Praying for the Finnerty Family

Breaking News Story

I grew up in a somewhat small town called Brighton. Football was HUGE. We are the home of Drew Henson (U of M football fans should know who this is). I never saw the greatness of Drew, but in my graduating class we had a boy named Cullen Finnerty. He was a darn good quarterback. He went on to play quarterback for GVSU. Over this weekend, he went missing. Tonight he was found, unfortunately dead. I can't believe it. While I wasn't close to him, I did have classes with him and remember him being a great guy. He was a genuine good guy. He has left behind a wife and two kids, the youngest who was just born in February.
My heart just breaks for his family. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

I am just shocked, not sure what to say, other than my heart is just breaking for his family. It's just so sad.

Sorry for the disjointed thoughts, I just had to get this out. I'm in just such shock.

Memorial Day

I wrote a post last year that I think sums up this day perfectly. You can read it here: Memorial Day-We will never forget to remember!




Enjoy your long weekend! Please remember the REAL reason for today as you celebrate with your family and friends.

Happy 4th Birthday Booger

L-the day he was born R-today in his new Thomas outfit.

Today is our Booger's 4th birthday! I can't believe he is 4 already! It seems like it was just yesterday that I was pregnant with him. We had our family and friends over for cake and ice cream this afternoon. He was properly spoiled.

You can read his birth story here. :)

This morning M and I were able to wake Booger up. I had put streamers in his door way. We got the kids up and ready and headed out to Denny's for breakfast/brunch. Then it was time to pick up the cake and get ready for everyone to come over. I will hopefully be able to post pictures with in the next couple of days. :) I hope everyone is having a great 3-day weekend!!!!!

Happy Birthday to my special boy! You changed my world the second you entered our lives. You were not planned, but I wouldn't change it for anything. You are the light of my life and I love you to the moon and back. I can't wait to see how you grow and the person you become. I think you will do great things.

I love you Booger!!!!!

My Summer List

I decided it was a good idea to link up with Whit at Black Little Button and write down my summer list. Sounds fun, right???

Ok so here we go! These are in no particular order.

* Take my Middle Grades Social Studies Certification test and pass it

* Study for my Social Studies 6-12 test (this one is SUPER hard)

* Find a master's program and will allow me to get my paid step increase when finished

* Find scholarships for said master's program

* Sign up for said master's program (I really should have started this like 5 years ago)

* Take a trip up to Michigan to see my Daddy

* Visit with my Biffle, our dates have been too few and far between lately

* See if there are any other openings at a different school and apply for them

* Work out at least 3-4 days a week (gotta get this weight off, again)

* Spend LOTS of time with the kids in my mom's pool

* Make some time for ME and to learn to just RELAX

* Go through old bills and shred ones we don't need

* Create disaster binder with all important papers (hurricane season is upon us)

* Back up all pictures onto an external hard-drive

* Clean out the guest bedroom and get everything in it's place.

I think that's a good list so far. I know a lot of it isn't necessarily "fun", but it's all stuff that needs to get done.

Neat Google Picture

I saw this on Google this morning,.I thought it was such a great little picture, that I had to share it. :)

Just something to make you smile :) Reunions are the best, aren't they?

Wordless Wednesday and a Photo Dump

I have taken some pretty darn cute pics of my kids lately. So, I thought I would share. :) Enjoy!!!!

Daddy adding a "hitch" to the gator

Everyone has to help daddy

hitch and wagon added to gator

good morning!

This was my shirt when I was a kid. My dad's parents are HUGE U of M fans, so this is funny

She's such a ham

They were not happy with me this morning, but I love their shirts

She thinks she's funny!

Happy Wednesday everyone!!!!

Thoughts and Prayers to those in Oklahoma

My thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by the storms yesterday that tore through Oklahoma. I cannot imagine the devistation some are facing today.

Friday Letters

OMG! I'm soooo glad it's Friday again. These weeks seem to keep getting longer and longer. Here is another edition of Friday Letters :)

Dear EOC/Department of Ed: I do not like you. I do not like you one bit. The person who decided 7th graders should learn civics over geography is STUPID! Most of these kids cannot wrap their brains around this information. Heck, most adults can wrap their brains around government. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Dear students: Please, for the love of Gawd, please do your best on next weeks EOC. I know I flew through our last 9 chapters, but at least you hear the information. Just please don't disrupt the class when you are done. Just behave, for once. That's all I'm asking. I don't actually like to write referrals.

Dear school year: You are finally winding down. I cannot wait to be on summer vacation and hopefully relax a little. 9 school days left. You have been a tough one this year, but we made it through. :) Hopefully administration will figure out how to fix its kinks and next year will be better.

Dear Booger and Pretty girl: Boy you two make me tired! I wish I had half the energy you two do. Thankfully you two are really cute and sometimes can play nicely. I can't wait for the day when you will either figure out how to BOTH play alone, or how to play together. I'm tired of the screaming and having to let you work your own fights out. It grates on my nerves.

Dear Biffle: Today is a big day for you. I wish I was there with you, but I'm there in spirit. I hope today goes the way you want it to and you are able to make it through. I know you will be strong, that's who you are. Just know you are not alone, even if I'm not there in person. I will be sitting next to you once the trial starts.

You can read about her story here.

Dear Course recovery students: COME ON! I'm soooo tired of keep you all on track. You would think the threat of summer school hanging over your heads would prompt you into working a little harder, but it doesn't. Don't you want to just relax over summer? I know I did as a kid. I just don't get it. Find some darn motivation, please!!!!

Well, I hope you all have a great weekend!

Weekend Recap

I had a REALLY good weekend. I didn't get a lot of sleep, or get pampered on Mother's Day, but it was still a great weekend.
M left for drill Friday night. In some respects I was happy to see him go and have a little time to myself, but on the other hand I hate it when he leaves. It's very conflicting emotions.

Saturday the kids and I got up. We did some things around the house (mainly me cleaning and doing laundry), then we went to my mom's house to swim and spend some quality time with her. It was much needed for me. Pretty Girl still isn't so sure about the pool. She acts afraid, which is funny because most times she acts like she's not afraid of anything. Booger however LOVES the pool. M showed him how to plug his nose and put his face in the water in the bathtub last week. So, Booger had to show everyone else what daddy taught him. It was really cute.



She loves to say "cheese" now when we take pictures




too bad when she says "cheese" she looses her smile




My booger and I



Saturday night I was invited out for a book club friend's birthday. I almost didn't go, but got talked into it (and also when I found out a good friend of mine would be in town) and I am SOOOOO glad I went. It was a blast!!! We went to the White Horse Saloon in Sarasota. It's a country bar and it is sooo much fun! It's great fun to dance and even to just watch the other people dance. I couldn't believe how many guys were actually out on the dance floor, dancing and actually dancing good! It was a lot of fun!

I of course didn't get home until early morning, but it was worth it. That is until Pretty Girl decided she didn't want to sleep in her own bed and was awake on and off for the rest of the night.



Heading out




Book club girls (from l-Stacy, Mindy, Heidi, Marla, Kyla, Me)

My good friend Stacy who was finally in town (it's been almost a year since I had seen her last)



Booger woke me up Sunday morning, all dressed and ready to go. It was super cute!!!! We had to do a little more cleaning around the house that morning. Then went headed back over to my mom's house for the day. We swam again. This time Pretty Girl decided if Booger did something, she could do it too. So, I got him to jump into the pool and after that, that is ALL she wanted to do. I got a great arm work out that day.



She actually let me put a bow in her hair today. She looks sooo darn cute!




Pretty girl and mommy on Mother's Day



Me and our kiddos on Mother's Day



going swimming




jumping in the pool




Booger showing us how to put your face in the water

 My mom made my favorite chicken casserole for dinner. It was delicious!!!! After dinner I was able to talk to M for a little bit, then we took the kids for a bike ride. They really enjoy being outside and it was beautiful out. Not too hot, but not too cold either. :)



"riding" her bike. M attached the ropes so we wouldn't have to bend over to help her all of the time.

 We rounded the weekend out with getting home, having bath time, then daddy came home.

It really was a great weekend. I sure hope the next couple can be like this one. I wasn't showered with flowers (I can't keep any alive anyways), or got to sleep in or pampered, but it was still a great Mother's Day. My present from M will be coming in the next couple of weeks. I asked for a date night. So, hopefully that will happen soon. :)
I feel so happy and energized (even though I haven't gotten great sleep in about 4 days)
Ah! Oh and there are only 14 school days left!!! Woo Hoo!!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there. Even all of the fur-mommies out there! Being a mom is such a special and important job. I'm so proud to be a mommy of my two little ones! They have blessed my life more than I could have ever imagined.

A happy mother's day to my step-mom. I don't talk about her a lot. We haven't always gotten along and I haven't always been the nicest, but she is still a great person and makes my daddy very happy, and that is important to me.


Also, Happy Mother's Day to my mommy. She is one of my best friends. She is the voice of reason and the giver of great advice. I am so lucky to have her in my life and to live so close to her. I am so thankful for everything she has done for me and my family and everything that she continues to do. I love you mommy!!!!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you out there! I hope you all have a great day!!!! I will be spending the day with our kiddos, my grandma and my mom. M will be at drill this weekend. Hopefully they won't keep him all day.

Military Spouse Appreciation Day Link Up

I decided to link up with Wife of a Sailor today for the Military Spouse Appreciation day.

I think it's great that we take a day out of our lives to say thank you to those who serve on the home front. Our spouses are the true heroes, running into a battle when everyone else is running away. But I also believe without their home support, those soldiers wouldn't be able to do as great of a job as they do. As a spouse a lot of times we are over looked (especially in the National Guard and Reserve) but I thank each and everyone one of you!!!!

Now if you are visiting from the Link-up, Welcome to My Life as a Reserve Army Wife!

I'm a 30 year old, Army Reserve Wife, mother, teacher, friend, and daughter. I have been married to my wonderful husband for 3 years (almost 4!). We got married at the court house in 2009, then had a second wedding in 2011 for all of our friends and family.

Our first Christmas together

Our second wedding

 He joined the military in college, before we met, so I kind of knew what I was getting into, that is until he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. I'm proud to say that he safely made it home in August 2012 and we have been adjusting to him being home and some of the invisible scars of being a combat vet.

The day he left for MOB site for his deployment

Welcoming our solider back

daddy and son reunited

together again finally

I am a teacher. I teach 7th grade Civics. I'm not sure who thought 7th graders needed to know civics, but they sure do not understand the mind of a 12-13year old.

I am the mother to two wonderful children who keep me super busy. We have booger who is 3 (almost 4) and Pretty Girl who is 1 1/2. Boy how time flies!!! They are the light of our lives and keep us on our toes 99% of the time. They are an absolute joy and I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Booger

Pretty Girl

Well, there you have it, me in a nutshell. :) I hope you enjoyed stopping by! Please leave a comment and let me know you stopped by! I love comments!!!

You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram (kelizabeth8)

Friday Letters

It's finally Friday again, here are my Friday letters. :)

Dear Students: We are in the home stretch, I know we still have a LOT of information to go over before the EOC at the end of May, but please don't give in now. Just because FCAT is over doesn't mean the school year is. I'm really afraid we won't get nearly enough done.

Dear course recovery kids: Really???? NOW you all want to work and get stuff done? You realize that if you worked this hard all year, you wouldn't be in this boat now. You wouldn't be worried about failing for the year and possible summer school.

Dear professional development: You were actually pretty good last night. You were relevant and interesting. The time went by quickly and you didn't keep us the whole time. That's a win in my book.

Dear working out: Well I kind of suck at really getting a good work out in, but I'm getting better at getting at least my wall sit and plank every day. I figure that is better than nothing, right?

Friday's plank and wall sit

Dear Yellow Ribbon: I am not looking forward to you. Please don't be boring (even though I know you will be) I hope we have a good weekend away and nothing goes too wrong. Praying for a good weekend.

Dear Pretty Girl: Your terrible twos are starting to come out and that needs to stop. You have another 6 months until you are 2 and I'm not ready for the terrible twos yet. :(

Booger and Pretty Girl reading together last night

I hope you all have a great weekend!!!!!