The Countdown Is On!

Well, the rain and wind is still going non-stop. I'm thinking about building an ark right about now. I think it has rained about 4-5 inches over the past two days!

Steve and I went to our friend's funeral this morning. What a testimony to God's love and mercy that was. I think we could have pretty much had an altar call at the end of it because it was so God glorifying. That's the kind of funeral where you are greiving, but at the same time you are filled with hope.

It was a long funeral and we went straight to the airport afterwards to pick up Steve's sister who flew in from Phoenix. His other sister got in about that same time, so we all met at Chili's for lunch. It was nice getting to see everyone and visit together.

This afternoon I took a little nap. Aren't naps the best on rainy days?? When I got up, I made some dinner for Laura and Lindy because they were getting in around that time. I was so glad they made it home safely. I was worried about them driving through the rain and wind!

After dinner we all went over to Steve's parents' house for a little while.

Steve and his girls...




Then we came home and turned on the CMA Awards and helped Ashley get some gift bags together.


I am so glad all my girls are home.


I can't wait to see Mark on Friday! The countdown is on! :)

Just A List

I've just got a list today....

1-I am so thankful that Tropical Storm Ida is coming through right now instead of this weekend. It has been POURING rain all day and is expected to continue until tomorrow. Thank goodness it will all be gone by Saturday!


2-Lots of family is starting to come in tomorrow. Two of Steve's sisters will be getting here and Laura and Lindy will be coming home too! We are picking up Steve's sister at the airport and going out to lunch and then tomorrow night we are all getting together for dinner.

I think I told you recently about my friend who had cancer? He passed away Sunday afternoon. So Steve and I will be going to his funeral tomorrow, too. I am so sad for his wife and his three children. They are all teenagers and that is such a hard time to lose your dad. His boys play football and his daughter was on Homecoming Court about three weeks ago. He was able to summon the energy that night to escort her to that special event. But things went quickly downhill after that. I know she will always cherish that special moment that she was able to have with him before he passed away.

So...tomorrow will be a sad and happy day.

3-Ashley got her iPod out tonight and played some of the songs she has lined up for her reception. She and Steve danced to My Girl. That is going to be their father/daughter dance. They are cute together!

4-Did you know that today is the 40th birthday of Sesame Street??


I remember watching that when I was a little girl and my kids grew up watching it, too. I love that show and think it has done so much to teach children through the years!! Happy Birthday Sesame Street! :)

Not What I Expected!

When I was thinking about what I would be doing the week before Ashley's wedding, I was thinking I was going to be crazy with stress and a "to-do" list a mile long.


But that has not been the case at all!! In fact, Ashley and I were thinking this morning that we must be forgetting something major because we aren't stressed at all! Is this normal?? haha I am actually looking forward to the fun this week!

Friday night was so great. We got to go to dinner at PF Changs with two sweet couples. We had the best time of sitting and talking and unwinding from the day. I am just always in the best mood on Friday nights even though I am usually so tired. When we got our fortune cookies at the end of the night, mine said, "A quiet evening with friends is the best tonic for a long day..." That was the perfect way to describe it.


I am actually considering this week the kickoff to the wonderful holiday season that is coming up quickly! We are going to have so many fun parties and events and family times coming up in the next month or so. In fact, when we walked out of the restaurant Friday night, the night air was really cold and my friend said, "Oooo...it smells like Christmas out here!" We both laughed because I totally knew what she meant! As soon as the wedding is over, I am going to start getting my Thanksgiving menu together


and then the day after Thanksgiving I always put up my Christmas tree.


Yesterday Ashley and I left early for the mall and stayed there almost all day. Here is Ashley right before we left. I had to take this picture because it was so cute of Rocky. He is the biggest cuddler. Anytime anyone sits down on the couch, he jumps right up there and gets cozy.


We got our last minute shopping done and I got my jewelry and a dress for the rehearsal dinner. We are set!

Today after church Ashley wanted to go to La Unica for one last lunch on Dad! haha So we met Steve's mom and dad there.

This afternoon my parents came over and brought Ashley and John a TiVo! She was so excited! Everyone needs a TiVo, right?? Once you have one you can't imagine living without it. I know they are going to love having that.

I only have two days of school this week. Yay! I will keep you posted on all the fun!

8 Days!

Well, we are down to 8 days!! This is our last weekend with Ashley at home. But the good news is that she will only be literally 5 minutes away! And she can come spend the night anytime she wants to! :)

This weekend I need to go get my jewelry to go with my dress. I had a dream that I got to the wedding with no jewelry and I tried to run out at the last minute and get some, and I was late for the wedding! Aaaahhhh! I can't believe I'm having wedding dreams now! haha

I have been working late every day this week trying to get my lesson plans ready for next week since I will be out Thursday, Friday, and the following Monday. My next door neighbor is going to sub for me and she is awesome, so I know the class will be in good hands!

I think I told you that my brother and his family are going to be on "The World's Strictest Parents", right?? Well, this came out today on CMT....


The Bouldins are a tight-knit North Carolina family who believe that tough love is a biblical principal. The pastor of his own church, Blake Bouldin keeps his own kids on the righteous path and demands they lead disciplined and honest lives. For the next week, the Bouldins take in Mackenzie and Ian, two teens with bad attitudes and bold aspirations to have it their way. Fireworks ensue when the teens test the Bouldins with their defiance and dishonesty. Can the Bouldins' stern punishments and tough love approach get these two teens to see the light?

I think they are spinning it a little bit (I wonder how much fireworks there really were???), but I can't wait to see it! Unfortunately it is airing on November 14th...Ashley's wedding day!!! But my TiVo will be set and ready to record the whole thing. :)

This and That

A little randomness here today....

1-First of all, is this the cutest thing or what??? It's my niece Brooklyn in the pumpkin patch. What a sweetie!


2-I had to tell ya'll about this...Laura is taking an art class at Appalachian and today they had to draw a nude man! Seriously! They had a guy come in and pose for two hours in seven different poses while the class sketched him. She said she was only about 2-3 feet away from him and he just dropped his robe and everyone started drawing! I called her this afternoon to see how it went and she was telling me all about it and we were both just laughing at how awkward the whole thing was. I'm sure it's pretty common to have to do this in art, but she's never taken an art class before, so it was new to her!! Even though she got more used to it after two hours, she said, "Mom, I am ALWAYS going to remember this day!" haha

3-I can't believe it is getting so close to the holiday season. Once the wedding is over, I can start focusing on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love this time of year! I am also excited about Faith's Christmas Card Carousel! It is always fun to see everyone's cards. You should play along this year!


Well, that's it for me today. Gotta get some school work done. Have a great night!

Ashley's Kitchen and Pantry Shower

I have been thinking this week about how blessed I am to have such wonderful friends. God has just blessed me so much with some of the most giving and kind people around. Four of my sweet friends gave Ashley a kitchen and pantry shower today that was so nice.



It was a very dreary day today...windy and drizzly and cold and gray. But these ladies had gone all out to make this shower so warm and cozy and beautifully decorated. The food was amazing and we had a great time enjoying everyone's company and getting to visit and chat together. Look at this pretty table!


All these ladies are my neighbors and three of them happen to be my co-workers. We all teach together! We have lived in this house since 2000...almost 10 years! So they have all known Ashley since she was 12 years old. And now she is all grown up and getting married.



Lots of my friends from church were able to come and some of the teachers who are on my second grade team. Ashley's 3rd grade teacher...who happens to still teach with me!...was able to come. Isn't that sweet??

Ashley got so many nice things... from coffee makers to tupperware to groceries to casserole dishes. That girl is SET! She is one lucky girl.


Laura was able to join us, too, which I was so happy about. She drove to Charlotte to come to the shower.


My Aunt Francine came all the way from Dallas, Texas for the wedding, too! Here we all are with her and my mom.


And here are Laura and Ashley with Steve's mom...


So...I think that about wraps it up for showers for Ashley. I know she is going to look back on all of this with such happy memories. Good friends have made it so very special.

On another note....GO PANTHERS!!! We finally had a really good game today! Yay! It's been a good Sunday!

Have a great week!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!!


I hope you have had a fun Halloween today. Last night I went to Wal-Mart and bought ten huge bags of candy. Steve even tried to convince me to put some back. But I told him to remember how many kids we have in our neighborhood and I kept all the bags in my cart. Well.....good thing I did!! You would not BELIEVE how many kids we had come to our door tonight! I would say at least 100, if not more! The doorbell just rang and rang and rang. I ran out of every single bit of my candy except on tiny bag of M&M's.

When I was just about out of candy, I turned off my front porch light and went upstairs to watch the Tennessee vs. South Carolina game with Steve, Ashley, and John. Then I heard the doorbell ring again. I came downstiars and heard lots of kids saying, "Mrs. Maddox, Mrs. Maddox, open the door!!!" I turned the light back on and opened the door and this is what I saw!


It was lots of kids from my class with their little sisters and brothers! They were all so cute and luckily I still had enough candy to give them. It actually rained here tonight. I have never seen it rain on Halloween in my whole life!! But it didn't stop the fun. The kids acted like it was a perfectly beautiful night for trick-or-treating!

So.... it's only 2 WEEKS until the wedding!! Ashley and I went out early today and got the last things checked off her list. We picked up her wedding portrait yesterday and got it framed today. I wish you could see how BEAUTIFUL it is!! I know exactly where I'm going to hang it in my living room. I will show it to you in 2 weeks along with lots of other fun pictures. :)

Tomorrow three of my good friends are giving Ashley a pantry and kitchen tools shower. I know she is going to love getting stocked up on all those things. She and John have moved alot of their things over to their new apartment and are starting to get everything in order. They bought a TV today and washed and put away all their dishes. They are having so much fun fixing everything up!

While we were out today running errands, we found the cutest ballet flats by Lindsay Phillips. Have you seen these??


What's so cool about them is that you can buy tons of different little snaps for the front that are exchangable. So you can make your shoes look totally different to match whatever you're wearing!


I loved them!!

Who is excited about turning your clocks back tonight??? I love getting that extra hour of sleep! Hope you have a great night!