It's the Strangest Thing...

As soon as I begin a vacation from work for more than one week my intellectual level immediately drops.
It really is the strangest thing. 

It's as though my brain says "You're not going to really need me for a little while anyway, so I'm gonna hop on the next flight to the Bahamas!"
And I'm left here to fend for myself.

You think I'm exaggerating...
I have been on vacation now since Friday at 12:30pm.
In the last three days I have:

*Said the sentence, "I bet we maked someone's day."
*Taken three times to successfully start my car. (Which only involves pushing a button. Seriously, I don't even use a key!)
*Then said, "Third charm's a try!" 
*Spilled a glass of iced tea on my mom at Jason's Deli while telling a story and gesturing in a fashion that was, apparently, a bit too grand.

And my personal favorite...

*Walked into the women's restroom at Wal-Mart and thought "Why are there urinals in here?!"
.
.
.
Yeah...not the women's restroom.

This isn't even the first time this sort of pattern has occured.  Every summer I experience this as well.
It's immediate too, so I can't even prepare myself for all of the stupidity.
I'm sure worried about how I'm going to make it through the next two weeks.
Maybe my brain will decide to come back home because it doesn't want to be away from me for the holidays.
I hope so.

5 days and counting!!!

(P.S. Sorry if there are typos in this. You know why.)

I Literally Died

Really?
You literally died?  How is that exactly?

The word "literally" is just completely unnecessary. 

If you say, "There were literally a hundred bees on me!"  Trust me. We believe you.

100 bees, got it. No need for the literally.

If someone says, "I literally died from embarrassment!"  You wouldn't be here to tell us. 

You're dead.  From the embarrassment, so it seems.

It's like...if I were given the choice to either:

a.) Spend one day with someone who says "literally" in their casual conversations or

b.) Tear off one of my fingernails.

I'm picking option B without hesitation.

So please, dear readers, let's stop all this "literally" nonsense. If you are guilty of using this word, now's the time to stop.  Don't kid yourself by saying you'll only use it every now and again. 

You need to give it up. Cold turkey.

Everyone you say it to either understands you are serious or they think you are ridiculous for saying things like, "The line at the post office was so long, I literally waited for like five hours."

If we work together, we can make the world a place where our children can play outside without being confused by idiots using this horrible word incorrectly.

I hope you have enjoyed my Public Service Announcement. 

Tell your friends. Let's make it happen.

P.S. I'm still working hard to get "Thursday" changed to "Prefriday."

~Lauren: Making the world a better place, one ridiculous thing at a time.~



Just Around the Corner

Christmas is in 1 week.
1 week!
Seven days!

We're pretty excited around here.  Even though we're not done shopping or wrapping yet.
It's only hard to do Christmas shopping when you don't know what to get someone.
Then it only kind of makes you want to yell at everyone.

I'm Afraid of my Mailbox

Seriously.
I'm pretty sure I'm not going to go near it anymore.
Why, you ask?

It gives me the biggest (and quite strong) shock everytime I touch the key to the lock!

At first it was just a tiny spark with a little "oh, that shocked me" kind of feeling.

But today...I get out of my car, I walk up the box and I wasn't even thinking about the shocks.
It could have been like an old western movie where the mailbox was at one end of the dirt street and I was at the other and I was saying things like "Alright, box. It's just you and me" with squinted eyes and a scowl on my face...

But it wasn't.

I was just going about my business and BAM.  The spark was a tiny line of electricity and my arm got a nice little tingle.

So...I'm officially afraid of my mailbox.  Lame, I know.  But no one likes to get shocked.

Lost

Lost is defined as the following:

No longer possessed or retained.

I disagree.  

 What about the people we've lost over the years?

They are in our hearts.

I possess the spirit of my loved ones who have gone to another place.

I retain their qualities through laughing and reminiscing.

They are far from lost.

Maybe just stored away somewhere.

Tis the Season

Christmas is practically here.

There's only 12 days left.

Lights on our home are glowing.

Tree is up...and beautiful!

Cards were mailed.

Gifts have been purchased (well..not all of them, but most!)

The good times are upon us!

Time to laugh with family and friends.

Time to drive around with a (oh my gosh, best thing I've ever tasted) Carmel Apple Spice from Starbucks, listen to festive music and look at lights.

Did I mention time to laugh?

Speaking of laughing...

Did you notice my reflection in the ball ornament to the right of the "joy?"

Need a closer look?

.

.

.

Ya...

Josh likes to jump up and down like a yetti while I'm taking a picture

just to see if he can make into the reflection.

He's like that adorable spirit of light you find in a photo after you develop it.

...Well kinda :)

Hope you're all ready for the season!

Like a Retirement Community

Josh: "Honey, would you start eating meat again if we bought a bunch of cows and let them die of natural causes?"

Me:  "And we'd just have chickens and pigs too?"

Josh:  "It'd be like a retirement community!"

(*Insert my hysterical laughter.)

 

 

What a lovely new slogan...

Our home...where livestock comes to die!

.

.

.

It's ok to laugh, that's pretty hilarious...and never going to happen!

Well...probably not.

Thank You Notes No.2

Dear Spoof Movies,
Thank you for allowing me to save my money be creating yet another horrible looking film. Vampires Suck...thanks, but no thanks. I'll keep my blood and my money!

Dear Animal Planet,
Thank you for airing "America's Cutest Cat 2010."  It is nice to have things to laugh at while browing through my cable guide.

Dear Electronic Christmas Cards,
Thank you for allowing people to put even less effort into sending holiday wishes. Your upside...saving the Earth. I guess it evens out.

Dear Big Name Companies,
Thank you for drilling your slogans into children. You would not believe how much my students, at 10 years old, know about advertising. They'll never be dooped because they didn't read the fine print! 

Dear The Holiday Season,
Thank you for being so fun, even though you are so much work.

Christmas time is in full swing!

Let's do this!

Love,                                      

Lauren                                    

Just a-tappin my feet...

We all know music is fantastic. Concerts are my utopia.

I haven't been to one in such a long time. Months...

This will just NOT do.

I'm on a mission...time to change this. ASAP.

All The Little Things

Sometimes it's so strange to think about all the little things that have happened to make us who we are today.

For example, 25 years ago, a woman gave birth to a baby boy on April 18 in Hobbs, New Mexico.

Two weeks later on May 3, across the country in Huntington, New York, a woman gave birth to baby girl.

Now that boy and girl have been married for 5 years.

I don't think we really take the time to single out specific events in our lives. We remember the big events like birthdays, holidays, special occasions. Do we ever think of all the little things we are grateful for?

When we were 16, one of my BFFs and I both applied to Michaels.

I think about the fact that I got the last open position.

If I hadn't been hired, I could have never met my husband.

If my parents hadn't moved our family from New York to Arizona when I was 8, I know I would have turned out a lot different.

I'd be a completely different person today.

I like who I am.

I love the people I know.

Even with the ups and downs in my life...

I wouldn't trade how things have turned out for anything.

Our lives are made up of a lot of small moments, but we only seem to celebrate the big ones.

I think we should start having parties for all the small ones!

F for Fail

Have I ever told you about my poor follow through?

The idea of just ending my post right there (unfinished) struck me as hilarious...

but I do have some follow through.
-

-

-

I get new ideas, ambitions, etc.

Then I start things.

Then I fail to complete them.

It's a fine cycle.

My 365 Project lasted exactly 29 days.

Oh well.

My theory is...

It began to become bothersome for me to take a picture on a day when I really didn't come across anything to photograph.

I take some sort of picture almost everyday anyway, that on a day every now and again (like a lazy Sunday) when I would just be at home all day watching TV and doing laundry, the 

(self proclaimed) "artist/photographer" in me would say

"Don't take a picture just to take a picture.

Photos should mean something to you!" 

See...so it really is ok. I don't want to take a picture everyday just to do it for a whole year. 

 I want to take pictures that matter.

But...Josh and I did finish our puzzle!

I guess I'm not all that bad.

Duck Hunting Season

You know what I just don't care for very much?

Hunting.

I know about all the "hunting helps keep the numbers where they need to be, blah, blah, blah..."

but...

Why would you want to kill something that looks at you like this...

You know what kind of hunting I can handle?

That's more like it.

Super Watchable Movies

There are just some movies I could watch over and over and over and over and never get tired of.

I know everyone has those movies.

It doesn't matter if you own it, or just stumble across it on TV...

you always watch it.

And laugh at it.

Or cry at it.

Or quote it.

Or all of the above.

Here are some of those movies for me...

1. The Emperor's New Groove

The vioce and humor of David Spade. HILARIOUS! A must-watch.

I think it is so important of a movie, that I make sure I show it to my class each year.

Seriously.

2. The Princess Diaries

What a story!  Girl with frizzy hair who learns she is a princess!
Fantastic.

3. A Cinderella Story

Chad Michael Murray...case closed.

4. Dumb and Dumber

Really?  Do you even have to wonder why this movie is amazing?
"Hey guys...big gulps, huh?"

5. Legally Blonde

Elle Woods is out to prove she can make it in Law School.  And she wears a lot of pink.

6. Disney Classics including but not limited to:

Beauty and the Beast

Aladdin

The Lion King

Cinderella

Yes, I am aware that my taste in movies can be compared to that of a 13 year old girl.

I can't help it, I just love these movies!

What movie could you watch over and over and over and over?

Click!

I have a brand spankin' new blog button!

I figured it out!!!

All by myself.

I'm so proud of me.

Yessssssss!

So what are you waiting for...GO!

Grab your button!

Pats on the back for me accomplishing this goal are not needed.

But, if you want to...that's ok too.

Thank You

There's a lot of stuff I like.

I'm not particularly hard to please, so I thought I'd take this time to send out all my thank you notes for the week...

On the rare occasion that I happen to stumble across the Jimmy Fallon Show...I sometimes see his Thank You Notes bit.  It make me laugh every time.

Click HERE to watch some clips...If only I had my own background music...

1. Thank you Marie Callenders, for staying open until 10pm so Becky and I could get our $6.99 pie to share during this semi-annual pie sale. Even if we did have to drive to Chander to get it.

2. Thank you Becky for proving, yet again, that I can always count on you to make hideous faces in pictures. The same rule I gave Josh applies to her as well...If you do that in my picture...you will be put on the blog.  :)

3. Thank you Popcornopolis popcorn. Zebra kind.  You are delicious and your flavor makes me not mind the idea of gaining weight (for a few minutes). Go get some. Chandler Mall.

3. Thank you amazing Fall weather we've been having.  You make me smile like crazy.  - To all my wonderful hoodies: Here I come!!

4. Thank you October Break.  Thank you for being you.

5. Thank you blogging for giving me yet another thing to do instead of all the things I should be getting done.

6. Thank you Glitter Toes for making my feet look so jazzy.

7. Thank you Ross Dress 4 Less for introducing me to my new and fantastic Betseyville purse.

8. Thank you Picnik for making my photo editing much more fun!

9. Thank you stores for allowing Halloween to get here without making us feeling like you are cramming Christmas down our throats. I have seen no xmas commercials yet. Thank goodness.

I think I'll make this a reoccuring thing...

as long as I give the credit to Jimmy Fallon.

You have all witnessed it. This was not my idea...

There. All that legal stuff taken care of.   lol

Who would you write a thank you note to this week?

It's my Superpower.





Did you know I have a superpower?

Yes, when discussing superpowers it should be one word.

Well, I do.

Things get so busy at certain times of the year.

For a teacher, those crazy times are usually at the end of a quarter when you have to get 31 report cards done, 

attend meetings and workshops,

be ready for parent-teacher conferences,

 tackle a billion other things

AND...don't forget the simple task of continuing to teach those precious little beings, every single day.

With a list that seems to be a mile long, you may be thinking, "Wow.  She must be pulling out her hair."

But I'm not.

Not letting stress get to me is my superpower.

I knock out stress using only my mind!

POW!

I'm not sure where or how I absorbed this superpower,

(probably from my awesome, laid back dad)

but I like it.

We all have hidden superpowers.

Probably more than one.

Mine just happens to be a really cool one.

If you'd care to share what you think your superpower is, I do love comments.

------------------------------------------------------------

An actual conversation Josh and I had today...

Josh: Work was crazy. (He goes on to explain about all of the logistic-type parts and procedures and things he encountered during the day.

Me: Oh, ya? I talked to a mime today.

-------------------

True story. This is why I love working at an Arts school.

We integrate. It rocks.

Quick as a Bolt of Lightning

I hate driving in the rain.

However, I love the way the roads look in the rain.

They become so slick, shiny and wet looking.

I love the way the light reflects off of the rain drops on the winshield.

It has always been a small dream of mine

to capture a lightning  bolt in a photo.

As I was taking a photo of the shiny rained-on Earth all around me,

I snapped a photo and this is what happened at

THAT EXACT moment.

It was like a dream come true for me.

I was giddy.

Done. Crossed off the Bucket List!



Musical Instrument Museum

If you like music, instruments and culture then check out the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix.

They have instruments from EVERY country in the world.

The best part...you get to play some of them!


P.S. One week of the 365 project down...51 to go!

We're High Voltage

Bowling leagues are awesome.

Every week we laugh, bowl up a storm and kick some butt!

As we were bowling, all of a sudden all these pins dropped from where they come down and flew all over the lane.  It was so crazy. You can see the pins in the gutters.

How often does that happen!?



Watch out bowlers!

High Voltage is electrifying!

lol...too much?

Bath Time...Math Time!

This little boy loves school.

He loves 2nd grade.

He loves his teacher.

He reads like crazy.

And all of these things...

Make his Auntie Lauren a very happy camper!

While playing in the bath tub using bath crayons, does he draw pictures? Pictures that boys love such as people and monsters?

No.

He does math problems.

The Sun Rises. The Sun Sets.

Each and every day the sun rises and the sun sets.

No matter what happens, it never lets you down.

Life happens all around you.

Be like the sun. 

Rise every morning.

Brighten the day of those around you.

And on days when you just don't feel like shining...

Find the people who make you mad

and give them a pretty wicked sunburn!



Put the Pieces Together

Sometimes you just need to put the pieces together.

Look at what you have and what you've been given and make what you can with all of it.

Some days you need to listen to the Man upstairs and take a hint.

Really listen.  Not everything is loud and clear.

You won't be able to hear it unless you choose to try.

Everything happens for a reason.

2 down...363 to go!

I take pictures all the time and almost every day anyhow, so this isn't too hard.  Yet.

One of the things I do for To Write Love on her Arms is put flyers in places.

Starbucks is the best!

Remember the post about how I am terribly indecisive?

No? Click here to read that one.

Quick recap...

I can make major life decisions with no problem, but I act like I'm ordering my last meal when I go to a restaurant.

Well...I decided I wanted a new shower curtain.
Months went by. Could I decide on one?
No, of course not.

That's just how I am.

But...I finally, yesterday, got one!
Hallelujah!

Yesss!

Ya, half a post about a new shower curtain.
That's just to show you how important the little things in life are.

365...I'm not so sure.

I loved the movie Julie and Julia when I saw it.

Of course, immediately I thought,

"I could do a 365 'something a day' kind of thing!"

I've been reading The Daily Nail. (<---click!)

If you haven't been to this blog, definitely check it out. This girl does a different nail design every day. Whoa.

Not only does she need to have the time to photograph and blog about the design each day, but she also has to DO the design.

Completely 100% awesome.

Also, I found a blog about a girl who did 365 Slow Cooker recipes.

Again...wow.

I know, as does everyone else, you need to be many things to do a 365 project. Some of those include...

-Determined

- Creative

- Disciplined

- Possess good follow through habits

- Supported mentally

Etc.

Now, I have many of those qualities.

But the one I often lack...

.

.

.

follow through.

Dun, dun dunnnnn!

(Please insert your own dramatic sound for climactic effect.)

That's the most important one!

Then I found this article.

Project 365: How to Take a Photo a Day

Read it.  It says you don't need to blog about your pictures everyday. As long as you take a pic everyday, you can blog about them every other day or once a week, depending on you.

Be aware, this blog project is not something you do for other people. 
You do it for you. 

365 Photos:

A Photo a Day to See Your Life in a Whole New Way.

Catchy huh?

I'm not saying I'm going to try this out with failure already in my mind, but I won't cry a river of warm tears if I don't make it.

It'll be great.

Coincidence?

Another amazing time at a concert last night.

Who could not love concerts!?

(Besides my husband who has no desire to go to a concert, ever.)

Anyway...I saw a band called A Rocket to the Moon.

I've seen them a few times before usually when I go see The Maine play.  No big deal.

They play their set.

Kelle and I walk into the lobby and who do I see?

John O.

As in, the lead singer of The Maine, John O.

Last seen looking something like this...

He's friends with the lead singer of A Rocket to the Moon. 

There were these two lead singers, from bands I love, just standing there. No fans around. No screaming crowds.

So, of course, I said "Can I get a picture with both of you?"

And they said yes, because I'm a sweet girl.

So John O was at a concert that his band wasn't even playing at and he just happened to be standing there right in the lobby at the exact place and time I was.

Coincidence?

I think not.

He's probably stalking me.

.

.

.

.

Which is totally cool with me.

(Please insert your own giggles and eye roll here.)

In other news...

Did you know Frankie Muniz (from Malcom in the Middle) lives in Scottsdale and plays the drums in a band called You Hang Up.

He went from this...

To this...

I had no idea until last night when they played too.

Random...I guess that's what I get for letting my Frankie Muniz fan club membership expire! LOL.

In other, other news...

Bowling league starts tomorrow!

Our team is called High Voltage.

We're gonna kick some league booty.

I'll keep you posted.

Precious Cargo

As we are driving together in Josh's truck...

Lauren: *sigh

Josh: What?

Lauren: Why do you drive so slowly?

Josh: I always drive slow when I'm carrying precious cargo.

Cue smile and blushing...

Prevention

I'm not afraid to keep on living.

It's Suicide Prevention Week.

Make yourself aware.

Did you know...

- A person ends their own life every 40 seconds.  That's unbelieveable to me and yet entirely too real.

- Suicide is among the top three causes of death for people ages 15-44 and the second leading cause of death in people ages 10-24.

- In the United States, more people die each year from suicide than from HIV and homicide.

Our loved ones need to know we care about them.

- Males are four times more likely to die from suicide but females are three times more likely to attempt it.

- White Americans are more likely to die from suicide than Americans from other racial backgrounds.

- Prevention is the key to saving lives and helping other know they matter.

- 90% of suicides in the U.S. are linked to mental illnesses, including disorders such as alcohol abuse and other drug related addictions.

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center states, "Suicide is a preventable public health problem."

Suicide is not a word or idea that should be taboo.  People should be aware that it is a worldwide issue and we need to work together to promote prevention.

To Write Love on Her Arms promotes prevention. 

Love is the Movement.

This is something that has an effect on many people.

I've lost quite a few people I really loved. 

Many of them too soon.

We might need to check ourselves before we can help others.

How do we treat the people we come across?

Whether you know someone really well or hardly at all, respect them. Befriend them. Love them.

I wish prevention could have saved the people I've lost in my life because of suicide.  I work with and support TWLOHA because I don't want to lose anyone else.

You matter.

All information included in this post was gathered from the World Heath Organization and The suicide Prevention Resource Center.

All Grown Up = Eye Candy

Many moons ago I posted about a band called The Maine.

If you missed that one you can see it here.

Boy...have these guys grown up.

Nicely...

My love for The Maine all started when a few of my friends and I went to see the band Good Charlotte in concert.

There was a band opening for them who came on stage and instantly blew me away.

It was kinda like "Whoa, who are these guys?"

Well...that concert was in July 2008.

In just over the last two years I think I have seen The Maine in concert 7 or 8 times?! Maybe 9...

They went from opening for big bands to headlining their own tour in such a short amount of time.

They rock my socks off.

Kelle and I just saw them last night again.

Perfect concert.

And as if their music isn't enough, their lead singer surely isn't bad to look at either.

Ya, I've hugged that. Twice. lol

You're welcome.

Life's a Battlefield

Everyday, in everyone's life there are constant battles we have to fight and innumerable battlefields we must charge through.

My usual battles include: (in no particular order)

1. Getting up in the morning. (not because I don't want to face the day, but because I would really rather face it after a few more hours of sleep.)

2. Swearing at the people in the cars around me who have no idea how to drive.

3. Successfully keeping 31 children from hurting themselves (usually  because they were not following the rules) or the feelings of others.

4. Teaching important information, life skills, etc. to my students while maintaining #3.

5. Wanting to cook dinner after I'm so tired from working at numbers 2 and 3 all day.

6. Finding the time and energy to go grocery shopping.

7. Choosing which concerts to go to and which to skip.

8. Finding the time and energy to play with Harley.

9. Keep in close contact with my friends and family that I don't see too often.

10. Keeping my house clean. (It seriously suffers during the school year.)

11. The process of sitting and paying bills. Yuck.

But then...

Right in the middle of all those battles,

you get a PERFECT day.

That was today.

It wasn't easy to get up this morning, but oh well.  I'm giving up on the idea that that will ever be easy!

I got things done.

Stuff taught.

No one hurt themselves or made anyone else cry.

Kelle bought me a sonic drink and french fries for lunch.

We got out of our staff meeting early.

I got texts from almost all my BFFs today.

Harley wasn't all muddy when I got home.

Josh picked up Costa Vida on his way home.

It's so chilly in my house I am getting to wear my new

pink Long Island hoodie.

And now I'm going to go make a healthy,

yet delicious, smoothie for dessert.

It was a good day.

I'm practically giddy just thinking about it all over again!

Have I told you guys I love you?

Well, I do.

After all, Love is the Movement.

Honeymoon, Shmoneymoon

One whole week of this school year is already behind us!

(Yes. I AM aware the week was only 3 days long.

You don't need to point that out.)

My new students are so sweet and funny.

Three days and they have already made me laugh so many times.

Every year things start off so great because we are all getting to know each other.

This time is also commonly referred to as

"The Honeymoon Period."

Let me just say...

Honeymoon shmoneymoon!

Trust me.  They. Are. Comfortable.

I love teaching 5th grade!