I keep forgetting

We just got DSL so I can actually load photos much quicker than before, so, here are a couple (or 3 just depending how long I have to wait) of the wedding photos of my little brother.

Okay, you just get one, I can't figure out how to get more than one photo on the blog, and it's late and I'm going to bed. (which means I'm so tired I couldn't figure it out even if I sat here all night!)

I'm trying to do better!

Things have been crazy lately, but I'm determined to take the time to post on this blog more than once every three months.

I'm in the process of adding a new job to my resume, no, I'm not going to stop teaching anytime soon, but I am branching out into photography. I've always loved it and had the opportunity to do a few photo shoots in the last couple of months. That just strengthened my love for photography. Ansel Adams had the perfect job, oh to be able to travel the American wilderness and capture God's beauty.

Seriously, though, I took my little brother's engagement pictures and had so much fun with it, then I took my daughter's senior (gasp) pictures, and this past weekend I shot my brother's wedding! Of course, when the bride is gorgeous (like my new sister-in-law) and the groom is handsome, all I had to do was aim and shoot! I'll try to post a few of the pictures.

I'm excited about it, I want to be a photographer when I grow up!

I'm ready for another weekend!

We had such a good Sunday afternoon, even though we were all fighting the sinus/allergy crud we still managed to have a little fun. Chris saddled the horses and he and Casey rode for a while. Logan was very upset until Daddy got back to get him for a little ride. I watched him point to all the cows and jabber up a storm. He's growing up way too fast. While they were riding horses, Austin was climbing trees and I was snapping pictures. Logan fell asleep Sunday night singing "Baby Bumblebee" which sounded more like "bee bee bummelbee", but he got the "Ouch! It stung me!" part down really well.

Upon this spot....

....we will build our house. (or at least pretty close to this spot) This is the view we will have from the kitchen window and greatroom. It's so quiet and peaceful, I can't wait!

September 1st already?

I have gotten so far behind with this blog. My intention was to keep up with at least weekly updates, but we see where that went. I guess my excuse is our old dial-up connection. I'm back at school now with wonderful high speed internet.

Summer has been busy as usual for us. The kids are involved in lots of things, but probably the most exciting thing is building a house. We haven't broken ground yet, but we are getting closer by the day. Tuesday afternoon we staked off the site, I had my camera with me, of course, and got some really great shots of Logan. Austin was running around trees and through the field exploring everything and didn't have time for me. He did, however, find a rabbit hole and had time for me to look at it. I didn't see Alice or a white rabbit with a pocket watch anywhere!

Logan was trying to play hide & seek, but would hide behind a tree and yell, "Find me, Mommy!" At least it was good for a photo op!

Dial-up stinks!

I have a wonderful new digital camera (Nikon D50....the camera I've dreamed of for a long time), but we still have the old dial-up connection at home so it takes forever to load pictures! The major thing I miss about summer break from school is the super-fast internet connection. Oh well, school starts for me (teachers) on August 15th, maybe the tech guy will have the internet connections back up and running in our building by that time. I thought I'd go up this summer and upload some photos, WRONG! For some reason he unplugged everything. Oh well, time's ticking he needs to get busy!

See this movie!

Thursday night Chris and I took the boys to see "Cars". This is such a fun movie, even Logan sat through most of it. Toward the end he wanted to lay in my lap, but it was getting close to bedtime. Both boys' favorite character is "Mater", he made the movie hilarious! Even Chris laughed out loud several times.

I highly recommend this movie, it gets 2...er, 4 thumbs up from our family!

It's been a while

I've really slipped on keeping my blog updated, but things have been CRAZY! School is finally out (Yayyyy!) and summer has been busier than the last couple weeks of school!

Casey left Wednesday for Washington DC with the Youth Tour group. (photo, she's 2nd from left, front row) Can you imagine chaperoning 40 17 year olds! I'm glad it's not me! She went to Arlington Cemetery this morning and was awed by the sheer numbers of soldiers' graves. She told me the tour guide pointed out the newest section of the cemetery; it is for the brave soldiers who lost their lives in Iraq. I think that really brought things home to her. She was no longer seeing "ancient" history, but something she can closely relate to as we have friends currently serving in Iraq. She said the entire bus of 40 kids fell silent when that section was pointed out.

They have a full week scheduled, and will fly home Thursday. This will be her first airline trip and she's a little nervous. I imagine she will be too tired to worry too long.

They grow up too fast!

It's hard to believe that my little girl just had her junior prom. What happened to that little girl with long dark hair and big brown eyes? I was so busy helping the kids get prom together that it never dawned on me that Casey was in that class. She left school early to get her hair done, and when she came back by my classroom with her prom 'do, I almost cried. She didn't look like me little girl, she's a beautiful young woman. Where has time gone? She left with her date dressed in her favorite color, pink. If the junior prom got to me, can you imagine what I'll be like at graduation next year? I don't even want to think about it!

The kindness of strangers

3 or 4 weeks ago, one of my 8th grade students had to have major surgery on her spine. She was born with Spina Bifida, and has had health problems throughout her life. I put a note on the CKMB asking if people would like to purge their scrapbooking supplies to help her. The generosity of these women was overwhelming! I recieved so many wonderful papers, stickers, and embellishments, even adhesives! I can never thank you enough for all your kindness. I'm going to give her the goody box tomorrow. Her mom said she would be so excited. Here are a couple of pictures of some of the things she will have.

Thank you!

March 3rd already?

I'm behind. I totally skipped the whole month of February, even though I had really good intentions of updating this blog. It's just been really, really busy!

Right now we are knee deep in prom stuff. My classroom looks like a glitter factory! These prom companies are making a killing on the decorating...junk; several hundred dollars for styrofoam & cardboard! Oh well, we paid and are are moving on. Prom is the 17th, so I'll have some good pictures to post....I hope. My darling daughter has the pinkest dress I've ever seen! She's a junior, that's how I get roped into helping with prom decorations.

Duty calls, so I must answer, time to make some "Phantom of the Opera" decorations. Wanna help?

I'm going to Paris!

DH is taking me to Paris this weekend.....okay, it's just Paris, TX, but I can dream, can't I? He's going after a load of cattle and I'm going along with him so he won't be lonely. Ahhh such quality time together.

It's been a rotten week here. I'm so glad today is Friday. I worked on yearbook junk until almost 10 last night. By the time I got home DH had the kids in the bed so I didn't get to play with my baby last night. I hate nights like that. The best part of the day is spending time with the kids. Oh well, the week is over and I'm ready for a little time away from school.

I've got to get things wrapped up so I can get out of here. Have a wonderful weekend!

 

New year, new start, new commitments!

It's that time again! Have you made your New Year's resolutions? I've decided that I'm not going to make those unrealistic goals that I've previously set for myself. This year, I'm not resolving to lose X number of pounds, but I am making a commitment to a healthier lifestyle, not just for me, for my family, too. I've already started with the exercize part of that commitment. I've joined a gym close to me and am planning to make it to they gym NO LESS than 3 times a week. With that said, I'm not going to make it this week. I went Tuesday, I didn't make it yesterday because of a pesky sinus infection, and I'm not sure that I'm going to be up to it today. We shall see when school's out if I feel like dragging my fat butt to the gym. I really really need to go, though. I can't go tomorrow because I have to go with DH to Texas to pick up a load of cattle. (lucky me! Oh well, at least we get to spend a few hours together.)

Along with working out, I'm feeding my family much better, too. More veggies, more fruit, less fried stuff (even though we all know fried potatoes are the best!), less ordering out. I've GOT to start planning menus, too! I'm always up for a new, healthy recipe.....as long as it's an easy one! LOL

So, there it is in black and white for all the world to see, my resolution. It's time to break out of this rut, are you with me?