live without fear

If you know me, you know I tend to be a worrier. It is something I have been working on and have gotten better about it (sometimes), but I know it will always be a choice for me to do it or not. My bible study tonight was on fear and how it can hold you back. She talked about the three main types of fear: fear of the past, fear of yes and fear of no. It completely resonated with me and she referenced one of my memory verses in tonight's study. It is probably the verse I repeat to myself more than any others: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be discouraged, do not be afraid because the Lord, your God will be with you in all you do." Joshua 1:9. I am thankful to have a God that makes it so I don't have to live in fear!!

Walking with a friend

My friend and coworker Kerry lives in the neighborhood where I babysit. Yesterday she and I walked around her neighborhood before I had to be at the house and decided we need to start doing this! It is so much easier and enjoyable to exercise when you have a friend to do it with! I am thankful to have someone to walk with between school and babysitting! :)

Easy, premade dinners

Last month my sister in law had surgery and I made a chicken and wild rice casserole for her and Robbie. The recipe makes enough for two casseroles, so I took one to them and froze the other for Richie and I. Tonight, I simply took it out of the freezer to thaw and baked it for an easy, delicious dinner without having to cook!

bon appetit!

Ok I am cheating a little on this post... I have already been thankful for one cooking class that my mom and I took together, so I technically cant be thankful for cooking class again.  However, my mom and I took the best cooking class today- A salut to Julia! Mastering the art of French cooking and we had so much fun and made such good food!  So instead, I am thankful for delicious (and rich!) French food!

teacher discounts

Last night Richie and I went to dinner with Robbie and Laura at this restaurant called Luckys.  Laura and I were in mid-conversation about school (Shocker!Why do teachers always talk about school??) when our waitress walked up and overhear us.  She asked if we were teachers and then proceeded to tell us that teachers got a 50% off discount on food and drinks on Friday nights!  She was nice enough to give both of us 50% our entire check even though our boys aren't teachers.  After that, we went over to mine and Robbie's alma mater (even though I didnt graduate from there it still is my alma mater....) and went to the Roswell football game.  Laura and I were able to get into the game for free for being Fulton County teachers!  (It was actually kind of funny- I didnt have my teacher id, so I pulled up my Fulton Co webmail on my phone and showed them to get it).  I am thankful for our incredibly cheap date night thanks to teacher discounts!

Pizza Dip

Wow, I am getting bad about blogging each day!!  I will go back to Thursday, then do Fridays, and finally todays post! 
Thursday night, we had our monthly Recipe Club.  I've mentioned it before, but don't think I have explained what it is.  My grade level gets together once a month (the last Thur of the month) and we all bring dishes for whatever theme it is that month and then swap recipes.  We rotate houses and whoever hosts provides the beverages and chooses the theme. SOOO much fun! This month's theme was favorite foods.  I had a tough time because I have already made a lot of my favorite foods for previous recipe club dinners and didnt want to repeat.  I decided to go with an appetizer since that is one of my favorite types of food and went with Pizza Dip.  It is my mom's recipe and it is a favorite of anyone who tries it.  Growing up, whenever I would have friends over to spend the night, we would always go through like two things of pizza dip.
In case you are intrigued, here is the delightfully simple recipe:
Preheat oven to 350. In a pie dish layer cream cheese, pizza sauce, and mozzarella cheese.  Then completely cover the top with pepperoni and add olives if you desire.  Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbling and serve with Fritos or any chips.
I am thankful for yummy pizza dip and the memories I have with friends while chowing down on it!

baby powder

This will be short and sweet which goes with what I am writing about.  If you know me, you know I am the queen of sprinkling baby powder on my hair in lieu of washing it (forgive me if you are grossed out- I swear its only the occasional every other day thing, not multiple days!)  I am SOOO sleepy (hence the short and sweet) and want to sleep in those 20 extra minutes in the am, so I am thankful for baby powder for allowing me to do that and still look presentable.  Night!!

Bible Study's Back!

I know, I know, I have already been thankful for my bible study and the girls in it.  However, I terribly missed it while we were on hiatus this summer and am so thankful to be starting back!  There is just something so different about my attitude and outlook on life when I am meeting every week with a girl of Lord Lovin' girls to talk and study the Word that I crave it when I;m not involved in one (especially with this fab group!)- seriously, if youre not in one- find one! It will change your heart! :)

songs for learning

If you wanted me to remember something when I was little, all you had to do was put it in a song.  I know a lot of kids are that way, so in my classroom we do a lot of singing (half the time it is me putting what I want them to remember such as "a noun is a person place or thing-or animal" to a quick tune and then praying I sing the same tune next time I sing it to them!)! Thanks to Dr Jean, I dont have to make up my own tune or lyrics when it comes to our current SS unit and learning the names of the oceans and continents.  While I probably wont get either song out of my head for a while, I am thankful I was able to help teach my students through song!

Richie's family

Today is Richie's dads birthday (Happy Birthday Rick) and we went to his parents house for dinner along with Richie's brother Ryan and his girlfriend Megan. I am very thankful to have such a good family on Richie's side and to live so close to them!

Sweet Candy :)

Last night I went to Jenny and Allen's beautiful wedding with Candice. Candice and I went to Auburn together and we lived together our sophomore-senior year in college. And yes, even after living together for three years, we are still best friends! Candice is without a doubt one of my favorite people to be around. It's almost like there's something that comes out in both of us when we are together that just makes a us so silly and giggly. I really think I laugh more in one night with Candice than a do in a week normally! For example, our freshmen year in college we decided it would be a good idea for us to drive from my dorm to Walmart with me on her lap steering and her doing the pedals. (and our BFF Bit thought it would be a good idea to ride in the car with us! Haha) Candice is a wonderful friend and I am very thankful for her and our wonderful and hilarious friendship! Love you Candy!

Wingardium levioso

If you don't get the reference in my title, then you are not a Harry Potter fan like I am! I LOVE Harry Potter and am not ashamed to admit it! I am normally not into all the "magic", etc kind of books, but when I was a freshmen in college, I saw the preview for the second HP movie (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) and wanted to see it, but figured I should see the first one (Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone) first. So, I watched the first one and loved it- then I saw the second one, I think literally like the next day and I was hooked. From there, I read all the books as soon as they came out and saw all the movies (which are not even a comparison to the books). Richie and I finally (I have been so anxious to see it!) went to see it tonight. As corky as this may sound, I looked at Richie when we got in there and told him,"I have been waiting almost ten years for this." I must say, while I previously stated the movies do not do justice, this one actually did a really good job. Part of the reason the movies aren't as fabulous is because there is so much detail in the books that has to be left out to make it a 2 hour movie. I've been saying all along that they need to make 2 movies per book, and when they finally did with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, it made a huge improvement on the quality of movie compared to the book. Anyways off that soapbox... As silly as it sounds, I am thankful for Harry Potter. I have enjoyed every minute of reading the series and watching the movies and I can't wait for the day when I have a child that can get lost in Hogwarts through the books themself.

And yes, I do know that I am being s huge nerd!

pedicures

I got a pedicure this afternoon and splurged on the deluxe where they rub your neck and shoulders as well.  I am very thankful for pedicures- arent we all??!!

Comfy blanket and my couch

If you read my post (or have talked to me recently), you know I have been feeling pretty crummy the past week or so. Today I am thankful for my comfy blanket and couch because that is where I retired to as soon as I got home from school and have not moved since. Sometimes it feels so good just to lay all snuggled up!

Recipe Club

Last night, I made a super yummy and new dinner- BBQ beef cups! I changed it a little bit (I used ground turkey instead of beef and whole wheat biscuits), basically you brown ground beef or turkey and onion. Then you add some brown sugar and BBQ sauce. You press biscuits into muffin and and put the beef mixture into the biscuits. Top with a little shredded cheddar and bake for 12 minutes. So yummy and even Richie loved them! I am thankful for my recipe club (my grade level at school gets together once a month and we all bring a dish from that months theme and swap recipes), because that is where I got this delicious and easy recipe from!

First Day of School!

There is something just so exciting about a first day of school.  I always lay my clothes out the night before, make my lunch and have it ready to go, and I even set out my coffee mug, cereal, and bowl! Just like when I was a student, there is something about the unknown of the year ahead and a new beginning that is so fun!  I am thankful for first days of school! :)

Sweet little M

As I mentioned in my last post, I saw The Help last night and loved it.  Today I am going to write about a former student of mine who I could not stop thinking about while watching the movie. (I am simply calling her M and am not going to supply too many details.  I am sure you understand).  Warning- SPOILER alert if you have not see or read The Help yet!!
I had a precious child in my class one year who had missed out on a lot of love from her mom.  She was lucky enough to be currently living with other family members who were doing everything they could to give her that love and I was certainly trying to do my part at school as well.  In the movie (and book) Abilene would have May Mobely (spelling?) repeat after her "You is kind, you is smart, you is important."  because her mom was not giving her a lick of attention.  This happened several times in the movie and each time, I just broke down because it reminded me of my sweet little M.  I used to do the exact same thing with her every day and make her say "I am smart, I am special, and I am a sweet girl."  That sweet little girl went back to live with her mom while she was in my class and I pray every day that she still says those things to herself...and more important, feels them.  I am thankful for the chance to have hopefully had an impact on her life and for the reminder of what I can be for my kids right before this school year starts.  For all you teachers out there (and people who work around kids), always remember that you dont know what kind of love those babies are getting at home, so make sure you are at least one person that they know they are loved by. 

Off my soapbox now...enjoy your Sunday!

Civil Rights

OK, before you go thinking that the medical problem I have been talking about this week is simply that I am crazy, let me tell you that yes, I do know it is 2011 and civil rights was a while ago.  However, I saw the movie The Help last night and it just really stuck with me.  I was shocked and appalled that not too long ago, that's how things really, truly were.  As a teacher, I have children of all different socioeconomic statuses, races, home lives, etc and I cannot imagine any of my babies being treated differently simply because of any of those factors.  It is truly heartbreaking to see what it was like back then and I think I cried a dozen times in the movie.  I know we still have issues, especially living in the South, but I am so incredibly thankful for how things have changed for the better since then.  I cannot imagine living in a world like that and am so thankful that we don't.

Another plug (I promise I'm not being paid for these!) If you have not seen The Help, go see it...right now!!  If you read the book and are worried it wont hold up...dont be!  Obviously the book is better (I have yet to see a better movie version ofa book, but then again- I am a reader), but the movie does an incredible job of representing it and bringing in the most important parts.  If you havent read the book yet- go buy it and read it!  It is a wonderful read!!!

U-Verse App

Sorry I haven't blogged in the past couple of days... I've been sick this week and in and out of doctors offices and hospitals and then just being too tired to blog when I get home! No fun!  That leads to the super-silly (but in my opinion, very cool) thing I was thankful for on Friday.  I went to a different doctor on Friday afternoon who in turn sent me to the emergency room (again).  While we were spending our Friday evening in the ER, we watched tv and were in the middle of the show NCIS when they came to discharge me (because even though I keep getting sent to the hospital, they still don't know what is wrong).  At that point we were very into what was going to happen, but we couldn't exactly say, " Hey, can we wait 30 minutes until this show is over??"  So, I pulled out my oh-so-smart iPhone and opened the app AT&T U-Verse and was able to find the show and record it on our home tv from my phone.  Then when we got home, we were able to fund out exactly what happened in the rest of the tv show.  Technology can be pretty cool sometimes and I was thankful at that moment for my U-Verse App! (A little plug here for U-Verse, if it is in your area, get it!! It is the best provider in my opinion!!)

My new class!

This morning we had Sneak Peek which is when all of our kids come to the school to find out their class.  All but 5 of my kids came today and they all seem like such a cute, sweet group!  I am so excited for the year to come and all the things we are going to learn and do together.  One of the best things about being a teacher is getting a whole new group of students to get to know each year!  I am thankful for the opportunity to teach these precious young kids this year!

change is good

I am the first to admit that I can be a creature of habit, so changes can sometimes make me a bit nervous.  So I found myself stressing a little bit this week over some changes at school... Our specials time is changing (which we have been spoiled by having last specials the whole time I have been in first), which means our recess time is also changing.  My class size is much bigger (24 kids!!) so my room set up has had to change a bit as well.  There have been a couple of other little things (and I know that they all are minor things), but they were just starting to make me a little anxious.  I realized though, that for the most part, any change in my life however big or small has made a positive impact on me in one way or another.  It has come in big ways (such as Richie working in Nashville- major change, but it showed me the strength of our marriage) to small things (chnaging my guest room- love the new bedspread!) and I know this will be no different.  So tonight I am thankful for change and for what it can do for you life.  And while 24 kids is a lot of first graders, it is just that many more babies that I will get to love this year.

Night everyone!  I'm off to bed early because I meet my kiddos in the morning!! :)

Uncrustables

I went to the grocery store this afternoon and got some items for next week which is the first week of school. One of the things I bought were pb&j uncrustables. If you've never had them, they are frozen little round pb&j sandwiches and they now make them in whole wheat. Needless to say, they are delicious! I am thankful for these yummy little sandwiches that I can pack in my lunch next week! Yum, yum!

Healthy!

I did not blog yesterday because I went to the dr with abdominal pain and was sent to the the ER...lovely, huh? Last night I was thankful that did not find anything major wrong! Phew!

lifetime movies!

I haven't been feeling well this weekend, so I was lazy today and did one of my favorite things- watched lifetime movies! My roommate in college Candice and I used to watch them all the time and they are for sure one of my guilty pleasures. I am thankful for those incredibly silly, cheesy movies and for the chance to lay around and watch them!

frostys

I am thankful for yummy, delicious, chocolately frostys! Mmmmmm

leadership team!

As I said in my last post, we had our leadership retreat at the lake on Friday! We got a lot of work done, went out on a boat for a while, and had a great time. I am thankful to work with such a great leadership team and admin!

Sittin' on the dock of the lake...

Whoa I have been busy and not blogging! We had our leadership retreat at the lake on Friday and a few of us went up Thursday afternoon and spent the night. We sat outside on the dock and had some drinks and just talked and had a great time. I love sitting outside by the water on summer nights when the air cools down and it's so nice out! I am thankful for moments like that!

furniture in place!

I am very, very sleepy so this will be short and sweet. :) I am thankful to have gotten my room set up today so I just have to worry about making things pretty and planning, etc during pre planning!

fresh summer veggies

Tonight I am thankful for one of my absolute favorite dinners ever- fresh, summer veggies!  Richie had to work late tonight and my parents had gone to their local farmers market today, so naturally I headed over there for dinner!  Look at our delicious feast!

Rosemary potatoes, crowder peas, squash, speckled butter beans and tomatoes! MMMM

hair time!

I was thankful to have some time today to go get my hair done. It is so peaceful to me to have someone was my hair (multiple times), read a book while getting foiled and under the dryer, and then have someone cut your hair and dry it. I'm also thankful for no more roots! :)