Day 131: LIVE ORANGE (9/30)

On Thursday this week OSU played a national televised game against Texas A&M.

It was an amazing game that came down to the last point! I love it now that we live close enough to go to all the OSU games!

Go Pokes!

Day 130: Long John Silver's Dinner (9/29)

How Freaking Cute!! Don't mind the bottle, he was a little grumpy.

Day 129: OKC Public School Computer (9/28)

Working for OKC Public School (OKCPS) has it advantages. For starters, every teacher gets their own laptop. I had to wait for a bit on mine but I finally receive it earlier this month.

Because I am who I am, I could carry it in the boring black bag so I look around and found this Vera Bradley on Craigslist for a good deal!

I love it! It's so perfect for carrying the laptop everyday because a disadvantage of working for OKCPS is that you can't leave expensive stuff overnight at the school!

Day 128: (Slowly) Coming Along... (9/27)

The counter tops and most of the tile are installed in the house. The only thing left with the tile is the grout.

Tile can be found on the floor in the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry room and the entry way. Also tiled is the back splash and around the tubs and shower.  So it's all coming along slowly. At the pace it's going, we may be lucky to move in November 1st!

We will see and pictures will continue to show up!

Day 127: Slow days, Best days (9/26)

Sometimes the days were you don't come out of your pjs or in Gavin's case wear nothing but your diaper all day are the best days.

We did nothing but play with our toys all day!

Day 126: Princess Rye (9/25)

Rye hasn't been wanting to wear bows or headbands lately. However, Aunt Shanda sends Dana Ava's old toys and there was this shell tiara in the toys.

Rye became instantly attached to it. Dana told us that she would wake up and bring Dana the tiara to put it on her and if it fell off she would bring it back.

She wore it to the babysitters and brought it to Stroud with her. It was so cute and such a good story; I wanted to show a picture of Rye and her tiara!

Day 125: OK State Fair (9/24)

I love Fall! I love the Oklahoma State Fair!

Last night we went to the Fair. There are two reasons I love the fair: the food and the crafts! Gavin got to eat his first turkey leg. I didn't think that he would eat it, he really doesn't eat meat often. However, as you can tell, he loved it!!

We left after school and spent most of the night there with my mom and dad.

I could buy every kind of food there but I just stuck with the good old basics: turkey leg, corn on the cob and elephant ear!

Gavin got a horse pillow pet! I love those things and there is an entertaining story that goes along with it.

Emily: "I think Gavin is getting tired. I wish we had a pillow pet."
Rennie: "He doesn't need a pillow pet, just a regular pillow."
Mom: "I think they sell the pillow pets here. I am sure they have a booth."
Emily: "Oh, that would be neat."
Rennie: "They don't sell pillow pets at the fair."
Emily: "Then if we see a booth, Gavin is getting a pillow pet."
Rennie: "Fine but they don't sell pillow pets at the fair."

The very next building we walk into was the only booth at the entire State Fair that sold pillow pets!! My mom and I laughed so hard and Rennie grudingly bought Gavin a pillow pet, but he got to pick the animal!

Day 124: The Signs of Halloween (9/23)

At the front of Target, they have all their Halloween decorations at the front of the store.

Gavin didn't like this wig on his head, but it was too cute to not take a picture. We did find a costume for Gavin but I won't tell until Halloween!

Day 123: New Furiture (9/22)

Again, Mathis Brothers lay-away is amazing. The love seat and sleeper sofa that we put on lay-away for the new house.

I love that we are getting a sleeper sofa. I feel all grown up!!

Day 122: Another Day in the Car (9/21)

Another day, another dollar. Gavin reading on the way home from OKC today. This drive is wearing me out already and we aren't even in October yet!

Day 121: Color Accents for the House (9/20)

Today after school, I decided to window shop for a bit. I found this store call Kirlands that had some really nice stuff for reasonable prices.

I found this piece and really enjoyed the colors on it. I thought I could use it to accessorize my living room. However, when I should Rennie he said, "That is one ugly piece!"

Lordy, I hope that we don't have trouble agreeing on decor!

Day 120: My Mom Comes Home (9/19)



Today,  my mom came home from her two week trip with Grandma Schluge. After Grandpa passed away, my grandma wanted to get away for awhile and Mom went with her. They went North to Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.

One of my uncles have a place in Paradise, Michigan. Mom said that it was beautiful (with a name like Paradise, I am sure they have some high standards!) They travel to the shore of the Michigan lake and collect some beautiful stones.

My mom is forever collecting stones. She is so crafty that she is able to make the most boringest (is that a word?) look the most interestingest (again is that a word?) with a few stones or items she has collected.

It's nice to have her home again.

Day 119: Long Day at the Ball Feild! (9/18)

Rennie and I have/will play a lot of all day Saturday tournaments. Gavin has adjusted very well to spending his Saturdays at the fields. I think he actually enjoys it, fingers crossed!

Today, we spent all day playing softball in Bartlesville for NSA State. Gavin was outside all day and had some wonderful friends to play with. He does so well with other children, for that I am thankful. He doesn't know a stranger, for that I am fearful!

As soon as we got in the car to go home, Gavin was out and slept through the night. He was exhausted in the best possible way; being outside and playing in the dirt. I grew up at the ball fields and I can't think of a better playground for our child. :)

Day 118: Gavin's One Year Pictures (9/17)

Of course, these are just a few of the pictures that we had done for Gavin's one year pictures. He was such a good sport and smiled through most of the pictures.

We were able to get three outfits on him and some naked pictures. He enjoyed it and the lady taking the pictures was a great sport. They turned out wonderful.

Although, I must say Gavin is one of the cutest things I have ever seen! (I am not just saying that because he's my son!!)

Day 117: Exterior Paint (9/16)



I was able to chose the color for the outside trim and garage. I wanted a brown color that wasn't too dark. When we first pulled up to the house, I was a little shocked!

It is a brown color but it has a copper tint to it that I was unprepared to see. I needed reassurance after a saw it, Rennie loves it and after I was able to get over the picture I saw in my head and the color it actually was, I love it too.

It's different and fits perfectly with the bricks. If we would of went with a darker color, it would of been the first thing you see. Now it all blends perfectly and I could be happier that the house is coming along nicely!

Day 116: A Wonderful Message (9/15)

Living in Oklahoma as a Catholic is a minority when it comes to religion. I know that I am religious, although I don't talk or preach about it like others do. I go to church most Sundays and pray when I feel the need.

I don't want to bash other religions, but as a Catholic I was brought up being taught that pray and religion is a private affair. There was/is no need to proclaim your beliefs to others or prove that you believe. It's somewhat annoying to me when others try to do this to me.

However, I saw this posted on a bulletin board and immediate fell in love with it. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.

Day 115: Chuck-E-Cheese (9/14)

Today for dinner, we all made our first trip to Chuck-E-Cheese. We thought it would be a great way to spend dinner together and give Gavin the opportunity to run around for a while.

He loved it! I was surprised at how many things he was able to play on there. The tokens are reasonably priced and there was even a toddler play area.

Rennie got into it as well, see Gavin copying Rennie? That happens every day now!! It's so cute to watch him grow and learn.

A must do for families! :D

Day 114: My TOMS (9/13)

These are my absolute favorite shoes to wear to work!  They are so dang comfortable and stylish too. I try to wear them as much as possible.

They are my only pair but if I could I would buy one in every color. If you don't have a pair and have an extra $50, check them out at TOMS.

For every pair you buy, another pair goes to a child in need. It's the reason they are kinda high on the price but totally worth it!

Day 113: The First Band-Aid (9/12)

...it didn't last very long.

Day 112: Remembering September 11 (9/11)

Today we went to the OSU football game against Troy. It was 9/11 and there were several tributes made throughout the day. However,  my favorite was when The Spirit of Oklahoma (the OSU band) played during halftime. It was beautiful and heart-felt. 

It never ceases to amaze me when a stadium of over 13,000 people can have a moment of silence and the entire stadium in eerily quiet!

A few words that I took from the Boston Globe about Remembering 9/11:

Last Saturday, September 11th, people all over the United States and the world took time to remember the victims of the terrorist attacks which killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania nine years ago. Progress on the rebuilding of Ground Zero in lower Manhattan is now becoming more evident as One World Trade Center topped 36 stories recently, on its way to 1,776 feet by 2012. The building, formerly known as the Freedom Tower, is now growing at a rate of one floor per week, after years of political, security and financing issues plagued the $11 billion multi-building project. A push is underway in both New York and Pennsylvania to complete memorial projects before next year's 10th anniversary. Collected here are photos from this weekend's memorials and of the rebuilding progress so far.

There are 42 amazing photos if you have the chance to check out the website.

Day 111: Gavin and Rennie at Hooters (9/10)

Today, Gavin had his 12 month child wellness doctor's appointment. Rennie took the day off and it became a Daddy Day. First the doctor's appointment (with shots) then lunch at Hooters!

The way Rennie tells it, the girls at Hooters were all over Gavin! They fawned and petted him and he loved every minute. He was so cute to them that he was give a Hooter's rubber ducky and a Hooters t-shirt that said, "I only date Hooter's girls!"

Rennie was more that happy to take a picture for me! My favorite thing about the picture: Gavin's clinging to Tigger!

Day 110: One day I am going...

One day I am going to have a wall with all my family hang up for all my friends and family to admire. I love my dad and mom's hallway.

So does Gavin. He can be held for minutes (long time for Gavin!) and been shown all the different people in our family. It's a great wall. :D

Day 109: New Kitchen Table (9/8)

Ever since we found out that we are able to buy the home we have been working toward, we have done nothing but try and figure out how to get nice furniture in without breaking the budget!

We are in the process of building our first home!!

I am so excited! We have been moving around since we have been married. We both decided that The City (Oklahoma City for the people that dont' live in Oklahoma!) was were we wanted to settle down and raise a family.

We kind of just lucked into this amazing home that is almost finished. We got in at just the right time to pick out all the neat stuff like: stain on the wood, paint color, granite colors, tile and carpet! It couldn't of worked out any more perfect.

So in all of this we are trying to find furniture to match. We can't afford to buy everything right way but Rennie and I found out that Mathis Brothers puts furniture on lay-a-way with no interest!! Which is perfect for us because we can't buy it now, no place to store it and we can't buy everything and have the new expense of the house.

So this is the table that we have picked out for the kitchen/dinning area. It's a little different but the shape and benches will had just enough to our place for it not to be so boring!

Day 108: City Bites Pumpkin Cookie (9/7)

Today I was asked to go to an Benchmark Test Question Review Forum. It wasn't as boring as it sounds. I kinda enjoyed it!! I know, I am kind of a dork.

However, a perk was that I was out of school early than usual. I picked up Gavin from the babysitters, which I never get to do, and then went on a lunch date just Gavin and I.

That day I didn't want fast food but didn't want to go all expensive either so I settled on City Bites (like a subway but a little nicer.)

And since it was a lunch date, we had to have dessert! I tried to pick out something that Gavin would like but was also tasty! Boy did I find the best thing ever!!

It's a pumpkin cookie with cream cheese icing!!

If you have ever had a pumpkin roll, it's the exact same taste but a cookie. I ♥ it!

Definitely try it!

Day 107: Big Boy Bed (9/6)

Gavin is sleeping in a big boy bed!!

Here's how it came to be...

Right now, while our house is finished being built, we are still staying with my mom and dad. We all stay in one room together. In the new house Gavin will get his own room. So we thought this would be the perfect opportunity for Gavin to get used to a big bed while we are in the same room.

This way it's one change at a time instead of moving AND getting into the bed boy bed.

The first night went very well. He is sleeping through the night and staying in his bed. We will see how nap time works out!

Day 106: Pickled Eggs (9/5)

I ♥ pickled eggs!!

I do not remember the first time I had them but I was hooked the very first time. If you haven't tried them or if even now you are thinking, "Ewww, disgusting, Emily! How can you eat those?"

Please don't knock them til you tried them!

They are the best thing thing since sliced bread. :D 

Day 105: Happy Birthday to Gavin (9/4)

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY, GAVIN CLAY!!

The day started off rough....



But it slowing got better for Gavin. We had a great time with family celebrating Gavin's birthday. We rented a room at The Pines and decorated it beautifully with the theme of Cars. We appricate everyone who was able to come. We had a blast.

Thank you to Aunt Sharman and Uncle Brad for contributing to the decorations and to Nana and PopPop for the huge wall marual!



Day 104: Mockingjay (9/3)

I know, I know, it's not really MY picture but I have a wonderful excuse!  I was reading the books because the librarian at my school suggested them. Which by the way, has been one of the best recommendations of all time!

 The school had the books Hunger Games and Catching Fire but didn't have the Mockingjay. I just thought it was being loaned out but found out that the library can not buy new books for two year!!

What a shame!

So me being impatient went out and bought the Mockingjay and then donated it to the school.

I can't imagine students who enjoy reading as much as I do just reading the first two books of a series and not being able to read the last book!!

I had donated the book to the school before I took a picture and then went back to take a quick picture and it was checked out!! How wonderful.

So I think my excuse it worthy!!

Day 103: Amazing Schedule (9/2)

So this year,  I have one of the best schedules a teacher could ask for!!

My day starts at 8:50 and classes start at 9:20. At Jefferson we get two hours off; however most of the week we have a scheduled meeting either with our Team, our grade level, or our subject. About 2-3 times a week I get two hours off.

My Time Blocks (TB) off are TB 4 and TB 5. So if you're reading the schedule I stop teaching at 11:55 and don't have another class until 2:10!! To sum up I teach 3 classes then have 2 hours off (most of the time a meeting in one of those TBs!!) and then teach 2 classes!!

It freaking a-maz-ing!!

Day 102: Catching Fire (9/1)

The second book the the Hunger Games. I started the same day I finished the Hunger Games. I know I won't be able to read this one as fast. It's not the weekend!