Another Month and No New Posts!!!!

Well, we have been pretty busy....Albert had a GREAT chorus show this past Thursday night. His chorus sang a medley from the musical "Grease"!! The kids (and Albert) did such a wonderful job!!! We have only 4 more days of school (with kids)!!! Tuesday and Wednesday are Olympics, and Thursday is awards day, so we are pretty much done!! We are currently enjoying a fun filled weekend with the Webers, our friends from Hunstville. We are trying our hardest to convince them to move to Dalton, but yet we have to go to Chattanooga to do anything!!!! We went to the Braves game yesterday, on the hottest day of the year, but left in the 7th inning due to heat exahustion from Mandy and Amy (mom-to-be) Weber. Albert is still building on the house on Lake Allatoona in Cobb County, and though it is coming along, this will be the first and last house he builds in Cobb County!! It makes you thankful to live in a smaller town when having to deal with all the red tape there is down there. We are looking forward to summer and maybe a quick trip to the beach sometime soon!!!!

Okay, Okay, I will update the blog!!!!!

Love the beach hair.

The Results

The steps it takes to get there!!

So I knew this would happen when I began blogging. I knew we would get busy and I would just forget. So thanks to my friend, aka the blogger..."po po" was it....Meleia, I am updating the blog. We had a blast at the beach. With all our family and some friends (The Bradleys, but we consider them family) babies and dogs, and no hurt feelings, we came back just GREAT!!! We are both doing good! Albert only has 10 more days left this year, since he is half time, but is really enjoying his time at North Whitfield. I have a little over a month, and a lot to accomplish in a short amount of time. Here are some pics from our trip!!!!

2 more days!!!!!

The TESTING is OVER!!! I am so drained, and I didn't even take the darn CRCT test. I can't imagine how tired the kids are from these past two weeks. We are now working on a Chocolate unit at school and we are reading the play "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and will be watching the movie. It is so funny to me that the kids are begging to see the "old" movie instead of the newer version. They crack me up, you never know what to expect with sixth graders. Albert's chorus class is going fabulous!!! They are currently working on a "Grease" medley that they will perform at the end of the year. His "other" full time job of building houses is also going quite well. They are trying to finish up a job in Dalton, just started a custom build job in Rocky Face, and is in the middle of a custom job on Lake Allatoona in Cobb County. Sometimes we just see flashes of each other, but we are thankful for all of the work. When Albert emails me the pictures, I will post some images of the houses that he is working on. So, an update on my grandparents move to town. Some have asked where they are going. Well, they have bought a condo in North Oaks. It is on the same street as two of her sisters, and down the street from one other sister. Yesterday, my vehicle was packed with doll houses, my old "Light Bright" which I had totally forgotten about, cabbage patch dolls, stuffed animals, and many other items. They are all currently in our garage (Albert was so excited....HA) and I have to decide where I will store them!! I am so glad she saved them though, it was fun to see all that stuff. It brought back good memories!! Have a good rest of the week!! Spring break is soon!!!

4 More Days!!!

The countdown is on for SPRING BREAK!!!! Albert and I will be enjoying a nice little getaway to the beach. Actually, my whole family will be headed down to Perdidio Key for part of the week and the weekend. There are 14 adults, 4 kiddos and 5 dogs...yes it will be a circus, but we love every minute of it!!!! I will post pictures of the events!!! We are looking forward to spending time with everyone. My grandparents are in the process of moving out of their house in Varnell. The have lived in this house for 15 years, but have lived in Varnell for over 40 years, so the accumulation of "stuff" is unbelievable. So, the Annie mansion, the Barbie doll dreamhouse, Cabbage Patch dolls, keyboard, bicycle, Mickey Mouse phone, and all other relics from my childhood will now be transferred to our house for the "great-grandkids" as Mammaw Gladys puts it. Now, I don't know when those kids will be here, but whenever they arrive, they will have plenty of toys!!! Now we have to search for a place to put all of these treasures. That is the fun part. Tomorrow we finish the Science portion of the CRCT, and then it is one test left to go!! Time to get ready for tomorrow!!!

The CRCT craze has begun!!!!

In our education world we have a sort of different March/April "madness." We wish it was just basketball craziness, but we began the testing crunch. These test are based on standards that we have been teaching all year, but they are not fun to give, nor are they fun to take according the the kiddos :)!!! They were hard workers, though, and I think that we will all be glad when they are over!!! Albert and I are enjoying having a few nights at home, not having to be anywhere, although we went to Cracker Barrel for a quick meal with some friends last night, and it turned into a two hour meal.... another story, another day, bad service!!!!! At least we had good company to visit with during the wait!! Thank you all for your cards, calls, messages etc during the passing of my Pappaw Luke, you are all very sweet!! My family is doing well, though some days it is hard to believe it is real. It is wonderful to have great friends!! 8 more school days until Spring Break!! Woo-Hool!!!!

We will miss you, Pappaw Luke

Pappaw, Granny (holding me) and Susan (my aunt)

posing on a Sunday afternoon.

Pappaw, me and Granny before one of Granny's

high school reunions.

Susan, Pappaw Luke, Granny and I at the beach.

The first time he ever saw the ocean!!

Thanks for all of your prayers, calls, well wishes and concern for my Pappaw Luke. Sorry I have not blogged in a few days, but I think that we knew his time on this Earth was drawing near and we wanted to spend as much time with him as possible at the hospital. Friday night, he was moved into MICU, so we could wait outside to see him a few minutes at a time. He just could not overcome the pneumonia that was overtaking his lungs. He had such a good attitude, he never complained or asked anything of us. He just would have a big grin on his face whenever we would come into his room. He just wanted us to surround him. On Monday, March 24th, his body was tired and he was ready to go home. I know that Jesus welcomed him into heaven Monday morning. God answered many prayers in that my grandmother, my mom and her brothers and sisters did not have to make hard decisions about whether or not to put him on machines, but that Pappaw slipped off into a peaceful sleep. He did not suffer in death. He was such a special man. A wonderful daddy, granddaddy and great-grandaddy. We will miss him terribly, but we are at peace knowing he is not suffering anymore. I will be 29 years old in June, and I had all four grandparents this entire time. It is has been very hard to let Pappaw Luke go. I know you try to prepare your mind, but you are NEVER ready to let them go. So doing the funeral home thing was a new experience. I never knew how taxing it was on the family, but I also never knew how thankful you are to the people who come to pay their respects. It gave me a whole new outlook on why paying your respects to your family and friends is so important. His funeral was yesterday, and it was so beautiful. He was an wonderful man and we are selfish in the loss, but rejoicing that he is in a far better place. I love you, Pappaw Luke!!!!

Where have the Coleys been?!?!?!?!

The house "Extreme Home Makeover" made over in Louisville.

Albert's prized possession from the trip. His own Louisville Slugger Bat!!!

The outside of the Louisville Slugger Museum. The bat is over 100 feet tall!!!

So we have not fallen off the face of the Earth, though those closest to us have not seen us much lately. Well first off, I (Mandy), had a school trip to the Schlechty Center (you school people will know what this is) in Louisville, Kentucky to participate in a Coaching for Design workshop. It was a GREAT experience, and I had a great group to travel with. There were only four of us from Whitfield County, and I think we represented well!!! We also were able to take in some of the sights of the town while we were there. Albert took care of things at home and did a fabulous job!! While I was gone, my grandfather on my mom's side suffered a stroke and has lost some movement in his arm, legs, and it has affected his ability to swallow. He is still in the hospital in Dalton. He also has some pneumonia. We would really appreciate your prayers for him. His name is Luke Hill. Albert is still teaching and doing a great job I might add. The kids are loving his class. Getting middle schoolers to sing is a huge feat!!! And most of them enjoy it!!! Albert also just finished singing with a group that performed Tuesday night at a church in Chattanooga, and he will perform Brahms Requiem with the Chattanooga Symphony and Orchestra on Friday, March 28th and Saturday, March 29th at the Tivoli. Whew....no wonder we are never home. We miss you all and hope to see you soon. Again, we ask for your prayers for my grandfather!! Love to you all!!