Week update & Weekend links

Whew....made it..it's Saturday! 175 more days of school! :-) Spencer started 1st grade and loves it!!! His teacher is Mrs. Harden, and she is fabulous! His favorite part is doing math. Oh, and the recesses! On the big kid playground!

I started school, too...and it's actually going pretty well. The school is very nice, my classroom is pretty cool, and the kids are (still) good! The other teachers are helping me out, so the combo thing might not be too bad! Just wish it was a little closer....it's not that far away, but it takes 15 minutes from dropping off my kids because all the morning traffic and stoplights! Cooper starts school next week! He can't wait!!!

We ended the week with a yummy BBQ/swimming at Steph's with Steph and the Fergusons. (love my pool guy)She made fried chicken...and these hamburger desserts that kids went nuts for! Made out of cupcakes, brownies and frosting...and of course, french fries (pound cake), too! YUM. She is going to start a planning party business soon...I think she'll have people lining up for her services!

Of course, I had to leave you with some weekend links....just a few, since I hardly got on the computer this week, between school and spending time with my kids and soccer started and lesson planning, this was the longest week of my life. I HAVE to get a schedule going...for my own sanity. Free time? What's that? Cleaning the house? When? So stay with me as I figure out something!

Linky love....

Need any more back to school ideas???

Interesting post about being content (hard sometimes....)

Liking this blog...here's a good post about organizing your routine..just what I need...

Have a minute? Need a laugh? (Caution, this is probably R rated sometimes...)

Design ideas for your kids' rooms (may have shared this already....bear with me! Worth a 2nd look!)

*Weekend Links*

Hope you are enjoying your weekend...here, school starts bright and early Monday! Wish Spencer and me luck! :-)

This family did a no spend month and I enjoyed reading her "takeaway" on the project. She has some good ideas that I know I could follow.

Very interesting idea about kids and sugar. Am I brave enough to attempt this???

A fun photo blog: Momshots!

Back-to-school ideas...scroll down and see the party they threw....maybe next year???

If we weren't renting, I'd totally do this..SO COOL!!!! Love me some beadboard!!!

This topic comes up with mamas, and I liked some of the ideas here for helping your kids deal when they get angry...Cooper is doing a lot of clapping around here! LOL!

Happy Reading!

School is starting!

Can't believe the time has come for my baby boy to be in school ALL day! Spencer got the teacher we requested, has a new outfit for the first day, and is getting a haircut tomorrow...he's all set! Mama isn't set!!!

My room is almost done, though. I have to say, the classrooms at my new school are really nice! Big and clean and new! We have an LCD projector, so that will really fun to use in my teaching. The staff there seems great, such a family environment (plus I get to work with Patti!!!). In fact, one of the 5th grade teachers hosted a BBQ at his house tonight. It was very nice! So, as sad as I am for a. working and b. having to leave Peterson, at least I am in a good situation. Right?? I am sad that I won't be able to walk Spencer up to his classroom on the first day of school! Joe has strict orders to take multiple pictures (Spencer with his teacher, at his desk, with Jake, by the classroom door, etc). I know it will be a great year for him!

Kendall waking up from her nap...
Cooper being Coop!

a psa...

My sister's cute little dog, Dahlia, is in a contest and needs YOUR votes! So go vote....please....thank you!!!!! (Jen, I think that's Zero in the picture I have posted here. Not sure I have Dahlia's pic. But she's just as cute, just petite!)

http://www.cutestdogcompetition.com/vote.cfm?h=6E0A7C702B70C6D46DBB25EDCDA63E31

Goodbye Summer...

Images from our summer....hopefully no repeats, I picked "new" ones for you (I'm so nice!).

...well, I'm starting my new school year on the right foot..ha! Joe and I brought a load of boxes to my new, clean classroom...the kids ran around (Kendall found every electrical outlet in the classroom) and I actually unpacked four boxes...the luxury of built-in's is sooo nice. I do need some more furniture, another bookcase, another table, etc...but right now it feels roomy...well, we stayed for about an hour and then got in the car to go. We had driven onto the campus and parked in front of my room. Well, at 4:30, the gates were all locked up. We were stuck! Luckily, there were 2 teachers still there and even luckier, one had the custodian's number on her phone! He came back, and he was very nice about it, and he let us go....my boys thought they were stuck and sleeping in my classroom for the night...that would have been an adventure...but what an impression I am making on my new school, huh? Oh well...

Enjoyed my last day of break. My mom took us out for lunch...thanks, mom!

Can't believe summer is over...we had a nice one, San Diego trip (only one...boo), but we also had Monterey, Pinecrest, swimming, playdates, T-ball, soccer (2 games), swim lessons, movies, lots of coloring, train set building, Legos, video games, BBQ's, reading, cousin time, Spencer sleepovers at Jake's, Bunco, hugs and fun! I didn't get my weekly project going..bummer, but I read a lot about organizing and meal planning, so hopefully it'll help me out this year!

Stay tuned, my blog posts might not be as usual, but they'll still be here. I already typed out my upcoming weekend links, so you'll get them this weekend....my busiest weekend of the year!

Enjoy your last days of summer....

*Weekend Links*

Happy August...enjoy reading these links!

Organizing before school starts? Cut the clutter ideas!

Another tender blog post about raising kids...you're gonna miss this...

Love clothes, but have a budget? Love this site...subscribe to it and get it emailed to you!

Can't wait to buy some clothes here (Sally likes them!). So cute (and good prices!)

Awesome newer scrapbook blog...great ideas!

FUN things to do with your photos....love these great ideas!!!

get ready...

....for less blog posts from yours truly...next week it all starts...school!!!! Argh!!!! and I haven't even seen my classroom yet! I will be swamped for the next few weeks. Can't wait until Sept b/c then I can probably breathe a little (not to mention enjoy a nice paycheck)...but we'll get there, somehow, someway...soenjoying my last few days...slept in until 9:30 (thanks, Joe), but tomorrow I need to start getting up earlier. Played puzzles and painted with the kids this afternoon. Now taking a little break...did a lot of reading this summer! Yay! The last book I read was FANTASTIC! Read The Book Thief if you haven't yet...terrific and a tear jerker! It's actually Young Adult fiction, which surprised me. But read it!!!!

I've been subscribing to my very favorite blogs, and now instead of surfing the 'net, I get them emailed to me...quicker and easier....just a tip to help you with some time management. I checked out a book by Kathy Peel, America's Home Manager (her title), so I'll let ya know if I learn anything! I will definitely need some help with that soon...work, pick ups and drop offs, homework, soccer, dinner, making lunches, cleaning house and Cooper wants to do karate..iyiyi!!!! Anyway, enjoy the last few weeks of summer!!!!

*Weekend Links*

For your weekend viewing...

Today's Creative blog: highlights some great blogs

If you haven't heard of The Nester, head here for great frugal home decorating tips! She's famous on the web!

Planning a birthday party or just love pretty, pretty party pics? This blog is the place to be!

So doing this...making silhouettes of my kids...soon...I've been thinking it might be easier to take an 8 X 10 of their side view and paint it and cut it out and attach it to white paper...

What a great saying! Would love this print in my house...

Enjoy! and hey, leave me a comment sometime! :-)

summer summer!!!

We've had a great couple of days soaking up the summer sun, now that everyone is healthy. Well, little miss is still a little cranky, but doing better! We enjoyed the free movies, swam at the local lake, went to our cousin's houseboat (thank you!) Spencer & Jake inner tubing..my little fish LOVED it!Here's my Spencer jumping off the houseboat....he probably did this about 100 times, give or take 10! LOL!and then swam with friends today. Also, threw a small party to say goodbye to a friend last night. (Jenny, Victoria (moving to Clovis), me, Corinna, and Alina)Joe says I'm cramming as much summer as I can in before school starts....you betcha! It's no secret that I don't wanna go back to work!!!

The boys set up a lemonade stand, made the signs and lemonade themselves.

Hope you are all enjoying your summer days, too!!! My parents get back from Arizona tomorrow! Grandpa is feeling better (and sounding better).

Sickness is no fun.

I'm back...we've fought the sickness...and won! hooray! Something yucky is going around...not sure where it came from...Joe swears the gym..don't go without bringing a towel to wipe down the machines..but whatever it was, it wiped everyone out but moi! I have super mom/teacher immunity, I swear!!! Kendall has a lingering runny nose and crankiness, but I think sh'e teething, too! Poor girl!
And my Grandpa got sick, too..he went to the hospital about a week and a half ago, and then they found out it's valley fever. He lives in Tucson. My parents were worried (Grandpa will be celebrating *90* this year!!!!), so they decided to head out to Tucson to see him. Boy, was he was surprised and so happy when they walked into his hospital room! He perked up and was sent home the next day! So they are there, taking care of him for a few days. My Dad's sister, Ann, who lives in Illinois, flew out to see her Dad, too. So Grandpa has his kids with him, he couldn't be any happier! I was trying to figure out a way to go, too, but that would involve me bringing all or most of my kiddos...and then Kendall got sick anyway, so we didn't make it on this trip. (I know I have quite a few family members who read my blog...hello!...so wanted them to have the update!)
So now we are back to enjoying the last few weeks of our summer...swimming, free movies, parties (my niece Pana turned 3 today!). A good friend is moving to Clovis next week, so we are trying to have a little get together before she goes. And maybe squeeze in a houseboat trip!!! :-)
Happy Monday!
Sorry no pics...haven't uploaded my pics in a week...still doing my project 365, though!

Weekend links

For your reading pleasure....

A great post about photography...a topic I've been very interested in

Something I'd like to try to make for Kendall's room....need to find canvases cheap!!!

A recipe blog...will start making my weekly meal plans when school starts..we are so lazy in the summer!

I'd like some of this art in my home (love photographic prints).

A new blog (I swear, I am limiting my blogroll...for the sake of time, but the cute ideas on this blog sold me and she found the funniest sign, too! LOVE it!!!) So my friends out there that don't think they are so crafty..hahaha...you are!!!!

HapPy WEekEnD!!!!!!