Fun times during Spring Break 2012

It was funfilled and flew by!  Spring Break has come to a close and now all we have are vibrant memories (thanks to photo editing).  I managed to make it over to Disney twice, the beach, a fabulous Birthday/St. Patty's Day party, the movies, and got some much needed relaxation.  However, the highlight was heading over to good ole' MD Anderson and seeing my plastic surgeon (well his PA).  Apparently they want me to lose 40 pounds in about 12 weeks.  I am pretty sure they are aware of the weight loss guidelines and know that 1-2 pounds a week is the healthiest track to follow so I'm not sure why they are pushing over 3 pounds a week. 

Anywho, I have been at the gym religiously and have tightened up on my WW points!  I have also invested in a snazzy little jar and some rocks!  Doesn't sound like much,  I know, but it is a visual representation of the weight I have lost.  It is also to motivate me to fill the jar up.  Every rock equals a tenth of a pound (.1).  Since I have lost 13 pounds the jar now has 130 rocks.  So I will be updating everyone on my jar's progress as time flies by!

The first trip to Disney was with Melissa, Rick, Ry, Tacey, and Tegan!

Tacey likes to have her picture taken :)

Ricky is having so much fun riding the Dino!

Yummmm, I am proud to say I just had a nibble of the cookie and nothing else!

Playing with my wide angle lense....

The second trip to Disney was with my gal pals from work!  Suzie, who is orginally from Ohio, had never been to the Magic Kingdom.  Alanna's youngest, Quinn, also had never been.  Having gone to Diseny countless times, it is always fun experiencing it through the eyes of a newbie. 

We had quite a large crew thanks to dad and another teacher, Greg, who got everyone in.  We first stopped by City Hall so that Suzie and Quinny could get their buttons that alerted the world it was their first time at Disney.  We then made our way up Main Street USA.

The pinning ceremony....

Our two first timers taking a picture with Quinn's camera.

I laid on the ground to get this shot and I was in such a hurry, I didn't center them! hahahah  I need to slow it down.

Framing things is cool! LOL

He looks so happy....

Love me some Fine Detail Black and White editing!  These girls are superstars, looking for Justin Beiber!



To round out Spring Break, Melissa had a party to celebrate St. Patty's Day and some special birthdays (Rick, his mom, and Melissa's aunt).  It was a great time with friends and a super big dog...and some tiny ones too!

Rocket and his frisbee

Buster!

Everyone got a button to wear... 

The cutest lil favors for the party!  M&M's in a ashamrock cup.

Birthday boy sporttin' his shamrocks!

Birthday whoopins

Things that make my heart smile :)

Years ago, when I lived in Atlanta, Georgia, I wrote a list on Myspace (there's a word I haven't said in a long time) and the list was of things that made me smile.  I'm not talking about a flicker of a smile.  I mean those smiles that make you grin for 5 minutes straight because you are at a place where happiness (or some type of feeling) consumes you.  I'm also not talking about exceptionally rare moments in life, like a your wedding or a birth of a child.  I am talking about every day moments that can happen anytime, anywhere.  They could be things I did everyday, and my heart was just as happy each time.

My List -

• Waking up in the morning to Fritz staring up at me when I look over the side of the bed....he's just so cute!
• Every time I would leave work in Stone Mountain, GA I would have to drive around a curve and to my left the field was full of wild flowers.  I would roll the window down and let the fresh air blow through the car.  I would turn up the radio and imagine I was running through the wild flowers. 
• I love book stores....just seeing all the books waiting for me to rummage through them makes me so giddy!  I am excited to spend and hour plus in any book store looking for good reads and even better bargains.
• When the sun is about 2 hours before setting, I love to be on the highway driving with my windows down and my radio up.  It isn't too bright and the weather is just right in the spring.
• I absolutely loved living in the city.  I loved the fast pace and the convenience of getting what I wanted, when I wanted it.  But what really made me smile was walking down the streets, surrounded by tons of people, with buildings on each side of me.  Whether it was window shopping, or the feel of the city excitement, my heart just smiled every time I stepped out of my building and got to walking!
• I love when I am halfway asleep and Herb snuggles up to me right before my alarm goes off in the morning.  Anything else that wakes me up before my alarm would get stabbed or shot.  Just saying. LOL
• My dad makes my heart smile.  It's not because he is the best dad ever and he loves me unconditionally, but because he's just so darn cute.  Whether it's him rolling up his jeans at the bottom, or wearing his Hawaiian shirts, I just love him.  He's a fabulous dancer and a great breakfast maker :) 
• Every time one of my students has a light bulb go off, or makes an argument using factual information to back them up, makes me just GLOW!
• When I work out at the gym I usually listen to music on my phone.  Any time a song by SWV, Xscape, or some other famous 90's group comes on, I go super fast on the treadmill or cross trainer.
• Speaking of music, any time I hear a song by Bone Thugs and Harmony, my heart smiles. 

This is just a short list of the many things.....I think I will update it as time goes by!

We couldn't make this $h!t up if we wanted to..... #2

It's that time of week again and I have actually had a few teachers contribute this time! It is so much fun gathering comments and hearing stories that teachers tell me.  We just have to shake our head in disbelief each time one of our special students makes our day with their comments.  Keep in mind....we teach middle school students, 12-14 year olds.  That's right, we couldn't make this $h!t up if we tried! 

• "Do cows lay eggs?

• "Do you drank or eat a McFlurry?"

• Teacher - "Today we will be learning about Canada's History"
  Student - "Why do we have to learn about Canada?  The only thing they are good for is Canadian Bacon and Justin Bieber"

• "How did Harriet Tubman build all those railroad tracks?"

• 8th grade student - "It's so weird.  It's so weird, I feel like I was just in 7th grade last year."
  Teacher - "Probably because you were a 7th grade student last year."

• Student to Science teacher - "OMG is that skeleton real?"

• Teacher - "Please go ahead and letter your paragraphs.
  "Student raises his hand - "You mean like 1-2-3-4"

• Student - "I have to leave this country."
  Teacher - "Where will you go?"
  Student - "Miami"

• Student 1 - "When Canadians talk, why do they say 'Aye'?"
  Student 2 - "Yeah, why don't they say 'B'?"

An enchanting wedding....

I am a sucker for a good wedding!  My brother married his sweetheart of five years over the weekend at the beautiful and majestic John and Mable Ringling Ca' d'Zan Mansion in Sarasota, Florida.  Laden with banyan tress and caressed by the ocean, this very special venue had a Moroccan/gypsy feel.  The museum was decorated top to bottom with stained glass windows and the trim of the was gold, it shimmered in the sun.  It was the perfect place for my brother and Jade's wedding.

 Reception Area

Surrounded by 140 of their closest friends and family, PJ and Jade said I do on the front lawn of the Ringling Museum.  The parents were walked down the aisle to some odlies but goodies, the bridal party to  Marry You by Bruno Mars. Next, you only had to watch the expression on my brother's face and that told it all - Jade was coming down the aisle.  As Pachelbel's Canon played, Jade made her way down the aisle with every eye on her.  She was beautiful, she glowed, so full of love and excitement!

PJ and Jade were married by a close friend, someone that actually knew them and had watched them grow as a couple. Their bridal party was a conglomeration of old and new friends.

The Bridesmaids!

The Fellas (minus Adrian LOL)

Such a proud dad....and he didn't mess up!

 
Cocktail hour was full of laughter and smiles.  It was good to catch up to everyone!  Hor' devours were served by servers, the bar was also open and packed (it was a Kish event!).  Small lamb chops seemed to be the star of cocktail hour however I loved the other two served just as much - ahi tuna and goat cheese bruschetta.   The sun was setting as we enjoyed cocktail hour, conversations were flowing and excitement was in the air!  I was so excited that PJ and Jade chose White Rose to do their music.  White Rose did our wedding music and we loved them!  PJ and Jade took their pictures during cocktail hour and finished up by joining their guests for pictures before starting the reception.

Mr. and Mrs. Philip Kish were announced and they shared their first dance to Ben E King's Stand by Me.  The reception was beautiful.  The theme and colors were concurrent throughout, from the follows to the chairs.  The tables were eight tops with a teal satin table cloth and a gold shimmer overlay that have vines.  The chairs were light gold chiavari with teal satin chair sashes.  Each table had a different Moroccan lantern surrounded by delicate, light hydrangeas, roses and orchids.  The chargers where glass with gold beads around the edge to match the menu which also had gold beads on the top of it.

In my opinion, the cake was the second most beautiful thing at the wedding (after Jade).  The cake was the star of the reception.  Decorated by Jade, it included their teal color scheme and was accented by Moroccan designs.  It was five round layers with the bottom one being a hexagon.  Junko, Jade's mom, hand made the favors which were round origami balls in different colors.  I was estatic to get a yellow one!












What a party!  The dancing never stopped and the alcohol never stop flowing....