Studying + appreciating

I just had to stop for a minute to appreciate this moment. 

I'm studying at Barnes and Noble, taking intermittent breaks to people watch  and listen, and I wanted to take a moment to appreciate it. 

I feel fortunate to be able to enhance my knowledge of my profession. It's been a long and expensive road that has gotten me to this point, and I am lucky to be able to travel it! 

Ok, back to werk;)

P.S.- shout out to the Blogger app to be able to do this on the fly. You guys really improved your app in the past year and it no longer sucks! Yay! 

A note on behalf of semi-hypocritical omnivores everywhere

I recently sent an email through the website of a farming company called Strauss that raises beef, lamb, and veal for consumption. I started buying their beef about a year or so ago when I noticed they popped up in the Jewel near my house. The beef is pretty damn expensive compared to other beef products by different companies, or by Jewel itself, so it wasn't until recently that I completely made the switch to only buy this brand. I generally only buy beef from Jewel, but I am sure Marianos or Trader Joes has something along the same lines as Strauss- animals that are ethically and humanely raised. This includes grass fed, free range on open grass pastures, and without hormones or antibiotics. They are not raised in feedlots, or in pens, and are fed grass as opposed to corn. Their practices are also generally better for the environment, as they reduce their carbon footprint.

Source

So I have chosen this brand to be my go-to brand for beef purchases that are made in this house. It did get me thinking thought about how they actually produce the product that I buy at the store. Now, you might be thinking, "Amy, why do you spend double the money on beef that is raised humanely, but then killed to eat? If you care so much, why not just be vegetarian?" Yea, I know. I have gotten that question many times. And it is a good one. Honestly? I'm just not ready. I like hamburgers, meatballs, and chicken. Man I love chicken. But that doesn't mean that I want my chicken or beef to be treated horribly, and then die an awful and painful death. Which is why I am willing to pay a little more money to support those companies that align with my opinions and values on this subject. I will say that I am enjoying different ways to bring in vegetarian options into my diet. Animals are adorable and I feel awful about eating them sometimes, but I'm just not there on making the commitment to be 100% meat free...yet...?

Anyway, here's the email I sent. Hopefully I'll get a response!

Hi,
I live in a suburb of Chicago, and I am very pleased with my local Jewel offering Strauss Free Raised beef for purchase. I never hesitate to buy your product over the other cheaper, and lower quality beef that is offered. Your practices and values when raising your animals are important to me as a consumer and I am grateful that I live in a town where your product is offered.
With that being said, I am wondering if you have more information on the butchering practices of the animals your raise. I see that there is a section on your website marked "Butchery" that shows the cuts of the animal, and the soon to be section that will introduce us to the butchers you employ, but I am wondering more about the method you use to actually kill the animal.
I am just trying to gather information on your product, as I want to be more informed on the choice that I make to purchase your product.
Thank you very much for your time! I do appreciate it.
- Amy



P.S.- I teach little kiddos, of the K and 1st grade variety, so using words like "butchery" and "kill" were like saying the F word out loud in a crowded room. <Insert nervous emoji here>

P.P.S.- I did not include that last P.S. in my email to Strauss. Or this P.P.S. either. Just f.y.i.

101 things in 1,001 days

This is happening. I'm doing it. I have seen this on many different blogs that I follow and I have been back and forth on it for a while, but not anymore!

What is it? Well, it's a list of 101 things, organized how ever you would like it, that get you complete in 1,001 days.

What are my dates? 
Starting: Sunday, January 18th, 2015
Ending:  Sunday, October 15th, 2017


Fitness + Health

1. Run a half marathon
2. Run a 5k in 30 minutes or less
3. Meet my goal time for the Soldier Field Ten Miler
4. Ride my bike to Lake Michigan and back
5. Complete a 100 miles by __ Tone It Up challenge
6. Build up to a 1 minute plank
7. Drink at least 60oz of water a day for a week
8. Go a week without processed sugar
9. Floss everyday for two weeks
10. Go to running club twice a week for a month
11. Loose ten pounds
12. Run 365 miles in 2015
13. Follow a TIU weekly schedule for a whole week
14. Go to bed by 10:00 four nights a week for a WHOLE MONTH
15. Workout three times a week for two weeks


Create

16. Learn how to use my sewing machine
17. Use it to sew something!
18. Complete three Pinterest projects
19. Put up new curtains in my bedroom
20. Create a Project Life binder
21. Publish a How-To post on the blog
22. Host a Pinterest party
23. Publish 5 book review on the blog
24. Comment on ten new blog posts on friend's blogs
25. Finish a "P.S.-I Made This" project
26. Create an original painting
27. Make stationary for a friend
28. Fill a memory jar in 2015


Cook + Bake

29. Eat Vegetarian for a week
30. Host a dinner party for friends
31. Eat dinner at my kitchen table
32. Create an original recipe
33. Try two new recipes
34. Bake a birthday cake for someone
35. Host a birthday party for someone can cook it all myself!
36. Cook dinner involving some kind of seafood
37. Go to a wine tasting
38. Try a new tea flavor
39. Bake a pie on pie day!
40. Make a homemade pizza
41. Make a new soup
42. Try a new cookie recipe
43. Make ice cream from scratch


Buy

44. A new computer
45. A new car
46. A king size bed and bedding
47. The perfect LBD finally
48. Donate to two different Donors Chose projects
49. Donate a dollar to a charity for every thing on my list I do not complete
50. Myself flowers just because


Travel

51. Go on a weekend getaway with my husband
52. Camping with friends
53. Stay at a bed and breakfast
54. Visit a friend in another state
55. Visit my Godchild and his parents
56. Visit a national park
57. Visit a state with my husband that we have never been to


Personal

58. Complete 10 random acts of kindness
59. Photograph my favorite tree in every season
60. Get a massage
61. Read 3 classic books
62. Read 2 biographies
63. Read 20 other books
64. Donate my hair
65. Listen to all of the 2013 podcasts from This American Life
66. Journal twice a week for a month
67. Donate my time to Feed My Starving Children at least three times
68. Cheer a friend on at a race
69. Blog at least 10 of these accomplishments I complete on this list
70. Host a game night with friends
71. Send out Christmas or New Years cards
72. Create a new series on the blog
73. Leave a surprise gift card in my favorite book at a bookstore
74. Stay in better contact with friends- text, call, email at least once a week
75. Start another list of some goals when this is complete


Watch

76. A new TV series
77. All of the Best Picture nominations for a 2015 Oscar
78. All of the movies with Best Actor Nominations for the 2015 Oscars
79. All of the movies with Best Actress Nominations for the 2015 Oscars
80. 15 TED Talks
81. The entire series of Brothers & Sisters
82. Three black and white movies I haven't seen before


Experience

83. Buy coffee for the person in the drive thru behind me
84. Go to a Blackhawks game
85. Go to a Bulls Game
86. Go to a Bears Game
87. See a concert with a friend
88. See the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
89. See a play or a musical
90. Go on a picnic
91. See a drive-in movie
92. Go apple picking
93. Go pumpkin picking
94. Try two new restaurants for dinner or lunch
95. See a comedy show


Professional

96. Organize my math curriculum
97. Make the math curriculum digital
98. Pass my Reading Specialist test
99. Update my resume
100. Read a book about education
101. Leave work at 4:00 at least three days a week


That's it. My 101. Let's get at it.

Currently

Currently...

Watching/// The Comeback on HBO. It's semi entertaining. Not my favorite series from HBO, but it's a whole different genre than I'm used to. It's only in season 2, and I just finished Season 1 today (Yay for Cold Days off of school!). I will keep you updated on my thoughts :)

Thinking/// About plans for tomorrow and Saturday. One of my best friends is getting married! I can't wait to celebrate, and can't help but feel I'm forgetting something.....

Writing/// a new blog post that is redefining my 25 before 25 list. It's exciting, and hard to accomplish.

Drinking/// tea from Trader Joes. It's Vanilla and Cinnamon Black Tea and it's super wintery and delicious.

Feeling/// excited to celebrate my husband's birthday tonight!


Speaking of my husband's birthday...here are some things I just love about that guy:

+He is always thinking about us and our family. In everything he does, all the time. It makes me feel so happy and thankful.

+He is a kind person. He is helpful, sincere, and kind to others. He thinks about others feelings, and puts other people first.

+He loves to hang out with me. I mean, not many people love to do this all the time, and he does. That's just pretty great and unbelieveable ;)

+He makes me a better person. There are many things I didn't do before I met Tommy. He has made me a more responsible, organized, thrifty, and punctual person. I'm not perfect, but I am better because of him.

I love you! Happy Birthday!

A little change

I'm thinking of changing the name of my blog. Ok. I DID change the name of my blog.

I originally started this because I wanted to start typing instead of writing everything down. My hand was hurting, and writings takes more time than typing. Also, I always say I'm going to glue a picture in my journal, but I NEVER do. I even leave a space for it and then cringe when I look back at the waste of perfectly good lineage (that's a made up word pronounced LINE-age not the already existing word pronounced /ˈlinēij/ everyone. It's a new word, start working that around town k?)

This blog was a way to document my rough draft on life, and include pictures and video in a way that I never could on paper. Also, becausemyhandhurts (Do you see what I did there? Eh?)

It has stuck with me, however, that this blog is not some uber popular crafty creation. There is no cute theme that was the inspiration for this space. Most blogs I follow have a catchy name and center around the following: food, teaching, photography, running, or some sort of craftyness and project making. I am not an expert at any of those. And, come to think of it, I don't feel like an expert on anything really. My little corner of blogland is more of an expression of my imperfect, ever-changing, sparkly life's rough draft. 

Cheers to a new year, new look, and new name!

NYE 2014

Here we are. Another year gone. So much has happened! I completed my running goal of 12 races in 12 months, my best friend had her adorable baby and asked me to be a godmother, I started teaching a new grade, Tommy and I went to visit Katy and Buck in California, we had our three year wedding anniversary and our ten year together anniversary, and I finished my Masters!

Oh! And three of my best friends are getting married in 2015 and another one just got engaged!!
Life is happening over here you guys.

So we didn't do much. Just sat at home, watched tv, nothing special.

I did create some resolution though, and I would like to share them in this space. In no particular order:

1. Workout at least 3 days a week (and actually do it!) I actually wrote that in my journal. Yes, I still semi-regularly keep a handwritten journal. Old habits die hard. I think I make this my resolution every year, but my next resolution will help me be more consistent for the first time in my life with this first resolution this year! Hopefully....lol

2. Run 365 miles in 365 days Soooooo I'm a little scared of this one. I didn't keep a total mileage of my last running goal, so I had no idea how many miles I ran, but I think this is going to be hard. Not because I don't like running, but because I have had running friends (like actual runners you guys) make this goal and reach it by the end of the year in Novemberish and they totally run like it's a fun thing. I have hatched a plan that involves crafty and hands on record keeping, which I'm a total sucker for so....BWAHAHA AMY. Blog post on that later.

3. Read 15 books in 2015. Yes! Probably the one I'm most excited for! I was short of my 14 books in 2014 goal by 1.5 books, but that .5 a book I started reading before the new year is shaping up to be agood start to this resolution! Wanna follow along? Check out my Goodreads profile here 

4. Get two more things off my Little Life Bucket List. Which I haven't shared yet. It's a continuation/revision of my 25 Before 25, because life is sometimes about revising ourselves, and that list doesn't seem accurate for me anymore!

5. Foster relationships in my life both new and old by being here now. Stay interactive with my friend's lives both near and far, and make new friendships if I feel like it. My older sister said something to me a few days ago that I totally forgot about you guys: We can choose who we are friends with! I'm going to make those choices and continue to foster the relationships with already friends. Currently, I feel like I am better at this with some people, but not all people.

So there you have it! My resolutions. A little different from last year, but I'm feeling good about them:)