Always a Student, Sometimes a Teacher

Something you didn't know about me- Tuesday edition

2009-07-01T00:19:00.002-05:00

Well... I've always wished that I was a dancer. I mean, a trained dancer. I love dance. I took ballroom dancing lessons in college and I had people ask if I took ballet. I would always reply "no." I secretly longed to be a graceful dancer. Maybe I wouldn't have been so ackward and clumsy. I would dance constantly. I love music and choreograph things in my mind. Oh well. I get such a kick out of watching AnsLeigh dance. Now what her *not* want to continue to dance. go figure. So far though, she loves it.

That's my revelation for the day.

I'm here

2009-06-22T19:27:00.002-05:00

Howdy! Last time I blogged on here, I was awaited Baby #3's arrival. Well she was born December 22nd. She is 6 months old today. WOW!!

She is our last baby, so I am enjoying all her baby moments even more now.

So... now I want to get into shape. I was thin my entire life until about 9 years ago. It's just so overwhelming. I love food. I have my entire life though. However, I was wayyyy more active. I walked everywhere. I didn't have a car until I was married. I walked probably miles a day, especially in college, when I was at my thinnest.

However, there is no where that is suitable to walk around here. Now it's summertime and hot. UGH.. What's a girl to do?

Shame, Shame, Shame on Me

2008-12-17T18:40:00.002-06:00

I've been very neglectful of this blog. So sorry.

I'm waiting for this baby to arrive. I'm sure then I'll have LOTS to blog about.

Forgive me.

Just a little stroll...

2008-07-05T16:04:00.001-05:00

daddyandme.jpg
Originally uploaded by spamymom

I was looking through some old photographs. Here is Kieran at his First birthday party. Wow. Time has flown. He's so cute!! Look at those cheeks, that hair. You'd never know by looking at him today that he was ever a chunky baby, but he was.

Look how young Sean looked. :) hehe

Thanks for strolling with me.

15 weeks

2008-07-05T15:56:00.002-05:00

Oh my goodness. I can't believe that I'm 15 weeks already. Next thing I know school will be starting and then it'll be time for the baby to get here.

We need to really pinpoint some names. We did go browsing around the store today looking at baby things. After almost 4 years, I feel out of the loop. There's some really cool stuff out these days. Better start saving my pennies. :)

To the lady at the grocery store parking lot today...

2008-06-08T16:18:00.002-05:00

I dedicate this entry to the lady who got upset about a parking spot at the grocery store. We were *BOTH* waiting for a parking spot and I was in a better position and I took it. She honked and pulled up behind me and her oh-so-wonderful teenage daughter decides to call me a "B." And she whines about how long she's waited for that spot and how I'm so nice. Well, yes I am. I am a nice person. :)

It's a GROCERY STORE. Not the day after Thanksgiving and we're trying to get a parking spot at a retail store. Big deal. It happens everyday, I've lost parking spots before. I get over it. I find another spot. I don't find it necessary to pull up behind them and speak with them.

So lady at the grocery store. Sorry I didn't engage in a wonderfully witty conversation with you. So I kept on past you leaving you looking crazy and having bystanders stare at YOU.

So sorry I didn't run over your daughter with the grocery cart like I truly wanted to when she purposedly stopped in front of me to say "Oops, did I get in your way." I went right past her to the line and checked in at the extremely short checkout line. :)

So sorry you didn't get the confrontation you were wanting. Hope you have a great day. I hope you enjoyed your walk to your parking spot because I sure did enjoy the quick stroll to my spot. :)

The Extra puzzle piece

2008-05-21T05:09:00.002-05:00

That's how I'm feeling lately. The one that doesn't fit. The complete realization hit me tonight. I was completely excited about attending a homegroup that I was invited to through some friends at church. I go there with family and all and the people are so nice. I'm the only one with small children though, but okay. Well, since my children can't stop coming in and out even though I have them all set up to with a video, coloring books, crayons, toys and my son insists on shoving his Speed Racer toy in everyone's face, I decide it's time to leave. This is all happening before it got started. It really bummed me out. It was the one thing I had been looking forward to all week long. I don't have weekend nights anymore since the hubby works. Monday nights are dance class for Miss A. So I only have Tuesday and Wednesday night.

So afterwards I just go home and go to bed. I'm just so deflated. It comes to me. I DON'T FIT.

My whole life I haven't fit anywhere. I love my family, but I've always been the one who sticks out like a sore thumb- let's not even talking about extended family.

School wise- I was always the goody two-shoes. I remember the first time I cussed in front of my friends and you could literally hear a pin drop ( even though they cussed much more than me), I get all the shocked looks and "why did you say that"

I wasn't a party girl in school. My idea of fun was sitting around at someone's house and watching videos, going out to eat, shopping (on a very limited budget). I didn't find that very much.

Back in my early college years in my many attempts to fit in I joined a sorority. You would have thought I'd join an historically black sorority. Did I? Nope. I didn't know anyone and how to get any information. So I join the another sorority. Did I fit there- nope.

Then I finish college later in life and I definitely didn't fit there.

Now in my adult life, I've never found a church where I fit and I keep expecting to fit somewhere. Isn't that stupid?

Left our recent church after almost 3 years. I could literally walk in and out of a service without seeing anyone I knew and I was active and volunteered.
So on the search goes, found one that I'm interested in, but Mr. K is the only boy in his class and the youngest in that class too.

Let's not even get started on the career front. My stomach literally gets into knots thinking about it.

It's all so frustrating. I just feel like giving up.

I know church too most people is just a building, but it's not to me. It's a body of believers joining together to share their lives. I always recall the scriptures about how we are the body. Well, lately I feel like a hair follicle or an eyebrow hair, last year I felt like a toenail. But at least a toenail has a pretty important position.

I can see why some people are recluses. Many this is what my life is. Even Jesus had 12 friends and 3 very close friends that He took during his most difficult and dark hour. I can't even say I have 2 friends like that.

I'm not a horrible person. I promise.

So I had the worst night sleep ever tonight. I'm so looking forward to what today will bring. Yeah... notice the sarcasm. I just want to sit and bawl and eat and bawl and scream until something changes, but I don't know what.

There, I wrote it. I don't feel any better, but I wrote it.

Something you didn't know about me TUESDAY EDITION

2008-04-22T20:34:00.002-05:00

Something you didn't know about me...

Even though I got a drivers license at the age of 16. I was so scared to drive that I didn't drive until after I got married. I was 22 when I started driving. And that was forced:)

A family friend gave us a car which was desperately needed as I was going to be attending DBU in the Fall and had no way to get there. So I go from NOT driving to driving 45 minutes daily each way. I literally prayed the whole way there and back. I didn't even listen to the radio. It was just silence.

I can hardly believe where I'm at now. I drive to all kinds of places. If you had asked me when I was 16, I would have laughed at you.

Praise God. I'm so glad to be a driver now. If I didn't drive I wouldn't have the opportunity to meet new people, visit my family and friends and so much more.

Oh my goodness.. What did I just do? take 2

2008-04-07T01:30:00.001-05:00

darn website. I had this all typed out and it wouldn't post... URGH. That makes me mad. I spend all that time putting my thoughts down and with the click of a button- it's GONE. That really, really makes me mad.

So, here's take 2. :( UGH!

I signed up for my first ever 5K in June. Me... The girl who can't stick to anything physically demanding (except in high school- I was in the flag corp and pretty darn good). Me... the girl who's gained an obscene amount of weight since getting married.

I've always dreamt of being a runner. Thought it would be exciting and freeing to run and clear your mind. Well... I'm on the path.

I actually sat at my computer and registered for a 5K. This *will* be a life changing experience for me. I'm wanting to regain my health and stop the family line of obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. I have to do this.

I printed off my workout schedule and it seems doable. Now I just need encouraging. :)

Tomorrow starts day 1. I am excited. very excited.

I'll keep ya posted. :)

The next big thing in San Antonio

2008-03-20T21:42:00.001-05:00

The next big thing in San Antonio

2008-03-20T21:39:00.001-05:00

Let the wild rumpus start!

2008-03-19T18:19:00.001-05:00

sea world 016
Originally uploaded by spamymom

Today is our big day! SeaWorld! The kids did so well. We started out at Denny's for breakfast. Then onto SeaWorld. They loved Shamu's show. Then we saw some more shows and waited in some more lines. We got splashed by sea lions, amazed by dolphins, but I think the kids really enjoyed seeing the sharks.

We were able to get out of there with only 1 snack and 1 drink (popcorn and water) which is great for us! AnsLeigh got a HUGE stuffed Shamu. Kieran got a big plastic one.

Her quote of the day: "My Shamu doesn't splash people, he eats Jonah."

Kieran is writing about Shamu and sea lions and sharks. Being the teacher I am, you better believe he has a journal to write in. Each night he has to write in his journal.

Oh, we also had the honor of escorting Flat Stanley. We think he had fun too! :) At least he stayed dry.

Much better now...

2008-03-17T00:02:00.002-05:00

Things were a bit shaky for a while there. Not too pretty. But I feel a bit better now. Thanks for all the kind words and thoughts. I really appreciate it. I think Spring Break is a much needed break for me.

We're all getting ready for our first family vacation. I'm a little bit nervous as to how the kids will do. They are so excited. It's very cute. I went clothes shopping and got them a few items.
I have each day mapped out and am looking forward to the activities. I will be taking my camera so stay tuned for updates and pictures. :)

I have had some new opportunities line up recently. It's very interesting to watch it all come to pass. One involves some new responsibilities and that makes me a little nervous. I would love to do it and feel like I should, but I don't want to screw up. I also don't want to move where God doesn't want me to. I have to be careful to not just say "yes" because it's what I want/feel I should do. I can get myself in so much trouble doing that. I'll get exhausted and tired and worn out. Don't want to do that. So I'm still praying for answers as to what I should do. I think the answer is very close.

The next opportunity involves a childhood dream I nearly forgot about. That really excites me because it is a desire of my heart. I really think I'm going to go ahead and do it.

The kids are good. Kieran is understanding more humor. He's big into "knock, knock" jokes, farting noises, and saying "ewww" for anything about kissing or babies. haha

AnsLeigh is really communicating a lot more. She's pretty chatty, which is surprising everyone. She has a lot to say and it's all very cute. We went to go see Horton Hears a Who (which I highly recommend!) and afterwards I got quite an earful about it. I also heard a few comments from her during the movie. It was their first experience at a Studio Movie Grill and they really enjoyed it. I can't say that our pocketbooks did, but the kids had a blast. That will be a "once a blue moon" type of treat. I don't really like the food there so that was part of the problem. I'll just stick to some chips and dip.

Sean is doing well. Things are coming together on his side too.

I'm looking forward to summertime. I plan on having tons of fun with the kids and meeting some new friends and branching out!

Oh, if you want to read a funny children's book, read "Tadpole's Promise" It is GREAT! I still laugh and smile thinking about that book. It has a twist at the end and it's not a feel great, all is right in the world type of book. It's just funny and ironic. The kids in my class got it and loved the book. They now "fight" over who can find the book in the library so they can check it out. I love watching kids get excited about books I select to read them in class. I read them a non-fiction book about ladybugs and had to read it 2 times. They just loved the book. The coolest part is watching them check out the same books I read in class. They are so excited to show me. I hope to pass on my love of reading- especially children's books. I would much rather read picture books than adult books sometimes.

All right, I think I've babbled enough for a night!

What a crappy day!

2008-03-06T21:57:00.001-06:00

That's all I have to say today.

Nothing bad "happened". Emotionally, I'm drained.

:( Say a prayer for me.

Making Some ROLLS!

2008-03-02T17:26:00.002-06:00

Well, I decided to try again. I tried to bake some bread - as you know that involves YEAST. Remember the cinnamon roll incident. Not pretty. Well,I made some rolls. I turned it into a family affair. AnsLeigh couldn't wait to get started. She helped me rolls then into snakes. Then we have Sean and Kieran being put to work. Kieran didn't really enjoy making the snakes. Sean was a good helper. Then AnsLeigh helped brushed them with butter. She wanted to it ALL BY HERSELF! of course;) She was a great helper. She's so much fun. Nevermind the fact that right at this moment she's bugging me to play a computer game.

Anyways, here they are. In reverse order, after and then before. They looked so pretty. They are ALMOST perfect. Guess what I forgot though... SALT. URGH.. You can taste the difference though sadly. Kieran doesn't seem to mind though. I guess I'll just have to slather on some salted butter. :) At least I'm getting closer. Yeast, I'm not afraid of you anymore! HA! I laugh in your face.

Woo Hoo! I remember how to cook

2008-02-26T21:08:00.002-06:00

I haven't cooked very many new recipes that actually turned out GOOD in a long time.

The last few days I've made some bacon wrapped jalopenos, pizza pinwheels, chocolate mocha brownies.

They were so good!! Woo hoo! It felt good.

I took the jalopenos and brownies to class tonight. They were eaten up! YES. That felt so good. A proud moment for me.

I would have taken the pizza pinwheels, but I still have to work on some stuff. They spread so much while baking, but they sure tasted good.

Picture of the day

2008-02-23T16:06:00.001-06:00

yep 009
Originally uploaded by spamymom

This was taken a few days ago. A picture of just how I am at THAT moment. UGH! I tried smiling, not smiling, etc. Not smiling made my face look even bigger and my other chin appear. :)

So I had to be silly. So here's my list of what I want to be in 2008

1) thinner :) Of course!!
2) more carefree- NOT careLESS
3)less walls between myself and others
4) full of surprises
5) more well-read
6) with more friends
7) smiling more
8) okay with how I look- taking off the deception that I've allowed that just because I've gained weight, that I'm unattractive or ugly. I think that the reason I don't smile much. One of the kids in my class a couple of years ago said something about one of my teeth being crooked. I had braces like forever ago and there's been some shifting over the last few years. I just I got self-conscious about it. So I stopped smiling. I looked back at my old pictures- I was a smiling fool! I was known for my smile. I'm taking my smile back in 2008!
9) wiser
10) talking more on the phone- I usually HATE phones, I, Astreia, vow to actually call people on the phone and see how they are doing. I will no longer rely JUST on email.
11) a hostess, I want my home to be a place where people feel comfortable and have fun like in my early days of marriage
12)Lord willing (and it's His timing) pregnant, (newly pregnant in December 2008- no sooner, but that up to Him-it's His gift to give)
13) laughing
14)more affectionate
15)more in love with LIFE!

The one I love...

2008-02-21T06:24:00.001-06:00

lovebirds
Originally uploaded by spamymom

This is him. My husband Sean. I had a wonderful photographer take some pictures of the family a few weeks ago. I am in love with this picture of us. It's honestly better than some of our wedding pictures.

Anyways, back to my husband. We'll be married 8 years in April. He always says the time has gone fast. I honestly can't say that. Maybe that's my introspective nature. We've gone through some battles together and sometimes at each other. I wouldn't trade him for the world. I can surely say that my husband loves me without thinking twice and vice versa. It's sometimes weird to be on the receiving end of that kind of love. Where no matter how hard you try to push away and show your ugly side, they're still there and want to be there. I think that part is finally sinking in. Lord willing, he's not going anywhere. Goodness knows I've shown him some ugly (and he's shown me his) but we're in this thing together. Anyways. I love him. Isn't he cute.... And don't we make some beautiful babies.

2008- What a start!

2008-01-12T14:19:00.000-06:00

Here are my two. K is eating his treatza. He's so picky- yet will try ANYTHING with chocolate. I keep looking at him and can't believe how much he's grown.

Then there's Ms. A. She's started dance last week and loves it. I asked her to show me some of her dance moves. She did. It was so cute.

I have a feeling that 2008 will be a busy year for me. It's going to be a time of growth and that's exciting.

One of my goals for this year is to LEARN TO SEW!!! I really hope it happens. :)

This was a boring post today. Oh well. Deal with it. ;)

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T21:04:00.000-06:00

Yeah 2008!

Just wanted to say Happy New Year.

What's going on this year so far?

My kids are STILL talking about poop, throw up and any other bodily functions. They think it's quite humorous. We don't, BUT they do make up some funny songs with the word "poop" in it. Go figure.

Okay, now I'll explain the pictures of the day. The first is Miss A being silly. This is RIGHT after I fixed her hair.

The next one is Mr. Man this summer. I needed some more pictures of him on here. I just love his smile. He's so an awesome kid. :)

Happy New Year.

Mark this day! I had to eat crow.

2007-12-30T21:45:00.000-06:00

The cost of apologizing: Tulips, 100 Grand, and a card.

Who was it for....

The prize goes to... My husband. It all started over dinner. I was planning on cooking salmon croquettes for dinner. I got tired. Husband thought he'd help and cook. Well I woke up from nap to the smell of food cooking. He was attempting to cook the croquettes. He's never made them IN HIS LIFE. Well I got upset and you see the outcome. He was really trying to help out. He's the nicest, sweetest, most loving people on the planet. I'm extremely blessed to be married to him.

So on this day. December 30, 2007 I let my pride get in the way and didn't take the time to appreciate what my husband was trying to do. I WAS WRONG.

Heaven help me, I have a crush!

2007-12-30T09:47:00.000-06:00

For the first time since my Antonio Sabato Jr. years (all of high school and half of college), I have a crush. My taste has changed over the years of course, but a crush still. Okay, not really a crush, maybe I'm just a HUGE fan. A crush makes me sound kind of silly doesn't it. :)

I am a fan of... maybe a little crush on Jason Bateman. Don't know why, but I do. He's so funny and quirky. I've enjoyed all the recent movies I've seen that he's appeared in. And he's so cute, adorably cute. He looks like lots of fun to hang out with. Yes, that's it. I better stop. I'm going to be embarassed if my family reads this.

Is it sad that I'm not a "fan" have a crush on a much more popular star like Shemar Moore or Ryan Gosling (even though I am a "fan"). Oh the things to think about.

The evidence...

2007-12-29T19:35:00.001-06:00

P1010014
Originally uploaded by spamymom

Here's the proof of my big OOPS... I had to get that memory card out though.

More pictures

2007-12-29T19:33:00.001-06:00

P1010012
Originally uploaded by spamymom

Well... Here is Miss A doing her cross eyed thing. She usually does a better job. But at least I have it captured.

We have PICTURES!

2007-12-29T19:31:00.001-06:00

P1010010
Originally uploaded by spamymom

This is all new so bare with me...

Voila the cinnamon rolls. :) The dreaded yeast...

HELP! I'm trapped in a house with WHINEY kids.

2007-12-28T10:31:00.000-06:00

Well it's so much fun to wake up to whining so early in the morning. Nothing says, "This is going to be a FANTASTIC day" better than " But I had it Firrrrst" UG!!

I finally see the sun so that's a good sign to GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE. So off we go to get Miss A's ballet shoes fitted. Hopefully I will be able to add pictures later. Darn usb cable...

Oh and in trying to get pictures on here, I look at my printer and see all those lovely memory card slots. I thought that surely my card will fit in one of those. Well... not quite. So I got the darn thing stuck inside the card slot. Thank goodness I'm handy with a screwdriver. I pried it apart and shook the printer upside down. Well it finally came out.

I could NOT lose the picture of Miss A being silly and cross-eyed. It's too funny and so her.

So if I can get my hands on the cable, I'll have pictures up later today. So in the meanwhile, enjoy the music. Which I painfully made my husband endure my singing to old Mariah Carey and Lauryn Hill songs. He's so sweet, he even said he liked my voice.

Wow, where to start...

2007-12-27T17:00:00.000-06:00

Well as always when I'm on break, I go into a mad cooking marathon. I love cooking. I just would like more time to do so and experiment. Of course, the rest of the school year, I am usually exhausted and don't have time to break out my box.

So today I've made cinnamon rolls, a meat sandwich for my sweet hubby and sausage gravy to go with biscuits.

The cinnamon rolls look pretty... But I wasn't too thrilled with the taste. I will just admit it, I have a hard time baking ANYTHING with yeast. It's so sad because most of the things I like to bake have yeast in them. Oh the sad cycle.

The sausage gravy was a HUGE hit.

My husband doesn't want to fully admit it, but I think he's fallen even deeper in love with me these last couple days with all this cooking. :)

Oh and BIG news... At least for me anyways. I weigh less than my husband for the first time in about 4 years. Oh how sweet it is. Oh yeah!

Oh, you want to hear something funny AnsLeigh said to me today. Well we were trying to listen to the news when she walks in yelling "I have a booger in my nose." So we ask her to quiet it down. So she whispers over and over again "I have a booger in my nose." and then continues to jump in my lap while she is saying this and putting her finger in her nose.

Thank goodness she's so cute. I couldn't help but laugh. She really got a kick out of my using the flashlight to look inside her nose to see this booger. I found it, it was tiny though. Silly girl.

Always a Student, Sometimes a Teacher

Something you didn't know about me- Tuesday edition

I'm here

Shame, Shame, Shame on Me

Just a little stroll...

15 weeks

To the lady at the grocery store parking lot today...

The Extra puzzle piece

Something you didn't know about me TUESDAY EDITION

Oh my goodness.. What did I just do? *take 2*

The next big thing in San Antonio

The next big thing in San Antonio

Let the wild rumpus start!

Much better now...

What a crappy day!

Making Some ROLLS!

Woo Hoo! I remember how to cook

Picture of the day

The one I love...

2008- What a start!

Happy New Year

Mark this day! I had to eat crow.

Heaven help me, I have a crush!

The evidence...

More pictures

We have PICTURES!

HELP! I'm trapped in a house with WHINEY kids.

Wow, where to start...

Oh my goodness.. What did I just do? take 2