New blog

I shall blog again...

I start most blogs with "well" SOoooooooooo...

Well, it's been a long time and many things have happened since I last updated. I will update in this order: school/work, Josh, wedding, plans for next year, being an aunt, Gustav, and Biggest Loser.

School/work: my job=worth all the hard work and awesome. I have had a great first year teaching. I honestly don't think I would have wanted it any different or in any different place. I love Owatonna's schools and music program. We are awesome. I love my co-workers, they are all so talented and work so hard. The kids are great and I love them. They sing so sweetly, it makes me want to cry. If you want to see/hear a good elementary music program, come to Owatonna. I had two concerts last week with two schools and I have one more this week. The two last week went well and the kids did great. I know not everyone understands or appreciates the kids singing and performing like I do, but I teared up many times this week feeling so fortunate to experience this. I think what is so amazing to me is that these kids are just enjoying singing and playing music games and don't even realize what good young musicians they are. They aren't limited by self-esteem issues or thinking that they aren't good enough. They just sing and are happy doing it. They have been trained from the start that it is just fun and when they do their best it is even more fun! I think that has to be why I love this music program, kids are just free to be kids, and free to explore music and learn tons while doing it. I have learned so much and plan to continue to learn and use what I've got from this experience. I know for a fact that everywhere I go, things will not be this good to me, but I have this to look forward to again someday when I can build a program. I am emotional right now, sorry.

Josh: Still love the guy :) As he put it the other day, "Can you believe we hang out so much?" Ha, yes dearest I can. I think what he means is that we have come so accustom to seeing each other every day and spend so much time together we don't even remember what it was ever like before. I am glad Josh and I lived together this year and we've grown stronger because of it. In the future we will just continue to get closer yet. AND, since I haven't blogged in many months I should mention that I am SOOOO proud of Josh for being the new tubist with the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, FL. We are setting up to move there sometime in August. It will be an interesting journey, but as long as we can both do it together we know we will make it. And I am a little late, but for the sake of the xanga, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSH I LOVE YOU!"

Wedding: What wedding? Oh yeah, I am supposed to be planning one right? Because of work and all going on with me and Josh we have really been slacking with putting this together. We have made up a tentative guest list, and are going with purples/silver for colors. I have set up a website through theknot.com but of course have done nothing with it in the last few months. Whoops. We also decided to have our wedding in Ladysmith to save some major cash(and I mean MAJOR) We are going with the Tee-Away, which is a cute little golf supper club thing. Mom and Erin already put together some flower "kissing balls" and bought sheppards hooks to put up and down the aisle next to the rows of chairs. At least someone is making progress, right? Most of the decisions will be hopefully made this summer when we have the time/hopefully money to do so. My sisters are my bridesmaids and flower girl so we should have fun shopping for dresses together. That is the major thing that needs to get settled before we leave I think. Dresses and shoes? Either way, the date is going to be June 12th, 2010 so mark your calendars!

Future plans: With the move to Miami Beach, I am pretty, how should I put it....not optimistic...about finding a good job for the next year. I am going to apply for everything within a reasonable distance and hopefully I get something. If not, I will sub like crazy and hopefully teach some band lessons or perhaps marching band. Either way, getting tan is a priority as well. No, seriously pray for me to get a job please. I am desperate.

Being an Aunt: I can't believe in about 5 weeks-ish I am going to be an aunt. Dan and Christa will be great parents. I know they are having a baby girl and I can't wait to see her. I have to say since I don't see them often, I forget that this is actually happening. It's so cool. It's all the beginning of little Soules kiddies again!

Gustav: What will happen to him next year? Gustav has moved on to bigger and better things, Josh's parents and their pets. I bet he is a happy little camper up in Ladysmith. We know he has already snuck out by jumping out the window and climbed up a tree. We also know he must be calmer because he slept in bed with Pam. We're almost rid of the cat hair around here. We had to get him out a little early to de-cat our apartment, we weren't supposed to have him here. We fixed up the trim that he shredded with some sandpaper and a stain stick. It was awesome and we vacuumed up all the cat hair and litter. You would never know. I kind of miss him, I don't hear his bell when I get home to open the door and I don't have to kick him out of the way to get into the apartment.

Last but NOT LEAST Biggest Loser: I love this show. I wish I could go on it. I had to miss last week for a concert and the next two for concerts(yes, I realize that's the finale SOB) It is just fun to watch the people on the show lose weight and look and feel better. They completely change, and that is the change that I have been trying to make(much slower than on television however). I have lost 16-17lbs in the last 4 months. It seems like it should be much more, but then I remember trips to Eau Claire and poor decision after poor decision being made there. At least I am going in the right direction and I feel better. I need to get skinny to fit in in Florida :) AND to look good at my wedding too. Lately I feel like I haven't been able to really push myself since I have been so busy with concerts and stuff, but hopefully with things getting less busy and the weather getting nicer things will get better again.

I hope this blog update is sufficient enough. Before I go to bed I need to vent about another thing... How come on facebook I can't just friggin read people's statuses anymore??! I don't want to see the dang quizzes, I want to see the witty little status updates, cmon facebook! Are you trying to get me to join twitter? And another thing, swine flu is stupid. We will make it, we don't need forty emails a day on what could happen and to remind us to cover our cough and wash our hands like crazy. Duh...Otherwise, life is good. Becky is doing a speech on Hmong birth, you should ask her about it. Theresa is hanging in there subbing, working at Dollar Tree and applying for jobs. Somedays I think it would be fun to work at DT, but then I think of how I would waste so much money on little things I thought were neat. Still have yet to use the GIANT fly swatter, Tsa. :) Going to though.

Alright, I am going to try to update this more frequently, even if it just serves me as a journal to unwind and no one reads it or finds it interesting.

a blog before bed...

I am horrible when it comes to keeping this updated, but everyone else is too so I guess that's okay.

I love teaching in Owatonna for many reasons. I love the kids I teach. They make me laugh everyday. I can't count the cute one-liners or questions they have everyday that remind you how innocent children can be. Of course, there are some kids that test my patience, but I am learning how to work with them too. I have learned SO MUCH as far as teaching procedures, lesson planning, classroom management, assessment, and all sorts of tricks. I have already probably more than tripled the amount of songs that I can teach, didn't know there were so many folksongs out there! I am really excited lately because I got a bunch of books/resources that I order with my (small) budget and have been getting more and more ideas. It really pumps me up. Plus, it's October, meaning Halloween, meaning a whole lot of fun music games. I know that some of my students don't celebrate Halloween and I have to be careful, but I mean cmon some of them are so cute and fun. Huge geek, I know.

I am meeting a few new people, teachers and such. It's been quite an adjustment for me. I find it's very hard to connect and make friends with the staff when you are at three different schools. At Wilson, I literally walk in right before I teach, teach two classes, and then leave. And that's only three times a week. The people that I have gotten to know are really nice and I hope we can hang out more. I have yet to meet any teacher or staff I didn't like and I really respect everyone here because, unlike some school districts, everyone here seems like they are eager to become better teachers or help kids out in anyway they can. Staff meetings are mostly productive and people don't complain around here. It's a nice environment to be in, and for a first year teacher I think it really helps my stress level down and I know that people will help me out if I need it. The music teachers here have given me so much already. I'm talking huge folksong lists or concept charts and all kinds of teaching games/activities that they have spent their whole career developing and putting on paper. I walk in and they just gave it all to me. It's not like handing me finished lesson plans that will always work, but it gives me the guidance that I need in this first year. I'll shut up about my job now.

I really miss my family, especially Becky and Theresa. I didn't think it would be this noticable to me. I think I just wish we were near each other to just vent and shoot the shit a little at night.I know we can talk on the phone, but it's just not the same. We are all getting busier too. I get to see them more often than many people see their families or siblings, but I am talking major triplet bonds here and I am a sensitive sap. When you combine the fact that it's hard for me to meet new people and make friends with the fact that my two best friends from the womb are 2hrs distance it just makes life a little empty at times. I can't really explain it.

BUT thank God for Josh. I am so happy to be living with him. We have really enjoyed being together and it's really comfortable living together. Sometimes even though we live together, it still can seem like I haven't seen or spent quality time with Josh in a while. We are trying to make time for just us at night and are thinking of starting a date night. Wednesday nights are BINGO night at the bar/grill down the street and we think it would be fun. I would just be disappointed if it wasn't like when CS ran BINGO in Madison. I loved that.

Last weekend was homecoming. All I am going to say is, that is not what I had planned or expected. Whoops.

This week is a short week for me because of the Minnesota teacher convention and apparently the music teachers don't have to go so I get Thursday and Friday off of school. I really want to take advantage of that time and get caught up, but also spend some time with my family. I am going home Wednesday night after a meeting and staying there until Friday. I am going to go to Pedersen and visit all of my "friends" from student teaching. I cannot wait to chat with some of the teachers and see some of the kids! I am also going to stop by Hand in Hand, although I hear things are kind of sketch down there and everyone is all switched around. I don't care. I want to see some of those kids, and hopefully some parents. :)

Since I haven't updated since Josh and I moved in together, I should also mention we have a cat, named Gustav Mahler. He is crazy. He sleeps all day and goes psycho at night. We scratches everything and has been trying to get the bugs outside of the window lately. He tips a lot of glasses of water over, which sucks, and he tries to drink out of them too. He does really well with his litter box though, and that's great. We haven't had a problem yet and we've also been taking everywhere with us(EC and Menomonie) and he's had no "accidents" there either. Laura loves him. She wrote me a letter in the mail that said, "I love you. I miss you and your cat. When are you and your cat coming to visit? Laura" So cute. I had sent her a letter first with my school pictures, seriously what else was I going to do with Lifetouch school portraits of me. haha.

I have been going to the library here too and they have a pretty good sized collection of DVD and tapes of decent movies. We don't have cable so it's nice to have something on our tv, even if it's just background noise. When we go workout, that's also our TV time because they have tvs on all of the elipticals and we just pop our headphones in. It's so nice. I could stay for hours and exercise. Let's hope I do. I want to get healthy, I let myself go a little this summer with all of the stress of job hunting and new places new things.

I think I will start updating more with funny things kids say in my music class. I'll leave you with a few of my favorites...

"Miss Soules, I have an imaginary bird, and he sits on my shoulder." and the same kid said "Miss Soules, last night when I was having bonding time with my dad, I told him about music class. I taught him Queen Queen Caroline" haha

On the 2nd day of school a class was coming in for their 2nd music class and this little girl looked up at me and said, "Oh...you again"

Oh I can't even think of any anymore because there are too many. See, I need to write these down. Too funny.

Well, goodnight. My message to everyone is, please please write more. OBAMA

Love you.Liz  

Can't wait to have my own apartment again...well, with Josh.

I am sitting at Becky and Theresa's in EC. It's good to be back here, although I feel a little fidgety just hanging out here and doing pretty much nothing all day. When Becky and Theresa get home today we are going to go tubing which should be a lot of fun. I need to not eat like crap here, it's like I view it as a vacation or holiday. Today is the day I get back on track. We had Yakob over last night which was fun as always. I have slept in way too late the past two days, but in my defense I haven't slept that well with Becky and her either incredibly skinny, tiny pillow or gigantic pillow that will kink my neck so bad. I hope it Thunderstorms again here soon though because the one the other night was fun to watch.

Last weekend was the Capital Sound reunion, if you can call it that. I had a really good time hanging out with our little group of people again, maybe a little too much to drink, but it was tons of fun. I managed to not spend much money either. It's sad because this summer I got to see some people I haven't seen in months or years and now that the school year is about to start again, it will be a really long time before I see them again. We have already made plans to meet up in Madison again this coming Halloween and I know that will be a blast. We were thinking of being the three little kittens who lost their mittens. It would be funny to walk around being like, "seriously, have you seen my mittens?" to the drunks on State St. I'm sure we'll all think of good costumes by then. I've never been to State St for Halloween so I think it will be interesting. AND I know that Josh can come this time and meet all of these strangers. Yah!

I have been getting antsy to get more info from Owatonna. I know that I have new teacher training the week of Aug. 18th, which is the day Josh gets back. I want to know the other music teachers and get copies of their curriculums, etc. so I can start planning. It is nice though that I only have to really plan for 3 groups each week since I only teach grades 1-3, my favorite little kiddies. I am assuming planning for the few 5th grade band lessons I'll have will not take up too much of my time. I already know that I want to start the year off with lessons that will establish the expectations in my classroom of respect and responsibility, etc. I don't want to only do that though, I want to make it really fun at least. I really hope I'll get off to a solid start. Hopefully someone will call me soon with some details, like when I'll sign all of my paperwork and things like that too.

This summer went by pretty fast, like they always do. I knew that I would really miss Josh, and I did/do, but I also new that before I knew it it would be all over and we could see each other again. Only 13 days from today, but whos counting?? I am really excited to move into our apartment and start getting life situated. We are short some furniture and I don't know when we'll be able to afford some things like that. Hopefully, it won't be a big deal. My mom and dad are moving my stuff with me on August 16th and then going out to buy me a bed, which was my graduation present, and much needed! We still need dressers and a couch though. I'm thinking IKEA maybe.

I am also really excited to go home. I haven't seen or really talked to, my family, besides Becky and Theresa, in 2 1/2 weeks. It seems like much longer. I think I am just thinking about missing them because I know that after I go home in a few days it will be the last regular visit I get to have in a while. I mean, Josh and I plan on visiting our families and friends as often as we can, but I just know that things get busy and gas is expensive. I cannot believe that this month Laura is turning 5 years old and Christine is turning 17. I can't imagine Christine as 17 especially. Where have I been her whole life? It makes me want to cry that she's not really a "little girl" anymore and that in two years she'll be getting ready for college. She can go to prom this year and shit I mean I was dating Dennis when I was her age and that is just bizarre. And then, Shannon is going into high school. I just cannot friggin believe it. When we left home they were going into 4th and 6th grade, barely getting into puberty yet! And Scott had just finished kindergarten and now he's a middle schooler. Ahhhh, sad, but true. I miss the old days, but it's cool to watch them grow into young adults too. It's weird that we remember them all being born and now they are so old. I'll stop now...

I want to ask again that everyone else please update their xanga/blog. I feel like a loner and I really want to know what is up with everyone these days, cmon. I'm gonna go sit some more and be bored. BYEBYE....

37 jobs applied for, 3 schools to interview, and 2 job offers later I've decided...

Alright, I know you're all just dying to know. I did get an offer for the Owatonna job and am really happy. The pay sucks, $24,000ISH, I mean I was so flustered I didn't catch the rest after 24. The thing is this. Owatonna has a great music program, Doc Young even thinks better than EC, so I consider myself lucky to have my first job in such a district, especially when it's really hard for a first year teacher to get a job, part time or not, in this part of the state. Because of the price of gas and all of the driving I'd be doing even if Josh and I live in the middle between Owatonna and Minneapolis I am going to have to find another source of income. Luckily, since this district is very active in music, it seems I'll have numerous opportunities to teach private lessons, or perhaps help the marching band, or maybe even play some gigs? I know that laugh part is laugh-able, but I mean I could play a crappy trombone in some pit maybe? Who knows, I am going to make it work. To have this be my first experience teaching, with great music educators, and all of that, I am happy and grateful. Of course, I wish it was full-time and that it paid almost twice as much(yeah right), but it's going to be a great start. Thank you to everyone that was comforting, helpful, supportive, etc. throughout, especially JOSH and MOM and also Becky, Theresa, and Jess(the one who listened to me complain while I filled more and more out and answered my questions).

Next year, we'll see where life takes me, but I hope if I am doing this job hunt again soon, it better be easier. P.S. Was on my way home from Owatonna this morning and got a call from GWF (Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop) district which is 1hr 40min from Minneapolis to set up an interview 7/28 but I declined because that would be way too far out and I applied when I felt hopeless one day. I am so happy Josh and I can work things out and still live together. We got to a point where we didn't know if it would still happen or not. I love him. :)

Gotta go watch So You Think You Can Dance Now! Thanks everyone who reads this...