Another Semester Over

I can't believe that I am two finals away from being done with another semester of college. I feel like it was only yesterday that my parents were moving me into the 8th floor with limited elevator use in Eau Claire. I have loved my college experience so far but sometimes I feel like I didn't live the "normal" college life. I spend my freshman year in Eau Claire, sophomore in Rhode Island, and then split my junior year between Eau Claire and Rhode Island! I am happy to say I will be spending my last two college years here in Rhode Island and be receiving my diploma from Rhode Island College. Having spend so much time at two different schools I always ponder if I made the best career move by attending RIC. I know there were definately other factors that pushed me to make the move but all in all I know I belong here.

I know, I know...many of you are thinking that I haven't written in a while. I am going to try this blog again! Hopefully I will stay motivated to keep writing to you:)

Any advice?

So in life, everyone is always giving each other advice. Whether we ask for it or not... In my own life I have been given a lot of advice. Some I wished I had listened to. I have listened to some pieces of advice though, and I am sure thankful I did.

One of the best pieces of advices I was given was from my high school choir director. Although he gave me a lot of words of wisdom throughout high school and even once in a while now, I am thankful for his advice to keep a journal while I was in Rhode Island on exchange. At first I didn't really find the importance of the journal. I knew it would be a fun thing to go back and read later in life and remember the fun times I had, but the journal has done a lot more for me than I originally thought.

After my first semester on exchange I boarded a plane back to Wisconsin to spend a month with family and friends. As I sat on the plane, I took out my journal and began reading and reflecting on my first semester. I found myself laughing out loud and reminiscing about things that had happened only in the past few months. Now I have a journal with a thousand and one memories of that year and every once in a while I pull it out and read through it again.

My other favorite piece of advice actually comes from Jewel's song Hands. A line in the song is "in the end only kindness matters", and I really try to live by this. I know this world is filled with war, hatred, murders but I strive to be a compassionate person and just help out. If I can make someones life a little easier, even if only for a moment, I will do my best.

I'm not looking for any advice at the moment, but if you have some--feel free to share.

My family

As my brother and his wife begin their journey with their newborn son, Finley, I will take a few minutes to reflect on my own family. I am so thankful for the family I have. They all have their specials quirks and moments, but I am a happier, stronger and more confidant person because of each and everyone of them. Going in no particular order I am going to thank each of you for being so inspiring to me.First off my dad! He is definitely one of my best friends. Ever since I was little I have always been the biggest Daddy's Girl. I remember getting joy out of riding with you to the recycling center on Saturday mornings. I always had to be with you; no matter what we were doing. One of my favorite memories I have with you is when we went to Sheyboygan see Katie and Mark. We had such a great weekend around the town and on the boardwalk. I love you Dad!
My mom has always been there for me. She spent countless hours volunteering and supporting me in all of organizations throughout high school. I remember calling my mom and asking her last minute to help me find an outfit for the school musical. I don't know how but she pulled through finding me the perfect outfit. Even in college, when I get sick my mom is the first person I want to call and ask what to do. I remember being young, but yet old enough to not sit on my mom's lap anymore, and getting sick. I would hardly fit on my mom's lap but I would still grab my baby blanket and ask her to rock me in the rocking chair. It was always so comforting. I love you Mom!
My brother Ryan is the hardest working person I know. Although, sometimes I think he works to hard! When I was in the third grade my brother was a senior in high school. I really looked up to my big brother. He came to my elementary classroom one afternoon and helped with a program. I got to introduce him to my classmates and then he continued to make everyone laugh. I was so proud in that moment to have him as my brother. I remember that fall Ryan was leaving to go to college. As he drove out of the driveway with my dad I remember feeling scared. I didn't know what this was going to mean with him living away from home. I started crying and really didn't want him to leave. Though their were times when Ryan was a typical mean big brother, I am so happy to have him as my brother and I know he will make a wonderful father. I love you Ryan.
My biggest sister Katie also inspires me, but in her own unique way. Out of all my siblings I would say I am most like Katie, but yet Kate and I are completely different. She likes the warm weather of Arizona and I am proud to live in the cold and rainy state of Rhode Island(okay, that's not true, but I do love lil' Rhodie). Katie and I share the same passion of working with kids. I hear stories from her all the time of things that happened in her classroom and how she addressed them. I have taken teaching ideas from her all the time and I love knowing I have her to go to when I need some advice. One of my favorite memories with Katie is our trip to the Grand Canyon and our road trip to Wisconsin. If you want the details scroll down in an earlier post and you will find them. I love you Katie.


Last but not least, is Renee. Being the closest in age with Renee, I spent the most time with her growing up. We "shared" everything. A bedroom, clothes, make-up, a car, friends... everything. Not that we liked sharing everything but we did! A favorite memory I have with my sister Renee is when I would go visit her at UWSP! We would have a lot of fun partying together. Dancing, enjoying our drinks and somehow laughing at things no one understood except us. I also loved the parties we threw when mom and dad weren't home. Usually it was all of your friends but I still had a blast! I love you Renee.

I love all of you so so much! Thanks for being the wonderful family you are! You all mean the world to me. I love seeing all of you happy and healthy. I love you :)

My Breath of Fresh Air

The last few weeks have been busy with finishing school work and final exams. I turned in a huge teaching portfolio for two of my classes, that took a lot of my time. I have also officially started working at my other job. Last week I met with my client. He is absolutely the cutest kid I have ever seen, and I am fortunate enough to get to work with him. My first day by myself with him is next week Thursday!

Since school has been out a few days, I have given my chance to have a little breath of fresh air and relax. Friday I went to the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and the animals were very active. I got to see an elephant stand on a ball and a black bear jump in and out of the water while playing with a ball, but my favorite part of the day was seeing the zebras! I have never seen a zebra before so that was very special for me!

I also bowled my highest game last night. I bowled a 128! :) It was very exciting for me too! Now that school is over and I have a handle on my new job I look forward to writing more blog entries, accomplishing things on my summer bucket-list, and being outside for many breathes of fresh air.

Summer 2011 Bucket List

1. Go to the beach...a lot
2. Go to Six Flags New England... a lot
3. Volunteer
4. Read what I want to read, not what is assigned
5. Go to New York City
6. Sit around a campfire with friends
7. Buy a cheap bike and go biking on the paths in RI
8. Take a lot of pictures, and learn how to be better at taking pictures
9. Tour a winery or brewery...or both
10. Go to a flea market

Maybe it's the end of the semester, or the beautiful 75 degree weather after a long winter, but my mind is thinking about summer. Even in class, no especially in class, all I do lately is think about how excited I am to spend the summer in Rhode Island. I think have a beach only a few minutes away explains it all. Two weeks from today and I will be officially on vacation for three and a half months. Well at least a vacation from school and homework.

Well class is concluding and I have accomplished a few things while sitting here. I wrote a bucket list for the summer and wrote my newest blog. Don't worry, I am a wonderful multi-tasker, so I was also able to participate in discussion and take notes. Summer 2011, I will see you soon!

P.S. If you have any other suggestions for this bucket list let me know!

My passion

So I came home from school today, sat down at my desk and began writing some essays for scholarships that my school offers for education students. The essays discussed things like my background and future plans for teaching as well as how I show dedication to teaching students who are underprivileged and have learning disabilities. So now I will continue this and tell all of you about why I chose teaching as my profession, my passion.

Throughout my educational career, since the day I stepped into my kindergarten classroom I have been influenced by both really good teachers and some not so good teachers. I have chosen education as my profession because I have a passion for learning and working with kids. I believe my personal qualities of being caring, patient and always willing to help, make me well suited to be an educator and work with young minds. Watching and facilitating in the personal and academic growth of the students is very rewarding in itself. My goals as a teacher are to help students find success, learn and grow academically and emotionally, as well as help students develop a level of confidence in which they believe they can reach any goal they set with hard work, determination and perseverance. I believe it is important to teach students about themselves and teach the child as a whole rather than focus on only the subject matter in which you are trained in. It is important to provide an environment where students feel safe and welcomed. I have put much thought into teaching at inner-city schools, where school may be one of the only places some students feel safe at. My education as well as the education of others is of deep importance to me and with this attitude I hope to reach out to as many students as I can throughout my lifetime and provide them with everything that I can to help them have the tools needed for success.

I hear stories from my sister Katie, and other friends of mine that are teachers and I get more and more excited each time. :) Only two more weeks left this semester and then only two years left of college and I will be applying to school districts(who knows where :) )

I See Stars Concert

So, last week Tuesday Chris called me at work so excited because one of his all time favorite bands, I See Stars, was coming to Boston. I also saw this band last year and really enjoyed them, so I knew I could finagle something with work the next day and change my hours around so we could go to the concert.

So on Wednesday Chris, our friend Max, and I road-tripped up to the Boston in the pouring rain. Once we arrived, found parking, and ran a couple of blocks, again in the pouring rain, we arrived at the show. There were a few bands that played before I See Stars and we stood in the back of the crowd for these. As we stood there Chris explained his game plan to me.He wanted us to make our way up to the front for his band. The plan was that when the mosh pit opened up we would walk quickly through it and just like that be in the front. So the drums and guitar start and Chris grabs my hand and pulls starts walking forward, when suddenly out of nowhere I get slammed into, lose Chris's hand and end up on the floor. So not only am I on the floor but people are jumping around and banging into each other. Now I tried to get up once, but got knocked into again. I tried to get up twice, but again got knocked into. So I gave up, assumed the fetal position, and started saying a few prayers. Well, until my favorite Nike shoe got torn off my foot. Then I was mad. Nobody, I mean nobody gets in the way of me and my shoes.
Well before I could get too mad about my shoe I feel Chris grab onto me and scream "I got you, Erin." After several attempts of Chris trying to help me up, because of everyone smashing him into me, I got up and got out of the pit. I was shaking and crying, and felt like puking. But I calmed down, and then pointed out to Chris that I lost my shoe. I began crying again, realizing my shoe was out there on the floor somewhere. Alone. Cold. Feeling unloved. I bet it was thinking I didn't love it anymore. Well, we enjoyed the rest of the concert and found my shoe about an hour later.

Although, I left the concert with ringing ear, a good story and a hour drive home in front of me with practicum in the morning the best part is below.

Here is my ticket signed by Devin Oliver, the lead singer for I See Stars.


And here I am with his arms around me. I think he wanted to ask me for my phone number but he didn't want the girls around me to get jealous and catty.

P.S. I bowled a 121 last week :)