Putting the Christ in Christmas

Christmas is such a wonderful but busy time of year (I think we all agree on that). It's easy for me to get wrapped up (haha) in the normal day-to-day routine of work and life that the Christmas season just passes me by. On the other hand, sometimes I feel the enormous pressure to do EVERYTHING Christmas that I don't take care of myself and/or I start getting stressed out about not doing enough or doing too much...the list goes on.

This Christmas season I decided to do a few things that would focus on Christ. I did things that I chose ahead of time and I didn't feel bad if I didn't get around to everything or if I had to say no to a few things. I can honestly say it has been a wonderful December!

1. First, I decided to write in my journal every day. I don't pressure myself to write a lot or to even write about the day-to-day events--mostly I just wanted to write about my thoughts that day so I could reflect on the things that I'm grateful for.

2. Next, enjoying the ambiance of my home. My roommates love Christmas and so our home was decked out in holiday splendor...here's just a peak at what the Grove house is capable of!

3. Enjoying the holiday spirit in DC!


Here I am at the Christmas boat parade. No boats pictured, but I am covered with fake snow in this picture!

I attended the White House Christmas tree lighting ceremony. It was freezing but definitely worth it!

 

A group of us went to Handel's Messiah at the National Cathedral. So amazing (but long!)

4. Wathching PLENTY of holiday movies, such as a Bride for Christmas below. My roommates and I watched a plethora of ABC family/Hallmark/Lifetime movies...bring on the teasing, who cares. Some of my favorites? Holiday Engagement, Christmas with Holly, Dear Santa, and Fallen Angel. If you want to know more good ones, give me a ring and I'll give you the full scoop! Needless to say, as cheesy as these movies are they always put emphasis on what's most important in life: Faith, family, and Friends. A good reminder!

5. Attending a healthy number of holiday parties. See ugly Christmas sweaters below...

And here we are at the Relief Society Christmas party below. We also sang a musical number!

6. Sharing the Gospel through several different venues, like the Festival of Lights at the Washington DC temple. I had many opportunities this season to discuss the teachings and beliefs of the LDS church with my coworkers and friends. See mormon.org.

7. Spending quality time with my nieces and nephews!

Girl party with Megan and Olivia

Building a snow man with Emma, Matthew, Sam and Caroline.

Babysitting Joseph and Isaac on Christmas! I loved playing with their new toys!

Enjoying the Christmas Eve nativity play with the family.

What has resulted? A Christmas season that I enjoyed! I participated in a perfect amount of activities, felt the Spirit, strived to focus on the key elements of life and I feel a sense of renewal.

As I sign off with this post I want to share my testimony that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer.  I know that He lives and that we can turn to Him. I know that He loves us and can succor us. Please view this amazing mormon message that I watched yesterday morning before opening presents. http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#an-unexpected-gift.

Merry Christmas! Hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday!

And sometimes you make a difference...

Teaching is a hard profession. You never know if you're really making a difference. You teach your heart out each day and hope that students are learning something. Kids disrespect you and you wonder if you'll ever reach them. Results are ambiguous and so is your impact.

And then sometimes former students visit you and let you know that they miss you. It makes it all worth it. Thanks to Ivoree and Amari for the visit! It made the crumminess the other classes bearable. of Btw, I don't like what I look like here but oh well...had to post.

Ode to Ms. Igra

9th grade English was brutal. I was coerced into playing Juliet in the balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet with a nerdy guy in my class (how embarrassed was I!). I was a lawyer in our mock trial "Of Mice and Men" and I read Paradise Lost THEN wrote a 7 page paper on it. Yah, eeewww....

My friends and I always complained about Ms. Igra: She was too hard, she was weird, and did I mention---she was too hard? For a freshman in high school, that was fuel enough for the fire of complaints.

But now with a different perspective in mind, I think of 9th grade English as one of my formidable classes of high school. Sure, it was tough but I learned how to write, take risks, discuss, formulate connections, and identify aspects of literature. I can appreciate that now.

So this post is for you, Ms. Igra. You don't read my blog and I have no idea where you are. But thank you. Thank you for teaching me and not giving up on me. Thank you for staying with me after school as I strived to interpret acts of Romeo and Juliet. Thanks for challenging me and stretching me as a student. I appreciate you so much more; now that I, myself, am a teacher. You had the bigger picture in mind, like I do for my students. I empathize with you when students role their eyes, challenge your authority, and say all kinds of negative things about you. Regardless, you pushed through like I am striving to push through the school year and literally "endure it well."

To all my teachers--thank you for shaping my life and for impacting me for the better; for encouraging me and giving me confidence to succeed. I am trying to pay it forward with my own students. Some days are absolutely rough. Some days I am jumping with enthusiasm and joy. It's completely bipolar.

Here's to the ride of teaching and here's to Ms. Igra!

33 hours of pure road trip

Happy late Thanksgiving! To celebrate gratitude, my good buddy, Kathryn Moss, her friend Micah (and my new-found friend), and I had a swell time traipsing the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, ONTARIO (ok, it's a province), Michigan, and Ohio. I added 2 new states to my list, so I'm feeling good about life. Additionally, we visited 2 church history sites: Palmyra and Kirtland, spent hours rocking out to Christmas music, visited the ghettoness of Detroit, went Black Friday shopping, and I got to revisit my mission in good ole' Canada. Now, that was nostalgic. It was a great trip.

In absolutely no order at all, here are some pics to showcase our epic road trip. 

Where the Book of Mormon was published--Palmyra New York

The Sacred Grove. Amazing.

In awe of the Falls.My 4th time being there since my mission covered the falls.

Newel K. Whitney Store--Kirtland Ohio

The nicest part of Detroit; the Tigers stadium

The Book of Mormon is true

Tears came to my eyes when I saw this sign..

The Joseph Smith Farm

Hooray we're at the Falls!

Beauty

Joseph Smith Farm, cont'd

The Pamyra temple

Tim Hortons; the Starbucks of Canada.

The Kirtland temple

I've been the good guy (girl)

Ready for a very honest blog post?

Here I come...

This fall has been challenging for a variety of reasons. If I had to give a theme for this fall it would be something like..."where the heck are the fruits of my labor?" and/or "I've been the good guy!"

Let me provide some context with that last statement. Anyone remember the classic LDS movie, "Prodigal Son?"
Obviously the late 80s/early 90s garb is to die for but besides that the movie has a good message. Assuming all of you know the story of the Prodigal Son I won't delve into details but the movie has some stellar points.

The one I'm talking about is the scene where the "righteous" brother pounds the piano keys and yells to his wife several times, "I've been the good guy! I've been the good guy!!!" this was the reaction to the younger, prodigal son getting all of this attention from family and friends after repenting.

Do you ever feel like you're the older brother? Wanting to pound the keys of your own metaphorical life and shout to the heavens: "I've been the good guy or the good girl?"

This fall I have. Sometimes I don't understand it. How, when you feel like you've always strived to do the right thing and you are not getting the praise, the validation, the fruits of your labor, or the blessings that you desire?

I know all of the answers you could throw at me. The talks, the scriptures, the counsel. I've been studying it a lot as this has been on my mind. My answer or my peace of mind has yet to come but I am searching,

I know this sounds like a faithless post but it's more just a place to vent. This sentiment, I know, can translate in any stage of life or circumstance. I think we all have felt this way before and I am not alone.

I know obedience produces blessings and I know that God's plan for us is greater than our own. I know that happiness is not circumstantial but based on our attitude and perspective. But sometimes I am tired of being the "Good Girl."

Thoughts? I welcome them...

That time that I made Canadian Thanksgiving...

Yep, a few weeks ago I made Canadian thanksgiving with a few fellow CTWM elders, Eric and Dustin (the former Elder Meldrum and Elder Homer). We had many hours to reminisce about the good ole' days in Ontario while waiting upon the Turkey. This was a historic feat! We made the entire dinner from scratch which included green beans, rolls, mashed potatoes, THE TURKEY, sweet potatoes, and stuffing...well, I guess Stove Top isn't quite home made, but you know what I mean!

This was on my bucket list and I proved I could do it...so maybe I am kind of domestic after all! Go me.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving even to all of us Americans.

Making Masterpieces #everysinglenight

I have never considered myself an artistic person at all. I can barely draw anything.  I can't make up some crazy harmonies on the spot either. I'm not that musical. I can't even sew a button very well (Mom, don't cringe). I'm just not that crafty. I'm super traditional with cooking and kind of stick with the same tried and true meals. I'm just not that domestic.

Get the picture? Creativity--at least in those areas--has really never been my thing.

But, I am creative in my own unique way and I make masterpieces every night. They may not translate into fancy recipes, incredible sewing projects, or any other home decor projects. But heck, I can make a lesson plan. And let me tell you--I do it every.single.night. Bleh.

I put in A LOT of time crafting and revising my work for my students. With my student population, lessons have to be super structured. So my power points and my hand outs are just that--structured and clear.

I know it's kind of hard to see, but here are just 2 examples. I just created a handout that encompasses our box making simulation and how it ties into the documentary we'll be watching about the Civil War. If  you want to know how industry shaped the outcome of the Civil War, just shoot me an email and you can do the assignment yourself!

Oh and if you would also like to refute my statement of  studying the African kingdoms like Ghana, Songhai, and Mali, feel free to do so. Kids come in every day to do their "Do Now" in my class. I love pictures. Lots of my students liked this one from today!

So I may not be able to sew a Halloween costume or take an artsy photograph of your child, but people--I can make awesome lesson plans. Ah-ha!

I am so masterful with these masterpieces (it's kind of pathetic!)

Magnifique!

Simple Pleasures

Life is NUTS. But, it's FALL! I love the Fall. With the fall season come simple pleasures that I have missed dearly all year!

1. Scarves. I think scarves are the best accessories for the fall time. I especially love floral scarves.They add spunk and flare to any outfit.

2. Hot chocolate. I love hot chocolate, especially with whipped cream. I put 1.5 packets in too, extra chocolate makes life that much better!

3. My electric blanket. Wow, I SO enjoy crawling into bed on a cool night with that blanket wrapped around me. I love feeling comfy.


That's pretty much it. Just wanted to share. What are your simple pleasures??

Go with the flow

So a little over a month ago I posted about how this school year is going to be, and I quote, "Cuh-razy." Well, the update is that is hasn't really slowed down at all. Honestly, I feel like I am working way harder than I did last year. I work for a long time at school, I come home, breathe, and work some more. It's exhausting.

My mantra lately is to go with the flow. Me, who likes control, organization, plans, a schedule, and a "heads up" is learning how to chill,  to stop "doin' too much, " relax, put it in a bubble and blow it away, lighten the reigns, and to simply "Go with the flow."

My students want structure and so do I, but this year with my crazy floating schedule, room maintenance issues (don't even get me started), and surplus of students just reminds me that I need to just chill out. That things will work out. That it's not worth having a meltdown or a heart attack or major anxiety. I tell my students this too, go with the flow.

The reality is such that life is still crazy, busy, hard, and unexpected, but going with the flow as of late has saved me from several tantrums.

Life is continuing forward. I am teaching. I am trying. I am developing relationships. And according to my administrators I am pretty dang good. That helps, too.

Ready, set, go...with the flow (I am SO clever! :)

Summer endings; Fall beginnings

I am 2 months behind with posting pictures so here's just a glimpse of some of life's happenings...So many things are so good. I need to savor every single day!

Heidi got married! What a beautiful bride!

Undercover with Mike. We accomplished our mission successfully at Teresa's birthday party.

The reflecting pool just opened up again! I love this city.

Cafe Rio with some of my closest friends for my birthday

Summer isn't summer without Montgomery County Fair. Enjoyed a night with Eric.

I went to Duck Beach for the weekend and caught up with some good friends like Sarah!

Stacia came to visit me! We went to DC Cupcake and met up with her friend, Hannah in Georgetown.

Handsome friends. Nick loves his root beer. We all spied successfully.

Had a wonderful birthday party with close friends. The best part? Susie spotlight! Boy, was my love language fulfilled!

Polo Match in VA with some ward friends. A wonderful summer evening.

We loved the ward retreat a few weeks ago and enjoyed some silly moments such as this one!

 

Loved spending time with the girls (haha) at Heidi's wedding.