Sunday, April 29, 2012

Red Pepper Flake Crackers

Thanks to Caroline, I've discovered the easiest, most delicious snack.  It's the perfect compliment to any barbeque or pool day.  ;)

 Red Pepper Flake Crackers

 
via [I altered the website's recipe slightly]

Ingredients:
2 sleeves of Saltine crackers
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp crush red pepper flakes

Directions:
1. Pour the Saltines into a large Ziploc bag or a glass container with a lid.
2. Mix the canola oil and crushed red pepper flakes and drizzle it over the crackers.
3. Gently toss the crackers with the oil mixture. The longer these sit, the better they get!
Optional: Add 1/2 oz. of Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix for added flavor.

Enjoy! 

Friday, April 27, 2012

Monday, April 23, 2012

Science CRCT Day

Today my students are taking the Science CRCT, which is one of five tests administered at public schools in Georgia to test the knowledge of students in grades 1-8.  They took the Reading, Language Arts, and Math tests last week, so they'll finish up with the Science and Social Studies ones this week.  Each test is divided into two sections and students get 70 minutes to complete each of those two sections.  Needless to say, it's kind of wonderful they can't talk for the first three hours of the day, but also extremely boring since I just have to sit there and watch them take it. 

Anyways, on our assigned test days my team of teachers decided that we'd bring in snacks for the 80 students on our team.  Since today is the science test, it was my day for snacks.  I wanted to do something a little more creative and special this year, so I searched Pinterest and loved this idea that I saw on one of Amy's boards.

So, this morning my kids will get a ziploc bag on their desks with the snacks and note in the picture below to hopefully help them focus and also remind them that their science teacher loves them... most days. ;)

Oh and that part about Six Flags... if they pass all 5 of the tests, they get a free ticket and bus ride to Six Flags in a few weeks.  How awesome is that?  I'm sending up lots of prayers and positive thoughts that they do their best today!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy birthday to the best dad in the entire world!!!


 



I love you so much and wish I could be home to help you celebrate! xoxo

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Happy Birthday Annie!

Happy birthday to such a wonderful, smart, active, amazing grandma!!!



I love and miss you so much!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Weekend Wrap-Up

We had a super-fun, super jam-packed weekend that included lots of time with family and friends.

We started off Friday night by going to Gaines' cousin Jessica's prom.  She's a senior at EBA and looked so pretty in her cute purple dress.  Her brother Baker is in eighth grade and was one of the servers at "A Night In Paris." 






Saturday we did some yard work, which was a perfect excuse to spend the day outside.  Later that afternoon we headed down to the Story's pond for a  little boating, playing with the dogs, grilling out, and roasting marshmellows. 








And finally on Sunday we headed down to the Savannah River with Kristina, Drew, Jason, and Caroline (and puppy Cash!) for some fun in the sun.  It turns out that it was fun in the clouds, but don't let those white puffy things fool you.  You can still get sunburned through them, which I learned the hard way.  The boys were dumb brave enough to get in the freezing water, while the girls just enjoyed the view. ;)


 


And speaking of view, Caroline's family's river house is literally right next to Plant Vogtle, which is a two-unit nuclear power plant.  The NRC recently approved a license for two new units to be built on the site, which will be the first ones built in the U.S. in the past thirty years.  Vogtle, along with other sites, makes nuclear enery through the process of nuclear fission, which provides the country with about 18% of our electricity.  I wouldn't normally know all of this information, but I just taught my kids about renewable and nonrenewable energy sources.  So there ya have it, Mrs. Story's science lesson for the day. ;)




Monday, April 16, 2012

Easter

I forgot to post pictures of Easter last week.  Oops! We had a fun day that consisted of beautiful weather, a great sermon at church, lots of good food, and a relaxing afternoon with Gaines' family.




And I love that even in our mid-twenties, the Easter Bunny still comes to visit.  :)


Thursday, April 12, 2012

Spring Has Sprung

It's felt like spring for months now, but I love that it's now official and the perfect time to fix up our yard.  It just looks so "blah" to me during the winter, but now that everything has greened up, it feels much more alive.  Gaines and I had wedded out the shrub area and laid down pine straw a few weeks ago and then I planted our window boxes last week.  He had picked up a ton of different colored impatiens from the high school plant sale, and I grabbed a bright pink geranium from Salters.  The two spikes in the pots by the stairs survived the winter, which was a big plus! Our grass still needs some work, but just ignore that part in the pictures below. ;)









Happy Thursday!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Happy Birthday Mrs. Julie!

Happy birthday to the best mother-in-law in the world!!!


You don't look a day over 35? ;)


We love you!