Happy Birthday Clayton!!!

Today Clayton turns 24!  When we met, we were 20, so it kinda puts it into perspective how long we have actually known each other(and how fast time flies!!!!) WOW! I remember his 21st birthday like it was yesterday (he doesn't!) His 22nd birthday was my UNC graduation, and his 23rd was the day after his graduation. This is the first birthday I have missed :( But, next year, we will be married! YAY!  So, in honor of Clayton's birthday, here are 24 random things about him!

1. He loves basketball.  He played in High School, at Junior College, and is now a Varsity HS coach. His passion for basketball (and coaching) is evident the minute you see him coach!

2. He is the biggest Carolina fan I know!  His blood truly is Carolina Blue.  He knows so much about UNC sports and attends any football/basketball/baseball game possible!

3. He likes ranch with everything. I only have one word for this-YUCK! (and i guess i will have to start buying it at the store!)

4. He is a people person.  Everyone likes him and he brings the party. 

5. He makes me smile. And he makes me mad.  But most of the time, he makes me smile.

6. He is very tall.  Like 6'6'' tall.  I sometimes forget how much taller he is than me until i see a picture of us where I am not on my tiptoes. :)

7. He loves football.  High School football, UNC football, Redskins football... If it is fall, then I promise, he has Friday, Saturday, and Sunday blocked off for football.

8. 95% of the clothing he owns is Carolina Blue. 90% of those clothes are Carolina T-Shirts. You can never show your school pride too much!

9. His most annoying habit (to me!) is his love of a particular video game-Call of Duty.  For some reason he and his buddies love to play those games... but to me, the sound of gunfire means that I am going to be very bored for the next, oh, 3 hours.

10. All of his pets have been named after Carolina some how--Smith, Roy, Ramses...

11. He always lets me choose to eat at Chile Verde in MA even though he still hasn't found an item on the menu he really likes.

11.  He is one of the most generous people I know.  He will buy your drinks, pay for your dinner, etc., etc., even if he just met you.  Sometimes i feel like people take advantage of it though.

12. Clayton is the "King of the Grill".  And the "Shrimp Man". :)

13. He can't stand to sit there (unless, of course, a sport is on!), so he is always up moving or doing something.  

14. His first name is "Fredric".  I always say "Ready Freddy?" and laugh at myself.  He is no longer amused. :)

15. His only request about the wedding stuff has been NO RED.  Yep, he hates State that much.

16. For his college graduation dinner he choose to eat at IP3's... Pizza and a pitcher are all he needs for a celebratory meal.

17. HE HATES DUKE. 'Nough said.

18. He likes many different kinds of beer... but cheap beer (aka PBR) is his favorite.

19. The only music we really agree on is Corey Smith. (And Kenny Chesney concerts)

20. He does not like desserts. Weird.

21. He likes history/social studies. He teaches it.

22. He is very competitive. He DOES NOT like to loose. In anything.

23. He takes a bath everyday. For hours.

24. He is my favorite person. And he loves me! :)

I love you babe! Have a great birthday! 

What Have You Done???

Directions: Bold the items you have done:

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Been to the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa at the Louvre
20. Slept on a train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
30. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Tied a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a Bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Visited Italy

Wow! I have actually done a lot of these things.  I have been really blessed in my relatively short 24 years of life to have visited so many places in God's great earth.  Hopefully I will be able to add more to this list in the years to come! (Of course there are some i'd rather leave alone!)

25 Things...

1. I am very, very picky. I hate things like mayonnaise, ranch, mustard, tomatoes, my food touching, etc., etc., and eat everything plain and well done.

2. My Favorite place to eat is Chile Verde (or Rojo...whatever) and i ALWAYS order a Chicken Fajita Quesadilla, no tomatoes, no sour cream, of course. My second favorite is Chick-fil-a and I could eat at these two places every single day.

3. I HATE spiders. They are the creepiest things to me and i have had more than one nightmare about them crawling on me. Google bird eating spider and you may have nightmares too!

4. I am marrying my best friend in July and i am looking forward to our amazing life together. I am also gaining a wonderful 2nd family and could not ask for anything more.

5. I am not a 'Bridezilla'. I have not done a wedding related thing is quite awhile and most of the little details do not matter to me. I have yet to pick out invitations, centerpieces, a cake, flowers, etc... and I am not all that worried about it. I am excited about the wedding, but I am just more excited about the marriage.

6. I am about to move to eastern North Carolina. Most likely Rose Hill, home of the World's Largest Frying pan. (Seriously!) Before Clayton, I would have sworn that i would never live past Raleigh. I don't really know why... it's not that bad ;)

7. I was born in Chapel Hill and lived there for the first 18 months of my life. I miss it everyday and it will always be one of my favorite places. The 4 years i spent in college there were way too short! I am definitely Tar Heel Born and Bred. 

8. I love the summer. It is warm and i have 2.5 months off of school. And soon, i will be much closer to the beach!

9. I yell way too much and get way into basketball games. Like yelling at the refs and screaming way too loud. Hopefully I won't embarrass Clayton too much at his games next year!

10. I love pictures and scrapbooking. Yes, some may think that that is a dumb hobby, but i love to look back at my many scrapbooks and remember all the good times and good friends I have had in my life.

11. Dean Smith spoke to me (and Jennifer) personally after our Graduation. We were walking out of Kennan Stadium and he walked by and talked to us for a moment. I wish i took a picture!

12. Roy Williams came into The Loop during Krista's birthday dinner and was kind enough to talk to us AND i did get a picture!

13. I always get my hair cut at places like GreatClips. I guess i am cheap... but after next summer, i am going to break down and actually make an appointment at a decent salon like most normal people.

14. I really haven't minded living at home for the past two years. My parents are not annoying and i have been able to save a lot of money. That being said, I am really excited to get my own little house and actually feel like a grown-up.

15. I am a horrible speller. At school I am always afraid that when i am writing on the board i am going to misspell something. And its not like my kids would even know. They are 5 and can't read (well, not that well yet) There are probably a ton of errors in this note.

16. I am secretly terrified of going into debt. The movie "Pursuit of Happyness" made me so stressed out. I don't have a credit card. And i am going to make Clayton in charge of paying bills.

17. I cry really easily. I cry at any sad/happy/sappy movie, commercial, song, and ESPN story about some miraculous sports thing.

18. I love frozen margaritas and Duplin wine. If we get the house i want, we will live 1.5 blocks from Duplin winery... yay!

19. I love Grey's Anatomy, The Biggest Loser, and Army Wives. I watch other shows when i am walking on the treadmill or am bored.

20. I used to hate to exercise, but after making myself do it for about a month, I have come to enjoy it. It is me time and it makes me feel so much better. 

21. I have awesome siblings. Ashley and McKenzie are 2 of my favorite people and i am really happy that we are friends. I am looking forward to gaining 2 new "siblings" soon. Hams is great and Nolan is pretty alright too. :)

22. I don't like to talk on the phone that much. And that makes it hard to keep in touch with people as much as i would like too. Sometimes i feel like that makes me a bad friend.

23. I take my memory foam pillow with me everywhere i go, even if i know that the place has its own pillows. I just like it best. 

24. I am not a morning person at all. I hit the snooze 4 or 5 times and never want to get up. But after i sleep late, i am mad at myself for wasting the day away.

25. I love doing arts and crafts type things... again, another old person hobby, but i enjoy being creative and making things.


Wheww... I am glad i could think of 25 things!

You know your a teacher when...

This is from a Facebook thing, but I can agree with most of them...

You know you are a teacher when.....

1. You can hear 20 voices behind you and know exactly which one belongs to the child out of line.

2. You get a secret thrill out of laminating something.

3. You walk into a store and hear the words "It's Ms/Mr. _________” and know you have been spotted.

4. You have 20 people that accidentally call you mom/dad at one time or another.

5. You can eat a multi-course meal in under twenty-five minutes.

6. You've trained yourself to go to the bathroom at two distinct times of the day: lunch and planning period.

7. You start saving other people's trash, because most likely, you can use that toilet paper tube or plastic butter tub for something in the classroom.

8. You believe the teachers' lounge should be equipped with a margarita machine.

9. You want to slap the next person who says "Must be nice to work 7:15 to 3:15 and have summers off".

10. You believe chocolate is a food group.

11. You can tell if it's a full moon without ever looking outside.

12. You believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if anyone says "Boy, the kids sure are mellow today."

13. You feel the urge to talk to strange children and correct their behavior when you are out in public.

14. The list of names you can never name your child grows each school year.

15. You think caffeine should be available in intravenous form.

16. You spend more money on school stuff than you do on your own children.

17. You have an ample supply of 'seasonal' clothing (Christmas sweaters, Valentines shirts.)

18. You can't pass the school supply aisle without getting at least one thing!

19. You ask your friends if the left hand turn he just made was a "good choice or a bad choice."

20. You find true beauty in a can full of perfectly sharpened pencils.

21. You are secretly addicted to hand sanitizer.

and finally... 22. You understand instantaneously why a child behaves a certain way after meeting his or her parents.