Prayers for Newtown and some thoughts....

This is not my story to tell or receive attention from, but I was feeling compelled to write this evening when I got home from dinner. Here goes....

I'm not exactly what you'd call a religious person, but over the past year and a half, I began praying. I do it on my way to work in my car usually, or sometimes before I go to bed. Mainly it's prayers of gratitude for all the blessings in my life, but today I was sending a few prayers up for all the families in Newtown. Here I was, just like any other day, headed to work (counting the days until Christmas break) but heading to a job I love, to see kids I call family, and friends who I have the pleasure of spending my days with. And just to the east, are families whose lives will never be the same. Babies being put to sleep who will never experience all the amazing things this life has to offer. I know it's only a prayer, or a donation to United Way, or a card, and can no way replace the lives that were taken, but it's the least I can do.

Of course I've been following the news and reading articles online over the past few days as well.

This morning I watched this as I curled my hair...please take a moment to watch if you haven't yet.

Nothing can ever be the same again.

It was USA Today or the Trib that headlined this morning with, "Is this the tipping point?" referring to our gun control laws. I sure hope so. My dad is a cop and has always had guns in the house. Up in Chicago, they were under tight lock and key, which made me happy. They scare the you-know-what out of me. I feel like I'd be the one to shoot my foot or hurt someone else if I bumped into it.  I have no idea what our obsession with guns are. Maybe it's because I'm a girl....I'm not sure. But why would any civilian need an automatic weapon? Why do we have access to them so easily?

I saw this online today. Is this serious....the cheese and the guns?

My cousin mentioned that some people asked if maybe teachers should be armed. I would sooner quit my career before I would let that happen. Could you imagine, teachers, all armed? How would that create a safe and trusting learning enviornment? How would my kids - or myself! feel safe to be in our classroom, that is made to feel like home? I didn't want to be a police officer because crime scares me. I would never think to be armed to protect myself and my students in my classroom.

But would I go to great lengths to protect my kids? Of course. I've had my homeroom for a year and a half now - same kids. They are like a little family to me, and it's built that way. They will tell me, like one of my girls did today, that they need a hug. They will tell me about drama that is going on with other people around school. They tell me who has a new boyfriend or who got new boots. School works because they feel safe and they know they are cared for. Guns don't belong in schools.

I don't think gun control is the only issue here. Obviously there are many factors, including a health care situation that I don't really know much about. What I do know is our society is/has been  changing. People, young people especially, are tuned out of face-to-face interaction and would rather talk via device. Take one of my 8th grade cheerleaders who just got a new boyfriend last week. I asked her, "So he asked you out and you said yes? Did he call you last night?" She replied, "Oh no, Ms. Brezek. I'm so awkward on the phone. We texted."

Our kids don't know how to communicate. I'm out to dinner and see it all the time - families waiting for their meal and their kids playing on the devices. They should be doing what we did - talking about our day, hearing our parents talk about work, and joking around with their siblings while they wait. But we don't do that anymore. Families don't sit down to dinner. Parents are working later hours. Needless to say, children aren't developing their emotional intelligence like they used to. The family dynamic is different these days.




I also watched this today. He presents some pretty good points...

Anyways, not sure it's my place to say anything, but a huge part of the reason I love my job is that I get to be there for my kids, especially in 7th and 8th grade when so much is changing for them.

Now I turn this over to you - did you talk to your children today? Ask about their day? Did you give them a hug and a kiss before bed? Did you call your best friend or siblings or tell your spouse how important they are to you? Will you say a prayer for those in Newtown or others in your life who may need it? 

As we have unfortunately witnessed yet again, life is fragile, and we never know when it can be turned upside down. Keep the ones you love close.

Until next time...

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Taylor Swift: Red
Okay, I know. So not country and totally pop. But, if you've read my previous blogs, you know I live in Butterfly Rainbow Land. So, with that being known, you would have had to guess I was going to buy this album on the day it releases (on my phone on the way to work Monday morning). I've been listening to it since and have a few favorites already. My most favorite is the one here. Listen while you read the rest of the blog!

Committed Middle School Cheerleaders
Well, just like in high school, cheerleaders can never get the gym to practice, so we are forced into morning practices. I HATE waking up so early, but I'm always so proud of my girls by the end of practice. (and honestly, happy to get to do other things after school ends!) Middle school girls usually have no cheer skills - which was the case with my girls, but we've been practicing for about three weeks now and they're making so much progress! I have 12 girls and we just nailed 3 preps with each one cradling out of them - all in time to a floor cheer. SUCCESS! (Video/pics to come!)

An amazing team of teachers at my side

This is NOT the teacher's lounge.....

I really can't express enough how awesome the people I directly work with are. They are strict, but have fun with kids. They are clear about their expectations. They follow through with rewards and consequences. They take initiative to get stuff done for our team. They make power points to share that have awesome animations. And....we eat lunch together every day and have a hilarious time in the lounge. Even though some aspects of our school have changed, it's all good because my team rocks.

Carving pumpkins with my love
Alright well even though we live in the city, there's still plenty of places to get a pumpkin....you know, Walgreens, Jewel....the car wash/auto repair shop turned pumpkin patch in Wrigley? Hektor and I picked up some pumpkins on Sunday and the carving tools and went to town. This is the best pumpkin I ever carved (I'm pretty impatient) and Hektor's turned out even better. (His pattern was a 4 on the difficulty scale!) Good times....love the fall!

speaking of fall....
I'm Loving this Season and the Beautiful Weather
It was almost 80 degrees today - so beautiful! I wish I had gotten out of work prior to 5:00, but that's okay. So, in addition to the great temperature, the leaves have changed color and it smells so good outside. Love the leaves crunching under my feet and seeing kids in my friends' facebook pictures playing in their backyards.

and lastly...
College Football

I'm going to tell you a secret. I didn't really start to care so much about college football until I moved to Chicago, and really until I found the Alumni Association for ASU. (Don't judge me.) The thing is, I've met some great new friends watching games at Cubby and it's because of college football that I met Hektor. (Awwhhhh!) So, you can see where it has all started. But now...now I have it out for the Ducks. You see, Briese is always talking stuff about ASU and we never get to win against Oregon, so now I'm crossing my fingers that Oregon ends up in a game with the Florida Gators (Hektor's alma mater) and gets chomped. We'll get you one day, Oregon.....but until then, I'll listen to briese post "OOOOOOOOO" all over all my ASU pictures....


Have a good week friends!

Nashville

Hektor and I took a road trip last weekend to Nashville to see the Gators play at Vanderbilt. Super fun time....here's the top 5!

5 - Catching up with (Hektor's) long lost friends


We were invited to stay with one of Hektor's friends from Florida....Ken and Liz. Hektor hadn't seen him in ages or met his kids yet! Here we are with twins Will and Kate and big sister Caroline. Super cute kids, and such great friends to let us bum a room for the weekend!

4 - Downtown Nashville

We were hoping to make it to the bars after the game on Saturday, but it didn't happen after hours of tailgating and then watching the game. But....it was pretty sweet. Even at noon on Sunday, there was tons of live music - all country, my fave! Best was when these two were playing Pontoon by Little Big Town. Brought back memories from the lake house last summer.

3 - Meeting more of Hektor's Florida friends

Hektor had no idea that these friends were coming up from Atlanta and Jacksonville, so it was a huge surprise when he realized it on the drive down. Great to hear stories from college from a whole new group of friends!

2 - Gator Traditions

So after the game (Gators won!) all of the football team came over by the band and cheerleaders for....a school song I think? Anyways, it was pretty awesome. The Florida alum asked me if I liked my first game and I said, "Yeah, you've got some great traditions at your school," to which Hektor replied..."Yeah, like winning!"

1 - Hanging out with one of my favorites

So 7 hours down to Nashville, a whole day together tailgating, and 7 hours back on Sunday. All that being said, we did pretty good and didn't really get on each other's nerves until the last hour or so. Either way, there's no one else I'd rather hang out with for that much time. Thanks for taking me to a Gator game, Dud!

and one of the not-so-cool things we did on the trip....
ate at Fazoli's.

Remember Fazoli's? Seemed like a good idea at the time. Reminded me of all the times I went with Holls in high school. Well, I think it's best left in our past. It was alright, but I will definitely be okay not going there for another decade!

What I'm looking forward to now....
An ASU win tomorrow over Oregon that will not only be awesome for the Sun Devils, but keep the Gators in that second place rank on the BCS poll!

Another Beginning...

The posters have been attached to the walls, the cabinets cleaned and organized. Plans are written. The room is ready for kids and I'm about to start year 10 of teaching! I can't believe this year will mark my 10th year of teaching. To think I've spent almost a third of my life with kids is crazy, but I couldn't imagine it any other way!

It's been great being back at work and seeing old friends and meeting new teachers! I'm mentoring a new teacher this year and it's really been such a pleasure to live vicariously though her and her first days as a first year teacher. The excitement, the being so overwhelmed you're not even sure where to start, the anticipation....all great!

Which got me to thinking about what lays ahead for me. Up until this point, I never really had any desire to do anything else but be with kids, but little by little, I'm beginning to think I might like to do an instructional coach position or even teach methods classes at the college level. I know I'm not into administration, but helping new teachers develop their skills could be super fun. Not to mention that it would eliminate grading papers : )

But before I can get to that, I have a whole year's worth of work to do. Our theme for Language Arts this year is "You can change the world." We're going to have the kids do all kinds of work around social justice issues - writing picture books that deal with these kinds of issues (and free online publishing of 12 page books at Student Publishing!) They will study the Holocaust and what we can learn from that and then, pick a cause of their own interest to research. After that report is done, they have to finish it with some kind of service project. We did this whole theme last loop and the kids LOVED all of it, and they really felt like they could make a difference.

So, I guess it's no secret that I love my job. One more weekend of fun, then back at it....but I can't really call it a job when I get to hang out with friends, teach kids to be better people, and enjoy what I do on a daily basis.

Looking forward to 2012-2013!
and that is all : )

Is Internet Reading Fake Reading?

So I was on my way home from the mall, sitting in traffic on Western Avenue. I know I shouldn't do this, but there's so many stop lights, so usually I'm reading on my phone while I'm sitting.... sitting....waiting on the lights. (dont' judge me and don't give me a lecture about the phone and the car. I know. I'm just sitting so long, and I can get lots of reading done!)

anyways....
The blog I happened to be reading was discussing whether or not Internet reading is "real" reading. You know, I go back and fourth with this as well...personally and as far as reading goes for my students. Like the eReaders. When they first started coming out, I didn't think I wanted one because I love my books, and I like to have them on my bookcase when I finish with them. But then, because he's one of the most thoughtful people I know, Hektor got me an eReader for my birthday last year, and now I love it! It's awesome to hear about a book from a friend, and BOOM! You can go online, buy it, and be reading it within minutes. Not to mention all the free books you can get with them, and the sharing capabilities. So yes, I would definitely recommend an eReader, although I do not like them for reading nonfiction. Sometimes I like to be able to go back and refer to things, and it's hard for me on the eReader, so I plan on buying books about teaching and other NF topics the old fashioned way.

eReader aside, I also read tons on my laptop. I love finding great new blogs, and writing my own (and as you can see, my reading and writing are constantly influencing one another!) I like to be able to research anything whenever I want. Find reviews on restaurants or look up ideas for my next unit of teaching. I love to stay connected with friends via facebook and share our day-to-day stories so easily.

So why is it that I don't consider all the Internet reading I do "real" reading? Why is it that I don't like my kids to be reading articles online? Why is it that I have always made their homework hard copy or real book work? I think my opinions are changing the more and more I think about this.

When I was in college, I never read things electronically. Even when I was working on my Master's, I always printed all the articles I had to read so I could highlight and interact better with them. Maybe just because it was like "official school business" I felt I had to do that, but after thinking about all the reading I do online now, I think I'm way more apt to give kids an article online or scan something in and share it via PDF (since all my kids are on 1:1 MacBooks). It's what they do in their day-to-day lives, and you know, maybe they have a hard time focusing on homework when the world is at their fingertips, but they're going to have to get used to working like this (as if they're not already!)

So all that being said, I think I'm going to have my kids do lots more reading online and on their computers this coming school year.

Opinions on this? How do all you other teachers out there feel about Internet reading? Is it real reading?

Midwestern Summer

Now that my family and friends have all visited, and the moving is done, and my trips have ended, I'm finally getting a feel for a day in the life of summer vacation. Here's a few things that are 100% authentic midwest summer.


Public Pool

First day with nothing really to do, so I spent it at the pool caching some sun. It was there, listening to a kid yell "CANNONBALL!!" that creative inception struck (Is that how that saying goes? doesn't seem right.) Anyways, it just brought me back to the pool we used to go to in Lansing - complete with a concession stand and 15 minute breaks for the kids where only the parents got to swim. I actually asked one of the life guards at this pool (which is conveniently located 3 blocks from my new casa) if there was ever something like adult swim - there's like 1,000 kids in the pool - but no such luck. She said, "We get that a lot." I can imagine. Some A-hole of a kid was purposely splashing me while I laid on the deck. I had my back turned, but I know he did it on purpose. The first time I thought, hey you're at a pool. Gonna get wet. Second time, when he drenched my book, I turned around and gave him some dirty looks. Anyways, public pools and the lingering chlorine perfume you leave wearing - midwest summer.


Cooking Out

Oh yes, cooking out. I know, I know, we do this in Arizona too, but I'm just not sure why I think of it as more midwest. Maybe it's cause I call it "cooking out" and forever Katie made fun of me. Or maybe its cause you can roast a weenie on a stick (I've done that twice this summer!) Cooking out just so reminds me of the midwest, which I have come to love all over again.

As a side note, make sure you do your hot dogs right. 





Tree Lined Streets

You do not see this in Arizona at all. So many trees, and in some places like Oak Park, making almost a little tunnel down the street. Beautiful in the fall, and cool in the summer. Midwest through and through.


Backyard Garden

I'm so excited for the day when I have space to have a garden. We always did growing up - I remember in Riverdale my mom always had a garden. Maybe not in Indiana, but Holly's mom did. Picking cherry tomatoes right off the vine? Bliss. Would definitely like to grow a bunch of veggies, and plant some flowers, too.


Summer Lake Cottage

If I do end up staying in the midwest, a summer cottage is definitely on the bucket list. Thinking a small house with some toys - a speed boat, pontoon boat, and a jet ski. Have a flagpole with school colors flying? Yes, please. And plenty of time on a teacher's summer break to have all the family and friends come up once or a few times over the course of the summer months.


Bags

No one really played this game much in Arizona. Obviously not during the summer months, but we could have used them the 9 other months of the year. The best boards are like these - opposing teams and opposing fans. Nothing says Chicago like the CrossTown Classic, and fans from both sides always keep things interesting.

So there you have it. Midwest summer. What makes your neck of the woods special?

Teardrops on My Guitar

Not sure if you recall, but I got a guitar for Christmas from Hektor. It all stemmed from me asking him about three times if I could bedazzle one of his for my next halloween costume (Taylor Swift). So, it was such a surprise when I opened my very own guitar for Christmas!

He taught me about 8 notes of a little song that morning which I used to remember how to play, but have since forgot. Even though Hektor can play so many songs - "Hey babe, play Sublime. Play More Than Words. Look at this tablature online and play Taylor Swift." - he always can. Makes it look so easy!


I feel so bad that I haven't taught myself something, but it's hard. I'm not an ounce musically inclined, at all. Awhile ago I taught myself one chord that I needed for that Taylor Swift song I was going to teach myself. I looked it up online, practiced it a little bit, and made a diagram on a post it that ended up on the fridge. He came over that night, saw the post it and was totally laughing cause I wrote "Stretchy" on it....you really have to stretch your fingers to play whatever chord that is!!


Since then, I haven't really made any attempts to try and learn. I really just need him to teach me and sit with me, but we just haven't yet.


So, would it be horrible if I bedazzled it anyways? I mean, would I still be able to use it or would it be ruined? I'm thinking of making it look like this ---->


If I decided to do that, there will be tear dops on my guitar...Hektor's, so perhaps I will just go now and learn a new chord : ) But I'm not over this Halloween costume idea just yet!


Hektor - if you're reading this, how about you be a part of the costume, too. Me - Taylor Swift. You - Kanye. Brilliant!

no. more. drinks.

All those drinks seemed like a pretty good idea last night. And at 8am this morning, I had already been up for an hour and a half...all of which began with the spins. I seriously haven't felt this bad in ages! Reminds me of nights with Katie and/or Dunk in Phoenix when we'd wake up and try and piece the night back together.....details of shenanigans slowly trickling back to us the more we rehashed our whereabouts. Those usually included some pretty hilarious remembering (A cabbie kidnapped me! I'm at the joyeria!) but that's a story for another day.


The difference now is that I'm totally embarrassed of the nonsense from last night. I mean, come on....I'm passed the days of undergrad doing this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night (how did I ever manage that?!) At 31 with this kind of behavior, I have to wonder who out there is judging. Don't lie...I know you are.

truth.

So yes, Katie is here and I think I've hit my alcohol limit. I'm sure she'll be fine with that, but not sure we can go up to the Signature Lounge for two waters on the rocks.


You know, even worse that the stupid crap you do when you're drunk is waking up feeling like you've paid so little attention to your health that you want to get up and go work out stat. I'm down for a drink or two with dinner, but I think I'm over the drinking all night plan. Not fun and messes up your body for day(s) after!


So here we sit, being hungover. We at least got out for a walk by the lake, and are planning on getting to the Taste a little later after it cools off a bit....but until then, Mean Girls sounds like just what the doctor ordered.

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Pontoon and Logitech Bluetooth Speaker
We heard this song on the way down to the lake house in Indiana, and then I downloaded it while we were on the boat. Even though Holls thinks the "Motorboatin" lyric is questionable, I don't care. LOVE this song, and I love Hektor's new bluetooth speaker.

To use this speaker, you use your phone as the remote control. You can stream music from Pandora or iheartradio, or play from your music library. Battery is a rechargeable one...you just plug it in at night and then you're totally wireless!

Pic Stitch

Julia told me about this app....you can use it with your pictures to make little collages of pictures. You can then export them to Instagram, facebook, or message or email them to people. Here are a few I put together:

And no, I don't think I'm a photographer, but it's fun!

Signature Lounge
Jon and Courtney told me about this place awhile ago, and I took Heather for my first visit. It's a restaurant and lounge on the 95th and 96th floors of the John Hancock building. We got a table right by the window and had a few drinks, some great conversation, and enjoyed the view. Katie comes today and we're planning on a trip there tomorrow after the Taste.

Flip Flop Fantasy
So I'm not totally sure if this is the color that I got, but it's close. Love mani-pedis every other week, and my favorite salon is one in Oak Park - Avenue on Oak Park Avenue. Will definitely be going back there once school starts!

Old Navy Sleep Shorts
I want all of these shorts! So perfect for sleeping and lounging around the house. Only $8....these are my newest addition!

and what I'm not loving...


Breakfast Buffets
Unless said buffet is at the Marriot on the beach in Florida, I'm not going. Hektor is always wanting to go to buffets. We went to one in Niles a few months ago - Shooters? Not good. Then the other day on the way home from Indiana, we stopped at Golden Corral. I had seen them in AZ so I though that I couldn't really go wrong with a chain. Not so much. Not good. Not going again. Unless it's at a fancy hotel that uses silver platters and makes their waffles into heart shapes.

Trying to be a writer....

Actually, that image isn't true. My ideas are nonexistent! I've been wanting to write on my blog for so long, but I've had two issues: 1. I haven't been home and been kinda busy when I am here, and 2. I've had total writer's block! What happens mostly is that Katie blogs all the time and I LOVE LOVE her blog and just want to copy it (which I have) but I can't just do that all the time!


Katie and I also have been talking alot about writing a book. This summer was going to be the summer we did it, and we talked about it and outlined it. We worked on it for one or two days, and then haven't looked at it since! If you want to be a writer, you have to have some serious dedication! You really need to block time out of your day to do it, and I just haven't done it at all.


So writer's block. What could I write about?

• The Bachelorette and how those relationships NEVER work out?
• Making Jello shots in orange and lemon peels?

Mine did not look this good. Tip: do not use lime peels.
Tip: cut the peel first. Tip: Mango jello is the best!

• My new bed? I am waiting on delivery right now! and I now have a guest bedroom! (Room is too small to shut the door, but it's a second bedroom!)
• The fact that I haven't done ANY running since the color run?
• New apps that I love?

Pic Stitch

• A bar in my neighborhood (Crocodile) that serves you a pizza with every drink you buy?
• My "secret group" on facebook?
• How it turns out that I hate breakfast buffets?

Alright, well I guess I have a few ideas. Perhaps tomorrow I should reread this before I begin!

Creating Yourself

When you're little, you watch Disney movies and picture your life in a way that resembles those movies. You know, the beautiful prince swoops in and well, there you have it. You fall in love in college, get married right after, and then live happily ever after in a house with a puppy and a picket fence.


Some people live this. I, did not.

Thankfully in my 20's, I read a little book called He's Just Not That Into You. I swear, I wish I would have read that book YEARS before I finally did. It's been my mantra, as sucky as it is, ever since.

That book helped me see that most guys weren't into me. (And now, finally, I'm totally okay with that.) I remember sitting at a bar, drunk with Katie and Jamie, saying, "No, Katie! He's coming back! He just went to a get a drink!" Luckily Katie had read the book too, and dragged me out of that bar before I made a bigger ass out of myself.

Anyways....back to the point...

So I'm not exactly where I thought I would be. You know, at 31 I was thinking I'd be married and have a house by now. But, that's okay.

I did get some stuff done in the past 10 years. Here's a few of them that I'm most thankful for....

I've racked up a list of amazing friends who are like family I got to hand select. I love all of these girls so much, and can't wait for the epic day when we're all in the same room together!

Heather, Jamie, Holls....circa 1999ish
Holls, remember when we used to wear matching shirts? : )

Katie & Holls....NYC Trip

Anita and I creating fun on an ordinary Saturday

Liz in 2011 at EX Promotion

Another bonus of skipping the get-married-right-out-of-college is a great career. You can't put a price tag on the amazing relationships and experiences I've come to have because of a career in education. (Well, you can. 2 degrees = $40K. Waiting to win the lotto to pay that off!)

Best boss....no contest : )

Awesome kiddos!

Donna and Petie

Can't complain when work = bowling!

Over the past 10 years, not only have I been able to work with amazing people, but I've also come to know myself and what I want....and what I don't want. I've got to live alone and be okay with time to myself. Sure, there's been days (weeks and months even) when I wasn't sure I made the right decisions and was pretty lonely, but it all led me to where I am now. And where is that? 

Moving. Again.

So as I go through all my stuff, once again, and say prayers that one day I figure out where i'm going to plant roots, I am going to remind myself that all of this stuff....this whole journey....happened for a reason and led me to this new place (back to Bucktown!) for some reason maybe I can't even understand yet.

So, to any of my friends out there who may be feeling the, "I'm ___ years old and still single" thing and dwelling on it (like I did for so long....), I say, don't sweat it. Instead, look at all that you got to do because you didn't get hitched right away. I mean, we're going to live to be, what....90 or 100 if we're lucky? There are so many years ahead of us for all that!