Wednesday Whatnots...

Tonight we had a switcheroo of sorts...instead of family night...Norah had family night with the Wilcox family as they invited her to their Church for some dinner and fun. She had a blast! I went to a meeting at our Church about the Youth program.

I have to add this blog post about a fabulous kitchen/dining room makeover that is so what I LOVE!! This way I can go and reference it when I need it! So I first saw the post on Young House Love and it lead me to HERE. Love the color of cabinets, countertops  furniture, wall treatments, lights, painting of the interior doors....the list goes on!!

Speaking of blogs...do you ever read NieNie Dialogues? If you do not know the story behind Stephanie Nielson and her husband...and their family...you need to check it out. She has had the blog since 2005 and the horrific accident she and her husband were involved in was in 2008 so it is pretty intense to go back in her blog from the beginning. If you ever need to have perspective on life...wow. I saw that she had a book out now and it is added to my list of books to read and maybe it could be a good book club book. It is called "Heaven is Here"

Well that is all I have for today...off to gear up for the rest of the week and the last day of January tomorrow!

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Wednesday Whatnots...

300th Post...

Can you believe it? This is my 300th post that I have had on this blog in 3 years! Kinda crazy...I have loved having my online scrapbook and only wished I had started it earlier to keep track of even more pics of Norah and stuff.

Norah gettin' her apple on!

My kids (6th graders) surprised me yesterday with a gift for my birthday...how cute is it?! Love it and the colors are way fabulous!

This Thursday is our first book club where we are going to discuss the book..."The Language of Flowers"

I really liked it and recommend it to others to read. It will be fun to hear what everyone else at the book club thinks about it. I also finished three other books this month for January...

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is a re-read but how I love Harry Potter books! I thought "Your Faith Your Life" was good and informative. I also found "A Community called Taize" an interesting read and it actually makes me want to read more about the community and about Brother Roger who started it all. I started reading this one because we are going to have a short service at our Church during Lent on Wednesday nights that will be modeled after the services done in the Taize community (I think that makes sense?!) and since I had never heard of it...I wanted to see what it was all about. 

Cannot wait to see what all I read in February! 

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300th Post...

Birthday...

My 35th Birthday...here is a sneak peak..

I received flowers, gift cards, the "hat" Norah is wearing while putting in my birthday candles into my Harry Potter cake (with green chocolate frogs on it!)....and the center pic is the cutest! A student at our school made me Sugar "mice" and Pumpkin Juice since she knows I like Harry Potter...how awesome is that!! I loved all the cards, texts, phone calls, facebook messages, cupcakes, etc. that I received from friends and family which made my day super special. I even took my 6th grade students to PE class instead of math class on Friday where we played kickball. So my birthday was a good day! Even though Jeff and I did not get our date night as hoped on Friday and the whole "no cooking/cleaning" did not happen...I got some rest time and "me" time today. I also went to Sunday School and Church this morning which was great as usual but missed having Jeff and Norah with me as he had to work all weekend and Norah was still with my mom and Denny. Norah and I did accomplish a project this weekend...she decorated her name on the bottom of a silhouette that her old school, Calvary, did of her last year and put it in a frame...I think it turned out cute!

Since Norah stayed up a little late last night while she stayed with my mom and Denny...she was in bed tonight by 7:00 pm! She was exhausted! We had a internet glitch this weekend (just got it fixed!) so I haven't been able to use my laptop since Friday...which was kinda a bummer. Well back to reality...gonna finish up some school stuff for the week, clean the kitchen, get ready to watch Downton Abbey, and hopefully read some more of my new book!

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Birthday...

Three Things Thursday...

1. Family Night this week was great and we ended up having dinner at Norah's favorite restaurant...Miyabi! She calls it the "Chop Chop" place since they cook on the table...she loves it! And it held double duty as we counted it as my family birthday dinner. As always...we three had a fabulous time together!

2. Speaking of fabulous...my friends Sally and Glenn took me out tonight to Chive Blossom to celebrate my birthday with apps and drinks...I got a yummy Blood Orange Bellini that was delicious! The food was great too!

The best part was my company...I do love these ladies!!

Sorry for my devil eyes! I couldn't figure  how to edit the red eye!

And to top it off...they got me the BEST present!!! (Y'all did too much!!)

The bottom of my hand looks a little strange...what is up with that?

Check out my new bling! I LOVE this bracelet! It is just what I have been wanting! Remember the necklace I posted HERE and what about the bracelet I posted HERE....it is like they know me or something?!! ;) Cannot wait to sport it all the time!

3. Last night the teachers I worked with last year sent out texts about "what one word represented each of us" and the funny thing is all my surrounded my "hick" accent. (All the "words" for everyone made me chuckle!) It is funny though because living here...no one talks about my accent because everyone sounds just like me!! :) 

So on that note...Night Y'all!!! Tomorrow is the BIG day! :)

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Three Things Thursday...

Happy Monday and MLK Jr. Day!

We are out of school today and have gotten a lot done! We ran some errands and loads of laundry. We even decided to make a "Pokey" cake to celebrate MLK Jr. Day. I got the idea and recipe from THIS SITE. Now we are going to share the cake with friends so we don't eat it all here at the Hoppe house...it is yummy!

This is Norah trying on some glasses while out in Tuesday Morning! Very Cute!

 This weekend we went out to a farm of our friends with other families and had a great time! Thanks to Keith and Glenn for having us out!

Sunday we went to Sunday school and Church...which was awesome as usual. I do love all the people in the Sunday school class...they are so funny and knowledgeable...love them! I must say that I am excited about the Superbowl this year now! I did want the Broncos to go all the way...and when they lost...I was leaning toward Atlanta. However, I think the SF and Ravens is going to be a great game and I am good with either winning!How sad that football will be over till the Fall...
Well off to finish some things around the house and get in gear for tomorrow.

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Happy Monday and MLK Jr. Day!

To make you smile...or at least it made me smile...

I found this and it makes me laugh. First, I love "Big Bang Theory" and I think the flash mob thing is pretty funny. Check it out and watch "Raj"....it cracks me up!



And I still watch this video of the swim team for a smile!)



Speaking of flash mobs...the school I worked at last year ("The Hollow!")...the dance teacher taught a group of students to do a flash mob. So one day we were sitting in the cafeteria and they busted out with it...it was really cool! And to continue with my train of thought here...last night I got sent this picture by phone...

That would be part of my team from last year...Early, Noel, Gordon and Adams (even though Adams is the guidance counselor....you know we count you as a Mountaineer team member!). They were out celebrating Mr. Early as yesterday was his last day at Quail Hollow. He is changing professions and starts a new chapter of his life! Congrats Early! Missing in the picture is me, Callaway and Brown from the Mountaineer Hallway. I sure do miss all of you...no one can have a meeting like us Mountaineers! Y'all are the BEST!

Well today's adventure is some good ole' family fun with some friends...I'm sure I will have a recap and pics to post later! But first....cleaning and you guessed it....laundry.

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To make you smile...or at least it made me smile...

Happy Friday!

Yeah! Today is the start of a three day weekend and I could not be more excited about it! Wednesday night we had our family night and since it was super gorgeous outside...we took the dogs and headed to the beach. It was beyond glorious! This was the conversation between Jeff and I right when we arrived on the sand:
Jeff: "Do you smell that?"
Me: "Smells like happiness."
Seriously...the beach is the most magnificent place...clears your head and makes everything seem alright with the world! Of course I took some pics and get ready for pic overload!

Aaaahhhh...doesn't it make you relax just looking at the beach?!

Okay so birthday countdown is 7 days and I'm getting pretty excited! My mom and Denny should be here that weekend so Norah gets to spend the night with them...Jeff and I get a date night! I cannot wait! I told Jeff that all I want for my birthday is to not have to cook or clean anything the entire weekend so I think he can handle that!!

I have been on a kick about getting the house more together by hanging our pictures (yes, it only took 6 months!), finishing painting (we may finish by summer!), and ya know odds and ends. I did see this fake turtle shell at Target and I so want it!! I think it would be awesome to hang in our dining room or somewhere! I promise it looks cool in person and you could always paint it a color too!

Well I'm off to enjoy my time alone as Jeff has Norah at family swim time at the gym. Oh yeah, everyone that has been asking me about the fish in Pawleys Island...yes...Jeff went out there and said you could smell it the moment you got close. The beach we went to on Family Night is North Litchfield Beach so no dead fish!

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Happy Friday!

Tuesday Things....

1. I found this really cute etsy store that has small water color paintings...check it out HERE. Aren't this cute? I need some owls in my life!

And then look at this cute one of hummingbirds...precious!

2. I found these two tidbits on the internet lately and they are both freaky in a different way. Did you see this article HERE about the twins in Belgium who were euthanized by choice? And on completely different note...I saw this picture...

Yeah...on the left is them now and the right is them in 1986 (I loved "Crocodile Dundee"!)...did you know that they were married in real life?

3. I saw this pic of Gwyneth Paltrow's kitchen....picture from HERE

Love the gray cabinets and white counters! The cabinet color reminds me of our old house's kitchen cabinets as you can see below in these two pictures

I think in our house here in Pawleys...I will paint the kitchen cabinets gray too but go for a darker gray. Kinda like this color gray cabinets below that you can find HERE

Any darker gray paint colors (love Benjamin Moore paint) recommendations out there?

4. It has been in the high 70 degrees here...crazy but awesome! I also keep thinking it is the day ahead of us...aka today is Wednesday?! I wish! This weekend is a three day weekend...Yippee! Well today was just a completely random post! Off to do the usual stuff to prepare for tomorrow! And tomorrow is family night...we are excited about that around here!

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Tuesday Things....

Saturday Catch-up....

Thursday was Camo day at school and Norah rocked it!

Friday was busy at school and then we headed to the beach for a bonfire with friends. We may have gotten pulled on the way for going 32 in a 25 but escaped with just a warning...may have... ;) It was great and we loved hanging out with all the families! Jan (aka Julie...sorry inside joke) did an amazing job with lanterns, the fire and food. The kids ran wild and the stars were super bright...it was awesome. I tried to take some pics but none came out so hot...but here is one of cute Norah with cute Temple about to get their roasting marshmallows on!

Also I must mention that Thursday I was tagged in a photo of my first grade class on Facebook and it was amazing to reconnect with people that I haven't seen in a good 20+ years! (Yes, I am third from the right on the last row!) And a friend of mine (Ellen) was right...I should have joined Facebook sooner! :)

Today I hit up Target this morning (again...) and now we are watching football. Go Broncos! Off to chill...

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Saturday Catch-up....

Family Night and Thoughts...

Tonight was family night with just the three of us. We had a great time! We originally thought it was going to rain today so planned an indoor activity...bowling! It had been a long time since Jeff and I had bowled...we had a great time and can't wait to do it again. (And I won!)

 And if you are wondering about Norah's outfit...it was "tacky" day at school today so she picked out her clothes and told me that "you can not match on Tacky Day"...tomorrow is Camo day and she has her Camo shirt ready! Anyway we then went to Habaneros to eat some Mexican before family night ended. It was so nice to not have a tv or computer on for hours and just to talk to each other the whole time.

We all really loved having our little family night and can't wait till next one...we decided it would be BBB night...Beach, Bikes and Burgers next Wednesday! We will take the dogs on the beach, go for a bike ride and grill out some burgers!

On a completely random note...my thoughts lately...oh how I miss teaching all day and having my own classroom. I actually use two different teacher's rooms to teach in and it just isn't the same as having a dedicated room to put stuff up and all. And I only teach 1 class three days and 2 classes two days a week. But on the bright side...at least I have a job teaching at all! :) Plus I do get to see Norah some at school which is always a huge plus! Now to do a quick kitchen clean, read and bed time.

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Family Night and Thoughts...