My Wheel of Fortune Good Fortune!

So what an exciting day I have had today!!! If you have known me and if we have ever talked about things that we want to do you would know that I want to be a contestant on Wheel of Fortune. I even tell my students this every year. While I was expecting Rusty the Wheel Mobile came to Orlando, but we didn't go and I have regretted it ever since. So....last month we heard that they were coming to Seaworld and I said right away that I just absolutely had to go.

So this morning we took off...

There were going to be three shows. We ran a little late and missed the first one. This was the holding area where we waited to get into the show.

The show was housed in one of the huge pavilions at Seaworld. We think there was between 400 and 500 people there. This was when we first got in. The news people were interviewing the travel hosts. They were not Pat and Vanna. Their names were Marty and Heidi...

So they called people up in groups of 5. They did this 6 times. They would then introduce the people, ask them what they enjoyed, and then they would do a puzzle round. They told the audience that if their name was called that their audition started right then. They wanted to see enthusiastic, energized people that could speak clearly. After about the 4th group I couldn't believe it when they said "Rachel...(I held my breath)...McDonald" I screamed and then went and ran to the table to go up on stage!! (These pics aren't the best quality. We were really tight and Russ was just holding the camera up in the air and it was kind of dark.)

I get up on stage and Marty says, "What's your name?" To this I reply, "Rachel". "Rachel, what do you do?" I say, "I am a high school computer and drama teacher." Marty asks, "What do you do for fun?" I say, "I enjoy spending time with my husband, Russ, and our toddler, Rusty." Marty says, "Russ and Rusty!! I like that." I said, "Yes, and I coach Varsity Cheerleading and we love to watch football (not sure why that came to mind.)" Marty says, "Did you say you coach cheerleading??! Would you like to lead the crowd in a cheer today?!" I say, "Well sure!" And I then break out into "Let's Get Fired Up (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)" And everyone actually cheered with me!!!!! It was an embarrassing, but surreal out of body experience. Absolutely wonderful!! Here I am in the middle of my cheer...
This was after the cheer. Notice the lady's hand in the air. Russ said everyone who was standing where we were was cheering for me!
This is Marty spinning the wheel to see what we would win. We all won t-shirts and a Wheel of Fortune sippy cup! Perfect for Rusty. Notice the Pat cutout in the bottom right hand corner.

After the puzzle...I didn't solve it, but both of my letters were there that I called!
Anyhow, so I received a letter after I left stage inviting me to a call back audition tomorrow. These are apparently a little more intense. So wish me luck!!! (Any advice on what to wear???)

This was just a really fun day and to top it all off Alabama is currently beating Georgia 31-0 at halftime. Roll Tide!!!!

Special Delivery!

My brother Josh and Hannah celebrated the birth of their second daughter on September 3rd which also happens to be my sister Hannah's birthday as well. Her name is Morgan Grace...

Proud Papa.

Both cousin Rebecca and Gracie also have birthdays in September.

Great Granny Jackson and baby Morgan

Happy Grannies!!

We Love Our Saders!

Thought I would put up a few pics of our teams.

Russ JV football team. (6th-8th grade)

My Varsity girls in their extension prep at the football game. We have been able to do some pretty neat stuff this year.

This was at the end of a long Friday! Notice Rusty still has his foot ball :o)

JV and Varisty girls together.

Special thanks to Ashley Sturgis (11th grade) for the awesome pictures she has been taking for me this year! It is especially a big help since my yearbook staff consists of only one student!

I think one of the great things about our school is that we are big enough to offer several sports programs and that we are small enough for any student to participate in any sport they please to. I love the atmosphere when we are in the stands cheering for kids that we know and love!

Please continue to pray for Rusty. We had to take him to the hospital for a breathing treatment. He is doing a little better. He is crawling on me right now so I'm going to finish this up. Have a great week!

Hi Everyone! I've been having trouble with my internet connection. I did a great post for Grandparent's Day, but I never could get it to upload. We are busy again and going here and there. Our school year is going extremely well much to our pleasure.



We have all been a little under the weather. Rusty was up last night with a fever that he finally sweated around 6 this morning. So I've stayed home with him today. Rusty is feeding himself very well now. He is talking a little more each day. Most of the time when you see him he will be carrying some type of ball. Some kids carry stuffed animals, some carry soft and fuzzy blankets, but my son has to carry ugly balls--and it's usually a football. He LOVES going to the ballgames, but now when he throws the ball at home he throws himself down on the ground and says "touchdown!"

We went to an open house at Papa Dale's church last weekend. They had one of those moonwalk bouncy things and Rusty and Russ had fun in there for a little bit.

Well, I'm going to try to post a video of him jumping. We'll see how it goes. Love to everyone!

Happy Birthday, Aunt Hannah!

I would like to use this post to wish my little sister a very happy birthday! As usual, I procrastinated with getting the card in the mail and it doesn't help that she is in England so it will take at least a week to get there. Not to mention that it is already her birthday in England while it is still the day before here. (This is going to mess with the time/space continuum!!--My husband loves Back to the Future)

All of the siblings
A little time travel....Hannah was definetly the cutest here! I do remember thinking I was something else in this sailor dress. How sad...
Good times at the dinner table.
Happy Birthday, Aunt Hannah!!!

Preparing for Tropical Storm Fay!

So we had a busy week last week getting our classrooms ready and lesson plans done. We worked all weekend to be ready for the first day of school which went off great! Now, though, we find ourselves with two days out of school because Tropical Storm Fay is coming for a visit. Talk about anticlimatic...

We're stocked up with water, beanie weanies, and peanut butter and bananas--that is what I call survival food! Rusty decided to pull out each bottle of water that was beside the table. Even as I'm doing this post he got into the cabinet and has stacked a can of chili, two cans of vienna sausage, and topped it off with a bottle of mustard! What an artist, right?

Rusty admiring his hard work.

His teeth are still bothering him, but I sure do hope that this is the end of it.

My classroom which is ready and waiting!

We're going to just weather the storm and stay put! Russ' mom has a generator so if we lose power we will go over there. Keep everyone in Florida in your prayers.

So here we are at the end of summer. I have thought to myself, "where did the summer go?" but I can honestly say that I know exactly where it went! God has blessed us and we enjoyed our summer to the fullest. We had days to just spend at home together and work on the house, but we also took two trips out of state as well as a short trip to the beach. We made many wonderful memories and I wouldn't trade them for anything! (Now I might have traded some of the 10 hour car trips, but you take the good with the bad, right?)

I am thankful for the way God provided for us over and over. Russ was able to do a few paint jobs which allowed some extra money for the trips, but on the same hand he was able to stay at home with us mostly and enjoy our summer together. Even if he did spend much of his time in the yard and repairing the house. :o)

I want to thank God for some prayers that He answered for us this week:

1. God provided good insurance for Rusty and we will have his cyst removed in the next few weeks.

2. My mother got a good job with great benefits and we have been praying for that for several months now.

3. God provided Hannah with the finances she needed to spend this next semester in England. (Also, Mom's insurance came in just in time to keep Hannah from having to buy the school's insurance. Isn't God's timing perfect?)

With school starting back, we will be paying for babysitting again, but I know God will provide and I am thankful for the boost in my faith with these answered prayers.

We've had a chance to get together with several of our friends at church this summer and become closer with many of them. We love our church family and it is refreshing to have good Christian friends to have fun with.

Every single one of Rusty's grandparents (Which includes 6 great-grandparents, 4 grandparents, 1 step-great grandparent, and 2 step-grandparents), aunts, and uncles got to see him and how he has grown. Rusty was at a very enjoyable age and loved to show off for all of them! He made best friends with his papa and still talks about him and holds his picture.

So here I am working on bulletin boards now and getting ready to start the new school year. I am sad about having to be away from Rusty, but I refuse to dread what God has called me to do! (Just pray that I can keep this attitude :o)

Some shots I took around the house...

Mimi brought Rusty over a Push Pop last night! He loved every drop of it, even though this picture sort of betrays that thought.

"oooooooooh"

Thank you, Mimi!

Daddy and Rusty are enjoying a book that Rusty's friend, Clay, let him borrow.

Sporting his new outfit!

Daddy and Rusty making beautiful music together!

Look out, Jared, I see a new Subway spokesman on the rise!

Rusty to the rescue! Obviously this was right after supper and right before the bath.

Thanks for stopping by for a brief look at our lives!