I'm a Runner!

This fall I was asked to be a coach for Girls on the Run at my school. I immediately asked, "Do I need to be a runner? Because I'm not." I tried to run one summer I was home from college, but I didn't really know what I was doing, so it didn't work.

My friends assured me that I did not need to be a runner, so I agreed.

If you haven't heard of Girls on the Run, it is an awesome program for 3rd-5th grade girls. It is at it's heart a self-esteem building, empowering program which uses running as motivator and a confidence builder. GOTR was started by Molly Barker and ends with everyone running a 5K. It is a truly wonderful program and I love helping with it. We teach lessons through games and activities about gossip, inner beauty, positive self talk, standing up to peer pressure, bullying and so much more. We are building strong, confident girls who know they're beautiful inside and out! Girls on the Run is so much fun!

There is also the running. After every lesson we do a workout, which involves running, but usually with a fun twist. One day we had a scavenger hunt. Sometimes they have silly things to do after each lap. One lesson is like a big game of tag. So we're running, but we're having fun!

After a few weeks, I wasn't running much due to supervising girls, handing out their activities, etc. and decided I'd better get serious about this running thing, because I have never run a 5K before in my life and I don't want to be the last one to finish! So I started running more during practice and it was fun to see my number of laps completed and the amount I could run before needing a walking break increase.

This week we have our practice 5K, so I decided that I needed to do my own practice ahead of time, to see if I could even complete the thing! So this morning, I set an alarm and headed over to our school track bright and early. On our track 5 laps = a mile, so I needed to do 16 laps to approximate a 5K (at least that's the math I did, if I'm wrong, don't tell me).

I texted my mom to let her know I was starting and that I had no idea how long it would take me. I decided to push myself to run three laps and then fast walk one and so on. The first couple of sets were pretty easy and then it started getting warmer and other people showed up, but I kept going! When I was on my last set of run three, walk one, I decided to do the walking lap after only two running, so that I could run the final lap.

I crossed the "finish line" (when luckily everyone had left) with my arms in the air! I was so proud of myself. If you had told me three months ago that I would have run a 5K in about 45 minutes, while actually running 3/4 of it, I would have thought you were crazy. I haven't run since freshman year of high school when I had to run the mile for PE. It's so crazy, but really exciting! And now I know that I will not have to be embarrassed when we run our 5K in a few weeks ;)

It's cool that not only have we been helping our girls become more confident as runners and human beings, but I've been able to become a confident runner, too! Hopefully I will keep it up once our season is over!

P.S. Here I am after finishing my run :)

I'm Grateful For... My Fabulous CTs

I am so thankful that I have been blessed with two amazing mentors as my co-operating teachers. For my teacher assisting I worked with a wonderful teacher on the verge of retirement. For my student teaching I am working in the classroom of a seven-year teacher with a beautiful new baby boy. They are both fabulous, wonderful, amazing teachers and someday I hope to be half of the teachers that they are!

Mrs. D was my CT for teacher assisting. This week she sent me a very sweet e-mail wishing me luck as I started my student teaching. It was kind of her to think of me :) I loved working with her. Even though there was a large age gap between us, we got along so well. She was so enthusiastic and energetic about teaching even though she was getting on in years. We hear a lot about how we have to get rid of older teachers, who are stuck in their ways and ineffective and boring. However, Mrs. D was nothing like this. Our students loved her and loved her lessons. She made learning fun and exciting and used technology a lot! She was always flexible and willing to try new things. Plus she was such a sweetheart. My first day, when I was super nervous, she welcomed me with a big hug and a smile, I'll never forget that. And I learned so much, just by watching her, by listening to her wisdom and advice and by teaching our amazing students. I loved every minute of my teacher assisting experience, thanks to Mrs. D!!!

Now I am student teaching with the lovely and talented Ms. M. She has been teaching for seven years and just had an adorable lil guy this summer. She has been so welcoming toward me. The first day we met up to set up the classroom, she took me out to lunch first. She said that we couldn't work together until we got to know each other. We had a great time! She's such a sweetie and I can tell she's a great teacher even though school hasn't started yet. She's always encouraging me to ask questions and get involved. I know that her main concern is the students and helping them to grow and shine. Yesterday we got to meet some of our students and she truly interested in their lives and what they had done this summer. She has a heart for teaching and is very devoted. I can't wait to spend a semester learning from her!!!

God had truly, truly blessed me with two amazing women to guide me through my teaching experience!!! School starts Tuesday, prayers are appreciated :)

Eat Pray Love Yourself :)

I went to see Eat Pray Love with a super good friend of mine this evening. I loved the movie! It had romance, cute boys, beautiful scenery, humor, a happy ending and some girl power.

One of my favorite parts was when Liz (Julia Roberts' character) was in Italy eating pizza at a restaurant with a friend. Her friend stopped eating after one piece because she was getting a muffin top. Liz told her to enjoy the rest of the pizza because it didn't matter if she gained a few pounds, they would just buy bigger jeans.

Liz gains weight in Italy, but she still looks beautiful and *spoiler* ends up with a gorgeous guy, who loves her for who she is. He tells her that from far away she looks slender and elegant, but up close she's rounder and fleshier, but he still thinks she's beautiful.

It just reminds me that the 5-10 pounds I've gained since going to college isn't a big deal. Is it going to stop the right guy from being with me? No. Is it going to make me dramatically healthier? No. Is it going to make me a better person? No. Will it make me happier? Maybe. But so does eating chocolate...

So I'm not going to be ashamed or feel guilty that I ate popcorn for dinner tonight, or that I'm going to have pizza for lunch tomorrow, or that last Friday I ate two cupcakes.

But I'm also going to enjoy a whole wheat waffle for breakfast tomorrow, enjoy a whole wheat bun on my grilled chicken sandwich at McDonald's much better than a stick-in-your-teeth white bun I'd get at Wendy's and a delightful wheat wrap stuffed with chicken, cheese, lettuce and cucumbers, I'll eat strawberries and bananas, corn and peas because they taste good and they're good for me.

I'll take walks in the evening, and play tag at work, and Dance with the Stars because it's fun and good for me, but I won't feel bad that I don't wake up 1 1/2 early before I got to school/work which is 45 minutes away this fall, because sleep is more important.

And maybe my pants size will stay a little higher than I'd like and I'll be bothered by the way my thighs look in a bathing suit, but I'll dress in clothes that make me feel cute and sophisticated, I'll look in the mirror and see the beauty, not just the flaws and (as Lil Sis used to say) I'll have fat, but I'll be happy. :)

Feminism 102

Check out Kate's feminism post here, she says it much better than I could! http://kismetkate88.blogspot.com/2010/07/f-word.html

Feminism 101

The lovely and thoughtful Busy Bee Lauren wrote an interesting blog recently about being what she called old-fashioned and wanting to take care of her husband and make him dinner, etc. Here's a link to the post. I thought that her post was written very intelligently and thoughtfully. She says that she chooses to cook her husband dinner and it isn't expected of her, it's what she wants to do.

However several people in the comments said that they agreed with her and they certainly weren't feminists, they liked to care for their husbands/family. That's the problem I had. Just because someone is a feminist doesn't mean they can't choose (or don't want to choose) to cook dinner every night.

A feminist is someone who supports equal rights and opportunities for men and women. Just because someone is a feminist does not mean they are a lesbian. Being a feminist doesn't mean that you burn bras and don't shave. Being a feminist doesn't mean you support abortions (I consider myself a feminist and a pro-lifer) Being a feminist doesn't mean you can't cook dinner, clean your house, stay at home and enjoy doing all of these things. It means that you believe that a woman (just like a man) should have choices as to how she lives her life (and I'm not talking being pro-choice here...) that a man has and should have equal rights (pay, voting, property ownership, etc.) and that men and women should be treated equally/fairly. This doesn't mean that they have to be treated exactly the same, just that they have the same chanced and opportunities.

One poster said that the feminist movement has made women believe they don't need men, as if that's a bad thing. She continued to say that she'd never felt happier and more secure than when she was with her husband. That's great for her and I'm glad that she has found happiness. But the feminist movement has given women the rights they deserve and need to NEED a man for financial and social reasons.

I don't think that I need a man in my life right now, I am happy being single. Would I love to have a boyfriend/husband? Sure, but I know that I am not less of a person or a woman if I don't have a husband. I can feel fulfilled through my work, my family, my friends, my faith, without being in a relationship. While some people may not feel satisfied until they are in a relationship (which is totally fine for them), being with a man is no longer a legitimate necessity as it was in the past when women didn't work, go to college, couldn't own land, etc.

I love that Lauren says she chooses to care for her husband and make him dinner every night. She wrote that it wasn't expected of her, she does it because she likes to take care for her husband. In return, he chooses to wash the dishes, fill her car with gas, etc because he wants to. I think that is wonderful! Because it is her choice. Lots of women still can't make that choice. It is expected that they will make dinner every night, clean the house, take care of the kids. I'm not saying it is bad if women do these things, just that husbands and society should't expect them to do these things.

Even though Momma hates it, she still cooks every night because if she didn't we wouldn't eat, would eat out, or would have hot dogs every night (because that's all my dad would cook). Momma's out of town for the week. Before she left she made us two nights worth of dinners and we ate out the other night. And I know Daddy loves and respects Momma, but the expectation is that she'll cook and clean every weekend. Momma doesn't do this because she chooses to take care of her husband, she does it because someone has to.

I definitely appreciate those who want to do these things and respect the choices that they've made, but they should be thankful and grateful that they had the choice and help make sure that everyone is able to make those choices.

Naked Pilates....uh what?

So a few weeks ago I get an e-mail from my small group leader, asking if people still want to do naked pilates the next week. I left early the night before, so I'm like what????? I love these girls, but exercising (sp?) together while naked does not sound like my cup of tea. I figured it didn't really mean naked, but that it was organic and natural like naked granola...

Some people e-mailed back asking how much it cost, etc. I finally e-mail back (to everyone in the group) saying, what's this naked pilates about?

I get an e-mail back from one of our leaders saying, "If by naked pilates, you mean painting pottery at a place called naked plates...."

*crickets* *Jillibean bursts out laughing* *Jillibean runs to tell her roommates about her apparent lack of reading abilities*

Yes, I misread naked plates as naked pilates a couple of times and then admitted this mistake to all the young women in my small group, and I felt awesome. But actually it was a fabulous story, which gets brought up quite often.

Anyway the actual painting of the pottery was quite fun. These girls are amazingly creative and we all ended up with beautiful mugs! We have yet to take a group pic with them, but here are some pics I took of my mug.






I love the girls in my small group. They are a riot and fabulous, fabulous women of God!!! I am so blessed to have them in my life. <3

Man, I Feel Like a Woman

Today I went to a Women's Expo with one of my besties. It was pretty fun and we got loads of free stuff. Plus we got massages and this hand treatment. Good times. Here's some of the awesomespice swag we scored...

Because you can always use more reusable shopping bags. Also I love "spoonculas!"


This guy did a spinal scan on my neck and I passed! And then received this fab DVD which I will be sure to watch everyday...


A small piece of Shammy, not to be confused with a shamwow. The live demo was pretty amazing, but we didn't shell out two payments of $9.99 for four shams, but if you call within the next ten minutes we'll double the order!


Chocolate!! We also got lots of free samples of energy drinks, veggie chips, bread, etc. Yum!


Free stuff from Meijer- because you can't leave a Women's Expo without some feminine hygiene products.


Nail files!


A random assortment of keychains, flower seeds, coupons and pens.


My second favorite thing I got- chapstick with a bank ad on it! A girl can never have too much chapstick. (p.s. just tried the chapstick- it sucks, all oily and smells kind of funky...)

Now the lead in to my favorite find...

This is the look on my face when I spun a Wheel of Fortune at a tanning booth and won a free t-shirt :)


Me upon seeing said t-shirt...


Yup, there it is, in all it's glory, there are really no other words.


A close-up in case you couldn't tell it is a man's bare chest with a gauge reading Vitamin D Levels... hot



Since I obvi can't get enough of this shirt.

Good times were had by all. Then we went and saw Percy Jackson...