A little stalking anyone?

Last night Paige and I were in our pjs and were cuddling and watching a movie, when all of the sudden I get a text message from a friend. She said, "Tayl@r Swift and J@ke Gyllenhaal are sitting across from me at An@hor High!!!!". I told Paige and she jumped up soooo quick and set "Get dressed!". I couldn't believe she was so excited to see T@ylor Swift! Well, she wasn't!!! She was more excited to see Mr. Gyllenh@@l! She said, "You do realize he is the HOTTEST guy on the planet, right?" OH MY!!!

I looked at her like she was crazy and then a flashback ran through my brain...I remember when I was young (er) and Justin Timberl@ke was at a restaurant in Nashville and I begged my friends to go with me.

You only live once, right? We hopped out of our pj's and into some cute clothes and drove to the restaurant. I had texted my friend and told her we were on our way and she had us seats ready once we got there.

I had my camera with my zoom lens in my purse, just knowing that I would be brave enough to take a pic. Well, we get there, and low and behold there they are. Just a cute, young couple eating dinner and listening to live music. No one was bothering them, as a matter of fact, there were only about three families in the entire restaurant (it's a summer hotspot). Paige gawked (and I did, too, when they weren't looking :). We decided to let them eat in peace and not pounce. It was so tempting, though.

They smiled at Paige several times and she would look away real fast, embarrassed!

It was such a fun night and we have giggled about it all day! For sure, one that goes down in the memory book!!!

Thanksgiving 2010

We had a nice day and I have so much to be thankful for. I love my family and friends with all of my heart. Here are some of my favorite pics of the day!


The most important people in my life!


My little brother, Greg, and me!


Paige adores Greg and her kitty :)


My favorite girls!

Thankful!

Thankful for:
Faith
Family
Friends
Career
Coffee (Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte to be exact)
Snuggly fur babies
Sweet students to educate and mold daily
Good health
Saturdays
My new lens for my camera ( a little vain perhaps ).

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you and yours have a blessed holiday!

Hop on over to Lisa's pad for some black and white love!

...then there's little ole' me :)

Thanks for allowing me to vent and be so vulnerable for the past few posts. I appreciate all of your suggestions for books and what to ask my doctor, etc... Amy, I also LOVE your holiday tradition and am definitely going to borrow that one. Afterall, HE is the real reason for the season and instead of being down and out, I should rejoice in the fact that it's a happy occassion! Love ya, girly!

So, this weekend I got together with some dear friends who were such a special part of my past. I was so stoked to see my old friends and talk about all of the exciting things that have been going on with them. You see, one is Mrs. Tennessee, the other is Mrs. United States, the other was the prom queen/homecoming queen, etc...and then, well, there was me :) One would think that being surrounded by such beauty (on the outside and the in) you would walk away feeling a little down about my overweight, bags under the eyes, hair needing colored, frumpy self. However, the opposite couldn't be more true. It's so nice to be around friends who love you for who you are. No put on, no pretense. I have so many incredible relationships and I want to give thanks for those this holiday season. I had so much fun reminscing about our past, present, and our hopes for the future. I feel sooo blessed to have such great friendships in real life and in blogdom.

I love the saying, "A good friend is someone who knows your past and loves you anyway!" These girls know my past and they still love me. I love them, too! I hope that Miss Paige grows up with as many lovely ladies in her life as I have in mine.

Thanks for all of your friendships! Mwah!

Holidays get the best of me

As the holidays approach, I always get a little blue. My mom shared with me the other day that even as a child I was not into the magic of it all. She said that I would often become introverted (which I am not) and seem melancholy (which is not my nature). I feel that since my dad is gone and my brother is married now, our little family unit that was once so very tight is fading. While realistically I know that I probably have never been as close to my mom and Paige as I am now, I still long for the days of being a little girl and waking up on Thanksgiving to hurry and snuggle with my daddy and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. He would ooh and aah over all of the floats and in my true bah humbug nature, I would roll my eyes, while inside thinking that they were amazing and how I loved watching them with my dad. My brother would usually be bouncing about the house driving me crazy as he played with his nerf guns or bounce his basketball in the hallways. My mom would spend the day preparing dishes to take to my aunt's house. We'd usually be in a BIG hurry and would sometimes even fuss over the silliest of things in the car. It always was a hurried time, but even though things didn't always run smoothly, I enjoyed it. Something about traditions, good or bad, leave a romantic feeling inside. I may not express to my family that I wish for these traditions, but secretly I do.

I am sad that our hectic family days of old are now gone. I am trying hard to remain positive and happy for Paige, as she is such a sweetpea and deserves traditions to grow up with. It's just a hard time of the year for me.

Next week, I am attending a grief seminar in our town. It is held every year and is meant to help get through the holidays while missing a loved one. I haven't done too much in the department of healing and I think it's time. The one thing that I do hold on to is that my dad is with God and that he is complete and happy. If he can be happy and whole, then I think I owe it to myself to do the same. Sometimes easier said than done, ya know?

What are some of your fun traditions that you have for Thanksgiving and Christmas? Perhaps you would let this little family borrow some of them? I want everything for Paige to be magical and special. I want that for me, too!

36 feels awful today!

Ok, this might be "TMI" (too much info), but I am putting it out there for all of blogdom, hoping and praying that some of you can shed some light on what is going on with me!

As a teenager, I had a "fairly" easy time being a female (if you get my drift!). My twenties weren't bad at all. Short and simple monthly visits and I was on my way.
Lately, however, I have been MISERABLE! I am turning into a MEAN, grumpy gal once a month. I am weepy a week before, during and a week after. I cry and cry and cry some more. When I am not crying, I am sad, or OVER the top anxious. This is sooo unlike me.

I have cramps that bring me to my knees and often I spend hours on a heating pad. I am taking ibuprofen like it is candy.

HELP! Did any of you feel like this in your mid to late 30's? I have an appt. with my doctor, but it isn't for another month. I am a little stressed out, as this isn't the norm for me. Any advice or calming words would be appreciated :)

Again, sorry for the TMI, but I am hopeful someone can relate.
Thanks in advance! If I have any male readers, see the joys you miss out on!!! LOL!

Sixth grade

I took this pic this morning before school. I mean, seriously, isn't she a cutie? Sorry I am biased, but when I was in the sixth grade, I had buck teeth, glasses, pimples, big hair and a goofy grin. I NEVER looked this adorable.

Paige has taken to middle school like a champ. Her day doesn't begin until 7:30, but she begs to be dropped off by 7 a.m. on the dot, so she can "hang" with all of her friends.

She has become even more independent, if that is even possible. She asks to be dropped off at a "secret spot" so that she can walk in without us gawking or hovering. I giggle when I see her meet up with her friends as they walk into school. They are trying to act so growny, yet they are still so little and just adorable.

Her Vera Bradley bag is bigger than she is and yet she carries it with confidence. She wears lip gloss now and actually WANTS to brush her teeth before she leaves the house. No longer are the tree hugger days. Now, she cares about deodorant, abercrombie perfume, cute camis, and mismatched socks ( ? )!

Paige is not your "typical" asian stereotype. Yes, she is little and petite, yes, she is interested in math and science, but NO, she is not a genious. She is very smart, but has to work hard for her good grades. She has really done well so far and is striving to be on the Honor Roll throughout her middle school years. I have no doubt that she can do it.

She isn't too into boys just yet, however, a few have caught her eye. She got her first phone call from a boy last weekend and was so tickled by it. He is such a cutie, but they are FAR too young to be talking on the phone, so we had to put a stop to it. I am sure it won't be the last time.

Friends are not scarce. I love how social my girl is. She doesn't know a stranger. She is a friend to all and everyone loves her. She said tonight while at the basketball game, some of the kids got in a play fight as to "who loved Paige more". She said her response was, "I love you all equally and there is enough of me to go around" lol! She has such a dry little sense of humor, but when her giggle box gets turned on, it takes forever to turn off and will leave you in stitches.

She still pronounces her \r\ as a \w\ and while I shouldn't encourage it, I just can't help to think it is THE cutest thing ever. She said at lacrosse practice they "wan and wan and wan" (ran and ran and ran). I am not making fun of her...just documenting this precious little part of who she is. When she stops and thinks about it, she is able to pronounce everything correctly. I just love her...every single little precious part of her.

My sweet sixth grader is growing so much. I don't want to forget any part of it. I love her to the moon and back.

Priorities!

Tonight I received a wake up call and it couldn't have come at a more crucial time. Tonight, Paige told me she misses me. She said that I spend way too much time taking people's pictures and editing them. I agree! She then went on to say that she missed me taking her picture (she must really miss me to say that :)

I have been SO busy taking fall portraits. I teach during the week and am averaging three to four sessions a weekend. Then I have to grade papers, edit pics, take Paige to and from her extra curriculars, help with homework, etc... I am not willing to mess up any quality time with my mom, sister, brother, sister-in-law, friends, etc...

I lost a childhood friend last week. He died in an automobile accident. He was 35, newly married with a one year old baby boy. Life is far too precious to not spend it enjoying every last second with your loved ones!

I am hoping to blog more and post about all of the wonderful things my family and I are doing since I will have some free time!!!! YAY!