Please help me decide.

So my summer goal was to buy new furniture. I have been using my grandmother's couch and mom's unwanted tables for 5 years and never loved them. But they were free and in good shape. So I shopped for several weeks and changed my mind many times. My mom and I both take a very long time to make a decorating decision and need lots of help. So I finally decided on this couch and matching love seat from Ashley Furniture. Please ignore the front stripped pillows, I will replace them. They will be delivered August 11th !!!!!!!

So now I need to decide on a rug to go with it because we have wood floors. This is where you come in. PLEASE HELP ME!!!!! I want to use the chocolate pillows that come with the couch and have found two rugs that I like. I also have a wall in a room close by that is painted green.

I know that brown and blue were/are very popular and now brown and green are popular. I love both. This is choice 1. However, I have only seen this rug online.

So choice 2 comes from Target. It looks black, but it is brown. I have seen it.

Please vote. Any if you have any suggestions on other pillows, that would help too. School is starting soon and I will not have time or energy to run all over town looking at pillows.

And, if you know anyone who wants to buy a coffee table and two great end tables, let me know.

Summer is my favorite time of year.

Warning: This is long


End of School

So I know I have not posted in a long time. The end of school was busy and there was not much that was worth writing about. I will miss all my kids. I will also miss being a kindergarten teacher. I LOVED that I was the one to teach them to read and write. I LOVED watching them make friends and mature. I loved all the little furniture and knowing how special kindergarten was to their families. However, it has been a hard three years and I am ready to move on.

My room had to be all packed up and moved down to the second grade hall. That was a HARD long job. We also had to use our staff development day as a snow day in January, so we didn't get an extra day after school was out. Everything had to be done by Friday at 4:00. We watched a lot of videos an did many things the last week that did not require any of my help so that I could pack. I was very tired everyday.

I am very excited to go back to second grade. I taught it for two years and loved it.I am going to lots of workshops this summer to get ready for the transition.


CMA Music Festival

As many of you know, I took a vacation right after school was out. Last summer I saw the CMA Music Festival (formally FanFair) on TV and decided that I was going next year to celebrate my recovery from surgery. It was easy to convince Katie, my roommate, to come with me because she is a big country music fan like me. I got all the tickets for Nashville in January and looked forward to it all year.

It was absolutely wonderful!!!!! During the day there some smaller names I kinda knew performing on a riverfront stage and lots of names that I didn't know performing on other stages around downtown. There were also activities for families and an area to meet the artist and get info on all kids of things. Night performances were the biggest past of the event. Everyone (50,000+) went to the Tennessee Titian's stadium and watched 6-8 big name performers. Everyone had about 30 minutes to play then another performer came on. We had the same GREAT seats every night. We were right in the center an a little up. There were huge screens to watch everything.



So now you are wondering, so who all did you see? Who was the best? Well I will tell you how each day went. Get ready, its kinda long


Thursday


We were scheduled to fly out at 7:45am but because of big rain storms we sat in the airport until 4:00. Ugggg. Long day

We arrived in Nashville at 7:30pm and drove straight to the big nightly concert. We had planned to eat lunch with my dad who was there on business and then spend the afternoon at small concerts.

We walked in right after the first performer started - Brooks and Dunn. They were great.

Then Reba sang 3 songs before the lightning arrived in Nashville.

They called a delay and everyone went under the stands.

After waiting a hour an still no rain, we left at 10:30 and made it back to the hotel right before the rain hit.

We figured they would not restart the concert after midnight, but we were wrong.



We missed seeing Darius Rucker, Julianne Hough (sad), Dierks Bentley, Rascal Flatts (very sad) an Brad Paisley ( the most sad about)

That night lasted until 2:30am . Wow, glad I went home.

Friday

We started the day around 11:00. First we took the shuttle to the riverfront stage and saw John Anderson and Jamie O'Neil. Then went to another stage and saw Kate & Kacey (2nd plane in Can You Duet) and Julie Roberts.

Then we went back to clean up before the big show. This was a great night of performers.

We both wore our boots with our dresses .

Luke Bryan
Little Big Town (A little disappointing)

Rodney Atkins (very fun)

Jake Owen (Katie thinks he looks like Mathew McConaughey)


Zac Brown Band (Lots of fun)
Lady Antembellum (wow, I loved)


Jason Aldean
Surprise performer Kid Rock and Martina (wow) Katie was very excited.



Saturday

We started at the riverfront stage and saw Bill Anderson and Emerson Drive. ( They were great)
Then we headed over to the acoustic stage and saw John Arthur Martinez. He is from Texas an played a lot of great original songs. Watch for him an go see him if you get the chance.

That night we saw lots of great performers. I was super excited about this night for one reason.

Josh Turner - My favorite. I turn into a 15 year old girl at a Jonas Brothers Concert.



Jamey Johnson


Lee Ann Womack - so beautiful and graceful.

Wynonna and a few songs with mom Naomi. (wow, what legends. The stadium was very excited)

Trace Adkins (He is not my favorite but he had a lot of energy and put on a good show)
Martina McBride was so fun and put on such an energetic show.


Sunday

We spent the entire afternoon at the riverfront stage and enjoyed the sunshine.
Joe Nichols
Jessica Harp (half of The Wreckers)She is very skinny
Eli Young Band - great
Darryl Worley
Joey + Rory - adorable and so much fun. They are very sweet to each other.

That night was the best concert
Jack Ingram - great
Montgomery Gentry
Miranda Lambert- My new favorite, she was very fun and energetic

John Rich with Cowboy Troy - this act seem to have a lot of show and silliness. John Rich came out in a full fur coat and then a midget was dancing at one time. Kinda all just weird.

Taylor Swift was very 19 and kinda dramatic. She did a lot of skipping and hair flinging. If I was 16 I would love her.

Kenney Chesney closed the show and sang all of his hits. I don't quite get all the hype about him, but he has some fun songs.

We ha so much fun and loved our seats and the people around us. Everyone was so nice and there was never a time when I felt like things were out of control.

I will say that we saw lots of different kinds of people. Lots of old, young kids, and all sizes of people in not a lot of clothing. I guess when some are on vacation they don't mind if everything hangs out.

Monday we did a little shopping then headed home.

What a day.

So on Friday I found TWO yellow puddles on the bathroom floor. One was accidental and one on purpose. I also saw one naked child sitting on the flool of the bathrrom next to her mess and another naked child flashing the class while all the girls scream in shock of what they are seeing for the first time. I have to laugh at days like these because I had already tried to be mad when calling three parents at lunch. Only 29 days left.

Kindergarten Story.

Well I promised a few kindergarten stories so I thought I would share a good one. There will not be any nudity or harsh language in this story, so sorry to disappoint.

So everyday I model writing for the kids. I usually write about something I did or fun thing I can share about. So Saturday night I had dinner and did a little shopping with another teacher and her husband. The kids know Amy because she stops by the room often.

Well every writing starts with a picture to help us remember what we are writing about. So I start out by drawing a picture of me. The kids know me by the stick figure and long hair. Then I draw Amy with her baby belly. This is a stick figure with a bump. The kids easily identify her. I then tell them that her husband came with us and drew a stick figure with boy spikey hair. Notice that all of the people I draw are sicks. Not much details b/c I am not that good.

So as soon as I draw Eric, one of my sweet angels, shouts "Ewww he is handsome!!!"

I had to laugh and then let her tell Amy all about it a few minutes later. I think there was so much interest in this picture because I seldom draw or write about boys.

I will try to share a few more kinder stories before the end of the year. They make me laugh.



On another school note, I will be moving to second grade next year. I taught second for two years and enjoy them a lot. I am very excited for a new adventure. I am not excited to move all my stuff.

Sunday's Comin'

I love Easter. Each year we have a family reunion close to Rising Star, where my grandparents grew up. Our Easter is different that others. We still have a church service, but it is usually in the middle of the cow pasture and we use hymnals that are much older than me I think. We then have a hug BBQ meal and everyone bring something yummy to share. All the kids then hunt eggs and one of the older cousins is convinced to put on the very hot, old bunny costume. Luckily, I am too short for it and have never been asked. I love to see all the family. There are usually more people there that I don't know than do know. This year we may be inside due to wet weather and much of the family I am close to won't be there.

If you don't have a Easter service to go to, my home church, First Baptist Allen, is going to have a wonderful Easter service on "The God of Second Chances". Service times are 7:30, 9:00 and 10:30. God's love for us is so real and amazing, please don't miss this day to celebrate.

Also, our wonderful pastor showed this video this past Sunday. If you weren't there, please check it out. It is very powerful.

http://www.ignitermedia.com/products/iv/singles/20/Sundays-Comin

I hope you have an Easter that is filled with joy, love and Jesus!!!

Whoo Hooo

So I mentioned a few weeks ago that it was one of my goals to run a mile without stopping. I did it tonight at the gym!!!!!! Whoo Hooo ! Ya know how sometimes at the gym you just can't get going no matter what you do, then other days you can do way more than ever. Today was a great gym day. I am gong to work on running outside as well, but will take this as a success.

Also, each time I go camping one of my favorite things is climbing "Harry's Mountain" It's not a real mountain, but it is a big steep hill with lots of rocks, thorny bushes and other dangerous terrain. In the past when i have climbed it I am in the last group to get to the top and usually have to take a break or two to rest. This time I made a goal to get to the top without resting. It was very hard but I pushed myself and made it. I think I almost ran up and the boys even let me be first on top. I was huffing and puffing and almost collapsed onto some catus.

All that to say... hooray for the new heart.
(Too bad they won't let me give blood, then I would be like Super Woman)

Happy Day

I love Sundays. I often find myself loving life Sunday afternoons. So I decided to list things that make me happy. I didn't experience all of these things today, but some of them. You might have to remind me of some of these things Thursday afternoon when I am usually very exausted.

Coffee
Morning church
Sweet old men that greet you and always shake your hand
Watching a child be baptized
The handbell choir
Surprise Donuts
A beautiful hymn
Lunch with friends
Sunshine and a breeze
A wonderful nap on a full stomach
Chocolate
Chocolate with peanut butter
Chocolate cake
Chocolate ice cream
Chocolate with chocolate
Sonic Cherry Vanilla Coke
Work that is done
Taking about boys (hehe)
A workout that is good and DONE
Ice Cream
A good pedicure
Great Country Music
Watching a girly movie
Movie theater popcorn
DVR
Pretty dresses
Blogs

There are many more but in order to have a happy Monday, I need to go to bed. I hope you have a happy day too.