today...

definitely felt this way this morning.

here's to a better "can-do" attitude.

the nation's capitol...

spring break was in a word

divine!

i.loved.it.

a couple of my besties and i decided we were in need of a good vacay

and thought it would be fun to make a trek east

to our nation's capitol.

i can tell this teacher thing is getting to me

because instead of going to the beach for spring break for a little

rest and relaxation

i reallllly wanted to go somewhere where i'd learn something.

truly!

yeah, i was shocked too.

but i'm so glad i did. this trip was a blast,

and i couldn't have asked to spend it with better people.

(though, i wish more of the hunnies could have joined us.)

we totally hit up every single monument east of the potomac.

(this one was for my firsties...)

we rented these awesome bicycles

and cruised the streets of DC...

we "DCycled"

(brooke camit)

hello, potomac!

i also spent a little time with my

FAVORITE

people in Richmond, VA!

while there, we visited VA Beach

and i fell in love with the beach houses.

loved spending time with these wonderful people!

(panda, will you send me YOUR pics?

you know which one i want most... wink, wink)

Here's to nerdy, educational vacays!

i run for chocolate...

while training for this last half,

i discovered a trend of people advertising their reason for running.

i run for wine.

i run for beer.

i run for health.

so, i asked myself

"what does LINDSEY run for?"

to those of you who know me well,

this seems like a rhetorical question.

you're probably thinking there's only one of two things i run for:

chocolate OR diet coke.

and yes, you're correct.

i absolutely run for chocolate and diet coke.

but i've discovered another reason why i run.

perhaps the most important reason of them all

(though nothing in life can beat a good bite of chocolate or an ice cold diet coke)

these days folks,

i run for sanity!

my new teacher brain weighs down like a good game of Tetris these days.

the blocks just keep piling up, weighing me down, awaiting my defeat.

that's why i run.

to shake off those blocks, to clear my head,

to be able to start each day fresh, happy, and ready for anything

(and by anything, i mean wiping boogies, removing mysterious, gooey objects from desks, and explaining in a very non-violent way what happened to "that man, awesome-a" yesterday).

so, here's to running!

and to my bestie for finishing her first half!!

i'm so proud of you, SBJ!

time for round 2?

t-minus...

4 days

until i'm reunited with this rascal!!

and

I.CAN'T.WAIT!!

the no-sugar challenge: part 2...

people... I MADE IT!

no sugar for 30 days.

(minus a few cheat days i gave myself. sundays. birthdays. a girls gotta live a little.)

i'm feeling good.

to be honest, not as awesome as i thought you were supposed to feel, but i think we always dream these things to be bigger than they are.

i think the greatest thing i gained from this self-challenge was a little self-control.

it felt good to be offered a little sugar and be able to just simply say, "no thanks" rather than go off on some tyrannical and self-righteous rant about how i'm "sacrificing SO much" by not letting myself eat sugar (i was worried i'd do that).

.

that's why i'm back on here - recommitting myself for another month.

i was proud of my self-control.

and i want to continue that.

i think this has become bigger than just focusing on my health.

it's become about harnessing desire and being in control.

i like that.

so... commence month 2.

now!

the diary of a midget wrangler: lately

lately in Room 5,

we have been having WAY too much fun.

i thought it a crime to keep you out of the loop,

so here are some updates on the last month or so...

a couple of weeks ago was Teacher Appreciation Week,

or as I like to call it - delightful.

i have the SWEETEST parents who have really taken good care of me in my first year. they started the week off with a little surprise basket full of my "favorites!"

favorite drink: diet coke

favorite candy: chocolate covered cinnamon bears

favorite food: italian

favorite way to relax: a little pedi

aaannnddd, a little cash!

WOW!

then, they made this darling poster for my bulletin board!

the theme was:

"look how we've grown!"

on each of the leaves of the flowers,

each of my babies wrote one thing they loved about me.

they were SO cute.

the week leading up to st. patty's day,

we had a little visitor sneak into our room and leave us a surprise.

this is what we got the first day:

he even toppled over a few books and left us some leprechaun dust.

the next day,

he left us a little present!

a cute shamrock for my door,

and some "magic leprechaun powder" for the kiddlets.

per his instructions,

we mixed the powder with a little milk until it turned into a tasty treat.

then we made a graph about whether or not we liked the "magic leprechaun powder."

the answer was a resounding "YES!"

finally,

on the actual day

he brought us our very own pot o' gold!

complete with lucky charms, a green airhead, and some gold coins.

YUM!

okay,

last but not least,

i had to include these two pictures.

i don't know how much time my midgets spend on youtube, but apparently they get weird humor just as much as we adults do.

the best is the answer to question #3.

they laughed for a good 5 minutes straight.

(took us FOREVER to finish that test)

the diary of a midget wrangler: on the subject of love

last week,

as we were making color wheels out of play-doh,

i just happened to be passing by when

the following conversation took place:

sam: do you want to know what

(pauses, whispers)

making out is?

abby: (shaking her head in total disgust)

nuh-uh!

sam: (pausing, as if he were contemplating the consequences of telling her anyway, whispers)

it's kissing...

but BETTER!

haha!

you're right Sam.

WAY better!