"Kid's Say The Darndest Things" #14

during nap time one of my kids decided he would try to pull the books off the book shelf, so I went over to sit by him. I looked over at another one of my kids and noticed he kicked off his blanket....

Me: Hey, do you want me to put the blanket back on you, Josh?

Josh N (in a very dramatic way while his chin is propped up on his hands): No... I... Just... want you to...love me, Miss Teresa.

(And then my heart melted....)

Me: But I DO love you, Josh!!!!!

Josh N.: Well then maybe you can rub my back????

(And that was where the Josh I know came out...hahaha!)

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While Shane was concentrating really hard on his art project...he was silent for the longest time and then he burst out

Shane: HOLY MACARONI!!!!!!! This picture is going to be SO big!!!!!!!!!!

And then he was silent again till he was done with his picture.

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After my break I went back into the classroom where I noticed some of the kids were beginning to wake-up....

Me: Hey, Shane, do you need to go potty?

Shane:No.... Hey, Miss Amanda! You're supposed to tell me when to go potty!

Amanda: You already told me you had to go potty, Shane.

Shane: But, it's YOUR responsibility to make sure I go potty!

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I pulled out some random fun books to read to the kids. I pulled out the Noah's Ark book without thinking much of it when I heard Shane...

Shane: Miss Teresa, God does not like wicked people very much does he?

Me (a little confused where that question came from then I realized he was watching me as I pulled out Noah's Ark): You are right. God does not like wicked people.

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we were playing good old Disney music and dancing to it when The Beauty And The Beast came on. Shane asked me to dance with him. I obviously could not turn him down so we danced. I started to spin him around when he looked at me and said:

Shane: That's what men do for girls!

Me: What do men do for girls?

Shane: (while attempting to twirl me around) This is what men do for girls!

Favorite Nicholas Sparks Quotes Part II

I am a quote collector. I collect quotes from famous people, from television shows, movies, books, etc.. One of my all time favorite people to collect quotes from is Nicholas Sparks. The romantic in me loves the cheesy factor of the quotes, but at the same time there is a very great message that comes from them as well. I know I have made a post before about some of my favorite quotes of his, but recently I have stumbled upon a few more that should be added to that list... :)

"Sometimes you have to be apart from people you love, but that doesn't make you love them any less. Sometimes you love them more.
~The Last Song~

"Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Remember that."
~Message In A Bottle~

"I have faith that God will show you the answer, but you have to understand that sometimes it takes awhile to be able to recognize what God wants you to do. That's how it often is. God's voice is usually nothing more than a whisper, and you have to listen very carefully to hear it. But other times, in those rarest of moments, the answer is obvious and rings as loud as a church bell."
~The Last Song~

"Passion and satisfaction go hand in hand, and without them, any happiness is only temporary, because there's nothing to make it last."
~Dear John~

"The emotion that can break the heart is sometimes the very one that can heal it."
~At First Sight~

"Love wasn't possible in just a couple of days. Love could be set in motion quickly, but true love needed time to grow into something strong and enduring. Love was, above all, about commitment and dedication and a belief that spending years with a certain person would create something greater than the sum of what the two can accomplish separately."
~True Believer~

"He finally understood that God's presence was everywhere, at all times, and was experienced by everyone at one time or another."
~The Last Song~

"Never forget that God is your friend. And like all friends, He longs to hear what's been happening in your life. Good or bad, whether it's been full of sorrow or anger, or even when you are questioning why terrible things have to happen."
~The Last Song~

"But I'm different now than I was then. Just like I was different at the end of the trip than I'd been at the beginning. And I'll be different tomorrow than I am today. And what that means is that I can never replicate that trip. Even if I went to the same places and met the same people, it wouldn't be the same. To me that's what traveling should be about. Meeting people, learning to not only appreciate a different culture, but really enjoying it like a local, following whatever impulse strikes you. So how could I recommend a trip to someone else, if I don't even know what to expect? My advice would be to make a list of places on some index cards, shuffle them, and pick any five at random. Then just go and see what happens. If you have the right mind-set, it doesn't matter where you end up or how much money you brought. It'll be something you'll remember forever."
~The Guardian~

"I don't think we're meant to understand it all the time. I think that sometimes we just have to have faith."
~A Walk To Remember~

It's "My Kinda Party"

Sorry for my lack of posting this past week. It was my birthday on Saturday and I went like an energizer bunny all week-end long. One of my VERY favorite parts of my birthday was attending the Jason Aldean concert up in Indy. I happen to be a huge fan of his music and the fact that I was able to see him on my birthday was a very exciting way to spend my birthday. One of the people that opened for him, Eric Church, is also someone I enjoy listening to and it was a nice surprise to be able to hear him as well. :) It was an insane crazy concert as it was completely sold-out. There were 25,000 Jason Aldean fans which is a whole lot of people for a concert. It was a party.... :) The two girls below are very good friends of mine who went along with me to see this concert. I have known these girls since I was ten years old and it was a lot of fun to hang-out with them for the week-end... :)

Pope/Obama Joke... Too Funny To Not Pass On

The Pope and Obama are on the same stage in Yankee Stadium in front of a huge crowd.

The Pope leans towards Mr. Obama and said, "Do you know that with one little wave of my hand I can make every person in this crowd go wild with joy? This joy will not be a momentary display, but will go deep into their hearts and they'll forever speak of this day and rejoice!"

Obama replied, "I seriously doubt that! With one little wave of your hand....Show me!" So the Pope backhanded him and knocked him off the stage!

AND THE CROWD ROARED & CHEERED WILDLY!

"Kid's Say The Darndest Things" #13

Andras: (upset about not getting his way) Ellie! I am going to eat you! My mommy said I am going to eat you!
Ellie: (Trying not to laugh) Well do you want me to get you some ketchup or mayo or lettuce and tomatoes to eat with me?
Andras: That is not funny, Ellie! Not funny!
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This past Summer we finally were given something we have needed for quite a while now. New wood chips for our playground... With all the rain we have had it has washed a good 2/3's of them away and what we have been left with is a whole lot of dirt... Anyway while we were out on the playground a truck came to dump the last of the wood chips off and the kids were very excited about it....

Josh L. (Yelling at the top of his lungs to the truck driver): Thank-you SO much for the new wood chips you brought for my playground! (After the truck driver drives off Josh comes running up to me) That man is SUCH a nice guy for bringing us new wood chips, Miss Teresa.
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Me: Gracie, I need a hug good-bye, Missy! I have not gotten it yet, and I won't see you all week-end! Where is my hug!
Gracie (While hugging me): It's in my heart, Miss Teresa.

How cute is that?!?!
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I was sitting by Jacob's cot during naptime as he was not wanting to sleep. He was talking nonstop pretty quietly, but I was not really exactly paying much attention to him because it was "quiet" time... that is until he said...

Jacob: I want you to come to my party

Me: Your party? What kind of party?

Jacob: My wedding...

Me (in a joking kind of way): Awww Jacob. Are you wanting me to marry you?

Jacob: YES!

Me: Well... Where will you take me for our honeymoon?

Jacob: To a party

Me: Where will the party be?

Jacob: In my bedroom

MY FAVORITE QUOTE OF THE DAY!!!!

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Josh L. was painting and decided to pick up the yellow paint bottle and sniff it...

Josh L: Wow. This smells like.... like women.

HA HA HA!!! I didn't know us women smelled like the color yellow.

"5 Myths About Drinking Water"

A friend of mine recently introduced me to stumbleupon.com. I had never heard of this incredibly addicting website until just last week, but I gotta say it has kept me very entertained with things I never even realized I would be interested in. It is crazy how it finds things that interest me. Needless to say I am now an official stumble addict. While on there today I stumbled upon this article about myths of drinking water. As I have been on weight watchers for almost the past two months (I lost 18 pounds so far and still going strong. :))this really intrigued me....

Is bottled water better for you than tap? Or should you choose vitamin-enriched water over sparkling? Experts say, skip it all. None of these products are likely to make you any healthier. Below, we look at five major myths about the benefits of drinking water.

But first, how do you know if you're drinking enough water? Experts say there's an easy way to judge. If you're not thirsty, you're fluid intake is likely "just right."

Myth No. 1: Drink Eight Glasses Each Day

Scientists say there's no clear health benefit to chugging or even sipping water all day. So where does the standard advice of drinking eight glasses each day come from? "Nobody really knows," says Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, a kidney expert at the University of Pennsylvania.

Myth No. 2: Drinking Lots of Water Helps Clear Out Toxins

The kidneys filter toxins from our bloodstreams. Then the toxins clear through the urine. The question is, does drinking extra water each day improve the function of the kidneys?

"No," says Goldfarb. "In fact, drinking large amounts of water surprisingly tends to reduce the kidney's ability to function as a filter. It's a subtle decline, but definite."

Myth No. 3: Lots of Water Equals Healthier Skin

The body is already 60 percent water. So, if you take a 200-pound man, he's 120 pounds of water.

Adding a few extra glasses of water each day has limited effect. "It's such a tiny part of what's in the body," says Goldfarb. "It's very unlikely that one's getting any benefit." His full editorial is published in the current issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

One study published in 2007 on the cosmetic benefit of drinking water suggests that 500 ml of water increases capillary blood flow in the skin. "But it's unclear whether these changes are clinically significant," says Goldfarb.

Myth No. 4: Drinking Extra Water Leads to Weight Loss

A more accurate statement may be: Drinking water is a helpful tool for dieters.

"Water is a great strategy for dieters because it has no calories," says Madeline Fernstrom of the University of Pittsburgh. "So you can keep your mouth busy without food and get the sense of satisfaction."

But water is not magical, she adds. Other zero-calorie options such as diet sodas are fine, too.

Myth No. 5: It's Easy to Get Dehydrated During a Workout

Dehydration sets in when a person has lost 2 percent of his or her body weight. So for a 200-pound man, this means losing 4 pounds of water.

Marathon runners, bikers and hikers all need to recognize the signs of dehydration. "It is also obvious that individuals in hot, dry climates have increased need for water," says Goldfarb.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that athletes drink 16 ounces of fluids a couple of hours before starting sports practice.

But for a stroll in the park, no water bottle is necessary. Goldfarb's advice: Just drink when you're thirsty.

"Kid's Say The Darndest Things" #12

Mrs. Morgan: So how was Henry's day today?
Me: He had a really good day. There was a fire drill this morning, we watched an Easter movie,
Mrs. Morgan (kinda cutting me off in mid-sentence): What kind of Easter movie? The Easter bunny kind or the Jesus kind?
Me: The Jesus kind.
Mrs. Morgan: Oh cool!
Henry: Mommy, Jesus is my favorite!
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Miss Becky: Sidda do you have an extra pair of shoes in your cubby?
Sidda (in an assuming "duh" kind of way) Yeah, my high heels.

Getting in some good practice for when she will really need to wear those high heels. lol
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Me: I think I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.
James: what side did you wake up on?
Me: Well normally I like to wake up on my right side, but today I am pretty sure I woke up on my left side...
Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, James?
James: Yeah, I did.
Me: What side is the wrong one for you?
James: When I wake up on my back.
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This comes from my ten year old nephew, Isaiah.

Isaiah: Chad (his mom's fiancee), are you Catholic?
Chad: No.
Isaiah: Are you Christian?
Chad (While shrugging his shoulders): Yeah. Yes.
Isaiah: (In a really loud accusing voice) Oh! That means you don't believe, (and then more quietly and slowly) something...
Maria (Isaiah's mom): And what does he not believe?
Isaiah: (Bangs hand on the table) I know! It means he doesn't believe the body and blood... I mean the bread and wine is not the body and blood!

It was SO SO SO cute!
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Today during nap time I am pretty sure Savannah was dreaming when she woke up...

Savannah: (Sits up in a dreamlike state and looks straight at me) I have to....... I think I have to....... I have..... I have to do something. (and then immediately falls back on her cot and goes right back to sleep.)

I'm a 1930's Kinda Girl

I took this quiz on facebook today because I was bored and it intrigued me... I think it hit pretty close to home... :)

What Decade Fits Your Personality Best? -- 1930's

My Result: 1930'sYou are strong and determined and have what it takes to get through life's storms. You are very helpful to those around you-- be it your friends, your family, or even a neighbor in need. You are a great leader and strong-willed person, and take challenges ...as a way to better yourself...But you also have a deep sense of warmth and nurturing for those you care about. You are well-rounded and tough because you have to be. You aren't a "diva" but rather a humble person with admirable character. With more hard-working, quality like you, this world would be a much better place. By being able to turn a little into a lot, you know how to make life enjoyable even if it's just through the little things.

"I Love People Who Make Me Laugh..."

I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person.
~Audrey Hepburn~

This past week-end was a really busy, crazy, entertaining, and fun one for me. I went down to St. Meinrad with a group of friends to visit one of my very best friends who is a seminarian there. There were seven of us all-together who made the drive down. We chose to separate into girls/guys cars and each took a different route down to figure out which one is shorter. My car won, but only by about five minutes (granted the boys car left earlier than ours did and we had to make a stop back at my house because my sister had left her cell phone, and I accidentally took a wrong turn which we figured out pretty quickly, so really taken all that into account we would have made it even longer before the boys did...). It was a fun time driving down there while singing Ke$ha songs at the top of our lungs. It was definitely a girl kind of road trip for sure.

Once we all arrived we headed over to start our visit off with Mass and then ate lunch at Meinrad. We then decided to drive over the the Monastery in Ferdinand, In. where we stayed for a tour. It is sad to see the sisters that live there no longer wear their habits. As the sister who was giving the tour talked about the reasoning behind that choice she used the saying, "It's not about what you wear, but what you do." It was very hard for my friends and I to keep a straight face after she finished that saying because my group of friends happen to believe that the habit is a very important part of being a sister. I have to say that for the most part us younger Catholics prefer seeing nuns and sisters in their habits. I have more respect for the sisters that do because it shows that they really are proud of their vocation and are not afraid to show it. After the tour was over and we were all outside some of my friends joked around about how I should that tour might have fostered some vocations. I laughed and said it most likely caused the exact opposite...

After the tour we headed back to "the hill" wear my friend was the cantor for evening prayer. That was an event for a few of us. We were each handed a breviary to use, only for most of us it was the first time we ever had to use it alone without someone kind of showing us how to use it. That was a learning experience for me and my friend who I was sharing the book with. We got lost a few times, but in the end it worked.

We then had dinner in Tell City at a restaurant which had really great food and then drove over to Bird's Eye where a few of us chose to have ice cream. We then ended the night back at the Unstable on the hill where we had a few drinks, some of someone's birthday cake, played some pool, and shared a pizza. My car left for the drive home a little after midnight. I did not actually get into bed until about 2:30 a.m.. It was a very long but incredibly fun day.

Apparently Lady Bugs Are Catholic. Interesting.

Today I am supposed to talk about lady bugs with my kids as we are covering insects this week. As I was looking up some information on them, I ran across this question:

15. How did the ladybug get its name?
A. In Europe, during the Middle Ages, insects were destroying the crops, so the Catholic farmers prayed to the Virgin Mary for help. Soon the Ladybugs came, ate the plant-destroying pests and saved the crops! The farmers began calling the ladybugs "The Beetles of Our Lady", and they eventually became known as "Lady Beetles"! The red wings represented the Virgin's cloak and the black spots represented her joys and sorrows. They didn't differentiate between males and females.

Interesting fact. I have a new-found appreciation for the lady bug, even if they can stink pretty bad...

"Understanding Women"

UNDERSTANDING WOMEN

A Woman's Vocabulary, Keywords and Meanings (as taken from an interview with a woman)

FINE
This is the word we use at the end of any argument in which we feel we are right, but need to shut you up. NEVER use 'Fine' to describe how a woman looks. This will cause you to have one of those
arguments.

FIVE MINUTES
This is half an hour. It is equivalent to the five
minutes that your football game is going to last before you take out the trash, so I feel that it's an even trade.

NOTHING
This means something and you should be on your toes. "Nothing" is usually used to describe the feeling a woman has of wanting to turn you inside out, upside down, and backwards. "Nothing"
usually signifies an argument that will last "Five Minutes" and end with the word "Fine".

GO AHEAD (with raised eyebrows)
This is a dare. One that will result in a woman
getting upset over "Nothing" and will end with the word "Fine".

GO AHEAD (normal eyebrows)
This means "I give up" or "do what you want because I don't care". You will get a raised eyebrow "Go Ahead" in just a few minutes, followed by "Nothing" and "Fine" and she will talk to you in
about "Five Minutes" when she cools off.

LOUD SIGH
This is not actually a word, but is still often a
verbal statement very misunderstood by men. A "Loud Sigh" means she thinks you are an idiot at that moment and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you over "Nothing".

SOFT SIGH
Again, not a word, but a verbal statement. "Soft
Sighs" are one of the few things that some men actually understand. She is content. Your best bet is to not move or breathe and she will stay
content.

OH
This word followed by any statement is trouble.
Example; "Oh, let me get that". Or, "Oh, I talked to him about what you were doing last night". If she says "Oh" before a statement, run, do not walk, to the nearest exit. She will tell you that she is "Fine"
when she is done tossing your clothes out the window, but do not expect her to talk to you for at least 2 days. "Oh" as the lead-in to a sentence usually signifies that you are caught in a lie. Do not try to lie more to get out of it, or you will get raised eyebrows and a "Go ahead," followed by acts so unspeakable that I can't bring myself to write about them.

THAT'S OKAY
This is one of the most dangerous statements that a
woman can say to a man. "That's Okay" means that she wants to think long and hard before visiting on you major retribution and tribulations for what ever it is that you have done. "That's Okay" is often used with the word "Fine" and used in conjunction with a raised eyebrow "Go Ahead". At some point in the near future when she has plotted and planned, you are going to be in some mighty big trouble.

PLEASE DO
This is not a statement, it is an offer. A woman is
giving you the chance to come up with whatever excuse or reason you have for doing whatever it is that you have done. You have a fair chance to tell the
truth, so be careful and you shouldn't get a "That's
Okay".

THANKS
A woman is thanking you. Do not faint, just say you're welcome.

THANKS A LOT
This is much different than "Thanks". A woman will
say, "Thanks A Lot" when she is really ticked off at you. It signifies that you have hurt her in some callous way, and will be followed by the "Loud Sigh". Be careful not to ask what is wrong after the "Loud
Sigh", as she will only tell you "Nothing".

"Kid's Say The Darndest Things" #11

I was getting a glass of water in the kitchen when my cell phone rang. The ring tone happened to be the song "Chicken Fried." For those of you who are not familiar with this song, the chorus goes like this, "Oh, you know I like my chicken fried. Cold beer on a Friday night. A pair of jeans that fit just right, and the radio up. Well I've seen the sunrise. See the love in my woman's eyes. Feel the touch of a precious child, and know a mother's love..." So my ring tone played when I hear this voice come from behind me....

Jonathan (with a HUGE smile on his face): Hey!!! My dad like to drink cold beer on a Friday night too!!!!

It was SO funny, especially because I had no idea he came up behind me at all.
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Apparently at lunch time one of the kids spilled their cup of milk all over the floor....

Jonathan: Hey, game fowl!!!!!!!
Miss Becky: Jonathan! Where did you learn that from?
Jonathan: My grandpa.

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As I am changing Josh Neary's diaper... Just another part of my job.

Me: Josh it looks as though either the last person who changed your diaper didn't wipe you enough or you are just starting to poop...
Josh Neary: I am not pooping. Uh-huh.
Me; Well, since I was the one that changed you last I am pretty sure you were trying to, bud.
Josh: No, I'm not starting. I started to on Saturday.

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While we were outside on the playground....

Miss Ingrid: Hey Josh, come over here! I need to tie your shoe.
Josh Neary: Nuh uh!
Me: You know Josh, when you trip and fall because you don't want to have your shoe tied I won't feel so bad for you... just saying.
Josh Neary (yelling as he is running around): That's not gonna happen!!!!

Two minutes later... Josh tripped on his shoe lace and fell......
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Today during circle time we were singing "I'm bringing home a baby bumble-bee." I was trying to see who remembered the song by stopping between each stanza and asking what happens next... there is one line in this song that goes "I'm puking up my baby bumble bee." Don't ask. I didn't write the song. I just sing it... anyway.

Me: What happens to us next?
Josh Lindauer: Puking up the bee.... but we don't actually really puke it, just fake puke it, right?

It made me laugh.

"To Love Another Person Is To See The Face Of God..."

.... That is the final line to the musical "Les Mes" right before the finale song. I have been a fan of the musical "Les Mes" since I was in high school. I have to say that if it were not for an old high school crush of mine who played the lead in a local high school play I never would have thought twice about watching it. I fell in love with this musical from the first night I saw it on the stage at that high school. The cast that year did such an amazing job for a group of high schoolers that I felt a bit spoiled. Anyway, the reason why I am even talking about this is because a few weeks ago I finally talked my mom into watching it with me.

For those of you who have never heard of this musical, it is based of the book by Victor Hugo; "Les Meserables." The setting of this book is during the time of the French Revolution and basically follows the storyline of the different classes of people who lived during that crazy time in France. This musical also happens to have a bit of Catholicism in it as well as a Catholic Bishop challenges the main character to live his life as a gift for God. What really captures my attention about this musical in particular is the lyrics of the music. I have watched this numerous times and each time I watch it I end up bawling like a baby because of the beauty of the storyline and the music and the lyrics. Because of the musical I ended up picking Victor's book to read for a huge English project my senior year of high school and now it is one of my personal favorites to go back and read every so often.

The song that I chose to share on here is called "Bring Him Home." It is a prayer in which the leading role, Jean Valjean, is sending out a prayer to help save the life of one of the men, Marius, who was injured in battle. This happens to have the four most popular men who played Valjean singing together as a quartet and to hear these four voices blend together is truly heavenly....

Audrey Assad "For Love Of You"

Since in my last post I spoke about Audrey Assad I thought I would share a song of hers which I truly love... It is called "For Love of You." :) I hope you enjoy it.

"You Called And You Shouted! Broke Through My Deafness. Now I'm Breathing In And Breathing Out. I'm Alive Again!"

I feel like I must explain my long absence from my blog. I have been completely busy with long meetings and work and so many other things that have kept me pretty occupied and left me without any blogging time. I have been lucky to get any sleep with the crazyiness of my life.

You see one of the parishes in my home town was blessed with the opportunity to bring Matt Maher in concert here. I was even more blessed to be asked to be part of the team that was in charge if putting everything together. I knew about this concert since October, but it has been talked about for much longer. As soon as my friend asked me if I would be interested in taking part with a Matt Maher concert I quickly said I would without any hesitation. I have been a fan of his music now for a few years and to see him in concert for free and in the front row was a huge deal to me. It definitely was earned though. Our team put in a lot of hours of planning... My main task was to help with making sure Chic-fil-a would do a Spirit Day for St. Paul's to help raise money for the concert along with making sure that they would be able to be able to sell their food outside of the church before the concert started. Along with that I spent hours helping to sell tickets, first
after Masses at St. Paul's then I spent
hours at my own parish helping sell tickets after two of the Masses... It was frustrating and boring at times, but well worth it in the end.

This past week was a whirlwind of activity as it was the week of the concert. We had meetings both Monday night and Tuesday night that went pretty late as we were going through everything to make sure the whole evening would go smoothly and on time. I took off of work Wednesday, the day of the concert, early to help get everything set-up and last minute details worked-out. It was tiring and I did not get to sit-down hardly that night, except for during the concert when Matt asked everyone to take a seat.

We were an excited bunch as the clock ticked closer and closer to the time that the doors would be opened. We were mentally preparing ourselves for the six hundred people who were going to walk in and kind of take-over the building. We had people come in as far as Cincinnati, Ohio to see this concert. It was crazy to think that everything we had worked for was about to happen.

We were also blessed with this concert because Matt had Audrey Assad open for him. I had never heard of this person before this concert, so I was not sure how I felt about her. Audrey is a convert to Catholicism and I quickly became a fan of hers as soon as I heard her voice. She truly has a voice of an angel, and the lyrics to her songs are so beautiful. I was also blessed to have the chance to talk with her. My friend and I kind of snuck into the meet-and-greet group as both of our tasks were pretty much finished at that point and so we figured, why not? She was down-to-earth and really did not mind answering our stream of never-ending questions about life on the road for an artist. The way our conversation went felt like I was talking to a good friend and I was not quite ready to say good-bye.

That is a night I know I will remember for a long time. It was a blessing to know that I played a role to bring two amazing artists to my hometown.

So after the concert, Thursday night was taken up by Latin Mass at another parish near Bloomington which was beautiful. Last night was my parish's fish-fry fundraiser and so I did not get home till somewhat late, and once I did get home I was beat. So if anyone has been wondering where I have been I hope this post has answered that question for you.

That's Music To My Ears

A little after I started my blog I made a post of my all-time favorite songs. Well I have to say that as much as I still have those songs as some of my very favorites, my choices for those songs have changed. It is interesting how after a few years go by the things I once considered my favorites can change. Friends I thought I would never grow apart from somehow end up with a phone call every so often or an e-mail here or there to catch-up. Favorite foods of mine I had a few years ago I got burnt-out on. Television shows I happened to be completely hook-ed on either ended or are no longer as interesting to me as before... Life is like this though. It is filled with different phases and chapters and it never stays the same for long. So for fun I thought I would update my favorite songs list and put it up here... Enjoy. :)




My favorite all-time "love" song: "Here" by Rascal Flatts; "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" by Aerosmith; "Just The Way You Are" by Bruno Mars

Favorite "get up and dance" song: "I Like It" by Enrique Iglesias; "Redneck Woman" by Gretchen Wilson; "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz

Favorite "loving life/ blast in the car with the windows down and music blaring" song: "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry; "Tick-Tock" by Ke$ha; "Fast Cars And Freedom" by Rascal Flatts

Favorite "when I'm feeling down" song: "Sweeping The Ashes" by Serena Ryder; "Standing Still" by Jewel; "Crash & Burn" by Savage Garden

Favorite "When I'm angry with the world" song: "Not Ready To Make Nice" by the Dixie Chicks; "King Of Anything" by Sara Barielles; "Don't Waste My Time" by Kelly Clarkson

Favorite "oldies" song: Most definitely "My Girl" by the Temptations. (Yeah, that one hasn't changed, probably won't either.)

Favorite "sweet" song: A tie between "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle and "I Loved Her First" by Heartland.

Songs that always make me cry: "On Eagle's Wings," "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland, and "There You'll Be" by Faith Hill, " "To Where You Are" by Josh Groban

Favorite "Friendship" songs: "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts and "I Will Remember You" by Ryan Cabrera, "I'm Only Me When I'm With You" by Taylor Swift.

Favorite "Take on the World" song: "Firework" by Katy Perry; "Unstoppable" by Rascal Flatts; "It's My Life" by Bon Jovi

Favorite "break-up" song: "You Were Meant For Me" by Jewel; "Better In Time" by Leona Lewis; "Love The Way You Lie" by Eminem

Favorite "Patriotic" songs: This is a tie between "God Bless the U.S.A." by Lee Greenwood and "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" by Toby Keith; "If You're Reading This" by Tim McGraw

Favorite "Crush" song: This is a three-way-tie between "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift; "Take Me There" by Rascal Flatts and "I Wanna Kiss A Girl" by Keith Urban

Favorite "How I Feel About Relationships" song: A tie between"I Do Not Hook Up" by Kelly Clarkson and "Single" by Natasha Beddingfield

Favorite "Praise and Worship song: A tie between "Draw Me Close," "Here I Am to Worship," "The Heart Of Worship"

Favorite "Christian" song: A tie between "Empty and Beautiful" by Matt Maher and "Beloved" by Tenth Avenue North

Thursday Nights Are My Couch Potato Nights

Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show


Since I am usually on the go each evening the only time I am home happens to be Thursday evenings and so that is when I find television shows to watch. This can cause dilemmas. Especially when 9:00 p.m. rolls around and I have to choose between Bones or Grey's to watch....

Top photo is of the cast of Grey's Anatomy. Funny/sad story of this show. Today at work we finally got four fish as our class pets. I gave them my own pet names. I named them after characters in this show. There was George, Izzy, Meredith, and Christina... Sadly Izzy and Meredith were too small and got sucked up by the tank pump and died... They did not last but three hours. It was pretty sad....

The second one is of the cast of House... I catch-up with re-runs on Thursday night for this show....

The third one is of Reba. Love this show! I am very sad it is all finished. No matter how many of the shows I have seen they always seem funny to me. My dad even enjoys watching Reba with me. Truth be told, I have gotten my dad to enjoy watching all these shows with me with the exception of Grey's, but that is understandable.

The fourth is of the cast of Bones. Those of you who have not watched this show of all of these I highly encourage this one. The F.B.I. agent Booth is Catholic and his partner, an forensic anthropologist, Bones, happens to view science as her god...It is an interesting duo to listen to and watch. It is based off of the life of Kathy Reichs, a forensic anthropologist.

Last is my real silly pointless show I watch just to get a good laugh... The Big Bang Theory. I tend to relate to the character Penny the most myself. I have decided the next time my class receives a group of fish I will name them after the characters of this show. They are cute fish names.... Penny, Sheldon, Leanord, Raj, and Howard. It works. Hopefully they won't die....

"Sisters. Sisters. There Were Never Such Devoted Sisters"

30 Day Photo Challenge: Day 2
A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest

This is a picture of my little sister, Crista and I. The top one is from about four years ago on a "March For Life" trip before we loaded on the bus. The one on the bottom is of us two on the metro in d.c. this past January while on our "March For Life" trip.

Even though there is only a two and a half year age gap between my sister and I, I can honestly say that has never really been that big of a deal to us. From the beginning we have been pretty much joined at the hip. I remember when we were really young wherever I went Crista HAD to come too. She was my little shadow. I remember there were times when that got on my nerves, but for the most part it did not bother me. We even shared a bedroom with each other for a good portion of our lives which was a lot of fun. I now know that if we tried to do that again today it probably would not work since I would drive her crazy with my country music and she would make me go insane with her messier habbits...

Growing up I appreciated having her around even more since we were both home schooled, so really if we wanted to play during recess we played with each other. We had to be pretty creative when it came to "recess." I remember we would go outside in our backyard and play kickball with imaginary team members. It was a fun time.

As we grew older we had the same group of friends and enjoyed doing the same kinds of things. Wherever we went we were always known as the "McConnell girls." It was never where is Teresa and/or Crista. It was rare that we would go anywhere without each other.

In the past few years it is not quite like that anymore. We each have our own friends and we do not see each other nearly as much. That does not change the fact that she is and will always be my best friend. I love her dearly. :)

30 Day Photo Challenge: Day 1 Complete. :)

On facebook there is a huge challenge called the 30 photo challenge. Normally I try to avoid such challenges, but this one looks like it would be fun so I decided to go along with the crowd. Since there are some interesting photo challenges I figured it would also be fun to put it up on here as well.... :)


Day 01 - A picture of yourself with ten facts


1. Full name is Teresa Allison McConnell
2. I am the very middle child of five in my family
3. I am very Catholic. I LOVE my faith. :)
4. Recently I have decided I want to buy a beta fish and name it Charlie... Originally I wanted to name my first lab Charlie... either way one of my pets will be named Charlie.
5. I work at St. Charles Daycare and absolutely LOVE my job.
6. I am a country music kinda girl
7. I have given my car the name "Old Timer" because it is a grandpa car which has been very good to me.
8. I play the piano and the song I have most recently mastered is the song "Only Hope." The Mandy Moore version, not the Switchfoot version, because the Mandy Moore version just sounds better on the piano.
9. I am a bookworm. I love reading books... I am in the middle of a few right now. :)
10. My favorite flowers are daisies. :) They make me happy. They are also fun to doodle when I am trying to stay awake during nap time at work....

"Someone's Watching Over Me"

While being sick this week-end I have spent a lot of time sleeping and watching tv and listening to music. This is the first time I have really sat down for a lengthy period of time. I have "re-discovered" this Hilary Duff song. I am not a huge Hilary Duff fan, but I do have to say the lyrics to this song are very beautiful. It is very easy to see how christian this song really is. I personally like the lyrics in bold the best. I will keep on praying that I won't be afraid to follow wherever God is calling me.....

"Someone's Watching Over Me"
by Hilary Duff

I found myself today
Oh I found myself and ran away
But something pulled me back
A voice of reason I forgot I had
All I know is you're not here to say
What you always used to say
But it's written in the sky tonight

Chorus:

So I won't give up
No I won't break down
Sooner than it

seems life turns around
And I will be strong
Even if it all goes wrong
When I'm standing in the dark I'll still believe
Someone's watching over me


I've seen that ray of light
And it's shining on my destiny
shining all the time
And I won't be afraid
To follow everywhere it's taking me
All I know is yesterday is gone
And right now I belong
To this moment
To my dreams


Chorus:

So I won't give up
No I won't break down
Sooner than it seems life turns around
And I will be strong
Even if it all goes wrong
When I'm standing in the dark I'll still believe
Someone's watching over me

It doesn't matter what people say
And it doesn't matter how long it takes
Believe in yourself and you'll fly high
It only matters how true you are
Be true to yourself and follow your heart

Chorus:

So I won't give up
No I won't break down
Sooner than it seems life turns around
And I will be strong
Even if it all goes wrong
When I'm standing in the dark I'll still believe
Someone's watching over me