Day Twenty-Six: A Picture of My Family

Since I'm a married lady, I had to post a few pics of my family and "new" family!



Here is my mom's side, the Whites. We're missing my cousins Myles and Tyler. They are both in the Services, and we're so proud!!!

Here is my dad's side, the Chapmans and Harts. This family is a HOT mess, but I love 'em!

And this is my new family, the Houchins! Such a wonderful family. I'm so blessed to be a part of it. :)

Day Twenty-Five: iPod Shuffle

Soooo... I am putting my iPhone on shuffle and telling you the first ten songs that show up! BTW, I have a very RANDOM taste in music.
Here goes nothing!

1. Lonestar - "Not a Day Goes By"
2. Foo Fighters - "Best of You (Live)" ---ONE OF MY FAVES!!
3. OneRepublic - "Sucker Punch"
4. Young Jeezy - "Then What" --- Haha
5. Howie Day - "Ghost" --- LOVE LOVE LOVE
6. Falling Up - "Escalates" --- Good little rock Christian band
7. DC Talk - "What if I Stumble" --- YES please
8. Breaking Benjamin - "Believe"
9. Diamond Rio - "In a Week or Two"
10. Dave Matthews Band - "Spaceman"

Day Twenty-Four: Something I've Learned

WOW.
Well instead of spending 30 minutes typing about the millions of lessons I've learned, I will say this.
"You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find YOU GET WHAT YOU NEED." Thank you Rolling Stones.

I do feel like all the lessons I've learned have been based around the idea that you really can't get everything you want, but you do get what you need. Bottom line, sometimes it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but patience will show you that what's meant to happen will. It always does.

Day Twenty-Three: My Favorite Vacation

I would say the post below sums up my favorite vacation.

Adding to Myrtle Beach, though, my honeymoon ties with it. Curacao is one of the coolest places I've EVER been to!!! You can read about it here.

HAPPY FRIDAY! My family is in town and I'm super happy. The holidays are upon us. :)

Day Twenty-Two: My Favorite City

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.























When I was in High School, my parents took us to Myrtle Beach for the first time. I'm not sure it was because it was our very first beach trip, but we all fell in love with the place. My dad and brother golfed and my mom and I shopped and laid out at the beach. I always remember the people in Myrtle Beach being the nicest ever.
We went back two more times and I have been dying to visit again. I think the reason I love it so much is because we were able to spend time as a family and everyone was always so happy. It's so nice to remember times like that growing up. :)

Day Twenty-One: A Picture of ME!

Day Twenty: My Nicknames

Ally
Al
Sissy
Blondie
Mickey-Doo
Ally-Bear
Ally-Cat
Bear-Pie
Ally-Bug
Ally-Bean
Als

Day Nineteen: Something I Miss

Lauren Ashley Norris-Green -- my bff that lives TOO far away

:(

Day Eighteen: Something I Regret

Let's call it "Some things I regret:"

-Waiting til 8th grade to wax my eyebrows
-Jncos
-Not taking piano lessons
-Being too dependent in my college years
-Letting my mom die my hair
-Being too impressionable
-Doing the cleansing diet a few years ago
-Acting like a fool in 2005 and again in 2007
-Not wearing my retainer
-Taking life too seriously
-Rushing through college
-Promise ringS!
-Not going to see the Grinch Musical this weekend

Day Seventeen: Something I'm Looking Forward To!!!

Day Sixteen: My Dream House

I am not sure what it would look like on the outside. But the inside would be a little something like this:

Kitchen

Day Fifteen: A Bible Verse

My two favorite Bible verses are:

Psalm 27:14
"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more glady about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Day Fourteen: A Picture I Love

Day Thirteen: My Goals

To love more than anything.

To finish my Masters degree (I'm 24 hrs away)!

To be a momma and to raise my children to be honest, independent and loving.
To be the best wife, mom, daughter, and sister that I can be.

To touch lives as an educator.
To better my relationship with the Lord.

Day Twelve: I Believe

I know that this should say all the things I believe, but I found a quote on a Starbucks cup (silly, I know) that I truly think sums up how I feel.

"I have faith. Faith in our wondrous capacity for hope and good, love and trust, healing and forgiveness. Faith in the blessing of our infinite ability to wonder, question, pray, feel, think, and learn. I have faith. Faith in the infinite possibilities of the human spirit."

Pretty insightful for a Starbucks cup, isn't it? And so true!! I am a teacher who believes that every child can learn if they have someone who believes in them. I am a lover who believes that trust is the center of all relationships. I am a child of God who believes that forgiveness is necessary in order to be like Christ. I am an optimist who believes that are people are essentially good, and I choose to look for it within everyone.
I believe that life is good and that we are blessed to just be living it.
I believe.

Day Eleven: My Favorite TV Shows

Thanks to our DVR, I am able to watch a lot more tv than I used to.
My favorite shows are: (in no particular order)

Gilmore Girls- I think I have seen them all! I want to be friends with the Gilmores
Lie to Me- Stinkin' love Cal. He's full disclosure all the time.
Top Chef- Love love love. Wish I knew how to cook like these folks.
Castle- Castle is hilarious. Still waiting on him and Detective Beckett to get together!!
Guiliana and Bill- So funny and so cute.
Two and a Half Men- HILARIOUS!! That's all.
The Unit- Awesome.
General Hospital- I know what you're thinking, but I have been watching it for years. I'm flat addicted.
Army Wives- SO good. It's like the Unit but from the ladies' points of view.
Rules of Engagement- The guy that plays Jeff could be the funniest man alive. I'm just saying.
Keeping Up With the Kardashians- HOT. MESS.
Private Practice- I have recently become addicted. It's intense, but great.
Parenthood- This is my newest fave... Hey, it's got Loralai Gilmore in it so it has to be GOOD!

Okay, I guess that's all. I promise that I do more than watch tv! Haha. Happy Saturday!

Day Ten: Something I Fear

FAILURE.

I am one high strung chica with high expectations... And who do I hold to the highest standards? Myself.

It's a struggle. I know I am not perfect, but I try to be pretty damn close, and that is what makes me hard on myself. I am working on it.

But bottom line, I'm scared as hell to fail.
Hey, that rhymed. :)

Day Nine: A Picture of My Friends

Day Eight: A Place I've Traveled To

SINCE Matt and I were just able to go to on a FABULOUS honeymoon, I figure that I should tell you a little about the place we went, Curacao. It was BE-A-UTIFUL! We were able to relax relax relax, snorkel (I had never snorkeled before), go to a deserted island, and eat our weight in delicious food. Plus, we met two other honeymooning couples that we LOVED, so it was quite an experience!
It is a little island right north of Venezuela, South America and it was magnificent. Why doesn't the US have any beaches quite like this??

Here are a few pictures from our wonderful time there!

Welp, now that I've looked back through these pictures, I'm really wishing we were back there!! Oh well, maybe for our anniversary?! :)

Day Seven: My Favorite Movies

This is EAAAASY!
I love ALL Christmas movies (except Polar Express and I'm not sure why-- I think I was just bored with it), but my favorites are:
AND, my ALL-TIME favorite non Christmas movie is:Love it!

Day Six: A Picture that Makes Me Happy

So, I have totally been slacking, but I just had no time to get online during the Thanksgiving holidays. My parents came to town and my mom and I spent LOTS of time shopping and decorating for Christmas. I had so much fun. I was sad to see the week end. Now, it's back to the grind, just counting down the days until Christmas break.

On a lighter note, though... Here's a pic that makes me SO happy. It's my little family at Thanksgiving. :)

Day Five: My Brother

My brother rocks. He is one of the coolest guys you'll ever meet. He's smart, handsome, funny, and has this incredible ability to talk to you using words that eventually confuse you. It's so much fun to watch him debate, bicker, and (let's be honest) drive people insane! As long as he's not doing it to me! :)
Really, though. I am so beyond proud of the man my brother has become. He built a business (and is working on another) from the ground up. He has pushed through the hard times that the economy has laid upon us all. He will keep on pushing because that's just who he is... A driven man who will never take No for an anwser. I am so super blessed to have him as my brother. LOVE YOU BUB!

You can read more about him here!

Day Four: My Parents

With this being Thanksgiving week, it is so easy for me to ramble on about my parents. I absolutely love them. I know they're my parents and that's how I'm supposed to feel, but you just don't understand. I have the best parents in the world.


Naturally, I have already written about them both here and here. That truly does sum it up.

I can't wait to spend Thanksgiving with them. It's been so hard for us since they moved to Odessa, but we're doing okay. Hopefully they will be back VERY soon!!! :)

Love you Mom and Dad!!!

Day Three: My First Love

A picture would explain this better than any words.

Hahaha! I know what you're thinking... "C'mon, wine CAN'T be your absolute first love!"

Now, don't get me wrong, I do have plenty of stories about the 2 or maybe 3 times I thought I was in love in High School and college, but let's face it, wine is much more suitable. It never lets you down and surely would never break you heart.

I first met wine in 2003. Oh Franzia, we had some wonderful times together. Then as the years progressed, so did my preference in wine. I went from boxed to magnum bottles of White Zinfandel and eventually made my way to $50 bottles of reds and whites. Today, I'm thrilled by the "buy 6 and save" deal at Albertsons. Yes, please. I am even the member of a wine club. Yep, that's right.

My relationship with wine is notable... Through the years, we have laughed, cried, and made terribly stupid decisions togehter... BUT, wine has always been there for me. I love you wine. Seriously.

In closing, I DO have to admit-- My second true love was my husband. I can't leave him out. :) GOODNIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day Two: The Story Behind My Blog Name

The Story Goes a Little Something Like This:

There is a verse in the Bible, Proverbs 31:10, that says
"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies."

I ran across this verse about 5 or 6 years ago through a really random chain of events, but it has really stuck with me. Through my ups and downs and in-betweens, it has helped me remember that I really AM worth more than rubies. It helps seal the deal on my self-confidence.

Now, I'm lucky enough to have a man that thinks I'm worth more than rubies too. I'm blessed.

ALSO, my the actual name of my blog if you were to search for it is called "Hands on a Miracle." It's my absolute favorite song in the world and it's by the Foo Fighters. It was mine and Matt's first dance because it is truly so fitting... "Hands on a miracle, I got my hands on a miracle. Believe it or not, hands on a miracle. And there ain't no way that you'll take it away." Beautiful!

SO, that's about it.... I'm out to have a nice Saturday breakfast with my MIRACLE!! Happy Weekend!

30-Day Blog Challenge-- Day 1

Okay, I totally want to jump on this bandwagon. I got the idea from my friend, Ryan, (you can read her blog here) and I figure that I could use something that makes me blog a little bit more. I've been slacking like crazy. So here goes nothing!!!

Day One: Introduction, Recent Picture, Fifteen Interesting Facts
Okay, okay, I know this isn't a picture of me, BUT it is my most recent picture (taken yesterday actually). I need for you to understand that this isn't just any Christmas tree... It is the FIRST tree my grandmother has put up in her house in 25 YEARS!! You see, her son (my mom's baby brother) passed away that year in a car accident and it naturally rocked their world. My grandma hasn't been able to bring herself to put up a tree since then... Until this year. I am SO proud of her, and if you look on the wall right behind the tree is a picture of my Uncle Robbie (we didn't do this purposefully). It's like he's looking down on us. :)

Anyway, about me. I am Allyson Michelle (Chapman) Houchin. I am 25, and will be 26 on December 27. I recently married-- two months yesterday actually-- to the absolute love of my life. We have the most beautiful dog you've ever seen, and her name is Harper. She is a chocolate lab. We bought our first house this year and we're enjoying the fun and stress of being homeowners.
I am the baby of a wonderful family-- My brother, Brad is 2 and a half years older and is the coolest guy you'll ever meet. He is handsome, funny, and the best salesman in the world. My mom is beautiful and kind, and my dad has always been such a great caretaker; he would do anything for anybody. I am blessed that my parents are still married and still very much in love.
I am an 8th grade Math teacher. People usually think you have to be smart to teach Math, but I would say I'm kinda dumb because I chose to teach 8th grade!! :) No really, in all honestly. It's been a wonderfully disastrous ride. These kids are crazy, funny, awesome, careless, mean, lazy, emotional, happy, but all-around awesome. They make my world a more exhausting, but better place-- no doubt.
I think that's about it. :)

AND, here are 15 random things about me:
1. I have the same last name as one of my very best friends in the world. We married cousins. How cute is that?!

2. Before I get in the car to take a road trip (whether it's 1 hour or 12 hours), I always stop to get Trolli sour gummi worms and a sugar free Red Bull. Always.

3. Not to toot my own horn, but I'm a pretty good cook. I'm just a terrible meal planner, so I never really do it. My poor husband didn't realize what he was signing on for.

4. I LOVE the Bravo channel. Seriously. What's better than Top Chef, Housewives of every city in the US, and Millionaire Matchmaker? Not much, I say.

5. On my mom's side, I am the only granddaughter. Enough said.

6. I love my Kindle. Like, love love. I would almost die for it.

7. I have an obsession in coffee mugs. I can't stop buying them.

8. I asked for a camera for Christmas... And not just any camera. A fancy one. I probably won't be getting any presents for a LONG time.

9. I think the North Face is the coolest brand ever.

10. My best friend and I have only lived in the same city for ONE year. We've been best friends for 7 years.

11. I am also obsessed with blue jeans. If I try them on, I'm going to buy them. It's a problem. I need help.

12. I think the guy that invented TOMS shoes is hot. I'm just saying.

13. I cry very easily... sappy movies, tv shows, commercials. They get me every time!

14. I'm hungry right now. I forgot to eat breakfast. Good thing we're having a pot luck for lunch. YUM!

15. I love my Sanuk shoes. I would wear them every day if they matched.

Welp, it's been nice sharing a little bit about myself. I'm going to now go get some water so that I can fill my belly until lunchtime.
HAPPY FRIDAY!! :)

Aunt Ally

I am going to be an AUNT! My sister-in-law, Lindsay is having a baby in early April.
We had dinner the other night to celebrate because she was supposed to find out the baby's sex. I say "supposed to" because the dang little thing had it's legs crossed. I guess I should say that SHE had HER legs crossed... Only little ladies cross their legs. :)

Lindsay is SO hoping for a baby girl because she wants to have fun dressing her up and mostly because she wants a "momma's girl." Other than that, I can't imagine having a girl... Such a handful! :) Anyway, so I bought them a little burp rag for a girl (hope I didn't jinx them)! It's sweet--- All pink and green with a cursive "L" on it for Luxee).

I cannot wait to meet my sweet niece (or nephew, Rylind). I am going to spoil him/her rotten!! :)

His Presence

I had a moment the other day where I sat in my car reminiscing about a few years ago. I thought back to my years at DBU.

I kind of like to think of it as the time I learned the "blessings of brokenness." My time at DBU was so rewarding, but so incredibly difficult. I am not sure if it my trying to impress or fool certain people or if it was just the fact that I was SO ready to be done with college, but either way, I did not take full advantage of my time there. I never truly took the time or energy to be still and to appreciate DBU for what it has to offer.

That is where my thoughts went: I thought about how even though I give my alma mater a hard time (not because it isn't a GREAT school, but because of the personal struggles I went through while I was there), it really is an amazing place. I thought about how when you walk on that campus, you can feel Jesus Christ. You can feel Him in everything. It is incredible.

Sitting in my car, my thoughts of memories began to turn into regrets. I regret not appreciating the beauty of it more while I was there. I regret being resentful for things that were mostly self-inflicted (hey, who is NOT a glutton for punishment?!). I regret carrying pain and burdens that I should have let go of long ago. I regret graduating as quickly as possible. I regret not giving DBU its due credit.

So, anyway, I am humbled to be able to say all of this... It's hard to admit my mistakes and regrets, but I want to make this admission. On the record, I love DBU and its purpose. Absolutely love it.

That is all.

Wordless Wednesday

Update...

My friend's dad's cancer is at a stage 4. They recommend chemo (of course), but the chemotherapy he will have to go through is incredibly powerful and could hurt both his heart and his bowels. However, since they tested his heart and it is strong enough, they are starting chemo today. Please continue to pray with me.

Broken

My heart is broken today for a good friend of mine.
Her dad found out today that he has cancer. She and her family are naturally distraught and I hurt for them beyond words. It is not fair. Why bad things happen to good people, I guess I'll never know. I just pray that they do not lose their faith and that they keep fighting the fight.


But He said to me "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Same Kind of Different As Me

I just finished the most incredible book. I definitely recommend it to anyone who asks.

It is called "Same Kind of Different as Me" by Ron Hall and Denver Moore.
It is a true story where "an international art dealer and a modern-day slave from Louisiana become friends after the art dealer is roped into volunteering at a homeless shelter by his saintly wife."The super cool thing about it is not only that it's true, but that it takes place in Fort Worth. How neat to hear such a touching story about two men that are still alive and living in our metroplex. The story of how their friendship came to be and eventually blossomed is incredible.

There were two parts that truly touched me and that left me with a lesson were this:
1. When the art dealer, Ron Hall, first started working at the homeless shelter, he ran across this homeless man that was always smiling. It naturally threw him for a loop because he wondered what in the world the homeless man had to be smiling about (especially after learning that the man's son had been tragically killed and his wife had to be admitted because she lost her mind). He decides one day to approach the man and ask him about his constant smile. The homeless man tells him "I woke up today!" How meaningful are those simple words? "I woke up." That's why I said in Monday's post that I was just thankful I woke up... What a blessing to be given another day to live.

2. The very end of the book, when Ron and Denver are recapping their journey together, Denver (the slave) says, "I used to spend a lotta time worryin that I was different from other people, even from other homeless folks. Then, after I met Miss Debbie and Mr. Ron, I worried that I was so different from them that we wadn't ever gon' have no kind a' future. But I found out everybody's different - the same kind of different as me. We're all just regular folks walkin down the road God done set in front of us. The truth about it is, whether we is rich or poor or somethin in between, this earth ain't no final restin place. So in a way, we is all homeless - just workin our way toward home." Perfect explanation by such a simple man.

So for today, I am counting my blessings and thanking the Lord to be alive. :)
Happy Wednesday.

My Music Monday- New Morning

In honor of this beautiful Monday morning (I promise I am not crazy, I am just having a good morning because my kids are working quietly and I have a NEW haircut), my song today is called "New Morning" by Alpha Rev.

Because I am at work, I can't get on YouTube to get you the link, but I definitely recommend that you look it up. Such a great song.
Here is my favorite line:

"No, I'm getting kinda rich on the sight of any soul alive."

Nice little reminder that we are rich not by what we have or own, but by the lives we have been given. It's good to remember that we are blessed to just be here.
For today, I'm glad that I woke up. :)

Oh Thursday.

I accidentally skipped over Wordless Wednesday, so my post will contain some pictures today.

I have to tell you about my best friend's wedding last weekend. It was on a golf course in Houston and it was absolutely BEAUTIFUL. Lauren was the most beautiful bride and I loved watching Dustin as she walked down the aisle. They were both very sweet and got me all choked up!
Her brother married them. He is technically not a pastor, but when she asked him to perform the service, he gladly went online and got ordained! It's crazy what the internet provides us with nowadays! He did a wonderful job... He was so nervous, but he pulled through beautifully and got me choked up even more. It was so neat to see all of the love surrounding us.

The reception was just as gorgeous. I was so excited that it was the first wedding ever that I didn't have to stand with all the single ladies during the bouquet toss. Phew! No one realizes how much pressure that is on a woman. It, in a word, SUCKS! This time, however, I got to watch blissfully as the ladies gracefully tackled each other and started pulling hair fighting over the bouquet. It was a bit more glorious from the outside looking in! :)

The end of the reception was my favorite... They had bought these sticks that look like roman candles, but with a flick of the wrist, they explode with this white confetti. They got passed out a little early and while the happy couple was still in the middle of the dance floor, confetti was flying everywhere. I remember looking up in awe of it... I felt like a kid watching snow come down. Unfortunately, this stuff tasted like salty paper, so it was not quite as enjoyable, but who cares.

I am so happy for Lauren. She deserves this happiness more than anyone I know. I can't wait to see what the future holds for them. :)

Should I?

I am exhausted. From head to toe, exhausted.
In the first 9 weeks of school, I am drained. It is already a hard year. The Spring just might kill me. I have been worried that I am already getting burnt out on teaching (too early for this, I know), but after talking to my colleagues, I feel better about it. We are all drained. I blame it on the kids.

But on a lighter note, I am thinking about cutting my hair this weekend like this:Thoughts???? :)

My Music Monday

In honor of my best friend in the entire world (you can read about her here) who just got married this weekend, I have a special song.

I heard it on the way back from Little Rock a few weeks ago and was surprised to find who the artist was. It is called "Your Love is a Song" by Switchfoot. It has been a while since I've heard a song by them, but I was so happy when I listened to the lyrics. It is absolutely beautiful.

Hope you enjoy it is as much as I did. :)

Granny!

Today, my grandma is having a little surgery. It is a "small" day surgery, but I am asking for prayers nonetheless! Please keep her in your thoughts this morning. :)

My Music Monday

It's been a while and I have a few songs saved up!

This week is a song by one of my favorite artists EVER: Dave Barnes. It's a beautiful song (that I'm sad I didn't hear until after our wedding because I so would have used it)!

It's called "God Gave Me You."

Go HERE to check it out. :) Enjoy.

Lessons Learned

Now that I have talked about the awesomeness that was my wedding and honeymoon, I have something else I'd like to mention...

Getting married taught me a lot about the people in my life.

It is in times of great joy and times of great tragedy that true colors begin to shine. I feel like I am an even better friend to those I love during these times. However, both fortunately and unfortunately, I found a little bit of both during my happiest time.

It is the people I least expected (short of my family and my best friends), that came out of the woodworks to offer help and support. And it was the people that I expected help and support from that essentially let me down.

Looking back, I choose not to take it personally. I am taking comfort in the fact that now I know who I can lean on and who I cannot, who will be there when times are tough and who won't, who will rejoice with me during my next big event (maybe a baby?!) and who I won't expect anything from. I am finding peace in it all.

I must say, though- to those who went above and beyond, thank you thank you thank you. Your thoughtfulness did not go unnoticed.

PS- Don't get any ideas. Babies are NOT coming anytime soon!! :)

MRS.

SO much has happened since my last post. I am walking a little taller, I have an awesome tan, AND my last name has changed. I am MARRIED!
It has been such a whirlwind. Yes, we decided to get married quickly (after 4 years, why wait?!), so I knew it would fly by, but I had NO idea just how fast the 5 months would pass. One day, we are moving in to a new house and getting engaged, and the next day I am standing at the altar with the man I love. It's a CRAZY feeling.

Our wedding was absolutely beautiful... It was everything I imagined it would be and then some. Our honeymoon was phenomenal. I wish we could move to Curacao... Or at least stay longer than a week. It was a beautiful and relaxing place, and we even came back home with 4 new friends. :)

It was perfect. Everything was perfect. I feel so blessed.
I will post pics soon!

HOLY COW!

I'm getting married in TEN days!

So, excited and SO in love. :)

SCHOOL!!!

Tomorrow marks the first day of my second year of teaching! Wow... I can't believe it has been one year since my life as an educator began. On one hand, it FLEW by! And on the other, it seems like years since I started this journey.

As I embark on year two, I can't help but think about my kiddos from last year and all that they brought into my life. I will miss them dearly.

Memory number 1: "Dude, she's not THAT hot." One boy speaking to another about me as they walked past my room. Gee, thanks.
Memory number 2: I told a girl, "I bought those shoes for my mom for Mother's Day." Poor girl never wore them again. Haha.
Memory number 3: When I asked a boy why the football players quit rushing to my room to ask me to wear their jerseys on game day, he replied, "That was before we found out how mean you were."
Memory number4: TC. A kid who always kept me on my toes. I will miss that teddy bear.
Memory number 5: Field day-- I looooved seeing my kids in a different element. Plus, they didn't mind knocking me in the water in the dunking booth.
Memory number 6: The Monday after I got engaged. They clapped for me, then when I told them the story, they said "You were wearing your Frank Seale tshirt?! Eww!" Gotta love the honesty.
Memory number 7: I let the girls in my 5th period class fix my hair. I had an awkward 80's side pony-tail.

Man, there are many many more, but I guess I'll stop there. I'll give a full report after my day tomorrow. Can't wait to meet all of the new characters! Should be a heck of an adventure!

On a side note, 3 of my little cousins and my friend Lisa's little boy are all starting kindergarten tomorrow. Please pray for their parents as they make the scary transition. :)

Picture time!

Matt and I at our shower this past weekend!
All of my girls, minus a couple! :)
Got my mixer!
Love playing games!!
Sweet girl on Brad's birthday!
Brad and I at Ruidoso Downs.
Me and Dad
The view from our cabin in Ruidoso.
Matt and I at the cabin
Me and Mom and our first shower
Yay for our Keurig!
Sarah, Leigh, and I
Love my Matty cakes
A few Survivor pics... Yep, my team won! :)