With one click of the mouse...

two years of grad school comes to an end. It seems like it should be harder. I just submitted my last assignment for my gifted class on livetext and bam! I'm done y'all!

Psalm 7:17:
I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.


Jeff Johnson played continuously from iTunes at school today and yesterday!

Friendship and Service

That is the theme for JSL. I SURVIVED everything today on basically zero sleep! I had to take Matt to work today, because his company car was at the branch. Then I sat in meetings from 7:30 to 3:30. I'm really, really, really excited about this school year...there is no doubt in my mind that it will be great! There are really some exciting changes happening at my school, despite budget cuts and furlough days.

I picked up my friend Emily for JSL tonight, she is about 2 weeks away from having baby Bryson, we taught together at GP. That girl is crazy...she is on bedrest but refuses to rest. She went to school today and then to the meeting.

We met our buddies tonight and they greeted us with a tote bag full of goodies and a pin. They also got us each a gift! My sweet Becky Jense is mine and she spoiled me rotten! They had wine, tea, chicken salad from the scoop, key lime pie, and lots of fruit! It was soo good! (One provisional spilled her entire glass of wine after two sips...bless her heart, she was so embarassed). They also took our picture for the directory...which I really hope turns out good...I'm not so confident, I felt flustered :)

Anyway, I have a ton of work to do tonight so I'm going to get started. I'm very excited to watch After the Final Rose tonight!!!


Matt and I on our way to work! First day back after summer vacation is always rough :)

I'm just a bundle of nerves!

That's what I've been saying to everyone that's called our house tonight.

I am very stressed out and can't shake the jitters. There are a lot of firsts happening this week...

I go back to work tomorrow to a school that's familiar, but full of changes. Change is good but also scary.

I have my first Junior Service League meeting or "fellowship" out at a local clubhouse and I'm a basket case about it!! Trying to pick out the perfect outfit...etc. I don't want those ladies to regret their decision now do I :)

I graduate on Saturday and am making sure I have everything submitted correctly! I do want my name to be called out!

We made an offer on a house that I would love to start a family in...Lord willing! Patience always gets me....I can't stand waiting!

My Nanny Jane is back in the hospital and is going to have to live at a rehab center when she gets out and that makes me sadder than words can describe:(

Lastly, I still have a lot to do before Open House on Thursday night!

Literally, my veins are jumping out of my skin and my hands are shaking like crazy! Carrie, got any happy pills? :) j/k

I remembered this song from my Student Teaching days and decided to share it! I'll admit I'm a Hillsong fanatic. You can always find it playing from my iTunes account...unless we're cleaning up, then it's country.

Desert Song

I listened to this song everyday last year when I was up early before school...reading my Bible, and putting on my makeup. It's that time again. This is my prayer.



Lyrics to Desert Song :

This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

This is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flame

God is my victory and He is here

This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow

But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
-Job 23:10

From Paradise to Reality!

We're back!! After 8 blissfully perfect days at the beach...not a drop of rain the entire time. Blue skies and sunshine! Of course, I have tons of pics which I'll probably put into a slideshow, but for now we're cleaning up and unpacking (yuck)!

I have three new loves since our beach trip!

1. Mary Kay Andrews. I read Hissy Fit and Little Bitty Lies (my two favs) plus, Savannah Breeze, and I'm reading Deep Dish right now.


2. The beach from around 4 until sunset! Near the end of the week, we switched from going in the morning to the afternoon. I loved it!!!! I even snorkeled :) It was perfect. Of course we had our beach mix playing and our cooler fully stocked!

Matty building a Blakely sand castle :)

3. Joe's Crab Shack..haha! I've been before, but never to one that was so much fun as Destin's. I got giddy when the music would start blaring and all the waiters would dance around the restaurant...my favorite was "Walk it Out"! There were kids all up on the tables...highly entertaining. When Matt and I have kids we want to take them there each year!


For now it's back to reality. I start school on Tuesday! Yikes!!!

Just about ready to go!

I've been super productive today...but I still haven't started packing! Yikes! I can't wait to leave...but I'm super sad to leave my baby girl, Blakely, for a week. She really is like a child to me, because she acts human. Don't judge :)

Here is a new pic of my morning board! I am a very academic teacher...that's my strong point...not creativity, drama, or art. I like the basics! So I tend to go crazy and can't stop adding things that I think my kids need to know (and this is just for the 1st 9 weeks!)


It's getting there!

And I've gotta get in the mood with some fun lyrics!

Some beach
Somewhere
There's a big umbrella casting shade over an empty chair
Palm trees are growin' and a warm breeze a blowing
I picture myself right there
On Some beach, somewhere

Some beach
Somewhere
There's no where to go when you got all day to get there
There's cold margaritas and hot Senoritas smiling with long dark hair
On some beach
Somewhere

Some beach
Somewhere
There's a beautiful sunset burning up the atmosphere
There's music and dancing and lovers romancing
In the soft evening air
On some beach
Somewhere
On some beach, somewhere


We'll be traveling right here! How pretty!


Laying out and swimming here!


Reading, enjoying a fruity drink, and spending quality time with my hubby before another school year begins here!

The Four Seasons :)

A yummy little lunch spot!

After a fun-filled lunch at The Bleu Cafe in downtown Vtown, the grad school girls/four seasons headed to Hobby Lobby to help Jennifer find some fall decor for her November wedding reception! Somehow...we determined that since I was a summer bride and Jenn will be a fall bride, it is a must that Carrie get married in winter and Bridgett in the spring. Thus...our new name for ourselves...the four seasons (a special group aside from the traditional grad school girls name that we have coined)!

I am obviously sleep deprived right now, and could definitely be working on my gifted unit. But I'm not :)

Instead here's the first pic I could find of the four of us! I love these girlies!

Carrie also determined that each season defines our personalities...I agree, but I also think that the reason we get along so well is because we are all very different but have common things that bond us together!

Deep huh?

One more thing!

This song by Britt Nicole comes on a lot when I'm working in my classroom and I really like it! In college, Avril Lavigne was a big deal to us....she was "it" in our group of friends. Well, the radio version has a hint of Avril in it to me! But you know I'm also a sucker for live music.

Good news!

I wish I had more good news about Nanny Jane but she is still doing the same. She has surgery tomorrow. Please keep praying.

I passed the Reading GACE which means I'm a Reading Specialist! That is a cool thing to be if you didn't know :) Quite frankly, it was dang hard. Right girls? I really had no clue how I did on it afterwards! Praise Jesus, He got me through it!

Matt and I got approved for a construction loan. We can really start building this week if we want. It's been a long road...banks around here just aren't giving them out without lots and lots of research. But....we are still making a decision. There are really no in between homes in our town. Either really high priced and small square footage, or falling apart and cheap. Ugh! I'll let you know when we decide.

We are meditating on this verse...and praying constantly.
If you need wisdom-if you want to know what God wants you to do-ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do. James 1:5-8 NLT

And I'm back at work...decorating and cleaning! Here is a sneak peak of what's yet to come!


Nailing up my emergency "locker"!


I moved my morning board/math board. So I have to rehang all of my favorite organizational items (pocket charts)!!!!

Less than 1 week and we'll be in Destin!

Thank you PINES Public Library Systems!

Where have I been? I always go and check out millions of books at our public library. I'm a big fan of reading books for free...but I never really knew how to place holds on books and renew them online!

I needed books for our beach trip in a week and Matt forbid me from all bookstores. I really have bought my fair share of books this summer. But when I hit the one book a day, for two weeks peak....we had to put an end to it. My biggest pet peave about my library is that they don't have ALL the books by my favorite authors when I want them. But by putting a hold on the books online, they send them from other libraries if they don't have them at mine. Cool, huh?


Can you tell which author's I'm really into right now? My favs are still Karen Kingsbury and Nicholas Sparks...but they need to hurry up and write some new material for me!

So, I put holds on my books, and picked them up today!! Now, I do also have two that I bought that I've been saving for the beach (man I'm proud of that self-control)! I can't wait to sink my feet into the white sand and clear water for a few minutes...then hit the pool and a float with my books! I do love the smell of the ocean, the beach breeze, and hearing the waves crash, I'm just not a huge fan of being sandy and of getting eaten by sharks!

Finally Friday!

This has been one long week. We had a family emergency at the beginning of the week...and although things are looking better, we are still praying that my Nanny Jane will continue to be strong and that her short term memory will improve. She is having another surgery on Monday, so please pray for her.

I have been working in my classroom this week. I really like the layout of my furniture this year. I hope my principal does too :) It has been fun catching up with the teachers that have been up at school already slaving away! We all looked so rough...shorts, t shirts, hats...dust and sweat! But I always like setting things up and getting things organized. I actually already received my roster. We'll see :)


This is what I took with me to observe..haha! I didn't know how much free time I would have! I wanted to be prepared :)

I went and observed gifted high school students this week....it was interesting and tiring. I wore my favorite sandals from target that I own in pink, white, and gold, that always make my feet feel good (even after standing for 12 hours)! Well, they are not good for walking around campus in 100 degree weather. I swear that my feet have blisters on the bottom of them! Ouch!


The shoes that I thought were my favorite!

I have to share something that I LOVED! My principal called my house the other night. Of course I freaked out and had a flashback to summer 07...I had to move schools after my room was ready. But, she was calling to invite me to come swimming at her pool. She has been renovating her kitchen, flooring, and building a guest house out back. So, now that everything is finished, she invited some teachers to come relax at her beautiful pool! I love that she does things like that!

Ok, all caught up. Matt and I are watching The Incredibles in bed right now. That is one assignment for my online gifted class this week. We have to watch the movie and then answer a few questions about affective issues for gifted students that the movie addresses. What a fun assignment!

Don't forget to keep my sweet, wonderful, Nanny Jane in your prayers. We are so close. Matt and I really want to go down to the hospital this weekend, but my mom has been trying to talk us out of it. She wants us to wait until she and daddy go home, as well as my other aunt and her kids....that way Matt and I, and my aunt Lynn can go when Poppy Bill needs help and no one else is there to do it. I'm still not sure what we're going to do though. I just want to bring her a big vase full of blue hydrangeas and magnolias! Thanks for your prayers!

Lazy Sunday's are the best!

Matty is golfing this afternoon and I'm at home trying to organize my teaching bench (it is a bench in our "entryway" that is covered with things that I've purchased from The Learning Tree and Shapes and More)! I have done really well about not spending much money at all on school stuff, because this will be my second year in K...I finally have a feeling for what I need and don't need. It will also be nice staying in the same classroom....that's a first for me! I can just push things back to where they go and put everything back on the labeled shelves!

Anyway, I needed a new bag for teaching this year since my old Mrs. Whelan bag had holes all over it. This one is not my school colors..but oh well! And mama bought me the lunchbox, just like she does every year. I love having a variety of lunch boxes to choose from each day and think it's cute that my kids fight to carry it. They think it is the biggest priveledge! :)

Out with the old....


In with the new....

You look like the Fourth of July! Makes me want a hot dog real bad!

Am I the only person that loves that quote from Legally Blonde 2? Happy 4th of July!

Growing up the 4th of July was my very favorite holiday. It was a big deal in Dublin. My subdivision, Pine Ridge, and Linda Vista, threw huge block parties. We alternated the neighborhood every year. My favorite was always when Pine Ridge hosted and the festivities and they were right outside our house. We're talking pretty big neighborhoods, games, live bands, bounce houses, face painting, and tons of food. There were committees that went all out. Everyone hung out on each others lawns and front porches until dark...then we'd all sit out front of my house and the Cannon's and watch the fireworks shoot up over the trees. There is a creek that separates our neighborhood from the high school stadium..so we had the best seats in town!

So the 4th of July brings back good memories...especially picnics at the pool before we had to go home and get ready for the block party. We would set up camp at the pool and eat watermelon, play games, listen to music, and just bask in summer goodness! I LOVED it!



This year was pretty different...a lot quieter, but still a good day. Matt had to work and we had to miss our nephew's 2nd bday in Atlanta. When Matt finally got off work, we did go have a late lunch on a local plantation in town which was fun. We walked the grounds and relaxed under the oaks and pines. Then we came home and grilled out...and headed to Remington park...along with our whole town for live music and fireworks! I will say that it felt really cool out tonight..not as hot as normal July weather.



I'm thankful for so much this 4th of July...we live in a great country. Yay for red, white, and blue!

I LOVE Addison Road Live!

When my life is like a storm
Rising waters all I want is the shore
You say I'll be ok and
Make it through the rain
You are my shelter from the storm

Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow

When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. -Psalm 40:1-3a

Feeling Patriotic!

Since I've been going to bed around 4am...I usually wake up around 11. Sad I know...don't judge! I can not turn off HGTV or stop reading...if I do I think about this school year and my mind won't shut off; hence no sleep! So, I heard Matt come home for lunch at 11. He is usually on the road and doesn't make it home for lunch. I came out of our room to see him and he tells Blakely to look in the living room. I was confused, but looked too and there were two huge stars on the couch! The one's I wanted at Loli's...but decided not to buy them for a few years. I think they are a staple there. He said he was driving by and they were all half off and since I surprised him so much last week...behold...a surprise for me! How sweet! So then I decided to take pictures of the few decorations that we have out for the 4th.






I got these half off at Hobby Lobby 3 years ago! Matty loves them! He starts asking me to put them out in May..haha!


Matt picked this out for 5 bucks somewhere. I like it too.


I have more of these somewhere. I am not putting them out this year. I haven't ventured up to the school yet, so my kitchen table is covered with stuff I'm making for school right now.

Does the 4th of July make you want to watch movies?
I have been wanting to watch: Steel Magnolias, My Girl, and The Notebook. They all seem like summery July movies!


I had to include this picture! How redneck is this!! Matt is so embarassed that I do this...and sadly I had no idea. I think he's gotten used to it now though! I love going to the Y pool...and we are members...but on holiday's or days that I just want to sit in shallow water and read...the Y is not the place. It is way crowded. So, I have this baby pool that I used for my class's water day. I sit in it or just put my feet in it and read. What can I say? I stay cool and am quite content! Laugh if you must!

Want to know where I will be traveling this fall??

I'm going to be visiting my favorite band of all time...Casting Crowns. In Macon, then Jacksonville, and ending my spree in Mobile. I am ready to see them again...it is a fall tradition for our family! I know 3 times seems like a bit much...but have you ever heard them live???? Their lyrics are downright life changing. They hit home over and over and over. I feel like God's word is being poured into my soul when I listen to them sing and so does Matty!

This is probably crazy but we sing their songs all the time! Matt can play them on his guitar and we will just sing and sing..haha! And I do not have a good singing voice at all!

I got bit by the Casting Crowns bug tonight so here you go! Enjoy :)





This is my very favorite song by them! It describes me day in and day out. It just always fits my life a lot of times!

Summer in a small southern town!

Where all our gossip begins!! :)

So, small town gossip has been getting to me. Mama is in town visiting and we went to lunch at Izzo's yesterday then dropped in Shapes N More to pick up a few decorations/supplies for the upcoming school year. I saw some great teacher friends, one of my best friends, and another teacher friend called me while we were in that one shop. News began circulating about who I am going to be with next year and that our school letters had been mailed out.

Now...you're thinking letters....what is so important about a letter? EVERYTHING!!! That letter is from our Principal and it is a few pages long. It tells about the upcoming school year, people that suddenly will not be at our school, or people who got switched to our school from another school. It tells about what kind of kick off event our school family will have, and lots of other info! I've been checking my mailbox nonstop! I have been praying for whoever will be my support this year. Let's just say I am crossing my fingers and hoping that it will be a special someone!

I caught myself thinking, I am so anxious. I then thought about Philippians and one of my favorite verses. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will gaurd your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.


Ok feelin' better already! I'm off to check the mail :)