Do you lii crytal geell?

For your amusement at my expense....

I've always thought of us as "do-it-yourself'ers..." Zach has done some much work to the house without hiring practically anyone. So, in that same money-saving spirit, I thought I would become a do-it-yourself manicurist... with disastrous results!! I have been wanting to put some acrylic nails back on and by chance saw a do-it-yourself french acrylic kit. I thought, I've seen those ladies do that a hundred times- I could totally do that! WRONG! :) There's a reason why we pay $35 to put on a set at a salon versus paying $10 for the kit at CVS...

I started and got everything laid out. I sized the tips, got my paper towels folded nicely to wipe the acrylic brush on, and was ready to start! First, I had to clip and file down my natural nails. Check! Glue on the tips... check! Dip the brush in acrylic liquid, then into the powder until it forms a little ball...check! Try to sculpt and form a nail out of it? Not so much!! It looks so bad, I just had to laugh! I even took pictures for your enjoyment!

p.s. I don't have any acetone to soak them off and I have to work all day tomorrow!!! AHH!

Also speaking of nails, I thought I would also post this video from youtube... If you are a woman and have ever gotten your nails done at a salon, you will die laughing! Enjoy!

Two wonderful years!

I made a photo montage in honor of our 2nd anniversary. Hope you enjoy!

p.s. make sure sound is turned up

p.p.s. Zach's nickname for me is Willis... long story, but that's why I signed it Willis at the end...

Tag, you're it!

I got tagged by the beautiful Keely Snyder, so I will of course oblige! Happy 1st Anniversary to you and Andrew (on Monday)! I hope your 2nd year of marriage is as wonderful as your first! I pray that you and Andrew will continue to grow and love each other more and more every day as the years go on!

The rules:
1. List your top ten favorite films
(and they are definitely in no particular order).
2. If you're tagged, you've got to post & tag 3-5 other people.
3. Give a tag back (some link love) to the one who tagged you in your post
4. Give a hat tip (HT) to Dan. (whoever that is :)

Top Ten + a great quote from the movie if I know one :)
1. Father of the Bride (1&2... "One tin soldier...little tin soldier...halllloooooo!")
2. Anchorman ("What? You pooped in the refrigerator? You ate a whole wheel of cheese? Heck, I'm not even mad, that's amazing!")
3. Erin Brockovitch
4. Big
5. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
6. Wedding Planner
7. The Holiday
8. The Italian Job
9. Zoolander (Derek, I'd like you to meet Katinka Inga Bagovanana...na)
10. Love Actually

Courtney, Emily, and Kelly, tag- if you're up for it!

Dan, my hat tip to you: Don't wear one if you sit in the student section of an Aggie football game!
____________________________________________

So, we're trying to wrap up the landscaping projects...I'll do a final slide show of pictures once we have everything done.

Our 2nd anniversary is Tuesday, and I have found myself looking forward to it so much! I don't know why, but there is something about any day of celebration that I just love... I have a special post planned for that day, so check back!

Thanks for tagging me Keely!

A New Look!

I got bored with a bland white background, so I thought I'd try something new...

We had the most amazing weekend... Zach took Friday off and we got to go watch one of his best friends get married. They are having a baby in July and wanted to get married before she was born so they went to the Justice of the Peace. It was a really sweet ceremony and they are just a beautiful couple. It had to have been one of the largest crowds they had ever seen there... They had 4 pews and there was standing room only. Just a testament to the wonderful couple!

After the wedding, we took off to float the Comal River in New Braunfels. I can't even begin to describe how much I love that part of Texas. It is so beautiful! The weekend could not have been any better... we got to spend time with some of our best friends in the world, time which we both treasure since none of these live in Dallas. We laughed a lot, floated the river, relaxed, talked, and just enjoyed each other.



It's so funny looking back on college... Everyone says, "stay as long as you can... you are going to miss it when you're gone." And of course, the almost-graduate says, "No way! I am ready to get out of here and on with my life!" And then you realize what you are missing is not the classes, but the free lifestyle of college and the close proximity to your best friends that you likely will not ever have the chance to have again. I miss being in College Station and being in close proximity to my best friends... there's nothing like that feeling of being "at home."

Since the first 2 weeks of summer have just flown by, I have really started thinking about my classroom and what I am going to do for the coming year. I am so overwhelmed, and at the same time, really excited. I am reading a truly extraordinary book called "Teaching with Love and Logic" and I can't wait to finish it. Since this weekend, I knocked my sleep schedule out of whack (hence, the post at 1:15am) and I already read the first 3 chapters tonight when I couldn't fall asleep.

That's really all I have for tonight. Thank you to all who have been so sweet and supportive of our house updates... the landscaping has been the largest project we've done yet, and it feels amazing to have it pretty much done... for now ;) Hopefully sometime in August I can get a party together so we can show it off. I really want to call it a "Coming out party" for Winnie (Winnetka is our street, so we call her "Winnie"), but Zach is not excited about that because of the large population of gay neighbors we have. I think it's funny! :)

Ta Ta for now!

Updates...

Well, Sadie turned 3 and got a great big gift on her birthday... a new lawn! She's never had a back yard full of grass to run and play in and now she has one! Here are a few pictures...

I just have to say I have the best parents! They came down on Saturday afternoon to help us plant Lariape on the walkway and some Japanese Maple on the side of the house. I am so grateful to have them! They do so much for us and I can't thank them enough!

We're just rounding third base, and sprinting towards home! Almost done! The last goal of 2008 is to knock our nasty shed down! I can't wait for that! It will be fun! Anyone who wants to take a swing when we start demo, just let me know!

Zach also completed his second sprint triathlon. He is just an amazing athlete! I am so proud of him! And he just loves it! Here are a couple of pictures from it...

Run, Spiderman, Run!

Zach and Taylor after they finished...

I will end my post with a really sweet, touching letter one of my 5th graders gave me on the last day of school...

"Dear Mrs. Gavos,

You always come to our classroom with a smile on your face. You come and help everybody and you never forget a fly. Thank you for always explaining different problems to me. You were always and I know you will be sweet. You are a friend to me and a true friendship is a treasure for ever and always. I know you will always shine. I'm gonna miss everybody next year when I'm in 6th grade but I think that's how life is and a part of growing up. Sincerely, Arelsi"

That, my friends, is why I do what I do... It is an amazing feeling to watch the kiddos change so much over the course of just one year. I believe that those who look at teaching negatively and those that focus on the hard parts of teaching sometimes get lost in the greater cause of what they are doing. I can not wait to teach 4th grade next year. We have an amazing team and although there will be difficulty (is there anything worth doing that doesn't have some difficulty to it?), I know I will come out of the year having learned so much.

Goodnight!

It's coming!

We have done so much to the yard... I haven't had a chance to upload the pictures but check back soon... I am so excited about it! New sprinkler, sod, trees, etc...


PICTURES COMING SOON!!!

Dunking Tank=so much fun!

This is Zach and I at a Frisco Roughriders game in the box...























Here I am in the Dunk tank at field day... I loved every minute of it! The kids loved every minute of it... It was a fun day!