My first lesson

After a week of observing I finally got to teach a lesson. I was a little nervous but I think it went really well. I was told that the last class of the day will always be the most challenging because the kids are unfocused, wound-up, and ready to go home. There were a few disciplinary problems but nothing out of the ordinary for 3rd graders. My cooperating teacher gave a me a few helpful pointers while the kids were working such as "don't let them know you're scared....they smell fear." I still haven't met the principal or vice principal which is kind of weird but I am sure I will see them one day.

On a different note, in my efforts to stay awake after I get home from school, Morgan and I went to see Bride Wars....OMG such a good movie!!! You MUST be female to enjoy it though. Please do not try to drag your boyfriend/husband/brother/gay roommate to see this movie. They will not like it.

Student Teaching

So i finished working at the Olive Garden in Allen and I am about to start student teaching tomorrow. I am very nervous and excited. I'm not sure what to expect. I already meet one of the teachers I will be working with and she was really nice and down to earth. I will keep you updated. If my observations taught me anything last semester it's that little kids do the craziest things....I can't wait.

Olive Garden in Allen Texas

I started working at the Olive Garden in Allen on Jan 4. I am on the opening training team so our hours are crazy for the 2-4 weeks that we work here. The first week is called seminar week in which we train over 160 new team members everything there is to know about Olive Garden. I am training the To Go Specialists this time around and I am loving it way more than training servers. Over 70 hours later, seminar week is finished and the trainers rush home to the hotel to change for our awesome celebration dinner. It is their way of thanking us and to get us pumped for opening week. We get to eat at really fancy restaurants and order expensive food....ohhh and all the drinks are free too. Needless to say, it was a good time. Now the Olive Garden in Allen is open for dinner only this week and even though we closed at 10, I didn't leave until after midnight....yes, it was a long day. Doing openings are so much fun, but waaaaaay exhausting. I came down with bronchitis and a stomach flu at the end of my last opening and so far I have just a yucky cough at this one. I don't know how people can work 60+ hours a week and not be sick all the time.

The big upside to doing an opening is living in a hotel suite and having the wonderful cleaning staff pick up after me. I love hotels!!!

School is ALMOST over!!!

Today was a good day, kinda fun. I am opening the Olive Garden in Allen, TX in January so in December the place has to be set up. Today the truck came with literally everything you could ever want in a resturant and then some. Well, all that stuff has to be washed and put in it's proper place. I set up the bar since I know that area best even though there was this bossy boy in there trying to change everything I did. He finally left so the bar got set up the correct way. We finished a lot earlier than expected so my friends and I went to have some chips and a margarita....mmmmm.....margarita.....okay, I'm back now. I came home, played with my dog, cleaned the kitchen, took a nap, ran on the eliptical machine, and watched law and order. All and all it was a good day. Too bad Matt was working today or it could have been a great day. There's always tomorrow. Ahhh, tomorrow. I am starting my 2 day cram session for my last college exam....ever!!!! I love genetics, but I am ready for it to be over.

My Mamaw

Today we buried my Mamaw. She was a very special lady to a lot of people, especially her family. The graveside service was very cold and windy so it was kept short, thankfully. That part of a funeral has always weirded me out. I know it's necessary but I have been to some funerals where that part has been stretched out to over 30 minutes. We then went to her church, which is the same church where I went to vacation bible school, and had lunch with the entire family which was nice. I got to catch up with people that I should really talk to more. After lunch we had the memorial service which was realy nice. My cousins sang some cool songs, Aunt sis gave a little bio of her life, and Uncle Bill was, Uncle Bill as usual. He read from proverbs 31 which describes characteristics of a virtuous woman which desribes my Mamaw perfectly. "Her price is far above rubies."

Oh please don't let me catch the bouquet!!!

This past weekend my cousin Alli got married to a giant of a man named Derek. No, literally, he is a giant. The wedding was great, she looked amazing, and I got to see the fam some more. My uncle did the service and was funny as usual. He likes to put his personality into everything he does it seems. Then the time came for Alli to throw the bouquet and I went out but I made sure to stand in the back so I would have the smallest chance of catching it. Don't get me wrong, I want to get married, but I am soooooo not ready for that. Yes I am in a committed relationship with Matt but we just aren't "there" yet. There was some pressure put on Allison to postpone the wedding for a few months or years. I asked her about it and she told me she knew she loved him and that was all that mattered. She was ready to marry him a long time ago. I am impressed that she was able to make that kind of commitment so early in her life. She's about to be 24 like me but in my book, that's early for marriage. I know they will be happy so I am happy for them. Congrats to Alli and Derek.

Kindergarten stories

I have recently started my second rotation for classroom observations and it is at an elementary school. I was terrified the first day. All these little monsters running around expecting you to know what to do. Once they got used to be being in class with them it wasn't so bad. Actually it's quite comical. I have equated the kindergarten class to putting 70 puppies in a gym and letting them run loose. They are cute, funny, and full of energy. They also whine and taddle all the time! Anyway, I have noticed a certain obsession all of the boys have with a certain part of their body. This one little boy took it to new extremes when he pulled down his pants and said, "LOOK AT MY WIENER!!!". I had no clue what to do so I ran over to him to shield the other students from his view. I just told him to pull up his pants because I was pretty sure I couldn't touch him. He was then sent to the office to have a talk with the counselor. Yay for little boys!