Once an artist always and artist

Day 7: A picture of your most treasured item
So I had a hard time with this one, the 30 day challenge is already getting me! I'm behind and struggling with ideas to post about. So I couldn't decide on one treasured item so I started thinking about what I'm most proud of and that would be my artwork from my Studio art program in college. I snapped a few pictures of pictures in my albums so they're not the best quality but you get the idea of my studio and my senior show. My artwork from my show is framed and finished and most hangs in my apartment. My roommate calls it Lindsey's Art Gallery.  Working in my studio was one of the greatest experiences of my life and provided me with these beautiful works of art I will always treasure!

The red flower is 5 ft by 5 ft and currently hangs in my dining room.

Unfortunately the artwork behind me was destroyed when a pipe burst in my parents basement.
It was my favorite and this is the only photo I have of it. :-(

My Grandpa, my godmother, and my two neighbors from home came to Richmond for my show!

All 11 Studio Art Majors at the University of Richmond (plus our two professors)!

So what is your favorite memory or most treasured item?

St. Patty's Day and Catch a Leprechaun Activity

With St. Patrick's Day approaching I've been reflecting back on what I have done with my students the past few years and looking to this week. Since this is my second year in K and last year I was in survival mode, this year I've been working on stepping things up and making new centers. I created a word wall game for my kindergarten class called "Catch a Leprechaun" and thought I should share with the blogging world! Enjoy!!

I come from a big family that loves St. Patrick's Day so I love to entertain my students with my fun and crazy family activities. The majority of my family are Irish Catholics (my immediate family are the oddballs as the Presbyterians) but pretty much everyone lives for St. Patrick's Day and lives in the area. And when I mean a big family, I mean big. My Aunt is one of 10 kids each of which has at least 3 children plus grandchildren now! We're described as a little bit nutty because how many families do you know that have their own float in the Washington, DC St. Patrick's Day Parade?

Marching down Constitution Ave.

Usually we have a showing of 50-75 family members for the parade every year rain or shine. I'm posting photos from the parade two years ago, last year it was rainy so I didn't take any photos. So one of my family traditions is as we
pass the judging booth we sing, "The Unicorn Song" by The Irish Rovers and everyone participates in the dance to the chorus from adults and grandparents down to our "stroller brigade" we have following the float. It's a big hit and we've won our section of the parade quite a few times! So the part I teach my kids is the chorus, during the rest of the song they Irish dance around the room. I do teach them a few Irish dance steps but they take it from there!

My cousins and I on the float.

Here's the chorus with the movement:
"There was green alligators (clap your arms together)
and long-necked geese (hold 1 arm up to the sky)
Some humpty backed camels (hands over head making humps)
and some chimpanzees (hands scratching under arm pits)
Some cats (use finger to make cat ears)
and rats (fingers to make rat teeth) and elephants (long arm out in front swinging back and forth),
but as sure as you're born
The loveliest of all was the unicorn" (one finger up on top of head)

The Leprechaun always comes to visit at school! Last year I left little green footprints using a stamp I bought at a craft store plus glitter all over the room and chairs and things all out of place. The Leprecaun then hid a box of gold coins (beans spray painted gold) and a bag of gold nuggets (Rolos candy) for the kids to find. I was lucky last year because I had a student who was taking Irish Dancing classes so he came in and led the kids in a dance.

We also made Leprechaun Hats and frosted cookies with sprinkles.
To make the hats cut paper with the dimensions below:

• Green rectangle 9"x 24"
• Black rectangle 4"x 24"
• Yellow buckle 4"x 5"
• Black buckle 3"x 4"
• Dicut 1 dark green shamrock

~Lindsey

Day 5: Europe memories

The more I thought about this blog posting for the 30 day challenge the harder it got for me. All I could think about is my friends, most are married or have kids, who could easily share their marriage or birth of their child as their favorite memory. So as I contemplated my favorite memories as a single thirty year old woman, I felt my favorite experiences involved my travels in Europe. I'm heading to Brazil this April so I'm sure that will make the top of my list!

While in college I studied in Florence, Italy for the summer of 2000. I went to art school in Florence and created my own study abroad program after leaning that my university didn't have any opportunities for art students in Italy, which as an art major seemed the only logical place to go. My photos from that trip are not digital so I'm sharing a few of those that I have scanned. I walked past the Duomo and through the Uffizi on my way to class every day. The Ponte Vecchio is beautiful and overpriced but a great tourist trap to all those who visit Florence.

In 2005, my friend Laura was living and working in Lyon, France, a town I had visited for a day while backpacking in 2000. I flew over for spring break and stayed with Laura in Lyon and went to ski the French Alps which was always a dream of mine.
I got myself a new digital camera for the trip and took some amazing pictures from the top of the glacier. This was my dream trip!

Tignes was the 1992 host for the freestyle skiing evenst at the winter olympics. Tignes and V'a d'Isere together are known as Espace Killy. I stayed in a small town called Les Brevieres on the outskirts of Tignes (I could catch the gondola up) in a British hotel, Chalet Chardon, I found them online and they set me up with a deal on housing for the 5 days I was there.

View from the base in Les Brevieres and getting ready to go up the gondola.

Love this picture!

Skiing down to the town of Tignes

At the turn to ski to Val d'Isère

View from the top of the world! On the top of Grande Motte glacier. Yes, I am above the clouds!

My favorite photo of the trip! Lift to no where!

Day 4: A Typical Night

I didn't make it home last night until late so I'm posting my Day 4 of my 30 day challenge this morning. A typical night in my life is actually quite busy.... so after leaving school anywhere from 4-5pm... 

I first go to students houses to tutor... I tutor Monday through Wednesday

 On Monday and Wednesday nights after tutoring I run home for a quick bite to eat and drive to DC to coach swimming practice for an adult masters swim club. Practice is from 8-930pm.

 When I finally make it home this is usually what I look like...

 At least one night a week depending on the season I squeeze in sports. This winter season on Thursday nights I play dodgeball. In the spring and fall I play kickball.

As you can imagine after all of this by the time I get to my bed around 11pm I usually look like this...

Day 3: What are your favorite TV shows?

So today is day 3 of the 30 day challenge posted by Fierce, Fit and Fabulous. I thought it would be easier to share a few shows rather than just one show... So first are my any time shows.... if its on and I've seen it a million times I'll still watch it....

 

Now these are my current on air shows....  there are so many more but this is what occurred to me today.

My Oldest and Closest Friend

Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest

So my picture is of my oldest and closest friend from growing up, Sara. We grew up living across the street from each other and were born 6 days apart. I’m older J We always joked that Sara got the brains and I got the brawns! In kindergarten Sara got to skip on up to 1^st grade so she got to hold that card J  We attended the same schools and lived across the street our whole lives, both of our parents still live in the same houses. We use to build snow forts in my front yard, play Risk for days, and walk each other back and forth across the street home (the whole 2 houses) until the sun went down. We even shared her bedroom when my parents put an addition on our house in 6^th grade. We went to camps as kids and swam on swim team together through high school. Even through college school we stayed close and always picked up where we left off. We still know how to push each other’s buttons but also how to pick each other up when we’re down. Now I’m living in Bethesda and Sara’s down the road about 4 miles.  She got me the great job coaching her swimming team. The picture above is from the Washington Post Hunt we did together in 2008. We had to search the paper for clues and then run around downtown DC to solve puzzles. Every kind of thinker was needed so we had a great team with our buddy Mike.  I love Sara  and so glad she’s always been there since I was 6 days old!

30 Day Challenge!

30 day blog challenge

Yay! I am excited to attempt my first blog challenge. Link up with Fierce, Fit and Fabulous and join in on the fun!

Here are the list of daily challenges:

Day 01 - A picture of yourself with ten facts

Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest

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

Day 04 - A picture of your night

Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory

Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day

Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item

Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh

Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most

Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with

Day 11 - A picture of something you hate

Day 12 - A picture of something you love

Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist

Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without

Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die

Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you

Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently

Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity

Day 19 - A picture and a letter

Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel

Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget

Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at

Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book

Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change

Day 25 - A picture of your day

Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you

Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member

Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of

Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile

 Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss

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Day 1- Picture of yourself with 10 facts.

At my friend Dottie Millwater's wedding this past summer! Check out Dottie's blog at http://dottiemillwater.blogspot.com/

1)   I’m a sucker for jellybeans! I know I’m starting my 30 day challenge in March but I’m worried since all the Easter candy is now out at the stores that I won’t be able to stop myself! Jolly Rancher and Starburst jellybeans are the best!

2)   I’ve taught 3 grades: 4^th, 2^nd, and Kindergarten.  9 years in total!

3)   I have a collection of over 60 rubber ducks J My students use them at school for sorting and counting activities… well that’s my excuse!

4)   When I can’t sleep at night I search the web for ideas for school. I’m sure if I read a book I’d get back to sleep quicker but it happens often enough that I love to read other peoples blogs and planning ahead! I’ve got teaching on the brain!

5)   I love sports! I play golf, kickball, dodgeball, skiing, snowboarding, In the past I swam through college (I can’t get in the pool anymore but do coach), and played a season of flag football and indoor volleyball.

6)   I’m a busy bee after school. I tutor 3 kids every Monday-Wednesday and then coach swim team Monday and Wednesday nights from 8-9:30pm. As you can imagine, I’m pretty tuckered out by the weekend!

7)   I’m allergic to cats, horses, trees, pollen, mold, cut grass, peaches, and lettuce.

8)   I don’t like to eat tomatoes or pickles.  It’s a seedy juicy problem.

9)   I like my eggs cooked over medium. Why I don’t know it’s just the way I’ve had them cooked since going to college.

10)  I am not a fan of activities in the great outdoors. I don’t camp/fish/or other participate in other nature type activities.  I don’t have a green thumb. The whole concept of sleeping outside in a tent with bugs, noises, and creatures freaks me out. I don’t consider the sports I play as nature activities.