Don't Pass Out...

I know, I'm actually posting! It's amazing really...I have a few friends who have either begun to blog again or who have been blogging and they, quite honestly, have inspired me...so here goes.
Things have changed around my house. Everyone knows it. The girls and I have adjusted to our little life and love our routine. That being said, our little home is in need of some more TLC.
We planted flowers and plants. The girls helped. No really, they did. They did an excellent job and they flowers are precious.
I've been mowing the lawn. I do a great job of mowing, but edging and weed-eating, not so much. I'm working on it and will get better eventually.
I've also been planning on a little remodeling in the house. Last summer I completely re-did the girls' bathroom...completely=pulled down wallpaper, textured walls, painted walls, installed new light fixture and new mirror, laid tile, new shower curtain (that my mom sewed for me) sanded and painted cabinets, reinstalled toilet, installed new baseboards...whew! That being said, I'm ready for more.
Here is a list of what I'm about to tear apart, I mean, redo and make amazing!
*paint kitchen walls
*sand and paint kitchen cabinets (after that, the kitchen will basically be done!! Wait, I want to put a new top on my kitchen table...ok, that may have to wait for a bit)
*pull down wallpaper in my bathroom & texture walls
*paint bathroom walls
*paint bathroom cabinets
*tile bathroom floor
*new light fixtures & mirror in bathroom
*sand bedroom furniture & stain
*make bed linens
*paint bedroom walls

Then there is always cleaning the garage out and getting rid of all that crap...so, if you need anything, let me know, I might have it!
Oh, and I will be posting before, during and after pictures of the remodel process so stay tuned!

A New Year

Yes, I know it's the end of August and know technically, it's not the NEW YEAR, but for me, as a teacher, it is...this is almost the end of a long first week back. Gwen, my 5 year old, began kindergarten...she had a fabulous 1st day and has had even more fabulous subsequent days. She loves school and loves her teacher. She has even made fast friends with the girls who sit at her table with her during the day. I'm so proud of her and knew she would love school.
I have begun the year chaos-full. Kids weren't where they were supposed to be, kids were missing, kids were everywhere! At one point, I had 58 kiddos in my room...you have to laugh at that because if you didn't you'd cry! It was all adjusted and life will continue but it got me thinking...now that I have a kid IN SCHOOL, I see these faces differently. School can be hard, new schools and bigger schools can be an adjustment...kids are confused and scared and worried...kids are energetic and funny and talkative. I'm all those things. I am still nervous as they file in my room each day. I'm still confused, alot and often don't know what to do next.
I feel empathy, sympathy. I understand where they are coming from. And as if that weren't enough, I have 2 kids in my class with whom I went to high school with their moms!!!! Am I old enough to have a 10/11 year old? Yep! Yikes! But they are sweet and wonderful.
Ask me how sweet and wonderful these kids are in 2 months, I might tell you differently...but for now, my students this year are excited and ready to learn and create...and so am I.

Summer, summer, summertime!

It's FINALLY summer! I'm done with school and ready to enjoy the time home with my girls...the school year ended hugely successful and I have some great ideas for next year. I will not be worrying about that now though. The girls will start gymnastics next week, I will teach swim and we have already planned many trips to the zoo, art classes with MawMaw (their great grandma), craft classes with our friends Letanya and Tori and swimming at Manny's (their grandma) pool! Whew! I'm already tired! Welcome Summer 2010, we are glad you are here!!

Huge Volcanic Ash and Naked in the Airport

OK, so I've been looking at pictures online of the volcanic ash that is covering Iceland and Europe...I hear it's moving towards Canada...anyway, as I was looking through the images online, here's what struck me:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36645958?gt1=43001
This image is amazing...it's called a dirty thunderstorm...truly beautiful. But here's something NOT so beautiful:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36553710
So, this poor couple is stranded in Gatwick Airport in southern London...sucks but they appear to be making the most of it...look closer...did you notice? The guy has no shirt on!!! Seriously? You are in a HUGE airport, SLEEPING no less!!! I guess he thought as long as he was there, he might as well get comfy:)

Crayon Roll

OK, so I have a friend up here at work who crafts alot...and she's good at it...I have dreams of crafting alot but it just never happens...maybe someday. ANYWAY, I was looking around at some crafty blogs and found these crayon rolls...this just might be my new favorite thing...I plan on making one for the girls and then, of course, for all my friends' kids...you just might have to wait for their birthdays though:)

Easter!

Here are some pics from Easter...Gwen and Graelyn hunted eggs, ate and played all afternoon...they had so much fun and even got to skip their naps:). My dad came over to my aunt's house and brought his dog, Gus...as you can see, Gwen LOVES Gus:)

Stinky Season

So I commented on my facebook page that my room smelled like feet the other day...to clarify, I meant my CLASSROOM at school. Let's get a few things straight...I was being nice. It smelled more like a boys' locker room that hadn't been cleaned in 2 months during the summer. See, I teach 5th and 6th graders...I love them, they are funny and sweet and stinky all at the same time...but right now, they are REALLY stinky. It's getting warmer, they're getting hormonal and naturally, they sweat, A LOT.
Sooo, to all you parents of pre-teens, heck, to all you parents out there of anyone 7 years of age or older...invest in some GOOD deoderant for your kid, NOW. Make them wear it and make them reapply often. There's nothing wrong with smelling good...believe me, in a few years they're going to WANT to smell good anyway so might as well make a habit of it now. I have HUGE sense memory (specifically smell) and let's just say my room does not make me want to come back anytime soon.
Happy hunting...let me know if you find a coupon for deoderant and I'll pass it along to all my fans:)

Back on...I hope:)

Well, it's been a while since I've posted anything and I can say that I don't necessarily have anything life-altering to say, except that...people are funny...at the gym, people are funny. They wear stuff they shouldn't, they look at people who are really really in great shape, they look at people who are in really really awful shape...honestly, I'm kinda stuck in the middle...I'm working on being the one who is in fantastic shape, but I'm not there yet. Here are some of my favorite/most hated moments at the gym lately:
1.speedo guy coming out of the steam room...yikes
2.giggling girls "trying" to lift weights (these girls deserved a punch in the face)
3.super slow movers on the stairclimber...does this really do any good at all?
4.loud talker by the weights (this is the guy who wants to be everyone's friend and make sure we all know how much he knows about lifting...awesome)
5.rocker (this is the dude who has such GREAT music on his ipod that he has to stop lifting to bang his head a little)
6.super extremely in shape girl who is so cute that everyone LITERALLY everyone watches her work and walk (she's so in shape it hurts my feelings...but I know she's probably at the gym like 3 hours a day and I just can't do that)

So there you are, my "not quite top 10"

Tourist Season

So, for the large part of this month, my gym has been BUSY...and by busy I mean the kidzone (where the kids can play and "workout" as Gwen calls it while mommy and daddy can hit the gym) has a line a mile long...you waste MOST of your workout time just waiting in that ridiculous line!! The cardio machines (treadmills, ellipticals, stairmasters) are full, and many of the weights and especially the weight machines are VERY full...why you may ask? Is it because no one wants to run outside in the cold of January? Is it because my gym is shiny and new and everyone wants to try it out? Maybe it's because there's a hot new personal trainer that all the ladies wanna take a look at...all of those theories are fantastic possibilities but the truth is, it's tourist season at all gyms, everywhere, around the world...around the universe, perhaps. You see, many people have made New Year's Resolutions...resolutions to lose weight, get back in shape, feel better, etc...and the brand new shiny gym membership is the way to do that...the only resolution I've made is, quite frankly, to drink more margaritas...but that's not the point...the point is...these tourists are in my way...they are in my way of something I've been solidly working on for several months now...at almost 34 years of age, I'm finally figuring out what it means to eat healthy and get in shape...I've always been a fairly athletic person but once you have kids, things change...and by change I mean expand and soften up...so I've made it my personal goal to shrink and harden up...and I'd appreciate it if you tourists would go back to the State of Couch Potato so the rest of us who actually get our money's worth in a gym could get our space back...

Recipes

So, we're cutting calories around our house and working hard to feel better and get in shape...I found several recipes that are low cal and so far, have tasted EXCELLENT! I'm posting 2 that I've tried...I'll post more later when I try the rest...I tweeked a few and have made notes accordingly:) I hope you enjoy!

Soft Chicken Tacos: (I put all the ingredients together and then "grilled" them in a pan...warming up all the ingredients and making the corn tortilla slightly crispy...yum! I also did NOT put sour cream on mine but I don't like sour cream...we used homemade guacamole:)

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1227897

Mozerella Chicken Sandwiches: (I didn't put the tomatoes on the sandwich...but they would have been good I'm sure...this is Seth's new favorite sandwich he says!)

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1185367

Those are the only ones I've tried so far...I'll post more as I make more!

Fedex taking a break...

So Roger Federer is taking a break from several tournaments this year...the Asian tournaments will be without Fedex...too bad, because, its always nice to see him on TV...I mean, can you blame me?

Church on a Tuesday

Yeah, yeah, it's Tuesday but hey, I'm Presbyterian, that's how I roll...anyway, take a read...as I was prepping for my 5K this past weekend (and I suspect will continue to listen to as I prep for my 10K)...I found myself having church at 5am with an 11lb. weenie dog...this was the best church I've had in a long time. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my church, I love our pastor, Pastor Frank (he's from Alabama and came over for the 1st Bama game...the man might as well be family to Seth and I!!!) but I rarely sit still the entire service. With a 2 year old and a 4 1/2 year old...entertainment and "shhing" is my not so favorite passtime on Sunday mornings. I digress...take a read:
I tied myself with wire
To let the horses run free
Playing with the fire
Until the fire played with me

The stone was semi-precious
We were barely conscious
Two souls too cool to be
In the realm of certainty
Even on our wedding day

We set ourselves on fire
Oh God, do not deny her
It's not if I believe in love
But if love believes in me
Oh, believe in me

At the moment of surrender
I folded to my knees
I did not notice the passers-by
And they did not notice me

I've been in every black hole
At the altar of the dark star
My body's now a begging bowl
That's begging to get back, begging to get back
To my heart
To the rhythm of my soul
To the rhythm of my unconsciousness
To the rhythm that yearns
To be released from control

I was punching in the numbers at the ATM
I could see in the reflection
A face staring back at me
At the moment of surrender
Of vision over visibility
I did not notice the passers-by
And they did not notice me

I was speeding on the subway
Through the stations of the cross
Every eye looking every other way
Counting down 'till the pentecost

At the moment of surrender
Of vision of over visibility
I did not notice the passers-by
And they did not notice me

Good stuff...I think I have many moments of surrender...I'm a bit of a control freak and God knows it...I'm constantly surrendering...at least he believes in me to continually accept my surrender.

Just a celebrity fix here...

OK, I admit, I should be typing something more meaningful...like, how my 5K run went this weekend or how, as I was listening to U2's new CD while running the other morning I had church, serious, meaningful church, but I'm not going to do that...I'll save that for later or just save if for my friends below BFF Chris or Kairo's Corner...they're really good at it anyway so I'll just leave it to them perhaps:) Anyway, here's what I found and what I think...enjoy my 3 faithful readers!!!

Someone PLEASE give Suri a clip or SOMETHING to hold her hair back out of her freakin' face! That's all I see...her hair in her face...ugh, seriously people...they have more money than Jesus and yet, there she is, barefoot and straggly hair...I can live with the barefeet because my girls are more often than not too...I'm ok with that...but NOT NOT NOT the hair in the face!!!!

I just love Kate...she's so beautiful...if I weren't married, maybe I'd date her...but she's married too and I actually like Seth...I'll stay put...for now:)

Don't you just love this family? I really want to be their friend...and I think we'd be really good friends too...her girls are super fun and so are mine...why couldn't we be friends? I'm not creepy, I promise! Just sayin'

I think we clone people around here...

Here is a picture my mom sent of our trip to San Antonio this summer...we had stopped for a picnic lunch and consequently were attached by geese! No lie! Geese...they wanted our food...as a result, here is a picture of the girls with their "Manny." PRECIOUS! But look at Gwen and my mom...my mom looks like she could be her MOTHER!!!

Has it really been over a month?

Seriously? Has it really been over a month since I posted? Well, I apologize for all of my loyal fans (all 4 of you)...life has been very busy and I've found myself with less and less time to do the things I want and need to do really. There is not much happening in our lives as of yet...Gwen and Graelyn are both dancing this year, which is fun and I'm training for a 10K on October 3rd...wish me luck!
Gwen is in preschool now. She attends 3 days a week and LOVES it, of course...the director is one of my dearest friends from college, Rebekah...I must say, I think Gwen likes "Bekah" more than she likes me...she talks and talks to Bekah on their drive home from school and I get squat to talk about when I pick her up...oh well, at least she's loving school!
Happy weekend to all my fans out there! Sorry it's been so long!

Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus...wait....

OK, so the end of last week and yesterday found us in Richmond, VA, visiting family and attending a wedding of a lifelong friend of Seth's...needless to say, we were busy and got to see alot of loved ones! My in-law's camera holds the pictures so I'll download some of those later but here are the highlights of the trip:
1. Gwen and Graelyn endeared themselves to the pilot on the way out...NOT the flight attendant on the way back...long story.
2. We all attended a VERY Greek wedding 1 hour 4 minutes long...I looked...Gwen made it through the ENTIRE thing silent and perfect and then reinacted it with her G-ma Nancy and Grandad afterwards...Graelyn made it through exactly 4 min. 37 seconds until we exiled ourselves to the "loud kids" area of the church...she had fun, made friends with Sammy from Philly and Henry and Greta from Plano (who by the way flew out with us...we're bff now for real)
3. We left the girls with said G-ma Nancy and Grandad to play, bathe and sleep while we went to the adults only reception (which was kinda nice for a change...but I wish we could have danced with the girls!)
4. Aunt Shannon (Seth's brother Ethan's wife) is looking super cute with her belly...baby girl Lindbloom should be here sometime in October and we'll get to see her over Thanksgiving!
5. Had a little party for Graelyn on her actual birthday (July 26th)...officially 2 years old!!! EVERY aunt and uncle was there that lives in Richmond: Aunt Carlyle, Aunt Amanda & Uncle Eric (whom I just met and LOVE!), Aunt Shannon & Uncle Ethan...then some new friends who garden and have inspired me to do so as well...Melissa & Shawn...and Shawn is a good friend of Ethan and Seth's from high school!
6. Ate really well...Seth's dad might as well be a chef so we ate lots of new and fun things and the girls LOVED Grandad's waffles!
7. Ran 2 miles with said Grandad...who totally schooled me at the end...whatever, he's a stud
8. FINALLY got to go to Carytown and shop a little, very little...can't wait for the next trip! Carytown is a super cool, eclectic sort of road/area with all kinds of cool/eclectic shops! Bought the girls 2 baby dolls with funky pink hair! Too fun!
9. Went to the James River and waded in the water with the girls, Maymont to see its amazing beauty and 2 bears!, and the Children's Museum (almost lost Graelyn...she's so fast!)
10. And finally, drove around Richmond with the girls by myself and NOT ONCE got lost!
Needless to say, it was a busy trip and the girls are exhausted...oh yeah, flight was delayed last night 3 hours...didn't get to bed until 1:30am...I haven't seen that time since I was nursing Graelyn!!! Anyway, good times had all around and we can't wait to get back up there to see baby Claire in November...oh yeah, and everyone else too:)

The summer

Is quickly fading before my eyes and my heart and I can't seem to find the way to stop it from slipping through our fingers (ok, hearts don't have fingers but you get the picture). I can't seem to stop Gwendolyn from growing up into a big girl, from pretending to spell and be my teacher and play family and be the one in charge. I can't stop Graelyn from going potty by herself and getting her own snack (by climbing on the counter) and helping her sister do 5,000 little cute things during the day. I can't stop time...my heart wants to...my heart tells me to stop time, to play Barbies a little longer, to forget the dishes in the sink, the laundry on the couch (yes Rebekah, more is there) and to play in the sprinkler with them, eat more ice cream, color just one more picture, take a nap with them...so I will...I told some friends that I've been meaning to really "spring clean" every room this summer and obviously haven't...if you've been to my house this summer you would be able to tell! Maybe rather than cleaning out my house, I just need to continue loving my House...my Home...my Family...my God a little more...yeah, that's the kind of "spring cleaning" I think I can get into!

the end of an era...

Well, it's official...we no longer have babies in our house! Graelyn is sleeping wonderfully in her big girl bed for the 1st time tonite! As evidenced by the pictures, she's loving it! She DID go to bed late though (we had to pick up daddy from the train station) but she seems extremely comfy! So, with a sad but proud heart, I offer up our baby furniture for sale! Just kidding, we're keeping it a little longer:) (and NO I'm NOT pregnant!!!)

Dance Recital 2009

I know you've all been waiting for this since last year's "Candy Ballerina"...Gwen's dance recital was a HUGE success! She did a fantastic job and had 2 dance numbers this year: one tap (Broadway Baby) and one ballet (Make a Wish).

Here is a picture "pre-show" getting ready...ahh, gotta love the spongey rollers!Here are others at the arts center, before and after the performance...

And of course, let's not forget Graelyn...here she is posing as we are telling Gwen to...she's already got it down...look for her dancing debut possibly next year:)
Here are the 2 videos of the actual performances, as promised above! Enjoy!

Deals at Kroger

OK, I know I don't normally do this but I was super excited about some of these so I thought I'd share...here you go:
1. country time lemonade in the cannisters are on sale for $1...I don't have any coupons for that.
2. Kraft bbq sauce is on sale for $1...with a 75 cent coupon, bbq sauce for 25 cents
3. Kraft salad dressing is on sale for $1.69...w/a $1.50 coupon, salad dressing for 19 cents
4. CPK frozen pizza on sale for $4.99...w/$1 coupon, $3.99 (I know, not as good but good for the tummy)
5. Suave shampoo (I buy for the girls, their kids shampoos are good) on sale for $1.67 w/ 50 cents off 2 (which ends up being $1 off b/c of double coupons) 1.67x2-$1=$2.34 for 2 bottles
6. Dixie paper plates on sale for 2 for $5...(but you can still buy one and get the price, so $2.50) w/a 35 cent coupon (which is really tripled to $1.05) plates for $1.45
7. ball park franks, buy one get one free...not sure of the price but I have a $1 off coupon when you buy 2:) Works for me!

OK, that's it...just thought I'd share...just really excited about the lemonade, bbq sauce and salad dressing!!! Happy Hump Day (take that however you need to:)