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Check out my children!!! I can't get over them. She really captured them just as they are. There are a few more of Tripp than Mak just because he was way more cooperative that day than she was. But, the ones she did get of Makinley are beautiful. I have no idea how I am going to choose...my wallet is probably going to feel this one pretty hard. But, they are only this little once. I plan on capturing it and savoring it for the rest of time!!!
Enjoy!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
He's a Genius
I have been meaning to post this picture for weeks now, but I have been so far behind. Today I read on two different friends' blogs about their children writing their names and it reminded me! I think I already blogged about him actually writing his name, but never posted the picture. But, here it is!!! Didn't he do an AWESOME job? He's just gotten better and better since then. He's doing better at writing his p's facing the right way. Hey, I had 1st graders that struggled with their p's and b's! Anyway, here it is, documented forever. My son's name for the first time!
New Obsession: Coupons!
For the last several weeks, I have wanted to start trying to use coupons more. I've thought about it/attempted it several times in the past, but I've always quit before making any real progress. I have a friend here in Madison that uses them religiously and she has inspired me to start doing better. So, I've been checking out http://www.southernsavers.com/ and I've made my mom start saving all of her coupons for me. Last weekend, I tried to go to RiteAid and use coupons combined with a deal I saw online. It didn't work out quite like I wanted it to, but I did come out with free makeup. So, not a total loss. Yesterday was my first day really trying while I was grocery shopping. I was able to save $15 and I was pretty excited about that. However, today I hit paydirt!!!! I am SO excited about this:
I went to RiteAid again today with high hopes. I spent FOREVER cutting coupons, searching for coupons, etc. But it ended up paying off. I'll tell you the totals before coupons, the total after coupons, and the total after rebates.
Before coupons:
3 packs of Huggies Diapers: $33
Shampoo-12.99
Proantinax-6.99 (which I have NEVER used in my life but it's supposed to help prevent urinary tract infections. As a teacher who doesn't get to use the restroom often, I thought I might try being proactive).
Ok...here's the breakdown. I had to pay in 2 different transactions. First transaction:
2 packs of Huggies- 22.00
Proantinax- 6.99
Coupons: $5.00 off $25
Diapers- (2) $2 off Manufacturer coupons -$4 total off
(2) $2 off Rite Aid Coupons-$4 total off
Proantinax- $3 off
So, coupon savings of $16.00
2nd Transaction
1 pack Diapers-$11
Nexxus Shampoo- $12.99
Coupons- $5 off $20
Diaper- $2.00 manufacturer coupon
$2 off Rite Aid Coupon
Nexxus- $4
So, coupon savings of $13.00
I already took what should have been around a $52 total down to about $23....which is huge in and of itself. But it gets even better. When I got home, I entered my receipts on Rite Aids website for rebates. I was eligible for a $10 rebate for the diapers, a $5 rebate for the shampoo, and a $6.99 rebate for the Proantinax. So, I'll be getting back about $22 in rebates. So, my total spent today? About $1....for 3 packs of diapers, Nexxus shampoo, and Proantinax. I am THRILLED with this. I mainly wanted the diapers. The awesome shampoo (that I can never really afford to pay for) and the protection from a urinary tract infection are just a bonus. Let's just say...I'm hooked!!! I can't wait to see how much money I can save us in the future! Wait!! I just remembered that it gets EVEN better! Rite Aid is running a promotion for several months where you accumulate money spent for giftcards. Today, I earned a $5 giftcard. So, Rite Aid actually paid ME today to shop there!!!!
New Trick
I most definitely will not ever be leaving Makinley alone in the bathtub. Not that I ever did, but if I ever even thought about it, this new trick has stopped that. It's hilarious though when she does it. She thinks it is so funny that she can't hear as well with her ears under water. She just talks at the top of her lungs the whole time she is laying down. What a mess she is!
1st home game
Joey and I made our way to Athens last Saturday to support the Dawgs!! It was such a fun day. We started tailgating at around 12 and the game wasn't until 7:30. I couldn't believe I made it through. I haven't tailgated like that since college. The worst part was the actual game. We had about 2-3 people sitting on our row that shouldn't have been, so we were squished like sardines. I was miserable for four hours. At least we pulled out a win. We went with a big group of people and had a blast. I hope it can become a tradition in the years to come!
Me, Heather, Christen
Me, Heather, Christen
Us!
We're missing some of the group, but it's the closest I got.
Birthday Party at Mrs. Barbara's
On the Friday of Mak's birthday week, she had cupcakes at Mrs. Barbara's. All her "boyfriends" loved it! Just a few pictures to show the event!
This is going to be one protected little girl! From left to right: Caleb, Zack, Mak, Tripp, Riley and Drew. She's the only girl at Mrs. Barbara's!
This is going to be one protected little girl! From left to right: Caleb, Zack, Mak, Tripp, Riley and Drew. She's the only girl at Mrs. Barbara's!
Mrs. Barbara getting her settled.
She loved when they sang!
Digging in!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Stats
I took Mak to the Dr today for her 2 year check up! Here are her latest stats:
- Weight: 31.4 pounds (92%)
- Height-36.10 inches (97%)
- Head Circ.-19.10 (77%)
Sunday, September 13, 2009
The Best Surprise
On September 13, 2007, I was able to meet face-to-face the biggest surprise God has ever given me. When we first found out we were pregnant with Makinley, I was not exactly happy. At the time, I was the mother of a VERY difficult nine month old, and was seriously contemplating only having one child. I couldn't imagine dealing with another one and Tripp. I can remember how terrified I was and how stressed I was and every other emotion I could possibly have....except happiness. I can honestly say that I wasn't happy about the fact that I was pregnant. Until, I found out that I was "losing" the baby. When I was told I was having a miscarriage it put everything into perspective. I quickly realized that this was MY child too. Just like Tripp was/is my child. I realized that, without even knowing it, I had already bonded with that little one growing inside my belly. I was devestated that I was losing the baby. I spent a week of my life in fear over what was going to happen and sadness and guilt over the emotions I had previously been having. God is so good. When I went back for a follow up ultrasound and saw my sweet baby alive and well, I knew He had answered the prayers of my heart. I sometimes wonder if He allowed me to go through that just to completly see that HIS timing is perfect, even when I think it's not. Of course it was the right time for me to be pregnant again. Of course, I was going to be fine with two children 18 monts apart. Of course, He would be with me every step of the way. Now, every time I celebrate a birthday with Makinley, I am reminded of the first few weeks of my pregnancy with her. This sweet girl has brought nothing but joy to our family. As a baby, she was SO laid back we weren't even sure she was really there. She never cried and she slept a lot (except during the night!). Now, I can say, the older she gets, the fiestier she gets. She's no pushover and she will defend herself. Some facts about Makinley at 2:
She has grown about 8-9 inches in the last year (at her one year birthday, she was in a 6-9 month outfit. Now she is fully in 2T clothes)
- She is not much of an eater.
- She loves her brother.
- She is a snuggly little girl and loves to give hugs and kisses.
- She talks up a storm.
- She loves to pretend to talk to Poppa on the phone.
- She loves her baby dolls. She'll hug them and say, "They hold me"
- I love to hear her say: "Yuv You, Mommy, Yuv You"
She's a girly girl that also loves to play Power Rangers with her brother - She's still a climber.
- She HATES to have her teeth brushed.
- She's tough and can bounce back from a boo-boo super quick.
I know I am biased, but when I look at her, sometimes I am just overcome by how beautiful I think she is. My prayer is that as she grows older, she remains as beautiful inside as she is on the outside. She is God's greatest surprise for me. I will forever be grateful that He knew what was best for me at a time when I wasn't so sure! Happy 2nd Birthday, Makinley. I love you!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Oh, the things he says!
The older Tripp gets, the funnier he gets. He says some of the funniest things on a daily basis. Plus, he's all in to being "silly" right now. He likes to make silly faces, make up silly words, sing silly songs. To him, the sillier, the funnier. It's quite entertaining. However, he is also extremely smart. I'm sure all parents feel this way about their child, but he really is. Last night, we had a really long conversation about what sounds different letters make. He consistently knows the letter's B, P, M, O and F. He can count to 10 (and higher a lot of times, we just usually stop at 10). He knows all of his colors (gray is "grain"). He can write his name (which I have taken a picture of and will post soon; I'm amazed he can write it so well at 3 years old).
Some funny things he has said in the last 24 hours (actually, they were both this morning)
First, he brought me a paper from school where he had traced over a capital B and a lowercase B.
Tripp:"Mommy, that's a B" (pointing to the capital one). What is that letter? (pointing to the lowercase b).
Me: "That's a big B and that's a little B"
Tripp: "Oh, so this B says "BUH" (in a loud voice) and this B says "buh" (in a really soft voice).
:-)
Later, I was standing in the kitchen getting breakfast together:
Tripp: "Mommy, do you have big boobies?"
Me: Laughing "Not by most standards"
Tripp: "Standards? I not know that word."
Upon inspection, he was holding one of my bras in his hand. I guess that's what spurred the question. That, or maybe his teachers told him to go home and figure out different words that make the "b" sound!!!
Never a dull moment with Tripp around!
Some funny things he has said in the last 24 hours (actually, they were both this morning)
First, he brought me a paper from school where he had traced over a capital B and a lowercase B.
Tripp:"Mommy, that's a B" (pointing to the capital one). What is that letter? (pointing to the lowercase b).
Me: "That's a big B and that's a little B"
Tripp: "Oh, so this B says "BUH" (in a loud voice) and this B says "buh" (in a really soft voice).
:-)
Later, I was standing in the kitchen getting breakfast together:
Tripp: "Mommy, do you have big boobies?"
Me: Laughing "Not by most standards"
Tripp: "Standards? I not know that word."
Upon inspection, he was holding one of my bras in his hand. I guess that's what spurred the question. That, or maybe his teachers told him to go home and figure out different words that make the "b" sound!!!
Never a dull moment with Tripp around!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
31
Today is Joey's birthday. To say that I am blessed to have him as my husband would be a major understatement. He is truly God's gift to me. In honor of his birthday, I wanted to do something special and creative. I decided to make him a frame with 31 reasons why I love him (which I completely stole from another blog). Here is the final product:
I could have come up with many more reasons than just 31. But that was a good place to start! I love you, baby! I hope to celebrate 60 more birthdays with you!
I could have come up with many more reasons than just 31. But that was a good place to start! I love you, baby! I hope to celebrate 60 more birthdays with you!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Mak-Mak's Birthday Party
It's hard to believe another year has passed, but it has. Yesterday, we celebrated our girl turning two. Each birthday with her is so hard since I know she's my last. (Well, I say that. I constantly try to convince Joey to have one more. Maybe one day I'll win the battle.) We were able to have everyone over and hang out in our backyard. It's the first time we've been able to use our backyard to use like that since we had it done over the summer and it was so much fun. It was so nice for me not to have everyone trying to crowd in the house. The kids had a blast playing together. The cake was AWESOME and she got some terrific presents. Her room has been transformed into a true little girl's room with all of her dress up clothes, vanity, make up, hair supplies, etc. Her and Tripp have had a blast playing together in there. Here it is in pictures (in case you couldn't tell, my only real theme was pink and yellow!)
A quick picture with Mommy
Daddy's turn
Tripp and Drew putting the vanity to the test.
Tripp and Karli trying things out.
Her cake!
Loving everyone singing to her.
Her sign
Trying to open presents. She would only open one or two and then run off and play.
Playing on the swingset.
Talking on the phone (with water on her shirt)...wonder where she sees holding the phone like that?
Trying presents again.
Mak finally discovered the vanity.
The Lancasters
The Lancasters with Grammie
My aunt and uncle came into town from Wilmington and it was wonderful to have them here. My parents and Trey and Jenn were at the party too. But, it was so hot, that my family hung out inside most of the time so I didn't get any pictures of them during the festivities. We love you, Makie, and can't wait to see what the next year holds.
Just up from her nap and ready for everyone to start arriving!
A quick picture with Mommy
Daddy's turn
Tripp and Drew putting the vanity to the test.
Tripp and Karli trying things out.
Her cake!
Loving everyone singing to her.
Her sign
Trying to open presents. She would only open one or two and then run off and play.
Playing on the swingset.
Talking on the phone (with water on her shirt)...wonder where she sees holding the phone like that?
Trying presents again.
Mak finally discovered the vanity.
The Lancasters
The Lancasters with Grammie
My aunt and uncle came into town from Wilmington and it was wonderful to have them here. My parents and Trey and Jenn were at the party too. But, it was so hot, that my family hung out inside most of the time so I didn't get any pictures of them during the festivities. We love you, Makie, and can't wait to see what the next year holds.Thursday, September 3, 2009
Drowning
Well, it only took 5 weeks, and I already feel like I need a life jacket. Seriously. There are times during the day that I feel like I am drowning. My weeks are full to the point of popping. This post is just for some stress relief. It will feel good just to put all my "responsibilities" down. Maybe if I type about them, they won't run through my head 1,000 times tonight and keep me up!
Have I ever mentioned that I think the school I teach at is the most intense school in the state? I really do. The things they want us to do are unbelievable. We are working towards becoming "standards based" in our grading. Which means it is ALL about our kids portfolios. We have to have an example on every student that demonstrates they have mastered every standard we have to teach. Then we score those as 1, 2, or 3. If they are a 1 or 2, I have to reteach them that standard until they become a 3 (or until I lose all my hair). We have benchmarks, rubrics, keys to understanding, etc. Can I say that my 1st 9 weeks rubric (of things I have to cover this 9 weeks) is 3 pages long? That is a heck of a lot of standards to cover in 9 weeks. I'm halfway through the first nine weeks and I have only been able to check off 5 standards. It just takes that long to cover one and make sure every child "gets it". My work days are spent pouring over portfolios, trying to find good assessments, creating engaging lessons, and dealing with some of the toughest situations as far as my kids are concerned that I've ever faced. Don't get me wrong. I have those students that I would take home with me in a heartbeat. They are my saving grace this year. But I also have some that academics and proper behavior are the furthest things from their minds.
Graduate school. I'm taking 2 classes this semester. The classes themselves are not HARD. They are just time consuming. I was counting on being able to do some of my grad work during my planning time and that has NOT happened. For one class I have to read 3 books, take 3 exams, do 2 presentations, and write one 2 page paper. My other class is an on-line class and it's not as consuming. None of this would be hard to accomplish if I wasn't working full time and being a mommy. But I am. Therefore, it's all I can do to get the assignments done the day they are due.
My kids. Oh, how I love my kids. And, oh, how my kids just drain me. Wipe me out. Makinley is entering into the "Terrible Twos" and she is all girl and all drama. It's all really coming out. But, I'll dedicate an entire post to her in the very near future, so I'll get into that then. Both of my kids still wake up during the night. How is it that I am 3 1/2 years into not getting consistent sleep?
As I read back over my previous post, I'm ashamed to say that I haven't followed through. That really upsets me. But, the honest truth? I don't know when to do it. I don't know when to find the time to sit down and spend uninterrupted time just studying God's word. I talk to Him constantly throughout the day, and I mean constantly. But, sit down and read the Bible? Not so much. Every second of every day is full to overflowing. I know these are just excuses. I tried getting up early in the mornings, but Tripp wakes up at 6 most mornings. I would wake up earlier than that, but considering I haven't slept through the night, 6 is more difficult than you can imagine. I would do it after they have gone to bed. But, Tripp wants me to lay with him until he's asleep. Most of the time, mommy falls asleep then too! I'm open for suggestions here. I wish I could add 30 minutes of silence into my day. That would be heavenly. This is what I wish my house was like.
If your still reading this, I'm impressed. It's been nothing but ramblings. Actually...probably should have spent this 10 minutes reading but I needed to just get it out.
Have I ever mentioned that I think the school I teach at is the most intense school in the state? I really do. The things they want us to do are unbelievable. We are working towards becoming "standards based" in our grading. Which means it is ALL about our kids portfolios. We have to have an example on every student that demonstrates they have mastered every standard we have to teach. Then we score those as 1, 2, or 3. If they are a 1 or 2, I have to reteach them that standard until they become a 3 (or until I lose all my hair). We have benchmarks, rubrics, keys to understanding, etc. Can I say that my 1st 9 weeks rubric (of things I have to cover this 9 weeks) is 3 pages long? That is a heck of a lot of standards to cover in 9 weeks. I'm halfway through the first nine weeks and I have only been able to check off 5 standards. It just takes that long to cover one and make sure every child "gets it". My work days are spent pouring over portfolios, trying to find good assessments, creating engaging lessons, and dealing with some of the toughest situations as far as my kids are concerned that I've ever faced. Don't get me wrong. I have those students that I would take home with me in a heartbeat. They are my saving grace this year. But I also have some that academics and proper behavior are the furthest things from their minds.
Graduate school. I'm taking 2 classes this semester. The classes themselves are not HARD. They are just time consuming. I was counting on being able to do some of my grad work during my planning time and that has NOT happened. For one class I have to read 3 books, take 3 exams, do 2 presentations, and write one 2 page paper. My other class is an on-line class and it's not as consuming. None of this would be hard to accomplish if I wasn't working full time and being a mommy. But I am. Therefore, it's all I can do to get the assignments done the day they are due.
My kids. Oh, how I love my kids. And, oh, how my kids just drain me. Wipe me out. Makinley is entering into the "Terrible Twos" and she is all girl and all drama. It's all really coming out. But, I'll dedicate an entire post to her in the very near future, so I'll get into that then. Both of my kids still wake up during the night. How is it that I am 3 1/2 years into not getting consistent sleep?
As I read back over my previous post, I'm ashamed to say that I haven't followed through. That really upsets me. But, the honest truth? I don't know when to do it. I don't know when to find the time to sit down and spend uninterrupted time just studying God's word. I talk to Him constantly throughout the day, and I mean constantly. But, sit down and read the Bible? Not so much. Every second of every day is full to overflowing. I know these are just excuses. I tried getting up early in the mornings, but Tripp wakes up at 6 most mornings. I would wake up earlier than that, but considering I haven't slept through the night, 6 is more difficult than you can imagine. I would do it after they have gone to bed. But, Tripp wants me to lay with him until he's asleep. Most of the time, mommy falls asleep then too! I'm open for suggestions here. I wish I could add 30 minutes of silence into my day. That would be heavenly. This is what I wish my house was like.
If your still reading this, I'm impressed. It's been nothing but ramblings. Actually...probably should have spent this 10 minutes reading but I needed to just get it out.
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