Welcome Whaler!


"Whaler" is here and we are so HAPPY! A home is not a home without mans best friend, a pup! They make a house a home. We got Whaler for dad for an early Fathers Day present and I think he just about Cloud 9'd it when we told him! We sure do miss our special, special Maddy girl, but I think Whaler has brought a little bit of Maddy back into our lives in a unique way that is different for all of us...
    Whaler doesn't know this yet, but I'm waking her up at 6:00am stat to go out for a quick run before work! She's gonna be my running buddy, I actually might be dragging her for a little while, or walking... but in just a few months she might be dragging me.

"In lieu of baby updates that I see on blogs often, here goes mine, HA"

Barks from Whaler at 7 Weeks:
- Woof, I'm ridiculously scared of Cameron's lotion bottle
- Woof, Cameron cleaned her bathroom floor and didn't tell me so I took a good 12 inch slide on the tile
- Woof, Cameron currently is winning in tug of war, she doesnt know whats coming though..
- Woof, I heard her talking about our run in the morning and I am excited, but I hope she doesnt make me do lunges
- Woof, I love eating pedomiters, they are pretty good.
- Woof, Cameron tried putting me in her UGG boot tonight, she's ridiculous I tried to tell her my butt wouldnt fit in that thing and that I'd pose for a cute picture somewhere else...
- Woof, I like my food right now with a little hot water to soften it up for me, but Cameron gave it to me straight up tonight, no water = choke alert, sis, come on, get with it...

my itty bitty running buddy :)



Im teaching her to follow me around and like being in my room the most, its working so far.

I love you sweet Whaler, I hope you are excited for adventures with your sis... I have some really good ideas!

3 peas in a pod

I have been blessed with many special woman in my life, but a special 2 of them when we three are together is just an indescribable bond that has lasted 14 years now and counting. Seriously. It is true. Last year we planned our first annual "3 blind mice" trip to the beach, and this year we continued it. As we have gotten older our jobs may have changed, our living situations and towns have changed, we have all had our ups and our downs but our relationships with one another remain constant and growing.

Having an annual 3 blind mice reunion came about when Andrea was about to get engaged. We knew things would change a little, not in a bad way but just in a different way, and we wanted to make sure that we still would have one long weekend a year that the three of us would be together to enjoy each others company. It is crazy to think about but we, as woman do.... This year was our 2nd annual, 1 married, 2 not married. We wondered what the 3rd annual would be like, the 4th, the 5th, and how eventually 3 blind mice weekends could possible turn into 3 blind mice plus our hubby's beach weekends, and then eventually 3 blind mice weekends plus hubby's plus crawling babies. OH MY! Our days and evenings would eventually turn from the three of us grilling, acting ridiculous, spending an hour deciding what kind of alcoholic girly drink we wanted to bring to the beach that day to........ Our husbands grilling, us in the kitchen fixing the sides, pouring wine, and a possible talk to the kiddies as to why Melanies little girl should fall in love with my little boy or vice versa (HA! Just kidding) It is crazy how things change and how we will one day fall in love with the change but for now I am so thankful for Andrea and Melanie!

I won't name the time or place but I can totally recall a time I literally peed in my pants from laughing so hard with these girls, and the times where we all have shed tears, leaned on each other, built eachother up, and did it again and again if we had to! Here is to the 3 of us! Love you both!

(Quick side note): I dubbed the name "3 blind mice" for us one night after Young Life in highschool, I can't recall why I said it and what made me think of it, my guess would be I was just being really silly, but we laughed that I said it for a good 10 minutes...and what do you know, years later Im blogging about the "3 blind mice". Where Does time go?! Enjoy 1st annual and 2nd annual pictures :)



1st annual :)






2nd annual :)



Make time for it

I just recently picked back up my paint brush again, about 2 weeks ago. I also forgot how much I love painting. In the past I have done a ton of wine glasses, as presents for birthdays or Christmas usually... or for the occasional, "Thankyou so much for being a connection for me and helping me make contacts within the school system"! ....I sware I'll paint 8, for the principal who offers me a job. So basically, wine glasses have been my thing UNTIL I whipped out the canvas. Thats right, canvas like Picasso painted on, the real deal. I've been wanting to paint something for my little boo, Clark for the longest time and never got around to it really until 2 weeks ago. I had the windows open, the music on, and it was just me chillin' on a Saturday morning! I used to not think so, because I'm such a people person, BUT...spending time alone really should be taken advantage of by everyone. I think it is a learned appreciation, honestly I'm still learning that it can be kind of cool.

Here is my Saturday morning project...complete :)

I picked back up my paintbrush, now YOU go find that hobby of yours that you have been "meaning" to do and do it!

I am thankful for:

My passion I have for crafts

I learned:

To appreciate moments to myself

from the mouth of kids

     Over the years of my teaching "career"...though it has not been consistent by ANY means, It has been rewarding in so many ways. The most rewarding I have found is for them to tell you they love you. Not only does it melt your heart in an "aww so sweet" kind of way, but it also aches a little...maybe I was or am the only love that child has ever known, and that is terribly sad. Kids like this, well I will be honest, I just want to take them home, care for them, show the them love my parents show me, God shows me, and just make that extra impact on them in the way that there mothers should and sometimes don't. But then, I want to give them back :)!
     The other reason I find this job rewarding is that they make me LAUGH! I wonder if I was funny in kindergarten, ha? Anyways I could not help over the years to keep an unorganized journal aka sticky notes, torn off paper, more sticky notes, maybe a piece of a referral to the office form.... all bundled up in hopes of me actually doing something with it all one day. Well today is the first step, blogging them.     
     How cool would it be to write a book about my experience and interactions with kids, the things they say, how they make me laugh (sometimes I have to hide it), how many hats I've had to wear being a teacher (some of my kids probably think I'm equivalent to Dr. Oz, only if they knew...) and how to effectively love on some that don't know what love is. Maybe one day, but for now I'll stick to my blog and if I were really lucky mabye it'll be a first draft that I look back on and laugh. These are a few of my favorites from my unorganized kid journal, if you will. In no order. Please know I am not making fun of some of their totally butchered gramatical errors...but sometimes they are just so darn funny.

*(apparently I had too much bronzer on this day, go figure, white girl in the winter...) "Why you got dem sprinkles all ova ya face, you want to be a princess everyday?"


*How do you spell YMCA? "it... it .. it... starts with a Y, I promise I do, I went their yesterday I promise" (nobody was arguing with you go on with your smart brain!)


*(This was in a card one wrote to me during free writing, aka you can write anything you want) "Dear Ms. Todd I am sorry for talking?" (Why thank you for the apology, but was it heart felt or were you asking a question?)


*(another card) "Dear Ms. Tood, You are my favit techr how od are you?"


*(from a parent... don't get scared now) "Hello (boys name) teacher, I am sorry what happen at school thrusday but i ahve sat down and talked to him about it, and also took things away that he likes or like to do. And I hope that he is on his be behavior for the rest of the year, here ismy contact number if you need to get in touch with me, P.S. feel free to write back" (Ok, I might have to make a little fun of this one... YIKES! So, you took things away that he likes, good parenting start, props to ya. "Feel free to write back"... so were pen pals now, oh lord!)


*(from a parent) " Please excuse ____ he woke up with a nose bleed." (So did I in kindergarten tons of times especially in the Winter when the air was dry, next time hold tissue up to it for a good 10 minutes... then your good to go to school! No need to miss a whole day of ABC'S and 123's for a nose bleed :)


*(I was doing assessments, and one of my assessments I had to get them to build shapes with playdough, one child, when I wasn't looking took my playdough ball I had, and I noticed it when I went on to test another child) Me: "Excuse me but I just saw you put that playdough in your bookbag, perhaps that is mine?!" Child: He stared at me like, How'd she see that?!.... and when no words came out.... something else came out the other end. (always tell the truth boys and girls, rule #5 on our classroom rule list we created at the beginning of the year :)


*(I guess I had a bad hair day today) "Mits Todd, did you hear that storm last night, and did you get electrocuted or something?" (dang, busted by a 5 year old.... get your hair in check tomorrow am Ms. Todd)


*(Parent note) "_______ was out of school cause smashed his finger in the car door, and he also was running a fever to. But he should be god for today. Also can you write me to let me know ehn school is out fr Spring breck. And please excuse him for thursday." (.... is this the truth?)


*(This week was working on different kinds of transportation, I asked the kids to cut out of a magazine things they would bring in their suitcase I had made for them.) I looked at one child and said, "Why are all these girls in your suitcase? "Oh, becauseI'm bringing 10 women with me to meet Obama".... "Well how do you know they want to go with you?" .... "Cus look at dem, they raisin their hands" (were talking about pictures of women in magazines!) HILARIOUS.


*(this is me just overhearing a little girl) "ohhhh yeahhh ohhh yeah my momma put 5 mints in my pocket, ohhh yeah ohhh yeah"


*"Ms. Todd you need to go to da man store and get you a man."
Me: "Interesting, what is the man store?"
"Well you know you go dare to pick you a man out, dats why you go"
Me: (I always go along with the convos, you get more out of them that way, ha!) So, I just pick one out huh?
"Well if he blinks at you, he is yours, if not you walk away, but make sure you wear your lipstick, and he need to give you that ring you wearin already" (Target ring, ladies and gentlemen)
Me: "Interesting, how do you get there?"
(then he proceeds to give me ridiculous directions..... LORD HAVE MERCY!!!!!)



Hope you got a slight glimpse into my hilarious teaching life :) WHERE do they come up with these things?!

It's called fishing for a reason

I found out last Monday that on that upcoming Friday was a vacation day for us teachers. First thing I did was smile, second thing I did was text Poppa Todd, "I don't have work Friday, you trying to go to the beach and go fishing?" Response = "Sure!"

     ...And that is how Caroline, Dad, and I created our "ron da vue" trip to Sunset beach! We left Thursday after work, sang some Celine Dion, did a little white girl rap jam out session, talked, laughed, and were excited for our get- a -way weekend! We both grew up going to Sunset beach as little girls and both had grown a love for the "Sunset Beach bridge" that was so famous... (who knows we could have been building sandcastles, jumping waves, and running around with our bathing suits up our butts at the same time when we were 5, ha!)
     Anyways, all of you Sunset Beach natives remember how cool that bridge was. Was it a pain in the butt when we couldn't get the boat under it at high tide - YES! Was it a pain in the butt when we had to leave at a certain time to make the bridge openings so we could get through with the boat - YES!
But,
-Was it worth the waves and hello's from the man in the little house each time?
-The crazy adventures of about 8 of us on the boat dunking down and pushing up on the old bridge so that we would immerse the boat further in the water and we could get through? (and praying to God all at the same time that my father was not going to kill us, just kidding.)
-The slight scare you'd sometimes get as you drove over it wondering at each "rickety sound" if it was then that it was gonna finally break and you'd be instantly famous and on T.V. for experiencing it?
-How it would automatically open for shrimp boats, and barges, (and we'd secretly think, how'd they get that kind of power)?
-That there were always small boats tied up to it fishing?
-That it was unique, different, old and still working?

YES OF COURSE!

Ok, I just officially had my first Blogging ADD moment... now back to my weekend... but first take a look at the bridge!

old bridge = miss it!

new bridge = mixed emotions

     Caroline and I had every intention on fishing with our bathing suits on, the weather however had different plans for us. We were dressed fully, equivalent to "Nun style" + Ugg boots. That did not stop us, we still had all had a blast fishing Friday and Saturday. Just me, Dad, Carol, our beer cooler, music, and bait! I absolutely get a thrill like no other when I feel a bite on the line, kind of like the excitement a little girl gets when her mom buys her a new barbie doll, or Santa just left the new Easy Bake Oven for her on Christmas Day. It gets a little frustrating when you can't "catch" one...but in all honesty how much fun would it really be if you caught one every single time you cast the line in - exactly, not fun! I have a tendency to do the occasional throw the line in the marsh...don't worry though, I'm working on my directional placement and swing of the arms.
     We all grilled shrimp and had pasta salad on Friday night and kicked back from a busy fishing, riding bike day and watched a movie. Dad left on Saturday, and we continued the weekend by christening the new fire pit at the beach house, making home made margaritas, a little cornhole, fishing off the dock, trying to light the grill for an hour, and just enjoyed Carol and Cam time! It was the best :)

This post I am thankful for:
-fish
-the beach house
-dad taking us out on the boat
-caroline

This post WE learned:
-you need lots and lots of lighter fluid  when lighting a charcoal grill
-do not put the top on the grill thinking that the open holes on top would suffice enough oxygen to keep the fire going
-a corona in home made margaritas really are good
-fishing is called fishing for a reason

fisherman in the making, HA!



love beach bike riding!



livin' the dream life.

Took the boat to the inlet view and had Tequilla Sunrises and hush puppies!

a little this and a little that

Don't ya just LOVE granola. Such a great "grab n go" snack. I'll have to give props to little sis, Jordy for the recipe! She just found this recipe online.... I tweeked it a little bit, in the way that I didn't measure anything and added 2 different ingredients. Its super healthy, and you can add it to your cereal, yogurt, or snack out of cup!

Here are the ingredients:



Why you may ask why I have all the "Great Value" labels.... gotta love Wally World's generic prices people :)

  Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl, unless your OCD, don't measure...put in what YOU like!



Take a look at this CLEAR picture! Why Thankyou phone camera...


On the stove, heat up a little honey, a little, peanut butter, a little veggie oil and a little applesauce. This is your "healthy sticky" that will make your granola, drizzle and stir all around and then.....

 

Put on a baking sheet (minus the dried fruit, that comes at the very end) and put in oven at 350 for about 20-30 minutes, keep checking on it and stirring it around it will burn if your not careful :)



This is the best part... I don't know how other people do it but I love pouring all of it in a big brown Harris Teeter bag, adding the fruit and doin a little shake shake... and there you have it :)

Now get to snacking :) Happy Sunday!

xoxo

Cam