What a Great Day

I just sent home my two best friends from a visit at my house. It was the first time both Jennifer and Sarah had seen my house. They were very complimentary. It was nice to have them in my area and let them enjoy the places I go.....most importantly it was nice to catch up and chat it up. Talking about the cruise, families, issues and summer was great fun. We had a nutritious lunch at Doc Green's and then shopped for little Emma Grace before chasing our healthy lunch with a healthy portion of ice cream from Cold Stone. Before having them hit the road for parts both north and south of here, I made them subjects for pictures. I am posting both of them because Sarah liked one and Jen liked the other. I can't wait to see them again this summer. My life seems more complete when we get together.

First Day at Sea

The first day at sea involved a lot of resting and checking out the boat. It was also our first formal dinner. See pictures below from the first formal night and of our first towel animal.

Our Towel Dog Fido

Back from the Cruise, Back to Vacation

We got back from our cruise last night and I have a lot to post but I will just do it a little at a time. It is weird to come back and not have to go back to work but it is a weird I can get used to. I have been very lazy this morning. I am starting to get it together though and have washed two loads of laundry, done step aerobics and unloaded the dishwasher. I am about to make a grocery list and head to the grocery store. This week we are going to do mostly salads for dinner. It is in reaction to our eating on the cruise but also great timing because my Kraft Food and Family Magazine came before the cruise. The magazine featured a lot of different salads. So here we go with that this week.

Here's a few pictures of the beginning of the cruise. When we got to our stateroom, I was very touched that my husband had ordered a cake to celebrate my Masters coursework being done and me being a third of the way through my internship. It was very sweet and made me have that warm fuzzy feeling for him very intensely.We also participated in a safety drill and went to dinner among other fun things.

The Happy Cruisers with the Celebratory Cake

The Safety Drill

Our First Dinner

Today is......

- The last day of school with kids
While I am happy to see summer come around the corner, this is an emotional day because my group that I looped with and taught some of in FOCUS this year is leaving me behind. We are having fifth grade awards today and I imagine I will be crying.

- The beginning of another moving process
Yes, I am moving again. From my little fraction of a classroom to a full size room so it is good and it is of my own doing but I have yet to go a year of my teaching career without the joys of moving in or out.

- Three days til we leave for FL, four days til we leave for the cruise
So happy about this and even more excited that H1N1 is no longer keeping us from stopping at Cozumel. Tried packing last night and didn't get very far. If I were to leave right now, then I would be really well dressed for dinner. That is it.

- The American Idol finale
I sure do hope that Kris Allen wins. Adam Lambert can go scream his face off somewhere else.

What is today for you?

Grey's Anatomy Finale

WOW! That was incredible. I felt like the finale had me feeling the feelings that Meredith Grey was feeling especially when she discovered who the man hit by the bus was. Incredible!

May I just say that all of my shows ( Grey's, Private Practice and One Tree Hill) are leaving me with these emotional, medical finales and I am going to have a hard time til they all return in the fall.

Post a comment if you were sitting on the edge of your couch last night over Grey's or tell me what season finale has you trying to hit fast forward for next fall. :0)

The Birth of Comet

On Saturday, I tested the limits of sanity and took 14 fifth grade students to the Mall by myself. I did so in order to complete a project that I had approached my fifth grade FOCUS students about completing. A few weeks ago I had asked them how they would like to leave their mark on the school. While many ideas were tossed around ( time capsule, Hollywood Walk of Fame handprint display, building of a bench,,etc), we finally decided to build a bear to be placed in the library in their honor. Up until this year, our school mascot was the bear so it seemed fitting. We also decided to make a diploma to display next to him where all 18 fifth grade FOCUS students could sign their name and be immortalized. So I met 14 fifth graders at the mall on Saturday at 5pm and the birth of Comet, the bear(named for our new mascot) took place after that.

Trying to Pick Out Which Bear to Build

A Group Shot with the Very Flat Comet

All 14 children got to place a heart inside of Comet!

J and C helped the store employee shoot fluff into Comet

Then everyone including C got a chance to fluff and brush Comet

Then Comet got wardrobe help from C, T and J. What a dapper graduate!

The Final Product!

Catch Me in June

If you are wondering what that title means, it pretty much symbolizes that if you want to see me anytime this summer you better book fast. My weekends are filling up fast through June and somewhat in July so if you want to see me, go ahead and book me now! Because I can't make any promises if you wait too long :0) Let's take a look at what we already know is keeping Meredith busy this summer.
Starting with this Friday.....
May 8th - Take Jason and Rachel a dinner to enjoy since they just came home with baby Jonathan and their three year old Ella just had an allergic reaction to cashews.
Celebrate Mother's Day with my Mom after meal delivery
May 9th - Go to Build a Bear Workshop with my fifth grade FOCUS students and build a graduation bear and have dinner
May 10th - Church and Mother's Day with the Dillard Family
May 16th - Brad's Mother's Cousin's Daughter's Wedding
May 23rd - Head to Port Canaveral for the Cruise and Spend the Night in a Hotel
May 24th - 31st Cruise!!!!!
June 6th - Jessa, a girl that I have led Disciple Group's with, is having her graduation party
June 11th - Carter, my nephew, turns one
June 13th - My dad is possibly getting married this day
June 22nd - My Sister's birthday
June 22nd - July 14th - Summer School when I will be interning
June 27th - Eric, my best friend since middle school, is getting married in South Georgia
July 23rd - 26th Destin with Daniel and Nan

So as you can see, things are filling up my schedule fast. Hopefully I will survive it all. :0)