February 13, 2012

my life: why i love coaching high school swimming


Cheering on my swimmers at a meet




The Career
  • Working with 9-12 students on a regular basis
  • Networking with administrators, coaches, and other school staff
  • Gaining another state of Ohio certification (coaching permit)
  • Improving organizational, communication, and managerial skills


The Sport
  • It's all about developing the skills.
  • And then developing the speed.
  • It doesn't matter if the team doesn't beat their competitors as long as they beat the clock (in other words, a focus developing pride through personal best times rather than winning or losing).
  • Makes students realize how much factors like diet, sleep, stress, and attitude can affect their success in swimming and other aspects of life.
  • Also makes students realize they have to give true effort for true results.


The Students
  • Hilarious
  • Hard-working
  • Eager
  • Caring
  • Respectful
  • Trustworthy
  • Fun
  • The best

Coaching high school swimming, at my old high school with a great athletic department staff and the greatest group of kids, was such an amazing, rewarding experience. I am sad the season is over, but so thankful I was able to be a part of it. I hope everything falls into place and I can do this for years to come! If you ever have the opportunity to coach, no matter the sport, please take it! You won't regret it.



February 12, 2012

weekly gems







February 8, 2012

LOL: favorite super bowl 2012 commercials


I really only watch the Super Bowl for the commercials and the halftime show (and unless the Browns make it any time soon, those will probably remain my reasons!). As a animal lover, of course the commercials I liked best from this year's crop all involved dogs. Here there are - I guarantee they'll brighten your Wednesday!























*If for some reason you are having trouble leaving a comment, please e-mail me at beagleandbear@yahoo.com or leave me a comment on Beagle and Bear's Facebook page. Thanks for your help with this issue!

February 7, 2012

new year's all year 2012: january reflections and february goals






Hello, everyone! Has your February gotten off to a good start? So far, mine is going pretty well!

Last month I introduced the 2012 New Year's, All Year Challenge, in which I made broad "endpoints" goals for the year and explained that each month I will make specific small goals that are stepping stones to my endpoint aims. Each month I will also reflect on the previous month's goals and efforts.


My January goals were as follows:
  • Health: track food daily; workout three times a week
  • Finances: save specific percentage of all paychecks
  • Relationships: e-mail out-of-town friends; prepare for Dan and I's three year anniversary
  • Wedding: research vendors in the two locations where Dan and I are interested in holding our wedding
  • Career: prepare for the end of swim season and substitute frequently
  • Self-enrichment: blog much more often

Reflections on January:
I feel as though I did pretty well with these goals! I have been using SparkPeople to track my food, although I have not been disciplined enough in tracking daily (probably only around 3-4 days a week). Tracking my food helped me realize my daily breakfast was too small, and increasing its size helped me stay full longer and eat healthier throughout the day. I did not workout as often as I liked due to my busy schedule with subbing and coaching, but I did get to Zumba classes more than I did in December and greatly enjoyed myself. My finances are doing decently, my relationships are healthy, I've been blogging more often than I had in past months, and I have been working hard at coaching and subbing. The most exciting achievement in January was wedding-related: Dan and I decided where we will be having our wedding! We were debating between Bowling Green (where we went to school and met) and Cleveland (my hometown). We will be getting married in Cleveland! : )


My goals for February are:
  • Health: track food daily; do yoga at least once a week
  • Finances: save specific percentage of each paycheck; open separate wedding fund account
  • Relationships: cook dinner for Grandma; plan presents and cards for birthdays in March
  • Wedding: set a date for engagement photos; research vendors
  • Career: sub 3-4 times a week; reflect on swim season and start prepping for swim team award night
  • Self-enrichment: Cook and bake more

Do you have any goals for 2012 or any for January? How are they going? What are your goals for February? It's not too late to become part of the challenge!! : ) Shoot me an email if you decide to join in.



*If for some reason you are having trouble leaving a comment, please e-mail me at beagleandbear@yahoo.com or leave me a comment on Beagle and Bear's Facebook page. Thanks for your help with this issue!

February 6, 2012

my life: recent happenings via instagram

































































































First three photos: My friend Elizabeth's cute papillon puppy, Rosie (she's 2.5 pounds!); Madison in a basket of blankets; cuddling with my family's dog Sasha while watching Wheel of Fortune with my parents. Middle three photos: fantastic Melt Quesadilla appetizer Dan & I shared on our first trip to Melt Bar & Grilled; my delicious BBQ chicken grilled cheese from Melt; yummy cake from Resch's Bakery, courtesy of my future-in-laws, to celebrate Dan & I's engagement (and in our wedding colors!). Last three photos: Dan & I before his indoor soccer game; Dan knocking down an opponent player while playing; booty from my weekend trip to Target.


Sorry I've been a bit absent lately. (I also apologize if there are formatting issues while viewing this post - some browsers aren't displaying it correctly) The end of the swim season accompanied with subbing and traveling often has taken some toll on my spare time, which has been spent with family and friends with little leftover time for blogging. What have you all been up to lately?



*If for some reason you are having trouble leaving a comment, please e-mail me at beagleandbear@yahoo.com or leave me a comment on Beagle and Bear's Facebook page. Thanks for your help with this issue!

January 27, 2012

weekly gems







*If for some reason you are having trouble leaving a comment, please e-mail me at beagleandbear@yahoo.com or leave me a comment on Beagle and Bear's Facebook page. Thanks for your help with this issue!

January 26, 2012

etsy round-up, gift guide edition: valentine's day cards

A lot of people don't like Valentine's Day, noting that it is mostly just an over-commercialized holiday that puts a lot of pressure on people to have some sort of big romantic night. I don't care about those points; I love Valentine's Day anyway. I always have, even when I was little and Valentine's Day was just about collecting Pokemon and Snoopy cards from your classmates. I love the idea of a day that is devoted to romantic love, but that can also be used to celebrate the love you have for your family and friends in a cute and goofy way. PLUS Valentine's Day always means chocolate, fluffy stuffed animals, mushy movies, and yummy meals. What's not to like? ; )

Aside from the above reasons to love the day, my favorite part of Valentine's Day is still the plethora of sweet and funny cards available to send to the special people in your life (although my tastes have upgraded a bit from elementary school when I would send out the entirety of my Disney-themed perforated 24 pack). While I do admire cards by big brands such as Papyrus, American Greetings, Hallmark and online top dog Minted, I always enjoy perusing Etsy for creative cards. Here are my favorite Etsy cards for this Valentine's Day (a bit aways from the actual day, in case you decide to buy and send one):



Source: etsy.com via Kelly on Pinterest



"Heart Strings" card by Wild Beanlore




Source: etsy.com via Kelly on Pinterest



"I Love You More Than Ice Cream" card by Oh Geez Design




Source: etsy.com via Kelly on Pinterest



Valentine's Day Peacock card by My Zoetrope





Source: etsy.com via Kelly on Pinterest



"Home Is Wherever I'm With You" card by JulieAnnArt





Source: etsy.com via Kelly on Pinterest



"You're Perfect" card by HEN & CO.





Source: etsy.com via Kelly on Pinterest



"I Just Want to Eat You Up" card by Abbey Jay Handmade





Source: etsy.com via Kelly on Pinterest



"Love Roses Kraft White" card by Champagne Press





Source: etsy.com via Kelly on Pinterest



"Obi Wan" card by adelynSTONE





Which of these cards do you like best? Have you found any other cards on Etsy or a different website that you are enjoying for Valentine's Day this year?






*If for some reason you are having trouble leaving a comment, please e-mail me at beagleandbear@yahoo.com or leave me a comment on Beagle and Bear's Facebook page. Thanks for your help with this issue!
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