You were always on my mind...

You can usually tell what is most important to me by what comes out of my mouth.  I tend to get a little "obsessive" with things and that seems to be all I can talk about until I move on to something else.  I remember once, while out to dinner with my family, my aunt said, "You sound like you really like your job."  It made me realize that was literally ALL I had talked about at dinner.  I was in the middle of my first year of teaching and she was right, I loved it!  When it came time to plan my wedding, again, all I could talk about was that because it was constantly running through my mind.  The topic always seems to change based on what it most important to me or what is evoking the most feeling from me at that time in my life. 

But as I was thinking about this characteristic of mine the other day, I realized, there is one thing that I continue to talk about all the time.  It's been 12 years now, that I have gone on and on about this topic, because it is always on my mind.  That is Andrew. 

When you first fall in love with someone, everyone seems to point out to you that you never stop talking about that person...especially when you are in high school and your friends can't stand to hear that boy's name one more time.  As people get older, their focus becomes more on family, than friends, so talking about your spouse is expected.  Even those friends who have been with me through it all, welcome the Andrew stories today.  I like that I have 12 years worth of memories to recall.   They aren't all good and I've learned from many of them, but they are all mine.

No matter what the everchanging topic of conversation may be with me, I continue to say way too much about Andrew and I don't want that to ever change.

<3-Sarah

The good, the bad, and the ugly...

These thoughts...



Love this photo of GrayC, the week after our wedding, with my veil and flowers from our ceremony on our dining room table.  Home.


Words I like.  For their sound, for their meaning, for their look:

bliss

wicked

simple

sweet

delicious

lady

rust

daisy

Cole

books

grin

apple

moon

freckle

home

Sounds I dislike.  For their pure noise-making, spine-shivering abilities:

alarm clocks

ticking clocks/watches

snoring

people sucking their fingers after they eat

whistling noses

sometimes whistling mouths

motorcycles

Things I worry about.  For their run-through-your-mind, what if possibilities :

family

friends

students

people's thoughts of me

money

health

time

<3- Sarah



Songs About Me #2

Love's Gonna Make It Alright

George Strait

(great slide show of a country legend)



Do you sometimes get the feeling that certain things happen just for you?  Like something is reaching out to you or speaking to you?  Some call it coincidence, some call it fate, some call it a sign, and some call it God looking over us. 

This is how I'm feeling about the release of George's newest song.  It came along right when I needed it.  Never underestimate the power of a song. 

This school year has not been the easiest, for a number of reasons, (some super obvious and others I'm still pondering) and after a LONG day it feels good to come home, where everything is alright. :) 


Home

Miranda Lambert concert tomorrow!!!  Winter break next week!  These things are like Red Bull to my soul!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

(a day late...<3)

<3- Sarah

Dear January 2012,

     I meant to write this letter sooner, but February has just swept me away.  I've been busy (in a good way), having fun, and loving life.  February can be so sweet.  It probably drives you nuts.  You and your wicked sense of humor.  Grinning at those who see your arrival as a time to resolve, then laughing out loud when those resolutions fail.
     January, you were truly unpredictable this year.  When you arrived, I was kinda in a slump.  I was dragging myself along, wondering what, when, and why?  But as you left, as you always do, I found myself in a happier place.  Not sure of the cause, but glad just the same.  You also offered up some very unlikely weather.  You're usually cold and harsh, but stayed mostly above freezing.  How out of character you were!  Many were pleased with your warmer side, others longed for your absent winter weather.  But as you know, you can't please everyone.  And when has that ever bothered you?
     You arrive each year, the life of the party, but your departure often calls for just as much of a celebration.  You never mean to outlive your stay, but in your last week, there are always more than a few who are openly happy to see you go.  Sweet, little, February smiles upon us and I'm enjoying her loving ways. 
     Until next year, January.  So long.

<3- Sarah

Won't you smile awhile for me.....

I read the best, best quote the other day on a country sign in a catalog.

Purring is just smiling out loud.

Today's smile files:

#1 - As my students arrived this morning and began their daily routine of unpacking, doing morning jobs, and starting morning work, I popped into the teacher's room across the hall to hand off a supply I had borrowed.  At this time, the morning announcements tuned in overhead, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, recited by some older students each morning.  I hurried back over to my classroom, expecting to have to hurry my kids to their feet and face the flag, but instead found a classroom full of first graders facing the flag with their hands on their hearts, quietly listening as their schoolmates spoke of "one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."  Can you picture it?

Routine - 

Respect -

Reason to smile -

#2 - While driving home from work today, I ended up behind a red pick-up with a crate in the back.  The crate was secured with straps in the cab and there was a black lab inside.  I wouldn't have even noticed the pup if it weren't for its bright tongue moving from side to side as we traveled along.   Eventually the truck pulled ahead and I lost sight of the crate and the pet.  At a stop sign farther up the road, I met up with them again and smiled.  At closer look, my black lab was not a black lab at all.  Inside that crate was a calf, huffing and puffing into the cold air outside, and on its head was a patch of white fur (about the size of a black lab's tongue...you see the confusion).  I smiled because, well, calves are cute AND because I love living in an area where calves in the back of pick-ups are an ordinary, everyday sight to be seen.

What made your smile files today?

"Oh, won't you smile awhile for me..."

<3-Sarah

Super Bowl Monday

Super Bowl Monday = Soooo sleepy.  It's days like these, when I head to work on less sleep than usual, thinking I will be a teacher with no patience, no energy, and no attention span.  But today, I surprised myself.  Having less energy, led me to choose my battles wisely, let things go, and focus on the most important tasks at hand.  This led to me having more patience than expected, because I just wasn't worried about the little things.  A well-behaved class helped out too!  An unseasonably warm, sunny day in February didn't hurt!  Andrew's team winning the Super Bowl was a plus!  Today turned out okay. :)

                                                              Some sleepy photos...

<3- Sarah

P.S. Happy 1st Birthday Avery!



Songs About Me #1

Trace Adkins sings a song called "Songs About Me" that expresses the fact that country music tells many stories that anyone can relate to, no matter what their situation may be.  Being the small-town, country girl I am, I can relate to most country songs and I want to start sharing some of the connections I make to this music.  Every now and again I'll be writing a Songs About Me post.  Here's #1...

                                                                  Lady Antebellum
                                                      Dancin' Away With My Heart

For me you'll always be eighteen,   



and beautiful,



and dancing away with my heart.


When I heard this song by Lady Antebellum, these lines spoke to me.  The song is about a couple who hasn't seen eachother since their teens, but it said something different to me.  I've seen the boy, who became the man, who became my husband, almost every day since my teens. But to me, he'll always be eighteen and beautiful and dancing away with my heart.

1999-2012 The dance goes on...

<3- Sarah





 











An award...for me?!?

That's right...this little blog has just received its 15 minutes of fame!  I have been nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award!  So shocked....So honored....Soooo smiley!!!  And I thought getting my report cards done would be the highlight of my night!

When I first started this blog, in the school-less days of summer, I was inspired by the informational and uplifting teacher blogs I had found while searching for new ideas for the upcoming school year.  I added a few of my own posts about my month-long move into my new classroom and, as the school year began, more posts about my strengths and struggles in the classroom.

BUT...Mrs. Bushey had more to say and that's when Apple Pie Spice became more than just a teacher's blog.  Growing up and settling in a small town is something I cherish and if you know me at all you'd say it was always my plan.  My stories about living the dream with my high school sweetheart, raising some fur babies til we have some human ones of our own, my family in each direction only 10 minutes away, and teaching in the school I attended grades K-12 are all true and each new post is just as important to me as the last. 

Never did I imagine that my blog would be nominated for any of the awards that I had read other bloggers posting about.  Never did I think I would be following "the rules" of an award nomination...but here goes!

The Versatile Blogger Award Rules are as follows:

1. Thank the person who gave you this award.
2. Include a link to their blog.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jessica from A Winsome Journey.  I was inspired to take Apple Pie Spice in a different direction after reading Jess's down-home, kind-hearted, animal-loving, info-filled(wait there's one more) photo-lover's blog!

 
Step into her world...

3. Select 15 blogs/bloggers that you've recently discovered or follow regularly.

   1- Country Man's Wife: can totally relate with this girl in her 20's, livin' on the farm, married to a super-photogenic country man, married to a small-town man, and young in love.  <3
   2- thekitchensgarden: great recipes, stories from the farm, and too funny
   3- The First Grade Parade: very inspiring teacher blog and entertaining to boot
   4- The Inspired Apple: so sweet, so many great ideas, how does she do it?
   5- My Yellow Farmhouse: stumbled upon this blog recently.  Loved taking a tour of her farmhouse and she's a crafter!  Beautiful quilts found here!
   6- Playing with Pixie Dust: 3 teachers teaming up to share thoughts from the hallways to the home
   7- Seusstastic Classroom Inspirations: the very first blog I ever stumbled upon. Mel D. gave me warm fuzzies (the idea and the feeling)... oh just check it out!
   8- Fabulous in First: The G.O. Book. Period. Enough Said.
   9- Frolicking through First: When I started my blog, Amanda was my very first follower.  She said she knew how exciting it was to get new followers and I want to pay it forward.  Thank you, Amanda!
   10- The Clutter-Free Classroom: literally just came across this one and boy do I need it around this time of the school year!
   11- Small Town Lessons On Life: very brand new blogger and friend of mine since 1st grade, Nicole celebrates the way life and loved ones surprise her
   12- onespoiledcat: written from the cat's point of view <3
   13- The View Out Here: smart, witty, interesting, worth-while
   14- All-American Jess: the all-american girl who tells all. While reading a month's worth of Jess' posts, there were many times I said to myself, "Hey, that's so me!"
   15- happiness is a journey for janna: when you're having a bad day, stop by Janna's blog.  Chances are, one of her happy things makes you happy too. :)
  
4. Tell 7 things about yourself.  (hmmm...trying to think of things you may not know already from this blog.)

   1- I have a slight obsession with anything from Vera Bradley.
   2- I still regularly see 6 of my bestest girlfriends from high school.  One of them is now my sister-in-law so I now have her last name and one of them married my cousin so she now has my maiden name...this is sooo small town livin! 
   3-I was born in Maine on an Air Force base where my dad was stationed and my parents lived.
   4-I am a 27-year-old cat lady.  (well...maybe you figured that one out from this blog)

   5-Love, love, love Miranda Lambert and her music.  And I'll be seeing her on Feb. 16th in MA!

   6-I am the only girl on my dart team and I hold my own!

   7-My favorite food is cheese.

Woo Hoo!!!

<3- Sarah