Monday Mantra 1st Edition

This week is going to be awesome with good friends and fun times in Toronto, Niagara Falls and Marine Land.

I believe that I am going to be an excellent teacher.

I'm addicted to my thoughts of Australia and researching everything to do there.

I wish that I had more $ for my trip.

I'm jealous of where the sun is shinning.

Soundtrack/Mantra for the week is Toes by Zac Brown Band

Half-Full Fridays

I am happy that my sisters and I took my Dad out for supper and had a great time.

I am happy that my Dad was estactic that we got him a new John Deere ride on for Father's Day.
I am happy that my parents assured me it will all be okay (money wise) when I go to Australia.

I am happy that I got to spend time with my friends 3 adorable children.

I am happy that I got my new computer!

I am happy that the Fun Fair went so well.

I am happy that it didn't rain on our day out to get ice cream.

I am happy that it is the last day of school and that I got to say good-bye to all my kids.

I am happy that I got ahold of s. on his birthday.

I am happy that I was regconized for doing such a great job at school.

I am happy that I got my flight ticket and travel info. for Australia.

I am happy that my porfessor bought us all school "Education Aussie trip 2010" jackets and that we get to wear these while travelling.

I am happy that my friend is fine after the 5.5 earthquake in Toronto.

I am happy that I get to go to Toronto in 5 days!

I am happy that I get to see v. and s. in 1 day!

I am happy I get to stay in a hotel this saturday night!

Fabulous Friday

Today was the last day of school.....

kids cleaned out their desks, brought in presents, had a class party with their friends

and said good-bye.

Today was the last day of school....

so I wore my party dress and it is covered in glitter, ice cream and tears,

it has never looked better.

They said good-bye to their teacher(s) who have been with them for 10 months out of the year, 5 days a week and many hours of the day. So of course they get close and have a connection and are sad to leave their teacher and have a new one next year who could be mean or nice or super funny or super scary.

They are excited and happy to begin summer and exchange numbers with classmates, making plans for sleep-overs and swimming together but there is some sadness on the last day of school

a little of it from the students and a little of it from the teacher.

This is my first last day of school with a classroom and it is hard, joyful, sad and exciting all in one. Some students say "I'm going to miss you" or "have a good summer" or "see ya Miss"

but some hang on to you and say "Miss __ you are leaving us! I'm never going to see you again when you go back to University and to Australia" while crying. It breaks my heart and I ensure the few kids who were in this similiar situation that it will be fine and that I will miss them too but I live around here so I'll probrably see you somewhere.

Some cry good-byes, some smile happy wishes and tell you how much you have helped them this past year.

Today, one boy cried and told me that I had just said the nicest thing anyone has ever said to him.

A girl cried and cried because I left the classroom and when it was time for her to leave, she didn't know where I was. - I wasn't far.

One girl gave me her school picture and wrote in her card to me "thank you for helping me improve on my writing"

I got cards, and flowers, and gift cards, and bookmarks, and things with little sayings and cards. These are all nice things and show gratitude but the things they say and don't say but show in actions is bigger than any other gift in the world.

This is why I will always be a teacher and look forward to many more days of school and those last days of school too.

I AM FEELING FREAKING FABULOUS TODAY

on this last day of school.

Back to 1985

For my 25th Birthday I decided to have an '80's party and go back in time to 1985

Here are some photos:

Above and below you can the the necessary decor of Pacman!

We put Pacman dots and some ghosts are around the house

On the table in the living room I put some classic games - Jenga and battleship, along with this chest filled with Fun Dips, Ring pops and lollipops

Martini glasses filled with jelly beans, nerds and large rockets

tri-colour jelly bean vase and pixy stixs

Just setting up the food table, with the candy, and buckets filled with Jones Soda and ice

napkins that say "Another year of Fabulous"

And notice the Pacman on the kitchen wall

My fiance r. and I dressed up

A possible Save the Date photo? maybe....

My sister went all out

My Winnie the Pooh birthday cake because they didn't have Ninja Turtles

It was an AMAZING night, the best Birthday Party ever! Friends came from near and far and there was a house full of overnight guests.

We ate, drank, laughed, chatted and DANCED to '80's music! The coffee table was pushed aside once again to make the living room into the dance floor. The guys hung out in the garage most of the night which is typical of country boys.

Us girls decided to go in the hot tub which is our neighbours so we changed into our bathign suits and walked up the street to their house and enjoyed the hot tub then we came back and jumped in the pool...shock of coldness but then it was nice and the boys decided to join in the fun and jumped in. After a late night bar-b-q and sitting on the floor because we (k. and I) were laughing so hard, r. tucked us both into bed.

It was a great night with wonderful friends!

Fabulous Friday

I spent a Fabulous nigth last night

catching up with k. drinking some wine and relaxing in the hot tub

Today we venture all around town buying supplies for my 80's birthday bash tomorrow!

I'm so excited and we have so much stuff to make it fantastic, right down to the candy, music and decor!

r. ordered me my cake which was suppose to be a surprise but I HAD to know that the cake was taken care of or make/buy one myself but I shouldn't doubt him because he is great!

I am feeling FABULOUS today just being me

I think My Life in Purple is always so Fabulous

Venassa has a Fabulous swap going on at her blog

No longer faceless

I am sharing my face with all of you!

I am no longer face-less.

I started this blog because I had been reading so many of my friends

and they bugged me to start my own to keep "tabs" on me and know what's going on

well....

it has become an outlet for me, something I really enjoy and will continue

so I have decided that I would like to share more, particurlarly pictures for friends near and far and follow bloggers (whom I enjoy viewing their pictures).

Plus I will be adding many many pictures while in Australia.

So I now have a face attached to my profile.

And I have also been playing around with the format of my blog until I find something perfect or design one.

Six Sense Saturday

Today on this fine Saturday afternoon, I am taking part in....

to take part as well, check out The World is My Oster

Today I'm....

Tasting -

Pomegrante and Cranberry Sparkling water (from the Superstore)

and later I will be enjoying a few Strawberry Daiquiris

Smelling -

Cocoa butter bronzer which is all over my body to help me darken up for the summer

and

Armani perfume, sweet and delicious and NEW :)

Seeing -

Rosco who is my sisters' new pug puppy

and

good old friends for dinner and drinks

Hearing -

birds singing, cars passing and the breeze blowing

later on...

it will be noises of a crowded room at a party

Touching -

more of grasping an ice cold Daiquiri

Feeling -

excited for a great night with friends

and

anxious while waiting for my family birthday party tomorrow

Forever Friend

"Sometimes in life, you find a special friend. Someone who changes your life just by being a part of it. Someone who makes you laugh until you can't stop. Someone who just makes you believe that there really is good in this world. Someone who convinces you that there really is an unlooked door just waiting for you to open it. This is forever friendship. When you're down and the world seems dark and empty, your forever friend lifts you up in spirit and makes that dark and empty world suddenly seem bright and full. Your forever friend gets you through the hard times, the sad times and the confused times. If you turn and walk away, your forever friend follows. If you lose your way, your forever friend guides you and cheers you on. Your forever friend holds your hand and tells you everything is going to be okay. And if you find such a friend, you feel happy and complete because you need not worry. You have a forever friend and forever has no end."

Wonderful Evening

I am on such a high right now....its fabulous! Last night I attended the Premier's Awards of Excellence in Education - this is quite the doo, especially for a lowly student intern like myself but my professor invite a few of us so the 8 of us headed to the event which was a 2 hour drive away. It was a formal affair (hence the jewelry I bought on the weekend at the party) so I got out my black dress which has a low V-line but covers the girls completely and got all dolled up - hair, makeup, jewelry, heels, the works.

I knew this would be an important event and even more importantly that I would have to put on my best and be my best. As soon as we got there it was a lovely cocktail hour with appetizers and wine and then of course my porfessor gives us an assignment - to talk to 3 people we do not know and get there names. Normally this is not a problem but its a tad intimidating to be in the presence of so many powerful and important people at this teachers awards when you're not even a teacher yet! Ah! So one of the girl who has a lot of pep and is very eager was talking up someone and our prof pointing out "see she is doing it already", so this set the tone...

I saw the registrar at my undergraduate university and I don't know him but know of him so that's who I sought out first and spoke with him and met his wife, absolutely wonderful and kind people. Then I saw an old teacher from High School, then my ABSOLUTE favourite teacher and gave her a big hug and spoke briefly (she was helping with the event so she was busy running around), then I spoke to a new person - a teacher who had a medal on because she won an award, that was easy because I started talking to her by saying Congrats. All is good, teachnically I have met 3 new people and know their names.

Then, its intermission for 15 mins or so and I see someone very influential in the Disctrict I wish to work in. He was talking to a few other people and then these people disbursed and he was alone for 2 seconds before I realized I had walked over to him and then I introduced myself and had a nice chat about my interning in Australia and even joked a bit - SUCCESS!

I was extremely proud of myself for having the guts to go up to him like that and was very exciting BUT I didn't stop there. I walked up to the Premier and introduced myself!!!! He was also very pleasant to talk toand again I was very impressed with myself.

With all this excitement in the short intermission, I may have forgotten to breath because when I went back to the group I was with and we were standing there I was naseaus and felt like I HAD to sit down or I may faint. Luckily, I was able to calm myself down and was excellent after that and went back in to enjoy the show.

This night was a truly fabulous and exciting night for me. I was able to get dressed to impress and talk to some very influential people and meet some friendly, kind people all while enjoying an evening that was to congratulate educators. While the awards were being presented, I was teary-eyed twice because of the moving stories and testimonies shown from students and other colleagues. The entertainment was hilarious and the musician was amazing and the night was blissfully pleasant....better actually.

I left there on a high, excited and motivated to teach and to teach in a way that would engage my students and tend to their needs, in a way that touch each and every students lives. I aspire to be as great as those who were recognized last night, to be an educator of excellence.

New Things

Hello to my new things! I'm very excited because it doesn't happen that often that I get or buy anything new and for myself. So here they are.....

I went to a Jewelry Party at my aunts place today and picked up these jems

New necklace!

Close Up below

Earrings

They are both from Fifth Avenue, check them out and much more online.

Here is my new biggie...
my new chic white baby

Dell Inspiron 17 Notebook

r. just ordered it for me because my computer is 6 years old and NEEDS to be pluged in all the time because the battery does not work, some laptop, and I need a decent working computer while away in Australia.

Australia

Here I come Australia! I just got my visa to enter Australia, as well as my travel insurance. The flight is already booked (leaving Toronto on July 6th) and all of my fees, inclusing tuition has been paid! Im am estatic about going and can not wait to discover and explore soo much in a far away place. It's almost unreal that I will be on the other side of the world for 2 months, a day ahead of everyone back here in Canada...wow a whole day ahead. I will be doing the 2nd half of my student teaching at Baden Powell College. As I have been researching things that I am going to do and places to see I thought I would share some of my plans:

Visit the Rialto Towers

Have a latte at this riverside cafe in Melbourne

Visit the State Library in Victoria

Go for a walk on the pier

Catch a game here

Spend a fabulous weekend at a luxurious hotel in Sydney, Australia

Spend plenty of time near the beach

and along the Gold Coast

Go to the Australian Center of Contemporary Art
and other various galleries

Go on a river boat cruise to the Opera house in Sydney

Visit some Koalas and other wonderful animals at the zoo (over 200 species)

My goal is to see a Kangaroo (not in the zoo, out in the wild)

Awwww Melborne Australia I'll be seeing you in 32 days!