Day 54

Exciting night tonight! One of Matt's friends was celebrating his birthday downtown at a sushi bar that we have gone to once before. If you know me at all, you would know that I do not like ANY fish at all...especially not sushi. Luckily for me they have a teriyaki chicken that it AMAZING! That along with the edamame, it was delicious. We then went to the bar upstairs called Roc Bar. We went outside to the balcony because there was more room, but it was hotter than hot. We survived and had a good time as well! The picture didn't come out very good, but it's a picture of the bar's neon sign.

Day 53

Today I was especially surprised to get to hang out with 2 of my best friends. Lindsay came over earlier in the day and we went to the pool for a couple of hours. Gretchen had volleyball stuff at school until later in the day, so she came over and we went to dinner. I'm not sure why we wait until the end of summer to get together, but we do it every year! Of course I forgot to take a picture while either of them were here, so I got creative and took a picture of a picture of them from a couple of summers ago when we went to Galveston for a weekend. Not exactly the same, but I think it works ok.

Day 52

Today I went to HAAM (Humble Area Assistance Ministry) with Nancy to help with the school supply drive/distribution they do every year. We were getting ourselves so stressed out by the time we were done I was ready to leave and relax. You wouldn't think school supplies could be stressful, but they are! Like I tend to do a lot, I forgot to take picture, so I took a picture of their facebook page...lame I know. I really should remember these things at the time!

Day 51

Since the new school year is right around the corner I thought I should get busy making the curtains for my new classroom. I hadn't started them yet because I wanted to make sure I could get them done in one day and have the dining room cleaned up before Matt freaked out about the mess. I pulled out the sewing machine, fabric, sewing box and anything else I needed...except for scissors. I couldn't find my good scissors, so I tried using the ones we use in the kitchen. The crappy ones from the kitchen ended up chewing at the fabric, not cutting. So, I stopped what I was doing and went to the store. I needed to get a few things for dinner anyway, so it was a trip I needed to make. Typical me, I forgot to get the scissors. So, this is how the dining room was left until another day...oh well.

Day 50

My school supply search continued today while I was grocery shopping. Today's great find was crayons for $.25 a box. I know that I'm not an elementary teacher but I do still have a lot of coloring activities for the high school kids. For some reason if I give them an assignment that involves coloring they are more likely to do it. So, if buying crayons helps me get my kids to do their work, so be it!

Day 49

The weekend was really busy and we didn't get around to doing yard work. I think Matt was dreading having to do it after work some time during the week, so I woke up early and carefully got the mower out of the garage. He has it stored where it's hard to get out without scratching his truck or jet ski but I managed to get it out without any damage. I guess the mower is my new accessory and now I think Matt expects me to do the mowing. Not sure that I like this!

Day 48

Today we celebrated Leslie's birthday at the Spaghetti Warehouse downtown. We definitely ate way too much but it was a good time and a great meal! Yummy!

Day 47

We hadn't seen Eric and Michelle in forever and since we've seen them last they have moved into a new house. They had us over for dinner and we got to visit with them and my dad as well as the boys. It was fun and I'm not sure why we don't see them more often since they live in the same town.

Day 46

I went back to the elementary school track today for my walk and tried to remember to take a better picture. This time there was daylight, but I felt kinda like a crazy person pulling up my car to take a picture as I left. There was an old man who was walking up to the track and looked at me like I had lost my mind. I think he waited outside the track area so he wouldn't be captured in my weirdo picture.

Day 45

After sleeping in way longer than I should have I ate a late breakfast/early lunch then headed to the pool for a couple of hours. Once I got home I was super drained from the sun and didn't feel like doing a whole lot. I didn't really do much of anything until I headed to the gym. I had planned on going to the store but looking at the ads was about as far as I got. Maybe tomorrow...

Day 44

Today I babysat 4 kids for a friend of mine who was in a bind. The 2 older kids mainly played with their friend next door at her house, so I really only had to watch the 2 younger ones. This was a good thing because the 4 together don't always get along. After doing everything we could think of inside I was out of ideas to entertain them. Luckily the rain stopped long enough to let the girls play with some sidewalk chalk I recently found. This was a long day but I'm glad I could help a friend out :)

Day 43

It was a necessary evil, but sitting in front of the computer watching the videos and taking the quizzes on "Safe Schools" was HORRIBLE! I finally got all 13 done but it took me most of the day to finally finish. I had to take lots of breaks because my eyes felt like they were going to pop out of my head. Since I finished these courses, I don't have to go back to school on August 13th. Instead I get that extra day and don't have to report until the 16th. In the long run it was completely worth it.

Day 42

I made some delicious lower fat queso to enjoy with some tacos for dinner. I also made a yummy strawberry shortcake with vanilla yogurt and the BEST strawberries I've ever eaten. I was so anxious to eat both of these items that I completely forgot to take a picture of either one. So use your imagination and picture these wonderful items in these now empty bowls :)

Day 41

I went to the pool today and tried to get Matt to go with me, but he didn't feel like it. I didn't last long entertaining myself. My iPod and book just weren't enough to keep me in the heat by myself. When I got home, I showered because I thought I was done being outside getting sweaty. I also planned on taking the day off from my workouts. Although I didn't go to the gym or track, I definitely got my workout when I mowed the grass for the second week in a row. I'm not sure I'm ready for this to become a pattern though...

Day 40

I haven't really been as good with my diet as I wanted to be. It's really hard when Matt wants to go out to eat or I don't feel like cooking. Tonight I asked to go to Applebee's so I could get one of their Weight Watcher meals that I like. This is the garlic herb chicken, roasted potatoes and broccoli. I forgot to take the picture before I started to dig in....I was hungry!

Day 39

My exercise was a little delayed today, so I went after Matt and I went to dinner. I've been walking around the track at the nearby elementary school where 5 laps is a mile. I decided to try to jog some of it and ended up jogging 5 laps (not in a row, but still a mile!). I was able to do 16 laps in less than 45 minutes, so I know I'll be able to walk the 5K under the time limit. By the time I got done, it was after 9pm and it was pretty dark. Guess I should have taken the picture before I started so it would actually be visible!!

Day 38

It's been raining like crazy every day lately and it has made me even less motivated than normal! I did finally get a much needed hair cut. I'm sure it's not even noticeable considering I've had my hair in a pony tail for the past 2 months. On top of that, it's not really a "new" haircut because it's the same hair style I've had for several years (if not a decade). I'm just not ready for something new...and by new, I mean something I actually have to style in the morning!

Day 37

I've gotten pretty fed up with trying to diet and exercise without any results, so I've refocused my goals. At the end of the school year I told myself this was going to be "The summer of diet and exercise." I figured if I could get into the habit of eating right during the summer then maybe I would be more likely to keep it up during the school year. It's only mid-July, but I am finally starting to keep track of what I eat and the calories I burn during my workouts. I hope this helps keep me on track...I don't want to see any holes in my good old calendar!

Day 36

Today the madness began. The madness that is school supply shopping! I'm going to try to control myself this year and only buy things that are a super great deal. My first great find was 2 pack erasers for $.29 a pack. It may seem like I bought way too many, but if you knew how much my students mess up and need to erase this wouldn't seem so outrageous.

Day 35

I must be feeling sick...or maybe just motivated...not sure which. After an even longer weekend of yard work after a long week of moving and cleaning, I got into cleaning mode again at home. It had been a while since I did a nice good cleaning job, so it was definitely time. I cleaned top to bottom, did all the laundry and dishes, and even organized under sinks and cabinets...it was exhausting. And for the first time since the rehearsal dinner, I actually made our bed!

Day 34

After moving and cleaning in Lubbock I thought today would be a nice, relaxing day. Little did I know that Matt would want to mow the grass...it's the only day in a long time that it hasn't rained. For some reason, I decided to volunteer to mow while he edged. I'm not sure what got into me. Matt even made the comment, "Who are you and what have you done with my wife?" I guess since I didn't make it to the gym like I had planned, I figured it would be a good workout. After I was done and saw myself I think I was right about it being a good workout!

Day 33

Oh, the drive home! I thought the drive to Lubbock was long, but the drive home seemed even longer! I guess I shouldn't complain since I wasn't actually the one driving. This was my view for the 10-11 hour drive home. At least I got wise and took my shoes off and got a little more comfortable on the drive back.

Day 32

After another day of moving Drew, we decided to try out a local favorite (I think they are other places, but I've never eaten at one): Firehouse Subs. They were YUMMY! I love Which Wich and I think Firehouse is right up there with it. Nancy wanted me to wear the child-size fire hat for the picture, but if anybody knows about the "Baughman head" that I've inherited from my mom's side, they would know that there is no chance of that hat fitting!

Day 31

So the point of our trip to Lubbock was to help Drew (Matt's brother) move from one apartment to another. His new apartment has an elevator to his floor. His old one though, does not. He had so much stuff to move it was crazy! These were the villain of the day...the 3 flights of stairs that I probably went up and down 40 times throughout the day. Let's say I'll be sleeping good after that!

Day 30

My first trip to Lubbock started today. Oh, boy was it a long drive and after a while all we saw was open fields then windmill after windmill. They were pretty, but my OCD-ness kicked in when I noticed they weren't all turning at the same time...you would think they could sync themselves up, right?

Day 29

Today I went back up to Lone Star College to fill out new hire paperwork. There was a lot more to fill out than I thought there would be, but I got it all done. Now, I just have to wait until the end of the month to see if there is something open for me to teach! It was horrible finding a parking spot. Luckily, the next time I go there I will be faculty and will get to park in one of the reserved spots :)

Day 28

Today I visited a dermatologist to have a bothersome mole removed from my back. I was a little nervous because I thought it was going to hurt really bad. To my surprise I didn't feel a thing, not even the needle to numb the spot. What was even more surprising was the dinky little band-aid they used. I was expecting a huge bandage and this is what I ended up seeing... (pardon the poor picture quality - Matt took it!)

Day 27

Before we left Austin, we stopped for lunch at Case Ole. Stephen and Kelly's daughter Haley is SO FREAKING CUTE! She and I really bonded over our short trip. While Stephen was in the restroom, Haley decided to show us how she uses daddy's wallet. After dumping out his cash, she went into the wallet and got out the credit card that they use all the time. I think he's going to have his hands full once she starts shopping on her own!

Day 26

Matt and I drove to Austin for our friend Kelly's birthday bbq. I was surprised she wanted people visiting since she is only 3 weeks away from having her second baby. We had a great time, conversation and food. It's always fun when we visit Austin. Shhhh, I don't think Kelly knows I took this picture of her and her baby belly!

Day 25

My obsession with Chick-fil-a and of free food come together today at Cow Appreciation Day. If you dresses at least partially as a cow, you got a free entree. Nancy wanted me to wear a cow head and utters, but I opted for the cow print bandana. I felt stupid enough as is, but at least I got some free nuggets. Nancy was lucky enough to win a raffle for free food for a year! She wouldn't let me take her picture though...

Day 24

Not much going on today. Nancy and I had been going to Chick-fil-a almost every day for lunch, but she was busy at the museum. About the only thing I did today was drive to Which Wich for a yummy sandwich. I'm sure I did some stuff around the house, but the sandwich was definitely the highlight.

Day 23

Interview day! AGHHH! I got up way earlier than I needed to, so I took my time getting ready. I watched a little TV after make-up and before getting dressed to try to get my mind off my nerves. I ended up leaving for the interview a lot earlier than I needed to and got to Lone Star College about an hour early. With my extra time, I went into Dollar General looking for a new umbrella. I realized after it started pouring down rain that the one in my car was broken. I didn't find an umbrella, but got a pack of gum while I was there. Good smelling breath is good, right? I took my time driving into the campus, looked over my resume (which is pathetic and luckily they didn't ask for it), found the restroom (where I thought I was going to lose my breakfast) and then finally went into the interview. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but they did ask me to demonstrate how I would teach a couple of topics and being put on the spot SUCKS. Needless to say, after I go back to fill out new hire paperwork and pass my background check, they will be looking for a couple of developmental math classes for me to teach in the fall!

Day 22

I needed to get ready for my interview tomorrow and the first thing I needed to do was change my nail polish. I didn't think the hot pink that I had on would be considered professional. So this is my "please hire me at the community college" attempt at a manicure. From a distance it doesn't look bad, so hopefully nobody will really notice how bad it is! Anything to distract myself from how nervous I am...I think interviews are the worst thing in the world!

Day 21

I went to Hobby Lobby today with Nancy to pick out some fabric for some new curtains for my classroom. The camouflage ones I made for Gabe when he was in that room just aren't my style. I was limited on what to pick from since I didn't want to spend a fortune and I needed 12 yards of fabric. I really liked an argyle print, but it was out of my price range. Instead, I went with a combination of green and pink/green plaid. So, hopefully by the start of school this fabric will be transformed into some distraction blockers...uh, I mean curtains.

Day 20

I was talked into indulging in some wonderful Mexican food today. Matt really has missed his good old La Casita and he has been very supportive of my trying to eat better. I figure I can't be a party-pooper forever, so I just tried my best to not over eat and make myself sick.

After lunch Matt and I went to his friend Richard's house in Baytown for some 4th of July festivities. They party went on well past our leaving, since nobody but Matt had to go to work the next day. We did stay long enough for the boys to blow some stuff up. My phone wasn't cooperating very well, but I did get an OK picture of some of the fireworks.

Day 19

Today was UFC night at the Thompsons. They made a TON of food and even made me boneless chicken (I ate the same thing as their 2 year old...geez). I was glad that I brought a dessert so I could contribute something. I made a fruit pizza for the first time and other than the sugar cookie base, it was a pretty healthy dessert...if eaten in moderation, which of course I didn't. What can I say, I'm a good baker! HAHA

Day 18

I got my free copy of Fitness magazine in the mail today and a story caught my eye. I have never considered myself a runner, but an article on how to go from couch potato to 5K runner was an interesting read. It does seem possible to do in 6 weeks although the first few days of actually running is going to kick my butt (and my lower legs). I figure having a goal is a good way to motivate myself, so I found a 5K in Kingwood on August 28th and I'm determined to run it. Hopefully some others will join me so I don't have to be all by myself for 3.1 miles.

Day 17

My downfall these days seems to be baked treats. Today it was cookies from Panera. The shortbread cookies are my favorite and I think they have somewhere around 500 calories a piece. I HAVE to have more self-control than this!!!

Day 16

Today Nancy and I went up to my school to unpack my new classroom. I knew that I had a lot of junk that needed to either be thrown away or put somewhere efficient. I didn't know how much stuff the previous teacher was going to leave in the classroom for me to clean up. I'm not sure if maybe she thought it would be helpful for me or if she was in an "I don't really give a crap" mood when she left. Either way, we had at least 10 boxes of stuff that needed to be thrown away. Only 1-2 of those boxes were full of my junk. On top of that, I had to hunt down the maintenance man to cut off the lock she left on the storage cabinet (with no key, of course). With all of that commotion, I forgot to take a before and after picture. Since Nancy and I ate lunch at one of only two places in Grangerland, I took a picture of their website...I forgot to take a picture there too...

Day 15

Today I set up an interview with the math department chair at a Lone Star Community College branch to be considered for their development math classes. When I first talked to him he told me he would want me to teach a few topics when we met. Just the thought of being put on the spot was making me sick to my stomach. When I talked to him today, I asked him what kind of topics he might pick from to have me go over. Having a head's up would ease my nerves some. He told me he didn't want to tell me exactly because he wanted to see what I naturally come up with and that he wasn't going to choose anything that I wouldn't be familiar with. That didn't really help my nervousness and in fact now I'm thinking that me asking might have made me look not confident enough for the job. In the next week, I'm going to make sure I'm a pro at the topics in the courses and hopefully I'll be ready for my big interview!

Day 14

Today the weather was really crappy. It was gloomy all day and occasionally a little sprinkle fell from the sky but it never really rained. Good thing I didn't plan on going to the pool today, between thunder and the fact that the pool was closed for cleaning were two pretty good reasons not to go :)

Day 13

Matt and I went to a friend's house to celebrate a day-late birthday. The birthday boy and Matt both had to work the previous day, so the family gathering was today. I played with little Aiden and his train set, but I wasn't able to get Aiden to sit still long enough to get him in the picture. The result is just the train set...no cutie in sight!

Day 12

I went to the pool again today, this time with a friend. It was much more entertaining with company! For a Saturday it wasn't crowded at all. I put sunscreen on just like I do every time I go to the pool, but I guess I didn't do it very evenly. My little granny type swimsuit with the skirt on the bottoms has a little slit over one leg...this is what happens when I miss a spot.

Day 11

I did absolutely NOTHING today that is worth talking about. I doubt anybody wants to know that I did laundry, dishes, and watched a bunch of TV. The TV shows I watched were so unimpressive that I don't even remember what they were. I think this picture pretty much symbolizes what I looked like all day long.

Day 10

So we were lucky enough to come across a TON of Girls Scout cookies. The only problem is I have no self control when it comes to yummy food. Before Matt even got home, I had eaten 1/2 a box of these delicious, but evil, cookies. I can't handle having them around because they are too tempting and are ruining my diet attempts, so I decided to give a bunch of them away.

Day 9

I decided to go to the pool for the first time this year. I didn't have anybody to go with me, so I packed up my iPod and new book and went to relax by myself. I was pretty sore from my workout at the gym from the previous day so I thought it would be nice. Everything was nice until it started to thunder. I remember being a kid and waiting out the thunder closings at the pool, but today I didn't feel like waiting. My pool trip was fun, but cut short.

Day 8

Today the next installment of my favorite book series came out. Actually, the 16th book came out but it's only in hardback. Being the frugal person that I am, I always wait for the paperback to come out...which is a year after the hardback. So, I am a book behind but it's not like anybody out there is going to give away the ending for me or anything.

Day 7

I seem to notice a theme in my posts so far...food! I am trying to come up with some good tasting alternatives to my favorite guilty pleasures. Today I finally pulled out the Magic Bullet that Gretchen gave us for a wedding gift. I thought it would be too complicated because it had lots of parts, but really it was super simple. I made a strawberry smoothie (150 calories) which was yummy and filling. While I had the Bullet out, I thought I would take a jar of salsa that we had that I felt was too chunky. After a couple of seconds, it's a nice smooth salsa. The Magic Bullet was a huge success! Now, I just need to figure out what I'm going to make tomorrow!

Day 6

Today is Father's Day and since my dad is on the other side of the state, I called him to wish him a happy day and Matt and I spent the afternoon with his parents. Nancy cooked a wonderful meal and we then watched a movie that Craig had already seen before but said he liked and would watch again. What a creepy movie...it was good, but gross at the same time. Gotta love the Redbox and $1 movies!