Tired Tuesday!

My new students are GREAT and our first two days have gone very smoothly, but I am worn out for sure! I'm going to bed really, really soon. I would've been asleep at 6:00 if it weren't for a JSL meeting! Ha!

Ready for the first Junior Service League meeting of the year! Two JSL essentials: a good planner and your collect. My what I've learned over the years!


After tonight's meeting, I'm super excited about this year! Lots of great things to come! As always, I love seeing fellow league members, and I love the atmosphere of the Cultural Center. Old architecture, dancers galore, classical music filling the halls, tap class going on right above our meeting room (the ceiling and chandeliers shake like they are going to come crashing down), and the pretty spanish moss swaying in the breeze in the large oaks that are right outside of the windows. This will be my third year in league!

Matt grilled lemon pepper chicken tonight. Wish I would've gotten a picture. I am sooo thankful that he is willing to help out...especially because I really am exhausted! Hats off to all the teaching mama's out there...you have to be AMAZING. I actually asked for advice on managing being a mom and teaching at tonights meeting to several of my new mommy/teacher friends. Teaching (especially in the primary grades at the beginning of school) is so very time consuming! Maybe they just have awesome hubby's like Matt! :)

It is raining so hard out right now and I LOVE it too! I feel very thankful to be in our little cozy house all together! I hope that everyone is having a great week!

And I wanted to wish the BEST dad in the world a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I love you Daddy!

And share my favorite song lately:


Proverbs 10:25
When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.

New year-New goals!

One of my goals for this school year is to have both mine and Matt's clothes ironed and hanging, ready for the week. That is hard for me because I am a "how do I feel today?" kind of girl. I don't usually know what I want to wear until I wake up...and my style definitely changes depending on my mood. I know that it will be SO much easier and save me a lot of time in the morning to do this, so I started today. Week one. Check! :)


For the month of August I'm going to be reading through Proverbs. We are studying this book each Sunday morning at church. Oh how I loved it this morning! I will defintely have to recap my notes soon. It is also that time of year again, Awesome August Nights. I will probably be posting lots of verses from Proverbs over the next few weeks. Matt and I are going to get up before work and study it together...something we've really never done before. It is his favorite book of the Bible, so it will be fun I'm sure!


Sunday's are great days! Worship and rest!


Blakely likes them too!


Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise widsom and discipline.

Proverbs 7:1
Dear friend, do what I tell you; treasure my careful instructions. Do what I say and you'll live well. My teaching is as precious as your eyesight--guard it!

My advice for stress relief...

redecorate by moving things around. It is always when I feel in over my head that I get the urge to organize and move furniture, get crafty, or hang something. I just feel like I need to feel refreshed by change. And it is usually not the best time to tackle something. I can't tell you how many times Matt will roll his eyes about my ideas to move furniture or paint something at midnight...haha! But he knows, if he isn't willing to help, I'll just do it myself anyway. :)

He was thrilled about my idea today as you can see. :) Thankfully, it was easy and all we needed was a hammer!


I moved my old nightstand (which was really a painted tv tray...since Matt's bedroom furniture that we re-did when we first got married only came with one), and put my vanity in its place. Then moved in an extra kitchen chair. And found some frames that were collecting dust and hung them. How FUN! I do eventually want to paint the vanity/nightstand/desk and get a different chair. But it will do just fine for now! I LOVE the change! And so does ol' Matty!



Matt even straightened up the laundry room for me!





I also put out some of our Georgia signs and plates to get ready for the quickly approaching football season!



Very thankful for such a hard working husband! And I'm thankful for a day to get things done around the house and ready for school...without actually being at work! :)

Happy Saturday y'all!

My Kindergarten Classroom...year 5!

It is very hard to believe that I'm starting my fifth year teaching (sixth if you count student teaching and support teaching)! It couldn't have gone better! Every single one of my students showed up for a little meet and greet today...that is a record for me! I am always rushing in the morning. So I'll have to settle for an AFTER picture of Matt and I.


I was able to get a few pictures of my classroom today (unfortunately the black fuzzy dots are still showing up in almost every pic). It makes my classroom and boards look dirty. I promise that they are not! I will add finished pictures of the bulletin boards soon...I forgot to take pictures of them!















Special thanks to Target for so many great finds in the Dollar Spot! Haha!


I guess I'm all ready for my fifth first day! Praying for the best year yet!!



And hoping for restful weekends for all of my teacher friends!

Longest first day EVER!

But in a good way! I got my roster, sat through a meeting, got lots done, got ready for open house, visited with friends, helped with orientation, made it through class, spent more time up at the school preparing to meet my new babies, then celebrated with a Sonic drink and a last minute Wal-Mart run at 10:30pm. Whew!


You said
You'd never leave or forsake me
When you said
This life is gonna shake me
You said
This world is gonna bring trouble on my soul
This I know

When everything falls apart
Your arms hold me together
When everything falls apart
You´re the only hope for this heart
When everything falls apart
And my strength is gone
I find you mighty and strong
You keep holding on
You keep holding on

Paisley, Polish, Pretty Babies, and Staying Positive!

Paisley is everywhere...from my classroom to our kick-off JSL invite! I do love a great pattern!


I picked up some polish today...a last hurrah for the end of summer. I got orange and blue essie polish and I scored a great deal on them. I told the cashier that I was going back to school tomorrow and she asked me if I went to Auburn???!!! I was thrilled that she thought I was young enough to be in college (Someone at Dollar General told me that I didn't look old enough to be teaching for 5 years...more like 1 she said..haha! When I was actually starting my first year of teaching, people thought I was going away to college...how time flies), but even though I'm loving orange and blue this summer, there are red and black in my veins. Haha!!


Lots of babies were born today. Including baby Joseph...my new cousin in law nephew or something like that. He is precious! Congrats Aaron and Joanna!


I've been reading lots on staying positive. I know that I for sure need a positive attitude as I begin several challenging things starting TOMORROW. Here are some words of encouragement from Jesus Calling...
"Watch your words diligently. Words have such great power to bless or to wound. When you speak carelessly or negatively, you damgage others as well as yourself. Ask My Spirit to help you whenever you speak. As positive speech patterns replace your negative ones, the increase in your Joy will amaze you."

Enjoying the freedom of one last day to run errands at lunch if I want to! (My camera keeps putting black spots on every picture I take...hmm?)


Proverbs 12:18
The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

James 1:19
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry...

Ephesians 4:29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Hoop Hype and Keeping up the Kardashians!

I happen to love hoop earrings these days. They are all I want to wear besides my big pearl studs. Silver, gold, and tortoise are my three favorites....HOOPS HOOPS HOOPS! Maybe it is because they are so light and we all know that my right ear is going to tear any day! Anyone else?



Also, The Kardashians have sucked me in. I always liked the show and would watch it every now and then if I saw it as I was flipping the channels. And everyone knows I love a good reality show. Recently, I watched the first three seasons on Netflix in order, and that will get you addicted. I am catching up on the rest of them online.