Lockdown!

Today at my internship we had a lockdown... for 2.5 hours. When it started, we all thought it was a drill; when the lockdown lasted... and lasted... and lasted, we knew that it was in fact NOT a drill. No, there wasnt a crazy inside the school that I was in but there was a prank caller to the school and they took it very seriously. I am glad that the situation wasn't serious in the sense that there was real, bonafide danger, but I am very annoyed at the fact that I had to sit in the floor, miss my planning period, and deal with students who weren't taking the lockdown seriously. Even after it was announced that this was a real situation, the students didnt seem to think it was a big deal. I am, however, very grateful that everything turned out OK and that no one was hurt.

What I'm loving Wednesday!

his is my first link up with Jamie over at This Kind of Love, but I've seen this weekly posting over the past several weeks and decided that today is the day!!

• I'm loving my internship! I have an awesome clinical teacher, I am at an awesome school, and I have awesome students. I am sure that my students will think that I am absolutely CRAZY after the lesson that I have planned for this afternoon's class, but that's ok- you have to keep them on their toes!!
  
• I'm loving my family.
• I'm loving my sweet puppy dog Meredith Grace

• I'm loving that I have a trip to Raleigh planned for this weekend to see all of my MCG's (Meredith College Girls for all of you who aren't familiar with that acronym).

• I'm loving my new professional dresses and my new boots I bought last week. I will have to take pictures of them and share them, seriously!
• I'm loving the LeanCuisine microwave steam bags that I found last night at the grocery store. They look de-lish!

And that's all that I can think about right now!

What are you loving this week?!

Internship

So yesterday I went the entire day without facebook! (It's ok, you all can gasp now...) and you know what? I did not miss it one bit. Granted, yesterday as a crazy busy day between the internship and then high tailing it to Greenville for a meeting and class, but thats ok! I think maybe I should restrict FB to the weekends (at least for now while I am in this internship), but we'll see how THAT goes!

I "taught" my first class yesterday. I know I talked entirely too fast when going over the Course Outline and I am sure the kids were resentful of the fact that I gave them a reading assessment on the first day, but what can you do? I wanted to go ahead and get that mandatory assessment out of the way so that we can move on to bigger and better things in our class. I hope that I did a good job of explaining that I want to have fun with our class, but there are certain things that we *have* to do which aren't so fun. I tried to emphasize that, when possible, I would make the activities fun and relevant. We will see how today goes because there will be actual instruction instead of all that housekeeping!

Happy Tuesday!

Project 52: Self Portrait

This picture encompasses me: Me+Meredith+ Photography +Meredith Bling= my self portrait~

See list of topics here.

Just a few things....

~I need a blog overhaul. I will be working on this soon, and it may take me awhile but I want to make my blog more ME. So I do apologize if my blog looks like a mess for awhile!

~I realized today that I need to spend less time on facebook and more time in the "real world." I think I would be happier if I spent less time on facebook and watching tv, things that are meaningless in the long run, if I spent more time pursuing my interests and with real, live interactions. Facebook is good for some things, like keeping up with friends who live far away, but its sad when it gets to the point that this is the first thing you click on when you stgart up your computer and you are constantly going back to it. Similarly, TV is great for relaxing, but I find myself coming home, turning it on, and leaving it on until I go to bed. Imagine if I spent that time playing with Meredith, reading a good book, or taking pictures?

~My internship is going REALLY well so far and I am LOVING going to NBH every day instead of worrying about college classes. The faculty is really great and have done an excellent job of making me feel welcome and a part of the team. Students come tomorrow!

~Something that I am a little concerned about is this new portfolio that I have to do this semester. I missed the meeting that explained how this new portfolio worked due to snow, so I feel completely lost on it. I am supposed to get caught up on everything tomorrow, but even people that were able to go to the initial meeting are lost, so I dont feel so good about that.

~I never thought that I would say this, but I am SOOO tired of snow! Normally snow is something that we here in Eastern NC get once in a blue moon and it is such a treat when we do, this year we have had snow three times so far and we haven't even hit the time of winter that we normally get snow.

I HEART accessories swap

Last week I signed up for the "I heart accessories swap" with MJ over at Teaching in Heels. I am so excited about the swap! My partner is Dana over at Enjoy Yourself. Her blog is so cute and so inspiring so I think you should go over and take a look! I think the whole concept of having a blog dedicated to things that make you happy is a great idea! I can't wait to hear back from Dana about the accessories she loves so that I can find something fabulous!

I've actually seen the 30 in 30 challenge (with Kendi over at Kendi Everyday) and really wanted to do the challenge, but find myself lacking in the accessories area, which would make the challenge kind of a flop. I can't create cute and fun outfits out of 30 articles of clothes for 30 whole days without accessories to make it fun and well, a challenge. Maybe I get my accessories in gear (with the help of this swap of course) and be ready for the next 30 for 30 challenge?

Be on the lookout for my post in a couple of weeks showing the results of the I heart accessories swap!

An emotional train wreck...

So I dont know what my deal is today, but I have been rather emotional (which is odd because I am not really an emotional person, like at ALL).

This morning I was reading my Aunt's blog and in her post from today she linked to another post from the blog Enjoying the Small Things and I read the whole thing and was boohooing like a little baby girl. All I wanted to do after reading this post was run downstairs, pick up little Rachel, and hold her tight. (Rachel is my 3 month old cousin)

THEN today on my way into my post-op appointment at the ENT I was listening to Michael Buble's CD "Crazy Love" and listened to the song "Hold On" and I was boohooing again! I just thought that this song was so beautiful and would be *perfect* for like a first dance at a wedding. *sigh* Now if only I could find the guy :) hahaha...

Didn't they always say we were the lucky ones?
I guess that we were once
Babe, we were once

But luck will leave you cause
It is a faithless friend
And in the end when life has got you down
You've got someone here that you can wrap your arms around

So hold on to me tight
Hold on to me tonight
We are stronger here together
Than we could ever be alone
So hold on to me
Don't you ever let me go

There's a thousand ways for things to fall apart
But it's no one's fault
No it's not my fault

Maybe all the plans we made would not work out
But I have no doubt even though it's hard to see
I've got faith in us and I believe in you and me

So hold on to me tight
Hold on, I promise it'll be alright
Cause it's you and me together
And baby all we've got is time
So hold on to me, hold on to me tonight

There's so many dreams that we have given up
Take a look at all we've got
And with this kind of love
What we've got here is enough

So hold on to me tight
Hold on, I promise it'll be alright
Cause we are stronger here together
Then we could ever be alone
Just hold on to me
Don't you ever let me go
Hold on to me, it's gonna be alright
Hold on to me tonight
They always say we were the lucky ones

Busy blogger...

I know that I've been a busy blogger today with so many posts, but I had some catching up to do! I just wanted to share one last picture with you today before I start gearing down for the night.

One day I walked out in the garage and I saw my Aunt's cat ready for a bike ride :)

Mere's Snow Day

Just thought that I would share some pictures from Mere's snow day a couple of weeks ago. I thought that I had already posted these pictures, but I guess not! Meredith is a strange, strange dog, she doesn't like to get wet and yet she loves the snow!!!

This is my favorite shot of her. I love the snow on her nose, she is just too cute!

Waiting For Superman

I just finished the book "Waiting for Superman" that was based off of the movie that recently came out. Before I begin my review, I want to emphasize that I have not seen the movie, which I hear has gotten a lot of negative reviews from the educational community. The book has also gotten its fair share of negative criticism, but I think the criticism is largely coming from people who have seen the movie. I think most educators believe that the filmmaker was putting an unfair amount of blame on teachers and teacher's unions for where our educational system is today. I just want to say that the following review is *my* opinion as a teacher in training, and I have a right to have this opinion!

I really enjoyed the book. The book was a collection of essays written by people on different topics of education and how they believe that we can help the current state of our school system. Let's face it, our schools are in serious trouble. I think that the book brought up some very valid points, and I dont really feel that it puts too much blame on teachers and teacher's unions. The book pointed out many reasons why our school system is currently failing our children, and bad teachers are only part of the problem. The book was careful to point out that not all teachers are bad teachers, and that the majority of teachers out there are very hardworking and committed individuals. With that being said, we also have a stigma in this country that "if you can't do, teach" and there are people who are in our classrooms who don't belong there. One of the major problems that the book pointed out is the stigma attached to being a teacher, that the position of teacher is not held with respect in our country and that is a major problem. People who are out in the "real world" think that teaching is a joke of a career and the current salaries for our teachers proves that. I think the prevailing message of the book was that we shouldn't be sitting around waiting for some miracle of a cure for our school systems because there are students right now in our schools that need our attention and best efforts to educate them. There will never be one set miracle cure for our schools, so we shouldn't wait around for one~ I could go on a soapbox rant of all of the points that I agreed with in this book, but I will spare you for the time being. No, I didnt agree with everything in this book, but I still was interested in the different arguments it did raise. I will leave you with a recommendation to read it and encourage you to see for yourself how you feel about the issues raised in the book.

Coke Zero

I wrote the following essay in one of my classes last semester. It was just a free write during class, the topic was your favorite beverage. When I started it, that was my intention but it turned into a reaction piece that was reacting to the birth of my cousin and some unforseen complications. Never fear! Rachel is doing BEAUTIFULLY now and has brought a lot of joy into my life (and my family's lives) since her arrival!

Coke Zero is the greatest beverage of all time, hands down. I discovered this tasty combination of flavors bursting with delightful bubbles inside your mouth about a year and a half ago and have been hooked ever since. Seriously, once you go Coke Zero, you never go back. Coke Zero combines enjoyably delicious flavors including vanilla and cassis (like cinnamon, only better) and it tastes even better than traditional Coca-Cola. There is no other way to describe it- it’s delicious! Coke Zero may be so delicious that you have a hard time wrapping your mind around the thought of it having nothing bad in it, but it’s the truth: Coke Zero is all of the good and none of the bad. It has no calories, no fat, no carbohydrates- its pure goodness. Coke Zero is like water, only tastier. Sure Coke Zero has some sodium in it, but let’s face it: we’re Americans and we love sodium.

In this world, it is very difficult to find something that is all good and no bad. Some things that are supposed to be pure joy (all good) can in the blink of an eye have this nasty haze over them. Take, for instance, the birth of a baby. This is a joyous occasion for a family to be able to welcome a new life into the world, but sometimes even something as happy and wonderful as a baby being born can turn ugly. There can be complications, things that the doctors didn’t catch in the million ultrasounds that the mother has prior to birth. There can be health issues that couldn’t be avoided, despite the doctors and medical experts’ best efforts. There could be the chance that everything isn’t quite right- and then what? Suddenly, an event that was supposed to bring so much joy and happiness into the lives of the family and loved ones turns into one that brings pain, fear, and a whole lot of questions. What happens next? Why us? Why this child? What do we do? Is everything going to be ok?

This turn of events from good to bad can happen to anything. Just like Alanis Morrisette’s song “Isn’t it Ironic?” so truthfully depicts, things just go wrong. Rain on your wedding day, free rides when you’ve already paid, good advice that you didn’t take, and so on. All events that are supposed to be good- the union of two people in love, a free ride, good advice- all with a sour tinge to them- rain, having already paid, not taking the good advice. Never fear though, this doesn’t happen with Coke Zero! Every time you pop open a can of this trusty beverage, you know what you’re going to get: all of the good, and none of the bad.

Project 52: Food

Breakfast of Champions

I wanted to do something really artsy for this post, but I think this picture says it all! See list of topics for project 52 here.

A very fishy tale

Look at that face. Cute, right? Well don't let her fool you!

A few days ago my Grandma let her dog Holly out for a little while and Holly came back smelling like fish. She smelled TERRIBLE! Holly is a pretty old dog and doesnt stray very far from the house, but we do live on the river so it isnt SO far fetched for one of the dogs coming back smelling a little fishy. However, Holly smelled like she took a nice long soak in a tub of flounder. Needless to say, Holly got booted out to the garage for the rest of the evening/night. After being in the garage for less than 30 minutes, she had the entire garage REEKING from her scent. She got a rinse-free shampoo bath the next day to get rid of the scent. One thing about Holly is that she has a LOT of hair and despite my Grandma's best efforts, Holly still smelled fishy and nasty. I was just glad that Meredith didn't find the fish and roll around in it...

.....until yesterday.

That's right. I came home and my Grandma told me that she had found what Holly had gotten into and it was a wrapped up piece of fish, like it belonged in someone's freezer. Odd. A little while later I let Meredith out and she came back smelling like fish! What in the world? Her doggy spray couldnt mask the odor, the rinse-free shampoo couldnt mask it, nothing works! I know this makes me sound like a really bad dog mom, and believe me I am not, but I even tried febreeze on her!!! It is THAT bad. After febreeze I finally doused her in some of my good perfume and that covered it enough to where I could stand her to sleep in my room last night, but I still smell it on her when I go to pet her or snuggle up to her and that just isnt going to fly. She even spent time out in the outside kennel today, I was hoping she would like air out or something, to no avail.

Has anyone else had to get a really smelly dog smelling fresh again? What did you do? I'm desperate!!!!

Oh, and apparently my Aunt found some frozen peas in our back yard yesterday so we think our dogs are getting into some mischief over at someone else's house. Yikes!

11 in 2011: What you are Looking Forward to in 2011

I have high hopes for 2011, and am therefore looking forward to many new and wonderful things! Some of the top things that I am looking forward to are:

* my internship at the local high school

* completing my Master's degree in June

* getting my first "big girl" job

* starting my adult life with hopefully a new place to live

* spending time with my family, friends, and cutie patootie of a puppy

What are you looking forward to?

Canker Sores= Cranky Me

Canker sores have taken over my mouth. It sucks pretty hardcore. My recovery from this surgery would be FINE if it werent for these stupid sores that have taken over my mouth, they hurt worse than any post-surgery pain! Its pretty terrible, I am not going to lie.... I have a sore under either side of my tongue, a couple on top of my tongue, and now I have one on the roof of my mouth. If all of these stupid things would just go away, life would be grand.

Sorry about the rant but I am ready to eat normally again!