Comparing lil wayne to taylor swift

So I had to teach the concept of comparing and contrasting to my summer kids.... I had the bright idea of comparing lil wayne to taylor swift. I had no idea how funny these kids would be with this activity... things got a little heated!!! i shouldn't have been shocked, but I was. They came up with some really great ideas but needless to say... i started thinking about my own life and it just seems that these two people sorta compare and contrast to who i am now to who i was when i was in a relationship!

I really started thinking and I used to be more like a t swift kinda girl and now I am thinking i am more of a lil wayne kinda girl... not in a music kinda way but i guess in a personality kinda way... I am not sure in what kind of way but i promise it's some kinda way.

Here are a few of my comparisons:

T. Swift days (pre single days) Favorite Things

1. I loved getting up early sunday mornings

2. I had a pretty censored mouth (i didn't really say what i thought or what was on my mind)

3. My favorite thing to do on the weekends is go watch a movie and dinner and be home by 12 (literally)

lil wayne days

1. I now love sunday days... not mornings and waking up early!

2. I have totally lost my censor. I am not sure if it was teaching 8th grade or what, but I pretty much say what is on my mind. I don't plan on changing that either

3. My favorite thing to do on the weekend is to have a good time... no matter what i am doing and staying out past 12 i have learned is def. okay

Life is pretty good right now! I still have some down days, but for the most part I am loving every second of it! I am not sure if the new me is a good or bad thing. To be honest I am not sure i really care if it is either!

love you guyssss

JC

When I look into the sky...

When it rains it poors.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rfge4zyIBA

Today has been a pretty challangening day! It started off okay... I had to work which I have decided that my summer really isn't going to be much of a summer. I have got myself involved in quite of few things (which is fine...it keeps me and my mind busy)

On the way home from the gym... i stopped by my dad's house and Neely comes out and ask me to take her to Braums. She has been a bit on irritated side with me lately so I was surprised she wanted me to take her. Of course I say yes... I have a hard time saying NO which is part of the reason I am not going to have a summer! Anyways... It started raining on the way to Braums and I see one of my former students walking home in the rain in her uniform from summer school. She comes around to my window and says hi! I tell her to get in and she responds with , "No Ms. Cowen you know you can't take students home remember" (SWEET KID I tell ya) I tell her that she is no longer one of my students and to get in. We start talking about how she used to call me ugly, make fun of my "beauty mark" on my face, and she used to tell me I always had boogers! She is in my back seat, and I can see her tear up in my review mirror. She didn't want me to have to see where she lived. My heart broke! I took her to her apartment. She lives in a two bed room with 6 people....

I am not sure if its the weather or what, but today continued to be a sad day today! I am not good with change, and I have now been out of my routine for almost 3 days now. I miss my classroom, consistent work, my kids, and my co workers. I am sure it will only take a week or so to get in summer mode!

The one thing I do love about summer is NAPS! I think I have taken one every day now! They are pretty sweeeeett!

Rhythm of my Heart

I have officially made it to my last week of school! I never thought I would be so sad to see my 8th grade babies leave me! Each one of them have blessed my life in someway! I have learned so many lessons from my kids this year its unreal!

This year has been like a roller coaster ride for sure. There were days that I would walk into my classroom and be completely exhausted. It never failed though that one of my students would brighten up my day with their smile. I feel like I leaned on them as much as they leaned on me. I hope I have taught them half of what they have taught me.

I have learned that love, patience, smiles, and hugs are the things that really matter in life and in teaching...
I made my students reflect on this past year last week and one activity we did was things to be GrEIGHTful for... I made them list 8 things they had to grateful for this past year... here are my 8 things

1. Moment of silence in the morning after the pledges (please God let me get through today with out losing my mind...i am not joking about this)

2.Alex, Neely, Reed, Mom, Dad, Molly and Leo (my fam- my family has been extremely supportive this year!! Many phone calls, text, emails to tell them what has happened throughout the day. They always listened to my funny/crazy stories)

3. My sweeet sweeet group of friends and our fun nights out ( My friends are awesome and i would not trade one of them for the world. They are so supportive and encouraging. I totally appreciate them and couldn't imagine life with out them!!! Esp. my room mate! She has listen to me cry, gripe, and laugh this entire year! I know she has to be sick of hearing me talk about teaching)

4. Sonic Half-Sweet Half Un-sweet tea (this helped me get through my first year of teaching... I also like to watch john the car hop spin around on his skates in the a.m. this always is a good way to start of my day )

5. Pandora- (when all else fails taylor swift radio or john mayer radio gets my students to be quiet!! Sometimes they will ask me to play john mayer and that really makes me smile!!!)

6. Reeders being in my class ( I have been so lucky to have reed in my class. It has been such a joy to see a different side of him.)

7. Greeting my students at the door before each period! ( I never knew how important this was. I love greeting my kids at the door. It has really impacted my relasionship with my kiddos)

8. Laughing, Smiling, Giggles ( I have never appreciated laughing, smiling, and giggling as much as I have this year. There are sometimes as a teacher I have to tell myself that I can either laugh or cry. There were also times that I would just laugh with my students! I had to learn that they are humans too, and it is okay to laugh and smile with them. I love to see my students smile!!!

It has Been a While

Life has been incredibly busy! This month is just CRAZY!! March went by way fast! I went skiing with some of my BEST friends! We had a good time even though we ran into a few road bumps!!! Tao was so beautiful! I think I almost love being in the mountains just as i love the beach... even if I don't ski a bunch :) I also got to visit some of my family! It had been a while since we had all gotten together...of course it was strange not having dad be there! We also had the Newman/Piano couples shower in March! It was pretty amazing! I absolutely love getting together with my friends...especially those I don't see much! I got to watch Nee play ball as well in March... I miss being @ all of her games!! March was pretty Amazing, and I believe April might even be better! :)

Teaching is also still pretty crazy... There are days I want to cry because I get so angry with my kids and there are days I want to cry because i realize I only have 8 weeks left with my babies! I know they are 8th graders, but I truly cherish all of them... even the ones that constantly want to challenge me! Reed has been one of those lately! I am not sure what his DEAL is but oh my goodness he is being tough! Speaking of Reed I can't believe he is going to be in high school... i remember him running down the bleachers to the sidelines at Nimitz football games to get footballs when we scored... and now he is going to be at Nimitz! CRAZZZYY

For the most part life is good! My friends and family are awesome, and I would not change anything right now!!!

That is all for now! I hope everyone has a amazing week!!

JC

Living to 100

This week has def. been a challenge. My sweet or not so sweet at times Dee had a heart attack... she is very very sick, but is really trying to hang on and be strong. I will never forget looking in to her eyes when she was laying in the bed and telling her to hang on and that i LOVE her sooo much. She could not talk and was fading in and out of consciousness, but she squeezed my hand. It makes me cry just thinking about it! We had just talked about her getting to see my walk down the isle and have babies the day before... i hope she never forgets those talks we have!!

When she is laying in the bed at the hospital, i remember all the sweet times i have had with her. She would swim, play, watch movies, go shopping with all of us before she had her aneurysm. Then i think about the times after her aneurysm... all the times she has made us laugh because of her honesty. or the time that she wanted me to wear her fur coat to alex's football game, and got her feelings hurt because i wouldn't... or the time that we pulled up in the drive way and she was smoking a cigarette, had tennis shoes on, hair not brushed, but def. was rocking the fur coat! Goodness she makes me laugh...

I often criticize those who make choices for dee because i don't think they have made the best choices for her and her living situation, but when i really sit back and see whats going on that woman is HAPPY and not ready to go home yet. I cherish these times with her... i love rubbing lotion on her skin... and i love it when she makes weird faces at the nurses because we all know she is not the biggest fan of women!

She is such a fighter! I want to be like her really! So strong and never backs down!

She is one TOUGH lady. I pray she makes it through these HARD TIMES! I am not sure how much more the Cowen family can handle... the last 6 months have been so different for all of us!

My friends and my families friends have been awesome! I am sooooooo BLESSED with AMAZING people! I am so thankful!!! Thank you all who have called, text, or fbed me or my family. I truly believe that prayer is sooo powerful! So BE STRONG DEEEEE we love you!!

Rush me, but leave me time to wait

"Rush me, but leave time to wait" These lyrics are from a Gavin DeGraw song that I really love! These lyrics fit me just perfect for the time being! i am such a confusing girl right now! i feel soo bad for Mandi sometimes! She probably never knows what kind of day it has been when I get home or get to cheerleading! I feel like for the first time in my life... i don't really have a plan of where i am going or what i am doing! I am usually a goal oriented girl that knows exactly what she wants but lately this hasn't been the case! This is extremely hard for me because unfortunately i like to have control over all my situations and decisions. It's pretty crazy just letting go and living... Which living this way has been nice... most of the time! I am sure things will be straighted out sometime someday! I am fully confident I am going through this stage of life for a pretty good reason! :) The one thing i am sure of is how BLESSED i am even on the sad days i have! i am sure of one thing and that is that i have a sweet family and sweet friends! I am certain that is all i really need right now to survive!

This is all for now!

love you all

Something Beautiful

WOW! Feb. is already here!



What an adventurous two weeks it has been for me! I feel like God is really been trying to teach me a TON of "life's lessons" right now! I am learning sooo much being a teacher in the classroom and in the gym... who would have thought! I am so thankful for such wonderful MENTORS in my life they def. have great advice and help getting through these so called lessons a little easier. I feel like my students and my cheerleaders are trying EVERY bit of patience i have... which sometimes is not a lot! These lessons might be trying, but I am truly greatful for each and everyone of them!



I am one of those people who falls in love with a song for one reason or another and listen to it over and over and over again! This past weeks i have really fallen in love with the song "Something Beautiful" by needtobreathe! It is quite amazing! I just love the lyrics! The message of the song just really speaks to me!

I am hoping Feb. is a better month than January... although I heard today from my sweet friend LW that feb is usually the most depressing month because of the weather!!! I am thinking I am going to prove that stat WRONG!!! I hope everyone has a wonderful weeekkk! love ya'll