inspired...yes

It is funny how once you get out of school, meeting friends is a very different process.  The way you make friends can get pretty creative.  This particular couple, Geoff & Lisa, were friended by the husband and I in a very strange way indeed - we shared the same wedding photographer!  Turns out, they also happen to be wedding photographers and we met them when the husband surprised me with a first-year anniversary shoot and they were there, with our wedding photographer, to second-shoot.  We hit it off pretty instantly, and even though we all have pretty busy lives, we still get to see each other for some good-fun shenanigans.

So, I'm getting to the point, I promise.

Day Sixteen - Who Inspires Me

Geoff & Lisa of The Goodness

Not just for their awesome photos they capture of their couples

or their ability to cook from scratch like its nobody's business

but also for this - the darn cutest photo shoot I've seen

and tying it all together with a pretty little bow

they took these photos for their 2nd Wedding Anniversary

go figure!

If you want to see more of their "Up" inspired photos go check out their blog

And yes, there is an "Up" house - in Utah

Photos by Blue Lily Photography

(who also happens to pretty inspiration, and super blog-stalking worthy!)

day fourteen - favorite movie

this is a real hard one... so let me give you two.

Almost Famous 

image here & here

The story of a young girl who travels with a rock band.  It's hard not to fall in love with this storyline.  I first saw this movie in college and have been enamored by it ever since.

A League of Their Own

image here & here

A movie about a girls professional baseball league that also happened to have just about the cutest uniforms you could imagine, and inspired by true stories = favorite movie of all time.

Funny thing I just realized, I have been both of these leading ladies for Halloween!

sunday's "so they said"

this wonderful three day weekend I've had quite a bit of time on my own

so what better thing to do than taking a little afternoon stroll...with my camera

and now on to some sunday business -

this week was filled with lots of grading

here are two things that were "said" on paper, and cracked me up, and scared me all at the same time! And one classroom question I had to keep a straight face for!

one of the essay questions I asked students was what event they thought had the biggest impact on getting the colonists to enter into war with England...here was one response:

"The boston tea party had the greatest influence because they got tired of the tea."

Sounds like a good reason to go to war.  I'm not a big fan of tea either.

And I also learned some geography facts:
Asia is now apparently a country.

My favorite question from the week:
"Is Martha Washington the wife of George Washington?"


Really?  I mean, REALLY?  I kindly responded yes, and that I blame your first grade teacher for that one!

Pretty proud of the above three quotes, and that brings me to...
day twelve: what I'm pretty darn proud of
Well, it's pretty clear I'm not going to say the above knowledge that was displayed this week.  At least they are trying, and I do remember that they are thirteen, and so I just smile when they have a "moment", even though it hurts me inside just a tad.

But, in all seriousness, what am I proud of.  Hearing that my class is an 8th graders favorite class to go to, who is a self-proclaimed "hater of history", that is a moment to be proud of.

Also, the fact that I taught a teenager Martha Washington was our first President's wife.  Hey, at least she got it before high school!

love me some...

day eleven: I sometimes always crave

image here

day twelve: blogs that inspire me

rockstar diaries

I'm not a mormon blogger - but I'm pretty into this one!

the dainty squid

her hair, her style, her overall awesomeness

her library adventures

the thrifting, the design, & pyrex = daily reading

switching things around

so, today is technically day 9 which is a close up of my day.  Well, for me, that's a tad silly because tomorrow is the 10th, and if you have been reading here long, that means 10 on 10 time!  If you haven't seen this before it is a photo project where you shoot one photo an hour for ten hours, on the tenth of each month.  I can't think of a "closer" up view of my day - so let that be tomorrow!

Instead, I'm in a day ten kind of mood...

day ten: what I love about my job

considering I have dedicated an entire blog, well mostly, to my job

you've probably figured out why I love it so much

but just in case it isn't clear

let me count the ways  I love my job

one - I love the way my students can make me smile unlike anyone else

two - I love that my "place of work" is my classroom, my very own space, not a cubicle

three - I love that no matter if my student is five or thirteen, they need me just the same

four - I love seeing the "lightbulb" moment

five - I love their humor

six - I love getting to be creative everyday

seven - I love hearing my students being excited about what they are learning

eight - I love seeing former students

nine - I love that kids are so capable of showing appreciation

ten - I love being asked questions I don't always know the answers to

eleven - I love knowing I made someone smile

twelve - I love seeing how proud a student can be of their own work

thirteen - I love that I learn something new everyday

fourteen - I love that my days are never the same

fifteen - I love when a student just "hangs around" after school to talk

I love that my place is in the classroom, and that I found that place at only 22.  I love that I have already taught over 275 kids - not counting any summer school classes or subbing!

classroom   quotes    art   writing

day eight - last thing I bought

not that I needed one more reason to love instagram

but here's one anyways

can't wait to get my first order in the mail!

meet StickyGram.

catching up

As I found out before, on weekends when I have my masters classes, blogging will not be happening.  So, here's a little catch-up on 30 days hath november. 

day five: 3 years ago today...kind of.  What was I doing three years ago?  Well, I tried my best.  And, because I'm not planning on using this little tidbit of knowledge I learned in my technology class this weekend, I might as well use it blogging!

this little word web was created using wordle.net

it could be a really fun brainstorming tool

or a way for kids to make a different version of an "all about me"

at the start of a school year

this year, we'll see if I actually utilize this free online based program

but I'll keep you posted

day six: a book I'm reading

hmmm...does my student's Declaration of Independence projects count?  no, well, that's the best I've got right now!  Want some actual reading suggestions - go check out jessica mae of Confessions of a Book Hoarder who I mentioned here.  She's a book blogger, and puts me most people to shame when it comes to "pleasure reading".

day seven:  my song of the day couldn't be more perfect.  Pandora has been reading my mind when playing "old" coldplay.  With what's been coming out lately from them, I have forgotten how much I really did love what used to grace my cd player oh so frequently.  While getting ready this morning this song came on...and seeing as how we have finally gotten our winter chill here in northern california, it made my morning coffee taste even better.

image here

day four - she's my other half

miss jessica mae

we met on move-in day freshman year of college

I needed help hooking up my pc

(the reason I now use a mac)

and she was just across the hall

almost ten years later we have had so many good times

gotten through some difficult ones

she has truly been my other half since I was 18

and I'm pretty thankful for that

30 days hath november

day three: can't leave the house without...

my phone.

the husband is a close second.  

but I must leave the house without him, but not my phone

and if you know me well, I'm NOT a talker

or really a texter

it is more the nice little convenient camera with internet access!
30 days hath november

day two - inspirational quotes

Three quotes that mean something to me - go figure, they have something to do with teaching!

"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken

joy in creative expression and knowledge."
Albert Einstein

My next quote is short, sweet, and from the wonderfully amazing Alice of Wonderland.  It was first shared with me at the end of last school year, when I was experiencing a very sad, stressful situation regarding being laid off, again.  Now, I get to see it in the mornings on the coffee mug where it lives, and it always reminds me of the student and family who gave it to me, and that's pretty great.

"It would be so nice if something made sense for a change."

Alice

My last quote is very special to me.   It came to me in the form of a letter, given to me on the last day of school last year, written by a mom of one of my students, and yes, it made me cry.  So here it is, from the beloved Nanny McPhee -

"There is something you should understand about the way I work.  When you need me but do not want me, then I must stay.  When you want me but no longer need me, then I have to go.  It's rather sad, really, but there it is."

For me, and my five years in the classroom so far, could not be summed up any better.

And now I leave you with a glimpse at the Declaration of Independence project my students completed last week.  And yes, this is the student who was mentioned in this weeks "So They Said"

Go check out other inspirational quotes!

30 Days Hath November

30 days hath november

day one: self portrait

today, I stumbled unto a little challenge I'm going to try out

So Fawned is starting her second annual 

30 days hath november

every day has something different to inspire your blogging

so here's my self-portrait

taken yesterday at school while I was rockin' my halloween spirit

want to play along - or see what's coming up?

well - here you go...

the list:

Day 01: A self-portrait.
Day 02: Three inspirational quotes. 
Day 03: Something I never leave the house without.
Day 04: A friend I adore.
Day 05: Three years ago today.
Day 06: A book I'm reading. 
Day 07: A song for the day.
Day 08: The last item I purchased.
Day 09: A close-up of my day.
Day 10: What I love about my job. 
Day 11: Something I’ve been craving.
Day 12: Three blogs I can’t get enough of.
Day 13: Something I'm proud of. 
Day 14: A favorite movie.
Day 15: Some style inspiration for the season.  
Day 16: Someone who inspires me.
Day 17: My family.
Day 18: What I wore today.
Day 19: A silly self-portrait.
Day 20: A childhood anecdote.
Day 21: Something I could never tire of.
Day 22: Some place I’ve traveled.
Day 23: Eight things you didn't know about me.
Day 24: Something that means a lot to me.
Day 25: The contents of my purse.
Day 26: Something I'm looking forward to.
Day 27: Myself, one year ago. 
Day 28: A skill I'd like to learn. 
Day 29: Some place I'd like to visit.
Day 30: Three wonderful things that happened this month.

Welcome November. 

 I think today officially marked fall in my neck of the woods.  

We were in the 80's all last week which is a little too warm for me to really feel like fall.

  The breeze came in this morning and it was pretty clear winter is on it's way.  

Yeah for jacket & scarf season.

Also - thanks to Chrissy @ tiny little happies for sharing this project!