trust.

celebrations.

while i have used the word celebration it is only because these are celebrations to me. some may not think they are worth celebrating, but i do.

this past week we got two sets of great news!

as you know i am in my fourth of teaching and i was nominated for teacher of the year in our building and found on thursday that i had received this honor. i had always had this on my goal list and it really warmed my heart to find out that my hard work and dedication had been seen by others. i am lucky to work at a great building with amazing, dedicated, and passionate teachers. sometimes i always wonder if this is really what im supposed to be doing and i really believe that this was His way of reminding me, that yes, this is right where i am supposed to be. i am lucky to have such a great job that i enjoy getting up and going to each morning. 

 also, on thursday we found out that ryan had been offered an amazing job that will let him fulfill his dreams and doing something he is passionate about.

it is truly amazing that when you can not see even the glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel, that He provides us with these little celebrations and confirmations that we need to trust in Him.

so, this weekend we celebrated at our favorite wine bar with some great friends. i truly cherish those nights. lots of laughs and memories to keep.

i just know 2013 is only going to get better from here.

bring on week 5 of morning workouts. and as i hit these "habit" forming days; i keep reminding myself of this.  

love,

h

bring on week four.

struggle.

i can already tell this week working out at 5:55 a.m. will be a s.t.r.u.g.g.l.e. 

why? my mom's enjoying a nice dream vacation and won't be there to girl chat workout with me in the morning. 

however, i have already decided that i am going every day this week; which on friday will put me at day 20 of morning workouts. almost to making it a habit...maybe?

not much - but more than i had expected.

so while, my parents keep sending pics that look like this...

i'll be getting my butt out of bed at 5:30 and telling myself this...

here's to making it through week 3. 

bring on week four. 

grown up gifts

kitchen addition

so, if you are my 'friend' on facebook, you might have seen that i was pretty excited this week for our new sink and faucet to arrive and be installed. this is something i begged for for christmas. something i knew we would never buy ourselves and not something we technically needed but it is fabulous.

when we bought our house in feb 2011 - it was brand spankin new. amazing appliances. perfect finishes. perfect. except they cheated on the sink. it was your basic chrome shallow double bowl. 

i'm not domestic. there's not hiding that. so when i would complain attempt to do dishes, water. was. e v e r y w h e r e. 

long story short: for christmas i received a new sink and faucet which i even got to pick out off the showroom floor. you know you're old when....?

i picked a deep double black mix granite bowel that seems like a bathtub compared to our old one. and the faucet is touchless and so amazing. great for germs and future kids. 

i am loving my new kitchen addition.

i would recommend both of our choices to anyone. 

thankful for a handy man

out with the old, in with the new 

almost done dad?

the new beaut.

so spacious and roomy. 

downside? no excuses for not doing dishes...

better yet, maybe we will be fighting over who gets to do them. ha. 

motivation for monday.

how long until something becomes a habit?

tomorrow begins week three of the early morning workouts. i am excited because i already have plans for monday and tuesday night and will get to enjoy time for myself because the workout is already completed. sounds like a small thing - but my plan. just. might. be. working. 

this weekend was fantastic. friday night was lazy. saturday night we hit up a nearby wine bar, visited with friends, and watched football {my kind of night} and today i got to spend quality time with my momma. {nails, coffee, shopping.}

so cheers to week three.

i know i can. 

how long to form a habit? research says between 21 and 28 days. 

be looking for day 21 update. 

two weeks in

for me. 

started back to work on monday with a "work day". i love having that time to catch up with coworkers and rave about our breaks plan, get my classroom ready, and get my brain in the right mindset. 

it was a great week and so refreshing seeing all those familiar faces step foot back into room 218. 

this week was the first week that i would be doing my new "workout plan" starting at 6am. ive never been a consistent exerciser - and definitely not in the mornings. "those" people were the looney ones in my book.

well, world. i am a looney one. although, today was the end of my second week working out in the mornings, i have loved it. 

i knew i wanted to started doing this back in the fall because i was working out 3-4 times a week after school. i wasn't getting home until 5:30 or 6:00 and i was dead worthless. i never felt like i had time for "me" or time to do things with friend or family last minute; and to me that is the important stuff. so i made a sacrifice; I CAN SPARE ONE HOUR OF SLEEP EACH MORNING TO WORKOUT AND SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY. WIN.WIN.

so....here i am. two weeks down. and i feel great. 

i have seen so many great benefits to working out in the morning. i have more energy. no headaches. i crave healthier food. i am happier. the list goes on. you could say this is starting to hold me together.

as a teacher, i needed to back up my "benefits" with research. and it's true. 

thanks to yahoo. 

1. Morning Exercisers Stick With It

Studies have shown that people who exercise in the morning, or being a morning exercise routine, are more likely to still be exercising one year later, when compared to those who exercise at other times of the day.

soooo true. i DO NOT see myself quitting or giving up anytime soon. i actually look forward to it. don't judge.

2. Morning Exercisers Have More Energy

Although you may have to drag yourself out of bed in the morning, the energy you create by exercising in the morning will sustain you through the day. You will have more energy to go to work, take care of the kids, or do whatever it is you do all day.

You also have more energy to exercise in the morning, than after a long day of work or childcare.

absolutely. i have cut down to only one cup of coffee in the mornings compared to my mug and a half, sometimes two mugs per morning. 

3. Morning Exercisers Sleep Better

Exercising in the morning will help you sleep better at night. By getting up earlier, you will go to sleep earlier, hopefully finding your natural sleep cycle. Working out in the evening hours can create an adrenalin rush that may be hard to come down from and get some sleep.

...like a baby....

4. Morning Exercisers Eat Better

A psychological and nutritional benefit that comes with morning exercise is a day of eating better. When wake up early to exercise, and spend an hour or more actually exercising before doing anything else, you will approach eating with a different mentality than if you exercise in the evening.

It is easier to avoid temptation and talk yourself out of eating unhealthily when you spend your waking hours sweating away the pounds. The fact that you got up and did something healthy and positive for you body will keep you from indulging or making the wrong food choices.

i've been pretty conscious what about i've been choosing to eat, just because i dont want to cancel all the hard work i put in at the crack of dawn. 

5. Morning Exercisers Are in a Better Mood

Another added benefit of a morning work out is enjoying the positive mood you have created. You will be proud of yourself for getting up an exercising. You will feel clear and calm by exercising in the morning. Exercise makes you feel good mentally as well as physically, and that feeling can last all day after a morning exercise routine.

Consider a morning physical fitness routine and reap the extra benefits of an a.m. work out.

i've noticed this myself. i haven't heard from anyone else other than the trainer at the gym who said "you must love morning workouts; you're in a much better mood." :proof:

So, while I am not perfect and the healthiest person on the planet, i'm pretty proud of myself for sticking with it and now that im sharing with everyone; it only holds me more accountable. 

i am enjoying a workout. i am happier. i have great energy. and i'm conscious about what i eat. i feel like that's a pretty good start to 2013. 

i'll leave you with this. i am a teacher and sometimes the world seems so cruel. but i found one of my students reading this and it made my heart so happy. innocence and faith still exists. 

two weeks and still holding it  together. 

:keeping the name alive:

2012 Brandon Jacques Classic

it is known that many people grieve in many ways. i have learned this from first hand experience and still learning daily that i am not in control of my emotions or what i may feel from day to day, so i have learned to follow where i am led and work with what i am given. {easier said than done.}

i lost my brother on april 2, 2011 and while i am not quite ready to share that whole story with the world. i am willing to share this...

the beginning of the grieving process should just be called "blacked out". for weeks, i dont remember much. i remember just wanting to say his name. talk about him. keep his name going. and what better way than to create a foundation in his name and get a golf tournament started. 

we started planning in august of 2011 with the decision making, there needed to be a logo, we needed to be tax exempt. where would we have it? how would it work? thankfully, we have so many loving and amazing people in our live that my idea became a reality. 

during these times- it was the tournament and faith that was holding me together.

and on June 23, 2012 - we held our 1st Annual Brandon Jacques Classic. it was amazing. it couldnt have imagined it going any better. it seemed like the all the little pieces finally fell into place. and my dream had come true.  we were keeping the name alive. 

we had had about 140 golfers and around 60 volunteers. we mingled, chatted, shared memories, and celebrated this day in Brandon's name. i was gleaming in all the love for my brother. it was definitely one of those "proud sister" moments that i'll never forget. i know i made him proud. 

at the end of the day; after the camera crews, announcing winners, and celebrations, we were successful. we had kept the name alive, raised awareness, and raised money for a great cause. 

as president of the Brandon M Jacques Foundation, i was able to write a check for over $4,000 and mail it to NEDA. it felt so good and rewarding. somewhat therapeutic.i was doing good with my grief. we were going to help stop this from happening to another 20 year old male. but that is just the beginning...

logo from last year.

planning has begun for this year's tournament. June 22, 2013 at Paradise Pointe Golf Complex. i am looking forward to another opportunity to make my brother proud. to keep his name alive. 

all of our amazing sponsors!

raffle items

silent auction items

memory table

volunteers working hard.

serious business.

we provided a BBQ lunch for our volunteers and players.

selling raffle tickets.

happy volunteers

grandma ellis was the winner of the parachute

mom sharing the news with the camera crews.

this one is for you brother.

{to:}

i found this on {Pinterest} and wanted to share.i am pretty partial to the {to begin} and {to change your outlook}. really, I loved them all.

.little things.

ready, set, go...

nothing says a new year like a new planner with all new 2013 dates and a new pencil to write new events...my brain ocd does not let me use pen in a planner. sin of all sins AND could cause a nervous breakdown if something had to be changed. wish i was kidding...

so i have spent the last day writing down all the important dates of 2013. no school days. birthdays. spring breaks. special celebrations. last day of school. meetings. pretty much everything you could think of. {let me know if you think you're important enough to make the planner, and i can pencil you in. literally.} :) 

even more exciting than writing new dates in a new planner. finding the cutest planner that you needed had to have. {how could i brag on this find without showing the goods?}

next monday i return to work. thank goodness, we have a "work day" which is basically to ease back into the craziness of being a teacher. and being a teacher means; organizing, rearranging, making copies, chatting, and planning, getting ready for the marathon of a spring semester. its gone before we know it. simply blows my mind how quickly spring semester goes by. 

while, i love getting back into a routine; i have very much enjoyed the glory of having two weeks off. to do nothing. or everything. i got to choose. winter break is a love/hate relationship. but fact is, i am ready to my 23 kiddos and all my coworkers. i am ready to get dressed in the morning and put on makeup. or..shower for that matter. im ready. because i am hopeful that 2013 is a going to be a great year. its the little things. 

i will miss being able to spend as much time as i wish with this little muffin. {like i said, proud doggie mom}

-heather

side note: please keep praying for Newtown kiddos, parents, teachers, and families as they prepare to return to school tomorrow. no one can imagine their anxiety and apprehensiveness they will experience tomorrow. pray. 

2012

::2012::

warning: lots of picture ahead...

while 2012 feels like a blur; there were good times to be had by all.

january: we rang in the new year with lots of friends and family. was a nice, relaxing month to get us geared up for the year to come.

february: celebrated one year of homeownership along with ryan's 20-something birthday.

march: my mom had her first suprise party. we got to see jason aldean in concert and my it was amazing. 

jason aldean concert

kristi and i 

april: spent april 2 home with my mom and dad. remembering my sweet brother. helped throw my BFF {katie} a bridal shower and celebrated kristi's last night as a single gal. 

delicious beverage in sunny scottsdale

mrs.jaros

nick and kristi's nuptials

future mrs. rathmann

future mrs. smith

may:headed to sunny scottsdale for katie's last fling and got to speak at kristi and nicks wedding. finished my third year of teaching. at the end of the month, it was time to spend memorial weekend with all the dz black sheep and cheers to kelly's last days as a lawson. 

june: katie got hitched. saw kenny chesney & jake owen. we held our first annual brandon jacques classic in memory of my brother. both of which were a success. 

bff got married. 

the mrs.

beautiful bride 

colorado mtns.

july: kelly got hitched. *hayley* got engaged. we went to the like for a BBs sisters weekend.  we went to colorado with my parents and ryan's parents.  we spent 5 days just doing whatever we wanted and touring breweries  breckenridge.

{bb sisters lake weekend 2012} 

just some stl sightseeing.

first photo at her new home

august: we fell in love with our first child puppy. and it was back to school time. 

september: became a M.O.H for hayley (ryans sister). shopped for wedding dresses. 

moh official business

marley + karson

{american royal}

october: our family welcomed the twinkies into our world. turned another year older wiser. and found *the* dress with hayley. american royal.

mu game in TN.

american royal {october}

november: i took a few days off work and headed to nashville and gatlinburg, TN for a long weekend. we drank, ate, enjoyed MIZZOU football.
 enjoyed thanksgiving with family and friends. got our home ready for the holidays. 2 friends announce their expecting.

loved the nashville honkey-tonks

december: celebrated with family. celebrated with friends. made memories to last. 2 more friends announce their expecting. 

no pressure 2013 - but you have A LOT to live up to. 

maybe these are the moments that have held me together for 2012.

maybe.