i love lucy.

This past Saturday Lucy Evelyn Fleisher was baptized in the Catholic Church.  A few weeks ago Emily and Mark asked me to be Lucy's Godmother and I was honored and thrilled!  The ceremony was very touching and sweet and Lucy was so good!

A few pictures from the day...

 

Clearly the most appropriate thing to do after your child is baptized is to hold her up like Simba in Lion King!

 

 (Mark's best friend Josh is Lucy's Godfather)

Lucy with Deacon Andy

 Lucy with her parents and Godparents!

 With Grandma and Grandpa

 With Monica, Nana, and Pop (we missed Aunt Bridget and Uncle Sean!)

 

Proud Godmother.  Love LOVE this little girl!

 The whole Robinson/Fleisher/Kearney family

+ Great Aunty Peggy and Great Grandpa Frank!



After the ceremony we headed over to Em's house for a brunch celebration.  There was a ton of delicious food!  Em and I each tried out recipes from Pinterest and they were AWESOME!  I think we may make both for the brunch we are hosting after Robby's wedding in two weeks!  Unfortunately, I was too busy shoving my face to take pictures of the food before people ate...but, you get the idea from these pics.

Emily's french toast casserole.  SO good.  My obsession will blueberries is now getting up there with my tomato obsession.

And my egg/biscuit muffin things. Good, but I think I need to add more cheese next time and watch them closely because they cook FAST! (about 10 minutes)

All in all it was a blessed and beautiful day!

continued...

A couple more...

This one is for Grandma who loves when she holds her hands together!

I love her lips.

Emily will hate that she is spitting bubbles in this pic, but that's her favorite thing to do!

We plan on doing more pictures in a month or so when she can fully hold her head up!  Plus, it will be fall and I.LOVE.FALL.  Pumpkins and fallen leaves?  Shut up.

sweet girl.

I love my niece.  I mean, just LOOK at her!  Isn't she the cutest, most adorable, fantastic, awesome baby you've ever seen?!  Em and I decided to torture her for a few hours yesterday by dressing her in obnoxious things and taking pictures...all the while risking our lives near a wasps nest, being eaten alive by mosquitoes, and dying of heat exhaustion.  Ok, maybe I'm being a little dramatic...but I still think we'll wait for it to cool off a bit before we do the next round of photos!

With all the obstacles we faced yesterday I still think we got a few winners.  Enjoy my beautiful niece!

I just love this face with her biting her widdle wip.

Ask Emily about the 'tu-tu' story...oh, it's a winner.  

 

Literally probably the last day she would be able to wear these, so we took a picture to prove she did. :)

This one is just to show you the pure torture we put the sweets through...

I think this was right before the mosquito disaster. ;)

 I'm hoping she will keep her blue eyes.  Could. you. die?!

This was a bit of a fail because she can't hold her head up enough yet...oops :)

G the giraffe will continue to be a problem prop until Lucy can sit up!

But, we got a smile in this one!


Photo shoot part deux coming tomorrow :)

oh, lucy.

Why do I have a feeling your parents will see this look many, many times throughout your life?

Who, me??

*I don't know why my pictures always look so grainy on blogger! Grrrr.

good times.

Today was a good day.  Today was a good, good day.

I finally told my boss(es) about my teaching plans.  I was going to wait until November, but due to some things that have come up recently at work I felt it was better for me to come clean now.  Some people said I was crazy and that I should wait, but I so glad I didn't.  To make a long story short my boss told me that I could go part time whenever I needed to and that I will always have a job with them!  The reaction I got was better than I could have ever imagined.  When I left his office I felt 20 pounds lighter...it was glorious!!

Now, I just need to focus on getting through my 3 classes this fall while working full time and then in January I will begin student teaching and will be able to work part time at my salary divided into an hourly rate!  Yahoo - another obstacle overcome to getting my teaching license!

antique shop

When Chris and I moved into our house 2 1/2 years ago we knew that decorating was going to be a process.  As of now we have 'completed' every room except for our front room (supposed to be a dining room).  About a year after we moved into our house I decided to go back to school to get my teaching license and Chris decided to pursue his dream of becoming a firefighter...these things, among others, made it hard for us to purchase big items for decorating.  Thus, our front room quickly fell into being Bauer's bedroom and playroom.

Now that Bauer is 3 years old Chris and I have decided that he no longer needs his crate.  Unfortunately, this makes our room look even more empty and with my school expenses we have a budget of....close to zero.  So, Craigslist it was!  I started looking in July for an old dresser that I could paint white to use as a buffet.  It was like finding a needle in a haystack.  Finally, last Saturday I found one that was worthy of looking at in person.  It was at an antique shop up in Mechanicsville so Chris and I headed up.

The antique shop was an old log cabin and it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.  There were so many cool things.  I could have spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars!! We decided to get the dresser and I got two amazing 6 pane old old windows for only $9 each.  Ohhh yeahhhh.  I can't wait to take my sister and mom back because I know they will love it too!!

Me and Bauer showing off our new dresser!  He's a little sad he's losing his room, but he can't be that sad because he's pretty much taken over ours!

Oh, did I mention that the dresser is PEPTO BISMOL PINK!?  Hahahahaha we are going to probably strip it down and repaint it.  We will probably also get new hardware for it too.  I have so many fun things I want to add to the room.  Slowly but surely.  I would also like a leather chair and another chair for this room, but those may have to be Christmas presents!

We are excited about our awesome find and can't wait to start putting the room together, piece by piece.

myrtle beach 2011

It almost pains me to write this post because it means that I actually have to admit that my vacation is coming to an end.  Most years I am ready to get back to my house and bed, but this year that was not the case.  Work has been pretty overwhelming lately, so I think two weeks off would have been much better.  But alas, here I am on Sunday night getting ready to face reality once again...

Our vacation was short, but awesome while it lasted!  We got a beach front cottage this year and it was so much fun to have little Lucy at the beach!  Next year should be a blast when she is one and can run around in the sand.  I took a few photos while I was there, so I'll share them with you now! :)

Sea grass on the dunes.

Could you just die at those chubby little legs and feet?

Tootsies in the sand with Mommy and Daddy!

 Lucy does not seem pleased that the "2011" is being washed away!

 

Walking to get ice cream.

 Turtle nest, but we didn't get to see the turtles :(

 Still walking to get ice cream (and scope out our house for next year!)

 Fishing pier with yummy ice cream.

 Baby sling!

 Tummy time - Lucy does NOT like tummy time.

 Rare picture of Chris and me!

Our private walk to the beach.  Love it!

More pictures of our other beach activities will be posted later!  Oh, what I'd give to go back...

praxis results.

The results are in...


I PASSED!  :)


I found out on Thursday while at the beach and it was such a relief!  The cut score for the test is 143 and I scored a 175!  I felt good after I took the test, but I was worried because everyone said it was a fairly 'easy' test and I didn't want to be the loser who failed it! 

The last test I have to take for my license is the Reading for Virginia Educators exam that I am scheduled to take on September 12.  This test is supposed to be a little difficult, so I'm going to study pretty diligently for it.  The good news is that I don't have to pass it until next summer, so there isn't much pressure which is always a good thing. :)

The next steps towards getting my teaching license are 1. break the news to my boss (NOT excited about this) 2. pass the RVE  3. complete my two fall classes

Whew, this teaching thing better be worth it!  Just kidding, I know it will be! :)

cray cray, jelly belly, randomness, update.

Ok, so as promised I was a horrible blogger this summer.  My bad, but you can’t say I didn’t warn you!  I took 3 classes this summer and had NO IDEA how bad they would suck.  Well, they did.  Good news is – I’m done with summer semester! So, this post (as you can tell by the title) is a thrown together compilation of thoughts and experiences from my semester in no particular order.  Buckle up, people.  This might be a bumpy ride…

So why didn’t anyone tell me just how bad is SUCKS to take classes in the summer?! I’ve never done it before and I never want to do it again…however I probably will since I’m thinking about getting my masters in a few years.  Yeah, we’ll see about that one.  Let’s start with my Reading class.  I loved my teacher. She was quirky and fun and really applied her content to the real world classroom.  The bad thing about this class? It was 8 am to noon Tues, July 5 through Fri, July 8.  So, since my job still doesn’t know about my teaching plans I was going to school in the morning then flying to work until 8 PM.  BUZZ KILL.  However, I made it through the class.  Hallelujer (in Oprah’s words).  My next class was Child Psych through the local community college.  The teacher was Cray Cray with capital C’s.  Her syllabus was about 12 pages long.  Why? Because she has a serious infatuation with size 16 point font, bold, and underlined text.  Who does that? I failed my final exam in that class after waiting 2 hours in the testing center to take it (long annoying story). I failed it with a glorious grade of 57 – clearly I didn’t study, but I had good reason.  The test was cumulative and was on 17 chapters.  Now, YOU tell ME how to study for that shiz.  This awesome test grade came after I had just turned in a research paper that was written in 2 hours and supposed to be 5-6 pages…mine was 4.25 pages WITH 14 point size text periods.  Don’t hate.  I had lost control in that class and there was no getting out of it.  (I can assure you that I am usually an excellent student.  The summer and work got to my head this semester…) I ended up checking my grades about a week ago and what did I find??  The Cray Cray teacher curved my final test (reminder: I got a 57) to an 84!!  What???  AND, my size 14 point font periods and 4.25 page research paper??  98!!!!!! Bahahahaha oh community college, how I adore you.  Needless to say, I got a B and I’m thrilled.  My last class was a special ed class and was uneventful – ended up with an A.  Go me.

Onto other things…Chris and I have been in dream land lately.  We have been obsessed (and when I say we, I mean me – Chris is clearly not as crazy as I am) with where we will live next.  We knew when we purchased our current home that we wouldn’t make a whole lot when we sold it, but now we are slightly panicking (again with the ‘we’, I mean me – Chris is as always cool as a cucumber. Bless his heart) because our property value has gone down so much.  We are confident that we’ll be able to break even in a couple of years, so we are thinking ahead to where we will live next.  Chris works in Chesterfield and thinks that if I get a job in Chesterfield that we will live there.  I am not so sure.  I just don’t know if I can go any further south.  WARNING: STEREOTYPING AHEAD.  I was raised in a fairly liberal, albeit Catholic, family and if you know me at all, I am a fairly loud and proud democrat which are few and far between in Chesterfield.  I also do not want to have a garage bigger than my house.  The confederate flag infuriates me.  I don’t want to have a southern drawl!!! GAHHH I just feel like I can’t live in Chesterfield.  {side note: I'm perfectly aware that not ALL people in Chesterfield fit into this stereotype, such as Grandma Kearney} I also know that my parents will be eventually moving to Richmond and I don’t want to be further than 20 minutes from them ever again!  But, Chris has showed me some beautiful homes, so only time will tell if we end up in Chesterfield…if we have it my way we’ll be in the West End.  The West End has my heart – lots of stores – Target, Kohls, HomeGoods…what more can a girl want??  We have a few years until we end up moving and where I get a job will dictate a lot.  We shall see, my friends.  The only thing that’s definite is that we will NOT leave Richmond.  I. love. it. here.

It’s that time of year again…what time you ask?  Well, it’s August and although it has been ::cough:: 4 years ::cough:: since I packed my car up and headed back to college I still miss it terribly.  There is NOTHING like driving down route 81 with the windows down, music up, and friends ahead.  Those first few nights back at school before classes started were some of the best – so much fun! I miss my roomies – Lindsay, Megan, and Candice. :( It’s so hard keeping in touch.  Especially when we are all at such different points in our lives!  But, I know we’ll be friends forever in one way or another.

It is also the time of year when teachers start heading back into the classroom to prepare for their next year.  I am so. jealous. of. them. I would LOVE to be setting up my classroom right now!!  My current obsession is an owl themed classroom. I have seen so many adorable things on Pinterest that I can do for my students to keep this theme and I’m excitedddd!  Plus, my outfit today just screamed teacher (in a good way) and I could have totally rocked a first grade classroom!  And, I have seen so many cute outfits lately that I would love to wear in the classroom (Just go with me here. This is how my crazy brain works).  Alas, I still have 2 classes left and a semester of student teaching before I can be a teacher!  Speaking of which, I took my Praxis II two weeks ago and will find out my score next Friday.  I will post if I pass, if I don’t post DON’T ASK. Capiche? :)

EVERYONE is pregnant!  Even on the blogs I follow!  What's in the water??  For all you nosey people (I'm totally one of them, not judging) Chris and I plan on starting our family in a couple of years when I am gainfully employed with a local county elementary school! Although, I am convinced that my body wants to have a baby and that's the reason I have gained some weight this summer.  Right?  My serious addiction to Chick-Fil-A, M & M McFlurries, and venti iced coffees with milk and sweetened clearly has nothing to do with it.

HI GRANDMA KEARNEY!!  She's an avid reader of mine and I'm sure she has missed me writing over the past month or so!  I really need to get down to her house to visit.  It's been way too long!  Plus, I have to stop letting Chris get to enjoy all of her good breakfasts without me...I'm still trying to figure out how he managed to get the station right around the corner from her house.  Grandma Kearney is my Kearney idol.  Everything she touches in the kitchen turns to delicious and amazing gold!  Her salmon spread, tenderloin, blueberry sauce for french toast, spaghetti, pasta salad...I could go on and on!  All VERY delicious.  Maybe one day I'll be as good as her.  Probably not, though.  She makes me miss my own Grandma and Granny, but I'm so very thankful she is still here with us.

It has been over a year since my Grandma and Granny passed.  And, I'm still pissed.  I wonder if I'll ever stop being mad about it?  Maybe not.  I just can't believe that they don't even know that I am going to be a teacher.  How can they not?  They knew everything about me.  I still can't believe that they didn't get to see me walk down the aisle.  And, they'll never hold my babies - this one kills me, just kills me.  I'm so glad my sister used Evelyn as Lucy's middle name, so my Granny will live on through her.  I plan on honoring my Grandma if and when I have a baby girl.  I've never been to either of their graves.  I know some of you may think this is cruel and disrespectful, but I just don't think I can do it.  I fear that it will take me back to that place of such deep sadness and I don't want to go back there.  Maybe one day...but for now I think I'll just remember them in my heart.

Ok, that's enough craziness for tonight!  We are leaving Saturday for our annual beach trip and I canNOT tell you how bad I need a vacation right now.  I just can't wait to spend a whole week with my family!  And, Chris gets to join us for 5 days!  Last year, Chris left the beach and drove home for the Chesterfield Fire & EMS test and then drove back in 24 hours.  That was well worth it! I'm still so proud of my hubby.  I just love that guy!

Thanks for reading my random thoughts.  And now I shall leave you with my new favorite YouTube clip.  I literally laugh out loud every time I watch it. Enjoy.

CLICK HERE!

kylie michelle.

My photography adventures continue!  I had a few moments before Chris' party on Saturday to take a few pictures of Megan and Mike's cutie pie, Kylie.  It only took us about 20 minutes and I think we got some good shots!  I am always so nervous that they will suck, but I think I got a few winners.  I'm hoping as I get more comfortable my photography hobby will turn into a paying side gig so I can buy a new camera!  I have my eyes set on a Canon...one day :)

She is so. gorgeous. I could have cuddled her aaaaall day!

My personal fav...look at that angel face!

sweet story.

This is a sweet, sweet story that I saw on Pinterest along with this picture.  It almost brought me to tears - A. because it is a black lab and that obviously hits close to home and B. it reminds me just how important it is to raise my future children with faith and belief.

"Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.  She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her.  I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words: Dear God, Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her. Love, Meredith We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet.  I told her that I thought He had. Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, ‘To Meredith’ in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, ‘When a Pet Dies.’ Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note: Dear Meredith, Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away. Abbey isn’t sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don’t need our bodies in heaven, I don’t have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.  Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I’m easy to find, I am wherever there is love. Love, God…"


So cute, right?!