95

That's how many posts are sitting in my Google Reader, waiting to be read. And that's with me reading a few on my phone over the last few days.

I've been MIA for almost two weeks now. Last week was spent at Easter play rehearsals and performances. We had Saturday "off", if you can really call it that, because I was trying to get packed to leave on Sunday afternoon for FBLA state conference. We went to church on Sunday morning, then hurried to meet my students by 2:00 to head to the conference....a six-hour drive. Even though Tracy, Mama, Matthew, and Luke all went with me, I feel like I haven't seen them in days, because I was so busy. Unfortunately, the stomach bug hit me while I was there, along with Matthew and Luke. Not fun, especially being so far from home. When I'm sick, I want to be at home!

So, I'm writing from my sickbed, watching all the royal wedding specials, and trying to get caught up with reading about everyone's Easter celebrations, new babies, etc.

Hope to be back with pictures from Easter and the trip soon. In the meantime, please pray for all the folks affected by the tornadoes this week. So heartbreaking!

It's Been Awhile....

About six weeks to be exact! I can't believe I've gone so long without blogging. I've missed y'all! I think I kept waiting for something "blog-worthy" to happen. Well, lots of little stuff has happened, nothing terribly exciting, but it's all been keeping me busy, busy, busy! Plus, we've had some kind of event or activity just about every weekend for a couple of months.

The recap....(I'm using bullets to hopefully keep me from getting too wordy!)

• I had my first little photography assignment. A couple from church asked me to take photos as their 50th wedding anniversary party. It was fun to be able to focus only on taking photos and nothing else.


• We are doing an Easter drama/musical at church this year. First time as long as I've been a part of our church. It's lots of rehearsal time, but we are all so excited about it!


• I'm getting a new camera! Guess what I did to "earn" the money? I went to a "gold party" and sold some chains, bracelets, etc., that were either broken or that I'm never going to wear again, etc. I got quite a nice little paycheck! I'm going to host a party sometime in the next few weeks. My friends can come and make a little money, and I'll make a small percentage as well.


• We had to build a leprechaun trap. These kind of projects aren't my forte. Thank goodness, Matthew came up with idea of what to do (after seeing some pictures) and he and his daddy made the trap!

• We lost another member of the Jones family. My aunt Jackie, Daddy's twin sister, passed away in mid-March. The goodbye part was sad, but at the same time, I know Aunt Jackie's is having a ball. She was mentally challenged from birth, and the last few years, had been in poor health. She's home now with her parents and brothers who have already gone on. Unfortunately, there was some family "drama" that weekend....hurt feelings....most everybody has forgiven each other, but I have one cousin who was pretty angry with me. It still hurts. I've done all I can do, and I'm still praying about it. I hope in time everything will be okay.


• Matthew escorted a little queen for her farewell walk this past weekend. I didn't know if he would do it or not, but he agreed to it. He did such a good job...looked like a little man. So handsome!

• School is rolling along. We're gearing up for state testing next week. If I live until then.... I'm doing school all day, and then coming home and doing it all again...checking Matthew's homework. He has had a TON of work every night for the last week or longer. I really do appreciate all the effort his teacher is putting into preparing the kids, though. Third grade is the first year for this particular test, and the students must make a certain score in order to be promoted to fourth grade. That's a lot of pressure for 8 and 9 year olds!


• We have three more weeks until spring break.....and I don't get a break. I'll be taking students to an FBLA conference that week. I think I see a couple of "mental health" days in my future.

I'm hoping to get back to regular posting now! Have a great week!

Celebrating 90 Years

This past weekend, we celebrated Tracy's grandmother's 90th birthday. Her actual birthday was on Thursday, and the immediate family (if you can call it that....there were about 30 of us) took her out to eat. On Saturday afternoon, we hosted a reception at the church for other friends and family. She really didn't want us to do anything or "go to any trouble", but we couldn't let this milestone pass without a celebration. It wasn't anything fancy, because she's not a fancy kind of person, but we had to do something!

One of the most special, thought-provoking moments of the afternoon for me was when our pastor said a few words at the beginning of the reception. He talked about how Paul wrote to Timothy about "the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you." (2 Timothy 1:5 NKJV) Three of Grandma's five children, along with grandchildren and great-grandchildren are active in our church, and that's a testimony to her faith and the way she raised her family. I am blessed to have her oldest son as my father-in-law, a wonderful Christian man who raised my precious husband in the same way. Tracy's granddaddy was a deacon in our church, and now Tracy, his daddy, and his uncle are all serving as deacons. Tracy and I are trying to raise our boys with those same Christian values. I am not saying any of this to brag; I just feel incredibly blessed that the Lord gave me a Christian husband and family.

I had wanted to try to take some really great photos of the afternoon, but I just didn't feel like it. I have had the old cold/sinus junk that everybody else around here has already had, and wound up going to the doctor on Saturday morning. Luke woke up during the night Friday night crying and saying his ear hurt. Since he'd just had the upper respiratory virus, I felt pretty safe diagnosing him myself, and decided to take him to a walk-in clinic I really like instead of sitting at the pediatrician's office for hours. I decided that since we were going, I might as well see the doctor too! So we both got some medicine, and I managed to help with the reception and get a few photos, but nothing like I'd planned. I just felt too bad. Here a few photos I snapped, though. Doesn't she look good for 90? Still able to live by herself and drive to the beauty shop and church.

E-Readers?

Just wondering....do any of you have an e-reader? Kindle, Nook, etc.? If so, give me your thoughts on them. They look so neat, but I wonder if I'd really like one or not. Sometimes my eyes get really tired looking at the computer, so I wonder if I'd get eyestrain with an e-reader. Also, I love to swap books with friends. If I understand correctly, that's not always possible or easy with an e-reader. Do you know anything about this? What about the availability of cheap e-books? I love to shop the bargain table at B****s and N***e!

Speaking of books, I've just finished I Still Dream About You by Fannie Flagg. It was a $5.98 bargain book at BN. It was a great read! Would you believe it's my first Fannie Flagg book? I've never even read (or seen) Fried Green Tomatoes! I think I'm going to have to remedy that soon, though!

Who are your favorite authors and what's your favorite series?

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays. It's just a nice little pick-me-up in the dead of winter, and I love the flowers, the colors, the hearts, you name it! We didn't do as much celebrating this year, because we have a sick little guy at our house. We spent all of Sunday afternoon in the pediatrician's office with Luke. He tested negative for flu, so the doctor said it was a viral upper respiratory thing. He sure has been a sick boy. He started getting sick on Saturday, and today (Wednesday) was the first day he's shown any sign of recovery. Back to Valentine's Day...

Luke felt so bad he didn't even want his goodies at Grandmommy's house.

...but Matthew sure did!

I only managed to get one picture from Matthew's party at school. When I made it down to his classroom, they were watching a movie, so I had to do the best I could in the dark. Look at that tongue!

By the time we got home, Luke had perked up some and he and Matthew both were ready for their valentines from Daddy and me.

Remember, my mother-in-law is a florist, so it's kind of a given that I'll get flowers. But also remember, that's pretty much the only time of year I get them! I seriously doubt I'd be getting a dozen roses if Tracy actually had to pay for them, nor would I really want him to spend that kind of money on them! Remember my tip, too--if you want to make fresh flowers last longer, don't just add water every day, completely replace the water. Pour out the old water and fill the vase with fresh water every day.

Hope your Valentine's Day was spent with those you love.

And the Winner Is...

...ME!

I won! I won! A few weeks ago, I was home on Friday morning preparing to leave for an FBLA board of directors meeting out of town. I was supposed to be packing. Instead, I was on Facebook. I saw a post that Ruthanne from Eclectic Whatnot was going to be doing some giveaways in the form of a trivia contest starting at 10:30 that morning. I had been admiring her camera strap slipcovers for a while, but couldn't decide which one I liked best to actually place an order. So at 10:30, I was sitting on ready! I didn't get the first question in time, but I did get the second one, and here's what I won...

I love it! It's so cute! My favorite thing about it is that it is padded on both sides. One tutorial for making a camera strap cover that I had read only had you put the padding on one of the pieces of fabric, but this one is fully padded...just enough to make it more comfortable, but not so much as to be bulky.

Ruthanne has just stocked her shop with all sorts of new camera strap covers along with some pleated scarves. Go check it out at www.eclecticwhatnot.com.

In other news, I did spend part of the day yesterday as planned reading The Pioneer Woman's new book, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. In fact, I read the entire thing. Yep, the whole thing in one day, and I do recommend it!
I think I'm going to have a little bit slower week this week, thank goodness! Last week was crazy busy getting ready for FBLA competitions on Friday, plus haircuts and doctors' appointments after school. Maybe it's just me, but I just don't function as well when we have so many things going on in the afternoons that cause us to be late getting home, then rushing to get supper, homework, baths, etc.
I do have tentative plans for one afternoon, though. Tracy's aunt (who is my home decor expert) and I are going to Hobby Lobby! HL just opened in our town this weekend, and I am so excited! Prior to this, the closest one was 60 miles away! Mama and I went Friday afternoon, but it was pretty crowded and I didn't get to spend the time looking that I wanted to. So D and I are planning another trip. She "sees" things and ways to use them in the house that I don't, so I need her help! Tracy has joked that with Hobby Lobby in town, he may have to put me on an allowance! Ha! But he may be right.... :-)

My plans for the weekend...

1) Go to Matthew's last basketball game of the season this morning

2) Curl up with this....

Have a great weekend, friends, and stay warm!