In 12 hours...

... I will be leaving my house. Yes the plan is to leave at 6:15 tomorrow morning so I am awake and ready for the first day of school. This means that my lovely alarm will start its buzzing at 5 am. I will undoubtedly beat it up a few times before surrendering.

I must say, that for the day before school starts, I am surprisingly zen. There is just no point in worrying. In 13 hours those darlings will enter my classroom whether I stress tonight or not. I have to say, that this is probably the most excited I have been to start school in awhile. I like my schedule, I can't wait to see my students, and I feel like I know what I am doing.

Now this is most surprising, because this year will be such a year of firsts. The first huge and not exciting first is that for the first time I will be welcoming 38 students into my first period class tomorrow morning. 38!!!! That is a lot of 15 and 16 year old bodies.

But I am ready, and I am excited to do what I love and what I am good at. Let the games begin :)

Last summer projects

In four days I will be part of the work force again, so besides enjoying the morning walks with my puppies, sleeping in, and getting to lay on the beach on a Wednesday afternoon, I have been trying to finish up some projects around the house. Last Tuesday Kate and Zach came to visit, and she helped me work on my tufted upholstered headboard for the guest bedroom. I wanted to make it in dark brown and I found some really nice brown corduroy on sale. I had seen some tutorials online and thought that it looked fun and pretty easy. It proved to be both. I really liked the way it turned out and it was cheaper than any headboard I had found previously.

The wood and fabric

just fold it over and staple (staple guns are such a fun tool!)

The beautiful buttons Kate made

Done!

The hardest part was getting the buttons on and mounting the entire board to the wall.
Chris helped and we got it mounted in no time.

We have an old dresser that is next on the list of projects. I am going to try to spruce it up with some paint and new hardware. Hopefully I can get it done before the stress and craziness of work begins!

and then the panic sets in

Lately I feel like everything baby has been surrounding me. I see people in the park with their kids, notice every pregnant woman passing me in the store, and hear and see all of the beautiful baby updates from my friends. Most of the time it is wonderful and enjoyable and happy and energizing, but then the panic sets in. It is like a deep aching hole in my gut and then I begin to be surrounded by a swirl of heart renching questions.

What if I never have that?

How long will this take?

Will I ever be able to carry my own child to term?

Will I be able to become pregnant again?

I guess the panic has begun to attack me a little more lately because we are again trying to conceive and it doesn't seem to be working this time. The first two pregnancies happened right away, and now I feel like my life has been consumed with dates and scheduling, to try to figure out when I am able to conceive. It is exhausting, and not in the least bit romantic :) Some days are fine, but lately I have been consumed with this fear and panic, and I just can't seem to make it go away.

it's official..

... i'm going back to school. In less than a week I will be sititng in a classroom texting underneath the desk. I guess it's time to go back to school shopping :)

Snuggles

Warning: You may not be able to handle the following cuteness!








Have a warm and snuggley week!

It's here!

Time Traveler's Wife is out today and I can't wait to see it! I read the book a few years ago and recently re read it. I love it and I hope the movie does not disappoint.






Update: I liked it!

People were getting busy in November

One day I played a game and I tried to think of a person I knew with a birthday on every day in August. Example: 10th Grandma, 11th Kim, 12th Dad, 13th Kate. There were very few days that I could not think of one. I know so many special people born in this month, and three more little ones are on there way. One of my friends is in labor right now, i think. So Happy Birthday....

...Grandma
I am so lucky to know my grandparents now, as an adult. As a child they are your grandparents, and they spoil you and love you. Now as an adult, I have been able to get to know her in a whole new way. Happy Birthday!

...Kate and Joanna



My girls!!!! We all went to UCLA, met in England during a summer abroad program six years ago and became fast friends. I live about an hour away from them, but when august hits I know that we will all make time to see one another and celebrate. Love you, Happy Birthday.

...and Daddy


I am definitely a daddy's girl! We are so much alike, and just get each other. My dad has been surrounded by women his entire life (he had three sister, no brothers, and then 3 daughters). I think I may have been the most like a son for him. I am not manly or anything :) just into sports, and doing things with him. I admire his strength, warmth and love, and look to him for so much in my life. I cherish our relationship, and appreciate the strong relationship he has developed with my husband as well. Happy Birthday Dad!

There are so many more on my list, and so to all of you Happy Birthday.

Guestroom on the brain

This week I am working on our guest bedroom. Once I start a room I get a little obsessed and want to get things done right away. This causes a few problems. Sometime I can not find the things that i want, and that gets frustrating, and most of the time I do not have the money for the things that I want, which is always frustrating, and the one thing that slows me down. The paint is done, and we have some furniture, but I am still in need of:

• an upholstered headboard
  
• bedside table
  
• pillows! I love these paper cloud pillows, but $82.00 for a pillow. I'm too cheap for that.












• some artwork (we actually need this everywhere in the house)

I like this one by Susan Dennis ( found her on Etsy)

And this one by Amy Giacomelli (also on etsy)

I like dandelions

And this one by Casey O'Connell (I have a chance to win this one. please, please, please)

• finish the desk- darker finish and some new hardware (thanks again Kate)

Still so much to do.