Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from The Phillips'!  

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:10-11

For to us a child is born, 

   to us a son is given,  and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 Isaiah 9:6

Time Flies!

It's been just over a month since my last post, and there have been so many things going on since then.  To name a few, football season ended in the first round of playoffs for Trent, Kristen and Jason are now engaged, Aggie football, a trip home for Thanksgiving, and now it's on to Christmas decorating and shopping!

-Football season ended with excitement as Granbury played at Floyd Casey Stadium (Baylor) in Waco.  The boys had a great year, but we must admit that it has been so nice having Trent around a little more!!  :)

-Kristen and Jason are ENGAGED!  We are excited to add a new member to our family, and have already started the wedding planning process.  We celebrated with cupcakes and Sparkling Apple Cider when we were all home for Thanksgiving.

Kristen and Jason

The cupcakes I made for the future Jason & Kristen Burns

-Although the weekend started off with me being sick, Trent and I were able to make a trip down to College Station for a Fightin' Texas Aggie football game!!  We were SO EXCITED about going since we hadn't been to Kyle Field in two years!  We met Trent's mom and my sisters, Kalyn and Kandace, there.  We had a great weekend, and left with the win!!  (Too bad it turn out the same for the t.u. game...)

-Thanksgiving came quickly and went by just the same.  It was great to have a week off from school!  Trent and I went to my family for Thanksgiving this year, and the weather was perfect.  East Texas sure was gorgeous, with all of the green grass and trees of many different colors.  As we were heading that way, I mentioned to Trent how a specific road we were on reminded me of what Tennessee would look like in the fall---and yes, Trent actually admitted that he thought it was pretty! :)  We had a great time with my family, and I was so glad that the whole family was there.  

-The Sunday we got back home, the Christmas decorations went up!  :)  I love this time of year!  Pandora was playing Christmas music, Trent was taking care of putting together the tree, and I was decorating whatever I could with the decorations that we have!  This year, the most exciting thing to put out was definitely the barbed wire tree that my brother in law, Keith, made for me!  I couldn't wait to decorate it with colored lights and all of our "fun/not matching" ornaments.  As of now, all but a couple of gifts have been purchased, Christmas cards have been ordered, and presents are beginning to collect under the tree.  

My barbed wire Christmas tree :)

Other than the normal schedule of life and enjoying time with friends in Granbury, that is what we have been up to lately.  We have a lot of events planned for the next several weeks...I hope I will get better at posting more often!  Until then...

October

This month has gone by very fast!  Other than the normal football season here in Granbury, we have been watching lots of baseball (maybe next year, Rangers!), visiting friends, and this weekend we attended a Quinceanera.  The coach that Trent coached football and soccer with in Cy-Fair has a daughter who just turned 15.  They have been planning her Quinceanera for over a year, and continuously let Trent know how much they wanted us to attend this celebration.  It was definitely a new experience for both of us, especially since we don't know Spanish, but worth the trip!  Trent was able to visit with a couple of the other coaches he coached with, and even saw a few of his former players/students.  Coach DeLuna was so glad that Trent was able to make it down.  I think they all miss Trent, and one of his students even asked if he was going to come back to Cy-Fair! :)  Here are a few pictures from this month.

We were the "Black Eyed P's" (for Phillips, get it?) :)

Bonnie was the deer, Cody was the hunter, and
Caiden was a Ninja Turtle

Bonnie decorating her pumpkin

Trent and Coach DeLuna at the Quinceanera

Latest Craft

I recently made another sign for a baby's nursery.  Thanks to my friend, Bonnie, for always giving me fun crafts to make!  Bonnie is giving this to a friend/coworker as a gift at an upcoming baby shower. Here are a few pictures of how it turned out.  (These pictures were taken with my phone, so the lighting isn't that great....)

Gabriella

Happy Fall Y'all!

Helloooooo!!  I can't believe this is the first time I've posted in over a month!!  Time is just flying by, and now it's already October!  Life with the Phillips' has been very busy with school and football these days, that when I'm actually home I don't feel like doing anything....not even blogging!! :)   


School has been going pretty well for both us.  Overall, our classes are not that bad!  I actually feel like this is my best group I've ever taught (they are so sweet!!).  However, I feel that I have spent way more time "after hours" this year than I've ever done before.  I have gone up to my classroom every weekend, except for a couple, to try to catch up.  I don't know why I haven't been as productive during the school day, but hopefully I'll figure out a better routine soon!!
Here are a few pictures of things we have been up to....


In September we went to Trent's hometown for Pioneer Reunion.  This is a big homecoming weekend, full of parades and rodeos.  Trent's dad is on the 9 Man Board, which is in charge of planning the events of the weekend.  Trent's mom is also very involved, as she helps with the Queens and float decorating.  The first 4 pictures are from Pioneer Reunion!

The junior class float---Trent's mom, Kandace, helped with this one!

Trent's dad, Leonard, 3rd from the left

Waiting out the storm during the rodeo at Pioneer Reunion

Trent's parents, waiting out the storm

At my cousin, Erin's, wedding

Trent walking with his football players at
the Homecoming parade.

This weekend was actually our first weekend to stay home.  Every weekend since before school started we have had plans and needed to travel, but this weekend we finally got to enjoy some down time.  We watched football (imagine that!), I actually got some house cleaning done, made pumpkin muffins, and I even put out my fall decor!  I don't have much, but here is what I did!  :)  I just love this time of year!!!

Mantle

The flowers will bloom maroon....had to add maroon to the
 mix of all of this orange!!

1st Day of School

Well, our first day of school is officially complete.  Trent and I both had a pretty good day.  My class seems to be a very sweet group of kids, with the exception of a couple, haha!  Right not I'm sitting at just over a full house, with 23 students!!  Today went by quickly, as it was full of gathering and putting away supplies, going over classroom procedures, and familiarizing my 3rd graders of their new school!  I am really looking forward to getting into full swing with teaching, as those days aren't so tiresome!  :)  I'm ready for a routine, and for the kids to know how things work in our classroom.

Trent moved into a portable this year.  He is very happy with his classroom, as it is not such a long walk to get to his room this year.  He especially likes that he was able to hang stuff on his walls (mainly maps!)!  He is teaching 4 classes of US History, which consists mainly of juniors.  His largest class is at 30....can you imagine 30 desks in a portable?  He did a great job getting it all to fit!  :)  I took these pictures about a week ago, so there were still some things he added/changed before this morning.

And as I mentioned in my last post----I know, it's been so long since I've been on here----I moved across the hall into a different classroom.  Here are pictures of my room.  :)

Stole this idea from Pinterest.com!

Shelf I painted.  It's on the wall behind my desk.

August Already???

Well, summer is officially over....or at least for Trent.  Football camp this week, then 2-a-days begin next Monday.  I have one more week, as the teachers go back on August 9th.  I can't believe August is already here.  This month is always such a busy month for both of our families, as many of us are teachers and there are 7 birthdays in August between the two of our families.  This year is particularly exciting, also because my sister, Kandace, will begin her first year at Texas A&M!!  WHOOP!!  She actually left this morning for FISH camp!  Let school and birthday celebrations begin!!  haha

Speaking of school, this year my mom and sister, Kalyn, will both be teaching 5th grade math.  This is Kalyn's first year to teach!!!  They are in different school districts, but this age and subject will be new to both of them.  Although they do not think it is the "perfect" job, we know that they are definitely blessed to have jobs in this Texas education system today.  So, can you guess what our conversations are about these days? :)  I know many teachers dread this part of the year, because the end is so near.  Don't get me wrong, I am not exactly looking forward to starting back, either.  (I have enjoyed not having to "get ready" in the mornings)  However, I LOVE getting my classroom ready and buying school supplies!  :)  I am so excited that Kalyn gets to experience the fun of having a classroom to decorate and students to plan for.  Too bad I can't make this my profession---organizing and decorating classrooms for teachers. :)  On Saturday, we will be moving Kalyn into her new apartment in Tyler.  She began new hire trainings today!

This year, I will be in a different classroom.  This means that I needed to completely take down everything, and move my stuff to the new room.  Having to prepare a new classroom also means that I had to put everything back up in my new room!  Some of you might think this is a simple task, but let me just say that last summer when we moved to Granbury, 28 of the boxes were my school stuff!!  :)  This past Friday, Bonnie came in and helped me put up all of my posters and bulletin boards.  She was such a BIG help!!  I still have to put everything else away, but I am glad to already have that task behind me.  I will post pictures when I can get things straightened up!

We have had such a great summer, and are so thankful for a relaxing, enjoyable, and memorable 2 months.  This is definitely the reward that teachers get, must have, in order to continue teaching the next year. :)

The Latest

The latest name sign that I made was for my good friend, Chelsea.  She is going to be a 1st grade 

teacher in Garland this year, so of course she needs a cute name sign 

for her classroom!  I'm so excited for you, Chelsea!  :)

Texas Rangers

This past Friday, Trent and I were able to spend some time with our friends, Ryan and Allison, at a Texas Rangers game.  Ryan did a great job getting seats that were behind home plate, in the shade, and up where there was a nice breeze!!  Thank goodness for those seats, because it was HOT!!!  :)  The game was great, and they beat the Blue Jays 12-2!!  :)  Thanks for inviting us to the game, Ryan and Allison!!!!  :)

Allison and me---She's 5 months pregnant, doesn't she look great!!! 

Trent and me

Ryan and Allison

The McClendon's and Phillips'

Cruise

Last Thursday we took a "girls" trip---we went on a cruise to Cozumel!!!  :)  It was a 4 day cruise that left from Galveston, then we had a day at sea, a day in Cozumel, another day at sea, and then back to Galveston.  We had such a good time together.   The weather was perfect, the water was beautiful, and the company was wonderful!  We ate so much food, and soaked up a lot of sun!  I have posted a lot of pictures----if you're like me, you would rather see the pictures, than read, anyway!  :)

Day 1-Evening on the ship, leaving Galveston:

Boarding the ship! 

On our balcony, leaving Galveston

After dinner family picture....the wind wasn't helping,
but I thought this was a fun picture!

 Day 2--Fun day at sea!:

Soakin' up some sun on the back deck of the ship

Top deck water slides

Warm chocolate melting cake with vanilla ice cream.....this is the dessert
I ate after dinner every night!!  :)  Delicious!

Dinner

Each night our waiters would dance/sing a song, once everyone
had been served their meal.  Gilbert, our waiter, asked
 Kristen to dance with him tonight!  She was such a good sport!!

Hanging out after dinner.  This is the Grand Foyer of the ship.

Day 3--Cozumel:

Instead of shopping in Cozumel, like most people did, we decided to go to a beach that was on an island near Cozumel.  It was about a 45 minute boat ride to the island, then we stayed there for about 3 hours, and came back.  The water and beach was gorgeous!!!  

Our ship is in the background
Mom, me, Kalyn, Kandace, Caitlyn, and Kristen

Boat ride to the beach

Me, Kristen, and Kalyn

Kalyn and me---trying to figure out how to get sun on our backs,
because those chairs made it awkward to lay in!

Kristen, me, and mom in the ocean

Kandace and her friend Caitlyn

Kristen, Mom, and Kalyn in the hammocks after we ate lunch

Dinner on the ship

Kristen and me

Kandace, Kalyn, and Mom

Day 4--Fun day at sea:

Kalyn and me in the pool before it go too crowded

Our virgin drinks--Kalyn got a pina colada, and mom and
I got strawberry daiquiri's.

Kandace and me 

Kalyn, Caitlyn, and Kandace

Sunset on our last night at sea

Kristen sitting on our balcony,
watching the beautiful sunset!