I was just thinking about the past few years of life and how each year has been full of big life changes:
2011: I graduated from ECU, finally stopped working at Reeds Jewelers, was hired as a third grade teacher at Grifton, made some new work friends (whom I miss seeing everyday).
2012: Engaged to Brandon, planned a wedding ( well maybe that year wasn't as busy as i thought, but planning a wedding was a lot of work).
2013: Bridal shower, bachelorette party, married, honeymoon in Jamaica, applied for Grad school, got into Grad school, quit my job, started school, started working as a sub...whew!
It's crazy how quickly time flies by, in the blink of an eye, everything changes! This year has had a lot of ups and downs for many people, but I guess that is what life is like when you become an adult, unfortunately you have to witness the passing of loved ones or friends, and I feel like I am always seeing sickness. I do not believe in making resolutions because, lets be honest, no one really keeps them. I was reading one of those posts on FB yesterday about real resolutions that people should make, it's probably the first post about resolutions that I actually enjoyed reading. One resolution, it said you should make is, that if you hate your job, you should quit! Glad I could check that one off of my list! Let me make something clear....in NO WAY did I hate going to work, I loved the people I worked with, I loved working with the kids, and I really loved teaching (that's why I sub) but I didn't like that I wasn't ever going to get a real raise, I didn't like being so micromanaged, I didn't like that I felt like I was setting my kids up for failure based on a system I couldn't change. Most days, I felt helpless, and I couldn't do it anymore. I'm not saying a new job would be easier, I am sure that being a librarian has its ups and downs too, there isn't a perfect job, but at least I can sleep at night.
Another one was to value your friendships, I try really hard at doing this, but sometimes I find that life is busy and I forget to pick up the phone to say, "How is life going"? I try to remember birthdays and send cards, that counts, right?
Anyways, the point of this blog is really to say that I have had many blessings this year, and if I didn't wake up tomorrow because the good Lord decided it was my time, I would be okay with that because in reality I have experienced amazing things!
I have been truly loved by my husband, and by my family, I feel like I have made a difference in at least one child's life, I have traveled, and I have challenged myself to do great things. So to all of you, may 2014 bring you another year of happiness, health, and blessings :)
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Family traditions
Let me start off by by saying, " I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas celebration"! You know what I have realized? I have realized that Christmas with my family has not changed one bit, our traditions have remained the same:
1. The kids wake up early ( not human kids yet, the DOGS!)
2. We all grab coffee
3. We take our "places"
4. We do our stockings, and we watch each other in awe at the silly gifts
5. I disperse the presents (this has not changed one bit)
6. We take turns opening one gift at a time
7. Dad makes sure that the music is playing and he takes pictures and or records
I like to keep our family tradition, I always enjoy watching everyone else open their presents, even when I was little. My favorite thing this year, was that we watched all (well almost all) of our previous Christmas celebrations. My parents invested in a video recorder back in 1993, and this video camera weighs about 100 pounds and is as ancient as ancient can get. However, we used it from 1993 to 2000 to record all of our Christmas celebrations and even a few birthdays, ( so basically from the time I was 6 until around 14). We haven't seen them in probably about ten years, or at least I haven't, so I was thrilled when we figured out how to connect the cam corder to the tv so that we could watch the tapes..mind you, we do not have a VCR. The best thing about watching these is that my husband got to see what I was like as a child, and we laughed our butts off, but the best thing was to see how much we have changed or have not changed. Here are a few things I noticed:
1. At the age of six I wanted to be on camera all of the time...look at me, look at me, watch me dance, watch me sing ( I was annoyed with my child like self). I'm not like that at all as an adult, I am very quiet, shy, and modest.
2. My brother was hyper active, he liked to be in everyones business, he basically opened a lot of my presents and I let him. Let's just say I had a lot of patience with him, I never got mad at him, I let him do whatever. I guess this is why I have a lot of patience with kids.... and my brother doesn't say a peep now, he is sooooo quiet (what happened???????)
3. When my parents told me to do something I did it the first time, when they told my brother to do something....they said his name like 100 times...Derek, Derek, Derek...we heard that name a TON in the videos...poor kid!
4. I think it's hilarious that my brother's nick name was Pooter but we called him Poo...hahahaahaha
oh I went by "sissy"
5. It is interesting to see how my interests changed from year to year...when I was little I enjoyed baby dolls, then I played with Littles pet shop, by third grade I wanted books, games and puzzles, in fourth grade I was into music and received my first CD player with CD's ( go ahead and chuckle: Alanis Morisette, Celine Dion, Jewel) and by fifth grade we got Giga Pets, and Barbies ( yes I still played with toys in the fifth grade). My brother pretty much wanted the same types of toys: action figures, big trucks or cars, and video games.
6. After age six I could care less about being on the video, I was patient, quiet, a kind child :D always helping the little brother read the name tags on the presents, and picking up everyones wrapping paper, maybe this is the beginning of my OCD?
7. My brother learned how to ride a bike without training wheels before I did, yes folks, he was 4 and I was 7...I have 0 coordination!!
8. I am so happy that my grandparents are featured in these videos! My Paparoni who died two years ago from lung cancer is in a few of the videos, and it was so nice to see his face and hear his voice, we miss him so much!
9. My dad wore his undies one Christmas...bahaha, Brandon laughed so hard! Then he wore shorty short shorts, dad the 80's are over!
10. My brother inherited his fuzzy caterpillar eyebrows from my mom! Glad I didn't inherit that trait ;0 I'm sure that was the style back then, right mom?
All in all, I am so happy that we can look back at these memories and laugh at each other, that's what family is for, to share traditions! I am happy that my husband can join our traditions, and who knows, maybe one year in the future their will be a little Jones waking us up at 5 am to open presents? For now, we will stick with our pup :)
1. The kids wake up early ( not human kids yet, the DOGS!)
2. We all grab coffee
3. We take our "places"
4. We do our stockings, and we watch each other in awe at the silly gifts
5. I disperse the presents (this has not changed one bit)
6. We take turns opening one gift at a time
7. Dad makes sure that the music is playing and he takes pictures and or records
I like to keep our family tradition, I always enjoy watching everyone else open their presents, even when I was little. My favorite thing this year, was that we watched all (well almost all) of our previous Christmas celebrations. My parents invested in a video recorder back in 1993, and this video camera weighs about 100 pounds and is as ancient as ancient can get. However, we used it from 1993 to 2000 to record all of our Christmas celebrations and even a few birthdays, ( so basically from the time I was 6 until around 14). We haven't seen them in probably about ten years, or at least I haven't, so I was thrilled when we figured out how to connect the cam corder to the tv so that we could watch the tapes..mind you, we do not have a VCR. The best thing about watching these is that my husband got to see what I was like as a child, and we laughed our butts off, but the best thing was to see how much we have changed or have not changed. Here are a few things I noticed:
1. At the age of six I wanted to be on camera all of the time...look at me, look at me, watch me dance, watch me sing ( I was annoyed with my child like self). I'm not like that at all as an adult, I am very quiet, shy, and modest.
2. My brother was hyper active, he liked to be in everyones business, he basically opened a lot of my presents and I let him. Let's just say I had a lot of patience with him, I never got mad at him, I let him do whatever. I guess this is why I have a lot of patience with kids.... and my brother doesn't say a peep now, he is sooooo quiet (what happened???????)
3. When my parents told me to do something I did it the first time, when they told my brother to do something....they said his name like 100 times...Derek, Derek, Derek...we heard that name a TON in the videos...poor kid!
4. I think it's hilarious that my brother's nick name was Pooter but we called him Poo...hahahaahaha
oh I went by "sissy"
5. It is interesting to see how my interests changed from year to year...when I was little I enjoyed baby dolls, then I played with Littles pet shop, by third grade I wanted books, games and puzzles, in fourth grade I was into music and received my first CD player with CD's ( go ahead and chuckle: Alanis Morisette, Celine Dion, Jewel) and by fifth grade we got Giga Pets, and Barbies ( yes I still played with toys in the fifth grade). My brother pretty much wanted the same types of toys: action figures, big trucks or cars, and video games.
6. After age six I could care less about being on the video, I was patient, quiet, a kind child :D always helping the little brother read the name tags on the presents, and picking up everyones wrapping paper, maybe this is the beginning of my OCD?
7. My brother learned how to ride a bike without training wheels before I did, yes folks, he was 4 and I was 7...I have 0 coordination!!
8. I am so happy that my grandparents are featured in these videos! My Paparoni who died two years ago from lung cancer is in a few of the videos, and it was so nice to see his face and hear his voice, we miss him so much!
9. My dad wore his undies one Christmas...bahaha, Brandon laughed so hard! Then he wore shorty short shorts, dad the 80's are over!
10. My brother inherited his fuzzy caterpillar eyebrows from my mom! Glad I didn't inherit that trait ;0 I'm sure that was the style back then, right mom?
All in all, I am so happy that we can look back at these memories and laugh at each other, that's what family is for, to share traditions! I am happy that my husband can join our traditions, and who knows, maybe one year in the future their will be a little Jones waking us up at 5 am to open presents? For now, we will stick with our pup :)
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