I found this contest on Facebook where you vote for your school to receive 500,000 dollars from Khols! Here is the link to vote!!!!
Complete
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Jillian - the newest edition to the family
There are many reasons to come home for the summer. I get to see family and friends who I don't usually get to see. I get to experience many familiarities from my "growing up" years. And I get to put aside stresses and responsibilities for a month and be able to just "be". This summer, while enjoying all the above benefits of being back in RP, I have decided to take this time off to "get in shape".
Another "kickback" of being at home is that I get to experience and take part in first hand whatever healthy/diet/exercise plan my mom is currently going through. I think we have both finally found something that works. My mom is currently using meal plans created by TV's Jillian Michaels. Not only is the food good for you but it tastes good too! It is all light, fresh and delicious. I have also been working out everyday as well. And I feel great! I have decided to not weigh myself, which I think it doing wonders for my self-esteem. I have noticed a slight difference in the way I look, though not too much, yet! Like I said before though, I FEEL great!
Jillian even has her own dessert recipes! Before going to my friends Brian and Stephanie's house last night for dinner, I decided to try out Jillian's brownie recipe. Her recipe uses honey instead of sugar and applesause and olive oil instead of vegetable oil. They came out super light and fluffy. They tasted more "cakey" then "brownie-ey". Part of that may be because instead of baking them in a 8x8 pan I did my usual where I bake them in a mini muffin pan, so you get individual brownies! There wasn't a lot of "chocolatey" flavor to them and I could still taste the applesause a bit, but that should be an easy fix. Next time I will use less applesauce and more cocoa power! Yum yum!
Another "kickback" of being at home is that I get to experience and take part in first hand whatever healthy/diet/exercise plan my mom is currently going through. I think we have both finally found something that works. My mom is currently using meal plans created by TV's Jillian Michaels. Not only is the food good for you but it tastes good too! It is all light, fresh and delicious. I have also been working out everyday as well. And I feel great! I have decided to not weigh myself, which I think it doing wonders for my self-esteem. I have noticed a slight difference in the way I look, though not too much, yet! Like I said before though, I FEEL great!
Jillian even has her own dessert recipes! Before going to my friends Brian and Stephanie's house last night for dinner, I decided to try out Jillian's brownie recipe. Her recipe uses honey instead of sugar and applesause and olive oil instead of vegetable oil. They came out super light and fluffy. They tasted more "cakey" then "brownie-ey". Part of that may be because instead of baking them in a 8x8 pan I did my usual where I bake them in a mini muffin pan, so you get individual brownies! There wasn't a lot of "chocolatey" flavor to them and I could still taste the applesause a bit, but that should be an easy fix. Next time I will use less applesauce and more cocoa power! Yum yum!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
out with the old, in with the new and then back again
As of yesterday I have officially lived in Hawai'i for two years. Yes! Two years! It seems like more than that I must admit. So what did I do to celebrate being a "kama'aina" for two full years now? I got a new phone number! Yes, I decided to due away with the old and bring on the new. I am no longer a part of the 707 crowd but am now with the 808 nation!
After being away for two years I find myself, in a way, coming full circle to where I left off. Well, when it comes to work anyway. My first and only year of teaching in California I taught first grade and it was wonderful. After two years of teaching Kindergarten I will be going back this next year to teaching first grade. Yay me! Not only that but I will be teaching my Kindergarteners from last year! They are a wonderful class and we have so much fun together. For the most part they are pretty well behaved, so I have totally lucked out!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Spring Break 2010!!!
Last night I got back from the most relaxing yet incredibly packed Spring Vacation! It all began in LA where my BFF/Roommate Chrissy and I met up with my brother. We went to In N Out for a late (very late!) dinner and then off to Casey's (not KC's, which is what I thought it was...) Tavern for a very, very late "adult" drink. It was a pretty cool place and we were there til about 130am when it closed! The next day we hung out with my brother at the mall and then went to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory! Yum! And while we were having dinner an old man came up to me and asked if I was Selma Hayek's sister! Ha! That totally made my already amazing day!
After dinner my brother took up to the Queen Mary where we were staying for the night, and we all had a drink up at the bar at the front of the boat. The next morning Chrissy and I awoke in our amazing room in the Queen Mary and were served breakfast in bed! It was fabulous! After we got ready for the day we explored the Queen Mary museum a bit and then headed off to our cruise ship "Paradise"!
The first full day of our crusie we were at Catalina Island. We found a cute coffee shop/ sake bar (ha!) and had coffee before strolling along town. We then decided to rent a golf cart and drive around the island and then we finished our day with some fantastic fish and chips!
The next day we were in Ensanada and had a fabulous time there as well! We ended up going to La Bufadora (the blowhole) and the open market there. We bought some cool things and had amazing churros! Our tour guide was amazing too! His name was Rigo and he was hilarious!
The next and final day of the cruise we were at sea the whole day and pretty much just laid out in the sun the whole afternoon. We also went to the dining room 3 times that day and had sit down meals for each meal that day! So I had eggs benedict for breakfast, a burger for lunch and veal for dinner. I also finished my book "The Congo" that I had been reading during the trip.
The next day we got off the cruise ship back in Long Beach and met up with Chrissy's friend Matt. He took us to Santa Monica and we walked along the coast and into town. Chrissy and I went to LUSH (yay!) and then we went to this place for lunch where I had some amazing tacos!
Matt then dropped us off at our hotel and Chrissy and I crashed for the rest of the night.
The next day when we checked in at the airport we weren't given any seat assignments so we went to the counter by our gate to ask if it would be at all possible for us to sit next to each other. Well, the flight was completelly OVERBOOKED and they were offering 250 dollar vouchers if you gave up your seat and flew the next day. Chrissy was contemplating it and I might have too if I didn't have to get back to work on Monday. They even announced a later flight into Honolulu that we said we were willing to take since we knew that people were on their way for vacation and weren't likely to give up their seats, but then we wouldn't be able to make our connecting flight to Kona and would have to stay the night in Oahu. Well, after pretty much everyone had boarded the plane, the lady at the counter came up to us and gave us our tickets.... and they were for first class! She said she never does this, and we said praise you Jesus! So we got to fly back to Hawaii in first class and we even got to sit next to each other! What a perfect way to end and seemingly perfect trip!
After dinner my brother took up to the Queen Mary where we were staying for the night, and we all had a drink up at the bar at the front of the boat. The next morning Chrissy and I awoke in our amazing room in the Queen Mary and were served breakfast in bed! It was fabulous! After we got ready for the day we explored the Queen Mary museum a bit and then headed off to our cruise ship "Paradise"!
The first full day of our crusie we were at Catalina Island. We found a cute coffee shop/ sake bar (ha!) and had coffee before strolling along town. We then decided to rent a golf cart and drive around the island and then we finished our day with some fantastic fish and chips!
The next day we were in Ensanada and had a fabulous time there as well! We ended up going to La Bufadora (the blowhole) and the open market there. We bought some cool things and had amazing churros! Our tour guide was amazing too! His name was Rigo and he was hilarious!
The next and final day of the cruise we were at sea the whole day and pretty much just laid out in the sun the whole afternoon. We also went to the dining room 3 times that day and had sit down meals for each meal that day! So I had eggs benedict for breakfast, a burger for lunch and veal for dinner. I also finished my book "The Congo" that I had been reading during the trip.
The next day we got off the cruise ship back in Long Beach and met up with Chrissy's friend Matt. He took us to Santa Monica and we walked along the coast and into town. Chrissy and I went to LUSH (yay!) and then we went to this place for lunch where I had some amazing tacos!
Matt then dropped us off at our hotel and Chrissy and I crashed for the rest of the night.
The next day when we checked in at the airport we weren't given any seat assignments so we went to the counter by our gate to ask if it would be at all possible for us to sit next to each other. Well, the flight was completelly OVERBOOKED and they were offering 250 dollar vouchers if you gave up your seat and flew the next day. Chrissy was contemplating it and I might have too if I didn't have to get back to work on Monday. They even announced a later flight into Honolulu that we said we were willing to take since we knew that people were on their way for vacation and weren't likely to give up their seats, but then we wouldn't be able to make our connecting flight to Kona and would have to stay the night in Oahu. Well, after pretty much everyone had boarded the plane, the lady at the counter came up to us and gave us our tickets.... and they were for first class! She said she never does this, and we said praise you Jesus! So we got to fly back to Hawaii in first class and we even got to sit next to each other! What a perfect way to end and seemingly perfect trip!
Friday, March 5, 2010
March Madness!
This has been a fun yet tiring week of school... and it was only 4 days! Tuesday was Dr. Seuss Day (March 2nd is his birthday) so we did all Dr. Seuss stuff all day long. I was actually dreading it before hand, but after I got everything prepped for it the day before I was really looking forward to it. We started off our day by reading the story "Horton Hatches an Egg". At the end of the story the egg hatches and it is an "elephant bird". So, I had the kids create their own two animal animals. They had to think of two animals and put them together and then write what it was called. The kids had a lot of fun with it. For reading time I let the kids read the Dr. Seuss books that they brought or they could borrow mine if they didn't have.
The day before I had read the story of the Butter Battle Book so before they went out for recess they got to have bread and butter for snack, and choose where they wanted their bread. Most picked to eat it with the butter on top but some at it (or at least atttempted to) on the bottom. And other just folded their bread in half and ate it in the middle!
When they came back from recess we made Cat in the Hat hats and then they got to wear them to lunch. And at the end of the day they got to read Dr. Seuss books to the Kindergarteners next door to us and then we all watched the Cat and the Hat movie. It was a super fun day, but once I got home I realized how tired I was, and then I had to go to youth group!
The following day was Girls' Day, which was super fun too, though the kids were a bit crazy! For writing time they had to write about a girl that they know (7 of them picked me!) And later we made fans. They colored flowers on them first with crayon and then watercolored over it. They girls got to eat lunch with me in the classroom and then decided they wanted to make up a fan dance! So I helped them come up with something and they practiced it a few times and when the boys came back form lunch they performed it for them. A couple of days before I made mochi (for the first time!) which is this Japanese snack/dessert that is made with sugar and rice flour and has this kind of sticky, solid yet mushy texture, and I gave it to the kids when they left for the day.
So that was what a lot of my energy was spent on this week, and now I hav them weekend to recoup!
The day before I had read the story of the Butter Battle Book so before they went out for recess they got to have bread and butter for snack, and choose where they wanted their bread. Most picked to eat it with the butter on top but some at it (or at least atttempted to) on the bottom. And other just folded their bread in half and ate it in the middle!
When they came back from recess we made Cat in the Hat hats and then they got to wear them to lunch. And at the end of the day they got to read Dr. Seuss books to the Kindergarteners next door to us and then we all watched the Cat and the Hat movie. It was a super fun day, but once I got home I realized how tired I was, and then I had to go to youth group!
The following day was Girls' Day, which was super fun too, though the kids were a bit crazy! For writing time they had to write about a girl that they know (7 of them picked me!) And later we made fans. They colored flowers on them first with crayon and then watercolored over it. They girls got to eat lunch with me in the classroom and then decided they wanted to make up a fan dance! So I helped them come up with something and they practiced it a few times and when the boys came back form lunch they performed it for them. A couple of days before I made mochi (for the first time!) which is this Japanese snack/dessert that is made with sugar and rice flour and has this kind of sticky, solid yet mushy texture, and I gave it to the kids when they left for the day.
So that was what a lot of my energy was spent on this week, and now I hav them weekend to recoup!
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