Life Lately

The blogging rut lives on.

We are just living life lately and it doesn't seem like any of it is blog worthy.

But like I said before I like being able to look back and see what we were doing.

We did have some fun this past weekend.

Seth, Melissa, Mikey, and Ellie spent the night with us Friday.

I love nothing more than seeing these babies first thing in the morning with their sleepy eyes.

We made breakfast and just kind of lazed around the house.

Well the adults lazed around the house.

The babes were all over the place.

They are both walking more and more and it makes this Aunt E so happy and sad all at the same time.

I told Seth and Melissa that I cannot imagine how it feels to be their parents.  I'm just the aunt and it breaks my heart at how quickly they are growing.  It is so fun to watch them learn new things but at the same time I miss these teeny tiny babies.

We spent a little time at Spring Fest checking out the vendors, eating carnival food, and visiting the petting zoo.

It was time for them to go home all too soon.

Andrew left yesterday for two weeks in Florida.

Cue the tears.

I'm not one of those wives who rejoices when the husband is gone.

It's only day two and I already miss him and am ready for him to be home.

He is working just outside of Orlando.

Oh how I wish I could have gone and spent a week in Orlando.

But school is still in session.

So until next time, Mickey Mouse, until next time.

Speaking of school....Only 21 one more days.

I shared on facebook this week that this school year has flown by.

I am so thankful for my coworkers. 

They have helped me get through what has been both the best and worst year of my life.

God knew I needed to be at RB during this season of my life.

I sometimes forget this is only my first year there.

It has felt like home from day one.

A Little Q&A

I've been in a little blogging rut lately.  Sometimes I think it would be easier to just give up blogging.  But I love it too much.  

I love being able to go back and relive the fun memories.  

I love being able to go back and see how God has worked in our lives.  

And I love being able to go back and prove my husband wrong about certain memories...not that I have ever done that.  Hehe!

Any way I thought it might fun to break up the rut with a little Q&A so I asked my facebook friends for some questions.  

And I didn't plan this but I ended up with 13 questions and today is the 13th so there's that fun little tidbit.

And now...well now I shall answer them.

1. Favorite restaurant?

Hmm...I love me some Chick-Fil-A.  I'm also a fan of any place where I can get some good pasta.  Chicken alfredo is my favorite and there isn't anywhere where we live that serves great pasta.  If we are somewhere else I want pasta.

2. Do you still scrapbook? 

I really don't.  In fact I just cleaned out all of my supplies and gave a huge box of stuff to my sister-in-law.  I still love to craft and do different projects, but I don't really scrapbook anymore. My blog has become my scrapbook.

3. What is your next porch party?

I think hosting our porch parties might just be my favorite thing about our house.  Andrew and I love entertaining and we love the process of planning a porch party.  The Masters Watch party was a lot of fun...I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that it was different from our Americana parties.

  Of course my favorite porch event was the wedding of two of our favorite people.

So our next porch party will most likely be our third annual Americana party.  We've been discussing ways to change it up this year.  Andrew has some pretty good ideas based on the fact that the summer Olympics occur this year.

4. Boxers or Briefs?

Boxers...is there really any other choice?

5. To be or not to be?

Not to be.

6. Beatles or Elvis?

Beatles...though I love me some Elvis.

7. If you could go back and change careers what would you do knowing what you know now?

Ugh!  Asking me this question with 30 days left of school...Let's just say I'm ready for May.
Teaching definitely has its frustrations and sometimes I do beg Andrew to let me be a stay at home wife.  With that being said, I believe God created me to teach.  It's what I've always wanted to do.  There has really never been another option for me.  So knowing what I know now I would still choose to be a teacher.  The rewards far outweigh the frustrations.

8. How was it kissing without braces for the first time?

Oh my goodness!  Let me just tell you. It is such a relief not to have worry about getting stuck every time we kiss.

9. If you could spend one hour with anyone (passed or alive) who would you choose?

My Granddad.  He went home to be with Jesus when I was just a baby so I never really got to know him.  I know that my Mommom talks about him like he was perfect.  I so admire her love for him.

10. What is your favorite, go-to Bible verse?

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord.  "They are plans for good and nor for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

11. How do you find time/ or when do you spend time in God's word?

I'll admit I struggle with this.  I've tried various times of my day.  For awhile I was doing it when I got to school.  My planning period is the first period of the day and I would take a few minutes then, but I found that some days I would be behind or busy and it wouldn't happen.  For the past couple of weeks I've been reading on my phone with the YouVersion app.  This allows me to do it while I'm still in bed before I get up.  Everything is still quiet and still.

12. Do you make all the the cute things you use in your classroom?

Decorating my classroom is probably one of my favorite parts of my job.  I love choosing a theme, looking for ideas, and then putting it all together.  I spend a lot of time in that room so I want it to be a happy place just as much for me as for my students.  I also love crafting.  So yes I do make the majority of the things for my classroom.  It combines two of my favorite things.  Each summer I have to make myself stop with the decorating and crafting and focus on lesson plans.  Right now I'm leaning towards a travel theme for next year and I could not be more excited about it.

13. Favorite childhood memory?

This is a tough one.  I had a great childhood.  I loved playing JC Penney with my cousins at Mommom's.  I loved playing hide and seek with cousins at Granny and PaPa's house.  Nathan would hide me in the best places - putting me in the tops of closets and all kinds of crazy spots.  Summer days outside with my brother were the best.  We would use the water hose to turn our front yard into our own personal water park.  Family vacations were the best rather it was camping or spending a week in Branson.




Well that was fun.  Thank you for the questions.  Maybe we will do this again soon.

Masters Porch Party 2016

Family is good.

Friends are good. 

But when your family are your best friends and your friends are like family...well that's the best.

My heart is full.

Last night our home was filled with 14 guests.

We ate.  We played. We talked.  And we laughed.

We stayed up way past my bedtime just enjoying the fellowship with one another.

Today 14 more people joined us for our first Masters Porch Party.

Our house was filled with people and noise, but more than that it was filled with love.

This morning the guys played a round of golf.

The trash talking was intense.

They came back thinking one team had won by three strokes.

A quick recount revealed the other team had actually won by six strokes.

(The one in green is my favorite)

While the guys played golf, the ladies stayed behind to cook and set everything up.  I so enjoyed this time with my sister-in-laws and friends.

This was a simple party but I love the way it turned out.

I didn't take many pictures during the party. I was simply enjoying visiting with everyone.  But I could not resist snapping a few pictures of the three youngest of my nieces and nephews playing together.

I also had to get a picture of me and Miss Julia Kate.  She is our friends Kyle and Robyn's little girl and she is absolutely precious.

And of course a quick selfie with these two guys.  Such a fund time celebrating their birthdays today.