Take a step back... and look again

One final post for the week (in case you haven't noticed I like to save my blogging time for Sunday afternoons/evenings so it all piles up and then I just do multiple blogs - Mondays are a great day to check my blog!). This post I hope will make your Monday a little bit brighter:)

The past couple months for me have been a lot of complaining, crying, headaches, phone calls, and well to me - many times a disaster. But then I received an email from my mom which she received from a friend. This email made me think - why am I being so negative? Is my life reallllly that bad? ABSOLUTELY NOT! My life is great, amazing, wonderful! I am so fortunate to have what I have and be given what I have been given. So this is my inspirational blog for you:)

Now I am going to start off by saying I am by no means a perfect, positive person - obviously - look at the majority of my posts from the months of July-August! But, the best part about your life is that you can always change it! Or, if it's like mine, it doesn't need to be changed, I just need to change the way I look at it. Here are just a few reasons that my life is wonderful:

• I wake up in a bed, my bed, every morning
• I take a shower, in my shower, with hot water every morning
• I eat a breakfast of my choice every morning
• I pack a lunch that I was able to buy with my own money
• I get in a car that I bought and drive to a job that I chose and love
• I see smiling faces (almost) every morning and balls of energy (those would be my students)!
• I have fun at my job!
• I go home to a dog (and a boyfriend) that I love and they love me
• We make dinner with food that we bought with our own money
• We relax in our quiet apartment that we don't have to share with other people
• We go to sleep in our own bed with clean sheets

All of the above are such small things that we all take for granted. My life is simple compared to so many peoples. I am healthy, my family is healthy, I have a job, I have a car, I have an income, I have.... so much. So why do I complain??? I have no idea. But tomorrow is a new day and I am going to make it bright! I am not going to look for the things that went wrong, but the things that went right! I am not going to focus on the "why me" but rather the "lucky me!" In the email my mom sent me (which I posted below) it made me think about the little things. Maybe it wasn't a bad thing my car broke down when it did. Derrick was driving it, we were on a pretty empty road, and Derrick was off for the next 14 days which meant I had him to help me while I was able to go to work. It could have broken down on the highway, in high traffic, with people going 60-70 mph ....

On a final note I want to tell you something that someone told me after my dad died. They said "God only lets bad things happen to people who can handle it; to people that have a support system." So if you are stuck on the "why me" think of that quote. It's not happening to you because your life sucks.... it's happening to you because you can handle it and you will get through it. Do you feel inspired now?? Have a great week!

Email from my mom:
As you may remember, the head of a company survived
9/11 because his son started kindergarten.

Another fellow was alive because it was
His turn to bring donuts.

One woman was late because her
Alarm clock didn't go off in time.

One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike
Because of an auto accident.

One of them
Missed his bus.

One spilled food on her clothes and had to take
Time to change.

One's
Car wouldn't start.

One couldn't
Get a taxi.

The one that struck me was the man
Who put on a new pair of shoes that morning,
Took the various means to get to work
But before he got there, he developed
A blister on his foot.

He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid.
That is why he is alive today..

Now when I am
Stuck in traffic ,
Miss an elevator,
Turn back to answer a ringing telephone ...

All the little things that annoy me.
I think to myself,
This is exactly where
God wants me to be
At this very moment..
Next time your morning seems to be going wrong
You can't seem to find the car keys,
You hit every traffic light,
Don't get mad or frustrated;
It May be just that
God is at work watching over you
May God continue to bless you
With all those annoying little things
And may you remember their possible purpose.

Damn that room full of boxes!!

Many of you might remember the photos I took while packing to move out of my apartment back in Charlotte. I had my token room full of "random" things that I just threw in there and could shut the door and never look at it again... until I had to throw something else in there. I swore that I would never have one of those rooms again! Everything will have a place I say!

Oops...

It's just so easy to throw everything into a room and shut the door. No one ever opens the "shut door" when they come over and it's obviously all things that we don't need right now. Well.... it was a rainy weekend and I swear that room was taunting me! So I opened it up and here it what I saw:

Now don't judge me. I am not a hoarder. That was the before picture. Miraculously it only took me about 20 minutes to get the whole thing organized. Unfortunately there are still some boxes I would love to unpack full of kitchen stuff or decorations but I haven't yet. The kitchen stuff will stay boxed up because this is kitchen is very small and I do not have enough storage for all of it (like my awesome Carnival Cruise cups that I swore I needed one of each while on the cruise; or my collection of Margaritaville Pilsner glasses that were kind of expensive so I rarely drink out of them). The decorations I am going to be putting out since I am so awesome and just ordered a cordless drill! I'm so handy:) (Yea right... Derrick will be using it I just ordered it).

A lot of the boxes we moved with I opted to keep knowing that we would be moving out again in the upcoming months. I moved all empty boxes and bins outside into our storage unit off of my patio. This opened up a lot of space. Here is my completed project:

My only request would be a closet in this room. It is not considered a bedroom, it is a study, which is why there is no closet but there are built in bookshelves - which is nice. If there was a closet I could put a lot of the stuff in there and then turn it into a bedroom with the futon. But... oh well:) We made do and have some extra seating in the living room!


That was my weekend on top of ... a 3 hour errands trip in which I got my new TX plates (whoo hooo), got puffy paint, smelly stickers, and a scrapbook for my class. All that in 3 hours... welcome to Austin traffic. Grrr! I also ran 4 miles (go me), cleaned the apartment, got lots of paperwork done, and relaxed. Oh yea andddd if you are looking for a pretty funny movie rent "The Backup Plan" with your one and only J-Lo (does she still go by that... she should). It is so funny once she gets pregnant and goes through it with the guy and I think guys would laugh too!

3 day work week for me (wonder what my parents think of me being out again. I was out last Wednesday for a training) and then Derrick and I are off to Charleston, SC for my sorority sister's, Ashley, wedding! It is going to be a tridelta reunion with all of my favorites there and lucky ol' Derrick FINALLY gets to meet them all! Boy, is he in for a treat!?!

Time to get moving!!

Since I have lived here all I ever see is people moving! So many of my friends at school talk about the workout class they are taking, the marathon they are running, or the running trail they are going to try out this weekend. Considering my weekdays usually consist of going to school till about 3:30 then coming home and doing nothing I thought to myself - IT'S TIME TO GET MOVING KATIE! I know they say everything is bigger in Texas and I am very positive that this is because the food here is A) amazingly delicious, B) deep friend and if not C) covered in some kind of cheese or heavy cream sauce. So, in case you were wondering why everything is bigger, that is why, and I refuse to become bigger!

Derrick and I have set up a little work out regime to get back into shape for ourselves and for our upcoming cruise for NY's! We started it 2 weeks ago and here is the breakdown:

Derrick will work out 4 days a week, more than likely swimming, but if not swimming lifting weights. He joined a pool right across the street for me and it is so convenient for him to go there while I am at school.

Because I do not work out nearly as long as Derrick (he works out an hour to an hour and a half a day) I will work out 6 days a week! Miraculously I have found the time to fit it in thus far but the upcoming wedding this week is presenting a problem. Derrick is cutting me no slack so it looks like I will have to take a little run while in Charleston. My workouts consist of:

• the first week I ran a mile (just to get back into the scheme of things)each day,
• the second week which I am currently in I am running a little over 2 miles each day,
  
• and the 3rd week I will run 3 miles a day.

Once I have completed the 3rd week I plan to start doing at least 1 5K a month (preferably 2 a month since there are SO MANY to pick from. Check out this website and see how many races there are weekly around me! It is crazy how active this city is.
http://www.runtex.com/web/4-2.asp

Another idea we had was for me to go swim with Derrick. We planned for me to go with him this past Friday for the first time. Unfortunately I never thought I would swim again so I threw away my old bathing suits and swim caps during the move. Derrick had to go find a suit for me while I was at school and check out the super cool suit he got me!

We went right after school on Friday which is impressive to say the least that I have energy at the end of a week of teaching, but somehow I do! We only had time to swim for 45 minutes but I did a 1200 which is pretty good I think considering I haven't swam laps in years! (that is 48 laps for those of you not sure). Derrick did more than I did but I hung in there pretty well:) If I go and swim with him that counts as 2 days of working out for me:) I do have to pay $4 every time I go with him so it's not free like running.

I am loving this working out idea though. We are sticking to it really well and I really do have so much energy and I look forward to running after school. I get to clear my head and just jam out to some tunes (I do contemplate running like Phoebe in the one Friends episode but I haven't done it yet). For a quick recap of that little part of Friends click on the link:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_0Ta_DIWuU

For Christmas I think my mom is going to get me a bike and then I plan to do mini triathlons or Women's ones which are easier than a standard one. I am an experienced swimmer and now am getting decent at running, so the biking will be my last edition!

So I hope I stick with it. I am doing really well and I have no excuse to not! A lot of times vacations of something comes up and once I stop it's hard to get back into the swing of things but I have nothing coming up that will prevent me from working out! 5K's here I come!

We weren't burnt but still had a blast!

On Saturday Derrick and I had a nice little day planned (I planned it and he was suckered into coming along). We had to go shopping because I have a wedding coming up for a dear friend in Charleston, SC and I needed a rehearsal dinner dress (plus I got paid and after the hell I went through these past couple weeks of moving here I thought I deserved a few new things). Then we were going to head to a fun bar on the lake called Hula Hut and then go run lots more errands. Never once did the thought of tailgating for the UT game cross our minds (which will be very obvious in pictures).
On our drive to Hula Hut Derrick called his cousin to see if he was in town for the game. Geoff said for us to come tailgate - they have kegs, food - why not?? So wouldn't you know the next exit we come upon was the exit we needed to meet up with them. It all fell into place! We parked and headed over to the tailgate spot they had in our awesome white and navy blue polo (Derrick) and khaki and blue tank top (me).

No where on us did we have on anything burnt orange or any resemblance to a long horn... and boy did we stand out.
Tailgating was a blast! We ate amazing food... they have a smoker (see picture)
that they bring with them to all of the games to make sausages, chicken, and brisket, and then a keg with plenty of cold beer. It was $10 and all you wanted! And even better... we were right by the bathrooms for me!!! We played washers (kind of like cornhole only 3 holes cut out and you throw a washer in it for points) and watched the other college games (they of course brought their dish network and 2 huge flat screen tv's and tons of chairs to sit and relax in under their many tents!)
We then went and walked a couple blocks to meet up with some of my college friends and saw some awesome tailgaters! Some people brought their full size pool tables out and the best was the "pub crawler". The driver was also the bartender and it moved by the people/customers pedaling. You bring your OWN ALCOHOL and can even bring a keg to hook right up to their tap! Definitely something I am going to look into.

I'm sure somewhere amidst the tailgaters there were a couple pools because it was DOWNRIGHT hot (97 degrees was the actual temperature but with all of the grills going and everything else who knows what it felt like... I know I felt a slug all slimy and gross).
Everyone started to walk towards the stadium around 5:45 since the game started at 6 and we headed back to my car (I stopped drinking way earlier and sweated out anything else that could have been left in my body). We didn't have tickets and although we could've gotten them I wanted to go when it is something that we planned on doing and don't leave at 10am and not get home till 10pm. Poor Mia would've been crated for way too long. Besides... we definitely need to invest in some burnt items! There were so many cute dresses that the girls had on all paired up with cowboys boots... I think I need to invest in some real Texas boots and say so long to my Target boots. Below are some pics of the blob's of burnt orange and some awesome fans.

At the Beer Garden where we met up with Danielle and Alex

This guy's outfit rocked! Loved the overalls and the fact that he had no shirt on underneath!!
The sea of burnt orange we saw as we drove away!! HOOK EM' HORNS!

Being a tourist!

On Labor Day, Derrick and I decided to head downtown and sight see for a bit. I have been told so many times to go out and experience Austin and see all of the sights. We didn't know where to start so I typed into Google: Top Places to See in Downtown Austin. Every single list said to visit the Capitol so that our was our number 1 destination and then we would go from there. The only downside to doing something outside was that a Tropical Storm was moving in and it was supposed to start raining around 2:00. We headed out and beat the rain pretty well:) Below are some pictures of us being tourists! You can be a tourist too if you come visit!

Park outside of the Capitol - awesome area for relaxing

Me sitting on the steps in front of the Capitol

The Capitol building with the top part wired for construction - still pretty!
Pretending to "strum the guitar" on the streets of downtown. Notice how empty they are... apparently everyone was exhausted from the 3 day weekend!

Gorgeous Catholic Church downtown
Hook em' Horns! On top of the parking garage with the stadium in the background. Notice the sky in the background... we just beat the storm!

Once it started to rain we were just finishing up and decided to go bowling - $2 shoes and $2 games and $2.75 Rum and Cokes... I'M THERE! I'm a pretty terrible bowler but it was fun! Great way to end my 3 day weekend!

Now onto this tropical storm.... will I have some awesome pics to post??? We'll see!

Floating the river and loving it:)

On Saturday Derrick, his friend's Kyle, Dave, and Sally, and myself all ventured out (IN MY NEW CAR SINCE IT COMFORTABLY SEATS 5!) and went to 'float the river'. It was about a 45 minute drive and so worth it! On top of the fact that everyone kept saying how spacey it was in the back seat (Kyle is over 6 feet tall and he even said it was roomy!) it was a great day for tubing. Apparently the river is usually crazy packed but the UT game was an afternoon game so it wasn't as busy as usual. It was such an awesome time. 4 hours of lounging in a tube, going down a couple rapids, and dragging along a huge cooler filled with 2 24 packs and a lot of ice (don't worry... I had 1 beer at the beginning and didn't have anymore). Below are some pics from the awesome time we had -- definitely something to do when people visit!

Luck... who really has it because I DO NOT!

Sing-along with me (to the tune of "driving along in my automobile):

"Driving along in my automobile (true),
My baby beside me at the wheel (true),
I stole a kiss at the turn of a mile (not true....)"

MY FREAKING CAR BROKE DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD INSTEAD!!

Alright... now that I have your attention let's back up a little bit! PS... on a side note before I even start I'd like to inform you all of how supportive my mom and sister have been through this ordeal. When they found out what was happening with my car they both actually said "Your blog is going to be so funny... I can't wait". So without further ado....

Last Monday (August 30) morning on my way to school I called my mom to tell her my little "genie in the bottle" light kept lighting up, low fluids or pressure indicator I think is the real name for it but my name is so much cooler. It wasn't on permanently, only when I would come to a stop it would flash then stop. After some talking it was decided to check my oil level (it was fine) and maybe it was a malfunctioning sensor (my genie bottle was going a little crazy!).

Well, I think we were wrong..... That night I had to drive to go get Derrick from the airport. As I was driving whenever it would switch gears it would kind of make a revving sound and then switch. It increasingly got worse and on the drive back from the airport Derrick was driving and as we rounded a curve to enter an on ramp it just revved... and revved... and revved some more. PROBLEMO! Eventually it got into gear and we realized the problem was going from 2nd to 3rd gear. We made it home and actually had to "rev" all the way into a parking spot because at the end my car gave up.... but we did not. I had school the next morning and no one else lives out by me to take me there. Besides... it's a Honda they never die right?

WRONG!

We leave a little earlier to prepare for possibly being able to only go 20 mph the whole way. I'm so smart and opt to take the toll road ($.75 ughhhh the many things I could buy with $.75) to avoid lights and stopping. I can't believe it but we are cruising along doing 60-65 the whole way - GO HONDAS!. We get off at my school exit and slow down big time. It starts revving and we push on. There are little speed bumps along the road and I ask Derrick "uh oh... do you think we will make it over the speed bump?". He says "I don't think we are going to make it up the road let alone the speed bump". Well..... smarty pants Derrick was right. As soon as he said that we started roooolllllling backwards and I jump out and start pushing, at 6:15 in my school clothes I am pushing my car over a speed bump. I get it over and it starts going to so I run to catch up (if you ever think you have a bad morning... ahem Nikki getting chocolate on your white pants... think of me running in heels in the dark chasing my car). I make it in and ask him what he is going to do after dropping me off (at this point my school is just around the corner) and he says he doesn't think he is going to drive it back. Spoke to soon... my car made that decision for him. It stopped luckily just as Derrick was turning it around. Derrick got out, I got behind the wheel, and it was pushed up along the side of the road. Perfect. Well.... now I have to go to school and Derrick has no way to get home. Oh ps... Mia is with us also....

So we head into my school (No Dogs Allowed but at this point I am at a loss). Derrick calls AAA to come tow my car... I call a cab for Derrick. He leaves and is in charge of getting my car towed, setting up a rental car, and possibly searching for a new car for me.

My day goes on, miraculously it was a great day with my class and I am so thankful for that. It also was my double day so I only taught from 8-9:30 then 12-12:30 and 1:15-1:45. All the other times my kids were gone or at lunch:) Derrick got a rental car and drove over to my car and got it started and drove it right across the street into a mechanic place. They call him right back and say "New transmission ... $2400". Ah hell.... Happy Pay Day (yep... first paycheck from teaching since May 31 and this is what I get!?!?!).

Derrick opts for a second opinion and we get it towed to a transmission place. Last picture of my the trusty old silver civic:


The guys says he won't be able to let us know till tomorrow but I had a bad feeling. Straight from there we go to a Honda dealership to get a guesstimate in case I need a car. First place we went to only had red CD-V's (I hate red... especially Honda red) and no used ones. Second place was a Nissan dealership which was where I decided I did not like the Rogue's like I thought I did but instead did like the Xterra's more. The salesman approached me smoking a cigarette... we left... no sale there buddy. We went home, ate, and headed back out to 2 more places. Another Honda place that had a 2008 CR-V that I was seriously contemplating to buy the next day if my transmission was bad, but then found out it was sold. Their new ones were the higher end versions of CR-V's. Last place we went to at 8:45 at night was a Nissan dealership. There was a Murano that the salesman, who I fell in love with by the way, was going to sell me for a great deal. I told him I couldn't buy yet but I'd be back tomorrow if I had to. PS.... don't worry, the salesman was about 75 years old and his name was "Flash"... he was the coolest little old man ever!

The next day we got the call... new transmission... I called and said I'll pass. I'd come get it towed when I get a new one. I wanted to buy a new one that day (Wednesday September 1) because my rental was expensive. There was one more Honda Dealership I had heard good things about... Howdy Honda. Who doesn't want to buy a car from a place with a name like that!?!?! Well I bought one!!! A brand new 2010 black Cr-V with tan interior!

I love it! It is what I have wanted for over 3 years now and although it came at a bad time I love that I was able to get what I wanted and not have to settle for something else. The guy gave me my keys and I looked at him and said "Oh my god... this is it... it's mine?". Yep!!!!! I bought a BRAND NEW car all by myself! Go me:)


It's a great car and if you are ever looking for a small suv this is the way to go! I found out it is built on the accord frame so it rides just like a car because well.... it is a car in some ways! It's very roomy and my favorite feature is when you push on the sunglasses holder half way a little wide angle mirror pops up so you can see the whole backseat.... it's the baby mirror. You can see all of the little babies back there (which Derrick reminded me there are no babies back there... geez I was just sayin'!).

So let's wrap this up and explain why I do not have luck other than finding my car of my dreams (which is lucky).
1. My moving company sucked and although I have gotten back almost $400 I am still owed more and they don't communicate very well... duh
2. My apartment still has fleas along with Mia
3. My toilet flooded the first night here
4. my washer flooded the 5th night here
5. my tub is now clogged terribly and we are patiently waiting for it to be fixed
6. Oh yea... and my car broke down on the side of the road.

But... I did find luck! And I hope it sticks around!!!

It's like teaching at Disney World!

And it really is! That saying is how some of the teachers at my new school describe teaching there --- and they couldn't put it any better! I have taught for 10 days so far and have loved every bit of it (well... all but 1 day but we all have those days no matter what our job is). It is just amazing to me the parental support in this school. It is the truth, ask and you shall receive.
Your wishes are granted!

Before school started we had a meet the teacher and one of the teachers said to make a wish list and put WHATEVER you want on there... the sky is the limit. I felt so uncomfortable putting so much on there (about 65 items) but she said if I put it they would buy it (kind of like Wayne's World... if you build it they will come).

Well she was right! I am still in shock at the daily amounts of things parents are willing to buy and bring in (a pottery barn bean bag chair!?!). I have never written more thank you notes in my life!!

On top of all of the wonderful parental support we have I also love the staff. I have been to 3 different happy hours and have enjoyed all of them (kind of hard not to in a city full of awesome places to go!). The atmosphere in my school is so laid back that I know that is one of the reasons I love being there. There is no set schedule or curriculum because the teachers are trusted that they will reach the end goal and how you get there is your choice (unless of course you bomb it and then I'm sure there are some sort of set guidelines). Everyone is so supportive and the activities we do are so much fun (like having our kids make gingerbread men and then when we go back to pick them up they have "jumped" out of the oven and we go on a tour with a map of the school meeting all of the safe people they can get help from!).

So to wrap up this bragging blogging moment I'd just like to say... 'Who wouldn't want to go to Disney World everyday?'.