Well...WE ARE PREGNANT!

I figure since it is Facebook official now I can post it here!  Dave and I are expecting our first child on May 4th, 2012. 

We are so excited!!  It is perfect timing and we cannot wait to meet the little one.  I am 13 weeks along now and feeling really good. For more information you can go to the baby blog at http://thenextnelson.blogspot.com/ . 

Here is the first picture of the next little one!  This was taken at 9 weeks, so "Lil' Bug" has grown a bit since then!

Happy Monday!!

Umm, summer?

So, since the last time I blogged a lot has happened.  Or at least I think so.  Summer is basically over, which is weird to think about.   

Summer kinda got crazy with chaperoning a servant trip to SC and vacation to Michigan.  Before I knew it school started and it's September. 

I'm trying to get back into the swing of blogging, it feels foreign again.  I guess just a basic update, right? 

Well, I am teacher 3's pre-school this year, which is totally different.  I got moved to full-time because of this switch and so I no longer have to be in charge of the aftercare program at school (PRAISE THE LORD!).  The 3's are exhausting!  They have so much energy, so many questions, so many battles with basic rules.  I definetly need nap time just as much as them these days.  I also got to move to a bigger classroom and actually decorate the way I want, and it is adorable!!!  We also have a class pet; a gerbil named "Apple"!  HA!  Gotta love 3 year old names! 

The mystery right now is why the school smells like poop.  Not even kidding.  IT'S NOT APPLE!  I cleaned her cage.  Everybody is pointing fingers and it is so like high school sometimes it drives me nuts!  Anyways...

My hubby was offered the job of high school assistant mens soccer coach and he has been loving it.  He has such a passion for soccer (I suppose that happens after playing for almost 20 years) and he finally get's to share it with other's.  This does mean that he is gone a lot coaching and at games.  He is happy though and we do get an extra check in bank.  Icing on the cake. 

I am trying to psyche myself up to clean the house.  I've been saying I need to do it for about 2 weeks now.  It's getting to that gross point...and maybe if I clean the house, I will want to cook again...there could be some correlation there (me grossed out by kitchen = me not wanting to cook in said kitchen). 

Baby fever is still in full swing and I cannot wait until God blesses us with our own little bundle of crying, poopy, love!  Hubby is getting excited too!!  Maybe it's soon?  It's starting to feel like it should happen, but I am trying really hard to just trust in God.  It sure is hard though. 

October brings the next wedding on the horizon.  My dear friend Kris is getting married and I am bridesmaid.  I must alter my dress soon...ugh, another thing on my to do list.  She is having a "steam punk" themed wedding.  Deffinetly a little different, but totally her. 

November is the final wedding for awhile, Mary is getting married on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  I have to alter my beautiful orange dress for that one.  Her theme?  Books, romantic soft candlelight and simplicity.  SO MARY! 

Anything else.....nope.  Not really. 

Happy Tuesday!

If at first...

you don't succeed...

TRY, TRY AGAIN!

That's my motto right now.

In the mean time enjoying a Summer Shandy while in the clear.

Praying that more trying will result in the desired outcome.

Zzzzz

I went to bed last night at 7pm and slept until 6:30AM.  It felt good.  

and yet...

I am tired again.  

P.S.  I told my campers at summer school a story today.  It was all about a bandit called Wiley Willy who stole all the toilet paper from the town.  The town had to walk around with their legs crossed cause they couldn't use the bathroom without anything to wipe with. In the end the deputy (me, telling the story in a cowboy-ish accent) and the sheriff got it back and then shared with him so Wiley Willy would never run out of toilet paper again.  

Happy Anniversary to Us!

My hubby and I have officially made it 3 years being married!  It seem's like forever but is still such an adventure every day, truly.  Like this morning...well it was a bit of a bumpy morning, but that's why I love us.  Even though it was bumpy this morning we worked through it and we are all smiles now!  Love him!  He is my best friend.  The other day we went to Noah's Ark Water Park to celebrate our anniversary and while waiting in line my hubby said

"I don't know how people go through life alone.  I couldn't. 

I love you and  it's like always having a best friend and buddy around."  

<3

Summer Lovin'

It is summer.  I love summer.  I love the smell of freshly mowed grass and having the birds wake you up in the morning.  Summer seems to move at a slower pace than the other seasons.  Maybe it's because I am not in school but it seems more relaxed everywhere.  I am still helping out at school but it has a whole different vibe during the summer. 

Maybe you noticed an addition to the top of my blog?  Maybe not?  Well after much thought, prayer and discussion the hubby and I are officially trying to have a baby!  YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so excited!  We are celebrating our third wedding anniversary on the 28th and we have been together for a total of eight years so I think we are ready.  For people who don't believe in the baby bug, I laugh in your face!  I was definitely bit by the baby bug around Christmas and I just cannot wait to start the new adventure of being a mommy. 

Vacations are on their way.  A few quick ones here and there and then 2 weeks in Michigan during August.  Just in time to recoop for the beginning of the school year. 

It's summer and right now there's a thunderstorm rolling through.  I even love those.  I love the uneasiness the atmosphere gets right before it begins to rain.  I love how dark it can get in the middle of the day as the storm rumbles through.  I love how afterwards there is a brief respit from the humidity (just long enough to remember that there is a life without sweating). 

I love summer. 

Spring Break

It is officially spring break and because I work at a Christian school I am lucky enough to get Holy Week off! It always gets to this point in the year and we teachers (and students) need a chance to rejuvinate our bodies and souls. I am headed to MI to visit my parents and it will be a much needed respite. Kelly , a blogger I read, wants our reading list and since I am head to vacation I have a bunch. I am an avid reader; I wish there was a job where all I had to do was sit and read on a big, comfy couch! Ha! I would miss my little ones at school though! My Reading List: 1. The Story of Edgar Sawtell (good so far) 2. Out of Africa 3. The Poisonwood Bible (re-read, great book!) 4. Walden and other short stories (never read, but I think it is a essential bit of liturature) 5. Atlas Shrugged (FAVORITE BOOK EVER! Part 1 of this book is coming out today as a movie so I must re-read to refresh myself on details) I have to read to fall asleep every night so my list changes quite often! What are you all reading?

Learn a Lesson

My blog title is "live. learn. life. love. die. dust. gone." Right now I am really feeling that. We came here to live and learn from one another...and right now I am a little discouraged about what I am learning about life. BUT at this point in the year it is also a time to learn from our Lord. He came to teach us the most important lesson of all "Love one another as I have loved you" and I am trying my darndest! Easter is around the corner and as I teach the story leading up to how our Lord, Jesus Christ gave the ultimate gift and sacrafice so that we may live, I am rejouvinated. I am trying to keep my faith strong in the midst of this sinful world. I am trying really hard to take to heart the lesson that Jesus taught us. On a completely seperate note, it is almost spring break!! Yipee! I am going to be spending it with my favorite people, my parents. I am taking my dog and vacating the homestead while the hubby refinishes the wood floors. I will be making the 8 hour trip to my parents abode and cannot wait to be with them. And then it's Easter, the best time ever!! ANd then my birthday, YAY!!!!

A Prayer

Father God, Please let me see through this fog. Help me to keep my eyes on you. I know that I will falter and not praise you with my actions. Help me to love you and trust you in all that I do. Let all I do bring glory to you....AMEN. P.S. Thanks for flying pigs (this has been a constant prayer in my classroom this week, ha!).

Lame Excuse

I really hate excuses. I hate them when my student's use them, I hate them when my peers use them, I hate them when my husband uses them, and most of all I hate them when I use them.

Unfortunately I do have to use one today.

I was really mean to my hubby today for no good reason. I was annoyed with people for no good reason. I was generally just a big gray cloud today. And my excuse?

PMS.

At least this excuse has some basis in fact, unlike so many of my preschoolers' excuses. Ha!

Happy beginning of the week!

P.S. Hubby and I have been working out daily with Jillian and although she is literally kicking my ass into gear, she has also made me lose a tiny bit of weight! HOORAH!

Jitters

I'm about to go to my first book club meeting and I feel like I am going on a first date. Will they like me? Will I say the right things? Ha! It's silly, but it's true. At least there will be soup. It is also a whole night revolving around talking about books which sounds pretty awesome. I have just always wanted to be a part of a book club, and now I am so nervous!!!!

On another note...I started to eat an orange today and then it was gone. I looked down for more and it was all gone. Sad! Very sad. (maybe you had to be there, but it truly was a sad moment in my life)

Today is a good day.

Why???

I have started reading an excellent series; "The Hunger Games".

Reason's I Love It:
1) It's a series. I love trilogies, it's my weakness.
2) Set in a dystopian future quite like my other favorites such as "Atlas Shrugged" and "Brave New World"
3) Great writing style and characters. It feels like I really know them, and I am getting really attached!!!! (A lot like Harry Potter)
4) There is a movie coming out in 2012!!!!! And its gonna be awesome!!!
5) I love to read.
6) My co-workers hav also read it so I FINALLY have people to talk about books with!

Other reason my day is awesome??

The small fact that as of May 1st, 2011 Hubby and I will have paid off my school loan. And even better??? We will make a payment of like $15,000 in April, BOOYAH!!!!!

Do you want more???

Our $18,000 emergency fund will be finished by December 2011.

More????

We are planning on going to Florida for spring break 2012!!!!!!!!!!1

Still more????

We did it all while making less than $30,000 annually.

Frosting on top???????

We are gonna call Dave Ramsey and scream "I AM DEBT FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Thursday!!!!!!!

Confessions of a Preschool Teacher

I was excited for today. This week we are talking about dinosaurs and that is always such a fun topic for preschool. The students started the day by making their own dinosaur sculptures out of clay. They had a ton of fun, and I love how creative they can get! After they were done with their sculptures they could either get scrap paper to draw or do puzzles. Seems harmless, right? Well one of my wonderful (note the sarcasm) decided to dump ALL of the puzzles and proceed to have the rest of the class shove the pieces into the shelf....Oh man, not a good thing to do around me. If there is one thing I cannot stand it is blaitant disrespect for others and belongings. For whatever reason my class decided today was the day to disrespect the toys. So you know what I did? I dumped all of the puzzles (ALL) onto the floor and had them all clean it up instead of learning about dinosaurs. And I am not ashamed to say that it felt good to make them clean it all up. It took them 20 minutes to work together and clean up the mess. I think they learned their lesson...and I am proud to say that sometimes I act like a four year old too!

3 Day Week? Uh...NO

So last night the wind started. It got really cold. And when I say, cold I mean FRIGID. It got down to negative 20 or some such nonsense last night. I went to bed all curled up with my hubby (for warmth mainly, but also cause I love him) praying that we would have a snow day (read 'cold day'). I had sweet visions of lounging in my PJs on the couch with my pup and enjoying being in my warm-ish house (63 degrees is fairly chilly, but definitely warmer than outside).

Well 6am hit. I hadn't gotten a call. My phone was on (I checked and even powered it on and off to make sure it was working). I reluctantly started getting ready for school. I mosied into the family room and clicked on the TV only to see that EVERYBODY ELSE (public, private, day cares, etc...) was closed...but not my school. The news scrolled right over it. "Drat!", I thought, "I should check the internet...maybe the TV is slow." WRONG. My school had not made the list.

Of course I realize this would have made it a three day week. I know that we don't have bus transportation. I know that we are a tiny school. BUT EVERYBODY ELSE IS AT HOME AND WARM!!!

So I continued getting ready and channeling one of my preschool students, I dragged my feet the whole time and made my way to school.

My upside to this day? It is Friday. We got to wear jeans and Packers jerseys.

Downside? 40% of my class didn't come to school because it is FRIGID. And cold. And freezing.

I guess I will survive...but I can't help but let my inner-child get the best of me and continue to complain that I didn't get a snow day. Humph.

It's Back!!!

Get your TV set to FOX cause American Idol is back!!!!

My Hubby and I became addicted to this when we first got married. We had no good channels so we were stuck with the basics. Since that first year of marriage I seriously cannot get enough of AI! Sure it is tacky, ridiculous, staged and sometimes annoying, but I adore it!

I cannot wait to see the horrible singers and listen to the wonderful ones.

I cannot wait to see how the new judges behave. And let's be honest...there's something a little sexy about Steven Tyler! :)

I cannot wait to see how short Ryan Seacrest looks next to ALL the contestants!

BRING IT ON AMERICAN IDOL!!!