Early Morning Friday Faves

Christy Nockels has been my favorite forever. Loving her newer songs so much these days!



TGIF Y'all!!!

Two koozies, One busy weekend.

Y'all know we have a koozie drawer...really. We added two to our drawer this weekend.


We had the Quail Trail, wedding set-up and a wedding, we watched a VSU game, met up with some friends, and attended a marriage conference. We definitely packed a lot in. I have a lot to blog about...soon! I'm just loving this Fall season!

Happy Fall and Football Y'all!

Yay! It is officially the first day of Fall and a FUN FRIDAY at that!

My support and I were twins today! :) Gotta love having a 5 year old photographer!


I thought I was going to be lugging out our Fall boxes and getting our house whipped into shape tonight, but we had a slight change of plans. Instead we went to the Homecoming football game with a couple from our Sunday School class.


Go Jackets!!! We left right before the game ended, and we were ahead! All of the TCCHS students wear their homecoming dresses to the game. They are very short and sparkly. We never had anything like that at my high school, so it was fun to see!


I HAD to get a Hawaii Snow Sno-Cone! Yumm!!


We are off to bed now. This weekend might just be the busiest one we've ever had planned...so many places to be and not enough time!

Candy and Celebrating!

Do you see what I found sitting on my desk when I arrived to school this morning? I CANNOT believe that my support teacher did this to me. I have already offered it to my entire wing.


Speaking of my wing. One of my fellow kindergarten teachers on my hallway has been planning a wedding. Her daughter, Shay, (They are to the right of me in the pic) is getting married Saturday. So, we had a little celebratory mexican dinner in her honor. Yummy food on a humid, yucky, rainy day. I never did get a picture of everything set up.


I did a little centerpiece for the table. I used burlap, starfish, and a few odds and ends to match her wedding decor. Her colors are navy, orange, and green. This was a very simple celebratory dinner. But I did want to add a few special details for her.


I think the night was fun (a great early start to the weekend and FALL) !!!! :)

Morning Motivation

You can defnitely hear these two songs blasting through the Whelan household as early as 4:45am some mornings! :) They speak straight to my heart! Plus, I've seen Meredith Andrews live here in Thomasville a few years ago. Her voice is even prettier and stronger in person, and that makes me happy too!






Have a BLESSED day! I know I am so glad that it is Thursday!

Faithful, Abundant, True

My second Fall Bible Study kicked off last night! I have been waiting for so long to start this one...Faithful, Abundant, True by Kay, Priscilla, and Beth!!!!!


Look at the cute cake!


I meant to get a picture of my pretty ceasar salad before I left last night...but forgot. This is what I brought home. I guess it was good! :) I'm not sure how many ladies attended, but I know that we ate every bit of 3 casseroles, 2 huge salads, bread, and cake. Wow!


I just got home from Chick-fil-A night (a school fundraiser) and am worn out. We had breafast for supper tonight and I am ready to listen to the rain in my pajamas. I also think a fall smelling candle is in order. :)

Family Weekend

My family came to visit us this past weekend. We didn't do much, but we love having a full house more than anything! It was so good to see my sweet Poppy Bill too.

Mama and I squeezed in a teeny bit of downtown shopping...as well as a few Publix runs.


We played cornhole.




We watched lots of football and had Moonspin Pizza for dinner.





Thank you Lord, for my wonderful family!

2011 Provisional Class and Advil and Small Town Life

Introducing the 2011 Provisional Class of Junior Service League. It is a small class, although at least one girl is missing from the picture....but I think a good one! :) I can't believe that after this year I'll be halfway though my active member status. I'm thankful that I still really enjoy it, even though my class (2009) has dwindled down.


Advil. The best medicine out there. I used to take it, a lot, and a lot of it. I know it is not real good for your stomach. I stopped taking it in June (although I believe that it is the only pain reliever that really works...and I've probably taken it twice since then). Yesterday, I was in a curriculum planning meeting and I noticed that MOST EDUCATORS really like advil too. I still carry it with me and shared it with 3 different ladies in the workshop. Several other ladies took it on their own or were going to take it. I just found it funny to be around other advil addicts!

You know you live in a small town in South GA when high school football is everything. Everywhere you go, you see signs for the Bulldogs and the Jackets (our city and county schools). When I see these signs, I think about the song Devil Town from FNL.

Too long of a break...

So, I've actually been way too busy to blog lately. I always make time to blog, I don't know what happened these last few weeks. So be prepared for random thoughts that I've been thinking lately...

My Fall activities: 2 Bible Studies, Backpack Buddies, Junior Service League, Gifted Classes, and several curriculum leadership things at school. Add in a few showers, weddings, 5K walks, football games, family visits, and being sick, and there you have it. I can't even find time for Bunco! Who would've ever thought? I am always running around I feel like! BUT, I do it to myself. :) And I really do love staying busy!

Ok, I have a reader that comes and reads to my class once a week. She is in my JSL class, and I LOVE her. I am just so thankful that she volunteers her time in my classroom. It makes me want to cry when she's reading...EMOTIONAL!!! :)

I sort of really like my gifted class and can't believe that I'm almost finished with the first class. I thought I would hate it, and it is a lot of work, but it is growing on me. Last night was filled with interruptions...but it made for a funny night. The high school band was practicing up and down the wings of the board office and then we had the biggest thunderstorm that we've had in awhile. I also laughed a lot with one of my favorite grad girls, Betsy. I guess I just like learning about education?

I worked with my Student Teaching mentor teacher today on mapping out writing curriculum. It brought back so many good memories of being a newlywed and starting my teaching career. My principal, mentor, and I were talking and we couldn't believe that it was almost 6 years ago! Sometimes I stilll can't believe that I'm working right along side and am good friends with some of the people that I looked up to so much! My how time flies.

My Bible Study on Wednesday nights is for ladies around my age. Well the ages range from late twenties to late thirties I think. It started out being just me and 3 girls from my Sunday School and then we each invited someone else. Well, I have actually invited 5 people. They are all planning on coming too. So, there will end up being about 11 of us. I love it so far! I will post more about it soon. My friend, Beth, has such a knack for applying what we are reading to our lives. There are a few ladies that I know, but not really well, and I'm excited to get to know them. I really want it to be a time where we can share our hearts and troubles, and be brutally honest and open about dreams, failures, etc.

And the biggest news lately, we have cable again...not 100% sure if we want to keep it. It was nice saving that 60 something dollars a month. Surprisingly, we also got used to not having it. It felt so weird to turn it on...we didn't remember which channels were which. Matt put it on a channel that I like, but I immediately turned it off, it sort of bothered me being on. I am excited about football though. And about Rachel Zoe, HGTV, Country Music Videos, and The Real Housewives...I think! If I can find time.

Matt and I have been sucked into LOST on Netflix. We like it (don't love it), but are kind of scared of it. It is creepy, but interesting. We still miss the favorite show of our lives, Friday Night Lights.

I am so excited that it is FRIDAY! My parents, brother, Ginger, and Poppy Bill are coming to visit tomorrow. I LOVE my family and the weekends!!!!

Around here...

Fun with friends in Valdosta...test driving cars, a little bit of shopping, and good Mexican food while watching the Georgia game. :)




Heading to breakfast with my little family. :)


I got a little crafty thanks to Jenn and Pinterest. This didn't cost me a penny. I had everything I needed at home. I would love to do a moss green bow, or use red burlap, but just tied up some regular burlap for now.


Have I mentioned lately how much I love Aquage??? My hairdresser always recommends the best hair products!!


We've been getting lots of heavy rain and wind due to Lee. Rain helps me get a lot done and be lazy at times too. :)

Two concepts that I've been learning about lately while working on a Bible study are: BELIEF in GOD...not believing in him, but believing HIM...and HIS GLORY. I feel like every day I read something that pertains to this, or hear a song that relates too. I love when that happens!

I'm loving all of Selah's new songs right now. This one will always be one of my favorites. :)


My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.
Psalm 71:8

The great WHITE debate!

Y'all, I'm a rule follower. Always have been and always will be.

BUT, there is one rule that I'm considering breaking. White jeans after Labor Day....YIKES!!! I've discussed this with two of my closest friends and one says absolutely no white after LD and the other said that the rule shouldn't apply...she even wears white shoes after LD. Another teacher friend and I have been wearing white all week trying to get it out of our systems...she thinks it is so hot in SGA that it doesn't matter if we wear white for a few more weeks.


In the past, I would never wear white pants, white shoes, linen, or seersucker after Labor Day. Well, I think I'm going to continue to wear linen for the month of September this year. And I have a pair of white jeans that I LOVE to wear to work. I mean, I won't wear them with a summery top or sandals...but flats and Fall colors...maybe a scarf if it gets cooler. Again, I think September would be it, then I'd pack them up until Easter next year.

I don't know...I might be way too chicken. I mean, I don't want people to look at me and think that I don't know about fashion rules. And then again, part of me doesn't care...I think white jeans would look super cute paired with a jewel toned top and mustard flats. I guess time will tell! I do know that I will be wearing them today at least! :)

Do y'all have any thoughts? Do you break the no white rule?

Happy Labor Day!

Star light, Star bright...

Well, we were Stars today y'all! :)


My it has been a week. I stayed at work until 8pm last night and then almost 7pm today. I think I stayed until 6pm on Tuesday. I felt so caught up for the first three weeks of school, I was WAY ahead of schedule...COMPLETELY on top of things, no stress at all. UNTIL...week 4 came around. I felt like I was drowning in my to-do list, and I couldn't even think straight. Apparently, no one else felt the same way I did. I was the last car in the parking lot. Sad day! :(



Thankfully, I can see the light!!! I am so excited about a long weekend too!!!

My week wasn't all work though, I did meet with a group of ladies on Wednesday night...we are starting a little women's Bible study/discussion group and we picked out our study. That was fun! It is girls from my Sunday School class, and then a few other friends that I am excited about getting to know better!

Tonight, Matt and I watched Soul Surfer...finally. I cried during the whole movie. And for a long time after too. So inspiring, happy, sad...loved it!


Also, it feels sooo, so good outside. We sat outside after the movie, then threw the frisbee around! Fall is in the air tonight...even down in south GA...get excited! (Hopefully it is not just b/c of the tropical depression.)


We have a few plans this weekend, but lots of relaxation time. Best thing about it, Matt has Labor Day off!!! First time since he started working 6ish years ago! I'm thankful!

Yay for the weekend!

1 Cor. 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, DO IT ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.