Sarah Says...

I'm not a grinch...I swear:)

2011-12-14T11:29:00.000-08:00

This year we opted out of Christmas decorations at our house...no stockings, no mistletoe, no tree, no presents! Seemed like such a hassle with all of the stuff I've got going on this month. I've ALWAYS decorated for Christmas in the past. In my defense, I DO have TWO Christmas trees up in my Pre-K classroom, and have presents for all 18 kids:) I think that should make up for the other. This is also the first (and only, probably) Christmas that I have not given gifts to friends and family, and in turn do not expect to receive any~gifts are fun, but I am just as happy to spend time with my family, visit, and eat. In previous years, we have drawn names--but that just feels like swapping money to me. We all are big readers, so everyone usually goes home with a Barnes and Noble gift card!

What are some family traditions that you have regarding Christmas holidays? I'm thinking I need some new ideas for Christmas to-hopefully-get myself back in the spirit next year!

Lessons Learned

2011-11-30T16:07:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving has come and gone...and I have learned a few things this year over the holiday.

First of all, that week off wasn't nearly long enough, even though I am very THANKFUL to have a job--the next three weeks leading up to Christmas holidays will be THE most hectic weeks of my school year....Pre-K Santa Supper, our Christmas party, and last but NOT least, the Dance with Santa that a co-worker and I plan and set up for the entire school body.

Secondly, I am so THANKFUL that last year during Thanksgiving I was able to fly across the country to WA(even though it didn't turn out exactly as we had planned:(.....that we were dedicated enough to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for supper for months (totally exaggerating here...a little) to save up for that trip makes me very proud!

And last of all, I am thankful for my thick skin, endurance and patience. My husband and I have gone round and round about having children...not sure whether it's the right choice for us. We do live in the South, where everytime you turn around someone is poppin a baby out! ALL of my close friends either have children or are trying to get pregnant. That's hard for me at times. WELL. I recently found out that my status as an only child for the last 28 years will be null and void as of this summer. Strange, huh? My Dad and his wife, who is in her late 30s are having a baby. Not too weird when I think about other people doing this, but VERY strange that it's happening to me. HAHA! Listen to me, making it all about myself:) Well, this is MY blog;)

Anyway, maybe that is a sign for TJ and I to be good with our choice to not reproduce so far.....I'm just waiting (dreading) on the day when someone sees a pic of me and my new (brother/sister) on facebook and post "Congratulations!" to me and my new kid, as I'm sure it will resemble me, and people are sure to be a little confused. I'll be sure to vent ALL about it!

Some of my artwork completed over the Thanksgiving Break.....

Lasagna Love

2011-11-19T13:13:00.000-08:00

Rachael Ray's Garlicky-Spinach Lasagna

Folks, tried and tested, this lasagna is the bomb.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. baby spinach

4 tbsp. butter

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

8 oz. wide egg noodles

2 cups Creamy White Sauce

6 oz. fresh goat cheese

4 tbsp. prepared pesto

1 1/2 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs ( I made mine with a loaf of french bread)

2 tbsp. EVOO

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan, bring 2 inches water to a simmer. Add the spinach in batches, stirring until wilted; cook until all of it is tender. Drain and let cool. Squeeze out excess moisture and chop. In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir until golden, about 1 minute. Stir in the spinach. Season lightly with salt and pepper; remove from the heat. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook the noodles, stirring often, until al dente. Drain—but do not rinse—and return to the saucepan. Stir in the white sauce to coat. Lightly grease an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Layer in half of the noodles and press with a spatula. Dot with half of the goat cheese, spread the spinach on top and press down. Stir 3 tbsp. pesto into the remaining noodles and spoon over the spinach. Dot with the remaining cheese. Cover snugly with foil and bake until hot and bubbling, about 35 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the remaining 2 tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the remaining 1 tbsp. pesto with the EVOO. Drizzle the lasagna with the pesto oil and sprinkle with the crumbs.

WHITE SAUCE:

Ingredients2 tbsp. butter1/2 cup finely chopped shallots1/4 cup flour2 cups milk, warmed1/4 cup grated parmesan cheeseSalt and pepperDirections:Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in warm milk; bring to boil and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan and 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper.

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/garlicky-spinach-lasagna

In the famous words of Natalie Merchant..."I'd like to thank you..."

2011-11-16T19:55:00.000-08:00

Source: Uploaded by user via Amanda on Pinterest

First of all I must say that I am supremely proud of myself for even attempting to "embed" an image onto my blog....you have no idea.

I came across this quote on Pinterest and it practically SCREAMED at me to please pass it along. Doesn't everyone have a person that the latter part of this quote brings to mind?! I know I do;)

Blog Blues

2011-11-15T14:44:00.000-08:00

I have had the blog blues. I don't know how else to put it. I haven't posted in around 3 months....I just haven't had my heart (or my mind) in it.

What I have been is BUSY....

....busy going to the Kentuck Arts Festival in Northport, AL and finding great pieces like this owl--which I haven't found the perfect place for yet:) And having the most perfect shrimp and grits and organic peach-infused vodka martinis at Opus.

....busy working at home

trying to finish up this patio-which obviously has a long way to go!

Spending time with the most wonderful husband EVER;)

....busy trying new recipes like this dark chocolate pistachio bark from whole living magazine--delicious!

....and last, but certainly not least, busy planning fun activities for the holidays for my pre-k kids! Pinterest--a new obsession of mine- is fabulous for great art ideas & recipes:)

DOES THIS MAKE ME AN AWFUL BLOGGER? I promise I'm going to do better!!!!!!

Add More ~ing To Your Life

2011-08-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

So I've recently been hearing about Gabrielle Bernstein, a new role model for women who want to find self-love and inner peace. I've pre-ordered her two books, which will be released September 13.

Add More ~ing To Your Life

Spirit Junkie: A Radical Road to Self-Love and Miracles

Go here to find out all about this amazing woman and to watch some of her videos.

Bad kid....or bad parent? You decide;)

2011-08-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

So a friend told me about her son's baby-sitting experience today, and I just had to share. You won't believe this!

My friend's son went to watch a 7 year old kid this morning and before the mom left, the 7 year old told her to "pick me up a pack of marlboro lights while you're out."

The mom said something to the effect of how he better watch his mouth.

AND THE KID SAID.....

"YOU better hurry back with my smokes."

What is the world coming to????????????????

Vacation Part 2: Laurel Falls

2011-07-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

Laurel Falls is on Cove Mountain, and is about a 1 and 1/4 mile hike STRAIGHT UP(not literally--close enough). It was well worth the hike up.

Rafting in the Smokies

2011-07-28T12:37:00.000-07:00

So....I am not posting my vacation pics in order...I'm going to HAVE to start with the highlight of our trip!

(oh and btw--these rafting pics are NOT ones I personally took but are of the area and company we rafted with--of course you can't take your CAMERA rafting;)

We booked our rafting trip with Rafting in the Smokies, which is in Hartford, TN.

Our trip began with a 5 minute bus ride to our put-in spot on Little Pigeon River.

Since I was the smallest person on our raft, the guide wanted me to sit in the back beside

him so he would have plenty of room to maneuver....which is also the WORST place to sit!

The highest class waves/holes on the stretch of the river we were on are Level 4, so this was

mostly stress free and fun. We did have 2 people fall out of our raft though!

Chacos or tennis shoes are a MUST! You will be turned away if you don't have secure shoes.

This is because your feet are what keep you from coming out of the raft! You jam your foot

into the raft...I actually was STUCK at one point...our OH-SO-COOL river guide had to pull

me out;)

Now...our river guide...there really are no words. He was about 35 and a mix between Keith Stone from the Keystone Light commercials and Matthew McConaughey's character from Dazed and Confused(by the way-best movie EVER-don't go through life without watching this movie!)

Our guide's name was Willis--and you need to know this if you ever are in Hartford Tennessee rafting---ask for him! He was the coolest, hipp-iest:) dude...loved him!

I can officially say that we are HOOKED on rafting! I am already a canoe-fiend, but that's a whole other experience.

We have decided to invest in 2 brand new kayaks! I am over-the-top excited about this:)

Now planning a weekend camping trip to Coldwater Creek, which is in North Florida. This creek is clear all the way to the bottom...which is in our favor....SNAKES are not my idea of a good time!

Summer VACAY!!!!

2011-07-15T13:53:00.000-07:00

I am SO excited....we are celebrating our 5th anniversary with a trip to the mountains! I haven't been since I was a little girl, and my husband has NEVER been.

We are staying in a tiny little cabin in the woods, with just enough room for the two of us:)

Of course, it wouldn't be an anniversary trip without the HOT TUB! Woohoo:)

And...the wine. My dear friend gave me this bottle, and it will be thoroughly enjoyed!

Gatlinburg has an 8.5 mile loop of an Arts & Crafts Community. Heaven.

We've also booked a RAFTING excursion! Pray for us:)

See you when we get back!!!!

Summer Lovin'

2011-06-04T10:14:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! Summer break is here! This is something every teacher dreams of during the regular school months...believe me. I'm still finishing up our school yearbook, but other than that staying pretty busy. I've been painting, staining our new pergola in the backyard, reading, and actually have been walking at 7 am each morning...so much for sleeping late!

I need some new running shoes! My old Nike's are tearing my ankles up:(

Any suggestions?? Comfort is a priority, but they MUST be cute too!

Saw Hangover II last weekend...so friggin funny. Go see it!

April 27th in the South....

2011-04-28T07:53:00.000-07:00

Such a terrifying and sad day...we've got minor damage from tornadoes in Marengo County, but others didn't fare so well. These are pics from Tuscaloosa, AL--less than 60 miles away. I've been trying to get in touch with family that live in Tuscaloosa since last night...my two cousins who attend the University watched from their front porch-i know, crazy- and still waiting to hear from my step-sister. I received word that she's ok, just can't get service up there right now. Praying for all the people this affected...

TO DONATE $10.00 TO THE RED CROSS RELIEF EFFORT, TEXT REDCROSS TO 90999

Happy Easter:)

2011-04-24T17:05:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter to all! Hope everyone had and is having a great Easter weekend!

Saw Water for Elephants yesterday. I read the book about a year ago, and have been looking forward to seeing the movie, ESPECIALLY since Rob Pattinson is leading man:) The book was wonderful, and so was the movie...they kept it pretty much right on track, not leaving out anything majorly important from the book. Beware though--I had a few tear-up moments during the show!

Reese Witherspoon is an absolute doll in this movie!

The Help is another book-to-movie I'm looking forward to this August. This book is set in the South (Mississippi), and is about Southern "ladies" and their help. It's told mainly through the eyes of the help and Emma Stone's character in the movie, and is FABULOUS!

* P.S. If anyone has any "technical" tips that would help me with my picture posting, that would be fantastic...I just deleted a pic on accident AND left out some eye candy of the beautiful Robert Pattinson because it would only let me upload 5 at a time, and if I added another pic it wouldn't be where I wanted it to be in the post. Am I missing something???

Tornadoes, birthday, and complete randomness...

2011-04-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the chaotic randomness that is this post...that's just the way my mind is working lately:)

I've got to change the "About Me" section of my blog...I have turned 28 since my last post!

My mom brought a chocolate mousse cake all the way from Louisiana for the occassion, and we had boiled crawfish-my favorite!

We had crazy bad weather in Alabama yesterday! I'm terrified of tornadoes, and they were running rampant all over West Alabama. Our house caught hail from one, but luckily, we had no damage!

I miss Paul already! How in the world did he not get the votes last week??? Oh well, he's so great and unique that he'll do fine...I'm pretty sure he already was before American Idol (that cute face doesn't hurt either!). Now I'll just have to root for Casey and Haley, my other two favorites:)

Don't you love these wax seal necklaces?? I am NOT a big initial person (polka dots, initial flags in yards, and yellow box flip flops don't really do it for me either...I've got some strange pet-peeves!) BUT, I do SO love these--would be even cuter with some smaller charms hanging with.

And finally......

If you haven't already, check out

GLO! This website is fabulous! With sections on beauty, style, living well, and relationships, you'll find it hard to navigate away from this page.

Top Ten on Tuesday

2011-04-12T14:41:00.000-07:00

Fun questions this week! Head on over to Chelsea's blog if you'd like to participate! 1. If you work, do you drive to work or take public transportation? I make a 20-25 minute drive to and from work Monday-Friday to my teaching job. 2. How often do you get your haircut? Do you go to the same person every time? I used to get it cut at least every 2 months, but here lately I'm holding out for every 3 months...trying not to spend so much money!! I do have a regular hairdresser, who is also a good friend. 3. Do you read the newspaper? If so, a hardcopy or the online version? I'm a big Google News reader. I check out what's going on in the world every day on my break. 4. What is the best book you have read this year? Right now I'm reading These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf. It's not the BEST book I've read this year, but I will have to think on it. 5. What is the best movie you have seen this year? 2! Tron and True Grit. 6. Do you tend to crave sweet or salty foods? BOTH:) I crave salty in the morning, and sweet late at night. I've started buying chocolate soy milk for my late night cravings...Silk...it's delicious:) 7. Do you eat breakfast every day? If so, what do you have? On work mornings, I eat something quick, like cereal or a banana. On weekends, I LOVE cinnamon toast with nutella on the flip side and a banana cut up on top...so yummy! 8. If you celebrate Easter, what Easter treat/candy are you most looking forward to? Cadbury Eggs 9. How late is “sleeping in” to you? 9:00 10. Where are you going on your next vacation? My husband has never been to the Tennessee mountains, which was always a regular vacation for my family when I was growing up...so that's where we're planning to go this summer!

Nook Color

2011-04-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

I just bought a Nook Color, and I'm already asking myself how I ever lived without it! I say the same thing about my itouch...I don't leave the house without it. At almost $300 with tax plus the case and screen protector, I nearly talked myself into saving a little more and holding out for an Ipad. But, I'm glad I didn't.

I've now got a monthly subscription to Marie Claire on my Nook:)

I've only bought one book so far, but I'm still reading hardbacks that I had before I bought it. I'm not giving up "real" books altogether....I find that reading in bed is best with the real thing for some reason. And, if you've been a reader, then you've seen my WONDERFUL bookcase that my sweet husband gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago. I can't and won't let it go to waste...I've almost COMPLETELY filled it up with books that I've already read.

The Nook is great for sitting in the doctor's office, traveling, and even (ha!) reading during commercial breaks on the couch in the dark--it's wonderfully backlit!

The great thing about the Nook is that you can surf the web on it and an app store is coming this month for available downloads! So, as you can tell, I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking into buying an e-reader.

Still love my "real" books:)

Top 2 Tuesday

2011-03-29T15:10:00.000-07:00

Top 2 Celebrity Hairstyles

Scar Jo's cute new do...I'm thinking I'm going to have to copy this one!

Taylor Swift with the straight/bang look What are your 2 favorite celebrity hairstyles?

Spring Break is over....

2011-03-24T15:56:00.000-07:00

My friend and I headed down to georgous Orange Beach, AL last Friday. Would you believe I left my license at home?!? Not only did that prevent me from entering any venue

for those over the age of 21 (yeah, I guess I look kinda young!), but was a real hassle for shopping. Can't believe I pulled that one! We did end up having a great time, though!

If you're EVER in the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area, you MUST eat at Cosmos!! Delicious! They serve a different savory (not sweet) cheesecake each week...last weekend it was the muffuletta cheesecake...olives, bits of Italian meats like salami, pimentos and provolone...so freakin' good:) Ha! I also had chocolate cheesecake with strawberry sauce:)

I also tried squid salad for the first time, and it was surprisingly delicious.

While shopping, we ran across this little boutique--Dunia--and this fun lady (can't believe I found this pic on the web!)

This shop had some of the funkiest tye-died things...super cute! Also non-tye-died things...like this skirt she's wearing--I bought one!

Loving this dress!

Got this style dress in the green/blue colors of the dress above, but would have SO gotten the first dress if it was available!

Flea Market Finds

2011-03-17T20:37:00.000-07:00

This weekend my mom was up for a visit, so she and I and my grandma decided to hit up some flea markets...some good and some really really bad! I do love searching through junk though! You never know what odd piece may turn into your next favorite home accessory. I also purchased my yearly supply of plants on Saturday...I will TRY to keep them alive through the summer:)

Here are some of the plants, and a couple of pieces of "junk" furniture that I found at a flea market and repainted. I found this cute lantern at TJ Maxx for less than $25!!!! I love their home department.

Found this (so Shabby Chic!) cabinet at the flea market! While I paid next to nothing for the pieces of furniture on the deck, I shelled out a little more for this. I was so ready to get this home, place it in my bathroom, and stock it with all of my favorite products!!!

Off to the beach tomorrow for a girls weekend before reality hits on Monday morning!

Lately....

2011-03-08T16:00:00.000-08:00

I've been doing a lot of these hangers lately...using reclaimed wood and attaching flea market/antique store/craft store metalwork on them.

TJ found this piece of cedar in the woods behind our home!

My funky COW!!!!

I'm pulling a Fiona Apple and have to say that I've been a bad, bad...

BLOGGER!

I am really slacking here lately, but anyone out there who is a teacher can relate! Work is BUSY this time of year...but Spring Break is 3 days away and I can't WAIT!!! My best friend and I are headed to the beach for some much needed R & R!!!

Anyway! Things that have been going on with me lately...

1. Been painting my heart out...not only have pieces at Blackbelt Treasures, but also hanging and for sale at a local restaurant! Very exciting!! See pics above.

2. Attended a wedding reception a few weeks ago, where I walked out of the bathroom with--get ready--the back of my dress tucked into my tights! Thank goodness for dim lights and lots of alcohol!

3. My little dotson, Bella, was tragically run over the day after Thanksgiving. I was so sad about this...couldn't imagine having another dog...not yet anyway. But, when I saw a picture of this little cutie (an Australian Shepard just like our other dog), I had to have him!

Leon...if you're a regular visitor, you know why I chose this name! Corny...yes, but who cares?

Hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week!

Wish I Was Here Wednesday

2011-02-16T11:59:00.000-08:00

Go visit For Me to see all the other wonderful places others WISHED they were today!!!

It's nearly 70 degrees here today, and I'm stuck inside! Wish I was exploring/wading through this creek!! Wouldn't that be fun?? Even better, tubing down a creek with a cold beverage:)

Who's a spoiled brat???

2011-02-11T12:25:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day is just around the corner! I don't usually get myself all worked up about this holiday, but for some reason this year I'm ALL about it...dropping hints here and there...asking others their V-Day plans. It's a pretty crazy holiday...pointless really unless you're in the candy or flower industry...makes single people want to barf no doubt, and can make gals with romantically-disabled mates want to slap them! When my husband and I were first dating, he really went all out. After 4 years of dating and almost 5 years of marriage, I don't think it should be dismissed altogether! Now, I'm not the flower type--who wants $100 worth of roses when that money could be spent on or put towards, oh let's see...

a beautiful black pearl ring (hint hint hubby...been wanting one of these forEVER!)

a movie date...really wanting to see this...it comes out TONIGHT!

and afterwards, maybe a trip to Yogurt Mountain!!! So good!

All negativity and joking about this sappy holiday aside, all girls expect SOMETHING on Valentine's Day...I know I do!

What are your V-Day plans?????????

Spring Fever!

2011-02-01T12:04:00.000-08:00

Down here in Alabama, we don't usually get the winter weather that's common in the North. This year would have to be an exception! Our school(where I'm a teacher) has taken 2 weather days in January alone...this is VERY uncommon. Therefore, sadly, we must make up these days. Not to happy about that!

Needless to say, I am ready for some Spring in my life!! Warm days spent outside...fishing, reading, walking. I am SO ready for shorts, flipflops, and nights out! It seems like the colder it gets, the more we stay at home, in the comfort and warmth.

Valentines Day is just around the corner, and I have to say I'm not ready for this! I'm drawing a blank here. Some people think Valentines Day is for girls only, but I always want to show my hubby that I am his #1 fan! Any ideas on this topic???

Check out Piperlime for all the hottest Spring fashions...I did! LOVING the wide-leg light denim jeans and wedges for the warmer weather!!!

Pacific Northwest

2010-12-03T19:58:00.000-08:00

I've been a bad bad blogger...haven't posted in weeks! Work has been so hectic what with the semester coming to a close, and of course our year-in-the-making trip to Washington State over Thanksgiving holidays--that, by the way, didn't turn out quite as planned. I could go into detail after gory detail of the vacation from hell, but think I'll just settle for a quick recap!

Day 1: Make it to the beautiful city of Seattle, after a very cramped flight sitting next to for 4 hours- I'm not kidding here-a possible serial killer who stared at me out of the corner of his eye the entire flight.

Brrrr....so cold! Waaaayyyy too far below freezing for these Alabama folks. But, what a fun city! I had a blast shopping at H&M, Free People, Anthropology...having a frozen hot chocolate at The Chocolate Box...shrimp pasta and clam chowder at Cutter's...browsing through all of the unreal seafood, fruits, vegetables, and art at Pike's Market...and PEOPLE WATCHING! Always entertaining:)

Looking over Puget Sound, daydreaming about our next few days up in the Olympics...Hoh Rain Forest, Bainbridge Island, Port Townsend, Port Angeles, Forks...all of the wonderfully fun places we had planned to visit.

AAAAHHH...this pizza was to die for! And I can't NOT mention the cannolis for dessert:)

And then........it started to snow....heavily. I'm not talking the light dusting that we get in Alabama maybe once a year. The news was forecasting BAD weather and SLICK roads. No way my little small-town-driving self was getting in that rental car to take on this situation--therefore, couldn't possibly get over to our next destinations:(

These pics don't in any form or fashion portray the weather that was to come that night, which by the way was our LAST night. As soon as I spoke to our hotel in Port Angeles, and they told me not to even try it because of the roads, I was BOOKING our flight home!

We could have stuck it out, but we only had 2 more days left of our trip, and the forecast was not looking promising. It's a scary feeling to think that you could get stuck 2,000 miles from home...okay maybe that statement was a little bit dramatic! SO--we hung out at Seatac Airport for HOURS--thank goodness it's like a mall in there! Our flight attendants were stuck on closed roads, so--yay--delayed flight. Only to finally board and have MECHANICAL problems. Night.Mare.

Adding fuel to the already blazing fire....missed our connecting flight in Houston because of the delay at Seatac. O.M.G.

When we arrived in Birmingham, it was an oh-so-comfortable 70 degrees.

All in all, although I am so so so very sad that it didn't turn out the way we had planned, it was an experience we'll NEVER forget and maybe one day (during the SUMMER months) we can return and get to experience all that we missed out on.

P.S. Thanks for ALL of your help, Teresa...especially guiding me and my hysterical self during our little fiasco! xxoo

2010-11-16T11:21:00.000-08:00

I'm on the countdown until our trip to the Northwest...I have a mixture of feelings-both very excited and nervous feelings. I will admit that I am SO very anxious about driving in Seattle...big city traffic and I do not get along. BUT, my excitement outweighs my nervousness! I am so ready to see what Seattle has to offer, not to mention my sick affection for shopping! I think I'm most looking forward, though, to our time on the Olympic Peninsula visiting smaller towns and exploring Hoh Rain Forest, Forks, Port Townsend, and as many other places we can jam-pack into 5 days!

weekend recap

2010-10-31T16:42:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween!

Suprise surprise! I actually had an eventful weekend besides today, which I slept most of away due to the copious amount of coffee that kept me up half the night. Last night I saw Hereafter...don't waste your time or money. The beginning of the movie seemed promising, but sadly disappointed as it drug on and on and on and on, only to come to a very predictable ending--to me at least.

Friday night TJ and I along with a few of our friends had a cookout at my family's camphouse. This is Kimberly and me and below us is her adorable little boy, Patrick, who will be turning 1 next month.

Isn't he the cutest?!

Don't call me Saturday...I'm booked!

2010-10-25T16:49:00.000-07:00

Sitting at a faculty meeting today, I had my planner out, looking over the rest of October. My coworkers sitting around me were flabbergasted at all of the "stuff" I was involved in...but it was mostly WORK-RELATED:( I have entries like...take pictures of Trick-or-Treating walking field trip...meeting @ 6 pm...call Main St. businesses...paint class at 7, etc.

One of my coworkers noticed and was laughing (with me, of course) at my blank Saturdays--nothing penciled in! I told her that Saturdays were non-plan sort of days, you know...read, watch tv, knit, clean up around the house, work in the yard, all those sorts of thing. My goodness, I have to drive an hour just to get to a movie theater:( There really is not much to do around here, that is at least nothing planner-worthy!

I'm not saying I NEVER go out...I love nights out to dinner/drinks with the girls/movies/cookouts/parties. But, here lately I've been so involved in saving as MUCH money as I can for my upcoming trips...I ABSOLUTELY am NOT going to miss out on an H&M shopping spree in Seattle!! We do not have H&M down here in po-dunk Alabama!!

Is this sad? Am I the only 27 year old whose weekends revolve around recovering from the work week??

o happy day:)

2010-10-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

Finally here! I've been so excited for this day to come...

Rushing home from work to upload to itunes!!

Knit-O-Holic

2010-10-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

My art projects have temporarily taken a backseat to my new hobby...knitting! I swear, although my first few knitting projects have more thank their fair share of "character flaws" in them, I have become a knitting machine.

BUT, I have come to realize that so many of these patterns that I am longing to do would be SO much cheaper and EASIER bought at the store! You wouldn't believe the money I have doled out in the last few months to craft stores...buying yarn...knitting tools...knitting needles (for heaven's sake, each knitting pattern I look at seems to call for a different size knitting needle than I have!) Thank goodness I have a grandmother that's been knitting for decades and is in possession of every size knitting needle known to man:)

I guess it's not the price that matters...it's supposed to be something you can be proud of...this weekend I finished my first hat...an wool tobaggan (sp?) for my husband. And yes, this hat too has a flaw (none that he would ever notice:), but he's so proud that his wife made him a hat that all that work was more than worth it.

I am going to try--TRY I said--a hat of my own next...maybe one along the lines of these.

These cute flower embellishments are definitely something I will have to PRACTICE first:)

Any knitters out there in the blog world have any advice for a beginner?????

2010-09-30T15:32:00.000-07:00

Tiffany at tagged me in this, and I've gotta say...these really are so much fun to do:) The rules are: answer 8 questions, come up with your OWN 8 questions, and tag 8 people!

Q: What state do you live in?

A: Alabama the Beautiful--home of...
Alabama FOOTBALL and

lots and lots of slimy little catfish that we DO LOVE to eat!

Q: Does your family read your blog?

A: only a few

Q: Where do you go on vacation?

A: Most people around here flock to the beach, which is about 3 hours away, every chance that they get. Not me. I'm not very enthusiastic about the beach...unless it's on some tropical island where you can relax and drink mai tais all day. I would rather save that money and shoot for bigger vacations. BUT, when a get-away is MUCH NEEDED and there's not much time to prepare, I love to drive down to NOLA or make the short trip to Nashville.

NOLA

WASHINGTON STATE...one of those BIG trips I'm going on in LESS THAN 2 MONTHS:)!!!!!!

Couldn't resist when I saw this Twilight-esque pic of this couple in Washington...beautiful.

NEW YORK CITYWent last fall, and can't WAIT to get back there this Spring with my girlfriends!!!!

Q: What kind of music do you listen to?

A: Mostly alternative/rock but really ALL music gets me going...System of a Down, 30 Seconds to Mars, Florence + the Machine, David Bowie, The Dirty Heads, The Black Keys, Jeff Buckley, some country-not too much:)-Miranda Lambert mostly, Led Zeppelin, Van Morrison, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Raconteurs, The Doors, I COULD GO ON AND ON....

Kate Nash

Do I even have to mention names? If you read my blog, you know I am a HUGE FAN of KOL

Paramore

Concrete Blonde...my Dad got me listening to them back in the day...they're epic.

The Cranberries

Q: How many brothers/sisters do you have?

A: none blood-related (yes I have the only-child-syndrome), but I do have a step-brother, Jeff, and step-sister, Ashley.

Q: What do you want for your birthday?

A: BIRTHDAY?!? That's 7 months away! I'm thinking about Christmas! Just kidding:)

Well, I would LOVE some

MONEY to spend on my NYC vacation at places like TOPSHOP!

OR...some MORE money to save up for my NEXT BIG TRIP...which (I hope) will be to LONDON! My hubby says we can go, but I know without a DOUBT that this trip will take LOTS OF MONEY and TIME to SAVE it!!!!!!

Or....let me come back down here to earth again...a nice dinner at would be a WONDERFUL birthday present:)

Shout out to Mary for the BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER on my 27th...KOL tix:)

And I could say that I want these super-cute Matt Bernson clogs for my birthday, BUT I think I would much rather have them for Halloween!!!! Can't Halloween be an occasion to buy yourself a present????

Q: Have you ever met any celebrities?

A: PEEWEE! Not really one to BRAG about.

& Dolly!!!

Q: Do you and your husband have "date night"?

Yes, we DO have date nights...and I'm dying to see this movie on our next one.....

Let Me In

Looks so good and I LOVE LOVE LOVE scary movies...probably has nothing to do with the fact that my Dad loves them and I've been watching movies like Nightmare on Elm Street, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Basketcase (full of gorish stupidity) since I came out of the womb.

SO....here are my 8 TAG YOU'RE IT recipients:

losteden @ inner dreams and stitched up seams

Kim @ KimDb

Kell @ Kelliedoscope

Sam @ Dream Out Loud

Jill @ Life After College

Who am I kidding...I am WAY too ready to get off this computer (been typing up dreaded lesson plans) to tag 3 more people! Whoops!!

Here are the questions:

1. What is your DREAM job?

2. Kesha or Katy Perry?

3. If you had $1,000 EXTRA---what would you do with it????

4. What food can you not live without?

5. Would you rather be a character on Twilight or True Blood?

6. What's THE song that brings back memories for you?

7. What place would you MOST love to visit?

8. What's on your Christmas wish-list?

Kings of Leon (again!!!)

2010-09-23T18:43:00.000-07:00

The Whigs (an up and coming band...very good), The Black Keys(already loved this 2man band), and KINGS OF LEON...enough said!

You'd think we'd be paying attention to the show, but for the first 30 minutes we were too shocked and amused at the sight and behavior of this guy:

He must have been seriously hammered...

Ah! Caleb....can't believe he went and got engaged to his disgusting (absolutely BEAUTIFUL) model girlfriend this past weekend!

The show was crazy fun, and they even came back onstage for 4 more songs after exiting. One girl at the concert did say that they had been doing that for all of their shows.

Yeah, we were feeling pretty "silly" by 12 am!

Stroking Fun

2010-09-17T14:47:00.000-07:00

I'm LOVING...

2010-09-14T12:03:00.001-07:00

I LOVE all things Halloween...witches, vampires, ghosts, goblins, broomsticks, black cats, owls, ANYTHING spooky...but mostly I LOVE and am SO looking forward to making Halloween TREATS!!!

Caramel apples...candy corn(!)...pretzels with kisses on top---and topped off with CANDY CORN!!! How could it get any better??? We always take the Pre-K class trick-or-treating downtown (very small, quaint town...not much traffic:) during Halloween week. They (and me, of course) have the BEST time...you should hear their squeals and see the looks on their little faces:)

Twill Skinny Pants...

I have already purchased THREE pair of these oh-so-comfy pants...can't WAIT to wear them!

Knitted hats...

I'm loving this one, but am currently working on knitting a dark teal (much simpler) version for myself! Hopefully the future holds a cute buttoned one...after much practice!

BOOTIES!

I loved them last fall/winter, and love them MORE now!

Knit-Wit

2010-09-06T15:00:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited that I've found a new love for.....

KNITTING!!!!

My grandmother has always been a big knitter, and I got a whim to learn how. I have even started going to her weekly knitting group.

(please overlook my bedhead and no-makeup face...it' s my day off!)

I love knitted scarves, hats, and gloves...so hopefully now I will be able to start making some of my own:)

Washington, here we come!!!!

2010-09-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

Last night I finally booked our plane tickets to Washington for our fall trip...how exciting!!! I'm not going to be worth a damn for the next couple of months:)

I can't WAIT to experience all of this!!!

***P.S. The high here this weekend is 80 degrees!!!!!!!!!! I'm elated...a little fall weather sooner than I thought.

I'm all sweated out and ready for FALL!

2010-08-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

For bloggers who are not lucky enough to have experienced Alabama heat in the summertime, let me tell you...it's the pitts. And, one reason that I have been dreaming of fall for about 5 months now! I've been feeling hints of it at night when I'm out watering the plants...cool breezes that bring a smile to my hot, sweaty face. Fall will be here soon, I just know it!

Halloween and Pumpkin Carving!!!

Fall Foliage

Fall Fashion

Arm warmers...found the cutest black knitted arm warmers just like these last year on Etsy.

s'mores:)

Last, but not least, booties! I became addicted to these last year after buying my first pair at Steve Madden in NYC!

What are you looking forward to this Fall?

Weekend Revamping

2010-08-23T17:03:00.000-07:00

I am a weekend warrior...weekdays are not very productive for me at home. So, this weekend--aside from all the planning and researching for our Washington State trip--we made it a weekend at home to do things that we've been putting off because of our busy schedules. My husband finished our deck railing, I cleaned the house, and REVAMPED my den artwork! I've been wanting to do this for so long...I've had the drabbest pics hanging for about a year now, and really just wanted some color. And, keeping with my theme lately of saving money for my 2 (yes, 2!) trips this year, it cost me $0. I just repainted over the same canvases that I was already using:)

Movie and a Baby

2010-08-18T18:02:00.000-07:00

Ha! Don't let the post title play tricks with your mind....I'm NOT preggers, and more than likely never will be.

I've been so busy and haven't had time to post since school (work) started, but have been racking my brain for topics to write about. Seems nothing going on with me right now is very interesting, so I decided to vent about things that have been on my mind--not having kids. I rarely share very personal things on my blog, but honestly I've been going through my mental list of close girlfriends my age and not finding anyone that can relate to how I feel about this. They ALL (the married ones and a few not-so-married ones) have children...is this a SOUTHERN thing? OK don't answer that--maybe it's just a weird SARAH thing to NOT want that life. I used to think I did want it--very much so--but now am 95 percent sure that I don't. My husband is 100% sure that he doesn't, and I'm sure that sways my opinion a bit.

It's hard to imagine coming home from my very stressful-kid-filled-job to ANOTHER "job"...when do mothers have time for themselves...reading...traveling...MONEY...naps? Maybe I'm selfish. I'm totally not judging anyone for wanting this, but I am SO sick of being judged for NOT wanting that life! If I had a penny for everytime a family member bugged me about this topic, urging me to start a family--or people saying, "You have plenty of time...you'll change your mind!" How can they be SO sure they are right???? Is it so bad and selfish to not start a family? I feel like my husband and I are a family in ourselves and have one of the best relationships that I know, and why would I want to strain that relationship by having a child who may or may not grow up to be a serial killer? Joking, but who knows?

I'm sure I will get some negative feedback on this post, but I don't even care. I just want some opinions other than those of the small-minded, small-town opinions I'm getting down here in Po-Dunkville. Maybe not even opinions...just some POSITIVE reinforcement about our decision!

On a lighter note, TJ and I saw this movie on Sunday. He thought it was a little sappy, but I LOVED it! Just what I needed to get me out of my end-of-the-weekend funk!

Have a great rest of the week!

Flea Market Finds and Getting Ready for the BIG DAY

2010-08-08T11:38:00.000-07:00

I've been a bad blogger...but it's because I've been so busy! My husband and I went on a quick trip to Texas last weekend to Canton to visit the First Monday Trade Days grounds...pics below of fabulous finds. As soon as we got back, it was balls to the wall with getting ready for the new school year and finishing up last minute projects that I wanted to get done before summer vacation was over, like putting all my pictures from SD cards onto CDs and cleaning my house....I'm talking wiping down baseboards and all the gritty work that I tend to put off.

And now, the end of May seems like just yesterday when I was busting through the front door on the last day of school, whooping and hollering in celebration for the upcoming summer months. But, I'm bound and determined to make this year a great one....leave school at school (except for the lesson plans that I type at home) and not sweat the small stuff:) I've learned that I worry so much about things that turn out fine and totally are not a big deal...sometimes it's hard to remember those situations, but I'm really going to try.

Here are some of the things we picked up in Texas....

Coming from a pasty and freckled fair skinned person whose tried EVERYTHING in the category of fake tans, this has been a gift from GOD. I've heard of Fake Bake before, but didn't take too much stock in it...OMG this is the bananas...closest I've EVER gotten to a salon spray-on tan! You can get this line cheaper on Amazon, but the website is fakebake.com.

Picked these pots up(2 just like this and 2 others) ALL TOGETHER for under $160!!!!! I mean these pots are huge and we looked at some in Orange Beach earlier this summer, and just 1 was priced around $299!

And, my favorite purchase...this piece from Funky Junk that I put 3 pics in from our Trash the Dress shoot.

The Black Keys - Your Touch [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

2010-07-28T14:16:00.000-07:00

Loving The Black Keys...also check out "Everlasting Light"...these dudes ROCK.

randomness

2010-07-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to be going...on a ROADTRIP Friday!!!! 7.5 hours of crazy driving to Canton, TX to First Monday Trade Days:) It's going to be soooooo freakin hot, but fun!

In other news, I received a package in the mail today...my Ray-Bans I've been waiting forever for. I ordered them from E-Bay and paid little to nothing for them....so, I'm really wanting to get another pair. I'm thinking.....

these!

or maybe these!!

Who would've thought that when I was googling images for Ray-Bans that I would have selected a couple of picks of RP to post?!?!?!?!?

Happy (early) weekend!

Weekend in Louisiana

2010-07-26T18:57:00.000-07:00

Oak Alley

New Orleans...had such a good time, I was careless enough to lose my sunglasses:(

Oakley Plantation

Grace Episcopal in St. Francisville, LA

The Myrtles (also in St. Francisville)--a "haunted" plantation!

Oh for the love of shoes....

2010-07-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

I found these to-die-for wedges in New Orleans (pics tomorrow--too tired and lazy tonight:) this weekend at Hemlines...

...but sadly, they didn't have my size:( But, they do have a website--as seen above. I've GOT to have these shoes--I can even (try to) overlook the $143.00 pricetag! Please..someone talk me out of this! I am trying to SAVE money!!!!!

Sunday FUNday

2010-07-12T14:45:00.000-07:00

After a busy week of --oh who am I kidding, I'm off for the summer, but I truly have not had a bored moment once during the weeks I've been home--ANYWAY, we went fishing for brim(some folks refer to them as bream) yesterday. We easily caught about 60 brim, none being very large, but that's ok. We usually fish for bass, but decided to switch it up a little. Here are some pics of our little angling adventure....

My first fish of the day:)

Caught by ME....we(well I do, really)have a long running joke that my husband always catches the most fish, but I always snag the LARGEST:)

haha..you've gotta be really talented to catch a fish this small!!!

this poor little bugger took too big of a bite!

Happy Anniversary to ME!!!!!

2010-07-04T23:24:00.000-07:00

Here I go getting my pictures all mixed up and back-asswards again! Not really sure how to switch them around without starting over, and honestly, it just takes too long!

Our 4th anniversary is coming up this week, and we were supposed to go on a trip to Canton, TX this weekend. Sadly, TJ had to work, so we're going at the end of the month instead. I saw where someone else had done this Trash the Dress thing...thought it looked fun, and went for it!
We took some pics before I totally ruined my dress (I'm sure my mother is fuming right about now), but we had a ton of fun doing it! Guess it was a blessing in disguise that our trip was cancelled!

Friday FunDAY!!!!

2010-07-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

Hung out by the pool today with my nephew and cousins. Had a few discoveries during the day...a snakeskin:( and this frog the kids were loving!

Stopped by my Dad's on the way to the pool. My nephew was so intrigued by the big "boat" that is my Dad's helicopter.

Not a good start to the long weekend...

2010-07-01T19:52:00.000-07:00

So...sadly, my weekend plans have been put on hold:( Our 4th wedding anniversary is coming up, and we planned on going to Canton, Texas this weekend for First Monday Trade Days. If you've never heard of this event/place, you should REALLY check it out! We went about 3 years ago, and absolutely loved it...we bought our kitchen island (beautiful--it must have been--I drove 8 hours with the 5 1/2 foot long thing banging me in the back of the head--don't ask how, cause I'm really not sure, but we actually got this piece of furniture into my SUV) from there, along with a mass of other stuff, like our cow-hide rug. Now, I'm not into the western look by any means--my house is a little eclectic and has a mix of an old AND modern look, but I LOVE my cow rug:)
The grounds of this flea market is something like 30 square acres...you could browse for DAYS! And home decor is by far NOT the only items to shop for---I purchased my CHI straightener here for like $50 dollars cheaper than in stores! Artists come from all over to sell their goods, and you most definitely will find whatever you're looking for...the possibilities are endless.
So, onto the tragic part. We were to leave tomorrow after work (his, not mine-I luckily am OFF for the next month), but turns out work isn't going to end for him tomorrow:( He will be working on Saturday, most likely as well. :( Very sad for me, but I guess we'll plan to go on the next event weekend...like it's called, this is only held on the weekend of the first Monday of the month.

Fill in the Blank Fridays...FOOD!

2010-06-25T16:13:00.000-07:00

Fill in the Blank Fridays!

1. If I could choose my last meal it would be...that question is a little depressing, so I'd rather not even go there:)

2. My favorite person to share a meal with is my husband...he's always up for trying new things and restaurants, and always picks the most delicious dishes from the menu.

3. The best meal I've ever had was...crab platter...crab legs, crab augratin, stuffed crab...damn you BP.

4. The one food that makes me feel instantly better when I'm having a bad day is...

popcorn drizzled with melted chocolate.

5. My absolute specialty in the kitchen is...omelets with asparagus, cheddar, and feta--I LOVE breakfast food!

6. The city that has the best food is...New York...not the chains, like Hard Rock and places in Times Square, but the small, privately owned resteraunts that you stumble upon when you're not even trying.

7. My favorite healthy snack is...strawberries dipped in this honey, cinnamon, and Cool-Whip.

8. In my opinion the nationality which has the best food is...Italian...oh my, how can you not love Italian?

9. If I could learn to cook anything in the world (and be really good at it!) I'd choose...French cuisine...I'd love to go through The Art of French Cooking just like Julie in Julie and Julia:)

10. The most outrageous dessert I've ever had was...well, I don't know about outrageous, but my grandmother is a superb baker, and ALL of her desserts are killer, especially her bread pudding with whiskey sauce!

Top 2 Tuesday

2010-06-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

Top 2 Tuesday topic--What 2 reality tv shows would you be on?

I got this from Jenna, who got this from Taylor (sorry Taylor, I have so tried the McLinky thing, but am not smart enough to get it to work:) For those of you more technically inclined than I am, I suggest you hop on over to Taylor's blog!!!

Work of Art

The Next Great Artist

Um, how could this not be an awesome show with SJP as a producer? 14 aspiring artists competing for a solo show at the Brooklyn Museum and a wad of cash....sounds like a dream to me!

The Real World New Orleans 2010 (NOLA again!!!) The 24th season of The Real World will be set in New Orleans, just as the 9th season was. Seems that the Real Worlders(?) will be helping the Katrina victims in some way on the show. I've always wondered what it would be like to be thrown into a living situation with complete strangers, and this would probably have been a blast if I was a lot younger :) and single.

Dog Days of Summer

2010-06-17T15:46:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a while...I've been so busy I haven't had time to think, let alone sit down at the computer and think of something worthwile to say. My 91 year old great-grandmother, Bessie, died yesterday on her birthday in the nursing home. We were set to take cake and ice cream and celebrate with her...I know she did some birthday celebrating, just not here on earth. She was such a faithful Christian. I have many wonderful memories her!

So...I've been helping my mom and grandma get things set for the funeral...flowers...writing the obituary...all of the necessary steps.

On to a lighter note...other than my grandmother passing, summer is going great so far. I will be so sad when August rolls around and it's BACK TO SCHOOL time:( Ugh--I try not to think about it too often!!!

I am planning on going back down to Louisiana next month...taking a detour from my mom's to spend some time in New Orleans. Hopefully, I'll be able to see and do some things that I haven't already done there...I've been quite a few times. Any suggestions?

2010-06-07T16:17:00.000-07:00

My grandmother and I drove down to Louisiana on Sunday to help my mom get organized! I swear, I'm beat. We've been going through box after box...Christmas decorations... my childhood toys, clothes, cards, drawings...random "stuff". It's so hard to decide what to keep and what to chunk...guilt set in as I threw my Rainbow Bright doll into the Goodwill box. I did, however, find my MICHEAL JACKSON doll, complete with white gloves, microphone, and glittery red jacket! I had some good times as a kid...making my Micheal doll (same size as a Ken doll) sing "Beat It" and "Thriller". I thought he was the greatest:) And, no, the doll is NOT anatomically correct as the box in the picture says.

While down here in Gonzales, I went to the local Wal-Mart. Now I don't know what Wal-Marts are like in your hometown or even if you have those where you live, but it's slim-pickens where I come from. And don't even try to get in and get out in a decent time frame. This Wal-Mart was the BOMB. The book section rivaled a Barnes & Noble (at least compared to our store)...I found ALL of the Sookie Stackhouse books and purchased 7. I'm so freakin excited to start this series, even though I have heard that the books are soooo different from the HBO series. I would love to hear what others think and the pros and cons of the comparison to the show, which I LOVE.

I will be driving back to Bama tomorrow...glad to be headed home but have had a great time visiting with Mom and helping her out. I am very excited to get home and start staining our new DECK!!! Not so excited about painting the exterior side and back doors:( Stain goes on pretty good for everyone, paint not so much...especially when you're trying not to paint the brick around the door and definitely not leave streaks. I'm also starting a new line of owl-theme paintings...interior AND exterior. I finally did get myself set up with an art gallery...Blackbelt Treasures in Camden, AL. This place is so fabulous! 350 artists are represented here, and the gallery has a huge variety of handmade goodies....paintings, woodworking, jewelry, clothing, scarves, homeade jellies and jams, sculptures, pottery, etc. Only a small handful are featured on the website...of this I'm not sure exactly why. But, this place is really a "treasure" in our small area, and I wish we had more unique places like this to take advantage of and celebrate. Hopefully, I will make some much needed $$$$$. Wish me luck!

Summer Fun

2010-06-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

This summer has gotten off to a great start! Although school let out last Thursday, it seems as if I've been out for a month! Guess I've figured out the secret to an endless summer...stay VERY VERY busy!
So far in the past 5 days I have....worked on our deck (will post pics soon!), purchased all supplies for painting exterior doors and stain for the deck, scheduled AND cancelled important dental work ;( , worked on our school yearbook, made a Target run to buy things to keep me busy while on vacation (books, True Blood seasons 1 and 2), traveled to Pratville to the Bass Pro Shop (not my cup of tea, but compromise gets you everywhere...including a delicious steak for dinner), and had a movie night with my cousin...watched Prince of Persia and dinner at Mellow Mushroom. Wow...I really need to put a stop to that run-on sentence!

I am now obsessed with True Blood, and can't wait for season 3 to air on HBO in a couple of weeks! The first few episodes I watched seemed a little corny to me, but after sticking with it and learning more about the characters, I am HOOKED.

So, in the past when I have uploaded pics to Blogger, they have come up as codes in my posts. I was always able to edit them and cut and paste to stick them where I needed them throughout my text. Not today. Guess my internet is working a little faster at this time of day (damn Wildblue), and will not let me move them....so, this post is OUT OF ORDER. Oh well, you get the idea.

Anyway, I am dying to venture North to Scottsboro, AL this summer to the Unclaimed Baggage Center! This is the only store in the country that sells unclaimed baggage. the UBC gets over 7,000 items per day! Could you imagine browsing through 40,000 sq. feet of people's lost stuff? There's no telling what lost treasures could be found in this place...I'm thinking designer clothes at dirt cheap prices and more importantly, very unique finds like the statue of Hoggle from Labyrinth that was discovered by an employee at the UBC.

In addition to the other books I'm reading right now (Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian and In the Sanctuary of Outcasts by Neil White), I plan on rereading Eclipse before the movie release at the end of the month. It's funny...I love this series so much, and very quickly devoured the books... I guess a little too quickly because when someone is discussing a certain book to me, I can never quite remember certain details.

After a visit to the salon for a much needed cut and color, my best friend Mary and I watched Sex and the City II. I've heard horrible reviews so far, but I've got to say I disagree. If you are a die hard SATC fan, some corniness should be expected with the movie...I mean, come on now...Liza Minnelli was sure to be at Stanford's wedding singing Beyonce and Samantha will never lose her blantant sluttiness.
I will say that I thought that Miranda looked fabulous...her body looked great, her skin looked phenomenal, and she was so positive and happy in this movie--a real change for her character.

Prince of Persia was okay...better if you're in the pre-teen set. It is a Disney movie, so maybe I should have expected it...but so is Pirates of the Caribbean, which I loved.

I'm so excited that summer is finally HERE! So many things to do and much more fun to have! What are your plans for the summer?

Woohoooo!

2010-05-26T10:14:00.000-07:00

Today is the.......LAST DAY OF SCHOOL (for students-teachers have to come for a workday tomorrow)....so, as you can imagine I am elated!!!

HIP KITTY™ - "I LOVE ROCK 'N ROLL"

2010-05-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading my blog, then you know that I went to Orange Beach this weekend for a wedding that my husband was in. Lord, I must have forgotten about all the craziness that is the party scene down there. I was not ready for the Flora-Bama on Friday night...but by Saturday night, was well into party mode. After the beautiful beach wedding and reception, the entire wedding party (and some guests) went to Live Bait for a post-wedding and reception celebration. So much fun! Anyways, I HAVE to share a little about the band that was playing, and by playing I really mean ROCKING OUT! Hip Kitty is their name, and they play crazy cool songs from the likes of Nickelback to No Doubt...when we walked in, they were playing "I'm Just a Girl" and I would have sworn Gwen Stefani was onstage if I hadn't seen it for myself.
I was looking for videos and found this...the audio isn't NEAR the quality compared to their live performances, but you can get the picture.

Dewberry pickin' anyone?

2010-05-11T16:22:00.000-07:00

Around this time of year, I get so psyched (crazy, huh?) because the dewberries are RIPE in this neck of the woods! Ever since I was a little girl, my mom has taken me to pick these tasty little berries. As an adult, the excitement is far from lost on me. Since my husband and I have come to the concensus that we will NOT be gracing this world with little mini-me clones to take on berry-pickings, we would continue the tradition with each other! And that's just what we did Sunday afternoon...

Taking in the sights as we went...hoping not to run into any snakes. Snakes are sighted too often around here. In college, I came home to find a chicken snake (non-poisonous, but who cares?) on my kitchen floor. I threw an iron skillet on top of it to keep it from getting away from me and getting "lost" in my house. On a MUCH scarier day, I was walking up toward my house when I spotted a HUGE RATTLER right under the front steps. After it was murdered ( I can use that word against this particular snake), it was found to be as long as the bed of a small truck. Ugh...gives me the chills just thinking about it. Needless to say, I'm not going to be footloose and fancy free knowing that snakes are lurking.

Is this not some of the coolest tree bark you've ever seen? I thought so.

This is my uncle's property down by the river, which is why you see so many palmetta plants and Spanish moss (below).

Deer field...no dewberries here:(

Finally, what we've been searching for...DEWBERRIES!!! The red ones are not quite ready for picking just yet...very tart. Only the juiciest of the berries are good enough for a homeade cobbler, served with vanilla icecream of course!

HAPPY TUESDAY! TOMORROW IS HUMP DAY...HALFWAY THERE! Will be heading down to the Gulf Coast on Friday morning, so I hope that you all have a fabulous weekend!

Yet Another List:)

2010-05-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

Got this from Kim...please visit her! She's GREAT:)

Three names I go by:
1. Sarah
2. Ma(my students sometimes get confused:)
3. Mrs. Collins

Three jobs I have had:
1. Kindergarten, Pre-K, and 4th grade teacher
2. worked at a pawn shop
3. painter

Three places I have lived:
1. Tuscaloosa, AL
2. Demopolis, AL
3. Livingston, AL

Three favorite drinks:
1. Sparkling Grape Juice
2. Water
3. Champagne

Three TV shows I watch:
1. Gossip Girl
2. Chelsea Lately
3. The Real Housewives of NYC

Three places I have been:
1. The Bahamas
2. New York City
3. Dallas, TX

Three places I would like to visit:
1. Italy
2. Washington State
3. London

Three favorite old TV shows:
1. My So Called Life
2. Fraggle Rock (!!!)
3. The Addams Family

Three favorite dishes:
1. Grilled Shrimp from Yazoo in Tuscaloosa, AL
2. Mushroom Ravioli from DePalmas in Tuscaloosa, AL
3. Mushroom soup from Lucy's Coffee and Tea in Birmingham, AL

Three makeup products I cannot live without:
1. mascara...any kind
2. Urban Decay eye liner
3. lipgloss

Three things I'm looking forward to:
1. SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. NYC on Spring Break 2011
3. Washington State in October

Junk, Nature, and Art

2010-05-01T15:21:00.000-07:00

I've had a very busy and productive Saturday...starting with a little shopping with my bestie, Mary.

Picked up this unbelievably cheap and gorgeous vase!

Now...what to fill it with?

Bella and I took a walk for inspiration. I stumbled upon a junk pile in the woods left by previous owners from LONG AGO(had a blast from the past when I spotted a Clearly Canadian Sparkling Water bottle...I used to love those!)...vintage bottles...dainty little flowers begging to be picked...and most importantly...BRANCHES for my new vase! Tomorrow I absolutely have to buy some new plants for potting...I seem to kill my potted plants each year, therefore being forced to start anew every Spring. I'm so excited about my
new-recycled, really-red planters!

Now that I've satisfied my interior decor urges, on to making a little extra dough!
I went on a painting rampage over Spring Break last month, but never got around to finishing my canvases up. Today they were sprayed and tagged...ready to be taken next Saturday to Blackbelt Treasures in Camden, AL.

Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend (or what's left of it)!!! I'll hopefully be busy tomorrow reading my new book--get ready for this--The Carrie Diaries (for those of you not familiar with SATC--this is a look at Carrie's life before her fabulous life as an author in the city) by Candace Bushnell!!! Which reminds me...I feel that I need to say that I have already finished reading the books on my bookshelf in the sidebar, but have been to lazy to delete them from Shelfari. I've had the same books posted since starting this blog. The last book that I read was Firefly Lane, which is not posted on the shelf, but was a very good read.

2010-04-28T17:47:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a little yardwork to lift the spirits! Let me rewind: Monday night I had the best intentions of whipping up some fabulous homemade mushroom soup compliments of Jamie Oliver, my new foodie obsession. Let me tell ya, my mushroom soup did NOT turn out the way Jamie's looked. I don't know if it's because I couldn't find the exact mushrooms that the recipe called for, or what. I do know that Jamie's looked like mushroom heaven, and mine turned out looking like a package of Oreos that had been dunked in milk all night and then mixed and mushed all together.
Even though the soup was a failure, I had been slaving over the hot stove for almost an hour...therefore, was bound and determined to eat a little. That was my second mistake, my first being attempting this recipe without the proper ingredients in the first place.
I woke up soooooooo sick on Tuesday morning:( This lasted for what seemed like forever. I finally came to the conclusion that I had food poisoning (mushrooms, maybe?). After a looooong weekend before of couch-potaoing (which probably isn't a word) because of the terrible weather here in Alabama, yesterday sent me over the edge. I am so ready for some action! Thank goodness that a beach trip is coming up! In the meantime.....

I've been working in the yard...replacing my bloom-only-in-the-Spring plants with juniper! I'm so excited...it looks GREAT:)

And jazzing up my old planters with a little spray-paint! This may seem like nothing special, but it soooo got me excited!

More "real" pics later:)

Having a MUCH better day!

2010-04-21T11:36:00.001-07:00

After my crazy and hectic day yesterday, things have calmed down a little...thank God...but not before...a LONG faculty meeting, 25 minute drive home, dish washing, laundry, walk my three miles, and settle down at the dining room table for a little work on Who's Who for the yearbook...1:00 a.m. came quickly. Off to bed, and back up at 6:00 a.m. for school AGAIN:)

Today I will LEAVE here at 3:30!!!!!!! I will hopefully be able to go home, get on the couch, and finally finish the last 20 pages of the book I'm currently reading, and maybe even take a NAP! No walking for me today...that will have to wait until tomorrow! Or not, because as I'm typing this I have remembered that we have a function at work (school) tomorrow night---have you heard of AMSTI? If you have, and are familiar with that term, then YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. I will leave it at that:)

Oh, and guess what? The stock that I have invested in is UP!!!!! Yayayayayayayaya! I know that this is wishful thinking....but if I make a good profit, the first thing I'm going to purchase is an ipad! Maybe I shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch...

This BLOWS!

2010-04-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

Will it ever end? I am so stressed out right now...need to vent...but don't want to seem like I'm always complaining! Work is crazy...always is at the closing of a year (especially since I'm head of the yearbook--which is elementary, so no students help with it). Deadlines are looming...paperwork...end of year conferences...getting all my professional development hours in and documented...the list could go on and on and on.....
I literally feel like I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off!

REALLY need some time off in a place like this....

And, sadly, my girls trip to Tybee Island has been cancelled...just not a good time for the others that were planned to go. But, on a good note, I do plan to RELAX, paint, fish, READ, do some much needed cleaning and yardwork:) I'm VERY excited about this!
Oh, anyone know anything about the e-trade world? I just purchased 4500 shares of a company on Monday...hoping to make a little extra $$$. I didn't invest much, so if there's a loss, it won't be much of one for me, thankfully.

Weekend Highlights and Lowlights

2010-04-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend got started off on a really positive note...
Friday on the way home from school, I recieved a speeding ticket for 70 in a 55. You should've seen the lady (trooper) that pulled me over. She creeped up to my car, hand on her gun, peering into the backseat(looking for beer, I presume--it was the weekend of the Crawfish Festivala and the Bike Rally--redneck fest in Faunsdale). She took my license and registration to her patrol car after very "nicely" reminding me that my license would have to be renewed this year. Whatever, lady...hurry the hell up. Please--she took her sweet time writing this ticket up.
The bad thing about it was that I really had an emergency, and therefore (in my mind) felt I had the right to speed. Why didn't I speak up? Why didn't I tell this woman that my grandmother just had surgery, had stitches up the side of her neck, and was in danger of busting the whole thing loose because she had come down with a virus...and I (the speeding hero) was on my way to her house with nausea medicine from CVS? This Super Trooper should have been patroling the outskirts of the Crawfish Festival 15 miles away, catching drunk-drivers and underage drinkers alike. That's not me anymore...I've grown up, and just want to get the hell home. This is what I should have said.
But, I said nothing. And now have a $175 ticket to pay by June. Oh well, you know what they say, **** happens.
So, when I finally got home, I was a little depressed about this and the fact that I had nothing planned on this Friday night after a long week...so I watched The Time Traveler's Wife...mistake. Not a good movie to watch while already feeling sorry for yourself...big tear jerker.

Saturday was much better...sleep in...wake up and fix my toast, banana, and Nutella(you NEED to try this stuff!)...put on my new dress...attend linen shower with awesome finger foods...eat some delicious CRAWFISH with good friends!!!

2010-04-15T15:10:00.000-07:00

What a great birthday! My sweet grandmother made my favorite...biscuits with chocolate gravy:) It may sound weird to some, but honestly, it's DELICIOUS! Thought I would document her process and share the recipe:

Ingredients for the Chocolate Gravy:
3 TBS cocoa
3 TBS All-Purpose flour
3/4 c sugar
1 1/2 c milk
1 TBS butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 dash of salt

* You can opt to go the homemade route like my grandmother did with the biscuits, or be a little lazy like me and throw some pre-made can biscuits in the oven.
*Start with the cocoa in saucepan...

add the flour...

and sugar...

mix all

add a dash of salt

the milk...

and vanilla and butter...and whisk until you have the desired thickness!

Don't forget to BUTTER your biscuits(cause who doesn't want EXTRA butter?)

Pour the chocolate gravy on....

And ENJOY!

You thought that was the end? Not even close! To top my birthday off, my BFF Mary invited TJ and I over for supper. Mary had ANOTHER gift for me BESIDES the KOL tickets...the gift is wonderful (a very unique and cool book-stack topper)...but is beside the point in this story. So, as I was spastically unwrapping my gift...throwing the tissue paper here and there...all of a sudden, I hear screams and feel HEAT! Holy smokes(literally)!! In the midst of my excitement, I had tossed tissue paper onto a BURNING CANDLE:( The flames were 3 inches from Mary's freshly painted white ceiling...thank GOD the tissue paper finally (after crazy batting and freaking out) sizzled out and floated to the ground. I felt so AWFUL...so, I spent the next 30 minutes wiping up the disgusting gray ashes that were ALL OVER the kitchen counter, floor, and living room. What a night to remember!

Sweet Surprises!!!

2010-04-12T16:03:00.000-07:00

What a lovely surprise to come home to after a loooooonnnnnggggg Monday of working!

Chocolate Fudge from BonBon Confections...and let me tell you, it is(was) so friggin melt-in-your-mouth, heavenly, delightful, to die for(or at least to gain a few pounds for), and wonderfully delicious all in one!

Thank you so much, Teresa! I nearly gobbled half of it up upon opening!

Tomorrow is my BIRTHDAY!! Wait, I don't know why I'm so excited...I am now going to be 3 years away from 30:( Oh well, don't they say that 40 is the new 30, so that must mean that 30 is the new 20, and OH MY LORD...that must mean that by turning 27, then I'm actually turning 17 tomorrow! Wishful thinking...could you imagine going back? Whew!

If you've been reading my blog, then you know that I'm cuckoo for Kings of Leon, and that I was having a hard time finding good tickets for their upcoming Fall Tour. Well, my best friend, Mary, obviously can't keep a secret...she has bought the two of us outstanding tickets! That's right, on September 20th, we will be front and center at the KOL concert in Birmingham, AL! I'm going to forget everything that I experienced in Nashville this past October(getting hit on the head with a beer cup, sitting in the "nose-bleeds", having to peer over the weirdo guys in front of us who were definitely more into themselves than into KOL) and have a BLAST! I've already got my sub lined up for work:0)

2010-04-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! It's Fill in the Blank Friday so here I am, filling some blanks! Play along and link back to Sam or leave your answers in the comments.

1. The strangest thing I've ever eaten was alligator on a stick (tastes like chicken).

2. My best friend is crazy, fun, smart, and very unselfish.

3. If I could live in a different era it would be the 1970s...I would probably be a Led Zeppelin groupie:)

4. I like vacations, driving, Sex and the City, Anthropologie, swimming at the river, the smell of Amarige perfume, sitting on the front porch talking for hours, day trips to Birmingham to eat at The Cheesecake Factory and shop, painting, 3:00 on a Friday, getting letters and cards in the mail, and so many more things that I just don't have the time to type!
5. If you only know one thing about me it should be that I'm creative, sometimes crazy, and very impatient!

6. My favorite book of all time is The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

7. The one beauty product I couldn't live without is mascara.

8. Blogging is fun and a great way to talk to new people.

9. If I could star in a movie with any actor/actress I would want to work with DUH...Rob Pattinson OR Charlize Theron.

10. One of the best feelings in the world is love.

5-5-5

2010-04-08T18:17:00.000-07:00

I was tagged by Tiffany at Dreams Do Come True. It's called 5-5-5 Tag--Five Questions, Five Answers, and Five people to pass it on to.

Question 1: Where were you five years ago?

1. Doing my student teaching
2. Engaged to TJ
3. Recieving an itty bitty paycheck from my part time job
4. Wasting time on not-so-great friends
5. Much more of a worry-wort than I am now...I've really mellowed out in the last 5 years.

Question 2: Where would you like to be five years from now?

1. Right Here:)
2. Hopefully will be able to travel more.
3. Spending time with the WONDERFUL friends that I have now.
4. Wishfully, still the same size(I worry about that all the time...gaining weight with age).
5. Even more MELLOW!

Question 3: What is (was) on your to-do list today?

1. Drive to Montgomery for a Pre-K conference.
2. Call and make an appointment at Volvo for a service/oil change on Saturday.
3. Watch Vampire Diaries AND The Real Housewives of New York City:)
4. Book our cottage on Tybee Island for July.
5. Check this blog.

Question 4: What five snacks do you enjoy?

1. strawberries with fruit dip (cool whip, honey, and cinnamon)
2. hummus and Water Crackers
3. Mousse Temptations....oh-so-delicious!
4. Sonic mozarella sticks with marinara sauce (ONLY every once in a while--do you know what those things can do to your arteries?)
5. Water Crackers with this dip: goat cheese and dried tomatoes--sounds gross, but is NOT!

Question 5: What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?

1. Pay off EVERYTHING and add onto our house just a little bit.
2. QUIT MY JOB--probably give a little $ to my school)and start my own business(either art related or a little clothing boutique:)
3. Fly to ALL of the places that I dream about and EVERYWHERE that KOL is touring.
4. Spend WAY too much money on clothes and books.
5. Give my sweet friends a little cut of the loot so that they could spend more time having fun with ME!

Now, I pass this on to the following 5 people:

Blonde Bookworm
Emily at Cream colored ponies & crisp rhubarb strudels
Brooke at Diet Brooke with Lime
Mary at There's Just Something About Mary --who hasn't blogged in weeks, but maybe she will have to now:0)
Kellie at kelleidoscope

I'm sooooo looking forward to summer vacation!

2010-04-07T11:52:00.001-07:00

It's almost here...I'm on the countdown! Most people think that teachers have the easiest job...holidays and summers off...hitting the doors at 3:30. THEY ARE WRONG! You people have no idea. I can't remember the last time that I walked out the door at 3:30, 5:00 is more like it. During the schoolyear, summers feel like a magical dream years away. Yes, we do get "summers" off, but only June and July. Don't forget that we have workshops to attend during this time--sometimes for weeks! There's also the days that we drag ourselves to school during the summer to work in our rooms, God forbid that we actually have to MOVE our ENTIRE classroom to another room or building! That has been the case with me for the last 3 years due to moving grades and last year merging with another elementary school...hopefully I will get a much deserved break this summer!
I was job hunting--you know, trying to make a little extra money on my time off because I can ALWAYS use MORE money. I am going to sell my art and help my friend with some design projects this summer in hopes of doing just that. Like I said in earlier posts, I am planning a trip to Washington in the Fall and to New York AGAIN in Spring 2011 and could really use the extra cash!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyways, what's a summer without a few trips to the beach? I'm going in May to Orange Beach, AL for a wedding that TJ is in, and am really looking forward to that. But I have decided to head down to Tybee Island, Georgia (20 minutes from Savannah)as I have each summer since we were married. But, no TJ this time...strictly a GIRLS trip!

I can't WAIT to dig into some delicious seafood at The Crab Shack on Tybee...this place has the most wonderful atmosphere!

Shopping in Savannah is always a good time...all the artsy shops filled with goodies handmade by the Savannah School of Art students.

April Happenings

2010-04-05T11:10:00.000-07:00

Alabama is under a yellow haze...of POLLEN. I don't remember the pollen ever being this abundant...this is crazy! My porch looks like aliens have landed and deposited greenish yellow alien dust all over it. Every time the wind blows, a cloud of the yellow powder just poofs right off of the trees and drifts into the air, covering EVERYTHING it comes into contact with.

My grandmother is out of the hospital and resting for a couple of weeks. She's doing great...thank you so much for the prayers and good thoughts that were sent!

I did NOT get to see Clash of the Titans on Friday night, unfortunately. Things came up, but I was told that it was AWFUL and not to waste money on seeing it. Now I'm all bent out of shape and wanting to see Robin Hood. It looks so good!

A little bit of this and a little bit of that...

2010-03-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

Feels like Spring has officially entered Alabama...we've had warm, beautiful weather for almost a week straight now. Tomorrow the forecast is predicting a whopping 80 degrees! Maybe I shouldn't speak too soon though. It has been nice to be able to do things in the yard...I am sooo ready to start planting new things. I am planning on building a couple of raised herb gardens as SOON as our deck and patio get finished--who am I kidding, they're not even started yet! The backyard project will soon be underway...just waiting on a few loose ends to be tied up. By the way, for those of you who watch American Pickers and happened to see the episode in Birmingham,AL last night...please don't stereotype:)

Onto a couple of heavier subjects...

My grandma is having surgery tomorrow morning at 5 am...please pray for her! She has blockage in her coratid artery.

Have you ever been in a situation in which someone really snaps your head off, leaving you feeling shaken up and anxious, even to the point of having your day ruined and losing sleep because you're nervous and worried about it...only to have that same person go totally bipolar on you the next day like nothing ever happened? And now you're tired and a little pissed that such a big deal was made. Maybe a lesson should be learned in this...we(I) should try to just let things roll off our backs and not take things so seriously...isn't that what one of my life lessons learned was in my last post? Jeez, you would think that I could practice what I preach!

Ok... I'm finished with that little venting session. I'd better get off of this computer...I've got a MAJORLY busy week/weekend ahead! Like I said, my grandma is having surgery in the morning, I have to run errands for her after work on Thursday, Friday I'm going to watch Clash of the Titans(!!), and Saturday I have to drive my dad to Atlanta to pick up a work truck. Holy smokes, I'm tired from just typing that! Sunday=REST!

Fill in the Blank Friday/Fashion Friday

2010-03-26T11:41:00.000-07:00

I'm going to try 2 today! That is, if one of these kids doesn't interrupt me (you do remember that I do most of my blogging during naptime at work:) with a "Mrs. Cooooooolllliiiinnnnssss, is it time to get up yet?" That only happens every once in a while...most of them are snoring as I speak(type).

Ok....So I totally stole this one and think I really need to come up with some better posts other than fill in the blank gimmies. Maybe tomorrow.

Fill your blanks on your blog or in my comments!

1. The best piece of advice I was ever given was to not take everything so seriously...

2. If I had a million dollars to give to one charity I would give it to the American Cancer Society .

3. If I got to choose my "last meal" it would be a HUGE seafood platter with the works: lobster, stuffed crab, grilled salmon, grilled shrimp, you get the idea. And for dessert, I would probably ask for fudge.

4. My hair is blonde and short--in my pictures my hair is pretty tame, but I have had my hair cut all crazy and spiky in the back...but now my hair is a little longer than chin length with lots of layers for a messy look.

5. If at first you don't succeed, decide if it's worth it, and if it is--than try, try again.

6. I have always been very paranoid...I used to think that when I walked into a room/resteraunt/etc. that everyone was critiquing and talking about me. Now, not so much. I guess I've grown in confidence. I think it's both that I a. think it's all in my head AND b. really don't care

7. Oh....and by the way.... I can't wait to blow this joint this afternoon and get the heck outta here!

Alright now, on to Fashion Fridays...here are a few things on MY wishlist:

I'm IN LOVE with rompers this year...here's one from Free People that's supercute!

Adorable dress from Anthropology

In this Alabama heat that's sure to ensue in the next couple of months, I live for cool confortable dresses like this one from UO

A sad day...

2010-03-25T12:06:00.000-07:00

AAAAHHHHH! I am soooooooo sick! If you've been following my blog, you will know that I am super-obsessed with Kings of Leon. I love, love, love them. Period. End of sentence.
Well, anyways, I went to see them in Nashville last October. That's right, I drove to another state to see them even though they were coming to Birmingham, which is about 1 and 1/2 hours from me. The reason is that I thought it would be really epic to see them perform in their homestate/town...AND I thought that a road trip with my girls would be fun--and it was. The messed up part of the situation was that I had really sucky tickets...nosebleeds, to be exact. But, we had a great time anyways.

Their 2010 tour tickets went on sale this Saturday and I had EVERY intention of ordering my tickets at the crack of dawn on Sat. morning--but things came up and I did not. So, yesterday Mary got down to business trying to order them, but ALL the GOOD tickets are SOLD!!!!!!!!! WHAT? I guess being the rock gods that they are, I should have known better than to expect good tickets to still be available 5 days later. I sooo wanted to be on the floor, close enough for a little of Caleb's sweat to land on me, at least. I guess I'll be nose-bleeding it, getting a contact high again from other losers who waited too long to get their tickets.

The ABCs of Me:)

2010-03-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

Snagged this from Tiffany at Dreams Do Come True:)

I thought I'd fill this thing out so you can get to know me a little better.

A - Age: 27 on April 13

B - Bed size: King

C - Chore you hate: washing my car...I can NEVER get all the specks of tar off the bottom/side OR the nasty little bugs on the front!

D - Dog's name: Bella and Buddy

E - Essential start your day item: shower! i know, it's not an item, but i hate how some people can shower at night and get up and go the next morning! i can NOT do that...i just feel so grimy!

F - Favorite color: black

G - Gold or Silver or Platinum: silver or platinum

H - Height: 5'4

I - Instruments you play: the only thing i can play is "Where is Thumbkin" on the piano:) Never took music lessons.

J - Jewelry you wear everyday: thumb ring, wedding rings and watch

K - Kids: nope

L - Living arrangements: my husband and I live in our house that we build 3 years ago

M - Mom's name: Gina

N- Nicknames: S

O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: none

P - Pet Peeve: bad grammar and turtle-slow drivers--2 things that I come into contact with too often here in po-dunkville:)
Q - Quote: Be happy today, for you know not what tomorrow may bring. ?

R - Right handed or left handed: Righty

S - Siblings: none blood-related; step-bro and sis

T - Time you wake up: weekdays--6:15 weekends--whenever

U- Underwear: um, yes

V - Vegetable you dislike: I pretty much love all vegetables, but if I have to pick one, I would say least favorite-carrots.

W - Ways you run late: I'm rarely late, but when I am, I would have to say it's someone else's fault:)

X - X-rays you've had: tons of dental x-rays, of course/knee x-ray from a wreck a few years back

Y - Yummy food you make: tipsy cake

Z - Zoo favorite: snakes

Feel free to copy it and fill it out yourself! It's always fun to learn new things about you!

:(

2010-03-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

Spring Break is coming to a close for me. I will make the drive to work on Monday with tears in my eyes. At least now I have summer break to look forward to!

Anyone have any ideas of a summer job for someone who wants to make their own hours?

2010-03-19T11:19:00.000-07:00

1. Today I am wearing boyfriend jeans, my Aunt Lucy's coffee shop T-shirt, and flip-flops(it's in the 70s today!!!).

2. My favorite childhood food grilled cheese sandwiches and sweet pickles.

3. A day that I am too busy to listen to good music and have an impromptu dance party is a day that I am too busy.

4. The last movie I saw was Stepfather, and it was ok. I have Couples Retreat (Netflix) waiting to be watched, but haven't made the time. I will be RACING to the store tomorrow morning to pick up New Moon!!

5. My favorite smell is sunscreen/suntan lotion.

6. A weird little quirk I have...not sure about a quirk, but TJ says that I'm very spastic...slamming cabinets, stomping through the house, chugging down a bottle of water!

7. When I take personality quizzes they are pretty much accurate.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T11:53:00.000-07:00

Wow! I just remembered that today was St. Paddy's day...and that when
we celebrated on school Friday, I that I took some pictures of our leprechaun traps and the damage that the leprechauns did when they came to steal our gold on Thursday night!

Leprechaun traps (the kids and their parents made these at home):

The leprechauns left green footprints...

sprinkled green leprechaun dust EVERYWHERE...

stole the children's gold and left shamrocks...

AND--totally RANSACKED the room!

This is a picture of the other pre-k teacher's room...me being the crazy, neat-freak that I am wanted to set up the traps all together in the other teacher's room so that mine wouldn't get turned upside down!

After cleaning up Mrs. Simpkin's room, we ate GREEN EGGS AND HAM! Oh, and the Lucky Charms that the sneaky little leprechauns left us in place of the gold that they took!

They had sooo much fun! You should have seen their faces when we revealed the room on Friday morning...and heard their shouts when discovering the "footprints" scattered around the room!

Wow, what a wild weekend...

2010-03-15T20:19:00.000-07:00

NOT!!! Not that that's a bad thing!

Dinner and a movie on Saturday afternoon/night...

Sunday hanging out at my bff Mary's house...playing with her crazy dogs-Willie Nelson and Bentley...helping them with their new master suite addition (me not so much helping as hogging her laptop checking blogs:)...grilling...

Willie Nelson

TJ and Bentley, the KING of Mary and Micheal's house!

And today TJ killed his first turkey of the season(the limit being 5)!

I'm on Spring Break, so my day went a little like this: Slept in until about 10(I can still blame the time change, right?). Drove to Marion to exchange my great-grandmother's dirty clothes for clean ones--she's in the nursing home. Coming back home and taking down the bed in the extra bedroom...I've decided to forego style for function--the extra bedroom is now my new ART room! There are only two of us, so why in the world should I be wasting perfectly usable space for guests who maybe sleep over once or twice a year? I DO have a couch that is very comfortable, and will be the future location that my guests will lay their heads.

Tomorrow is a very special day for me...I will FINALLY pay a visit to my hairstylist! Can't wait!

Alice in Wonderland

2010-03-13T22:03:00.000-08:00

TJ and I just got home from seeing Alice in Wonderland. It was really great, although for some reason I didn't foresee us being the only two people in the theater that didn't have kids in tow!

Sugar Doll!?!

2010-03-12T21:21:00.000-08:00

Like I told Missy (Nuke Girl), I'm not so sure that I would describe myself as a "Sugar Doll", but thanks anyway!

Pop over to Everything But the Kitchen Sink for a great read.

I'm awarding this one to:

Jenamie at Notes from a Lab Princess

Mary at There's Just Something About Mary

Brooke at Diet Brooke With Lime

Kimberly at KimDb

Fill in the Blank Fridays

2010-03-12T07:41:00.000-08:00

Make sure to visit Sam's blog and and play along too! Or leave your answers in the comments :)

1. The best day ever for me was probably a day when I could totally relax...maybe a day at the river(yes, that's what we do here in Alabama on summer weekends:) hanging out with friends and supper at Ezell's Fish Camp...they have the BEST fried crab claws!

2. My favorite meal of the day is breakfast--for dinner, that is! Mushroom and spinach omelets, hashbrowns COVERED in cheese, cheese grits...and I can't leave out BISCUITS WITH CHOCOLATE GRAVY!!!! I first had these at Orange Beach last summer at my best friend Kimberly's condo...they are to die for!

3. This weekend starts the beginning of Spring Break for me! So, I have 9 days of no children!!!! I have a lot of plans for this week...getting my hair done on Tuesday...lunch and movie with my Aunt Polly on Thursday...and somewhere in the midst of all this, my grandmother is having surgery:(

4. Never in my life have I gotten a tattoo. I've contemplated it so many times and seriously thought about getting one on my wrist, but always talk myself out of it. I think I should probably stick to the rub-on and rub-OFF tattoos:)

5. The only thing better than shopping is shopping in New York!

6. I could really do with some money. I got a raise this year for getting tenured, and I still don't know where it goes! I have no kids, and I honestly don't see how in the hell people that have to pay for children's expenses do it!

7. The most recent thing I bought myself was boots and a woven leather bracelet.

You've GOT to check this out...

2010-03-10T11:41:00.000-08:00

Teresa at Blooming on Bainbridge is hosting a giveaway in honor of her 100th post! She's giving lucky bloggers the chance to win a unique piece of jewelry from Lisa Leonard...which I've just checked out and have to say that she is one amazing artist! I LOVE everything she has to offer, especially her cuffs-I can never have too many!

To find out about the giveaway AND to meet Teresa's oh-so-sweet self, go here.

Steve Madden Boots

2010-03-09T20:08:00.000-08:00

Oh, I'm soooo super excited to have FINALLY located and purchased these new boots!

I have been searching high and low for weeks to find the perfect pair of boots to wear with my new and old sundresses for Spring/Summer! I finally found a pair from Steve Madden. They are a little motorcyle-chick, but suit me just fine.

Only one disappointment from my visit to this lovely website--the oh-so-stylish $150 pair of booties that I bought at the Steve Madden store in Greenwich Village this fall are now down to a whopping $69. Figures.

These are a few of my favorite things....

2010-03-08T17:33:00.000-08:00

about March!

Spring Break...next week. I don't think I would have survived had it been 2 weeks from now. Between catching the stomach virus that's going around and getting in touch with parents today because "Tommy" pulled his pants down at naptime and showed a little girl his winky.

DVD release of New Moon! I bought the bootlegged copy, but it stunk. My husband is going to be so sick of watching this movie. He already hates Edward because he caught me saving a picture of him on my computer. How embarassing.

Warmer Weather! I'm so ready for comfy sundresses! Found some really cute ones at Target and Belk on Saturday...now if I could just find some cute flat sandals to wear to work. My Frye gold gladiator sandals are my favorite and go with just about everything, but have about had it!
Riding with the sunroof open! I don't know...there's just something about it.

St. Patrick's Day. Can't wait to celebrate...I'm thinking green cocktails!

Yay for Friday!!!!

2010-03-05T12:43:00.000-08:00

This has literally been one hell of a week. After coming down with a stomach virus via one of my students, I am SOOO ready for the weekend!!!!

I am looking forward to spending some time shopping for some new Spring clothes (since I quit smoking I have lost weight!!! Had to cut out all those sugary coffee drinks that I loved so much with cigs)...eating some yummy food after having a weak stomach all week...hopefully having one of these:

American Idol

2010-03-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

I'm so rooting for Didi Benami this season...I just love her voice! Last night she sang Lean on Me--the judges weren't very happy about her lack of uniqueness. Hopefully, she'll make it through tonight and have the chance to prove them wrong.

Who are you rooting for?

I've Been Tagged

2010-03-01T15:49:00.000-08:00

Barry tagged me in this. You must list 7 random things about yourself and then pass it on.

1. I highly dislike when someone is reading aloud from something when I can see the words for myself.

2. My thumb ring says Amour--I bought it on our honeymoon in Savannah, GA.

3. When I was little, I had an imaginary friend, Kevin. I think the name Kevin comes from Life Goes On...I used to LOVE that show.

4. I watched Little Ashes Thursday night, and miraculously, still have the same very unhealthy obsession with Rob Pattinson as I did before.

5. My favorite song by Kings of Leon is Holy Roller Novacaine.

6. I am in need of a visit to my hairstylist, Ashlin.

7. I crowd-surfed at a Bush concert when I was 14. I think Veruca Salt opened, but I can't remember.

I am tagging this to:

Jill

Nuke Girl

Mary

the weekend

2010-02-28T16:03:00.000-08:00

TJ and I arrived in Gonzales, Louisiana LATE Friday night...us being late mostly due to the fact that I veered onto the wrong highway and took a little detour--through New Orleans. Not good on a pothole filled highway on a rainy Friday night when there are maniacs out. I was just driving along...singing along with Lady Gaga...when I realized that I was driving over Lake Pontchartrain--and I know that I never go that way. TJ was, of course, snoozing in the passenger seat. After a few minutes of freaking out and frantically shaking TJ awake, I finally got control of myself and navigated my way to my mother's. We finally made it after 2 extra unnecessary hours of driving.

Saturday morning we (TJ, my mom, and me) woke bright and early, geared up for a day of shopping and browsing through art galleries in Baton Rouge.

We took a break to eat lunch at an old pizzeria/bar...Fleur De Lis...opened in the 1950's----and hasn't changed one bit. They keep it VERY dark in there--good thing, because I have a feeling that if someone flipped the lights on...goodbye customers, hello dustbunnies! But the atmosphere was great and the pizza was to die for!

Saturday night we enjoyed delicious seafood at Hill Top Restaurant. I only took pictures of mine and TJ's meal, which we shared. We had fried green tomatoes topped with crab meat and a remoulade sauce and 3 pounds of crawfish for appetizers. My mom had grilled shrimp, and my stepdad, Pat (whose birthday is today), had fried shrimp and talapia. It was all DELICIOUS!!!

If I were....

2010-02-24T16:47:00.000-08:00

If I were...

I got this idea from Jill at Life After College. Her post was so cute, I thought I'd copy her:). If you want to pass it on, just copy, paste and fill in your own answers. I did it by filling in the first thing that popped into my head. Thanks JIll!

If I were a month, I’d be October.

If I were a day of the week, I’d be Friday.

If I were a time of day, I’d be TWILIGHT.

If I were a planet, I’d be Jupiter.

If I were a sea animal, I’d be a seahorse.

If I were a direction, I’d be North.

If I were a piece of furniture, I’d be a bookcase.

If I were a liquid, I’d be water.

If I were a gemstone, I’d be a garnet.

If I were a tree, I’d be one with character...

If I were a flower, I’d be a wildflower.

If I were a kind of weather, I’d be stormy.

If I were a musical instrument, I’d be a set of drums.

If I were a color, I’d be green.

If I were an emotion, I’d be love.

If I were a fruit, I’d be a blackberry.

If I were a sound, I’d be a rain on a tin roof.

If I were an element, I’d be air.

If I were a car, I’d be a Mini Cooper.

If I were a food, I’d be a Cadbury Egg.

If I were a place, I’d be this place...

If I were a material, I’d be cotton.

If I were a taste, I’d be sweet AND spicy.

If I were a scent, I’d be fresh linen.

If I were an object, I’d be a suitcase.

If I were a body part, I’d be skin.

If I were a facial expression, I’d be a smirk.

If I were a song, I’d be "Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley.

If I were a pair of shoes, I’d be a hot pair of boots:)

~What would you be?~

I need a VACATION!

2010-02-23T15:18:00.000-08:00

This of course is not me, but is what I will look like pretty soon if summer break doesn't get here QUICK. I would love to elaborate on this, but I won't for fear that I will GET FIRED.

My best friend Mary just started a blog!

2010-02-21T10:51:00.000-08:00

Please check out Mary's site and encourage her--she's quite an interesting character! Mary is an Interior Designer with two kids of her own and two step-children. Her mother recently moved in (and brought her boyfriend with her--Friday night we caught her mother and her mother's boyfriend making out in the backyard!). Needless to say, Mary's life is NEVER calm! She's never done this before, but I know that she'll be blogging her heart out in no time...I'm soooo looking forward to stories about her crazy, drama-filled life!

Meet Mary at There's Just Something About Mary

2010-02-20T08:37:00.000-08:00

My Dad has always been interested in the cult phenomena and is a true crime buff, so that's given me a fascination for those sorts of things...I know more about people like Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, Ed Gein, etc. than a normal person probably should. Don't get me wrong-these people and the heinous crimes that they committed scare the hell out of me, but the repulsivity of misdeeds like these oftentimes is accompanied by shock, awe, and fascination...What would compel someone do these things? What could possibly go through their minds during the act? Are these people really out of their minds, or could a truly normal person just flip and become someone else?

In this case, the subject at hand is not a serial killer, but a mass murderer by way of suicide--Jim Jones. A charismatic preacher and "healer" originally from Indiana, Jim Jones was the founder and leader of The Peoples Temple in Jonestown, Guyana. Jonestown was a place where Jim and his followers could get away from the capitalism of America, and live a more communal life. His cult originated on the premise of religion and socialism. Jim Jones had very strong views on racism--he was pro-integration in a time of major segregation. He and his wife were the first white couple in Indiana to adopt an African American child.

Jim instilled paranoia into his people, having them believe that the government was out to get them...and were swarming in the jungle around their temple and would eventually come to take their children away. His next step was staging rehearsals of the mass suicide that he intended to lead.
In November 1978, California Congressman Leo Ryan arrived in Guyana to survey Jonestown and interview its inhabitants. After reportedly having his life threatened by a Temple member during the first day of his visit, Ryan decided to cut his trip short and return to the U.S. with some Jonestown residents who wished to leave. As they boarded their plane, a group of Jones's guards opened fire on them, killing Ryan and four others.
Jim, who told his followers that he was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ,then led 900 plus people to their deaths by way of cyanide, tranquilizer,and sedative-laced Flavor Aid(often confused with Kool Aid--hence the saying, "Don't drink the Kool-Aid"). His plan was to have babies and children drink first--after all, a person would NEVER let their child drink the deadly concoction and then not drink it themselves.

Jim Jones, Jr. was the adopted son of Jim Jones. He happened to be away from the temple playing basketball the day the massacre took place. Jim was recently on Oprah, and I happened to catch it at my grandmother's house one afternoon ( I am NOT a daytime talkshow watcher) telling about the catastrophic event...how it has impacted his life and his family, and how he has come to terms with it all.

Below is a picture of Jim Jones, Jr. and his son after a basketball game, the very thing that saved Jim Jr.'s life.

The perks of having an interior designer for a best friend...

2010-02-17T16:21:00.000-08:00

my "new" piece of artwork! This is one of the many hand-me-downs that my friend Mary frequently gives to me...she is an interior designer who changes the decor in her house at LEAST once a year. And I don't mean just paint the walls--I mean the works...furniture, artwork, painting, maybe even light fixtures. In this case, she's changing all of that in the main part of the house AND adding onto her house by building a new master suite--with my dream closet--a freakin ISLAND in the middle for shoes, bags, jewelry, etc. Too bad she can't pass that over to me when she's tired of it! I am so excited for her, though, and ready to help her with the fun stuff...painting, fabrics, choosing/making new artwork. We always have a blast together!

Snow Day!!!!/What to do for Valentine's?

2010-02-12T15:55:00.000-08:00

I know--too many pictures, but my picnik collage maker isn't working at the moment, and I just couldn't help myself!
It actually SNOWED here today in Alabama!!! We don't see too much of this stuff down here, so when it happens it's kind of a big deal. I work at an elementary school, so I also had the perk of getting off work at 12:00 because of the "winter storm". Right.

Since the roads will be icy all weekend here, the fact that we live in a boring town, and because TJ just found out that he's on call this weekend, I don't know what we are going to do to celebrate Valentine's Day(weekend). We had originally planned to have dinner at Yazoo--they have Bellinitinis to DIE for, see Wolfman with Anthony Hopkins(!!!), go to Barnes and Noble(can't go to town without perusing the bookstore for AT LEAST 45 minutes), and try out Yogurt Mountain--but because of the circumstances, this is out. :( Any suggestions?

Out Kindle...in Apple iPad!

2010-02-11T14:34:00.000-08:00

What will they think of next?

This device is a dream...starts at $499, has camera connection for picture downloads, 1.5 pounds with a 9.7 inch touch screen (exactly like iphone, but smaller), keyboard adapter, Wifi connection, comes in 16, 32, and 64 GB sizes, has an e-reader application for downloading books right to the device! You can also watch videos or listen to music with the iPad tablet, AND you are able to transfer your (already purchased) apps you were using with your iphone--or buy and add any you would like to use.
I never did get a Kindle, and probably won't be getting this, either...but a girl can dream, right?

Why, Flo?

2010-02-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

Last night, I indulged in my weekly Bad Girls Club fix. I can't help but to love watching these crazy chicks...some of them are ABSOLUTELY ridiculous! My favorite girl this season has been Florina, who is hands-down the realest, down to earth bad girl in the house...I could be best friends with this girl!
Anyway, I was sad to see her go last night--and was screaming at the tv when the other girls threw water balloons at her as she was leaving. I can't believe she left. I so wanted her to break that cast off, open up a can, and show them who's boss!
I shouldn't even watch anymore, now that she's gone...but I'm hopeful she'll come back for a surprise vengeful appearance!

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-02-09T12:13:00.000-08:00

Yippidee doo! I won a pound of fudge from Bon Bon Confections on Bainbridge Island, WA!!! Thank you Teresa! Visit her at Blooming on Bainbridge!

I am a SERIOUS chocoholic, so I can't WAIT to receive this package!

2010-02-06T19:54:00.001-08:00

Just got home from a wedding reception of my good friend's little bro. The reception was ABSOLUTELY beautiful...great food(I wouldn't know...I was only interested in the bar--but my husband tasted it all!)...lively old-school band...good crowd. I was a little skeptical of going because of the weather and the fact that I wasn't so excited about socializing with people from high school, but it turned out great. That's how my mind works...I get so worked up about things that always turn out fine or in this case, better than fine. Talked to the people that mattered...not so much to the ones who don't:)

P.S. Anybody have any suggestions for suede cleaner?

what to do...what to do?

2010-02-06T13:18:00.000-08:00

Back in high school and college, I LOVED to go out ALL the time, which was usually never a good thing. I still enjoy going out and doing things with my friends, just not to parties where there are people that I really just don't want to see...old boyfriend, possibly...girls who I don't get along with...people who think of themselves high society--when really they are just a bunch of pretentious posers.

So my question is this--Would you put yourself through this because you don't want to disappoint a friend? Or would you save yourself the trouble and do something you enjoy?

Let me add that it will be 30 degrees or lower, windy, and muddy at this outdoor soiree!

GLOB

2010-02-01T15:20:00.000-08:00

Thanks for this Michelle! Check her out at Desultory Diversions!

Alright, there are two rules for this one: link back to the person who awarded you and spread the blog award love.

I pass this on to:
1. Laurie at Girls Are Smarter Than You
2.Jenamie from Notes From a Lab Princess

Alright...sorry...wanted to give more but I'm running out of time! Have work to do!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-01-29T10:33:00.000-08:00

Yay! I am soooo excited to be planning ANOTHER trip to NYC! Some girls from work and I will be flying out Spring Break 2011--I know, why am I so excited when it's over a year away? Doesn't even matter--I will be counting down the days and bugging everyone that's going about early planning and all the trip details. When I went to NY this fall, I was only there for 4 days, and having never been was obsessed with shopping. So, I wasn't really able to do the things one should do when they visit NYC--like the art museums, statue of liberty, etc. I did, however, make it to Central Park and to see Phantom of the Opera. The rest of my time was filled with Topshop, H&M, Macy's, Bloomingdale's, cute boutiques and street shopping. Not to say that I won't be visiting those lovely places again this go round! If anyone has ANY suggestions, please let me know!

I would LOVE to see Wicked!

Hahaha! I wish! Wouldn't it be nice to spend the money on Manolo's like these chicks? Maybe I should start saving NOW!

Pink Giveaway at Blooming on Bainbridge!

2010-01-27T16:21:00.000-08:00

It is an ASOLUTE MUST that you check out Teresa's Pink Giveaway! She's having a 10 day pink party...giving away ADORABLE pink prizes to lucky readers! Today's prizes are: an adorable pink knitted scarf, pink-polka-dotted pottery, and a cookbook that will make your mouth water just looking at the cover! Check her out by clicking on the link.

2010-01-24T16:34:00.000-08:00

So, last night the decision was made to head 2 hours west towards Philadelphia, MS to the Silver Star Casino--aka-Redneckville USA. Alabama has a no casino law, so the closest venue to place your bets are casinos in Mississippi. We were celebrating my friend's birthday, and were getting tired of the same old out-to-dinner-at-a-sub par-restaurant thing--so we decided to mix it up. We are not gamblers by any means, but thought a change of pace would be interesting. The only time I have EVER been to a casino (same one, by the way) was once when I was 20. For some reason, I remember this place as being a lot nicer than the place we arrived at last night! I guess 7 years have raised my standards a bit. It was slightly depressing to watch these people waste what was probably their last $5 for the month--you could so tell that this was at least an every weekend thing for some. I thought we did pretty good--like I said, we weren't there to gamble really-just to have a good time--we only set aside $40 to gamble with, and we lost $34 on slot machines. I am glad we went, if only to warn us in the future to not return.
On the way out, we had to step aside for vomit on the floor. Nice.

About to leave--awful picture, but the only one we have.

Mary at the slots--unlike me, she actually did walk away with more money!