Uh...More snow :)

So it is warm here in Chicago, it's up to 26. But, we are getting more snow. Only 2-4 inches. However, when you add that to the 10-12 inches already on the ground, it might look something like this...

Winter Wonderland?? More Like Freakin' Cold

Hey, long time no post. We are alive and well. We just got a little caught up in work. But now we are in blustery Chicago! It's currently 3 degrees F, which is warm compared to the -4 degrees F it was when we landed. I would have taken a picture of the snow, but since it's halfway up to my knees...I thought it would wait.

We're very glad to be back up north for a while. It's a great escape from our little apartment and the hustle and bustle of our little town. It also gives us a little time to relax and do some out of the ordinary stuff. For example, we can go down to the basement and read a book, or go upstairs and read a book, or watch tv. Well...when it's warmer we'll venture out. We do have one errand to run while we are here. We have the specific task of finding some Chicago stuff; so we'll be heading into the city to ice skate and be a tourist for a day. I'm thinking we may have to go to Giordano's pizza...mmm...deep dish...mmm.

Pictures coming soon...

Christmas Time...

I LOVE the Christmas season! With 10 school days left the Christmas season is in full force! Last weekend we put up our tree and this weekend the festivities really kicked into high gear. Last night we went to Merry Main Street. There is something about lights, music, Santa hats, model trains, choirs singing, reindeer, Santa in a sleigh, peppermint mocha and kids in awe that puts me in the Christmas spirit! We had a great time listening to jubilant children, school choirs and drinking Starbucks of course! Enjoy some merriment this week...

A beautiful fall day...

It was a beautiful day today. We decided to go to the park. We have a great park right in the heart of where we live. We enjoyed a brisk walk (it's getting chilly here in Texas) and took some pictures. Here are a couple of fun pictures...enjoy!

Thanksgiving Break...and fall update!

Wow! Were you afraid that we left the world of blogging? No, we are still here. Fall has been incredibly! Thanksgiving is a well deserved break...we are so thankful for the week off! Between testing, parent conferences, assessments, meetings, community events and various illnesses school has certainly kept us busy.

Despite the craziness of school, Patrick and I have enjoyed some great quality time with friends these past few weeks. We celebrated birthdays with some old friends and had some fun nights out with some new friends (thanks Erin and Evan). We are so blessed and thankful for the friends that we have in our lives.

A first year teacher note: I made it all the way to Thanksgiving break without getting sick! Normally, this would be a great accomplishment although I think I would rather spread it out than have strep again...it hit me hard and knocked me on my butt. I spent that past few days in bed literally unable to get out. Moving from the bedroom to the bathroom was an enormous challenge! I am feeling much better now. Patrick took amazingly good care of me, I am so lucky!

So...with all that we have going on I am so thankful! I am thankful that we have family to share life with, friends to hang out with, and great jobs with students who keep us busy and challenged (even when they get us sick)...life does not get any better than this!

Thank you for being a part of our lives and we feel blessed to be a part of yours. Have a great Thanksgiving with family and friends! Here are a few pictures from the past few weeks...enjoy!

We are still here...

We are still alive and well for those of you who are wondering. We have been crazy busy with school...conferences, grades, meetings, oh and teaching. There is a reason that teachers get the summer off, it is VERY well deserved! Enough about that because summer is 8 months away! I love what I do and the challenges that every day brings. I have the most rewarding career ever...tiring, but rewarding. 

Fall has hit...finally and I am loving the cool weather. It amazes me how quickly one adapts to the warm weather. I never thought that I would think 56 was chilly! That day has come! Happy Friday fellow bloggers! Enjoy the weekend! 

The smell of leather...

The smell of new leather permeates our lives lately...

Despite the hustle and bustle of life we (really Patrick) found time to haggle a little...as many of you know Patrick and I bought a new car! Actually, Patrick bought me a car. It is beautiful...navy blue with gray leather interior! It has been a long time since I have had a new car and never one with leather. I feel like a real adult...who am I kidding I have been an adult for a long time this

 is just my way of feeling better about it! I really need to say thank you to Patrick, he traded his car in and is letting me drive the CRV while he drives the Jetta, (that's how it usually works, right?). I am very lucky! Ironically, I think he drives it more than I do, the weekends are his! She (yes the car is a she) is a joy to drive and we are enjoying tooling around town with her. We broke her in last weekend with a trip to Houston. Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure. If I could attach a scratch and sniff of new leather, I would :)!

Football...

I know you are expecting this blog entry to come from Patrick...nope! I LOVE watching football! College football is my favorite, I love supporting my alma mater, Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (yes in Ohio), and the Auburn Tigers, War Eagle! Every Saturday, starting in late August early September I am glued to the TV, the weekend is planned around it. I have been this way since I was in high school...I guess when you go to high school (which I attended in Atlanta) in the heart of SEC country you develop a love...the love has continued to grow...

I am doing something right now that I never thought I would be doing. I have moved around a lot and have cheered for many NFL teams, not with the passion that I cheer for college football but nevertheless, I cheer. The Chicago Bears and are my favorite with the Cleveland Browns coming in second (my dad is from Cleveland and a die hard fan) but tonight something new is happening. There is an energy in Dallas that happens every Sunday (expect for today) it's called the Cowboys! Ok so I said it...I am cheering for the Cowboys...tonight at least. I am still a Bears fan and will ALWAYS cheer for them but for tonight I will cheer for the Dallas Cowboys! 

Election Time

Every 4 years a few fun things happen. Leap year, Summer Olympics, and the Presidential Election.
I love election time because most Americans start paying attention to politics. They find their own convictions and the try to defend them by voting for the person whose platform best matches what they believe. I know people have different convictions than I do, and I'm fine with that. The mere fact that a person is searching their inner thoughts and feelings is awesome.
However, I'm somewhat of a realist, and I understand that there are many people out there that cast their vote for president based on who looks better, who their parents vote for, who their friends vote for, or whose getting the best press coverage. That I can't stand.
So far, the media has attacked the families of some nominees, they have tried to misconstrue simple facts in order to cause controversy, and they have expressed their political opinion in fact form in their reports. This is unacceptable. I can't stand the fact that people who want learn more about the candidates are going to be bombarded by accusations of cover-ups and conspiracies that have been created or blown way out of proportion. When will we be able to just listen to what a candidate has to say, hear someone dissect their words (not their lives, or children's lives), and make a decision.
Since I'm not presenting an article in an unbiased form, I'm going to tell you that I support McCain and Palin. I support them for many reasons, their stance on morality, their plan to lower energy cost while finding alternative energy sources, their support for our troops in this fight for freedom, their willingness to shake things up and work across party lines to make a better country, and most importantly their desire to keep our country first.
I don't care if you disagree with me, that's your right, but if you've been complaining about how bad it has been for the last 4 years, please do some unbiased research before you make a decision. This is your chance to help make America better.

Please see the link below, I think it defines the character of the leader we need.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4fe9GlWS8

Life's moments are priceless...

I guess when you are having fun time flies! Teaching has proved to be more amazing than I could have ever imagined! I am blessed with 22 beautiful little darlings! They are hilarious and make me laugh, we laugh all day actually! They are usually laughing at me! Hey, if they are laughing and learning I'm all for it!

I am exhausted all the time (probably due to my cold that I picked up in Atlanta) but I wouldn't change a minute of it! I am so thankful for the opportunity to teach and impact my kiddos! There is something priceless about a 7 year old telling you that you are funny and that they love math because of it! :) Or when they look at you and ask if they can just hug you. When I see the kids genuinely excited about learning or when their eyes light up when they realize they get it! There are no words for that! This is only week two, I am not naive enough to think that there will not be challenging days...but these are the moments I will remember most!

On another note...non-work related; I had the privilege of going to Atlanta this weekend to celebrate one of my best friends 30th birthdays...it was reunion college roommates! I'm sure you can imagine the fun that we had! We try to get together at least once a year...a pretty amazing feat since we are scattered around the country. This was our girls weekend and we had a blast! I have known these g

irls for 12 years, the time has flown by! We have shared some amazing moments together, breakups, tears, small quarters (I mean really small), long car rides, sleepless nights, laughter, weddings, babies and most importantly a lifelong friendship! Take care of your friendships...they are priceless! I love you girls and thanks for a great weekend!

My classroom...a 5 year dream come true!

Ever since I graduated from college (after majoring in something else) I knew I wanted to do something with kids. Well, my life has gone in several directions since then. But finally, after 8 years of "searching" for my place, my dream, that has been 5 years in the making, is coming true. I have my very own classroom and soon my very own students! for anyone who does not teach you are probably thinking this girl is crazy to be that excited! But if you do teach or have taught you know what I mean. There is something really rewarding to know that you have your own space. After subbing for a year it is a long overdue reward!

I have been planning this classroom for years so it should come as no surprise that it is a reflection of me, probably a good thing since I will be spending the next nine months in there! Enjoy a few pictures and I will keep you updated on my first year...

San Antonio...a romantic getaway

I probably should have blogged a long time ago but I got lazy, imagine that! Patrick and I went to San Antonio to celebrate our first anniversary. It was romantic, relaxing and refreshing. We enjoyed walking along the riverwalk and took the boat tour, despite the hot temperatures. It was somewhat of a rude awaking since we had just been in Chicago. We had dinner at a romantic riverwalk Italian restaurant, we even survived eating outside...misters and fans help with that! There was a mariachi band that played at our table! The typical cheesy romantic dinner!

Our hotel was amazing! Thanks to Sneaky Sunday (check their link out on our blog) we found a very city chic hotel right on the river. Patrick described it as "manly", the leather chair and clean lines did it for him! I liked the marble tile in the bathroom and the amazingly huge bed! Our anniversary was complete with cake and champagne. The cake was actually good! The perfect ending to the perfect year!

We ended our getaway with a trip to the Alamo. I am starting to understand why Texans are the way they are. I mean that lovingly of course! There is a lot of history in Texas and I can understand why Texans are so proud of their state! I am not a Texan but I am learning...

happy anniversary..."I do"

One year ago today I married the man of my dreams. I remember it like it was yesterday....all the emotions come flooding back to me. 

Most little girls dream of their wedding day, standing in front of the bathroom mirror with a  towel draped over their heads practicing "I do". Then when you get older you dream of your "perfect" mate. You dream that someday you might meet someone who can be your best friend, or maybe the love of your life and if you are lucky a soul mate. I am certainly blessed because I married my soul mate, the love of my life and my best friend! I don't have to practice saying "I do" anymore but I will always strive to make those words true. The actions that come along with "I do" are far more important than the words themselves. 

I can still see you, as my dad walks me down the aisle, the glistening of a tear in the corner of your eye. It was at that moment that I felt complete. I do take you to be my husband and love you unconditionally for as long as God allows. I love you more today than I did when I first said "I do". Thank you for loving me unconditionally and teaching me what true love is. 

Back Home--what a long road it was

Sara and I are back from our Chicago vacation, which was a blast. That being said, the drive back was...well...less than fun. The first day we drove 5 hours through Illinois-flat, corn, 65 mph speed limit. We stayed at Sara's aunt's house in St. Louis and had some incredible pizza for dinner. Then we drove 5 hrs through Missouri-hilly, curvy, 70 mph speed limit.
Then came Oklahoma. I was excited b/c I knew the speed limit goes up to 75 mph on I44 in Oklahoma...little did I know that I was going to have to pay $3.50 to sit on a one lane toll road. Let's talk about the toll road. In most states you pay for the portion of the road you have driven on. Apparently, in Oklahoma, you pay for the whole road and get a refund when you get off. That doesn't register as an efficient way to run a business in my mind. So two miles after paying $3.50, we exited for highway 69 and got a $1.75 refund. Make sure you save your receipt. So...highway 69 goes through some small towns, which we knew, and we expected to have to slow down. Unfortunately, between each of the small towns, there was some sort of construction on the highway. That means every 20 min we came up to a sign saying speed zone ahead. We were in these speed zones for about 10 minutes usually, going 45 mph. The other 10 minutes were at 70 mph ish. So if your doing the math with me...for every hour that I wanted to drive 70 miles...we covered 58 miles. According to our GPS, driving through Oklahoma added 40 minutes to our trip, and we didn't even get out of the car. Oh...and the roads need more construction b/c they are very rough.
Finally we crossed in to TX and all was back to normal...or so we thought. We decided that after 10hrs in the car we would stop at a Chick-Fil-A for dinner. Apparently we missed the memo that Friday, July, 11th was dress like a cow and get a free sandwich day. Cute for kids and maybe parents...but not adults w/o kids. Use your imagination.
Anyway, it's great to be back and we cannot wait to see everybody again.

Lions, Tigers, and Giraffes! We Went to the Zoo!

You guessed it! Sara and I went to the Lincoln Park Zoo today in Chicago. This was my first, but certainly not last, visit to this particular zoo. It wasn't the best, or most amazing zoo, but it's free.

This beautiful tiger greeted us as we walked into the zoo.


I know this is a dark picture, but the male lion is just magnificent.

Then there were the tortoises playing leap frog...



...and the rhino trying to blend in with the rocks.

But perhaps the best part of all was the giraffes. They are Sara's and my favorite zoo animal.
(Probably because they are tall)

Happy 4th of July!!!

There is something about watching fireworks and listening to "Proud to be an American" that just makes everything feel...perfect. It's hard to believe that the almost every person in the greatest nation on Earth did this exact same thing tonight. I wonder what people in other countries think about our traditions of freedom?

Our day couldn't have been more wonderful. We woke up and sipped on some coffee at around 8am. Then we headed out the door for the local parade. It was more of a marching commercial than a parade, but it did have it's high points. For example, there is a group called The Lawnmower Brigade that performs with their lawnmowers every year. They have a theme (usually about current events) and dance to appropriate music. This years theme was polygamy, and the song of choice was "Who's Your Daddy" by Toby Keith. Imagine 20 grown men in dresses, with pregnant bellies, dancing.
After the parade we came home and had brats and favorite salad (macaroni, tuna, mayo, and relish) out on the patio. Then we relaxed inside and out.

That brings us to FIREWORKS! We left the house at 7:45 with chairs, blankets, and sweaters. Yes, I said blankets and sweaters. It was in the 50's. We munched on popcorn and cotton candy as we waited for two hours to watch the show. It was well worth the wait.

Porch swings and summertime...

I was sitting on my parents porch swing, enjoying the breeze and cloudless sky, reflecting on summer. It truly does not feel like summer until you are sitting on the screened in porch with the breeze blowing and doing nothing! It is so peaceful I can hear birds chirping and the creaking of the swing going back and forth. It feels like a scene from a movie. This is how I have spent the past couple of days! The fact that we can be outside without sweating is amazing! You forget how hot Texas is until you leave and head north. It has been a relaxing start to a great vacation.

My mom and I were fortunate enough to go on a garden walk on Sunday...no sweating involved! The weather was almost as beautiful as the gardens. One of the homes that we went to had a great fruit garden (I'm sure there is a more technical/botanical term but I don't know what it is). There were cherry trees, pear trees and apple trees. It was so beautiful! Some of the gardens were so hidden you had to go hunting for them...it was like the secret garden! Check out the pond behind my mom and me, that is in someone's back yard! 

yeah...it's been a while

You would think that not working would give Sara and me plenty of time to blog. Well...it does. We just dropped the ball. So we are going to play a little catch up.

A couple of weeks ago I thought it would be "fun" to go shopping with my wife. Yeah...I learned something that day; humor can sugar coat almost anything. We were in Ann Taylor Loft when Sara decided to try on some pink pants...you know, the kind that stop mid calf. Well...she came out of the dressing room to ask my opinion. I gave the standard, they're eh...cute. To which she responded, "do they make my butt look big?" (How am I supposed to respond to that) Well, without skipping a beat, I said "They don't make your butt look smaller!" Fortunately, Sara found this most amusing and burst out laughing.

The next highlight of our summer was a co-worker's wedding in Waco, TX. No, we did not join a cult while we were there, but we did go to the Dr. Pepper Museum. It was...charming, but the Dr. Pepper float at the end was to die for! The wedding ceremony was gorgeous and the reception was a blast. Our trip ended with a surprise visit with my sister.

Last weekend I attended the wedding of an old college friend in Houston. It was also great, unfortunately my wife couldn't attend b/c she was taking a test to prove that she can teach. I don't know how a test proves that she can teach...but that's life.

And that brings us to the present. We are getting ready to go on a road trip to escape the hot summer heat.

School's out for Summer!

Unless you are a teacher, or a parent, you have no idea how wonderful it sounds to say that school is out for summer! It has been an amazing, challenging and tiring year! I have learned a lot about myself personally and professionally. I have realized a few things too...

Subbing, is far more difficult than being a teacher in the same classroom all year. It does however have its perks, you only have a group of kids for a short time (in my case anywhere from 2 days to 60 days). Take that for what it is worth! Being the "new" girl on campus monthly is challenging but it has afforded me the ability to meet a lot of amazing new friends. I am blessed. 

Challenges, are just that, challenging! They make you stronger and make you learn about yourself. I found that when I stretched myself beyond my comfort zone major growth happens, but we all knew that! That is a God lesson that I will not soon forget. 

I have learned a lot about myself but I think the most important thing I learned is that I LOVE TEACHING! I can't imagine doing anything else! When I weigh all the good and the bad nothing outweighs a student asking you if you can teach them next year! Thanks to all my friends, family and students for helping me grow every day!

Patrick's sentiments can be summed up in one sentence..."Ha,ha, I don't have to got to work for 2 months!" Happy Summer!

Happy Birthday to me!

How much better of a start can a birthday have then chocolate chip pancakes in bed! That is how my first day of my 31st year started....I have the greatest husband ever! That breakfast was followed by a clean kitchen, clean house and flowers! 

I was sitting in the salon chair today getting a manicure and pedicure and I was thinking about a review that I read. Someone was complaining because this particular salon (I frequent often) was slow. They mentioned that they were there for 2 hours, sitting in the massage chair. Is there something wrong with this? I understand that some people like the quick fix, in and out manicure. When the title of the salon has then words grand and spa in it, I'm not thinking this is a quick fix. It is funny to me that people are in such a rush all the time, even on a Saturday at the nail salon! I enjoyed my hour and half massaging manicure and pedicure!

The perfect ending to the perfect day is dinner at my favorite restaurant with friends. Thanks Steph and Jeff for helping me celebrate! Can't forget to mention the ice cream cake made my my wonderful husband! Thanks honey for making today so special. Here's to year 31!

One More Week

As Sara and I talk about wrapping up our school years, I can't help to think about all the good and the bad. You can tell a lot about a teacher by how they judge their year. Many will tell you about their test scores; if the scores were good, they had a good year. I'm not that person. I judge my year based the growth of the students intellectually, emotionally, and their maturity. Now we all know you win some and you lose some. I feel that I have won a lot this year. I have been able to see all of my students mature in one or more areas. I'm not saying I had a perfect year; there were some tough times. But the good times far outweigh the tough.
I'm glad to be a teacher. I get to see growth. I get to be a part of molding and changing a life. And I get 2 and a half months off during the best time of the year. (Trust me...it's well earned.)

Gotta go...fireworks at the ballpark. I love being able to watch from my patio!

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day! I was reflecting on motherhood this morning when I was talking to my mom. I can't relate to motherhood seeing as I am not yet a mother. But what an incredible accomplishment that must be! I can only imagine what my mom must feel like, someday I will be able to share in those emotions. But for now, I can relate to being a daughter. So Mom, this blog is for you, Happy Mother's Day...

Thank you for the endless hours of doing the laundry, making lunches, cooking dinners, helping with homework, relinquishing control of the phone, television and car, performing ridiculous amounts of comic relief when a boyfriend broke up with us or a friend acted like a jerk, and for lending an ear every minute of the day. Thank you for driving me to college and listening to me cry for 8 hours and driving me home at the end of the year when I cried for 8 more. Thank you for being my best friend, confident, mother and shoulder to cry on. Thank you for supporting me, financially, emotionally and spiritually. Thank you for always being there even when I didn't want you to be, for keeping your distance when you knew I needed to be on my own, for knowing when to give just the right nudge and when to reel me in and for letting me go this summer to marry the man of my dreams. Most importantly Mom, thanks for being you, there is only one and you are the best! 

Here is a hysterical link to a video done by comic Anita Renfroe click here, enjoy! 

Spring in Texas

Today was one of those beautiful Texas spring days. After an uneconomically stimulating trip to the outlets, we decided to take a Saturday drive. We checked out a great neighborhood about 10 minutes from where we currently live. I have lived a lot of places but nowhere have I seen what I saw today just 10 minutes outside of the booming metropolis where we live (population 100,000). 

This was truly beautiful, only in Texas!

Today culminated with yet another trip to Lochrann's, this time to listen to Kenny Chesney! Patrick thought I was a closet parrot head, tonight was ridiculous! I was standing at the front gate with my head between the metal bars singing along! I was that girl! Are you kidding me! As if that was not enough, I moved to the entrance where I proceeded to stand and sing along. What can I say, I'm a fan!

Hand people...put them down!

So I'm enjoying American Idol tonight with my wife when Neil Diamond starts to perform. I like Neil...he's a great artist and performer. However, the song Mr. Diamond sang tonight was a mellow ballad. I'll admit, I don't like waving my hands in the air, and I think people who do it look silly; but the girls in the front tonight really missed the beat. Have you ever seen the cartoon where there is a big bull dog walking slowly down the street and there's a peppy little purse dog doing circles around him. Yeah, that's what I thought when I saw the waving. So if you're a hand waver...get it right or don't do it. 

It is really only Tuesday?

Have you ever felt totally drained and frustrated? Let me preface this blog with the fact that I LOVE teaching and I am very excited for my new job...you know where this is going don't you? I feel like I have jumped over fences to get my certification transfered over. I got a copy of my certificate in the mail and I was super excited! Thinking the process was almost complete. I thought I had a year to take all my tests (on my time), but unfortunately, that is not the case. I need to take one of them this summer. Normally, this would not be a big deal except for the fact that it is conflicting with the wedding of a friend. Again, not normally a problem except the test is in Dallas, wedding is in Houston. I think we will be able to do both. I am just a little frustrated. Maybe I shouldn't blog when I am frustrated...

On a much more fun note we are in a walking routine. We have a great little 2 mile route that takes us around our neighborhood. We put a little twist on it today. With gas prices being so high and the weather so nice we took the eco-friendly approach today, WALK to Target! It was a beautiful way to relax from the day and accomplish some errands. 

Cheese Burger in Paradise

So...I just learned that my wife is a closet parrot head. I know, I had to pick my jaw up off of the ground too. Sara and I had a productive Saturday. We started off with a brisk 3 mile walk. After some deep cleaning of the apt. we went to the mall to get some cards and pillows (random, I know). We then drove to 3 different stores looking for a hanging planter for our patio. We were looking for the kind of planter you hang on the railing. When we got to the third store we looked a little more closely at this black thing we had seen at the other two stores that we thought wouldn't work. Turns out it was exactly what we needed...one problem, it was $15.00 more than both of the other stores. So back in the car we go. We finally purchased the hanger, a planter, way too much soil, and some pretty flowers (ask Sara if you want to know what they are).  I made sure to plant them as soon as we got home. Next we decided it would be a good idea to iron the freshly washed duvet cover. Yeah...I don't know how Sara talked me into it, but 30 min. later it was neatly pressed. 

For dinner we decided to go to our favorite establishment, Lochrann's Irish Pub. It just so happened that Jimmy Buffet was performing across the street at PH Park. Not only was the food and beverage phenomenal, but we could hear Jimmy clearly. It was fantastic.

Welcome to our Blog...

I have been contemplating for weeks about starting a blog and here we are! Welcome to the lives of Patrick and Sara. With family scattered around the country we thought this would be a great way to keep in touch, you can read about our lives and stay entertained! 

Married life has been the most amazing thing that I could have imagined! Life does not get much better than this! We have officially (after 9 months of marriage) become settled in our routines. I will say that living with someone else is quite a challenge. Learning to compromise has been the greatest adjustment. For those who know me, I am a bit controlling when it comes to managing my house. It's not so much controlling as it is just doing things my way, well, I will have you know that I am getting better! I have learned to let go. We are adjusting well and could not be happier! 

Well, that is going to do it for post number one...stay tuned for more PS Happenings...