White Christmas

The snow today.

Well, I haven't posted in a few weeks! I've been pretty sick and busy, busy lately, so I haven't had time. Christmas eve is in 4 days! Ahh! I still have a few gifts to buy, a house to clean, SNOW to shovel (It has snowed 42 cm here in the last 48 hours and it's still snowing like a bugger. I'm officially snowed in at the moment, with snow half way up my tires and I'm too sick to shovel!) So, life lately, I worked almost two weeks straight, which was great. I've only worked one half day this week, even though I had other call outs, I've just been way too sick to go. I shouldn't have taken the half day yesterday even, but I thought I could handle it. Turns out, it is near impossible to teach a kindergarten class when you have no voice. (Most frustrating day EVER.) But it's  money! I really want to feel better for Christmas, so I am trying to take it easy, but there is just so much to do! Ahh :( At least we are going to have a VERY white Christmas! It's really beautiful. I love how everything is silent out in the snow. All you hear is your own breathing and the sound of the little snowflakes falling on your eye lashes. Just so festive! HA! But seriously, it can go away after Christmas. I won't be able to go  to Kelowna if it keeps this up in January. Phooey! My hubby and I had a great weekend last week. We went Christmas shopping in Spokane and spent the night. We went and saw the Hobbit. I LOVE that book. It's one of my all time favourites. The movie was not as good as I hoped. I'm a huge LOTR dork, and I was expecting the same kind of oooh and awwwe from the Hobbit, but it just wasn't the same. Don't get me wrong, I liked it, but it just wasn't what I thought. (Also, we were starving by the end. Didn't realize it was 3 hours LONG!) I think I'm going to get off my butt and do something productive. I guess. :p Here are many photos of the past few weeks!

Christmas trees in Nelson

View from our Spokane hotel room. This is the night the snow began. 

Margarita and beer after a long day of shopping!

Photo booth fun! Haven't done this since I was a teenager <3

The snow a few days ago. 

Cinnamon Latte on a trip to Nelson with my Mom

My little Sparrow Bean <3

I was a teacher-librarian for the day last week. SO AWESOME!

The secret gift under the tree! What is it?!?!

The snow out my kitchen window. It's half way up it now!

Made Borsch with my Momma the other day. 

Wrapped gifts yesterday before work.

My new favourite coffee creamer. Can't get it in Canada though. And I bought a small bottle. Oh well! Yummy while it lasts! 

How I started my day. Bust and coffee <3

       
     

    xoxo

I'm so tired! And I only worked a half day today. Sparrow and I went for a walk in the dark :) The ground was all sparkly. 12 days until Christmas. Spokane this weekend. Fun times ahead! Here's some photos from today and yesterday.

Tea and nails on my prep yesterday



xoxo

Goals

One of Joe's Birthday Gifts

I really wanted to make a goal for losing weight this season, but I am having a really hard time. (As usual) This time of year is especially hard for me, being Joe's birthday and then Christmas, New Years, my birthday. Yikes. But I really want to try. I'm going to be visiting friends in Kelowna in the very new New Year and I wanted to be a little more fit than I am. I have been walking with the dog every day, and trying to do a workout 3 times a week. It's hard though. Especially after a day of work. I just need to get off my butt! I have another goal as well. I want to start my own little photography business so that in the summer time I can make some money. I'm brainstorming this right now. Anyways, I worked today in a grade 5 class. It was really great. I have work every day this week except friday so far, so that's great. I can't believe how close Christmas is! 14 days! AHHH! Joe and I are going on a big shopping trip this coming saturday to Spokane Washington, and I cannot wait! We are going to see the Hobbit while we are there. (I am a huge LOTR, Hobbit dork :) Anyways, here are some photos from recently!

Friday's Agenda

A blurry Xmas tree

Funny B-day Boy <3

Awesome stickers in the classroom I taught in today!

xoxo

So very dark...

LOVE Jack Sparrow. (Named my dog after him)

These days are so dark and full of not much fun. I try to stay positive, and I do love this time of year, but it's 5p.m. here and it is pitch black. It feels more like 10p.m. (It doesn't help when I fall asleep at 4 on the couch! Eek!) But, I need to keep positive. I am going to work out and feel a little better hopefully! Today I worked a morning shift in a grade 2/3 classroom. It was tough. One little boy gave me a hard time (but I felt so bad for him) He gave me a big hug at the end of the day too. Kids. Baffling. They really are a sweet group though. I get to teach them again next week. I've been booked a lot the past few weeks, which is absolutely amazing. Makes me feel great :) It's really neat to see different ideas that teacher's use in their classrooms as well. I've added a photo of a really cool writing exercise this class was working on. Pinterest! I've seen it on there before. Pinterest is so amazing as a teacher. So many great ideas. And the funny thing is, most older teachers don't really know about it. Younger teachers do. The ideas are just amazing. I got to have lunch with Joe today at least before he went to work. We just went and got a sub. I wasn't feeling so good for awhile there, but I am starting to feel a little better now. 19 days until Christmas. I cannot believe it. No presents bought (except a few for Joe) We are going to have to kick it into high gear this weekend. I have so many ideas for homemade gifts that I really want to do. It's going to happen! (I am totally ripping off someone else's idea, but I figure it's ok if I'm not selling them and just giving them to family! I'll post a picture when we get them done this weekend:) And it's my loves 27th birthday. He doesn't want to do anything, but I really want to make him feel special. Maybe a bon fire and some beer will do the trick :) Ok, I'm going to make myself do a workout and perhaps clean the house a little while listening to some great music. PLUS, Here are some of my favourite things this week!

This is the Santa's Stuck writing activity that the class I taught today did. SO CUTE! 

A little girl made this for me. Ha. Joe said: You don't have a pig nose!  (And apparently I'm a raging ginger...I am.)

This sums up how I felt today perfectly (via my pinterest page : I need to figure out how to link things!)

I love organization. And I love this journal. (found on Pinterest of course) I will do a post on my "Smash" journaling soon. I can't get enough of it! 

I am living off coffee today. And I love this drawing. 

The Princess Bride is on tv right now. I love this movie so much!



I am so into Ed Sheeran lately. His music is so calming and makes me feel great. I've added the song "Wake me Up" because I adore the lyrics and I've probably listened to it 25 times in the last 24 hours.   

xoxo

Woozy Feelings

I'm currently watching the latest episode of SOA and I feel a little sick to my stomach. I love this show, but lordy this episode is a doozy! Blah. My hubby and I had a great morning. It was really nice. I walked our pup too and the sun was shining like crazy. It was nice to have a day off, and it's also super nice to have a big pay cheque coming up :) I'm just puttering now for the rest of the day. Doing house hold chores and homework. It's supposed to snow tomorrow, so I am excited about that! It's been unseasonally warm here this december. Only 20 days until Christmas! And my hubby's 27th birthday is this weekend :)

xoxo

Hair

So, I'm really amazed at how a simple hair cut can make you feel like a new person. I haven't cut my hair in a few months, and I really needed too. Today was the day! It doesn't really look all that different, except that I got it straightened! It just feels good :) I'm currently watching the Victoria Secret Fashion Show. Don't ask me why. It's really the only thing on! Also, I just peeked at my blogger account....and 50 people have viewed my blog?!? Wha? That's nuts. I wasn't really thinking anyone would be reading this except me, but I guess that's ok! I'm going to start thinking of some fun stuff to put on here, besides just my boring life junk ;) Hope everyone's having a great evening!

xoxo

Monday Funday

Well, I had a great weekend with my hubby and my family <3 Friday night Joe and I went shopping at Wal-Mart. Not too exciting, but I like doing it. He bought me some Xmas presents! Eee! I can't believe it's only 20ish days away. Yikes. I haven't even bought anything for anyone yet. I am so excited to just sit and hang out with my loved ones this year. Sure, there are things I want, but it means more to me to hang out with my family. We went Xmas tree hunting on Saturday and we all found trees. Ours is a little Charlie Brownish, but I love it! It's beautiful. It's our third tree together. I love that Joe and I are starting our own little traditions. It means so much to me. Today I taught grade 6 again. Lots of kids have the flu, and I did not feel too good today, so I am really hoping I don't get sick. I've been booked every day this week except wednesday so far. :) Well, we put the tree in this weekend too. I just took my little doggy for a walk and we looked at the Xmas lights. Most houses have them up now. My hubby is working afternoon shifts and I never like that. I don't like being alone. At least I'll get some work done. 

Found this tape at Wal-Mart. Not a fan of the Biebs. Just thought is was hilarious!

Our tree before it was decorated.

Friday Night

The hubby and I had big plans to go to our town's tree lighting tonight, but after a day working with a bunch of little munchkins and hearing that half of them were heading down to see Santa, I decided I'd rather not. (Plus it was raining) So we ran out to do some shopping instead. My hubby bought me some sick christmas presents ( that I want right now!) but I must wait. Le sigh :( Just a night at home on the good old futon matress. Night! 

xoxo

Rain, Rain, Go Away.

Well, today is a dreary one. At least I worked all day. I got to teach grade 6 today, and I've been booked to teach the same class three days next week :) Yay! It's super rainy out today, and I really wanted to take my little Sparrow for a walk, but I just can't in this muck. It should be snowing. But, alas, it is not. I think I'll do a My Favourite Things of the week post! YEAH! Here we go! 

The Lumineers are quickly becoming one of my all time favourite bands. Their sound is amazing. I'm really into Mumford and Sons, and Ed Sheeran. Just mellow stuff lately, so this band fits right in!

My Puppy Sparrow! She is my inspiration for the name of this blog and she is just a bundle of sweetness. I love her to pieces. 

I don't know about you, but I have a problem with buying things that are different and marketed especially for seasons. Like this Method handsoap for Christmas. My hubby loves the "frosted fir" one and I really like the mint one. And so cute! 

Tea, tea, tea. And more tea. I've been drinking 4 or 5 cups of tea a day, all different. Today at work I had 3 cups and I'm sure to have at least one or two more today. This White Christmas Stash tea is yummy. Gingery and minty. Delicious! 

My hubby and I just watched the latest episode of SOA. We watched the entire series in the last few weeks, and I absolutely LOVE this show! I'm sad we are all caught up :( But we have decided to watch The Walking Dead next, so I'm stoked for that! <3 Opie <3

Christmas Tree Hunting! (This picture is from last year!) This saturday we will be going up the mountain in search of our trees! I love doing this, my family has done it ever since I can remember :) It's going to be a great weekend!

xoxo

Little Things that make me Happy and Little Things that make me Blue

Okay, so I worked a .6 today. That means I worked the morning in a grade 3/4 class. They were my practicum class, and they are notoriously difficult, but I love them anyways. It was good. I saw that the classroom teacher had used my suggestion for art and they turned out beautifully! And then, as I walked down the hall, I saw that the grade 6 teacher had used my other idea for art when I taught her class :) Awesome! This made me feel splendid, and that I am doing the right thing. AND THEN, I had applied for the kindergarten job at this school, and thought I was a shoe in because I had been teaching them every monday for the past few months. I applied, and almost all the teachers in the school were coming up to me saying I'd get it and what to say in the interview etc. So I was stoked. But no call came, and it kind of fell from my mind. So, today I find out that the new teacher has started. I didn't even get an interview. And I feel I know why. BUT, this is what I need to keep telling myself:
"Assume people have good intentions. You don't know "why" so don't assume evil intentions." My assumption is that the person who does the hiring doesn't like me for some reason. I don't know what I've done to make her not like me, but it sucks. Big time. But maybe it's not that reason? I just don't know. I guess I need to just believe everything happens for a reason and go with that. Oh well. SIGH. I have a full day tomorrow, so I am looking forward to that. As for the rest of today, I'm going to finish my gingerbread latte, and go for a nice long, stress relieving walk with my pup. Then maybe I can talk my over-worked hubby into going to wing night.....I won't keep my fingers crossed. HA.

 Snowmen Silhouettes 

Perspective

Gingerbread Latte <3

xoxo

Homemade Power Bars and Long Walks

Aloha! Another day off! But, I am booked for the rest of the week, so this is good :) Today I decided to go to my parents house and bake some homemade power bars. They are oh so yummy and act like a meal replacement basically. I had one for lunch! I forget to grab the recipe though, damn! Oh well, I'll get it another time. I brought my puppy with me and she barked her face off in the yard while I baked. Afterwards, I took her for a long walk down on our town's little walkway by the river, Millenium. It was pretty cold, but we had a good little walk. No one was around. I love when it's like that. Now I'm sipping on a Timmy's coffee and making a mental list of all the things I need to do, like folding the mountain of laundry and washing the dishes, to name a few things. Eesh. My hubby will be home soonish, he's been working mega over-time lately so we can have a rad Christmas. He's so wonderful. Here's my list of things to do today:
Fold Laundry
Clean Dishes
Make Dinner (homemade mac and cheese? YUM)
Interview my hubby for my homework assignment
Make icing for sugar cookies and finish them up
This is how exciting my life is! Haha. I want to finish up decorating for Christmas as well. We are going to go Christmas Tree hunting on Saturday, and there is a Christmas tree lighting in town on friday night. So, I'm looking forward to the weekend, if you can tell. Here is the recipe for the homemade power bars I made today! Yum, Yum!

Homemade Power Bars

1 cup protein powder
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups rolled oats

Crumble in
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped up almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dates

Mix in a seperate bowl:
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mix the liquids well, and add to the dry ingredients. Mix everything up really well, using your hands if you need too. Press into a baking dish (I put parchment paper in it first) and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F. Take out and cut into bars. Place on a baking sheet and bake for another 15 minutes at the same temperature. Let cool and wrap individually in plastic wrap. I freeze them to keep longer! Yum!

Here's a picture of the bars I made today. They aren't pretty, but they are healthy and yummy! I grab one everyday to put in my bag to have after a long day of teaching. Enjoy!

xoxo

Homemade Power Bars

My First Blog Post

I've been wanting to do this for quit some time, so I am thrilled to actually be starting my blog today! For now, it will just be a day to day account of what I've been up too! It's more for myself than anyone else at this point :) So, today I woke up and got kinda half ready just in case I got a call in to work. ( I didn't, and that's ok!) I walked my pup, Sparrow. She's 8 months old already! I can't believe how fast time flies. She's still a little bugger though. After that, I came home and did some school work. (Yes, I am taking one class right now! Even though I should be all done :p) I'm about to jump into doing a workout. I am using the Nike Training App on my Iphone today. I'm trying this new routine out. It consists of the training app, my eliptical, running, walking, yoga, and the gym. I bought a 10x pass to a gym close to my house, but I really don't like it very much. I will use it up, but I'm going to check out the new gym when I'm done with this pass. Anyways, I am not doing so well with the new routine, but I have been walking Sparrow everyday, so that's good. I received my custom wooden sign from KaelahBee today! It's so cute! I'll post a picture of it for all to see. (all being me at the moment! ha!) Off I go to workout :) And possibly bake some Xmas cookies and make an Xmas cleaning list! Oh the life of a T.O.C.! 

The lovely KaelahBee of Little Chief Honeybee made this beautiful custom sign for us! Love! 

xoxo