Dare to Ask for What You Want

That was the theme for today and oddly enough I saw it on a poster in the school office. I went to Richland School today and talked to the principal. She was very welcoming and seemed pleased that I had come in. She did inform me that she has 3 teachers retiring in December and 1, possibly 2 retiring at the end of this year. She also said that in the next 2-3 years she was fairly certain other teachers that have been working for 35 years or so were probably on their way out and that she'd be doind even more hiring! So, I was thankful to hear that even if it doesn't happen this year, the possibility is even greater that it could be in tne near future.

She said she was impressed with my resume and wrote down when I'd be graduating. She asked if I knew where I'd be doing my student teaching. Unfortunately, I live in a different county and have been told they always keep you in the county you live in. I did inform her that I was hoping to substitute some before January in her school. She said that would be great and as how she's not the type of pricipal to sit in her office, she'd get to see how I am in the classroom.

After talking some, I was able to tell her who my family is and she goes to church with my grandmother and she went on and on about her. My grandmother was a teacher as well as one of my aunt's. She noted that teaching was probably in my blood. :)

All in all, I was VERY pleased by the exchange and I'm just keeping my fingers crossed and praying that I do great this year in school and that at the end of it all, I will be asked to teach there.

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I went to Step & Sculpt class tonight and this is always my hardest class and it didn't let me down. Dovie (my friend and instructor) kicked my butt! I was so worn out and SO glad when the class was over. :) I'm always glad that I went and did it though when it's all said and done. Zumba tomorrow- yay!

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The girls go to school tomorrow for a 1/2 day. It's so hard for me to believe that BOTH my girls will be going. Savannah told me today that she is REALLY EXCITED! I am so glad. Kylei's looking forward to it too. :)

So good luck to all the parents and theh kids that are heading back to school. Hope this is a good year for us all!

~Queen Bee~

Thoughts and Happenings

Today I had to take Savannah to the Dr. to get her shots updated and for a physical before she starts school. We still go to Dr. Chen in Pulaski and I had forwarned her about the shots but that we'd be going to get ice cream later. She was totally fine with that. Our appointment was at 10 a.m. but of course we weren't seen until about 11:30! But Savannah and Kylei played in the waiting room. When we got into the room, the nurse held up five fingers to signify to me how many shots she'd be getting today. Good gracious! I remember Kylei only getting four and now they've upped it on my baby. I have to hand it to that nurse though she is quick and makes it as painless as shots can be. She gave Savannah a pinwheel and told her to blow it while she was giving the shots and that Vannah shouldn't feel them...and she didn't until the 3rd one. Vannah started watching her put the needle in instead of focusing on the pinwheel. She started whimpering and wasn't as okay with getting the last two after that, but she never cried any tears, just that lil pitiful whimper. I don't care how old they get, it's never fun watching them get shots.

Of course we went to Reeve's Drugstore and had lunch and ICE CREAM! The girls got theirs in cups and we walked around the square and out further while they ate. It was nice to get some walking in today since I BOMBED this weekend on what I ate. But we had a wedding Saturday, then a Baby Shower on Sunday and John took me to see a movie that night. Anyway....we walked past the library and they were having a sidewalk sale of some of their books. I spent $2.40 and got the following:

Abel's Island (children's book)

Black Americans: Their History and Contributions (copyrighted 1969-lol)

I Can Be An Archaeologist (children's book)

People Who Have Helped the World: Father Damien (The man who lived and died for the victims of leprosy)

The Whipping Boy (children's book)

What Does a Witch Need? (children's)

The Mystery of Stonehenge

Pantomimes Charades and Skits (children's)

and the following paperbacks:

O Pioneers!

One Step at a Time (Scholastic book)

Children of the River (From Cambodia to America- Sundara's journey has just begun)

Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey

The Light in the Forest (story of a white boy raised by Indians

The Orphan Train Adventures: A Family Apart

The Babysitters Club: Mary Anne Saves the Day #4

I Am the Cheese

SO...it's a very eclectic list of books but ones I think are great for my kids when they get older and perhaps for the classroom depending on what grade I'll be teaching.

In other news:
My dad called me last night and had run into a teacher at Richland who informed him that she would be the new assistant principal there starting next year. Dad began telling her how I will be graduating in May and would love to work there and how we'd recently heard about the various openings they will have about that time. She said that many people are hoping for those jobs and told Dad to pass it along to me that she suggests going Now to talk to the principal and let her know my school situation and that basically I'd like my name in the hat. AAGGHH! I'm very thankful for the advice but I'm extremely stressed about doing this. I don't know this principal and to be honest am just not sure how to initiate this conversation. I am hoping to get by their tomorrow for this lil impromptu introduction. I know that I need to try and sub some over there this semester (since I won't be able too when I start student teaching in Jan) but between classes, homework, kids, family, working out, and trying to finish up those things I need to do before graduation...I am clueless how it's all going to work itself out.

Less stressful subject:
I cannot wait to go to Zumba tonight. I feel so guilty for blowing my diet this weekend that after that hour-long class, I think I'm gonna stay and so some more cardio on the elliptical or treadmill. I am desperate to get this weight off as quickly as possible, so I'm willing to do whatever.

The girls go to school Wednesday for half a day, but I am not in anyway prepared for that...well not in the supply-list/uniforms bought kinda way! Why doesn't money grow on trees again??

I am excited about what this year will be like for Kylei and Savannah though! Kylei will be in the 1st grade and that's the real deal in my opinion. They have homework and tests now! And Savannah is going to love Pre-K; I just know it! She's going to come home so excited to show me all the cool things they're learning and doing and I cannot wait!! :D

Hump Day

So, yesterday (Tuesday) was one week since I've started working out and eating healthier. So, it's been 8 days now of no caffeine as well. Whoo Hoo!! I'm excited to say that last night was the first time I didn't get a head ache so I'm hoping that means my body is over its withdrawals! lol

I've never been a very patient person and it's getting a little tough already to not really see results. So, I've decided that every Friday morning before I go to my Zumba class that I'm gonna weigh myself and see if I can see from one week to the next if I'm losing weight. I weighed myself at home last Friday but will be weighing at the gym this Friday so I don't know how accurate it all will be.

I'm still working on trying to get in all the fruits and veggies in a day that I should and to drink the recommended 64 oz of water. That will be my next goal.

John and I talked a little tonight about him possibly getting a 2nd job, something on the weekends. I'm a lil upset that it's come to this. I don't want him away from us on the weekends and I don't want him resenting the fact that he's working all the time either. He brought it up though cuz we're just making it, but with buying healthier foods and such, it's hurting us. I sure wish some of the accounts he's been working on would commit and sign a contract -then we'd be fine. ugh.

School will be starting soon for the girls. I have mixed emotions about that.

Anyway, hope everyone has had a great hump day. May the rest of the week be excellent!

The Gospel

I don't know if you've thought much about it, but if you had to explain what the gospel is to another, what would you say?

I'd like some comment back because I'm curious if the answers I'd recieve parallel with what I've often been taught and thought as well.


Thanks.

Family News

John went yesterday to visit his grandmother in the hospital after she fell and broke her hip. He ended up staying all day and all night with her. His cousin was there as well. They were asked by the doctors to stay because of all the pain medication she was on before and after surgery, she had no clue where she was or what was happening to her and was scared to death. She kept wanting to pull out her tubes and IVs and wanting to get up and walk. When John and Judy wouldn't let her, she claimed they hated her. It was a rough night. He got home about 10:30 this morning and crashed.

His mom will be arriving in Nashville around 2pm today. They won't allow the girls up to the top floor to see Grandmother because they are still concerned about children contracting the Swine Flu.

Today is the day we were supposed to take the girls to meet John's parents and let them stay a week in Louisiana with them, but with John's grandmother's fall, this isn't going to happen. Kylei was very upset. She had been planning all the things she wanted to do with Grammy. I have to admit I was a bit upset too. I had plans of my own while they were gone.

But for now, I just ask for prayers for our family, especially John's Grandmother and Mom.

Exercise Program

MY EXERCISE ROUTINE for next week:



Monday: Zumba 8:45-9:45 am or 6:30-7:30 pm

Tuesday: Step & Sculpt 5:30-6:30

Wednesday: Zumba 6:35-7:35

OR (in case of church conflict)

Ellipt./TreadM/Bike 8:45-9:45

Thursday: Basic Step & Sculpt 5:30-6:30

Friday: Zumba 8:45-9:45

Saturday: Step 9:00-10:00

H20

I started reading back through some of my older posts. I was curious about something, but anyway, I looked back through my Bucket List and realized that I'm finally doing one of those -DRINK MORE WATER THAN ANY OTHER DRINK. Yay!! I'm also working on that last one- Lose weight and look Hot. It's gonna take awhile, but I'll get there.

Yay!!

Day Three

...of getting my weight under control.

This morning at 8:35 a.m. I went to the gym with my friend, Dovie, who has been helping me in this endeavor and we took a Zumba class. (How's that for an early morning wakeup) Zumba is a Latin-infused cardio dance. It was a lot of fun but it sure got me hot and sweaty! :)

After class, Dovie and I went to Wal-Mart where she helped me by showing me what to eat, what not to eat, and she gave me advice that she learned from L.A. Weightloss which is the PPVVVFFFSSD method.

P=Protein
V=Vegetable
F=Fruit
S=Startch
D=Dairy

Every day you eat 2 servings of Protein, 3 servings of Vegetables, and so on.
And you drink at least 64 oz water a day. You need to add some fat to your diet, but not a lot. So eat red meat or pork ONCE a week and on that day, do NOT have it with potatoes.

So...all that starts today. John is probably going to have a cow when he sees that I bought about $100 in groceries. We all knew this, but it's not cheap to eat healthy. Those fruits and fresh veggies cost $$. But I feel it's worth it, and I think we can afford to do it if we stop going out to eat so much.

Dovie also gave me a pedometer right before we walked into the gym (8:25). As of right now (1:44), I've taken 11,207 steps!! Can you believe it!? You are supposed to take atleast 10,000 a day so I'm definitely okay today.

The classes at the gym have been really great. The worst part has been my leg calves...they've been taking a beating and barely allow me to walk in the mornings or if I've been sitting awhile. I know it'll get better soon though.

Bad part of the day: I weighed myself. I am about 10 lbs heavier than I thought I was. :( It's a darn good thing I'm working hard to tackle this weight now, cuz it's B A D !!

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Side note: John's grandmother (nearly 90) fell yesterday and broke her hip. She is having surgery today so please pray for her and our family.

Inside is a Skinnier Me and I'm trying to find her

Once again, I'm back at it....trying to lose this weight. I started back to the gym yesterday. A friend of mine from school is helping me out. I took her step & sculpt class last night. It almost killed me. I wanted to cry. I had to rest often. I did not quit. That's going to be my biggest hurdle- not quitting. I'm proud that I stuck it out and finished. I wish I had been able to go straight through and it disgusted me to realize just how out of shape I've become. I am not only working out, but I'm trying to stop drinking caffeine as well, especially sodas. For the past two days, I've had only water. It's so hard! I get headaches and am ill-tempered.

Today I woke up feeling sore, but worse of all was stuffy/runny nose and sneezing my head off. I almost didn't go to the gym tonight, but I did. John and I went and we had plans to do a 15 minute workout on the elliptical and then do laps in the pool there. But we went too late to go to the pool, so we came back to the apt and went to the pool here. John and I did laps for awhile (I kept thinking about myself as a child when I could swim ALL day and beg for more...I miss that girl). We then worked with the girls on swimming and today they did! They swam!!! I am soo proud of them. They're gonna need to keep practicing but in all, they did amazing!!!!!

Tomorrow night, I go back to the step/sculpt class. I can't say I'm looking forward to it, but I know I'll be there.

If anybody has some really good, but healthy recipes (and are ones that are easy to cook and buy for) I'd love it if you could pass them on.

I think tomorrow morning, I'm gonna go to Pulaski and do some line dancing with my Mom and Dad. Then tomorrow night, go back and kill myself at the gym again. :)

Wish me luck.

Big 8

July 7, 2001 John and I married and it was one of the best days of my life. Eight years later, we've been through it all- highs, lows, sickness, health, children, jobs, and moves. We've kissed, hugged, fought, cried, laughed, danced, and made love. We are what married life looks like. I'm happier today though things have certainly changed a lot throughout the years, but I'm grateful that our vows have lasted and we're living and loving.

Happy Anniversary John! I LOVE YOU!!