Category: Uncategorized

L is for love song link up!

Published on by Joanna2 Comments

One of my favorite blogs is doing a love song link-up today and my summer slow self has decided to join in the fun. ya dig?

1) The Civil Wars – “I’ve got this friend”

I am pretty much in love with them and their harmonies. This is on the list of songs for me and the beardyman to learn. I want to be them.

2) Bright Eyes – “First day of my life”

We recently sang this at my teaching partner’s wedding in April. So it’s on the brain as a good love song.

3) Andrew Peterson – “Dancing in the minefields”

This one gets me excited for married times. 🙂

4) Ben Harper – “Forever”

This is the song I was sung the night I got engaged. 😉

5) Dashboard Confessional – “Stolen”

So it seems my music selections are not the most traditional songs. But they are songs I love about love and maybe someone will like them as well. We still have yet to decide on our song that we are going to dance to at our wedding (in 32 days. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) so listening to everyone’s favorite lurve songs has been nice inspiration!

slowing down

Published on by JoannaLeave a comment

Today was what I would consider my first official day of my summer vacation. It wasn’t the weekend, all of my friends are once again preoccupied with their jobs and so I was left to determine my own routine for the day. I am always scared when vacations come around. I love the break. I love that being a teacher I will always have predetermined vacation times to look forward to, but I am always scared of not appreciating my time.

I love being busy.

I love moving constantly, having my days to filled so the brim that I can barely fit in a full nights sleep. I love being a little bit tired because it’s telling me that I am living full, hard days. I love being around people constantly, hence my career path. But unlike other first days of vacation…today was different. I had a lot of time alone and I was ok with that. I am feeling recharged and more motivated to get things done. I’m trying to be thankful for every moment of this month no matter how slow. I realize that I will still be somewhat busy with the last of our wedding to-do list to accomplish but overall I know the slow times will come and I know at least a little part of me might be frustrated with those times. So maybe this post will serve as a reminder to savor each and every slow moment that July gives me.

The above picture was something I found while wandering through Target today. Apparently it’s my personality according to my birthday. There are a couple of things that are true but overall I found it really amusing. Especially the, “…punctual in your appointments and fastidious in your dress…” Considering the older I have gotten, the later I have shown up to things. Try as I might to be on time. Also, I plan on living in gym clothes during the month of July. 😉

Happy Monday!

Hello July.

Published on by JoannaLeave a comment

JULY!

Oh July… how I have been waiting for you. How I have been thinking about you. How I have been hoping, praying, willing the days to go by faster so I could just make it to July. Finally, I get a break. Summer school wrapped up on Friday. Cleaned up my borrowed classroom, packed up all of my things, and headed out the door to say hello to my summer vacation!

5 things I am hoping for this month:
-to not lose my mind (I actually wrote this in my planner and saw it the other day. Not sure when I wrote it but obviously I had already thought about how crazy this month is going to be.)
-appreciate the slow, not-busy moments
-go through, clean, pack-up my apartment and move it all into the new one (this isn’t really a hope as much as it is a this-must-happen-or-I-won’t-have-anything-in-our-new-apartment.)
-spend time with friends and savor conversations
-to have our apartment somewhat put together before we head down to NOLA for our wedding and St. Martin for the honeymoon!

Unintentional hiatus

Published on by JoannaLeave a comment

Hello, blog!

Sorry for my little leave. Between the end of the school year, the start of summer school, and a little less that two months until our upcoming nuptials– things have been busy to say the least! I am 5 1/2 days shy of finishing up summer school and after that I am planning to pick up the blogging pace! Happy Thursday, people (I’m hopeful that people besides myself actually are contributing to the page views here). Thursday! One step closer to sweet Friday! Also, happiest of birthday to my sweet bearded pre-husband!

7 quick takes, take 4

Published on by JoannaLeave a comment


Can we get real for a second? Nine days until the school year is OVER. NINE DAYS! I honestly thought the day wouldn’t come. There were so many moments during this year that made me think survival was hopeless but look at that! I can do it! Only 9 more days!!!

–1–


I woke up feeling exhausted because for some reason sleeping lately has been a hassle. I haven’t been able to fall asleep and once I do I wake up 2 or 3 times. Stress? Maybe? However, feelings of negativity and exhaustion were soon demolished by positive happenings. Such as a coworker texting me and offering me starbucks deliciousness and then walking into a surprise bridal shower from my sweet third grade girls! Talk about a happy day! Also, wearing funny solar system shirts from by beardyman make my day. 


–2–

Not to outdo the surprised-ness I had with my third grade bridal shower today but I am SUPER pumped out my bridal shower tomorrow! One of my dearest friends from high school and her mom are throwing it and I could not be more excited to spend time with some special ladies in my life. 

–3–


Hopefully more adventures in swimming this weekend! I even ordered a swim cap to make things a bit easier on my locks. Full post about my first swim lesson since I was a kid SOON! 


–4–

Thinking about starting this running program. Found on this blog’s 7QT’s (yup that just happened). I tried Couch to 5K last summer, tried insanity last summer as well, and P90X the summer before that. Looking for a new workout thing to be hooked on this summer! Hopefully this and running will be sufficient for a new cardio routine.


–5–


Day dreaming about all of the awesome clothes I want to buy for wedding events and our honeymoon…and then realistically thinking about how the heck I will be able to buy all of it. Sigh.
(pic found here, amazing cover ups by Jules Moore) 


–6–

Super exciting awesomeness happening in my classroom next year! I get to be a part of a pilot program in our district the implements iPads in the classroom. I am SUPER excited and already have a few ideas of how my new friend can be used on a daily basis. For our anniversary this year I got an iPad and have LOVED it. I’ve used it a few times in the classroom but having one solely for work will be really nice. Awesome education app recommendations completely and totally welcome. 


–7–

Not really a whole lot to dump in the form of picturas this week! I was busier than expected (I’m always busier than expected) and didn’t really think to take out my phone and snap pictures as much. Sometimes I’m ok with this. As much as I like chronicling life and being able to look back at pictures, remembering important things I also think that making memories and being fully present in the moment is a much needed reminder sometimes. I want to start getting into the balance of finding time to take pictures, blog, journal AND live life being present when I need to be. Just thoughts people, just thoughts. 

Happy weekend friends! Thanks to those of you who look at this thing. Like I said before, just trying this out and seeing how it goes. It amazes me that their are actually page views on this blog. At first I thought it was me going back and looking at previous posts but nope, some living, breathing, peopleotherthanmyself actually read these words. WEIRD. and cool. 🙂


MUSIC!

(you should also check out this guy’s cover of “Sexy and I know it” super good)

thoughts about mother’s day

Published on by Joanna1 Comment


This past Sunday was Mother’s Day (in case you were unaware…and if that’s the case you may be in trouble with your mama). For some reason, the past few years I have found a special place in my heart for Mother’s Day. Since I became involved in my church (more on that later) and began singing at our contemporary Mass, the Mother’s Day celebration has always been one that sticks out in my mind, one that I always look forward to each year. It’s funny, because as I was sitting during Mass this past Sunday I realized that it’s not like there is anything special going on… there is no particular homily or anything that changes. But there is always a blessing at the end of Mass, to bless the mothers in all that they do for those around them. It’s during this part that I have always felt this warmth in my heart. I feel connected to these awesome women somehow. Whether I know them personally or not, I am proud to be in the presence of such strong women who do so much for the world.


This year was a bit different. I have made and are about to make some big changes in my life and I feel that these changes impacted the usual emotions I feel on this day. I am wrapping up my first year of teaching, I have been living an adult-out-of-college-on-her-own life for the past year, and I am about to enter into married life (in 80 days, just saying). This year of teaching has taught me lessons beyond my thinking. I never realized the mothering instincts that would come pouring out of my heart as I began to get to know the 20 little people I would interact with on daily basis for the next 10 months of my life. I try with the best of my abilities to make these 20 different, funny, and original personalities feel cared for and special somehow in my eight hours I have with them. I have also been preparing my heart to take this huge leap in life and become someone’s wife. With that I have been learning about daily sacrifices I may have to make, changes that are going to come when living with a person, and the importance of making decisions together as a team. Qualities that I haven’t really had to face as intensely before and facts of life that have made me really miss my life as a selfish college student. However, these are also qualities that I can tell are going to make me a better, stronger, grown-up type person. 

While we may not all fit the definition of a mother, I know I certainly don’t, we all share in being women and showing love to those around us in a way that only a woman knows how.  I know I still have a long way to go in becoming the woman I am intended to be, but I hope that in some way, whether it be a student or a friend, I have been a loving, caring, compassionate person to someone in this past year.


I hope that all women at some point or another felt special on Mother’s Day! 

true life: my weekend

Published on by JoannaLeave a comment

It amazes me how fast the weekend flies by sometimes. This weekend was full of moving people around and settling into new places! Exciting times! 



Friday: helped move some of our friend Margie’s things into her new apartment. Three very dear friends just moved into my apartment complex and my sister is moving to one right around the corner. Our little area is going to be quite the place to be this summer! Lots of activity, friends, and fun. Looking forward to seeing what all this change brings. 🙂 



Saturday: busy morning, moving around in the afternoon, and an unexpectedly slow and wonderful evening. Had my first swimming lesson from a handsome bearded coach (more on this later) in the morning and soon after we went to go look at invitations for our wedding! I really liked the girl that we are going to work with. She’s young, fun, and owns her own small business. I’m all about giving back to smaller businesses that make things more personal and devote their time to the quality of a product rather than the quality of a product. Afterwards, me and the bearded fiance went to have brunch at a cute little cafe down the way from the invitation shop. Everyone needs a mimosa to psych themselves up for a day full of moving, right? Then the afternoon consisted of moving more things and helping people settle in. I have never had a moving endeavor go so FAST. But I guess when you have ELEVEN people helping you, it will do that. We got to see our apartment that we will be moving into after we get married which was another exciting bit to Saturday! 


Sunday: Mom’s Day! Started off by gifting my mother with flowers and a yummy candle along with brunch at her favorite restaurant. Then moved onto helping my sister with the first half of her moving. Same old Sunday church routine. Sang some awesome songs for Mass and then went home to grade and CLEAN. Holy cow. I need to get myself organized soooo badly. It helped so much to have some things put back into somewhat order. 




Sorry for the lack of pictures! I figured pictures of people sweating and moving boxes wouldn’t be too exciting. 😉 Here’s to hoping for a week full of productivity, love, fun, happiness, excitement, seeing friends, and joy! Weeeeeeeeeeee! 

blog name

Published on by JoannaLeave a comment

I have wanted to blog for quite some time now and one of the things that has held me back has been thinking of a cute, funny, witty blog name. This is something that my brain would obsess over to the point that I would become discouraged and the desire to blog would disappear. 


I was told by one of my favorite bearded people to just start. Just start writing, title the blog “in progress” and when a name comes to me it will be perfect and wonderful and I can change it. Yesterday I was sucked back into the blog-naming-vortex-of-doom. All I could think about was finally slapping a title on this blog that would sum me and the purpose of this blog up in a few cleverly crafted adorable words. 

Guess what?

I still have no idea what I want to name this blog. 

I look at other blogs and wonder what moment of ultimate naming clarity struck them. What helped THEM think of an awesome name that summed up their entire blog-being in 5 words or less? 

What’s wrong with my brain?

I think the problem is that I’m still trying to figure out what I want from this space and what my intentions are for it. 

And I think I’m ok with that, and it being unnamed for a wee bit longer. 

Maybe. 


(photo cred here)

happiness

Published on by JoannaLeave a comment


“Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It means that you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections.” -Gerald Way



I found this quote earlier today and I’m really trying to hold onto the words and how they apply to my life right now. I feel like this is something I have always struggled with, and probably always will. It’s so hard to look past making others happy. To look past an obsession of making the situation surrounding you a type of perfection that can’t exist on Earth. To accept that things are the way they are, and to be content with all that you have done and the person you are trying to become. To realize that at the end of the day it is ok to make mistakes as long as you can look yourself in the mirror and think, “I did all I could do today to be a good person, to love those around me to the fullest and that is all I could humanly do.” 


Happy Monday




(photo cred goes to my wonderful friend Adrienne who took this picture for part of an art project in college)

attempt at blogging #32041249302

Published on by Joanna1 Comment



Just kidding.


I haven’t tried and failed at blogging THAT many times. It just feels that way because I have been wishfully thinking about blogging for a while. I just have yet to build up the courage or endurance to do so faithfully. 


Well, here we go. I want to write, express, and chronicle life and maybe I’m at a point in my life where this is possible. Where I can do something outside of myself and find joy in a completely new way. 




Woopee! Blog post #1. 




(The blogger & post that inspired me to try this one more time can be found here.)