Christmas 2008 and more...

Shawn had to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day so he wasn't at my parent's house Christmas Eve when we opened presents. He opened his Christmas morning before he went to bed. Other than him working it was an awesome Christmas! These are just a few random pictures of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Meghan, Ladez, and Brownie


The before picture...

My wonderful dad :)

Ryan, Cynthia, and Teeka (sp)

Megs and the Paris decor we got her

Ladez with the present Megs got him... (I can't remember what it is called)

Some how I got all of these really great pictures of her :)

Oh look someone got a picture of me.... those were from Ryan and Cynthia

My lovely mom with the coffee cup planter Shawn and I gave her.

Cynthia with the necklace Ryan gave her

I love this picture of Brownie...probably one of the only times she wasn't running around during the opening of gifts

Miss Megs and her new computer

This is what happens when Ryan saw Brownie and a stocking near by lol! ... I think this picture was taken Christmas Day.

My lovely mom again and her new blanket

This is the after... oh from the picture... Ladez's present was a ripstik lol

Good morning or Good Evening Shawn... he was so ready for bed :)

He only let me get a few pictures of him... Ladez got him that. He loves it! After that he went to bed for a few hours.

He did of course wake up to eat and while waiting took this great picture with me :)

Friday evening Shawn and I had his grandparents, aunt and uncle, and his cousin's family up for dinner and to play a few games. I made lasagna and received great compliments on it. I placed my camera on my counter so I would remember to take pictures and some how while everyone was fixing their plates it got moved into a corner. So no pictures were taken. We played Farkel Party, Doodle Dice, and bowling on the Wii. Doodle Dice we changed the rules just a little bit to play in partners. Yes I realize it is a game more for kids, but I love playing it :).

Saturday morning Shawn had a horrible headache and that afternoon I ended up with a headache. So we both pretty much napped all day until about 5:30. Then we got ready to go have dinner with Shane and Courtney. We stopped by Megs when we first got to town. Her house is decorated cute...with all her new Paris stuff. She had to work on Sunday so we didn't stay too long. Then Shawn and I headed to Courtney's parents house. Shane and Courtney had a few errands to run before dinner so we just tagged along. We had a wonderful time... like always. I think Shawn and I got home a little after 2. I didn't take pictures but I know she has a few... :)

Yesterday... we got up, went to church, came home, and slept. It was a pretty lazy day.

Shawn and I have been doing the Wii fit every day since we got it and I have felt it. But it feels great to do that at home. I told Shawn one of the things I like is the trainer on there isn't smiling and acting like it is an easy breezy workout or doing any of that stuff like on those work out videos. I don't know why, but it makes a difference.

Hope you all have a great week! I don't know about you... but I am ready for 2009!

Just a random thing about me...

I use to shrug off the feeling in my gut telling me that something is up… only to turn around and get mad at myself a little while later…after hearing my suspicions come true. It just gives me that feeling of was I really that dumb to actually think…

I hate that feeling!

It seems like these days hardly anyone knows what true friendship is all about or maybe people just forget what TRUST is…..

I guess times like these just put in perspective what’s important and what isn’t….

Busy Busy Day

I have lots planned today! Watching kids, cleaning, and baking...

We will see how much I get done!

Happy Monday All!

Hmmm....

I have so many thoughts running through my head and I thought I could get them down in a blog post…but right now I don’t know where to begin. I will take that as a sign that they aren’t ready to come out yet.

Instead, I will just blog about the latest happenings…

For the first time ever that I can recall I had to fight for a grade in a class. A teacher had marked me down for an absence which caused my grade to drop a letter grade. I had no clue about it until I checked grades reported. I immediately emailed her to find out why she reported a B when on WTclass my grade average was above a 100. Through email we set up a time to meet on Wednesday at her office. Shawn was off so he was able to keep an eye on the girls while I went in to meet with my teacher. I arrived at her office with my planner- the only proof I could come up with that I was there that day, she was not there, so I waited and waited. I talked to another teacher who told me that she hadn’t seen her all day, but if she did see her she would tell her that I was on campus waiting for her. So when she told me that I went to pick up my student teaching packet. Twenty minutes later I went back to her office and waited until 3. So I was there from 1:30-3. The hours she said she would be on campus to discuss my grade. Finally an assistant showed up to unlock her office so I could pick up my class note book. The other teacher I had talked to earlier went into her office with me and I went through my notebook to try and find notes for the date she said I had missed. I found the notes and they matched my planner. I left a note on her desk telling her that I had waited until from 1:30-3 per her email and that I had class notes. I also left her my cell number. I also emailed her pretty much the same thing when we got back home. Yesterday she calls me and tells me how sorry she is…. at that point I really didn’t care anymore. I felt like she has been scattered brained throughout the whole semester and I was just over it. Well over her, I was bound and determined to get my grade changed. Then she went in to how she got my email and my note and that this is difficult for her because she doesn’t know if she can accept my notes because what if I went yesterday after getting my notebook and copied someone else’s notes. So I kind of let her have it about different situations that happened this past semester along with if you would have been there you would have seen the notes in my notebook along with the class hand outs for that day. I think I made her cry, but I had had enough of it. I got my grade changed, but I hope for her sake and for her students sanity next semester that she makes some changes.

So other than that happening…. I found out on Wednesday that I get to walk in May!!! That kind of made the afternoon worth all of it. A couple weeks ago I just kind of accepted that I was going to walk in August and that was that…so I was surprised when they told me the news. For those of you that don’t know… I have one summer class that is only offered in Summer 1 to take. I also looked at a calendar to schedule my real tests. Starting Saturday, January 21^st, for three weeks I will have a test to take every Saturday morning. Then after I graduate I will take my ELL certification test and then 4-8^th test. I have to wait on those last two because we are only allowed to take what is on our degree plan or something like that.

I haven’t received my placements for student teaching yet, but I do know that I will be at an elementary school for the first 6 weeks and then at the junior high for my secondary school for the last 6 weeks.

So other than all of that… I have been trying to enjoy my break.

Christmas Card Carousel

I was so excited when I came across the Christmas Card Carousel. I love seeing what others come up with for the their Christmas Cards. This is my first year using a picture on them. I wasn't going to since we didn't go get our pictures done like we planned. Maybe Valentines Day or something.... I couldn't make up my mind on which one I liked, so I have sent out a mixture.

The one with out the picture is for the people at work. Shawn's exact response was I see them every day they don't need a picture of me. Ugh.... :)

To join in the fun or look at Christmas Cards go here! Thank you Faith for hosting!

Hope you all have a wonderful and joyful Christmas!!!

Christmas Tour

Welcome!

This is my first time to participate in Boo Mama’s Christmas Tour of Homes. I was a spectator last year. If you live anywhere around here you probably already have on your fuzzy warm socks and are drinking a nice cup of hot chocolate. It is 14 degrees outside right now and if it is any colder where you live, I am so so very sorry for you, double up on the socks and drink an extra cup or two of the warm stuff!

When you first arrive at my house, if you are anything like me, you will see the chair knocked over on its side (the neighbor’s dog did it). I didn’t notice it when the picture was taken, because I didn’t take it. Do you think I would get out in the cold to take a picture? Nope! I sent Shawn out to do it! Anyway, didn't Shawn do a nice job on the lights?The first thing you will notice when you walk in is the mirror my sister in law, Brittney, gave me for Christmas this year. The ornaments hanging on it were one of our first Christmas gifts given to us as a couple when we got married. At the end is hanging an Advent Chain. The girls I watch add a paper ornament each day.






Next, you will see our not so fancy stockings. I am hoping to get us some made this next year. The snowman and snowwoman were given to us on our first Christmas together as well.

It's over!

My semester ended today at 2:00 when I turned in my last assignment. It feels great to be done! So far I have 3 A's, but I am positive the 4th one is on its way! I am suppose to find out my student teaching assignment next week. So no more school work for a while, but to take its place I have Christmas cards to finish making and shopping to do.

This weekend we are celebrating my mom's birthday, going to Shawn's cousin's wife's graduation, M'Kambrie's birthday party, and helping with the Christmas program at church. Shawn also offered to help a new officer and his family move in between all of that. Just when I thought I could take a break...

So far this week has been a fun one. Well lets back up, last Friday night I went to the parade of lights in Amarillo with my parents, Megs, and her boyfriend (I am beginning to feel like the 5th wheel). I got to ride in my mom's new car and we took a quick trip to walmart. We were suppose to make Christmas cards, but I think all of us were too tired to do anything so mom made hot dogs and we watched the game network channel (something that usually does not happen).

Saturday... I don't remember what I did besides take a really long nap.

Sunday, I went Christmas caroling with the youth group. That was lots of fun and brought back many great memories.

Monday, I received my grade for my portfolio in my special education class and also did my mini workshop. I was so proud of myself. I think for the first time ever, I did a presentation and did not talk super fast, click a head a slide, or get shaky. It helps that were only 10 of us in that class, and I have a great friendship with most of them. I guess it helped that I really knew my stuff too. I also took my final for that class and got a 100. After all of that I went to Lacy's house and we searched for some cookies to make, since it looks like my cookie swap will not happen this year. We ended up making Noel cookies. They are super yummy.

Yesterday, the girls arrived at my house bright and early. As usual it was a fun day around here. Well, besides Shawn having a nasty cold the past 3 days.

Today... I took the girls with me to turn in the last bit of stuff and to sell a book back. Luckily, Ladez (sp?), Meg's boyfriend was still on campus, so he was able to help out with the girls.

I took them to lunch afterwards, a friend of mine joined us, and right as we were about to leave, Brycelyn got sick all over herself. It was so disgusting, but I thought I handled it well. I didn't get sick too! So here I thought she wasn't feeling well and thinking she would crash on the 45 minute drive back. Nope the little monkey managed to get out of her car seat 3 different times. I don't really like this car seat, but it isn't like I have much of say on what car seat a parent buys.

Tomorrow, the girls and I are making candy cane reindeer. It should be fun.

That about sums it all up for now.

Sometime, I will actually remember to pull my camera out of my purse and take a picture.

Oh to read somewhat about Thanksmas with Shawn's family go here.

Short and Sweet...

Okay I really don’t know about the whole sweet part…

What we have been up to…

·         Shawn’s family’s Thanksmas Friday-Sunday – post on that another day or direct you to someone else who decides to blog about it J

·         School

·         Work

·         School

·         And more school

·         Did I mention school?

Thankfully I am done  with two classes, well almost three I have to turn in a notebook for that third class. Monday, I have my final and mini workshop presentation for my special education class and then that’s all for this semester. Shawn has all of his finals next week.

 

This morning Shawn got off work at 6 and decided to ride to Canyon with me. While I was in class from 8-11 he slept in the truck. Afterwards we went and met with an advisor at Wayland Baptist University to talk to them about their Criminal Justice Program or I guess there it is called Justice Administration. No Shawn isn’t standing behind me or anything. LOL  After talking to them, Shawn decided to change a few classes around at Amarillo College so we headed over to their West Campus to get that done. The way it looks now is that Shawn will graduate in May with his associates and then start at Wayland next Fall.  

 

After figuring all of that out we headed home. I meant to take an hour nap and woke up when the 5:00 news was coming on. So it turned into a 3.5 nap. Then we started to finish the decorating of our big tree, but had  to stop to go to church. I love this time of year and going to the Wednesday night Advent Service. I think it helps keep me grounded on the true reason for the season and not get in to the hustle and bustle of the season.

 

That pretty much sums it up for now. Not much is planned for this weekend.