Tag, I'm It!

My blog friend Amanda posted this on her website and encouraged others to play along. The only rule is that the questions have to be answered in one word. I'm not sure anyone will find his interesting, but here goes...

1. Where is your cell phone? Purse.
2. Where is your significant other? Recliner.
3. Your hair color? When?
4. Your mother? Farmer.
5. Your father? Heaven.
6. Your favorite thing? Chocolate.
7. Your dream last night? Dreamless.
8. Your dream/goal? Health.
9. The room you’re in? Living.
10. Your hobby? Photography.
11. Your fear? Illness.
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Family.
13. Where were you last night? Home.
14. What you’re not? Efficient.
15. One of your wish-list items? Maid.
16. Where you grew up? Happy.
17. The last thing you did? Email.
18. What are you wearing? Sneakers.
19. Your TV? CSI.
20. Your pet? Freckles.
21. Your computer? Laptop.
22. Your mood? Tired.
23. Missing someone? Laura/Nonnie (sorry I know I'm breaking the rule of one word)
24. Your car? Messy.
25. Something you’re not wearing? Lipstick.
26. Favorite store? Target
27. Your summer? Kids.
28. Love someone? Absolutely.
29. Your favorite color? Lime.
30. When is the last time you laughed? Recently.
31. Last time you cried? September.

I don't know if anyone who reads this blog will participate, but... Tag, you're it!

Happy Birthday Jake! (just a little early!)

This week we are celebrating 4 years of Jake!

Look how much he has grown. Here is the picture from his first birthday party invitation.

It's hard to believe how time flies! I was just thinking about when he was born... I taught up until the day before he was born. That was a Friday, and I was planning to get my sub plans ready on Saturday morning. I woke up early Saturday morning having contractions and there was not time for sub plans. Thank goodness my sweet neighbor teacher got everything ready for my classroom. When I told Cody I was in labor, he asked if he had time to go to work for a little bit. We made it to the hospital at around 8:30 and Jake was born around 10:30. Good thing he didn't get tied up at work! After we brought Baby Jake home from the hospital, it was months later before Josie stopped asking things like, "Is he still going to be here at Christmas?"

S'more Fun

Last night, we joined our friends a couple of houses down for an impromptu S'more making party. They had a fire going in their chimenea and we roasted marshmallows in it. The kids had so much fun. Jake doesn't really eat them, but he is very into the roasting process (although his marshmallows usually had to be thrown to the squirrells since he managed to drag them all against the wood.)

This brought back fun memories for me and my cousin Brant. We both thought about all the S'mores we had made with Nonnie. S'mores are a 4th of July tradition, but we never limited ourselves to just once a year. We have made them by roasting the marshmallows on the burners of the stove more times than we can count. By the way, your don't have to have a gas stove to do this. They will roast very well over an electric burner, too. Also, you can make them in the microwave, but they are not as good.

This prompted us to make a list of possible reasons for carrying extra weight while eating at Nonnie's:

1.) S'Mores

2.) Assortment of candy in the refrigerator

3.) Biscuits

4.) Cheese on everything (Broccoli, cauliflower, squash, macaroni...)

5.) Fried Food (Chicken Fried Steak, Fried Chicken Strips, Fried Squash, Fried Okra, Fried tortillas for Chalupas, French Fries...)

6.) Individual Cheese Dips at El Camino (yes, that's 1 for each person--I didn't know until I went to college that most people only order one queso for the whole table)

I'm sure there are more additions to this list, but these are just a few. :)

Pumpkin Fun

Last night was Paint Pumpkins with PTO at our school. We had lots of fun picking and painting pumpkins, getting faces painted, eating PaPa John's Pizza and taking fall pictures.

It was also Character Dress Up Day. Everyone (staff and students) dressed as a character from a favorite book. Josie was Junie B. Jones from Junie B. Jones Has a Peep In Her Pocket. This is a perfect character from her since she is so much like Junie B. In this book, Junie B. is afraid of going on a field trip to a farm because she thinks the rooster will peck her head into a nub. We found the cutest stuffed rooster at Dollar General that plays the Chicken Dance song. Josie carried the rooster during the parade. I dressed as Farmer Zuckerman from Charlotte's Web. The office staff dressed as the characters from Holes, which included orange jumpsuits. Here are a few pictures.

The rest of the weekend includes lots of laundry, school work, grant writing, and Halloween costume making. Thankfully, the class I am taking right now only has one more week to go.

Wedding Bells

While we were driving to school this morning, Josie and I had a conversation that went something like this:

Josie: "Mom, when teenagers...well not really teenagers...when grownups...well not really grownups..." Lots of long pauses involved.

This went on for quite some time with me trying to remain patient even though we were late to school (again!). It had been one of those mornings when everything had taken twice as long as it should have. Needless to say I had already missed my weekly Bible Study.

Josie: "When people get married..."

Me: "Yes, Josie." Thinking to myself, "is there a point to this story? Spit it out! Get to the point! Or better yet, just ride quietly in the car while I drive and contemplate another day."

Josie: "When people get married, do they stand up and thank their Mama and Daddy for raising them?"

YES--they should anyway! I have no idea why this topic was on her mind, but most conversations are like this with Josie. I did have a flash of a future day when she would be all grown up and getting married (and of course thanking Cody and me for raising her). I'm sure she will wear a tiarra and a very FANCY dress.

We discussed her wedding. She said, "I want you to be there with me. Will you still look the same as you do right now?"

Me: "Probably not; I'll probably be old and fat."

Josie: "Not if you start walking on the treadmill. You should go walk right now."

I'm not sure about how I'll look, but Josie, the Lord willing, I will be there with you.

Random Blog

This vine is growing over our fence from our neighbor's yard. Angie definitely has a green thumb. I don't know what kind of vine it is, but it is really pretty. I couldn't resist snapping a few pictures.

Dear Santa..

Josie has been spending hours riding the neighbor's ripstik. I'm amazed at how well she rides it. She is planning to ask Santa for one of her own. Check it out!

RipStik® "G", RipStik DLX, RipStik G, RipStick Caster Board