Sweet Summertime

Never tell a teacher, "It must be nice to have summers off" Unless you have taught, you probably won't  understand the need for the break. Plus, I am constantly thinking and planning for the next year during my summer. The break to recover from the year completed and to prepare for the year ahead is a must! And please know that I am not saying I have the toughest job by any means! I love what I do and enjoy the chaos of it all.  I am sure many other professions could benefit from a similar break as well and deserve more recognition and appreciation for what they do.

So I like to set some concrete goals for my summer, since I am not working camp this summer, I don't want my summer to slip past me and look back and feel like I got nothing done. So in no particular order...

- Clean OUT! Like major cleaning out! I am sure I have said this many times before, but I am planning to do some serious organizing and cleaning out of my room and bathroom. If it hasn't been touched or used in a while or have some serious sentimental value...it's gone. A friend said it best...clutter can be exhausting...I'm exhausted;)

- Try new clean eating/healthy recipes. At least one a week. I started yesterday with homemade lara bars. Success.

- Yoga and pilates. These are great core workouts that I enjoy in addition to my runs.

- Spend less! Save some money.

-Job search! This really should be at the top of my list! And spend lots of time in prayer over where the Lord will lead me.

- Study/read: books, get into the Word, and study up on this Common Core fun:/

- Less social media...more face time. Spend time investing in relationships...friends and family.

- Try something new. Learn something new. Just do something exciting...it's been far too long:)

Most teachers love what they do, and we adore our students. But like I said, summers are needed and well deserved. Not to mention, it doesn't take long before I am eagerly anticipating the beginning of school:).

Dr. Oz's 3 Day Detox

I blame the polar vortex!
This was quite the challenge! Quite! Texture has been the biggest struggle. I am sure you are supposed to have a high end super power juicer so that it doesn't come out like mine:/ The taste wasn't the problem. And I am not one of those people who is weird about textures, but if someone tells you this drink is good or even OK, go ahead and take them off the people you can trust list.

Motivations that got me through it:
- I posted it on facebook. I was hesitant, but I am glad I did. Otherwise I would have gracefully bowed out if no one knew I was trying it.
- It was a challenge. I try  not to back down from a challenge I have accepted, especially if everyone knows about it;).
- This will definitely help motivate me to eliminate caffeine, refined sugar, and processed foods. I will eat right, so I feel right, and so I never have to do this again. It really wasn't terrible if I could find a better alternative to lunch. But like I said the lack of enjoyment of actually drinking them will keep me on track!
- 3 Days...that's definitely dooable.
- The investment- purchasing all of the ingredients for the drinks. I hate being wasteful.
- The hope that my clothes will fit comfortably again like they did pre-polar vortex.
- Summer is upon us.

Modifications I made to the Dr. Oz plan:
- I did not want the snack smoothie, but I am pretty sure that's optional
- I did not take the multi-vitamin...I have had bad experiences with those if I don't eat a substantial meal.
-I did not take the omega-3 or do the detox bath to cut costs. I already take pro-biotics, so I just continued.

I wrote a quick bit after each meal. If you have any questions, I am happy to answer! And I am an open book, so feel free to ask whatever. Overall I would recommend it!
Day 1:
Breakfast Drink:
- The green tea made me queezy. I drink it all the time but usually with breakfast. So I think it was because I may have drank it too quickly and on an empty stomach.
- The only substitute I did today was the almond butter. The only kind I could find at our local stores had added sugar. So I had natural pb already and used it. I will get almond butter today while we are in town.
- The drink is pretty good. Of course my parents didn't enjoy the taste that they had but overall I enjoyed it. I like that it tastes healthy...my dad's dramatic reaction was "that's gotta be healthy"...he didn't like it;).
It's raspberry so it's very seedy, and I think I will try tearing the spinach to help it break down more.

Lunch Drink:
- Um... one word....bleh!
- I left out the celery because I don't like it and many reviews said it was very overpowering and that they also left it out. I also exchanged spinach for the kale. I can only imagine how bad it would have been with those 2 in it!
- The cup I drink out of all the time, never seemed so big!
- Mom looked over and noticed the little progress I had made in the 20-30 minutes since I had begun. She implied that maybe it was growing...
-I can do it 2 more times but let's be clear: I will not enjoy it and I better notice some kind of results;).

Dinner Drink:
I did it exactly to recipe except for the Kale. I will always substitute for spinach because I have heard Kale is bitter and spinach is a good replacement nutrient wise. The taste is fine but at this point I am already tired of drinking and the blueberries didn't blend well so it's still not a nice smooth drink.

Concluding day 1:
- I was fine energy wise. I did take a long nap, but I was up late and woke up early. Not to mention, I'm usually a fan of Saturday afternoon naps anyways.
-  I was able to workout. I ran 5 and walked 1. I usually run 6 with no problem,  but I did it in the afternoon which is quite warm so  I was just really thirsty. (If you haven't noticed, the weather and I have a love-hate relationship...I blame it for all my troubles).
-Overall I feel fine...not hungry, not weak.
I have also come to the conclusion that Tuesday maybe my new favorite day;)'

Day 2:

I literally dreamed about these drinks all night. It was trickery though because in my dreams I had already drunk them, so I thought I was closer to the end than I actually was.:/ I was disappointed when I woke up.
Breakfast Drink:
-I definitely like the breakfast drink best. Texture wise it is the easiest to handle.
-I can taste and smell a bit of the banana (which I cannot stand) but it's mostly covered by the raspberries. If I could replace the other 2 with this one, this would be a breeze!
- I have had great energy. Came home from church and knocked out several chores that have needed to be done all week.

Lunch Drink:
- I drank it early...not because I was hungry...but because I wanted to get that awfulness over and done with! One more time...just one more time...that's how I got through it...Yucka Mucka!

DInner Drink:
- Amazing! Maybe it's just because it follows the hideous lunch drink... how many adjectives can you find to describe how bad that lunch drink is;)
- Went to my cousin's graduation party where there was a delicious looking chantily cake (one of the ones like you get at Whole Foods...can't spell it). We brought some home and both my mom and dad asked if Tuesday I would eat any. To which, I quickly reply that I didn't go through all of this to eat cake! Now for super special occasions, I will indulge, but not day to day.

Day 3:

Breakfast:
- I decided to go ahead and get that nasty lunch drink over and done with, so I had it for breakfast. Staying busy while drinking on it helped. Plus the time restraint of getting out the door on time got it down faster. Plus I didn't want my students to have to watch me drink that mess, and I didn't want to dread it all morning;). The worst is officially over!
- Knowing it was the last time I had to drink it made it much better;)
- Drinking on the green tea now. I found that it made me feel nassau if I drank it first thing, so I think drinking it with something on my stomach will help.

Lunch:
- I had the breakfast drink
- I was so hungry because I had my breakfast drink so early. It was amazing, and I was satisfied after drinking it.

Dinner:
- I went for a bike ride and a short walk with good old Dodger.
- I was hungry, so it was delicious. Really anything tastes great after the green monster of the lunch drink;).

I weighed before I drank the dinner drink tonight, and based on my weight a couple weeks ago, I only lost a couple of pounds...likely water weight. I usually weigh in the morning, so that could have been a factor. But I wouldn't advise it for weight loss. It's a great jump start if you are looking to make a change. For example, I am working really hard to eliminate as much refined sugar as possible (I will enjoy family dinners and things, but just watching portions and 98% of my eating I would like to say is processed sugar free). Some do it for caffeine, or whatever healthy living goal you are working towards. If you do it for weight loss and just return to eating as you were before, you will likely gain it back.

I came to appreciate a few things. Mostly that eating properly definitely affects how you feel. 1. It's a mental thing. Knowing I was eating well was a mood booster in itself! 2. Bloat was gone. 3. Energy was good! 4. Appetite was satisfied.

There is so much I could say but the biggest thing is that it showed me that even in the midst of the craziness of life...being out and about and needing to grab a bite to eat, parties, work (cupcakes, deserts, candy, take out, etc.), satisfying a need to have a snack...there are easy healthy options. All you need to do is plan ahead and commit to making a healthy choice or the healthiest choice available (I need to invest in a larger purse to carry around snacks options when out and about;)).

And it taught me that I like to bite my food! I would do it again...not anytime soon. But only if I could replace that lunch drink. I will probably do the other 2 every now and then when I need to fit in some fruits or veggies fast.

Heading in the right direction

Well sweet friends, I am clearly the picture perfect example of what it means to take baby steps and of celebrating my successes no matter how small they maybe...as I put down my empty bowl of ice cream...ugh...I know I know...please don't judge me, it was a rough day and a treat felt warranted.

Anyways, I am not, and I repeat not perfect in this healthy, clean eating business. Kudos to those who are awesome enough to change your life over night, but that just isn't me! Trust me I wish it were. My hopes are that one day I will be an organic hipster...well at least very close to it;). I am getting there but like I said I am baby steppin' it and somedays it's more of a shuffle but at least I am moving in the right direction.

One thing I have done great at (if I may give myself a pat on the back) is drinking loads of water. I love the benefits of drinking all the water. I see the results of it most in my skin. It just seems healthier. Drinking loads of water does have a minor downfall, but I am sure you can guess what problem drinking too much water will cause. Which is good but annoying...alright moving on...

Sugar is in just about everything. When you start reading labels it's amazing that most things have sugar as one of the first 5 ingredients, if not the first 3. I am just going to assume you all know what that means when reading labels because I tried to explain it and wasn't doing so hot! So starting today I am going to do my best to only eat things with natural sugars. Even things that appear healthy have added sugar as one of the first few ingredients... granola bars, granola cereal, yogurt, wheat bread, fruit bars, some fruit and veggie drinks. This is so disappointing:( Why can't they be honest and make actually healthy treats.

As for coffee and caffeine, I have cut back. That's progress. I am pretty sure coffee is the equivalent of aderol (however that is spelled) for me... I am amazingly productive when I have a nice cup of joe. And I can't sit still and sometimes I get a little shaky and I get chatty....OK so I am a different person lol. Since school is winding down, I am going to only drink coffee when there are things that must get done! I don't know that caffeine is all that bad for you,  but I don't like that if I don't have any I get a headache, especially since headaches are not normal for me at all. I don't like being dependent on it to function daily. Plus it's nice that my body isn't used to it, so it does have an effect on me when I need it to ;).

I would love to share a pretty little motivational quote I found somewhere that often comes to mind...but I can't find it anywhere so I will do my best to quote it for you:
"You can't work-off bad choices" Ok that's not it at all...hmmm... the basis is that eating right is more important than working out. They are both important, but what you eat greatly affects how effective working out is. Something like this...

Seasons of Change

The end of a season of my life is nearing...well by the time I post this, it is probably wrapping up. I have been writing on this post for a bit to make sure it is just right.

A private school was the last place I thought I would work because of financial reasons. I could blame it on the terrible economy I was "blessed" to enter into after graduating college, but I prefer to believe it was all in God's perfect plan. I wound up at Amite Christian School teaching 2nd grade. I thought it would just be a good place to get my feet wet. And while it was indeed that, it became so much more! I have learned so much as a teacher and in life in general. See each spring time, the question that would surface around my family went a little something like "So are you going to try to get in the public schools next year?" Each year I made an effort. Well, the first year you may not really call it an effort. The next year I actually looked at the applications for the public schools in our area. The next I actually filled them out and dropped some resumes off. And then this year, I went ahead and said from the beginning of the year that it would be my last year at Amite. I had to or I may never have left. Especially with the great things that the Lord is doing there. I have come to truly love the school not because they have it all together (no place is perfect), but because the people (students, faculty, administration, and families of our students) began to take more and more of a special place in my heart. It became a such a sweet place for me.

As students have begun to find out that I will not be returning next year, I have received sweet notes and tight, loving hugs! I have disappointed a kitchen worker or two who will have to find someone else to give a hard time about their hair or outfit or the way they fix their beverage at the break of dawn each day. Another reason I need coffee some days;). As a side note, these guys make me laugh each day...most days...and I will dearly miss them. They helped me remember to smile despite some rough days, and they didn't even know they were doing it.

I have been blessed to teach some of the sweetest, most precious children. I love to see them succeed academically and learn to be a friend to one another. This school is a place where children learn to love one another, to serve their classmates, teachers, and people they have never even met. We pray for unreached people groups, give to children less fortunate (compassion international), and so much more. Because of the efforts of our administration, staff, and parents, I witness daily my students showing genuine selflessness and care for others. I learn a lot from them!

Most importantly I love seeing their love for Christ. Friends, I tell you that the combination of great parenting and good schooling and most importantly God's sovereign hand on these children...He is raising up some beautiful people for this generation!

I will dearly miss getting to teach Bible. Getting to openly use God's Word as an instrument to redirect poor behavior. Reminding children to love all people as God loves them. Playing kids' praise as we work. Tuesday morning chapel.

I have thoroughly enjoyed each of my 4 classes. I have sweet memories from each of them, and from each student! And I couldn't ask for a sweeter class to end this season with. They are so loving and precious! I could go on and on but I will simply share a few highlights from this year and a few pictures.

*One student says this while another teacher's hand is in his mouth wiggling a tooth. I must have walked past and he said "Ah I wish she was my age" She believes he was talking about me. I don't care if that's true, I am just going to believe it is because I needed to be reminded that someone wanted to be my friend that day;).

* While discussing anything to do with the word "kiss", "love", and "being a gentleman" The boys shake their head and get uncomfortable...it throws me off my teaching game because I just have to laugh. I love their innocence! We recently discussed how boys should make sure a girl has a proper seat, you would have thought I had told them they had to hold their hands or something. I hope to always stay in the age-range where boys and girls don't have all of the drama of whose "dating" who!

*One student always compliments me on something I am wearing that day. I may or may not have been a little flattered when she compared me to Fancy Nancy. And I may or may not consider whether or not she would compliment my outfit as I select what I will wear that day;).

 Right before a group hug turned into a big pile of children;).

I receive the sweetest notes that make my day! I put these up to 1. show how sweet their precious hearts are 2. to save them because I don't want to lose them. I didn't post them to brag because trust me I am quite unworthy of such kind words, but I'll take them!

Despite the fact that I will dearly miss the season of life, I am not dreading the season of change to come. I am not a crier, even though I keep waiting for the day that it will hit me that I won't have this class stopping by next year on their way to their new classes to give me hugs, and I won't get to teach some of the precious 1st graders coming up. I am not really sad about leaving. I am, but the timing and all just feels right. I am not stressed even though I am facing uncertain unemployment. I am at complete peace! That is such a wonderful feeling. I feel like I should be stressed...like I am not doing something right, but I know that God has plans for my tomorrow. I look forward to being in a place where I am open to whatever opportunities He opens up for me. Side note: I may say I am stressed but it's more because I DREAD and DETEST the job search process!

I know that the change to the public school system will be good for me. I look forward to new challenges and learning and growing more as a teacher. I am very excited about the possibilities.
As sad as I will be to leave this sweet school, I am trusting that God has something great ahead. If you were to ask me what my 5 year plan was at my college graduation, it would look very different than where I am now...very. And while those hopes and dreams are still the desires of my heart, as I reflect on the past 4 years, I am overwhelmed to see that God knows just where I need to be. And as I enter into a time of change and uncertainty (As I have said,I do not have a job for the fall yet...it's just the way it has to work out sometimes if you know much about the school systems...), I am learning to trust in God's perfect plan. I am not a fan of not having a solid plan. Like I got nothing:/. I am a teacher, which makes me a planner...it's one of the big interview questions "How do you plan for your lessons/day?". Thankfully I had great teachers in college who stressed this, so I usually nail that question;).

My prayers are:
- that I survive the interview/job search process! I really, strongly, fiercely dislike the process of job searching, applications, and most dreadfully interviewing. Prayers are more than welcome!

- that I will be right where God wants me and that I will be patient in waiting for Him to lead me there. I pray that I will continue to not make my own  plans, so that I can see His plans more clearly.

- that I will push through when I am weary and worn from the process...or that God let's this process be quick and painless...ahhh a girl can dream! I am sure most people don't see this process as such a big deal, but for me it's the worst:/ I know there will be a lot of opportunities to learn and grow...there already have been but I would prefer to learn and grow with a secure job;).

Lastly...the truth of God's word that offers the strength and encouragement to begin a season of complete uncertainty...

" But those who wait on the Lord,
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint."
Isaiah 40:31

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the Lord.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, 
so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55:8-9

There are so many more but those are 2 of my favorites. Thank you to all of those who have been encouraging me already through this. I look forward to this next season, but I will be doing all I can to stay present in my today because I still have to 2 sweet weeks and 2 days left. I know it will go by too fast! 

Joy in today!

When the worries of tomorrow tempt you away from the joys of today, it's exhausting! I am not a stresser...well maybe I am a silent stresser. It catches up to me before I even realize it, so I don't realize I am worried or stressed until I realize I have been a bit on edge. I inwardly get a bit grumpy. Inwardly because I try hard (and often times fail) to not let it show.

Anyways. My tomorrow was begging for my attention today, and I am fighting to stay in the present. The Bible has plenty to say about it, so I guess God sees how easily our hearts and minds wander to the future and miss out on the precious moments of today!

So I hope I come home exhausted everyday...not because I let the demands of the next approaching season of life stress me out and burden me with worries but because I loved hard, hugged tightly, listened closely, spoke encouragingly, worshipped deeply,  smiled widely, dug deep, and shared in every moment that today had to offer.

I don't want to look back and wish I had done more to share each precious day with these beautiful

faces. (In the above picture, I learned to take pictures before sugary treats...it's a miracle we got this one;)).

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough of its own troubles." Matthew 6:33-34

"This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

I don't know what to believe...

Apples are the dirtiest produce because of pesticides....I eat an apple with peanut butter/greek yogurt dip almost every morning for breakfast.

Skim milk....what do they do to make it skim...that's all I have drank for years. Mom showed me an article, and I haven't been able to drink it since:/

Organic milk....the expiration date is much longer than regular milk...why is that?

Turkey...I have seen the process for making turkey dogs on one of those how it's made shows...can't do it!

Microwaves...I enjoy leftovers and popcorn....apparently microwaving isn't good for you...I always figured nuking your food couldn't be doing great things for you but now there's an article for it.

Oh and the list goes on.

I mentioned before that I want to be more educated on nutrition. Now I am not sure I really want to know. I am scared to eat much of anything the more I learn about stuff! With the popularity of blogs and pinterest, there are so many fads out there, (gluten free, vegan, dairy free, oil pulling, carb free, high protein, etc.) and I don't want to jump on a "fad wagon".  Or jump from one fad to the next. I am such a sceptic when it comes to blogs and pinterest and things. It's so hard to know if the source is reliable. I just don't know what to believe! I just want to be healthy and put good things in my body, so I can run and play and have energy and be the best me.

I must say, sometimes I get a bit discouraged when trying to eat healthy. I really am not doing it to see instant results because I know if I want it to last, it needs to be slow and steady and more about a change that will last. I want it to just become who I am. When I started working out, it was slow and gradual with many set backs along the way, and now it is just a part of my life. I hate missing a workout. I am healthy. I enjoy healthy foods, and I am in shape. So I won't be discouraged by set backs or lack of instant results. But it's always nice to see results;). I will say that each week it gets easier. Plus I truly do feel better the better I eat! 

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So I go back and forth on whether or not to post things. I enjoy sharing life with people. I feel our generation is slowly losing the desire to be truly intentional with one another. And for someone who naturally struggles with that, I try to be aware of things that are hindering me from being intentional. It doesn't have to be face to face, although that is always my favorite and my sweetest time with people, but it can be as simple as making an effort in some way or another to be more intentional with people on an individual basis. BUT I spent some time reading back through some random posts of mine, facebook and blogs, and I was so encouraged to see how God has been with me through the many different seasons of life. (I feel vain looking at my own facebook timeline so much, but sometimes I enjoy a walk down memory lane.) It is so refreshing to be reminded of what God has taught me. And when I began writing this blog about 4 years ago, I was in a very similar season of life that I am currently in. A season of uncertainties. I will do my best to share more on that soon. So I say all this to say, I write this blog for 2 reasons.

1. I am terrible at keeping a written journal. So I write for myself. To allow me to keep a journal of sorts of my life to look back on and be reminded of the faithfulness of God during the different seasons of my life. It's always good to look back...laugh a little, cry a little, thank the sweet Lord a lot:)

2. To hopefully encourage a friend or 2 along the way. Maybe even make a friend or 2 along the way!