About Me

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I am a twenty-something second year teacher living in the midwest. I am a Christian woman and proud of it! I am the middle child of three girls. I am the proud aunt of the very beautiful Lil E and Lil C!! I love TV, movies, reading, and baseball. I am in my second year of teaching , but my first year teaching kindergarten. It has been quite the journey!

31 December 2010

My Timeline

I was inspired by the my life timelines that Lauren and Kari have written.

1988- During one of the hottest summers on record, Jillibean is born! Momma was miserable until I was born and everyone (including me) was miserable whenever they had to hold me for the next two months. I basically lived in diapers for the first two months of my life...

1989-I turned one and discovered the deliciousness that is chocolate cake.

1990- Lil Sis is born. Jillibean is only 22 months old, so I had lots of fun poking my fingers into her eyes, nose, ears, etc.

1991- I started preschool at the Catholic school Momma taught at. I spent the rest of my time at our wonderful babysitter Jeanne's house. I met my first best friend, Renee.

1992- I attended four-year old preschool. Renee taught me how to buckle my shoes.

1993-I turned five. For my birthday party I went to see Snow White at the movies with a couple of friends.

1994-While Jeanne and Amy were late getting back from a preschool field trip, I waited after kindergarten with my friend Andy. As we were waiting our classroom chicks started hatching and we got to see it! We thought we were so awesome, because we were the only people in our class to see them hatch. This fall I started first grade at the public school near my house.

1995- When I turned seven I had my first sleepover with Renee. I started second grade and met my elementary school best friend, Ashley. When Ashley got to the classroom, the only open seat was next to me, so she sat down, and the rest is history. Momma started teaching at my school, but I was still super homesick for her. Most mornings I would cry as I walked down to my second grade classroom. Ashley would ask me every morning if I cried and usually I would say no, even though the answer was yes.

1996- I went on a plane for the first time, to get to my uncle's wedding in Texas. I had a pool party birthday party, except it was only like 50 degrees in July! Yikes, of course our eight year old selves jumped in.

1997-Started fourth grade, with one of my favorite teachers ever, Mrs. W. We started looking for a new house to move into. We celebrated our last Christmas at our house.

1998- The weekend of the Women's Figure Skating Finals at the Nagano Olympics we moved into a brand new house. Lil Sis and I got our own rooms. We all woke up super early to watch the skating finals live. I was sooooooooooooo excited when Tara Lipinski won, Big Sis was very sad that Michelle Kwan lost. In July, I turned double digits!!

1999-I graduated from fifth grade and started middle school. I was sooooo nervous about starting middle school, it seemed so scary. I started playing the clarinet.

2000- The world exploded... oh wait, Y2K turned out to be a bust. The family went on a trip to Disneyworld. Lil Sis was finally old enough to remember the trip, Momma and Daddy's requirement for us to go. So much fun!

2001-I went on my first band trip to Niagra Falls. The three-day trip was the longest I'd ever been away from home and I was super nervous before we left, but I had a blast with my band friends. I became a crazy teenager!!

2002-My second band trip to Mackinac Island. It was a super quick trip, only one day and it snowed... Started High School, also very scary. Went to band camp, of course I was homesick :) Our band did a Beatles show.

2003- Went on a High School Band trip to Chicago. We were supposed to go to Toronto, but it was full of SARS. I think this is the year we went to Hilton Head Island for vacation. Such a relaxing vacation, basically we laid on the beach and read all day for a week! Big Sis graduated from high school and started college. I started my Sophomore year of high school. Band camp rocked and we did this fabulous, show that no one's never heard of.

2004-I turned 16 and got my driver's license!!! My cousin Jared was adopted. Watched the Detroit Tigers play on Opening Day and got hooked. I started my junior year of high school. Our fabulously fantastic homecoming float featuring Venice came in a devastating last place. The float featured moving gondolas and a fountain of water... Was in a huge fight/deep freeze with one of my besties for half the year.

2005- I got voted the president of National Honor Society. I started visiting colleges and applying to schools. Went on a band trip to New York. Five great days with some wonderful friends! Went to Europe with my sisters. We traveled to Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Austria for ten days. So much fun! Started working at k-Mart My senior year of high school. Made up with said feuding friend :) Got accepted to all three schools I applied to.

2006- I graduated from high school as the Valedictorian. I got to give a speech at graduation. Spent a rockin' summer trying not to freak out about going to college. Went away to school. Met Laura H when she wandered into my door room asking if anyone wanted to go for a walk. Missed my family like crazy. Cheered like crazy when Magglio and his fabulous curly hair put the Tigers in the World Series and Pollie hopped like a fool around the bases. My cousin Rach was adopted. Rushed onto the field after our football team won the National Semi-Final game. Watched on TV as our team won the National Championship!!!

2007-Had an awesome weekend snowed in at school. Went to Tigers Spring Training in Florida with Big Sis. Came home for the summer, worked at K-Mart some more. Big Sis graduated from college and got a job out of state. We missed her like crazy. Went back for my sophomore year of college. Lived in an on-campus apartment. Got a job working at a church nursery.

2008- When I came home from school I got a job at the daycare I still work at. Fell in love with three fabulous 18 month olds. Lil Sis graduated from high school and went off to college. Went back to school for my junior year. Lived in the same on-campus apartment with two of the same girls. We adopted a large stuffed monkey, Cody.

2009- Went on a Spring Break mission trip to Knoxville, Tennesse with 15 amazing women of God. It was a blessing to work with the girls at the Florence Crittenton Agency. Big Sis got engaged!! Studied Abroad in the Netherlands for a month. Met some truly amazing people and got to visit England, Ireland, France and Belgium. Started my senior year of college after working at the day care again. Lived in a different off-campus apartment with one of the same girls. Big Sis and BIL got married and I was a bridesmaid. Rushed out on the field as our team won the national semi-finals again. At Christmas we found out that Big Sis was pregnant!!!

2010- Teacher Assisted in a fifth grade class. Went to Kansas City with Momma and Daddy for Tigers Opening Day. Moved home for the summer/for good. Worked at the daycare. Lil E was born! We spent a week getting to know her. Student taught in a third grade class. Graduated, got a long-term subbing job in a first grade classroom.

Highlights of 2010

The highlights of my wonderfully blessed year!

Teacher Assisting Winter Semester



Attending President's Ball 2010



Naked Pilates aka Naked Plates pottery painting with my fab small group girls




Opening Day Trip with Momma and Daddy to KC



Fab roomie nights with these lovely girls



Big Sis's Baby Shower



Lots of Tigers baseball, including my bf Porch



Rockin' BSB Concert with Lil Sis



Celebrated my 22nd b-day


Two of my college roomies got engaged (and one got married!!)



Lil E is born!!


Went back to my job at the daycare with some amazing kids!


Student teaching


Went on my first date :)


Momma finished my Belle Halloween costume



Met Lil R, my bff from elementary school's baby daughter.


Celebrated Thanksgiving with Momma's family and Lil E


Got a long term subbing job in first grade.



Graduated!!!!!!!!!!

27 December 2010

Jillibean's graduates!

Two weekends ago I graduated!!!!!! Yay! It feels so wonderful to have graduated! The whole Bean family traveled to the other side of the state for a Graduation weekend. Even Big Sis and Lil E joined in on the fun!

Friday night was my College of Education ceremony. I was chosen to give one of two student keynote speeches. I was honored but super nervous! My speech was based on this quote from Fredrick Douglass, "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." It went really well. It was fun because I got to sit on stage with the faculty for most of the ceremony.


Here I am getting my pin from my Intro to Ed professor.


The graduate with her proud parents!

Saturday was the big university ceremony. I got to process in next to my friend Jessie, which was nice. Plus it gave me someone to talk to during the ceremony :)

Here I am just I walked across the stage.

Afterwards we went out to eat with my Grandma, Grandpa, aunts and uncles. The place where we ate gives you a free cupcake with your meal :) Delish.

Here are some pics of me with the fam in my pretty graduation dress.

24 December 2010

Jillibean's Fav Ornaments

About a month ago I chronicled the decorating of our Christmas tree. I always meant to show off some of my favorite ornaments, but never got around to it. Until now...








23 December 2010

Little Women *sigh*

Lil Sis and I just finished watching Little Women. We love love love love love Little Women! Such a great movie!

I have such a major crush on Teddy Laurence aka Laurie.


If you want to know what type of man the Jillibean wants to marry, look up Laurie and there is your answer.

Umm hai, Jo is crazy not to marry him.


He's so cute and sweet (when he promises Amy he'll kiss her before she dies so that she doesn't die without being kissed :)and sensitive (when he almost cries after Jo turns him down, breaks my heart) and funny and just fabulous.

I love this exchange between him and Amy:
Amy: Have you heard from Jo? She has befriended a German professor.
Laurie: I envy her happiness. I envy his happiness. I envy John Brooke for marrying Meg. I hate Fred Vaughn. And if Beth had a lover I would despise him too. Just as you have always known that you would never marry a pauper, I have always known that I belong to the March family.
Amy: I will not be loved for my family...
Laurie: Just as Fred Vaughn would not wish to be loved for his forty thousand a year.



Pretty much, Laurie is the bombdotcom.


*sigh*

Project: Gingerbread House

I decided to take a break from the 30 day photo challenge until after the New Year because I have other posts that I want to post :)

A couple of days ago the Bean family constructed our annual Gingerbread House. In the past we've gotten very creative... Here's a past house complete with ice skating pond, ball pit, vegetable garden, wood pile and snowman.

One year we had a zen garden...

Here's this year's house.




A heart-shaped ice skating rink, a porch swing, stained glass windows, a wood pile, a Christmas tree, a mailbox, festive stepping stones- a Bean Family Masterpiece!

19 December 2010

Day 16

A picture of someone who inspires you



This is Mrs. M. my student teaching CT. She is a fabulous teacher and a wonderful person. She inspired me a to be a better teacher every day. Plus she's a great mommy to this adorable lil guy :) I miss seeing her every day, after we spent so much time together every day and now we don't. But she continues to inspire me when I work with my new students!