Dear Monday

Dear Monday,

So we meet again.

The temps fell substantially today, making it actually feel like Thanksgiving is just days away. {Also, wow, when did that happen?!}  Mark made the first fire in our fireplace tonight.  This is my first time having a wood burning fireplace and I was thinking I wouldn't like it, because I assumed it was going to smell like a camp fire.  But it actually doesn't smell at all!  Everything just wisps right up into the chimney like it's supposed to.  And since the homeowner before us left more firewood stacked up in the backyard than we could ever possibly use, we have some "free heat" for the cold weather.  Gus seems to like it too, even if he is a bit wary of the crackling flames.

I am really over grad school right now.  It's just something else I have to do every night, so I'm looking forward to the break during December.  If everything pans out right, this Spring will be my last semester of classes (yay!) and I will be a full-fledged, real teacher next fall. {But isn't that what I already am??}  I am really just trusting God that things will fall together (like they always seem to do) and I'll have a place next year.  Be where I'm supposed to be.  In the meantime, I try not to freak out about it all and really take it one day at a time.  Don't think about the paper due next week or the lesson plans for Thursday or the degree plan I need to get signed by my (mostly absent) advisor.  I just focus on what I have to do today, what I have to do right now.  I wonder, will life always be this busy?

Something else that happened - my birthday.  It was a nice day and a nice weekend with friends and family.  But then it came and went, and it was back to the regular days.  I'm trying hard not to stress out about... life.  Work and school, mainly.  I hate that feeling of always feeling like there's something you should be doing.  Reading. Homework. Studying. Paperwork for grad school. Figuring out where I'll be next year.  Taking state tests.  Signing up for them.  Reviewing for them.  Passing them.  Planning for school tomorrow.  Making everything I need at school.  Replying to emails.  Sleeping.  Treading water.. staying afloat.  One of the other teacher's put it well... you fake it 'til you make it.  Even if you don't know what the heck you're doing... fly by the seat of your pants.  Pretend you do.  Odds are, no one will notice.  Right?

Life is busy, but it's also really good.  Really, really good.  I try to remind myself everyday that I'm lucky to be where I am.  To not get swept up in the little things.  To not feel guilty when I just want to watch TV without also working on homework.  Or to read a book for fun, not because I have to for class or school.  Or to sleep late on the weekends.  Not do the laundry.  Leave the dirty dishes in the sink (cause really, that's where they always are!).

So Monday, I'll see you again next week.  And by the time you roll around, I'll have finished the homework that's due, turned in the paperwork, sent in the emails, even taken another one of those pesky state tests.  And I'll be one week closer to having it all figured out... for now.

A tale of a tooth that traveled across the globe, via drain pipe

Losing teeth in first grade is a big deal.  No, a huge deal.  I regularly have kids trying to yank their teeth out, even when they are just the tiniest bit wiggly.  We have a 'Tooth Tally' where we log how many teeth are lost each month, and we've already lost 7, with the lucky seventh tooth lost today!  The kiddos like to talk about how many teeth they've lost {and embellish about it} constantly.  The other day while we were waiting in line to go to P.E. the conversation turned to - what else - teeth.

One girl told me that she'd already lost a few teeth and that one of them she had pulled out, but didn't even know she had it in her hand (umm.. ok?).  She was brushing her teeth, pulled it out and then {gasp} accidentally dropped it down the sink drain.  I figured this would be pretty devastating, since hello losing a tooth is monumental, but she didn't seem that phased by having lost it.  I made some sort of comment along the lines of "oh yeah, sometimes teeth just fall down the drain," to which she replied, "yeah, so it's in Paris now."  Oh. Of course.

Whew! And funny things first graders say.

Today was that kind of day.  I came home from work and climbed into bed, wearing my dress and cardigan and all, and slept for about 30 minutes.  I dragged myself out when Gus woke me up, figuring I should at least put on some comfy clothes.  Then I went into the kitchen, grabbed a tube of the pre made cookie dough out of the fridge, found a spoon, and sat on the couch to eat.  Now I’m sitting outside on the back patio, watching the hubs power wash things {he loves his power washer}.  The weather in Dallas this week has been PERFECT.  We are in that short time of year when it’s cool in the mornings and just right in the evenings.  Fall is on its way!

Work is still going great, besides my naps and cookie dough break in the afternoons.  I am learning SO MUCH.  I just with my brain could soak it all up and remember it forever.  It’s hard to be hit with so much information and great ideas, all day every day.  I am so lucky to be where I am.  It sounds silly, but I know this is what I am supposed to be doing.  I am loving my kids and even when they take 20 minutes to pack up their bags and walk down the hall, leaving only 4.5 minutes for recess, I still love ‘em.  Funny things they have said to me this week:

* Do you think an entire pee wee football team would be strong enough to lift a small car, like a Mini Cooper?

* How old are you? {I told them to guess} 23?  {I said YUP, that is exactly right}

* {After chapel, one girl pointed to the large metal cross hanging over the alter} Is that the real cross? {Me: What do you mean? Is that cross real? Yeah, it’s a real cross.}  No, I mean the real cross.  The one that Jesus died on.  {Oh. No. Not that one}

They make me laugh everyday.  I love their hugs and when they want to hold my hand when we walk down the hall.  And sometimes, even the crazy boys who are never paying attention, ever, run up to give you a hug and tell you that first grade is really fun.  And they’re right. It is really fun.

Chopped

I have this thing where I grow my hair out, forever and ever, then get sick of it and chop it off.  It is usually a quite drastic cut, and then I regret it about 20 minutes after I leave the salon, and thus spend the next 6-9 months growing it out again.  I haven’t done the drastic haircut in over a year now, which means for the past 18+ months, I’ve just been growing and growing it out.

Well I reached that point where I couldn’t stand it anymore.  When it gets super long, I spend 90% of the time with it pulled back into a ponytail or some sort of bun/wrap deal, just to get it all out of the way.  I was starting to feel like I was drowning in hair, and like it only looked good if I spent a good hour on it before work, so basically like never.  Thus, I knew it was time for a change.... but not my usual drastic cut.  Last time I did the cut, I wanted to look like LC in this photo (my stylist totally FAILED  to capture my vision that time):

This time, I just wanted to get rid of the length and go for something lighter and fresh, that I could still wear up or down and style lots of ways.  Here’s how it came out, before and after (before pic is blurry because it was first thing yesterday morning and I was looking rough)

Only four people at work today noticed the change.  And two of them are my BFF’s that I see all the time, so I knew they would notice!  So I guess it wasn’t really that big of a change at all. NONE of my kiddos noticed.  Oh well.  I’m loving it and have zero regret {so far} on the new do.  And these days, anything that saves me some blow-drying time is totally okay in my book!

so long sweet summer

Time did that thing it always does: fly. And here I am staring fall in the face, while still sweating in the 100 degree temps.  This weekend was a good chance to stop and put things on hold for a bit and I really tried not to worry about all the work I need to do for my classroom (we have parent night on Thursday, eek), all the reading I need to do for grad school (yeah, that started back up this week) and all the ‘stuff’ I always feel like I need to be doing (keeping the house clean, laundry, eating a halfway decent meal).  Mark and I went separate ways for the long weekend - he went to visit college friends at the lake, while I stayed home and hosted college friends who were visiting Dallas.  Two of my best girlfriends stayed with me for a night, and we got to all get ready for the night together {just like in the DG house}, catching up while we curled our hair and did our makeup, wondering aloud who would get married next, have kids next, or just stay the same.  On Saturday, we got to meet baby Hadley, and then watch the Texas game together on a {hot} patio.  But the best part was when we all stayed up until one in the morning, sipping wine, eating bon bons (literally) and just being together.  Times with friends like that are harder to come by these days, when we all live in different cities and have to, you know, go to work every day.

Now I have the Sunday Blues on a Monday night, anxious about a paper I need to write for grad school and a presentation I need to put together for parent night, and it reminds me of the same anxieties I would have at UT, when I was juggling classes and jobs and the social calendar of a college student.  It’s not that I’m worried I won’t get it all accomplished - I know it will all get done - but I still have that little nagging feeling that I should be reading or studying right now, not watching a game on TV or going out to dinner with Mark.  If I’m awake, I should be being productive, right?  At least folding some laundry or unloading the dishwasher?  But I tell myself it can wait until tomorrow.  For now, it’s all on hold.

First Day of School

It’s the first day of school!

I haven’t been this excited {slash nervous} for the first day since I was in elementary school.  Today our little first graders come to school for our first day together.  Yesterday was Meet the Teacher, so I got to meet almost all of them and their parents, and I can tell we are going to have a great bunch.

For example, a conversation I had today with two little Firsties:

Me: So, what did you do this summer?

#1: I went to Orlando.  We went to four different places at Disney World: Downtown Disney, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom and Blizzard Beach.

Me: Wow, that sounds fun! What about you, {#2}?

#2: I went to Paris.  But we couldn’t go all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower because the elevators were broken.

Me. Oh. That’s a bummer!

Clearly, they had way cooler summers than I did! 

To celebrate my first First Day, here’s yours truly in first grade:

My mom made that dress :)

And, the First Day of School, through the years:

Heading off to second grade, sixth grade, senior year and college!

It’s a Party for Your Arm!

Friends!

Today I am doing my first ever link-up, and it’s a good one too :)  Earlier this summer I signed up for an “Arm Party” over at Much Love Illy (who is also hosting with Yellow Heart Art).  These ladies had a fun virtual chain letter of sorts that matched me up with a partner, and then we sent each other bracelets for a little “party on the arm” action.  I mean, how fun is that?!  I used to love chain letters when I was little, even though it took me eons to write out the letter 12 times and send it to 12 of my friends (hello, life before computers) and then I would have to wait weeks and weeks to get the 124 postcards, or whatever it promised.  This party was way simpler and way cooler!

First off, my partner Melinda blogs at life sans serif and is super cool.  Here’s why:

{pic from Melinda’s blog}

1. She lives in New Hampshire! That is so far away and so much cooler (literally) than Texas!  Melinda, is is 107 degrees over in NH?  I’m thinking not!

2. She has a cute, fun blog over at life sans serif, where she - wait for it - MAKES HER OWN FONTS!  This is probably the coolest thing ever.  And she is oh-so-clever with her Twitter handle, @melisansserif.  Did you see how she did that?  Fonts.. san serif.. melinda.. love it.

3. She put up with me and my missed deadlines for the bracelet swap. Bah! Melinda, I promise that in real life I am the most punctual person ever, but I really missed the boat with this one.  You see, Melinda told me that her favorite summer memories were her times at summer camp, especially archery and the ropes course.  So I scoured etsy one evening and found a very cute pink rope bracelet, that was all braided and funky and just very cool.  So I was like *Yes!* this is perfect for Melinda.  And I ordered it.  Then 10 days later, it still wasn’t here.  So I started to panic, thinking ok it’s got to be here tomorrow... and still, it didn’t come. Anyways, long story short, I didn’t even notice that I ordered from a shop that is in the United Kingdom and I guess the Olympics were slowing down the mail because it was not. making. it. to. me.  So I quickly found a new bracelet, with an arrow on it {archery for the win!} and zipped it over to Melinda, way past the deadline for this link-up.  You can see it over on her blog, here.  I also love this little arrow bracelet because it totally reminds me of Katniss in the Hunger Games.  And Melinda, I’m so sorry it was late!

4. Melinda rocks because she MADE my bracelet!  And got it to me days before the deadline.  Sigh.  What a winner.

She sent me this handmade bracelet, that is made of leather and lace.  She used my favorite colors {purple and blue} and even included my *other* favorite color: neon!  I like how this bracelet is thick and chunky.  It immediately reminded me of those very cool, nautical, rope bracelets that are popular (JCrew used to have some), which I love.

You can see here that it also has some little silver charms, like the A and “dream” token pictured here.  Fun detail!  I like to layer it up with some other leather/blinging bracelets that I have in my collection.

There you have it! And just for the record, I still haven’t gotten my British rope bracelet.  Once it did finally get here, it was sign-on-delivery and I’m never home when the mail comes, so it is sitting at the post office, just waiting for me to come sign for and pick it up.  Which means I would have to actually get to the post office before they close... which hasn’t happened yet!

Whew.  Thanks Melinda, for the fun swap and the awesome bracelet.  I hope to be blogging friends from across the country!  Check out our swap, and all the others, over at much love, illy and Yellow Heart Art today!

** good news **

Hi Friends!  Whew. Time is flying.  Like whoa.  So much for that little blip of unemployment.  That came and went.  I am now back to work at my school, only as an associate teacher.  It’s a new position at my school this year, and there are two other girls besides me working in this role.  We are each teaching in one of the three first grade classrooms, as a second teacher.  We are kind of like student teachers/interns/fellows... depending on what program you are used to seeing.  We are also all guinea pigs to this program at my school, so it’s definitely a learn as you go process!

So far, just one week into my new role, I L-O-V-E it. Obsessed. Thrilled. Uber excited. When I [finally] decided to chase my dream of being a teacher last Spring, I could have not have planned out a more perfect transition into my new career.  I am getting to learn from an awesome experienced teacher, be in the classroom full-time (and get paid), and be involved in all parts of the preparing, planning, teaching and assessing throughout the year.  And first grade is way fun. I thought I wanted a more “older young grade,” like 3rd of 4th grade, but this is so incredibly fun.  Everything in first grade is cute.  My lead teacher is basically my kindred spirit, because she gets a lot of her ideas from teaching blogs and Pinterest, she loves cute fonts and fun colors, and she is super organized.  And she trusts me and encourages me to offer my ideas, change the way she does things and run with new ideas and lessons.  Oh and, my official mentor at school this year is our new interim Lower School Head (who my friend Sara knows in real life too) and she is AWESOME.  Like probably my new most favorite person, ever.  It is a complete 180 degree change from my work life in the past year.  I feel super blessed and incredibly lucky to have this opportunity to learn and prepare for my life as a TEACHER.  I love it.

And on the subject of good news and life totally ROCKING, I also finished the last of my prerequisite classes in grad school this summer, so I only have nine (!! time is flying !!) more hours of content coursework left for my degree.  AND, I took one of my two state certification tests last weekend (the tougher of the two) and PASSED.  WOOO!  That was such a huge relief off my shoulders.  I start the fall semester in a couple weeks and the kids in my class will show up on Tuesday for Meet the Teacher!  Whoa.  It’s happening, like, for real.

{Un}Employment

Today is Day One of NOT HAVING A JOB!  {note: there will only be six days total}.  I am in limbo, in between two jobs, so I am sorta unemployed, right?  Right!

So I went grocery shopping, during the middle of the day, on a Wednesday.  Quite different then going on a Sunday afternoon, with the rest of the world.  I also vacuumed and cleaned the cat box.  Exciting, right?

For the third time, I am going to attempt to do Fat Mum Slim’s Photo a Day Challenge this month.  I think you should too.  I am planning on getting past at least one week.  Let’s see how I do!

Today’s photo is {outside}.  Well, it’s way to hot to be outside, so I snapped this one looking out into the front yard.  So yes, cheating slightly.  But look at my pretty lampshades!  From Target!  And the flag blowing in the wind!  America!  And my car parked out on the street because our back gate won’t open... And it’s gimp spare tire, since I got a flat a couple weeks ago and still haven’t gotten it fixed.

I’ll be spending the rest of the day watching the Olympics.  Unless it’s something boring like kayaking, in which case I will be watching Monday’s Bachelor Pad.  Oh and I did end up seeing the outcome of the women’s gymnastics before it aired last night.  Bah!  I logged into Instagram and forgot that I was following Jordyn Weiber, so as soon as I opened the app, there she was, flashing her gold medal.  Oh well, way to go USA!

The end of an era.

Good Morning Friends,

Today is my last day at my job.  Wowzers.  It's a little weird.  Like so weird that I don't even believe it's true yet.  I have worked at this job for almost six years now, and it's strange to think I won't be coming back to sit at this desk again.  But I'm not even leaving the school I work for, I am just going to a new, completely different job in the same place.  So I think that helps make it seem not so real.

The best things about your last day at a job is 1) Everyone is nice to you, 2) You kind of don't really have anything to do, and 3) People buy you lunch.  So I am going to soak up this last day and enjoy all the perks.

One thing I am NOT going to do today is turn on the TV, look at Facebook or Twitter or pretty much any page on the Internet at all, because I refuse to find out how the women's gymnastics team does in their competition tonight.  I keep accidentally finding out about all the Olympic events before I watch them in the evenings, but NOT TONIGHT!  Mum's the word people.

Back!

We’re back from the beach!  And rocking our tans.

Mark is working late tonight, so I may or may not be planning an evening with me, the cat and some Gilmore Girls.  We shall see....

Our trip was quick and fun.  I’m wrapping up my last few days at work and then I’ll be on my first real summer vacation (as an adult).. until school training starts on August 7.  Whoa!  Where did the summer go?!

Beach Days

We are packing our bags and heading to the beach this weekend, for a short trip with my family.  I grew up going to Galveston each summer, spending a week in a rented beach house on the gulf coast with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins galore.

We stay out on a part of the island that doesn’t have a road or bridge going to it, so we get to take the ferry out across.  I’ve rode this ferry dozens of times.  It’s always fun to guess what color we’ll end up on, as they have many boats and all are painted different colors.  When I was younger, it was major bragging points if you guessed the color right.

{that’s me in the pink, with the wind blown hair}

In honor of our last summer trip, Mark and I went to Old Navy last night and bought some new beach duds for our trip.  You bet I’ll be rocking American flag PJ pants all weekend.

See you soon, beach.  See you soon.

Cheers to Chairs!

Yesterday I noticed that there was an estate sale going on a few houses down from us.  I really wanted to check it out, not only to see what was for sale, but also to look at the house.  I love looking inside people's houses.  When I drive/walk/run around neighborhoods in the evening, I am always looking for one that has the windows open and the lights on, so I can see inside.  I like to see how people decorate and set up their rooms.  I am not alone in this, yes?

So anyways, I recruited Mark to go check out the sale with me.  It was definitely an original owner that lived or was living in there, cause it was O.L.D.  Old.  Old appliances, old carpet, old wooden built ins and paneling.  Old.  And all kinds of old stuff for sale, including an Atari that was $90.  We passed on that, but did not pass on this gem of a chair, that cost me a whopping $5.  Mark helped me carry it down the street to its new home.

I was so jazzed to do a real Pintrest-y inspired re-do on this chair.  So excited that I immediately went to Home Depot AND Lowe's to get some supplies.  I came home and sanded it down, which immensely improved its appearance.  

Today I took it back outside and gave it several coats of a spray paint primer.

I would have kept going with the re-do, but it started to super rain.  And I had a paper to write, so I called it a day for the chair, for now.

But, my chair adventures did not stop there.  This week is bulk trash pickup in the neighborhood, so Mark and I did a lap around the block just now.  We were wanting to pick up some pallets that we saw out on a curb last night, because hello, Pinterest is full of pallet projects!  And this was apparently the week to get rid of your pallets, because they are all over the curbs around here.  So we hopped in the 4Runner and hit the streets.  Before we even made it to the pallets, we saw an even better find: a pair of wooden adirondak chairs.  We have been wanting some of these chairs since we moved in, so we wasted no time loading ‘em up.  I don’t have a picture because it was too dark outside, but let’s just say these will need a little sprucing up as well.

Are you tired of talking about chairs yet?  No?  OK, here’s a picture of my anniversary chair, in action in its new spot in our bedroom.  Please ignore all the laundry scattered around it.

And finally, Gus wants it to be known that he has already claimed this spot as his own.

Dear Friday

Adventures of Newlyweds [a fun, cute blog] started Friday's Letters way back in the day {i think}.  This week, I'm joining in the fun for the first time ever. I think you should too.

Dear Friday,

Oh how I love you, Friday. Because I do not have to go to work when you come around, at least for a few more weeks.

Dear Neighborhood Pool,

You, my friend, are the best thing ever.  I've got a date with you in just a few hours.

Dear Grad School Summer Session,

Honestly, I'm not really friends with you right now.  Mainly because you are making me write a paper with five scholarly, peer reviewed sources. BLEH to you.  At least you're leaving [for good] in just 2.5 shorts weeks.

Dear Gus {my cat},

Your official birthday portrait came out quite well this year.

Dear Tiff's Treats cookies that Hubs sent me on the anniversary,

I hope you don't mind, but I kind of keep eating you for dinner.  Three nights in a row now.

Dear Couch to 5K app,

In case you haven't noticed, I have sort of been rocking you here lately.  Week 4, I have a date with you this weekend.

Dear Vampire Diaries,

I have been avoiding watching your season finale for months.  I just wasn't ready to let you go.  I needed you there, in my DVR, since March.  But then I went and watched you yesterday.  Holy cannoli. I am not ashamed that I watch you.

Dear Pilates,

I can finally walk normally again. But thanks for the tough workout.

Over and out.  Happy Weekend!

2 years + 1 day

Yesterday was our anniversary.

We went out to eat at [our standard] On The Border. Not that exciting, but we love it and I had a gift card from work so it basically only cost us the $7 tip we left on the table.  Not too shabby.

For year number 2, Hubs surprised me with this chair from Target.  I have [not subtly at all] been hinting for awhile that I wanted it.  As in, every time we go to Target I point it out and sit in it and say 'Gee I wish I had this chair.'

Then when I got up yesterday morning, there it was in my kitchen.  Mark leaves for work before I even get up so, as he confessed at dinner, he woke up at 4 a.m. and got it out of the car trunk and built it.  Straight up Santa Claus style.

I'll have to post later with my gift to Mark.  It's something for the yard/outside of the house.  So once we get it set up, I'll post pictures.

After dinner and a nice rainstorm, we came home and watched New Year's Eve [aka Valentine's Day, the Sequel Remake].  I liked it all right.

Two years down.  Much more to come.

that one time when I almost died at a pilates class

Yesterday, I tried something new - I went to my first ever Pilates [on the machine] class.  I saw a post on Facebook about a studio that was offering a free pilates/barre/bootcamp class yesterday evening, and I thought 'hey, that sounds kind of fun.'  So I went to their website to reserve a spot in the class. But it was full. So I joined the wait list instead.  I was number one on the list, so I figured I would end up getting in sometime before the class started.  Instead, the studio called me and offered for me to attend a regular pilates class that afternoon for free instead.  I was a little intimidated and almost didn't accept, but the girl on the phone told me that, even though I'd never used one of the machines before, I could come a few minutes early and she'd show me the ropes.  I did Bar Method classes for a few months earlier this year and had taken some mat pilates classes at my old gym, so I honestly thought I could totally handle this. 

I showed up at the studio a little early and got a quick run down of the machine. Within 20 seconds of her telling me all about it, I forgot everything she said.  Everything has a name and a color and moves and sometimes you face the front and sometimes you face the back and there's handles and bars everywhere.  The girl told me to just watch what everyone else was doing and I'd be okay.  Sure, sounds simple enough.

The class started and there were only four of us in there.  Out of 16 possible machines, just four.  So this is what she meant when she said they had "a few open spots in the afternoon class," I thought to myself.  Then we got started.  The instructor talked really fast and the music was really loud, so I pretty much relied on watching the girl next to me to figure it all out.  And this girl next to me, she was like a gazelle.  Tall, lean, slender, flexible, moving along the machine with such ease and never breaking a sweat.  Which, by the way, I was completely unprepared for - how much I sweat. And how thirsty I got. And how out of breath I was within oh... ten minutes of class starting.  During what I am pretty sure was a warm up?  But Gazelle never even flinched.  At one point we did lunges on the moving "carriage" of the machine and let me just tell you, it was pretty much physically impossible for me to a) lunge on a moving ground without falling over and b) lunge at all.  I was so dead.  My legs couldn't even more.  I seriously considered bailing about fifteen minutes in, but sheer embarrassment forced me to stay and at least pretend to do the moves (ie. stand in the general position and move my legs/arms/hips about .005 inches each rep). I just kept thinking during the class, no wonder Miley Cyrus looks so good!  She ain't kidding when she says she's lost all this weight and gotten in shape from Pilates!

It wasn't all bad though.  I did really like some leg lift stuff we did and it was hurting in a way that I knew I was doing it correctly and that it was good for my thighs/legs.  And after awhile, the class started to really fly by.  I would even probably go again, if I had the opportunity.  But it definitely takes some time and practice to work up to the skill level of Gazelle.  But hey, if Miley can do, so can I.  Right?

Is today Saturday?

This week has been a whirlwind of days, mostly meaning that I can never remember what day of the week it actually is at any given time.  I only worked Monday and Tuesday, so the string of holidays and days off is really confusing me and my calendar.  For example, my cat's birthday is today, July 7, but all day yesterday I thought it was the seventh, so I texted/called/Instagramed all day that it was his birthday yesterday.  But now it's today.  So he's been celebrating/being confused for two days straight.  And let's not even acknowledge that it's a little bit strange that I even know when my cat's birthday is, much less that I tell my entire extended family about the occasion.  In case you were wondering, he turned five :)

Now let's just move past all the cat birthday shenanigans and look at some Vegas pics, shall we?

Here are two of my friends, who I have known since elementary school, Stephanie and Mary Beth.

Here's the Hubs and I, in the Balligio.  The cool part about Vegas is that you can carry your drinks with you everywhere, from casino to casino, in the cabs, on the streets, etc.  You can even lay your glass down anywhere you want!  It's a magical place.

Some of the girls, conveniently arranged in a height line.

When you're Catholic and you see nuns in a Vegas casino, you have to stop and take some photos.

A nice shot of my new Vegas dress, with a bit of our view in the background.

MB and Steph again.

And, Mary Beth and her boy du jour, Norman.

So when we were in Vegas, I had this awesome idea to make a music video with everyone while we were there.  I wasn't sure how the others would feel about this idea, but on the first night I mentioned it to some of the girls and they were just as excited as I was.  So we, of course, decided to make our video to Call Me Maybe, because hello, it never gets old.

So all weekend I filmed clips of us on my phone singing various lines of the song.  Which means while we were out at the hip clubs, we were trying to listen to the song on my phone, learn the lyrics, and then sing them.  I haven't put together the video yet, but I did make this little trailer to get the hype out about it.

Coming soon to a computer near you: Call Me Maybe.

Turns out you can stay out until 4:00 AM when you are 29.

Back from Vegas!  Taking one day off for recovery.  It's back to work tomorrow.  Yikes.

Instagram photos below.  Now Emily Maynard is calling my name.

VACATION!

As of 5:15 on Monday evening, I am on vacation from work.  Whew.  When school got out a few weeks ago, I went to talk to our HR Director to see how many vacation days I had used/had left this year.  Her reply: umm... did you take any days off at all this year?  Apparently, not really.  Which also could explain why this was the longest. school. year. ever.

So I have tons of vacation to use up between now and when school starts back up in August.  This week, I am using up a chunk of those days for some time off before we head to VEGAS this weekend! The lovely Mary Beth turned 30 a few weeks ago and she is celebrating with a mix of friends in Sin City.  I was actually with her over Christmas, shopping in the Galleria, when she mentioned that she wanted to go to Vegas.  I was 100% on board and convinced her that the big 3-0 was reason enough to pack our bags and go.  A few phone calls later, the trip planning was in motion.  It's been a long six months counting down and I still can't really believe that it's now only a few days away!

Yesterday, to kick-off my vacay and start prepping for our trip, I went shopping.  I didn't really want to spend much, but was told I needed a "club dress" for Vegas.  So I ended up finding a little black dress covered in sequins.  I was afraid sequins were too cliche for Vegas, but some fitting room text messages to a friend confirmed that it was just the dress I needed for the Vegas clubs.  I also cashed in a Groupon bikini wax (OUCH) and got a haircut.  Not too shabby for day one of the vacation.  I wrapped up the day with some wine and friends and even scored a grilled fish dinner and drinks on the patio afterwards.  Dallas is all confused this summer and is having fabulous weather where it's not insanely hot and you can actually enjoy sitting outside.  Score.

Today's agenda is not nearly as exciting.  Laundry. Dishes. Ironing. Homework.  At least I'll have Emily Maynard in the DVD to help keep my company.  

Craft Time

When my mom and sisters came over for a Girl's Weekend last week, I put them all to work.  We wanted to have a weekend of "crafting, sleeping, eating and hanging out at the pool."  We managed all except the very last!

Mom brought her sewing machine and gave us an early morning lesson [while still in our PJ's]:

We [re]learned how to thread the machine.  It had been... oh probably about 15 years since I'd used a sewing machine.

It wasn't long before this [leftover wedding prop]

 Became this:

Shout out to Kelly, who was the model for all the photos, and did quite a bit of the stitching and sewing herself.  Photos of the pillows in action... coming soon!

Starting Fresh

Be brave this week, my friends. 

College

Howdy.  This post is coming straight to you from TWU, where I am working towards my master's degree.  My lone class this summer has an orientation this evening and I got to campus over an hour early.  So I'm sitting in an old building, surfing the web and waiting for 5:30 to roll around.

Thoughts on college campuses: they all smell the same.  I walked into this building and was hit with the smell of.... college.  It was like I was back in Jester, cutting through on my way to a class in the that great big lecture hall building.. that I can totally not remember the name of.  Help me out, Sadie.  The one next to the PCL and across from the B-School?  With all the escalators in it?  How have I been out of college for so long that I cannot even remember the names of the buildings anymore?!  Ah.

But anyways, college buildings are all pretty much the same.  They are all a little dated [built in the 70's-ish], have really random furniture scattered all around them [tables in the hallways, mix and match arm chairs] {currently sitting in one now} and have lots of empty hallways and old elevators.  And they all smell the same.

Over and out.

Summer Bucket List

Sayonara, May.  Hello, June!

Today was the last day of school for the kids so summer officially starts... tomorrow.  I just checked up on my vacation days and I have 16 days that I get to take between now and August 9.

That. Sounds. Fabulous.

 

Our neighborhood pool opened last weekend and we took advantage of it with some friends and a cooler of Lime a Ritas [that's margaritas.. in a can].  We even had a handstand contest [which I so totally LOST!]

 My mom and sisters are coming to Dallas tomorrow for a Girl's Weekend.  On our agenda: trips to Homegoods, hanging window treatments, sewing pillow covers, and hitting up the aforementioned neighborhood pool.

I am starting a Summer Bucket List.  I vow to make this summer carefree, lazy, productive and - most of all - fun.

Summer 2012 Bucket List [a work in progress]:

* Take {at least} 2 trips to the lake

* Vegas with my BFF's {trip booked}

* Home Loving: add some personal touches to our house

* Take and Pass both of my Teaching Certification Exams

* Read.  Read, read, read.

* Go to a water park

* Work out more {or, at all}

* Clean out my closet

What's on your summer bucket list?  Have you made one yet?

Celebrate

We had a great Memorial Day weekend!  One of my cousins got married on Sunday and they had a photo booth at their reception.  We love a good photo booth!

My sister and I took a turn as well.

These are just some of my many cousins, and all our "plus ones" (husbands, wives, girlfriends, boyfriends, etc.)  My cousin David had just gotten married the week before (in Hawaii!) and came to the wedding reception straight from the airport with his new wife.  He is the super tan one on the left!

I'm so lucky to have such a great, big, wonderful extended family.  We figured out that after this weeding this weekend, Mark has officially met all of my cousins.  All 28 [i think] of them.  But now that we're all getting married and having kiddos, the family gatherings are quickly expanding!