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Whoah! I mean how long has it been? Over a year. Not something I expected or anticipated, but completely what needed to be done. This past year and a half has been so insane, some days I wonder how to even kept my head on straight. Between figuring out how to teach effectively on a year round schedule, kids in baseball, dance, swim team, and husband traveling basically for three months (just since January), I was definitely that hamster running full steam on a wheel that was going no where. But look at me now, I’m here, standing (well, sitting) strong, with a smile on my face.

 So, let’s re-cap… 

 Teaching on a year round schedule for me was very difficult. It seemed like every time I turned around we were “tracking out” which meant 2 weeks of reviewing when we returned. And let’s not mention the awful 2 day turn around period in which I had to end a school year and begin a new one with a happy face and lots of energy…I get a panicky feeling just thinking about it. Around the first of the year, the school board decided that our school would benefit more if we went back to the traditional school calendar. Hallelujah!! I for one am super excited. Don’t get me wrong, there are pros and cons to both schedules and I’m sure I will miss those breaks, but from a “teaching” stand point I’m excited. With us going back to traditional calendar means we actually get a summer! Woohoo! I kind of felt like Olaf dancing around the fields singing “In Summer” because I was so excited to get 6 weeks off. Yes, our summer is shortened this summer, but it is A-Okay. 

 There is so much I want to share with y’all and can’t wait to share them. However, I didn’t feel I could just jump into a project without welcoming y’all back. I am truly hoping to stay committed and write at least once a week. Things are crazy and we get pretty busy around here, but I am really going to try and keep up with it. You also might noticed some changes around here. Please stay patient and check back in here and there so you can see all the changes. I am ready to move beyond my “amateur” stage and move into more of a true blogger.

 I wanted to leave you today with a little top 10. I started thinking about it a couple of days ago and it just took shape. So, here you go, my… 

TOP TEN THINGS OF WHY I LOVE SUMMER 

 10. Laundry – yep you read that right…when I’m teaching I only have time to do laundry on the weekends, so it’s nice to be able to feel that I can keep up with the laundry a couple of days a week. LOL

9. Pinterest + Coffee – I love being able to scour Pinterest, pinning away, while I have my morning coffee instead of packing lunches. I mean who loves packing lunches? 

8. Not showering for days…haha –Ok, so I do shower everyday, but I literally go 3-4 days without washing my hair during summer. I mean why should I if I’m just going to the pool? Just throw on a hat…and we’re off. And make up?…eh, sometimes. 

7. Real Cooking – Let’s face it, between baseball, dance, swim team, hubby traveling, and lots of school work, cooking kind of went out the window. And I LOVE to cook. I love planning meals and preparing them, so I love that I can cook this summer. 

6. Projects – I’m finishing up a few house projects and look forward to some crafting, sewing, and school projects…but after vacation.

5. Working out…everyday – I love working out, but working full time and kids and their activities I don’t get much time to work out. I’ll tell you though, working out makes this mama happy!

4. Pool – I love that the kiddos and I go to the pool either by ourselves or with neighbors/friends almost every day!!!

3. Being a SAHM wearing workout clothes – some of this goes back to #5 and me working out almost every day, however, I love being able to throw on work out clothes (even with the intentions of going to work out), a baseball hat and running out the door.

2. Talking to my Mama and my bestie every day – I sure miss talking to Mama and Liz everyday like I used to…working is not conducive to phone talking, but in summer… Smile and… 

1. Playing with my kiddos – I love their laughs, their smiles, their innocence, and their pure sweetness towards each other. Love that they are mine. 

Well, there you have it….my top 10 things I love about summer! What are some of yours? I’d love to hear from you! 

Thanks for stopping by…y’all come back now! 
 Shana

A Room for a Sports-Man

We all know the saying, “When the cat’s away the mouse will play”…well around these parts the saying goes like this; “When the hubby’s away, the wife will…redecorate”. And redecorate is just what I did.

I’ve realized that once I get a vision in my head, 1-no one get in my way, and 2-I need just two days (give me more than that and it won’t happen.

Eric has been wanting a sports room for years. A room that is “his”, and a place where he can display all of his Philadelphia Sports paraphernalia and the plethora of  signed baseballs that he has. When we moved here 7 years ago he staked out what is supposed to be the “study”. We painted the walls and he put some stuff out. But, let’s face it…the room became the “junk room”. Everything got thrown in this room which drove me cra-zy because it’s on the main level and everybody and his brother saw it…ugh!!!

This past weekend, Eric and our son, went away on a weekend trip, so I thought it was the perfect time to transform this room. In a matter of 48 hours I painted the room, took down a ceiling fan and hung a new light fixture (thanks to my good friend, Laurie),  painted shelves, made curtains, and put the room back together literally 10 minutes before he walked in the door. I swear, I could have my own HGTV show! LOL

Now before I show pictures I will tell you that it’s not quite 100% yet. I still want to buy a high top table and there is a TV on the floor that will soon be leaving, but for the most part the room is ready.

Well, here you go:

What started out as a tan mess with stuff crawling all over the floor and very disorganized, has become a nice clean museum if you will for his sports “stuff” (don’t tell him I called it that ).

After moving in, I painted a faux finish on the walls in a very light tan…but honestly I’ve never liked it. However, with it being the only room in the whole house with stained wood trim instead of white, I wasn’t sure what color to paint it. As I contemplated what colors would work with wood trim and then taking into consideration all the colors of Philadelphia sports teams, there was only one color I knew I could use…white! That’s right, people, I painted a room white. I think this is a first ever in my life. Hey, there’s always a first time for everything, right?

The color I chose was actually called “Cool Grey”. Now, don’t be getting all excited…there is not really a hint of grey in this color, it’s just not stark white. I love how it turned out. It really makes the wood stand out and look rich.

 

If you notice the latter shelves on the left of the door and the dart board on the right side, those got a face lift too. They were both weird wood colors and really wouldn’t look good against the new wall color, so I painted both of them black. The Dartboard was small and fairly easy. Then it came to the shelves. I knew I was on a time crunch so I decided to spray paint them. Yep, you just read that right. I went to Lowe’s and got their Rustoleum spray paint that you could use on wood. I also picked up some grey primer spray paint made by Valspar. It took a few hours and probably a little more inhaling paint fumes than I needed, but they turned out awesome. I love them black now!

The light fixture was an unplanned event. I was not thinking of changing it, but when I saw this beauty at Lowe’s I knew I had to have it. No one needs a ceiling fan in a study/sports room, so I decided to change them. I’ve changed bathroom lights before no problem, but the fan part actually made me nervous. My friend, Laurie, came up the street and helped me out. It wasn’t hard, just awkward positions, but we got it done and I love it!

Over the fireplace, I just cleaned it up, got rid of clutter, and made it more of a gallery wall.

The jersey wall looks a little sad. I’m hoping to get a high-top table to go against that wall. We’re also waiting on an old school Phillies jersey…it’s at the framers now. But, I love how the McNabb jersey stands out against the white walls.

I love how this wall turned out. The shelves were a pain in the neck to hang, but I love how they support the lighted case. Eric’s looked for a long time for a case to hold some of his things. He found this one on Craig’s List. We hated the color so I restained it a while back….loving it now.

And then there’s the curtains! It’s the reason I started this project. It’s always the fabric’s fault. I spotted this killer fabric while shopping for fabric for our new porch. I knew it was it…and this project snowballed from there. They were super easy to make, and I just love how the bring a very stark but masculine feeling to the room.

Well, there you have it…my quick 48 hour project. Now I won’t be so embarrassed when people walk through this room to our new porch.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you come back again real soon!!

S~

Life As We Know It…

…has changed. Changed for the better? Changed for the Worse? Neither really it’s just changed. It’s very different around these parts now that I’ve re-entered the working world after being a stay-at-home mama for 7 years.

I knew when I left the classroom 7 years ago to raise my children that it was the right decision. I never looked back. Well, there were those occasional days when I was dealing with the 5th meltdown of the day that I thought to myself, “Why did I stay home for this?” But like everything that was just a phase, one day of 7 great years of being at home with my two precious babies.

The day came and the opportunity arose for me to just step back in the classroom. I just slipped right in like I had never left. Ha! Well, let’s be honest…it’s NEVER that way. To tell you the truth, the first few weeks were a breeze. It was like I never left, like I had being a full-time working mama all this time. Then Wham, the reality set in and right then and there I knew that life was different. A dear friend of mine went back to work last year. She in some weird way had the same kind of situation happen to her. A door opened and in she walked back into the working world…easy as pie. I remember sitting on the playground one afternoon and her telling me how at different times everyone in her family had this “freak out” moment (or week) where at some particular moment they realized “Mama was no longer home all day, and Whoa what a change. I can’t handle this.” We laughed at how each person reacted to their freak out moment and how they got through it. Well friends, it does exist…the freak out moments from every family member when mama is no longer home all day. I think even our fish had a freak out moment because he wasn’t getting fed like he’s used to. Like everything else we worked through each moment and we are all still alive and well. All body parts are still attached and there are full bellies at the end of the night. We are surviving.

Our life just looks different. I shop and do laundry on the weekends. We have a lot of leftovers and crockpot meals. And sometimes I don’t get anything made before I’m running out the door and we either eat cereal or have take out…and guess what? We’re still living. On those nights when I don’t get a meal made and we’re eating out of a bag or a box and I think I’m a failure and I’m not sure I can do this, I have to remind myself…I am certainly not the first stay-at-home mama to return to full time work and there are many mamas who don’t stay home and work full time. They survive. They can do it…so can I. One (or three) cereal night meals or take out won’t hurt us. Is it my ideal supper, no, but I’m surviving. I’m getting used to this new life I have and it is quite ok, in fact all is good. Yes, I still have my freak out moments where I’m a crying lunatic babbling about how I don’t know how all will get done around the house, or the endless school work. But it does. Somehow, someway it all gets done. And we survive.

People ask me all the time how it has been going back. My answer…It’s an adjustment. On one hand I absolutely LOVE being back in the classroom. I love my class. I love love love my team. I love having a job. I love making a little money and being able to contribute (just a little), but that goes and in hand with whoa this is a huge adjustment. There are so many things I miss about my old every day life. I miss having coffee and catching up with all my friends. I miss being able to call my best friend 3 times a day just to chat. I MISS THE GYM. I miss sewing and crafting and blogging. However, life now is great, just different. The kids are at school with me. We’re on the same track so we’re always together. I love that. The school work does get done and only because I have the best team on the planet. Without them I don’t know if I could do this…well, maybe I could but it sure as heck wouldn’t be as much fun. I have the most awesome husband who is so supportive of me. He hugs me and tells me everything will work out. He’s so patient with me and my rants, and he is always game for cereal for supper. He is wonderful.

Yes, life is very different these days and much has changed around here, but I will be completely honest and say I wouldn’t change it for the world. I miss my friends. I miss my “me” time, but I am so happy to be doing something I was put on this earth to do…teach!

Changes in the Lentz House

Well, well…hello. Again! My goodness, it’s been literally almost 2 months. I seriously cannot believe it’s been two months since I last wrote, but then again I cannot believe all the changes we’ve had in that time either.

Since I last wrote, a busy stay-at-home mama who joined the PTA board at school, made the huge leap and is now a working mama {and no longer on the PTA board}.

Yes, you read that right, friends. I am now a full-time working mama.

You know how they say sometimes all it takes is being at the right place in the right time? This time all it took was being on a field trip and me having my big fat mouth, as usual.

It’s a funny story of how it all happened and I won’t bore you with the details, but basically because we all know I can talk to a brick wall I started a conversation with a teacher {who was a parent on the field trip}. We began talking, one thing led to another, and by the end of the day I had an interview on Monday for a teaching position that was coming available.

Whoa!

That was my thought exactly. I have to admit though, there was some kind of calm over me through the whole thing {and if you know me, the over-thinker, I usually freak out at things like this}. I prayed a lot and really felt God smiling and telling me to just “go with it.” That He had my back and He was with me every step of the way. It’s been a long time since I’ve had that feeling, but it felt so good and so right.

Eric and I talked about it and when he was as excited as I was, I knew this was it. Our lives were about to change.  I was filled with excitement and joy, and never once nervousness {which again…not like me}.

The next couple of weeks was filled with interviews, lots of waiting, lots of secrets, a fall festival {put on by the PTA and yes, me}, and then it was time. I was handed a classroom full of wonderful 4th grade students on a platter. It might not have been a silver platter, but bless their hearts, those kids had been through a lot in the first quarter of the year. Before long, they will be on a silver platter, and I hope I will get them there. They are a great group of kids, and I enjoy teaching them everyday!

I started three weeks ago. It’s funny, walking back into the classroom after being gone for 7 years, seems like I never left. The teaching feels so right…feels great. The planning is good, a lot because I’m basically living day to day, but let’s face it that’s how teachers really are anyway. I’ve got the most awesome team known to man. They support each other, share ideas and plans, and just have fun. They really enjoy what they’re doing and I love being around them. We are all so much alike in the fact that we just like to be happy.

I get asked all the time, “How’s it going? How’s it been being back at work?” I can honestly say it feels great. I love teaching. It’s in my bones and in my heart. Going from a stay-at-home mama one day to a full-time working mama the next has had it’s changes. I’ve had to learn how to make a menu for the week and get all my shopping done on the weekend. I don’t get to laundry until the weekend, and I don’t get my almost daily Starbucks run {which my thighs thank me}, but over all the changes have been good. I go to school with my kids and come home with them. They are loving me being there with them…especially Dallas. Her confidence is soaring and we are seeing so many great changes in her. It’s the little things. I don’t get to go have coffee or lunch with friends whenever I want. I miss that, but again my thighs thank me. I don’t have the social calendar I used to, and I don’t get to talk to my bestie whenever I want, and that makes me sad.

However, there have been so many positive changes in me going back to work. I have a new purpose. For the last couple of years I have really started feeling like I needed something more. Don’t get my wrong, I have loved every minute of being at home with my babies. I am so grateful and feel so blessed to be able to stay home with them. Over the last couple of years though I started feeling that they didn’t need me as much anymore, and I needed a new purpose. I didn’t really know what that was, and wasn’t sure it was teaching. I joined the PTA board to get my face in the school, get my name out there, and see if I had a feeling for it again. Next thing I knew, the good Lord put and angel in my path and wha-la…my purpose was anew.

In going back in the classroom, I feel much different than I did 10 years ago when I first started. I feel so much more confident in myself, in who I am, and what I can do, and that is a good feeling. I’m much more compassionate in some aspects now that I am a parent and not just some kid out of college reciting text book information. I feel so much happier and better in this body than I did so many years ago. Not sure I can conquer the world, but I know I can conquer 4th grade, and I look forward to the rest of the year with these great students and a great team.

I’m not sure how much or how often I will post in this blog because let’s face it, at the end of the day there’s not much time. I will post when I can. I’ve been using my crockpot a bunch and have made some great recipes I hope to share with you. I’ve got a few crafty things up my sleeve and can hopefully get to those now that I’m tracked out. {Oh yeah, I get a three week break now to wrap my head around all this craziness.} I’ll be around and I hope y’all will stick around and check in from time to time.

Thanks for stopping by!

S~

Back Where I Come From…Part 2

Hey there, friends! Long time, no see. I have to apologize. After I last wrote my kids tracked out. Track outs for us year-round schoolers means we have three weeks to cram everything in…think of it as summer break on steroids. We travel, see friends and family, vacation, and do all the around the town fun we can. It’s Operation:Keep kids busy and happy. Which means no blogging for this mama. As much as I try it just falls to the waste-side. But hey, kids come first, right?!

Another thing that has taken much of my time is I’m now serving on the PTA board at our school. I thought the opportunity was a good one since both kids are now in school, it would be a good fit for me. Well, I must say that I was starting to think that when people tell me, “You can do this job, it’s easy”, I should run the other way as fast as I can…sprinting is more like it. When I took over the position of VP of Members and Volunteers I failed to take in the consideration that not only was I learning a new position and Excel and the craziness of the beginning of the year and membership drive, but oh yeah, my kids are tracking OUT!

I was a bit overwhelmed by it all but with a lot of help from some great new friends and fellow board members, I’m finally feeling at ease with this new position and I’m starting to feel like I know what I’m doing. Or at least I’m faking my way through all of it. Ha!

Ok, so back to the matter at hand. I just wanted to give you a little background as to where I’ve been the last month. Just in case you missed me {Maybe a smidgen?}

Any-way, when I last wrote I think I left on kind of a downer. With my Back Where I Came From post I wrote about how I had heard my hometown…the town I love…was “dying”. And how could people let a great little town with so much potential just die and not let it prosper.

It’s hard. When you move away from your hometown, things change. I remember my childhood and what a fabulous one I had in this great little town and in some crazy way I think it will always be that way. The buildings will always stand, the roads will always curve, and the spirit will always live. All these are true, in a sense. Buildings as we know do crumble and fall, but roads will always curve; maybe not in the direction we want them to, but they curve for the good. And the spirit. We can’t forget the spirit. As I rolled into town a few weeks ago, I have to admit I was nervous. I didn’t know what to expect. Had my hometown become this dark and dreary place where no shop would be open or stop light would work? Or had it become more like a ghost town you see in the old Wild West movies with dust flying everywhere and buildings falling down.

Ok, so maybe I’m exaggerating a tad. I mean it’s not like I’ve not gone back in years…only since December. But to be honest, when I read things on social media about my hometown not offering incentives for businesses to come in and grow and how some might feel the leaders don’t want change. It kind of paints a bad picture in this girl’s head who moved away. I know that was not the intention and people are genuinely concerned for the town, but I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised to see just how well the town was doing as I rolled down Highway 19.

The highway had been expanded. There seemed to be life out there, and I believe I even saw a smile from the heavens as I passed those golden arches into town. I was back. I was home, and it wasn’t dead…and as my daddy put it, “they’re not even sick.”

You know how when you have kids and you see them everyday, you don’t notice how much they grow. But, you go away for even a couple of days to return to these beings that have grown 5 feet {ok, again, a tad exaggeration…but you know what I mean}. I feel it’s kind of like that for me. No I don’t see the day to day life in Thomaston, but when I come home I feel it’s grown. No, the textile mills aren’t there anymore, but there’s still great shops that I wish we had here in Raleigh. Friendly, neighborhood shops where everyone knows everyone and are genuinely happy to see you. And no, I don’t see the ins and outs of starting businesses in a small town {any town for that matter} so I don’t know how all that works, but I do know I saw stores being opened and buildings that have been empty for years being used once again. I know for a fact that you can take your embroidery work to the local shop and she’ll have it done that day. Doesn’t happen here.

Yes, we may have more “things to do”. Other towns may have a Target, Starbucks {which I always crave while I’m home}, and a Publix. But we don’t have the mom and pop shops that have been around for years, where you can go in and just put your purchase on your “tab” and leave. I didn’t even think that existed anymore! Having moved away I will say there is something to be said for a small town. Yes it does has it’s downfalls, but doesn’t every city. Name me one other place where you can have your hairstylist come to your house and do yours’, your children’s, and your husband’s hair all at the same time. Would never happen here, and I’m good friends with my hairstylist {Love ya, Kat!}

I think just like with everything, the grass is always greener on the other side. For Thomaston that might be a short drive to Griffin to shop at your favorite grocery store, or hit the road for an hour to visit the closest mall. A big{ger} town has it’s downfalls too. You miss the hometown feel that a small town can bring, even if that means everybody knowing your business.

All-in-all, I’ll finish my tangent to say this…Thomaston was, still is, and will always be my hometown. As Kenny Chesney said that’s, “Back where I come from”. I love driving into town and seeing the changes. I love bringing my kids to a town that I call home. So yes, the buildings still stand, the roads still curve, and the spirit lives on. Don’t get discouraged my Thomaston friends. Fight! Fight like crazy to keep that town we love special to all of us near and far. Don’t give up! There will always be mountains to climb, but climb them and press on. From this girl who moved away in my eyes, Thomaston is not dying. You’re looking good!

Ok, now for some pictures! Like I said we did have a great time visiting my parents. We got to catch up with old friends {which I absolutely loved}, we went to the river to skip rocks, swam in a family friend’s pool, went and got some GA peaches, and even had a history lesson {we visited the old covered bridge}. What a great week we had. Here’s a few pictures from our trip.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you stuck with me through my little tangent there. I truly love my hometown!

Until next time!

S~

Back Where I come From

To hear that my small hometown is “dying” is heartbreaking.

You see, I come from a small industrial town in middle Georgia. It’s one of those towns where when I grew up everyone knew everyone {and everyone’s business}. There were cotton mills throughout the town and if you were quiet and still you could hear the hum of the machines day in and day out. It’s a town where dogwoods bloomed in the spring and skeeters {that’s mosquitos for all you city-folk} would eat you alive in the summer. The fall was full of high school football, and if we were lucky enough we’d get a dusting of snow {but mostly ice} in the winter.

There was no hustle and bustle of the big city, but there were mom and pop shops, diners, and churches on just about every street corner. And then there was the Silvertown Ball Park, where I spent most of my younger days eating snow cones and watching my brother play baseball.

It was a town with ice cream socials at church on Sunday afternoons, and parades through the town square for just about any occasion.

There was floating the Flint River with all your friends, dinners at the local Piggy Park, first dates to the Ritz Theater, and Friday after school gatherings at Big Chic.

People came together, and laughed, and gathered, and was one big happy family.

Picture it:

1981 – A little red-headed girl sitting at a base ball park watching baseball with red snow cone dripping down her chin.

1988 – A stadium filled with fans throughout the town dressed in black and gold cheering for the R.E. Lee Rebels who just won the high school state championship.

1991 – This same red-headed girl {with maybe a little more brown now} who had the perfect 90’s bangs getting ready with her friends to go hang out at the local “teen club” The Hanger.

1995 – K-mart parking lot…the local hang-out for kids

That little girl is all grown up and gone now.

After leaving I always loved {and still do} coming “home”. Coming up Highway 19 and turning onto R street {yes, that’s the name of the street on which I grew up} feels so good. My heart is happy and skips a beat when I come into town.

When I became a mama I dreamed of the day I could bring my kids to come and visit this great town in which I grew up. I looked forward to showing them what small town living is all about…the goodness, the pureness, the love.

I’ve been gone for over 10 years now and it saddens me to my core as to how much this town has changed. The humming of the cotton mill machines have long since stopped. In fact what’s left of any of the mills are just sad, dilapidated buildings. The mom and pop shops have mostly closed, and the town is hanging on by strings.

And then to hear that some people within the town don’t want to change it, don’t want to make it better, just breaks my heart. I know people don’t like change, but people change is good. I’m not saying the town has to become a Peachtree City or the next Atlanta, but what’s wrong with bringing back it’s greatness. Who says there can’t be a Mayberry of 2013. Personally I think that would be pretty cool.

Let’s get our faces out from behind our iPhones, get out on the streets and have a big old parade just because it’s summer, and come fall show up at Matthew’s Field on Friday nights to support those high school boys. Why should we, you ask? Because it’s who “we” are; because it’s Thomaston and that’s what we do!

Yes, the dogwoods will bloom in the spring, the skeeters with eat the stuffin’ out of you in the summer, and I would love nothing more but to bring my children back to my hometown to experience “being southern” at it’s finest.

 

With all my love to my great hometown!

S~

 

Happy Weekend

Hey friends! Hope y’all are having a great weekend.

We got to enjoy 6 glorious hours on the boat yesterday, just the 4 of us! It was so much fun.

I have to say, the boat is my “happy place”. I don’t worry about laundry, or dishes, or dirty floors or bathrooms. I just chill with my favorite people and laugh – a lot.

Here are my two cuties. Love them so much!!!

What are your favorite things to do with your family on the weekends???

Kindergarten {Say what?!}

Dear Hunter,

Well, the day has come and you are off to Kindergarten. It feels like just yesterday I was holding you in my arms as an infant. You have grown so much in the last 5 years, but I tell you, you are ready for this next season of your life.

Today walking into school for your staggered entry day, you were all smiles and seemed to not be nervous in the least.

You are such a joy to be around {when you’re happy}. When you’re not happy, you definitely let everyone know. We’re hoping that settles out soon. Overall, you are a fun-loving, silly, and very athletic little boy. You love anything sport related and seem to always have some kind a ball in your hand. Your favorite sport is baseball. You are really good and hitting, and we’re working on your catching.

You love the boat and swimming. You are really good at knee-boarding and you’re working your way up to stand.

You are definitely a daddy’s boy! When your daddy walks in the house the world stops. On the weekends it’s you and daddy all.the.time. Good luck to Dallas and me to try to get any time with daddy. It just doesn’t happen. It’s a good thing though, because I have a feeling you and your daddy are going to be pretty tight when you grow up. Daddy loves that idea.

You are sweet and kind little boy with just the right amount of true boy in you. You love all things super-heroes and you love your “guys”. You have so many figurines that you play with, but your favorites right now are Mike the Knight, Superman, Spiderman, and Captain Jack Sparrow.

You love to dress up in costumes, but you’re starting to get out of that…makes me sad.

I mentioned you are a sweet and kind boy. You are. You are quick to give hugs and when you’re very compassionate about others. You care about other’s feelings and want to make people happy.

Your favorite snack is pretzels with “chocolate stuff” {Nutella}. You love all fruit, milk, and apple juice. Your favorite place to eat out is Chick-fil-a, but you also love Mexican.

As you start your kindergarten year, I want you to know how much daddy and I love you. We are so proud of you and always will be. You make us so happy and you “fill our bucket” with joy and laughter everyday.

Good luck my sweet boy. You will do great!

PS: After picking you up from school today I asked if you had fun. You beamed with delight and was so excited to tell me about your day. I then asked if you missed me and you said: “No.” I said, “You didn’t? Well, I missed you.” You then replied… “You’ll get used to it.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. I guess I will have to get used to it. I’m so excited for you and your new season. You will do great!

Always know that mommy loves you to the moon and back.

Yummy Chicken

Hey y’all! I cannot believe it’s already Wednesday. This week is flying by.

I wanted to share a yummy dinner with you today.

Now, I have to preface this recipe by saying that originally it’s not a crock pot meal. It’s actually supposed to be baked in the oven. But, it works both ways, so I’ll share both ways with you.

I’ll also tell you that this is an old Weight Watchers meal my mama used to make when my brother and I were kids and she was teaching WW. It was one of our favorites!

Ingredients:

4- boneless, chicken breasts or thighs

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

salt/pepper

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 cup orange juice {you can use apple if you don’t have orange on hand}

2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

mushrooms chopped – quantity depends on how many you prefer

1 onion, chopped

In a gallon Ziploc bag put in the flour, salt/pepper, and thyme. Place chicken in bag and gently shake to coat with flour.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken in skillet and brown on both sides – about 3 minutes on each side.

While chicken is browning, chop up your vegetables. Mix the lemon and orange juices, sugar, and salt together and set aside.

Remove chicken and place in crock pot. Put vegetables on top of chicken, and pour liquid in.

Cook on low 6-8 hours or about 4 hours on high.

This is the “fix-it and forget-it” way of making this meal. And it’s good this way. This is however, not the original way to make it. If you have the time to bake it, bake it, but it’s really good either way.

If you do bake it, fix it all the same except for these couple of changes:

1-After you brown your chicken, place it in a greased casserole dish.

2-Place vegetables on top of chicken, and pour juices on top. Cover with aluminum foil.

3-Place in a preheated oven to 325 degrees for an hour until juices run clear.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope your family enjoys this meal as much as mine does.

Y’all come back now!

S~

Second Grade…

Dear Sweet Dallas,

Today you started second grade. It’s so crazy for us to think about. It seems like you were just getting out of first. Oh wait, you were. You are on year round school here so your last day of first grade was June 28. You had one week before you started second grade today.

You were so excited that you woke up at 4:45 this morning!!! Aahh!!

You got a new backpack and lunchbox and you’ve been looking forward to taking it to school this year.

You grew so much in first grade. Mommy and daddy are super proud of you. You worked really hard in reading and you are becoming quite the reader. And you love math….you must get that from your daddy.

You have lots of friends. You are a sweet girl who loves to be around your girlfriends. This doesn’t go without some “girl drama”, but you’re learning your way through that, and becoming a much stronger and more confident person.

You love dance, and this year you want to play tennis and softball. We’ll see how that goes.

You also are becoming quite the little water skier. We got a boat this year. At first you were pretty nervous out there, but over the last few weeks you have gained so much confidence to where you can actually stand on the board behind the boat!!! What an accomplishment.

Always remember that we love you so very much. You {along with Hunter} are our pride and joy. You are our heart and you make us smile every day. We couldn’t be more prouder!!

Enjoy second grade, darling, and always know that we love you!

In God’s love,

Mommy {& Daddy}

Summer Book GIVEAWAY!!! - ENDED

We have a WINNER!
Congratulations to Heather Sebastian. You are our lucky winner of "Ladies' Night"!
Thank you so much to all of you who entered.
If you've not checked out Mary Kay Andrews, I recommend that you do. She is a true Southern Belle who writes great stories about the South. She is a gem.

Hey y’all!

It’s about that time again for another giveaway. It’s been a while, but now it’s here. I am so excited!!!

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a lunch/meet and greet session with my favorite author, Mary Kay Andrews {aka: Kathy Hogan Trocheck}.
 

I fell in love with MKA’s books a few years ago when I stumbled across them in the library one day.

I was looking for what my friend likes to call “a pink book”. You know, one that looks pretty. I have to admit, I’m a sucker for a good, easy, sweet book. One that will keep my interest and have a love story to boot. I like books that would translate into a chick flick. MKA’s books do just that.

Her stories are fun, light, always with a little mystery, but as she said, “has a happy ending”. But, the thing I love the most about her books is they all take place in the South.

As a Georgia native, most of her stories take place in Georgia in and around where my roots were planted.

A couple of her stories take place here in North Carolina; and the latest is in Florida, a hop, skip, and jump from where we lived for four years. Needless to say, I can relate to the areas in which her stories take place.

I have to say I love all of her books, and I am SO excited for this new giveaway!!!

Her newest book, Ladies Night, released on June 4.

I recently read it on a trip Eric and I took down to Florida for a little get-a-way. Mrs. MKA, does not disappoint. The story of Grace Stanton is so cute even through her trials and tribulations.

Grace is a lifestyle blogger who loves to post house projects, DIY projects, and recipes. But things go awry when she finds her husband in his $175,000 car with her 26 year old assistant…naked.{gasp} 

That’s all I’m going to tell you. You have to enter the giveaway to win the book and find out what happens with Grace and the “friends” she meets along the way.

I am so excited for this opportunity for you. You not only get a great summer read, but the book is a signed copy just for a fan.

When I met Mrs. Mary Kay Andrews, she was the kindest lady I’ve met. I told her about this giveaway and she really loved the idea. She was so lovely and is the epitome of a southern lady. I loved meeting her and look forward to her next book.

So, how can you win this lovely new book? All you have to do is follow the Rafflecopter below. We will begin the giveaway today, July 3 and will end it on Wednesday, July 17 at 12:00am.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please remember you must be a US citizen and 18 years or older to win.

Here’s a complete list of Mrs. Mary Kay Andrews books:

Savannah Blues

Savannah Breeze

Blue Christmas

Little Bitty Lies

Hissy Fit

Deep Dish

The Fixer Upper

Summer Rental

Spring Fever

Ladies Night

You can find the list of books she mostly wrote under her given name, Kathy Hogan Trocheck, {HERE}.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you not only enter the giveaway for this great book, but find a new gem in an author as well.

S~

End of Year Teacher Gift{card}

Hey there! Hope y’all had a great weekend. I for one cannot believe it is already July 1!!! How in the world did that happen?

Dallas finished up first grade last week. Here in Raleigh, we have year round school. I may have mentioned that a time or two. Anyway, tracks 2,3, and 4 finished up the school year this past Friday. The crazy part of the whole thing, is that tracks 2 and 3 only have one week between grade levels. Crazy huh? Yup, so Dallas has this week off school and next Monday she will return entering 2nd grade.

It’s kind of hard to digest, especially if you’re not on the year-round system, but if you’re in it, it makes total sense and we love it.

But, I’m not here today to explain the year round system…ha! I wanted to share the end of year gifts I gave to the specials teachers and her aid this year. I will say buying end of year teacher gifts and back to school stuff is kind of a crazy novelty…but we do it.

This year I got the teachers gift cards to Target. I mean, who doesn’t like gift cards…especially to Target?!

I didn’t just want to hand them a gift card envelope so I made it a little prettier.

This only took a few minutes to do.

I made a little sign on my Silhouette SD that said:

Thanks for helping me hit my TARGET this year!

After printing and cutting out the tags I then picked out some coordinating scrapbook paper.

I cut a strip that was 2 1/2 inches wide.

I wrapped the paper around the front of the gift card enveloped and taped it to the back side.

On the front I attached the sign with a 3D adhesive square.

It was so simple and super cute!

I know for most everyone school is already out for summer…but maybe you got an idea for next year.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope y’all have a great week.

S~

Faux Chalkboard Menu

Hey there, y’all! Hope you’re having a great week.

As usual, I’ve been a busy little bee, but that’s nothing new. Today I wanted to share a little project I did this week.

As you’ve probably seen all over Pinterest these days Chalkboard anything is really “in”. It’s all over wine glasses, cookie sheets, and invitations.

I’ve been working on some details for a very special party happening soon and I wanted to share my “faux” chalkboard menu I made.

It’s really quite simple.

First, I created the menu on my Silhouette SD. This can completely be done in a Word document. I did it in my Silhouette simply because I didn’t want to hand cut out 40 menus.

Next, I took 8 1/2 X 11 black card stock, I cute sheets in half and then cut a little off the top too.

With a piece of chalk, I colored all over the paper and covered it entirely.

Once it was covered, I took a tissue and lightly {very important to do this lightly} wiped the chalk off.

When it’s wiped off, you have something like this:

Last, I took a 3-D Foam adhesive square, like these,

and attached the menu to the faux chalkboard paper.

Wha-la! It was done.

Super easy and very cute. The ideas are endless with this faux chalkboard paper: invitations, menus, picture mattes, and on, and on, and on.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope y’all come back.