What's Love Got To Do With It?

I came across this quote by one of my favorite singers Michael Buble and thought that it was too profound and accurate not to share.
"It's all about love. We're either in love, dreaming about love, recovering from it, wishing for it or reflecting on it." Michael Buble
I know this quote is true for myself and the 27 years I've experienced in this life. As a young child, I loved my family, best friends, pets, toys, the list goes on and on:) I experienced my first childhood love in first or second grade and along with that came my first heart ache, funny how it all seems to hurt the same no matter what the age.
Looking back on my old journals from middle and high school, SO much of my time was spent either sure that I was IN love, trying not to be broken hearted after being denied love, dreaming about new potential loves and reflecting on things I could change about myself to encourage love to find me.
It is shocking to think about how much love has been in and out of my life in 27 years. Looking back now, not all of the times I was convinced it was love were IN FACT love at all, but it was all about the feeling in that moment in time.
I guess it is just interesting to think about all the times in your life you have felt love and how great it is when you actually realize that love is really all around you. Even in those sad times spent grieving over love lost you are learning important things about yourself and how to better give love to others around you. I realize this post is a bit off the usual, but I was really feeling the love:)

Lazy Saturday fun!

      Just some fun facts about yours truly:)

Apple juice or orange juice? orange juice        
Are you a morning or night person? night
Which do you prefer, sweet or salty foods? both!
Ninjas or pirates? ninjas
Ninjas vs pirates, discuss. ninjas are awesome because they get to sneak around and kick some ace!! However, pirates get to say things like "arrrggg! and shiver-me-timbers!" live on a sail boat, wear a cool hat and have a pet bird or monkey to do your bidding! It's really a difficult choice...can I choose both?
Autobots or Decepticons? Autobots HANDS DOWN! Transformers are wicked cool!
What was your favorite childhood television program? Smurfs, Hey Dude, Looney Tunes, Mighty-Morphin Power Rangers;)
Are you a collector of anything? I used to have a massive collection of bouncy balls! haha and one day I just took them outside and bounced them all away! I also collected cows stuff too!
If you could be any animal, what would you be? Maybe a sea lion or a bird
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? I would want to fly!
What is usually your first thought when you wake up? I'm usually thinking about what I dreamed about...
What do you usually think about right before falling asleep? it varies from things I have to do the next day or a specific person...
What's your favorite color? Green, black and purple
What's your favorite animal? dogs, penguins, ducks
Do you believe in extraterrestrials or life on other planets? I'd like to think that we aren't the only intelligent life in this universe.
Do you believe in ghosts? yes
Ever been addicted to a video/computer game? Which one(s)? I was obsessed with beating Super Mario Brothers 3, still love playing Tetris, and Lemmings!!! Such great games:)
You're given 1 million dollars, what do you spend it on? I would pay off my student loans, give a good chunk to my parents, donate to a worthy cause, perhaps travel a bit or buy a house!
Have any bad habits? I used to bite my nails when I was younger
Which bad habits, if any, drive you crazy? knuckle cracking, popping your gum, being late, nail biting haha go figure
List 3 of your best personality traits: good listener, smart, kind
List 3 of your worst personality traits: too trusting, stubborn, perfectionist
Have any celebrity crushes? Justin Timberlake, Channing Tatum, Zach Braff, John Krasinski
List 1 thing you wish you could change about yourself: I wish I had wavy hair:)
Any tattoos or piercings? no tattos yet, but I have one all picked out! I have had my ears pierced since I was a first grader!
What's the first thing you notice in the opposite sex? smile, eyes and how they carry themselves
What personality traits do you look for in a partner? great sense of humor, kind, intelligent, compassionate,  motivated
What personality traits do you dislike in other people? lack of motivation, too serious, dislikes children, no imagination
Are you mostly a clean or messy person? I'm a very tidy person! I do not clean often, but I like everything to be in it's place!
Do you see yourself getting married in the next 5 years? I have to meet a great guy first;> but yes, I would like to be married in the next 5-7 years
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? I'd love to live in Australia for a year or two or maybe Hawaii, but not forever. I like being close to my family.
If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? I want to visit New Zealand, Ireland, England, Galapagos Islands, Belize, Paris, Spain, Australia, and many others.
List 5 goals on your life's to-do list: inspire my students, meet someone wonderful to share my life with, travel the world, and have a family.
Name 1 regret you have: not following my heart to see how something would turn out.
Name 1 thing you miss about being a kid: playing hide and seek and bunkbeds!
Name 1 thing you love about being an adult: to be able to get in my car and drive somewhere, when ever I want.
What's your favorite song of the moment? Two is better than one by Taylor Swift and Boys Like Girls
What's your favorite song of all time? hard choice, but I would have to say Black Bird by the Beatles
What's your favorite thing to do on a Saturday night? stay in with a good book or cuddled up on the couch watching a movie with a good looking fella;>
What's your favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon? sit in a coffee shop reading or purusing a bookstore
Have any hidden talents? sadly, any hidden talents are still hidden
You're about to walk the green mile, what do you have as your last meal? homemade tacos, ice cold milk and a piece of cherry pie
What would be your dream job? I would love to travel to different locations and write travel reviews
Which would you rather have, 100 million dollars or true love? true love, silly question.
If you could have 3 wishes granted, what would they be? to have enough money to travel when and where I wanted, no more student loans and no more racism.
Ever wish you were born the opposite sex? If so, why? If I had been born a boy I would have been a baseball player for sure!
Name 1 thing not many people know about you: I want to write a book.
If you HAD to change your name, what would you change it to? Zoe, but I really love Rachael:)
Do you believe in the afterlife? I like to think that there is something beyond this life.
How do you feel about cookies? I enjoy most cookies, but my favorite are warm chocolate-chip!
Hope you enjoyed this get-to-know-Rachael blog for today!

Falcon

Here are some pics of Falcon, my new little bunny friend:) It seems only appropriate that the girl referred to as "bunny-head" for most of college got herself a bunny!

Here comes Peter cotton-tail! Wait, what?

So, I've been thinking A LOT about what kind of pet to get. Perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself, but I am really feeling good about the fact that this next school year I WILL have a full time teaching position:) I'm planning on moving out this summer (once again, this is all dependent on whether or not I'm hired on full time since I'll be living on my own) and want to get a pet to keep me company.
A puppy, naturally, is my first choice, but a puppy is a BIG responsibility that might be too much at first. I've also been thinking about birds, little ones like finches or maybe a cockatoo so I have someone to talk to haha! Another animal I've been investigating are tortoises. I think my dad likes this idea the best! However, although I love turtles, they aren't really super cuddly, which is an important quality. I think that hedgehogs are fascinating animals and would LOVE to have one, but again the cuddly feature is missing. I'm most definetely NOT a cat person so that just leaves one animal...a RABBIT!! A dwarf rabbit to be more specific-we're talking a teeny-tiny bunny that doesn't weigh more than 4-5 pounds and is super cuddly! I have begun my dwarf bunny search and hopefully will find the perfect little fella to be my new roommate.

Back in the saddle again!

I officially started my new job as an English language specialist this last Monday and already I feel like I'm getting to know the kids pretty well. I already know who will be talking non-stop, who can't sit by eachother, who likes to hit, who likes to help, and so many other quirks it seems like it should take longer to pick up! I had a pretty good week for being the new girl in town. I took the time to introduce myself to many of the teachers, but haven't been able to remember too many names...there are like 50 I swear! I even think I may be coming in half an hour early and not realizing it?? I'm not sure, have to look into it next week I guess:)

Basically what my job entails is meeting with small groups of English language learners at various levels and providing further instruction to accompany what concepts are being learned in their home classrooms. I work with kindergarteners, 4th, 5th, and 6th graders.

Here is kind of what a day looks like for me...I wake up at 5:50 a.m.-an unGodly hour made worse because it is pitch black outside, and I'm out the door by a quarter till seven! I'm low-maintenance lol, what can I say. I also may enjoy a stop to get coffee:) I get to work at around 7:10, check-in and head to our room to prep for the day. At 8:00, in strut my 5th graders-who are quickly becoming my favorites;p I work with them on writing for 45 min. At about 8:50, I am graced by the presence of my four 6th graders-let's just put it this way...I've already had to lay the smack down. At 9:30, 6th graders roll out and I have about ten minutes until I pick up my a.m. kindies-a very, very sweet and eager group of four! I work with them until 10:00 then have my prep time for an hour! Pretty awesome I know! I usually eat a snack around this time since I don't have a lunch. I see my 5th graders from 10:55-11:10-another short, but useful time to get things done. Are you keeping up?? I move around A LOT. At 11:15 I pick up my p.m. kindies-small group of six, but numbers don't hinder them AT ALL. After 20 minutes of managing (good thing I took about 10 courses on classroom management!) I have another little break until my final group of 4th graders at 11:55. This group has 11 kids, which may not sound like much, but keep in mind I'm teaching them in a mostly whisper voice using half of a classroom. My teaching partner, Katie, has the other side of the room and also has groups during part of this time. The are a busy, but intelligent group. I can already tell who my lazy kiddos are:) At 12:45 I'm off the clock for the day! Anyone tired yet?

The planning has not been too horrible yet. My 4th and 5th graders are basically working on the same writing program-a prep for state testing, and I teach both my kindy classes the same curriculum. I'm becoming quite the arTIST HAHA yeah right, my artwork stinks, but I do my best because visuals are so useful with English language learners. I think it is going to be an interesting rest of the year and I'm eager to see what's in store! 

Everything is backwards now...

*spoiler alert for Avatar

You knew it was coming. I promised a post dedicated completely to the most epic film I have yet to see. If you have not already been to the theater to see Avatar in 3D you need to put it at the top of your list of things to do for the new year. In fact, if you plan on going soon give me a call and I'll meet you there! Not only is Avatar visually spectacular in every way, but the story is fantastic and the message made my heart hurt. Who wouldn't want to see a movie that makes you cry and your heart hurt right? Remember Ferngully? What about Pocahontas? Both movies were similar in the fact that they depict the huge, and more often than not negative, impact we as a society have on our environment and the beings that are a part it all for the sake of advancement. 

There are two sides to this film: the scientists looking to learn more about a new, unique environment and group of people through immersion of a select few with the use of Avatars-or a second self. These Avatars were created to resemble the native people. They researched extensively into the lives, language and over all culture of this native tribe in order to better understand. The other side consists of the government and military only out for one thing: progress and advancement at any cost. The phrase, "by any means necessary" comes to mind. The problem with this idea is that suffering and destruction of people or resources often accompany actions in this category. Films like Avatar really encourage reflection on many events of our past from war to moving to new lands to overall civilization expansion. Do yourself a favor and take the time to dive into a wonderfully realistic 3D world created to open the mind and the heart.

Coffee Dates

I was thinking about why I love coffee dates so much today. Naturally, I figured instead of simply going over it in my head, why not put it in a blog:)
I think it's important to explain why girls love to go on coffee dates with their gal pals. I'm sure this seems ridiculous to most fellas, why on earth would you want to spend money for coffee when you can have free coffee at home?? This is true. It's not even like the coffee at most shops is AMAZING or the best cup of coffee EVVVER, but the fact of it is, that isn't even the most important part about a coffee date. Above all it is a time, usually an hour or so, to catch up and in some cases reconnect with a friend that perhaps you don't see as much as you would like to. There is something special about sitting on a cozy chair, one knee tucked up underneath, holding a warm cup of your favorite guilty pleasure coffee, and sharing good conversation with a great friend. Why not invite that friend over to the comfort of your own house and get that same feeling you may ask? For most ladies inviting people over means entertaining mode sets in. There is that feeling of obligation to answer the phone when it rings, tend to kiddos, pets, and the many other distractions that inevitably find their way into everyday households. Meeting at a coffee shop takes away all personal distractions and allows, even encourages, one on one attention. So much more personal than a text message, email, or even a phone call, getting together face to face will always be my most important way to communicate with the people I care most about. So never will I feel guilty walking by that full pot of coffee in the house to make plans for a coffee date because sometimes it is exactly what is necessary.