Saturday, December 31

the head and the heart

i know a lot of people do big long reviews about the past year of their lives and what were the best times and their favorite things were. i thought that i could do that too but then this post would probably end up being way too long too read and way too boring. so i thought i would leave you with one of my favorite things from 2011.

the head and the heart's self titled album has by far been my favorite music find of 2011. their songs are lyrically quirky but all three of the members' voices harmonize in a way that just soothes you. these are two of my favorite songs from their album. 

the first song, rivers and roads is not my absolute favorite song on the album but i just love this version of it. the tunnel brings so much more to the sound of the song. and the second song, lost in my mind is without a doubt my favorite song on the album. even after months of listening to it i still can't get enough!

i hope you've all enjoyed your 2011 and are getting ready for 2012. its always exciting to think about what a new year will bring! i wish everyone a safe and happy new years!

Friday, December 30

a week in pictures

these are just some pictures of the past week. i figured i should at least post them all before new year's eve tomorrow! because after that everyone is pretty much over christmas celebrations. my brother and my soon to be sister-in-law were here for a few days so we enjoyed lots of yummy food, presents, a trip to the MET in new york city, and some good old quality family time. its not too often that all of us get together so its really lovely when we actually can.











the holidays really are such a fun time but definitely a little bit hard on the waistline! i already feel like i've gained a few pounds just from being home for two weeks. i think most of the pictures i took from this week were of food.. but i'll spare you all from getting hungry. i hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and is getting ready for the new year!

Saturday, December 24

merry christmas

via Google

isn't this christmas bunny just the cutest?
merry christmas everyone!

Friday, December 23

i love getting mail


this is me and my friend kelly. we met last year when we were both doing our practicum for our teaching english as a foreign language course. we briefly discussed how we were both in the same program and about to head off to the same city of cordoba, spain for the upcoming teaching year.  exhibit A of what a small world it is. a few months go by and we see each other again at orientation in seville, spain and before we know it we've decided to be roommates with two other individuals in our program. it doesn't take long for us to realize that we have a mutual friend in common (the same person who told us both about the teach abroad program) and that we live less than three minutes from each other back at home! exhibit B of it really is a stinkin' small world out there.

so long story short we lived in the same apartment in spain and had 9 months worth of lots and lots of laughs, shopping trips, lunch dates, gym workouts, and really long talks. i would say that kelly was one of my main sources of laughter if i was ever feeling down in spain and i think she would agree that we developed quite a close friendship! after our teaching contracts finished in may, we said our "see you laters"in hopes that we would soon see each other at home. but before we knew it, kelly was leaving for another job in colorado and i was headed down to costa rica and we missed our chance!

well thank goodness that we finally met up the other day!! it was soo good to see her after more than 6 months! we got some lunch and did a little christmas shopping and it felt just like old times. so it was such a great surprise to receive a little christmas card from miss kelly in the mail today.....

what do you think about that donut sticker??

  

so here is the best part. inside my lovely little christmas card, kelly added a little keepsake from our apartment in spain. this little magazine clipping was hung up on our fridge after kelly confusingly asked someone why it said what it said. in spanish the clipping states, "Jesús quita el pecado del mundo." translated into english this reads "Jesus takes away the sin of the world." now, the word "pecado" translates to "sin"and is extremely close to the word "pescado"which means fish. when kel found this picture the conversation when a little bit like this:

kel: hey look at this, it says Jesus catches fish for the world...thats really weird.
roommate: actually...it says Jesus takes away the sin of the world..
kel: oh .. of course it does.
**bursts of laughter from everyone**

anyway. it was probably one of those times where you just had to be there but it was a running joke in our apartment for the rest of the year which is why i was so surprised/excited to receive this little gem in my christmas card today! thanks so much kel!

merry christmas!
xo

Thursday, December 22

my new book came in the mail!


so a few weeks ago i was freaking out a little bit and being nervous about starting my teaching job in february. i guess you could actually say i am constantly freaking out a little bit about starting my teaching job in february though. anyway, i was browing the internet and i found this book: The New Teacher's Complete Sourcebook for Middle School.

i didnt study education for undergrad (even though looking back i wish i had!) but i took a certification course for teaching english as a foreign language. i spent the year after undergrad living in spain and teaching in a bilingual elementary school. however when i say i was "teaching" i was definitely more of a teacher's assistant than anything else. i was spread across three different grade levels and only in each class a few hours a week so i definitely didn't get as much actual teaching experience as i would have liked. i did also do some tutoring while i was in spain but there was more of a 1 to 1 student to teacher ratio with one lesson being a 4 to 1 ratio.

even though i guess i do have some experience in the classroom, i am the type of person who likes to have a lot of experience doing something before i actually feel confident. with that being said, i am totally freaking out that i am going to be a full-blown teacher with my own classes come february. i feel like the newest new teacher there could be so when i found this book it immediately made me feel a lot better. it has advice on everything from what to do in the first five minutes of your first class of the year, to grading assignments, to talking with parents (eep!). i know this one book won't be a substitute for a degree's worth of information but i definitely think it is going to help me out a lot.

so keep your fingers crossed for me and i'll let you know how it goes!

Tuesday, December 20

miss you!


this is me and boyfriend last year on new years. it hasnt even been a week that i've been home and i already miss him like crazy! i guess when you're used to being with someone all the time, thats what happens. i'm kinda sad we won't be together for christmas or new years this year but i would gladly give up this month to be with my friends and family for the holidays and then be with boyfriend ALL the time after that. after doing long distance for so long it has been really great to be able to spend soooo much time together (it's the truth! he loves it too).

so i just wanted to use this post to say i miss you like cuh-razy even though you may not think so. every day there are a million things i feel like i need to tell you, most specifically whenever i hear someone say weirdo or awkward and the fact that i have said tome chi chi about a million and one times in my head because no one would understand what i am saying.

i love you to infinity and beyond beyond beyond.

Monday, December 19

christmas things


we decorated our tree! now, our tree is pretty fat this year and even still, we weren't able to fit all of our ornaments on it! however, my parents and i we did the best we could and i think we did an excellent job. it looks beautiful! i can't wait until there are lots of presents underneath (of course just for the complete christmas picture!).



this weekend we also went into NYC to the craft fairs at Union Square and Washington Circle. there were some really great vendors selling pretty much anything and everything you would think there could be at a crafts fair. our favorite things were these cute little animal hats as i very willingly modeled (seen above).

i hope everyone has been enjoying the christmas season so far. i know i am excited for my brother and soon to be sister-in-law to get here so we can all celebrate christmas together.

Sunday, December 18

hi there!


welcome to the boots parade! my name is britta and this is my brand new blog. that picture right there does a pretty good job of depicting what i've been doing for the past year and half: traveling (give or take a bag or two).

i graduated undergrad in may of 2010 and a few months later i flew to spain to teach english. during those nine months i flew back and forth between spain, the usa, and costa rica to visit my boyfriend (hi babe!). once i finished teaching in june i flew back to the usa, waited two months, then made a big move to costa rica!

so right now i am starting my life in costa rica (well actually right now i'm visiting the usa for the holidays) and i'm super excited about it! i got another job teaching english that starts in february and i am really looking forward to it.

well thats that. hope you enjoy!