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Monday, October 19, 2009

He's a Legend




And he'll be wearing it too. That is, Legend, by Calvin Klein.





So that's one thing down! It makes me happy to continue checking things off our lists!

Groom will wear a purple tie and maybe a purple vest, and the men will wear the same ensemble you see here.

I will have purple shoes and bouquet and my girls are wearing pewter toned dresses.

I looooooove this tux and although I thought the guys were going to buy suits to make more money sense, my guy really loves this one. Ultimately, it's up to him! They can buy it for a whole lotta money, but I'm not worrying about it. I took care of my girls so my hands are clean!


*Sigh* He is going to look so handsome... off I go to daydream!


Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Chicken Soup for the Soul

I had my first soup-making-from-scratch experience today and it made me feel very domesticated! As the pages of our calendar get increasingly close to "May," I'm starting to worry about my wifely skills. Yes, I know my fiance almost as well as myself, and yes, I know what he likes, dislikes, wants to eat, how much he likes to eat, that he is very clean and particular about his environment, how he likes to do his laundry, what his favorite brands of soap/shampoo/ lotion are, brands of underwears, and other miscellaneous yet important tidbits (and might I say, that's not bad for not living together AT ALL!!!)

But one lonely little skill that I am self conscious about is...... cooking.

I'm not a bad cook! I don't burn much, I mean. My more frequent problem is things being under-seasoned. But lately, I've been hitting the nail on the head! My MIL taught me how to fry chicken and make cornbread, and I have many dishes up my sleeve from my own parents, whom are both great cooks. But one of my love's faves is biscuits made from scratch and I've been practicing for years! But my latest batch was, dare I say, perfect. I don't give myself all the credit, though, because his mom added some advice, but I'll take about 70%! I know I did right when his two youngest brothers eat my food, because they usually don't if it's not perfect, just to get on my nerves..... But that won't be so bad since we're moving in next door. Do I really want them coming over to eat all the time???

Anyways, I did it again with some apple crisp! And the latest- homemade chicken noodle soup! Here's how I made this fall (and cold/allergy/flu season) delight:

Ingredients:
Two stalks of celery chopped
10 baby carrots cut like coins
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium vidalia onion chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (fresh or from the jar)
salt/ pepper to taste
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or more if you like) to kick the sickness right out of your body
1 meaty boneless and skinless chicken breast, cubed
Noodles of some kind

Saute the chopped veggies and garlic in olive oil until soft, seasoned, and slightly brown. While sauteing, boil the noodles with salt to taste. After veggies are done and the onions are slightly brown, pour the veggies into the finished noodles. Do not drain the noodles! Leave a few onions in the pan and a a dash of olive oil for the chicken. Saute the chicken on medium with pepper, a pinch of garlic, and the cayenne pepper. Make sure the chicken doesn't get too tough. Pour the finished chicken into the soup and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste and leave covered on medium/low for as long as desired or until the celery is soft.

I anticipate making this again and again for me and my babe, as well as any kidlings we will have in the future!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Icky-Sticky-and Goo

and I don't mean the candy store.... My favoritist season of the year brings so many lovely things: red-orange and golden leaves, warm sweaters, hot drinks, caramel and candy apples, anything warm and cinnamonny, my birthday, and as evident in the last 22 years of my life- a terrible sinus infection.

I've gotten so tired of these infections that I've quit going to the doctor. I hate being on antibiotics twice a year, they're so bad for you! I know- you're probably saying "Twice a year? But fall only happens once a year, Songbird!" Well that's because I am known to also get a sinus infection in the spring.... which brings me to the wedding. Feeling as sick, sore, congested, tired and achy as I do right now makes me ever so wary of the spring. Usually I get the spring one around April, though, and our wedding is at the end of May. Unless there's some freak change in the weather, but I'm going to start saying my prayers now!!

Right now this has put a hold on any kind of wedding progress. I wanted to finish my necklace and earrings this weekend and look for flowergirl dresses, but I'm planted to my bed. Thankfully, we have no school today so I didn't have to call out of work. I just wish this vacation day could have been more productive.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Wax on, wax off!

{This might be kinda gross to you}

I have a thing about body hair- it really grosses me out! (It just so happens my fiance has very little, so that works out great!)

As for me... well I'm not really really furry, but I'd much rather have nothing at all. I read in a magazine that Halle Berry waxes her ENTIRE body and face. If I had the tolerance, I think I would too.

For now, I only wax my underarms- and I do it myself! Why only the underarms, you ask? Well, I hate how after I shave there, it looks like I have a 5 o'clock shadow because my hair is brown. And form far away, it looks like I didn't even shave at all! I've always wanted the smooth, beautiful underarms I see in pictures so I wax to pull the hair from the root so that there will not be a shadow!

I started doing this when I thought about my upcoming wedding. My dress does not cover my unerarms and I know I'll be dancing like crazy, so the worst thing to me would be to have a great picture with an ugly armpit. That would completely ruin it for me. I started waxing over the summer, so I'm getting more used to it! By May I should be like one of those deodorant commercial girls!!!

Happy waxing!

Friday, October 9, 2009

Epiphany

Today something struck me. As I was cleaning the kitchen floor and reflecting on my career as a teacher of the arts; I reflected on my students, my new classroom, and my dream of being a singer. That's right. A singer- a GOSPEL singer to be exact. And I've been told that it's going to happen, but for now, I'm just trusting God. But I'm getting off topic....

What I realized today is that I want the gifts that God gave me to outlast my lifespan. I don't want the gifts to expire when I do, I want them to keep giving. So as I teach, sing, and live, I will remember that the gifts God chose to gave me aren't just for the here and now, but they are to live into the future- through my students, my (future) children, and anyone who is touched by my songs.

If I can change the life of one person for the better, than I am humbly honored.

Monday, October 5, 2009

A subway kinda day

Today Jared the Subway spokesperson came to my school! He gave our kids insightful info about self-esteem in relation to a healthy weight and told many of his stories about his childhood. I know a lot of the kids didn't quite understand what he was talking about, but I think some of the older ones got his point. Live healthy- be happy.

One thing he mentioned was how when he was overweight, there were plenty of people who talked about him and degraded him. Then, when he got famous, those same people tried to be his friends. I feel like that is the story of my life and as the future brings more successes, I know that those episodes will repeat themselves.... but I'm ever ready. ;-}

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

A fresh start

Yesterday I spent all of the school day setting up my new classroom! That's right, a brand new classroom!! My school turned a storage closet into the art room for me, and now it's like starting all over again. I have to go over rules, where everything belongs, give out jobs, and actually get used to it myself! This is my first time having a real room all to myself so there is a lot of adjusting on my part. And it's difficult sometimes transitioning when there is a class in the gym and my kids have to walk in/out after they've already started....but I'm sure those kinks will iron out.

I plan on going in extra early tomorrow to set up and get ready to meet my old college advisor and my theatre professor. The two of them are coming tomorrow (the college has a community service day) to do some painting for me in my room! :) Off to bed I go! I'll try to post pics later.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Time to move on....

Today was a strange day, to say the least.

After a great service last night for our pastor, and even a great morning service at which my husband-to-be gave the message, today was a day of true tests.

I awoke this morning in a very drowzy state and as I stumble fuzzily around my room, my mother poked her head in my room and said "Emily* died."
"What?"
Emily* was my half sister. She was about 5 years older than I and about 3 years older than my brother. And I had no realtionship with her other than we shared the same father. I had seen her before and had once answered a phone call she made to threaten my mom, but I didn't have a bond with her. And that bothered me.

Now that she is tragically gone at such a young age, I am mad at myself. I wanted to get to know her, even though there were rocky roads between our two families. I wanted her to know that my father is a good man, a great man. That if her mother had done differently, she could have been welcome in our family. I wanted to just have one conversation if that was all I could get. But that opportunity is gone and the door to those things has been closed. My deepest regret is not seizing the moment. So as I title this post "Time to move on...", I'm proclaiming that there will be no more waiting and wondering if the time is right. Too many times I wanted to reach out to her and too many times I backed down. I've learned through many lessons that we have to use the time we have while we still have it. The time has begun for me to make some moves, even if they are scary, difficult, or uncomfortable.

Carpe Diem

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday

Today's another big day! We have a service in the morning (which the men are in charge of, so we women can sit back and enjoy!) and our Pastor Appreciation service tonight! We've been working so had on this event and I'm really ready to see it come to fruition.

At the end of the day, I'll be back on my laptop looking for wedding things. I have yet to find:
-Centerpieces
-Bouquets/bouts.
-Invites (We're going to do it easy style on this)
-Aisle decor

And I have to decide on a favor and a few other touches. Now that we are at the end of September, I am looking forward to meeting my photographer, Gwendolyn Tundermann, in Nov! Her blog is http://www.gwendolyntundermann.com/blog/

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Saturday, September 26, 2009

*Sigh*

The test is done, the car wash is over, and my at home spa treatments are about to commence. And to think that just a few hours ago I was completely overwhelmed?!

The service for our pastor tomorrow is going to be great. We have to meet in a little while tonight, but then all of our weeks of hard work will be put to rest. Thank the Lord.

Off I go to do my own mani/pedi/facial- all while saving $100s!

What a weekend.

All of the following is stocked up in one weekend:
-I am taking an MTEL exam today to add another certification to my resume
-My church is having a car wash and a fish/chicken fry that I unfortunately can't help with
-We are doing those things to raise funds for our pastoral appreciation service tomorrow and I have two projects to work on for that
-My dad's birthday is also tomorrow

To be honest, in the midst of all this, I really have the need to bead. Jewelry that is. In addition to these things, I have the wedding ever present on my mind, the house we are getting prepared to buy, and my classroom at school, which is just now ready for me to move into on Monday. That's right, I won't be teaching, I'll be moving ALL day! Because Open House is Tuesday and at this moment, my classroom furniture and supplies are in a heap in the stage! But that's another blog....

So can you see why I want to bead? I need something to put my mind at ease, I need to zone out for a few. And I doubt that I'm the only one.

Oh yeah , and one more thing, my bedroom is a a reflection of the mess my mind is in. But off I go to take care of that problem. ;-)

Thursday, September 24, 2009

New to blogging...

And liking it! This is my first official real-life, 100% unfooled around with blog. I've been a fan of board messages and such, but now I have my own little space to rest my thoughts! How fun!

I guess I should first warn that for the next 8 months, much of my writing will be on wedding issues. I am a May 2010 bride in the making, and after almost 3 years of engagement, my mind is overflowing with thoughts of our magical day. So bear with me, if you dare. :)

That's all I have for now, off to figure out what else my new blog-page can do. Maybe I can teach it how to fetch...