Laptop: 1, Alisha: 0

I don't know about you, but technology and I do not get along very well. I'm not a computer whizz, but I do know my way around a computer. I can make things and do what I need to go to get by. For the past few days, I've been working on revamping my book bin labels for my classroom library. However, when I pushed the precious SAVE button, it saved only half and then decided to stop working. Awesome. So, I'm giving up on that for a couple days and when I don't feel mad at my computer or book bin labels, I will go back to them.

Since that was not so successful, I started thinking of something else I could work on. A teacher's work is never done, after all. I started thinking about things I worked on last year and here is one of my favorites:

The picture quality isn't that great... I cut off the "Let's" at the bottom for Pete's sake. One thing I love about my school is that each teacher greets the child at the door. I'm sure a lot of schools do that. We pick our kids up at the playground, bring them in, and greet them. We each have a sign of some sort that shows the choices they can choose from to greet. This was the sign I created last summer before school began. Most my kiddies gave hugs to be greeted, but they were a huggable bunch!

One more thing I really liked...

This was not the finished product. How boring it'd be if it was! I added pictures of myself, family, friends, and of course Jasper around the words. But, this was a sign I made for the door for Back to School Night. I'll make sure to take a picture of it whenever I'm back at school and post what it actually looks like. 

The main things I love about these two things is that I took the time to make them. And, the kids love the letters (which is why I love them too). They are only 7 and 8 and yet, they appreciate the time you take to make nice-looking things for them. 

I'm starting to forget the point of my post, but I am looking forward to making new things for my upcoming class and the classes after that as well. I better make my trip to Wal-Mart soon though! Summer is already half-way over! Oi!

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Chocolate Cake Cookies

It's summer and I have been working on things for school like crazy. For now, I've just been browsing blogs, saving some documents to print at a later time (when I actually have access to a computer), revising my Back to School Information Packet, and revising my book tub labels. I've only redone seven of them, but I have way more books than that. Plus, I'm very particular with how the pictures are set on the labels, etc. Picky, picky. I'm pretty excited about what I've found so far though and am even possibly more excited for my second year than I was for my first (gasp!).

Last night, in the midst of it all, I was craving chocolate. I am a deep lover of chocolate and there is no way I could go without it. I honestly don't know how people do. I wasn't craving just any kind of chocolate. I was craving my Chocolate Cake Cookies. These cookies are super easy to make and I can't believe I hadn't made them until last Christmas for my family. I also made them for the last day of school for my coworkers as a "thank you for a great year". I have no idea how I stumbled upon such a great, easy recipe and I have no idea where I did (some random cooking website... Possibly Delish?), but I am glad I did!

What You'll Need:

1 package Devil's Food Cake Mix

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter- softened

1 tablespoon of water

Powdered Sugar

How to:

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine cake mix, eggs, butter, and water in a medium bowl.  Stir until just blended.

Chill the dough for about ten minutes (give or take) in the freezer (I only use the freezer because I'm impatient. You could chill in the fridge for about an hour... That's what I did on Christmas...)

Scoop the dough into walnut-sized balls and roll in powdered sugar

Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet

Bake for 9 minutes

Take out, repeat, and enjoy!

For the record, I always sprinkle more powdered sugar on top of the cookies. I like how snowy they look when there's more. Plus, I love powdered sugar. And, I love these cookies. They taste like brownies. Yum!

This picture... I really just wanted to share what my freezer looks like. I had to take some things out so I could chill the dough... Hey, Lean Pockets were on sale at Price Chopper for 99 cents. Can't beat that.

There's more in the door of my freezer too. Hey, don't judge. I love me some sales. 

Night!

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My First Post Ever. Obviously.

I have no idea why I am starting a blog. I have no theme for my blog (i.e. cooking, baking, teaching, music, etc.), but I love to write and share. After viewing many lovely blogs about teaching and cooking/baking (two things that I deeply enjoy), I caved. These two things are things that I love (especially teaching), but they are not things I would say I am perfect at (although perfect is so boring) and am not sure if I could devote an entire blog to those things. So, my blog's theme is just about life- learning to love the life I have been given. And, thankfully I do.

I feel as though my first post should be about the number one thing on my mind and that would be my car. Sounds silly. My car is my baby. Her name is Ravy. She is a 2011 Rav-4 and I bought her in January. She is my first brand new, never been used car and I love her. However, a horrendous hail storm ran (although, it lasted 30 minutes so perhaps I should say "jogged" extremely slowly) through Platte City on Sunday morning at 1:00. The storm woke me up, making me think that someone was violently banging on my door and windows. I sat straight up, grabbed my mace, and prepared myself mentally for my attacker. Jasper, my precious pup, barked violently at my window. Creeping cautiously into my living room, I realized that my entire apartment was shaking and that the scary noise was actually baseball-sized hail.

Once it was over, I threw on my glasses and a jacket and went outside with the rest of my neighbors to inspect the damage. Every car in the apartment complex had horrible dents and broken windows. I drove my car over to my parents' house to keep inside their barn so that the rain did not get inside through the back window which hail broke completely.

This is how big the hail was. Literally, the size of my palm!

Here's my front windshield which made my car not safe for the road. I guess it could break while I'm driving! Who knew?

Here is one of the larger dents. There were a couple larger, but the photos did not turn out well. Silver cars take crummy pictures.

Fortunately enough, my car is already in the body shop and it's a body shop full of people I barely know, but trust to take care of my baby. She's been in there once already this year (due to my own careless driving) and they took wonderful care of her.

I just have to keep reminding myself that God has a plan for me.

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