switcheroo.

Hey friends, I'm sure this will be sort of a pain to the nine people who follow me on blogspot, but I'm switching from blogspot to wordpress.

Sorry to rock your world this morning, but it had to be done.

So, go on over to alovelyabode.wordpress.com and follow me over there. The good news is that thanks to the beauty of technology, you can still read all my old posts over on the wordpress site. Also, if you follow me on a reader (such as Google Reader, Feedly, etc.), you may want to switch that on over as well.

For those of you who just click the link on my Facebook posts, this will not affect you in the least, unless you want to become followers, and then you should hop on over there now and check it out!

You may now commence living your life...xx.

packing up.

I will forever remember the day I found out I got the job in Arizona. My principal called me at 4:00pm, asking if I would accept the job. As soon as I got off the phone, Aaron and I went around to every grocery store in town, asking for boxes. By 10:00pm that night, we had all of our books and board games packed and ready to go. We were more than ready to get out of there.

Eight months later, we are packing it all up again. Yep, we're moving!

Just a few miles away. (Did I trick you? I was trying...;)

Since Aaron and I moved into this apartment, we have been dreaming of the day when we would move to a place that didn't have scorpions, that had hardwood floors, and had a real kitchen that wasn't a hallway. And yesterday that day finally came! After lots of prayer, driving around neighborhoods, and searching the newspaper every weekend, we found the sweetest little home and it has everything we want (except the hardwood floors...but we'll take the brand-spanking-new carpet).

So, this morning, we once again drove around town to all the grocery stores and begged for boxes. When we got home, we packed up our books and our board games. Once again, I realize how moving sucks. I thought maybe having an entire month to pack up would be better, but it doesn't really help. I'm only on day one of packing and I already hate it. I don't know how my mother did it all those times we went back and forth to Australia.

I will post pictures, but probably not for another month or so, as we don't really move in until May.

I can't believe the time has come for us to live in a real house. We are moving up in the world!

cashier love.

I found THE ONE. See, I shop at Walmart. I don't know what it is about this particular Walmart, but they have the worst cashiers/baggers. I even specifically place items on the counter so that they all go together, and the cashiers still mess everything up and put the craziest items together. I just don't get it.

Well, tonight I went grocery shopping and Aaron picked line 12 to check out. The cashier was an older woman wearing six multi-colored earrings per ear, several brooches made from plastic canvas and yarn (one in the shape of a bunny), and a striped button up wool vest. Her name tag said 'Yulanda.'

I was really questioning Aaron's judgement.

But there she was, trekking along, looking at all of our produce, talking about how she can't stand to waste bags, but she doesn't want to overfill them. We had a great chat, actually. She mentioned about how I was buying tofu, and it reminded her of this man who bought chicken feet because his daughters always complained about their mom's cooking. And then, when she saw him again a couple weeks later, she asked him how the chicken feet went over.

She mentioned how she hated her bifocals because they make her feel old, but she figures she should have decent glasses since she finally has a decent job. She talked about her migraine. You know, just chit-chatty sort of things. I could just tell that she was a keeper. Finally, as Aaron and I were walking away, she said, "Well, you have a happy Easter if I don't see you before then!"

And that was it. I was sold. If she is going to wish me a happy Easter and remember me the next time I come in, I will go to her line every single time. And you know, she wasn't nosy and annoying. It was just really pleasant. I always try to be pleasant to the cashiers when I go through their line, but sometimes they are so grumpy. Not, Yulanda. She was friendly and colorful...I have a feeling we will become great friends.

menu.

Well, I said I would let you know how my menu/budget went the last time I went grocery shopping. I am happy to report that I spent $143! Only three bucks over budget. So, I have learned a lesson: it's better to cook awesome meals than crappy meals, because awesome meals cost just as much.

This next two weeks, I am going with the same philosophy and asking myself, "What am I craving?" Also, Aaron's parents are coming next week for spring break! And so I'm thinking about them as well. My next menu is....

Southwest Black Bean Burgers with Lime Cream

Sweet and Tangy Sautéed Brussel Sprouts with Fried Eggs 

(holy moly, I made this two weeks ago, and it was so good!)

Thai Chicken Wraps with Tangy Peanut Sauce

Cheesy Baked Tortellini with Oven Fried Zucchini Chips

Coq Au Vin with mashed potatoes

Rice noodle stir fry

We are going camping at the Grand Canyon, and my momma-in-law is going to be heading up that department, so our menu is pretty small. Check out the links for the recipes!

I hope you have a lovely weekend! I will be deep cleaning my apartment and resting up from my millionth cold since teaching....

mangos.

Tonight, I am thankful that God created mangos.

Have you had one recently?

Tonight I was making dinner and the recipe called for a mango. I have always assumed that I don't like mangos because whenever mango is in a smoothie, it just doesn't sit right with me. Anyways, I was peeling and cutting up this mango, thinking to myself, "Why bother taste it? I don't really like mangos...I hope I like it mixed in with this recipe, though. How much did this mango cost, again? Probably a waste, shipped over from who knows where..." But I kept looking at this mango, and it smelled so sweet and the juice was running all over the cutting board. It was...tempting. So I took the smallest sliver off my knife and put it on my tongue.

Friends, this mango was like a gift. Like, God blessed me with the only good mango in the world, just so I could have a silver lining in this week. God made mangos! And I picked the very best one out of the five that were sitting under the bright Walmart lights. So, I finished cutting it up, but I could tell there was still some good bits stuck to the pit...friends, I ate that mango, all the way down to the stringy, tough bits. There is nothing left of it.

Now, I have lots of friends who live or have lived overseas where they grow mangos and probably pick them up off the street because mango trees are just chillin' out everywhere. I have no doubt that your mangos from wherever you are taste ten times better than my Walmart mango. But that's the thing: knowing that my little mango was probably picked too soon, shipped over the ocean, packaged up in a box, sent on a truck, and arrived in the-middle-of-nowhere, Arizona and it still tasted so delightful, only makes me even more thankful that God created mangos. When He does something, He does it well.

little girl

Mama comes home from a long day of work

hits her baby, makes her hurt.

Then little girl, youngest of five,

comes to school and cries and sighs.

"My stomach hurts,

my tooth, it bleeds,

I have a fever,

please, Please, PLEASE! 

just let me lie down..."

Naive teacher doesn't know

the problem really lies at home.

'Cause Mama's been working so hard all day

and little girl's just in the way.

So little girl gets hit and blamed,

then comes to school, heart-bruised and ashamed.

Feels sick to her stomach

just thinking about going back.

Who cares about books and how to subtract?

This is a matter of LIFE!

...or pain.

Finally, naive teacher reads the signs

and asks what happens behind the closed blinds?

And little girl says,

"When Mama comes home from a long day of work,

she hits me all over, makes me hurt."

-Janel Westerfield

a few things.

1.) I have been seeing a chiropractor for two weeks now. Holy cow. It has been amazing. If you have never seen a chiropractor before, even if you feel like there is nothing wrong with you, I highly recommend you go. Your back and neck will feel so amazing. They did this scan thing on me to see how tense my muscles are, and mine were off the charts tense. Literally, the nurse thought the machine was broken until she started going all down my back and realized that I am just that tense.

2.) I also started going to Zumba this week. Actually, I only went once. But once was seriously enough to make me feel every other muscle in my body that the chiro didn't get. Have you ever been to Zumba before? I always thought that I was a pretty good dancer, but going to Zumba made me realize that I actually can't dance. Anyways, I really encourage anyone out there to go to a gym, even if you feel like you are so out of shape, everyone would stare at you and you would feel really dumb. While I was not the best Zumba-er out there on the floor, I guarantee I wasn't the worst! And I'm sure you will find that about yourself as well.

3.) Aaron is gone for drill this weekend and I am really going to miss him. However, last night I slept 14 hours. That would seriously never happen if the love of my life had been with me. See, Aaron and I have different philosophies about sleep. For me, if I am tired, it doesn't matter how early it is. I feel no shame about going to bed at 7:00, 8:00 at night. And I have no shame about sleeping in as long as it takes for me to feel fully rested. Normally, about 10 hours. But if I have had a week where I have not slept enough, it could go much longer. Aaron, on the other hand, has very clear sleep boundaries. 7 hours, tops. When his subconscious hears that first birdie chirping out the window, he is up, ready to start the day. One thing about Aaron is that he hates feeling like his day is wasted (whereas I do not feel like sleep is wasteful, especially if you are tired). So, as you can see, our sleep patterns are rather conflicting. I know Aaron works hard to be patient and let me sleep in on the weekends, but let's face it: when you are married, it's just not the same.

And so, when Aaron is at drill, it's the one weekend a month where I sleep. And sleep. And sleep. And it feels so amazing. While I miss having my best friend around, I choose to focus on the positive, and for me the positive is 14 hours of sleep.

4.) Finally, I will leave you with this lovely exchange I overheard in the cafeteria this week:
Girl: I wish Mrs. Westerfield were my teacher. She's so nice!
Boy: I don't! She's mean!

And there you have it, folks. Have a lovely weekend!

Being Suzy Homemaker...again

Okay, remember that one time when I said that I cook the same exact things every single day of the week? Well that grew really old, really fast. Sure, it worked for a time. But now, just thinking of tacos and fried rice makes me want to throw up.

In fact, I knew it was time to start cooking again when last night Aaron and I didn't even have a real dinner. The thought of homemade pizza was so repulsive, we just ate crackers with Nutella and salt and vinegar chips and went to bed. That is not a lie, guys. It really happened.

So, I sat down to make up our meal plan this morning and for once, I am not repeating one single meal. See, when you live on a budget, and you go grocery shopping, it's like your meals have to correspond, they have to relate, even if they are just distant cousins. If I buy 5 pounds of potatoes, I will not waste a single potato. If I buy tomatoes, we are eating tomatoes, and you had better like it because that is my paycheck and it is not headed to the landfill!

Here is what I am making for the next two weeks:

Sautéed cabbage and tomatoes with couscous

Portobello "Philly" Cheese Steak Sandwiches

Oven Fish 'n' Chips

Moroccan Stew with rice

Sweet and Tangy Sautéed Brussel Sprouts with Fried Eggs

Fried egg sandwich (for when Aaron is at drill)

Meatball Sub Casserole

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Moroccan Fish with Mango and Couscous

Grilled Eggplant Parmesan with noodles.  

Aaron is making soup, hobos, and omelets.

As you can see, I went off the deep end, here. This menu couldn't be further in taste and texture than my go-to meals. I just want to taste again! My normal budget for groceries is $140, so I'm praying that it all works out...I'll let you know. (I realize that the "hope it all works out" mentality + strict budget are two opposite concepts, so I'll let you know how that works out, too ;)

to this day

I am frequently overwhelmed by my power in the classroom. Sometimes, I feel the weight of being the only chance a kid has.

Yesterday at school, I was on cafeteria duty. I paced up and down the lunch tables, opening ranch packets, picking up snippets of conversation here and there. When something caught my eye. I slowly walked over to a table, trying not to disrupt the conversation taking place. The power of observation, the power of waiting before acting, is often my greatest ally. It was a boy, not in my class, talking to my newest student. She was staring at him intently, fingering her pepperoni pizza. I have learned, through the last few months, that the slightest gestures often mean something is wrong. Those small fingers, nervously picking at the crust, was what grabbed my attention. Slowly, I walked up behind him, and heard him discussing a dog. Something about a dog and pizza. I was so close to walking away, to letting it go, but something about all the kids just staring at him, listening to him, told me that I only knew a fraction of the conversation. My little girl looked up at me and nervously smiled, and that was it. I drew her aside and said, "What was he saying?" She looked embarrassed, and said, "He was calling me fat."

"How did he say it?" I asked her.

"He told me that I eat more pizza than a dog. That I take two whole boxes of pizza and take them to my bedroom and eat all of it. That's why I'm so fat."

It's like a beast welled up inside me. And it was angry. I was angry at all the boys and girls who ever said that, and other cruel things, to all the other boys and girls. It was heartbreaking. She didn't even cry or seem upset. It was like she had accepted his words, swallowed them, digested them.

I told her that it was an absolute lie. He is lying to you, don't you believe it for a second. I don't even know what else I said. I just remember the desperation in my voice, trying to convince her to spit his words back up. Don't let yourself be poisoned.

I brought the boy to the behavioral support staff and she told me, "He is so low, he has no clue that what he said was mean or hurtful." Maybe. Maybe he has been called names, and the person who called him names was called names, and that person was called names, and that person. I don't know.

I saw this video today, and it saddened me beyond belief. It saddens me that for some kids, school is not a safe place. It saddens me that teachers can be perpetuators of bullying; ignoring, pretending like we didn't hear, like it was a joke, like the kid is too low to understand what he is saying, or just move the bullied student to the back of the room and act like that fixes everything.

It doesn't.

Check out To This Day Project if you're interested in learning more.

paying The Man sucks

Exactly a year ago, Aaron and I started on an incredible journey. We were broke and arguing over money. In desperation, I headed over to the public library and rented the first book I saw on money: Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. I had heard of him before, so I grabbed it and Aaron and I began reading it that night.

It really changed our lives, friends. We drank his Kool-Aid and never looked back. We went from being $48,635 in debt from school loans (mine) and a "Career Starter loan" (his) and today, we stand at  $21,447. One more year, folks, and we will be free from the awful burden of that debt (I fondly refer to it as The Man)! I think about how a year ago, we would get so stressed when our monthly bill of $489 towards some loan would come around and we would argue and feel so stressed about how we were going to pay it. And now, only a year later, we pay more than twice that amount and don't sweat it a bit.

I admit that it hasn't been easy. We basically stopped going out to eat. We stopped assuming that we had enough money in the bank. We stopped eating meat every night. We did everything we could to not spend money and pay off the debt, and it really sucked at times. We moved to Arizona and payed for the entire move in cash, about $5,000. Our couches are starting to sag, and our cars are starting to sound a little funky, but we press on and live on little so that later we can live on and give God much.

In fact, every month I am amazed at how much God provides for us. We pay 36% of our monthly income towards debt and we tithe more than 10%. And God continues to give us extra money here and there every single month. It's been amazing and humbling! God has blessed us beyond belief! I sleep peacefully, knowing where every penny is going and how every bill is getting paid. And Aaron and I love talking about money and our budget.

I know it's considered taboo to talk about personal finances in a public setting, but I really get so excited when I think about the freedom of being debt free. Call us crazy, but we are sold out to this new freedom and it makes all those little sacrifices worth it. I really hope that this post has been encouraging to you to start thinking about your own finances. Whenever you are faithful with what God gives you, be it small or great, God will bless you more and more!

"...the borrow is servant to the lender." Proverbs 22:7

Miss Janel

I taught Sunday School for the first time today. I was really looking forward to it, 'cause, you know, kids are my jam. Well, there are only four kids in our church, so I figured it would be fun and relaxing. One of the kids came up to me first thing this morning and said, "What do you want us to call you?" and I said, "Just call me Janel." "Miss Janel?" In which I replied, "Nooo, don't call me Miss Janel!"

I don't know what it is about the name "Miss Janel".....wait, I do. There was a person way back in the day in my youth group that we all called Miss________ and it bothered me on so many different levels. So, I decided that I did not want that certain title for me. I would just go by Janel. No big deal, right?

Wrong. The mother of this child comes up to me and says, "I want the kids to call you Miss Janel, okay?" I told her I would think about it. And now, I feel very conflicted and a little annoyed. I completely understand why parents want their children to call adults by their title. In fact, I think that all parents should teach their children to do it.  However, I truly feel like if that adult says, "Just call me by my first name," then the child should respect that. It is, after all, my name. Don't I get a say in what I am called?

When I was a kid, we had this family friend named Geoff. My parents kept telling me and my siblings that we had to call him Mr. Rayment, or Mr. Geoff, or something like that. But he insisted that we call him Geoff. I remember as a kid feeling like I was betraying my parents if I gave in to his insistence. I looked hesitantly at my dad, wondering who I should obey. It felt really uncomfortable from then on out what I called him, so my decision was pretty much to avoid calling him anything after that. 

I would hate to put these kids in that position. Who should we obey: parents or the person to whom we are addressing? Personally, I plan on teaching my kids to always address someone by the most respectful title/name first, unless they give you permission to call them something else. 

I don't know...am I wrong? I ended up telling the kids that I strongly prefer to be called Janel, but if their parents insist that they call me Miss Janel, they should respect their parents. But even with that, it feels like I am selling out. I have always been the person who never wanted a nickname. I just love my name and don't care for any deviations from it. To be honest, Miss Janel feels like a deviation.

*sigh* Help me out, folks...

goodbye 2012.

Well, folks, it's the end of 2012. Looking back on this year, I think it was probably one of the most challenging, yet rewarding, years of my life. I graduated in January from school and felt really lame for being a waitress with a college degree. Aaron left for three months in March and it was a time in my life that I would not care to repeat. We spent a summer praying and crying and begging God to find us new jobs outside of Illinois. We celebrated our first year of marriage in Galena, IL. And then in August, we packed up and moved to Arizona and it has been an incredible adventure living here. I am a teacher, which brings it's own set of challenges and rewards. Aaron is a social worker to severe mentally ill adults. We are both using our degrees, which brings an incredible sense of accomplishment in ourselves and provision from the Lord.

And tomorrow is a new year! Wow, I can't even describe how excited I am for this year! In March, I will be camping in the Grand Canyon. In June, I will be flying out to Illinois to visit with my sister and mom and meet my newest niece/nephew! And I know that there will be many more adventures for me and Aaron in the coming year.

I hope and pray that your 2013 will be blessed, happy, peaceful, exciting...and lovely.

check your calendars!

Do you have a calendar? Like, one that you hang on your wall and look at every morning, or write different appointments and birthdays on it? Thinking about our world and how we use our iPhones and computers to tell us when and where we are going and using Facebook to remind us of friend's and family member's birthdays somehow depresses me. And yet, thinking about a calendar with puppies or kittens on it equally depresses me.

Call me crazy, but I have become obsessed with wall calendars. My mother-in-law gave me one last year, and as each month passed, I fell more and more in love with it. Now that the year is almost ending, I find myself scouring the internet for a new one. (And yes, Aaron has been mercilessly making fun of me for my new hobby).

Anyways, calendars are wonderful because they are pretty, they are only a commitment of one year at a time, and I find it so special that you can keep it and take it out in a few years and look back on your daily life. So, I just want to share my favorite calendars that I have found lately....I hope you get one, or it inspires you to find one that reflects your own personal style!

Herbal Calendar

Cities Calendar

My personal favorite! Snow & Graham Calendar

Art Grid Calendar (I seriously love this one, too!! How cute are those whales?!)

And then this one. Seriously out of my price range, but I can't help drool over it. 

And in case none of those fit your personal aesthetic (I feel like a real blogger, using that word!), check out this one, this toaster desk calendar, this pug calendar, this one, and finally, this beautiful little gem. 

I really hope you invest in a calendar for 2013. Maybe you won't use it to keep dates and birthdays in order, but I promise that every time you look at it, you will feel a little squirm of happiness at the piece of art hanging on your wall. And it's so practical! 

That's all :)

Merry Christmas!

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given.

-Isaiah 9:6

Merry Christmas, dear friends and family. We rejoice that today our Lord, the Savior of the World, was born! Hope your day is merry, bright, and cozy.

Love,

The Westerfields

My 2nd Grade Cheating Ring

*Names have been changed/omitted to protect the innocent guilty*

Some days, it feels like you spend all afternoon following the rabbit down the rabbit hole and it turns out the rabbit hole is a huge mess. This exact thing happened to me today.

It all started when one of my kids comes up to me and says, "Mrs. Westerfield, Isaac keeps asking Erin for her password to get on ST Math and Erin keeps saying no, but Isaac keeps asking."

You see, every day I have math centers--I split my kids up into three groups and while one group is with me, one group is doing an independent activity, and another group is on a math computer program called ST Math--and every day my kids type in their 16-pictures-long password to get onto the math program. This math program happens to be pretty important to our school: it provides data to the teacher and the school in order to prove to the state that we are improving as a school. Also, each student is on a different activity, depending on their level and how quickly they get through the levels. So, for example, they all start out on subtraction. But some kids are really good at subtraction, so they forge ahead. Some kids are on subtraction for awhile, because they need more practice. The computer program is constantly reading how well the students are doing and responding to their answers. 

So, when this sweet kiddo comes up to me to tattle about Isaac trying to get on Erin's username, at first I'm not too alarmed. Sometimes, Isaac is a twerp that way (a very lovable twerp). I'm talking to him, trying to figure out the whole story, when another girl, Emily, chimes in, "Mrs. Westerfield, Lanie (another little girl in my class), also gets on my ST Math all the time."

Chrystal: "She gets on mine too!"

Jessica: "Lanie gets on mine too!"

Lanie: "But Jessica gets on Gary's and John's all the time."

John: "I only gave her my password once."

Gary: "Jessica asks if she can get on mine and I always say yes. But I haven't gotten on anyone's!" (He said that last fact like it was something to be very proud of.)

And the next thing you know, it was like a train wreck. Every one was telling on everyone, and everyone was admitting to somehow being a part of this whole cheating ring happening in my classroom. I couldn't believe it. Only three kids out of my entire classroom had nothing to do with it. It literally took me an hour to sort through all the stories and accusations and confessions. 

Here's what I learned: Apparently, there are many ways to accomplish getting on another student's username. The first way, of course, is to simply ask for the password. The other way, is to watch what your neighbor is putting as their password and follow suit. And finally, the last way is to not completely log off of ST Math and when the groups switch, the next persons gets on the computer and just keeps going. 

Keep in mind, these kids are 2nd graders. 7 years old. When I was in 2nd grade, I wasn't nearly so crafty. When I asked them for the love of God, why?! were they doing this, they almost always replied that when they didn't want to do the level they were on, they could find someone who did. Ain't that the darndest thing.

So, we had a really long talk and I decided that they lost their computer privileges in January and informed them that they lost my trust (which some found incredibly devastating). As I think about it more and more, I am finding the humor in it. They honestly had no clue that they were messing up huge amounts of data, they were just doing what their cheeky little brains thought was a brilliant idea. Finally, the last 15 minutes of the day, I received 13 heartfelt apologies without any prompting from me! And I told them that I completely forgave them and that there are no hard feelings--but they had better believe that this naive first-year teacher isn't going to let a cheating fiasco happen twice! 

a secret.

I have something to share. It makes me ashamed, but I have to talk about it to get any closure.

All across America, there are coffee and tea stains sitting in various church sanctuaries where Aaron and I have sat. It began at the first church that we ever started attending together: College Church of the Nazarene (North Campus). We were still dating and Aaron would bring his coffee or we would get a cup at the church and hustle inside before the service started. At some point during the church service--usually in a transition time from standing up to sitting down--bam, coffee cup spilled. More than once this happened.

Next, we started attending River Valley Christian Fellowship. It very specifically says that no drinks are allowed in the sanctuary. Aaron constantly assured me that it would be alright. Well, sure enough, after a few weeks of attending I once again knocked over a coffee cup. I couldn't stand the shame, so we moved over to the other side of the sanctuary so we wouldn't be recognized. And yet, I still didn't learn my lesson. Aaron brings in a cup of coffee, I somehow manage to knock it over. EVERY SINGLE TIME, it felt.

Now, after doing this maybe three times at River Valley, I finally introduced the policy that prohibited us from bringing in beverages to church. I really put my foot down. It was just getting to be too much. We were running out of sides to sit in the sanctuary! People would soon know us as The Spillers. For the rest of our time at River Valley, we had a spill-free experience. I felt really good about the new-found freedom of not bringing any drinks to church. No drinks = no chance of making more stains in our beloved sanctuary. It was really a fool proof (or should I say...spill proof?) plan.

Well, that all brings me to today. We had yet to bring any beverages to our new church, which was working out really well for us. No spills, no severe looks from our neighbors, all was fine and dandy. Until, Aaron decides that he wants to bring a to-go cup of hot tea. I forgot all about my policy and said, "Make me one too!" Everything is going really well until we get up to pray for someone in our church. We head back to our seats and I can see Aaron's cup in the distance. I truly was so focused, chanting in my head, "Don't knock it, don't knock it, don't knock it, Janel." But it's like my feet had a mind of their own! Boop!  I saw the cup tip over slow-motion-Matrix style. At first I thought that nothing was going to spill out because this certain lid was the type that screws on. There's no way any tea would fall out! Oh, how wrong I was! There may as well have not even been a lid! While Aaron is whispering "Quick! Hide it!" I think I may have loudly exclaimed, "I seriously just did that!!"

Yep, as if actually spilling tea everywhere wasn't bad enough, I made it known to the world that I had, once again, been the instigator of a stain that will live forever in the multi-colored, textured carpet of a church.

I guess I mostly feel bad because I really think people look down on you if you spill a drink in their church. They paid for that carpet! How dare I soil it with coffee, tea, or any other caffeinated beverage! And I completely agree. If I sat next to less responsible people who spilled their beverage during church, I would probably look down on them too!

As a disclaimer, Aaron wants me to inform you that he has never been the one to knock over a drink. Completely true. It has always been me. He also wants me to inform you that I have never given him my beverage after spilling his. There. That not only makes me a terrible church member, but a less-than-perfect wife. ;)

Phew, I feel slightly better. I hope that if there are any church members from those churches reading this, that they will forgive me. And I promise I will never bring a drink into church again. I have truly learned my lesson this time!

Being Suzy Homemaker

I love meal planning. When Aaron and I got engaged, one of the things I looked forward to the most was being able to plan all these glorious meals that I saw on Pinterest. They would be nutritious and beautiful and organic and I would blog about them and show pretty pictures and everybody would ask me for my recipes.

And then reality set in. The reality of working full time and having a gazelle-intense budget and just being tired. And so all my Pinterest-y fantasies got thrown out the window.

I have no doubt that there are some women who are superheroes. They probably work longer than me and harder than me and maybe they get paid less or they have children to feed and they still manage to cook things like beef stew or pork roast or something phenomenal. Plus dessert. But, I am not that woman. Maybe one day, but not today. Or tomorrow. Or probably this year. This is the year where I get my bearings being a real-life teacher and cook the same things each week. This also happens to be the year where I lasso Aaron into the kitchen and force him to cook twice a week (in spite of the anxiety on his face, I think he secretly enjoys it...he really is so wonderful).

And so, out of desperation, tiredness, hatred of my mini-kitchen, and because I can, darn it, I have created the most simple meal plan in the universe. It goes something like this:

Sandwich Sunday

Salad Monday

Taco Tuesday

Pizza Soup & Sandwich Casserole Whatever-Aaron-Wants Wednesday (this is the day that clearly caused the most anxiety ;)

Pizza Thursday

Breakfast Friday

Fried Rice Saturday

Ta da! You can steal it if you want to. Originally, I wanted Fried Rice Friday, but Friday is Aaron's day to cook and he wants to make breakfast. So fried rice got moved to Saturday.

I know, it's pretty pathetic. I promise if you ever come over for dinner, I'll make something really special. I'm just waiting for the day when Aaron tells me enough is enough and demands something that takes more than twenty minutes to make (and to be honest, I really wouldn't blame him).

Working ladies across the world: what do you do to keep meal times simple, nutritional, and inexpensive, yet super delish? I need your secrets!

peace.

Peace begins with a smile.... -Mother Teresa

Some days are just so good. The coffee is so perfect. Your morning drive is graced by the sun hitting the golden mountains. My kids were so sweet today. We were all on the same, peaceful wavelength.

One thing I struggle with as a teacher (and maybe out in the real world too...)is making my voice and demeanor peaceful. I am naturally rambunctious. Loud. Sometimes it's great, like when I need to shout across the playground. Or when I am trying to get my kids excited about something super un-exciting. Or when singing a song and dancing. But most days, I work hard to soften my voice. To speak peacefully. While my heart may be at peace, I want to show it with my voice and actions.

I can't tell you how much I love those kids. I call them my kids and I really wish some of them were my own. I worry about them a lot. Like when one of my little girls got MRSA. And when another one was absent for three days because of domestic violence in her home. Stories like those happen all across America, all across the world. I sometimes wonder if I will ever be able to leave the teaching field. Children with terrible homes and hungry bellies will keep coming to school every year and someone has to love them and teach them to be peace-makers in a tragedy-ridden world. And I will always want to be that person.

My goal for my classroom--for my life--is to create a peaceful, lovely abode.

photo

Rattlesnakes, spiders, and bees, oh my....

Let's talk about the animals in my room.

No, I'm not talking about the class pet (I don't have one...just a plant). I'm talking about the living creatures that occasionally find their way into my classroom.

Now, let me tell you a little about my room. First of all, I work in a very beautiful school. Lovely white walls and wooden beams make it look almost Hispanic-Catholic-Mission-ish. But, if you were to go out the back door, across the rocky playground, and past the cement toilets, you would come to my classroom: a double wide trailer disguised behind wooden panels and a covered verandah. That's right, a double wide trailer. I'm not sure how I got the short end of the stick when it came to classrooms, but it happened.  I honestly had no idea that my classroom was half the size of everyone else's until a few months after I began working. And I just want to say that I thank the Lord everyday for bringing me to this job, seriously.

However, being in Siberia does have its perks: my class is rarely bothered by administration, wandering students, and the like. We have a super easy fire drill route. And I'm the closest to the buses, so we get in line first almost every day.

But the part that I can't stand is the part where every other day I am killing something. No, not a child, but a creature. I could be positive about the situation and believe that they like my room because I have created such a lovely environment. But that would be a lie.

My very first day at Ft. Thomas, the principal told me that the day before, a baby rattlesnake had been found INSIDE my room. Every time I think about that situation, I thank God I was not there.

Then, there are the spiders. Oh, yes, the spiders. And not just tiny little guys that occasionally get slightly bigger than tiny. I'm not even talking about daddy-long-legs. I'm talking about big, fat, mamma spiders with bodies the size of quarters! Luckily, my kids are fearless. When they see one, they say things like, "Oh, by the way, there is spider over there, Mrs. Westerfield." Meanwhile, my heart is starting to palpitate and my hands get sweaty and my knees are shaky. My reaction is always the same: I take off my shoe and squash it, all while continuing to teach. Ha.

And finally: bees. I have had three bees wander into my classroom so far this year. They are so sneaky. I work very hard to shut my door as quickly as possible to keep those bees out, but somehow they find their way in. Bees by far create the most havoc because they are so tricky to kill, I feel like I'm sparring. But each time I have taken off my shoe and popped the little sucker.

So, moral of the story is this: when a teacher, wear shoes that are easily removed.

Tis the Season...

Hi friends,

I have just had the best weekend! It's hard not to have an awesome weekend when both you and your best friend have FOUR DAYS off of work!

First, Thanksgiving. I felt really proud of myself for making a killer turkey, stuffing (from a box, ha), creamed carrots, baked sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie! We played our very most favorite game, Ticket to Ride, and longed for our family. We miss all of you.

Thursday night, we headed out to Walmart where EVERYONE and their mother came out to pre-Black Friday shop. We seriously had no idea that so many people lived in this tiny town. And we discovered the more vicious side of Safford. We saw some ladies play an intense game of tug-o-war using a Paula Dean Cookware set. I was so amazed that grown-ups acted that way, and didn't know whether to laugh or cry over our crazy society. It really puts things in perspective.

I had my eyes set on a Ninja! 

On Friday, we skipped shopping and instead drove to Phoenix for a little day trip! We headed to the Vintage Market, bought a sweet little painting for our home, meandered downtown, and then drove to Tempe to walk around the Tempe Marketplace.

A sweet park bench in downtown Phoenix

And today was one of my most very favorite days of the year! The Westerfield Christmas Extravaganza! It's the day where Aaron and I set up our Christmas tree, watch Christmas movies, and make ornaments! It really kicks off the Christmas season and we get intensely crafty. This year, we painted porcelain ornaments. I have no pictures to share yet, but hopefully tomorrow.

Well, I hope that your weekend has been filled with thankfulness, pumpkin pie, family, friends, and sweet memories.

Janel. xx.