Honesty is a Virtue

Ok so one of my dearest friends, Lara (Casey) Weaver, tagged me to do this.

10 Honest things about me:

1. I get my eyebrows waxed. I have since I was about 17. It is the one self-idulgent girly things I pay for. For example, I've only have ever gotten a manicure twice and it was for weddings and paid for by brides. I only get my hair cut or trimmed once a year at the most, honestly it is probably more like every 2 years. So the once a month eyebrow waxing is always a hilarious experience to go to at my small hometown salon and hear all the news of Sapulpa. I always enjoy it and always leave with a funny story to tell my mother.

2. I am going to admit it. I am a huge Twilight fan. So huge that I went with twenty other teachers from my school to the opening night premier last night. We pre-bought our tickets two weeks ago and then had reservations at Texas Roadhouse afterwards. It was the most fun I've had in awhile. It was fantastic. I am a huge fan in that I realize the ridiculous-girly-silliness that the books are but I also respect writing enough to see the impressiveness of how the author can completely pull you in. I was sarcastic and jaded at first, probably the first 4 chapters of the first book I was not that impressed and wasn't sure if I would keep reading--after the 5th chapter I couldn't come up for air for anything or anyone. All I have to say is: Team Jacob.

3. I don't take pride in my taste in music, but I am personally very happy with it. My Holly St. housemates in college had great taste and were all about it. I always just pretended (very badly I am sure) to know what they were talking about and listened to my country music to my heart's content. Country is my first choice when listening to the radio. A lot of that has to do with where I live, we don't have good radio stations. We have pop, rap (sort of), oldies and lots and lots of country, eventually you just have to give in because that is where your most options are.
My taste is also very random and has no continuity. This is the mix of songs I am listening to as I write this: Jack Johnson, John Mayer, Brad Paisley, Amy Whinehouse, Coldplay, Carrie Underwood, Damien Rice, Michael Buble, The Wreckers, The Fray, Tim McGraw, The Posies, Sara Bareilles, and Rascal Flatts. PS. I love love love Broadways and about 75% of the time am listening to Wicked or Aida on my itunes, on repeat.

4. I was hardcore into competitive drama, Lincoln Douglas debate, and public speaking all four years of high school. I spent most of my weekends at a a high school or college somewhere in Oklahoma competing. Our teacher and coach was and is one of the most influential people/women in my life. Ms. DeVilliers otherwise lovingly referred to by everyone as D. D taught me more tough love and genuine affection mixed with politics, case briefs, comedy routines, tearful talks, confidence, acting, speaking, blocking, boy advice, life advice, intense scolding, and millions of hugs. D deeply influenced who I am and how I represent myself. We were once working on a standard oratory and a piece of poetry I was going to do and I was young and just had not come into my own at all yet, after telling me everything I needed to work on and scolding me for not working harder at it D grabbed my face between her two hands and said, "Emily, your face is a gift from God and I am going to teach you how to use it". My senior year I qualified with 3 other teammates to compete at Harvard University in an international tournament in debate. I tromped around Boston competing in different buildings and we were rewarded with 4 days in NYC afterward. D is a brilliant woman and I hope to influence my little students half as much as she influenced hundreds and hundreds of students.

5. I was in FFA in high school and I took about 5 Ag classes. No I didn't have to work with cows or pigs. I gave speeches. I was recruited from drama/debate to be a part of their competitve speech programs. It didn't hurt that there were 3 new Ag teachers all under the age of 25 and all very cute to convince me. My first competition was for the Farmer's Credit Union and I spoke on the importance of the family farm. I won state. I have 500 dollars of savings bonds from the Farmer's Credit Union to prove it. My senior year I was on the Ag Issues team and we won state with our drama concerning the pollution of Oklahoma watersheds by Arkansas's chicken pollution runoff into those watersheds. Yea, we won state and competed at Nationals in Kentucky. I love the FFA, respect it, and will defend the quality of the program to anybody.

6. I want to be Paula Deen. I love to cook and have learned more about good southern cooking from that woman. I watch her show, read her books, and look at her website a lot. I am constantly trying some new Paula Deen concoction. So far my families' favorites are the Sweet Potato Biscuits, Homemade Mac and Cheese, Cheesy Biscuits, and her Gumbo.

7. For those of you who don't know I am a Junior High cheerleading coach as well as a 4th grade teacher. I went into the cheerleading incredibly skeptical and incredibly blackmailed by my good friend who is the other coach. But you know what? I like it. The girls are young and sweet and I feel like I can mold them not to be dumb and shallow. I can actually teach character and confidence through cheerleading. I also love doing the girly things and going to the games. Actually because of lack of help, the boys basketball coach told me that I needed to learn how to keep the books for the boys' games. So last week for four games in a row I kept the books. I did pretty dang good if I do say so myself. I have never paid so much attention to referees and calls in my life, but I am feeling more and more confident in my basketball knowlege and book keeping skills, not to mention cheerleading coaching.

8. I think about Lake City, CO more than is probably healthy. I am constantly wondering what is going on there, what the weather is like, and what my friends are up to. I also often think about dropping everything and moving up there and what that would be like. I was on the city's website the other day looking for a photo of the American Basin for my school desktop and the was a photo looking down Silver Street and I felt a sharp pain of oh that's home, that's where I should be at home. Hmmm.

9. I really want to go to Vancouver or Guatemala for spring break. I realize those are both random and very different places to want to go. But I want to splurge and take some type of international trip. In Guatemala I could see a lot of close JBU friends that I have been telling I would come visit for two years now. My college roommate and another close friend would possibly come from Costa Rica and El Salvador to visit me while I am there which also makes it more appealing. My friend Jake is working on his Masters in Vancouver and I would love to go visit him. My cousin is also working on a doctorate up there and I would love to have quality time with her. I have also heard Vancouver is incredibly beautiful and I would love to go to Canada.

10. I am reading the Chronicles of Narnia series to my class. We are on the Voyage of the Dawn Treader right now and it is fabulous. It is one of the most magical experiences. My parents read me these books as a child and I have loved them as an adult. Most of my students have had absolutely no exposure to them and only a few have seen the first movie. They are so into it. We live and breathe Narnia in Miss Pritz's class! We have a whole wall dedicated to our Narnia drawings. I end certain exciting chapters and the kids will say "NO! What happens?? You can't stop, keep reading!" At the end of Prince Caspian they cheered! I am loving it. You will hear and see more about that as we work through the series.

I don't really want to tag anyone but I would like to see Linda Wyman, Amanda Hartman, and Christina Carnes do this.

I have a class of inspired performers. There doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to do what we need to curriculum-wise and still let them perform!

This video is a little long but I think gives a good peak into Miss Pritz's classroom. I like how I am confused about when the song is ending. I keep thinking he is done and he keeps on going!

Another post about my students--get used to it--I live and breath school and sometimes for weeks at a time, nothing else.

Today I had noon recess duty.
A little girl who is in the 4th grade, not in my class, but I still know her well--she is a well known character, came up behind me and started rubbing my shoulders.
The kids this week have started offering me shoulder rubs and who am I to deny it? My back and neck hurt all the time, all I do is walk around, stand, sit on a wobbly stool, and apparently sleep in positions that really hurt my neck in the morning.

Amazing quote number 1 from shoulder rub experience:
Miss Pritz: "thanks, Lily"
Lily: "how did you know it was me?"
Miss Pritz: "I have eyes in the back of my head"
Lily: "that's right. All women do. I'll get mine one day when I am older."

Amazing quote number 2 from shoulder rub:
---Lily moves from rubbing my shoulders to my neck and then to my cheekbones for some reason............
Lily: "Does that feel good?"
Miss Pritz: Sure.
Lily: "I am not really sure what I am rubbing anymore."

Then my little friend begins to scamper off and as she runs away into the field I hear the beginnings of the tale she is beginning to tell to her brave companion....
Lily: "One time when I was in another country, and it was a chinese new year..........."

Oh to have a limitless imagination with no fear of what others think.

I teach 4th grade.
A very important part of my relationships with my students is affection. A lot of my students may not have anyone hug them all day. It is important to me that I can give them plenty of affection throughout the day in my classroom. I also want them to feel safe and comfortable with me and much more willing to embrace and share affection.
One way I ensure that we have some type of contact during the day is as they leave the classroom at the end of the day I stand in the doorway and say, "high five, hug, or handshake?" and the kids know to pick one. Some kids just immediately hug me and some prefer the high five, then there are some of my charmers who consistently do all three.

Now, I have been cautious to give my 4th grade boys side hugs, because let's face it, I am a young teacher and they know it. Some are so tall side hugs are only appropriate. Some are still so small I have to bend over to hug them and or they hug me around the waist.

Today one of my most entertaining, sweet, talkative, loving, and quite small male students was hugging me in the doorway. He was full on around my waist and said "I just love hugging you!", I said, "why?" and he said, "you're soooo soft". Hmmmmm. I need to get back to side hugs.

Autumn, what a wonderful word.

I realize I haven't posted in forever so it is a little bizarre of me to just randomly write instead of recap, but I don't care--recap involves way too much thinking for me today!

I have the day off of school and it is rainy and autumny outside and I love it!

Random Spur of the Moment Reasons I love Autumn:

1. Sweaters that tie or wrap

2. Boots and tights

3. Pashminas, Pashminas, Pashminas, with everything please.

4. Baking--Carol's homemade bread, pumpkin pie, cranberry-orange bread, etc.

5. Football games--believe it or not I love going to or watching high school and college football games! So fun and maybe one of the few competitive things I enjoy.

6. Tea--Nambarrie, the wonderful tea of Northern Ireland, that I still have stock of today even though the last time I was there was 3 years ago...I kind of want to run out so I can go again soon!

7. Orange--I love the color, it is a part of me (aka I have ginger hair), and it surrounds me in this Oklahoma fall

Back to tea--I am sitting in my nightgown and mukluks watching Project Runway drinking my splendid Irish Tea and feeling super homesick for Northern Ireland, maybe it is the rainy gloomy weather that seems so Irish today!

In honor of that here are some of my favorite shots of my travels on that enchanted Emerald Isle!

Kansas Part Quatro

Then we ended the Kansas adventure with a church service and pizza. Jake and his older sister were singing at a local church service--so I was very lucky to hear their beautiful voices. Then after church Jake and Mr. Whitmore took us out to a nice lunch of Pizza Hut. To top off my Newton experience I was able to see Katie Funk-Dyck my neighbor back in the Mayfield days and one of the funnest girls around, what a treat, what a roadtrip!

Kansas Part Tres

Then the real party started. The whole reason for being in Kansas--Luke Davis and Ellen McCulley's wedding! What a night, what a party, what a couple! Such a beautiful wedding and awesome celebration. It was great to be a part of Luke and Ellen's special day and to get to have such a large JBU reunion complete with being really dressed up and dancing the night away!

Kansas Part Dos

Look what was waiting for me in front of a super cool old pub in downtown Newton, KS...........that's right Jakey.

After leaving Wichita I left for the metropolis of Newton to stay at my friend's house and enjoy some pre-wedding fun with JBU friends that were also in town for the wedding. I have always enjoyed my time in Newton and this time was no exception. We cooked and laughed and stayed up too late every night. I was even able to have coffee with Boone's mom Annie, which was so great, and see my long lost friend Ian.

Kansas Part Uno

So I am slacking so much at this!!!!!!!! Busyness is bringing my blogging down.

Weeks ago I went to Kansas for lots of fun events. First two of my best friends Kristen and David were in Wichita visiting from Mexico where they are English teachers and I got to spend a very short but fun time with them. We laughed, loved, fought (David and me only), and ate delicious homemade Mexican food. Good times.

Summer=Strawberry Jam

As a little girl I can remember spending summer days at my best friend Adrian's house and I can remembering her mom canning. She would can outside because it would get so hot inside. Barb knew how to do everything when it came to canning and making jam. I feel it is a lost art in my generation and I want to learn how to carry it on. Since we lost Barb last year we were determined to carry on the tradition--Adrian and her husband Trevor, my mom, and I bought pints of strawberries from the farmer's market and used Barb's old canning equipment to make our own jam. It was a lot of fun, an adventure, and something I definitely want to do again. Also our jam tasted awesome!

Belated 4th of July

Sorry it took me so long to post these and come back to my blog. I have no good excuse. But this was technically on the 3rd of July, we had a great time with our close friends and family at the Ellis's house. David S. these are for you!

Branson Days

I went on another adventure with my friend and her 11 kids! Two summers ago we went on a three week road trip through New Mexico and Arizona in the 15 passenger van. This time we paired it down to 4 days in a time share in Branson. Only 9 of the kids were able to come now that Aaron and Johnny are 18 and working. We spend two fun and beautiful days at my favorite childhood memory Silver Dollar City. It was such a great time to watch the kids enjoy themselves so much and to see how excited they get about everything! Denise and I also snuck away and had a great day of shopping at the Outlets and enjoying an amazing lunch on the river at the Landing. I love this family!