Blue Skies From Now on????

Tuesday, April 5

Today is "Day Without Shoes".  I hope you watched the video that I posted on my last blog.  It explained more about this special day.  I wasn't able to go without shoes, but I wore my t-shirt and my Tom's shoes.

The storms from yesterday are gone and today was brisk, sunny and beautiful!!

Buffalo Wild Wings update

Mitzi is amazing.  She was acting upset because she couldn't find her boy.  He was hiding.










I had Bunco at my house and I was out of town this weekend, so that meant that I had missed 3 Zumba classes!!  :(  I really missed it.  A lady at the Y said that there was a Zumba class  at Austin Peay on Tuesday nights, so I thought I would try it out.  I was definitely one of the oldest in the class.  We did lots of booty pops!!!  It was fun.  My co-teacher's student teacher met me there!





APSU's new Hemlock Semi-conductor building


I hadn't driven on APSU's campus in a long time.  I have always been under-whelmed by its campus.  Well, I actually have to say that they have made improvements and it was very nice.  The Fitness Center is brand new and it was amazing!!! Clarksville is getting a semi-conductor company and there is now a special program for that at APSU. (sorry, I'm not using the correct scientific jargon!)  You will see the Hemlock Semi-Condutor building above.  Pretty impressive!!!


Wed., April 6

Sorry for the silly picture!  Wednesday was a beautiful day.  The boys in my class are getting Spring fever and this week seems two years long!!

Something I see on my daily drive

I had a co-teacher ask me to make jewelry for the flower girl that would be in her wedding.  I assumed that she would want nice silver jewelry.  I was very proud of the way they turned out, but she had something else in mind.  It's very hard to do custom orders for people.

I would put a picture of the silver necklace and bracelet, but they really didn't show up.  I found some adorable small tiny silver flower charms. (not seen in this picture)





Sadly, there will no be no Zumba for me tonight because I have a meeting before church.  :(



Mitzi, the service dog, on the playground














Thursday, April 7:   Have I said that this week is lasting forrrrrrrrrrr-eeeeeevvvvvveeeerrrrrrrrrrrr????



Making a Starbucks run before school (This blogging tool drives me crazy.)  I don't know why I can't add a caption to the following picture.

I'm not exactly sure what day I took this picture, but I love this building.  Many of you may know that much of downtown Clarksville was destroyed by a tornado about 10 years ago.  This was one of the new buildings that was put up.

All of the craziness came to a head on Thursday.  Nothing specific, just second grade nonsense that drives teachers crazy.  The hubby was going to be back in town, so I decided I would meet him for sushi tonight instead of our usual Friday night date.  When I'm mentally stressed, it's often easy to forgo a workout even though that's when I really need it.  So, I went to the Y and ran on the treadmill.  We meet at Kori after that.

When we finished, there was still some daylight and the hubby suggested that we do a geo-cache.  

We have only done a few geo-caches, but it's fun.  We had downloaded and application to my Iphone.  It automatically tells you where the closest ones are.  There are clues and you use that, plus, the GPS on your phone to find them.  We found two on the way home.  They were only 100 yds. from each other.  (See the pictures below.)  I'm hoping that we can look for some more this weekend.



We also found some interesting bird tracks.





Hoping we find a geo-cache and not a snake



All caches have a log to sign and many have a little trinket.  If you take it, you are to replace it with something else.

The second one was in a bird house, but there were wasps in there too.  We left it alone.

Here I am running back to the car.  This had been a fun way to end the day.

 

Friday, April 8:  Our school is having a Wellness Fair and a Walkathon.  Here is a truth about second graders.  Anything different gets them wound up!!!!  Yesterday, we had pictures, today this!!!!  Well it's Friday, so I can probably stand anything!

Hubby taking Cocoa out for an early morning walk

Breaking Dawn (not the Twilight series)



I think I can, I think I can!!!




First thing on the agenda:  Touring Wellness Fair

Kids checking out a model of 5 pounds of fat!



Bad News:  After I take my kids to Spanish, I see the principal in the hall.  She says they are short of subs and we won't have our second planning time.  Oh well, It is Friday!!!!!  I will just have to hold it from 12:00-3:15!!!

At 1:30, the whole school went on a 1.5 mile walk around Ft. Cambell.  The weather was nice, and the kids were pretty good.

We had several of our parents come and walk with us.  Many of those parents took their children home with them.

Hurray, I had Zumba at 5:30.  I'm really expecting a loss at WW tomorrow!!!  We had a substitute instructor in Zumba, and boy, I worked it and sweated. Between walking 1.5 miles and doing 45 min. of Zumba, I can say I worked out today! I also had a grilled chicken salad at Sonic.  DID I SAY THAT I'M EXPECTING A LOSS AT WW?????????  I'm sitting here and it's 9:21 and I'm kind of hungry, but I'm going to be good.  Saturday is my treat day.  I think the hubby and I will have breakfast at IHop!!!  Sounds good doesn't it????



Left at sunrise, coming home at sunset



My girl was waiting for me when I got home!!

I hope you like all of the pics because they are kind of a pain to upload!!!  I hope you have a great weekend!  I will let you know how the geo-caching goes!!

Makin' Music/Weekend with mom

Saturday, April 2:  I got up and decided to go to WW as usual.  If you have been following me, then you know that I have maintained the same weight for 3 weeks.  Well, I didn't get to workout Friday, plus, I didn't eat my normal Friday night fare. (I had Bunco at my house.) 


So, to make a long story short.........I was not surprised that my weight was up a pound.  I was not surprised, but I don't have to be happy about it. 





About 7:15 Saturday morning


My mom and I are heading to Henderson, TN to visit my younger son at college.  Every Spring, they have Makin' Music.  It is a very fun program where all of the social clubs prepare mini-musical performances.  I head out of town to meet my mom at Paris Landing State Park.  It's a beautiful day.

I saw this nice barn on the way to Dover.

Cumberland River

Cindy's Catfish

Paris Landing Marina

Our hotel in Jackson, TN

Casey Jones is associated with Jackson.  Do you see the caboose?

My son's dorm

Lunch at Los Portales

Ready for Makin' Music

Lots of neat costumes, everyone is pumped and excited about the performance

Our room, free with reward's points

Sunday, April 3:


Mom & I went to this little local church.  I saw some of the college students that have gone on mission trips with me.

Sunday lunch at one of the few restaurants in Henderson

Gale force winds!!  Bye T!  We will see you at Easter!!

My car loved the nice weather!  That equaled great gas mileage!!

Heading home, I have two full weeks before Spring Break!  I think I can, I think I can!

Monday, April 4:  We knew that yesterday's high temperatures and strong winds, plus a cold front on the way, could only equal one thing...........STORMS!!  It wasn't too bad at school, but after lunch we got an email that said to old our classes until 12:10. (My class was due to go to Art.)  I did as I was told, and I left at 12:10 because I hadn't heard anything else. 

 Well, as I went by the front desk, they told me there was a tornado warning and we needed to go back to our room.  They didn't do a good job of getting the word out because I hadn't heard.  A few minutes later, there was an announcement to get in tornado position.  You haven't had fun until you try to keep 18 children calm for 30 minutes in tornado position!!!

Stormy weather



After that, the weather was stormy, but not really too bad.  We survived.  It seems as if a possible tornado touched down in Hopkinsville.  That's kind of close for comfort.

Most of the storms are past, but the skies are still cloudy as I go home.



Tomorrow is April 5th "A Day Without Shoes".  I will not be going barefoot, but I will be proudly wearing my shirt that says,

Watch this video to learn more about "A Day Without Shoes".  You may not be able to observe the day, but you can become more aware of the cause. You can always purchase Tom's Shoes for yourself or a loved one.  For every pair of shoes purchased, one is given to someone in a third world country.

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Vlz3QKHJBac" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Here's to some better weather!!!!

xoxo

pj

Lessons from Disasters

Wed., March 30


Everyone has seen the horrible pictures and headlines on the news and splashed over the internet.  Our preacher had an excellent sermon about the lessons we can learn from the earthquake and tsunami a few weeks ago.  I have been trying to get it posted, but I kept misplacing my notes.






My church: Founded by Jesus Christ!!




This lesson was so great, that I really wanted to share it!  Thanks, Steve!!!  Instead of presenting it in detail like a sermon, I want to list the points with scripture and "sound bites".  I really appreciate any comments and/or questions that you might have.  I'm definitely not trying to imply that I have all of the answers, but I do appreciate dialogue.




Lessons from Natural Disasters:

Everyone asks "Why?"  Everyone says "How can a loving God allow this to happen?  I know I won't answer all of these questions, but hopefully I will give you something to think about.

Why do people want to blame God for the bad in the world, but those same people don't want to give God the credit when good things happen in their life.

Some people want to say that God caused the earthquake to punish people on Earth.  Does God discipline those who He loves?  Who does God not love???





Hebrews 12:6-7
⁶ because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
   and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”^[a]
 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! ¹⁰ They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.


So, the Bible does say that God disciplines those who He loves and He loves everyone.  God can and does discipline us, but please read some other causes, reasons, and purposes for disasters.







Could floods, earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters happen for other reasons???  I think so!!!   Have you ever sang, "The wise man built his house upon the rock.........The foolish man built his house upon the sand."  If you aren't familiar with the song, google it.


There can be natural consequences to living near fault lines, rivers, and the ocean.

There are very few people who live to a certain age who do not face some kind of tragedy in their life.  Those of us who are Christians have learned what a comfort and strength our faith is during these times.  Disasters can actually draw us closer to God.

Psalm 46:1-3 

 ¹ God is our refuge and strength,
   an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
   and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
   and the mountains quake with their surging.^[c]

Some things happen because of God's design of the world.  If you will remember, even Jesus was asleep in a boat when a storm hit.

Another lesson:  God's way is not our way.  In Deut. 29:29 it says:
The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.


We aren't meant to understand everything.


 


We all remember where we were and what we were doing on September 11th.  It doesn't take much to remember the feelings of terror and confusion that we felt that day.  That terrible day made us question every part of our life and wonder what was happening to our world.  People were naturally drawn to their faith.  Isn't it amazing how something so awful could bring about so much good in so many people.




Romans 8:28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.




Disasters can also teach us not to store up treasures on this Earth.

^{Matthew 6:19-20  19} “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.







Thursday, March 31



One of my first experiences with doing mission work was going with the youth group to New Orleans to help out after Katrina.  Our group helped a family clean out their house.  Everything the family owned, a life-time of possessions was emptied out of their house and thrown in their front yard.  I stood and looked at the pile and thought about how much "stuff" we have.  We spend our life accumulating stuff and worrying about our  stuff.  Instead, we should we worrying about our future home. 

Luke 12:15


Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”








1 Timothy 6:6-10
⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹ Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.







I'm sure there are many other lessons, but I will leave you with one final comment.....Earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, and tsunamis are terrible, but there is something more terrible than that.......Being separated from the love of God!  That is much worse!


Friday, April 1:  Well, I'm typically one of those people who wakes up about 20 minutes before the alarm goes off.  Today, I woke up and looked at the alarm clock and it was dark.  I felt around for the phone and checked the time it was 5:00 am.  My alarm goes off at 4:20.  The whole neighborhood was dark. No electricity, no coffee.....What a fine way to start an April Fools. 







Here is me curling my hair at my desk.





I'm trying to figure who to call and I'm half asleep.  I'm looking around for candles and flashlights and I realize that there will be no coffee for me.  Luckily, I could take a shower.  Around 6:00, the power came back on and I thought all was good.  Well, it stayed on for only about 15 minutes.  Then, I realized that I couldn't get out of my garage.  Without any other options available, I decided to grab my makeup bag, curling iron, and try to open my garage door.


Luck was on my side, I was easily able to open and close my garage door, so, it was off to Starbucks for some coffee.  There was no way I could face second graders without some coffee.  It was Friday, and I was good to go.



Excitement for the weekend:  Bunco at my house tonight at 6:00!!!!





These are some of my Spring decorations for Bunco.



Here I am wearing the Bunco boa.  I got two Buncos, but didn't win "Most Buncos".



Everyone loved the Starburst jelly beans.




More planned weekend fun:  My mom and I are heading to visit my son at college.  We are going to see "Makin' Music".  All of the clubs perform songs and it's always fun.  We will visit him, spend the night in Jackson and go to church with him.  It will be fun and I promise to take lots of pictures.

Spring has sprung in my neck of the woods and it is beautiful!  I hope you have a great weekend!!!


xoxo
PJ