Mental Health Day...

I'm taking my first ever mental health day today! Someone please tell me why I have not done this sooner! My roommate from college is getting married this weekend and we are heading to the wedding...tomorrow. We both took an extra day off today just for us. There is something to be said for a day when there is not routine, nothing "required" that needs to get done, no cramming in all the laundry into two days, no housework and no papers to grade (well those are always there but...)! It is a rather liberating feeling. I encourage you to take a day off. For no reason. Don't schedule anything, just be. Let the day take you wherever it will. You feel more relaxed than ever! It's only 8:10 and I already feel more rested than ever. I love my job and my fantastic team mates but it should be required that everyone take a day, just one (or more if you can pull it off) for your own sanity. It may take a little extra effort to write sub plans or whatever you have to do to prepare but you will thank yourself later. Well blogger friends, enjoy your day, I will certainly be enjoying mine! Did I mention I have tomorrow off too!! Thanks Whitney for getting married and allowing me to realize the importance of a mental health day!

Napa...

I really should be kicked out of blogger world. Not that anyone depends on me to blog but three months on three months off is a bit ridiculous! In any event, I will blog and few will read but at least I am chronicling my life.

There is no excuse for not blogging but we did go on vacation (I will try to invent an excuse). We

didn't just go on vacation, we went on an "adult" vacation. For spring break this year we went to Napa, California! If you have never been there, you need to go! It was the most relaxing, romantic, educational place I have ever been. We spent a day at the beginning and a day at the end of the week in San Francisco. Quite possibly the most eclectic place I have visited, some

of the best people watching happens there. I won't bore you with all the touristy things that we

did but you can assume it was the norm: Fisherman's Wharf, cable car, China Town, etc. Let's get to the good stuff...NAPA!

The drive from San Francisco to Napa is by far, hands down the prettiest I have seen. It began with a drive over the Golden Gate Bridge. It is truly grand! The sheer size makes it beautiful!

We continued our scenic drive through the mountains and then into the valley. I teach my students to use great describing words when they write but there are sometimes when words cannot do justice, only a picture will do...

Instead of writing about the all tantalizing, wine tastings, cave tours, gourmet food, cabernets, merlots, estate blends, chocolates, picnics and sunshine that we experienced, I will leave you with a few photos. Like I said if you have not been...GO, make it happen. It was the trip of a lifetime, at least for Patrick and I!

For those of you who don't know me very well, my maiden name is Hall!

To blog or not to blog...

Wow! I should be kicked off of blogspot. It is unacceptable that I have not blogged in a month, especially when I was off for two weeks! Well, unfortunately I will not be blogging today...too much to do right now. But this is a little hello from Texas, I will get better. Patrick had some political comments he wanted to blog about, so be looking for that, could get a little hairy!

Before I sign off for what could be a month, no telling, did you resolve to do anything this year? If not, you are not alone, many of us decide that resolutions are pointless but, challenge yourself to do something this year. Maybe it is not a resolution per say but something that you have always wanted to do...skydive, hot air balloon ride, the typical loose weight, get in shape, whatever it is...commit to it! Do it, you will be glad you did!

Have a great weekend blogger friends, or maybe I should say "great week" or "great month" depending on when I will blog again.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...

There will be pictures posted later but it is snowing!! It is beautiful, despite being a bit treacherous driving home from church. Snow in Texas is amazing! Only here can it be 75 yesterday and 29 and snowing today!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Christmas Merriment...

Wow, how the month of December has flown by! I know you are all bored of my dumb posts about my life and my dog and my wonderful husband...I could be creative and blog about funny things but I am all out of creativity right now so here is a small update. Do you like how this blog has turned into "updates".

We have had some fun times sharing with friends and family. We have indulged a little too much at party after party. We have spent many a night looking at Christmas lights, choreographed to music (not sure I need to hear Mannheim Steamroller for a while), and endless baking (there are cookies on the counter cooling right now). The end of school before break went by surprisingly fast...and great! I have great students and we have fun celebrating the upcoming holidays. I did a 5 days before winter break my teacher gave to me...it was fun to see them so excited over things like taking their shoes off or having Hershey's Kisses!

For those of you keeping up with Wrigley's training...she now walks into her crate on her own! Not only that, as I sit here and type, Patrick is on the couch and Wrigley is in her crate napping! You heard you me correctly, I did not miss type! She loves her crate, remember way back in September when we never thought this would happen! She is an amazing dog!

With the last of the gifts purchased and wrapped and some sent to family and Christmas upon us I can't help but reflect on the joys of the year. One more milestone to share...I will be spending the first Christmas of my life without my parents and siblings. We will be at home just Patrick, Wrigley and me, making some traditions of our own. I am an emotional person but I am ready to do this, to be a wife (and not have "daughter duties" as well) and spend this time with Patrick, a little removed from the hustle and bustle. This blog has served as a journal or sorts for me so I thank all of you who have enlightened me with your comments and posts. Thank you for sharing in the milestones of the year. There will be more reflecting to come...

Merry Christmas from our home to yours! Enjoy your family, friends and most of all the reason for Christmas, Christ's birth, what a gift!

Twilight...

The inevitable happened today...I did something I said I would never do...so is that the inevitable? After much scrutiny from family and friends I succumbed to the pressure...I have officially been bitten. All housework, cleaning, laundry have been put on hold. I am engulfed in the latest teen drama/saga. Of course I am the last person on the civilized planet to jump on the bandwagon. I can't put the book down. If you are one of the unfortunate people who have not yet read Twilight (trust me you are not alone) go out and buy the book...on a weekend when you have time to read it. This book crosses all generations and all age groups. I don't care that you will have to dodge teenage girls in the TEEN section of Barnes and Noble. It takes you back to young love in high school, who doesn't want to relive that! As my sister said, it is almost a modern day Romeo and Juliet. Go get this book, don't wait until Christmas, do it now! Be careful, you might just find yourself thirsting for more!

Family, friends and food...Thanksgiving...

What an amazing Thanksgiving week we had! I am so blessed that I got to share this holiday with not only the love of my life but my entire family! For anyone who knows me or my family you know that we are freakishly close and we have a very unique bond. We see each other about twice a year and it is an amazing time! Well, not only did I get to see them I got to host them, here at our house!! I have always liked throwing parties and making people feel at home but this was truly an experience. I loved every minute of their week long stay. I will not bore you with details but...We did what every normal, slightly crazy family does over the holidays...eat, sleep and shop! The essentials! When I say shop let me assure all you shoppers out there that we did not miss a mall in the metroplex...and we were there on Black Friday at 7 am! That was a first for me and I WILL most certainly do it again! The energy and Christmas spirit was awesome!

A few highlights from the week...

Shopping with Mom is always such an experience. She often makes me try things on that I would never buy...well, this time I might have bought a few things. I know Christmas is soon but I don't get to shop with just my mom ever! We had a lot of fun and I look a lot cuter going to work! My students no longer make comments like, "didn't you already wear that?" Yes I did, afterall, I am made of money remember!

What Thanksgiving would be complete without a kitchen disaster! We have lived in our house for 8 months and have so far been lucky, until Wednesday...the disposal clogged. It was like something out of a movie. I'm pretty sure I was running around like a turkey with its head cut off. But my mother and husband are amazing and we got it all taken care of with a little help from a home warranty and what my dad called a "cowboy" plumber!

Another milestone over Thanksgiving week happened with our little love...Wrigley. We dropped her off at Doggy Day Camp! I am sorry and a bit embarrassed to admit this, but I got a little choked up when we dropped her off. She was so excited and had a blast! She has been there three times in the past two weeks! A happy, tired Wrigley equals happy, relaxed and rested parents!