cardigans and colored pencils

Thrifty Thursday!

2011-06-16T21:44:00.000-07:00

I have a confession. I love thrift stores. I try to go multiple times a week just to feed my hoarding compulsion. This week I almost broke the bank by spending a whole thirty dollars, but I got some fabulous things!

I got 3 large frames, a globe, stacks of vintage books (at .38 cents a piece), and lots of other things...

The tall Texan glasses are one of my favorite things from the day. 6 for $1.21! I washed them about 4 times in scalding hot water and felt great about drinking out of them! (judge it if you will) I also was able to pick up some vintage state plates. It was a great day for state plates. That almost never happens for me.

I saw state plates all the time before I started collecting them. Now they are super elusive to me. I don't know what I'm going to do with them, but I have stacks in my cabinet right now just waiting for the perfect place to be displayed.

Can't wait until next week!

Here we go...

2011-02-14T13:39:00.000-08:00

Introducing the newest member of the Turner family....

Sullivan (Sully)

potty training her at night solidifies the fact that I never want children, but the way she sleeps makes you want to eat her up!

overcrowding

2011-02-10T16:18:00.000-08:00

This is my purse.

It's nothing special. In fact, there isn't much to say about it except it's heavy. This is mostly because I have one of just about everything packed inside. This is what it looks like dumped out.

If you look closely you will see...
* tape (sometimes multiple sizes and colors)
* playing cards (5 decks to be exact)
* a train whistle
* a dish brush
* assorted vitamins and medicine
* tape measurers
* anti fungal cream (you just never know)
* camera & multiple accessories
* flashlight
* all sorts of "teacher tools" (scissors, pens, markers, glue sticks)
* a multi tool
* and on and on and on.

All of my life I have been waiting for someone to stop me on the street and ask me if I have a certain item on hand. I feel confident that I would most certainly win some sort of magical prize..it hasn't happened yet, but I'm not giving up hope!

Anyway, last Friday, I was trying to leave a store when I could not locate my keys anywhere. I walked back up and down every isle praying that they would be easily found. They weren't, and none of the employees were willing to help me. At that point I was going to be forced to empty my bag at the register. I started dumping everything out when I reached in and touched something warm and gooey....

A rotten banana. It was a puzzeling & gruesome discovery...especially because I don't eat bananas. I have no idea how long it had been in there, but I'm really glad I found it. Oh, and my keys were in my pocket the entire time.

A Christmas Parade

2011-01-27T15:29:00.000-08:00

Every December my family participates in a little Christmas parade. The Miracles Christmas Parade is in it's 6th year of existence and is so much fun! All of our cousins who can come out to ride with us. Most of the time the girls ride on the trailer while the guys are in the truck.

For some reason we are the only family that has a float.

We love it. We sing, wave,wish everyone wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and try not to freeze.

Until next year, Merry (late) Christmas from the original family.

Connar's Grown Up Barbie Party

2011-01-26T16:52:00.000-08:00

My youngest sister Connar graduated from high school in May. Time has flown by!

Calli and I threw a little vintage Barbie party for her and her friends.

Nothing says vintage Barbie like her silhouette, so we started there. Calli made a giant Barbie canvas to go above the fireplace.

We also screen printed Barbie onto tank tops and then added a bow for her pony tail which turned out super cute!

TJ Maxx had some vintage Barbie cards which turned into a fun garland to go over our pink crepe paper curtains.

We had a great time! We made up a mad lib for Connar's life that all the girls filled out after they ate. If their predictions come true Connar could end up "flying Japanese kites in sweatbands" or "bird watching in Spanx." All wonderful aspirations.

After we made all of the girls stand up and read their mad lib (yep, we're both teachers) the girls had fun in our own make shift photo booth.

After everyone left my mom, Calli, and I had a little fun of our own!

I laughed harder than I had in a long time!

It was a hit! I can't wait to throw another party for her when she graduates from college!

The Ultimate Shed

2011-01-19T15:24:00.000-08:00

When I bought my house the backyard looked terrible. No blade of grass in sight, giant holes in the dirt, and rotten fruit on the ground. It looked terrible, but what looked worse was the shed...

The people who lived here before me used their shed as a combination of junk storage and dog house. It was dark and dank with mysterious spots rotting through the floor. It was not the most inviting place.

Plus, the dogs decided to eat the walls. Which seems really appetizing and safe.

When I was looking for houses, I knew that I needed one with a shed of some sort for storage. At that time I was an itinerant teacher and had to store all of my school stuff at home, and I had a ton of stuff.

For my birthday, my dad decided that he was going to "pimp out my shed". I wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but he had been watching a lot of the DIY channel.

He started with the floors. He had to rip out and replace the sub floors. It was a big job. I wasn't much help, but the acoustics were great so I did a lot of entertaining singing and dancing numbers.

Then we installed a new door, and put in new windows. My dad made breaking through the sheet rock look super easy.

Unfortunately, it wasn't. I apparently didn't have the technique down because every time I would hit the wall the hammer would just bounce off. I gave up pretty easily and went back to the entertaining.

We finally got the wall out and the new window in. I was constantly there with the camera. My dad is just precious. He never even acted annoyed with my constant chatter. I guess being the father to four girls for close to 30 years has helped him be able to tune us out. That or earplugs.

After that we started in on the ceiling. I really wanted the ceiling to stay vaulted, so it didn't feel like a box. It took us many nights of just staring up at the ceiling wondering how to do it. It was a tall order, and a group challenge. It turned out beautiful and made a world of difference though. I sit in there and just look at it sometimes.

We then added electricity, redid the sheet rock, put new flooring in , and finally painted the outside and inside. All hands were on deck.

And then we were finished (ish) with the actual structure. The cabinets still needed put in, as well as, my giant "workspace" countertop.

There are still touch ups to make, drawer pulls to add, and molding to finish. It may get done...it may not. I'm not worried about it. Last night it looked like this...

I'm super happy with it the way that it is right now. I know it sounds cheesy, but my shed is one of my very favorite places to be. It turned out way girlier than I intended. Almost everything in it means something to me. I have notes from school parents, pictures from kids, homemade gifts from friends, and all kinds of other things filling my shelves.

I have paper chains, old mirrors, and a chair that takes me back to college.

This chair sat in the corner of my bedroom. My friend, Allison, and I painted it eight years ago. On the front porch of our nasty college house. There was a storm which caused spilled paint. The rush to clean up the mess went on to cause a major wipeout. I laugh every time I think about it. I loved those days. In turn, I love this chair. It's where I sit and look at the ceiling.

On the other side of the shed, I have yards of fabric that are waiting to be used for something. They could be waiting for years.

The stuff seems to keep multiplying. Hopefully, I'll have some time to start making things soon. But right now I am content to just look at it all.

I am super lucky to be able to have a place that I can go to if I want to sew, craft, or create. But I'm even luckier that I have a dad & mom that put in so many hours of hard work in an effort to "pimp out my shed."

I just love it!

weird shirt wednesday and other things...

2010-03-24T21:26:00.000-07:00

So... I changed the name of my blog. I changed it mostly because my priorities have shifted this year. The list followed. However, what didn't change was my intense love of cardigans and school supplies. There is no denying that I'm a full on teacher. I may as well jump in with both feet.

Speaking of school... today was weird shirt wednesday. I went a different route today and busted out a vest. this wasn't just any vest though, it was a southwestern one. LOVED it. I'm not going to say much more about it...but I do want you to note it's versatility.

It can be worn open....

or it can be worn closed...

The choices are really limitless.

Weird Shirt Wednesday

2010-03-03T21:27:00.000-08:00

Happy Weird Shirt Wednesday! This week I opted out of taking a picture of myself in my weird Wednesday getup... which really is a shame because it has such a flattering fit.

I know it will be difficult, but try to contain your jealousy when seeing this...

Don't worry. It's double sided.

It has ample room in the shoulders for as many shoulder pads as you desire, but short rolled up sleeves so it looks less formal. I believe the crowns, the stars, and the acid washing take this jacket from good to great.

Nice work Domallo.

Texas, Our Texas

2010-03-02T11:32:00.001-08:00

The first week of March is one of my favorite weeks of the year. March means that Spring is coming... which will be a wonderful relief after this super cold winter. I also love that this week is devoted to Texas. For those of you that don't know (or live under a rock), today is Texas Independence Day.

In honor of the day, I woke up and dug out my favorite Texas shirt.

I've been wearing this shirt on Texas Independence Day since my freshman year in college. Sometimes I throw it in at other times of the year too, but not as often as I used to. Precious is getting a little tight.

It happens to the best of us.

I also spent the day listening to music about Texas and brainwashing my kids at school in to believing Texas is the only place worth living.

My very favorite thing about being an early childhood teacher is how excited three and four year olds are about everything. I love that at the beginning of every year I get a group of "normal" kids, but by this time I've turned them into miniature versions of me. They are dramatic, eccentric, and a tiny bit off.

Not to mention... they love to dress for an occasion.

I can not explain how thrilled I was when this little rascal came to school in his "cowboy best". Check out the point on those boots. And check out that pose. I love it!

With that said, I'll leave you with this quote from John Steinbeck...

"I have said that Texas is a state of mind, but I think it is more than that. It is a mystique closely approximating a religion. And this is true to the extent that people either passionately love Texas or passionately hate it and, as in other religions, few people dare to inspect it for fear of losing their bearings in mystery or paradox. But I think there will be little quarrel with my feeling that Texas is one thing. For all its enormous range of space, climate, and physical appearance, and for all the internal squabbles, contentions, and strivings, Texas has a tight cohesiveness perhaps stronger than any other section of America. Rich, poor, Panhandle, Gulf, city, country, Texas is the obsession, the proper study, and the passionate possession of all Texans."

Happy Birthday Texas!

Happy Weird Shirt Wednesday!

2010-02-24T22:27:00.000-08:00

If you are wondering what this piece of eye candy is, I'll let you in on a little secret...

Someone actually designed this lovely bird number for a brand called Victoria. I imagine somewhere there is a matching set of stirrup pants that coordinate. I'm hoping they are a hot pink and green pattern of some kind. A flick of orange and yellow on them wouldn't hurt either.

It really is a shame that I don't have a single pair of stirrup pants left. I would love to bust them out with a pair of keds. Until then, this will have to do....

I wore this beauty to school today.

and i loved every minute of it.

Weird Shirt Wednesday!!

2010-02-17T10:36:00.000-08:00

My job, like everyone else's, is stressful. That's where weird shirt Wednesday comes in.

I've decided to search out crazy things to wear on Wednesdays. Some are from thrift stores, some are from garage sales, and some (I'm sad to say) are things I actually own. Take this beauty for example, it's loud and proud and wills spring to come whether it wants to or not...

It puts a spring in my step...

a song in my heart....

and sets my feet to dancing...

The fun didn't stop there. I absolutely continued the wild and loud pattern to my feet. These shoes scream David Bowie to me, and that could be their appeal. Labyrinth was a defining movie of my childhood.

Apparently, I had forgotten that I had multiple meetings in real places when I got dressed today. I started to get embarrassed because I generally don't like to draw attention to myself and this outfit was the equivalent of a flashing neon sign.

I got more than a few crazy glances, but surprisingly I got a lot of compliments too. That tells you two things...Lubbock is behind the times and four year olds love anything bright and glittery.

I'm hoping to start a trend. Will you join me?

day 60: when i grow up

2009-07-30T21:24:00.000-07:00

there was an emergency at my storage place yesterday...someone behind me left their door open and my storage unit was flooded. luckily, i don't get stressed easily. so when the storage unit guy called me i rounded up the brother in law and we headed over to get as much stuff out of the water as possible. this required a truck...

a really big truck. jordan and i worked unbelievably fast and were able to get the truck loaded and unloaded in 2 hours. you would not believe how much stuff you can fit into a 26 food uhaul. and when it's empty you can easily do a tumbling pass down it...
that is, if you still have energy left over and if you can haul yourself off the ground. unfortunately, gravity is working against me. which is really a bummer because i have the ankles of a gymnast.

but since my gymnastics career won't be bringing in many endorsements, i will have to settle for another dream job...

a truck driver.

day 52: taking a break

2009-07-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

we are days deep into taking off wallpaper, knocking out cabinets, texturing walls, repairing ceilings, and painting...and we are tired. not to mention the fact that i am sore. the insides of my fingers are screaming for mercy, and if i didn't have two more rooms with wallpaper in them i would listen to their cries.

while we were waiting on the paint to dry we broke out into some spontaneous dancing. we had backward moonwalk races and spinning contests before everyone started doing their own thing. carly brought a bunch of cds for us to listen to while we were working. she is very proud of her ability to make a mixed cd. she loves it. she dreams about it at night, and if it wasn't illegal she would sell mixed cd's on the corner for extra money.

but that doesn't change the fact that dancing is not one of our genetic gifts. for that matter, neither is singing...

day 44: pocket t tuesday

2009-07-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

we started a new tradition today...

pocket t tuesday!!!

pocket t tuesday is conveniently sandwiched between (but not to be confused with) matching monday and woven wednesday.

i love a pocket t. you'd be hard pressed to find a day that i'm not wearing one. it's more or less my uniform. they're so versatile. i, for one, feel like it's an upgrade from the assorted goodwill t-shirts i have loved in the past.

to celebrate kristen, allison, and i donned our pocket tees and headed to rosa's to have tortillas...

and take 80's pictures with the camera timer...

loved it.

day 40: "udderly" delightful.

2009-07-10T00:27:00.000-07:00

what a crazy day! we started the morning at the crack of dawn with a garage sale. 7:30 is very hard for me in the summer. i can barley function. but, alas, some people were excited...

some were very ready to help...

and some, well, some showed their true morning colors...

we had record highs in lubbock today. at 12:30 it was 105 so we decided to call it a day. we were dying. it took us most of the afternoon and lots of air conditioning to get our core temperatures back to normal.

as soon as we did carly remembered that today was cow appreciation day at chick-fil-a. chick-fil-a was offering free combo meals for anyone who came into the store dressed as a cow. some were hesitant in the beginning, but things are less embarrassing when you are in a large group, so calli, carly, jordan, connar, haley, and i decided to go together.

we made our "cowfits"...

then we loaded up and took the herd over to the chick-fil-a. when we were headed inside people were giving us crazy looks. one lady offered to snap our picture outside the door...

calli, jordan, and i stated our love for cows with a kojie pop through...

connar and haley were farmers with cow ears...

and carly was a very proud dairy cow. the whole kitchen staff came out to gawk at us, and we drew all kinds of other stares...

i laughed harder than i have laughed in a long time...
it was so fun...

we can't wait until next year. we already have our outfits planned, and all i can tell you is that they are going to be FANTASTIC...

i think haley said it best..."it's always better when it's free!"

day 38: great minds think alike...

2009-07-08T20:31:00.000-07:00

i went on a mini solo vacation today to slaton.

slaton is only twelve miles from lubbock and honestly, it doesn't have much going for it. it's a town founded and "supported" by the railroad. the santa fe railroad to be exact.

which explains why a train engine sits in the town square...

i love that there is a fence around it like it's a shrine. i imagine it's there to keep people out, but that would mean there would have to be people to begin with. unfortunately, slaton is a ghost town. but while we're at it, couldn't anyone over 3 feet easily hop the fence?

a really weird thing about the slaton town square is that the majority of the buildings are triangular. maybe the town planners were excited by geometry...

anyway, they were glad that i was there...which i appreciated. however, i assume they love any in town activity.

while i was there i stopped at the one open shop on the square. one half of the building is an antique store. the other half is the slaton museum.

i found a fantastic vintage sunbeam mixer while i was there. it's in a great robin egg blue. it needed some love so it was excited to come home with me. i couldn't wait to get home and show it to momma lou.

the sunflower fields were starting to bloom on my way home. soon the fields will be covered in yellow.

sunflowers are some of my favorite flowers. i feel a real compulsion to pick them and skip around while wearing a gingham skirt and mary janes.

but since i've outgrown my mary janes, i thought that frolicking in the flowers would be the next best thing.

yes, i did set the timer on my camera and run into the field. judge it if you will, but it doesn't scare me one bit. in fact, i took more than one picture.

when i got home i was so excited to show momma lou my fantastic "new to me" mixer. turns out she had picked me up a little gift while she was out today, too. what are the chances....

they are the exact same. but, seriously, could they be any cuter?

day 34: happy birthday america

2009-07-04T23:53:00.000-07:00

fourth of july is a favorite holiday in the turner house. we're patriotic and proud.

we have a specific routine that we do every year. we always start with the fourth on broadway parade.

in the last few years the parade has really suffered. it was just a long line of fire trucks and decorated street sweepers. i was expecting much of the same this year, but was super excited to see that the parade planners went above and beyond for a change.

there were the usuals like the wells fargo wagon..
the lawn mower brigade (which is fabulous)...

and this sweet guy who carries the flag every year with pride...

but this year they added the masked rider...

precious veterans...

and the walking subway sandwich who was full of one liners..

most of lubbock comes out to the parade. you've got to be prepared for anything. you'll see all kinds. even knowing that i wasn't expecting to see zacchaeus there so full of american pride...

and i definitely wasn't expecting this lady. she entered herself into the parade. no float, no friends, just her and her personal ad...

can't say i blame her for trying. it's definitely original. i have a sneaking suspicion that it's not going to work though.

day 33: pre-party

2009-07-03T23:56:00.000-07:00

tonight we attended a pre party for independence...

for a few years running, a local dentist puts on a dewsey of a fireworks show at his house. it's one of the best fourth of july celebrations i've ever witnessed. there is live music, dancing, food, and fireworks. seriously...the show is so good i'm considering changing dentists. this particular dentist lives right outside of town so all the neighbors have cook outs at their houses and invite swarms of people.

it's such a great show. there is a video interspersed between fireworks to patriotic numbers. it's emotional enough to make the shyest person start the slow u - s - a chant.

while we were waiting for it to get dark enough to do fireworks my family decided to do an experiment. we thought it would be fun to wave at complete strangers as they were walking by. not just a polite wave, but a "hey, it's sooo good to see you" wave...just to throw them off.

it worked, but everyone was really nice. you could see them thinking through everyone they have ever met as they waved back. that soon got old and we had to resort to rocking out...

those are vintage moves. she loves the hand nod, and is desperately trying to bring it back. it is much more appropriate than, lets say, a pelvic thrust...always.

the fireworks show that followed was just spectacular...

i just love the fourth...

day 30: celebrate good times...

2009-06-30T21:32:00.000-07:00

i have the greatest friends! we've known each other a long time. almost 10 years. it hasn't been a quiet 10 years either. a lot has happened... husbands, babies, other countries, other schools, moving, accidents, and lubbock.

i had no idea what i was getting into when i left the hub city to head to abilene to be a freshman at acu. i didn't have friends from the metroplex. i still wore vests, overalls, and sketchers because i thought they were cool. (yes, i cringe about the overalls and sketchers, but i really loved that vest. it was hot pink. AND it had a matching skirt that i might sill have...i'll never tell.)

kristen lived two doors down from me in the dorm. we were instant friends. i think we recognized the social anxiety and awkwardness in each other and hung on for dear life. allison, on the other hand, was a cool third floorer. she had a stop sign in her painted dorm room...she was the ultimate rebel. she helped me with a speech i had to make, ironically on fashion faux pas, and we've been friends ever since.

this year kristen and allison made me a sentence for my birthday. the words in the sentence were clues for the days activities. my sentence was "if you're feeling old with a darker shade of the blues, go home and engage in some cake by the pool." you can read more about it here. it was a fantastic day. i loved every minute of it. i'm so blessed, they are the truest of friends. i love being a part of their lives.

thank you guys for a fantastic birthday!

day 29: 27

2009-06-29T21:25:00.000-07:00

i woke up this morning and got ready like usual, and then i realized it was my birthday. i can't believe it's already the end of june. i'm not really a birthday person. most of the time i can't remember exactly how old i am. i've been rounding up for so long, and now i'm tempted to round down.

i'm lucky to have people around me who love birthdays. it's contagious.

momma lou had this sweet cake waiting for me today...

and tonight when kristen and allison came over for the bachelorette they brought this fantastic tiered tie-dyed cake...

and an ominous note about tomorrow's celebration...

what ever could it mean??? i can't wait to find out!

day 28: bought a house

2009-06-28T22:37:00.000-07:00

so, i bought a house today. it's pretty much the biggest purchase i've ever made. i could throw up at any moment, and it's making me have hot flashes...in a good way...i think.

ever since my poppa moe passed away last summer i have been living with my momma lou. it's been great. i'm going to miss living with her. we've gotten to be the best of friends.

this is brooke. she's my new roommate. she might as well be one of my sisters. she's always around. brooke is calli's best friend. they've been best friends their whole lives, and so we've seen a lot of her.

i'm super excited about the fun that is to come...

day 27: the life of a locksmith

2009-06-27T01:06:00.000-07:00

allison, carly, and i loaded up to head to abilene. we were headed down for baby j's wedding, an event that we have been really excited about for the last six weeks. we had our dresses picked out, we'd practiced our dancing, and had talked through every possible situation that could arise.

that bad news is that we forgot lipstick. luckily we had hot tamales in the car...

who knew they'd give such a natural burst of color...

about an hour outside of abilene, carly realized that the keys to her house that we were supposed to be staying in were still in lubbock. since she and her roommates don't have a spare she was forced to call the abilene area locksmith who said he'd meet us at the house.

we couldn't have anticipated what was to come. his name was mr. gary.

mr. gary is a locksmith completely devoted to his craft. he started locksmithing by making his own tools. however, if you don't know how to go about making a pick for a lock you could google it or get the tools you need on ebay...according to mr. gary.

that didn't brighten carly's day though. she was bummed about the $40 she just threw away...

allison and i, on the other hand, found it pretty entertaining. he wanted to show us his van which, i'll have you know, conveniently doubles as an office.

we learned all about the life of a locksmith. "in this drawer i have some keys, and in this drawer i have some keys, and right here i keep some pens so i can write stuff down..."

bless his heart. carly just sat and soaked it all in, confident in the fact that if nothing else, she too could be a locksmith someday.

after mr. gary told us about his last two marriages and his current girlfriend who he calls wife... he finally left and we got ready.

jessica's wedding was beautiful and super fun. i don't think any of us were ready for the heat. it was a good thing we had on black. it's a good sweat hider.

we danced the night away...

especially carly.

she's still young and cool so we lived vicariously through her. allison was her personal paparazzi. calli and i just watched .

the best part of the night was when they played the hoedown throwdown. the kids in attendance went crazy. turns out that we were the only people over 12 to get excited about miley cyrus. yes, we know it. it took 2 days to learn. i wish life was a choreographed dance that started boom, clap, boom de clap de clap...

we had such a great time...

and saw people we hadn't seen in a while. kelci and emily were there...

even alyssa was there. an interesting fact about this girl is that she was lucky enough to have allison and me as big sises in club. i know she counts her lucky stars every day...

i just love weddings. i can't wait for the next one.

day 26: birds of a feather

2009-06-26T23:23:00.000-07:00

we all got together for a cookout tonight out at my aunt debby's house. i love to be at debby and mike's house because it's nice to get away from everything and just enjoy each other. we spend a lot of time just talking and laughing...

papa is always the life of the party, and he loves to tell a good story...

it's especially fun spending time with the little kids. the princess took a break from her royal spinning to grace us with her presence...

papa was determined to get a hat onto miles despite his protests...

he eventually ditched the hat but continued to hang onto the truck for dear life...

then there was harrison who took some time out to do some posing....

lubbock is so much more fun with family...

even if they are over accessorized...

day 25: sad thigs come in threes

2009-06-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

we lost three greats today...

farrah

michael

and pepper.

pepper marie louise turner was the most precious outside dog you have ever met. she looked a little ragged, but she was tough. she thought her job in life was to keep us safe. she barked when someone new was in the alley, she killed the crazy birds that came into her territory, and she loved us no matter what haircut we gave her.

we got pepper when i was in the sixth grade. she was in our family for 15 years...which is 105 in dog years. she had breast cancer and in the last few days she took a turn for the worse. unfortunately, we had to put her down today. my cousin, caleb, is a vet and was in town for the weekend so he was able to come to the house. carly stayed with her the whole time. i couldn't stand it, so i took off and we regathered at my aunt debby's house for the funeral.

it was one of the saddest days we have had around here in a long time, and it's going to be very different without her.

day 24: just updating the list...

2009-06-24T20:52:00.000-07:00

i realized that i needed to do some updating to my list....

#19 - sing karaoke...DONE. unfortunately i have pictures to prove it.

i challenge anyone to sing karaoke and not have accompanying hand motions. i personally think it's impossible. if you can do it, you're singing the wrong song.

#37 - live outside the u.s... DONE. it can be crossed off the list. in 2005, i moved to pago pago, american samoa for a school year, and what a year it was. i met some great friends (and some not so great ones) and we snorkeled, hiked, and danced our lives away. we also had culture shock. if you'd like, you can read about it here.

i don't think i could ever forget it...even if i tried.

day 23: happy birthday connar joy!

2009-06-23T01:19:00.000-07:00

we went to copper caboose tonight to celebrate connar's 17th birthday. she really didn't want us to tell the waiter it was her birthday because she is 17 and still gets embarrassed easily. the sad thing for her is that she was born into a family where you have to have tough skin. we're always embarrassing each other and it wouldn't be fair to leave her out.

to be kind, we didn't tell anyone directly that it was her birthday, but we sure did talk about it every time they were around.

our quick on our feet waiter caught on and hooped and hollerd to everyone in the restuarant that it was her birthday. she was mortified...

but i think she secretly loved it.

calli made her a cookie cake... with a phone on it. it's the top cake request with all the coolest kids this year.
the fun didn't stop there. we took some pictures outside...

before carly and dad decided to do a little cheer...

"when i say happy, you say birthday...
happy...birthday...happy...birthday!!!"

day 22: dancin feet

2009-06-22T00:10:00.000-07:00

the turner house was full of dancing feet tonight. we have a wedding to go to this weekend, so we thought we'd practice so that we would look cool at the reception. we are faithful dancing with the stars watchers so we were thinking it couldn't be that hard to pull out some of their moves... well... that is just false. it's definitely harder than you think.

calli and jordan went first. they started with a little swing dancing.

the first try wasn't so smooth. calli ended up landing on her head, but being the born dancer that she is she didn't forget to point her toes.

the second try was a little better.

and by the third try she was smiling...

then carly and calli tried some cool new moves. calli's face is priceless.

she thought picking carly up would be a breeze. she didn't realize she isn't very strong.

but luckily carly is. she was able to pick herself off the ground.

i thought that i'd show calli how it was done. only i didn't account for carly landing on my sunburn...
or stella...

she just loves to be a part of the party.

day 21: happy father's day

2009-06-21T23:59:00.000-07:00

i really lucked out in life. i got a great dad. a dad that, bless his heart, has four girls (five if you count stella). he has spent the last 27 years of his life having his ears talked off by any one of us. he has attended hundreds of games, built many a toy, and sat through countless trampoline or dance routines that were born out of genius (or boredom).

we all really love our dad.

especially stella. she waits all day for my dad to come home and then she doesn't leave his side. we never thought he would fall for a little dog, but she could be his favorite child.

one thing is for sure...dads are tough to buy for. every time we ask him what he wants he shrugs us off with a "nothing". we really contemplated what to get him this year... my mom suggested a smaller tool box that he could take on trips. you know... just in case. so that's what we got. we filled it with the essentials - nilla waffers and ginger snaps.

we also got him a really fun saw. you never know when you'll need a battery operated saw. you could cut small tree branches off, or you could make fun shapes out of cardboard. the possibilities are really just endless. here he is anxiously awaiting to find out what his doting children picked out for him....

and here he is after. notice he isn't really smiling. just in case you were wondering what words he used to show his heartfelt appreciation they were..."i don't want to hurt your feelings, but did you save your receipt?"

to which i replied..."i don't want to hurt your feelings, but i actually bought it for myself."

day 17: Search and Rescue

2009-06-17T14:07:00.000-07:00

carly and i were checking somethings out in the backyard today when we noticed that something was awry. the birds in the trees were going crazy which made my hair stand on end. birds are my BIGGEST fear. i got attacked on my way to church when i was in high school by two crazy blue jays and i have never been the same. i've even been known to hit the ground out of fear when i hear the sound of wings flapping close by. all that to say that as i was walking in the house i noticed a baby bird in the grass.

we knew that we couldn't just leave it because our outside dog, pepper louise, is a bit of a scavenger. she kills anything that sets foot on her turf, so the baby bird didn't have a chance. so, we devised a plan...

carly would encourage the baby to hop into a basket...

and i would be under the porch looking for the angry bird parents (i think it's safe to say that carly was a little nervous herself)...

the bird wasn't feeling very cooperative. it just kept squawking and flopping around. in fact, carly kept asking if i thought it could be retarded. i don't know, can birds be special needs?

in the end, carly had to just pick it up with a towel and put it in the alley. the parent birds just sat and watched. they didn't even raise a feather at us.

i have never seen something so ugly in my whole life...

and, i still hate birds.

day 16: do you fuzzy?

2009-06-16T22:36:00.000-07:00

we headed to fuzzy's taco shop for a quick lunch today before heading to the pool.

despite having a sketchy name the food was actually delicious. they make a mean bean burrito. and the queso is fantastic.

texas monthy recommended the garlic beef taco. they listed it as the 32nd best taco ever to be made in texas. being that they are the gurus of all things texas, bob took them up on their recommendation.

the babies loved it...

we had fun...

and avery took some time to teach everyone their colors using paper towel holders...

all that remains to be said is...

day 11, 12, 13, 14: uummm, caymans?

2009-06-11T00:04:00.000-07:00

we loaded up this morning to head for the caymans. i was lucky enough to go with some of kristen's family. i had met some of them before, but we hadn't had a chance to hit it off. it could be because it was usually in passing or it could be because i am the most socially awkward person ever. seriously, i just took the social anxiety self test...and i passed. i felt like some of the questions apply to everyone though. for example, one of the questions was...do you mind sweating in front of other people. well now that you mention it... yes, i do mind. drowned rat isn't my best look.

kristen's family is fantastic! but my favorite part was having an adjoining room with lindsey, heather, and mackenzie. it was so much fun...i just love them!!!

overall, it was a blast. nothing to be nervous about.

ps. these are heather's pictures. they are fantastic!

day 9: perks of lubbock

2009-06-09T20:57:00.000-07:00

we went back to the cupcake place today. we couldn't resist the call anymore and allison hadn't been. that birthday cake one will change your life. it is oh, so good.

we just couldn't wait to tear into them. there are no tables, so we decided to sit outside the door to feed them to the kids...

then we decided to head to the pool. we picked aves up from school and headed there. ella got some new kicks that she wanted to show off as she checked out her surroundings...

we tried to swim, but the water was cold so everyone got out to have some cheetos...

we were having such a great time swimming and eating outside and then came the sheets of dust. it's a perk of living in lubbock. lubbock's weather will break your heart or drive you crazy. just when you think you're having fun. the sky turns brown, the temperature drops, and the wind blows like mad.

and when i say it blows... some people say it stinks too, but that's how you know a storm is coming. unfortunately, we had to just load up call it a day. i guess we'll try again tomorrow.

day 7: could i hack it?

2009-06-07T20:49:00.000-07:00

so, could i handle it? the short answer is no.

today we came home from church and i sat down to read the paper and stumbled onto my new favorite show...

I LOVE IT! people called "volunteers" sign up to hike 60 or so miles through alaksa in the winter. there is no prize, just a pat on the back and the satisfaction that you did it. they don't give you anything but a map. you carry everything on your back. you shoot what you eat. you don't bathe. it's crazy, but watching it makes you think that you could do it.

i couldn't though. i wouldn't eat porcupine, squirrel, or rats. i wouldn't hike miles in the knee deep snow with 80 pounds on my back. i would, however, complain the whole time... or die. whichever would work.

here is what the volunteers looked like...

the trick is... they are normal people. from all walks of life. 9 started but only 4 made it back to civilization. it's over now, but i can't wait until next season.

day 6: it's a long road home

2009-06-06T08:35:00.000-07:00

we are officially back in lubbock. it was a great day...but a long day.

last night, we decided to drive to ruidoso to spend the night because it is a little closer to home. we thought about setting up camp again but decided that one night was enough. we needed a shower and a mattress. we got ready and went out to dinner at a place called chef lupe's. we eat there every time we are in ruidoso, but this was the last time. carly is convinced that the first bite she took was a piece of finger. it was super gross.

we got up this morning and shopped all through town. we didn't buy much...i got a beautiful turquoise ring. carly really wanted a dream catcher, but couldn't find the one she wanted. we did find the cutest store on our way out of town called the chartruse moose. it's more of a shoping center. there are shops, restaurants, and views. i loved it. once a month they have an antique fair where people come from all over to sell their stuff in the front yard. this is the guy from the shop next door.

after a little lunch we loaded up for lubbock. we had a 5 hour drive ahead of us which doesn't seem like much, but driving in new mexico is taxing. it's like a barren wasteland.

we drove through roswell on our way back. i wanted to see a real life alien. i didn't see any from outer space, but i didn't hit the museum. roswell is a town that loves being considered "other wordly" everywhere you look there is space stuff...

roswell is only half way from ruidoso to lubbock, so we quickly got gas and continued on. we breathed a sigh of relief when we crossed the texas state line. i hate to say it, but texas really is just better than other states. :)

all in all, it was a great couple of days. i can't wait for the next big trip.

day 5: i'm too old for this

2009-06-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

carly and i started the day really excited about hanging out in the river. we packed up camp (in 15 whole minutes), got our suits on, and headed out. problem is, the water was -45 degrees. it was so cold that you could barley put your feet in...much less your body. so instead, we sat on the rocks and made a plan for the rest of the day.

we decided to make the drive over to white sands. the gps said that it was only 112 miles so we were excited to get there during the heat of the day and just have fun.

mr. garmin was wrong. he didn't account for the horrible new mexico road conditions, a speed limit of 60, or the mountains where death looms at every curve. 3.5 hours later the end was in sight...

we stopped at the big lookout for a couple of reasons. first, i needed to stretch out my fingers because they were white and frozen around the wheel and second, carly just needed out. we looked like true outdoorsmen with our chaco's and swimsuits on. we were ready for an adventure.

we were so excited to get to the park. i have been before and i remembered it being so fun. i didn't account for the fact that last time i went i was 12 and full of energy. boy how things have changed for me... not for carly though. she hopped out and ran up the dune with our wal-mart floats in hand.

i, on the other hand, just took a leisurely stroll because walking knee deep in sand uphill is HARD.

we took the rafts because we thought that they would be great to slide down the dunes on. they weren't. in fact they didn't move. at all. it really bummed us out. we hiked to the top so that we could slide down.

one thing that we didn't plan on was gale force winds. we were being constantly sand blasted from the top of the dunes. carly used her raft as a shelter...

while i made an attempt to lay out and catch some rays...

the wind had other ideas though. that wasn't the last time the wind would get me either.

one of the coolest things about white sands is that no matter where you are all you see is sand. sand dunes for miles. in fact, the sand is very deceptive to the eye. you think things are closer than they are and it's hard to judge how far up or down things are. i kept thinking about what would happen if you got lost or buried in the sand.

luckily that didn't happen. we had lots of fun rolling around in the sand. i'll be cleaning sand out of my ears until christmas.

here is a video of our day... (just so you know...i took off in a lot faster run than it looked like)

day 4: the fun begins

2009-06-04T18:19:00.000-07:00

today was the big day. carly and i loaded rhonda up and hit the open road. this was our first time to go "for real" camping, and we brought all the comforts of home with us. we had the tent, blankets, towels, and even feather beds so we could rough it in style.

first stop: carlsbad caverns. i was super excited. i hadn't been to carlsbad in years. we went as a family when i was in junior high. i only remember a few things... the bottomless pit, the bats, and being a nervous wreck. i could barley sleep last night thinking about all the things that could go wrong.

my fears were not abated by this sign. if there is one thing i am not... it's agile. not to mention the fact that i'm not exactly in shape. luckily i strapped on my tennis shoes, so i was ready for anything.

the hike is just over a two miles, and is fantastic. i can't describe the awesomeness of the caverns. it is an other worldly experience. you have no idea what you're in for when you walk into the mouth of the cave.

all i could think about was what it would be like to have discovered the cavern. it would blow your mind... it is so vast and incredible that there would be no way to explain it.

there were "whale's teeth"...

et's finger... (don't worry. carly isn't actually touching the stalagmite. that would be against the rules. it's just an illusion.)

and cool tunnels....

p.s. - yes, i know it's obvious that i'm a teacher. i'm okay saying it... i wear teacher clothes. i'm not afraid, and i love a cardigan.

overall, it was super fun. but by the end all you want to do is get above ground, have a snack, and sit down for a while.

every night in the summer millions of bats come out of the cave to get some dinner. we decided not to stay and watch the bats come out. we thought that the best use of our time would be to go set up camp for the night. we drove to brantley lake and picked out a spot for our tent. it's great. it has working bathrooms, grills, and even a view of the lake.

it turns out that setting up early was the right decision. two hours later we had the tent all set up. our tent is significantly bigger than any other tent here which is nice because have a walkway between the featherbeds. in fact, the tent is so big it hangs over on all sides of the tent slab. i know that the seasoned campers around us were probably judging us, but i don't even care. we are really proud.

i hope the night goes as smoothly as the day has gone so far...let's hope the tent stays up.

day 3

2009-06-03T21:08:00.000-07:00

it's officially day 3 and i didn't do anything fun. i woke up late, took a nap, and got my oil changed.

getting my oil changed is one of my least favorite things to do. it makes me nervous. i have been going to the same place to change my oil since i turned 16 and still it makes me sweat every time. there are so many things that can go wrong... what if you drive into that giant hole? or why can i never follow the directions they give the first time? or are you supposed to sit there stoically or smile at everyone that walks by like a creep? do you pretend you are on the phone or act really into a magazine that just happened to be in your front seat? i just never know.

carly and i are going on a trip with no real destination tomorrow. we don't know the details yet... all we know is that rhonda is packed up with our tent and gear we are headed west. Our plan is to leave around 7 in the morning which translates to 12 or later. i'm getting so excited. i can't wait.

new mexico here we come!

day 2: happy half birthday to you

2009-06-02T21:50:00.000-07:00

today kristen turned 27 and 1/2. we celebrated by eating the most delicious cupcakes known to man. lubbock has a new cupcake place that looks pretty unassuming from the outside, and truth be told, from the inside too. it's one of those places that you walk in and think... hey, for $2.75 a cupcake i could TOTALLY do this. and then you take a bite and wonder how they could possibly make them any better. the trick with these kind of places is they get you with all the cupcake flavor variety. on this particular tuesday, they had the diner (yellow cake with chocolate icing and sprinkles), red velvet, pina colada, triple chocolate, chocolate mint delight, and birthday cake.

yes, we did get 2 boxes full...

but these top ones were only bite sized. so technically they don't count. we could say they were for the kids...

but then she had to go and do this.
it was her half birthday after all.
and that red velvet made your toes curl.

sassy liked it too. only a few morsels didn't make it into her mouth. if she was older, she would lick the crumbs off her knees. it was that good. but the birthday cake was better. man alive. it was the best cupcake i have ever had.

after all the cupcakery we decided to hit the pool. who doesn't love to eat a lot and then flaunt it swimwear???

unfortunately, once we got into the water the storm clouds moved in. we barely had time to make it to the car before the rain and hail unleashed.

maybe it was a sign...

summer: day 1

2009-06-01T19:13:00.000-07:00

school is officially out for summer. i hate to say it, but the 2 month break is my favorite part of teaching. i wish summer could last all year.

day 1 started out bittersweet. today marks one year since we lost our precious poppa moe. it's crazy because it feels like just yesterday in one moment and in the next it feels like forever. i do know that i am so blessed to be one of his grandchildren. i have so many great memories of christmases, summers at the lake, and time just spent together. he has left quite a legacy and quite big shoes to fill.

so in honor of poppa we spent time together as a family. we did what we do best...eat mexican food while we talked and laughed with each other.

we all love and miss our poppa moe!

the big eed (easter egg drop)

2009-04-12T19:09:00.000-07:00

school was out on friday. to celebrate we decided to celebrate with a local church that hosted an easter egg drop extravaganza. the promised food, bounce houses, eggs, and fun. when we arrived there were already 40,000 eggs laid out on lowery field.

and just about as many people. big crowds tend to make me nervous. so do free events. they tend to bring out my students. i love my kids from school, but i don't love to run into them.

be that as it may, kristen had been firing herself up for days. she was super excited.

this kid was not! i'm assuming that someone just broke the news that the easter bunny is only real in your heart. i felt the same way when i found out. i remember...it was just last year.

but then out of nowhere it got interesting... a helicopter came and dropped 10,000 more eggs.

dumping the eggs would have been the best job. talk about a self esteem boost. that guy had thousands of adoring fans. however, i am still wondering how the eggs didn't bust on the way down.
after all the eggs were ready to go they let the kids loose to hunt. this was our cue to head back up the field.

avery didn't get any eggs out of the mayhem, but luckily allison brought cascarones.

smashing eggs on each other was more fun than getting a jelly bean or two

after the easter egg hunt we ate hot dogs. there is nothing better than a picnic with hot dogs.

the great thing about traveling with the circus is that you draw in all kinds of new people. these girls loved kristen. this was right before they exchanged numbers and promised to be best friends forever.

ben and sawyer watched the whole thing unfold. ben was obviously offended that these new friends were not sharing their funyuns.

sawyer was just sitting back and assessing the situation. overall, it was a great day.

the thing i love most about easter (aside from my salvation) is the joy i get to spread. nothing makes people feel better about their day than a simple "hoppy easter". sure people look at you like you like they feel a tad bit sorry for you, but after a little practice it comes as second nature. so with no further ado...

Hoppy Easter Everyone!

yes.

2009-03-31T18:23:00.000-07:00

last saturday, calli and i headed out to find a birthday present for brooke. i didn't find much for her, but i did stumble upon this jewel at tj maxx.

i am a sucker for a hair piece and couldn't wait to get out of the store and admire it. look how pretty it looks just laying on the table.

or just hanging out on a hook in the kitchen...

after reading the instructions we were all very excited to put the hairdo. in. even this girl. she didn't know how sad she was until jessica simpson and ken paves came into her life.

she almost doesn't look like the same girl. which made me start wondering what kind of beauties we would turn into with a simple click of the 7 stay in place clips...

gorg. it was one of the most stylish mullets i have ever had the pleasure of witnessing.

calli loved the posibility of short hair. it was super fun to flip.

brooke felt like a new girl.

and i turned into rapunzel with curls. my dreams have been realized. my hair is getting dyed to match next week. then i will take it into the west texas wind.

jump, jump

2009-03-25T18:56:00.001-07:00

nothing says 7th grade like jumping on the trampoline. connar and i jumped our little hearts out today. jumping reminded me of some things i forgot like.....

i can make up an awesome tramp routine!

every time your feet leave the ground your toes should be pointed.

and finally....

i am in desperate need of a full support bra!

i know.

it makes me want to gouge my eyes out, too.

here are some pics of our fun in the sun....

book club fever...

2009-03-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

tuesday night was our first official book club meeting. it was so fun...

spring break

2009-03-20T19:38:00.000-07:00

i feel like i blinked and spring break is already over. i had plans to drive to canada and hit some of the states i haven't visited along the way. but instead, i went to colorful colorado to visit my grandparents.

here are some pics from our quick trip...

a farm minus animals

k thinks she is so funny

mimi and papa

k and papa watching tv

welcome back spring...

2009-03-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

it's the first day of spring. i'm celebrating by blogging. spring is my favorite season. the anticipation of summer is heavy in the air... the trees are blooming, the school year is ending, and short sleeves can come back into heavy rotation.

just knowing that summer is coming makes me feel like i can get all kinds of things done. which then leads to a lot of list making. making lists is one of my favorite things to do. the joy is in crossing things off. i make up things to do just so i can mark them off. i am currently compiling a list of things i want to do. not a bucket list, but more a list of conversation starters.

i'm stuck at 64 things.

drive across America from coast to coast (preferably in an old rv with a u.s. map hand painted on the side)
skydive
send a message in a bottle
go to rio for carnival
go on a trip with no destination (so much for spring break...)
visit all 7 continents
go to mardi gras
be totally debt free
visit new york at christmas
be a good cook (this is a stretch)
celebrate dia de los muertos in mexico
read the top 100 books of all time
run a marathon (a half will also suffice)
walk on the great wall of china
get a masters
learn another language
become a certified scuba diver
have an adventure in all 50 states
sing karaoke
hike the inca trail to macchu picchu
visit easter island
take a pilgrimage...alone
spend the day fishing
ride the scariest roller coaster known to man
drive on the autobahn
get into shape
create a family tree
learn to ski
become a champion for a cause
start my own crafting business
sail
win a contest
join a belly dance company
walk across hot coals
do something completely uncharacteristic and not feel bad about it (this may be the most difficult)
tell people what they mean to me
live outside the u.s.
learn and recall really funny jokes
get a massage
sleep outside
keep a plant alive for a full year
learn a skill
own a home
invest in retirement
give up diet coke (i think pigs will fly first)
learn to drive a standard
get organized
get veneers
be in a musical
go to graceland
meet dolly parton
learn to like tea
eat organic food on a regular basis
learn to love veggies
have an adventure and live to tell the story
write a children's book
do a rainforest canopy walk
go to the texas motor speedway as white trash
commit to a community
learn sign language
learn to like wine
read the whole bible
keep up with friends
say no to someone

my goal is to get at least 10 done a year. but then again, i've had this list saved on my computer for 2 years and haven't done a single one. hopefully, the weather will renew my efforts.

welcome back spring. i'm glad you're here!!!