A New Monday

This week started off great, but became hard starting Wednesday. This week was Ramadan and we had many teachers take off three days. That put so much stress on the teachers that were still there. I was moved to a different room and felt like the blind was leading the blind and everything was very unorganized and chaotic. On Friday I was moved back to my classroom after part of the day and I was so happy to be in my with my kids again. On Thursday I went into my room on my lunch break because I just needed to give my kids some Miss Heather love. It was hard being in another classroom and just showed me how grateful I need to be that I was placed in the room I was put into because they have stolen my heart. It was a hard three days, but Monday is a clean start to a week...last week happened and is over. I want to go in with a new perspective and just learn from what happened and not be upset are annoyed with it.

On Wednesday at the end of the day I was comforting one of the boys that was not having a good day and he threw up all over me :(. I was rocking him in my my lap while talking to one of my co-workers and I had looked down and was throwing up. We were just talking and he had calmed down and then there was a HUGE mess to clean up. His mom came right after I had changed him so I got him out the door and then had to go change myself and get cleaned up. I know now that it is inevitable that teachers get sick all the time when they first start teaching. Kids have no sense of germs and when working with babies all you can do is try your best to keep everything clean and wash your hands a whole lot. When I got home I had to stay up and do an emergency wash, but after all the little boy felt way better so that's is all mattered.       

I started my Saturday off on a great foot with some homemade chocolate chip pancakes! I went out to coffee with a friend and when I got back I really wanted a yummy breakfast. I did not get to sleep in, but the coffee date was much needed and I enjoyed the good coffee and company (that sounds like it could be a great name for something, just saying). The pancakes were amazing and reminded me as a kid when my mom would make them she would make whatever kind we wanted and I always was a chocolate chip girl. I remember my dad liked apple, my mom liked plane, and some of my siblings even did banana. I always loved my mom's cooking and there are still many things that I can't make like she does.

After a great breakfast I had planned on doing some shopping and not just grocery shopping! This week I got paid and there were 4-5 hours of training hours I got paid for so I had decided that this could be my "fun" money. I wanted to get some new socks and a hair dryer but they were not essential so they had to wait till this week. I was so excited because I can wear these to work and they wont get as dirty looking as colored socks do. Hey, it is the little things in life that matter the most.....this is my new life motto!

To finish my Saturday Amanda and I went to a Brad Paisley concert in DC! I had never been to a concert before last night and we had a ton of fun! I LOVE country music...it did make me miss living in Georgia and farm life but it was so worth it! I was so excited to be able to dress up with my plaid shirt, jean shorts, and my boots and not be the only one wearing them! When we got there we checked the weather and it was not suppose to rain so we left the blanket in the car, but IT DID rain...alot!

We got there early so we could get good seats but the gate had not opened yet. So we walked around and looked at the different venues and found a side stage that small bands played on. We sat on the ground there until the gate opened and then went and got the best lawn seats! We were on the front row in the middle section. It was great because we could see perfectly and did not feel so crowded! As soon as we sat the rain got harder, the drops got bigger, and the wind got colder. All being a combination that could be very miserable, yet Amanda and I were determined to not let it spoil our night. Lets just say that I think I sing way better while my teeth chatter ;)

I was SOO excited and could not WAIT for the show to start!

This is a name of my new favorite singer (Mickey Guyton), she opened the night and was great! She is so beautiful and I have looked up more of her songs on youtube, lets just say I am a fan :) The other opener was Justin Moore and he was good as well, but I really liked Mickey!

As soon as Brad came out my energy got so high and I was so excited. He gave us two hours of music and did a great job. There were so many times that I just had to remind myself that he was really right there and it was not just playing on my car radio. My favorite songs that he played were "adios reality" and "mud on my tires".

My favorite part was when he face-timed Carrie Underwood and they sang "remind me". it was really cool and Carrie was so sweet and even talked to the crowd for a little bit.

These are pictures that Amanda took and put together!

You can see in this picture how wet we really were by the end of the show. The bottom right picture of me cracks me up, and will be a reminder of all the great memories we made! It was alot of fun and I will not just remember that it was my first concert, but I will remember the random things that happened and how crazy we were to do it.

Today has been a rainy Sunday, but I am thankful for it because I have not been tempted to go outside. Although I did just sit on the porch for a bit and worked on writing this blog, but that's still getting something done right? I have also made my food up for the week and got some work stuff done. All in all a great and productive Sunday. Now that everything is done I think it is time for a little Dancing with the Stars to end my weekend (Lolo and I both still watch it and are able to text about it).

I am ready for a NEW week and a new chance to do some great things.

With a pinch of love,

Lil'Chef

P.S- y'all need to tell Lolo to get her butt back to blogging....it is starting to get lonely :P

Spirit Week!

Today was not the new start of a chapter, but when I moved to Virgina I truly believe it was!

Hope you all are ready to see my crazy self because this week was spirit week at school!!!! 

....Prepare yourself....

Monday was neon day! 

To start my week off on the right foot, Monday morning after my workout, I made a strawberry, banana, and almond smoothie! 

Tuesday was twin day so me and Lolita (she started working the day before me) were twins!

Wednesday had to be my favorite day...it was wacky Wednesday! One of the moms that come to have lunch with her daughter everyday said "Heather, the question of today is do you wear those on a regular daily bases?" I told her I have...just not together ;/ 

Thursday was fancy day! Now for this day I just wore this beautiful bow because when working with the babies you get spit-up and drool on you and I did not want to ruin my nicer clothing. Plus being in a skirt or dress with babies could be a really bad idea!  

Friday was sports day! This day I loved as well because I was able to wear my soccer jersey to work and be comfortable all day! This was my Guam national soccer jersey from a trip that I went on in high school to the Philippians. It was fun to pull it out of my storage/keepsake bag and wear it again!

So on Friday nights I get to finish the week in the most perfect way...with the Roundy family! When I got there Andrew wanted to finish the soccer game we started when I was there for Labor day but we still did not get to finish it. I am sure that it will be a game we pick up on every time I go over! We had pizza and watched Yes Minister which I had never seen before, but it was very interesting and we watched like 5 episodes! Such a sweet family and I am already looking forward to spending this next Friday night with them!

I have been wanted to get my hair trimmed up so badly, but with my income being so low I just could not justify it quite yet. Saturday morning after getting my wash all done I went to try out this barber shop to get a little trim. I liked it, but I am just not sure if I should keep growing my hair out or keep it short and styled. What do you all think? So I got it trimmed up so it did not look so out of control but still trying to decide what I want to do with it. While I was there I also went on a very nice walk around because the weather has been so nice here!

Well it was that time of week again...food shopping time! I wanted to go to this grocery store that is known for their doughnuts because so many people since I have moved said that I have needed to try them. This was THAT day...they are called colossal doughnuts and as you can see in the picture they are HUGE! I had to get Boston cream first because it has always been my favorite kind of doughnut, but they all looked yummy. As soon as I got to the car I took it out and took a bite....and that was it....I was in heaven...they are fresh and just amazing! The frosting is the kind that hardens just a bit and the cream was sweet but not over kill. The pastry was fluffy and chewy with a little bit of a tang to it. I just sat there and enjoyed every bite and I can guarantee you that is ANYONE in the parking lot saw me they thought that I was tasting a doughnut for the first time in my life. It was so good...then it hit my tummy...
but I got over it :)

This week I had found some new ideas for food that I really wanted to try out. I wanted to try this healthy cookie dough recipe and also homemade vegetable burgers. I wanted to try some new ideas for lunches and I always crave chocolate after my lunch and lately I have really wanted cookie dough. The cookie dough I was more nervous to try because it has no flour or butter (its is made with chick peas instead). I have seen recipes like it before but had never gotten brave enough to try it. This weekend I did and it is REALLY impressive. No, it is not the same but it is a great alternative and the chocolate chips are still in there so you can't so wrong! The vegi patties came out great as well and I am really excited to bring them to work for lunch. They took some time to prep but they were simple and cheap to make. Many people say that eating healthy is expensive, but you just have to be willing to put in some extra prep time. You can do the work your paying for because most of the time your paying for the convenience of it. Anyways, off the soap box :)

This was my college graduation gift from my Dad and Mom and I got to use it this weekend and I love it!

To make these I spent $7.34, but that was with the flax-seeds and the seasoning which I wont have to buy again next time. I made 5 patties,(perfect for my 5 days of work) so that's $1.47 a patty! Again that is counting the bulk items...and these do not have the preservatives that the frozen ones you buy do. I don't know about you but that's a winner in my book and I will be making and having these more often! 

You know after you make something new you just have to try one...and Pastor gave me some grilled vegetables to go with it! Best meal I had all week!

Pastor then texts me asking if I want a blizzard from Dairy Queen...yeah, not passing that up! Pastor and Peg have been such a huge blessing and I know I have said that before but they have been spoiling me! They have asked me if I have wanted pizza, ice cream, subway and my favorite chocolate covered mangoes whenever they have them. Many days I have come home to a cinnamon roll or a loaf of bread sitting in my apartment. It seems to small but it is a huge encouragement and boost for me. Some days are long and it always makes me smile and feel special! The days that I lived here before I got my first paycheck it was a huge weight off my shoulders. I am so blessed to be able to live here not because it is not as expensive as somewhere else, but because I have two people that encourage me and feel like family. I know I can be open and honest with them I just wish I could do more for them.

Today, church was great and lunch was alot of fun as always! I got to also go to coffee with Amanda and Carissa and just catch up with two ladies that I see as good friends! We talked for a long time and then we went to TJ Max to do a little shopping (we are girls, we just had to do it). Finishing my week off with blogging is one of my favorite things because it allows me to recap the week and get excited for a new week that is coming quickly! With that new week approaching that means bedtime has to be at a good time and that's where I will be heading after I get my lunch packed and my clothes set out. 

Have a wonderful week!

With a pinch of love,

Lil'Chef

Labor Day Week

HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My labor day was so much fun, and so nice to not have to go into work! I was cat sitting a friends cat over the weekend and Monday was my last day, but as I was driving to her house there was an International Market. So I just had to stop and check it out! The market had rides, a live band, and raffles tickets but the coolest part for me was walking around and seeing all the food from different countries that they were serving.  

When I had put on a facebook status that I was moving to VA one of our family friends on Guam from 7 years ago had said that she lived in the same area. We had tried to get together when I first moved up here but with everything being so new I was really overwhelmed and it just did not work out. She texted me about a week ago and invited me to come and join her family for their Labor Day! That day, after feeding the cat, I had some time to kill before going to meet up with them so I went to Washington's old mill where they had tours and everything. It was super cool to see how they had to do things back then, and the buildings were so beautiful inside and out.

After I had fun in the mill it was time to meet up with the Roundys for some pool fun. I did not get any pictures of the pool and thats because I may or may not have gotten super distracted taking and catching up with Nate and Aubrey. It was so encouraging to catch back up and see how grown their kids have gotten. After the pool we went back to their house to grill out and talk some more. The boys and I got to play some soccer while we waited as Nate grilled burgers, hot dogs, and Guam chicken! Dinner tasted so good and they were a huge help with just getting to know this area more. They also invited me to "family night Fridays" where they just order pizza and watch a movie. I told they I would take them up on it and babysit for them for a date night whenever they want to :) Seems like a perfect trade to me!

On Friday my sister Hope was moving from Boston to North Carolina and wanted to stop in here for the night...I was so excited it all work out! I went shopping during my lunch break and got some yummy food and we just ate and talked and talked and talked! She also works for Bright Horizons and it was so much fun to talk about work stuff. We talked about our favorite kids and also about all the drama that comes with working with a bunch of woman. I am so very proud of her and very excited to see what the Lord has for her as she is starting this new chapter of her life too!

I had a work related training/meeting on diversity this Saturday that I had to go to. It was being held at a different center and they were telling everyone to take the Metro train because parking was so expensive so I took the Metro for the first time. I thought I would like it because I did not have to drive, but after riding it I would rather just drive. It was hard because it is so unpredictable time wise and I was scared I would get on the wrong train or something. I think that if there was not a time I had to be somewhere by it would have been less stressful. I know that if I go to DC for the day to just check it out or something that's the way to go because parking and traffic is insane.    

This was the cute little town the center was in..so beautiful even though it was a rainy day! The side walks were my favorite, I tend to really love the way brick looks!

Because I was riding the Metro I wanted to make sure I left a little room in case something happened. I was there 30 min before it started so I go to go to a Panera that was right by the center and get a cinnamon chip bagel. I use to work at Panera and those were my favorite bagels, but then you add some honey walnut spread and you have got some serious happiness in your mouth :)

We built this wheel as an activity at the training with the inner circle being things about yourself that you can't change and then the outer circle being things that we could change. This training was so cool and not only will help me in my job but also just in my life. There were many things that opened my eyes about diversity and just because I do not struggle with putting collars on different races it is still something that people struggle with. It broke my heart to hear the stores that some of the ladies shared and it is very sad to me that we judge people so quickly. 

After a long and rainy Saturday I was walking to the door to my apartment and I saw this little guy! He was just chilling on my path and looked like a pile of fall leaves until I saw him moving.

Sunday the weather felt like fall and I could not wait to get home from lunch and go on a nice walk. I walked to a place that had some benches and just sat to journal and cleared my head to get ready for a new week. On my way back I saw this on the sidewalk, it must have been from the rain yesterday and the leaf must have blown away just before I got there! I LOVE fall so much, but I do get a little sad during fall because I know winter in just around the corner.  

Barbra (my friend from church) gave me these at church today! She is so sweet and I really have grown to love and respect her! She has meant so much to me and taken me under her wing in so many ways. We were both job hunting together and I am SOOOO excited for her because she starts her job tomorrow and I know she is going to rock it! Could not be happier for her, and she was so sweet to think of me when she saw these bows....I LOVE THEM! 

I am excited for this week because I miss my kiddos over the weekends! I can't wait to see them, but I am tired so I am hoping that I can get some hard sleep so I can start my week off on the right foot! Have a wonderful week everyone!!

With a pinch of love,

Lil'Chef