Show Us Your Life - Books!

This week at Kelly's Korner she is hosting show us your favorite books/children books! I was not raised in a house that reading was a priority. When I started working at the high school I found out quickly that reading is a high priority there. Both of our principals are avid readers and we even have a literacy period where the students are to just read. I have now become a pretty avid reader (when I have time.) I want my kids to see me reading so that goes on down to them.

I usually read what my high school students are reading and every once in a while I will throw in a Harlequin series! I really enjoy any of the Jodi Picoult books, she is one of my favorite authors right now. She is most notable for My Sister's Keeper, but she really has so many great books out there. One of the hot books at the high school right now is the Hunger Game series. The last of the trilogy is coming out this August and I can't wait, they are really good books! Just to break things up I recently read the Montana Creed books, this is just a good trashly love story.

My son Kale just really isn't into books, but my boss (one of the principals that is an avid reader) told Kale about the books that he read to his son to get his son interested into books. It is Hank the Cowdog series. We read them to Kale and Fallon both, and they both love them but it has really helped Kale to like books. They are really funny and fun to read!!

Fallon is my little reader, she LOVES books and that really is an understatement. Two of her favorite books are Pinkalicious and Purplicious! There is not a book in our house that she doesn't love, hasn't read 3, 297 times and can't repeat the book back to you word for word.

Women Run Arkansas Race Day!

All over Arkansas 10 weeks ago there were clinics forming of all women that would begin a 10 week run/walk clinic that would train for the 'Graduation Race.' I joined and participated for all 10 weeks. You had the choice to train for the walking portion or the running/jogging portion. My friend Mandy and I joined the jogging portion. Between her building her house and my injuries we still made it through training and to race day! I am not an emotional person, but when I was on the last mile I caught myself fighting back tears, this was such an accomplishment for me and it was awesome!! I am definitely addicted now. I already have 2 more races lined out. Here are a few pictures from the day! (Official results still have not been posted, but I do know for sure I beat my goal time! My goal time was 45 minutes and when I crossed the timer, which was right before the finish line it was at 42 minutes!)

This was when we were walking up to race where everyone was!

Here a before picture!

All the racers lined up to begin!
(There was around 1400 women racing)

All along the 3.1 miles there were sayings written on the road for encouragement and little did I know till after the race my kids were part of that. This is what Kale wrote. (Yes I know he spelled Let's wrong, but he did write that himself without any help!)

My partner Mandy in the white shirt/red shorts! We stayed together till the very end and she took off sprinting and I stayed at my pace.

That is me coming toward the end Purple Shirt White Visor.

Almost there, I was dying at this point, but determined to finish!

I hate this picture, but it is the after. I still could not breath at this point!

I am normally behind the camera and this is a change for me being in front of the camera. I do not find these pictures flattering at all and I apologize for that. I just really want to remember this accomplishment!

Show Us Your Life!

This week over at Kelly's Korner is how did you come up with your kids names!! I love my kids names and would love to share where they came from. They have no family significance, they are unique and short. That was my goal! I still have one more name picked out, but will probably never use it, but for the names I have used...

Kale Lane - His first name came from a young man who I adore and always wanted a son to grow up as nice and genuine and caring as this young man. His name is Cale E. Not sure why I just like using the K better. Lane came from Lane Frost, but I also really love the name Lane. (For the life of me, I could not find a picture of Cale E., but he is amazing young man! My Kale is an amazing little man as well!)

Fallon Olivia - Naming her was a little more tough, I wanted the name Lane in there somewhere so her and Kale would have that tie, but just didn't end up that way. Paul and I had an agreement, if the baby was a boy he got to name it and if it was a girl I got to name it. The Lord was looking out for me, poor Paul just didn't have very good names, HA! But I still felt bad, so I told him to pick the middle name.

I got Fallon from a model who barrel races, her name is Fallon Taylor (pictured above). I have met her before and she is just as nice as she is beautiful. But more importantly I love her name. I have no idea where Paul came up with Olivia, but it really all just worked together!!

Race to the Race!!!

I have been training for the past 10 weeks to run the 'graduation race' and that race is this Saturday May 8!! Woohoo, I am so excited!! I am working on new music for the ipod so I have some good jam to listen to. Even though this journey has not been easy and I have been (seems that I have been) plagued with injuries, I am so glad I am healthy enough to run, scratch that, jog this race!! I am going to hand the camera over to Paul, which is scary, I did that at my college graduation and I do not have 1 in-focus picture. I will post how the day turns out Saturday when we get back home!!

Alive...

I am still alive, I am so sorry I am not been posting. I will be back after Monday night, I have my last final and then I will have all the time in the world. Well that was a joke, but I will have a little more free time. I have been at the ball fields for the last 10 days straight and would be more if I didn't have to attend class one night. Also, I am still training for the 5K and the race is next Saturday, yikes, it stresses me, but on the other hand really excited!! Will post pictures and more details very soon, PROMISE!!!! Have a GREAT MONDAY!!!

It has begun!!!!

It is that time...BASEBALL!!! There is no doubt this is my favorite sport and I love it even more that my son plays, is pretty good, and he loves it!!! He had his first game of the season last night and here are a few of the pictures. We won 16-0!!

That is Kale, the one that has that grub on playing back-catcher!! I think he is so stinking cute decked out in all his baseball stuff!

This is one part that I am actually glad that I am a women and a mom. Since we were told Kale will be playing catcher, his coach said to make sure he was 'well protected.'

Kale was introduced to the Cup. It was dads job to explain to him why he needed it and what exactly it does.

This year is his first year on the pitching machine. Kale was at bat twice and hit it both times!! He hit a triple and a single. He also had RBIs, I am just not sure if it was 1 or 2! I was so proud of him.

This is Kale on first base and I feel I need to explain what exactly is wrong with this picture. Kale completely does not match at all. This is what I get for sending Paul to get his baseball gear for this year. He never ever considered that their jerseys may be maroon and red does not match. So I blame all of the mis-match socks and helmet on Paul. Ha

Kale also plays 2nd base. He did an amazing job last night and I am so proud of him.

I am sorry, but I am sure this is the first of many baseball post from now to June.

And the Winner Is......

Julie over at Mommalogues!!! Congrats, will you please email me or message me on fb your address so your prize can get mailed to you!!! I will update my week, and boy has it been an eventful one, hopefully tomorrow!!

Don't Forget the Giveaway!!!

Giveaway Ends Tonight, make sure you get Entered!!!

Go-Gurt Giveaway!!!

It's giveaway time again, woohoo! And this is a awesome one, especially if you have kids!! This is a Yoplait Go-Gurt giveaway!! My kids love this yogurt, it is something they love and is really easy for them to eat.
There are so many different ways to pack it up for the kids. In Kale's lunch I freeze one and put it in his lunch box and when it is time for lunch it is thawed and still good! It is an awesome after school snack! I also let them eat one for desert! There are two flavors, Strawberry and Mixed Berry! My kids love both flavors!

Now for the Giveaway! Go-Gurt is giving away to one of my readers a Simplify Your Life Prize Pack that includes a pocket Etch-A-Sketch, a weekly planner, a seat back organizer, and coupon for free go-gurt!!

Also: Click HERE and Go-Gurt is also giving away 30 free coupons and snack tips!!

For 1 entry just leave me a comment!

For extra entries:
Become a follower (leave a comment saying so)
Blog about the giveaway (leave comment saying you blogged about it)

This giveaway is provided by Yoplait and MyBlogSpark

Giveaway ends Saturday April 17th at 6:00pm!! Will use random.org to draw for winner!!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!! We had a great Easter here in the Houston house hold!! We went to Church and watched the Easter pageant performed but members of the Church and it was Awesome!!

This is one of the few family photos that we have! Thanks to our wonderful neighbor for offering to take our picture!

Fallon was all about posing for pictures! She looked so cute!

Kale on the other hand was not all about taking pictures, but he did look handsome!

I never did get a good picture of the 2 of them, there always seemed to be a distraction, ha!

Then we made our way out to my ever so awesome in-laws!!
My nephew Hunter and Kale waiting patiently to hunt eggs! There were about 150 eggs hidden, Paul tends to become a kid during all of this and he went a little over board, but the kids had a blast!

Then the race was off and kids were running everywhere to find the eggs! There were 5 kids looking for 150 eggs! It was a sight to see!

But it wouldn't be a day without a mishap especially from Fallon. We are not sure how she did it but it looked horrible and she didn't cry. I was about to cry for her. You could tell she was really hurting, but she is a tough one!

But there is nothing better than Papaw rocking her and making it all better!