Crazy

Life has been CRAZY!!!!

I moved back home the middle of August and started work right away.  I was lucky enough that I got to stay with family and didn't have to worry about that.  Anthony stayed for the rest of the month until his terminal leave started.  He joined me on the 30th.

School has been great, but just really busy.  It seems like I can never really get ahead.   I love the school I am at.  Everyone there is really nice.  It is very different in that parents are very involved. Mi get an email from a parent at least once a day.  It is really nice to just send an email instead of playing phone tag.

Once Anthony moved, it was time for us to find a place to live until our house is built.  We really didn't want to go back into an apartment with the 2 dogs.  At the same time though, we didnt want a whole house.  We looked around and didn't find anything.  Finally, we found a place online and went to check it out and it met our needs...More than one bedroom, a garage and a yard.  We filled out all the paperwork and moved our stuff in on the 15th.  Unfortunately, I completely skipped over turning on water, so we were not able to stay until the 17th.  We are all moved in and settled now.  We love the location.  There is so much nearby!

Anthony started his new job Monday.  It's lots of hours and very different than the life of a military firefighter, but I think he's going to like it.

Next weekend one of my best friends is coming to the area and I'm so excited to get to see her.  The weekend after that, I'm helping to host a wedding shower for my cousin.  After that, maybe I can rest a bit!

New Journey

This week, we have officially began a new journey in our life.  Saturday, we moved all of our stuff back home.  Monday, Anthony accepted a new job.  Wednesday, I signed a contract on our future house, and today, I officially started my new job.  Wow!  Just typing all of that overwhelms me!

Moving was exhausting.  I had been packing our things gradually over the summer (a perk of being a teacher).  So, that part of the move was pretty easy. And moving all of our stuff out was easy for me since 6 or 7 guys from the fire station came to help.  Unloading the 26 foot uhaul and getting everything to fit into the storage room...not so easy.  I was so thankful that one of my friends that I've known since I was three, and her husband, came to help.  We will never move ourselves again, even if we get paid to as we've learned there's a reason movers get paid so much!

Sunday, we drove around looking for houses for many hours. We didn't find anything we hadn't seen online and were about ready to give up when we found a new housing development in the area we wanted to be in.  We loved the features they offered and went in to talk to them.  We found a floor plan we loved and started pricing things and this house just felt like the right thing.  So, it looks like we will be homeowners in about 6 months!!!

Today was my first day.  It was what they call new teacher orientation.  It's always so intimidating going into a room with 200 people and not knowing anyone!  But, I met some new people and am reall excited about the year.  I've worked in my room a few days now and it's starting to come together. I can't wait until it is finished!

It may sound crazy, but as hectic as my life has been, I'm ready for school to start. I need that routine and normalcy again!

Design Star

I have a confession to make.  I'm addicted to HGTV.  I love just about every show on that channel and have spent most of my summer days with my TV turned to HGTV.

One that I've really enjoyed watching is Design Star.  There are 12 designers that compete against each other to have their own show.  Each week they have a challenge to decorate and then 1 or 2 of them are sent home. 

Well, it just so happened this year that there are three Texas designers.  And, one of those designers, Bex Hale, just so happens to live in the same town I do.  But that's not the exciting part.  Last week, when my mom was visiting and we were hitting up all Mom's favorite stores, we were in this great store downtown that has eclectric home furnishings.  Mom was admiring a piece when a familiar, red headed lady started talking to her about it.  It took a minute and then it registered...it was Bex Hale, it just had to be.  But, I wasn't going to say anything and embarass myself.  So, I waited until we got out of earshot and mentioned it to Mom.  So, Mom was brave and asked to take a picture and we visited for a bit.  She has such a great personality and was so friendly. 

Bex in her store, Relics.

But, the coolest part of all...she's a military wife!! 

Now, she was voted off the show on the 3rd or 4th show, but they also do a fan vote.  I am sure if they had played up the fact that she is a military spouse a bit more, she would be getting more votes.  As of Thursday, she was in 2nd place.  Wouldn't it be great to see a fellow military spouse win the fan vote?  You can help.  Go to HGTV's voting site and vote.  You can vote 10 times per day!

School's Out for the Summer

It's summer!  Actually, I have been done with school for almost 2 4 weeks!  (I started this post a while ago, but never finished it.)  So far, I have read one book, slept alot, and watched a lot of TV.  Real productive, huh?  So, I decided I needed a summer bucket list (actually, I saw the idea on Pinterest).  And where better to post that list that my blog? 
So, here's what I'm hoping to do/accomplish this summer:

~Read 4 books entirely for fun and 1 educational book.
~Get back to work out and stick with it. 
~Go to a Texas Rangers game.
~Enjoy a snowcone.
~Clean out and pack all closets.
~Spend a week at my parents.
~Have friends over and enjoy our last couple months here.
~Move into my new classroom.
~Sinus surger #4 (fun, huh?)
~Try out new recipes.
~Keep the flowers alive that I planted this spring. 

Not a real exciting list...I know.  But, I'm looking forward to most of it!  What are you looking forward to this summer?

Safe Cleaning

As we get ready to move, I have started cleaning our apartment.  We still have a couple months to go, but I figure I should start now to avoid late nights of cleaning later on.  Two things that I've spent hours on and just couldn't get clean were the shower and the stove top.  I hate the smell of the cleaners you usually buy for these things, especially being trapped in the bathroom with those fumes.  So, I began searching Pinterest and other online sites.



I started with the shower.  I came across a recipe of 1 part Dawn dish soap and 1part vinegar.  Perfect!  While vinegar doesn't smell great, it's not a toxic smell.  I mixed up 1/2 cup of vinegar and 1/2 cup of blue Dawn.  I sprayed it on the shower and let soak for about 2 hours.  I came back and scrubbed just a little with a sponge and it looked great!

 Next up, I decided to tackle the stove.  We have a gas stove and the top is white.  All around the burned was dirty (not really sure what it was).  Every time after I cook,  I spray it down with different clearners and scrub, but nothing seems to work.  I did some research and didn't find anything that I just loved.  I really didn't want to use amonia and deal with that smell.  So, I used what I knew.  I knew both Dawn and baking soda could be used in cleaning dishes, so I decided to try the combo.  I used about 1 part Dawn to 2 parts baking soda and then added water to get it the consistancy I wanted.  I used my finger to rub it on the stove, let it sit for about 10 minutes and then scrubbed with a sponge.  Almost all of the caked on "stuff" was gone!  I then wiped it down with a dry paper towel to avoid too much sudsing and then a wet paper towel.  I am really impressed with how it turned out.  It's not perfect, but it's 100% better.  I think I will try it again and let it set a little longer and then used a toothbrush to scrub.

I'm very pleased with the ways of cleaning without using harmful chemicals.  I don't want to be exposed to those chemicals, nor do I want my furbabies exposed!

What chemical free ways of cleaning have you found that work?

Change

"For I know the plans for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you,plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

This verse has been one of the most important verses in my life over the past few years.

Just over four years ago, Anthony told me he wanted to enlist in the Air Force. I remember that day quite well. It was my 24th birthday. I was devastated. We weren't even engaged and I was so scared I would lose him. But God had other plans.

Fast forward about a year. Anthony graduated tech school and I resigned from my teaching job early. As we moved to our new base, I began searching for a new teaching job. I prayed and prayed that I would find me the right job. School started and still no job.  It was a hard to keep faith during such a trying time, but I continued to trust that God had a plan.  Two weeks later I was hired to teach in a school with an amazing faculty. I couldn't have asked for more.

And that brings me to now. Anthony's time in the Air Force is up this fall. We are ready to be closer to our families. But again, that means more change.  Changes that we don't always have complete control of.  We both need new jobs.  And then we need a house.  It's hard not really knowing what will happen, where we will be and where we will live.  Will we both get jobs?  But, just when it gets overwhelming, I am taken back to the above verse.  God WILL take care of us.  It might not be what we want and when we want it.  We might have to struggle.  But those hard times, that struggling, is what makes us who we are.  So, I continue to trust Him that everything will pan out and we will be okay.

That being said, I have been offered a first grade position!  While I have taught first grade the past 2 years, this year will be different.  I will be working at a different time of school, as it is not in an economically disadvantaged area, like I am used to and love.  It will be a new experience, but I trust that He wants to me be there for a reason. 

Now, we need one more job and a house.  I can't wait to see what God has in store!

Baby Shower Brunch

My dear friend Priscilla is expecting a little boy next month.  Priscilla is one of those people that goes out of her way to do things for others.  My friend Donae and I wanted to return the favor by hosting a shower for her.  She didn't want anything big, so we decided on a brunch.  Neither of us had thrown a shower, so it was a new adventure for us both. 

We started scouring Pinterest months in advance to come up with some ideas.  I think it turned out great. 

Donae and I made this ribbon wreath to hang in Owen's room.

Our friend Aften wasn't able to come, but she sent this diaper cake.  It was so cute and such a relief to not have to attempt to make one.  Donae and I were quite concerned with how ours would turn out.

We kept the food pretty simple.  We had fruit and dip, donuts, muffins, sausage balls and sausage pinwheels. 

 Donae and I found this idea on pinterest.  It includes slippers, chocolate, face wipes, sanitizer, wisps, lotion, hair ties and other things that she will be able to use while in the hospital. 

 She got lots of goodies for Owen!  We had a great time hosting and everything turned out well.  So, I will mark this down as a success!  I can't think of a more deserving person to throw a shower for.  She is going to be such a great mommy to two!