Hello Mr. Lizard

 I was out checking the mail today and was looking at my mum and noticed something really bright green. I couldn't figure out what it was so I kept looking around the plant. That's when I discovered this little guy. I don't know what kind of lizard he is, but I've never seen one around the house like this. I thought he was cute. :)

I am so glad that tomorrow is Friday. This week has just seemed to drag on, but at the same time go fast! I think the worst part about the week is that Monday felt like Tuesday, Tuesday felt like Wednesday, Wednesday felt like Thursday, so when I woke up today to the real Thursday... well, I wasn't a happy camper. Add to that everything else I need to do other than teach (lesson plans, grade, make tests, make quizzes, make copies, email parents, parent conference, ESOL classes that apparently I have to take, AND prep for three classes!) and I'm just at my wits end right now. I don't know, maybe just not having Bill here to take my mind off of school is just getting to me. He always helps even when I get worked up over nothing. I've just had a hard time getting into the swing of things this year and I feel like I'm working 10 times as hard as I was last year during my first year!? Who knows, maybe a nice weekend will help to start a new fresh week next week.

Wishing Fall Was Here...

So if you're like me, when September comes around, you start thinking about fall-- pumpkin bread, chili, crock pot recipes, pumpkin coffee.... the list could go on and on! Well, in Florida, we are still experiencing highs in the upper 80s and lows only in the low 70s, mid 60s if we are lucky! Now don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, but the typical cool down and fall weather I grew up with every year is not what we get down here. We are lucky to be cold by Christmas.

Anyway, off topic... In thinking of fall, or rather wishing it was fall-ish, I decided that I would decorate my house anyway. I put up my pumpkins, made fall pillows for our couches, and made a table runner! I also decided to make a fall wreath. I imagine that because of Pinterest, I will end up with a billion wreathes by the time it's all said and done, but it's always because I constantly see new ideas! One of these days I will re-purpose and get creative I suppose!

The wreath I decided to make was super simple and only took a long afternoon... only because I'm a perfectionist in between going to the beach and school. This was my inspiration on Pinterest:

So I modified it and all you need for this wreath:
1) foam wreath form
2) 1 yd. brown burlap to wrap the form (or whatever background color you want)
3) 1/4-1/2 yd. assorted colors of burlap (I used orange, sage green, forest green, regular burlap, and white)
4) scraps of fabric with coordinating colors.

I started by cutting strips of the brown burlap in about 3 inch strips. I wrapped and pinned until the form was covered. After that I took 1-2 inch strips, about 45 inches and 22.5 inches long (depending on how big you want the flowers) of each of the other colors. I began by tying a knot in one end, which is the center of the flower, and then all you do is twist the burlap and wrap clockwise at the same time. Doesn't matter which way you go, I'm assuming that lefties would go the other way. Same thing goes with the coordinating fabric to make the flowers.  Because I don't have another hand to take pictures, I just have the final product, so I hope you enjoy my new fall wreath!

Cherokee People, Cherokee Pride!

So if you think your high school had/has the most school spirit, you haven't seen Choctawhatchee High School's spirit!! Last year I was blown away at every home game pep rally, game, Homecoming, and Graduation! Being my first year last year, I expected something similar to my high school- we had amazing school spirit, dressed up during Homecoming, had class competitions, and cheered hard at all games. Well, it exceeded my expectations 1000%.

This year is Choctaw's 60th Anniversary of being the first high school in Fort Walton Beach. In 1952, it opened at what is now a local middle school, and in the mid- 60s it moved to it's present location. Apparently, this is a big deal! They celebrated the 50th in style as well and of course, had to outdo themselves this year.

One of the driver's ed cars that has been restored and sat at the school on Friday and drove in the parade.

All of last week, we dressed up each day in a different decade, starting with the 90s and working our way down to the 50s. I dressed up in 90s, 80s, 60s, and 50s (was gone during the 70s) and had a great time. (I didn't take pictures last week, sorry!). I think the funniest part of the decades is seeing how students these days interpret the past decades. They didn't really do 90s. 80s was all about tights, shorts over the tights, and workout great in neon colors. The 60s was tie dye to them. And then 50s was Grease Lightening and poodle skirts dress. Most of my students were born in the mid-90s, so of course they're interpretation is really funny.

 Our school had invited past alumni from every class to participate in Friday's festivities. I marched as a teacher in the parade before the game. It was really cool to see how many alumni showed up, especially those from the 50s and 60s. After the parade, the band proceeded in. They came in for about 10 minutes- both alumni and current students and they did a really cool pattern on the track. They just kept turning as the entire 300 members marched in.

Choctaw used to have a horse ride down the field before every game. When I got hired, I saw this on the website but had wondered why I never had seen it. Well, another teacher told me they stopped doing it a few years ago, but they decided to bring the tradition back. The Brave rides the horse down the entire field and throws his spear when he gets to midfield, and then he rides the entire length back. It was awesome to finally see it.

I think it is really neat that we are still the Running Indians. Before I went to Cumberland, they were the Indians but changed to the Patriots, probably because of all the controversy surrounding calling Native Americans, Indians. Choctaw fully celebrates the Choctawhatchee Indians' traditions- Indian prayer before every football game, dancing to Cherokee People at pep rallies, having an Indian Princess and Brave as our mascots... I just think it's so cool that we can keep these traditions going.

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Hope you've enjoyed a few pictures of our 60th Anniversary Celebration! Happy Sunday!

Pinterest Love

As most of you know, Pinterest has a TON of fun ideas for the home, crafts, photography, etc. I wanted to share a few of my latest projects.

I have a lot of friends having babies right now, so I decided to make these easy burp clothes. Something to add a little excitement to a boring burp cloth. I know they get used a lot so it makes it a bit easier to keep up with. I simply used cloth diapers and fun fabric. Just cut out the dimensions you want and sew on!

I saw this next idea on Pinterest and had to make my own! Again, for friends that are having babies! It works great going over the door handle to quiet the door when you open it. 

This was one of the first things I decided to sew. I had an old tank top that I never wore by itself, and I had seen this dress. It was super easy! I found my fabric at JoAnn's. I used about 1.5 yards of fabric for the skirt and cut the tank top to the length I needed it. It was a really comfortable dress over the summer and every time I wore it out, I got compliments and was asked where I bought it!! YAY, a success!

I made this wreath for Christmas and decided last Spring to transform it from Christmas to a winter wreath. Burlap is such an easy material to work with, you really can't go wrong with how you fold it or wrap it. The flowers are made with strips of burlap, twisted and wrapped in a circular fashion. The wreath is just a foam wreath so I used straight pins to created the crinkled look.

On Sunday night I decided to get crafty! I had a yard of this fun, fall fabric and have been wanting to make some throw pillows as well as a table runner. Well, I decided to go get another yard of the fabric and I made two pillows and this fun runner! They all turned out great! I even got brave by making the pillow covers with zippers so I can simply change the cases throughout the seasons!

 I have been making a casserole carrier and had these leftover pieces from the handles of the carrier. well, I decided to sew a button on and sew them together to make jewelry holders for travel!

I wear A LOT of dangly earrings and I was getting tired of trying to find them each morning when I'm getting ready for school. I saw this idea forever ago and had the burlap and time one weekend. I printed the R off of Word and cut and made a stencil and used black craft paint on the burlap. Awesome, fun little project!

And finally, for the 4th and in honor of the Olympics, this wreath was made! It was a foam wreath, red, white and blue yarn, and white felt for the starts! It took forever to wrap the yarn but other than the stars, no glue was needed!! Talk about cute, I loved having it up all summer!

Well, hope you've enjoyed a few of my projects. If I get a good project going, I'll try to take step by step pictures! Happy Friday!!

The First Post!

I have been thinking about blogging for quite a while. I have a lot of friends who blog about kids, fun trips, and life in general, and it's an awesome way to keep up with them! I first said that I wasn't going to blog until we decided to have children, but I figured while Bill is deployed could be a good time to get out what has been on my mind, as well as just document our lives daily (or weekly or monthly haha). This will by no means be grammatically correct, although I will try, but more of a day to day account of what I have been doing lately.

Bill and I have absolutely loved our new location. It's hard to believe that we have already been here for over a year!? Time is flying by. It seems like yesterday that he came home from his year long deployment in Iraq. Speaking of deployments, in early August we got word that Bill would be deploying again for 4-6 months to Afghanistan. I can't say by any means that I wanted to accept or be content with this-- I was ANGRY, and I mean, angry! Not angry at Bill, not angry at the USAF, just bummed that he was leaving again so soon. Any AF spouse prepares for the day when their significant other says they are deploying. It's part of the job and part of the sacrifices we make. I knew that Bill would eventually deploy again, just maybe not so soon. I think it was so shocking this time because he had less than 2 weeks to prepare and mentally it was hard to wrap my mind around.... I was getting ready to start school and everything was going to be different. The last time he was deployed I lived with family and had my best friends near me. I suddenly just felt so alone in our new home.

Once the word got out that he would be deploying right after the start of school, I soon realized how many awesome people I am surrounded by each and every day at work. It was amazing the outpouring of love and support they gave to me, that quickly, I knew I wouldn't be alone. I am so fortunate to have such a loving school family, as I know that not all places are like my school. It's also been nice this year to have some fellow young teachers, whose spouses are both in the military, who can relate and talk about all sorts of things!

Now that we are nearly one month into his deployment, each day passes quickly with my jam packed schedule. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think or worry about Bill where he's at, but I just have to trust that he's going to be taken care of and keep safe. At least the day they leave, the countdown begins!

Well, I'm off to watch one of my fave shows, Glee! Seems like every night I have a line up of tv shows, which is probably true.... the little things in life, right? haha Until next time...