Memorial Day 2010

It has been a great day! We made it to Jackson Hole about 3 this
morning and settled in for a cat nap. We ate in town and then headed
to Jenny Lake, made our way to two national parks and grilled in the
parking lot! We had some sickness along the way and so far we have
had two hurt baby knees, but everyone is still in good spirits!

Found Faithful

One of my favorite lyrics is a song my mom sang when I was little...
It said,-
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our endurance light their way
May the footprints that we leave lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey---

I have always loved those words and what they mean to me as a
teacher! Today I saw Old Faithful and I was reminded at how important
our faithfulness as Christians can be, and how we depended on the
geyser to be there--- we should require that same amount of consitancy
in our daily relationship with the Lord and those we come in contact
with who need our example..

Nervous

Don't think for five seconds I wasn't scared to death to have this
picture taken. That was a large drop off right next to the road I was
driving along!

Jenny Lake

Well, today we are touring Grand Teton National Forest! This is Lake
Jenny

Our Fearless Leader

Mark and Emily are leading our trip out west!

Story Time

Memorial Day Western Style

How cute are these two! We rolled into Teton Village at about 3 this
morning! We are tired but so happy to be here!

A moment like this

A moment like this should make you realize that our God is an awesome
God, his attention to detail in all the landscapes and the vast array
of colors in the sunset sky is awe inspiring! Praise the Lord of all
creation!

Should be the Show Me State

I know Missouri has had the title for some time now but after seeing
this poster in a local Buffalo Subway I had to post this- talk about
a one stop show event

Buffalo

So we are in Buffalo, WY, home of The Wolf Den! While I didn't make
it inside as I had just woken up from a long summers nap- I did wake
up in time for a photo moment! I'm pictured with trip mate Amanda
Campbell Puckett whom I went to North Pontotoc with! Her husband
wanted to male sure I didn't miss the opportunity to blog about this
store as it is the only place that he knows of where u can by a fox
bodypart that can be used as a toothpick--- and that's all I'm saying
about that! Love from Wyoming!

No Crazy

This is crazy horse-- it was 27 dollars to see it-- so for that we got
a shot of the back of crazy horse!

Cheeeese

While waiting on the other part of our group--Thomas found a new place
to ride for the rest of the trip... With the luggage! Can u tell he
is a happy boy!

Rush Rush

Guess where we are!

Not So Bad

The badlands at 9:00 am! So beautiful!

So Happy Together

Lyla Kate and Cullen waiting to get on the road. We are heading to the
Badlands!

South Dakota Sky

Crazy Week

Yes, sometimes teachers do crazy things...like the above picture...no children were present at the time this photo was taken...fyi---the lady in the pink shirt...yep she was my second grade teacher and I get to teach with her every day.

Ms. Walls, pictured above is showing off her end of the year gift. On the left is the gift her assistant was given...notice the difference in the sentiment...she thought her student might be trying to tell her something... :)

This week has been my last week of school. It hasn't hit me yet, but I'm out for the summer. The last week of school can cause teachers to act crazy and be run down. On Wednesday Cullen and I along with Kim and Matt Koon gave the First Baptist Church seniors a Spuds & Sweets party. It was fun, but those kids kept us up past our bed time.

MLH's Graduation brunch

Mitzi, Anna, Meagan and Julie...the mom's graduated 29 years ago this year, and are getting to send the girls off to college together.

Meagan and Anna have literally grown up right beside me. They floated near me or on the same float as me each and every summer, I have been on countless trips with each of them and have loved playing the part of big sister/babysitter to both of them. Tuesday I was able to skip school for a bit and enjoy their senior brunch. They are both attending Ole Miss in the fall and I know I will see them a lot but I can't wait to see what God has in store for these two special girls.

Kala is Having a Baby

They highschool crew..back row- Lindsay Spears Whitehead, Brooke Finch, Carrie Snow Anderson, Haylee Carnes Collums, Amber Mccarter Waits, Front- Molly Seawright Lovorn, me, Kala, Leslie Hilliard

Last Sunday we were able to shower my highschool friend Kala Hughes Leathers with sweet baby gifts. Our good friend Molly was in town from Florida and along with Leslie, Amber, and Lindsay we hostessed a shower fit for a sweet baby girl. Presley Kate will come into the world

in July and I can't wait to see her and hold her and just love on her. And for all you people reading and wondering...no I still don't want a baby, but I'm oh so happy for my friends if they want one.

Aunt B's Birthday

The fam at Harvey's with the birthday girl.

Well I must begin by saying I was to spend May 13th with none other than THE Willie Nelson. My favorite uncle bought his wife four tickets to see Willie. We were to spend the evening of her birthday watching her favorite country crooner from the fourth row. Well, like I predicted. Willie canceled...and instead has been spotted in Hawaii with shorter hair. Hmmm...

We instead spent our evening not listening to Crazy, Bloody Mary Morning, or any of my other favorite Willie tunes...we spent it at Harvey's. While there were no famous people with us...we enjoyed the company of each other and honored my Aunt B. (I think it is appropriate to say at this time that Aunt B is my mom's brother's wife. ) We are not blood kin, but we should be. Since being married to my favorite uncle and being mother to my favorite cousin...guess who my favorite aunt is...mmm hmm, you guessed correctly. While the rest of the nieces and nephews call her Aunt Barbara, she is my Aunt B. Happy Belated Birthday Post Aunt B.

The End

This is my end of the year present from my students. I upload their
art online. A mom in my class had the children select their favorite
piece, bought quilt blocks, pieced the quilt and had her mother hand
quilt it for me! Here is the shocker-- she made two- my teaching
partner got one as well! I cried, because it was a perfect gift, I
cried because so many hours were spent creating this gift just for me,
I cried because this class is unlike any I have ever had before or
will ever have again, and I cried because the parent spokesperson made
a very touching speech!

Pray

Pray this week for the women pictured on each side of me! Today
begins the week of graduation for Meagan, and this time is very
stressfull! Pray for Miss Julie as this is her baby and it could
prove to be an emotional week! And since you're praying u could lump
me in, too-- just for good measure:)

I miss this

I miss this face and I won't be seeing it for a little while
longer... With all the trips I have planned! I can't wait until June
when I can go visit her for a dew days... But for now I'm just waiting!

Darla's Bunko Birthday

Darla is gonna love this picture :)

My cousin, Darla, celebrated her 31st birthday in May. It just so happened that we had bunko the day after her birthday so I made her cake and we kept the weeklong celebration going.

Art Smart

Just for fun...Big Fat Hen (oil pastels with chalk pastel)
Georgia O'keefe for Mother's Day gifts (acrylics on canvas)

Fase Vases

Scream for Summer (Oil Pastels)

Pandas (acrylics)

Matisse - Mixed Media (oil pastels, watercolors)

The whole class painted this 16x 20 canvas that was auctioned off

Studying highlights and shadows using oil pastel

Still life Oil pastels

Permanent Markers on Foil

I don't talk about my students very much, I think there are too many creepy people out in the world...and I don't want it to be my students they prey on...but I need to brag on them. They have become great little artists this year. Weekly I give them an art project that ties into the lessons we have been working on or things that are going on at school. Here are some of the things they have created this year.

Rain Rain

I am so ready for the rain to move out...As a girl with naturally curly hair this humidity is doing a number on my good hair days which as we move into the summer days will become fewer and fewer in number.
Also this rain is not fun for my cake decorating days either. I hate delivering cakes in the rain, and as I have started working more and more with fondant I surely don't like the humidity as it causes the fondant to droop and sag...
Yesterday I journeyed to Oxford in the rain with my two favorite seniors, Anna and Meagan, along with "Mrs. Koon" as they call my friend Kim. We shopped around the square and found refuge from the storm in Boure. A fun time in the wet weather.
Today I am procrastinating making a sign for church tonight and not wanting to get all my paints and stuff out. But duty calls and I am ready to get it over with... so I'm off to paint. Then I've been wanting to sew some things.
Happy Rainy Sunday.
---random memory----
Thinking about this rain and being in Oxford yesterday reminded me that every morning when I was venturing to find a parking place in the rain Clint Black's song "I Never Liked the Rain" always seemed to play on the radio. And for now and forever I think I will always hum that song when it rains like it has been doing the last few weekends.