things you never think you'll hear on the news

"there are fish on the runway" (at the airport)

"be careful of standing water - there could be fish, alligators, or snakes in it"

"a fish just swam by me on the street"

"catfish are swimming up people's sidewalks"

We're ok. In our area, we've just had some heavy rains and just today we had some high winds. We feel fortunate that we weren't hit hard by Tropical Storm Fay. This afternoon I stood at my sliding glass door and watched as our neighbors' tent flew all around their yard - it nearly blew over the fence and into our yard three different times before it tore into several pieces!

It has not stopped raining all day. I rather like the rain, since it means the sun is not relentlessly beating down on us! But tonight we discovered some moisture around some of our windows. Yuck. The carpet in our bedroom is pretty damp under the window. We set up our dehumidifier, hoping to dry it out, but I'm worried about mold. Maybe we'll have to get new flooring! That wouldn't be so bad. (Except the part where it costs money!)

jump right in

I have officially survived my first week of the semester. Boy, am I exhausted!

I decided that I would just jump right into my new routine with both feet. So I started a new exercise routine this week, too. I've been walking 3 nights a week with my wonderful friend Sarah, but the walking just doesn't seem to have the same effect that it used to have. So I decided to join a gym that has classes. I know that I will go to classes.

So on Monday, I taught one class and then did some work at home, then went to Pilates. It was HARD, but really fun!

Then Tuesday I could barely move, but I had a super busy day! I had 2 Kindermusik classes, then piano lessons until about 6:00. I cooked dinner, walked with Sarah, showered, and fell in bed.

Wednesday: 3 KM classes, more piano lessons, cooked dinner, worked on the computer, crawled to bed.

Thursday 3 KM classes, worked on the computer, sat down to eat lunch and fell asleep for about 30 minutes, more work, then did an open house at a preschool. Practically had to be carried to bed.

This morning, I got up and went to a Body Pump class at the gym. It was SO HARD but super fun. I went with a friend and she and I were both hanging onto the stair rail for dear life after class. It was SO hard to go down the stairs!!!! It was like one leg alone was too weak to hold me up! :)

Anyway, today I have more work to do and I need to figure out something for dinner. Tomorrow I have a class in the morning, Sunday is church...I'm feeling like I'm not going to have much free time this semester. Things will settle down, though...right?

pacing, calling, working

It's that time when the Kindermusik schedule starts going crazy and I start having more thoughts than my brain can hold! It's exciting! I am SO THRILLED that my program is doing so well, words just can't express.

I pace when I'm on the phone. I walk all around the house, stop to pet the cats, and keep walking. By the time I'm off the phone I'm usually sweating. Does anyone else do this? I used to never do this! But I think it's because I WANT to multi-task, but it's hard to do that and concentrate on your conversation on the phone.

In other news, KINDERMUSIK. That's what's occupying my brain right now. Maybe something else will happen in my life once the schedule is finally set and the semester starts.

lm tag

My favorite scrapbooking site, Lifetime Moments, has been down for most of the week. So my friend Melissa started a game of LM tag! Here's the list:

Mestebla
Melissa
Mandipig
Becca
Jen Kalyn
Kysha
Montana's Mom
Angie
Simply Susan
AnnaMarie
Arlyn
JenniB
Stephanie
Renee
Jen Bergeron
Wendy
Kate
Nichole
Shamrock

Go leave someone a comment! Or leave me one! And have a great day!

(I'm too busy working on the Kindermusik schedule (again!) to worry about blogging right now! Maybe later!) ;)

ing or een

Since when did everyone become too lazy to properly pronounce the suffix ing? For the "ng" sound, the back of your tongue must lift toward your soft palate. Which is QUITE different than the "een" sound, during which the tip of your tongue comes right up behind your teeth. Seriously. I'm SO SICK of hearing people say things like "workeen" or "playeen"!!!! Are you REALLY that lazy? Too lazy to pronounce ing???? What really gets me is when people say "singeen" - like they are not too lazy to pronounce the first ing, but they just can't bring themselves to do it twice.

I probably shouldn't have gotten on this subject, because now I'm thinking of 4 million other commonly mispronounced words. And don't even get me started on spelling.

I think that in my old age I'm becoming less patient with things like this. Of course, I don't say it to the person, I just vent to Brian or my brother or dad, because they understand, sympathize, and agree. :)

So. I have about a week and a half until fall semester starts. Kindermusik is crazy as ever. My classroom is in the middle of being remodeled, so we're going to be in another room for awhile, which is ok. I can't wait to get back in MY room. I need to go to Ikea and find some fun things to put in there. Right now I'm working really hard on getting my classes filled and studying the curricula. I'm also trying to work ahead on my weekly emails, newsletters, and etc. It's exciting, fun, and exhausting!

That's all for now. I have to study. I actually just spent about 30 minutes playing through some old piano pieces I played in high school and middle school. It was fun. I should play more often! OK, off to study! More updates later. ;)

how boring am i?

I do have stuff to write. I'm not in a funk from my birthday. (I was, but it only lasted for like 2 days.) I have things to say. What I don't have is time! I will write more soon, I promise!

stop this train

Well, I'm turning 35 tomorrow. I have a quiet day planned; I'm finished preparing for my lessons for Tuesday except that I need to take some things over to the classroom. I also need to run to Lowe's. Other than that, the house is clean and I'm planning to scrap the day away. Brian is in charge of dinner - we haven't decided if he's cooking or if we're going out. Not an exciting birthday, but a pretty good one in my book.

And I can't quite articulate my feelings about this birthday. I'm not really sad or worried...I'm reflective. Lately, I can't get enough of John Mayer's "Continuum," so I'll let this song explain it for me:

No, I'm not colorblind
I know the world is black and white
Try to keep an open mind
But I just can't sleep on this tonight

Stop this train, I wanna get off and go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in, I know I can't
But honestly, won't someone stop this train

Don't know how else to say it
Don't wanna see my parents go
One generation's length away
From fighting life out on my own

Stop this train, I wanna get off and go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in, I know I can't
But honestly, won't someone stop this train

So scared of getting older
I'm only good at being young
So I play the numbers game
To find a way to say that life has just begun

Had a talk with my old man
Said, "Help me understand."
He said, "Turn sixty-eight,
You renegotiate...

Don't stop this train, don't for a minute change the place you're in
And don't think I couldn't ever understand, I tried my hand,
So honestly, we'll never stop this train."

Once in awhile when it's good
It'll feel like it should
And they're all still around,
And you're still safe and sound
And you don't miss a thing
Till you cry when you're driving away in the dark,

Singing stop this train, I wanna get off and go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in, I know I can't
Cause now I see I'll never stop this train

vacation pictures

I am aware that it's still my birthday month. I have things to say, but I'm trying to put them into words.

Jesus Christ, Superstar was awesome!! Corey Glover, who used to be the lead singer of Living Colour, a cool band from the late 80s/early 90s, played the character of Judas. He was amazing! I'm so glad we got to see this play!! I love the music, too! I recommend seeing it if you have the chance.

OK, here are some pictures from vacation.
This is Sofiya, the one-month-old leopard we got to see! Can you believe it?!!
This bear loved peeking at us from his pool.
Brad & Kari on the top level of Busch Stadium.
Brian's first Major League game!
Many things were explained.
Mandi & I at the arch.
Brian in the top of the arch. A conversation between Brian and I at the top of the arch:
Brian - I can feel it moving.
Me - Yeah, it has to move a little or it would just fall right over!
Brian - Let's not use the words "fall right over!"

Mandi & Brad in the arch.
In Tennessee, Mama Taylor took us out to see her corn.
Brian at the World of Coca Cola Museum in Atlanta.

2500 miles

We're back from vacation. We're tired and overwhelmed with real life, trying to get back into the swing of things. We got home Thursday night and spent part of yesterday recuperating and the other part cleaning my new temporary Kindermusik classroom. We cleaned more today and moved things in, and we'll clean more tomorrow - we have to shampoo the carpet.

All in all, we drove right around 2500 miles on our vacation. We left here and drove straight through to St. Louis, where we met up with my friend Mandi and her family and spent a day at the zoo - in the rain, no less. Then Brad & Kari came and we all ate at the Spaghetti Factory (yum!) and then Brad, Kari, Brian, and I went to a Cardinals game. It was Brian's first MLB game, and sadly, the Cards got stomped by the Phillies. The score was 20-2, pretty ridiculous. The next day we all went to the arch together, including Mandi and her husband Brad. Yes, we had Mandi and Brad, Kari and Brad, and Kerri and Brian. :) After the arch we went shopping, and then Brad and Kari went home and we went to church with Brad & Mandi the next day, Mandi & I played a piano duet (fun!), and we went out to eat. Then we took off to see my grandmother in Tennessee and finished our trip in Atlanta. Whew. It was a whirlwind.

Did I mention that Mandi and I met on Lifetime Moments? :) I will write more about vacation later and share pictures.

Tonight we're going to see Jesus Christ, Superstar. Brian is taking me for an early birthday present. Life is busy and wonderful.

happy june!

June is my birthday month and I have lots of thoughts about that. But they are for another day.

I've been scrapping this weekend! It's the big kickoff of Summer Scrapfest at Lifetime Moments!! I love Scrapfest - it always motivates me to get lots of stuff done. So I was scrapping on Saturday and got up from my desk for just a minute, and when I came back, I found this:
Come on! How am I supposed to scrap?! =^..^=

Anyway, here are some of the projects I did over the weekend. Enjoy.