Thursday, December 31, 2009

2009



2009 see-ya! not sad to see you go. i had some ups but definitely some bigger downs.
i've experienced the biggest betrayal of my life but i finally got started with my career.  you win some, you lose some.
2010 i welcome you with open arms. i look forward to new beginnings i hope you will bring.
personally i like new years resolutions so here are some of mine
1. trust in God completely and stay positive
2. get a job at a good public school
3. have a more healthy and active lifestyle
4. complete a half marathon

i hope you all have a wonderful and safe new years eve tonight. i wish you much love and happiness in 2010!


live in love

for awhile i've been trying to think of a good name for my blog and it finally just came to me and now i wonder why i didn't think of it sooner because this is my motto in life, live in love.
when most people think of love they think of their boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife but living in love means so much more than that. i define living in love by loving everything and everyone. having love for yourself, God, nature, life and people. i know it sounds kind of cheesy but can you imagine what our world would be like if everyone genuinely "loved their neighbor".
yeah its a crazy concept but its how i'm trying to live my life although its not easy, at all, because there are some people that make it very difficult to love them.
but all we can do is try, right?



Monday, December 28, 2009

so long christmas, come back soon

i hope everyone had a delightful christmas because i know i sure did. i have to admit i wasn't too sure it would be enjoyable because of my current condition (which i'll divulge later) but i was pleasantly surprised.
it was very low key, christmas morning was the usual opening presents with family and then for dinner my mom cooked an amazing feast that we enjoyed with some family and friends.
i love that my family hasn't grown out of the tradition of opening presents on christmas morning. i also love that my mom still loves to spoil us. i can't wait until i can spoil her.
i woke up to this surprise next to the tree...

isn't she a beauty?! i can't wait to ride her.
i also got a new camera because ol' pinky doesn't like to open up her lens anymore.
my other favorite are these...

i have a mildly odd obsession with disney princesses and collect all things disney princess so every year my mom gets me a new disney princess ornament and this year with the help of sister i got 6:)



and this is just a cute picture of my baby on christmas morning.
i decided that next year i'm sending out christmas cards with a picture of bailey and i in santa hats. since everyone else sends pictures of their families i think it will be appropriate...
and a tad bit funny.

Friday, December 25, 2009

oh christmas tree, oh christmas tree

i love this sight!
i hope everyone has a very merry christmas with family and friends.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

jingle bell rock

last monday my class and the other second grade classes took part in the school's christmas show. it was all very last minute and we had like a week to put it together. we decided on doing jingle bell rock with a modern twist and i somehow became the choreographer. i must admit at first i was a little nervous because the other classes were just lost. but amazingly enough monday it all came together and it was just so cute. i was like a proud momma watching them on stage:)
here are some backstage pics of my kids:
before going on stage one of my students said "i'm going to make you proud".
they're pretty cute:)

Monday, December 21, 2009

a little late...

i know thanksgiving is way over but i'm behind on my blogging and just wanted to share my classroom turkey. i love it so much and it took me forever to take it down from the wall. my super creative co-worker made the turkey and then my students drew what they were thankful for on the feathers. she's so cute and definitely going up every year.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

my dog is the cutest

this is my silly dog bailey. i love him so very much. yes i am one of those people that loves my dog like a child. he's my little boy. he does the cutest things sometimes like jump in my suitcase while i'm unpacking.

and then i close it and he still manages to get in!

p.s. he's a yorkie and usually looks much cuter with all his hair but i had to shave it all off recently:( can't wait until it grows back.


Wednesday, December 2, 2009

did you know

did you know it still hurts? sometimes i think about it and all the pain just floods my body and i have to fight the tears.
did you know i was still angry? when it starts to hurt real bad i start to get angry all over again and i want to scream and throw things.
but then when i start to really think about it i just feel sorry for you. sorry that you let a selfish person brainwash you. brainwash you into thinking your own sister, your flesh and blood, didn't matter. sorry that you weren't smart or strong enough to see that this wasn't even a good person.
did you know i feel so alone?
wonder if you ever care...




Wednesday, November 25, 2009

happy thanksgiving

i'm thankful to be spending thanksgiving with my family in chicago.

i'm thankful for such amazing parents.

i'm thankful that i'm a teacher and i get holidays off.

i'm also thankful for my students and that they told me they were thankful for me today (it was so sweet)

most of all i'm thankful that i have a relationship with my amazing savior.

tomorrow i will be celebrating thanksgiving in a house full of about 50 crazy people. i love the fact that even though we're a huge family we're all so close and would do anything for each other. sometimes i wish i lived in chicago so i can spend every holiday with my family and see them even when its not a holiday... but only sometimes because then i think about how much i love warm weather lol.
i hope everyone has a wonderful thanksgiving and has many blessings to be thankful.

Friday, November 20, 2009

happy friday

so many other things i would rather be doing on a friday night instead of grading 2 billion papers (ok maybe i'm exaggerating a little), but duty calls.
hope everyone else is having a fun friday night! hey at least it's the weekend!!!!!!

Friday, November 13, 2009

i hate making decisions...

especially ones that will affect the rest of my life.
i plan to get my master's in the fall the only problem is what program to choose. there are two i would like to do and i can't decide which one. i'm so indecisive to begin with and now i have to be sure because grad school is expensive and its what i'm going to do with
the rest of my life, ahh! can someone make this decision for me??

wish i was back here in yosemite contemplating my future

Thursday, November 12, 2009

chilly willy

it finally feels like fall! we had our first chilly day today and it was divine. after work i went for a run and it was perfect weather which made my run so much better.
i just wish i had somewhere to go tonight so i could dress up in a cute dress with tights and boots. boo!

this is miela all bundled up with her favorite blankie, she's a kinkajou


Wednesday, November 11, 2009

confessions of a shopaholic

today i had an excellent shopping day! i got new boots and some cute clothes. i also went shopping last weekend and i bought a lot of clothes. i kind of think i might have a problem because i love to shop way too much. i literally can not fit one more thing in my closet (one of the downsides about living back at home).
shopping may be a coping mechanism for me, i think i should figure out a cheaper way to cope.


p.s. happy veteran's day! thank you vets!

Sunday, November 8, 2009

birthday in paradise

finally here are some pictures from my puerto rico birthday vacation. i wish i had pictures of my absolute favorite thing we did in puerto rico which was the bioluminescent lagoon. they told us that it was pointless to take pictures because it wouldn't show up so i didn't. but it was the most beautiful thing i've ever experienced. we went kayaking to a lagoon and whenever you touched the water it glittered. when fish swam by they shimmered and lit up. i can't even describe how amazing it was. definite must do if you're ever in puerto rico. as you can see from my pictures the rest of my vacation was pretty great as well.

in front of el morro which is an old spanish fort


kelly and i in front of el morro


i love the cobble stoned streets of old san juan


the beach was beautiful


we did this everday


my birthday dinner at the parrot club. it was was one of the best meals i've ever had.


chocolate and banana empanadas were my birthday cake.


my new friend sebastian took us out one night.


the club was called la respuesta. awesome place.

i had the best birthday ever!


Tuesday, November 3, 2009

trick or treat

i hope everyone had a fun halloween.
i spent the weekend in my second home, orlando. i have more friends there than down here in miami so i knew there would be plenty to do.
i have to be honest though, i think i really am getting old because we went out friday night and stayed out waayy past my bedtime and when saturday night rolled around i was pooped and spent the night sleeping.
all in all it was a great weekend, seeing my good friends is like a breath of fresh air.
some of my favorite girls in the world

Thursday, October 29, 2009

fall festival

today i had a fall festival party in class with my students and i spent a lot of money and time getting everything ready but it was so worth it because they had so much fun. my favorite was when they played the mummy wrap game.

working with kids is the best, i had a lot of laughs with them today.

Monday, October 26, 2009

just saying

i love balloons.
all i need to make me feel like the birthday girl is balloons.
i have an obsession with disney princesses.

they just make me smile.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

25 is starting off right

this is me with the title to my car.
i officially own my little jetta and will not have to make anymore car payments.
i am over the moon ecstatic to have paid off my first car.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

cheers to 25

i've had the most awesome birthday week!
my birthday was last saturday and i spent the weekend in beautiful puerto rico and it was perfection. but more about that later with pictures.
last night i celebrated with my miami friends and we had an awesome time. we went to splitsville which is the best bowling alley and the food is amazing there.
i think 25 is going to be a good age.

Monday, October 12, 2009

fins to the right, fins to the left

so last weekend i went to my first pro football game ever and i had an awesome time.
it was dolphins vs the bills and the dolphins did not disappoint me and came through with the win. i am surprised how much i loved it, i'm ready to go get some season tickets, who's with me??

my old friend jo-nathan who i haven't seen in quite some time so it was great to catch up.

i loved his shirt, muy creative!

very near and dear to my <3

Sunday, October 11, 2009

"all that i am or ever hope to be, i owe to my angel mother"...

... by abraham lincoln

a day late but...
happy birthday momma dukes.
how did i get so blessed with such an amazing mom?!

pic from our italian vacation

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

hello fall

i am so excited for fall. don't get me wrong summer is my favorite season but i'm ready for this fall season. i can't wait for it to cool down. although this is miami so the cold days will be few and far in between but thats the kind of relationship i like with the cold weather, short and sweet.

i think all the shopping i've been doing is what's really getting me excited. i'm a huge fan of tights, dresses and sweaters! please come soon chilly weather.

{photo from here}