It's the Hasslers!

we're really not that boring...

2012-02-10T20:41:00.000-05:00

Sorry to be absent from the blog. There just hasn't been a lot to report. We have been working during the week and doing things around the house on the weekend. We went to Atlanta a few weekends ago and had a GREAT time, but I didn't take any pictures. Reading about it just wouldn't be the same. I will have some house updates for you soon. I've been working on a project and we are painting this weekend.

In school news, my students made moon pies today and it was hilarious!

I have started running again which has been great. I'm running this 5k in March! I'm really excited.

another project

2012-01-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

I meant to take house pictures this weekend to show the progress (and to show the house with our stuff actually in it). However, that didn't get done. But I do have a little sneak peak of the dining room. Currently, the only thing in it is the table I have had since I moved away from home (it was my parents' old kitchen table). I like the shape and size, hate the color. I hated the color before, but now I really hate it since it matches the floors. I need some contrast. Here's a picture...

I'm wanting to sand the top of the table and stain it a darker color. I would stain the whole thing, but I think trying to sand those legs is going to be more effort than it's worth. So, I will probably end up painting them white. I'm hoping they look like this...

Source

Then there's the chairs. I originally thought about painting them a bright color or each one a different color. (Mentioned here.) However, now I'm thinking about doing that in the kitchen instead. So, what color to paint the dining chairs? White? gray? Green?

I'm planning on taking on the table top first and then going from there. I figure I'll get a better vision as I go along. Now if it would just stop raining so I can get started!

p.s. We bought a pint paint sample today to make sure we like the color we picked for the living room/dining area/hallway. I can't wait! I know it's going to make such a huge difference.

cookies

2012-01-22T21:46:00.000-05:00

Since I got a pretty new stand mixer for Christmas, we decided to put it to work making some cookies. We bought the Martha Stewart cookie cookbook since I love the cupcake one so much! Today we made our first batch. We chose Grammy's Chocolate cookies. (find the recipe here.) They turned out well. Although, I had some trouble with the bottom rack burning the cookies.

I am soo happy about my mixer. You just turn it on and go! My arms weren't sore from holding the mixer up, a whole new world has been opened to me. :)

I'm also so happy that I ended up with the darker yellow. I stood in the store for about 20 minutes trying to decide which color (we bought a refurbished one, so my color choices were limited) and I love it!

Do you have a stand mixer? Did it revolutionize your ~~life~~ baking?

a messy pantry

2012-01-10T10:00:00.000-05:00

I love our kitchen. It's a good size and doesn't need any work. However, one of my complaints is the pantry space. There isn't much upper cabinet space, so there isn't a lot of places to put glasses, food, spices etc. So what I'm using as a pantry right now is where the wall oven used to be when the house was built. It is really deep and tall, but doesn't have any shelves so the space just isn't being used efficiently. Here is what it looks like right now....

It's so hard for me to reach the things in the back, or even see what's back there! I've looked a lot of places for organization. I've thought about adding a shelf, baskets, or sliding drawers. I've also thought about adding adhesive cork board squares to the doors to keep recipes, lists, etc. Any suggestions are welcome! Once I get it together I will try to update with pictures.

bargain hunting

2012-01-09T10:00:00.010-05:00

This weekend Michael and I were quite the bargain hunters. We were searching for living furniture for cheap. Since our wedding over 3 and half years ago, the only furniture that we have bought was our bedroom suite. Other than that we haven't really bought much. (I take that back, we got a $10 coffee table at a thrift store.) We went around to come liquidation and resale shops. We saw some things, but nothing that really screamed BUY ME. However, I started trollng Craigslist and we really lucked out. First, we found a brown wingback chair for $40! I have been wanting a wingback chair for a long time. The trouble is that they are SOO expensive. This one is barely used. I woouldn't have picked this color, but I'm going to make it work for a while. A colorful pillow, different wall color, a new ottoman, and colorful curtains will help it out a lot. I figured, it's brown, so it's going to match a lot of colors. Someday I may get it recovered, but for now I'm loving the find! Here's what it looks like in our living room currently.

We got the chair Saturday. Then today I happened to get on Craigslist again and found another great buy. It's a gray-brown sofa! I had actually already found this exact sofa at a local store and told Michael about it. It's a great color and comfortable. The owner bought it about a year ago and then moved in with her boyfriend who already had a couch. It's barely used as well. We got it for half price! I'm hoping it looks good with the chair. (If not, we will get creative.... we can also move the chair to another room.) Here's a picture of it from the website. We won't get it until this weekend, so it's not in the house currently.

Source: roomstogo.com via Michelle on Pinterest

What we still have to buy for the living room:

TV stand

pillows

curtains

wall paint

entry table

wall art

ottoman

Hopefully we can find some deals for those too!

Ornamental

2012-01-08T19:54:00.000-05:00

Warning: this post is waaaaay outdated.

Every year we get a new Lenox ornament. Since this was our first Christmas in our new home, I bought a personalized "First Christmas in our New Home" ornament. We didn't have a tree this year, so I'm looking forward to putting it up next year. I didn't get the best picture of it, but you can basically see what it looks like. This is our 4th Lenox ornament, which means our 4th Christmas as a married couple.

I also bought Michael a Georgia Tech ornament. We have several Arkansas ornaments, which go with Christmas colors a little bit more, but I decided we needed a GT one too. (We'll have to find a special place for it, so that it doesn't stand out too badly on the tree.)

One last ornament I added to the collection this year was one that I made. It is in honor of our half marathon. Such an accomplishment deserves a yearly reminder! I wrote 13.3 with red glitter on one side and then 2011 on the other.

Looking at these ornaments together it looks like my tree would be a total modge-podge, but I swear most of the ornaments are just red and green and look cohesive.

So I know everyone has already put their decorations away for the season, but did you get any new ornaments?

last day of freedom.

2012-01-04T11:12:00.000-05:00

Today is my last day of freedom. It's back to early mornings and work tomorrow. ugh! Michael had to go back to work Monday and I have been running around trying to get everything done that needs to be done in the next couple of months. I have gotten a haircut (picture to come), checked out of our apartment, cleaned every bit of the house, returned some gifts, bought some things for the house, etc.

Source: darlingmagazine.org via Michelle on Pinterest

Today I am going to my first power yoga class, eating lunch with a friend, and then doing a little shopping. I also hope to blog about how the house is coming along and to get some advice on my pantry space! It should be a great day! I'm a little nervous that I'm going to die during yoga. Luckily, a friend is going with me, so I have a little support.

Resoluting in 2012

2012-01-01T18:16:00.001-05:00

During our 11 hour drive back from Arkansas Friday I thought about what my 2012 resolutions would be. I try to make them measurable and attainable (a carry-over from my TFA days). I know that many people think that resolutions are silly and pointless. For me, they are a way to keep focused. I write them in the front pages of my planner and mark them off as the year goes on. I will share some of my resolutions/goals for 2012, but some I keep to myself (and my planner) because I'm just not ready to share them or want just anyone to read. 2011 was full of activity (moving twice, starting new jobs, buying a car, etc.) I'm praying that 2012 may be a little more stable and calm. But, only god knows what this year will have in store for us!

So, here are my goals for the year:

Run a 5k in less than 30 minutes (a carry-over from 2011)

Find a place to volunteer or get more involved in church

read at least 12 books

go to a yoga class every other week (if I like the class I'm going to try out)

take a big vacation (destination-unknown)

sew 6 things

host a party

get our house organized and get rid of clutter

establish a better work/life balance

enjoy this stage of life and try not to stress about getting to another one (this one is not measureable, but I need it as a reminder)
start a garden

I hope your 2012 has started off wonderfully!

2011 Resolution Re-cap

2012-01-01T17:55:00.000-05:00

Before I make my 2012 Resolutions/Goals, I would like to reflect on my goals for 2011. Looking back I feel like I did pretty well. There were a few I didn't do... but that's ok. Overall I feel good about what I accomplished in 2011. Some of the things I didn't accomplish in 2011 may become 2012 goals.

Run a 5k in less than 30 minutes (I was pretty close)

Run a 10k in less than 60 minutes

~~Run a half marathon (Run for God in April)~~

~~Get a new job (Started in August)~~

~~Graduate (May)~~

Spend more days in God's Word (I should have qualified this... I don't know if I spent more time than the previous year)

~~Read 1 book a month (average) (Read around 13 or so)~~

~~Send 2 letters/cards a month (Christmas cards don't count) (As long as thank you's and birthdays count)~~

~~Be more bold with my look (maybe red lips, color on my nails, etc.) (I paint my nails often, tried new hairstyles, and some new clothing choices)~~

~~Pass my Reading Specialist PRAXIS exam (YES!)~~

~~Continue to grow my hair out for locks for love (I think it's going to be chopped soon)~~

~~Move (closer to civilization and work) (Chattanooga!!)~~

~~Take a vacation with my husband (Myrtle Beach, SC)~~

Learn how to use my new (to me) sewing machine to make something for someone else (6 months of 2011 my machine was in a different location)

Find somewhere to volunteer regularly (no excuses...didn't do it)

Did you accomplish your 2011 goals/resolutions?

My handmade Christmas

2011-12-30T23:57:00.000-05:00

I am kicking myself for not taking pictures of all of the gifts that I made for people. I didn't make all of the gifts, but I handmade several. Since I don't have my own pictures, I found pinterest pictures that I used at my inspiration.

I made this necklace for a few people. I used this really pretty teal fabric.

Source: littlemissmomma.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I made a wreath similar to this one (but without the berries) for my soon-to-be sister-in-law.

Source: bhg.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I made a wreath similar to this one for my mother-in-law.

Source: teachcraftlove.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I made a dry-erase menu board for my sister-in-law and Mysti.

Source: redefiningdomestic.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I made a set of letter rocks for Mysti's little boy (he's in 1st grade). Hopefully they will make spelling homework go a little easier. (Mine were not near this fancy though.)

Source: etsy.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I think that sums up my handmade adventures. I really enjoyed picking the materials that I thought people would like and spending the time making their gifts. Everyone seemed to like them and appreciate the effort. So maybe next year, I'll make more! (One of my news years resolutions/goals is to use my sewing machine... so maybe I'll sew some gifts next year.)

Did you make any gifts this year?

a much needed break

2011-12-29T00:42:00.000-05:00

I am a week into my Holiday Break and I finally feel like a normal, rested, coherent person again. We are currently visiting my family in Arkansas and will be here until Friday. We have played a lot of games, watched a good amount of football, spent time visiting. We saw Mysti, John, and Joey tonight as well. It's been a pretty low key Christmas all in all.

Before we came to Arkansas things got CRAZY. I was working like a mad woman and we are still only half unpacked/moved into our house. We seemed to have commitments come up left and right. I did absolutely NO holiday cooking. We didn't have any Christmas decorations out (they are all at Michael's parent's house). I hardly got all of the presents made/bought/wrapped. The good news is that when we get back home I won't have to put anything up. I can just enjoy my last week of break at home doing other projects! (More on that later).

One neat thing we have done while in Arkansas is go to the new Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville. It's a beautiful building and there are so many pieces to look at. We were there for 2 hours and didn't see everything or get to spend as much time looking as we could have. Since it has opened recently, it was crowded which dampened the experience slightly, but the museum flows pretty well and it wasn't too big of a problem. I look forward to going back in the future.

Well, hopefully this post will serve as a break in my blogging hiatus. I will try to write more about Christmas and my plans for next week and the house!

Merry Christmas!

Teacher Gift Guide

2011-12-03T18:40:00.000-05:00

I happen to be an expert on giving teacher gifts... since I am a teacher, I'm married to a teacher, and a lot of my friends are/were teachers. So, if you have a teacher to buy for (please don't forget your child's teacher at Christmas...they do a lot!), check these ideas out.

Now a lot of people suggest getting teachers mugs, cups, and more mugs. Not that I don't appreciate a good mug, I just have gotten about 20 over my 4 years of teaching. (We can't use the bathroom all day, so there is only so much we can drink.)

Elementary Teachers
Elementary teachers love anything with their name on it! It's true, it saves us from having to find a sharpie to write it there ourselves. My teacher friends have monogrammed lunch bags, book bags, stationary, etc. If you can stitch their initials on it... DO!

Elementary teachers also love gift cards! Gift cards for school supplies, bookstore, food, etc. It gives an excuse to drag our tired selves to the mall/store after work.

We also like books! Lots and lots of books. I am secretly hoping my parents go in together to get me a Kindle Fire...hahahhaa. But buying books for your child's teacher and having your child write their name and/or a message inside is a great gift.

Teachers sharpen a lot of pencils, which means they need a good pencil sharpener. You may think it's silly to spend over $50 on a pencil sharpener, but at the beginning of the year I bought a $25 one and it's already dead. I should have just spent the extra money to get a good one.

One of the best gifts a parent gave me this year was lunch! A mom brought the third grade teachers lunch one day. We NEVER get to eat anywhere for lunch and if you aren't diligent about packing your lunch you end up eatting school food everyday. So it's nice to have a day when you can feel like an adult for lunch.... even if you are sitting in little kid chairs.

Student-made gifts and cards are a budget friendly idea. I love when my students make things for me! It shows me that they think about me when they are home, which makes me feel special.

High School
Ok, so this list is from a man's perspective. These are the things Michael would ask for....

High school teachers do not get money for supplies like elementary teachers do. So Michael is always asking for dry-erase markers, pencils, paper, etc.

A pencil sharpener is also essential in high school. High schoolers will use any excuse not to do work, so you can't give them an reason to not have a sharpened pencil!

High school teachers also enjoy eating and shopping...so once again gift cards are great!

Teachers get hungry during their planning... so a bag of snacks (popcorn, candy, chips, etc) would be nice to have in the room for the days you just don't think you can make it to the end of the day or lunch!

Of course, the best gift of all would be a note/card to your teacher telling them how much you appreciate them and all that they do everyday. I got a card like that from a parent one time and I have cherished it and read it sometimes. It serves as a reminder of why you leave your house before 7 am every morning.

House Inspiration: Kitchen

2011-11-30T13:35:00.001-05:00

This is my last house inspiration post! It's the kitchen. The kitchen is actually in pretty good shape considering the age of the house. We already did a little upgrading by buying a stainless steel fridge. (A great Black Friday buy at Lowe's.) The counters are granite and the cabinets are white (my top choice). The granite is brown. Right now the room is painted a beige neutral color. It looks ok, but I'm hoping to add some color.

Source: Uploaded by user via Michelle on Pinterest

I have the perfect wall for chalkboard paint.

Source: younghouselove.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I love this back splash. But I don't think a back splash would make sense the way the kitchen is configured.

Source: housetoyourhome.com via Michelle on Pinterest

We have a little corner in the kitchen that would be perfect for a little two seat table.

Source: gallery.apartmenttherapy.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: bhldn.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Kitchen colors I'm leaning toward right now!

Well, now I need to go and get started making these inspirations happen!

my list for santa

2011-11-29T10:00:00.001-05:00

Last year I made gift lists for everyone in the family. This year I am hand making a lot of gifts, so I'm not going to do those this year. They will just have to be surprised! (I have made 3 gifts so far, which I think is a good start.)

However, I have picked out some things that I really like and thought they may give you ideas for the ladies on your list. (I already got my Christmas present from Michael, so I won't be opening many gifts this year...which is just fine with me.)

These slippers look so warm and they come in several colors! (I like white, pink, or brown.) I'm going to need some slippers for the hardwood floors in our new house! (Especially until we get rugs.)

I would LOVE to have the new Kindle Fire. I wasn't too excited about ebooks before this year. I liked going to the library and my schedule allowed me to go regularly. However, now I don't have time to go to the library other than the one at my school which just as books for K-3rd graders. I think I would get a lot more reading done with one of these!

I've been wanting The Civil Wars CD for a long long time. (They were playing them on the Knoxville radio station I listened to before they became big.)

Still haven't bought gray Toms.

Nail polish (in colors like these perferably) are always a good stocking stuffer.

And last but not least, a gift card to a home improvement store would really come in handy. (I'm thinking paint!)

House Inspiration: Living Room

2011-11-28T13:15:00.000-05:00

The living room is the room I am most anxious to get in order. It's the room people see when they come and it's where we spend most of our time. I would like to get all new things for the living room since we currently have things that have been given to us or have seen better days. My first purchase is going to be a couch! I don't know what color or kind yet.

So here are some pictures of living rooms I like.

Source: potterybarn.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I like this TV stand, but it's about $1,700. So I'm going to have to find a cheaper option.

Source: vintagerevivals.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I like this layout (it's similar to our living room dimensions).

Source: 1.bp.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: theyellowcapecod.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I like striped curtains (but in different colors)

Source: anthropologie.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I would die for this chair! (So would Michael since it's Tech colored!)

Source: google.com via Michelle on Pinterest

This is the shade of gray I like.

Source: andersondesigngroupstore.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I've been wanting some vintage travel posters for above the couch. Now, I just need to find some for places that we have been. (Or we need to travel some more.)

Real House Pictures

2011-11-26T21:14:00.000-05:00

It has been requested that I put some pictures of the house on the blog. I put a picture of the front and back when we were under contract. But now that it's ours, I'll add some more. These pictures were all taken by our inspector. The house is empty in these pictures. It's actually still empty right now except for our new fridge, new guest bed, and my Christmas present (a yellow Kitchen Aid stand mixer).

I'll be sure to add more pictures as we move in and start to make it our own. I'm also going to make a video so that you can see the layout and neighborhood a little bit better.

Front

Living Room

Dining Area (the curtains cover the glass doors that lead to the backyard.)

Original doors.

Kitchen.

Hall bathroom.

Part of the Master Bathroom. (Both bathrooms are small with not much storage.... we'll have to be minimalists with bathroom stuff.)

Master Bedroom.

One of the guest badrooms. (They both look exactly the same.)

The HUGE back deck!

Garage. The door leads to the utility room.

A few details about the house. It is a 3 bedroom/2 bathroom house. Built in 1967. The backyard is big and fenced for Murray. The only bummer about the backyard is that there are two nice sized trees that have to be cut down. They are growing into the power lines and over the house. Michael and his stepdad trimmed them up a bit today, but they are going to have to go eventually. I hate to lose mature trees, but at least we still have 3 in the front yard.

I can't wait to get our things moved in and situated. Today when we were at Home Depot (our first of many trips I'm sure) I picked up some paint samples for the living room/dining area/hallway. (I'm going with a shade of gray for those that are curious!)

Well, consider this the first of many posts on our newest adventure! I think the house needs a fun name... any suggestions? haha.

homeownership

2011-11-22T20:23:00.000-05:00

Today we took the next big step into adulthood! We closed on our first house. The whole process was a lot smoother than we had anticipated. The sellers were super, super nice (the wife gave us a card) and seemed just as excited about us getting the house as we were.

We aren't moving in right away. We plan to move slowly over the next month. But we did pick up some Chick-fil-a and eat dinner in our new house! I just love it a little more each time we go. We took Murray, but he couldn't play in the yard because it was muddy. I'm excited to go back tomorrow in the daylight. Maybe I'll take some things over to get the moving started.

I'll be sure to post more pictures soon!

We also bought a fridge and guest bedroom mattress. So, once those are delivered Saturday we are ready for guests!

p.s. It's officially Thanksgiving Break for me! Can't wait to sleep in tomorrow morning.

House Inspirations- Office

2011-11-17T11:00:00.000-05:00

In Knoxville we needed an office since Michael worked from home. We probably could have used 2 since I also worked from home. Now we both drive to our jobs every morning, but as teachers we are always bringing stuff home to work on. Currently, every night before dinner we have to clear off a spot for our plates. I will not have this in the new house. When I lived in Mississippi, my roommate and I had a teacher junk room! Because, while the school year is bad... it's even worse in the summer! This is where the office comes in. I also like the idea of the computer having a home, which could prevent someone from being on it all of the time instead of spending quality time with the tv other person. I am pretty guilty of this because I pick it up to look up one thing and then I get sucked in! Afterward I always feel really quilty about it. This is the number one reason I do not need a smart phone. Anyways, all that to say... while we don't really need an office... we need a space to organize our work stuff!

If we wanted to go with a single desk, I like these spaces.

Source: theinspiredroom.net via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: fuckyeahvintagediary.tumblr.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: jonesdesigncompany.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I also like these double desk ideas.

Source: designsponge.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: decorology.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: houzz.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Basically, I like open shelving (which is not the most practical) and modern chairs. haha! Of course anything we got would have to be able t be easily moved into the guest room in case we needed the room for a baby one day.

Do you have a home office? Where do you keep your computer and your paperwork?

House Inspirations- Guest Bedroom

2011-11-16T17:42:00.000-05:00

When we moved to Chattanooga, we sold pretty much everything we had in our previous guest bedroom. Currently, we have no bed, no dresser, no mattress, etc. So the guest bedroom is going to be from scratch. When we first move in we will probably have one guest room and an office-ish/junk room (just being honest). But hopefully we will eventually have one guest room and a baby room. I want the guest room to be able to work as a office/craft space as well as a guest room.

I would really like to make a headboard. I also like the mismatched eclectic look of some of the pictures below. The only thing I'm going to be starting with is a quilt and bedding. We also have 2 desks, but I'm not sure where I will put them or if we will keep both.

I've separated the pictures into guest room and office spaces. I'll share the office space pictures next time!

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: lolalina.com via Michelle on Pinterest

A reading area would be great for the guest room, especially if there isn't a place for it in the living room.

Source: kerrisdaledesign.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: gallery.apartmenttherapy.com via Michelle on Pinterest

So, let's talk guest rooms. What are your essential guest room items? dresser? bookshelf? chair?

House Inspirations- Entry

2011-11-12T15:07:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, I showed some ideas I had for the dining area of our potentially (in less than 2 weeks) new house. This week I decided to show some pictures of entryways that I love.

At one point we looked at a house that had stairs by the entry, which can make for a beautiful entryway (especially at Christmas), but this house is a ranch...so no stairs. The entry is basically just some wall space next to the door. But I think some wall art, a little table, and some organization could make it a welcoming area of the house.

Source: designsponge.com via Michelle on Pinterest

This is basically my dream entry. I just love it all! I need to be on the lookout at thrift stores for a table like this. I also love the stool tucked under the table.

Source: younghouselove.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I like the pictures and simplicity in these pictures.

Source: lifestyle.msn.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I like the chair and pictures in this one!

Source: homebunch.com via Michelle on Pinterest

The yellow stool adds some color.

So, what do you have in your entryway??

November Challenge: Week 1

2011-11-11T07:56:00.000-05:00

Well, I was successful in doing 3 strength workouts this week. I did one day of Jilian Michael's 30 Day Shred and 2 days of different workouts I found on OnDemand. I'm pretty pumped about getting 3 workouts in. What didn't happen was running. Maybe next week!

Michael also did the strength workouts with me. He's great at encouraging me. When we first got married I would rather die than do a workout video in front of him. I would just think about how silly I looked. Now, I don't really care. I don't know if it's because how I feel after a workout trumps the awkwardness during, or if I'm just a lot more comfortable in front of him. Either way, it's a good thing because our apartment is WAY too tiny to hide from anyone.

rainy day

2011-11-09T17:31:00.000-05:00

I actually got home at a decent hour today... 4:15, so I decided that I needed to blog. Unfortunately, I forgot what I was going to blog about. So this will just be random.

The weather ha been great here lately, but today it started raining. We went our for recess and it wasn't too bad, but in the course of 15 minutes it got colder and started raining. We had to go in early which meant inside recess!! (Just imagine a class of third graders just doing whatever they wanted for 10 minutes.) I really hate the rain. I used to be ok with it. Although my college roommate has always loathed it... I have a funny Paris story about that. Anyways, I hate rain now because it takes forever to get home when it's raining and then I have to walk the dog in the rain. This will be another reason I will be so happy to have a house.

Last week one of my student's parents brought all of the third grade teachers lunch and me a bouquet of flowers! My school continues to amaze me!

Speaking of my school. We had a big zoning issue with my school last week. There was a 2 and half hour long board meeting about the issue and we were even on the news. You can google it if you want to hear details. If you want to hear my opinion on the issue, feel free to email me. (I will refrain from sharing on the internet however.)

Some bad school related news that will disgust some and make others laugh. A few weeks ago, I got lice! We had an outbreak at my school! It was bad! Poor Michael had to comb through my hair and it took FOREVER! Gross! (I was definitely not the only teacher to get it either) The situation has definitely made me rethink the whole long hair thing.

Since moving into our tiny apartment, we have let Murray sleep out of his crate at night. What that has meant is that he has been sleeping on the couch. I think he has permanently ruined the cushions for sitting on them and now I smell dog when I sit on it. Michael thinks it's in my head, but I swear I smell it. (Another reason I can't wait to move.)

Thanksgiving Break is coming soon!!! Woo hoo! I have been making a few yummy Fall foods, but not as many as normal. I need to step up my game in the next few weeks.

One last random note: Michael is turning 30 this Friday!!! I can't even believe it. I have a surprised planned for him, I'll have to post about it after this weekend.

I hope everyone is doing well. I know I have gotten bad about blogging, but I'm trying. School and life just can't seem to calm down.

November Challenge

2011-11-05T22:37:00.000-04:00

Remember when I posted about getting back in running shape... yeah that hasn't happened so much. I also agreed to do a twice a week strength challenge with Kimberly. So far I haven't done any running or strength in the month of November. Ugh! I hate this right now, but at 4:30 when I am leaving school, the last thing I want to do it go home and run. But I am determined to keep trying. We'll see how I do this next week. I'll try to post Thursday to let you know how it's going. (Although I'm mostly going to post this for me.)

Source: practicingperfect.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Chattanooga is beautiful

2011-11-02T10:07:00.000-04:00

Well, you could really say that most of Tennessee is beautiful. A few weekends ago we went on a mini-hike with one of Michael's co-workers (who is also the brother-in-law of one of Michael's college friends-small world). The weather was great and the views were amazing! Now these trees are orange, red, and yellow!

impulse buy

2011-11-01T10:00:00.000-04:00

check out my latest impulse buy. It helped me through an excruciatingly boring meeting one afternoon.

YUM!

A close one

2011-10-31T22:05:00.000-04:00

This past weekend we went to Nashville for the Arkansas-Vandy game. Everyone thought it was going to be an easy win.... but it was soo close. There were several points in the game that I thought we were going to lose. Luckily, we ended with the W. It was a really pretty Fall day too!

Vandy's fan section was pretty sparse.

After the game we went to eat Downtown and bought a fun wall print for the kitchen at Hatch Show Print! I can't wait to share it!

House Inspirations-Dining Area

2011-10-24T21:32:00.000-04:00

As we move closer and closer to owning our first home, I have been thinking more and more about what I want it to look like. It also helps that I had this past week off. :)

I have seen some pictures of ideas that I love (and that would be realistic). Our budget isn't going to be much at first and many of these things may take months/years to complete, but it's still fun to have a vision!

So here are some of my thoughts for the dining room....

Our current table isn't in bad condition, but it's an ugly stain. It's a blond/yellow and will definitely not go well with the hardwood floors. So, I'm thinking about sanding and staining the table a darker brown and then painting the chairs a brighter color. Crazy? Perhaps, but I think it would look really neat!

Source: housetohome.co.uk via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I would also like to get a buffet/sideboard for the dining area. I like the idea of a painted one, like the ones below (I had others, but they weren't wanting to show up). I would probably paint it a different color than the chairs.

Source: thisoldhouse.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: None via EAM on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Beth on Pinterest

I don't know what I will do as far as colors or wall decor, but that's what I'm thinking right now.

Handmade Christmas?

2011-10-22T20:40:00.000-04:00

I have been playing around with the idea of hand making all (or most) of the Christmas gifts this year. I know it will be a HUGE time commitment, but it seems that almost everyone on our list has everything they NEED. So, I thought maybe they would enjoy something that I (we) took the time to make?

I just need to think of what I'm going to make. Here are some ideas.... Necklaces, Wreath, Pillow Case, Wall Art, and Food. I would have to stay away from anything that needs too much sewing because my sewing machine is current in Michael's parent's basement and I'm not sure when we will be reunited.

What do you think? Would you want a handmade gift, or would you rather someone just stick to the list? If you would like a handmade gift, what would you love to get?

new foods

2011-10-21T17:49:00.000-04:00

Since I had a lot of extra time on my hands this week, I tried some new recipes.

For dessert I made these....

Source: melskitchencafe.com via Michelle on Pinterest

They were good! I will say that the recipe called for too much butter in the crust and topping in my opinion, my bars didn't brown up as much as I would have liked. Also, this recipe is not simple and easy...so be warned! But since it was a cheesecake, it only got better the longer it sat in the fridge, which I love!

I also made this soup....

Source: bhg.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I have made this soup before and it was just as good and easy to make!

Have you started making Fall food yet? If so, what have you been cooking up? I have to start early on the pumpkin recipes because I have so many that I love!

a long road ahead

2011-10-20T17:49:00.000-04:00

Remember back in April when I ran a half marathon? Yeah, me to. Well, those days were followed by a complete halt to running once it got hot, we moved (to a really hilly place), and I started a new job. I have been doing some Jilian Michael's videos and running on occasion, but nothing consistent. It's been bad. I haven't gained any weight, but I'm sure I've lost a lot of muscle. I have missed running, especially as the weather turns cooler.

So this week I was determined to start back up again. I wanted to find a flat place to run so that at least I wouldn't have hills to deal with. I ran Tuesday and felt good about it. I found a greenway about 15 minutes from where we live. I didn't take my ipod with me, so I didn't know how long I ran (time or distance), but I felt it had to be at least 2.5-3 miles. I considered it a success since I hadn't ran at all in WEEKS! Well, then today I went back with Murray. Things did not go well at all. First of all, I went after lunch where I didn't eat the best, so that didn't sit well. Also, taking Murray wasn't the best because he pulled on me and made me go a lot faster than I wanted to and I got tired a lot faster. Then I took my ipod this time, not to listen to music but to calculate distance and I was a little off on my estimate. Tuesday I probably only ran 2 miles and today I ran about the same. Boo! I was really hoping that I could come out and run 3 miles still.

Today just made me realize how far I have to go to get back in 10k or half marathon shape. It's like starting all over again. I had avoided looking at 10k training plans because I felt I shouldn't need them, but I do.

We'll see if I can keep up the running once school starts again. I think I can, I think I can.

Source: boston.com via Michelle on Pinterest

could this be the one???

2011-10-18T09:10:00.001-04:00

In the last two weeks, we have put an offer in on a house, had it accepted, and had the house inspected. So, it looks like this may actually be the one!

It's a 1968 brick ranch home. It's about .7 miles from where we live right now. We originally weren't looking in this area because it's a little further from work and most of the houses are out of our price range. One afternoon we were driving to the grocery store and we saw a sign for an Open House-For Sale By Owner. We guessed that the house would be too expensive because most of the houses in this neighborhood were, but we decided to check it out. We loved it from the start! It was a perfect size and didn't need any work. It didn't have everything we were wanting, but it had everything we needed and more. We also love the neighborhood. This was the one house we had zero reservations about.

We went to see it with our realtor a few days later and found out there was already another offer on it. We had to be aggressive (which goes against what you always hear about buying a house), but the house was priced really well. The home owners accepted our offer without any negotiations. This past week we had an inspection. The inspector was SUPER thorough, I highly recommend him! He took 130 pictures of our 1800ish square foot home. He thought it was a really solid house. There are a few things we are wanting the seller to fix, but it shouldn't be anything major. We are now waiting to hear if they will fix them or not. Once that is settled, we should be on our way to closing. (November 22nd)

We are excited and can't believe it's actually going to happen all at the same time! The only thing we have to do before we can move in is buy a refrigerator! (Which has proven to be a bit of a challenge because our cabinets are really low, so unless we want to move some cabinets, we are going to have to get a short fridge!) Any fridge recommendations? Brands? Styles?

Here are some pictures of the outside of the house that the inspector took! I'm sure there are many more to come.

razorback love

2011-10-17T15:51:00.000-04:00

The BCS standings came out this week and Arkansas was #9! Yipee! Our only loss has been to Alabama (it was at Bama, so it's understandable). This makes me even more excited to go to a game in a couple of weeks. Michael and I are going to Nashville October 29th for the Vandy-Arkansas game. It will be so great to see Arkansas play live.

Since I've been so excited about Arkansas lately, I thought I'd post some Hog things I've pinned on pinterest.

There red pants just scream Woo Pig Sooie!

Source: urbanoutfitters.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I think I could make this.

Source: littlerock.craigslist.org via Michelle on Pinterest

I want all of these!

Source: etsy.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Perfect Nashville gameday outfit!

Source: polyvore.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Fall Break!

2011-10-17T09:20:00.000-04:00

Oh, it's a great Monday morning! I am on Fall Break for the whole week. I don't think I have ever deserved a break more than I do right now. Since late July I have been working non-stop on school stuff. I am going to do a little work this week, but nothing too big. It's mostly things that I need to do to get ahead a little bit. I have a lot of random little errands to run. I also want to go shopping sometime this week because my Fall work wardrobe leaves something to be desired. Any suggestions for must have items??

I'm thinking a shirt like this...

Source: forever21.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Some socks to wear with boots...

Source: freepeople.com via Michelle on Pinterest

This whole outfit...

Source: myrevelment.com via Michelle on Pinterest

maybe a long skirt...

Source: meggielynne.tumblr.com via Michelle on Pinterest

and some tights!

Source: shopbop.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I'm sure I won't get all of this and I will probably end up with some basic looking long sleeve shirts.... but a girl can have high ambitions right! :)

let's do a little catching up

2011-10-08T14:27:00.000-04:00

Sorry for my long absence. My only excuse is that I have been insanely busy with school! We had our big exhibit night this past Thursday, so that was a big accomplishment. I was hoping this coming up week would be better, but it's already packed with PTA, parent-teacher conferences, faculty meetings, etc. Ugh! But the next week is Fall Break! I really wanted to go somewhere, but honestly I'm going to look forward to just sleeping in and resting.

In house buying news, we are thinking about putting an offer in on a house today. We know that one offer has already been submitted, so we will see what happens.

I finally got some pictures off of my camera and onto this computer. So, enjoy a few pictures from the last couple of months!! (Including the appearance of Michael's beard!)

Here is a picture of my classroom before school started. The bulletin boards on the back have things on them now!

He's so cute!

Beard Appearance #1

Last day of the beard!

I made these rice krispie treats for the Georgia Tech- MTSU game.

And here what I have been spending so much time on.....

This is the wetland part of the third grade exhibit. I had the wetland groups, so I was in charge of this part. However, the cave, forest, river, and meadow sections also look amazing!! The students each wrote about a plant and animal found in the wetlands. They also made that plant or animal in pairs.

weekend blues....

2011-09-25T18:37:00.000-04:00

I had to go to school and work both Saturday and today! We had extra planning time to plan as a grade group for our next quarter. We got a lot done, but it's still not fun knowing you didn't have a weekend at all. At least we get paid extra for it! (I plan to take that check to the mall or a furniture store!)

So, our weekend wasn't very exciting. The weather was nice though! Hopefully, I'll have more free time next weekend and it will still be nice outside.

I think Murray has reached his breaking point with the small apartment and being crated all day. He's really been getting into stuff this weekend. Poor guy!

How was your weekend? Anything fun or exciting?

braids

2011-09-18T09:45:00.000-04:00

I am so happy that braids are back in style. It's given me a chance to dust off my braid skills and put them to use. This week I did three different braids with my hair.

Source: ohthelovelythings.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

The french braid (side braid)

Source: google.com via Michelle on Pinterest

The fishtail braid

Source: cdn2.mixrmedia.com via Michelle on Pinterest

The Dutch braid

I need to make a goal of trying a different braid/style at least once a week. (Probably on the weekend...ha!)

saturday house update

2011-09-17T22:16:00.000-04:00

Today was our second day of looking at houses. We ended up going to 6 houses. Several of them were in need of way too much work or had really strange layouts. We went to two houses that we had seen previously. One of them we like, but feel it might be too big. It's a big ole' box of a house. It was built in the 80's and it shows. However, we like the layout and love the street it's on. The price is great for the square footage, but since it's so big... it's still a little pricier. It doesn't NEED any updates, but it has wall to wall carpet, which I'm not a huge fan of.

We are going to try to go and look at another house this week. It's smaller and therefore quite a bit cheaper, but the neighborhood isn't as good. It may be too small, we just need to go and see the inside.

I'm a little discouraged because we haven't found one that we just love without reservations, but I don't know if we will find that one. Michael and I just both look for different things in houses, so it's going to require a compromise. At least we are still finding houses to look at!

Hopefully I'll have some good news soon.

Do you think there is such a thing as a house that's too big???

why can't it be easy?

2011-09-17T21:39:00.004-04:00

Note: I wrote part of this post Tuesday and the rest on Thursday, but I didn't get it posted until today. So the information is pretty outdated.

Michael and I have been married for 3 years. It seems I have been looking forward to our first home for all 3 of those years. So, I thought when the time finally come it would be easy and fun! Unfortunately, it hasn't worked out that way. I already told you about our previous dilemma. Well, we decided to withdraw our offer on the pretty house for now. We just didn't feel comfortable with the payment in combination with the neighborhood. We are still considering the cheaper home, but are also looking at a couple of others. We are going with the realtor Saturday... so we will see which house we end up with (if any). We have also noticed that a lot of the houses in our price range have been selling like crazy! They are selling and not being replaced with anything that we like.......

Today we found out that the cheaper house that Michael had been pushing for was under contract! Ugh. I don't know why, but that news really bummed me out about the whole process. This whole week only one house has been posted that I am remotely interested in looking at. We are going to look at 4 or so Saturday. I don't know how promising it will be though.

computers and cars

2011-09-12T21:37:00.001-04:00

I think we have some of the worst luck lately with cars and computers. We lost one of our laptops in June to old age. Well, our second laptop died last week! Great timing too (please read with sarcasm). Michael and I are both coming home and working a lot... which usually requires a computer. Luckily, my school provides me with a laptop, which is what we have been using. So we have been taking turns. It's not ideal but we are champs at making things work. We are trying to decide what kind of computer to buy. Laptop? Desktop? Mac? Pc? etc, etc.

We also have had some minor car drama. Two days before Michael's first day with students, he called me from Office Depot with a dead battery. It was so dead that we couldn't even jump it. So we had to go buy a battery. Then we also decided to get a new battery for my car. Then we had to take the batteries off and put the new ones on. It wasn't anything major, just not how we planned to spend our evening.

So, the lack of pictures is due to not having a computer! (Not that this post would have a picture really... just a warning for the future.)

price v. pretty

2011-09-05T22:16:00.000-04:00

Well, we already have a housing delima!

This past Friday we went and took a second look at a house that we really like. We decided to put an offer in on it Saturday morning. Well our first offer was countered (as we expected). So we are now trying to decide if we are going to counter or not...

Here's the issue....

This house is so pretty and nice on the inside! It's also affordable squarefootage wise. However, it is a little higher on our price range. Not the top, but higher. (We are trying to stick to a 15 or 20 year mortgage.) The only work it would need would be to the backyard and kitchen counter/floors. So, we wouldn't be spending much in updates. However, the home was built in 1930, so it may need more repairs than a newer home. Since it's near the top of the price range, if any of those unexpected repairs would be needed, it would cut into money for furniture, vacations, etc.

Then there is this other house. This other house is ugly, but mostly because the people painted the walls some really ugly colors. It's basically a no-frill box divided into other boxes. The windows are tiny, so there isn't a lot of natural sunlight (something that is important to me). However, it does have nice floors and it's a good size. The price is also right! We would be paying about $200 less than the nicer home. We would want to make changes to the kitchen, paint, and even paint the outside of the home. But we feel we would also have more to save for trips, kids, etc. While I think we could make this house nice, it will NEVER be a beautiful as the other house. (Having a beautiful home is important to me, if not in my first home, someday.) This cheaper home would definitely be a starter home. It's also in a better school district and neighborhood.

So we just can't decide. It's seems like every few minutes we think of a new pro or con for one of the homes. We are so financially conscious that it's hard for us to keep the cheaper home out of our minds. However, the first home is the home I envision in my dreams (well, my realistice dreams.)

Any advise is welcome... really. (You should take advantage because I don't often seek advice.)

happy cart!

2011-09-02T11:03:00.000-04:00

It's Friday. Woo hoo! Michael's school started this week... so we are now BOTH extremely busy!

One of the BEST parts about my school (other than my wonderful students...blah, blah, blah) is Happy Cart Fridays. EVERY Friday parents come around to each classroom with goodies for teachers to choose from. I'm talking soda, water, candy, baked goods, etc. I seriously look forward to it every week. It's such a great idea and really helps teachers make it through a long Friday afternoon.

The first Friday I worked here I didn't know about it. Well, about 1:00 pm Friday afternoon someone comes to the door and pokes their head in. I couldn't hear what they were saying over the roar of the AC, but I assumed they wanted to see a student. I kept saying "Who? Who do you need?" Finally one of my students said, "It's the Happy Cart Mrs. Hassler, it's for YOU!" haha.

starting the house hunt

2011-08-27T18:27:00.000-04:00

In the midst of spending almost every waking hour at my school, we have started our house search! We actually started back in June when we knew we would be moving here. We looked on the MLS and started finding houses we liked and ones we knew we didn't.

Our requirements are the following:

3 bedroom

2 bath (or at least 1.5)

located in Tennessee and along I-25

walkable/runable neighborhood

good structure (electrical, roof, etc.)

natural lighting/big windows

Our preferences are:

garage/carport

fenced yard

gas stove

hardwood

built-in shelves

fireplace

sunroom

deck/porch

character (aka old)

ceiling fans

We went to an open house a couple of weeks ago and then looked at 7 houses with our realtor this morning! We were happy that we picked the 7 that we saw, because it helped us narrow our focus and get a good idea of what we wanted size and price-wise.

We liked a few of the houses that we saw, and REALLY liked one of them. Hopefully, we can go back and take a second look at it soon. I'll be sure to keep you posted! (I may even include pictures)

the move.... one month later

2011-08-20T12:05:00.000-04:00

Sorry I have been so absent from blogging. This week was another crazy week at school. I seemed to have meetings or something every day after school and then I would have to stay and get organized/prepared for the next day. We're getting there though. My goal is to leave at 4pm at least one day next week! We also have open house Monday, so it definitely won't be that night!

To celebrate finishing our first full week, 2 of the girls from our grade group and I are going to get pedicures!

One of students gave me a big gift this week.... a cold! Since Wednesday I have had a sore throat, stuffy nose, etc. It's no fun at all! Hopefully I get over it quickly.

So on to the move.... We packed up our 2 bedroom/2.5 bath townhome and moved to a 1 bedroom/1 bath apartment. We thought we had sold/gotten rid of a lot of stuff. Unfortunately, this apartment has 0 storage, so we ended up with a lot of boxes EVERYWHERE! The pictures below are of moving day. (One is sideways, you'll have to turn your head a bit.) We finally got most things put away and ended up taking several things to Michael's parents for the time being. We just kept saying.... how did we get so much stuff??? We are not pack rats... I still can't figure it out.

We haven't done much decorating here because it is temporary, and I just don't have the time or energy to worry about it. But it is suiting our need for now.

the first few days

2011-08-14T22:40:00.000-04:00

Well, last week I had my first 3 days of teaching third grade. I will admit, the first day was not super stellar. However, after talking to my 3rd grade team, I found out that many of them thought the same. But no fears, we had a great 2nd day! So some of the high points.

I have 19 students. 12 girls and 7 boys.

I have a student from Germany, Africa, Japan, and Guatemala. They all have really strong accents that make me giggle.

Third graders are really independent.

I stayed at school pretty late every night and when I finally went home, I would eat a quick dinner and then work some more.

It has been really hot at recess.

Our schedule is really messed up.... it's been a challenge to say the least. (Some days I have an hour to plan, other days 30 minutes, and other days an hour and a half.)

I have a to-do list about a mile long... but I'm slowly getting things under control.

church stuff

2011-08-14T22:30:00.000-04:00

A new town means a new church for us. First, I must say how blessed I am to have a husband who makes church such a priority. We went to a church the first Sunday we were here. He looked up some churches and then gave me some options to pick from. I know so many women who would just love for their boyfriends/husbands to just go to church with them. Of course, his passion for God and church is one of the reasons I married him and it was one of my standards for dating.

So far we have checked out 2 churches and we liked them both. Unlike Seymour, there seem to be several churches that would be good matches for us. I'm looking forward to visiting more and finding the one where God wants us to worship and serve!

At the church we went to today, there was a couple that talked about their upcoming move to Dominican Republic for missions. The husband is going to be a principal in a high poverty school. They have two adopted children (I think from DR) and one biological child. Michael and I were drawn to this couple and what they are about to do. Even though I don't know them at all, I'm going to include a link to their blog in case you want to read about them and pray for them! You never know, maybe Michael and I will be doing something like this one day!

The church prospects are just one of the many reasons why we are LOVING Chattanooga!

the night before...

2011-08-09T21:29:00.001-04:00

Here it is, the night before a new school year. The pencils are sharp and ready to go! I meant to take pictures of my room before I left, but I was so happy to leave at 6:30pm that I forgot! No worries, I plan to do it tomorrow. My room isn't perfect and I'm sure I will need to make some adjustments, but it's good for now. (Except at 5:30 this evening I found out that I don't have an operating pencil sharpener, I'll have to add that to my list!)

At the beginning of every school year I ask my students to think about their goals for the year. This year I have some of my own. Some of them seem small, but it's sometimes the little things that can really make a difference.

1. Lay out my clothes (and jewelry) every night before I go to bed.
2. Pack my lunch every night before I go to bed.
3. Learn how to use the new math curriculum and the 8 step model drawing.
4. Actually grade all of the homework. (I have been REALLY bad at this in the past.)
5. Workout 3 times a week.

I'm sure I will add to this list as I go, but this is all I've got for the first day!

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Now back to my ever growing to-do list! Wish me luck!

time wasting

2011-07-29T21:45:00.000-04:00

Do you want to know how to waste some time when you should be setting up a classroom, working out, cleaning, etc?

Check out this website. pinterest.com A lot of people have been "pinning" for a while but I resisted because I knew that I would get sucked in. Well, it happened. I decided to try it out 2 weeks before school starts... great. I will say that I've found some good classroom ideas on it. (If you don't know what pinterest is, it's a site where you can essentially save pictures from websites that you like and look at what pictures other people like.)

Besides wasting time on pinterest, I have been going to my classroom, driving by potential houses, and shopping for my classroom. Today was my last day off before school starts. Next week we have teacher in-service everyday. Getting up early is going to be ROUGH! So while I've been busy, it hasn't been anything photo worthy. Once my classroom is in shape, I will post some good before/afters.

However, I will leave you with some Murray pictures!

Have a great weekend!

Myrtle Beach July 2011

2011-07-27T22:02:00.000-04:00

I think it's about time to post some pictures from our beach trip! We had a great time and mostly just relaxed and did some sight-seeing around Myrtle Beach. It was our first time there and we all really liked the area. I would definitely go back sometime.

Some of the highlights of the week were going to the minor league baseball game and para-sailing for the first time. Para-sailing was not near as scary as I thought it would be. I'm glad we did it, but I don't think I would need to do it again. I was glad that there was something that Michael and I could do together. The minor league game was fun, but the Myrtle Beach team was up by several runs pretty early in the game (therefore, it started to get a little boring). It also started raining just as we were about to leave, so it was good timing. All and all it was a fun way to spend an evening.

p.s. Be prepared for A LOT of pictures! :)
The first set of pictures are from my parents camera.

Tiramisu = Delicious!

These pictures are from our camera.

I got a lot of compliments on this color!

Being silly!

What a face!

Oh 20 year old body where did you go?

That about sums up our Myrtle Beach trip. I'll try to post about the move soon!

We're Here

2011-07-21T19:53:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to write a quick post to say that we are now Chattanooga residents. We moved Tuesday and have been busy unpacking and figuring out how to get all of our stuff into our little apartment. We're finally making some progress. We also got our internet up and running (we have been without internet access for 2 weeks).

Murray is adjusting to the new apartment and has been really good despite the craziness.

I will post more later, after I have recovered from all of the moving! Also, now that we have moved I am starting to feel pressure to get my classroom figured out. So, posting may be limited in the next few weeks, I just need to see how things go.

Beach Week

2011-07-11T09:00:00.000-04:00

Well we are off to the beach. We will be spending a week with the sun and the sand. The only bad thing about the trip is that I have to leave little Murray dog for a week. :( But I trust that he will be taken care of!

Hopefully I will remember to take some pictures.

Source

Have a great week!

saving money

2011-07-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned in my job search posts, we had a good two year period where money was not flowing like milk and honey. We were living on a little more than a single teacher's salary! Luckily Michael and I are frugal (and not in an annoying way), but we also found some random ways to make/save money. So I thought I'd share some of them, in case you were curious.

1. Craigslist: We sold a bed, car, and dresser. It was fairly painless too!
2. Old Computers: There are some websites that will buy your old computers (even if they don't work). We sold one of our old laptops this way.
3. Gold: Michael sold his class ring because he never wears it
4. Tutoring: I tutored a little boy twice a week for a few months in reading. I don't suggest just anyone tutoring, because most people have no clue what they are doing. I can't stand when people think that because they can read then they can be a reading tutor. Tutoring is just a way I can use my expertise to make a little extra money.
5. Other part-time jobs: since Michael and I are both TFA alums, we were able to do phone interviews this past year and get paid a little for each call.

Money savers:
1. Don't waste food: We don't coupon because it encouraged buying more than you need and wasting food. We buy JUST enough food to make it each week (not that we starve ourselves, I just plan).
2. Make necessary cuts: We cut out XM radio, Netflix, magazines, etc. We also bought less clothes, books, home decorations, etc.
3. Eat out less: I am glad that I enjoy cooking. We ate a lot of meals at home over the last couple of years. And you know what? We both agree that we don't miss eatting out so much. By eatting at home we can eat fresher and less processed food cheaper.
4. Haircuts: I cut Michael's hair with clippers and I have been growing my hair out, so it's meant less trips to the hairdresser. However, if I got tired of my long hair I would go to the hairdresser in a minute. I don't think saving a few bucks is worth not feeling your best.

None of these things will make you rich. But they are little ways that God provided for our needs.

the great job search: part two

2011-07-08T15:20:00.000-04:00

So in August 2010, I had a new job that paid for my tuition and gave me a little stipend each month. Michael was trying everything to get more clients, but he just knew it wasn't going to be enough to bring in a consistent income. Let me tell you, working completely on commission it terrible. There is no base salary to count on, it's all your hard work. Some adviser's get lucky and "inherit" the former adviser's clients, but the person Michael had replaced hadn't left him with much.

By January we had decided that we were both going to apply to school districts for the 2011-2012 school year. I wanted to get a reading specialist position and Michael wanted to get a high school math job. We started filling out applications in February. We thought for sure Michael would get a job in April or early May. School districts are always looking for high school math teachers. We applied to Atlanta, Nashville, Memphis, and Chattanooga. Michael had an interviews with an Atlanta area school that didn't work out. I had an interview for a literacy coach position in Rogers, AR but never heard back about it. It was mid-May and we were started to get worried. We heard that many schools were not going to hire until late June. We couldn't imagine waiting that long to know where we were going be.

Then at the very end of May I got several calls from Chattanooga. I had applied to Chattanooga last year and had heard nothing. All of a sudden I had over 5 interviews. It was crazy! Around the same time Michael got an interview with school near Chattanooga. We were offered jobs on the same day!

For two years I tried desperately to get a full-time job. I had even applied to the same schools I ended up getting interviews to a year later. I think it's just proof that God had a plan all along and everything is working out accordingly!

the great job search: part one

2011-07-08T09:00:00.001-04:00

Michael and moved to Seymour in August 2009. We left our lives as classroom teachers to pursue other interests. Interests we thought would allow us to find our passion and purpose. We were excited about moving to a new place where neither of us had lived before. Seymour was our location because that's where Michael's boss suggested we live. He was going to be a financial adviser for some of the school districts in the area. We knew that the job would start off slow since it is full commission and that we would need to be patient. However, we truly believed that in a few months Michael would be making what he had as a teacher and then a months later he would be making more.

I had NO idea what I was going to do. I applied to every non-profit organization that had openings. Non-profits were my first professional love and I always thought after I was finished teaching that I would go back to that. However, this was 2009.... jobs were hard to come by. I applied to SO MANY jobs! I also applied to University of Tennessee jobs. Higher Education is my second professional love (I had applied to higher education master's programs the previous Spring, but it hadn't worked out). I also started applying to school districts for substitute teaching jobs because I figured I could get an in at some schools and then maybe teacher the next year.

In October I got a part-time position at a plant genetics laboratory. I was the administrative specialist. At first I didn't mind working part-time because honestly I thought Michael would be making more money soon and I could just keep working part-time when we had children. In January I started the Reading Education masters program. After considering several programs, this seemed like the best one for me.

During the Spring of 2010 we started to realize that Michael's job probably wasn't going to work out the way we thought. He didn't have many clients and the groups he had been assigned didn't seem to be the biggest fans of his company.

My jobs at the lab started to get more frustrating and I didn't feel like what I was doing mattered. So I started applying for teaching jobs. I applied to every county in the Knoxville area. I even started applying to jobs in other places like Chattanooga, Atlanta, etc. Even though I had just started my master's program, we knew having a stable income was important. I actually had an interview and was offered a teaching position with a charter school in the Delta. Michael had interviews as well. However, in the end we decided that the positions we were offered were right for us or they just didn't work out.

At the end of July I was offered an assistantship with the Education Department. It was only going to pay about as much as my lab job, but it was going to be more rewarding and it was related to what I was studying.

However, this wasn't going to fix Michael's job situation of our financial situation....

my mind is on the beach

2011-07-07T09:00:00.002-04:00

We are in full packing mode here! Our goal is to be pretty much completely packed by the end of the week. We also have those other moving tasks to accomplish such as address changing, setting up utilities, etc. Even though we aren't moving until the 19th we are trying to get it all done this week because next week we are going to the beach!!

My parents, Michael, and I are going to spend a few days in Myrtle Beach. None of us have been there before, so we are excited about a new adventure. It should be a pretty low key trip, but still a lot of fun.

This is how I am picturing the beach in my mind. (Although, I own none of these items other than the sunglasses and the ipod.) Notice all of the sunscreen, I am determined not to get a sunburn!

Dreaming of the Beach by Michelle Hassler featuring a cotton tunic

I know that after all of this packing we will be happy to be at the beach. (Although as soon as we get back will be moving, so we might actually want to go to the beach again at the end of July!)

Teacher Clothes

2011-07-05T09:00:00.000-04:00

I have been out of the classroom for 2 years. The "teacher clothes" section of wardrobe has definitely dwindled. Honestly, I wasn't too excited about most of the stuff I wore anyways. I would start with good intentions, but so many early mornings it would be all I could do to pull on a pair of khakis and a solid color cotton shirt. Forget jewelry and all that!

My new school has a lot of young and cute teachers. I am hoping that I will have the motivation to get up a few extra minutes early to put an effort toward my appearance everyday (well, at least most days). To get me in the mindset I made 5 teacher friendly outfits. What makes it (elementary) teacher friendly? Comfortable shoes and nothing that will need to be fiddled with... oh and modest! Not that I dress scandalously any of time...

Teacher Day 5 by Michelle Hassler featuring a bangle bracelet

You may think it's crazy for an elementary school teacher to wear white pants. If I was teaching K-1 I definitely wouldn't wear them. However, third grade is a little safer...and I love white pants! I could never wear a high heel to school, but a wedge is a lot more comfortable.

Teacher Day 4 by Michelle Hassler featuring crystal earrings

Teacher Day 3 by Michelle Hassler featuring short sleeve blouses

Teacher Day 2 by Michelle Hassler featuring high waisted skirts

Teacher Day 1 by Michelle Hassler featuring maryjane pumps

These shoes do have a heel, but I have a pair similar to this and they are really comfortable!

If you wonder where you can buy any of these items, click on the link before the picture and it will take you to a product list. I tried to only pick things from stores where I actually can afford clothes, or that I knew I could find something similar.

We will see how I do this year. Maybe I need to take pictures of my outfits everyday and post them once a week on the blog for accountability. I know some stay at home moms do that so they don't stay in their pjs all day.

June Books

2011-07-02T15:59:00.000-04:00

I read quite a few books at the end of May-June. It's great to have the time to read for pleasure again. I must say I haven't read hardly any of the books from this list that I made back in May. However, I still have a month of summer left! Michael also read a few classics in June. (I'll put them at the botton.) What have you been reading this summer?

I have already one Sophie Kinsella book and I'm working on a second.

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When I drove to Chattanooga and back for my training week I listened to a Mary Kay Andrews book on CD. Then last week I read one of her other books. They are along the lines of Sophie Kinsella, just fun chick lit.

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One of the books that was on my list was A Separate Peace. I was able to read it. I enjoyed it and can definitely see why teachers would read it in their high school classrooms. It's a good adolescent story about complicated friendships.

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As I mentioned previously, I also read Water for Elephants. I really liked the book. I would even argue that's not just a girl book. But, I think I would need a man's opinion to say for sure.

Michael read To Kill a Mockingbird and In Cold Blood. Can you believe that Michael had never read To Kill a Mockingbird?? In Cold Blood is a little more understandable, although it is one of my favorite books. He liked both of them a lot and read them pretty quickly. I think it's funny that he read both of these books in the same month since they authors were friends! He also read What the Dog Saw, a Malcolm Glidewell book.

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a lady

2011-06-27T23:38:00.000-04:00

I often say that I hope people think of me as a lady. I try hard to act lady-like most of the time. Maybe I should start taking some advice from the blog To Be A Lady (which I saw via Mrs. Grady). :)

Check it out and see how you measure up!

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a few notes...

2011-06-24T11:42:00.000-04:00

This week has been pretty low-key. I have mostly been running errands and trying to get some loose ends tied up. It's been really rainy here, but the rain hasn't cooled things off. So, it's just hot and humid. Yuck!

Well here are a few things to note from the week:

1. I'm so glad that I finally have time to read again. I went the library 3 times this week! I just finished reading Water for Elephants. It was REALLY good! I haven't seen the movie, so I don't know how it compares. But I would really recommend the book.

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2. We're going to Myrtle Beach in July and I have been trying to plan our activities and meals! You can ask my France travel buddies, I LOVE planning a trip! hehe. Does anyone have any Myrtle Beach recommendations? (We've never been before.)

3. We've been watching the UK version of The Office. It's pretty funny, but more depressing and you dislike the boss more.

4. We had a strange dog hanging around the beginning of the week that looked like he had rabies. My protective mother instincts came out when the dog started trying to follow Murray around.

5. Craigslist can really be great sometimes. We have sold a car, bed, dresser, and DVD player in the last month.

6. I've been stalking the Chattanooga MLS like crazy. I WILL find the perfect house! I've found several good ones so far, I can't wait to actually go and look at them. (I'm going to drive Michael crazy, but he'll thank me in the end!)

I hope everyone has a great weekend. We are going out for our anniversary dinner tonight (a traditional steak dinner).

dreaming of bunting

2011-06-22T10:00:00.001-04:00

Last week I got to see my classroom. Compared to other classrooms in the school, it leaves a little to be desired. However, I am going to try to add a few touches to make it look great! I am not super into painting and decorating my room because I feel it's a space for learning and not "looking pretty." But, since my students will do be doing a lot of creating in this classroom (writing/art/exhibit building), I think I will make more of an effort this time around.

Currently I'm dreaming of adding a little of this....

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My classroom is blue, teal, and brown. I think I could make one in those colors and maybe put "Mrs. Hassler's Class" on it. We will see if I get it done with the move. I also need to think of a way to create a cozy reading corner. I currently have a lamp, but nothing fun to sit on. Any ideas and suggestions are welcome!

Three Years

2011-06-21T09:00:00.004-04:00

Three years ago today Michael and I became The Hasslers.

I can't believe it's been 3 years already! I've always said that I don't think your wedding day should be the greatest day of your life, because that would mean that no day in your marriage was greater (which would be sad to think you peaked on day one). Michael and I have had so many wonderful days in our marriage. Every day we learn more about each other and become an even better team. Sometimes I think we didn't even know each other when we got married. Of course, we knew a lot about each other, but we hadn't been through many of those tough times where you really learn about someone. We have been blessed to have 3 years without any major tragedies, but we have been through harder times and have grown closer because of them.

This past year has been one of uncertainties. Uncertainties of jobs, location, finances, etc. This next year is going to be one of new beginnings. Beginning new jobs, city, house, etc. It's going to be exciting!

Even though I still wouldn't say our wedding day was the best day ever, it's definitely near the top!

i'm back

2011-06-20T14:53:00.000-04:00

I'm back from a LOONG week in Chattanooga. I spent all day planning, learning, reading, writing, etc. The third grade team is going to be pretty new this year, so we have a lot to do before the school year starts. Then there's my classroom.... I don't even know where to begin. Right now my room doesn't even have all the desks or chairs that I need.

For those that are curious... a little about my school. It's a museum magnet school. Which means that some of the students at our school are zoned for other schools but are selected to come to ours (that's the magnet part). The museum part is related to science and social studies. For those subjects, instead of using a textbook, our students go to museums to learn about what we are studying. Then they demonstrate their knowledge by creating their own exhibits every 9 weeks. It's intense, but really neat!

Now that I'm back I have a few weeks to soak all of it in, read up on some new things I will be doing this year, and figure out what I need to buy/get for my room. It's exciting and scary at the same time.

Hit the Road 5k

2011-06-16T10:00:00.000-04:00

A couple of weekends ago Michael and I ran the Hit the Road 5k in Maryville, TN. We had never ran in any Maryville races before and we didn't know much about the course. We assumed it would be like any other race, there would be some hills, but nothing too bad. Well we were wrong!!

The course was extremely complicated and had a lot of twists and turns. Luckily, there were a lot of volunteers on the course directing the runners. Then the last mile or so was uphill.... the. whole. time. It was brutal. I'm usually ok with hills, but this was ridiculous! Honestly, I had to walk a couple of times because it was hot and so steep I figured waking was faster than running. Obviously, everyone else thought the same thing because even though I walked, no one ever passed me in the last mile.

I was pretty happy with my time. I finished in 31:05 (according to my ipod). I'm still hoping to get my 5k time below 30 minutes. I know for a lot of people it's not too hard, but I'm just not a naturally fast person.

I didn't get any pictures from the race, sorry!

a visitor

2011-06-15T10:00:00.001-04:00

Last week, my freshman roommate from college (Nathalie) was driving through the area and stopped for lunch. We ate downtown and after lunch we treated ourselves to some gelato! Yum!! It was scrumptious on such a hot day.

I was so happy that she stopped, because I hadn't seen her since our wedding (almost 3 years ago). Since then she has gotten married as well. Her hubby is in the Navy and stationed in Virginia, so she was driving across country to move in with him finally!

We have actually had several visitors this past year or so, since we live off I-40 which goes straight through Tennessee. Next year, we won't live on I-40, so people will only drive through if they are going to Atlanta from the North. Hopefully some will still come through from time to time!

Smoky Mountains

2011-06-14T10:00:00.000-04:00

Since we are going to be living at the foothills of the Smoky Mountains for a few more weeks, we decided to visit the park the other day. We had planned on going to watch the synchronized firefly show, but when we got there they were already full for the night. So instead, we found a picnic area and had dinner. It was soo much cooler in the park than where we live (only a few miles away). It really was a nice evening for a picnic. After we ate and did some exploring, we drove through Gatlinburg and ~~laughed~~ stared at the tourists!

As promised, a picture of our new car!

trial run

2011-06-13T10:00:00.002-04:00

This week I am in Chattanooga for my school's "Summer Institute." I don't know exactly what that will entail, but I'm hoping a lot of planning for next year so I can get a start on things. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone, seeing my classroom, etc. There will also be some optional night social activities that could be fun. (Michael keeps saying that I am joining a sorority.)

Since we aren't living in Chattanooga yet, one of the teachers offered to let me stay in her guest room, which is nice but could be a little awkward. I'm sure the week will fly by. It's also a practice for me getting back into the school schedule. It's going to rough getting up that early!!!

I don't think I'll have a lot of computer/internet access while I'm gone, but I have some posts scheduled. So, you won't have to live without me!

Wish me luck as I embark on this new job and new adventure! I just hope I will have someone to sit next to at the lunch table.

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Magnet Winners!

2011-06-13T05:59:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Anne Marie (purple magnets) and Erika (polka-dot magnets)!

I will mail you your magnets next week when I get back from my week of training!!

Thank you everyone for your nice comments about the magnets. I hope you will make some for yourself!

Fabric Magnet Tutorial: When life gives you ads

2011-06-10T10:00:00.000-04:00

I have another magnet tutorial for you! This one is even easier than the button magnet tutorial that I posted a couple of days ago. (You can still enter the giveaway here!)

Everyone gets those rectangle magnet ads from salesmen. Well, I found a great way to use them! Just cover them with fabric.

First you get your magnet and cut a piece of fabric to roughly the same size. It may stretch out when you glue it, but you can trim the edges later.

Then you put Mod Podge on the magnet and then place the fabric on top (the mod podge acts as the glue). You will want to press out an creases or wrinkles.

After you place the fabric on the magnet, you use the mod podge again on top of the fabric. (This hardens the fabric and really makes it stick.) It dries really quickly. After it dries, you may want to trim the edges or any strings. Then it's fridge ready!

One word of warning: Not all fabrics will work. I tried to use a polyester-ish fabric at first and it wouldn't stick to the magnet. I have had no trouble with cotton!

So, do you think you'll make either of these magnets?

p.s. I made a lot of these (I just decided to do all of our ad magnets since I had the Mod Podge out), so I may do another giveaway next week!)

Magnet Giveaway!

2011-06-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I posted a tutorial on how to make a button magnet. Today I wanted to give you a chance to get some that I already made.

I have 3 purple magnets and 3 green ones. I actually made them from old shirts that I didn't want to wear anymore.

To Enter:
Leave me a comment and tell me what you stick to your fridge. Also, let me know which color you want.

If you don't have a gmail/google account you will need to leave your name and email address.

I will randomly select someone Sunday night (June 12th).

Button Magnet Tutorial

2011-06-08T14:00:00.002-04:00

Back in January, I posted about some button magnets that I made. I meant to post a tutorial, but I kept forgetting. Well, I'm finally getting to it. It's really easy and only takes a few minutes.

At Hobby Lobby or other sewing/craft stores you should be able to find a package of Cover Buttons. They come in different sizes, you can get the size that works for you. This time I just had a refill package, but if it's your first set you will want the start kit because it comes with a "pusher." (You'll see in a minute.) The package with the pusher also explains how to use it. (Although I explained some below.)

Everything you need to make a magnet button: button, button back, pusher, fabric, and sticky magnet.

The button back has a little hook on it (for attaching it to fabric), to get it off I just had to borrow the husband's pliers and wiggle it off.

The fabric doesn't need to be cut to a specific size, but it needs to be big enough to reach all around the button and tuck in. If you cut it too big, you can cut some off later.

You stick the fabric in the pusher and then put the silver button dome down in it.

Then tuck the fabric down with your finger. This is where you can see if the fabric needs to be cut. After it's tucked in, the flat silver button back gets placed on top of the fabric and the blue pusher piece makes it tight.

After you pull it out of the pusher, you can stick the magnet to the back. You may have to use some super glue to get it to stick.

I would recommend user semi-strong magnets. The magnets I got from Hobby Lobby are not very strong, so the magnets don't hold very well. But they are cute!

So there you have it...a covered button magnet!

Come back tomorrow and I will give away some I have already made.

am I cool now?

2011-06-08T10:00:00.001-04:00

Instead of writing my last paper for school (long story!), I have been messing with the layout of the blog. What do you think? I changed it to a 3 column because that's what the cool kids do. I know that blogs look different on computers based on screen size, so I wanted to know if anyone was having trouble with this layout. Let me know, because I'm sure it needs some more adjusting.

Also, if you click on the picture labeled "Our love story and wedding" you can read last year's anniversary posts. (It's almost that time of year again, so I may be writing more!)

Now if I could just get a header that I like.... (photoshop experts, feel free to volunteer!)

Stay cool my friends!

Wishing I was in back in Jamaica today!

about a month ago...

2011-06-07T10:00:00.000-04:00

Back in May, we went to a University of Tennessee baseball game. It was one of their last of the season. The team had done poorly all year, so it wasn't well attended. The best part was when we showed up we found it was $1 hot dog night! Yea! I restrained myself and only had one, although I wanted more. I did take some pictures (which it the only reason I'm even talking about it a month later...haha).

In other college baseball news.... Sunday both Tech and Arkansas lost their second game of their regional tournament. Which means they are finished for the season. Sad. But, football season is just around the corner!

goodbye old friend

2011-06-06T10:00:00.003-04:00

Last Friday, Michael lost an old friend. It had been with him for 10 years (almost to the day). However, it was old and had seen better days. Michael would have been sadder, but over the last year it had betrayed him a few times and left him stranded. So, we thought it was best to part ways!

Goodbye old Camry! You gave us 10 good years.

We actually sold the car in 2 hours! Oh, the power of Craigslist. Michael couldn't even believe we actually sold it for money. He thought no one would want it. But we had several people call and had 2 people call within 30 minutes of posting it. The first guy that called was the guy who bought it. He didn't seem to have any complaints, so everyone left happy!

So, now that we have said goodbye to the Camry, we can say hello to the Focus!

We bought the Focus at CarMax Thursday. It's a 2007 and has 22k miles. We really liked it and it met all of our requirements (especially the price, our biggest requirement). We're hoping we can get just as much use out of this car as we did the Camry.

I was going to post a picture here, but I kept forgetting to take one! Oppps. Just imagine a dark gray 2007 Ford Focus. (I'll post a picture next week.)

the scenic city

2011-06-03T10:00:00.002-04:00

Well, we're moving to Chattanooga. Our GA/TN friends were a little at a disadvantage because they know that Atlanta doesn't have a riverfront (what kind of state has a capital without a riverfront?).

We will be moving to Chattanooga in mid-July. Michael and I both have jobs already. I will be teaching 3rd grade at Normal Park Museum Magnet in Chattanooga. Michael will be teaching high school honors math at Ridgeland High School in Walker County, GA.

We don't know where we are going to live yet, but we are planning on finding a place to rent for 6 months and then buy a house! We wanted to buy a house now, but there wasn't going to be enough time to get everything done before the school year started.

I'll be posting more about our job search, decision to move, etc. It's been a crazy ride! But we are so thankful for getting jobs already and we know that we have grown so much in the past year after going through this experience.

So now everyone can start planning to visit us in Chattanooga!!

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p.s. Robert won the guessing game, so I'll be sending his postcard to Macedonia! Maybe I'll send his souvenir to his mother's house. haha! I thought about just skipping to the next person, but it was Stephanie and she already lives in Chattanooga!

we're moving... can you guess where?

2011-06-02T14:00:00.001-04:00

Well folks, we are moving!!

We found out Tuesday that we BOTH got jobs. We have told a few people, but for the most part we've kept it pretty quiet. So, I thought it would be fun to see if anyone could guess where we are moving. I will give you some hints.....

1. We will be living in a state that we have both already lived in. (Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi)

2. I applied to school districts in Atlanta, Memphis, Nashville, and Chattanooga.

3. Where we are moving has a riverfront that's not flooded.

The first person to guess correctly in the comments will get a postcard and maybe a souvenir from that place!! (My first EVER blog giveaway)

More details to come....

Spring Clothing wants

2011-06-02T10:00:00.000-04:00

Previously I posted about the clothes that I had bought recently. Today I wanted to post the clothes I am still wanting to get this summer. Of course there are other things that I would like to have, but these are some of the items that I have been wanting and have been on my "list." Yes, I keep a list of clothes that I want to buy. I do this so that I make sure that I really want/need it before I buy it. I really do try to keep my clothes purchases to a minimum and I get rid of several items every few months.

I read a good tip on a blog the other day. She suggested that when you want to buy a clothing item to see if you wear the item once for every dollar that it costs. So if a skirt is $20, do you think you wear it at least 20 times? She says it keeps her from buying really trendy things or too many nice clothes that she will only wear on occasion. I thought it was a good tip.

Spring Clothes Wants by Michelle Hassler featuring a sports activewear

I have wanted a pair of Toms for a while, but I just can't bite the bullet and pay that much for them. I know it's a good cause, but I'm just so cheap.

I would also like a maxi dress. I have one, but it's very beachy and I would like one that I could wear more than once a year. (I wouldn't get white, but I like the style.)

Do you have any rules that you follow when buying clothes? Do you buy clothes all at once or a throughout the year?

Spring Clothes buys

2011-06-01T10:00:00.000-04:00

Saturday on our way back from Atlanta, we stopped at the outlet mall in Calhoun GA. I know that we live near a bigger outlet, but this one is always less crowded. Even on the holiday weekend, it was fairly empty. They don't have all of the stores, but I still managed to find some good deals!! I put together some pictures of what I bought on Polyvore, and after seeing it all together... I must say it looks like I bought everything at gap! But, I swear only 2 shirts. haha. I obviously stocked up on some basics. Let me tell you about the deals!

I got two shirt from Gap for $8 total!
I got a pair of chino pants from Tommy Hilfigger for $12.50!
I got a nice rain coat with a hood for $18!

And all of it was on my "Clothes to Buy" list. (Except the rain coat, because I had given up on ever finding one that was affordable!) So I think I put my graduation money to good use. I have a few more items that I would like to buy, I was going to put them below this one, but blogger is acting funky, so I'll save it for another post.
Spring Clothes buys by Michelle Hassler featuring white peep

snake charmer

2011-05-31T12:07:00.000-04:00

So this weekend we went to Atlanta for a graduation. We dropped Murray off at Michael's parents on our way down there. When we got back Saturday, we found out that Murray had quite the adventure in the past 24 hours!

Apparently, Murray chased a rabbit and ran into a neighboring field. This was honestly not too surprising. But then here is the shocker... Murray caught a snake! He found a snake under Michael's parent's deck. It was small but I couldn't believe he actually messed with it. Sometimes he's afraid of bugs! Tommy told us he would get it to coil up, pick it up and shake it around. Then the snake would try to bite him, so he would drop it and then start the process all over again. Eventually, Tommy had to get rid of it because he thought Murray was going to kill it slowly.

I never had to worry about Murray having a bad time in GA, he seems to always find little adventures!

bad aunt, bad blogger

2011-05-31T11:56:00.000-04:00

I think I just need to start this post with some apologies. I haven't posted in over a week and I have no good excuse. I just haven't felt like it. Instead I have been thinking about jobs, writing an article to be published (I'm far from finished), reading, etc. I haven't even been blogging my runs. But I hope to be back on track. Maybe I just needed a little mini break.

The other apology is for being a bad aunt. We went to our nephew's high school graduation in Atlanta this past weekend and I didn't even take my camera! What is wrong with me?

But we had a good time and John Bradley looked handsome in his cap and gown! We hadn't seen him or his siblings for almost 2 years, they have grown sooo much! They are all teenagers. The last time I saw them the younger two were still in elementary school and just thought I was awesome... this time they hardly spoke to me. Maybe I'm just too old now... sad! Hopefully it won't be that long before we see them again.

So those are the apologies, I will get back to real posts soon!

Better Than Ezra

2011-05-21T10:00:00.001-04:00

After the graduation ceremony, Michael's family headed back to Georgia and we headed back downtown. In April and May Knoxville has a free concert every Thursday night. The day of my ceremony it was Better Than Ezra. Michael wanted to go to this concert really badly. Apparently they had come to Georgia Tech when he was a student but he hadn't gone and he always regretted it. So this was his chance! I was up for going since I remembered their songs from my high school days.

I had painted my nails orange in honor of graduating from UT.

It was a good show and I'm glad we went. The weather was perfect and it was nice to do something different. Also, the people watching was great!

Graduation Month: Part 2

2011-05-20T16:40:00.000-04:00

The second graduation for us to attend this month was mine. Last week I got my master's in Reading Education from the University of Tennessee. I could write a whole novel about my master's degree, but I'll save that for another time. haha.

The graduation ceremony was for all of the masters and doctoral students. It was quite long and I only walked across stage for about 2 seconds (I don't know what I expected, it was like any other graduation ceremony). I am glad that I walked and that Michael and Michael's family were able to attend. I'm also glad that some of my family members were able to watch it online!

Here are some pictures we took of the day. Before the ceremony we had lunch at a place called Oodles Unlimited in downtown Knoxville. They have a mac and cheese of the day! How awesome is that? The day we went it was chicken, spinach, and feta! Yum!

The ceremony was held at the UT basketball arena, which is massive. They even put curtains in front of the upper deck to make it look more "intimate" and less empty. There definitely wasn't a seat/ticket limit!

This picture was blurry, black and white made it a little better.

My hood!

Yay! I have a master's degree! (This week I found out I also got a 4.0!)

Official Grad Pictures

2011-05-18T10:00:00.000-04:00

I got an email the other day with my official grad pictures that I can order. I thought I would share them with you. I know I still need to post other grad pictures, but they are on the other computer. Maybe tomorrow.

I think this first one looks silly.

I'm thinking about ordering the handshake one.

Maybe I'm taller than I think I am.. I think my gown was a bit short. It's the 5'1-5'3 size. I'll get a longer one next time (ha!).

Summer 2011 Reading Possibilities

2011-05-17T10:00:00.001-04:00

Summer is my chance to catch up on my pleasure reading. I haven't read much for pleasure since September. I did just finish Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I recommend it to anyone looking for a good Christian book to read. Francis Chan points out where American Christians have seemed to miss the mark, especially the church. Has anyone else read it? Thoughts?

Here are some books I am thinking about for the summer. The list is mostly lighter reading so far. Most of the books are also young adult literature, but they are on the list because we talked about them in my classes so I got curious. Although I will take suggestions for other books too.

1. Harry Potter- the.whole.series.
2. Hunger Games trilogy
3. The newest Shopaholic book from Sophie Kinsella (I LOVE the shopaholic series!)
4. Beastly
5. A Separate Peace (We talked about this book in one of classes, so I now feel that I need to read it. I've heard it's love/hate.)

Now my challenge is to find these books at our teeny, tiny library! Wish me luck!

Name Changing

2011-05-16T14:00:00.000-04:00

I was thinking about this topic the other day and then last night I read this article. The article is about women changing their names after they get married. The article reports a study that found that older women were less likely to take their husband's name and women in professions where their names were used regularly (medical, entertainment, arts, etc). Another interesting part of the article was when the author mentioned a study that found that women were stereotyped based on if they kept their maiden name or not. (Women who kept their name were considered more ambitious and smarter.) Nothing in the article really shocked me, but it went along with a post I was going to write around our anniversary... however, since I read this I will write it now.

So I am almost 3 years into this name change thing. My feelings about if have changed some since I was engaged and in some ways I am surprised by my feelings.

Pre-Engagement and Engagement- I was always so excited about the prospect of changing my name some day. All through high school and college I had a hard time with my last name. People just couldn't figure out the last name "Lucy." When I was at libraries or other places where they ask for your name, they would say, "No, your last name." Where I would then have to explain that Lucy was my last name. I also didn't feel super attached to my name, my mom didn't have my same last name and my dad had been the only son... my brother was the only other Lucy I really knew.

I also always assumed I would take my husband's name because I figured I would get married young (so not professional problems) and I also didn't know anyone who kept their maiden name. I am not one to buck the system, so it was always likely that I would do as my friends had.

The only delima I had with changing my name was whether I was going to keep my last name as Elizabeth or change it to Lucy. I went back and forth several times. I also considered keeping all of my names and being Michelle Elizabeth Lucy Hassler. But since I have several long names, I decided against that. I don't even think I was completely decided on what I was going to do even when I was driving to the Social Security Administration. Ultimately, I decided to change my name to Michelle Lucy Hassler.

Marriage- A few months after we got married I started a new teaching job where I was now Mrs. Hassler. I absolutely LOVED being a Mrs, but I had a hard time getting used to not being Miss Lucy anymore. Those 2 years of being Miss Lucy had really been so influential in my life, it was hard not to be identified as that anymore. In Mississippi, everyone called my Miss Lucy (co-workers, students, etc.) If they didn't call me Miss Lucy, they probably called me Lucy. (Michael still calls me Lucy to this day.)

Even now, three years later I sometimes forget and introduce myself as Michelle Lucy. I sometimes give people my old email address with my maiden name in it. I find myself being pretty adamant sometimes that my whole name be used instead of just my first and last or middle initial. For example, in the graduation program at UT my name was only listed as Michelle Hassler... I was a little offended.

However, I am still happy that I changed my name. Mostly for our future. I want Michael and I to have the same last name as our children, I like that people automatically know that Michael and I are married, I like the feeling of connection and permanence that joining our names creates, etc. I have heard some women say they changed their name just because their husband wanted them to. While I understand wanting to please your husband, I think these women will be disappointed when their husbands don't seem eternally grateful for their effort or when their husbands decide it's not so important after all.

To give you a man's perspective and how it can change. When Michael and I first got engaged and discussed name changing briefly, he said that he thought I would need a pretty good reason for him not to want me to change my name. However, just the other day he said that he completely understood why women wouldn't want to because of all of the effort and confusion that sometimes occurs. I'm glad I had several reasons for changing my name.

Overall, I wouldn't change what I did. I am also extremely happy that I changed my middle name to Lucy. However, I do wish I knew that changing your name is an emotional process and is so much more than just a lot of paperwork and phone calls. Changing my name did not change my identity, but it did change how people had identified me from the previous 24 years of my life.

Each wife has her own reasons for changing her name or not. It's a completely individual decision. I will say to all of the engaged women who may read this post that they should do what they feel is right for them and expect to have some emotions about the process (maybe even doubt their choice at times). Also, don't expect that you will be "used" to your new name right away, it takes time. Three years later and I am still working on it.

Children's Lit

2011-05-14T13:00:00.000-04:00

I know I promised to post some of my favorite children's literature, but I haven't done a very good job so far. Well, today I have 2 books for you!

The first is titled Molly Bannaky. It's the true story of a girl who comes to the US as an indentured servant and works off her debt to start a farm of her own. She finds that the work is too much for her, so she purchases a slave (vowing to treat him well and free him once her land is clear). However, they fall in love and get married (in secret). They have children and spend the rest of their days on their farm.

The other book is about Benjamin Banneker, Molly's grandson. He is a freeman (because of his grandmother), but recognizes the treatment of slaves. He is a mathematician and astronomer. He also writes to Thomas Jefferson, asking him why the constitution is conflicting with slavery. It's a great read, especially for students to see how the two people are connected.

The graduation....

2011-05-13T15:02:00.000-04:00

So, if you want to see me walk across stage for about 2 seconds you can go to this link and then go to the 48:42 mark and I will be one of the next people. Honestly, you can't miss the hair... it's ridiculous. Also, I was in a daze so I don't even think I smiled... ugh. Way to go Michelle.

Here's the link...
http://160.36.161.128/UTK/Viewer/?peid=8082de1d532f47ec854c6e4e4ad60200

I'll post more pictures and info about the ceremony later.

if, and this is a big if...

2011-05-11T18:42:00.000-04:00

If you happen to want to lull yourself to sleep today around 4:30pm (Eastern Time), you can watch my graduate hooding ceremony online. I will only be staring for about 2 seconds. I watched last year's ceremony and it looks like my degree starts going across stage about 40 minutes into the ceremony.

I think you can also watch it after the ceremony is over, so I will try to watch it and see at which point I make an entrance and then let you know where you can start the video.

Here is the address: http://160.36.161.128/UTK/Viewer/?peid=8082de1d532f47ec854c6e4e4ad60200

I'm giving Michael the camera, so he should be able to take some pictures. I'll try to post them tomorrow or this weekend.

In honor of becoming a UT alum tomorrow, I am painting my toenails Vol Orange! Go Vols! (Probably one of the few times in my life that I will actually say that.)

Graduation Month: Part 1

2011-05-11T12:38:00.000-04:00

We have 3 graduations to attend this month (Michael's sister's, mine, and our nephew's). We went to the first one yesterday. Michael's sister, Jessica, graduated from college yesterday. She got her bachelor's from Kennesaw State University (a suburb of Atlanta).

It was a great graduation and actually went pretty quickly. The ceremony we went to was for the education majors, art majors, and interdisciplinary studies. I am soo thankful it was inside because it was 90 degrees yesterday.

I unfortunately didn't get many pictures because our camera batteries were dead. We usually use the lithium batteries that last a while, but they died so we stopped at a convenience store to pick up some regular AA. Well, those only lasted for about 5 pictures before they died. So, I had to choose my shots wisely. (Just yet another reason why I can't wait to get a new camera some day.)

A super blurry pic, but the only one of us from the day.

Michael and Jessica

Michael, Jessica, Judy, and Tommy

There were several other people taking pictures in our group, so the day should be well documented. Also, I had the video camera, so we were able to get some good video of the event.

Here is the video of Jessica walking across the stage. The shaking is me trying to clap and video at the same time! ha.

After the graduation and some picture taking, we went to dinner. Michael and I shared a wonderful steak! After dinner we headed back home.

Next up, my graduation tomorrow afternoon!

engaged

2011-05-10T10:00:00.001-04:00

I just have to say Congratulations to my brother and his girlfriend Megan! They got engaged this past weekend.

We are looking forward to a beautiful wedding, and more importantly a wonderful and long marriage.

UK Bat Cats

2011-05-09T18:30:00.001-04:00

After the Derby we spent the night the night in Lexington. So the next morning we drove around the University of Kentucky campus. We specifically wanted to see the football and basketball stadiums. Our trusty GPS got us there!

We found an open door to the stadium... not sure if we were supposed to go in, but no one said anything.

There was a graduation going on at the basketball arena, we just walked around a bit.

The night before when we were watching TV we found out that they call the UK baseball team the bat cats... which I think is really silly! I'm not a fan of the Arkansas DiamondBacks, but it's better than Bat Cats.

Derby 2011

2011-05-08T18:32:00.000-04:00

So this weekend we went to Louisville, KY. We made a last minute decision to go to the Kentucky Derby! It was so much fun. Since we aren't millionaires, our tickets were for the infield. The grassy area on the inside of the track (on TV you usually just see the tents in the area and not all of the people). You can't actually see much of the race from the infield, but you are there!

So, I actually didn't wear this hat into Churchill Downs. I didn't think it really went with my outfit. This picture was actually taken when we got back to our car. If I had known we were going to the Derby before this week I would have picked out a really cute hat or fascinator... maybe next time!

Check out this guys hat!

As you can already see, there is no dress code for the infield. You get all types!

Look at all of the people!

Mint Juleps were the first order of business!

Some random shots of Churchill Downs and people.

Placing our bets.

If you look closely, you can see some of the Derby horses when they were getting ready to go in their stalls.

There were some Razorback fans there!

This is how we watched the race. Except for a brief moment when I saw some Jockey heads bobbing by.

We didn't win anything!

Overall, the Derby experience was great! We had such a great time and I can now check it off of my life to do list. Although, I wouldn't mind going again someday.

productive.

2011-05-06T18:46:00.000-04:00

Today was the first day in a long time that I actually felt productive. I know that writing papers and doing school work is being productive, but it doesn't always FEEL that way. Today I was able to check several things off of my to-do list and it felt good. The weather was beautiful which also helped.

One thing I did today was make Heath cookies for a cookout that we are going to in a bit. They look pretty good don't they...

Well, Michael had doubted my cookie making skills (he usually bakes because he cares more about being exact then I do). He brought these home...

Actually they were left over from a meeting he had today... but I bet the thought crossed his mind that mine might not be worthy of sharing with friend.

Tomorrow we are taking a little road trip! I am really excited. I made a Road Trip CD mix and everything. Check back next week to see the details.

This song definitely made the playlist.

Have a great weekend! Do you have any plans? What was your last road trip?

An Orlando Wedding, with a side of Disney

2011-05-05T22:57:00.000-04:00

Like I mentioned before, this past weekend I flew to Orlando for my friend Anne's wedding. They had changed the date a few weeks ago, so it was a quick trip without the husband. My friends Erika and Beth were also bridesmaids. We made it a fun girls weekend! I didn't take any picture because Erika and Beth had their cameras, so I stole these pictures from Beth's facebook page.

When we first got to Orlando we went to the rehearsal. The wedding was held at a local park. Here's a picture of the bridesmaids with he bride's father. We have all been friends since high school, so we have known each other's parents for over 10 years.

After running some errands with the bride, we had a little informal rehearsal dinner and got our gifts!

After the rehearsal, we had a little shower for the bride since we weren't able to go to any there.

Sunday was the big day!

A few pre-wedding pics!

After-ceremony cake cutting!

MOH signing the license. I think it's interesting how each state is different. In Arkansas only the minister has to sign, no witnesses are needed.

Silly!

After the wedding, we went to Epcot to take pictures! We met Mickey and Minnie, rode Soarin', and heard a lot of "Congratulations!"

We ended the night at the Hoop De Doo Revue! It was pretty funny... especially with bottomless Sangria.

We got back to our hotel around 12:30am and had to leave for the airport at 3:15am. Needless to say, we did not sleep that night. I slept during both flights home and probably took 3 other naps Monday.

It was a busy weekend, but a lot of fun!

I'll leave you with two videos from the show! The first video is of Anne and Nate dancing at the show. The show workers asked them to come up and sang while they danced. Since the show was kind of like their reception, you could say this was their first dance!
p.s. you may want to turn down the volume, it was loud in there!

The second video is just a fun little clip. You can really see how much fun the bride and groom were having on their wedding day!

mastered

2011-05-04T19:46:00.000-04:00

Today I turned in my LAST paper for my master's degree! Yipee! I am so ready to be finished with classes and school work. Now, I just have the rest of May to finish up my graduate assistantship and then I will be on summer vacation (aka unemployment) but shhh.. we're not talking about that now.

We actually have a fairly busy May so far. But during the week, I'm going to have more down time to clean the apartment, run, walk Murray, etc.

This past weekend I went to Orlando for my friend Anne's wedding. I am going to post pictures and videos soon!

In pop culture news:

What did you think of Kate's wedding dress? I thought it was gorgeous! I loved it. I didn't wake up to watch the whole thing, but I saw the kiss in real time and watched reruns of the rest.

Did you see that Mariah Carey had her twins and named them Monroe and Morroccan? My friend Erika is hoping they call them Roc & Roe! haha.

I looked through pictures from the recent MET galla. There were so many pretty dresses. I have decided that Ashley Greene is one of the most beautiful women. I don't think Twilight does her justice. Now if only I had an excuse to wear a dress like this... maybe I can convince my friend Beth to make her wedding black tie... haha.

whirl-wind

2011-04-27T11:47:00.000-04:00

Well, things have seemed pretty busy around here lately, at least for me. (Michael may say something different.)

Last week we had some friends stay with us since they were driving through the area to visit family! We enjoyed getting to catch up with them. (They even had a little teeny-tiny kitten with them which we snuck in the house without Murray knowing.)

The friend that came to visit (with her husband a kitten), but of course this picture was not taken last week!

Then this past weekend, Michael's parents and sister came to visit. We went to Bass Pro Shops Saturday and church for Easter Sunday. We had a nice quick visit with them. (sorry, no pictures... but I did make deviled eggs!)

So far this week has been busy. Friday is the last day of classes for the semester, so I have a lot of papers/tests/assignments due. Also, we are trying to get a lot of end of the year things taken care of for work... and it's not necessarily fun stuff (i.e. paperwork).

Last night was my last class for my master's degree!!! Now, if only this 10+ page paper that's due tomorrow would write itself!

This coming weekend I am flying to Orlando for my friend Anne's wedding. I'm really happy that I get to see my friends, but there are 2 days of REALLY early flights involved, which do not make me happy. Plus, I know I won't be able to relax much thinking about the school work that needs to be done!

Then there is the good ole' job searching! Blah!

My running has really taken a nose-dive post half marathon. It's ridiculous! I just can't get up the motivation to run. Hopefully that will change once school is over.

I have made this pasta a few times and it is soo good! The ingredients are pasta, potatoes, green beans, and pesto! I keep meaning to post the recipe, but let's face it... I don't think I'm going to get around it to. However, if you would like it, let me know and I'll send it to you.

And to end this random post on a happy note... our friends Normer and Stacee had a baby last week, so congrats to them!

p.s. all of these random tidbits were to say that I don't think I'll be doing much blogging between now and graduation (May 12)! But, I may surprise you.

books, book, and more books

2011-04-21T10:00:00.000-04:00

I think it's about high time I put this degree to use don't you. (Actually I won't be getting the degree for a few weeks... but that's a technicality.)

I thought I would list my favorite children's books that I have been working with lately. These books are mostly historical fiction picture books. A professor and I use them in some elementary schools that we work in. I'm also working on an article about these books. We read these books to 3rd-5th graders, but I think people of all ages would enjoy them. I actually won a game of Trivial Pursuit the other night by giving an answer about Typhoid that I had learned in one of these books!

I'm going to feature one book a week until I run out of books to talk about (so never)!

Houdini is a wonderful book. The book intertwines some of his more famous tricks and his childhood. The students that I have read this book to love it. Houdini wasn't just a magician, he was a really hard worker who read books and studied constantly to find new tricks and shows. Another great thing about this book is that it's less than $10 some places.

Have you read this book or any others about Houdini?

We're a little late...

2011-04-18T11:11:00.000-04:00

Saturday was a great day!

We woke up Saturday and made a wonderful breakfast of waffles, bacon, and eggs! Murray was jealous. Then we participated in Record Store Day by stopping by our local record store (one of our friends from our church actually manages the store.) It was fun to browse and listen to some live music.

After the record store, we went to see True Grit. Yes, I know... it's hard to believe that it's still in the theaters, but we found it. We both really liked the movie. We had debated between seeing True Grit and Win, Win. I'm happy with our choice. I can see why it was nominated for so many Oscars. (By the way, after seeing this movie we have seen all but 2 of the movies nominated for best film this year.)

After the movie we visited the Salsarita's nearby (it's a taco/burrito type place). This place always messes up your order and doesn't seem to have it together, but we still keep going. haha. Even though they put salsa and onions on my taco without my request, it was good!

Sunday was full of church, running, schoolwork (for me), grocery shopping, etc. Michael even made some Heath cookies! Yum!

How did you enjoy the weekend?

the beginning of the end.

2011-04-15T10:35:00.000-04:00

I know I've talked about our love for Friday Night Lights before. Tonight is the beginning of the Final Season (well at least for those of us without DirectTV). I'm excited to watch the show again, but I'm already a little sad that it is ending. The show is so good! If you haven't watched it before, I would really recommend it. I know you can watch all of the episodes on Netflix and maybe even NBC. I can't wait to see how Riggins, the Taylors, Buddy, and all of the others end up. I'm also interested to see who comes back from previous seasons.

Source.

Anyone else watching FNL tonight??

necklace

2011-04-13T10:00:00.002-04:00

Last week I took a little time to myself and made a necklace. This was my first ever attempt at any kind of jewelry. While I am no where near as talented as my friend Alyssa, I was pretty happy with how my first attempt turned out.

I used this tutorial and pretty much followed it exactly. It didn't take much material at all. In fact I probably have enough to make at least 2 more necklaces and I only bought 1 felt sheet and a few feet of remnant fabric. The only thing I would need to buy would be a chain. (This chain costs about $4. It was an 18 inch chain that already had a clasp and I just used some pliers to cut it in half.)

13.1

2011-04-10T21:02:00.000-04:00

We finished the Half Marathon! We are really proud of our accomplishment. I felt great the whole race! (Michael said he felt great most of the time, except the last 2 miles.)

Here are some pictures post-race.