This little piggy

This is how it all started...

One more day of TAKS testing left. Woo hoo!

March

It seems like a lot of us aren't posting on our blogs much lately. I guess we spend more time on facebook instead. :)

One day during Spring Break a couple of my friends and I went to the Dallas World Aquarium. We figured it would be busy with lots of kids because of everybody being out of school. But we had heard that it was half price day at the Ft. Worth Zoo so we were hoping they would all go there instead. Um, NO! Half the city was at the aquarium.

After spending 15 minutes looking for a parking spot, we stood in the line outside that was wrapped around the building for about 10 minutes. It wasn't moving very quickly and we knew once we got inside, it was going to be just as crowded. So we decided to find something else to do and save the aquarium for a hot day in July when we're looking for an indoor activity.

It was a beautiful day outside so we decided to head to Southfork Ranch in Allen. A couple of us had never been. We figured surely there wouldn't be a bunch of people there, right? Nope! They said they had had a steady stream of people all day but it was obviously nothing like the crowd at the aquarium. :)

Southfork is the ranch where the show "Dallas" took place. But come to find out, they didn't actually film there, except for a couple of times. I never got into the show myself, mostly because I was too young, and I wasn't allowed to watch soap opera type shows back then. Anyway, we had fun walking around and taking the tour.

Each bedroom was designed after a character on the show

Today a couple of my teacher friends from my first school and I went to a baby shower for our friend Kelli. Kelli taught 2nd grade with us before we all changed schools. She now lives in Oklahoma where her husband is an associate pastor. We miss having her around! It was good to see an old friend. She and I have a similar sense of humor so she almost always knew what sarcastic comment I was thinking, even if I didn't say it outloud.

Kelli and her cute little belly

the diaper cake for Kerrington Faith

Open House

This Thursday night we have Open House at school. I thought it was as good of a time as any to put up a new bulletin board. With the reading program I do, I don't really have any student work to display, so I just think of a reading theme. My friend down the hall suggested "fishin' for books" and from there, this is what I came up with. I found this really cool background paper at the teacher supply store that looks like you're underwater. Last week when I put it up, kids (and teachers) were touching it. It was pretty funny. Once I added the tissue paper seaweed, I realized that it's going to tear pretty easily. There are 6 classes that pass by it every afternoon with their backpacks on, on their way outside to leave. So I'm not sure just how long it will all last. My favorite part is the bookworm on the hook. You can't really see it in these pics though.

a bubble font I found online

the books are the treasures :)

I went home last month and helped my parents give my nieces a little Valentines party. You think I could get any more pink or red in this kitchen? :) I had fun decorating it for them. I miss throwing parties at school now that I don't have my own class of kids.

yummy cupcakes my mom made using thepioneerwoman.com's recipe


my nieces...growing up so fast!





By the end of the night, it was cold out there, but I was making them pose with the Valentines window clings on the door.

birthday wishes

Happy Birthday, Kristi!!!

Jill and I had fun eating Sprinkles cupcakes just for you. I hope you have a fantastic birthday!

FREE Chick-Fil-A stuff this week!!!

I got an email today saying that (participating) DFW Chick-Fil-A's are giving out free food this week (Feb. 9-13) from 2:00-5:00 p.m. You know teachers like freebies! :) Here's the schedule:

Today was 8 nuggets

Tuesday - small waffle fries

Wednesday - ice cream cone

Thursday - small fruit cup

Friday - brownie (my personal favorite!)

My friend Koby got a new puppy. His name is Burke and he's a silky terrier. I went to see him this weekend. He was a sweet little ball of fur! Oh my gosh, I have to get one...someday! The lady he bought him from was at Canton this past month. It was her first time there. She usually goes to Bonnie and Clyde Trade Days in Arcadia. She said she prefers it there instead and probably won't go back to Canton. I thought that was interesting.

This weekend a few of us helped Gina celebrate her b-day at Patrizio's...

I recently got to hang out with my little buddy Hannah Marie. Isn't she adorable!!! We had lots of fun. She's going to be a big sister in about 10 weeks. She has no idea how much her little world is about to change when she's no longer the center of attention. :)

I love pajamas with footsies!

A couple of weeks ago I volunteered at a fundraiser for Clubhouse Concerts. It's one of my favorite places in Fort Worth to see live music. I got to hear several of my favorites and meet some new ones.

Max Stalling, Blacktop Gypsy, and Susan Gibson

Bobby Duncan, Walt Wilkins, Autumn, and some others

a cute new favorite Jeremy Martin

the guitars being auctioned off made them some BIG bucks!

3 Rivers Alice.....that guy's long hair kept bothering me. It looked like he needed to wash it and shave. :)

me selling CDs in an ugly tie-dyed volunteer shirt -- we looked like zebras!

my faves - Walt and Tina Wilkins

trip to Houston

This past weekend Jill and I headed to Houston to visit Shandra and her family and see Jenn before she has her twins next month. Blake and Andrew were so excited about us coming that they couldn't fall asleep on Friday night. They stayed up way past their bedtime and got to see us. Really we planned that ahead of time but don't tell their mommy. ;)

Saturday we headed to Jenn's house for a girls day. We showered her with gifts and had a great time. We got to see her cute nursery for Jenna and Ellie. She had received tons of presents so we helped her open all the packaging and get organized. Shandra's a pro at getting baby rooms organized! I unwrapped diapers from her diaper cakes. Jill brought yummy Sprinkles cupcakes for us to snack on. After all that hard work, we figured we deserved a treat. Jenn, Shandra, and Jill got a pedicure and I got a manicure. Then we went to dinner and got to see Don before we left. We tried talking Jenn into starting a blog or getting on facebook but she just couldn't be convinced.

Saturday night Matt was just dying for us to get home so he could visit with us some more. :) We talked about all sorts of good Tech times. It's funny the way we each remember stories a little differently. I didn't get to hang out much with Matt in college so we made up for it this weekend. We also tried talking him into getting onto facebook but he doesn't have time for that because he's going to be looking for me a railroad man to date. Plus, if he wants to talk to you, he'll call you...his words, not mine. :)


Shandra and Matt's boys are the sweetest things ever! And so smart too! They liked me and Jill so of course they're smart. :) Thanks for hosting us, Shan! I had a blast and can't wait to do it again sometime. Now it's your turn to come to Dallas......

I don't have much to blog about so I thought I'd try to make you laugh... :) Merry Christmas!!!

a celebrity sighting

A few weeks ago I got an email from New York & Company about a special event at their store. Carson Kressley was going to be touring 5 cities nationwide and hosting a fashion show at their stores. Well, one of his stops happened to be at the mall I shop at about 10 minutes away. So I rsvp’ed for my friend Sarah and I to attend last week. We got there early, stood in line for a while, then took our seats. In each chair was a bag with a red purse in it, which just happens to be my favorite color.

Then Carson came out and hosted the fashion show. He showed how to mix and match a bunch of different pieces.

We were only about 5 rows back from the end of the runway.

He was actually pretty funny. I was afraid he was going to be annoying like on TV, but he wasn't.

the model that could use a little sun :)

the confident model that liked having her hair in her face

and the model that could pass for J Lo's twin

I loved this red jacket she was wearing! If only I had some fancy parties to attend, then I would know some perfect outfits for them! :)

After the style show part was over, he held a question-and-answer session with the audience.

After it was all over, he came out and autographed pictures.

It was a fun night. Unfortunately my camera died on Halloween so I had to rely on Sarah's picture-taking skills. The same thing happened the next night at the Stars game. Does anyone have any recommendations for a good camera...not too expensive, a good zoom, not too heavy so I can carry it in my purse, etc. I'm thinking maybe if I wait until the big sales after Thanksgiving, maybe I can find a good deal. But until then, I'm going crazy without one! :)

it's worth it

This week I had one of those memorable moments in teaching. This year I'm responsible for a small group of special ed fifth graders. They're not severely handicapped or anything, they've been diagnosed with some sort of learning disability. I've really clicked well with one of them in particular. I'm in her reading and math class everyday and she's in my Read Right group. Unfortunately she's had some rough times at home in the past.

A couple of times when I've been working with her I've caught her looking at me and smiling. Once I jokingly asked her why she was looking at me and not the book we were reading and she said, "you're nice." Well this week she looked at me and said, "I wish you were my mom." I asked her why and she said, "because you're nice and I would like it at your house." I told her I didn't have any kids at my house and she said, "that's ok, I could be your first one." Talk about trying not to tear up! Believe me, if I could take her home and rescue her from her homelife, I would. Moments like that make teaching worth it. (Then there are moments like yesterday where you have to spend the whole freakin day at school for the carnival that make it not so worth it.) :)

Not much else to blog about. I got to spend some time with Jill today. We went to "Canton in the City" in Colleyville. I think we should stick to the Canton in Canton from now on. :) Then we enjoyed the weather while sitting outside at Starbucks.

Here are some pics from Halloween. My friends and I got together to hand out candy to trick or treaters. Being a witch was not at the top of my list of things to dress up as, but I didn't think Wilma Flintstone would fit in here... :)