Adapting to Change

Craz-E

2012-02-08T16:40:00.001-06:00

My kids have been nuts this week! A cold front came through yesterday and the moon is full. Each of those in itself can lead to a crazy day. But the two, together, equals insanity.

Even the kids have noticed. Today, the had an assignment to come up with a way to describe the children in our class.

This one was right on!

Goodbye

2012-02-06T21:31:00.000-06:00

Gran took her last breath on January 22. The cancer had taken over her liver and it completely shut down. We had gotten home the day before and were able to spenda good bit of the day with her. She was unconcious though. I have to say, it made it a bit easier. She was no longer the smiling, feisty Gran that I grew up with and loved so much. It was time for her to go Home.

While I knew how great she was and loved her so much, I didnt realize just how many lives she touched. The out pouring of food was amazing. We had more food than we could possibly eat. Afamily night was held on Tuesday, January 24. A huge downpour started just as we arrived. I figured that many people would stay home. I was wrong. People stood in line for an hour. There were so many people. I know she never wouldhave stood in that line. She either would have cut in line or left. That was just her. The rain continued all night and into Wednesday. But just before the funeral, it stopped. I'm pretty convinced she kept complaining about the rain until God had had enough. Her service was amazing. She was so well known and loved that it had to be held at the largest Church in town. There were so many lovely plants and flower arrangements. While she will be missed dearly, it was a celebration of her life here on earth and her new life in Heaven.

Not a day goes by that I don't think about her. And miss her with all I have. I just want to be able to pick up the phone and talk to her about the bachelor or text her a picture of Sam. And in a sense, it seems like I should be able to. It all happened so fast (3weeks) that it still hasn't completely set in.

I know one day I will see her again. Until then, I will hang on to all the special memories and know she is always here with me.

Damn You, Cancer!

2012-01-20T17:14:00.001-06:00

More bad news today. Gran's liver is shutting down. I'm not sure I have ever been so full of so many negative emotions at the same time. It's just not fair.

I'm in shock. I'm devastated. I'm heart broken. I'm nauseated. I'm disappointed. I'm scared. I'm lonely. And I'm so angry.

I'm angry at the doctors for not finding it sooner. Theyve should have been real cautious considering she had already been diagnosed. Im angry at this whole disease of cancer. I'm angry at myself because she had told me she was tired and achy, but since those are also side effects of chemo, I didn't think any thing of it. And I'm angry at God. How can he take my Gran away, already? She's supposed to be here forever. She's supposed to be here when we have kids and spoil them rotten she's supposed to see the other 8 grandchildren get married. She has so much life to live. How can he end it now?

I just can't imagine life without my Gran. We are not only grandmother and granddaughter, but we are also very special friends. We talk on a daily basis. We go shopping together when I go home. We always fuss about the bachelor. We have a very special bond and I am just not ready to let go.

Growing Up

2012-01-13T19:19:00.001-06:00

We spend the first 21 years of our life wishing we were a grown up. We can't wait to be an adult and to be on our own. I was one of those people.

Then, we become an adults and life isn't what we expected. It's not as easy as we thought. There are bills, difficult decisions and responsibilities.

Today is one of those days that I really felt like a grown up. I also have found myself wishing that I was a naive 7 year old without a care in the world. I wish I could crawl up in my mamas lap and cry. I wish I didn't understand.

But, I am an adult. I know what is going on. I have found myself today being a caregiver to both my dad, and to Gran. I have also found out some very devastating news.

Dad is perfectly fine, just had a colonoscopy. But, for the first time, I was the only one in the waiting room. I was the one that the doctor spoke with. I was the one that took him home. It was new role for me, one that made me question what my life will be like as my parents continue to age.

Gran, on the other hand, is not doing well. They have added another chemo drug in hopes of making a difference. We must see progress soon, or we may not win the battle. My heart aches. As I care for my Gran, I see a whole different person. She still has her spunk, but she's just not the same. She's sick. I know that it's not just the chemo that we need to work. I know that God is the one in control. So, if you are the praying type, I ask that you pray for God to heal Gran.

So, for now, I have my big girl panties on and I'm holding back tears. I'm cherishing ever second I can while I am with my Gran. And I'm praying and having faith that God WILL heal.

Gran and her Sam

Christmas Update

2012-01-08T17:53:00.000-06:00

Well, Christmas might have been 2 weeks ago. But, I finally am sitting down to do a quick recap.

We were very lucky this year to be able to spend a full week visiting family. Thursday morning when Anthony got off work, we loaded up the car (think we might need a bigger car if we have a child, or another dog) and headed home. We started off with my family. And I was so excited. We had a big surprise in store for Gran. She had mentioned that she wanted a new chair for Christmas. So, we took her to the furniture store when we were home at Thanksgiving to pick out her chair. Well, while we were looking, she decided she might want a new couch, too. Well, with some convincing, she decided to wait on the couch. But, without her knowing, we went and ordered the couch and 2 chairs for her. I couldn't wait to surprise her. Anthony and I took her out to dinner and when we took her home, the new furniture and all of her family was there. It was the best moment. She was so surprised and so happy. I didn't think to get a picture of the couch and chairs, but here are a couple from Christmas Eve.

Like I said before, I spent a lot of time with Gran while I was at home. We made two trips to Walmart, I learned how to peel celery, and I helped her wrap a couple gifts. Every year, on Christmas Eve night, we meet at Gran's house for dinner and gifts, and this year as no different. It was, however, so much more special. We realized just how lucky we are to have our Gran.

Gran's Tree

My Gran and I

Anthony and I at Gran's

This year, all of the cousins drew names and bought a gift for each other. This was the first year that we have done this. My brother thought he would be funny and wrap my cousin's gift in multiple boxes, a whole roll of duck tape, and Saran wrap. Well, someone leaked his "secret" and most everyone's gift included multiple boxes or duck tape.

James opening his gift.

James's gift wrapping

My cousin Lane opening his gift from James

We spent the night at Mom and Dad's and woke up for gifts from Santa. Santa was very good to us all this year! Christmas Day, Mom's brother and his family come over to our house for lunch and gifts. I have to say, this is my favorite holiday meal. My mom was a Home Ec. teacher for 17 years, so she makes everything from scratch. I hope someday to learn how to prepare this meal like she does. We always have smoked turkey (she actually buys this from a man she works with, but it is amazing), broccoli rice casserole, sweet potato casserole, macaroni and cheese, homemade rolls and pecan pie. She has a few other things, but these are my favorites! I should have gotten a picture, but I couldn't wait to dig in!

Our family on Christmas Day

The day after Christmas, we met up with Anthony's family for lunch, gifts and visiting. We are really excited because next year, there will be a new addition to this side of the family! We are also hoping that next year we will live closer to home and can start a new tradition in our own place.

Rylie hopes so, too. All of the Christmas excitement wore her out!

Scared

2012-01-03T18:11:00.001-06:00

I have a lot to blog about and several pictures and recipes to share, but right now, I'm just not in the mood.

2012 is not off to a good start for my family and me. If you have been following, you have read about Gran. Last winter, she found a lump in her breast. It was found to be cancerous. A mastectomy was quickly scheduled, followed by chemo and radiation. It was not easy for her, nor was it easy to watch. We knew there was a chance of it returning or spreading, but thought we had some time before that happened.

Christmas came and went. I cherished every moment with my gran, even if she did insist that celery had to be peeled. Around that time, she began complaining of heartburn and having no appetite. By the 29th, she was miserable. Thinking it was just her gallbladder, she called her primary care doctor. He ordered an ultrasound, followed by a CT scan. Masses were found on her liver and the wall of her colon was thickened.

Today, she saw her oncologist and was admitted to the hospital. There is also a mass on her lung. I am terrified. I love my Gran so much. She is not just a grandmother, but also a friend.

Please keep my family in your prayers.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T23:20:00.002-06:00

We have had a very blessed Christmas. I hope you have had a very merry Christmas!

Life

2011-12-19T19:17:00.000-06:00

Well, ALS is officially over. Anthony graduated on Thursday as a distinguished grad. There were 58 in his class and top 5 were the distinguished grads, so needless to so, I was pretty proud. I only got 2 pictures throughout the night because of where we were sitting, but my camera is at school, so I will post those later.

Friday was Anthony's Christmas party at work. It was at the fire station, in the stalls. They provided the meat and sides and we all brought appetizers and desserts. There was so much food! It was great getting to hang out with all the families, since we don't get together much.

We have three days of school this week. It is so hard to read on Facebook how we are basically the last school to let out for Christmas, but oh well. Atlas we are one of the first schools to get out for summer! Tomorrow is our holiday breakfast, and I can't wait. I've asked all the parents to send breakfast foods. The kids are wearing their pajamas. It's going to be a lot of fun. I've made scarves for all my kids out of fleece and I can't wait for them to open their gifts. Also, I bought a bunch of books for my kids. Since I wrapped the scarves, I really don't want to wrap the books too. I think the kids will sit in a circle and read The Night Before Christmas and pass the books each time I say "the." I am hoping they will all enjoy that! Later in the day we are making Santa snacks out of graham crackers, icing, marshmallows, and candy. And in the afternoon, we are watching Polar Express. It should be a wonderful, but crazy day! Wednesday will be a lazy day of movies and games. I can't believe the semester is almost over!

We still aren't 100% certain that Anthony has leave, so I'm not getting too excited since we've had it taken away at the last minute before. But, hopefully, we will get to spend Christmas with our family! I can't believe it's less than a week away!

ALS

2011-12-06T21:32:00.000-06:00

Anthony is currently in ALS. I have read and heard many women who talk about how they hated when their husband was in ALS and was sure this wouldn't be the case for us. I was just thrilled with the idea of Anthony being home every night, since he usually works 24 hour shifts. But, now that we are 4 weeks into this, I'm not thinking it is so great. In fact, I'm kind of thinking I'd rather my husband be TDY than in ALS.

First of all, there's the homework. And LOTS of homework. He goes to class until 3 or 4, then has organized PT, followed by his own gym time. When he finally gets home at 6, he has atleast 2 hours of homework nightly. That means, no conversations. No watching my TV shows. And no one else to take the dogs out or do chores, even though he's home. Atleast when he is TDY, I can talk have real conversations over the phone and have the TV all to myself.

Then, there's all the cooking I have to do. We only eat out once ever two weeks, so that leaves me cooking the other 13 nights (he eats leftovers for lunch). When he is TDY, someone else cooks for him and he gets per diem and I can eat leftovers.

And finally, there is the graduation. Don't get me wrong, I am very proud of him. It's just the whole thought of this dinner has really stresses me out. Mainly, there is the dilema of figuring out what to wear. I don't like to be cold, but how dress semi-formal and still stay warm? And where do I find a dress in this small town? I found a cute 1/2 sleeve sweater dress with a cowl neck, tights and pumps. Hopefully it will all go well together and I will be dressy enough! Oh, the dilemas of being a woman!

Even though ALS has been a challenge for us both, I would gladly have my husband here with me than in another state or country. Having him close by certainly outweighs all the negatives of ALS.

Thankful

2011-11-30T20:15:00.000-06:00

This month, I have noticed that many people are posting one thing a day that they are thankful for. I'm not one to post daily on facebook, so instead, I decided to post 30 things that I'm thankful for on my blog instead.

1. God
2. Anthony
3. My mom and dad
4. My brother
5. The rest of my family
6. Rylie and Sam
7. My friends-both old and new
8. My job
9. Having a warm place to live
10. Having a nice new large bed to sleep in
11. Living in Texas and not Alaska or North Dakota
12. The ability to cook-Thank you Mom!
13. Wonderful health insurance
14. My iPhone-don't know how I'd function otherwise
15. Long phone calls with friends
16. Three days off work for Thanksgiving
17. Warm scarves, gloves, hats and coats for when it drops below 50 here in Texas
18. The freedoms we have
19. DVR
20. Target
21. My students at school
22. The military (health insurance, paychecks, GI Bill)
23. The opportunity to spend time with my whole family
24. Thanksgiving Day
25. Black Friday
26. Pinterest
27. Facetime
28. The wonderful people I work for and with
29. My Crockpot (only $7.00 on Black Friday!)
30. All else that God has blessed me with

What are you the most thankful for?

Holiday Card Winner

2011-11-14T18:34:00.000-06:00

I'm a day late with choosing the winners for the Shutterfly Holiday Card giveaway. I realized it last night right as my head hit the pillow, but I was too tired to come back downstairs.

The winners are.....

Erin from Every Branch

Aften from The Gardner's

Caren from Our Married Life

If you guys will email me I will get the coupon code to you. Thanks for sharing your memories!

Meet Rylie

2011-11-10T18:10:00.000-06:00

Being a one dog family just wasn't for us...or Sam. We needed another dog. But what? We spent several weeks discussing and researching. Anthony wanted an English Bulldog or a French Bulldog or a Great Dane. I wanted something cute and fluffy. We agreed on one thing...not another Shih Tzu. We loved Frankie but just didn't want to ~~deal with the snoring and attitude~~ go down that road again.

Two weeks into the debate, Anthony finally caved. He asked me to pick out four dogs I would like to have. I Googled "Cute fluffy dog breeds." I searched every breed on puppyfind.com. And finally, I was able to choose three. From their, he chose Rylie's breed. The following weekend, we drove to my parents and then picked up Rylie. We fell in love instantly!

Rylie is a Cavachon. She is a mix of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Bichon Frise. Here hair is soft and fluffy. She will not shed. And, she doesn't make sounds like a seagull. She has quite a funny personality. She is not afraid of much, even a dog that is 22 times her size. She fearlessly flies off the couch. But she is gentle too. She likes to snuggle, especially with Sam. And she gives great puppy kisses.

Sam wasn't so sure of her at first though, and still doesn't really like her. But, he does tollerate her. Frankie was never very friendly to Sam, so we hope Rylie and Sam will be better friends and I think they will. Atleast there has been no blood, so far.

*Don't forget to enter for the free Shutterfly holiday cards. You have until Sunday!

Holiday Cards

2011-11-03T17:20:00.000-05:00

Wow, Christmas is just around the corner. We're talking just over fifty days away. Less than two months. That means it's about time to start Christmas shopping and picking out Christmas cards.

Two years ago, I decided I wanted send out a cute family photo card. Since then, I have found myself continuing to go back to Shutterfly to create our Christmas cards because I love them so much! And this year will be no different. I'm already working on this year's card with our new puppy! The quality is great and they arrive quick. And they sure beat a store bought generic card. This is one of my favorites

Not only can you make your holiday cards through Shutterfly, but you can also create Christmas gifts and photo books.

I discovered Shutterfly several years ago when I needed to make a photobook. Three years later, I still use Shutterfly for my photobooks and have quite a collection. I also use Shutterfly to make my annual calendar for home and school and the quality is great. You can even put people's photos on their birthdays!

Anyways, this year, Shuttefly has been so kind as to offer free holiday cards for me and for 3 lucky readers. So...I'm hosting my first blog giveaway EVER to share the greatness.

I'm going to make entering simple. Send me a message and share your favorite holiday memory. To enter a second time, publish a blog post about the giveaway and leave a comment with the link.

I will be choosing the winner on Sunday, November 13th. The winner will recieve 25 free holiday photo cards from Shutterfly.com.

Goodbye

2011-10-23T09:33:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago from today, we had to make the tough decission to say goodbye to Frankie. This was something that I had dreaded since the vet told us there was a tumor blocking his intestines. I was so worried about how we would know what to do.

Growing up, my family had several dogs. And we lost several dogs. But we never had to put one down. Neither Anthony nor I knew how we would manage to do it. My parents had volunteered to go with us, but they live four hours away.

I prayed many times asking God to just take him when it was time. I also prayed for guidance and knowledge. I needed to know when it was time and know that we were doing the right thing. Our vet told us to think of three things that he loved and when he stopped doing those, that was when. But that never happened. He was always very playful, cuddly and hungry.

On Thursday, October 7, my parents came in to spend the weekend. There was no plans or talk of it being time for Frankie. He was still doing just fine. But, over the weekend, things started to change. It was like the tumor had multiplied in size over night. When we woke up Sunday, even though Frankie was still his old self, it was apparent that the tumor had won the battle and had taken over his intestine.

We waited for my parents to get up and then went to the emergency clinic. It was quite possibly the hardest choice I have had to make. I still miss him daily. I still call his name and times. And I dream about him every few nights. But, I know that it was time. I know that God has hand in it.

I am very blessed to have such an amazing Mom, Dad and husband to help me through the past two weeks.

Frankie

2011-09-30T16:38:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to do a quick update on Frankie. It has been a month and a half since we learned there is a tumor blocking his intestines. He seems to be doing okay. Unfortunately though, the tumor is spreading and blocking more of his intestines and is quite possibly in other organs. On a positive note though, he is acting just like his old self. He still growls at Sam when he gets to close to the bed or couch. He still plays with his toys. And, as the picture shows, he has quite an appetite.

When we went in for our second opinion, she said to think of 3 things he loves and as long as he is still doing those things, then his quality of life is not being affected. So, that is where we are now. He is still enjoying his life and we are still enjoying him. Even his snoring.

Vacation Recap-Part 3

2011-09-18T13:18:00.000-05:00

As I mention in my previous post, Tropical Storm Emily decided to join us on our our vacation. Before we even left for the cruise, I was watching closely and knew this was a possibilty. As we boarded the ship Monday at Cococay, we go the official word. We would not be visiting St. Thomas and St. Martin. Instead, we would be visiting Grand Cayman and Cozumel. We were slightly disappointed in the change as I was really looking forward to the Eastern Caribbean and we had just done Cozumel on our honeymoon, but we were able to book the same excursions we had previously planned. And thanks to the captain rerouting the ship, our entire cruise was smooth sailing.

Anyway, Tuesday was a day at sea. We spent the day lounging around. We also had booked a couples massage for the day. While the massage was amazing, it was very over priced and they really push their products at you. It's one of those things we didn't really regret, but probably won't do again. The rest of the day was pretty eventless.

Wednesday, we arrived at Grand Cayman. This is one of my favorite islands. There is no dock at Grand Cayman so we are tendered in on large tendering boats. Once we arrived, we had a bit of time to walk around for a bit before our excursion.

The excursion we chose for the day was miniboats and snorkeling. I had never snorkeled before even though I have been on several snorkeling excursions. I am a bit of a scaredy cat. I had decided this time I was going to suck it up and snorkel. And I'm so glad I did! We got our snorkel gear and were in miniboats that held two people. We took the miniboat out, hooked our boats together and were free to snorkel. We saw lots of fish and it was amazing how close they would come to you.

Next, we headed to a ship wreck for more snorkeling and then took the miniboats around the cruise ship a couple times. It was a great excursion! After the excursion, we waited in line FOREVER and then headed back to the ship on the tender. Once back, we showered, snacked, rested and then headed to dinner. Anothe great day!

Up next: Cozumel

Vacation Recap-Part 2

2011-09-07T19:00:00.002-05:00

We spent most of our first day exploring the ship, unpacking and getting settled. We ate dinner in the main dining room at 8:30 each night. We like the late night seating as we don't have to ruch to get ready for dinner on days were are on an excursion. Most of the time, you are sat at a table with other people. We opted to have a table for two and really enjoyed it. We were able to talk about whatever/whoever we wanted and we weren't forced to make awkward conversation. The food most nights was very good; however, there were a couple nights that were just fare. We had amazing wait staff that took great care of us the whole cruise.

We woke up Monday morning and we were at Cococay, Bahamas. This is a private island owned by Royal Caribbean. It's a great day to just enjoy the beach and relax. We chose to parasail though. We had done this on our honeymoon and LOVED it. It is very peaceful and serene being up in the air hundreds of feet. And the view was amazing. We were very lucky and one of the boys on the boat with us took some great photos of us!

Relaxing before our excursion

Due to someone (me) thinking our time for parasailing was an hour later than it actually was, we had skipped breakfast. So, after parasailing, we were hungry and hot and decided to head back to the ship. We had lunch and then headed to the pool. I enjoyed some amazing frozen mojitos while sitting it the pool. Monday evening it was formal night in the dining room. I love getting to get dressed up!

Unfortunately, I forgot to get a good picture. This little guy is Rex. My brother created a Facebook page for him a while back and took pictures of him around his home and work. So, he came on vacation with us. Watch for more pictures with Rex!

Next Up: Tropical Storm Emily decides to visit the Caribbean, too!

Vacation Recap-part 1

2011-09-05T20:18:00.000-05:00

As summer began (forever ago), we decided we needed a vacation. As I said before, I love cruising and Anthony has grown to love it with me. So, that was a pretty choice. It was also a pretty easy choice deciding what cruise line to use. I have cruised with both Royal Caribbean and Carnival in the past and Royal Caribbean has always left me very pleased. So, Royal Caribbean it was. We then began looking at ships and itineraries. We had gone to Cozumel on our honeymoon and I've done Jamaica before and left quite scared, so those two were not really on our list of places to visit. I also wanted to do a bigger ship than what we did on our honeymoon. We decided on the Eastern itinerary on Freedom of the Seas.

Freedom of the Seas

On Friday, July 29, we headed to my parents so they cook take us to the airport. Then, at 4:30 on Sunday morning, we set off for the airport. We were so excited! We used American Airline and I have to say I was very pleased. As military, Anthony is able to check 3 bags for free without orders. I was so grateful for this as it saved us a good bit of money. We flew into Orlando and then were taken by shuttle to Port Canaveral. I had never sailed from this port, but the process was so smooth. Since I have traveled with Royal Caribbean in the past, we had gained platinum status and were able to skip the line at check in. Anthony was SO very excited about this part.

The ship was AMAZING! There was a pizza place, a cupcake place, rock climbing, ice skating, 3 pool areas, a putt putt course and soooo much more. Here are a few pictures throughout the ship.

The Royal Promenade. There were shops, places to eat (most included in your fare), and bars along this area. They have a few parades here as well.

Pizza-look at the line!

The Cupcake Cupboard-Surprisingly Anthony ate here more than I did. They were yummy, I was just never hungry because I ate all the time!

Cafe Promenade-They had sandwiches, cookies, and coffees here.

The adults only pool. This is where I spent most of my time as I was looking to relax.

The main pool which was used by most and also used for competitions and games.

The children's pool area.

Putt Putt

Rock climbing Wall

Check back later this week and I will try my best to show you a little bit of what we did on vacation...not just where we stayed!

One Down, A Bunch To Go

2011-08-28T17:45:00.000-05:00

Well, my 6th year of teaching is officially under way. I am teaching first grade again and am lucky to only have 19 students at the moment. With Texas budget cuts, $4 billion was taken from education (Thank you Governor Perry) and therefore, many classrooms have 24-27 students at the moment. This first week has gone pretty smoothly. I have 9 girls and 10 boys and lots of varying personalities. It's going to be a fun (in a good way) year!

With back to school comes extreme exhaustion. I spent 2 weeks preparing my classroom and plans. When I got home, I was physically exhausted. Add in 3 nights of softball for Anthony in 105 degree heat and I was done! Then, this week, I have become mentally exhausted. I spend so much time during the day talking, making decisions, teaching, singing and comforting that when I get home, I just want to sit and be silent. Unfortunately, no one seems to get that and I have worried quite a few family members.

Since I've been so exhausted, I still have to get around to posting about our vacation. I'm actually looking forward to reliving it. How I'd love to be sitting on a beach where it was only 85 or 90 degrees!

Anger and Sadness

2011-08-16T19:02:00.000-05:00

The past 365 days have been full of so many emotions, especially sadness. And honestly, I'm angry about that.

A year ago today, I found out that my sweet 5 month old neice had passed away. Anthony was still deployed. It was a devastating.

In February, my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy. Since then, she has been undergoing chemo and radiation. Hearing that devastating news, finding out it had spread, and watching her as seh goes through the side effects of the chemo has been heartbreaking.

In July, my dear Grandad passed away. While he was a rich 93 years old, it is always sad to lose someone you love.

And then today, 365 days after losing our neice, we learned that Frankie (our shih zu) has a tumor. It is pushing on his intestines and if it continues to grow will completely block his intestines. We are currently treating him with steriods in hopes that it will shrink. Please pray that it works. He is like a child to us.

As I reflected on this today, I became angry. I'm so tired of heartbreak. I am so angry that those I love become sick or pass away. I'm just angry to feel so devastated. Why does it keep happening to us?

iPad Fun

2011-07-18T13:45:00.000-05:00

I am completely loving my summer. I love sleeping in and not having anything to do. That all came to a halt last week. At the beginning of summer, my principal called and asked if I could go to a training in mid July about using technology in the classroom. She said we needed 5 teachers to go and then we would be able to get a cart of 20 iPads to use in the classroooms in our hall (Kinder and First grade). I agreed. The week leading up to this, I was a bit skeptical. I did not want to wake up at 7 and I didn't want to sit for 7 hours each day.

image from apple.com

Monday morning came and the alarm went off. I drug myself out of bed (just as I did Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday). And I'm so glad I did. This was an amazing week of training. I learned some new tech tips for using the iPad and even the iPhone. I've gotten to play with a ton of new apps. But, the real reason I went, I've learned how I can use these bad boys in my classroom and I cannot wait. What I loved about this week was that we had time to create lessons that we will be able to use with our kids throughout the week that include using the iPad to meet our technology standards.

I left this training on Friday, full of ideas and excitement. And I also left wanting my own iPad. One can wish!

Why I Should Not Schedule a Vacation for the End of the Summer

2011-07-11T12:00:00.001-05:00

I am sooooo very excited about our cruise at the end of the month. It is a much needed vacation for the both of us. I can't wait to put my feet in the sand, have a drink in my hand and soak in the sun.

I'm slightly embarassed to admit (but am admitting it anyway) that I am so excited about our vacation that I spend WAY too much time on the computer reading about cruises, looking at pictures of our destinations and the ship, and searching for menus of the food. As I learn new things, I share them with Anthony (as my mother is tired of hearing all about it...I think she's jealous). After telling him how excited I am about the food, he informed me that he's worried I'm going to come home fat from this vacation.

Anyway, we've got pretty much everything booked. We are parasailing again! We will also be doing a helmet dive and riding miniboats to a small bay area where we can snorkel, lay out or explore. I can't wait!

Luau

2011-07-10T23:11:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, one of the guys from the fire station and his wife hosted a BBQ Luau. Unfortunately, every camera in the house has a dead batter. Fail!

There were lots of wives there. Most of them are friends I hang out with, and some were new friends. We enjoyed hanging out and visiting. They rented a giant water slide for all of the kids. It was so funny watching all the kids go around and around. As soon as they'd get to the bottom of the slide they'd jump out of the water and run around to the ladder. They grilled burgers and kabobs. Everyone brought sides and desserts. There were pina coladas and strawberry margaritas for the women. The guys spent most of their time in the garage with the beer. Later in the evening, the kids all roasted marshmallows on the firepit and were covered in chocolate and marshmallow by the time they were done. Everyone had a great time!

I love nights like these with good friends. It's nice to just hang out and have fun.

Celebrate Freedom

2011-07-05T07:00:00.002-05:00

As is tradition, Anthony was working yesterday so we were not able to watch the fireworks together. I had pretty much decided I would just stay home and watch the fireworks on TV. But instead, I was invited to watch fireworks with Priscilla and her family. Another couple and their two children came as well. We had a great time! The kids were so excited about the fireworks that they couldn't sit still or be quiet. They were so cute. This was my first time to use my camera at night and to take pictures of fireworks, so I played around with them quite a bit. They aren't the best, but much better than any I've taken in the past. And they need to be cropped.

This is Aften and Beau's daughter Charlotte. She's just two months old and SO cute! They forgot to bring her stroller, but Priscilla and I didn't mind holding her.

And this is Landon and Zoey. They are such sweet friends and are always excited to see each other!

And the fireworks.

I hope you all had a happy and safe 4th of July!

Saying Goodbye

2011-07-04T11:22:00.000-05:00

The past couple of weeks have been full of friends and family as I went home to stay with my parents, but I have also had to say goodbye to a very special man in my life.

On June 17, my grandad went to spend eternity with our Heavenly Father and with Grandma. He is pain free, healthy and able to hear again. And while it brings such peace knowing where he is, I can't help but be a little sad.

My grandfather was such a neat man. He served in the Army and the US Army Air Corp. He later owned and operated a five and dime store for more than 30 years. Some of my favorite childhood memories with Grandad were at that store. In addition to loving his store, he loved to garden. Even at 90 years old we could find him in the garden from spring until late summer. He always had watermelon, cantaloupe and tomatoes. I also remember times when he would have corn, okra and asparagus. I'm sure there were many other fruits and veggies too.

These are two pictures of Grandad at his store. In 2002, the Dallas Morning News ran an article about his store on the front page. They were kind enough to send these pictures to my cousin after Grandad passed. I am very thankful to have the pictures as this was Grandads passion. I am also very thankful to have had the experiences at the store and knowing what a five and dime store is. This picture is just the front of the store. He carried everything. There were things people would drive over an hour to his store because it couldn't be found anywhere else.

The serviced was the following Monday. It was a very neat service because the officiate was a church friend of Grandads and knew Grandad on a more personal level. At the cemetery, Taps was played and the flag was removed from the coffin, folded and given to my mom. It was very touching.

Today, as we celebrate our country's independence and remember those who have served and are serving, I remember my Grandad and the time he served our country as well as the stories he told.

Summer Reading

2011-06-16T22:27:00.000-05:00

I made the decision at the end of May to do some reading this summer. Fun reading. I have no fancy Kindle, Nook or Ipad and I hate paying $12 for a book I read in 2 days. While the library is free, I prefer paperbacks that I can fold the pages down and not worry about getting wet at the pool. Waking up early and going to garage sales on Saturday mornings is out as well. So, I decided to try out book shopping on EBay. I ended up with 6 books for under $20, with shipping. It's no garage sale, but still a pretty good deal.

I decided to start with The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. It had been recommended by an old high school friend. I loved it!

It is the story of life, from the prospective of the family dog, Enzo, who wants to be human. Enzo's owner, Denny, is an up and coming race car driver and Enzo takes on a love for racing after hearing Denny's tales. For this reason, Enzo relates life to driving a race car. The story begins with Enzo nearing his death and recalling his life, from the time Denny picked him to be his dog, through Denny marrying and having a daughter and all that the marriage included.

It was a very cute book. It was a touching story that was made humurous at times through the dog's eyes. And, most of all, it's made my look at my dogs in a completely different light! I would definately recommend this book, especially for dog owners!

Major Lame-O

2011-06-13T17:03:00.000-05:00

Yup, that's me! My life is super lame right now and to be honest, I'm absolutely loving it. Here's what the past two weeks have consisted of:

~Sleeping til 9, 10, or 11.
~Not getting dressed until 2...or not at all if I have nowhere to go.
~An occassional softball game with the hubby. I just watch and visit with friends, he plays.
~Laying at the pool.
~Reading for fun. Keep an eye out for a book review or two.
~Spending my days on the couch.
~Watching the new Bachelorette.
~Taking care of Frankie. He had a stomach bug for almost a week. Thankfully, he is back to his old self.
~Visiting with Mom and Dad this weekend. They came to see us for a couple days since they haven't been out here in 6 or so months.
~Watching the Dallas Mavs win the NBA Finals!!!!

At this point, I have completely forgotten about the rough days of first grade. I am completely relaxed! Life is good!!

Soak up the Sun

2011-06-02T18:48:00.000-05:00

Less than two months until I will be soaking up the sun on this floating paradise. I can't wait!!!

My love for cruising started in high school when my family and I began cruising. I later convinced some friends to join me, and eventually, I even talked Anthony into a cruise for our honeymoon. Our honeymoon was the last trip that we've been on together. I've taken a couple trips (Washington, DC and San Francisco) and he's taken a trip to the sandbox (though that doesn't count as a vaction), but it has been almost three years since we've had a trip together and I can't wait!! We have been talking about a vacation and trying to decide whether we wanted to do all inclusive or a cruise and the cruise won out. I love that with a cruise almost everything is included. I love getting to travel to various ports. I love the excursions. I love the way everyone on staff goes out of their way to make your vacation wonderful for you. I just love it!

So, after much reading and rate checking and making sure leave was approved, we booked it. (By the way, if you are a USAA member and want to cruise, check out their site...it saved us a bit of money.) We've got several exciting ports, including my favorite, St. Thomas. And, one of my new favorite parts of the cruise, they've added a cupcake shop. Love it!

Kimmie and I on our girl cruise...renamed Chicos Locos

Anthony and I on our honeymoon...I will definately be asking more people take pictures for us this year.

Us before we parasailed on our honeymoon...will definately be doing this again!

What's your favorite way to vacation?

Sadness

2011-05-26T22:18:00.000-05:00

Today was the last day of school. I have completed five years of teaching. Most years, when this day arrives I am full of excitement. While I'm a bit excited, I am more sad. I am really going to miss this group.

I have spent two years with many of these children. And while the days and weeks may have been rough, I have never stopped loving or believing in them. I have taught my babies how to read and write, how to add and subtract. Now it is time for them to move on and learn more, but I am like a Mama who doesn't want to let go.

Not only is it hard to let go, but I also worry about my kids this summer. I worry that they won't read enough and will lose what they've learned. I worry they won't have enough food to eat. I worry that they won't get the love they need. I worry about how they will be treated at home. During the school year, I am able to show them that I care and make sure they get breakfast and lunch, but when they are home, I cannot. This has always been what I have found most difficult about being a teacher. It doesn't matter how great a teacher is, she can not change the home life of her students.

At the end of the day, I was getting particulary sad about having to say goodbye. The little boy that I've mentioned before that hated my clouds and couldn't talk to me because I was a stranger came up to my table. He said "That's why you are a special teacher." Unsure of what made me special, I asked. "You are special because you let us do stuff." Hearing a student tell me I was a special teacher made my day and my year. It made every difficult day worth it.

Renewed

2011-05-25T20:58:00.000-05:00

The past two days have been so much better than Monday. I still had similar problems with the same student, but I've just let them go. I have made up my mind to not let any student ruin the last week of school! The past two days have been fun and I have came home energized instead of exhausted. How did I work 8 and 10 hour days and feel energized?

~I played with my kids at recess. I couldn't completely keep up with them, but I did do the monkey bars!
~We had a pizza party to celebrate the end of the year.
~I took time to color with my class.
~But most importantly, I remembered to take time to visit with colleagues and LAUGH!

Yup, that's it. I've managed to get my room almost completely ready for the summer and keep my kids busy. But I still feel great when I get home!

And, to top it all of, a teacher of an older grade was asking if I had a better day yesterday and I said yes. She then said she couldn't believe what a tough year I had (she had seen my struggles on Monday). But what I loved was that she said that she couldn't never tell that I had it bad because I always had a smile on the face. That was a compliment I really needed. I was glad to know that even though some days I am completely stressed, others don't see it.

Only 1 more day to go! Tomorrow we will be watching Finding Nemo, having popsicles and saying farewell! I can't believe the year is over, but I can't wait to see what summer holds!

Defeated

2011-05-23T19:15:00.000-05:00

As I said goodbye to my 20 first grade friends for the last Monday of the school year, I did not feel the joy that I should feel for being so close to the end. Instead, I felt defeat. And not like I've defeated another year. Instead, today I was defeated.

I could just feel it all over. This feeling of anger and frustration and heartbreak and grumpiness. I hadn't done my best as a teacher. Now, it's the last week of school and not much teaching is going on, but I wasn't there for my students. I let one student and his stuburness defeat me. I let him truly make me angry. I never allowed him to see that I was angry, but I felt it inside and I sitll just can't let it go.

After leaving work and running errands, I went through the drive thru and picked up some nachos. Unhealthy, fatty nachos to make my day better. Now I lay on the couch waiting for the Bachelorette in hopes that it will help me to move on past today. If nothing works today, atleast tomorrow is a new day and a fresh start. And if tomorrow fails too...well atleast I only have a day and a half after that!

Do you ever have days that you feel defeated?

Arlington National Cemetary

2011-05-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

Going to the Arlington National Cemetary while in DC was a must for me. Mom had gone last summer when she visited, but she went anyway. After walking around the basin, from the Washington Monument to Jefferson and then Lincoln, we headed that way. It did not look near as far away as it was. When we arrived, we were exhausted. It was so worth the walk though.

I loved this quote.

This was the most moving part of the cemetary and really the whole trip. The precission that they guard the tomb with is just amazing.

Cherry Blossom Festival Part 3

2011-05-14T12:28:00.001-05:00

I realized it's been a month and a half and I still haven't finished my posts about my trip to DC. There are just two more, the Smithsonian museums and the Arlington National Cemetary.

We only went in a few of the Smithsonians and didn't spend a lot of time in any of them. I'd like to go back at a less busy time of the year and spend much more time. The first day of the trip, we went into the American History museum. The second day we ended up in the Air and Space museum in order to stay dry. We also checked out the Natural History museum so that I could get a few pictures for my students and then took some pictures outside The Castle. With the all the crowds in town for the Cherry Blossom Festival it was packed to the point of not being enjoyable. Here are a few (very random) pictures through the museums.

American History Museum

First Dumbo ride for Disney

George Washington statue that was basically rejected by citizens.

Air and Space Museum

Natural Science Museum

The Castle

My favorite was American History museum. I'd love to go back and just spend hours looking around, especially without ~~rude and rowdy~~ children all around! If you've been to the Smithsonians, what was your favorite?

Field Trips

2011-05-11T20:26:00.000-05:00

I may have said this before, but I am terrified of field trips. The classroom is a safe place where it is unlikely that you will lose a child. The zoo or the farm or the park, not so much. Those places have no structure, no lines you have to walk in, no being quite, lots of wide open space to be kids. If you follow the news, you may have heard of the first grader that climbed over the fence and was malled on a first grade field trip. That's my worst nightmare!

Today was our big zoo field trip. I was dealing with anxiety all morning. Finally, we loaded the bus and set out for the zoo around 9. We got into the zoo and I sent a few kids with parents and kept 8 boys. The first thing you see inside the zoo is an alligator and then the flamingos. As we stood and stared at the flamigos all of my anxiety melted away. The students loved just watching the animals. We only saw a handful of animals due to the bus not arriving on time and bad weather, but not one student complained. They were so happy to have spent 30 minutes inside the zoo.

Since we didn't spend much time there, I didn't get many pictures. However, I was able to capture a few of my favorite moments.

Not sure what happened, but these guys all started squaking and then they fluffed up their feathers and started fighting. So funny!

We stood and watched this guy for over 5 minutes. He would strut around his little area, let out a loud noise to get your attention and then spread his feathers and strut around like he was a model. The kids were just amazed.

These nice tall fences made me feel much better about my children staying safe!

It was this guy's first trip to the zoo. He was so amazed by everything. I hated that he didn't get to spend more time there and see more animals.

This was my favorite part of the field trip. All of the students up against the glass in awe. It's such a special gift to share the wonders of the zoo with these children. Have I mentioned how much I love my job?

What I Couldn't Live Without (in the Classroom)

2011-05-03T22:08:00.000-05:00

I only have 17 more days of school with the kids. I can't believe it. I also only have 3 more days left with a student teacher in my room. When I student taught, both of my mentor teachers gave me graduation gifts and that was always special to me. For that reason, when I have a student teacher, I always strive to show her that I appreciated her with a graduation gift. I've been working on putting together a basket of things for her to use when she has a classroom, mostly a lot of things I could not live without. I thought about sharing my favorite classroom things, but I am sure you know that I love post it notes and Sharpie markers. Instead, I thought I'd share a few of my nontraditional favorite things in my classroom that I couldn't live without.

1. A digital timer. This is the first year I've used one and this guy is my new best friend. I have one student (who also hated my clouds and couldn't speak to me because I was a stranger) who will get angry and sit in the corner. I've found I can set the timer for 2 minutes and when it beeps, he is good to go as if nothing has happened.

2. Cheez-Its and Dr. Pepper. This is my every day snack at 10:00. This is something I've done for years and I still haven't gotten tired of it. I don't know what it is, but every day at 10 I am starving and shaky and this does the trick!

3. Scotch Packing Tape. This tape will hold anything together. It holds papers on the wall, even with 30 mph winds. It repairs books. Holds up bulletin boards. It's great.

4. Scentsy Warmer and bars. This thing is wonderful at covering up the smell of sweaty children and soured milk that was left in a cubby over the weekend. I like to stick with lighter, fresh scents.

What are some unusual things that you couldn't live without at work?

Finally

2011-04-25T19:03:00.000-05:00

I'm posting...finally. Anthony asked if I was already done blogging (as I tend to never follow through with things). I'm not done, I just haven't really had the energy to blog lately.

I still have two posts left on my trip to DC and one day I will get them finished. My birthday was last weekend and I never blogged about that. It was a wonderful birthday. My students were great the day before my birthday. After work, some of my friends and I went for pedicures and dinner. Anthony surprised me Saturday with breakfast in bed and we went to dinner Saturday night for my birthday. Nothing amazing, but a wonderful birthday that left me feeling loved.

This weekend was another pretty good weekend. Easter morning we got up and went to the late service. We had a wonderful Easter lunch of McDonalds (I completely for got about buying things for an Easter meal until late in the week). We saw our first rain in a couple months. Then we had a huge hail storm and several tornado warnings. I was terrified and spent most of the late afternoon sitting in the tornado closet watching the news from the doorway. There were several reported tornados, all atleast 10 miles from where we live. The hail, on the other hand, hit us hard. We had atleast baseball hail, possibly softball size hail. This picture doesn't do the hail justice, but I wasn't taking my camera, or my body, out into the weather to get better/more pictures. You can see from this picture that there was lots of it. It would stop and then start back up again. Did this two or three times!

Anthony's car is beat up all over, though the glass is not broken, thankfully! My new car got several dings. It was under a covered parking, but my spot is on the end. The one exposed side got quite a few hits and Im so disappointed. I'm just ready to be done dealling with insurance and having to pay money for all these unexpected things!

I've got my big girl panties on now and I'm moving on. I'm grateful for the rain. I'm grateful that we are all safe.

On to a new week!

Cherry Blossom Festival-Part 2

2011-04-15T22:13:00.000-05:00

We couldn't go to Washington, DC without seeing the monuments. When told my students where I was going (and begged that they be on their best behavior while I was gone), they told me to take pictures and insisted that I go see Abraham Lincoln.

The first day we were there, Friday, we only made it to the Capital Building and around the Capital Building. I'm not sure we picked the best Metro station to get off at. We did go to the Museum of American History and spent a good bit of time there (the museum pictures will follow in part 3...get excited!).

Saturday, we started out for the Washington and Lincoln memorials and the Museum of Natural Science. Unfortunately, mother nature had other plans. After walking a couple blocks from the Metro station, Mom said, "I think we should just go in here (Aerospace Museum) because it looks like it's about to rain. She was right on. Thirty seconds later...sprinkles. Those were followed by pouring rain. We found protection in a little opening in the building that covered. There were like 8 of us squished in this little 3 by 3 area. But atleast we stayed dry! The rain let up a bit and we did the museum thing. Then, we headed to the monuments again. When we started that way, more dark clouds. We didn't make it to the Metro before it started pouring rain and hailing. Thankfully it let up and we were able to take to the Metro to Union Station for cupcakes. We were able to make it out for a little more walking before we called it a day.

Storm clouds coming in

Crumbs Cupcake-Chocolate Covered Strawberry

After the storm.

The sky was so pretty.

Sunday, we walked from the Washington Monument around the basin to the Jefferson Memorial and then the Lincoln Memorial.

Mr. Lincoln and I

After leaving the Lincoln memorial, we decided to walk to the Arlington National Cemetary. It was much further than it looked, but we made it. I'm going to let that be a post of its own, as it was the most moving part of our trip.

Cherry Blossom Festival-Part 1

2011-04-12T21:03:00.000-05:00

About this time last year my brother moved up to Washington, DC and Mom read about the Cherry Blossom Festival. Since my birthday is in April, she asked if I'd like to go for my birthday. How could I turn that down? So, on March 31 (sorry it has taken me almost two weeks to post) Mom and I headed to DC.

We weren't sure what to expect weather wise. It seemed that every day we checked, we saw something different. There was even snow forecasted for our trip. The weather ended up being nice most of the weekend. Though it was very chilly, there was no snow, only a few short showers and a bit of hail.

The trip was wonderful and the cherry blossoms were BEAUTIFUL. We spent the weekend at my brother's apartment. We had three full days there and while we had a lot to do, we didn't have to rush. We got moving slowly most mornings and then headed out to see sights. In the evenings, we met up with my brother for dinner and just hung out the rest of the evening. Spending that time with my mom and brother was great!

The blooming trees and sights gave me a great chance to really get to use my new camera. I had so much fun playing around with it and can't wait to continue learning.

Everywhere we went, there were cherry blossoms. They were outside my brother's apartment, at the airport, and around all the monuments. Each weekend they had many events planned with the festival. We didn't participate in the events, but just seeing all the beautiful trees was worth it!

It was truly amazing how the cherry trees lined the basin. The pictures just don't do it justice.

I loved the baby tree!

Later this week I hope to post about some of the monuments and sights that we visited and the cupcakes we ate!

Military Life from Alpha To Zulu

2011-04-01T06:00:00.002-05:00

Last Monday, Wife on a Roller Coaster came up with this great idea. It looked like fun and I had some free time, so I got started on it. Unfortunately, no matter how hard I thought (which there's not a lot of brain energy left in the evening) some are an extreme stretch. But anyway, here it goes...Military Life from Alpha To Zulu!

(A)lpha-Air Force
(B)ravo-Brave
(C)harlie-Change
(D)elta-Deployments
(E)cho-Exercises
(F)oxtrot-Friendship
(G)olf-Goodbyes
(H)otel-Housing allowance
(I)ndia-Independent
(J)uliet-Jargon
(K)ilo-Kiss (as in alwasys kiss goodbye)
(L)ima-Life-changing
(M)ike-Moving
(N)ovember-New
(O)scar-Opportunities
(P)apa-Pride
(Q)uebec-Questions
(R)omeo-Reunions
(S)ierra-Stars and Stripes
(T)ango-Travel
(U)niform-Uniforms, and lots of them!
(V)ictor-Very different
(W)hiskey-Wild
(X)-Ray-X-citement (that's a stretch, I know)
(Y)ankee-Your life (as in military becomes your life)
(Z)ulu-Zeal

Prayers Please

2011-03-28T18:53:00.000-05:00

It seems like I've asked for prayers alot lately, but I'm asking again.

Last night, my 93 year old grandfather fell at the nursing home. Today, they took him to the ER and he has broken his hip. They are going to monitor him and if all is well, they will proceed with a hip replacement surgery tomorrow. Please keep him in your prayers.

Also, Gran is dealing with a lot of negative emotions right now. Please pray that these feelings will go away. The first week after treatment seems to be the toughest. She deals with anger and frustration. She did not expect to feel this way and the second treatment has been worse than the first (which is normal). Thankfully, she is not as bad as she could be, but to her, she is terrible. But, it's hard to talk to her and know what to say when she is so down.

It's very hard to be so far away right now and be so helpless.

Sick as a Dog

2011-03-27T21:04:00.000-05:00

This little guy has been a bit under the weather lately. It started last Sunday night. I had just turned off the TV and was about to fall asleep when Sam jumped up and started coughing, wretching, and belching. The fit lasted about 5-10 seconds and then everything was fine. Ten minutes later, it happened again. And then it happened again. At this point, I got a little concerned and got online. The first thing I came across was bloat. I was terrified! I called Anthony numerous times with no answer and finally called the station in a panic. He calmed me down and assured me it was nothing. By the time I was done talking to Anthony, he was fine and playing with Frankie.

The next night, nothing. But then it started back up Tuesday night, not as bad though. I did more research and decided that it wasn't bloat and everything I read said if the cough continued for 5 days to see a vet. Well, the coughing continued off and on. So, on Friday I took him into the vet and he said he had bronchitis and tracheitis (or something like that). So, just like when I had bronchitis, he's on an antibiotic and a steriod. Unlike me, he takes his with peanut butter. And thank goodness the coughing has gotten better and so has my sleeping!

A Million Bucks

2011-03-22T21:02:00.000-05:00

In the state of Texas, the minimum teaching salary for a teacher with 4 years of experience is just over $30,000. Most districts pay more. If you get into metroplex areas, a teacher with 4 years experience might make closer to $50,000. As you move away from the metroplex, you will find most teachers are on the lower end of the pay scale. Any teacher that is actually teaching solely for the money is clearly in the wrong profession.

Teaching has never been about the money. Sure, I have to have money to pay bills and to fuel my shopping addition, but I didn't chose teaching for the money. Clearly. I chose teaching because I want to make a difference. On days that I realize that I have made a difference, I get the biggest paycheck ever. And today, was one of those days.

If you've followed my blog for a while, you might remember a little boy I had last year when I tought kindergarten. This little boy was not happy to be in my room, he said it was "stupid." He couldn't talk to me because his mom told him not to speak to strangers. He hit, bit, pushed, and cursed. I remember him crawling under a table one day and refusing to come out. No one loved him or believed in him, including himself. He's the kind of student that most teachers truly dread and secretly hope will be absent (I know, it's sad, but very true).

Anyway, I refused to give up on him. I set forth to do whatever it took to get through to him because I would not allow any child to spend a year in my class and still consider himself stupid. So, I worked at it for about 6 weeks. He had learned half of his letters in six weeks and he now called himself smart. I had made a difference! And then I found out he was moving. I was devastated. I thought of him frequently and was always worried that his new teacher wouldn't get to know him and see how great he was. I learned this fall that his mother had passed away and my heart broke even more. I just prayed that he had someone who would love him and believe in him.

Well, God decided he needed to be back with me. Or maybe I needed him to remind me how much I love what I do. When he walked in my room today, it took everything I had not to cry. He gave me the biggest hug and just held on. I have never been so happy to see a student. He later told me that he had cried when he was at his house. I asked him why and he told me because he missed me. It may not be easy, but I know this kid needs me and I know God knew I was just the person.

And today, I feel like a million bucks. Not because I got a nice paycheck to put in the bank, but because I made a difference.

Realizations

2011-03-21T19:27:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, in attempt to be a good wife, I told Anthony that if he would wash his ABUs I would iron them tonight. I'm not sure what got into me as I had NEVER ironed his ABUs. While ironing, I had a few realizations.

1. I will never volunteer to iron ABUs again. Ever. Even if it means he cooks dinner. It still wasn't worth it.
2. I will gladly pay to have his ABUs professionally laundered.
3. Those things have a lot of pockets! There would be no need for me to carry a purse!
4. We need a new iron. Bad. I don't know how he has managed to iron his uniforms for the past two years!

Do you iron your husband's uniform or does he?

Back To Work

2011-03-20T20:06:00.000-05:00

Spring Break has officially ended. While I will miss laying around in my PJ's until 1pm and sitting up until midnight, I am actually looking forward to getting back to work and seeing my students. I have 50 more days to make a difference. I have 50 more days to teach these students that they are readers and writers. I have 50 days to teach these students to believe in themselves. And after 50 days, I will be sending these 20 first graders on to second grade. It will be such a bittersweet moment after spending two school years with most of them. It's such an amazing feeling to be a teacher and know that I am impacting these kiddos. And, in addition to teaching these 20 first graders, I will have a student teacher in my room for the next 7 weeks. Not only am I looking forward to an extra adult in the room, but I am looking forward to sharing my teaching beliefs and helping her to become a successful teacher.

Also, with spring break ending, I am even closer to three really important events:
1. Going to DC with Mom to see my brother and the Cherry Blossom Festival
2. My birthday month and birthday
3. A weekend at home with my brother (the one in DC), my aunt and uncle (from Mississippi) and all of my family. My brother, Mom and I will all be walking a 5K for Breast Cancer. I had really wanted to run, but since my neck was sprained and strained in the accident, I haven't been able to read and train like I had planned.

With all the fun coming up, I really am not too sad to see this week end!

What are you looking forward to?

Amazing!

2011-03-15T20:57:00.000-05:00

Spring Break is AMAZING! It has been so nice to sit up as late as I want and sleep in until I'm ready to get out of bed. It's been so relaxing to know there's nothing I HAVE to get done each day (except going to the chiropractor which I enjoy).

I've marked quite a bit off of my to do list. Yesterday, I had lunch with friends, went to the chiropractor, got an allergy shot, cleaned my car (very well, I might add), made two doctors appointments and did a bit of shopping. Today, I got a pedicure, had lunch with friends, switched out my winter and summer clothes, and organized my closet and ~~my other closet~~ the guest bedroom closet. Only two more closets to clean/organize and a bit of chores around the house and my to do list is done! Such a great feeling!

Spring Break

2011-03-13T23:41:00.000-05:00

I am officially two days into my spring break. I have been counting down this week for months. You would think I had a great trip or something planned as excited as I have been; however that is not the case.

My spring break began with a trip home to see my family. We spent Friday night at Gran's, but were kicked out the next night. Apparently we kept Sam from being able to sleep Friday night and when I woke up Saturday Gran suggested we go stay at Mom and Dad's Saturday night so everyone could sleep better. I happily went and got much more sleep! It was a great trip home and Gran was feeling great. Mom, Gran, and I took a shopping trip Saturday while Dad and Anthony went to the gun show and electronic stores. It was hard to come back today.

Now that I am back I am happy to have week days off to get things acomplished. Normally I run around between 4 and 5 trying to get things done and I spend my conference period on the phone and lunch is scarfed down in 25 minutes. I plan to have lunch dates with friend and my husband, get a pedicure, do some shopping, continue taking care of stuff from the wreck, get a few doctor appointments in and just get everything in order.

I hope to come out of this week feeling rested and stress free. I hope to get caught up enough on everything that I can make it until the end of May.

So, to those of you who work in schools or have kids who are out for spring break, what do you have planned?

Not All Bad

2011-03-06T18:39:00.000-06:00

So, it's been a week and a half since I totaled my car. For the most post part (as I noted previously) it has been a pain in the neck, literally and figuratively speaking. There has been one big perk. I am now the owner of a brand new...

Honday CR-V!!!

As I posted last week, my Civic was totaled. Thankfully, we had purchased GAP insurance when we purchased the Civic, so we came out even. Of course, then I needed a new car. We knew that whatever car we bought, I would still be driving when we began having children. For that reason, we wanted something bigger than a Civic. I have always had my eye on the CR-V and I had loved my experience with Honda. I was so happy that Anthony agreed and even suggested that we get a car with more features than the Civic (which wasn't hard sine it was very basic). We did our research and went in Thursday with our offer.

I absolutely love my new car! And I love my husband even more for getting me the car I wanted...even if he was the one that drove it home Thursday night.

Camera

2011-03-05T18:43:00.000-06:00

I've been in a been of a fuddy mood and haven't been up for blogging much lately (don't worry, I think I'm finally out of my funk). For that reason, I completely forgot to blog about my camera!

Ever since Christmas when my husband led me to believe I was getting a new camera for Christmas, I have been wanting one. I saved my Christmas money and started putting a little aside every pay period. I did my research and decided on a Nikon D3100. I checked prices everywhere and had set a price that I would spend on it. With the help of Anthony's TDY I finally had enough saved up. It just so happened that Best Buy had it on sale that week. Talk about luck! I sent Anthony for the ad at Best Buy and then headed to the BX when I got off. It just didn't make sense to pay tax on it when I could take the ad to BX and get it tax free. Well, the BX here would not honor the ad because they claimed Best Buy was out of stock. I was furious. That rule was posted no where. I was so disappointed. This same day, we had planned to go home to see my grandmother, so Anthony offered to stop at the Joint Reserve Base in Ft. Worth. They had the camera in stock and after a bit of confusion, they matched the ad and I am now a proud owner of this beauty!

I absolutely love it. I love that it has a guide mode so that I'm not completely shooting in auto, but that I am still able to take great photos. I can't wait to learn more!

A Pain in the Neck

2011-03-02T21:44:00.000-06:00

This accident has been a pain in the neck...literally and figuratively.

My neck pain has not gone away. Instead, it has began causing headaches and keeping me awake at night.

They have totaled my car. It is a relief to know I will not be recieving a damaged vehicle when it is all said and done. And while I am excited about getting a new car, I do not love the process.

But, life goes on.

Really?

2011-02-27T18:54:00.000-06:00

This past week I've found myself thinking of what a crappy month February has been. Within this month, my grandmother has found a lump, had a mastectomy, and will be chemo. Additionally, I have been snowed in for a week and had bronchitis. Not really my favorite month. But apparently, it was not a bad enough month.

Thursday morning, on my way to work, I was rear ended. The access road and the main road were merging and there was a school bus was coming from the access road. The bus driver yielded for one car and then tried to go in front of me. I had to slam on my brakes and the lady behind me couldn't stop. This is what my car looks like now.

It had to be towed. The back window was shattered. I should know more this week. Thankfully, I didn't have any major injuries. My neck was very sore Thursday night and Friday, but that has gotten better. There is just a very unconfortable feeling in my spine.
Let's hope the March is better!

What I've Learned

2011-02-20T21:04:00.000-06:00

This weekend I learned that I am not a good sick person. I get that no one likes to be sick for the obvious reasons. Not only do I ate the awful feeling of having a fever and hacking up a lung but I hate being stuck in bed or on the couch and not being able to move.

It all started Thursday night. I had a little tickle in my throat. I took a Singulair and headed to bed. I woke up Friday morning and the tickle was still there with a small cough. As the day went on, the cough got worse and my voice began to fade. I never felt bad though and nothing hurt. Around 5 that evening, the aches hit me like a ton of bricks. I was hanging out with friends and left shortly after that. When I got home, I discovered I had a low grade fever. Over the weekend, the fever kept getting higher despite ibuprofen and Tylenol and more symptoms developed. I was coughing so hard I was making my self sick. That's when I decided I had had enough and headed to a walk in clinic first thing this morning. Two and a half hours later, I am leaving with 2 prescriptions, a sore bum due to a steroid shot, and a diagnosis of bronchitis and sinusitis.

I began taking the medicines immediately and am alreading feeling better. I even managed to get the kitchen cleaned up tonight. Although I will not spend all day tomorrow laying on a couch (3 days of being forced to stay on the couch is even worse than 4 days of being snowed in) I plan to take it very easy so that I am ready to head back to work on Tuesday. I am ready to be up and doing something useful again!

Weather

2011-02-18T22:04:00.000-06:00

This week's weather has been BEAUTIFUL. We're talking highs in the 70s and 80s and lots of sunshine. As a school teacher, this is what I live for. My children can run and scream for 20 minutes and get all of their enregy out.

As I thought about the weather, I remembered that I'm WAY behind on blogging and never posted my pictures from the snow ~~day~~ week. These pictures are all from Day 4 of being trapped inside, for me anyways. Anthony had been TDY and drove home in the middle of it, even though I tried to convince him it was horrible. It was kind of a crummy week with Anthony being gone and finding out about my grandmother's cancer and then finding out it had spread, so I didn't enjoy the snow the first few days. By the time I did take pictures, it had began to melt. I've never been so happy to see melting snow.

Lots of romping in the snow and chasing snowballs makes for one tired dog.

This guy was not impressed by the snow. The only way he'd go out was if I picked him up and carried him out there and sat him by a tree. Then I had to carry him back in.

Here are the many layers from my trips outside with Sam.

And to keep myself entertained, I watched all of last season's Grey's Anatomy and some of this season, hung out with a friend that lives in the complex (she also teaches first grade and her husband is a firefighter), and made and ate lots of food. I made soup, grilled cheese, brownies, and these cookies.

After 4 days of snow and ice I am so grateful I live in Texas and not North Dakota. And I'm so grateful for the beautiful weather this week!

Catching Up

2011-02-06T21:05:00.000-06:00

I had every intention of posting my snow day pictures. The ones I took while suffering from cabin fever. But, I am being EXTREMELY lazy and don't want to go find the stuff to plug in my camera, so you'll have to wait.

Thankfully, Saturday brought it warm termperatures and most of the snow melted. It's funny how 50 degrees felt warm. I actually rolled the windows down because I was so hot. Anthony went for a hair cut and the place was packed. After that, we headed to the commisary. We walked in and my first thought was to turn around and walk out. I couldn't do that though because we were having dinner with some friends and when asked what we could bring, they said dessert, so I needed stuff to make a cake. After darting and dodging carts, we made it through the store with the 5 things I needed. The line for checking out was way past the area they had marked off. I'd guess there were about 10-15 carts in line, not including the ones being checked out. Normally there are 1 or 2 people. Thankfully, self check was open and we were out in no time.

Today, I picked up groceries, did some laundry, picked up a baby shower gift, and searched for button up pajamas for my grandmother. After that, I curled up on the couch to watch the super bowl. I looked out the window about 8 and the ground was blanketed with snow. UGH!!! Hopefully we can get a late start tomorrow since the roads are wet and it's supposed to freeze tonight.

As for my grandmother, she seems in great spirits. We told her we have plans to come home. Since she normally watches Sam and I knew that was out of the question, I told her where we'd be leaving him. She said that wasn't okay because that person doesn't like Sam. I said that we might leave him with a friend here then. Nope, she didn't like that either. She said she'd rather us not come than him have to be left somewhere. I feel so unloved!

Over It

2011-02-03T18:12:00.000-06:00

I'm over it. It being snow. And ice. And cold.

We live in Texas, not North Dakota or New England or Michigan or any other place that gets snow normally. We don't even live in the panhandle of Texas. We should not have over an inch of ice covered by 3 inches of snow that will not go away. It should not be below freezing for four days in a row.

It all started Monday night. It began raining at 5pm. Then about 11pm it began sleeting. Around 2am Tuesday the snow began. It's beautiful, really. Anyway, it hasn't gotten above 25 degrees since Monday, when it was around 70 degrees. So, it's all frozen solid. We haven't had school since Monday and we don't have school tomorrow. And everyone is going stir crazy, including me.

To top it all off, Anthony has been gone all week. And during Gran's biopsy Wednesday, we have learned that the cancer has spread to her lymphnodes. Not going to lie, I kind of like Alexander's (from Alexander and the Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day) of hopping on a plane to Australia. But, our airport was closed. And Alexander says "everyone has bad days, even in Australia."

Thankfully, Anthony made it home safely today. It took him 4 hours to make an hour and a half drive. I'm so glad to have him home. My grandmother seems to be doing okay and be in pretty good spirits. And the temperature is supposed to get up to the 50s Saturday. So, hopefully things are about to start getting better.

For those of you praying for my grandmother, please continue to pray. I assume in the next week they will be doing more scans to see if the cancer has spread to any other organs. Pray that it has not. Pray for Gran's spririts to stay high. And pray for my family.

Gran

2011-01-31T21:24:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to share with you a few pictures of Gran from our wedding. This first one is a picture of her dancing. I love that she always has fun and never cares what anyone thinks. Unfortunately, I don't have this trait. The next pictures is of her dancing with my brother. And that last picture is of Anthony and I with Gran.

I talked to her tonight and she seemed to be thinking very positive. (Another trait I wished I possessed, I am the worrier of the family.) She went and bought her some new pajams for after the procedure. (That's a trait I have!) Please continue to pray!

Bad news

2011-01-31T17:57:00.000-06:00

Unfortunately, we did not not get the news we had hoped for today. If the weather permits, she will be having a mastectomy on Wednesday. At that time, we will learn more about the stage and the treatment. She is a very strong woman and seems to be handling well. It's times like these that I wish I still lived at home.

Please keep Gran (Nancy) in your prayers.

Random

2011-01-30T17:41:00.000-06:00

Anthony checked my blog today and informed me that I needed to blog. I kept trying to blog last week, but just couldn't get anything constructive out.

Last week was another rough week with Anthony being gone. Tuesday my grandmother (Gran) informed me that she was being sent for a biopsy on a lump in her breast. She went for the biopsy on Thursday and goes tomorrow (Monday) to find out the results. If you are reading this, PLEASE PRAY! I am terrified. I think I am more worried than she is. You see, growing up I was very blessed to grow up with all my grandparents around and in the same town. It was wonderful. I have so many great memories. I lost my maternal grandmother in July 2008, just months before our wedding. I am very close to Gran. We talk atleast 3-4 times a week, sometimes more. During the summer, while Anthony was deployed, she kept Sam so I could stay at my parents. While she's 72, she acts like she's 50 years younger. When I was in hs, she took my friends to a big country bar to hear Pat Green. She keeps beer hidden in the bottom drawer of her fridge. She goes to the casino once a week. Needless to say, my mind has been a bit consumed and I've been a bit grumpy.

Take that grumpy and throw in the 100th day of school Thursday and all that craziness and you really had one grumpy teacher.

Thankfully, Anthony was home all weekend. It was nice to be around him instead of alone. It was nice to have someone to share the chores with. It was nice to have him cook for me the whole weekend! The weather was beautiful! I'm recharged and ready to face a new week. And some very cold temperatures and a "Winter Mix."

Pick Me Up

2011-01-26T17:31:00.000-06:00

A Happy Me!

It's been a long day. And a long week. Tomorrow is the 100th day of school and so I've spent the afternoon running around and getting things ready. While out and about I decided I needed a pick me up. So, Wedny's it was! I love the combination of the salt on the fries and the sweet and chocolatey Frosty. And I absolutely LOVE their new fries. I'm not sure it really picked me up, but it sure was good!

Being a Grown Up...

2011-01-23T18:34:00.000-06:00

...is not as fun as I once thought it would be.

I used to love the idea of not having to go to school, owning my own car, being married, and being a grown up. Now, I find it a bit stressful.

I hate all the decisions that Anthony and I have to make. We thought we had a plan for the next year, only to find out that it may not all work out. Now we are stuck trying to figure out what to do. I sure miss when big decisions were made for me.

I hate having to worry about finances. This past summer we were able to pay off our credit cards and begin saving. We've been saving for the past several months and want to continue doing so. And then I have to go to the much dread dentist. Come to find out, even though I brushed and flossed and my teeth don't hurt, I have dumb ol' cavities. Too many. And I have to have them filled which costs a bunch of money. I sure miss when Mom and Dad paid for those!

I hate having to take care of my car. Thank goodness that it was only a bad battery last week and the dealership replaced it for free because it was under factory warranty. But, still, I have to wash the car and have the oil changed and take care of that thing. And gas is getting ridiculous! I miss carpooling with friends in elementary school!

But, I guess it's not all that bad. I do get to live with my husband who is also my best friend. I get go to a job that I absolutely love. I get to cook whatever I want to cook (even though I don't always want to cook). I get to go where ever I please. And my allowance sure beats what it did when I was living with my parents!

I Don't Wanna

2011-01-19T21:14:00.000-06:00

I just remembered I have a dentist appointment tomorrow and I am trying to come up with a way to bribe myself for going. I am terrified of the dentist now. I used to not mind at all. Then when I started having cavities I started disliking it a bit more, but it wasn't a lot more.

That was until a dentist was numbing my mouth for a filling and he hit a nerve. This particular nerve was connected to my tongue, even though it was on the side of my mouth. It was such an intense pain that tears immediately started flowing and I had no control over them. He continued about his business filling the cavity. When I got home, the numbness started wearing off. Except, my tongue was still numb. And it was still numb when I woke up the next morning. And it continued to be numb for the next few weeks. It was awful.

Now, I'm terrified. So terrified I've put off going for two years. Yeah, not good.

Wish me luck!

Murphy's Law

2011-01-18T16:25:00.000-06:00

I absolutely, positively HATE Murphy. Whoever he is. And yes, I used the H word. I don't say hate much, but I have had it!!!!

Anthony is away for a TDY. It's very nice, he's not very far and is able to come home on weekends. However, Murphy has taken this opportunity to make my life miserable! It started last week, Wednesday to be exact. I came home to NO heat. It took the poor maintenance man 3 trips to my house to sort of get it working so I could make it through the night. I survived, I was moving on.

Until this morning, when I went to get in my car. I wasn't moving at all. The car wasn't even starting. Anthony had just said that I should take the car to get the battery checked sometime this week. Perhaps we should have done it then. Anyway, I had to call around and after 3 tries found a friend who sent her husband to pick me up while she covered my morning duty. I hitched a ride home and currently waiting on the apartment maintenance staff to come jump start my car so I can take it to the dealer.

So, you got me Murphy. I have been completely flustered all day. Please leave me alone!

The Small Things

2011-01-07T23:13:00.000-06:00

It's the small things that make such a difference sometimes.

I've questioned myself alot as a teacher lately. I really haven't been the teacher I once was. I used to get complimented for how I talked to my kids and then this year people have commented on how loud I am. I don't like that one bit and I've been worried about how it's affected the kids in my class.

Well, today I noticed a little girl with pearl earrings. I had never noticed her wearing them before and so I complemented her. Here's how the conversation went:

Me: I like your earrings A.
A: Thanks. I got them pierced yesterday.
Me: That's really exciting. Did you know those are like my earrings? (I wear pearl earrings all the time and had them in today)
A: I know! (in a rather excited tone)
Me: Is that why you got them?
A: Yeah.

Just a little conversation, nothing impressive said. But, the fact that she admires me enough to get earrings like mine, says that I haven't been as bad of a teacher as I thought.

Hello 2011

2011-01-04T18:48:00.000-06:00

This year is in full swing now. I started back to work today and the kids come back tomorrow. I find (and I'm sure most of you do too) the beginning of a new year a time for reflection. I've spent a lot of time reflecting on the past year and thinking about what is to come.

2010...A year with ups and downs. As the year started off, our first deployment loomed over our heads. In March, we welcomed a new baby niece, a month and a half early. God's goodness was so amazing to see in her. There were no major complications and she was home within a few weeks. In April, my grandfather (92 years old) had a fall (on my birthday to be exact). He spent several days in the ICU, then a regular room at the hospital and then was moved to the VA hosptial in my hometown. In May, Anthony and I said goodbye and began our first deployment. In August, our sweet 5 month old niece passed away unexpectantly. In early September, the Air Force brought Anthony home a month early to be with family. It was such a bittersweet homecoming. It was so great to have Anthony home, but the circumstances were not what I would wish on anyone. The rest of the year has been pretty eventless. We were able to spend both Thanksgiving and Christmas with our families. Needless to say, I am not the same person I was when this year began. It has been a year of challenge and growth. It has been a year of tears and celebrations.

2011...What will you hold? I know some big changes are in store for us if everything goes as hoped. I have set a few personal goals for myself as I get into this year. Nothing major. First, I want to continue to grow. I want to grow in my relationship with God, I want to grow in my relationship with my husband, I want to grow as an individual and I want to grow as a teacher. Second, I want to run a 5k. Last year, I set a goal to work out, but I didn't have anything to truly work for. Maybe this year I will do better. And third, I want to begin learning about photography. I'm going to start off small, I want to begin learning to use a (yet to be purchased) DSLR and learn how to take good (I'll eventually work to great and amazing, but let's not get our hopes up this year) pictures.

I'm looking forward to seeing what the year brings our way!

Christmas 2010

2011-01-03T15:13:00.000-06:00

I still don't have my pictures from Mom yet, but wanted to blog about Christmas before I completely forgot about it.

Both my break and Anthony's leave started the Thursday before Christmas. I woke up early and once he arrived home from arrived from work we started getting ready for our trip. After fitting 4 days work of clothes, Christmas gifts for both families and two dogs, we hit the road. We started out at my parents'. It was so great to be home. Friday morning, Mom picked up my brother from the airport and we were were all together.

Christmas Eve night, my dad's family all gets together at my grandmother's house. There are 9 grandkids and Anthony. My grandmother does the turkey and dressing and a few sides and the rest of us brought sides. I wish I would have thought to take pictures, but I didn't even think about it.

(This is all my cousins, my brother and Anthony & I)

Christmas morning, we all wake up for Santa presents and stocking stuffers. Both my brother and I are grown, but this is a tradition that we all enjoy. To this day, I still wake up early and can't wait to go downstairs and see what Santa left. After that, Mom and I (mostly Mom) start getting ready for Christmas lunch. Her brother and his kids and grandkids all come over. This was the first year that my granddfather was not able to join us due to his health. This meal is a lot of work for Mom, but it is my favorite meal. I love my mom's cooking! That evening, we went to the movie with a friend and her mom to see Little Focker.

(Us at Mom and Dad's)

Sunday morning, we headed to see Anthony's family. They had celebrated Christmas the day before, so instead of cooking again, we all went out for dinner and then spent some time hanging out. Monday, we met up with my best friend and went to Gaylord Texan's ICE! Kimmie and I had gone a few years back and wanted to check it out again. Honestly, I was not as impressed this year due to how commericialized it is.

Monday evening we headed home. I had a really hard time with this (as I already blogged about). Christmas was so amazing this year. I love being surrounded by family and I can't wait to be closer to them again! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas time as well!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T17:09:00.000-06:00

Sorry, I am a day late. But, better late than never. I know I still have Christmas updates that I need to do, but I need to get the pictures from Mom for that. So, we'll start with New Years.

I came home from my parents Friday. It was much easier to leave this time as I felt I got to spend much more time with them and I missed Anthony. When I left to go to my parents', we had plans for a New Years Eve party with a bunch of friends, but before returning, the party was canceled. I was a little bummed as the past two New Years Eves we haven't done much of anything (last year we weren't even together). But, our friends Aften and Beau decided to throw a party. It was very low key and so much fun. We played Taboo for atleast a couple hours. It was guys against girls and everyone got really into it, some more than others, but that was the f un part. I laughed so hard that night. Just before midnight, we put on our hats and necklaces, got our horns and counted down to 2011. I can't see what this year holds.

We had been laughing so much I couldn't even do a regualr smile!

Home for the Holidays

2010-12-29T21:53:00.000-06:00

Christmas at home was wonderful! So wonderful that when it was time to return home, I bawled. I've never had such a hard time leaving my family, even while Anthony was deployed and I was going home to an empty house. I'm not sure if it was the fact that I had such a great time at home or that I knew Anthony would be working 48 of the next 72 hours that we were home.

So, what did I do? I turned around and came back to Mom and Dad's the next day. So, I am getting to spend an extra three days with my family!

Until I return to tell you all about my holiday, here are a few pictures to hold you over.

Christmas Time

2010-12-22T16:40:00.000-06:00

It is officially Christmas break! I think we were the school still having to go today. I am so glad we have a break.

We leave tomorrow to go to my parents house and then Sunday we go see his family. Leading up to this time, I really didn't expect us to be able to go home. Last year we were going to get to be there the 22-24, but some guys got in trouble and we weren't able to go. I spent my Christmas at our place, while Anthony was at work. It was very hard, as it was the first Christmas to be away from our families. This year, I knew he'd be off for Christmas day, but wasn't sure we'd have enough time to go home. I was okay with that, if it's what we had to do. But I am so excited that we will get to continue our previous traditions. Although, I'm a little nervous about how our bags, the presents and 2 dogs are going to fit into my small car.

I hope you all have a great Christmas time, whethere you are with family and friends or creating your own tradition. My prayers and love go out to all of those who are not able to be with your husbands during Christmas.

Time to Relax

2010-12-19T18:27:00.000-06:00

I feel that sometimes, when you don't take care of yourself and get some extra rest, your body tells you to get that rest. That was what my body was telling last week. It started of subtle, and I didn't listen. But eventually, I had to no choice.

It started on Wednesday. I became a bit stuffy, but kept on going. Thursday, I was more stuffy and beginning to feel bad. But I kept on going. I worked and then went to our team Christmas party. I came home and went to bed after that, but didn't sleep well because of the aches and pains and fluctuating body temperature. I woke up Friday feeling awful, but I did what most every teacher does, I went to school. Who was going to sub a week before Christmas? The kids are crazy! Friday night, I was done. I was finally ready to listen to my body. I put on my PJs and crawled into bed at 4:00. I was running a low fever. My whole body hurt. I couldn't breathe. Saturday was spent in my PJs on the couch ALL day and night. I can't remember the last time I got to do this. Today, I'm feeling somewhat better. I spent the day on the couch until about 4:00 when I got up and ran a couple errands. Now, I am completely exhausted. It will be an early night in hopes of allowing my body to get enough rest to make it through the next 3 days of work and then through the holiday events.

So, that was my weekend. What'd you do this weekend?

Texas Weather

2010-12-15T17:27:00.000-06:00

If you've ever lived in Texas, you know the weather is crazy.

For those of you that aren't familiar with our weather, let me paint you a picture.

Last weekend...the high was in the 60s. It was beautiful.
Today...it is in the 80s.
Friday...high in the 40s.
Sunday...back to 70.

Try teaching children about the seasons here. It's near impossible! And you definately don't put up your short sleeved shirts.

I wonder what Christmas will be like.

The Reason for the Season

2010-12-14T21:00:00.000-06:00

My mood today...I'm over it.

Over the hustle. Over the having plans every night. Over the pressure. Over teaching. Over trying to fit everyone and everything in.

I found myself in a very fowl mood today. Tired of everything going on. I just wanted to crawl into bed and stay. Until December 23rd and then resume things.

I sat here tonight after my faculty Christmas party and thought about my frustrations and why I was so frustrated. That's when I realized it. I've been so lost in everything going around me, that I have forgotten the true reason for this season. It's a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. And even though I might be extra busy, celebrating I will do.

My goal is to get back to enjoying all that is going on. For the next 6 days of school, I strive to be a better teacher. I left work today feeling like the worst teacher in the world. And I do not like that feeling at all. My kids do not deserve for me to take my exhaustion and frustration out on them. They deserve my love and compassion. They deserve to see the true reason for Christmas shining through me.

I say this, because I am sure I am not the only one feeling so frustrated. Just remember the true reason for the busy time of the year.

Cookie Exchange

2010-12-12T20:54:00.000-06:00

This weekend has been so busy, but so much fun. Yesterday, we had a birthday party for a friend's daughter, then ran a bunch of errands, and then went to hang out with some friends to watch the fight. The wives spent the evening hanging out in another room and visiting.

Today, I had lunch with my friend Priscilla and her son. Then I did some shopping. I have three gifts left to get and a few stocking stuffers to be completely done! And best of all, they are all wrapped and under the tree.

Then, this afternoon, I went to a cookie exchange with some friends from work. I had never been to one and was really looking forward to it. We were to all bring 6 dozen cookies. I chose cranberry white chocolate oatmeal cookies. I blended together a few recipes I had and then made a few changes. I was really impressed with how they turned out. Thanks Kimmie for the idea!

There were lots of different cookies there. This is what I came home with:

(I ran out of room in my first tub)

There's pumkin chip cookies, cake balls, chocolate chip cookies, rasberry bars, graham toffee, lemon cookies, Lottie Moon cookies, Texas Ranger fudge cups, 7 layer cookies, biscotti, cranberry nut cookies, and more! I brought home atleast six of each of atleast 12 cookies. I haven't tried any yet, but I can't wait to dig in. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them. Some people use them as gifts. Some people freeze them and serve them at Christmas, and some people just eat them now. I'm leaning towards the last.

This week is full of lots of parties and then a weekend to rest and unwind. I can't Christmas is approaching so quickly!

Christmas Time

2010-12-06T18:58:00.000-06:00

Wow, I'm totally stinking at remembering to blog. I'm not sure if it's the fact I'm too busy to sit down and write or the fact that I really don't have anything exciting to write about.'

I can't believe how quickly Christmas is approaching. Less than 3 weeks away. My tree has been up for a while. Presents are wrapped under the tree, and only 4 more to buy. The Christmas scents are in the Scentsy and Wallflower. And my calendary is full. I have Christmas stories and cookies tomorrow evening at school, a Christmas cookie swap this weekend, two Christmas parties next week, our class Christmas party the following week. And I have so much to do, address Christmas cards, decide on and bake cookies, finish buying and wrapping presents, and finalizing holiday plans.

Even with so much going on, I absolutely LOVE this time of year. I love the hustle and bustle (whatever that means). I love the smells: candles, cookies, and ever green. I love the sounds. And I love the excitement, both mine and the kids.

What do you love about this time of year?

Holiday Shopping

2010-11-30T18:30:00.000-06:00

This year, I've done all of my Christmas shopping online. I really didn't plan to, but it ended up being easier and saving money. On Black Friday, most retailers offered the same deals online as in the store, plus, I looked on RetailMeNot and was able to find coupon codes for free shipping, a discount, or both. Additionally, I use Ebates when I order online (and remember) and get cash back. Last Christmas, we got a check back for about $30. And you can't beat getting paid to shop. As you do your shopping, you should check these out!

So far, I've only had 2 small mishaps, but both were quickly resolved. And out of about 20 holiday packages, 2 problems isn't bad. One problem was with an order placed at Express. The items ended up being out of stock after I placed the order and I was bummed because they were 40% off that day. The customer service was AMAZING. She told me what colors they had in the sizes I needed, gave me the 40% off, plus an extra 15% off for my troubles AND free overnight shipping. She was so friendly and so willing to help. The other problem was with the postal service. The had a "substitute" carrier who placed my package in the wrong box. After filing a claim, the package was quickly returned.

And the best part, it's so fun to see what package will be waiting for me each day!

Amazing

2010-11-28T11:03:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving vacation has been AMAZING. We have been blessed to be able to spend time with almost all of our family (both sides) and with each other. I've been so busy enjoying my family that I didn't get around to blogging all week, so I thought I'd do a quick recap.

I took off work Tuesday and we headed to my parents. We got there around 2 and spend the day and evening just lounging around.

Wednesday was another day of mostly lounging. During the day, my cousins and uncle came by. It was great to see them. That evening, my grandmother made lasagna and my cousins, uncles, and aunt came. Since we missed Christmas last year, it's been almost two years since I've really been able to spend time with them all.

Thursday, we woke up and headed to spend the day with Anthony's family. We had an AMAZING Thanksgiving, complete with my first completely from scratch cheesecake. I was very proud of myself. We headed home that evening and at midnight, we headed to Walmart. Complete chaos! Before going to bed, we got online and did some online shopping. We were able to get almost all of the items we had wanted (that we'd seen in the ads) at the same price and with free shipping. Some we were able to get even cheaper because of coupons. And we will get cash back on all our purchases as a result of using ebates (message me if you want details). Since we had gotten most of what we needed, we decided we would not be up shopping at 4am.

Friday, we slept in a bit and then headed out to pick up a few things we wanted to get on Black Friday. Because we waited, the crowds weren't bad at all. Picked up some sheets for our king sized bed we hope to get this summer, as well as a few gifts. We got home and I helped Mom put up her "Snowman only" tree. And then, one of my brother's friends and his fiance stopped by. He is a Marine and we rarely see him. He will be getting married next weekend and we are so happy for them both. It was great to get to visit with them both.

Saturday, we had to head back home. I was really sad to have to leave. It's so nice to be surrounded by family.

This Thanksgiving, I had so much to be thankful for. I am thankful that Anthony returned safely (minus having his foot ran over) from Iraq. I am thankful we were able to go home and see so much of our family, as we weren't able to do this last year. I am thankful for the loving family that surrounds us. I am thankful for all that God has provided us with this year.

The Nutcracker

2010-11-20T17:55:00.000-06:00

Today, I got to see the Nutcracker for the first time. I was so excited and have been looking forward to it all week. Our town has this cute little theatre and each year they put on the Nutcracker.

I wasn't really sure what to expect, as I can honestly say I have never been to a ballet. I was very impressed with the performance and enjoyed it greatly. I was disappointed that time passed so quickly and it was over before I knew it. I left wanting to learn ballet (although I'm guessing I'm a little too old for a beginner class). I look forward to seeing the Nutcracker again next year. I think this time, I will try out a different performance, perhaps in Dallas area so that I have something to compare it to.

The rest of the weekend will be spent preparing for the week ahead (laundry, cleaning, shopping) and putting up the Christmas tree! I can't wait!

What a Wonderful Monday

2010-11-15T18:34:00.000-06:00

I did NOT have high expectations for today. I slept horrible because Anthony was gone. And it was a Monday. But, today turned out pretty amazing, and here's why.

-Nobody cried today in my class!!! First day in over a week.
-I came home to find out Anthony doesn't have to be back at work until shift time tomorrow. (They have been doing an exercise and he was having to work 5pm-6am, which doesn't allow much us time, or much sleep time for him.)
-I don't have to cook. When I found out Anthony would be home for dinner, I started to plan dinner. He insisted we eat the leftover chicken enchiladas so we don't have to throw them out.

-And best of all, I found these when I was forced to go to Walmart since the commisary was closed.

Now, on to enjoying my Oreos and watching football with my honey!

Shwoo, I'm Still Alive

2010-11-12T22:47:00.000-06:00

I wasn't sure I'd make it. What happened you ask? Twenty 6-7 year olds who haven't had more than a 2 day weekend since the beginning of September and a teacher who needs a break. That's what happened.

This year, our district decided they wanted to get us done with school before June (very rare in Texas with the new rules that started a few years ago). In order to do that, they took away almost any extra day off. We still have the big ones, but no little 3 day weekends. It has resulted in some exhausted and antsy students, as well as teacher.

My students wouldn't listen unless I yelled. Then, I think they were just too scared to speak. (I don't yell on a regular basis, I blame it on my exhaustion.) There was not a day this week that didn't bring tears (not mine). Tears because they were in trouble. Tears because they didn't do what they wanted. And today, tears because I caught him trying to steal from my treasure chest and took away both the earned prize and stollen one. And not little tears. Big sobbing, screaming tears. Wednesday, I really wanted to throw a fit too.

I have never been so tired in my life. I'd come home and just collapse and do nothing. I was so pleased that Anthony wanted to go enjoy free dinner last night because I wasn't sure if I'd have the energy to cook.

And I am so thrilled that it is the weekend. The only thing I have to do is attend a birthday party tomorrow, which I am looking forward to. The rest of the weekend, I plan to just rest and lounge. No house work. No errands. Heck, I don't think I'll even do laundry.

And after today, I only have 7 more work days until Thanksgiving break. I can't wait!!

Thank You

2010-11-11T08:00:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year again. Time to honor those who have served our country. Veteran's Day has a more personal meaning this year, than ever. I couldn't be more proud to of my husband and all that he does.

(My favorite veteran)

Another very special veteran, my granddad

So, to all the men and women who serve, THANK YOU!

Shutterfly

2010-11-07T16:15:00.002-06:00

I am sure most of you have heard of the wonderful promotion Shutterfly is having where bloggers can earn 50 free holiday cards. I LOVE Shutterfly! I have made several of their photo books. We used them as Christmas presents with wedding pictures and to document vacations and important events. I think it will be neat to continue making them and have a whole shelf of books that tell the stories of our lives. We've even made a couple calendars and have one hanging in the kitchen now.

Last year was my first year for photocards and I couldn't have been happier with them. This year they have lots of new styles of both photo cards and holiday cards. And what's better than great Christmas cards...FREE. You should go over and check it out! Here's the link for the promo. It's so easy, you just have to chose some of your favorites, add some links, and write about Shutterfly.

And here are some of my favorites:

I've already been playing around with the photos in different cards. Now I just have to decide on one card. That'll be the tough part!

*Edited after recieving Shutterfly email. Just a helpful hint, submit your form and wait for a response before you post your blog! It took less that 24 hours for me.

Weekend Recap

2010-11-02T20:55:00.000-05:00

This weekend flew by and I was so busy I didn't even have time to write about it Sunday or even Monday.

Saturday-Anthony and I slept in. Until 11. I thought my internal alarm was permanantly set for 9, but I was wrong. I was so completely exhausted from last week and my body needed the rest. When we got up, we cleaned house and ran some errands. Some of our friends came over to watch the Rangers game and grill burgers. We enjoyed having people over and a Ranger win.

Sunday-Lounged around until 1. Showered and ran some errands. Made some spinach dip, no good Mexican tortilla rolls that went in the trash, and chocolate covered pretzels. Several of the other firefighter wives and a couple of their husbands were taking their kids trick or treating and invited me to tag along. We all brought food and ate before the trick or treating. I had a lot of fun hanging out with them and their kids. After that, I came home and crashed.

Monday-It was definately a Monday in first grade. I came home and Anthony was bored. Headed to the mall and picked up the boots that I blogged about here, except in black. I can't wait to wear them tomorrow. Then, instead of coming home and cooking we picked up Chic-Fil-A. We came home and watch the Rangers game and then crahsed.

It was a wonderful weekend, but I can't wait for next weekend so that I can get some rest. And, as for the Rangers, I was very sad to see them lose, but very proud of them for how far they came.

Memories

2010-10-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

Do you ever get a whiff of someething (good or bad) and you have a flashback?

I had one of those moments yesterday (and do every other Friday at school). Every other Friday, our students who haven't missed a day or been tardy or had a behavior problem are rewarded with popcorn. Since we are a school of 600 + making bags of popcorn isn't logical. So, they use one of these:

For most people, you might think of a movie theater. But, I'm reminded of times spent at my grandfather's Five and Dime. I'm assuming most people my age are not familiar with Five and Dime stores or may have heard for Ben Franklin's. Now they are almost unheard of.

Anyway, how does this relate to popcorn? My grandfather had one of these old fashion machines (his was really old fashion) at the front of his store. When there were events downtown and on the weekends, he would make up some popcorn and sell it for a quarter a bag. The smell of fresh popped buttered popcorn would fill the store. I have so many wonderful memories of his store. When we didn't have school he'd let me "work". I'd mark items with the price gun. I'd check people out. I'd wrap presents. I loved wrapping presents because it meant I got to make bows with one of these

(picture found here)

I also remember buying school supplies at his store every year. And on Christmas, he'd give us money to "buy" Christmas presents for all of our family from the store. His store was around until around 2006 when he was 87 years old. But, competing with WalMart is just too much for a small local business.

My grandpa has always been a special man and I cherish my special memories I have with him. And on Fridays, when I smell the popcorn popping, I can't pass up a bag for myself. And every Friday, these memories come flooding back and I can't help but smile.

Wow...

2010-10-29T18:08:00.000-05:00

...time is flying. I mean really flying. Anthony's almost been home two months now. Today was the 50th day of school. Christmas is less than two months away. Thanksgiving is 27 days away.

Wow. Those last two sentences leave me a little overwhelmed. So much to do. And, as indicated by flying time, I don't know when it's all going to happen. We still don't really know what we are doing for Thanksgiving or Christmas. We know Anthony is off both of those days, but has to work the day before, meaning we will miss lunch with my family each day. And then there's gift giving. I like to have all my shopping done before December. I worked retail in college and I dread the mall and avoid it like the plague in December. Then, I have to decide what I want. Normally, my wish list is complete by October, but this year, I just don't know what to ask for.

And then there's Christmas decorating! I can't wait!!! I love having the Christmas tree up and stockings hung. I get giddy just thinking about it. It'll be here before I know it.

Best Best Friend Ever

2010-10-25T17:33:00.000-05:00

I have the best best friend ever! This is what I found when I arrived home today.

Now, I did know it was coming, but that didn't make it any less exciting. Earlier this month I had bought Kimmie a Dallas Cowboy tshirt and this is what we decided on as a way to pay me back. I'm not going to lie, chocolate is way more exciting on a Monday afternoon than cash.

When I went out to visit this summer, Kimmie had a bag of Ghirardelli chocolates waiting for me. My favorite in the bag was the Milk and Caramel Latte. They were amazing! I bought a couple bars at Ghirardelli Square and savored them for a couple months (until my husband came home and found them). I've looked everywhere (in the tiny town I live in) and had no luck finding any. So, Kimmie sent three bags of those and a small bag of Pumpkin Spice Caramel. Those are almost as amazing. Thanks Kimmie!

My Firefighter

2010-10-24T20:01:00.000-05:00

This past week in first grade we had been spending time discussing fire safety (yeah, we're two weeks behind, but better late than never). Who's the best person to talk fire safety? A firefighter, of course. And I just so happen to know one. With some begging and a bargain, he finally agreed to come Friday afternoon.

When I told my students he was coming, the room was filled with excitement. You would have thought that I had just told them Santa was coming to visit our room.

Part of the bargaining was that I had to put on his gear to see what it was like. And I agreed. It was heavy. It took forever to get me dressed. And it was HOT! These guys have 60 seconds to get their gear on. They wear all of that gear into a fire (which is way hotter than my classroom). And he had to do all of that in Iraq, during the summer. I was sweating and my thermostat was on 74. I can't imagine it being 115 and then going into a fire. It gave me even more respect for what he does. I know I couldn't do it.

Here's some pictures from his visit.

I'm so proud of my firefighter and all that he does.

Blessed

2010-10-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

As a military wife, I often get frustrated with the life that we have. I hate that my husband works on the weekends and holidays, we don't get to see our family frequently, and we can never really make plans. But lately I've been thinking about how the military life has actually blessed us and our marriage. As a military family, we have learned to cherish things that most people take for granted.

I cherish every day I spend with my husband, for I don't get to spend every day with him. I am perfectly content sitting beside him on the couch while he watches football.

I cherish every kiss hello, goodbye, and goodnight, for some times I only kiss him goodbye and there is no hello. There is no goodnight.

I cherish my friends because while away from my biological family, they are my family. I can count on them for anything at anytime.

I cherish the opportunity to do his laundry and to cook dinner for two because it means that he is actually home and not deployed.

I cherish the holidays we have together, because some years he might have to work on Thanksgiving or Christmas.

I cherish my family and the chances I have to visit them. I don't dread going to visit our families like so many people. I actually look forward to every minute with them.

What has the military made you cherish more?

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

2010-10-19T17:43:00.000-05:00

Now that fall is here and it really feels like fall (Texas fall anyways) I decided I wanted to do some fall baking. I have never baked with pumpkin and wanted to try it ever I ate some amazing pumpkin bread last fall. I went searching for a recipe, and came up with Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies from pickycook.com. I absolutely love oatmeal cookies and loved the idea of combining oatmeal and pumpkin.

The cookies were so easy to make. And they turned out amazing. So amazing, that I may or may not have eaten 5-6 each day for the past 3 days. But, they are healthy so it's totally justifiable, right?

Since they were so good, I have to share the recipe.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/3 cups old fashioned oats

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter - softened

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons honey

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and sit aside.

Cream butter, honey and sugars in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Mix well.

Gradually add dry ingredients. Mix until blending, being careful not to overmix. Chill for 30 minutes. After chilling, drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. (I flattened mine just a bit with the spoon as I noticed they did not seem to flatten while baking.) Picky cook recommends sprinkling sugar and cinnamon on top, but I used the last of my cinnamon making the cookies.

Bake for about 14 minutes. Of course, ovens will vary, I baked mine about 16 minutes. After removing from the oven, all them to cool a few minutes and then move them to a wire cooling rack (if you can resist eating them).

ENJOY!

TV Rant

2010-10-15T20:46:00.000-05:00

I don't rant on my blog much about TV. I don't really thing I ever have. But something in particular caught my eye today.

Every morning I watch the first 10-15 minutes of Good Morning America before going to work. Today, one of their topics was Military Wives as Surrogates (click on it if you want to see the article). I didn't have a chance to watch that segment, but when I got home this evening, I read the article.

Next, I did some number crunching. I wanted to get a rough percentage of military wives that serve as surragates. (Stay with me, I'll get to my point.) According to Wikipidea, (I know, not the most reliable sorce, but it will work) there are a little over 1,477,000 members of the military. And PRB reports that in 2009 52% of adults (over 18) were married. We'll just say, 50% of military members are married (I'm sure that there's some site that shows this, but I couldn't find it quickly). I'll say that 5% (personal estimate) are women military members with male spouses who obviously can't be surragates. So, we'll say there are about 664,650 military wives. That's just my guess.

Good Morning America reports that there 1000 surragacies a year, 15-20% are military wives, making that about 150-200 military wives who serve as surragates a year. That's 0.03% of military wives who serve as military wives.

The whole reason for the segment was discussing that military wives who serve as surrogates are using tax payers money (Tricare) to pay for the medical costs. Not all military wives do this. There is a clause in TriCare that says that TriCare can ask for the money back. They even have a wife who reports she doesn't use TriCare to cover her medical costs.

So, now to my rant. I was really bothered by this segment. I really felt that it was made to look like military wives cheat the system all the time. It's .03% of military wives. That's a tiny number of women that do it. Why not focus on the good of the military wives. Like the strength a military wives must have to endure her husband being deployed and carrying someone else's child. Yes, she gets money, but I don't think any amount of money (in my opinion) could make a deployment easier. Your husband is still in danger and you are still alone and you are dealing with a pregnancy. Show me one women that will happily endure all three of these things for $30,000 and never once have a negative feeling because I want to know what her secret is.

Okay, that's my rant. Do any other military wives find this offensive?

Why I Teach

2010-10-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

Last week I did some venting about my frustrations of teaching. There was a particular student I was really struggling with. I knew something wasn't right. I could tell by the way he acted in my room. I couldn't nail it, but I just had this gut feeling. I sent him to visit with the counselor and I nailed it right on. While he's not physically abused or neglected, he's emotionally neglected. I'm not going to go into details, I will just say that he doesn't get the love I feel every child should.

Now, he's not the only child in my room this year, or any of the four years that I've taught in the past, that I've known is missing out on love. I've always been at schools where the families are economically disadvantages. While it's heartbreaking and emotionally draining, I have no doubt that's where God wants me right now. I know that he puts each of the 18-22 kids in my class each year for a reason. Every day when we have our moment in silence, I pray that He will help me to love these children the way they need to be loved. That's usually all I can manage to get in...you try having a 60 second moment of silence with 20 six year olds. Closing my eyes or bowing my head is out of the question!

Anyway, that being said, one particular thing this child doesn't get at home is hugs. So, I have made it my point to make sure he gets those hugs. Today when it was time for him to go home, he came up, gave me a hug around my neck and told me he loves me. While he doesn't feel love at home, he feels it in my classroom. And I am reminded what my purpose is. God is good!

How Dogs are Like Children

2010-10-13T18:24:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I find myself wondering if having children would be easier than having the two dogs we have. I've heard people say having a dog is great preparation for having kids. So, I've been thinking about how dogs are like children.

-They have to go to the bathroom and they can't independently do that.
-They need attention and love.
-You have to remember to feed them.
-You have to plan what you are doing around your dogs. Sure, I can leave them home by themselves for a while during the day, but planning an overnight trip is hard.
-They make messes. And don't clean them up.
-They get expensive. Grooming, shots, food (80lb dogs eat a lot), toys, repairing holes in the carpet...
-Even when you get mad at them, they can give you a look and melt your heart.
-They make the house feel not so lonely.
-No matter what, they will always love you.

It's a Love/Hate Kind of Thing

2010-10-08T19:14:00.000-05:00

I love, love, love my job. I love that I am responsible for teaching 20 amazing kiddos how to read. I love that every day I am greated by 20 students that are happy to be at school and happy to see me. I love that first graders are full of compliments. I love that these students love to learn still. I love that I get to make a difference in the lives of other. I love that I get to share God's love with my children (no I can tell them, but I can show them). I love being able to fill a child with confidence and make them feel like they can do anything. I just love it.

But, there's one thing I don't love. One thing that can take an amazing day and turn it to a gloomy day for me. One thing that just makes me cringe and even brings tears when the day is over and the kids are gone. One thing that no matter what I do, I can't change.

Parents. Not all parents, just a few parents. Parents who don't love their children. Parents that hurt their children. I just don't get it. I don't see how anyone could repeatidly hurt these kids. I don't see how a parent could never hug her child. It baffles me. It shocks me. And it breaks my heart.

I have always found this as the hardest part of my job, but I also find it as a driving force for me to be a better teacher. It drives me to show my kids God's love even when I'm unhappy with them or having a bad day. It pushes me to push these students to be the best that they can be and to believe in themselves because I know that school may be the only place they will get that. It makes me strive to make my classroom a positive and safe place, full of kindess and love from both me and the other students, so that these children have a safe place to be. While I can't change home, I can change my classroom and myself.

The Best Part

2010-10-04T16:42:00.000-05:00

This weekend I posted about the adapting to having my husband home from the deployment. But I failed to mention ALL the good of having him home. Being that today marks one month that he has been home (and is also the day that the rest of his group is coming home), I thought I would share the many things I love about him beging home.

-It's so nice to come home after a long day at work and have someone waiting for me instead of just the dogs.
-I love seeing his face, his real face, not a video over the computer.
-We can talk on the phone, or in person, without a 5 second delay, or worse, a lost connection.
-Football season is WAY more fun when you get to watch games with someone.
-Movies are more fun when you have someone to watch them with. Even if you don't get to pick the movie.
-Cooking for two is much more enjoyable than cooking for one. It's a bummer when you cook something good and no one is there to taste it.
-There's someone else to take the dogs out. And the trash out.
-I sleep so much better knowing that he is right beside me.
-I love his hugs. The big hugs where he picks me up and pops my back.
-I love that he would skip out on Sunday football and watch The Backup Plan with me. He must really love me!

The list could go on and on. He's home. He's safe. He's with me. How could I not be happy about everything?

More Adapting

2010-10-01T18:15:00.000-05:00

As I face new things as a military wife, I adapt. I adapted to being hours away from family. I adapted to this lifestyle. Then I adapted to the deployment. And just when I felt I had that all under control, it was time for Anthony to come home. With him coming home, came more adapting.

I really wasn't sure what to expect when he came home. I had heard some people talk about it being hard to give over responsibilities or finances, but I wasn't really worried about this. Since we started our marriage out apart while he was in basic, I have been responsible for the finances for our whole marriage. I would be happy to let him take on other responsibilities around the house, especially the dogs. So, I thought it would be a breeze. While having home and having to adapt is a heck of alot better than him being gone, I still had to adapt and am still having to adapt.

Here's some adapting I've had to do:
-Cooking dinner for two on a regular basis. Apparently he doesn't think cheese sticks and crackers are a reasonable dinner or 8:30 is a reasonable time for dinner. He does help cook though!
-Sharing the remote. When Anthony is home, I have to share the remote. I watch most of my shows on DVR. He doesn't really like Desperate Housewives or Grey's Anatomy. Thank goodness for the wonderful invention of DVR!
-Sleeping on my side of the bed. I sure did like sleeping in the middle of the bed all spread out.
-Laundry. I can not longer go 10 days without doing laundry. I rarely can make it a week without the hamper overflowing.
-No more quiet time. While Anthony was away, I learned to love the quiet. At first, this was a hard thing for me to get used to. After a while, I got to where I would come home from work and just sit for an hour or two without turning on the TV.

Don't get me wrong, even though things have changed, I am LOVING having him home. It's so great to have someone to talk with and eat with and just spend time with. I like this adapting much better than the adapting I had to do when he left 4 months ago.

So, that leaves me wondering, what do you have to adapt to after a deployment?

First Grade Fun

2010-09-29T16:09:00.000-05:00

We are finally really into the swing of things in first grade and I'm loving it! The kids have matured so much from last year which makes them even more lovable. Honestly, there is not child that I do not love. There's not even really one big problem child. I can't pick a favorite. It is great. They are a great group of kids. They've learned so much already and I love that feeling. I love knowing that I've already taught them something.

That being said, I thought I'd share some of our funnies.

-One student tells me "He told me he was going to kill me." So, I asked that student if he said that. His response, "Yes, but I said I was sorry." (I love how they think sorry should fix every problem.)
-We are standing outside for dismissal, it's 85 degrees outside, one student has on his heavy winter jacket, complete with fur lined hood. It took 5 minutes to convince him to take it off so he didn't have a heat stroke.
-Yesterday I wore a short beaded necklace. One little boy raised his hand and said, "Mrs. J, can you take that necklace off? It is going to choke you."
-During lunch, one of the students gets in trouble for running. Then another student tattles that the student in trouble is saying bad words. Well, if you get in trouble at lunch, you sit out at recess for 10 minutes. He did his time for running and we were visiting. I was just going to leave the bad word offense out of it, as I've learned bad words to a first grader are not always really bad words. But, he told on him self. What was he saying? "Penis."
-The students are sitting at their desks doing an assignment. One of them raises his hand so I go to see what he wants. He says, "Well....can I sing." (So totally random)

Oh, how I love what I do. I wouldn't trade it for all the money in the world.

Happy Anniversary!

2010-09-27T20:29:00.000-05:00

Today marks two years of marriage for Anthony and me. They have been two amazing years. They have been filled with many ups and many downs, but no matter what, we've faced them all together. Through everything, we have continued to grow closer and our relationship has grown stronger.

Since the week is so crazy, we celebrated yesterday. We started the day out with watching the Cowboys beat the Texans. Next we did a little shopping. We concluded with dinner at this wonderful local steakhouse that we both love and rarely get to visit. It was a wonderful day. I am so happy he was home and we were able to celebrate together.

Fall!

2010-09-22T21:11:00.000-05:00

I am very excited that it is officially fall. Although, I would be even more excited if it wasn't 85-90 degrees every day, but atleast it's not 100 like 2 weeks ago! Here are some things I'm looking forward to now that fall is here:

Fall Scents

I love scents that have anything cinnamon. One that I found that I loved last year is Leaves from Bath and Body Works. Tonight, the house smells of Autumn Sunset from Scentsy.

Scarves

What's not to love about a great scarf? I love the little extra color a scarf can give to an outfit. This particular scarf is from Old Navy.

Boots

While I love wearing sandals and flip flops, I like to put on a good pair of boots. These are some Gianni Bini's I've fallen in love with this year. I think they'd be really cute over a pair of jeans with a sweater.

Our Anniversary

And best of all, on Monday, we will be celebrating 2 years as husband and wife! I'm so happy to have him home on our anniversary.

So, I want to know, what are you looking forward to this fall?

Amazing Friends

2010-09-20T21:08:00.000-05:00

This post is about two months late, but life has been a bit crazy.

While Anthony was deployed, God showed me just how blessed with amazing friends I am. Just before Anthony's birthday, I sent out his address to a few friends of ours, asking them to send Anthony a birthday card. Since he'd be spending his birthday away from family, I wanted to make it as special as possible from afar.

I never expected for so much love from Kimmie and her family (although I really should have, they are very amazing women). They sent ALL of this!

And Kimmie's mom even had friends from work send birthday cards too.

So, to Kimmie and your family, "THANK YOU!" This was such a loving and generous guesture. It seriously brought tears to my eyes knowing you all are so kind. I love you all and am so blessed to have you all in my life!

The Homecoming

2010-09-09T20:32:00.000-05:00

As I posted earlier this week, Anthony came home on Saturday, almost a week early. Mom and Dad came out Friday night and stayed long enough for him to land and to take us to lunch, then headed home. I was happy to have Mom around to help keep me calm. I was so excited. He flew in to the local airport and he was the only military member on the flight. The fire station chief, his supervisor and a coworker and his wife came to the airport. I can not explain the feeling I felt waiting for him to get off the plane. It was like waiting to walk down the isle on our wedding day. I was anxious, nervous, relieved, and excited.

Waiting anxiously

He's finally here!!!

When I finally got to see him I just burst out in tears. I kept my emotions in during most of the deployment in attempt to stay strong. Finally having him home and in my arms was a huge relief and a weight off my shoulders. I think the crying freaked him out, he kept asking over and over again if I was okay.

I was really glad to see several of the guys from the station come out for his homecoming. Kelly and Jon, the couple on the left, were a great help while Anthony was gone. They watched the house while I was gone, changed out batteries in the smoke detector and many other random things. His supervisor was a great help when I found out about losing our niece. He took no time getting started and finding out what needed to be done.

These two guys weren't real sure what to thing about Anthony being home. I don't think they remembered him. They've finally warmed up to him though.

A Nice Surprise

2010-09-05T21:30:00.000-05:00

    All of my readers who are military wives know that the military is full of surprises. Unfortunately, most of the surprises are not so wonderful. We usually spend important dates like birthdays and anniversaries alone and we spend holidays away from our biological family. In the short (almost) 2 years as an Air Force wife, I've learned to hope for the best but to always excpect the worst. We've been granted leave for an anniversary trip and two days before it has been taken away. We've made plans to spend Christmas with family only to find out that the extra day off is no longer going to happen.
    So, when our niece unexplectantly passed away, I wasn't the least bit surprised that Anthony wasn't going to make it home. I was, however, surprised when 2 days later the commander did PT with my husband's squadron and told Anthony he would get him home in the next two weeks. For the reasons stated above, I didn't count on it. I had gotten excited and then let down too many times.   Even when he told me he had a specific date, I still would not let myself get excited. I started cleaning house and getting things taken care of, but I wasn't giddy like I'd expected. I was beginning to think something was wrong with me, but then I figured out, it was my way of protecting myself. Thursday, when I heard he was no longer in Iraq, it finally became real and "official." Friday when he was in the United States, I finally became excited.  He was really coming home (almost a month early). And, on Saturday, the military provided. My husband came home!!!
     Thank you Air Force for bring Anthony home early and for showing that you really do care. Now, I actually get to spend our two year anniversary with my husband home (although he will be working all day).

I Made It!

2010-09-03T21:21:00.000-05:00

     You always hear that when your husband is deployed EVERYTHING that can go wrong will. I made through months 1 and 2 and almost through month 3 with only two issues. My whole family had a stomach bug the days before and day of my colonoscopy, including me and the compressor in his car locked up (covered under warranty). This was a breeze I thought. I only had a month and a half to go. That's when our sweet niece passed away and we were bummed to learn he couldn't come home and it was the first week back and work for me. It was rough and very sad time, but I got through it. School started and then I got great news, Anthony would be home in a week (more on that later).
    That's when it all began. That's when the deployment elves I've heard about decided my deployement had been way too easy. Remember Sunday, I wrote about Sam dragging through a grassy area beside a gas station (trying to block out all the germs). That was the first "attack" by those elves. Well, the Friday before that, my left eye had started burning. I didn't think much of it until Saturday when I couldn't stand to have my contact in. It was still burning on Monday, so I made an appointment for Tuesday. Come to find out, I have an ulcer on my cornea. Who knows how I got it. I have to use drops for a week and no contacts. Blah! Then on Wednesday, Sam really wanted to go play with the neighbor's small dog. In my attempt to stop him, my hand was drug across a tree trunk resulting in an ugly cut and ugly scratches. Then on Thursday, Frankie decided to get my lunchbox off the table and have his own lunch. What did he eat? A little Mexican chicken casserole, a whole granola bar with almonds and chocolate and some fudge covered oreo halves. Four to be exact.
    Today is Friday though. I had a great day at work. Frankie is doing fine. And Anthony is in the country! Deployment elves, you can't get me down!!!!

Being Grateful

2010-09-01T21:42:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago at church the sermon was about being grateful. At the time, despite what life had thrown my way, I was grateful for a lot and was in very positive spirits. On days like today, I am reminded of that sermon. And I am struggling to be grateful, even though I have SO much to be grateful. I know it is Satan trying to do his "work" in my life.

My dog has been acting crazy. I've came to the conclusion he would much rather live with his grandma so he is acting out. Then I have the injuries he caused Sunday. I have an ulcer on my eye. I can't wear contacts for a week and I look 12 when I wear glasses. Today, the above mentioned dog decided to drag me around a tree. Thankfully this time I was not on the ground, but my hand did get nice and scratched up from the tree bark. I feel like I'm going 90 to nothing trying to get things done around here. All of that built up and I had a good cry and may have yelled at the dog.

But later, I realized I was definately overreacting. God has provided me with SO much and I need to focus on those positives, not the negatives. I am blessed to have a big dog who will protect me. I have a wonderful job and I love 1st grade. While my days have been long, they are a lot easier than they would have been if I was teaching kindergarten. (thank you Lord for that blessing!). And, while I am still having to wear my glasses, my husband will come home (earlier than planned)! God is good!