the scrappy chic

Some Pictures from the holidays...

2010-01-08T14:59:00.005-06:00

The holidays were really nice this year, a little different, but nice. Nick and I got stuck in the blizzard in Oklahoma on Christmas Eve. I haven't uploaded those pics to my computer yet. We finally made it home on Christmas day. Christmas with my family was great. My nieces and nephews are adorable, and they were all about Christmas this year. It was fun to watch them!!! Kylan loved her princess tiara...Kinzley loved her baby doll, and Shelton was excited about his rocking horse. He was trying to get the box opened with his teeth!!! I will try to post more pictures again soon. I am going to try to keep up with my blog!!! I have been terrible with it!!! Hope everyone had a nice holiday!!!

Summer...

2009-06-03T08:13:00.002-06:00

is so very nice! My last day of school was on Thursday. I flew to Fort Worth on Friday morning and returned Monday night. So yesterday and today are the first couple of days I've actually had of my summer when I have been at home and just able to do as I please. I am posting a couple of pics from the weekend. It was a great time! We went to the Colonial Golf Tournament in Fort Worth. It was my first golf tournament experience, and it was really fun.

Happy Memorial Day!

2009-05-25T08:45:00.004-06:00

I hope everyone is having a good holiday weekend. We had a great day on Saturday. It's been rainy since then. But we have still managed to enjoy ourselves down here. I was home at the beginning of the month. These pictures are from that weekend. Kylan loves playing with Ellie...it's so cute. Kindra and I went out for yummy sushi in Norman. That is the middle pictures. The bottom one is Kylan and I hanging out. She loves to be in my room with me at my parent's house...Enjoy the rest of the holiday!!!

Hi...and yes, I'm alive...

2009-04-28T20:40:00.002-06:00

and doing fantastic!!! I guess I should give an update. I am now divorced...finally, and that feels really good to me right now. But, as most of you know, I haven't been happy with teaching first graders. So I have a brand new, awesome job. Next year, I am teaching early childhood special education. That is 3,4, and 5 year olds. I am sooooooooooooo excited about it and about all the other things in my life that are going well. So, sorry for being a bad blogger. Just had a lot going on, and haven't had time to post lately...

Bethany's Book

2009-02-08T15:06:00.011-06:00

So, I am finally getting Bethany's book posted on here. I made it for her sweet little baby, Audrey. It will be in the mail this week, Bethany:) Hope everyone has had a nice weekend., and that you have a good week. I'm going to try to be a better blogger. I've been so bad at it lately.

Hi There...

2009-01-27T13:57:00.004-06:00

sorry for being such a terrible blogger lately. I have just been really, really, really busy lately. But today is a snow day...more like an ice day, so I'm taking time to catch up on some things...like my blog:) The dogs aren't enjoying this so much. It's so cold and icy out that I have to drag Ellie, or she won't go. I just want it to slow down. I do not want to be without power down here. Scary! School has already been called off for tomorrow. So we are definitely settled in here for a bit.

I hope that everyone had a nice holiday. I know I did. I was on the go most of the time...Oklahoma, Texas, then Kansas City. I feel like I am finally resettled at home. I did get to go be with Bethany when she had her little girl, Audrey. Our time at the hospital alone was so sweet. I love her and am so very happy for Jeff, Bethany, and now for little Audrey as well.

Hello...

2008-12-15T12:56:00.001-06:00

from the lake...

I am having my first snow day, and really enjoying it:) Hope everyone else is having a good day too...

Welcome...

2008-12-06T15:22:00.006-06:00

Miss Ellie:)

Ashley and Reese brought Ellie over yesterday afternoon. I am so happy to have her here. I think she and Harley are going to have lots of fun together and be great company for each other. She seems pretty happy so far....she's so tiny and cute:)

For those of you who aren't familiar with Ellie...here's the background. She belonged to my ex-sister-in-law. She and Harley are almost the same age, and have been together since they were puppies. They got Ellie about a year after we got Harley. Anytime either of us needed a dogsitter, we took on that job. Ellie and Harley were together for almost an entire summer two years ago. So lots of my friends and family know her. Ashley has remarried and had a baby, and two more dogs. She didn't feel like Ellie was happy or getting enough love. With three dogs, and the new baby, the dogs were just left in the basement most of the time. So a few weeks ago, she texted and asked if I would be interested in giving Ellie a home if they were to need it. Of course I said yes...and most of my friends/family have said, "if you don't take her, I will". The thought of two dogs did freak me out a little. One is a lot to take care of when you are by yourself. It's hard to find care for them when you leave, travel is tough, etc. But the more I thought about it, the more I knew I would take Ellie. Now Harley will have company during the day when I am at work. Last night one dog snuggled on side of me, and one on the other, and they kept me so warm:) She is just a really cute, tiny, and sweet personality. So welcome home Ellie!

Some Pictures...

2008-11-30T19:01:00.007-06:00

from the past two weekends. This is Kindra and I at the OU/Texas Tech Game. We had a great time.

Shelton with the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving.

Cute little Kinzley....the bow is nearly bigger than her head:)

Kylan and I....this is her cheese face. She does everytime you tell her to smile for the camera...

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I, unfortunately, was somewhat sick for mine. I enjoyed it, but just didn't feel good. However, I got to see my wonderful family, my friend Kindra, and get lots of rest. I drove in Saturday night so that I could have a day at home to get some stuff done. Last weekend, I drove in for the OU/Texas Tech game, then left again on Wednesday. So I've been on the road quite a bit. I leave again on Friday to drive to Texas for Bethany's baby shower:) I am so happy for her and Jeff, and can't wait to see them. I am just hoping I get over this bug I have. I went to Urgent Care today. They said I had a severe sinus infection/borderline pneumonia. YIKES!!! I asked about work, and the doc said as long as I don't have a fever, I'm clear. So, I guess I'm gonna give it a go tomorrow. We will see. I get observed on Wednesday, so this really isn't the week to be absent for any reason at all. However, I do have to take care of myself, so I'm just going to take it as it comes. I can't believe it's really the holidays...where has the time gone?

Beauty...

2008-11-02T21:27:00.002-06:00

is everywhere...especially right now. I must say I am overwhelmed with my surroundings these days. In the mornings, I am driving, and the sun peeks through the trees, and the fog is rising off the lake. It is at times breathtaking. This weekend the weather has been unbelievable. We spent the day yesterday at Big Cedar. For some strange reason, I left my camera on the boat. I missed lots of moments, but I enjoyed them all the same. On the way back, the sky was unbelievable. The trees are so colorful, and I just can't say how pretty and wonderful this weekend has been.

On a different note, I spent much of the morning at school working. I tore off the October page on my desktop calendar, and I was suddenly struck with the fact that holidays are soooooo close! I went to mark Thanksgiving vacation, then I turned to December and marked Christmas vacation. I suddenly realized that IT is here. Even though everything in my life is not where I had hoped it would be at this point, I am looking forward to time with people I love. I just can't believe it's actually so close. Does anyone else feel that way?

Beautiful...

2008-10-29T18:13:00.002-06:00

Day! Today was gorgeous outside. It has been so cold the last couple of days, so today when I left work, I couldn't believe how nice it was. My car said it was sixty-eight degrees:) I wish we could pause the weather for a bit...the trees are so pretty and colorful, and I just don't know if I'm ready for the cold of weather. Oh well, I guess it comes and goes, so I should enjoy days like this when they happen, and remember them when it's freezing outside! I need to upload some pictures, but I keep finding other things to do. I did take some fall shots today because the leaves are falling so rapidly that I'm afraid there aren't many days left when the colors will show. Hope everyone else was able to enjoy a bit of the great outdoors this afternoon!!!

Busy, Busy, Busy..

2008-10-21T23:05:00.002-06:00

is all I can say. This time of year is soooo hectic, especially this year for some reason. I have parent/teacher conferences this week....every afternoon until five, then Thursday until 6:00. Kids are there until noon on Friday, so I am certainly looking forward to that. It seems like I have so much to post, but life keeps getting in the way!

I have been finding myself being very negative lately, so I think it's time for a thankful post. So here goes:

Top Ten Things I'm Thankful For TODAY!
Harley
Family
Friends
Job
Laughter
Cell Phone...it means I can communicate with everyone who is far away.
Barkley...I saw him today and it made me smile...a lot:)
Forgiveness
Water...it brings peace to me for some reason.
A parent who told me how much she appreciated me and how much her daugher loves school...

It's always nice to remember the things that make you smile. In this season of change in my life, I find myself having to constantly remember how blessed I am and how very much I have to be thankful for:)

Remember The Little Things:)

2008-10-08T19:30:00.002-06:00

I am posting this picture mostly because I needed to see it. It helps me breathe easier...and remember times of relaxation, enjoyment, and peace:) I hope everyone else experiences that when they see it too...Mostly, I hope you are having a good week. This is my Wednesday "pick-me-up". It reminds me to S-T-O-P!!! Life isn't about running, it's about stopping and enjoying the little things that make you feel good. For me, a sunset on the water is one of those little things.

Sorry...

2008-09-29T19:14:00.002-06:00

for being such a bad blogger lately. I have been soooo incredibly busy. I wish I had some great stories about what I've been up to, but it's mostly just work. I'm still adjusting to my new job. As soon as I think I've got it together, something else comes up. My uncle passed away last week, so I went to Oklahoma on Thursday, and got back kind of late last night. Needless to say, that makes for a long Monday of playing catch up. I was already planning to go home for the OU game this past weekend, but then that happened, so I took off on Thursday and Friday.

On a lighter note, I had a great time at the game with my friend Carrol. I will post pics one of these days. My camera is still in my car. But we are now ranked #1:) Boomer Sooner!!!

I should have more to write, but I don't. I hope all is well with everyone. I need to check your blogs, and keep up with mine! Have a great week!

It's...

2008-09-08T22:24:00.002-06:00

a new week. My Monday got off to a good start. Let's hope the rest of the week goes the same way. I've been feeling overwhelmed with a new job, and sometimes missing my "family" of people who I am used to working with. I guess that's something you take for granted. I miss you guys. I am doing good, but it's no fun being the new kid on the block, if you know what I mean. I am ready for things to regulate...both for me and for the kids. Hopefully, the rest of the week will go as well as today did:) Hope everyone has a great week!(((HUGS)))

No More Kitty...

2008-09-04T21:59:00.003-06:00

thank goodness! The kitten was gone the next morning. Hopefully the mommy found it. What would I have done if it had hung around?

Today was the first day I have had at work when I left and felt okay. I usually leave...very late...and feel like I should still be there. It's like I can't keep my head above the water. Maybe I am starting to catch up, adjust, figure out first grade, etc. With that said, I am still very excited that tomorrow is Friday:) I even scrapbooked tonight. I have had pics of Kinzley sitting out for at least a month, even laid out to glue on the page. But every night I am so tired that I look at it and walk away. I don't know what happened today, but I finally did it! I even looked through more pics to scrap. Who knows how long that will take...but as long as it happens, I guess it's okay. I will post a pic of the page this weekend...I must say that it's one of my favorites. Who can resist a baby girl wearing zebra print with matching toes???

Did...

2008-09-02T21:03:00.003-06:00

anyone else not want to go back to work today? Or was it just me??? No, really, I did not want to go. I wanted it to be summer again. Just keepin' it real. Now it is raining so hard. I have a kitten meowing outside, and I don't know what to do. I don't even have milk here...I don't like milk AT ALL!!! I only have it if it is necessary for a recipe. So I gave the poor thing some rice krispies. Don't ask why I have cereal with no milk, but Rach said of all the cereals I had, Rice Krispies would be the best bet...Thanks Rach! It won't stop meowing It is obviously hungry because it ate the cereal. I don't know what to do. I am terribly allergic to cats, so I can't have one. However, I couldn't handle having an animal outside whom I thought was starving, lost from its mommy...which I think is the case. Any advice out there???

Gotta love...

2008-09-01T17:54:00.002-06:00

a long weekend. I just wish they didn't go so fast! I hope everyone had a safe holiday weekend and got to enjoy themselves a little bit. But mostly, that everyone got to have a little down time. I know that is what I needed more than anything. I have just been here at the lake. I haven't moved my car since Friday when I returned home from work. All my neighbors were down. We hung out and had a really nice time. I don't know what I would do without them. I also got to enjoy the first weekend of college football. That is something I always look forward to when the season starts to change. My Sooners won 50-2:) Boomer Sooner! Have a great week!

TIRED...

2008-08-28T20:07:00.002-06:00

doesn't even begin to explain the way I am feeling right now. The beginning of the school year is always exhausting, but this is different. I guess it is a new school, not knowing all the in's and out's of the school, having first graders for the first time, etc...Plus, I hit my tailbone really hard on Monday. It is soooo sore. I have been taking Ibuprofen like it's going out of style. It hurts to sit down. It hurts to stand, because my feet and legs are exhausted.

But other than all that, I find myself smiling all the time while I am at work. Today was by far, the best day I have had. The kids were calmer, I was calmer, everything was just overall more smooth. I miss my friends in Rogersville, but not the drive I was making. That part is certainly a plus. Not to mention, the resources, which, as I have stated before, are unbelievable. I have a SmartBoard in my room, with subscriptions to anything and everything you could imagine. So, all in all, I think my new job will be good. I just have to toughen up. The kids do too:) They are still crying for their moms at times, falling asleep in the afternoons, don't know what to do with supplies, etc. I guess they are just really little. There is a huge difference between second graders at the end of the year, and first graders at the beginning. It has been quite a shock, but I am adjusting. And like I said, I find myself smiling all the time. That's when you know it is okay. I was walking to my car today, exhausted, but I realized I was smiling for no apparent reason. I hope other people are doing the same thing:):):):):):):):):):)

Wow...

2008-08-20T20:13:00.004-06:00

tomorrow is the first day of school with the little ones, and I mean really little ones:) I am used to second graders, and now I am teaching first grade. These little guys are still officially Kindergarteners...Last night I had open house, and believe it or not, every single kid in my class came for open house. I am actually really looking forward to being with kids and not being in meetings:) I think I am going to like teaching in Branson. It is sooooooooooooo different than what I am used to. But sometimes, stepping outside of your comfort zone is all you need, right? Everything is so much more technological, and it is so much bigger. I am overwhelmed with resources, and with everything else that comes with the beginning of the year. Hope all is well with everyone else. I am especially needing to YAWN...right now.

Kinzley..

2008-08-13T14:18:00.006-06:00

is just the cutest thing ever! Look at her toenails that Jess painted to match her zebra print top.

Lots of Pictures...

2008-08-04T20:23:00.009-06:00

Well, some pictures, I should say. There are lots more to come. I am just ready to get down to the water for a bit, so I am taking a break from my post. The first picture is of Kylan when I was in Oklahoma. I have lots more to post from that trip.

This next picture is of Bethany and I. Believe it or not, we went the entire time without taking any photos. I hate it when we do that! So, this is the only one I have from my time in Texas. I have pictures of her new sister, Hope, but I will post those later as well.

This picture is of Rich, Rachel's hubby, and someone I am glad to call my friend. I had such fun with them when they drove here all the way from Pennsylvania.

This is my good friend Heather. We spend lots of lake time together:)

Here is Rachel, me, and Heather, chilling on the boat. We had such a good time that weekend.

Like I said, there are many more pics to post. These are just the first of the batch. I'm going to go try to get some time in the sun. I am quickly realizing I haven't taken advantage of the lake like I should have this summer. I can't believe I am about to be back at work. I still have so many projects I had hoped to complete. I spent a few hours this morning power washing the patio. It got too hot, so I jumped in the water. I am going to finish it and move on to the deck this evening. I must say I felt pretty empowered using that huge power tool. Who knew I could be so handy??? Anyways, in between projects, I am going to plan on having plenty of lake time in the days to come:) Happy Tuesday to everyone!!!

Summer...

2008-08-04T09:34:00.002-06:00

is simply flying. That is the only way to say it. I know people who aren't teachers don't care about our summer, but I am becoming overwhelmed with the thought of a new school year. I have begun taking all my school stuff out of the attic. I have to get it all moved in. I think I had four or five carloads when I moved from my old building. I tried to pack seasonally so that I wouldn't have to take everything at once, but still, it's a task! I figure I will work on getting everything down and prioritize what I am going to take with me when I go to my room. Does anyone know a good website for ideas on setting up your classroom. My room is a blank slate right now. So I am looking for ideas. It is always shocking to me how overwhelming the beginning of the year is. We will make it though...we always do!

Anyway, I saw on Heather's blog that she added a bookshelf. I love this idea!!! So I added some of the books I have read this summer. Right now I am reading The Last Summer by Ann Brashares. I am really enjoying it.

A New Layout...

2008-07-26T08:21:00.004-06:00

from when my family was here. The large words that I have on the page come from the sticker. I was pretty happy with how it turned out. I had out all kinds of patterned paper, and didn't use one piece of it. I thought that was kind of unusual. I finished it last week, but I am just now getting it posted. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Hello Again...

2008-07-22T08:23:00.001-06:00

this time from the Sooner State:) One thing I love about being in Oklahoma is driving around and seeing all the Sooner signs, license plates, shirts, etc. It makes me excited for football season to come.

I am here with my family now. I arrived on Sunday evening, and will be here until Wednesday afternoon, then heading back to Missouri. It's been a really nice trip so far. My niece, Kylan, spent the night with me last night. We had a lot of fun. She loves all my makeup and clothes right now. She keeps going in my room and looking through all my stuff, wearing my heels around, putting on makeup, asking me to paint her toes and fingers, etc. She is at a really fun age. I have lots of pictures, from when Rach and Rich were here, Texas, and now, Oklahoma. Hope everyone is well and having a good week!

HOWDY...

2008-07-18T23:48:00.002-06:00

from Texas! I am here with Bethany and Jeff, and enjoying my time with them sooooooo much! I have pics to post, but I will do that later. Just wanted to say hello! Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend:)

Just a Quote...

2008-07-14T12:56:00.004-06:00

that I ran across. I can't stop reading it. Anyone who knows my situation will understand why this one stuck.

"If your situation is such that you can cultivate kinder feelings, forgiveness is the most freeing option. Hatred binds us to its object as mercilessly as does love. Forgive, and move one, or stay angry and remain stuck."

Hope everyone has a good week!I just had to post this beautiful picture!

More pics from my weekend with family...

2008-07-12T11:26:00.004-06:00

We took these pictures right before they took off for Oklahoma. It was starting to rain, so our photo time was cut short. We had such a nice visit together.

I am so excited because I finally got print cartridges for my printer! I can start printing photos at home now. That means I will have photos in all different sizes again! I have gone to get them so many times, and every time I have gone, they have either not had the pack I need, or they have all colors but one, etc. So, needless to say, I was excited when I went to Staples and there it was! I can print at home again:) Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Pictures from Silver Dollar City...

2008-07-07T07:32:00.003-06:00

when my mom, aunt, grandma, and cousin were here. We had a really nice time. I have been slow getting these posted because I have had company since last Friday. The picture on the right is on the huge barn swing. You can see me wearing the black tank top. Max, my cousin, is sitting next to me. It was the hugest swing I have ever been on. The other picture cracks me up. It shows my Grandma and Max on the lazy river ride. They got soaked. I'm not sure if Grandma liked it as much as she thought she was going to. I have other pics to post, but right now I am doing laundry, so I will post them later. I hope everyone had a great 4th of July. Rachel and Rich were here, and we had a wonderful visit. I have lots of pics from our week together too. It is so nice to have people come and visit. Coming here is like a vacation, so it is always fun to take people to all the cool places around here, and of course, to just hang out at the lake:) Happy Monday!

Exciting Stuff!!!

2008-06-26T21:43:00.005-06:00

Last summer I had submitted layouts to this book, and they picked one up. The book was supposed to come out in December. I had finally decided that it wasn't going to happen, and that maybe my layout was lost. However, much to my surprise, this book came in the mail with my layout inside! (My layout was enclosed also:) The book is full of sketches, and then there are different layouts showing how different people interpreted them. It is pretty cool. I am looking forward to using it as a tool really soon:) I used the sketches last summer for submitting, and I loved all the results I came up with. I must say it was kind of a neat feeling to see my layout in print. It came on kind of a down day too, so that made it even better! Sorry for the sideways picture of the book, but I can't get it to post the right way for some reason. The pics are blurry too, I didn't realize that until I looked at them on my computer, so sorry about that as well!

Rachel and Rich are set to arrive at around 4:00 am. I am trying to stay up for a little while, then take a short nap, wake up when they get here, then nap again while they sleep. They left at around 11 this morning. She says lots of Red Bull and Diet Coke have been the key so far. I can't imagine that long of a drive!

Just a note...

2008-06-24T08:28:00.003-06:00

to say hello. I hope everyone is doing well! I will say it again and again...I LOVE SUMMER!!! It is so nice to have time to just be...and not be going here and there and everywhere, just time to regroup and get things done and figured out. As this is my first summer alone, I was afraid I would have a hard time adjusting and filling my time, like maybe I wouldn't have a purpose. Was I ever wrong about that!!! I have had time to reflect and think about life and choices and all kinds of stuff. Some happy, some sad, and some just kind of in between. But when I was working, I didn't have time for all of that. I was just in a pure mode of survival. I had my mom, grandma, aunt, and ten year old cousin

here this weekend. They came on Thursday and left on Sunday afternoon. We had a really nice time. But I think everyone was really worn out. We went to Silver Dollar City on Friday, we went to the Landing on Saturday, and shopped on Sunday. It was a really nice time. I have pictures, but I haven't uploaded/edited them yet. I will get to that. I am posting a picture of my huge cactus that I loved when it bloomed! Unfortunately, those blooms are gone now, and we are back to just a cactus, but it is unbelievable how huge it became, and how pretty those yellow blooms were! I just wish it would do that all summer. Anyways, have a great day, and I will post more soon. I am preparing for Rachel and Rich. They are driving from Pennsylvania Thursday, and will be here Friday through July 5 or 6. I am super excited to see them and have them here with me!

New Layout...And Other Stuff Too!

2008-06-16T11:12:00.006-06:00

I finished this layout last week. It is my Grandma June and Shelton. The pics are kind of blurry, but they will have to do.

This is Harley at the dock-doing her thing! She just runs around and chases fish. She occasionally jumps in after one. Then she swims for a long, long time. She will not get out of the water until she has gone underneath every slip on the dock. It is funny. She loves it down there!

This is a gift from my friend, Woody Woodpecker! I am so stinking tired of that little guy. I filled the holes-again with caulk this weekend to try to keep him away. We will see how it works out. I am getting ready to repaint too, and they say that should help to keep him away.

I hope everyone had a great weekend and a wonderful Father's Day. I had planned to go to Oklahoma and surprise my dad, but found out he was on a fishing trip until Saturday night, so I stuck around here. My Mom, Grandma, and Aunt are supposed to be heading down here this next weekend, so I need to start getting ready for them. Have a wonderful week!

Rain, Rain...

2008-06-13T11:38:00.002-06:00

GO AWAY!!! I really want to go outside and play:) I am so sick of all this rain. Is it ever going to stop???

I was trying to post a picture, but blogger is just too slow today, and I have GOT to go run errands! Have a great weekend! I'll post more later, and please rain, please, GO AWAY!!!

HELP!!!

2008-06-09T10:30:00.003-06:00

I am trying to get my scrapbooks organized. How do you store your pages? I have always done an album for each year in chronological order, but that doesn't seem practical anymore. They get too huge. I am wanting to do an album each for my nieces and nephew so that they can have them when they graduate. So as I am pulling out my layouts from scrapbooks, I am left with blanks, and I just think I need to change it up. What do you do??? I am considering a friends album, family album, holidays album, etc. Has anyone done it like this? I am overwhelmed, and I can't believe how many pages I have, hundreds, literally to sort out.

I Scrapbooked:)

2008-06-06T10:38:00.004-06:00

Thanks to Allison, I copied your title. But I was so excited to have scrapbooked something. I haven't done that in so long. I keep telling myself I haven't printed any pictures...Ha Ha! I have enough to last a lifetime without ever printing again. I had separated some out during the winter but never did anything with them. I love these pictures of Shelton. He looks so sweet in them. They are from last summer. I will be happy if I can get through some of the stacks of pics I have separated, then I want to get my albums redone. I need to redo them and put them in more of a logical order. I really like this layout considering I haven't scrapped in soooo long. I wasn't too happy with the journaling, but I just scrapped with no plan. So considering that, I think it turned out alright.

So far summer is off to a good start. I have actually had time to BE at my house. I have been spending so much time driving and chasing after things for the past 7 or 8 months, that there just hasn't been time to BE here. I must say it feels really, really good. The first day, I kind of felt lost, like I didn't know what to do with myself. But by Tuesday, I had a little routine together. Get up, eat something, walk for an hour, and just BE here. Angie came down on Wednesday, and we spent the day at the dock. It was so nice to have her here. We went and saw the movie Sex and the City. I was so glad to see it. I miss that show so much. It was good...not as good as I had hoped, but good nonetheless. I hope everyone has had a wonderful week and has an even better weekend! Happy Friday! Amy

I can't believe it's finally summer:)

2008-05-31T08:38:00.008-06:00

I am so excited that it is finally summer vacation! I almost feel like a different person this morning. I have been meaning to post some pictures of the flooding at the lake. If you have ever been to Table Rock, you have probably driven over or boated under the Kimberling City Bridge. This is it now. Just a few weeks ago, the water was up to the road. You are not able to drive a boat underneath on the far left. It is really weird to ride under it because it looks like the boat will scrape the top of the bridge. There used to be a huge space between the bridge and the water.

The picture on the left was our dock last summer. The picture below is our dock now. One of my neighbors actually went and got the bridge from a walking trail that no longer exists, and bolted it to the end of the dock. You can see where the silver things are. That is how far out the water goes. Where the canoe is, is where we used to park our golf carts at. It is truly unbelievable!

The picture below is my friend Heather trying to canoe to the shore from their dock. It is not an easy task, but pretty funny to try and even more funny to watch:)

And of course, I can never resist a beautiful sunset picture at the lake. It is truly the best time to be out there. I had such a good Memorial Day weekend with my friends Heather and Eric, and their company from Kansas City and St. Louis. We ended up escaping a huge storm, luckily. We were out on the water when the storm moved in, and getting to the dock felt like we were in the show Deadliest Catch. When we finally got to their dock, there were strangers parked in their slip. We had to ask them to move over to the slip next to the one they were in. We sat under the dock trying to stay warm and dry for over an hour. If you look at the picture of Heather in the canoe, you can see the raindrops. She was determined to get up to the house. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! To all my teacher friends, HAPPY SUMMER!!! Enjoy, because we all know how fast it flies!

Happy Memorial Day!

2008-05-22T20:05:00.002-06:00

Here is a picture of a rose just getting ready to bloom. These roses are just growing like crazy. They were actually a gift from a kid in my class last year for Teacher Appreciation Week. I kept not planting, not planting, and not planting them. However, I finally threw them into this planter outside. Thank goodness I did, because now I have so many beautiful roses! Every day there are more and more blooms, and the stems are so tall! I never actually even thought that they would grow. However, I guess life throws surprises at you every single day! Now I look at these roses and thank God that I threw them in this pot. I had no idea how much pleasure they would be bringing to me one year later. I hope everyone has a good Memorial Day Weekend!

A cute picture

2008-05-15T09:01:00.003-06:00

A friend sent this picture in an attachment. I thought it was so cute.

I hope everyone is having a great week! Two weeks from today will be our last day of school!!! So excited about that:)

Simple Things

2008-05-02T08:13:00.004-06:00

My friend Tiffany posted about five simple things that make her happy. I loved the concept because it is true that the simple things are the things make life good. I had more than five, so here are six little things that bring me happiness:

1. My spring flowers...They make me smile everyday!

2. Some of the sweetest kids in my class make me things all the time. The fact that they are so young and that they know everything I love makes me smile. They are constantly making me signs that say OU Rocks, and asking me what my favorite color is so that they can use it. They are so genuine, and it has been such a blessing that I have this class this year. I am getting really sad about the end of the year coming. I will miss some of them so very much.

3. The beauty of friendship...I have the very best friends in the whole world.

4. Talking to my mom on the phone nearly everyday. I have come to realize that she isn't only my mom, but she is my friend. I don't know why it took me so long to figure that out. But I am so blessed to have her.

5. Laying in the hammock...my favorite spot!

6. Snuggling with Harley. As she has gotten older, she has turned into such a huge snuggler. She is by my side almost all the time. I wouldn't have it any other way:)

Hope everyone has a great weekend and finds time to enjoy the simple things that make you smile! For all my teacher friends...Yeah...No more Saturday School!

Flowers

2008-04-27T19:58:00.006-06:00

just brighten the days!!! I am loving all my new flowers down here. Today I planted some more. I just can't seem to get enough of all this color! I do wish the water level would go down so that the dock would be accessible. However, I don't see that happening anytime soon. I need to take my camera down and get some pics so that I can show the before flood vs. after flood. Anyone who has been down here wouldn't believe it! The water is so high. Maybe that will be my mission for the week:) Hope everyone has a happy Monday, or as happy as Monday can be. And, as I am posting this, I am hearing that we could have a freeze tonight, so I am slowly bringing all these plants inside, and covering the others with towels or sheets. Gotta love the Ozarks!

A Little Bling:)

2008-04-26T11:21:00.003-06:00

Just had to post a picture of Harley's collar. It's not really new anymore, but I never posted the picture when it was. I love it!

We just finished our last day of Saturday school!!! Yippee!!! It really wasn't so bad. It is definitely better than being in school during the month of June would have been. I had nine absent today though. The end of the school year is finally really here!!! I think we have five weeks left:) Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

New Layout...

2008-04-22T16:46:00.003-06:00

well, kind of. I have been meaning to post it for awhile now. I just can't seem to get everything done these days. I was pretty happy with how this one turned out. I haven't scrapbooked much at all, and when I have, it has been one page layouts that are kind of random. This is probably the first meaningful page I have made in awhile. The journaling was kind of personal, so I put it on the back of the page. Then I know that only people who I am fine with reading it will be seeing it. On another note, I will say that I am loving all the signs of spring that I am seeing everywhere. This is my favorite season. My mom came into town this past weekend for my birthday, and what a help she was to me! We got my house organized, finally. The task has been so overwhelming that I would just come home and stare at the mess and do nothing, because I couldn't find a starting place. But now, it's all put together. We also planted flowers-EVERYWHERE!!! I had planted some tulips a couple of weeks ago, and we just went crazy planting flowers. They are so pretty. There is something about seeing pretty flowers that makes you know life is okay. I hope everyone is having a good week. I will try to be a better blogger. I have been absent here lately...

Happy Friday!

2008-04-04T10:01:00.002-06:00

I have some pics to post, but I just don't seem to get around to it. So I at least wanted to say Happy Friday to everyone and have a wonderful weekend! I am so glad that I don't have Saturday school this week. I am also so glad to have finally gotten a washer and dryer delivered on Monday. My laundry is officially caught up. But, when I started hanging all my clothes in the closet, the rod collapsed. So I guess I will spend the weekend working with my new drill and trying to get the closet mess fixed! What a disaster. I actually got a new rod and some brackets to hold it up, but when I hung my final shoe rack on the rod, it collapsed again. So I am going to look for a different solution this weekend. Target has some pretty cool storage stuff, so I think I will be headed back there again tomorrow. I went yesterday just to get some ideas, but I wanted to sleep on it first. Have a good weekend, and hopefully I will get some pictures posted soon......

I was tagged...

2008-03-27T11:22:00.001-06:00

by my friend Ashlee...so here goes. Sorry I took so long:)

10 years ago:I was transferring to OU to finish school.
Things on my to do list today: Work, tan, take care of some paperwork and put try to get my closets organized.
What would I do if I suddenly became a Billionaire?First of all, I would pay off all debts...house car, etc. Second, I would buy something really nice for my parents...whatever they chose. I would do the same for all of my grandparents. Last, I would give money to research for Autism. I would hopefully have some cash left over to take a very extended vacation somewhere sunny, and put the rest in the bank.
Three of my bad habits:1.) Popping my joints, and I mean every single one of them!
2.) Procrastination...I am really bad about this one.
3.) Pushing snooze over and over and over and over and over...no joke. I hate waking up in the mornings.
5 jobs I have had
1)I coached gymnastics from the time I was 16 until I was out of college.
2)I worked for Universal Cheerleaders Association during the summer teaching cheerleading camps at different colleges.
3)I waited tables at Don Pablo's in Norman, OK
4)I taught special education for four years.
5)I teach second grade now.
Five things people don't know about me:
1.) I am a night owl.
2.) I'm not much for sweets, but I love me a chocolate shake or a hot fudge sundae from Braum's.
3.) My favorite thing to do on a day off is to take a very long, very hot bubble bath while I read a book.
4.) I love to watch VH1...I know, it's pitiful!
5) I am a sucker if you get me to a makeup counter:)

So there you have it...you may or may not have known these things from other tags. Anyone who would like to join in is tagged!!!

HAPPY SPRING BREAK!!!

2008-03-16T10:50:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone has a great week off...if you are lucky enough to get one of those!!! Hopefully spring-like temperatures will grace themselves upon us as well:)

Hoping...

2008-03-11T10:10:00.002-06:00

that everyone has a great week, and that we have some spring-like temeratures...finally:) Looks like today and tomorrow will be perfect days for going on a long, long walk:) That is my favorite thing about spring...getting to start enjoying fresh air, sunshine, and warmth after a long winter...I don't like daylight saving's time in the spring because I lose an hour of sleep. But I do like the extra hours of sunlight that it brings to the afternoon/evening. Have a great day!

Another Day Off...

2008-03-04T10:33:00.005-06:00

for snow. We are talking about having Saturday school a few times to make up some days. I can't stand the thought of school on Saturday, but what I can't stand even more, is the thought of school in June when it is hot outside, and all I want to do is be in the sunshine, and enjoy summer. It is my favorite time of the year. I am looking forward to that season so much. I have been running and running so much that I just really need a break. I have so many things to do, and I just can't seem to find the time or the energy to get them done. Maybe spring break will help with that. Anyways...

Here are a few recent pictures. I have more, but blogger seems to be extrememly slow today, and I just don't have a lot of patience because I have lots of stuff to get done today. If I use this snow day well, it could definitely give me some time to be productive. There is not a speckle of snow here. So I am going to get out and take care of some errands I need to run. Hopefully I'll have time to post some more pictures in the next few days. They are on my computer now. That seems to be half the battle for me. So maybe that will help:) Have a good day!!!

Hope everyone...

2008-03-03T08:46:00.003-06:00

had a good weekend! I know I sure did. Having Bethany here was so very nice this weekend. I have some pics to post, but just haven't gotten around to it quite yet. Our weekend started off a little rough. On Friday, we were getting ready to go start running around, when all of a sudden, I stepped in standing water...and it was everywhere. The carpet was drenched, and the kitchen had water standing everywhere! I had started a load of laundry, and apparently, my washer has had it. It has been giving me trouble for the past month, not draining the water when it spins, and stuff like that. So Bethany and I shop-vacced for a couple of hours, then pointed fans toward the carpet so it could continue to dry out. What a mess!!! It seems to be mostly dry now though. I guess I'll be checking out washers and dryers this week. YUCK!!! I am really glad we were still there when it happened though. We were just about to take off. So it could have been MUCH worse than it was!!! I'll post some pictures later, and please pray that we don't get this weather they are speaking of...more snow/ice!!!

Could it be...

2008-02-27T10:16:00.002-06:00

a snow/ice free week in Missouri? I sure do hope so!!! I had a great time in Oklahoma with my family. Time just goes too fast when I am there. I took quite a detour coming home...I thought it would be a shortcut from I-44, but it ended up taking me about an hour longer to get home, and a lot of very dark and very windy roads!! I have never seen so many of those yellow arrow signs in my life! I didn't think I was ever going to get home, but thank goodness, I made it:) I haven't uploaded pictures yet. In fact, I still haven't uploaded pictures from my niece's birthday party in January. I will get to it at some point. I am getting soooooooo excited right now! Bethany is coming to visit from Texas for the weekend. I am taking a personal day on Friday, so we can hang out. We were talking last night, and realized that we haven't seen one another since Memorial Day weekend. That is way too long! Anyways, she is driving in on Thursday, and will hopefully be here when I get off work:) Sooooo excited for this weekend with her! Hope everyone is having a great week!

Here are some pictures...

2008-02-22T10:13:00.006-06:00

of layouts I have completed, but never posted. I finally took pics of them. However, the quality is kind of poor, so I apologize for that. The pics on the bottom are from a couple of weeks ago. I looked out the window and there were baby deer all over my yard. By the time I got out my camera, they had scattered a bit. They especially scattered when I opened the door to take pictures. Oh well...at least I finally caught them:) They were really cute. I tried to post this Friday morning, but I was having trouble with blogger. I braved the roads and made it to Oklahoma for a visit. It was a long drive down because of the drive through Branson and Springfield. But after that, it wasn't too bad. I have just been hanging out with my family since I got here. It has been nice. I am looking forward to a yummy lunch here tomorrow. My mom is making roast, mashed potatoes, gravy, hot rolls, green beans, and who knows what else. What I am not looking forward to is the drive home, and another hectic week of playing catch up at school. That is the worst part of snow days...catching up. Oh well, it will all work out...Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!!!

Snowed In...

2008-02-21T13:01:00.002-06:00

Again!!! I can't believe this is happening again! Fortunately, I prepared this time. I went to the store last night and got lots of food and things I need around here. Good thing, because I couldn't hardly back my car up the driveway this morning! I decided to move it in case I needed to get it out, and thank goodness I did! There is no way I could get it up to the top of the hill now! With all the snow days we have had, I kind of feel useless. This morning I have swept, mopped, cleaned the bathroom, cleaned the kitchen, and now I am making homemade chicken noodle soup! YUM!!! It smells so good. I have also been reading the book, "Eat, Pray, Love"...really enjoying it too!!! Hope everyone is enjoying their Thursday.

Here's hoping...

2008-02-18T10:03:00.002-06:00

that everyone has a good week........and that we do not have anymore ice or snow:) I promise that this week I will get the pages posted that I made a few weeks ago. I just keep forgetting to take pictures of them until it's dark. They don't come out well without natural light.

pictures...

2008-02-15T23:14:00.003-06:00

from the storm...

Ice Days...

2008-02-13T10:32:00.002-06:00

are adding up. I think we now have four days to add to the end of our school year. We are making one day up on President's Day already. I have enjoyed these extremely long weekends, but come May...that will be a different story. I do feel for all the people out there who do not have power. I remember last year when I was in that situation, along with so many others. Not something I want to relive. I remember never being so thankful for light switches:) It was terribly miserable. I have been fortunate enough to keep power. I hope everyone else gets theirs back on soon. I am hoping we have school tomorrow. But I guess we will just have to wait and see. I deleted my earlier post for various reasons. I guess you never know how many people read these things. Hope everyone has a great day!

Some of my pictures...

2008-02-02T20:18:00.000-06:00

from my weekend in Oklahoma. These are just some of the ones I took. There will be more to post, but I need to do some photo editing first. I really like these though. Kinzley is my new little niece. She is so pretty. Kylan is just a cutie, and check out Shelton's cute little face!!! He was enjoying some taco soup. I really like the one of my Grandpa with Shelton, and my cousin's little girl, Kyndall. When you say smile, she makes that funny face! It was hilarious! I had a good time with my family. I returned here, and had three days of school, then two snow days. So it has been an extended weekend. I wish I could say that I had gotten some things accomplished, however, I can't really say that. There is always tomorrow though, right? I did finish two scrapbook pages tonight. I will take pics of those and post tomorrow or the next day. Hope all my teacher buddies have enjoyed their snow days, and that everyone else is enjoying a nice weekend!!!

Happy Friday!!!

2008-01-25T14:10:00.000-06:00

I am heading to Oklahoma this afternoon. My niece's second birthday party is on Saturday. It has a Dora theme. Can't wait to see everyone there. Here are a couple of cool pics from the lake one day when the sky was unbelievable...Have a good weekend!!!

Enjoying My Day Off...

2008-01-21T11:40:00.000-06:00

I think I really needed a day off today. So I am laid back, enjoying myself. I took a bubble bath, put a mask on my face, enjoyed part of my book, and now I am organizing my closet:) Feeling productive!!! Here are some pictures of some cards I've been working on. The red, white, and black snowflake card is my favorite of the group! Hope everyone is having a good day!!!

New Layout...

2008-01-13T15:04:00.000-06:00

I had read on Ali Edward's blog about choosing a word for the new year. I was standing on the deck one day looking at the lake, and my word came to me. Reflection...so here is my layout with my one little word.

Finally...Some Pictures:)

2008-01-01T12:00:00.000-06:00

Some of my favorites from the holiday! Happy New Year!!!

Hoping...

2007-12-27T01:10:00.000-06:00

that everyone had a wonderful Christmas with your families! I know I have certainly been enjoying my time here. I came in on Sunday evening, and am planning to be here until this Saturday night or Sunday morning...still undecided. But it has been nice to actually have time while I am here. My trips are usually so rushed...only two or three days long. So this has been so much nicer...sleeping in...hanging around the house...watching television...making cards...playing on the computer...just having a nice time with my nieces and nephew. Only one bad thing...I left my charger for my camera battery at home. Really frustrated about this...not only can I not load pics on my computer, but I can't take any pics either. So I think I may have to add a charger to my list for tomorrow. My mom and I are shopping tomorrow, and I think I am going to have to give in and buy it. Well...guess that's it around here...by the way it snowed all morning, and we had a white day after Christmas. It really was beautiful!

Wishing you....

2007-12-25T11:40:00.000-06:00

a VERY Merry Christmas!!!

It's icing outside...

2007-12-22T23:51:00.001-06:00

and i'm just chilling with the doggies:) Supposed to be heading to Oklahoma in the morning. But this weather is making me nervous. Part of me would love to wake up to snow at the lake...just because I've never seen it here before and I know it is probably beautiful. However, I need to get home tomorrow. My plan is to head out in the morning, and return next Sunday morning. I guess it really isn't in my control at this point. But I must say that I am soooooooooo enjoying my time off right now, and I love having cute little Barkley curled up in my lap. He has turned into a complete lap dog, and it is so cute. Harley is all curled up between two pillows. I have also enjoyed just being at the lake for a few days of down time...........MUCH needed. If it weren't so cold and icy outside, I would run out to my car and grab the cord so that I could post some pictures. I took pictures of the dogs earlier with the flash off and them just totally curled up and relaxing. Definitely a snapshot of the moment...hopefully i'll get pics posted this week when i'm in Oklahoma. I still can't believe it's Christmas..............

Is it really...

2007-12-21T20:52:00.000-06:00

Christmas? Already? I guess it just doesn't seem possible to me. I had not even bought one, yes, I said one Christmas present until today! I shopped in Branson...couldn't believe how NOT crowded it was here! Everyone in Springfield was saying it was horrible there. I had no traffic, no lines, no crowds. At the outlet mall, I was actually able to just pull up to each store I wanted to go inside and park right in front! I have never had an easier day in Branson. I got all but two gifts finished. All but three are wrapped! Successful day!!! I hope everyone out there is getting everything they need to get done, done! Enjoy your family and friends! I'm getting back to my dogs. We're chilling at the lake!

Ahhhhhh...

2007-12-14T12:13:00.000-06:00

I am breathing a sigh of relief! The Christmas program is over:) Today is the best Friday ever!!! I haven't had my breaks this week b/c we have had practice every morning during my break times. Two of my special class teachers wanted to make up their time with my kids. So today, I have FOUR breaks!!! My kids had pe at 9:30, music at 12:05, counselor at 12:35, and they are going to art at 1:40-for an hour:) This is a good day!!! I just wish it would warm up a little bit. However, I did get some UGG boots last night, and I am super excited about that. Of course I had to wear them today, and they are soooooooooooo warm and fuzzy!!! Hope everyone stays warm and has a good weekend!

Christmas Program...

2007-12-13T13:46:00.000-06:00

week drives me NUTS!!! We have our second grade program tonight at 7:00. We have had the second graders practicing at the high school from 8:30-11:00 for the past few days, and the kids are stressed, teachers are stressed, and it's just no fun! I can't wait for it to be over with tonight. I have missed my breaks for three days in a row, so that is probably why I feel like I might strangle these kids!!! I need a break away from them........in a HUGE way! Besides that, they are crazy with Christmas right around the corner. Anyways...other than that I guess things are good. I am ready for break! I don't know my Christmas plans for sure...but I do know that I'm ready for a break from work, life, etc....hope everyone else is doing well, and that those of you who were in the terrible ice storm have power again! I promise one of these days I will post new pics...just been busy! Happy Thursday!

BRRRRRR......

2007-12-06T12:39:00.000-06:00

it is cold outside today! I am not a fan of the cold-at all! So this is not the bestday for me. It is just too cold:)

A Sooner Christmas Carol

2007-12-02T11:18:00.000-06:00

So, I already posted about our big win, but a friend emailed me this and I couldn't resist. It is long, but it's pretty funny:) (at least it's funny to a Sooner)

'Twas the night before the Big XII and all through the land,
not a Tiger was stirring, not even the band.

Their Jockeys were hung by the locker with care,
in hopes that the Sooners soon would be there.

Truman was nestled all snug in his bed,
while visions of the BCS danced in his head.

And Pinkel in his kerchief full of Tiger pride,
and Bob and the Sooners ready to ride.

When down in San Antone there arose such a clatter,
Chase sprang from his bed to see what was the matter.

He realized the Option was gone in a flash,
and Maclin's dreams of running had just been dashed.

The Tiger tight ends trembled as they watched the show,
A Crimson and Cream luster set the horizon aglow.

When what to their wondering eyes should they find,
but a miniature Schooner, seven National Titles behind.

With a wizened old driver, skilled in leading his troops,
they knew in a moment it must be Bob Stoops.

More rapid than Temple his players they came,
and he whistled and shouted and called them by name.

"On Bradford, on Joe John, now Patrick and Murray!
On Chris Brown! On Iglesias! On Hartley and Kelly!

To the top of the conference! To the top of it all!
Now dash their hopes! Dash their dreams! Dash away all!"

And then in a twinkling, the Tigers fought back a scream,
and Chase saw the last of his Heisman trophy dream.

defense drew in their breath and looked all around,
and realized that their "Pig" was nowhere to be found.

Bob's eyes how they twinkled, his coaches how merry!
As they carried on the legacy left them by Barry.

Gary's sad little face and a fear in his belly,
he shook on the field as his knees turned to jelly.

Pinkel spoke not a word, and the ball they couldn't carry,
Stoops filled up the scoreboard and then turned to Gary.

And laying his hand on the shoulder of his friend,
he gave Pinkel a nod and said, "Like Norman again."

Bob sprang to the Schooner, to his team gave a shout,
to the BCS they flew and left Mizzou down and out.

And we heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight,
"Boomer Sooner to All and to All a Good Night!"

Boomer Sooner!!!!

2007-12-02T10:51:00.000-06:00

I am soooo excited about our big win...especially because I live in Missouri:) Most everyone around was cheering for the Tigers, so that made it a lot more fun! I knew we would win, and thank goodness we did, otherwise, I might not be able to survive all the comments people would be making. I am always saying stuff to co-workers and friends about my team. They would never let me live it down if they had won that game....so to everyone out there...BOOMER SOONER:):):):):):)

Happy Thanksgiving...

2007-11-22T14:41:00.000-06:00

to all of my wonderful friends and family! I love you all dearly. Hope you have a great day filled with yummy food and good company! Happy Thanksgiving! ((((((HUGS))))))

Again...I'm still alive:)

2007-11-19T10:46:00.000-06:00

I have just had lots going on, and no time to be on the computer. I still have pics to post, but I just haven't gotten around to it. I hope everybody out there is doing good and looking forward to a wonderful Thanksgiving. I thought I'd make a short list of some of the things I have to be thankful for right now.

Family-I have the best family-both on my side, and on Ryan's side
A place to call home
A good job that is very rewarding
The best little doggies in the whole world
The best friends in the whole world-you guys have been nothing but good for me-especially lately:)

Hope everyone is well, and has a good week and lots to be thankful for!!!

yes...I'm alive...

2007-11-06T21:40:00.000-06:00

and here are a few of my favorite pics from the past few weekends...I still haven't uploaded the ones from my camera when my mom and I were in osage beach. These are from the past two weekends. The first weekend was in Springfield, and last weekend, I was in Pennsylvania with Rachel. Good Times!!! I hope everyone is doing well, enjoying life, and blogging........

Sorry...

2007-10-31T20:14:00.000-06:00

for being the WORST blogger lately! I had two girlfriends come in town over the weekend, then I got sick on Monday, finally a little better today, and flying out to visit my friend Rachel tomorrow....so that's where I've been. I promise I will do better. I have so many pics and stuff to post, just no time to fit it all in...so hopefully next week will slow down...in the mean time, I hope all is well with everyone! Have a great weekend!

Just...

2007-10-23T18:49:00.000-06:00

having a low-key night...finally:) Ryan has a program tonight, so I'm home alone...I decided to come downstairs and work...on anything...and I am really glad I did...I have finished a layout that has been sitting on my table for weeks, and now I am almost finished with my November class layout at Scrapbook Generation. This one is just coming together. I love it when that happens. I'm also listening to new music I downloaded a while back, but haven't had time to slow down and actually LISTEN to it...It feels good...I hope you are having a good week...I'm going to go back to work! Maybe I'll get some pics posted tonight...if not, then maybe tomorrow:)

More pics from the OU/Mizzou Game...

2007-10-21T15:32:00.000-06:00

Check out the football about to come through the field goal:) Love that!!! I just returned from Lake of the Ozarks today. My mom and I spent a day at the spa on Friday, then we shopped yesterday, returned today:) Gotta love a day at the spa! How I wish I were still there! I will have some pics to post from there too...but right now, I am going to try to catch up on some stuff. Parent/Teacher conferences are this week...lots to do...hope you guys have a great week!!!

Some Game Pics...

2007-10-16T21:31:00.000-06:00

Lots more to come...I just uploaded these, and I've got some photo editing to do. I had fun just looking at the pictures and reliving the excitement of the game:) Hope everyone has a great day, and Boomer Sooner!!!

Good Monday Morning...

2007-10-15T08:54:00.000-06:00

to everyone! We had a blast at the OU/Mizzou game on Saturday! It was a fast trip. We stopped by my brother's house after the game. My nephew was asleep, so I just got to look at him...no holding:( But at least I got to say hello. It was so good to see him and my brother and Ashley. I have lots of game pictures to post. We had so much fun...and fortunately, we won:) It was one of the best games I have ever been to. It was very exciting, and our seats were fantastic! My cousin played for OU, and we bought his tickets this week. We were in the end zone...just a few feet off the field. I am a little hoarse today from all my cheering. I'll post pics later. Have a great day! Amy

2007-10-12T21:23:00.000-06:00

Happy Weekend...

2007-10-12T21:00:00.000-06:00

to all my friends out there:) I was so glad to get out of school early today. We got out at 12:30, but I didn't get out of there until 1:30. I ran seven miles at Sequiota today. That is the first time I have gone for a run there in a long time...I forgot how nice it is to run there. It is truly a great place to run. It was so nice because the weather is PERFECT!!! Not too hot, but not too cool either...can't beat that:)

I am sooooooo excited to head to Norman tomorrow for the big game:) Hopefully I will get some great pics to post next week...Until then...Boomer!!!

Tomorrow..

2007-10-11T16:54:00.000-06:00

is a half day at school...and it's actually a half day that we get to go home early on:) We normally have professional development on early dismissal days, but this time, we are free at 12:30. Yippee!!! We are headed to Norman Saturday morning for the OU/MU game. And let me tell you....I am super excited!!! ESPN GameDay is there this weekend...so that makes it even better. Boomer Sooner!!! I've been looking for some funniness like I found last week, but have failed to find anything. We just aren't rivals with MU like we are with Texas. And by the way, for those of you who don't know...WE WON THE GAME!!! (This is our arch rival if you didn't know...and they have beat us for the past two years...so now we have the title back again:)I can't wait for some Sooner time this weekend! I just love the loud cheers, tailgating, and excitement that you find in that town.

Let's go Sooners:)

2007-10-05T15:54:00.000-06:00

Just a funny in honor of the Red River Rivalry tomorrow:) Boomer Sooner!!!

Sometimes...

2007-10-02T17:11:00.001-06:00

life moves too fast, and I feel like I don't soak it all in. I feel like I just go through the motions, and wish for the weekend. Anyone else ever feel like this??? I must say running is helping with that though, especially as I am becoming more in shape-finally. I'm finally to the point that I can run a few miles, and not feel like I am about to die. I did four miles today with my new playlist. Gotta love a new playlist, especially one that works. I didn't skip any songs. I even kept walking through the parking lot where my car was so that I didn't have to turn one off. So maybe my runs will become as long as my playlist is:)

On another note, you guys have read my blogs occasionally when I have mentioned my grandparents. They are just good people who have shaped my life as much as my parents have. There are so many things that I idolize about them. I love that they take care of themselves by eating healthy and exercising. I love that they have always encouraged us to try anything, and to set goals for ourselves. I love that they always encouraged us to compete at something, and supported us in whatever that something was. I wish I could see them more often, and spend time with them. But living away makes that difficult. Some of my best memories of visiting Oklahoma since we moved here were during the time that my parents had a full house, and Ryan and I would stay with my Grandma and Grandpa when we would go home. I hadn't spent the night with them since I was much younger, and it's amazing that warm and cozy feeling that comes from being with them at their house. Okay, I'll get to the point. My Grandpa is very politically active, as I have mentioned in the past. He sent me an email with a link to the Democrats club they belong to so that we could see their float that won first place. As I was looking at the website, I saw this video of my Grandpa doing his rope tricks with some children. Growing up, this was part of every get together, parade, or anything that we were participating in. I used to know how to spin one too, but I can't say that I would be able to do it now if I tried. Anyways, I just wanted to share this video of my Grandpa Jim. It brought back so many warm memories of family and of childhood memories. Click on the link below to see Grandpa in action! And please, no political comments, that is not what this blog is all about. http://pottcountydemocrats.org/Documents/MOV01287.MPG

I'm So Excited....

2007-09-27T18:50:00.000-06:00

Right now!!! It is only ten minutes until Grey's Anatomy!!! I have sooooo been waiting for this! Can't wait to see McDreamy and Meredith and McSteamy and Izzie and George and well, the whole cast! I feel like it's been so long since the season ended. I have a casserole in the oven. YUM!!! This feels like fall. Fall is certainly not my favorite season. Afterall, that means I'm back to work, and home from the lake much sooner than I want to be, or not there at all. But there are a few perks about it. These are some of my favorite things about fall:

10) A Routine
9) School-yes-I did say that. (ask me again in April/May)
8) Feeling at home in this house again. (We don't really inhabit it much during the summer)
7) Going to the lake for a nice, calm, relaxing weekend. (The pace down there really changes)
6) Days when you can wear jeans or shorts, long sleeves or tank tops, flip-flops or boots-just whatever you want because the temperature becomes so comfortable.
5) Cooler weather for nice runs and good tv shows after I get home.
4) The changing of the leaves
3) Thinking about all I have to be thankful for right now, and focusing on it.
2) Casseroles and chips and queso and frito chili pies and queso......and
1) COLLEGE FOOTBALL-BOOMER SOONER!!!

Have you ever....

2007-09-25T20:21:00.000-06:00

looked at people, and thought, "What are you thinking?" That's what I thought today when I went inside Cheddar's to place a to-go order. I looked over at a table, and here's what I saw:
A table with a single male, and a couple,
The single male was sitting across the table from the couple,
The couple was totally mugging down!!!
I mean they were MAKING OUT!!!
I felt so bad for the man across the table from them.
I would have been so uncomfortable if I were him.

Is there anyone else who totally HATES public displays of affection like this???

Here's me...

2007-09-20T20:27:00.000-06:00

doing my thing??? http://www.kspr.com/news/local/9906502.html Click on the link, then hit play, and you'll see me in action. Too funny. I wish I had known I would be on television tonight. I certainly would have dressed nicer, worn more makeup, and had better hair:)

Crazy Day

2007-09-20T15:16:00.001-06:00

But it was a good day. The crazy thing is that I am on the news tonight on KSPR 33. My principal asked me if I would like to be on TV. I said sure, then said, hang on, what for??? She laughed, and said an interview about safety in schools-mainly if I think teachers should carry guns in school. So, that's what I'm on the news today about. It is on at 4:30, 5:30, 10:00, and in the morning. Pretty wild!!! I didn't know they would be coming into my room, but they asked if they could, so I let them. My kids were CRAZY!!! You would think they had never seen a camera before. I hope I don't look like an idiot.....Guess we'll see in about ten minutes.

Onto other things. The picture at the top is the card class I did Monday night at Scrapbook Generation. The page below is the page about my ring. I will copy/paste the journaling so you can read it. I really like how all these stamps look. I absolutely loved this paper when I saw it, but had no idea that this is what I would use it for. I feel kind of weird posting this journaling because it's pretty personal, but that's alright. I guess life happens to all of us! So here goes:

Regroup...that’s what I keep having to do here lately. It all started with the loss of my wedding ring. I had no idea how much that symbol meant to me. I mean, I always knew how much I loved my ring. I was never the type of girl to think I would want a new one-ever. That was it. It was the one Ryan had designed-just for me. It disappeared. I sort of started to deal with it, then I realized I don’t have one picture of it. I started to convince myself it was a sign. Maybe Ryan and I weren’t meant to be. It sounds ridiculous, but this has been really hard on me. Then, I had a glimpse of hope for finding a picture. I would find the guy who designed it. I called the place where Ryan got it, and tried to get in touch with the designer, No luck. Ryan found him. However, the building where he had his portfolios stored burned down. Imagine the doubt I started to feel at this point. I had to do some serious self-talk, and I had quite a few cries too.I started having dreams about it, imagining it being hidden in a really strange place at my parent’s house, blaming myself for not keeping up with it, when in fact, I know that isn’t what happened to it. I was miserable, and I really thought my marriage was doomed. I kept thinking if I could just find my ring, everything would be fine. Then, one day, it just occured to me. That ring is not my marriage, it is a symbol of love. I am still in hopes that I will come across a picture of my wedding ring someday, but I am becoming more and more aware that a symbol is a symbol. It is sad to not have it anymore, but I still have the real thing that matters. I have Ryan, and I have our dogs, and I have our life. And that, to me is worth more than any material thing I will ever own. So, I am looking ahead, looking forward to more of our life together. I have the things that matter the most to me. It would be much worse to lose one of those. So, right now, I am still really sad and crushed about my loss, but I have found a way to regroup, change my pattern of thought, and look at all the symbols of love I have in my life.

Happy Wednesday...

2007-09-19T17:35:00.000-06:00

to all my friends out there!!! I love Wednesdays. In fact, I think Wednesday might be my favorite day of the week. It means that the weekend is just around the corner, and that makes me smile:) I am so happy today because I have gone for good runs every day this week. I am planning another tomorrow, then rest Friday and Saturday, I think. We'll see how it goes. This is the first week that I have actually felt like I WANT to run. It's been more like a HAVE to for the past few weeks. So that's a good feeling. I also finally feel like we are into our groove at school. It's really the first week that I feel like everything is running smoothly. I taught a class at Scrapbook Generation last night. It was good. I'll have to post pics of the cards we made. They turned out so cute. Ryan and I went for a run this afternoon, yes I said both of us! I think he's gonna run with me on Mondays and Wednesdays. We came home, showered, and now we are off to Chili's to meet his dad and step-mom for Ryan's b-day. We couldn't seem to get together last week, so we are doing it tonight. I am starving after my run, and it feels good to know that I don't really have to worry about what I eat because of all the calories I am burning during those runs. I think that may be my very favorite part of running. I'll try to post pics tomorrow. Hope everyone has a great evening!!!

Another Monday down:)

2007-09-17T19:09:00.000-06:00

I hate Mondays, as if anyone who reads this or knows me was wondering:) However, this Monday wasn't too bad. After school, Ryan and I went for a run. he wants to start tagging along. I'm still trying to build up good endurance, and since I haven't been on much of a training schedule, that seems to be harder than usual. So tonight I've been looking at running websites, trying to find a schedule that is not only good, but one that is "doable" for me. Some of them are too much. I think I have committed to a half marathon Dec. 9. I'm nervous, but I know I can do it. I actually trained for one the year before last, but my partner and I missed our run. We thought it was one day, then I got online to register us, and realized we had the date for the previous year. So, needless to say, our training came to a halt. I am looking forward to good long runs, but kind of dreading them at the same time. I guess I look forward to feeling you get after you finish. It's been so long since I've been really running that that feeling seems far away right now. I think I found an eight week schedule I can follow. I will be ready to start it by Oct. 9. That is exactly eight weeks before the run. Here we go!!!

Missing this...

2007-09-13T21:49:00.001-06:00

right now:) Our neighbor just emailed us this picture. He was coming in on his boat, and here we all were, just hanging out, enjoying a nice, hot summer day! Ryan and I are in the back on the right side, over by the red ladder. This is our dock, and our awesome lake neighbors/friends:)

TGIF...

2007-09-13T18:55:00.001-06:00

almost:)

Happy Birthday....

2007-09-11T10:26:00.000-06:00

to Ryan!!! Today is his big day. I know he doesn't like me to make a big deal out of it, but I just can't help it. He doesn't usually read this, so I can talk about it on here. We are going to eat at Nakato (his choice), then I have gotten ahold of his brothers and some buddies to come and meet us at Indigo Joe's to wish him a happy b-day. It will be fun!!!

Monday...

2007-09-10T16:19:00.001-06:00

has never been my favorite day of the week. Today is the first day of school when I have been really irritated with my class. I don't know that it's all their fault, but I swear when they returned from lunch, they were crazy!!! I am sure the fact that I don't have a break until 2:10 on Mondays doesn't help matters. But it seemed as though during lunchtime, aliens came and kidnapped my sweet class, and turned them into strange little creatures:) Today was the first time I have really had to get onto them as a group. They just wouldn't stop talking. So, hopefully, tomorrow will be better. It's gotta be, right??? Please say yes. When I taught special education, we had names for each of the days of the week. They were:

Mild Monday
Terrible Tuesday
Wacky Wednesday
Trying Thursday
Finally Friday

The strangest thing is that the name actually rarely differed from the way the day went. I guess they don't really apply these days, because today was certainly no Mild Monday. Maybe tomorrow will be better:) I hope everyone has a good week. I am bummed b/c today, I have looked forward to a good hard run all day long. Ryan was even going to join me. But, it won't stop raining! It hasn't rained all day. Not until I started to drive home anyways. I keep hoping it will stop. I won't last long on the treadmill....

A weekend at home???

2007-09-07T16:45:00.000-06:00

What will we do with ourselves? I don't think that Ryan and I have spent a weekend at our house since May. So being at home on a Friday feels unusual....but good. I have just been chillin' in my scrap room since I got home from school. I don't think I've accomplished a thing. I've had this same layout going for about two weeks. It just feels kind of good to be in my room with no place to go, nothing that I have to do, and simply sit, relax, breathe, and BE...The page I have been working on is about my wedding ring that I no longer have. I haven't said much about it on my blog, but this has been a really difficult time. I don't even have a picture of my ring. That's right, me, no picture. It is actually unbelievable. I have a picture of everything you can imagine, but no picture of that??? Not even a wedding photo, and we purchased all the proofs when we bought our wedding pics. Unbelievable. However, a couple of weeks ago, I just decided I had to stop obsessing about it, it was time to regroup. That is the title of my page. Hopefully I will finish it tonight so I can post it. I think it is one of the first times I have scrapped something that I am terribly sad about. Maybe that's why it's taking me so long. I hope everyone's weekend is off to a great start!!! TGIF

Tagged...Again...

2007-09-05T18:09:00.000-06:00

and it's taken me forever to get this done. Sorry Allison, but I just haven't had much extra time lately. Anyway, here goes...

Here are the rules:1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.

2. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of their middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had. ***IF you have already done your middle name than do the State that you live in with new adjectives!*****

3. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts. ***Or state if you have already been tagged before!***

4. At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag.

5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.Here is mine:

N-Nice...I think anyone who knows me would vouch for the fact that I am a nice person. (I hope they would anyway:)

I-Intense...Anyone who has ever watched an OU football game with me has seen my intense side. It doesn't come out too often, but when it does, look out! I get this way about a few things, but not everyone has seen that side of me.

C-Creative...I have a pretty creative side to me. It comes in lots of forms, ranging from scrapbooking to teaching, to decorating, and lots of other things. I don't function well when I don't have time to be creative. In fact, I tend to become pretty grumpy.

O-Outlook...I try to keep a positive one. Even when life is bad, I tend to find a way to find the good things and to go from there. Sometimes I need a little help from my friends, but I always find a way to get back to the positive, and think about all the good things life has brought to me. I just don't believe in negativity. It is a dangerous state of mind.

L-Lake...I don't think I have to explain this one. I simply love the lake:) It makes me smile just thinking about it.

E-Enthusiastic...I don't think anyone would say I lack in the area of enthusiasm. I love to get excited about stuff, and I always try to make even the most terrible tasks at least a little fun!!!

So there you have it, a few facts about me. I can't follow all the directions above b/c lots of my blogging buddies have already been tagged. So I am tagging Tiffany, Ashlee, Heather, Allissa, and Ronnie and Becky! Oh wait, I did come up with six people:)

I love short weeks!!!

2007-09-04T20:49:00.000-06:00

I don't know what it is, but I just love having four day weeks. It feels like I just blinked and tomorrow is already Wednesday. For some reason, when Wednesday arrives, I feel like the weekend is just around the corner:)

I can't post without saying BOOMER SOONER!!! That really made my weekend, and it made my night when I went to the sight and saw that we have jumped ahead of Texas in the polls. Don't know why that makes me so happy, but it always does.

We had a great time at the lake this weekend. We really enjoyed the extra day. The weather was absolutely gorgeous the whole time we were there!!! I got home last night around 7:30 or so, put things away, ate some food, and then I think I was in bed before 10. That is amazing for me. Today after school, I had to go buy some new running shoes and headphones for my ipod. Barkley chewed Ryan's headphones earlier this summer and I gave him mine. I haven't had the heart to ask him for them back, so today, I went and got a new pair. They are really nice too. I love them!!! I had to buy new shoes because last week, I came home from work, changed clothes, went to get my shoes on, and guess what??? Yeah, Barkley has hidden one somewhere and we are yet to find it. We have no clue what he has done with it. So needless to say, Barks has had a pretty expensive day. I know my shoe will turn up somewhere at a random time. I figure I'll just have another pair when it appears. Today after I went and got all this stuff, I came home and went for a run WITH my ipod. I forgot how much that little thing helps me out. I mean, the run was so different. It has been a struggle every time, but today, I just loved hearing my tunes. I guess it takes your mind off of how tired you feel. After I ran, I came home and walked the dogs, then I started cleaning. I got a lot done. I dusted, swept, mopped, and vaccumed most of our upstairs. Our house was in serious need. I still have more to do, but I feel better having a good start on it. Tomorrow night I am hoping to scrap a little. I need to make some cards ASAP!!! Hope everyone is having a good week!!!

Sorry...

2007-08-31T09:47:00.000-06:00

I've been a terribly bad blogger. Since school started, it seems like I have had a hundred things to do at night. I guess I've gotta adjust:) This is the hardest time of the year. Just trying to get the kids into a good routine, learn all the rules, know what I expect of them, etc.... It is rather exhausting. But it will make the rest of the year run smoothly, and allow me to have an easier time in the long run. I have a student teacher too. So that is another thing to do on top of everything else. I am sooooooooooo happy for the long weekend:) Who doesn't love Labor Day??? I can't wait to go to the lake and just CHILL!!! That extra day there will be awesome, and to make it better......It's football season!!! My Sooners play Saturday evening at six o'clock. I already have the stuff for queso and all my football snacks. I can't wait! I LOVE football season! So, if I don't post, everyone have a great long weekend, and BOOMER SOONER:)

Well...

2007-08-23T16:27:00.000-06:00

it's official! I'm back to work. The kids came today, and it was a pretty good day overall. But let me tell you, I am one exhausted girl! My feet are hurting so bad, my back is sore, my eyes are tired, and well, I guess I'm just worn out! It is funny how that happens every year. I think it has to do with those concrete floors we walk on all day. I don't think I sat down for more than a total of 50 minutes today. I tried to keep track. The longest I sat at a time was 19 minutes. Maybe that's why I am tired. I think I have a really good group of kids this year. There are always a couple that test the waters, but my group overall seems awesome! Let me tell you, that makes teaching a lot more fun. I must say that I am really glad we only have kids two days this week. That will make next week a little easier to adjust to. It kind of feels good to be back. I may change my mind about that in a few months, but for now, it's a good thing. I do wish I could sleep in every now and then though:) That's about all I have to talk about right now seeing as school has consumed my time, thoughts, and energy during this entire week. I hope all my teacher buddies are off to a good start! If I don't blog before the weekend, everyone have a good one. Betcha can't guess where I'm off to tomorrow afternoon...........

Fly Fishing...

2007-08-20T19:02:00.000-06:00

was a really neat experience. My dad and I had a great time. We had an awesome fishing guide/teacher. Neither of us had ever done this before, so this poor guy had his hands full! He was tons of fun though, and extremely good at his job. It was so pretty when we went out there. The fog was coming off the water, and it was just beautiful!

On another note, today was my first day back at work. It wasn't too bad. But I must say, it is always sad when summer ends. However, at the same time, I always look forward to getting to know the kids in my class, and looking forward to a great year with them. I must say it feels good to be sitting in my chair at home though. The first couple of weeks are always the most tiring. Tomorrow night is open house. We have another workday on Wednesday, and my student teacher will be coming that day too. I look forward to meeting her, and you can always use an extra set of hands at the beginning of the year:)

Last weekend of the summer...

2007-08-17T08:13:00.000-06:00

is here. I just can't believe it! I had a great time with my dad this week! I have some cool pics to post, but I seem to have misplaced my cord that transfers pics from my camera to my computer. I am hoping I left it at the lake yesterday. We went on a fly fishing trip on Wednesday. Neither of us knew how to do it, so it was fun to learn. We were wading in 42 degree water on Lake Taneycomo from about 8 until about 3. Long day, but lots of fun! It was just nice to be with my dad because we never get to do that. He is always with my hubby and brothers, and I am always with my mom. So needless to say, we had a good time together. I'll post pics as soon as I find that cord. Right now, I am back to the rent house to finish painting the bathroom, and polish the wood floors. I pooped out around 1:00 this morning and called it quits. I know you all are jealous of that:) If I don't get back on here today, everyone have a good weekend! We have a surprise b-day party for a great friend this weekend! So we are looking forward to that. I posted a picture just b/c I don't like posting without one:) This is a cactus we have at the lake that blooms during the summer.

Just checking in for a moment....

2007-08-14T09:07:00.000-06:00

I just got back home from the lake. My dad decided to come see me. So I drove to Springfield to meet him at our house. Now we are getting ready to go run a couple of errands, then head back to the lake for a few days. I am going to enjoy my final week off work. Last night, I took off in a kayak and watched the sun set. It was beautiful. I hope everyone has a good week. To all my teacher buddies...enjoy your last week of freedom. It's coming to an end pretty quick.

New Layouts

2007-08-10T09:07:00.000-06:00

Last night I stayed up until 2am scrapbooking downstairs, enjoying some good tunes on my ipod. I don't know what I'd do without that little device:) Anyways...the first three are things I did last night. The others are recent, I just haven't posted them.

The first layout is of the flowers Ryan sent me on my b-day. He always sends me unique flowers, and I love taking pictures of them. This layout is kind of unlike me. I'm not sure how much I like it, but it's done, so that's alright.

This second one is of pictures from last year at the lake that I have had sitting out since then. I can never find anything to compliment the pics because they are so nice to look at, and I don't want to take away from them. So, I kept it really basic, and again, this is one I'm just glad to have completed:)

This one is of another old picture. I sometimes look through albums, and if I see a picture that I really love, even if I have scrapped it before, I just pull it out and add it to my pile. This picture has been sitting in the pile for about six months, and it is a picture that I scrapped originally after our trip. I need to pull that album out and look at it. That is always funny to do. We were in the Dominican Republic with two of our very best friends, Justin and Jessie. Remember this, guys??? It was a pretty unique trip, to say the least. I just can't believe it's been so long ago.
This layout is from Father's Day weekend in Oklahoma. I started it at my mom and dad's house when I was there for her surgery, and just finally adhered the last pieces the other day. Each picture and green paper has good and a word that describes the day. I think it turned out kind of cool. These pictures were taken while I was with my mom too. I did this last Monday after I came home from the lake. If you notice I used white on white. I had seen that somewhere, and the results are more striking in real life.

This layout is pretty old. I think I made it during the winter sometime. It has been hanging in my page protectors in my scrap room, so it hasn't been photographed. I'm switching them out, so I decided to post it.

Well, Ryan is trying to finish work early so we can get an early start to our lake weekend:) So I need to run, shower, go to the grocery store, and head out. Hope everyone has a great weekend!