Just hanging around...

I'm lying here on the couch in our office as Landon watches the basketball game on TV, listening to the dishwasher and the washing machine running. I love those sounds--it means that there's work being done as I lay on the couch doing this. LOVE it.

So, not much new is going on here, but I'm super excited because today my kids took TAKS--which means that I am officially D-O-N-E with the testing season at work! Woohoo! Between Stanford and TAKS, test prep is literally ALL we've done since the beginning of the semester. Most of the kids said that they thought it was pretty easy and I am just praying that my "borderline" kids did OK. I was so nervous for them all day as they were taking it--as I paced around my room of little 7th graders that I was testing, I was just praying for them and for my kids. Luckily, we get the results back in a couple of weeks--I just know how hard they've worked and I want them (some for the first time) to taste success on this stupid test.

And my sweet, sweet husband, despite all he's got going on in his life, bought me flowers and had them waiting for me in the kitchen in a vase when I got home to celebrate TAKS being over--totally made my day!

We also found this new running trail by our house today and did today's run on it--we loved it. It was a nice and spacious trail with a good amount of people out on it, which I enjoy. And, there were little bits of elevation which will be good in the long run.

On a totally unrelated note, I found this new blog that I love that has totally inspired with cooking and photography--I've learned a lot and found a lot of new recipes that make me want to cook pretty food (even though I probably won't be cooking any of her food because ALL of her recipes call for at least 2 sticks of butter and I just can't do that :)) and take cool pictures. I've been so mad the last 2 nights because I've been outside at sunset (without my camera, of course) and there have been GORGEOUS sunsets--last night's especially. It was this vibrant orange color and SO beautiful. I feel the urge to go out and practice with my camera, but am feeling stuck--I need something (besides sunsets while I am running, because, well, that's hard to photograph as you're running) to practice on. Anyone with cute kids want their picture taken, haha.

Anyway, this is a really scattered post, but life is good. We are blessed. And, just because, here are two pictures of our babies, who were hanging out with me in the kitchen while I was cooking. And since I was inspired to cook, I also felt inspired to take out my camera and they were the lucky ones. They're bad models though-- every time they see me leaning down to take their picture, they lunge forward at me and jump up in my lap!


Happy Tuesday--and to all you teachers--happy no TAKS until April!