FIRST Wild Card Tour: New review up!

Here is Shelly Adina's latest installment in the All About You series! I've loved all these books....go check it out!

Wanna party all summer long??

What do you think? I'm gonna jump in for sure! Mommy Mandy, Mommy Goggles, and Rockin' Mama are throwing a part all summer long, and YOU can be a part, too!

If you're visiting from the party, let me tell you a little bit about me. I am mommy to two wonderful sons, Isaac (8) and Adam (5). I am wife to Chris, who is a special education teacher and assistant principal. I am a teacher, currently of first graders, but soon to be a Reading Specialist! I'm a student....I'm getting my Master's in Reading currently, which is a challenge while taking care of a family and working full time, but I can do it! I am a sister, friend, sister-in-law, daughter, daughter-in-law, aunt....I love my friends and family and am very loyal to them, possibly to a fault at times. And last but certainly not least, I am a Christian. I am a daughter of the King, and am passionate about sharing Him and His love with others.

Of course, this does not mean that I am perfect....far from it! I learn more about Him and how to walk with Him each day. I stumble. I fall. I act in ways that Jesus would not approve. But I ask for forgiveness and try my best to learn from my mistakes and move on. I enjoy Bible studies and have made friends online with whom I try to be an example of Christianity. I help moderate at My Parent Connection, and would love to see any bloggers there as well!

I love to read, and am not able to devote as much time to pleasure reading right now as I would like. I lead the children's sermons at our church at least twice monthly, lead a group of 3rd-5th grade students at church, and sing in our choir. I took dance classes for years and would love to get back to it!

My husband and sons have recently started Tae Kwon Do classes, and I'm also a baseball/soccer/basketball mom! We do try not to have the boys over scheduled, however, so that they do have some 'down time' to enjoy at home.

So....there I am in a nutshell. I'm hoping to make some new friends in bloggerland this summer, and hopefully YOU will be one of them! Please come and read up on our life again soon!

Flashback Friday--Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now

<img alt="http://christis-blahblahblog.blogspot.com" src="http://tinyurl.com/5zzwl8" />

Oh, but does this song bring back memories of eighth grade....one of the most fun times of my life!! I had great friends, and that is what today is all about, my friends. I'm meeting up with the eighth grade bunch today! I'm so excited! See, I moved from the town where we all lived the summer between eighth and ninth grades. We've kept in touch....in fact, one of them was my college roommate! However, some of them I haven't seen since high school! I'm SOOOO thrilled to get to hang out with them and their kids for a while today!!

So here's my song to remind me of the past.....



What about you? What is taking you back today?? Mr. Linky won't support me right now, as I'm not an upgraded member, but leave your comment and I'll come see ya!

Wordless Wednesday: Rock City Barn

See 7 States from Rock City, originally uploaded by Brent and MariLynn.

I remember seeing tons of these barns when I was little! Dad never did want to stop, so one time after my mom and I had gone to Atlanta to see my grandmother, we stopped on the way home! Here's a bit of history for you: Rock City is actually across the Georgia line, in Walker County, where I graduated from high school!

Check out the photographer's blog at See Rock City!

Several FIRST tours posted!

I've got 'em posted over here at my review blog! Go check 'em out!

Flashback Friday--Wild Wild West

<img alt="http://christis-blahblahblog.blogspot.com" src="http://tinyurl.com/5zzwl8"/>

I particularly remember the line in this song..."Heading for the 90s, living in the wild, wild, west!" Oh, how long ago that seems, but at the same time it seems like yesterday! The 90s seemed like something so exotic and FINAL, as it was the decade in which I would graduate high school, which seemed like the pinnacle of life at the time. Little did I know it would also be when I graduated college and got married as well!

The specific memory that this song brings to mind is a service project that we did as a youth group when this song was big. We moved our associate pastor from one dwelling to the next one Saturday. I remember riding in our beloved '70 Chevy truck---in its gold, bench seat glory--and hearing this song on KZ106! Funny how such things just stick in your memory, isn't it?! I can even tell you who was in the truck with me!

Escape Club - Wild Wild West
Uploaded by franc32 - Watch more music videos, in HD!

I'm sorry I'm late with my flashback today. I'll share WHY I'm so late in another post later! Here's a teaser: its a new activity with the boys! What about you?? What is running through your head today, or what are you remembering fondly?

I am soooooo tired!

It is like this each year as we end up a school year (crazy, that is!), but I think it is wearing on me even more this year for two reasons:
1. The group that I have right now is rarely ever able to occupy themselves. At this point in the year, they should be a little more independent, but they're just....not....this year. It is just the personality of the group I have.

2. Knowing that I have to sort all my 'stuff' out is draining. Yes, I'm glad that I have a new position and that I don't have to actually pack it all up, but still--that's MY stuff, and I hate to have to go through it all.

3. OK, I know this is more than two, but also add to the mix that I'm having to prepare for classes, etc., it is just draining! Thankfully Chris has been a HUGE help and is understanding when I don't have much energy for much more than the basics. Though I still feel guilty!!

OK, back out the door to Emory! Just thought I'd pop in and let you know I'm still among the living!

I'd been trying to hold it together

and was really doing well, but man....you can only hold all your emotions in for so long, ya know?? It all came pouring out last night and this morning. I started thinking about how when Isaac graduated preschool, I was excited because that meant that I'd get to spend more time with him knowing he'd be at school WITH me....and then I started mourning that I won't have that time with Adam. I know that God has ordained this, and that He wouldn't ever do anything to hurt me, but the human part of me is just sad! That, and the fact that I'm leaving what truly feels like a family to me in my coworkers....this is just HARD! I can't get torn up at work, I try not to get torn up in front of the boys, but this HAS to come out. It is natural to feel this way, and it is unhealthy for me to just keep it all bottled in. It hurts! Given the times I've had to move and change schools, I've gotten spoiled being at one school for so long. I abhor packing. It truly is TORTURE to me. I HATE it. Now I'm having to part with so much stuff that I have put 12 years of time and energy into gathering in addition to packing up.

So I guess you could say I've allowed myself to have today to just be down and cry if I feel like it. I know that it is going to be okay. I know that I will make new friends. I know that the boys will be just fine without me. But today, I'm gonna just be sad anyway!

Flashback Friday--Keep on Movin'

<img alt="http://christis-blahblahblog.blogspot.com" src="http://tinyurl.com/5zzwl8"/>

When I hear this song, I'm back in my '85 Toyota Corolla driving down the Northwest Georgia back roads (like Georgia 2, which everyone locally called 2A for some reason!) with the bass turned way up, and the volume even higher! This is one of those memories that I only see in technicolor, if you know what I mean....I realized, even at the time, that it was good and that life would never be quite the same. It was the summer between my senior year in high school and my first year in college. I remember particularly one time listening to this song with my lifelong friend Carla riding with me! She had come down with my family to my graduation and my dance recital. That meant the world to me! Even today, though we don't get together nearly as much as I'd like, if we do get together, it is just like we left off yesterday. Rare are friends like that! I miss ya, Car Car!



So what about you? What's running through your head today? Come share!

A coupla things....

First, I just finished my Wii workout with My Fitness Coach. I worked out a few times with it, then got into 'crunch time' with all my assignments due for my last class, and got out of the habit. I thought sure that the virtual coach Maya may let me have it when I logged back in, but she wasn't too rough! Today I did a Core Body workout, and work out I DID! I was huffing and puffing and sweating, and I'm pretty certain that my abs are going to be sore tomorrow. I kept trying to picture myself not being quite so horrified at wearing a bathing suit while I was doing the various crunch combos!

Durn, seems like there was something else I wanted to be sure to blog about and then I lost focus! URG. Hate doing that!

Oh! Now I remember! (Are you still with me?! Of course you are, you too have "Mama Mush" brain after giving birth! You understand!) I am SO Teeeeeed off at the United States Postal Service. I ordered one of the books for the class I'm taking now weeks ago....I mean, at least 3 weeks ago, no exaggeration. Do you think the flippin' thing is here yet?! NOOOOOOO! The other two books I ordered were here in plenty of time. I gave myself a good window of time to get the books in, but alas...here I am, heading to my second class meeting with no text. So therefore, no homework done! And that is not like me in my post-Bachelor's degree state! Now, in college? I'm sure there were some times I went to class unprepared. But I'm not comfortable doing so now! I'm ticked off, and when I called the USPS to ask about it the other day, I got some kind of crap about how I didn't need to call back and be concerned until 14 days yada yada yada, but I'm over that....it has taken way long enough! I'm apparently given permission to be irritated with them after May 15, and durn straight I'm going to be! I really hate that I've already paid for the stinkin' book, or else I'd just cancel the order. NEVER will I order in this fashion from this particular bookseller EVAH AGAIN! The stinky part of it is that it is a brand new book, so none of my friends would have it for me to borrow. I've tried to get copies from my classmates but it just hasn't worked out. Can you feel my frustration??!

And while I'm on the subject of frustrations, I've had two 'incidents' with people being passive-aggressive over the past few days and that is really so. high school! One situation was just immature....mention something, then talk about how you can't talk about it. Whatever. You brought it up, put on your big girl panties and deal with the situation instead of acting like you've got to be private about it after you open your trap! And the other situation...well, let's just try to be a TAD professional in front of children, shall we?? You want to be condescending and irritating, fine...but do it away from my students, k? Until you've tried to TEACH and deal with 17 6/7 year olds all day, don't act as though you're 'above' what I'm doing. Try it for a day or two, and then we'll talk.

OK, sorry, went off there on a tangent. Hi. Remember that nice calm I felt after working out???? I'm trying to.....really I am.....

We were so blessed to have a nice calm weekend, and we don't have any extra afternoon activities until Friday this week! Oh, but that does make the week look less daunting! Funny how you don't miss calm unscheduled weekends until you don't have a few, you know?!

Speaking of, please PRAY some scheduling issues work out for one of our end of school workdays! As it is, I may have class on that day, and I really hope that I don't! It will be my last 'hurrah' to spend time with my coworkers before changing schools, and I really don't want to miss it! I'm gonna talk to my professor about it, and hopefully it can be worked out.

I think that is enough rambling for now! Enjoy your week!

Guess what I got for Mother's Day?!

Here's a hint...


its a hand held video camera! I'm in awe of the thing! Hubby actually thought of me using it in my blog! Isn't he the sweetest?! So look for many videos of my boys and their various activities! LOL

Hope you all had a GREAT day in your honor!

I've got a giveaway going on at Blah Blah Reviews that you might want to check out...scroll down, it isn't on top!

Edited to add: Can't show one boy without showing the other....so here's Adam!

Flashback Friday--Smelly Cat

<img alt="http://christis-blahblahblog.blogspot.com" src="http://tinyurl.com/5zzwl8"/>

I was reminded of this song this morning as I passed MY smelly cat on the stairs! I've had her for 12 years, and she's starting to show her age. I don't know if she isn't able to clean herself as well or something, but bless her heart, she does stink.
I never knew, however, that they made Phoebe an official video of the song, did you?!

That's not my favorite, though, but if you wanna see it, its on You Tube!
Friends had just started when I was a senior in college, so I didn't get 'into' it until I was living on my own. I still love to watch it when it is on in reruns!




So what are you remembering today? Please share!

Guess what?!

I have known this for a little while, but didn't want to share the news until it was a 'for sure'....but I'm going to be filling a Reading Specialist position next year! I'm so excited!!! It will be at a different school than where I teach now, but it is a small school within our county system. The only 'bad' part is that our boys will be on the opposite end of the county from us, as we're going to leave them at the school where Isaac attends (and I currently teach), and Adam has registered there. We want them to stay within our community, since Chris and I both will be likely to change schools over the years.

Other than that, and being nervous, and hating to leave the school where I've taught for 12 years, I'm psyched! I never imagined a year ago that I might be in such a position today! God has ordained this in such a powerful way....from the nudges to go talk to our Superintendent of Schools about starting the cohort, to funding coming through when I thought it wouldn't, to having a position open up so quickly...I know that this is His will and His plan, and that erases all doubt from my mind about me being able to do it!

Isaac, however, could use your prayers. He's struggling this evening with the idea. I know that he's going to be fine, but it is breaking my heart listening to him crying and so upset. His Daddy is in there talking to him now. So if you could lift us up in prayer concerning this, we'd certainly appreciate it!

I'll definitely keep you updated on this new adventure in my life!

FIRST Wild Card Tour: Ten Dumb Things Smart Christian Believe

Go check it out! This is a really good book, too!

FIRST Wild Card Tour: Murder by Family

Go check it out! I was really captivated by this book, so this is one you WANT to read!

Spring Semester is over!

...and I survived!! Looking back, I'm pretty proud of myself. It has been a trying one! Classes were hard, I was dealing with Dad's operation and recovery, and just life in general. But I did it!! We start the new semester Tuesday, so we don't really get a break here...but we'll get all of July and August off, thankfully!

Have a great week!

Flashback Friday--I'll have it up this afternoon!

My brain is fried from writing the paper....how about I leave the linky for you and I'll share mine soon??