Storm before the storm?

It's been a crazy, rainy week at school. The tropical storm aftermath has been passing through Raleigh. We even had a two hour delay at school. I've been wearing my Hunter wellies since the ramp to my classroom trailer has been practically flooded. Wonderful.

The delay made for a stressful schedule planning and I still had to get there at the early time. The humidity had been causing copiers to jam like crazy and contributing to increased headaches. So...not calm. More like storm.

Then the major storm of stress begins after by friend's Sunday wedding back in Athens. We're driving back to Raleigh after since I have to be at school on Monday. Luckily I planned a review game (before a test) for two of my classes. Not sure about the harder, sleepier am classes. Then the moving begins! Along with more school planning, paper grading, journal writing, college moodling, etc etc excitement begins. STORM! I'm trying to keep my head above water with the demands for a first year teacher (which deserves an additional post of it's own). I'll make it. And honestly, even through the storms, I'm really looking forward to what the rest of the year brings :)

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Need. a. trip. asap.

After coming off of the tightest financial summer that I think I have ever had (no exaggeration...I have never completely not worked or gotten student loans), D and I are still saving hardcore with the whole buying house situation.  As tremendously excited as I am about buying a house, I am desperate to travel again.  And by travel, I mean TRAVEL.  I need to be on a plane again.  I need to be flying over an ocean again.  Even domestic trips have been delayed.  Oh...it makes my heart die just a little.  We were planning to go to Boston this winter.  Delayed.  I need to get to Birmingham to visit KD before her wedding next summer.  Delayed.  International summer vacay.  Delayed.  I feel like I live to travel and see new places.  This is what I want to do forever (and a large aspect of why I am extremely hesitant about having kids).  I hate going too long without seeing somewhere new.

Point being...my spring break for school is super late this year.  I believe it is the end of April.  We'll be far done from saving by then and we HAVE to make a trip.  It'll be domestic.  I hoping for west coast.  D and I have never been west coast before (although he is getting to go to San Fran I believe in March...without me...die major.).  I'm going to be rooting for San Fran probably.

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Is it legit...

...that I take no pleasure of claim being a "southern girl."  I came across a blog (which I will not name) that is written by a southern girl.  Now I hear it a lot.  People putting quotes on facebook about being being sweet tea loving, huntin', couuuuuuntreeeee kind of girls.  Omg.  I die.  Now, here is the urban dictionary definition (probably the same quote I've seen everywhere) of a southern girl:

'The best girls around. They are always pretty and show themselves well. Normally dressed in their easter colored polos, lacostes, or michael stars. Allways (well, usually) seen wearing there name brand jeans blue cult, 7's, citizens, angel, paper denim, etc...Accesories always consist of them pearl earings. Simple yet ellegant. All southern girls own atleast 1 surf shop or restaurant T-shirt from somewhere on the coast, most likely Wrightsville. Found cruising around in their silver or green Range Rovers or Land Rovers, and if not, volvos or station wagons. Hangouts consist of North Hills (if your familliar with Raleigh, NC), or any place that serves fresh ice tea and warm grits. The music they listen to is usually very mellow, like Dave Matthews, OAR, James Taylor, Alanis Morrissette, Hootie, Jack Johnson, Jimmy Buffet, Rascal Flatts, etc...Southern hospitality runs in the family. Southern households are the most generous of them all, which makes southern girls, the sweetest. Always remember though, the carolina girls are the best! "'Carolina girls, best in the world!'"

 Um...holy shit, who wrote this?  First...the spelling is atrocious! Aside from the spelling, I am most disturbed nauseous by the fact that apparently this was written not by some deep south, Georgia Southern college student, but someone who lives in Raleigh, North Carolina!*  A part of my dies inside a little.  My post was totally not supposed to be like or about this. 

Back on point...why is it that southern girls think they are so great?  I would never in my life stake claim to being the typical "southern girl."  I won't deny.  I went through the phase in college.  How could I not?!  I was surrounded by it in college.  Now...re-read the definition above.  I googled "southern girl" to find that definition.  When I clicked google images, here is an example of what I found:

[This is just sickening]

[Um.  ew.]

I literally can not go on.  There was not one picture of a Lacoste, pearl wearing lady.  I primarily found disturbing provocative images or disgusting confederate flag pictures.  Why would I ever want to associate myself with this title?  Maybe it means I was meant to get out of the south.  I can drink sweet tea anywhere.  I don't even own a real set of pearls.  I can find a lot more fashionable clothing than a Lacoste collared shirt.  I will always be polite because I was raised that way.  Actually, I find more ignorance and closed-mindedness in the south. 

*I am so disturbed because I felt that Raleigh/NC as a whole was more liberal and open-minded.  And I have yet to encounter any of these "southern girls" here.

**I am writing this on Saturday after I have been working for hours and hours on school stuff (told you I am swamped!).  I've had a couple of beers at this point (umm....yes I am alone) and may not be in the best mind to rant about southern girls.  I may just continue this rant on another day ;)

Dreaming of boots and sweaters.

I hate cold weather...but I love cold weather clothes.  Maybe it's because I am still insecure about my weight (however not doing much to help myself on that front right now).  You can bundle up and layer away in the winter.  It's going to be my first year as a teacher in the winter.  I'm looking forward to all the comfy flat boots, tights and dresses, and sweaters!  I can't bring myself to do a closet craving right now.  We're saving every penny we have to close on our house (um...still can't contain my excitement over it!).  I can't even tempt myself looking at gorgeous boots and such.  I'm going to be a thrifting maniac on the weekends if I want any new fall wear.  I just can't wait for cool weather though. 

We're starting to pack up things around the house and get ready for the move.  October is going to be a ridiculous month.  Come early next year...I'm going to go on a mad spending spree ;)

Sorry for the blah post...obviously I am super busy right now!  We're packing, getting house stuff ready, etc.  This weekend I am making a crazy trip back to Athens for my friend CAP's wedding.  We'll be trekking it back late, late, late on Sunday night.  I have 4 days of teaching and probably moving stuff into our house.  Then I'm off on Friday for a work related "retreat."  Then back again for more moving.  Then D will be out of town for practically the rest of October.  STRESS!  I'll make it.  Bear with me on the posting :)

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[I LOVE Wall-E!  So cute.  weheartit]

:)  weheartit.

Sitting outside with a good book in the rain.

This is what I want to be doing on my screened porch.  It has always been a dream of mine to have a screened porch.  There is something I love about it.  You can be outside but escape from the mosquitoes (which typically eat me alive).  D is going to most likely be embarking on a variety of home projects.  One of the projects I am going to set him on is building on a screened porch.

[Not a huge deck...but totally legit for building on to...]

D is thinking we'll add it on to this side so that we can keep the stairs.  We'll see.  Hopefully that'll be a project for next spring or summer.  

Here are some porch pics that have me swooning...

[If only we lived on the beach...pretty sure this is a Pottery Barn ad but image via weheartit]

 [Oh man...I die for this porch.  The Adirondack chairs, the trees, and the puppy.  Image via design*sponge]

[So gorgeous with all the greenery.  We definitely need to stain and weatherproof our deck.  Image via weheartit]

 [I know our house isn't this big, but I could totally picture something like this.  I like the addition of the latice on the bottom.  Image via designers-choice]

[Again, we wouldn't have anything near this big, but how adorable!  I picture a comfy little couch or chair in ours with a table.  And lots of plants!  Image via weheartit]

[I know this is a poor picture, but this is my vision.  Currently, we have sliding glass doors leading out to the deck.  I could definitely see us putting in french doors that lead to a screened porch.  Then build on a deck from that.  Absolutely perfect.  One day...  Image via thisoldhouse]

Time to get cooking.

Counter space in the kitchen was a necessity when we were looking at houses.  We love our kitchen in our rental (mainly for the gas stove) but there is no counterspace.  We looked at this little house and fell in love with the hardwoods and yard...

...but the kitchen was quite lacking...

[What you see is what you get...]

Literally.  This picture is it for the counter space.  There's a corner for the refrigerator, but that's it.  No dishwasher (or room to even install one without compromising your cabinet space).  I just couldn't invest in a house with such a sparse kitchen.

I am thrilled with our new kitchen in the new house!

 

Lots of counter space...wonderful cabinets...a dishwasher :)  Eventually we'll upgrade appliances (need a gas stove!), but this is a perfect start.  Even though I don't cook too much (D is the master cook in this family), I'm still obsessed with beautiful kitchens.

[Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.  I love the variety of colors and the barstools.  We are going to have to find barstools for our kitchen.  Ahh...  Image via design*sponge]

[I'm obsessed with islands.  We don't have room for one.  This one is a fabulous use of storage for the pots and pans.  Love.  I also love islands that have the sink in them :)  Image via design*sponge]

[Here we go!  Sink in the island.  I love the modern and clean look of this kitchen.  I may consider a more modernized backspalsh when we really start decorating.  Image via design*sponge]

[I am obsessed with chalkboard paint.  I am definitely going to find somewhere in my house to incorporate some.  I like this little kitchen.  The drawer pulls give it a modern feel without the stainless steel appliances (which seem to symbolize modernism these days).  Image via design*sponge]

[Can't you just picture your guests sitting at the table sipping their wine (or Terrapin beer in our household) while you're whipping up a delicious meal for them?  Yep.  Image via weheartit]

[I just can't take my eyes off this picture.  I think it's the green that's got me hooked.  Image via weheartit]

Any kitchen decor ideas?

Books and books galore.

I have a fascination with books and bookshelves.  I love buying books.  I am obsessed with the built in bookshelves at our new house.  Here's some books and bookshelf inspired pictures...

[Even more than the bookshelf, I adore the print over the bed.  Swoon.  Image at design*sponge]

[Too modern for me, but I love the clean white and wood burning stove!  Image via bookshelf blog]

[How awesome is this?!  I'm always amazed by others' creativity!  Image via weheartit.  I'm obsessed with weheartit!]

[I love the pictures hung on the front of the bookcase.  What an adorable room.  Image via Patricia Gray Inc.]

[I'm obsessed with color categorization.  I sort of want to frame this picture.  I almost can't take my eyes off of it.  And that couch...with the pug.  Whoa.  Image via weheartit.]

[Die.  What a great way to make this a functional, beautiful space.  Image via bookshelf porn.]

Can't wait for decorate our new bookshelves :)

Desgin & decor week.

After my big announcement, I want to focus on some design and decor.  Obviously this little girl is going to be on a budget for quite.a.while.  I need to find some creative ways to decorate.  Whenever we finally buy a house, I think I will take more pride in making it beautiful.  I don't have an eye for fashion or design, but I can't buy an entire room out of an Anthropologie, Crate and Barrel, or Pottery Barn catalog.  I need DIY!  I usually have lots of down time on weekends that I can devote to a day project.

We want a 3 bedroom house so we can have a guest room, master room, and office for D.  He says he'll stop using the living room as his office if he has a real, clean room to use.  I am not planning to put a girly, pretty desk in his office but I love this DIY with wall paper.

[Stunning!  Seemingly easy and so pretty.  I adore those drawer knobs as well!  Image and DIY via design*sponge]

[Not a DIY but so pretty!  A little more masculine.  Found at design*sponge]

[This definitely reminds me of an old school roll top desk.  My granny used to have one.  I'm going to be on the look out.  Image via weheartit]

[Omg.This is fabulous!  A cute and adorable idea!  Image via design*sponge]

[

[Not enough room for D, but I love the simplicity.  Image via weheartit]

What are your cheap DIY office ideas?

I hate it so bad I want to cry.

Don't you think it's weird how some people LOVE cleaning and others HATE it?  I was at a training last week and we all had to introduce ourselves, yada yada yada.  One of the girl's "special interests" was actually cleaning because it is relaxing for her.  I almost threw up in my mouth.  I despise cleaning.  The one thing I despise most is...doing the dishes.

[My sink pretty much looks like this half the time (although this is NOT my sink)]

Ok...we do not have a dishwasher in our house right now.  It is like my personal living hell.  Believe it or not we've looked at some houses without a dishwasher...DEALBREAKER!  It is a complete necessity in my life.  D and I try to take turns, but it doesn't help.  I turn into a whiny 2 year old when I have to do them.  I hate putting my hands in that dirty, disgusting water.  I hate the way my fingers get so wrinkly and feel icky.  I hate scrubbing the dishes trying to get everything off.  It doesn't help our situation that 1) we both aren't the biggest fans of chores/doing dishes, 2) we let them pile up so it's 10x worse when we actually have to do them and 3) D is the worst about filling up cups and bowls with water so they don't have crusty milk in the bottom.  I do full on whining, complaining, constantly saying "I hate this so much," and almost crying when I do dishes.  D said last time that I turned into a little kid when I did dishes.  I told him I didn't care.  He should know that about me all too well and this was never going to change.  I am not sure where my hatred of dishes comes from...  I hate chores in general.  D actually does most of the chores (although we're both pretty messy).  I've joked that when we buy a house we are going to HAVE to invest in a maid :)

Needless to say...I need a dishwasher ASAP. 

UPDATE:  I'm finally going to have a dishwasher again :) 

What you've been waiting for.

This is it...my BIG news.  I bet your minds have been turning (because you think about me all the time, I know!)...none of you better have guessed I was pregnant.  Come on...you know how I feel about kids.  And with the recent financial depression of summer 2010, fuck if I am bringing a kid into this family.  Ok, ok...stop teasing you.

But seriously guys (ok, mostly gals)...we found it.  Our house.  Here's the story.  We had almost given into this house...a week or so earlier:

So quaint and cozy!  

Of all the other homes we had looked at, this was fit the bill for us.  Hardwoods, all appliances (even w/d) included, three bedroom, one full and one half bath.  The rooms were a bit small, but we loved the neighborhood and knew we could resell easy there.  Conveniently the seller was considering renting the house out soon, so the pressure was on.  We felt like we hadn't seen everything we wanted to and decided to look a more before we bit the bullet.  

You know I told you we had primarily only been looking inside the Raleigh beltline.  I mean I was pretty freaking solid on NOT looking outside that.  Our realtor sent us some homes outside so we could see what we could get for our money if we looked outside.  I practically shot her right down.  The houses we were looking at in our price range inside the beltline were pretty small.  Now you know I didn't care about/want anything big.  After some googling (I love how this is now an acceptable verb), we drove by a couple of home outside the beltline.  They were relatively close to downtown too.  We set up some viewings.  When we walked in...I fell in love. Later, D and I both agreed we just felt at home there.  The map below shows the beltline and location of the house...

  [That little "A," that's us!]

In reality, this house is the same distance from downtown Raleigh as the little white house above.  It also shaves off a bit og my commute time.  We've been negotiating and came to a pretty awesome deal that D and I are so happy with.  It works out with our financial situation and meets the sellers' needs as well.  Soooooo...without further ado...meet our newest roof!

 [Ok, ok...worst pic ever.  These aren't my pics...I haven't gotten a chance to take any yet, but ahem trust me they are coming!  But note the swing on the front porch.  She looks tiny, but she has a lot more space than the little white guy above]

 [So I am sort of obsessed with this backyard.  Perfect size for the doggies.  Already made privacy fence.  And see that little extra space to the left of the side of the house?  Yep...that's where our garden and chickens are going to stay.  Right ladies!  I said chickens.]

 [I don't need no stainless steel appliances!  I'm happy that we won't have to buy any appliances immediately.  Oh and let me please note that I am ecstatic about having a dishwasher again!  It's been a long 6 months without one.  This will certainly save us some money and we can eventually upgrade when we're ready.  Adore the open kitchen.  There's a ceramic sink with disposal.  Huge cabinets.  That white table is the "breakfast room" area.  There's a little desk nook to the left of the pic]

[Adore the built in bookshelves.  We're going to knock out the ones around the TV so it'll be easier when we upgrade to a bigger TV...one day.  The adjacent wall to the bookshelves has a set of three windows to allow lots of light in the living room.  Living room is a bit small...but I'm content with that]

[Possibly the worst pic yet.  Master bedroom.  The only room with carpet, but we want to eventually put in hardwoods.  Master bathroom with a standing shower and double sinks!  I die over them.  That was seriously something we wanted but thought we'd never get.  Omg.  Love.  HAVE to get rid of the full mirrors on the closet (which we also weren't expecting to find a master with such a big closet).  I'm not ready for sex surrounded by mirrors...TMI?]

[Second FULL bath!  So cute.  It also has built in shelves behind the door.  Super excited to have 2 full baths for when guests come]

So I am not even kidding.  I love, love, love this house.  It has everything I could have wanted (ok minus a fireplace...but I'll totally deal).  It was built in 2006, so everything is relatively new in house years.  Hardwoods, the already built fence, two big guest rooms (seriously...the others were tiny in comparison!), dining room plus the breakfast room as a part of the kitchen, the bathrooms, a back deck (which we can totally build on a screened in porch too), etc. etc.  D is not showing his excitement as much as me.  He keeps talking about projects and handy-man stuff he's going to do.  We're moving in sometime in October and hopefully I'll be posting LOTS more pictures of the house and this process.  I'm looking forward to spring and having this experience with D :)  It'll be fun to watch him do projects and make our family of us and two dogs and two cats complete with our house.  Can't wait to share this experience with you all!

**Ps. I have been totally scared to share any of this with anyone (including my parents!) because I didn't want to jinx any of it.  I am totally typing this on Friday and scheduling it for Sunday so I can remove it if necessary.  I am supposed to get the official word tonight or tomorrow...but I still nervous to make the blogosphere announcement.  Here's to hoping!

#198 on #87: A movie review (sort of).

So I'm slowly chipping away at my 101 in 1001 list.  When D is out of town, I am trying to watch one of the Top 250 movies.  Last weekend I watched #198 on the list, Good Will Hunting.  Can you believe I've never seen it?!  As a social worker/teacher, of course I'm obsessed with movies that focus on "getting through to" troubled kids. 

[How cute is a young Matt Damon?!  Image via google]

[Robin Williams as the therapist.  Love it.  Image via google]

[And love his group of friends that support him no matter what.  Image via google]

I'm sure most of you have already seen the movie so I'm not going to give you a run down of what happens or anything.  I thoroughly enjoyed the movie though :)  Another check off the Top 250.

A day off and big news coming (hopefully).

I had to/got to take the day off work today because of a doctors appointment.  I couldn't reschedule or it would have been November before they could get me in (gah!).  Anyway, I finally got paid for the beginning teacher training I went to in August as well as reimbursed for my Praxis teaching tests (which I passed BOTH...wahoo!).  Praxis money went straight to D, and most of the other money is going towards my doctors appointment, getting my oil changed (almost 1000 miles over!), and gas.  I am going to take advantage of my day off and hit up a couple thrift stores (and maybe H&M...but I'm afraid of being tempted into buying too much).  The rest of the money has to go in our savings.

Something pretty big happened yesterday.  I don't want to announce yet...but I am hoping to be able to spill the beans this weekend.  D is out of town and I'll schedule some more posts for next week.  I'm off to my appointment!  Happy Thursday!

Gearing up for the school year.

This year I get to have my classroom in a trailer.  It has it's pros and cons.  When I got to school on August 16, this is what I came into...

Too many desks...a crappy teacher desk, and a world map (I don't teach social studies)

The tiny dry erase board, one measly, tiny bulletin board, and one tiny table.

Obviously I had a lot of work to do.  I had no clue how to deal with these desks.  My teacher desk was a disaster.  Apparently the entire trailer (desks and all) were moved to our school from another school in the county.  Wonderful.  After a little work and brainstorming...this was the outcome the next day...

 

I covered the actual bulletin board with fabric left over from our wedding party.  I had to make faux bulletin boards by straight up posting bb paper and boarder on the walls.  You'll notice a few measly trays on the table.

Ok...my teacher desk has a little bit of life and there's a bulletin board in progress.  It was really difficult sprucing up my room with little materials.  Since this is my first full year teaching, I haven't accumulated much to keep in the classroom.  

Day 3:

The "big" bookshelf on the left came with the trailer.  Another wonderful teacher gave me the small shelf she wasn't using.

 Bulletin boards coming together!  Letters up! Boarders up!

 Still too many desks.  I do have a plant on my desk!

Look at that organized bookshelf!

I got all of this done before my really early open house (an entire week before school started).  I was just impressed that everything was in it's place.

D took me shopping for a few things I needed.  Here's a focus on some of my bulletin boards (because I know you all really care).

  We're the Gators.  My students put their weekly and/or yearly goals on this board.  Keeps them focused.

 I give my students a weekly salary.  I ended up separating the board into Rules & Rewards.  The students and I discussed how much extra "money" you should get for positive things and how much for negatives.

 Where we put our "Who I Am Matters" projects that we worked on the first few days of school.

I ended up putting up a missed work area on the top of the Information Station.  The Help Wanted section is for our jobs.  I took Polaroids of each student (also left over from the wedding party) and posted by their bi-weekly job.

 We haven't done much with this yet...I put up a couple "I used to believe" statements of my own.  I'm thinking we'll do it every quarter.

 My nicely organized area.

Since I took these pictures, I've gotten some additional items to make the room look better.  I've put more on the walls.  I'll try to post those pictures later.  The room is still pretty drab and boring...but it's a work in progress!  I know the students will help me spruce it up throughout the year :)