Rachel Time

Tuesday nights Bryan has a meeting at church.  The first week he went to this meeting (that starts at 7) I worried myself sick thinking that he had gotten in an accident on his way home since he didn't get home until almost 10:00.  I quickly learned that this is routine.  But, don't feel sorry for him.  It turns out they spend about half the time just talking and making fun of each other.  At first I was kind of sad about my Tuesday nights alone, but then I realized the beauty of Tuesday night tv.  While Bryan is gone I watch American Idol, Glee, and Parenthood.  All of these are shows Bryan is not completely crazy about so I love that I get to enjoy them all by myself without his obnoxious commentary.  I look forward to my Tuesday nights every week. 

So, please don't bother me for the next few hours while I fold my laundry and enjoy my tv.  :)

Mothers

“God could not be everywhere, and so He gave us mothers.”  President Monson

Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing women in my life, especially to my wonderful mother

I could get used to this

Today I came home to not just one but two packages in my mailbox! 

My mom sent me a ring with my initials on it.  I have one with my old initials (RLA) on it and I wear it occasionally, but it's so much more exciting to have one with my real name on it! 

My in-laws sent me a Happy Mother-to-be Day card (didn't even know those existed!) and  Pres. Uchtdorf's book and a baby rattle.  I get so excited every time we get something for the baby because it makes it seem so real.

For those kind people who were wondering how I'm feeling, I'm doing great.  I'm so lucky that I really haven't been too sick.  For the first month of my pregnancy I had a student teacher so I sat at the back of the room observing and eating crackers.  When she left I survived mostly due to collapsing on the couch every afternoon when I got home.  And then it became Popcorn Fundraiser Time.  For the past 2 weeks I've had to pop popcorn and put it in little bags for my students to sell at lunch.  You know that smell that overwhelms you every time you walk into a movie theater?  Well that's my classroom.  Every day.  And, you may think that would be fabulous, but when every smell is magnified a hundredfold it's not fabulous at all.  In fact, it's miserable.  But, I am happy to announce that today was my last day of popcorn.  I scrubbed the popcorn machine, vacuumed, swept, and wiped every counter and I'm crossing my fingers that the smell is completely gone tomorrow.

I hope your Thursday was as good as mine! 

HELP!

No, this is not another post about our baby, although I do need lots of help with that!

I am faced with a daunting task.  I have a 5-10 page reflection paper for my technology class due on Thursday.  Just four years ago this would not be a problem at all.  But apparently in my three years of being teacher instead of teachee, I have lost my ability to write on and on with almost no purpose at all.  I can't focus, I can't think of what to write, I can't even write using correct grammar (and I am the grammar queen!)  This is a complete disaster and I am so annoyed that I am even in this position at all.

Anyone want to write a paper for me?

The Best Part

A few weeks ago I wrote about my fabulous Spring Break.  But, I neglected to mention the very best part of my break.

The best part of that week was finally getting to see this little one:

(It's a good thing they labeled it 'baby' because at 9 weeks it would be difficult to identify the little blob otherwise)

Our baby is due November 12th and we are so excited for him/her! 

Virginia is for Lovers

I'm pretty sure I've written approximately 5,000 posts on how much I love Virginia, but what's another one at this point?  We have a friend who is thinking of moving to Virginia and asked me why he should.  Oh, that was a mistake.  I asked him to give me a time limit so I didn't go on for the next 10 hours.  In my short time limit, I came up with this:

1. the people are amazing- everyone is so kind and friendly, the "southern hospitality" you always hear about is 100% true (and if you want to meet the very best people in VA I could introduce them to you because coincidentally I'm related to them!)
2. it is beautiful there- trees, flowers, old buildings, etc.
3. history is everywhere you go (maybe this is only tempting for a nerd like me) I love seeing the oldest settlements in the country, presidents' homes, and old battle fields all in one day!
4. the weather is excellent- once you get over the humidity (and you will, I promise) the weather is perfect- hot in the summer with massive thunderstorms, delightful in the fall and spring, and not bad in the winter (don't count this winter, it was a fluke)

Have I convinced you yet?  My love for Virginia is one of the reasons I am dying to win the giveaway on my amazing interior designer friend Kirsten's blog.  You should check out her blog A. because it is fabulous and she is so talented and B. so you can enter the giveaway too!  (But if you win, I expect you to choose Virginia for your state.) 

fashionista

Getting dressed this morning was somewhat of a struggle.  It was one of those awkward days when I was dying to wear Spring clothes yet it was freezing outside.  Add to that predicament the fact that we are way past laundry day and yet haven't found time/energy to do it all.  So I gave up and pulled on an old classic- red pants I got in the tenth grade and a thick black cardigan I also wore regularly in the tenth grade.  I was definitely sending a white flag to my closet- "Fine, I'll wear that outfit I've worn a million times for about a million years and look like the loser that I really am."

I arrived at school feeling a little self-conscious that I looked like a flashback of my fifteen-year-old self (not a good thing) but I soon ran into my gorgeous friend who complimented my outfit!  Minutes later I ran into another gorgeous friend (let me tell you, teachers are hotties) who again complimented my outfit.  Well, my day pretty much rocked after that, and I'm now going to bust out all my clothes from tenth grade to see if they have the same effect.

 This (unfortunately) is not from 10th grade, but here is my fabulous outfit at Thanksgiving my freshman year of college. Don't worry, I wore better shoes with it this time :)