Stop. Think. Execute.

I'm not working right now. My previous employer did not follow state guidelines as she should, so I left. My career goal is to work in a school system, and I wasn't going to jeopardize that by working in a day school (day care) that didn't keep with state standards and guidelines.

Therefore, I'm a SAHW (stay at home wife). It's been well over a year since I have been unemployed, and even then I was a full-time student and working in direct sales doing home parties for some great income with Premier Designs Jewelry.  I'm loving being at home more than I thought I would, except for one tiny little thing. I HAVE FULL ACCESS TO MY KITCHEN! Okay, so it's a little bigger than a tiny thing, at least for me. I eat out of boredom, more than I should. And I'm a little more bored now that I have our new house organized and on a cleaning schedule so it doesn't take but a little time each day to maintain, no lesson plans to write, no assignments to complete. I'm keeping myself busy though, just not as much as I should.

STOP. THINK. EXECUTE.

That has been my motto this week.
I started the 17 Day Diet last Monday, and lost 5 pounds last week! WOOHOO. This week was a little more challenging as far as motivation goes.

Last week was beautiful, so Roxy (my 7 month old dog) and I were able to get out and walk in our neighborhood each day. I was busy doing the above mentioned organizing and planning, which kept me from getting bored and getting in the kitchen.
I am much more bored now. I started the week completely unmotivated, which was a big set back. Sometimes I wonder if all this "killing myself" working out, and "strict" diet plan will be worth it in the end. Then, I stop. I think about my future with my amazing husband. He loves to be active, playing football, going to theme parks, going to batting cages, and much more. I want to be able to do those things with him without sitting on the side watching or getting too tired. I think about in a few years when we want to have children. I want to be a healthy mom, who has a healthy pregnancy and is a good role model for my children when it comes to eating and fitness. Those are the major things I think about. Today, this has kept me out of the kitchen. I even went to the park and walked a couple of laps today. Not great, but it was something (execution).

What are things that keep you motivated?
I'm always looking for new ideas for workouts to keep me from getting bored with what I'm doing.
Post any ideas/suggestions below! :)

Hope you have a great rest of the week!!

Stay Blessed!

Learning and Teaching, all in one

I'm working on things for my classroom this weekend.
When I started this new job, there was nothing in the classroom that I was placed. And by nothing, I mean only a couple of toddler beds and a couple of old toys.
No tables/chairs/supplies/anything useful.
I have worked my tail off this month getting my room to become slightly functional. It still has a long way to go though. Most of my children are English Language Learners as well, so this is a new adventure for me as a teacher. I also have one child that is hard of hearing and barely speaks, and is slightly autistic. She is a joy and a challenge each day, but I'm growing to love her. She also gives me a reason to use/teach a few of the things I know from sign language. That reminds me, I need to learn more.

If you have any sign language learning suggestions, let me know! I would love to be fluent in ASL :) 


On another note,
it is time to start walking
and tanning again!!

A whole new meaning to NEW YEAR

It has been a while since my last post. My husband and I found out in the middle of December that we would be moving to Tuscaloosa in January for new jobs. And not just January, but January 3rd is when the job started. It has been an emotional roller coaster. I was hired in August to teach Pre-K at a local school where we were living. I was in love with my job, my co-workers, and my children. However, my husband accepted a job with a company here with great benefits that we did not have before. It has been so hard to leave the only place I have ever called him. Both of our families are still there as well. So we are nearly 3 hours away from everyone and everything we have ever known.

When we found out my husband received this job, I started applying here as well. I have been hired at a Child Development Center here as the lead Pre-K teacher. It is a brand new school so I am working closely with the director in setting up our program and enrolling new students. I was not loving this job in the beginning. I think a lot of that had to do with being so homesick and having to leave a job I LOVED. However, it is getting a little better each day, just a slow process.

Tearing down our home and packing up in 3 weeks was tough. We were both still working full-time! My husband left for work at 1:00 a.m. n didn't get home until 3:00 p.m. Needless to say, he was going straight to bed when he got home, which left me to do all of the packing for the most part, on top of packing up my classroom where I was working.

Also, my favorite time of the year is CHRISTMAS! I put my tree up on Nov. 10th and usually don't take it down until the end of January. This time, I had to take it down immediately, 2 weeks BEFORE Christmas.This broke my heart. We left our home of 2 years on December 30th. It was an emotional adventure to say the least.

We have been home one weekend already and my parents have been here one weekend too. That makes it a little better. I'm trying to stay here a couple more weekends before going home again. My husband is loving his job though, and we love our new townhouse and location of where we live. Maybe it will continue to get a little better each day and I don't stay as homesick! :)

So here we go. A new house, new jobs, new town, and a brand new year! 

Hello 2012!

What makes you sad, Mrs. Tasha? & TTST

Well, let me start with Tip the Scale Thursday.

I lost 1.4 pounds this week.

Again, not great, but still a loss.

AND, that puts me at a total of 9 pounds down. 

YAY.

Last week, I was subbing for the class I did part of my internship with, a 5th grade class. During one class period, I had the students that are really laid back and it makes its easy to have a "laid back" day with them versus some of the other class periods. Well, as they were finishing up their work for the day, one girl, who is so smart and sweet, starts asking me questions from this quiz she is reading from Kidsville. Our conversation goes as follows:

K: Mrs. Tasha, what's your favorite color?

Me: Purple. 

K: What's your favorite food?

Me: Chicken.

K: How many kids do you have?

Me: TWO, and they both bark! 

(both of us laughing!)

K: What make you sad?

Me: ((LONG PAUSE))...You know, K, there are several things that make me sad, but lately, it's wasted potential from kids I see so much inside of. 

This "quiz" then stems into a long conversation of how these students are just overflowing with potential to achieve great things, but yet they don't because of their laziness or they just don't care. I have pondered and ran this conversation through my head over and over again the past week or so since that day. The more I think about it, the sadder I get. My heart literally aches for these children that I love and are so smart, but yet refuse to use it for one reason or another. They can achieve great things if they set their minds to it, but they just simply won't. 

As I'm thinking of these things, it suddenly hits me. Does God feel the same way about us? Does he see our potential that he has placed within our reach, but we are just sitting, letting it go to waste because we are too lazy to blossom in Him to our full potential? Some of my students are smart enough to be doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc., if they just make the effort. Are we that way? 

God gives us all a potential that we are capable of reaching, whether it be to become prayer warriors, missionaries, teachers, preachers, singers, leaders, or simply sharing his word with those we meet on a daily basis. 

So, I want to leave you to ponder the question that I continually think about, 

thanks to the inquiring mind of a 5th grader. 

Are you reaching your full potential in life and in Christ? 

If not, why not?

TaDA!!

Okay, here is the next success of my coupon deals!

I got 1 skintimate shave gel, 4 bottles Nivea body wash, 2 bottles Purex crystals fabric softener, and 6 bottles laundry detergent. All for about $13 after tax :) averages out to less than a buck each :) yay

Oh Wow

iI just realized it's been over a week since my last post. I didn't even post last week's Tip the Scale Thursday!! EEK! Ok here are last week's results from my weigh-in: 

I lost 1 pound. 

It's not what I was hoping for, but it's something, 

and a lost nonetheless.

Okay, so here is what I have been up to this week. I have really gotten into couponing over the past 6-8 months. I'm not EXTREME like the show, but I do manage to score some pretty good deals! I'll be finishing up my weekly shopping today, but so far here is what I have managed:

All of this for about $20 after tax, which to me is GREAT considering the Diet DP packs are about $4 each at Wal-Mart! :)

Second trip was MUCH more successful in my opinion! 

Vive shampoo & conditioner, 4 All deter, 2 Wisk deter, 2 Purex deter, 4 Right Guard deo, 3 carefree liner, 3 pks Scotch Tape, 2 four pks Noxzema razors, 2 bottles NatureMade vit C, 1 bottle Softsoap, 2 bottles Old Spice body wash, 1 bottle Gillette body wash, 1 Gillette deo, 1 Nivea body wash, 1 pm paper plates...I think that's it..spent only about $25. And I have lots of rainchecks to fill this week!!! EEK!!! :) 

I'm finishing up my shopping today! So wish me luck and watch for an update! :)

Five Question Friday!

I hope that you all have had a fantastic Friday as I did. It was Fun Day at school, so we did 20 minute classes before lunch. Following lunch, we watched movies until time for kids to go to their Encore classes! It was a great day in 5th grade today. I hope you all had such a great day as well!!

 

1. Have you ever had roommates?

Not really. Technically I lived with my parents until I got married in 2008. I stayed with my cousin in her apt several nights a week one semester of college, but I never really moved in. So, no roomies other than my family at my parents' house and now my hubby!

2. How many names do you/your children have? (i.e. Prince Charming William Phillip Arthur Louis John Jacob Jingleheimer-Schmidt)

First, Middle, Last. My real name is LaTasha, but everyone calls me Tasha for short, don't know if that counts, but okay. And my papa and nanna call me Flossy (who knows where that came from lol). My aunt calls me Helen, she has always said that since I was little I have listened as well as Helen Keller. And then my husband calls me nicknames sometimes, but no one in particular all the time. So, I think that's it??

3. Did you watch the Royal Wedding?

That's a big NO!

4. What is the messiest room in your house?

Oh dear. Right now it would be the kitchen or master bathroom for sure! I got lucky on this one! We just got new furniture and had to do some MAJOR cleaning for it to be delivered and to get the old furniture in the office.

5. What is your ideal mothers day?

The one in which I have children! Right now it's just Josh and myself. I just graduated in Dec from college, and maybe one day in the next couple years I will be able to celebrate Mother's Day too! Until then, I love spending time with my mom in the kitchen cooking for our family! :)

OK. UR Turn.

Please click the image for Five Question Friday at the top of this post. Post your answers on your blog and link up at the linky! Don't want to link up? Leave me a comment so I can see your posts/answers! I hope you all have a GREAT weekend!