New Look!

So I finally got around to changing my background to a new Christmas one! I love it! I liked this one because:

• I love the blue color
• I LOVE the snow
• I think I look a little like the girl in the background
• I think she has cute boots on
• She looks like I feel during this time of season: in awe
• She looks like I imagine the wise men did when they followed the star in search of baby Jesus..
• I think this layout is just beautiful

The end :0)

My one and only "blonde" moment

For those of you who know me well, you know that I do not have "blonde" moments, and my hair is as dark as dark can be. Well, you could say that all those years of making fun of the blondes finally came back to bite me in the butt this weekend!

On Saturday we celebrated Thanksgiving with my mom's side of the family in Comanche, Tx (it's in the middle of Brownwood and Stephenville for you West Tx folks). Because of all the Thanksgiving traffic, I always drive down with my family and then drive back to Rockwall after we're finished on Saturday, to avoid all the traffic.

I printed off the directions from Comanche to Rockwall, and it said the drive would take me about 3 hours. I had made this same drive last year with my sister, so I wasn't worried about doing it again. I got off later then I had planned from my uncle's house and left around 5:30 p.m, but oh well.

I drove for probably about 2 hours and was getting close to Dallas when I saw the sign that said "Dallas 47 miles". I knew I was supposed to get on I30 E from Hwy 67. About this time, Jacque called me so I was on the phone talking to her. I saw the sign for I30 (or so I thought) and the turn looked familiar, so I got on the interstate. I talked to her for a while and then after we hung up, continued to drive. I suddenly saw a sign that said, "Hilsboro- 15 miles". Now, some of my friends will understand why I panicked at this moment. For the rest of you, I will continue to explain.

When I drive home to my parent's house, I drive from Dallas, to Hilsboro, to Lorena. It takes me about 2 hours to get from Rockwall, to Lorena. Hilsboro is about 40 minutes from Lorena. ENTER MY BLONDE MOMENT! In reality, when I was on the phone with Jacque I actually saw the sign that said I35 W, which leads back to Hilsboro/Waco/Lorena.

I TOOK THE WRONG EXIT AND WAS GOING THE COMPLETE WRONG WAY!! I WAS CLOSER TO MY PARENT'S HOUSE THAN I WAS MY OWN!!

There is no way to describe how mad I was at myself. I thought that it must be a cruel joke on me; however, it wasn't. I thought back to when I was on the phone with Jacque and thought I had seen a sign earlier that said "Waco", but I thought..nah, couldn't be. Turns out it WAS!

So my "3" hour trip turned out to be an over 4 hour drive. The only way I made it was listening and singing along to Christmas music. Otherwise, I would have probably pulled my car over and just cried.

STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!

Here's a funny for ya..

So last night I decided to put all my Christmas stuff up so I was all relaxed and comfortable.

Normally my thing to do when I get home during the day after work, is to strip off my clothes and change into something super comfortable. Sometimes I strip off my bra without realizing that I've just done it!

Well, yesterday was one of those instances. I didn't worry about it because I wasn't going anywhere and there's nobody else around, so I just put on a big sweatshirt and went on my merry way.

Later while decorating my tree, I realized that one of the set of lights I bought had the white wire (which I think looks tacky) and I also realized that I bought the wrong star for my tree. So I decided to go ahead and drive to Walmart to exchange these while nobody was there. So I go put on my tennis shoes, grab my purse and keys, the lights and star, and go get in my car. I start up the car, open the garage door, back out the driveway and start to drive down the street BEFORE I said.."crap! I don't have a bra on!" So, I have to drive back in the garage, go back inside my house and put my bra back on.

Geez..I'm such a weirdo. Has this ever happened to you?!

Happy Birthday Shaunna!

Today is my good friend Shaunna's birthday! We met during college and were in our sorority Sigma Phi Lambda, together. We were in the same prayer group and became close there! Those were the good days! I got to go to her wedding a couple of years ago, and she was such a beautiful bride! I am so blessed to call her my friend!

* Shaunna,

Happy birthday sweet girl! I hope that you have a wonderful birthday! I celebrate that today you were born, 25 years ago, and that God destined for us to meet and become friends! You are one of the most precious, sweetest, people that I have ever met. You have set such a godly example for others and have shone the light of Christ in your life! You are such an encouragement to me and I know to others. I know that you are going to be an amazing mother and Baby Dawson will be so blessed to have you as his/her mother! I hope that today, dear friend, you feel loved and celebrated..because you truly are!

Much love,

Chelsey

Time to hit the open road!

Well right now I should be finishing packing and getting ready to leave..but you know me..can't resist one last post!

I'll try to post during the break if I can, but I know my family is going to be traveling alot, so we'll just have to see. I hope that you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and family! I know I will!

Love and blessings to you all! :0)

Stanley Leone

Don't let the name fool you..because that's exactly what it to me.

When I arrived to my teacher conference day this morning, along with the rest of the RISD employees, I was expecting an older, unattractive, man who was said to be a "good speaker". I thought..ok, whatever..he better be good if I have to sit and listen to him all morning long! The only thing that I can say after listening to Stanley Lenone for over 2 and a half hours this morning, is that I would have sat and listened to him all day long if they would have let me. The expectations I had of this man were lifetimes away from what he actually turned out to be. I don't think I can do Stanley justice with my own words, so I'll let this article I found online do it for me. It wasn't written about Rockwall, but his story is the same. PLEASE continue reading and then follow the directions for how to view a short clip to see Stanley. (They didn't have one on YouTube, so I tried to find the best one I could!)

From Drug Dealer To All-American Scholar

Thursday, 08 March 2007
RIVERSIDEBy Chris Levister

How does a white, former drug dealing street thug relate to a room full of mostly Black and Latino teens on probation or expelled from Riverside County schools? It's a question all-American scholar Stanley Leone, Jr. hears hundreds of times.

"Pain has no ethnicity. Pain sees no color," he says. Leone a motivational speaker from the Texas based Flippen Leadership Group has shared his life story of tragedy and triumph with ten of thousands of people.

On the campus of Arlington Regional Learning Center he enters a standing room only gathering of students and educators wearing a yellow shirt.

"A white guy in a yellow shirt, right away you can see the skepticism on their faces," admits Leone, "How tough can he be?" That skepticism fades quickly when he dims the lights and transforms himself into a menacing looking tattooed thug dressed in a knit cap and black sleeveless tee. Within seconds he lures listeners into a riveting snapshot of his childhood, a life of poverty, homelessness, drugs, violence, and sexual abuse.

"I'm five years old. I'm watching my father hold a shotgun in my mom's face." Leone paces the floor, his breathing is labored. "If I cried my father would beat me."

"Another night I wake up. A man is on top of me. The next morning he was laughing and joking with him my momma as if nothing happened. She made me swear not to tell anyone. I pushed the pain down."

"My mom did the best she could. We went from living in a trailer park to sleeping in a car, except there was no sleeping. You stayed awake to protect the family. I hated my father. I refused to take his name Stanley. I insisted people call me JR."

By age 13 Stanley Leone was a hardcore gun toting veteran of violence, drugs and incarcerations. By high school he was a fearless gang leader, drug dealer and street thug charged with felony assault. "I remember the police came to my school handcuffed me and took me to jail. Beneath my bad boy talk, I was hurting. I was insecure and scared."

"The boys I hung out with would say ‘yo dog I'll die for you'. In reality they weren't dying for me they were dying with me."

Leone told listeners football kept him from sliding deeper into a life of anger, pain and self sabotage. "I would play football to mask the pain." In his senior year Leone met Monda Simmons who taught the Flippen Group's Teen Leadership class at his school.

"She was a small lady. I tried to dog her. But she wasn't having it. She looked up at me and said ‘beneath your thuggish ways, son I see a champion', when she said that I started crying like a baby. She saw what I'd been hiding all those years."

Leone told teachers and administers, "you do make a difference in children's lives." He credits Simmons with helping him turn his life of tragedy and violence into a message of inspiration and hope.

"I can honestly say if it were not for Monda Simmons and the Flippen program I would be in jail or dead."

Stanley not only completed high school with a 4.0 average but went on to graduate magna cum laude from St. Xavier University in Chicago.

"That's my story. Each one of you has a story. You don't have to be a football all-star to be a winner. But you've got to be serious about changing your destructive ways. It's hard work. In this very room there's a Monda Simmons waiting to help you. But man, you've got to want to change," said Leone."

"He scared me," said David who was expelled for using drugs. "He was a pretty scary homeboy -- kinda like me."

Tonya expelled for fighting called Leone's story ‘amazing'. "He brought tears to my eyes. He said we got to fight with our minds. Not with hate, guns, knives and fists. That's deep."

"Life changing, rejuvenating, I wish all of our teachers and students could have seen and heard Leone's remarkable turnaround story," said Learning Center principal Tony Johnson. "His powerful message lets kids know they really can turn their lives around. We're here to help them accomplish that."

"I see Stanley Leone in every child," says the man who mentored him, Texas psychologist Flip Flippen founder and president of the Flippen Group. Flippen's award winning achievement program Capturing Kid's Hearts is in 22 Riverside County elementary and secondary schools.

Please go HERE and watch this short clip! It says: WPTV News story about Stanley Leone's presentation to the faculty and staff of Palm Beach Country School District. It's the second to last "In the news, videos". You have to watch this and see him to truly understand. I wish EVERY person and teacher could have been there today. It would have changed your life..like it did mine.

There

Cass..I did it..pictures, pictures, and more pictures! Now it's your turn..and I'm exhausted so I'm going to bed now! Love you!

Saturday night "Hoe Down"

So to update all on my Saturday night festivities, the evening went really good. I went out to Sabine Ranch, which was about 6 miles down the road, so I was already happy that I didn't have to drive far! The weather was great. When I got there, I met a couple of people and we just sat for a while and chit chatted.

Around 5:45 p.m Shannon told us that we were going to go out to the area. We were like ok? but still went out there. As we got closer to the arena, we saw what was actually IN the arena. What was it you ask? Well, they were GOATS! Yes, I said goats. I thought to myself, "I seriously doubt that I'm dressed correctly for whatever event we're going to be doing!" I of course had dressed in my cute, western, outfit. Not my comfortable, running, getting down and dirty outfit..but I was like oh well! Good thing I like animals and goats!

So we all get into the arena with the goats, form teams and then find out that the first "game" we're going to do is called "dress the goat". We had to go down to the herd of goats, find one, dress it in a t-shirt (legs included) let the instructor know when we had it on, and then take it back off in the fastest time. Sadly, my team got an A for effort, but didn't have the fastest time. Our time was 1.18 but the fastest time was .36 sec. They were fast!

The second "game" tested our goat herding skills! :0) Our team had to herd the entire herd of goats to a certain point across the arena in the fastest time, with the largest number of goats. I am very proud to say that my team had the fastest time and won the herding contest! Oh yeah..watch out..we've got some serious skills ;0) Man..only in Texas! That's why I love this place so much..and am never leaving it.

After we worked up an appetite with our goat dressing and herding, we all headed back in to have some grub. After we ate dinner, we played games, and my group played the game "Mad Gab" one of my favorites..I'm so good at that game! We definitely had some good laughs!

*Kyrbie, remember when we played this at your house for your 16th birthday party? That was the first time I played that game. I still remember how much fun we had and how much we laughed. :0)

After playing the games, we all went back outside, treked about half a mile out in the dark, down to the bonfire. We sat around the campfire, made smores, and one of the guys brought his guitar and we all sang worship songs. It was so awesome! I was reminded again of how astonishing God's beauty is. Sitting there with people who love the same God that you do, worshiping in the same way, admiring the same sky lit with beautiful stars that our Creator made..it was so amazing. It felt like God was wrapping His arms around me and saying, "I love you, beautiful daughter of mine!". It felt like...home.

Thanksgiving threw up!

I told ya'll it was bad! It looks like Thanksgiving threw up around my room at school :0) However, I think it looks very cute! The bulletin board you're looking at below, portrays all of our very fine turkeys. The students were each given a "Tommy the turkey" and instructed to disguise Tommy so that he wouldn't be eaten for Thanksgiving dinner. We made the other turkeys in class.

This is our "thankful turkey". Each year I put up the turkey and then the students discuss what they're thankful for, and write it on a feather.
While talking about fall, the students decorated a tree and then described their tree to me. I loved their answers. Some of them were hilarious!

Click on the picture above and read David's description. His was my favorite! (Remember, all I said was,"tell me about your tree". Then I wrote down whatever they said.)
During Thanksgiving week, when we talk about the Pilgrims and Native Americans, each student gets to "create" their Native American name. I give them them format, (action verb and a noun) and you can see what we ended up with! Mine was Dancing Sun :0)

Overall, it was a great week!

Amanda and Wes' Baby Shower a.k.a "Eli's Party"

So I've finally gotten to the post about Eli's Party! It was so much fun! I'm not gonna write a lot about it, but ff you want to read more in depth, you can read about it here.

It was so good to see my friend Amanda. Our families have been close friends for a while, but because we both moved different places, we haven't seen each other in a long time. Amanda, I loved that we were able to just pick up like it was yesterday! You are so precious, and you are going to be an AMAZING mother! Eli is so blessed to have you and Wes as his parents! Love you!

this was Jeff's sweet van, telling of Eli's "partee"

me and the beautiful mommy to be!
opening gifts (sorry the pics are so dark!)
Wes looks really excited!
opening my gift!

create your own onesie (sp?)

the Langford House where we had the shower. It was beautiful!
these were the gorgeous houses in the neighborhood!

Quote

I found this under the pile of papers at my desk this afternoon and had evidently forgotten about it. I saw it, and wanted to post it. I thought that it summed me up pretty well. So many days later..here it is.

"I will challenge my students to reach just beyond that point where they are comfortable, so they will discover that their own perceptions of their potential are not their true limits."
-Barbara H. Wagner

Random

This will be a completely random post. Just lots of random things that have been running around my mind/happening in my life lately.

1. our kindergarten Thanksgiving feast was a success today. I'm dead beat though..much better than last year though!
2. my bulletin board/wall looks like Thanksgiving threw up on it (pics to come at a later date)
3. why is it so strenuous to post pictures and not many people do it, but everybody wants to see them?
4. new songs I'm obsessed with are "Butterflies and Anybody out There" by Rissi Palmer. She's amazing..check her out. I'm also obsessed with "Love Like This" by Natasha Bedingfield and "Beautiful Girls" by Sean Kingston.
5. two of my students made the front page of the Rockwall newspaper from our 50's day. I'm seriously a proud mama!
6. There's normally a day or a moment when I realize that I've fallen in love with my class, or a certain student. Today was one of those days. You know you love him when most days he makes you want to pull out your hair (like today)...but then when he randomly comes up to you, wraps his arms around your neck and kisses you on the cheek, you completely melt and you forgive everything bad he did that day
7. I got two "Thanksgiving" presents today from two students. I've never received a Thanksgiving present before so I was excited! I received a restaurant gift card that I can use at Chili's, On the Border, Macaroni Grill, etc and a sweet card. I was muy excited! I also received a precious card that said "You're such a blessing...you're truly an angel-thank you for loving our little boy!" With that card, I received this adorable silver, angel photo frame. Precious.
8. Carrie Underwood's new c.d that Jason and Jacque bought me hasn't come out of my c.d player in about two weeks. Yes, it's that good.
9. I miss Jason and Jacque.
10. I miss the Wader I used to know.
11. I'm going to a "hoe down" on Saturday with my singles ABF. I'm excited about meeting new people and having a good time, but scared because I don't really know anyone, and don't want to feel alone and awkward.
12. Am I being judgemental when I now automatically assume that all the guys in my ABF have kids? Maybe I just feel that way because most of the guys in my class do have kids..I just want to meet one guy that doesn't have kids or an ex-wife. Maybe that makes me a bad person.
13. I am excited that Thanksgiving is next week! I'm ready for the break, but more than that, I'm ready to be with all my immediate and extended family. I'm ready to stuff my face full of my grandma's pumpkin pie, watch some football, and laugh with my sisters and cousins.
14. I hate that I had to go to McAlister's Deli last week without Kyrbie. I miss you.
15. I love Christmas more than any normal person, and I especially love Christmas music! However, although I might sneak a listen to a Christmas song before Christmas, I feel like I'm cheating if I listen to it before Thanksgiving is over. When a Christmas song comes on the radio, I deliberately change it, as fast as I can.
16. Decorating my Christmas tree this year is something I think is going to be very sad for me. I love it when I get to decorate my tree in my classroom with my students (they love it so much!) but when it comes to my own at home, it's a different story.
17. December 3rd can't come fast enough.
18. I get this almost uncontrollable rage at certain people who can't see what's right and wrong..especially when it's RIGHT in front of their face..and especially when they've been raised to know the difference.
19. my CORE class on Monday night was one of the best nights that I've had in a while. I don't think I've ever laughed that hard in my life.
20. I realized that laughter is best when it's shared by many.
21. We found out that Clint's face turns beet red when he's embarrassed.
22. I can't get babies out of my brain. I want one so badly.
23. I'm so tired that it's 8:50 and I'm going to bed.
24. I want nothing short of butterflies.

"Just a Dream"

This song makes me bawl EVERY TIME! I've been wanting to put up this song, but I just now finally found it. It's not the actual video, but the music is really good. This c.d is amazing, so if you don't have it yet, go get it!

*Cass...you might not want to listen/watch if you haven't heard it yet! I'm just warning you!




" Just a Dream" Carrie Underwood

It was two weeks after the day she turned 18
all dressed in white
going to the church that night
She had his box of letters in the passenger seat
A six pence in her shoe
Something borrowed, something blue
And when the church door opened up wide
She put her veil down trying to hide the tears
Oh she just couldn't believe it
She heard the trumpets from the military band
And the flowers fell out of her hands

Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have to go
I was counting on forever
Now I'll never know
I can't even breathe
It's like I'm looking from a distance
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying he's not coming home now
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream

The preacher man said "Let us bow our heads and pray"
"Lord please lift his soul and heal this hurt"
Then the congregation all stood up and sang
The saddest song that she ever heard
Then they handed her a folded up flag
And she held on to all she had left of him
oh and what could've been
Then the guns rang one last shot
And it felt like a bullet in her heart

Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have to go
I was counting on forever
Now I'll never know
I can't even breathe
It's like I'm looking from a distance
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying he's not coming home now
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream

Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have to go
I was counting on forever
Now I'll never know
oh I'll never know
It's like I'm looking from a distance
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying he's not coming home now
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream
Oh this is just a dream
Just a dream
Yeah
Yeah

Blood, sweat, and tears

This weekend I played hooky from school and went to Lorena to watch my brothers play their last football games of the season. Chandler's on the freshman team and plays on Thursday nights, so I've never gotten to go to one of his games, and he's always bugging me about coming to watch him~and even though I've been to Chase's varsity games, I haven't been to a home game this season. So in honor of the last games, I took off all day on Friday and arranged to leave early on Thursday.

I drove down on Thursday to go to Chandler's game at Robinson. They were said to be pretty good, so I was excited to see this game. I went with my mom and Chalen and the game turned out really good! Chandler had an awesome game~he's quarterback, but pretty much plays everything! He had the only touchdown of the night, got the sneak for the 2 points, and intercepted the ball with 7 seconds left on the board (and Robinson was fixing to score)! They won 8-6 :0)

My mom later told me that the other day Chandler was talking to my mom and he said, "Mom, I can't wait until Chelsey gets married and has kids. Then they get to call me Uncle Chandler!" I thought that was so precious~believe me Chandler..you and me both! That's just ONE of the many reasons that I love that boy!

On Friday morning, I woke up and went to my hair appointment with the wonderful Lita, at Cutting Up. They just moved to their new salon and it was BEAUTIFUL! I loved it, and of course Lita did a wonderful job on my hair. I L-O-V-E going to the salon. There's just something about getting your hair done that makes you feel like a million bucks! After my haircut, I went and met my friend Michael for lunch at our favorite restaurant, non other than McAlister's Deli! We both worked at that restaurant together (actually that's how we first met) so it was fun remembering all the good 'ole times! After lunch I went and got a much needed oil change on my car. I seriously drive back to Lorena to get my oil changed, because it's so much cheaper than getting it done in the Dallas area! After that, I went back home, hung out, and then got ready for Chase's game.

I wish that I could say that Chase's game went as well as Chandlers' did..but alas, it did not. We were basically obliterated...48-6. It was NOT pretty! I felt bad for the seniors, being it their last game. I couldn't believe that 5 years ago, on that Friday night I was there-having my last senior game, doing the senior walk, finding the piece of banner with my name on it. I can't believe that so much time has passed! I loved every moment of my high school career, but I'm happy with where I'm at now!

After the game was over, I went and gave my dad the traditional "after game hug". I then went to find Chase. He was standing over watching the seniors do their senior walk. As I went towards him, I noticed that he (unlike some of the other players) was drenched in sweat. His elbow was torn and bleeding and he looked so defeated. I went up and touched him on his arm, and he turned around and looked at me. He then wrapped his arms around me, laid his head down on my shoulder and cried. We must have been standing like that for only 10 minutes, but to me it seemed like forever..and I loved it. It didn't matter that I was getting completely soaked in his sweat and tears. I loved that fact that my brother didn't try and act like the man he's trying to be. He didn't hide his feelings or emotions. I loved that fact that he felt like he could be himself and not care what other people thought..but most of all, I loved that he was like that with ME!

You see, my brothers love me, and I love them. However, we don't really talk a lot, don't call each other on the phone or e-mail, they don't tell me about the girls or girlfriends in their lives, what they did last weekend, etc. We don't have a relationship that other brothers and sisters might have. However, these are the things that I know.

I know that even though we don't say it all the time, my brothers and I love each other more than life. I know that they would protect me from boys they think aren't good enough for me, and if it came down to it, they would lay down their lives for me, as I would for them. It's hard for me to imagine them as anything other than my babies. However, I know that they are growing each day and I pray that they grow to become godly men,like David a man after God's own heart. I do wish that we were closer, but I still wouldn't change how things are.

Most of all, I know that I wouldn't trade the blood, sweat, or tears for anything.

50's Day

This past Tuesday was the 50th day of school. In kindergarten, we make a really big deal out of the "100th day of school" and this year we wanted to do something for the 50th day. So this year we decided to have a "50's day" at school.

It was so much fun to get dressed up and see the girls with their poodle skirts and the boys with their hair slicked back. They were SO CUTE!! I made a c.d of 50's music, so we danced the day away in my classroom to, "Johnny B. Goode", "Shake, Rattle, and Roll", "Tutti Frutti", "Rock Around the Clock" and many more. It was such a blast! Have I mentioned how much I love swing dancing and this kind of music? Man, now I want to go out and dance!

We also had several newspapers come out and take some pictures of our kids. They also did a story over our 50's day that you can read here. Overall, it was a really great day! Here's a picture of my amazing kindergarten team! Watch out..we're pretty hot ;0) (l-r Danielle, Amy, me, Becky, Barbara and Eliza)

You've Gotta Watch This!

This is for all you current moms, future moms, and teachers who feel like moms (and probably tell your students a lot of this daily)!

Enjoy! I did! :0)

A funny one

I just told my students that they could go and get their afternoon snack. One of my little girls brought her snack to me so I could open it. On her way to me, she tripped and fell~I did not laugh (even though I wanted to) but asked her if she was ok. She laughed and goes, "Yeah..that silly thing!" I said, "What? What did you trip on? " and she replies, "THE CARPET!"

Then...I laughed. I just couldn't help it. She was just so cute, and I was all looking on the floor for whatever she tripped on~ then it turns out she tripped on absolutely nothing! HAHAHAH :0)

Tech Terminates the Bears 38-7

A short little blurb I read from the Waco Trib:

"Missouri and Colorado made Graham Harrell look almost human.

But against a helpless Baylor defense, the Texas Tech quarterback looked more like a Heisman favorite Saturday afternoon at Floyd Casey Stadium.

Harrell threw for 433 yards and three touchdowns and barely got his jersey dirty as the Red Raiders continued their biennial tradition of raining on Baylor’s homecoming parade with a 38-7 rout of the Bears before a crowd of 39,015.

“What it comes down to is players have to make plays, and we didn’t make enough of those today,” said sophomore linebacker Joe Pawelek, who had seven tackles and a fourth-quarter fumble recovery that was the Bears’ only turnover of the day. “It’s never just offense or just defense or special teams. Top to bottom, Baylor just didn’t get it done.”

And Tech did."

Did I mention that my family has been friends with the Harrell family for a long time? Yeah, I totally feel special because I know Graham Harrell, Texas Tech's quarterback ;0) (Nobody bust my bubble please :0)

GO RAIDERS!!!