Two Top Fives

Tonight, I feel the need to share two top fives. I had a poopy day and I need something kinda cheerful today.

Marti's Top Five Favorite Old TV Shows
1. I Love Lucy- I mean...FOR REAL that is some good TV and there's NO sex, NO drugs, NO immorality...it's just good clean fun!

2. Dick Van Dyke- Dick Van Dyke is one of the all time best comedians of all times. Anything he is in...is going to be great.

3. Mary Tyler Moore- I love this show. I did some reading about it and there is a lot of stuff saying that the MTM show is the show that set off a lot of things on TV that have escalated to the crap we see now. After watching it...I can understand that point of view....BUT after shows I see today, it's one of the best! Mary Tyler Moore as an actress and person is one of my favorites as well. She is classic, timeless beauty and she's a type 1 diabetic. That is obviously near and dear to my heart.

4. Golden Girls- Okay so I've gone from good ole wholesome family values shows to this. LOL. I LOVE the four dirty old women! This show is amazing and I LOVE it! I love the horrible sets, music and amazing 80's bling and gaudy dresses with shoulder pads. Such a great show!

5. Full House- What a great show! Again, it is insanely cheesy and so unrealistic...but it's just good TV. I grew up on this so it's a classic and I can watch it over and over!

Okay, now for my second Top Five. Marti's Top 5 Things I Hate About What I Love:
1. I LOVE fall, but I hate that it gets early so dark. I want to go outside and enjoy the amazing weather and walk and exercise, but it's DARK!

2. I LOVE fall, but I hate that it stays dark so late in the morning! It is SO hard to get up in the morning when it's still dark and I know it will be dark when I get home.

3. I LOVE living in Nixa. It's, to me, the perfect place to live. It's a small close knit community with quick access to Branson and Springfield. I HATE that there is no direct access to highways. You either take 14 or CC to Ozark and Highway 65 (hilly curvy two lane roads) or you take 160/Campbell in to Springfield. If you have ever driven that road...you know the traffic is a nightmare. I miss living in Ozark when I literally was a stones throw from 65 and just a few miles beyond that to 60.

4. Again, I LOVE fall, but I hate fall allergies! Mine are worse in fall than any time of year.

5. I love my friends, but I hate that so many of them live so stinkin' far away!!!

Top 5 + a few

Today I feel the need to list my favorite Top 5 Springfield only eating establishments. If I ever leave this area, I would miss these places...and probably lose weight!

1. Pineapple Whip- Heaven on a cone for $2 from Memorial Day to Labor Day every year! I actually prefer the grape or strawberry kiwi over the pineapple.
2. The Traveling Taco- The BEST taco ever created...and it travels in a trailer but usually camps out on the corner of Fremont and Sunshine by Kaleidascope. Perfectly seasoned chicken breast with homemade spicy salsa, creamy sour cream, lettuce and tons of perfectly shredded white cheese. *salivate*
3. Simply Yo Frozen Yogurt- If you think you love Orange Leaf, it's simply because you haven't had Simply Yo! It's fresh and it's REAL, not powdered like Orange Leaf. Cherry Limeade is my personal favorite, and I will be sad when they take it away (it's their summer flavor).
4. Mexican Villa- There ain't nothin' Mexican about it! (haha). I think it should be named Springfield Villa. Give me a burrito enchilada style with a side of queso dip and chips. *DROOL*
5. Springfield Style Cashew Chicken- You know I know that Leong's created it, but it's not my favorite. I prefer either Hong Kong Inn (the Ozark location is the best) or Shanghai Inn in Nixa. Hong Kong Inn has the best crab rang goon but can sometimes be dry on the chicken. Yen Ching in Ozark doesn't have the best cashew chicken, but they do have hte best chicken friend rice and they are the ONLY place where I like the egg rolls. Springfield is the mecca of Chinese food places!

HEre are a few runner ups: Finnegan's Wake (fish & chips!), Maria's (fried tacos!), La Fiesta (the one in Ozark is the best), Rosie Jo's (give me some fried pickles please!), Cedars (okay this should probably be in the top 5 but I ran out)- I LOVE LOVE LOVE Cedars. It's the only place where you can get true home cooked Southern food, a good atmosphere (especially now that Springfield is smoke free) and only spend $5!, Today's Donuts in Nixa- I can never eat a Krispy Kreme without thinking of these! SO much like the good ole Houchins in Sikeston before Mr. Bob retired.

If anyone wonders why I have a weight problem, this probably just answered your question!

Thinking back...

I was pondering the other day how much my life has changed in the last year. It's amazing what a year can do for you. This time last year I was still dealing with what I thought was a devastating blow of not finding a job. While I had an overall good attitude about it, I was still struggling immensely. Little did I know that in a week, my life would change drastically and I would face the HARDEST year of my life, but also the most rewarding and fulfilling.

I am so blessed and humbled by everything God has done in my life, especially this past year. It has grown and stretched me in ways I never imagined. I am still pondering the future and where God is going to take me...literally. I know that my time in Missouri may be shorter than I had originally planned...but after going through what I went through this last year, I feel more equipped to handle it.

My 8 1/2 years at GPH seems lifetimes away right now. I very much miss my "family" there but I am still able to keep in touch with them. Our lives are all moving on and even if I were still there, things are quite different than they were when I left. God knew it was my time to go there.

If I had known everything that lay in store for me last October when I accepted the new job, I'm not sure I would have taken on the challenge. BUT I am so thankful I did! I made some good friends, I learned A LOT, I grew some tough skin and learned more endurance and patience than I thought possible...and hopefully in the process...I reached a few kiddos.

Thank you Lord for what you've brought me through and where you are taking me!

Two parter

Okay so I have a two parter tonight. One part serious, one part not. So let's start with serious then move on to something light hearted.

I love love love my job...but as with any job with kids, there's always that ONE kid that just pulls your heart. I want SO MUCH to be able to reach this one child beyond even academics. Obviously I can't go in to specifics for confidentiality...but let me just say that every day...I pray and pray and pray for this one child more so than the others b/c this child doesn't have a chance in life otherwise. I literally would take this child home with me in a heartbeat if I could. I thank God so much for allowing this child to be in my class this year. I feel honored and blessed to be this child's teacher...I am humbled really. No child should have to endure the crap this one has. It's just not fair. But every morning, this precious little one walks in to class smiling ear to ear, hugs me and keeps chugging away despite all of the circumstances mounting up around him. He is God's precious one. One of the reasons I chose teaching over social work is b/c my heart can't handle more than one of these at a time!

Now...on to the light hearted before I cry AGAIN....

Top 5 cold/allergy/sinus comforts:

1. Grilled cheese and cherry lemon slush from Sonic.
2. Polor Express on loop on the DVD player (no matter what time of year)
3. Humidifier
4. Kleenex
5. Clean sheets- I have to have clean sheets when I am sick... it's a must
6. Theraflu (okay so that makes 6...oh well).

Friends, please say a prayer for my little friend tonight. Jesus knows!

Rainy day

I can sum up my weekend with four simple words:

1. sleep
2. work
3. movies
4. rain

It's one of those weekends where I've barely left my pj's, haven't even thought about make up, my drink of choice is theraflu, and I'm watching all my favorite movies.

I did somehow manage to clean most of my house and get my fall decore put out. And I got most of my planning done for the week.

This weekend I watched Polar Express on loop all night long, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, A Christmas Story (3 times) and now I'm watching Elf. I dont know what the deal is with the Christmas movies. Perhaps it's the cold rainy weather. I dont know. I love Christmas movies!

So that's it...my exciting life.

Kids say and draw the funniest things...

Drawn by one of my kiddos...how cute is this???

This is a picture of a cat for me. Cute!

This picture is from one of my students currently obsessed with whales. She says she drew it freehand, but I saw her trace it. :)

This one totally made my day. :o)

Okay before I begin this blog...I am SO NOT GOOD with formatting blogging stuff. I wanted my pictures at the END of my blog but I can't seem to make it happen! I need to take a blogging class! So the ABOVE pictures are some my kiddos drew...now...you can proceed to the rest of my blog EVEN THOUGH the pics are NOT where I want them!

So yesterday I was having a pretty crappy day. I woke up in mucho amounts of pain AFTER sleeping 10 hours. It was not pretty. I came in to school to have to deal with an issue that I was not in the mood for....so...I was cranky. Yep, Miss Netteler was CRANKY!

I have a small mailbox in the writing center. My kiddos can write me notes during free time. So yesterday, I read the notes...and I have to say...they made me happy. :) I love my kids!

So here is a sample of what I read yesterday to cheer me up (if unclear what the word should be, I put the correct word in parenthesis)

"Dear Mis Nettler I rilly whant to have a clas pet"
"Miss Nettler I am said (sad) now." (which makes ME sad that she's sad!)
"Dear Mr. (yes MR) Netteler, you rock. I say you are the best teacher ever."

"Hey Ms NEtteler, you are the best teacher ever"

"Can I come to your house sometime"

"What is your favorit food."

"We have a mrbte prte" (He means we are having a marble party on Friday)

"I love owre clas."
"Dera M.s Nettler I wan to laren (learn) a bowt wals (whales)"

"You are a very very very nice teacher."
"Daer Miss. Nettler, Did you like my danse at hte foot ball game?"
"Dear Mrs. Nettler you are a grat techer. I want to now (know) do you go to god fathers?"
"You are the best techer."

"Dear Ms Nettler do you lick (like) my pitcher I wen to larn a bowt walse (whales)"

"Dear Mis Nettler you are a grate techer you are asume (awesome)."
"Dear Ms. Netteler you are the best teacher ever."
"You are the nicest 2nd grade teacher."

"I like you." (this one made me laugh A LOT)

"I like you, you are nice." (and this included an adorable picture of me and her)
"Dear Mrs. Nettler the rain was weird at the football game rite?"

Obviously we need to work on things like...SPELLING MY NAME RIGHT! But otherwise, these are good for a laugh!

Ho Hum...

One thing I have learned in life is that God does not follow my plans very well.

Okay, well...I'm kinda glad b/c HE DOES know a lot more than me! I'd have screwed things up for sure if it were up to me.