Lawn Mowing, Spider Bites, & Puppy Breath

This morning...well almost noon Justin and I decided we would get donuts for "Breakfast." We had donuts and headed to the lake for the day. Once we got there Justin got to work on the lawn.I captured some pictures of Justin working hard. Me and Pip on the other hand chilled while Justin was hard at work. Yup..thats a yawn... After Justin was done I tried to go get him a snow kone from the best snow kone stand ever! I drove over there while Justin showered to bring him a sweet treat for his hard work. However, as I stood waiting for someone to come to the window I saw a giant spider on my foot. I squished it only after it had its way with my big toe. To make matters worse, no one was in the snow kone place so i went back to the house empty handed with a big bite on my toe. We sat around and enjoyed each others company before heading back to college station. We stopped and ate dinner at Jason's Deli.

Once home, we got busy. I got the lawn mower and Justin got the weed-eater and tired to get as much done of the back yard as we could before it got dark. The weed-eater died, and the lawn mower ran out of gas so needless to say we weren't very successful. But I got over half the backyard done- so that was good. After that we went and got snow cones from the local place- however they didn't have the flavor we both wanted so we made our own combinations! : )

After snow cones, the new addition to our house arrived. DRAKE, the 8 week old black lab. He is already bigger than Pip! He is a crazy little puppy! Once he got here, all the neighbors and their dogs came over to see him. It was like a zoo in the family room! For now that is okay, hopefully all 8 dogs on the street wont be at our house at one time! He is cute though and still has the puppy breath. I will have to re-read this post in the future when Drake has either torn something of mine to shreds or peed on something of mine, but for now he is cute. It is only okay when your own kid pees or tears something up. : )

Pip thinks everything in the house is his and no one else should be allowed in it. Included this giant kennel, obviously NOT Pip's.

Pip is still my baby though. He was such a chihuahua tonight though. He was very protective of everyone. He would go and sit in anyone's lap who was playing with Drake. He blocked the doorway when he first got here and growled. He also is growling in the picture below. I am just waiting for Drake to get bigger than Pip and Pip try to growl then. He will learn his lesson...

Tomorrow is my first day of real classes. I am excited yet kind bummed. I am almost getting used to not doing anything all day...I have class from 8-10:20, then a break till 12:45-3:35. Oh yeah! But no complaining from me. Justin has been here all week, and I only have class ONE day! Life couldn't be sweeter. He is definitely helping the clouds go away...

p.s. Cambrey, Joe & Adam's big day is in short 6 hours! I am so excited to meet the little angel. My guess is its a girl. (I needed to write this down so I could prove I predicted it right tomorrow afternoon) : ) Love you! You are in my prayers

Good Mood

I am in a great mood with a few clouds still hanging around but today I am determined to stay in a good mood. I was supposed to meet today and tomorrow from 9-3 and then on Thursday have regular class...well today I went and we met from 9-11:30 and they told us that we were done and they would see us on THURSDAY. Not tomorrow, but THURSDAY! I am sooo excited. Not only did we get out super early but we are done until real classes. I am super happy. I came home and made myself a lean cuisine and am thinking about being an over-achiever and starting my webography I have to do. I know, LAME. What else do I have to do!? Maybe I'll study for my CLEP test....or maybe Ill take a nap...I just havent decided. : )

To add to my excitement of not having class tomorrow- Justin is here! So tomorrow when I would have been in class all day- I didnt know what he was planning on doing but now I will be home all day. I am going to try and figure something fun for us to do. Anyways, Im gonna go try to decide how to spend my day....

Theme

I have decided to have a theme song for this semester. It is hard to try and figure out everything today, when you can't. You have to be still and wait. That is hard and gets harder everyday. So anytime I get distracted by life and everything that I hope will happen or what I think should happen. I need to take a step at a time. God will always take care of me and I need to remember I cant jump over mountains from the bottom. I need to slow down and take it a day at a time, a step at a time.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzyys6kW8yg

Timing

Your timing is always perfect, Lord.
You always take care of me.

Bring me joy, bring me peace

Bring the chance to be free

Bring me anything that brings You glory

And I know there'll be days

When this life brings me pain

But if that's what it takes to praise You

Jesus, bring the rain

I am Yours regardless of

The dark clouds that may loom above

Because You are much greater than my pain

You who made a way for me

By suffering Your destiny

So tell me what's a little rain

So I pray

Holy, Holy, Holy Is the Lord God Almighty


-that is all for now. Keep me in your prayers if you all dont mind. This semester is off to a rocky start-

Diamond in the Rough

So...coming home is supposed to be realxing but it has been anything but....so I have cried like every ten mintues. But today I cried tears of joy. I got an email saying my scores from my tests were posted. I checked....I PASSED! I have been really worried about it because I didnt think I had. I hardly remember taking the test. I was tired and worried I didnt know anything. I guess that is why God tells us not to worry. So today, my diamond in the rough is

I AM A CERTIFIED TEACHER!

I cried so hard. My mom was like why are you crying! I am just so happy!!!!

Sisterhood of the Traveling Dress

Real quick. Im exhaused. But had to post these pictures...ill post more tomorrow. I hate it. my mind is full of all these blogs I want to write and yet I am sooo tired. For now, here are the pictures:

Jordan in Lake GradaChelsea in the Kronenbourg brewery in Strasbourg

Kimberly in Times Square

Me at the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia

Here is Block in College Station on Bid Day for Delta Gamma- the reason we have the sisterhood in the first place.

Im just waiting to get pictures from the other one. Clegg in Las Vegas!!!

Another One of Papa's Favorites

My Papa was an artist. Growing up, Jessica and I both have very fond memories of this lamp!! As you can see, I am still fascinated with the changing colors : )
P.S. I added pictures of the night light papa would turn on for me to the blog "Internet, Pictures, Update"

Ruined

**Update: It is now 2:54am and I fixed my blog. I couldnt sleep until it looked normal again. Granted I didnt get my three column template I was after...but my zebra will do!**



All of you know how extremely OCD I am. I feel I have ruined my blog. I tried to make it a 3 column template and somehow my layout button is gone!!!!!!!!!! Therefore, I cant add anything or do anything! it has gotten rid of my blog list, my template, my countdown, EVERYTHING! : ( If any of you know how to fix it please HELP! I personally think it looks absolutely HORRIBLE now! I am very sad.

Chaos

It is no longer organized chaos. It has shifted to pure chaos. I havent been busy but I just havent felt like writing. Life is so tough here. I have been adding pictures daily to the virginia album and my project 365.

Once, I get home and settled I will write more about everything that is going on but for now I'll give you a brief over-view.

Saturday: we all drove 3.5 hours to see my cousin Jason & Shawn's houses. Jason, Melissa & Maggies home.

Below is Shawn & Kristens house with a matching dog house in backOn the way home Jason (Virgina state trooper) pulled us over. Mom wanted to vomit. It was hilarious.

Sunday: Everyone came over all day and there was enough food to feed 1200 yet there were only 10 of us. That's our family though...everyone feels they need to bring not just one thing, but three.

Sisters...we are still being sisters. Keep praying for us.

Granny is just sad to watch. I have so much respect for all the family who lives here and deals with all of this daily. This morning she called me Frank. Last time I checked I don't look anything like a Frank : ) I am trying to stay up beat and happy about it and make jokes about it but its just hard.

Pictures, Internet, Update

Internet doesnt work long. Gotta type quick.
Pictures wont upload because internet doesnt work long enough...
Say a prayer for Granny- doesnt make much sense but boy is she spoiled and gets EVERYTHING she wants

Update:

Update on day one. The organized chaos continued on until 3am. Jessica went to bed at 10pm and I stayed up with everyone else. Everyone started getting ready for bed around 11:30 and mom said she was going to sleep with granny. I suddenly had a memory of my grandpa flood back to me for some reason.
**In my granny’s house there are three bedrooms. Granny’s, the big bed room, and the twin bed room. Jessica and I always sleep in the twin beds, (normally arguing over who gets to sleep with mom for the night). Mom sleeps in the big bed but since Verna is with us we figured we wouldn’t have any fights about it. However, last night she said she was going to sleep with Granny to see how bad the nights are. I decided that I would sleep with Verna because she wanted to stay up and read a little while and the twin bedroom was dark and Jessica was sleeping away…no reading for me. However, as I walked back into the twin bedroom my memory was overloaded with a vivid memory of my past. My grandpa died when I was in Kindergarten. So the total amount of times I saw him probably maxes out at about 6. But for some reason, I have this memory of grandpa turning on my nightlight. However, this is not a normal nightlight. It is the coolest little light. It is a cylinder shaped light that is all different colors and you put the black cylinder over it and spin it. The colors just slide past and make the most beautiful colors. I suddenly remember playing with a push stroller and grandpa coming into the room, tucking me in bed and turning on the light.

I could NOT sleep in that room. I started balling and couldn’t understand why this memory was so vivid and so real to me. It is just so sad to me that I don’t have more of those vivid memories. However, I have started thinking about certain things and have decided I have more memories than I thought, I just need to concentrate. I am sure there will be more to come. (Such as the visits to the duck pond, feeding the birds, managing the garden)

Back to real life, I got ready for bed and am about to get in the bed but mom decides she can’t do it so she is going to sleep in the twin bed. She just needs me to move my suitcase so she can get in and out of the bed. I go in there and she starts balling and says “TALK ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO SLEEP IN HERE!” I was so taken a back I didn’t understand. She said “That, (pointing to a pillow in the corner) has got to go.” She had just complained that all the pillows were too big (she is like me and likes little ones) so I see the little pillow and say oh you want to sleep on it? She cries a little harder and says, “NO! That’s terry’s pillow” (Terry was my mom’s finance that died in the car crash.) As I looked at the pillow it had fast cars on it and in big letters says AHHH and SCREAMER!!! It was horrible! Mom said she didn’t care what I did with it but just to get rid of it. By the time the pillow reached the closet me, mom and Verna all were crying. Mom settled into the twin bedroom and me and Verna ended up staying up until 3 am talking about anything and everything. Both of us had dry throats by the time we went to sleep. Mom came back three times telling us each time “If you girls aren’t quiet I’m going to send your daddy in here with the belt” and the laughing would continue. Apparently Grandpa always would say that to mom and my aunt Janice when they were little. Finally the third time she came back we turned out the light and eventually an hour or so later after some more talking went to sleep.


There has been more since that...but today has been semi-busy. Ill write more and post more when I get internet again. : ) Love you all and miss you!

Semester = Stressed

So I just got an email from one of my teachers for the fall. I am excited yet nervous. I knew that we would have to meet…hold on let me back up. Tuesday and Wednesday I will be in a classroom at an elementary school and on Thursday’s I will be on A&M campus. However, they can’t put us in a classroom the first and second week of school. So I get an email that says even though we will not be in a classroom our section and only one other section (not the other two!) will be meeting at Rudder from 9-3 EVERYDAY! I am excited but at the same time I am nervous.

Also, something HUGE was also in this email. I have to know where I want to go for Student Teaching by SEPTEMBER 3RD!!!!!!!!!!! I have a meeting with the student teaching office that day! AHHHH!!! I thought I had till NOVEMBER!!

"Organized Chaos: Day One"

“Organized Chaos: Day One”
August 13, 2008

The title of this Blog accompanies a quote which is so true and why I love coming here so much. We boarded our plane at 8am this morning and getting there was chaos just to get to the airport. Mom and I wanted to leave at 6am from Jessica’s house so we would have plenty of time to get through security and have time for traffic or problems. Jessica, however, feels she is an expert traveler and decided we didn’t need to leave until 6:30am so we compromised and left at 6:15am. By the time we got to the airport and sat down we had plenty of time but I and mom feel better if we have time to relax before getting on the plane and not feel rushed. Jessica is used to traveling for business so she is got her mind on one thing, traveling. Mom and I on the other hand only fly when we go to see Granny so for us flying is quite the adventure. We sat down and not five minutes after sitting down Jessica and I were at it again- I don’t know what our problem is but we seem to be “being sisters” So say a prayer for us sisters! (I know everyone who reads my Blog understands “sisters” so keep us in your prayers this week)

We landed in Charlotte around noon and got our rental car. This is where the real “organized chaos” begins. We ride the bus to our rental car and we load it up, get in it and it is FILTHY. The seats are covered with disturbing colored stains. Mom decided she had a little fight in her, went to the check in desk and demanded a new car. She told the people the car was so dirty she wouldn’t put her dog in it. Sometime a little “organized chaos” is good because we got a free upgrade to a SUV. We are driving a Florida vibe. : ) Not the cutest, but it is spacious. We got here and not shortly after we arrived my Aunt Jenny pulled into the driveway. She looks like a new woman. I haven’t been in here in so long, not to mention she has lost 74 pounds!!! She looks great! She is still the same ol’ dishtowel swinging, funny, singing, dancing aunt I remember. We sat around for a little while then Jason and Maggie got here. She is adorable. I haven’t seen her since Jessica’s wedding so she is so big now! She was nervous at first, running away and hiding behind her daddy’s legs but she warmed up to us. She is running and talking at 16 months! She is so little yet so smart. After they played for a little while Aunt Ruby and Paula came over. So now the total is up to 10 people!!! Talk about chaos, esp. with a 16 month old with a push toy that sings “Care Bears…Care Bears…blah blah blah” I am sure I could recite if I heard the loud toy one more time. Not to mention there are only 10 people here yet there are somehow 13 conversations happening. We all moved about from outside, the family room, and the kitchen.

After a few hours of the best type of chaos I could ask for everyone decided it was time to get home (mostly to put baby Maggie to bed). I talked to Chelsea for a little while then now Jessica, me, mom, Verna (moms cousin), and granny are all sitting talking about pills they all take (ha-ha- isn’t it great listening to old people) I have random wireless internet which chooses to go in and out- so hopefully ill be able to most this at some point tonight! : ) YIPPIE- you all thought you were free of me for a week…nope just stealing some wireless internet….

One last thing last night at midnight I wrote out pretty directions from the airport to granny’s house and told mom that since I was so good with directions I should get the front seat. Plus, I get car sick easily and Jessica had already told us she was going to sleep the whole time. We get in the car and we let Verna have the front seat because I didn’t wanna argue. (We already had it out on the plane about it- think we embarrassed mom) so we both just sat in the back. Probably about 30 minutes into the ride Jessica decides she is going to lie down on my already asleep leg. She sleeps like that for an hour or so, and then we stopped for a potty break. I figured since I had already let it go once and let her sleep all over my sleeping leg I deserved the front seat, but…the next thing I know, Jessica is sitting in the front seat happily gloating. UGH I was so frustrated.

p.s. new album of Virginia pictures : )

Signing Off

This time tomorrow I will be in Virginia. YIPPIE. Therefore I felt I should blog one last time telling everyone I would be MIA for the next week (I know, tear, yall are all very upset about this).

This morning my mother and I woke up and went to Barnes and Noble where we purchased a book for me to study for another test I have to take when I get back(Human Growth and Development Clep Test) and a book called The Power Of Praying Through the Bible. I am excited about starting that one. The author goes through each book of the bible. It seems to be broken down in just the right way. My mom said she read Stormie O's books while she was in California all the time. You may have heard of some of her books, "The Power of a Praying Wife, Husband, Parent, etc." Apparently she is pretty good, so I'm ready to dive into that one. Next we tried to find somewhere to eat. Mom was refusing to have chick-fil-a so we drove around some more and ended up right back where we started, although next door, La Madeline. It was good. Totally random thing happened though- I had called Lauren Clegg earlier that day to see if she wanted to meet me and mom for lunch but she didn't answer. As lunch was coming to a close I saw a white tahoe with a delta gamma sticker on it. I was like NO WAY! I got up, went to the front of the store and there was lauren with her friend lauren. It was so random. Such a small world. : ) After lunch we headed over to Nordstrom Rack- : ) lets just say i did a little damage. We were exhausted after this journey and went home for a little while. After resting, we went back out to the grocery store to get supplies to cook dinner. We had to lock up Jessica's house and couldn't find the key, this is where we found it. She had left it right where she had it last...the front door.

We went to WallyWorld (mom's favorite place...haha...i had to drag her in it), got our supplies and when we came home the cooking begun. I made a candy bar pie and mom made a chicken-rice casserole, salad, corn bread, and potatoes au grautin. It was a lot of work but well worth it. The Reis came over and shortly after arrived my favorite, Justin!I was so happy and thankful he was able to make it. He was worried he wouldn't be able to make it because of work but he came and ended up leaving at 9 and was planning on going back to the office for a few hours. It really meant a lot to me and my mom for him to come have dinner with us. Thank you baby!

Since then I have been packing and showering. Our plane leaves at 8am tomorrow morning so we have to get up super early so I guess I should get some sleep. I will miss blogging but don't worry, I will be blogging in the form of word documents and adding them when I return. I know, hold back the excitement! : )

Cambrey: I am sad I will be in Virginia and still be so far away from you! It is quite a drive to see you and if I had more time I would be there in a minute! I am praying for you everyday! You better be doing what you are supposed to be doing and if you aren't I would come beat your butt if I could...I am beginning to think stubbornness runs in your family ; ) Love you

Twilight

I've done the unthinkable.

Seeing as that I will be on a plane on wednesday then at my granny's house I have fallen to the "vampires" I went and bought the first book tonight. I am going to start reading it when I go to bed. We will see how I feel about them...apparently they are amazing and you cant put them down.

I will keep you all updated Im sure. : )

...I...

i am: wasting my day doing nothing

i dream: of my classroom and my students

i think: I will be a great teacher

i know: I am blessed

i want: a label maker

i have: worries

i wish: i could blink and transport myself to different places

i hate: mushrooms

i miss: my grandpa's

i fear: of losing my parents

i feel: worried about skit night and being able to let go of my control

i hear: Roy's brother, Nick making deals on his cell phone : )

i smell: a McDonalds happy meal

i crave: sherbet at the most inopportune times

i search: for happiness

i wonder: what is in the plan for my future

i regret: nothing. Live with no regrets

i love: Justin & my family

i ache: when I think about the fact that neither one of my grandpa's will be at my wedding one day

i care: depply

i always: clean my room (I'm really OCD)

i am not: in a HURRY.

i believe: in Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior.

i dance: only when no one is watching

i sing: loud and believe I could have a record if I wanted ; )

i cry: at every Baby Story and Wedding Story I watch on TLC

i don’t always: do what I should

i hope: I have a house on a lake one day

i fight: when I feel I am wronged

i write: in hopes that one day I will be published

i lose: 5 pounds and then gain 12

i never: go to sleep in a messy room

i listen: when I want to, and have selective hearing

i can usually be found: at my computer or in my bed

i need: love and affection

i am happy about: my life

i desire: to live a full life.

i hope.

2 days...

I have finally reached my sisters for good.


Yesterday while Justin went to his friends graduation party I came to Jessica and Roys and went with Jessica to her "girls night out" with the girls from her sunday school class. It was fun. Her sunday school teacher's wife is preggers. They didnt want to give her another shower (she had already had a few) so instead they just had a girls night. I am glad I went. All of the girls were really nice. It made me realize something though...Im sitting here talking about school and my dog while they talk about babies and work and their husbands....after I realized this I tried to not talk as much but if you know me that worked for about two minutes : )


Pip apparently hasnt been being a very good puppy. I think he just misses me. Mom is coming tomorrow morning and hopefully we will go shopping, really I just want to go to Target. ; ) Strangely I want a label maker. As organized as I am I think a label maker would be the best thing to complete my love of organization. Its 10:40 and Jessica and Roy have both already been to bed and now I am alone and wide awake.


Also, everyone needs to update their blog more often. (every day would be nice) I check all the blogs like 800 times a day...


Two days until I board a plane and go see my family. I am soo excited. I cant believe that I havent been in two years!!! I can hardly wait. Earlier today I was going through my grannys house with justin. Telling him where the furniture was in every room and where everyone lived and who did what and what I did each day while I was there. And that I am scared of the basement. Weird I know, but we dont have basements so they freak me out.


For those of you who dont know, my granny lives in Bluefield, Virginia and two of my moms three sisters. (The other one lives in Southlake). There is Granny who lives by herself and down the street is Aunt Ruby, Uncle Ray and Paula. About thirty minutes away in the valley (of the mountains) lives my Aunt Jenny and Uncle Pete. Aunt Ruby's son, Jason lives farther away but he is married to Melissa and they have baby maggie (named after my granny). Then there is Shawn, Aunt Jenny's only son. He is married to Kristen and they live about 30 minutes away also. I see Paula and Shawn the most when I am there. I love spending time with them. Shawn is a big kid and I love it! However, two years ago he was starting to play the big brother/father figure, we will have to see about this year. Paula is the closest to my age even though she is still a year older than jessica but I love spending time with her. We always spend the most time together and I hate that she has to work...lame! When we are in Virgina it is a different world. Little things dont matter and you dont take for granted the small things and all the gifts the Lord gives you. My mom's sisters are crazy. My Aunt Ruby makes the best Grilled Cheese. It is normally the first thing I eat when I am there. I live for this part of the summer and two days can not go by quick enough.

Also, once I get there, I will basically be MIA. I am bringing my laptop in hopes of finding some free wireless internet somewhere. My aunt has internet but I probably wont check it everyday and for sure I wont be loading my picture of the day. However, I will probably write everyday and then load them all once I get internet. : )


I am so excited for you all to hear how much fun the Turner family is and how much love is given and recieved when I am there.

***LOVE YOU ALL***

Pretty puppy...Riley : ) Megans dog, she is just too cute not to put up!

p.s. i just posted some quotes about family & added pictures of baby maggie and some other family members (the only pictures I could find) to the quote blog : ) I know I have way to much time on my hands.

Busy Girl

Check out all three of my blogs-

all have had a facelift and i LOVE them. : )

MIA

So, I have been missing in action since I got home from Florida. I have been extremely busy since I got home. I was rather behind in classes from missing while I was in Florida. I offically finished today and it will be a great feeling to go to campus tomorrow and turn in my project and wash my hands of my 15 hours of summer school. I am thrilled and ready to do nothing. I know, I know, I just went to Florida where I relaxed but the whole time I had school and my certification test hanging over my head. I was stressed without even realizing it, plus I was ill. I figured my classes were preparing me for this test...WRONG. I went to Barnes and Noble and got a study book and opened it and FREAKED OUT. I was so overwhelmed. I studied ALL day on Friday and went to bed around 1ish. I woke up at 6 and went to campus where I took my test. I am nervous. I am sure I did fine, but it still makes me nervous. I hate standardized tests and am not very hot at them. : ( We will see. I wont find out my results until the 22nd at the earliest.
Oh well, cant worry about it.

Now that I am done with school I plan on laying out all day, every day. I am going to Dallas later this week and will spend time with Megan on the lake and on the boat/jetskis, and of course see Justin. Me, Jessica and Mom leave on the 13th out of dallas to go to Virginia. I am so excited- I can hardly wait.

Kimberly is back and I spent the night with her last night. Its good to have her back. I havent been at my house very much at all. I go to my house, clean up, get dressed and come back to the girls (where I am now). Block and I have really gotten close this summer and that makes me happy. I was never the closest to Megan but spending this whole summer with her has made us super close. I love the girl. She has been with me through everything this summer and I have been for her. We were lame college station girls together : )

Kimbo wants to go to Barnes and Noble and get a planner like mine so I guess I'll go with her and see if i can find any discount books to read while I lay out : ) ya know, books that arent school realted..its a new concept. I know I will gravitate to the education section of barnes and noble anyways....its horrible...gotta love it though

Something that has been great entertainment is Shiloh and Pip. They are so cute together. They just play and play. Shiloh is 95 pounds and Pip is 7. It is quite entertaining. Pip lays in Shiloh's lap. Shiloh has taken on a motherly role. Then Pip gets excited and just runs in circles around her and then around the house. Its been great, Pip sleeps like a little baby. Ill add pictures when the internet will let me. Its cute.