Well, I guess the end is officially near now! Tonight at 8 pm Jason and I will be checking in to the hospital for an early morning induction tomorrow morning. I can not believe it is here! I have been flooded with emotions today ranging from sheer excitement to terror. I am nervous about labor and also nervous about being responsible for another tiny human being. I am both anxious to begin life as a family of three, and also a little sad that Jason and I will have to work for alone time when for so long we have had our little routines and date nights. There really is nothing like the range of feelings, and I am sure it will continue to be a roller coaster tomorrow and the rest of the week!
My sister is here and my mom is on the way, and both will be a big help in coaching me through the labor and being supportive of Jason. Audrey, Charles, Jack and Cindy are also on their way between tonight and tomorrow morning, and my dad will hopefully arrive tomorrow afternoon! We can not WAIT for everyone to see, hold, and kiss sweet baby Amelia. She (and Jason and I) have such a wonderful support system! We are also looking forward to visits this weekend from Amelia's Aunts and Uncles, and bringing her home over the holidays to meet everyone else!
I guess the next time either Jason or I write, we will be parents! EEK!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
38 Weeks!
Hola to our dear sweet family members! This week the reality of becoming parents has started to really sink in for Jase and me. At my appointment yesterday I was 1 cm. dialated, and I started to get nervous! I know this is good news and that we really WANT Amelia to make progress towards labor, but I guess I was in denial that we were getting close! Now I feel like I need to scramble to think of all the things I need to go before I leave work, or things I need to make sure are in place before we bring Amelia home. Hopefully I can get some nesting done this weekend.
Everything else at the appointment was fine, and Amelia's heartbeat was great. I go back next Wednesday at 39 weeks, and hopefully we will continue to be making progress!
Jason's employees threw him a baby shower this Monday and I drove to Savannah to surprise him as well. His employees are so excited for him and were so sweet. They all gave us diapers and wipes of all sizes and brands, which is perfect for us! We feel so fortunate for all the help in diapers. We also got a few cute sleepers, and this precious outfit that will make Amelia look like a cupcake (icing with sprinkle hat!).
Work is still going ok for me, although this is the first week where I have really slowed down. I just can not move as quickly and going from sitting to standing and vice versa is painful. My feet, ankles, and knees are now swelling too which really irks me by the later afternoon. I am so glad that the swelling did not pick up until this last month! Enough complaining... everything else is groovy! Our weather has warmed back up and the humidity is back in FULL force, but the forcast for next week looks great again! I really hope Amelia can be welcomed with a beautiful fall day!
Everyone keep us in your thoughts as we try to mentally prepare, and as I try to physically prepare for labor. Hope it all goes well, and everyone stays healthy. Love you all.
Everything else at the appointment was fine, and Amelia's heartbeat was great. I go back next Wednesday at 39 weeks, and hopefully we will continue to be making progress!
Jason's employees threw him a baby shower this Monday and I drove to Savannah to surprise him as well. His employees are so excited for him and were so sweet. They all gave us diapers and wipes of all sizes and brands, which is perfect for us! We feel so fortunate for all the help in diapers. We also got a few cute sleepers, and this precious outfit that will make Amelia look like a cupcake (icing with sprinkle hat!).
Work is still going ok for me, although this is the first week where I have really slowed down. I just can not move as quickly and going from sitting to standing and vice versa is painful. My feet, ankles, and knees are now swelling too which really irks me by the later afternoon. I am so glad that the swelling did not pick up until this last month! Enough complaining... everything else is groovy! Our weather has warmed back up and the humidity is back in FULL force, but the forcast for next week looks great again! I really hope Amelia can be welcomed with a beautiful fall day!
Everyone keep us in your thoughts as we try to mentally prepare, and as I try to physically prepare for labor. Hope it all goes well, and everyone stays healthy. Love you all.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
37 Week Update
Hello everyone. We have reached 37 weeks! Yippee!
At the appointment this afternoon by blood pressure was fantastic, and everything else checked out great. Amelia's head is still now, and the doctor said she felt that her head was down farther and my cervix was getting thinner. However, the doctor said I would still most likely be pregnant this time next week. So I guess we will see how next Wednesday's appointment goes! For as much as I would love for Amelia to get here, I am also o.k. with waiting until her due date! I still have some things to get finished up at work so I need these next 2 weeks at work.
For this weekend, Jason and I are going to the Beach Sweep Saturday morning to clean an area beach with my Beta Club students. Then we are hitting up a baby consignment sale in Bluffton, and I am SURE we will be watching our share of football this weekend. Jason has to work next weekend, so this could be our last weekend home alone together child-less!
We love you all and will update again soon!
At the appointment this afternoon by blood pressure was fantastic, and everything else checked out great. Amelia's head is still now, and the doctor said she felt that her head was down farther and my cervix was getting thinner. However, the doctor said I would still most likely be pregnant this time next week. So I guess we will see how next Wednesday's appointment goes! For as much as I would love for Amelia to get here, I am also o.k. with waiting until her due date! I still have some things to get finished up at work so I need these next 2 weeks at work.
For this weekend, Jason and I are going to the Beach Sweep Saturday morning to clean an area beach with my Beta Club students. Then we are hitting up a baby consignment sale in Bluffton, and I am SURE we will be watching our share of football this weekend. Jason has to work next weekend, so this could be our last weekend home alone together child-less!
We love you all and will update again soon!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
3.5 Weeks Left!
News from the Smiths in Hardeeville:
Jason is doing good at his job. He seems to really love his co-workers and what he does day to day which is so wonderful to find in a job. I think he is ready for a step up in responsibility, and I guess we will see what happens over the next year.
School is flying by for me. I have some trying students as always, but for the most part, I truly enjoy my students and the content I teach. I am not in love with AP World History, but mostly because US was my first love and I am so much more comfortable with that content. Again, we will have to see what happens next year to see what I will teach.
Our little "home" is coming together as we add all of Amelia's things. We seem to clean more often and reorganize everything. We are eager to try out some of our new toys and things that we will be using daily once she is here. We plan to do some cooking over the next 2 weekends to prepare some meals we can freeze and then use once she arrives. Any ideas for things that freeze well and do not take up a ton of room-- let us know! My mom made us some mini meat-loaves, but other than that, we have an empty freezer! (Well besides my awesome Magnum ice cream bars).
The weather has been beautiful this week with very cool mornings in the low 60's and highs in the 80's. I think due to the record setting HOT summer, I had forgotton how nice the weather can be down here in the fall. It is back in the 90's this week, but at least I know cooler temps are around the corner. We can't wait to take Amelia for stroller walks in the cooler weather in October and November.
My 36 week appointment this past week was great! My blood pressure remains low/great, Amelia's heartbeat was good, AND her head is now in the right position! My doctor did a quick ultrasound to confirm and her head was down and butt was up! She seemed to be extremely squished in there with knees, elbows, arms and legs everywhere. My doctor noted how long she seemed- about 18.5 inches already. She did not mention anything about her weight, but I am measuring on week so I guess she is just average (at this point should be about 6 pounds). My internal check showed that I am not dialated yet and that she has not dropped, so no progress towards labor yet. I go back this Wednesday for another check!
I am going to post some updated pictures of the nursery since we have added bedding, and all of our lovely gifts and decorations. See most of you soon!
Jason is doing good at his job. He seems to really love his co-workers and what he does day to day which is so wonderful to find in a job. I think he is ready for a step up in responsibility, and I guess we will see what happens over the next year.
School is flying by for me. I have some trying students as always, but for the most part, I truly enjoy my students and the content I teach. I am not in love with AP World History, but mostly because US was my first love and I am so much more comfortable with that content. Again, we will have to see what happens next year to see what I will teach.
Our little "home" is coming together as we add all of Amelia's things. We seem to clean more often and reorganize everything. We are eager to try out some of our new toys and things that we will be using daily once she is here. We plan to do some cooking over the next 2 weekends to prepare some meals we can freeze and then use once she arrives. Any ideas for things that freeze well and do not take up a ton of room-- let us know! My mom made us some mini meat-loaves, but other than that, we have an empty freezer! (Well besides my awesome Magnum ice cream bars).
The weather has been beautiful this week with very cool mornings in the low 60's and highs in the 80's. I think due to the record setting HOT summer, I had forgotton how nice the weather can be down here in the fall. It is back in the 90's this week, but at least I know cooler temps are around the corner. We can't wait to take Amelia for stroller walks in the cooler weather in October and November.
My 36 week appointment this past week was great! My blood pressure remains low/great, Amelia's heartbeat was good, AND her head is now in the right position! My doctor did a quick ultrasound to confirm and her head was down and butt was up! She seemed to be extremely squished in there with knees, elbows, arms and legs everywhere. My doctor noted how long she seemed- about 18.5 inches already. She did not mention anything about her weight, but I am measuring on week so I guess she is just average (at this point should be about 6 pounds). My internal check showed that I am not dialated yet and that she has not dropped, so no progress towards labor yet. I go back this Wednesday for another check!
I am going to post some updated pictures of the nursery since we have added bedding, and all of our lovely gifts and decorations. See most of you soon!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Shower #2!
First off, a big thanks to our other faithful readers, Grandma, Pops, Nana, and Auntie Lauren ;)
Things are flying by in the Smith apartment. We now have a swing, bouncy seat, and diaper caddy loaded and ready to go. Jason has put the carseat base in the back of my car, and loaded our hospital bag into the trunk. Some wonderful friends of mine threw me a baby shower at work this Friday and we got some precious clothes, gift cards, diapers, and unique homemade and personalized gifts! We also got to play "Pin the Sperm on the Egg" and the fact that Adriana and her mom handmade the sperm with pipe cleaners and googly eyes made my week!
In other news, I had my Open House this week at school and my AP students' parents seemed to be very "concerned" that I was pregnant. Oh well right!! Since the majority of my leave is unpaid I am not legally able to "work" on my leave. I am creating lessons for my sub, but once I am gone parents can not harrass me every week about assignments. This was a big relief for me because I didn't want to feel like I was working while I was gone. I only have 3 weeks and 4 days of work left! I can not believe how fast August has flown by! For those who are coming down for Amelia's arrival, I am going to email some directions to the hospital. We can't wait!
I have my 36 week appointment this Thursday to do my Strept culture and hopfully an ultrasound to see Amelia's position. We are still hopeful that she has turned on her own and is getting ready to "lighten" or drop. We will keep everyone posted!
Jason is working this weekend, but has off Labor Day which will be nice. We will probably just sit around, refold and smell Amelia's precious clothes, and go shopping with gift cards!
We love and miss everyone- see you soon!
Things are flying by in the Smith apartment. We now have a swing, bouncy seat, and diaper caddy loaded and ready to go. Jason has put the carseat base in the back of my car, and loaded our hospital bag into the trunk. Some wonderful friends of mine threw me a baby shower at work this Friday and we got some precious clothes, gift cards, diapers, and unique homemade and personalized gifts! We also got to play "Pin the Sperm on the Egg" and the fact that Adriana and her mom handmade the sperm with pipe cleaners and googly eyes made my week!
In other news, I had my Open House this week at school and my AP students' parents seemed to be very "concerned" that I was pregnant. Oh well right!! Since the majority of my leave is unpaid I am not legally able to "work" on my leave. I am creating lessons for my sub, but once I am gone parents can not harrass me every week about assignments. This was a big relief for me because I didn't want to feel like I was working while I was gone. I only have 3 weeks and 4 days of work left! I can not believe how fast August has flown by! For those who are coming down for Amelia's arrival, I am going to email some directions to the hospital. We can't wait!
I have my 36 week appointment this Thursday to do my Strept culture and hopfully an ultrasound to see Amelia's position. We are still hopeful that she has turned on her own and is getting ready to "lighten" or drop. We will keep everyone posted!
Jason is working this weekend, but has off Labor Day which will be nice. We will probably just sit around, refold and smell Amelia's precious clothes, and go shopping with gift cards!
We love and miss everyone- see you soon!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Getting So Close!!
First, a shoutout to our sole reader Grandpa Charles :)
Second, Jason and I can barely believe how quickly the last weeks are flying by! We had our AMAZING shower, where we were blessed with so many beautiful and useful treasures. Amelia is one lucky little girl. We feel like the nursery is almost ready, but still have a few essentials to get for the bathroom and for feeding. This weekend our goal is to pack a bag for the car to take when we rush to the hospital! Any suggestions would be appreciated. We searched for an online checklist but feel that many of those lists have you packing your entire home!
Jason and I attended Childbirth Class last weekend and really felt that it benefitted us and helped us get more excited about the end. It was really great to tour the hospital and see the rooms where all the action will be happening ;) We are impressed with the personal attention given to moms, dads, and babies at Hilton Head Hospital due to its small nature. The woman who taught our class also taught my breast-feeding class, and will definitely see me and Amelia before we leave the hospital (she may even be Amelia's baby nurse). It will be nice to see a friendly face during the delivery! The rooms seem nice and as mentioned, it is a small unit so it feels personal.
I have my 34 week check up tomorrow, where the doctors will still be feeling if Amelia remains in the breech position. I am almost certain that she still is due to how she is lying and pushing. We will have another ultrasound at 36 weeks to check one last time! I hope she can get turned and into position over the next 2 weeks!
Returning to week has been tiring, but it does help the time pass more quickly. I am focusing on writing maternity lessons so that when September 30th comes, I can drive away and not look back until mid-December!
I think this is all the updating we have for now, but we do promise to try and be better about writing so we can share this time and when Amelia is here with everyone back home!
Second, Jason and I can barely believe how quickly the last weeks are flying by! We had our AMAZING shower, where we were blessed with so many beautiful and useful treasures. Amelia is one lucky little girl. We feel like the nursery is almost ready, but still have a few essentials to get for the bathroom and for feeding. This weekend our goal is to pack a bag for the car to take when we rush to the hospital! Any suggestions would be appreciated. We searched for an online checklist but feel that many of those lists have you packing your entire home!
Jason and I attended Childbirth Class last weekend and really felt that it benefitted us and helped us get more excited about the end. It was really great to tour the hospital and see the rooms where all the action will be happening ;) We are impressed with the personal attention given to moms, dads, and babies at Hilton Head Hospital due to its small nature. The woman who taught our class also taught my breast-feeding class, and will definitely see me and Amelia before we leave the hospital (she may even be Amelia's baby nurse). It will be nice to see a friendly face during the delivery! The rooms seem nice and as mentioned, it is a small unit so it feels personal.
I have my 34 week check up tomorrow, where the doctors will still be feeling if Amelia remains in the breech position. I am almost certain that she still is due to how she is lying and pushing. We will have another ultrasound at 36 weeks to check one last time! I hope she can get turned and into position over the next 2 weeks!
Returning to week has been tiring, but it does help the time pass more quickly. I am focusing on writing maternity lessons so that when September 30th comes, I can drive away and not look back until mid-December!
I think this is all the updating we have for now, but we do promise to try and be better about writing so we can share this time and when Amelia is here with everyone back home!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Amelia's Nursery
We have been hard at work on Amelia's nursery. We did buy a new crib and changing table, but we have been recycling old furniture or using consignment stores to fill on the gaps! It has been fun searching for the perfect rocker and wall decorations, and Jason and I had a very crafty night as we painted and decorated some letters also. We can't wait until the shower on August 6th so we can finish decorating!
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
2nd Ultrasound
Well at our 2nd ultrasound, they told us it is officially a GIRL! Yippee, Amelia Hope will be joining us in October! At this ultrasound, they also confirmed that her heart clearly had 4 chambers and all was well. We got to see little Amelia sucking her thumb, and it was so so precious. These pictures were taken at 22 weeks and we are now 28 weeks so she has grown leaps and bounds by now!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Half-way There!
Can you belive I will be 22 weeks pregnant tomorrow, which makes us over half-way there! We are so excited! Our 20 week anatamy scan went really well, and the tech said she "thought" it was a Girl! We go back tomorrow to confirm that and check out the 4 chambers of the heart one last time. Since it is a girl, we are naming her Amelia Hope, and we just know she will be precious. The last 2 weeks Amelia has been extra active, kicking and flipping around, and Jason has even felt her for the first few times which has thrilled him! I took Amelia on her first plane ride this past weekend to visit Milwaukee, WI to see my friend Alice and her fiance Cam. Amelia handled the plane ride better than I did; I hate flying! We had a wonderful time sightseeing and eating cheese. The weather was also much cooler which was a needed break from the 90-100 degree weather we have been experiencing down in SC. As the school year winds down, and summer begins, we are excited to get Amelia's nursery put together, and to visit with family and good friends back home and at the beach. I will be turning 30 in 2 weeks, and cannot believe how blessed I am to be entering parenthood at such a wonderful time. We will put a picture up of our next ultrasound on Thursday!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Daycare Drama
Oh Baby! We have been researching daycares. Sigh. What an overwhelming experience!! (and we do not even live in a big town!). First, everyone that you ask will have a different opinion or each daycare. So that was not really helpful. Second, both Jason and I work early morning jobs; I need to be at work by 7:15-7:30 and Jason needs to be in Savannah by 7:30 also. SO, most daycares in our town do not open until 7 or 7:15. Annoying. Also, because we both commute, nothing is really close to either of our workplaces. We are still touring all of them but it has come down to either we need an early morning drop off in Bluffton, OR we will have to find a center on the Island.
Our next big surprise was how much CRAP you have to send with your baby for daycare. I am talking about 3 sets of crib sheets, blankets, burp cloths, extra clothes, bottles, passies, kleenex etc. etc. It only seems like so many things mostly because we don't have any of this yet for ourselves. It just reminded us of all the things babies require and that we do not know how to use some of them either.
Lastly, every time I visit a center, it seems to be chaos and babies everywhere. I know they are fine and the ratios are legal, but I just worry about leaving such a young infant. I know this is normal and it will get easier, but it is still hard!
We are visiting many this week and on the 19th after our doctor appointment, so we will let everyone know where we decide!
Our next big surprise was how much CRAP you have to send with your baby for daycare. I am talking about 3 sets of crib sheets, blankets, burp cloths, extra clothes, bottles, passies, kleenex etc. etc. It only seems like so many things mostly because we don't have any of this yet for ourselves. It just reminded us of all the things babies require and that we do not know how to use some of them either.
Lastly, every time I visit a center, it seems to be chaos and babies everywhere. I know they are fine and the ratios are legal, but I just worry about leaving such a young infant. I know this is normal and it will get easier, but it is still hard!
We are visiting many this week and on the 19th after our doctor appointment, so we will let everyone know where we decide!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Sticky Bean Smitty
Well, since we have gone public on facebook, we finally decided to update our blog! We promise to write more since we have a bun in the oven and hope to be connected to friends and family back home through the blog to share our experience.
First, meet little Smitty:
This picture is actually "old" now as it was taken at 10 weeks, and we are now 15 weeks! Smitty has surely grown leaps and bounds since then (and so has mommy). Seeing Baby Smitty at 10 weeks was such a job because he/she was bouncing all over the places flapping his/her little arms and legs. We have our anatomy scan on May 19th, and then we can stop calling him/her a bean or an it. We can not wait!
At our last appointment, the heartrate was down from 155 to 145, so we are still leaning towards little Andrew instead of little Amelia, but of course no one really knows!
No other new news to report besides the bean. Jason and I both are happy in our jobs and even happier to be working the same shift together. We will soon learn my fate about my contract extension for next year, and as soon as we do we will be shopping for a bigger place to live so everyone can come down and babysity for us.
Much love.
First, meet little Smitty:
This picture is actually "old" now as it was taken at 10 weeks, and we are now 15 weeks! Smitty has surely grown leaps and bounds since then (and so has mommy). Seeing Baby Smitty at 10 weeks was such a job because he/she was bouncing all over the places flapping his/her little arms and legs. We have our anatomy scan on May 19th, and then we can stop calling him/her a bean or an it. We can not wait!
At our last appointment, the heartrate was down from 155 to 145, so we are still leaning towards little Andrew instead of little Amelia, but of course no one really knows!
No other new news to report besides the bean. Jason and I both are happy in our jobs and even happier to be working the same shift together. We will soon learn my fate about my contract extension for next year, and as soon as we do we will be shopping for a bigger place to live so everyone can come down and babysity for us.
Much love.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
High Speed January
Well, so far this first month of the new year is flying by!
We had a great time in Gboro for MLK weekend celebrating Jack's birthday, and see my family as well. Although I love our time in Gboro with everyone, slowly, our home in S.C. is becoming home. We are sometimes eager to get back to our little routines. It is nice to be happy in both places.
So far, our favorite Christmas present is Audrey and Charles' gift of the BluRay player and Netflix! We love being able to watch our favorite movies and shows instantly!
Even though our week was short after MLK weekend, is was a busy one. I had my monthly bookclub meeting, which I look forward to each month! We keep attracting new amazing women, and keep reading great books! This month we read The Lace Reader, and we also found out that The South Magazine is going to do a feature article on our bookclub. Miki, our founder, had the great idea of starting an Adventure Book Club, where after every book the host picks an adventure that correlates with the book. It has been a blast so far, and I look forward to every adventure!
This past week I had a day of professional development, which is pretty much a bunch of teachers that sit around and complain about everything. My profession is so hard to stay positive in! I hope I can stay optimistic for a few more years. I also had a girls night with some of my amazing coworkers, and then Jason and I went on a date on Saturday night. We searched and searched for some awesome Bluffton restaurants to visit, and of course ended up picking La Hacienda. Will we every stray from chips, salsa, and margaritas??
We are looking forward to February as we are hosting a SuperBowl party!! Also, I will be heading out of town for a while to chaperone our school's Model U.N. team. We are competing at Georgia Southern University where we placed 2nd last year. I am excited to see so many bright high school students debate about the world's pressing problems!
As always, come visit if you wish! We love you!
We had a great time in Gboro for MLK weekend celebrating Jack's birthday, and see my family as well. Although I love our time in Gboro with everyone, slowly, our home in S.C. is becoming home. We are sometimes eager to get back to our little routines. It is nice to be happy in both places.
So far, our favorite Christmas present is Audrey and Charles' gift of the BluRay player and Netflix! We love being able to watch our favorite movies and shows instantly!
We are looking forward to February as we are hosting a SuperBowl party!! Also, I will be heading out of town for a while to chaperone our school's Model U.N. team. We are competing at Georgia Southern University where we placed 2nd last year. I am excited to see so many bright high school students debate about the world's pressing problems!
As always, come visit if you wish! We love you!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Winter Weather
Well, it is official! I got my first 2 hour delay of the year! Yippee! I know most of the South is getting mucho snow and ice this week, but I was so excited to see Freezing Rain on our forcast that I could barely get to sleep. The roads were fine driving in this morning, but inland areas were right at freezing so the whole county had to delay. The school pretty much fell apart this morning with teachers and students not knowing about the delay, no bell schedule, etc. I was just happy for my 2 extra hours of sleep!
We are excited to come home again this weekend to celebrate Jason dad's birthday! We are also excited about the 3 day MLK weekend!
We are excited to come home again this weekend to celebrate Jason dad's birthday! We are also excited about the 3 day MLK weekend!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Even LAMER
Ok, well I think it might be hard to catch up on everything Jason and I have done since October.
Here is the short and sweet:
We had the BEST time with dear friends Megan and Sean who came to visit!
We also had an awesome time enjoying Savannah around Halloween time. We took a haunted walking ghost tour with Audrey, Charles, Lauren, and Alan! Then I took a traveling hearse tour with my book club (in honor of Pride and Prejudice). Then... we went on a haunted pub crawl with Jack and Cindy! I think I know all the ghost stories now, so come on down next year!
Other highlights of fall include going home for the official weekend of Halloween and seeing Jack Henry trick or treat.
November had its ups and downs. I was able to travel home for Thanksgiving, but without my hubby who had to work the entire week and weekend. We also have been struggling in our attempts to start a family. This has been both humbling, emotional, and an exciting time in our relationship.
December FLEW by! I had my FIRST oyster at my staff Christmas Party Oyster roast (it was ok), we went to another neighborhood oyster roast, attended the Bluffton Christmas Parade, and some of my girls from work had an enormous cookie party!
We were able to come home for Christmas, and though it was a whirlwind of family, friends, snow, and food- it was a GREAT time for us! We really miss everyone in NC, but it did feel like "coming home" when we drove back to SC. We took down Christmas, cleaned and organized, and are ready to enjoy 2011.
Work is going good for me. I had excellent observations in the fall, and am starting a new chapter of the National Beta Club of my school. Jason is also doing well in work. Had a good performance evaluation in October, and really really hopes that the first shift vacancy could possibly be his soon (fingers and toes crossed!). We hope to have more visitors once the spring time arrives.
I will try and post more pics of our Christmas visit soon. AND I will try and update more frequently! Hugs to all.
Here is the short and sweet:
We had the BEST time with dear friends Megan and Sean who came to visit!
Other highlights of fall include going home for the official weekend of Halloween and seeing Jack Henry trick or treat.
December FLEW by! I had my FIRST oyster at my staff Christmas Party Oyster roast (it was ok), we went to another neighborhood oyster roast, attended the Bluffton Christmas Parade, and some of my girls from work had an enormous cookie party!
We were able to come home for Christmas, and though it was a whirlwind of family, friends, snow, and food- it was a GREAT time for us! We really miss everyone in NC, but it did feel like "coming home" when we drove back to SC. We took down Christmas, cleaned and organized, and are ready to enjoy 2011.
Work is going good for me. I had excellent observations in the fall, and am starting a new chapter of the National Beta Club of my school. Jason is also doing well in work. Had a good performance evaluation in October, and really really hopes that the first shift vacancy could possibly be his soon (fingers and toes crossed!). We hope to have more visitors once the spring time arrives.
I will try and post more pics of our Christmas visit soon. AND I will try and update more frequently! Hugs to all.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
We have been so LAME!
So sorry for the LACK of postings!!!!! The main reason I stopped posting was that my camera broke! I don't know why, but it seems weird for me to post without pictures, but I am going to anyway. I will just have to add some of our new place after this weekend. I will update in List fashion.....
1. We LOVE our new place!! It is big, beautiful, clean, has a pretty pool, and CLOSE to my work! My only complaint so far has been out slightly loud neighbors who like to watch their TV or play video games loud, but they usually stop at 10 pm... which is sadly PAST my bedtime.
2. I REALLY like my job!! I will not use the word love simply because there are days, students, meetings, and grading that keeps me from using this word. However, there are also other students, fellow teachers, and teachable moments that make me very much enjoy how I spend most of my time.
My school actually was on the local news last night as a segment for "How Cool is your School" and a bunch of my kids were on there for chorus and robotics club- Click Here to Watch!
3. We enjoyed coming home for Labor Day and seeing precious Jack Henry and all of the family, but were not happy to return home with Jack's cold.
4. I am addicted to Fantasy Football. Sunday has always been my favorite day of the week, but now it is really really my favorite day. Yummy coffee and strawberry toast, watching football and doing work, cooking dinner and watching HBO. Ahhhhh, nice.
5. I had a blast celebrating my new friend Rebecca's 30th birthday in downtown Savannah, which included wining, dining, and dancing at all of our new favorite spots. We were only stopped from a late night swim in the hotel pool by locked doors. It was fun to know that turning 30 only means that you can have MORE fun with LESS drama than your twenties. I look forward to my celebration in June.
6. We have been tossing around the idea of adopting a puppy.
7. We have also been tossing around the idea of starting a family. (Such light things we toss).
8. We are both thrilled to be sleeping with the windows open.....finally.
9. We are STOKED that Megan and Sean are visiting up Oct. 8-10 for Pirate's Fest. We are excited to show off our new home and area, and to catch up with some friends!
10. We are also super excited to celebrate Jason's birthday with his parent's Oct. 22-24.
11. We are tossing around the idea of coming home for Halloween instead of waiting for Thanksgiving.
12. We are very excited to be attending our first SEC game in Athens, GA on Nov. 6th when we go with our friends Rebecca and Jenn to watch Georgia play.
I think that is everything! We promise to post pictures of the apartment and our events soon.
Come visit up and you will get to see Savannah, Old Town Bluffton, and Hilton Head Island!
2. I REALLY like my job!! I will not use the word love simply because there are days, students, meetings, and grading that keeps me from using this word. However, there are also other students, fellow teachers, and teachable moments that make me very much enjoy how I spend most of my time.
3. We enjoyed coming home for Labor Day and seeing precious Jack Henry and all of the family, but were not happy to return home with Jack's cold.
4. I am addicted to Fantasy Football. Sunday has always been my favorite day of the week, but now it is really really my favorite day. Yummy coffee and strawberry toast, watching football and doing work, cooking dinner and watching HBO. Ahhhhh, nice.
6. We have been tossing around the idea of adopting a puppy.
9. We are STOKED that Megan and Sean are visiting up Oct. 8-10 for Pirate's Fest. We are excited to show off our new home and area, and to catch up with some friends!
11. We are tossing around the idea of coming home for Halloween instead of waiting for Thanksgiving.
12. We are very excited to be attending our first SEC game in Athens, GA on Nov. 6th when we go with our friends Rebecca and Jenn to watch Georgia play.
Come visit up and you will get to see Savannah, Old Town Bluffton, and Hilton Head Island!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Officially moved... AGAIN!
We are officially moved in to our new place in Hardeeville, SC. Jenny had her first short commute this morning, and I am anxious to find out how it felt not having to drive for an hour to get to and from work. My commute will come soon, I will be leaving here at 2:00 and seeing how long it will take me to get in. We had movers help us this time. I could not have handled moving out all of our stuff and moving into a third floor apartment unless I had a crew of 10 helping me. I had enough trouble moving us in going up 1 flight of stairs in Georgetown with Charles, Mom, Jenny, Terry, and Connie. It was definitely worth the price this time. They got to our place at 9:15 on Friday and were done at 2:00. That left us only the unpacking and the cleaning of the old place, which would have taken us a lot longer without the help of great cleaners Connie and Terry.
The new place already feels like home. We have done a lot of unpacking already. The kitchen is done and our bedroom is close. I have hung curtains in our room and we have started putting things on the walls throughout the house. We still have a lot of unpacking and re-arranging to do, but we feel settled pretty well already. This new place is huge! It is two bedrooms like the last place we were in, but we now have two bathrooms (which means decorating another bathroom and cleaning another bathroom). But where our other place was 800 square feet, this one is 1200! And there are 9 foot ceilings. So we are adding 400 square feet of space and 4400 cubic feet of volume. And I can definitely feel it. Unfortunately our camera is broken right now, so we can't show pictures right now. But as soon as we are able, we will be taking some and posting for everyone to see. That way everyone can see the before pictures (our place in Georgetown) and the after pictures (our place in Hardeeville). We can't wait to have people come visit us here and relax in our big apartment with us!
The new place already feels like home. We have done a lot of unpacking already. The kitchen is done and our bedroom is close. I have hung curtains in our room and we have started putting things on the walls throughout the house. We still have a lot of unpacking and re-arranging to do, but we feel settled pretty well already. This new place is huge! It is two bedrooms like the last place we were in, but we now have two bathrooms (which means decorating another bathroom and cleaning another bathroom). But where our other place was 800 square feet, this one is 1200! And there are 9 foot ceilings. So we are adding 400 square feet of space and 4400 cubic feet of volume. And I can definitely feel it. Unfortunately our camera is broken right now, so we can't show pictures right now. But as soon as we are able, we will be taking some and posting for everyone to see. That way everyone can see the before pictures (our place in Georgetown) and the after pictures (our place in Hardeeville). We can't wait to have people come visit us here and relax in our big apartment with us!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Missing Savannah Already
On a positive note, I really do like the town we are moving to. Our address will be Hardeeville, but if you spit you could reach Sun City and Bluffton SC. Both of these small towns sit right on the water and are before the bridges that reach Hilton Head Island. They are much smaller than Savannah (which is smaller than Greensboro!) so I feel like I keep going down in town size. It is the type of place where you only have one movie theatre option and you are lucky if it has stadium seating. I will probably also start running into some of my students which I have always tried to avoid, but it sure beats the hour commute. However, everything in Bluffton is new with nice grocery stores like Publix, nice eateries, and thank goodness there is still a Target, Barnes and Noble, and a brand spanking new Wally World.
Overall however, I am still in love with Savannah. We are coming up on my favoritee time of year down here (and yes, I do know because Jason moved down here LAST October!). Summer lingers here well into October but the humidity lessens and you can wear dresses or jeans and a short-sleeved top well into "fall." Our new apartment that we move into on Sept. 10th will have a screened porch that we can not wait to use! The nights are especially comfortable outside and I am getting very excited for all of the festivals on River Street. We are missing a big one this Labor Day weekend to come home, but we are looking forward to Oktoberfest, PirateFest, and officially going to our first UGA game in Athens in November with our friends Rebecca and Jenn.
I honestly can not believe how easily we settled into our new city and jobs. Last year was so hard with Jason and I being 5 hours apart and we couldn't wait to be back together and really start a married life together. Well, it has been almost 2 and half months and it has been both extremely trying and exciting! Many people say that moving to a new city as a married couple strengthens you because you have to rely on each other so much and I do think that it is true.... but maybe it is because Jason works second shift and I work first that we have also had to rely on ourselves. We have each made our own friends and really found happiness in our careers and interests outside of our relationship as well. I won't say that I don't eagerly await the weekends so I can spend time with my hubby, but I am very thrilled with the new people I have met here in Savannah and how much fun I can have even when Jason is at work!!
I am very happy we have signed a year's lease at Courtney Bend apartments and as much as I would love to move back to NC, I actually hope we do not have to break this lease before next September.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Rainy Days
Well it does not feel like Fall is creeping in yet in the Savannah-Hilton Head area, but I can tell the seasons are changing because it is raining more and it is getting darker earlier. I can not wait for cooler weather!
This past weekend Jason and I tried to go to our home opener football game but it got stormed out :( We did however meet up at the "Hurricane Bar" with another new teacher Heather and her husband for a few drinks at the marina on the island before heading over the Gene and Nancy's to stay for the night. Saturday Jason and I spent the day at the beach on Hilton Head and we LOVED their public access, especially compared to Tybee Island in Savannah. HH was less crowded and had much nicer facilities such as showers and bathrooms (and parking!). For those of you who do not know much about HHI, it was only developed in the 1960's by a man who wanted to create a community that could exist with nature. The original community was called Sea Pines and then neighborhoods spread from there. Because of his original vision, HHI has very strict building codes. There are no neon signs, billboards, or any bright paint colors. As Gene says it takes an act of Congress to cut down a tree limb. The entire island is very wooded with tons of birds, animals and bike paths (oh, and golf courses!). You will be driving along and then--- "oops, I think I just passed the grocery store!" You can not see anything from the roads because of the trees. The beach itself was wide and had clean water but very few waves so it felt more like a lake than an ocean. But it is a very nice beach with far fewer rescues like Tybee!
Classes are still going good this week and I am already approaching Thursday! Today was picture day and of course I forgot, so I will be featured in the yearbook this year rocking a ponytail. SWEET.
I have my other bookclub this Friday and the featured book is called The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. It is a memoir about a woman who grew up in poverty because her parents chose to roam from place to place in the west instead of providing for their children. It is painful to still watch as the children adore their parents despite the wrongful things they do to them and the amazing ways they can survive and find food. I have found the book so far and enjoyable to read because Walls simply tells the stories- she doesn't give emotional commentary. It is also interesting to see the development between the siblings and how they will all turn into successful productive adults in big cities like New York while their parents are still homeless in the same city. It really is a fascinating and heartbreaking story. It has made me enter my classrooms with a little different attitude because I now wonder how many of my students feed themselves or live without basic amenities like AC, heat, or even indoor plumbing. Worse than those lack of physical conditions, the children in the book also lacked emotional care, which I definitely see everyday. Sometimes I wish people would just not have children when they can not be responsible enough to care for them.
Anywho- almost another weekend! We are collecting boxes for our next move to Jasper County, SC. I guess we will have to get new driver licenses and I will have to rename the blog to the Smiths Take on the GA/SC State Line. Ha.
This past weekend Jason and I tried to go to our home opener football game but it got stormed out :( We did however meet up at the "Hurricane Bar" with another new teacher Heather and her husband for a few drinks at the marina on the island before heading over the Gene and Nancy's to stay for the night. Saturday Jason and I spent the day at the beach on Hilton Head and we LOVED their public access, especially compared to Tybee Island in Savannah. HH was less crowded and had much nicer facilities such as showers and bathrooms (and parking!). For those of you who do not know much about HHI, it was only developed in the 1960's by a man who wanted to create a community that could exist with nature. The original community was called Sea Pines and then neighborhoods spread from there. Because of his original vision, HHI has very strict building codes. There are no neon signs, billboards, or any bright paint colors. As Gene says it takes an act of Congress to cut down a tree limb. The entire island is very wooded with tons of birds, animals and bike paths (oh, and golf courses!). You will be driving along and then--- "oops, I think I just passed the grocery store!" You can not see anything from the roads because of the trees. The beach itself was wide and had clean water but very few waves so it felt more like a lake than an ocean. But it is a very nice beach with far fewer rescues like Tybee!
Classes are still going good this week and I am already approaching Thursday! Today was picture day and of course I forgot, so I will be featured in the yearbook this year rocking a ponytail. SWEET.
I have my other bookclub this Friday and the featured book is called The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. It is a memoir about a woman who grew up in poverty because her parents chose to roam from place to place in the west instead of providing for their children. It is painful to still watch as the children adore their parents despite the wrongful things they do to them and the amazing ways they can survive and find food. I have found the book so far and enjoyable to read because Walls simply tells the stories- she doesn't give emotional commentary. It is also interesting to see the development between the siblings and how they will all turn into successful productive adults in big cities like New York while their parents are still homeless in the same city. It really is a fascinating and heartbreaking story. It has made me enter my classrooms with a little different attitude because I now wonder how many of my students feed themselves or live without basic amenities like AC, heat, or even indoor plumbing. Worse than those lack of physical conditions, the children in the book also lacked emotional care, which I definitely see everyday. Sometimes I wish people would just not have children when they can not be responsible enough to care for them.
Friday, August 20, 2010
The Joys of Teaching
Well I have been gone for too long!! Sorry for the blogging drought- I am pretty sure I have lost all of my readers out there... but it has been a rough two weeks! I officially had my first week in my new job with teacher workdays and then I had my first week with students as a teacher at Hilton Head Island High School. Besides the few near complete break downs and going to bed at 845 and waking up at 5 am, it has actually been a pretty positive 2 weeks- I will start with the good...
Things I Love about my new job!
-I have excellent technology in my classroom! they even gave me a laptop unlike my last school where I took my own every day
-I have all my students year round (this can also be bad- see below)
-I work with very smart and professional people who take their jobs seriously
-I have a new work friend named Heather- she teaches SPED
-My room is cold and not musty!
-I am not in charge of textbooks- Praise the Lord!
-Our school colors are UNC blue and navy
-My AP students already know things such has all of the US Wars and who MLK, Tubman, the Grimke Sisters, and the Mayans are- and they use words like bias, perspective, and "culturally sensitive" (and they are only in 10th grade)
-My students wear uniforms
Things I am Learning to Love about my New Job (Staying Positive Here)
-I commute over an hour each way
-I cannot make my own copies- EVER- I have to submit them and wait til the next day, and I am pretty sure I will be over my limit by October, so please buy me reams of paper for Xmas
-I have my students ALL YEAR LONG (oh, 4th block)
-I have a floater in my room during my planning
-I still do not have an email account, log in, or am on payroll after week 2
-There is not really a teacher work room or area to congregate
-Getting supplies is like squeezing water out of a cactus
-I have a new prep- it is like being a 1st year all over again
-I have the 4th block bad boys on B days (thank god we rotate days)
So there you have it! I survived the first week!!! I accidentally made fun of a boy because he told me his name was Storm and I thought he was joking, and then I had the class during the fire drill who were taking their shirts off and running around like a bunch of crazy kids, but...... I haven't quit yet! (or gotten fired!).
Luckily for Jason (ha) he was on first shift both weeks, so he got to tuck me in at 8 o'clock each night and make sure I had a lunch packed for the next day. What a great husband he is to marry a teacher, because it is not a normal career choice. We get exhausted and cranky and we really don't want to talk about anything by the end of the day. And we cry alot during the first week of school! But next week is the second week so it is all up hill!
Tonight Jason is meeting me for our first home football game and then we are staying the night with Gene and Nancy. Gene is my Aunt Sarah's brother who lives here on the island and has been great to me and Jason helping us find a new place to live and give us directions all of the time. Tomorrow we plan to explore the island and hit the beaches to compare them to Tybee Island!
More posts will come!
Things I Love about my new job!
-I have excellent technology in my classroom! they even gave me a laptop unlike my last school where I took my own every day
-I have all my students year round (this can also be bad- see below)
-I work with very smart and professional people who take their jobs seriously
-I have a new work friend named Heather- she teaches SPED
-My room is cold and not musty!
-I am not in charge of textbooks- Praise the Lord!
-Our school colors are UNC blue and navy
-My AP students already know things such has all of the US Wars and who MLK, Tubman, the Grimke Sisters, and the Mayans are- and they use words like bias, perspective, and "culturally sensitive" (and they are only in 10th grade)
-My students wear uniforms
Things I am Learning to Love about my New Job (Staying Positive Here)
-I commute over an hour each way
-I cannot make my own copies- EVER- I have to submit them and wait til the next day, and I am pretty sure I will be over my limit by October, so please buy me reams of paper for Xmas
-I have my students ALL YEAR LONG (oh, 4th block)
-I have a floater in my room during my planning
-I still do not have an email account, log in, or am on payroll after week 2
-There is not really a teacher work room or area to congregate
-Getting supplies is like squeezing water out of a cactus
-I have a new prep- it is like being a 1st year all over again
-I have the 4th block bad boys on B days (thank god we rotate days)
So there you have it! I survived the first week!!! I accidentally made fun of a boy because he told me his name was Storm and I thought he was joking, and then I had the class during the fire drill who were taking their shirts off and running around like a bunch of crazy kids, but...... I haven't quit yet! (or gotten fired!).
Luckily for Jason (ha) he was on first shift both weeks, so he got to tuck me in at 8 o'clock each night and make sure I had a lunch packed for the next day. What a great husband he is to marry a teacher, because it is not a normal career choice. We get exhausted and cranky and we really don't want to talk about anything by the end of the day. And we cry alot during the first week of school! But next week is the second week so it is all up hill!
Tonight Jason is meeting me for our first home football game and then we are staying the night with Gene and Nancy. Gene is my Aunt Sarah's brother who lives here on the island and has been great to me and Jason helping us find a new place to live and give us directions all of the time. Tomorrow we plan to explore the island and hit the beaches to compare them to Tybee Island!
More posts will come!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Dear Truckers...
Dear Male Truckers,
I would like to tell you how much it irritates me and ruins my trip on I-95 when you honk at me, flash your lights at me, speed up to ride next to me, ride my tail, or make obscene gestures at me. I do NOT think your truck is sexy and I will NOT flash you a boob or pull over and make out with you. Why do you think that my middle finger means that you should continue such behavior? Why do you think that I like being pestered? The I-95 highway is NOT a 2nd grade playground so please keep you eyes off my sunroof and on the road!
Sincerely,
A Pissy '98 White Honda Accord
I would like to tell you how much it irritates me and ruins my trip on I-95 when you honk at me, flash your lights at me, speed up to ride next to me, ride my tail, or make obscene gestures at me. I do NOT think your truck is sexy and I will NOT flash you a boob or pull over and make out with you. Why do you think that my middle finger means that you should continue such behavior? Why do you think that I like being pestered? The I-95 highway is NOT a 2nd grade playground so please keep you eyes off my sunroof and on the road!
Sincerely,
A Pissy '98 White Honda Accord
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)