Ryder's 1st Vacation

We recently traveled the short distance to Pigeon Forge to spend some relaxing time in the mountains.  It was so nice to be somewhere and not worry about any kind of work!  We ate at some really good restaurants and went shopping and read books.  It was fantastic. 

Usually we eat at the same old restaurants when visiting the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area.  This year, I decided we need to try a few new places.  Inspired by my friend, Kara Watson's blog,  I went to Trip Advisor and looked up popular restaurants.  My favorite places to eat are officially now as follows.

1. Bull Fish Grill
2. Cakes by Bakin' Bishop- yummy cinnamon rolls and cupcakes
3. Apple Barn
4. Old Mill Pottery House Cafe and Grille- best French onion soup I've ever had

Dinner at the Apple Barn.

One of my favorite things we did while in Pigeon Forge was visit Wonder Works.  It's technically an interactive museum for kids, but it's equally enjoyable for adults.  Ryder loved looking around at everything.  I couldn't believe how good he was the whole time!  I can't wait until he is older and can really enjoy it there.

Making Taffy at Smoky Mountain Candy Kitchen

Christmas Village- We stopped here just to get a picture with the train!

Books

I've been meaning to blog about some of the books I've been reading.  These are books I have actually gotten something out of, not my "beach" reads.

First, Time of My Life
This is a book about what ifs.  A woman is looking at her life and wondering how it got that way.  She has become a stay-at-home mom who has lost herself.  Around this time she hears her ex-boyfriend is getting married.  She begins to wonder what happened with them.  Would life be better if they'd never broken up?  Magically, she goes back in time to learn the grass isn't always greener.  It made me think a lot about my life.  No matter how long you are with one person there are going to be some kinds of problems.  Whether it is over an unbudgeted shopping trip (not that I would ever do that) or leaving the tube off the toothpaste or whose turn it is to do the dishes.  Being married is about compromise and making it work no matter what.

Second, The Girl Who Chased the Moon

I absolutely love Sarah Addison Allen!  Her books have just enough magic mixed in to make them fantasy, but it's mostly a simply good story about real, normal people.  17-year old Emily goes to live with her grandfather after her mother passes away.  The strange thing is until her mother died she didn't even realize she had a grandfather.  Emily soon learns the reasons her mother didn't talk about her hometown and why the people there still talk about what happened with her mother.  Even more enjoyable than that is the side story of Julia and Sawyer.  Julia, a girl Emily's mom use to torture, is a baker at her dad's old restaurant and is trying to save enough money to get out of town as soon as possible.  She is also running from a high-school fling with a surprising twist!


Next, Saving CeeCee Honeycut
The best way I can describe this book is that it is very similar to The Secret Life of Bees.   It's about a girl whose mentally disabled mother dies and therefore she is sent to live in Savannah, GA with her great-aunt.  I loved the characters here and all of CeeCee's adventures.






Then, Divergent
I predict this series of books is going to be the next big thing.  Move over Harry Potter, Twilight, and Hunger Games!  When teenagers in this book turn 16, they must choose what faction they are going to live in for the rest of their lives.  Factions are divided by what character trait the members value most.  Tris leaves her faction of selflessness and joins the faction that values bravery.  And of course that's when both the excitement and romance begin.




Finally, Heaven is for Real
This book has changed me forever.  This is the amazing story of a boy, Colton, who claims to have gone to Heaven while being operated on at the age of 3.  When first hearing about this book, I have to admit I thought it was some crazy person just trying to get attention.  It's not that I don't believe in Heaven, I truly do, but I've personally never met anyone who claims to have been there.  It's amazing that the boy's description matches up so much with that Jesus promises us of Heaven in the Bible.  I honestly think this book could make a believer out of anyone.  All you need is a little faith.  I was amazed over and over again!

3 Month Pictures

In so many ways it feels like we've had Ryder forever, but on the other hand I can't believe my baby is already 3 months old.  He is such a constant joy in my life!  I just simply can't get enough.  We decided to go outside today to do our photo shoot.  I have to thank Michael for keeping him entertained while I set things up and took pictures.  Here are my favorites.

Moving On

I can't believe I am actually lying in bed typing this.  I can read in bed again!  Yes, it is official Ryder is in his crib.  Now, I know that it is past the time we "should" have put him in there, but that doesn't make it any easier.  I have to admit, when we moved his sleep sheep, humidifier, and the Angel Care Monitor in his room this afternoon, I shed quite a few tears.  Where has the time gone?  It feels like yesterday we were just bringing him home.  I know he is literally right across the hall from me.  I can practically see in his crib lying in bed, but it just makes me feel like he is growing up so fast.  Yes, everyone was right.  Everyone has been telling me for the past year time really starts to fly when you have kids.  Both being pregnant and the first 5 weeks we had Ryder seemed to crawl, but since then feels like the blink of an eye.  Here's to enjoying every minute of my precious baby boy.  I'm not sure how to savior each moment more than I already do, but I'm sure going to try!

Cleaning out Clutter

I'm on a new mention to clean out everything in my house that I've accumulated over the past few years.  My first project is my kitchen. Today I decided to tackle what I call my spice/baking cabinet.  I know I have a lot of spice doubles and I'm sure some are out of date.  I regularly clean out my fridge and pantry but don't remember cleaning out my spice cabinet since we moved home from Knoxville.  I love kitchen gadgets.  I think I could look at a Pampered Chef magazine for hours.  But the problem is I have a lot that I don't use and that I never will.  I'm going to try to weed through my gadgets as well.  One of the main reasons I'm posting this is because I'm determined to stick with it.  I don't expect to get my whole kitchen cleaned out in a week, but slowly I want to do cabinet by cabinet. 

Here is the before.

 Here are all the spices I pulled out of the cabinet.  It's hard to believe they all fit up there in such a small space.

Cleaning this out made me feel lighter.  I'm not sure if that makes sense, but I feel like I have more control over my kitchen.  I have a better grasp on what I have and what I need.  Plus it just feels good to throw away old items or combine multiples.  Everything is so much easier to find.  One of the best things about this project was finding some gadgets I'd forgot I'd had.  It was like going shopping in my own kitchen. 

Here is the after:

4th of July Weekend

11 Weeks

I can't believe how fast time is flying, that one day these tiny hands will be bigger than mine!

A New Era

Today I moved most of the stuff out of my classroom at North Middle School.  I have happily called it my home for the past three years, and I have to say it is very bittersweet.  Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade being able to stay home with Ryder next year for anything in the world! I feel so blessed that we are able to do that.  It's not going to be easy, but I know we'll make it and be better off in the long run for it. 

The truth of the matter is, I really do love teaching.  Sometimes, I feel like I get so down about the pressures that go with teaching that I forget to enjoy what I've grown up wanting to do.  There are always going to be that handful of students who do everything they possibly can to make things difficult, but there are more students who want to do good or at least will put forth the effort to get by.  I know I've spent way too much of my time being concerned with the wrong group of students. 

Most of all I'm going to miss North's staff.  I've met the greatest mentors and made unbelievable friendships the past three years.  I never thought I would teach middle school, still don't really want to teach that age group, but I know I was at North for a reason the past three years.  Not only for the kids, but for me as well.  I've grown there as both a teacher and as a person.  It's been very full circle for me, attending school at North over 10 years ago, and then educating others there.  I'm so thankful for it all!

My New Genres

I know this sounds sort of strange, but since Ryder has been born, I've actually had more time to read than ever before.  I've been really into both nonfiction and historical fiction here lately.  And every book I've read I've loved.  Currently, I'm reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society.

It was a little hard to get into, mainly because it was confusing, but I just love learning about WWII and how the world was during that time.  Most of the books I've been reading are about this time period.  I'm loving it!  Below are some of the other nonfiction and historical fiction books I've recently read.

Typically, I'm an easy romantic comedy type girl.  Now, I'm not saying that I don't still love those books, especially the higher quality ones, but the books I'm reading more of now have much more of a story to them.  They are so much more real and more applicable to my life.  I feel like I'm growing from learning about others.

Sewing Project #1

Last week I embarked upon my first sewing project: beanbags for our Cornhole game that got eaten by the rats in Michael's shop.  I have to thank my good friends Becky DuBose and especially, Adrianne Cowan, for helping me with this.

Catching Up

Here are some random pictures I haven't had time to post!

 Bathtime

 Storytime

 Cuddling with Mommy!

 Sleepy

 Ready to take a ride!

 Naptime with Daddy!

 Playing on my gym!

 Ready for church

Couponing Week of June 19th

In order to stay at home next year, I have got to find ways to save money.  Thanks to one of my best friends, Kayla Payne, one of the ways I am doing that is with couponing.  "Couponing" is a LOT of work, but the rewards are amazing.  This week I went to CVS to get a baby deal.  Spend $25 in baby products and you get $10 in rewards back to use next week.  Here is my haul:

I got $62.81 worth of stuff for $23.40.  Pretty good considering that huge box of diapers cost that much normally.  Plus i got over $20 back to spend next time I go in there.  Since couponing has become so popular, the good deals have been harder to get.  People are waiting at the stores Sunday morning to get the best stuff and the best deals run out quickly.  I was happy that only one deal I wanted was gone this trip!  It's the worst when you do all that work and others have cleared the shelves!

Ryder's First Swim

I can't say that Ryder exactly liked to swim, but he didn't dislike it either.  He never cried, which I was shocked at.  He even smiled and laughed a couple of times.  I think he'll eventually like it!