a little piece of HEAVEN.

Ahh...this is where I've spent the past 5 days of my life...

....and THIS is what I did the WHOLE time I was there...

I'm a little disappointed because I made the CUTEST scrapbook page of my beach pictures using this site, but my computer has been completely ridiculous tonight, so I never really got it to do what I wanted. Maybe next time.

Here we go....

Heather was visiting her parents in Jackson for Memorial Day weekend, so I woke up Monday morning and drove to her parents' house and we left from there. Here we are about to leave Jackson and head for the beach!!

Now, before you jump to any conclusions about the next picture, I must throw in a little comment here. I have always been generally good at finding my way somewhere. I love Mapquest, I can read an atlas, and can follow written directions fairly well. I have very rarely gotten lost. So, when Heather's dad typed out perfect directions from his house to their condo, I thought it would be a piece of cake to get there. Plus, it was me AND Heather, and 2 heads are better than 1 right?

The weather was perfect for driving and the traffic was surprisingly good. We thought we were making good time and could possibly even have a couple of good hours on the beach once we got there. We're driving along, apparently not paying as much attention as we thought, when we both decide we need to use the restroom. I see a sign that says "Louisiana rest stop ahead." So I said (TOTALLY without realizing that it said 'LOUSIANA!'): "OK, there's a rest stop right up here, so we can stop. It was Heather that came to her senses first and said "UMMM...WHY are we in LOUSIANA?!"

I was the driver and I take complete responsibility of this stupid mistake. I will say that this was the first time I had driven from Jackson to the beach, so I guess I just assumed we were supposed to be going that way. Still....I shouldn't make excuses, I know. Heather started laughing immediately, but it took a good hour for me to find the humor. I was tired of driving. I wanted to be at the beach. I DIDN'T HAVE 60 EXTRA DOLLARS TO FILL MY GAS TANK. And did I mention I was ready to be at the beach?

Oh, and if you're at all geographically knowledgeable, you're probably able to figure out just HOW lost we got and HOW much time we lost. Needless to say, Heather and I have taken a lot of heat for our carelessness!! But hey--we were able to say that within a 7 hour period, we'd been to Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, AND Florida. Is that impressive or just plain idiotic? :)

Here's cute HEGS attempting to read an atlas and navigate our way to the beach!

We finally finally made it (nearly 2 1/2 hours AFTER the time we thought we'd be there!). Thankfully, we were able to swipe a couple of those handy carts at the condo, because CHECK OUT THE LUGGAGE! I can't believe Heather and I packed so much for a beach trip. Wow.
Although our first day was a bit hectic because of all of the extra driving we did, every other day was PERFECT. The weather could not have been any better. I truly felt like a queen. I had my own king sized bed, slept as late as I wanted, went jogging on the beach, laid out on the beautiful beach for as long as I wanted, ate fabulous seafood, sipped on frozen margaritas, etc. etc. IT WAS PERFECT.

Here are some of my favorite pictures.

Later in the week, Heather's husband Tom, his sister Jodie (L in the picture), her husband Bob, and their precious little girl Abigail, joined in on the fun!

Note: I have made fun of Heather for always putting her hand on her hip in pictures. I like to call it the "Heather pose." She claims that it makes her arm look smaller and guess what? I think she's right. You may notice that I'm doing the "Heather pose" in a couple of pictures and I think my arm does look slightly smaller! Thanks for the tip HEGS! And readers--you should give it a try!

Thanks again Heather, for such a perfect end of the school year-beginning of the summer celebration!!! Let's go ahead and start the countdown for next year's trip!

Memorial Day weekend!

I got home from my FABULOUS beach trip a few hours ago, but before I post pics from my trip, I need to play catch up on pics from LAST weekend!

Both of my sisters, brothers-in-law, and nephew were here for Memorial Day weekend and we had a blast. Nana got Henry a baby pool for her backyard and HE LOVED IT (as you can see from the cute pics below!). Of course we all circled our chairs around the pool just to watch him splash around a bit. We're pathetic. I know.

I took some pretty darn cute pics though huh?

Here are a few of me, Kristen, and Heather. I've mentioned before how fortunate I am to have 2 awesome brothers-in-law and I always love spending time with them. BUT, I must admit that having time for JUST the 3 of us to hang out is so fabulous. It doesn't happen much at all anymore, so we definitely take advantage when given the opportunity. I love the sisters.

And I HAD to post this picture. Henry loves giving kisses, but it's not too often that you can capture one on camera. Here he is giving his favorite aunt a smooch. So adorable!

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow, you're only A DAY AWAY!

Well friends, as you can see from my ticker above, I'm off to the beach tomorrow. FINALLY! My friend Heather and I have been planning this trip since August (literally!) and I am so pumped. I plan on doing a little relaxing, tanning, shopping, and eating good seafood while we're there!
I will be M.I.A from blogging until this weekend. I hope you can cope without me alhough I know it will be tough.
If at some point this week I cross your mind, just picture me laying on a beach and sipping on something fruity because that's probably what I'll be doing!
Don't hate. :)

It's beginning to look a lot like...SUMMER!!

Well...I'm finished.

I must admit that while I've been very obviously awaiting this day for quite some time, saying goodbye to my students was somewhat bittersweet yesterday. They were wild all day, I was out of my mind all day, but when it came down to actually hugging them and saying goodbye, I realized just how attached I had become. This was the first time I'd experienced seeing students weep because they didn't want to leave me! No...really! I was giving them all hugs and about 3 of my students latched onto me, started crying, and wouldn't let go.

I sure am going to miss those little stinkers.

Today was the last day for us teachers. We were able to leave around 1:00 and several of my "teacher friends" and I headed to Bin 612 to hang out and celebrate a bit!

Top L: me, Catherine, Heather; Top R: me and Mandi;Bottom L: Bambi, me, and Angie; Bottom R: all of us! (My friends Stacy, Lisa, and Amanda joined us too, but came a little later so they missed out on the picture! SORRY!).

Both of my sisters, brothers-in-law, and nephew are here for Memorial Day weekend and then I'm headed to the beach with my friend Heather to the beach on Monday! I love summer.

Have a safe weekend!

Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday dear MOM! Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday to THE most amazing person I know. My mom and I have always been close, but as I've gotten older, I've begun to appreciate her even more than ever.

I won't begin to try and list all of the endearing things about her. Let me just say this--if you meet her once, you fall in love with her immediately. If you DO know her, then you know what I'm talking about. Outwardly, she's absolutely beautiful, and she has the kindest heart of anybody I know. I talk to her AT LEAST once a day and I consider her one of my very dearest friends.

Happy Birthday Mom!

love you and I'm proud to call you my mother!

some people...ugh...

Sure, I'm a little on edge right now because it's the last week of school and my life is BEYOND chaotic right now, but this particular incident really got under my skin today.

It was one of those days. After I left school, I felt like I had a million things to do. I had an appointment at 4:00 today, and when I left at 5, I had a major headache and I was starving. I was headed to Wal Mart but I knew better than to go HUNGRY. Wal Mart alone makes me ill, but it's 100 times worse when you're hungry. Agree? I didn't want to use the time or money (as I am poor and trying to save for the BEACH!) to stop somewhere on the way to Wal Mart. Then I remembered about the handy dandy little $5 Sonic gift card one of my students gave me. AH HAH! I'm a genius. There's a Sonic right by Wal Mart...I can stop and get a grilled chicken salad, and then head to Wal Mart and move on with my life. Perfect. So...I pull up to Sonic and order my salad and Diet Cherry Limeade. It had been a while since I'd had one of those yummy little drinks and I felt as though I deserved a treat. I love cherries. Can't get enough of them. I also enjoy tying the stem in a knot with my tongue, but that's another story for another day.

The total was nearly $7 (which I thought was a little pricey), but I didn't fret. I proudly swiped my Sonic card. It didn't work. I try it again. And again. And then about 10 more times. Still no luck. So, when the nice young girl came to bring my food, I explained the situation to her.

Me: "Hi, I have this $5 Sonic card and the swiper thingy isn't working."

Sonic girl: "Let me try." (I guess she didn't think I knew how to swipe).

When unsuccessful she says "let me go inside and try."

Me: "Sure, and take my debit card with you. Put the remaining $2 on it."

Sonic girl: "Huh?"

Me: "The total is 6 something. There's only $5 on the card, so you're going to need more money to pay for the rest."

Sonic girl: (confused at this point) "Ok then...." (she walks away, still looking confused).

I wait for a few minutes and then out comes Sonic girl.

Sonic girl: "I just used your debit card for the entire meal"

Me: "Excuse me? Is there something wrong with my card"

Sonic girl: "No ma'am just the swiping thing"

Now I'M confused. If the 'swiper thing' isn't working, how did they swipe my debit card? I didn't understand. She gives BOTH of my cards back to me and goes about her way. I felt like sending my salad back with her and and heading to Pepper's to get a salad. I mean, if I'm going to spend my money, I want it to be something that I REALLY want, not something I'm just eating because I didn't have to use my money for it. It seems like they cost about the same.

Oh well...

I decided to get over it and head on to the trap I call Wal Mart. I was ready to get home, go running, and head over to my friend Heather's to watch the finale of American Idol (WOO HOO DAVID COOK!!!!!! America totally got that one right!).

I was almost finished with the Diet Cherry Limeade and was about to eat the awaited cherry at the bottom. I decided that THAT would make the whole Sonic trip worthwhile.

So, I open the top, and guess what?

NO CHERRY.

Ugh!!!!!

I'm ready for tomorrow.

a little baseball, Heather's new job, and THE LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL!!!!

Kris, Rob, and Henry came Saturday so they could be at Ron Polk's last MSU baseball game. It seems like I've gotten to see them a lot lately and I LOVE IT.me and little man at the baseball game

me and Kris at the Veranda Saturday night. Could we possibly look any different???
my mom's (aka "Lita's") birthday is this week so we had a bday lunch for her Sunday after church. Here's Henry helping his Lita with her gifts.

I also received really good news from the little sis this weekend...

SHE GOT A NEW JOB!!!!

She's really excited about it and from what I can tell, it sounds like a wonderful opportunity for her. Of course, she's extremely talented, smart and so fun to be around, so I can't imagine how anybody could turn her down for a job! :) It was a no-brainer for me.

Click here for more info!

I'm so proud of you Heather!

Last but not least, for those of you who aren't keeping up with my life...

THIS IS MY LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL!!!!!!! I say goodbye to my 21 precious angels Thursday at noon and then I'm finished until August! Yay for summer!

Relay for Life

My friend Heather and I participated in Relay for Life last night. There are several teachers from our school who are breast cancer survivors, so I was glad to be a part of "Team Sudduth" (our school's team) and show our support to those teachers as well as other cancer survivors who were there. The theme was "TV shows" and our team was "Will and Grace." Our tshirts were really cute. The back of the shirts said: "Lord, grant me that WILL to move forward, AND the GRACE to embrace the journey."

Having a grandfather who passed away from Alzheimer's, I felt the need to raise money to help find cures and fight for all types of diseases and cancers. Me and my friend Heather showing our support!

Me, Karla (our school counselor), and Heather.

Lots of cancer survivors who were walking the "survivor walk." The 2 ladies on the far right are Sudduth teachers. The lady in the very middle who is looking at the camera is my dear friend, Mrs. June.

Me and Mrs. June. She's a real survivor!

If you or someone you know has or has had some form of cancer, I encourage you to get involved with this amazing organization. This was my first year to participate, but I can assure you that it won't be my last!

Happy 2nd birthday to the love of my life...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAXWELL!!!

That's right! Today is Max's 2nd birthday! He knows it too. When we woke up this morning, I immediately started playing with him and telling him happy birthday. He is so excited! As many of you know, I am as attached to this dog as anyone can possibly be. I live alone, and getting him in '06 was the best thing I could have done for myself. It was BY FAR the best ___ dollars I've ever spent. :)

Those of you who know Max, understand why he's so easy to love. He's sweet natured and loves to play with anybody (well....almost anybody). He's VERY overly protective of me and has snapped at people more than once if they get too close to me. He follows me around everywhere I go. It's always safe to assume that if he's not right at my feet, he's probably somewhere doing something that he isn't supposed to be doing! When I have a bad day, Max is there to help me forget about it. When I'm sad or sick, Max knows it, and he'll sit in my lap and snuggle as long as I need him to.

Maybe you think I'm kidding or exaggerrating a bit. Judge me if you wish, but I flippin love this dog.

Finding a couple of my favorite pics of him is difficult. Therefore, I'm posting multiple pics for you to see. Enjoy!

Max's birthday cake last year. That's right...he had a cake. And it looked like him.

Max's innocent face when he got busted eating toilet paper.

One of his favorite hiding spots. The laundry basket....weird I know.

Our '06 Christmas card picture. Yes, you read that correctly. I sent out Christmas cards with THIS picture on it. What's wrong with that?


His first visit with Santa.

Showing his love for the bulldogs. (Sorry, Trace!).

I love this picture. He hides behind the couch when he knows I'm about to leave him.

Angel face.

Here he is strutting his polo given to him by his Aunt MSKS.

A few more important notes worth mentioning: 1. The season finale of The Office is coming on tonight! A full hour!!! 2. TOMORROW IS FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 3. A week from today I'll be out of school! 4. Check out the ticker up top, baby....I'M HEADING TO THE BEACH IN 11 SHORT DAYS!!!!!!!

just another Monday...

First of all, HAPPY BELATED MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MOTHERS! I hope you were all pampered, loved, and treated as you should be! I was able to spend time with my mom AND both of my grandmothers yesterday so it was great.
I spent the weekend with the sis. I love that girl. We ate Mexican, slept in, walked the dogs, shopped a little, and spent Saturday night in our PJ's with wine, cheese, crackers, and fruit. Does life get any better? Doubtful.

Max and Sophie had a blast too.

I stopped off in Meridian on my way home yesterday to see my Mamaw. Mom and Dad met us there, and Heather was able to come, too. I was also able to see my fabulous cousins Monica and Lisa and their families. Later that night we grilled hamburgers with my OTHER grandmother, Nana. Nothing like good old family time right?

Short post tonight I know. It's the end of the school year and my mind doesn't work too well these days. I'm just tired.

I leave you with this fun little 'experiment.' It requires no brain usage and takes very little time. Find out how many people have YOUR name! It's scary!

(MSKS--I bet there are A LOT of people named "Mary Smith"!!)

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 70 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

As if you don't already know enough about me...

Maybe I should - stop worrying about the unknown.
I don’t understand why - it costs my life savings to fill up my car with gas. Ugh.
When I wake up in the morning - I take Max out and feed him. I mean, I don't literally feed him, but I put food in his bowl.
I lost my willpower to - run a half marathon. I enjoy running. I've wanted to run a half marathon before, but have yet to really take the time and effort to do it. Maybe one day.
Life is - hard.
I get annoyed when - my students do things JUST to make me crazy. The construction workers next door wake me up at 6 am on a SATURDAY . Girls fix their hair and put on make up to go to the gym. I have to go to Wal Mart....it's a trap.
Parties are not a good time to - be antisocial
Dogs are - amazing. Getting Max was the best thing in the world for me. There are very few dogs I dislike.
Cats are- not as good as dogs. Not even close. They're not all bad, but as a whole, I'm just not a fan.
Tomorrow - I will come to school for a few hours and then leave to go see Heather in Hattiesburg! We will have a belated birthday celebration for her.
I have low tolerance for - Hillary Clinton. Sick. I also have difficulty tolerating people like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.
I’m totally terrified of - snakes and anything that can sting me.
I always knew I would - be a teacher or work with children in some way.
Never in my life have I - been out of the country. Broken a bone in my body.
High school was - OK. At the time I loved it, but I wouldn't re-do it for anything.
When I’m nervous- I bite my fingernails.
Take my advice- get a dog. Especially if you live alone.
I'm almost always - in bed by 10:00 during the week.
I’m obsessed with - diet coke. Max. Henry. Mexican food. Woodwick candles. And a new obsession for me is always having fresh flowers in my house.
I want someone to - allow me to see my future somehow.

some new faves and ADIOS JASON!

I have a new favorite TV show, song, and a Bible verse all worth mentioning tonight.

First of all, I LOVE JON AND KATE PLUS 8! When I saw the previews for it, I thought "sure, they're cute and I love kids, but I won't really get in to a show like that." Well, I KEPT seeing the previews for it on TV and eventually I was thinking "I mean, those kids are SO cute. Maybe I'll watch it if I have nothing else to do." Finally, Mom called me the other night and she was watching it. I really wasn't doing anything when she called, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. After half an hour, I was hooked. Jon and Kate are adorable and SO REAL, and I'm telling you, every single one of those kids is absolutely adorable. Can you imagine having 8 kids so close in age? Whew. I bet Kate is on some serious anxiety medication. Anyway, if you've never watched, add it to your Monday night to-do list. You'll love it.

My new favorite song may come to a shock to some of you. I'm sure some of you are expecting me to discuss the newest hit from George Strait or perhaps Sugarland. Actually, though, this isn't even from a country artist (shock!)! It's called "Stronger Woman" by Jewel. Heard it? Listen to the lyrics and you'll understand why I'm such a fan. It's on the ipod and I listen to it often.

I also have a Bible verse that I feel the need to share. It's one that I've memorized and have written on an index card which stays on my bed side table. Sometimes I pay very little attention to it. Other times, like recent days, I've spent time reading it and thinking about the meaning of it. Here it is....perhaps you're familiar with it. If not, I encourage you to jot it down and keep it handy. It's a good one.

"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed."

-Habakkuk 2:3

Told you it was good.

FINALLY--

We said goodbye to Jason tonight. Of course I think he should have gone home several weeks ago (sorry, Katey!), but America is just now waking up to reality...he's NOT worthy of such a title.

We now have a top 3: David C., David A., and Syesha. My vote is still with D.C. It'll be a close call though I think.

Oh yeah...one more thing. It's teacher appreciation week at school this week. The students are encouraged to give their teachers 'happies' this week. (ex. Monday-flowers day, Tuesday-relaxation day, etc....we have a fabulous PTA!). Well, today was SWEETS DAY. That's right. By 8:00 this morning, my desk was filled with dozens of cookies of ALL kinds, a large assortment of chocolate, brownies, etc. I did my share of 'taste-testing' today, so if I look as though I've gained a few the next time you see me, you can blame the students. :)

Friday is getting closer and closer AND I'M READY TO SEE YOU HEATHER!!!

May 5, 1983---A day that will live in infamy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE ON EARTH!
Today marks the 25th birthday of my little sis. Although I don't exactly remember the actual day of her birth (as I was only a mere 2 years old), I can assure you that that day was incredibly life changing. I'm sure the second my parents saw that chinese-looking baby with a head full of hair enter the world on May 5, 1983, they knew their lives would never be the same. I wish I could put my hands on a picture of her from that day. She was born with more hair on her head than I have on mine right now. (Slight exaggerration used for affect).

Even though I don't have baby pics of her to post right now, finding "black-mail-like" pictures was not a difficult task. I have also included a top 10 list of reasons you should love this girl. If you've never had the privilege of meeting this youngster, you must. Your life will change for ever.

So, here you go....a tribute to my one and only little sister- Heather Joy Tomlinson Skaggs...

1. She loves posing for pictures of JUST her. In fact, when given the opportunity, she will steal your camera from you and just take a ridiculous amount of pictures OF HERSELF. Nice.

2. She is a FABULOUS spokesperson for the Chi hair straightener. Need a laugh? Click here and then here.

3. She LOVES hunting and wearing camo. Can't you tell how excited she is in this picture? :) If you've ever met Heather's fantastic husband, Trey, you will agree that they are INDEED VERY different. Hunting is his PASSION in life (next to Heather, of course). Yep, they have their differences, but I can think of no one else more perfect for Heather. Bless Trey's heart.

4. Oh yeah, she loves camo so much, she even wanted to buy camo furniture. She begged and pleaded with the hubby, but he said no. He'd much rather own something from Pottery Barn.

5. She still looks beautiful even when she's TRYING to look ridiculous.

This was taken right before her wedding (in case the dress and veil didn't give it away). Instead of being a nervous wreck like I suspect most brides are, she's walking around making her friends take pictures of her--much like the one below.

6. She's a marathon runner. Look at that body. Her make up is perfect in this picture too! (Heather, I'm still not sure how you photoshopped this pic so perfectly. I'm almost scared to look at it).

7. SHE MET THE QUEEN! Gorgeous dress, HJTS.

8. She loves her dog. Poor Sophie.

9. She's NOT shy and lives to be the center of attention. These pics were taken on her birthday last year. She's wearing an apron and holding cleaning supplies. Was she cooking and cleaning like one might believe? Nope. These were simply props for the pictures that she INSISTED that I take of her. I literally followed her around taking picture after picture of her as if she were some sort of model. Seriously. And look at the pic of her blowing out the candle. So dramatic.

10. In all honesty, she is THE BEST little sister. She's hilarious, beautiful, smart, and oh how the list continues! It's no wonder so many people love spending time with her. She's truly an amazing person with a huge heart. I never get tired of spending time with her. She is one of my absolute best friends in the world. I'm heading to visit her this weekend and I CAN'T WAIT!

this was taken at her engagement party 2 years ago.

(I created this for Heather LAST year. If you have a few minutes and need a good laugh, check it out!)

Have a wonderful day Heather! I LOVE YOU!!!

Oh yeah, one more thing...if you know Heather, (or maybe even if you don't really know her!), please leave a comment sharing one of your favorite Heather-stories! We all know that there are so many of them! I swear one day I'm going to write a book on Heatherisms! Please think about it and SHARE WITH US!!!! :)

Thanks!