9 Things I Can't Handle

Everyone has their pet peeves, right? I love knowing what get on other peoples' nerves and am sometimes surprised to find out that I do some of those things (like cracking my joints and biting my nails). I've also found out that many things that irk me don't bother others at all!

So, here's my list.

1. Not using turn signals. This is a pretty popular one, or so I've heard. I'm a pretty courteous driver, but if someone is trying to get in front of me and isn't using a signal, I will absolutely not go out of my way to accommodate them. It doesn't matter who you are, what kind of car you drive, or how big of a hurry you're in. I can guarantee that your car was built with a turn signal, so use it!

2. Unkempt hair at work. When you go to work, your hair should be done. Period. If "done" means a classy bun, fine. If "done" is simply blow-dried, fine. If "done" means blow-drying, curling, teasing, and spraying, fine. You should not, however, come to work if your hair looks like you rolled out of bed and did nothing else. It doesn't look good, and it definitely doesn't look professional.

3. Pterodactyl feet. Not everyone can afford pedicures. Not everyone has time for pedicures. Not everyone is comfortable with someone else touching their feet. I get it. But, with all of the affordable foot-care products available at nearly every grocery/drugstore, your feet should not look like they could catch dinner as you fly over a lake. At least lotion them and cut your toenails. I'll buy the stuff if you need me to. Promise.

4. Not using manners. There is just no excuse for this one. From my preschoolers to my husband to random people I come into contact with, I am more than happy to remind everyone to use their manners. Saying "please," "thank you," and "excuse me" takes little-to-no effort, but can completely change how you are perceived.

5. Refusal to handle conflict. Please let me be the first to say that I hate conflict. I will go out of my way to avoid it, but it still comes up... and I deal with it. And do you know what happens when I deal with it? Nine times out of ten, it does away! Do you know what happens when I don't deal with it? Nothing/it gets worse/I feel horrible/resentment grows/etc. Just deal with it, okay? Okay.

6. Floral couches. I'm very picky when it comes to furniture. I don't mind floral print, but couches are big. They're big! Too much of anything can be lethal, and floral print is certainly no exception. There really isn't much more that I can say on this matter. Floral couches = no.

7. Dry lips. USE LIP BALM, PEOPLE. Please. I literally cannot stand seeing someone with cracked lips. It causes me physical pain.

8. Close proximity in the bathroom. Hear me out on this one. If you're in a bathroom with 5 stalls and only one of those stalls is taken, do not (I repeat, DO NOT) take one of the stalls next to that one. It's just uncomfortable. (The same thing applies for parking spaces in a nearly-empty parking lot.)

9. Being tapped. As a preschool teacher, kids frequently come up to me and tap my arms, my torso, my legs, my hands, my head, etc. It makes me nervous. It makes me twitch. I hate it. I HATE IT. Don't touch me.

Here I am again!

Check me out! Two days in a row! This is some sort of  record for me, I think.

I got some news yesterday about the job I was hoping for... and that news was that they gave the job to someone else. I won't even have the chance to interview. Let's just say that it was the perfect addition to a horrible morning. Also, the kitchen sink pipes leaked all over the floor, I got stuck behind a semi truck on a detour on my way to work, and my hair was flat. I mean, it was SO flat.

But, I don't have work today! I got up early to go grocery shopping and now I'm watching The Office on Netflix. I plan on doing some cleaning later. Is it weird that cleaning my house relaxes me?

Yeah, it's weird.

Other things that relax me are-

Baking cookies
Browsing Pinterest (duh)
Playing with Leia
Watching Netflix (currently The Office)
Driving with no destination
Thrift store shopping

Also weird.

Hm.

The Struggle... it's really, really real

It's time to talk about The Struggle. I've been dealing with it for a year and a half awhile, and it's starting to wear me down.

The Struggle refers to my search for a full-time teaching job.

Now, don't get me wrong. I taught preschool from September through May, and I loved it. But... it wasn't what I really wanted to be doing. My classroom was tiny, the daycare atmosphere was incredibly loud at times, and I had 4 different classes of students (MWF morning, MWF afternoon, TTh morning, TTH afternoon).

Now that Thomas and I are planning a move*, my search for a full-time teaching job has been put on the front burner! I have applied to several schools and have had a tiny bit of luck. Well, potential luck. Maybe. Hopefully I'll hear more today.

In the meantime, I am racking up as many hours as I can at the daycare! I am also trying to earn a little money by selling some things online. On Saturday, Thomas and I hit up a church rummage sale 25 minutes before it ended, and they were selling everything you could fit in a bag for $1! We filled 4 bags. Two of mine were with name brand kids' jeans, so I posted them on eBay! I've had some luck selling there before, so I'm hopeful now.

And now, I'm off to work. To make money. To move. :)

*If you are a family member who doesn't know about the move and are wondering if you should be offended, don't. Very few people know. We'll make the official announcement soon. :)

The Summer that Changed my Life

Since I turned 15, I have nearly always had some sort of job. I've worked food prep jobs, food service jobs, and dish-washing jobs. I've worked in retail, I've worked a phone-a-thon, and I've been a lifeguard. I've babysat and tutored. I've scrubbed toilets and dusted library shelves. All of these jobs had their pros and cons, but one job has always stuck out as being my favorite.

One summer, I worked as a camp counselor. Lots of college kids do, right? They spend the summer swimming, making crafts, singing songs, and having a blast with kids of all ages. They make lifelong friends and mortal enemies with their coworkers. They find out what they're really made of.

I did all of those things too.

But, you see, my summer was different. Instead of working with fresh-faced children, I worked with adults who had special needs. In addition to all of the things listed above, I was also responsible for feeding my campers. I had to help shower them. I had to make sure that they didn't wander off while we were playing games. I had to keep track of their allergies. At one point, I had to stay up all night and keep a (stark naked) camper from trying to escape out the fire door. I had to run out of the dining hall without dinner to keep track of a one-on-one camper. I discovered a new bruise every other day from being hit and kicked by upert campers. I had to deal with know-it-all coworkers, lazy coworkers, and coworkers who would have rather been anywhere else (and let us know [constantly]). And, of course, let's not even mention the camp food!

Does it sound totally miserable? It was, sometimes. But, that summer, I changed. I became a leader. I figured out how to deal with conflict. I grew to fully appreciate being assigned to the air-conditioned cabins for the week. I learned how to multi-task. I tie-dyed my first shirt. I discovered that I could handle far more than I thought I was capable of. I caught my first fish (and then made it into bait to catch a bigger fish!). I made friends who I still talk to weekly. I developed a deep, unchangeable respect for individuals living with special needs. I became a more loving and accepting friend. I learned to make balloon animals. I became an advocate for people who are unable to stand up for themselves.

Reflecting on my time at camp is a bittersweet feeling. I miss being there, and I miss my friends (both campers and coworkers). Working at Camp Allyn has changed my life for the better, and I wouldn't trade that summer for the world!

Life Quotes (as said by my preschoolers)

Kids are smart. They have such a unique view of the world, and they aren't afraid to say what's on their minds. In my monthly newsletters sent to my preschoolers' parents, I have a small section dedicated to the silly things that they say. Here are a few of my favorites!

"All I need is more ice cream and more money."

"Wow! You've got lots of bubbles! You're totally loaded."

"Um, my mom hasn't picked me up for a long time so I think she's in jail."

"Ms. Becca, how could you lose your scissors? They don't have feet. They didn't just walk away from you." 

"If you don't know the answer, as your mommy or your daddy or your sister or your brother or your cat."

"My fingernails... they just never stop growing."

"Ms. Becca, why do you live in preschool?"

"I really hate gravity." 



What is the funniest thing you've ever heard a child say? Let me know in the comments! :)

She baa-ack!

I know, I know. I do this all. the. time.

Each time I take a break from blogging, I sincerely miss it. While I don't have a ton of things to say, I do enjoy venting, sharing, and being generally silly with the internet as my audience.

I am actually going to start planning blog posts in advance (WHAT?!) and pre-writing some of them on the weekends, when I'm less busy. I'm not making any promises, but I am excited to get back into the blogging scene and can't wait to see where this goes!

Back to school... or not!

To be honest, I've been dreading today. As much as I love my bitty preschoolers, I just wasn't ready to go back to school today... so I'm very happy to announce that it is 9:57AM and I am sitting at home in my pajamas. SNOW DAY! Well, it's actually a "cold day." Temperatures here in central Ohio are supposed to be well below freezing today, so I'm glad that my itty bitties don't have to venture out in the cold!

(And, hey, I'm glad I don't have to, either!)

My plans for today include finalizing some lesson plans, catching up on laundry, and doing a little more work on this blog! I am currently researching how to reach out and get some more followers. As much as I love writing, it would be really nice to know that someone was reading regularly! :)

First, though, I will make myself a large mug of coffee. Just because I won't be chasing kiddos today doesn't mean I won't need my energy! Maybe I'll also get on Craigslist so I can buy some more cats and use these organizing tips for them.

Happy Monday!