The School Year is Off and Running!

The 2013-2014 school year is upon me! I started the year on August 8th in meetings and then my 22 First Graders came on the 15th! They are eager, energetic, and adorable. They are quite affectionate and so sweet! I get so many hugs throughout the day! Last year was my first year in 1st grade after 20 years in 3rd! What a smart move! I'm not quick on change and don't know WHY I didn't move sooner! Ha!

I did a Beach/Hawaiian theme to start the year. They kids are loving it. We wear leis, sunglasses a lot in my room! Friday is our celebration end of it and we are having a Luau party and will break out our grass skirts! It's time to think Fall/Apples/Johnny Appleseed next!

Here's a taste of what my days consists of :

Back to School Day! 

We got new tables this year.  My team got to pick and we choose flower tables in red, blue, yellow, and green! I spent the summer stocking up on supplies in those colors to use. My hubby helped me cement the tiki torches (unlit) into little pails. 

 Love my teacher table!

Big kudos to a great Blog I found.....www.surfinthroughsecond.com....Corina in Hawaii lives the life every day! I love her site! I'm so envious! So cute and got lots of great ideas from her! Thanks Corina! You are so talented!

Be back soon to share my new baby news! (NO not MY baby news...my GRANDBABY news! Goodness gracious!)
I'm soooooo behind on everything!

And so you know!!!!!!!
A great giveaway from Marie at www.cotesclass.com ! Whoa! Go check it out! :0)

29 Years !

Happy 29th Anniversary to my best friend, my sweetheart, Daddy to my babies, and Poppy to our precious Little ones! You are the absolute best and God REALLY blessed me! I love you and appreciate you more than you will ever know!

Summertime!

I can't help it....I love S U M M E R !!!!! It's probably because I'm a teacher August through May and so June and July are pure relaxation. I stay up late and sleep in late. No guilt here! :) We go for late walks...10 p.m. many nights!  I get so many projects done in the summer that I just can't get to in the Fall/Winter/Spring! In May, my hubby and I make our "work list"  and we love to draw that line through it when we finish it! Oh so fulfilling!

The rain has been plentiful and so wonderful. The grass is green, the grass is full, the trees are gorgeous! Praise God for the rain!

Getting to read books which I don't accomplish much outside of summer! Reading To Kill a Mockingbird now, and have a stack to get to....A Glorious Becoming:Embrace Your Royalty (Thank you Kelly!).....Happy, Happy, Happy (Phil Robertson's book).......Welcome to the World Baby Girl (recommended by Aunt Ruthie of Sugarpie Farmhouse) and would love some suggestions.
I lay in the little pool and float and we just got the hot tub up and running so that will be really a great reading spot.....or just sit on the porch on hot days and listen to the birds as I read!

Lily-Jo and I have weekly slumber parties and little Tripp is becoming quite the sleeper so I have requested him on my schedule now! Lily loves YaYa's milkshakes and never turns one down!

Flowers and planting has really kept me busy outside. My fingernails will vouch for that! I got my raised bed gardens in, my herb garden in, lots of pots of annuals, and some new perennials in. My son in law is a Landscape Designer so he got me some gorgeous hydrangea and peony plants.

And cooking/baking! Loving grilling out! Don't you just love the "summer" foods....corn on the cob, watermelon, canteloupe, homemade ice cream ( don't know how many freezers we have made already), berry cobblers, jalepeno poppers......

Then the icing on the cake is:

Definition of ALFRESCO

: taking place or located in the open air : outdoor, outdoors alfresco

lunch> alfresco café> alfresco>

My family knows that Mom will always say...."Let's eat outside!" 

Random shots of June so far!!!!!!!!!

Mother's Day gift....pots for my porch that I painted black!

 Flea Market bargain.....$60 for the set (plus an umbrella!)

Redo pics are coming! 

I'm out of control with spray paint this summer!

Little Miss Lily-Jo loves to sit on YaYa's island and ..... eat!

I found a nest in my Boston fern on my porch when I was watering!

 

 Listening to some country music at an outdoor concert!

Hot tub is up and running and Lily-Jo is loving Poppy's pool!

Poppy and his boy!

Poppy and his girl!

Bathtime at YaYa's!

 

Growing Like a Weed!

Look who is 8 weeks old today! 

Tripp Rodney! 

YIKES!

I can't take it! He is going to be going to PROM before long! He is so darling and sweet! He lives a couple of hours a way and YaYa has a REAL REAL hard time with that! I miss that little guy sooooo much! 
He is coming this weekend for the Memorial Day weekend and I'm busy doing housework/laundry/cleaning.......'cuz this lady ain't doing much else when he gets here but smooching and hugging and cuddling! HA! 

Miss Lily-Jo may give me a run for my money as she is C R A Z Y about him!

Loving keeping up with all of you! I just can't seem to get any personal blogging done! You all are way to much fun and exciting to read about! 

You little babies do your YaYa's heart good!

Our First Grandson!

Tripp Rodney Shaver is here! We are just so excited and all smiles! He arrived on Monday, March 25, at 10:42 a.m. and weighed 7.67 and was 19 1/2 inches long. He came a little earlier than planned due to low amniotic fluids but was just perfect! God's creation! I need not say more! He is darling, sweet, innocent, precious, delicate and............
There is nothing softer than baby's skin ! I just fell in love immediately with a grandchild for the 2nd time. 
Here are just a few shots of this cutie pie. Auntie Darb has such more professional pictures on her site! 


http://www.babyrheaphotography.blogspot.com
click on her Facebook tab 

 

March Snow!

Saturday we had a special wedding to go to on this March Spring day! 
Shall I say: "Supposed to be Spring but ended up Winter Blizzard" Day! 

Crazy weather! 

Huge flakes!

Cold!

Sleet!

Rain!

Snow plows! 

We made it to the wedding and reception 40 minutes away. Decided to leave a little early to head home and this is what we drove in.



I'm really really ready for Spring to show it's pretty face!

 

A Baby is on his Way!

Little Baby Shaver is coming! SOON! My Haley went to the Dr.  and has had low amniotic fluid for a few weeks now.  Her Dr. has decided to induce her a little early. If Baby Shaver has not come out by Sunday night on his own ......he is going to get a little help! I ask for prayers for a safe, healthy delivery for him and blessings of health in delivery for his Mommy. It's hard when your baby is having a baby! Being a first for her, she is nervous. But as a dear friend said to me, she will have the Master Physician in her delivery room! Ahhhh what a comfort! It is such a relief to know God will be right there with her! Sometimes we forget that God is always present! 


We are heading to be with Haley and Cody! I'm very excited to be a YaYa again! I'm planning on staying to help as long as they need me. They live a couple of hours a way and I already know I'm going to have a real hard time leaving this little guy!

 Thank you, thank you, thank you!

A little Easter bunny is on his way! 

Cousin Lily-Jo is pretty excited!