!!

A Crazy Week and Weekend!

This week has been crazy! From my KickBoxing class on Monday nights to my Photography class on Tuesday nights to exercising every morning with Samantha and walking every evening with Abby, my weeks are so hectic that I can NOT wait for the weekends to arrive!

Rylan left early yesterday morning to take his FFA Officers to Indianapolis to National FFA Convention. And I just talked to my mom and she said he called her while he was watching Barak Obama give his speech at the Rally in Indy!! Mom and I are both completely jealous! I'm sure Rylan is enjoying it though. He should be home sometime tomorrow evening.

You would think that both of us would slow down during the weekends, but this weekend, just like any other, looks like it is going to be just as crazy as our weeks are. Saturday, Olney and Noble FFA are selling pork burgers at VTC for their open house, Randy's cattle sale is both Saturday and Sunday, Jon and Lisa's hayride is Saturday evening, 4th Sunday Family Night at church on Sunday...and the list goes on!

Amanda Tarr came into school yesterday to drop of some things for me and I showed her our napkins and programs. She loved the napkins and could not believe the picture of Rylan and I kissing when we were babies is real. Seems that we were just meant to be! ;-)

Hopefully we will find some time to spend with each other this weekend...plus relaxation! We both need that!

Covered Bridge Festival

What a crazy weekend! Mom and I went to Rockville to stay with Sheila and Larry this weekend. We took Deb, Erin, and August with us. It was great to spend the weekend with them! We haven't done that since we went to Dresden, Ohio. We had a great time and found lots of good bargains! I have some awesome pictures that Erin and I took of August. I will try to remember to bring them to school tomorrow and upload them over my lunch!

Yesterday, Mom and I took Rylan's mom and grandma to Vincennes with us to try on my dress. Leslie and Lacey met us over there to give their input on how everything looks together. Julie tried on some mother's dresses also.Then we went to Lowe's to look at a new microwave and refrigerator. We also looked a prices of stoves and dishwashers. This whole starting out thing is scary! Rylan and I just keep counting our pennies for our down payment on our house and then planning out the next few summers of what to renovate and what to buy new. Crazy Crazy!

Parent/Teacher Conferences

So I have officially had my first LONG day as a teacher. The Business Department had a curriculum revitalization meeting this morning at 7:30 with Administration and Guidance and we had Parent/Teacher Conferences tonight from 5-9. Needless to say, my day just keeps dragging on! However, parent/teacher conferences went very well. I did not get yelled at any..in fact..most parents and I got along really well, which is great from a teacher's standpoint! But I am dead tired and I have no motivation to do anything, and I was reading Mindy's blog and decided to create one of my own! What a brilliant idea! We have pt conferences tomorrow from 8-11:30 and then I am heading straight home to leave for the Covered Bridge Festival! Mom and I are going with Deb, Erin, and August and I am SO excited to spend the weekend with them! We are staying with Sheila and Larry and I know we will have a blast! We have food to eat, money to burn(not really tho!), beverages to drink, and laughter to share!