This week, I've been reading stories to my students about pumpkins. A LOT of pumpkins.
I have a feeling that they are not quite so enamored with pumpkins as I am, but they seem to be enjoying the stories themselves. Consequently, I get to read about pumpkins as much as I want. In my mind, the more pumpkins the better!
I mean, just think about it. No matter what you put them in, pumpkins are delicious: cookies, cakes, pies, muffins, breads, coffee, etc. I've even had a pumpkin pasta that's to die for! Not only are they delectable little vegetables, but they also have an aesthetic that I find incredibly appealing. Something about decorating with a bunch of round, orange bundles of joy in varying shades and sizes just screams autumn, which is quite obviously the best season there is.
Plus, we only get to binge on pumpkins once a year, so I say binge away! Treat yourself to that pumpkin spice latte or that chocolate chip pumpkin bread! There's also an amazing Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe on my favorite baking blog: Sally's Baking Addiction. These delicious little morsels are the perfect snack on any fall day and they taste amazing with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. YUM.
Enjoy your pumpkins, fellow introverts! Enjoy away!
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Thursday, September 28, 2017
Cold Remedies at Work
Well, it finally happened. I'm getting sick.
I knew it would happen eventually given that my job requires that I be in close proximity with children on a regular basis. Let's face it, no matter how hard we try, kids are always carrying around a plethora of germs and sometimes no amount of Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, or hand washing can keep them away. This is especially true if you haven't been working with kids for many years. If you have, you may have built up a highly resistant immune system by this point! Alas, this is only my first year working full time in an elementary school so my immune system isn't yet super immune.
I woke up this morning with a sore throat and a pervasive sense of exhaustion. Since I don't have any other symptoms yet (like a nasty cough), I figured I could still make it through the school day. However, I know that I'm going to need to find ways to combat this cold all day long or I'm never going to get better.
First, I'm alternating my water bottle with a mug of hot Ginger Pear tea. Drinking even more water than usual throughout the day will keep me hydrated (which we all know is one of the best ways to get rid of bugs) while the delicious white tea will soothe my throat with minimal caffeine side effects.
Second, I'm listening to my Relaxation Radio station on Pandora in between working with students. The music is calming and soothing, which puts my mind to rest and keeps me from fretting about being sick. Worrying about it will only make me more stressed, which is a nearly fool proof way to keep from getting better. If I have to be at work, I might as well feel calm as often as possible.
Third, I'm staying aware of my mind and body so that I can listen to myself if I start to feel too crummy to carry on. I've never been good at taking a sick day. I always feel incredibly guilty even though I know all of the convincing and entirely accurate arguments in favor of staying home: you won't infect others, you'll get better quicker, and you'll be in better shape for your students than you would be if you came to work feeling awful. So, I've promised myself that, if I still feel like this or worse tomorrow, then I will need to take a sick day. It's easy to want to give our all to our students, but we can't do that if we are sick. I just need to keep reminding myself of that!
To anyone else who is feeling sick at work but not quite sick enough to stay home, I understand your stress! Get better soon!
I knew it would happen eventually given that my job requires that I be in close proximity with children on a regular basis. Let's face it, no matter how hard we try, kids are always carrying around a plethora of germs and sometimes no amount of Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, or hand washing can keep them away. This is especially true if you haven't been working with kids for many years. If you have, you may have built up a highly resistant immune system by this point! Alas, this is only my first year working full time in an elementary school so my immune system isn't yet super immune.
I woke up this morning with a sore throat and a pervasive sense of exhaustion. Since I don't have any other symptoms yet (like a nasty cough), I figured I could still make it through the school day. However, I know that I'm going to need to find ways to combat this cold all day long or I'm never going to get better.
First, I'm alternating my water bottle with a mug of hot Ginger Pear tea. Drinking even more water than usual throughout the day will keep me hydrated (which we all know is one of the best ways to get rid of bugs) while the delicious white tea will soothe my throat with minimal caffeine side effects.
Second, I'm listening to my Relaxation Radio station on Pandora in between working with students. The music is calming and soothing, which puts my mind to rest and keeps me from fretting about being sick. Worrying about it will only make me more stressed, which is a nearly fool proof way to keep from getting better. If I have to be at work, I might as well feel calm as often as possible.
Third, I'm staying aware of my mind and body so that I can listen to myself if I start to feel too crummy to carry on. I've never been good at taking a sick day. I always feel incredibly guilty even though I know all of the convincing and entirely accurate arguments in favor of staying home: you won't infect others, you'll get better quicker, and you'll be in better shape for your students than you would be if you came to work feeling awful. So, I've promised myself that, if I still feel like this or worse tomorrow, then I will need to take a sick day. It's easy to want to give our all to our students, but we can't do that if we are sick. I just need to keep reminding myself of that!
To anyone else who is feeling sick at work but not quite sick enough to stay home, I understand your stress! Get better soon!
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Autumn in the Sims 4
One of the things that I find most intriguing about the Sims is that I can escape into another world and make it entirely my own. I've enjoyed this aspect of the game ever since I started playing it as a preteen. There is something extremely therapeutic about escaping after a busy day into a world where you have almost complete control over what happens.
Do I feel like going on a camping vacation? Go ahead Sims! Do I suddenly have the urge to completely renovate my apartment? At least my Sims can do that! Do I wish that I could visit a fancy spa and have a relaxing evening? Absolutely, so I can live vicariously through my Sims!
It's pretty great.
One of the most exciting ways to do this involves prepping myself for the upcoming season, whatever it may be. However, out of all of them, I find that I always anticipate autumn the most.
I mean, what's not to love? Colorful leaves, crisp air, pumpkin EVERYTHING, warm blankets, cozy sweaters, fun scarves, a chance to finally wear my boots again, baking (with pumpkin!!)...it's literally all the best.
So, when I found out that a mod existed that could bring autumn to my Sims, I nearly dropped my pumpkin flavored coffee out of sheer excitement. After watching this awesome build video on Youtube by the Sims Gallery, I immediately went to download the Sims 4 Autumn Mod that was crafted by the incredibly talented Dani Paradise. If you're like me and you love autumn to pieces, then I highly recommend this mod. There was something so breathtakingly beautiful about building cottages, bakeries, coffee shops, and libraries in the Sims 4 when the whole world was filled with shades of auburn, gold, and scarlet.
Though I wish that the grass in the mod had a bit more texture and dimension, there is simply no beating the quality of the trees! Dani Paradise has done an incredible job bringing my favorite season to the Sims. She recolored all of the trees and plants that you can find in Willow Creek, Granite Falls, Oasis Springs, and even Windenburg! As a side note, Windenburg happens to be my personal favorite with this mod, especially since that gorgeous little town already has such an old world feel to it.
Long story short, I'm starting to get my autumn fix by playing the Sims since the leaves in this part of Minnesota have only just started to turn. While I can't wait for my home to be blanketed by all the gorgeous autumn colors, I can at least keep myself content for now with a delicious pumpkin flavored coffee and evenings of autumn in the Sims 4!
Do I feel like going on a camping vacation? Go ahead Sims! Do I suddenly have the urge to completely renovate my apartment? At least my Sims can do that! Do I wish that I could visit a fancy spa and have a relaxing evening? Absolutely, so I can live vicariously through my Sims!
It's pretty great.
One of the most exciting ways to do this involves prepping myself for the upcoming season, whatever it may be. However, out of all of them, I find that I always anticipate autumn the most.
I mean, what's not to love? Colorful leaves, crisp air, pumpkin EVERYTHING, warm blankets, cozy sweaters, fun scarves, a chance to finally wear my boots again, baking (with pumpkin!!)...it's literally all the best.
So, when I found out that a mod existed that could bring autumn to my Sims, I nearly dropped my pumpkin flavored coffee out of sheer excitement. After watching this awesome build video on Youtube by the Sims Gallery, I immediately went to download the Sims 4 Autumn Mod that was crafted by the incredibly talented Dani Paradise. If you're like me and you love autumn to pieces, then I highly recommend this mod. There was something so breathtakingly beautiful about building cottages, bakeries, coffee shops, and libraries in the Sims 4 when the whole world was filled with shades of auburn, gold, and scarlet.
A preview of autumn from Dani Paradise's blog.
Though I wish that the grass in the mod had a bit more texture and dimension, there is simply no beating the quality of the trees! Dani Paradise has done an incredible job bringing my favorite season to the Sims. She recolored all of the trees and plants that you can find in Willow Creek, Granite Falls, Oasis Springs, and even Windenburg! As a side note, Windenburg happens to be my personal favorite with this mod, especially since that gorgeous little town already has such an old world feel to it.
Long story short, I'm starting to get my autumn fix by playing the Sims since the leaves in this part of Minnesota have only just started to turn. While I can't wait for my home to be blanketed by all the gorgeous autumn colors, I can at least keep myself content for now with a delicious pumpkin flavored coffee and evenings of autumn in the Sims 4!
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