VOILA!...It's Christmastime!!!

OOOOHHHHH how I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!! Maybe that's part of why I love fall so much too, because it's right before Christmastime. And I love the word "Christmastime" too. Don't ask me why. I just do.

This Christmas is the second in our own home, and we decorated with all the trimmings the weekend after Thanksgiving. We added a few things from last year, but still getting out all the old decorations and ornaments brings back so many memories. I love this old wooden set of ornaments of Pinocchio and Gepetto. I always hang them next to each other too. I also treasure a snowman with a red hat and a purple scarf that my Mom got for my Grandma Re the year before she died. I think she had it hanging on her record player (that now sits beside my Christmas tree) in her apartment. We have beautiful ones from Disney World that we got on our honeymoon and sparkly ones from New York City. These are just a few of the many memories in each Christmas ornament and decoration, and I enjoy reminiscing as I get them out each year. It is so nice to come home and see our house all "a glow" with Christmas-y happiness. I really love this time of year.

I hope this year I can not get overwhelmed with "things to do" and just focus on being with people I love and doing things I enjoy. I am doing pretty good so...I already started making presents and wrapping them, and I am very much looking forward to having almost an entire week out of school BEFORE Christmas comes. It will be a nice little time to do some of our traditions and enjoy them too. Some of my favorite traditions are: giving each other Christmas pj's on Christmas Eve, a new ornament each Christmas day (snowflake for me and a snowman for Chris), a stocking holder that counts down the days, and watching many, many Christmas movies together in the evenings. And these are just a few of them. It's such a beautiful time of the year...I even love going out shopping to see everyone buying gifts for others! This was what I was doing too when I got to sing in the new BC Clark's commercial this year! Check that off the bucket list...YAY!

Us singing the "BC Clark Jingle"...We all look very happy!

Tonight I think I will continue with some Christmas-y activities - I'll drink some cider, watch another Christmas movie, work on some Christmas gifts and cards, and maybe even wrap a few. I am so thankful for every little blessing I have this time of year, and chances are that if you're reading this, you're one of those "blessings". I hope you have a very Merry Christmas! Much love to you and yours!

Vivacious Colors on Veteran's Day

Wowza! A whole month since my last post? I will probably say that phrase often, because when I look back in my journal that I've written in for 3+ years, I often find that this is my beginning sentiment. Oh well...at least I try!

I have been wanting to find time to write SO BADLY ever since Fall Break. It was the most wonderful break from school that I have had in quite a while. I had a big to do list, as always, but God knew what I needed much more than what I thought I needed to accomplish. So, I did a whole bunch of nothing. I spent a lot of time outside, a lot of time sitting, and relaxing, and reading. And a lot of time just with my husband. He is such a wonderful, wonderful man, and I think to myself, at least every couple days, "How did I get so lucky? He is just so amazing and so good to me." Can you tell I'm really fond of him? :) He always seems to know just what I need to hear and each day we're together we just laugh and laugh. I love him!

We just celebrated our 2nd Anniversary this past weekend, with a Fall Festival, pictures, a lovely dinner out, an afternoon picnic at OU, and a nice dinner at home. Our Fall Festival was just what I had hoped it to be...a conglomeration of my favorite people, from my different walks of life, to share delicious food, beautiful weather, and good company. If you came to the party, and you are reading this, THANK YOU SO MUCH for attending! Your presence meant so much to me, and I am so glad to call you all my friends! I can't wait until next year now! We also had our wonderful friend, Loan Vu, take some regular pictures and some "trash the dress" pictures for us (along with the prop help of Francesca Hunt). Some may say I am silly, but we had such a great time and we have some beautiful pictures from the day too. Then we had dinner at my FAVORITE place, Melting Pot, and I was one happy lady. Our actual anniversary was not really very eventful, but it wasn't in a good way. We just did our favorite things, like sleeping in and going to Target together. We are old people, yes, but I like to think we are simple people sometimes too. And what I mean by that, is that though we love thinking about fancy dinners, fun concerts, and elaborate vacations, we also really enjoy the regular every day things, and we enjoy these the most. I am so glad that we have been able to spend so much time outside lately, though I wish I could be outside more. The colors are so incredible right now, and each day I think, "Ohhhhh...These trees are so beautiful!", and then I look around the next day, and the leaves seem to be even more amazing! I LOVE THE FALL!!! Did I mention that already?

Another thing about today, that I wish I would've spent more time thinking about, is our veterans. Some days more than others a I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for these men and women who have died protecting our freedom. My hope is that I can remember them in some way each day, and maybe this is part of the reason I love my job. Each day we get to help mold the minds of our future, and teach our kids about gratefulness, sacrifice, integrity, tolerance, and appreciation for what they have. I try more to take those teachable moments with them to read some stories from The Greatest Generation, say the Pledge of Allegiance with pride, answer questions about the Moment of Silence each day, or show a student how to treat others with respect. It's a tiny thing that I do compared to the lives that have been sacrificed, and the families who also must make sacrifices for us to live in a free country. I like this quote, and think it greatly expresses what I feel:

"Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices." - President Harry S. Truman


I may not be portraying what I am really feeling, but I just want to say how thankful I am. We live in a wonderful country, and we are able to do that because veterans, past, present, and future, have given us the opportunity! We must remember this each day.

I must go now...More Parent Teacher Conferences in the morning. But at least I got in a jog/walk tonight (which I am super proud of myself), as we prepare for our first 5K on Sunday for the NHS PTA. It will be around core Norman, and I am getting both nervous and excited. At least I am seeing how people can actually enjoy running. It's more that I feel I need it, than like it. I hate getting there, but when it's all over, I feel so much better. Me, a jogger?!?! Maybe... 

To My Nenaw Re

Though I just posted last night, and this blog is not entitled with any "v" word, I felt the need to write, to pay tribute to my dear, sweet Grandma Re. Today marks the 5th Anniversary of her arrival in Heaven, but there are still so many of us here that love and miss her. She certainly makes Heaven a much sweeter place. She was such a warm and caring person, who gave so much to others on a daily basis. As a stay-at-home-mom, her job didn't look too important to many, just like many other 1940s/50s housewives, but she invested her life in people. Not in things or wealth or travels, but PEOPLE. She loved life, and definitely lived each day to the fullest. Her faith ran deep, and she led many to Christ, as well as continued to pray for many who did not find their way while she was still alive. For her 85 birthday, my Mom put together a scrapbook of letters written by all different people that she had touched through her life. I was in college, and busy, and selfish, and never wrote her that letter. A part of me still feels guilty about not telling her, but I had a dream once, where she was hugging me while I was crying, and she was saying, "It's okay, Kiley. I love you. It's okay." That helped with the guilt, but sometimes it still lingers. So this is my message to her that I never fully told her in real life, but I know she knows now:

My Sweet Grandma Re,

You have been one of the biggest influences in my life, and you have molded me into the woman I am today. You were such a beautiful person, inside and out. I love your giving spirit, and I try to emulate the heart that you had each day. You touched so many people's lives; you led so many to the Cross. I loved spending time with you and seeing your sweet smile, delighting in the simple things, whether it be ringing the bell at midnight in 2000, shoe shopping, having lunch with you daughters or granddaughters, or being with family at the holidays. Your life continues to reach others and I still feel like I learn from you as I grow older. The things I enjoy doing most, I believe you did too. I love New York City, ballroom dancing, the fall, root beer, the color green, baking/cooking for others, and making my house a home. The best compliment anyone could every give me is that I remind them of you. Your life was everything but ordinary, and you were the one who made it incredible. I love you very much, Grandma Re, and I miss you each day. I look forward to spending eternity with you in Heaven, and my hope is that I touch half as many people in my life that you did in your 86 years. You are treasure that we miss on Earth, but I rest in the peace knowing that I will see you again soon.

With all my love,
Your granddaughter
Kiley

When she dies 5 years ago, it was turning point for me, where I realized I was not becoming the person I wanted to be or was proud of, and in that year, I learned a lot about who I was and who I wanted to be, while remembering who Nenaw was and why so many people loved her and paid tribute to her in her death. Each day, I miss her in different ways, and often find myself asking "Wouldn't she like to see this? Or do this? Or cook this? Or talk to this sweet person?". When I step on her rug by my kitchen, use her gold clutch for a special occasion, that still has a Kleenex and a butterscotch candy in it, listen to Christmas records on her record player, or make a cake and use her old cake stand, I think of her. She used to be overwhelmed with the belief in the good of people sometimes that she would say, "Oh, just think of all the wonderful people in the world I will never get to meet! Isn't that sad?". What a simple purity she had, and now she is getting to meet many of those wonderful people she wanted to in Heaven.  I miss her dearly, but strive to be like her in my life. She was an amazing Grandma, and there will never be one like her again! I love you Nenaw Re!

Vehemence for Teaching and Fall!

I haven't posted in almost a month, which I have been meaning to do so each week since my last post. I had hoped to do this more frequently, because I have had a lot on my mind, but tonight I'll contain it to two areas: teaching and fall.

Teaching this third year has gotten SO MUCH better. I go to work everyday, not dreading any part of it, and am now excited to see the students. I can't believe what a difference this 3rd year has made...Before, I viewed teaching as a humbling experience only, and that it was showing me how imperfect I am. But, now I am seeing that through that humbling I have learned so much from others and so much about myself. I feel confident now when I start my day, and I enjoy the time I spend with my kiddos. They are all sweet and kind, and they do what I ask of them! It's AMAZING! I am so thankful to have them! When I left school Friday, I was just smiling because after two days of pure testing, the kids were all so excited to continue reading a book called Monster. It's written using journal entries and a screenplay, as if the 16-year-old boy on trial is actually writing it. The kids love it and so do I. It is our first glimpse into prejudice and tolerance, which I feel is the bigger picture that I get to teach through our English II class. We also get to read 12 Angry Men and To Kill a Mockingbird, and I have is watch "The Great Debators" and "Freedom Writer's". I am really loving what I teach and loving who I teach this year. And I've also seen the product of my hardwork in my students who are now Juniors or Seniors. They come back to visit and, get this, bring me GIFTS! Isn't that incredible? I feel like I am getting into being a better task-manager and liason between parents, kids, and teachers. More often than not, I leave the school thinking, "I love Norman High School, and I love teaching!" I am SO thankful, and so vested in teaching!

I am also LOVING LIFE because it is FALL! My porch is decorated with pumpkins and mums, my house full of fall decor and warm smells from my fall candles, and I have even seen a few leaves changing colors! I love this time of year so much, I can almost taste it. The weather is so gorgeous and the colors of the fall are the most beautiful. I know that I love fall, but I always forget how wonderful it really is, and we still have a month and a half left! YAY! I am excited to plan our 2nd Annual Fall Festival, as well as cooking many other fall inspired recipes and flavors. I am also reading the Harry Potter series, and it is making fall even more fun for me. I enjoy coming home, hanging with Lucy, and sitting on the porch reading. And this weather makes my new "venture", running, more bearable and actually kind of enjoyable. I have signed up to do the relay run for the OKC Memorial Marathon. My part is just a 5K, but I am pretty proud of myself for setting this as a goal, since I have NEVER run in my life EVER. I've always hated it, but hopefully I will learn to love it.

Well, even though this post is not as "deep" or "thoughtful" as past ones, I hope it can accurately tell what I am thinking about and going through right now! Thanks for reading, and I hope to post again very soon!

Veering, but still Valiant

Here I am, for my third blog, but not sure where to start. I guess I'll begin by explaining what the title of this blog means. The definition of "veering" is "to change direction; to turn; to shift", and I feel that I have been forced to do that lately, with some difficult realizations I have had in my life, which I will touch on in just a minute. But, I also think I will remain "valiant", or "courageous; brave", because of all of the wonderful things happening in my life. I used to think that life was either really bad or really good, but as I have grown older, I have found that though there can be many bad things happening in my life, there are always, and insurmountably so, many, many good things. So let's start there...

This past weekend I was able to check something off my bucket list, while also doing something that can help others. I was part of what's called a "flashmob". It's where an organized group of people start spontaneously dancing a choreographed routine in a public place. I was able to do this with about 200 other people with Norman High School in efforts to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. We danced to "Beat It" by Michael Jackson (like "Beat cancer!") on OU's campus before the game on Saturday. It was so incredibly fun, and it is something I will remember for the rest of my life! The look of surprise on people's faces was so great; I am so thankful to have been part of this opportunity! I had a great group of friends and my Mom come and watch the performance, and then we spent the rest of the day together, eating at our usual game day place, Hideaway Pizza, and watching the OU vs. FSU game at our house.

THIS is a big shout out to Kendal Hogan for planning an awesome event! Here's the link to the video, if you'd like to check it out:

http://okblitz.com/videos.aspx?cid=26356

We also did this on September 11, which was kind of another reason to do it. Even though I didn't sit and watch a TV special over it, and bawl like I have in years past, the day was full of opportunities that some might have not taken to be with those people that they love and do things that aren't ordinary and a little scary. It was a good day, but I won't ever forget how lucky I am to be an American, and have all of these "fun" opportunities, and those who have lost their lives preserving this for me and those around me. I had a great group of friends and my Mom come and watch the performance, and then we spent the rest of the day together, eating at our usual game day place, Hideaway Pizza, and watching the OU vs. FSU game at our house.

Another fun thing that I "accomplished" this week was that I finished reading Julie and Julia. I have had this book since about the time I saw the movie a year ago, and had been wanting to read it. And I loved it. The main premise of the book is that a 30-year-old, temp at a government agency in NYC after September 11 named Julie decided she needed a challenge and some meaning in her life, so she decided cook her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a year and blog about it. This is where I very first got the notion of blogging, and I loved her wit that she used in her writing. I also loved it because it chronicles her journey in New York City, while also giving snippets of Julia Child's challenges in Paris, which are two of my very favorite cities. And most importantly it was about cooking. I have truly grown to enjoy cooking, and relishing in the "fruit of your own labor". It makes me happy to make others happy (mainly my husband) with good food. It was another "memoir"-ish book that I've read this summer, and I have found that I really enjoy these. We then bought the movie and watched it this afternoon. It is more interesting to read a book before watching the movie too, because then you know so much more back story. I'm not sure if I cried the first time I saw it, but I did tear up today, thinking of these two women who were lost in their own worlds, but essentially joined over time and space by cooking. It was good for their spirits when they needed joy, simple joy, and that's something I can take from this book, as well as Eat, Pray, Love: to find the joy in my life, and hold on to it for dear life. That's what I am trying to do right now.

The not-so-awesome part of my life right now has to do with someone I've known all my life, who I am now seeing in a different light that I've only heard about before, due to their lives most recent challenges. This is what the "veering" I was talking about earlier. It has caused me to have a shift in my way of thinking about my life. A big part of me wants to be mad for how they've acted towards me lately, but I also feel sad for them and for what their unknown future holds. I am not sure if this person will ever get over the struggles they are having, and it hurts that there's nothing I can do about it. All I can do is pray, pray, pray for them, and for healing in my own heart towards them.

I've always heard that God doesn't give us more than we can handle, and I am SO thankful for that. School is good overall, life with Chris is amazing as always, and I am surrounded by wonderful people in my life. These things make this not-so-awesome thing more bearable, for sure.

This is another fun thing that happened this weekend...Summer Breeze Concert and a mini-picnic with some of my favorite people.

So I must push on, and start another week. It will be a good one too, I am sure of it. Because look at all that I wrote about the wonderful things, and then there was little room to write about the bad things. I know now that life is not just about good or bad times, but a mixture of both that we can handle. God is amazing, and I am so thankful for all that my life holds right now, the difficult and the rewarding.

Vibrant Birthday and Victorious Cooking

So I am going to try, note that I say "try", to title as many of these blog posts with some v-word in it, but I've noticed that there are a lot of negative V words that I hope I don't have a day that makes me want to use them. Anyways, I may start naming these blogs random V words in the end - like vicissitude or viscosity, which I am not even sure if I spelled it right then! Oh well, here we go...

This birthday has been one of the most amazing times for me, where I have never felt more loved, appreciated, and cared for by my wonderful friends and family. In frustrating times, I must come back and read about it, so I remember how lucky I am. My actual birthday, like I said before, was on the first day of school (I thought "no bueno"), but it really turned out to not only be an awesome first day of school AND birthday. It the best first day/birthday I think I have ever had! I felt like I was literally showered with hugs, cards, gifts, smiles, my favorite foods, facebook notifications, texts, calls, and "Happy Birthday"s. Saturday night I went out with my "English II peeps", as I like to call them, and had dinner at a great restaurant. They even brought me gifts! I love the people I work with - they are amazing! And then, the next day, Sunday, we had family over to celebrate, where everyone brought delicious food, warm smiles, and thoughtful gifts. My mom made me a cake; it was a layered lemon-bluberrry cake! Yum! Finally, just a few days ago, on Saturday, my friends helped my celebrate once again at The Mont, where I even got a free birthday shirt! Haha! It was so sweet to see so many people come to celebrate with me and bring gifts! WOWZA! My hand is going to be tired of writing those "Thank You" cards! The point in telling you all of this is just that I was so overwhelmed by all of the love I felt from all of my friends and family celebrating my birthday, and I am so so so so grateful for these people I have in my life. Actually, chances are that if you're reading this, you are one of those people! And another realization I came to, during this birthday in particular, was that I feel like I appreciated everything so much, een more than any year before, because I didn't really care what I did or what gifts I got, just that I though how kind it was that people went out of their way to make me feel special. That's amazing, isn't it? I hope I can do this for others too, but I am just still in awe at the giving nature of the amazingly incredible people I have in my life. I guess you could say that I'm feeling pretty blessed right now. :)

As for the cooking portion of this post, I am reading Julie & Julia, and absolutely loving it. I love her witty style of writing, and I find many things about her personality are like mine. I felt inspired by her cooking endeavors, so I made a pretty darn good dinner from a magazine recipe tonight, and I certainly am proud of myself. It was a lemon-thyme chicken, and it was healthy too! I even made a little salad that tasted a lot like Greek House's salad! YAY! But lots of times, I totally mess up, and get super frustrated like she does in the book, and again, it reminds me of myself. All that hard work going to waste? That will just about bring me to tears. But I guess that's why I'm not Julia Childs. Actually, I first had the notion to write a blog because of "Julie & Julia", the movie, which I also love. Speaking of movies (I think I acquired a little ADD these past few weeks...), I also finally got to see "Eat, Pray, Love" this weekend with Julia Roberts. I read the book this summer, just so I could see the movie, and I loved it too. I couldn't really relate to the "not wanting to be married" part, but I could relate to her trying to be someone she's not, and then finally realizing that the real her was even more amazing than she thought she could be. I've always struggled with my own self-esteem, and this book/movie reminds me of the good in me. And I particularly love the part about Italy, since I went there three summers ago, and it makes me want to go back oh-so-badly. Someday, maybe. Before we have kids. Yep. Sounds good.

So, I guess today, if you need a book, a movie, a recipe, or a birthday hug, I'm your gal. You may not like my choices or methods, but I sure do. :)

V is for...

A good friend of mine recently suggested that I start a blog. So here I am. Giving it a try. I've always, always loved journaling, so I guess this is my new way of doing so, or in addition to what I write already in my journal. Last year, I did a "Project 365" on my facebook, where I posted pictures for each day. That was tough but I really love the end product. So instead of continuing that, I thought I wanted to start a blog on my 27th birthday, which also happened to be the first day of school in my third year of teaching. Obviously, that didn't work out, and it was pretty crazy for me to think that doing that was really going to happen. But you live and you learn! And now I'm starting my blog today. It was a good day, that gave me a glimpse of fall, and it made me happy. Pretty good for the first week of school, eh?

Now, you may be thinking... "Why all the alliteration with the V's?". Well, because I'm an English teacher and I think all these V words capture the essence of "me". Let me explain each part:

Vintage -
I've loved old and antique things for as long as I can remember, from houses to furniture, and cars to knick-knacks. I live in a 1940s cottage-y home, and despite the things that need to be upgraded, I absolutely love it. I think of the people who lived here before me, and how different their lives must have been from mine. Especially since this house was built right around the end of WWII...Those Americans were the greatest generation. I also feel that I am "called" to love and preserve these old things, as they are a part of our history. I believe I am doing a little service to honor those who lived before me and fought for what I can now call my freedoms.

Values -
I believe that I am a person who has some strong values, and though I've made plenty of mistakes, I still try to stick to my beliefs. I truly value honesty, compassion, patience, trustworthiness, understanding, and integrity. The people who are closest to me I think have these attributes, and I am the luckiest gal in the world to have them in my life.

Ventures -
I strongly believe in "living each day to it's fullest". Some days this makes me pretty exhausted and sometimes low on the "cash-flow", but I have so many incredible memories of places I've traveled and things that I have given the opportunity to do, and I would NEVER trade those memories for anything. I plan on continuing this life of adventure, and experiencing many more things. It excites me thinking of what the future holds for me.

Lastly, I love the word "vested". I actually used it in my first-day-of-school-get-to-know-you activity. I called myself "Vested Valentas", because this attribute of mine can be both a strength and a weakness. Whatever I do (teaching, being a friend, being a wife, creating a project), I put my all into it. Sometimes that gets me in trouble when I expect others to do the same, and then I get hurt. But I'd rather give my all, and risk that chance of getting hurt.

Well, I want to read some of the book I just started finally before going to bed. So, farewell blog-land! Hopefully, I will write again soon!