Well, it is almost my one year "blogging anniversary"....do they make a card for that yet?!
It feels good knowing that I actually stuck to something and even more rewarding knowing how many of you have followed along with me on this journey. Thank you. :o)

Andrea's swim team had two meets this past week, and they remain undefeated - woohoo! Go Buffalo! This week is a meet on Tuesday, then Saturday is a swim conference in Orlando.
It's too bad we will be up REALLY early on Saturday (@ school by 5:30) 'cause I was just thinking (as I stayed in bed until 8:00 yesterday) how much I LOVE Saturday's. I even cooked bacon for breakfast nice and slow, just the way my grandfather said it should always been done. It tasted perfect. He also said, only Oscar Meyer. Now, I make it a rule not to eat pork, but bacon (and sometimes some link sausage) is the exception to that rule.
Another Saturday ritual the girls and I have started, is we pull out the sofa bed on Saturday nights and watch a movie until we fall asleep....course, I'm always the first one....out like a light! Then McKenna and of course Andrea could out last us all. Hmm wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that she can sleep past 10:00 in the morning.

Off to tackle those lesson plans I keep putting off.
Best wishes everyone - have a great week!
Melle

Hello my faithful blog followers!
I had every intention of filling you in on "the little details" this evening, but now after spending so long updating my classroom blog andwebsite and then looking up my childrens' school grades on the internet, I'm pooped and want to go to bed.
However, I couldn't go without at least a quick homecoming dance update. Saturday night was Andrea's first high school homecoming dance and thanks to some wonderful new friends in her life, she had a great time. In fact, "she had lots of fun and danced, and danced". Mmmm, beautiful words to hear.
Thanks Breanna and Rachel!

We searched for just the right dress, but in the end, I think the jeans, new black blazer, new cute top and new hat worked for her. Andrea looked beautiful.

Okay, since I'm here, just little details to include this week:
I finished a new set of notecards for a friend's birthday gift;

I designed a new card using my tim holtz ink and my cricut machine;

I played with paint;
and while waiting for our oil change, I thought about how McKenna and I always are wearing Crocs and that one day people may not know what they are. They may not know, that 2 years ago I thought they were the ugliest things I'd ever seen, yet now, they are so comfortable on my feet I can't imagine wearing anything else.

Love to all,
Melle

A Perfect Birthday

If I had known that celebrating my 45th birthday would have been so fun, I would have done it earlier! I didn't go white-water rafting, or parachute from a perfectly good airplane, but I was thought of and remembered by the ones I love. That's all that really matters.
-Thank you Sue for being the first one to greet me with my birthday wishes as I checked my E-mail at 4:30 in the morning and found your E-card;
-Thank you McKenna for being the first person to sing me "Happy Birthday" (and thank you for the 2 more times before we got to school);
-Thank you Pam for calling me at 7:11, just before I started my work day;
-Thank you to all my colleagues, especially Pam who got up early to bake me the most delicious brownies, thank you Misty for picking up the cutest little cake and for finding the most perfect art teacher card and thank you Wendy for my ever so awesome new John Denver CD!
-Thank you Donnie for texting me with your happy birthday wishes;
-Thank you Andrea for texting me not once but twice, "happy birthday" AND "I luv u"
-Thank you Barb for the whole STACK and tapes of Tomie dePaola books;
-Thank you Michele, for just whipping out a new pack of paper, when I was "flappin' at the mouth" that you wouldn't have it yet;
-Thank you Darlene, for your cash contribution to my additive habit (scrapbooking!);
-Thank you Lisa, for my beautiful home decor, esp. the candles - very cool! (or should I say "very hot"?)
-Thank you Grandma Gail, for my Crocs, for my manicure AND for my pedicure!,
-Thank you Mom, (who wasn't suppose to give me gifts at all 'cause we are saving for a trip), thank you so much for the gift card, for the sewing box and for the absolutely beautiful buffalo pendent;
-Thank you Kendra for my very first and oh so beautiful bible;
And finally, thank you Honey for buying me the TV trays that I've wanted from Wal-Mart for about 6 months now, but am too weak to pick up!
See what I mean, can you think of any better way to celebrate a birthday, or any more thoughtful gifts then the ones I received?!

I also realized that I will longer take my photography skills for granted.
After our birthday dinner we passed the camera to someone who works at Kotobuki's . I so wanted to document all who could be there.
Can you believe this photo?! My mom didn't have a chance to look at the camera and Scott's head is cut off! That's Darlene who is hidden and Barb, you almost didn't make it in the photo either! :) I love you all and am so grateful you could be there.


Sorry for the long post - now that I found a place to publish my blog (blog2print) I'm trying to be a little more detailed about what I write.
Just some ending thoughts:
-Andrea's swim team did great again this past week. I still don't have any great swim photos to share, but I'll keep trying. They do not compete this week, but they will twice next week.
-There were several notes I took during the message at church this week, but the one that hit me the hardest was, (parents' and teachers')
" our words can build confidence or destroy hope".

Love to you all,
Melle

the latest around here....

Yippee, here is it Sunday and I have a new post - back on schedule. Okay, who am I kidding? I probably only have a post because, thank goodness, but we don't have school tomorrow!!!
Happy Labor Day everyone! It's a good thing, 'cause I still haven't completed lesson plans....

I have on the other hand, created a title with my new Cricut machine for a new mini-book I want to do.
I've had some pretty crazy dreams come true in my lifetime and I just wanted a place to document those. Hopefully the next post or two will be photos of the completed book. Okay, those of you who know me well.....stop laughing! :o)

McKenna has also been productive this weekend. She has her first ever science project to do and she's already finished with the diorama. She has 3 weeks to get it done. Thank goodness she hasn't inherited my procrastination gene like Andrea has. Each tiger even has it's own meal. I can't help but think she must of gotten her appreciation for tigers from her Aunt Sue and from Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, FL.


This past week, Andrea had her very first high school swim meet. The Villages competed against Mount Dora and Umatilla. I am proud to report, that VHS kicked butt! And I found out, I have a lot to learn about being a sports photographer. I have no action photos, but I do have this cute shot of Andrea and her friend Caitlin.
At the very last minute, I thought how cool it would be to post Andrea's swim debut in video. So I switched to my handy point-n-shoot Kodak, only to realize when I got home that it didn't work - argh! Good thing we have another meet next week. Hopefully I'll have more to show you then.
Here's a picture the school took of the team for an upcoming football program:

Andrea is 3rd from the left on the front row. (I believe you can click on photo to enlarge.)

And before I close for tonight, I can't help but share two really cool things that happened to me Saturday. I'm sure my words won't be able to describe how I felt, but I am grateful.

First, I received one of those letters from a former student that we teachers always hope for, at least once in our career. He said, he is "truly thankful and blessed for having me for a teacher". OMG - isn't that just so cool?! I am the one who was blessed.

And second, I found myself in church this Saturday, with 3 very special friends. Friends who have touched my life in different ways, yet Saturday found us all together, listening to Amazing Grace. I was so moved by my blessings; so moved by my gifts from God.

Best wishes everyone!
Until next weekend.....Melle

I'm so sorry this post is late...I was off to a pretty good start, updating every Sunday night, but I am here to admit, that our second week back to school was a little bit tougher than the first week.
Monday started w/ McKenna's Open House - we made it home by 8:00;
Tuesday was Andrea's Open House where we rotated through her schedule every 10 min. That took 2 hrs plus the additional 20 minute wait for a terrible rainstorm to pass - we made it home by 9:10 and everyone tucked in bed by 9:30.
Wednesday was my Open House (fortunately Scott picked up the girls) and I made it home by 8:30.
Andrea actually had to lift weights in PE class on Monday and by Tuesday was EXTREMELY sore, making swim practice almost impossible.
While at practice on Wednesday, Andrea was stung on the underarm by a bee. OMG, 48 hrs. later her arm was so red, so swollen, so painful and still, so itchy. I couldn't believe the week she was having.
McKenna and I both caught the back to school colds........

Now as we begin week 3, summer already seems but a distant memory......169 school days left until summer vacation!

On a brighter note, tomorrow is the first day of September; my birthday month, yippee! And look at that - a 3 day weekend coming up!

Also, this week is Andrea's first ever swim meet. She will have one every week from now until the end of October. Sometimes they are on tuesdays and sometimes on thursdays. If you ever want to come, just let me know and I'll fill you in on what time, otherwise, don't worry, I'll keep you posted :o)

I forgot to share what kept me from posting last night.....I was busy trying to finish this for McKenna's classroom teacher. (you know, when you have a student whose parent is the art teacher.....you can guess from there) Of course, I don't mind helping in any way I can :o)
It doesn't matter what this is (a sign w/ the class theme), I just wanted to share that these red stripes were a little harder than I thought to do!
It was a special treat that I got to work on this in my studio!
Love to all,
and hopefully, check back sunday :o)
Melle

Whew!

Survived the first week of school with only a few bumps in the road....
On Monday a few teachers gave Andrea a hard time about her schedule change and McKenna doesn't care for her aftercare teacher....other then that, it's going great!
My schedule is AWESOME this year and first graders will already be painting this week (am I crazy or what!).
Our eating fast food after Andrea's swim practice was still a problem last week, so the girls and I spent much time making a plan for our "better eating habits". I even grocery shopped and planned meals, only to realize....we will be at THREE open houses this week and won't get home until 8:00, if we are lucky! Well, there is always next week.
For all my friends who are finally heading back to school this week, may you get off to a great start!

Love you,
Melle

2nd day of school 2009

Well, the good news is......two days down and only 178 school days left until Summer Vacation!

No, really, everything is okay. I just really......really, enjoyed my summer.
Sorry, I didn't get here with the "first day of school photo", a little drama in the morning, so I have the "second day of school photo for you tonight".

Photo one, was taken on Andrea's 1st day of middle school and McKenna's first day of PreK-4, before you scroll to today's photo, I warn you.....I was surprised at how much they both have grown and at how much they have changed. Again, "bitter-sweet".

Day two, and I'm pretty sure my year is going to be just fine.
Day two and McKenna is adjusting to second grade; away from mommy and at a new building.
Day two and well, Andrea, I think is doing okay. It's not going to be easy. She has 7 classes each day, very demanding teachers and a swim team I really want her to be apart of. (I do think she's enjoying the swim experience. She hasn't come out and said so, but at this age....she hasn't said she hates it either.)

I'll keep you posted.
Off to bed, our 12 hour days are already taking their toll.

Love to all,
Melle