Summer

Yay for summer! We spent our first weekend of summer at the lake with family. Ribs, potato salad, and watermelon were on the menu. Yum! Sunday, Tucker and I played 9 holes of golf. It turns out I'm pretty good, or so Tucker tells me. I've got my swing down, and I actually made a 7 on the 6th hole at the AU club! Memorial Day we headed to Clanton to Lake Mitchell to spend time with my side of the family. It was so nice to see my aunts, uncles, and cousins! Again we had ribs and all the other good fixins'! My Uncle Jon makes a delicious grape salad. I went back for seconds!

 My handsome husband skiing!

 Show off!

I couldn't be happier! <3

I'm doing my best to stay busy this summer! I have already moved all of the teaching stuff into my new room, and I've already started decorating. I love getting a head start! I'm also starting a new venture this summer. I am officially becoming a Mary Kay independent beauty consultant. I have been using the products for years and they have changed my skin so much for the better. I want to share my experience with other women, who like me have probably tried a thousand products and got the same blah results. When I made the switch to Mary Kay, I could tell a difference in my skin within the first week. I want to share that feeling with other women, so call me for a complimentary facial!

Amanda

Decade's Day

Today was Decade's Day at my school. Each class picks a song from a decade and performs to it. This year, I chose the 80's! Our song...Footloose! Footloose has always been one of my favorite movies, and coincidentally, I had a student this year who fit Kevin Bacon's role perfectly! I would have cried had we not been able to do it! It was a day full of wacky, tacky, singing, dancing, and laughter! I even dressed up, and I normally don't do that! I love my class, and I will hate to see them go. This is just another reminder that they are growing up :)

 We are so rad!

 My girls!

 My very cool boys!

 My Kevin Bacon impersonator!

I say goodbye tomorrow :/ This is the first class that I have taught that has left the school,so I'm not really sure how that will go. There will probably be some tears shed on my part. I'm so proud of each of them, and for those kiddos I had the wonderful opportunity to teach twice, they will have a special place in my heart forever <3.

Amanda

Lake Party 2012

Every year Tucker throws a lake party to celebrate his and John's birthday. It started out several years ago as "Tucker and John's" lake party, but as we have gotten older the lake crowd has gotten smaller. Gone are the days when Tucker would order t-shirts and koozies. Gone are the days of staying up all night long.Gone are the days of being a bachelor hanging out with bachelor friends!Ha!

For the first time in many years, this was just "Tucker's" lake party. The six of us (the A team) had a great time! We got the boat out for the first time this summer, and Bonnie Brown cranked right up! We grilled a delicious lunch, took a brand new Camero for a spin, and spruced up our Baggo skills. It couldn't have been a more perfect day on Lake Martin!

 My favorite view!

 Bonnie Brown

 What a Motley Crew! (Jay, Jim, Tucker, Josh, and Kelsey)

 Tucker and I

 Josh and Kelsey

 Best Friends, Tucker and Josh!

 Jay and Josh waiting to jump off of Chimney Rock! Too scary for me!

 Fun on the lake! (Josh, Kelsey, Tucker, Jim, and Jay in the front)

 Our home away from home!

 We got to give these wheels a spin! So much fun!

I had to add this one! I'm in LOVE with these two!

Only four more days of school! Three with students! I'm counting down the days to summer! Ha! Have a great week!

Amanda

Tucker's Birthday Celebration

Tucker turned another year older last Friday! Sorry for the delay in posts. May is a very busy time. Between benchmark tests, orange folders, talent show, Decade's Day, and Field day there's not much time to breathe, let alone blog!

For Tucker's birthday, we went out to eat, and stayed up till 9:30! You thought I was about to say we stayed up late, but not these two old farts! We were pooped and needed the rest. Don't judge us! Saturday morning we headed to the lake to celebrate Tucker's birthday and Mother's Day. It was wonderful and relaxing. Just what we needed!

 Tucker got a Footjoy Dryjoy golf jacket for his birthday. He also got a travel golf bag, so he can take his clubs on our trip to Pebble Beach. I can't wait!

 He's a stud!

We got Phyllis a hat for Mother's Day. It was monogrammed, and of course Emily and I had to have one too!

This weekend we will be celebrating Tucker's birthday again at the lake! We tried to get the boat out last weekend, but the weather did not cooperate. It's supposed to be nice this weekend! A little fun in the sun is just what I'll need to get me through the last busy week of school!

Tucker and I are so ready for summer! Emily gave me her old golf clubs, so it looks like I'll be learning a new hobby this summer. I'm excited to get to spend more time with Tucker, and luckily he has agreed to teach me. I have promised to persevere even when I get hot, hungry, tired, or when it just seems too hard! Ha! We are also playing summer kickball! I want to win first place this year! And some how Tucker talked me into playing in a cornhole tournament every Thursday night starting next Thursday. I better start practicing! Tomorrow is Field Day :/ Pray I make it!

Amanda



Khat's AU Graduation

We have another Auburn graduate, folks! Congratulations to my beautiful and equally intelligent cousin, Khatherynne Dianne Little! She is graduating with a degree in secondary math education. Don't ask me where she gets that from. It's definitely not from me! Math has never been my strong suit!

We celebrated her wonderful achievement with lots of family!It was so nice to have every one under one roof. Unfortunately, our new house is in the process of being built so we may have been a little cramped in our little home. Thank goodness for the dining room table! This party would never have been possible with a pool table!

 The dining room table decorated for Khat.

 Her flowers and favorite gift, money! Ha!

 Did I go a little overboard? Nah!

 She's an Alabama fan, so she hated this cake, but it was delish!

 I wish the pics weren't so blurry! So many people taking pics at the same time messed with the flash :/ Hopefully someone took some good ones I can post later.

Ashley, Grandpa, Khat, and I with sweet little Chloe in front.

 Daphne, Khat, Ashley, Chloe and I

 Three of Grandma's girls! Khat surprised us by putting G-Ma on her cap before graduation. It was such a touching way to remember her. She would be so very proud!

Love this girl!

Congratulations Khatherynne! Tucker and I are so very proud of you! This is such a major accomplishment, and we know how hard you worked to get here! Love you!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Amanda

Motivation

May is an exciting, but exhausting month. So many end of the year activities jam packed into three weeks- it's enough to make me want to scream...if I had the energy! Surprisingly, I was ahead of schedule last week. We were going on a mini vacation to the beach. I had my lesson plans and newsletter completed early because I knew we had two field trips, one on Thursday and one on Friday. Yes, I said two, and yes, they were in one week! I wouldn't have survived both field trips anyway, so I took Friday and Monday off.

What was supposed to be a relaxing weekend at the beach turned out to be not so relaxing. The Thursday before I left, I put in my transfer request to move back to third grade. I was nervous and anxiously waited for a response all weekend. I knew we still had one more opening at my school, but that didn't guarantee that I would get it! I have enjoyed teaching fifth grade, and I learned so much from this experience. I also loved my team! They were so welcoming and helpful the whole year through. The fact of the matter was that I just wasn't happy. Third grade is my passion, and I missed not being able to teach all the fun, cutesy poo stuff. I know now that I definitely don't want to teach anything higher than third grade, but I never would have never known had I never tried. As my grandpa says, "If you always do what you have always done, then you will always have what you have always had." Wise words to live by, Grandpa!

We left the beach early on Sunday. We had too much to do to stay another night! We needed Monday to run errands and prepare for the week. Monday afternoon I finally received my answer. I will officially be a third grade teacher next year! I am over the moon thrilled!

This week I have been swamped and exhausted. The kids have checked out. They are over it and so am I. It's just funny how I couldn't think of another thing I had to last week, and now this week, there are about a thousand things I wish I would have done last week! I actually worked an 11 hour day this week (6:30-5:30)! Whew! The science fair kicked my booty, but it was a success! My students are amazing! I am constantly astounded by their creativity and knowledge! Some even said this was the best science fair yet! This was my first and last science fair, thankfully! Glad I went out with a bang! And tomorrow we have spring festival. I may find a shady spot under a tree and take a nap ;)

Amanda