it's friday. and we care.

ah yes.
friday.
2 hour late start.
beautiful snow making our lives a winter wonderland out in the middle of nowhere.
i was up at 5 for my morning meeting with jillian and didn't get the message until 6 of our late start. i loved it. relaxed and knew we'd be able to eat breakfast together. and chat leisurely.
rare are these days during the week.
we played "I Gotta Feeling" and jumped around the kitchen together while scrambling eggs and making toast.
we all got to school on time.
it's been a crazy week at school. and my heart aches. literally.
finally, the last 20 minutes of school, i turned off the lights. projected the decorah eagle's nest on the screen and piped pandora through the speakers. every student grabbed a lap top and they all got on poptropica at their desk.
and my body literally mirrored my heart....which doesn't happen often in school.
wiped out.
i dropped my head and started praying.
i prayed for every.single.student in my class.
real, deep prayers.
(how's THAT for public school! :))
so much hurt and pain in that one room.
once in a while i am just overcome. i could barely hide my tears. i often feel hopeless.
i had emailed a parent the other day about her student who has had some problems.
i told her "if he takes nothing else away from my classroom this year, i hope he knows i believe in him. in the man he is going to become. i hope he knows that."
i write this because i need this blog world to know we care. i know i can't be the only teacher doing this. feeling this. we care. and it is flippin HARD work. exhausting work. FULFILLING work.
i would not trade it for anything.
but still.
it's friday.
i have a date with my mom and ayla at 8:30 am tomorrow and i.am.thankful.
that's all.
just know how deeply the teachers care.

truth is...

when my kids mess up, i feel like it is a direct reflection of ME.
and what is even crazier, when my STUDENTS mess up, i feel like it is a direct reflection of me.
do i need counseling??

so much

there is SO much going on around here!
we are still mid-bathroom remodel.
i see a light at this very long tunnel, though.

paul and i have been texting back and forth. we need to get away with the kids. fun family weekend. we are fortunate enough to know an incredibly generous family who lets us use their house every fall for our annual apple-picking trip. they have been trying to convince to go up there during the winter season for the past couple of years. they offered it up again this year and we decided to take them up on the offer. we leave friday right after school. just staying for the weekend.
there is a hot tub.
and last we knew there was snow. which i could use a little dose of. so as of 4 pm friday WE ARE OUT OF HERE.
i'm excited.
we have all the winter gear packed up. we are bringing sleds. and snow pants. and hot cocoa and peppermint schnaaps and swimming suits. it will be a glorious 36 hours, i'm sure.

and then we have bachelor/bachelorette parties in minneapolis next weekend. looking forward to another fun weekend.
i will be spending the end of february preparing for parent/teacher conferences because I AM GOING TO MEXICO come march 1. we get home the night before conferences. the LOVELY miss leah is getting married there and i have the pleasure and honor standing up with her. could not be more excited!!!!! paul and i will both be going. it will be the quickest trip to mexico ever. but i promise to pack it FULL of fun. :)
when we return we have 3 days until a 10 day spring break. wow. time is flying.

so lots going on. all good. all exciting.

From Pinterest to real life...

i've been a pinning fool lately. and i'm beginning to wonder how i ever survived without it! it's my online cookbook and classroom idea page and dreaming page and online shopping storage page.
it's great.
recently i starting putting together those recipes. the percentage of ones i love is high. actually, i've only come across 1 so far that i did not love.
so i decided to link up to some of these.
you need to remember that for the most part we are going meatless these days. i've been searching high and low for yummy, fresh recipes that the kids will love, too. and you'll notice another theme as well. quinoa. i love it. LOVE it.
so here you have it.
some of my recent favorites...
Quinoa Chowder with Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, Feta and Scallions. just made this tonight. LOVED it.
Pasta Fagioli. this is lani's favorite. i've made it a couple times already and sent it to school with lani for lunch.
Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa. i've brought this to school for lunch so many times this past month. love it!
Crock Pot Chicken Tacos. Threw this in the crock pot before work, came home and shredded the chicken and had dinner a few minutes later. they were delicious! the kids loved them, too!
Broccoli Quinoa Casserole. An alternative to broccoli rice and cheese. YUM!
Black Bean Soup. we've been making lots of soup and then taking it all week for lunch. i love black bean soup. and this was great!
Creamy Crock Pot Hot Cocoa. made this at christmas for all the kids. (oh...and the adults may have mixed it with peppermint schnaaps).
Garlic and Thyme Quinoa Patties. melted hot pepper cheese on these and topped with avacado. makes a big batch and we ate them all week as well.
Green Chili. made this for supper and then turned the leftovers into huevos rancheros. awesome!
Pink Grapefruit Margaritas. need i say more?

ok...that is MOST of what i've tried. there are a couple more. but i don't want to overwhelm you. if you aren't on pinterest...you should be. if you are, share your favorites!!
thank you pinterest. i love you. :)

The bathroom BEFORE

I am hesitantly posting these photos with hopes of having the AFTER photos posted SOON.
as in "before i lose my ever loving MIND" soon.
because really...we have been living with this for months...

i'm not kidding.
months.
all 5 of us get ready each day in our little 3/4 bath downstairs.
i'm ready to have my own again.
our bathroom is going to have a clawfoot tub.
we found it on craigslist.
um yeah...can you say fixer upper??

i can't wait to show you the AFTER pics of it!! so fun!!

but i really shouldn't complain too much.
because even though we have been under construction for months, we have always had this...
she's staying right there, so that's been nice.
luxurious even in the middle of the night.

i am hopeful that it won't be long until you get to see the AFTER.
i'm praying.

on having kids...

the things i love about have 3 kids are endless. i could go on and on.
but honestly, i think one of the things i love the most is my chance to be introduced to new things over and over.
see, somehow our kids don't always love the same things we love.
i know...shocking.
i think it's in our nature to lead them towards those things that make our blood pump. that bring us great joy. but our passions are not their passions.
and i love that.
i want to embrace that.
because i am being introduced to a whole new world with each of these kids.
recently it has been lani.
she has been trying to find her niche for a while. she has tried softball, cheerleading, dance and gymnastics. and in true lani fashion, she has tolerated each and every one of them. but she just hasn't loved any of them.
until she found horses.
oh my word.
she has found her passion. she literally dreams about riding horses. i've caught her mid-horse dream. so sweet.
so we started lessons last year. every other week. and she caught on quickly.
we decided to "lease" a horse starting this month. so basically she can go ride bridget anytime she wants. but we are not responsible for anything else.
i love it.
all the perks, no responsibility.
:)
yesterday her horse riding teacher gave us a crash course in getting lani all set up when she wasn't there to help.
and today was our first time alone.
HYsteriCAL.
oh my goodness.
trust me...you all wish you would have been there.
the horse almost got loose.
as in running for for open door and the teenagers there yelling "shut the door! shut the door!" fortunately for us, they shut it in time.
crisis #1 averted.
we needed help like 46 times in the 2 hours we were there.
i hate feeling stupid.
i do.
i wanted to walk out and say "nevermind. we have no idea what we are doing. we don't want to lease her."
but lani was so happy. even through my stupidity and ignorance, she was glowing.
so we will press on.
and we will make sure she knows that her riding is just as important to us as brigg's baseball tournaments. that we value her passions as much as our own.
and maybe...just maybe...we will eventually be able to go to the barn and decipher between a bridle and a saddle and a lead rope and bit.
it's a steep learning curve people. very very steep.
but we love her and it's worth it.
as you can see...brigg was ecstatic.
really, it was a fun sunday afternoon at the barn. i'm sure we have many more to look forward to in the near future.
oh...and she's joining the clover kids. 4H. i have no idea what to expect. but we are embracing it.

Saturday

it's a green chili kind of day.
pinned this several weeks ago and decided to make it today.
we have been doing a "cleanse" of sorts.
no meat during the week at all.
so we are really looking forward to this tonight...

all of our bathroom parts came in and got picked up yesterday.
everything is sitting here.
in my living room.
waiting to be installed.
my painting professional lady is delivering our buffet/vanity tomorrow.
it.is.gorgeous.
i'm not kidding.
i am IN LOVE with it!
paul is in the garage right now painting the outside of the claw foot tub.
plumber coming tuesday.
mudder/texturizer coming next weekend.
FINALLY it feels like we may get this room finished.
can't wait to share photos!

we decided to start leasing a horse for lani.
basically she can go ride now anytime she likes.
she is also going to join the clover kids.
she is SO excited. i really never thought i'd have a child who was in 4-H. it was never on my radar as a child. but this fits lani perfectly. and to see her with her horse is so awesome. i'm so happy we have found her niche. so excited for her.

happy weekend to all. happy happy weekend.

(and mother. and teacher.)

Finding this to be so true on my parenting/teaching journey. Especially with Ayla.
She watches.
All.The.Time.
I have actually seen her reenacting things that I do in front of her.
Kind of freaks me out.
Been thinking a lot about "Less words. More Action."
In the past I have been big on words. Lots of words.
But now I'm seeing how those words mean nothing if not backed up by actions.
5th graders.
Yikes.
They are watching. And taking notes. I think the words mean so much when backed up by the actions.
So my thought for the day and mission statement for this year.
Less words. More Action.

New life

i have a new life.
and it's kinda nuts and totally different and not what i expected.
i've always kept myself busy. always. sometimes i even think i might have ADHD. i like to DO stuff all the time. i like to be active and busy and moving.
so it's not new that my life is nuts. but it's just a different kind of nuts.
i was talking to an old friend yesterday and mentioned something about being in a perfectly behaved classroom that was quiet and calm. he said, "honestly, cassie? you would not like it. you would miss the grind. you would miss the madnesss."
i have these moments of wanting peace. i was chatting with another friend and blurted out, "WHY DO I HAVE TO GET SO WORKED UP?? why do i have to CARE about this so much? why do i have to get splotchy and feel my blood pressure rise and feel so damn passionate about stuff? WHY? I just want to be even. ALL THE TIME. just chill and even."
she laughed.
because it's hysterical. me? even-keeled? BBBAAAHAHHHAAAAHHHAAA.
so then i tried saying that i just want to fit in box. at least let me just care about ONE or TWO things. and they are located in the same box. because my brains is frazzled. and intense and fried.
how can i possibly love the big city yet want to live in a tiny house in the wilderness? in one month how can i attend a women's ministry meeting, read deep stuff about saving the planet, volunteer to be a part of a technology committee working towards casting the vision of technology in our classrooms, get my nosed pierced and a tattoo on my ring finger, present to my church about buying stoves for families in Haiti, attend a poverty training meeting, buy a kayak, plan a trip to michigan, go to a hawkeye basketball game, baby-sit my foster nephew, watch The Help, make bread from scratch, take a train to chicago, do a cleanse, turn the compost, do yoga, make a dinner out of all canned food from my garden, play words with friends, lead a PTO meeting and still be alive to blog about it?
my mind is spinning at a million miles a minute.
constantly.
it's a love/hate relationship i have with my brain.
but apparently the idea of my just stopping it all is funny.
to lots of people.
myself included.
let's see....started this job in august. still working on balance. i love everything i am doing.
but i just need to find more of those calm, peaceful moments.
in my technology committee meeting this week, we did a "reflection" of the first day.
it was like an a-ha moment for me.
more reflection, cassie...more reflection.
i used to be good at that. something had to give and that was one of the things.
so here i am again. resurrecting the blog is the plan. we shall see.
my biggest blog issue has been the fact that i now have 2 computers.
i don't download my pictures on my school computer. which, by the way, where in the world is my camera? i don't think i've gotten it out in 2 months.
secondly, my wireless "hot spot" got stolen. so we don't have internet at our house. i just have my phone. and i filed a police report but have heard nothing. and verizon won't release info to me, just the police.
it's whacked.
kind of like my brain.
so how's that for a random blog post?
are ready for me?
these upcoming blogs could be nuts.
i'm baaaaaaaaacccckkkkk....

You...plus 2!

It's been two years since the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Half a million people are still living in tents and in extreme poverty. But the good news is that great progress is being made this year.

I want to be part of that great progress, so I made this goal of finding at least two people who will recognize this anniversary by sponsoring a charcoal-efficient stove for a family in Haiti. And maybe those two people will inspire two more people to remember Haiti.

These stoves are revolutionary -- simple and sustainable solutions to major global issues. By sponsoring a stove, you can help a family in Haiti breathe easier, cook faster, and increase their income by saving on fuel costs. They can send their kids to school, start a business, and eat more nutritious foods. You can learn more about this amazing impact at The Adventure Project. They're partnering with people on the ground to create jobs, maintain dignity, and improve livelihoods – all through a little stove.

2 years. 2 friends. 2 stoves. Lots of positive impact. Sponsor a stove and change some lives. And pass it on – inspire two people to remember Haiti today.

CLICK HERE to be one of my 2! Then spread the word!

We are plotting and planning

we've had an AMAZING break so far. christmas was fabulous in storm lake. always so fun to spend time with the burbacks. every single time i am beyond thankful that i not only LOVE my in-laws, but i LIKE them. we laugh hard. we have a blast.
i barely got my camera out at all. i'll download pics a little later. i was just happy to enjoy our time together.
then my brother and his family arrive later this week. we will celebrate christmas and new years together over the weekend. SO looking forward to that as well!
paul had monday off from work. we did NOTHING. had a fire going. drank a bottle of wine and dreamed about 2012. we have been planning a vacation as soon as school gets out. and we got that all finalized yesterday! we are heading to the upper peninsula in michigan to kayak/bike/hike for a week!! and we are pumped!! we will be renting this house for the week...

it has been so fun to plan! i LOVE planning trips. seriously. i think i missed my calling as a travel agent. in the midst of all this planning, we realized we would have to bring along our kayaks and our bikes. we had purchased the kids an inflatable kayak for christmas, but still have 2 kayaks that we need to transport outside of the car. we found a kayak rack for the top of our car. we were kind of giggling about how we would look driving down the interstate with kayaks on top our car. and then we remembered we needed to purchase a bike rack for the back of the car. we hit up amazon and started looking. we found one for a very reasonable price and then died laughing when we looked at the photo....

for real. it's going to be hilarious. 2 kayaks on top and 5 bikes on back. a family of 5 PLUS a golden doodle inside. oh my word. one day i will miss this. i know i will. but for today, it was just hysterical. feeling so so blessed. truly. my cup is overflowing. and i cannot wait to take pictures of our own gear gracing the outside of our van this summer. it will be a blast.
(oh...and did i mention while we are in michigan, the dirks family will be just down the road from us? can you imagine THEIR car with a family of 7?? so fun! can't WAIT for this trip!)

Lani

She had a solo at our Christmas program at church today.
So sweet.
Brigg, Lani and Ayla were all in a little play as well.
And after that we rushed to a local nursing home so Lani and Brigg could play piano in a Christmas recital.
Here's a video of Lani singing...

This brought me to tears...

Read the article HERE
I love what Christmas does to the human spirit.
Love.

Really?

have i really be absent that long? wow. that's forever.
i feel like i start every blog post out with a big "we have been BUSY".
but it's true. every time i say it, it is true.
and i am thankful.
because we have several kids who love to GO.
and a dog that loves to eat. and run. and chew tissues.
and i have a job that i LOVE.
and my husband has 2 jobs that he doesn't hate, too. :)
all really happy, good stuff.
so i am thankful for it all. bring it.

since i haven't updated in a while, i think i'll just give a quick run down.
paul is doing great. he is still working 2 jobs. mpw and home inspections. his home inspection business continues to grow. i have a love/hate relationship with this business. i love it because HE loves it. and he is GOOD at it. and it brings in a nice little extra income for us. but i hate it because it's all done outside of regular business hours. so i get a little up tight when he is gone ALL DAY LONG and then working on his computer all night long finishing up a report. we are working on getting some new software that might eliminate some of that extra time in the late night hours. but they call it moonlighting for a reason.

i am also doing great. busy busy at school. still so thankful that i got a job in the 5th grade. i don't think i could possibly do those younger grades. we had to show the puberty video the other day. that was great fun. something i didn't really think about when taking this position! good times indeed. we strategically planned it the last hour of the day on the day before thanksgiving break. we are smart. worked like a charm. haven't heard them speak a word about it since their return.
i love my students and my co-workers and my parents. i can't imagine walking away from this job. although i have days where i daydream of staying home with the kids again. then i remember that 2 of them are in school all day and ayla is a holy terror. :)
we are going to mexico in march!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
leah is getting married. i only have 2 personal days a year. i am taking them both for this trip. it will be a QUICK trip. leaving on an EARLY flight on a thursday and returning on an afternoon flight on that sunday. i wish it could be longer. but it will be so awesome to be in that beautiful place and watch leah and jeff tie the knot. SO FUN!! SO HAPPY for them! can't wait!!!!!

brigg is still taking piano lessons and playing basketball right now. oh...and his music teacher taught him how to play the recorder with his nose. true talent. :) she also taught him how to wash the recorder in the dishwasher. ha!
he is growing like crazy. when he stands in front of me i can rest my chin on the top of his head. wow. i'm dreading the day when he no longer wants to give me a kiss and hug goodbye in the morning and before bed. love him so much.

lani is doing horseback riding lessons and piano lessons. she loves them both. she is great at them both. i tear up every time i see her on that horse. for real. she is so happy in those moments. i'm so grateful she has found something she loves. as any mother would agree, i'm sure, it's so amazing to see your child happy and thriving.
she is doing great in school and her reading is finally taking off. she loves to read. and i honestly was very concerned about her reading for a long time. then suddenly it just clicked. so fun to witness.

ayla. oh ayla. this child is refining us every.single.day. by the time she leaves our home we will be THE most patient people on the planet. honestly. there will no others in existence who will have a greater amount of patience than we do. we will have had years and years and years of practice with her. :) she is hot or cold. and it can change with NO notice whatsoever. she dropped out of preschool. it was just too many changes all at once. and now she's fine. she is doing great at daycare. she never complains about going. but she is always ready for the weekend. she knows what it means when i tuck her in bed on thursday night and tell her "tomorrow is FRIDAY!" she loves the weekend and her time with all of us. oh...and she is so funny in the morning. INSISTS on kissing and hugging brigg and lani goodbye. it drives them crazy. but she won't let them out the door without it. cute.

willow is huge. and shaved. but honestly, that dog is getting SO GOOD. she's getting calmer by the day. but she still loves to find tissues and chew on them. i do not understand that. i think if you are not big dog people, golden doodles are the dog for you. we haven't done much in the way of training, but she is really pretty well-behaved for a dog of 1.5 years!

we are heading to storm lake for the holidays. i am really looking forward to our break together. one of the HUGE perks of teaching. i get all that time off with the kids over the holidays. makes me happy!! my christmas shopping is done for the most part. couple little things to pick up, but really not too much. thank you trusty online shopping. i love you.

and it's still not too late to pick up a stove for christmas. they have been FLYING off the shelves the past couple of days! so fun!

i'm off to play with brigg's christmas gift....a kindle. i've wanted one for years, but somehow my 10 year old is getting one before me. how does that happen??
happy weekend to all....

cyber monday...

there are SO many great deals out there today!
and i'm not gonna lie...i may have purchased several items from my christmas list today.
BUT.
the best purchase i've made so far, you ask?
STOVES!
you can give them in someone's name and the adventure project will send them an e-card HERE.
check it out.
if you're looking for a gift idea for me, i'd LOVE a stove or two purchased in my name!! :)
for real.
consider heading on this journey with the adventure project.