The post in which I prove I have no shame

I mentioned that I made a photo book for the Big Man's birthday. I took some old pictures out of albums and scanned them, then put them on a cd. I had hidden the cd in my closet and found it when I was cleaning out my closet the other day. So, I thought I would post some of the pictures. Enjoy...and try to hold down the laughter.



This picture is the Big Man and me in 1988, our unofficial engagement picture. I am not sure why I did my hair like this, because I never wore it this way at all. It is so very 80s...the bangs, the acid washed jean skirt and pantyhose...cracks me up.



















This is us Easter 1989, I think. It was taken on the steps of the West Virginia state capitol building. My mom is from Charleston, WV, and we were visiting on a weekend break from college. This is more indicative of how I wore my hair...it required a hair dryer and hot rollers and hair spray...things I have no use for anymore.



















Our wedding...once again, so very 80s. To top it off and prove my point?
The bridesmaids' dresses and mine had HUGE bows in the back. I haven't seen the kids in the picture in years...they are now in their 20s but will forever be 3 and 5 to me.














Here is a picture of my parents, brother, sister in law, the Big Man, me and my nephew in 1990.














Here is my nephew from this summer.


















This is one of my all time favorite pictures of the Big Man and MK together. She was not yet 2.



















The Big Man and T. Willy in the hospital right after T. was born.



















So there was a little trip down memory lane. There are more pictures, but I think I'll save them. Have a great day!

Just call me Mrs. G.

Today was an absolute blast. The time just flew by. I was able to see MK several times during the day and that added to the fun. I also had the boy she likes in class, and it was really fun for me to get to see him, and I even made him talk to me. Poor kid. She later told me that he was kind of scared to talk to me. But then she told him, "It's not my mom you should be afraid of." I thought that was hilarious! I really hope I get many more calls. The teacher I was filling in for was there doing something else but was on campus, and she told many people that they should call me. I really appreciated that and hope to get to work there again.

That's it. Have a great day!!!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow I will substitute teach for the first time. I am very excited and hope it goes well. The teacher is a girl I worked with at my old school, and I am so excited that she asked me to fill in for her. MK has to walk past my room for 3rd period, so that should be a highlight.

Today was something of a breakthrough in my class. The students had to take a walk out of the room to observe something for a descriptive paragraph. When they came back in, they were much more relaxed than they have been. They are just now realizing that I don't bite, and really do treat them like adults. One student had walked out of the class right before we left, so he missed the instructions. When we reached our destination I realized that he wasn't with us. Finally he straggled out to where we were. He took a bit of teasing from the others, but it relaxed everyone. One student who has barely said a word yet couldn't seem to stop talking today. It wasn't disruptive, but he was answering a lot of questions and it put the others at ease too. That really made for a good morning.

Our a/c leaked some water into my closet, so I had to take everything out of it today, steam clean the floor, and wait for it to dry. I'm hoping it is dry now, because I am hoping to go in there, rearrange it and then head to bed. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on perspective, the same thing happened last year, so this year we knew what to do without requiring a visit from a repairman.

I took a picture of myself on the way to work to check my hair...it was a big hair day. Ty used an app on my phone to spruce it up a little bit. Hope you like his art work! I'll let you know how tomorrow goes. Good night!

Splish Splash

We had some rain today that left a puddle in front of our house. MK bought some boots last spring that she has been dying to try out, so today she had her chance. T. Willy put on his Crocs to join the action. I even splashed for a few minutes, after I made sure no one was watching! So here are some pictures of the fun.
















I hope you had an equally fun day!

A Day at the Beach

The Big Man was off today so we had made plans to go to the beach after my class this morning. A bag was packed with a change of clothes, bathing suit, towels, sunscreen...and it was time to hit the beach. Then a student came in and changed it all. She said that due to Hurricane Ike, the highway we needed to use flooded and it was a traffic nightmare. So instead, we ended up in Navarre, a bit down the road. When we reached Navarre, it was quickly evident that swimming was absolutely out of the question. The waves were like nothing I've ever seen down here, and the hurricane was way out in the Gulf.

This is what our part of the Gulf often looks like:



















This is what it looked like today:

























The last picture was technically a bay, and is usually more placid than the Gulf, but it was worth showing..in addition to the fact that the picture was taken from my phone in a moving vehicle with the window up. I love my iPhone!!!!! I named the picture of the red - do not swim flags, "Duh!"

The second half of our day was spent at the football field. It was MK's first game of the year. She, of course, doesn't play football; she is in the band. She loves being the oldest this year and had so much fun talking to her friends and watching her Panthers beat the Roadrunners 34-0!!!! The Big Man and T. Willy came for the first half, but T. Willy can only stay still for so long, so they left after the halftime show.

Now we are home. Everyone else is in bed, and it's time for me to go too!

Good night!

Someone hire me, please!!!

I really think I need a job...not for mere financial reasons, but because i.q. points are dropping daily. I was talking to a friend, completely thinking it was Tuesday, when it was only Monday. I can never find the word I'm looking for...I find that I describe things instead of naming them. Today I was so excited because in my class I figured out how to use the video "projector" but kept calling it the overhead player thing...ugh. Don't get me wrong...I really love being home. My house has never been cleaner, my laundry never so up to date...but knowing that it isn't a permanent situation makes me kind of feel guilty about it.

Oh well. That being said, I am very thankful for my class at the college. It is fun for me, and I enjoy it very much. I'm not sure about the students. I think 4 fell asleep today. An 8 am class is just too early for some kids. MK is at the bus stop by 6:10, so I'm not sure she would understand. I also was called today for my first substituting job, happily at Maddie's school, but not her grade. So things are looking up. If the subbing continues, I may be able to complete sentences again.

MK is in 8th grade this year. The school is planning 2 trips for them this year. The first is to Montgomery for...words fail me once again, I think it's the "Tolerance Tour," to visit some Civil Rights landmarks and an automobile plant. It's an overnight trip which should be really fun. Then in the spring they are planning to take a trip to Washington, D.C. Growing up 2 1/2 hours from D.C., I completely took for granted the many, many trips we took there. We took her there for a day trip a few years ago, but this will be a really in depth tour of the city. They are flying so we will be doing a lot of fundraising and saving!

So there you go. I will close with a picture! Have a great day!

















This picture is me this time last year - quite possibly the last time I straightened my hair. Anyway, I had the mole on my nose removed. I had forgotten about it until I saw this picture. It makes wearing sunglasses so much more comfortable...certainly not a vanity issue. Good night!

Before and After

So I did paint the kitchen yesterday, and here are before and after pictures. It isn't dramatic, but isn't as stark as the white cabinets on white walls.

Let's talk about T. Willy

Yesterday T. Willy took a field trip to a local park. It has several sprinklers which make it very nice on hot and humid days. I had my class in the morning, so the Big Man's parents joined him at first, and after my class, I joined him, and they left to go back to New Orleans. We have been to this park many times, and he never plays in the water. He will slide and climb, but he will not get wet. I couldn't believe it when my mother in law sent a message that he was soaked. I was so excited to get to watch him. Then, as soon as I showed up, he stuck to my side and didn't get wet again. Oh well. Here are some pictures.

T. Willy and Pap


















T. Willy - getting wet...obviously my mother in law sent me this picture...I didn't get to see this in person.



















This morning I walked T. to school. I love that it is so close. I pulled him in the wagon, and he really enjoyed it. He also liked that the teachers and other students thought it was "so cool."

After taking this picture, I remarked to T. that it looked like he was picking his nose. He said, "It had a burger in it."



















A better shot.



So that's what is going on with him. I am going to clean the kitchen, then attempt to paint. Pictures to follow. Have a great day!!!

So many things

First...Happy Birthday, Melissa!!!! I hope you have a great day!

Then...yesterday, as you may know, was the Big Man's Big Birthday! Somehow we were able to keep a surprise from him. I wasn't able to share it here, because he reads this. However, some of you were in on it, and it was wonderful!!!! I asked our friends and family to send him 40 of something...it could be anything...and he really did get some of everything. He was completely surprised and touched by so many thoughtful and funny gifts!!!

Chellie sent a basket of 40 packs of M&Ms...there could not be a better choice for him. M&Ms are his favorite!!!

Melissa sent 40 packs of Splenda and a hilarious note to go with it! We use Splenda all the time, and hope a pill counter is not in his too near future!!

My parents sent him 40 pairs of socks!!! That was both hysterical and practical!

His parents gave him funny and thoughtful gifts. One thing his mom rounded up...40 Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars that he played with as a kid. He went through them remembering which ones ran better than others. She also made a photo album of many 40s in his life...40 pictures of him playing sports, etc. He spent a lot of time looking at it and sharing memories.

One of his high school friends sent a box of 40 toys...plastic airplanes and balls and those plastic guys that you wrap in a parachute and throw up high. T. Willy enjoyed that very much!

My aunt sent him 40 batteries...so he will stay charged up!

I made a photo book with 40 pages of memories we have shared. I'm not sure how much he enjoys looking at 40 pages of pictures of himself, but I can't stop looking at it. It is so many of our favorite pictures all in one place. We have been together since we were teenagers...there have been many changes.

MK gave him the biggest gift, size wise at least. She gave him a pyramid of 40 rolls of t.p. He got a kick out of it, and completely got the joke, because he is constantly having to remind her to fill the roll in her bathroom.

The list goes on...I could not believe the response and am so thankful to everyone who participated. He acknowledged that a surprise party would not have been his thing, but the 40 things idea was a great way to celebrate!

So, I will close with some pictures. His parents, brother, sister in law and niece are still here...they haven't been given the all clear to return home yet, so they were able to celebrate with us. Their homes seemed to have survived intact, albeit with some yard work ahead of them, so that is great news from New Orleans. Plus, my brother in law's family is adding a new member due to their trip here...a neighbor is selling puppies and they have fallen in love and are taking one home. MK is working on us, but we haven't seen them, so aren't in love...yet. Gulp.

MK and her cousin watching the Big Man open gifts.















T. Willy drew this picture at school, so I used it on the bag holding the candy that was his gift to his dad.















Opening MK's gift.













The family gathered to sing.
















Have a wonderful day, and thanks again to those who shared the day with us!!!

Today's the Day!

Happy Birthday to the Big Man! It's a big birthday; he's 40 today!!!













Here is a picture of the Big Man and T. Willy around his birthday 3 years ago. Only one of them looks older today!!!

Some recent pictures

MK hates this picture, but I love it. She and her friend realized that they had the same shirt, so coordinated them on a day I had to pick them up from band practice.


















T. Willy going for a ride. What a life!


















I took T. Willy to the park to feed ducks and swans. We had a blast and, of course, finished it up with snowballs!

A bit of the random

Not much has been going on to blog about, but much has been going on. I spent a couple of days chasing down T. Willy's shot records. I was able to get my hands on them when his former doctor finally returned my calls with, "Oh, I haven't checked messages in 4 weeks." Ugh. But we are all set and T. Willy won't be getting expelled from preschool.

My dad answered the caterpillar question, but I'm still not sure why the gardenias are blooming. They are "azalea caterpillars" and are doing a number stripping the leaves on the azaleas. However, I am not really crazy about the azaleas anyway, so it may be the impetus I need to dig them up.

The kids are doing well in school. T. Willy still doesn't love it, but he walks right in and has a lot to tell me at the end of the day. He has only taken naps there twice, so if I ever find a job, that will be the hardest thing for him, I think. MK still loves her school. She has spent a lot of time studying this weekend. Her dream is to go to NYU one day. I realize she is only 13, but it is only 5 years away, so she wants to work hard, because she doesn't want to miss out. I respect her diligence.

My class is going well. I really love it. The college level is so fun!!! It is all of the things that the other levels aren't...teaching...pure teaching. I would love for this to turn into something full time, but am very thankful for this opportunity. I also got a new i.d. card and it says, Adjunct Professor, instead of Adjunct Instructor, which is what I really am. It's just fun to see.

And...for those of you watching the weather...we have family in town and others on their way from New Orleans. As I write, Gustav continues to grow with nothing but a nice warm Gulf in its way. It was even windy here earlier, but we aren't really expecting what Louisiana is facing.

Oddities

We were sitting on our front porch this evening and noticed a plethora of caterpillars in our azalea bushes. So here are some pictures of them. MK found them disgusting...she thinks their red faces are gross!

















And these are some gardenias. They are supposed to and usually do bloom in late May. For some reason, we are getting a small helping of them in August. They aren't as fragrant as the May blooms, but still just as pretty. Do any green thumbs out there know why?

Off and Running

School is in and we are back in the swing of things. MK really likes it, and T. Willy is doing well. He was the "flag holder" today and said that he loved it! My class began this morning. It was a short class for the first day, but I think it's going to be good. The class is full, and they are young!!! Many of them are fresh out of high school. In the last class, most of the students were adults seeking to change careers. I will be interested to see the differences.

So, that's about it. I just wanted to check in. Have a great night!!!

Come on in.

We did some rearranging last week so I am going to post the pictures. This is mostly for our family who don't make it here often enough to see the changes.

I'll start with T. Willy's room. His bed used to be in front of the door when you first walked in, and there was an armoire in the back corner. It made the room seem much smaller for both of these reasons. So we moved the armoire into the living room, and moved his bed into the corner where it was. Now you walk into the room and see a dresser, and it has really opened the room. I took these pictures with my phone, so the quality isn't great, but you get the idea.



















Then we did some things to the living room. The blanket chest was on the wall where the armoire is now, and we did some changes to the mantle and plant shelf.



















I stopped at the college this morning to get my new books and to see my classroom. I am really excited about this opportunity, and since it is only Tuesdays and Thursdays, I am free to substitute on the other days.

I will leave you with pictures of T. Willy and some of the things Chel sent to him. You will notice football in the background...it is almost fall...it is to be expected. Go, Eagles!!!!

So.....

today was the first day of school. It went really well. MK was up bright and early at 5 am and we were out the door to meet the bus a little after 6. There are only girls at the bus stop this year, and they all seemed to enjoy it that way. She was so excited to be in 8th grade and able to move the underlings out of the way, so that she could sit in the back. Her day went really well and she seems pleased with all of her teachers.


















T. Willy started pre-school today. The first thing he said when he woke up this morning was, "It's Monday. I start my new school today." So I took that as a sign of readiness. The school isn't too far from our house, so the Big Man and I walked him in his wagon. He seemed to enjoy that. He walked right in, we figured out how to check in, and took him to his class. He did really well. He was a bit overwhelmed, because the class size is about twice what his last class was, but I didn't have to peel him off of me. I did choke back some tears...he's my baby...but held on and we walked home pulling an empty wagon. I knew I needed to keep busy, so I washed clothes and sheets and cleaned Ty's room. With all of the rearranging I did last week, it needed work. That kept me busy until almost time to pick him up. He will stay all day, but since it was the first day, he only stayed till lunch. They had him lying on his mat when I picked him up, and he said that was his favorite part of the day. Oh well. He can nap tomorrow. He was pretty chatty about his day and met a friend, Sarah, so that was good. He also loved snack and the playground.













Finally, my phone rang today with a job offer. Not full time, like I was hoping, but a class at the college where I taught in the spring. I am very delighted, because I loved the experience, and it is a day class, which fits perfectly into our schedule. I start Thursday! I will stop by the school tomorrow to pick up my materials. It is also at the campus which is closer to our home, so it is really good news!!

Have a wonderful day!!!