Dollywood and Bass Pro Shop

Yee-Haw! Did I get youns attention?

Today was fun....really, really, really fun! We were supposed to go to Dollywood yesterday, but the weather called for rain, so I didn't go and was just planning on postponing it to next week. I woke up this morning and thought, what the heck, let's go! So, we got up early, got there right when it was opening, and it was SO CROWDED! Luckily, no one wants to ride all the rides that Connor is able to ride, so it wasn't too bad for us. He did get to ride the "Blazing Fury" for the first time and loved it. When we got off, he told the ride attendant, "That ride was AWESOME!" He is hilarious!

After a seven hour day at Dollywood, we stopped for dinner, and got reenergized with carbs and sugary beverages. I decided to stop at Bass Pro Shop because everyone says it's cool. Connor is all boy, and really into all that stuff, and I didn't have anywhere else to be, so I thought I'd let him explore. He loved it! We spent almost two hours in there....and guess what, there is a Starbucks right in the middle! What more could I ask for? So, we enjoyed hot chocolate and coffee while walking around looking at boats and "driving" them, his speed boat sounds were hilarious. (Connor and his mommy really want a boat!) We also crawled in tents and had a fake campout, explored all the fishing stuff, got freaked out at all the taxidermy, and the employees picked Connor to help them feed all the fish. It really was a little boy's heaven! He said that he decided it was the coolest store ever, and I loved it because he was just so darn happy in there!

Today was the best day I've had in a very long time. Four is such a great age! I am so glad I'm not teaching summer school and I'm getting to enjoy being a mom this summer. I'm excited to see what we can do tomorrow!

I Feel Like A Real Live Mom

My life from August until May: tired, exhausted, moody, the fastest dinners possible, in bed by 10 p.m., up no later than 6 a.m. Basically, 20 third graders getting most of my time, and my family is left with the exhausted mess that walks through the door around 5 p.m. and crashes on the couch no later than 10 p.m.

Oh, but summers.....I get to be a real live Mom and it's so exciting! Here was my day today....good stuff!

8:30- Brew some coffee in my pajamas, make Connor oatmeal, check e-mail while Connor watches cartoons.
9:00-11:00- Have "school" with Connor. Help him learn some new sight words, practice writing on lined paper, practice on some worksheets, color, sing, play some games.
11-11:45- Clean up the house a little, do some laundry, etc.
11:45-12- Make some healthy lunch
12-12:30- Finally shower and lay Connor down for a nap
12:30-3- I'm not sure what I did during this time....I should've been doing something productive, but I didn't.
3:00- Get Connor up from his nap, dressed, snack time, etc.,
3:30 -Go to Sonic for slushes!
4:00- Hang out with Greg at work
4:15-5- Go to the library and check out books
5:00-5:30- Make dinner
5:30- Talk Connor into eating Honey Lime Mahi Mahi and steamed broccoli
6:00- Make homemade peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies
6:30-8- Go for a walk with Connor while he rides his bike
8-0:30- Story time, play time
9:30- Connor bath time and bed
10:00- Curl up with a good book

Aaaahhh.... I feel rested, my house is under control, laundry is going, dishes are clean, I don't feel like I am being pulled in a thousand different directions, I don't feel like I am about to have a panic attack at any moment because I don't feel like I am doing anything well because there is just way too much going on.

Hmmm....I wonder at what point I will get bored : )

Hair cuts, Taiwan, and Alarm Clocks

I pretty much stink at posting lately. I dropped my Nikon back in the spring and it has been getting "all fixed up" in New York, so I haven't had any pics to post. I know pictures are much more interesting than my writing, so I just haven't posted. $300 later, the Nikon is fixed, so I should have lots of summer posts.

The girls had a great trip to the lake. We did nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, and it was fabulous! School has been out since Thursday, and I have just been relaxing! It always takes me about a week to get productive! Today I am taking Connor to school so I can get the house under control again. Scrubbing bathrooms and floors is a lot easier to do without a four year old's "help."

I got all of my hair cut off last week, which turned out to be a disaster. Next time you want a drastic hair cut, don't try a new stylist (duh, you might say). I was at the salon for five hours (no, I swear I'm not exaggerating). Despite me telling this stylist that you HAVE to use bleach on my hair because it will turn orange with blonde color, they used color and had to completely redo it. I loved the part when this stylist asked me if I wanted to come back another day to fix it..ummm...I'm not leaving the salon like this, sorry. The color got fixed, and is fine. The cut I am getting used to, even though it is the worst hair cut I've ever had, completely uneven, and one side is longer than the other. I think Greg could have cut it! When I fix it you can't tell, but I am hoping my wonderful mother-in-law can clean up the mess when I see her. (I should've let her do it in the first place, but I just wanted the hair gone! It was on my last nerve!) Anyways, I am in search of a new salon! I have been going to that one forever, but needless to say, I will never go back! Okay, that was way too much talk about hair....Connor did say, "Mommy you look prettier with long hair, I don't like your short hair...boys and long hair...geez!

If you read Greg's blog, you might've read that we are going to try to go to Taiwan over Christmas break. We are wanting to work in the orphanage, get to know the staff there, and experience some of the culture. We really want to be able to give back to the orphanage that will take care of our daughter while we are waiting to get her, and when we travel to get her, we won't be completely lost in a foreign country with a baby! I am really, really praying that this will come through. We both feel like this is what we're supposed to do, we just need money to buy airfare pretty soon before it starts getting more expensive. We are fixing to start ebaying like crazy and have a we're having a huge garage sale this weekend. We are watching our spending like crazy (I'm really not very good at it!), but I know it will be worth it in the end. I do miss my Starbucks beverages!

A few Sundays ago, we overslept for church, so Connor and I made muffins and coffee and had home church. We've actually done this a couple of times. I just read a bible story to him, and we make some crafts (Connor calls this "doing some gluing".) Well, Sunday I wake up about an hour late, my alarm clock turned off, and my little boy giggling. He said, "Mommy, it's time to make muffins and have home church." The little sneak turned off my alarm clock so we could have church at home. I think it's sweet that he thinks that is so fun, but we had to have a LONG talk about turning off Mommy's alarm. He is such a mess....a sweet mess.

On Sunday, Connor and my niece had a campout at my parents' house. They had so much fun! Greg and I had no idea what to do with ourselves without Connor. We ended up going to Border's, out to eat, took a walk, and came home and played Scrabble. Yes, we are an exciting couple! I can't even remember what we did before Connor. I think we must've been bored and well-rested!

Well, this week begins my summer with Connor! It's hard to believe this time next summer I will be getting ready to send him to Kindergarten. I have lots of fun stuff planned and I am so excited to spend so much time with him! But first.....I must get my house clean and under control!

Long Time, No Blogging!

I just realized it's been a couple of weeks since I posted. You can tell it's the end of the school year, because things are insanely busy. I'm slowly working towards the bottom of the paperwork pile. Hopefully I'll get there soon!

This past week has been extremely hard. I found out Friday that one of my former students took his own life. Going to his funeral on Monday was one of the saddest and hardest things that I've ever done. He was a great kid, so much fun to teach, so witty, and extremely intelligent. I spent seven hours a day with him for 180 days, I saw him more in those 180 days than my own family, so needless to say, I have been devastated. I have had such a hard time dealing with his death. First, I was just shocked and heartbroken, then I was mad, so mad that this eleven year old little boy was gone! Now, I just miss him and hope he knew how special I thought he was......it's been a hard week! I have cried and cried, I've punched some pillows, and I just might have thrown some stuff. I know this is an experience that will stay with me my entire life.

On the good news side (Thank you, God that there is some good stuff to talk about), I have five and a half days left of work! Can you hear me screaming and jumping up and down? In all my years of teaching, I've never been this over it! Get me outta there!

Also, more good news....girl's weekend at the lake begins in less than 48 hours! Can you hear me screaming and jumping up and down again? Lots of reading, relaxing, sleeping, and laughing will be taking place. This trip was perfect timing!

Oh, and some more good news, the beach is only three and a half weeks away! Aaaaaaahhh....I can taste summer! Being a teacher rules...well, during June and July anyways.

Picture Post

Things have been so busy that I haven't even had a chance to download any pics from the camera. While the boys are taking their Sunday afternoon nap, I thought I'd catch up. Here's what we've been up to the past few weeks!


Connor was actually very excited for his first visit to the dentist! He looked forward to it all week!

He of course had everyone in smiles. They couldn't believe how well he did for his very first trip! They said they'd never had a four-year old take a perfect x-ray!

No cavities! I did awesome!

This is what happens when I work late....I come home and Connor has spelled his name out on the table with his dinner and left it for me to see! It was pretty much dried to the table by the time I got home...disgusting to clean, sweet that he left it for me to see!


In the gardens at Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC.


Getaways are very, very good for a marriage!


So glad to be out of Knoxville for two days and staying at a beautiful hotel!