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

S’MORE INSIGHT INTO MY LIFE

How is it that one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire? ~Author Unknown

I am getting packed for my camping trip that I have gone on every summer since college began. This will be our third and most likely last camping trip we will go on. Last summer was quite the adventure. We went off roading in one of my friend’s jeep which was a lot of fun. We came to a fork in the road and we could not really see much of the road to the left or right because of trees but decided that we should go left. That was our first mistake. As we headed down the road we realized that we were not going to make it all the way down and needed to turn back. Our second mistake. We tried to turn around and got the jeep stuck off the side of the road. I thought it was pretty humorous but the owner of the jeep was not too happy, as would be expected. After a couple hours, we finally got the jeep out with help from a near by family. We could laugh about it that night after we got it out, and we still laugh about it to this day.

We will be returning to this same campsite this summer, but at least now we know not to take that road again. Like I said this will probably be the last summer we will all get to go camping together. Next summer, my friends and I that I have met in college will all be going their separate ways. It is very sad to think about, but I cannot wait to see what my friends will do with their lives. They are all so talented and will lead great lives. My wedding is in July next summer and most of our friends our in the wedding so I hope that it will keep us all together for a little longer. I will let you guys know how the camping trip goes!

Aly

www.quotegarden.com

Forever Friends

"If all my friends were to jump off a bridge, I wouldn't jump with them, I'd be at the bottom to catch them"
-Unknown

In two hours, I will be meeting with a DJ I am interested in hiring at my wedding next summer. It seems like yesterday I met my fiancé, Brian in Turner hall at UNC. It is crazy to think that I met my future husband freshman year of college. Our rooms were two doors down from each other. I never thought coming to college that I would meet the man of my dreams, but it happened, and I could not be happier. It is such a fun story to tell others and I cannot wait to share it with my children and grandchildren someday!

I have all my bridesmaids picked out, and it just occurred to me, that I met all of them at UNC. I live with all four of them and have had classes with two of them. One of the girls, Julie, was the first person I met at UNC. I saw her from a distance at summer orientation and told my mom that she would be one of my good friends someday. I knew this right away because we were the only two girls wearing jeans and a t-shirt (all the other girls were wearing spaghetti strap shirts and mini skirts). People always say you will meet some of your best friends at college, and in my experience, this is true. I can’t wait to see where the future takes us!

http://www.quotegarden.com/

Introduction to ME!

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” – Milton Berle

Hey Everybody!

This is my first blog ever and I am very excited to be a part of this experience. I hope you are reading this to find more out about UNC and the everyday experiences in the life of a student. I have worked at UNC’s Visitor’s Center for three years now. Having an on campus job is very convenient and I get to talk to you guys (prospective students) everyday! I am majoring in Elementary Education and have a concentration in English and I will be a senior in the fall-Wahoo!

Here is a little bit about me: I am originally from Oklahoma and moved to Colorado nine years ago. I went to a small high school and graduated with only 38 students. This is the major reason for me picking UNC. I like the smaller school feel and I see people everyday I know and at the same time, people I don’t know. I am a huge sports fan. I could curl up in my Boston Red Sox blanket and watch baseball and basketball all day! I also love to read for fun (not text books though :)).

School is out for the summer but I am getting very anxious for my senior year. I will be student teaching in the fall and can’t wait to share fun and interesting stories with you! Kids are my passion and if I can change at least one child’s life when I become a teacher, then I have succeeded.

Please feel free to write comments, ask questions, or just read my blog. I will be writing regular posts to give you guys a better idea of what life at UNC is like. I look forward to hearing from you!

Aly

www.quotegarden.com