Favorite Day of the year...

Today is my birthday! :)  I keep trying to get excited about it, but it's not really that big of a deal to me.  Although I do appreciate all the happy birthday wishes I have been receiving! :)  Maybe it's because I have been celebrating for the last week or so!  My teacher friends got me cupcakes and a few of my students bought me cute gifts (even though I told them that all I wanted was their good behavior).  And I've spent the last few days in Orlando at a technology conference.  Usually I make a big ordeal (complete with mass email reminders to everyone) about my birthday, but this year  I didn't.  Who knows maybe I am maturing and growing up?  I doubt it though! :)

Favorite Social Networking Site....

Well it's actually the only one I belong to. Facebook. I was a little hesitant about joining one of these things. I'm not sure how I feel about the whole world being able to find me on the internet (although I do blog, but it's not the same). And for the record I hate myspace. But this turned out to be alright. It's a little more grown up than myspace and I like the idea of getting a 1 or 2 line update on people that I am friends with but don't get to talk to very often. And I added the Facebook app to MY NEW IPHONE so I can check it whenever I want to. I'll blog more about the iphone later but so far I am loving it! :) So many apps so little time. So if you are on facebook feel free to friend request me. Oh and Danica they have a group for our mission! Actually they have like 5 groups for our mission, how crazy is that?!? :)

Favorite New Salad Recipe

This is a recipe for Spinach Strawberry Salad that I found on allrecipes.com  (which I am adding to favorite websites).  This salad was YUMMY and very easy to make (including the dressing).  I substituted pine nuts for the sesame seeds and poppy seeds because I didn't have any around.  Really you could use just about anything to give it that "crunch".  Enjoy!  I love allrecipes.com!  They have EVERYTHING!  And people are good about posting comments so if you are not an expert chef (like myself) you can see what other people did or didn't like about the recipes.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
• 1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

 DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
2. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

2009 is looking mighty fine!

Like my new cute background? I made it myself using tips from cutestblogontheblock.com
So here we are in the new year! 2008 was a year of lots of growth and positive change. I posted some goals at the beginning of 2008. (see 2008 will be great)

Here is an update on some of those goals:
I decided what masters program I am going to apply to and I am taking the GRE tomorrow! (say a prayer for me!)
I am 1 class away from my permanent teaching certificate and will be done by May.
I was in the process of buying a condo but Heavenly Father has other ideas (more on that later).
I went to the Temple more often!
I am a better visiting teacher (but I still have a long way to go).

And here are some other things that were goals but I didn't mention in my original post:
I paid off all my credit card debt and I am completely debt free!
I started a weight loss program in august and I've lost about 50lbs so far!
I finished my first year of teaching 3rd grade and SURVIVED! I am 1/2 way through my second year and loving almost every minute of it!

Goals for 2009:
For sure get my permanent teaching certificate.
Take more classes on teaching writing
Now that I am debt free I'd like to be better at saving money.
Get into grad school!
Work on my crafty/sewing skills
Do more genealogy/temple work
Now that I have become better at eating right I'd like to exercise more!

Favorite Thing To Do With My Time...

....is PROJECTS! I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! It was low key around our house which was nice. I decided to try making the Nearly Lethal Sm ores Tart found on Brownie Points Blog (see favorite websites). It actually turned out to be REALLY good! I am becoming more and more impressed with my crafty/culinary skills. :) The tart is really more like a pie with a gram cracker crust, chocolate ganache and honey vanilla marshmallow topping. I made everything from scratch accept the crust. It was a hit and will probably turn up again at holiday celebrations (special thanks to my friend Hatsuho for blogging about the marshmallows, she doesn't know it but she created a monster!). I also made some bath bombs on Christmas Eve as a gift (also see favorite websites). I need to make some more for myself! Those things are a little slice of Heaven. AND I finished my mission photo book last night! 45 pages of memories I can't wait for it to come in the mail!!! I also did some computer stuff for my dad. Today I did some shopping and some cleaning and some studying for the GRE. Tomorrow I am going to finish cleaning out the closet and some Rubbermaid drawers full of crafty stuff so I can make room for all the new crafty stuff I have recently purchased. I need to do a lesson plan for relief society (they called today to ask if I would fill in), pick up Joanna from the airport, feed her cat before I pick her up, clean FiFi's cage, get my toes done, get my hair did, eyebrows waxed, find a chiropractor because I am pretty sure my hip is out of alignment due to carrying a heavy messenger bag, find a dentist, possibly go see a doctor for a check up. Research color printers and decide if I need a new one, take my color laser printer to staples because it makes an AWFUL sound when it's printing, drop off the clothes that I cleaned out of my closet earlier this week at a goodwill, go with my family to the outlet mall (dad is coming too) return the SECOND COACH purse I bought myself, even though it was an amazing price, it's not leather and I can do better, and then if I have time.......
RELAX before it's time to go back to work in January! I guess I will sleep when I am dead! :)

The New Theme

Sssoo I decided to do a little re-vamping of the blog. And as my good friend Carrie pointed out I chose a background that was more Sssarah. :) But I decided to kind of switch my focus (ie instead of So What's your point? The point is to talk about some of my favorite things. You gotta shake it up every once in awhile right? So enjoy reading about some of my favorite things! :)

My Favorite Commercial

Sssooo Normally I hate commercials! I feel like my intelligence is being insulted. Not to mention that I do NOT enjoy seeing those commercials for erectile dysfunction I personally think those should be illegal! Don't even get me started!!! But this commercial made me laugh out loud! I hope you enjoy it!

Shrinky Dinks

Definitely one of my favorite things is Shrinky Dinks. If you don't know what a shrinky dink is or you have never shrinky dinked before I feel sorry for your childhood! You can go here and watch a video and see the actual shrinking in action. Well ever since I realized that shrinky dink paper was still in existence I've been looking for a reason to shrinky dink. I am so grateful I am a teacher! For the holidays the kids got to pick out a "stained glass" pattern that I then copied on shrinky dink paper. Color in with permanent markers and VOILA! Shrinky dinked ornaments! I didn't get a chance to take a picture, but they turned out really great. And now my kids have something that they can keep forever (if they want to) and I got to indulge my inner child (who also loves to shrinky dink). I love a win win! :)

Apples and Trees

Sssooo my mom and dad retired today. They had a party for my dad on Monday and wouldn't you know it 2 Newspaper reporters showed up! My dad is somewhat of a local legend (you can read the article here or the one from the tampa tribune here I was bummed that they didn't quote me). I think you have to be from Tampa or know South Tampa to understand why. I'll try to explain....
He spent most of his teaching/principal career at a prominent public high school. It's a very old very tight community that attends this school (we are talking generations, it's very similar to an ivy league college I guess). Probably some of the nicest people you will ever meet. (I also teach in the same community). Anyways as a coach of both football and wrestling he kind of adopted....well almost everyone who wanted to be adopted I guess (this is where I get it from I guess). When he was a principal it was the same thing, he even had his own homeroom so he could get to know students and help the kids who needed a swift kick in the..... And when he was injured in 1997 and became a quad all of his adopted "family" got the chance to show their appreciation. He received over 2,000 cards when he was in the hospital. He's just a really nice guy who has always tried to help everyone around him. I get my love of technology from him, and my stubbornness too. :) What can I say? We haven't always agreed on everything (like me going on a mission) but he's always given me unconditional love and support even when he thought I was doing something crazy. I feel very lucky to have 2 amazing parents like them. And if you haven't met them you should, you would understand why I am the way I am MUCH better that's for sure! They are kind of nervous about retiring, but I am relieved. I hope they finally get to enjoy a life of rest and relaxation. If anyone deserves it they do!

The Reason For the Season

Ahhh The Most Wonderful Time of the Year! Or maybe the most stressful! It's been a little crazy around here. Both of my parents are retiring at the end of the year. I've been wrestling with a few life altering decisions. Oh and then add my job, church and taking classes towards my certification. But that's not the point!

My poor class! We honestly don't have time to do any fun holiday activities. But they wanted to and I wanted to too! There are literally not enough hours in the day to teach everything I am supposed to so I am always having to look at my plans to decide what I don't have time to teach that day. It really is my only gripe about being a teacher (well that and teacher PE, I am tired of refereeing kickball). Now throw holiday crafts into the mix and it gets even crazier. So we made poinsettias and holiday ornaments (more on those later) but we really didn't have much time so I was like a drill sargent (picture me saying something like "go go go!" quit playing around and glue the flower petals on!) we finished both in RECORD time. But it really wasn't that fun (even with Kidz Bop Christmas playing in the background). And last week was a full moon (full moon + approaching holiday = CRAZY KIDS) and I was grumpy (from wrestling with those life altering decisions). On Friday I even brought in a little fake tree to try to get into the spirit, but then I was told I couldn't plug in the lights because it's a potential fire hazard. Needless to say that rained on my parade! (what is the point of a tree without lights?!?) But then.....
I signed up to volunteer for my church's Night in Bethlehem. (I was a Census Taker) It was 45 degrees, I was VERY cold.......(and dressed like a nun, how on earth people back then kept those head scarfs in place is a mystery to me)
But it was also a beautiful reminder of what CHRISTmas is all about. I wish I could send you the peace that the reenactment of the nativity brings to my heart. But I can't. It was a gentle reminder from a loving Heavenly Father of what is important in life, and it's not making poinsettias! :)