Ya know...That one road...

We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today. ~Stacia Tauscher

I am so impressed with how quickly my professor got my Capstone graded. It took me all semester to complete and he had it graded within a week of me turning it in. Good news…I got an A! My final project of my college career and I went out with a bang. I could not be happier! That leaves me with one week left of student teaching. I am excited to be done but sad to leave my Kindergarten class. The students know that I will be leaving and going to Colorado Springs soon. One of my students has family that lives there and says to me one day last week, “At least I can meet you there!” This is from a six year old that lives two hours away. He said, “My cousin’s house is easy to find…You just turn on that one road by that one sign…Do ya know where that is? It is really easy to find.” Haha! It was so darn cute! He just knew that I would know exactly where to meet him with those directions. I just hope that they will remember me and that I will have made an impact in their lives. Leaving will definitely be bittersweet.

Yesterday, all the Kindergartners at my school went to a carnival put on by a local middle school. The students had so much fun but were completely worn out by the end of the day. Today, we turned right back around and went to a local farm. The students also had a blast there and were even more worn out by the end of today. I guarantee we all sleep very well tonight. I actually got a sunburn too! Last weekend I was driving through a snowstorm and this week I am basking in the sun! This weather is just so crazy; it definitely keeps you on your toes.
Graduation is SIXTEEN days away! But who is keeping track?!

Aly

Checkin' In

Hi!

This week is crazy! My HUGE capstone that is due for every Elementary Education major that is graduating in May is due on Friday! I am super busy with this, along with having my UNC supervisor observing me teach a lesson on Friday, along with packing, and along with meetings! SO needless to say...I will not be writing a blog this week but I will let you know how everything goes next week! Wish me luck!


The very stressed, anxious, sleep-deprived, and grouchy...

Aly

Spring Cleaning

Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day. ~Author Unknown

So I decided today that my room needed a good spring cleaning. As I started to clean, I realized that it would probably be just as good of an idea to start packing. I am moving out at the beginning of May and with a busy month ahead, I do not think it is too early to start now. As I started packing, my roommate Jessica walked in. She was caught off guard, and she started to tear up. I quickly put an end to that because I knew if she kept it up, I would burst into tears. My emotions have really gotten the best of me lately. Everything I do, I keep thinking it will be the last thing I will do with the friends I have made the last couple of years. For example, a lot of my friends came over the night and played Cranium. I realized that it could be the last time we all get together since graduation is so soon. Little moments like that bring tears to my eyes these days. I cannot imagine how it will be the day we move out. Actually, as I read this blog out loud to Jessica, she starts to tear up again. A lot will be going on in the month of April so I will be sure to keep you updated! I have just got to focus on keeping my emotions in check!

Aly

Spring Break...or not

The trouble with weather forecasting is that it's right too often for us to ignore it and wrong too often for us to rely on it. ~Patrick Young

So every UNC student had spring break this past week except ME! Okay, so that is probably not true but it felt that way! Because I am student teaching full time this semester, I am supposed to follow the elementary schools schedule. My spring break is still two weeks away! I cannot wait. It is time to have a break from reality!

Yesterday, my fiancé and I went to a local driving range and it was the first time I have ever hit golf balls. It was so much fun! The temperature outside was an awesome seventy degrees. Today, the high is seventy-five! It feels amazing! And the forecast for tomorrow is…SNOW! I just do not understand Colorado’s weather. It keeps you on your toes…that’s for sure. I know we need the moisture so I am not going to complain too much about the snow! But I am definitely ready for spring. I love how the whole town of Greeley just seems to come alive in the spring. People are out and about and not afraid to say a friendly hello as you walk down the street.

This week is the big teaching fair I have been talking about so I will be sure to update you on how it goes! Have a great week!


Aly

Down to the wire

Your Business clothes are naturally attracted to staining liquids. This attraction is strongest just before an important meeting. ~Scott Adams

Man, time really does go by fast! I cannot believe it is already March 6th. That means my birthday is only 18 days away. I will be turning 22 on March 24th and it will be a big year for me. At the age of 22, I will be graduating college, getting married, and moving into my own place with my hubby. It is so surreal. Even though my birthday is coming up soon, that is not at all what is on my mind. March 26th and 27th is the teaching fair that is held at UNC. It is one of the largest teaching fairs in the country and it is at my school! How cool is that?!

I have attended several seminars that have dealt with resume writing and interviewing. It is really stressful and time consuming but I am glad the school has provided opportunities to help us in the job search. I talked with a principal last night who gave us a lot of good information. He made sure to let us know that in this economy, it is extra hard to get a job. I liked how he was completely honest and did not sugarcoat it. One thing he said really struck me and made me appreciate UNC. He has interviewed many people in his lifetime for teaching positions and he told me that if he was comparing prospective teachers from CSU, CU, and UNC, 99% of the time he would choose the candidate from UNC. Because UNC has such good accreditation with their teaching school, it already gives us an advantage. That gives me some hope in this not-so-great economy! I will keep you informed of how it goes! Have a great week.

Aly

Changes

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. ~Dr. Seuss

This past weekend was a busy one. I think I found a place to have the rehearsal dinner for my wedding at and found a place to live. My fiancé and I will be moving out of our college houses and into our first place together in May. We have had some great times in our houses now but we realize that is getting to be that time to move on. It is a huge relief to have some big things out of the way before graduation. Time really is flying by and graduation will be here before we know it! I just got a letter in the mail from UNC telling me that it is that time to order my cap and gown. It is starting to sink in that I am graduating this year. Yay! Because time is flying by and I will only be in college a little longer, I am trying to take advantage of everything UNC has to offer. I think I mentioned in another blog that I had joined an intramural basketball team. We played our second game tonight and I had so much fun. We did not win but it is a great way to get in the gym and exercise. The recreation center offers lots of different fitness classes and I have been attending “core challenge” on Wednesday nights. It is another great form of exercise and kicks my butt! It is so awesome to have such a great recreation center that students can use for free. It is also free to UNC alumni so I have already been thinking how cool it would be to use it when we come back to Greeley to visit! Well, it past midnight so it is bedtime for me. Hope everyone has a great week!

Aly


www.quotegarden.com

Sports and then more sports...

If it weren't for the fact that the TV set and the refrigerator are so far apart, some of us wouldn't get any exercise at all. ~Joey Adams

The Super Bowl is over, February is here, and now it is intramural basketball time. I love the start of the year and all the great things it brings! One of my favorite things about college is intramural sports. I have played co-ed basketball, women’s basketball, and co-ed softball. These are just three of the many different options for intramural sports. Students of all different athletic abilities join in on the fun. I am on a team made up of seven girls and two of which who have never even played before. It should be an interesting season but lots of fun! We have our first game on Sunday so I will have to keep you updated. If you are reading this and wondering what other intramural sports we offer, you should check out the UNC website and look under the recreation center tab. Speaking of the recreation center, I have been going a lot lately trying to stay in shape. They offer a lot of different fitness classes but my favorite is Core Challenge. This class is awesome! I have been four times and I can already feel a difference. Because my life has been surrounded by sports and exercise lately, I wanted to include you.

Enjoy the rest of your week and the weekend!
Aly

I am back!

Shin: A device for finding furniture in the dark.

Wow. So much has happened since the last time I wrote a blog. I have been waiting for things to calm down so I could write a blog but it seems like there is never a break. But I am loving every minute of life. We had about a month off for Christmas break and it was so nice to relax and enjoy the free time. I hope everyone else had a great break too! I am currently student teaching now five days a week and so far, I am loving it! I am at the school from 8:00 to 4:30 every week day so my life has been pretty consumed with teaching right now. There are pros and cons to this. I do love teaching and love the kids but it is hard being away from home so much right now. Living with four other girls is a lot of fun and I miss seeing them. We all have different schedules our senior year and it makes it hard to see each other. And same goes with seeing my fiancé. We do not get to see each other as much as before so we have to make sure to spend valuable time together. Planning a wedding my senior year has also been an adventure. We have six months left until the big day so every day that passes is a day I could be planning. Managing time my senior year has been tough so far but I am trying my best! If I had to give you advice, I think the thing to remember is that setting your priorities straight will help you through stressful situations and keep you grounded. Hope everyone has a great week and I will be back next week!
Aly

Finals are OVER!!!

It's a strange thing, but when you are dreading something, and would give anything to slow down time, it has a disobliging habit of speeding up. ~J.K. Rowling, "The Hungarian Horntail," Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 2000

This morning at eight am was my last final I will ever take in college. Yay! I do have one semester left but since I will be student teaching full time I will not have any actual classes, which means, NO MORE FINALS! Can you tell I am excited?! Finals week can be very stressful for those of you who have not experienced it yet. You have to make sure you still make time for yourself though! Every year, my roommates and I put on a Christmas dinner and have everyone come over and hang out before finals kick off. It has been a great tradition and I recommend it to others. It is a lot of work to put on, but definitely worth it. Since this is our last Christmas together this year, that might be the end of our tradition, but I sure hope not. I would love to get together every year with my friends from college for a yummy dinner!

Another tradition we started, was decorating cookies each year. It all started the first year when the turkey was not “quite” ready to eat (we ended up eating our dinner at 11 pm that year) so we decided to have a cookie decorating contest to pass the time. This picture is the cookie I decorated this year! It was for sure a great break before finals and helped me get through it. Like I said, the thing to remember is to save some time to still have some fun!

Good luck to everyone still taking finals!

Aly

YIPEE!!!

You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.
~Franklin P. Jones

Next semester is my last semester before I graduate. I have been waiting for weeks to find out my placement for next semester to see where I will be doing my student teaching. Last week, I received the email I had been waiting for. I got my wish and am staying in the same classroom I am in right now! I am so happy because I love my cooperating teacher and the children are great. I have to take a minute to tell a short story about one of the kids in my class- I was trying to explain to him why I am a Miss and why his teacher is a Mrs. (For anyone who has every tried to do this can sympathize with me). I told this particular boy that my new last name would be Eschler so then I would be Mrs. Eschler. He straight up told me that he did not like that name and that it made him want to throw up in his mouth! A five year old said this to me (How brutally honest kindergartners are)! I could not imagine leaving this class right now so I am very excited to stay and teach in the same classroom.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I cannot wait. I am headed to Oklahoma tomorrow to go visit family and friends from my hometown. School is getting very stressful and now is a perfect time to take a break. Oh by the way, I started reading the Twilight Saga (I hated being out of the loop) so that should keep me busy on my long ride to Oklahoma.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

God Bless,
Aly

History in the Making

If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it. ~Mary Engelbreit

So, today was Election Day. I cannot believe it has already come in gone! Time sure flies! I will not state my opinions but today is a day everyone will remember. My quote (above) I chose today is something that everyone needs to try and follow, not matter your party. It is a quote I will have to read often, which shows wise words. The University Center at UNC was a polling place and that is where I went and voted today. I was so impressed how efficient it was and I was only there about twenty minute’s total. I was student teaching in my kindergarten class today and my teacher had them cast their own ballots. It was so cool to see five year olds really get into it! It makes me confident in our future!

I went to my first Denver Broncos game on Sunday and had so much fun! Invesco Stadium was an awesome place to see and I feel so blessed that I got to go and sit 14 rows from the field! Wahoo! This is one reason I love Colorado. I have been to see the Nuggets, Rockies, Broncos, and Eagles while only having to drive about an hour away. There are so many things to do in Greeley, let alone places right around it. Some people seem to think there is not a lot to do, but I think they are wrong! I usually have a hard time deciding what I should do. My fiancé and I just went to the batting cages the other day and had so much fun. I hope that you all can make a trip to Greeley and see all the things there are to do as well!

Talk soon,

Aly

http://www.quotegarden.com/

FIVE GIRLS AND ONE HOUSE...

I'll bet living in a nudist colony takes all the fun out of Halloween. ~Author Unknown

I cannot believe that Halloween is already almost here. The picture to the left is of my roommates and I during a get together last Halloween at our house. It was so much fun and I cannot wait until this Halloween! Living in the residence halls during Halloween was fun because little kids were allowed to come knock on all our doors and we got to hand out candy and see all the cute costumes!

You all might notice that there are four girls in the picture above. We do also have one more roommate that just moved in so she is not in the photo. That is FIVE girls living in one house. Although it can be rough sometimes, we still have our good times. I have learned many things throughout these last couple of years.

Some of the things I have learned:

Compromise
Do your chores
Think of others feelings
Learn to share clothes
Hope your other roommates wear the same size shoe as you :)
The rest of the house is not your bedroom
Know how to laugh and have a good time

Some of my best memories have been with these three girls. They will always be an important part of my life!

Aly

WAIT...DID YOU SAY MIDTERMS?!

Children seldom misquote. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said. ~Author Unknown

Wow…Midterms are already here. These last couple weeks have been super busy and I have been going nonstop. Although I have been busy, I have had a fun couple of weeks. Fall sports kicked off a couple weeks ago so that makes me happy! First of all, our club hockey team is amazing and so fun to watch. Both games have sold out the last two weeks! You have to buy your tickets early if you want to go! I have also been to two volleyball games. They have won both games and made it so much fun to watch. The football team has also had a few games but I have not been able to make it. My roommates have and have had a blast at them. Unfortunately, we have lost by only a couple points each game :( Tonight, UNC plays CSU in volleyball! I am so excited to watch this game; it will definitely be intense.

So, you all know that I am student teaching two days a week this semester. Well, today I taught my second lesson by myself. I stayed up until about one o’clock this morning studying the lesson. Those kindergartners can be a little scary sometimes and I wanted to be fully prepared. It actually went really well and I was only corrected by a few kindergartners :). I have taken two midterm tests and felt pretty confident about both of them, thank goodness. I just wanted to give you an update on my life and I hope you all are doing great. Hang in there!

Time is flying by…so make sure to still have fun!

Until Next Time,

Aly

www.quotegarden.com

Secret: Planner

Don't marry the person you think you can live with; marry only the individual you think you can't live without. ~James C. Dobson

Hey guys! I hope everyone is enjoying school. It definitely is flying by! I just wanted to give you an update of how school and the wedding planning was going. So far, so good. I was told it would be a very stressful time in my life right now while I try and plan my wedding and students teach. It is stressful, but nowhere close to what I thought it would be. The secret is to keep a planner. I take my planner with me everywhere and could not survive without it. If I lost it tomorrow, I am not sure what I would do! I am telling you this now because I did not realize this until my sophomore year. I have done so much better with it and keep a very organized life now. With so many different classes, it is a great way to write down when your homework is due. Trust me on this; a planner does miracles. We now have our engagement pictures, photographer, our save-the-date cards done, and plenty of ideas in mind. With my handy dandy planner, my senior year should stay a little more stress free!

For A More Serious Side...

I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday. ~Author Unknown

Even though school is stressful right now, I am still loving every minute of it. The thing about college is that the experience is not just about school, but about the environment, and the friends you make. Two weeks ago, something happened that had a major effect on my life. What happened made me appreciate life more and gave me a new perspective. It is so important to cherish the people in our lives and to be thankful for what we have. College has changed me in many ways and they have all been for the better. It forces you to grow up, think for yourself, and become a responsible, respectable individual.

When I graduated high school, I thought I knew what I was getting myself into coming to college, but really had no idea. It has surpassed my expectations in many ways. I thought I might have learned a little about how to become a teacher, and now almost feel as if I could start teaching tomorrow. I thought I might meet some cool people, and now have met my future husband, and have life-lasting friendships. I thought I might have to grow up and become a little bit responsible, but have surprised myself at how much I have grown. I thought I might have some fun, but have had the time of my life! These are just a few things to look forward to. For those of you who are contemplating college, just know that it is worth it. I would not trade a minute of what I have gone through for anything. My experiences, good and bad, have made me who I am today. I want everyone else to have the opportunity to grow in college like I did. I just hope you guys are ready for the time of YOUR life!

Aly

www.quotegarden.com

Oh My Oh My...

Teaching is the profession that teaches all the other professions. ~Author Unknown

Time really does fly by when you are having fun. The second week of school is already almost over! I have been waiting very impatiently to hear about my placement into an elementary school and I finally heard last week. I was told I would be in a kindergarten classroom at a school in Greeley. Yesterday was my first day in the school and I could not be happier. The teacher of the classroom is very knowledgeable and the children are so cute and willing to learn. I will be there two days a week and cannot wait to become more involved in their classroom. This is one thing I love about the education department. I will have at least 800 hours in field experience by the time I graduate. Wow! I know, right! I will be very busy but I also know that I will be very well prepared to teach on my own next year.

Aly

THE BEGINNING AND THE END

The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time. ~Abraham Lincoln

So…It is the second day of school, and I have no classes today. Wahoo! My first day of school was so much fun. I love my senior year because my classes are ones that I actually want to learn in! The first couple years of college are all general education classes and now I am in classes that apply to my major. It makes me so much more excited to become a teacher and cannot wait! Normally, I will be in an elementary school every Tuesday and Thursday observing a classroom, but we will not find out our placements until tomorrow and hopefully I will start next week! It is nice only having class three days the first week of classes though.

I live in house off campus with four other girls. Over the summer, three of them went back to their hometowns to old jobs so they could make some money for the school year. I completely understand their reasoning, but our house was pretty quiet and lonely with only two of us here the entire summer. It is so nice to have a full house again! I used to get annoyed hearing four blow dryers going every morning, but now I would not trade that noise for anything. My roommates are my best friends and since this is our last year living together, I want to make the best of it! One of my roommates, Tiffany, got guitar hero for her birthday and that has brought us all closer together. I am a little worried though because I am quite addicted and I already have homework that is not getting done. Oops :)

I am very excited to start working in the elementary schools next week and cannot wait to update you on how it goes. I hope everyone else is having a great first week of school as well!

Aly

www.quotegarden.com

BUSY BEE

The essential question is not, "How busy are you?" but "What are you busy at?"
~Oprah Winfrey

Hey guys!
I just wanted to drop in and say hi! I have been busy my last week before school starts. School starts on Monday! Even though it will be my senior year, I am still nervous for school to start. I am more excited though! I still cannot believe it is my senior year. I will keep you guys updated on how my first week goes.

Aly

www.quotegarden.com

Running on Empty

I learned three important things in college - to use a library, to memorize quickly and visually, to drop asleep at any time given a horizontal surface and fifteen minutes. ~Agnes DeMille, Dance to the Piper, 1952

Literally and physically, I am running on empty. First of all, I think everyone will agree with me when I say the gas prices are outrageously over-priced! I just went home to visit my family and spent $150 in gas. I cannot take much more of this! Secondly, the summer is coming to end and I am getting tired just thinking about my year to come: planning my wedding, my senior year of college, career searching, and finding a place to live! Don’t get me wrong, I am very excited for all of this to come, just definitely stressed about it. Daytime naps are something I have come to love in college and I have a feeling I will love them just as much this upcoming year.

I am trying to get ready for the school year to start a little bit at a time. I already got my notebooks and have my financial aid squared away. I am now just waiting on my teachers to post what books are required for my classes this upcoming semester. It is a little frustrating right now because I really like to buy my books online and I need plenty of time to allow them to get to me before school starts. I keep checking everyday and none of my books are online yet. I recommend you guys definitely look into buying your books online. I have probably saved about $300 by buying my books online. It is definitely worth looking into. Let’s hope my teachers feel the need to post my books soon! I guess they have a summer too though:)

It's Raining, It's Pouring...

Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while. ~Kin Hubbard

Tonight just proved to me even more how the weather is always changing in Colorado and Greeley is no exception. I woke up to sunny skies and not a cloud in sight. I put on a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and slipped on my flip-flops before heading out the door to work (I am a nanny this summer). Six hours later I was wearing pants, a sweatshirt and tennis shoes.

A tornado warning was issued for Greeley at 6:45 pm last night (of course when I was right in the middle of cooking supper) as well as many other cities in Colorado. A tornado, thankfully, never touched down, but with the thunderstorms came plenty of rain, which was very much needed! I do not know if any of you have ever done this (I bet you try it the next time it rains though:)), but the kids I nanny and I made boats out of aluminum foil and raced them down a gutter that was overflowing with water. I love the moments I have when I can just be a kid again, and being the nanny of a six year old and a ten year old definitely brings back the child in me at times!

The next couple weeks will be very busy! I will be trying to fit in all of my last summer adventures and preparing for my senior year of college! Stay tuned for a couple of hectic weeks! I am sure all of you are preparing for school as well so take a break and read what I am going through and how it compares to preparing for high school to start back up. Have a great day!

Aly

www.quotegarden.com