Thursday, June 12. I spent the day packing and getting things ready to go to camp today. Apparently I am an over packer. I wasn't completely sure what all I would need or want for camp or for the weekend. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I brought 4 bags of stuff with me. One bag had all of my shoes in it (we were told to bring a couple of different pairs), one bag had all of my clothes in it (keep in mind I needed a couple of changes for camp plus clothes for Friday and Saturday since I didn't come all the way home, one bag of all of my toiletries (I'll admit I have a lot but there is something about having contacts and frizzy hair that causes me to pack more), and I had one bag of fun stuff for camp (including about 5 different hats, a mask and cape for Superhero day, some books, and my chargers for my camera and phone.
Friday, June 13. Keri and I left for camp around 2 p.m. We decided we wanted to at least make it into North Carolina. We wound up stopping in Asheville at the exit that the Biltmore is at. I was able to sweet talk a nice gentleman at one of the hotels into knocking the price down because apparently hotels around the Biltmore are going to be outrageous (for future reference in case you wanna travel up there). We drove around a little bit of the town, which is super cute. We also tried to drive by the Biltmore, which for some reason we thought you'd be able to see it from the road (which you can't). So we called our mom to look up how much it would be to get through the gate to see it cause we thought we'd try to drive by it Saturday morning before we left for camp. Now, Keri and I thought it would be like $10 to just drive by, but apparently (according to what mom found on the internet) it would be $51 to get in! We obviously ix-nayed that idea. So we painted our toes instead to get ready for camp. We wanted to have some bright, fun toes to show off!
Saturday,June 14. Ok, I was sooooo excited to find this place. I read a book at the beginning of the summer called "Saving Gracie" which was about a dog that helped get this business going. If you love dogs, I highly recommend the book and will let you borrow it if you live nearby for me to get it to you. Anyways, we had grabbed a couple of brochures from the lobby of the hotel and saw that they had one of these in downtown Asheville. We had a couple of hours before we had to leave to make it to camp on time, so we drove around downtown (which is super cute and I want to go back and explore it soon) and we finally found this place. I was so happy! It's not the original one, but it is part of the chain. I got my girls some treats and I got myself a super cute flower pot thing, which I'll post tomorrow.
June 14. We drove 3 more hours to get to camp. Keri drove the whole way! I was the navigator who, on our way, saw a sign on a quick glance that said something about Dale Earnhardt, the exit #, and go 6 miles it's on the left. Well, I didn't really see what it was, but we were excited and had a little time to kill on the way so we decided to take a detour. Turns out it was just a Chevy dealership with Dale Earnhardts name on it. We laughed and got back on the road.
June 14. We finally made it to camp! I about cried when I saw this sign, I was soooo excited! The place is so cute. We were informed that we can't really post pictures of the camp or the kids on here without permission from the camp, BUT I am going to print them all off and put them in a photo album to let everyone see. I will say that the layout of the place was amazing and indescrible and everything you would think a summer camp would be and MORE!
Sunday, June 15. All of the counselors wore this uniform shirt to welcome the campers as they came in. Keri and I were not in the same cabin, or the same unit, but we did see each other all the time and our units did a lot of stuff together since we had the younger ones. I was sad that we missed Father's Day, but my dad and I had gone fishing before we left and we knew we would do something with him when we got back. I did leave him a card from myself and then I also got him a card from the dogs. It was funny. It said something about "I love you Grandpa" then I signed it from all of the dogs. haha.
Monday, June 16. So, when we ate meals, we would make little wagers with the kids that if they would eat their veggies or fruit or whatever it was that they didn't really like then the counselors would eat our dessert with our face (no hands). Let me tell you, this one hurt. I didn't realize it would also be super hot! One of the girls, finally had mercy on us and let use a fork. The day was amazing! We had a blast, my hair was painted blue, then washed and pulled up by one of the kids, we swam at the pool, played racketball, made crafts at the woodshop, and boogied down after breakfast and dinner (which was easily one of my favorite things to do at camp).
Tuesday, June 17. Today's theme was superhero. I made the mask and my mom sewed the cape for me. We made the same stuff for Keri too. Everyone loved it and I was "super" excited to be dressed up for the theme. We had a blast today too. More swimming, went to the horsebarn, bowled, had a carnival with all kinds of carnival food, and of course danced and sang and started working on our stage day act.
Wednesday, June 18. Today was kind of like a wrap up day. We finished some projects that weren't finished and had a little camp closing thing. This is a car that one of the kids made. I was excited about it.
June 18. We made pillowcases for our cabin. It was so fun. Since the week's theme was Superheroes we put a quote from Superman himself, Christopher Reeve that says "A hero is an ordinary individual who fnds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." It was quite fitting since these children face illnesses and challenges that most of us will never know or understand. I was excited that we got to keep a little part of everyone in our cabin and paint our hands to make these.
June 18. Today was kind of like a wacky day. We were supposed to try to wear all of the colors of the different units. I also got to wear my Happy Hat since it was about Unity. This was our dessert for lunch. I, luckily, didn't have to eat it with my face! We had a thing called Stage Day where all of the kids could get up there and do any kind of performance they wanted to. We put on a fashion show of couture dresses made out of garbage bags. It was fantastic! Some kids got up and danced, played drums, sang, did a step show, put on a mini play, rapped. One kid, who was very special, got up and sang "Lean on Me." I was totally in tears because it was so touching. Only at a place as magical as camp would allow children of all groups with their different abilities to feel safe and comfortable enough to get up in front of over 250 people and perform. It was amazing.
Thursday, June 19. It was departure day and I was so sad to leave. I didn't want to leave. Keri and I took a picture with this nice guy. We were the only counselors there from Tennessee. Now we are friends forever. I did really good and didn't cry when the kids left, but then we had a meeting with all of the counselors afterward where we talked about things that happened during camp and how it had changed us forever. I was bawling! The guys kept getting choked up and crying, which made me cry even more. I mean, you can't not leave that place and not be forever changed. I told Keri it was like my heart isn't angry anymore. I am going to be a better teacher and a better person because of my experience there. The kids that I met and the counselors that I befriended will always have a place in my heart. I plan to go back again next summer for a couple of weeks and maybe also do a weekend in the fall and spring. I just love the place!
June 19. On our way home, Keri and I stopped to eat lunch and saw this wonderful creation. It's not the best picture because I couldn't check the zoom on my camera since I dropped it and broke the digital face that lets me see what I'm taking a picture of. It still takes good pictures, but I just can't see what it's aiming at. Anyways, this woman walked in with her kids and yes, she had her kid's hair cut into a mohawk mullet. It was glorious! You know I love a good mullet and this definitely beats anything I've ever seen. I was laughin so much and so hard that some guy who was on his lunch break eating started laughing and Keri was telling me to be quiet but he said we were fine, he needed a good laugh for the day and my "laugh was infectious." You would have laughed too if you had seen the gloriousness of the mohawk mullet.
Friday, June 20. Today was a busy day. I got up early and went shopping with my mom to get stuff for Heidi's baby shower. Then I went shopping with Heidi to get things ready for her hospital bag that she was told she needs to get packed cause the baby could get here any day now. Then I met Julie for some dinner and catching up. All of my clothes were dirty, so I wore this wonderful sun dress. When I got back to my mom's apartment her dogs were wanting me to hold them so my mom took our picture.
Saturday, June 21. Keri ran in the RC Cola MoonPie festival today. I took my broken camera and just pointed and shot, but it turned out pretty good. I think sign pretty much sums up the redneckness of TN.
June 21. Oh yes, I am a MoonPie girl. Even though I think they taste disgusting.
While we were waiting for Keri to come by, this cute little stray dog came by and said hi. He was cute. He really loved mom. He loved her so much that he shook off and flung slobber all over her. It was quite hilarious.
Yay Keri!
June 21. After we got back from Keri's race, I went to Heidi's baby shower, which was super fun. It's kind of weird that I have friends who are having babies now, but it's so exciting! I was the official photographer of the event and tried to capture sweet moments, interesting shots, and of course all the gifts she got. I loved this picture. Ellie is about to just bust on out!
This was the present my mom, sis, and I put together for Heidi and the baby. We were excited. I decided to get all creative and decorate the basket. It was so cute!
Games, favors, and more.
One of the games was to open up a diaper and whoever had the poopy diaper one. Well, you see who got the poopy diaper! Luckily it was only peanut butter and chocolate. If it had been real I would have really thrown up.
Best Friends Forever! I love these girls! And I already love the little one about to come! I'm ready to give her some sweet kisses. She needs to get here soon!
The sweetest picture I took all day. Heidi and her niece. She's very excited to be getting a new cousin.
Sunday, June 22. This is the little dog plant holder thingy I told you I got at Three Dog Bakery. It was just too cute to pass up. It very much reminded me of Sydni when I saw it. Keri came down and spent the day with us. Almost everyone was at Granny's too. We had some good ol' soul food and it was yummy! I love seeing my family and spending time with them.
Monday, June 23. I was very happy and surprised to see that my Gerber Daisies have started to come back and rebloom and look very nice. The barrels are both looking a lot better than I thought they would earlier this year They are really growing and filling up. I'm excited. Of course, we have to water them since it hasn't been raining much but they still look purty!
Tuesday, June 24. Today is Keri's 24th birthday. Her Golden Birthday. 24 on the 24th. I decided to be nice and bring the dogs with me so my dad didn't have to keep them again. Give him a little break. Sophie decided she liked laying on top of my duffel bag and pillow.
Sydni likes riding with her head right beside mine while pushing my seatbelt down into practically a choke hold on me. She also likes to give me little kisses every now and then and lay her head on my shoulder. Those sweet moment make having a dog so worth it.
Happy Birthday Keri! She wanted to lay by the pool at my mom's apartment, so we did. I got to wear my super cute new bathing suit. If you look closely you can see my red chest and the line on my neck. It's a lovely little burn in the places that had not previously been exposed to sunlight, but it is turning into a wonderful tan. It was a very fun day!
Wednesday, June 25th. When I got up, I rounded up the dogs and we headed back home. I'm a little worn out from the travelling. This year we spread a mix of pink flower seeds in the "wishing well" flower garden we made in the front yard. For the longest time, the shoots of the flowers have been growing and pretty much looking like a flowerbed of weeds, but they are slowly starting to bloom in an array of pinks, purples, and whites. They are all very different and all very pretty. This is one of the ones I really like. It is probably 3 feet tall with this one flower at the top.
Thursday, June 26. A couple of years one of my aunts gave us these flowers. We planted them in a little spot that we didn't think would make it but every year they grow. They always get so tall that when the flowers finally come out on them they break and fall over. One of the shoots is starting to make some flowers and when I came out today I saw that it was already falling over. My dad made this little contraption so the shoots can lay against it and actually bloom. I went to school today to work on getting some stuff laminated and put up. But I mostly wound up talking to people that were there. So I didn't really get anything done but I did trade some ideas with another teacher for the beginning of the year stuff and maybe later into the year.
Friday, June 27. I ran up to school today to clear some stuff off of the desks because I was told that next week they are going to come do the floors. I wanted to make sure that nothing would get thrown away or taken by "accident" when things start getting moved. After that I ran some errands in Dickson. I went to the Dollar Store and hit the mother load in some awesome stuff for school. I'm excited. I don't need my own kids when I can just spend all my money on my school kids. Then I went and got my hair trimmed. Now I didn't ever come home and fix it which is why I don't have a pic up, but I did have the most enjoyable experience ever at the hair salon. I walked in to the place on the recommendation of a co-worker who goes to one of the girls there. Anyways, I was patiently waiting my turn when this man approaches me and asks if I am waiting to be helped and I said that I was. He asked what I was wanting to do and I told him I was wanting a trim or maybe a different style, I wasn't completely sure. Then, in his most outlandishly feminine voice, he says "Well, come on back honey and we'll fix ya up!" OMG! I was so excited. He was such a card. He had me laughing the whole time. He was all excited to be cutting my hair and he told me he had all kinds of ideas for me. I said do whatever cause my hair grows. He was wonderful! I wish you could have seen him cutting my hair. He was like a hair stylist from a movie. He would look at my hair inquisitively, comb it, flip his wrist to get his scissors in his hand and then quickly snip. It was great! I've never been too sure about a man cutting my hair but he was great. A lot less b****y than a woman hairdresser. I will definitely go back to him (in 6-8 weeks). He has Big Plans for my hair, so I'm interested to see what my hair winds up looking like.
Me and my Happy Hat!
Monday, May 19. My mom's rose bush is starting to bud and bloom. I love the roses!
Thursday, May 22. I took this picture of Sophie while I was waiting on my dad to come back out to the truck. He took the tractor over to Granny's house and I had to go pick him up in the truck. I brought 
Saturday, May 24. What do you do when you need to finish something for work? Clean your room apparently! I always do that. I feel the need to organize everything else in my life before I can work on what I really need to finish, like my kids' scrapbooks. So, I spent all day cleaning my room out, organizing things, and hanging up my pictures. I decided months ago to make a little collage type thing of pictures I've taken that I love and this is what I have. You can't really tell which pics I chose, so you'll just have to come visit my house to see, but I love them and they make me happy each day I look at them.
Sunday, May 25. OUR ANNUAL FISHING TRIP!!!! I love to fish and I especially love to go night fishing. The next couple of pics are from our trip. We had a really good time, great weather, great company, and we even had a great catch. So much fun!
Everyone trying to help catch some minnows to set the trot line. 
He tries to pretend like she doesn't have him wrapped around her finger, but look who is baiting HER fishing pole. Go Keri!
Oh yes! I got a big one! Well, not really in this picture, but eventually I did catch one. I mostly like to cast out and reel in to be honest with you. It's a bonus if I actually catch one.
Monday, May 26. It sprinkled on us a little bit when we camped out last night. But there is absolutely NOTHING like sleeping out in nature, under the stars, listening to the river flow beside you, frogs croaking, birds chirping, and fish splashing. I LOVE IT!!! We fished a little bit more when we got up with rods and reels. Keri, my dad, and I were fishing on this HUGE log when this enormous black cloud rolled in. We rushed to get everything packed up and headed home, but it didn't rain until much later in the day. It was a perfect day to just lounge out and do nothing!
Tuesday, May 27. I decided that I wanted to give all of my kids a gift that they could take with them. Most of the other teachers decided to make 
Wednesday, May 28. I woke up early for some reason and had a little extra time on my hands before I had to leave. I felt pretty, so I thought I would take a picture. Enough said.
Thursday, May 29. We had play day today. Basically we did the same things we've done all week, watch movies in the morning but then in the afternoon we went outside for 3 hours. FUN! I took a spray bottle and kept spraying the kids with them. They thought it was hilarious. One of the 4
Friday, May 30. We passed out report cards, had a cookout for the retirees, and packed up some stuff in our rooms. I went to town afterward to go by Wal-mart. When I got home I saw that these little guys were popping up everywhere around the front porch. It hasn't been raining that much so it must be from the humidity. They are pretty interesting I think. These are right around the blocks that hold up the barrel that some of my flowers are in.
Saturday, May 31. This is not the picture of the day I wanted to post, but I haven't gotten all of the pictures I want from this day. Today was one of my best friend's weddings. I got up early and went to help set up the reception area. 30 table cloths, 284 chair covers and 284 lovely tied bows in the morning humidity with 3 of my best friends was a great way to start the day. I actually had fun despite the heat and tying bows. April's wedding was beautiful. Perfectly her. I love to see how weddings have a personality similar to the couple getting married. I don't know how to explain what I'm saying, but every wedding I've been to has perfectly fit the couple's personalities. The reception was fun. I just love hanging out with friends. Julie came over afterward so we could figure out how to set up the tent she is taking to Bonnaroo. That was an endeavor! It took over an hour to figure it out but we did it! Then we watched us some Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom in Pirates of the Caribbean, YUMMY! 
Sunday, June 1. This is our garden. Do you like how you can't see any weeds? That would be because my dad felt we should pull all the weeds today. Yay! It wasn't that bad, but it's just not my most favorite thing in the world to do. The garden does look good though.
