via Instagram http://ift.tt/1iW0iFs I know Halloween is over but...
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Spent 40 minutes organizing my ducks last week. Since then I've gotten three more. Oops!
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Saturday, October 17, 2015
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Enjoying the parade yesterday. Hope all you Americans had a fun, safe Fourth of July!
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Friday, June 26, 2015
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
It's Pink and It Tastes Like Cotton Candy. THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER
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Wednesday, June 17, 2015
It's Not Summer Until the First S'More
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Oh summer, the magical, mystical time of year. The sun is out and the shorts are on and anything feel possible. I love it, don't you? For me, summer is official after I've roasted a marshmallow over a real fire and then eaten it's crunchy, fluffy goodness and repeated the process five or six or twenty times (I really like marshmallows). Two weeks into the summer vacation, I finally got to have my s'more. Now I'm ready to blast off into a whirlwind of summery stuff.
This year, I've decided to approach things a little different than my usual relaxing vacations. I want to use this summer to grow as a person, and so I've complied a list of goals for things I want to do before August 13, my first day of school stuff. My list is as follows:
1. Learn to love to eat healthy. No more relying on chips and McDonalds to survive the day. I know s'mores are counter productive to this, but sometimes you have to enjoy a treat too. The key is balance. Which leads to my next goal.
2. Learn to cook more than just chicken and potatoes. Seriously, I can't survive on chicken and potatoes forever.
3. Learn to run. I've wanted to do this forever, and I figure if not now, when? This will probably be my toughest goal, but it's the one I'm most excited about too.
Most of these goals are in the general direction of getting fit and hopefully staying that way once school starts. I love myself, and I know my husband loves me, but I want to feel good every day no matter what. I want people to look at me and think: She works for what she has. I also, someday, want to be able to feel good doing cosplay because I think that would be badass. Despite all of this, my last goals are totally unrelated and mostly for fun. I'm very excited about them:
4. Learn to take photographs. I'm not saying going to be a great photographer, but I have a pretty nice camera and I want to learn to use it and use it well.
5. Learn to quilt, and finish at least one quilt. Hopefully the ugly duckling quilt, which is well on its way to completion.
So, that's what the ducks and I will be up to this summer. Care to join us? Happy summering everyone!
Friday, June 12, 2015
Ugly Duckling Quilt Contest
Alright, so I did something crazy. There is this lovely little shop near my grandma's that sells sewing/quilting machines and fabric. This store decided to have an "Ugly Duckling into Beautiful Swans Quilt Contest". So you get a mystery bag with four different fabrics that are...less than attractive. And then you have to make them into a beautiful quilt.
I have never made a quilt before even once in my life. But for some reason I decided this would be a good idea. So I have this fantastic idea in my head for a really amazing quilt.
Wish me luck! I'm dying to win. 
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Monday, June 8, 2015
Quite possibly the coolest gift I've ever gotten! Captain America rubber duck from the Avengers Exchange!
So, I really really love participating in Reddit Gifts Exchanges. But sometimes I get jipped. However, this most recent time was NOT one of them. I totally love this Captain America duck! How awesome is it that someone took the time to custom make a combination of two of my favorite things?
With everything that's been going on lately, it's good to know there are still really good people out there who enjoy making people happy.
Thanks Reddit Gifts for providing me with a little bit of fun. :)
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Sunday, June 7, 2015
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Badass restaurant in Utah serves a "Duckie Death Star"
So, when I read the name "Duckie Death Star" I didn't think it could be that bad. It literally involves rubber ducks in the title. Then they brought out these monstrosities and I realized I was very, very wrong.
I don't really drink. It's just not my style. But I'd do pretty much anything for a rubber duck. So I ordered myself a Duckie Death Star with the intent of sharing it with a friend. We both ordered meals and showed the waitress our IDs and then patiently waited for everything to come out.
AFTER ordering I looked at the drunk menu to see what was in my Duckie Death Star (it's really fun to say, okay). NOT A SINGLE THING IN THERE WAS ALCOHOL FREE. I was literally about to drink a fishbowl of alcohol. For a rubber duck. What is wrong with me?!? So I had about three drinks from it and noped out, passing it on to my friend. After eating all my food, I had a few more drinks. I figured that was good, I barely drank half but I still felt I had earned my rubber duck.
Imagine my surprise when everything started to feel a little weird. I stood up to go to the bathroom and it all hit me at once. It was not pleasant! But at the end of the day, it only took a few glasses of water to feel normal again. AND I got two uniquely adorable rubber ducks!
The morals of the story are as follows:
1) Being drunk is definitely not for me.
2) Always check the drink menu before ordering.
3) The rubber duck is ALWAYS worth it in the end.
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Monday, May 25, 2015
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Monday, March 23, 2015
We are officially declaring this week Cinderella Week. Break out the blue!
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Saturday, March 21, 2015
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Left a pot of green for my husband this St. Patrick's Day. I don't really think gold is his color.
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Sunday, March 15, 2015
Sunday, February 15, 2015
The Night $7.33 Changed My View On Life
Last Saturday started out completely unremarkable. I woke up, I cleaned. Jordan woke up and helped me. We went and got some Dunkin Donuts (the newest "spot" in Logan). Seriously, boring. Then a dear friend called and he and his wife offered to make us dinner. So they came over with some amazing chili, which we gobbled up. Then we decided to have some fun and headed over to another friend's apartment.
I feel like it's taking forever so I start watching the guy in front of me. His card gets declined. One, two, three times later I look at the price. $7.33. Declined again. Then again. I hear myself say, "Hey, can I buy this? Would that be alright?" The man and he he cashier both look at me. I feel a little awkward but I swipe my credit card. Done. The man turns and thanks me about a hundred times. I realize he has tears in his eyes. He introduces himself and then gets his stuff and leaves. The cashier is grinning at me and telling me how nice I am.
Around 12:30 we decided to go to Taco Bell and Walmart. I wanted a Dr. Pepper and some snacks. My friends wanted some straws and obviously, some tacos.
So anyways, we get to Taco Bell and they are out of beef! Does that make sense? No. Did it happen anyways? Yes. So we are now taking forever to decide what all the people in my car want that doesn't involve beef. And this car rolls up behind us revving its engine. We can't hear the guy through the speaker, and he can't hear us and it's getting super frustrating. Suddenly the guy starts screaming profanities at us. What the heck? So the less than sober ladies in my car flip the kid behind us off. He pretends to get out of his car to come at us but I don't really do anything about it so he gets back in. We get our food and drive away. THE CRAZY GUY FOLLOWED US!! Screaming and making rude gestures and all kinds of craziness. He finally gets bored and spins around, hitting a tree in the process. At this point a friend is on the phone with the police, so we left the psycho and his tree and drive back to Walmart.
At this point, I feel like crap. I'm shaky and just down on the world. Why would someone work so hard to hurt a carful of people they don't know? Most everyone stays in the car because they are freaked out. Anyways. I gather my snacks and my friend gathers her stuff and we head to the check out. My friend heads to the bathroom and I wait in line. I'm so excited for this Dr. Pepper it's unbelievable.
That night I learned a lesson I will never forget. People are mean. Seriously, this world is full of awful human beings. But I can change that. Kindness is eternal, and all you have to do is spread it. I went from completely downtrodden to feeling good for two whole days. SO if you ever feel like the world is out to get you, do something nice for someone. It's going to make a difference, I guarantee it.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Reflections on the Common Core
As a high school teacher, I find myself increasingly turning to the Common Core to determine which lesson I should teach next. In fact, it is so important that I teach to the Core that I have been given a huge book that breaks down standards one by one.
As I was completing an assignment for my class on teaching English/Language Arts using the Core, I found myself reflecting on my feelings of this new standard and standardized testing in general. Most of the teachers, and even some parents hate the Core and standardized testing. It is expected for me to oppose them as well, because I am a teacher and therefore they must be hindering my creativity and ability to teach. But to the contrary, the more I read and attempt to understand these standards, the more useful they become to me. I know, I was shocked too.
Don't get me wrong, by implementing a Common Core, the United States has NOT standardized education. They haven't even necessarily improved education yet. The Core doesn't provide exceptions for kids with disabilities or kids considering an alternative career path. It is designed to get students ready for college and that's pretty much it. However, teachers can use these standards to guide their instruction for other students who may not fit into the target group. I like that. I think teachers need something to guide them. A goal to strive for, if you will. Otherwise my classes would be much easier moved to a tangent, and nobody learns that way.
The real problem with the Core lies in how it is evaluated. Standardized testing, while easy to do, is not a successful measurement of student achievement. For example, I have a 12th grade student reading on a sixth grade level. With specialized instruction and accommodations and one on one time, this student is able to operate academically on an eighth grade level. When tested, he receives the same questions as his peers who are at or above grade level. True, he may receive accommodations but that doesn't put him at 12th grade. So he is considered a failure, when in reality he is much more successful than last year. I'm sure thousands of teachers have stories like this and could back me up. It's sad, but what can I do?
My first year of college, as I started my classes and got ready for my career, I thought I'd be the teacher that changed the world. That my friends and I could ban together and make a Big Difference in education. I thought that I'd be a name worth remembering. And now, in my own classroom, I still want that. I want things to change so that my students are never left behind. So they don't feel dumb, and they aren't told they can't do something. But I don't even know if it's possible anymore. People hate change. People hate being told how to improve. People will fight academics tooth and nail for the rest of forever. So instead of changing the world, I will change my classroom. I won't leave my struggling students behind. I'll use the core to guide my instruction. What I want from everyone else is to support me. Support your teachers, your schools, your students. Recognize and appreciate and reward the little changes that are being made.
Always remember, big changes have little beginnings.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Love and Loss
I can't believe it has been three weeks. Time flies whether you are having fun or not. Three weeks ago, my darling husband was faced with the biggest challenge immaginable, and we had to say goodbye to his mother. 
Tracey was one of the most giving people I have ever met. Never did she meet someone without trying to help them or give them something or telling them about something they'd find useful. On her trip to Hawaii, she called and asked a million times what we wanted her to bring back. I, of course, said a rubber duck. Tracey searched high and low on the island for ducks, and when she couldn't find one, she came back and bought me all of these for my birthday.
Aren't they cute? I don't know where they came from. But that's just the kind of person Travey was.
I loved hear dearly. It hurts my heart that my children will never know their darling grandma. That my husband has so many accomplishments ahead that his mom will miss. It is so hard to lose someone, especially so suddenly.
I have been thinking of this post for days, but I didn't know what to say. I'm sorry we didn't get to say goodbye. I'm sorry I never made a Yule log with you. I'm sorry I was short tempered and easily annoyed. I would change so many things I did. But I did love you, and I hope you knew that.
Second Favorite Holiday
I love Valentine's Day. I have ALWAYS loved Valentine's Day, even when I was totally single and absolutely hopeless. So as January ends, PINK is taking over my apartment.
This newest little duckling lights up and has hearts all over her body. My amazing grandma bought it for me the week my mother-in-law died. Everyone knows that nothing lifts my spirits like a rubber duck.
The striped blanket was made by my best friend/name twin's extemsly talented mom. It was part of a blanket exchange! I got this beautiful, warm blanket in exchange for sewing Jaymi and her mom's blankets together. There's were made from fleece and fake fur. My office is actually still covered in fake fur.
The other blanket (on the black couch) is flannel. It was a fabric I found at JoAnn one day with my grandma and I HAD to have. I thought I was pretty pink so the flaming skulls really appealed to me. My grandma bought it and then she quilted it on the (then) brand new quilting machine with my little sister.
On the shelf in the back is a cute picture of my husband as a little kid, and a Valentine's Build-A-Bear I made with my mom and sisters a long, long time ago. My mom had just gotten her tax return and took us there and I fell in love with this little bear that "blows kisses" because it's hands attach to its cheeks.
Hmm. Maybe I love Valentine's Day because of all the memories. Here's to making some new ones this year. 😘
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