Photo follow up...

I decided since I didn't have any outstanding musings for Monday, I would follow up my post from Sunday with photographic evidence of the 7 Things About Me. I mentioned in that blog that I love photography and pictures and it has taken great restraint not to plaster this blog with all kinds of photos. Following is just a smattering of the pictorial history of my life. Enjoy!

1. Family - Dad with his daughters. His favorite is on the left (now is that your left or his left, hmmmm)?

2. Friends - This is my FF (forever friend). I have never had to bail her out of jail, but I would if she needed me to. She currently lives too far away in my opinion, but hopefully one day we will be back within "dropping whatever is on our to-do list and hit Starbucks together" distance.

3. Shopping partner and Sister. Wish you could see the front of my purse. It's one of my favorites. It is covered with all kinds of stylish little trinkets and buttons. And that is a 70% off dress from Dillards. One of my favorite finds from 2 summers ago.

4. My job... so much more than the classroom. Sometimes you get volunteered for extra-curricular activities and in this case it was a limbo contest with other junior high teachers at a Pep Rally. Good times! I have also kissed a pig, rapped, and been wrapped in Saran Wrap and blindfolded while maneuvering through an imaginary obstacle course. It's for the kids, right?

5. Hubby. He's my best friend and that is worth more than all the boots in the world!

6. The "3". As you can see, it's exactly how I described in the previous blog. Sisters on the outside, cousin in the middle, hit your marks ladies and smile. I can promise you there were no less than 10 cameras at this party, which happened to be my Aunt Sena Bell's 90th Birthday party.

7. Camp CommUNITY. My passion. Best week of my year. Check out www.mcatexas.com

The Pressure...

I was reading up on one of the blogs that I follow and I came across a flattering reference to my blog. Woohoo! How cool and validating is that for a rookie blogger. The deal is my fellow blogger nominated me for a Stylish Blogger Award. There are 3 stipulations to this award. First of all, I need to give credit where credit is due. The nomination came from a former student. Holly was a hoot in my class and I loved her bubbly personality, her work effort, and the way she opened her heart to everyone. I have been reading her blog for a while and she was certainly an inspiration to me when I first started thinking about tackling this adventure last year. She is now married, a mom to an adorable boy with another baby boy on the way. I picture her as this ‘earth mother’ without the dreadlocks and prairie skirts. She is super stylish, a great photographer and most importantly, she keeps it real on her blog; the good life, the frustrating days, and everything in-between. Please take a moment to check her out at http://www.livingtheerwinlife.blogspot.com Thanks a million Holly for being willing to help get me started and giving me a great compliment. The student has definitely become the teacher and I still give you an A+ !

The second stipulation to this nomination is that I tell you 7 things about me. I kind of, sort of covered a lot of that in my first "real blog" but I will follow the rules and talk some more about me. (Geesh, twist my arm)

1. Family is everything. I love my family and spend most of my free time participating in some sort of family activity. Sunday dinner at Mom’s is a must. We spend every holiday together and have an annual family trip to Mt Nebo which is the highlight of the year. I look forward to it as much as I do Christmas.

2. I am a fiercely loyal friend. You need me, call me. I am there. I will laugh with you, I will cry with you, I will shop with you, and I will fight for you. Heck, I will even bail you out of jail, and yes I have done that for a friend of a friend before.

3. I am a shop-aholic. I try really hard to keep it under control, but I love bling, I love pink tag clearance items (JCP), and I love boots. As the fabulous Clairee put it, “The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize.” I never buy things at full price. If it is not slashed by at least 50% it is not coming home with me and the 70% racks both at JCP and Dillards is where you can find me a majority of the time. I am working on the concept that just because it is on sale doesn’t make it fabulous, unless you NEED it. Hey, isn’t the first step to fixing a problem, acknowledging the problem. No interventions needed. I have my own retail therapist. It's my sister and I rarely shop without her. We make a great team!

4. I really do love my job. I have been a teacher for 18 years and have seen a lot of changes in education, some good, and some bad. I probably have a different philosophy about education than most people but I put my heart into what I do. I hate that school is all about TESTING, TESTING, TESTING. I want to inspire kids to find their passion and pursue it relentlessly. There is too much focus on testing and trying to shove every kid into a hole that leads to a 4 year college. We need to be supplying society with all kinds of people; doctors, lawyers, musicians, electricians, artists, photographers, historians, plumbers, horticulturalists, farmers, etc… Read into that what you will, but when we offer one flavor of education, we are doing ourselves and our future a disservice.

5. I am a part of the statistics that over 50% of marriages end in divorce. I am a second wife. I married a man who is a second husband. We have what I like to call a “second chance at getting it right”. Marriage #1 lasted nearly 10 years and trust me when I say that I tried until the bitter end to hang on to that marriage. My mother told me during the demise of the relationship that divorce was worse than death. In a lot of aspects she is right, and it did cross my mind a few times to take Too Tall out in the woods and off him. Just kidding. Just kidding. (Too Tall is now the official nickname of first husband. I think it fitting to christen the name here. In fact, he is a follower of this blog and I told him if he ever wanted to start a blog of his own, he should title it “Tales from a Too Tall Texan”. I also told him that I have copyrighted that term and it would now cost him lots of dollars to use it.) So the upside, if there is an upside to a family being restructured into two separate homes, is that Too Tall and I have a great co-parenting relationship. Oh the stories I could tell. Perhaps another time, another blog. (Too Tall is now sweating bullets!)

6. I love pictures. I love taking them and thanks to my mom’s and aunts’ relentless pursuit of taking them at every family function, I don’t mind being in them. Does that make me vain? You tell me. I think it’s a great way to document life. I have an older sister and a younger cousin and we were the youngest of the 27 grandchildren. We can document our life through pictures of the 3 of us at every family function; Christmas, Easter, summer vacations, graduations, birthdays, weddings, funerals, and the list could go on (we can address the pictures at funerals at a later date). We are trained at a moment’s notice to “hit the position” when we see a camera come out of a purse; sisters on the outside, cousin in the middle. We have passed this on to our children. I am particularly proud of Boy who has parlayed this pastime/hobby/future occupation into some pretty cool awards (ok, so I think he wants to be a salesman, but a mom can dream of an award winning photographer as a son, can’t she?).

7. Last but not least, I volunteer with an amazing organization, Multicultural Alliance of Texas. My role with this group is acting as an advisor at a summer camp called Camp CommUNITY. The people involved with this camp have become lifelong friends. I attended the camp in 1986 as a junior in high school and returned as a college counselor volunteer in 1989. I reached out to the camp again in 2002 to renew my volunteer efforts and have been going every summer since. The gist of the camp is to give the delegates the tools to be social change advocates in our diverse communities. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I wish every high school sophomore or junior could attend. It is my favorite week of my entire summer, even though I probably work harder for this one week than I do in six weeks of a school year. This year is particularly special because it will be the 30th anniversary of camp and Boy is going. It will change his life and I get to be a little part of that. What more could I ask for?

OK, if you have fallen asleep, wake up because here comes the good stuff. The final stipulation of the nomination is to point you in the direction of 5 more Stylish Bloggers. I didn't have a hard time with this part because I don’t follow that many blogs. I am going to take break the rule of "5" and just mention the 3 people that make me check the internet to see if they have posted something good.

• Cristy is a high school friend who was/is one of the smartest chicks I know. I always looked up to her in school. We had an Honor American History class together in 8th grade and our teacher, Mrs. Boen, sat us in order of our test scores (yes, I know we would never do this today, but it was great motiviation back in the day). Cristy, to the best of my memory, was usually in that first chair. She is now in Florida but just dropped the news that she is headed back to Texas and quickly followed up that with news that it may not be right away. Either way, I would love for her to be closer so we could go to Starbucks and hang out. She is a great mom. She actually has 2 blogs… www.mamashublog.blogspot.com and www.homeschoolshus.blogspot.com I hope her Texas homecoming comes sooner rather than later.

• Barry is someone that I have never met in person and I am pretty sure would be very unimpressed to be a Stylish Blogger, but both Hubby and I are addicted to his stuff. He keeps us up to date on all things Wise County, as well as state and national hot topics. You just have to get past the bikini clad chicks at the beginning of each blog to get to the good stuff. I respect him enough that I sent him an email telling him that I had started blogging in hopes that one day he might read my stuff www.liberallylean.com

• CrazyTexasMommy is someone else I have never met in person and I found her blog through reading Barry’s. This girl is side-splitting, pee your pants funny. She is going to college and it appears through her writing that she has aspirations to be in the education industry when she finishes. She is spot on with her school observations and I find myself saying, “that’s right and heck yeah” a lot when reading her stuff. Please check her out, but empty your bladder and put down your drink before you do. www.crazytxmommy.com

  I hope while reading this you have not smashed your face into the plate of spaghetti you were eating for dinner. I hope you have not starting sticking bamboo under your finger nails. I do hope that you have enjoyed this little journey into my world and that you check out all of the blogs mentioned. But, I would be remiss not to say that if I find out you are leaving me to follow one of these other blogs, I will find you. Now, I’m off on a shopping expedition with the sister.

He Said, She Said

My whining about Hubby going out of town really doesn't have anything to do with me not being able to handle being alone. It has more to do with the fact that I like Hubby here. He spoils me. Let's not forget, because Hubby certainly reminded me enough times before he left, that I was single for a few years and managed just fine. You betcha I managed. I lived in a double-wide, out in the country, surrounded by trees, brush and wild animals and never once broke a leg or twisted an ankle running from my truck in the driveway, up the stairs, to the front door at break neck speed, grabbing my purse and whatever bags I had to carry while waving my arms frantically to set off the motion sensor on the porch light, while shoving my key into the door and pushing it open with my shoulder. So what that maybe once or twice I got tangled up with Boy while trying to be first up the stairs to reach the glow of the porch light. He was young. He bounced back. And I always helped him up.

All of this to say, Hubby is still gone and we have had some doozie conversations and texts staying in touch. He's in Idabel/Texarkana. I'll let you make up your mind about the quality of conversations and experiences he is having.

Hubby: I'm having so much fun. (Insert sarcasm. Hard to hear in a text, but trust me, it's there)

Me: Take ten deep breaths and a swig of whiskey. Go smoke a cigarette if you have to. (Note: Hubby doesn't smoke)

Hubby: My favorite Whataburger server on this trip was named La Princess and I have visited all of the Texarkana locations.

Me: Hello, your name is Hubby and you are a Whataburger-a-holic.

Hubby: Sweet tea has a distinctly unique taste depending on which side of State Line Avenue you are on. (Texas or Arkansas)

Me: Um, gross but thanks for sharing.

Hubby: Her (pseudo-relative's) crazy friends showed up. Lord help me. May kill (insert name of pseudo-relative that shall remain nameless).

Me: Drink more whiskey.

Hubby: She (nameless pseudo-relative) is like a squirrel gathering nuts in a tornado...you know it seems like a good idea at the time what with the trees being uprooted and the future food source being in danger, but damn the winds kind of blow the nuts all around making the gathering process a bitch and really... why would you gather nuts in a tornado? Use some common sense and wait until the rotation stops spinning over your head!!!

Me: Common sense is not common.

Hubby: I have changed hotels for tonight. I'll be spending more than $42 on a room this time.

Me: Uh, what seemed to be the problem? (this would cut into my boot budget, you see)

Hubby: I had to put the shower handle back on before the water would come out.

Me: crickets chirping (I have no idea what to say because I would have never lasted 10 minutes in a $42 hotel room.)

This list could go on and on. He has made a trip to the "Plumbing Store" and 2 trips to Mal Wart trying to get things lined up today in order to return home tomorrow. All of which required phone calls to me to "vent". The upside is that it looks like we have an ETA of tomorrow afternoon, at which time he will arrive at his job just in time to chaperon a middle school dance. I am very excited to be his date. Trust me, we can dance and the kids love to see Mr. Hubby scooting a boot across the gym floor. I'd invite y'all to come and join us, but you have to have a student ID, no discipline problems, and be passing all of your classes for the semester. I only get in because I married the boss, otherwise I would be 0 for 3.

PS- Check out all the stuff to the right of these ramblings. I have made some changes as I am still working on the design and personality of my blog. Suggestions welcome!

Monday Musings

Tonight's blogging is going to be short and sweet. I have spent most of my time since my last post whining to Hubby about abandoning me, which in all honesty isn't fair to him since he left me to take care of his Dad for a few days.

*Hubby made it to Idahell, I mean Idabel safe and sound.
*The last 3 phone calls I have shared with him today prove the nickname is well deserved.
*Taking a swig of whiskey and sticking a fork in his eye were mentioned as possible ways for him to deal with the stress he is experiencing.
*I take credit for the first.
*He said it was my best idea.
*Ever.
*Which led me to compare it to the idea of saying "yes" to his marriage proposal.
*He proposed in my classroom.
*While I was cleaning out my room before school started.
*I was in tacky shorts and a tshirt.
*There was a lot of dirt/dust involved.
*With my clothes, not the proposal.
*We married a few months later.
*In a surprise ceremony on top of Reata.
*We disguised it as an Engagement Party.
*Totally awesome night.
*Back to the important stuff...His Dad's surgery successful.
*Lights and tea: mission accomplished.
*Had to find a way to distract myself from the quiet house tonight.
*Manicure, new boots, and Olive Garden seemed to do the trick.
*Hi. My name is Amy Lou. And I am a boot-a-holic.
*If you know of a meeting for people like me for real, zip it.
*Don't tell Hubby.
*He would make me go.
*For real.

Ok, I will start gathering thoughts for Thursday. Remember, I am new to this. There will be lulls and awkward moments. There will be grammatical issues; subject verb agreement problems, misspellings, etc... Ignore the degree in English on the diploma. I'm a history teacher. I love telling kids that we live in a free enterprise economic system and that if they had thought of silly bands first, they could be millionaires by now. I love asking them what an example of domestic affairs is and hearing them call out health care, Tuscon shooting, budget. I love that when I ask them for an example of economic interdependence they immediately say oil. All of that to say, I had a great day today and was too busy hanging out with my kids in the history classroom and too busy buying boots to knock the Monday Musings out of the park. I'll do better next time.

Thursday Thoughts

I have become something akin to a princess around my house. I didn’t demand this treatment. It has evolved over time. Hubby spoils me. Even Boy does nice things for me when I ask without complaining. He might roll his eyes, but in a good, you are the best mom in the world and I am so lucky, and I will be forever grateful for the natural, drug-free childbirth that you provided for me, kind of way. So naturally, I have come to expect a certain standard of princessness. This is all well and good until someone throws a wrench in it.

*Hubby is leaving.
*Not permanently. Not sure how long he will be gone. More than 24 hours, less than a month.
*He’s going to Idahel, I mean Idabel, to be with his Dad during/after surgery.
*This creates a lot of issues for me. Here is why…
*I’m the princess of the house. (See above. I did not ask for this).
*His absence means that I will be responsible for things.
*Things like turning on outdoor lights at night.
*Remembering to turn off said lights in the morning.
*I am not a morning person.
*This light thing likely won’t happen.
*I like sweet tea.
*Hubby has a glass of tea in my favorite tumbler waiting for me on the counter every morning. Weekends included. I am a princess. (I did not ask for this).
*Um, who is going to fix my tea?
*Memo to Hubby: Conduct lights and tea training with Boy before departure.

You can learn a lot of things when you work in public education. You can have all the degrees in the world hanging on your office wall. You can have tons of certificates and in-service hours attached to your resume. You can spend years nurturing young minds and honing your people skills for dealing with the public (i.e. parents), but what you need to learn early in your career, which is not taught in the higher education classroom is…
*Common sense is not common.
*I know this to be true because our local school district called all the parents 2 nights in a row instructing them on how to take care of sick kids.
*Do not send your kid to school if they are throwing up.
*Do not send your kid to school if they have a fever of 100 or higher.
*Do not send your kid back to school until they have been fever free, without the use of fever reducing medicine, for 24 hours, i.e. if we call you to pick them up do not bring them back the next day.
*Wash your hands and use hand-sanitizer.
*Common sense is not common. (And before anyone thinks I am picking on my school, Hubby says common sense isn't common at his school either. We are all in this together.)

A quickie...

I wasn't planning on blogging again until Thursday but after my quick trip to the Big Blue Box store there was just too much material to ignore (I don't know what the laws are about using the real names of people and places so I am playing it safe. If you don't get the Blue Box store reference, it rhymes with MalWart).

*Going to that place is my least favorite activity.
*In the world.
*Ever.
*I don't understand what kind of transformation takes place when people traverse the smudged, sliding glass doors.
*They suddenly think they are the ONLY person in the place with things to do and places to go.
*I apologize to the lady in the gray sweater for looking at the Shake N Bake just a moment too long and therefore requiring you to walk around me.
*Geesh.
*Personal note to the lady in the white, stretch, polyester pants.
*Go directly to the home aisle.
*Do not pass go.
*Do not collect $200.
*Buy a full length mirror.
*Use it.
*I had my son with me. He's PG13.
*Those pants were NC17.
*Final note.
*If the circumference of your pants is smaller than the circumference of your boots, choose a different pair of shoes.
*Trust me.
*Trust my son. The view was not pretty.

Monday Musings

I realize as I start on my blogging journey that some people might know me in "right now" time, while others know me from "long ago" time. I am going to take this blog space to play catch up and pretty much give you a crash course in "Amy Lou".

*I am a mom, wife, baby daughter, and little sister.
*Mom to "Boy".
*He's 16 and a fully licensed driver who currently thinks that vehicles grow on trees and we should just go pick one.
*Wife to "Hubby #2". Yep there's great material there that will reveal itself in time.
*Baby daughter to the best parents in the world. Going on 47 years of marriage.
*I am the self-proclaimed black sheep of our family. I didn't behave well between Hubby #1 and #2.
*Plenty of stories there. Just give it time.
*Baby sister to "Juju" my partner in crime when it comes to shopping for bargains.
*I turned 40 last August.
*I am doing really well with the transition.
*I think.
*Minus the night of bad behavior at Pete's Piano Bar the night of the celebration.
*I am a Christian on a journey.
*You will see some of my blogs devoted to the book I am currently reading, "So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore".
*And after the experience at the last church I was a member of, you are dang straight Skippy. I don't want to go to "church".
*What I do want is a relationship with Christ.
*I am working on that.
*Slowly, but surely.
*I am an educator.
*18 years and counting.
*Same school.
*Same subject.
*And until this summer, I had occupied the same room for the past 16 years.
*My former neighbor and I think we were separated for causing trouble. (not really, but we like to laugh about it)
*I was moved to the end of the hall. Closest classroom to the door.
*Um, are they trying to tell me something?
*I love my job.
*I love my students.
*I am a hard-nose in the classroom.
*I own it.
*I have the highest expectations for my classroom and kiddos.
*I set the bar high because I believe the kids can reach it.
*Shoot for the moon, if you miss you will be among the stars.
*I mentioned in Blog 1 that the name for this came from Hubby. He refers to me as his "high strung skinny little wife" when talking about me to his friends/co-workers.
*I need to clarify the origin of the skinny part.
*It no longer applies.
*Back in '08 I had my 20 year high school reunion and I went OCD on losing weight.
*I lost a total of 17.
*All 17 are back and they brought a few friends.
*I need another reunion to jumpstart my weight lost program.
*Invite me to something.
*Just give me 3 months notice, please.

That's it for today. I'll be back in a few days with Thursday Thoughts.

live loved... (and I totally stole that phrase from my FF and her husband but until they copyright it and make me pay them lots of dollars, I am going to use it... thanks C & D)