last weekend...

Check out my adventures here!

I had a blast hanging out with Hillary, Riley and Owen.  I can't wait for another trek into the city with them.  :)

do you want to...

...renew your current magazine subscription(s)?  Or buy a new one?

You can help Maywood Middle School by either purchasing a magazine subscription or renewing your current subscription(s).  Unfortunately, we're a bit behind on sales this year - we were pridicting this.  Since Maywood only asks students, parents, staff, and the surrouding community to participate in one fund raiser each year, this is it!  As the Leadership teacher, I get a little nervous each year at this time.  So much has to be covered by ASB funds...which means that every little bit helps.  :)

If you're interested, please visit http://www.aphearst.com/

Our school code is: WC3660

When you're prompted to enter a student's name, you can either put my name in the boxes (Anne Simmons) or you can enter "No" & "Student" and the school with still get the credit.

I would love to know if you decide to participate.  Please leave me a comment so I can thank you!  :)

chunky monkey...

   
Here are a few recent shots of Gavin...I just can't get enough of the the little guy.  He has the sweetest smile and he's a chunky monkey - it's quite the combo!  There's no doubt he's a Weber - he looks just like my dad and Bobby (maybe more so like my dad though).  Enjoy!

   

    

Here we have the messy picture from lunch followed by the cleaned up version.  He is so happy and content with a full tummy!

  

Here's Gavin with Uncle Mike...I don't know who did more smiling.  It was so sweet!

   

This is a shot of Gavin flirting with Auntie Jamie!

  

Now he's trying to redeem himself and make it clear that I'm his favorite auntie.  :)

   

This is one of my favorites - Gavin with Grammy!  He's happy, full and tired.  This was taken when we were over in Leavenworth last month.  I love it!

  

Ridin' Dirty (diaper, that is)...

  

And here's how Gavin's visit at our place ended on Sunday (we babysat while Bobby & Kelli were at the Seahawks game).  He HATES to sleep...so he constantly fights it.  This time was different.  He was rolling around and crawling all over the place.  At one point, he rolled onto his backside and just started to chill out.  Ben and I sat there watching him and the Seahawks game...before we knew it, his eye lids were shut and there was no waking the little man.  Looks like we've got the touch.  :)

learning, but not quickly...

I am a gift-giver & receiver.  It's my strongest love language.  However, it's not Ben's love language...not at all!  Unfortunately, that hasn't stopped me from using my love language to reach him - or try to reach him.  Let me show you what I mean...
    

    

This is what I did before heading off to see my BFF in New York earlier this summer.  Since I was going to be gone, I thought I would leave a little gift for Ben each day.  The first day (Wednesday) he opened a card and there was $10 inside for him to get a sandwich at his favorite lunch spot.  The next day, he had a gift card waiting for him - to use for a breakfast sandwich on his way into work.  For Friday, it was a Starbuck card for a yummy drink and breakfast treat.  On Saturday he was up with his family at Big Lake, so I had to hide the Gushers in his car...the card told him where to look.  I knew he would be coming home to an empty house on Sunday and if there wasn't something frozen, he probably wouldn't eat (he hates to do anything that resembles cooking).  So, I made sure the freezer was stocked with his favorites.  Then it was time for him to head back to work on Monday, so I tied together a few Power Bars - something to help sustain him should he choose to skip meals.  ;)  Tuesday, I left money in the card for a bucket of golf balls down at the driving range.  Then, the last day - the same day I came home - I put a gift card in there for dinner.  The idea being that he would pick me up from the airport and then we would enjoy dinner together while catching up.

      

   

Great idea, right?  I thought so.  But that was my mistake.

Selfishly, this is the type of gift I would LOOOOOOOOOOVE to receive.  Naturally, I thought it would be something that Ben would enjoy.  However, I was thinking about myself and not him.  Sure, the gifts were for him and they were symbolic of my love (which sounds strange, but you know what I mean).  But Ben's love languages are words of affirmation, touch and time.  Sure, he's pretty strong in 3 out of 5...unfortunately for me, my gift is not listed there.

   

I say all of this not to toot my own horn, but instead, to show just how much I'm still learning - after three years of marriage.

   

The Bible Study I'm current going through has been an eye-opener to say the least!  The Lord is showing me that I am still so selfish - in small and in big ways!  I've also been able to see that often times my selfish side comes out and rears its ugly head when I least expect it to.  It's not like I sit around plotting and planning against my husband.  However, I am also realizing that I don't sit around plotting and planning NOT to be selfish in my marriage...which is what I should be doing!

   

Thankfully, I'm married to a wonderful man who loves me despite all of my flaws!  And, I can confidantly say that he loves me like that because He is actively pursuing the author of love!  How blessed am I?

  

Now I just need to be sure I voice these things to my husband so he can enjoy those words of affirmation.  ;)

       

     

As for the gifts I left behind for Ben...he forgot to open the first few.  So, when I called to talk to him during the day, he explained that they were at home/forgotten/left behind.  From that point forward, he just decided to open them all at once so that he wouldn't forget.  Bless his little heart!  :)

fun times...

Fun picture

    

This past weekend, Ben and I had an impromptu gathering at our place.  It all started with a text message, on Friday, from our buddy Chris (Kilcup).  He wanted to do something on Saturday since the weather was going to be nasty.  Ben and I figured we couldn't go wrong with video games and board games. 
   

Ben & Chris Playing Some Wii Tennis - Lots of Hard Work as You Can See

    

Ben called up his cousin Brandon to join us while I sought out the Platters - figuring the number of girls needed a boost and I hadn't seen them in a while.  :)  Annie and Abbie were kind enough to help balance out the gender quota.

    

Brandon, playing around on his laptop while the other two are Wii-ing.  Ha, ha...

   

Our place is super small, but we all fit in there rather nicely.  It was a low-key, enjoyable evening.  We introduced Brandon to everyone (the rest of us were up at LBC together this summer), caught-up with one another, ventured out to Carls Jr. for some dinner, played Catch Phrase, made brownies, and took turns playing all sorts of Wii games.

   

Chris would only agree to play Catch Phrase if I made brownies - but according to his recipe.  Of course I was more than willing to go along with that - who doesn't love brownies?!?!  The only requirement was that whatever brownies were made, a layer of peanut butter had to be added to the top.  Delicious!  Thank you Christopher!

   

I should have taken pictures throughout the night, but I only grabbed my camera once the girls left.  I was reminded of what life was like growing up with brothers.  The fellas were nice enough, but I could have done without the farts!  ;)

i can't make this stuff up...

The students just turned in an autobiography assignment. They were given a template and asked to fill in the blanks to create a unique poem about themselves. It's part of our get-to-know-you routine at the beginning of the school year.

Here's my favorite line...

"Who plans to become a dentist, more responsible, and more smarter"

Ah, the irony! ;)

why...

...do 7th graders use Mr. Sketch markers to write all over their bodies?  I thought that was something reserved for those much younger.

Alas, I was wrong.

Welcome to the end of week one (or at least the first three days of school).