Blog is under construction, but

here's some food for thought. 

Because I enjoy food.

And good thoughts. 

Happy Monday!  

#myfaceinacoffeemug

 

Ten Things You Should Give up to be Happy

onlinecounselingcollege:

1. Give up your need to always be right. 

2. Give up your need for control.

3. Give up blame.  

4. Give up your self-defeating, self-talk and your limiting beliefs. 

5. Give up complaining. 

6. Give up your resistance to change. 

7. Give up your need to impress others. 

8. Give up your fears. 

9. Give up your excuses. 

10. Give up on living your life to fit other people's expectations.

If Mondays were shoes, they'd be crocs.

Unless you had the Monday that I had. In my case, if today were shoes, it would be stilettos. Or maybe not stilettos, seen as though since moving my life to Colorado, I rarely wear heels and when I do, I make a fool of myself. I've said recently that I will no longer feel confident walking up and down the stairs in public wearing heels, especially if I've had a drink or two. So, perhaps today would be wedges? Or maybe a nice pair of flats? That's more like it. You get what I mean. Today was stellar. Today was just the day that my co-teacher and I needed. I honestly don't remember a day that ran so smoothly in my classroom. And I had a new start! First day in my class and he acted like he's been in it all along. No tears whatsoever! Hopefully, that's the case for tomorrow as well. You can definately tell that he's been in a center prior and you can definately tell that he's two years old. Hallelujah! Can't all of them be like that? I'll take twenty of you, thanks! 

To put the icing on the cake, I got off work an hour early! Although, it's still chilly here, I hate that it's nicer back in the Midwest, the sun was and still is, shinning even at 7PM. Honestly, the weather here has more intense mood swings than my two year olds or me during my period. 

I'm starting to regret not keeping tabs on what days I've all worked out this month. I told myself I would do so, just to see how I do. It's a funny thing, when Joel's gone, I eat healthier, get to bed at a reasonable hour and I work out a handful of times during the week. He joked once, "When I'm on tour, you get hotter and I get richer." Not that he or we are rich, by any means. This could be a terrible thing come later in life when we have babies and he goes on tour less (No, babe, I didn't say not at all, because I know you still will) and we are spending more time together. Joel and I are two very different people and along with many other things, we have completely different eating habits. I need to eat within 15 minutes of being awake or I'm a crabby bia until I do and he doesn't eat anything until afternoon each day. And then he constantly eats until he goes to bed at night. He even periodically gets up in the middle of the night, eats some chocolate and comes back to bed. I've honestly found candy wrappers in our bed before. I tell him, that this behavior will catch up with him some day. So, anyways, what I'm trying to say, is that I'm proud of myself for continuously working out this month of May. I say it like that because knowing myself, it will not last. I go through spurts. Let's hope I can prove myself wrong this time around. 

I've been thinking. It's time to revamp my blog. You know, especially since I plan to make money off of it someday. Hey, a girl can dream right? But I also want to rename Her. It's hard, simply because I don't blog about any one thing. It's not a cooking blog, a mommy blog, a fashoin blog or a travel blog. Although, I do intend to share those life experiences with you at some point or as they come about. Except the cooking one. And the fashion one, I'm not so into it. Or, I am but lets just say, that isn't one of my expertise. I originally started this blog because I had planned on visiting the Holy Land a few years ago with my mom and I wanted to document it, share it with the world. But then shit hit the fan things got crazy in Egypt and we ended up not going. I figured, hey! I think I live an entertaining life and I'm pretty funny, why not just start a blog about the randomness of my thoughts? So, I did. I don't even remember the year I started, and I can't figure out blogger, I'm completely computer impaired, so I have absolutely no idea how to even return to my first post. I did at one point, looked over my first handful of blogs and even laughed out loud. Why was I funnier back then? I'm witty these days but I used to be down right hilarious. What gives? So, I asked a friend of mine, a fellow blogger, to meet me for some coffee and show me around the blog world a bit more, give me some tips. She's a pro. This is where I'm wishing I knew how to copy her link into my blog, right here, so you can see for yourself. Also, what the heck am I going to rename my blog? I literally took no thought into the current name, "Kelsey Lately," I just love Chelsea Handler and her show and my name conveniently ryhmes with hers. So, score. Any ideas? Throw them my way. One of us is bound to think of something clever. 

 

Home Is Where Your Mom Is.

It's sleeting right now and the heat is back on. Major bummer. This may be the first time that I've been jealous of the weather back in the Midwest since I've moved my life to Colorado. Sheesh! I guess, that's what I get for posting pictures and posts about the great 75 degree weather we had in February? 

Anyways, the weather is beside the point and we have much more important things to address in today's blog. 

Happy, Happy Day to all the wonderful moms in my life!

Last night, I spent time over at the Herauf's. Alyssa is my best friend here in Colorado and she has just recently become a mother. I am thankful that I have her and her husband, Eric, in my life; people that I just like to be in the company of. And their precious little two month old babe, Elliott, is just a bonus.

I'm apologizing in advance for the ridiculous amounts of photos I'll be taking of my children when they exist someday. 

Along with being a great friend, advice giver and listener, Alyssa is a wonderful mommy. I'm lucky to have the ability to watch Elliott grow and spend this fun experience of Motherhood with her. 

Moving on to Superwoman this wonderful lady: 

I can't even express to you the love and admiration I have for this woman that I get to call my Mom. You can see it in this picture. Note: the far right side of this photo. This picture was taken at my Brother's wedding while my mom was reading her blessing. Such wise and loving words that came straight from her soul and my goodness, what a great moment to capture in a photo and have the ability to look back on. This woman has shown me more love and understanding than I've ever known possible and has always encouraged me to be 100% of who and I and to be proud of that person. She is to blame, if that's even the word to use, for this positive, sunshine life I live. I hope to do everything that you did, while raising me and I sure hope you are along for the entire ride of being a Mother myself some day. 

With our friends and families having babies, Joel and I have been talking more and more about how fun it is going to be when the time comes for us to be parents. The thought of making and having a baby that is half me and half Joel, well, it doesn't get anymore fun, I don't think. The concept is just the coolest thing in the world to me. It's fun for us to imagine and talk about what our babes will look like, what traits they will have from either or both of us. As easy as it would be to hop on the baby train, we are staying happily stationary in the childless area for a few more years and it will be that much more exciting, having waited until we accomplished all the things we need and want to do, most of which would be quite difficult with littles occupying our time. 

For now, I am content being a mommy to these beautiful, furry babies:

Oscar

& Olive.

 And someday, I get to add this beautiful lady to my mom list

 Now, go hug your mother. 

 By 10:30 this morning I had already done two loads of laundry, done the dishes, cleaned my house (given, my house isn't big, by any means), worked out and had eaten two breakfasts. Say it with me, successful Saturday morning!  

I'm just drinking coffee out of my R-rated mug that Joel's Grandmas probably don't prefer so much and looking out the window and watching all the white stuff float around my neighborhood and I feel so thankful that I don't have allergies. Both my mom and brother acquired allergies in the twenties and I'm crossing my fingers that that ridiculousness skips me. Being a nature enthusiast, I think that would be devastating. That would be right up there with a cat or a candle allergy. We all know, these are a few things that would break me. 

After an absolutely wonderful, love filled 'Teacher Appreciation Week' I seriously feel like a doughnut. I am a doughnut. I'm going to be honest with you, I bet I ate 13 donuts this week, possibly between 13-15. Odds are good that it's the later. Good thing I felt motivated to work out this morning. Can I get a thumbs up for that one? It's weeks like this, especially, that I love my job. Among the appreciative words and thoughtful little cards and gifts, we host a Mother's Day Tea at the end of the week every year and invite all the moms and grandmas (dads and grandpas are welcome too, we don't discriminate) and it's gatherings like that that make me feel so full. Yes, they last a short amount of time, given the attention span of my classroom's age, but any excuse to sit down with my parents and meet them on the friend level, not just the 'I take care of your child' level, is important to me. It's weeks like this that I am also surprised by gifts given by families that I wouldn't have thought would give them. 

I received news the other day that Joel's parents will be coming out over our anniversary weekend and going camping with us. Joel's parents haven't visited us yet and we could not be more excited to spend that special weekend with them. Anniversary weekend plus the 4th of July- that's one heck of a special time. We are lucky enough to have both of our parents out within a matter of two months. My parents will be out for a week, the first weekend in June. I look so forward to the day that we own a house and space to have everyone here at once. 

How am I doing; on my mission to become a full time blogger? ;) The thought of blogging consistently every couple days, is exhausting, not going to lie and I probably won't keep it up. Here I am, just being honest. 

Stay tuned for tomorrow; a blog filled with all things "Mother." 

Have a wonderful Saturday, all! 

 

"And to a blog that came straight from my random-thought-filled-noggin."

Hey, Hi, SUP! 

Haaapppppppy Thursdaaayyyyyy! 

I've been wanting to blog lately, but have been putting it off like woah. I've just gotten the last of my supplies to finish the last couple of my kid's Mother's Day gifts and I grabbed a bottle of wine on my way home. After pouring myself a glass, I went to the bathroom and came out wearing lipstick. I don't know what over came me while I was in the loo, but there's something fantastic about this combo; wearing red lipstick and drinking a glass of wine. Have you ever done that; put on lipstick even when you know you're in for the night? It's making me think about the times I would clean my room in heels, back when I still lived at home. Through my door my mom would wonder what the heck was going on, why was I clomping around on my wood floor? in heels? and to add to it, my sweat pants. "Oh, it's just my inner trophy wife!" This is how I feel right now. And now I'm wondering why I no longer clean my house wearing heels. 

I give myself such a hard time. Whenever I feel like blogging, I think to myself that it's been forever and a day since that last time I've blogged and then I feel completely overwhelmed by the fact that it would take far too long to fill you in on my recent happenings so I just refrain from filling you up at all. 

I frequently day dream about having the life of a paid blogger and not actually having to spend 40 hours a week doing anything other than what I want, simply blogging about life and all it's glory and making money all at the same time. Can't I just travel the world? But keep my place and my cats and all my belongings? Joel could so easily up and travel the world, sell everything that he owns but his guitar and his inhaler. And his girlfriend. I'm not for sale. And I'm the one that keeps us grounded. Yes, I would love to travel the world but no, I can't sell all my belongings to do so. Nor do I currently have a job that lets me take time off as often as I please. Given, I've been lucky enough to have most of the times that I've requested off. I would imagine, no full time job wants to give anyone a month off to go travel the world and then work a handful of months and then go do it again. If you have any suggestions on how to keep my place, cats, pay for all of it and travel the world as I please and still make money while spending it, please let a girl know. Don't keep your secrets from me. Suggestions and advice on how to get there are welcome. 

On to the recent happenings of my life: I am a twenty six year old. 
Twenty six and it feels so good! I said this over my Birthday last year but I am right where I need to be. Right here. Smack dab in the center of 'closer to 30' greatness. I have always loved growing up and if you don't love growing up, you need to change your perspective. Be thankful. You continue to receive something great at your Birthday every year. The "Proceed this way" card. The 'double color and cross the bridge' card in Candy Land; not the 'Captain Gum Drop-- lose a turn' card. Don't get down about the fact that you are getting older! Appreciate the fact that you are blessed enough to have a Birthday every year. Not all are so lucky.  

Speaking of Birthdays, I have a new goal. Actually, I shouldn't say 'goal' because it's going to happen, mark my words. I'm going to spend my 27th Birthday in Ireland. in a pub. but not while drinking Guinness. I'm going to visit Trinity College in Dublin and be in heaven, surrounded by the largest library known to man kind and then I'm going to meet sweet new Irish friends that Joel and I will keep in contact with for the rest of our lives, especially until we move there someday. I'm going to visit Scotland and take amazing pictures of the brightest green cliffs that over look that gloomy sea that still manages to look beautiful. It's a sea over there, isn't it? I'm terrible at Geography and I'm not going to Google it. It's beside the point and you get the picture. To feed my forever obsession with it, I'm going to visit Stonehenge and Joel's going to propose to me inside it's sacredness. Kidding, but seriously. Kidding, but seriously. Kidding? Seriously.

I'm just being funny. dfffffffff <<<< that was from Oscar. I've come from fetching myself one more, small glass of vino and I've realized Oscar has sent his regards! I've also realized the time (8:06PM) and am currently thinking to myself that I wish it was Friday and that I may turn on Clublife and catch my second wind and head down to Denver for a night of grand company and possibly dance moves (Que "Selfie" by The Chainsmokers) But it's still Thursday and my mind has ventured off onto another day dream tangent and I'm being brought back to Earth by the fact that I have to work at 7Am tomorrow but it's okay because it's going to be Friday in a matter of hours. 

So, cheers and thumbs up to the weekend. And to a blog that came straight from my random-thought-filled-noggin.

 

 

Work Hard and be Nice to People.

Good Morning, friends! 

Bright eyed and bushy tailed right at 5:56 this morning! Standard. I told Joel at about 8:00 last night, "I'm not old but it's 8PM on a Friday and I'm exhausted and seriously contemplating bedtime." I'm not embarrassed.

It has been a wonderful couple weeks at work. Last week, on Monday we had our "teacher in service" day, where we had a staff meeting, the assistants got to clean and the lead teachers finished up lesson plans and had parent-teacher conferences. In the past, conferences have intimidated me like woah, but I've taught myself over the years to build that great rapport and friendship with my parents long before it's even time for conferences. All went incredibly well and I heard from most how awesome it is for them to have a teacher that is so passionate about what they do, as well as love and enjoy their children very much. I would honestly hang out with my entire class outside of school, so those statements were accurate. I'm learning that the desired 15 minute time frame that we are supposed to limit it to, is not enough time for me to talk about the great little people they are all turning into. One of my girls started in my room just a couple weeks ago, so her mom wanted a conference, more so just to learn what I'm all about. She made me feel amazing when she told me that she's always really liked me and my energy and she's been anxiously awaiting her daughter's transition into my room.

This week, we had our unexpected, annual QA visit. Quality Assurance visits once a year to make sure we are continuing health and safety, curriculum, interactions and all that good stuff, properly, and each year we are given a score. We had a new rep this time, who was much friendlier than the last and who everyone loved. I shorty realized after her entering my room, that I attended a training with her down in Denver once. After telling my co-teacher and I how great our room looked and how wonderful our interactions were, she left the room to tell my director that she couldn't even believe she was in a toddler room, they were so well behaved, that we do a wonderful job at teaching them. My co-teacher and I were extremely happy to hear it, even though we knew we were going to nail it. The rep told my director that she would feature me in a potty training video on how fast and efficiently one can actually potty train. People seem to be shocked at times at how fast I get 10 almost two year olds in the bathroom, and on the potty in under 10 minutes. I'm proud to say that I've gotten most of them in the habit of taking off their own pants and diaper, throwing it away and getting up on the potty on their own. They get a clean diaper out of their drawer, open it up for me, and all I have to do is put it on.

The second day of QA, was focused more on curriculum. I got into work and my director informed me that the rep would be hanging out in my room for about an hour and a half, looking over curriculum, lesson plans, my circle time and once again, interactions. I felt great about it from the start but even better when my director told me she picked the strongest classroom from each side of the building to be observed. Like the previous day, it went great and she told me my lesson plans were gorgeous. She actually said, "gorgeous." That's what I get for being organized and at times, making more work for myself, simply so it does look better. 

Last weekend, it was my 1 year anniversary working for the Goddard School and it feels so good! It definitely doesn't feel like it's been that long. I started at another disastrous center, stayed there for 4 months and then started at the school I'm at now. I've been asked if I wish I would have just come straight there and the answer has always been, "no." I babysit for families that I met there and have also formed great friendships that started there. My best friend out here, I met there and we both now, work for The Goddard School, but different locations.

My owner told me that school wide, my room or age group, is by far the most challenging. Clearly, I've found my niche' because I disagreed with her. My room is easy peasy and there is nowhere else I'd rather be. 

Life without a little risk is not an adventure darling, it's a darn shame.

Hello, strangers and friends. 

Ooofta, it has been some time since I blogged last. I'm feeling motivated simply because I'm warm inside, night number 2 on my couch, with night number 4 with what I think is strep throat. Can I kick this mother by myself? I'm trying! The thought of finding a doctor, making an appointment, or simply putting clothes and makeup on my face and heading to the minute clinic is far too much a hassle at this moment in time. Grade A laziness.

First of all, Happy New Year!! And cheers to another great one! 

 

I can't believe it's 2014 and I'm ecstatic thinking of all this year's greatness. I spent New Years Eve with a solid group of my loved ones, at dinner with both mine and Joel's parents, at the restaurant that Joel and I like to pretend that we had our 'first date' at and then with my best friends celebrating in down town Hudson where I grew up. I had way more fun there than I did two years ago in Minneapolis, yeah we learned that one that hard way. The simpler the better and that also goes for New Years celebrations. 

We had a wonderful two weeks back home in Wisconsin and Minnesota over the holidays. It was a much needed trip home with friends that I hadn't seen or hugged for far too long and with new babies that I got to meet for the first time. One, isn't even so much a 'baby' anymore, but a big, happy 9 month old with the most amazing personality. We spent both Christmas Eve and Christmas day with both our families and I was grateful to have it work out that way. Life is almost always in our favor. I got to spend a much needed afternoon with all the amazing ladies that I used to work with over brunch, mimosas and of course, the Packers and it made me miss them even more than I did before I saw them and hugged them for the first time in over a year. 

We got to see a lot of people, but also didn't get to see everyone that we had hoped to. Luckily, we have a crazy amount of weddings this summer and fall and I hope to see all the great people that I didn't get to in no better of a place, but a place filled with friends in celebration of love. Ah, my heart is warm just thinking about it. 

After two weeks away, I was anxious to get home. I am a schedule and routine person and I was antsy to be on that plane, flying home. Crazy to think of Colorado as my home now; and it felt sooo good to see those mountains and be stationary in this amazing state, and see my kitties, of course. Not gonna lie, I was excited to see our sweet salt water fish too. It makes me laugh, that statement. 

While we were home, we got to fill in all our family and friends of our next life adventure of moving our life to the East coast. Because Joel and I get so high and excited while thinking about and planning to move our life to sweet places, we first of all were shooting for Ireland. After doing extensive research, we found that unfortunately, Ireland makes it close to impossible for people from other countries to move there without studying abroad or being transferred for work. No, I wasn't going to go back to school just to move us to Ireland, that was Joel's first, brilliant plan. And sadly, childcare is a profession that you can't get a work visa for, so I would have no way to make any moola. I suppose I could always work at a cute, little coffee shop, but childcare is what I'm good at and lets face it, that's where my heart is. We kind of put that idea aside, but I couldn't bring myself to throw away my "Ireland To-Do" list just yet. 

I was honestly watching Hocus Pocus when I thought to myself, "I want to celebrate Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts." I immediately texted Joel, who was in LA at the time and asked what he thought about moving our life to the Boston area. He thought it was an amazing idea and that was that! All it takes for us is an idea and motiviation to get us there. That is exactly how Colorado happened. The East coast is somewhere that Joel hasn't touched with his music and it would do great there, both of us are confident in that. The company that I work for originated out there and there are centers all over the place. I immediately did what I did when we decided to move to Colorado, I got on craigslist and started looking for places for rent out of excitement, even when it wasn't practical to do so. I would type in the address, put it in the Goddard School website and sure enough, it would pull up 5-10 centers within a 40 mile radius. I'm getting jacked right now just thinking about it. 

If you remember the last blog I wrote, I talked about Joel having an interview with the Ritz Carlton in Beaver Creek. Well folks, he got the job, is an official employee and gets to spend every Sunday and Monday in the mountains, making money that almost triples his monthly income. And then he gets to spend every Tuesday making his way down those amazing, powder filled mountains on his snowboard. Joel is officially, living the Colorado dream, my friends, doing what he loves. Joel getting this job, changed our plan around a bit. Now, we plan to stay here through next winter season (April-ish) and then head back to the Midwest for a few months to save some moola and then move our life to the East coast. With the money that Joel will be making from the Ritz, he could fly there ever so often and play that gig to keep himself as an employee and continue to reap the benefits for as long as possible, and I have no doubt that he will, even when we move away. We could not be more excited! 

I have not yet told my director of my plan, I feel like it's not time to do so, especially, if anything changes. Knowing Joel and I, this is definitely possible. 

Just before I logged into Blogger, I read an article titled "37 Things Dying People said they Regretted they didn't do." The first thing was travel when they were able to. I'm confident that that is something that I will not regret in my last moments. And the fact that I have somebody amazing to share it with, makes me feel even more excited. And thankful.  

Cheers!