Where is my Christmas break?

Hey Hey everyone!

So I have been out of school for a week and a half!............. It feels like a day. I can't believe I go back next Tuesday.  HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE???

Well as most people know I went to San Diego to go see the most amazing football team play in the Poinsettia Bowl!! Tech TeCh TECH all the way!!! I absolutely loved every minute I was at LA Tech, and thankfully my family is Tech Fans as well.  So they totally did not mind that the second Abby and I found out Tech was going to a bowl game we were asking for tickets and trip out there (Can you blame us??)

After we got back from San Diego it was time to celebrate the birthday of the most Amazing person ever! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!!


We went to Christmas Eve candlelight service, which is probably the one thing I look forward to the most about Christmas.  It is indescribable how serene and touching the candlelight service is. It is my favorite!!!

So of course after candlelight......SANTA COMES!!!   YES Santa still comes and visits the Hill girls.  According to my mom, he will NEVER stop coming. So when we wake up Christmas morning there are presents laid out in our living room.  I'm defiantly not complaining. This Christmas for me was  GIFT CARDS GALORE!!! My Christmas list consisted of 4 items:

1. Anthropologie corduroy skinny jeans.
2. A Lenny & Eva bracelet
3. GIFT CARDS!!!!
4. TO GRADUATE ASAP (Can May get here any sooner??)

I mean how easy is that list to shop for??? So needless to say I got my gift cards and a few extra surprises :)

So now I have spent the WHOLE day working on this portfolio that is due the 30th!  This portfolio replaces Comps, but I am hear to tell you give me the test ANYDAY!! Even better I have a 2nd portfolio due the 13th......So my life and break are slowly slipping away for the next few weeks.


One thing is for sure, I am slipping in a few hours of reading time.  I have become addicted to the Hunger Games book.  I know this is an old craze and everyone has read the books but I have been beyond busy.  So this hidden gem has just been stored on my Kindle (along with the million others I don't have time to read).  So on my flight back I started reading the first book of the series.  I could not put it down.  I read by cell phone light in the backseat of the car on the way home from the airport. YES, it is that good.  So I am dying to find out what happens next! Reading the last 2 books will get accomplished BEFORE I go back to work....guaranteed!!


Until next time.........

Amy


Here are a few pics from the past month or so........


                         Rob Graduated

We had Thanksgiving

Went to Baton Rouge to see Mrs. Barbar in her dancing showcase! So fun.

Time has flown by!

So I realized I haven't blogged in a million years!!! Okay maybe its only been a few months, but it still seems like forever.  A LOT  has happened in these past 3 1/2 months!

So I'll start with updates on everyone's lives:

ROB NEWS: Rob graduates Saturday!! This is a SUPER HUGE deal. I am so proud of him.  Can't wait to see him finally get his diploma.


ABBY NEWS: Abby made Louisiana Tech homecoming court!! She looked so precious and had the cutest outfit on the court!

TIFFANY NEWS:  One of my best friends Tiffany got engaged while in Seattle.  She is getting married in August on the beach! Can't wait for all the festivities to begin!!!

MOM NEWS: HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sweet mom!! Today is her 48th birthday, and she has had the best day shopping and hanging out with everyone.

School has started and is well on its way.  I love my students this year, and I am definitely getting attached to them.  I'm almost done with this quarter at Tech, and I only have 1 more class left to take in the spring and then I will have my Master's!!!

I'm glad I have a mini break during the next few months. I can finally do what I want to do............CRAFT PROJECTS!! I have so many ideas (thanks to pinterest) and I am dying to get started on them. I will post pics of my creations when I finish them.

Well that is all that is going on at the Hill house. Nothing to exciting can happen when you have work and school 24/7! Until the next blog....

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!!


                                                          I've been to a few Tech Games!!

                                                 My sweet grandmother celebrated her birthday!

First day of school

So......Today was the first full day of school! It was a whirlwind, but I enjoyed every minute of it.  I absolutely adore my new 2nd graders.  They are all so smart, and full of stories.  I can't wait to see what this year has in store.

So an update on my life:

I went to visit Rob in Atlanta, and then he got released.  Sad situation, but at least it made it possible to  actually spend a day with him.  That's about all the time I got because he got a call and is now with another team.  This whole NFL business is so unsure.  He could be cut or on the team every other day! So for now I'm just going with the flow and whatever happens happens.  There are a lot of positives to both making or not making the team.

On a sad note, one of my very close friends from high school lost her brother Tuesday in a car accident.  It was also his 16th birthday.  This is such a sad situation, and I ask that everyone please pray for this family.  I can't stand to see my friends upset, and this is one of the most unimaginable things that can happen to someone.

I don't want to end my blog on a downer, so to add a little happiness to the blog this weekend I'm going to see the movie The Help! I have read the book, and I haven't been this excited to see a movie in awhile (since the last twilight.....Can November get here already?!?!?!).  If you haven't read the book, you are missing out! I have it, just ask to borrow!

Here is the link to check out the movie trailer- The Help

Thanks for reading my blog, I get excited to see how many people actually read it.  Sorry no great picture updates! I need to get my camera back in action.

1 week of freedom left

So school starts in 1 WEEK!  I cannot believe it.  All last week I worked in my classroom.  I'm almost done and just need to make copies of first week of school papers. I'm so excited about my homeroom and can't wait to meet all my new 2nd graders. So here is some fun and exciting things that have been going on in my life:

1) I went to my baby cousin Sawyers 1st b-day party!  It was such a cute farm theme and he is growing up so fast.

The b-day boy

Farm animal cupcakes

2) Rob is in Atlanta training with the Falcons! He is working like crazy so I don't get to talk to him to much, but he is doing great. He is such an amazing guy! Even though he is super busy he calls at least once everyday! :)  I can't wait to go visit him and maybe watch him play.  I might go August 12th or Sept. 1st or both! HAHA I can already tell I am going to use all my vacation days and some this year!

3) I am obsessed with the Glenwood Village Tea Room. (Click on the link to visit their website)  I went there Friday with my grandmother and Mrs. Sandra.  It was so good and I always enjoy catching up with them. Everyone should def check it out!


4) So this week I will be working at school, but I am going to try to plan in a manicure, massage, and catch up time with Megan and Bentley, and go see the newest addition to my friends children Miss Isabella Grace! I went to see her in the hospital and she is super cute and so small.  I can't wait to see her and Brittany outside the hospital!

I have found a new love

So before I left for vacation I ordered a cricut to help with all my school projects and scrapbooking! It is AMAZING! I don't know how I went this long without owning one.  So today I got busy making posters and classroom things.  I have found so many teachers blogs so I am "borrowing" all their ideas for my classroom. When I figure out how to link to their blogs I will!

So my 2 projects that I am working on at home are the storage bin/stools and the "smarty pants" I am making. Can't wait to see how cute they turn out.  I already have the fabric, I just need my dad and grandma to do there magic. :)

My alligators! When they need extra help they put a "later gator" on their desk and I'll help them later in the day when we have extra time.

So they will never be sitting without something to do! Hope the blue shows up better.

 My classroom management system for the year. Hope it goes good.

Pack-Up routine poster

My CriCut Expression!!!!!! Love it

This is about 1/4 of the stuff I have to bring to work tomorrow.  My car is loaded down!!!!

So I am ready for tomorrow when I get to go back to m classroom and get started!  

P.S. Everyone keep your fingers crossed that Rob does good at football camp! He is hopefully going to get a call as soon as the lockout is over and he should be gone by the weekend at the latest! Happy and sad at the same time!

Back to reality

So today is our last full day :( we are all super sad.  Our plane leaves tomorrow afternoon, so we do have a half day tomorrow but we will probably spend it getting all our stuff gathered up.

So yesterday we ended up spending the WHOLE DAY at the beach! It was great.  I snorkeled for probably close to 4 hours.  They have some beautiful fish here and great coral reefs, not to mention the most gorgeous water in the world.  So guess what I looked like when I came in from sunning it up all day?????.............I WAS A LOBSTER!  I am sunburned beyond belief, and guess what it the worse part, my back from snorkeling! Next time  I will remember to wear sunscreen :)

This is were we spent the whole day soaking up the sun!

For dinner last night we went to the great little Italian place.  It was very quaint, and the food was oh so amazing! The owner was from Italy, and so he threw it down in the kitchen.

The family before dinner

Tan line and redness, but still styling!

Today we all just slept in and then Rob, Abby, and Tim did a beach day, while mom and I went to the flamingo show and the zoo.  It was a cute little show and the flamingos were so close.  I also fed some parrots while we were there.

Feeding the parrots

I got a chance to get in the flamingo arena and do my best flamingo pose!

On the way back we had our taxi driver stop at the famous daq shack!  SOOOOOO GOOOD!!  They use fresh fruit cut up right in front of you to make a smoothie like daiquiri concoction.  I had strawberry banana and mom had mango banana.

Just pick your fruit and they will make it for you!

After we got back to the house, I decided sunburnt or not I had to get in one last snorkel and swim in.  This time I didn't stay in the ocean water too long because I saw a sting ray!!!! It was a decent size, and I had been warned they were around the reefs I had been snorkeling, but I'm not that brave yet to stay in the water!

So right now Rob's throwing it down on the grill with some steaks for dinner tonight, and we are going to have one last family night with either phase 10 or a game of Rook! Next time I blog I'll be back in the fabulous USA!!!!

Driving on the left

So today we rented a car to drive around and do some sightseeing.  Here in Nassau you drive on the left side and to turn right, you have to go through a round about.  It has been fun watching Dad and Rob trying to remember to stay on the left side of the road and navigate all the streets!

So after picking up the car we head to the place my dad has been dying to go see! Anna Nicole Smith's grave.  I have admired the beauty throughout the years so it was kinda cool to see her final resting place, but at the same time it was kinda freaky too.

 It was a very elaborate tombstone.

So First we went to Clifton Heritage National Park.  It is a huge complex and we did not tour it all because it involved A LOT of walking and it was so hot!  We went and saw the stone stair case that was handcarved.  It was used to bring slaves up from the boat.  Next we saw the slave women carvings.  They are facing the ocean.  They suppose to be looking for Africa.

The slave woman carvings

At the end of the stairs! So pretty

Next we went to eat at the "Fish Fry."  We chose seafood haven and it was so yummy! I got grilled shrimp, mac-n-cheese and fried plantain.  We had conch fritters for an appetizer and they were soooooo good!

Conch fritters

Seafood Haven.....So delicous

Feeling Festive

After lunch we went to Atlantis.   It was huge but not what I expected. We did the Discover Atlantis package.  We got to see the complex and all the aquamarine life.  It was okay but a lot of walking and so spread out.

Rob and Abbs at Atlantis

Now we are all just crashing at the house, super exhausted!

Tomorrow we might go visit the Adastra Garden and some forts! I love to sight see! Everyone else is voting for beach time all the time! HAHA

Shopping and Blue Lagoon Island

So the past 2 days have been AMAZING! Friday we went into town and looked around. First we went to the straw market.  It was fun to look around and see all the handmade purses and jewelry.  It was really big, but a lot of the people had the same item just different prices.  Abby and Rob won the negotiating awards.  I am horrible and trying to get prices down but they worked there magic to get us some great deals!  I got a bracelet and headband, and Rob bought me a handmade tribal mask I wanted to put in my classroom!

At the straw market

After that little shopping fun, we just walked around downtown to see what Nassau is all about.  For lunch we went to Senor Frogs and had a blast!  Of course it is the "tourist" place to eat, but we love the atmosphere.  We did a little eating, dancing and of course drinking!

 Rob wanted his Bahama Mama

A little dancing fun for the 2 dancers of the group

After lunch we decided to come back and spend the rest of the day at the beach.  It was so relaxing and the whole reason we are on vacation.

 Loving the water!

 We couldn't resist just sitting in the water

Saturday we spent the whole day at Blue Lagoon Island.  This was the place I really wanted to go, and it was worth it.  We took a ferry to the island and spent the day soaking up the rays.  They also have some inflatable water toys we had fun on.  My parents and Abby went to the dolphin observation, while the rest of us chilled.  Overall it was a great day!

water slides and rock climbing were our favorite

Abbs and Tim enjoying Blue Lagoon

So today  is Sunday and we are planning on spending the day on the beach or in the pool. Abby, Tim, and my mom went to the Methodist church in town.  They are still there so, I can't wait to hear how it was when they get back!

A piece of paradise

This is the view from off our balcony!

Senor Frogs....Of course we had to go!   

So today we left for vacation! We are staying in Nassau for a week and I am so excited.  I can not wait to soak up the rays, and relax the week away.  Today was mostly traveling.  Rob and I left from New Orleans, while the rest of my family (plus Tim) flew in from Shreveport.  We arrived around mid-afternoon and headed straight for our beach house!  It is right on the ocean with 2 balconies  (somehow Rob and I snagged the Master suit w/the private balcony :) Lucky us!!)  After settling in we took a jitney to the grocery store to stock up on breakfast and snack food.  After that adventure, we came back to explore the beach and pool areas before the sun went down.  For dinner, we ate at this local place.  It was really good.  I tried fried conch and actually liked it!  The place had that hole-in-the wall vibe but I loved it!  Down here they are all about taking their sweet time and doing things however they please.


So tomorrow we are going to head into the main part of town and get some sightseeing/shopping done!  The thing I am most excited about this week is.........Blue Lagoon Island.  I have researched it and I think its going to be a wonderful day trip to another island and beach!

Posting pics soon and blogging every few days.

Shopping for School

Today I went SCHOOL SHOPPING!  This is one of my major addictions. I have already started buying new clothes, that is a weekly shopping trip, but today I bought tons of new books for my students to read, and lots of goodies for their first day bags.  I'm getting so excited to start back!  I mean yes I love the summer break, but I am ready to get back into a routine (right after the Bahamas of course)!

So I decided to share so pics of my classroom to show off my lovely jungle room and get my school fix for the day!  I also am putting some pics of the things I bought today!

My reading corner, can't wait to fill it with my new books!

 Miss Hill's Jungle!

 My new teaching materials and jungle theme goodies!

I found these great workbooks at target for $1.

My new books!