Day 17: I'm looking forward to...

It's day 17 of Katie's 30 day blog challenge, and I've still not gotten any better at keeping up with this daily!  Oh well!  What can you do?  I've had a lot going on in my real life.  

So, here I go...

I'm looking forward to...

- Getting my hair highlighted tomorrow!  I'm desperately in need!

- Having November 2nd off of school for Election Day.

- A bus trip with my mom, and a friend and her mom.

- Babysitting our nephews overnight in a few weeks.

- Thanksgiving (15 people at our house for dinner!).

- Christmas and Winter Break

- 2011!

Day 12: What I Believe...

I believe...

...that I stink at this blogging every day thing.

...that everything happens for a reason.

...in the power of a close family.

...in friends who are like family.

...in eating dessert for dinner.

...in marriage.

...that I make a difference in the lives of my students.

...in having a good attitude.

....that a simple thank you goes a long way.

...in giving presents.

...in receiving presents :)!

Hop on over to Katie's blog and join in!

30 Day Blog Challenge- Day 5

Day 5: Siblings


I'm the oldest of my parents' three children, and I think most would say I'm the typical oldest child.  My sister, Amy, who is 17 months younger than me, is probably the typical middle child, and Brian, my brother who is 25 (and single, ladies!), is the typical youngest.  My parents have a blonde, a brunette, and a red head, and quite honestly, we really don't look that much alike.  My sister and I probably look the most different, and my brother and I probably look the most alike.  I think Brian looks a little like Amy, too, so he probably connects all three of us!

Amy and her "daughter" Penny

Growing up with a sister so close in age was great when I was younger.  We were best friends as little ones.  We always had a buddy to play with, and we had a lot of the same interests.  We're only one year apart in school, so we had several friends in common, too.  As we got older, probably around middle school and early high school, we began to grow apart.  Our interests changed, our friends changed, we changed.  I remember my parents used to say that they prayed that we would become close again when we got older, because it made them so upset to see how much we disliked each other during those years.  I'm happy to report that even though we don't talk everyday or see each other all the time, my sister and I have become much closer again.  I'm proud of who my sister has become.  She is very smart and independent.  She's always been the type to follow her passions, which was evident when she enrolled in  grad school to become a librarian, leaving her full-time job behind to pursue her dream.  Amy's not scared to veer from the norm.  When she shaved her head during her freshman year of college, as part of a dare, she was quite fine walking around bald, or with super short hair.  I was mortified!  Amy is a fantastic writer and a wonderful mama to her beagle, Penny!

Terrible picture quality, but I'm still having photo uploading issues!

My little bro, Brian, is the jokester of my family.  Like I said, he's the typical youngest and typical only boy. Brian can get my parents (and all of us) laughing like none other!  He is also very creative and a fantastic writer (not sure how I didn't get this trait!).  My dad used to call him, "The Video Game King" when he was younger.  Brian knows almost every movie there is, and I remember when he was probably nine or so, he would stay up late (with my mom!) to watch Letterman.  And he'd still get up for school!  Brian has lived with us twice recently, while he finished college and right when he started his job, before he got his apartment.  I feel like I've grown closer to Brian during these times, even though he is a very private and quiet person.  

All three of us live in the same area (within 10 minutes of each other, actually!), so it's convenient for my parents to be able to come down and visit all of us at once.  Even though I might not say it enough, I truly love my brother and sister and the people they have become!

30 Day Blog Challenge- Day 4

Day 4- Your parents

What can I say?  I have the greatest parents!  


My mom and dad, Janet and Dave, are seriously the nicest, most selfless people you will ever meet.  They are both so giving and caring, and will do anything for us kids, and most other people.  I'm getting emotional as I type this, because I know that when I was younger, I took for granted what great parents I have.  I was kind of bratty during my early teenage years, and I often regret the things I said to my parents.  I hope that I've made up for those bratty years, by being such a great daughter later in my life!!


My parents have been married for 34 years.  They are such good role models for Kurt and me, as a young married couple.  I have never seen my parents fight, though I remember them having "disagreements" when we were younger.  They truly enjoy each other and spending time together.  This has been more evident to me in the past few months, since my dad has been retired, than ever before.  As empty-nesters, they are always on the go, whether it's going to a nearby Amish country for the day, hitting up the slots in West Virginia, visiting family out of town, going out to dinner with their friends, or something as simple as going to my dad's favorite, Rita's, for some italian ice dessert!  They do a lot of things together and seem to always have fun doing it!


Amy, Brian, and I are so lucky to have such wonderful parents and I know that Kurt really loves and respects them as his in-laws, too.  


Love you, Mom and Dad!!


(I'm having photo-uploading issues today, so I'll repost this later with some pics!)

30 Day Challenge- Day 3

30 Day Blog Challenge!

After a brief, unintentional blog hiatus, I've decided to link up with Katie for the 30 Day Blog Challenge.  I just haven't really had anything that I've really wanted to blog about recently, so hopefully this will give me a good focus for the next 30 days.  Since I missed day 1 yesterday, I'll make up for it today by doing the first two days.


Day 1:  Introduction, Recent Picture, 15 Facts

I'm Kate.  I'm a 30 year old wife, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, niece, daughter-in-law, granddaughter.  I spend my days with fifteen 5 and 6 year olds, as their kindergarten teacher.  I spend my nights as the wife to Kurt and the momma to the Macey pup, our goldendoodle.  

My Facts:

1.) I have webbed toes.  Ashton Kucher does, too.  My mom's mom had it, and my dad's dad did as well, so I guess I got it from them.  I fear that I will pass this trait onto my children one day.

2.) As a result of #1, it took me many, many years to gain the courage to get my first pedicure.  Now, I'm not sure what took me so long to do it!

3.) My favorite part of being a teacher?  June, July, and August.

4.) I also like being a teacher when my kids talk about how much they like school and the fun things we do.

5.) I'm just plain Kate.  Not Kathleen or Katherine.  And I like it that way.

6.) I have a huge fear of snakes and sharks.  

7.) I love my two nephews, Jack and Will, like they are my own!

8.) My cousins and I created a band when we were younger.  We were "The Crazy Cousins" and we almost got time in a recording studio...almost.  At least that's what our uncle told us.

9.) I'm still close to friends from the different stages of my life, including high school, college, and work. 

10.) We have season tickets to the Baltimore Ravens and Washington Capitals.

11.) My favorite color used to be yellow.  Now, I think it's purple.

12.) I hate cooking.  I can bake and and make appetizers like it's my job, though.

13.)  I have a younger brother and and sister.

14.) I'm very close to my cousins on both sides of my family.

15.) I could be fine with living in our house for the rest of my life...if we added on a master bedroom!

Day 2:  Meaning behind your blog name

Nothing too fancy.  I like alliteration.  When I was thinking about starting a blog, my friend Jenni sent me a bunch of name ideas.  Bradshaw Buzz was one of them, and I liked it.

I love fall!

I love the smells, tastes, and views that fall brings!  Of course, my beloved summer will always be my number one season, but fall is a close runner-up.  I have a lot of fall decorations that I put out last week and I'm looking forward to picking up a few more at a fall craft festival that I'm going to next weekend.  

This evening, I lit a candle of my favorite fall scent, Pumpkin Brulee, and made a batch of Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip muffins.  Our house smells delectable! 

This week at school, we are doing an apple theme.  Monday is apple taste-testing of red, yellow, and green apples.  Tuesday is a taste-test of apple products, including apple sauce, apple chips, apple jelly, and apple cider.  And then on Friday, we are making apple sauce.  In a couple of weeks, we take our first field trip to a pumpkin patch.  How fun is fall in kindergarten!  I can't wait!