Thanksgiving Weekend...

I worked Monday and Tuesday this week. On Wednesday, we headed down to Nacogdoches to spend time with family. We ate a yummy dinner at mom's house Wednesday night, beef stew, one of my favorites!

Thursday: Went to mom's around noon. Ate chips and dip; helped mom cook our Thanksgiving feast!! Turkey, ham, dressing, scalloped potatoes, broccoli rice casserole, yams, rolls, fruit salad, pumpkin pies yummo!! I ate so much I hurt!!!

Friday: Stephen and I got up early ( not as early as everyone else but still early for us!) and did some shopping in Lufkin. Then, we came back to Nac and picked up the rest of the family and did some more shopping! We had lunch together at Cotton Patch. Friday evening, Stephen and I headed back to Dallas.

Saturday: weighed in, gained 3 pounds this week :( We did some more shopping! Christmas shopping is officially DONE!

Sunday: We are enjoying the last of our vacation and doing some things around the house. I have started wrapping my presents. I found a $600 Swiss watch for $50 for Stephen for Christmas. He knows about it, no big surprise! Oh well! He is excited......

Tomorrow is back to the daily grind! I miss my kids though. I wonder if they miss me?

What a Weekend!!!

On November 27th, my baby sister turns 30! So, what better to do for 30 years of life than have a SURPRISE birthday party!!! Her husband was GREAT in getting her to my house without her ever having a clue! He told her that he and my husband were going to get Josh Hamilton autographs. She was even pumped about it!!! So, imagine her surprise when she walks into my house and finds all of her friends and family yelling "SURPRISE!" She even had some tears!!! It was great! We catered Posados (no cooking for me) :) and it was delicious!!!


me and the birthday girl!



Stephen and I also took Christmas pictures, along with Miss Sippi.

It was so fun having family fill this house! I love having company!!!

an award...

Thank you to Elise over at Confessions of a Brown-Eyed Twenty Something for the award....

7 Facts about me....

1. I am deathly scared of mice!

2. I am OCD.

3. I do believe I have ADHD.

4. I love teaching.

5. I want to drive a sports car. Always have.

6. I like the feel of freshly shaved legs on clean sheets.

7. I put my Christmas tree up November 6th this year. I couldn't resist. Christmas if my FAVORITE time of the year!!! :)

Planning...

So, last week I made it through the whole week. barely. The kids did pretty good, but there are many challenges. Like, one student throws a fit when he gets into trouble. Stealing. This is the chattiest group I have ever taught. Seriously. This is my 9th year to teach and seriously. Chatty Cathy's! I have one student who is seriously too smart. I was letting him read high frequency words to see where they were and he could read the whole list for the whole year. Never missed one single word. Made this little teacher happy!!!!!!!

Anyways......Monday we have a whole day to just plan. 4 subs in first grade and we all can collaborate and just plan. I hope to crank out some serious lesson plans!! I'm super happy about this.

I have been working till 6 every day just trying to catch up. Will I EVER catch up???? I don't know....

I made it!!!

Well, I officially made it through my first day back! woohooo!!! I am still so so so very behind, but I am taking it one day at a time. The kids definitely tried my patience! They have been through 3 subs. We had to have about 3 "family discussions". On the 3rd one, I told them we needed to have a family discussion and one kid said, "We're having ANOTHER family discussion? We've already had 2!" It was hilarious!

I also had physical therapy after work. Needless to say, I am E-X-H-A-U-S-T-E-D!!!! Good night!

30 Day Blog Challenge Day 30.....and the end! :)

I can't believe this is the last of this challenge! Time sure has flown by! I have enjoyed getting to know everyone. I have stumbled across some great blogs and have received some great ideas!!! I will leave you with this last picture.....my little family as we know it!

30 Day Blog Challenge Day 29

3 wishes.....

1. a baby

2. lots more weight loss

3. a successful school year

These are a few of my favorite things.......

My Christmas list......for now......... :)


I'm in love with this watch even more now after trying it on today!


I think this will make my life so much easier!!!



I got a new Brighton charm bracelet for my birthday from my mom and sister, now I want some new charms. I filled out a wishlist today at the Brighton store.




Would love some Beatles CD's since they're not on I tunes....





Aren't these the CUTEST slippers ever???? I love red anything!

New Balance tennis shoes

New crockpot with a timer

30 Day Blog Challenge Day 28

Something that stresses me out.....

I will go with what is currently stressing me out!! 2 big things....
1. Starting back to school Tuesday after being out since August 31st. Don't get me wrong, I am VERY excited, but also very nervous. I want to do right by these kids and give them stability which they have lacked recently. I want to teach them so much to make up for being out. I hope they learn all they need to learn this year. This really, REALLY stresses me out.

2. Doctor bills.....need I say more????? This little 6-8 week recovery-during-the -summer surgery has cost us THOUSANDS! I just want all of this to be put in my past and look forward to the future (and my cruise).......

30 Day Blog Challenge....Day 27

Pets:
My only pet is my 3 year old cockapoo, named Sippi. Her name comes from Mississippi State, Stephen's alumni. She was our Christmas gift from my sister. She was born on my birthday, November 3rd. We got her December 19th. She has been the best thing that happened to us. We have been dealing with infertility since 2005 and having her helps us forget about that sometimes. She has given us plenty of laughs. She is such a little diva. She definitely rules the roost around here!!!! :)


The very first day she came to live with us!! She was very tired from traveling for 3 hours!! She even had a red bow on. :)

She loves to sleep.

We tried the diaper thing.....Sippi wasn't a big fan!

Spoiled ROTTEN!!!

30 Day Blog Challenge Day 26

My Family:

me, my sister (pregnant at the time) Melissa, and my sister Shelley

niece Lauren, nephew Ryan

Ryan, Shelley, Stephen, me and Sippi, Lauren, Uncle Glen and Aunt Glenda, mom, dad

My husband's family: Uncle Roland, Aunt Ann, mom, Stephen, dad

Melissa and my nephew, Isaac right after he was born in January, 2009

30 Day Blog Challenge Day 25

First 10 songs on my Ipod...

1. Miles to Go by Celine Dion
2. Give it Up by Avalon
3. Blue Skies by Point of Grace
4. There is Power in the Blood by Selah
5. She's Everything by Brad Paisley
6. Your Love oh Lord by Third Day
7. Good to Me by Watermark
8. Faith by Ronnie Freeman
9. Bless the Broken Road by Selah
10. You're not Alone by Meredith Andrews

30 Day Blog Challenge Day 24

Something I Have Learned....

I have learned.....

• to not take anything for granted (like walking..)
• to take control of my own healing even if it means to go against a doctor...
• God is in control!
• patience
• not to completely trust everyone
• to appreciate my job

....among many other things! :)

30 Day Blog Challenge Day 23

My Favorite Vacation:

1. Cruise to Alaska.....Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria B.C.

2. Colorado.....Colorado Springs, Denver, Boulder

3. Honeymoon.....Maine, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick

These are my top 3!! :)

30 Day Blog Challenge Day 22

My favorite City.....


......would have to be Mackinaw City, Michigan. It is where the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan come together, connected by this bridge. This lighthouse is where my Stephen proposed to me. When we were dating, he always said that he would propose to his future wife at his favorite place in the world. That day when we were there, right before he proposed, he told me that THIS was his favorite place in the world. Then he proposed. No matter where I go and how much I love a place, this place right here will ALWAYS hold a special place in my heart.