The Top 10 Reasons I Know I am Heading Back to School...

10.  The days are increasingly shorter and the to do lists are increasingly LONGER.

9. Instead of planning my entire day around going to a dollar store or the Target dollar spot, I am now planning my days around getting into the school building.

8.  Every time I go to school I have to get a flat bed cart to bring my load into my classroom. 

7. I am currently printing out more name labels then I care to admit too. 

6.  Monday through Friday I have to wear dress clothes.

5. My "fun" money becomes "the kids really need this" money.

4.  I have spent over 250 dollars on school supplies.  

3. I start calling Ross the Hamilton Fund, supporting kids educations and my teaching hobby since 2008.
2. I recorded my name in a whiny voice and have it playing repeatedly  as I set up my classroom just to desensitize my ears to the sound.  If I could simultaneously be tapped on, tugged on, and followed around the room I would add that to my teacher training.
and the number 1 reason I know I am heading back to school....

Every waking moment I think about something else I want and need to do for my classroom and my students!

WElCOME BACK PARKSIDE FRIENDS!

Zoo Day!!!

Yesterday we went to the Hogle Zoo. I love the Hogle Zoo, I love going an seeing all the animals and just having an enjoyable day. We decided to go to the zoo because it was Zoorasic time at the zoo. The zoo has all of these robot dinosaurs, and Ross loves dinosaurs and dinosaurs, so he had to go. They had lots of neat dinorobitcs.

Ross and I running from a T-Rex.

We also went to the zoo to see all of the cute animals. We saw two of my favorite animals giraffes and meerkats. The giraffes were neat because they were inside eating so we got to see them up close.

Look at that giraffe. 

The meerkats were my favorite for two reasons it was indoors and they are so stinking cute! We had been walking around in like blistering heat. So when we got to go indoors it was nice. The meekats were in their pin and they were soaking up sun, and they knew they had an audience so they were playing it up for the audience.

Look at me.

Cuddles.

We also just had some great time with each other Kim and I rode the carousel. Ross and Kim had fun hanging out.

All in all, I would say it was a great outing at the zoo. I think everyone should go and have some fun and spend some time with the animals.

Father's Day Weekend Fun!

Since it is finally summer, Kimberly is back! She will be her through July. We are so excited. We absolutely love having Kim with us. My mom and my brother Alex, brought he up on Friday.  We decided to something fun on Saturday to celebrate Kim getting here and Father's Day. On Saturday we went to Five Guys for yummy burgers and fries. Then, we went to Thanksgiving Point, we went to the Museum of Ancient History. The Museum of Ancient Life has the distinction of being the world's largest display of mounted dinosaurs.  Not only did we meet fierce prehistoric friends at the museum, we also become a part of their world.  While weaving through the exhibits, chirps of insects and growls of ancient creatures greeted us in each hall.  Exhibits like the Erosion Table and the Fossil Dig gave Ross, Kim, and Alex,an opportunity be a part of the science of paleontology.  Needless to say, this is not an ordinary museum.

Oh no, it is a Joeysaurus!

A two-headed Kimmieasaurus.

What type of dinosaurs are these?

DinoLovins!

Kim wants him as a pet.

Okay, I am kind of fond of him too.

My mom thinking man that thing is huge.

It is going to get me!!

My family!

Ross and I.

You can pick your nose, but don't ever pick a dinosaurs nose.

Alex loves turtles.

Ross and Kim trying to get a snack.

Digging for dinos!

 

Zoey's Haircut and Other Cuteness From thevPuppies!

This may seem like a silly post, but we don't children yet so really I need everyone to humor me about my dogs. If you think I am weird, then this post is not for you. Last week, Zoey got her first "official" haircut. This might not seem like a big deal, but when I picked her up she looked like a different puppy.

Her with her purple bows!

I guess she wanted a close up...

Sandy was so confused about Zoey's haircut.

 

 

 I am on summer break right now, the best thing about summer is sleeping in. Ross is so jealous of his girls cause we all sleep in while he goes off to work.

Sandy sleeping in her Blue Blanket.

Zoey and her elephant cuddling in bed.

 

I am not going to put a picture of my sleeping in bed, because I am not near as cute as the puppies. I think the three of us will have a great summer. Thanks for humoring and hearing about dang cute my dogs are.

A Way Over Due Post About My Hubby's Birthday!

My Handsome Hubby!

My amazing husband, turned 28, on June 7th. I love birthdays! I think that they are very important, a birthday creates you existence in this world, and that is pretty neat. I love my husband's birthday the most, without his birthday I wouldn't have him. I want to thank his parents for teaching him to take care of me, and for making him the great man he is. So THANK YOU! I want to thank Kristina, for being one of his biggest fans, and she always knows what to say to pick up his spirits. I want to thank his friends for teaching him how to laugh at himself. Without you guys my husband would be pretty lame. 

This year for his birthday I wanted to something extra special, so I called his old college roommate and asked him to come visit. I thought it was a long shot, but Mike came! The best part was is that Ross had no idea, he came home from work, and I was out walking the dogs, and he came upstairs and started looking for me around the house. He opened Kim's bedroom door and there was Mike!! I know that he was taken back. 

Ross being excited about Mike!

I really wanted Ross to have fun, so I planned him a laser tag party at Laser Quest! In his words he said it was, "LEGEND... wait for it...DARY!! The first game we played was with a bunch of 6 years olds and a bunch of Laser Tag enthusiasts. So it worked out well for the whole group, Halley and I thought we stood a chance against the six years old, and the boys got the pros. Those kids were ruthless, I coward in a corner waiting for the the little one to tell me to, "Beat it Loser!" The second game Ross played, he did so well he took 2nd place!!! What a Laser Tag Stud!

After laser tag, we went to Famous Dave's for all you can eat meat, cause I know what my man likes. He loves BBQ, probably more then me. Big Ross, I blame you, and your amazing grilling skills.  The only problem I have with Famous Dave's is that they won't give me a name tag. I really want to be "Famous Joey". 

So after all you eat meat and endless laser tag, we went back to our apartment for cake and games.The only problem with having our birthday's so close to each others is that there is too much cake. I was worried about buying another cake when we still had a half an ice cream cake at home from my birthday. I decided to go ahead and buy one, and lucky I did, Ross ate ice cream cake for breakfast and left it on the counter all day. I came home to two puppies covered in chocolate cake and melted ice cream I would have mad, but the those dang puppies were TOO CUTE! So here is the cake that I didn't make, but I did buy all by myself.

This cake tasted so GOOD!

Ross spent the rest of his birthday weekend shopping for Magic cards with Mike and eating more BBQ! I really hope he had an epic birthday and one that he will always remember. I love him very much and I can't wait to do a bigger birthday for next year! I hope that all his wishes come true!

Happy 28th Birthday!

It's beginning to look a lot like SUMMER!!

Yesterday was the last day of school. The last day of school is just as fun as a teacher as it was for me as a child. I feel like there is this electricity in the air, and no one can wait for that final bell to ring. Our PTA put on an amazing field day, it was super organized and the booths were fun. My class loved field day! At the end of field day the Murray Fire Department comes and sprays the children with their fire hose. The kids love it!

Murray Fire Department bathing our students!

All Smiles!

 Well here I am, 180 days later and now it is finally time for some summer fun. I love my job, and love teaching, but boy do I love summer vacation. I ended my second year of teaching first grade and it was a blast! I had the greatest class this year, with I feel like the world's cutest kids.

Next year I am moving to a part-time position teaching the half day Kindergarten. I am excited for the change and for the opportunity to grow in my teaching career.

I hope that everyone has a super safe and happy summer!

Getting My Birthday Fix, While Turning Twenty-Six!!

Happy Birthday!

So this weekend I celebrated my 26th birthday, and it was a blast! I am going to start this post by telling you about my special day and then about what I learned about life while I was 25.

So my birthday was on Friday, I went to work that day and had a great end of year field trip with my class. We went swimming and then watched a movie. That evening I came home to one sick puppy. I bought these bones that are natural, and since Zoey has been teething, our other dog, I thought the bones were a good buy. But they weren't. Sandy's tummy did not digest them well and she needed medical attention. So after our trip to the vet and some meds. she is feeling a lot better. While I was out at the vet, Ross came home and set up the table with a card from him and one from the puppies. He bought me a new camera and it is even PINK! I love it! It is a Canon PowerShot.

Pretty cool huh?

Later that evening we had dinner at Old Spaghetti Factory. I feel like the real fun began on Saturday. I woke up and cleaned my house like crazy, this was the first day that was able to do all the house work since my surgery. That in itself is a present. After that I went on a mad shopping spree with Halley, who is always good about helping my justify why I need more shoes and handbags. That evening Ross, Nich, Halley, and I went to the BrazaGrill, yummy! My husband also planned a birthday party for me, with matching plates and napkins! He had a theme. I was so impressed. He is stealing my title of Birthday Coach! I had so much fun, my cheeks literally hurt by the end of the evening from laughing so much.

Trying to make walrus teeth with candles.

This has truly been an amazing year full of miracles and blessings. The thing I have really learned this year is how important it is to live like we are dieing. As many of you know my brother Kyle received a heart transplant last year, this was a miracle. I love my brother so much and seeing him alive is amazing. He is such a great person and even after how much he has had to change his life, he doesn't complain, he says I am alive. What a statement. I also lost a close friend this year. His name was Brandon, he was 26 and died of cancer the day before his birthday. I know that it was his time, he had been battling cancer since he was 4, but he was truly a remarkable person. He was kind and generous with everyone that he knew. He was a great example and he lived a life that a person could truly be proud of. I want to be a good person, I want life that I can be proud of, I want my life to touch others peoples lives. I want to be someones Kyle or Brandon. Our lives our so short, and it is impossible to know what God has planned for each of us, but I truly do believe that if we live each day as if it where our last, we would be kinder, more generous, more loving, more faithful, and more Christ like. This is the life I want.
So here I am, a year older and hopefully a year wiser and making a wish for another great year!

Thank you everyone!