Miss Camera Crazy

My Favorite new toy

2010-01-03T00:41:00.000-08:00

I have a "new" toy. It was a gift for my birthday from Steve and Wyatt. They bought me a Sony E-Reader. For those of you who do not know, it is the perfect gift for me. I can download electronic books to this device and read them just like a paperback book. I love to read. I have always loved to read. I can not remember a time in my life when I have had a book nearby to read. I would rather read than watch tv. I read fast, turning the pages, getting lost in the storyline, tuning out the real world. Did I mention I read FAST!!! On a good day, when I have nothing else to do, I can easily finish a book. Reading on vacation is great, I can read nonstop. BUT that tends to create a small problem when traveling. A person can only pack so many books before the weight pulls you down.

Last summer, we were gone for a week. I read 7 books. I had to buy a new book to read on the way home.

SO the e-reader is the perfect answer. I currently have 35 books on this device. It still boggles my mind, that I can pack around 35 books in one hand. Ohh, how happy this makes me.

Shortly after getting this gift, we took a cruise. I brought 30 books on the e-reader. I was happy in the knowledge that I would not run out of reading material. I didn't run out of reading material, I ran out of battery power. ACK!!! Steve left the compter at home.SO I could not charge my ereader. SO first stop of trip, I was at a bookstore buying a couple of new books to read. This will not happen again as I have a wall charger now.

But to really appreciate how much I love this device. I am wide awake at 2:30 in the morning. I finished my book. Still can't sleep. No worries. I just download a new book. AHHHH... life is sweet. I now have unlimited access to books 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks of the year. Without having to put on clothes, and find a place that is open that sells books. Ohhh, yeah, Steve did good. This little device will be my favorite new toy for quite some time.

2010 Word of the Year

2010-01-02T05:56:00.000-08:00

Simplify: to make simple,

That's my word of the year. I tend to stress about things. We all do it. I tend to go overboard at times. Having people over for dinner? I feel like everything has to be perfect and better than it was the last time the company came over. Then I worry if everyone is having a good time. I need to stop that. I need to keep it simple. Not plan every last little detail. Fix a few things to eat, not 103,030 different things.

Simplify: I need to streamline the house. We have too much junk. We don't have to have one of everything. Keep it simple. Only keep the things we really use and need.
We don't drink coffee. No need for a coffee maker for when we have company. I think I have used it ONCE for company since we bought it. It's out of here. Two rice cookers? Keeping the old one for steaming veggies? Takes up too much space. I can get rid of it, and buy a small collapsible steamer basket for when I steam veggies. Keep it simple.

I do not need 4 sets of sheets for each bed. Two per bed. That's all I need. One clean set to replace the dirty set. Then wash the dirty set. Too much "stuff".

Keep it simple. I need to remember that. Stop trying to do everything perfectly. Do my best, and live with the results. Don't overthink things and make it more complicated than it really is.

If I can do that this year then I think I will have a lot less stress in my life. I think I will be able to enjoy my family and friends more. That's my word for the year. Now to live up to that word.

New Year's Eve 2009

2010-01-01T05:54:00.000-08:00

. What a great night we had. My cousin, Mike, invited us over to his house. It was his birthday/new year's party. Growing up the two of us were pretty much inseparable. My mom and his mom were best friends their whole lives and so the we naturally followed suit. But after marriage, work, raising families, we tended to not see that much of each other. I realized after meeting up again on Facebook that we hadn't seen each other in almost 16 years. That is entirely too long. His mom's funeral was the last time I had seen him. (oh how I miss her.) Granted he had moved out of state for a lot of that time. But he's back home now, and it felt soo right going over to his house (right next door to the house he grew up in), and watching our children run rampant over the same field we ran rampant over. There was a lot of talking, drinking, and laughing, and eating. It was hard to say good bye last night. I didn't want the night to end.

To make the it even sweeter, his youngest son is now sleeping on my living room floor, camped out with wyatt. How many times in our childhoods, had the two of us done the same exact thing? It was incredible how easily, and quickly these two boys hit it off last night. I am glad. It looks like the friendship tradition will live on.

Now it is 2010. I just know that it will bring more dinners, more laughter, and more good times with my family. Here's to the start of a great year.

Second Day of school!

2009-08-06T17:32:00.000-07:00

I made it through the second day of school. This would not have been possible without two of my very good friends who sat next to me during the inservice and kept me company. They make me laugh and make faces to make me smile. I really can't complain too much, most of the people I work with are very pleasant. HOWEVER, I just hate sitting on hard plastic seats at the cafeteria tables where my knees reach my chin. These tables are made for small children. Very Small children. My legs do not fit under the table with ease. The seats are attached to the tables, did I mention that they are hard plastic? Yeah my butt keeps reminding me of this. From 8:30 until 12:30, we sat. and sat. and sat. While listening to "school policies procedures". My butt cheeks thought they were going to "become one with the orange plastic circle". My knees ached from being bent at such an odd angle. There is no room to stretch out. I thought it would never end. FInally it did. Now what material was covered, I could not even begin to tell you as I had a brain fart as soon as we walked out of the frigid room. Yep it was COLD in there. SO I left with a headache, a sore butt, and blue toes.

I did have a nice lunch with friends. Then it was back to the classroom to finish getting ready for the first day of school. Parents came to meet the teachers. I think 6 parents came today. That was good. I recieved my class list, which surely must be wrong as it says I only have 13 students!!! umm, no this can't be correct. There must be some mistake.

TOmorrow will be another hectic day. Students arrive. Our goal on the first day: get them to class, get them fed, get them home!! Anything other than that is gravy. Rules and expectations of course. Maybe a writing activity and a game or two. Maybe the time will fly by. One can only dream.

Fun Fun Fun

2009-08-04T17:49:00.000-07:00

I spent my last day of summer vacation doing the fun stuff I love doing. I went shopping and bought a few shirts that I found on sale. I can wear them to school or on our cruise in November. I went and wandered around the scrappy store. I love the scrappy store. I bought a few things I have been needing. Then I came home and scrapped. I ignored the floors that needed mopping, and the laundry that needed washing. I spent a few hours on myself. I finished one layout and made a birthday card for my niece.

Later I picked Wyatt up from daycare, and treated us to Baskin Robbins ice cream. I know I Have a freezer full of ice cream. But I wanted a real "end of summer" treat. Baskin Robbins is not somewhere we go often. I think the last time I took Wyatt there was at least 3 years ago. So for us that was a real treat.

Then I came home, and soaked in the tub. Steve cooked dinner. Nothing fancy, just steak and potatoes. Now I am going to lay in the bed and read until it is time to go to sleep. I know I will be waking up before the sun wakes up. It's going to be a busy day. But I did enjoy my last day of "fun fun fun"

My Last Free Day

2009-08-04T04:59:00.000-07:00

This is it. My last free day of summer vacation. Tomorrow I HAVE to go back to work. So how will I spend my last free day? I plan on dropping Wyatt off at daycare, going out for breakfast, then coming home and doing absolutely nothing work related. I want to watch movies and scrap. I need to make a birthday card for TIffany. At some point I will eat lunch, maybe going out to get something to eat, or else just eating junk around here. I am just going to relax before the stress of a new school year kicks off tomorrow.

Scrappy Room Redesign

2009-08-02T07:33:00.000-07:00

My scrap room has been a bone of contention in my household for quite some time. Steve and I agreed that I needed a room to work on my hobby. He built the workshop (aka the man cave) out back for working on his hobbies. It was only fair that I have a place for mine. So I claimed the spare bedroom.

When we first moved into the house, I had no problem sharing my space with Steve. He seldom came into the room, unless it was to use the computer or to pay bills. Easy peasy. I had my folding table on one wall and he had the desk on the opposite wall. The other room was the guest bedroom. Soon after we moved into the house, we had Wyatt.

The guest room became Wyatt's room. The "extra" things we had stored in the guest room moved into the "scraproom/office". Since taking care of Wyatt, and working took up most of my time, I didn't have much time for scrapping. All was still good in the scrappy place, even if it was a little crowded.

Soon my folding table was sagging under the weight of the supplies piled on top. I had boxes, bins, tubs of supplies. There was no functional storage. The room was a disaster. Steve griped constantly about the mess. FINALLY, he took pity on my and decided to create me the "ultimate" scrap space. He designed and built cabinets, while I pondered paint samples and color schemes. I wanted the room to be calming, and peaceful, yet still reflect my creative side. It took awhile, but finally it was done. With the blue walls, white trim and sand colored carpet, I was creating the "beach" themed room. Steve installed the cabinets. Upper around 3 walls, lower cabinets along one long wall, and a desk top on each short end. I had beaucoup storage. However, I still had to share the space with Steve. He just wanted one desk top, and the cabinets above it for storing office things and bills. Soon he wanted one lower cabient for computer stuff.

Things went along somewhat smoothly. Wyatt grew as kids tend to do, and discovered that he liked to do crafts. In my scrap room. While he watched cartoons. While I was trying to scrap. It seemed that I could never get away from the "guys" when I needed some alone time. I couldn't just sit and read in a room without a tv on. I couldn't lay down for a nap without someone coming into the room to get something they needed. I couldn't just hide in a pretty girly space, because my guys, being typical guys, didn't want "fru fru pretty lacy, comfy" things. They wanted "manly colors, with a manly decor". I felt I was being overrun with testosterone, testostorne, crap with male hormones.

This led to the "Scrappy Room Redesign". Steve and I started talking about remodeling and redecorating the house. I told him that I needed MY OWN SPACE or I was going to seriously hurt someone in this house. A room to myself, that did not have any manly things in it, that was fru fru, lacy, pretty and comfy. That was a peaceful, quiet, place for me to hide out in. This led to the Scrappy Room Redesign.

After much talking, debating, arguing, and shopping my new space is finally taking shape. Steve took out one section of the cabinets and one desk top. For now we put the top bunk to wyatt's bunk bed in here. Eventually I will get a pretty white bed (just in case we need a place for company to spend the night). I am going to get the pretty white shabby chic bedding that I have loved for the longest time. Every time I go to Target, I walk through the bedding section and fondle the quilt and the sheets, and try not to drool on the pretty throw pillows. NOW I can buy them and bring them home. Along with pretty curtains. Then we will get a new bookshelf to hold some of my scrapbooks that I have made (no more hiding in a dark cabinet for them). And I have to figure out some sort of dvd storage (do you know how much space 229 dvds takes up? A LOT!!!) THen I will push for a bigger, flat screen television (why should my space have a tv smaller than my computer screen?).

Last night, I put old sheets on the bed. Steve was in the living room watching some Discovery Channel show. I curled up on the comfy bed, and watched a girly movie and read my book. All was quiet and peaceful. (Wyatt was at my sister's spending the night.) When I was done for the night, I got up turned off the lights and went to bed with Steve. But for the little while I was in there, I could watch what I wanted, read a book with no background noise, or even just peruse magazines looking for scrappy inspiration. I have my own little girly space. A pesticle free zone!!!

All is good in MissyLand.

IT's been awhile

2009-07-31T07:56:00.000-07:00

Life gets in the way of blogging it seems. Or I am just lazy. Take your pick. LOL SO what's new in MissyLand? Lots of stuff.

Vacation in San Diego was wonderful. I really enjoyed spending time with Richard and Nancy. I can not thank them enough for letting us stay with them while we were there and for all that they did for us. Wyatt really enjoyed getting to know Uncle Richard adn Aunt Nancy. We really got to see and do everything that we wanted to see and do: Legoland, SeaWorld, The Zoo, Jullian, the gold mine tour, Body WOrks, The MIdWay aircraft carrier museum, and seeing where RIchard works was incredible. I was not ready to leave the cooler temperatures of California for the heat and humidity of Louisiana.

Now we have decided to redecorate and remodel our house. Talk about fun!!! It's exciting. Shopping for furniture, looking at lamps, talking paint/curtains/flooring. Stop laughing. IT is fun. Honest. Okay, so maybe not FUN, but I enjoy it. Now I just want it DONE!!! I get soo excited that I want to see what it will all look like when it is done. In my mind it if beautiful, a comfy, cozy, place to come home and relax in. Getting it from my mind's eye, to reality is proving to be a painstaking task. BUT it willl happen. It will just take awhile. First we bought new living room furniture. SOfa, love seat, end tables, entertainment center, and desk. (I really can't wait for the tables/desk to arrive, it's on order.)

Our next remodel/redecorate room is my scrappy room. IT's going to be a combination guest room/scrap room. Which sounds easy enough right? WRONG! Steve spent a lot of time and money to build me these wonderful cabinets and countertops to hold all of my scrap stuff. I love my scrap room. But now we want to take out almost half of the cabinets (bye bye storage) and put a twin bed in here. Which again sounds easy right? WRONG AGAIN! I have a LOT of stuff. SOme will go in under the bed storage (school stuff, mainly so I can access it when I need to create somethign for school). SOme will be tossed in the trash. Some will go in the attic (this would be steve's crap that he insists that he needs to keep). Some I am giving away. I am having to reorganize the scrappy side of the room. Eventually we will buy bookshelves to hold my scrapbook albums, and my dvds. I MUST have my dvd's in the room with me. All 200+ movies. This work would go much easier if I had the shelves, and the bed and the storage things I will eventually get. FOr now I am just boxing up, rearranging, and purging stuff. Hopefull this will be finished TODAY!! I want to scrapbook and I can't because the room is a mess.

I bought a new car. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new car. 2010 Ford Fusion. In a pretty blue color. I love it. I love driving it. I love the satellite radio, the usb jack that I can use with my mp3 player, the 6-disc cd player. I never run out of things to listen to while I drive.

That's the highlights of my summer. WHich is almost over. SChool starts back next week. New Grade for me (5th), same classroom (good thing). Trying to stay positive here.

My good day...

2009-05-05T17:15:00.000-07:00

SO far so good... I have not yelled at anyone... even the brat who told me that I was the a Mother F'ing Biotch from Hell and I don't have to do this Math work if I don't want to do it" ... I said "well now, here's your write up, go to the office and finish your work there"

I have had a great afternoon.. I cooked dinner... I like cooking when I don't have to rush... granted it was just "breakfast" for dinner, but I like making biscuits from scratch... I am weird that way...

I actually bought myself a new book, instead of waiting for it at the library... I love the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, and I started reading this book in the parking lot... lol... I didn't read it while driving, although I was tempted so I put it WAYYYYY in the back of the cargo area of the car... lol Percy was calling me.. lol

I finally finished all of the teacher gifts for wyatt for the week... 1 altered paint can (full of nail polish/pedicure things for "pamper the teacher day").... 1 altered clipboard for "office supply" day.... 12 altered ink pens (ribbon wrapped with pretty daisies on them, all stuck in a painted flower pot) for "flower day".... and I helped wyatt put the finishing touches on the book he wrote for her for "book day"... (he wrote the cutest story about a boy on a cruise, and used pictures from our vacation to tell the story)... I started all of this mess on Sunday... finally finished...

My grades are all averaged, the kitchen is cleaned, the house is relatively clean...and I brought home no extra work... everything can wait until tomorrow... soo I plan on fixing a big old glass of diet coke, curling up with Percy, and hopefully not get so "into" the book that I stay up all night to finish it.....

I have 11 school days left. THat's a great feelings. Wait, I Have 10 days left, I took one day off so that I can go watch my son at his awards day program. Yippee...

Focus on Me!!!

2009-05-03T15:53:00.000-07:00

THat's my goal. I said something to someone that was over the line. I am not proud of that. I never thought I would react the way I did. However, being as that I am human, I made a mistake and I screwed up. I can't change it. I can't make it right. All I can do at this point is focus on ME and figure out how to NOT let that happen ever again. THat's my goal.

I shared my mistake with friends. Knowing the full well ahead of time, the outcome that would follow. I needed to hear the negative and hurtful things they were going to say. I needed them to tell me that I was wrong. Because I could have easily hidden what I have done. Not told anyone. Lived my life trying to bury the deed. But I didn't. I laid it out there for them to know. I was ready to hear the hurtful things. I knew that my friends would be horrified, but that they would eventually help me through this. SOme have done that. Their words of wisdom and suggestions of how to handle this have been much appreciated. SOme have decided that I am a liar. That I made it all up. THAT was uncalled for. SO I walked away from my friends for now. If I had stayed, I would have said some very hurtful things to them, and I do not want to be that person ever again. THis time I can walk away before I say them.

So if my true friends are reading this, and you wonder where I have gone, I am here. Focusing on me. Reeavaluating my life, and talking with someone who can help me. I am moving forward. I can't change the past. I am working on the now, and looking to the future.

For everyone, just remember, we all make mistakes. SOme mistakes are big, others are minor. BUT we all make them. It's part of life and part of being human. I believe that the key to life is that we learn from our mistakes, never to repeat them, and to become a better person from having made them. That is my focus. Me and my mistake. HOw to never repeat it, and to become a better person because of it.

My Mother In Law

2008-07-23T19:05:00.001-07:00

I love my mother in law. She is such a good person. Kind, caring, helpful, never butts in my marriage, and never offers advice unless she is asked. I admire and respect her so much.

I am scared now. She is ill. It started about 1 1/2 maybe 2 years ago at the most. SHe began to have trouble walking. She kept tripping and falling over nothing. Her feet weren't working. She went to the doctor. THey ran tests. THey sent her to Houston to see more doctors for more tests. She went from walking with a cane, to using a walker, to being full time in a wheelchair in less than a year. Now she is using a breathing machine at night when she sleeps, and sometimes during the day as well.

SHe said at first they suspected ALS. Lou Gherig's disease. Then she said they were mistaken.

SHe never has come out and said "this is what is wrong." We don't ask. She hasn't wanted to talk about it.

She never complains. When you ask how she is doing, she says "I'm fine as can be." She gets together with her friends. THe friends that she has always been there for, have made it a point to be there for her. THey come to her house for lunch, and to play cards. THey decorated her house for Christmas, and then came back and took the decorations down.

She goes to physical therapy, swim class for exercise, and shopping if someone will drive her new van, so that she can just roll her chair into it. She does this cheerfully, with a smile and laugh.

The only time I have really seen frustration on her face was the day when she realized that she couldn't play the piano anymore. Not that she played it all that much before she was sick, but she could if she wanted. Then when Wyatt expressed an interest, she tried and couldn't quite do it. I saw the look on her face and it made me sad.

She wants to meet with the family this weekend, with an attorney. I am ascared. I don't want to hear bad news. ALthough I know it is coming. I am not ready for this.

I'm sad. I am letting Wyatt spend as much time with her now. So what if he misses a field trip or an activity with daycare. I feel it is more important to let him go and stay with her and my fil. I was glad that they went on the cruise with us last month.

I'm scared. I'm sad. SHe doesn't deserve this horrible illness.

Late Breaking News

2008-06-30T17:52:00.000-07:00

YES! YES! YES!

THe governor just vetoed the legisltors pay raise.. YES!!! I loved his comments: They are asking too much of the taxpayers. IF this passed, then it should not go into effect until after the next legislative election, which would be 2012. An annual automatic increase in pay is a slap in the face to the voters. We need reform, and we need it NOW! A pay raise of a paid official should be voted upon by the people who voted to elect these officials."

YES!!!

Politics

2008-06-30T14:48:00.000-07:00

I hate politics. I try to listen to the candidates. I do my research on who has done what in the past, supported things that I feel are of importance, look at the issues. I vote. In every election, even the small ones that just seem to pop up for random issues. However, I really hate politics. More so the politicians involved in politics. Guess you can't have one without the other. Here are some reasons why:

I hate mudslinging: Didn't these people learn that if you can't say anything nice, to say nothing at all? Stop twisting fact into half truths but leaving out vital imformation just to sway voters to your side. I really try not to vote for people who do a lot of negative campaigning. Tell me about YOU. What YOU stand for, what YOU plan to do, HOW YOU plan to do it. Not something that your opponent did thirty years ago, when he was 12, and probably learned a life lesson from.

I hate campaign ads. For the reason above. It annoys me to turn on the tv, and hear them. I stop watching tv.

I hate the way some politicians hold all of the power and force issues to go their way using that power. Case in point: Our wonderful legislators in Louisiana. Wanted a pay raise. (Why? It's a part time job. You ASKED us to put you in office, You KNEW what the pay was before you begged and whined to get put there. You have a full time job outside of this position. SHut up and deal with it.) SOO they hold up the governor's bills that he wants to have passed, stalls them in committee or on the floor until they "vote themselves a payraise". YES THAT'S RIGHT, THEY VOTED THEMSELVES A PAYRAISE!! A HUGE HONKING PAYRAISE! TRIPLING THEIR SALARY!!! And until they had that issue taken care of, nothing that the governor wanted to have accomplished was going to get done. The governor has some wonderful things he wants done with health care, education, and children's services. Things that would truly benefit the whole state. However, because of these politicians, none of that would be accomplished if they didn't get what they wanted. Soo they vote.. the payraise passes (barely), and a lot of the legislators who didn't support the payraise signed a waiver to donate the money to charity or to flat out refuse to take the raise. (Don't think I don't know which ones did this, because I made it a point to find out. It will greatly influence my vote next election.) THEN they made the raise so that they get a raise EVERY FREAKING YEAR!!! And the governor is refusing to veto or sign this piece of legislation. (IF he doesn't sign it within so many days, it automatically becomes a law. If he vetos it, then he will get nothing accomplished his whole term because these politicains will hold a grudge. BIG bunch of overgrown babies.) Power... that's what it comes down to.

and I hate uninformed voters, too. Those people who will just believe what they hear, don't bother to check it out, and then vote blindly b/c they like the color of the tie the candidate was wearing on the campaign ad.

no matter how long the road

2008-06-29T18:01:00.000-07:00

Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my cousins. Family time was really big in our family. I remember Sunday Dinners after church at my grandmother's house. (The fried chicken, potato salad, mashed potatoes, fresh from grandpa's garden veggies, and fruit salad. Every time I have fruit salad, I think of my grandma.) ALL of the aunts/uncles and cousins would be there. ANd it didn't matter the age, the cousins all played together. We fought, we argued, we made up, we were just kids. I can remember the adults cooking dinner and laughing.

I realized today, that even though my cousins and I are grown, married and have kids of our own, we are still as close as we were growing up. We may not see each other weekly, and sometimes we go months without a phone call. BUT when we do get a chance to get together, it's just like when we were growing up.. EXCEPT now we are the ones cooking, and laughing. ANd our kids are the ones that are playing, arguing, making up. The cycle continues.

Even when the road between our homes is much longer now than it has ever been.

TOday I went to my mom's, my cousin was in town with her husband and her kids. She called and asked if we wanted to ride over and visit. Even though we only got to visit a few hours, it was fun. THe kids played games that only make sense to kids. Something involving a checkerboard, stuffed animals, and unopened candy. The adults, sat and laughed and talked and laughed some more. No one wanted to be the first to leave and break up the fun. Even though she had a long drive home, she didn't want to leave either.

I miss those big family gatherings. I called a different cousin today. We were talking and she stated that she too missed those times. While a weekly gathering may be a bit much now, we have decided that we are going to try to do a big family barbecue at the end of the summer. THat's our goal. Now to make it a reality.

My husband spoils me

2008-06-28T20:06:00.000-07:00

Today he surprised me. He gave me diamond earrings. Beautiful Diamond Earrings. I was shocked. For no reason, other than he wanted to give them to me. He bought them on our cruise. Held on to them for a "random day". Today was the random day. He never does stuff like this. Ever. I mean he buys me little things to let me know he is thinking of me.. a cell phone cover with an LSU logo... or a swim suit for the pool... or my favorite snack from the store. but never DIAMONDS!!!

I love him. HE spoils me. I will keep him.

I love where I live

2008-06-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

I really do. WHile I don't love the actual house (I want one with just ONE more bedroom and all of the rooms a little bigger), I do love the location of my house.

I live exactly 4 miles south of my sister and 4 miles north of my mom. And yet, I see them very seldom. WE talk on the phone at least once a day, but actual visits are more likely to occur about once every two weeks or so. Not from lack of interest or dislike of each other. But just from being busy all the time.

Looking back now, I realize just how great of a relationship I have with my two sisters. It didn't seem like it growing up, there were times when we got on each others nerves. But when I think back to my childhood, I remember the fun stuff mostly. ANd then I realized that although we have gotten older, married, have children of our own and more responsibilities than we ever thought possible, we really haven't changed all that much.

Games: we played lots of games growing up. Card games, board games, games with dice, made up games where we kept changing the rules. WE still do that. We get together at least once a month and play games together. And we still change the rules, although now we tend to agree BEFORE we start the game to stick to ONE set of rules.

Laughter: We laughed a lot growing up. We acted silly. We still do that. WE can all be together, sitting down at dinner, and one of my sisters (or myself) will make a face, a comment, or a gesture and off we go on the road to silliness.

Music: I can't remember a time, growing up that one of us didn't have a radio, record player, tape player, cd player, or mp3 player turned on. While what we listen to has changed over time, we still have music on at some point during the day. I think we spent more time listening to music, than watching tv. (Could be because we had to share a Tv, and never wanted to watch what the others wanted.)

Books: All of us still read as much as we did when we were younger. I read the most. FOllowed by my youngest sister. the middle sister will read, but she really doesn't get into books like the rest of us. And we still like the same genre's that we did growing up: FOr me that would be mysteries/horror/thriller/suspense... my the middle sister: romance... and for the youngest sister: her taste is more along the lines of historical fiction with a little romance in the mix.

I Love my sisters. I love how we are always there for each other. I love how our relationships have changed with time, but yet remained much the same. I love how we get along, rarely disagree, and always stand up for each other. Even if we do make faces at each other when Mom is not looking.

What's up with me?

2008-06-26T17:51:00.000-07:00

Nothing. Nada. Zip. My days are pretty much the same lately:

Wake up.

Take Wyatt to daycare. Yes, it's summer. Yes, I'm off from work. BUT I have to pay to keep him space in daycare, soo if I'm paying, he's going. ANd to be honest, he loves playing with his friends.

CHeck the Dawg. Chat with my friends.

Clean house. It's a never ending battle.

Run Errands. Not all days, but at least 2 days out of the week. I have to go to the grocery store, or something that involves leaving the house. I try to do it all on one day, but that doesn't always happen.

Hang out in the pool. NOt a big fancy ingrown pool. Just a little cheap 3 foot above ground pool, but it's cool, and relaxing, and peaceful. When no one but me is out there.

Come inside and eat lunch.

Put laundry on to wash. Really now,THAT"s a never ending battle too.

Back out in the pool, while reading a book. OR if the weather doesn't cooperate, I will play in my scrapbook room, while watching tv.

Pick up Wyatt.

THen, again depending on the weather, we either end up in the pool, or hang out inside.

Cook dinner. CLean the kitchen.

Take a bath.. and read or scrap til I get sleepy.

Day after Day. I could get used to this. Now If I could only afford to do this without a paycheck.

What I did on my Summer Vacation

2008-06-15T17:39:00.000-07:00

Day 1: We flew out of Baton Rouge to Atlanta, the to Miami. Wyatt was thrilled with the plane ride. He had never flown before. He was all excited to see the tops of clouds and the buildings as we took off. We stayed overnight at the Embassy Suites in Miami. REally nice hotel, with a beautiful atrium in the lobby, with a waterfall. PSA for the day: do not stay in a room right across from the elevator and behind the waterfall. You will hear lots of people talking drunkenly as they get off of the elevator and the waterfall will make you have to pee all night long. We walked to a nearby restaurant to eat dinner. On the SHORT walk, Wyatt decided he had to use the bathroom. I hear him yell "wait a minute". I turn around, adn my son has his weenis in his hand, fixing to pee on a flower bush. SO I Yell at him "put that thing away before someone sees you and we get arrested." Yep, cop car sitting right at the corner.

On the cruise ship not a lot happened. We drank, swam, drank, ate, drank, watched some shows, drank, and had lots of "cheer". GOtta love when the in-laws come on vacation with you, and then INSIST that the monkeybutt sleep in the room with them. (Note to self, buy inlaws a nice Christmas present this year.)

First port of call: San Juan, Puerto RIco: it rained. I shopped. It rained. I didn't care. Didn't buy much. A pair of earrings and a pendant. Steve and Wyatt each bought a shirt. We walked around and looked at the fort, and the statues and the birds. LOTS of birds. We walked for freaking ever. My feet and legs hurt.

Second Port of Call: St. Thomas. BEAUTIFUL!! We went to Magen's Beach. Crystal clear water, the purtiest blue color I have ever seen. Wyatt saw fish, starfish and crabs. This was his first real visit to a beach. HE was amazed that there was WET SAND UNDER THE WATER!!! I sat on the beach and had an adult beverage, watched the cute guys walk by (there were two) and heard my son yell out "DAD LOOK THAT LADY'S BUTT IS HANGING OUT THE BACK OF HER SWIMSUIT" (his first encounter at the beach and his first butt floss swimsuit sighting) After the two hours at the beach, we were back on our tour of the Island. We were brought to Blackbeard's Castle. We did the walking tour of this area. Very INteresting. LOTS of walking. My legs and feet hurt. My cheap husband decided NOT to pay for a taxi b/c it was just a short walk to ship. Umm.. yeah a 45 minute walk... NOT FUN!!! DUring the tour, I had a few cups of rum punch.. okay 5 cups of rum punch, but who's counting. We did some more shopping.. Steve bought me a pearl necklace, bracelet, and earring set. The guys got tee-shirts.

Last port of call: St. Marteen. We took a bus to a "remote" fishing village, where we boarded a smaller boat to go out to a coral reef. Then we went "down below" (get your minds out of the gutter wyatt was with us) to look through the glass windows at the tropical fish, sea urchins, and sea turtles. My pictures of this did not come out very clear. But it was really neat. Then after a couple of hours, we headed back to town. We did some more shopping. Steve bought me a topaz pendant. The guys each got another shirt. OH, and I got a new pair of sunglasses too.

Then we headed home. Nothing much to do on the ship but drink, eat, swim, and play games. ANd Drink. I drank lots on the ship.

THat's it in a nutshell: relaxing, drinking, sunning, shopping.. the perfect vacation.

My Ramblings:

2008-05-27T04:20:00.000-07:00

THis is for my friend KAT. See I am updating my blog. YOu have shamed me. LOL

Actually, things have been super crazy around here. SO I am going to just ramble about what's been going on in my life:

Wyatt's t-ball season has finally ended. I Have never been so glad to see a ball season end. He had fun, and I saw improvement in his game between the beginning of the season and the end of the season. But I am so glad it's over. I am done with ballgames until next Spring. Well, unless I go to watch one of TIffany's tournament games, but I doubt that I go to those as it is TOO HOT!!!

School has ended. This school year has been a rollercoaster ride of emotions. The students were not that bad this year, but the "extra" stuff has been very stressful. With the different people coming in to monitor and observe, it's just over. Now I can relax.

I have been shopping like crazy for our cruise. It only took 3 weekends of shopping to find everything we needed. We packed last night, and discovered we still needed a few things. Wyatt needed a brown belt, and tan socks and new Tennis shoes. Steve needed a new swim suit. ALl I needed was panty hose. I would have bought them sooner but I hate wearing them, so I put off buying them as long as possible. Now we are ready. Except for wyatt's shoes. I HAVE to go buy him new tennis shoes TODAY!

I just bought him a pair of shoes at the end of April. THEY ARE TOO SMALL!!!! I refuse to buy him expensive shoes anymore. He outgrows them too quickly to justify the price.

Nothing much has been happening in my life. Ball games, wrapping up school, and shopping. That's it. No drama. No excitment. SOmetimes thats a good thing.

Stupid finger thing

2008-05-03T05:01:00.000-07:00

It seems lately that everytime I take a photo of WYatt, and he sees the camera pointing in his direction, he makes this stupid hand gesture. He calls it his "rock and roll Pose". I call it the "stupid finger thing". His dad just laughs. He wants to be a "rock star" so he is practicing. I know that he will grow out of this stage, and I take solace knowing that in the meantime I am getting lots of future blackmail pictures.

My Favorite Pastime

2008-02-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

I am not a huge sports fan. Some might even call me a FRINGE FAN! BUt I like Softball. I LOVE softball when I get watch my niece's play. Tonight I had the best time watching my oldest two niece's compete against each other. Tiffany plays for Live Oak. Kati plays for Denham Springs. I was playing with my camera, and I happened to catch this image. I think it is my new favorite picture. It's not perfect. BUT it's of two of my favorite people, doing the thing that makes them happy. AND It's not often I get a picture of my two girls together.

2008-02-25T03:09:00.000-08:00

You Are Sneakers

You are creative, funky, and forward thinking.

You are cool, but you are still approachable.

You are stylish and edgy, but you aren't a slave to fashion.

You tend to put your own spin on trends.

You tend to have a fast paced, busy lifestyle.

Not a lot of people can keep up with you!

You should live: Near nature

You should work: In a job that keeps you on the go

What Kind of Shoe Are You?

Where does the time go?

2008-02-14T03:19:00.000-08:00

I KNOW it was just yesterday that I came home from the hospital with my little baby boy. IT was NOT six years ago. NO NO NO!!! It's not possible. I am not ready for him to be six!!!!

BUT he is. Six... TODAY!!!! My little Valentine's Baby... in now my Valentine's Boy!!!...

Six years old.. Six years to love him, Six years to watch him grow... Six years of new accomplishments.... yet there are times that I look at him and wonder "Who is this child? WHere did he come from? WHere is my baby?"

I just peeked in on him sleeping. He looks so BIG in his bed. No baby blankets, no bottles, no pacifers. No diapers.. (wait that's a good thing).

He's becoming so independent. I am not ready for him to grow up.

Some please tell him to stop. I think he is doing it to spite me. I tell him but he doesn't listen. Maybe he will listen to you.

Who Knows ME Best?

2008-02-06T12:32:00.000-08:00

When asked this question, I immediately thought of Steve. My husband. He knows me very well. He doesn't always "understand me" or "get me" but he knows me! He knows what I like to eat from most of the restuarants we go to. He knows my favorite things to drink. He knows what type of books I like to read. If you asked him my favorite type of music, or tv show, he could answer those questions easy. He knows the day to day stuff. But even more than that, he knows the deeper stuff. He knows when I have had a bad day at work, not by the expression on my face, but by what station the radio is on when he gets in the car. But even more important than the STUFF that he knows, is how he shows that he knows. It's the little things. Like buying me a cell phone cover on a business trip. He knew I had looked for one, couldn't find one here, and saw it on his trip and bought it for me. Or, buying my favorite snack at the grocery store.. or a book by one of my favorite authors... or a copy of a movie with an actor that he knows I like. He knows how to make me laugh when I am sad. He knows when to leave me alone when I am angry. (Although lately he seems to forget that he knows this.) He knows when to give me hugs and when to just let me cry. He knows my good moods and my bad ones. After dating for 7 years and 13 years of marriage, he should know me best. However, I do like to change my mind about things, if for no other reason than to keep him on his toes.

Step One...

2008-02-02T04:44:00.000-08:00

My word for the year is ACCOMPLISH!... I was unhappy with the look of my blog... learning how to change it and make it purty was one of the things I wanted to accomplish this year. Thanks to a friend named Janelle, I was able to do that. HUGS to Janelle. NOw I have a purty girly blog

CRAP!!!

2008-01-31T17:54:00.001-08:00

I've been tagged... mumblegrumbleoldladytiggermumblegrumble

Do you know how long my middle name is?????? I don't know that many bloggers!!!
So I'm taking your tag, but using my maiden name. I'm such a rebel.

Here are the rules:

1. You have to post the rules before you give your answers.

2. You must list one fact about yourself beginning with each letter of your middle name. (If you don't have a middle name, use your maiden name).

3. After you are tagged, you need to update your blog with your middle name and your answers.

4. At the end of your blog post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and that they need to read your blog for details.)

My MIddle Name is ANN!!!!

A.... I love animals! Really I do... despite my past... I do not like to see animals mistreated.
N..... Nice.. I think I am nice, too nice sometimes.. but I try to have something nice to say to people I meet,
N.... Naughty... I can be naughty, but not in a mean way.. I like to tease my friends, tell dirty jokes, and play practical jokes... naughty... yep...that fits me...

Now I have to go see who I am tagging...

new revelation

2008-01-30T05:55:00.000-08:00

I hate my job!! Seriously!! And the funny part, it's not the kids!! I love TEACHING them. It's the other BS that I have to put up with. I guess it is a good thing that Wyatt was sick this week and I stayed home because if not I would be facing: 2 observations from the consultant that works for the company that publishes the phonics program we are required to use.... a formal observation by my principal (required twice a year)... and for the next 8 weeks, we have some person from the state department of education popping in and out of our school to "monitor" and "observe" what we are teaching. She emailed a list of things she would be looking for... umm.. a 6 page list... most I do..but some are just ridiculous adn I refuse to do... my response is FIRE ME! (seriously told my principal that last week)...
1. I refuse to write the "benchmarks" on the board for every lesson I teach... I write an agenda on the board, I write the objectives on the board.. I am not writing the benchmarks on the board too.. I use them to write my objectives, just restate them... no reason to write them on the board... it would take up too much of my time.
2. I refuse to walk around the room with a copy of my lesson plans in my hand. I have them in a binder on my desk (where they are required to be), I have the agenda on the board (which is a brief daily version of my lesson plans).. no need for me to walk around with them in my hand... as it is, I am "required" to walk around with the textbook in my hand... even if we are not using it that day... and a clipboard for "informal observation notes" as I walk around the room.. I have two hands...I can only hold so much stuff.
3. I refuse to "teach the test". Now we are being required to start and end each lesson with a "released test item" from the state test. First, there are not that many test items for my grade level, as we have only been giving the test for 3 years. I have used them when appropriate, but I am not giving a problem that doesn't relate to what I am teaching on that day..
4. I will not attach all hand outs that I give to the students to my lesson plans. There is no need for that. They have workbooks, I am not going to copy pages frm thier workbooks just to appease this one person.

Now while this may seem petty on my part, I would have no problem doing this if they had come to us in AUGUST and said "do these things". Okay... but don't come in January and say "DO it this way or else"!!! I don't care if they are going to make a "report" for the state department of education.

and Don't just pop into my classroom whenever you feel like it, start asking my students questions about what I am teaching, WHILE they should be listening to me!!

THis is not just at my school, it's across the district. They want to see "Why test scores are dropping" and "why teachers aren't teaching".. .but they don't want t ask us. Let's ask the kids, because they know "oh so much" .

I am venting. I know. But I am stressed beyond belief at this point. There are days when I feel that just need a new job. Totally out of the scope of education. Mcdonald's is even sounding good right about now.

WHY WHY WHY??

2008-01-17T16:36:00.000-08:00

Just a bunch of pointless questions runnign through my mind...

WHY do we have to have a parent meeting night at school when we know darn good and well that it's pointless? I had 3 parents show up. We were talking about the plans for 3rd grade for the rest of the school year. ONe parent got up and left. WHY did I have to stay at work until 7:30 at night for THAT?

WHY is it whenever I Have plans for a day off from school, do those plans get screwed up? WHY WHY WHY? We have Monday off from school. Martin Luther King Jr's birthday.. I planned on relaxing and scrapping all day. But noo... I have to go pick up Wyatt from his grandparents because he is spending Sunday night there. I have to pick up him early. Which Means he will be home with me all day. I won't get much done. I wanna scrap in peace and quiet for a change.

WHy is it that I can't say no to my family? All week, I have been looking forward to coming home on Friday evening, and doing absolutely NOTHING but eating dinner and soaking in a tub of hot water... but now I have to go to my niece's Confirmation at church because my niece asked me and then said "and could you bring your camera and take some pictures of me and my friends all dressed up?"

WHY WHY WHY?

Daredevil

2008-01-02T18:59:00.000-08:00

My sister gave wyatt a scooter for CHristmas. He has been wanting one for the longest time, so naturally he was very excited when he opened it. Now he is off and going. I fuss and I fuss at him to "put your helmet on".. and he says "if I had known you were going to watch me I would have".. or "mom only dorks were helmets".. put your helmet on dork... he has decided that for his birthday he wants "ramps and rails".. I am not ready for a daredevil skater boy...

Pop pop pop

2007-12-22T05:41:00.000-08:00

Last weekend Wyatt was bored. So I pulled out the surprise I had bought at the store earlier that day. JIFFY POP!!! WYatt had never seen popcorn that wasn't cooked in the microwave. Soo he was a little skeptical.
After I showed him how to hold the pan carefully, and to shake it.. he quickly became excited... and his eyes kept getting bigger and bigger as the top of the pan began to grow.
Finally he was able to eat his popcorn. It tasted every bit as good as I remember Jiffy Pop tasting. When asked if he wanted to do this another time, he said "nah, it takes to long.. next time just put it in the microwave."

The Meaning of Life: contentment

2007-12-21T18:39:00.000-08:00

As I sit here, surrounded by the trappings and trimmings of Christmas, I find myself thinking of my life and the direction I am headed in. I think about the things I have and the things I want, as well as the things I value the most. I realized that the reason it is hard for me to make a Christmas list, is that I have almost everything I need or want. I don't really have that many wants. Not really, despite what my husband may think or say otherwise. I have my family, all living close by, where we can visit regularly, and do things together. I have my health, and my family has theirs. I have friends, both those that live near me and those that are scattered around this sphere we live on. These friends cheer me up when I am sad, listen to me vent my frustrations, and offer advice and laughter all the time. I have a house, and a car that is now officially paid for and belongs to me. I have a job. What more could I ask for? Why did I start thinking about these things?

Because of a conversation that I had today with a lady I have known for years. Since Steve and I started dating. She married one of his friends. She kept talking about how much money her husband made, adn the new car they just bought b/c the other one was two years old.. and the house they moved into with 5 bedrooms, and 6 bathrooms for 3 people. Then after about 15 minutes of this type of "conversation" she asked if Steve and I still lived in our "cute little house" and when we would be moving to a larger house. SHe really didn't like my "answer" of "WE are happy where we are." SHe actually asked me "are you really happy?"

I realized at that moment that for me the meaning of life is all about one thing: Contentment... I am content and happy with my life.

Is it really Possible?

2007-12-13T18:40:00.000-08:00

Is is really possible that my baby is READING? I mean really reading!! It seems like he was born yesterday. Now he is in kindergarten. He started kindergarten in AUGUST, he knew most of his alphabet, and now in 18 short weeks, he is reading. Every night we sit and he reads from one of his little beginning reading books. He blends his sounds, and reads the words. He needs help with most of the bigger words, but tonight he read a whole book. He needed help with ONE WORD! ONE!! That's all.
I am so proud of him. He is working really hard to learn everything. He loves learning, and he is soo excited to be reading books.

Still HOT!!

2007-12-12T03:19:00.000-08:00

I hate hot weather in December. It's 5:00 AM... and 72 degrees... and the high is 83 degrees.... I hate hot weather in December.that's all.

HEAT WAVE!

2007-12-08T18:46:00.000-08:00

Crammit... it's 80 freaking degrees here.. it was 84 at the hottest point of the day.. it's DECEMBER... It is supposed to be COOLER.. maybe a little chilly.. 50's would be good.. .I should not be wearing shorts, and flip flops (and a tee shirt) to the Christmas parade.. It doesn't feel like Christmas... I WANT SOME COLD WEATHER!!!

My Favorite Christmas Memory

2007-12-07T16:48:00.000-08:00

My favorite Christmas memory since my son was born, involves this show. Santa Claus is Coming to Town. I Love Christmas shows, and even though Wyatt was only 10 months old, I wanted him to see the shows that I grew up watching every Christmas. Soo this show came on, and I remember sitting on the living room floor with Wyatt. He had been crawling around the room, while I watched the show. He just didn't appear that interested in the show for some reason. Right when Kris was singing the song about "you put one foot in front of the other, and soon you will be walking across the floor" Wyatt had pulled up to the sofa, and then off he went. HE WAS WALKING!! He took 4 good steps before he sat down and laughed. Now I have the dvd of the show, and every time I watch it, it reminds me of my baby and his first steps. Now he is 5, and those first steps seem soo long ago.

2007-12-01T10:40:00.000-08:00

MY Tree this year. 7 1/2 foot pre lit, and trimmed in blue/silver and white ornaments. I LOVE my tree. Here are a few of my favorite ornaments. This is one of 5 trees I put up this year, it's the biggest and it sits in my living room.
My "tiara" ornament.
I have several of these angel ornaments on my tree. I love them. I want a few more.
I love the look of the silver wire, beaded ornaments.
My new tree topper.. a silver and white angel.

Traveling Vietnam Wall..

2007-12-01T05:13:00.000-08:00

I get a call on my way home from work. My sister is telling me that the "Traveling Vietnam Wall is passing through our town on the way to a town next to ours." Trafic was going to be blocked off for a time, as the truck carrying the Wall, and a MOTORCADE of motorcycles escorted the Wall to the Church that would display it for the Veteran's Day weekend. Sure enough, people were lining the street to wave and salute as It passed by. As I could go no further until the "parade" passed, my sisters and I joined the small crowd. I have seen the Traveling Wall before and it moved me to tears. As I stood on the street waiting for the Truck to pass, I explained to my niece what it was like to see it. All of the names, each representing a fallen hero. The momentos left by survivors, family members, and friends. THere were really no words to describe how it had made me feel.
OVer 3000 motorcycles escorted the Truck to the Church. Some were part of a group of Veterans who often escort the hearse of fallen Soldiers from the current war. It was quite moving to see the big, burly men roar by on their motorcycles. I was most touched by the tears I saw sliding down their cheeks. On the news that night, one of the men said that it made him feel like people really cared, when he sees them standing there, waving, and saluting as he drives by. That statement made me cry all over again.
We didnt' get to go see teh Wall all set up. The weather was rainy. I didn't want to get Wyatt out in the rain. I don't think he would have understood the meaning of it at his age. But the next time it is near here, I will make it a point to take him to see it. If you ever get the chance to see it, I urge you to go. You will leave there with a new perspective.

Halloween 2007

2007-12-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

How could I neglect to post my Halloween photos this year? I have been busy. That's my excuse. It's not a good one but it's the only one I have. In the first photo, we have my niece ALex. SHe went as a nerd. SHe wore my old Napleon Dynamite wig (from three years ago). SHe doesn't normally look like that. SHe had the laugh down pat.
Then we have Wyatt. The red Powerranger. I was surprised that he really wore the mask for all of about 15 minutes.

Last, We had a special visitor this year. Hiding among the trees was Michael Myers. TIffany had a good time being MIchael this year. She had the walk, the stiff legged walk, the fake knife.. and she didn't speak at all. SHe just followed people. At first they were wanting thier picture taken with her. Then after the sun went down, people were a little creeped out by her. One woman, came walking by, looked at "Michael", who then began to follow the lady. THe lady would walk a little faster, Mike would walk a little faster, it ended with the lady really RUNNING down the street. We all had a good time laughing at Tiffany.

A friend like no other

2007-11-24T14:40:00.000-08:00

My friend.. Kat... That's how I describe her. She lives in Texas and we met online, and then in person. WE don't see each other often, and there are times when we go awhile without talkign on the phone due to hectic lives filled with work/family/life. But when we do get a chance to reconnect, it's like we haven't been out of touch that much. We talk, we laugh, and we gripe about our kids. But most of all we laugh. SHe's one of the women I most admire in the world. Since I have met her, she's face more challenges than anyone else I know. She meets these challenges head on, and lets nothing stop her from doing what she wants to do. SHe loves her kids, even when they drive her crazy. She loves her family, even those that drive her crazy. SHe loves her friends,I don't drive her crazy. (shhh.. Don't wave no bs flags at me now.) We have lots in common, but are different in our own way. I wouldn't change a thing about her, well, except to move our houses closer together. SHe MY friend. My Kat.

It's the Most WOnderful TIme of the YEar..

2007-11-24T14:19:00.000-08:00

It's the Most wonderful time of the year. For me anyway. I love Christmas. THe Whole Christmas season.. WHY?

10: The decorations. I am a kid at heart. I love seeing the lights, the trees, the snowmen (or plasticmen as we have no snow here). I love decorating the house and making it all festive. SLowly I am adding to my decoration collection (much to Steve's chagrin). Eventually I will have my house looking the way I want it to look.

9: The music. I love music, but holiday music always makes me smile and sing and just feel all good inside.

8: The movies: ooh.. I love sitting at home at night and watching Christmas movies. Yes most are cheesy, but they always make me feel happy.

7: The weather: I know. I know. My friend, Tigger, would say "bah, cold weather snow bah".. (or something like that).. but I love the cold weather in December. Maybe because I live in South Louisiana, and it doesn't get that cold down here. But I love the chill in the air.

6: The good cheer: NOT THAT KIND OF CHEER!!! (Get your minds out of the gutter you silly dawgs). I mean the good cheer that most people have this time of year. Yes traffic is a little worse, and the stores are a little more crowded. But it seems that people are little nicer to each other during the holiday season.

5: The parties: Christmas parties. where everyone dresses up in nice clothes and we gather to celebrate the holiday. Regardless of if we exchange gifts or just socialize. It's a lot of fun.

4: The cookies: I am not a huge cookie fan. But at Christmas I love the cookies. SUgar cookies cut in shapes and decorated with colored sugar and frosting; chocolate chip cookies, gingerbread cookies, almond crescents, sweet dough tarts, peanut butter cookies... oooh.. I love baking cookies during the holidays. It reminds me of the times I spent with my mom and my grandmother baking cookies. It makes the house smell yummy.

3: The shopping: I Love shopping for others. I love looking for the perfect gift for friends or family members, thinking of how much I love them, and how much I hope they will like the gift. Sometimes it's just something as simple as a rice cooker that was mentioned by someone when their old one was giving out or remembering that favorite author a friend likes and then finding a new book by that author. When people say "it's not the gift it's the thought behind it", it's true. I always put a lot of thought into the gifts I buy. even gift cards, b/c I know how much teenagers like shopping.

2: The cards: Getting cards in mail from old friends and family that we don't see all that often through out the year. Sending cards to the same ones, with a letter about how our year went.

1: THe Christmas Story: I love going to church on Christmas Eve and listening to the Story of the birth of Christ. It's a time for me to sit and reflect on the year past, and think of the people who are no longer with us. A time to pray for the future. It's a time of peace during the hectic busy season. It's my rejuvenation.

it's been awhile...

2007-11-24T14:18:00.000-08:00

School started.. I got busy.. it's been awhile... I need to be a better blogger.. I will be a better blogger.. I promise..

Random thoughts from a random mind..

2007-09-12T18:07:00.001-07:00

I haven't really blogged lately.. school has been keeping me busy.. but I am beginning to see the light at the end of the chaotic hectic tunnel that is the beginning of the year. All of the paperwork is just about finished, and I am hitting the groove and stride that will see me through till the end of the year. (I hope).

Wyatt has started kindergarten. After some adjustments on his part, and mine, he is hitting his stride too. A new school year means a new bed time, and he carefully watches the clock so that he can be in bed on time.

While I am settling into the groove at school, at home I am not doing so well. I am used to coming home, starting dinner, putting a load of laundry on to wash. and working on my school stuff while I cook. THen having an hour or so to relax before bedtime. But with Wyatt in school, our routine's have changed. Now I come in, start dinner, put a load of clothes on to wash, and sit down at the table to help with homework while I cook. This means I am either doing all of my school stuff right up until bedtime, or bringing it all home to do on the weekend. I hate having to do my work on the weekend, but it's important for me to help Wyatt with his homework first.

Speaking of homework, tonight he had to use red and yellow counters for Math. Now as a teacher I am thinking "yeah manipulatives, hands-on, graphs, yeah"..then I read the directions: take a handful of counters and drop them in the square. Create a graph to show how many red and how many yellow counters you have. Discuss the graph." Now as a teacher, I have a full set of manipulatives at my disposal at school. SO I am used to the terminology and know how to be creative and make what I don't have. (Not to mention that I bought a small set of basic Math manipulatives last year in preparation for helping wyatt when he started school.) But the average parent, would not have these things on hand, and some would not know what a red and yellow counter is. (you know red on one side and yellow on the other). I think it is horrible when teachers send homework that requires things that you might not have on hand at home. (As a teacher I try not to do that, and we make lots of things to take home as needed.)

OUr new bathroom decor irks me. WYatt grew tired of the rubber ducky theme I had in there. SO Steve agreed. I was outvoted. Wyatt got to pick out the new decor. He chose lighthouses. (BORING!).. adn the ugliest shower curtain (which steve likes). I hate it. it stinks being the only female in the house sometimes.

I think that it all i have to rant, rave and let my mind wander over tonight.

I think I have a problem.....

2007-09-09T15:58:00.000-07:00

I love shoes. I own 51 pair of shoes. No lie.. I counted them... really and truly... 51 pairs... that's not a lot.. I know people who have more than me... the people who own Payless shoes have WAY more shoes than me and they don't even wear the ones they own.. I wear all of mine.. maybe not EVERY day.. but I do wear them..

Steve asked me "how many feet do you have? How many pairs of shoes do you need?" Umm.. I told him 43... umm... then I counted.. no no.. not 43..143.. yeah that's what I said..

I think I may have a problem... I have all of these shoes.. and now way of really organizing them...soo they just sit on my floor, waiting their turn to be worn.. sorry brown chunky boots, you will have to wait until it cools down.. it's too hot to wear you today.. but don't worry you will get a turn I promise..

now... where did I put the sales ad for Payless shoes? I just know there is a buy one get one half off sale this week... umm.. so I have to buy two pair right?? I mean.. really IT"S A SALE....

I cried a little Yesterday..

2007-08-21T04:04:00.000-07:00

It was Wyatt's first day of Kindergarten. He didn't want me or his dad to meet his bus at school. SO I dropped him off at daycare, and went to work. I cried a little bit on the way to work. Just a few tears fell, a few compared to the many thoughts going through my head. Will he miss me? What will he do if he gets scared? Will he get lost? What if he can't find the bathroom? I calmed myself down by thinking of how much he loves to learn new things and how excited he was going to be. After school I rushed to daycare to pick him up. He told me all about his day, answering many of my unanswered questions. He got off the bus at school, walked up to a teacher and asked how to find his classroom. His teacher is really nice. He ate almost all of his lunch. He got candy on his back at nap time b/c he was laying on his mat quietly. Then he told me all about the story the teacher read to them. "The Kissing Hand". About a raccoon on his first day of school, and how the mom kissed his little hand to remind him of her all day long. I cried again when he reached over and kissed my hand and said "Now when you miss me, you can look right there and know I love you."

The good part is that he had a great time. AND he wants to go back. The bad part is he is growing up and I Cant stop him.

Just Tigger...

2007-08-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

In my mind I have a list of people I most admire in the world. This list includes my mom, my friend Kat, Oprah, and my mother-in-law. ALso in that list is my friend, Sandi. Or Tigger as I know her. I don't think Tigger even knows that she is on that list. I don't think I have ever mentioned it to her. Tigger is not famous, or even infamous (unless you believe everything you read about her lol and most of it I Made up. lol). She is JUST TIGGER!!! I have never met her in real life, but I have known her for years. We met online at sb.com. Sooo... why does someone who is not famous and I have never met get to become one of the people I admire? The answer is simple.

One of the things that first drew me to Tigger was her funny posts on the message board at sb.com. A place where people talk about scrapbooking and much more. Tigger's posts could make me laugh and brighten up a cloudy day then, and even more so now. I often find myself laughing out loud at something she has written. Mostly she laughs at herself. SHe is not ashamed or embarrassed to tell us of things in her personal life that are funny or strange, and then laugh about them with us. She will join in the teasing, but she does so kindly and with love.

I admire Tigger for her relationship with her husband. I love how she never really "bashes" him for things he does wrong. She may complain, but she is always quick to come to his defense. SHe may not like some of the things that he does, but she knows that what it takes to make her marriage work.

I admire Tigger for her relationship with other people. She is caring and kind to others. She offers advice, hugs, or even good thoughts. Her teasing is done with kindness and love, and she is quick to apologize if she thinks she has crossed a line that offended someone.

I admire Tigger's talent at scrapbooking. She is truly one of the most talented scrappers I know. I think her work is much better than most I have seen in scrap magazines. (And I am not just blowing sparkles up her skirt either.) I have tried to "lift" one of pages, but I can't make them turn out like hers. Where hers are beautiful tributes to the people in her life, mine are more like a jumble of glue and paper with a photo stuck on top. But that's okay.. her scrapbook pages are beautiful to look at, and I am not jealous at all.

The thing I admire most about Tigger is her outlook on life. She has faced things that have made weaker people give up hope. She is a strong person and I admire that in a person. Yes, she is freakishly phobia challenged: certain types of pasta, sock monkeys, dolls with eyes that open/close, making left hand turns, cereal killers to name a few. (I won't go into having every illness that she reads/hears about.. lol) SHe has good qualities to balance out the strange ones: she loves animals. Especially dogs, although I do not understand the smelling of puppy feet, I will trust her that they smell good. SHe loves her friends and family. She loves to laugh.

I have not mentioned her beauty. No, Tigger is not a hideously ugly person. In fact, just the opposite. She is quite beautiful. Every photo that I have ever seen of Tigger, she is smiling. When you look at the photos, look at her eyes. She smiles with her eyes. A genuinely happy person has that gleam in thier eye. Every photo she has that gleam in her eye.. (well not the ones of her butt, but that's another story).

Now, I have typed all of this, and I know that when she reads this, she is going to ask herself "SELF where is the zing? WHen does MIssy make the crack about my age?" Well.. now.. I can't disappoint a friend now can I? Tigger is older than I am, but only by 11 years. In fact she made 50 this year. But to know TIgger, is to know that she does not seem to be 50. In my mind, Tigger is ageless. Yes I tease her about being "tigger old". But in my mind, Tigger Old is just a way of saying ageless. I mean, she goes down waterslides while drinking beer, she listens to a wide range of music that most people her age wouldn't never appreciate, she dances around her house with more energy than I have on a good day, and she laughs.

Laughing, scrapping, loving, caring, kind, talented, smiling.. she is JUST TIGGER. My Friend. (not my fifty year old friend.) I admire her! I love her as I do my sisters. Not many people get that distinction.

(NOW TIgger, NO CRYING!!)

River of Denial...

2007-07-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

Tell me summer vacation is not over. Don't tell me I have to go back to work next week. Let me float down the river of denial a little longer. In the relative peace and quiet that is my life during the summer. Yes I work at home.. cleaning house.. doing laundry... mowing grass.... but it's nothing compared to teaching. I come home exhausted and tired. I love teaching, but slowly finding myself burning out. I am thinking it's time for a career change. Now if I could only find someone to pay me to sit at home and play on the computer I would be a happy camper. Until such time as that happens.. from AUgust to June I will be in the classroom.. It's going to be a great school year right?? (lie to me please??)

Top 3 Favorite Tv Shows

2007-07-30T15:50:00.000-07:00

I am not a huge television watching person. When it is on, it's usually just for background noise while I am on the computer or scrapping, and then only if Steve and Wyatt are home. Just me.. I may go all day without turning the tv on. BUt when I do "watch", there are certain things I like...

1. CSI.. I like the all.. it's the whole mystery thing.. I love mysteries.

2. Law and Order... I like them all..

3. Desperate Housewives

still random stuffs...

2007-07-12T19:15:00.000-07:00

still fulfilling the tagged requirements.. lol

16. I hate having a sunburn. I seldom burn. I am usually pretty good about sunscreen. But the part I hate is when the skin starts to peel. It's freaky looking and makes me gag.

17. I love flip flops. I just weeded through my collection.. and threw out 15 pair of flip flops that were old/dirty/falling apart.

18. I hate football. Unless the LSU Tigers are playing. THen I will watch them on tv, but I will not go to the game itself.

19. I hate being stuck in crowds. I get nervous and panicky. Hence the reason why I don't like Mardi Gras Parades and football games.

20. I don't mind being stuck in traffic. As long as I know that someone can pick up wyatt, I will happily sit in traffic, and listen to the radio. Sometimes it is the only time I have to myself.

21. I can't wrap presents. Seriously. I suck at it. THe paper is always wrinkled and creased. Steve laughs at me. HE usually wraps presents for me.

22. I don't like to cook. However, I do like to bake.

23. I don't have a favorite season. I see the beauty in each season, so therefore I take the good and the bad associated with each one.

24. I don't mind growing older. Age doesn't bother me. (I just like to pick on Tigger about being old.)

25. I have never played an organized sport. Ever. Not counting gym class in high school.

26. When I was younger, I used to hit my sister so my mom would send me to my room as a punishment. That way I could read in peace and quiet.

27. I have only seriously dated one person. I married him. I have never felt that I missed anything by not dating lots of people.

28. My favorite food is boiled seafood. Particularly boiled crabs/boiled crawfish/boiled shrimp.

THere I am done... 28 random facts about me. Now no one else tag me..

Little Known Facts about ME!!!

2007-07-10T19:21:00.000-07:00

I was tagged... FOUR FREAKING TIMES... I have to list 7 random facts about myself for each tag... that's 28 facts... I will do some a little at a time. I have to think to find that much out about myself. Here we go...

1. I have to sleep with one foot sticking out of the covers at all times. No matter how cold it is.. one foot must be out of the covers. If the foot gets covered, I feel like I am suffocating.

2. I have never riden in a taxi, a public bus, or a train. I am not counting school buses or the tour bus or the train at the zoo. I mean PUBLIC transportation. Never done it. I don't think I would know how to use the public bus system in Baton Rouge. I am sure that I would be lost forever riding on the bus around town.

3. I am really close to my two sisters. We have always been close, even growing up. We seldom really fought or argued.

4. I have a birthmark. It's on the upper part of my chest. Nearer my shoulder on the right side... it looks like a strawberry, you can barely see it now, but when I was younger it was bright red. THen it slowly faded to a bruise colored mark. But it was located in such a spot that as a teenager, people would think it was a "hickey". OH and when I get mad, it turns BRIGHT red.

5. My favorite food is boiled crabs (well boiled crawfish and boiled shrimp too.)

6. I have never wanted to live anywhere but in Louisiana. I love where I live.. the music.. the food... the history... it's a unique and special place to me.

7. I do not have a favorite color. I like lots of colors, but none I consider my favorites.

8. I love music. Any kind of music will do, although I really do not like Rap/hip hop or opera. My choice in music again depends on my mood. BUT the music that makes me want to get up and dance the most is cajun music.

9. I speak very little cajun french. Sad but true fact. My grandfather never taught his children to speak it. It's a dying language. This is because most cajun french children in the past were forbidden to speak cajun french in schools. They would be punished for not speaking English.

10. I love jewelry. BUT my favorite type of jewelry would have to be charm bracelets. I just adore them.

11. My dream car: 1968 Mustang. I would settle for a 2007 Mustang GT. In the dark blue color please.

12. I watch very little tv. I may listen to the tv, but usually it is just background noise while I read a book.

13. I love puzzles. NOt jigsaw puzzles, those aggravate me. But crossword puzzles. My favorite puzzle magazine is the "variety" type anagrams/crostics/crosswords type magazines.

14. My favorite board game is scrabble. But no one in my family will play with me anymore. They say I know too many words.

15. I love spending time with my husband. He knows me well enough to know how to make me laugh, and how to pull me out of funky moods. We enjoy playing different types of board games together. Even just sitting next to him while we both read our own book is fun.

That's enough for tonight I will add some tomorrow.

tagged.. me??

2007-07-04T20:27:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged.. by Jeanne and by ANgie... I am tired.. it's late.. and I have to be up early tomorrow for my vacation.. I will fulfill my tagging duties when I return from my cruise..

Getting ready for a trip

2007-07-01T08:22:00.001-07:00

Nothing much going on. I have been spending time getting ready for a trip with Steve. No Wyatt. I feel a little guilty, but a little relieved as well.

Last night we began the packing process. I still marvel at the differences in men vs. women when it comes to packing. His toiletries fit in one small container: shaving creme, razor, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrush. Mine on the other hand needs a small u-haul: shaving gel, razor, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrush, hairbrush, hairspray, volumizing gel, anti frizz stuff, curling iron, blow dryer, perfume, all of my makeup, scrunchie, headbands, makeup remover, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, and the list continues. LEt's not start on the clothes issue.. that's gonna be a bad bad situation. YOU Must have shoes to match each outfit, you can't wear the same outfit twice, jewelry must match each outfit, and you need multiple outfits for each day.

I can't wait for our trip. A cruise to Cozumel. I'm excited. Now to decide which camera to take.

Scenes from a Swamp.

2007-06-17T13:24:00.000-07:00

I took Wyatt to visit Bluebonnet Swamp. For those of you who don't know, it's a "walk through" swamp in the center of Baton Rouge. A nature preserve of sorts. Anyway, I wanted to play with my camera so off we went. I will go back when Wyatt is not with me. He was a little whiney. But we still had fun. Here are a few of my favorite shots.

Swim Star

2007-06-15T11:04:00.000-07:00

Wyatt was a very reluctant swimmer this year. It was only his second year of swim lessons but he was still a little nervous. He was fine as long as he stayed in the shallow end, and could touch bottom. He gradually began to put his face in the water and go under for longer periods of time. The picture above shows him doing his "swim drills." This is the rocket. He had to push off of the step and glide to Mr. Lance.
This is a photo of Wyatt after he jumped in from the side of the pool. He had to come up for a breath and then swim to the opposite side of the pool to the ladder. It was slow going for him, but he tried his very best.

Finally it was time to jump from the diving board. Wyatt would not get on the board, but did agree to jump in from the side next to the diving board. Then he had to turn and swim to the ladder to get out. I was very proud of him for attempting this.

To give you an idea of just how much of an accomplishment this was for him, look at his face. PURE TERROR!! HE was very afraid of what he knew was coming up. But he did not give up, he tried and did more than I expected him to do. Way to go my little swim star.

Rural Life Museum

2007-06-08T18:21:00.001-07:00

My first weekly adventure

2007-06-08T17:51:00.000-07:00

I took off today on an adventure. I wanted to play with my camera. I wanted new things to take pictures of. SO off I went to the Rural Life Museum. It's a museum dedicated to the lives of people who worked and lived on farms and plantations of Louisiana. It is situated in the middle of the city, right off of an interstate. However, after driving down the long winding road, it's like stepping into a whole different world. A world of the past. The farm buildings are humble, simple examples of architeture of rural Louisiana. THe plantation buildings are set up just like they would have been during the 1800's. It was a peaceful adventure. I quickly lost track of time as I looked and wondered and thought about the past. How miserable were people living in Louisiana before the Air Conditioner was invented? What did the slaves think as they were forced to work on the plantation far from thier homes and loved ones? Did a young girl sit by the relecting pond, in a pretty dress? Did a wife or mother kneel to pray in the church while a loved one was off fighting in the Civil War? Before I knew it, I had spent 2 1/2 hours walking and taking photos. I had drained the battery on my camera. I had worked up a huge thirst and hunger. I was off to meet with Steve for lunch. I will go back there one day soon. I will take Wyatt with me. I want him to see things from the past, to see how people lived and worked back then. I want to take his picture in some of these settings. I enjoyed my day. It was peaceful, relaxing and fun. Now.. where shall I go next week?

2007-06-07T18:20:00.000-07:00

okay this is for the ladies at the Dawg. My cute little button bottles. Really it's just salt/pepper shakers filled with buttons. But some crazy scrapbook store was selling them for $8!!! I liked them, and decided to make my own.. already had the buttons.. bought the bottles for $1 each at dollar tree. The other picture is my ribbon/button/glass jar storage area in my scrapbook room. I put all of the glass jars onto one of those rubber maid tiered shelves (made for the pantry to hold spice jars and such)... I love that it's right in front of me when I scrap. That way I might actually use this stuff.

my new loves

2007-06-06T17:22:00.000-07:00

I love purses. Small ones, big ones, I don't care. I just love them. I bought these this month. The bamboo one is my cute new summer purse. I love the bling palm tree. It's cute and fun. The black one is my FAVORITE DREAM purse. It's the one that I have dream of owning for a long time. It's my Kathy Van Zeeland. I love the little heart charms that are on it.

2007-06-06T17:18:00.000-07:00

these are some of the things that I have altered this week... the first two are little picture frame magnets. The second one is a door hanger for my niece for her birthday.

vacation time!!!

2007-05-30T18:12:00.000-07:00

It's going to happen. It's really going to happen. Steve and I are going on a vacation. Just the two of us. I have arranged for Wyatt to stay with my mom and my sister. I have booked our vacation. Where are we going? We are going on a cruise. I am sooo excited. I have always wanted to take a cruise. Ever since I was a little girl and watched Love Boat on tv. It's a short cruise, but that's fine. We will have one stop, Cozumel, Mexico. We are going to see Mayan Ruins. I am really excited about that. I have always been fascinated with ancient civilizations and how people before us lived.

Now I just need to buy some decent clothes. (I dont' think tee shirts and shorts with holes in them are going to work on this vacation.) I need to get a passport. (Hopefully this will be done in time.. may have to rush it through). I need to pack. (well I only have 36 days to plan what to take.) I need to gather some reading material. (Two paperbacks and 3 magazines should be enough.) Make a list.. check it twice... get excited.. wait..I am already excited.

I am taking my camera. I want to get some pictures at the ruins. OOHH I need to go and finish reading the field guide book. THIS MUST BE DONE!!!

oh me oh my... I can't wait.

Dreams really do come true!

2007-05-29T06:31:00.000-07:00

Summer is proof for teachers that dreams really do come true. I am happy that summer is here. I want to spend my days doing ordinary routine things like cleaning, and grocery shopping. Cleaning, sounds weird huh? But during the summer, it is easier to keep it clean with little effort on my part. Then I can have time to do things I want to do. My plans for the summer include: hanging out in the pool, reading lots of good books, creating layouts for my scrapbook, and taking pictures with my camera.

Summer Fun

2007-05-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

There is just something about summer, sprinklers, and kids that just go hand in hand. Steve wanted to water the grass this evening. Wyatt wanted to play in the sprinklers. I HAD to take pictures. It's only natural. I love this shot of Wyatt at play. Head back, mouth open to catch the water, and laughing like a hyena. I remember doing the same exact thing growing up. It's good to know that somethings just never change. So what if he had on clean clothes, and it was getting late. SOmetimes you just have to let them have Summer Fun.

a day at the zoo:

2007-05-20T05:32:00.000-07:00

I needed to get out of the house. I wanted to play with my camera. I wanted to go to the zoo. However, Steve and Wyatt wanted to stay at home. Solution: I went to the zoo all by my self. I seldom go anywhere by myself. Well, not counting work or grocery shopping. I was surprised when I found myself actually enjoying the day. I could walk at my own pace. I could stop and sit and just enjoy the view. I could wait until I was able to set up and take the perfect shot. I was able to relax. Some of the pictures that I took didn't come out so well. I'm okay with that. Not every photo will be perfect. It's a learning process. I have to stop and remember that I have only seriously been taking photos for about 1 month now. It takes time. I can live with that. That means more days to be alone and relax. These are two of my favorite shots of the day.

I never get to go and look at the parrots. Wyatt thinks that they are boring. I think that they are beautiful. I stood at the different bird cages for a long time admiring their beautiful colors. It was very shady in that area. Shady means cooler. Shady also means hard to take photos. So this one is very special to me.

The alligators are usually under the water or facing the wrong way. I was lucky that this guy was up near the front and "smiling" for the camera. It looks like I was right there in the cage with him. But there were two fences between us. They are low fences, so I was able to get a good clear shot of this guy.

While I was walking around the zoo, I noticed myself looking at the landscape more carefully. There are lots of areas that are shady and so pretty to just look at. I found myself trying to capture the feeling of peace and tranquilty that they portray to me. This is one of the areas that leads to the "behind the scenes areas" Not really important, but so peaceful feeling. I would love to put a blanket in the shade, and sit and read a book.

Favorite pastime

2007-05-15T18:23:00.000-07:00

I love how Wyatt can entertain himself when he is playing at home. HIs favorite pastime is spent playing with his cars and trucks. When he saw this "MegaRigz" toy advertised on tv, he went nuts. Apparently it is some kind of construction machine, that comes in pieces, and can be put together in different configurations to make 12+ different construction machines. He only asked once if he could have it. He never really asks for toys that often. Candy, yes. Snacks, yes. Ice cream, yes. Toys, not often. His dad and I made a deal with him. IF he would keep his room clean, do his chores, and work on following all of the rules, we would buy him this much coveted toy. We waited until Steve had to take a week long business trip. Wyatt worked so hard that week, to do everything just right. He kept his room clean. Not spotless, but clean enough. He kept his clothes in the laundry hamper, instead of on the floor. I had to remind him, but he picked them up quickly. He cleared his spot at the table every night. He slept in his room, alone, all night for the whole week. When Steve came home, Wyatt couldn't wait to show him what a "big, responsible" boy he was. When we went to run errands that day, we made a stop at Toys R us. Wyatt was told that he could pick out one toy (we put a price limit on it). He walked straight to the MegaRigz and said "Okay, lets check out now." Every night, he plays with cars and trucks of some type: construction, nascar, trucks, monster trucks, cars movie cars, it doesn't matter.. Wyatt will sit on the floor and play with his favorite toys.. quietly playing... well.. playing... he does tend to make a lot of "Motor" noises when he plays.. I love to watch the imagination that he puts into his playtime routine. Each car makes a different motor sound. Each one has a different job. If he watches a show on the discovery channel, he will find his cars and act it out.

My flowers are blooming

2007-05-13T18:11:00.000-07:00

My dwarf gardenias started blooming this weekend. I wanted to practice with my camera, so I took advantage of the early morning to capture a few shots. This is my favorite.

Camera: Canon Digital Rebel XT

1/200; f/5.6; iso 100 80mm

Give it your all

2007-05-13T06:08:00.000-07:00

I love this photo of you. You were at your tee ball game and as usual I was snapping pics like crazy. I caught this one of you as you were running to third base. Shirt half untucked, because you did it yourself. The look on your face is priceless. Who cares that it is instructional league tee ball? One look at you, intent on making to the next base, before you are tagged out, and one would think that you were in a fierce battle to score the winning run. Running all out as fast as your little legs will carry you.. tongue hanging out.. arms pumping... you are giving it your all... I hope that you continue to do give your all at everything you do. I hope that you continue to have as much fun in all that you do.

Baby Steps to Growing up

2007-05-11T03:23:00.000-07:00

It has started. Wyatt is really growing up to be a big boy. I didn't notice it at first. Then all of a sudden it hit me. This week. Tuesday morning. 6:30 AM. The final piece fell into place. It all started at daycare. I am sorry at "school" as you call it. When I dropped you off, I could only go as far as the kitchen steps. I could get a kiss and a hug. Then I could only get a hug. "Mom, the big kids might see you kiss me. We can kiss in the car okay." Then I was stopped in the front room, and given a quick hug, but only after you looked around to see who was looking. Then it was to inside the front door, with no kiss, but just a wave of the hand as you bounded off inside. NOW THIs NEW STEP... we pull up to the school, and you are all but jumping out before the car stops. "Bye Mom, gotta go. Don't get out. I'm a big boy. See the door, it's right there. I will be fine. You stay here." Off you go. Strutting.. yes you strut when you are proud and pleased with yourself... to the door...opening the door... stepping inside... walking away. You didn't even turn around, just held up your hand as you walked inside. I guess I should be happy that you are so confident and independent. That means that I am a good mom right? That means that I am teaching you the right things? But did you have to learn them quite so soon? I wasn't ready for you to grow up.

It's almost over

2007-05-10T03:46:00.000-07:00

School that is. I have just a couple of weeks, or to be a little more precise 14 more days.til the end..or to be just a tad bit more precise: 10 days if you don't count weekends, and I don't count them... I don't think students look forward to the summer nearly as much as the teachers do.

THe Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat

2007-05-10T03:19:00.000-07:00

I have always known that I was proud of my nieces and my nephew. All four of them play softball/baseball, among other sports. All of them hold very high grades in school. I didn't know the amount of pride that I Could feel would be soooo overwhelming. I learned this lesson the last weekend in April.

Both of my nieces play softball for thier respective high schools. Both high schools won their district play off games. They were headed to the state tournament. Friday, TIffany had a game at 1:00. I had my cell phone in my pocket all afternoon. Just waiting on the phone call from my sister that would tell me the outcome of the game. A win would keep them in the tournament. A loss would send them home. The teams goal was to win the Friday game, to be one step closer to the tite than last year. Finally at 2:30, the call came. It was a win. That meant we were heading to Sulphur Louisiana the next morning. Kati didn't play until 6:00. I stayed up later than usual, so I could find out the score of her game. Finally at 10:30 pm, I found out that they won their game 1 to zero. That meant two games to watch the next day. I was one happy aunt.

Saturday, off we go. Jump in the truck, and take off to watch our girls. I had a small problem in that both games were to be played at the same time, and on different fields. Luckily the fields were not that far apart, so I could run between the two games to watch, cheer, and take pictures. Both games were exciting. Tiffany's started first. It was a good game. They won. They were stunned.... they were going to play that night at 7:00 for the STATE TITLE! I felt extremely proud of her. Then I dash over to watch the last inning of Kati's game. It was good as well.. Unfortunately, the outcome was not as good. After a hard fought battle, they lost. I was still very proud of her, win or lose she played her very best and that's all I could hope for.

Then Kati walked off of the field. My heart broke. Watching the tears fall down her face, and seeing the anguish and disappointment in her eyes was more than I could take. I tried to cheer her up. I hugged her, and felt soo useless. There was nothing I could do to make it better, and I felt bad about that. Finally we head to the truck, I cried the whole way there.

Now we faced a different problem. What to do for the night.. we decided on staying over, so we would not have to face a 2 1/2 hour drive home, at 10:00 pm. No big problem, we just didn't have any clothes, or necessities. But there's always a walmart around.

No sooner do we get checked into the hotel, eat a little dinner, then it is time to head back to the ball park. Why do they not make this a 3 day tournament? I know the girls must be tired. But they sure don't look it. 7:00 and they take the field. The game is very intense. NO score until the 7th inning. Bottom of the 7th and Tiffy's team is 1 out away from winning the title. Then it happens.. the other team scores. Ties up the game. This the overtime continues. What normally is a 7 inning, 1 1/2 hour game, turned into a 3 1/2 hour game, 11 inning game. I saw some of the most incredible plays that night. Girls stretching to a full split to catch the ball, slamming into the hard ground to slide to safety, banging into the fence to catch a pop up foul ball. Determination on their face. But victory was not to be for TIffy's team. THey lost 2 to 1. Still not bad.. that made them second in state in their division. But not the win they were hoping for.

I realized that win or lose, both of my girls did extremely well that day. THey played the sport they loved with heart and soul. They lost with dignity. They walked from the field with thier heads held high, even if disappointment wieghed down their spirits. I realized that that strange feeling in my chest was my heart full of pride. I didn't know the I could feel that pride so deeply. What I had thought was pride before was just a drop in the bucket compared to this feeling I had now. Words really can't describe that feeling.

High school ball was over for the season. But never fear, between tee-ball for my son, baseball for my nephew, and tournament softball for all 3 of my nieces the season for us is far from over.

Proud to be American

2007-04-21T12:25:00.000-07:00

For some reason I was compelled to take this photo on Friday evening. I was at my niece's softball game, and We had stood for the National Anthem. As I looked at the flag, that was flying at half staff, in honor of the victims of the Virginia Tech Tragedy, I just knew that I had to take this photo. Every time that I have to stand for the National Anthem, I am overwhelmed with feelings that are so strong that I am all but in tears by the end of the song. I am proud that I live here, in the USA. I am proud of the soldiers who put their lives on the line, leave their families behind, in order to defend freedom. I am proud of the way our country pulls together in times of tragedy, to mourn people that we never knew, who died at the hands of others. It's one of the best feelings, this feeling inside of me. Words cannot describe it. All I know is that I am proud to be part of this country.

A real ball player

2007-04-21T12:05:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again. Baseball season is upon us. Wyatt was really looking forward to playing teeball again this year. It is just instructional league, but to Wyatt it's the real deal. He was really excited this year to move up from the outfield, to play on "pitchers base". I love watching him play tee ball. I marvel at how much he has improved since last year at this time. He hustles after the ball now instead of hustling to close the gates to the field. He listens to the coach,and tries his best to do what he is told to do. He watches the ball in play, instead of waving to people in the stands. This year he is a "real ball player."

Family Easter Fun

2007-04-07T17:24:00.000-07:00

It was a great Saturday.. Everyone was here. LIterally everyone. 20 + people. The weather could have been better. It was cold. Who invited the cold air down here? 46 degrees. But we still had the egg hunt. We had the kids play games: egg toss, musical eggs, spoon race, and "roll the egg with your nose". We had lots of laughs at that one. Steve and the guys hung out around the bbq pit, grilling up lunch. It was a nice day. I enjoyed watching the kids race around looking for eggs.. not that they had to look too hard. Seems the egg hiders were lazy this year, or else they had too many eggs to hide. Whatever the reason, it looked like the Easter Rabbit pooped eggs all over my yard. Dixie had fun, she ran around trying to pick up eggs and run off with them.
I was a little sad to see the day end. We had a cake, which worked out great b/c Friday as Randal's birthday. So we threw some candles on the cake, and sang to him. THen it was ice cream sundaes. Surprisingly, the kids did not eat too much candy. Of course, my mom didn't give them the "bulk" of it until they were ready to leave. Good plan there. 7 kids on sugar rush may have been a bit much.
Wyatt was excited that he found the "golden egg". Not that it was GOlden or had candy in it. But for him it was the best prize, the shiny pink egg. Now the count down until the Big Rabbit comes tonight. Wyatt is besides himself with excitement. Better go charge the camera battery and have it ready.

a day at the park

2007-04-06T06:26:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more satisfying than watching a good ball game on a nice Spring day. Even better when you can cheer on someone you know. I love watching my nieces and nephew play ball. (They just have to remember to call and tell me that they have a game.) Yesterday was just such a day. Even though I wasn't feeling my best, when I received the call from Crystal that Tiffany had a home game, off I went, camera in hand. Of course, since Wyatt had to be at ball practice a little later on anyway, I felt justified. Tiffany gets so into the game. I love watching her play first base. I love watching her bat. The look on her face is always priceless.

a little early morning scare

2007-04-02T18:43:00.000-07:00

Every morning, before we can leave for work, WYatt has to put Dixie in her pen, and tell her goodbye for the day. Some mornings, she is waiting by the back door for him. SOme mornings, she is in her dog house already. No matter where she is at, when Wyatt whistles, Dixie comes running. Well, almost every morning. Friday morning, I am putting my things in the car, and Wyatt is going to take care of his dog. As I am locking the house up, here comes Wyatt, running full force. Tears streaming down his face. I get him to calm down,and he says "Dixie has run away. I called her, and her didn't come out of her house. I think her is gone." I go out to look at the dog pen. I whistle. I call her.. and there she is... her head poking out of her dog house, with a look that clearly says "I was trying to sleep here.". Relief washes over me. Yes I was a little scared too. I have to go and show Wyatt that his dog is fine, just sleeping .

He calms down after a bit, but as he hugs and kisses his dog goodbye, I hear him tell her. "Don't scare me like that. I have to have my kiss and hug or I will have a bad day. I love you Dixie."

2007-04-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

This is for the "window challenge" MY kitchen window. Not fancy, no pretty curtains, just a little mini blind and my pretties. I love these blue and white jars that I have set up here. Some Steve bought for me, others were a gift from his Mom. A view of my world.

2007-04-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

I took this shot for a photo challenge on the message board where I am a member. These ladies really encourage me to practice and play with my camera, and my scrapbooking. We have weekly challenges (yes I am a little behind). This week the color was BLUE. THis is a blue vase that Steve's parents gave to me. I forget where it came from. Somewhere on one of their many travel adventures. I love it when the light shines through it. It is so pretty.

I'm gonna wait up for Daddy

2007-03-31T05:42:00.000-07:00

That was what Wyatt kept saying last night. His daddy had been gone for a few days on a business trip. Wyatt missed him like crazy. It seemed like he made a million plans for "when Daddy comes home." "Daddy is gonna hang my poster on my wall." "Daddy is gonna mow the grass and I am gonna help him." "Daddy will watch Trick My Truck with me." "Daddy is going to go and buy me the Match Box car I want."

So last night Daddy was on his way home. He called from the airport in Atlanta to say he was on his way. I told Wyatt. Wyatt picked up his "cowboy blanket" and his pillow, and climbed up on "Daddy's chair." "I'm gonna wait up for Daddy. Then he can give me a hug and a kiss, and we can play a game." My poor baby.. he lasted until 10:00... then he crashed... at 11:30, I woke him and walked him to bed. He didn't argue, he never really woke up.

why I do the what I do...

2007-03-28T17:34:00.000-07:00

I am a teacher. I have always wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. Now that I am doing exactly what I have always wanted to do, I ask myself "WTH were you thinking???" Others have asked me "why do you teach?" I have never really given it much thought. It is basically like any other job. You have good days and you have bad days. You work with some great people and others grate on your last nerve. But then there comes the times when I realize WHY I teach, why I put up with rude, disrespectful children and their parents. I realized what made all of the work that I bring home, all of the planning that I do, all of the stress and headache worthwhile.

Today I saw the light come on. If you are not a teacher, then you won't understand what I am talking about. But THE LIGHT is that look that a child gets when they have learned something new, or worked really hard at a problem and finally understand what they are doing. It's that "AH HA" moment. You see it in thier eyes first, then in their whole face. It's a shining in thier eyes, hence the term "THE LIGHT CAME ON".

Each month, I chose a book to read aloud to my class. Something to fill in 5 or 10 minutes at the end of the day. For February, we read a short picture book about the Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, adn then a series of short books about African Americans. For March, I chose "Number the Stars" by Lois Lowry. It's a hard book for 3rd graders to really "get into". I had to keep stopping and explain things to them about Hitler, Nazis, etc. I tried to keep it simple, but still give them a feeling of what was going on. I worried that for most of them, they wouldn't understand. I hoped that all of them enjoyed the story. Today we finished the book, just as the students were to go to PE. As they were walking out of the door, one of my students stopped and asked me if I had time to answer a question about the book. SO we sat on the steps to my t-building, and he said "In this book, I know why you read it to us. You wanted us to see that people can hate other people because of their religion, it's not always about Race." (Yes, we talked about that a little in class.).. and then he says something to me that I had never thought about before.. "Well, in this book, the way the people were helping the Jewish people get to safety.. it's kind of like the Underground Railroad in the slave days right?" (UMM... I hadn't never thought of it in those terms before, but I realized that he was right.).. We talked for a few more minutes, and then he walked out to PE. I sat there for a moment..thinking over our conversation, replaying it in my mind. I relished that look that I saw in his eyes.. that LIGHT that came on. He had learned something, and thought about it, and came up with a logical connection to something he had previously learned.

This was one of those days when I am so glad that I am a teacher. This is my job.

more conversations with wyatt

2007-03-28T03:25:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying that I love buying purses and tote bags! It's a girl thing. Steve doesn't understand. Wyatt doesn't either. A few months ago, we were walking through a store in the mall, and I saw a really cute purse, so I said "Oh, look purses are on sale." My cute little monkey, so much like his daddy already, said "You don't need another purse, you have one, just keep walking." Steve laughed.. (He would.) I laughed, too.

I have a tote bag that I really like. It's red and white striped, with a medium-ish blue anchor charm that dangles from one strap. It's cute. It's perfect for taking to the ball park with a magazine, my wallet, and various snacks tucked inside. It was sitting on the kitchen table this weekend. Here's the conversation that followed after WYatt noticed my tote bag:

Wyatt: Mom, is this your purse?
Me: It's not a purse, it's a tote bag. (not that he would know the difference.)
Wyatt: Mom, why does your purse have a hooker with it? (he was playing with the anchor charm.)
Me: (trying really hard not to burst out laughing): It came that way when I bought it.
WYatt: DAD, did you know Mom bought a hooker?

Steve and I both burst out laughing. Poor Wyatt, he had no clue why we were laughing. I couldn't tell him that it was called an ANCHOR because I was laughing too hard. When he asked why we were laughing, I gave my standard answer: "I was laughing at your daddy."

One Day Wyatt will really not be happy that I write all of these memories down will he?

I love baseball practice!

2007-03-27T03:23:00.000-07:00

Those were the words that Wyatt told me last night as we were leaving practice. We arrived at practice about 10 minutes early. Wyatt grabs his glove and ball, and begins throwing balls at the fence and warming up. Then Coach arrives and practice begins. I love to watch him as he intently listens to what the coach tells him to do. I am amazed at how he has improved since last year. No more running to close the gates, or standing in one spot watching the ball roll by. This year he goes after the ball. Last night the coach pulled him aside and talked to him. Of course, I Couldn't hear what was being said, but I just watched as my baby walked to pitcher's mound. THe look on his face was priceless, and me without my camera for once (stupid camera battery was dead). As the coach is talking to the other kids, Wyatt yells at me "Hey Mom, look at me! I'm on Pitcher's Base just like Tiffy." The they start fielding balls. And I watch. He was doing so good at keeping his eye on the ball. I guess he only needs to be hit once to learn the importance of that lesson. As I sit and watch, I notice that he keeps dragging his feet across the dirt, and I realize what he is doing. He's clearing the dirt off of the "pitcher's rubber", well he would have been if there had been one there. In teeball, the pitcher just stands there, but he still moved his feet, and every now and then reached down and put some dirt in his hand. After practice I asked him why he did that,and he said "I don't know why, but I seen TIffy and the girl at the LSU game do it." (Time to take this boy to watch boys play ball.)

Let the tradition continue

2007-03-24T07:12:00.000-07:00

We have a tradition in our family. It started when my sister married that...that... that... ALABAMA FAN!!! I like my brother in law, don't get me wrong. He's a good guy. BUT he's an ALABAMA FAN!! AND now of course my sister is one too. Our tradition is to watch THE football game together. When I say THE GAME.. I mean of course the LSU VS ALABAMA FOOTBALL GAME. IT's always held right around our birthday. (My sister and I were born on the same day, different years). SOO unless they go to the game, we get together to eat, watch the game, and tease each other. WEll, once a year is fun.. but wouldn't TWICE a year be twice as much fun??? TOday we find out. We are heading out again to the LSU softball game.. this weekend they play Alabama. We are of course wearing our required "purple and gold" colors. HOw much you wanna bet my sister and her husband were the dreaded "moronic maroon"? It will be a fun day. Warm weather, good friends,and a ball game.. what could be better?? Oh yeah, the best will be if.. (what if I mean when) LSU wins the game.

what an imagination...

2007-03-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

It never ceases to amaze me, wyatt's imagination. Did I ever have an imagination that good? Seems too long ago to remember. He comes up with lots of ways to amuse himself. As I sat outside this evening, watching him play in the backyard, once again I was overwhelmed by his creativity. He had this elaborate plan laid out in the backyard. First he would kick his soccer ball into the goal and yell "score". Then he would turn around and hit a ball off of the tee-ball stand, which led him to run around an obstacle course of his toys, followed by walking the "balance bean" (a jump rope stretched out straight.) Over and over again he did this. Each yelling at me "Mom, Watch I can do it faster? Mom, Watch I am getting good at this game?" As the sun began to set, and the temperature began to drop, I was a little sad to call an end to the play time. Oh well, there's always tomorrow. I wonder what his little creative mind will come up with then?

Let's all HAPPY DANCE!!!!

2007-03-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

I am so happy I could dance all over the place. What could cause me to be so happy??? Just the purchase of my DREAM CAMERA!!!.. Yes I am camera crazy as my blog title says. I now own a Canon Rebel XT EOS Digital SLR with a 75-300 mm zoom lens. I have wanted this camera for the longest time. FINALLY I was able to buy one. Granted I had to work a month of Sundays (literally and then some) to afford it. My first "installment" came from participating in a Math workshop for "professional development". (AT least I got something from the class besides a massive Math induced headache for the 18 days of the class.) But sadly, it was just an installment.. as my other source of income won't be due for a few more months. (Being on the instructional Management team at school will just about pay off the full price of the camera).BUT since the camera was on sale, along with the extra lens, My wonderful, Sweet, Loving husband helped me finish buying the camera. It will be my Mother's Day, and BIrthday gift as well. But's that is fine with me. I took the camera to the softball game today, and played with it. I am crazy about this camera. NOw to just learn how to REALLY use the thing!!!!

Softball Sunday

2007-03-18T17:53:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day. Sun was shining. There was a nice breeze blowing, not too cool but not too hot. What a perfect day for a watching a softball game. Where better to do that than at LSU. When my niece called and invited wyatt and me to go to the game today, I accepted the offer. Even better was the price of admission "FREE". (Free is good.) I expected that it would be a fun way to spend a few hours.

There were a few "unexpected" things that happened today:
First: a list of "RULES TO FOLLOW AS ORDERED BY MY TEENAGED NIECE" e 1. NO "whoo-hooing"! You can clap, but you can not yell out in excitement.
2. No dancing to the music.
3. NO singing along to the music.
4. No butt scratching, no passing gas, and no picking your nose.
5. AND most importantly, no talking to anyone that she knew, talked to, or might want to know.

APparently doing any of these things could and would cause my niece great embarrassment. I am happy to say "I broke all of the rules." Well, okay.. I skipped over rule number 4 because that's just gross.

Next unexpected happening:

I didn't expect WYatt to have as much fun as he did. I thought that after a couple of innings, he would be ready to head home. He stayed the entire game.. waving his hat, cheering, yelling and clapping.. (apparently it's okay for a 5 year old to do these things with out embarrassing his cousin.) I think part of the fun for him was sitting 6 rows down from his mom, with my niece and her friends.

I also didn't expect to see my oldest niece at the game either. But I look up and there she was.. and she wasn't embarrassed to hug me in public either. (I always knew she was my favorite.)

I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. BUT I Had a blast. SO much so that I want to go back next home game as well. Geaux TIgers!!! (oh and they won the game by the way.)

My favorite time of the day

2007-03-17T05:15:00.000-07:00

Snuggle time!!!! Snuggle time usually happens in the mornings. Wyatt has eaten his breakfast of choice, and then curls up next to me on the couch and asks me if I "wanna snuggle". Then he will settle down next to me, and watch cartoons. Regardless of whether we snuggle for 5 minutes before getting ready for school or work, or if we snuggle for 30 minutes, I will treasure my 'snuggle time'. For I know, that it won't be too long when the time will come when snuggle time will be gone forever.

Conversation with Wyatt

2007-03-17T05:01:00.000-07:00

Every day when I Pick Wyatt up from preschool, he proudly shows me what "classwork" he has done that day. I ask him the usual questions "what did you learn today?" and he tells me all about his day. I love these drives from school to home, even if they do last less than 10 minutes.
One day in February, I picked Wyatt up. In with his "Classwork" was an enlarged photocopy of a $5 bill and a picture of Abraham Lincoln. Here's a snippet of our conversation:

Me: Wyatt, what did you learn in school today?
Wyatt: We learned about presinents. (presidents)
Me: Well, what did you learn about the presidents?
W: well... we learned about ATEAHAM LINKING..
Me: No wyatt, his name was ABRAHAM LINCOLN
W: Oh NO MOM! Miss Lynn said it was "Ateaham" Say it with me mom "ATE A HAM"
Me: Okay. Tell me about Ateaham? (trying the whole time to contain my laughter)
W: Ateaham was a presinent along time ago. But he's not a presinent anymore. He was a good presinent, but now he likes to put his pictures on the 5 dollar money.
Me: oh really.. well what does a president do?
W: I think he measures things like cows and horses because Miss Lynn said he was a good ruler in the country.

THe conversation dropped off after that. As I pulled into the driveway, and parked the car, I watched him hop out and run to let his dog out of the pen. I sat in the car a little longer, so I could laugh without him hearing me.

if it were always this way...

2007-03-15T18:20:00.000-07:00

Boys are born to make noise. Wyatt is no exception. Each toy car, motorcycle, and construction machine MUST make noise. If the toy doesn't make it's own noise, then Wyatt is more than happy to make the noise for it. From the time he wakes up, until he goes to bed, he is just a bundle of noise. Some noises aren't so bad.. after all isn't it wonderful to hear the laughter of a small child? Other noises are more annoying... do we really need a myna bird who repeats everything his favorite character on the movie says?

Then there are times like this one... where you walk into a room, and realize that it's relatively quiet. And you glance down and see the image of your child and his dog enjoying a little nap. Upon seeing these two best friends, sleeping side by side, I instantly grabbed the camera and snapped a few pictures. After all one must have evidence of the quiet times to get them through the noisy ones.