NEW FLOOR!!

What a day!! I finally put my new floor in today. I put it in all by myself! I have to say I am pretty darn proud of myself. We had to have a new floor because my 14 year old cat decided to use the hallway carpet as her litter box. She would pee all over the carpet and she actually ruined 2 baseboards!!! We tried everything and finally gave up and put in a new floor.
As you can see the baseboard is gone and the wet spots is where she was going potty. When I bleached that area...it turned white and bubbled..EWWWW!!!!

Next step was priming the floor. This gave me such a headache. I have never used primer and I didn't realize how strong it was!!!
I knew my quilting tools would come in handy someday...I just didn't realize that it would be to cut tiles for my floor!! LOL!!. In case you are wondering, I used a box cutter not my quilt cutting tools!!!

And FINALLY...the new floor!!!!! I will be honest and say some of these tiles are cute and pasted but hey....it looks good!! This is just temporary until we put in hardwood floors.

First Day of Vacation.

Today was the official start of my vacation and I have to say I LOVED sleeping in this morning!!! However, once I was up it was a VERY busy morning. I folded 5 loads of laundry. I hate folding laundry so I usually let it get backed up. Today it was folded and put away. I am putting a new floor in my hallway. My beautiful cat, Munch age 14, has decided that the hallway is now her litterbox so the carpet was RUINED! We are putting in a vinyl floor. I will post pictures of it when finished.

Today was Mark's birthday!!! He turned 41 years old. We went to PF Changs to celebrate with friends. Talk about some good food...YUM!!! When we got home we built a fire in the fireplace. As soon as we did this our dog, Tusk, started acting NUTS. He was pacing, asking to go outside, coming back in, barking at us. This is not his usual behavior when there is a fire, ususally he likes to lay down and sleep in front of the fire. So we knew something must be wrong. We put the fire out and he then proceeded to take a nap. I have no idea why he was acting like this but animals usually know things. We listen to ours!! This is Tusk with Charlie the tiger. This is how Tusk is usually.

On the Reading Challenges:
Everything Austen Challenge:
1) Read Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict - Completed!!!!
2) Stitch "The Daughters of Longbourn" by the Stitching Parlor - finished page 2 of 4
3) Re-Read Pride and Prejudice Completed!!!!
4) Watch the movie Lost in Austen - COMPLETED!!!!!
5) Read: Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange - COMPLETED!!!!
6) Read: Northanger Abbey - COMPLETED!!!!

10 book Challenge:
1) NorthAnger Abbey by Jane Austen -COMPLETED!!!
2) Mr. Darcy's Diaries by Amanda Grange- COMPLETED!!!
3) Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict - COMPLETED!!
4) Peppermint twisted by Sammi Carter - COMPLETED!!!!
5) Just take my Heart by Mary Higgins Clark -COMPLETED
6) Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer -COMPLETED!!!
7) What would Jane Austen do? by Laurie Brown- COMPLETED!!!
8) Unsolicited by Julie Kaewert
9) Duchess by Night by Eloisa James -COMPLETED!!
10) Murder at Astor Place by Victoira Thompson -COMPLETED!!

Cherokee Child

I have finally finished page 7!!! Talk about exciting!!! I have been really stitching on her and on my Jane Austen piece. They are both coming along very nicely. I truely hope to finish my goal by the end of the year. I will tell you that my fingers are very sore! For Cherokee, I only have 3 more pages to go and I am working on her this entire Thanksgiving Break-all 9 days of my break. Who knows, I may finish her by the end of this month!!!

On a more personal note, my mom had surgery this past Wednesday. She had her gall bladder removed. I found out after the surgery that they make a small slit in/around your belly button and it comes out from there!!! EEEKKKKK!!!! Her poor belly button!! She is doing much better and is able to get around just fine!!!

On the fitness note, I have been walking this week. I have lost a couple of pounds and I am happy with that loss. I do wish I could lose it all in a couple of weeks like the people on The Biggest Loser!! Oh well....I have no desire to work out for 8 hours a day, I think it might kill me!!!

Winchester House

Earlier this month I made a decision to finish 3 BAP's before the end of the year. I would like to finish: Cherokee Child, Winchester House and Daughters of Longborne. I haven't worked on Winchester house since my Disney trip this past July. Can you believe that??? Since I decided to finish these three...that means I have to have a rotation again. Did you know that there are only 45 days left in this year???? I did the math and need to finish 1170 stitches a day....I really don't think that is possible...but I am going to try and finish them!! Winchester house is coming along nicely, I just have some backstitching to complete on this new tower section that I worked on today. Cherokee child is coming along nicely. I am just about to finish with page six which means only two more pages to go.

On the personal side....School is kicking my backside this year. I am not kidding!! I can't seem to catch up. My to do list is getting longer by the day. However, I can relax know that I only have to work 3 days this week before Thanksgiving break. The only reason I am not working the whole week is my mom is having surgery on Wednesday and I will be taking care of her on Wednesday and Thursday.

Mark and I were watching How I Met Your Mother this week and they were talking about when you get into a relationship you gain weight. Sometimes, you let things go..you hair, nails etc. I will be the first to say, I have done this!!! I weighed 105 lbs when I met Mark...Lets just say I have gained a few lbs. since then!!!! I have decided to lose some weight and make some changes to make myself look better and feel better . I am starting with the hard part - the weight. I have started taking my sweats to work and stopping by the park on the way home. I walk for 15 minutes in one direction and then if I want to go home, I have to turn around and walk another 15 minutes. So basically, I walk 30 minutes. I have cut down to one coke a day. That is one thing I won't give up. I LOVE t o drink my daily coke.....I am not as cranky when I have it. This week I walked 6 days at 30 minutes a day...so I walked for 3 hours. YAY ME!!! I figure that come spring when everything is coming in new...I will go get a new hair do, nails and NEW CLOTHES!!! I will keep you updated on how the weight loss is going.

Reading Challenges

I finished another book!!!! I finished Confessions of a Jane Austen addict. It was about a girl who turned to Jane Austen whenever life got bad. After a VERY bad breakup she fell asleep reading Pride and Prejudice and when she woke up, she was in the Mansfield park storyline. She learned that life in England during that time didn't smell so great. It seems people didn't thinking bathing was necessary.
I have started walking after school and I was able to find a copy of Northangler Abbey from the Fayetteville Public Library. I downloaded the book and then transferred it to my I-Pod. I am listening to it while I walk. I have to say this is the best way to get read a book. I am enjoying listening to the book for 30 minutes a day.

Everything Austen Challenge:
1) Read Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict - Completed!!!!
2) Stitch "The Daughters of Longbourn" by the Stitching Parlor - finished page 1 of 4
3) Re-Read Pride and Prejudice Completed!!!!
4) Watch the movie Lost in Austen - COMPLETED!!!!!
5) Read: Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange - COMPLETED!!!!
6) Read: Northanger Abbey - Listening to on my I-Pod!!

10 book Challenge:
1) NorthAnger Abbey by Jane Austen -Listening to it right now
2) Mr. Darcy's Diaries by Amanda Grange- COMPLETED!!!
3) Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict - COMPLETED!!
4) Peppermint twisted by Sammi Carter - COMPLETED!!!!
5) Just take my Heart by Mary Higgins Clark -COMPLETED
6) Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer
7) What would Jane Austen do? by Laurie Brown- COMPLETED!!!
8) Unsolicited by Julie Kaewert
9) Duchess by Night by Eloisa James -COMPLETED!!
10) Murder at Astor Place by Victoira Thompson -COMPLETED!!

I am getting very close to completing both challenges!! This is very exciting!!!

Daughters of Longborne

I spent this week orking on my Stitching Parlor The Daughters of Longborne. It is coming right along I think. It is part of my Jane Austen challenge so it MUST be finished by December 31st.

I do love how this is coming along. The colors look great on this fabric.

I am trying to finish 3 BAP's before Jan. 1st. -Daughters of Longborne, Winchestor House, and Cherokee Child. That is my goal. We will see what happens.

Today, I graded papers and then more papers. I am not kidding....I graded for over 4 hours. Being out of school for 2 days put me BEHIND!!! I got myself all caught up today and will be able to start my other to do lists at school. I only have 10 days until Thanksgiving break and I get a whole week off of school!!!! I can't wait!!!

Overdue update

Wow...I haven't posted in a while. Since the last post I have had several things happen. We had parent teacher conferences and I actually had 10 parents show up over the two nights. I have to say this is the first time that this has ever happened. I couldn't believe it. It actually shocked me. The only thing I do not like about PT conferences is that I have to work two 12 hours days in a row.
I donated blood at the school blood drive and the nurse who was sticking me missed my vein. She had to wiggle the needle around until she found a good flow of blood. About 2 hours after donating I took that arm bandage off because it was driving me nuts. I do this evertime I donate blood....the next thing I knew... I passed out in my classroom. It is good to know that my kids will call the nurse when I am passed out cold. Luckily I was sitting in my chair when it happened. I was wheeled out of my room by the HOT school resource officier. The teacher next door told me that one of my seniors was teaching the class. He was keeping all my kids on task and working while I was being wheeled out. She heard him tell them that if they didn't do their homework and keep working then Mrs. Hartwell will yell at us the next time they were in class.... TOO FUNNY!!!
I went to a bridal fair with my friend Jammi. She is getting married next year around Thanksgiving. We had fun looking at all the dresses, photographers, and the best part..tasting all the food!!! The cakes were so good. I came home that afternoon and was feeling a little wonky...so I took a nap. The next thing I knew it was 7:00 pm. I felt funny....so I told Mark that I was headed to the High school to make out some lesson plans. The bad thing about being a teacher is that if I am sick, I just can't take off. I have to make out lesson plans, seating charts, print out attendace records. It is really a pain to do this so I don't try to miss. There is so much stuff to deal with when I get back also such as passing out 6 detentions over behavior. UGH!! I was home sick for 2 days and finally went back to school on Wednesday of this week.
Reading Challenge:
Everything Austen Challenge:
1) Read Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict - on my night stand
2) Stitch "The Daughters of Longbourn" by the Stitching Parlor - finished page 1 of 4
3) Re-Read Pride and Prejudice Completed!!!!
4) Watch the movie Lost in Austen - COMPLETED!!!!!
5) Read: Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange - COMPLETED!!!!
6) Read: Northanger Abbey - on my bookshelf

10 book Challenge:
1) NorthAnger Abbey by Jane Austen
2) Mr. Darcy's Diaries by Amanda Grange- COMPLETED!!!
3) Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict
4) Peppermint twisted by Sammi Carter - COMPLETED!!!!
5) Just take my Heart by Mary Higgins Clark -COMPLETED
6) Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer
7) What would Jane Austen do? by Laurie Brown- COMPLETED!!!
8) Unsolicited by Julie Kaewert
9) Duchess by Night by Eloisa James -COMPLETED!!
10) Murder at Astor Place by Victoira Thompson -COMPLETED!!

On the Stitching note....I have been working on Cherokee Child and The Stitching Parlor - Daughters of Longborn.

I think this is enough of an update for a bit.....will post stitching pictures later