Day Trip and Shoes

We had a wonderful little trip to Lubbock on Saturday. We had a great lunch, enjoyed walking and driving around reminiscing about our college days, and we shopped a little, buying a couple new t-shirts for the upcoming football season... I found the cutest book for Blake! It's called Hello, Masked Rider!, and is obviously about the Masked Rider as he rides around campus and eventually to the football that Tech wins. Here she is looking at it on the way home.
I really wanted to take her picture in front on the Texas Tech Seal on University... but a wedding party was having their pictures taken there, so maybe another day for Blake.

We are always amazed everytime that we go back to Lubbock how much it has changed. We visited a cute little subdivision called Vintage Township that is it's own community, with tons of parks, places to eat, community swimming pool... The homes are so beautiful, of all different colors, with big porches with white columns - just really cool. I tried to include a picture, but go to vintagetownship.com if you want to look around!

These are the delicious fried cheese sticks from Spanky's that I mentioned we would be eating. They are worth the 2 hour drive and are just as good as we remembered!!
Blake was really interested in the food and kept grabbing for the cheese sticks. These days I have to eat with my food out of her reach because she is grabbing for everything! This was her first time sitting in a restaurant highchair. It was way too big for her, but she was tired of sitting in the car seat, and it worked out pretty good anyway. Blake did so great on the trip, only ever fussing to let us know when it was time to eat! She's a good little traveler.

And these are the adorable Nike shoes from the Ellis family! I just had to take a picture of them, especially before her big feet (I can say that because I'm her mom and I love her) outgrow them and because they are too cute. Thanks Kelly and Jonette!

Lubbock Here We Come

Tim and I have been wanting to go back to Lubbock for a little trip for a while now, and we are finally doing it. Today when Tim gets off work, we will be heading to Lubbock for the day. Spanky's is calling our name!! (Spanky's is a hamburger place right across from the stadium with good shaved ice in their drinks and the best cheese sticks in the whole world!) We'll hopefully be buying some new Texas Tech t-shirts, seeing some friends, and having a wonderful day. It will be Blake's first trip to Lubbock (out of my tummy, that is). Tim says we're introducing her to her future college town. Happy Saturday everyone!

This is For You

I have a little boy in my classroom this year that brings me strange gifts. Starting on the 2nd day of school, he gives me at least one thing a day. He always says, "This is for you." Sweet gesture right? Well I guess it's the thought that counts! So far, he's given me an old ruler, a little scrap of paper with his birthday scribbled on it, 3 bandaids, and... the latest- a watermelon seed!

So yes I do have some really sweet kids in my classroom, they may be hard to notice through crazy behavior all around them, but there are some! I need to focus on them more.

First Week

I am sorry that I haven't blogged lately, but school has started this week! I have the hardest class that I've ever had and it's been really stressful because I miss Blake so much. Just ask all the teachers who watched/heard me cry my first day because I missed her! I know, I know, I'm 25 and being a crybaby, but it was a hard day and a big shock to me...

more pictures to be coming soon!

Saturday

I love my weekends even more than I ever did before! Can you see why? Uninterrupted time with the best little girl in the world who is pretty darn cute to look at if I do say so myself! She really is a good baby and alot of fun to be around. Everyday she can do something a little bit better or longer than the day before, I swear it seems like she's just about to take off crawling, literally, she is getting so strong.

Blake loves to sing, making sweet noises along with someone singing or music playing, she can drink from a bottle again (with vigor! according to Grandma, thanks for helping with that transition), she loves to be outside, but shaded!! and she likes to give kisses and touch faces.

She has also been amazed by the giant animals at Pappaw and Grandma's house. The horses, steers and donkey excite her! Today she even sat with Pappaw on his horse at the Horseshoe Arena where he was competing roping. We watched him for a little while, and he caught two steers clean (no penalties). Blake didn't know what to think about all the people and horses there.

Green

Once again, allow me to narrate how I think this went in Blake's head.... (today we started avocado for the first time)

"Mom, what is this?? You expect me to eat this green goop?"

"Okay, now wait a minute, let me try that again.... I'm ready!"

"Mmmmmmm, yum, ssssllllup, mmmmm, nummummmmm"

Needless to say, Blake enjoyed avocado today! The first couple of bites were unsure as she tried to figure the texture out, and it was a little cool from the fridge, (I didn't think about that at the time...) but she kept opening her mouth for more instead of clamping it shut like she does when she doesn't like something. I'm so glad to have found something she likes other than her cereals so far.

Life Lately

Well, I have been back at work since Friday for inservice days. It's hard, but I'm handling it pretty well since I know it's what I have to do. I have no worries about Blake while I'm working because she is in such great hands with my mom (and my dad too). I cry a little when it's time to say goodbye, but only after my dad drives away with her!

On the food front, so far she doesn't like any of the fruits or veggies she's been introduced to. She likes her cereals though! and good news... I think the bottle crisis is over! My mom has been giving her a bottle everyday, and she is drinking a little more of it everyday. I also go over there on my lunch break to nurse her. So far so good, I think she'll be fine with a bottle for lunch next week when I won't have time to leave school(my mom found a type of bottle she seems to like!) I am so so SO thankful that Blake is being taken care of so well! Thanks Mom and Dad! I love you.

On the work front, I just got back from Meet the Teacher night. It never fails, and tonight was no different, some parents just don't think I'm going to be a good teacher. Maybe I interpret things wrongly, but I hate being asked every year "have you taught before?" "how long have you been teaching?" "do you really think you can handle kids?" ... the words in italics being the ones especially ridden with attitude! I always politely answer the questions with a big smile and assure parents that I am strict and have very few discipline problems in my room, and that I can indeed handle their child! And tonight, the best comment was by a kid who thought I couldn't hear him... "Mom, I want to be in her class" "Why, cuz she looks nice?" "Yeah cuz my teacher looks like she'll make me be quiet, and this one probably won't be able to." I just laughed to myself at that one!

I'll try to post pictures soon. Life as you can see is busy!