Tuesday, April 5, 2016

 
For Spring Break, my family and I traveled to Virginia to visit historic sites in Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown.  It was amazing! 
My favorite activity was touring the site of the original Jamestown settlement.  It was sobering to think how those people suffered.  As I visited the Jamestown museum later that afternoon, I learned that many of them resorted to cannibalism.  The museum displayed actual skeletal remains of a fourteen year old girl who had died.  According to the marks on her skull, historians believe she was a victim of this cruelty.
Williamsburg was also a lot of fun.  It had a lot of great restaurants.  The picture above shows a Caesar salad I ordered (without anchovies).  It wasn't as I expected, but it was delicious!
If you are into history, I would definitely recommend that area.

Monday, March 28, 2016

Happy holidays everyone!
I hope everyone had a great break, I sure attempted to. I made this cake in honor of Spring (Easter, whatever) and I wanted to share just how good a chocolate cake can look when covered in homemade frosting and food colored coconut, yum! I wrote earlier that I wanted to try working out and running this semester, and my first ever 5k is coming up in a week. We will see how that goes. 

Over spring break, I was able to befriend a rescued squirrel who will be released soon. Everyone, meet Nutterina!

Thursday, March 24, 2016

vacaciones de primavera



SO... three of four my kids attend a year-round school.  They released last wednesday 3/16, and will be out until April 4th.  I just started a Title I tutor position at a Middle school close by last monday, 3/14.  My four kids have been scattered all around for this week.  They have spent a lot time with their aunt and close friends, making like 30 kids to two moms....  The week has been absolute pandemonium.  I did however, have an opportunity to run, getting in a few 3-milers and one 5-miler.  I love this time of year minus the pollen.  My car is black so i rinse once a day, realistic waste of time, as within minutes its yellow again. 
I must add, I am thoroughly enjoying my new job.  Its not a student teaching job, nor is it full time, but it is providing me the experience with Middle schoolers that I am learning that I might enjoy a little more than the younger kids.  BUT- i am astounded at the extreme changes in students since I was in middle school.  The expectations of teachers, the students desire to do well, the potty mouths overlooked by the teachers, or the blatant disrespect for teachers or fellow classmates.  I will not be accepting of the use of the F work in my presence at all, tutor or teacher.  Then the students who know they are not going to be held back and stopped doing work three years ago and just sit in class and do nothing.   These kids have such great potential and yearn for attention.  Sometimes I wonder if every morning the class should start with group hugs and "lets all talk it out" time, maybe even journal time.   Sounds ridiculous but really, kids act out for attention becuase any attention be it bad or good is attention.  All eyes on them for just hat moment.  Its there turn to shine bright or dim.  The majority of the kids in this school have terrible home lives.  It saddens me for them.  Maybe I do want to be Mother Teresa and save all the children so they too can grow on to make the world a better place.  

soñar un poco de sueño

Gator golf!

So I happened to stumble upon this little guy sunbathing on Monday. All of the reptiles were out to play! I was playing 18 holes of golf with my friend Miranda. There was one on 4 of the 18 holes...that we could see... This one below was only a 5ft, but there was another that was 13ft! We keep our distance but we appreciate the true beauty of nature from a distance.
¡Bien cervezas , gran día!


Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Animal Kingdom



Ha!  This was when I visited my oldest daughter in Orlando.  She was there as part of the Disney College Program.  In this picture, I'm with my two younger daughters Camille and Jessie, and of course, Tarzan, who is picking bugs out of Camille's hair.  Animal Kingdom is one of my favorite theme parks.  Me gustaria aprender sobre los animals!

Monday, March 14, 2016

¡Hola clase!

Spring break was very exciting for me this year! Normally all I do is work the whole week but this year I got the opportunity to travel to Baltimore, MD to play in the UNCW pep band and cheer on our men's basketball team as they won the CAA tournament! During that trip, we also got to visit Washington DC! I had never been before so it was a great experience. I feel so lucky to be a part of the UNCW pep band and for the opportunity to continue playing an instrument that I love and has taken up 11 years of my life. I'm even more excited to announce that we are going to the NCAA tournament in Providence, RI and I get to travel again in support of our Seahawks! Everyone should watch the big game on Thursday. It's UNCW vs. Duke at 12:15pm. GO SEAHAWKS!!! :)





Spring Break in a Graveyard!

¡Hola, clase!


My boyfriend, his family, and I traveled to Savannah, Georgia over Spring Break Weekend. We had a wedding at the Historic Bonaventure Cemetery. I never thought I'd attend a wedding at a graveyard site. Yet this was something eerily beautiful. I have never visited a prettier scenery. The Spanish moss coats the trees and cascades down to play with the wind. It was a small ceremony, and we loaded up the SUV with 12 people to ride back to 109 West St. where the reception took place in a Victorian home. Free wine and homemade honey beer, excellent music, cheeses from Paris, and great company. It is the wedding season, and minus the plague of gnats, a few bug bites later-we left the party with our honey party favors and retreated back home.