Saturday, June 30, 2012

Off the grid...

Sorry I've been MIA for the past week.  Time got away from me and I didn't think about blogging much.  Well, that, and I have nothing much to say.

We had an incredibly violent storm last night.  So much so that I was actually pretty scared and storms don't normally scare me much.  miss raven and I spent the night in total darkness, huddled in my bed, listening to the wind scream and howl, and shaking.  I was praying that my roof and windows would hold.  In some ways it was worse that what we went through with Hurricane Irene last summer.

Most of the day today we were ok.  We lost power around 10:30 last night but were able to make it through most of the day inside.  My cell phone was pretty much dead and I had no coffee so around 4:00 this afternoon I put miss raven in the truck with me, plugged in the cell phone, cranked up the AC, and took a drive.  We ended up going to a Petsmart where they were EXTREMELY nice to us, encouraging us to take our time and take advantage of the AC.  We spent about half an hour there and then headed to the Dunkin Donuts near me.  I was so, so disappointed when I saw that they were closed.  I decided to try Starbucks and they were closed, too.  Honestly, I think I cried then.

We headed home and I was pretty surprised at the amount of damage.  There were trees and branches down everywhere.  While I was in the truck I called the power company and the recorded message said that they didn't expect power to be restored until sometime after the FOURTH OF JULY.  I did cry then.

The power came on about half an hour ago but it is starting to flicker again so I am going to cut this short.  Have a great week, wherever you are, and I will try to be back again soon.

:)

Friday, June 22, 2012

Why I do what I do...

Yesterday afternoon I had lunch with one of my former students.  She went to my school through 8th grade and then left to attend a public high school.  I knew she would do well no matter where she went and, after talking with her yesterday, I knew I had been correct.

She graduated earlier this month and will be going to college out of state in the fall.  She is excited and scared and nervous and everything else a first time college student is.  I remember feeling that way the summer before I was getting ready to leave for school in Florida.

Lunch was nice and it was so nice to be able to catch up with her.  She gave me a card with a couple of her senior pictures.  I read the card while I was there and it was very hard to hold back the tears.  I waited until I came home and then bawled like a baby.  Here is what she said:

It feels like just yesterday I was sitting in your History Class 8th grade year hoping to score high on my test to earn some type of tasty treat!!  It didn't matter if it was a brownie or a cookie, I just knew it would be delicious.  Now I'm graduating high school and moving on to college.  When I left CCS, I didn't like Wise at all.  I missed every part of CCS, especially YOU!!  At CCS you were there as a teacher, counselor, principal, and most of all a mother figure.  After I left you were still there to listen and keep me in your prayers.  Though you might not have known, I always noticed you were humble, caring, constantly going above and beyond what was asked of you, and always keeping God first.  Your kindness inspired me to be like you!  Your test messages telling me you knew I would do well and reminding me I was in your prayers were the best encouragements and motivations that pushed me to do so much during high school.  Your FaceBook and text messages always came at the times when I needed it the most.  All I can do is say thank you to God for blessing me with an amazing teacher in my life who instilled more in me than any other!  Along with thanking God, I want to say thanks to you for everything you have done.  For all the lessons (both history and life lessons), for all the encouragement (to do everything I put my mind to and forget what others think), and for all the messages to remind me you still cared.  That's more than I ever expected!
I love you more than just a teacher, more than just a principal, more than just a counselor, I love you like a mother!!  You will always be the greatest teacher ever!!  Thank You Again!  :)
 And that is why I do what I do.

:)
 

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Note to self...

It really would be a good idea to blog more than once a week....

I actually did have a blog post ready to go sometime last week.  I had typed up about half of it and then had to stop for a bit.  I never did get back to it and so it never got posted.

Sorry about that.

So.  My knitting class was supposed to end last night.  I happened to check my e-mail yesterday afternoon and discovered an e-mail from someone in the store (I think the owner) saying that class was going to be postponed because the instructor was in the emergency room.

What?!?!

I don't know what's up with her and I really hope she is ok.  I was disappointed to miss class but am more concerned about the instructor.  We are supposed to be making up the class this coming Tuesday night and then I will have to decide what I am going to do after that.  I am going to try to get some advice from the girl who is teaching the class to see what she would recommend as the next step.  I have been looking at some of the choices and there are a few that sound interesting but that require skills that I don't have yet.

Look what I got this weekend:



I have been wanting some nice (inexpensive) furniture for my deck since I moved in here but didn't have the money to buy anything.  I have literally been saving for about two years and found this set on clearance at Home Depot this weekend.  I am so in love with it!  Unfortunately, it was hotter than Satan's left armpit the last few days so I haven't been able to really enjoy it, yet.

My deck is slowly turning in to the little oasis that I have been envisioning.  I love the bright colors of the plants I have gotten and love the furniture that I have.  It is supposed to cool down a little this weekend so I am hoping to be able to grill and dine al fresco.  :)

The little one is doing well.  She enjoys her daily naps:


and has "made friends" with the dog that lives behind us.  Ok.  Technically, I suppose they aren't friends.  I am guessing she is more likely merely tolerating him.  It is kind of funny, though.  He will come to the fence and whine and whimper to get her attention.  She will walk over to the fence and stare at him while he makes a fool out of himself.  Then she will turn around and look at me and I swear she would roll her eyes if she could.



She is such a diva.  Aaannnnnnddd....I love her!

Stay cool wherever you are and enjoy the rest of your week!

:)

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Did you know...


  1. While I was born (and spent five years) in the North, I consider myself a Southern girl through and through.  I say y'all, all y'all, yes ma'am/no ma'am, and yes sir/no sir.  Without fail.
  2. My students think I talk funny although they do not think I have a Texas accent.
  3. I hate snakes, heights, close spaces, anything with a stinger, and people who talk during the movie.  Shut up already!
  4. One of my secret guilty pleasures involves a salt shaker and slugs.  I hate those slimy little buggers.
  5. I used to think that blood was thicker than water.  Not anymore.
  6. My favorite color is pink.
  7. Although I drive a truck, LOVE football, and watch NASCAR, I am a girly girl through and through.  
  8. I hate to sweat thus my abhorrence of exercising. Although I DESPERATELY need to.
  9. Improper grammar drives me up the wall.  I am always (mentally) correcting other people's grammar.
  10. I love coffee and coffee flavored anything.
  11. If I could eat ice cream every day for the rest of my life I would be happy.  Especially if I could do that and not gain any weight.
  12. I used to think I was going to marry Troy Aikman.  Now I am in love with Tony Stewart.
  13. I love my job.  I love being a teacher.  I love being an elementary school teacher.
  14. One day I would love to move back to Texas.
  15. I love my dog.  She is my BFFF (best furry friend forever).
  16. I hate flowery scents.  Except lilac.  I LOVE the smell of lilacs.
  17. Not that I think this is EVER going to happen; however, if it does...I plan on getting married on the beach.  In bare feet.  With either pink or orange toe nails.
  18. My BFF is going to make my wedding cake.  Or cupcakes.  In fabulously bright colors.
  19. I don't care if it is in style.  If I like it, I will wear it.  And probably buy three or four of it.
  20. I love plants but have little luck in growing them or keeping them alive.  When I can accomplish keeping a plant alive longer than six months I consider myself successful.
  21. My favorite kind of food is Mexican but my favorite home cooked meal is my Dad's BBQ beef ribs.  I do my best to get him to make them for me every time I see him.
  22. I do not know how to change a tire but I do know how to add wind shield wiper fluid.  I can also add oil to my lawn mower.  Clearly I am not a do-it-yourself kind of girl.
  23. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people scream and rant and rave about equal rights but then do not recognize that those equal rights belong to EVERYONE whether you agree with them or not.
  24. I love old movies.  I mean Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, and Ingrid Bergman old.
  25. While I don't follow basketball I am rooting for OKC because I can't stand loathe the Heat.
The end.

:)

Monday, June 11, 2012

A whole week, huh?

I cannot tell you how many times this last week I thought to myself....Gee, I should blog today.

And then I didn't.

And now it has been a week since I last blogged.

And I am on summer vacation.

*hangs head in shame*

Sadly, and I said this before, during the summer nothing exciting happens to me.  I have no cute student stories, no interesting "at work" happenings.  It is just boring, old me.

I did start my knitting lessons last week and I have been practicing all week long.  I keep looking at all the cool patterns on Ravelry and I want so badly to move beyond K1,k1.  I am hoping to take a shawl class after this beginning knitting class so that I can start using some of my gorgeous yarns on fun things.

It has been hot here the last few days and I am dreading the electric bill.  My cooler ran pretty much non-stop from about 10:00 yesterday morning until roughly 10:00 last night.  I  kept all the lights off, the blinds closed, and the curtains drawn in the living room and kitchen to help keep the inside cool.  I guess it worked.  My cooler is already running this morning...it started around 9:30.  Sigh.

You know what?  There is pretty much NOTHING of worth on TV during the daytime.  I play a lot of games on Facebook.

You know what I like the best about summer vacation?  The fact that I don't have to do ANYTHING unless I want to.  Including, but not limited to, changing out of my pajamas until 5:00.  PM.

Time for a popsicle.

Toodles!

Monday, June 4, 2012

blah, blah, blah...

One would think that, with pretty much nothing work-related to do over the summer, I would blog more.

One would be sadly mistaken.

And we know who that "one" would be, don't we, BFF?

;o)

My lack of blogging just goes to show you how very boring I truly am.  I mean, I could bore you with mindless drivel, but I am afraid that would insult your collective intelligence.

I like to use the term "collective" because it makes it seem like there are FAR more people reading this blog than there actually are.  It's truly a self-esteem boost.

My whole getting-back-on-the-WW-bandwagon has been pretty much of a fail so far.  I had pretty much no self-control while I was visiting with my BFF last weekend and, aside from the two days this week that I actually wrote down what I ate, I haven't done much.  I had every intention of getting up and walking today.  I got up.  I walked.....to the couch.  I haven't done too badly in the eating department today and tomorrow I am going to (hopefully) not only write down everything I eat but also *gulp* exercise.

(shudder)

I still love my new haircut.  As a matter of fact, I am loving it even more now, three days after.  Usually I only really love it the first day.  After that, it's back to despising it.  Not so this time.

My knitting class starts TOMORROW and I am so freaking excited.  They recommended several books to purchase as one of the additional things to bring to the class.  I bought one of them and am going to the library tomorrow to check out one of the others.  Yes.  I am an over-achiever and yes, I am the kid in school that you hated because they always did more than they had to.  I will also probably (more than likely) ask for additional homework.  I am such a suck-up.

Well.  I think that is all the drivel I can muster up for this evening.

:)

Friday, June 1, 2012

It's just hair...

So for quite some time now I have worn my hair one way.

Long and boring.

Not that people with long hair are boring.

I am fairly inept when it comes to doing my hair in any sort of "style".  Of late, my "style" has been to wing my hair up into what my students liked to call my "flippy" ponytail.  It was quick and it got the long hair out of my way.

The kiddos always liked it when I would come to school with my hair down and they would give me a hard time when, inevitably, it would irritate the nonsense out of me and I would....you guessed it, wing it up out of the way.

I decided, over the weekend, that it was time to have something done with the mop on my head.  I summoned my courage and made an appointment at a salon for this morning.  I did a little research online and everything seemed positive about the place that I wanted to go to.  When I got there I was impressed.  The staff was courteous and I was offered water, tea, or coffee.  I had to wait about ten minutes because the stylist that they assigned me to was finishing up another client.

When the stylist came to get me I was impressed by how professional she was.  She was pretty young so I wasn't sure what to expect but she obviously knew what she was doing.  The package that I purchased included a shampoo as well as a deep conditioning treatment.  Paige (my stylist) did a thorough job shampooing my hair and even put a warm washcloth under my neck so the cold sink would be more comfortable.  She told me everything she was going to do before she did it and told me what kind of product she was putting on my hair.

I had basically given her free reign to do whatever she wanted with  my hair.  I figured that, since it is just hair, I could always grow it out if I didn't like it.  She discussed some options with  me and then had me look through a magazine while I was sitting under the dryer with the conditioner on my hair.  I found something that I liked and she gave me an honest opinion about it.  Fortunately, it was something that would look good on me AND that I could maintain on my own.

I was in the salon for about two hours and let me tell you, it was WORTH IT.  I LOVE my hair.  I normally don't love my hair.  I normally kind of just tolerate my hair.  Right now, though, I love it.  It is soft, stylish, and easy to maintain.  It is also COMPLETELY different.

Wanna see?

:)

disclaimer:  i have no make-up on.  please do not be frightened.


and there you go.

It's just hair...but I love it!

:)