Teachers Have It Easy

Not Much

2012-02-06T07:51:00.002-05:00

That's what's been going on these days. Not much.

I feel like a bad blogger lately, but honestly, I don't think you want to read, "Well, I went to Publix for groceries, and then I came home and cleaned the bathrooms."

I don't even have a photo of cupcakes to show you this week. :-)

And the runner on my weight-loss ticker went backwards again. As Amelia would say, "That's not good."

And I know I should have my healthy cereal for breakfast, but I really want a cookie instead.

Let me go on the record to say I LOVED Madonna's halftime show. It was obvious she was lip-syncing at different points, but I honestly don't have an issue with it because the production itself was so good. (The entrance was amazing!) I'm not even the biggest Madonna fan, but I liked that she mainly performed hits from the past while promoting her new single.

And Kelly Clarkson performed a very classy rendition of the National Anthem. Love her.

So while I couldn't really give a rip about who won the game, I must say "well done" on the entertainment.

And that's what's most important about the Super Bowl, right?

What We've Been Up To

2012-01-31T08:21:00.004-05:00

I didn't really mean to take a week off there, but quite honestly, I just haven't been in a blogging mood. Things have been going well, and we're all happy here, but I just haven't had a whole lot to report.

(Wait...GMA is on right now and there's a woman who had a 14-pound baby with no pain meds. WHAT?!?!?!)

(Also, let me say for the millionth time that I love, love, love Robin Roberts.)

Okay...let's see.

Here's just a random pic of Amelia that represents pretty much any day we have at home.

One of my favorite lines from her last week occurred when we were in the car, driving to the gym. It was really foggy outside, and she said, "Momma, it's FROGGY outside and we can't see the sun!" I love these little mispronunciations of words. I know all the books say to correct them, but I just can't yet. (Like when she says "I winned!" whenever she beats one of us at something.)

Hmmm...what else? Oh yeah, I made cupcakes last Friday. I was just in that kind of mood, you know?

They were good, y'all. And despite the cupcakes, I was able to get the runner on my ticker to go forward again. :-)

Over the weekend, I had lunch with my friend Casi, whom I hadn't seen since May. We both laugh about the fact that we think we saw each other more when we lived in two different states than we do now that we are in the same area.

Other than all that excitement (haha), I've been hanging out with Amelia, working on/finishing up some scrapbook projects, and trying to keep the house maintained somewhat.

And I don't really know how to end this exciting post, so I'll just end it. :-)

Just Some Thoughts on Things

2012-01-24T08:21:00.002-05:00

1. I'm watching GMA right now, and a feature just aired about single women who are planning their weddings without even being engaged or having a boyfriend. Ladies, nothing is going to scare a potential husband off more than having the wedding planned before you even meet. I'm just sayin'.

2. I'm going to confess that I am watching The Bachelor yet again. Really, you should judge me for that. I'm just going to argue that it is indeed one of the best comedies on TV. (This bachelor, meaning the man himself, might be the most disappointing one yet. Seriously...why are these women fighting over him?)

3. You know what I'm over on Facebook? "Tests." There's this new status going around that says something like, "I'm seeing who really reads my status updates. Leave a comment that starts with the third letter of your first name" or something like that. Seriously?? You are "testing" to see who reads your updates? Maybe I read your updates, but I don't want to play your stupid game. I also detest the breast cancer awareness statuses that involve posting the color of your bra or what country you are traveling to (I'm not opposed to breast cancer awareness, just the silly games) as well as bold Christian proclamations that suggest you aren't a true Christ follower if you don't copy and paste the bold Christian proclamation as your FB status. Wow. It felt good to get all that off my chest.

4. Today looks like it might be the only day it is going to be sunny outside. I think Amelia and I should take advantage of it, don't you?

Weight Loss Failure

2012-01-23T07:46:00.006-05:00

If you look at my little ticker on the right, you might see that my runner is running backwards.

As Amelia would say, "That's not good."

This time the gain can be blamed on Louisiana cuisine, as the three of us made a quick trip to Baton Rouge last week.

(I say "quick trip," but there was nothing about that trip that was quick. Between rain, numerous stops for a 4-year-old who never seemed able to coordinate her bathroom needs with rest area stops, and so on, we were in the car 20-plus hours round trip.)

All I can say is that there was King Cake, and King Cake and I had a much anticipated reunion after about six years of being apart.

And I might be having one more slice of King Cake with my coffee before bidding farewell to it. A fond farewell.

BUT...

I want to toot my own horn for a minute because I am still following the half-marathon training program, and on Saturday I actually did my 5-mile run (and by run, I mean run/walk) at the LSU lakes.

And I didn't hate it, probably because this was my view:

So...I'm about to indulge in one last slice of King Cake, and then it is back on the wagon for me.

And let's cross our fingers that the runner on my ticker actually runs FORWARD next week. :-)

Cakes, Pageants, and Pounds

2012-01-17T08:29:00.005-05:00

My friend Tim invited a few people over this past weekend to watch the Miss America pageant. I was PUMPED about this because I don't think I had watched this pageant with a group of people since, oh, college. And really, some shows are meant to be enjoyed as a group, and a pageant is definitely one of those.

Anyway...I volunteered to bring a dessert for us to enjoy, and I decided upon this chocolate cake recipe that I had received in a sample cooking magazine in the mail a few days ago. Unfortunately, when I was finished with the cake, it looked like this.

But y'all. It was GOOD, cracks and all. (And it might be the reason why I gained back a little of my four pounds this week. Yikes.)

Back to the pageant...we had a great time watching. I have so many thoughts about this pageant (one contestant had "afraid of windmills" as one of the facts about her on the screen--what???), but let me just say that the greatest moment of spontaneous laughter took place when this dress appeared on screen.

Y'all, this photo does not do that bow justice. Seriously, I think I had that bow on the top of my Christmas tree in 2002. (I'm sure she is a lovely young woman, but that BOW. My word. It hardly fit on the screen.)

Anyway, we had a wonderful time. Thanks, Tim, for hosting!

Project Life, Parenthood (the show), and other musings

2012-01-12T08:37:00.002-05:00

Project Life. I started to begin this sentence with "You might remember that two years ago...," but then I thought that probably nobody remembers this because my scrapbooking endeavors are very likely not at the forefront of everyone's mind.

Anyway, I have embarked on a scrapbooking project for the past two years called Project Life, and I'm doing it again this year. In 2010, I tried to do the "photo a day" thing, and while I mostly enjoyed it, I also found it burdensome. Getting photos developed and catching up on journaling of all the photos could sometimes be a nightmare, and the point of scrapbooking -- besides recording memories -- is having fun, right?

Last year, I tried the digital version, and about a month into it, I realized I didn't like it that way. I thought I would enjoy eliminating the "photo developing" step, but I just got lazy with it. (Nothing was wrong with the product itself, mind you. It just wasn't for me.) In fact, that album is only about halfway complete, and I just work on it a little from time to time. I feel compelled to finish it, though, because I paid for it up front so I could get an extremely discounted rate.

So this year, I'm going back to the traditional version, but I'm doing more of a "week at a glance" kind of thing--photos, receipts, lists, journaling. Just little snippets that represent daily life. No pressure to do that "photo a day" business. Next week, I'm going to post what I have so far.

(1--That whole discussion probably bored you to tears, didn't it? And 2--I've had to get up three times so far because Amelia becomes Miss High Maintenance when in comes to how she wants her hot chocolate. First she didn't want the marshmallows on top, so she wanted me to take them out. Then she did want them. Then it was too hot. It might be a long day around here.)

Parenthood. I have started watching this show on Netflix and I LOVE it. (By the way, I am totally into the whole "watching a show on Netflix" thing. It's how I became obsessed with Mad Men. And speaking of Mad Men, WHEN IS IT COMING BACK????) I had to make myself go to bed last night (or this morning) at 12:30 because I wanted to keep watching. Alas.

Football. Y'all. I can hardly talk about that National Championship game the other night. What was UP with the Tigers? (In all truth, while I love my team, I thought it would be very difficult to beat Bama one more time, but I didn't think we would be SHUT OUT.) Also? I learned that I like a high-scoring game. More touchdowns, I say. A low-scoring game is a SNOOZEFEST.

New Year's Resolutions. Actually, I'm doing okay. I've been eating much better, keeping up with my workout plan, and reading the Bible with the goal of finishing it in a year. However, I'm in the middle of Job right now (I'm doing the chronological plan), and oh my goodness. Job is long, y'all. And a bit repetitive. And depressing. After Job, I might find the rules about the temple very exciting.

Rain. When we were in Baton Rouge over Thanksgiving, I saw some rainboots on sale and came "this close" to getting them, but I refrained. Of course, since that moment, Atlanta has felt more like Seattle. Seriously, y'all...rain, rain, rain. I'm pretty sure, though, that if I had bought the rainboots, it would be sunny here all the time.

That's all.

Monday Thoughts (on Self-Improvement)

2012-01-09T08:29:00.003-05:00

Y'all! I lost 4 pounds! FOUR POUNDS!!

I'm sorry. I'm slightly excited about that. It is giving me motivation to continue onward in my weight-loss/fitness journey. Last night, I was losing my resolve (and might have eaten some potato chips). But now, I'm ready to eat my bowl of delicious Kashi cereal. Yum.

(But I'd rather have a doughnut. Don't get me wrong.)

I also successfully completed Week 1 of my Half-Marathon Training Plan. And survived.

I also got my hair cut Friday, and I really like it. However, last night I was with my 9th grade small group, and no one acknowledged my haircut at all. (I'm not all that self-absorbed, but I know from my teaching experience that students might not catch on that the "A" is for "adultery" in The Scarlet Letter, but they DO notice a haircut.) And it is an obvious haircut (seriously...I think I got at least four inches cut off the back.). So my theory is that if a haircut is obvious and no one mentions it, then no one likes it.

(Y'all. Those 9th graders make me feel so self-conscious. It's like I've gone back to ninth grade myself. I think this is something I need to work on.)

Well, I have a list a mile long of things that need to get done today, so I need to shut down this blog post and get going.

A Few Thoughts

2012-01-05T08:19:00.002-05:00

1. I feel like someone should come visit us right now because our house is the cleanest it has ever been. We, and by "we" I mean "Darryl," went on a huge "get rid of the clutter" mission during the holidays, and I have to confess it is a good feeling. Yay for a clean house.

2. I have been obsessed (OBSESSED!) with watching Louie Giglio's Passion Conference online. I don't even have the words to express my thoughts about it. Simply amazing (and a wee bit convicting).

3. I'm a little sad because this coming weekend is the annual Glen Ella scrapbooking retreat, and I'm not going this year. It was an unnecessary expense in a time when I'm not working, and I was originally okay with not going. But now everyone is talking about it on Facebook, so I'm sad. While I'll miss the delicious food (oh...the food...), I really will miss laughing until my face hurts.

4. So far, I've done well with my New Year's Resolutions. Granted, it's only Day 5, but I'm on a roll, people!!

5. Even though I am sad that I'm not going to Glen Ella this weekend, I am very pumped that I'm going to get some time this weekend to hang out with my friend Sabrina. We haven't seen each other since last summer, and I'm excited to catch up with her.

6. I'm getting a much-needed haircut tomorrow. It really hadn't been my intention to go long with my hair, but I haven't know what else to do with it. In all honesty, I really wish I could go super-short, but I think my face is not the right shape for it, especially now that I'm in the, ahem, upper end of the weight spectrum. I've selected some photos from Pinterest, though. I'm thinking something along these lines:

But, if I lose my 27 pounds, I might go even shorter, like this:

Of course, I'd also just like to look like Michelle Williams, but whatevs.

7. This really might be the most pointless post I've ever done. You know you've hit a low when you are showing hairstyles.

Resolutions And Such

2012-01-03T08:56:00.002-05:00

So we're on Day 3 of 2012, but I figure it isn't too late to publish a couple of resolutions, right?

Here we go...

1. I would like for "losing weight" to not be one of my resolutions next year. (In other words, I want to lose some weight this year.)

2. I would like to run a 1/2-marathon. And by run, I mean a combination of running and walking. If you know me and think this is crazy because I am not an "athlete," I want to remind you that Oprah ran a full marathon once, and the Biggest Loser contestants (many of them much heavier than I am, thank you very much) ran a full one last season. I think if I train, I can do it. We shall see...

(Also, I have absolutely NO desire to do a full one. Just a half.)

3. I would like this to be the year I read the Bible all the way through. I've attempted several times, but I always get stuck in Leviticus and all the rules about the temple. I'm trying a chronological plan, and I've already learned something...I had no idea that Job lived before Abraham! See? My knowledge has already increased!

4. Of course, I want to be a better mom, wife, friend, daughter, etc. I'm not sure how you list that as specific goals...

And that's it...

Oh, I must add that I stayed up until the wee hours (for me, "wee hours" would be 1 a.m.) to watch the David Crowder Band's last concert on live stream from Passion. I'm so tired this morning, but the concert was SO good. They will be missed!

The Christmas Catch-All

2011-12-31T08:15:00.009-05:00

This is my last Christmas post, I promise.

I realized I didn't talk at all about Christmas with our families in Florida the weekend before Christmas.

On our way down to Florida, we stopped at Callaway Gardens for the night and did the Festival of Lights. If you ever go, you should choose to ride the trolley, especially if you have kids. Amelia LOVED it.

However, one of our favorite things we did was the butterfly exhibit the next morning before we left. Amelia was delighted by all the butterflies flying around us, as you can tell in this pic:

Then we traveled on to Florida, where we celebrated Christmas with my parents on Saturday and then celebrated with Darryl's family on Sunday.

I'm about to be super-lazy and say that if you want to read about our Christmas at my parents' house, you should go here to read my mom's account on her blog. (I would have used the same photos and told the same things...so why not? Plus, you should check out her blog anyway.)

On Sunday, we had a great time with Darryl's family. It's funny...at my parents' house, everything is very calm and quiet because Amelia is the only child there. At Darryl's sister's house, it is KRAZY because there are five kids. It's fun, though! Darryl fixed prime rib for lunch, and we had that with all the fixings.

Top Left--Amelia and her cousins Madison and Savannah look at the iPad.
Top Right--Amelia's Uncle Dayton tries to show her the proper stance for hitting a ball.
Center Left--Amelia loved hanging out in the back of a pick-up truck with Madison and Savannah.
Center Right--Opening presents!!
Bottom Left--Darryl and his sister, Ashley.
Bottom Right--Savannah was EXCITED to get a BB gun. (It reminded me of A Christmas Story.)

And here's a pic of all the cousins. Cameron, the only guy (bless his heart), refused to smile. :-)

Monday night, we visited one of Darryl's best friends from college. He and his wife have three daughters, and Amelia LOVED playing with them, especially the youngest one. When I saw all of them playing dress-up, it made me want to have four girls...for about a nanosecond.

It was a great visit with our families!

"Peace On Earth" (A More Serious Christmas Post)

2011-12-30T05:00:00.004-05:00

(Disclaimer: I debated hitting "publish" for this post. I tend to go the way of "humorous" over "serious," but all this has been rolling around in my brain. So for what it's worth...)

When I was a young girl, the song "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" was a musical fixture around the holidays. Mr. Patterson, the organist in the church where I grew up, often played it -- as only seemed appropriate -- on the chime setting so it would sound like bells within the walls of the church.

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

All these years, though, that is the only verse of the song I knew.

Several weeks ago, I was listening to the Casting Crowns version of the song on the radio, and I heard verses of this song that were unfamiliar to me. At first I thought that these verses were added just recently, but when I looked up the lyrics, I learned not only that they were verses from the original song, but also that they were penned by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

I think the song struck a chord with me (no pun intended) because the next-to-last verse sums up how I feel sometimes. As a Christian, I probably shouldn't feel that "there is no peace on earth," but sometimes it can be difficult to feel goodness -- whether because of trying circumstances, struggles, bad things happening to good people, unexpected tragedy, silence when we want an answer, and the list goes on. (Incidentally, Longfellow's life was fraught with tragedy; if anyone had reason to doubt the message of "peace on earth, good will to men," he surely did.) But like the speaker in the song, I find that these doubts eventually give way to the knowledge and assurance that God is still here. Goodness does exist.

This past week, that assurance came by way of a story that captured Darryl's and my attention the week before Christmas -- the story of the Greens. We don't know them directly, but we are good friends with several people who are good friends of theirs, and their situation has been very much "Tweeted" and "Facebooked" over the past few weeks. The Monday before Christmas, they welcomed a baby who had been diagnosed early in the pregnancy with Trisomy 13. I'm not an expert on the disease, but I do know it involves severe chromosomal abnormalities, and that many babies who have it do not even survive to be born, and if they do survive, each day is considered a miracle and a gift.

After a few days of life on this earth, Baby Hallie died just past midnight on Christmas Eve morning. The day before her death, her father wrote this blog post. I encourage you to read it.

For me, it is a beautiful reminder that "God is not dead, nor doth he sleep."

It is a reminder that, even in the midst of uncertainty and heartbreaking sadness, the message of "peace on earth, good will to men" does indeed prevail.

Christmas...Finally

2011-12-29T07:40:00.012-05:00

Well.

I didn't mean to take quite the hiatus there right at Christmastime, but the truth of the matter is that I'm a bad procrastinator when it comes to blogging "events" like holidays, vacations, and such because it means I actually have to plug up the camera and upload some photos. (Mindless things like face creams and my 40th Birthday Party Celebrity Guest List? I can blog about those things till the cows come home.) This time procrastination was even worse because I "de-Christmased" our house Tuesday, so in my mind, Christmas is O-V-E-R.

But, two of my blog readers -- which I figure might be half of my blog audience, and maybe one of those was my mother -- are chomping at the bit for a Christmas report, and who am I to disappoint?

You might want to wait until you've read this post before you answer that question.

I'll start with Christmas Eve. Our church did something a little different this year and had our entire church "schedule" on Christmas Eve...so essentially, we treated it like it was Sunday, but we just did everything Saturday. The only problem with that is that I was so discombobulated about what day it was that I didn't know which end was up.

(It also apparently confused Amelia because they celebrated Jesus's birthday is Waumba Land -- our church's version of preschool Sunday School -- so on Christmas Day, she was adamant that it wasn't Jesus's birthday anymore because they had celebrated it the day before. And maybe on Christmas Day she said it was Santa Claus's birthday. Oops. That's something to work on for next year.)

Anyway, church was great, and then we went to Panda Express (Amelia's choice) because nothing says "Christmas" like a bowl of chow mein noodles and String Bean Chicken. Then we went home because my cousin and her husband were coming over that afternoon for what has become our traditional "eat dessert and open presents extravaganza."

Here are a couple of photos of that.

This is a Delta Mocha Chiffon cake (from the Southern Living 2000 cookbook). I've made it about five times in my life, and each time, I vow it is the last. It is a PAIN to make and is very time consuming, but it is oh so delicious.

Here are Vicky and Robert. I tried to get Amelia to pose with them, but by this point, she had lost her charm and willingness to do what I asked of her. And yes, Vicky is posing with Amelia's dog, Lily.

That night, we went to Chili's for dinner -- because nothing says "Christmas" like Southwestern Egg Rolls -- and then we came home to get ready for Santa. Here's Amelia with cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. And she also drew Santa a picture of Woody and Buzz that she insisted I roll up like a scroll and tie it with a red ribbon. (It looks like Santa is finally getting his high school diploma, doesn't it?)

I also like how you can see Darryl in the background with his laptop. He was in the Christmas Spirit, yes?

On Christmas Day, Amelia woke up at about 7:30. I think we have just a year or so left before she wakes us up at, say, 3:30 in the morning.

Santa brought Amelia some Toy Story toys and a chalkboard easel, and she was happy.

Now, I'm about to get a little lazy on you and give you a photo collage of Christmas Day.

I also love this next photo. Someone was very excited about the Hello Kitty umbrella that Santa left in her stocking.

(In the above photo, you might also see a "Jackasses" Calendar for 2012. I get this for Darryl every year because sometimes he likes to be a jackass. I say that in love, and it has been a long-running joke between us. Anyway, I think he has a collection of five of these calendars hanging in his cubicle. One year I didn't give him one and he was so disappointed I had to go out the day after Christmas to find one.)

(Sorry to get sidetracked with a story about Jackass calendars. Where were we?)

For lunch, we ended up having steaks with assorted butters on the top (1--I don't think I've ever typed the word "butters," and 2--Darryl's had garlic butter and mine had blue cheese butter), and
smoked gouda mashed potatoes. Delicious.

We had a low-key day, but that evening we went to Waffle House (because nothing says "Christmas" like Waffle House and because we wanted to get out of the house).

Then we went to look at some cool Christmas lights in our town that were synchronized to music. That was pretty cool and seemed like a great way to end the day.

It was kind of an unusual Christmas for us because we typically travel to see our family AFTER Christmas, but this year, we went the week before because Darryl's sister and her family were heading out of town Christmas Day. But we did enjoy a nice day just the three of us, even if we did get a little cabin fever.

If you have made it to the end of this post, I thank you.

Merry Christmas!!!

December Catch-Up

2011-12-22T12:05:00.002-05:00

Yep, I did it again. I fell out of touch with the blog world.

But I have my reasons.

Since the last time I wrote, I...

...have baked and decorated sugar cookies.

...have taken Amelia to see The Nutcracker.

...have gone with the family to see lights at Callaway Gardens.

...have gone to Florida and to celebrate Christmas with our families.

...have had a couple of lunches and dinners with friends.

...have tended to various other things like dentist appointments, doctor appointments, etc.

In other words, it's been a bit busy around here. We're really making merry around here, and I promise to post some pics soon.

But for now, I need to do laundry and straighten up the house.

(Random: This weather is the pits. Rainy and warm? GROSS.)

Since Santa

2011-12-13T08:13:00.002-05:00

I sort of fell out of touch after the Santa visit, didn't I?

Well, we haven't done much "holiday" stuff since then. One day I scrapbooked, another day Amelia and I stayed in the house ALL day except for a trip to Publix, and we spent all day Saturday cleaning up the house (as in DEEP cleaning...closets, cabinets, and such).

HOWEVER, Darryl and I had a date night Friday and went to a program called "Classic Christmas" at our church. The music was awesome, and we really enjoyed the night out.

I'm posting my December Daily collage from that evening. The joke behind these photos is that Darryl was very uncooperative about taking a photo with me. (The photo of the lights is the ceiling of our church. I love how it is decorated this time of the year. Very twinkle-y.)

Amelia's Santa Visit

2011-12-07T07:56:00.006-05:00

Amelia and I went to visit Santa today, and it was our best visit with Santa yet! This was the first time she actually talked to him. I was so proud of her! She told him she wanted "Toy Story toys" and then proceeded to list every character in the movie. :-)

This isn't her "official" Santa photo, but I was able to get a few good shots. I wish you could have seen the smile on her face when she was finished talking to Santa. I think she was proud of herself, too!

A Little Mom Note:

Let me tell you...the Santa at Mall of Georgia is AWESOME. We saw him two years ago, and he was great with a very hesitant Amelia and sat in the floor so she might be more likely to walk over to him. Yesterday, the little boy in front of us was throwing a FIT, and Santa was so patient with him and bribed him with candy canes. :-) And...as long as you make a minimum purchase, you can take as many photos as you want with your own camera.

Last year, we went to the one at North Point, and it was not a great experience. Santa made no effort to interact with the kids other than saying, "What do you want for Christmas?" AND they let you take ONE photo with your own camera if you make a purchase. So if that one photo isn't good (and ours wasn't), well, too bad for you.

It's good to know these things, right?

A Little Christmas Shopping

2011-12-06T08:39:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, my friend Blayne and I needed to do a little Christmas shopping, so that's what we did. We both needed to make a trip to IKEA, so we loaded up and went. I don't think I have ever been to IKEA when it wasn't swarming with people, so it was nice just to browse around.

On our way back, we decided to stop at Lenox Mall, and Blayne asked if I would ride The Pink Pig with her because in all her years of living in Atlanta, she had never ridden it. So...since there was no line, we decided to ride it. (Mind you, every other adult in line had a kid wanting to ride it. There we were, two grown women, waiting to ride The Pink Pig.)

We had a fun day of shopping!

(P.S. For the third year in a row, I am doing the December Daily project by Ali Edwards. This is why I have been posting these 4-photo collages on my blog; these are usually the same collages I put in my album. I'm going to post more about this project later and actually show you the album--it's such a great (and simple) project even if you aren't a "scrapbooker.")

SEC Weekend

2011-12-05T05:00:00.000-05:00

After LSU's win over Arkansas, our friends Damian and Rebecca decided to come to the big ATL for the SEC Championship. And, in a last-minute-deal-can't-turn-this-down-turn-of-events, Darryl got tickets for the three of us to go, too!

I was a little worried about how Amelia would fare during the game, but she did great! She loved cheering, "5...4...3...2...1...Go Tigers!!!!!!!" while waving her pompom. We had a great time!

The PInk Pig (and my mom's birthday)

2011-12-02T07:40:00.005-05:00

Amelia and I went to Macy's to ride The Pink Pig yesterday.

I'm going to be honest: The Pink Pig is VERY overrated. The first year we went, we waited in two very long lines (probably an hour and a half, total), and the ride itself is, well, lame.

(However, I think the hype is because it used to be at Rich's many years ago and Macy's brought it back. Every time we've gone, there has always been a handful of white-haired ladies who are riding because they wanted to relive their childhood of riding the original Pig at Rich's. I think that's sweet. I get nostalgia.)

For some reason unknown to me, I returned last year on a weekday before Thanksgiving, and the lines were much better although there was still a short wait.

Well, who am I to buck a tradition I apparently started? So yesterday we went again and apparently a random Thursday the first week of December is the ideal time to go because there was virtually NO line at all. And Amelia LOVED it.

Amelia was so excited this time around, and that made it fun. So my point is this: the Pink Pig is NOT worth the two-hour wait that apparently exists on weekends and week of Christmas. It IS worth, however, a short line wait. And I guess if your kid is having fun, who cares???

ALSO...yesterday was my fabulous mom's birthday! I should have posted about it yesterday, but after the Pig, Amelia had a bit of a meltdown (actually it was a freakishly HUGE meltdown) in QT, so I was a bit distraught after that. Anyway, she has always been a wonderful mom, and I think she was born to be a grandmother, and we all love her very much! (You can also check out her blog here!)

First Dentist Visit!!

2011-12-02T07:35:00.003-05:00

Amelia went to the dentist for the first time two days ago. She was really good, and we both loved the dentist. Dr. B talked to us first so that he could get to know Amelia, and he told me that he wasn't going to press Amelia to do anything she didn't want to do because he didn't want the visit to be traumatic.

Well, after he showed Amelia all the equipment and let her play with the water sprayer (she really enjoyed that!), she was good to go and he was able to do a complete exam with a cleaning and x-rays. (And everything looked good, thank goodness!)

Thanksgiving 2011--The iPhone Photo Edition

2011-11-29T08:11:00.005-05:00

The three of us went to Florida the Sunday before Thanksgiving so that we could leave Amelia with my parents for the week. (That kind of sounds cold, doesn't it...like we just dropped her off at the door and waved goodbye. We actually got to visit a little with our families, and trust me...Amelia was quite excited about a week with her Nana and Paw-Paw!)

Monday, Darryl and I drove on to Biloxi, where we spent the night at the Beau Rivage. We were by far the youngest people there. Darryl's cousin Hayes and his wife, Brandi, met us there for dinner and stayed the night, too. Oh, and Tuesday morning, I was able to fit in what I have dubbed "The Best Massage I've Ever Had" at the spa before we left. I know. It's a rough life. (Also, the Beau was beautifully decorated for Christmas. See?)

We had to make an important food stop on our way to Baton Rouge. (Call me a chicken finger snob, but this is so much better than Zaxby's.)

Once we arrived in Baton Rouge, we did a little shopping because our friends Rebecca and Damian weren't home from work yet. We had to stock up on our Tiger wardrobe because finding Tiger merchandise in Atlanta is, well, impossible.

On Wednesday, I was able to meet up with my friend Martha for lunch. Oh, how I miss Martha. We taught together at LSU and our offices were next door to each other. (She's very petite and I look like Shrek when I stand next to her. Oh, well.)

I tried to fit in as many visits to the Community Coffee House as I could. This was trip number 1.

On Thanksgiving Day, we got off to a rough start when a mysterious substance in the bottom of the stove started burning and smoked up the house. There is speculation that it might have been the pumpkin cheesecake I baked the night before, but I plead innocent. There is no evidence to support that accusation.

But our culinary efforts prevailed, and we enjoyed a lunch of fried turkey, dressing, macaroni and cheese, "Not Your Mama's Green Been Casserole," and twice baked sweet potatoes.

While the guys went to the LSU-Arkansas game on Friday, Rebecca and I engaged in some good Black Friday shopping. Because of the game and the fact that most stores opened at midnight, the crowds really weren't too bad. We kept our energy up with some CC's. Again.

On Saturday, our retail excursions led us to the bookstore on campus. This is just one of the hundreds of huge oak trees on campus.

Here we are, waiting for a table at our final dining excursion, DiGiulio's. Yes, we miss the awesome restaurants in Baton Rouge, but we miss our friends even more! Good times!

Damian likes Darryl's bald head. I won't offer any further comments on that.

Before we pulled out of Baton Rouge Sunday, we had to make one more stop.

We had a really awesome week. We have had a lot of good "family time" with the three of us, and each of us has had some great one-on-one time with Amelia, but Darryl and I haven't had much time together lately, so this was a nice little getaway for us. And Amelia and my parents had a great time camping. (My mom is going to blog about that at some point, so you can see all the fun they were having.) It was a wonderful Thanksgiving week!

I'm due for a Thanksgiving post...

2011-11-28T19:34:00.002-05:00

Y'all. I'm tired.

When I feel a spark of more energy--I hope in the next day or two--I will post about our Thanksgiving. Darryl and I went to Baton Rouge to stay with our friends, and Amelia went camping with the grandparents. Much fun was had by all!

A more in-depth update soon, I promise!

Amelia Turns 4!

2011-11-16T05:00:00.000-05:00

Amelia's birthday was this past Saturday. (I cannot believe she is already four. Where did the time go?)

Since I'm not working right now (anyone want to hire me?), I decided to do the party myself rather than have it at a "jump and bounce" place like we've done for the past two years. We had the party at a local park so that the kids could play on the playground and enjoy the nice weather.

Amelia wanted a Toy Story party, so I did my best to oblige. Only about six kids were able to come--along with my parents and my cousin and her husband--so it was a small group, but I think that made the party more laid back and enjoyable.

Here is the main table. (That pennant banner drove me NUTS, thanks to the wind. Fortunately, Darryl was able to get it to stay put.)

Here's the birthday girl, blowing out her candle. (Excuse the "mess" of the Potato Heads in the background. They were meant to be centerpieces but ended up being played with!)

Actually, I guess those were more like "looking at her candle" shots.

Anyway, here are some other party photos...

Here are my parents. (I think my dad was eating pizza.)

Here are Amelia and Anna, our next-door neighbor, chasing each other.

Here are Amelia and her friend Ava.

I probably should have stopped Amelia from going headfirst down the slide, but haven't we all broken the rules at some point??

Anna and her mom:

Sophia and Ava, swinging:

This is Alejandro. If he stays as sweet as he is now, I would totally be okay with Amelia dating him in about 12 years.

Here are the three of us. Five of us if you count my double chin and sunglasses.

When we got home, we opened some presents. Amelia got many nice things, but here are a couple of my favorite shots.

She received some boots from her Nana and Paw-Paw:

And she received this doll from BeeBee (Vicky) and Robert. Is it just me, or do she and this doll look alike?

It was a super-fun day with friends and family. Amelia is truly a blessed little girl, but we feel even more blessed to be her parents!

Stuff

2011-11-15T05:00:00.000-05:00

I definitely need to get back on the blog train. Amelia's birthday was this past Saturday, and I most certainly need to write about that, right?

Here's hoping that I can muster up some blogging energy and get some posts up this week...

Sweeney Todd Confessions

2011-11-08T05:00:00.001-05:00

Confession #1: I miss working with high school students. Now, I don't regret leaving my job when we did because I think I did the right thing for personal reasons, BUT what I do miss most is the students themselves (and my colleagues).

Confession #2: A little over a week ago, I saw my former school's production of Sweeney Todd at Region One Act Competition and fell in love with the show. I had never seen Sweeney Todd before -- I knew Sweeney was a barber who killed his clients and something about pies baked out of the bodies -- but that's all I knew. Well, after seeing the 50+-minute version for One Act, I went back Tuesday night, with Blayne, her daughter, and her daughter's boyfriend in tow, to see the full 2+-hour version. (Submissions for One Act have to be 55 minutes or less, thus a shorter version for competition and the full version for the community's enjoyment.) And once again, I loved the show!

The music is AMAZING (I have listened to the soundtrack daily since purchasing it a week ago). The story is compelling and sad (poor Sweeney Todd). But...BUT...the best part is that these students, under the direction of my friend Kim, performed this extremely difficult show EXCEPTIONALLY well. The voices were beautiful, the ensemble numbers were powerful...it was just so very good.

SO...put those "confessions" together and I ended up going to the State One Act Competition in Warner Robbins to see these students perform this show yet one more time. I've wanted to go to the state competition several times before, but I was always prevented from doing so by either conflicting plans or stacks of essays that needed to be graded. Nothing stopped me this time!

Tim and I were the only ones from "our" group to watch all eight shows in the competition. This is what we felt like after watching essentially eight hours of plays/musicals:

Our school was AWESOME...in a league of their own. There were some other strong competitors, but in the end, the best show won! I'm so proud of Kim and these students! This honor was well deserved!

It was a fun day. (And, as a bonus...I got home just in time to see LSU beat Alabama. Woot woot!)

38

2011-11-07T05:00:00.001-05:00

Last Thursday, I turned 38.

For the first time ever, I was able to spend my birthday with my girl all day. In all actuality, it probably was more of a day full of things Amelia likes to do, but if my girl is having fun, then I'm having fun, too!

The day got off to a delicious start when my friend Blayne brought over a chocolate cake (my favorite!!), and we had cake for breakfast!

After that, Amelia and I went to the mall where Amelia scored a Rapunzel doll at the "Mickey Mouse Store."

Then we had Auntie Anne's pretzels for lunch.

Then Amelia and Rapunzel rode the carousel.

And then we went to see Puss in Boots.

It was a fun day with my girl, and then when Darryl got home, we went out to eat. (Originally my request had been for us to have chili dogs at home--because who loves a chili dog? I do!--but it was pouring rain outside by that point so Darryl couldn't work the grill.

All in all, the day was a great start to being 38!

Trick or Treat!!

2011-11-01T05:00:00.001-04:00

For the second year in a row, Amelia went trick-or-treating with her friend Sophia in Sophia's neighborhood. It has become my favorite part of Halloween because they have SO much fun.

These photos are really in scrambled order, but oh well.

Here's Amelia totally thrilled with her trick-or-treat experience:

Amelia and Sophia met up with their friend Connor. Here's the group, complete with Connor's and Sophia's younger siblings. (It's very hard to get five kids to look at the camera, but I think it's a cute photo anyway.)

Here are Connor and Amelia going up to a "spooky" house:

Juxtaposition: a beautiful Rapunzel in a spooky graveyard.

Amelia knows no fear. About this ghost, she said, "I want to go up to her and meet her." Um...is this my child???

They ran into another friend (whose name escapes me at the moment) who is in their class at daycare.

A rare photo of the three of us. Amelia's expression cracks me up!

Good friends! Good times!!

A Fun and Busy Past Few Days

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000-04:00

Well, this past weekend was definitely a fun one!

Friday, I went to the costume parade at Amelia's daycare. I don't have any GREAT photos from it, but here are a couple just for posterity's sake.

Not to pass the blame on to someone else for my bad photos, but see that guy's half rear end in the above photo? He would NOT move out of my way so I could get a good photo from any distance away. Oh well.

Anyway, right after that, I went to my old school to watch the theatre students compete in the Regional One Act Competition with their performance of Sweeney Todd. Oh my goodness, it was so good! I was able to see some of my former students while the judges were deliberating (and our school won!!), and afterwards, I was able to visit with some of my former colleagues. It was a fun way to spend the day.

Saturday was Darryl's 40TH birthday! We had doughnuts for breakfast, and then Amelia and I went to a birthday party for her friend Sophia. Darryl's "plan" was to go home to get ready for a day of football watching. Well, around noon, Darryl a message to me that said, "32 white?" I was like, "What on earth are you talking about?" Turns out that the entire time I was at the party, he had been standing in line to get me a new phone!

Now, while some of you might be thinking, "Wow, that was really sweet of Darryl to stand in line for two hours on his birthday to buy Amy a new phone," let me assure you that he will NEVER let me forget about it. :-) (Actually, it was very sweet of him. My old phone was s-l-o-w, and our service needed to be changed because I could barely get a signal in our house. Not good when we no longer have a land line.)

That afternoon, we had birthday cake and opened a few gifts.

That evening, we went to Bonefish Grill (yum!) and came home. Darryl stayed up late watching some good football (anyone see that Georgia Tech win? what a fun game!), so he was happy. :-)

Sunday I stayed home from church (gasp!) so I could bake some cupcakes for my friend Blayne's Halloween dinner.

On the left is a pumpkin cupcake with cream cheese frosting. On the right is a yellow cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. Both were delicious if I do say so myself!

(Just to add to my baking accomplishments for the weekend...I also baked Darryl's birthday cake, which was an upside-down German chocolate cake. Not as pretty, but definitely good!)

Sunday evening, we went to Blayne's dinner that I mentioned before. Here are a couple of shots of Amelia in her Rapunzel costume. She wasn't too keen on looking at the camera in the first one. But tell me, folks, have you ever seen a cuter Rapunzel????

And here's a photo (taken with my phone in poor lighting) of me, Mary (on the left) and Blayne (in the middle).

Not a bad way to spend the weekend, huh? I also have some fun things on the agenda for this week, too. I'm looking forward to it!

HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY, DARRYL!!

2011-10-29T05:00:00.000-04:00

Today is Darryl's 40th birthday!!!! Happy Birthday, Darryl!

Amelia and I love him to pieces. He is hands down the best husband ever, and he's such a great father for Amelia. We don't have any big party plans (primarily because Darryl would HATE that), but we hope he has a wonderful day today!

We love you, Mr. Incredible!!

Out of Sorts, But...

2011-10-28T05:00:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I was, as my friend Blayne diagnosed, "out of sorts."

I wanted to go somewhere, but I wanted to stay home. I wanted to see my friends, but I wanted to be by myself. I was discontent, sad, and probably not a joy to be around. (Darryl is probably nodding enthusiastically with that last one.)

This week has been better, though, and there is some fun in store for the next few days--Halloween parties, good times with friends, and trick or treating. As a plus, I'm also going to get my "baking on" and make some treats for some things. I cannot wait!

Also, Saturday is DARRYL'S 40TH BIRTHDAY.

Yep, birthday season at our house officially kicks off with Darryl. Then it's mine. Then Amelia's. Then my mom's. Then my cousin's. And as Amelia would say, "What's next?"

All of this should give me some good blog material, yes?

Talking About TV--A List

2011-10-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

Not a whole lot is going on over here in my neck of the woods, so how about a little TV talk?

I think I have Adult Onset ADD because not only do I not have the attention span to watch an entire TV show, but I also do not have the ability to form more than a list, so a list is what you will get, my friends.

1. Glee is off my viewing list. The first episode was dumb. Buh-bye.

2. Is anybody watching The Biggest Loser? I just got into this season after catching up on my DVR. I love Trainer Bob. And last night I watched while eating some cookie dough ice cream, an act that seemed so, so wrong.

3. I'm almost caught up on Mad Men. Y'all, that show is PERFECTION, which might be why I absolutely cannot tolerate Glee anymore. Because Glee? It is the opposite of perfection.

4. Modern Family is the best comedy on TV right now. Anyone want to dispute that?

5. Grey's Anatomy and I aren't mad at each other anymore. The first episode was abysmal, but the others since have been tolerable. My fuse is short, though, so they better watch out.

6. I've been watching Friends re-runs in the afternoons while I cook dinner. Ah, Friends. So good.

7. Y'all, I was watching TV at the gym the other day (that's right! The GYM!), and I saw this commercial and was appalled. APPALLED. What do you think?

Is that not the grossest thing you've ever seen?!?!

8. I'm sorry. I can barely form words after that.

Two Unrelated Things Worth Sharing

2011-10-19T05:00:00.000-04:00

First, I tried this Alton Brown pork chop recipe Monday night and it was delicious. Darryl even commented that it was good without my having to ask. (Our usual routine routine when I try a new recipe is that I have to ASK if he likes it, and if he says yes, I ask if he would eat it again. Ha!)

Two things about the recipe, though--it is VERY black peppery. I like it, but if you are not a black pepper fan, you might cut back on the pepper. Also, it is a little involved for a slow cooker recipe. It's not a "throw everything in the crockpot and turn it on" kind of recipe. But I will definitely make it again. (I also used thick pork chops, and they were the perfect choice for this recipe.

Okay, the other thing I have to share is a YouTube video. :-) I'm not really one to browse YouTube for funny things, but my mom and I watched this Family Feud clip that someone posted on her Facebook the other day, and we both thought it was hilarious. Enjoy!

Grandparents and the Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-18T05:00:00.001-04:00

Last week, my parents came up to spend a few days with us. While it was dreary weather for much of the time, we were at least able to get out for some fall fun on Wednesday.

One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to go to Burt's Pumpkin Patch, and it gets more and more fun to take Amelia each year. Here are some photos:

We had a great time!!!

Pageant Judging!

2011-10-17T05:00:00.000-04:00

First, I must say I didn't plan to take a full week off from the blog, but I was tired from my weekend of pageant judging (yes, pageant judging), and then my parents came to town for a few days. So, it's time to do some catching up...

Last weekend, I had the privilege of judging the Miss UG@ pageant in Athens.

Let me hit the "pause" button now to explain how I was even involved in this to begin with. First, I have been a LONGTIME fan of the Miss America pageant. Seriously, I've watched it every year ever since I can remember. (Also...I'm not a fan of pageants that just focus on beauty alone. The Miss America Organization, however, focuses more on personality, intelligence, and talent. "Appearance" categories like Evening Gown and Physical Fitness are given lesser weight in the score than Interview and Talent. That being said, I've never seen an ugly Miss America.)

Let's have a moment to pay respect to my favorite Miss America talent EVER:

Wait, I got distracted. Back to how I came to be a judge at this pageant...My friend Tim has been involved in the Miss America pageant system for some time--as a judge, field director, coach, etc. We go to the Miss Cobb pageant every year. Several times I have told him--somewhat seriously, somewhat jokingly--that if an opportunity ever came along for me to judge a pageant, I would totally do it. Several weeks ago, he asked if I would want to judge this particular one. I JUMPED on that opportunity in a half-second. And y'all, it was so fun!

First, I will say that this pageant was extremely competitive. These girls were eloquent, fun, beautiful, and talented. We did interviews on Friday, and I was blown away by how well these young women handled questions about everything from current issues to lighter topics. And the pageant itself on Saturday evening proved to be a very entertaining event. Choosing a "winner" was definitely not an easy task, but I think the young woman who won will represent the school well at the state pageant...and dare we hope she might represent our state at Miss America???? :-)

Other perks of the weekend included staying in a hotel room for two nights (I think every mom out there can appreciate the perk of staying ALONE in a hotel for two nights--no offense to my family, whom I love dearly), eating some delicious food in some very nice restaurants in Athens, being chauffeured from one place to another, and spending time with friends. (I knew two of the other judges--and they are both people I adore--so spending time with them was a treat.) I also have to say that the pageant officials who guided us through this whole process were amazingly nice and hospitable.

As soon as it was over, I told Tim to find me another pageant to judge, ASAP!

Here are some pics from the event:

Here I am with my friends Tim and Max (Max was a judge at this event as well):

Here I am with Tim and Ms. C, who also judged the event. (The three of us used to teach together. Mrs. C retired a year and a half ago, and it was SO good to see her again. She is the kind of woman I would want to by my aunt. You know, the kind who would take to you nice restaurants and to get your ears pierced.)

And last, but not least, here I am with the winner! Beautiful, talented, charismatic...I can't wait to see how she does in future competitions. (My only regret with this photo is that she is about half my size.)

So there you have it. The weekend was truly a wonderful one, and I hope I have the opportunity to do something like this again!

Another Eyebrow Waxing Adventure

2011-10-07T05:00:00.000-04:00

You might remember my last eyebrow waxing appointment where the lady FLIPPED OUT over my dry skin and suggested the $89 face cream.

Well, this time was an adventure as well.

I didn't go to my usual waxing place (site of the $89 face cream). Instead, I decided to try the mini-spa at the gym because I could leave Amelia at the childcare area. For some reason, I'm thinking young children are not welcome visitors at soothing spas.

(Also, time was of the essence because I needed my brows waxed for an event this weekend that I will tell you about Monday.)

So back to the story...

I went in the little room with the table, and the lady told me to take off my clothes from the waist up and put on a little towel wrap because she would be massaging my shoulders and arms. And then she left the room.

Well, I was like, "Sweet! I am totally getting my brows waxed here from now on!" And I did what she asked.

She came back in and said, "Have you ever had a facial before?"

I replied that I had, but then I said, "But today I just need a brow wax."

She looked at her schedule sheet, then looked at me, and said, "Oh! I read this wrong. You ARE just here for a brow wax! Didn't you think it was weird that I made you take off those clothes?"

"Well, yeah...but I have never been here before so I just went with it!"

Then we both died laughing, and I proceeded to have my brows waxed while wearing a towel wrap.

And I was totally bummed that I wasn't getting that shoulder and arm massage after all.

Vision

2011-10-06T09:39:00.006-04:00

One of my favorite things at Walt Disney World is this statue:

I get goosebumps when I look at that statue because it makes me think of Walt Disney's dream. When we were at Walt Disney World last month, I watched kids smiling, employees warmly welcoming each person into the parks, parents hugging their kids, people laughing, burly men wearing Mickey Mouse ears, little girls wearing princess dresses, and I realized that all of that is possible because of one man's vision.

Last night I didn't bother turning on my TV, but when I checked Twitter, almost every new "tweet" was about the death of Steve Jobs. While it was obvious that his health was rapidly declining and this news shouldn't have been a shock to us, it was evident that it was news that was felt by everyone.

I'm not going to pretend to be a Steve Jobs expert, because I'm not. When I think of him, I think of the man--clad in his jeans and black turtleneck--who always unveiled the latest and greatest Apple product.

But here is what I do know. I get up every morning and read blogs and news on my Macbook. I take my iPhone with me everywhere I go. I love the flexibility of my iPad (and have watched every episode of the first three seasons of Mad Men on it). I plug my iPod into my car stereo and listen to it instead of the radio most of the time. Apple products have changed my everyday life.

And I'm just one of millions who can say the same. And it is all because of a man who had a vision.

We are a country that (unfortunately) puts people like the Kardashians, Kate Gosselin, and the cast of Jersey Shore on the covers of our magazines, but today I'm glad that kind of celebrity is being put aside to pay respect to a bespectacled man with thinning gray hair whose vision transformed our world.

Mastering the Swirl

2011-10-05T05:00:00.001-04:00

Brace yourself. This post is going to be riveting. RIVETING.

Amelia says she wants cupcakes for her birthday, and I think I'm going to bake them. All I have to do is master the swirl of icing on the top, and I'm good to go. (I'm using cupcake toppers, so I don't have to write anything on them.)

This was the first attempt the other night.

I think for my first time using a decorator's tip, that isn't half bad. (That isn't even the right tip. I had to make do with what I had.)

They also tasted pretty good, if I do say so myself.

But.

You know what happened with the majority of these cupcakes (and by majority, I mean 18 of the 24)? They all fell on the floor when my cupcake carrier failed on me.

So sad.

(Also, I am fascinated/obsessed with Wilton's message boards. I am NOT going to start decorating cakes, but it is funny to see a subject line like, "Can anyone help me make a butt cake?")

(I think I need to get out more.)

What a Little Sleep Will Do

2011-10-04T07:13:00.005-04:00

Well.

I really channeled the spirit of Debbie Downer yesterday, didn't I?

Truth be told, the weekend DID have its ups and downs, but I think my lack of sleep exaggerated things a bit for me.

I'm a light sleeper. When you are the "adult in charge," that is both a blessing and a curse. All fourteen of us were in one cabin / one room. I was very aware of every coming and going from that room. (There was a great room area that some of them would go to when they wanted to hang out.) As a parent, I hope Amelia has a light sleeper as her chaperone one day. :-)

It also means, though, that I woke up to every cough, snore, giggle, etc.

So yeah, after two nights of that, I wasn't the most positive person in the world.

But look at these girls. Are they not the cutest group of 9th grade girls you've ever seen? I did NOT look like this when I was in 9th grade, I assure you.

I am definitely looking forward to getting to know these girls even better over the next four years.

Keeping it Real

2011-10-03T05:00:00.000-04:00

I'm in a semi-funk at the moment, probably not helped by my extremely sleep-deprived state.

This past weekend, I went with my 9th grade girls I lead at church to a high school retreat in the North Georgia mountains. If I could give you a visual of what this weekend was like for me (and our group), it would look like this:

Or perhaps this...

Let's just say there were lots of ups and downs.

I don't want to say a whole lot on here about this group because I feel like it is "writing behind their back," hahaha, but leading this group is tough. However, it can be--and I think it WILL be--a rewarding kind of tough. Like motherhood. I would be discouraged about something this weekend, but then we would have an encouraging breakthrough, and then it would go downhill again. Unfortunately, we left on kind of a down note, and I fought back tears as I drove away from the camp. Then I got a text from one of the girls when I got home, and it completely lifted my spirits. Just now I saw something on Facebook that bothered me. Downhill. Uphill. Downhill. Uphill. Downhill. It's exhausting.

Then the transition back to motherhood when I got home was a bit rocky as well. Darryl had taken Amelia to a birthday party, and I relieved him from that as soon as I got home so he could go to work for a while. Well, Amelia proceeded to have a pee-pee accident of gallon proportions at the party. I had no extra clothes for her, but a kind, dear angel (the mother of the birthday girl) was completely awesome and handed me a bag with wipes, clean underwear, and an outfit so adorable I wish I could keep it and told me I could use those. Bless her, bless her, bless her. (And seriously, I had to fight back tears because of her niceness.)

(And note to self: Pack extra clothes in the car.)

Then at some point last evening, Amelia accidentally sent a cup of chocolate milk FLYING across the kitchen, and it went everywhere. Amelia even said, "Whoa! That's a lot of milk, Momma."

And FYI...I did finally cry at one point. And it gave me a headache. And then I let the TV, in the form of Toy Story, babysit my child so I could take a nap. It helped, but I'm still completely drained.

Just keeping it real, folks.

A Little Disney for You

2011-09-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

So, as I've mentioned a few times, we went to Disney World a few weeks ago and had a wonderful time.

I'm not going to give a play by play because I don't have the desire to do it, and I'm not sure you really want to read it all. I'm going to let photos do most of the talking for me. I'll give you a little background first:

We flew to Orlando (on Darryl's air miles) the Sunday of Labor Day weekend and came back the following Saturday. It really was a great time to go. Sunday, after we arrived at the hotel and got settled, we decided to go to the Magic Kingdom for a while. It was PACKED. We figured it would be, though, because of the holiday weekend, so we just dealt with it. The rest of the week, however, was pretty ideal in terms of crowds, line waits, and so forth.

We did all four parks -- Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. I think the Magic Kingdom is our favorite by far, but probably because it has more rides and things that all of us could enjoy.

Here are some photos, really in no particular order.

This is the night we went to dinner in Cinderella's Castle. Yes, I have on Minnie Mouse ears. Don't hate. (Also, those ears might have helped distract from the horrible hair day I was experiencing. At least I fooled myself into believing that.)

Amelia is standing in front of the Tree of Life at the Animal Kingdom.

Look! Amelia can also hold up the EPCOT golf ball. Impressive, yes? (By the way...the ride inside that ball, Spaceship Earth, was one of Amelia's favorite rides. We rode it at least three times.)

Amelia and, obviously, Cinderella. Can you stand the cuteness??

Here we are at Chef Mickey's, which was lots of fun.

Hanging out with Cars at Hollywood Studios.

Amelia and Tinkerbell!

I love this photo of Amelia and Princess Tiana.

Look, Rapunzel is THE princess to see right now. We made several attempts to see her and finally did on Friday. (And even though we made a beeline to her location, there were still about 20 people in front of us.)

I adore this photo of Amelia and Mickey.

Random Stuff--In List Form

2011-09-26T05:00:00.000-04:00

1. Today is the last day of my teaching gig. It really hasn't been too bad. The worst part (besides getting up at 4:20, yes, 4:20, in the morning) has been teaching the same class five times. Monotonous? Yes.

2. I realize I still need to do a Disney post. I just haven't had the energy while I've been teaching. Maybe it will develop later this week. I also want to strike the fine balance between keeping it succinct enough not to bore those who don't give a rip and making it thorough enough to satisfy the grandparents.

3. I am obsessed, and by obsessed, I mean I want to watch this show every time I have a spare minute to do so, with...

Seriously, I cannot stop watching this show. I started watching it on Netflix, and I am almost at the end of Season 3. I need to just go ahead and finish up the series (before the fifth season begins in 2012) so that I can move on with my life.

4. Amelia went to her first birthday party for one of the friends at her "new school." We had a great time, and I enjoyed getting to know some of the moms. It definitely was not as awkward as I thought it would be.

5. Speaking of birthday parties, Amelia has decided she wants a Toy Story party for hers. I was a little bummed because I was hoping we would be throwing an all-too-sweet princess party, but after looking around at some stuff online (and realizing it's not my party, so it isn't all about me), I'm getting pumped about the Toy Story theme. (And I failed to realize what all the fuss was about Pinterest until I started finding some cute pics. Now I've gotta say that I LOVE Pinterest.)

6. Back to TV...I have boldly decided not to watch Dancing with the Stars this go-around. I want to say, for the record, that I don't mind Ch@z being on the show at all (just wanted to separate myself from the nuts who are sending him death threats), but the cast is just kind of unappealing as a whole. And Grey's Anatomy (who began the season with the most.....drawn....out....premier....ever) is on my list. It has a couple of episodes to shape up, or it's outta here. And Glee...you better watch your back as well.

7. This list was riveting, yes?

The Blog Forecast for This Week

2011-09-19T05:00:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure how much I'll blog this week since I'm doing this "teaching gig" all week. Getting up at 4:30 a.m. takes a toll, y'all.

We had a good weekend, filled with hanging out, eating good food, and watching football.

And now I'm tired.

Back

2011-09-15T05:00:00.004-04:00

A few days ago, my friend/former colleague Tim contacted me to see if I would be interested in teaching some Graduation Writing Test review sessions at the school where I used to teach for the next week and a half or so. I took him up on the offer, and yesterday was my first day back for this little stint of teaching.

It's a pretty sweet gig, actually. I'm in a conference room that has windows on two sides overlooking the football field. I have five groups of about eight students each. All the lessons have been planned, and there is no grading.

And I get to see my old work friends.

But I've gotta be honest: 4:30 hit me HARD this morning. And "real" shoes. My toes hurt so badly at the end of the day.

It was a good day, though. I had a day full of hugs and "glad to see yous" from former colleagues and students.

It felt good to be back for a while.

For Darryl's Co-Workers

2011-09-14T05:00:00.000-04:00

A few of Darryl's co-workers read my blog -- primarily, I think, for material they can use to harass Darryl with. For example, when I posted the story a few weeks ago about Mr. Longface, Darryl arrived at his desk only to find a photo of Mr. Longface hanging on his wall. :-)

Darryl said they were tired of reading about scrapbooking...they wanted more Darryl material.

Well, gentlemen, your wait is over, and your patience is about to be rewarded. I present to you Mr. Incredible:

You're welcome.

Last Week...Disney World!!

2011-09-13T05:00:00.000-04:00

Last week, the three of us went to Disney World.

And frankly, I'm still so Disneyed out that I don't even think I can form a coherent thought about the trip. The thought of blogging about it in detail exhausts me.

We had a great time, though. Amelia is at the age where she thinks that everything is real. Every time we rode a ride that involved space (like the ride in the giant golf ball at EPCOT), she thought we were really going to Outer Space. ("Mom, we just went to Outer Space!!") On the Peter Pan ride at the Magic Kingdom, she thought that we were really flying in a pirate ship.

How fun is that???

And, of course, she was all about the princesses because, as you can probably guess, she thinks they are really princesses.

I'll share a few things this week about the trip this week along with a few photos here and there. Bear with me, though, while I'm still in recovery mode. :-)

Like Everyone Else

2011-09-12T05:00:00.000-04:00

I realize I dropped off the face of the blog world last week, but I'll write more about that tomorrow.

For now, I want to talk -- briefly -- about yesterday.

I started to write something about 9/11 yesterday, but I decided against it. Mainly because I don't really know what to say about it that hasn't already been said more eloquently than I could say it.

I don't think my memories of that day are particularly unique from everyone else's.

Like everyone else, I can remember where I was when "it" happened.

Like everyone else, I can remember my feelings of overwhelming sadness, fear, anger, and loss combined with a sense of unity and of pride in my country.

Like everyone else, I can remember American flags being flown from front porches.

Like everyone else, I was glued to the news for days afterward.

Like everyone else, I was humbled and inspired by tales of bravery and heroism in the face of unexplainable tragedy.

As I watched the ceremony unfold from Ground Zero yesterday, the magnitude of 9/11/01 seemed as great as ever, but so did the fortitude of the American spirit.

(If you are interested, our church showed this video yesterday.)

Why I Scrapbook

2011-09-02T05:00:00.000-04:00

I know, I know...you are OVER the scrapbooking thing I have going on this week. I get it. But it's my blog, and this is what's on my mind this week...

I get some flack for being a "scrapbooker." Good-natured flack, but flack, nonetheless. I know before I started scrapbooking, I thought that the people who did it were older women who wore sweaters with images of horses or cats stitched into them, and they sat around with their like-minded friends and they all scrapbooked photos of their cats.

And then I started meeting people who were self-proclaimed scrapbookers, and they were closer to my age and pretty "with it," and my image of scrapbookers started to change.

Now the cool/hip factor really has nothing to do with why I scrapbook, but it did change my perception of scrapbooking and the people who do it. (For the record, some scrapbookers are TOTALLY what I originally pictured...but they are a minority, I would say.)

So back to why I scrapbook...

When Amelia was about seven months old, she was crawling around in our then guest-room-converted-to-a-playroom. There was this thing she would always do...she would make a beeline across the carpeted room to the threshold that led to the hardwood floor of the hallway. Once she reached the hardwood floor, she would turn around, sit down, and laugh, like "Ha ha! I escaped! Try to catch me now!" and she would crawl on.

I remember watching her and thinking, "I never ever want to forget that."

But I realized that if I didn't write it down and record it in some way, I would forget. And then I realized that her life was going to be series of things I wouldn't want to forget, and that if I didn't write them down, I wouldn't remember them.

And while Amelia started out as the motivation for my scrapbooks, over time, scrapbooking has become more about "our" story as a family. I know that many people -- like me -- began scrapbooking when they had kids, but man...what I wouldn't give for an album that chronicled the first few years of our marriage, just to see how far we have come from those days. A Project Life album from 1999? THAT would be a treasure, my friends. :-) The trips, the friends, the routines, the clothes, our tiny 3rd-floor apartment...sure, I have photos and souvenirs and such, but I'd love to have it "recorded," you know?

This past weekend, Heidi Swapp made this remark in her keynote speech, and it has really stuck with me:

"If no one remembers it, it is like it never happened."

That one sentence completely embodies why I now record the details of our lives. True, we can't record EVERYTHING. Nor do we want to remember everything. But the little moments that make up the story of our lives, I want to remember a lot of it.

Creative Escape 2011--Part 3

2011-09-01T05:00:00.000-04:00

Okay, back to Creative Escape...

First, I realize I never showed you the view from my room.

Pretty sweet, huh?

Anyway, Saturday night, the evening concluded with the traditional celebration. Here's a photo of the three of us. (If you can't tell, there was a bit of a '50s theme involved.)

We had dinner, and then there were TONS of door prizes. Blayne won a Cricut (!), and I was THRILLED to win a package of goodies from American Crafts. (I'm not being sarcastic about the being thrilled part. A) I never win anything, so I was shocked I actually won something, and B) I love American Craft products.)

Then Heidi Swapp herself -- the creator and hostess of CE -- delivered the keynote speech. That woman has yet to speak without making me cry, and this time was no exception. She truly has an inspiring passion for recording memories, and this year her emphasis was on how the details of our lives are "worth remembering."

(Cathy took a photo of Blayne and me with Heidi Swapp and I would put it here, but I don't have it yet. I'm sure you are disappointed, especially since you are probably like, "Enough about Creative Escape, already!")

I mentioned on Monday and Tuesday about what a thrill it was for me to meet and take a class from Ali Edwards. Well, Saturday night was a bonus because I got to meet and talk with Becky Higgins, the creator of Project Life!

She wasn't a teacher at this event; she just came to the Saturday Celebration. She was so nice! I told her how much I appreciated Project Life, and she hugged my neck, asked me questions...it really was great talking to her.

One of the things that both she and Ali have done for me is realize that some of the best photos to take are everyday moments -- routines, playtime, work, chill-out time, etc. So I was a bit over the moon that I got to meet two of my favorite people in the industry in a 3-day period.

Sunday morning, we flew home. The three of us really had an awesome time and were completely inspired to continue recording our memories.

(And thank you for enduring my Creative Escape recap for this week! I also need and want to include a HUGE thank you to Darryl for being super-dad/super-husband while I was away! And..AND...the house was cleaner when I returned than it was when I left it!)

Warm and Creamy Bacon Dip--YUM!

2011-08-31T05:00:00.000-04:00

I'm interrupting my series of posts on my weekend at Creative Escape to participate in BooMama's Diptacular.

College Football -- and Fall, Y'all! -- is just around the corner. Let's face it...there's nothing better to go with a full day of college football viewing like a good appetizer (and a pot of some delicious soup simmering on the stove).

Therefore, I present to you...

WARM AND CREAMY BACON DIP

8 oz. softened cream cheese
2 cups sour cream
3 ounces bacon bits
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped green onion

Bring cream cheese to room temperature. Preheat oven to 400. In a bowl, combine all ingredients and place in a 1-quart baking dish. Cover. Heat 25-30 minutes or until hot. Serve with sliced French bread, crackers, and/or chips. Makes 3 cups.

Serving option: Dip may also be placed in hollowed round sourdough loaf, wrapped in foil and heated in 400 oven for 30 minutes.

(I found this recipe on an ad for Daisy sour cream last fall. Just didn't want to take credit for it.)

And in the spirit of college football, might I also add "GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!!!!"

Creative Escape 2011--Part 2

2011-08-30T08:20:00.009-04:00

Before I really begin, let me tell you that Amelia is sitting next to me, watching "Agent Oso" on TV and playing "Dynamite" on the iPad, so if this post is a string of incoherent thoughts, just know that I'm not really working in an environment where I can focus very well. :-)

Back to Creative Escape...

Friday and Saturday were full of taking classes. Seriously. We got up, had breakfast, went to two classes, had lunch, then went to classes after lunch, then had dinner. CE really feels like both a marathon AND a sprint rolled into one. I'm not going to go over every class (because I'm not sure anyone -- scrapper or not -- would find that interesting), but I'm going to show just a few photos.

Another fun part of Creative Escape was all the little goodies we receive just randomly throughout the three days we were there.

I don't know how to create a smooth transition to this next part, so I'm just going to plunge forward...

Cathy, Blayne, and I really wanted to try In 'N Out while we were there, so our "plan" was to eat very little of our dinner (the food at the hotel was just so-so) and then go out Friday night and eat at In 'N Out. Well, after a day of classes with no snack in the afternoon, we were STARVING by dinnertime, so we ended up eating most of the hotel dinner. But we knew that was the only time we could go to In 'N Out, so we went anyway. So yes, we essentially ate two dinners Friday night. (Don't judge...and we didn't eat the WHOLE meal either time.)

(By the way...we are wearing matching red t-shirts because Blayne made them to advertise ScrapRoom software. We did not wear matching outfits every day.)

(Also, we were so grossly full after this In 'N Out experience. In 'N Out was good, but perhaps it would have been better if, say, we hadn't eaten another meal beforehand.)

Then on Saturday, Cathy and Blayne REALLY wanted to go to Del Taco for lunch, so we skipped out on the hotel lunch (again, it looked sub-par), and went to Del Taco. I had never eaten at one, but may I just say that the combination of a burrito and fries is delightful?

I'm going to do one more CE-related post tomorrow about the Saturday Night Celebration. I met another scrapbooking celebrity! I won a prize! So much to tell...

(And thanks for bearing with me through the CE posts.)

Creative Escape 2011 -- Part 1

2011-08-29T08:46:00.006-04:00

Back in February (when I was still gainfully employed), I signed up to go to the final Creative Escape in Phoenix, Arizona. I went two years ago and figured I would probably never get a chance to go again, but when I heard that my favorite scrapbooking guru, Ali Edwards, was going to be teaching, I really, really, really wanted to go.

My friends Cathy and Blayne went as well, and we had such a blast. I think that this Creative Escape completely trumped the one we went to in 2009, although it was a fun time as well.

We flew to Phoenix on Wednesday and, after we checked in to our rooms and registered for the event, we went to our favorite Mexican restaurant there.

Actually, we haven't tried any others, but this one is so good that we keep going back.

Thursday was the big Bazaar where different vendors and companies showcase their products at different booths. Both Blayne and Cathy had to work at the Bazaar (Blayne was debuting her ScrapRoom software, and Cathy works for Tombow). I was able to help them out a little and then browse the different booths.

Later that afternoon, though, I had the privilege of MEETING ALI EDWARDS. I was so nervous and excited that I was practically giddy.

If you aren't into scrapbooking, you have no idea who she is. But think of something you truly enjoy -- reading, watching football, cooking, whatever -- and think of "the" person you look up to in your area of interest. Well, Ali is that for me. When I first started scrapbooking a few years ago, I got caught up in embellishments and making my pages look fancy. When I discovered Ali's philosophy and her approach -- which is simple and classic -- I was impressed at how she was able to create albums that put the focus on the story, not so much on the "glitz."

So meeting her was a thrill. And she was so nice and laid back.

After the Bazaar and the "meet and greet" with the teachers were over, we went back to Abuelo's. Why mess with a good thing, right??

I'll write more about the event tomorrow...

An Update

2011-08-25T05:00:00.000-04:00

I know everyone must be chomping at the bit for an update on the $89 face cream.

Y'all, my skin has never been this soft and moisturized. It's practically dewy.

But I'm still not paying $89, so I hope my skin enjoys this respite for as long as I can make my sample last. :-)

I'll be back Monday. See you then!

A Story from Amelia's First Day of Pre-K

2011-08-24T05:00:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned, Amelia had a good day Monday at Pre-K, but I did get at least this little nugget of information.

ME: So what did you do in your new class today?

A: The letter N.

ME: What else?

A: I had to go to time-out. On the playground.

ME: Why did you go to time-out?

A: Miss M____ said bad words to me.

(Note: "Bad words" for Amelia are words she doesn't want to hear.)

ME: What bad words did she say?

A: She said, "You don't hit your friends."

ME: Did you hit one of your friends?

A: No. I hit one of Miss T_____'s friends.

(Translation: Amelia hit one of the other teacher's students on the playground and had to go to time-out. Sigh.)

But other than that...a good day!

Yesterday: The List Version

2011-08-23T09:15:00.000-04:00

1. I ended my evening by standing in the kitchen and eating 5 sugar cookies from Publix back to back. Yesterday was really a dieting FAIL.

2. But...I had lost .6 pound this past week, resulting in 3 pounds total.

3. I have a feeling I gained back that .6 pound yesterday.

4. My cousin and I had lunch yesterday and spotted Constantine from The Bachelorette in the parking lot.

(We both decided he's cuter in person.)

5. Amelia started a Pre-K class yesterday and really seemed to enjoy it. She still has two years before kindergarten, but she'll be four soon so they moved her on to Pre-K. Woot.

6. I went to the gym yesterday around five in the afternoon. It was crowded, as in no parking spots available, so Amelia and I went to Cracker Barrel instead, picked up some photos from Costco, and then went back to the gym. Note to self: It is not smart to run on the treadmill after a large meal from Cracker Barrel. 'Twas painful.

7. The End.

This Weekend Kicked My Rear

2011-08-22T05:00:00.000-04:00

Darryl was gone all of last week. He came in for about three hours Friday and then had to leave for a church retreat with his small group of 6th grade boys.

So Amelia and I have had LOTS of together time. LOTS. And I had LITTLE adult conversation. LITTLE, I tell you.

I think you all know I love my girl more than life itself, but the combination of mess, kids' tv shows, defiant attitudes, and cabin fever about did me in. :-) (Part of the problem, I think, is that we didn't get out much yesterday except for a swim lessons and a trip to Publix.) She also enjoys emptying containers that contain her toys. Fun!

I did make a new recipe -- and it wasn't a Pioneer Woman recipe! -- for a low-cal fettuccine alfredo. (Granted, a low-cal alfredo is still in the 400-500 calorie range, but still...) It was really good.

Yep. That's about all I have to report about this weekend. Oh, I did watch Date Night with Steve Carrell and Tina Fey and thought it was really funny. I recommend it if you haven't seen it.

(By the way, Amelia's shirtless in these photos because she had just just spilled her juice ALL OVER herself...and the floor I had mopped two days before.)

The Next Sherri

2011-08-19T21:15:00.001-04:00

My friend Tim and I have a former student (he taught her in 11th grade; I taught her in 12th) who is a mutual Facebook friend. She's now about 23 or 24 years old, and she shares some very interesting tidbits about her life through her Facebook statuses. She's 30-something weeks pregnant -- and her relationship with her baby daddy is on and off again, apparently.

She also likes to post things like "Some people need to keep their noses in their own damn business and keep their drama out of MY LIFE." Or sometimes she'll post things like, "I just had turnip greens for breakfast! My baby loves turnip greens!"

Anyway, she keeps me highly entertained. (On a more serious note...Tim and I both really liked her as a student, wish her well, and think she probably will be a very loving mother, with or without Baby Daddy.)

(She also has a friend whose name is so hilarious it makes me laugh every time she comments, but I don't think I should write it here, lest she Google herself and find this post. And maybe for privacy reasons.)

ANYWAY. The other night I texted Tim that I think I could make a reality show of this student's life, and she and her hilariously-named friend would be stars. STARS, I tell you.

Then Tim suggested I pitch it to OWN, and that my next career could be as a producer at HARPO.

And then I got quite giddy because if I did that, I could be the next SHERRI SALATA.

You don't know who Sherri Salata is? No? She was only the Executive Producer for this person's show:

And I would argue that Sherri is the real star of one of my latest TV obsessions, Season 25: Oprah Behind the Scenes.

I'm contemplating inviting her to my 40th Birthday Bash. That's how cool Sherri Salata is.

Or, Tim says, if the producer-of-a-reality-show doesn't work out, I could always make crystal meth.* Either career choice has the potential to be lucrative, I think.

*I want to say for the record that I would NEVER make or sell drugs. Nor was Tim serious about that. I also realize that I might have to erase that if my blog starts showing up in searches for "How to make c------ m---."

Iced Coffee and Impending Wrinkles

2011-08-18T21:15:00.001-04:00

If this week has a theme, it should be "Pioneer Woman."

Because y'all...I made another Pioneer Woman recipe: Iced Coffee.

I love coffee. I really do. But I don't enjoy drinking a hot beverage in summertime. I've made several homemade iced coffee attempts in the past, but they failed miserably. (Don't even get me started on the Keurig's iced coffee, which is basically a weak, watery mess.)

But this? This is the most successful attempt by far, and it is really delicious.

I also suggest you click on the link provided above to see PW's "professional" photos because my iced coffee pictured above? It looks like sludge in a glass.

In other news...this afternoon I had a much-needed eyebrow wax. I go to a spa to have this done. Don't judge me for that; I realize I could get it done for less at a nail salon, but I had a negative experience once, and it involved a rickety table, scalding hot wax, and uneven brows. And there might have been a cut-up orange with a couple of flies on it on the table next to me.

So anyway, back to the spa...the woman who did my brows was obsessed with my dry skin. Already this was a bit of an ego squasher because I was feeling pretty confident about my at-this-moment-breakout-free skin. She then said that I needed to take care of this immediately because dry skin wrinkles badly. BADLY.

She gave me a sample of some cream that she wants me to try, made a note in my file, and said, "It's a little pricey, but if you like how it feels on your skin, you might consider making the investment because you do not want this dry skin to get out of control before winter."

Wow.

So I took my sample, and after I checked out and she left the room, I took a peek at how "pricey" this nectar of the gods is.

That would be $89.

Yes, $89.

I'm already predicting that it is going to make my face feel like a baby's behind. Because my skin? It likes expensive things.

Well, I better go so I can search the web for some Black Market Jurlique...or a job to finance it.

Mr. Longface

2011-08-17T21:31:00.000-04:00

These days, Amelia tends to get very caught up with whatever movie/character/princess she is "into" at the moment and then acts it out in everyday life. Some days she is Princess Belle; some days she is Dora. She usually dubs us as characters as well. Darryl is usually the prince, and, unfortunately for me, I am sometimes the witch. When she is Rapunzel, I am the mother, and if you have seen Tangled or are familiar with the story of Rapunzel, you know that being the mother is not really a compliment.

Recently Amelia has gotten into Strawberry Shortcake. (Secretly, this elates me to no end because I, too, used to have an obsession with Strawberry Shortcake. However, Strawberry's image has been a bit updated, but she's still cute as ever.) When Amelia takes on the Strawberry Shortcake persona, she dubs me "Blueberry." Because of my previous knowledge of SS, I know that "Blueberry" is Strawberry's good friend Blueberry Muffin. I'm okay with that.

But she started calling Darryl "Mr. Longface." Mr. Longface was new to me, and I had no idea who that was. If my memory is serving me correctly, he did not exist in 1980.

So one day, Darryl decided to google "Mr. Longface." And this is what he found.

This delights me to no end.

Amelia and Her Many Friends

2011-08-16T22:37:00.005-04:00

This afternoon I was cleaning up the kitchen, and Amelia told me that some of her friends had come over and that they wanted to watch Tinkerbell. When I walked in the living room to see what she was up to, this is what I saw:

We had a pretty good day today. One thing I realized the other day is that something I miss very much -- something that comes with a job -- is routine, so this week I'm trying to establish more of a routine...consistent bed times, consistent waking up times, consistent tasks for certain days, and so on. I'm not really sure why I mentioned that, but it's a slow news day.

I did take Amelia swimming late this afternoon. I picked up a pizza for dinner on our way home because it was already about 7:00, and we decided to eat outside. Amelia REALLY wanted to have a picnic. Little did I know that this is her idea of a picnic:

Yep. Sitting in a chair on top of the picnic blanket, feet propped up. That's a picnic, all right.

The Weekend, Good Food, Good Movie...and Weight Loss

2011-08-15T21:45:00.003-04:00

The Weekend
We had a really good weekend that included some good food, some down time with the family, and errands to places like Costco and such.

Saturday morning, I made the Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Toast--The Right Way. Yep, another PW recipe. It was really good, but neither Darryl nor I cared for the bread I had used, which was very "hearty" and "grainy." But I will definitely try it again because I think the right bread will make it heavenly.

{I am going to pause here to say that I have the show Bachelor Pad on in the background, and I am mourning America's taste in television.}

{Let me also add that I didn't intend for this to be on my TV. I turned on the TV and that was what was on. I refuse to get sucked in. This is a low, even for me.}

We grilled steaks Saturday night (yum) and enjoyed just hanging out. Sunday involved some church activities, but overall, it was a good, low-key weekend.

Today
I got up bright and early to go to a career networking group. It was actually somewhat encouraging and enjoyable. (Sometimes those things can be depressing because oh my word at the people who are searching for jobs.)

After that, in a total "tennis wife" move, I met my friend Blayne for lunch, and then we went to see The Help. I have already talked on this blog about how much I loved the book, and the movie did NOT disappoint.

Y'all, it was so good. See it. Now. (And Emma Stone is quickly becoming one of my favorite young actresses!)

Weight Loss
In spite of the good food I had over the weekend, I somehow managed to lose 2.4 pounds! I'm hoping to keep plugging away at it...

Food and Stuff

2011-08-12T20:18:00.005-04:00

I've been in a bit of a cooking rut lately, so I decided today to try a new recipe: The Pioneer Woman's Pasta with Tomato-Blue Cheese sauce. (That's Pioneer Woman's photo, not mine.)

'Twas GOOD, y'all.

Even if you don't like blue cheese, I think you would still like this pasta. It is just very flavorful, but not with a strong blue cheese taste.

I also made some chocolate pecan pie bars, and while they are good, I don't think I'll make them again.

And yes, the desire to lose 20 pounds is still there. I have been to the gym FIVE days this week, y'all. That is not a typo.

Also, the job search is still on. I was feeling a little defeated yesterday. I've chosen not to think about it as much today.

Anyone want to hire me? I'll make you some delicious pasta. :-)

My 40th Birthday Party...in Two Years

2011-08-11T22:15:00.001-04:00

I was watching Oprah's Behind the Scenes the other day as her production team was discussing how they pulled off the big next-to-last-show surprise extravaganza with 100+ celebrities. It took months and months of planning to get everyone booked and where they were supposed to be, and it got me thinking...

My peeps better start NOW with my 40th Birthday Bash. They better start now, because I have quite the impressive guest list.

I don't even need the big arena. I'm fine with my house, chips and salsa, chocolate cake, and the company of these fine ladies, featured in no particular order.

Robin Roberts, formerly of ESPN, presently of Good Morning America. I'm not going to lie. She might be my girl crush. (I. Love. Her.) She's funny. She's classy. She's a hoot on Twitter. What's not to love?

Diane Sawyer, formerly of Good Morning America, presently of ABC Nightly News. I know she got all serious on us and is now a hot-shot news anchor who interviews world leaders, but she proved on GMA that she is a fun gal. I'm sure she'll bring it at my chips and salsa party.

Tina Fey, formerly of SNL, presently of 30 Rock. She just got added to my guest list because I'm reading her book Bossypants, and y'all, it is pee-in-your-pants funny. I might just get her to read aloud from her book at my party. Why not?

Bonnie Hunt, formerly of The Bonnie Hunt Show, Bonnie, and some other shows/movies I can't remember the name of. She's cute. She's funny. She's self-deprecating. I can't fully 'splain it, but I adore her.

Gayle King, Oprah's BFF. I used to love listening to her talk show when I had satellite radio, and now that same show -- but with video -- is on, you guessed it, OWN. And if I were on a desert island and had to choose between Gayle and Oprah as my island-mate for a long period of time, I'd choose Gayle. Yeah, I said it.

Lauren Graham, formerly of one of my favorite TV shows of all time, Gilmore Girls. And now she is on Parenthood, which I started watching last season. I've seen her in interviews and she seems like a fun gal. C'mon down to the ATL, Lauren. You're invited!

And last, but not least, Connie Britton, formerly of my recently and dearly departed Friday Night Lights. But with Connie, there is a string attached: I want her to come as her FNL character, Tammy Taylor. I'm sure Connie is a lovely woman, but I think Tammy and I could be best friends. If she really existed. Connie/Tammy can also bring her favorite white wine.

Would that be a rockin' 40th Birthday Party or what? Another plus? I think all these women are older than I am, and it would help my self-esteem to be the youngest gal at the party.

Okay, peeps...get on it.

(Wait...who are my peeps? I need peeps!!)

A Week in the Life--The Finished Product

2011-08-10T18:12:00.011-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I told you that I was doing a photography/scrapbooking project called "A Week in the Life." Well, today, I finally finished putting that album together, and I thought I would show you how it turned out.

You might be thinking, Why take the time to document the heck out of a normal week in your life? Here's my answer: How interesting would it be to find something that documented a week in your life from five, ten, twenty years ago? What you ate for dinner, what your routine was, what your appliances/technology looked like. What if you could find lists made in the handwriting of someone you love, or maybe someone who has passed away? The whole point of this project is to find the extraordinary in the ordinary (that's deep, huh?). No matter how many people might put a project like this together, no two projects will be the same.

I put my project together in a red 8.5 x 11 We R Memory Keepers album.

Here is my opening page.

I'm not going to show you the entire album, but I will show you a couple of days just so you can get the idea of the concept and layout. (I borrowed very heavily from Ali Edwards's layout from her 2010 album, which you can find here.)

Each day's layout consists of three parts: a day's opening page with an 8 x 8 photo from that day; a page (front and back) that has little pockets for small photos, memorabilia, and journal cards (this page is really a baseball card protector page, and I purchased Ali Edwards's journal cards); and a page that consisted of a photo collage I put together in Photoshop Elements.

Here's Monday:

I'm skipping a few days here and going to Thursday:

The format is exactly the same for all the days.

Here's my final page:

The paper I used was primarily from Cosmo Cricket's "Circa 1934" line and "Social Club" collection. (I didn't buy the kits that I linked to; instead, I was able to purchase individual papers from my friend Mary's store, Altered Angel.)

What I Did That I Liked:
This was my first time doing this project, so I made myself accept that it wasn't going to be "perfect." It was really a learning experience for me.

First, I'm going to give myself a pat on the back for taking on Photoshop Elements. It has always intimidated me, but I watched some good tutorial videos and learned a lot.

Some things I am glad I featured in my album:
--snapshots of text messages and Facebook posts (I think we might get a kick out of Facebook in the year 2032 when we can communicate telepathically or something crazy like that)
--snapshots of the books on my nightstands
--photos that might not have been pretty but are "real"
--receipts from meals
--grocery lists
--bits of packaging from different items
--a photo of Amelia's handwriting
--a simple layout

What I Will Do Differently Next Time:
--use some black-and-white photos
--figure out how to use the self-timer on my camera so I can include more photos of me (at the risk of sounding self-absorbed, ha!)
--vary the subject of my "big" opening photos. Amelia was in most of them, and while I think she is precious, I felt that those photos were a bit Amelia-centric. HOWEVER, I'm okay with that this time around because our lives are a bit Amelia-centric right now. Haha!

Final Thoughts:
I loved this project and will definitely do it again. It gets a bit cumbersome to try to document everything, but when it is all said and done, the project itself isn't difficult at all. I think a simple layout is key. Honestly, what took me the most time was figuring out some stuff with Photoshop Elements, but now that I have those tasks figured out, I think the project will take less time in the future. (And also...it didn't even take me a month to do this project from start to finish. In the scrapbooking world, that is practically unheard of!)

So yes, yes, yes to A Week in the Life!

Just Putting It Out There

2011-08-09T16:42:00.004-04:00

On The Doctors yesterday, (don't judge me because I watched it), trainer Jilli@n Michaels said that one of the best things to do if you want to lose weight is to let everyone around you know, to "put it out there" that you want to lose weight. I want to lose 20 pounds. So there. I put it out there.

(I'm also trying something new and crazy: keeping track of what I eat, attempting to eat healthy and control my portions, and exercising. Novel idea, huh?)

I'm also putting out there -- because what good is a blog if you can't vent once in a while -- that today has been a frustrating day. First, why can't people simply respond to emails? (As I typed that, I remembered I didn't respond to my mom's email from last night. Oops!) I've also been running in circles trying to get in my application materials for a job I really want. However, I was really hoping I would have a contact/connection for this job, and those hopes have been deflated like a balloon. So now I realize my chances are...well, probably not good. Because we all know it's all about "who you know." And while I have been putting all my job materials together, Amelia has been destroying the house. At least she's had fun, huh?

But on a more positive note that I'll just "put out there," I had a good visit with my parents Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. We went to the aquarium (which was crowded, yo), and we also enjoyed some good food. My parents were also celebrating 45 years of marriage. Darryl and I had a date night Friday. Also good.

ALSO, in a note completely related to nothing...if you get a chance to see the movie Crazy, Stupid Love, do it. My friend Blayne and I went out last week and saw it, and it was so insanely good and funny. It was the best romantic comedy I've seen in a long time.

It also features Ryan Gosling and his ABS.

You're welcome.

Back to this weekend...Saturday night I joined Tim, Max, and Anna for our annual trip to the Miss Cobb pageant. We love this tradition. So much fun!

Don't we all look happy???

The First Day of School...But Not For Me

2011-08-04T07:19:00.002-04:00

When I quit my job, I knew there would be days ahead when I would feel relieved (I've had those); days when I panicked and thought, "Oh crap! What have I done?" (and I've had those); and days when I would be scared and unsure what my next step will be (and I've had those). Today, though, is day that has been looming on the horizon for quite some time, and I wasn't quite sure how I would feel.

It's the First Day of School. And I'm not there.

This is only one of two times I wasn't part of a first day of school since I started school myself. The other time was after we moved to Atlanta and I worked for a year as a paralegal, but that was different because I didn't know any teachers here yet, so there wasn't this feeling of "life continuing without me" like there is today.

This week HAS felt weird. My teacher-friends all started back on Monday for pre-planning. Several of them texted me, and it felt good to be missed. Who doesn't want to be missed? I miss them tremendously. I'm hopeful, though, that they will continue to be a strong presence in my life, even thought it won't be the same as seeing them every day.

At the same time, though, I don't feel panicked. I don't even feel sad that I'm not teaching. (Sad I'm not seeing my friends? Yes. Sad I'm not going through the first-day spiel? No.) I feel a sense of peace that I made the right decision.

In a few minutes, Amelia is going to wake up, and we'll have breakfast together. And I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be right now.

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose.

2011-07-31T08:00:00.003-04:00

I'm in mourning, y'all.

Friday Night Lights, one of my favorite TV shows OF ALL TIME, is officially over. Actually, it was over a couple of weeks ago, but because of some DVR issues and a busy spring and early summer, I finally was able to watch the entire season over the past couple of weeks.

I don't want to talk about the finale of the show or give anything away for those of you who haven't watched this season yet (Tim, that would be you), but I do want to offer a list of the reasons why I love this show. And if you haven't watched this show, I strongly urge you to get the DVDs and watch. You will thank me later.

And I present to you now the reasons, in no particular order, why I think FNL is awesome:

1. The characters are realistic. From the high school students to the adults, I have known people "in real life" who are just like the characters on these shows. (Also...the students look like students, not 30-something adults playing high school kids.)

2. Each episode has at least one moment that gives me goose bumps...and sometimes makes me shed a tear. Usually these moments involve Coach Taylor (played by the brilliant Kyle Chandler) or his wife, Tammy (portrayed by the awesome Connie Britton). You just need to watch for yourself to see what I'm talking about.

3. The show doesn't have an "off" season. You know how many shows just have a bad season? Not Friday Night Lights. I was worried when our favorites at the beginning of the series graduated and moved off to college or wherever (and there are some other cast transitions that take place that I don't want to give away if you are planning to watch), but the writing of this show is so compelling that we quickly fall in love with the new characters as they are introduced to us.

4. The marriage of Eric and Tammy is realistic and inspirational. They support each other. They fight. They make mistakes. They compromise. They laugh at each other. They are flawed people. At the end of the day, though, you know this is a rock solid marriage.

5. The show tackles realistic issues. From jealousy among players to kids having to deal with more at home than they should, FNL handles them wonderfully and often poignantly.

6. The show is often hilarious. I mentioned earlier that every show features at least one touching moment. I should also add that every show features several laugh-out-loud moments, too.

7. The show is about football, and it isn't about football. Several of my friends have mentioned that they didn't start watching this show because they aren't really into football. Really, the show isn't about the football. Sure, it features some game clips and the whole cast is connected to football in one way or another, but the show is really about the characters. And trust me when I say that when it is all said and done, you won't mind the football parts. :-)

It's so good, y'all. SO GOOD. And I will miss it. (As for the title of this post...if you watched the show, you'll get it. If you didn't, what are you waiting for? Start watching!)

Last Week and This Week (So Far)

2011-07-27T22:00:00.004-04:00

Last Week
I didn't post anything after Monday of last week (obviously) because I was so immersed in the Week in the Life project that, frankly, I was tired of documenting each day. After photographing tons of stuff and writing down stuff about every day last week, I just didn't want to write about it again...know what I mean?

Last week was a fun one, though. It included a playdate with some former colleagues/mom-friends at the pool. It also included a lunch date with Tim and Kim at a delicious restaurant. It included some scrapbooking with my friend Blayne. It included the Winnie the Pooh movie (so cute!). It included dinner at a Mexican restaurant with my 9th grade small group. Basically, it was lots of fun.

It also included not-so-fun stuff, like searching for jobs, doing laundry, cleaning, and such.

This Week
This week hasn't been quite as eventful. I went to a job networking thing Monday evening. (Confession: I am CLUELESS and AWKWARD when it comes to networking. Small talk with strangers? Painful.) I've also been trying to figure out Photoshop Elements for my Week in the Life album. May I present to you...a photo collage!

Fancy, is it not?

I also learned how to put "brushes" on photos, like this one:

The "brush" would be "Tuesday." You don't even want to know how long it took me to figure out how to put that on there.

I'm also trying a new diet called The Carb Lovers' Diet. I'm not loving the diet. The first week -- the "kickstart" week -- is a beast. In fact, I haven't stuck to it completely because I was HUNGRY. So I'm doing my own version of this diet, which is some healthy carb eating along with some common sense, like eating a nectarine instead of a pint of ice cream for a snack. I have also -- and this is huge -- cut out diet sodas. I have also greatly reduced the amount of Splenda I drink in my coffee. And I'm drinking a boatload of green tea and water. Fun times!!

A Week in the Life, Facebook, and Scalloped Tomatoes

2011-07-18T22:47:00.004-04:00

Brief scrapbooking talk...

To the right of my blog is a button for a scrapbooking project initiated by my favorite scrapbooking guru, Ali Edwards, called "A Week in the Life." The essence of the project is that you create an album that thoroughly documents what a week in you life looks like through words and photos--the mundane, the fun, the routine, the minutia. Ever since seeing the completed albums of my friends from when they've done this project in the past, I've wanted to take on this project.

Basically, anyone could do this project anytime she wanted, but it is fun to do it when other scrapbookers are doing it, too. Next week is technically "A Week in the Life" week for taking photos, but I've decided that this week is going to be the week that I'm documenting because it includes a little bit of several aspects of our life. I'll show you more as I the project comes together.

Now movie talk...

I am way behind when it comes to watching movies; this afternoon, though, I watched The Social Network and really enjoyed it. The performances were really good (I see now why Jesse Eisenberg was nominated for so many awards), and the story was definitely intriguing.

Now food talk...

I brought back a bunch of tomatoes from Florida, and they are DELICIOUS. Tonight I made Ina Garten's Scalloped Tomatoes, and while it was really yummy, it isn't something I could eat a lot of. I also have a theory that it is one of those recipes that taste better the next day...

Trip to Florida #2: A Visit to the Grandparents' House

2011-07-12T08:16:00.017-04:00

Three days after I returned from The Walk, I got back and the car--this time I took Amelia--and we went to Florida to visit my parents. Darryl was out of town last week, so it was "just the girls."

(It dawned on me when I was coming back home this past Saturday that I had driven though/eaten lunch in Eufaula, Alabama three Saturdays in a row!)

Anyway, Amelia and I went down to my parents' house on Saturday and just hung out for a while and ate some good food. The rest of the week was busy with one activity after another; we packed a lot of fun into one week!

Sunday we went to my parents' church, where they had a cookout afterward to welcome the new preacher and his wife. Amelia was all decked out in her patriotic attire.

That afternoon, Amelia and her Nana made a flag cake. (Truth be told, it really ended up being Nana's and my project. Amelia was too interested in tasting the frosting.)

See?

We also attempted to take Amelia fishing off the neighbors' dock, but they weren't biting. I like this pic of Amelia with Mr. P, whom I've known ever since I can remember. He used to help me fish when I was a kid.

Monday, the 4th, we went to the beach in the morning. Here are a few pics of that.

That evening, we went to see the fireworks. Here's a photo of Amelia with her cousin Cameron.

That thing Amelia is holding is a firecracker she made in her summer daycare class. She had saved it for several days and was so excited about opening it, and then she ended up losing it. She was verrrrrrrry sad. I was sad for her. :-(

Tuesday we went to an aquatic center that had a play area/pool for kids. We had such a great time there and it wasn't too crowded. Amelia enjoyed pretending that she was the swim teacher and that we were her students, so she kept making us swim laps while she told us, "That's it, girl. You're doing it! Next time, use big arms." (Can you tell she's been in swim lessons for a while?)

We also tried fishing again that morning, and this time, Amelia was successful at getting her first fish!! She didn't want to touch it, though. I can't really blame her.

Wednesday, Amelia, my mom, and I went shopping and had a good time...but I didn't take any photos of that.

Thursday, we went back to the aquatic park because we had so much fun the first time. It was much more crowded the second time around, but we still had a great time.

Friday, we went to a local farm and picked tomatoes. This photo is TERRIBLE of me (no makeup, ball cap, and about three chins), but oh well.

That afternoon (and one afternoon earlier in the week, but I can't remember which one), Amelia and I visited Darryl's side of the family and Amelia had a good time playing with her cousins. Ashley (my sister-in-law) took some photos of that, so I hope to have a couple of photos to show soon.

Saturday, Amelia and I came back home. We had such a great week visiting with Nana and Paw-Paw!!

(Edited to Add: The reason this blog has Tuesday's date on it is that Tuesday is the date I started this post and then procrastinated with finishing it.)

Falling Off the Face of the Earth...And "The Walk"

2011-07-10T09:31:00.004-04:00

Hi there.

I really didn't mean to just fall off the face of the earth unexpectedly like that. One day led to another, and before I knew it, several weeks had gone by. My reason? I've been insanely busy. Since I last blogged, I've been to Florida and back TWICE.

When I quit my teaching job (that is still hard for me to type), I decided that I still wanted to invest in the lives of teenagers in some way, so I signed up to be a group leader for a group of 9th grade girls at my church. The idea is that I will be their group leader until they graduate from high school, and I think that's a cool idea.

One of the first "activities" we participated in was a 4-day trip to Panama City Beach called "The Walk." I co-lead our group with a recent high school graduate named Jennifer, and I adore her. Here's a photo of our group. (Forgive the "flash bulb" eyes...I'm too lazy to "correct" all those eyes at the moment.)

Yep. They are all tan, thin, and beautiful. Ah, youth.

What I learned about ninth grade girls this week is that they aren't the tidiest people on earth, and they do disgusting things like eat the cream out of Oreos and put them back in the box. They also spend A LOT of time on their hair.

BUT.

They are also very sweet, and when they aren't leaving towels everywhere and eating cream out of Oreos and fixing their hair, they ask these kinds of questions:

--Why did God give us free will when He wants everyone to follow Him?
--Why did He allow Satan to exist if He knew what Satan was going to do?
--Why did God make Satan an angel in the beginning?
--Some versions of the Apostles' Creed says Jesus descended into Hell. Did He really?
--Will we know our relatives in Heaven?
--Why were animals sacrificed in the Old Testament?

Goodness.

Oh, on a less spiritual note, we also participated in a flash mob. I don't think this video quite captures the "energy" of what we were feeling at the moment, but it was so, so fun. :-)

Cleaning and Organizing: The Refrigerator

2011-06-21T10:03:00.003-04:00

One of my goals while to accomplish until I am gainfully employed is to clean and organize areas of our house.

Yesterday I had a couple of hours to myself, so I decided to start with a fairly small task: the refrigerator.

This photo probably isn't very impressive because I don't have a "before" shot, but believe me when I say that this is a major improvement. I also wiped down all the shelves and such. Very nice!

Weekend Wrap-Up: Scrapbooking Class, Father's Day, Etc.

2011-06-21T09:48:00.004-04:00

How about a little weekend wrap-up?

Friday night, I went to scrapbook class at my friend Mary's store. While the project itself (a Unibind album) isn't something that I consider "my thing," I like to take classes like that just to learn some new techniques. Plus, as I said in a previous post, I'm just trying to get my creative mojo back.

Just for the heck of it, here is a photo from the class.

(Tim, if you are reading this, I'm thinking the crowd in that photo is probably what you envision when you picture "scrapbookers." Let me assure you that Blayne (on the top right), Mary (whose hands you see on the left), and I are very cool scrapbookers. And I think we were the youngest ones there.)

Honestly, I don't remember much about Saturday. We had a Cracker Barrel breakfast, took Amelia to swim lessons, and had dessert for dinner. Yum!

For Father's Day, we spent most of the day just hanging out together, and that was nice. We went to the pool that afternoon and Amelia and Darryl took a long hibernation-type nap that afternoon.

Here's the only Father's Day photo I took. Poor Darryl didn't even get to eat his own lunch; Amelia wanted his broccoli cheese soup and he graciously shared. (We were on our way to the pool, thus the hat that Darryl is wearing.)

A Whole Lotta Nothin'

2011-06-17T07:35:00.002-04:00

This has definitely been an up-and-down kind of week.

After I wrote Wednesday, we had some bad storms in our area. After they cleared and the rain stopped, Amelia and I attempted to meet Darryl at a nearby restaurant for dinner, but I got about a quarter of a mile down our road and there were trees across it and a cop blocking the road. I tried to go another route and encountered the same thing. It was kind of creepy and scary. So I ended up going back home and fixing some macaroni and cheese out of the box. Amelia was perfectly happy with that. Me, not so much.

Finally the trees were cleared enough for Darryl to get home, and then the power went out and stayed out until about 3 a.m. It was good times, y'all. (I remember when I was a kid and thought it was fun for the power to be out. Those days are no more.)

Yesterday, I met my friend Blayne again to scrapbook. I'm trying to get my creative mojo back, and it is coming back very slowly. When I got home, I was inspired to clean out/organize my small scrapbooking space (read: the guest room closet and a small desk in the guest room).

On a random note, I don't know what has happened to my attention span, but I can't focus on anything on TV for longer than 15 minutes. I have tons of shows I recorded while school was going on, and I just can't make myself watch them yet. I have five episodes of Glee waiting for me and several episodes of Modern Family, but I just can't make myself get into either of them.

But you know what show I do like to watch in little 15-minute spurts? Oprah: Behind the Scenes on the OWN network. SO interesting! (Darryl makes fun of me anytime I watching something on OWN.)

I also don't have the attention span to read a book for longer than 10 minutes.

Is this normal??

Pool Party and House Alarm

2011-06-15T13:19:00.005-04:00

So my pity party from yesterday is now over and I feel better. (However, yesterday I decided to go to the gym to help myself snap out of feeling sorry for myself, and as we were getting in the car, Amelia had a wipeout in our driveway and scraped up her chin, her knees, and her ankle. We were ultimately both in tears before she was all bandaged up and ready to go again. But NOW the pity party is over.)

Yesterday evening, Amelia went to a pool party for her friend Tanner's birthday. Amelia got to see all her buddies and was so excited to be there. I took only one photo, but it's a good one. Is this the life or what?

This morning I got up to realize we had no water. Apparently there was a water line leak, and some city workers had cut off the water to repair. (A heads up that they were going to do that would have been awesome, though.) Then I made the mistake of heading out to my car to get something and forgot to turn the house alarm off, so I set off the alarm. Darryl is the contact person for the alarm company, but unfortunately, he was on a plane coming back to Atlanta, so a cop ventured out to our house. It was a lively morning, to say the least. :-)

Unemployment and Bathing Suits

2011-06-14T09:08:00.004-04:00

The Bad: So while the theme of last week was "The Life of Riley," this week's theme is "Reality Sets In: What Have I Done?"

I know leaving my job was the right decision, and I knew early on that I was going to have a week like this one (and it's only Tuesday, people).

This week, panic is starting to set in. The panic of "oh my goodness, I had a job and I left it. Was I insane?" It wasn't helped by the fact that yesterday I went to a career networking meeting was sitting in a room of 100+ unemployed people.

It stings when I see that my old work friends are making plans for lunches and things together and I'm not a part of that anymore, and I realize that life moves on without me...and while that is something I've always known in my brain, it is still hard to sit by and watch.

And I worry that I've screwed up Amelia's life. She was in a great daycare before and I had to move her to a different one. How do I know it will be just as good? How will I know that she will be happy? How do I know I've done the right thing by her?

(I must insert her that Amelia just walked in with her panties on backwards and it was much needed comic relief.)

I'm really not trying to have a big pity party, nor am I looking for anyone to comment to say that everything will be all right; I just had to get all that off my chest. And I actually do feel a little better.

(Speaking of comments...NOBODY comments on my blog anymore. That makes me sad. Hint, hint.)

The Good: After the meeting yesterday (which actually was pretty good, despite the fact that it is overwhelming to see a lot of unemployed people in one room), I decided to take on the task of finding a one-piece swimsuit. I'm going on a trip with a high school group in a couple of weeks, and all the females are required to wear one-piece swimsuits.

This was a daunting task because A) I'm not really at the best weight I've ever been, and B) I'm kind of long-bodied, and I always felt that one pieces made me look like a high school wrestler.

But.

BUT.

Yesterday, the heavens opened up and delivered a swimsuit that, believe it or not, was so flattering that I bought it in two different colors. AND it was on sale!!! (Actually, I bought it online when I got home because there were more colors available online.) Behold this bathing suit that is sure to cover or disguise a multitude of body wrongs. (I tried to get a photo of it, but they were all too small):

The Lands' End Grecian Swimsuit

And I searched online for a coupon code that gave me 25% off the sale price plus free shipping!

So, if I'm still in my unemployed state come September, I'll just put on this bathing suit and feel like a million bucks.

The Life of Riley

2011-06-09T23:15:00.005-04:00

Honestly, this week I've been living "the life of Riley." I told a friend of mine that if every week could be like this one, I would never work again. (Darryl, don't have a heart attack and keep on reading.)

Yes, I do plan to hit the job search hard and heavy (and I've already applied for a couple), but I just needed a week to, you know, chill out.

Today I went to my friend Mary's store and did a little scrapbooking with my friend Blayne. I haven't scrapbooked at all in several months, and it was good to play with some pretty paper and photos. I'm working on an album for our Disney trip last October and hope to finish it soon.

Getting my scrapbooking on also made me get back in the photo-taking mood. I've been terrible about taking photos lately, but I really want to make sure I catch a lot of little everyday moments...like these from this afternoon.

Aquariums and Diaper Champs

2011-06-08T21:19:00.007-04:00

Tuesday I took Amelia to the Georgia Aquarium. We went last year at the end of the summer and Amelia really enjoyed it then, so I figured she might enjoy it even more now...and she did.

Here's why I am a fan of the aquarium, especially in the summertime:

1) It is indoors and COOL.
2) It is easy to get to.
3) The parking is oh so close to the entrance.
4) Again, it is indoors and COOL.

Did I mention it is indoors and cool?

Amelia didn't stay still for long, so it was hard to get photos, but here are a few...

And this has nothing to do with the aquarium, but I have to show you a photo of this momentous occasion:

That's our Diaper Champ, waiting to be collected by the garbage truck.

SWEET MERCY.

Amelia is, I believe, a smart child, but heavens to Betsy, she really didn't give a rip about potty training. Around Easter, I finally just decided to put her in some panties to see what happened, and lo and behold, we haven't looked back.

Well, that's not 100% true. We glance back to Pull-Up Land for naptime and bedtime, but other than that, this is a diaper-free zone.

HALLELUJAH.

A New Beginning

2011-06-05T20:33:00.005-04:00

So.

I quit my teaching job.

I'm not sure if that was a crazy decision to make in this economy, but it feels like the right decision.

The bottom line is this: I was spending at least 60 hours most weeks doing teaching-related things. Amelia was spending 10 hours a day in daycare, and that's not even counting the time that Darryl was "Mr. Mom" on the weekends and even on some evenings while I graded papers at Starbucks. I wasn't fulfilling my role as a teacher or my role as a mother to my satisfaction. What's more is that for the most part, my passion for my job was dwindling, and I really didn't want to become "that" teacher who is bitter and nasty to all her students because she doesn't really want to be there. (We all know those teachers exist. I had no desire to be one.)

So I resigned. Even though I knew (and still know) it was the right thing to do, it was still a hard decision to make. I had been at my school for seven years. I had a niche. I got to teach AP classes. I had friends I had grown accustomed to seeing every day. I enjoyed most of my students.

Now, for clarification...my "plan" is not to be a stay-at-home mom. I don't think there is anything wrong with that, but I don't think it is for me. I hope to find something, though, where I can leave the office (or wherever) at the end of the day and be DONE with my job until I return to work the next day.

Even though that is exciting (and terrifying), it was still hard to say goodbye to...

...my desk,

...these friends,

...this classroom.

Where I've Been and What I've Been Doing

2011-06-04T18:22:00.018-04:00

So, what's the reason for all the quietness on the blog lately? (If all two of you were wondering...)

Non-stop craziness.

After Spring Break, it seemed like life was just one thing after another. The weekdays were filled with the routine of school, and the evenings and weekends were filled with all kinds of fun stuff, like...

A surprise party for my friend Rebecca, who was turning 30. (Ah, 30...)

The prom. (Here I am with my friends/fellow teachers Lisa and Charlee. And yes, that is a stained glass window of Jesus in the background.)

An Easter party. (I didn't make it to the actual party, but I did make it to the egg hunt.)

Easter. (My parents came up for Easter. Unfortunately, Amelia was running a little fever and couldn't go to church, but that afternoon we put on her dress anyway and took some pics.)

(The above is a cake Amelia and my mom made. Amelia wanted lots of rabbits on it.)

A quick senior trip. (Seriously...we went to Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure in Orlando and back in 28 hours.)

Lots of end-of-the-year evening festivities, like an academic awards ceremony, Class Night, and Graduation. (Here I am with Tim and Kim before Graduation. Also, this was taken with my phone, hence the poor quality.)

Busy, busy times. I think I'm still catching up on sleep. :-)

MIA

2011-05-19T17:57:00.002-04:00

Missing In Action. Not Mia.

Sorry I've been quiet on the blog lately. There will be a catch-up post next week that will explain the absence. (Nothing is wrong...I've just been TERRIBLY busy. It's that time of year.)

I need to go for now; I have about 100 essays to grade.

Sigh.

Spring Break: The Promised Beach Pics

2011-04-09T19:16:00.007-04:00

(To my mother and any other concerned parties: Darryl was just outside the frame of these shots. Safety first.)

Spring Break: Food, Fun, and Pink Eye

2011-04-09T10:37:00.010-04:00

Well, we're winding up Spring Break over here. The end of a vacation week always makes me ponder two things that defy the laws of physics (I'm not sure if that makes sense or not, but it sounds smart, doesn't it?):

1) Why does a week of vacation go by much more quickly than a work week does?
2) Why does a week of vacation produce twice the amount of laundry that a normal week does, especially when we still pretty much still subscribe to the whole one-outfit-a-day routine?

Anyway, because Darryl has traveled so much for work lately, we decided we needed to get away just the three of us for a few days. We did NOT want to head south and join the mass exodus of Georgians headed to Florida, so we went to Charleston.

We left Sunday after church and arrived in Charleston that evening. We found a pretty good Italian restaurant for dinner, and then we settled in at the hotel for the night.

Monday was kind of a weird day filled with this and that. We browsed around downtown, had lunch at a place called Barbara Jean's (it was very yummy), and then went back to the hotel for naps because Amelia and I were both in bad moods. :-) We later went to Folly Beach and just walked around. Amelia enjoyed playing around at the water's edge, but it was too cold and windy to really do much more than that. I have some really great photos from this excursion, but I just realized my "good" camera is in the car, and Darryl has my car right now, so those will have to wait until later.

Here's a photo of Darryl and Amelia walking around in downtown Charleston, though:
Tuesday was a better day. We had an INCREDIBLE lunch at a place called Poogan's Porch. Y'all, at this restaurant, I had the best biscuits I have ever had in my life. Seriously. I'm pretty convinced these biscuits are going to be served for breakfast every day in Heaven. I was so pumped about these biscuits that I had to take a photo of one and post it to my Facebook page immediately.

And here's a photo of Amelia and me by the restaurant's sign because I wanted to document the place where I had eaten the BEST. BISCUITS. EVER.
Forgive the ball cap. I had pretty much surrendered to the Charleston wind and humidity. (If I hadn't contained my hair with a ball cap, it would have totally looked like Monica's hair on the Friends episode where the whole gang went to some tropical locale.)
Anyway...that afternoon we went to the Family Circle Cup at Daniel Island and watched a couple of tennis matches. It actually was more fun than I thought it would be, and Amelia loved being outside and bouncing her big tennis ball, which you can see in this shot I took with my phone.

And here's Amelia watching a pro practice. I can't remember who this is, but I thought it was cool how close we could get to the practice sessions. (Edited to add: This is Jankovic, whom I am currently watching play in the semifinals on TV.)
That evening, per Amelia's request, we took a horse-and-carriage ride through some of the older parts of Charleston. Let me clarify...Amelia isn't some prodigy history buff who wanted to know the history of Charleston. She just wanted to be close to the horses. Anyway, I didn't take any photos of that. :-(

We came back Wednesday. I don't have anything eventful to report about that.

So where does the pink eye fit in with all this? Amelia and I both were fighting allergies/sinus infections/something all week. Amelia's eyes have been kind of, well, gross, so when I took her to the doctor yesterday, she was diagnosed with pink eye. (I really thought it was just allergies.) So we're ending our week with lots of laundry and a case of pink eye.

Coming later...cute beach pics of Amelia! :-)

A Little Catching Up--Amelia gets new wheels!

2011-03-23T20:04:00.005-04:00

Friday afternoon, we were enjoying the nice weather outside with our neighbors. They have a daughter a little older than Amelia, and she let Amelia take a spin or two on her Princess bike. Amelia loved it so much that we ended up getting Amelia her own bike (a Tinkerbell one!) Sunday afternoon.

(Disclaimer: We don't buy Amelia everything she loves just on a whim like that. However, her birthday isn't until November, and it definitely won't be that nice outside then.)

She loves the bike and has had so much fun riding it up and down our driveway. Yesterday we went to the park and she had a blast riding on the trail. I hope the weather stays nice like this--not too hot and not too cool--for a good while longer!

A Little Catching Up--Altered Angels!

2011-03-20T20:49:00.004-04:00

Here's what happens when I don't keep up with blogging--I feel overwhelmed by all the stuff I need to catch up on, so I put it off.

So I think I'm going to tackle just a few things that have happened in the past month or so in no particular order.

So here we go...

My scrapbooking friend Mary opened a scrapbook store in Alpharetta called Altered Angel. She had her grand opening yesterday, and I met my friend Molly there to do a little shopping.

I'm so excited for Mary and very proud of her for pursuing her dream. Her first day was great, and she really has a lot of cool stuff that most stores in this area don't have.

Afterward, my friend Blayne and I went next door to Cinco to chat over some chips and queso. (Blayne was helping Mary with the grand opening.) It was great just to have some conversation time along with some good food.

Yay for scrapbooking and girlfriends!

Ooops...a month has flown by

2011-03-12T22:01:00.002-05:00

I really am a horrible blogger, aren't I?

I'm going to try to get a real post up later this week.

The last few weeks have been crazy busy. And here it is, Saturday night, and I'm attempting to wade through the 125 or so midterms I have to have graded and entered by Tuesday morning. Oh, and did I mention the midterms are ESSAYS? (I'm not trying to knock my school, but explain the logic in requiring the English Department to make students write in-class essays for the midterm, but then scheduling that midterm on the last day of midterm week, thus giving the English teachers the least amount of time to grade.) Granted, I'm not making comments on them--I'm just scoring them with a rubric--but still, that's a lot of writing, y'all. And the majority of it ain't pretty.

Okay. Obviously I need to go. I just wanted to let you know that I'm still alive and hope to return to the blogosphere soon.

An assortment of things

2011-02-11T19:42:00.004-05:00

Apparently to keep up with my blog, I need to be snowed in for a week. :-)

If you can't tell, life has just been busy lately. And I don't really have anything of substance to write about, so here's a little trivial nonsense for you:

1--I started going to the gym again this week. Go me!

2--I have a sore throat again...or still. This has been off and on for the past six weeks. I go to the doctor, get an antibiotic, and it feels better until the antibiotic has run its course. Oh, and teaching all day AND having a sore throat...not a good combination.

3--I am LOVING Darren Criss on Glee.

4--I'm so behind on Modern Family.

5--I love that one of Amelia's favorite things to do is get in Darryl's and my bed and watch TV. She'll say, "Will you take your shoes off and get under the covers with me and watch Mickey Mouse?" At the end of a long day, it's kind of hard to turn down that request.

6--For about the 842nd time on this blog, I'm about to vow to lose weight. Again. I've gotta do something. My plan is to watch Jennifer Hudson's interview with Oprah as well as last Tuesday's DVRd episode of The Biggest Loser to inspire me.

7--I miss Baton Rouge at this time of year. On Saturdays in the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras, Darryl and I might have gone to the bakery down the road from our house and bought a still-warm-from-the-oven king cake...and it was awesome.

8--The fact I mentioned the king cake right after the weight loss vow shows that I might possibly have an issue with food.

9--We lost our February vacation days because of the snow week. Can I just say that I am REALLY going to miss those days next week?

10--Here's number 10 just because I wanted to have 10.

The post where I sound like Maw-Maw

2011-01-28T10:09:00.003-05:00

I've had one of those "when it rains, it pours" weeks.

Darryl left Monday night for a business trip.

Tuesday, I had a 14-hour day. I got up at 4:45 (as I always do), let the house at 6:15 in the morning, and didn't return home until 8:30 that night. Our school had an AP Parent Night that evening, so I had to talk about my class, AP Language. Between leaving work and the meeting, I picked up Amelia, took her to dinner (where we had dessert because we so deserved it), took her to the school to kill time, and then took her to a daycare teacher/friend's house so I could go to the meeting. By the time I left the meeting (it wasn't even over and had already gone on an hour!), picked up Amelia, and got home, I had decided to skip Amelia's bath even though she had chocolate in her hair (from our dessert).

And of course, Wednesday morning I got up at 4:45 to begin a whole new day.

Wednesday evening, my eye felt very irritated, but I figured it was just eye strain, allergies, whatever.

I also forgot to mention that somewhere around Monday and Tuesday, I was getting the beginnings of a sore throat. (By the way, I had to spell "throat" for one of my students this week. Seriously?)

Thursday, my looked red and puffy before school, but I still thought it was just a minor eye irritation. By the end of the day, it was RED and swollen...and it throbbed with pain any time I was in any kind of light. Then I found out that several basketball players were home with pink eye.

So I turned in a sub request for Friday (today), quickly got together some lesson plans for the week, and then went to a doc in the box. The doctor walked in, barely got past the door, and said, "Oh, yes. You definitely have pink eye." Then she proceeded to poke me in the face around my nose, and when I practically came off the table in pain, she said I definitely had a sinus infection, too.

When I picked up Amelia from daycare, I found out that Amber, the one who kept Amelia Tuesday night, was also diagnosed earlier in the day with pink eye. So who knows? Maybe I gave it to her, or she gave it to me...regardless, it's no fun.

We picked up my antibiotic and my eye drops from the Target Pharmacy, and my total was $111.00. When I asked why it was so high, they said it was the eye drops, that they were $99, and my insurance had paid $9.00 of it. Thank you, United Heath Insurance. That is so generous of you.

Amelia and I got home, ordered pizza, and watched Despicable Me, which is totally cute. What does it say about me that my favorite movies of late have been animated???

I got Amelia to bed, then went to bed myself. Darryl got home, and bless him, agreed to take Amelia to daycare for me this morning. I got up this morning and helped get everything together for her, and then I went back to bed and slept until a glorious 9:30.

So here I sit on the couch, surrounded by Kleenex, the remote control, my computer, and my phone, and frankly, I am glad this week is OVER.

The New Look!

2011-01-22T14:32:00.002-05:00

I was so ready for a different look to my blog. I think my last "look" was too girly for me. Last week I tried to win a gift certificate to Designer Blogs, but I didn't win (shocking!), but when I browsed around on the site and found this very inexpensive design (and even more inexpensive at 30% off), I went for it. I wanted something clean and linear with just a little color. I love it!

Amelia Sings

2011-01-13T21:13:00.002-05:00

Before you watch, you need to know the following:

1--Darryl was on a business call while this was going on.
2--Forgive the clutter. Three people had been in this house for three days at this point. Things were getting messy. (And I totally cleaned up most of that today! Go me.)

P.S.

2011-01-13T10:36:00.002-05:00

My blog design is just temporary. Shabby Blogs (the site that offers free backgrounds) said I had to reset my html code, and my old background wasn't available. I don't like how the banner (the thing at the top) looks with the green/pink, BUT the banner is a huge pain to create and I just don't have the patience right now...especially when I think I might just do something new altogether in the next few weeks.

Thoughts on Snow Days

2011-01-13T09:12:00.002-05:00

We're at the beginning of Snow Day #4. I anticipate that we'll go back to school tomorrow (and I am willing to bet that the students are going to be WILD), just in time for a three-day weekend. Thank goodness. I could use a day off.

So here are some things I have learned from our Snow Days:

1. Laziness just lends itself to more laziness. Monday, when I first thought we would be out just one or two days, I was very lazy because I "deserved it." However, it has been very difficult to climb out of the rut.
2. It is a bad idea to bake cookies early in the Snow Day week. Nothing like being trapped in the house with freshly baked cookies.
3. Our house makes a bad home-office, as Darryl can attest.
4. I think I'm more of a homebody than I realized because these days off? I have loved them.
5. The great thing about Snow Days is that they are unplanned; therefore, we don't overplan them with activities and stuff to do. (Not that we could go anywhere anyway...)

So what have I done with my time? I've cooked some, played around with the computer (I might be addicted to iMovie, y'all), played with Amelia, and been lazy.

It's been divine.

Now, the big question is when we're going to make up for all these days off...

(P.S. Not to be Debbie Downer, but I realize as much as I've enjoyed these days off, some of my friends--especially business owners--have really been hurting this week. I'm crossing my fingers that we thaw out soon so things can get back to normal for them.)

Project Life

2011-01-12T10:40:00.005-05:00

This may be of no interest to anyone except scrapbookers (and maybe a few relatives who love me unconditionally and will read/watch whatever I post here).

After my Glen Ella weekend, I have scrapbooking on the brain. One of the projects I completed over the weekend was Project Life.

Project Life
Last Christmas (Christmas 2009), I asked my mom for Becky Higgins's Project Life Album Kit. I won't go into detail with what comes with the kit because you can read all about it on her website, but I took the "photo a day for a year" approach. Now that the album is complete, I absolutely love it. (Also, this album could easily be done by someone who isn't a "scrapbooker." It's basically an album with some cards for journaling.)

The difficult part for me was just the process of printing the photos and getting them in the album. Because of that, I decided this year to do the digital version of Project Life to eliminate the whole printing the photo part; I simply upload the photos to my album as often as I want. I know I sound like an infomercial here, but yesterday I uploaded my first batch of photos and the site was extremely easy to use. At the end of the year, I will simply order my completed album. (If you are interested in this...if you pay now, you get about $30 off the price of the album.)

Okay, y'all, we are in the midst of a WEATHER EVENT, so I have some spare time on my hands. I made a video of my album if you are interested.

That's right. A scrapbooking video. Don't judge me.

All the photos in the slideshow are just some of many in my album. And I am so glad I have them.

Glen Ella Weekend

2011-01-12T10:30:00.003-05:00

This past weekend, I went to the Glen Ella Inn for my yearly scrapbooking retreat. I really can't convey in words how much I enjoy this weekend. And let me tell you, after "single parenting" Amelia through much of December while Darryl was traveling, I was READY READY READY for this weekend.

After going to this retreat for three years now, I feel as though I can consider many of these women to be friends. While many of us might not see one another outside of this retreat, we all look forward to meeting up during this weekend to catch up, laugh our heads off, and participate in a hobby we're all passionate about.

For a Giveaway...Blog Makeover?

2011-01-12T09:18:00.003-05:00

This is a kind of random post, but I would really like to give my blog a makeover, so I'm entering a giveaway at Designer Blogs. (I get to enter one more time if I link over from my blog.)

There are some really neat designs there, though, and they seem very affordable, so if you are interested in spicing up your blog, you might check them out!

Snowed In

2011-01-11T21:23:00.002-05:00

Just in case you've had your head buried in the sand and didn't know, Atlanta (along with many other places) received a big dumping of snow Sunday night. We received 6-1/2 inches.

School was cancelled Monday.

It was cancelled today.

It is cancelled tomorrow.

I've had a little extra time on my hands, so I decided to make my first movie in iMovie. I don't think it is too bad for my first try.

Allow me to present my first short film, "Amelia and the Snow."

1-1-11

2011-01-01T20:49:00.002-05:00

Don't those numbers just suggest a fresh start?

I'm not making a list of resolutions this year. I know some specific things that I want to work on and do better, but overall, this is my goal:

I want to get my life "right."

What does that mean? I don't even know the answer to that.

I've been pondering a lot of deep issues lately, but I'm not in the mindset now to write a deep post.

I just know that something doesn't feel right. Is it my job? Is it my relationship with other people? Is it friendships I've let fall to the wayside? Is it not "acting" when my heart says I should do something for others? Is it blaming others for things that are 100% my fault? Is it turning to food when I'm stressed, bored, or overwhelmed? Is it a spiritual black hole that I need to climb out of? Is it opening myself to negativity when I really need to see the glass half full? Is it letting little things drag me down instead of ignoring the good things all around me?

Is it all of the above?

Rather than listing my resolutions, I am instead going to leave with a Bible verse that I am adopting as my "life verse for 2011":

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26

Christmas: The Post Without Photos

2010-12-29T09:18:00.004-05:00

I will post some Christmas photos soon. Posting them now would require me to get up from this chair, and I'm really, really comfortable.

All in all, we had a very good Christmas season. Amelia was more aware of everything this year, so that made it much more fun. However, the big bummer was that Darryl was gone for most of the month because he was working in various places out of town and out of country; the week before Christmas I was actually starting to worry that he might not make it home in time for Christmas because he was stuck in snowy London. He was supposed to fly out on the Sunday before Christmas, but instead was delayed until Wednesday...and that plan was a little dicey at best. Everything worked out, though, and he made it home Wednesday evening, and Amelia and I were SO glad to have him home.

I have to give a big shout-out to my mom, who pretty much dropped everything to stay with me the last week of school so she could just help out. That week is typically hectic, but because she was here, I was able to concentrate on stuff that needed to get done for school (making out three exams=not fun), and she took care of Amelia. I was very glad to have her here!

On to Christmas activities...
Christmas Eve afternoon, we had my cousin Vicky and her husband, Robert, over for dessert. We had peanut butter cake (delicious!) and opened presents. After they left, we went to a Christmas Eve service at Buckhead Church. The service opened with this:

After the service, we ate at Carabba's and then came home to get ready for Santa. We left out reindeer food, and then Amelia picked two of the cookies she had "decorated" to leave for Santa. I think he enjoyed them!

It was just the three of us for Christmas morning, and that was nice because it hasn't really been "just the three of us" much at all lately. Amelia loved her new toys, especially the dollhouse Santa left her. (Seriously, she played with it ALL day...so maybe it was a present for Darryl and me as well, haha.) I also made this recipe for Christmas breakfast along with sausage balls. Let me tell you, that coffee cake is GOOD, but the baking time is NOT correct; as a result, we were all starving by the time it was done.

Not long after breakfast, we had a white Christmas!! It was such a nice day...warm and cozy inside while the snow fell gently outside. However, Darryl thought that if we didn't go ahead and leave for Florida (we were originally going to go the day after Christmas), we would be stuck here and wouldn't get to go at all. (I think the London experience has scarred Darryl for life.) So after lunch (also delicious...Honeybaked Ham, sweet potato casserole, and roasted asparagus), we scrambled around and packed up everything and headed out for Florida around 4:00.

It was snowing so heavily around Columbus--and by then it was dark--that we came "this close" to getting a hotel for the evening, but it eventually lightened up and we were fine. We got to Florida around 11:30 and were so ready for bed.

The next morning, we did Christmas with my parents and hung around the house most of the day. We went over to Darryl's sister's house at one point for a while and then opened gifts there, too. That night, my mom fixed a big dinner, and everything was delicious. (Apparently I cannot come up with a different adjective to describe good food.)

Fast forward to Monday afternoon...Darryl and I went out for the afternoon. We hadn't had a date in I don't know when. We shopped around some and took advantage of some after-Christmas sales. Then we spontaneously decided to see the movie Life as We Know It at the dollar theater (cute movie but very predictable...as we expected), and then we had seafood for dinner...yum. (Wow...I branched out with a different adjective.) Then we picked up Amelia from my parents' house and went to Darryl's sister's house, where we enjoyed a family tournament of "Just Dance 2" for the Wii. I chose to be a spectator because several people had their Flip video cameras out, and I for one did not want to see my dance video posted to Facebook.

And Tuesday, yesterday, we came back home. While I really enjoyed being with our family, we all know there is no place like home. Amelia and I are enjoying an easygoing morning in our pjs, but we're meeting my cousin for lunch soon...so we better get going.

I'll have some photos soon!

P.S. Two days later, I realized I didn't link to the recipe I made Christmas morning. I've added it now. :-)

Making Up for Lost Time: Thankgiving--A Photo Essay

2010-12-20T21:29:00.017-05:00

This year, our friends Damian and Rebecca from Baton Rouge came to visit us for Thanksgiving. We had celebrated Thanksgiving together for several years before we had Amelia, but this was our first time to get together for this holiday in four years! The holiday is best explained by the photos below:

Two days before, a 5:45 a.m. trip to Wal-Mart, Starbucks in hand

A fried bird, 'cause that's the way we roll

My dressing, which was perhaps the best it's ever been

Two kinds of cranberry sauce, both canned and high-brow

The iPad, a tool used to ~~babysit my child so I could cook~~ stimulate my child's brain and motor skills

A good post-meal nap, complete with a blankie

A good Black Friday shopping experience

A sign, in case you ever need to know how to get to Snow-ville or Chilly Town

Lights!!

Busting out the onion dip because we hadn't had enough to eat at this point

Girls hanging out at Buffalo Wild Wings while the boys watched the game

Making Up for Lost Time: Amelia's Birthday

2010-12-20T21:09:00.005-05:00

So yes, it was a month ago.

We celebrated Amelia's birthday at the same place we had her birthday last year. It's one of Amelia's favorite places, and having it there means I don't have to clean my house only to have it demolished by three year olds.

This year we went with a Tinkerbell theme. Amelia was totally into it this year and enjoyed seeing all her friends. Here are just a few photos:

Amelia and her friend Sophia:

Most of the crew:
Amelia dancing like a crazy woman with her friends:

The Birthday Girl with her cake. Unfortunately, she tripped and fell right before so her face was still streaked with tears...so I didn't get a great "cake shot."
Seriously...three years???

Amelia and the Train

2010-11-28T22:55:00.005-05:00

Darryl, who somehow turned into a Christmas elf this year, bought a train that goes around the Christmas tree. In the first video, Amelia is dying to open the train. She was on the floor, just staring at it, for about 20 minutes before the first video was taken.

Enjoy!

Train Anticipation

The Train's First Run

37

2010-11-24T08:45:00.003-05:00

And continuing my retrospective of the past month (see Halloween post below!)...I turned 37 on November 3rd without much fanfare, but I enjoyed a nice dinner with Darryl and Amelia.