That's it...

I wasn't going to say anything. I was just going to let it all slide. But you know what...this is why I have a blog. To say, er type, things that are heavy on my mind and heart or nonsensical things that are light on my mind and heart. Either way this is my space and I'm going to use it.

There's been a lot of "opinions" floating around this worldwide web. Which I guess it what's supposed to happen on the worldwide web. If I want to stand on the proverbial rooftops of the internet and yell "I LOVE THE COLOR PINK" I'm allowed to do so.

And what I'm about to say is no way in no how knocking people for doing that.

Have an opinion.
Share your opinion.
Stand strong in your opinion.

But what I just can't understand is when and why we all decided that we were not only going to share our opinions, but we were going to bash people who didn't share the same opinions.

I'm the first to admit, I have a really hard time seeing other people's point of view. It baffles me that everyone doesn't just think the same way I do, because obviously the way I think is the right way, duh.
Except, even typing that I realize how ridiculous it is. To me the way I think is the right way. And to me the way I chose to do things is the right way. That's why I think the thoughts I do and do the things I do. But I'm an intelligent person and I'm smart enough to realize that not everything thinks and does things the way I do them.

And here's the groundbreaking news: that's okay.

The thing that has been bothering the most lately is that the things that people are disagreeing on are stupid stupid things. I'm not talking disagreements on gay rights, tax reform, or public education. These are topics I expect to see arguments about. People tend to stand very strongly on one side or the other and typically throw stones across the line. This isn't right either, but at least it's expected.

No, lately the arguments people have been having are about things that don't matter at all.

Like how old you have to be to get married.
Or the value of being a stay-at-home parent.

Here's an idea - do whatever the hell you want.

If you're in love and want to get married at 22, go for it. If you would rather rock climb in South Africa, go for it. If you'd rather sit at home with Netflix and junk food, go. for. it.

Marriage isn't about an age. (It's also not about all the other things people think it is, but that's for another post.) Marriage is about commitment. Bottom line. You make a promise to someone and you continuing making that promise everyday for the rest of your life. This can happen when your 20 or when your 85. Just like divorce can happen at any age, after any amount of time - if you lose sight of your commitment.

As far as "women's roles" in society. Really? We're still having this debate. If a woman wants to stay at home covered in spit up with 18 kids running around, let her. If she wants to put on a dress suit everyday and go bring home the bacon for her kids and husband, let her. If *gasp* she doesn't ever want to have kids of her own, let her. Why do you care?

Everyone is fighting their own battle. You think your desk job is the hardest thing out there. And maybe it is...for you. I (hopefully) guarantee while you were sitting at that desk you didn't have another human being wipe their boogers on you (something that happens as a teacher, I know from experience, and I'm sure for a stay-at-home mom). But at your desk job you probably did have an adult send you a nasty email or maybe someone ate your sandwich from the staff fridge. Either way - everyone's got something shitty that they're dealing with.

We, as women, as bloggers, as human freaking beings, should not be the "something shitty" we're dealing with.

This post is not a response to this or this. It is not a back-up for this or this.

It is simply a post telling you that I LOVE THE COLOR PINK but I will still love you even if you don't.

The Evolution of le Blog

I was reading some old posts the other night

(please tell me I'm not the only one that enjoys reading their own blog?

Does that make me vain? Wait. Don't answer that.)

And I realized that in the short almost year that I've had this blog

it's evolved quite a bit.

Which is to be expected of course.

As life changes and evolves, so do we.

Reading other blogs changes us to.

We find inspiration from others and little pieces of that

show up on our own blogs. 

When I first started blogging

most of the blogs I read were teaching blogs

and those were some of the first blogging relationships I made.

Most of my posts were somehow school related too.

Oddly enough, ever since school actually started

I haven't blogged much about it. 

Which is even odder only because

this school year is going so much better than last year.

Hence the evolution of le blog.

Don't get me wrong, 

going back and reading my old posts

definitely makes me a teeny bit nostalgic

(again, does this make me strange, or can you relate? Anyone?)

and there are lots of fun things going on at school

that could definitely be considered "blog worthy".

But as my blog has grown,

I've created other relationships with non-teacher bloggers.

And let's be real - if you're not a teacher

you're not going to be interested in reading about the graphing activity 

we did in math. 

(Even though it involved m&m's and sorting and was yummy and thought provoking.)

And honestly, even if you are a teacher

you're probably not going to be interested in reading about

the graphing activity we did in math. 

I've started reading lots of different types of blogs,

in addition to my fav teaching blogs,

and I've started writing about other aspects of my life

besides just my job.

Long story short - I think it's neat to see how you've changed over time, 

particularly when the changes seem so unnoticeable in the moment.

Also, I would like to start sharing more school happenings,

just because there is a lot fun stuff happening in Mrs. Dunn's 1st Grade Class

and what better way to remember it all than to document it.

Isn't that why we blog anyway? To document our lives?

Don't worry - I promise to bombard you guys with teaching strategies

and school happenings.

Part of being a teacher (or any professional) is finding the balance 

between your career and your personal life. 

Unlike last year, 

I've enjoyed having more of a personal life to blog about.

One step closer to finding that balance.

Also, through the evolution of my blog

I've learned that I enjoy the fact that it's about everything and nothing all at the same time.

I've mentioned before how I really wanted a certain "theme" for my blog

but I couldn't come up with just one thing to focus on.

And I'm so glad I didn't. 

I like the fact that my blog is just a space 

for me and my brain to unload.

If it happens to unload teaching stuff one day,

gluten-free stuff the other,

or sweet puppy pictures the next

that's okay.

And I like that.

I also like that you guys are so willing to stick around

and read the random ramblings of my brain.

Here's to blogging and growing

and everything in between.

You ole dog, you.

You know how they say sometimes owners start to resemble their dogs. And by "they" I clearly mean the animators of 101 Dalmatians.

DogVacay Blog is a website for all things dog. From boarding to finding a dog sitter to answering the pressing question : "What Does Your Dog's Breed Say About You?"

We all know that I have officially entered the land known as "crazy dog lady". It's okay - I'll gladly admit it. Both of my dogs, and even my childhood dog, Ginger, are bursting with personality. And I often find myself referring to them as if they were little humans, using human-like characteristics to describe them.

I'm always interested to hear what the "stereotypical" dog personality trait is for each breed. For example, Golden Retrievers are usually known as loyal, laid back dogs (and Ginger definitely was). Labs are also loyal, eager to please, and full of energy (which Roxy usually is. She's currently not so full of energy as she's snoring in Willow's bed, that is in fact two sizes too small for her). Dachshunds are typically stubborn. And I read somewhere that they're a really ferocious breed, which I half-way believe. Willow will bark someone to death. But that's about as far as her ferociousness goes. And even that's not very scary. 

And while my dogs do fall into those stereotypes pretty well, I like looking at their other personality traits, the ones I see because I'm obsessed with spending time with them am around them daily and oddly enough, finding similarities between their personalities and my own. (And Robbie's too - you didn't think he'd come out of this unscathed, did you?)

Willow is a ball full of energy. She literally shakes all the time. It could be because she's cold but if you try to put a sweater on her she'll tense up all over and shoot death stares your way until you take it off. It's much more likely that the shaking comes from the abundance of energy she has flowing through her veins - it's like she vibrates from within. If she was a kid, she'd definitely be the one in serious need of some ADHD medication. 

Likewise - if I was a kid, I'd probably be in serious need of some ADHD medication. I don't know how to do one thing at one time. Even right now - I have three different unrelated tabs open on my computer. I'm updating my school website, blogging, and checking email all at the same time. Willow and I both suffer from "oh look - squirrel" syndrome. 

My mom thinks Robbie and Roxy look alike in this picture. 

Seemed fitting for a Doppelganger post

Roxy is a creature of habit. She loves her toys, her house, her spot. She knows without a doubt what time is dinner time and will not so politely bring you her bowl to remind you. She's mostly really laid back but she still gets extremely excited when we have visitors, go on car rides, or play tug of war. She's not quite as social as Willow. She'll jump up on the bed only after Robbie and I have gotten up in the morning. Very rarely does she want to snuggle. She's not opposed to it, but she's equally as comfortable in her bed (or in Willow's) all by herself. 

Likewise - Robbie is a creature of habit. He has things his way and he likes them that way. Compared to me, he's way more laid back about most everything. And while he likes being around people, he's still very much a homebody.

~

Robbie and I have always been so complimentary of each other - like ying and yang. I like to think we fill in each other's gaps perfectly. And well, I guess you could say our dogs do the same.

I don't know what my personality says about me or what my dog's personality says about them but I do know that they are both an intricate part of our family and I couldn't imagine my life without them and all the little quirks that make them, them.

Oh yea...and I do know I'm a crazy puppy mom. No shame in my game.

What did you FON-DO this weekend?

So I know it's hump day, which means we're on the downslope into next weekend (hallelujah) but I have to share how I spent last weekend. Even if it's two days late.

~

Remember my way cool sister-in-law who turned eleven last month? Well just to validate how cool she is and how un-cool I was at her age, she had a fondue birthday party last weekend.

I was obviously invited roped into helping her mom prepare every thing, and y'all it was such a neat party idea. I love "out of the box" birthday party ideas. Sure pirate parties are fun and everyone loves a good jumpy house, but the different, creative parties that don't necessarily go over the top but are memorable all the same? Those are the best.

Delanie had decided she wanted to a do a fondue girl party a while ago. So her mom started scrounging up fondue pots and Melting Pot recipes, all the while keeping eleven year olds in mind. I wish I could say I had a lot of input on the preparation of everything, but really I was just the help. Delanie had planned and picked out everything perfectly. We just had to execute.

We started with the cheese. Nothing too fancy here. We did a swiss cheese fondue and then queso and salso (my fav - always). We also made pizza crackers, a Kinston local fav, that the girls went crazy for. Technically they had nothing to do with fondue but they were delicious.

Our "main course" was a pizza dip that I stumbled upon a few months ago.

Then it was time for the dessert, or as I like to call it - the best part of a fondue meal. We had a chocolate fountain, melted white chocolate, and the main dessert : bananas foster. Oh Emm Gee. Y'all. It was so good. Seriously my mouth is watering just thinking about it. We had fruit for days (which I haven't been able to get enough of lately) pound cake, rice crispies, brownies, marshmallows, any and everything you could think of. But truth be told - I would have eaten that bananas foster with a spoon. Seriously, the best.

My mother in law and I spent the entire afternoon munching (sorry gluten-free diet) while the girls came and went. Nibbled and giggled. Played games and opened gifts. It was a really laid back party, compared to when the twins were little. But that's how it works. All of a sudden just being able to hang out with your friends is the highlight of a party.

I think Delanie and her friends had a great time and I loved being able to be a part of it.

~

Oh and fun little fact - the first time me and Robbie really hung out was at my brother's 11th birthday party, almost ten years ago. The twins were one. That shit's cray.

One Five Ten

High school graduation. Still one of my favorite memories. I loved my senior year of high school. Sure there were a lot of not so lovely things at the times. But overall, it was a great year - spent enjoying every last drop of New Bern and the friends I had in New Bern, while also looking forward to all the exciting things yet to come. 

Senior Semi-Formal circa 2007

By nature, I'm a planner and a dreamer and I love thinking about and planning out big life events. My senior year of high school was like a big stepping stone. The starting line to all those big events. 

For the most part, my life has turned out exactly my 18-year-old self thought it would. Yet at the same time things have turned out completely different than I could have ever imagined.

I thought...I would be at NCSU, studying Elementary Education.

I thought...I would be in a sorority.

I thought...I would be single and would have spent way too much time partying with all my new friends/boyfriends.

In reality...I was at NCSU, majoring in Elementary Education but taking ridiculously unnecessary classes. What is a future Kindergarten teacher going to do with Zoology, Statistics, and Chemistry?

In reality...I did not rush a sorority, but instead accepted a teaching scholarship, becoming a North Carolina Teaching Fellow. Still a choice I sometimes question, but am ultimately thankful I made. 

In reality...I was dating Robbie, again. And falling more in love with him each day, again. Apart from my soulmate of a roommate (seriously where had this girl been all my life?) I had made a handful of new friends but had realized that making new true friends was trickier than I thought. I was also learning that girl drama didn't end in high school, unfortunately. 

Oh yea, and in reality I had really long hair and was always really tan. Ah, the good ole days. 

I thought...I would be out of college and teaching Kindergarten in Raleigh - loving it. 

I thought...I would be engaged, or newly married - loving it.

** Clearly I wasn't as detailed of a planner as I would have thought. **

In reality...I was out of college and back in New Bern. I had found a teaching job in Cove City (which had previously only been a highway exit to me). I was teaching Third Grade and was far from loving it. 

In reality...I was married, to Robbie. And definitely loving that. 

In reality...we were renting a house with two puppy dogs, who I loved way more than I could have ever imagined. 

In reality...I was far away from the friends I had made in college, which made me sad. Location wise, I was close to the friends I had in high school, which was nice but was creating a weird limbo between my high school self and my grown up self. 

I thought...I would still be teaching. 

I thought...I would own a house back in New Bern with my hunk-a-burnin love husband.

I thought...I would have had one kid with maybe another on the way.

In reality...I haven't been out of high school for ten years so I can't technically complete this part yet. 

I have been out of high school for almost 7 years (gah) and I'm well on my way to accomplishing most of those ten year goals. The big umbrella picture of my life as panned out exactly the way I hoped it would. College, teaching career, husband, etc. 

it's the little tiny details, the things that make our lives unique and special and memorable that we don't plan for. That we couldn't possibly plan for. When I was 18 I never thought Robbie would be my husband. At the time of high school graduation, we weren't even on speaking terms. I never thought I would be commuting 30 minutes one way to teach at a low-performing school in the middle of nowhere. I never thought it would test me as much as it has. And I never thought I could love it the way I do. 

I never thought I would spend my fall Saturdays tailgating at ECU football games. I never thought I wouldn't even speak to my high school best friend anymore. I never thought I would buy and remodel a house five minutes away from my childhood house. I never thought my husband would be laid off two years into our marriage, leaving us to live on my salary alone. I never thought I'd find the "grown-up" friendships I have found in the past few years. I never thought I'd want to wait to have babies. I never thought I'd understand what it was like to be madly in love everyday with someone. 

Living in the same small town that I grew up in is a strange thing. Sometimes I look around and things are exactly the same. Things are exactly how I would have always expected them to be. And then other times I look around and everything is different, new, exciting, and terrifying. 

Here's to the next ten, er seven, years!

Linking up with Bon. 

Bills Bills Bills

I feel like listening to that song makes the idea of having and paying bills not so bad. With that being said, this is not a post about budgeting, paying bills, or saving money. If you want to know my thoughts on any or all of the above : I hate it. All of it.

Moving on....yesterday I went to the seventh layer of hell, also known as the Verizon Wireless store. I loathe going to cell phone stores. I usually have to wait for-ev-er. And then I get pressured into something I don't want or need before I even know what happened.

Plus, have you ever noticed how all the salesmen look the same? Probably not...because I never had. Until yesterday. They looked like they could have all been related. Every last one of them. And while that's not really a valid reason to hate something it's just an observation I felt like sharing.

I went in yesterday, by myself, because we had a question about our bill. And by question, I mean problem. A problem we've been trying to fix since January. I braved yet another "ice storm" that eastern North Carolina is facing (go home, Mother Nature, you're drunk) to go talk to a representative because we couldn't get any help over the phone or on the internet and if Robbie went to talk to a representative there would have been a lot less talking and a lot more yelling. So I was the lucky one spending my evening at Verizon.

While I was there, waiting for them to fix our account, I thought about something. Besides the fact that all the guys that worked there looked the same, and the fact that the middle-aged man helping me had a picture of a duck-face selfie as his phone background. I thought about how ridiculous cell phones are. And not just cell phones, all of it. We're all so connected all the time. And while I love it and wouldn't want to change it even if I could, you have to admit...it's kind of stupid.

Our cell phone bill is my least favorite bill that comes each month. Apart from our mortgage, it's also one of the highest bills that comes every month. (This only holds true because all of our other bills are ridiculously low.) But it's the one bill that I wouldn't want to do without. It's also one of the hardest bills to cut back on. I want unlimited data and text messaging and 4G coverage and all that other stuff that lets me check Twitter every five seconds. In fact, the only thing that we've reduced over the years is the actual talking minutes we need on our phones. And hello? Isn't that supposed to be the whole purpose of a phone - to talk on it?

I don't really have a point to all of this, so I guess I can stop rambling now. I just can't help but think how silly it all is. With that being said, I think I'll go check Instagram on my phone now.

[no dogs were drunk in the writing of this blog post]

[humans are a completely different story]

My sweet Willow Worm turned three last week. Which in dog years is 21. Which means obviously, being the nerd that I am, I had to play that up. No worries. There was no tequila in that shot glass but rather a gluten-free puppy treat that she goes crazy for! And obviously we shared with sissy Roxy. 

Happy Birthday to my sweet baby puppy!