Beach Trip

We went to North Myrtle Beach this week. The weather was great! Mid 80's and so nice! And, it actually rains there... Ha, ha! The girls had so much fun. Cara Grace is quite the adventurer... She had a blast at the water park near our hotel. She wanted to play like to big kids- she has no fear. She is very different than Reagan. She reminds me of Curious George the monkey! Austin and I got to see two movies! We don't get to go to the movies very often. My hair wanted to curl w/ the humidity, so I let it. C.G. and I both were sporting our curls. My hair is made for humidity, I think. I ran on the beach w/ my sister and nephew. I discovered how slow I've been jogging, they wore me out! Kendal was running circles around me. He has sooo much energy! It was great to spend some time w/ my sister's family. We don't get to see them as often as we would like.

Reagan's Fifth Birthday Celebration!

Reagan had her birthday at a kid's place called Hickory Dickory Dock. It's kind of like a Chucky Cheese, but bigger. We didn't know that two area elementary schools were having a sleep over there the same night as our party. There were sooo many kids there. It was stressful for the adults, trying to keep up with their children. My cousin's husband asked if we were going to pass out nerve pills for the parents. Ha, ha! But, Reagan and her friends had a great time! Reagan got to wear her birthday tiara, which she thought was just awesome...

Well, I wanted to let everyone know that I will be teaching fourth grade this fall at a local Christian school. It is called Hickory Christian Academy. I am very excited! Reagan will be able to go with me since she will be starting kindergarten. This is my dream come true. Did I mention that I am EXCITED??? I will have a class of thirteen students. The students were uniforms, which I think is great. Reagan and I will be ordering her uniforms soon from the Lands End student catalog. I will be taking lots and lots of pics of my class and the school this fall.

The school is having a 5K run at the end of August and I plan running in it. I have been jogging since the end of April. I can now run 2.5 miles w/o feeling bad. When I first started running again, it was difficult to run a mile. I am working on my time. Sunday I ran w/ my dad and it helps to have a running partner. He was ahead of me in the beginning of our run and I thought, wait a minute... I'm letting a 60 yr. old beat me... what's wrong w/ this picture??? :) Dad is going to run the 5K w/ me. So, I need to work up to 3.1 miles in the next month. It has been so hot here, it's been hard to find a time to run. Today it is in the 70s though and it feels great! We have had record breaking heat and no rain! I am glad I am running again. I have missed it! I much prefer running to walking...

We are going to the beach for a few days on Saturday!! Will be posting vacation pics soon!

Animal Field Trip Day

Cara Grace and I on the hay ride at the fair. Reagan's class took a field trip last week. We got to see lots of farm animals. Cara Grace is such a big girl. She wanted to do everything the kids did. She wanted to pet all the animals and wasn't afraid one bit!

Reagan's Preschool Pics

Tomorrow is Reagan's last day of preschool. Her teachers gave each child a cd of all the pics they had taken over the year. Reagan also made a book of different pics and artwork she had worked on throughout the year. It is such a great book, it'll be a wonderful thing to keep and look back on over the years. I must say that Reagan has learned so much since September. She is a different girl. And she is ready for big school now. Today I brought pizza and cupcakes for her class. We celebrated her birthday early. Summer birthdays aren't usually celebrated during the school yr. Reagan's class has had a b-day party everyday this week. - all the summer birthdays= lots of sugar!!! Too much sugar! I will miss her teachers Mrs. Lisa and Mrs. Brenda. They have done a wonderful job this yr. But, we are looking on now to bigger and better things, like KINDERGARTEN!! Waa-hoo!

Austin got two free tickets to the race last night in Charlotte. We were able to watch the race in a vip suite w/ all you can eat and drink. (we stuck to water... ha, ha. ) We also got a pit tour. We had a lot of fun. We didn't get home until the wee hours of the morning. Kasey Cain won the race. The cars went an average speed of 175 mph! There were over 100,000 people at the race. We were hoping to leave a little early to beat all the traffic, but our car was too far away. We ended up waiting in a standstill traffic line for almost 2 hrs. I took some pics that I'll be posting soon. Pics cannot show how big of an event it really was. I've never seen so many people at a sporting event in all my life! Too many shirtless rednecks to count! I've come to the conclusion that you're not a true southerner until you've been to a nascar race and felt the excitment with all those engines crank up. It's very cool, like nothing else!

Reagan is graduating from preschool Tuesday night. She will be having three birthday parties this yr! One at her school, one w/ her friends at Hickory Dickory Dock, and I pool party next Sunday w/ family. I hope it's not too chilly. It's been a cool May this yr.

Reagan's Dream

This is the imovie we made for one of my elementary ed. classes. We filmed it in Reagan's room... She thought that was pretty cool. And she like me playing the "kitty!" Shooting this imovie was so funny, we had a blast!

different kinds of columbines

more for my parents

Promised pics of some more yard stuff.

Just stressed!

O.K. there is a lot going on right now, but I only have one more week of class!!! I am so excited to have a summer break! I started working at the Blue Moose last week. It is going good, but adding to my stress at this point.

So, I am inching my way closer to that piece of paper that will allow me to teach!!! Reagan is counting down the days until she starts Hudson Elementary this fall...

This morning my Literacy and Technology group filmed an imovie at my house. We were acting out a fairytale type story. It was hilarious! I will post a link for the imovie. We are going to download it on youtube later this week. I also took some pictures of our costumes. I was a kitten.

Some more yard pics for the Family2

Some more yard pics for the Family

Just in the mood........to Blog!

OK, so I guess I am just wanting to blog alot this week. It's been way too long since I've blogged. I joined a gym this week and I am loving it! I took a kickboxing class tonight and it was hard but fun. I have missed exercising so much. It really helps me in so many ways- both physically and emotionally. I have been going in the evenings, so now I have lots of nighttime energy... this can be good and bad!

Thursday night I will start working p/t at the Blue Moose Coffee Lodge. It is a little drive thru coffee shop here in town. So, that'll be great. I get a 40% discount on my coffee and free coffee when I work. So, hey- I'm already saving money. And now I'll get paid to do what I love! I will only be working about 10 nights a month. But, that is enough for me right now.

I am getting ready to finish up yet another semester of my teaching courses. Only three more semesters to go after this one. I think I need around 25 for credit hours. I will be doing my student teaching block spring of 2010. That sounds so far away, but it'll be here before we know it!

Good Lord, I'm going to be 32 in a few short weeks! AHHHH! Austin is taking me on a surprise getaway next weekend to celebrate. Can't wait! I will post pics of our trip. Hope everyone is doing well. Will post pics soon!

Austin's Herb Garden

Shanda's Baby Shower

A friend of mine at church had her beautiful little girl last Tuesday. - Alyia Grace. Congrats to the Postons!!! I love planning parties, especially baby showers! Oh, and it sure was fun b/c we got to decorate everything in PINK! Everything was so cute! I put confetti on the cake and punch tables. I wasn't thinking b/c there were like a gazillion little pieces of confetti all over the floor after the shower. The kids loved it! Cara Grace tried to eat it! I'll remember this next time.

Funny Observation

Ways Dogs and Babies are Alike-

1. They both don't mind eating anything off the floor

2. Both beg for food, especially "treats"

3. They will compete for food- with each other!

4. Neither one can use a toilet, however a babies' foulness can be contained to a diaper

5. Both are fascinated with the toilet- this involves playing and drinking

6. Babies love dog toys and dogs love baby toys. I think manufacturers just got together and made a big pile of toys, all the same and then just labeled seperately. One goes to the pet store, one goes to Babies R Us!

7. Both live for naps

8. Dog beds are hours of fun for both babies and dogs

9. Both sleep in cages

10. Both are loud at the most inopportune times!

Our Pretty Yard

So it's officially spring and that means yard work! Austin has been working his tail off in the yard all weekend. -but our yard looks so amazing!! It is raining a lot more now and our grass is very green. We were able to mulch all of our flower beds and pot several plants around the front of the house. I love gerraniums and we have plenty of those this yr~ So, we've had a productive weekend. Austin said that he was sore from his calves all the way up to his neck. Now, I just hope it will not freeze at night and we can move on into May w/o any of the plants dying! Happy Spring Everyone!