2010 in Photos

lonely Reggie

2010-03-25T17:48:00.001-07:00

lonely Reggie, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Poor Reggie (my truck) is always alone in the school parking lot - he's usually one of the first vehicles there (not today, though) and often the last to leave.

Happy Birthday Harrison!

2010-03-24T20:43:00.000-07:00

, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

I can't believe this kid is NINE!!! We went out to eat for his birthday then took him to Best Buy to spend the gift card we gave him :-)

Bonus pictures of Gigi and Jackson:

(Harrison, Gigi and Jackson are our neighbors)

Suzanne and Holly

2010-03-21T17:27:00.000-07:00

Suzanne and Holly-10, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Couldn't let them get away without taking them down to the studio!!

Bonus Pictures:

Holly and Suzanne

2010-03-20T23:17:00.000-07:00

Holly and Suzanne-58, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Chris and I spent the day spoiling the girls - we spent the morning playing with the bird and dogs, went to Chuck E Cheese and had lunch, after naptime we went to the park and played and had snow cones. What an awesome day :-)

Bonus Pictures:

Sweet sleeping angels :-)

Kyoto

2010-03-19T20:10:00.000-07:00

Kyoto, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

This weekend my cousin's two little girls are staying with us. We had Japanese for dinner - the girls really enjoyed the Hibachi :-)

Cassie's new legs

2010-03-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

Cassie's new legs, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Cassie got her AFOs today! Aren't they pretty? And she got new shoes, too!

Luck o' the Irish

2010-03-17T15:03:00.000-07:00

St Patricks, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Happy St Patrick's Day!!

TROUBLE

2010-03-15T16:01:00.000-07:00

TROUBLE, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Amberly playing Trouble with Ryan and Seth

Faith

2010-03-14T14:37:00.000-07:00

Faith, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

My sweet puppy :-) This pic is part of a little aperture-exploration project LOL

Covered Bridge

2010-03-13T09:16:00.000-08:00

_MG_8342, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

between Rockdale and Walton County

Barrett

2010-03-12T16:42:00.000-08:00

Barrett-3, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

What a cutie :) I went to middle and high school with his mom.

Bonus pictures:

Kate and Amberly

2010-03-10T16:38:00.000-08:00

Katie and Amberly, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

They stayed after school today to help me grade and file papers, clean up, sharpen pencils, etc.

Division

2010-03-09T10:35:00.000-08:00

002, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Amberly helping Ashley figure out how many skittles each of her friends will get if she divides them equally :-)

collecting rocks

2010-03-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

collecting rocks, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

We're learning about rocks so we went outside and collected some so we could describe them!

Josh and Brandon

2010-03-05T16:22:00.000-08:00

052, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

One of our wonderful peer buddies working with one of my students.

Napping House

2010-03-04T21:25:00.000-08:00

Napping House, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Storybook Night at my school - teachers from each grade level act out different children's books - here is kindergarten doing the Napping House

Wyatt

2010-02-27T15:52:00.000-08:00

Wyatt-57, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Wyatt is our county's Math Coach's 9 month old son - and what a cutie he is! He was so cooperative and expressive :-)

Bonus Photos:

My own personal flower shop

2010-02-26T12:07:00.001-08:00

My own personal flower shop, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

There isn't enough room on my desk for all of them LOL. Flowers and balloons on the left from my sweet husband, in the middle from my mommy and daddy and on the right are the over 2 week old flowers from the school from the day they announced the four TOTY finalists - and they're still pretty!

Surprised and honored

2010-02-25T13:59:00.001-08:00

Surprised and honored, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

At today's faculty meeting, our school Teacher of the Year (for next year) was announced - and I was shocked to hear that it is ME! What an honor!

Message from the principal

2010-02-24T07:01:00.001-08:00

Message from the principal, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

What a wonderful surprise this morning to walk in my classroom and fine this note from my principal on my board!

a walk in the park

2010-02-21T15:57:00.000-08:00

swampy, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

It's hard to believe there was so much snow last weekend, this weekend was just beautiful! We went for a walk in the park today and then rode my new bike around the neighborhood for a while - and It was worth all of the wheezing and sneezing that followed :-)

meet Gwen

2010-02-20T16:00:00.001-08:00

meet Gwen, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

For my birthday, I wanted a red bicycle. Since about a month before my birthday we have been looking for a red woman's bike that isn't uber-expensive. Today, exactly 6 months after my birthday LOL, I got my present! Because I name *everything*, I named her Gwyn (the Schwinn). Here she is on Prissy (the Prius)'s back for the ride to her new home.

Trent and Amberly

2010-02-19T13:22:00.000-08:00

Trent and Amberly, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Amberly is a fourth grader who comes to our class during her recess time to work with my students. (Yes, she voluntarily gives up her recess to come to my classroom!) She is AWESOME and the kids love her. Here she is working with Trent today after lunch

Danny

2010-02-15T21:59:00.000-08:00

bye!, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

My father-in-law is in the Cardiac ICU - he has multiple blockages in one of his arteries, they cannot place a stent, so they are waiting for the blood thinners that they gave him in preparation for the cath/angioplasty to clear his system so they can do bypass surgery.

Update 2/20/10: he is now at home and doing well

Valentines Day

2010-02-14T10:24:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

I got flowers, a kissing Elmo, movie, candy, donut holes and a fuzzy soft frog!! Today is the anniversary of the day (night) that Chris asked me to marry him, seven years ago. I was very sick and in bed with a 103 degree fever, he was coming home from Virginia. He got to my house from the airport around 11:30pm, woke me up and made me get out of bed. He knelt down and I was sleepy and delirious so I sat down on the ground with him LOL. My dog licked him in the fact in the middle of his proposal. First, I told him "you weren't supposed to do this yet" but then I said "Of course" and went back to bed.

Fun in the snow!

2010-02-13T16:27:00.000-08:00

moresnow-7, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Poor Faith - she is obsessed with fetch, so I thought I'd throw a snowball for her ... but when it landed, it broke into pieces and blended into the snow - and she was SO confused! She kept looking and looking for the ball ...

Bonus pictures:

More snow!!

2010-02-12T19:01:00.001-08:00

snow-4, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

It's rare for us to get any snow, much less two pretty good snows in one winter! Today we got a LOT (relatively, of course - it wouldn't be much in Wisconsin) of snow. Chris and I, the puppies and the nighbors had lots of fun playing in it. Too bad we were already out of school today (furlough day - boo) - a snow day isn't the same when you're already expecting to be off work LOL.

Bonus pictures:

TOTY flowers

2010-02-09T17:00:00.000-08:00

TOTY flowers, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

I found out this afternoon that I am one of the four finalists for our school's teacher of the year! I took this with my cell phone because I didn't have my camera and I was hurrying out the door to get to class.

Happy Birthday Betty!

2010-02-08T18:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Betty!, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

I took this picture Saturday but am uploading it as today's picture. This is my beautiful and awesome mother-in-law who turned 60 yesterday. I love her! How lucky am I to have the best mother in the world AND the best mother-in-law?!?!

Baby Asher

2010-02-07T16:42:00.000-08:00

Asher-39, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Oh. My. Goodness. Our school media specialist's wife just had the sweetest, most precious baby boy 2 weeks ago and I had the great fortune to get to take his pictures this weekend. He is so tiny (6 pounds 7 ounces) and absolutely adorable.

Bonus pictures (lots cuz he's so stinkin' cute):

Harrison, Ally and Mason

2010-02-06T12:33:00.000-08:00

Conley-12, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

I had such a fun photo shoot with these three cuties - they were a TRIP! Ally is 12, Harrison is 5 and Mason is 2.
Bonus pictures:

Happy Birthday Cassie!

2010-02-05T14:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Cassie!, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Cassie turns ten tomorrow!! Happy Birthday!!

Jordan

2010-02-04T17:47:00.000-08:00

Jordan, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Jordan is a 1st grader at my school and I tutor him in the afternoons. He is such a sweet and funny kid :-)

no picture

2010-02-03T23:51:00.000-08:00

I forgot to take a picture again today ...

Magnets

2010-02-02T21:00:00.000-08:00

This week in my class we are learning about magnets. Here one of my students is trying to put the north poles of two magnets together but they won't go! They repel each other!
(I forgot to take a picture specifically for the challenge again, so one of my pictures for the class blog has to suffice)

Walls

2010-02-01T18:10:00.001-08:00

Walls, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Here's my photo studio - with walls! My daddy is awesome :-)

(the little round coffee table doesn't go there, it's sitting there to be out of the way while daddy does the "waiting room")

recliners

2010-01-31T18:53:00.001-08:00

recliners, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

First of all - ignore the carpet! Chris didn't vacuum before he left for the airport (and of course, I didn't vacuum either!) so there is dog hair EVERYWHERE ... but anyway...

I had a lovely picture of the sign at Johnny's Pizza, where we had dinner tonight, but I left Rebecca (my camera) in the rental car which is now at the airport. Thankfully Chris noticed her and packed her into his backpack. So now that picture is headed for Florida so I decided to use Pinky (my classroom camera who just happened to be in my purse) to take a picture of our "new" addition to the bedroom for today's shot.

We got grandma's recliners from her living room (we actually picked them up last weekend but ddin't unload them out of my truck until today!) to go in our bedroom. With the treadmill and the two dog crates, it's not as aesthetically pleasing as it could be but sometimes you have to sacrifice aesthetics for functionality, right? Now we need to get a floor lamp to go between them and we're good to go.

How will I survive without my camera until Thursday?!?! Thankfully I have no photo shoots scheduled until Saturday, or else I'd be in big trouble! And I do still have Cammie, who - though not a dSLR is still a pretty nice camera, and Pinky who takes a decent snapshot ... and my phone, of course ... so I guess I'll be OK.

Addison

2010-01-30T15:34:00.001-08:00

Addison-10, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Today was sweet little Addison's 9 month portraits ...She is the first baby I did brand-new newborn portraits of, and I can't believe that she is nine months old!! And isn't she PRECIOUS?!?!

Bonus Pictures:

Chris, Gigi and Jackson (and of course, blue puppy)

2010-01-29T23:15:00.000-08:00

dinner-2, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Havd dinner tonight with our friends and their two youngest at our favorite Mexican restaurant in town (the oldest was at a sleepover).

Cousins

2010-01-28T22:34:00.000-08:00

M-1, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Tonight was a busy photo shoot ... four cousins, age 9 months, 5 months, 9 months and 3 years all in one picture. We had 2 or 3 happy kids at any given time but at least one was unhappy, which made a group shot difficult. But their Grammy only has them all in town for a few days so we did the best we could! Aren't they adorable though?

Bonus photos:

Oops!

2010-01-27T23:59:00.000-08:00

I forgot to take a picture today!!!

daddy

2010-01-26T15:06:00.001-08:00

daddy, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

My daddy has been out of work for almost a year now and he is going STIR crazy. I guess he's run out of projects at his house, so he decided my photo studio (in our unfinished basement) needed to be fixed up. So he is putting up some paneling, laying down some linoleum, painting the concrete wall and trimming around the doorways. He is also installing shelves, another light, and who knows what else. I'm kinda enjoying his boredom. :-)

100th day

2010-01-25T14:48:00.000-08:00

100th day, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Today was the 100th day of school and my class went on a number search around the school. We found about 60 numbers - here is the number 100 on a sign in the front hallway.

Bedtime?

2010-01-24T19:26:00.001-08:00

bedtime?, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

I went to brush my teeth and saw that everyone is already in bed waiting for me - and they weren't too pleased that I turned on the light to take their picture. Buffy's not in focus, but Soleil flew away before I could adjust my DOF and take another picture, so oh well.

Big Brother Ben and Little Sister Sarah

2010-01-23T14:29:00.000-08:00

Big Brother Ben and Little Sister Sarah, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Ben's mom works with me at KES and I've been taking Ben's portraits since he was 3 months old. Today I took his two year portraits ...and because Ben has a 3 week old baby sister, Sarah, I also did her newborn session and a new family portrait session. I couldn't pick just ONE photo! They're all just too cute! So today I have bonus pictures.

Golfers

2010-01-22T19:11:00.001-08:00

golfers, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

We are keeping our friends' kids tonight while they go out for Jeff's birthday. I had doc seminar tonight so Chris was entertaining them - I came home and Jackson (the 3 year old) met me at the door saying "Nickel Nickel!! I'm playing GOLF and I won by myself!" (for the record, he didn't "win", he got the ball in the hole, but he did do it himself) They are now playing Mario Party.

Finally hopped on the wagon ...

2010-01-21T22:09:00.000-08:00

finally hopped on the wagon, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

I went to the door to find a package from Amazon, but I hadn't ordered anything ... Surprise! My mother in law sent me and Chris each our very own Kindle :-)

pretty, neat, and organized shelves :-)

2010-01-20T16:35:00.001-08:00

pretty, neat, and organized shelves :-), originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

I organized my bedroom bookshelves - cleared off (tossed, stored or donated) 3 boxes of books/magazines - ain't it pretty? This is the first thing I see in the morning and the last thing I see at night, and it was SO cluttered ... now it makes me happy :-)

GSU

2010-01-19T20:26:00.000-08:00

GSU, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

This is by "my" parking lot at school. I am currently taking my last class (ever!) at Georgia State University. Then my dissertation and I will soon be "Dr. Mays". Though there are days (usually the days I have class LOL) that I question whether or not I really *need* or *want* my PhD - but I imagine I'll be glad I persevered when (if) I finish.

Dentist

2010-01-18T14:40:00.001-08:00

dentist's tools, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

School holidays are very convenient times for me to catch up on doctor's appointments. After my allergy shot and doctor's appointment to go over my bloodwork, I went to the dentist this afternoon - no cavities :-)

A new friend

2010-01-17T18:32:00.001-08:00

doggy head, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

I'm crocheting a little puppy dog (though he is looking a bit more like a bear). I think next time I need to make the stitches a little tighter so you can't see his stuffing ... but for my very first try, I don't think it's that bad! Once he gets a body, legs, a tail, and a mouth I think he will be quite adorable :-)

Grace and Lilly

2010-01-16T17:13:00.001-08:00

Grace and Lilly-3, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

A few years ago, I got really interested in phtography. As people saw the photos I took of my students, they asked me to take pictures of their children. I eventually created a studio in my basement and now have a tiny little photography business. I have done a couple of weddings and parties but usually just do portrait sessions in the evenings and on the weekends. The majority of my clients are coworkers, coworkers' families or people who have seen photos I've taken of coworkers LOL.

Today I had a photoshoot with a coworker's granddaughters, Grace and Lilly. They are both very sweet, adorable girls. And don't they look so pretty in their matching polka-dot dresses?!

Happy Birthday Cassius!

2010-01-15T14:56:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Cassius!, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Cassius's birthday was actually yesterday, but I had an IEP meeting and wasn't in the classroom for a lot of the day -so we celebrated today. It took about 25 tries to get a shot before he took the hat off (see his hand on the way up there?) so I didn't try to re-take when we noticed the hat was backwards LOL.

Brushing Teeth

2010-01-14T22:31:00.000-08:00

Brushing Teeth, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

I hope that a collage counts ... I forgot to take a photo specifically for the 365 challenge, but I did take these pictures of brushing teeth for our class blog. The three students here have learned to complete all of the steps to brushing teeth independently so I was taking pictures of them to use to make picture prompts for some of my other students.

clean desk #3

2010-01-13T15:49:00.001-08:00

clean desk #3, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

The last in this sequence of fascinating pictures, my desk at home! On top of the desk, if you see the Elmo up there - that's from my student teacher last year - he's wearing a KES shirt (where I work), carrying a CEC bag and holds in his hand a little bitty tiny boardmaker CD and IEP folder.

Clean desk #2

2010-01-12T11:37:00.001-08:00

Clean desk #2, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

I took a picture yesterday of my clean desk in the back of the classroom, this is my clean desk in the front of the classroom - this is where I plug in my laptop and has stuff that I may need or do during the school day. This desk gets MUCH messier than the one in the back of the room LOL

Clean desk #1

2010-01-11T17:27:00.000-08:00

Clean desk #1, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

I am so proud that I got my desks cleaned off in my classroom :-) This is the desk with the teacher computer in the back of the classroom. This is where I work when the kids aren't here or if I have paperwork to do and my paras are handling the kids. It's really kind of like my "office" only it's not separate from the classroom.

byebye Chris!

2010-01-10T19:09:00.001-08:00

byebye Chris, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Since we met -- the entire time we dated, were engaged and were married (up until last year) -- Chris has traveled for work. Between 45-48 weeks of the year, he was only home about 2 1/2 days a week. This is all we knew and it worked very well for us. I jokingly (well, half-jokingly) told everyone that when we started to get on each other's nerves too bad, we knew it was time for him to go to the airport. But seriously, him not being here on weekdays enabled me to go to school, work late, go to bed early, etc. without feeling guilty for neglecting him. And we had Friday nights through Sunday nights together, which is when I have the most time anyway.

For a little over a year now, he has been mostly working from home. This was an adjustment, to say the least LOL. Not that I didn't enjoy having him home, it was just totally different having him home during the week!

After a little over a year of mostly working from home, Chris is back on the road. There are pros and cons to this! I'm trying to focus on the pros :-) I get the whole bed back, less laundry, less cleaning (When I get home in the afternoon/evening, the house will be just as I left it in the morning!). But I'll miss him. I kinda got accustomed to having him around here (and he cooked, most nights!)

New Sup-er Mario Brothers, Wiii-hiiiiii!!!

2010-01-09T22:09:00.000-08:00

New Sup-er Mario Brothers, Wiii-hiiiiii!!!, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

I'm obsessed with this game! All of a sudden, I'm a little girl again - only I don't have my mom making me turn off the Nintendo and get productive!! I've spent WAY too much time playing this game LOL

Snow Day!

2010-01-08T09:39:00.001-08:00

Snow Day!, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

This is the view from my front door this morning - when I first woke up at TEN AM :-) If I decide to get dressed and actually step *outside* the door later today, I may replace it with a better picture LOL

What a great day for a snow day, I was exhausted from the funeral and the trip. We got home Thursday around 2am, so I wasn't the best teacher I could be on Thursday - and by the end of the day I was even more exhausted - the three day weekend will be good for me (and I can even catch up on some of the work I had planned to do the last week of break that didn't get done).

Snow

2010-01-07T23:00:00.000-08:00

snow, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

I was going to get a pretty snow picture, but it didn't start accumulating until well after dark. I was already in my PJs and decided I didn't want to go outside, so I took this from the back door LOL. Shortly after taking it, I got the phone chain call that Friday will be a snow day!

Josh

2010-01-06T23:59:00.000-08:00

Josh, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Our oldest nephew, Josh, lives in Birmingham with his mom and we don't get too see him *nearly* as often as we'd like. His mom drove him up to Memphis because he wanted to come to his great-grandmother's funeral. Getting to see him and spend even the short time that we spent with him brought a little happy balance to the sorrow and sadness of the trip.
Isn't he just a great lookin' kid (practically adult)?He is a senior in high school, and he's a "band nerd", which makes me incredibly proud :-)

Memphis

2010-01-05T16:04:00.001-08:00

Hamtpon Inn and Suites, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

We made it to Memphis safe and sound. (This is our hotel room)

Grandma's funeral is tomorrow - the weather and other issues delayed her body getting to Memphis so we've been waiting almost a week for the bit of closure that a funeral service provides along the grieving journey. Tomorrow, Grandma will be buried one day before what would have been her 92nd birthday.

a new hobby

2010-01-04T17:59:00.001-08:00

new hobby, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

While visiting grandma at the hospice home a couple of weeks ago, I was watching Aunt Pat crochet an afghan. I decided I wanted to pick it back up (I had crocheted years ago) so I asked for a hook and yarn in my stocking - and Santa brought them :-) I have almost finished a small red afghan (just while riding to and from visits with grandma and while she napped during visits) that I'm calling my "Grandma blanket". I also thought knitting sounded like fun, so I bought some knitting needles too, and have about a third of a scarf knitted.

Lazy Day

2010-01-03T15:50:00.001-08:00

my Sunday, originally uploaded by MNicoleM.

Today was the last day before going back to work after the break and I've been trying to enjoy every last moment of laziness - I've been in my PJs all day and spent the vast majority of it sitting right here on the sofa by the fire - messing around on my laptop, playing wii, reading, crocheting, napping, etc. and it has been wonderful :-)

happy bird-day Soleil

2010-01-02T11:54:00.000-08:00

happy bird-day Soleil
Originally uploaded by MNicoleM
January 2, 2002 was the day I had my wreck and almost died - it was also the beginning of a new era in my life, literally. In 2002, I met Chris, graduated from college, met Andrew, changed career paths, began teaching, and discovered happiness within myself that had been missing since childhood. January 2, 2002 also happens to be the day that my babybird was hatched! I adopted her in April of 2002, but when I saw her hatch certificate and noticed the date was the same as the date of my wreck, I knew she was meant to be mine, to bring sunshine into my new life :-) And now, 7 years later, she is still bringing me sunshine. Happy Bird-Day, Soleil!

To a better year in 2010

2010-01-01T00:30:00.000-08:00

To a better year in 2010
Originally uploaded by MNicoleM
After sitting at the hospice home literally watching grandma pass away, the end of her suffering was almost as much of a relief as it was heart wrenchingly sad. 2009 was full of tragedy and death in our family so Chris and I toasted the beginning of a new year, hoping 2010 brings less sadness!