Life Lately

I have been very busy lately preparing for my next adventure....teaching 6th grade!! I will be at Irondale Middle School teaching Pre-AP science and social studies. I will also be coaching the cheerleaders! I am looking forward to this new experience and have been preparing for it the past few weeks. I have had workshops, meetings, orientations, and will continue to to have workshops this week! The first day of school is August 11th and I am running around like crazy to get everything done in time. I have moved all of my things into my classroom, but have not had enough time to "decorate" and set it all up. I will be doing that this week, HOPEFULLY!!!

This is Irondale Middle School...my new home!! :) 

I feel extremely blessed and grateful to have a job that I absolutely LOVE!!! It honestly does not feel like "work" to me and I am happy to go every day. It has always been important to me to choose a career that makes a difference in people's lives and I could not have picked a better career!

With all that said, I am basically lovin' life right now. Great job. Great family. Great friends. Currently looking forward to fall!

Thankful Thursday

I have decided to take on a new task on Thursdays...write about something that I am thankful for!! I have been blessed with great family, friends, and a job, so I wanted to take some time to reflect on these blessings :)

First up...my parents!!!! I honestly don't know where I would be without these two. (Well, obviously, I would not even exist, but thats not what I mean!) I have the most loving, supportive, amazing parents that I could ask for. Everything that I have ever needed or wanted, they have given me. I'm not talking about material things. I am talking about coming to dance recitals for 13 years, coming to football games to support me as a majorette for 6 years, giving me the opportunity to go to Tuscaloosa to attend college and participate in a sorority, basically being there for me in every way they could! I have never felt that there is anything my parents wouldn't do for me. I am especially thankful that they let me move back home after college to pursue my Master's degree from UAB. They knew how important it was to me and supported me 100%.

I have been given an excellent example of what a loving marriage looks like (They have been married 31 years in October!!!) and also a wonderful example of what parenting should look like.

I love yall, Mommy and Daddy!!!

What I'm reading..

I am currently in the middle of/obsessed with Eat, Pray, Love!! I have seen the previews for the movie the past few weeks and have always heard of this book, so I decided to give it a whirl. Honestly, it is a fabulous book!! I can't believe I have waited this long to read it. It is about a woman (Liz) whose life falls apart (divorce, losing money) and she goes on a one year spiritual and emotional well-being journey across the world.

Oh, to have the money to do this!!! I would go in a heartbeat. Not that my life is falling apart, or anything. It is actually quite the opposite! :) (More on that later..) I would love to travel to Italy and learn Italian like Liz does in the book. Not to mention, the FOOD! Every time I pick up this book and start reading, I get so hungry!! She is always eating something that sounds soo yummy!!!

Here is a short excerpt from Eat, Pray, Love:


"Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it." 
— Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia)


I definitely recommend this book!!! Hopefully the movie will not disappoint!! 

David's 24th Birthday

David turned 24 July 7th!! He has finally caught up with me! :) Only til October, though. We celebrated by going to eat when he got out of class and then back to his house for ice cream and presents!

Davo with his presents from me

Happy Birthday!!!

4th of July FUN!

We went to the lake for 4th of July weekend and had a blast! The weather was absolutely gorgeous the whole time we were there. Not one drop of rain!! :)

David was probably the most patriotic person on the lake..

But, we were too!!

All of us on the boat

I love 4th of July. I love celebrating America, our freedom, and wearing funny bathing suits. 

Jordan's Bridal Tea

We had Jordan's Bridal Tea this past weekend and it was so beautiful!! The food was yummy and the gifts were great! Jordan is getting married July 17th so it is just around the corner!!

It was such a beautiful tea!! Pati did such a good job with the decorations! (As usual!) 

SURPRISE!!

This past week I had the crazy idea to surprise Tiffany in Atlanta for her birthday and it was SO FUN! She turned the big 2-4 and had not had the best day because her phone was broken. Of course, this is bad for anyone, but for Tiffany...OH MY! Needless to say, my surprise was a good one!!

The birthday girl with her Alabama cooking stuff I got her!!

Out to eat at Bonefish

Yummy birthday drinks!! :)

Happy 24th Birthday, Tiffany!!!!