Fleeting Phases

As my school year ended today, the word, fleeting, came to mind. Every year things end and they change. Kids advance to the next grade, colleagues move, principals come and go, and it becomes apparent how fading a year can truly be. There are people that you spend everyday with, eat lunch with, laugh with, and share your life with and then bam, it’s over. Sure, some people will be there next year and you’ll see some of your old students in August, but it’s not the same. You can never get that feeling back again.

I know it sounds strange, and maybe it’s a unique feeling to teachers, but it happens every year. You can’t recreate the rapport you had that year again. It’s impermanent and passing and short-lived and vanishing. Maybe that is why it’s such a sweet thing.

Every year of teaching, I have worked with wonderful students and teachers. And I have felt that small drop in my stomach each year, around the beginning of May, when I realize it’s all going to end soon.

I was sure lucky this year to have worked with some beautiful students and teachers. I am so thankful for that family, even though it can’t last forever.

Subway Sweating

An unfortunate incident occurred this past week. I got on the train at 42nd in my normal afternoon commute and almost croaked. The train was crowded but it was 5 pm, so like any good subway rider, I scooted to the middle. To my right, a kid was eating a hamburger. (Fyi-you're not supposed to eat on the train) So, I pivoted to avoid that smell but in return I ran into a very large person that hadn't showered in a while. I was trapped. I thought I might be able to side step the smell, but no, I was stuck. I began to hold my breath but then I couldn't do that for 30 blocks, so I had to keep quietly gasping for oxygen, which in turn caused the chinese gentleman next to me to keep turning around with looks of concern. It was a looong 30 blocks, to where I quickly hopped off and jumped onto another car!

Beware summer tourists, it's super hot on the subway platforms. Large and small, you've got to shower and invest in a mini fan! I have a pink one and use it with pride, those stranger's looks are just looks of jealousy. I am sure of it!

Happy sweating!

The beach!

SMORES!

Nature's Classroom

A couple weeks ago, I boarded a bus full of teary-eyed first graders, and headed off to Long Island for the week! Is it crazy to snatch six year olds away from their parents for a week to frolic in the wilderness? Probably! But my co teacher, Elodie, and I were determined to get these kiddos out to discover nature. Being Manahattanites, they aren't exposed to much nature besides rats and pigeons. So, we coerced all of them to sign up and headed out for a week of learning and experience in the great outdoors!

Our camp was on the North Shore of Long Island next to the beach. The program has camp counselors that do all the classes, so the teachers just chaperon and hang out with the kiddos between activities. It was great! My friends and I took walks on the beach and enjoyed watching the kids in a new environment. I felt like I was on a mini vacation! The kids loved getting dirty, making rockets, doing shark dissections, searching in the woods for bambi, and experiencing Smores! They learned so much! We had a dance party the last night and all the girls dressed up. It was so cute.

It was a great week and made me thankful for all of my camp experiences growing up at Girl Scout camp and Ceta Canyon Methodist Church Camp! You can't ever replace that special time!

correct 7th grade dancing with Michael! full arm extension please!

box turtle-so cute!

Birthday Surprise!

Birthdays. Aren’t they the best!? Mine luckily fell on a Saturday this year which meant I didn’t have to spend it at work. YES! On Saturday night, I was surprised by a group of sweet, beloved friends! I walked in to my best friend Carly’s apartment to a beautiful scene of friends, her homemade sangria, margaritas, and a beautiful cake. My friend, Daniel, was there snapping pictures, I felt a bit like a celebrity for a moment. We had a drink and visited Carly’s roof for the beautiful view! Carly also gave me a special birthday present, an old-fashioned friendship bracelet. She and I now wear the same bracelet with charms that say faith, hope, and love. Such a thoughtful and unique gift!

Then we headed to Cilantro for some Mexican food. (I am highly judgmental of Mexican food in NYC, so Carly had gotten a great recommendation from my fellow friend and Texan, Leticia.) We had more Sangria and Mexican beer and chips with hot sauce. Food note, they had yellow, blue, and sweet potato chips in their baskets-I was impressed. We had a great meal and Carly made a special toast. She had everyone write something they liked about me, and read them aloud at the dinner. I was so overwhelmed by the love and kindness the people in my life showed me on my birthday.

As the party ended, we feasted on a beautiful apple walnut cake from Buttercup Bakery that my parents had sent. It was great that they could be a part of it all the way from Texas.

I feel so blessed to have had such a great birthday. This city and the special people in it made everything perfect! Looking forward to a wonderful 26^th year of life.

Food Hopping

The church I belong too, Apostles, encourages us to join community groups. So I have been attending an UWS group since around August. I have met the sweetest group of people, I love them! We meet once a week to discuss the sermon and share our lives with each other.

So, in honor of the temps reaching a blistering 70 degrees, we had been planning a progressive dinner, NYC style. It was amazing to say the least! Here is how it went down:

Our group started @ 107th street on my best friend, Carly's rooftop. We sipped on Carly's homemade Sangria and Moscow Mules as we watched the sun go down over the Hudson. Then, we hopped over to Susan's house on 88th for appetizers. My favorite was the ricotta bruscetta (Barefoot Contessa-love her). Then it was time for dinner and a quick jaunt down to 76th to Claire's house. God bless Claire, she set up her table for 18 people! Pretty sure she is now the master hostess of the world! We feasted on pasta, rosemary chicken, salad, tabouleh, and bread from Balthazar. It was divine! Finally, we headed for dessert at Jason's house a quick 3 blocks away. There we found Leticia's carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, chocolate cake, ice cream, and a champagne toast to end the evening!

I haven't done a progressive dinner since my senior year of high school at prom, but it was long overdue! Plan one with your friends, it's totally worth the scheming!

Friends, food, NYC-what else could a girl need?!

iPit

As I shut off the last bit of news from Matt Lauer, grab my bag, and head out the door, I am comforted by that one little thing that makes my commute not such drudgery. That's right friends, its my iPod. A precious little piece of technology that I couldn't live without as a New Yorker.
I untangle the headphones as I scram down five flights of janky stairs and plug in. There I find music to inspire me, block out city sounds, and sometimes give me a nice beat to walk too. The train has some very annoying sounds such as kids crying, music from other iPods blasting, and occasional train performers. I am riding the train as I write this and realized I just turned the volume up because I had a whistler in front of me. Just whistling a happy tune for everyone I suppose.

Sometimes I try to think about what the train was like before iPods. Were people talking to each other? Were they listening to tape players, or discmans? What was going on!?
I call it the iPit sometimes because of the amount of money I sink into that thing. I think nothing of buying the latest song or new Glee hit. It feel like I am using monopoly money. I have purchased about 160 songs since I moved here in August! Let's not add the cost up, please.

My most favorite thing about my iPod and the time I spend listening to it is that occasionally I have the perfect song on, I am walking down the street or through the subway, and I feel this sort of movie soundtrack sensation. It's like everything around me is passing by but I am standing still, listening to my song, and the world is perfect. Sounds crazy and cheezy, but that's ok. I love designing that soundtrack everyday, no matter the cost. Go for a walk somewhere lovely and put on "What a Wonderful World." See what happens!

An Ode to Spring

It’s April 19^th and I am headed home to Texas, where it’s 88 degrees. It hasn’t been that hot in New York since August. It seems all things “spring” come later in the Empire State. I am on spring break in April, and I am just beginning to see signs of spring this month. I would be sporting flip-flops and shorts by this time in Texas. Heck, I haven’t even had a pedicure yet. What is the world coming too?

I am not all sorrows about this late change in seasons, as I have loved watching the city bloom the last couple weeks. Although the temperatures don’t feel it at times, the days have warmed. I don’t pile on layers or pull on heavy snow boots any more. I don’t wear my knit cap and gloves to go running on the weekend, and I don’t wonder if tomorrow will be a snow day. NYC is thawing out.

I took several walks through Riverside Park this past week and saw the beauty of spring revealed. The trees are blooming in bright yellows and lovely creams. If you’re lucky, you’ll see a pink cherry blossom tree standing there brilliantly. There are orange and yellow daffodils’ showing their cheerful faces to whomever passes. Squirrels are hopping about all over. I felt like I had landed right in the middle of “Snow White.” I was bracing myself for some little blue bird to come sit on my shoulder so we could sing a tune.

The park was absolutely gorgeous, as are the people. Commuters are shedding their heavy down coats and exchanging them for smart khaki trench coats. (a must have) I notice more smiles as people sport chic flats in all the colors of the rainbow. I have even seen some brave souls wear sundresses.

Spring is coming and I couldn’t be happier! Lots of fun to look forward too: picnics in the park, days at the beach, eating brunch outside in the sun, good times on Carly’s roof, and of course, rompers. I’ll enjoy those summer temps this week though, it couldn’t hurt. I’ll be back in the trench coat next week! Happy Easter blog friends!