TCAP Promo 2013

To promote TCAP excellence at The Academy, we created a couple of videos this year. As always, thanks to everyone who participated! Can't wait to start brainstorming ideas for next year...

Dry Erase Calendar

Again, inspired by Pinterest and with the abundance of time these days (winter break ends tomorrow), I decided to take on this dry erase calendar project. 

I modified it to work with the frame I had. I found an 8x10" frame on sale at Staples for $4. In some ways, I wish I had found a larger frame. I wouldn't recommend doing this for anything smaller than 8x10" for the simple fact that it's more work. You have to measure out the space available for each square, which doesn't equal an easy 2x2" block as the original project suggests.

Supplies:

Frame (12x16" would work best)

Paint chips (choose your favorite colors)

Glue ( I used a scrapbooking glue stick, but even Elmer's would work)

Dry erase marker

Cut paint chips to the size needed. I cut and measured everything before I glued them down. I just used the paper already found inside of the frame to glue the chips down. If the frame does not come with one, you will need a sturdy piece of paper to glue all of the paint chips together.

I love how easy it is to change the calendar! It's a nice decorative piece. You can also add embellishments to the days of the week, since those are standard. I left them blank for now and drew on the glass with the dry easer marker. I might go back in and design something more permanent on the actual tiles later.

First Christmas Together Ornament

After perusing pins on Pinterest, I saw and loved an ornament idea, so I decided to make it for my lovely friend Jennifer who recently got married. I had saved her save the date card, wedding invitation, and little embellishments from the wedding day itself. 

 First take an empty ornament bulb. Be sure you can remove the top.Cut out the important details from the wedding invitations and any other documents you wish to preserve.  I used decorative scissors to cut out each piece. Roll the pieces of paper along a pencil so they will slide into the ornament. 

I bought this amazing glitter set from Martha Stewart. I chose the best colors that matched their invitation and poured an abundence of glitter! I have to admit, larger sized glitter works best.   
           

Then I hot-glued the lid on top. After that, I added a red bow to finish the ornament! It was a lot of fun to make, and I didn't feel bad throwing away the wedding invitation afterwards. I knew the event was preserved and the couple will have a little token to remember their very first Christmas together!

It was super easy to make and inexpensive. The inspiration of others on Pinterest is incredible! 

Some New Creative Sites I Love!

I will be adding a couple of new websites under my Creative tab. These have been apps/websites I've been using as of late (especially with my new iPhone).

Pinterest: a social networking site that allows you to post images and repin images you find throughout the site. It's especially cool to see creative ideas from others (recipes, crafts, fun stuff all around). Think of Facebook's Pieces of Flair and take that to a superhero degree...that's Pinterest.

One side note with respect to the site:  you do have to request an invite before you can sign up. In some ways, it toys with the inexplicable human desire for immediate gratification by making its users wait a day or so before actually getting account. Other than that, it's just an annoying little step...but creates a sort of V.I.P.-feel to the site and is well worth the wait. As far as I can tell, no one is denied a request to join.

The iPhone app hasn't been the greatest at always working. It seems to have several bugs that need to be worked out. When they are figured out, I think it will be an awesome site to use regularly via the app.

Next on the list is Instagram. This is by far, one of the best iPhone photo apps I've used. It is so much fun to apply the different filters with your shots. It helps make even the most inept photographer into a genius with just a few easy steps.

To take Instagram to the next step, you can go to StickyGram and turn your amazing photos into mini magnets. I can think of a million ways to use these cool little magnets (gift ideas, save-the-dates, business cards, or simply additional coolness to your fridge's massive magnet collection)!

These are the moments I truly love technology!

A Shift

Since August of 2010, I have been working on a shift in my career path. This shift included going back to school to become a teacher. I did so by attending an alternative licensure program called TILA. Through the program, I attended classes, workshops, read, and wrote thousands of pages on educational pedagogies and methodologies. Anyone who's been a first year teacher knows that it comes with a lot of challenges:  writing your first set of lesson plans for a section of a class, learning classroom management, and handling behavior problems. Did I mention learning how to cope when things aren't going as you planned and how to professionally respond to people and situations that are not always professional towards you? So combined with the challenges of the first year of teaching, I was juggling the ins and outs of TILA's graduate program. Needless to say, I did not have much time for anything else:  blogging especially.

Now that I have completed the program and my work is under review for my license, I am happy to say the desire to blog has returned! To have some connectivity between now and my last post, I will include a link to the website I built compiling my work from this past year's TILA experience:  my Final Portfolio. When I look back on this year, I am happy and thankful to say--it's DONE, I met a lot of amazing people who are working hard to educate our youth, I learned A LOT, and seriously...IT IS DONE!!

This year was seriously like trying to drink from a fire hydrant without drowning!

In an effort to retain some of the information and resources I learned about over the past 11 months, I have created several tabs on this blog. There is some overlap between the resources tabs (CREATIVE! and EDUCATION!) considering I am always looking for things in the "real world" to bring into my classroom. Which reminds me, I did not mention what I got my endorsement in:  K-12 Visual Art. The classes I teach at The Academy Charter School  are all technology-based Visual Arts courses (Junior High level Visual Presentations, Graphic Design, etc.). Therefore, a lot of my education resources are connected to either art or technology--or some combination of the two. I have also taken a huge interest in helping to stop cyberbullying among teens.

Other new things on this blog include my Twitter Feed, Facebook link, and YouTube Feed. I am especially proud of several of the videos I created this year for my school as well as for projects during TILA. If you have some time, and are interested, I suggest you check them out! I hope to add a lot more to the third tab on this page highlighting the places I've been, and things I've done over my lifetime. I want to add images and interactive components to that page, but it is still under construction.

As far as topics I will be blogging on in the future, I hope to share my upcoming traveling adventures to Central America (July 2011) and to Spain and France (March 2012). Although I've been to Central America on several occasions, I will be visiting some new places that I've missed on past trips. The Spain and France trip will be a totally new experience for me, and I am really looking forward to traveling with my school!

I am looking forward to returning to blogging! Thanks for reading and browsing through the new features of this blog!

Mila's Daydreams

Clouds Galore

2-05-10 from Kelly DeLay on Vimeo.

I think this site is really cool! I love watching clouds...so this site is perfect.

Thankfully Surprised

In the spirit of the holiday, Thanksgiving that is, I decided to compile a list of things I'm thankful from this year. After reflecting, I realized a lot of things have been amazing this year...and despite the tragedies, I continue to thank the Lord for His tremendous blessings.

The List Begins...I am so thankful for:
1. The Lord Jesus Christ for giving me life, for loving me, for saving me.

2. My family, not only my parents (Bob &; Janette) and sister (Amanda), but my grandparents (Emma & Fred), aunts and uncles (Paula & Frank,  Abe & Cris, Geno & Susan), first cousins (Victoria & Joe, Victor, Sam, Nick, and Andrew), second cousins (Isaiah, Jacob, and Isabel). Each and everyone one of these people are near and dear to my heart. They make up the fabric of who I am and where I've come from, and for this I give thanks.

(This is Isaiah's First Holy Communion!)

3. Friends near and far who I've met during the various stages of my life. Without each of them, I would not see the world with such wide-open eyes.

4. Being able to travel so much this year. Some of the trips were planned, others were spur of the moment! This year I got to go to the following locations:

• Washington, D.C. in January for the Inauguration

• Atlanta, GA in March for Sarah's Birthday and a FeRVOR concert. I had to leave Denver in a blizzard...it was scary, but made it okay!

• Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica in June for a vacation 

• Washington, D.C. in September for the Eucharistic Congress. I met so many amazing women during this retreat!

Each of these trips gave me moments of joys and great memories for which I am very grateful.

5. Being able to walk alongside some of the coolest teens this year. We've done several studies including Theology of the Body, Blue Like Jazz, and Epic Church History. We've done community service, attended Steubenville of the Rockies, and prayed across the local high schools. They all continue to teach me so much, and I pray that I am doing the same for them. I hope to be a reflection of Christ to each of them--to love them as He sees them and loves them. A shot out to: MF, EF, ES, MS, ES, and MB--you all ROCK!

6. The opportunity to start up new endeavors such as a photo-a-day blog with my good friend Sarah. We call it Resplendent Awakening. It has been really cool to start documenting my life daily in a way through this blog. It has given me a new perspective and for this, I am thankful.

7. Getting to go to some very cool performances this year:

• Denver Pops Orchestra-my sister's in this orchestra, and they impress me every time I see them! 

• Star Wars in Concert-I didn't realize how much of a fan I was! While I was there, I saw so many people I knew--it was hysterical! 

• Wicked the Musical-again, another thing to give me tremendous perspective on how to not judge something by its outward appearance.

8. Being able to help others via community service, monetary donations, and even hair donations! Locks of Love received a 10 inch pile of my hair this year!

9. Being able to work at The Academy. Not only am I thankful for a job in general, I am thankful for all of the fun people I work with--as well as my students. Teaching 7th graders this year has been new and an absolute blessing!

(Here's some of us playing scooter basketball!)

10. Getting to continue this journey known as LIFE. This year, we lost those we love very dearly and they are not forgotten. But even more than that, I carry on with hope--knowing that God will continue to place us in the palm of His Mighty Hand to carry us on this journey. He makes us strong when in reality, we are weak. He fills us with the Breath of Life that can only come from Him. In Christ Jesus, I remain...Joyful!

A New Project

After seeing a couple of fun blogs (Don't Wiggle and Minty Forest) my friend Sarah and I decided to take on a new project.  We are each living on opposites sides of the world and taking a picture a day. Without disclosing the content of the day's image, we each post a picture independently.

The combination of the two pictures are proving to be incredible, and I hope the year will continue to be interesting!

Follow along!

My Brain Just Might Explode

That's right...after last weekend of Eucharistic Congress amazingness, I felt like my brain was going to explode after taking in so much good stuff.

Here's a little slide show of my experience.

On the Spiritual Side of Things

On September 11th, I will be flying into Washington, D.C. for a Eucharistic Congress held by the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious. The theme of the Congress is Sacrifice of Enduring Love. The Congress will draw participants to the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, the source and summit of enduring love, the way of all communion between God and His people.

Speakers will focus upon priesthood, religious life and marriage as:

• an irrevocable commitment;

• an identification with Christ in his submission to the Will of the Father; and

• a complete gift of self in love.

I'm so excited to go to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which is also known as America's Catholic Church. It is the largest Catholic Church in the United States and in North America. It's actually one of ten largest churches in the world.
This trip is a pilgrimage of sorts for me. The retreats, trainings, and other events I've attended of the last several years have been primarily focused on teens, or the service to teens in ministry. Don't get me wrong, these types of events are great and I do get to spend a lot of time in prayer with the Lord. However, they have not been focused on the discernment of my personal vocation--nor do I take time to allow Christ to fill my cup completely in order to serve.

The last three, four, five times I've been to adoration, I've felt this calling and overwhelming love of Jesus Christ. I have just wanted to stay there and sing, "I love you," to my Savior over and over again. It is this stirring that has lead me to go on this trip.

Also, I want to share with you a book I'm reading...it's called "Climbing the Mountain" by Anne, a Lay Apostle. This beautiful book has provided a link between myself and the messages of Jesus. Reading this book, I have realized I should not ask whether I am called to serve--because we are all called--but rather, I should ask the where, how, what questions with respect to service. It is in this place I begin. With the inklings of the Holy Spirit, I move forward.

O the beauty He has in store for me and for us all!

Some Products I'm Diggin'

Two things, actually, three things that I'm really jiving with lately are:

1. Kings of Leon
Their cd is currently on sale on i-Tunes for $7.99--a Back-to-School Special. In fact, they have several great albums on sale this week.

I guess the reason I'm liking them so much is--they're all brothers, working together to share the twisting and melding of melodies and harmonies known as music. It's just so beautiful to me!

2. The Bump App on my i-Phone

It's genius...seriously! It makes me so impressed at technology and gives me hope that if we can just bump cell phones together and share info, we can really solve some of the major problems of this world.

3. Twitter

I've decided to join the Twitter trend...but prayerfully, I've decided I'd like to make it a Scripture/Saint Quote ministry. I can be followed at @joyous111

Irony and Hindsight

After watching Kevin Skinner perform on America's Got Talent, I think everyone was moved at his genuine spirit...especially David Hasselhoff.


But, I guess David needs to take his own advice about "telling a story"...

Check out this link...it's sooooo funny! I guess hindsight is a blessing!

FPC's Columbine Day of Service 2009

Whoa...coolness

Death Has Been Happening A Lot

For having as big of a family as I do, I'm kinda surprised something like this hasn't happened sooner, but we lost three family members in one week exactly. Living in a culture/society that doesn't have a big connection with the concept of death, I too, had kinda forgotten about the mortality of my human physique. 

This is not an easy topic to discuss on a regular basis, nor do I think it's particularly healthy to do so; however, it does require our attention from time to time. Every living being will reach an end on this earth. Even being thankful for the opportunity to wake up morning after morning is overwhelming...the Lord has called us to live here one more day, and for that we can rejoice. Our lives may seem mundane or even unbearable, but He gave us this day to live out. 

Death affects the youngest of young and oldest of old...it most cases, it breaks our hearts. The circumstances surrounding a death are shared, the time of his passing, his state of mind, his state of being are all shared, and news usually spreads quickly among those who knew him. We talk about times we shared with him, how he loved, memories slip into our mind about how he rubbed his nose or expressed an emotion uniquely. All of the memories seem to be fleeting and simply not enough...we are left longing for more time to be with him.

That's when we are drawn into faith...into a belief of something greater than ourselves. Heaven is an appealing and popular line of thought. Although, people don't like to think about what it takes to get there. Now, I don't claim to know what God has planned for us...but I do know He wants us to have a relationship with Him and with His Son, Jesus Christ. I believe that heaven is beautiful...a marvelous light where darkness has no foothold on us. We get to be in the presence of the Lord Almighty forever and ever. We get to worship His holy name. Understanding will be given to us as a gift, but that doesn't even matter, because we get to just BE in existence with the beautiful Lord of lords. 

So, my thought is....if people don't want a relationship with Jesus here on earth, why do they want one with Him up in heaven? Why do they think they will get to spend eternity in heaven with God, when they wouldn't even consider getting to know Him while they were alive on earth? Although, I understand God has every right to allow anyone He chooses into heaven, it seems odd to me that we presume Jesus didn't mean what He said when He said, "No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). I'd rather not risk it...I want to be in heaven with Him.

During this difficult time, I had the opportunity to serve my family by creating one of memorial videos. This is the video I created for my great-aunt, Irene Valdez. She died at the age of 77, just surviving our grandson, Steven by 16 hours. Steven passed the day before at the age of 32. Later that week, another one of my cousins, Julian passed away during surgery. 

All three are deeply missed, and I pray they are gazing upon the face of the Lord Jesus. 

Self-Governance

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Mike Huckabee Pt. 1

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

The Character Education Program for the country as former Gov. Mike Huckabee presents it.

Yes We Can!

Making a Difference, Allowing for Change

I have recently been inspired by a wonderful woman. She is a co-worker of mine who is wanting to make a difference in the school we serve. She is an enthusiastic bubble of joy every time I see her, and she has introduced me to this program (which I think Oprah featured). I've heard about this a little bit, but to see these previews made me really stop and listen. 

I hope you can watch them and see the need for such attitudes EVERYWHERE we go. This is my hope and prayer.