Happy New Year

We had another busy year 

Everyone says that right? 

I’ll quickly hit the highlights and let you keep moving with your own busy life! ;)

(I am sorry I don't update here more often follow along on Instagram to see what I am up too daily) 

The Hubs is still at the lumber yard.  He has been with the company for 15 years now.  

He is keeping very busy working on building our new home!!!  

He still tries to fit in golf whenever he can. 

Suzi is in her 2^nd year of being a k-12 art teacher in a small rural school.  

She and her friend have started teaching painting classes/parties. 

She is also excited to start working on the “fun stuff” in decorating their new home.

S is a Sophomore in High School.  

He is probably the busiest of us all.  

Between football, wrestling, track, lifting, camps, working, 

and fitting in time for friends an family he is always busy!  

He is doing great in school and we are super proud of him.

The oldest cowgirl is a 1^st grader and is excelling in school!  

She loves to read.  she is becoming quite the talented artist!  

This year she started  gymnastics and basketball.  

She is also helping mom decorate the new home and is excited to have her own room soon.

The little cowgirl started preschool this year.  

She is having a great time and enjoying it very much.  

She loves her animals and to be outside.  

She is excited to be a “big kid”.  

This year she finally gets to go to church on Wednesdays nights and gymnastics 

with her sister. 

God Bless You,

Suzi {and family} @ chores and chandeliers

step parenting {the blend}

I love being a step parent.
I honestly believe that having a bonus child is just that, A BONUS!

This video is a must watch...WOW
The biological parents are a great example!!!
I feel as if we have a similar situation and unfortunately this is not the norm.

The Blend
What happens to a family after divorce and remarriage?
Posted by SoulPancake on Thursday, December 24, 2015

CHRISTmas time

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones.  

WE SURE DID, although we are not done yet.  

We have another celebration tomorrow.  

Since I am a procrastinator we headed to town to pick up a few things for tomorrow.
The girls insisted I pull over and take their annual picture by the display at the town square!  
I love this tradition and I love that they look forward to it going up every year!!!!  

Before we left the littlest cowgirl had to clean the snow off of baby Jesus! 

Tonight I took the cowgirls sledding.  

I didn't get any photos tho!  

I chose to not take my phone (I didn't want the distraction!)

The Hubs and S worked over at the new house all day.

I hope to check in next week and do an update on the blog with the house progress!!! 

So come back next week and check it out!!!!

Merry Christmas

~ Suzi

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas

~Suzi

Teaching art IS my passion!!!

Today I was at a workshop and it has me reflecting back on one of my all time favorite teaching posts......

I LOVE MY JOB!!!!!  I honestly do.  Being an art teacher is exactly what I am meant to do.  I LOVE coming to work every day!!!!  That being said I look forward to every weekend, snow day, late start, break, and vacation. 

Here are a few of my random {art teacher} thoughts…..

I don’t just teach art.

I also teach history, vocabulary, manors, discipline, integrity, work ethic, respect, compassion, responsibly {and the list goes on and on}.

I haven’t made art since I became a teacher.

How’s this possible with all this art being created around me daily?  Well I just never have enough time to think of an idea, and execute it.  Unless you count the 3 minute Jellyfish I made yesterday when showing water color techniques?!?!

I spend a lot of my own money. A lot.

I don’t think a week goes by when I’m not at a store picking something up for my classroom. I don’t think a week goes by when I’m not scrounging through my personal supplies for materials to use in my classroom.  

I hate the question, “What are we doing today?”

It honestly makes me cringe.  Please don’t ask it because I have yet to forget to tell you what we are doing when you to came class. 

I love the naughty kids!

Yes they cause problems, act up, distract others, and say things that shouldn't be said; but they are also the ones who bring a lot of joy to my job. I love a kid with spunk!!! 

I have a name!

Please don’t call me “Teacher”.  I don’t call you “Student”.

I like a clean classroom!!!!

Pick up after yourself.  I know you know where the glue gun goes; you just got it out 40 minutes ago.  

I don’t like teaching every medium.

I have my favorites and I focus on what I like best.  Sorry all art teachers do it….Okay, maybe it has a little to do with the mess some mediums make.  

Sometimes I wish I taught a different subject area. 

It sure would be nice to have a set lesson plan and book to follow.  Then reality hits and I remember who I am and realize I would go crazy on a set schedule like that (but it is appealing some days).

I hate to grade!

I put it off as long as I can.  So my grade book is always behind.  I get not satisfaction out of grading work.  I wish I could have a TA do it but that’s not really an option in art.  

Art is not an easy A.

Please don’t take Art for an easy A.  Take art because you want to be creative, try hard, and do something different from your other academic areas.  Try and I promise you WILL pass….but I wont promise an A.

I show up for the students.

I’m not in it for the fame and fortune (because we all know that’s never going to happen).  I show up for the elementary students who hug me. I show up for the students who tell me they love art class. I show up for the students who express excitement and pride.  I show up for the High School students who use the art room as their safe place.  And yeah, I show up for the students who can’t sit still in their seats, can’t refrain from blurting out, don’t like art, ignore me, and who would rather be anywhere else but art class. I show up for the students.  All of them.

~Suzi

We did it!!!

WE DID IT!!!!!

My friend Sarah and I hosted a painting class at Kinkaider Brewing Company in Broken Bow. 

Spirits and Showpieces.

It went great!!!!  We had 33 ladies show up!

Sarah and I split up duties.
She made 36 easels!!!! Yes she MADE 36!  

They were awesome! 

She also bought and washed 36 aprons.

She did the whole business portion (books, schedule, money, etc.)

I bought the paint, brushes and taught the class. 

Sarah helped out by refilling paint and assisting people throughout the whole class!

I honestly could not have done it without her. 

I have no idea how one person could have done it (or at least do it well)!

We are both artists and agreed we wanted to break it down to a step by step instruction but yet we didn’t want to make it to crafty and generic. 

We gave a lot of variations, options and artistic freedom. 

I gave 3 back ground options (Turquoise, light neutrals, and Dark Blue) and then they could chose to do white or orange pumpkins.

We had a WIDE variety of pumpkins!!!!  I LOVED THAT! 

They all worked so hard and I loved just watching them work. 

I really did not want them to all look like mine 

{the art teacher in me would have cried}.

They look awesome huh? 

{This is the demo I did during the class.}

Have a great week!
~Suzi

Spirits and Showpieces

My incredibly talented friend and I are hosting our first ever Spirits and Showpieces class.  

I am so excited.  I think it will be a blast!!!!  

Check out the fabulous logo she made!  

I told you she was talented!

She is the owner of Sarah Russell Design.

It is this Thursday in Broken Bow at Kinkaider,  the local brewery.  

Tap into your inner artist.  We are doing a fun Fall painting on canvas.  

It is $35 which includes all supplies.

To reserve a spot call Jenny at 308-870-0685.

Swimsuit season

Since swim suit season is {finally} in the full swing in Nebraska...

Have a great holiday weekend!!!!

~Suzi

Juice Plus+

I’ve wanted to share this post for quite some time! But as usual I just never had enough time to do it justice.  Well the truth is I still don’t but I just have to share!!!!

A few months ago I was asked by a coworker to try Juice Plus.  I agreed.  I had no idea what I was so I googled it and tried to find out that it did not work, was just another fad, etc.  I COULD NOT FIND THAT INFO!  What I did find was SOOOO MUCH RESEARCH!!!  It is backed by a ton of doctors and it shows so many health benefits.  The benefits are far ranging with positive effects on internal organs, skin, eyes, gums, nails, etc. 

What is juice plus???  Well it is all the fruits and vegetables you need in a day (that most of us are not getting) in either a capsule or chewable form. It is all natural!!!!!  I had no idea most vitamins have no research behind them so you really have no idea if those “vitamins” are even effective!  Juice Plus also has shakes and bars too. 

One of the reasons I was willing to try this out was because of the “Children’s Health Study”.  Each adult is able to sponsor a child for FREE for 4 years!!!!!  This just means that if you order the vitamins for yourself you can get one of your child’s vitamins for FREE!  AND MY PICKY KIDS LOOOOVE THEM!  If you know my kids you would know what a huge deal this is.  My kids DO NOT eat a well rounded diet and knowing they get a day’s worth of fruits and vegetables in YUMMY gummies really gives me peace of mind!!!!

I feel like I am not doing it justice because it truly is amazing!  But I will give you few examples of why I love Juice Plus so much!

• My girl’s nails are amazing now.  They always had peeling nails.
• Our hair is growing faster!
• My skin looks great!  (this is a big deal for me I normally have horrible skin with a ton of breakouts.)
• My girls HARDLY GET SICK! (if they do they kick it QUICK)
• I FEEL GREAT!!!!

It is not a weight loss pill!  BUT it does help get you healthier and a side effect of good heath is a healthy weight.  Honestly I would love to be smoking hot but more than anything want to be healthy and live a long active life with my family!!!!

Last week I signed up as a distributor!!!!!  I am not selling this to get rich but I do want to help spread the word about Juice Plus and all it has to offer.  With that being said I would love to get you more information if you are at all interested!!!  Like I said I am not trying to get rich so if you know someone else who sells it and hearing how amazing I think it is helps talk you into purchasing from them I succeeded.  I really just want to spread the word about Juice Plus and overall health. 

http://suzicampbell.juiceplus.com

Have a great week!

Suzi

Negativity and the power of positive thinking

I had to share this video with you today.  I LOVE IT!!!!  

Why do 'negatives' weigh so much more then 'positives'?

A message from my heart today. For those of you feeling down...listen up.
Posted by Chad Prather on Wednesday, June 10, 2015

I was once told that 1 negative weighs as much as 3 positive.

I try to always remember that in school.  

If I give a negative comment to a student I follow up with 3 positive.  

I also try remember this with my children. 

I never want to leave anyone feeling defeated!

I am not trying to sound like I am perfect (because I am FAR FROM IT!!!), but I was lucky enough to have some pretty amazing people around me who taught me some important lessons.

My challenge to you is to BE POSITIVE, 

control you negative thoughts and actions and see how it effects others around you. 

Negativity is contagious….BUT SO IS POSITIVITY!!!!

GOD BLESS

~ Suzi

end of year teacher gift

Today was my daughters last day of Kindergarten.  

She had a fabulous teacher and about a week ago she came home requesting to make her teacher a gift for the end of the year.  Well LAST NIGHT we finally did it. {I am the worlds worst procrastinator!}  Last year we made a sign for her preschool teacher’s lake house so this year she wanted to make another sign.  In pink of course because that is her teachers favorite color!!!! 

I just cut up a piece of wood flooring to size and let her paint it {pink}. Of course the little one wanted to make a sign too.  So she made one for her daycare lady {in red}.  I was shocked at how well Rae{3 year old} painted.  I love letting the girls actually do the projects.  I can clean them up later if needed but they love to do them and they are so proud to give a gift they made themselves.

Since I am an art teacher people ask me often if my girls are talented artists.  I am always honest and say, “They do well, BUT most of it is due to exposure not natural talent at this age”.   Here is a short video where you can see my 3 year old and 6 year old paint names on the boards. 

We finished them with some dots, a light sanding with my radial sander, and I cut up a bandanna to tie it up with.

The girls were super excited to deliver them this morning.

Thank you to all  teachers out there and have a great summer!!!

WE ARE BUILDING!!!

Follow along on Instagram to see progress!

@chores_chandeliers

#Campbellsarebuilding 

I'll be posing some info on my blog but I don't want it to take over my blog so but if you want to follow along with the progress be sure to follow along on Instagram!  Here are some of the photos I've posted so far....

SHE picked it all out!  She has great taste!

Main living space wall colors

Dirt work is starting

I've already began buying pillows!

Our view from the front porch.

Teacher Appreciation Day

There is no doubt that teachers hold a very important role in our children’s lives.  Teachers spend more time with our children a day then we do.  I have been SO BLESSED to have had amazing teachers thus far for my daughter.  I asked my Kindergarten Cowgirl what she wanted to give her teacher as a gift. I had some creative ideas but I let her decide on her own (without prompting from me, which is sometimes hard for me).   I could not have agreed with her decision more!!!!! 

She chose to make homemade card and flowers.

She wrote the card her self. It says,

I like the activities you make me. 

Thank you for being nice to me. 

I like you teaching me. 

Thanks for everything you do.

I asked if she wanted to buy a card and she insisted to make one herself.  She said, “ No way. Mrs. Williams would rather see my art then have me buy art on a card”.  Sometimes I am so shocked by her wisdom....of course her teacher would rather a handmade card!!!!  AND she loves to create!  She had a fun evening tonight creating, cutting, gluing, drawing, and writing. 

As a teacher myself I have to say that I LOVE a thank you card.  It is so simple and means so MUCH!  I am guilty of over thinking my gifts and doing elaborate things but the truth is sometimes simple is best.  Teacher appreciation is definitely one of those times!!!!

Need a last minute gift for the teacher in your life???  Write a card.  I promise it will be well received!!!!

STEP MOM

I think most of my readers know I have a step son.  Friday night he had his first High School Athletics Banquet.  We of course were glad to make the 2 hour drive to go support him and the Athletic department at his school!  Before hand we met at Shayne's house to take photos.  His mom set up this photo with Shayne and his parents.  

Today she posted the picture on Facebook and stated…

"I'd like to say something about this photo...It is a TRUE Testament to what life with divorced parents can truly be and SHOULD be. I am so THANKFUL that Dan and I can stand in the same photo and share the same table at an event where Shayne is involved. The thing is it's not about Dan and I...it's about Shayne. The fact that I truly like his wife and enjoy visiting with her is a BONUS!!!"

She really hit the nail on the head.  People ask me often how I get along with "Dan's ex" and I am always honest and say just fine because we put Shayne first!!! If we didn't get along Shayne would be the one who would suffer.

Being a step parent is a HUGE BLESSING to me!!!  I once had a close friend tell me that she heard a speaker on a Christian radio station say that you should not use the term “step”.  Like in step mom, step parent, step son, etc. It supposedly singles them out and divides them from the rest of the family.   I thought about it for a while and I can see the point.  By no means do I ever want him to feel like he is an extra part to the family.  We want him to just feel like he is part of the family.   BUT I also respect his mom enough I never want to step on her toes as “mom”.  She is a great mom and I am a great step mom.  The same goes for his dad and step dad.  We each have a role as parents.  We don’t really focus on who is what. We NEVER keep score on who does what. We just make it happen for Shayne.  If we ever started to keep score on who visits more, drives farther, pays more, gets more time, holidays, weekends, events, etc we would go crazy, become bitter, and Shayne would suffer.  None if that matters. What matters is that Shayne knows he has a family (although it may not be traditional) that is there for him to love, support, teach, punish, and provide for him. 

On another note check out this ring he got Friday night.  His wrestling team is State Champs!!!!! 

Art is...

I asked my High School students "WHAT IS ART?"

It's definitely a loaded question.  

After our discussion they each wrote their own "art is..." statement.  

I posted them out in the hall.  

Here are some of my favorites...

• Art is everything, good, bad, happy, and sad around you.  You can't always see or hear it, but you always feel it.
• Art is a masterpiece of your imagination.
• Art is anything you want it to be.
• Art is creating something that sparks others imagination.
• Art is where I take references from all the information I have gathered and put it all together.
• Art is something expressed using your imagination.  It shows who you are without speaking a word.
• Art is expressing your emotions with a media.
• Art is the one way I can express what I see and feel in and about this world and my own life without worrying what others think of it because they see what I want them to not what.  
• Art is the hot sauce on the chimichanga of the world.

I am trying to get my students to look at art deeper. 

We are talking about the process not just the product.  

In my opinion sometimes the process is more important then the final project!  

So what is my "Art is..." statement?

Art is the journey on the way to the final product.

~Suzi Campbell

Have a fabulous week!  

a few random {art teacher} thoughts

I LOVE MY JOB!!!!!  I honestly do.  Being an art teacher is exactly what I am meant to do.  I LOVE coming to work every day!!!!  That being said I look forward to every weekend, snow day, late start, break, and vacation.  {I also currently have a summer countdown going in my classroom}

Here are a few of my random {art teacher} thoughts…..

I don’t just teach art.

I also teach history, vocabulary, manors, discipline, integrity, work ethic, respect, compassion, responsibly {and the list goes on and on}.

I haven’t made art since I became a teacher.

How’s this possible with all this art being created around me daily?  Well I just never have enough time to think of an idea, and execute it.  Unless you count the 3 minute Jellyfish I made yesterday when showing water color techniques?!?!

I spend a lot of my own money. A lot.

I don’t think a week goes by when I’m not at a store picking something up for my classroom. I don’t think a week goes by when I’m not scrounging through my personal supplies for materials to use in my classroom. 

I hate the question, “What are we doing today?”

It honestly makes me cringe.  Please don’t ask it because I have yet to forget to tell you what we are doing when you to came class. 

I love the naughty kids!

Yes they cause problems, act up, distract others, and say things that shouldn't be said; but they are also the ones who bring a lot of joy to my job. I love a kid with spunk!!! 

I have a name!

Please don’t call me “Teacher”.  I don’t call you “Student”.

I like a clean classroom!!!!

Pick up after yourself.  I know you know where the glue gun goes; you just got it out 40 minutes ago. 

I don’t like teaching every medium.

I have my favorites and I focus on what I like best.  Sorry all art teachers do it….Okay, maybe it has a little to do with the mess some mediums make. 

Sometimes I wish I taught a different subject area. 

It sure would be nice to have a set lesson plan and book to follow.  Then reality hits and I remember who I am and realize I would go crazy on a set schedule like that (but it is appealing some days).

I hate to grade!

I put it off as long as I can.  So my grade book is always behind.  I get not satisfaction out of grading work.  I wish I could have a TA do it but that’s not really an option in art. 

Art is not an easy A.

Please don’t take Art for an easy A.  Take art because you want to be creative, try hard, and do something different from your other academic areas.  Try and I promise you WILL pass….but I wont promise an A.

I show up for the students.

I’m not in it for the fame and fortune (because we all know that’s never going to happen).  I show up for the elementary students who hug me. I show up for the students who tell me they love art class. I show up for the students who express excitement and pride.  I show up for the High School students who use the art room as their safe place.  And yeah, I show up for the students who can’t sit still in their seats, can’t refrain from blurting out, don’t like art, ignore me, and who would rather be anywhere else but art class. I show up for the students.  All of them.

~Suzi