About Face

Since I was pregnant and then breastfeeding, I was unable to use any face soap with salicylic acid. This is what is good for those annoying blemishes. My skin has fared pretty well despite not being able to use strong stuff on my face. Well, now that I am done breastfeeding, I can use acne-fighting soap again. My sister uses a Murad brand system and her skin looks fabulous, so I am trying it. I took a before picture, but am not feeling brave enough to post that picture right now. I sure hope it works, b/c I am tired of fighting breakouts at this age!!

Growing up is hard

Well, last month we sold my car. I was very sad about it b/c I loved that little car so much. It was the first car I bought and paid for. It was exactly what I wanted and I loved driving every minute I was in it. But it was just not a practical family car at all. 2 doors=no fun to get a baby in and out of. And Justin's grandmother gave us her 2001 Buick LeSabre before Thanksgiving. She was not driving it and knew we needed a 4 door car. It is a very roomy car. It is much easier to get Brandon in/out the backseat.

While we had the car on Auto Trader.com I enjoyed driving it on the days I did not have to take Brandon anywhere.

On my last drive to work in the car I listened to The Sound Of Music and Phantom of the Opera soundtracks. I had to fight back tears the whole way to work, but just kept singing!!

I know it is silly to love a car so much and get so attached. But I just did...

We now have a good car fund going so that we can pay cash for our next car. Selling my car doubled our new car fund, which is really cool!!

Here are a few farewell pictures to my fun 2-door Honda Accord Coupe.

Bad Blogger...I know

Man, I've been a bad blogger! I'm sorry, but I've been tired people! Making a person is a lot of work!!

I go back to the doctor tomorrow for my 36 week check up. And then I go every week after that until he gets here. I can't believe he'll be here sooo soon. I've got like 4 weeks until my due date! CRAZY!!! We have sooo much to do!

I do need some ideas for organizing clothes in the nursery. Any suggestions? I am trying to decide what to hang up and what to put in the dresser. I also need help organizing all our wonderful gifts! HELP!!! Feel free to come over and guide me!!

We went to a parenting class last weekend. It was really good to get some basic childcare information. The instructor was really fun and make the 2 days (Friday 6:30-9 and Sat. 10-5) fly by! The one thing she did ask us in the beginning is what we were 1. Most excited about and 2. most anxious about. It really got me thinking... I am most excited about just seeing Brandon and holding him for the first time and every time after that! I am the most anxious about taking care of him day in and day out and all the millions of details that go along with that. It's scary to think we'll be in charge of this little person and be in charge of caring for him. I'm so glad I have wonderful Justin and all our family close by to assist in this process and begin and travel this journey with us.

Well, better head to bed. I'm super tired and need my rest!! I'll try to post again sooner than later! :)

Anticipation...

My orchid is about to bloom again and I'm soooo excited!! I can't wait for the beautiful purple blooms to open up and make my kitchen window extra bright and fun! I got this orchid from a student a few years ago and it is probably one of my most favorite student gifts in 6 years of teaching! I want to re-pot it into something more worthy of the beautiful flowers, but just haven't found the perfect pot yet. I'll keep looking!

I'll post a picture when it blooms...Bet you can't wait now either can you?! :)

The Ice Storm

Here are a few pictures of the ice storm we had last night. This is at 10 am, so it was already starting to melt some. We were supposed to get about 1/4 of an inch of ice. It was enough to cancel school, which is exciting, but now we will have to go to school on Good Friday. I have high hopes for today of finishing my lesson plans and tackling a huge pile of grading! If I finish all my school work I may scrapbook, read, or watch a movie. We'll see how the day goes!

Justin stayed safe at work last night. I was really worried about him being out there on the slippery roads. But he is always safe and cautious and probably gets annoyed with me saying "Promise to be careful!" :)

Hope you have a great Wednesday!

Happy New Year!

First off Happy New Year everyone!! I can't believe it is 2009! I also can't believe how life-changing and amazing this year is going to be for Justin and me (and our family). I've had several "big" years in a row with getting married, buying a house, and hiking a volcano, and this year promises to be no different with the birth of our first child!! WOW!!

Do you make New Year's resolutions? What are some of them? Post a few in the comments section. I don't usually make any b/c I can never accomplish anything on the list. Last year I think I called them "goals" but still don't think I actually worked at reaching any. So I just don't bother with resolutions/goals any more.

One of my favorite things to do at the start of the new year is record all the important events (birthdays, anniversaries, school holidays, etc) for the year in a brand new calendar. I know I may be a dork, but I really love doing this for some reason. I like looking back at the previous year's events and reliving them and looking forward to what the next year holds. I usually hit the 1/2 price sale at that calendar place in the middle of the mall, but was saved a trip to the mall this year by Toni's parents. They brought us a calendar from Guatemala of our favorite city Antigua! It is a water-color calendar and it was really neat to recognize some of the places in the paintings as places we saw/visited from our trip. Way cool! So each month this year will remind us of our awesome summer trip to a beautiful country and all the cool, once-in-a-lifetime experiences we had there. Wahoo!!

Sorry no posting marathon + FPU

Sorry folks...no posting marathon happening here, huh? Really, I wanted to leave the last post up there for a little bit so people could see and comment on it! Honestly!! I'll try to be better. Only 3 days left of school until I'm off for 2 weeks. YAY!! I can't wait for Friday at 3 pm.

You may be wondering what FPU means. FPU = Financial Peace University. Justin and I did this at church. It is the financial program by Dave Ramsey. It was a 13 week session that we went to every Wednesday night. It was really good! There are 7 baby steps to follow. Let's see if I can remember them all...

1. $1,000 in a savings account
2. Debt snowball (pay off the smallest amount first and then use that money to pay off the next smallest amount and so on until your DEBT FREE! We're really close. Just 2 more loans to go)
3. 3-6 months expenses in a fully funded emergency fund
4. Invest 15% in retirement
5. College fund
6. Pay off the house early
7. Build wealth and GIVE!

Now let me go get my workbook and see if I am right. Hold on...I got them ALL RIGHT!! Justin would be proud!! We both really enjoyed the classes and the lessons we learned. Dave Ramsey really has some good ideas. I'm excited to get all our debt paid off. Just 2 more loans to go!! During the 13 weeks we paid off my students loans and my car!!! WOW!! It felt really really good to get the car title in the mail this past Monday. And as my luck would have it, we finally pay that thing off and we're going to need a bigger car! My car is not very suitable for car seats!

Our church is offering the course again in the spring. If you are interested, please check it out. It is really cool!

Well, I better run...OH YEAH! I have my big sonogram on Monday the 22nd (I rescheduled it for those of you that knew the original date). I'm really excited to see the how the baby looks and see how big it has gotten. I sure hope the baby cooperates so we can find out if it will be Ginger or Brandon! I'll definitely post and let y'all know!!

Better head to bed...I'm pretty tired! Have a good night...Bundle up if you're in Ft. Worth. It's freezing out there!

The best White Elephant Gift EVER!

We had our Sunday school Christmas party tonight. It was a lot of fun and Justin and I enjoyed visiting with the other couples from our class.

We did a white elephant gift exchange and I think this gift tops any I've ever seen! Someone brought a LIVE MOUSE, complete with a cage and wood chips, for a gift!!!! We were cracking up! I'm soooo glad I did not get this gift! Although the cats might have appreciated it.

Anyway, just thought it was funny and I needed something to blog about to keep my Posting Marathon going strong!!!

We're having breakfast with our friends Toni and Kyle tomorrow. Toni's 30th b-day was today and so we are having Cracker Barrel to celebrate!! I can't wait for some yummy hashbrown casserole and some sort of pancake or french toast. I'm drooling just thinking about it!!

Adios Amigos!

Loser blogger, Yep! That's me!!

Hi friends, if you are still there! I'm soooo sorry for not blogging in forever! I mean, this is pathetic, isn't it! But I have only 12 more days until my Christmas break from school and hopefully I can catch up on all the blogging that I can do! I've got several birthdays to blog about and I guess Thanksgiving and hmmm... I'll have to see what else!

Well, I don' t have any more energy to think of cool things to say. so I'm going to bed! (it is just now 8:47, which is a little late for me lately!)

I'll blog soon. I promise!!!!

Yes, I'm still here...kinda

I am still alive and kickin'! Even if it is just barely...

School has been really stressful (surprised?!) lately and I'm pretty miserable...again! Too much stuff is getting in the way of teaching and it is just not fun anymore. I need some prayer about what to do next year. Pleeeeeaaasssee pray for me! I can't take another year of this!! :(

We are fine on the home front! I was all excited to get my fall decorations out. Look how nicely I decorated...

Yep...they are all beautifully arranged in the middle of my kitchen table!! See how much motivation I had left over after getting them all out? This is how tired I am y'all!!

Not much else going on. I need to post a lot of stuff...maybe I'll find some time and motivation this weekend. We'll see....

Miss everyone!

Phew...

Well, by now you've heard the news reports. YAY that things are much better after Gustav than anticipated!

My mom said it was sunny all day in Houston...not a single rain drop. Thanks for thinking of my family today!

Also, thanks for all the sweet compliments on my Good Hair Day post. Whenever I'm having a bad day I'm gonna reread your nice comments to make me feel better! :)

Good Hair Day

Don't good hair days just make you feel good and totally make your day?? Look at those curls! Doing my hair curly is always "iffy." Sometimes is looks great, like yesterday. And sometimes it looks more frizzy. Wish it would look like this every time! (and yes, I know I'm a dork to take pictures of my good hair day. Who else does that? What else am I gonna blog about though?!?)


Also, I survived the first week of school. The first day was pretty bad, but things calmed down and smoothed out by the end of the week. YAAAY!! I did have 2 migraines, though. BOOO! New record for me. I'm hoping to deal with the stress better this year and avoid those horrible headaches.

I woke up Friday morning feeling rested and refreshed, in a good mood, and early. These things rarely happen, esp. on a Friday. I'm usually wiped out by Friday! I got to school early, too, by like 7:20. This usually NEVER happens. And we had a good day on Friday. Wahoo!! Hopefully this is a good sign of what's to come. I desperately need a good year after last year! And I'm bound and determined to have one!

My family is going to stay in Spring (North Houston) this week while Gustav approaches/hits! A few years ago they fled from a hurricane and were on the road for over 20 hours straight in one loooooooong line of cars. It was HORRIBLE for them and they don't want to ever do that again, which I don't blame them!!! My parents live about 100 miles from the coast, which is good, but not quite far enough away for my comfort. Please pray for their safety over the next few days. I appreciate it! Y'all are great prayer warriors and I'm so glad y'all are my friends :)

Tuesdays were made for tacos

We enjoyed Taco Tuesday tonight at Rosa's with Toni and Kyle. (If you are unaware of what Taco Tuesday is, you need to head to your nearest Rosa's and order a taco plate for $3.33. You get 3 beef or chicken (or no meat for me) tacos, crispy or soft, rice and beans, and tortillas). We hadn't' met them there in a while. It was nice to catch up, swap stories, and enjoy some of the best queso this side of the Mississippi! (OK, I'm a dork, but it is really that good!)

So sorry that my sister Kelly, brother-in-law Steve, and pal Jesse could not join us at Rrrrrrrosa's tonight. We have many, many great memories at Taco Tuesday. Hopefully y'all can come up here and enjoy some queso soon!!

Summer heat wave!

Hey my out of town friends, it was 105 degrees today up here!!! OH MY GOSH that is soooo hot!! Luckily for me, I was eating at the tea room in the ac and floating around in a pool with my friends Rachael and Amanda! So I stayed nice and cool today!! I think tomorrow it is supposed to be cooler, only 102 degrees! aaaagggghhh!!

Big Brother is watching you...

I just finished reading this book today. I read it in high school, but wanted to read it again and remember it a little better. I had Justin's copy from high school and it was neat reading his thoughts/comments he had to write in the margins of the book. His teacher also made comments back and initialed by Justin's thoughts. He even had to write in the back of the book "I Justin promise I have read this book entirely," and then he had to sign his statement! ha ha (None of my teachers ever made me do this. Did any of yours?)

I was a little sad (for the characters, I guess) today after finishing it, which surprised me. I was just thinking of the awful conditions these people lived in. They lived in run down buildings and were given small rations for basic necessities, like razors and chocolate, which were always being reduced. The characters must obey every command of the Party and Big Brother b/c Big Brother is always watching and listening to you by "telescreen." It just was ridiculous that the people in the book just listened and did everything they were told, b/c they feared the consequences if they didn't. I'm so glad that there is no Big Brother watching and commanding our very existence. I'm glad we have freedom to think and be individuals. Can you imagine our world if it were like the one in the book? What a sad and depressing way to live! NO THANK YOU!!

Anyway, I'll stop before getting too philosophical. Did you have to read this book way back in high school? What do you remember about it? What are your thoughts about Big Brother?

I'm really cookin!

OK...you have to go here and read what my friend Emily said about me...YES it was really me who did that! :) Yes it is really a true story! I can't stop laughing. It's quite hilarious!! :p

Guest Room Update

Well, I got the itch for something new in our guest room. I found the coolest quilt and shams today. I LOVE IT!! I debated between this one and another one (which was more traditional and more boring-it had 6 inch blue, green and white horizontal stripes, alternating colors). My sister April convinced me to get this one. Thanks April! You were right, and I'm so glad I got this one!!!

Here is the room before. I got this comforter when I was in a pastel phase. I never had any shams or decorative pillows for the bed.

And here is the room after! I love the brighter colors! Wahoo!!!

What do you think???

Foot update

Well, I've decided to put of surgery to remove the fractured and now dead sesamoid bone in my right foot. I had a 2nd cortisone injection yesterday. My foot hasn't hurt much today, which is a welcome surprise b/c after the first cortisone shot I got I couldn't walk for 2 days! So, now the wait begins to see how long this shot will last. Hopefully a loooooong time!!

As you can tell, I don't have too much to blog about...Sorry folks, it's a laid back summer from here on out for me! :)

Freedom

I am now officially on SUMMER BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YEEEEEEEEEEEEeHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWW!!!

And we leave in 2 days for Guatemala! YAAAAAAYYY!! Let the packing and laundry begin!!

:)

This is ponderous man, really ponderous...

Have you ever heard this song?? OH MY GOSH it is soo fun! To go along with the theme (it's just a pretty random song) here is a haircut one of my students showed up with the last 2 days of school. Really...I mean come on...who wants hair like this?!?!!!!?

Over the shock yet?

I'm so glad to be done with school. My work day is tomorrow, which will be easy and then I'm done. I will be sooooooooo happy to close that door for the last time tomorrow and be done with this school year! I hope next year is better. Let's all begin praying now! :)

We leave in just 3 days for our trip! I can't wait to go to. I'm ready to relax and have some well-deserved fun! Better go get some laundry started. Gotta think about what to pack!!