20 Year Class Reunion

Me with my friends, Rachelle, Tobi Mechelle, and Jenni.

On July 2nd, I had my 20 year class reunion at Abendigo's which is at Broken Bow Lake, Oklahoma. It was so much fun, but let me just say, it was SUPER HOT! And HUMID! My hair really shows it. I was sweating to death. That day it was 105 degrees and didn't cool down that night. UGH!
I can't believe I've been out of school for 20 years. WOW! It seems not that long ago I was having a blast in high school! I was one of those people that loved high school. Such a fun, worry-free time. I had the best friends. I was very fortunate to attend a small high school and got to know everyone. We were all friends...honestly. I know it went on, but I really don't remember my classmates being real cliquey (sp?). We all got along. I love these friends so much and I miss them more than I really realized. It's hard living away sometimes.
Tobi Mechelle and her husband, Mike

Me with my best friend forever...BFF! Tobi Mechelle (she goes just by Mechelle now that she's all grown up. :)) and I have been best friends since I can remember. We had the fortunate situation of being not only best friends, but cousins as well. Her dad and my mother are brother and sister who are 15 months apart! Neat huh?! She lives in Plano and I would give anything to be closer to her and her sweet family. It's really kinda unfair that we have to live this far apart. Maybe after retirement we can move there. Who knows?! I love her like my own family because she is, but even if she wasn't...because she is my best friend in the world.

No, I wasn't drinking double fisted...I always ended up holding everyone's drinks! And why my friend, Patrick was holding money, I have no idea! Pictured: Me, Steve, Rachelle, Tobi Mechelle, and Patrick. This crew can still have fun!

Steve, me, and Tobi Mechelle.

My classmate/friend Adam with his wife Karen.

My friend Missy and her husband John.

The high school sweethearts. :) Ginger and Mike.

My friend, Ginny and her husband Joe.

I love these girls!

So much fun together! Rachelle and I with our friend, Shane. I miss him so much. He lives in Alaska so way far away.

The gang...the ones who were there. I think we had about half and half. We have lost 5 classmates to death...that's like 10 percent of our class. So sad.

Me and Rachelle. I always brag that Rachelle was my friend before anyone at my school. She dated my cousin who was like my brother so we hung out alot before she moved to my school a couple of years later.

And Nate loves my BFF too!

Misty with her husband, Bud. They still live there and she teaches at the school where I went in elementary.

Tobi Mechelle with another Shane. I remember riding around town in his jeep listening to Def Leppard, Bad Company, and Cinderella! ha!

Rachelle and Nate

I love Patrick. He was the class clown!

Robby and Jenni's husband, Jamie. Jamie and Jenni live in OKC so I might live by them again! We'll see!

Rachelle and her husband, Chad with Shane.

What a blast I had! I can't wait to do it again...much sooner than 10 years!

Braces are off (already!)

Jonathan got his braces off today! He only wore them for about 9 months. The only reason he had braces to begin with was to correct his extreme gap between his two front teeth. His teeth are perfectly straight. I have to admit...I miss seeing him in his braces! Now he has to wear a retainer to keep the gap from opening back...he tells me he rather have his braces back on! Jonathan on the day he got his braces

And the day they came off!

Happy Father's Day to the best

"Dad, you're someone I look up to no matter how tall I grow." -Author Unknown

Thanks for being such a great, wonderful, Godly dad to these boys. We love you Nate!

Enhancement Camp 2011

They do the neatest thing here at Houston County Schools. Each summer, about two weeks after the school year ends, they do what's called Enhancement Camp. Enhancement Camp is a two week camp at a middle school that is geared towards gifted and honor roll kids. Each child gets to choose two subjects/activities/sports/etc that they want to focus on for that time. Jonathan was chosen to go this year and for his activities, he chose Rocketry and Golf.

Now he's always shown an interest in golf because he gets to drive my step-dad's golf cart when we visit their home :). But especially in the last year or so, even asking for a set of golf clubs. I wanted to make sure he was really interested before I forked over the money for those. Enhancement Camp and him choosing golf was a great way to test it out. The best part of playing golf...driving the golf cart!

Jonathan loves it! He's going to start taking lessons and for the last month or so, he plays often with his friend, Connor (I teach with his mother) at the Landings Golf Club.

Like I said, Jonathan also chose Rocketry. He's always been fascinated with space, rockets, flying, space, etc so this was perfect...right up his alley. He was so interested and each day when I picked him up, he'd go on and on about what he had learned and how he wanted it to last longer! This is the rocket that he made. Jonathan with his instructor, Mr. Yawn who teaches middle school. Jonathan got to show off his rocket for the parent's open house...how I got the photo!

And it worked!

Myrtle Beach Vacation 2011

I. Love. Myrtle Beach. South Carolina. BEST beach vacation ever! Right after school got out for us, on Memorial Day weekend, we drove over to Myrtle Beach with Nathan's parents and brother for a week's vacation at their condo there. Myrtle Beach is beautiful and there is SO much to do there! I'm so sad that I didn't get more photos...I just wasn't tied down to my camera...good and bad I guess. We went to the Ripley's Aquarium ($3 admittance for military woo-hoo!), the Boardwalk, shopping, fabulous restaurants, miniature golf, and of course the beach. The condo my inlaw's got had a wonderful pool with a splash park and lazy river attached. I want to go every year! And we will as long as we are this close. I can't wait to go back!

Jonathan digging for clams.

Nathan and his mom, Jeanie.

Nathan's brother, Matthew.

Surfside Beach pier

We found a sea star!

Goodbye Odyssey Hello Maxima

I am a car person. I love driving a car. I hate having a car payment again, but I love my new car! I traded in my mom-mobile mini van in for a brand new, 2011 Nissan Maxima! I miss having the room I do have to say, but I'm loving my zippy new car! Saying his last goodbye to the Odyssey. Poor Seth! We got this van when he was 3 so it's really all he's ever known. He loved the van and didn't want to get rid of it.

My new car!

Seth's 2nd grade "graduation"

Seth's school this year was pre-K-2nd grade. He finished 2nd grade and they did a little performance and got their awards and diplomas. Sorry this picture is so grainy...I didn't use my camera right.

I was pretty far away, but Seth zeroed in on me and saw that I was taking a picture so he smiled and posed. Little cutie. :)

Seth getting his "diploma" from his principal, Dr. April Strevig.

Ok... this is Seth's friend, Diamond. Diamond is something else. Seth always gets kinda attached to one girl in his class...he has every year. This year that girl was Diamond. She's hilarious! Each time I saw her she'd tell me a sitiuation about how she had to look after Seth! He told me that she bugged him on occasion, but other times, he'd say she was his good friend.

Seth and his best friend, Brenton. Seth is sad because Brenton is moving. Ugh...the life of a military kid sometimes is hard.
Seth's FAVORITE teacher, Mrs. Strickland. Mrs. Strickland wasn't his homeroom teacher, but she was his teacher for writing, reading, and math. Warning...Mommy Brag Alert...The top kids in Seth's homeroom, him along with about 4 others were advanced so they went to Mrs. Strickland's class for these subjects. Funny story too...I learned through Facebook that my dear friend, Tangie from OK (who we met while we were stationed in MA) went to high school with April when April's dad was assigned to Altus AFB! Small world!

Seth with his homeroom teacher, Mrs. Singleton. Mrs. Singleton is such a great teacher. Seth was really blessed to have her and he does love her!

Just a little idea for Teacher Appreciation

For teacher appreciation this year, I got Jonathan and Seth's "main" teachers gift cards to their favorite restaurants. I try to do something significant...1) because I know how much work they put into their professions even though they are underpaid and 2) because I know they invest alot of time in my own kids and I want them to feel appreciated. Gift cards are kinda boring and I wanted to do something creative so I added a couple more gifts. I gave Seth's teacher a cute little paint pail full of candy bars with a cute poem using the names of those candy bars in the poem. I copied it from Nothing But Country I gave Jonathan's teacher a 31 Gifts bag (I got it on sale for $9!) that I got mongrammed with "Mrs. Wilson" on it stuffed full of teacher supplies...paper clips, post it notes, pens, highlighters, sharpies, hand sanitzer, kleenex, notecard with her initial on them, mints, etc.

I always feel like the "specials" teachers are a little neglected. I can't do much because of low funds (ha!), but I want to do something so this is what I came up with this year. Cute huh? These fun sized bags of M&Ms are usually only $1 a bag. I include the music teacher, art teacher, PE teacher, librarian, and Jonathan's FOCUS (gifted and talented) teacher.

Last day of school for ME!!!

Last day of preschool!! I look exhausted and my kids look drugged! LOL! This was such a sweet class! I miss them already!

End of year AWANA awards

Jonathan with his wonderful TnT handbook leader, Mr. Guy. I have worked in AWANA for 8 years at 5 different churches and Mr. Guy by far is the best! He will miss Mr. Guy this year, but I know God has someone else perfect for Jonathan's 5th grade year in AWANA!

Another grainy picture...ugh. Jonathan getting his book award from the TnT boy's secretary, Mrs. Joyce. She's awesome too! This TnT club here at Southside is top notch!

I'm so proud of Seth! He finished his 3rd Sparks book this year...he finished all of his books each year, on time so he got the Sparkie award...getting it here from our Sparks secretary (who is also pretty awesome!), Mrs. Melissa. Off to TnT this next year and he's taking his dad, one of my Sparks leaders with him. BOO! No, Nathan belongs with older kids. I appreciate him so much for helping me out this year.

Piano Recital

Here, Jonathan is pictured with his fabulous piano teacher, Mrs. Peggy Dunston. When we moved to GA, from LA...Jonathan had been taking piano for about a year and a half. He was doing good and moving right along...well so I thought. When we got here, a friend I met through our spouse's group told me about Mrs. Peggy when I asked if she knew of a good piano teacher. When Jonathan started taking lessons with Mrs. Peggy last fall, I was blown away, right away at the progress he was making! The songs became longer, harder...he started using pedals and transposing! I was in awe! And not only is Jonathan learning faster, he loves piano even more! I also have to give credit to Mrs. Peggy for helping me find my teaching job. When we were at her piano student's open house, she told me that she had retired from teaching music from the public school system and started teaching Pre-K at a private school here. I of course was looking for a job so she told me to go and talk to the director about subbing. So I did and since a teacher had to leave mid-year due to her son's illness, I stepped right in as the teacher! So thank you Mrs. Peggy for loving Jonathan and for teaching him such a wonderful gift, but also thank you for helping me get my job. I love working with Peggy so much! Jonathan and Mrs. Peggy after his spring recital on May 14th. I wish I could put video on here from my Iphone...maybe I'll figure it out. Jonathan did so well!

Field Day X 2

Jonathan and Seth were at seperate schools this year so I got to watch both of their field day's exclusively! Next year it will be together and I'm glad they will be together at one school. This took alot for Jonathan. He is afraid of heights. I was so proud of him. Amazing what a little peer pressure will do!

Jonathan and one of his best friends, Calvin. Calvin is so sweet...he reached out to Jonathan right away...being at a new school and all.

They thought it was so cool to sign each other's shirts. Jonathan with his friend, Ari.

Jonathan and his other best friend, Nick. Nick is so sweet...we do alot with Nick and his little brother Joey. I love their mother, Lynn...she has become a good friend of mine here.

Happy Mother's Day to Me!

I love these boys more than anything and feel so blessed to have them as my kids. Being a mother is the best thing in the world! Mother's Day May 8th, 2011