I'm a Northen now, and that means...

RANGERS BASEBALL

Last weekend Greg and I went with his family to Dallas for another Rangers game. In case you aren't aware, my new name isJanice MyhusbandiscompletelyobsessedwiththeTexasRangersNorthen.
(As a matter of fact, we are watching a game on TV as I type this post.)

So its a good thing I like baseball.

Take it from a cold-natured person... It was HOTT!

Despite the heat, it was a great game and we had an awesome weekend.

My Best Friends' Wedding

The happy and beautiful couple (that makes me look pasty white!).


Yes, all of you grammar people, the apostrophe did come after the "s" in the title of this post. That's because last weekend, Greg and I went to the wedding of two of my best friends from college.

I met Bo my first semester at Henderson and since we were both music majors, we had pretty much every class together for four years. Bo is one of the most caring and hard working people I have ever met. It seems like we went through so much together during those four years. He always listened when I needed to whine (a common occurrence), and he was always full of great advice. Watching Bo get married was like watching my big brother say "I do."

Bo, me, and Katie at my Senior Recital in 2007.

One day, just after Greg and I started dating, Bo and I were in Walmart in Arkadelphia, and he saw this blonde girl go down an isle. He immediately freaked out and was like, "I go to church with her, and I would love to talk to her. She's beautiful!" So I convinced him to go talk to her while I went to find coffee filters. Well 10 minutes later, they were STILL talking, so I just wandered around Walmart for an hour pretending to look for coffee filters while they flirted on isle eight. I knew that day that Hailey was the one for my best friend, Bo.

Hailey, you are a lucky girl.


As quickly as I grew to know Hailey, I grew to love her as well. Hailey moved away to Oklahoma for graduate school a few months later. In that short time, I can say that she became one of my most trusted, Christian friends. I admire Hailey for so many reasons. I love her smile, laugh, sense of humor, and spiritual soundness. If Hailey had stayed in Arkadelphia longer, I truly think we would have become BFFs! It should also be said that Hailey caught the bouquet at my wedding! Honestly, I wouldn't want Bo to marry anyone else.

Bo, you are a lucky guy.


The groom's cake was awesome and perfect for the bride and groom (two musicians)!


Old college friends - Katie, Kristian, and me at the wedding.

Believe it or not, I actually got Greg out on the dance floor!

I have no idea who these people are. But they obviously found my camera and left me a memento, ha!

a girl after my own heart

PUT A FORK IN ME.

Look out... Its the Wilsons on Ouachita!

These pictures were taken on Saturday during a Wilson Family outing to Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs. The next day we were all pretty sunburned and sore. None the less, the day made for some good exercise and great memories!


My dad - the best skier I know. However, I have yet to see him barefoot ski as in his glory days.


Greg trying to show off.


Please enlarge this picture if you can, and notice the look of horror on his face!


Typical.


Right before I busted it.


No one can come up faster on skis than my mother.
Its amazing.


It wouldn't be a normal day at the lake for the Wilsons without boat trouble.


Meanwhile, mom tries not to bake in the sun.


Dad was the only one to successfully slalum that day. Go Dad!

Chocoholics Anonymous

You might be a redneck chocoholic if:

1. You keep chocolate in your vegetable crisper.
2. You have eaten chocolate during a workout.
   
3. You eat it with your breakfast.
4. You have used it to help swallow down your medicine.
5. Your mother taught you that chocolate is an essential food group... and you still believe her.
6. You justify eating dark chocolate because it is "heart healthy."
7. You shop the after Halloween and Valentines Day "sale isles" for the best deals to stock up on bulk amounts. Chocolate can be frozen, you know.
8. You have bought chocolate as a gift for a friend... but never gave it.
   
9. You have stuck your tongue in a chocolate fountain.
   
10. On the last day of school, your student comments, "Mrs. Northen, I will always remember you as the person who won't share her chocolate!"

... uh, or so I've heard.


Feel free to add to the list. :)

calling all photographers

Greg and I have been saving up money for our next purchase... a nice camera. I've about narrowed it down to a Canon or Nikon. My sister has a Nikon D40 and likes it, and I've looked at the Canon EOS series. But I was wondering if anyone else had any advice on a digital SLR camera before (or if) we buy one.

I know nothing about cameras, so post away... We need the suggestions!

... and many more

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU



HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU



HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR PEYTON



HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU



... AND MANY MORE!

Dear students of my first year teaching,

Thank you for such a wonderful first year of being a teacher. When I walked into the school building on August 18th, my heart would pound at the sound of each bell to start class. What are my students going to be like? What are 7th graders like? Fortunately for me, I have been blessed with the most wonderful classes. I have often wondered if I will have such awesome students every year. I hope to always remember your faces, your names, your personalities, and your beautiful voices! To the students of my first year teaching... you've blessed my life.

But kids... there were days when I just didn't make enough money to put up with you.

I will never forget the drama that comes with teaching all girls classes.
boyfriends, ex-boyfriends, best friends, ex-best friends, overly-concerned mothers, braces, PMS, gossip, cat fights, crushes, hormones, headaches, lip gloss, texting, writing utensils of every color in the rainbow, nail polish, tiny bladders, cheerleading, the Twilight series, tampons, tears, broken hearts, dancing to imaginary beats in your head, Facebook, cliques, clubs, crazy socks day, American Idol, every letter "i" dotted with a heart, Ipods, writing all over your jeans (be glad I'm not your mother), and did I mention boyfriends, ex-boyfriends, best friends, and ex-best friends?!

And lest we not forget the Men of the Choir whose number one rule quickly became "DON'T TOUCH EACH OTHER!" No group of people has made me doubt myself as a teacher and musician more than you, men.

And especially to my one "special" student who shall remain nameless. You know who you are. I shall call you "Groundhog." Many people in my life have always called me "Groundhog" because I was born on Groundhog's Day. My birthday, however, has now become branded with the mental image of your face. "Why?" some might ask. Because you, Groundhog, found a way to push my buttons EVERYDAY. You, Groundhog, made me want to read textbooks on classroom management.  You drove me up the wall daily. Each day was the same! Just like the movie, it was "Groundhog's Day" with you... EVERYDAY!

...ahem...

On a lighter note, students, I am most thankful for the opportunity you gave me to grow. I have wanted to be a choir director since I was your age. That is hard for me to believe. Maybe some of you will be my colleagues someday. One of my biggest wishes for you is that you always love music. You can take your voice with you anywhere you go, and you can always keep music in your heart. Trust me, it will speak for you someday when you have no words to express yourself. I would give anything to see each of you become a child of God. I hope I did everything I could to show you The Way. I hope that you make good decisions and always be aware of how precious you really are.

Thank you for the memories,
Mrs. Northen