TOP 11 for 2011

I can't believe that another YEAR as flown by... The older I get... it seems that time really starts to pick up faster





My life continues to be a fun filled roller coaster... It never stops! This year has had UPS and of course DOWNS like always. I think what I learned most this year is who really matter is my life. I have never been so thankful for the top 11 people in my life... I start to cry as I look back on this year... I have gotten to experience all the following with my top 11.. new marriages, new babies, love, heart breaks, tears, laughter, hugs, kisses, and most importantly STRONG relationships!! Here are my top 11 most influential people/groups of people in my life this year...

ps. the list could go on...but I have a movie to get to!




GOD- I think he getting tired of my WHY WHY WHY's then my "Oh! now I get it" I have never prayed more this past year than I have now. He is a faithful God who has blessed me more than I can imagine




My mom... I know I have put her almost over the edge with my anxiety, stress, urge to be perfect, and continuous life questions. She never gets impatient with me. She is my encourager, and the back bone of the person I am. (I am pretty awesome if i don't say so myself)




Mandi- I can't believe our time as room mates is slowing coming to an end. I think about all the laughs, screams, broken wine bottles, fallin Christmas trees, secerets, walks to the Chevron, and all the most precious memories we have shared living together. Who is going to listen to my crazy school stories at night?!?! I am going to miss you, and I thank you for putting up with me!





Neely- you never cease to amaze me. From the CRAZY talk to protector. I love you so much. You are such an incredible person, sister, and leader. You make me proud every day. You never let me down... I PROMISE... I can't wait to spend baseball season watching Jake and our TEXASSSSSSSSS Rangers! I love you dearly





My sweet precious brothers- I love you both so much. You make me laugh, and both of your hugs are the sweetest gift a sister could ask for. I hope you both keep growing up to be the giving boys I know... and remember always treat your girlfriends like you would want me to be treated!





My favorite Lamar Girls EVER- Steph and Lisa- God made no mistake by putting me at Lamar. Your wisdom, love, hugs, and faithfulness as friends has inspired me to be a better person. You advice is so precious to me. I will continue to look up to both of you forever. I can't imagine life without you two. You have both taught me how to "put on my big girl panties" Something...I really don't like to do! Maybe we will conquer cooking together next!

Nanny and Papa: Thank you so much for showing me what TRUE love is. You both never let each other down. Thank you for the laughs, smiles, and always listening to me. Your 70 years of advice is so helpful in my life. I love visiting your house and your weekly phone calls. Thank you for always encouraging me to be beautiful inside and out

Dad: Thank you for your full support ALL the time. Thank you for always providing for me. I have never gone with out, and that is because you always put us first. Thank you for explaining the unexplainable. I love our football and ESPN talks. They never get old. I love you!

Nancy Bell- We all know i need a WORK mom. Thank you for opening your office for me to cry, laugh, but most importantly thank you for showing me how to LOVE kids all the time. I don't think I would still be standing if it wasn't for you. Your giving heart never ceases to amaze me. Thank you for being there for me and my students all the time

Irving Girlie Girls: Courtney, Ash, Brit, Megan, Elaine, Sam-Our friendship continues to grow yearly. I thank you for your listening hears. I know that I can pick up my phone and you guys ALWAYS answer. Thank you for sharing your babies, marriages and life with me. Thank you for listening to me through this year. You guys make me smile and laugh! I love you sooooo much!

Talk about a WAKE up Call

This week has been an incredibly amazing, adventurous, and blessed week. Here is a recap

1. Sunday- Cheerleaders melted my heart! Each one has been placed in my life for a reason.

2. Monday- Tobie was lost for about an hr. I threw a fit. Some man brought him home. I might have screamed, darted through traffic, and gathered my precious "The girls prayed for Tobie to come home." --I am the luckiest coach EVER

3. Tuesday- a very special student wrote a horrible note that caused me to break down in my principle's office. Outcome- My principle was able to mentor this student who needs a positive male role model in his life. I continue to pray for this student and his future

4. Wednesday- Dr's appt.- wanted me to go to hospital to see a specialist and have testing done. I talked my Dr. into letting me wait till next week. I wasn't really in the hospital gown mood. I also got to meet my sister for lunch! She always makes me laugh

5. Thursday- Neely comes home school. Mom's doors wide open. Both cash and tobie gone. Tobie is gone AGAIN. At this point I am out of tears. I leave my kiddo's, and my SWEET bowie teams covers my class. Tobie is found in apts in laundry mat...under the washer. Crying. Cash is still gone. I go back to school my sweet class of 15 makes 100 signs. Neely picks up the signs... with in 10 minutes cash is returned after three hours. The reward worked.

Tonight... I can't sleep. Not because I am scared or upset, but because I serve a God that has a plan. All three of my siblings, Jake, Brandy, and lil Brit have spent the entire night together at my moms. We have ate dinner, made christmas cookies, and laughed. Neely of course had to make the cookie making into a competition. Let's just say she isn't exactly Martha, and I think she regrets creating the competition.

I have never been more amazed by the support system my family and I have. God has blessed us beyond belief.

So when in doubt PRAY. God and I have talked more this week than we have in a long time. He is truly GOOD. I lay curled up with my sweet Tobie and lil brit, and I am so incredibly thankful. God doesn't give us more than we can handle. I promise.

So to all those who have picked me up... maybe even litterally (out of Mom's backyard as I cried for my precious Tobie... thank you so much. I love you all to the moon and back of course ;)

And the Script Continues...

Well it has been a while since I have had a chance to blog, breathe, and sometimes find (time to even go to the restroom) No seriously... If it wasn't for my student teacher, some days I literally don't have time to PEE. With school, new curriculum, competition season starting, and a new sweet puppy life has been more than busy.

Someone told me that if I could survive my first year of teaching... I would be good to go. I survived, fell in love with my job, and had one of the most amazing years ever.

God had a different plan in mind for me, and I think he got my teaching years a little backwards!!!

This has been the most challenging 12 weeks of my life... I know some people say I exaggerate, but my goodness I am not this time.

Here are a few of my daily challenges:

1. My job is always with me. My mind hardly ever stops worrying about my kiddo's
2. I am teaching my kids how to write myths, expository paragraphs, and write symbolically.
3. Sometimes my kids feel the need to tell me their pizza went through them fast and they need to go to the bathroom
4. I have been asked several times now why I always have dark circles under my eyes.... uhhh hello.
5. On the Friday before my bday... I was asked if I was turning 31... last year they thought I was 21... double blocked ELAR must be taking years off my life rather quickly
6. I am running out of toner already because posting my ELPS and objectives daily requires a ton of ink. ( I can't write high enough on my board to write an entire objective)
7. Daily lunch drama- this stuff can get REAL serious... like who stole who's slushy
8. Our daily walk outside from lunch... it never fails someone HAS to step in mud, trip, fall, and their favorite thing to do is talk about how my feet are so turned out that I look like a duck. I always tell them...that they should see me run :)
9. Managing kids at the water fountain... i didn't know this was a hot place to hang out. I know the water is warm. I am tasted it... i thought maybe it was magic or something.
10. my BIGGEST challenge... trying to stay positive. Which I usually don't have a hard time doing...

I am not saying these are bad challenges... I am learning to be MORE flexible, QUICKER on my feet, MORE understanding, and PATIENT.

I know my script was written perfectly for me...

love you!

JC

Living Proof

Well the school year has def. kicked off, and I think I have been going NON stop since it started. Today I got to school to look at grades, and I was discouraged. I have 62 kiddos because of the double blocked schedule, and I looked at my tutoring list for our first assessment... 27 of them will be seeing me sometime this week. This is not like my kids, nor me! I take them not doing so hot as me FAILING as a teacher... I don't like the F WORD @ all...

So we started today with a quick write. The topic was: If you found a 100 dollar bill on the ground, what would you spend it on. I also tied in how choice reflects our character. Well I write my quick write as my first period does. I always share my thoughts with my kids before so they feel comfortable to share theirs. I would spend my hundred dollars on a new pair of shoes...not just any shoes, but TORY BURCH of course! (I have had most of these kids before...yes they all know what TORY BURCH is) I always tell them not if but WHEN they become rich they must never forget me and bring me a pair someday!

So my sweet kiddo's start sharing their quick writes here are first 5 responses ( NO JOKE)

1. give money to my parents for rent
2. give money to a homeless person
3. buy my sister a bird because she has always wanted one
4. give money to a charity
5. save the money until next mother's day


I felt incredibly convicted. My kids had much more of a giving heart that I did. Their responses are LIVING PROOF that our kids have hearts, are capable of learning, have the want to learn, and they are all an INCREDIBLE inspiration to me. They also quickly mentioned... one of my character traits was SELFISH... how true is that!!! I have seriously thought about changing my career path. As in LAW school again, but after reflecting on today and listening to my kid's giving hearts... I am in the right place! I am so thankful for my kids, my school, my friends, family, and lastly a FAITHFUL GOD.

ps. I am adding a sweet song to this blog.





I love you all so much! Good Night

JC

The script was being written somewhere else...

and even though the sequence made no sense to me or anyone around me, it made sense to a someone somewhere... -Hambone's Book

I am using Josh Hamilton's Beyond Belief tomorrow in class. We are discussing choices and consequences so I couldn't think of a more interesting piece of literature to teach with. So while choosing an expert I came across this quote...and it fits life PERFECTLY for the time being.

I have learned that I am best at living life happily and free spirited. Such as in the pic... school clothes (who says khakis can't be hot, and of course my lovely VB school backpack at an after school Friday night fun event can't be HOTTTT!!! Neely saw the pic, and asked Elaine to change my outfit ASAP. I actually liked it! I mean I am who I am right!!! :) Anyways...I love random road trips, spontaneous hh's, random stories from my kiddos, and most of all being Me. Although I wish I knew my scrip and had it published laying next to my bible...but I DON'T. Last week I had a hard time coming to the realization that my plan is obviously not God's plan, and I am finally learning that the more I trust him and his plan... the more happier I am. God has been so faithful this past week. It is amazing the peace he has giving me at school, cheer, and in my own personal life. I have so much to be thankful for, and I am so thankful for my friends, family, sweet students, not so sweet students, and co-workers.

I will keep you updated on the script as my life continues! Have a wonderful rest of the week!

ps. LSU TIGER football is SOON, and I will be enjoying the game with two of my best Friends!!! (this is actually written in the script ;)

Above All

What an incredible summer I have had. The beach, college world series, vegas, and dad turned 50. I also got the opportunity to teach summer school which was incredibly life changing getting to work with some of our kids who need the most attention and love. It was a wonderful time. Besides waking up early, I was sad when it was over. I also gained a new best friend Lance. I have learned so much about myself through him and his amazing want to work with athletes. His hardwork and determination is pretty amazing. I admire him for that. Football season has started and well our everyday amazing summer has turned into WORK WORK WORK. I am the WORST at change so I can be quite the BRAT... i am sure he would agree witht that...but on the other hand GO VIKINGS! No matter the outcome of our friendship/relationship I am thankful for what I have learned in the few short months from being with someone that has such a passion to work with children.

All that being said, getting back into the groove of things has been an HUGE struggle. If you don't know, our district and state has changed their standards a TON. I started training a few weeks ago, and I became extremely discouraged. Also my mom is not at my school anymore. I will mis her soooo much. Anyways... I see my precious babies that have to meet these almost unattainable goals, and one thing I HATE the most is seeing them struggle and face failure in the classroom. It HURTS! So I have struggled with coming up with a theme for my class this year. I really want to prepare them for success in all areas of their life. So this is something I like to do with my kids because it allows me to build my classroom into a team enviornment.

Sitting in worship at an AdvoCare convention Michael W. Smith starts singing (LIVE) Above All. I immediatly break down and cry. 1. it was played at Gene Marshall's funeral 2. It is an incredible SONG. It really hit home because Above ALL one thing matters in my classroom is me keeping my passion to teach my babies no MATTER what the standard is. I truly believe that with my passion for teaching...no ONE can take that away and TWO my students will come out of my classroom better than better before they walked in. So I am not exactly sure how I am going to use Above All, but I know that God will give me the knowledge I need to make this happen.

So in my own personal life I am going to focus on the theme "Above All" I am going to keep the main things the MAIN THING. Work on myself and finding exactly what I want out of life. This summer was almost surreal it was so AMAZING, and reality has finally set it. I know that Above All my God will take care of me as and LOVES me for who I am...that Being Said I am Jordan Cowen which If i don't say so myself is pretty awesome! (kidding) I have come to the reality that Life is NEVER going to be easy, and you have to FIGHT for what you want (and what is right)
I will get off my soapbox now. I do want all my friends and family to know that I love them dearly, and I am so grateful for the friendships.

Here is to a new school year!


love you all so much!

JC

Never a dull moment

If you don't already know, Neely is done with Grayson and softball. She said goodbye in May to both. She has recently moved to Irving for the summer, started working, and will be going to UNT on academic scholarship in August. She is going to be moving to Denton, and she will start studying sociology just like me! She has not quite decided between teacher or police WOMAN! :) She isn't real sure about the whole uniform thing though... I am so proud of her! I hope she become a teacher (or she likes to say my boss...because she really wants to skip teaching and go straight to being an administrator...) I tell her to keep DREAMING!!!

Nee isn't a lover of many things, but she does have a love for dogs with the exception of precious LEO. He is special, and well Neely doesn't always have patience for those who don't mind!

Neely has been wanting a puppy to take with her to school. So this last weekend. My mom, Neely, Reed, and Jake went to McKinney Trade Days. They found a miniature Schnauzer AKA Mr. Chow, Dudley, Nolan, Drake. We had not decided a name quite yet. She of course picked a dog like our Mol Mol's aka MOLLY! She brought the puppy home. He was precious. We all fell in love with him. Starting on Monday my parents thought the puppy might be sick. They took him to the vet, and the Dr. said that he was just scared to be in his new environment. The puppy came back home. Brit and I went to see him after Cheer. He still seemed a little sluggish to me, but I just thought that he was just sleepy. Puppies are like babies and like to Sleep a lot...right...that is what I was thinking! Last night the puppy became really sick. Nee went to work this morning, and my mom watched the puppy. Mom said he cried like a little baby, and she could tell he was in a ton of pain. My mom and dad took the puppy back to the doctor. He was diagnosed with parvo, and he is now being put to sleep. We have found out that the puppy has come from a puppy mill in Hope, Arkansas. Not only does this puppy have parvo, but all the other puppies he was with has them too. Neely said there was at least 10 dogs with him at the trade days. So those babies have parvo too.

Day 2 of our project: Chapters 3

Today my students had to answer the following questions about their families for chapter 3 here is my example!

Chapter 3- Crazy Cowen's


1.How your mom and dad meet: NHS... those are some romantic halls... I tell ya!
2.Where is your family from? How did they get to the US?- My kids have laughed at this all day...my mom has some Irish in her and my dad has some American Indian...that is all I know.
3.Do you have any interesting family members: Yes... Dee-the one who had the aneurysm. She tends to wear her fur coat with tennis shoes, walk to LMS with her Ranger Hat on (tag and all), She does not LIKE GIRLS, and she thinks our dogs are prettier than her grandchildren
4.How many immediate family members do you have? What are their names and how old are they? Mr. Cowen- 49 Mrs. Cowen- 49 Miss Cowen 24 Mr. Cowen 22 Neely 20 Reed 15
5.What is your favorite family tradition- my favorite family tradition is Christmas Eve. I love watching everyone opening gifts and I love my SANTA sack!
6.What is your culture and ethnic heritage: This one is hard for me because when I think of culture and heritage and my family...I think AMERICAN! All I can say is that we are a true American family who loves sports, family time, and food :)

Autobiography Project in Ms. C's Class- Chapters 1 and 2

Chapter 1: About the Marvelous Ms. Cowen


1.Full Name: Jordan Bailey Cowen
2.Favorite Color: PURPLE
3.Favorite Subject: READING DUHHHH
4.Favorite Singer/Band: John Mayer, Chris Tomlin, and, Jason Aldean of course Lil Wayne (I like a little of it all)
5.Favorite Quote: this is the best i have right now..."Life 's a beach and I am just playing in the sand"
6.Favorite Hobby: Coaching Cheer, Shopping, Pedi's Mani's, TEXTING and READING!!!
7.Favorite Sport/sports team: Cheer of course/ Rangers, Cowboys and Mavs
8.Favorite thing to do on the weekends: hang out with my AMAZING group of friends, watch Neely play ball, and hang with my fam!
9.Favorite thing about 6th grade: I love reading out loud to my kiddos!!!!
10.Favorite BOOK: Well this year Sorta Like a Rockstar (it is a YA book, but I loooooveeed it)

Chapter 2:
Cowen's Timeline of important EVENTS
•Re write them in complete sentences and use descriptive words. They need to be in time order (chronological order)

1986- Jordan Cowen was born (with a slight cone head...sorry mom)
1988- Alex Cowen was born (he made up my nick name that my dad and papa still call me Juju)
1991- Neely Cowe was born (crazy nee... I love her to death and I can't imagine not having a sister)
1993- I started Kindergarten and I had the most amazing teacher Ms. Green. I cried when we had a sub. I still remember being in her class
1995- Ms. Mayberry made me sign the book 5 times in one day because I didn't write my name on my papers. I cried and was devastated. I believe that is why on the last day of school i threw up everywhere in her classroom
1995- My little brother Reeders was born. I thought he was my own child for a while :) he is awesome
1995- Dee had her aneurysm. Our lives were changed forever
1999- I was in the top ten in my 7th grade class at Lamar (the only time i have ever been in the top 10 of anything!!)
2001- I started Nimitz and was extremely scared
2003- I finally became a high school cheerleader... talk about good times, tears, and my laughs! My best friends dad died as well...our lives were changed again forever
2004- Momma diagnosed with Breast Cancer
2005- Graduated from NHS and went to Texas A&M
2007- Transferred to UNT and started studying sociology (best decision ever)
2009- Graduated with a degree from UNT, Started my first teaching job and fell in love and found my true passion
2010- Started teaching 6th grade reading and now I teach some of the most AMAZING 6th graders EVER... they are sweet! I also get to see my Momma everyday!

Fact or Opinion...I mean REALLY

Tomorrow is TAKS review of course because we only have 2 weeks left until TAKS testing!!! I was looking at objective that my students are struggling with and to my surprise...it was FACT and OPINION. I thought I had learned this in maybe 3rd grade, but my sweet babies just don't get it. So tomorrow I am teaching FACT and OPINION. They have a HARD time understanding that it does not mean it is an OPINION if it stated in the story. I got this alll day long, "but Ms. it says it in the story...it HAS to be a FACT." So today after school I started to get my lesson ready. I came up with a sweeet fact and opinion game...made and assessment then I started to make my Prezi (it is better than a power point I promise). I work backwards... crazy i know, but I am CRAZZZYYY these days. As I started to make my prezi... I started to explain the difference between fact and opinion. I kept changing my wording around because it was even HARD for me to really understand a fact and opinion. Our society has set such NORMS we as humans have a hard time distinguishing between a FACT and OPINION. This topic i guess has been so relevant in my life lately...and i mean in dealing with people. It amazes me how deceitful people can be. I used to care what other thought and not speak what was on my mind, but in my "older days"... i guess you could say...that has all changed!!! My mom asked me about a year ago if I was ever going to find my filter... i told her NO!!! I am WHO I AM and there is not much more too it. Hate me love me...I don't always CARE! :) Anyways... It it sometimes hard to distinguish between (FACT PERSON) and a fake person (I guess we can call them an OPINION person). As a sorta naive person...this has been hard for me to grasp lately. I just don't get it... it takes so much more energy to be mean than nice. P.S. I am working on not being mean as well..although I am not deciteful! What you see is what you GET with this GIRL!!! All that being said... i know...I am wordy tonight... I am so THANKFUL and BLESSED that God has shown me lately who the FACT people are in my life. It is so nice to lean on my sweet friends and family. God is truly faithful, and I am so ever grateful for that! Life is much more sweet with out those opinion people!!! ;) Love you all, JC

Talk about falling on your face!

This has def. been the most TRYING week of my entire life. I have cried, laughed, yelled, argued, and the list goes on. I have had my own share of pity parties in my life. This week was def. an eye opener for me. I always have thought I was sad or hurt...but now i know the feeling f a broken heart! I have learned so much in the past week about myself and people in general... here are 10 things i learned this week...

1. I am in LOVE with teaching. I mean i have always known that, but this week I found out how much I truly love what I do

2. I have learned the true meaning of HURT

3. I have learned that my family will always be there to support me NO matter what

4. I have been blessed with the best friends in the entire world

5. I am one pretty tough girl...and i am working on not caring what others think about me, and not letting others try to tell me how to run my life. I am 24 now...i think i can handle it!!! ;)

6. Neely is one awesome ball player even with a torn whatever she has

7. It is okay to have a change of <333

8. Laughing until you cry is the BEST

9. I truly treasure read aloud time with my kiddos

10. I have a true and faithful God

Spring Break, Sweet Times, and Falling Down times 4

Spring Break has so come and gone. I am pretty sad. I have missed by sweet babies, but this has been the BEST Spring Break in a long time. I so needed a break from school, cheer, and my everyday routine.

During spring break I have managed to fall down a good 4 times. I have a bruised hand, a bruised leg, and a bruised ankle. I think I might need to get my eyes checked...or my dad says that I am "just not paying attention"... i think hes full of it!

Here are my top 10 reasons for LOVING Spring Break

10. laying by the pool with two of my sweetest friends
9. falling down at billy bobs doing the copperhead road (it was CLASSIC)
8. Getting to go to uptown with my grandma, aunt, cousin, and best friend
7. Sleeping until 11:00 o'clock (i can't wait for summer... i will NOT be teaching summer school)
6. Triple Date at fire side pies and pitchers of sangria (white sangria that is)
5. Dress shopping with Mandi and giving jenny hell (she was mean)
4. D-town boogie, jersey turn piking, fist pumping, and dancing oh and mandi doing squats through out the apt with her slim fast cans
3. our christmas tree still being up and i turned it on ( i mean who doesn't love christmas year around)
2. Shopping with my momma at urban out fitters for a good 2 hours and eating lunch with her and reeders
1. laughing for hours in my dads room with dad, nee, brother, and brit.


Love you, happy spring, and 12 more MONDAY'S until school is out!
JC

Winning Speaks Volumes

What a sweeeet weekend
1. 30 bday bash-success love you lisa wall
2. got to see my SISTER and Court LOVE you all
3. got to see MY Nanny and Papa!!!!!!!

Anyways... My dad called me last night on the way home from the cheer competition around 9:30. I was around spirited cheer parents, dads in tu tu's (I have got nothing on that one), loud blaring music, crazy noise makers for 11 hours. I love cheerleading...but not that much. Although the long long day going on three hours of sleep was well worth it. Back to my dad's phone call...if you don't know my dad, he might be a little bit competitive. Okay...maybe more than a little bit he is very competitive. So he always calls and goes how did you do... I said, "We did very well we placed 1st in our division and 3rd out of all level 2 teams. We got beat by two Sr. teams which could have 18 year olds on them. Our youngest is 6. We beat two large gym teams which is very hard to do considering we are small gym." His response was…” Well I am guessing no angry cheer moms” and I respond with something along the lines of “True Story” He then proceeds to say “Winning Speaks Volumes” It shouldn’t have shocked me, but I am not going to lie it did!!! After I got off the phone with him, I really started thinking about the quote. I agree winning does speak volumes, and I am certainly a huge fan of winning. I might have even been a bit angry if we didn’t win yesterday because I am a competitive person in most things I do. I don’t like to lose @ all. BUTTTTTT… I feel that our gym and our team is so much more about winning. I hope to instill good character, friendships, honesty, integrity, and always giving it your all in my kids. Then I started thinking… our kids at our gym are all of these things. We have a cheerleader that has struggled in some tumbling areas. (So at warm up…yes during WARM UP… which is like extremely intense. I become some what of a crazy at that point…) I pull our kid that is having a hard time mentally with tumbling right now to a matt. We start working on her back walk over backhand spring. She gets and as all 18 other kids watch her do it by herself. They clap for her and all scream YESSSSS! That to me is so much more important than winning 1st or coming in 3rd out of 19 teams. Their attitudes and sweet hearts SPEAK VOLUMES. It amazes me that at 6-12 years old these kids are so compassionate. I also watched at individual competition one of our kids give the “thumbs up” to another as she was about to take the floor several times. I just wanted to share this with you… because yes winning is so important (not going to lie it is very important to me) but having a sweet heart and being compassionate speaks even louder volumes. Thank you 6-12 year olds for teaching Ms. Jordan such an important lesson!!! I love you guys so much!

JC

Love just might be in the air!!!

Well so far since December three of my BEST friends have gotten engaged (lots f happy tears and I am I totally excited)... and of course we have two babies on the way too! I think it is best to say love is in the AIR foooo shooowww!! My dad asked me on Saturday if I was going to be the 27 dresses girl... I told him...I just might! I could not be happier for my friends! This next year or so is going to be busy, and I am going to LOVE every minute of it!!!! Not only has love been in the air romantically, but this past week I have been working on being ME i guess you could say... never in my life have I felt so LOVED by my friends and family...here is how it started .

1. Last Saturday I sat at a restaurant will call it for 8 hrs and laughed and laugh and laughed with such sweet funny friends
2. I had dinner with MM...we had not had dinner or seen each other in a month
3. Neely called and messaged me numerous times last week (i usually get a call or text every so often)
4. LW left me a voice message that said butterflies and sunshine one day after gym (made me laugh, and I saved it so I can listen to it when I need a smile)
5. SL sent me a message one night that said you are loved
6. NG sent me a fb message that said xoxoxoxo
7. My aunt called and she wants to get a tattoo and have a GNO I love her sweet spirit!
8. I got to eat with both of my parents this weekend and Reeders! It has been a while... and of course we did do something a little mischievous all together pretttyyyy funny! Somethings never change!!!!
9. I ran THREE times this week (which means I love myself haaa)
10. AM- left me a weeezzzzy message (does not get much better than that)
11. mandi made me a Malibu bomb which it totally was the bomb!
12. DS-my teaching partner brought me breakfast and a monkey with a heart...shes pretty sweeettt!!!

All these things happend for a reason, and I couldn't be more thankful for such an amazing people God has put in my life.

So here is to a LOVING Happy Valentines day!!!! Love you all!!

Less than Perfect

It has been a while since I have blogged!! I am sure you are totally missing my lovely words ;)



Life has been really busy until this week. 4 days off of work nearly killed me. I had new clue how busy I had to be ALLLL the time.



In the last week I have learned so much while being couped up in my 2 by 2 apartment. Here are a few things I have learned...well 7 things I learned this week!!!!





1. I truly love my job... I have missed my classroom, my crazy kids, my co workers, and lunches with mom, kay and esmi

2. I live with one of the most patient people. I am not sure how Mandi deals with me, but I am so thankful for her

3. I have such an amazing group of friends!!!! I am so blessed to have taught at LMS and met some of the most sweeeeettttest people ever. Then today I get to go hang out with my sweeeetttt friends i have known most of my life.

4. I miss my sister, and she always knows how to make me laugh. I love her free spirit (that is what i have chosen to call her behavior i guess you could say)

5. People are not always who you think they are, but all things happen for a reason. I am one tough girl...tougher and stronger than I give myself credit for (ask my 6th graders or cheerleaders...they might even tell you I can be mean and tough @ times!!)

6. Umm... new jersey turnpike (My friends might or might not know how to rock this)

7. My life is far from less than perfect, and I might have made a wrong turn once or twice...but this is my silly life ( ps. i heart pink.) With all the chaos, tears, and lauhgs, I have learned to be thankful for what I have and those who appreciate me for me!!!



Heres to a Week of no SNOWWWWWWW


love you all

JC