Snow Days Galore!

Last week was our first week back to school. I headed back on Monday just like normal. We made it through Monday and Tuesday with no major issues and then Wednesday came. We ended up getting out of school on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. We got another big snow and then we had lots of blowing wind. Basically the wind ended up drifting roads shut! We didn't have school on Thursday because of the drifts and on Friday the roads still weren't great but we also had frigid temperatures! So no school on Friday either. So instead of getting back into the swing of things we ended up back at home! So I had a nice little extended vacation that wasn't planned!
Today I headed back to school and hopefully, fingers crossed, we'll get back into the swing of things!
The big news is that tomorrow (Jan. 12th) we're going to find out if we're having a girl or boy. Michael thinks that the baby is a girl and I have absolutely no idea if it is a girl or boy. Some of the teachers are going to wear blue or pink shirts tomorrow based on what they think the baby is. It should be pretty fun to see whose right and whose wrong! I'm also going to ask my students and we're going to make a graph!
I'm really excited and I'm also happy that our family is going to join us. Michael's mom and my parents are going to go with us! :)

Christmas and New Year Update!

We had a very busy couple of weeks and unfortunately my break is coming to an end quickly! It doesn't seem like I should be going back to work on Monday. This break has literally flown by!
My last day at school was the Tuesday before Christmas. We had a half day and then the teachers all went out and ate lunch. It was nice to hang out together and eat a lunch that lasted more than 20 minutes! :)
Wednesday Michael and I went to the doctor again for our monthly check up. This was our 16 week appointment. The doctor had told us that we were going to get to hear the baby's heartbeat so we were really excited for the appointment. We went in and the doctor put the heartbeat microphone thingy on my stomach and we heard this thunk... Apparently that was the baby kicking where the microphone was at! I guess we have a stubborn baby. The doctor kept trying to get the microphone where we could hear the heartbeat and the baby kept moving. So since she couldn't get the heartbeat with her microphone she decided to do an ultrasound to check on the baby. So we got another couple of pictures of the baby. Let me tell you that this baby has at least doubled in size! He or she is also VERY active. The baby was kicking it's feet and moving it's hands and doing flips! Anyway, partially through the appointment a nurse came in and told our doctor that she had a phone call. So my doctor proceeds to ask Michael, "Do you want to play with this?" and hands him the ultrasound hand thingy. So Michael and I got to run our own ultrasound for a while! It was AMAZING. Michael absolutely loved running the machine. We even got to see the baby's spinal cord. It was just soooo COOL!
Anyway, after the appointment we went to lunch and then I came home and packed my clothes to go to my parents' house that evening. Michael drove me down to their house that evening because we knew that there was supposed to be a big snow storm coming through. Our plan was that Michael would come down on Christmas Eve if possible and if that didn't work Christmas Day! Of course, anyone who was in the midwest knows we got a MASSIVE snow storm. So Michael and I weren't together for Christmas which was pretty depressing! :( I finally made it back to Maryville late Saturday afternoon. My mom, dad, Michael, and I opened presents together at our house and then we headed to Michael's parents' house to open presents there.
Sunday we went to church and then hung out with Michael's family all day! Then Monday afternoon I hung out with my niece and nephew. We had a really good time.
The rest of this week I've basically rested. I got another cold so I've felt really yucky. I did get our Christmas decorations down and most of them put away and I've kept the house clean too! :)
On New Year's Eve we went to Doug and Janette's for a small get together. It was really funny to watch the kids running around. It just reminded me again that next year we'll have our own little rug rat with us! :) Again that just totally blows my mind. Michael and I talked about that the other day.
I am excited to say that we do have a babysitter. That is a sigh of relief! I'm also really happy that we got in where we wanted. I think we'll be really happy!
Tomorrow we are going to have my extended family Christmas at my parents' house. Michael is going to cook the meat for everyone to eat tomorrow! I'm excited to see everyone. The last time I've seen some of them was our Vegas trip this summer. :-)
Well, I hope that updates everyone and that everyone had a good Christmas and New Year!

Finally.... a weekend without a plans!!!

We've finally made it to a weekend without plans. I know it's our own fault that we're so busy but it is nice to not have a weekend that's booked solid.

Last night we had our Christmas program for school. My students did a really good job! Actually all of the kids did really good. Of course as soon as I got home I changed into my pajamas and went to sleep! Michael ended up going up to Carson's with Bubba and having a couple of beers.

My game plan for the day is to get all of my Christmas shopping done and get all of my presents wrapped! I'll be so glad when I know that I'm finished with all my shopping.

Lately I've kinda been in my head if that makes sense. I just keep thinking about how different our lives will be this time next year. I'm really excited about having this baby and I can't wait but part of me is worried about being a parent. We've always just been Michael and Jamie and I'm worried about being Michael, Jamie, and baby. I'm guessing that these are pretty normal concerns for expecting parents. I guess my mind has been running away with all of my thoughts. I don't know if it's Christmas that has me thinking or what. Well, I guess it doesn't matter what my concerns are because this baby is coming! :)

Anyway, I gonna get ready so that Michael and I can get our shopping done. I hope everyone has a good weekend!

Quiet Time for Jamie

It's a little past 5:30, which means that Michael is sound asleep. The cat woke up for a bit but now she's downstairs eating! Why am I telling you that, well that means it's quiet time for me. Yes, in a couple of minutes I will get up and start my hustle and bustle for the rest of the day but right now it's nice and quiet. :)

We've been really busy but doing well. Last weekend Michael and I flew to Nashville, TN. We then drove to Florence, AL to watch the Bearcats play in the Division II National Championship game. Our 'Cats pulled through and finally won a nation title. (For those of you who don't know they have played in the championship the lasts four years and lost so I guess this time 5th times a charm.) After the game we went back to Nashville and hung out with friends. It was sooooo nice flying and not driving this year. Michael and I decided to do this as our Christmas present to each other. So we don't have any presents under the tree for each but we don't need any.

I've been fighting a cold since the Saturday following Thanksgiving. The doctor gave me some antibiotics last week but I'm still sneezing and blowing my nose all the time, uggghhh! I'm hoping to be well before Christmas. Basically I've been sick since Halloween. I had the flu, yes H1N1, and then the cough that follows that, and then I felt good for about four or five days and I got this stinkin cold. Oh, well. Apparently this baby thinks I need to deal with sickness. :)

I am finally finished with all of my stuff for this round of grad classes. In the spring I'm only going to take one course. I won't be taking any in the summer with the baby coming and then I'll start back up in the fall. I'm hoping I can handle everything, new baby, grad classes, teaching, etc. We'll just have to see how I do.

Michael has been busy with all the snow we've gotten lately. Last week I only taught on Monday. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we didn't have school because of the amount of snow we got and the drifting. (Friday we had our flight to Nashville.) We didn't have school yesterday either because of the ice on the roads. So Michael has been busy with snow removal and putting down ice melt! It's really funny to me that on his hard days, I get to stay home! I was very productive on the snow days though so that made me happy!

Well, I better get up and get rounded around so I can make it to school on time. I hope everyone is doing well! :)

Snow Day

Well, I'm at home today because we're having a snow day. I wasn't actually supposed to teach today anyway. Today is a Holy Day and we can't actually have school. We were planning on having our faculty retreat this morning from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Instead I got a phone call at 5:40 saying that we weren't even having that because of the weather. Today we have a possibility of getting up to 12 inches of snow. They're thinking that we might top out at 10 inches instead of 12 inches. Either way, that means no school today and maybe not even tomorrow. All the weathermen are saying that we're going to have high winds and lots of drifts. If that's true I doubt we have school tomorrow either. If we don't have school tomorrow that means I'm only working one day this week instead of three.
I worked yesterday. I'm off today. If we don't have school tomorrow I'll be off again. Thursday is my Great Grandma Kate's funeral. Friday Michael and I are flying to Nashville and going to watch the Bearcats play in the National Championship. While I'm excited about my trip this weekend I'm still bummed about my great grandmother passing away. She was an AMAZING woman. She had three children (not including their spouses), 17 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren, and 36 great great grandchildren. That's a total of 95 grandchildren of some kind. I'm still amazed there's that many of us! It just doesn't seem like it until I really sit down and think about it. I'm excited about seeing my extended family that I don't see that frequently but I wish it were under different circumstances. I can say that I attended her 90th birthday party last year and it was wonderful to see her there with all of our family around. I'm so glad that Michael and I got to attend the party and that Michael got to meet her before she passed away!
Well, I need to finish my final for my class and get to work on my substitute lesson plans for Thursday and Friday.

Thanksgiving

Well, we survived Thanksgiving! I taught Monday and Tuesday of this week. Wednesday I headed to my mother's and we went shopping. We were looking for a glider. I'm having a hard time finding one that I like because they are all light colored wood. Anyone who's been in my house has seen that we have very dark woodwork. I really don't think that the light wood would look good in our house. Plus I'm pretty partial to dark wood. I don't really like the light wood. Anyway, we found some that I liked but they were way too expensive. I keep hoping we'll find something.

On Thursday mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, and I went to my Uncle Gary's for the day. I got to see my aunt, uncle, cousins, and another aunt. We had a really nice meal and played Pictonary before we had to go. I had to get back to the 'ville so I could have Thanksgiving with my in-laws. Michael and I went to his parents house around 6:30 and we ate around 7:15. I ended up falling asleep, imagine that! Everyone else ended up watching the football game.

Friday was a really nice morning. Michael and I got to back to the doctor's for our 12 week appointment. This appointment was a lot more exciting compared to our last appointment. Last time the baby was just a circle with a flickering light (the heart). This time it actually looked like a baby. The baby was waving at us and then did a somersault while we were watching him or her. We got a couple of ultra sound pictures of the baby. Of course it's hard to tell what you're seeing unless someone explains it to you. The doctor said everything looks good and that the baby is big. She said that at our next appointment we'll get to hear the heartbeat. Our next appointment is two days before Christmas and I can't think of a better Christmas gift! After our appointment we came home and watched the Maryville Spoofhounds play in the State Championship game. I'm proud to say that they won. After that I napped for the rest of the afternoon. Michael and I just kind of hung out Friday evening.

Saturday I had an eye appointment and then we headed up to the Elk's Lodge so that we could watch the Bearcats play in their quarterfinal game. They ended up blocking the point after with six seconds left and beat Central Washington 21 to 20! It was a GREAT game. After the game Michael went and hung out with some friends and I rested at home.

Today Michael and I headed to my mom and dad's for another "Thanksgiving" meal. We got to eat lunch with my parents, sister, and brother-in-law. It was nice to just hang out at her house for a while.

I will admit that it was a chaotic couple of days but it was really fun! I also have something to look forward to next weekend, a Bearcat football game. We found out late last night that the Bearcat Semifinal game will be in Maryville on Saturday night at 7:30. If the Bearcats win this game they will be headed to the National Championship Game for a fifth year in a row. It also means that the field goal posts will be taken down, which is my favorite part of the semifinal game. As you can tell I am REALLY hoping that we win the game this Saturday.

Well, I hope that appeases everyone's curiosities of what we've been up to. Sorry I've been a slacker and I haven't been updating as much lately.

Pregnant + H1N1 = Sick Momma

Unfortunately, I have H1N1. Add that to being pregnant and I'm one icky girl. I went to the doctor on Monday and they tested me and I came back positive for the flu. I knew it was bad when my doctor walked in with a mask on her face. She told me I'm not allowed back at school until I'm fever free and feeling good for two straight days. Yesterday I ran a fever all day. The earliest I can be back to school is Thursday. Since I knew I'd be gone the majority of the week I went ahead and wrote lesson plans for the entire week so that I wouldn't have to worry about my sub plans each day. I went into school last night with a mask on and gloves. Before we left Michael sprayed down the whole entire room with Lysol disinfectant spray and Clorox wiped down a lot of surfaces so I wouldn't get anyone else sick. I'm really hoping that I haven't gotten anyone else sick. I'm doing my best to stay away from people. I'm not going to my night class tomorrow night so that I won't get anyone there sick. Really the only place I've been is my room and we wiped down EVERYTHING that I touched and the things that I didn't touch!
Anyway, I am going to go back to sleep. That seems to be all that I do anymore!