I am so happy that Spring has finally sprung! I am in love with these warm and long afternoons. It is wonderful! So I have found my new spring love ....

This clutch is absolutely amazing. I saw it on one of my favorite blogs Style Me Pretty. The clutch is made by BeeGee Bags which I am so in love with. They are a little on the costly side, but so adorable!! :)

Next week is the beginning of my spring break and I have a few plans... clean out my crazy, messy, scary closests and donate some of the good to okay stuff to our church yard sale. Sooo if you are a yard sale junkie...

Mt. Herman Church Yard Sale: Lizzie, NC

April 10, 2010

I don't know the time,

but I am sure it is early am...

I am super duper excited about getting rid of stuff, but I am sure that I am going to find something of someone else's that I want. I am a... yard sale junkie. Isn't it great that another person's trash is another man's treasure?! Hence the following chair...

I found it at a thrift store and it is Francesca's favorite perch.

I get so nervous when throwing items away because I am scared that I am going to throw something out that I may want back one day... but I think that you are suppose to think about the season of the clothing and if you wore it any during that past season... if yes, then keep, if no... toss it. Tossing means there will be space for more and that means SHOPPING!

Speaking of shopping Ann Taylor Loft has a program called.... LOFT loves teachers and I am so excited about it!! You can sign up and they will give you a 20% off coupon as long as you bring in your teacher id... so you can guess what is in my bag... yes the 20% off coupon and right beside it my teacher id and I will be using that this weekend! :) Its time to spend that Sylvan paycheck! The girls that I work with at Sylvan think that it is so funny that I work there to support my shopping habit, but a girl has to do what a girl has to do!

Happy Spring! Clean out those scary closests and go shopping!

Crazy Obsessions...

Tonight I had a creative moment and I decided to begin working on my friend, Chelsea's bachelorette invitations. Not only did it satisfy my want to be creative for a moment, but reassured me that one day I would love to do this for other people. I love creating invitations, addressing the envelopes, and making it look extra special for the person who opens it! I also love weddings and anything and everything that has to do with them. I think they are the best events in the world and I would want nothing more in my life than to plan them for others and one day myself! ;) I love how a wedding shows the personality of the couple and shows you how much in love they are... ahh I am day dreaming! :) I love all the personal touches and I love thinking about the invitations... mhhh nice crisp paper and multiple envelopes... haha I am obsessed with the idea of an invitation. I remember when I was a freshman in college and I insisted on sending out an invitation for my birthday party that was just for my family... haha! Not only does an invitation invite someone to an event, but it shows them how much YOU care about the event! They will want to come ten times more if you have a beautiful and wonderfully prepared invitation! Oh and a matching stamp is just the icing on the cake. At Zazzle you can make your own stamp, but my only, only, only problem with these is the.... you guessed it the barcode looking thing on the right side... ugh it drives me INSANE!! (Can we just say that I am a tad bit picky?) I would much rather stick with the good ol' post office. Also, if you go in Grimesland, NC there is a wonderful lady that works there in the afternoon that is super-duper friendly! I have a new favorite stamp... yes see the obsession... I am in love with this stamp... if you don't like it I am sorry! :) I would much rather have a random stamp from the post office than that barcode!! But I guess people do whatever and the barcode may not bother everybody... but it drives me crazy! I hope I have enlightened you in my love for invitations and addressing invitations, which some people find so boring! Sorry for the random rant, but I decided to come out of the closet about my weird obsessions for weddings and invitations.

With Love,

Birthdays... Birthdays!!

Hello everyone!

Today I feel as if I am up to my ears in birthday presents!!! I love gift giving so I always spend way too much on everyone because I want the present to be perfect for them! This month of March is always filled with birthdays, birthdays, birthdays! (Lynetti's, Mom's, Ms. Elizabeth's, and Tracy's)

I am so excited that Tracy is home for the week so that we can celebrate her birthday with her! She came home to see beautiful little Kade who is my cousins new baby boy! He is so precious and I love when I get to see him! The other day on the snow day he feel asleep on me for an hour. How amazing is our God that he can create something so beautiful and innocent.

As time keeps passing Jonathan and I have realized that we are growing up.... its bitter sweet. I miss the times when I was a little girl, but I love being independent and on my own. I am beginning to see the changes in life... Last Wednesday I went to visit Stephanie on her birthday for a surprise. We all had a blast and Stephanie showed us her future house with Jasper, which is where he lives now. WOW my best friend from college who I use to act so silly with is about to start a family of her own. I am so amazed. It has sprung up on all of us so fast that it is hard to take it in. A few weekends ago I went with my sorority on their retreat and I felt at home and so out of place at the same time. The new candidates were just so giddy about starting their new adventure in the sorority and mine had finally ended. I am in awe of how time changes us slowly in the moment, but quickly in hindsight. I love everything God has led me through and I know that I will be in love with my future. I am so blessed and I am reminded that on a daily basis. When I hear of some of the struggles my students go through I feel so weak, because I know that I could not stand strong like they do. God definitely hands us what we can handle. He never gives us anything that we can't handle, which is so wonderful.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Go drink good wine and laugh with friends. ;)

Love,

That Lovey Dovey Day

So I promised an update on the Valentines day surprises and Jonathan definitely impressed me today. This morning I randomly saw a card and a little box sitting on the table. The card was beautiful and so sweet! The box was the most beautiful set of pearl earrings! I was so excited!! They are my first real pair of pearls! We then headed to church with my parents and then lunch afterwards. When we finally got home there was a note on my door from a florist... I was so surprised! I can't even begin to tell you how in love I am.....

I am constantly empowered by how great our God is! He has a way of sending us the most perfect person. My grandparents always prove to me that love can take you through life and leave you with the best memories.

Can you believe that the picture is of my grandparents on their wedding day?! This picture hangs in my apartment and makes me smile every time I look at it. When I was single it reminded me each day that there was love out there and I would find it someday and now that I have found the love of my life it reminds me about all the great memories that Jonathan and I will have in our future together.

So in love!

In love....

...with life... Sunday is going to be Valentines day.. I had to devote a blog to it! :)

Love (luv), n., v., 1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. 2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection. amour

Each day I teach and continue to live life I become more in love with who I am and my path that I have traveled down. Many people continuously look back and say "oh I shouldn't have done that," and yes sometimes thats okay, but we really should learn from each up and down. I know I have. I am not really sure how my next sentence is going to tie into this "love" thing but each night I try and read from a nightly devotional book (trust me... it doesn't happen every night). The other night I read something so striking... the author was talking about being yourself and pleasing God and you will still be loved (YES I TIED IT IN!!) by the people who matter the most. This is the Jess-quote from the devotion.... (Jess-quote being how I remember it).... "Live life as if God is the only one to please, then God will give you the supernatural power to attract the people that are perfect for you." How amazing is that? Love God, please God, and then people will still love you?! Again.. how amazing. I think that pleasing my God would be much more simple than pleasing this world where we live. Though I do believe that the outdoors and simple, pleasing things in this life were meant to be enjoyed and loved by us... they make me smile...

Soooo speaking of love my best friend Stephanie is engaged and I am so excited. The other day we were talking about how crazy fast life is moving! Every second is just passing us by! I am so excited for her and Jasper (the groom)!! I can't wait!!

Last, but not least by any means...

....I am in love with Jonathan. : )

I picked out the perfect Valentines day card today and it didn't take me two hours like it normally does!! I am very curious of what he is planning for Valentines day.... he has been really secretive about it.... I have absolutely NO idea and it is killing me!! I am sooo nosy, but I guess I will have to wait till Sunday for this one! I will definitely give out an update of what this secret is!

amour.

Always smiling...

Recently I find myself always smiling no matter what has happened... today I read this verse and it made me smile.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4: 4,6

God is so amazing.

Tonight Jonathan and I were talking about if he actually read this blog at all... because I was excited that I am learning how to revamp it and everything haha... and can you believe he actually does read it!! How that made me smile, even though he said he just wanted to see what I said about him. He should be assured that it will never be anything bad. ;) I have never been more happy than now. I can't believe we are going on 9 months; I feel like we are an old married couple that couldn't be happier. I think I have found my true love.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13

On another note.... Does anyone hate New Year's resolutions besides me? I feel as if we only set ourselves up to fail when we make them... or well I set myself up to fail. I am so bad a following through on things that I decide unless it is apart of my usual everyday routine... maybe thats why I haven't loss that 10 pounds... hummm... haha. My Aunt Mollie gives the children's sermon at my church every Sunday and the one today was so special. She read the Serenity Prayer and then told the kids what her New Year's resolution was and I actually think I could handle this one... she said that everyday when she looked in the mirror she was going to ask herself what type of person she was going to be that day sooo I think I am going to try this out, but usually I am pretty happy in the morning and usually pretty happy on the way home. I have come to realize that the more we fuss and argue about things its not going to change. I am always telling my students that they will get more with sugar than vinegar and it is so true.

I think I am rambiling so I will stop....

Now what this blog is really about.. school..... (on to things that made me a little sad this week..) I am really struggling with having to teach EOC classes. My students overall did not do that well and it upsets me so much because I feel like I have poured my heart into them. Oh well I guess I will learn from it and move on... I can't do much now I guess.

Sweet dreams,

Sleepy Kitties

I hope you had a great Christmas...

Now that Christmas is over... New Years is coming quickly and the kitties and I are sleepy. :)

This Christmas was very normal like usual except for Jonathan being added to the mix which was awesome. On Christmas night I went to his mom's house to meet his grandparents which was exciting. I am enjoying every moment we have together. Wednesday will be eight months!! How wonderful! We are actually heading out to Memphis, TN for the Liberty Bowl game!! Jonathan is so so so excited. I really believe his blood is purple. I have never seen someone so into ECU tailgating and football!

As far as teaching goes I am a bit nervous about my kiddies taking the EOC. I am scared that they are not as concerned about it as I am, which I know they are not. I have no idea how they will be when they get back from that Christmas break. I am hoping that they will be well rested and ready, but I will probably report back that they were tired and un-ready. I am beginning to get very excited about next semester though because I am going to attempt the well talked about... "Mastery Learning" I have no idea how this is going to go but it will not hurt to try it. Mastery Learning is based upon the idea that you don't move on to a different topic until the students "master" the previous topic. Mastery is defined as 85% or better on the quiz for that topic. It makes sense in my head, but I am sure when I start it is going to flop horribly.... oh well.

Lately I feel I am in a creative slump... I have not been creative in a while and it is driving me crazy! I feel as if I need to find a tiny little room to rent to have all my craft stuff everywhere and just make things.... thats my goal when I retire in 25+ years. I will craft and craft and craft and then sell stuff at little stores and on etsy.com... which is one of the problems with my bank account balance... that and iTunes... ugh haha :)

Well until next time,

Topsy Turvy...

Life right now is constantly lived on a day to day basis. The only way I can think about the future is if I pull out my pink calendar and plan something in advance. It's amazing how your life leads you through many different walks of life.. it is so interesting. First you start out as a tiny itty bitty baby in your parents arms... eventually you learn to walk, talk, play.. then you start school and it sorta rushes by from there (here comes my montage of pictures from the past... and present)

I have been the same since birth...

it's very evident in this picture... haha

Here I am in with my granddaddy.... What a cute picture!

I don't have any pictures from high school on the computer. Below is me with some of my sorority sisters. How I love these girls! They definitely got me through every hard time in college. They helped me keep my walk with God on the right path and I am so thankful for each of them.

God definitely blessed me with 30+ sisters that I never had growing up.

This picture is about a year ago when life was slowly changing and great things were happening. These are some of my closest friends..... My best friend Stephanie on the left has been the hardest to be away from. She recently moved to Atlantic Beach and it has been a struggle not having her around as much :(

Ahh.. this picture brings back memories of my internship during college. Wow little did I know what I was getting myself into :)

And... this is by far one of my favorites. Jonathan has definitely blessed my life in so many ways. I am so thankful that God brought us together. I believe to this day that God put each of us through different paths so that he could put us together at the perfect time. God definitely knows his timing much better than me. If it was up to me I would have asked to meet Jonathan much earlier... but God is all-knowing and his timing is priceless...

....its so unique how each of us survive every moment that we thought we would never get through. I feel like I am always telling my students that high school will only be a tiny breeze in a few years, but most of them still don't believe me and worry about everyone and anything they can. (But what teacher wouldn't admit that they were exactly like many of the students.....) I always hear my coworkers say... "I was just like that in school... I should go apologize to my teachers..." haha...

I do know that I do find myself questioning why I didn't do better in high school. I could have easily made a 100 in every math class if I had only listened better.... oh well.. can't go back now!

I am so thankful of the life God has given me. I find myself always praising him because of how wonderful he is. He has blessed me so much more than I ever deserve. Through the years I have learned to be so thankful for everything he has given me.... I hope you feel the same way too...

Be thankful... Jess