Stephanie's Page

April 20, 2008
The weather has been beautiful! We set up out patio set (thanks Mom and Chuck)yesterday and had some friends over for a fire. We were told that we can prime Benjamin's room on Tuesday and Wednesday and hopefully be painting by Thursday or Friday. I can't seem to get anyone to call me back about coming to look at what we can do about the windows in that room... But hopefully this week I can get someone over to check them out. I get very worried that all three rooms will not be done by July. I am excited for each room to be done. Our bedroom will finally have a bring area that we both enjoy being in. The computer room will be a well organized space with a new desk (thanks Mom and Chuck). Benjamin's room so far is very open and bright!
Nate and I are looking forward to going to Ohio in two weeks for Ashley's graduation from BGSU.

April 11, 2008
I am going to try very hard to keep this updated... Pregnancy is going great! The charlie horses and backaches are about the only thing I have to complain about. Work is going well... I have dropped down to 16 students, which is pretty small. We finished up our Plant unit this week and will be starting farms next week. I have class tomorrow- not sure how I feel about it yet, I thought the paper would be easier after he explained it but I'm having trouble with it... For the paper I am doing a study on four students who are low in their sight word memorization and seeing if they can improve in their memory recall of the words.
As for the remodeling... It seems like everything is going wrong... Nate bought a new door to install and when he and Josh went to install it they discovered that the wall is not an average size width for a wall... I guess the people before us put a bored up over the lath and plaster and put dry wall on top of that making the walls thicker... I'm sure it will all work out in the end... I just want to have the remodeling done before Ben arrives... :)

April 5, 2008
WOW! It has been one crazy year... Nate and I bought a house (see photos). I am a little over 6 months pregnant with our first child. It's a boy! His name will be Benjamin Phillip. Nate and I choose the name Ben before we even got married- we both just liked it. Phillip was the name of his grandpa, and i thought it went quite well with Benjamin. I have been reading to him can feel him moving around in there :). I have been feeling pretty good. My eyesight is deteriorating, but the Dr. believes it is pregnancy related and will return to normal after I finish breast feeding.
I am teaching full day kindergarten and am have a great year. It has been a fun and exciting year. I have a fantastic group of kids who are very eager to learn. Although I will miss them I am looking forward to a nice long maternity leave- beginning June 7th and ending August 20th.
Nate and I have been doing some remodeling to our home. We are pulling down the paneling and lath and plaster and replacing it with drywall. We are also updating all the wiring. We also will be paining the downstairs, removing all the wall paper and replacing the front and back door.

July 30, 2007
Nate and I had a great weekend! The fireworks were awesome t and we enjoyed all the events around town.
I have an interview tomorrow with SSELC ( it is a K-1). I have a new portfolio to show off as well as more experience than I had interviewing last year. I m also awaiting a phone call to interview with AVES and SES.
Nate and I haven't heard anything on our move in date!! I can't wait until we are in the house.
We are going to Canton, Ohio this weekend for the Hall of Fame game on Sunday. We will be going to the Hall of Fame- it will have a special Steelers exhibit :)

July 22, 2007
Today is Nate's 30th birthday!!
We got the house!! We should be able to move in sometime mid- to late August! We are very excited Check out the photo page for some pictures of the outside. Pictures of the inside coming next month.
No word on interviews for the elementary positions I applied for. I have another grad. class starting next week, I hope the phone calls for interviews start this week...
Nate and I are pretty busy. I have been packing and he has been working a lot and doing a lot of work for the school board. We are working sometime this week at the concession stand for the Fireman's Festival. Its a carnival put on my the local fire department to raise money to continue to do all they do.

July 2, 2007
No word yet on the house or the job!! Classes start next week so I am looking forward to those!

June 25, 200 7
We found a house! It is being appraised this week and then we will be making an offer. It is two story, 3 bedroom home with 1.25 bathrooms and a two car detached garage. It is white and has a good sized yard and finished attic! All appliances are included in the home...**pictures coming soon!!!

Graduate classes start 7/9! I am excited to be getting my masters it should take about 2.5 years. I will take 2, one week classes this summer, and 2 classes each semester on Saturdays, Then repeat for the 08-09 school year. I have 4 electives to take but I can do them online next summer...

I talked to my mom today about when I am going to visit and about Christmas!! I am excited to be spending Christmas there!! Ashley's 22 birthday was yesterday and I was 'glad' she actually called me back....

June 11, 2007
School is out!! What a fantastic year. I worked with some wonderful teachers out at YEMS. I was able to educate some really awesome kids. I am spending this week creating a new portfolio to use when interviewing. I bought a brand new Chevy HHR it is dark blue with grey interior in May when I was visiting my mom. It is awesome!!
HOUSE UPDZTE
Nate and I have been busy looking for a house. We currently have 2 in mind. One is a white Cape Cod home with 3 bedrooms new hardwood floors and the other is a two story home the has been completely renovated. Hopefully we will be in a house when my dad comes to visit!! I think Nate and I are extremely picky when it comes to buying a house because we both know exactly what we want :) We will be buying a home this summer!! I love living in the 'forest' as my mom calls it. It is quiet, peaceful and beautiful. I have made some wonderful friends in the 2 years I have lived here.

Nate and I celebrated out 1 year anniversary over Memorial Day weekend. He made me a wonderful dinner and then we watched the sunset. He has done a lot of wonderful things while being on the school board for WCSD.
Hopefully since school is out I will be blogging more! Please check back for more details :)

April 7, 2007
I have been so busy teaching second grade that I have had no extra time to blog. Well let me update you all on a few things. I am currently under contract with WCSD the rest of the year.
Nate and I have been looking for houses in the area but have yet to find a house that we both like. However more and more houses come on the market every day. I am sure we will find one soon.

Due to being so busy with work, house hunting, and all the extra stuff we do around here I haven't been home to see my mom since Christmas. I am hoping to go the first weekend in May (if she will be in town) My mom and Chuck have been traveling constantly since they bought a new house in MI.
Nate and I will probably go to Cincinnati sometime in July if things work out well.

Yesterday Theresa and I drove her friend Diane to the Pittsburgh airport so she could get home to Pensacola, FL to see her family for Easter, It was a fun mini- trip.

I think there are somewhere around 40 days left of school., then back to interviewing and job applications. I have learned a lot this year, I went through the mentoring program as well as created a portfolio that is required of all full time teachers. WCSD is trying to find a way to implement all day kindergarten which would create more jobs. There are also quite a few retirements from all the 'lunch room' talk.

I am hoping to buy a Subaru Forester or Outback in the next few months... The 07 is out but I think I am going to go for an 06...

Well I am going to relax and enjoy Spring Break!! I will try t blog more and keep everyone up to date on the job and house hunt...
:)

November 27, 2006
Nate and I had a great Thanksgiving at his parents house with family. I went shopping on black Friday; there weren't a lot of good buys though. :( I am doing most of my shopping online this year.

I am waiting for my NY certification to arrive, hopefully it will be any day now! I am going to take the tests for my VA certificate. I am hoping I am picked for an interview for the fourth grade position at YEMS. I currently work in the building and have taught first and second grade there long term. I also tutor 5 fourth graders three days a week. Hopefully those things help my out in being one of the few chosen to be interviewed. I will be sure to keep everyone posted.

Nate and I are job hunting again! It is a lot of work but it's worth it. We are ready to buy a house a start a family in a few years. Unfortunately for us; that may mean we have to leave Warren County.

Thanksgiving break was fun I tried out my bread maker and was very successful!! My friend Theresa came to visit on Saturday from Florida. On Sunday I sold tickets at the Sheffield Sports Booster Turkey Party. Hopefully they raised a lot of money for the teams.

November 5, 2006
I found out this week that I will be teaching second grade until January 1st. :) I am very excited about this opportunity!! They are such a great group of kids!!!

I have been sick all weekend! I laid down for a nap yesterday around 2pm and woke up this morning at 6!! I still feel sick...

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving break in a few weeks! I don't think we are doing anything for Thanksgiving, Because Nate does not get the day after Thanksgiving off or the day after Christmas we wont be able to see my family for any of the upcoming holidays.

Not much going on with Nate and I, we are both so busy that we have little time to ourselves. I would like to go to Grove City Outlet Stores and do some Christmas shopping.

We will be making a trip out to Ohio to see my mom the weekend of December 15-17. Jess and Robbie are coming to Sheffield from VA to celebrate Christmas. It will be nice to see them. We have not seem them since our wedding.

October 24,2006
I have been busy teaching second grade!! I have had a busy school year so far!! I am teaching subtraction in Math and spiders in Science. This second grade is full of wonderful readers!! I have also started tutoring 5 fourth graders and 2 fifth graders after school. We just had our Title One game night last night!! It was fun!! All of the second graders who attended won a game...

Nate and I have been busy trying to figure out whether to rent or buy... Since I didn't get full time job we have been up in the air about what we should do... It is so frustrating... I have been teaching second grade since the first day of school this year and it will be hard to leave them and go back to day to day subbing in less than a month. I have put a lot of heart and time into creating the perfect classroom environment and I will miss all 20 of the students (plus the faculty).

September 19, 2006
Nate and I went to Toledo over the weekend!! On Saturday we did some shopping, went to Cecil's birthday party and then to Aunt Linda's. We went boating on Sunday with mom and Chuck then came back to Sheffield.

Second grade is great! We are learning a lot!!! We have Open House on Monday!

Nate and I are both VERY busy! I have applied for a kindergarten job at SSELC. That position is scheduled to start November 15th. My last day at YEMS is 'supposed' to be November17th but no one is really sure on when the teacher I am subbing for will be returning. I would enjoy teaching kindergarten, I love to see their faces light up when students read their first sentence, write their name the 'right' way and count to 50. It would be a very exciting grade to teach!!

Nate is busy with the board as well as building computers for a new branch at the bank.

September 10, 2006
Second grade is fun to teach!! I have been spending a lot of time getting my classroom in order and getting the right classroom management plan down. Sometimes I can't believe I am there 10-13 hours a day and still have the energy to spend this past weekend making 12 File Folder games. This week is our first full five day week so things should be settling down VERY SOON...

As many of you may know Bucky was caught... He was in our area for a few months but was caught about 2 miles from Nate's work.

We are looking forward to a fun filled month of Birthday parties as well as Josh and Christy's wedding!!

August 27, 2006
I have been busy decorating my classroom and attending meetings for the last week. Nate and I put up the last bulletin board on Friday evening- "A 'Grape' New Bunch" the we made a bunch of grapes and I am going to laminate it on Monday and put the kids names on it.

Nate and I have a very busy month coming up!! Cecil and Taylor's 1st birthday parties, Josh and Christy's wedding and STEELERS football starts 9/17!!

School starts on Wednesday!!! :)

August 13, 2006
Unfortunately I was not offered a full time teaching position for this year. However I did get a 9 week (or maybe longer) second grade position @ the same elementary school I had my last long term position at. Hopefully more teaching positions or at least long term positions become available. I am working on getting my NY certification as well as take a few online courses in order to gain Act 48 hours.

Nate and I went camping last night! We watched the meteor shower and roasted marshmallows!!

August 10, 2006
Last Friday I had an second interview with WCSD (which is where we live) It went really really well!! I am hoping to hear something back from them today or tomorrow...

August 1,2006
Nate and I went to VA over the weekend for a few job interviews. Both of our interviews went very well, however, I found out that even though I passed the PRAXIS in PA that in VA I did not pass... I also need to take another PRAXIS test because VA requires Content Knowledge and PA does not...Virginia's standards have changed and are now the second highest in the country.

It was a beautiful drive and we enjoyed having dinner with Jess (Nate's sister) and Robbie (her husband). It was fun to talk to people our age who are going through the same things we are.

I regret not starting the southern job search until June, if things don't work out here in PA we will be starting a lot earlier next year... Warren has had a few more positions open up and I am excited to interview with them again...

The Sheffield Fireman's Festival is going on this week with a parade and fireworks on Saturday... Nate and I had a blast last year walking around the town, volunteering for Sheffield Sports Booster to work in the concession stand, and talking to friends...

July 15, 2006
I received a few phone calls for interviews in North Carolina on Friday :) Nate and I applied to a few school districts together and are hoping to hear back from them next week. It would be awesome for us to be able to find a jobs at the same time in the same place which has been our problem for the past few years. We are excited to relocate, just ready to know where!! We have family in SC and VA and my parents may be retiring to the NC-SC area in the next 5 years or so. So we're just keeping our options open!

“Your future takes precedence over your past. Focus on your future, rather than on the past.”

July 11, 2006
I have been super busy sending out applications to a few different states... For the next few days I will be applying for jobs in NC, SC, VA, and a few others. I am hoping for a kindergarten or first grade position but I know I can teach any class I am given!!!

June 14, 2006
WOW!! Been long time since I have blogged...
Our wedding was the most magical event I think we will ever have!! A huge THANKS to all who helped with the planning...

We had an amazing time in Mexico... We went snorkeling, to a theme park, for walks on the beach, and to several different shows including a Roger Kreager concert and had a blast hanging out together... (Pictures coming soon)

I have an interview tom. morning with WAEC... I am very excited to interview with them, they have a huge new 2-5 school.

April 30, 2006
Our wedding is less than a month away!!! We are so excited to see everyone... We bought our plane tickets, June 3 is going to be a fun day for Nate and I because we will be on a plane to our honeymoon destination (there is a link to it below). I am so eager to see how much fun we have as this is our first real vacation together... It certainly won't be the last, Nate wants to go to Disney World next year!!! We have so many places and things we can't wait to do together!!! Well gotta go!!!

April 10, 2006
As usual we have both been very very busy... I am off for Spring Break from Wednesday through Easter Monday... I am hoping to get more wedding things done during the break... As far as I know everything is planned and ready to go for the wedding!!! Just doing a few little things like the favors, scrolls etc. I registered at Target, Kohls, and Williams-Sonoma. Nate and I also asked for a few things from Home Depot!!! I'm excited for Spring and warm weather; we love to go for drives around the Allegheny National Forest and hikes this time of year!!!

March 26, 2006
I went to Pittsburgh Friday night and had a great time!!! I was really happy to see Larry and Parker. We went to Leetsdale Vet's, Fred's Divot and Talerico's... I got to see Ambridge from the highest point- it was gorgeous!!! I was aware that this would be different from the other times I had visited home... I just didn't think it was going to be this awkward... But I understand the way it is.... Anyway it was an awesome time!!! And again thank you to Larry for showing me such a good time in Ambridge!!!!

March 21, 2006
I can't believe how fast the wedding is approaching.... Nate and I spent the past weekend in Erie; shopping and relaxing!! This weekend I should be in Pittsburgh, and the following one in Toledo having my fitting for my wedding dress...

March 13, 2006
Wow! it's been a long time since I blogged... I have been so busy... Not much to report, wedding plans are about done and the wedding is less than 2.5 months away... We updated our registry so you may want to check it out again...
Well like I said besides being busy I have not done very much besides working and working out...
Nate and I picked the spot for our honeymoon !!! Doesn't it look gorgeous!!! We are going to have a blast!!!

February 26, 2006
Congrats to Nate for being appointed to the school board!!!

I have lived in Sheffield for one year as of today!!!! :)

The last week has been a busy one! We went to my dads for a couple days. Nate was able to meet Sarah as well as see Cincinnati. We also drove to Indiana and Kentucky since Nate had never been to either (lol) And no trip to Cincinnati would be complete without a trip to Jungle Jim's !!! Thanks Dad and Sarah for a great weekend!!

The wedding plans are going great! I met with the caterer, DJ, photographer and flower lady! My cake is so cute and my flowers are going to look amazing!!! I can't wait to see it all!!!
**A special thanks goes to my mom and Chuck for all they are doing for the wedding!!!

This week will be pretty low key.. No school on Friday or next Monday!!!

“We simply assume that the way we see things is the way they really are or the way they should be. And our attitudes and behaviors grow out of these assumptions.”