I'm going to need a break from my Fall Break

Wow, it is already Wednesday and I only have two more days left of my break. I've been so busy and it has gone by very quickly. I had to work yesterday, but it wasn't too bad. I got to go in about an hour and a half later than I usually do, and I was able to leave by 3:15, so it was a pretty short day. Mr. P cooked a belated birthday dinner for me last night-salad, steak, and baked potatoes, followed by birthday cake. It was delicious! He's such a sweetie.

Today, I met my niece K, who is a freshman at a nearby college. I took her out to lunch, then we did some shopping. Although I had some birthday money to spend (yeah!), I didn't really find anything I liked. I did pick up some headbands and barrettes at the mall, but that was about it.

Here are some pictures and details from our weekend in Gatlinburg. We rented a condo with two other families. Mr. P and I, along with our friends D and R with their twin two-year old boys, and our other friends C and L, along with their 6 year old girl and 3 year old boy.

We left with D and R at 5 am on Saturday morning. C and L had driven down on Friday, so we had plans to meet up with them in Gatlinburg. We arrived in the mountains by 11:30, and were able to check into the condo by noon, which was great. We ate lunch and watched football at the Smoky Mountain Brewery. I had the cheese quesadilla, which was wonderful.

The guys watched the UK-Alabama football game in the afternoon, while we girls elected to walk around and sightsee. There is always lots to see and do. I found some great stores with preppy, monogrammed items. One was called Razzle-Dazzle and it had lots of cute stuff. I bought a monogrammed fob:

For dinner Saturday night, we met my parents at my favorite restaurant in Gatlinburg, The Best Italian, for an early birthday dinner. Mr. P and I discovered this restaurant several years ago. From the outside, it looks like a family owned pizzeria, but that changes the minute you step inside. They have wonderful pizza, along with fantastic pasta dishes, huge calzones, and the best garlic rolls you will ever eat in your life! Mom and Dad brought presents and cake, and we all ate outside on the terrace. The weather was beautiful and we had great time.

What do you do for breakfast on a Sunday morning in Gatlinburg? Go to one of the many pancake houses, of course! After breakfast, we decided to take the kids up to the amusement park at the top of Ober Gatlinburg. So we boarded the tram and rode up to the top of the mountain. I don't know who had more fun at the amusement park-the guys or the kids.

A few of us rode the ski lift to the top of Mount Harrison. The view was beautiful from up there.

On Sunday night, we went to dinner at The Old Mill in Pigeon Forge. It is a great restaurant and village. On Monday, the other two families took the kids to the aquarium. Mr. P and I have been to the aquarium several times, so we decided to walk around by ourselves while the others toured the aquarium. We walked through one of my favorite places in Gatlinburg, The Village. It has great shops, and Mr. P patiently walked through all of them with me. The Cheese Cupboard, Coffee & Company, Candle Cottage, and Taylor Girls are just a few of the stores in the village. We also went to the Pepper Palace in the Mountain Mall. I usually stock up on my Wind & Willow dip mixes there, but they only had a few selections. However, they had samples of a wonderful queso dip, so I bought the seasoning to make it.

We finally headed for home around 3:00 on Monday. It was kind of a different trip for Mr. P and I, although we had a fun weekend. We are used to quieter trips, but we had a great time with the kids. Mr. P had a blast at the amusement park, since he is a kid at heart! I wish that I had posted more pictures, but almost all of the pictures have the kids in them, and I don't want to post pictures of my friends' kids without their permission. I only posted the one of Mr. P because you can't really see the little one in the picture with him. I do have one picture of Mr. P and I on the ski lift, so I'll try to scan it and post it in the next couple of days.

We arrived at home late Monday night, and I had a birthday package from my in-laws and from Monogrammed Teacher waiting for me. What a treat! I have so much to be thankful for on my birthday, and I am blessed to have such sweet and generous friends and family.

A very tired birthday girl...

Well, we are finally home from our trip to the Smokies. We decided to get in a little more shopping and sightseeing before heading home this morning, so we just arrived at home about an hour ago. All in all, it was a great weekend...details and pictures will be up tomorrow.

7 Random/Weird Things About Me

I've been tagged by Monogrammed Teacher and Pharmacist Erin. So here are my seven random/weird things about myself.

1. I am somewhat OCD. I cannot go to sleep if the closet door isn't closed and the two bedroom doors aren't open just right, I can't leave the house unless the bed is made, my desk must be straightened up before I leave school for the day, etc. This drives my laid back husband crazy sometimes.
2. I live two miles from the Eastern/Central Time Zone line. I live in the Eastern Time Zone, but I work in the Central Time Zone. It takes me an hour to drive to school, so if I leave home at 6:45 am and drive for an hour, then I arrive at school at 6:45. Subsequently, if I leave school at 5:00 and drive home for an hour, I arrive home at 7:00. It can be very confusing at times!
3. I cannot start following someone's blog without going back and reading all of the archives. Otherwise, I feel like I have started reading a book in the middle of the story.
4. I am terrified of snakes. I cannot see a picture of one in a book without getting twitchy. If I see one on TV, I will involuntarily pull my feet up off the floor.
5. I am a perpetual worrier. I worry when I don't have anything to worry about. I have been told that this is horrible for my health, which makes me worry even more. It's a vicious cycle.
6. I have a master's degree, plus 30 hours in educational administration. I'm considering getting a doctorate in educational administration because I am only 45 hours away from one. But the thought of writing a dissertation scares me to death.
7. I was born and raised in Nashville. I now live on a 100 acre farm with 3 ponds, wooded areas, and lots of wildlife. Quite a change for a city girl!

I think that most of the bloggers that I read have already done this, so I'm tagging anyone who hasn't!

I feel so special!

Pharmacist Erin has bestowed two wonderful awards on me! Thank you so much!

A big thank you for these, Erin! I feel so special and I really needed a smile tonight!

Characteristics for the Smile Award:
1. Must display a cheerful attitude. (I put forth the best effort I can with this-and I'm told that I'm usually pretty cheerful.)
2. Must love one another. (I'm pretty good at loving others.)
3. Must make mistakes. (No problem for me in this department!)
4. Must learn from others. (I do this daily.)
5. Must be a positive contributor to blog world. (Well, I've been a bit neglectful lately, but I'm trying to be better.)
6. Must love life. (I do.)
7. Must love kids. (In my profession, you have to!)



These are the rules for The Smile Award:
1. The recipient must link back the the award’s creator
2. You must post these rules if you receive the award
3. You must chose 5 people to receive the award after receiving it yourself
4. You must fit the characteristics of the recipient of the award
5. You must post the characteristics of a recipient.
6. You must create a post sharing your win with others.
7. You must thank your giver.

I'm bestowing the following bloggers:
Rickrack and PomPoms-Love your blog! And you gave me my first award, which made me feel so special.
Monogrammed Teacher-We seem to have so much in common that we think we were separated at birth!
Pink Lemonade and Peonies-Congrats on your news! You're going to be a great mom!
The Pink Owl-Such a cute blog!
Positively Preppy in Pink-I love reading about her adventures in London.
Tickled Pink and Green-You've got a great blog....and great taste in blog backgrounds : )

Yeah, I know I nominated six instead of five, but I couldn't narrrow it down any more.

I still need to do my 7 weird/random facts about myself...that will be tomorrow's post.

My Favorite Month

Can you believe that is is already the first of October? After such a hot, dry September, we welcomed fall with a gorgeous, crisp autumn day today. The sun was shining, a slight breeze was blowing, and the air was definitely cool. I love it!

October has always been my favorite month. The leaves are changing, football is in full swing, and hayrides and bonfires are weekend activities. It's also my birthday month, which makes it even better.

Can you tell that I've got "fall fever"? Does anyone else have it?

Monogrammed Teacher's Giveaway!

So I get home yesterday and I have a package waiting for me! I opened it with great anticipation and I found this cute setup...

There is a very sweet note on top...

Followed by a package of monogrammed notecards...

And this adorable monogram in a frame...

And here's one more picture of the whole package...

Thank you so much, Monogrammed Teacher!

Okay, so I have totally neglected my blog...

and I have missed my blogging friends so much!

Last week was terribly busy-I had meetings after school every night, and when you add my hour's commute into the equation, equals no blogging time! I had every intention of catching up over the weekend, but that didn't happen either. A few random thoughts to catch everyone up with what I've been doing, and then I'm off to read everyone else's blogs because I have missed them so much!

This is our last week before Fall Break (yeah!) so school is busy. Everyone is ready for this week to be over so that we can enjoy a week off.

We are leaving for a quick trip to the Smoky Mountains on Saturday. We have rented a cabin in Gatlinburg with two other families for Saturday and Sunday. I am so ready for this trip! My parents have a vacation place in nearby Townsend, so we will be spending time with them also. My birthday is on Monday, so we will be celebrating that too.

More deer sightings tonight. Mr. P and I had both had a long day and were semi-grumpy, but after watching them frolic in our backyard, it put us both in a considerably better mood : )

The giveaway from Monogrammed Teacher came in the mail yesterday and it is adorable! I will post pictures soon.

Okay, I'm off to upload pictures and check out other blogs. Have a great night everyone!

Thank you, Monogrammed Teacher!

I won the Monogrammed Teacher's giveaway!

Thank you so much!

The View From My Back Door

The usual view from my back door....peaceful and serene.

Tonight I glanced out the door while cooking dinner and this is what I saw...

I was trying to be discreet and open the door to get a good picture, but the door creaked and it startled them.

Going, going, gone....back to the woods!

Even Miss Sunny was respectful of the wildlife. She simply observed them from afar with her legs crossed in such a ladylike way.

These things help this city girl appreciate the country!

Another day off!

We are out of school again! I was truly surprised to get another day off, but I can certainly get used to all of this leisure time. I used my time wisely yesterday by running 6 loads of laundry, washing the linens in the guest bedroom and getting it ready for another guest, going grocery shopping, and straightening up the house. I've been a bit lazier today, but I still have a few chores that I'm going to do.


Since I have some free time, I thought I would do some virtual shopping online. Here are a few of my finds:

How cute is this sweater from Old Navy?? And it is only $29.99....

These trouser jeans from JCrew are so cute. I'd love to order them online, but I think I would have to try them on in the store because they might fit too baggy for my short, stumpy legs. Oh, to be long and lean....

It is almost boot season and I could not be happier. Nothing beats a great jeans and sweater ensemble topped off with a great pair of boots. These J.Crew boots could certainly help me look taller.

I love this Keaton Organizer Briefbag from Brighton in black/chocolate. I could load it up with my laptop, school files, and essentials so easily. But at $500, it's a little out of my price range right now. But a girl can dream...

In addition to virtual shopping, I've been sitting here watching an old 90210 episode-the one where Emily goes all Fatal Attraction on Brandon after he dumps her for putting ecstasy in his drink at the underground nightclub. Does anyone else remember this one or am I showing my age here? This is why I shouldn't have too many days off of school in a row : )

So what do you think?

It's amazing the trouble I can get into when I have a day off! I decided to spiff up the blog, and found The Cutest Blog on the Block website. She has such cute backgrounds and I decided to go with the pink and green plaid one. I guess my love of redecorating has carried over to my blog!

Hurricane Ike blows through Kentucky??

Well, we had quite a day in Kentucky yesterday. We had a severe windstorm that blew through the state. Now we are used to high wind in Kentucky, heaven knows we have enough severe storms and tornadoes throughout the year. But yesterday's weather was unlike anything I have ever seen. It was pure wind, with no rain. I think that we were on the outskirts of what was left of the hurricane, but parts of the state look like we acutally had a hurricane. There are trees and power lines down everywhere, roofs blown off of houses, and debris everywhere. Many schools systems and businesses are closed today, including my school.

It was pretty windy when we got up yesterday, but nothing that I really thought was anything major. When we came out of church, the wind had bigger gusts than when we had gone into church. We got home to discover that the wind had blown our wrought iron patio furniture all over the deck. Thank goodness I had gone out in the morning and moved the rocking chairs on our front porch, because if they had blown around, they would have gone through a big picture window in our great room. I was out on the porch later in the afternoon when a huge gust of wind blew up. There was dirt and debris flying everywhere. I couldn't get to the door, so I just sat down on the step and put my head between my knees until the wind died down. It was kind of scary! Our house didn't have any damage, but I feel so badly for the people who have no electricity and phone, or who have trees on their houses.

Mother Nature never ceases to amaze me. We followed the hurricane coverage over the weekend, and I felt so badly for the people in Texas who lost everything. I never dreamed that Ike would come this far north and wreak such havoc up here!

Great Weekend

Well, we had a great weekend at the Putter house! My parents came up to visit on Friday and they stayed until Sunday. It was my dad's birthday on Friday, so my brother, sister-in-law, and niece drove up on Saturday and we had a cookout for my dad. It was so great to have my family up here, especially my brother and his family. My parents visit us 5 or 6 times a year, but usually Mr. P and I drive down whenever we have family get-togethers with my brother's family.

My brother is a big fisherman, so he and Mr. P went over and fished in our pond. The dogs went with them and provided proper entertainment while they fished. I don't think the dogs scared the fish away though, because they caught a few bass. While the guys were gone, my sister in law and I talked and caught up on things. We hadn't seen each other in a while, so it was nice to chat.

We grilled steaks and chicken and had roasted potatoes and baked beans. I had also made some snacks for us to have in the afternoon. We had two types of cake for my dad. He loves jam cake, so Mr. P (who is quite a good cook and baker) made one for him, but we also had a regular white cake for him too.

We watched the UK football game that night, and our friends that we go to the UK games with came over to watch it with us. They brought their twin two year old boys, and my family just loved them. They are so cute and provided us much entertainment during the game!

On Sunday, Mom and Dad left to get back to Nashville and Mr. P and I crashed. We were so tired! I love having guests, but it really wears you out too. I felt like I spent my whole weekend cooking and cleaning, but I wouldn't trade the time with my family for the world.

Monday, Monday

I spent the weekend catching up on Gossip Girl and 90210, so I am all set to watch them in "real time" this week. I've been driving poor Mr. P crazy because if he is flipping channels with the remote (which he does ALL the time) and landed on either of those shows last week, I would say "Keep going, I don't want to see any spoilers!". Hee hee. I feel like the biggest dork about both of these shows, but I am totally addicted to Gossip Girl. I had watched the original 90210 when I was in high school and college, so I thought I'd try out the new one. It was pretty good, so I'm going to keep watching, at least for a little while.

I have lost the cord to my camera, so I have no way of loading all of the pictures I've been taking lately to the computer. I hate not having pictures on my posts, so I'll post about things that I already have pictures of...

I made these two cheeseballs for the Labor Day cookout last week. I don't know if anyone has tried these Wind & Willow products, but I have tried several and have yet to find one that I didn't like.

You can find these in boutiques and specialty shops. For those of you who live in my area, they are available at The Red Brick Cottage. They also have a good website with recipes and products-http://windandwillow.com/.

Has anyone else tried these products?

A Week in Review

Tuesday-I woke up with the mother of all migraines, only made worse by the fact that I heard that the Vols lost to UCLA in overtime. I went to school, but left at noon because my headache had only gotten worse. I felt like a slacker because I never take sick time, but I came home, took some good drugs and crashed in bed. I woke up around 7:00 pm, sat up for a little while with Mr. P, took more drugs and went back to bed. I missed the 90210 premiere, but it is waiting for me on the DVR.

Wednesday-Woke up feeling better-yay! I still had a bit of a headache, but thankfully Excedrin Migraine held it at bay. I went back to school and played catch-up on all the things I had missed. Faculty meeting after school, then rode home with Mr. P, and went to bed early. I wore brown plaid pants, a crisp white blouse with a sweater vest and loafers to school today, which made me feel all fall-ish. That put a spring in my step!

Thursday-Is there something wrong with me? People at school keep coming up to me asking me if I'm okay or if I'm sick. I feel fine and thought I looked fine...hmmm. Maybe I'm just tired and it shows. Came home from school and wanted to blog, but I had test score data to look over and evacuation plans to evaluate. Exciting things, huh?

Friday-School picture day! The kids were all excited and looked so cute. Of course, we haven't had rain in over a month and we have a downpour on the morning of school picture day. Some of the kids came in looking absolutely bedraggled. I can't complain though, we desperately needed the rain.

Saturday-I got home really late from the show last night, so we slept in this morning. I have a list of chores for today, including getting the guest bedroom ready again because my parents are coming for a visit next weekend. I also have more test data to disaggregate, blogs to read, and laundry to do.

Labor Day

Such a busy weekend for us! We had a friend visiting for the weekend, kicked off the football season by watching several games, went on a hayride, watched a parade, and kept an eye on Hurricane Gustav because I have several family members in Mobile. I'll post the details tomorrow; I'm too tired to think right now.

Watched the Cats beat the Cards on Sunday, and now my Vols are playing UCLA. I really want to stay up and watch the game, but I'm one tired girl! I'm going to read a few blogs and call it a night.

I hope that everyone else had a great Labor Day!

Football, Hayrides, Cookouts, and More

Last weekend was a busy one at our house. One of my best friends came to stay with us this weekend and we had a blast. She arrived on Friday night, so we stayed in and had pizza and just hung out.

Saturday morning we went to a volleyball game that one of our friends' daughter's was playing in, then went out to lunch. In the afternoon, we went over to visit my friend, LB, who works occaisionally in the cutest little store in Glendale. Glendale is a neat little town with little boutiques and restaurants. Tiff and LB hit it off immediately and the three of us are already planning an all-day shopping trip in Louisville the next time that Tiff comes to visit. Saturday night, we grilled out for dinner and watched the Alabama-Clemson game. (Sorry about the way that one ended, Clemsongirl...)

C-A-T-S Cats, Cats, Cats! We watched the Cats beat the Cards on Sunday. Not the prettiest game, and the defense scored more points than the offense, but a win is a win, especially when you are playing Louisville.

After the game, we went on a hayride and bonfire with several of our friends. They live on a huge farm, and Tiff got to pet a cow, which she was really excited about. We really introduced her to the country life this weekend, but she liked it!

On Monday, we went to our town's annual Labor Day parade and then hosted our annual Labor Day cookout at our house in the afternoon. All in all, a busy but fun weekend!

A Better Day

Well, I feel much better today!

My house cleaners came today, so my house feels so clean and smells so good! Just getting the house cleaned will take so much stress off me for the Labor Day cookout. That means that all I'll have to do is a little bit of tidying up Monday morning. One of my best friends is also coming to visit this weekend, but now the guest bedroom and bath is ready for her too.

I'm kind of excited about Labor Day coming because that means fall clothes are just around the corner! Don't get me wrong-I have thoroughly enjoyed my Bonannos and madras shorts this summer, but I love fall clothes. Plaid skirts, sweaters, turtlenecks, jeans and boots, the list goes on and on. Plus, I found some great fall and winter bargains last spring and they have been hanging in my closet all summer waiting to be worn for the first time. One item in particular that I am dying to wear is a short, wool blazer with toggle clasps. It is adorable and I got it for $20 on a clearance rack. Now that's a bargain!

I had planned on telling you all about the cutest store and restaurant that I visit in Nashville quite often. I was also going to post a picture of the note cards that I bought the last time I was there, but I left my camera in my office at school. So that will have to wait until tomorrow....

Sigh...

Football season starts this weekend! Being a Tennessee girl, I'm all for my Volunteers. However, I'm married to a man who bleeds blue, so I also root for UK unless they are playing my Vols. All of our friends are UK fans, so we go to games and tailgate with them. This weekend is the big Kentucky rivalry-Kentucky vs. Louisville. The game is on Sunday, so I'll be rooting for Kentucky alongside Mr. P. Go Cats! I'm not sure where we'll be watching the game. Normally, we invite people over for big games, but we are having our annual Labor Day cookout on Monday, so we won't have people over on Sunday too. We may just end up watching the game at home while I'm getting things ready for the cookout. Tennessee will be playing UCLA on Monday, so I'll try to catch the game during the cookout.

Anyone else have a big game coming up this weekend? Will you be tailgating?

Feeling my age...

So I'm feeling kind of old...my niece started college today and I can hardly believe that she is old enough to do this. It just seems like yesterday that she was the flower girl in our wedding and now she's a freshman in college. She's going to WKU, which is both Mr. P's and my alma mater. In fact, it is where we met and well, the rest is history!

We drove down to see her last night and take her out to dinner. I made her a the cutest little basket of goodies. I found a white basket lined with red and white gingham material and filled it with snacks and school supplies. I had a lot of fun putting it together and she was thrilled with it. She met us at her dorm and took us upstairs to see her room. We met her roommate, who is very sweet. Then we took her out for Mexican food and picked up a few more necessities for her room before bringing her back. She's living in the same dorm I lived in, so it brought back a lot of good memories for me. I'm so proud of her and happy to see her starting a new chapter in her life.

She's asked me to come back soon and go to lunch with her after class. One of her friends is majoring in elementary education and she wants to talk to me about it. So I think I may take half a day off and drive down to meet her in a couple of weeks.

I just still can't believe that she started classes today. I was sitting across the table from her last night as she was chattering away about everything, and she seemed so young to me. Of course, it doesn't help that she's only about five feet tall and weighs less than 100 pounds. She certainly looks like she could still be in middle school. But deep down, I know that she's ready and that she will handle it. In fact, I think she's going to be fine!

By the way, I did remember to take a picture of her goodie basket, but I haven't uploaded the pictures to my computer yet. I will post a photo soon!

Diamond Award!

I've recieved the diamond award from one of my favorite bloggers, Rickrack and PomPoms! I was drawn to her blog for the simply adorable name and now I read it every day. She has such interesting posts and she always spotlights some of the cutest preppy items. Thank you!

There are some rules that are to be followed, so here they are:


1. Put the logo on your blog.

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4. Add links to those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

I nominate the following blogs:

Pink Cupcakes and TaB: Love reading about her adventures with her co-worker Queenie.

Grosgrain Garage: I love reading about all of her crafty things she makes.

Buford Betty: I love her blog, and she posted the funniest SEC football joke the other day. I love football season and I think that her blog will be even more fun to read now that football season is around the corner.

Clemson Girl and the Coach: Another football fan that I think will be a fun read during football season.

Caffeine Court: I love reading about her adventures in the tennis club world.

Preppy Pink Crocodile: Another crafy blogger like Lisagh over at GG. You all make me want to be crafty like you!

Bowl of Cherries: Brave blogger, fellow educator who shares my love of labs.

I am new to the blogging world, but I have fallen in love with it. It is so relaxing after a tough day at school to come home and read about all these interesting lives. Thanks again, RR and PomPoms for the award!

Introducing another member of the family

Allow me to introduce myself...I'm Sunny, the beautiful and beloved dog of Pink Putter and Mr. P. They would probably call me spoiled, but I only see it as getting what I deserve.


Things I love: hot dogs, plastic bottles, and belly rubs.

Things I do not love: thunderstorms, baths, and flea treatments.

Special talent: The ability to smell the grill being fired up or any food being put in my dish from anywhere on the 100 acres that I roam on.

Here I am with one of my favorite toys, a plastic bottle.

This is a picture that PP took of me during the big snow in March. I don't look very happy because I only went out for a few minutes of fresh air and she insisted on taking pictures of me. Don't worry, she let me back into my warm basement as soon as the photo shoot was over.

Well, I'm going to sign off now. I'm sure you'll hear more about me in the future because Pink Putter adores me. Woof!

My first meme...5 Embarrassing Songs

I've seen this meme on several other blogs, so I thought I'd give it a try. The last blog I saw it on was Buford Betty, and she tagged anyone who hadn't done it yet.

The rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.


2. Share 5 songs you are embarrassed to admit to others that you like and tell why.


3. Tag 5 random people at the end of post and include links to their blogs.


4. Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So, without further ado, here are my 5 embarrassing songs on my iPod:

1. Copacabana by Barry Manilow-Such a cheesy song, but it makes me sing along and want to dance.

2. Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice. Once again cheesy, but I like it for some odd reason.

3. Delta Dawn by Tanya Tucker. According to my mom, this was my favorite song when I was little. She says that I would stand up behind her seat in the car (wayyy before seat belt laws) and sing every word in her ear. I'm sure that wasn't annoying or anything, right?

4. What's Left of Me-Nick Lachey. Okay, I'll admit it-I think he's cute. I watched the Newlyweds and I think Jessica Simpson is an idiot for letting her dad get between them, but that's another post all together. But I like the song too.

5. Duran Duran. I didn't list a particular song because it's embarrassing to think about the number of DD songs that I have on my iPod. I loved them when I was a teenager, and I still bop around to their songs from time to time.

I'm not tagging anyone because most of the blogs I read have already done this, but if you haven't done it, post it and let me know.

I'm working on a 100 things about me meme, but I'm not finished with it yet.

Ready or not, here they come!

The halls are shining, the classrooms are sparkling, the teachers are ready. By 7:15 tomorrow morning our school will be filled with bright shining faces. I love the first day of school-the anticipation, the excitement, all the thoughts of the new year and the activities to come. Not to mention all the new school supplies (see my 5 Things I'm Into Right Now post). I went into my office a couple of days ago and it was like Christmas-a box full of post-its, file folders, tape, pens, pencils, and much more. I was a happy camper!


Tomorrow will be busy to say the least...lots of parents coming to school and calling to check on their little ones. And the huge task of making sure that they all get on the correct bus at the end of the day and get safely home.

Good luck to any others out there who are starting school soon!

Busy, busy, busy

It's another busy week. I haven't had much time to blog, but I hope to get a couple of posts up tonight. The first week of August is always busy for me. The beginning of school coupled with the opening of my play means no time to blog!



School is crazy right now. We have our back to school barbeque tonight, so the school will be filled with parents and students. All of the construction over the summer has left the school in a mess and we are scrambling to get the school in shape for tonight. Things are looking better, but we still have a long way to go. I'm looking forward to seeing the families tonight and meeting all of our new folks.



I made it through the weekend without going off my diet! I enjoyed my cheat meal on Saturday night (Chinese food and then a piece of my mother-in-law's birthday cake). I didn't get on the treadmill yesterday because I didn't get home until after 8:00, so I got up early this morning and did my workout then. I think if I'm going to work out it is going to have to be in the morning. I either get home too late or I'm just too tired in the evenings.



I've got lots more to blog about, but I'm out of time...

Bobby Socks, Ponytails, and a Little Dream

Ed. note-This began as a short post about last night, but it turned into a small biographical novel. Sorry about the length...


When I was little, all I wanted to be was a dancer/actress/singer on stage. I dreamed of being a Rockette or performing on Broadway. When I was growing up, I can remember going to see the Nutcracker or a musical and fantasizing about being up there on stage with the performers. I took dance lessons-ballet, tap, and jazz-for years and loved every minute of it. We would have a recital each summer and I reveled in performing on those nights. In my free time, I would take my trusty tape recorder and armed with cassettes of various musicals, I would choreograph routines and pretend that I was performing on stage.

As I grew up, I continued the dance lessons, but I also became involved in various other activities in middle and high school. So my dreams of Broadway took a backseat, and by the time I was applying for college and deciding on a major, a more practical option was chosen. But there was always a part of me that wished I had at least tried to pursue a career on stage.

Fast forward a few years...I am newly married and have settled in another state with Mr. P. I'm teaching third grade and have become friends with the owner of the local dance studio named Anne. Anne was dating a man that owns and runs the local outdoor theater.


I met him one night and he said he was always looking for new people for his annual summer shows. He asked me if I was interested in performing in his theater that summer with Anne. He explained that he was the playwright for the 4 shows that he produced at his theater. Two of the shows were historical accounts of local history and two of the shows were 50's musicals. This was like a dream come true.

Well, later that summer, he called me and asked me if I was still interested. Interested?? Of course I was! So with huge butterflies in my stomach, I made my way to the first rehearsal. I ended up having a great time and I was hooked. And every August and September since, I have spent my weekend nights in bobby socks and saddle oxfords, singing and dancing on stage.


Last night was opening night, and I realized that I have been doing this for 12 years now. 12 years! It just doesn't seem possible. I've almost given it up a few times, particularly after Anne passed away from cancer a few years ago. But I've stuck with it and never regretted it, although I still miss her terribly, especially around this time of year.


I'm a pretty quiet person until I get to know you, so people are often surprised when they find out I do this. It's not one of the first things that I tell people about when I talk about myself, so it's kind of like a secret life I have. Sometimes people will come up to me and say "I saw an ad for -------- Theater and it looked like you in one of the pictures." I'll smile sheepishly and admit it was indeed me.

I don't know how much longer I'll keep doing it. It is a huge time committment, and I know that Mr. P gets tired of our weekend evenings being tied up for two months every year. But every time I think about taking a break from it, the little show diva in me won't let me give it up. Until then, it's going to be bobby socks, ponytails, and a little dream come true for me.

Settled into my new digs!

So I'm finally settled into my new office. The furniture is arranged, boxes are unpacked, pictures/diplomas are hung, and everything has been dusted and polished. Our technician hooked up my computer and printer today, so I am ready for the school year to begin.

I have one small project to do next week. There is a large bulletin board in the offce and it is covered in the ugliest blue paper right now. I'm going to cover it with material, and glue grosgrain ribbon around it for a border. I saw some of the cutest preppy pink and green polka dotted material the other day. I loved it, but I think I need to do the bulletin board in school colors, which are blue and white. I might get a solid color background and get blue and white polka dotted ribbon for the border. I'll post a picture when I'm finished.

If anyone has any suggestions for the bulletin board, please post them. It's the first thing that people will see when they come through my door, so I want it to look nice.

Abs Diet Update

I have been a model Abs Diet girl this week. I even ventured out to lunch a couple of times and stuck to the program. Eating out at restaurants is usually the downfall of my diet, especially in the little cafes and diners around here. I'm in a pretty rural area, and a lot of the little diners around here feature country cooking, which is delicious, but usually not very healthy.

On Tuesday, the other administrator and I went to a local restaurant that features a buffet of wonderful food. Think fried chicken, fried catfish, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits, corn bread, desserts, etc. Although the buffet does have a salad bar, I just didn't trust myself to make good choices, so I ordered grilled chicken off the menu. On Wednesday, a group of us went to a new cafe in town. The menu had a vast array of sandwiches, soups, and salads. Everyone else ordered a sandwich, but I ordered a salad. It was really good with romaine lettuce, baby spinach, turkey, tomatoes, and more. I was really satisfied with my salad and didn't suffer from "food envy" at all.

I've discovered that the more I stick to the program and the "power foods" (see the Abs Diet for details), the easier it is to make good choices with food.

On Monday, I got on the treadmill for 30 minutes on a walk/run program and I also did circuit training. I haven't made it on the treadmill any other day this week, but I have made up for it in moving furniture, hauling boxes, unpacking, and cleaning my office. I worked 12+ hours on Tuesday and Wednesday, and I was just too tired to exercise when I got home. I didn't get on the treadmill today either, but I had a rehearsal tonight and I think that a couple of hours of dancing should count for something, right?

Now I need to get mentally geared up for the weekend. I tend to let myself fall off the diet wagon on Saturdays and Sundays. Wish me luck!

Weekend Recap

Quick recap of our weekend...

We went golfing on Friday night with my in-laws. Even though I've been playing for a few years now, this was the first time I have ever gone with them. Mr. P goes quite a bit with his dad, but this was the first time the four of us had played together. I didn't play as well as I would have liked to, but overall I did okay. I was breaking in a new pair of golf shoes, so I think I was thinking about my feet more than usual. The shoes were a gift from Mr. P. Aren't they cute?

Sorry if the picture is a little fuzzy, it was the only one that I could find of the shoes. After golf, we went and ate at a little diner overlooking the river. Great view and the food was really good too.

On Saturday, our church held their annual fundraiser picnic. It's a pretty big event with a dinner, games, auction, concessions, etc. Mr. P went over to the church early to help fry the chicken for the dinner. The men always do this because it involves huge fryers and lots of hot grease. I want no part of it! I went over later to help serve at the dinner, and then we both worked a concession booth until almost midnight. We were so tired, but this fundraiser usually brings in between $18,000 and $20,000 for the church, so it is worth the time we put in each year. We always have a good time too, because we are working with our friends.

Back up early this morning for church. We usually go out with the in-laws or with friends after church, but we just got some take-out and brought it home today. I perform each summer in a community theater and I had a rehearsal this afternoon. Mr. P played golf with some friends. Pizza for dinner tonight (my cheat meal of the week) and then we are going to bed early. I have to work the next 3 days-it's kindergarten orientation, so it will be very busy around the school.

5 Things I'm Into Right Now

1. Creating Classrooms Where Teachers Love to Teach

Seriously, this is one of the best professional books that I have read. The author, Bob Sornsen, uses more of a storytelling format to present the philosophy of Love and Logic to the teaching profession. Although it is geared towards teachers, I have gained some valuable perspective and tips towards dealing with students and parents as an adiminstrator. If you are a teacher, or if you know a teacher, I highly recommend this book. This author has also written a similar book about love and logic for parenting.

2. The Abs Diet for Women and Eat This, Not That

I need to lose some weight. Period. I said it out loud (well, wrote it actually, but you know what I mean). I need to face the facts and own up to what I need to do. I won't say that this plan is super easy, because dieting and losing weight is never that easy. However, this particular plan is not hard to follow, not too restrictive, and it just makes sense. Eat This, Not That, written by the same author/creator of The Abs Diet, is a great reference for making healthy choices at restaurants and the grocery store.





3. Grilling, specifically grilling kabobs

Poor Mr. P. In light of my efforts with #2, I have decided that we are grilling every night. No matter that he is working 12+ hour days right now, when he gets home, he has the task of cooking our dinner. I love to cook, but grilling is not my thing-probably because of my fear of fire and all that. And kabobs are the best-you have your meat and veggies marinated, add a little brown rice, a green vegetable and voila-a healthy, balanced, delicious dinner.

In my defense, the meat and vegetables are always marinated and the grill is already heating, so all he has to do is the actual grilling. And we usually grill enough for 2 meals, so he doesn't have to grill every night. Just every other night. Hee.



4. Bonnano Sandals

Okay, I seriously want a pair of the Emma Monogrammed sandals in black with white stitching. I have currently put myself on a shopping freeze due to the large amount of shopping that I have done this summer. I have had so many events this summer-niece's graduation, my class reunion, my in-law's 40th anniversary, and I have bought a new outfit for each one of them, in addition to buying new summer things also. I inventoried my closet the other day and realized that if I lost some weight (once again, see #2) it would be like I had a whole new wardrobe. So I have put myself on a shopping freeze. That being said, I still want a pair of these sandals. I think that I am borderline obsessing over them. Case in point-I'm sitting in church last Sunday, in a really cute black and white outfit, and in the middle of the sermon, I start thinking about how cute a pair of monogrammed Emma sandals would look with my outfit.

5. School Supplies

It's hard to believe, but school starts in less than two weeks. Where did my summer go?? The teachers are working in their classrooms, putting new things up and getting things ready for the kids. Even though I'm not in the classroom anymore, I still have the urge to buy new things for the new school year. I need to start my year off with perfectly sharpened yellow pencils with a red cap eraser on the top. I need new stuff to put in and on my desk. Staples, Office Max, and Office Depot are calling my name. My friend LB bought some adorable Vera Bradley office supplies (pencils, note pad, and clipboard) for her classroom, and I've decided that I may just need some too.

So here I go...

My first post and I have no idea what to say, how's that for a great start to a blog? I've been reading blogs all summer and finally decided to strike out on my own. If I am half as entertaining as the blogs I've been reading this summer, then I will consider this a success.

My main goal is to write about my day and hope that someone out there finds it remotely interesting! I may share this with a few of my close friends, particularly the one that got me turned onto blogs in the first place (Thanks, LB!), but other than that I am going to keep it quiet from friends and family, at least until I get a feel for blogs and how all this works.

A few quick facts about myself-I am in my thirties, happily married to a great guy, and I am a school administrator. We have no kids, but hope to have a few sometime in the future. We enjoy golfing together and I love the color pink, which is how the name Pink Putter was born.

Well, I'm off to the golf course with Mr. Pink, who will probably be known as Mr. P from here on out.