Shoguns!!!

Today I went to a workshop, and I have another day of it tomorrow. Then I went to the school to work in my classroom and say goodbye to our principal... We will truly miss her!!!

Then tonight, Shawn and I went to Paris to pick up his truck and to eat at Shoguns Japanese restaurant. It was great! I love the food, but I think I love the experience more. I love to watch the cook and his "show" he puts on with the food. Sorry the picture quality is so bad, but the lighting was low and the fire on the grill is hard to capture... But it was delicious!

making the onion volcano!


onion volcano!


Shawn... can you tell he is used to me sticking a camera in his face, haha!!!

Day at the Hospital

Yesterday we spent the day at ETMC in Tyler, TX. Shawn's mom was having a procedure done to check out her heart. They thought she had blockage in her arteries. (everything turned out fine, and her heart is healthy!)

We spent the morning waiting for the procedure to be done. She was very worried about it all, which is totally understandable, as anyone would be! They took her back at about 1:00, and when it was over we got the good news, everything looked great! Then while she was recovering, Shawn and I, along with his sister, Nikki and her husband Josh, and his farther, Randy went to eat at TGIFridays. I got a steak and it was GREAT! Then we went back to the hospital waiting on her to be released. (they said she would be able to go home at 6) Here are some of the pictures we took while hanging out in the waiting room...

Shawn and I


Randy and Shawn watching youtube videos on the blackberry!


Josh and Nikki


Nikki and her magazine... just one of the things we used to pass the time.


Facebooking on the phone... another activity to pass time...

Closing Program for VBS!

Another scenery shot before it was all torn down.

Gavin and his VBS teacher, Mrs. Jamie!

We had our closing program for VBS on Friday night. Gavin was sad for it to come to an end! He sang several songs with his class. He did really well on the first 3 (I'm in the Lord's Army, This Little Light of Mine, and one more...) then his best friend decided to sit down on the stage, so Gavin, being Gavin, followed him and sat down too! So as I was videoing the program all of the sudden, Gavin disappears from the screen... That is so Gavin! haha


(Gavin before he decided to sit down on the stage! Ha!)





This is my son putting a top on his nose while waiting on the program to start... such a little boy!


Gavin and Alexis


Gavin and his best friend, Dalton!
After the singing, we had a slide show and then a fellowship in the gym. (sandwiches, chips and homemade ice cream) I made my first batch of homemade ice cream, and it was great!

We had a wonderful week at VBS! Gavin gets another week of it next week, my moms church is having theirs.

Vacation Bible School!

VBS!

Gavin and I before the first night of vbs

This week has been a busy one for us. We have had vbs Sunday through Thursday, and
we will have our closing program tonight. I am making homeade ice cream for the
fellowship to follow! Yum!

I have had some help this week at home as well as vbs. Ashli and came and stayed with us most of the week and MacKinzie came for a couple of days. I had a dr's appointment yesterday and Gavin went to work with Ashli for a while. Thanks Ashli for all your help this week!
(Gavin and Ashli)

(Gavin and MacKinzie after vbs getting ready for bed)


As far as vbs we have had a WONDERFUL week! Our theme this year is Passport to the promised land, where we have studied the life of Jesus. Each child was issued a passport and received a sticker for each place we visited this week... Bethlehem, Nazareth, Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, and Calvary.

Gavin in BethlehemGavin in Nazareth


Last night after VBS a young lady in my class (I also taught her when she was in first grade at school) came to me and said she wanted to get saved. So... I showed her the Romans Road and she received Jesus as her personal savior there on the hay in "Bethlehem" in the classroom. I was so proud of her for making that decision!

When I was leaving on Thursday night this is what the sky looked like. God is AMAZING, just look at his creation! Wow... Breathtaking!


(Sea of Galilee)


(Mount Calvary and the tomb)


Gavin was not able to go last night to VBS, he caught a 24 hr virus... he was so sad to miss it! But he is feeling better this morning! I am thankful to be a part of a church who loves the Lord, and works hard in the ministry of Christ!

Ouch Sunburns!!!

My son has his first bad sunburn! He went swimming at his mimi's without sunscreen and here are the results! OUCH! I have had sunburns my entire life... thanks to fair skin. I know how much they hurt and I feel helpless when it comes to his pain! I have been using Aloe Vera on it, does anyone else have any suggestions on how to relieve the pain??? Please leave a comment if you have any suggestions! Thanks for stopping by!

Blog Hop- Recipe!!!

Chicken Spaghetti


Ingredients:

Boneless/Skinless Chicken
Mexican Rotel
Cream of Chicken soup
Velveta Cheese
Milk
Angel Hair Pasta
Shredded Cheese


Steps:

Preheat oven to 350

1- Boil chicken
(notice my Chef Todd English Cookware... I love it!)



2- Boil Pasta


3- Cube 1/2 of large box of Velveta cheese add cream of chicken soup, and rotel,
and a touch of milk. Put in oven to melt the ingredients together.


Step 4- add pasta to melted mixture.

Step 5- Shred the chicken.


Step 5- Add chicken and mix together, then top with shredded cheese,
place in oven to melt the cheese, and you are done.

ENJOY!
Hope you love it as much as my family and friends do!

Getting Ready for Another School Year!

Yesterday I went with my fellow first grade teachers, Lisa and Julie to Greenville to Apples for the Teacher to buy supplies for the new school year. We had a great time shopping! (as most girls do!) Then we went to eat at one of my favorite places... Red Lobster! It was great as always! We stopped by the VF oulet in Sulphur Springs and I found some great deals for Gavin some new clothes! We had a wonderful day!

Meanwhile Gavin got to stay with one of his favorite cousins, Ashli! She came over the night before and spent the night so that she could watch him while I was gone. He had a great time with her. He loves her... as you can see!

She had fallen asleep holding him and I woke her up with the camera.... sorry Ashli! You can see how much he adores her!

Today I am waiting on the phone guy to come put in a new phone line for Shawn to use with his new job. I hate waiting, there are plenty of things I would rather be doing right now! ha But I will be glad for him to get a place to set up his work computer rather than my kitchen counter!!!

I hope everyone has a great weekend! This summer is rapidly slipping away!

Friends and Fun!

Over the last few days, I have got to spend time with 3 friends of mine. On Friday night we went to eat at the Fish Fry! Yum! My favorite place to eat fish. We went with some friends of ours, that I met in high school and have remained close friends with since. Joey, Wendy and Colter.

Here is Colter eating! Isn't he adorable!

On Saturday night we ate fish again with more friends of ours, Lucas, Kortnie, and Shanlee. We ate at Don's Catfish Dock. We then went back to their house and let the kids play, the men play XBox and us girls talked. We had a wonderful time!

I forgot to take pictures... sorry!

On Monday I got to spend the day with my childhood friend, who I have been friends with since I was 2 I think. We have stayed friends all these years, although we have never lived in the same town. For the last several years she has lived in South Carolina and now Pennsylvania, so I don't get to see her or her precious baby girl too often. Now she is expecting a little boy in November!

Gavin and I spent the day with Mandy and Breanna at the Caldwell Zoo. We had a wonderful time! Gavin would lead her around by the hand... it was so cute! Then we went out to eat at a Mexican Restaraunt in Tyler. Followed by a trip to CVS to make a copy of the pictures I took. (Her camera memory was full) I did take pictures this time!


Gavin feeding the birds

Mandy and Breanna
Little Breanna... look at those curls!
Holding hands!

Their new zoo glasses!
Best Friends since childhood!






Breanna eating her tortilla with Queso! Yum!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

I don't think I have slowed down enough this summer to enjoy it! I have been going non-stop all summer long! I am now working on decorating my classroom at church for VBS. We are doing Passport to the Promiseland. (which entails the life of Jesus). I am really excited about it. I am having to do 5 different scenes and it has turned out to be a lot of work... but all worth it in the end! I am also starting back on my classroom at school. There is always so much to do to start a new year. My best friend, Mandy is in from Pennsylvania so we are going to get together Monday and take the kids to the Zoo. I hardly ever get to see her so I am excited to spend the day with her and her daughter! I will post some pictures after we go!

Well I have a busy day, so I better get off here and get to it! Hope you have a wonderful day!

What has your summer been like so far?

Our Daily Routine... well almost daily!

Our Daily Hour of "School"!

I like to do this everyday in the summer with Gavin. We "play school" for about an hour, doing a variety of activities! I am working on teaching him to read, write, count, add, etc. He also loves to do any type of art project... coloring, painting, play dough, cutting, gluing... all that fun stuff! He loves it! It is one on one time we get to spend together and he gets to learn something in the process. It is good for us both. Of course, me being a teacher could have a little something to do with it...it is in my blood! I love to teach kids to read and write. So what are some fun things you do with your kids? I am always up for something new!

Here are some photos of our school time today!