Fears

It's Benchmark Week!!!  What could easily be a nightmare is actually pretty well-organized by our wonderful counselors, administrators, and focus team!  I'm so thankful to work in a school where everyone works together for the good of the students.  :)  On the other hand, I am TIRED of walking in the same maze of chairs over and over non-stop for hours at at time.  Guess that's just part of it!

Ricky starts his new schedule on Saturday.  :))))

I finally took a few new photos....

Russell at the park the other day.  He feels like such a big boy now that I let him climb the "big" slide all by himself!  He wanted to do it "all day long"!

One smart cookie...

Mommy's crazy face and Russell going "What is wrong with you?!?!"

In 22 school days, I will be heading to Minneapolis on school business.  I am TERRIFIED of riding in a plane!  I haven't flown since 2003--once to D.C./back and once from Georgia to Arkansas.  We're flying Delta, and I just saw on the news a story about two Delta planes colliding on the runway when they landed.  Ahh!  Scary stuff.  I know I'll be fine once I actually get on the plane and get buckled in, but up to that point, I know I'm going to have the jitters.  :/  I have a heights issue.

Speaking of jitters, I haven't been able to get images of spiders out of my head lately!  I've had two traumatic experiences with spiders recently.  Ricky really seems to be enjoying it, too, finding opportunities constantly to scare me.  I was washing dishes the other day and turned around to get something.  When I turned back around, there was a huge spider right there on a plate in the sink!  My first reaction was to drown it.  So I turned on the hot water and was shaking the whole time I sprayed it to death...ugh, I sound like an evil person!  haha

This is what the spider in the sink looked like:  

Before that, I stepped on one in the dark on our front porch.  It was HUGE.  When I stepped on it, hundreds of little baby spiders started fleeing for their lives from under my feet.  Seriously.  The most scary spider moment in my life.  I was (and still am) so confused at how when I stepped on that spider, which I recently found out was a "wolf spider" carrying her babies on her back, all the babies survived.  Even the mommy spider survived.  She scurried away as if she was only a little startled.

Here's what it looked like:

Ok, I'm SO CREEPED OUT RIGHT NOW!!!

No Interruptions...

We went to church this morning in Langley and Russell went home with Nana afterwards.  Is is sad that I'm already missing him?  I'm not picking him up until Wednesday....what will I do with myself?  I'm sure I'll figure out something.  ;)

I've been in a photo rut lately--hence, no new photos recently.  Just too much going on and it seems like every time there is a great photo op, I don't have my camera.  BUT, I AM planning on getting Russell outside one day very soon while this weather is ahhmazing to do a little shoot.  I love outside photos!


On the diet front, in 8 weeks, I've lost 16 lbs and 22 inches.  22 inches is amazing!  I'm very psyched about that part.  :)  I am starting to be able to tell a difference in my clothes, which is a big inspiration to keep going!  I've still got a $75 gift card to Cato's from Christmas last year.  I'm saving it for when I drop a size or two.... 

On the school front, after this week, we will be in the 30's!!!  30-something days left, that is.  I'm excited about this summer and all of the time I will have with my family. 

Regarding Ricky's new job, he starts on the 16th and will be off Wednesdays and Thursdays.  I'm happy that he will be home every day, but if I'm truly honest, I'm sad that he doesn't have Sundays off.  We're one step closer to where we're headed, though, so I guess I will live with it!  Russell gets to see his daddy daily - which was my only wish, so I'm happy.  :)

Well, I guess I'm going to go watch big-people TV with no interruptions.  ;P