song for the day

Ten on Tuesday

1. What is your favorite breakfast pastry?
A cheese bagel with cream cheese. They sell amazing cheese bagels in St. Louis and I will definitely be eating a few while I am up there for the holidays.

2. Were you ever in a Thanksgiving or Christmas play?
I was an angel in a few Christmas Eve services when I was younger. But deep down inside I wanted to play Mary. The sole reason was that I could wear a pretty, blue veil.

3. What is your favorite clothing accessory?
Scarves and a statement heel. I am a shoe kinda gal.

4. What is your favorite item of clothing?
I got two long-sleeved striped shirts for $2.99 at Old navy and I love them! I wish I bought two more in solid colors.

5. What is your favorite color and why?
Yellow because it is a joyful color.

6. What is your favorite type of Christmas cookie?
My mother-in-law has a platter of a variety of cookies every year for Christmas. It's incredible and I would love to do that one year. One of her cookies that I love are snowballs.

7. What is your favorite scent (food, perfume/lotion)
Juicy Couture perfume. Eric got it for me when we were dating as a gift on our first Valentine's day together.

8. What is your favorite household cleaner? Comet, it's cheap and cleans pretty much all surfaces.

9. When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up? And what did you actually grow up to be?
I always wanted to be a teacher. I loved playing school and I would force my siblings to be my students. When they refused I would use my stuffed animals. My parents had to buy me 2 chalk boards, I broke the first one trying to hang it on my wall by myself.
I am actually living my dream and loving it. I get to be a real teacher to 14 four year olds.

10. What is the last song or album you bought?
Taylor Swift; Speak Now. I am so happy Eric got it for me and it was only $3.99. Eric and finding deals...I love it!

Ten on Tuesday

1. What does your work out schedule look like?
Monday: Step n' Sculpt
Tuesday: Power Hour (boot camp)
Wednesday: Body Sculpt
Thursday: Cardio Funk
Saturday: Pilates

2. What is your favorite machine to use at the gym?
I don't usually use any machines because I do all my work outs in classes. I do however, prefer the stationary bike. I enjoy reading while I ride, because it keeps my concentration on the book, not on the number of miles.

3. What is your favorite class to take at the gym?
I look forward to Thursdays when I can dance my heart out at cardio funk. My instructor is a dance teacher, so I feel like I am taking an intense dance class instead of working out for an hour.

4. Where do you shop for work out gear and clothing?
Which ever place has a sale on their work out clothes. I really like aerie and would love to get all my clothes from there but they're pricey.

5. If you can’t go to the gym, do you have a favorite outdoor activity?
Does cleaning the house count? I can definitely work up a sweat when I sweep, mop, and vacuum. Scrubbing the shower can produce some arm muscles too.

6. What about a favorite work out DVD? If so, please share!
I personally cannot work out at home. I am easily distracted and will tend to not push myself while working out with a DVD. I did however get 30 Day Shred, it's a great DVD and I highly recommend it.

7. Are you more active now or when you were in high school?
Definitely more active now. In high school I didn't see it as something I should do to stay healthy. I also had the mind set that working out was a chore and the only reason to do is to loose weight.
I really think having a gym membership with great classes motivates me to go. A huge plus is it's an all women's gym. No creepy guys checking me out while I exercise.

8. How has your dieting/working out philosophy changed since high school?
Work out to be healthy, not to lose weight. Work out to feel good, not just to look good. Working out can be fun!

9. What do you do while working out– (i.e., day dream, read, listen to music, gab with a friend)? Listen to the instructor and do my best to give it my all. And there are times where they play a great song so I will sing along in my head.

10. What working out resolution would you like to make for yourself this year?
Try more spin classes. I have been to one and let's just say...ouch!
I would like to start running and walking outside more and enjoy the outdoors while I exercise.

7 Quick Takes

1. Today is October 1st and I will be celebrating it with my best friend, Bridget. We plan to do everything halloweenish...yes I made that a word.
We will enjoy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, watch scary movies (Bridget will watch, I will be squinting my eyes and closing my ears) and maybe carve a pumpkin.

2. Since it is October...duh, they're are so many scary movie previews on the tv. I can't stand it! Every time they come on I hum to myself loudly until I press mute so I won't hear the tormenting sounds. I close my eyes and wait about 30 seconds and then cautiously pry open my eyes in hopes it is all over.

3. Did I say I wanted to watch scary movies today...ekkkk!

4. I will be enjoying this on Saturday!

Hey Cupcake just came out with their new flavor, pumkinator.
Pumpkinator: Graham Cracker Cream Cheese Top, Pumpkin Spice Cake
They are releasing this flavor today!

5. This year I will be sewing my Halloween costume. I need some ideas folks!

6. I love Glee...there I said it.

7. Last month I planned our meals for the month. I had no idea it would not only save us money, but also bring more joy in making all the meals.

Oh the Joy of Laughing Babies!

About a month a go I went back to my hometown and got to visit my sister, Leslee and one of my closest friends, Molly. They both have sweet baby boys that are a month apart. I got to capture one of my favorite things in the world, babies giggling.
Enjoy these videos of the two boys and I hope it is what I like to call, a little slice of heaven for you.

Brett


Jack

Sing it Sara!

This is one of my new favorite songs that is playing on the radio. I love it, especially the clapping part. I hope you like it too and the get the urge to get up and dance your heart out.

Sara Bareilles- King of Anything

Sara Bareilles' - King of Anything found on Pop

Ten on Tuesday

I couldn't pass up the “Ten on Tuesday” this week.
Directions: For each of the following, take a picture. This is a chance for us to get a literal glimpse into each other’s lives. Feel free to skip a question if it doesn’t apply to you or it’s too personal. You can include explanations if necessary.

1. Your House


2. Your Shower
I am not so fond of our shower at all, but I do like our guest bathroom for the sole reason that I really like the shower curtain.


3. The inside of your refrigerator



4. Your Pet

Eric and I are allergic to cats, dogs, rabbits, gerbils...basically every animal.

5. Your favorite pair of shoes


I don't get to wear them as much as I would want to, but they are my faves!

6. The most comfortable seat in your house.



7. Your favorite cup or coffee mug.


8. Your laundry room.


9. The view from your office chair.

You can see a my "office" cair on the left corner. My view is not too shabby.

10. Your spouse/significant other/roommate.

My 24th Birthday

Last Thursday was my birthday, and it turned out to be wonderful. Eric got me a sewing machine, which I have been wanting for years. He also surprised me by sending flowers at my school. I was so shocked and enjoyed having them in my classroom. I loved receiving so many sweet messages from my family and friends. One of my favorites was from my dear friend Molly, who wrote me this fantastic poem.

I wish I could call my sweet kien bee,
Sing her a song directly from me,
Wish her a happiest happiest day,
Inform her she makes me happy and gay,
Tell her I'm ever so glad she's my pal,
I'm glad she came through Belinda's birth canal.

I want to sing her a song that tells her all of these things,
But it's a no no to do audible sings,
In your office when you are a lawyer at work,
So she does not get this birthday perk.

Instead I will just write her a verse,
Telling her I wish I could buy her a purse
From Gucci or Coach or Louis Vuitton,
But truthfully, if I got her one it'd be a con,
Because I am poor, oh woe is me,
I don't even have a single penny,
To use to buy a gift for my dear Christine.
Please don't think that I'm being mean.

Instead when she comes again to this town,
I'll show her all the restaurants I've found.
I'll take her and treat her to a delicious meal,
I hope that she agrees and we have a deal.

I love you my wonderful, sweet Kien Bee,
I'm so glad you're friends with a girl like me!

Fabulous, right?
Later that night Eric took me to Trudy's, which is one of my favorite places to go for two reasons. 1) I love their chicken flautas.
2) You get a FREE Mexican martini on your birthday.

I ended the evening by relaxing and watching my favorite show, So You Think You Can Dance.

On Friday, my sister and cousins came up to visit and stay over. It was so nice to have the four of us back together. We talked and laughed all night till about 2am. I loved it!




All in all my birthday rocked!

Let's Catch Up!

I am so sorry to all my readers who have been stuck looking at the same ole post I wrote almost a month and a half ago. The Brinkmans have been busy, and I would love to fill you in on the details...chronologically and with pictures too.

May

I completed my first year of teaching. It was a bittersweet end but I am excited to get a new group in the fall with a year of experience under my belt.



We tried a new flavor, sweetberry at hey cupcake! It was of course delicious but I am still hooked on red velvet.

June

Eric and I went up to Missouri to celebrate our sister, Andrea's wedding on June 5th. Eric got to play his trumpet during the wedding and he did a fabulous job if I say so myself. We are so excited for Andrea and Dustin as they start their marriage. We love you both!


Eric turned 26 on June 18th. We had a fun get together with some friends and I baked a cookie cake which looked like a tombstone.

July
We don't have any pictures yet, but I promise many will come. My birthday is in a week and I am anxious to find out what Eric got me. I hope you enjoyed the update. I promise I will try to post more than once a month.

Seven Quick Takes

1. It is the end of my first year of teaching. Even though I have 2 1/2 days left of school I have a very long to do list before I wave goodbye to my kiddos. This weekend I hope to finish up my DVD I made with video and photos of the past year. Let's see if I get this task done before Sunday night.

2. My 14 sweet students gave me a wonderful Snapfish photo book today. When I began looking at it I started to cry. It finally hit me that I will be saying goodbye to my very first class and many of them will be going to different schools.

3. On one of the pages in the book they wrote about one of their favorite things about me...I will definitely blog about their responses.

4. Tomorrow is my sister Leslee's birthday!



5. Eric and I are going to do a makeover on our boring master bedroom. We are going to paint, add new blinds, and hopefully curtains.

6.
My students have been fighting with each other lately, so I busted out one of my favorite childhood books. Chrysanthemum is about a sweet little mouse that gets picked on and teased because her name is so unique. I taught my kiddos the importance of loving everyone and showing kindness. After I read the book the first response I got was, "Wow Ms. Christine, that was a long book." I pray that I planted a seed.

7. Happy Birthday to my bestie, Michelle Brown!

Ten on Tuesday

1. What was your high school superlative (if you didn’t have one- what would it have been)?
I didn't have one but I would have loved it to be friendliest or best dancer who was never on the dance team and never even taken a dance class.
2. What sports did you play in high school?
Sports...does gym count? I was in theater all four years and enjoyed it a lot.
3. What was the best part about your wedding (if you’re not married yet, what are you looking forward to)?
There are several moments that I still think back on that make me smile. Here are my top 3.

#3 Having our whole wedding party surround us and pray over Eric and I.

#2 Having Eric's 13 year old brother carry my 21 year old cousin all the way to the dance floor.


#1 Marrying my best friend.
4. It’s your last meal– what Appetizer, Soup, Salad, Entree and Dessert would you choose?
Take me to Roy's and I'll be good to go.
5. What song is your guilty pleasure?
Baby ft Ludacris: Justin Bieber or Thinking about Somethin: Hanson
What...don't judge.
6. What is your favorite professional sports team, and why do you like them?
San Antonio Spurs because they have some good guys on their team. (but to be honest I hardly ever watch them) I really like the Cardinals too because of Albert Pujols...and yes that is the only reason.
7. What is your favorite reality show and why do you like it?
The Bachelor or Bachelorette because I like to see which person they "think" is the one they will spend the rest of their life with. I don't think they can find love by dating a person who is also making out/dating other people, but it sure is entertaining.
8. How would you classify your home decorating style (modern, classic, french country)? We moved in last September and we are still in the process of creating a decorating style for our house.
9. Pizza- deep dish or thin crust? White sauce or red sauce? What toppings?
Cheese and pepperoni on a pan pizza.
10. Favorite weekend getaway within a two hour driving radius?

Drive 20 minutes to the airport and hop on a plane to take a short ride to Playa Mujeres. It's not a 2 hour drive but the only getaway I want to go to right now.

Rants 'n Raves

People, places, or things that I gotta gush about...

What: Thai Chili Restaurant
Location: San Antonio, TX
Bragging about: Tum Yum Soup
Hot and sour soup with chicken and straw mushrooms seasoned with lemon grass, Thai herbs, and cilantro.

I have been going to this incredible restaurant for a few years and have never not ordered this soup. You can order the soup any level you want depending on what you can handle. I usually pick a level between 5-7. I would highly recommend a large glass of water and box of tissues when eating. It will definitely clear out your sinuses but it will be so worth it.

I visited my sister and brother-in-law on Saturday and they generously gave me their leftover tum yum soup. Eric and I haven't had it in awhile but once we took one sip we both sighed and said, "this is awesome." We had just enough for one bowl each, but could have had a few more. I forgot about this little liquid treasure and will definitely go to Thai Chili next time we are in San Antonio.

I hope you give Thai Chili a try next time you are in the Alamo city.

Cation: DO NOT eat the soup if you are preggers or cannot handle spicy foods. Tums, Pepto and Pepcid AC will not be able to help you.

7 Quick Takes

1. I am still recovering from strep, but the good news is I am officially not contagious anymore. I hope to feel great tomorrow so I can go to San Antonio to celebrate Mother's day with my mom.

2. I have been craving dairy since yesterday. I can't have it because I still might have a slight fever. Fever and dairy...no good.

3. I wish I was Mary Poppins and could snap my fingers and have my whole house disinfected, cleaned and organized. I'm snapping...nothing's happening.

4. Every time I look at the clock the first thing I think is what my kiddos are doing at school.

5. I am really nervous Eric might get strep too.

6. I thought I was going to enjoy resting and relaxing at home while watching the first season of Glee. I tried watching the first episode and fell asleep 20 minutes into it.

7. Cat naps rock.

Yep, It's Strep

I found out today I have strep throat. I pretty much knew it was coming last night at school when I began getting a sharp pain when I swallowed and getting aches all over. I took a flashlight and examined my throat and saw white bumps. When I went to the Doc she took one quick look in my throat and said, "Yep, it's strep."

I thought I could go my first year of teaching without serious illness. The really funny part is I told this to Eric on Tuesday...oh life.
It's Thursday and I write a blast from the past story but as of right now I am having chills and sweating. I think I might just rest and finish Grey's. Sorry for the lame post but I hope to blog a great story next Thursday!

Goodnight.

My Symptoms...

What are the symptoms?

The most common symptoms of strep throat are:

• A sudden, severe sore throat.
• Pain when you swallow.
• Fever over 101F.
• Swollen tonsils and lymph nodes
• White or yellow spots on the back of a bright red throat.

You may also have a headache and belly pain. Less common symptoms are a red skin rash, vomiting, not feeling hungry, and body aches.

Thank you WebMD. I have a Doctor's appointment at 11:15. I'll update you on the prognosis.

Ten on Tuesday

1. Do you prefer markers, crayons, or colored pencils?
Crayons by far. I get so excited when I open a fresh new box and see all of the sharp points. Too bad my crayon boxes at school are all dull and I have to rip the paper to expose more of the crayon.

2. As a child, how did your parents celebrate your birthday? (Parties, cake, you pick the dinner, etc.)
We celebrated with big parties every five years. There isn't a reason why it just happened that way in the Galvan house hold. I had big parties when I was 1,5,10 and 15. After my quinceanera the large parties stopped but we still celebrated my wonderful birth.

Me at about one years old.

My quinceanera. Working the big cinderella dress and glasses.


3. How do you feel about leggings?
I like them. I own 1 pair. I hope to collect more next fall.

4. How do you prefer to follow directions? With a map? Words?
Definitely a map. Preferably a map on my phone so I can look at it at stop lights.

5. What do you eat for snack?
sharp cheddar cheese, hard salami and crackers.

6. Have you ever ordered anything from an infomercial or bought any As Seen on TV products?
YES!!!! Well I didn't order it but my wonderful husband bought it for me. He got me bumpits! I really like them but to be honest I feel like people will see my amazing poof, know it is totally fake, and rip the bumpit out of my hair. I try to only wear it around people I know won't do that to me.
7. What’s your favorite thing about summer?
Getting into my car and instantly sweating...
I would really have to say it would be Eric's b-day, my b-day, our anniversary, and relaxing by the pool!
8. Do you have a tattoo? What and where is it?
nope, none, nada. I am not against them but I just don't have any. My best friend has a lot and I think they are pretty hip.

9. Are you good at journaling?
YES!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE to journal. The only sad part is I have never filled up a whole journal. I am in the process of doing that now. My dream is to have a lot of journals for my kids to read when I am old and gray and can't remember the good ole days.

10. What’s your favorite way to eat a hamburger?
Everything on it. Sometimes with or without pickles. Depends on my mood.

Monster Cookies

A friend and I made these delicious cookies on Saturday. I won't be surprised if they are all gone by the end of this week. I hope you like this recipe as much as I do. Have a great Monday!

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup M&Ms
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup raisins, (optional) I didn't use raisins since Eric is not a fan of them.
  
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, if using, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

These cookies were amazing!! A quick and easy recipe that everyone will enjoy!

"As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more."

Psalm 71:14

Seven Quick Takes

1. I think I maybe getting the hang of blogging everyday. So far I have done it four times in a row. I hope to continue this.

2. Go Spurs Go!

3. Lately Eric has been practicing his trumpet for our sister's wedding in June. He is awesome!
I love hearing the music being played throughout the house. I hope our kiddos have amazing musical skills like him.

4. The Brinkmans LOVE a great deal or a freebie. This week I enjoyed a free bagel and shmeer at Einstein's Bagels. It's a promotion they are having all week. Nothing beats a nice toasty cinnamon raisin bagel with plain cream cheese. It definitely made my morning today!

5. Tomorrow is May which means...26 more days of school left! Too bad I have to work all summer. :(

6. Eric called me today and told me some amazing news....I'll fill you in later!

7. After I finish this post I am going to dress up like a nerd and attend a work social. That's what teachers do on their Fridays dress up, eat, drink, and relax..

Have a fantastic weekend!

The Girl with the Big Pink Glasses

I never had the best vision growing up. I distinctly remember when I was a little girl sitting on the couch and moving so I could stand in front of the TV, shouting to my mom, "Now I can see!" I think this moment triggered my parents to go and get my eyes checked.
I was in pre-kinder and I needed glasses bad.

Picking out my first pair was a haze, but I do recall desperately wanting red frames. They didn't have red, so I settled for the next closest thing...pink. My parents ranted and raved about how wonderful I looked in my new glasses. The next day at school I boldly walked in the classroom hoping my classmates would also think my glasses were just as wonderful.
They thought they looked...funny.

I quickly began hatting my pink glasses and would purposely try to break them before I went to school. It never failed that my mom would always have a solution on how to fix them, whether it was super glue, a tiny screwdriver, or just popping the lenses back in.
I had them for a few years then switched to Osh Kosh frames. (yes...they make glasses too...and no they were not cool.)

After finally getting rid of my "so embarrassing" glasses I vowed NEVER to show my friends pictures of me wearing them.

This picture of me wearing them sits in my craft room. I remember Eric coming in and looking at it and saying, "You are so pretty." I thought it was ridiculous for him to say that because I looked ridiculous in the picture. He told me why he thought I looked cute and how I am beautiful no matter what. I began to realize the most ridiculous thing was how I was still harboring feelings of shame and embarrassment from about 15+ years.
After my realization I remembered one of my favorite verses Songs of Solomon 7:4

"All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you."

It is sick to think that I always try to find my worth in what I wear and how I look.
No matter if I have nasty glasses, not so hip clothes, or imperfections on my skin, my Maker sees absolutely no blemish on me. He loves me for who I am and delights in me. God is Awesome!!


Hope you enjoyed a new feature on the Brinkman blog...
Blast from the Past Thursdays
Every Thursday I will post different memories of my life from the past 23 years.
Let me know what you think. :)

Your Hands

Every time I hear this song on the radio I try to remember the title and the singer so I can hear it again later. With my long commute home I quickly forget and have to wait and hope it plays again.
This afternoon it came on KLOVE at the last stop light before I got home. This time I shazamed it. shazam: an iPhone app that helps you figure out who the singer and what the title is while it is playing...it rocks!
Drum roll please... JJHeller: Your Hands.
I have since listened to it at least 10 times. I enjoy it a lot. Check it out.



That pretty much sums up my Wednesday.
night peeps!

Ten on Tuesday

1. Think back a decade, do you remember what your first cellphone was? Was it as cool as Zack Morris’s phone?

My cellphone rocked! It had the ablility for me to type in a very long code and create a ringer. (who cares if it took my about 20 minutes to type it all in) My ringer of choice, billie jean. I enjoyed this phone and kept it for about 3 years.

2. What is the first children’s book you remember being read to you?

The book that comes to mind is a Kevin Henkes book, Chrysanthemum. I loved this book and repeatedly checked it out from the library. My wonderful mom never got tired of reading it to me. Thanks Mom!

3. What was your first car? Did you love it or hate it?

1994 Chevrolet Corsica. Molly, was so gracious to sell it to my sister, who then handed it down to me.

It finally died/got sold last May. Eric and I were very excited to kick that clunker to the curb, but before doing that it decided to overheat on the way to the dealership.

4. Who was your hero growing up?

I can't pinpoint a specific person who was my hero growing up. I had a few wonderful people that I looked up to. My grandma, mom and sister. (she was older than me and I thought she was super cool)

5. Think back to your first kiss. Was it everything you dreamed of?

No way! We bumped our noses together and I was freaking out the whole time on how to breathe. Plus my best friend, 2 cousins and sister were all spying on me out the front window.

6. What was your first BAD hairstyle choice? (Extra points for embarrassing photos)

I got my haircut a little longer than ear length. It was horrible...I got made fun of for it...enough said.

7. What was your first realistic dream? (One where you had to think “Oh dang, was that a dream?”)

I had a dream that I lost all my teeth. Crazy thing is I really felt them fall out...creepy I know. I woke up counting all my teeth with my tongue. I still get that dream and I count every time.

8. What was the first phobia you remember developing?

As a little girl I was afraid of everything...

trains, popping balloons, car washes, my mom leaving the room, which I thought she was leaving me for good, and toilets....yes toilets. The one fear that really got me was ET. As a little girl I always thought at night he was looking through a window at me. I would run past any windows in hopes he wouldn't get a sneak peek of me.

9. Which character on Sesame Street do you most identify with?

As of right now, Count Von Count. No, I do not enjoy human blood and I am NOT referring to Twilight in anyway. You all might already know that I am a 4yr old teacher. I am constantly counting with them and helping them learn their numbers.

10. What was the hardest goal you ever accomplished?
I don't really set goals...maybe I should?!
I would have to say the hardest goal I have ever accomplished was finally enjoying working out.
I used to DISLIKE with a passion going to the gym. I did everything to try not to go. (Wii fit, 30 day shred and P90X: abb ripper and yoga only) I now look forward to my workout classes and l
enjoy leaving work and going to the gym for a good sweat. weird...I know!

By His wounds we are healed

Enjoy the video and remember the incredible sacrifice Jesus made for us. Through Him we are redeemed and made righteous.

he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5

It's Friday...but Sunday's coming!

True Life: I'm a Pre-school Teacher

I am a pre-school teacher. I teach 14, four and five year olds. I find that my blog ideas come from what my kiddos say or do at school. They are absolutely precious and I am blessed to have them call me their teacher. I usually have at least 2 good stories each day that are pretty entertaining of what they do. I am going to start blogging about my adventures being a teacher, as well as other Brinkman happenings.

I definitely think you have to get to know my kids before I start writing the stories so you can have a better understanding of what my day looks like. I have included their name and a small description of who they are. Enjoy getting to know the Ladybug class.

Kennedy: A twin, her and her sister look like the 2010 version of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Has a personality of a 16 yr old and has called me mean many times. sweet girl.
Jackson: He loves dinosaurs and pretends to spray me with webs because he thinks he is Spider Man.
Ruby: A twin, she adores her Mom and she communicates by whispering. She loves to tell me about her twin sister Stella and how Stella calls her a sandwich.
Darlene: Tells me she loves me at least 10 times a day. Loves to hold my hand and demonstrates that hitting is bad by smacking herself in the face.
Will: Youngest out of all the kids, loves to scream out loud for no reason, but has a smile that melts me all the time.
Maddie: Ms. Popular, and she knows it. I have had to discipline her because she told some girls that they were not invited to her party. She enjoys my random songs I make up and is a cutie pie.
Sydney: She LOVES Jesus. Loves going to church. Wakes up her parents to go to morning church. Knows all the VBS songs and dance moves. Her prayers are deep and she understands the sacrifice Jesus made for her. Also Colby or Caleb's girlfriend...depending on the day.
Jessica: Mattie's other half. Extremely smart. Can read small words and remembers very well. Has an amazing imagination and often plays with her imaginary friend, Fred who is about the size of her hand. It seems he only come out to play during lunch.
Jacob: Asks me questions 24/7. Loves to play in the dress up center and reenact movies. (G-force, Shorts, Incredibles...)
Caleb: Sweet little boy. Does not like to sing or dance but likes to hold my hand. Has a picture perfect smile.
Keira: All around sweet heart. Always has a bow in her hair and would love to grow up and be a hair stylist.
Alyssa: Follows the rules to the T. Helps me keep an eye on the boys. Enjoys watching other kids play. shy and sweet
Colby: The boy who never takes naps and never gets tired. Loves Buzz Light year and draws the sweetest pictures.
Abigail: My sweet little Korean girl who plays the violin. Very smart and articulate. When I sit next to her during lunch she will nuzzle me like a cat the whole time on my arm. She calls me lovely and tells me she loves me a lot too. Also yawns like cat. Loves her stuffed kitty that she sleeps with during nap time.

That is my class. Hope you enjoyed getting to know my students. Class dismissed.

We Have a Nephew

On Monday, February 8, 2010 our sweet little nephew was born. We have visited my sister and brother-in-law twice since their bundle of joy has arrived, and we still can't get over how precious he is. This is one of my favorite photos of him.
How can you not want to hold him all day long? Not gonna lie, one of my favorite things to do is smell his sweet baby scent. He is a cutie and we can't wait to see him grow up to be a wonderful young man. We love you Brett Andrew!