She Lives!

This has been just about all I've seen for the last two weeks. The good news is, I'm halfway done with both of my classes. The bad news is, I still have two more weeks to go. :-(

My view from the couch, where I'm spending most of my time.

I have managed to get away the last couple of weekends - even if it did mean bringing my laptop and books with me. The weekend of June 9th, Jennie and I drove to Chapel Hill, NC to spend Kadee's birthday weekend with her. I forgot my camera, but Kadee and her roommate Erin have promised to send some pictures. When I get those, I'll be sure to post.

I went home for Father's Day this past weekend, and almost ended up having to stay a few extra days. I stayed up way too late Saturday night working on grad school stuff and slept in my contacts. Note to self: BAD idea. When I tried to take them out Sunday morning, I scratched both of my eyes. Eight hours later, I was at the Asheville Mall Lenscrafters sitting in front of a very cute eye doctor. Unfortunately, he did not have good news. Not only had I scratched my eyes, but I had an infection in both of them as well.

The culprit.

When you have an infection, you can't wear contacts. You have to wear glasses. I didn't have glasses. I had to go home to teach summer school. I cannot drive without glasses or contacts. That would be lethal. So, $400 later, I have these god-awful eye drops that I swear are destroying my eyes and...

new glasses!

Yup, for the next two weeks, there will be NO contacts. Just these lovely spectacles. Don't be jealous. You wish you looked this hot. :-)

Herbie loves me. Even if I do look like a four-eyed nerd.

We even had time to take our own version on Kari and III's "napping" pose. Note the lovely triple chin I'm sporting. Sexy.

Alright, back to the grind...

School's Out for Summer!!

That's right! I am DONE for the next two months. Kind of. Summer school starts next Monday, but that's only four days a week, 8-12. Grad school starts back up again, but everything is online - Hallelujah! July will be my month to relax and decompress.

In the meantime.... an update!

After a hellish week, my awesome friends took me out to Twisted Taco. They were hosting a party and there were free pitchers of margaritas to be had. AND - it was a school night. Oooooh... we are such rebels.

This chick kept trying to get me to sing karaoke.... I don't know what she was thinking!

Nikki and I took this picture just before....

We realized some guy was dancing, and his ass was right next to Nikki's head! :-) EW!

We had a great time and let off some much needed steam - I love my girls!

Things I've learned this week

1. I don't like to share.

2. The words "Field Day" emit some sort of subliminal message to kids that school is almost over.

Already on vacation!

3. I shouldn't drink on an empty stomach.

4. Babysitting + Hangovers = Sheer Torture

5. Nicole is the best eyebrow plucker ever.

We love free margaritas! On a Thursday!

6. Blind dates are bad. Just say, "No thank you."

7. I still wear my heart on my sleeve.

8. A free pitcher of margaritas can definitely turn a sorry-ass week around.

9. My kids love me. Alot. Fourth grade is going to be fun.

10. Sisters can make everything better.

The gorgeous, the beautful and...

the downright GOOFY!

Details about items #2 and #8 will be posted in upcoming blogs.

For information about items#3, #4 and #6, you'll have to ask me yourself. And yes, they are related. :-(

Mama Day -- Part Deux!

Okay... Trying this again.

On Sunday we went to Mama and Daddy's new church and came back to the house for lunch. Yes, my mother cooked most of her own Mother's Day lunch. Shameful, I know. However - noone (even Mama!) wanted to go out to eat. The wait times are always horrible. Besides, she didn't do a dish all afternoon!

Daddy's contribution to Mother's Day lunch: Stay outta the way! :-)

Nattie also has a new mission: Operation Get a Kitten. One of her friends' cats recently procreated and its' offspring are ready for the taking. Nattie has decided she wants/needs one. Mama thinks a little differently, knowing this is Nat's last year at home. Here's a few shots from the battleground at home base.

Nattie: "Mama, can I please have a kitten? I'll put the litterbox in my room. I'll feed it. I'll be home all summer. I've been really responsible lately."

Mama: "Ha! I don't think so. You'll leave in a year and I'll be the one taking care of a cat I don't want."

Nattie: "Mama. Please. I have an A in PreCalc! I'm one of like 3 people in that class with an A. Don't you think I deserve a reward for all my efforts?"

Mama: "I've got your reward. Your reward is not having your parents breathe down your neck about your grades!"

Nattie: "Hey Mama.... I'll wrestle you for it!"

Mama: "Nattie Jane.... stay over there. You leave me alone."

Scuffling, wrestling and tackling ensues.....

Nattie: "I surrender!!"

Mama: "I don't care how old I get. I'll always be able to take you out!"

Unfortunately, Mama won this round. Seeing as how I'm a "cat lady" myself - I'm not as bad as those kooks though! - Nattie has enlisted my help in Operation Get a Kitten. This war's not over yet. However, Nattie and I have some serious strategizing to do!!

Mother's Day!

All the Boone girls came home for Mother's Day. SO MUCH FUN! Jennie came to Smynings on Thursday night and Friday after work we were on the road... Daddy had a jazz band concert Friday night. His group sounded great and I think he was tickled pink to see his girls in the audience. :) I know I say this every time I go home, but it was soooooooooo good to be home. I really love it when we're all there.

There's nothing in the world like a Mama hug!

On Saturday, all the Boone girls went to Banner Elk, NC to visit a school (Lee's McRae) that is trying to recruit Nattie to come play volleyball. We took a tour of the campus, and Nattie and Mama spent some time talking to the coach about financial aid. Lee's McRae was beautiful and would be incredible to attend in the winter - Sugar and Beech Mountain are right around the corner. Skiing from November to February, guaranteed!

The coach was cute, but the campus was WAY to small for a big star like NJB!

However, I just don't think Nattie is going to end up somewhere that only has 700 students! You can literally stand in the middle of campus, turn all the way around, and see everything. Oh well, it was a fun day trip.

Part Two coming soon.... my blog is being weird!

Update!

Evidently, it's been way too long since I last updated... I've been BOOTED from Kari's Friends and Fam page. :-( Here's hoping this works me back onto the page....

My lack of blogging isn't without good reason! This semester of grad school has been really challenging, but I've gotten aLOT out of it. My Poetry class was definitely my favorite course. I got to design and implement a 3 week unit on a poetry technique called Heart Mapping in my classroom. I turned in a HUGE project on Monday (May 1st) which marked the END OF THE SEMESTER - woohooooo! I now have a month long break before the summer classes start up. With gas prices rising, I'm really glad I made the decision to take on-line classes this summer. I don't think I could afford $3.00 a gallon every weekday this summer!!

My kids showin' some love for heart mapping!

Speaking of work, I will take the opportunity to pat myself on the back a little. :) I was nominated again for Teacher of the Year, which is an awesome compliment from my co-workers all by itself. It got even more interesting when we had to have a run-off and I was one of the two teachers on the final ballot! While the other teacher won (and rightly so - she is an incredible Special Ed teacher who has been at my school for years), it still looks pretty kick-ass to have "Teacher of the Year, Runner-Up" on my resume! :) I also got confirmation that I will be going up to 4th grade with my kids next year. I'm ready to try something new (this is my 4th year in 3rd grade) and this is definitely the class to "loop up" with. They are incredibly smart, kind to each other, funny and hard-working. What more could I ask for?

Easter weekend brought Kadee and Jennie to town since Mama, Daddy and Nat were in Baltimore for a volleyball tournament. We had so much fun being together - I wish I had taken more pictures!

Kadee and Jennie playing beauty parlor before we go shopping for wedding dresses!

We spent Saturday looking for a wedding dress for Kadee, who would look gorgeous in a white mumu. She even found a couple of dresses she really liked - unfortunately, the shop we were in wouldn't let anyone take pictures! :-(

On Easter Sunday, we cooked a big lunch together - pork loin, potato casserole, "Jennie beans", yeast rolls, creamed corn, and a really strange chocolate cake experiment. Everything except the cake turned out really well - which was edible and pretty tasty, just a little weird. Kadee had tasted a German chocolate cake that we tried to recreate by adding the icing to the batter. The end result was just a little off.

Boonie Bunnies - Jennie, Kadee and Abby

Last but not least, Charlie and Herbie have begun stalking the window in my living room. Evidently there is a stray black cat (don't worry - I'm not trying to take it in) who likes the area right outside my windows. I've gotten a few really good laughs watching the two of them lunge and bounce off the window screen trying to pounce on the poor kitty. It also gives me a good excuse to keep the windows open and let in the awesome spring air!!

Charlie and Herbie getting clean and waiting for their next victim...

Tag.... Again.

The first player of this game starts with the "6 weird things/habits about yourself" and people who get tagged need to write a blog of their 6 weird habits/quirks/random things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end you need to choose the 6 people to be tagged and list their names.

This post comes courtesy of my favorite little bird... Hayley!

1. I hold my own American Idol auditions in the car. Alot. I also let myself go to Hollywood pretty often.
2. I have to count my cats before I can leave my apartment.
3. I kept a notebook in high school where I wrote "letters" to guys I had crushes on. I still have it. It makes me laugh. Don't worry, I never "sent" them. :)
4. My sisters and I call each other Lula. We also like to sing a little song about worms.
5. I can't leave an odd number of cookies in the cookie jar. It has to be even.
6. I have to make my bed up before I can sleep in it again.


My tags:

John
Kari
Pegs
Roper
Angela
Nicole

Happy blogging!

Guess who's getting married!!

Oh please.... Everybody knows my love life is constantly a hot mess... I am NOT the bride.

Smooch and JP

That would be Kadee!!

I am so excited (and blessed) to be a sister-in-law to a guy who loves my sister second ONLY to the Lord. They will probably tie the knot next summer after she graduates from Physical Therapy school at UNC-Chapel Hill. More wedding details to come.... just wanted to spread the news! :-)

Just in case you haven't heard...

There's a reason the sky is CAROLINA BLUE!!!

UNC 83 --- Duke 76

This game made my whole weekend. Tyler Hansbrough is my hero. I want to marry him when he grows up. :-)

Go Heels!

Best. Picture. Ever.

This one is for my Daddy....
I don't care what anyone else says. Duke sucks - always will. Oh - and this picture made my week. :-) Go Tarheels!!

TAGGED! Kind of.

I saw this on Kari and Jonathan's site and figured I may as well go ahead. I could use some more stalling tactics in the quest to post pictures of my apartment-car-and-new-hair....

Four Jobs I've Had:
1. Pharmacy Technician
2. Oh-so-Cute Waitress/Hostess Extraordinare at Willie Rae's
3. Babysitting Queen
4. Best Third Grade Teacher EVER. :-)















Four Movies I Can Watch On Repeat:
1. Breakfast At Tiffany's
2. The Other Sister
3. White Christmas
4. Sleeping Beauty

Favorite TV Shows:
1. House
2. Law and Order: SVU
3. Nip/Tuck
4. American Idol

Four Vacation Spots I'd Love to Visit:
1. Italy
2. Australia
3. Wine Country, California
4. Greece

Four Websites I Visit Daily:
1. Jonathan and Kari!
2. UGA - Go Dawgs!
3. Gmail
4. Atlanta's Best - Q100

Four Foods I Lust After:
1. Mashed Potatoes
2. My mama's homemade bread
3. Cheetos - the puffy kind, not the crunchy ones.
4. Thin Mints

Four Changes I'd Make to My Apartment:
1. Bigger bathroom! Garden tub, please!
2. A new blue duvet for my bedroom.
3. A gas range instead of the electric one I have.
4. A great big comfy chair to study in

Four Tags:
1. Holly Warren - The world's wittiest 5th grade teacher
2. Nicole - Because we all know she needs to update
3. Roper - Because he needs to update too
4. Anybody reading this

Cootie Update

Hooray!

A letter went home today, I THINK schoolwide notifying parents about the recent problem with head-bugs. Sometimes you just have to put your foot down - several times.

On a happier note, I am getting my hair "did" today. I know I am way behind on apartment, new car and now new hair pictures. I will update on all 3 soon... promise!

:-)

Love,

The Cootie-Mama

COOTIES

That's right. Cooties. Head hitch-hikers. Scalp suckers.

LICE.

Got bugs??

I DO?!?!?!? Courtesy of my kiddos. So does my student teacher. So do/did at least two other teachers in my school AND their students.

And does my all-knowing, usually understanding principal want to help us?? NO!!!

What might seem like no big deal, or just a grodie majodie inconvenience to most of you is actually a HUGE problem at my school. For some reason, my principal (in all of his infinite wisdom) thinks the parents of our students will be OFFENDED if we send home a precautionary letter with each student.

WHAT????

99% of our students are on free or reduced lunch. 70% of them speak English as a second language. My experiences in the past with the parents of my students is that they have to be TOLD what to look out for and how to deal with it. My guess is our parents would be GRATEFUL that someone would tell them so they only spend $20 on a Rid-X kit (At Walgreen's. I know. I bought one.) rather than $200 on a doctor visit because their kid has body lice.

Unbelievable.

Is anyone on my side???

Home Again, Home Again Jiggety Jig!

I hearby do solemnly swear NEVER to move right before Christmas again. Ever. I love that all I have to do when I get back tomorrow is unpack boxes, but December 23rd was NOT a happy day. At all.

I did not get home until Christmas Eve at around 5:00. It's a long story, and I'll be glad to relay it in person, but basically, it involves an ATM that ate my check card, a bank teller who could not help me, movers who were an hour late and REALLY slow, and some really last minute Christmas shopping.

When I finally got here, I was an exhuasted emotional mess. ESPECIALLY after I discovered I'd left all my dress up/hang up clothes at home!!! My sisters all came out to the driveway to help me get myself (still crying) inside. They loaned me clothes for the dinner Saturday night and snuck me in without anyone seeing me. (We had LOTS of family over, and I just was not in the mood to see anyone yet.) It ended up being a really fun night. All 4 of us slept in the same room - a tradition and this year, a necessity! We wrapped presents, and stayed up talking. We fell into bed around 12:00 I think.

Boone girls on Christmas Eve.... thank goodness for sisters!!

I'm still amazed that I was able to put on some of Kadee and Nattie's clothes! :-)

Boone family on Christmas Eve.... SO GOOD TO BE HOME!!

Christmas Day was really relaxed and just plain lazy. We had another Boone family dinner that night at my uncle David's, and of course I got to see the gorgeous, adorable, precious and perfect Baby Boone Redding!!!! I'll post pictures of the tables I got from Mama and Daddy this year once I have my apartment set up. It's funny, I never thought I'd be excited about getting tables for Christmas, but I am! :-)

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm not sure they get any cuter than this!!

Boone cousins on Christnas night

Front Row: Kevin, Kadee and Tyler

Middle Row: Baili, Abby and Lori

Back Row: Nattie and Jennie

I head home tomorrow, but I may be bringing more than just my tables with me! Daddy and I are going to look at new cars tonight - woo-hoo! I LOVE my truck, but I can't stand the gas guzzling it does any longer. I'll definitely post pictures if I have a new vehicle in the next few days!

Teachers Gone Wild.... and Not So Wild

So these pictures are from a few weeks ago, but I've wanted post them to show what my friends and I do when we are NOT molding the young minds of tomorrow... :-) Everything you've heard about those wild, crazy, sexy schoolteacher girls is true!!

My friend Nikki is married to a rock star. No, really! Her husband is in a band called 7Sharp9 and they are REALLY great. Check them out here and make sure to go see them next time they are in town!!

They play all over the country and once a month or so, they come to Hemingway's here in Scarietta. The last time they were here, they put on a benefit concert for our school's Relay for Life team. It was so much fun!! Even a few of our stay at home mommies came out to "throw down!"

Natalie and Nikki (a mommy and a rock star's wife!)

Natalie, Danielle, Nikki, Chelsea and Catherine

Abby and Sherry... The only single hot mamas in Kennesaw!

On the other hand, I do act like a normal well-behaved person from time to time during the weekend. That same weekend, Eugene and I took my two all-time favorite students out for a big night on the town. Estefania and Dayra both met a really big goal I set for the both of them last year (learning all their multiplication facts 0-12) and have made all A's so far in 4th grade.

Estefania and Dayra at Pappadeaux's

To celebrate, we went to see Chicken Little and then had a big dinner at Pappadeaux's nearby. We had a BLAST !! My kids don't get to go out to eat very often, much less go see a movie so this was a really fun treat. I was impressed with how adventurous they were at dinner. Both girls tried calamari and mussels for the first time. They loved the calamari, but they spit out the mussels almost as soon as they took the first bite. :-)

Alright - Back to packing! I move in next Friday --- WOOHOO!!

Thanksgiving (A Little Late)

Boone girls.... We are so cute!

I was sooooo homesick and ready to be home. This was the first time all six of us had been together since Easter (in Atlanta), and we couldn't remember the last time we were all in Weaverville. My visit home made me all the more ready to be with everyone again at Christmas. I do not look forward to the day when one of us gets married and has to decide where to spend the holidays.

We spent Thanksgiving day with Daddy's family. My Aunt Tanna and Uncle Tim were going to go to Greensboro to spend the day with Boone, but they stayed and she brought my favorite... broccoli casserole!!!

The Boones on Turkey Day... Did I mention it was SO good to be home?

On Saturday, we drove to Greensboro where I FINALLY got to meet Boone Richard Redding! He is, as my Aunt Tanna says, perfect, gorgeous, sweet and precious. DeeDee and Baili rode up with us and spent the day with Lori while we went to my Uncle Tommy's house for lunch with Mama's family.

Dee-Dee, Lori and the perfect, precious, gorgeous and wonderful Boone!

Aunt Abby and Boone

Front row: Kadee and Abby

Couch: Jennie, Baili and Boone, Dee-Dee

Back Row: Lori and Nattie

My sister's boyfriend Jevone braved the day with us in Greensboro. He is stationed on the naval base in Memphis right now, and had a few days leave for Thanksgiving. Kadee went to his house to see his family and they met us in G-boro. I was so excited to see him - he is one of my favorite people!! I'm hoping he can stay and hang out longer when he gets time off at Christmas.

JP and Smooch!

I have bunches of pictures to be published in another blog, another time??? Right now, I need to work on MY LAST 2 PROJECTS for this semester of grad school. One more week and I get a BREAK for a month.... woohoo!!

Friday Blues

Yes, that's right... FRIDAY blues.

I walk out to my car with a big stinky bag of garbage. I'm already 5-10 minutes late getting out the door. What do I see when I arrive at my car?!?!

.... A FLAT TIRE!!

Once again, Mr. Wonderful saved the day. He dragged himself out of bed at 7am and came over to fix it. It's 9:00 and I'm still not at work... hopefully I'll make it there soon.

In the meantime, the BEST TOSS STUDENT IN THE WORLD is teaching all by her lonesome. The kiddos giving her a hard time will feel my wrath when I finally get there. No recess for YOU!

He's Here!!

Boone Richard Redding

6 pounds, 13 ounces

20 3/4 inches

November 12, 2005

11:08 a.m.

I am officially an aunt... well, kind of. If anyone asks me who this BEAUTIFUL boy is, he is my nephew. My first cousin, Lori had the first grandbaby in our family on Saturday. We grew up across the street from each other in Waynesville and I have always looked to her as more of a big sister than anything else. That makes ME an aunt! :-) I have already cried and said thank you prayers that everyone is O.K.

So.... welcome to the world baby Boone! You are loved loved loved already and I cannot wait to meet you next weekend!!

On a different auntie note, I am finally posting pictures of Bradley and Maddie in their Halloween get ups. Bradley is the rooster and Maddie is the chicken. Mo (Megan) tells me this is the ONLY picture she could get of Bradley not screaming his head off. By the time I got there, they were out of their costumes!

Auntie Cha loves her cranky pants rooster and her silly pants chicken!!

Posting with Pictures

Yes, ladies and gentlemen... it's true. I have a brand new digital camera and I have not posted any new pictures. Until now.

The irrepressible Jennie Lynn Boone.... See? This is what happens when you play with your big sister's camera!

I am nearing the end of my first semester in grad school and looking forward to moving into my first apartment all by myself!! Move-in date is December 23rd. I will send out an SOS for big burly moving men in the near future. :-)

Nicole and I headed out to Wild Bill's... little did we know it would be a night full of SCARY cowboys. Not the cute ones.

Yes, little did we know there were NO cute boys at Wild Bill's, only the scary ones. Scary ones that follow you around the dance floor when you are CLEARLY trying to dance AWAY from them. You know what the worst part was? The scary ones don't even buy you drinks!! We did have fun and we will be headed back eventually. When we KNOW the cute boys will be there.

More to come later....

Cleaning Lady

I just cleaned my entire apartment from top to bottom. It was a three hour adventure that would make Mama proud....

Will post pictures later of the sparkling extravaganza.

Must eat. Need a BIG glass of wine on the side. And a cute boy to snuggle with.

Oh well... can't have everything. :-)

Catching Up...

So I haven't posted in awhile... my apologies. I have been a busy girl.

Grad school is KILLING me, but I am loving my classes. It's the DRIVE that just. plain. stinks.

At the other school, I absolutely LOVE my kids this year. They are smart, they are sweet and they are funny. They WANT to work. I LOVE it. I'm also really enjoying being a "Science Coach/Contact." My team is really setting the bar high for everyone else to follow. I love being able to show other teachers how to be even better at what we do. At the same time, I get to learn how to get better at what I do from all of the amazing people I work with. It's AWESOME!



I am also babysitting alot to pay for the GAS that goes in my car on Tuesdays and Thursdays. My friend Kendall has been very good at keeping me "gainfully" employed 4-5 days each month. Her kids are alot of fun, but they definitely wear me out. At the end of the day, we ALL need a nap.

Kari - I thought you would love to see these kiddos. :-)










Mac and Will - turning 5 this month!

Big sister Libby, who turns 7 in November!

I did make a trip home to North Carolina this weekend and have a few pictures and stories to share. But if I wrote about that now, what would all of my adoring fans have to look forward to? Besides. It's late. I need to be in bed. SOME of us have to get up for work tomorrow. I also give up on trying to make all of this look pretty. So people - - -

Deal with it.