Anniversary

Juan and I have been married for 27 years--half my life--and we celebrated this weekend. We went to Dallas and stayed at the W hotel. It was so awesome!

We started the day at July Alley, a little bar we found in Deep Ellum next door to Elm Street Tattoo. We sat at the bar and talked to the bartender and all the eclectic people who walked in. That is the great little bar to people watch!

We left and made our way to Victory Park. Checking into our room was an experience--we were given warm, scented towels at the registration counter which was lined in hundreds of orchid displays and the scent of fresh flowers. The room was on the 9th floor overlooking the skyline of Dallas--beautiful! Our room was so relaxing and roomy--32 in. flatscreen, open glass shower, chaise lounge at the window to look out over the scenery...gorgeous!!

We changed and went downstairs to dinner at Cast, the hotel restaurant. We waited in the hotel bar until they came to get us--very cool! Again, fabulous! Because it was our anniversary we were given champagne and truffles by the chef. The food was outstanding and the atmosphere and view...well, again, fabulous!

We left and walked over to the Havana Social Club in Victory Park. Juan had a cigar as we sipped on 80 year old rum. We watched the Stars game on the TV and then sat and enjoyed the experience as the game was over and the crowd filled the area. Then, as we left we were able to see the Channel 8 10 p.m. newscast from the studio.

Back at the hotel we went up to the Ghostbar for the experience. It was very chic with an upscale vibe. Reserved tables are by bottle service only so we just stayed long enough to have a drink. We sat for a while then walked outside to look over the glass wall and admire the city lights. There is going to be two big parties at the Ghostbar this week--Cowboys on Monday and New Years Eve on Wednesday.

Back downstairs to the hotel lobby bar for a little while to people watch after the Stars game. Strange mix of people! You would think that only hotel guests would frequent the bar, but most of the people there were just drinking and hanging out!

Great day, great night, great life!!!
Happy New Year!

Wrapping presents

I just finished 2 1/2 hours of wrapping gifts! I put it off until the last minute then I lock myself in my bedroom and going into a wrapping frenzy!

I love to wrap presents! I prefer paper and bows to bags anytime, and I really love the big gaudy ribbon and bows. Even as a young girl I did all the gift wrapping at my house. I would sit in the living room floor and spread out the paper, tape and ribbon and go after it...almost therapeutic!

Anyway, we open gifts on Christmas Eve, so the wrapping I did tonight is pretty much pointless, but at least it looks festive in the living room for 24 hours!

Tomorrow I spend the day cooking enchiladas since we are having a Mexican menu--YUM!!! Chicken verde and cheese enchiladas! YIKES! Sounds like some major time in the kitchen.

Merry Christmas!

the beginning...

Today is the official start of my Winter Vacation! I am sitting here with a big cup of coffee, blogging and watching the recap of "Charm School of Love". What a great way to begin!

Today Juan and I are going to Pendrey's to buy chili spices because I am making competition chili over the break. Yummy! My family loves chili, but they are spoiled to the "real" chili of our cook off days. So, I will buy spices, cut meat and spend a whole day making chili.

We are also going to be doing some other shopping this week so we will be ready for the holidays. Juan has the week off so we are going to get things done today so we can rest up for Christmas. Of course, we will be watching the Cowboys tonight complete with all the tailgate fixings...pico, cheese dip and beer! GO COWBOYS!!

Hope you all have a great weekend and a great holiday! Merry Christmas!

Done!

I have finished my Christmas shopping! What a great feeling. I still have to wrap them all and put up the tree--yes, put up the tree. Well, not actually a tree. All we have is a little 3 ft. table top tree.

Anyway, I am very happy to have this all done. Now I am busy working on my family Christmas Eve dinner and planning all of that. We are going to my niece's house that evening for a Mexican feast!!! I cannot wait! YUMMY!

Looking forward to next week, too. Joy and I are going to Cedar Hill on Monday to shop and have lunch. I always look forward to spending the day with her. We will have a girl's day out, maybe even pedi/mani time... The rest of the week will be busy cooking and cleaning.

The next week is my anniversary--27 years! We have a night at the W planned and dinner in Dallas. Maybe we will try to visit the Ghost Bar.

Merry Christmas!

My great nephew

I have an adorable great nephew named Abel. He is the cutest kid you can imagine. Not to mention he is incredibly smart! He plays video games like an expert and is the funniest kid you could ever meet.

Abel is your typical 4th grade boy. He is involved in Boy Scouts, likes sports, does his chores, loves his parents and does well in school. He has not always liked school--and has been known to express that opinion eloquently. In the last couple of years he has come to realize that school is a necessary evil and he enjoys it. I think being in GT has really helped to keep his mind active!

A while back he was not feeling well and bruising easily. He was really run down and not acting like the Abel we all know and love. His mom took him to the doctor and he was diagnosed with ITP. Don't ask me what the letters stand for, the words are too big...but I do know what it means. ITP is not a life threatening disorder, but because of he has a low platelet count, if he were to suffer any major injuries or bumps to the head, it could be very bad for him.

He just went back to the doctor and his blood platelets are too low and he is not getting better. He is now listed as a chronic case, meaning he has to be careful to not get any severe injuries that would cause bleeding. He has to go back to the doctor at the end of this month to do some more tests. If his count is not up the doctors will begin to look at treatment options.

His mom is very optimistic and thankful that ITP is all that is going on. But, having a 9 year old son who has to go through this, is hard. I cannot imagine trying to explain it all to him, and make sure that he has a normal little boy life, but at the same time protect him.

Please keep him in your prayers. Abel is a precious child who should not have to worry about restricting his fun!

Today was good!

So today I heard so many good things about my staff, kids and school! It was so cool to be validated on what I know and believe.

Teaching is hard work. And, if you work at my school it is even harder because of my expectations and pressure. I am not easy to work for and I know this. But, if we say that we have to care too much to let a kid fail, then I have to care too much to let a teacher not be the best they can be! Student success is directly impacted by the instruction of the teacher in the classroom on a daily basis. Kids need the best teachers every day!

I push hard. I nag about rigor, and best practices, and SEs and lesson objectives, and...I do this because I want my teachers to be the best teachers in the district. I do this because I want my kids to be successful. I do this because I this is my passion.

Thank goodness for the Christmas holidays. We can all relax and forget about school for two weeks and enjoy our family and friends. We are so happy! These two weeks off are one of our perks and we deserve this!

Have a great weekend!

Christian Slater

YUM-O!

One of my new fav shows is "My Own Worst Enemy". Seen Mr. Slater without a shirt lately?? OMG! Tonight was good!

Shows that twist and turn are usually too 'heavy' for me to watch during the week. I like to veg out in front of the TV and live vicariously through the characters as they make their way through the story line. Usually comedy or reality TV is as cerebral as I can handle. But, I really like "Enemy".

I like this show so much that I am willing to give up CSI on Monday nights! Thank goodness for DVR!

Happy Monday...

Family

Having family to support and love you is the greatest gift of God. Knowing that you have your family to always be there and believe in you make everything possible. I am lucky to have a great family!

The family that lives in my house is the reason I breathe. I truly cannot imagine life without David, Joy or Juan. We are not the perfect "Walton" family, we don't always agree or get along. We get on each other's nerves and irritate the dickens out of each other. But, we love each other with all our hearts! We make each other laugh, we depend on each other for support and guidance, we reach out to each other. I know that David will grow up to be a responsible young man. My hope is that he finds his calling soon. Joy is busy going to school and working full time and will some day be a world famous hair dresser. I am a very lucky woman!

My immediate family is very special, too! I am very close to my niece and nephew and their families. They have three boys between them and it is very nice to have little kids around again. Their mom, my sister, has given all of us many joys and tears, but we love her.

My Aunt BB is my second mom. She has been there since mom died and gives me the wisdom of her years each time we talk. BB is a little woman with a big heart. I truly don't think I have ever heard her say a negative word about anyone. I am blessed to have her in my life. Her son, Keith, is like the brother I never had. Being one year apart in age has put us chronologically close, but that is not the reason we get along so well. You see, Keith and I have a lot in common, including loving BB. We coordinated a chili team for years, hosted countless Cowboys watching parties and generally raised H- - - for most of our adult lives! Love ya, Man!

My Clarksville family are my soul mates! Debbie, Larry and their kids and families are so very dear to me. Some of my best memories are of being in that little northeast Texas town and spending time with the Moore clan. Hanging out at the lake, driving all over to shop, drinking wine on the sofa, the deer cabin...my heart is in Clarksville and always will be.

Can't wait to see what the future holds for all my family!

New TV

On Saturday we will get our new TV! My hubby went out and bought a 46" HDTV and sound system and I am so psyched!!!

So, this coming Saturday will be hectic at my house. The TV will be delivered and the installation guys will begin the process. We will have to take down our entertainment center with its eclectic collection of "homey" stuff, old CDs, really old LPs, graduation pictures, old chili trophies...yuck! I hate the thought of taking all this down and figuring out where to put it.

We will make do with the old TV stand until we get the aquarium situated. It will have to be drained and moved so that will be another day and time. We really enjoy watching the fish swim around so we don't want to get rid of it or move it to another room. We will just figure out how to live in harmony with the big TV and the big fish tank in the same room, same area!

Cannot wait to watch my reality TV on a big HDTV!!!