what to wear for you engagement pictures

Okay, so I've mentioned in the past that I am a research pro and knowledge hoe! I did SO much research on "what to wear to your engagement pictures" before I had our session. I really wanted to pick outfits that worked for us and really spoke to our personalities but complimented fall and the beauty of our location. So how did I pick these outfits for my GQ model and I?! Keep reading...

I cannot express enough how important it is to define your wedding theme and then stick to it. So what does this have to do with your engagement pictures? Well if you are having a formal black tie wedding then taking engagement pictures of you in a city with dressy outfits is more appropriate. Likewise, an outdoor wedding by a barn means flannels and boots. Most couples choose to include their engagement pictures into their wedding day somehow or use them for Save The Dates so it sets the tone for what is to come.

Pick two outfits for a 1-1.5 hour session and make the outfit change easy. For example, go dressed up in your dress because that is harder to change into in the back of a car. The simpler the outfit change the better. My man kept his jeans and shoes on and just swapped out his shirt. This helps to cut down prepping and changing time so you can get back to the kissing!

Your outfits should compliment but not be too matchy. Use the color wheel below to discover the world of complimentary colors! Make sure to stick to a color palette that works for your season and location. Taking pictures in flannel shirt or structured outfit on the beach doesn't really make sense. Each season brings it's beauty so just embrace the cold with a beautiful coat and scarf or the heat with a bright sundress, ladies! 

But most importantly, be you. Make sure that you don't try to make your man wear something that he would never wear again. My handsome fella wouldn't look natural in a button up and tie so I went for his Sunday best and brought out his laid back personality that I love oh so much! Ladies, do your hair and makeup nice but ditch the fake lashes and go for a more natural look. 

Want props? Bring something that means something to you and don't try too hard. High School sweethearts? Bust out those old yearbooks! Hunters? Pull out the camo and the bow. Readers? Bring your favorite books. Coffee drinkers? Go to a coffee shop and have a cup! 

Don't over do it though. This is about you as a couple and the love you have for one another so make sure you take time to showcase that! Have fun. Laugh. Be silly. Smile. Kiss. Love. This is the one session in planning for your wedding where you get to kiss a lot and focus on each other the entire time. Forget the poses and just be you!! Those are the pictures you really want, not the uptight posed ones in outfits you would never be caught in after the shoot. 

Your pictures will look stunning when you can look confident and pulled together.

When in doubt - ask a friend or your photographer. You friend knows your style and what looks good on you. Your photographer does this for a living and has seen it all!

PS. Yes, these are a few of my engagement pictures taken by the lovely Becka Pillmore from Pill Photography!

before you get the bling

There are lots of different opinions out there about what you should and shouldn't do before you get engaged. Here are my recommendations in order to have a smooth planning process but also a warning to avoid becoming the consumed bridezilla!

1. Talk. The proposal should be a surprise but the idea of spending the rest of your life with that person should not be a new idea. Discuss an ideal timeline so that you have a framework to start with once you get engaged. Planning ahead for the future is important but staying on the same page as your significant other is crucial.

2. Expectations. Start thinking about what is important to you and how you've always envisioned this day. You might think certain aspects aren't important to you but have you even thought about them? Do you see yourself getting married outside on a farm, in a church or on the beach? These are all potential and good ways to get married, but think about which one works for you as a couple. Set yourself up for success by knowing what you expect out of the day so that you can start painting the picture for others.

3. Dream. Look at ideas on Pinterest, in magazines, on Facebook, and even photography websites. Then let yourself dream and think of amazing ways to make your special day unique. This day should reflect you as a couple so think about what that will look like. At this point, the sky is the limit!

4. Priority list. Start thinking about what is important to you and what you want to spend your money on. Is the food more important than the dancing to you? Or is photography more important than the venue? Can you still the same wedding day feeling you want without doing a four-course meal? Making a priority list is the first way that you can start figuring out where to spend your time and money once you get engaged.

5. Chat. Chit chatting includes all of the above areas and provides a good gauge as to where you are in the pre-wedding planning category. Does pre-wedding planning exist for you or are you obsessed already? This is the time where you go out with your friends (most likely your female friends) and you chat about what you think the day will look like and how you want to feel.

But here is my warning: DO NOT participate in #5 frequently (aka: weekly or daily). Let other people bring up the conversation first. As a girl, I love asking my friends about their impending ring and wedding day. But if I have a friend who isn't engaged show me her wedding programs, I'm going to think she is crazy. Keep that stuff to yourself, ladies!

Now I'm going to assume that brides are reading this part...
DO NOT become one of those brides that plans the day of your dreams without thinking about your significant other. You want this day to reflect you as a couple, not just you as a bride. You shouldn't have the whole thing planned and then just insert the groom. We've all had those friends and been to those weddings where the event stinks of the bride and the groom is just an after thought. And that is all I remember from those weddings! I don't remember the dancing or the cake or what she wore. I remember that it felt like a one person show instead of a wedding. So stop and think about the other person. Talk to them! I know it sounds crazy but ask what he wants and what's important to him. A guest should be able to feel that the wedding is for both people.

caring for your engagement ring

Again, congratulations on taking the next big step in your relationship! But now that you have an awesome piece of bling on your finger, you need to know how to take care of it! My dad always told me that maintenance and prevention is cheaper than a big repair/replace bill. So here are the top 5 "care for your ring" tips that will prevent you from replacing your diamond or ring!

1. Get your ring sized! I mentioned this in "you're engaged...now what?!" but this is really the first thing to do when it comes to caring for your ring. Make sure that you relax your finger and have to work to get it off your finger. You don't want to lose your ring when it gets cold outside or your hands get wet, so make sure the ring actually fits.

2. Get insurance! If you have renter's or home owner's insurance, call and have your ring added to your policy. You will need to have an official appraisal before you can add it so make sure you get that done when you have your ring sized. Ring insurance sounds scary and expensive but most policies only charge a yearly free of about $9 for every $1000 the ring is worth. Check to make sure the policy includes theft and misplacing/losing the ring. This piece of jewelry is priceless and you don't want to have to buy another one out of pocket! (Prevention is cheaper!)

3. Put your ring in the same place every time you take it off! I put my ring in the ring box whenever I go to the gym, do outside work, or anything else that would scratch my ring. I know exactly where it is when it's not on my hand. I'm careful with it and I don't take it off for everything... I NEVER take it off in a public bathroom when washing my hands for obvious reasons. So remember - make sure you tuck it away in the same place every time so it doesn't get lost.

4. Get it checked! Talk to your fiance about the insurance policy that came with the ring and read the paperwork. If it says you must get it checked every six months, then go every six months! I highly recommend getting it checked once a year. The prongs are crucial to check in order to prevent the diamond from falling out after the wear and tear of life. You can also check it at home by inspecting the prongs and security of the diamond by simply tugging on the diamond. If your diamond wiggles, take it off and store it in a safe place and take it to get it fixed as soon as you can. Better safe than sorry!

5. Get it cleaned! Your diamond will always look better when it's been cleaned up. Get rid of the soap and lotion build up by cleaning your ring regularly. Do not put any harsh chemicals on the diamond though. I recommend having a ring policy through the jeweler that includes checkups and cleanings. They know what they're doing. There are wipes made specifically for diamond rings but I haven't tried them yet. 

Maintenance and prevention is always cheaper than paying to replace the ring!

you're engaged...now what?!

Congratulations! You're engaged and planning the biggest day of your life. But what do you do next?! This question hit me within 24 hours of being engaged. I knew what had to be done but what do you do first?? So I started researching but it was hard to know what was really important and what could wait. Here are some tips that I found helpful from my own experience!

1. Tell your friends and family...duh! Call them, stop by to see them or text them. But get the word out there that you are engaged. And then celebrate! This kind of news doesn't happen every day so go out and celebrate! Slow down and enjoy this milestone before you post on social media and have to answer all the questions. This isn't just about planning a wedding. This is a time in your life when you're making a commitment to grow old with someone who loves you to the moon and back so enjoy that! Toast your engagement and eat the cake girls!

2. If your fiance didn't have your ring sized, call the jeweler and have it done as soon as possible. I know you wanted it back yesterday but you will have to part with it for a few days to ensure you won't lose it in the future. However, asking the right questions in the beginning can prevent you from being without it longer than you have to be. Ask when the jeweler comes in and when would be the best time to drop your ring off. Sometimes you can drop it off and pick it up later that day or come back the next day - just ask the questions! (Tie some string around the back if it's really too big and that will keep it from falling off.)

3. Questions.... people will start asking about your date, venue, number of people invited, if they are invited, what dress you'll be wearing and everything else in between. If you can give them a ballpark answer on the date, they will be happy. Something along the lines of "early next summer" is fine and you aren't locked in to anything you tell people until it's booked! Or if you're planning a longer engagement, be honest and say that. Own it and people won't keep asking you weird questions. Also, don't be afraid to tell people you are still working the details out. You just got engaged so people don't know what else to do but ask questions. Be gracious, smile and keep your nails done as you engage in the early conversations with people.

4. Decide what's important - the date, venue, and number of people on your "must have" list are all important factors. If you realize that only one date will work with both your families, start narrowing down venues based on that. If there is only one venue you've dreamed of getting married at, then base your date on the venue. Asks the moms to start a must have guest list to help you ball park the amount of people you will have at your wedding because that number will impact your venue selection. A priority list is crucial for helping you make decisions!

5. Have the tough conversations about money and what people really want to happen. This day is very important to your parents, relatives and friends so be mindful of what is important to them. However, this day is about you as a couple so make sure that everyone understands that as well. For example: you find out your mom really wants pictures at your childhood home so do your best to accommodate that because that is something that is important to her but might not matter to you. Or you realize that your friends want to be included in planning a surprise shower for you, so connect them with your mom and let them figure it all out.

6. Dream a lot. Go crazy over Pinterest ideas, The Knot, and every bridal magazine you come in contact with! The sky is the limit so enjoy finding new ideas and being creative. Rip out magazine pages, start pinning away, and make notes in your phones about what inspires and captures you. Settling on a theme and sticking with that is important but you don't need to figure that until you've spent some time dreaming of your perfect day!

7. Have fun! Go out on a date with your fiance. Leave the phones, planners and wedding ideas in the car and spend some time with the love of your life! You'll be surrounded by lots of people and ideas for the next few months so make sure to spend time with each other. Get a massage, go on a hike, hit the dance floor or enjoy a quiet dinner. The important thing is that you're together!


Starting your engagement off on the right foot is important and the less stress the better!

living with my ring

Last year I started writing posts on my blog about "living with the ring!" But I wasn't talking about my ring, I was talking about living with my friends who were engaged. I never really took it anywhere though and opted out on all the juicy stories because they weren't mine.

However, now I'm living with my ring! Yes, you read that right - I'm engaged to my High School sweetheart and love of my life. [Aww!] Throughout my engagement, people have been telling me that I should blog or write a book about being engaged, planning a stress-free wedding, and having the time of your life with the love of your life! So here I am bringing you into my world of "living with the ring."

I'm a bride who is obsessed with organization, simplicity, and details.
And I manage to stay this way thanks to spreadsheets, timelines, and pinterest.

Buckle up, friends. I'm about to bring you the stories you've always wanted to hear with the advice that you never thought you needed.


And since you waited patiently and will continue on this journey with me, here is the beautiful ring that I get to live with every day! It sparkles in the dark and blinds my friends. Strangers gasp at it and I stare at it all day. It's my blinging engagement ring!!

Soul Searching

[this was written as a New Years post but it got lost. So here it is half way through the year to remind us all about those things we promised ourselves to change during this year.]

I have done a lot of thinking the last few days. I took some time to really reflect on my life in 2012 and come up with ways to make it better in 2013. I want to change some things in my life because I want to improve the lives of those around me and that means sacrifice. Some of the changes that I'm making might not be forever and some may turn into forever but its my life and voted on these changes.

1. Peace out Facebook. I have really become less and less of a fan over the last year and this year I cut ties with the alternate life. It's a wise professional decision for me but I also don't have time for it. I deleted the app months ago from my phone and I haven't missed it. I honestly don't want to spend minutes (aka hours) looking at other people's lives via social media. It's a pointless waste of time. So I'm cutting ties with no plan on ever coming back (and if I do...don't judge). If you get engaged, get a new puppy or do something cool and wanna tell me personally, I will jump up and down with you. But I'm not gonna read about it and look and hundreds of pictures on your wall or his wall anymore.

2. Goodbye high school clothes. I cleaned out my closet and officially said goodbye to all things Hollister and such. I had to clean it out partially because I had too many clothes in general but also because that stage of my life is over and I need to get ready to dress the part for my next stage in life. So I packed up all my high school and middle school clothes (basically the same stuff) and took it to some of my favorite girlies who are loving them just as much as I did!

3. Friends. I had to let some go over the last year and looking back I can see it has made me a much more positive person. I am a very loyal person so letting go is hard. We all fight with friends but sometimes people are only in your life for a season, and I need to let things stay that way. So this year I'm building so many new ones and I'm loving the fresh start! I also love continuing on friendships that I've had for years or decades :)

4. Clean. I'm embracing the clean lifestyle. If you know me, you know I'm organized and a neat freak. But this year I'm getting back to my roots of a clean diet and lifestyle all around. No more of this college living crap. I'm working out harder and eating incredibly clean these days. One thing I'm doing is giving up one thing I love for one month. So I picked 12 foods that I love or am tempted to eat too much of and for one month I won't touch it. After that month I'll be able to eat it again but this is to break habits and remind me I don't really need it.

5. Travel constantly. I'm packing my bags in about two months and heading to Europe for my last placement and semester of student teaching. This is one of my many ways I hope to travel this year. I want to constantly be traveling by reading books from all over the world on culture and lifestyles and languages and even some good fiction stories. I love to read and this year I'm attempting 52 in 52. Aka 52 books for 52 weeks of the year.

So these are just some of my working yearly commitments. Other ones are more personal and since I don't have Facebook you won't know about them now;) just kidding. But really- you won't because I'm not posting about them.

I hope you all take time to not only try to make your life better this year but the lives of others around you.

[Reflection: I'm not doing that bad. I picked realistic aspects of my life that I wanted to change and focus on. I'm still off Facebook and don't miss it one single day. I love all my professional clothes and get way more compliments on my style. I'm eating clean and training harder. And I've done my fair share of traveling around the world physically and through books. So how are you doing?]

Homeward bound

I have had an amazing last few days in Prague! My heart aches to say goodbye to this beautiful city filled with amazing people. But I'm currently in the airport looking at my plane and it's starting to sink in that I'm leaving. I'll probably cry the whole way to London and people will wonder what's wrong with the crazy girl in row 15. But at least I have some pretty awesome people waiting for me when I get back home! So here are my last words to Mr. Prague, the city that has taught me so much in last two months about culture, friendship, sacrifice, dreams, history, love and raw beauty. 

Goodbye clay rooftops. 

Goodbye old doors. 

Goodbye tall spires. 

Goodbye rock floors. 

Goodbye sweet flowers.

Goodbye yummy treats.

Goodbye gorgeous views. 

Goodbye sore feet. 

Goodbye dear friends. 

Goodbye precious littles.

Goodbye is to final, so

Until we meet again!

acting like an eight year old

Yesterday was a Czech holiday, Labor Day. So that meant no school for me and the littles. But since we love each other so much we weren't apart! My cooperating teacher and I actually spent our day off with most of our littles because one of them had a birthday party, and we were invited! So we went and it was so much fun:)

The little's birthday party was at a park that is in the southern part of Prague. And since it was a holiday getting there took a lot longer than we planned because public transportation was much slower. But we finally got there and had a blast.

I love being eight years old again:) even if it's just for a day!

The playground...well let's just say it would never exist in America. And if it did parents would need to sign waivers to let their child near it and then the children would have to wear a safety harness. No lie. Look at this thing!! The picture doesn't do it justice but those red ropes connect to the cat walks up high. And there is nothing really stopping the children from falling over 30 feet down to the ground expect strong arms and common sense. But it was so so fun!

Yes, I climbed it. Yes, my kids loved every minute of it. Yes, I want one!

My cooperating teacher and I were able to continue acting like eight year old children after we left the birthday party because...we went to the Praha Zoo!! The zoo is nothing like you find in America and that's what made it so special and fun! 

At times we close enough to actually touch most of the animals. There was usually a knee high fence and a ditch between me and the animals, and sometimes there was a little river of water - tell me how that stops monkeys from attacking me?! But the entire park is a must see!

Only one more day left with my little monkeys. 

It's hard to believe it's been almost 2 months!

after care

Every Tuesday after school my cooperating teacher and I watch a few of the littles until their parents can come and pick them up. So today I tell them to all find something to play with and about two minutes after they start they ask, "Miss Reed, can we practice our math with the fraction circles?" Music. To. My. Ears. "Yes!!! Of course you can, loves!" So now I'm can't stop laughing because they're taking turns pretending to be me teaching them math.

Here is the how I talk during math according to my second graders:
"I love how Jenny is sitting so quietly."
"I know your birthday party is tomorrow, Sam. Yes, I'm coming to the park for cake!"
"Who can  help me with this fraction?"
"I love how you're sitting."
"Go move your name down, Liam."
"Maybe you can try the fraction this way."
"I like the way Ben is sitting."
"Here is your prize for doing fraction circles and listening."
"Go put your name up to 'Outstanding' because I love the way you're acting today!"
"You can go out to recess now!"
"Wait! It's present time! Here is one for you, and you, and you..."
"I love the way Carly is sitting."
"Yes, you can have a hug."



And my favorite "Miss Reed" quote:
"I brought pizza for the whole class!!!"

You learn a lot when kids play teacher!!


*All names have been changed.

the castle guards gossip

Today I know what the castle guards are gossiping about....me! Why? Because I ran around the castle complex like I owned the place for about an hour in bright pink shoes. The castle is about a 30 minute run from my house here. So I stopped along the way to take some quick pictures on my phone because the views were stunning...

Then I decided that since the castle was open I would take a run around the complex. And it was magical! Who else can say that they went running around a castle? A princess that's who. Plus there was barely anyone around so I got some amazing shots of the castle...

I honestly don't know how I'm ever going to be able to run on a treadmill or through a development again. The views in Prague are breathtaking and keep me running for hours to see more! I am getting the best workouts here because I run for hours up and down the hills of this beautiful city!

But I know that I caused a few giggles from the castle guards because I was wearing my American bright pink running shoes and jumping off of steps and running up, down and all around. Oh well...everyone needs something or someone to talk about on their breaks, and today it's all about these pink sneakers!

*click on any pictures to see zoom in and see them bigger!

the prague diet

Living in overseas means eating like the natives.
So what does the Prague diet entail?
A lot of walking and fresh fruits and veggies.

Czechs go grocery shopping almost every single day
because they don't have cars to load everything in
so they carry all their groceries home. And no one
wants to carry too many things home so they don't.

This means that everything is very fresh to eat!
They have less preservatives here and plenty of
places near by to get fresh fruits and veggies from.
I mean Spanish strawberries...to die for!!

So one aspect of the Prague diet: fresh fruits
and veggies daily - basically every meal!
But add in that they eat less...small portions.

Lastly, walk, walk, walk, run, run, run.
Lots of walking everywhere around the
city to get things and go to work, and
then running for a great workout!

So basically....
1. eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies
2. eat smaller portions of food
3. walk everywhere and then go work out


And that my friends is the Prague diet!
I love it. Working out twice a day plus
all the walking, fresh meals and smaller
portions is looking pretty good on me!

sweet and silly

There is a little in my class who is always saying the sweetest and silliest things. These are his top 5 very funny, adorable, and a-sharing-must quotes from last week.

                                  FIVE.
(While holding his nose) "Miss Reed, can we please move back to our seats? I kinda tooted and it smells pretty gross over here in my spot...."
What do you say to that?! Yes.

                                  FOUR.
(Before standardized testing and after being told to use scrap paper to doodle when they're done) "Miss Reed, I'm gonna draw you a picture of my house so when you come over you know what it looks like. Oh and can you come over and okay at my house?! My mom will make us good and I have so many fun toys... At least for boys!"
He picture included his balcony and a clear distinction in the different paint colors on the steps and walls.

                                  THREE.
(Randomly during the day) "Miss Reed, I'm gonna miss you when I go to America but I can come visit you because we'll both be in America! But I don't know how far Utah is from Pennsylvania so here is a map to find me in case I can't find you!"
I think he's giving me a great excuse to travel out West!!

                                  TWO.

(After a Bible lesson) "Miss Reed, can you come over to my house so I can read you Bible stories from my Bible??"
YES!! YES!!!! YESSSSS!!!!

                                  ONE.

(After getting hurt and sitting on my lap to until he felt better) "Miss Reed, I prayed to Jesus and asked him to make my back feel better and it worked! But can you pray for me too?"
Every single day I do, bud. Every. Single. Day.

a walk in the park

Today I took my littles on a walk outside because they worked so hard all week, and our week was not exactly a walk in the park. But today our walk was wonderful and very educational! We were on a mission to look for what rocks make in our world. So off we went to the park! And my littles were shocked to find rocks all around them. We even saw cement being made which uses gravel! There are learning experiences all around us :)

Then I let them play in the park (which they did have to earn with good behavior and discussions). It was so much fun to chase them around and take some pictures of them giggling and having fun!! I love these littles and had the best time with them today :) They manage to make me melt every single day. I'm so blessed and honored to be teaching them!

My favorite moment was holding their hands while we walked; I would give their hand a little squeeze and they would squeeze back and smile!

For those of you who loved the quote "every storm runs of rain," here's the song by Gary Allen.

hide-and-go-seek

Today one of my precious littles was sitting all alone at recess. He didn't want to play in the sandbox because he hated sand in his shoes; he wanted to play football (soccer) but the balls were all taken; so he sat all alone in a little house. Heart breaking. So I sat with him and we talked about his new house and how he was wearing all blue and what other games we could play together. Then another little came up to me and said he was bored too... perfect!!!

So we started to play hide-and-go-seek.

At first it was just me and the two boys. But by the time I counted to 20 about ten more littles had joined in! I had the entire group of littles, first through fifth grade, playing a huge game of hide-and-go-seek with me by the end of recess. We ran around and hid in bushes; we giggled and laughed until someone found us; we ran to the base to win the round. But the best part was all the memories and smiles we shared! :)

So even thoughI have a bad day every now and then, these are the days that remind me why I love what I do and why I continue to travel the world to teach littles. I just love my littles and all the joy they bring my life! I think I could be a little at heart forever :)


And as if my day couldn't get any better... today was Poem in My Pocket Day! So my littles have been working on their own poems all week, and today they read them for the Elementary School students and parents. They wrote wonderful poems and used their big voices! I was so so proud of all of them and clapped my hands off for each of them! Heart melting.

bad days

We all have bad days.
Littles do. Teachers do.
But the thing about bad days
is that we need to think about
how to make tomorrow an
awesome day! So we reflect.

We talk about the truth and
how today was not a good day.
Then we talk about the specifics:
unkind words, not listening and
other things that made the day bad.

Reflecting helps us to realize
what actions and attitudes
need to be changed tomorrow.

So how do I handle bad days?
I put on my very bright pink
running shoes and I hit the
pavement for a solid hour.
And I pray that God will
help me show love, patience
and kindness with my littles.

And then I wake up and
tell myself to make it a better
day for me and the littles.
I pray for wisdom and
each of my littles in the am.

And the next day is
always much brighter
and I get smothered in
hugs and laughs all day!

Because... every storm 
runs out of rain! -Gary Allen

that day in april

So there is a special day to celebrate in April that is for someone very special to me... the boy's birthday! This year we're not sitting at the Phillies ballpark like we normally are because I'm across the pond. So I'm wishing him a very happy birthday!

Happy Birthday, my love!

I love you more every single day :)

A little sunshine

We haven't seen much of the sun around here until this week. So it was the first weekend that was nice and warm and I took full advantage of it! I enjoyed wandering around Prague, checking out local farmers markets, running through gorgeous streets with a view of the Prague Castle, and even watching the sunset in the shadows of a beautiful church that sits on a backwoods hill.

Mr. Prague... you have captivated and humbled me.

My eyes hurt from your truly breathtaking beauty.

politeness

AMEN.

see here for details.

"i forgot..."

top 3 things my precious littles forgot today...

1. to keep their shoes on
2. to try before asking for help
3. that I don't speak Russian


it was a funny day with them :)

their precious hearts

All nine of my littles warm my heart every single day.

I love seeing them waddle like penguins down the hallway to stay quiet.

I love it when they ask to hold my hand and give it a squeeze while we walk.

I love how they bring in rocks to show their friends because we're studying rocks.

I love hearing them giggle and smile ear to ear about something funny.

I love watching them swing their feet on a chair because they can't touch the floor.

I love how "nicely" they remind me to say or do something I forgot.
I love when they hand over all the items in their pockets with just one look.
I love playing outside with them (I even get out on the field and play soccer)!

I love when they tell me they want to read because Miss Reed likes to read! ;)

I love their minds and how they try to express their feelings and thoughts.

And as if it couldn't get any cuter than that...

I love how sweetly they sing songs to Jesus and dance all over the room.
I love when they tell me Bible stories and ask thoughtful questions about God.

I love how they fold their hands and talk to God so innocently during prayer time.

I love their little hearts and how much they love each other every day.

These things make the bad days a little brighter and the good days wonderful

because these nine littles know the way right to my heart. <3


And just to make you laugh this was a conversation between me and 2 students:
Student: "How old are you Miss Reed?"
Me: "Old enough to be your teacher."
Student: "Wow! So you're ten?!"
Me: "No... I'm older than your sister." (Who is ten)
Student: "Oh so like 20?"
Me: [thinking... now what?!] "No. I'm old enough that I'm almost done college."
Student: "Okay. I don't know how old you are in college though."
Student #2: "She's like 40!!!"
Me: [in horror] "Um no. I'm not 40 bud."
Student #2: "Okay... so 50?!"
Me: "I am NOT 50 years old! But I'm older than you." (changed subject)


My littles have no concept of age so I won't hold it against them that they said I was 50 years old! And it definitely made me laugh :)

the details

I'm half way through my time in Prague and it's been incredible! I've done my best to quickly adapt to the culture and lifestyle here but there are little things that remind me every day I'm not at home. These are my top 5 details I've found while living here:

1. There are no top sheets. I noticed this my first night at a house I was staying in but thought maybe they didn't have any clean ones. Then when I was traveling over Spring Break in Austria and other parts of the Czech Republic I noticed it again. They have duvets and that is the top sheet and the comforter.

2. The toilets have full and half flushes. You can figure out which one is used for which...

3.. The doors always open in. Fire hazard?! Uh yes. And not a day goes by that I forget this and pull on push doors and walk away because I think the place is closed. So if there is a fire in any of these buildings...let's hope everyone is calm and collected and not pushing to get out of the building.

 4.We wear "indoor shoes" at school. I didn't really understand why this was a part of their culture until I got here and experienced the snow and rain. But now I get why everyone has shoes to change into once they get to school to keep the wet messy shoes out of the classroom.

5. People love their dogs here. The dogs are rarely leashed and often accompany their owners in restaurants and on public transportation while sporting some sort of doggy clothing.

Okay one more...this is more random and personal though...

I have massive bruises from being thrown around on the buses and trams like a rag doll. I've learned how to stand and where to be but there is always that one bus driver who slams on the breaks and sends me and all the other Czechs flying into a railing. So I've started a bruise collection on my left side (every time I tossed into a railing it's the same side and same place...figures). It's rather impressive if you ask me.

Here are some of my favorite pictures so far...

The town of Cesky Krumlov. Storybook perfect!

Hidden treasures: Easter markets and beautiful doors!

Beauty in the details: vines growing on a house and walking along the water at night.

The view on my run Monday night...a town in a valley with a church on a hill.

Check out some more amazing pictures over here on my Instagram!!