Nashville Fun! Part 3

Sunday was my last day in Nashville with the kids :(  Whitney cooked me up a french toast breakfast before we headed out to the Grand Ole Opry! We walked around the outside taking pictures but decided not to pay to take a tour of the inside (yes we are that cheap).  Fortunately Opry Mills Mall was right next door with a Bass Pro Shop for me to check out (since I have never been to one before).  I bought a new hat for hiking!

For my last night in Nashville, Whitney felt like having Mexican food and she took me to a restaurant not to far from her called the Rosepepper Cantina.  I was pleasantly surprised by the authentic atmosphere and food so far from the border.

Soon it was off to bed as I had a super an early morning flight to catch.  It was so hard saying goodbye to Josh, Whitney and adorable Lola!  Thanks for a great weekend!!

Nashville Fun! Part 2

Saturday Josh, Whitney and I started out with brunch at the nationally acclaimed Loveless Cafe where celebrities are known to frequent.  We enjoyed fresh warm biscuits with tasty jams in blueberry, peach and strawberry. Yum!  I had the country ham with red eye gravy and hash brown casserole while Josh and Whitney shared a feast including fried chicken, catfish and more.  The food and atmosphere were well worth the one our wait to be seated.  The drive to and from the cafe was beautiful as spring was beginning to blossom in many trees and bushes including the pretty Dogwood trees shown in the lower left corner.

After brunch we drove back to downtown Nashville where we walked over the Cumberland river on the pedestrian bridge and goofed around taking pictures from the bridge.

Later that day Josh had to work again, so Whitney and I headed out shopping and she bought a couple of patio chairs we just could not fit anywhere else but the front passenger seat.  As I rode in the back seat, I could not keep myself from laughing and taking a picture of this awkward drive home.

Nashville Fun! Part 1

Wednesday night I got into Nashville late and felt bad Josh and Whitney had to be out so late when they both had to work the next morning. Sorry guys! It is just so much cheaper!!

Thursday morning I got up early on a rainy day with Whitney and she dropped me off at Panera Bread while she worked and then brought me to school with her at Vanderbilt later that day.  I brought my computer and surfed the net in the commons while she was in class.  After class we went home to a nice roast in the crock pot.

Friday I was fortunate enough to get to be with Josh and Whitney at their first Midwife appointment where we heard their baby's heart beat for the first time.  Both of their eyes swelled up in tears as they realized there really is a baby growing in Whitney's little belly.  After the appointment we grabbed a bagel and coffee at Star Bagel and the kids showed me the town.  We headed out to German Town where we had to stop in at The Cupcake Collection to pick up a few cupcakes of coarse.

After Josh headed out to work, Whitney and I continued the day sightseeing in historic Franklin and enjoying a yummy Hawaiian pizza at The Mellow Mushroom.

Here comes the sun, just in time!

Woke up this morning to this! 

Then by the afternoon the sun was coming out and the big melt down began!

Flights were canceled and delayed last night and this morning leaving over 5,000 people spending the night at the airport.  But my flight is scheduled to leave right on time in a few hours thanks to the sun and the quick melt!  I am so excited to go see Whitney Jo! 

I think winter will win this one

Only 1.5 hours ago I was sitting my school's parking lot talking to Whitney will rain was pouring down.  As I headed into class at 6 pm the rain changed to snow, crazy heavy blizzard snow!  I have never seen anything like this.  Our teacher let us turn around and come home and I could not see a thing. 

 Then I make it safely into the garage at 7 pm and this it what it looks like.   Only one hour of snow and at least 4 inches!  Our next door neighbor said he has never seen it snow like this except one time in Wyoming.

And it is going to snow all through the night until tomorrow night and I am scheduled to fly out to see Whitney tomorrow?  I hope I can go!!!! 

Say a prayer for Sean he is in downtown Denver at a John Mayer concert.

The battle of the seasons

Here we go again!  Spring keeps trying to move in but winter doesn't want to let go.  Yesterday was so nice I dropped my car off for maintenance and walked home enjoying the nice 66 degree weather.  This morning I turned on the morning news to learn later this afternoon another storm is blowing in bring anywhere from 8-16 inches of snow by tomorrow afternoon.

So I went outside to enjoy this beautiful morning with the dogs while I ate my FREE pumpkin scone from Starbucks since it was "Free Pastry" day.  I told Millie there was another storm on the way and she did not believe me.  She just wants to bask in the sun!

Don't want to have say but, I told you so!

Today is another incredibly beautiful day and the 8 inches of snow that fell Friday is all but gone! I took these pics on a walk we took around 2 pm and the temperature was about 60 degrees. So we still have another 5 hours of sunlight to melt what is left of the snow. We tried to take Max but he is terrified of us approaching him with a leash. People were out evrywhere jogging in shorts, playing basketball and walking their dogs.

Now this is rewarding!

This past week was teacher appreciation week and I was genuinely touched.  Throughout the week I was given treats, cards, letters and even one student knitted me a scarf in my favorite color!  And the compliments never stop.  My cooperating teacher is retiring this year so students tell me, the teacher and other teachers that I should take her job.  I also have students asking me to apply at the middle school they will be attending next year.  I get hugs and smiles everyday.  And get so excited to see the light bulbs go off.  I have earned the respect of the students so much that many of them have confided in me about their preteen drama and other fears or concerns.  Spending time in the classroom has reinforced my desire to be a teacher, I know this is my passion and I really hope I can find a job for next fall!

First day of spring

Just woke up to what looks to be another beautiful big blue sky day.  I guarantee this 8 inches of snow that fell yesterday will be melted away by tomorrow, that is what I love about this place! 

I am finally on Spring Break for two weeks!  And only six weeks left before I finish my Master's Degree and can apply for my teaching certificate!!  I have so much to get done over this break.  I really need to spice up my resume and write a better cover letter for applying for teaching positions (the very few there are).  I have so many resumes and cover letters it is overwhelming!  I have applied for every kind of job from HR, Administrative, Sales, to Document Control and now Teaching.  Making every resume and cover letter unique is so much work.

Btw....Today marks 1 month since Scott and I brought mad Max home.  How long does it take to get a damaged puppy to warm up to us?  Will he ever? 

Max loves snow!

After two 70 degree days, here we are 24 hours later in the middle of a blizzard and 26 degrees.  On the news yesterday they were interviewing people visiting Colorado who were in shorts and asking them if they believed the next day could bring a blizzard.  Of coarse they laughed.  And here we are!

Max absolutely LOVES the snow!  He gets so hyper, running and playing and even brings the playfulness out of Sparky and MIllie.  Can you tell why the pet store called him Scruffy?

Looking forward to a beautiful day!

Good Morning!!  We have had a colder than average winter where we have never been above 60 degrees.  The last two years we had many 60+ and even some 70 + degree days.  But today St. Patrick's day we will finally have a 72 degree day.  I'm so excited!

FYI....Max is a very happy and hyper puppy but he still will not allow human contact.  He runs and hides when you try to approach him.

I can't wait for IKEA!

Construction on the first Colorado IKEA will be beginning soon less than 10 miles from our house!  Anyone who knows me well in AZ knows how much I love and miss that store.  They said on the news tonight that when the store opens in 2011 they will have to hire 400 people.  Hmm, if I can't get a job teaching?  Now all I need is a Coffee Bean and I will be set!

So burnt out and ready for spring break!

I am so extremely exhausted!!!  Student teaching, applying for jobs, going to a job fair, new puppy, housework, bills and all of the March birthdays. I so need a break.  I want to get back out there and explore more of Colorado and post my explorations for anyone who may still be reading my blog and wondering what happened (The winter has been colder than usual and I have been too busy on nice days, sorry).  I hope I get a job that allows me weekends with Scott so we can hike together!  It has been so long since we went and I never go to the gym so my fear is, I will be so out of shape.  But the weather is getting nicer everyday and we will need to get out soon.  My cute sixth graders crack me up!  They wear shorts and no jackets on the 50 and 60 degree days and come in from recess complaining about how hot it is.  I always laugh and say you silly kids that is not hot (let me tell you about hot)!  These kids fill my days with so many complements and laughs.  They definitely help me with my empty nest syndrome I have been experiencing the past six months or so.

For our AZ family, I want to let you know we changed our AZ plans for May because we found out Vicki is graduating only 5 days after we were going to leave and she really wants us there.  So Vicki we are coming out one week later so we can come to your Party!!

Next week I begin 2 weeks of SPRING BREAK!  YES! YIPPEE!! And I get to see my daughter I haven't seen since last summer when I helped her pack the U-haul for Nashville.  Also we are going to finally finish putting up new trim after our laminate wood project, so I will post pictures of the finished look.

Have a great day everyone!