One day down...

179 to go!

My first day as a kindergarten was actually quite successful!  I guess I went in with very few epectations (or maybe low epectations) of what the little kiddos would be able to do.  I'm happy to report that they exceeded my expectations, for the most part.  See, sometimes it's good to aim low!  Ha!

I had no crying until the afternoon and quite honestly, I think that was all a result of pure exhaustion.  They were so tired after lunch and recess! 

Now, at 7:15 PM, it's me, Mrs. Bradshaw, who is so exhausted!  It didn't hit me until the ride home from school, but I think I'm getting ready to head up to bed.  So, that's it for day 1.  More of an update later...including an awesome Back to School present from my awesome hubby!

Stick a fork in me!

I'm done. 

I'm completely and totally exhausted from this week!  Yet, here I sit at nearly midnight writing this post.  Priorities.  Apparently sleeping doesn't rank high on that list this week.

Tonight we had kindergarten Back to School Night.  It's an opportunity for us, the kindergarten teachers, to share information about the upcoming school year with a bunch of super nervous parents.  I met two of my students tonight, too, and they are so tiny!  Teeny tiny, in fact!  The parents of the students in my class seemed very enthusiastic and excited about the year.  I didn't really have any crazies, or any that really stood out to me tonight.  My teammates can't say the same thing, though.  We had some weirdos, to put it lightly! That's for another post!

My classroom is finished, for the most part.  Just some small things left to do tomorrow, and then I need to turn my focus to instruction for next week.  I'll be sure to take some new pics of my room tomorrow.

Until then, I'm going to count some sheep and hopefully fall asleep!  I guess there is always sleeping during the weekend!  Too much going on this week!

Time Flies!

Recently, I've been reminded many times of the old saying:  Time flies when you're having fun!  It may be cliche, but it's true.  Let me give you two of my most recent examples.

First, tomorrow is my last day of summer vacation.  I'm wiping my tears as I type (not really...but I am kinda sad!). How the heck did that happen?  I mean, really, it seems like our last day of school (June 15th) was just a month ago.  Our summer vacation to the Outer Banks and the Templeman wedding seem like they were just a couple weeks ago.  We had a fun-filled summer, with many great events and happenings, and it truly flew by! 

My cousins, Amanda and Kourtney, sister, Amy, and I in the OBX at sunset

Jenni and her bridesmaids

(Stole this one from her FB page...thanks!)

The second reminder of how fast time flies was just today.  We helped Kurt's parents move his little sister, Kristen, into her college dorm.  Kristen was just seven years old when Kurt and I first started dating.  It's amazing to me that I've known her throughout almost all of elementary school, all of middle and high school, and now, college!  In fact, Kristen was in fifth grade during my first year of teaching fifth grade.  It also makes me feel old that my first students are now college freshmen, but that's for another post!  But really, where did that time go?!  It's been eleven years since I first met that little girl with long blondish-brown hair.  I don't feel like I look that much differerent than I did back in 1999, but she sure does.  She was just a kid, now she's a college gal! It was great to see Kristen so excited today!  She's going to love college, I just know it!

Here's the college lady in her dorm!

And with her new roomies!

I guess the lesson that I've learned through all of this is to embrace each and every day.  The days, weeks, months, and years go by too quickly.  I don't want to let them slip away!

Phone Drama

I've been having some issues with my cell phone.  It will just randomly shut off several times a day.  It is so annoying, I can't even explain!

So today, I went to the cell phone store (you know, the one that rhymes with Merizon Mireless...you know that one, right?!) to get some help with my phone issues.  This isn't a new issue with my phone.  In fact, I took it in a few months ago and they did some system upgrade.  That seemed to help for a little while, so I assumed that they would do the same thing this visit.  Not so much.  After waiting for a good thirty minutes, the dude came out to tell me that:

1.  Yes, my phone does have issues.

2.  Yes, it does shut down a lot (it did it for him, too).

3.  There was nothing they could do for me.

Put those three things together, and  you basically get that I'm stuck with a crappy cell phone until who knows when.  This frustrates me to no end because I've only had this phone for just over a year and there is NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME.  I don't drop my phone (well, maybe once), I don't get it wet, I don't lose it.  I've done nothing for this to happen, yet I get screwed. 

Kurt called Merizon Mireless tonight to get some advice.  The customer service dude on the phone was actually much more helpful and gave him some options.  One of those options was for me to take Kurt's "New Every Two" and get a new Merizon Mireless phone.  If I do that, I'd probably get this one:

Droid Incredible

I've heard great things about the Droid.  Kurt said there are people at his work who are actually switching over from the I-phone to the Droid because of better phone service.

I really want this one:

I-phone

though, so the other option is to end our service contract with Merizon Mireless and switch over to the other one that rhymes with May T&T.  Kurt already has an I-phone through work, so we'd just need to get coverage for my phone. 

Ugh!  So here we are now...pausing, waiting, deciding what to do.  Do we stick with what we have (you know I hate change!) or do we make a big switch?  Any thoughts on pros/cons of switching?

Change

I've never been a fan of change.  Whether it was my family moving to a different town when I was 11, or when I headed off to college for the first time in 2002, I've always had a difficult time accepting change.  Once I get into a routine or learn to accept the change, I'm fine.  It just always takes me a little while.

So today when I went to get my hair highlighted, I had in my mind that I wanted to do something different with my hair.  I was ready for a change. I was thinking I wanted to get like 4 or 5 inches chopped off.  I have a ton of hair and it takes me forever to do anything with it in the morning.  It's kinda wavy, so I have to dry it and straighten it in order for it to look halfway decent.  The humidity of the summer just makes it even worse.  This all adds up to me wearing a ponytail for the majoirty of the summer. 

I walk into the salon and my stylist, Dana, (who is Kurt's cousin) starts looking at my hair and comments about how it looks so great long.  This is the fourth time I've had someone comment about my long hair in the past two days.  This is probably the longest my hair has been in like 20 years.  I'm not even kidding! 

Dana starts asking me about what I want to have done, and wouldn't you know it...everything I had thought I wanted just pushed back into my mouth and I said, "Oh, just a trim."  The complete opposite of what I thought I had wanted!  So, she does my highlights, and takes off maybe 1/2 inch at the ends.  That's it. 

I'm a creature of habit and apparently I just wasn't ready to make a change today.  I've worked too hard to grow my hair this long, so long it will stay...at least until I go back in a couple months.  Oh well!

Here is a pic of my freshly highlighted and just trimmed hair!  There is something about fresh highlights that make me feel so much better!

Please excuse the no makeup/t-shirt look!

And while we are on the topic of change, here is a pic of a cutie who is not going to like the change that is about to happen next week.  Macey has loved having company (ME!) at home each and every day this summer.  Her world is about to be rocked when I go back to school next week.  Poor girl!

Have a great Wednesday!

FREEDOM!!!!

Or the alternate title:  My Last Week of FREEDOM!!!

This is my last week of summer before heading back to school.  Next Monday begins our teacher work days, with school starting on Monday, August 30th.  Seriously...where does the time go?  It seems like the last day of school was just last week.  Summer used to last forever when I was young.  Now, it seems like it goes by in a flash.

I have a couple things planned for this, my last week of freedom, to make it last a little longer.

Tonight, a couple of my friends from college are coming over for dinner.  I'm going to grill kabobs and serve them with brown rice and a summery salad.  I haven't seen these girls since May, so it will be nice to get together.

Jenni and I are going to go be tourists in DC one day.  We're still deciding on which day would be best.  I'd like to go to the American History Museum, which was recently renovated.

Some of my teacher friends are doing Happy Hour tomorrow evening, so I hope to go to that.

On Wednesday, I'm getting my hair cut and highlighted and then going to dinner and to see Mary Poppins with Jenni at the Kennedy Center.  We gave the boys a pass on this one! Another coworker saw it in New York and said it was fabulous, so I'm excited to see it!

My sister-in-law, Kristen, heads off to college on Saturday.  Her school is only about an hour away, so Kurt and I are planning to go up to help his parents move her in.  We'll probably then have lunch or dinner with his parents, to help ease the transition.  They are going to have a tough time with this, I think. 

I'd also like to throw a trip to Ann Taylor Loft and some time at the pool in there, too, along with finishing my big summer cleanout.  I gotta make the most of my last week of FREEDOM!!

Eat, Pray, Love

I ventured out to see Eat, Pray, Love last night with some friends from college.  One girl just had a baby eight weeks ago, so this was one of her first times out since the baby girl made her arrival.  I had high hopes for the movie because I really love Julia Roberts.  Pretty Woman, My Best Friend's Wedding, Runaway Bride, and Stepmom are some of my favorite movies, and they all happen to star Ms. Roberts. 

I've tried to read Eat, Pray, Love at least twice.  The first time, I couldn't get into it at all.  The second time, I think I read the Italy party, but couldn't move on to India.  I hear mixed reviews of the book.  Some people love it, some people are kinda meh about it. 

I was just kinda "meh" about the movie.  There were parts I enjoyed.  I really liked when she was in Italy and I liked parts of when she was in Bali.  Overall, I felt like the movie was really long and there were parts that were really slow.  I almost fell asleep a few times (those of you who know me well know that this isn't a rare thing, though I have gotten better!), but never actually did because something would startle me. 

My overall thoughts:  Don't pay $12 (seriously??) to see it at the theatres.  Wait for it to come out on Netflix!

Classroom Blog

I initially got into blogging as another way to communicate with my students' families.  I thought it would be a good way to inform families about classroom happenings and updates.  That lasted for about 3 months and then it just became another thing that I had to do for school.  It lost its fun! 

Well, I'm going to give it another shot this year.  I spent some time this morning getting it to look how I want it and posting a classroom preview.  Those of you who have followed me during my Teacher Week posts have already seen these classroom pictures, but I hope to have some more updates soon.

If you get a chance, go check it out!

bradshawsclass.blogspot.com

Let me know what you think!

Home Matters

With the summer drawing quickly  to a close, I'm starting to get anxious about being a working girl again.  I know, I know...I just said the other day that I wasn't as depressed about going back to school, and I'm not.  What I'm anxious about is all the other stuff.  When I'm working, I literally feel like doing nothing once I get home.  It's all I can do to take Macey for a walk or go to the gym.  I'm exhausted from the day, and I know it's going to be 10 times worse this year, especially at the beginning of the year with my kindergarteners.  So, as a result, our house goes to shambles during the week.  I try to not let it happen, but it inevitably does.  Then, on the weekends, I get even more anxiety about the fact that I have to spend the entire weekend cleaning and reorganizing from the week.  Throw in a super busy weekend or a trip out of town, and the house doesn't get cleaned for two weeks.  And this is when the mental breakdowns occur on my part.

I grew up in a clean house.  My mom worked full-time as a teacher, raised us three kids, commuted nearly an hour each way to and from her school, attended all of our events, as well as those for her school, and did most of the errands for our family of five, yet still kept a clean and organized home.  When we were have guests, each of us had jobs we needed to do, like cleaning our rooms, dusting, or vacuuming.  We knew what my mom expected from us in doing those things, so we did it right in order to earn our allowance.  My dad is a really good cleaner, too.  My mom has taught him to do certain things, but I also think his time in the Army when he was 18-21 helped also.  He washes the kitchen floor and cleans the showers like a champ! 

That leads me to Kurt.  Kurt's parents have a different philosophy on keeping a clean house than the one I grew up with.  My mother-in-law has a lot of wonderful qualities, but her ability to keep a clean home is not one of them.  And this has been passed on to her son, my lovely husband.  I can't even explain in words how opposite our parents' houses are.  It is unbelievable!

So that brings me to us and our home.  I basically had a breakdown this evening because I am tired of doing all of the cleaning.  It sucks, plain and simple.  Kurt does do most of the cooking, and I am so grateful for that, but I hate cleaning all the time. 

Tonight we went out to dinner, and instead of chatting about our days or about Macey, we created a plan.  Our cleaning schedule for daily, weekly, and monthly items.  I typed it up and we are going to post it in our house so that we can work to stick to it.  I know there are going to be nights where I just can't wipe down the bathroom sink, or sweep the kitchen floor, but I'm going to work my hardest to do the best I can.  So, here is our cleaning plan:

Daily Items:

Kurt:
- Make bed

- Put dirty clothes in hamper
- Put shoes away or in basket

- Clean up Macey’s toys

- Take out trash

- Cook dinner

Kate:

- Put dirty clothes in hamper

- Clean up kitchen

- Dishes into dishwasher

- Wipe off counters/stove

- Put shoes away or in basket

- Put away things purchased that day

- Wipe down powder room

- Organize mail from the day

Weekly Items:

Kurt:

Sunday- Vacuum

Monday-

Tuesday- Clean up yard/porch

Wednesday- Laundry

Thursday- Take trash out

Friday-

Saturday- Clean out fridge/pantry

Kate:

Sunday- Laundry

Monday- Dust living room/family room/basement

Tuesday- Bathrooms

Wednesday- Sweep/Mop floors

Thursday- Windex doors

Friday-

Saturday- Change sheets on bed

Monthly Items:

- Dust ceiling fans

- Windows/Doors

- Weed flower beds

- Reorganize as needed

- Review budget

 

I'm sure there are things that we are forgetting that I'll have to add, but I feel like this is a good starting point.  What do you think?  Do any of you have a cleaning schedule that you follow?  Does it work?  Any suggestions?

Here's to a clean house and a less stressed Kate!

Teacher Week- Classroom Tour

Today's Teacher Week theme at Abby's blog is classroom tours.  We don't technically have to be back to school for pre-service days until August 23rd, but I've spent a few days this week in my classroom trying to get a head start.  Since I'm making the switch from 3rd grade to kindergarten, I've had to buy a lot of new things this year, such as colors, shapes, a birthday display...I could go on!  Kurt's gonna kill me when the credit card bill comes in!

So, here are a few pictures of my classroom as of yesterday.  I feel pretty good about how it looks at this point.  I'm trying to not go back in before our first pre-service day, but we'll see if the anxiety sets in next week.  $10 says I'll be there one day...much to my dismay!

Teacher Week:  Classroom Tour

Classroom Data Center

Our school and class mission statement, class rules, and goals for reading and math will be posted here.  Our county follows the "Baldrige" program, so we are all about data!

Word Wall

This will be filled with all of the kindergarten word wall words, as the students learn them, and with all of their names, once we do the 'Name Game' with them.

Curtains!

My friend made these curtains for her classroom and left them with the room.  I'm excited to have curtains...so cute!

Math Word Wall and computers

Our math words will be displayed on this board once we learn them.

My desk

Also known as a mess!

Housekeeping

I want to do a little decorating of this area.  I'm thinking a placement for the table, as well as a little vase of fake flowers.  Any suggestions?

Birthday Cakes

I'm going to take picture of each student at Open House or on the first day of school and put them under their birthday month.

Easel for Painting Center

Instead of putting bulletin board paper on the easel, I decided to use newspaper to make it look more "artsy!"

Other side of the easel and work table

I'll have once of my centers here.

So, that's it for now!  I'll be sure to do another post once it is finished.  Please excuse all the boxes!

Have a great Thursday!

Teacher Week- Creative Ideas

I just spent another day at school working in my new kindergarten classroom and planning with my team for the first two weeks of school.  Quite honestly, I don't feel as stressed or overwhelmed about the first two weeks as I thought I would.  I know this is a good year for me to have made a grade level change because I don't feel so depressed about going back to school, like I did at this time last year.  I'm actually excited!

So, on to Teacher Week.  I don't know if these ideas are creative, as much as they are helpful to me.  Without further ado,

Teacher Week: Creative Ideas

1.  Use Back to School Night to your advantage
For many of my students' parents, Back to School Night is the first and only time I will see them until parent-teacher conferences in early November.  Plus, research shows that parents are more likely to sign up for things like volunteering and conferences during their first time at school each year than at any other time during the school year.  Take advantage of this!  At Back to School Night, I have the following things available for parents:

- E-mail sign-up

- Parent-Teacher Conference sign-up

- Volunteering sign-up

- Room Parent sign-up

2.  Set up an e-mail list for your class
Taking the time to set up an e-mail list at the beginning of the year makes it so much easier to send classwide e-mails out to parents throughout the year.  Instead of typing in every address or going through my contact list each time I want to send out an update, I just type in "Parents10-11" and go to town with my e-mail.  This year at my school, we are required to send out a weekly e-mail update.  Having a group list will make this so much easier.

3.  Teach your students routines right from the start
In previous years, I've found that having very clear, concise, and predicatable routines for my students from the first day helps them to become independent in doing those routines much quicker.  We start our routines for the morning and afternoon on the first day of school, so they know what is expected of them immediately.  Of course, for the first week or so, I remind them, but by week 2, they usually know exactly what to do without verbal reminders. 

4.  Use music to control volume
Last year, I had a very chatty crew!  From the moment they walked into the door, they wanted to talk to each other.  I know how important it is for kids to have the opportunity for social interaction, but it really became too much.  The use of music really helped with this.  I had music playing softly when they came into the classroom in the morning.  Once I welcomed them and gave directions, I turned the music up slightly and they knew that their voices couldn't go above the music.  I even got student input about what kind of music to play, so they loved that!

I hope some of these tips are useful for some of you!  Have a great day!

Teacher Week: Must Haves

Day 2 of Teacher Week over at Abby's blog is "Must Haves."  Just like brown paper packages tied up with strings and whiskers on kitten from The Sound of Music, these are a few of my favorite things...

Teacher Week:  Must Haves

1.  Carson Dellosa decorations
My friend, Jenni and I were at the teacher supply store the other day and were talking about our "pickiness" when it comes to decorations.  I'm very picky about the borders and the decorations (like nametages, cubby labels, etc) I use in my classroom.  Carson Dellosa decorations are cute and they have a variety of different choices.

These are some of my favorites:

2.  Expo Dry Erase Markers
In my third grade classroom, I used dry erase markers all the time.  I buy a big multi-color pack each year and love the variety of colors.  I would right my plans on my dry erase board, alternating between two colors.  I don't think I will be using dry erase markers as much this year in kindergarten, but we'll have to see!

3.  Storage/Organizational Containers
I love all different types of storage containers!  I don't have a ton, but make good use of what I have.  I think having an organized classroom is key in helping my students become organized people. 

4.  Sharpies
What would I do without them?  I tend to go back to my good old black Sharpie, but have been known to venture out to some different colors!  Who knows, maybe this year I'll go all out and write nametags in blue!  Ha, who am I kidding?!  I'd never leave good old black behind!

5. Wintergreen flavored Lifesavers
Jenni has a small bucket of these suckers sitting by her classroom door, so whenever I stop by, I'm sure to grab one.  I'll need to be sure to do the same thing this year.

6.  Chocolate
Hershey's Miniatures are my go-to, but let's get real, it's always nice to have chocolate laying around.  I also like having little Peppermint Patties and Tootsie Roll minis around, also. 

(All images from Google Images)

Teacher Week- Day 1

It's Teacher Week over at Babbling Abby.  I just recently found Abby's blog through some other blogs I follow, so I thought it would be cool to link up.  I actually just spent the day at my school--rearranging furniture, covering bulletin boards, laminating tons of stuff...I could go on!

Day 1 of Teacher Week is "Open House."  This is a time to get to know other teachers in the blogging world.  Without further ado...

10 Things About Me as a Teacher:

1.  I'm entering my ninth year as a teacher.  Time sure does fly!  I don't feel old enough to be teaching for my ninth year!!  My first two years were spent in fifth grade, followed by six years in third grade.  This year, I am taking the plunge and making a big move to kindergarten.  I'm excited and nervous, all in one! 

2.  I've taught at the same school for all nine years and don't have plans to leave anytime soon!  I love my school family!  I've met some of my closest friends at my school and wouldn't have it any other way. 

3.  In May 2008, I completed my master's degree in Educational Studies, with certificates in Gifted Education and Teacher Leadership.  Right now, I'm loving being a classroom teacher, but who knows how I will feel in a few years.  I think this degree gives me a few opportunities outside of the classroom, so we'll see where that leads me when the time comes.  I know one thing for sure...I do not want to be a principal!

4.  I completed my portfolio for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards process in March of this year.  I took the assessment in June.  Now, I sit and wait...and wait...and wait until the results come out in November.  Only time will tell!

5.  For the past two years, I taught fifth grade math to third graders.  I really enjoyed working with these super talented groups of students.  Many people have their own opinions about pushing kids too hard in areas like math, but I truly feel that if they are ready, it's the right thing to do.  I can confidently say that at least a few of my math students over the past two years will have jobs in math fields when they are adults.  They are just math sponges!

6.  Grading papers is one of my least favorite things about teaching.  In fact, I hate it.  I'm looking forward to not having many papers to grade in kindergarten.

7.  I've known I wanted to be a teacher for a very long time, probably since I was about seven.  My mom is a former teacher and I used to always go with her to school at the beginning of the year to help set up her classroom.  Even at the age of nine, I was putting up bulletin board paper and borders!

8.  Every year, I have had one student in my class that I've had a hard time reaching.  They've all been boys, actually.  It's hard to admit that I haven't always reached every student in my class.  Each of those boys has, in their own way, challenged me to try new strategies and techniques as a teacher.  I think I've grown from each experience, too.

9.  I become a super cranky gal when the summer ends and I have to go back to school.  I love my job, really I do, but I just get so accustomed to the "summer life."  Once I'm back and in a routine, I'm fine; it's just that initial few days before heading back.

10.  Like many school systems, ours is being affected by the economy.  The budgets have been tightened, and as a result, we are not receiving our cost-of-living or step increases this year.  I'll actually be making less this year than I did last year since I am no longer the third grade team leader.  I'm really angry about this, but I guess I have to be thankful that I have a job.  Kurt likes to remind me of this!

So, that's it from me!  More to come as we celebrate Teacher Week in the blogging world!

Getting to Know You!!

I've taken a brief hiatus from Getting to Know You! Sunday.  Well, that's gonna change...right now!

1. Do you think mustaches are sexy?

No, no, no!  Not at all!

2. What's the last concert you've been to?

Hmm...I think it was U2 when they came to DC last year.  My sister had free tickets and didn't want to go, so we jumped on the opportunity!

3. What was your favorite 80's sitcom?

Full House, Growing Pains, Family Ties, Punky Brewster...I could go on!

 

4. Were you named after anyone?

Yes!  My mom's Aunt Kate and my great-grandmother and aunt for my middle name, Elizabeth.  I actually think I might want to use both names as middle names for my future children. Is that weird?

5. When you buy new clothes, do you wash before wearing?

Depends what it is, but not usually.  I typically want to wear them right away.

6. If you didn't blog, what would you do with your spare time?

I'd like to say laundry, cleaning house, etc., but who knows!  Probably watch more t.v. or read more trashy magazines.

7. What is your favorite department store?

I guess Macy's and Kohls.

8. If you were to get Laser Hair Removal..where would you get it?

Legs, definitely!  I hate shaving!

Friday Fives!

This week's Friday Fives over at Beth's is...

5 Things You Miss About Being a Kid!

1.  Being care- and (mostly) worry- free!

I've always been a worrier, even as a kid, but back then my worries were mostly minor things that my parents could easily help me move on from.  Now, I worry about my family having safe trips when they are driving or flying somewhere, that someone will get very sick or die, etc....all those things that I really have no control over.

2. Being obsessed with the latest craze!

I definitely went through my obsession with slap bracelets, pogs, jelly bracelets, jelly shoes, etc.  I have one Silly Band that my cousin gave me (a cute blue anchor--very summery!), but it's just not the same as it was when I was 8!

Pogs- Remember these?!

Slap Bracelets- All the rage at my elementary school!

(Images from Google Images)

3.  Simple pleasures of kids!

Life was so simple back then!  I got excited over the simplest things, like:

- Staying outside until dark during the summer

- The "Art Club" some friends and I started

- Rollerskating in the basement

- Walking to a nearby store to get snowballs

4. Naps

Definitely took these for granted when I was younger!  What I wouldn't do for a daily nap time!

5.  The "great" T.V. shows

I say "great" because looking back on them now, they were really terrible, but I loved the shows on TGIF...Full House, Family Matters, Step by Step, etc.  I always knew how I would be spending my Friday nights...in front of the t.v.!

What do you miss about being a kid?

Real House...Whats?

So, I'm sitting here watching the season premiere of Real Housewives of DC and I just can't get over the drama of these ladies.  They are crazy!  Now, I must give the background of why I decided to tune in tonight. 

This woman:

Michaele Salahi

(from Google Images)

I have questioned the intentions of this woman since the whole "White House Party Crasher" situation.  Back when that drama happened there were lots of rumors swirling that their party crashing was all a stunt for Real Housewives of DC.  She denied those rumors, of course.  A coworker of mine knew of Michaele and Tareq Salahi through their involvement in America's Polo Cup.  She swears they are really nice people.  I question if that "niceness" is real. I have my doubts.

Then there was "The View" yesterday.  Apparently it's well known in the entertainment industry that Whoopi Goldberg speaks her mind and isn't afraid to use profanity.  While the ladies of "The View" were interviewing the Housewives, Michaele was getting off topic.  Whoopi, who wasn't part of the interview, allegedly came out, touched Michaele's arm, and told her to get back on track.  Off stage, there supposedly was a huge scene with Whoopi throwing around profanity, Tareq accusing Whoopi of hitting his wife, and Michaele crying.  Anyone who has seen the tape of this knows that Whoopi literally touched the woman's arm.  DRAMA!

That leads me to today on "Hoda and Kathie Lee."  The first five minutes (at least) were focused on Michaele and the Whoopi/White House crashing.  It was very clear by their body language that the other ladies were not happy about this.  Once they had a chance to talk, they let everyone know this as well.  They are not fans of Michaele.

All I can say is drama, drama, drama!

Did I watch the entire episode tonight?  Yes.

Will I watch it again?  Probably.

Did I lose a few brain cells?  Perhaps.

Oh well, it's summer!

Lucky Number 3!

Three years ago today, I married the love of my life!  Happy #3, KB!  Here's to many, many more!

On our wedding day

August 3, 2007

On our 1st Anniversary in the Outer Banks

August 3, 2008

On our 2nd Anniversary in Niagara Falls

August 3, 2009

Us this past weekend at a wedding

Kurt has planned a night out for us tonight!  I'm excited to find out what he has in store!