I conquered the swim! :)

More details to come tomorrow--we're too tired tonight. It's only 930pm and it feels like midnight! It was a fun day--we both finished the Olympic and had a blast!

FEARLESS tour

Last Wednesday Landon gave me one of the best surprises I've gotten in a long time--and seriously, one of the most fun nights I've had in a long time! He TOTALLY shocked me with tickets to the TAYLOR SWIFT concert (who I LOVE) and I had no idea what was going on until we were walking up to the tables where they check your bags to get in to the Toyota Center. And even then, I was still a little confused and in shock. :)

Last Tuesday he called me from work and told me that Ben and Becky, some of our friends, had a friend playing in a band at one of the restaurants downtown on Wednesday and invited us to go listen to him play. I said sure, not thinking too much of it. We were planning to meet there at 7pm, listen to him play and then go somewhere else to grab some dinner. It was a very elaborate plan and I bought it hook, line and sinker.

Wednesday I got off work, went to the gym and swam and then rushed home so that we could leave in time to get to the restaurant. When I got home Landon told me that Ben wanted us to bring our camera to take some pictures, so I had to charge the battery. Then, he told me I had to change (I was in a dress and heels from our 8th grade graduation ceremony at school) because Ben said we just needed to wear jeans and a nice shirt. Now, I thought that was a little weird and told Landon I was just going to wear my dress. Well, I lost that argument and ended up putting on one of the shirts Landon requested I wear because we were getting short on time and I was tired of arguing, haha. (And, in hindsight, since I was standing for pretty much the entire concert, I was VERY glad to be out of my heels and dress!)

As we were walking out the door, Landon "called" Ben to tell him we would be a little late, and he told me that Ben told him that he was mistaken and his friend was actually going on at 8pm, not 7pm, so the new plan was to meet at one of the restaurants at Discovery Green and then head over to the show. Again, nothing at all that I was suspicious about.

Then, when we got there, Ben "called" Landon (right as we were walking by a huge group of people outside doing aerobics, so I couldn't have heard his phone ringing anyway) and told him that he was afraid we would miss the show if we stopped to eat, so he wanted us to just meet him at his car and we could carpool over to where his friend was playing and eat there. Still, I didn't think anything of it--I was just irritated at Ben now, because I was really hungry and he was making us walk all the way across the park to meet him at his car.

As we were walking and talking, we walked up to the Toyota Center and I saw the huge Taylor Swift sign and told Landon that her concert must be tonight and how much I would LOVE to go see her one day. Then, I started telling him about how a couple of our friends were at it and I was so jealous. As I'm saying all of this, he turns and starts walking over to where the people check your bags to go into the Toyota Center and at this point, I start to get a clue about what was going on--and I start freaking out a little. I couldn't believe it--and honestly didn't believe it at first! And then, I was so confused--I couldn't believe the whole story he'd made up had been a total lie. I even asked him if we were meeting Ben and Becky at the concert and he just laughed. Once it sank in though that we really were going to the concert, I was almost giddy with excitement. It's silly, I know, but I really do love her and going to see her live was something I've wanted to do for a long time, but never actually thought I would because I wouldn't pay an arm and a leg for it, like it seems you have to do these days. As it turns out though, he found out that they opened up some more tickets at the last minutes, so he was able to snatch some up. He's just awesome like that! :)

Once we got into the concert (and managed to sneak in my D90 with my new zoom lens!), we grabbed some dinner and watched the last few minutes of the opening act. I was SO excited--I couldn't stop smiling! And, while I know Landon isn't near as huge of a Taylor Swift fan and I am, haha--I was so glad he was with me and thankful that he seemed to be having fun too!

The stadium was packed!

And then, after a few minutes, she came on! She opened with You Belong With Me and then Our Song before talking for a few minutes--and right then and there, I knew it was going to be as good of a concert as I'd imagined!

We were standing practically the whole time and I promise I knew almost every word to every song she sang--and had a blast singing along with her! And, she sounded exactly the same live as she does on her CD's, which was VERY impressive!


At one point, she went up into the crowds and sang a few songs and then shook hand/hugged the audience members as she walked back to the stage. It was pretty cool.
It was SUCH a FUN night. I was ecstatic to be there--it definitely lived up to all of my expectations--and they were pretty high! She put on a great show and sang pretty much all of my favorite songs of hers. :)

Although, Landon thought at times that she was a little weird, like when she put her whole head into the fog.

And, sometimes between songs she would just stare out at the audience and he thought that was a little creepy. It was. But it didn't make me love her any less. :)

The end was awesome. She was singing and then it started "raining" on stage and, get this, in the rain were words from the song. It was crazy; I have no idea how they did that.

The end. Awesome concert. Best concert I think I've been to. One of my top favorite artists. Best night I've had in a long time. Best husband in the world.

Thank you Landon, for loving me so well. I love you!! I love you even more than I love Taylor Swift. Thank you for an awesome night.

Astros 5K + Blackburns = FUN

This weekend some of our good friends, Brittnie and Brandon, invited us to do the Astros 5K with when and we had a blast! Brandon and Landon ran it together and Brittnie and I walked it--we had fun just chatting and catching up, but we were walking fast! :) We had a good time getting out early and doing something--and getting to hang out with some of our favorite people!

It was also fun because the race ended inside the stadium and we got to hang out there for a while, in the shade and cool. Then, after we were all recovered, we headed over to Buffalo Grille for brunch--YUM. Thanks for a fun day guys--we're definitely up for it again any time you guys are!!

And now, with that 5k and a quick bike ride under our belt today, we're packing up to head to Austin for the Captex olympic tri. Last weekend we did one last open water swim and one last (really hard!) hill workout out on this road that is seriously hills for 10 miles and I'm about as ready as I'm going to get. I'm determined to make the swim a good one, despite how bad it's been in the past, and am really trying to think positive and remind myself that this is fun! :) I'm kinda just ready for it to be here at this point...and praying that it's not REALLY hot outside on Monday!

And then, after this race, it's only 3 1/2 weeks until we leave for Landon's Ironman! He even got his athlete packet in the mail yesterday...it's getting close!!

Year Four

Room 112, my home for the last 3 years is all cleaned up and packed up, and still it's hard for me to believe that my fourth year of teaching is over and done with. It's been a good year. Hard at times, some challenging kids, but it all turned out all good. By the time they walked out of my room, I liked them all. :) We've spent the last week publishing our last writing pieces, having writing celebrations, partaking in 8th grade graduation festivities, celebrating how far they've come as readers and writers and generally having a good time. It's been fun.


And, a lot of them I really will miss. I meant it when I told them to come back and visit me! And, amidst their tears and hugs (they were an emotional bunch this year! :)), they told me they would.


And then I spent today, a full 8 hours, cleaning out and organizing my room. Next year I'm going to be moving upstairs, to a new room, so I thought it was a good opportunity to do some spring cleaning--I had no idea it would take that long! But, it was well worth it. It makes my heart happy to have everything filed and in its place. And, I know I will be SO thankful to have it already done when I get back in August.

As well, next year will also bring another change other than just my room, as I'll be taking over as English department chair. Tracy, a mentor and friend, who came to my school the same year as I did and brought readers and writers workshop with her, totally revolutionizing how english was taught at my school, is moving to Austin this month. She has taught me SO much about teaching and really instilled a passion in me for it and a vision for how, for some of these kids, literacy really can be life changing. I am scared out of my mind, because compared to her I have no idea what I'm doing, but I'm praying that it will all work out! :) Our last department meeting this week was actually promising, so I'm leaving for the summer with hope that next year will be better than this year! This year our department was full of dissension and frustration; hopefully the honest conversations we've had over the last few weeks can bring about some change.

And, I'm leaving my room for summer break with this note in my hand. On his way out the door on the last day of school, he came up to me and gave me a hug and then told me "when you get to your room, look on your desk. I left you a note on your cell phone. I wrote it all myself." When he came to me this year, he couldn't read, couldn't write. He'd been faking people out for years and had become an expert on it. This year we got real about it and, while he's not on grade level yet by any means, he's learning, and his confidence is growing. He's been one of my favorite kids this year and the biggest challenge I've ever had teaching, by far.

And, with this note, he totally made my day. I'm praying for him as he goes into high school, that he doesn't fall through the cracks.

And with that note, good bye to year four. It's been a good year. It's been tough, but gratifying, and I've learned a lot. Bring on year five! :)

My Garden, 3 months later :)

My plants are definitely my latest obsession! For some reason, I get the biggest kick out of watching them grow! We've had a few issues with caterpillars eating the leaves and my dogs attacked the cauliflower plant early on, but other than that everything else is alive and well! That is definitely a first for me and I'm so excited!! I don't even mind getting out in the 95 degree heat and watering them every afternoon (at least I don't most of the time! :)).

tomatoes

tomatoes

tomatoes

and more tomatoes!

bell peppers

hot peppers

cabbage

parsley

oregano

cilantro

basil

cucumbers

eggplant

strawberries

gladiolas

h.a.p.p.y s.u.m.m.e.r !!