Finally Relaxing

It feels so good to be able to come home and not worry about one single thing; no grad. school homework, no papers to grade, and no stress. I'm celebrating this relaxing week by getting an hour long massage and facial at Spa Auburn on Saturday. Yes, I will be missing part of the South Carolina v. Auburn game, but I think I deserve this treat!

We had a wonderful weekend full of family and friends! It's such a blessing to get to spend time with those you love. Tucker and I did a little shopping in downtown Auburn, and found these adorable hats in Auburn Art.

This just screams Christmas card!

We have decided we definitely need to go back and buy the hats! Tucker is also very excited that grad. school is finally winding down. He has truly been the best husband during the past year and half. He has cooked dinner many nights, and eaten hot dogs and hot pockets on many an occasion. He has cleaned the house and even did laundry. He has also ruined some outfits, but that's okay. He was trying to help. He now has it down pat!

This weekend, we will also be preparing for Kathie's 1st Annual Chili Cook off. We have our recipe and plan to test it out this Sunday. We have talked a little trash, and I know we can back it up! Get your recipes ready, 'cause we are coming!!!

Amanda

Clemson

It's finally the weekend, and I have great news....I passed my comprehensive exams!!! I'm also almost finished with this horrible class I'm taking this term. I have turned in all of the assignments; all that is left is the final in two weeks! Only one more class and I'm officially DONE!!!

Somehow in the midst of all the craziness, we managed to make it to Clemson. We had a great time even though Auburn didn't come out on top. I had forgotten what it felt like to lose. It was not a good feeling!

Tailgating before the game.

I just LOVE him!!!

Al and Phyllis

Tucker and I on our way up the ramp to the stadium.

The players run down the hill. It's a Clemson tradition. Pretty cool!

War Eagle!

<3

The hubs and I are having breakfast at Panera Bread tomorrow! We may have started an unhealthy tradition, but it is soooooo very good. We each get several pastries and share them. I also get a cafe vanilla latte, my absolute favorite! If only it didn't contain so many calories! We then have plans to tailgate and go to the game. I hope to see some major improvement!

Have a great weekend!

Amanda

Short and Sweet

This blog post is going to be brief unfortunately. My life is just too hectic right now to really concentrate on blogging. Many of you are wondering how comps.went. I feel it went very well! I used three of the four hours alotted, and I took my time. I also filled up two entire blue books, and I write front and back! I left feeling relieved.I should know something in a few weeks! Cross your fingers and PRAY!!!

After comps.I rushed to the Auburn game against Mississippi State. I'm so glad that we had a better game. Mississippi State is a good team. I'll be rooting for them tomorrow night against LSU. Go State!!!Tucker and I are making the voyage to Clemson this weekend. It will be a quick trip, and one I won't be able to enjoy as much as I would like. I'll once again be working on a mound of school work!

Fortunately, this is the last week I'll have this much work. My professor informed us tonight that we would be finishing a week earlier (that's the good news),but all of our assignments that we were supposed to have two weeks to complete have to be ready by next Wednesday (that's the bad news). Looking at the glass half full, I say I would rather have one week from H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS and have a week off!!! So, you won't be hearing from me until after next Wednesday, but at least you know what I'll be doing! Please pray for me and wish me lots of luck!!!

Have a great week and weekend!

Amanda

Labor Day Weekend

I love long weekends!!! We especially needed this one. I was exhausted and down to the end of my rope. It has been nice to kick back and relax. This weekend I came to the realization that I need to trust God.I know that sounds silly, because that's something we all know we should do. There is a difference between knowing you should and actually doing it though. I have had many changes in my life in a very short among of time. Many of these changes were exciting, and some just down right depressing. I know God has a purpose and plan for my life, and I need to quit worrying, complaining, and stressing,and just trust him.

I received a card in the mail from my Aunt Nellie, and it had this scripture that really spoke to my heart "The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart." Psalm 34:18. Losing my grandmother was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do,but I know that God is guiding me through this time. I also know that my grandmother is up in heaven with him watching down over all of us. Another verse that really spoke to me this weekend was Jeremiah  29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Even though teaching 5th grade was not my plan, it was God's plan. He placed me there for a reason, and I just have to trust his judgement. My goal is to be more positive. I know it's going to get better!

Tucker and I went to the Auburn vs. Utah State game this weekend! We were both shocked at how horribly we played, but a win is a win! It's obvious we have a lot of work to do if we plan on winning many games this season. I'm really worried about Mississippi State! Sadly, I'll be taking my comprehensive exams next Saturday in Phenix City. I'm so ready to get it over with. I have been stressing about it for the past week now! Tucker and my grandpa could not believe that they would schedule the exam during a football game! Ha! I guess Troy doesn't care that much about Auburn football! I'm hoping I can still catch the end of the game. We had so much fun Saturday. I didn't enjoy the band video or the football highlight reel as much as last year. Normally the band video brings a tear to my eye. That did not happen this time! Our seats this year are great, and it wasn't too terribly hot. A nice breeze was blowing, and the sun went behind the clouds a few time creating shade.

Tucker and I are enjoying our rainy Labor Day together curled up on the couch! I hope you are enjoying yours!

Amanda

Little Rock City

I'm still here and alive in case any of you were wondering! Life has been a whirlwind of activities and emotions lately. I feel as if I'm just now catching my breath! School is not as much fun as it was. I think the newness of it all has worn off, and honestly, I'm so ready to go back to 3rd grade! I miss the little kids, their sweetness, and all of the fun activities you can do with them. I greatly miss the nurturing they need, and how they love to please the teacher. While planning in the 5th grade is easier, I have found I get bored so easily especially by the third time I have taught ecosystems! They do not need, try, or want to please the teacher, and to put it nicely, they are just plain too sassy for my tastes! Grading 75 sets of tests is also getting very old, very quickly.

Graduate school is kicking my butt this semester. I waited until my last semester to take one of the hardest courses, and I'm paying for it. What was I thinking taking this during football season? The amount of work the professor assigns is obscene in my opinion. Just this week alone, we had to read two chapters, find a website based on one of the topics from one of the chapters, then write a one page website summary. Next we had to read two articles and write one page article critiques for each of them. THEN, we had to do the case studies for chapters 1-4, THEN we also had to do the chapter activities for chapters 1-4. And on top of all of that, we had to find and send the professor our five articles for our research PowerPoint coming up soon. It's only Tuesday and I'm spent!

I also need to fill everyone in on kickball. Unfortunately, I did not get to play in the championship tournament. I had class that night. Team Ball and Oates pulled out a 2nd place standing in the tournament. I can't help but believe that we would have won if only I had been there! Even though I wasn't that good, and I didn't catch any balls, I did keep all of the other teams guessing with my bunting/kicking strategy. I would usually bunt the ball, but every now and again I would really kick the ball and send it soaring over their heads! I also have the ability to kick the ball anywhere I want it .If I wanted to bunt down the 3rd base line, I could, and if I wanted to bunt down first, I could do that too! We're sad kickball is over. We had a great time, and we made some new friends!

Now on to the title of this blog... when we were at my grandmother's house for the visitation and funeral, Tucker and I decided to get the kids out of the house. We took them to Little Rock City. Little Rock City is just a few miles from my grandmother's house and from where I went to high school in Sand Rock, Alabama. It's absolutely beautiful there. I can't believe I took scenes like this for granted everyday when I lived there.

Blake and Chloe

Khatherynne,Chloe, and me

First cousins!

Tucker and I

Weiss Lake

Isn't it breathtaking?

King of the mountain!

Tucker and Blake exploring!

Rock climbing!

Chlo-bug!

:)

It was hard to smile on this day and pretend to be happy, but it was good for the kids, and in a lot of ways it was good for us too.

Amanda

Worst Week Ever

I have dubbed this past week the official worst week of my life thus far. As I mentioned before, Monday I was in a fender bender, and thank goodness no one was hurt. As it turns out, that would be the least of my problems this week.

I received a text Wednesday morning from my aunt saying my grandmother (who raised me I might add) was on her way to the hospital. I just assummed she was having heart and lung problems. She began having heart problems when I was 16, and continued through out the years. We never really worried much though because she was strong and she always seemed to pull through no matter what the circumstances. By the time Wednesday afternoon rolledaround my grandmother had been transferred to the critical care unit at Brookwood hospital in Birmingham. I recieved another text from my aunt explained that my grandmother would be under going exploratory surgury in her abdomen. Huh? That was not what I was expecting at all. Wasn't this a heart issue? What's going on?

My grandmother was having intense pain in her abdomen and the surgeon needed to conduct exploratory surgury in order to figure out what was cuasing the pain. What he found was devastaing to my family. My grandmother had passed a blood clot in her abdomen and had no hopes for survival. My 69 year old, beautiful, strong, and witty grandmother would not recover from this.

My aunt called explaining we had only mere hours. I rushed there immediately. She held on through the night. My grandma was a fighter, and she wasn't giving up that easy. She died  Thursday, August 18. We had the visitation Saturday at the Collinsville Funeral Home. Today we had the funeral and laid her to rest beside my Daddy in Clanton. It has truly been the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I keep thinking I will wake up from this horrible dream, and call my granmother and tell her how much I love her. Yet I keep waking up and realizing that it is real. She's gone, but not forever. I know I will see her again someday, and I can't wait until that happy reunion day.

I came to live with my grandmother when I was only 11 years old. She wasn't just my grandmother, she was my mom. I will miss her everyday, but I know as long as I have my memory, she will live in me.

Home from Auburn  one weekend.

She was beautiful!

Grandma and I the day I graduated from Auburn.

Grandma and I at my wedding last year.

Amanda

GRRRRRR!

Mondays stink. Period. This Monday I had the pleasure of getting into a little fender bender. The good news is that no one was hurt in the accident.The bad news is my front driver side looks like crap and my insurance will probably go up. Oh well! Just another bump in the road!

On a happier note, I am loving 5th grade! The students switch classes and it's so fast paced! My day is literally gone before I know it! Planning is a breeze! I teach science three times a day, then the next week I teach social studies three times a day. My team is fabulous! I have really enjoyed getting to know all of them better. They have been so helpful and encouraging :)

This weekend Tucker went on another scuba diving adventure. This was the last chance he would get for a while with football season coming up, so he decided to go. This was also his first time to spear fish. He shot two  Amber jack but unfortunately, they wiggled off of the spear. He did catch lots of Snapper though!

These guns are hot!

Tucker with an Amber jack.

Tucker with an Amber jack and Snapper.

And while the cat was away, I was playing! Saturday, I went to Montgomery to visit my Grandpa, Aunt Rhonda, and Aunt Pam. We ate lunch and watched the girls (Taylor and Rachel) swim in the pool. Then my Uncle Gene and Aunt Barbara came over to visit. We don't get to see them much, and it was such a joy to be able to visit with them a while!

Then I went shopping at East Chase! I bought lots of goodies! I have to say a huge thank you to my sweet friend Tricia. She kept me occupied all weekend. Friday we went out to eat to celebrate one full week of teaching. Of course, we had to have ice cream! Saturday night we went to see the movie "The Help". If you haven't seen it yet, you need to! I would read the book first though! After the movie, we enjoyed a delicious dinner at Amsterdam's. And once again, we had to have dessert! Ha! I have such a sweet tooth.

Now it's back to the grind! Grad school classes start this week. Seems like everything is finally settling down and getting back to normal. Hopefully, I'll be able to blog more now that we will be on our regular schedules again!

Have a great week!

Amanda