Happy Birthday Reece!

Last Sunday, we celebrated our niece's second birthday with a family barbecue. I thought I'd share some of our pictures and memories!


Micah got a party hat. My face with my party hat wasn't very nice so I'll post him looking ridiculous.

Reece associated balloons with happiness and since she shoved my face away when I first got there, I carried the balloons around so she'd be nice!

The theme of the party was ladybugs.

Reece stuck her finger in the number two candle as we were singing "Happy Birthday" to her. She didn't even cry...just a stunned look!

The cupcakes were good!

And, she was into everything. This is her trying to get out of her old baby toy.

We bought Reece these adorable pink, sparkle ballerina shoes. I hope she wears them everyday to pay Karli back with all of her "outfits" she tortured us with (note: As a child Karli insisted on wearing either a ballerina costume, it looked like a thong after she out grew it, but again insisted on wearing it...the wedding dress with veil, the apron with white scuffed heels, the grass skirt. I should mention that Karli would throw a fit if she wasn't allowed to dress herself)). I only hope Reece insists on wearing these shoes no mater how bad they mismatch.

More toys...she went "off roading" a bit with the play stroller and baby ended up on the ground.

Kiddie pool. Micah and Karli had SO much fun blowing this up!

I celebrated Mom a week late with Mother's Day. Micah and I bought her flowers for her pots and I planted them.

Keep family close to your hearts!

Much love,

P.S. I love you

We watched the movie last night. Let me rephrase that last line...we watched a movie last night with sobbing involved. The story line at times was over the top and cheesy, but it is hard not to get emotional when you watch someone lose the love of their life. I'm guessing spiders, snakes, and public speaking isn't most people's deep-down worst fear, but to be left alone. When Micah was driving back and forth from Lubbock, I worried all the time. I wanted to move here and for me to drive instead of him just so I wouldn't worry. There is a scene in which the main character calls her dead husband's phone to hear his voice on voice mail. I remember when my mom was unresponsive last year; I would call her work voice mail listen and hang up. Then once I actually got words out and just talked small talk, but there's something powerful about the distinct sound of each unique voice. Empathy is something we all could use a good dose of every now and again. It makes me so grateful for our health, and it also makes me think of friends who have lost loved ones or who are in the process of knowing they will lose someone. In any case, tell the people around you how much you appreciate them and love them.

No post-script needed...I love you.

Our health is important

My friend across the hall was diagnosed with breast cancer in the fall. She's 27 and didn't have a family history, and it spread really, really fast. After lots of procedures and chemotherapy she's on the mend and we are doing our hall duty gab fest again! My dad just went to the cardiologist today. Good for him. He hates going to the doctor. I've been begging him to go for a long time. He came out with thumbs up. It just made me think about my own health. I finally found a "girly" doctor I liked! (I can just see Micah blushing when he reads this...I can share everything and Micah, well, not so much!). I should mention that feeling comfortable is pretty important during this type of appointment, and I feel this added pressure to find someone great since they would presumably deliver my children one day--kind of an important deal! Thanks to Kristen for the doctor recommendation. I walked in to the waiting room, and there were adorable babies and couples going in together for pregnancy checkups. I kept staring at them behind my Conception magazine wondering if they just found out or how far along they were. The receptionists knew the kids in the waiting room by name. It was precious. I should mention that where I went before was a far sight from happy, preggo land and really depressing. I even heard a heartbeat through the wall...I teared up. Luckily, regrouped before the new doctor walked in. Anyway, my new doctor took time to get to know me and answered my questions whether small or little. I always feel stupid asking questions, and yes being a teacher I do think there are stupid questions. And, no even though the camera was in my purse, I didn't take pictures, haha!

Much love,

I don't have a cute title...

My goal was to blog twice a week, but lately I'm falling behind to once a week...and I can't even think of a title. So my week went something like this...TAKS (gag, gag, gag some more...let me add that I used to like to give the TAKS because I could grade papers and actually get stuff done...NOW, I just stand and "actively monitor" thinking--there is only so much thinking I can do!!!). I had a meeting with a private school, but I don't think teaching high school Spanish is my calling--really not for 18k a year. Oh, we went to Midland for the weekend to pick up Dodger from his grandparents. I missed him more than he missed me. I made him take a bath before he got on my clean sheets, and today he left me quite the surprise to come home to...I literally thought my sewage system was backed up. I'm still not entirely certain what end it came from...luckily it was on the tile...thank you Dodge for being courteous in your time of illness! Back to Midland. We had fun...it's always good to get out of town, reconnect with people, and eat grilled food. I was sitting in church on Sunday at Micah's hometown church...it's a different denomination that I grew up in and I've liked going, but every time I was there I was analyzing something. Why do they say this? What does that mean? I was studying it more than just being there, anyway...I really liked this service. I don't think it had to do with the pastor or much of anything else (however, this time I did know some of the good 'ole hymns--I love hymns!) except maybe my attitude of just being present in the moment. Maybe it has something to do with my current frustration in trying to find a home church. As I type, I should note that this is a grammatical mess! Forgive me. I know...I use too many dashes, run ons, ellipses are my favorite and I misuse them all of the time. I know. I know. I know. Just pretend this is me talking. Oh, and I have no pictures from this weekend. I should have taken some. These days, Dodger and Reece seem to be the camera's focus...I must branch out. This week should be busy. It's shower season and I'm busy planning for a baby shower and a wedding shower. Today I made the invitations (it seriously took me WAAAAAAAY too long to do them...I'm printer challenged). Luckily, everyone liked them. Then, more job applications...I found a job at a college that has peaked my interests. We will see...

Much love,

Our weekend getaway

As it happens, we didn't make it to Austin to see the bluebonnets, but that's okay. We thought about going this last weekend, but Micah booked us at the Hyatt Regency Spa and Resort in Santa Ana Pueblo. It rained all weekend in Austin, but was beautiful blue skies in the Sandia mountains. I spent the weekend having a massage, facial, and a pedicure. I just needed out of the Texas Panhandle for a few days, but ended up so relaxed. I thought I'd share some of the trip!

Friday night we arrived about 8:00 and decided to go to the dessert buffet and walk around the hotel. I felt at home near the warm fire!

Micah, Friday night in the lounge as I sat fireside.

I found this horse and waited until no one was near to take this childish picture. Haha!

Saturday morning we woke up for our bread making class. It was fun! My bread had CM for Colby and Micah!

Micah had to have lots of special attention at the bread making class. His turned into a blobby shape.

While our bread was baking, we decided to take a walk and take some pictures. This was the main courtyard.

Picture in the courtyard.

View from the balcony on Saturday.

Then, we decided to take in the culture by watching the dances from our balcony.

Ultra relaxed!

Then, it was time for our pottery class. Mine was horrible. The instructor had to help me LOTS!

Micah was the class star, of course. His pot was really good and he even painted it neat! A+

I decided to spare you all pictures at the spa, but know it was good! Here we are outside of the Corn Maiden restaurant. I had buffalo steak with lobster in the center. So good!

Micah before the dinner. He ordered something with 4 types of meat and it came out on this Excalibur sword looking presentation--I should mention that my jaw about dropped when Micah suggested we eat at this place solely based on price alone.

Chilly desert night after the Corn Maiden dinner.

My last spa treatment was a pedicure. I was bored in the car and decided to take a picture of my toes. My skin was so soft!!!

On the way home we got wedged into a non-passing lane with a bajillion semis --here's Micah face as he drives below speed limit.

Lastly, isn't it sweet to appreciate home after being away for only a couple of days? We love Texas!


Much love,

Dodger Malouf

It's true. We are obsessed with our dog. Calling him a d-o-g is so odd considering the way we treat him; he runs the house. The saying, "If momma ain't happy; ain't nobody happy" is all wrong in this house...it's more like, "If Dodger ain't happy; ain't nobody happy." He's on vacation with his grandparents (which to him is like going to a spa resort), and we really miss him. I miss how he greets me at the door and paws on my pants for me to pick him up and then gives me stinky, nap kisses. I miss our evening television watching snuggling. I miss how he goes to bed when I do. I miss how he paws at the covers at 5 am (it's almost clockwork) wanting under the blanket--on my side of the bed. I even like being shoved to the middle of the bed between my two boys. He's such a great companion--always loving, never judging. So three cheers to Dodge for being the best!






Much love,

Are you really living?

During my 55 minute drive this morning, I tuned in to Kidd Kraddick this morning. This was a pretty typical drive, except instead of laughing or zoning out, I cried. I can cry at the drop of the hat, but this was crying while driving--in between semis. Eeeks. I've been thinking a lot about death lately. Morbid? Actually, no. I attended a funeral last week; I didn't know the person very well so it was sort of like watching everything from the outside. For me, it made me examine what I really want out of life. It put things into perspective. I've been so focused on house repairs, organization, savings, yadda, yadda, yadda that Micah and I felt like we are passing each other in the night. Exhausted from work, needing a break, just too much going on, not enough a money, were all the excuses we used. Yesterday, I agreed to a weekend getaway. Today, I looked up the hotel were I wanted to go and said we have got to reconnect. Get me out of the Panhandle. Why? As I listened to Kidd Kraddick, it was about a man named Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon. He is dying of cancer. He is married and has three children. He gave his last lecture on childhood dreams. My childhood dream...to be married, have a family, be kind, and be successful. So thanks to Mr. Pausch, I'm going to live in the moment more. Lately, I have wanted a picture in a field of bluebonnets. It's April, and if I have anything to do with it...I'm going to the Hill Country this weekend to knock that small dream off my list (I'm even hoping it makes it to the Christmas card). I suggest you go to U Tube and type Randy Pausch. Get ready for tears. And, go chase you dreams.

Much love,

Bye bye Mullet

Is that how one spells mullet, one t or two? Reece and Karli came to visit this weekend. Reece has the same hair Karli had when she was little...thin and not much. I think I came out of the womb with big hair...in fact, I know I did (it was bright red, but fell out and grew back blond!). I told her that I would cut it, but Karli who makes fun of the new bangs would have nothing of the sort so Reece had her first salon experience! No more party in the back...now we have a nice, little girl bob!

Pre-Chop

In the process of the hair cut

So happy to have my hair cut and mostly a nap!

The girls (notice Reece has a swiffer sweeper in her hands--she's picking up the cleaning at an early age!).


Much love,

Blah, Blah, Blah

I can't think of anything too momentous to post , but I'm trying to just get into the hang of this blogging business so I'm writing about "nothing."

1. I'm not sure I like the color I painted my toenails last night; it's a funny pink.

2. I'm still sunburned from last Sunday's baseball game...not yesterday, LAST Sunday.

3. I didn't wear a jacket/fleece/cardigan to work this morning, and that was exciting!

4. I called cheaters parents today...not exciting.

5. I held a really cute baby today at work (I didn't want to let go!) and my class decided to take poll and the vote has that I needed kids. She was too, too cute!

6. This weekend we hung two new light fixtures. It took was 5 hours to hang two, and we are still not done with changing the screws so it looks better. I should mention while we are changing these fixtures these birds are making these super loud mating type noises freaking me out! I also did more sweeping and cleaning of the garage...the elliptical machine just needs dusted and my tail on it! I also lined almost all the kitchen shelves and unpacked more boxes!

7. I have a new, great restaurant to eat at in town; I even had some this weekend. Rockin' R. So delicious. It's just my kind of food...meat and potatoes (see why I need to be on the elliptical!). I love, love, love the armadillo eggs. Sounds gross? All it is is some sort of pepper sliced with a cream cheese and bacon wrapped around it. WOW!

That's all I have, but at least I posted. I'm working on Micah to write. Maybe he has something of value to post besides toenail polish?

Much love,

You only make what???

One of my counselors at school sent this to me; it made me start thinking I could do quite well for myself if only I was a babysitter! I've heard people say, "Well, you get summers off." I want to reply with, "Yes, that's so I don't seek permanent therapy for the abuse that is heaped upon us regularly."

Teacher's Salary

Teachers' hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year.

It's time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do--baby sit!

We can get that for less than minimum wage. That's right. Let's give them $3.00 an hour and only the hours they worked, not any of that silly planning time.

That would be $19.50 a day (7:00 AM to 3:30 (or so) PM with just 25 min. off for lunch).

Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children.

NOW...

How many do they teach in a class, 30? So that's $19.50 x 30 = $585.00 a day.

However, remember they only work 180 days a year!!! we're not going to pay them for any
vacations.

LET'S SEE....

That's $585 x 180= $105,300 per year.

What about those special teachers and the ones with master's degrees?

Well, we could pay them minimum wage, and just to be fair, round it off to $7.00 an hour. That would be $7 x 6 1/2 hours x 30 children x 180 days = $245,700 per year.

Wait a minute--there's something wrong here!

Average teacher salary $50,000/180 days = $277/per day/30 students = $9.23/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student.
A very inexpensive baby-sitter and they even try - with your help - to EDUCATE your kids!

WHAT A DEAL....

And the parents don't even have to buy us pizza!

I spend lots of awake time here!

I have a small portfolio of sweet letters, cards, and awards in a binder. I open it up for validation from time to time and I decided to take pictures of my classroom to add to the collection of work. I really like my classroom. I have a wall that faces the front of the school so I have a concrete wall. Posters don't stick so I decided to paint (gasp for all other teachers; painting walls is like a school sin!) my wall. I thought I'd share the part of my world so few get to see.

My door: I had my students make gingerbread men to teach them about the policies of vastly different Texas presidents. Then, after the kids learn about the differences they had to use the five senses to describe the policy (example--Lamar kicked out Native persons out of Texas by forcing them north of the Red River. This example would have been drawn and captioned underfoot and would have served as the touch sense).

Our daily calendar

Six flags over Texas

View from the front of the room towards the back wall

The mural I painted on my cement wall

Replica flag of Battle of Gonzales

Texas flag and personal picture bulletin board in the back corner of the room


Much love,