It's A Wonderful Life!!!: January 2011

Monday, January 31, 2011

Shutterfly Deal

Love Hugs Kisses Valentine's Day 5x7 folded card

Unique party invitations and announcements by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Sunday School Bowling

I love love love our Sunday School Class!!

I know I have posted before on our get togethers...but we have them every third Saturday of the month!! We have such a great time together!

This month's event was BOWLING!

We really enjoyed the time together!!

We have a very wide variety of personalities so it makes for some FUN moments!!!

I love these pictures of Michelle!! The picture on the right is when she was telling me that I better NOT post (anywhere) the picture on the left of her.

OOPS...I think I just did...shh don't tell her! ;)

Then there are those of us that get very excited when we actually knock some of the pins down...because those times are very few and far between!!

As you can see it is mainly the girls that have issues with bowling.

Why is that??

What a wonderful night to just spend time with friends and enjoy ourselves!!

I am so thankful for my church family!

Here is a picture of Michelle and I. I am so thankful that we are able to be together out here in California. It's like I always have a piece of home with me.

What a wonderful friend she is!

Then of course there is my husband!! He is so good to me!

We are enjoying every minute of being newlyweds...I want to be newlyweds forever! :)

We are already getting ready for our next "event!"

Our class is hosting a Valentine's Couples Banquet for all the couples in the church!!! Be watching for a post about it..shortly after Valentine's!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Two Peas in a Pod

Do you remember your childhood best friend?

Meet Gabi and Giselle.

These two are currently my favorite set of "best friends."

Gabi and Giselle are definitely "two peas in a pod!"

They are your typical set of "best friends"

Gabi is the quiet, reserved one

Giselle is the witty, outgoing one

I LOVE these two sweet girls!

I love that they refer to each other as " my best friend" even when they are standing next to each other.

Here is an example of an everyday conversation I might have with these two.

Gabi and Giselle standing by my desk at lunch

Giselle: (while raising hand) "Mrs. Balatbat"

Me: "Yes, Giselle?"

Giselle: "Ummm....my best friend and I went biking last night"

Me: "Oh really!! Gabi (standing right next to her) did you have fun biking?"

Gabi: "Yes, and then we went to McDonalds!" (big grin on face)

Here's another: (in the middle of a lesson)

Gabi(raises her hand)

Me: "Yes, Gabi"

Gabi: "Ummm....me and my best friend went to the zoo"

Me: "Oh really!"

I glance at Giselle who is sitting at her desk grinning and shaking her head up and down as if to say "Yep we did!"

These two definitely have the ability to make my day no matter what mood I am in.

I love that they have this unwavering dedication to their friendship!

As is the case with most children who are best friends, so are their parents. These families are amazing!

They will do absolutely anything to help me in the classroom, whether its grading, cleaning, buying something for the class, fixing something, sharpening pencils for the kids, running an errand to the office for me, making breakfast for the class, bringing me Jamba Juice on really hot days and coffee on really cold days etc etc....

Separately each parent treats each of these two girls like they are their own!

When the school year started I was almost convinced that they each thought they had two Dad's. They each call their own "Dad" and the other "Poppi"

It's so cute!!

I have been extremely lucky to have these two girls and their families be apart of my first year of teaching!!

And....

Finally, I LOVE that they are only in 1st grade....

which means...

I have another entire year with them!!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Our First Christmas

I am aware that I have been a horrible blogger the last month! I apologize!:)

Our holiday season was filled with so many great memories!! We were busy busy busy!!! I took so many pictures of all of the festivities but I tried to narrow it down a little for you!

The last day of school we had our Christmas party! It was a such a great day! We made Christmas cards for their parents and used WAY too much glitter! Then the whole whole school had lunch together in the church auditorium that was tons of fun! Several of the school parents planned for it, decorated and served us all lunch! After the lunch we then finished the day opening gifts...theirs from me and then mine from them!!

As I mentioned before, the week of Christmas I was able to make a quick trip home to Indiana to see my family and friends back home! I had a very eventful time trying to make it to Indiana...after my flight being cancelled the first day and then delayed till the next night..I eventually made it.

As a result, my trip was shortened to only two days long but I was able to fit a lot in during my stay!

My best friends and I spent one of the mornings doing a fun photo shoot, getting manicures and going to lunch! Great memories were made!

My family and I spent an evening in Downtown Chicago. We went to the zoo and looked at their awesome Christmas lights and ice sculptures! Chicago is such a beautiful city at Christmas!

My girls and I were also able to have our annual Christmas together. Who knows the next time we will all be together for that again!

I was also present for my family's Christmas! I am such a lucky girl, I have the best family on earth! I miss them so much!

After all that I came back to California and my husband on Christmas Eve.
We had a wonderful first Christmas together. Christmas morning we opened our gifts.