happy...

Tuesday, October 29, 2013



xoxo, 
Ally & Scuttle


Share/Bookmark

just kitten

Saturday, October 26, 2013

One thing you should know about me: I love cats. I always have, and always will. No one will ever convince me that there is a more suitable pet for all different lifestyles. Now before you go hating on cats, know that I also like dogs. Just not nearly as much as I like cats.

I will save my dog v. cat argument for another post but this fine Caturday, I would like to show you some of my favorite cat items I have stumbled upon via the internet.

enjoy & happy Caturday.




1. I included this little gem of a shirt because one of my favorite things are cats & one of my husbands favorite things is beer. Although I would never wear buy this, I thought it was pretty funny. Buy Here.

2. I found these super cute cards flapperdoodle, an Etsy shop that you can download some super cute cards for almost anything you can think of. I used her design for some bachlorette invites this summer & I absolutely loved how they turned out! These little cat cards are the perfect way to say hello- from both Scuttle & myself!

3. I have been swooning over two cat cases for my iPhone- I love the colors on this one, it is bold yet suttle all at once.

4. Confession: I actually own a pet food mat made by Diggity Dawg  and I love it! I was looking at her site and noticed this mustard yellow one and could not help but think how cute it would look in my home full of mustard yellow [side note: yellow is my favorite color, I do not wear it often because it washes me out, but I LOVE decorating with it!] Anyways, these pet food mats are great for kitties that like to splash in their water (*cough*cough*Scuttle!) They are wipeable and look super cute!

5. These little cat buttons are just adorable... I own a couple cat buttons that currently adorn my winter coat and I love adding a little flare to my wardrobe!

6. Currently, I cannot decide which cat shirt to get... this one by BurgerAndFriends is so catchy...

7.... But this one is just too funny...

8. Yet another cat iPhone case I just can't help but love... I mean the cat is the spitting image of Scuttle. Plus I love the artists inspiration for the design.

9. How cute would this ring look on my skinny, bony finger?

10. Last, but certainly not least, these little girls tights are just too much for me to handle. I mean come on, if I had a little girl I would order them in every size so she would have them continually as she grows.






Share/Bookmark

emotions & teaching

Friday, October 25, 2013

please note I do not want anyone to take pity on me for this post... I am just writing for sympathy to other urban teachers, to make others aware, and for my own personal record...

Working in an urban school is much harder than I thought it would be. I anticipated the school year to be tough. Josh worked at the school last year and I saw how exhausted he was every day and heard the dramatic stories and witnessed the defeat all last year. It was certainly hard for me to watch it happen.

So I thought I knew what I was getting myself into.
However, urban education has literally been the most exhausting thing I have ever done. 

I am working on average 12 hours a day.
This obviously creates physical exhaustion that is unexplainable- plain and simple, the first thing I think about when I wake up is how much I will look forward to meeting my bed back again when I return. I absolutely hate that- but my early school day and late nights have driven me to that madness.

Physical exhaustion only adds to my overall exhaustion; My emotional exhaustion is the kind that literally drains me to my bones. Teaching is an emotionally exhausting job and working in an urban school only heightens the fact.

I am constantly giving and giving and giving attention to students- some of these students really do appreciate that. But it is especially emotionally exhausting to give and give and give to students who simply do not care and are not aware that you want them to succeed in life. All I want for my students is for them to acquire the knowledge and skills to succeed in life, so it really pulls yanks on my heart strings to see my students simply not care.

The majority of my students do not read or write on the level that they should be. They are heavily influenced by the culture that surrounds them- a culture that (in general) glorifies drugs, sex, and gang violence. I have volunteered to work in project neighborhoods before. I know the culture well- I know the values. Sadly, education and getting out of poverty is not always one of them. It is emotionally exhausting to see my students come to school with loads of real life issues on their shoulders- my students experience- and have experienced- things that no child should ever have to.

It breaks my heart and at the end of the day, in all honesty, I often feel defeated, my heart feels broken, and my soul is weary.

A dear friend of mine who I look up to so much asked me in the midst of my complaining if there was anything that was good about teaching- This made me stop in the midst of my heated ranting and truly think. Yes the majority of my day is pretty crappy and exhausting and if I hear "This is too much to write" about a single simple sentence one more time I may blow up- but her question made me realize that no matter how emotionally and physically exhausting my day is, I still have moments that make my heart warm again and I see God working. When a student has a light bulb turn on or smiles and tells me "Good Morning Mrs. Hendy," I remember that no, I will not have a Freedom Writers story, but this is my own story and I cling to the fact that no matter how weak I am- HE is strong. And HE is working.

I do not remind myself of this often enough. Hoping one day it will be second nature to do so...

Here is a picture of this week at school- Josh & I dressed up for "Throwback Thursday" for homecoming week...

I gathered up some of my hippie clothes, threw on a hair band & a Vietnam War" jacket, played a little Marvin Gay for my students and called it a day... Josh grabbed his normal clothes & labeled it "grunge 90's" ...

enjoy the weekend!

ally


Share/Bookmark

playing catch up

Friday, October 18, 2013

Things have been busy around the Hendy household for the past two months. (note: that was an understatement... we've actually been the most busy a person can be.) With school started up, we are knee deep  underwater in work. It certainly has been a crazy start-up to our fiscal year.

To catch you all up, Josh & I are both teaching at the same high school this year. We work in the same department. In fact, we have rooms right next to each other. [insert a resounding "awwww"] I know, I know; adorable. It has actually been awesome to work so close to him, but we'll save that for another post. After all, we are just playing catch up.

The school we work at is tough. (yet again, a severe understatement.) It's ranked one of the "worst" in VA. But I do not like thinking of it that way- otherwise my day year is ruined. It is all about outlook. I prefer to view the high school as one of the biggest projects for VA public school. With endless paperwork, a tough student population, and logistical teaching "stuff," I am constantly writing sticky-note after sticky-note of how I need to play catch-up on work. And yet no matter how much I scratch off of my to-do list, there are always things being added. It can sometimes (mostly) feel like a daunting task. I still sometimes question myself on whether or not this is actually feasible for little ol' me. But we keep pushing through.

That is really all I have right now to catch you up on... It has been a crazy two months. And I forsee my future to be pretty insane until June 17.

More to come. Hope you enjoy the new design & look. Hoping to blog a lot about this year, DIYs, teaching, life, & cats- I want to document this crazy season because I often find in the business of it all, I forget to slow down & reflect.


Share/Bookmark

Movie Monday: A Place Beyond the Pines

Monday, May 20, 2013

Direction. Every blog needs direction. You have wedding blogs, photography blogs, craft blogs, food blogs- pretty much there is a blog for everything.

I, on the other hand, have been confronting myself with this big question: "What do I want my blog to be about?"

It really is a big question and I do not really know the answer quite yet. 

I know I want to share my life. I want to share what is true and what is real. 

I also want to share things that I love. 

Like simple recipes (I do not love to cook, but I love discovering a good recipe thats a "keeper!)
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins... to die for.


& decorating tips... I love LOVE decorating. Whether it is a home or a party I love being in charge of decorations. 
Libby threw me a bridal shower and I will never ever forget it. I often think of it and remember how oh-so-loved I felt. She decorated it so well- and she also has a really lovely home!

I love crafts & DIYing <i just made that a word...



I DIYed my entire wedding... of course with the help of many friends & family.


Recently, I have also been loving movies. Josh & I really enjoy watching movies & thinking of the deeper issues and meanings of a movie. We have a membership to the movie rental store down the street; The Naro Expanded Cinema

Insert Movie Mondays. (I mean, who doesn't love alliteration?)

I am going to try and take a stab at this. I am by no means a movie critic, but I love a good film without the popcorn (I do not like popcorn. [Insert shocked, horror faces with scrunchy eyebrows... I know... I know....)

So here is my first Movie Monday.

A Place Beyond the Pines  Click on the link to view the full overview on IMBD
Directed by Derek Cianfrance ( director of Blue Valentine)
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, & Eva Mendes

Josh & I saw this movie at the Naro cinema a few weeks ago. The Naro is such a sweet little gem in Norfolk- the people that work there absolutely LOVE movies. 




It is not your typical Regal Cinemas or anything... It is one theater showing one movie at a time. And they usually only show movies that you eiher 1) Have never heard of but always win Oscars & such and 2) Do not play in your standard theater at the mall.

They also sometimes play old favorites such as The Big Lebowski & The Princess Bride side note if you have never seen the Princess Bride, do yourself a favor & watch it.... it is a personal favorite.


Okay back to the movie under review... A Place Beyond the Pines was not what I expected it to be... I honestly thought it was going to be about how Ryan Goslings character becomes a father and starts to do crimes in order to support his new baby. Which is not usually my cup of tea kind of movie, but hey, Ryan Gosling is in it and that is reason enough to see a movie.



Although the movie starts like this, in a quick turn of events, it unravels such a grander theme. The film covers a period of 15-18 years. Ryans character, Luke, is a tough guy motorcycle star who makes his living traveling with a circus. His life is turned upside down when he discovers a past lover, Rowina, gave birth to his son. The first thirty minutes of the film depicts Luke trying to earn the affection of Rowina. In order to provide for his son, he begins to rob local banks using his motorcycle skills. Sadly, Luke dies within the first thirty minutes of the film. And then the film begins to star police officer Avery played by Bradley Cooper, who commits a big mistake in police action but is able to cover up his lies and use the incident to expose & climb the ranks in a shady police department. This event takes an obvious tole on his marriage, and will take an even more obvious tole on his son.

The plot thickens & escalates when two boys meet in a high school lunch room, unaware of how dangerously and sadly close their pasts are intertwined. 



The film is really all about relationships and how past sins and actions can catch up in real life. It exposes the deep wounds that time can often cover up, but only for so long. 

I highly recommend this film and I am going to definitely be watching it again when it comes to DVD at our local video store.







Share/Bookmark

cures for summer boredom

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

This morning I woke up and the first thing I thought of was what I needed to do today.

Then it hit me... I have absolutely nothing to do today.

side note: Then I noticed Scuttle cuddled up intertwined with his red fish on a string... and it made me giggle. 

 Last week was my fist official week off before graduation but between two bridal showers (one of which I was hosting), graduation, and finishing up those logistics, I had a million and one errands to run.

This week is different.
I am bored.

My only plans are helping plan a few things for my friends upcoming wedding in June and a beach day with a few of my favorite people on Wednesday.

So this week, I decided would be a good time to nail down some of our summer vacation details. We decided last summer/fall that we wanted to take a trip to the NorthEast and we like cities a lot so we are going to do a little tour.

We are so beyond excited for this mid-summer excursion! We do not have much of an agenda, but the cities we are visting will prove to be thrilling I am sure. NYC, Boston, & Montreal, Canada, here we come!

Yesterday I decided to write down some things to do over the summer to help cure my boredom.... I am open to suggestions (please?)

1. Running/Ballet. I had a weid visit to the dentist yesterday that involved me fainting. If anything it just proved to me that I need to start taking care of myself. So I am going to start a running regimen and ballet work out. (i would LOVE some suggestions on how to go about doing this... I hate running.)

2. Craft. I have not been able to craft in so long so this summer is the summer of crafts.

3. Take Scuttle for walks. Josh laughed at me when he saw this on the list.... and maybe it is lame/weird/hysterical or whatever but I want him to get used to the outdoors.

4. I joined a French conversation group! I am nervous about this but I am SO rusty on my French and I do not want it to fade.

5. SEW. I have sewn before, but I want to continue working on my skills. So Josh's grandmother (a former wedding gown seamstress  is going to give me a few lessons and then I am just gonna take a stab at it. She also gave me an old sewing machine table so now I have two!



6. Build/Re-finish some furniture. Josh and I are going to work on this together. I cannot wait to spruce up the home with a few new pieces!


I am sure this summer will be filled with joy, laughter, & heat.
Any summer plans for you?





Share/Bookmark

my (almost) one year hiatus

Monday, May 13, 2013

One of my good best friends ally (shout out to her and dan on their engagement!) asked me what happened... why don't I blog anymore. I have heard this a lot this past year actually. My answer? I kept saying "I know, I know..." and honestly there is no excuse (Well this past spring semester I was student teaching and that was just crazy town working 60+ hours a week) 

But I do not really know what started the lingering silence on this blog. To be honest, I have not been really "talkative" the past year, not only on this blog, but in life in general. But I have realized how detrimental that has been for myself and my life.  So I have been slowly trying to break that silence in my life and this is a big step. More on the detrimental part when I figure it out for myself...

So for now let's play catch up, shall we? just a few "big" moments from the past year...

1. We got a kitten. Oh man, oh man. On July 24, 2011 I was not sure the day would ever come but Josh agreed and we got King Henry Scuttle Henderson IX. A little excessive on the name? Why yes. but if you know me, you know that I love cats. It took a while for Josh to like him but it happened. We are both smitten with Scuttle and he brings us a lot of joy... and anger... but mostly joy. 





2. I started and finished student teaching. It was hard. I cried. I laughed. I graded, graded, and graded. Man it made me want to go hug all my teachers from grade school. Teaching is really hard and there is so much time and effort put into it. Please let's all be aware that teachers really do put forth so much time and get so little in return. I am so thankful I was placed with such a wonderful mentor teacher. 


I am hoping that the getting on the nerves thing about learning means I was doing my job... 


3. I graduated from college! After a dramatic 20 minute walk/run around the Ted Constant Center Friday night asking everyone & anyone where I was supposed to be (a question in which no one seemed to know the answer to), a minor melt down that is was 6:10 and I needed to be in line by 6:15 (where that line was, was what I could not figure out), I found two hooligans running late themselves and I joined them on the long trek across campus to the Webb Center. Whew my feet were BURN-ING! I put on my really attractive gown (I am fairly certain 10 Ally's could fit inside), walked across the University seal whilst walking back to the Ted, turned my tassel, walked across the stage, and I graduated! I am so thankful my family was there to see this monumental moment in my life. 

(I got some photos done my Daytona to put in a scrapbook for my parents- it was a big deal for me to graduate because I am the first of their three children!)





Now what? Well Josh and I are going to take the summer off to relax and just be together. We are excited for a trip to New England and to visit with family and to just be home together with no worries to plan lessons or grade papers... at least not until September. Praying God will open and close doors for me this upcoming year. 

Thanks for reading... more to come. I promise.


Share/Bookmark

wow.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

it has been since the end of july since my last post.  no i do not want my blog to die. i am pressed for time and am actually working on something new... do not fear. i have a growing list for future posts and i promise i will write them all. i love blogging. i love writing. i feel ultra connected to myself, to God, and to people when I write. its when i feel most genuine and honest.

so this long over-due post will start with a little recipe i found that seriously is going to be added to my routine list of goodies to make. home-made chickfila sandwiches. oh so yummy & really do taste the same. except no preservatives, all natural, & they are not fried!

okay i know what your thinking. not fried? no way. but yes way. these suckers are good.

i got the recipe from food babe. i did not vary the recipe at all. do not be alarmed by the marinating in pickle juice- josh hates pickles but these were one of his favorite meals in a long time. tenderize the chicken! it is important!

oh i may also add that these were super easy to make? i did the marinade in the morning and just battered the suckers up, popped em in the oven and voila. chickfila. on a sunday if you wish.

the waffle fries? freezer aisle if you wish... meanwhile ill be hunting an easy recipe for those.

okay last thing: the blog. i will be moving it soon(ish) just perfecting it for now. the question is, what should the name be? lets take some votes shall we?

1. ally henderson- simple. easy. me.

2. a dream for us- our song. we love it. we work on our dream every day. its our life. oh and also google this and my blog may or may not pop up in images as well.

3. white as snow- no not like snow white and the seven dwarfs. this comes from my favorite passage in psalm 51:7 "purge me with hyssop and i shall be clean; wash me and i shall be whiter than snow."  i love the idea that God has given me life and washed me clean and i am pure.

4. the lions remorse- this has been an evolving thought for me. i continually think about this world and everyone struggles with doubt and "what if" and "what about ______" questions pertaining to God. but these things always take me to the nature of humans. we act as if we are big bad tough lions ready to pounce on every thing that makes us wince or stur inside. but in the end we are completely different from lions. because lions have no remorse for their kill. they simply survive off of it. we shrivel in our pride and weaken in our fears. we, humans, are not lions at all. we have guilt and pain and feelings. i am learning more and more that God has really made us so uniquely and set us far apart from any other species.

5. im open to suggestions. any particular post ive written that has stricken realness within you? let me know.

well i am done procrastinating on this paper.

xoxo
ally
Share/Bookmark

Theme created by PIXELZINE