Happy 296th Post!!!

Awwwww!

New gas station sunglasses bought at 3 in the morning on our way home from NY!

Stephen is going to hate me for posting this but I like it....late night dinner at Shoney's...YUM...road trip food!

Ok, I know what you are thinking...why 296, and why didn't she just wait for 300. Well, funny you should ask, if I try to hold off until 300...I will certainly surpass it and not even notice... by that point the significance will be longggg gone so I'm just throwing it in now. I like the sound of "Happy 296th Post" better than "Happy 303rd" Post better anyways! This whole blog thing has sort of evolved a lot over the past year and a half(ish). Somehow, it has gone from the original scrapbooking blog I originally intended for it to be to this weird concoction of my life here in Florida (including the journey down of course), mostly through pictures. Isn't the point of a blog supposed to be so you all can read about my thoughts? No? Well good, because usually there is too many thoughts floating through this brain of mine, that there is almost no way to put it in writing. Therefor I figure it is easier (and more convenient) for me to just show you throughout the use of pictures. BUT since I am in full on "procrastination mode", I figured now would be a perfect time to do a little catch up.
Here are a few things that are going on with me right now:
1. A lizard is crawling around the balcony, and don't you worry about it...I have one eye on him, and one eye on the keyboard! While on the subject of critters, we now keep all of our drains closed in case a palmetto bug decides to pop in for a visit! I think they are here for the flat screen....but I'm not feeling like sharing...so closing drains is an accommodation I am willing to make. Unless...they want to chip in on the comcast bill? No...even then, I'm good!
2. It looks as if the apocalypse is coming due to the weird shade of stormy blue going on...however it probably won't rain...sometimes the mother ship just flies in...doesn't always mean rain. EXAMPLE....today I left work in the middle of a severe thunderstorm equipped with an umbrella and all my personal belongings protected in a bag (DROID)! Thunder, lightning...the whole bit! Well, imagine my surprise when I walked out to find that there had not been a single DROP of rain! Freaky to my standards, however....typical in these parts!
3. Working in education is wonderful, who can deny having the summer "off" is nothing short of a privilege! But there is a "BUT"....the work that needs to be done when you finally get back certainly warrants another vacation. I'm just saying...not complaining. I couldn't complain, I know I am very blessed....anyway....
4. I got a tattoo...it is in memory of my grams (who certainly wouldn't have approved, but I believe all is forgiven and accepted in heaven so it is okay)...now I have to put a pic...(it is healed now, and much smaller than it appears in the pic...my cousin got it too...and obviously I am the brown one...heeehee)!
5. I officially said "Buh-bye" to my now 8th grade group (well the 60 or so kids that were at IMS today) and passed them along to their new counselor. It was sad, my first group will always be very special to me, but I am EXCITED about working with the new counselor and confident that they are in wonderful hands. Also, I met a few of my new 6th grade kiddos...they are adorable and I am really happy to start with a new bunch that I will be with for the next three years. So it is all good!
6. Stephen is awesome obviously, I feel weird putting this number 6 on the list, he should obviously be first but I'm too lazy to edit and re-arrange at this point so let me just put it in bold so you can really get the effect of the importance here. There, that is better....we are both loving Florida, our apartment, the villages, the interesting new places we get to go, and the great new people we have met. Life is good. And even though he is at work right now, we had almost 48 hours in a car very recently so I can be confident in saying that he feel the same way! Ha! Obviously the one BIG downside is the fact that we are missing family, but it makes our visits that much more special, and we had a BLAST in NY! Already thinking about planning another trip...and looking forward for people coming to our neck of the woods as well!
7. Aunt Laura and Uncle John are coming to visit this weekend, which will be great! Unfortunately Jen can not come because she just started a new job at Best Buy (go Jen), but Nicole will be here in her place to entertain Kristen...and she is practically family anyway so I am looking forward to Friday.
8. I have a new Phone....DROID....I am obsessed with it. It does everything my iPhone did (as far as the functions I used anyway), and possible even more. I am still getting used to it...but I love it already!
9. Students start school a week from Monday...sorry to bring work up again but I am looking forward to the start of a fresh new school year.
10. July 19th was a YEAR since we left NY and set out on our new adventure down south!!! Remember this...Wow, time flies....can't believe how much happened in just one year! I wonder what will be going on next year! Craziness!
11. I made chicken and pepper/onion BBQ pita thingys for dinner and they were deeeeelish!
Ok, like I said before I was procrastinating, Stephen is working late...and I am not the most productive when I am exhausted, and bored. Sooooo...I'm gonna go get back to some "guidance counselor-y" type things. Schedules, nothing fun that you all (or "ya'll"...KIDDING") want to hear about. So Happy 296th Post, once more....and let's just top it off with a SLIDE SHOW...of EVERY picture I have EVER posted on this blog in all 296 posts...woohoo!