Fresh Start

As I have said many a times before, I am bound and determined to get this blog back up and running so here we go...again. With summer break in full effect, now is the time to do it! Since I last blogged...oh, 6 months ago....a LOT has happened and changed in my life. Some good. Some stressful. Some less than desirable. Some fantastic. 

I contemplated for the last couple of days how I wanted to write my next blog post, hence why it hasn't happened before today. There's too much to update in a single post and I didn't know how to narrow it down or what to write about. So, instead of long drawn out posts about my mediocre and average adventures in Ft. Wayne, I decided to just make a list of the biggest changes and most exciting occurrences that took place in the last 6 months! The majority of readers already know all of these things...but I just figured it was a good place to get back on track. 

1. Most excitingly and most recently, Nick and I got engaged!!! We traveled down to Noblesville, IN to see Dave Matthews Band (shocker) and he popped the question at the exact spot where we met almost five years ago. I wrote a whole post last year about that ever fateful day, if you'd like to refresh your memory. 

2. Nick continues to do very well with his job with GFS...so much so that he was offered a promotion! Back in January, he was offered a route in Bowling Green, Ohio which meant a move was on the horizon. Because I was still in the middle of the school year, we couldn't exactly just pick up and move. This led to Nick commuting every day (not fun) with us planning to move as soon as school let out in early June. About a month ago, though, plans changed and he was offered a route back in Fort Wayne! Yippee! So...we are not moving and we are staying put right here where we want to be. I'm almost done unpacking the boxes we had started to pack up. ;)

3. Speaking of jobs...when we were slated to move, I went ahead and resigned from my position (a bit earlier than I wanted to) because of some circumstances going on at school. It wasn't until after we found out that we weren't moving that I had a decision to make. Ultimately, I won't be returning to my school in Kendallville next year. Nick's territory covers a lot of cities south of FW, so if we relocate and buy a house in that area, it would make my already 50 minute drive just too far. I'm grateful for the opportunity I had at my job and I'm glad to have a year under my belt!

4. Which means...job searching is back on. Last year, I planned on subbing in the area to get a feel for all of the schools before landing a full time position. Currently, that is my plan for this upcoming school year. I am applying for jobs as they become available, but I would truthfully prefer to substitute so that I hopefully find a school that is a good fit. Nick is on board and very supportive of this, so that's the plan...for now. 

5. While I am enjoying summer vaca so far, the best is yet to come! In two weeks, I'm traveling to California with my very best friend, Emily, for a much needed and long overdue reunion! We are heading to the Napa Valley/San Fran area and I cannot wait!!

6. After that...I'll fly back to Florida with her and spend a week in Naples. Nick will also be joining for part of that time and while he is there, my parents are throwing us an engagement party (!!) and then the next day we will head over to West Palm Beach with Jessica and Todd for another DMB show. 

7. But, before all that even happens...my mom is coming up to visit! Tomorrow! I can't wait to see her and perhaps even begin the wedding planning process...with a little "just for fun" dress shopping. 

8. I've officially lived in Fort Wayne for a year now and I couldn't be happier that I made the move. Some days it feels like yesterday I just got here, and other times it seems like I've been here forever. This first year has been QUITE eventful so I can only imagine what year 2 has in store. Stay tuned...

A few pictures...

Engaged!

Indy 500

Visit from Jody! 

Kentucky Derby. Lookin' classy

Maker's Mark...our homeland. 

Winter Wonderland

Many of you reading this are doing so while enjoying warm, tropical-like, Florida winter temperatures. And for that, I am incredibly jealous considering that I have been snowed in for the past 3 days and experiencing Arctic temperatures...thanks, Polar Vortex. It is with excitement that I can report the current temperature is 18 degrees and only feels like 10! Keep in mind, this is a VAST difference from the -40 wind chills we were experiencing earlier in the week. I never thought I would consider 20 degrees to be "warm" but I am starting to change my tune.

With the blizzard that we experienced, came what every teacher dreams of hearing....Snow Day! This was exponentially exciting for me since this was my first snow day (which turned into 4 days!) ever! 

The perfect time to update my blog :)

The city (and greater portion of the Midwest) was practically shut down Monday and Tuesday, which was great because it meant Nick got to stay home too! Even he said that this was one of the worst storms and coldest temperatures that he's ever experience, which makes me feel like I have a wee bit of room to complain about how cold I am ;) 

Back tracking to Sunday when the storm actually came through. Our friend Aaron spent the day with us at the house and we I had a whole lot of fun playing outside! Again, the temps on Sunday were relatively nice and in the 30s so it was actually bearable to be outside! We built snowmen, made forts, had snowball fights, and jumped into drifts. I really loved every minute of it! Also, the perfect time to snap some pictures of our very own winter wonderland!

Major picture upload happening....now!

Since our fun-filled day on Sunday, I've been trapped inside ever since. But don't worry, I am not complaining! I've loved every minute of this extra down time and have snuck in a few productive activities here and there. But...just a few :) A lot of time has been dedicated to far more important things...for instance, watching daytime talk shows (Bethenny, is my fave), catching up on the Real Housewives, watching way too much HGTV, and pinning elaborate wedding related items on Pinterest (that have no purpose at this point in time). I think painting my nails and catching up on my Us Weekly's are in store for tonight. 

I got the call that school is cancelled again for tomorrow...yippee!...just a little bit ago so I have one more day at home. We'll only have to make up two of the four days which makes the cancellations even sweeter. 

I've been told that if I can survive this winter, then I'll be golden so I am hoping they are all right! After all, I am still very much a Florida girl at heart....

Snow Gator!

Enjoy the warmth, Florida friends! Until next time :)

I'm Baaaack! (hopefully)

Did ya miss me?! 

I thought going a few weeks without blogging was bad, but then that few weeks turned into a few months and I just kind of gave up. Not that I wanted to...trust me! I absolutely loved starting this little blog earlier this year, but life sorta happened and any spare time I had went out the window. That'll happen when you work 12+ hour days. 

But...with the new year quickly approaching, a resolution of mine will be to get this blog back up and running. I promise to do my best! 

The last 6 months have had incredible ups and downs. I've had great days and not so great days and a whole lotta in between days. Overall, I would say I am adjusting very well but then again, winter is just settling in and this morning the windchill was a -2. Awesome. 

I could write and write and write FOREVER and fill you in on my job, life with Nick, the house, and everything else...but quite frankly, I don't have the patience for that! Too much has happened and I wouldn't even know where to begin! If you are that inclined to know my true feelings about any of the above...give me a call! I'd be happy to answer any questions ;-)

Instead, here is a recap in pictures. From lake pictures from the summer to Christmas tree hunting last weekend. Just a few. 

A week a half to go until Christmas break and I'm on my way back to the Sunshine State! Jody and I are road-tripping our way down there and I can't wait! 

I'll be back again soon...I promise :)

Until next time!

Honesty

While it might appear that I have indeed fallen off the face of the earth (and sometimes I feel like I have!), I am still here and kickin'. Sadly, this whole "adult life" and having a job has meant that my blog is on the back burner. Throughout the day, I give myself mental reminders that I need and want to blog, but then reality sets in and I realize that I have 84 other things on my to-do list. But, here I am now sitting on my couch watching Sweet Home Alabama and finally starting to feel like I have a grasp on things. It is a small grasp, but a grasp nonetheless. 

I'm not quite even sure where to begin, so I'm just going to start writing. Bear with me. 

Landing a full-time teaching position less than two months after moving to Indiana was something I honestly did not think would happen. The fact that it did work out, makes me incredibly grateful...it truly does. But, it is also been one of the most overwhelming, exhausting, and emotional transitions I have ever gone through. Particularly because I am still adjusting to a new life in a new home with a new roommate. My days are long, my classroom is still only half-decorated (hence the lack of pictures), and my plans are being created one day at a time. My feet are sore, my voice is hoarse, and my brain is constantly trying to remember and keep up with all this new lingo that I am learning. But, at the end of the day, I am grateful for all of these things. Because, despite my efforts to tell Nick that all I want to do is be a stay-at-home girlfriend, that doesn't help pay the bills at the end of the day (I thoroughly enjoyed that for a short time, though!). I know that I am very lucky to have a job and I know that things will settle down and I know that there are many a people that would love this chance that I have been given. 

All of my teacher friends will know what I mean when I say that everything we ever learned about being a first-year teacher is entirely true! Like, spot on. Laughter. Tears. Stress. Anxiety. Eagerness. More Tears. The gang's all here! Something so simple as finishing your math lesson right on schedule before moving on to the next subject feels like you just conquered the world. And then realizing that kids just don't quite get how to stand and walk in a straight, quiet line reels you back in to reality. There are ups and downs all day long, but that is what being a teacher is all about. Not everything will go perfect, but it all manages to come together somehow, someway in the end. And if it doesn't, that's what margaritas are for.

This post is not intended to be negative, by any means, and I hope that it doesn't come off that way. It's meant to be honest. That teaching can be really, really hard. Because while I could write and complain about everything that has gone less than perfect...what's the point? Sure, I've called and vented to my family and Nick, but it wouldn't do any good to harbor on the negatives and I'm pretty sure no one really wants to read about that anyway! I do hope that you're interested in some of the wonderful things that have happened though!

1. My teaching partner, Cherri, is absolutely fabulous. We are the only two 4th grade teachers, and I'd be lost without her, no doubt. She will drop anything that she is doing to answer the silliest of my questions and she helps me do anything and everything. We plan our lessons together and she always keeps me in the loop. She has a way of telling me that everything will be okay and she has really taken me under her wing. There have been many days where I just want my mom, and she's the one I can turn to. Until I get in the car and can call Sarah :)

2. My kids are sweet! I've gotten cute notes and "best teacher ever" cards and they always help put things back into perspective. They have also learned that coloring with orange and blue and writing "Go Gators!" on their paper isn't a bad thing. I'm definitely creating some little Gators!

3. I've been told that I'm doing a good job. Which is always really, really nice to hear :) 

 4. Every day is getting better and a bit easier. This week started off rough, but went uphill. I am starting to get into the swing of things and find a rhythm with the kids...which is enjoyable for everyone!

As always, Nick has continued to be very supportive and is good about giving me tough love when I need it. Sometimes I do just want him to shut up and listen, but he always finds something encouraging to say and he does do a good job at putting things back into perspective. I feel guilty because I haven't been able to give him my undivided attention or just have a lighthearted conversation with him in what feels like forever. I wake up at 5:15, get home at 6:00, and am in bed by 9:30 so our time has been limited. When I do get home, I just want to sit and have some peace and quiet, which makes me feel selfish. I decided to skip the lake this weekend because I had papers to grade and work to get done and knew I could be more productive here, but it's also been a bit lonely. I kept wishing all day that I could be at the lake with him, but I also think that a day to myself might have been a good thing. Being long distance for three years has been all I've ever known and being by myself was just always how it was. I enjoy my alone time so I still think it's important that we still have that from time to time. But, he reminded me last night as he texted me goodnight, that "soon enough it will be just you and me, on the couch. Every night. :-)" ...and I'm also ready for that!

Again, thank you to everyone who has called or wrote or texted or tweeted or facebook-ed me to let me know that I'm in your thoughts. It really does mean so much to me and makes my days better. This new chapter in my life is just that...new. It's exciting and scary all at the same time. I feel like I can't keep my head above water, but I haven't even gotten my feet wet. I have no idea what my life will be like a year from now and I have no idea what Monday has in store for me. I can't believe I've already been in Fort Wayne for two months, yet it feels like I've been here for two years. 

If there is anything that I do know, it's these 3 things:

1. I am pumped for the *NSYNC reunion performance at the VMAs. I may even practice my Bye, Bye, Bye dance moves to prep for it. 

2. Gator Football is only 1 week away. I'm ready for some Coach Boom!

3. I hope I am a better teacher than I am a blogger. I promise to *try* to post again soon. 

Until next time :)

Miss Garner

Remember in my very first post how I said I didn't have a job moving up to Fort Wayne (and everyone was asking!!) but would let the world know when I did?? Well. Today is that day.

I AM EMPLOYED! 

I will be teaching 4th grade at North Side Elementary School in Kendallville, IN and I am so excited! Here's how it all went down. 

My daily routine for the past few months was to get online, check the job postings for schools in the area, apply to ANY that applied to me (I think I even applied for a first grade position), and keep my fingers crossed. As the days passed and I was getting no feedback, I came to terms with the fact that I would probably have to substitute for the first year and get my foot in the door that way. And honestly, I was okay with that. I was still holding out a sliver of hope that something permanent would come up, but since my teaching license and certification is still pending, I had a feeling I was not a very desirable candidate. As of last Wednesday, I counted and had applied for 46 positions. And hadn't gotten a single callback. Talk about discouraging.

Then, last Thursday, my luck changed! The day prior, I had gotten word of an anticipated job opening at an elementary school in a school district that I hadn't really even considered. It was a little further away and the thought of filling out one more application was not appealing. My friend Brittney first told me about it because her boyfriend, Matt, is a middle school teacher in that area. He forwarded me the job posting and I noticed that the principal's name and email address were available. Before I started the whole application process, I thought I should just email her and explain my situation (pending certification) to see if she would even consider me. I did just that and waited to hear back. Not 20 minutes later, I got a call from Carolyn (Nick's mom) saying that she passed my resume along to the high school principal in that area. She works for Coca-Cola and one of her customers is the high school. That principal was kind enough to send my resume to the elementary principal. So in the matter of just a couple of hours, this principal got my resume twice so I was feeling a little more hopeful! I didn't hear back from her that day, but on Thursday she called me and asked if I would be able to interview on Monday! I was elated!! Even if I didn't get the job, it was a step in the right direction. 

After a weekend of portfolio building, interview clothes shopping, and constant scenarios and questions running through my mind...Monday came pretty quick! I was surprisingly not very nervous driving into the interview, but when I got into the room and saw FIVE people staring at me with questions ready to be fired off...the nerves settled in. I felt very composed and thought I answered the majority of the questions well, but of course, there were moments when I thought to myself..."Well, that was a dumb answer" or "Did I even answer the question that she just asked me?" The thirty minutes flew by and I politely made my way to the front desk so the secretary could make some copies of my paperwork. About 15 seconds after leaving the room, the principal came back out, asked me to come back in, and said "You're not a criminal, are you?" I adamantly said no and she came back with, "Well, pending your background check and references are good...welcome to North Side!" I was shocked!! I giggled and thanked her profusely and told her how excited I was. Sure, I thought the interview went well and hoped that my chances were good but I would have never expected to be hired on the spot like that. I had to go down to the superintendent's office immediately to start filling out paperwork so I didn't even have a chance to call anyone to tell them. Two hours later, Nick apparently couldn't handle it anymore so he called me and I said, "Sorry, I would have called you sooner but I've been busy signing paperwork because I was hired!" He was ecstatic and that made it really sink in for me. It had been just a whirlwind couple of hours, I didn't really have time to just sit and be excited about it. I spent the whole drive home calling my family and that's when it felt real!

I didn't want to say anything publicly (I didn't want to jinx myself or I was sure something would fall through!) but I went back to the school yesterday and when I saw this...I'd say that's pretty official :)

My classroom! (I love that they put "Miss" hehe)

I got keys to my classroom and the building and got a tour of the school. Everyone I met was so friendly and welcoming and it really eased my mind and made me even more excited. My room is of course pretty bare, but I was relieved to see that the former teacher left a LOT of her posters and manipulatives so at least I will have a place to start! My first official day is Friday and the kids first day is next Wednesday (so soon!).

Champs. Heather Dubrow style. #RHOC

Nick came home that night with flowers and champagne and reservations for Chop's already set up for Tuesday night. He was so thoughtful and kept telling me how proud he was and I genuinely know how excited (and relieved!) he is that I got a near perfect job! We had a beautiful night celebrating last night filled with champagne and martinis at my absolute favorite restaurant in Ft. Wayne. It was perfect and it made me realize all over again how lucky I am to have Nick and his support. 

So. Good. No leftovers for me!

I am so excited for this next chapter in my life and am so thankful for this opportunity! It really is true that it's not what you know, but who you know! Had it not been for Carolyn and Brittney & Matt, I would have never heard about this position. Keep me in your thoughts and wish me luck...I'm going to need it! Even though there will probably definitely be some a lot of stressful tears over these next crazy few weeks, I am feeling very lucky to have a wonderful job! 

Enjoying these next few days before the real world does kick in and figuring out what insurance plan I want (big girl time!)

Until next time :)

A Day at the Speedway

This past Sunday I was lucky enough to spend the day with some of my family, which was extra special because this wasn't an extensively planned trip...it was all thrown together in the week prior! Every year, my dad makes his way up for the Brickyard 400 and this year, my brother and sister came along with him. Ironically enough, Nick's mom won tickets to the race through work so we had the opportunity to go, too. We didn't jump on the chance to go at first (neither of us are NASCAR fans) but the more I thought about it, I really wanted to see my family even if it was only for a brief hello. Nick (somewhat begrudgingly) decided to go so the three of us woke up before the sun and ventured down to Speedway, IN. 

We met up with my family at a nearby shopping plaza and followed each other closer to the track to find parking. We were able to park together on one of the side streets (fo' free), packed some coolers, and started walking. And walking. And walking. If you've never been to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, I would first suggest that you attempt to go at least once in your life. I would then suggest that you wear comfortable shoes because you will do a ton of walking! Even if you don't like racing, you'll enjoy yourself. The sheer size of the place is something you can't comprehend until you are actually there. I went for the first time last year for the Indy 500 and was shocked at how gigantic it was. Like I said, I'm not a NASCAR fan, but the environment is just so exciting, it's nearly impossible not to have a good time!

Once we got into the track, we walked around and took in the sights for close to two hours. We made our way to the south end of the track and then made our way back to our seats, on the north side. 

Sibling love

The Pagoda

We sat in our original seats for the start of the race but eventually made our way to where my dad's seats were. There was plenty of room and much warmer where he was! I never thought I'd be cold sitting at a race at the end of July...but I was! It was the coldest Brickyard in history and the wind didn't help matters. But I will gladly take a chilly day at the track over the brutal heat I experienced at the 500 last year (which was the hottest in history...so at least I have those neat stats going for me).

All in all, it was a great day and I'm so glad I got to see some of my family! And I already can't wait until next year's 500...only 298 days and counting!

Good Eats

Another week is in the books of my life up here as a Hoosier. Nothing too exciting has been going on, just more organizing the house and perfecting my housewife-in-training skills. I am definitely enjoying spending the days at home and really getting a feel for my new life up in Indiana. Since we are still settling in we haven't gone out and done too much (other than our lake weekends) but this past Wednesday I ventured out without Nick for a little girls night! 

Sandy and Kayla are two friends of Nick's who I have met in the past and have gotten to know rather well. Sandy and I always kept in touch even when I was still in Florida and it's been really nice having some girlfriends up here already. The two of them try to get together every week or so and do any and all sorts of things and I was thrilled when they invited me to tag along. Typically, the get togethers take place on Wednesday (so they can dub the term White Girl Wednesday) and this week we made our way out to the fair. I'm not really a fair type of gal, but I'm always up for trying something new and figured it would be fun! We ate corn on the cob and shared an elephant ear and a lemon shake-up. I was actually proud of myself for having some self-control of the deep-fried deliciousness that surrounded us. Great night and I already can't wait for next week!

Sandy, Kayla, and myself enjoying our corn. Seriously...SO good!

Mmmm!

Speaking of food, one thing I have really enjoyed since being up here is the cooking I've done. I love planning dinners for the week and having a home-cooked meal ready for Nick when he gets home. I feel like that, in addition to household chores, is the least I could do! I'm constantly on Pinterest looking for new recipes and have found several hits...and some misses. So far, Nick has enjoyed everything I have made and don't worry, he would certainly tell me if he didn't! As many of you know, Nick works in the food industry with Gordon Food Service. One of the many perks of his job is that he brings home the bacon. Literally. I think we have at least 15 pounds of bacon in our deep freeze right now. He is always bringing home samples from customers and items from the marketplace which is a huge plus. Before we even went on the dreaded grocery shopping trip, we had close to 150-200 pounds of food in our freezer. I can definitely get used to that! This makes it even easier to experiment and try out new recipes because usually we already have all of the ingredients in the house!

Here are some of my favorite Pinterest finds that I have whipped up this past week!

Chicken Fried Rice
This was great!! I followed the instructions pretty closely, but Nick thinks onions come from the devil, so I have to nix those from anything I cook. Which totally sucks because I love cooked onions. Especially in fried rice. Occasionally I'll pull his portion out first and then finish it, but many times its just easier to forgo them. All about compromise! I marinated the chicken all day in General Tso's sauce and then added some orange ginger sauce to the skillet when I added the soy sauce. Threw some frozen egg rolls in the toaster oven and we had ourselves a tasty meal!

Tortellini Bake
I made this last night and it was quite delicious. You can't every really go wrong with tortellini though! This could not have been easier and the only thing I did differently was use a light
Alfredo sauce and add some bacon crumbles to the top right before I popped it in the oven. A bagged Caesar salad and french bread with homemade olive oil dipping sauce made this meal complete. Nick's friend Taylor was over and ate with us as well. We got to use the dining room table for the first time!

Thanks for mowing the lawn, Nick! ;)

Perfect comfort food!

Spicy Sausage Pasta
This is probably my favorite Pinterest find to date. It is SO yummy and has the perfect amount of spice to it. I used the turkey sausage as was suggested and it didn't taste "light" at all. I've made this three times since I've found this recipe and it is a keeper! Had to do without the onions again, but I don't think that makes or breaks this dish by any means. Highly recommend!

 Can't get enough!

Candied Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

...And finally these babies are currently waiting to be popped into the oven. I made the dough this morning and am letting it chill in the refrigerator. I am always SO impatient when making chocolate chip cookies because I never want to let the dough chill and if I do I keep sneaking trips to the 'fridge to take a spoonful or twenty. Before I know it, I'm left with enough dough to fill up one cookie sheet and not the "three dozen" that it says it makes. Regardless, I am being patient with this one and practicing some will power. I've only gone to the 'fridge once...thank you very much! I'll let you know how they turn out but how can they not be delicious?!

**Update** These were pretty good! I definitely prefer just a good, old fashioned chocolate chip cookies but these were fun and I'm glad I made them. I wouldn't want them all of the time, but in moderation. I think I only ate 2 or 3 of them, but Nick managed to polish off the rest :)

Brown sugar coated bacon. Uh, yum. 

Plus, I got to use my adorable new measuring cups!

The best part, let's be honest

The final product! I will say that they were perfectly fluffy which was an accomplishment in itself. I pressed a few extra chocolate chips into the top of each ball of dough right before they went into the oven and I loved the way they looked. I will probably use this recipe (minus the bacon) next time I just want plain chocolate chip cookies!

Even with all of this food talk and my love for cooking and eating, in general, I'm happy to say I have lost 20 pounds since the beginning of this year! I've been exercising and counting calories and for the first time, I can really see it paying off! I feel great and I am rather proud of myself. I haven't gone on any crazy diet, I really am just being more mindful of portion sizes and measuring out everything I eat. It can become time consuming, but after awhile it just becomes habit. I love food way too much to cut out entire food groups altogether (couldn't live without bread and cheese) so I've just been limiting the amount that I intake with the help of the My Fitness Pal app. Back in Gainesville, I was going to the gym or working out at home at least 5 days a week. I haven't been quite as good about that up here, but I have been running...which for me is a huge feat. I used to DESPISE running with a passion. I thought it was stupid and couldn't even run to the mailbox without becoming irritated and exhausted. I've definitely overcome that and have really learned to love it. Plus, the 75 degree weather is motivating too!

First run in our new neighborhood yesterday.

We are headed down to the Brickyard on Sunday and I'm looking forward to seeing my dad, Drew, and Jody! Have a lovely weekend!

Until next time :)