Rain, Rain go away...

Just a blah day. BLAH BLAH BLAH! All because of rain. In Georgia, we used to be in a drought, now we have flash flood warnings every other day I feel. And with the rain comes a cold front. So the weather will get up to the 60's, we would have a beautiful sunny day, and then the next...BAM rain and 40's. I am so beyond ready for spring I feel like I have spring fever worse than I have ever had.

This past week we took momma dog, Ginny, back. Her adoptive family didn't work too well, so we sent Parker to another foster home (he will do amazing where ever he is sent) and took Ginny home. We had her for a week, and we got a call from Allysen. She said her family was very, very interested. Allysen, her husband, and two small girls, came over on Saturday, and LOVED Ginny. I went up to Canton, GA and dropped her off in her new home. Their house was amazing, and the girls just LOVE Ginny, who's name might be Daisy now. I can't believe it happened so fast. I hope it works out for Ginny. We love her so much, we just want her to be in a good place. So at this time we are foster dog empty.

One more week before spring break. I am just hoping for some warm weather. I am so sick of cold, cloudy, rainy days.

I would love to lose 8 more pounds. I am coming clean about this now, thinking that creating a public knowledge of this will help me push a little harder to get them off. I would like this done by June, but anytime before that would be great! I think going back to weekly meetings at Weight Watchers is necessary. I went to a Sunday afternoon one, and enjoyed the leader, and the crowd. I am normally around on Sundays. I guess that is a plan. At least a step in the right directions.

5 hour naps

Naps are what I consider a normal part of life. I could say that most people enjoy an hour or less nap. However, my naps are a bit different. If I am going to take a nap...it is for a long, long time. On average that means 5 hours. As a young 20 something it was very hard for me to "find" the time to take an "Amanda Nap". I soon found that my body could not function without these "naps". I would soon get so sick, have to sleep all the time, and then repeat. I eventually took matters into my hands, and found the time to get in some extra rest.

I don't need these naps because I do not get enough sleep at night. On a school night I love to be in bed by 9pm, 10pm at the latest. I sleep the whole night and wake up around 5am. At least once a week I go to bed at 6pm, and love every second of it. I need these naps to keep my body moving at the pace I push it.

It has been a long way around trying to figure out what works for my body. I have come to understand that these "naps" are 100% necessary to take care of myself.

So yes, I am only 26 years old, and LOVE taking LONG, LONG naps. I have to wonder what will my nap time be when I am in my 70's or 80's? Possibly days at a time ;)

13.1 Miles before 10am!

Jacob and I completed our half marathon today. It was a great course, and I really liked the way it was run. We did the ING 1/2 and seriously it was amazing. We made personal bests 2 hours and 35 minutes. Our only other half was done in 2 hours and 46 min, so we cut off 11 minutes. That is HUGE improvement!

Nothing else really to report. Busy, busy. The next week looks to be the same.

I hope all is well in your world!

Where in the world are Amanda and Jacob???

Jacob and I have been MIA this past week. We have been a little bit of everywhere....

Monday - A - 6:45am - 4:15 Teaching Children
5:00 - 10:30 Meeting with Mom in South Atlanta

J - 6:30 am - 1:00 Work
5:30 - 11:30 Class

Tuesday - A - 6:45am - 4:15 Teaching Children
5:00 - 6:30 Running errands
7:00 - 10:30 Making a powerpoint for the whole 5th grade

J - 8:00 am - 12:30 Homework
1:00 - 8:30 Work

Wednesday - A - 6:45am - 4:15 Teaching Children
4:15 - 6:30 Homework
6:30 - 8:30 5th grade musical

J - 8:00 am - 12:30 Homework
1:00 - 8:30 Work

Thursday - A - 6:45am - 4:15 Teaching Children
4:15 - 6:30 Homework
6:30 - 8:30 5th grade musical

J - 6:30 am - 1:00 Work
5:30 - 11:30 Class

Friday - A - 6:45am - 3:30 Teaching Children
3:30 - 4:30 Tutor
6:00 - 1-0:00 Masters Class

J - 6:30 am - 1:00 Work
5:00 - 7:00 Pack for Drill

Saturday - A - 8:00 am - 4:00 Masters Class

J - 4:30 am - 8:30 pm Drill

Sunday - A and J - 6:30 am - 11:00 am 1/2 Marathon
12:00 - until whenever Do everything around the house we haven't gotten to all week.

See above schedule to find us...or pity us. Whichever you feel is more appropriate ;)

Amanda Larkin is making that to-do list dissapear

To Do list for today:

* Order Pet Meds

* Get to Target --> CHECK
2 Shower Curtains 70"
Nuetrogena cover up Stick

* Get Gas --> CHECK

* Office Depot --> CHECK
Badge holders
Portfolio
Pencil Box

* Cut Coupons

* Make a Vet List w/ Numbers --> CHECK

* Email --> CHECK
Heather
Tammy
Aunt Jacquie
Pete

* Laundry --> CHECK
Sheets
Towels

* Read the Bible --> CHECK

* Organize closet --> CHECK

* Take pictures of new outfit

* Make puppy book

* Sync Watch --> CHECK

That is my to do list for today. Honestly it is kind of low key today. I know to the average person this is a lot, but this is what I LOVE to do! I love having a goal or goals, for the day, and then getting it/them accomplished. I have many of the big items already checked off, and it is only 3:30! ROCK ON ME!

Some of the major amazing things going on in my life:

* Ran the 10k yesterday. Ran all 6.2 miles (yay that was my goal!) and even made a personal record (PR) for 10k's. We did it 64 minutes! YAY US!

* On my trip to Office Depot I found these binder clips that have words on them. THIS IS A DREAM COME TRUE! They say things like TO DO (HELLO AMAZING), URGENT, TO FILE, ect. These binder clips will make my school, and life in general better ;)

* I got a new Garmin running watch. I got the FR60. It tracks how far I run, calories burned, heart rate, cadence, ect. It then it wirelessly connects to my computer where it keeps track of it all. I am so in love. I tried uploading a picture but it wouldn't work...something wrong with the internet I guess.

* I have been avoiding homework like it is the plague. I have 24 small papers to write for this class, and three current event presentations. However, I have not done one thing for this class. I am being a bad student, as Jacob is working very had to keep up with his homework...like right now...I should be doing homework...yet here I am

* I bought a few new outfits. I hate shopping, I have talked about this before on here. But The Limited seems to have pants, and shirts that fit me well. I spend a big of money on some fabulous, sassy outfits. They are very spring like...when will GA warm up?

* The next two weeks is parent/teacher conferences. Late nights at school....long two weeks.

* The big 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles) is coming up on Sunday. I hope to be able to run at least 8 miles of it, and jog/walk fast the rest of it. The course is really hilly, so we will see. Excited though.

Well that is your small look into "a day in the life of" ME :) Have a fabulous week!

N.E.R.D.

My fifth grade team consists of 6 other teachers. 5 other classroom teachers and then one challenge teacher. The 5 other teachers and myself have been together for 3 straight years, and if all goes well (with GA's budget, with contracts, and teacher allotments) we should be asked to return to the same position next year. We have been together so long, and as 5th grade teachers we spend a lot of time together. By that I mean we have graduation, exhibition, musical, and Camp Calvin, as activities that no other grade level is required to do. We put in a lot of after school hours, and an overnight trip, which means we get to hang with each other a lot I feel really blessed to have a team I want to hang with, and not have to hang with. God blessed me when he placed me in fifth grade. Anywho, the whole point of this, is that we each have our "parts" in the team. My part is called N.E.R.D. They laugh at all my sticky notes, my color-coded calendars, how I stay on top of grading and lesson plans, and of course their favorite: my binders....lots and lots of binders.

However, they laugh until they need some kind of information. Who do they come to? Who do they come to when someone needs to report some data, or who is in charge of organizing field trips. Every time I would become a dork and show off a new binder, or my color coded calendar, the team would give me a letter. First it was an N. Then I received an E...then it was R....and I have finally earned the D. Now we all laugh about this, and HELLO I have known my over attentiveness and slight OCD is too much for the average person. However I am proud of my letters. All of them! N.E.R.D!

Went to the docs yesterday. I will warn you before you go any further...I talk about urine. Stop now if you don't want to know...

**The protein in my pee stayed the same so I am just producing more. No biggy. Then blood and white cells show up, but no UTI. Disgusting...but the truth. The doc doesn't know why the new issues, but she was not too concerned. The urine is going to be processed at another lab, and then I will most likely have to go back in again. Seriously wish I could have a more exciting report.

Oh well. Jacob and I race our 10K (6.2 miles) on Saturday. Wish us luck. All I want to do is run the whole 6 with out stopping. I feel like I can do it ;)

Amanda wants more hip hop and less soul barf

I finally made a doctors appointment. I will go in tomorrow and pee in a cup. Such an exciting life..I know, I know!

Bullet point update:

* We are national standardized testing in the 5th grade. Boring as get out in the teacher world

* Back running. YAY! The 10k is this Saturday. I am totally ready

* My small group leader from high school contacted me today. WHAT ARE THE ODDS?! How amazing! I was blessed to have Lisa in my life back then, and super blessed to reconnect

* Still reading my way through the Bible! GO ME!

* Operation No-Facebook is going well. Definitely love it more than I imagined, making this whole cold turkey no Facebook a lot harder than I first thought.

* I have been thinking really hard about making my way to Hawaii soon. I am thinking with in the next two years. At least before I am 30...hmmmm they have the big IronMan out there....not really. My goals are not that HUGE.

I am happy with life in general. I seem to be the right amount of busy right now. I have a life, but a life that can be relaxing. I guess you can say I am balanced. Yes....balanced