Signing, Photography Skillz, and a Shoe Tub

Signing Time...
Here is a quick video of Allikaye doing some of her signs...
I posted this one because she signs "leaf"...
this is my new most favorite sign she does...
Please excuse the spastic "Bless you" from mama...
in the middle of the video!


Photography Skillz...
Also...here is Allikaye's first attempt at photography...
isn't the composition and positioning so advanced! Ha!


Shoe Tub...
And last...Julie, at Joy's Hope, always has so many great ideas!
So...here I go...copying her some more!
All ya need is some paper and mod podge!!
My new shoe tub...

Happy end of July!

Back To School...

Tomorrow is the first day back to school for me (3rd grade teacher)...
which means summer break is over.
I know most schools don't start until mid August or September...
but we are a year-round school.
This means we go for 9 weeks...and then off for 3.
I like the schedule because it allows me lots of time
throughout the year with Miss Allikaye!
However...
I am going half time!!
WOOHOO!
This is how it will work...
I am job sharing with my great wonderful friend, Allison.
One of us will work Monday/Tuesday...
the other will work Thursday/Friday...
and we will alternate Wednesdays.
I am so excited..
both for being able to be at home with my angel lots..
and for how the whole job-share thing will work!

I have heard that some of you
have been teachers or are teachers...
so I have a question for you...
Any ideas for fun Olympics activities??
This is what I have so far...

I have a world map and a U.S. map and we are going to
track the medals that are won!
I am excited for this...
I have gold and silver circles
to place on the maps as the medals are won.

I would love some of you creative bloggers...
which I know there are gobs of ya out there...
Any advice for Olympics in a 3rd grade classroom???

As Billy Madison says...
"Back to school,
Back to school!
To prove to dad that I'm no fool!"

Thankfully...A Tag!

Dear April, at JaneSays, tagged me for a little ABC Game!

I needed a little motivation for a post - so this will be a great filler!!

This is funny, because it reminds me of an ABC game
my friends and I used to play in class to pass the time...
since we weren't really taking notes!
We would write the ABC's vertically and then choose a category
(candy, animals, boys we thought were cute...ya know...real important topics)
So here is the version of the ABC Game that I have been tagged...

A. Attached or single...Happily Happily attached to my Matt!

B. Best Friend...besides my hubby...my mama and my Rhonda!

C. Cake or pie...mmmmm...cake...but I am not one to turn down a dessert!
D. Day of Choice...any day Matt and me are both not working!
E. Essential items...my black eyeliner and Origins Bronzer...it's called "sunny disposition"!
F. Favorite color...pink!
G. Gummi bears or worms...Gummi Bears from the Haribo Factory in Germany!
H. Hometown...Colorado Springs...went to the same high school as my grandparents and parents!
I. Favorite Indulgence...internet shopping...mostly clothes!
J. January or July...January...my bday and Allikaye's bday!!
K. Kids...only my precious angel...do I want more? Hmmmm....
L. Life isn't complete without...a relationship with Jesus...and laughter
M. Marriage date...May 24, 2003...5 years and counting!
N. Number of Siblings... one brother...married to Erin...daddy to Mia.
O. Oranges or Apples...oranges...I guess?
P. Phobias...semi-trucks and car accidents
Q. Quotes...I have lots...here is a recent favorite...

"I believe in the sun
even if it doesn't shine.
I believe in love
even if I don't feel it.
I believe in God
even when He is silent."

R. Reasons to smile...Allikaye, Allikaye, Allikaye!
S. Season of choice... Fall...I love the colors, weather...leaves!
T. Tag...Amanda...Lindsey...Dani...Jill...and Becks!
U. Unknown fact about me...I like to read magazines from the back to the front...
V. Vegetable...potatoes!
W. Worst habit...biting my fingers...not the nail...but the skin...yeah yeah
X. XRay or Ultrasound...definitely ultrasound...that heartbeat is a gift from God!
Y. Your favorite food...mashed potatoes..don't care what kind...I like them all...
Z. Zodiac Sign... blah blah blah...silly stuff!

Have you ever fed a giraffe?

These are scrapblog pictures of our latest trip
to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
...the only mountain zoo...so they say!
This is the best zoo I have ever been to...
and that is mostly because of the giraffes
that you get to feed crackers to!

You can click on each of these pictures to zoom!

Oh! I just love seeing all the weird and creative animals that God created!
The zoo is like God's art gallery!

Hey Good Lookin'! What Ya Got Cookin'?

**Edited to add:
YOU MUST TRY THE CHOCOLATE ALMOND CROISSANTS!!**

I have started a new recipe blog...

to share EASY recipes I use...
that I have found...
sometimes on other blogs...
sometimes from friends and fam!
The only rule for a recipe going onto my new blog...
is that it HAS TO BE EASY!
Miss Allikaye keeps me movin'...
so my cookin' time usually has to be during her 2 hour nap...
which also tends to be my bloggin' time too...
and my catch-up-on-DVRed-shows-that-the-hubby-won't-want-to-watch time!
So yes...these recipes are easy...promise!
Let me know what you think!
And I LOVE getting new recipes...
that are easy...
so let me know if you have some!
I will link your yumminess on that blog too!

Go check out the pretzels I made today...
oh man...they are good!

GO HERE FOR YUMMINESS!

It's also linked on my sidebar!

She's 18 months and her mama is cryin'!

Yes, it's true...

I just can't believe my little precious infant is 18 months old!
She seems so o-l-d to me!
I am using this post as place to write down memories
that I know I will soon forget of Miss Allikaye...
the 18 month beauty.

Likes...
*broccoli...which daddy calls ice cream...and watermelon
*cereal...sounds like 'seral'...in a bowl with milk...or in any sort of container
*sliding...parks
*asking to walk
*dancing
*jumping...high...both feet off ground
*Her pacifier...which she so endearingly calls her "pash"
*mama chasing her and daddy saving her
*drawing...'dawawing'
*Her On Demand (Comcast) shows...Baby Boost and Eebee...she actually brings us the remotes and asks for "Eebee" by name
*wagon rides...hit or miss
*ABC's and counting
*being the DJ to songs sung by daddy...he starts with a song and she requests a new one mid-verse, then continues to change it up
*shopping...she'll say "shop, shop"...truly my baby!
*Learning and using new signs...I must brag and say she's a pro!
*nursing...yep still going strong...I'm sure there are varying opinions on this...
*repeating every word we say...teaches us to be a little wiser with word choice!
*walking Tre on his leash
*drinking in straws
*pulling on mamas face to get her attention
*doing things on her own

Dislikes...
which mostly resemble what I have heard the wonderful toddler years are like!
*Not getting her way
*changing her clothes or diapers
*being taken away from mommy
*Tv watching that isn't Eebee or Baby Boost
*riding in a stroller
*When mama doesn't pay full attention to her
*not being able to do things on her own
*when things are taken away from her...chocolate milk from a spoon...set her off...I mean the DRAMA is amazing! While Rhonda was here she said it sounded like she bashed her head...but it was actually because I wouldn't let her draw with green marker on the couch...I'm mean I know! Today she actually was scooting her head across the floor she was so mad at me for trying to put sun screen on her...

I can't even begin to tell you how much more rich and full

my life has been these past 18 months!
There is NOTHING that compares to a love
between a daughter (or son) and their mother!
Alright...I'm crying again!
Happy 18 months my dear sweet toddler!
Ah! She's not a baby anymore?!

Free Slurpee???

Tomorrow is July 11th! What does that mean?
It is 7/11!
Yep...as in Seven Eleven...as in the Slurpee mecca!
I have heard that most Seven Elevens are giving away
FREE SLURPEES tomorrow!!
Go out and give yourself a brain freeze!

We need a Best Friends Necklace!

College roommates...all 4 years.

Volleyball teammates...all 4 years.

Same college major...every class together...all 4 years.

Maids of honor in each others weddings.

Now living 12 hours apart...sad!
But here is the HAPPY part....
her hubby and her are out to visit!! Woohoo!
Here we are doing some native -statue-karate - to show our excitement?We went out on the town...
Comedy Works was so much fun! I felt like I got a good ab workout from laughing so hard!
We also went to P.F. Changs...yum!
It was just like old times with our boyfriends...who became our great hubbys!

I love having Rhonda and Jared out here...so does Matt and Allikaye!
We have thankfully managed to see each other every year since college...
I'm sure that will stay a priority in our lives!

Here is a quote that I sent to my BFF Rhonda a few months back...

"The most beautiful discovery
that true friends make
is that they can grow separately
without growing apart."

And let me tell ya...it is beautiful!!!

More pictures to come...

Naughty or Nice?

Look what Miss Alexandra Kaye found in her
daily adventures of rummaging in old drawers...

I think I received these as a present at one of my bridal showers...
5 years ago...and this book has been in hiding ever since!! Ha!
Needless to say...
these cheesy coupons are now the newest coloring book for Allikaye... Here is a page that she chose to color on...
that I could share...
it is a NICE page!

Oh yeah! Can you hear the Barry White music playin in the background?
Now...can you picture Hubby and me reading romantic poetry to each other!??
I CAN'T!!
I should probably let those of you who don't really know me
in on the fact that we aren't the most
mature and serious people you will ever meet!
This just cracks me up!!
Oh...Miss Thing also points to the pictures of the happy couples
and says "mama" and "dayee"
Whew - she makes me laugh!

Happy Tuesday!