Thank you, Mr. President!

A big THANK YOU to Washington and Lincoln for being such awesome presidents and giving us something to celebrate. My students were talking about why Washington and Lincoln were chosen for President's Day. Some answers were "their birthdays are close together," "they were obviously the best," and the hilarious question, "Do you think they will have a celebration for George Bush?" Um...probably not, darling.I love Presidents Day because I am off work and it comes a such a great time of year. It is always around report card time and I always need the break and extra day off. This year, my hubby took the day off to and we spent the holiday running around town.

This morning, another roofing company swung by to give us a quote. Again, we were told that our roof has 5 more years in it and we just need some touchups. These guys mentioned that we have A LOT of nails sticking out of our roof which are causing the leaks! Seriously?! For $600, they replaced all of the shingles and put in new nails! They also threw in a few other services like cleaning out our gutters "because they needed to be cleaned" (he actually said that) and sealing our chimney! We definitely recommend John Beal Roofing. They were so nice, honest, and did a great job!Yes, our lights are still up. I think I will go take those down now! You see the new lighter shingles? Those are the new ones! No more leaky roof!

We also headed over to my grandma's so Mike could do some handiwork at her house. She treated us to a yummy lunch at Bread Co. too!

After helping her out, we went to get some sealant for the granite tiles. This stuff is amazing! Here you can see the before tile on top and then what it looks like after the sealant is applied.The stuff was $50 and we only used a cap full. Anyone need this stuff for your kitchen rehab? We were very impressed!We also stopped at Home Depot to pick up some grout for the counters and backsplash (which was done today). IT IS ALMOST DONE! AHHHHHHH!

I think we may go celebrate with some happy hour drinks across the street at Bar Louie!

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Getting there!

The kitchen is so close to being done! The counter tiles are all down and the backsplash went up today! All we need to do is grout both, put the sink and fridge back in, and hook everything up! We will definitely have a functional kitchen by next weekend! WOOHOOOOOOOO!

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Making myself busy

I am such a procrastinator when it comes to work and grading papers. I find that the busier I am at work, the most at-home projects I do.

Here is a catch-up on what I have been doing...

I figured that I am not going to wait around for my professional wedding pictures. It has almost been 6 months and we still don't have our proofs. I am guessing that an album may be years away! Instead, I developed pictures from my friends and family and put them together in an album from Target! It took a lot of work uploading them all into Snapfish, ordering, and then putting them in order but I am so happy to have almost 300 pictures organized!I love the cream embroidery along the left side. I love how it can hold 10 pages for each full spread. Getting ready in the hotel...Making it official... Formal pics with the family and bridal party...I am so thankful that we had people snapping pictures. Most are from my cousin, Jessica, who pretty much just followed us around the Jewel Box snapping away! Thanks girl :)

The boys are working on the kitchen and I was surprised with some Valentine's Day flowers!From Home Depot! He was out getting grout and spacers for the tiles and picked up flowers. That is why I love that kid :)

I rolled coins today! $87.50!I also put on my wedding dress. Veil too. Haha...I didn't take pictures. Of course, it doesn't fit but at least I had fun parading around the house. I am thinking about selling it...although I don't know if anyone would even want to buy it.

I looked for boxer adoption organizations in Missouri. Here is the baby that started it all for me. Stella is my second-cousin's dog that I met when we went to Vegas for my bachelorette party. So cute.Remember that I mentioned we need a new roof? Here is a pic of the damage in our living room.Our first quote was $5000. Pretty sad. Then another company said they could patch and replace shingles on problem areas for $800. They said that we still have 4-5 years left in our roof. I think we might take that route. Thinking about abandoning our unplanned trip to Napa Valley this summer was pretty depressing. I really wanted to go there and now it might still be a reality!Here is what is happening in my kitchen today...

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Happy V Day!

I hope that everyone has a relaxing Saturday with the people they love. Whether it is your spouse, fiance, boyfriend/girlfriend, friend, sibling, parent, or pet...make sure you tell someone today that you love them.

Here are some pictures from my favorite new pictures search engine, flickr storm.

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I feel terrible...

I have pretty much been miserable since last Sunday. It started with a sore throat. You know the kind. You can't swallow and it kind of makes you feel like you are going to throw up. Working this week was hell and there were many mornings when I thought I would call in sick. Unfortunately, the guilt of a teacher gets me to school almost every time. I haven't been sleeping through the night and I have random coughing fits throughout the day. Sometimes I think I should have stayed home but frequent sanitizing breaks and Germ-X rub downs kept me going.

This weekend is going to be all about finishing the kitchen. The tiles are in and we will get the backsplash on Saturday. Hopefully I will have some good pictures to show this weekend! Let's also cross my fingers I can kick this bug!

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Rain, Rain, Go Away...

you are making our roof leak and will cost us A LOT of money.

Last night, Mike and I went to see "Spring Awakening" at the Fox with our friends, Kate and Peter. It was awesome!Anyone that knows me well knows that I am a HUGE musical dork. I wish I was one of those ladies pictured above. My dream is to sing on Broadway...or at the Fox...or the Muny...or at the YMCA."Spring Awakening" is a contemporary musical that is set in Germany in 1891. It is raunchy, provocative, and risque. Even has nudity in the scene pictured above. Mike said it was his favorite musical that he has ever seen....I wonder why?! The voices were INCREDIBLE! I haven't heard solo and ensemble voices like that in a while!

Walking in our front door definitely put a damper on our night. Our little water spot on the ceiling in the corner of our living room was dripping. Actually dripping water on the floor because of all the rain outside. So now, we need to get a new roof. When we bought our house 8 months ago, the inspector told us that we would probably have to get a new roof within the next 5 years. We just didn't know that it would be so soon. And our first quote is $5000. Goodbye Napa anniversary trip :( Goodbye Canon camera :( Goodbye Mike's weekly golf games :)

I don't know what we are going to do but we are going to have to do it fast. What a way to rain on my parade...literally!

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He's Just Not That Into You

On Friday night, I went with some girlfriends to see He's Just Not That Into You. Cute chick flick...won't be winning any Academy Awards but very cute.I loved the book and it was fun watching it come to life on screen. Here are my few opinions and observations.
#1. Ginnifer Goodwin is freaking adorable! Her character was a little too clueless at times but she really is adorable!#2. Justin Long is too skinny! And not attractive (to me)! I just don't see it.
#3. I forgot how adorable I think Ben Affleck is. I really liked the relationship between him and Jen in the movie.#4. Scarlett Johansen really annoyed me in this movie. I usually like her but she played kind of ditsy a lot and I really couldn't stand her character. She is beautiful though. Oh...and I hated her outfits. Especially her light washed, high waisted jeans with holes in the knees. Uck. I didn't think they were capris but these might be them:#5. I just like the different dynamics of the character relationships and how they interacted.#6. Oh oh oh! Cameos by Audrey from Dawson's Creek (the hostess in the restaurant) and Ricki from My So-Called Life (left of the pic)It was definitely was enjoyable and cute! I have a bit of a cold so I am going to go to sleep now!

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I am back...with books!

I have been a bad blogger. I have been really busy at work (report cards are around the corner), I am finishing up cheerleading, and I have started a new masters class. I only got home before 9 pm once last week!

Every trimester at work, I do the same thing. I procrastinate on grading the subjects I HATE to grade (reading and writing) and then have a huge pile of it right before report cards. That is where I am today. I have to read 3 children's books, grade book club folders, reading assessments, and their editorials. UCK.

Speaking of reading...I have become a reader! This is huge! I haven't been a reader since I was in elementary school. I have decided that I want to read at least one leisure book each month. It all began after my honeymoon. September-December I read the 4 Twilight books.In January, I read The Kite Runner. A hard and upsetting read, but overall, a good book.Currently, I am reading Naked, by David Sedaris. Some girls at work said the author has some hilarious books. I thought I would give it a try!I don't know what book to try next? I really want to read My Sister's Keeper and A Thousand Splendid Summers. Any other suggestions?

Oh...Mike is even reading. He is reading Angels and Demons (a little late, huh?). YAY!

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The Bachelor...in Mike's eyes

"That tan girl is hella hot"...about Melissa in the hottub.
"Her voice is annoying at sh!t"...about Jillian when she was crying about being strong.
"That crazy looking mom has really nice t!ts"...about Stephanie in her rose ceremony dress
"That girl's voice is as annoying as sh!t too"...about Naomi at the rose ceremony
"Oh wait, here's the best part...now it is time for the final rose...dipsh!t"...about the host at the rose ceremony.
"Ohhhh man...see...he let go of crazytown. She is going to lose it."...about Stephanie

Aren't those completely appropriate comments?! However, they are all true!

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I'm back :)

Haven't been able to post since our cable/internet was shut off on Thursday. AT&T finally came to install our U-Verse late on Saturday night (they were supposed to come between 12 and 2). Oh well. We finally have it and have DVR upstairs and downstairs. So exciting!

I am anxiously awaiting my wedding pictures. My photographer "promised" (but really this time) our pictures by the end of January. Well...it is Feb 1st and I hope they are on their way!

I will post more later. Just got home from Grandma's 80th birthday and off to Kevin and Tess' house for Super Bowl :)

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Hubby is not a happy camper

A couple of weeks ago, Mike decided to take a half day today so AT&T could come and connect our U-Verse. (Side note, we canceled Charter because they upped our bill and weren't willing to compromise on price.)

Because of the snow, Mike decided to take off the whole day because it would be silly to deal with the roads for just a few hours of work. AT&T was supposed to start installation (that generally takes 4-6 hours) between 12 and 2. Fast forward 6 hours and we are still here...no AT&T. No calls to tell us they were running late or not coming. That equals for a pretty pissed of hubby. Oh...add in getting the run around from customer service. Not fun.

We tried to keep ourselves busy. We ran errands to Lowe's and Target. Mike shoveled and I did laundry! I love taking pictures of snow :) They didn't plow our street all day though. Here is the view out of our front door this morning.I think we got about 8-10 inches total! Our cabinet handles are in which was pretty exciting.Now I am just grading away! I wasted yesterday and I really need to get work done tonight. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) our cable is disconnected so we won't be watching TV. It will only be a matter of time before the internet goes too. While we are waiting, we are watching "X Men 2" and may or may not be playing Rock Band tonight. Oh...we watched "Eagle Eye" last night and it was pretty good.

I wish I had my wedding pictures. How's that for a random post?! Back to grading my students' memoirs :) Fun, fun!

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Jessica Fat?

Seriously, people? Jessica Simpson is fat?

I usually don't blog too much about celeb gossip but this is just absurd. Recently, Jessica was caught wearing this hideous and unflattering outfit.Yes, she definitely looks like she has gained weight. But think about where she was? She was like a size 0!!!That weight wasn't normal either (although she looked pretty damn hot). She worked her butt off to get that lean!

She got a man, got comfortable, and put on some lbs. I did it too. I think most women do!

Leave her alone!

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Getting creative...

Those that live/have lived in St. Louis know that the Cardinals and the Cubs have a huge rivalry! Check out what someone did this morning in the snow by Busch Stadium. I LOVE IT!It is true...St. Louis does have the best sports fans!

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It is still coming down!

Mike and I just ran to Lowes for cabinet handles and dinner and the snow definitely picked up! It was pretty slow all day today and then suddenly started dumping down again at 5:30!Here's our table last night when the snow began...This morning, not much had happened yet...And now tonight! Much, much more snow :)YAY! I just got the news that I don't have to go to work tomorrow. That is our district's last snow day so if we have more inclement weather, we have to add days onto the schedule. Oh well :)

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