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A blog makeover that is. Redbud designs is giving away a free blog makeover. Just go to their website and sign up for it. I really like their website design so I think I would like how they designed my blog! Seems like a cool opportunity if you win!

Using our Green thumbs

A little while ago, we tried our hand at gardening. Some of our plants so graciously given to us by the builder died about a month ago and so we decided it was time to replace them. We had absolutely nothing so we went to The Home Depot and bought shovels, gloves, mulch, moo-neuer (heehee funny name), and some nice plants. The old plants came out with one not so strong tug and some of them were filled with ants. I hate ants. We put in flowers, bushes, and mulch all around. Since we put them in, some of the flowers burned to a crisp and since them we have also become a lot more faithful about watering, but I think some of the flowers didn't make it. Here are some pics to document...

This was after we had torn out the old plants and were about to put in the new ones. Ben was a super gardener.

The After shot

Pretty yellow flowers by the front door

Our magnolia tree - you can barely see the flowers we planted at the base of it. Some of them are still alive.

It was only our first attempt and there will be many to come!

Freedom!

School's out for the summer! As I write this, I'm also singing it in my head. It always feels a little weird at this time of year. You mean I have nothing to do?? Well, nothing school related that is. It seems that I always have this cloud of a school to-do list looming over my head whether it be grading, lesson plans, or all sorts of other randomness. And now I look up, and the cloud is gone! I feel so free! School ended for kids on Thursday at 12:40 and for us teachers at 2pm yesterday. As always, it was a bittersweet last day. I fall in love with my kids, especially the tough ones, and it was my last day with them. But then it's a very sweet day because it means two months off and a brand new group of kids coming up with new challenges and new strengths. I'll be heading into my 4th year which is crazy to me. I really cannot say that I'm a new teacher anymore. I've been at the same school now for 2 years and I really feel settled. Next year will be my first year to be working with all the same people. My first year I changed schools, and last year half my team left. I'm really looking forward to building on those relationships instead of starting brand new again.

Ahh now on to summer! Soon, I'll be making my annual summer goals/to-do list. I love lists. Anyone with me? They just excite me and make me feel more organized than I really am. I plan on reading, improving my Spanish vocabulary, learning calligraphy and some other things. A full list is coming in future posts.

A new addition...

This weekend, we adopted a new kitten. Carlos needed a buddy to hang out with during the day while we are at work all day, along with the night activities we have throughout the week . By the time we get home, he's so desperate for attention and love that we thought he could use a friend during the day. I wasn't intending to get a new kitten yesterday, but you know how it goes. I was shopping in Highland Village and those geniuses have put a pet adoption site right next to William's Sonoma and Anthropologie. Just brilliant. So, I'm leisurely shopping and I think, "Oh, I'll go and visit the kitties and just look at some of the puppies" and I ended up walking out with a new kitten (with my sweet husband's blessing of course)! But honestly, we were thinking about it, but just hadn't decided to do it that day so I didn't get just completely suckered in :).

Our new kitten is a sweet little female orange tabby. I grew up with two orange tabbies that to both I gave the name Elsie. Elsie 1 died so we got a new orange Tabby and it made perfect sense to just name the next one Elsie. I considered Elsie for this kitty too just for sentimental reasons but it just didn't fit. Currently the name we like best is Honey. She's sweet like honey and the color of honey and I just keep calling her that. Carlos right now just sees her as a big play toy and he's not very gentle. Fortunately he's learning and when she gets a little bigger, she'll be able to hold her own. I think she's just precious! Something interesting about her is that she is a pterodactyl cat meaning she has an extra finger on each of her front paws. Very interesting and a little funny looking but we love her anyways!

You can see her extra finger here. It looks kind of like she has mittens on instead of paws.

What a cutie!

Chica de Campista

This past weekend, we had the lovely joy of going camping! I admit I wasn't so sure I was going to like it - sleeping outside, no shower, no restaurant or kitchen to eat at. But as it turns out, I love camping! The sleeping outside part was awesome...except next time (and call me a wimp if you want) an air mattress or at least one of those cushy pads is a must. The no shower part wasn't bad and actually they were available and the food we ate was great! S'mores, breakfast tacos, a picnic type lunch and yummy cookies and snacks throughout. That is my kind of food. I think next time for breakfast, I want to make pancakes. We went with some couples from our Sunday Bible study class and it was enjoyable to spend time with them and make some new friends.



Friday night we just hung out, talked, and then had S'mores. Saturday, we went Geo-casching. It was pretty crazy. If you're not familiar with this activity, let me explain. It's kinda like an online worldwide treasure hunt. People post on this website groundsearch.com treasures that they have hidden with their GPS coordinates and you go find them. You sign your name, celebrate, and then go find the next one. We found three of them and one had even been there for 7 years in this little wooded area of Huntsville State Park. Somehow I escaped with no poison ivy and just a few scratches from those pesky thorn vines. Saturday afternoon, I went out on a canoe with a two of the girls and then Ben and I had to go home. I definitely want to do it again. Here's some pics I got before my camera died on Saturday morning...

The ladies on the trip - we're looking for a casch!

The guys...doing something...making important decisions I think.

My sweet Ben and I

Our campsite. It was so beautiful on the water with a fallen tree right behind it. So great!

FYI...Jana gave us all camp names and mine was Chica de Campista. Ben's was Napoleon Campomite. Bet ya can't guess why.

Dessert Heaven

So today was one of the best Saturdays ever! Among many of the fun things we did today, for dessert tonight, we went to Ooh La La Dessert Boutique. It was awesome and is one of my new favorite places. I absoultely love desserts as many women do. Ben and I were discussing this tonight. Why is it that so many women are so addicted to desserts and chocolate? I know a lot of guys are too, but is there something specific about being a woman that draws us to desserts? I couldn't pin-point anything, I just know that I love desserts and I don't know why. Anyways, it was a dessert only place. They had pies, cupcakes, yummy fancy coffee drinks, and various other tempting cookies and bars. For my first visit of many to come, I had Reeses Pie and it was delish. I mean really yum. Ben got pecan pie. Next time, I'm definitely getting a fancy (and BIG!) cupcake. I tried to copy a picture of what I got (their website has a gallery of all the desserts!) but the website wouldn't let me. They are seriously hurting their business! All it would take is one look, and you'd be begging someone to take you there. Happy Saturday night!

The winner...

Thanks friends for all your input on the kitty pics. As I said before, I didn't have school today because of the flooding. We ARE having school tomorrow along with the TAKS test. Please Pray. God knew this would happen on April 28th and He also knew what we had planned for that day. His way is always best. ALWAYS. We just have to trust Him!

Anyways, the lack of work and therefore lack of anything planned to do gave me a lot of free time today and yesterday. It's not like a day you planned for and therefore filled up. It's like finding a $20 bill on the sidewalk. It wasn't budgeted out to some financial category and you would've had it anyways so if you waste or spend it wisely, it doesn't really matter. I put so much pressure on myself to use my time well that it was nice to have two unexpectedly blank days. I could completely waste them away and its not like I would have gotten anything less done. Can anyone relate? So, probably because of that lack of pressure, I had two wonderfully productive and pleasant days. Today I worked on house stuff, mainly my living room. It's coming together nicely. I found some bright cranberry circle place mats and a big vase and fake flowers at Home Goods. I like that place. I even made it to the cleaners today. Now that's an accomplishment worth mentioning!

So, in my wonderfully blank day, I took more pictures of Carlos. Please don't think I'm obsessed, I just had time. So, I think I took one that I like even better than the ones before that I think I'll use. Your thoughts are welcome!