Introducing...

our very own Thanksgiving miracle! On Thanksgiving day we welcomed into the world our baby girl. Ella Ruth was born at 5:18 pm weighing in at 7 pounds 2 ounces and 21 inches long! We always knew we would love her but we had no idea how much! We cannot imagine life without her!






Birth story coming soon!

The Real Housewives Have Nothing On This Working Mama!

Everyone has a guilty pleasure. Mine is watching "The Real Housewives" series on Bravo. Although I watch them all my favorite housewives are on the Atlanta show. I guess I like them best because they are from the South and they keep it real. I like to think that we'd be friends if we lived in the same town.

On last week's episode one of the housewives (Kim Zolciak) redid her daughter's bedroom. After looking closly (thank you DVR) I noticed some of the fabric used in the bedding was the same fabric I chose for ER's nursery (Covington's Over the Moon in Yellow)! I have to say that made me pretty excited. What made me even more excited was knowing that it didn't cost me $60,000 to complete the room (and the fact that ER's nursery is prettier - not that I am bias or anything).

When designing the nursery we wanted to create a room that was sweet and girly. We did not want it to over do it but we did want to include some neat unexpected surprises. As cheesy as that sounds we were excited for it to all come together. We (and by we I mean me and my husband's talented God Mother) chose two beautiful paint shades in pink (for the ceilings) and green (for the walls). We also decided to add high gloss stripes to give the room a polished look. We then added three vintage nursery rhyme prints (direct from London circa 1912), a handmade mirror complete with pictures of the hubs and I when we were infants, and lots of baskets. To finish up the room we installed a chandelier. In return we got a nursery fit for a princess.

I am in love with our what we have worked to create and I think you will agree that no matter what housewife you like best we can agree that little girl's nurseries are just precious and oh so fun to create!

Maternity Pictures

A few weeks ago one of my best girl friends did a maternity photo shoot for us! She did such a wonderful job I just had to share a few of my favorites! We are so lucky to have such a talented friend in our lives!

Dear Lady in Aisle 2

Today while grocery shopping I got the nicest compliment... "From behind you don't even look pregnant." This came from a very sweet, very nice middle aged woman shopping for salad dressing. I tried to express to her how much her compliment meant to to me but to be honest I don't think she will ever know how much it made my day! If I could have hugged her and kissed her cheek without coming across too stalker/creepy I totally would have!

Thank you lady in aisle 2! You made this momma to be feel a little sassier today!

A few of my favorite things...

Today I made a pact with myself. I am going to be a better blogger. I guess the statement "I am going to TRY" may be more realisitic. Tonight I am going to start with a simple list. A few of my newest and latest obsessions. Not that any one out there cares... it just seemed like a fun and easy way for me to get back into the swing of things.

My New Canon Powershot



I had been wanting a new camera for a long time now. Mainly because I am a camera snob wannabe but mostly because my desire to have a camera that took great pictures was getting the best of me. Needless to say I am in love!

Decaf Pumpkin Spice Lattes



Who doesn't love a warm, yummy drink on a cool fall morning? I am a huge fan! This year I decided to venture past my usual order (Carmel Apple Spice) and try a pumpkin spice latte (decaf of course). Holy moly! Where had they been my whole life? Now if I could just get them year round I would be in business!

Aveeno Lavendar and Vanilla Calming Comfort Lotion



Last week I ran out of lotion. Instead of running out to buy a new bottle I decided to break into our baby girl's stash. We have a ton from showers and everybody knows babies smell awesome so I thought I'd give it a try. Wow. It smells delicious and feels great! Who needs fancy big girl lotion?

Pandora Radio (www.pandora.com)



Ask anyone who knows me... I love music! I enjoy everything so Pandora Radio rocks my socks off! My current favorites are Praise and Worship, Southern Rock, and Rocking Holidays (yes I confess... I have already started listening to Christmas music). If you haven't discovered Pandora you must go check it out right now!

A Few Belly Shots

Between the start of a new school year, grad school, and preparing for baby I have had little time to update the blog. Things are certainly staying busy around our house but we are enjoying every minute of it! To catch you up I thought it would be fun to share some belly pictures! It is amazing how things are changing and growing. I feel I am getting bigger by the day! I am now going from hearing "your belly seems so small" to "I think you have popped!"

20 Weeks




24 Weeks




28 Weeks



At 32 weeks it is hard to believe I am less than 2 months away from meeting our little girl! To say we can't wait is an understatement!

Summer Fun

Number 7 on our to do list has to be my favorite (well aside from all the fun baby suff). We loved it so much I had to create a separate post for it!

I love NYC and have been several times with my family. My husband on the other hand had never visited so I was beyond thrilled to take him there this summer. We are both big Yankee fans so we were extremely happy to visit the new Yankee Stadium and see a game! We went during the "Subway Series." We have expereinced rivals before but nothing quite like the rivarly that exsists between the Yankees and Mets. All throughout the game you could look around the stadium and see little arguments (well more like fist fights) igniting. Even though they didn't win we had a great time.

While visiting we also had the chance to go fishing between the Jersey Shore and Coney Island! Between the ball game, stadium tour, fishing, and sight seeing we had a ball.

To do list... Check!

It is hard to believe the month of July is almost over. In just three weeks I will be back at work getting ready for a new group of kindergartners! Call me crazy but I am looking forward to meeting them and getting the year started. I am already starting work on my beginning of the year packets and lesson plans so I guess it is safe to say I am excited!

Each summer I try to make a to do list of things I hope to accomplish by the end of the summer. So far we are doing well with our list and it looks like we are on track to finishing it! Here is what was on our list:

1. Register
2. Clean out room/closet for nursery
3. Replace carpet in bedrooms
4. Get hardwood floors in living room/dining room
5. Buy crib and mattress
6. Reorganize "office" area
7. Visit NYC

This past week we were able to mark #1, #2, and #5 off our list. Tonight we took care of #3 and #4. Tomorrow I should finish up #6. I love knowing that things things will be taken care of before the start of the new school year. Hopefully the extra planning will help us focus on getting ready for baby, Carolina football, and grad school.

Speaking of football (notice I had to include it)...Our first game is in Atlanta and yes it will be our road trip this year. We try to make one trip away a year so we chose the first weekend! So far there are five others going down with us! We will be meeting the rest of our group once we get down there so it should be a lot of fun! I think there are around 20 of us total! That is going to make for one fun tailgate! I am hoping we will get to do a little sight seeing too! As long as I get some Varsity french fries I will be a happy girl!

Baby Bump

Twenty weeks has come and gone and now at 21 weeks I can hardly believe we are half way there. Fortunately we were able to celebrate at the beach with my wonderful family. Three years ago we got engaged on our family vacation. Each year we go back to the same place and have dinner with my parents. While we are there we always take a picture in the place it all went down! It was fun to take a 20 week belly shot too so I thought I would share it. We are already looking forward to next year when we can take a family photo there with all three of us!

Happy Late 4th of July everyone!

Holy Hormones!

Before I got pregnant I heard horror stories of wives who lost all control of their hormones. Scary stories of women who cried and were flat out mean for 9 months straight! I also heard stories of those whose "nesting" instincts kicked in. I even had a friend admit she got up in the middle of the night to vacuum at 2am. Needless to say I thought these ladies were nuts. Never say never right? Well folks it has happened to me and now I am going to have to eat my words.

Today was the first of many emotional days I fear. Sure I have always been tenderhearted but let's get real... crying during the ESPYS (ESPN's version of an award show)is uncalled for. I guess I better hold on tight. I made it 21 weeks without any "crying episodes" but I have a feeling these may be here to stay. All I have to say is thank goodness my husband was on duty and not around to bear witness.

As far as nesting goes that has also started to kick in. In full force I might add. Last night I was making spaghetti sauce at 10:30. Just so my husband could have something "good" to eat for lunch. I bet he was wondering who kidnapped his wife. I love to cook but cooking that late was a a bit much even for me! Unlike the hormones this is a trait I am happy to see arrive. Now I can take full advantage of what is left of summer break!

I guess hitting the half way mark was a catch 22. I got the hormones but I also got a boost of energy to clean and organize. The good always out ways the bad in my house! I am not sure how my husband will feel about this however, he better get used to it. He is going to have to learn to live with another female soon!

Bring on the Pink Y'all!

Three weeks ago a little girl came into our lives... okay, okay she had been in our lives we just didn't know it. That's right y'all... we are going to have a little girl!

She is beautiful, cute, and sweet. Best of all she is going to be our girl. What could get better than that? We were so lucky to also get a sneak peak of her during our 18 week ultrasound. Needless to say my husband was thrilled because so far she looks just like him!

Firemen and Five Year Olds

Today has been one for the record books. The fun began at school this afternoon when I explained to my 20 kiddos that I "had a baby growing in my belly." Of course they were excited and had lots of burning questions. After one of my kids shouted out "I KNEW IT!" (I guess I am really getting more of a bump than I thought!) One decided to announce to the class that they all "need to be nicer" to me which of course I totally agreed with. I then told them that they would have to make sure to help me stay safe at school and that their hugs would need to be a bit more gentle. You know so they don't squeeze the baby out and all. That comment got them going! On their way out they gave me the most gentle, sweet hugs I have ever gotten. Their hugs were followed with screaming down the hallway that Mrs. P was going to have a baby! This day will certainly be a day of teaching I will not forget!

A few hours later the excitement just kept coming. Around 9 I started to hear a noise. At first it sounded like the refrigerator doing its usual moan but them as the night went on it got louder. Around 9:45 I was certain a puppy/dog/something was under our house. Of course the hubs was on duty and no where in sight. After an initial inspection I gave him a call and instead of suggesting I call a neighbor he sent the fire station down the road to come to the rescue. Just imagine 8 grown men in in uniform in their TWO fire trucks pulling up to my little old street. They got out of those trucks on a mission. At this point I was worried it was just my imagination and that I was about to be humiliated. Fortunately they all confirmed they heard something too. After crawling under our house they decided to take it inside making their way into the attic.

Once one firefighter made it into the attic three more decided to join him. Four firemen later we still have no animal in sight but I will tell you... this has got to be one for the record books. Both for me and for them. I have to say I feel reassured to know that when I am in need of help I know I can count on the boys down the street! Now I know why they say the fire department is a "brotherhood." I guess tonight they came out to help their little sister.

So I've been a little MIA lately... Here is my excuse!

That's right y'all... my eggo is prego! The hubs and I are thrilled to announce we are expecting our first child in November. The past three months have been a whirl when (hence my absence and lack of postings) so I figured it was high time to let our little secret out to the world!

This whole story starts just around the same time I wrote my last post. Back in March when I was headed to Texas. We had been trying and I had a little hunch things were starting to happen. When the hubs dropped us off at the airport I can still remember telling him something was up. Ya know girly stuff that I hadn't really experienced before. I went to Texas... had a blast, ate lots of yummy brisket BBQ (oh my LORD where has THAT been my whole life - I must dedicate an entire blog post to that subject alone later), and spent some QT with my daddio. Although we didn't get a turkey who would have thought I was actually "baking" my own!



Fast forward two weeks later... we are at Outback and it hits us that Miss Susie has not yet graced us with her presence. We stopped by CVS on the way home and low and behold the rest is history.

At first it was hard to believe because literally I felt like nothing happening. I kept wondering around aimlessly thinking this couldn't really be happening. My prayers had been answered and I was certainly not worthy of such a gift/miracle. On April 21st we went for our first ultrasound (again... another topic completely worthy of a separate post) and it was confirmed. It was amazing to see such a tiny blob of life. It was official SOMETHING was happening!

Today we went to our third appointment. This time they did a ultrasound and we were able to hear a heartbeat! I must say nothing in the world could have prepared me for that moment. I had an idea of what I thought it would be like but it was beyond my wildest dreams. As soon as the hubs saw the image on the screen he literally shouted out, "WHOA... No way! That is amazing." My thoughts exactly honey! Our little one was moving all around and even waved to us (I say it was more like a high five because our kid will just be cool like that)!

I am happy to report that our turkey (Let's see... due date one day before Thanksgiving plus turkey hunting trip to Texas... you know that ridiculous nickname was just too natural for us.) is right on track measuring at 13 weeks and a half weeks with a strong heartbeat! I promise I will post a picture later. The quality of this shot was not that great so I am going to need to work on it a bit before it is worthy of the internet.

With the first trimester behind me I am just going to continue to pray for a safe and healthy pregnancy and that my child will inherit his father's hair and ears.

Oh and just in case you were wondering, fortunately I have not been hugging the porcelain thrown... that is until today when I took my vitamins at the wrong time. Try explaining that to a group of 20 kindergartners!

This Time Next Week...

I'll be in the great state of Texas! I know you may be thinking I am visit for all the other touristy reasons someone may visit. Oh no. You are mistaken. Next weekend my daddy and I are going turkey hunting! I feel so blessed to have this awesome opportunity. Not only have I never been to Texas (well there was this one time I had a lay over but that doesn't count) I have never been turkey hunting out of the state. I feel pretty official if I must say so myself and I am really looking forward to it. I even got to go shopping for more camo! I am ready! Bring on the turkeys!

Here is my huntin' buddy and partner in crime. My daddyo.

Stop Hunger Now

This weekend everyone that attends our church was urged to volunteer in some capacity within our community. The messages this month have focused on "Full Service." There were a menu of options available for us to choose from. We chose to participate in the Stop Hunter Now event.

For those of you who are not familiar, Stop Hunger Now's mission is to feed the hungry around the world. Did you know that every 6 seconds a child dies from hunger? It is hard to imagine. What makes Stop Hunger Now different than other relief organizations is that they distribute their meals through schools. They do this to help children stay off the streets and to motivate parents to send their children to school. As a teacher that was something I could appreciate!

Our challenge was to help our team of 800 box 100,000 meals. It was am amazing process to be involved with. In just forty minutes our team of 200 boxed over 30,000 meals! We started out helping make the meal bags. Each bag contains soy protein, rice, dehydrated vegetables, and a flavored vitamin powder. Once we rotated out jobs I began helping "run" prepared bags to the weighing station while the hubby started helping box the sealed meals. I finished the day refilling supplies those making the bags needed.

All in all we were so thankful to be able to participate in such an awesome project! This project has opened our eyes to realize how easy serving can be. We hope to become more involved in the future with other projects such as this one.

Below is a video of a Stop Hunger Now event that took place a couple years ago here in North Carolina. The video helps explain the process and how the organization works. It also features local colleges, including my alma mater Meredith College, which was fun to see!

It's the simple things

It always seems to be the simple things that makes us the happiest. Today while checking my mail, I noticed one envelop didn't look like the others. I recognized the handwriting and as fast as I could I tore it open! Inside I found our newest photos of my beautiful nephew! Inside was a sweet handwritten note from my sister-in-law. Snail mail... what a treat! Handwritten notes and letters are a thing of the past. What a treat it was to open the mailbox today and not find only bills or junk mail!

Ironically a blogger I follow wrote about the same topic today! On her blog she had posted a video of a teacher who writes handwritten letters to his former students on their birthdays. All 2,500 of them! There are students who have been getting letters for years! It is an amazing story. As a teacher it inspired me to think of ways to show my students how special they are during the short time they are in my life. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did! Maybe you will feel inspired too.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun!

My hubby is a firefighter. That means he works every other day for 24 hours with four day breaks here and there. It can be confusing but he loves his work schedule. I enjoy it too and believe it is why our marriage is so solid. Of course I miss him when he is working but what I enjoy about his schedule is on the days he works I am able to have some independent time to myself. As an only child I enjoy spending time alone. It also helps me appreciate the time we do have together much more! Another part I enjoy is the time I am able to spend with my dear friends and family.

Yesterday while he was on duty I had the best girls day! It started with lunch and cupcakes with my awesome friend G who was in town for a visit. We then did a little bit of shopping. The afternoon was topped off with a mani and pedi... my favorite treat! To end the day I went over to my friend KK's for an awesome homemade dinner! We later meet another friend out for a drink! What a day of fun filled with my girl time!

I love the fact that I was able to spend time with three of my favorite ladies in one day! I feel so lucky and blessed to have such awesome friends in my life. They are the most fun and most genuine girls I know!

Winter Wonderland

A miracle has happened in our great state of the south. It has snowed AGAIN! Believe me that is something special as it usually never even snows once! This time something really special happened. The snow stuck to the trees and not the roads! That means two things: a beautiful snow scene and no cabin fever! I couldn't be more thankful. I am convinced that snow this pretty is God's way of saying he loves us in winter!

Last night after a great dinner with friends we trekked home in the snow. We had been keeping an eye on it while we watched the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. Around 11:00 we decided we better get on the road since it was starting to stick a bit. Preston let me drive. It was my first time in 25 years of life that I drove in any type of winter weather. Thankfully it was a success! Driving in slush is not as hard as it looks.

I guess you could say two miracles happened! I survived driving in the snow and our neighborhood looks even pretty this time around.

Feeling the Love

Check this out... I GOT AN AWARD!



I must say I feel honored! I have never gotten an award before. Well there was this time in 8th grade for having the higest average in social studies but that doesn't count. This is SO MUCH better than that! :) A big shout out goes to Jennifer who nominated me! She teaches kindergarten, loves living in the south, and is adorable! If I were you I'd check her out! :)

Okay to accept my award I have to follow a few rules. Here goes:

~Thank the person who nominated you and link to their blog.

~Copy the award and paste it to your blog.

~Tell us 7 interesting facts about yourself.

~Nominate 7 bloggers that you love and link to their blog.

Check, Check, Uh Oh...Thinking of seven interesting facts is tough. I mean on a normal Monday I could just rattle them off but on demand... that's tough. Let's see what I can think of...

1. My husband and I are high school sweet hearts. Sunday marked nine years since he asked me to be his one and only. Crazy right? We have been "dating" longer than most people stay married!

2. I am learning how to shag. For those of you who don't know, shag is a type of dance that started in North Myrtle Beach, SC. It's a lot fun and I am really excited to learn how! People usually dance the shag to beach music. We'll be coming to a wedding reception near you soon! This video has some clips of people shagging down at the beach. The song is by one of my favorite beach music bands - Coastline. We go and see them every year on 4th of July!



3. I love absolutly LOVE baseball. I love watching it, talking about it, and going to games. My team is the New York Yankees! I know, I know... but I live in the south! Yeah well, I have good taste, especially in baseball - so there!

4. I am a turkey hunter. I just started a couple years ago so I don't have a lot of bragging rights yet. I go with my dad so it is a pretty special time for me. Some times we let my husband tag along... If he's lucky!

5. I teach kindergarten! I love my job and I feel thankful to be able to have a job that I enjoy. I look forward to each day because no matter how crazy or borning the day was before... tomorrow is always a new day and you never know what to expect!

6. Key West is my favorite place in the entire world. I would move there tomorrow if someone could promise me a job, a boat, and a place to live!

7. I am a recent adict to the "Twilight Saga." I began reading the books after I watch the first two movies. I know I did things a little out of order but that is what makes me me! I certainly beat to a different drum - that's for sure!

So that is a little bit about me. Check out my nominees for more awesomeness because let's face it... I'm a pretty cool chick!

We're Expecting

White Wave Designs

A Peachy Kitchen

Kelly's Recipes

The Przygodas

God Played a Hand in Fat

Adventures in K-Vega

Be patient with me... God's not finished with me yet!

This morning I found this video on another blog I enjoy reading. The video is called "Cardboard Testimonies." It is amazing. Each person shares their own personal testimony only using two sides of one piece of cardboard. I have seen the video around the internet but never sat down to actually watch it. I did today and I am so thankful I did. It is amazing to see how God works in others lives.

If I had to give my own cardboard testimony it might look something like this...

Lukewarm Christian that prayed for my husband. (Front)

Worshiping Christian that prays with my husband. (Back)

If you were to give your own personal testimony what would it say?

(If you decide to watch the video - which I HIGHLY recommend - make sure you turn off the music below at the bottom first so you can hear the video)

Squirrel Patrol

One of the loves in my life is our 6 pound Yokie. She is an adorable, tiny little thing with a lot of bark... I mean spunk. Since she was a puppy she has despised squirrels. During the day she finds a little perch on our couch and looks out into our yard. It's part of her routine and she loves it. She could sit for hours. She's looking for squirrels. Each time a squirrel comes into the yard she goes nuts! We fondly call her our personal "squirrel alarm." Yesterday I had thrown out some seed for the birds on the snow. A squirrel must have needed seconds because he came up onto our porch.

I didn't even have to look to see what she was so upset about.



Now we are not ones to taunt her but we couldn't resist. I opened the door and shouted "Get 'um girl." And off she went. She was pretty proud of her self. She didn't get him but at least she got him up the tree!



I guess chasing squirrels is hard word because this is what I found around an hour later.

You cannot be serious!

This entire weekend I have tried my hardest to be positive about snow days. For those of you non-teachers out there snow days = make up days in a teachers world. Before I started teaching I LOVED snow days. Don't get me wrong, a snow day here or there is fun. It is nice to sleep in on a random Wednesday morning due to snow. However, tomorrow marks snow day number three. One of my girlfriends just called to break the news. Today and yesterday I stayed positive about. I kept thinking to myself, "Its okay... I don't mind making this up. I needed a break from my kiddos and I have lots of work to catch up on." Even today while I worked in my classroom I was appreciative of the extra work day.

Those happy feelings stopped around 5:45 this afternoon. Tomorrow is another snow day and guess what that means? They have now taken day 1 of spring break from us. I don't mind a snow day but start messing with my spring break and we have a problem! I am confused by this decision and I am not thrilled to loose that day. When I retire I am going to run for the school board so I can help plan a calendar that doesn't take away those special, treasured days in spring (spring fever REALLY exists - trust me I have witnessed it first hand with 25 kindergartners). Y'all know if it snows we are going to miss two or three days... clearly! I guess a man must plan that schedule because if a woman did you know it would have those days already planned in.

Oh well I guess I must stay positive and thankful that I have a job that helps keep me off the road (at least for a little while). I did get a lot done today (a definate positive). Besides LOST comes on tonight. What could get better than that?

This is what is keeping us from school. Apparently lots of roads around the county still look this way. I hate it for them!



At least it was pretty! It was nice to have a weekend to stay inside, play in the snow, build warm fires, and eat yummy food! I guess snow is God's way of telling us Southerners to slow down!

Now paging the jerk in aisle 3...

I live in the south. It never shows here. When it does we get very excited and rush to the grocery store to buy eggs, milk, and bread. Although it does seem quite odd to outsiders we do it because we have no clue how to drive on anything frozen such as snow or ice which can keep us trapped inside for quite some time. Anyhow, this afternoon after I got home from work I headed out to the store to do my weekly grocery shopping. I needed more than the "basic necessities" (as listed above). We were out of food and my husband was coming home from a two day duck hunt. Needless to say today wasn't the day for casual food shopping. It was nuts! Every thing had been picked over (and I mean EVERYTHING... even the onions were sold out). People were rushing, bumping into carts... moms even had panic flashing across their faces. I have never experienced such a "Southern Snow Rush" of that magnitude. Even as a souther gal born and raised it was a bit disturbing.

As I am browsing the coffee section I overheard a very loud and seemingly annoying male voice describing this pandemonium to a friend (I am assuming who still lives wherever this man came from). As I continued to used my "splatter vision" (my father's definition of our family's "gift" to be able to multitask - aka eavesdrop) to listen in I realized this man had his own opinion and quite frankly began making fun of us "southern people." Basically he called us all crazy. Now I can make fun of southerners all day long until the cows come home but you let someone born above the Mason Dixon line go there and its on! Needless to say this guy got a big "go to you know where" look for the remainder of my stay in the store.

As I stood in line with all of my fellow "crazies" I couldn't help but thinking. Forgive us mister for looking forward to seeing snow... I guess we were just graced by the good Lord to be born here. I sure hope you realize how lucky you are to live here now.



This picture was taken around 8:00 on Friday. It had been snowing for about an hour. It is suppose to continue for 24 hours so I will have to post an after picture next!

I think I just got dooped.

Since we moved in our house two years ago I have wanted a new entertainment center. I mean of course the hubby's bachelor TV stand would do, but I wasn't looking for it to last this long. On Sunday Preston asked me what I wanted to do on my day off. I suggested sleeping in and going out to lunch but he had a better plan. He wanted to take me shopping for an entertainment center. Now that was an idea! It only took three stops before we fell in love with one. This is what we found. We love it and think it will make our living room! It is going to be delivered next Thursday. I can't wait.



Have you ever had that feeling that someone has done something nice so that you will do something nice for them. For example, "if you scratch my back I'll scratch yours." Well I got that feeling as soon as we left the store. We didn't even make it to car before my darling husband said the infamous words, "So I have been thinking..." As soon as I started the car he finished the sentence with, "I need a new boat."

Top Gun and Coffee...

Must mean it is a holiday from school! When I became a teacher four years ago I did not realize how much I would appreciate having holidays off. Of course I realized it was a perk of the job but that was about it. I was still fresh out of college and ready to work my butt off for little money.

Now as an "old pro" (ha ha - who am fooling) I can see that two things teachers adore are teacher workdays and holidays. I feel so blessed to have a job that I love (yes I do actually love teaching a class full of 21 children under the age of 6) that allows me time to be off with my family and friends. In actuality I also enjoy having a day to "regroup" sleeping in, accomplishing chores I didn't get to over the weekend, and to relax with my hubby and dog.

Of course the real reason we are off today is to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Today I hope you will remember this wonderful man's dream. His efforts and ultimate sacrifice paved the way for our future. I am so thankful everyone in our county has equal rights regardless of the color of their skin. Most of all I am thankful that I have the opportunity to teach ALL children and for that I am forever thankful.

If you are lucky enough to have today off I hope you will enjoy it and make the most of this beautiful Carolina blue sky day!

Kids Say the Darndest Things!

It is no secret children are a gift from God. I am learning, the more teaching years I get under my belt, you can never expect the things they may say! You never know what they will say next. Last week I began teaching comparing attributes (such as weight, height, texture, length). When I asked my class if anyone knew how we can compare someone's weight a student I called on responded by saying, "My mom says wait means you are patient." I thought that was pretty sweet.

A few days later I caught one of my darling boys kissing one my sweet girls on the cheek during carpet time. I just gave him a quick "okay fella... I caught ya" look and went on teaching. After the lesson I asked them both to stay while the others got in line. I explained kissing in kindergarten was off limits - you know just mommies and daddies kiss, we have to wait until we are older and mature for those things (That's why we get married right? So we can kiss anytime we want?). Anyhow... when I asked him why he gave her a smooch his response was, "Well I was looking at her and I just couldn't help myself." Now if we all could love someone that much even if it is just for a quick moment during carpet time!

One thing is for sure, you gotta love 'em! I know teaching is the hardest job I will ever have. Of course I am sure being a mommy someday will be even harder! Even though it can get stressful I love it and I am so happy to have found something that makes me happy!



The above picture is one of me ready for a fun day in kindergarten! We were getting ready for our annual character parade! I was Ma, a character from the story "The Doorbell Rang."

New Year Resolutions

Last year Preston and I began attending our church. We had both been thinking of finding a new church to attend as our home churches were both an hour away. We were asked by a fellow fireman to come and visit during a Christmas play. We really liked it so we kept going. To our surprise we have LOVED going there! I say to our "surprise" because we were both raised in very traditional/small church settings. I am Baptist and he is Methodist. The church we now attend is non-denominational, contemporary, and made up over around 5,000 people. Next weekend is their "Discovery" class where we can learn all about what it means to be a member there. We are going and we are really excited! We feel we have finally found our "home church." After almost two years of marriage it feels great to have found a place that has deepened our love for the Lord! We couldn't think of a better place for us!

Each few weeks our pastor begins a new series of study. Before Christmas we went through each of the Ten Commandments. Believe me... they aren't as simple (or cut and dry) as you may think. To begin the new year we have now started a "New Year's Resolution" series. Here are the "resolutions" we will be covering over the next few weeks:

- I will say "no."
- I will say "yes."
- I will say "I love you."
- I will say "I'm sorry."

Last week we learned that saying "no" helps us to focus on the things that matter most to us in life such as God, family, marriage, etc. It was a great message to hear, especially before going back to work. This week we learned that we should say "yes" to God's love and that we should always ask ourselves "What would Jesus do?" before we act. We were also reminded to find scripture that relates to our needs and desires before we ask God for them. I cannot wait to see what our pastor has to say about the next two resolutions! I will have to keep you posted.

On another note (but still on topic... it involves our church as well) here is an update on our Mina Project. This project is sponsored by our church each year. Every person over the age of 18 is given an envelop with money inside ranging from $10 to $100. It was our job to find a creative way to multiply our money. Our proceeds from the project were to go to someone in our community. Preston build a fishing rod and sold raffle tickets to raise money for his God Mother who has cancer and is going through chemo. I sold half and half tickets to raise money to buy Christmas meals for the homeless at a local shelter. Preston raised $485 to his God Mother and I raised $214! It was an amazing process to be involved in and we are both very happy with how things turned out! Both of us were able to help those we really care about and it felt so good to have the support of our friends, family, and even total strangers!

It is amazing what is possible walking by faith!

Ringing in the New Year

For New Year's Preston and I visited Asheville, North Carolina. While in Asheville we visited the Biltmore House. We went at night so we could see it all lit up. They still had it decorated for Christmas so it was absolutely gorgeous! It is amazing to think at one time a family lived there! Here are some interesting facts we learned while visiting:

1. The Biltmore House is the largest home in America. At 175,000 square feet it is easy to see why.
2. George Vanderbilt began building the home when he was only 25 year old. He never worked a day in his life! He inherited all his money.
3. In the 1930's the home began welcoming tourist as a way to increase tourism in the Asheville area. This was a ploy to increase money flow due to the recession. It worked! The home is now welcomes guest 365 days a year!

Enjoying a New Year's Eve dinner at Deer Park Restaurant



Going Back to See it During the Day

A Year in Review

It is hard to believe another year as come and gone. This year was a year full of family, friends, fun, and new additions. Of course what year (of my life any way) would be complete without a wedding or two? The year of 2009 was good to us so I cannot wait to see what 2010 has in store!

2009 began with snow! Although it was nice in the beginning, we eventually lost most of our spring break due to snow days. I now realize why adults didn't like snow! One day is nice, but mess with my spring break and we have a problem.



In March Preston and I celebrated our 1st Anniversary! These last two years have been the best two years of my life! I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for our little family!



This spring marked my second season as a turkey hunter! Although I have not got my bird yet I still love every minute of it! This year I am hoping to call up my own turkey! I have been practicing! A lot of people give me a hard time about it, but I really do enjoy it and I am very serious about getting my first turkey!



In June, just as school was out for the summer, we ventured out to Hall River for what was my first kayaking trip! Needless to say it was an exciting trip. Thankfully my husband, my rescuer, helped me a couple times when times got tough on the rocks. I survived, cought some fish, and feel ready for next's summers river adventure!



This summer we had tons of fun! Last year we mostly painted and went on a couple trips to the beach. This year we decided to go, go, go. We had a ton of fun! We were able to go on several beach trips (with both family and friends). We also went to many concerts (well I did most of the going to those sans the hubby) and short day trips. The highlight of our summer was certainly our cruise! We were able to visit four countries in seven days! It was a total blast!





One of our favorite events this year involves our family's newest addition. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law welcomed a new baby boy in May! He is precious and certainly has a big spot in our hearts! Over holiday break I got to babysit him for the first time by MYSELF! It was such a fun time. He is now my "#1 little buddy" as Preston likes to say.



What year in our family would be complete without Carolina football. Football is Preston's thing. Tailgating is mine! I love socializing, cooking, and hanging out with a cool beverage! Life is good during the fall in Chapel Hill!



I know it doesn't look like much but this year was a great year! We are so blessed to have had health and happiness throughout the year! I hope that everyone has a year like never before in 2010! God bless you and yours all year along!