Day 257: Quadrilateral Quest

After weeks of hard work, my friend, Melissa, and I have finally completed our Portable Learning Center. A Portable Learning Center is a reinforcement activity you have created for your classroom. After you've taught a lesson on something, it's important to have a portable learning center in your class, so any student who may be struggling with that concept can get extra practice with it! We had 3rd grade Geometry. So, we created a Quadrilateral Quest. The students have 3 missions to complete. Mission 1 is a vocabulary reinforcement game. Mission 2 is a Connect Four game. Mission 3 is a Design Your Own Parallelogram activity. 

Day 256: Singing in the Fire

In my daily devotional book, Streams in the Desert, the devo today was about praise. But, not the usual praise. This was a story about a man who had suffered for many years, and he was in his last days. He was laying there asking God why He would left His servant suffer like this. And as he was waiting for an answer, he heard sweet, soft sound, like a musical note. He looked around and realized it was coming from his fireplace. He realized that there was music buried deep within the oak. When all was well with the log, when he was a beautiful tree, he heard birds singing songs on his branches, all was well. But, since he had been chopped down, he had lost all happiness, and his heart became cold. The long-forgotten melodies were sealed deep inside him. But, once the flames from the fire consumed his callousness, the melodies became to seep back out. "The intense heat of the fire wrenched from him both a song and a sacrifice at once". Some of us are like that. Our hearts have become hardened, we no longer sing the sweet melodies to our Father. Let the fires burning around you release the notes inside your soul. This old man learned from the parable God presented to him, and his soul found sweet comfort. Sometimes the only way God can get us to praise Him is to send fire around us. 

Day 255: THE NOTEBOOK!!!!

I talked Kyle into watching the Notebook with me:) It was his first time to see it, and he LOVED it....ok, that may not be entirely true, but he liked it! This was a picture before the movie! But, if we had taken a picture after the movie, his face would have been so excited cause he just loved watching it. 

Day 254: Much needed girls' day!!

Of all the pictures we took, this seemed to be the most fitting:) We got a massage earlier in the day (which was incredible), then we went to Opry Mills to get some shopping done! So, of course we had to stop in Claire's and wear some awesome glasses. 

Day 253: Cane Creek walk

On our walk today, somebody found it necessary to climb a tree and model. Ha. But, this picture is pretty awesome. 

Day 252: First UT Basketball game!

Today was both Kyle and my first UT men's basketball game! We went with our two friends, Cody and Sumner. We played Missouri, and won:) It was an incredibly close game! OH, and the shirt that I'm wearing, Kyle bought it for me! I didn't have anything Tennessee to wear, so he bought it for me. And it was perfect, cause it's PINK! I love him!

Day 251: Sleepover:)

This is what our sleepover consisted of :) Pinterest and youtube videos! 

Day 250: Regina's School of Cooking

Check out this delicious meal. Apple Porkchops and diced potatoes. One of the greatest meals I've ever eaten. Since I've got a boyfriend now, I've decided to learn how to cook (which is something that is very foreign to me). One of my good friends, Regina, is an AMAZING cook!! So, I got some cooking lessons from her! And I took some very extensive notes! I can't wait to try some of these recipes on Kyle. 

Day 249: Sonflowers': New and Improved

Beyond thankful for this group of girls. We started with 4, but we have 6 now, and it is WONDERFUL! These girls are everything to me! Tonight our meeting last 2 1/2 hours. And we could have kept going. Thankful that these girls keep me accountable!

Day 248: BreeBaby

Today, Bree and I hung out DURING THE DAY. Which never happens! We took out our roomie's pup and just hung out! Love her :)

Day 247: COOLEST SINK EVER.

On our way out of Chatt, we stopped at Fuji's for some delicious lunch. This had to be my picture of the day because this sink was FASCINATING. You pull this level, then a WATERFALL comes down into the sink!! What?!

Day 246: Sleeping peacefully

It's been a long crazy weekend! Jordan and I passed our content praxis (Praise God!!!), then while she went to see Phil and Kay for a Duck Dynasty benefit dinner, I passed my CIA praxis (God is INCREDIBLE!). This is the most productive weekend we've both had in a while! Finally, I can sleep peacefully:) 
I'm using this picture simply because I forgot to take a picture during the day, so this one worked the best :) ha. 

Day 245: Brynleigh!

Today has been a pretty eventful day. Jordan and I studied for our praxis tests and took a tour around Chattanooga so I could see her hometown. After watching the Bachelor and eating Moe's, we head out to take our test. It was way harder than I expected and we both thought we'd failed. We needed a 140 to pass the test. We both made 174, which is crazy!!! So we are pumped, yet exhausted. So we decided to go to see her baby niece, who is only 3 weeks old! She was awake for most of the night but then she went to sleep. I just loved this picture of her because she's so peaceful:)

Day 244: We are here, we are here!

After LNP, around 11:00, we headed out for Chattanooga! We've got some praxis tests this weekend, so we thought we'd go ahead and leave Thursday night. It was a long and tiring drive, but we made it:)

Day 243: Love me some Bree

One of my favorite people to snapchat with :) I just had to take a screenshot of this. She is funny:) Love her!!!

Day 242: Guys' Championship Game

Tonight was our UCSC guys' championship against the SOC. They played in the Hoop which was pretty awesome! The UCSC was done by at least 10 the whole game, but in the end we were coming back and we only lost by 3, which was a huge accomplishment. It was a great game to watch! This is a picture of both teams coming together to pray! 

Day 241: Sweet Ally

I am definitely gonna go into depression when this dog has to move homes. I was just laying on bed, playing on my phone, and she did not like that I was not paying attention to her. So, this is how she gets my attention! I love this girl!!

Day 240: Kyle and his nephew

I had no part with this picture, I wasn't even there when it was taken. But, it's about the sweetest picture I've ever seen! So I had to make it my picture of the day! This is my boyfriend, Kyle, with his nephew, Easton! Love love this picture:)

Day 239: Girls night!!!

Loved hanging out with these hotties!! TTU Basketball game then some line dancing:) 

Day 238: Love seeing my family

I had an interview in Knoxville today for a summer job, so I stopped at home and got to see my mom and sister before they left for a volleyball tournament...I love seeing them!!!

Day 237: Facetiming with my best friend

We love both having iPhones so we can facetime!! Love it:) Haven't seen her in forever!!

Day 236: Preparing for a Portable Learning Center

This is really a lame picture. I just didn't take a better one today. My class partner and I are working on this assignment we have for class and we found the perfect manipulatives in this container for our portable learning center!

Day 235: One year without my Grandpa

6 months ago, I posted this pic of me and my Grandpa from a few years back. It's now been 1 year exactly since his passing. Wow, I can't believe it's been a year. I feel like it was just yesterday that my called me. I had to take a screen shot of this picture from my instagram. This was 6 months ago and I was so incredibly broken when I posted this picture. 

Day 234: UCSC Outreach night at Ghetto Quad

At our outreach night, we grilled burgers and hot dogs and played some ninja!! Here's an interesting shot from the night. 

Day 233: My girls at Winterfest

What a great room of 8th grade girls :) 

Day 232: Snow at Winterfest!

Love my 8th grade girls. These were just some of my 8th grade girls from the summer. We were all in a condo together. Love them :) It started snowing, so we got really excited!! Then, it stopped snowing and none of it even stuck...bummer! 

Day 231: Throwback to Winterfest

I'm going to Winterfest this weekend with the youth group I worked with last summer, so I thought I'd fish out an old Winterfest pic of me. Here is one. Goodness, we look different! Gotta love these girls :) We did everything together in the youth group!! Such sweet memories!

Day 230: Sweet Ally! HAPPY VALENTINE'S!

Happy Valentine's Day :) Today, I got to spend my day with this little love, Ally! She's my roommate's new puppy so we get to hang out with her for a few weeks! She's one of the cutest things and I love hanging out with her!!
Kyle and I went to Safe Haven for our date night tonight:) Just had to throw that in there. 

Day 229: Early Valentine's Day dinner:)

On Thursdays, Kyle and I always fast, so we realized that we couldn't do our Valentine's dinner on Thursday. So, he took me out to dinner on Wednesday night:) We went to Crawdaddy's and it was so fun!! I loved it. Then, Thursday night, we saw Safe Haven!! Two nights of Valentine's...yeah, I'm pretty lucky.

Day 228: For Women Only book

I'm reading this book for a second time and it's so eye opening!! A woman wrote the book, but polled hundreds of men to try to get inside the mind of a guy. Women and men are so different, but it's so important for us to try to understand each other a little better. I'm reading it again since I'm dating Kyle, and it's crazy how much I'm learning! I think this book is so very important for every single girl to read!!

Day 227: Teaching Quote

As a future teacher, when I saw this quote, I immediately had to get a copy of it because it is so beautiful!! What a powerful statement about education. 

Day 226: Daddy Daughter time

My dad and I got some incredible bonding time this weekend. He and I traveled together to my Aunt's services this weekend, so we had a lot of time to just talk and spend time together. I am truly grateful for my Dad and so blessed for the time we get to spend together!!

Day 225: Celebrating the Life of my Aunt

Today was the most beautiful service I've ever sat through. I truly that believe that God used everybody involved in the service. The music that was played was incredible. God spoke through each person that spoke today. The first couple songs I couldn't sing. I couldn't raise my hands. I couldn't get into it, because every time I opened my mouth, I started crying. After a while, I looked around and saw their friends worshipping with their hands up, dancing, with tears streaming down their face. A couple of my cousins were able to stand up and worship God fully. I then realized that by worshipping right there with everyone meant that we were worshipping with my Aunt Lisa, which gave me the strength to stand up and worship with her. 

I spoke at her Celebration of Life. I felt so unworthy, but my Aunt truly showed me everything I want to be as a Christian, and I had to brag on her. I'm beyond grateful that God put her in our lives. She has forever changed me, and her life wil always be a legacy.

The 3 older girls cousins together! We all live in completely different parts of the country, so it was wonderful being able to come together and catch up. 

Day 224: Aunt Lisa's Memorial Service

My Sonflowers' girls bought me this Willow Tree to represent my Aunt Lisa. Wow, she was a beautiful woman of COURAGE. This absolutely represents what my Aunt looks like in Heaven right now. She's got her arms up and her heart is completely abandoned to God! I know that she is dancing her heart out. I miss her beautiful smile. 

This is my Aunt's granddaughter! She has been such a joy and a light in this hard situation! Sweet Aria has been everything to this family!

Day 223: NO MORE BRACES

Somebody finally got her braces off :) Hottie!!

Day 222: Lifehouse Everything skit preparation

My sweet roomie helped me get ready for the skit tonight!! I have been so nervous and so she helped me get prepared which made me feel better :) She is so great!! 

Day 221: It's actually happening.

Seeing this on Facebook made me realize that this is really happening. She really is gone. I truly can't believe it. 

Day 220: Teaching strategies to help kids read

Practicing teaching strategies in class!! 

Day 219: Aunt Lisa went to be with Jesus

After months and months of battling cancer, God finally deemed her victorious and brought her up to heaven to be with Him. She is already dearly missed. I'll be honest. I was mad when I first heard the news, and I'm still mad. I don't understand. We all prayed, fasted, danced, cried, begged to God for Him to heal her. He did. He most certainly did! But, why did He have to take care her away? I'm really struggling with all of this. But, I just keep thinking back to Aunt Lisa's mighty faith, and it's her faith that is helping me get through this time. 

Day 218: My favorite part of the day

Spending time with Kyle is my absolute most favorite part of my day!!

Day 217: SNOW DAY!!!!!!!

We finally got a decent snow:) I was so excited! Unfortunately, I still had class. 

Day 216: Clumsy White Boys game

We're a couple of faithful girlfriends cheering on our guys at their clumsy white boys' game!  They scored some points!!!

Day 215: Human Trafficking awareness

I saw this flyer in the UCSC and was absolutely shocked to realize that there was human trafficking in Tennessee. I wasn't able to attend the actual event, but it made me realize that I have been so oblivious to what's going on around me, and this has encouraged me to do some research and see what's going on out there and how I can help. 

Day 214: Matching with my boyfriend

I'm gonna be a girly girl for a second, and say that this is our first picture together as a couple:) LOVE IT!! 

Day 213: Girls' Ministry fellowship night!

On 1 side, we tore out pictures from magazines to create a collage representing all the things we want to do. On the other side, we chose pictures that we didn't want to ever be. I liked what these represent! So, this is the side that I am and always what I strive to be. 

Day 212: HAPPY SWEET 16, SARAH!!!!!

Happy sweet 16, beautiful Sarah!! 

Day 211: Pigeon Forge Volleyball Tournament!

I just LOVE watching my sister play volleyball! She's so awesome :)

Day 210: It's an ICY kinda day.

Today was a crazy icy day! So I had to grab my camera and snap some pictures! I love how the ice has totally covered this tree....BEAUTIFUL!!