Thankful Thursday

This has been another tough week, but today was spectacular. I so, SO needed a good day, and today was that day. I am truly blessed and have so much to be thankful for.

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord, and the fact that He loves me 110% of the time
• my family and friends
• the fact that my close friends truly are some of the loves of my life...so blessed to have them
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, a dependable car, my phone, my computer, the appliances and gadgets and doodads that make my life easier
• my washer and dryer
• my job, my sweet coworkers, and my 27 schoolbabies who made me smile so big today
• my wonderful teammate Sarah and the news that her kidney transplant surgery is a success...please pray that Sarah's father-in-law can tolerate her kidney and that they both recover quickly
• the fact that, Lord willing, my dear Laura Allyson and Randolph will be parents tomorrow...literally can't wait to see pictures of little Allie Grace!
• enough money to take care of my needs, and some big changes in how I choose to spend what's left over
• a fun girls night out at the Alabama Theatre with Kira and Byrne last Saturday
• the serious attitude adjustment God gave me today...much-needed
• getting to see so many of my former students today...the biggest surprise was the sweet, beautiful former-3rd-graders-now-9th-graders who showed up at my classroom door this afternoon...I love getting to see how my old students are doing!
• a hilarious, highly successful auction with my class this afternoon...they're buying items with the "money" that they've earned this semester doing their classroom jobs...getting a glimpse of their buying skills/money sense put a huge smile on my face
• the fact that my students LOVED their whiteboards and hot chocolate today...I'm glad they were so excited about their present from me
• the gorgeous sunset this evening...I wish Sears wasn't all up in my picture, but such is life
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• a wonderful class Christmas party on Tuesday
• an early dismissal day tomorrow :)
• pretty new nail polish from Angie...planning to paint my nails as soon as I'm done writing this
• thoughtful gifts from students and their parents, and a very unexpected (& totally appreciated!) gift from Randy today...I love my 5th grade team
• some great talks with Mom this week
• the opportunity to serve coffee at four Christmas services...I'm loving my new "job"
• being literate, a great meeting with Mr. L. this week, and the opportunity to surprise my friends there with homemade peppermint bark
• the Christmas music CDs that Mr. L. and my fellow tutor Ross made for me...Mr. L.'s CD is titled "Black Christmas" and I'm not sure that I've ever smiled so much about a CD :)
• Christmas music on Pandora...Celtic Holidays has been rocking my world lately
• my near-daily texts with Carrie...even though I see her every day, her texts always make me smile...she's hilarious
• great music that makes me look forward to my jogs...I'm not going to admit how many times I listened to this one during my workout yesterday
  
• a nice break from work RIGHT around the corner :)
• new traditions
• fun goodies from my Secret Santa...Penny, thanks bunches for taking such good care of me! Love you!
• my essential oils...thanks again, Emily!
• the new opportunities that 2014 is bringing
• weather that's my kind of cold...cool enough during the day for long sleeves, and cold enough at night for flannel PJs...any colder than that isn't really necessary, thanks
• hope 
• peace and contentment

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord, and the moving & shaking that's going on in my life these days...sometimes I love it, sometimes I hate it, but I'm stepping out on faith and letting Him lead
• my family and friends and loved ones
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a roof over my head, central heat in my little home, hot showers, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, appliances and gadgets and doodads that make my life easier
• my washer and dryer
• coats, gloves, and scarves that keep me warm
• living in a place where the cold weather never lasts long...I love cold weather as long as I'm nice and warm and cozy...if I'm not, forget about it!
• my job, my supportive coworkers, and the 27 little people that I spend more time with than I do with anybody else in my life
• getting to hold a darling baby kangaroo at school today...pictures to come
• enough money to take care of my needs
• some big changes in how I choose to spend my money
• a fun girls night at the Jarrell ranch last Sunday
• my Auburn Tigers headed to their 2nd national championship in 3 years...I'm so proud of them I could just bust!!!
• friends who love me and let me know that I'm loved
• getting to surprise my secret Santa with some fun goodies this week :)
• happy memories
• Christmas cards in the mail every day
• my new essential oils and diffuser...I'm having the best time experimenting with them...thanks a million billion for hooking me up, Emily!!!
• sweet Byrne and Ashley ending my decade-long streak of going to church by myself...so thankful that I have them to go to church with now
• a rough week...makes me thankful for all the other weeks that were (and will be) lovely and fun
• being literate, and a great study session with Mr. L. this week
• this video, which reminds me how spoiled I actually am, and how mindful I want to be to look out for others instead of myself 
• being a part of the 5th grade team, and the way everyone banded together to provide a coworker and her family three baskets full of "we love you" treats
• all my friends who are growing or raising babies...I'm in awe of them and the amazing job they're doing
• an easy, uneventful week of morning duty
• Lauren's "Healthy Thru The Holidays" challenge...it's been so fun to check in with the other girls on the team every day
• fun plans the next two weekends
• getting in a short jog today
• http://www.faithit.com/ ...if you've never visited, there's plenty there to make you smile
• my Christmas tree
• all the many, many things I get to do by myself now because that'll make me appreciate NOT doing things by myself someday
• my tidy little home
• the smell of cinnamon
• peace and contentment 

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

A Thankful Thanksgiving Day

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my family and friends...I feel so blessed to have people who love me
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, a dependable car, my warm and comfortable bed, heat in my home, the appliances and doodads and gadgets that make my life more convenient
• my job, my awesome coworkers, and my precious students
• enough money to take care of my needs, and some to occasionally cover some wants
• being literate and getting to teach Mr. L. every week
• a few days off of work :)
• unanswered prayers
• turkey and dressing and cranberry sauce and green bean casserole and Cousin Katie's pecan pie...does a meal more perfect than Thanksgiving even exist??? I think not.
• stores that close on Thanksgiving so that their employees can spend time with their families
• being an early riser
• getting to enjoy the world before most everybody else wakes up
• the gorgeous view from my living room
• some really COLD temperatures lately...I'm a huge fan of cold weather up until New Year's Day (after that, I'm ready for spring)...in the meantime, bring it on!
• a fun tailgate party at work on Tuesday
• a really long phone chat with my Laura on Monday...thanks for calling, Boo!
• random acts of kindness
• the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade...excited for it to start
• the chance to spend time with some of the fam today...I especially can't wait to catch up with Cousin Jerry and hear all about his new life in NYC
• happy holiday memories
• that I have people to spend Thanksgiving with
• the opportunity to start some new traditions this year
• the opportunity to go to the Iron Bowl this weekend...when the season first started, I would NEVER have imagined that Auburn would be #4 going into this game...so excited!
• fun plans next month
• peace and contentment
• my simple little life

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord and how hard He's working on me these days
• my family and friends and loved ones
• my health, and the health of my people
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, a dependable car, my comfortable bed, the appliances and doodads and gadgets that make my life easier
• my washer and dryer
• good sleep, even though I don't get nearly enough of it lately
• my job, my supportive coworkers, and my energetic students
• Carrie being back!
• enough money to pay for all of my needs
• the smell of cinnamon
• happy memories
• work stress, because that means I have a job
• the stack of papers I still need to grade, because that means I have a job
• a precious college student who's wrapping up her time in our classroom...she's been wonderful!
• a spectacular science experiment today...the "blubber glove" was a rousing success
• 
• tough times, because I have faith that they make you stronger...as long as you survive ;)
• a lovely weekend in Auburn with the Buggs last weekend...I got to attend the best football game I've seen in a long time, got to visit with friends, and discovered something that made me smile...happy good times!
• sending our small group out with a bang on Monday...it was such fun and I'm going to miss it!
• pretty fall weather and leaves that are still turning
• a nice little home that gives me a place to go to get out of the cold
• fleece pajama pants
• my new boots
• lots of fun to look forward to next month
• Byrne and Ashley bringing my days of going to church by myself to an end :)
• regular emails from Kate...I'm thankful that she's my friend
• having people who love me...I am far more blessed than I often take the time to realize
• dates in my classroom with pretty Angie...love her :)
• my darling Kira making a huge effort to stay in touch with me even though she's quite busy raising up 3 sweeties
• a fun, relaxing weekend to look forward to
• a very short work week next week...woohoo!
• being literate and getting to watch Mr. L. feel more and more successful every week
• peace and contentment and hope
• my simple little life

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Sunday

This has been the busiest week I've had in a long time...one of those weeks where I didn't get home on any given night before 8:00. This week should be calmer, so hopefully I'll actually get my Thankful Thursday post done on Thursday. We'll see :)

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• the opportunity to go to church today with my sweet new friend Ashley
• my job, my dear students, my fun coworkers, and A DAY OFF TOMORROW
• the men and women in our armed forces who sacrifice everything so that I can live in freedom
• a roof over my head, clean running water, shoes on my feet, clothes that keep me warm when the weather is cold, food in my fridge, my dependable car, my comfortable bed, the appliances and gadgets that make my life more convenient
• my washer and dryer
• enough money to take care of my needs, and a change in how and where I spend my money
• being literate, and my weekly tutoring sessions with Mr. L...he did such a great job this week, and it made me happy to see him leave with a smile on his face
• gorgeous fall weather
• the beautiful red and yellow and orange leaves on the trees
• the view from my living room windows
• the smell of cinnamon
• good sleep
• getting to see Alton Brown on tour in Nashville Thursday night...it meant only 3 hours of sleep and a long day on Friday, but his show was incredible and I think I had as much fun as Daddy did
• McDonald's Caramel Mocha, for helping me get through Friday :)
• Bub and Liv coming to eat lunch with me Friday...poor Olivia ate her birthday lunch in a school cafeteria, but it meant the world to me that they stopped by to visit!
• getting to visit with Rachel and Todd and meet sweet Baby Sam on Friday...he is so, so precious and I loved every second of the one hour+ that I got to hold him :)
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• my rapidly-procreating friends who make it easy for me to get my baby fix :)
• a fun morning at Christmas Village with Mom yesterday...it was the first time she and I had ever been there together, and we had so much fun
• getting to go hiking with Sash at Oak Mountain yesterday...I so enjoyed our long-overdue date together
• Homestead Hollow, which has become one of my happy places
• the college student who is working in my classroom until the end of the month...she's doing a great job and we're going to miss her when she leaves
• challenges, because they make me stronger and they make me look forward to easier times
• peace, patience, and contentment
• my simple little life
• A DAY OFF TOMORROW :) :) :)

HAPPY NEW WEEK, friends!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a sweet friend who brought this into my world today...it's beautiful and absolutely gut-wrenching...if you are healthy and have healthy loved ones, send up a prayer of thanks...while you're at it, send up another prayer for all those who face health struggles every day
• the fact that the sweet friend I mentioned above checks on me often...that means so much to me
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, my dependable car, vitamins, warm showers, my comfortable bed, the appliances and gadgets that make my life convenient
• coconut oil
• the fact that 2 days in a bag of rice SAVED my phone...so thankful!
• my washer and dryer
• my job, my incredible coworkers, and my unstoppably enthusiastic students...love them
• a fun week of dress-up days at school
• getting to meet the sweet college student who will be spending the rest of the semester in our classroom...I hope she learns something she can take into her own classroom someday!
• enough money to provide for my needs
• conviction to make some changes in the ways I use my money
• a weekend right around the corner
• the stamina to make it through the really, really long days this school year is demanding from me
• legs that are strong enough to walk and arms that are strong enough to lift
• getting to jog just a smidge this week...that was the first time in quite a while, and my knee still felt really tight, but at least it didn't hurt
• being literate and my weekly tutoring sessions with Mr. L...I so enjoyed playing Bananagrams with him the other day!
• an exciting Auburn victory over Texas A&M...War Eagle!!!!!
• lots of fun last weekend at the Johnston family reunion
• absolutely, spectacularly gorgeous fall weather...I literally can't get enough of fall
• my cinnamon broom that still smells amazing
• good music
• patience, patience, patience
• peace and contentment
• the re-plumbing project in my little home being DONE
• one year of wedded bliss for Bub and Liv, and the fact that they made it home from St. Lucia safely
• a really intense episode of Walking Dead on Sunday
• good sleep 
• hope
• laughter and people with a great sense of humor
• my simple little life, and learning to love it exactly for what it is...work. in. progress.

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today, on this beautiful, dreary, cool fall day, I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a roof over my head, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, clean running water on demand, food in my fridge, a dependable car, my washer and dryer, all the other appliances and gadgets and gizmos that make my life easier, my comfortable bed, enough money to cover my needs
• my cell phone and the magical 3 weeks we've had together...I sent it swimming in the sink last night, it couldn't handle the adventure, and it's trying to recover right now in a bag of rice. I am so sad that I tried to drown it, and I'm very hopeful that the rice will actually work. I'll report back.
• my job, my supportive coworkers, and my eager-to-please students
• a very productive math leader meeting today
• the cinnamon broom I bought at Publix the other day...cinnamon makes me so happy
• hot tea, lemon, and honey
• medicine and vitamins
• all those times I felt really great, because that gives me hope that this crud I have won't stick around forever...right???
• a spectacular weekend in Auburn with Mama and the Buggs last weekend
• the Walking Dead premiere last Sunday...looking forward to the next episode!
• learning my limits, realizing that I can't do everything, and understanding that that's okay
• Angie's statement that she's bringing back her Satisfied Sundays...now that I've made it public, there's no backing down, Jarrell!!!
• being literate, and my weekly tutoring sessions with Mr. L.
• getting to meet (on Monday) the college student who will be spending the rest of the semester in my classroom...I hope that she'll learn something useful while she's with me
• hard times, because they've made me more appreciative of easy times
• cute hand-me-downs...thanks bunches, Dawn!
• Bub and Liv landing on American soil tomorrow...can't wait to hear about their trip to St. Lucia!
• prayers
• peace
• seeing the leaves just barely start to change...I love fall
• feeling inspired to start a quilt this weekend...it can't be that hard, right? (Famous last words, I'm sure!)
• my small group and a FABULOUS lesson this week on entertaining within a budget...being a girl is so much fun
• my simple little life and being content with what I have right here in this moment

Thankful Thursday

Again, with the the Thankful Thursday on a Thursday. Get it, me!

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my sweet family and some of the best friends a girl could ever ask for...I'm so blessed
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, health insurance, a dependable car, a strong body that does the things I need it to, my comfortable bed, the appliances and gadgets and doodads that make my life more convenient
• my washer and dryer...thankful for these always and forever :)
• my job, my darling students, my wonderful coworkers, and enough money to pay for my needs
• the totally unexpected and VERY exciting news that Rachel and Todd were chosen last week to adopt a sweet baby boy...answered prayers! I'm so happy for them I could just explode. Can't wait to meet their handsome Samuel!
• weekends
• a successful Parenting Day math lesson on Tuesday
• Bub and Liv's safe arrival in St. Lucia...those lucky ducks get two honeymoons in one year :) Enjoy, loves!
• my very full calendar these days...while I'm often busier than I prefer to be, these are some really great times and I'm determined to enjoy every last second!
• fall and October and breezes and cooler temperature
• getting to visit with Carrie and Baby Joseph this afternoon
• the baby boom that's happening to seemingly everyone around me these days...people I love have welcomed 4 new babes over the past 4 weeks, and I'm glad that there's no shortage of snuggly newborns for me to love on :)
• The Lumineers concert last night...gorgeous night, great venue, FANTASTIC talent, fun friends...couldn't have asked for a better night
• the Pumpkin Spice Latte that kept me going today...even non-coffee drinkers need a boost every now and then
• fun plans this weekend
• the Walking Dead premiere on Sunday...so excited!!
• Mimi getting to go on a "fall in New England" trip with Mrs. Linda this week...I love those girls and am glad they're getting to do something so fun
• an impromptu family supper at Aunt Dianne and Uncle Billy's last Sunday
• weekends
• my new friend Ashley
• my small group...I'm learning a lot and have really enjoyed meeting some new girls
• being literate, and my weekly tutoring sessions
• vitamins
• good sleep
• news that the work to replace the plumbing in my little home will be finished soon...I've felt like I was camping in my own home these past few weeks
• patience, and a great message on faith and patience last week
• contentment
• my simple, challenging, beautiful life
• weekends

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday! On a Thursday! Victoryyyyy!

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord and billionth chances
• my family and friends, and the feeling of being loved unconditionally
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, a dependable car, my washer & dryer, all the other appliances and doodads that make my life convenient, enough money to pay for my needs and some every now and then for my wants
• my job, my sweet coworkers, and my enthusiastic students...they keep my days fun and my job interesting!
• a precious student who gives me a hug every single day before leaving and says, "Thanks for being my teacher!"...every day without fail...such a nice way to end my day
• my students totally slaying division these days...that makes me so happy!
• October...aka, my absolute favorite month of the year
• 
• fall weather, even though it's still a bit warm around these parts
• a fun day spent with Mom last Sunday
• getting to take supper to Kira and Oliver and their babes yesterday...love them
• the rock that cracked my windshield the other day, because that means that I have a car
• answered and unanswered prayers
• plans to see The Lumineers next week with some of my very favorite people!
• the safe arrival of handsome Baby Jace this week
• good sleep and a comfortable bed
• being literate, and the opportunity to volunteer at the literacy center every week...such a great program
• Impractical Jokers...absolutely hilarious
• vitamins
• the stack of papers I still need to grade tonight, because that means I have a job
• comfortable shoes
• Commander in Chic on my toes...my all-time favorite fall and winter nail polish, and it makes me happy every time I look at it
• folks who make me laugh
• First Wednesday service last night
• my sweet new friend Ashley...we were prayer partners the first week of our small group, found out we're going through similar things in our lives, and have hit it off from there...that makes me so happy!
• encouragement
• the fact that God's plan trumps mine, even when I put up a struggle...I think it's best if He's in charge instead of me ;)
• a good walk tonight and no knee pain...jogging again soon?
• the weekend right around the corner!
• my simple little life
• contentment
• weekends :)

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Sunday

I've given up trying to get my post done on Thursdays. Maybe next week. "Thankful Sunday" isn't as catchy, but the thought behind it is just the same!

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord and the things He's teaching me these days
• prayers, both answered and unanswered
• my wonderful family and incredible friends
• tough times, and the good that can come from them
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, clean sheets, my comfortable bed, a dependable car, the appliances and doodads and gadgets that make my life easier
• my washer and dryer, and the 4 loads of laundry I was able to do yesterday
• enough money to cover my needs, and a little left over for my wants every now and then
• my job, my fun coworkers, and 27 of the most wonderful 5th graders in the world
• a conversation with a student Friday that left me seriously humbled and in tears...some kids are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders, and we need to be there for those sweet babies
• the safe arrival of Baby Joseph, and the fact that his unexpected, nerve-wracking trip to Children's Hospital yesterday ended well
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• getting to hold 2 sweet, brand new babies in one month...love it
• a great haircut yesterday...thanks, Eric!
• a long conversation with Laura today...luh you, Boo!
• a fun day spent with my mama today
• getting to celebrate Daddy's birthday last week
• a really long chat with Angie after work on Thursday....much-needed, and it reminded how much I love that girl!
• a one-on-one Global Scholar tutoring session with Debbie...she told me she deserved to make my Thankful Thursday post, so here ya go, Debbie :)
• the fact that my knee is feeling better after some searing pain during my jog on Friday...I only made it 7.5 minutes and was afraid I'd done some serious damage, but I'm relieved that my knee seems to be on the mend
• sunscreen
• positivity and faith and trust
• reminders that things are not all about me
• gloriously cooler temperatures...fall makes me so happy I can hardly stand it
• the fact that my favorite month of the whole year begins on Tuesday!!!
• pretty new fall colors on my fingers and toes
• homemade chicken noodle soup
• my new phone
• small group tomorrow...I'm excited to learn some new things about healthy cooking and exercise, and I'm loving the opportunity to get to know some new girls
• being literate, and the privilege I have to tutor Mr. L. every week
• good sleep
• my simple little life
• contentment

HAPPY NEW WEEK, yall!

Thankful Thursday, now that it's Sunday and all

One of these weeks, I'll actually have time to sit down on a Thursday to write my Thankful Thursday post. I've been putting in some seriously long hours at work trying to stay one step ahead of the new common core, and that leaves very little time during the week for anything other than eating and sleeping. We're making some amazing things happen at school, though, so hopefully all these long hours are worth it!

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord and the fact that His plan always wins out, even when it doesn't match up with mine (I should say...especially when it doesn't match up with mine!)
• my family and friends
• a glorious, sunny, breezy, beautiful first day of fall today...today has been good for my soul
• my job, the 27 sweet peas I get to spend my days with, and my hardworking coworkers
• patience
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, my comfortable bed, a dependable car, my washer and dryer, the gadgets and doodads that make my life more convenient, a tidy little home
• church with Byrne and John today...great message, and I love seeing those two lovebirds together :)
• lunch at California Pizza Kitchen...I especially love the fact that since my first pizza was "too done" (the waiter's words, not mine), they let me keep that one and sent out another one...I have enough pizza to last for days!
• seeing the Fain fam at lunch...what a lovely group of folks they are!
• getting to sing this song at church today...one of my favorites
• answered and unanswered prayers
• my new phone
• enough money to cover my needs and a few of my wants
• my new small group, and a fun supper/flower arranging lesson earlier this week
• hard times, because I truly do think that some incredible things can come as a result of perseverance and strength and faith
• a really lazy day yesterday and a near-victory for my Tigers...it's still better than last year :)
• knocking out Week 6 of Couch to 5K
• legs that are strong enough to run
• some fun lessons planned this week, and the fact that my students are PUMPED about the novel I'm reading them right now...I love to see kids excited about learning
• sunscreen and moisturizer
• long talks with great friends
• some rain yesterday
• good sleep
• peace and contentment

HAPPY NEW WEEK, yall!

Thankful Thursday

In the words of Dierks, I'd settle for a slowdown. Life these days is great and hard and oh so busy. My week has consisted of three busy days at work, the Mumford & Sons concert, tutoring, making 65 Oreo balls for Carrie's shower, staying at school until 6:15 making sub plans, spending all day today in math leader meetings, going to see brand new Baby Lolly, making 35 more Oreo balls, making 2 trips to the bank and one to the post office, and typing this post. And I still have a stack of papers to grade before I'm letting myself go to bed tonight. Whew.

On another note, thank you so much for all the prayers for my loved ones and for me. These have been some really tough weeks for a variety of reasons, but I'm learning a lot from these experiences. Even though I can't see it now, I'm praying that God will use all of this for our good and His glory!

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a roof over my head, food in my fridge, clean running water, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, my comfortable bed, hot showers, my dependable car, the gadgets and appliances that make my life more convenient
• my job, my coworkers, and my sweet students
• the pile of papers I still need to grade tonight, because that means I have a job
• getting to go to the Mumford & Sons concert Monday...it was BY FAR the best concert I have ever been to, and I really didn't want it to end...they are almost supernaturally talented and put on a killer show!
• getting to meet sweet Baby Lolly...she is 3 whole days old, and she is a precious little bundle of sleepy baby goodness

• a very successful shower for Carrie yesterday afternoon...I can't wait to meet Baby Joseph!
• getting a whole mess of burp cloths sewn last weekend...bring on the babies, friends!
• fun plans to celebrate Angie tomorrow night 
• picture day at school tomorrow...I always love to see the kids with their spiffy picture-takin' clothes on :)
• totally dominating Week 5 of Couch to 5K...coming up Saturday is 20 minutes without any walking at all...wish me luck!
• vitamins
• sunscreen
• fall right around the corner, even though I very much miss the sun still being up at 8:00 PM
• getting to go to China Grove last weekend...I love hearing Grandad's stories about the old days, and I love spending that time with him
• small group coming up on Monday...I'm excited about meeting some new ladies and having a flower arranging lesson!
• peace and contentment

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday, Saturday-style

What better time to write your Thankful Thursday than on Saturday???

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord and reminders to trust Him above anybody else
• my family, friends, and loved ones
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• hard times, because I know it's possible to come out a much better person on the other side...I just need to constantly remind myself of that :)
• my job, my wonderful students, and my awesome coworkers...I don't know what I'd do without them!
  
• Michelle and Ginger...not sure how I'd make things work this year without their help throughout the day!
• payday yesterday
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, a comfortable bed, a dependable car, the doodads and gadgets that make my life more convenient
• my washer and dryer :)
• the intense humidity that has resurfaced lately...it was blessedly, surprisingly absent for much of the summer and now that it's back, I know I'll appreciate the arrival of fall so much more
• the promise of fall right around the corner
• College Gameday on my TV this morning
• the cute haircut I got this morning and awesome Eric who does my hair
• plans for a pedicure with Kira this afternoon
• my Tigers kicking off their new football season tonight...here's hoping for a much, MUCH better season than the one we had last year!
• a really good night's sleep...much-needed
• Airborne
• a very successful Parent Academy Thursday night...I'm really excited about this school year
• some fun science experiments this week
• a sweet friend who takes the time to check on me and give me advice, even though she's got far more on her plate than I do...love you, Julie!
• only having to wait in line for an hour to get my new car tag yesterday...I figured it would be much worse since I'd waited until the last work day of the month, the last work day before a long weekend, a Friday, and payday...such a blessing to get that out of the way fairly painlessly
• making it through Week 4 of Couch to 5K...excited that Angie has joined in on the fun!
• a long weekend

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

The past four weeks have been some of the hardest I can remember having, and it's been tough to look on the bright side and count my blessings. I keep getting slammed with bad news, and it shows no signs of stopping. Some good news one of these days would really do a lot to lift my spirits. Until then, forcing myself  to stop and see how blessed I am helps. 'Tis but a season, right? Jeremiah 29:11

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, appliances and gadgets that make my life more convenient, a dependable car, enough money to take care of my needs
• my washer and dryer...I don't ever want to take them for granted
• vitamins
• my job, my GREAT new students, my sweet coworkers, and my paycheck
• the fun read-aloud I've started with my students...we're all loving it
• being able to cross lots of things of my never-ending "to do" list
• planning meetings with my whole grade level...I like knowing that all of us 5th grade teachers are on the same page, for the most part
• a fun, successful start to the new school year
• the pretty plants Mama got me for my classroom
• sleep, and my comfortable bed
• a fun date night with Angie yesterday...pizza, beer, brownies, and Antz...the highlight of yesterday for sure!
• my sweet Laura, who turns 28 whole years old today!
• getting in some quality time with Byrne and John last Sunday...such a sweet couple :)
• precious, lovely friends who are always there for me...whatever I need, anytime
• getting to visit with a handful of my friends this weekend, although I hated the reason we were together...please say a special prayer for my friend Julie and her family
• making it through Week 3 of Couch to 5K...I actually enjoying jogging now...who woulda thunk it?
• my phone and computer
• getting my lesson plans for next week finished before I left work today
• the Mumford & Sons concert in a few weeks, and the Lumineers concert not long after...so excited!
• getting my dental work finished this week...after a root canal, a crown, a routine cleaning, removing a filling, and putting in a new filling (all over the course of a month), I'm officially over going to the dentist and hope to not go back until my next cleaning in March!
•  a fantastic dentist and wonderful dental insurance
• football season right around the corner!
• a tidy home
• a tidy classroom
• the homemade chicken noodle soup I've been enjoying for lunch this week
• contentment

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord and all that He's teaching me these days
• my sweet, sweet family and friends
• my health and the health of my loved ones
• my brand new washer and dryer...I felt like a little kid waiting on Santa Claus when the delivery guys were setting them up...I'm so excited to be able to do laundry in my OWN home :)
• clean laundry
• no longer having to rely on the laundromat or the kindness of friends to do my laundry
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, a dependable car, my computer and phone, gadgets and appliances (like my new washer and dryer!!) that make my life more convenient
• my job, my wonderful coworkers, sweet new schoolbabies that I get to welcome to my classroom in less than 2 weeks, my paycheck
• one more weekday and one more weekend of glorious summer break
• Shark Week!
• getting to eat supper with Kate last Sunday...I don't know why we've never met halfway before!...a visit with her is always good for my soul
• a great visit yesterday with my sweet Kira and Oliver and their wee ones
• climbing Yogurt Mountain with Byrne this afternoon...she has some exciting things going on in her life right now and I am so, so thrilled for her!
• fun plans with Mimi tomorrow
• getting to spend time with Mama and Daddy Saturday, and Olivia and Amber on Sunday
• a very productive leadership team meeting earlier this week...I have a feeling this is going to be a great school year!
• wonderful helpers in my classroom last week...they got SO much work done, and that really took a weight off my shoulders
• finishing 3 Couch to 5K training sessions...I needed a goal for my immediate future, so I'm going to run a 5K...I am NOT a runner, but at least I've hung in there for 3 sessions!
• my first batch of homemade ice cream...so good and SO easy...I'm hooked
• prayers
• being literate, my weekly tutoring sessions, and a reminder this week that my efforts are making a difference
• the library and a new book that I'm excited to start reading
• reminders to trust God more and to lean on my own plans less
• clean teeth (and no cavities!) after my cleaning at the dentist today
• great dental insurance
• things to look forward to
• my simple little life
• contentment
• my new washer and dryer :)

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• prayers
• my wonderful family, friends, and loved ones...I am blessed way, way, WAY beyond measure
• the way the above-mentioned folks worked really hard to make sure I enjoyed my birthday, especially my family birthday supper
• the sweet phone calls (even one from the other side of the world!), texts, emails, snail mail, and facebook messages on my birthday
• thoughtful, lovely birthday presents...can't wait to try out my new ice cream maker!
• getting 27 amazing years on Earth and the start of my 28th on Tuesday...looking forward to what 28 has in store for me
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, my comfortable bed, my dependable car, electricity, my computer and my phone, all the gadgets and doodads and appliances that make my life more convenient
• my job, my precious coworkers, my sweet schoolbabies (past and future) and a couple more weeks of summer break
• a very successful, VERY enjoyable FriendshipFest last weekend...I had so much fun at the lake and in Florence with my friends...that long weekend away with my girls was exactly what I needed
• sunscreen, even though I didn't reapply nearly often enough while floating on the lake (white girl problems)
• a nice retirement tea for Dr. Williams on Sunday
• getting to see my sweet Sash at the tea...I miss her
• a perfect birthday-eve celebration...pedicures, Chuy's, birthday cake, and The Bachelorette...Angie, Laura, Ashlee, and Holleigh were so sweet to invite me along and celebrate my birthday
• good news for a very deserving friend
• vitamins that keep me healthy
• exercise that helps to clear my head and plans for a new exercise endeavor 
• getting my temporary crown put on yesterday...one step closer to being DONE worrying about this tooth!
• good sleep, even though I'm having a hard time sleeping past 5:30 these days...I guess it's good practice for when I go back to work
• some wonderful former students who are willing to spend a few hours helping me in my classroom today and tomorrow...they are SO excited about 6th grade and while I miss them already, I'm excited for their middle school adventure to begin
• my simple life
• learning a little more every day to trust God's plan
• contentment

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• prayers
• my incredible family (blood relatives and otherwise) and friends
• a roof over my head (especially with all this rain), clean running water, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, all the appliances and doodads and gadgets that make my life easier than it has to be, my very dependable car
• my job, my wonderful coworkers, summer break, and my paycheck
• getting to meet lots of new students and their parents at registration this week...I'm praying for my new schoolbabies already!
• FriendshipFest right around the corner
• all the green leaves and plants outside due to the nearly nonstop rain we've had this summer
• umbrellas 
• a successful root canal last week and (so far, blessedly) no complications from it
• no pain (as of yet...say a prayer) resulting from pulling out a filling while flossing on the very day I had my root canal...try not to be jealous of my awesome teeth
• a great dentist and endodontist
• good exercise
• being literate, my weekly tutoring sessions, and a very thoughtful "thank you" present this week
• contentment

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord and the countless blessings in my life
• my sweet, handsome, hilarious, level-headed, patient boyfriend who compliments my cooking and tells me I'm beautiful...he's absolutely the best boyfriend in the world!
• my lovely family and friends
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, a very dependable car, my dishwasher, all the appliances and gadgets and doodads that make my life easier and more convenient
• my job, my coworkers, and summer break
• getting to find out tomorrow who my new schoolbabies are...I'm praying already that I'll be a blessing to them this school year
• enough money to cover my needs and occasionally, my wants
• the fact that my very first root canal will be OVER in a few hours
• dental procedures that allow you to keep your teeth and keep them healthy
• a precious boyfriend who volunteered to sit with me during my root canal because he knows how nervous I am
• incredible dental insurance that is allowing me to get a root canal and a crown for less than $300...looks like I can pay for all this AND still get my washer and dryer...woohoo!
• my resolve to pay for my washer and dryer outright with no installments and without taking money from savings...it took longer than I'd planned but I'm happy that I stuck it out
• plans to squeeze the last bit of fun out of 27 before I turn 28 in two weeks
• a fun cooking class to go to next week
• a visit from Mom the other day
• a clean, tidy little home that's finally starting to look all pulled together
• happy memories
• patience
• cloudy days...apparently this is our new normal, so I might as well be thankful for it!
• being literate, my weekly tutoring sessions, and a book that's proven to be pretty entertaining
• FriendshipFest coming up soon...excited to be reunited with my friends and enjoy some time at the lake!
• plans to visit with Laura this afternoon...I've been missing her
• plans to see Kira and her babes tomorrow...such a sweet little family
• fun plans for this fall...Mumford & Sons (!) in September, the Lumineers in October, and Alton Brown in November...I love having things to look forward to
• contentment

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my wonderful B, and the fact that I have the BEST boyfriend in the world...he makes me laugh and makes me feel special every single day
• my sweet family and friends
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, enough money to take care of my needs, warm showers, my comfortable bed, air conditioning, the doodads and gadgets that make my life convenient
• my job, my coworkers, my students (past AND future), and the fact that I get a summer break (and a paycheck during my summer break!)
• glorious summer break
• good sleep
• early mornings
• safe travels for B and his coworkers while they're out of town
• the cloudy, stormy days we've had lately, though I sure wouldn't mind seeing blue skies again sometime soon
• finally finding the motivation to finish fixing up my little home...3 months after I moved :)
• a really, really, ridiculously fun Independence Day celebration with great friends
• a great lunch with Mama, DennyJ, and B last Sunday...good food, good conversation, and dominoes...good times
• getting to visit with Rachel at her new home last week...excited to have her closer!
• a celebration dinner with B on Tuesday night...we were celebrating the fact that he lost more weight than me during our Whole30, and he chose Cheesecake Factory...no better way to celebrate weight loss than with a big slab of cheesecake :)
• a fun dinner at Zoe's with Byrne yesterday...I just love her
• plans to see Kira and her babes tomorrow...very excited to have her closer, too!
• finding out that we got tickets to see Mumford and Sons in September...I've been floating around on a cloud of happiness since B called with the good news on Monday...so, so, so, SO excited!!!!!!!!
• seeing the school supplies out at Wal-Mart the other day...I absolutely love summer break and am not ready for it to be over, but this teacher can't help but get excited about back-to-school time every year
• being literate, my weekly tutoring sessions, and a good book to read
• getting to find out who our new principal will be tonight or tomorrow
• nice, long phone dates with Bub, Mama, Laura, and Kate
• contentment

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Whole30 = D.O.N.E.

I meant to keep my food journal the last few days and then got busy and got behind and now, well, I don't remember everything I ate. And I don't want to sit here for 20 minutes trying to piece together my meals over the last 3 days. There are at least a million other things I'd rather do :)

Yesterday was the last day...we made it!!! Woohoo! We both felt really great and lost some weight. I lost 10 pounds and B lost close to 17 (I think). He definitely won our weight loss challenge, but I'm proud of both of us!

My plan is to stick to "clean eating" as much as possible. Friends at work, hold me accountable once school starts back...I'm serious! Help me keep from slipping! I'm not going to forbid anything, and I'll eat what I want to, but I want the majority of my food choices to be healthy ones. I celebrated today by eating a brownie with Rachel and a few chocolate chips later this afternoon. That was hours ago, and I still feel pretty out of whack. Bleh. Not worth it! Celebration over...lesson learned :)

PS---The brownies were quite tasty, by the way. If you're not sensitive to sugar, you should absolutely give them a try. I used Ghiradelli Double Chocolate mix and butterscotch chips. That's it. So easy!

Whole30 : Day 25, 26, and 27

Day 25:

*breakfast - 3 hardboiled egg whites; one apple
*snack - handful of walnuts
*lunch - the other half of my barbacoa salad from Chipotle
*snack - Apple Pie Larabar
*supper - Chicken Casserole (I just used the fresh veggies I had on hand...green beans, mushrooms, an onion, carrots, and a red bell pepper. Very, very tasty. I'm a big fan of this recipe.)

Day 26:

*breakfast - 3 hardboiled egg whites; one banana
*lunch - leftover Chicken Casserole
*snack - carrots; handful of walnuts
*supper - leftover Chili Pulled Pork w/cilantro, diced tomato, and an avocado; one small cucumber

Day 27:

*breakfast - 3 hardboiled egg whites; one banana
*lunch - leftover Chicken Casserole; handful of walnuts
*snack - Cherry Pie Larabar
*supper - Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore

I changed up the Chicken Cacciatore recipe a bit because I think the original sounds "blah". I still used the chicken, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and a green bell pepper. I added mushrooms, zucchini, plenty of oregano, red pepper flakes, and a bay leaf. I cut the vegetables into thick chunks and made sure they were at the top of my Crockpot. I'm not a fan of veggies that are cooked to a mush.

It turned out okay. Definitely edible, but still pretty "blah". I'll tweak a few more things next time I make it.

Only three more days!!!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my wonderful B and the chance to spend some time with him this weekend
• my sweet family and friends
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, electricity, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, all the gadgets and appliances that make my life more convenient
• my job, my coworkers, and the fact that I get a summer break
• over a month left of my summer break :)
• a surprise visit from Mama on Tuesday...so fun!
• a busy but fun and productive week
• plans for FriendshipFest coming along quite nicely
• almost successfully finishing the Whole30
• good exercise that leaves me sore the next day
• mine and Lauren's plans to go to a cooking class in a couple of weeks...the menu sounds great and I'm excited!
• discovering an AMAZING new dentist, who referred me to an AWESOME endodontist...I am most definitely not excited about my upcoming root canal, but I feel like I'm in great hands
• sweet B and his offer to go with me to have my root canal done...he knows how nervous I am about it and he knows it'll make me feel better to have him there...I will certainly be taking him up on his offer :)
• fun plans for the Fourth of July
• sunscreen
• some unexpected money coming my way soon...what a fun surprise!
• air conditioning
• being literate, my weekly tutoring sessions, and finishing some good books: Orphan Train, And the Mountains Echoed, Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald
• tickets to see The Lumineers with dear friends in October and Alton Brown with DennyJ in November...I love having things to look forward to
• finding out that Mumford & Sons is coming in September...seeing them live has been on my bucket list for a few years and I want to go so badly I can hardly form words about it...I've been trying not to talk about it much so I won't jinx it :)
• laughter and contentment
• my simple little life

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall! Enjoy it!

Whole30 : Day 22, 23, and 24

Day 22:

*breakfast - 2 hardboiled egg whites (wasn't really hungry)
*lunch - Napa Chicken from Applebee's, minus the sauce and the potatoes (Thanks for lunch, Grandad! Thanks for getting everybody together, Cousin Jerry!)
*snack - Cashew Cookie Larabar (eh...not my favorite)
*supper - leftover hamburger patty with caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms; leftover roasted broccoli; one small cucumber; one peach

Day 23:

*breakfast - leftover Cinnamon Steak; one peach
*lunch - leftover hamburger patty with caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms; sliced tomato; one small cucumber
*snack - handful of walnuts
*supper - Chili Pulled Pork lettuce wraps with guacamole (I added a diced tomato...minus the seedy goop...to the guacamole.)

Day 24:

*breakfast - 3 hardboiled egg whites; frozen mango; handful of walnuts
*lunch - leftover Chili Pulled Pork w/cilantro and diced tomato; one small cucumber
*snack - Cherry Pie Larabar
*supper - half of a barbacoa salad from Chipotle

Time is flying! B and I are both feeling really good. I'm starting to plan ahead for life after our Whole30 ends. I really, really want to stick close to it and eat as "clean" as possible while still enjoying some splurges every now and then. That's my plan...now hold me to it!

Whole30 : Day 19, 20, and 21

Day 19:

*breakfast - 3 hardboiled egg whites (I don't really like plain hardboiled yolks); whole avocado w/onion powder
*lunch - leftover Cinnamon Steak; leftover roasted carrots; 1/4 of a red bell pepper
*snack - frozen mango
*supper - half of a salad with carnitas and guacamole from Chipotle (Thanks for supper, B!)
*dessert - Banana Ice Cream

I did a bunch of cooking today so that B wouldn't have to do much cooking for himself during his work weekend. I wanted to surprise him with a little happy :) I made him Avocado Chicken Salad (I added hardboiled eggs because he likes those in there), Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Bacon (I added 1/2 of an onion, thinly sliced), and Bacon-Wrapped Apple BBQ Chicken Breasts. He should be set for his shifts this weekend!

We made banana ice cream for dessert tonight and it was good. I added too much coconut milk, so it was kind of runny. Boo. It was also much richer than I thought it would be; I couldn't finish mine. Pretty tasty, though.

Day 20:

*breakfast - 3 hardboiled eggs whites; whole avocado w/onion powder
*lunch - the other half of my salad from yesterday
*snack - frozen mango; handful of walnuts
*supper - hamburger patty with caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms; roasted broccoli

Day 21:

*breakfast - 2 hardboiled eggs whites; 2 pieces of bacon; one banana
*lunch - leftover Cinnamon Steak; leftover roasted broccoli; one peach
*snack - carrots; walnuts
*supper - leftover hamburger patty w/caramelized onions & sauteed mushrooms; sliced tomato

I went to the farmer's market today and stocked up for the week. I can't believe we've only got 9 days left...June has flown by! B and I are both feeling really good. B says he's been sleeping better, which is especially nice since he's on night shift right now. I'm proud of him for sticking to the Whole30 even though he's working 12 hour night shifts and spends plenty of time around folks who are eating/drinking things he can't have. He's a stud!

Whole30 : Day 16, 17, and 18

Day 16:

*breakfast - leftover Chicken Casserole
*lunch - leftover Enchilada Chicken Stew with an avocado
*snack - Apple Pie Larabar
*supper - leftover chili with wilted spinach; frozen mango

Day 17:

*breakfast - leftover Chicken Casserole
*lunch - leftover Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Meatballs; leftover roasted green beans; Apple Pie Larabar
*supper - leftover Enchilada Chicken Stew with an avocado; frozen cherries (slightly thawed)

Day 18:

*breakfast - leftover Chicken Casserole
*lunch - leftover Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Meatballs; roasted carrots
*snack - Cherry Pie Larabar
*supper - Cinnamon Steak; leftover roasted carrots; frozen mango

These were some great days! Sleeping great, tons of energy...awesome. I've been having some cravings lately, which I find odd since I'm over 2 weeks in, but they've been easy to manage. I owe B a big ol' smooch for fixing enough food last weekend to last me through Wednesday. He's the best...so good to me. And don't worry, I plan on returning the favor by cooking up a storm for him!

Frozen mango has been a great dessert substitute. It's so soft that you don't even have to let it thaw. It literally melts in your mouth. Great fix when I start craving something sweet!

Whole30 : Days 13, 14, and 15

Day 13:

*breakfast - apple with almond butter (I haven't been doing great for breakfast. I just haven't felt much like eating when I wake up. My goal next week is to do better with this!)
*lunch - leftover Enchilada Chicken Stew with an avocado; a whole bunch of snow peas
*snack - Apple Pie Larabar
*supper - hamburger lettuce wraps with caramelized onion and mashed avocado

Day 14:

*breakfast - handful of walnuts; Coconut Cream Pie Larabar
*lunch - Chicken Casserole
*supper - Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Meatballs

Day 15:

*breakfast - 2 hardboiled eggs; handful of walnuts
*lunch - bunless hamburger with mustard, lettuce, tomato; Whole30-compliant andouille sausage; roasted green beans (Happy Father's Day!!!)
*snack - handful of baby carrots
*supper - leftover chili with wilted spinach

Day 14 was really tough. I spent that day with B, and we didn't do a great job of planning our meals. We waited until we were getting hungry to start thinking about what to eat, and then we still had to go buy the groceries, and THEN we had to cook everything. No bueno. I was ravenous by the time the food was ready. I have blood sugar issues and one of my signs that I'm getting to "the danger zone" is intense grumpiness. Bless B's heart...he was so patient with me and did the majority of the cooking so that I could get food in my stomach ASAP. I think he was just trying to do whatever he could to get his normal girlfriend back :) He is so, so sweet to me and I'm thankful for him every single day!

On his next weekend off, we'll do much better with the planning and will make sure we're armed with what we need for our meals BEFORE we get hungry.

I really liked the chicken casserole, and B thought it was pretty good. We both loved the meatballs. (He made those entirely by himself, by the way, so I wouldn't have to worry about it. I love him!)

Halfway there!

Whole30 : Days 10, 11, and 12

Day 10:

*breakfast - Apple Pie Larabar; handful of walnuts (I needed to eat more but ran out of time before leaving for the day.)
*lunch - half of a barbacoa salad from Chipotle (I met my 5th grade coworkers at The Depot for lunch and wanted to take something Whole30-compliant. So, I was that girl who brought her own lunch to a restaurant :)
*snack - leftover sweet potatoes
*supper - leftover Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

Day 11:

*breakfast - the other half of my barbacoa salad (I'll eat pretty much anything for breakfast. B thinks this is disgusting...haha.)
*lunch - the last of the leftover Spaghetti Squash Carbonara; leftover sugar snap peas; frozen mango
*snack - apple
*supper - chili; wilted spinach

The chili was phenomenal...absolutely delicious. You should try it!

Day 12:

*breakfast - apple; avocado (I was in a bit of a hurry and this is what I had time for)
*snack - Cherry Pie Larabar
*lunch - half of a carnitas salad from Chipotle (I was at a meeting all day so I took this to guarantee I'd have something Whole30-compliant for lunch.)
*supper - Enchilada Chicken Stew

These days were all really good. Tons of energy and I'm feeling great!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my sweet B, and the way he includes me in his life...lurrrv him
• my fun family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, my dependable little car, air conditioning, appliances and gadgets that make my life easier
• my job and the fact that I get a summer break
• fun plans this weekend...excited to spend some time with B and then celebrate Daddy and Grandad!
• a successful CSI meeting today...I'm glad to be on the leadership team this year
• making it through 12 days of the Whole30...only 18 to go!
• very exciting news from friends this week...pumped to have 2 friends moving this way and I can't wait for Baby Miller to make his or her arrival in December!
• being literate, my weekly tutoring sessions, and finishing a good new book
• learning, as I did Monday, that bowling a 36 and a 38 in consecutive bowling games does not make you a bad person...it just makes you a really terrible bowler :)
• a fun gathering with my 5th grade teammates and their little ones on Tuesday...love them!
• good exercise
• getting enough sleep...makes such a difference
• a nice little chat with Bub the other day
• sunscreen
• early mornings before the sun beats down and the world gets busy
• my simple little life

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Whole30 : Day 7, 8, and 9

Day 7:

*breakfast - a few spoonfuls of Justin's Almond Butter (I felt nauseous again this morning. Boo. I felt much better by about 9:00, though.)
*lunch - leftover chicken with tomato gravy; wilted spinach; frozen mango
*snack - apple with natural peanut butter (This has turned into my go-to snack.)
*supper - Spaghetti Squash Carbonara (I added plenty of red pepper flakes and opted out of the Parmesan.)

Today was a good day. I had more energy and I think it's because I ate more protein at lunch. I also think the little bit of peanut butter with my snack helped.

Day 8:

*I just did some research and found out that peanuts and peanut butter aren't allowed on the Whole30. Well that's just dandy. I'm frustrated with myself for not remembering that from last year! I've been eating a little bit of peanut butter pretty much every day and now I feel like a big ol' cheater :( I'm not starting over, but I'll just steer clear from here on out. Boo.

*breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs; one Whole30-appropriate chicken sausage; 1/2 avocado with lime juice, onion powder, red pepper flakes (This is a bigger breakfast than I normally eat, but I woke up very hungry this morning. At least I wasn't feeling queasy like yesterday! I've also decided to try eating my largest meal in the morning and then eat progressively smaller meals throughout the day.)
*lunch - Avocado Chicken Salad; handful of baby carrots; frozen mango
*snack - apple with almond butter, not peanut butter (For the record, I don't like almond butter nearly as much.)
*supper - leftover Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

Great day. Tons of energy!

Day 9:

*breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs; one chicken sausage (Protein on top of protein is hardly my favorite breakfast; it's tough for me to get that down first thing in the morning. I was just making do until I could get to the grocery store.)
*lunch - leftover Avocado Chicken Salad with a whole bunch of spinach (needed some veggies after my breakfast)
*snack - apple with Justin's Almond Butter
*supper - Cinnamon Steak; roasted sweet potatoes with bacon; sugar snap peas

Another great day! I did Pilates for about an hour today and it was REALLY tough but was able to get through all of it. Yay! Now, whether my muscles hurt too much to get out of bed in the morning may be a different story.

I fixed sweet potatoes tonight to convince B that they can be good. I decided bacon was the best way to do that, and it worked...he liked them :) I prefer them without bacon, so I had to find a recipe to make for him. When I make them for myself, I use olive oil, salt, and onion powder. I'm just happy B ate them AND took leftovers home. Victory!

Whole30 : Day 3, 4, 5, and 6

Day 3:

*breakfast - a couple of spoonfuls of Justin's Almond Butter (I woke up feeling kind of queasy and knew I should eat something but didn't want to eat much.)
*lunch - leftover egg bake, a whole avocado with lime juice, salt, onion powder, red pepper flakes (I was feeling WAY better by lunch.)
*snack - Cherry Pie LaraBar and a handful of walnuts
*supper - 3 Greek meatballs and roasted green beans
*snack - Fuji apple with natural peanut butter

Other than feeling a bit nauseous this morning, today was a great day. Yay! Day 3 during my Whole30 last year was REALLY tough, and I was excited that Day 3 this year was much easier. I learned a lot last year about what kinds of foods keep me full, so I think that's helping me be more successful. I'm also happy to report that I haven't really had any cravings except for on Day 1. That makes things much easier!

Day 4:

*breakfast - 3 hardboiled egg whites (I usually squeeze the yolks out because I don't love them); a handful of walnuts; one small peach
*lunch - barbacoa salad from Chipotle (fun lunch in Tuscaloosa with the fam...thanks for lunch, Grandad!)
*snack - Fuji apple with natural peanut butter
*dinner - barbacoa salad from Chipotle (Yep, I went to Chipotle again. B and I had a little gathering to go to, and since pizza was on the menu, we needed something else to eat. I know Chipotle is "safe", plus we both love it. Win-win!)

I felt really good today...plenty of energy. B spent about 8 hours of his day on the road and didn't cheat once. I know it was tough for him tonight being around friends eating pizza and drinking beer, but he didn't cave. I'm proud of him!

Day 5: 

*breakfast - leftover egg casserole; handful of walnuts
*lunch - leftover barbacoa salad from yesterday; leftover green beans from a couple of days ago
*snack - Fuji apple with natural peanut butter (my fave snack these days)
*supper - Pesto Meatzas (ground beef, homemade pesto, diced tomato, caramelized onion) with roasted broccoli
*snack - half of a Banana Bread Larabar (split it with B)

Today was a GREAT day! I felt amazing. I've been surprised that, unlike my Whole30 experience last year, I've had no cravings. I mean, there have been times when I'm not excited to eat a handful of walnuts for a snack, but I haven't had any serious cravings. I've also managed to avoid (so far) that dull headache I had for several days last year. Woohoo!

The "meatzas" that we made last night were good, but the pesto left a lot to be desired. The recipe calls for 2 cloves of garlic, and our cloves were absurdly huge. I should've just put in one because the garlic flavor was intense...way more intense than I like it to be. It tasted like garlic paste. Ick. B said he liked it but I want to try it again with way less garlic.

Day 6:

*breakfast - the last of my egg casserole; the last of the leftover green beans; 1/2 avocado with lime juice, salt, red pepper flakes, and onion powder (so good)
* lunch - green smoothie (spinach, water, frozen banana, chia seeds, frozen strawberries, frozen mango, 1/2 avocado, lime juice)
*snack - Fuji apple with natural peanut butter
*supper - sauteed chicken with tomato gravy; wilted spinach (I just piled everything on the plate together...yum)

I felt okay today, but not incredible. Nothing wrong in particular, just a bit "blah". I think my lunch/snack combo was too much fruit and not enough protein...maybe that was what did it. I'll work on that tomorrow.

The tomato gravy was pretty good! I went against the directions and drained off most of the bacon grease before I added the onion and garlic. I'm just not a huge fan of bacon grease, or really grease in general. I simmered the gravy for a long time to let it thicken. I also thought it needed a bit of work so I added red pepper flakes and a bit of cinnamon. Overall, pretty tasty and I'll most likely make it again.

Mama and B have joined me in eating healthier. Mama is doing a bit of an adapted Whole30 and has been doing great and feeling good, too. B has proven himself to be quite a champ! He's been blowing this Whole30 out of the water, and it's been so helpful for me to have a buddy doing the same thing that I am. He's whipped up a few very tasty meals on his own and has been staying strong even during his long nights at work. I'm so proud of my fella!

Thankful Thursday

Yeah, yeah, yeah...it's Friday. But I was thankful yesterday, and I'm still thankful today. Just a little forgetful since I'm on summer break. And yes, that will be my excuse until August, at which point I'll come up with a new one :)

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my wonderful B and the fact that he compliments my cooking all the time, even when I fix the occasional recipe that is NOT worth complimenting :)
• my sweet family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• my job, my coworkers, and the fact that I get a summer break
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, a dependable car, enough money to pay for life, my shower, all the doodads and gadgets that make my life convenient, my comfortable bed
• a very easy Whole30 experience so far, much easier than last year (I hope I didn't just jinx it!)
• getting to visit with Kira, Oliver, and their sweet babes Monday morning
• supper out with Sash Monday night...much-needed 
• getting to eat lunch with Mimi, Grandad, Mama, DennyJ, Bub, and O on Wednesday...love them
• a fun little gathering of friends Wednesday night...happy birthday, JJ!
• tickets to see the Lumineers in October...so excited I can hardly stand it
• exercise that makes me feel like I'm really accomplishing something
• cute summer dresses
• naps on my little couch
• getting to take Lilly and Bella for a walk last weekend...they did unexpectedly great on their leashes and I was proud of them
• my Brita pitcher
• exciting news for some special friends this week...such a blessing
• running into Carrie and Anna Claire at the library this week...I love fun surprises
• the occasional cloudy, rainy day...we need those every now and then
• the smell of summer rain
• a fun weekend to look forward to

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Whole30 : Day 1 and 2

I'm doing the Whole30 again, but this time I have a sweet, studly boyfriend to join in :) I told B a while back that I wanted to do the Whole30 in June and wanted to know if he'd eat the food I fixed. He did me one better and told me that he'd do it, too. Score! We're only two days in (we kicked off on June 2nd), but it seems easier this time now that I have someone to hold me accountable and share recipe ideas with.

Day 1:

*breakfast - Creole Breakfast Casserole (I used locally made chorizo that B bought at Pepper Place on Saturday. It. Was. So good.)

*snack - one tiny (but very tasty) peach and a handful of strawberries

*lunch - baked chicken breast, wilted spinach, 1/2 avocado with onion powder, salt, juice from half a lime, and red pepper flakes

*snack - walnuts

*supper - Cinnamon Steak and roasted carrots (This was my favorite meal from my time on the Whole30 last year, and it did not disappoint. So yum.)

*snack - the other half of the avocado with all the same stuff on it as earlier

I ate more than I planned to, but I also felt hungrier than I thought I would. Otherwise, this was an easy day and I felt good!

Day 2:

*breakfast - 3 Greek meatballs, leftover roasted carrots (The meatballs were another meal that B and I made on Saturday. We made them with 1 lb of beef and 1 lb of turkey instead of the lamb that was called for. We both thought they were okay but need some tweaking. Challenge accepted.)

*lunch - egg bake (I sauteed mushrooms, red bell pepper, onion, and chicken sausage. In a baking dish, mix up 8 eggs, salt, and pepper and then add the veggie/sausage mixture. Bake it on 350 for 30 minutes and eat it up!) and strawberries

*snack - slightly thawed frozen cherries and a handful of walnuts

*supper - grilled chicken salad from Ruby Tuesday (oil and vinegar on the side, no croutons or cheese)

Good day! I didn't feel as hungry as yesterday, so that was good news. B is doing well, too, and he took nothing but Whole30-approved food with him to work tonight. He even opted out of the food run to Slice, and I know that was tough for him. This is his first shift at work since we started, and I'm proud of him for staying strong!

Thankful Thursday, summer-style

Today, on this first Thursday of my summer break, I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my wonderful B, and the fact that he calls me during his break at work, just to say hey
• my family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• my job, and the fact that it gives me 2 months off for summer
• still getting a paycheck over my summer break
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, a comfortable bed, air conditioning, appliances and gadgets that make my life convenient, a dependable car
• going to buy a washer and dryer sometime this weekend...I can't wait to be able to do laundry in my own little home!
• a nice long chat with Bub yesterday
• plans to start another Whole30 journey on Sunday...I'm especially excited that B volunteered to do it, too!
• a Walking Dead marathon with B the other day...I'm really close to getting all caught up, but will be sad to have to wait until fall for new episodes
• getting a lot of boring, grown-up, but totally necessary stuff squared away today
• fun plans this weekend :)
• the pretty view from my living room
• FriendshipFest'13 coming up in a couple of months...so excited for a weekend away with my friends
• being literate, my weekly tutoring sessions, and being in the middle of a great book
• supper plans with Sash next week...I've missed her!
• a nice compliment today
• some great exercise the last few days...I hate it while I'm doing it but love how I feel after it's over
• plans to see Kira and her sweet babes in the next few days...can't wait to see her growing baby-to-be :)
• afternoon naps under the fan on my little bitty couch
• frozen cherries, thawed out just a smidge
• contentment
• laughter
• my simple little life

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Year 6 is in the history books. As of today, I've had the honor and total blessing of teaching 155 young ladies and gentlemen. I was truly sad to see this group of darlings walk away from me this afternoon, but I know they're going to make me so proud in 6th grade. Love them!

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my wonderful B and the fact that he makes me laugh literally every time we chat
• my sweet family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• my job, my coworkers, a group of schoolbabies that have set up residence in my heart for good
• only one more day of work until August
• SUMMER BREAK
• a roof over my head, food in my fridge, clean running water, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, a phone that keeps me connected to my people, air conditioning, enough money to live life, a dependable car
• B's safe return from Florida this afternoon, and the fact that he stopped by to eat supper with me before he headed home...he's so sweet to me :)
• being literate, and my weekly tutoring session
• finding the time to read a pretty great book
• the special kind of exhausted that finds me only on the first and last days of school...thankful to have my job
• good music
• plans to start the Whole30 in June
• SUMMER BREAK
• a very thoughtful, very sweet gift from Carrie today...can't wait to get my toes done! Thanks so much, sweet friend!
• getting my classroom cleaned up and cleaned out today
• a fun lunch last weekend to celebrate Grandad's birthday
• slightly thawed out frozen cherries
• a good chat with Bub last night
• an absolutely gorgeous baby shower for Emily yesterday
• sunscreen
• a very successful butter-making extravaganza with the kiddos yesterday...they LOVED it
• the pretty view from my living room
• good sleep
• SUMMER BREAK

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!