Future Teacher

I have ALWAYS wanted to be a teacher. Literally, always.

This semester I am in 3 education classes. One of the best things about elementary education, is the classes are based on projects, discussions and participating in activities.

 I am currently in a Kindergarten class and one of the requirements is spending 15 hours in a Kindergarten classroom. Mostly I observe, interact with the kids and work with small groups on reading. Sounds hard, right? ;) I also have to prepare 2 lessons, one math and one reading, to teach to the class. Wednesday, I taught my first lesson. We did “Who Stole the Cookies” math. We learned a little chant about stealing cookies from a cookie jar before starting the lesson. The kids LOVED it. They all wanted to be the one who stole the cookies from the cookie jar. Then we used the cookie theme to do a subtraction lesson.

First I did a large group example with the kids---Ms. Bergenhagen has 6 cookies and Ms. Conrad took 2 cookies. If Ms. Conrad took 2 cookies how many cookies are left?--- We then counted out 7 cookies and put them into our cookie jar. Then we took 2 cookies out of our cookie jar and counted how many cookies we had left. 

Cookie Subtraction Fun!

I found these worksheets on pinterest. I bought cookie crisp cereal and sorted them into little baggies, 10 each. 

My kindergarten class is full of projects, play time and lots of arts and crafts. Here is a little look into the life of elementary education majors! Enjoy :) 

Playing in the "mud"

The final product!

New clinical outfit! I love being able to buy professional clothes to wear in the classroom---makes me feel so grown up. These pants are from gap, they are so comfy! The sweater was a bargain deal at Target. 

I'M BACK

I’M BACK. These last two months have been great and SUPER BUSY. Literally my life summed up in one word is BUSY.  

February/March highlights:

·         Justin Timberlake concert + visit from Bailey

·         Birthday celebrations with friends

·         SPRING BREAK + birthday celebrations with the fam

·         Choir tour

·         Long weekend home

·         Kindergarten Clinical

·         Outdoor runs

AND……

The countdown to Rwanda has begun!! For those of you who don’t know, I am going to Rwanda for 5 weeks right after school gets out. I have had weekly meetings with the professor and 5 other girls who are going. I COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED. All I want is to go to Rwanda right now! But I have class and work and I should probably think about packing….

Anyway, I have tried setting many goals over the past two months and I always seem to fail miserably. So I have decided to take a break from trying to set and meet goals and instead just worry about doing my best to be healthy. I have ONE MONTH (is that real?) left of school so I need to stay focused and do my best. I also need to get ready for my trip and I still want to have fun with my friends.

I have tried to go back to counting calories, hoping that would help me get back on track and lose some weight but I think that just made things worse. This next month I want to focus on choosing healthy food options, training for my race over Easter break and incorporating more strength workouts into my routine. I am also trying to drink more water! 

Feeling awesome after my 7 mile run!

Just a few outfits from my clinicals...feeling so grown up!

LOVE this jacket.
Gap.

New shirt dress from Gap.

White jacket-wishfully thinking it was spring.

Hopefully, I will post again soon! :)

Exercise!

So this semester I am taking a kickboxing class which is really fun but it also really kicking my butt!! My legs ACHE during and after that class. But I know that I am getting stronger after every class! I also have been running on the days I don't have kickboxing. I try to run 3 or 4 times a week. So far it has not been an easy start but I know I need to push myself and I always feel so good after my run is over! Bailey and I have signed up for a 15k, a what??, I know right? who has heard of a 15k?? It is 9.3 miles. I really wanted to do a half marathon but they didn't have any that worked for me because in May I am going to Rwanda!! I found this race because I wanted to do a bigger race and it seems really fun so I asked my best friend and we signed up!! Now I have to train for it so I can actually run the whole thing...yikes!

Before Kickboxing! Ready to WORK.

We also decided we want to do a half together. Bailey has already signed up for one this March but she wants to another one this summer. We decided to do the women's rock half marathon at the end of August! I am really excited to be signed up for these races but I am also scared out of my mind! haha Can I really run that long?!? The thing with running is that it is ALL mental, which sucks for me because I can talk myself out of things easily. I suck at pushing myself! Which also really sucks because it makes training really hard. I don't have a running buddy now that Bailey left so I have to try and push myself! So far I have not been so great at this, but I am signed up for these races so I better suck it up and get running!

One of my favorite things to eat!! Homemade granola, blueberries
 and almond milk. Literally, so darn good!!

I am glad that I have some time before my races so I can build up my mileage. My goal is to run 6-7 miles by the end of February. I know I can do it, I just have to convince my brain that I can!

Blessed by Bailey

Friendship is one of the most sacred things in life. I have been truly blessed to be able to experience true friendship; the kind where you can be completely yourself and not feel judged. I am so blessed to be able to say I have a best friend and truly mean it. No matter how far away we may be, I know she is always there for me and I can talk to her about anything. I know that distance may make it harder, but it doesn't mean our friendship will change or end. I think many people never experience true friendship, so I feel incredibly blessed to say that I have.

Bailey & I

This girl is such a blessing. She is kind, generous, comforting, beautiful, funny and overall an amazing person. After living together for a semester, we both had to adjust to living 4 hours apart. We talk most days whether it is a quick snap or a longer facetime session. She can always brighten my day and she goes out of her way to send me mail, which always puts a smile on my face. I mean, my first day of classes started out with a letter from my best friend wishing me a great first day! 

First day of classes letter! 

She also surprised me with a package filled with candy and a group of letters that I am supposed to open when...I am sad, lonely, not motivated, etc. I was so surprised to get this in the mail, especially from Bailey because she isn't known for being super crafty...haha. I LOVED IT THOUGH. I haven't opened any of the letters yet but I am so excited for when I get to! I know whatever she wrote will brighten my day and make me feel like she is not far away at all!

A letter & package on the same day! 

The open when... letters! Can't wait to read them all!

I have been counting down the days until I get to see Bailey again (which was supposed to be a month after classes started) but I decided to go home this coming weekend so I get to see her earlier than I thought! I am super excited to see her and hang out even for just a few hours!! So glad I have such an amazing best friend :)

Weekend Fun

I cannot believe I have only been back at school for a week and a half! It seems like so much longer! I am not going to lie, the start to my second semester was a little rough. I was adjusting to a new schedule and a room to myself. It was a challenge at first but I have learned how to stay organized with my busy schedule. The past few days have been so much fun! On Thursday classes were cancelled, PTL!! Concordia never has a snow day, so it was a perfect little surprise! I had plans to hang out with one of my good friends that evening so we decided to get together earlier in the day since we had nothing else going on! We played cribbage, listened to music, chatted and baked monster bars! YUMMMM. It was such a great way to spend my day. It can be a challenge to initiate hanging out with people when I am so used to spending all my time with one person but it is good for me to step outside my comfort zone a little bit and connect with some of my other friends! 

MONSTER BARS! So delicious! 

The next day, I had plans to hang out with another friend, Hannah. We decided to have a girls night which was very eventful and just what I needed to get out of the regular homework routine. We went to panera for dinner and then hit up the mall and target where we found some pretty great deals! We both ended up making a few purchases! Then we headed back to the dorms for some homemade blizzards and a movie. In case you don't know me, I go to bed fairly early but Hannah had me up past 1 AM. I was setting records last night! 

My homemade blizzard! vanilla ice cream, oreos, PB2 powder and reeses! 

Francesca's gold chain bracelet: $7

Francesca's statement necklace: $10

V-neck sweaters from Gap: $7.50 each

Striped long sleeve from Gap: $8

I am not going to lie, I was slightly mad at myself for eating dessert two nights in a row, but I had to remind myself that IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. I am usually pretty healthy and I know I will not be eating dessert very often so it is okay to give in every once in a while. I also worked out both days that I ate dessert so I can't get too mad at myself. 

QUICK GOAL UPDATE: I have been running every week but need to push myself a little more. I am trying to eat healthy and workout daily and so far I have been doing a pretty good job! I am hoping to continue my healthy lifestyle and stay focused on the results I want to see! I hope to start seeing changes and start feeling healthier and more confident! 

Let’s be honest…this whole blogging this has definitely gotten away from me for the past 3 months….whoops! But for now I am back. I always snap pictures and come up with ideas, but I seem to have a problem actually sitting down and writing a blog post. So with the New Year, my goal is to blog once a week. I want to keep up with my blog but I don’t want to feel pressured to put up a post everyday or even every other day. So let’s start!

here are a few pictures from winter break :)

Frosty Folic 5K! 

MAJOR UPDATE: I am back at school after having a wonderful 3 weeks off from school! But I am back without my roommate and best friend L It has been a weird adjustment  living by myself after living with my best friend but each day I get slightly more used to it. I do seem to get more accomplished without her here…maybe because when we are together all we want to do is talk and go on adventures! Haha My classes this semester are going to be challenging, but they seem very interesting so hopefully the work load won’t seem too bad.

 My biggest goal for the New Year is to focus on my school work and to be healthy! Last semester my healthy habits ran away from me and it is a slow process finding them again. I made a motivation board over break to help remind me and motivate me to go after my goals and to work hard. I want to feel stronger, prettier, healthier, and all around better about myself. I don’t always make the best decisions but I am trying and I am definitely doing better than last semester!!  I want to be healthy but I also don’t want to get down on myself when I miss a workout or eat one bad thing. Life goes on and I have to learn to deal with my choices and make better ones next time.

My new motivation board-the idea came from pinterest of course! 

Over break I got a lot of new clothes so my first few days back at school I have tried to be a fashionista! Hopefully my outfits reflect my good stlye ;) 

My favorite new sweater from Eddie Bauer :)

Kenneth Cole winter jacket. LOVE IT.

First day outfit! New accessories from Christmas

Outfit inspired by my best friend :)

Already can't wait for the next blog post! Hopefully I will be able to keep up with all of my goals and New Year's Resolutions! 

My love for fall

With the weather getting cooler it is beginning to feel like Fall….and I absolutely LOVE IT. Fall is my favorite season for soooo many reasons. First of all, the weather. I love the cold. I love the trees and all of the pretty colors. I also love the outfits that you can wear in the fall; boots, sweatshirts, leggings, sweaters, really the list could go on and on. I love the Holidays that occur in the Fall. I love that you can curl up in a blanket and watch a movie without being too hot. I love sipping hot coffee or cider. I LOVE PUMPKIN. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin bars, pumpkin chais, pumpkin muffins, honestly I pretty much love any product that has pumpkin in it. Since I only get to have pumpkin one time of the year, I take advantage of it! I am already looking forward to going home and getting a pumpkin muffin from dunn brothers and making yummy pumpkin baked goods with my family. I have already been to several different coffee shops to fulfill my craving for a pumpkin flavored coffee. YUMMY! Just thinking about it makes me want to go get one right now!

 Just looking at this list makes me so excited for Fall. BEST SEASON EVER.

Family :)

This past weekend at Concordia College was a special occasion…family weekend! In case you don’t know what that means…it’s basically an excuse for your family to come up for a weekend packed with super fun activities. It’s also a great excuse for parents to come up and spend money on their college students! ;) Last year, both my mom and dad (who are divorced) decided to come up for the weekend. I was super excited especially because I was homesick, but I didn’t realize how stressful and not fun it would actually end up being. Basically it was just hard to split my time between both families so it ended up being more work than it was worth. But I learned my lesson for this year! Thankfully, my mom couldn’t come up for family weekend so I was free to spend time with my dad, step mom and brothers! I was really excited to see them after being away from home for about a month now, and I was really excited to spend some quality time with my dad. Our relationship hasn’t always been the best but it is a work in progress and I’m trying to make the best of it! My family arrived Friday around 4 and when they got here I showed them my dorm and chatted for a little bit before I had to head out to choir. After choir, I drove over to their hotel and we went out for dinner! We went to a sub shop in Fargo called Grand Junction which was pretty delicious! After dinner we headed to Scheels sporting store for some shopping and then went back to the hotel where my bothers swam and I rested after a long week!

Cooper (6) with Cobber spirit!

Love these people :)

Me and my dad!

Saturday was another busy day, jammed with lots of activities including my brother, Jonah’s birthday! We started off the day by getting breakfast and then we hit up the Cobber bookstore so my fam could purchase apparel. Man was it crowded! Literally there were people right next to you 24/7! We had more time to chill in the hotel before we had to head to the football game! Before going to the game we grabbed all of our blankets and jackets as well as a warm Starbucks coffee because last year we were freezing and didn’t want to be cold again this year! We ended up not needing any of our warm clothes though because it was a gorgeous day!! After the game we went out for an early dinner before the big showcase at Concordia. Basically it’s talent show for all the musically gifted to show off, but it’s so much fun to see all the talent Concordia has! After the show we headed straight for Tutti Frutti-YUMMM! Not going to lie, this was probably the thing I was most looking forward to!

My outfit for the football game-love the denim shirt; cute and comfy!

Overall, the weekend was super busy but so much fun! I love showing my family around campus and the Fargo/Moorhead area and this weekend was great excuse to hang out with my family! I love my family and value spending quality time with them whenever I can! I can’t wait to go home this coming weekend and see my mom, step dad and sister! So grateful for the opportunity to have two families that love me so much! Don't know what I would do without these people and can't wait for this coming weekend filled with family fun:) 

Just some pictures from this weekend :)

Grayson (8)

Cooper (6)

Jonah-Birthday Boy! (11)

Coffee Addict.

Before I got to college, I thought the norm was going to coffee shops to do homework and staying up late while drinking coffee to finish homework due the next day. As a freshman, neither of these things were true for me but I really wanted them to be. Not the whole staying up late thing but the drinking coffee all the time and going to fun coffee shops in town to work on my homework. Last year I found a coffee shop called Moxie Java in downtown Fargo that I absolutely love. This inspired me to look up what other unique coffee shops were in the Fargo/Moorhead area. I found several different coffee shops and wrote them down on a post it in my room. My goal is to go to all of them by the end of the year…let’s be honest, that won’t be hard at all. I LOVE coffee and would drink it all day, every day if I could. Unfortunately if I did that I would be absolutely broke and I probably wouldn’t accomplish much if I spent all of my time in coffee shops lounging and pretending to be studious. Unfortunately most of my friends do not share this same passion for drinking coffee and finding fun, unique coffee shops in the area so I don’t go as often as I would like but again they probably help me save a lot of money!!

Caramel Macchiato & Maple Pecan Scone
Both super yummy! 

That is one problem I have…I like the fancy coffee that costs $5! Caramel lattes from Dunn Brothers and Nonfat Caramel Macchiatos from Starbucks are two of my favorite drinks. I have started being able to drink straight up brewed coffee with sugar and milk added or flavored creamer but if a latte will always be my first choice! This weekend I am planning on sucking it up and buying a coffee maker. I have decided that I need to save money and having a coffee maker in my room means I can have coffee whenever I want, even if the campus coffee stop is closed. My goal is to cut back on lattes so that they are an occasional treat…but we’ll see how that goes! 

One final note. I am currently sitting in a Starbucks and I just love the cozy, chill environment as well as the wonderful smell of freshly brewed coffee :) I also love being up before everyone else and just enjoying the morning without feeling rushed or stressed. Wish I could start my day like this more often! 

#FashionistaStatus

I like to think that I have a good sense of style...but I enjoy comfort way and accessibility way too much to put in the extra effort. My roommate this year is the total opposite. Every outfit takes thought whether she is going to class, the gym or even bed! When I see what she has picked out for the day, I immediately feel like I gotta step it up a notch! Not only does she always look cute but she accessorizes!! Are you serious?!? I can barely manage to put a cute top and jeans together let alone add accessories into the mix! Even though I would not consider myself to be a fashionista by any means, last week I put together 2 outfits that I absolutely LOVE.

Necklace-Francesca's
Tee-Gap
Sweater-Gap
Jeans-Gap
Shoes-Target

Loved that I was rocking my new statement necklace! :)

I love this outfit for a few different reasons. First, I put it together in literally 2 minutes. This is seriously a miracle that I can look cute in such a short amount of time. Second, I LOVE that I got to wear my new necklace! I had been waiting for the perfect outfit and this necklace just added a little something to the rest of the outfit. Third, I liked how I mixed different elements that I normally would not have. I kept the top bright but simple and then added a statement piece of jewelry, I rolled my jeans and I wore a funky pattern on my shoes. Definitely using this outfit as a go-to next time I am in a need of a quick but cute outfit!

This last Sunday I went to church with a group of my friends and I wanted to look nice without feeling overdressed. The church that we go to is mostly young adults and college kids and it has a very laid back vibe. I mean it's located in a movie theater and they have their own little coffee shop where they make you FREE lattes. I mean it can't get much better than that! Anyway, I didn't really know what to wear but I was really excited because it was cold out which meant I could for sure wear pants. When I finally started trying things out and seeing what I liked, this is what I came up with...

I was pumped to be wearing my cords and denim shirt for the first time!

Close up-gold jewelry and a last minute decision to add the cardigan

I am beyond obsessed with this outfit and felt so good while wearing it. It's the best when you feel comfortable, confident and stylish while wearing one outfit! If I could wear this outfit everyday, I think I would...Because of my recent success with well put together outfits I decided to go crazy on Pinterest and save a bunch of cute outfits to my iPhone so I can hopefully try them out this fall! 

Church girls & I rocking our denim shirts :)

              "Never let the things you want make you forget the things you have."

The life of a busy college student

Now that school has begun and I have finally started figuring out my schedule, I’ve realized that I am extremely busy! I’m by 5 every weekday to get to the gym for a class. This is literally the only consistent time I have in my schedule to work out so I do it. I never want to get out of bed but it always feels really good when it’s done for the day. After my workout, my roommate and I zoom back to school so I have enough time to hop in the shower, eat breakfast and change for work. I have about 25 minutes to get that done before I have to head out for work. After work I do another quick outfit change and then Bailey and I head over to grab a coffee, check our mail and go to class. I have 2 classes each day, Monday/Wednesday/Fridays I am done at 1 and Tuesday/Thursdays I am done at 3:30. However, my life doesn’t slow down after class. Up until this last week I worked another job in the afternoons on Wednesdays and Fridays but I had to quit in order to fit my clinicals in. I am an elementary education major and I am in a class this semester that requires going to an elementary school for 15 hours this semester to help out, observe and just get experience. If I don’t have work or clinicals after class then I try and get some homework done. Then at 5:00 every day I head to choir which doesn’t get out until 6:15. After that it’s dinner and then back to my room for more homework! I also am involved in several different things during the evenings. Monday I have Remedy, a worship like service, Tuesday it’s bible study, Wednesday I have cru which is sort of like another bible study, Thursday I have meetings for a club I am involved in and Friday is my only day off from clubs and activities!

I don’t know why I decided it was a good idea to be involved in so many darn activities but having a busy schedule definitely forces me to be organized and focused in order to accomplish everything I need to. My goal was to pick out my workout outfit, work outfit and school outfit the night before but I have yet to be successful with this. I can easily pick out my workout outfit and my work outfit but I am never sure what I want to wear to class the next day or what the temperature will be like. I always say to myself, “you can just do it quick tomorrow morning”. What a mistake that is! It would be nice if I could wear the same outfit to class and work but my job requires a special uniform. I work at a Montessori school and they have a uniform; navy blue pants with navy, red or white on top. My goal for this week is to be prepared the night before so I don’t have to scramble or think about it in the morning.

work outfit-blue on blue

Couldn't believe I put this outfit together in like 2 minutes!

New necklace-I was so excited to wear it

The other day, my roommate and I did laundry and I of course didn’t have time to grab my laundry out of the dryer in between all of my commitments. I came back to the dorms after classes and saw that my awesome roommate had not only brought up my laundry but she folded it too! Seriously, love that girl! She went home this weekend and I definitely realize how lonely it is without her! Can’t wait for her to come back today J

What an awesome roomie :)

LOVE HER <3

Workout Wednesday

It’s workout Wednesday! Guess that means it’s time to document my workout for the day…It is rough getting up at 5 o’ clock in the morning just to work out but it feels SO GOOD once your workout is done before the sun has even risen! Normally my roommate and I go to a class at the Y in Fargo every single day except Sunday. We have a solid schedule down so we know exactly what we are doing for our workout each day. Mondays and Fridays we go to bodypump which is super great! It targets all of your different muscles and pushes you until you feel the burn! Tuesdays and Thursdays we do cycling for 30 minutes and then a crazy core class that literally sucks! I mean it’s a great workout but those 30 minutes are the longest of my life because I am in so much pain!! I better be building up a 6 pack from that class! Wednesdays we used to go to bodypump but then we found a 30 minute cycling class that has a 30 minute bootcamp right after. It is great to have classes that tell you what to do and push you! I know that when I would work out last year in my school’s gym it was so boring because I did the same thing every single day!! Now, it’s a change of pace and I always feel really good after the workout is over!

Although I normally go to the Y for a class, today Bailey and I decided to go for a 2 mile run. I have never been a runner but last year I really wanted to try and get into it. I started out not even being able to run a full mile without stopping…pretty pathetic right?? But I was determined to do my best and run a little bit longer each time. In November of 2012 my mom, my sister and I decided that we were going to sign up for a 5K so that meant I better get training! Literally, I never thought I could run for 30 minutes without stopping…that seemed IMPOSSIBLE. I remember how proud I was when I ran 3.1 miles for the first time…I was on top of the world! Anyway, back to my workout. Bailey and I went for a run and then came back to do some abs and legs. Since running doesn’t do much for building muscle, I like to do abs and weights to work the other parts of my body.

Happiest I've ever looked while doing pushups!

Push ups!

Hold those abs and pulse your arms!

Bicycle crunches-man they burn!!

Because I have started running and I have run two 5ks, I really want to run consistently so that I can get better and hopefully run longer! Bailey and I made a plan that we are going to fun Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday every week. It’s so great to have a partner to go with because they motivate you and push you! Both times that Bailey and I have ran together this year, I know I would’ve stopped if she wasn’t there pushing me along. It also can be a good distraction whether we talk or just run and listen to music. I also got brand new running shoes before I came to school so that should motivate me even more because I want to wear them! If you are trying to get in a regular habit of working out and eating healthy or if you just need motivation, find a friend to workout with and help you. Also, buy yourself some new workout clothes. If you buy things you like then you will want to wear them and you will hopefully look forward to going to the gym! Last thing is set goals and don’t forget to treat yourself every once in awhile. Maybe you really want a pair of new workout shoes or a really expensive clothing item. Set a goal for yourself and once you achieve it, treat yourself to that new, slightly expensive item!

Holla to this quote! Seriously, love this. It can be so hard but I really want to work on this! Love yourself and forget what others think about you. 

 I am hoping that our run on Tuesday will be 2.5 miles and each time after that we can add a little bit more distance. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens!!