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Wednesday 30 April 2014

Heavenly? No!!! B-e-v-e-r-l-y...Opps!

Once upon a time, there was a Beaver.
A beaver named Sammy ~ hah!
(inside joke for all my Tennessee peeps!)
But really? 
A bar in England called "The Beaver".
Now I HAVE seen everything and can die a happy woman.


Ohhh stop! It's not a boring picture, I had to see if they had a good menus - no?


Now THIS is a boring picture...but I kinda liked the building.


Of course we did...have a beer that is!
They also do cappuccinos - who knew?
(not really into beer but working on it)
(when I say working on it I mean not really, but THINKING about working on it!)


Why are men SO into real estate? UGH!


Just a church...no big deal!
*B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L*


Another boring pic.


I have a fetish for doors, especially ginormous size ones.
What can I say, I want to feel special when I walk in an entrance so 
I can MAKE a big entrance....ahhhhh!
Snap.


Just perdy...


Me standing at the door of church, looking at the modern road I just came from.
History and things that are old are just plain weird - makes you feel
a little out of sorts.


Not sure what this kid is grinning about - what do you think?


Models getting into position.


Models posing.


Model nailing it!


Again, just a boring shot but this "Beverly" place was lovely....


I was hoping to see Dick Van Dyke....from Poppins?
Mary Poppins that is...?
Anybody?
Ugh.

I sat there waiting for a whole 10 minutes......he never showed.


Come ON! How could you NOT think that was COOL to bike thru?
Clearly just me - dork!


Crazy door lady....I love DOORS!


All doors have a hidden message or something....making that up but 
saying it with confidence so you believe me.


Too small.


Too black....too pastel.
I don't do pastels.


And I would like to live....YUP! You got it.
Right on that long green patch in the middle - beautiful spot, ain't it?


Yeah - yeah. It's not a DOOR Lauren.
I know, just seeing if you were still with me.


No THERE is a FREAKING door!!!


Tourists in Beverly - don't mind if I do.


That would be me...the red devil hiding in the ROOF ready to POUNCE ~ ! 


This is Auntie Joyce INSISTING I get a picture of the door on the INSIDE of this cool
tunnel thingy.....and that is what I did. I took a picture.
Boom.
Thanks Auntie Joyce.


Can you believe they are brother and sister?
I know, me and my brothers are MUCH better looking....what?
Tis TRUE!
Mmm - must have been adopted....awkward silence.


I can't even tell you HOW MANY TIMES we stopped to look 
at real estate....why you ask?
(just imagine my face right now as you are asking that ridiculous question)
Exactly.
Better NOT to ask me any more questions.


The man himself "Sir John" or as he likes being referred to on the
overhead speaker at the train station
"Would passengers Dr. John Wells and daughter Lauren Wells please go to 
platform five, your train is now leaving!" 


Okay - okay.
So the hat is a little BIG but it FITS all that fluff in there and I was 
F-R-E-E-Z-I-N-G
that day.
No word of a lie. 
Ice, ice baby!


Gorgeous cathedral that we actually got to go INSIDE!!!
(other church was locked - booo!)


Did I mention I also like taking pictures of TREES?


No. I do not like this door.
Period.


Dad listening to choir practice....AMAZING!



I try to look UP as much as possible...even if it means I walk into cute 
little British men - oh my! Sorry, my bad. 
Hi, what's your name - I'm single!
(eyelashes batting)


*sigh*

If only I were BACK in Beverly.....such a HEAVENLY place to be.

*double sigh* 


Monday 28 April 2014

Non-Uniform Day at School....Pink Anyone?


Yes, I did.
I BOUGHT THOSE BAD BOYS for 
5 pounds!


Okay - okay...the heels ain't that HIGH!
But errrr, I dunno.
Never been good at walking in heels - let alone BRIGHT PINK BAD BOYS!


Ahhhh, thank god!
This is more my style - tennis shoes.
BOOM.

p.s. For the record, it's almost impossible to find PURE-WHITE tennis shoes
anymore....when the guy brought me two different pairs to try on 
I asked "Is that ALL you have? Pink and Blue? UGHHHH!"
Pink won (more comfortable!)

*Spoiled Rotten*

Sunday 27 April 2014

Only Song I Have Been Listening to Lately - Mmm!

Not sure what it is about this song but it's been on REPEAT for 
a while....errr, maybe two days?

Hah!




Saturday 26 April 2014

Student video INSPIRES:Ms.Wells is a GOOF!

To this day, 
I love the fact that students can still catch me off guard!
It's doesn't happen all the time but when it does - WHACK!
It's a slap in the face and a full face plant.

***

So many students out there WANT TO LEARN!
(Really Lauren? YES, I know right? But it's true!)
Students still want to learn and make a difference in this world.
(Cheesey and boring Lauren! HOLD ON A SEC)

***

No one asked this student to put this video together.
She had an idea.
Wanted to share it.
Worked hard.
 Asked for some help.
 Made it happen.
Her delightful idea, relentless drive, creative intelligence and 
freaking-fantastic initiative from the GET-GO
was what really what through me for a LOOP!
I was speechless when she asked 
if I would participate in the film.
I kept saying, "But what class is this for? 
Why are you making this video?"
Her reply?
"I'm just making it because I want to share something that I think is important"

Boom.

Take a look ~ watch til the end ;)


So like I said,
some students are brave and will 
try to help fix this complicated world in any way they can - 
THEY AIN'T SCARED PEOPLE!
And these lovely moments, when a students takes 
charge of their OWN learning is somehow 
always perfectly timed with my biggest moments
of utter despair and self-doubt about what it is I'm doing.

Imagine,
 me over my desk,
in front of a laptop, 
pulling at my curls, 
rubbing my forehead hard 
after another long day at school, 
but this day 
(for whatever reason)
I'm more worried than ever 
and 
losing all hope of getting through to these students - 
WHAT AM I EVEN TEACHING THEM?
ARE THEY EVEN LISTENING?
WHAT AM I SAYING?
Heads go back in hands with self-frustration.

(knock, knock, knock)

I look up.
One students steps forward and show me this video.
I smile.
She shines.
Her actions have spoken so loudly, 
and she knows it.
I beam back.
I have no words.
And in that moment I hope she telling herself this;

I am listening, 
taking all my teachers advice,
working hard for me and
not waiting for anyone else to take initiative!
I'm  GETTING STUFF DONE 
and it feels good and now more than ever 
I feel like learning really means something! 
I'm proud of myself.

Wow.
You go, girl!
 One of many students who've made this year
spectacular.
Christmas came early.

Thank you!

p.s. It's too bad I ruined her movie.

Wednesday 23 April 2014

Haunted Graveyard Walk - I SPOOK MYSELF OUT!


The narrow path that will lead the way....MOUAHAHHA!


Selfieeeee!


Are you kidding me? This AIN'T SCARY LAUREN!!!


Okay - okay...it's kinda beautiful
but
I have always been weirded out my grave stones...always.


Just a typical small church in a small town in England....whaaaaaaaaaaat? 


Look at those cute little guys, way up there!


So many gravestones....meaning so many DEAD PEOPLE!



It doesn't matter that the sun was shining, it was beautiful all around me...
I felt like I was an impostor or imposing myself on the spirits
all around me. 
Yeah - yeah.
Some of us NEVER grow up!


Clearly there is always tine to take another selfieeeeee!

*ugh

*sigh

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