One of those days...

This morning we had Spring pictures and class portraits. I should have known from the beginning it would be a long day...It didn't start out that bad but the talking was just crazy!!! I stopped centers 40 minutes early so we could practice what centers are supposed to look and sound like. By lunch time I was in dire need of fresh air and praise music turned loud. I left school, rolled down my windows and decided on Chick-fil-a. I sat in line for a good 25-30 minutes (it was lunch) only to get to the window and realize my wallet was in my desk drawer!!! I am starving. I came back. Ate some animal crackers and some Ritz (stolen from my snack drawer). I am leaving now and going to eat my arm and leg. : ) Praying that tomorrow will be a better day...

Hope yall had a wonderful Tuesday!!

Millions

Today I introduced rocks. I was reading a big book called "Remarkable Rocks" it starts out by saying that rocks are MILLIONS of years old. So 6 and 7 year olds have no concept of age and so I asked them how old are they? They answer in unison. I continue on and ask them do they think they are even CLOSE to a million? They say NOOO!! I say do you think Mrs. knight is close to a million? YESSS!!! Great...I am no longer 23, I am almost a million. haha oh the joy of 1st graders.

All to Him I Owe

to start your week off right... remember this simple thing. Jesus Paid it ALL.

Needs and Wants

So we are learning about Natural Resources and how the world provides our needs (food, shelter, water). We are sitting in community circle yesterday and I am trying to get them to tell me the three most important things you need to live. I, of course, get food, water and then little M (the same chubby boy about calories) says "Mrs. Knight, Mrs. Knight, I know I know!!! GOD!" love it. I made it work by saying that God made all of these things. I talked about snow and what would you do if it were snowing? Would you stay in the wonderful snow God created or go "inside" with the emphasis on inside...got shelter with that one : )

List Yourself Tuesday

Another one of my friends from high school has a blog which I also follow (all my high school & college friends are such writers) and she is a list maker like myself. She does "List Yourself Tuesday" Her blog is http://livethelifeyoulove2010.blogspot.com/- check her out!


This weeks list was "List all the steps you take in the morning between turning off your alarm and stepping out the door"

1. Press snooze at least 3 times
2. Go potty
3. Brush my teeth
4. Put in my contacts & brush my hair
5. Turn off the alarm
6. Let Pip out (check the weather)
7. Get dressed (outfit picked out the night before as was the shower)
8. Let Pip back in
9. Breakfast
10. Grab lunch (packed the night before)
11. Put Pip in the laundry room
12. Tell Justin goodbye (if he is here)
13. Set the alarm
14. Open the garage and vroom vroom to school
15. Do my makeup at the red lights

I am totally not a morning person so my morning schedule is as easy as possible. I try to sleep as long as possible before getting out of bed. Whats your routine?

Also, I am at 19 followers...I am just waiting for it to hit 20!! Come on, I need one more follower to make my day!!

Six Months

Yesterday Justin and I celebrated our six month anniversary. Well kinda...he is still gone but we told each other happy anniversary. Can you believe its been six months!? Crazy how time flies...

In the six months we have been married we have done so much!!

Got Married

Went on our Honeymoon

Bought a new kitchen table

Bought a beautiful camera

Bought a wonderful house

Bought great furniture for our living room

I got a job...well two

Went to many football games

Went to Louisiana for my cousins wedding

Went to DC to visit family

Spent time with family
Spent time together

That is just a few of the things we have been able to do together. I love my hubby and still can't believe we are married, let alone married for 6 months!! : ) When will I stop having to pinch myself to believe that this is my real life!? I am so blessed.

love you bub

Team Hardy

This past weekend we had a little Hardy reunion. Justin is still gone and my mom and sister had Monday off so we decided to have a get together. Dad and Jessica hadn't seen the house and what a better weekend to come see it! Also, my birthday was last Wednesday and Justin was gone so I had a pretty lame birthday and they wanted to come celebrate. Jessica & Mom came up on Saturday morning and we went to lunch and shopping to Target. Later that afternoon, Dad came and we all played Wii sports and Wii Fit Plus (my other birthday present). Dad was really good as you can see by the pictures. : ) We also got a cookie cake and sang happy birthday. : ) Sunday we got up and went to church. I love our church. Chris is just such an amazing pastor. He isn't afraid to tell you how it is regardless of what others may say about him or the church. I just love it! I love leaving knowing I've started my week off right. But my favorite part of the weekend was just this...Before long, Dad had to head back to Kingwood cause he had to work on Monday so it was back to just the three of us. We lounged around and played some more Wii. Monday morning we got up and headed to school to show Jessica my classroom before they both left to head home. I spent the rest of the day doing laundry, cleaning up and getting ready for my week. Justin should be home on Wednesday. I can hardly wait.

P.S. Jessica may claim to not like Pip, but Pip doesn't take long to win over even his biggest foes. : )

Peanut Butter Kisses

So I love my Wii and Wii Fit Plus but with these cookies in the house, I can work out and it still tells me I have gained a few so if you are watching the calories...this recipe isn't for you but OH MY is it good! and super easy.

Peanut Butter Kisses

1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg

Chocolate Kisses

Mix together the first 3 ingredients together. Spoon into little dolups onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Cook 8-10 minutes on 350 degrees. Once they are out of the oven push a kiss into the middle and watch it melt into uber goodness!!

Let me know if you try them and what you think! Enjoy!

That's How You Know

One of my friends from college has a blog (http://serengetitales.blogspot.com/) and one of her recent posts was about how she gets frustrated because no one else hears the soundtrack in her head. I agree. I love musicals. I feel like the movie Enchanted fits me pretty perfectly. Pip is named after this movie and I feel like Justin is Patrick Dempsey and I am Amy Adams. Justin would be mortified if I sang and danced in public and I would be the one talking to strangers and dancing in the street (but according to Justin my voice isn't as pretty as Amy). : ) Enjoy! I love it!

Have a wonderful week everyone!!

Stay Tuned:

Recipe for AMAZING cookies, Valentines Decorations (just one), & My Wonderful Weekend with my family

So excited!

Oh my excitement is overflowing through my body!!! I love blog stalking and making friends through blogs! Every time I get a new follower it like makes my day. I call my husband and am like "GUESS WHAT! I got another follower!!" He is always like...uh huh...cool whatever that is...but it just makes my day. Anyways, I recently have found and fell in love with http://browneyedbellejulie.blogspot.com/ She is a super cute girl who has such uplifting and easy to read blogs (currently my favorite would be the yellow post) So yesterday I check my blog and I have a comment saying she has awarded me with the BEST BLOG AWARD! Crazy crazy crazy- blew my mind! No way in my mind do I have the best blog I have always been told my life is quite the soap opera but since I got married life has been rather quiet and all I write about is my daily life of teaching baby 1st graders and being married so I am thrilled and greatly appreciative and pleasantly surprised!

This award goes to blogs that you have just recently discovered and have fallen head over heels for! So, really it's the Best (New) Blog Award. Once you get this award you have to post the award on your blog and link it back to the person who gave it to you, tag approximately fifteen blogs that you've recently discovered, and let those people know they've been tagged.


I don't know how to tag people where it actually says... "Lauren @ Modern Day Knights" and then you click on Modern Day Knights.... can someone help me so I can tag 15 BEAUTIFUL NEW WONDERFUL BEST BLOGS!? : )

*400* Call to Pray *400*

*The 400 is because this is my 400th post* Can you believe it? I have been blogging since 2007! Crazy! : )

Anyways, the real point of this post is to call to pray. Every morning I listen to KSBJ (Christian radio station) on my way to work and every morning lately I have been hearing about the prayer rally that will be held on Monday to pray pray pray about the largest planned parenthood center being opened in Houston (the 2nd largest Abortion clinic in the WORLD). They keep restating that this is NOT a protest but a time of prayer for our country. (though the media and internet are making it out to be a protest) I have been doing some research on what the bible says and here is what I have found...

1. God creates life.

You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit (Job 10:12).
Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100:3).

Life is a gift of God.
• It should be cherished.• It should be nourished.• It should be protected

2. God treats a fetus (baby) in the womb as a living person.

Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers? (Job 31:15).
(one of my favorite verses)
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:13-16).

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy" (Luke 1:41-42, 44).

3. God says murder is sin. (Abortion kills the fetus)

You shall not murder (Exodus 20:13).

4. God calls us to protect the defenseless, including children.

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked (Psalm 82:3-4).

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done? (Proverbs 24:11-12).

5. The Bible says God forgives those who had an abortion when they ask.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin (Psalm 51:1-2).

Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:9-10).
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One (1 John 1:9-2:1).

I don't know why I am so passionate about this. I just strongly believe we should pray. That is all we can do. I know I serve a just and loving God and he has his perfect plan.

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:28-31

I know what I say is true (the verses) because it comes straight from the bible. And I believe EVERY word in the bible. Times may change, things accepted may change, textbooks may change, but the word of the Lord has been the same for over 3,000 years--- I'm gonna stick with that.

The Most Precious Gift

Today at school my children were very excited that it was my birthday and very upset that I did NOT bring them cupcakes (I mean come on how DARE me!?) But this morning my little K comes in with a box in her hand. This little girl is the one I may have mentioned before...she likes to throw chairs, scream at the top of her lungs, disobey, talk back, comes from a rough family, dad not around, mom not so much either, ya know...the works. However, this morning she walks in with this box. Wrapped in used Christmas paper, with tears and tape every which away. She is so proud as she walks into my room, as she is the only one with a present for me, to hand me the box she has wrapped with such tender and care. I almost cried looking at the box. The kids begged me to open it, I hesitated in fear, what was in this box and what would the other kids say? I opened the box to find a picture frame and a bear figurine. You see both of these items come from the front office "Positive Pal" treasure box. Something she had earned for behaving properly and doing her job (which is rare), she felt she needed to give to me. So with the biggest hug and deepest pull on my heart I hugged little K and told her it was the best birthday present ever.

Alone Yet Again

Sad little birthday girl I am today.
You see, my husband has gone away.
Back to work he must go.
Hours away without any play....


Sorry : ) Started rhyming, couldn't stop. Anyways, as you read- Justin is off to work again and I am alone so we celebrated my birthday last night. I told him never in all my 23 years of life had I not a orange roll for my birthday breakfast (you see my birthday falls before college students go back, so I have always been at home for my birthday). Last night, Justin walks in with a Wal-Mart bag and says "How much do you love me?"- he had brought home orange rolls and milk. I told him that was only half...if he got up and made them at 6:15 this morning then I would know the depth of his love (all in play of course). Well, the alarm went off and up Justin got- put the rolls in the oven, got back in bed and got back out of bed to get them out, put one on a plate and told me Happy Birthday! : ) Oh the love of a wife for her husband.... (Background: Justin has NEVER once made me breakfast).

To back up this love, last night Justin and I ate Laynes for dinner (on my request) and Justin was going to shower when he tells me he is going to clean out a spot in the garage for my car so it doesn't freeze in the mornings- well he comes back in with a box in his hand...A WII!!! I had been telling him I wanted one but since we just bought the house, the camera, etc. I thought I would need to wait...but once again the love of a wife for a husband overflows from me...not because he bought me a present, but because he thought of me above himself. Oh how I love my husband.

P.S. Once we did get the Wii hooked up, he was quite interested I do tell you though...he was kicking some butt in golf and tennis...I have him beat in boxing though : )

Weekend Celebration

This past weekend Justin and I traveled to The Woodlands to meet Elissa (my cousin) and Sam for our Birthday dinner celebration. You see, Elissa and I are two days apart, really a day and half if you get technical. I can only name 1 birthday that we have spent apart in 23 years. CRAZY! Elissa is my other half and the one friend I know I will have when I am 89 years old and we can laugh about Grandma saying things like "crap" or squished beans and taco or the classic murderer in the dark haha! Anyways, to not break with tradition, Justin and I met them for dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. My favorite place-EVER!

Happy Birthday Cousernal Twin!!! We made it 23 years....

P.S. I'm really upset we didn't take one of the two of us!!

Really DO work!!

OMG are my calves sore today or what!?! I wore my Shape-Ups last night at dinner and then again all day. and OMG my calves are KILLING me!!!

Goodbye Cankles : )


Now if only I can be like that testimony..."I've only had my Shape-Ups for a month and I can already tell the difference in the way my jeans fit" haha- not there yet : )

Pip's Favorite Spot

The sun comes through the window every day and Pip just lays there soaking it in....

Success

TPRI- Texas Primary Reading Intervention.

As a first grade teacher you have to administer the TPRI (It is like TAKS for K and 1) at the beginning of the year, middle of the year and end of the year to track progress. Each grade is grouped by Grade:Story. Each grade has 5 stories. So by the end of the first grade my babies have to read Grade 1: Story 4 at 60 words per minute. So at the beginning of the year I tested N and she wasn't reading at all. I read to her Kindergarten Story 3. I was worried about her. We have been working really hard on reading skills. Now that it is January we are starting the middle of year testing. I tested N first. I was so happy I almost cried. She read Grade One: Story 4 at 28 words per minute!!!! That is HUGE!!!

Also, B was already at a second grade level at the beginning of the year. She was reading Grade One: Story 5 at 66 words per minute. Tested her, she is now reading Grade One:Story 5 at 120 words per minute!!!

I love being able to see the growth...my little babies are getting so big and smart! : )

How cool is this!?

I was clicking through blogs (as well all do- don't lie) and was reading one my followers blogs and she had talked about this awesome website...check it out! I want to do it- but I am not sure what I want to tell myself yet.

www.futureme.org

check it. let me know what you think! Have a happy Friday!

Prayers Answered

If you know me you know that from the 2nd week I hung out with Justin I was ready for a ring : ) and if you know Justin he takes FOREVER to make up his mind. So our two year anniversary was coming up and I needed to figure out what I was doing with my life (once again, if you know me, I like to have a plan) because it was time for Student Teaching and I needed to figure out where to start looking for a job. So I was really starting to panic about what was going to happen to us...I had my speech prepared for him (ya know, where is this going? do you want to marry me? I don't wanna date for another 3 years, you're almost 30 hehe) : )

I sat down on January 6, 2009 to do my quiet time before bed. The book I was reading is called The Power of Praying Through the Bible. Amazing book. The title of the page was "Making Sacrifices" and the verses were Genesis 22:1-19. In these verses they talk about God testing Abraham with the sacrifice of his son (the son he had waited 25 years to receive) and yet Abraham was so willing he didn't waste any time, it says "early the next morning, Abraham got up..." It just hit me right there. Abraham had COMPLETE trust in the Lord. Here I am, thinking of MY plans and what I want to happen but the LORD had HIS plan. The book continues on about could any of us trust God that much? It just hit me over and over again about how I needed to put my trust in the Lord for his plan for me. At the end there is a little prayer, it is as follows:

Lord, I know you always ask me to surrender everything to You- including the dream in my heart. And even when that dream is from You, You still ask me to let go of my hold on it. So I surrender every dream in my heart to you right now. I don't want to cling to something you will not bless, or give up on something that is your will for my life.

Inside that prayer, I underlined "including the dream in my heart" and "So I surrender every dream in my heart to you right now" and arrowed to the empty space in the page and wrote MARRIAGE in big letters. I wanted to get married since the time I was a little girl, but more than anything I wanted the Lord to have his hand in it and be what he wanted. So needless to say this quiet time was quite revelation. I also wrote on the bottom - Surrender- Barlow Girl


4 days later...Justin proposed. Need I say more...if you didn't have complete faith in Jesus and his ability to hear your prayers and ANSWER THEM I hope you do now...

Survived

I survived my first day back. My kids really weren't that bad but I have had a migraine since Saturday night. UGH I am going insane. I took my migraine medicine Saturday night so now it just the after headache which is apparently lastly so so so long...UGH!

Blogger Crazy

I have been going crazy with posts lately! : ) I am currently working on my plans for this upcoming week. Most districts had a staff day tomorrow with no kiddos but not us...the kids will be returning tomorrow morning as well. So after tonight I might be absent for a little while...hopefully not.

My goal for this semester is to not feel as stressed. I am thinking I will be able to keep everything under control because I am starting fresh and have already been working on what I am planning on doing. Also, I feel like last semester I was thrown into the fourth week of school, new school, just married, living in apt but looking for a house where as now I am settled into the school, I know how things are run, what is expected of me and my kiddos know what is expected of them, and I am settled into the house. Now the only thing that would make it all perfect would be if my husband wasn't always gone... : (My other goal for this semester is to actually pack my lunch. And when I get home after school take Pip for a walk around the neighborhood with my shape-ups on and eventually some ankle weights. I really want a Wii and a Wii Fit so I could walk Pip then come in and get in shape on my Wii. I keep looking at pictures from the wedding and honeymoon and I was so skinny and tan! I am determined to get in shape and perhaps start tanning again! : ) I feel like if I can keep school in control and start getting in better shape I will overall be happier. Just gotta take it one day at a time... Yall have a wonderful week- Updates on the house soon (Mom & I went shopping and found some good deals on some super cute accessories)

New Year Picture Deals!

So I am a member of like every photo storage place online and I got two awesome deals in my emails today and thought I would share....

Snapfish.com
50 prints for 50 pennies (4 x 6)
Enter code: NEWYEAR50
Expires: January 7th

Shutterfly.com
Free 12 month calendar (just pay taxes & shipping)
Enter code: CALENDAR2010
Expires: January 6th

2009

2009

I remember getting these survey things in emails in like 6th and 7th grade and this is what you would do if you were bored one night or trying to avoid homework. So now, as a 20 something year old married woman I am 1. bored and 2. trying to avoid "housework" : ) So here goes nothing....(Its long prepare yourself)

1.What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before? To name a few...got engaged, purchased a wedding dress, got married, went on a honeymoon, went out of the country, bought a house, etc. : )

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't even remember what my New Year's resolutions were from last year...probably something about hoping to get engaged so in that case YES, I did! : ) This year, read the blog entitled 2010.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Taylor & Kristy both to beautiful baby girls

4. Did anyone close to you die? Thankfully no.

5. What places did you visit? Puerta Vallarta for my wonderful honeymoon

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? more patience particularly with 6 & 7 year olds and 27 year olds : ) & to spend new years with my husband

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? January 10- our engagement July 18- our wedding day December 19- buying/closing on our first home

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? getting two jobs 1. An autism aide- changed my world- LOVED it 2. 1st Grade Teacher- blessed by my babies daily

9. What was your biggest failure? I do not look at my life as success and failures- only things to try and try again

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I got the flu- twice.

11. What was the best thing you bought? My Cannon 50D and our home

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Justin- he proposed : )

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? other people are not in charge of my contentment- no one can steal my joy.

14. Where did most of your money go? Justin would say to me, but I say to our house and camera

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? my wedding

16. What song will always remind you of 2009? Then- Brad Paisley I Will Be Here- Steven Curtis Chapman

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? ECSTATIC
b) thinner or fatter? hmmm fatter : (
c) richer or poorer? I would say richer because I have a job whereas last year I didn't- Justin would say poorer because we have a house note, an apartment lease, car payments, etc.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Traveled, took more pictures and spent more time taking deep long breaths enjoying every moment God has blessed me with

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? stressed & worried & wasted less time

20. How did you spend Christmas in 2009? with our families

21. Did you fall in love in 2009? I was already there...but my Knight in shining armor continues to amaze me (for the most part haha)

22. What was your favorite TV program? Flash Forward, Lost

23. What did you do for your birthday in 2009? Went to the lake and ya know, nothing big...GOT ENGAGED! : )

24. What was the best book you read? Even Now by Karen Kingsbury & The Power of A Praying Wife

25. What did you want and get? A Cannon 50D & House

26. What did you want and not get? still thinking...

27. What was your favorite film of this year? The Hangover : ) "We're the 3 Best Friends that anyone could have...." "Rainman did it and he was a re-tard"

28. Did you make some new friends this year? Well YEAH! I made some new ones (like sitting next to Kristy @ Graduation and now were friends...small world), & re sparked some old ones

29.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Winning the lottery : )

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? Well I used to be obsessed with cute outfits but now I work with 6 and 7 year olds and get written on and snotty tissues put in my pockets so Old Navy khakis and a flowy top (I don't have to iron) is my regular.

31. What kept you sane? My faith, My rock, My Lord & Savior- without him I am nothing- with him- he will make my paths straight and I can lean on him for ALL my understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6)

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Don't judge- Miley Cyrus

33. What political issue stirred you the most? Most everything the government is doing now is scary- I just remember the Lord is in charge & all I can do is pray, pray, pray. This country needs it.

34. Who did you miss? My grandpa's- every day.

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
1.Trust few, but trust in the Lord.
2.You are only in charge of yourself & the decisions you make.