Volleyballin'

Hey Friends,

Happy Sunday Night!  Are we loving the ACM's?  Any excuse to watch Lukey do anything is reason enough for me to spend 3 hours glued to my television.  Also, and most importantly, does Faith Hill age?  The answer is no.  Loving the Lady A + Stevie Nicks lovefest we have extended from Crossroad's to the ACM's.

I had a lervely day today.  I went to KOP to do a little guilty pleasure shopping with Kate and then we had a very guilty dinner at Cheesecake Factory.  Yummmmmmmzzzzzz!  We had chats about boys, work, summer, and life plans.  The things Girls' Nites are built for.


I got to go to Lilly  Pulitzer (always a win), LOFT (new sweater for interview #2), and we obviously went to Tiffany's.  We didn't buy anything (sad panda) but a salesman in a different store asked us how our shopping day was going and we told him we went to Tiff's and he goes, "Tiffany's isn't what it used to be.  It used to be a much more respected jeweler, but now it's an online store that sells silver bracelets to teenaged girls."  We both laughed sheepishly and hid our left wrists behind our backs to disguise our T&Co silver bracelets that we wear religiously.  Anyway, it was a good laugh.

My new Lilly P starfish earrings.  If it's not summer yet, at least my ears will be summery!

So this past Friday night I played in my district's Volley For Support Game.  In my district this is a huge deal and has been since its origin 10 years ago.  All of the money goes towards charities chosen by the district.  The district sells t-shirts, food, raffle tickets, etc.  It's, as Donald Trump would say, YUUUUGE!  I got to play this year and I was pretty pumped.

I consider my self a vert.  Not an extrovert, not an introvert, just a vert.  I like people but I don't jump out of my skin if I have to spend time alone.  Hence the vert-ness.

Anyway, on Friday afternoon, they had all the teachers at my school play against each other in a pep rally game.  Well, this former cheerleader never met a pep rally she didn't love.  So my students cheered for me and welp, I ended up hitting myself in the face!  Yes!  I bumped the ball and it backfired off a pole and hit me square in the face.  Sometimes I even impress myself!  I lived and realized that my athletic abilities bar had reached a new low...aka my favorite place because the only way to go is up! So I recovered and had some good hits.  (Also because I'm such an intelligent being, I forgot my jacket at home so the para in my room loaned me her sweater.  Everyone at that school is so nice!)  I started playing better and even scored a few points.

After the game one of my students came up to me and said, "Miss Kitley, at first you didn't do so well.  But then, you warmed up and you were actually pretty good!"  I was like, "Thanks, Bud!  I think that was a pretty fair assessment of how I played!" Gotta love 4th grade honesty!

Anyway, that night I drove to the event and met up with the fellow teachers.  I have to tell you that all of the teachers are so nice to me.  As a student teacher you really don't have a place.

source

Yes, student teachers are the Tobies of the district.  In my experience student teaching is what you make it.  You should get involved because you want to know all the dynamics of the school and meet as many people as possible.  It's good networking.  Also, the principal will see that you enjoy getting involved and being a team player.  Am I the most athletic person on the planet?  Heck no.  Do I care?  No.  Did I have fun and get myself out of my comfort zone?  Absolutely.  Was it worth it?  100%!  All of the teachers have welcomed me to the school and even though I'm not superduper athletic they still let me play.  They all say hi to me in the hallway and include me in lunchroom conversations.  You might be thinking big deal they're being humans.  Well, yes, on one hand yes they are, but on the other hand, sometimes schools can be cliquey places.  This school is not like that at all.  Since I'm a vert, I appreciate this.  

Anyway, at the game I actually played pretty well.  I had 3 goals:

1.) Do not cause injury to anyone on your team

2.) Do not cause injury to yourself

3.) Do not lose the game for your team

I didn't do any of the other above.  I hit the ball well, I didn't hurt anyone, nor did I eat the ball.  All improvements.  I heard my students cheering for me, too.  That was super cool!  I love my kiddos. 

We ended up losing in the first round to a fellow elementary school 15-14.  Tough loss.  We all played hard and it was all for a good cause!  Everybody is a winner in that light!

It was a lot of fun and I'm glad I participated.  My Deb and Dad showed up to cheer for me which was super fun and nice and meant a lot to me.  I love how supportive my parents are.  I know that I will be there for all of my future children's events because they showed me such a great example of how important it is to be involved and support your kids.  (Even your grown up kids who play in charity volleyball games:))

Here is actual photographic evidence of my athletic endeavors.

Go Bulldogs!

Got My Game Face On!

Look At That Skill LOLZ  My Gym Teachers Must Be So Proud!

I hope you are all having a fabulous Sunday!  Wish me luck tomorrow, I have a job interview for a job I reeeeeaaaalllly want!  Fingers crossed!!

Love and Happiness,

Er

  

When Saying Yes Leads To Volleyball...

Hey Hey Hey!

Happy Tuesday!  This is one of those weeks that is both dragging and flying!  I have a short week at ST because I have interviews Friday (EEK!) and we had a 2 hour delay yesterday because Jack Frost wasn't finished with NJ yet...Ya can be done now my frenemy.

Soooooooo, student teaching (ST) is interesting.  Full post on that later.  It's a complete 180 from my last placement and therefore bittersweet.  Anyway, today played out like this:

I'm a huge believer in saying yes to things that scare you or take you out of your comfort zone.  Most great things total disasters that then become silver linings in my life start as me being like, "OOOOOhhhh, a little uncomfortable.  Okay this isn't so bad.  ERMERGERD I LERVE IT!"  Today my friends was one of those days.  So the district I ST in has a Volley For Support Event every spring. Every year teachers from across the district compete in an elimination volleyball tourney.  My school is obviously participating but up until 8:22 am this morning I was not.  That is...until one of the fellow 4th grade teachers asked if I wanted to play because, "We could use the height."  I was secretly intrigued by the game and agreed.  Sometimes I channel my inner Bethenny Frankel and come from a place of yes.  Usually I say yes to things like the second piece of cake, glass of wine, random Girls' Nites etc, but this time I said yes to v-ball.

Here's a leeetle peek into my v-ball history:

Age 5- Builds sand castles in volleyball court at swim club.
Five minutes later-gets bored with sandcastles and plays on swings.
Age 8-joins 4th of July kids volleyball tourney at said swim club.
Five minutes later-misses the ball and quickly everyone learns I suck at volleyball.
6th grade-Volleyball comes to gym class.  I miss more than I hit.
7th grade-Volleyball, I've come to learn, is what gym teachers make you play in the winter because there is nothing else to do with middle schoolers.  I improve but still prefer to hang with my Blonde Mafia in the back.  (Yes, my gym friends and I were the Blonde Mafia because 2/3 of us were blonde and one was Italian...)
8th grade-Standing in the back row and refusing to actually play the sport makes me a pretty good server.  Ok, good enough to not be the impetus of groans when you stand in the fateful serving spot.
9th grade-Get an 100% on written Volleyball test.  YAYAY!
9th grade one day later-Permenantly plant self at serving position because that's all folks.  Got no other skills.
10th grade-Learning that bumping the ball is something I don't suck at.  Win!  100% on v-ball written test.
11th grade-I can hit it over head.  P.S. still rocking that 100% on the v-ball test.  Yes it's still the same test since the dawn of gym class time but a 100 is a 100 people.
12th grade-Didn't get picked last for v-ball because I don't suck at v-ball (aka baller server and bunting skills--HELLO!) and because most girls have fake nails and I'm au natural in the nail department!  *Welcome to NJ y'all!*
12th grade Spring-I join am forced to for service hours the NHS v-ball tourney with 5 other cheerleaders and we won 2 rounds before being eliminated!  Go us!

Age 23-Playing on the K. Elementary School charity v-ball team!  We had practice today and I did pretty well!  I'm pumped to play and will be sharing my *training* lolzlolzlolz with y'all as I go!  2 weeks til show time...errr--GAME TIME!  GOD ERIN YOUR DANCE/CHEERNESS IS SHOWING!  (I will never spike the ball because I love my nose too much)

Senior Year NHS V-Ball Tourney With My Cheer Friends!

For those of you wondering our theme was Let's Get Physical like the Olivia Newton John classic jam

*Our theme for cheer camp was also Let's Get Physical!*

Anyway, here's to a great week!  Happy Hump Day! *P.S. yes I still own the socks I'm rocking in that pic!  No I don't still sport the pig tails (mostly because they are a pain to get centered and even)*

Bump, Set, Spike,

Erin