4th of July

My family came to St. Louis to visit for the 4th of July, and we had a blast! We went to the Cardinals vs. Mets game on Wednesday and got to watch a victory, which is always fun. Especially after a 45 minute rain delay...thank goodness we found dip 'n dots to keep us occupied.

On the 4th we had an all-American barbecue at our house, complete with homemade ice cream! My parents brought their ice cream maker and a recipe we used to make all the time when we were growing up. It tasted exactly like I remembered it. Then we headed downtown to watch the fireworks under the arch. The website suggested taking the Metro (public transportation) since Fair St. Louis was also going on at the same time. We were feeling very "metropolitan," so we took the website's advice. It was a fun and easy ride downtown.

Now, in case you haven't heard, St. Louis is ranked as one of the top 10 places to watch fireworks on the 4th. I know! I couldn't believe it, either! And they were incredible! The last time we went downtown on the 4th, I was so busy trying to take a good picture of it that I missed most of the show. This time I decided just to watch, and it was totally worth it. Once the fireworks were over, we headed to the Metro link stop and found a line going all the way down the block and around the corner. Since there was a lot happening downtown that evening (Cardinals vs. Cubs,
Fair St. Louis, the fireworks), we decided to walk to another station that we thought would be less crowded. A mile and a half later, we found another extremly long line that was barely moving. Next we found a bus that was going to our train stop, and since we weren't sure how long the trains would run that night, we decided to try our luck on the bus. Little did we know that public buses make tons of stops along the way to pick people up and drop them off (it's not a direct trip, by any means.) Over an hour after getting on the bus, we FINALLY found our car and headed home. Needless to say, I don't think I'll take the Metro again any time soon. But it was a fun adventure and made me feel so blessed to have my own car that takes me wherever I need to go at any time.

The rest of the weekend was filled with golf for the boys and lots of shopping for the girls. My mom and sister and I even drove to Lake of the Ozarks to visit the Coach outlet...so fun! We were so glad to have family around and to be able to spend time with them. As my dad said, "Hanging out with your family, good food, and baseball...what more could you want?!?" The only thing I'd add to that list is shopping...

4th of July Pictures

"How is your summer vacation?"

This is a question teachers hear very often in the summer. If you ask any teacher I know how their summer is going, they'll tell you it's way too fast and not much of a vacation. (I know, hard for some of you to believe. But really, we don't sit around all day eating bon bons and watching T.V. Although that does sound nice right now!) And I'm definitely NOT complaining...having a little time off is super nice!

This summer has flown by incredibly fast. I spent all of June working on my internship for my Masters in Reading. I worked summer school at the school with struggling readers one-on-one or in groups. I honestly wasn't sure that I would want to be a Reading Specialist right away and feel very passionate about working in the classroom, but I really enjoyed the students and loved seeing how much progress they made in a short amount of time. Working as a Reading Specialist would definitely be rewarding and something that might possibly be in my future...we'll see! For now I'm just glad to take what I learned to the classroom again next year. Only I'll be back in 1st grade...my favorite! Some funny memories from summer school are:

Practicing the "I remember" strategy with nonfiction stories:
Jack: "I renumber when..."
Me: "Oh, you remember?"
Jack: "Yep! I renumber..."

After getting sick and throwing up all over the reading table (and my leg...oh, the things we do as teachers) the day before:
Ried: "Uh-uh! No way, Jose! I am NOT reading that one!"
Me: "You didn't like the book about Mr. McCready's cleaning day?" (I know, it sounds thrilling, doesn't it?)
Ried: "That book makes me SICK! Yuck!"
(And don't worry...I didn't make him read it again.)

And my all-time favorite word for kids to mix up, which happened daily with one of the students I worked with:
"AMINALS"

You gotta love first graders. I'm so excited to go back next year. When I wasn't working at summer school, I was writing several papers and projects that were part of my classes. I actually just emailed my last one to my professor today! Woo-hoo! Now all I'm waiting for is my grades and a DIPLOMA!

However, I have managed to have lots of fun between all the work this summer. A couple of weeks ago I traveled back to Oklahoma to help throw a shower for one of my best friends who is getting married in August. We enjoyed catching up with everyone and watching Melissa open her fun gifts. Brooke, another bridesmaid, also came up with fun games for us to play. I was upset that I didn't win one (in case you don't know, I love to win games!) but they were still fun. Two of our good friends from college came up from Oklahoma City. It was so good to see them, and I can't wait to celebrate with everyone again at the wedding! Here are a couple of pictures I took (and hopefully I'll get some more from Megan soon...hint, hint!)

Theta girls! Susan, Melissa (the bride-to-be), me and Marianne.

Some Bartlesville girls...Melissa, Hollye, me, Courtney and Sara

The next weekend I drove to Tulsa and stayed with my sister before flying to Dallas for Jill's bachelorette party. How lucky am I to have two of my bestest friends getting married this summer?!? It makes me so happy to see how happy they both are. The whole weekend was so much fun, and I loved seeing all the girls. We stayed at the Hotel Za Za and had a lingerie shower before heading out for dinner and some fun in Dallas. We're also looking forward to Jill's wedding in August! Here are pictures from all the festivities:

Hollye, Britney, Jillian, Megan and me

The Bride-To-Be!

Some of the girls at the party

Me and Megan

Sara, me and Monica

I also had a blast hanging out with my sister. We decided that it is definitely not fun living so far apart! On Sunday we drove to Owasso to see Kylie and Kevin's sweet baby boy. Here are some pictures of the cutie:

Sarah holding Cal

I'd like to think that Cal is trying to laugh here and not cry...

Sarah, Cal and me. What a stud!

Now I'm just looking forward to some workshops through my school district, setting up my new classroom (another new room...I think that's four new classrooms since I started teaching! Yikes!), and taking care of some projects around the house. If anyone is in St. Louis and would like to come help, just let me know! :-)

Summer "Do"

So I decided, mostly because I've turned in all my assignments except one for my final class of my Masters program, but also because it's summer time...to give our blog a face lift! I hope you enjoy the new look. And I found the coolest website that let me add a playlist so you can listen to some tunes while reading. I put songs that remind me of "Team Teal"...just turn up the volume on your computer to listen. Also, check out the side for my latest addition called "Inspiration." I love to collect quotes, Bible verses, and other sayings that inspire me. Hopefully I'll remember to update it periodically...

For now, I found this quote that my favorite professor in my Masters program gave us in class one night. She found it in a book called Wisdom for Graduates: Words to the Wise from the Even Wiser edited by Alison Bing. To me this quote reminds me of all the times in my life I didn't try something for fear that I might be "inadequate." And how many times I missed opportunities because I was afraid of what other people might think or say about me. But, on the other hand, I'm also so incredibly thankful for all the people in my life who believe in me and inspire me to keep working, trying, and striving to accomplish big things. To those people (my sweet husband, my family, my good friends, among others...) I am forever grateful! I hope you will remember how "bright, brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous" you are today.

Thanks for visiting our site and I hope you are feeling inspired!

A Weekend in the 'Lou'

After two long weeks of summer school and working on my case study, I was really excited to relax this weekend. On Friday night I went out with some girls. We started at Amy's house and then went to Harry's, a bar I'd heard about and really wanted to see. They have a huge patio that overlooks the skyline of St. Louis...so cool! We hung out on the patio with the band and danced the night away. I wish I could say I was a crazy party animal, but by about 1:00 my feet hurt so bad and all I could think of was my bed back home. I can definitely say that I was feeling old and cranky...

On Saturday it was a beautiful day outside and we had no plans, so Jonathan came up with the idea to go explore the city. We started by getting a sno cone at a stand we'd heard about and had been wanting to try in Ballwin...very yummy! Then we drove across town to Central West End. We walked around for awhile and then sat outside for a drink and some guacamole (yes, I was try to recreate Playa del Carmen...didn't quite cut it!) From there we drove back across the city to meet some friends at our favorite sushi restaurant for dinner. The best part of dinner was getting to hold Alexander - our friends' Tim and Jen's adorable baby boy. I hadn't seen him in so long and was in need of an Alex-fix. He's such a great baby and didn't cry the entire 2 and a half hours while we were eating and chatting...despite the fact that it was WAY past his bedtime! Then it was across town again to Kirkwood where we hit Bar Louie. We sat outside and listened to the band while enjoying the great weather. It probably wasn't the best idea we've ever had to drive all around St. Louis with gas prices the way they are, but we had a good time! Here are some pictures from the weekend:

Alexander was jammin' to the music at dinner! Isn't he precious???

Mallory, me and Missy

Jonathan, Brian and Bob

My hubby and me!

We also want to send a shout out to our amazing dads...HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! We wish we could have seen both of you today, but we look forward to seeing you both next weekend. We are so lucky to have such incredible fathers and great friends. We love you so much!

My dad with me on my wedding day

Jonathan and his dad in Mexico

First Barbecue of the Summer!

Mallory, me, Brian & Dustin hanging out
Brian, Dustin, & Jonathan

This weekend we had our first barbecue of the summer. We invited several friends over for food, drinks, and games. Jonathan and Brian decided we needed a volleyball net for the backyard, so the boys set it up before everyone else got here. I kept asking if this was for sure not a permanent net, but I'm still not convinced that it won't be up forever. Oh well! We loved our house the first time we saw it because of the open kitchen and big backyard with the deck...perfect for entertaining. So I guess I should be glad that we now have another reason for people to come hang out at our house. We had lots of hanging out and catching up, especially since we've been out of town so much lately. The pictures I've added are curtesy of Bob and his awesome camera (I'm so jealous! Hint, hint hubby! And thanks for sharing, Bob.)


Here's the new addition to the backyard: the volleyball court!
Lola enjoyed hanging out, too, and was very well-behaved! Maybe that's because she'll turn 3 years old in a couple of weeks...I can't believe it!

Missy and Mallory catching up

Poor Lindsey just had her wisdom teeth out, but she found a great new use for a cold bottle!

Everyone got in on a good 'ole game of bags. Thanks for bringing it, Dustin.

Hope everyone is having a great start to the summer!!

Playa del Carmen

We returned from Playa del Carmen with Jonathan's parents last Thursday night. We had an absolutely WONDERFUL time, and I'm acutally sad we're back. Especially since I've had to start my internship for my Masters...the beach was much more relaxing than real life! If you're looking for the best place to stay in Mexico (in my opinion), check out the Royal Playa del Carmen or Cancun. All of the restaurants were incredible, the location was fabulous (right on the beach and a block away from 5th Avenue in Playa...fun shopping and lots of restaurants), and the people were super friendly and helpful. The entire resort was absolutely gorgeous, too. I think I could live there forever and be happy. :-)

One night when we got back from dinner, our room had been transformed to celebrate my birthday. Our jacuzzi was filled up with bubbles and rose petals and there was champagne and chocolate covered strawberries and a birthday cake waiting for us! It was so sweet and a fun surprise...and it reminded me of the night Jonathan and I got engaged with all the red rose petals everywhere. (Side note: Jonathan scooped the petals up and asked if I was going to throw them in his face and yell, "We're getting married!" just like I did the night we got engaged, but I was too tired. I'm sure he was very disappointed, since the look he gave me could have killed when I did it the first time! Oh memories...) I do have to say I've had some pretty amazing birthdays in my life (like the year I saw the Pantheon in Rome the night of my birthday), but this one definitely took the cake. I guess turning 28 isn't so bad after all...

We spent most of our time laying out on the beach or near the pool and eating. We also made friends with Lopez, the bartender at the swim-up bar. We also met lots of fun people and just enjoyed relaxing. One day (have you noticed I can't remember days? I guess that's what a vacation is for!) we took the ferry across the ocean to Cozumel. Jonathan, Mike and Judy had never been there, and I was curious to see if it was any different from when I was there 3 years ago, especially after the hurricane. It looked as beautiful as I remembered, and we just spent time shopping and exploring Cozumel.

Overall, we had a great vacation. I was excited to hear that Jonathan told the boys at work that we're going back every year...that's music to my ears!

Pictures from Playa del Carmen

Roses

Roses, cont.

I decided it would be fun to learn how to use photobucket, so here's my first attempt. These are the rose bushes in front of our house. Luckily for me, the people who lived in our house before us must have known a thing or two about roses. They are gorgeous! I just hope I can keep them alive because honestly, I have no idea what I'm doing!

By the way, does anyone know how to post from photobucket AND add writing? Every time I try to add writing, the slideshow doesn't work. Any ideas?

Spoiled Rotten!

When I got home from summer school today, I couldn't find Lola. First, I looked in the office where she has a very comfy crate and lots of toys...

...then I looked in our room where she, by the way, has her own bed that almost matches our bedroom decor perfectly (disgusting, I know)...

...still no luck. Finally I check the guest bedroom...and...

...do you think she's spoiled?!? I mean, not only does she sleep in a human bed ALL DAY while we're at work, but she also rearranges the pillows to maximize her comfort level. What a life!

Birthday Visit!

My sister came to visit this weekend for my birthday. It was so much fun to have her here! I always love it when she comes. It's sad to drop her off at the airport, but at least we're only a short flight away. While she was here we went to see Samuel (she hadn't met him yet) and did LOTS of eating and shopping. All of my favorite things! We also went to a comedy club on Saturday with Brian and Mallory. It was pretty funny, and you have to admit that laughing until your cheeks hurt is always a good feeling!

Sarah meeting Samuel. I like how their eyes have almost the same expression!

Sarah, Jonathan, me, Brian and Mallory at the comedy club. And no, I'm not holding the bottle directly to my mouth, even though it looks like it!

Influence

I've been thinking a lot about influence this week. My kiddos had their talent show a couple of weeks ago (it was awesome, by the way!) and one of my students chose to sing a song by Carrie Underwood. It was called, "I Ain't in Checotah Anymore." The reason she chose it was because one line said, "I'd rather be tippin' cows in Tulsa than hailing cabs in New York City." Now, I'm sure she didn't really mean that she'd rather tip cows in Tulsa...she doesn't even know what that means! And when I met her dad a couple of nights later, he said, "So you're the reason my daughter loves country music and Oklahoma now!" I told him it would be really cute until football season (you know Oklahoma beat Missouri in the Big 12, right?). It's incredible how much influence you can have on others, especially young children. It's scary and wonderful, all at the same time. I just hope and pray that my influence on each of my students is more good than anything else.

After my teammates and I finished our cumulative folders this evening (the ones that follow our students all the way through high school...no pressure, right?), we headed to a Mexican restaurant for margaritas to celebrate the end of the year and hopefully the return of our sanity. We were laughing about all the crazy things we've done this year and how close we've been to losing our minds. It might just be a teacher thing, but when you start clapping syllables while giving instructions, you're on the verge of losing it. I bent down right in front of two boys today and clapped while saying, "I'm-go-ing-to-need-you-to-stop-and-lis-ten." Who does that?!? And I've also been doing lots of yoga breathing this last week. I can tell my kiddos get nervous when I do that, cause they're all watching me like my head might explode. Plus once, I even shut my eyes and took three deep breaths when a student was asking me the same question for the fifth time. I didn't even bother to answer the question. These are the kinds of things that I hope DON'T influence my students...

But on the more positive side, one of my students wrote me a thank you note. Normally you can tell their parents make them do it, like right after they've gotten in trouble for the third time, but this one was really heart-felt. The end of her letter read:

I am very sad to know that we have to end our year. Can you believe it went by so fast? I can't. Please tell me which first grade class your (you're) in next year. Have a great summer! TEAM TEAL!

It was such a cute letter and one I'll keep in my "smile file" forever. But the best part was the "Team Teal." We just started that yesterday during field day. After each station, we'd meet up to put our fists together and yell it at the top of our lungs. Our whole day was built around cooperation and teamwork, which has been EXTREMELY difficult for this class. Yesterday, I finally saw my class coming together to cheer each other on and encourage one another. If that's the one thing they take from this year, I am satisfied. Now, they may not know division or remember anything about the Powhatan Indians, but they will be successful in life. It's been a long, tough year, but hopefully I've influenced all 22 students in some small way...

Road Trips...

I've been very busy with the end of school and having way more fun visiting other people's blogs than our own that I haven't written anything in weeks! I'm sure anyone who checks our blog is just DYING for an update, so I'll try to catch you up...ha ha!

May has been full of road trips. On May 10th, Jonathan's grandfather, who we call "Zayde," turned 90. Can you imagine?!? 90 years old! It's incredible, especially considering that he survived the holocaust and escaped from a concentration camp in Russia before meeting back up with his girlfriend (now his wife, obviously!) in Poland. He's had an incredible life, and it was a blessing to be a part of it. It was my first time to attend services at the synagogue, and it was a very moving experience. Many people spoke about Zayde, including his three children. There were also letters from the governor of Missouri and many others that were read during the service. The best part was when the Rabbi got back up to speak and said, "So, Morty. We have one last letter to read. It's from President Putin (the Russian President.) He knows where you are, and he wants you back." It was priceless!

Unfortunately, we couldn't take pictures in the synagogue on the Sabbath, but here's one from Samuel's bris of Zayde with the family:

The other road trip we took was for my cousin David's wedding on May 17th. He married his sweetheart, Abby, in a beautiful ceremony in Springfield, Missouri. It was such a fun weekend! We got to see lots of my family and celebrate with David and Abby. Congratulations, you two! We love you bunches!

Here are some pictures from the weekend:

The cute couple...Abby and David Poland!

Uncle Bruce, Amanda and Sarah

Mom and Dad

Aunt Carol and Uncle Bob

James and Reagan. James couldn't stop saying,

"I LOVE Reagan!" It was precious.

On Sunday we'll be leaving for a few days in the sun. Fortunately, this time we won't have to drive. We're heading to Playa del Carmen, Mexico, with Jonathan's parents. It will be a wonderful way to celebrate the end of the school year and my last couple months of my Master's program. We're also excited to celebrate Jonathan's wonderful start of his business this year...two new companies in four months is pretty incredible, if you ask me. Plus they are hoping to receive their FHA license very soon! Congrats, Jonathan and Brian! I'm very proud of you both. One more shout out...Jonathan's dad, Mike, just passed his contractor test. Way to go, Mike! We know you deserve it. I'll buy you a drink in Mexico!!! Let's go to the beach!

Babysitting Samuel...

So on Saturday we got to babysit Samuel. It was really fun, but my goodness a lot of work! We definitely have a new appreciation for parents. Samuel is the cutest baby, but he is constantly needing something. Maybe that's how all babies are?!? The best part of the afternoon was when I went upstairs to find his Boppy and I heard this conversation from the living room, "Say Uncle Jonathan! Samuel, can you say 'Uncle Jonathan?'" Yeah, right! Like that's something he'll be able to say anytime soon. But it was really cute! Here are some pictures:

Jonathan trying to make Samuel smile...

...and it works! What a cute smile!

Jonathan finally tried giving him a bottle. Does he look ready for this, or what?!?
Leave it to his aunt to over-stimulate him. I decided to try the light and music-filled attachment for his bouncy seat. It almost put me over the edge, but Samuel was enthralled.

By the way, did you notice the adorable shirt?!? That's what I'm talkin' about! By the way...happy 2 month birthday, little Sam! We love you so much!