An Apple A Day...

It's official!! I am sitting in my new decorated classroom (which has colors on the wall, posters up, calendars together, a circle time, a kitchen) WITH NO KIDS.


Tonight is Meet the Teacher night. Tonight is the night I YEARNED for as a child. I vividly remember riding my bicycle up to school once a week (if not more often as we got closer to school) just waiting for the school to post our class rosters on the doors.

Now, the roles have reversed, I am sitting in my classroom, peering out the windows, wondering where my students are. Gee, it seems as though I am in 20 year predicament.


I am so excited for school to start. This week has been so long. We have had all day in-services, followed by countless hours in our classroom, followed by going home to start your personal life - which in my case means cook dinner and love on my family. So, not a tough night life.


I hope those of you that have children, had a great "Meet the Teacher night".

The Hottest Coolest Time In Texas...

... Schlitterbahn, bahn, bahn. So, today, my entire family, (mom, dad, Hamners, TJ, Cullen and I) went to Schlitterbahn for a family fun day. The day couldn't have been better - we arrived early, parked close, brought in our own food and were on our first ride within 10 minutes of arrival! It was PERFECT!!

And, it was the best way to end summer. Tomorrow officially starts Teacher Professional Development. Yahoo!

Un Beso...

Gosh, it has been a while since I last blogged. My apologies. August 1st was a celebratory day in my life. It was the first day in YEARS that I didn't have homework, or projects on the horizon. It was m 25th bday, and my dear friends Terra and Tyler were the guests of honor at their wedding shower. Below are some pictures from the blessed event!

During the shower, the hostesses asked Terra and Tyler to play a "how well do you know your finance/fiancee" game. If the couple could correctly get answers, KISSES; but, if they answered questions wrong...they had to eat limes! It was great. FUNNY....unless you were them.

A picture of the birthday girl and her date:

...and one more of the happy couple! Congratulations you two! I can not wait to be a part of your big day!

Snug as a Bug in a Rug!

It has been an eventful couple of weeks for the Mills' family!! We are officially in Killeen, moving in to our new house (slllooooowly), and just enjoying each other again. I didn't realize how much I missed Cullen until I got back here - together again!

I have been working on getting my classroom stuff together. I met my coworker; she is great. Although, it will be hard not to compare her to my coworkers at STARRY - who are irreplaceable.

Other than that, I am just trying to find the groove here - it certainly doesn't hurt that I have played housewife for the last couple of days!

I was hoping this day would not come as soon as it did. One one hand, change is great. Change is fun, exciting, new. On the other hand, change is scary, sad and no fun at all. It is only 5:40 a.m., and today is already no fun at all. I woke up sad. Today is my last day of work. How in the world am I sad about leaving work?? I HAVE TO WEEKS OFF! I am sad because I have the best coworkers in the world. I can truly call them my friends, beyond coworkers; for that, I am grateful.

So, time to that change is good.... and to try a little more. :)

I am a Cougar

It's official. I am a Clifton Park Cougar. I will be teaching the CASD (Classroom for Autism Spectrum Disorders) Kindergarten - 2nd grade class! I couldn't be more excited.

** A preface: I just was google-ing "Cougars" to add a picture to this neat blog post... A bunch of inappropriate, scantly clad woman looking for young men popped up. In case you were confused... I am not THAT cougar.

After several interviews with Killeen ISD, I decided to accept a position as a CASD teacher. I am already excited about setting up my classroom, writing notes to my student's parents, and meeting my new kids! Hooray for following dreams.

So, if you are keeping up with the Summer 2009 Life Altering TO-DO List:

• Enroll in final semester of grad school....check.
• Put the house on the market...check.
• Sell the house...check.
• Find a rent house...check.
• Move...check.
• Find my first teaching job...CHECK.
• Graduate -
• Turn 25 -

Roller Coaster.... of love.

I feel like I am at the top of a roller coaster in the middle of a loop, except my roller coaster is just stuck at the top dangling upside down. This week is a HUGE week in my life. It is finishing my Masters; leaving my job (which I am really sad about); hearing about my new job(CROSS OUR FINGERS, AND SEND A BIG PRAYER ABOVE!) turning 25; officially moving to the Killeen house; basically STARTING OVER.

Wow. what change!! And, I couldn't be more excited. Even though I feel like my brain is fried mush, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. THANK THE GOOD LORD.

I will keep you posted.

Cullen is Famous!

I couldn't be more proud! As we moved into the new house this weekend, Cullen's commercial ran on TV. Hooray!!

**Sorry for the poor quality. I shot the TV with my camera!

Big Changes

Tomorrow marks two weeks until Cullen and I start over. Starting over in almost every aspect. In two weeks, I will graduate with my Masters from UT (which I couldn't be more proud about), I will attend work for the last time (at my current job. Not forever.), move into my new house in a new city surrounded by new friends, and turn 25. Phew. What a whirlwind. It has been a mix of emotions - that is for sure.

Cullen and I spent a weekend looking for rent houses in Killeen a couple weeks ago, and found just the cutest house. We signed a long lease (it will mark the longest we have ever lived in one dwelling together), in a cute neighborhood with a great backyard. Don't get caught up in smelling the roses yet... it has quite a bit of work to be done.

I wanted to share with you our new home. Do not be confused - the colors on your computer are not lying. You are not mistaken when you think to yourself, "wow, do I really see LSU Purple, banana yellow, bright orange...etc??" Our first order of business - Paint.

I will send post-paint pictures after we move in - which is this weekend. Tomorrow to be exact.

:Enjoy:

Attn: Stanley Update

A couple weeks ago, I introduced Stanley to the blog world. As expected, I got several comments about how darn cute Mr. Stanley is. He is just so stinkin cute, how could you not fall in love??

Well, here is part two to Manly Stanley:

Stanley and Cullen were deep in conversation about how cute Stanley is. There is no denying it; Stanley KNOWS he is cute.

Stanley Loves playing with his big brother! He will go bite him, and run away. SO CUTE. He hops like a rabbit. (Wish I had that one on video.)

Sometimes, he even likes to play peek-a-boo with his momma. I mean, c'mon. Do they get any cuter??