multicolored sprinkles

Not too long ago I was browsing blogger and came upon my new favorite blog. 

Multicolored Sprinkles is not afraid to put her heart and feelings out on the line and is a true inspiration.  Her blog is saturated with her sweet spirit and love for the Lord. She also posts recipes that make me want to cook. Now thats talent. :)

Come to think of it...I dont even know her first name, but I do know that if we lived in the same city, I would try to be around her all the time. Is that creepy? I hope not! She's Awesome!

Check out her blog. and follow it too!

In addition, please admire these cupcakes

I dont want to eat them but rather stare at them all day. This beauties were carefully handcrafted at Crumbs and Doilies  in the always charming London. 

Maybe thats why I like them so. 

Nahhhhh its those handsome faceless 'staches 

Lost: Brain. Reward: Remembering to pay you

Thats it!  Im going to the doctor. I am so frustrated and upset that my retention ability is declining rapidly that I started tearing up today while doing the dishes. (note: I was doing the dishes) (also note: that I hate doing the dishes) I dont understand what happened. Why, over the past couple of months, I have felt lost, cloudy, disconnected, off my game.  Is it all of the adult duties (haha i said doodie (aaaand im a middle school teacher)) that are suddenly overwhelming me?

I KNOW I wasn't always like this. Up until this year I have NEVER carried a planner. In college, I was queen of being social, I lead organizations and I never missed a meeting. Of all the meetings I had with different people at different places at different times, I just filed it into my memory's calendar.

I took dance once when I was 3. Then in 8th grade I decided to try out for the high school dance team. I didnt know how to dance....BUT i did have a good memory. Because I could memorize the moves so easily, I got to focus on the technique that I had missed all those years. I made the team of 50 girls that spring and even danced my way into the elite dance team of 13 girls later in high school.

I wouldnt say Im naturally brilliant (sucks) but I used to credit my high success in school to my memory. Its why I like science. Mere memorization!

Aaaaaand getting to the point. I have lost my classroom keys AGAIN! But what you didn't know was...that key I lost and found and lost again...was already the LAST spare key in the school. Because I had lost my others.
eff. M. L

At least I am able to connect to my A.D.D kids and why they get so frustrated because they keep forgetting their pencil....or homework..or binder...or brain in their locker. I now feel their pain.

Im too tired to proof read this. Hope it isn't swallowed in nonsense.

yayayaya!

TB got homecoming queen!

TB's escort rolled her out on the court and did a little spin with her in front of the crowd. I jumped up and down the minute I heard the news. I might have also screamed loudly. Alright, I did scream loudly. 

I am so proud of TB. She is so positive. She is my personal rockstar.

 I admire her. 

 She was such a talented basketball player. (also really good at fouling the other team) I get the warm fuzzies thinking of her getting homecoming queen with the sport she loved to play. 


I hope she decides to come to Austin for her therapy. I would love love LOVE to have her close to me. Instead of NINE hours away :(

TB is on the left. Her older sister Lora is coming to visit me in March. Yeeeehaw!

Goodness, they are both so pretty!

i. feel. helpless.

Can't stop reading Ben and Katie's blog. I feel helpless. I feel like my monetary donations aren't enough. I feel selfish going about my daily routines. Waking up in my ridiculously comfortable bed surrounded with 6 pillows like a princess. Choosing an outfit from my two closets full of shoes and Anthropologie dresses.  Taking my vitamins with clean water from the sink faucet. Letting my strawberries go bad in the fridge because I had other choices for breakfast this week. Running around Town Lake because I'm healthy, not diseased or infected or hungry. I feel bad even laughing when so many people are crying.

But then I read Katie's blog today and saw this video of a little boy she met. It got me out of my little funk and made me smile a little LOT

If you want to feel closer to the action start reading Katie's blog religiously. 

Its real. 

Its raw.

Its God at work. 

Today is Thursday

La Roommate told our principal today that my life is a musical. She's right. I sing all my thoughts, my actions,  my aches and pains, my sorrows and I often wonder why the rest of the population isn't in on my parade.

I think I attended the wrong university

Wedding Video

If or when I get married. This is what I want my video to look like.

Stunningly beautiful!

I wish the videos I edit could be this incredible

Thanks brother for the fantastic find.

Ben and Katie in Haiti

A fellow blogger and high school friend just recently sold all of her belongings and moved to Haiti with her husband. Only a couple weeks into their new life as teachers and missionaries their world was shaken. They are now survivors and helping with the aftermath. 


I have been pondering for a while now on how I wanted to approach my post on Haiti. This will probably come across as extremely offensive and I hope for just the opposite but, Im just gonna say it....

When I first heard of the news...I couldn't help but smile. 

In NO WAY was this a response to all of the pain and suffering of the Haitians. I am heartbroken for these people and in no way can relate to what they are going through. I cant even imagine it. Instead, I was smiling because Ben and Katie are there for a reason. Smiling because God's plan is real. Smiling because they can serve Him. Smiling because of all the people who will learn about Jesus through this devastation. Praise Him.

Please pray for Ben and Katie along with their Haitian community as they begin the healing process and check out their blog and their experiences here

(ahhhh this might be my boldest post ever and Im nervous)

TaDa

Our house has adorable glass door knobs, original hard wood floors an ironing board that comes out of the wall and even a telephone nook in the hallway where a rotary phone once perfectly perched in 1950 when people had to stand the length of the conversation without privacy. The backyard stretches a lot and a half and has a clothes line we could use (in theory). It has built in shelves, walls that are bright colors and I have TWO closets in my room. One closet just for dresses, jackets and shoes. Our house is perfect in most ways but there is one, well two... but lets talk about the one thing.... that urks me to no end. 

we. dont. have. a. dishwasher.

again

we. dont. have. a. dishwasher.

The following chain of events stem from this one, tiny, expensive issue. 

I dont do dishes

so

I dont cook food that requires lots of dishes

so

I dont eat healthy

so

I cant loose that lingering 10 pounds

so 

I cry when I cant zip up my pants

I always wished I could live in a different decade. Guess Robin Williams came out of his bronze coated slumber and granted me that wish. 

Now I realize I may come across as spoiled and lazy, and maybe I am, but I just would rather spend my time doing other things than dishes by hand.

 For example, saving the world. 

La Roommate bought a plain white prayer journal the other day at church. She asked me to decorate it for her. Then she said she would do the dishes. Her idea. I said yes. Bribe me with dishes. It will work EVERY time. Clearly I drew a giraffe, because thats what you think of when you decorate a prayer journal.

or because Im going through a giraffe kick and cant stop doodling them.

I will probably be changing my blog banner to some sort of version of the one below

Check out La Roommates blog. she's new. so show her some love.

x

la beast

Capital City

Happy Tuesday!

Today is a beautiful  75 degrees day in Capital City.

Too bad I was inside making parent phone calls because their lovelies wanted to cheat on the hw. 

Now that I am off work....

To run at Town Lake?

or Happy Hour?

I'll let your curious little minds ponder on that decision.

Enjoy the fun Diana and I had yesterday on our date to the Capitol

Austin

This weekend I fell in love with my city. 

Like really fell in love with it. I don't take advantage of it enough. There is so much to do, so many funky places to eat at and so many incredible views like this one!

This is a little spot I found along my usual running path. I love coming here at night and seeing the lights of the city reflect off the lake. 

This weekend I went to Red Brick Pizza, a cozy little pizza bar, where I got pineapples on my pizza.

I went to Halcyon coffee house where they serve you SMORES at the table and then went out to west 6th street for a night on the town.

I planned my route 5 different times this weekend to drive up South Congress because Im obsessed with the view of The Capitol. 

On my day off, I am going running at town lake (and right past this little spot) then I am taking Diana with me to south congress to have a little fun. 

{Photos by alex}

Why doesn't this happen to me?

Whenever I start dancing while walking down the street, why doesn't the rest of the population hear my background music? Moreover, why don't they do their back up moves just like we practiced? How much is Joseph Gordon-Levitt paying his people to wear shades of blue and dance on cue? And where the heck did he get that little bird to tweet around him from? Whenever I call for animals to fly around me I am usually sent terrifying bees that send me running instead of chippery little bluebirds from Cinderella. 

Ugh. 

You can see my frustration.

Why isn't my life a musical?

Why doesn't this happen to me?

Ping!

La Rockstar found the best invention ever made.

Its called 

Ping! 

(Yes it includes the exclamation)

and it made our wildest dreams come true.

I remember back when I was a young little girl, I dreamt of one day when a little "hand top" (as opposed to laptop) phone would be invented. A hand top that could do all things under the sun with thousands of things called...applications. A hand top that could count my calories, play me music and get me lost while driving all in one expensive beast of a machine.  I only dreamt that there would be a free way to communicate with British rockstars on the other side of the pond. Specifically, one who tickles the ivories.

Well ladies and gents, 

YOUR my dreams have come true. Free overseas texting via applications on the iphone is thrilling yet dangerous. 

Huzzah.

Need to Ping! someone on the other side of the Atlantic?

Download your application from itunes today!

{Ping! I will accept my endorsement check at my paypal account}

Alexia came to visit!

ALEXIA CAME TO VISIT!

My roommate last year of college is so wise. I really enjoy her company. We cooked dinner (what is with me?) and chatted and got a little crazy dancin around the room.

Without fail, Alex and I will speak in terrible British accents the length of EVERY conversation we have. We have fun. I love her.

Check out her wise yet witty outlook on life at her blog 

HERE

Dont mind my post yoga attractiveness

Aren't my lime green walls fun?!?!

Wanna know a secret?

Every morning before school I turn up Michael Buble deafeningly loud and dance around my classroom. Sometimes in heels ...or sometimes I enjoy spinning them on my finger as I twirl.

Today was a stiletto spinning morning. 

Shamelessly prancing with my pearls and lace as I prepared for the day,  I couldn't help but pretend that he was singing every word specifically about me.

:) :) :)

What are your shameless little secrets?

x

 la beast

{photo from weheartit}

Tough. Call.

Tickets to England are only $612 during Spring Break. Thats HALF the normal price. The thought of being there in approximately 10 weeks makes my insides jump up and down. How could I pass up that deal? Or should I wait until this summer when I can go for 2 weeks? It might not be as good of price but I would get more for my money? maybe?

Tough. Call.

{photo taken by the fabulous Jenny Davis @ my photo shoot last month}

Re-Diculous

Its gone from a joke thats kinda funny to full blown concernicous. "La Roommate" said to me this morning, "Show me your classroom keys before we leave for school" and I did. How I ended up at school without it is beyond me. 

Also, can we talk about how BORING t.v. is tonight? 

Jk. Its not like its the College Football Championship or anything. 

You know whats neat. LIVING in the city of the Rival.

Today I assigned homework, which I never do. I sent an email home to the parents to let them know. WITHIN SECONDS I had like 15 responses in my inbox. 

"BOOOO Ms Terry! Are you an Aggie or something?"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Go horns!"

"Not watching the game tonight?!?! Bummer!"

"The Texas game is on...its practically a national holiday"

WHAAAAT???? 

So my email back to the parents was as follows

"Just Kidding! Gotcha! Clearly I forgot what city I live in. NO HOMEWORK!"

I know exactly what you fellow Longhorn haters are thinking...re-diculous

Here are some cute pictures of my classroom that I forgot to post at the beginning of the year.

We are the ROCKSTARS...and we study rocks AND stars...how clever am i?

I also named my tables Rockstars with Sciencey names. The kids loooooooveeeee it.
These signs hang above the tables

What other teacher has records on their walls?

Yes, part of my wall is green. 
No, I didn't paint it. 
Yes, I am obsessed with it

woah woah weee woah

1st. My new years resolution could be classified into one category. Fail. I forgot my classroom keys BOTH days this week. Thus resorting me to chase down the computer technician who has a universal key. My forgetfulness is disgusting.

2nd. I cooked yesterday. Success. Let me remind you of its significance. I. dont. cook. I understand this is a very unattractive quality. I want to. I dream about one day having some sort of burning desire to cook scrumptious meals, but its just not there yet. I must say, all though I made everything from scratch yesterday GASP, I kinda had fun. And the sole reason was because I was cooking with and for my fun friend Jordan...and also my cute anthro giraffe measuring cups. 

B.T.W I cooked Salmon. who. am. i?

3rd. I might have said something inappropriate-yet-hysterical to a student of mine today at school. Fail. They were creating the Nitrogen Cycle in their journal and had to put a lot of effort into it. I was walking around the room checking on their work and giving feedback. I took a look at one journal, put my hand on their shoulder and said, "Very Niiiice" identical to Borat. My face went into total shock and I immediately looked around to see if anyone heard me. Good thing they didn't, and that they are 11 and probably haven't seen the movie.  

{To help you picture my embarrassment}

Just Because

Because its 11:30 and I sat down for the first time today about 30 minutes ago...I am fading fast. Therefore, I wont be able to post a longer post about what I really want to.

Instead I will leave you with this clip. If I am ever in a security lockdown in Newark Airport, I would most definitely be partaking in this. 

Its good to see people making the best out of the most stressful situations. 

(and to see God at work using the guitar player to calm down the airport)
Chills.

:)

with love, 

la beast

2009 Resolutions

I wouldn't really say resolutions. Let's call them. Life Goals.

Now Im not gonna make these too extreme. They wont even be too exciting. But these are things that I really want to work on personally, aside from your typical eat better, more devotional time, and workout resolutions.

 I originally had only one. When "La Russian" asked me on NYE what my resolution was my response was "OO! I feel like I made one recently. What was it?" I roll my eyes to the ceiling as if the answer is magically written up there. Frustrated I then bring my head to my hands. "No. I know I thought of one earlier." I look back at "La Russian" in shock that I couldn't remember my resolution. 

Then it dawned on me. 

The resolution I had made earlier that day that I couldn't remember, was to...Work on my memory. 

Embarrassing.

I forgot my own resolution to remember.

Do you see the need?

Ridiculous.

So my list is as follows

1. Work on my memory (don't know how to do this). But I was pleased today when I remembered my glasses were on the table hidden by my napkin at Olive Garden

2. Floss

3. Join a creative class (pottery, dancing, jewelry making, something)

4. Read 1 book a month.  I can do it. 

5. Write more thank you notes and mail more cards. 

2009 Recap

My 2009 was super LAME compared to my AMAZING 2008. but good in its own right.

In 2009

I got my first JOB. I moved from Dallas to Austin. I kicked my butt with a personal trainer and an intense bootcamp over the summer. I lived by myself for the first time and then decorated my cute house with "la roommate".  I joined a kickball team. I went to school workshops and met my fun friend Jordan. 

I rode on a jet ski for the first time (and made him go ridiculously slow) and canoed Town Lake. The Tiny Dancers came down for my birthday and we floated the river. I went to the Rodeo and danced with a REAL cowboy. I also bucked hay for the first time. My car got "glittered" as a prank from my students.  We had a family Reunion this summer.

 I finished two wedding videos. I went to New York City wtih "bestie", "plus one" and some of the Tiny Dancers. I played with my new cameras. I went to Florida TWICE and Disney World TWICE. Found Aladdin only once. but he winked at me so it was ok.  I ate way to many cheeseburgers (might be sick of them! GASP). Allergies finally found me at age 23 in Austin, Tx. Another dream came true when I saw PAUL MCARTNEY in concert in the fantastic brand new Cowboys Stadium. I spent a lot of time on the lake, found a church and explored the city of Austin.  I was in TWO...count em 2 photo shoots. I paid off one student loan and my credit card (YAY) and managed to $$$ save money $$$ in the bank. I got sick only twice, chopped my hair short. Prayed more than any other time in my life. 4 of my close friends got engaged and I went to one wedding. I watched a lot of football, tried to become a baseball fan and failed. I decorated my classroom CUTE and taught summer school. Oh yeah..I also taught Saturday school. I got a speeding ticket and food poisoning, rode in a Karaoke Cab and experienced a White Christmas.

I made many trips to Dallas to see friends and many friends came to Austin to see me. It was emotionally exhausting and my most physically fit year (those may or may not be directly related) and my 2009 resolution was to just survive.

I did. :)

played with my new camera

family reunion in Illinois with my cousin Amanda

I bucked those hay bails all by myself!

Kickball with my fun friend Jordan

visiting TB in the hospital

NYC with friends

Visiting Brother In Florida...

That Kingdom is so...magical

Dad and I at the Paul McCartney Concert

I cut my hair short!

White Christmas Eve with Nicknameless Boy

Tiny Dancers do NYE

So Im a few days late..so Im going to catch up on my posting and post a couple today.


New Years Eve was GREAT, considering. Food poisoning left me absolutely nauseous the entire day. I would have totally stayed home that night if "La Russian" didn't drive up from Austin and if I didn't shove $100 at my celebrity party already. I dressed up pretty, braved the smell of alcohol and surprisingly had a wonderful time watching everybody get silly. One thing I did notice is that my dance moves are NOT AS GOOD  as they used to be. I found myself awkwardly bouncing off beat and trying to move smoothly. I mean...it was bad. I wished I felt well enough to even sip on champagne to make it better. 


The Karaoke cab was just as amazing as the first time. The Tiny Dancers + La Russian squuueeeezed into the neon van and belted Livin on a Prayer into our mics. The only problem...the ride was too short....they always are. 


So NYE was ok. much better than past NYEs for sure. I didn't get my usual anxiety during the countdown. Maybe because the countdown was lame and didn't really feel like a countdown. Maybe because I was distracted. Either way it helped.  

"La Naomi" helped me with my fantastic hairstyle. Am I allowed to have a girl crush on my friend? or only on celebrities you don't know? Because if Im allowed.. I call girl crushing  my friend "La Naomi" 

She is so pretty and nice and creative and I want to be her!