Another 5 star day for this girl. 

You all know how I particularily love Saturdays and Sundays where I have no obligations. 

Joel and I woke up early today intending to try out a church that's close to our place. We drive by it going home, depending on what way we go and we've just always talked about going one Sunday. Well, today was that Sunday, aside from the snowstorm we got and are currently getting. I keep saying that it's blizzarding outside but Joel keeps correcting me. To him, this is no blizzard, it's just continuously snowing. No crazy winds or anything and I'm fine with that. So we put on our church clothes, which changed for me, since I would have to wear boots now, instead of boots with heels. That just didn't seem practical. I don't know if it was just because of the weather, but when we got to the church, ten minutes before the service, and there was no one there, we decided that we both wanted to get a red box and curl on on the couch with Olive instead (I would say, Olive and Oscar, but Oscar is weird and not one bit social, even with us, so that takes care of that). So we left the church and plan to go back another Sunday, when people can hopefully greet us at the door and it feels a little more inviting. 

After getting a free redbox (thank you, promo codes I got for Christmas), we got home and decided it would be a good idea to clear off our vehicles and shovel the drive way. Well, it was fun the first time around and Joel is outside doing it again for a second time, as we speak. It looks like we didn't even do it before. Same with our vehicles. 

Here is my lovely other half, working hard:

His hair is way too long.

I'm happy and lucky to have a boyfriend that likes to get shit stuff done and is motivated to do so. Well, some things. ;) 

After we finished playing in the snow, and before we started our movie, we made a pretty stellar brunch. Idaho Sunrises.... heard of them? I suggest you you dabble. You won't be let down. Here is that deliciousness: 

If you want the recipe, I would be happy to get that to you, or since you all know how much I love and take advantage of social media, you can also find it on my Pinterest under the board, "Mm My Mouth is Watering." The process of these is pretty fun and you can definitely get creative if you have the supplies to do so.Yes, that is Mac n' Cheese next to it. Left over for that matter. We like cheese.

After a weekend of new hookah flavors, quality time with my boyfriend and cat, I am ready to start my work week. Let's just hope I can make it there safely tomorrow. 7:30AM-- yikes!

I can imagine this picture taking gets worse with little humans that you call your own.

 

 

Joel doesn't like getting his picture taken.

I've also decided that since I have a lovely camera that takes pretty fantastic pictures, that I should probably start taking pictures. I think I'm doing a pretty good job so far.

This is a Happy Life.

"There will be days when you want to just throw in the towel and give up. There will be days of stiff necks and no sleep and sore muscles. People will be cruel. Food will go bad. You will feel like the world is out to get you. Everything will start to frustrate you, the news will make you sad. Winter will creep up on you and you will find yourself alone and burrowing yourself in your schoolwork to try to keep the loneliness at bay. But then Spring arrives. Something big blooms in your chest. Sparrows sing to you and the air suddenly is clearer. You fall in love. You will grow a garden. Good things will start to come to you, beautiful people will find you. Remember those good things when the days get cold and the nights get long. Remember that you deserve to feel good. That you deserve to have good people and good food and a safe place to come home to. Remember that bad moods pass and that all bad days end. And that no matter where you are or how lonely you feel, somebody out there is looking for you and is waiting for you to find them and give them your love."

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Wise words that make my heart feel good.

BRRRRrrrrrr

It is so cooooold! For the first time, I think, this winter, I can't say that we are loving snowless and sunny days. I am freezing. And I blame it on the fact that we've been so spoiled. 

I could not be more excited to be home next weekend, but the freezing cold Wisconsin air is something I am not looking forward to. Pretty much the only thing. After blogging on Thursday, about how great my first day at Goddard was, I thought to myself that I had more happy news that I was totally over looking, and that is that I was exactly a week away from being Home Sweet Home. How in the world was I overlooking that? 

This is the belly that I get to love on:

  I've also been kind of laughing to myself every time I tell my girlfriend that I am so exited to see her belly, wondering if she feels like all my excitement is towards her belly and not to herself in general. Well, I could not be more excited to be in your presence, hear you talk and laugh, hug you and your belly... as well as rub it, probably sing to it, give it a silly name (even though she has one already) and make a wish on it. I can't get over that one of my best friends is going to be a mom in just a couple short months. Although, I am bummed that I won't be able to be there to hold the princess frequently and get to know her to the point where she knows me as Aunty Kelsey, or Kelky, as my name has been pronounced by little ones for the first time. 

Speaking of little ones, my Friday spent at Goddard yesterday, was just as lovely as the first day. Hopefully this 'Honey moon stage' never ends. I love my kids and I find them highly entertaining. One of my little guys preceded to share a cup of 'wine' with my co-teacher as we all sat together in home-living and ate and drank delicious foods that were being made for us (pretend of course). It's times like those that I think to myself that I have the best job ever, simply because I get to spend my days playing. In just my two days spent there, one of my boys has grown particularly fond of me already and did not like when I went to the teacher closet to put my jacket on before leaving yesterday. The look in his eyes and whine in his voice when I went to leave... oh, it just makes me feel loved. I offered a hug and a high five but he wanted nothing to do with either, as he turned his back in disappointment, he just wanted me to stay. I promise I'll be back on Monday, buddy.

I told my director yesterday, that after my first two days of work at Goddard, I feel happier than my four months spent at Westgate and that I was so incredibly happy that they offered me the job. The smile that that got out of her, even brightened my day, as she also preceded to tell me that she was so happy that I applied. 

As for today, I plan to not have a plan, and that is my favorite kind of Saturday. I feel happy that I'm feeling the need and want to blog again.

The mug that makes me happy.

  

 

Today was absolutely wonderful.
First of all, I work up to a text saying, "Someone wants to visit you." and this picture:

..Sent from a mom back home in Wisconsin, who I used to babysit for. One of her children, and one of my most favorite people in the world, is her son, Henry. Also hearing Jess, who now babysits for them, say that Henry and Charlie talked about me on Valentine's Day, just warms my insides and makes my heart sing. I just smile thinking about my conversations with Henry before I moved. He could not get over the fact that I was going to be living by mountains, and that mountains were like volcanoes but that lava did not come out of them. I cannot tell you how much I miss my Matzeks back home, the little ones and the adult ones. :)

My first day at Goddard was amazing. I am so happy that I will now be spending my days playing, singing, doing art with, teaching, dressing up and being silly with toddlers. I was so over spending my days feeding, changing, putting to sleep and repeating those three things. Don't get me wrong, I love babies, but I can tell how unhappy I was with that group of babies in particular, now that I am away from them. I am seriously surprised that I left work everyday still wanting a child of my own someday. I have no doubt in my mind, that once these first couple weeks are through, my co-teacher and I will have found our 'flow' and we will have one amazing group of kiddos. And you have no idea how excited I am to have a room full of color. As much as I loved KinderCare as a company, I did not love our restrictions when it came to hanging our art and decorating our rooms. At Goddard, I can have art up to the ceiling pretty much and hanging from the ceiling if I want. I am so excited!

When I left work today, my phone had been blown up with calls, voice mails and texts from Joel, my Mom and my Aunt. My Aunt and Uncle stopped in town for the night, to escape the snow (yes, we are finally getting snow) on their drive to Arizona. Which, also got snow in the last couple days- fun fact. So my Aunt and Uncle took Joel and I out to dinner and it was so nice to sit and chat and be in their company. Unfortunately, Joel was only able to join for an hour, and then he was off to his show in Denver. Let's all cross our fingers that Joel and his buddies get back safe and sound, since the roads are slick and they don't even play until 11PM. At that point, I will have been sleeping for at least an hour. :) Far too late for this one on a week night! 

On that note, I am going to curl up with a book, or loose myself on Facebook for a bit, either or, guzzle my lovely Sleepy Time Tea and call it a Thursday. Hopefully the roads aren't too bad for me in the morning and I have another fantastic day at Goddard.

Good night, friends!

I am feeling like such a badass right now.
Never in my right mind, did I ever see myself walking out on a job. It is not my style. All along, I've looked at people that can't professionally finish their two week's notice and say about them, "What pansies!" 
Now, technically, I'm a pansy. 
On my last day, with my babies and co-teacher, my director decided to pull me out of the room and make me do lunch breaks. Well, she informed me that that was going to happen, but trust me, it didn't get that far. Something so simple wouldn't usually make me so mad, or mad at all, but for some reason, I immediately starting shaking in anger. So, I took it upon myself to let her know how inconsiderate and rude that was of her to do. Side note: I would never talk to an employer that way, but given the fact that I have never grown respect for her, it was easy to do.
Anyways! I'm a little bothered that she had pushed me to a level of acting, not so like myself and forcing me to stoop to her level. This is where my mother's voice chimes in and says, "Now, Kelsey, no one made you do anything. You had all the control." Yes, she's right, but I have no reason in the world to leave on a good note with her. It took everything in me to not be a rude bitch person and let her hear all my thoughts, but that was my control and the little part of me that didn't want to stoop to her level. My co-teacher told me that during their Professional Development Day on Monday, our director told them that 18 families have left since she took over the center and that isn't including the employees that have quit. News flash-- There's a good chance you are the reason! I, by no means was going to give her the chance of having the last word. Anyone who knows me knows that I like to have that power and I go out of my way to accomplish that. After my co-work came in my room so I could go do lunch breaks, I calmly put my shoes on, stopped her in the hallway and told her very nicely, that I was going home and that is was unfortunate that she couldn't even let me finish my last day in my room. It took serious self control to not give her the finger when her response was, "Okayyyyy?" 
So, I did finish my full two weeks, I just left a tad 7 hours early. 
I can confidentially say that I will never work for another KinderCare again, unless I go back home to Hudson, Wisconsin, where KinderCare is paradise. My assistant director there has already assured me that they would rehire me if that's something I was interested in doing. 

Whew! What a crazy feeling. 

A Fresh Start.

I am happy to announce that my days at Westgate KinderCare are coming to an end. I never ever thought that leaving KinderCare was going to be a happy thing, until I transferred. Now, honestly, it's not that bad anymore, things are getting better day by day. But, like I told my employer, straight up, weeks ago, with or without the tiny improvements here and there, I know I will be happier elsewhere, working for someone with more experience.

After checking Craigslist daily, submitting my resume' and references to a few posts, 3 interviews and 3 job offers, I have taken a job working for Goddard. Goddard is another childcare center around here that is very well known and has a way better name than KinderCare around here. I could not be more excited to start fresh and work for new management.

Yesterday was Goddard's Professional Development Day. But instead of an entire 8 hour day of sitting for boring trainings, they have a center wide staff meeting, break into lead teacher trainings, clean and organize their rooms, share ideas with co-teachers, and have time for conferences. I knew within the first few minutes of meeting my new co-workers, that this is just the change I need right now. And change is right! Instead of working with infants, like I have for the last almost two years, I'll be back to working with the older toddlers (20-24 months). I haven't worked with toddlers since I first started working for KinderCare almost five years ago. After being told that that room has had trouble keeping consistent teachers, I am ready for the challenge and so excited to introduce and work on potty training with my kiddos. My co-teacher and I in Twos a few years ago, had so much fun potty training our kids. There was never a dull moment. 

When I first interviewed for the job, I was nervous, being told that lead teachers develop and teach their own curriculum on a week to week basis. This actually terrified me, since I've had all my curriculum laid out for me for the last five years. I figured, if it makes me nervous, it's probably good for my well-being all I can do is grow from the experience. 

But, it was decided that I am strictly the 'assistant' teacher, which lifts a world of stress off my shoulders, not having the role of developing curriculum. Hallelujah! Yeah, yeah, I'm being somewhat of a baby about it, I know. It will be fun to throw in my ideas here and there and of course, help my co-teacher out every day. And what I think is my most favorite part, is that each month, yoga has to be incorporated into curriculum. How cool is that? 

Two weeks ago, I was a mess sitting in front of my laptop typing up my notice. Not because I'm leaving Westgate, but because I'm leaving such an amazing company. (I'm thinking Wisconsin KinderCares mind you.) After typing up my notice, I typed a letter to my previous employers back in Wisconsin, thanking them for making my first experience with the company as wonderful as it was. I will continue to have the best thoughts about the company, because of where I came from, what they taught me, and how much I've grown and learned thanks to them. The next morning I called and talked to my assistant director back in Wisconsin, so I never ended up sending the letter, but I should probably do so, just so they hear once more how much I appreciate them, still to this day. I would be more than happy to work for the Hudson KinderCare again at some point in my life, if for some reason it brings me back to Wisconsin. 
 

So tomorrow, I will be saying goodbye after almost five years. I'm feeling sad to leave my co-teacher and babies, yet so excited for this new adventure. Hello, to an even more gorgeous drive to work, better hours, experienced management, new co-workers and friends, and an entirely new group of babes to love on and challenge me!