Isn't sure about having a Valentines Day Background

Seriously. . . I really love valentines day and decorating my house in pink and red. . . . but this year I am just not sure I am ready to face Valentine's Day. Last year I was dating someone and planning exciting presents and surprises for him as well as sending packages to my parents far away. I had a lot to love. This year I am not feeling so "lovey" (or loved to be honest). In fact I am leaving Utah for Valentine's Day and not having a Valentine's Day program or anything. I am sad that I feel this way, and yet kind of unsure how to change it. (I am wearing pink pajama's and that hasn't helped change my attitude yet). However, I thought I would give this Valentine's Day background a shot and see if I want to puke every time I see my blog. If it changes in a few days you will know why.

ps -- I did find some cute new backgrounds, but my grandma who loves to read all of our blogs can only read them if the words are dark. . . . so I have to be kind of selective. (See I am not totally heartless this Valentine's season. I love my grandma and want her to be able to read my blog)

wonders what she is missing. . .

"If we can't take the time out of our lives to stay a moment and listen to one of the best musicians on Earth play some of the best music ever written; if the surge of modern life so overpowers us that we are deaf and blind to something like that -- then what else are we missing?"

Most of you (my faithful readers -- whoever you are) know that I am somewhat obsessed with music. . . classical music mostly. When I was a little girl I begged my parents to let me learn how to play the violin. They wisely "suggested" that I learn how to play the piano first and since my income consisted of 10 cents for doing an extra job, I was pretty much destined to learn how to play the piano. After a few years of piano and lots more begging I began taking violin lessons. For the next 12 years I took lessons and participated in some sort of an orchestra or group. Sometimes I practiced, sometimes I didn't. . . sometimes I even paid half for my lessons to prove that I wanted to actually take them. Music is one of the things that I would term myself "passionate" about and I am thankful for the talents that I have been given musically even when the lessons were long and hard and expensive.

Through all of my lessons though, I learned a lot more than just how to play an instrument. I learned how to appreciate music. Whenever I hear someone playing I love to just sit back in awe of their talent, knowing full well how much time they have dedicated to perfecting this gift that they have been given. There is something about hearing a really phenomenal musical performance that just lifts your soul, inspires you to better and brings beauty to any circumstance.



Sometimes I forget this. I teach my music lessons each day and don't totally appreciate the renditions for 5 finger piano of Bicycle Built for Two or Hot Cross Buns squeaked out on violins in the hands of eager 6th graders who are just plain excited to be playing with a bow. I forget. Sadly, I forget that music is about listening, not just playing. It is about learning and feeling not just reading notes and finishing a piece.

So, when I read this article in the Washington Post about Joshua Bell (a very famous and talented violinist) I resolved to be better about listening -- I need to take time to listen -- to music, to silence, to what is happening around me. I am scared to think of what I might be "missing" in my hustle to do who knows what each day.

Here is the link to the article from the Washington Post. . . it is LONG so give yourself some time to read it.

Loves Books and the Characters in them!

Today at school is Character Day. All of the kids dressed up like their favorite book character and brought their books to school. . . some are fully costumed others just have props. It is a fun way to try and pound the idea into their heads that ALL stories have characters.

I think I make a pretty good Fancy Nancy. Thanks to Target, who made this costume possible. Seriously, I think I am going to start shopping in the children's section more often. I got these fabulous leggings with hearts all over them for less than 5 dollars. . . you can't really beat that. Plus, I can hardly wait to see what uses I can find for them in the future (not to mention the fact that it feels great to 'fit' into little girl clothes). These items are going to make a great addition to the dress up box. I already had the fancy lace shirt and gobs of jewelry so being facny wasn't all that hard for me.

The book Fancy Nancy is all about a little girl who loves being fancy and tries to teach her family how to be fancy. It became apparent to me that maybe I should read my kids a more diverse range of stories. . . since 2 other little girls showed up as Fancy Nancy. That's okay, maybe they just like being fancy like me!

Here are the pictures of all of the kids this year for Character Day.
All the kids all looked darling and were pretty creative. It is fun to see who they pick up to dress like. I don't know if the idea that we find characters in every book we read really sank in through my lessons this week, but we have got the rest of the day and all of "inside recess" to deal with that.

wants to say thank you to her parents for naming her after a gemstone

Seriously, being named after a gemstone is pretty unique. I mean there aren't too many people named Diamond or Amethyst or Ruby (well okay Ruby if you were born in 1924). I only have one other friend who is named after a rock -- Garnet. Lets be honest, her name is way cooler than mine, but this post is all about me, not her.
Aside to being named after a gemstone (if you can consider Amber a gem) there are lots of benefits to my name:

1-- You are first in everyone's phone book on their cell phone and often get random calls from people's purses, children and back pockets. Really, it makes me feel popular.
2-- It is easy to spell and pretty straightforward. It follows all of the rules of phonics. I like that.
3-- The rock I am named after is even useful in catching bugs and rosining bows for stringed instruments. I am 100% useful. . . nothing wasted.
4 -- The only people who have successfully shortened my name were my old roommates -- for some reason Olivia just got "ber" to stick. It isn't as feminine, but I'll take it. Well, and my little brother sometimes calls me Am, but he is the only one allowed to do that.
5 -- It is Arabic in origin and I have lived in Jerusalem with a lot of Arabs so I think that is only fitting. (plus Arabs have to do a lot of talking with their eyes because the rest of their face is covered and I have really great eyes). ( Yes, these are actually my eyes!)

6. When people say to me "Oh, you are such a gem!" I just nod my head and agree, because it is true at least 2x over.
7. On websites about names Amber is tagged as being: adventurous, American, elegant and best of all romantic! How did my parents know on October 25, 1979 when they named me that I would be all of those things -- truly a miracle. I am a miracle. Maybe they should have named me Miracle -- no, not as cute. :)

wishes money grew on trees

Seriously, don't we all wish that!? I remember for my 16th birthday my mom gave me a money tree. . . literally money on a tree. I think it was all one dollar bills, but that was a lot since I was probably working for $4.25 an hour at the time. So, I got a tree with over three hours worth of pay! Now, I wish I could get three hours worth of pay to be on a tree waiting for me to harvest.

Bottom Line: It has been an expensive week. Between new tires (yes, all 4). . . getting my alignment fixed and an oil change (with of course the obligatory "you need a new filter"). . . and the labor on my furnace I would pretty much need 50 or 60 money trees to get me through. I can hardly wait to see what expense comes next.

On a bitter-sweet note, my favorite store Ann Taylor (at the Riverwoods) is closing their doors. On one hand this will be a good thing because I won't need to stop in to see what I need to buy, so I will save lots of money. On the other hand, think of all the cute clothes I am missing out on because I can't just stop in. Good thing that Banana Republic is still open. (side-note: I don't know why I buy nice clothes because I teach six year olds full of germs, dirt and grime who touch me all day long and then I have horrendous dry cleaning bills, but that is a topic for a whole separate post)

Anyway, if you have any grand ideas about where I can find a money tree (or a sugar daddy or whatever) just let me know. I am open, open, open to suggestions, ideas, and any lead I can get.

Did I mention that the state is cutting public education funding by 15% next year and 7% for the remainder of this year? Once again. . . . . . where are those money trees? It isn't like there is all that much money in education (or my bank account) to begin with!

wishes she knew how to fix her stupid furnace

Yes, I said the word stupid and I totally meant it. I have no idea what is wrong with my furnace or why it isn't working properly. First it was my huge windows that were letting all the cold air in. . . and now from my best estimation the furnace is not blowing warm air. The thermostat says it should be 69 degrees. It is not. Plus, my house smells like a glue gun has been left on or something (you know that smell?)

Someone HELP me. I have no idea what to do. Plus, maybe I am going to die of carbon monoxide poisoning during the night because I took the chirping batteries out of the detector, and haven't bought new ones.

Sometimes I hate being a homeowner.

Now I am in really big trouble because I said hate and stupid in the same post.

Bottom line: I need a husband who can help me fix things, because after kneeling on the floor trying to figure it out, my jeans are dirty, two fingernails are broken (they weren't long and they weren't fake, but it just made it more dramatic so I threw it in there) and honestly I am past the close to tears point. . . . yes, past.

There goes the furnace again. . . it doesn't sound right, it doesn't smell right, and it doesn't work right.

Anyone?

has high hopes for this year

One of the little girls at school sent me this letter over the break. . . . . I just got it in the mail today. I love it though. I bet that "next" year (meaning this year) will be better than "this" year (meaning last year). She even welcomed in the new year with beautiful paper. Also included are a few pictures of the scarves that I made the kids for Christmas. I think that half of them came back to school today having lost them -- oh well, here's to hoping that this year will be better than last year. . . both in school and out of school.

Makes tasty bread with her new Bosch Mixer

So, I got my fabulous BOSCH MIXER for Christmas. I couldn't possibly be happier. I made bread on Friday (instead of going to school to get ready for January) and documented the whole process. . . well, not the whole process, but enough to give you the idea. Derek thought I was crazy making him take pictures of me the whole time. These are just a few of them.

I decided that I could easily be the Little Red Hen. . . not becuase I didn't have anyone helping me and not because I was wearing fabulous red jewelry, but mostly because I love making bread with my new BOSCH MIXER . Not to mention that the bread tasted fabulous. I used the recipe of of my friend Garnet's blog (thanks Garn). I need to learn better how to shape the loaves so that they are flawless. I am turning more into my mother each day -- which I think is a good thing. Baking bread, having a Bosch, taking pictures of everything I do. . . yes, definitely I am my mother.

Don't worry there will be more Bosch pictures when I use the food processor attachment and the blender. . . way better than a KitchenAid!

Wears fish-nets. . .

So, last year for my birthday a friend of mine gave me some fish-net tights. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about them. . . . and then I put them on and I was sold. I was serving as Relief Society President at the time and wasn't sure if I should wear them to church or not. The more I thought about it the more I thought "why not?" Truly, what is wrong with fish-net tights? nothing! In fact they show less leg than I normally would. I am not a fan of nylons. . . never have been, never will be. So, I like to look at wearing fish-nets as a compromise. I am covering my legs a little bit and looking great doing it.



I think that sometimes we categorize ourselves into being able to 'do' or 'not do' certain things with our wardrobe choices. Like, I used to think that I couldn't wear dangly earrings. Funny, I know, or that I couldn't pull off tall boots -- wrong. You can wear what you want and wear it with confidence (within bounds of course). Sometimes I am the self-proclaimed fashion police, but someone has to do it!

Here are some definite no's!

NO - frumpy sweaters
NO - braided belts
NO - wooden necklaces with matching earrings (come on all you teachers you know what I am talking about)
NO - pleated pants
NO - dresses with lace collars (yes I still see people wearing these occasionally)
NO - knit pants with keds
NO -- cool-lots (you know shorts that are a skirt but not)
NO - hypercolor shirts (those are out sorry)
and that is just the start. . . with that, I think I will go put on my really cute new Banana Republic Jeans that I got on sale for a mere 39.99 + 20% off. . . I even convinced 2 friends to buy them.

What would you add to the list of definite NO's. . . . because there are more!

Fashion is really all about sharing!

Tears it up cross-country skiing!

So, over this break I went cross-country skiing with some of my girlfriends (since that is all I really have -- girlfriends that is). We went up to Midway to spend the night at this cute little cabin and then up above Daniel's Summit to ski. It was a beautiful day, and the skiing was perfect!

It was nice to just get away for a day or two, hang with the girls, talk about make-up, eat good food, play games, read books, ski, talk more, prance around in my spandex and stuff like that!



I think that after this I might even be ready to brave down-hill. . . . . we will see!

wanted a new title for her blog

So, I decided I wanted a new title for my blog. . . in order to make it a little more positive, and maybe even more interesting. So, from now on every post will follow the pattern:

All about a girl who. . . .

So, keep reading (this year) to find out what this year brings and who I become!