Parker's Nursery

Here are some pictures of Parker's cute nursery. If I had had anything to do with this creation at all, I would not be so proud. But...I can take no credit. My mom and Kelly came up with the whole idea, and my mom and Alyssa created it. My dad and Sam and Lee were wonderful and patient in putting it all together. I still can't believe how great it looks. We love it so much. It's very calm and soothing...Lee and I sometimes just sit in there and look around in disbelief. The things that make the room so neat are all the special touches that members of our family have put into it. Check out the slide show below to see each neat creation. Make sure to click on the pictures for the details. Thank you so much to everyone who helped...especially my family for giving up long weekends of time. Now we just need a baby for it!

Make a postcard!

A Christmas Compromise

Christmas decorations have caused a few disagreements around our house this year. Lee loves Christmas and pulling out all the decorations and putting them all up. I, on the other hand, hate the decorations. I always think they track in so much dust and make my house look junky, and I hate putting them up, and taking them down is even worse. So, with the arrival of our little baby this year, I felt like it was perfectly logical to not put up decorations. Parker is due so close to Christmas that we could very well be at the hospital on Christmas day. Our house is already filled with baby things that we haven't quite figured out just where to put. And, because I can't travel for Christmas, my whole family is coming here to Jackson, and we're staying at Luckett Lodge. And I just don't want to take down decorations either being as pregnant as I will be if we're still here after Christmas or a week after when we've come back home and recovered. Therefore, no need for decorations, right? I thought it was that easy. But oh no. Lee has thrown a fit. So, this was our compromise. Our tiny little four and a half foot Christmas tree. Don't worry. When I asked Lee to get a strand of lights out of the attic, he came down with an entire nativity set for the mantle, stockings, and a wreath that goes on the front of our house. But he's promised me that it would all be down before we came home from the hospital. He is too much!

A Quick Catch Up

Yes, I know it's been a while. Ok, a really long while. I have no excuse. We have been a little busy trying to cram lots of stuff in and get lots together before we got busy with the holidays. And my life has been a little boring. So here's a quick glance at what we've been doing.

Yes, Alyssa and I did finish the cake decorating class. We had such a good time. It was really fun for us to spend time together every Tuesday night catching up, but we had a better time laughing at ourselves...and others in the class. We did learn a lot. Of course, Alyssa has already made a million cakes while I have made none. As a matter of fact, I think she has all my tools we got in class! Oh well. It was worth it. And one day I'll save us big bucks by making birthday cakes for our own children!

I had a shower in Pontotoc a few weeks ago. Lee's sweet cousins and aunts gave it for me. We had a really good time and got lots of fun stuff...lots of clothes to keep this little baby warm! I also had a shower here in Jackson that my sweet small group girls gave me. It was so nice. My mom and sisters and Lee's mom were all able to be here, so that was really special. It was also great to see some friends that I don't get to see all the time.

Lee and I have also been going to the classes at the hospital to get ready for Parker to come. Ugghhhh is all I have to say. We finally finished last night, and I was so glad. Don't get me wrong, we learned some things and were introduced to some things that we didn't already know. But they were on Monday nights, and we were always tired. And most of what was taught in the class was stuff we already knew...I think we read too many books!! We were so glad to walk out of that classroom for the last time Monday night.

We had a really quick and busy Thanksgiving week. Our plans had to be changed around at the last minute. My PeePaw, who is not really my grandfather but has been like one to me and my sisters my whole life, passed away the Thursday before Thanksgiving. Although the death was not a shock because he has been sick for years, it was a little bit of a surprise because he continued to do ok for so long. Instead of going to Pontotoc on Friday, we drove to the Coast for the funeral which was early Saturday morning. From the funeral, we left and drove to Pontotoc and did Thanksgiving with Lee's family Saturday night. We had planned to be home Saturday night but stayed there because we were so tired. In the meantime, my parents came back to Jackson with Alyssa and Sam to put the shelving unit for the nursery in our house. Little did we know they were really doing an Extreme Home Makeover. Sam and my dad put more shelves in all of my cabinets in the kitchen while my mom and Alyssa put all the baby stuff into the drawers and cabinets in the nursery. Lee and I got home Sunday afternoon and were amazed and overwhelmed. It was so nice and looks wonderful. My mom and I spent the beginning of the week finishing up the nursery and doing some things around the house while my dad drove back to Houston. My grandparents and dad and Lia came on Wednesday, so we had Thanksgiving dinner with all of them on Thursday at my house. We used our china for the first time - I know, it's about time. Whirlwind of a week! But we got so much done and had a really good time.

Those are really the most exciting things that have been going on. Sorry I've been such a slacker. I've got to get better at this!! I think because I put it off for so long the thought of sitting down to write anything made my head hurt! I'll be more consistent...hopefully!

Move Over Cake Diva...

Alyssa and I started our cake decorating class tonight! It's something we've both always wanted to do but kept making excuses not to do it. A couple of weeks ago, I just called and signed us up. We had so much fun. Of course, it's a basic class, so everything was fairly easy tonight, but I'm sure it will get harder. I meant to take my camera with me, but Lee took it out of my purse and forgot to put it back. Never fear, we brought our tools home to show Sam and Lee what we had learned. I think they were impressed!

We're Home!!!

Lee and I have been out of town for the past three weekends, but we're home now for a while. Two weekends ago we were in Pontotoc. We had a really good time just relaxing, and we bought a crib, which was so fun. Actually, we took Lee's parents with us for some help in picking one out, and they surprised us by buying the crib for us! We were so shocked and excited.

Last weekend we went to the Coast Friday night. My parents met us there that night. We went to a surprise part for Lanette's husband Michael and left from the party to come back here. We had some serious work to get done! My sweet family worked so hard all day Sunday and Monday. It was my mom and dad, Alyssa and Sam and Lia. Those were some late nights! But we did get the nursery painted. We've had a bit of trouble painting the chair railing. The guy who sold us the paint was supposed to also sell us a color primer...but he forgot to do that. We found this out after painting four coats of paint on the stuff! So I still have to finish that this week.

This weekend Lee and I flew to Houston. Lia had her first home football game as a Standleader, and Lee got to go to the Texas A&M game with a guy from my parent's Sunday school class. We almost didn't make it on Friday. We got on the plane and then were taken off because there was a flat front tire on the plane. At that point we were told that they would either fix it or get a tire flown in from Houston! We were hoping they would just fix it, but instead they canceled the flight all together! There was a 6:40 flight, but by the time we got up to the counter to see about getting switched, it was sold out. So we were on the standby list. I literally sat down in the airport and cried. Some of that was due to exhaustion, but I really wanted to see Lia at her game, and we weren't sure if we'd be able to go again. Thankfully, we got on the flight and made it to the game by halftime...just in time to see Lia on the field for most of the time. Their outfits are so funny, but they do a great job getting the crowd involved.

Lee had a great time at the game on Saturday. Little did anyone know that it would be such a great game. Triple overtime!! Lee got to spend some time on campus looking around and learning some of the traditions that are really neat. The game was really hot. Apparently they were carrying people out of the game after they had passed out! What dedicated fans! Definitley would not have found me there.

While Lee was at the game, my mom and I went to see Kelly, who is helping us decorate the nursery. Her own is AMAZING, and she has been such a huge help to me. I am so not creative. I need someone to tell me what to do and send me in the right direction. And she has done just that. The nursery is going to be vintage cowboys. We found the fabric a few weeks ago, and Kelly painted this canvas for us to put over the crib. It is so amazing. I mean, it is almost an exact replica of the actual fabric. I actually think it's better. Thank you, Kelly! Check out the cute stuff on her blog.

So we got home after midnight last night. I was really sad to leave my family, but it is nice to know that we'll be home for a while. I'm just not sure how much more we could go. With Lee being in class and studying all week and me working and having little things to do in the evenings, it's hard to get anything done...basic things like cleaning the house and cutting the grass. I'm looking forward to a late Saturday morning! It's weird because I want to go and do things because I know that our time left to do that is getting shorter. But we also have so much to do here before this sweet baby comes!

I added music back to my blog. I love this new song by Casting Crowns.

A New Familiar Sight

Lee started school this week! He has been so excited all summer and couldn't wait for this past Monday to finally roll around. He had orientation for three days last week, but the real thing started Monday. He's been trying really hard to form a routine for himself. He gets up early and gets to school to start reading, goes to class, eats lunch in the library while he's reading, goes back to class and then back to the library to read or study more until 6:00 or so. YUCK! Lee's sort of a geek at heart...he loves to learn. But even this has been different for him. We're hoping that after this week we'll get more used to the routine and things will settle down a little more. Just a little bit of both would do us good! I'm so proud of him for working so hard...even though I've had to go to bed by myself a few nights this week!

We're going to Pontotoc to see Lee's parents this weekend, and I am so excited. We have both had some long days this week and are exhausted, so it will be so nice to just relax and take a break. That's become one of my favorite things about going to stay with Lee's parents...you really do unwind and rest while you're there. It couldn't come at a better time!

Exciting news!

Well.....it's now official. We went to the doctor Monday and found out we're having a BOY! We are so, so excited. The funny thing is that we came up with all kinds of names for girls but none for a boy, so we're stuck! But we have come up with a few options. Because I grew up with two sisters, I know almost nothing about boys, so it will be fun to learn. Things looked great, and I'm feeling really good. My new students are so sweet and have been really excited when I tell them the news...it's been kinda fun. I guess it's time to get to work! We have a nursery to get together...but it needs to be cleaned out first!



Some of my sweet friends from school gave me this "little boy gear." I was so excited. It's the first real boy thing we've received!!







Another friend of mine decided that since the baby is due on Elvis' birthday, he needed this tshirt. She's a little obsessed with Elvis and jokes that the baby's name should also include Elvis!

Graduation!

Well, we finally finished the past year and a half off with graduation yesterday. It's something I was reluctant to do, but it was a nice closure to the past year and a half since everyone in our cohort participated. The actual graduation was very short - only an hour - so it left the afternoon to do other things. We met Alyssa and Sam for lunch to "celebrate" and then came home for a nap.

As glad as I am to be finished, there is a part of me that is sad. I'm certainly glad to be finished with the homework and projects and late nights and class meetings, but I did enjoy making new friends and seeing them on a regular basis. I also know that going through this process has made me a better teacher, not only because I learned new things that changed my views on how we do things in education but also because I was once again a student. It's always good to be reminded of what it feels like to sit in a class for hours or to be given assignments that seem like "busy work!" Overall, this was a wonderful experience, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. It was something I wanted to do for myself, and something that no one can ever take away from me. I know that the new friends I made and even the friendships that were strengthened will continue to grow...they will just take more work now to maintain.

And so it's on from one thing to the next. Tomorrow is our first "official" day of school, although some of us have been up there so much this summer it seems like there was no break. We have professional development for 4 days, and the students come on Friday. Time again for schedules and routines and long days. But I have vowed to not stay at school this year until 6:00 every evening. We'll see how that goes! I'm off to enjoy my one last night before the craziness begins...