Amanda Rose blog

field trip today // hell day tomorrow // and those kiddos

field trip today

Thank goodness, too.  We had one last week and the shot above shows some of my bunch chasing after my para across an open field.  It's amazing when kids can just be kids, and not expected to be robot regurgitaters of the stupid Common Core Standards. Ick.

hell day tomorrow

Tomorrow is the mock Quality Review I talked about in this post. There's a 1 in 3 chance they're going to be visiting my classroom because there are only three of us self-contained teachers.  I guess I'm prepared (sorta) but I can't help but feel like these reviewers are dying to "get" me..."get" all of us NYC teachers and try to prove in some way we can't/don't/won't teach.  Like, what else would we be doing?! Anyway...it's sent me on a stress super-highway to a nervous breakdown. People have been asking me if I have any plans this Memorial Day weekend, and I'm just like, "I haven't yet thought past Thursday at 3pm...if I make it to there, ask me then."

those kiddos

I love 'em.  I mean all the bull---t aside, they're friggin' hilarious. So weird and great.  Sometimes they drive me crazy, too, but I usually appreciate every second I spend with them.  Yesterday was a good day.  ...and Monday?

This happened Monday:

BIANCA: "Miss Zampelli, I heard Perla say 'shit' and 'dick'."

ME: (gasp) "Oh no. Thank you for telling me, Bianca. I will talk to her."

BIANCA: "I heard her say 'shit' and 'dick.'

ME: "...oh, okay...I'll make sure I talk to her tomorr..."

BIANCA: "...'shit' and 'dick'..."

ME: "Okay, thank you. That's enough."

There she is, with my four girls. She cracks me up.

She wrote me this poem last year.

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Happy Hump Day!

Let's make it to Friday, shall we?

my weekend with my Erin Condren LIFE PLANNER

Well...look what landed in my lap Friday evening: my Erin Condren Life Planner.
I told you it would arrive any day.

A bunch of this past weekend was spent getting to know this planner, and testing out all sorts of jottings, pens, recording techniques, figuring out what I liked, didn't...you know the deal.  

Here are some shots from my weekend with my Erin Condren LIFE PLANNER:

top, left: I chose the 2013 life planner - collage cover which customizes the front and back of the planner with pictures you upload.  It looks a lot like my current header, as those are the things most making up my life right now.  I personalized it with my name, and the sentiment I'd most like my future plans to propel me toward: "She believed that she could, so she did."

top, right: I marked my first May week with my planner by printing out instagram shots from those days.  I really like how they look and how it ties the day to an image, so I'll probaly continue that all throughout December.

middle, left: a close-up look of the instagram I took once I had my new planner in my lap, with a little bit of journalling around it

middle, right: a quick weekly BLOG POST sticker I designed to match the month and function as a spot to plan the posts for that week

bottom, left: I love that just two days with this planner has brought my stamp mojo back! Maybe by summer it'll inspire me to whip up some new stamps for the shop! Who knows?!
(Those used above are Amy Tangerine's.)

bottom, right: I don't really like to "attack" my planner in advance.  I like to write/scribble/fuss once the week hits...so I'm big on removable stickies.  I'm already thinking about July (duh!) and labelling my weeks of project life. ;) (Those arrow stickies form Target.)

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I decided that I'm going to experiment with this planner -- no holds barred -- for the rest of May and June -- while school is still in session.  THEN...when the ever-loving SUMMER STARTS on June 27th (last day of school is June 26th) I will have developed some sort of system to make this work for me.

I'll let you know when I know!

Adios, amigos!

STEAL Magnolias

Since the Monday sister shenanigans that occurred last week on our walk/jog/run trail, every day that's felt like spring, my sister and I have gotten out to scale our neighborhood.

...and every time we have, we've seen more and more beauty blossoming in these magnolia trees.

The color, coupled with the blue sky...it's definitely pulling my inner color dial that spins wildly with the changing of seasons, trying to land on a go-to palette for the next few weeks/months.

The blues, pinks, and purples have already inspired a bunch of my recet instagram images, as you can see above.  My favorite part is this is not even a conscious decision.  The magnolia trees have no doubt left an impression, and effected me more so this year than any year before.

I think it has a lot to do with the break-up (1, 2, & 3).  I'm doing really well in a lot of ways, but am truly broken in very unobvious ways.  Things that normally wouldn't bother me, have lately.  I've gotten incredibly emotional after hours of strength.  I'll be ecstatic that it's spring one minute, then be flooded with one of our many spring memories, and need to stop and catch my breath the next. People around me talking to me, not talking to me, about him, about work, about their love problems...I physically can't seem to take any of it lately.  My sleeps's been off.  Dreams of him. Time feels frozen.

But everyday we walk...and every time I past these magnolia trees, I feel lifted.  All the struggles I've been going through in missing him, in being alone - -truly a palpable loneliness- - for those brief traveling moments walking under the magnolia tree, I am at peace.

I'm truly grateful for their presence in my life this year.

I had made up my mind that I wanted to steal a couple of magnolias.

At the end of our walk yesterday, that's what I did:

God bless.

Happy Thursday.

Thanks for visiting.

Spring Fever = Bike Fever

Yesterday, I traveled some miles away because
"I had to see about a [bike]." -- Will Hunting.
I ended up purchasing this bike.

 I'm visualizing everything you see above along with it:
this helmet to be tied down with these bungees,
and this basket to hold this bag.

I have a dress similar to that one from Old Navy, and
I plan to wear it with brown boots that match the handle bars.

Spring Fever = Bike Fever

...and I'm burnin' up, baby!

Want some more? See my bicycleLOVE pin board.

my poetry || Hey, YOU.

You keep at it, girl.
Less than four months now...
and the weather's getting warmer,
your clocks are back to normal...

...you will get to June.
Everything will be okay.
Stay cozy, keep smiling, and
do something for yourself everyday.

Great things are in store for you.

Love,
YOU

summer 2012 / I want to remember...

I still have not wrapped my head around the fact that summer has disintegrated.  

However, I'm sure the Fall's chill will get me there quickly.

This summer...ah, this summer...I'd have to say that this summer was a yin-yang of light and dark, but I think every single bit of it was a crucial part of this year's quest for {movement}.

Elise did a post of this format a few days ago, and this here is my version to encapsulate all the things from my summer twenty.twelve. So without further ado...

From summer 2012...

I want to remember the feeling I had on the last day of school of my super rough first year, and the dress I wore.

I want to remember that it was the first summer in about 10 years that I didn't work or school.

I want to remember that I went to the beach with friends about a handful of times, and each time was magical.

I want to remember how fun learning Photoshop was for me, and how this summer's PS play has made me hungry to learn more.

I want to remember that I met my technological soul mate: the BAMBOO tablet.

I want to remember that big 4th of July BBQs are fun, but casual at-home 4th of Julys with close family and fireworks in your backyard are fun too.

I want to remember that I dreamed a lot about my future kids' summers.

I want to remember my mint Anthropologie watch that I bought myself for completing my first year.

I want to remember all the quality time I spent with the boops.

I want to remember that trip to IKEA with my sister and mom.

I want to remember that a few key items can makeover a room and make it feel more like home.

I want to remember how much Baskin Robbins mint chocolate chip I ate, and how still -- after 20+ years, uhh...YEAH! It's still my favorite!

I want to remember that I mastered some basic skills of organization. 

I want to remember my chubby cat iPhone case, and how I finagled the guy to give it to me for $9 and not $20.

I want to remember that I launched my STAMP SHOP. ♥ ♥ ♥

I want to remember that I went wine-tasting for the first time.

I want to remember our 2nd Annual Crazy Cousins' Day.

I want to remember my quiet afternoons in the pool.

I want to remember my delicious discoveries of Shock-Top Raspberry Wheat beer and Tate's Bake Shop's Chipless Wonders.

I want to remember our East Coast Road Trip.  I want to remember everything about it.

I want to remember BINGO night with Grams.

I want to remember I shot a gun!

I want to remember the long bouts of time in the car with Tomas, seeing actual chickens cross the road, random highway forest fires, singing and napping and laughing and goofing and thinking.

I want to remember Washington D.C.

I want to remember how much I missed home.

I want to remember all the stamp shop orders I walked to the post office.

I want to remember my reawakened appreciation for cute mugs and my participation in the #mugswap.

I want to remember how August became silent and sad, and even still, gave me room and space to think and grow.

I want to remember the Olympics: the Fab 5, the synchronized swimming, the woman's indoor volleyball...

I want to remember Carmen & that water bottle.

I want to remember not wanting my Summer bubble to burst.

I want to remember mornings spent in the craftroom for hours, or outside PLing in the sun.

I want to remember Jamina's pool-visit with the kids, because every year they get so much bigger!

I want to remember to cover my Staz-On ink pad after using.

I want to remember Claude's, my sister's, and my trip to Estelle's to find her a Sweet 16 dress.

I want to remember the Friday morning Claude and I spent crafting the backdrop for the photoshoot.

I want to remember Claudia's Sweet 16 Photoshoot that I planned, orchestrated, shot, edited, and was theMOSTfun.

I want to remember my olloclip purchase.

I want to remember my late-August burst of cute-outfit inspiration.

I want to to remember that I took polaroids, and should never stop taking polaroids.

I want to remember Tomas's dad's birthday at Keen's in the city, and the delicious steak I had, and the open sun roof city ride that followed.

I want to remember that did my best to prepare for the new school year.

I want to remember my complete addiction to instagram and the recording of the above events.

I want to remember this summer forever.

...so there was this #mugswap, and it was all kinds of awesome....

If there're two things that totally jazz me up, it's making connections with new fun and fabulous ladies from here, there, and everywhere, and drinking my morning coffee out of a cute mug.

Enter ACUPPAKIM's Second Annual Mug Swap,
which I saw mentioned in an instagram image,
and knew I had to harp on it.

>>click image above to see the recap & the mugs sent 'round the globe<<

I sent my info to cute Kim to send to another cute lady, and she sent me my #mugswap buddy. If you remember, I gave my swapee this sweet mug equipped with DIY tea-bag tags.

About a week later, I received my mug:

Gah! It was wrapped in hot-pink bubble wrap, with sweets & treats from Florida from the super sweet @resriejean. See her blog here.

I've had it for a few weeks now, and I still smile when I sip from it.  

Thanks, Kim, for secretly letting me slide into the swap. :)  It made my August.  

Count me in for the next one!

pretty basic |week 34| my *Project Life* album

Printed photos, embellished with stamps...sometimes washi.
Such was my low-key approach to PL this summer.

The whole left side is made up of shots from Claudia's Sweet 16 photoshoot just 'cause it was that fun & fabulous.

My album is getting so fat.
I'm aiming to fit it in just this one album, and I think it can be done. We'll see.

The whole left side of |week 34| was little happenings, special moments:

I started having these visions of my 28th birthday coming up in November. ? ? ?
I journalled them on an insert: 

a little sneak peak:

Read what's going to be our first read-aloud of the school year: Judy Moody was in a Mood; I had Friday night in NYC, eating steak, and admiring the Empire State Building...

^ above, the potential for {movement} with this pattern is pretty great...it's going to depend on the happenings of next week. (How vague was I just there?! Ha!)

v below, you can see the final fun event of |week 34|...I got my mug for #mugswap and it's the sweetest powder blue with flowers and butterflies! I love it.

That's all I got, folks. In my world, |week 34| was like the last week of Summer. :'(
This week -- Monday through Friday -- I'm back in my school, in my classroom, trying to navigate my way through the chaos.

The stress, anxiety, and soreness (from all the heavy lifting) that I already feel is mind-blowing...and only after two days! I've had nightmares, I've lost sleep...haa haa! It's ridiculous. :P
I have three more days to set up and I hope I can get it all done. 

Thanks for viewing my PL, and thanks for letting me vent a little. ;)

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For more of my past Project Life spreads, go HERE.

For more on Project Life itself, go HERE.

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xOxO,

DIY Photoshoot Backdrop

If you've spied my pinterest, then maybe you would have seen my pin board photoshoot*ideas. 
I have loaded my brain with those pinned images aiming to conduct my own photoshoot when the right opportunity arose.

Well, we know how that turned out.

This is the post to show you how we made the DIY backdrop...

(FIRST) we duck taped 9 posterboards together and made a square 3x3 posterboard 'wall'.

(SECOND) we layed the posterboard 'wall' down outside, lining the edges and corners with newspaper.

(THiRD) we got the materials to paper-mache light pink and magenta bands of streamers on the 3x3 posterboard 'wall': wallpaper paste, water, paintbrushes.  By doing paper mache, the posterboard  'wall' would be reinforced.

(FOURTH) Claudia and I sat on our butts and painted the 'wall' with glue, then layed 5 rows of magenta streamer across, and then 5 rows of light pink streamer across.  *We needed to be careful because the streamer paper was very delicate.  It kept ripping, but when it did, we'd just place another piece of the same color over it. 

t

(FiFTH) we kept repeating (FOURTH) until the 'wall' is done, and fully glued & papered.

'

Then, you're (DONE) and you need to let it dry.  On the hot NY summer day, it dried in a little over an hour.  Keep in mind we only did one layer of glue/paper.

Once it dried, we hung it on our fence outside, got pretty and (SNAPPED PICS).

*CONFETTi SOLD SEPARATElY. ;)

Enjoy!

xOxO,

|week 33| my *Project Life* album

|week 33| came and went, and we're that much closer to September. Boo.

left side:

After -- like -- a zillion people recommended I watch Breaking Bad while I was off this summer, Tomas and I decided to give the first few episodes a shot last week.  Fast forward to the whole first season & beginning of the second season watched, and I'm pretty much hooked.

It's what's on TV.

I had a pool day with some of my favorite littles.

I created the hash #MEOWFIToftheday, and still get such a kick out of it. Tee!

Uhhh...HELLO?!?! |Week 33| also excitingly had my little STAMP SHOP mentioned in elise's rubber stamping post:

Didn't know if you've seen it. ;)

^^ left side was all the special moments of the later part of the week, where stress (thankfully) subsided a bit, and where clarity and peace of mind somewhat returned 

a Sweet 16 dress was chosen, and a DIY backdropped was crafted for a fun family photoshoot, 

...and I've currently been about ^^ the above QUOTE 

DIYed duck taped Bubba Keg & a crazy boop butt

Saturday morning: V-ball coachin' in my driveway

Saturday evening: the MIB song got stuck in my head

We took a walk around the Unisphere & Saturday night's all-black dinner outfit...
Hey!
I was a M.I.B.!! Haa haa!
Just realized that!

Oh, the little things that amuse me.

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For more of my past Project Life spreads, go HERE.

For more on Project Life itself, go HERE.

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Happy Sund!

xOxO,