Hot, hot, hot!

It was BRUTAL today to be in Zumba in the humidity.  I think I sweat more than ever.  Overall, it was a pretty decent day.  I'm ready to be done with school and I know the students are more than ready.

Top 5 for the day:
1. Last Zumba until summer.
2. Getting work done early so I can have some relaxing nights.
3. Watching "America's Got Talent" tonight.
4. Having A/C when I need it most :)
5. Having an extra prep due to the 5th graders being on a field trip!

You are my refuge, You are my strength

God works in mysterious ways.  I'm not sure how to explain it, but he just does.  My mom and I had a good laugh today since I have been talking to a guy from Boston and now a guy from Los Angeles.  It's just funny and all I can say is that God works in mysterious ways.  Today it has been hot all day.  I finally got both my air conditioners in and will hopefully be able to sleep a little better with the A/C.  Well, it's late and I really need to sleep...it's going to be a short but busy week!

Top 5 today:
1. Watching the Hackettstown Memorial Day parade with friends and family <3
2. Editing a friend's resume and cover letter.
3. Dinner and putting my A/C in with my parents.
4. Talking with hopefully new friends :)
5. Realizing there are 12 1/2 days left of school and I will only be teaching 11 1/2 since I have a personal day this week :-)

Maybe you're the girl, thinking you'll end up alone, Praying God can you hear me? Oh God are you listening?

Church was alright today.  It was nice to go to lunch with a friend and catch up without being interrupted by her baby (which is never an interruption anyway hah).  I'll leave you with my top 5 then lyrics to a song that is touching me right now...

Top 5 for the day:
1. Lunch at Applebees with Melissa
2. Finishing my 3 weeks worth of laundry
3. Listening to "Someone Worth Dying For" by Mikeschair this morning and really thinking
4. Picking up Melissa after her car broke down and spend more time with her
5. A relaxing evening with my family

"Someone Worth Dying For" by Mikeschair
You might be the wife, waiting up at night
You might be the man, struggling to provide
Feeling like it's hopeless
Maybe you're the son, who chose a broken road
Maybe you're the girl, thinking you'll end up alone
Praying God can you hear me?
Oh God are you listening?

Am I more than flesh and bone?
Am I really something beautiful?
Yeah I wanna believe, I wanna believe that
I'm not just some wandering soul
That you don't see and you don't know
Yeah I wanna believe, Jesus help me believe that I
Am someone worth dying for

I know you’ve heard the truth that God has set you free
But you think you're the one that grace could never reach
So you just keep asking, oh what everybody's asking

Am I more than flesh and bone?
Am I really something beautiful?
Yeah I wanna believe, I wanna believe that

I'm not just some wandering soul
That you don't see and you don't know
Yeah I wanna believe, Jesus help me believe that I
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com 
Am someone worth dying for

You're worth it, you can’t earn it
yeah the cross has proven
That you're sacred and blameless
Your life has purpose

And you are more than flesh and bone
Can't you see you're something beautiful
Yeah you gotta believe, you gotta believe
He wants you to see, He wants you to see
That you're not just some wandering soul
That can't be seen and can't be known
Yeah you gotta believe, you gotta believe that you
Are someone worth dying for

You're someone worth dying for
You're someone worth dying for

I am Yours, You are mine...

This is going to be a great 3 day weekend!  It's warm (maybe a little too humid for my liking, but I"ll take it) and sunny all weekend.  I got my dress for a wedding I'm in altered today and got my eyes done :)  Nothing super exciting happened, but that's what I like about 3 day weekends.

Top 5 for the day:
1. Sleeping in a queen sized bed :-)
2. Dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse
3. Getting my oil changed in my car.
4. A lazy Saturday looking at pictures :)
5. Spending time with the family :)

Let me be a shining light for You

I can't thank my friends enough for what they do for me.  I couldn't deal with some every day things without them.  Today was just extremely warm.  The kids were definitely worn out and I was worn out by the end of the day.  It took me over an hour and a half to get from Midland Park to Hackettstown (it should only take an hour).  I did get a chance to work with the fife and drum corps. tonight and work on marching with them.  They will look pretty good on Monday for Memorial Day :-)  I'm excited for a 3 day weekend and able to spend some time with my family.

Top 5 for the day:
1. Having A/C in the middle school music room.
2. Lunch with a special student to talk :)
3. Fife and drum
4. Cooler air tonight in the house.
5. Scheduling a hair appointment and getting in earlier than I thought.

Can't read my..can't read my..no he can't read my poker face..poker face.

Today wasn't all that bad until I was sitting in my car waiting for youth group.  Needless to say, it went downhill from there.  Youth group was fun with my girls, but coming home wasn't all that great.  I still need to pack and it's 11:00 and I need to clean my apartment since the new landlord is coming for a final walk through.  So I guess I need to go so I get a little sleep tonight in this...really hot apartment.

Top 5:
1. Students always making me laugh.
2. Youth group
3. Dinner with mom
4. Serious talk with a great friend...even if it is over Facebook
5. Music Dept. Breakfast and seeing the kids laugh at the pictures over the year!

If I lost my way would you carry me tonight forever and not look back at all?

I must say...I should wear dresses and my hair in a ponytail more often!  The kids (of all ages) just kept complimenting how they liked it when my hair was up!  It is very very VERY warm today and it makes me wish it was summer hah.  Just 3 more weeks and I'm done with my 2nd year.  It's hard to believe that I've been out of college for 2 years already.  It feels like just yesterday I was a freshman in college and meeting new people.  I do miss college, but am loving living my life outside of college.  I have some great friends and my family means more to me now than ever.  Seeing and hearing my brother's life too is making a great impact on my life.  If you haven't yet, check out his band: www.needmore.net.  I love the music and one of their songs is my title today :-)

Top 5 for the day:
1. Compliments from students about my hair and dress (even new students who don't know me very well yet)
2. Driving with the windows open :-)
3. Planning for a special bachelorette party :)
4. Working on the slideshow for the breakfast tomorrow :)
5. In and out of the grocery store in under a half hour :)

In the cold, dark night...hope's not giving up.

Yes...it's been a week of Remedy Drive constantly playing because they're songs are just that awesome :-)  Zumba was a blast today because we got a chance to do a conga line and it was just fun.  Nothing major happened today so it's just been a dull day...

Top 5 for today:
1. Zumba with my coworkers.
2. Warm weather (maybe a little too warm to be inside all day)
3. Season finale of "Glee" tonight.
4. Having some decent middle school classes.
5. Getting supply lists for next year...yea...already looking towards next year...

When the darkness falls like rain, and you're stuck in a fear that you can't explain, when you can't take anymore, light makes a way

Rainy day again...but nothing terrible.  This weather makes me exhausted by mid-day and my 2 late night workouts have been making me exhausted.  I'm going to continue working out before bed since I have slept really well the past few nights.  Today was a pretty fun time in school since we had an "End of the Year" kick-off for the middle school first thing in the morning :-)

Top 5 for the day:
1. Having some fun times in 3rd grade music
2. Helping out a friend with bulletin board decorating :-)
3. Relaxing evening
4. Getting work done early at school
5. Being able to walk to my car without an umbrella :)

Not sure what you're looking for...light makes a way for you!

Wow the Remedy Drive concert was amazing!  I had a blast hanging out with Keri, Ben, and Chris and even saw a lot of students who didn't recognize me because my hair was curly.  It was nice to spend some quality time catching up with Keri and working out with her late last night.  Church was fun because I saw a lot of college kids that came back.  I got a chance to go to lunch with my parents and see them which was nice :-)  Now it's time to just relax and get some school things done :)

Saturday's Top 5:
1. Sleeping in
2. Late night workout with Keri
3. Remedy Drive Concert
4. Late night talks with Keri
5. Getting lessons done for the week

Today's Top 5:
1. Girl talk with Keri in the car and getting ready for church
2. Lunch with my parents
3. Working with the youth band
4. Dinner with Andy
5. Relaxing night :)

God is my refuge and my strength

As much as I love Fridays and my schedule..today was truly great.  I had a chance to spend some time with the music kids after our concert last night and see their excitement watching the video.  I am very excited to work on the next slideshow for our breakfast on Thursday.  I must say though I'm tired of hearing all about the end of the world tomorrow.  God told us we wouldn't know when he was coming but to be prepared.  I would hope that God has it in His plan that I could get married and meet the guy I'm supposed to marry before He came back, but only He knows the plan.  I just need to be patient.  Anyway, overall today was a pretty good day and now it is a relaxing evening at home getting some school things done since I get to hang out with Keri all day tomorrow and go to the Remedy Drive Concert tomorrow night with her and a few other youth group kids :)

Top 5 for the day:
1. Constant "congrats" from colleagues in the hallways today about the performance last night :)
2. Happy Hour with some lovely ladies
3. Reading e-mails that make me cry because I'm making a difference!
4. Not a lot of rain today!
5. Uploaded video and photos of the concert :)

He sat as King over the flood

Today could not have been better.  School went pretty well and the Spring concert was tonight.  My students did so well and they crack me up.  I definitely felt loved by a lot of students tonight...which still to me almost brought tears to my eyes, keyword...ALMOST.  I know my students love me...it's only some days where you just don't feel like they do.  The slideshow was a hit and I am so excited to work on a more "fun" one for the breakfast next week.  Hanging out with a friend after the concert and watching a movie definitely brought a great conclusion to the day :-)

Top 5 for the day:
1. Seeing a former student at the concert tonight :-)
2. Hanging out with a friend and watching "The Other Guys" to end the night.
3. Seeing a lot of students at the concert :-)
4. Getting e-mails and comments from parents and students on how I influenced their lives and how they are so glad that I was their teacher :-)
5. Having both my mom and my dad at the concert :-)

Let it rain...let it rain..Open the flood gates of Heaven

Still raining...yes and today it has just been bizarre.  I did see the sun for about 10 minutes on my drive over to the ES.  Today was bearable and had some pretty good moments with the students.  The concert is tomorrow, I'm watching the Mets (currently) beat the Nationals and am hoping to see a classmate of mine pitch for the Nationals tonight, and will be working on the slideshow for the concert tomorrow.  Being creative and crafty is what I really enjoy doing :)

Today's top 5:
1. Wonderful 4th grade classes
2. Hearing the 8th grade song come together
3. Video chat with a lovely friend
4. Mentor meetings...don't know what I'd do without her or what I'll do next year when I don't have to do the mentor meetings
5. Cooking a home cooked meal :)

Where You go I'll go, Where You stay I'll stay

It has been a long and rough day.  It was hard to get up this morning since I woke up in the middle of the night with my ears hurting and my throat hurting.  Needless to say my ears and throat don't hurt anymore, but my body is tense from Zumba.  It's been a long day since the elementary school was full of subs and a lot of rain so the kids were just crazy.  Needless to say, I expected it haha.

There are just days where I want to be "the one" for someone.  Be able to come home and have someone to tell you their day and listen to your day, I dream for that.  I know it will happen, I'm just getting more and more tired of waiting.  I know it's petty and there are other things, bigger things, that are more important, but it's this little thing that is always in the back of my mind.  Living on my own is great, don't get me wrong.  But there are days when living on your own just gets at you and you feel like you'll never be that special someone for someone else.  There will come the day when he will be standing in front of me and I will marry him, but until then I need to just wait and be patient a little longer.

Top 5 for the day:
1. Zumba and feeling a hard workout.
2. Wonderful collaboration with co-workers.
3. Having a pretty awesome mentor :)
4. Spending time with the 2nd grade girls at recess.
5. Pretty decent "Glee" episode.

You are faithful God, forever

A rainy Monday with the end of the year exhaustion hitting me.  Nothing major happened, but a nice relaxing evening at home to hopefully get better.

Top 5 for the day:
1. Laughter from 1st graders about the movie "Peter and the Wolf".
2. Seeing the choir smiles about getting 1st place, rating of "Excellent", and a trophy for their hard work.
3. Awesome friends and co-workers.
4. The end of school is in sight.
5. Constantly praying for my missionary friends.

Heal my heart and make it clean, open up my eyes to the things unseen

Well today was the day I got to see my friends Tim and Rachel Meier from Paris.  I got a chance to spend some time with Tim and lead worship with him.  I also got a chance to spend some quality time with Rachel and the boys Jude and Blaine.  I can't believe how big Blaine has gotten and Jude is just a cute little munchkin.  This is not as busy of a week, but a very exciting weekend is ahead :)

Today's top 5:
1. No traffic coming home from the parents.
2. Leading worship with Tim and hearing him preach again.
3. Spending quality time with Rachel and seeing her boys play and getting a chance to hug them again :)
4. Seeing some old friends at church :)
5. Relaxing afternoon with the family.

Baby Jude all smiles before leaving NJ :)

Me and Rachel before she left :)

Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel like you're nothing, you are perfect to me

Last night I slept for about 12 hours.  That was the best sleep ever.  I got a chance to drive out to PA and visit with some friends for another friend's baby shower.  She looks great and I am so excited to meet Connor Liam!  Just a couple more months until he's here!

Top 5 for the day:
1. Home-cooked meal from mom.
2. Spending time talking with Beth, Molly, and Liz.
3. Seeing the "Mommy-to-be" glow with excitement as she opened gifts!
4. Relaxing time with the family.
5. Very little traffic today :-)

Yea Six Flags!

Finally home after a long, but fun day in the park.  The kids did so well and I am so proud of them.  The judges tapes aren't too bad.  It will be interesting to see how they score.  I should find out my scores tomorrow once the high school goes to Six Flags and picks them up.  I know that my students had a blast today and yes...I got sunburned.  I walked around with my lovely accompanist Josephine Lentini (the spanish teacher) and the 8th grade girls.  It was very interesting to say the least.  I got a chance to ride on "Batman" and see my girls' reactions when they got off.  This school really knows how to make me laugh all day.  I sat with the 6th and 7th grade boys on the way up which is always interesting.  I have more than enough pictures from just the bus alone that the kids took.  I am looking forward to putting a slideshow together of the kids and their trip to 6 Flags for the concert and our music department breakfast.  It's days like this that I love being a teacher.

Top 5 from Friday:
1. Hike in the woods for youth group.
2. Talking to friends :)
3. Hanging out with some youth group kids.
4. Feeling confident for Six Flags.
5. Getting sub plans done early for Six Flags.

Top 5 from Today:
1. Wonderful performance by the students at the competition.
2. Spending time with my kids and seeing their excitement during "Kingda Ka"
3. Games and talking to more kids on the bus ride.
4. Having wonderful chaperones who are easy to work with :)
5. Having wonderful students who know the rules and have fun while keeping them :)

our awesome t-shirts

7th grade girls waiting to go on "Kingda Ka"

8th grade students and Miss Lentini waiting to go on "Kingda Ka"

7th grade girls ready to take off

fun photo!

Miss Lentini and I and our superhero boyfriends :)

some of the wonderful 8th grade boys!

I believe through any trial there is always a way

Two days....well more like one day and then 4:45 AM wake up call.  Six Flags is so close I can feel it and so can the students.  Their excitement is helping me be more excited than nervous, but when I'm home looking at my music and making sure everything's going well...I get more nervous.  I know they kids will be amazing and do their best because they always do and really surprise themselves.  Well, it's off to do more Six Flags preparations and sub plans for Friday.

Top 5 for the day:
1. Funny student quotes ALL day (ex: me-"Take note of their mistakes!" (meaning just watch carefully and don't make the same mistake) student- "Miss Siegel do you want our notes? I wrote them down!"
2. Car ride with a great friend catching up a little bit on our lives.
3. Grocery shopping and having food in the house!
4. Gorgeous day for a speed walk workout :)
5. All t-shirts organized and READY FOR SIX FLAGS!

Remember how to put the light back in my eyes

"Jar of Hearts" by Christina Perry is stuck in my head.  "Glee" has done a wonderful version of it.  They also played "Friday" by Rebecca Black.  Needless to say I loved their version much better than hers.  It's been an overall decent day.  I can't be any more thankful for the girls in Zumba.  It's always a good time and it puts me into a zone that I escape for the world for an hour and just focus on myself.

Top 5 for the day:
1. Zumba with lovely ladies
2. Getting rubrics done from scratch!
3. Six Flags final preparations
4. Official and exciting news from my brother :-)
5.Warm weather :)

Then sings my soul my Savior God to Thee...How great Thou art!

My friend sent me an AWESOME version of "How Great Thou Art" and I love it!  If you want to watch it click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZOq4QksoME

Overall this was a really decent day.  The choir sounded pretty awesome today and Josephine added a lot with the piano.  The kids weren't terrible today and overall I was in a pretty decent mood!  Let's hope this warm weather stay through Friday :)

Top 5 for the day:
1. Getting Section Leader forms done and ready to go!
2. Successful choir rehearsal!
3. Skyping with a friend :)
4. Sleeping and relaxing with the windows open
5. Feeling a little less stressed about Six Flags :)

Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Day is such a wonderful day!  I loved spending today with my mom and seeing all the mothers at church :)  It was a gorgeous day and wonderful weather.  This is going to be a very crazy week, but looking forward to this weekend since Six Flags is Friday, Beth's Baby Shower is Saturday, and the wonderful Meier family is here to visit on Sunday :-)

Top 5 for the day:
1. Mother's Day drive to church with my wonderful mother
2. Seeing old friends at church
3. Skyping with Mark on the iPad
4. Feeling somewhat alright about Six Flags on Friday
5. Gorgeous weather

Take me to the water, take me to the sea, take me to the river so that my spirit can be free.

Today was the big Junior High Honor Choir concert.  I got a chance to spend some time with a former music teacher of mine, see my students shine in the concert, catch up with other music teachers I never get a chance to see, and get excited for the next two concert weeks for me!  I am so proud of my kids and all the hard work they put into learning the music.  This is why I love being a teacher and need to remember this when I have a hard day :)

Top 5 for the day:
1. Hearing the excitement of students who are about to perform.
2. A lot of "Thank you" compliments from my parents :)
3. Lunch with some pretty awesome colleagues at Chili's :)
4. Seeing my students perform in a choir twice the size of our normal choir :)
5. Driving with the top down in a convertible :)

My two choir students :)

The Jr. High Honor Choir

There's so much time, to think about the rest of life...

"Two is Better Than One" is stuck in my head and has been for a few hours.  It was on in the car when I was on my way home.  Today was a very productive day.  School wasn't too bad, got almost all of the 6 Flags things done a week ahead of time, and I got a chance to hang out at the mall with a new friend.  Nothing can beat that :)  Tomorrow is going to be an early day and a long day due to Jr. High Honor Choir in Flemington all day.  Looking forward to coming home and relaxing tomorrow :)

Top 5 for the day:
1. Surprise plants on my desk from students for Teacher Appreciation Week!
2. Mall and dinner with a friend :)
3. Warm weather to travel in :)
4. Coming home to a puppy very happy to see me :)
5. Six Flags organizing done!

And you can tell everybody...that this is your song...

Congratulations to a student from youth group for getting a "Moulin Rouge" song stuck in my head all night hah.  Today was a pretty fun going day.  The kids were full of energy and so was I.  Youth group was awesome where all the senior high girls got together and made cookies and Rice Krispy Treats for the homeless.  Well, tomorrow is an eventful day with school and hanging out with a friend...I love being able to just relax on the weekends :)

Top 5 for the day:
1. Finding an accompanist at last minute :)
2. Dinner with mom :)
3. Lunch catered by the Board at the elementary school
4. Surprise visit by a former teacher :)
5. Spending time with the youth group girls :)

Just dance..

Yes...I played "Just Dance" for my workout tonight.  It was great and a lot of fun...it'd be much more fun with more people though.  Today was overall a decent day.  We had lunch catered by the Board and I didn't have to teach the elementary school because we had our special PBL presentation and field day.  Seeing all the student smiles today really made me laugh.  Hearing their cheering for the specials teachers with the hard work we did...definitely highlighted my day.

Top 5 for the day:
1. Playing "Just Dance" and getting a good workout in :)
2. Seeing the students excitement about field day.
3. Continuing getting "Thank You" notes for being a teacher :)
4. Getting a message about how I'm the reason a student likes music :)
5. Having a somewhat positive choir rehearsal and getting the t-shirts in for Six Flags!

God let us be defined by You

While I'm sitting here watching the Fleetwood Mac Glee episode I can feel the burn from Zumba.  This has been a stressful few weeks and I have a few more stressful weeks ahead of me.  Zumba helps me take the stress and channel it to good use.  Today hasn't even been that bad of a day...yes the students were off the walls, but it's Teacher Appreciation Week and I have some pretty awesome parents, students, and PTO that are so supportive.

My top 5:
1. Finding out that I will have a SMARTboard for the elementary school next year :)
2. Zumba with friends :)
3. Relaxing night :)
4. Feeling appreciated by students and parents :)
5. Enjoying conversations at lunch :)

Let hope rise, and darkness tremble in Your holy light

Wow...so today marks the day my stress level goes up to exceed it's limit.  4 rehearsals left for Six Flags and two more weeks until the concert.  I know the students will do well, they always do, and they always manage to surprise me...but I can't help but have the dreams about the concert and Six Flags not going well.  Oh well...overall it wasn't too bad of a day once school was over :)

Top 5 for the day:
1. Talking with co-workers after school :)
2. Dinner, ice cream and a walk in a park :)
3. Getting most of my grading done :)
4. My daily letters :)
5. Having lots of plans for this week :)

Full well we know the debt we owe...to dear old LVC

You guessed it...it was a weekend of visiting old friends from Lebanon Valley.  Yesterday I drove 3 1/2 hours out to Park City Mall in Lancaster, PA to walk around with 4 friends I haven't seen in a long time.  Then I drove a half hour to Hershey to have dinner with my best from high school.  Then I drove a half hour to Lebanon, PA to stay the night at one of my bests from college and her husband's house.  Needless to say, yesterday was a lot of driving and visiting...well worth it.

Today I drove ten minutes into Annville, PA to go to LVC and meet up with some alumni from the Concert Choir for brunch and to sing in the Spring Concert today.  Then afterwards I got back in my car and drove the 3 1/2 hours back to good ol' Hawthorne.  And that is where I am at this point.  Back is sore, legs are stiff, neck is stiff, tired, but still so pumped about this past weekend.  It was a blast and am looking forward to this upcoming week!

Top for the two days:
1. Walking around having a good laugh with friends at the mall :)
2. Spending some quality time talking with my best from high school at dinner :)
3. Relaxing and catching up with my best from college :)
4. Singing and practicing sight reading (because we all know I had no time to look at the music haha) for the Spring Concert with friends :)
5. Spending time catching up with old friends while reminiscing about being in college :)