Spring is in the air.

I'll take time for a quick post before I slip into a weekend full of homework, homework, homework, gardening, homework, homework, job applications, housework, homework, jewelry making, and maybe, just maybe, some rest. I'm trying to put in the necessary time I need to work on some end of school year projects. I have a wonderful all encompassing assignment for my internship, called the Teacher Work Sample, that needs my attention. The end is in sight! I graduate in July, and I only have classes during the May & July sessions after this. June will be a much needed break. I will only have to worry about a graduate portfolio during that time

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When I haven't been hitting the books, I've been trying to help my hubby hit the dirt outside. We've revamped the "front" bed of our cabin. It's technically the right side of the house, but it is the first side you see from the road. Those 20-60 pound rocks that you see lining the bed were toted up the ridge in front of the house by my husband and yours truly. It is by far some of the hardest work I've ever done, but it is satisfying to have ready to use materials on the property. :)

This bed, the one that we did last year, and a newly expanded plot in the background will host the many seedling of vegetables and flowers that I have flanking every windowsill in our house. Come on, last frost! I'm ready.

In addition to working on the new bed (filled with fresh topsoil if you hadn't guessed), we also added a new bed that is on a corner that you see driving up to the house. It has some decorative grass in there, and once it is warmer it will boast some Asiatic Lillis and some flowers I will grow from seed.

Besides the gardening, I have also had some time to spend with family, and just because she's so darn cute, here's the ever growing Christianna, who will be 5 months old this month.

And because I love them so stinkin' much, here are my babies, Athena and Homer, in case you have forgotten. The are loving the beautiful spring weather. They are not loving that we have begun shut them out of the bedroom at night. Our allergies have cried, "Enough!" Strange, isn't it, that not rolling over to a face full of kitty fur is actually helping me out? lol.

I've spent about enough time on here for now, unfortunately. I will try to post again in the near future, if the time becomes available. After all, a girl's gotta take a break every now and then.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! We dressed up as our favorite storybook characters. It was a fun day with crafts, games, and yummy treats. I'd write more, but I'm busy doing housework! :)

Germs!

I had the pleasure of my mom visiting the classroom to see me "in action" this afternoon and to meet my kids too. It's been a sickly week for many, with our perfect attendance from last week dipping drastically due to viruses, flu included, passing around to all with weak immune systems.

My body is making me take a break from busy life to fight off the germy-germs and icky-icks that my wonderful students so graciously shared with me. I'm just hoping the upset stomach goes away and doesn't bloom into something more ghastly. Right now I'm blaming my sinuses/, and praying that it is not a virus.

I'm off to work on homework. I hope you've all had a great week. I'm praying for a healthier weekend.

Busy? Busy!

I'll hopefully allow myself more time this week to blog more, but I thought I'd make a quick post telling of my recent activities.

First, there's school. And then, there's more school. I have elementary school for the entire day now, and I have my master's classes two nights a week. When I'm not there, I'm trying to spend time with family and friends. And any time I have left is spent on a major cleaning out & cleaning up project in what we call the "spare" room of the house.

Today, I took full advantage of the BEAUTIFUL weather. After church this morning I cooked hamburgers (with much help from my husband because I'm still a novice cook). I boiled eggs so that I can make deviled eggs later. Then, I got out into the garden. I've planted some garlic with hopes that it will still have enough dormacy time during the cold February (and probably March) months to then bloom as it gets warmer. I also repotted all the indoor plants because they were outgrowing their containers.

Now, I turn my thoughts back to the mess that is me sorting through things to get rid of. I'll take a break later to make some lesson plans for this week & do some reading for philosophy. I hope everyone has a great beginning to February.

Help!

I know that some of you out there who read my (and my mother's) blog are a bit more technologically savvy than I am when it comes to page appearance. I am savvy enough to have gotten my Etsy account up and running, and I'll be "going public" selling my jewelry online soon. There is a way for me to take some JavaScript they provide & insert it into my page so that blog followers can see tidbits of what I am selling. Problem is, I can't quite figure out how to fit that into my design. I have figured it out to the point of customization, and viewing the Html, but I don't know where to insert it. I'm lost.

So, I need your help! Can you either direct me to a tutorial or give me your own advice? I appreciate it! My mom will also thank you because she is wanting to learn how to add things to her blog as well. ;)

How I like to spend my snow days...

One of my favorite things to do...

Curl up under a quilt (and occasional heating blanket) and rest in the company of a cat. And, if I am so privileged, have my own cat nap.

Snow at the Cabin

Due to God's grace (and sheer determination) I made it up our road tonight. Fortunately, it gets better every day. I did quite the slipping, sliding, and wheel spinning to make it up the hill though! Josh & I have a busy next few days for New Year's so I might not post again for a few days. One never knows. :)

Besides spending time with family I'm going to be working on lesson plans for this upcoming week. I go back to internship (student teaching) on Tuesday, and because I'll be in the second semester of internship that means I'll be working the entire school day instead of just half of it. Because of this I won't be able to continue working in the nursery of the daycare. I'll still substitute when possible. .I've loved it, but I also enjoy kindergarten. And, I would like to finish my teaching degree. lol.

As promised, here are the pictures from the days after Christmas.

This is from the night of the 26th. My camera had some drops of water on the lens, but you can see Papaw headed back down the ridge on the tractor after dropping us off. Jughead is looking at me, and Hank is in the background. That's our shed.
This is what my car looked like when we got home.

And here's the lawnmower.

I ventured out the next day (the 27th) all bundled up to take some pictures.

Here's the view from the top of the driveway.

This is looking down the beginning of the "road" we took the tractor up.

And it continues...

This is looking back up. The pictures are really only a small portion of the "road." I wasn't about to walk the whole thing, but it was so picturesque I couldn't resist walking down part of it.

Here's Josh checking on me. I had been out for a while. Notice the shorts and t-shirt. lol.

Here's me, posing for the camera.

And Josh again...slightly more bundled up? Any time he actually goes out for long periods of time he will layer up. I believe he was outside this time because I popped my head in the house and said, "Take my picture!"

I thought the branches framed this shot nicely.

More close-up shots of the mountains.

Our back porch.Although I have many more pictures, this covers most of my snow shots. Later, I'll have to remember to post some of the sunset that evening as it colored the snow covered mountains pink. Plus, I accidentally just deleted more of my detail shots, and I'm not quite in mood to reload them. Haha. It will give me subject matter for later.

As one of the news people said during the height of our snow, the Blue Ridge mountains looked much like Alaska. I have to agree. So pretty. But, alas, I am SO TIRED of snow. Maybe once we have 4-wheel drive I'll like it better. :)