Hello-Goodbye!

I am done with my electronic portfolio. I never thought that I would finish that thing. I feel quite exhilarated. It is so nice to be done.

Which brings me to the hard part of this year. I am terrible at goodbyes. It started when I had to leave home after high school. I was going to Ecuador to attend Bible school. It was hard for me to leave. But when I left Ecuador it was even harder, because I knew that we all would never be there again. It would never be the same. it actually brings me to tears thinking about it now. I lived with these people for 8-9 months, we couldn't go home like people can at university. It broke my heart that I would not be close with these people. This separation almost feels as though you have to leave apart of yourself there. You have to strip apart of yourself off and lay it down because if you carry it with you and hold it close you can never be present.

I am still friends with people from Ecuador, but I find that when we get together we are still as close as ever.

Movie critiques to come-

The Lincoln Lawyer

Summer in Genoa

Waiting for Superman!

Oh the to-do list!

Well I did finish all that I wanted to finish yesterday, well actually I just finished them about 2 minutes ago. So I really did not finish all of the numbers on my todo list yesterday. This weekend is a packed weekend.

Today I am going for a walk with a friend, then going into Vancouver with a couple other friends.

It should be fun, I hope we do not spend a lot of money, because I do not really have much to be spending. That is the life of a college student, even a college grad. I am bombarded with opportunities to spend money and it is hard for me to turn them down all of the time. Usually those opportunities have to do with food, which is terrible because that is only satisfying for that moment. But I do love food. When I had a cold almost a month ago, I could not taste anything for over a week and that was a depressing week, also because I was really really sick.

Applications-what am I going to do?

So I have no idea what I am going to be next year. I just went to an information meeting about applying to the Abbotsford School District and I do not know what I am doing. I am so lazy. I have not really sent in one application yet. It is really hard for me to apply for certain things, because I have so much to do right now. I need to buckle down and do it.

I am slightly overwhelmed, so many things that I need to do. When this happens I can get quite complacent and just not do any of it. I need to make a list today, I will write it on here and check my status later.

1. send reference letters to character reference for BCCT

2. print out application to Calgary School District

3. fill out application

4. print out application to Langley School District

5. Fill out application

6. complete e-portfolio

7. go into my school

8. finish marking

9. have grads finalized

10. get my hair done

See how that can be overwhelming to even start. Some things may seem easy but there is always a second step to them.

I need to get 1,2,4,7,8,9,10 done today. It would be nice to get it all done today. but I am not superman!

well until then...

Reflection/ Mona Lisa

So today is my first day being done with student teaching. I have the whole week off and I am already missing my class. I am also slightly bored. This past semester has been amazing. I could not have asked for a better SA. I switched schools and SAs from last semester.

She has taught me so much about teaching. If you talk to students kindly and trust them they want to meet your expectations, but when you are always down on them they begin to feel as though they could never do anything right.

Above are a few pictures of projects that I did with my kids over the past semester.This first one is a Mona Lisa Collage. I had a picture of the Mona Lisa already cut up into 25 pieces and then I talked to them about Leonardo Da Vinci and the Mona Lisa, its history. Then students received a piece of paper and a picture. I let them swap if they wanted to. Then they duplicated that picture onto their bigger page. It turned out amazing. I also made sure to give the hands and face to people in my class that were more artistically inclined. Whenever someone walked into my classroom they always commented on it.

Wedding Gift!

So my brother is getting married. I love his fiancée. For Christmas this year I was not sure what to get him and her for that matter. The past few years I worked at The Body Shop, and had a great discount so I would get stuff from there, but this year I did not have that.

I sometimes come up with great creative ideas, but the idea is for them to be great they cannot be forced.

In the past I have created many great picture frames. Using standard, black picture frames with the white mounting on the inside. I would splatter paint the frame and then write something on the mounting and then have the picture on the inside. (For example)

This year I decided to make my brother and fiancée a picture. I found a simple outline of a bride and groom standing facing each other. I sketched it out and outlined it in with black paint. Then I used mod podge and a white shimmer eye shadow to accent her dress. I also ripped up newspaper and mod podged that for his tuxedo. It looked fantastic. I do not have the picture, I need to get one. But I also decided to make a mix CD for them. Like a celebrity playlist I wrote down why I chose each song to be on the list.

Here is the list.

Take My Breath Away by Berlin

I chose this song because it so 80’s! It bring me back and I hope that both of you never stop taking each others’ breath away.

Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars

This song is kind of self-explanatory. Ashley this song is meant for you! Jeremy make her feel beautiful every single day, because Ashley you are amazing just the way you are, and I know that is why Jeremy loves you.

Enchanted by Taylor Swift

I think this song is so cute. I hope that both of you can say “it was enchanting to meet you.” I have heard Jeremy say that love caught him by surprise, and was very natural. I can imagine that your first night on the bus stop bench felt like this “This night is sparkling (maybe cold), don’t let it go, I’m wonderstruck, blushing all the way home, I’ll spend forever wondering if you knew, I was enchanted to meet you.” And these lyrics are very true of where that night led both of you, “This is me praying that this was the very first page, not where the story line ends.”

Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon

This song is also self-explanatory. I thought it was funny and vey appropriate. I do hope that your sex is on fire, (Over share?)

P.S. I Love You by Nellie McKay

I hope that at the end of every conversation, letter, night, argument and what else you can think of, you end with P.S. I love you. It is a simple, yet powerful phrase.

Jeremy by Pearl Jam

I wanted to make sure to have a song for each of you on this album, and I remember Jeremy at your sixth grade birthday party, I think, when someone bought you this cassette tape. The true meaning of this song is quite sad, but I hope that when life gets you down, you push back and stand back up.

Ashley by A.J. Bascom

Ashley I hope that you realize that you are completely worth it and amazing. You made quite an impression on my brother and that is not the easiest thing to do. “Ashley you are the best thing for me since love, maybe even better!”

Can’t Help Falling In Love With You by Ingrid Michaelson

I also love this old love song that was rejuvenated by Ingrid. “Take my hand—take my whole life too.” These lyrics are what you two have already done, and you will simply be showing that to the rest of us on your wedding day.

You Are the Best Thing by Ray LaMontagne

This song I did not know before you I went to your wedding website and now I have fallen in love with this song. It hope that you both feel as though each other is the best thing that has ever happened to you.

Gotta Have You by The Weepies

“No amount of coffee, no amount of crying, no amount of whisky, no amount of wine, no, nothing else with do I’ve gotta have you.” Beautiful!

Nothin’ On You by B.O.B

You both have tried with other people, but it did not work because you were meant to have each other. All the other girls and boys out there have nothin on either one of you! You guys are two of a kind, two peas in a pod, ha.

I Will Follow You Into The Dark by Death Cab for Cutie

So this song is about your spouse dying and then you joining them, but I think that The Dark can be symbolic of many things, it can be tough times in life or going to unknown places and I hope that you both with support each other when times get rough or when you aren’t quite sure what the other person is doing, I hope you trust them and follow them where ever they go even if it is into the dark (I am not condoning illegal things here, ha!)

Don’t Stop the Music by Jamie Cullum

I hope that you guys never stop singing and dancing, when you are stressed turn some music on and just groove it out! You can escape into the music for a time! Just “Please don’t stop the Music!!!”

The Way I am by Ingrid Michaelson

When you guys first starting dating, I was driving with Jeremy to our dad’s house for Christmas and he put on a CD that you made him Ashley and this song was on it and I knew from that point that I think I would get along with you. It is an amazing song of love and devotion and that is what I hope for you guys. This song will always remind me of you two.

She moves in Her Own Way by The Kooks

I know you are unique Ashley because Jeremy wouldn’t choose to spend the rest of his life with just anyone and I am thankful for that. “I love her because she moves in her own way.” I can say that Jeremy loves you Ashley because you are not like every other girl!

Your Love is a Song by Switchfoot

“Your love is a symphony, all around me, running through me, your love is a melody, underneath me, running through me, your love is a song.”

Kisses and Cake by John Powell

This is an instrumental from P.S. I Love You and I thought it was quite appropriate for what you will be doing in Mexico in a few months. I find it beautiful and adorable, just like both of you!!!

My Love by The Bird and the Bee

This song has a double meaning, the title of the song and the name of the artist. The birds and the bees, hopefully you will be able to explain that one to your kids and also that you never stop seeing each other as “My Love.” I think this song is fun and very true to what I imagine it is like to fall in love, “Free Fall, black hole, excited, like going down a high slide.”

Love You ‘Till The End by The Pogues

I put this song last, because it is a perfect ending song. I hope that your love with endure and that you will continue to remember why you fell in love with each other. “I love you ‘till the end.”

It was quite a hit. My brother did get a little teary eyed!!!

Reinforcements Were A Success

She loved the Starbucks, I think I am back in her good graces, at least for another week.

Reinforcements...Starbucks

Today was my first day back with my FA. It went really well. I am not sure I have actually reined them in, or for some reason they were really good that day. All I know is that they listened, and everything that I wanted them to do they did. I was sitting there wondering where did my class go, I mean for real they were angels. I was very excited. I did not even think that the lesson was that exhilarating, but they seemed to be engaged the whole time and genuinely interested in what I was teaching. It was the first time that I have had that feeling, of accomplishment. Where I actually felt like I was a teacher, I could od this. Then I find out that I need to make sure that I am in good graces with my teacher, and I was thinking am I not, I thought I was. And FA said that he received an observation that she did on me, and it was mostly all negative. I was surprised to see that, because we talk about all the observations that she does and yes there were things that I need to work on, but there is always something positive. So I was quite shocked. Well I guess it is time to pull out the Starbucks!