Mike + Amy = The Nelson Family

I'm moving!!

2009-11-12T19:56:00.004-05:00

Come visit me at:

http://previouslypeachy.blogspot.com/

See you soon! :)

Not Alone

2009-10-09T16:44:00.005-04:00

There is a family from my church that I do not know well. I taught their daughter when she was one. They always came to the door with a smile and with only kind things to say. Just mere observation says that they are a very loving family that loves Jesus very much. Today she commented on my blog sharing that she, too, has lost a baby. I read through some of her posts and came across this:

I am so thankful for our baby. So thankful that the Lord gave him/her to us, if only for a short time. I'm thankful for the nurse who helped me make the decision to hold and look at my tiny little baby bundled up in what looked like a huge receiving blanket. I wish I would've gazed longer and held on tighter. I'm thankful for the pain that brought me closer to my Father and my husband and my Maggie. We've been changed. I'm not sure the pain will go away. I'm not sure I want it to. It is a reminder to me that God is in control. A reminder that what I too often think of as my children, are really never mine in the first place. They're his. We're entrusted with their precious lives for as long as He sees fit. I am reminded today of the weighty task we have to bring Maggie up in the training and instruction of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). Her life, no matter how long it will last is for one purpose only, to glorify the Lord. My life is for that same purpose. So is yours.

Thank you, Julia, for sharing your heart. God has used you to touch the lives of others - and to touch my life today.

Our Precious Baby

2009-09-28T19:46:00.003-04:00

Dear Baby Nelson,

I know that you are with Jesus in Heaven now. We are very sad and miss you very much, but we know that Jesus will take better care of you than we could. We will see you someday and we are very excited to be able to hug you. We love you very much and always will.

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Watch

2009-06-22T10:00:00.000-04:00

My Two Favorite Dads

2009-06-21T15:37:00.002-04:00

Happy Fathers Day to my wonderful father!!!

And Happy Fathers Day to my brother - who will soon be a dad to a handsome baby boy!

My dad was a beautiful example of a father to us. We are so very blessed to have him. And I'm very pleased that my brother will take from our dad the ability to be a good dad himself.

Thank you, God...for the two dads in my life.

End of the Year Picnic

2009-05-23T14:14:00.003-04:00

Niece or Nephew!!!

2009-05-06T14:25:00.005-04:00

Dear Danny and Megan,

You will be amazing parents! The amount of love that you already have for your baby is unbelievable. God has blessed you both and will continue to teach you how to care for your child even before birth. I can't wait to see you and your little one interact in just 6 short months!!!

I love you both!

Amy

Dear Baby Peach,

I cannot even begin to explain to you how blessed you are to have your mommy and daddy. You have been prayed for since before you even existed! God is placing you perfectly into a loving home. You will grow up learning about so many neat things! But most importantly, you will learn about Jesus. We will continue to pray for you throughout your life. We are so excited to meet you!!

Love,

Aunt Amy and Uncle Mike

Father in heaven,

I ask that you protect this little family. Keep them safe throughout pregnancy and after. God, I know that you can and will love this child and teach Danny and Megan how to teach their child how to love you too. Thank you so much for this gift in their lives. Guide them throughout this journey. Keep them safe. Give them the strength they will need for sleepless nights and hard times. Help them to look to you always.

Thank you, Jesus.

My Weekend (that went too fast...)

2009-05-03T19:56:00.003-04:00

Friday night - I met Michael at the dollar theater in town.....only the first showing of the afternoon is 50 cents - everyday! We love going to the movies for only $1.00!! We saw Confessions of a Shopaholic. Michael is such a good husband to see the girlie movies with me!! It was cute - nothing spectacular. Then we went to Ruby Tuesday's with our gift card! (Thanks, Pam!!) We had a good (and cheap) date night!

Saturday - I slept in!! 9:00!! Michael got up early to do some work and I just relaxed around the house until about noon. I love the days that I get to sleep in and do nothing! I had a class at the Pregnancy Resource Center at 1:00. I have really enjoyed spending time there. God is at work at that center. It's so neat to see what God will do when we step back and let him work. I went straight from the PRC to the Davenport's house for Josh's graduation party! We know him through YoungLife. Congratulations, Josh!!! That evening, we made dinner at home and rented Bride Wars from the dollar box. (Once again - such a trooper for watching the girlie movies!) That one was funny.

Sunday - Church. Worked in Waumba from 8:30-12:30..then home for my nap. I told my father in law about Nazarene Naps...and he came up with Southside Siesta's. I like this one better!! :) We went to dinner with Mike's parents tonight and patiently waited out the tornado warning in the county. It passed through pretty fast. Now I'm watching Grey's Anatomy.

All in all - a good weekend. :)

Love This Man

2009-04-30T18:35:00.002-04:00

Even in times of uncertainty...God is still certain.

2009-04-26T12:25:00.007-04:00

To sermon and discussion questions, click this link: http://www.northpointministries.org/player/player.jsp?occurrenceID=3662

Hem

2009-04-25T15:19:00.002-04:00

I would just like to give a little shout out to the best group on earth.

20 Days!

2009-04-24T20:35:00.002-04:00

Well, today was the 160th day of school. I cannot believe how fast this year went! It really just seems like a few weeks ago that I was meeting my new class. My favorite part of teaching first grade is experiencing them learning to read. When they come in, they might be able to read a few words and now all but a couple are reading chapter books! How rewarding.

I blogged a few months ago that I will be leaving my current school. As it turns out (thanks to the economy) I will be staying. I feel very good about this decision...not just because I had no choice. :) Actually, with it being my 4th year at the school, I have a good handle on things.

So....another year! I am anxious to see where God has me after next year!

Thank you for all of your prayers concerning Mike's job. While there has not been a permanent job offer yet, God is providing SO much freelance work for us. It's amazing to see how God is taking care of us - just as he promised he would.

I have spring fever.

2009-04-18T15:48:00.003-04:00

I have been waiting for this part of the year for so long! I saw too much snow, too much ice, and experienced too much cold this past winter. Have I mentioned that I am not a fan of the cold? I'm so excited to hear the sounds of kids playing in their yards and to see all of the golf carts out and about! SPRING IS HERE!

Disney...at last!!

2009-04-11T20:40:00.006-04:00

I spent a week with my family at Disney last week. It was my first time and I had a great time! I can't wait to go back with our kids someday!

For the rest of the pictures, go here - http://picasaweb.google.com/aepeach

Prayer Changes Me

2009-03-28T16:20:00.003-04:00

We've been married for 583 days. I can't believe it. It's gone so by so fast. I am so thankful for Michael. I prayed and prayed for someone that would love me like he does. It's so refreshing to know that even in hard times, Michael relies on God to provide for us.

I've been doing a women's bible study on the book of Ruth. The main thread of the book of Ruth is God's providential hand. I've learned a lot about prayer. Prayer sometimes moves the hand of God and sometimes changes the heart of the person praying. Since Michael got laid off, he has been making sure to lead our family in prayer thanking God for all he has done and asking for protection of our little family. All the while, Michael has been working extremely hard to find a job. Just as God sent Boaz to answer his own prayer in the book of Ruth.....I believe that God has called Michael to work hard to answer our prayers for a job. I am thankful to God for answering my prayers for a Godly husband. I am thankful to God for providing for our family. All we have is God's and it's up to Him what he wants us to have.

Lately

2009-02-28T13:29:00.004-05:00

Hello friends! It's been so long! :) I have been SO busy!!! So - here is a list of things I have been doing since Christmas:

Teaching 2nd grade after school.
Read the entire Twilight series. Ha.
Volunteering at Pregnancy Resource Center of Fayette County.
Started a women's bible study. (Currently studying Ruth).
Sang Karaoke numerous times.
Lost 15 lbs.
Gained it all back.
Celebrated my 18 month wedding anniversary.
Celebrated the best Valentine's Day with my perfect husband.
Learned a ton about marriage though sermons and the bible.
Made amazing friends in Peachtree City.
Planned a trip to Nashville to see NKOTB with Katie!
Decided to stay at the school I am currently at thanks to the economy.
Decided to get my master's degree in K-6 Reading and Math.
Decided to pursue being a college professor of education.
Planned what we want our nursery to look like when we have kids someday. :)
Put a photography studio in our bonus room.
Started counting down until the last day of school. (Currently at 54 days).
Planned a trip to Disney World in April!! (Very Excited!)
Loved Jesus.
Trusted Jesus.
Read more of the bible.
Decided to work with YoungLife in my county.

Ok - I'm sure there is more.....it's been 2 months since I have written! But - that's all I can think of for now. :)

Merry Christmas!!!

2008-12-24T10:32:00.005-05:00

http://www.ninthhourphotography.com/2009christmas_card.pdf

Terrific Tuesday!

2008-11-25T20:17:00.000-05:00

Tonight I worked out....harder than I have in a long time. I know I'll be hurting tomorrow.

I got to the gym at 3:45 and ran/walked a 5K (3.14 miles). "A 5K a Day" is what I am striving for....not really everyday, but every time I go to the gym (which should be 5 days a week).

Then I did the circuit (similar to curves) 4 times.

Then I biked for a couple of miles waiting for the class to begin.

Finally, I attended the hour long BOOTY BOOTCAMP class. Oh man - it hurt. If I don't have buns of steel by the end of this year long contract at the gym, then something is wrong.

:) So - I feel great.

Monday's Musings

2008-11-17T20:01:00.000-05:00

Today was a rough day. It's always hard to miss one day, let alone three. I stood at my door this morning scared to go in....fearing the worst. Papers everywhere. Books out of place. And worst of all....my desk piled up with papers (normally nice and neat). And...I found that it wasn't too bad. There were a few things out of place, but for the most part, it was ok. The second most fearful part of returning is to read the behavior section of the sub notes. The children that normally behave also do so for a substitute. But the ones that have mediocre behavior run loose on these days. And last week was no exception. Yelling, screaming, tearing up books, running around the room, back talking the sub, and hollering over her pretending to be the teacher are just a few things that I read about.

I really don't get it, for the most part the children listen to me and do their best. But they can be so rude and disrespectful for someone else in the room looking after them. I was terrified to misbehave in first grade. And to hear of the awful things that my children have said makes me ill. The things they have said to me are bad enough.

So...that was my day. Dealing with discipline and catching up on the many tests and assignments we had missed. It's not worth it to be sick. It's harder to be out than to just suck it up and go. If only the doctor would have approved it.

But, to top off my day...my principal approached me at the end of the day asking if the rumors were true that I would not be returning next year. (Gulp!) Now, I hadn't mentioned it yet simply because I am not 100% sure. If I get hired in another district, I will definitely take the job because of it's proximity to home. Driving an hour each way is just way too far and extremely exhausting. So now the administration knows. Sigh....of relief. That was what I was SO nervous about and now I don't have to worry about it. He knows.

What could be in store for me tomorrow??? I can't wait to find out.

Sunday's Scriptures

2008-11-16T19:46:00.002-05:00

Our current series at church is called "Destinations" by Andy Stanley. Here is a link to the sermons... http://www.southside.org/index.php?pr=Messages

This has been a 4 part series - all of which I enjoyed. Last week (part 3) the scripture verse focused on was Proverbs 3:5-7.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.

Why is it so hard for me to do this? We talked about this in our small group recently. Michael and I have been in a situation where we fully trusted God - fully with a situation - and he provided for us so much more than we really could have imagined.

Yet it is still so hard for me to trust God with EVERY aspect of my life - of our lives. You would think it would be a no brainer after hearing amazing stories, seeing God do amazing things in other people's lives, and even experiencing Him first hand in a situation that required nothing but trust.

I am just thankful to have such an amazing God that forgives me, loves me, and constantly reminds me to trust him through scripture, church, friends, and family.

Still sick...

2008-11-13T04:17:00.003-05:00

Oh my. My fever reached 104 last night. I looked up fever symptoms and have experienced ALL of them. Lucky me, huh? I can't sleep so here I am at 4:30, blogging.

The few times I've been sick since I've known Michael have been times that reassured me that this is right. He's amazing. Poor guy has to deal with my aching and crying...but he would do it 100 more times. I'm so thankful for him.

Sick

2008-11-12T10:50:00.001-05:00

I'm home from work today. I never thought I would say this, but I'd rather be at work. I guess that's what a 103 fever and strep throat will do to you.

Exercise

2008-11-10T19:28:00.002-05:00

Ran 2.5 miles today! :)

Good Weekend Ahead!

2008-11-07T15:08:00.002-05:00

I'm really looking forward to this weekend. Here is what I am doing:

Date night (dinner and movie) with my amazing husband.

5K at 8:00 am tomorrow morning.

Weight Watchers at 11:00 (hopefully I lost weight again!) :)

Shopping with Kim and Mallory! Fun times!

Spending the evening at home with Mike!

Church Sunday morning.

Running in the afternoon with some of the small group ladies.

Relaxing Sunday evening.

Wouldn't you be looking forward to the weekend??? :)

Sigh...

2008-11-04T20:40:00.003-05:00

Maybe a new look will inspire me....

I frequently sit down to blog and have NOTHING to blog about.

I find that having 2 blogs overwhelming....so I am deleting my weight loss one and I will start updating health and exercise things here.

I have been a vegetarian for a little over 2 weeks now. Just trying something new, I guess. Along with that and running frequently, I am losing weight pretty quickly. It's a nice feeling to know that my hard work is finally starting to pay off.

Time to go put clothes away.....

Sermon worth watching...

2008-10-05T14:04:00.000-04:00

http://www.northpointministries.org/player/player_large.jsp?occurrenceID=2197

I'm A Regular!!!

2008-09-19T20:53:00.002-04:00

:) Ok - I was going to Subway today on the way home from work to pick up my dinner. I always go in and get a veggie sub and apples. As soon as I went to order, the guy looked at me and said, "I'm guessing you want your usual veggie sub." I got so excited. He probably thought I was crazy. Living in 3 big cities...I have never been a regular ANYWHERE!!! And now...finally...in our small town....people know who I am! :) So I informed him.....I'm always going to come in and say " the usual please." :)

And - I ran a long way without stopping tonight. I won't say how long because most of you probably would laugh at me...but it was my LONGEST EVER!!! Yahoo!!! And I didn't hate it - I actually enjoyed it!!! Maybe I can be a runner after all.

:)

It's been too long...

2008-09-14T20:17:00.002-04:00

Hey all! (Whoever is still reading....) Here's what's been going on in the Nelson homestead...

I've been very busy with school starting! It's been a very busy year. I have really enjoyed my class so far. :) It does take me between 45 minutes and an hour to get there. Too far...

I've also started weight watchers again. 3rd time. It's going pretty well so far. I've worked out several times this week - hoping that it becomes habitual!! I always feel so great after - I just need to actually get up and do it!

We started a small group through our church. We met them about a month ago and have met 3 times. I really like them. It's going to be very nice to get to know them over the next 2 years. I'm so excited to have a group of friends through church!

I've been really involved at church teaching the one-year-olds for the past 3 months. I love it. We have them all sitting for snack, listening to the bible story, praying with us, and cleaning up their messes. They are so cute!!! :) It's neat to know that they are hearing about Jesus every week from the same people. I am going to really enjoy seeing them grow up and learn more about Jesus.

It's also nice to know the people that will be teaching our kids once we have them. Our church is such a great place that focuses on teaching them about Jesus as soon as possible. I'm so thankful to God that he's provided such a place for us to raise a family. :)

Let me think - anything else? Any questions? :)

I hope you all have a great week!!

One Year Ago Today...

2008-08-18T19:06:00.006-04:00

I was getting married!!! Exactly one year ago we were enjoying the reception!!! Hard to believe...it's gone so fast. But we've done so much! I couldn't be happier with anyone else than I am with Michael. He is perfect for me. We compliment each other so well. Happiness.

For our anniversary celebrations (which started 2 weeks ago), we stayed the night at a hotel in Atlanta. (Since we are an hour from there now, it seemed like a real vacation)! We went to the High Museum of Art and to the Botanical Gardens. We had a great time. We ordered room service twice and just enjoyed resting and not having to worry about anything.

This past Saturday, we went to White Water in Atlanta. It is a pretty big water park. We had a blast. If you want to know specifics, check out my previous post.

Tonight we went to dinner and came back and had a piece of wedding cake! (Not from last year -that's not my style...) :) I picked up a small cake from the place we got our cake last year so that we could enjoy a piece together. Last year we didn't get to eat any except for what we cut for the pictures. It's been a nice night.

Here are a couple of fun pictures from our weekend at the hotel.

I fell 9 stories.

2008-08-17T08:07:00.005-04:00

Click here to see a picture.

I didn't think it would be that big of a deal. Oh crap - it was. For most of the "ride" I was not even touching the slide - so I really was just in mid air...falling....

At the beginning, I had to sit down at the edge and wait for the lifeguard to say it was ok to go. I could not see the slide in front of me - that's how steep it was. I laid down, crossed my legs, and crossed my arms. I really thought I was going....I was terrified. All of a sudden, I felt Mike's hand on my head - pushing me down. So, what I thought was the ride, really wasn't. I wore shorts over my swim suit and that didn't matter. When I got off, an older man said, "Yep - it's a wedgie ride." How embarrassing.

Oh well, it was fun. I'll post more about it tomorrow...(it was part of our anniversary present to each other)...and since TOMORROW is our 1 year anniversary, I'll post about all of it then.

Parent Night

2008-08-09T14:09:00.004-04:00

Yesterday we had what we called "Sneak Peek" at our school. The parents had from 4:00-6:00 to come and meet their child's teacher. Normally I see about one or two parents. Last night, I saw 13 off my parents!!! That is GREAT!!! I have 18 students this year (well as of now, I do). I am more excited about this year than I ever have been. My first year, it was all fear....and the fear has lessened a little bit each year and the excitement has grown. This year, the fear is gone. My goal has always been for 100% of my kids to be reading at the end of the year. It has never happened - but of course, it is my goal again this year. We'll see! :) So, beginning at 7:30 on Monday morning, my school year will have started. 180 days until my 4th year of teaching has passed me by.
And at that very moment, there will be 18 more children that are able to read. What a joy.

The First Day

2008-08-03T18:35:00.004-04:00

It's been a while since I have posted...really posted. So, here I go.

This summer was the first one in years that I didn't work. I traveled a lot (Kansas City in June...Tennessee twice in June....South Carolina in June....Tennessee in July). That was fun. It was nice to be able to visit family and friends. :) Mike's mom and I walked a few times in the mornings. That was nice. It's nice to have some family close. I don't know what I would do without any family close by. But it ended...I knew it would. School just came so fast!

I start school tomorrow. Teachers this week - kids next week...and for 180 school days to come.
I am looking forward to this year. This begins my fourth year of teaching and I have felt more comfortable and more confident each year. I hope this year continues the pattern! :)

I've realized that my very favorite part of teaching is when I have a student that comes into my class in August not recognizing any letters (or very few) and leaves reading. It really makes me feel like I have actually made a difference in the lives of the children.

We will be with family for Christmas this year - and we are going to Disneyworld with Mike's family for Spring Break. We are hoping to be able to go visit Kendra and Simon over the summer (in Europe). Having all of these things to look forward to will make the school year go faster.

On another note - our one year anniversary is 2 weeks from tomorrow. I cannot believe it's been a year already! It's gone so fast!!! I've heard that the first year of marriage is the hardest....well it was wonderful for us! I am excited to think that it's only going to get better from here! God has blessed me with a man that desires to take care of me. I feel so lucky to have him.

Well, that's all for now...I have a few things to do tonight before going to bed....at 9:00. Yes - my school year bedtime. Sigh, it's here.

My new HAIR CUT!

2008-07-22T16:16:00.003-04:00

New Pictures!!

2008-07-02T15:53:00.004-04:00

Go here - for all of our new June pictures - plus updated house pictures!!!

http://picasaweb.google.com/aepeach

Enjoy!!!

Finally...an update

2008-06-30T09:34:00.002-04:00

Not here.

Here -------> http://mwlg.blogspot.com/

Vacation and home pictures coming soon!

He has saved me.

2008-06-15T22:15:00.003-04:00

Our family had a reunion this weekend and this morning we had a church service at the park. My daddy talked about how we are continuously being saved. When I got home, I had an email from someone at church with this video in it....

Thank you, Jesus...for continuously saving me.

Speaking of Being Thankful....

2008-06-04T08:17:00.001-04:00

Katie's baby shower for Mia was a few weeks ago. She will be having Mia in just a few short weeks! Yeah! Katie and I have been friends for a few years now and she has brought so much joy into my life. Katie knows what it's like to be a true friend and I appreciate her greatly.

I was chosen to play photographer at her lovely baby shower since my hubby wasn't able to go. Here are those photos -

Enjoy!

Thankful

2008-05-30T15:26:00.011-04:00

Every time I start thinking about how thankful I am for something, I always think, "Ok - let me store that one away....I'll have to have something to share at Thanksgiving." But today I feel extra thankful...so I am going to share.

I have an amazing husband....

I could write for hours about how much Michael means to me and how much he has added to my life over the past 2 years. I'm going to simply describe how I feel in a few words. Michael loves me. Plain and simple. He tells me. He shows me. He needs me. I need him. We just work. We are perfect for each other. God has blessed us by giving us to each other.

We have amazing family....

We are both so blessed to have been raised loving Jesus. Our parents and siblings have been examples to us of how to love Jesus and how to live for him. Thank you, families....I love you very much. With one family close by and one far away, both encourage and support us in all we do.

We have amazing friends....

We chose to have a large wedding party for a very specific reason. We each have been blessed with a tremendous support system of friends. We are thankful for each and every one of them! Look at this bunch!!! :)

Today I am thankful.

Zoo Day!!

2008-05-26T21:45:00.003-04:00

About a month ago, we took the kids to the zoo! We had a great time! Have a look....

Zzzzz

2008-05-12T10:39:00.002-04:00

I am exhausted.

Moving is hard work.

9 more days of school.

8 if it counts that I am using a personal day this Friday.

Summer is approaching.

Amy + the pool = the greatest summer ever.

New Hair?

2008-05-05T20:21:00.004-04:00

So, I am wanting a new hair style....so I tried one of those upload things. It was awful...have a look see. :)

Our New HOME!!!

2008-04-25T14:17:00.003-04:00

Hey!! We have a house in Peachtree City! Check it out!!! You can click on the slide show to make the pics bigger if needed. YEAH!!!!!

Photo Website

2008-04-23T10:08:00.003-04:00

I have a new photo gallery..

http://picasaweb.google.com/aepeach

There is a link on the sidebar. Check for updates! :)

Amy

Simon came to AMERICA (a while ago...)

2008-04-21T11:54:00.003-04:00

I"m learning new ways to post pictures without taking up so much space. Enjoy!!! (Especially you, Kendra! :)

Precious. I love this.

2008-04-20T11:18:00.003-04:00

Ok - I just learned how to post videos....so you will see them frequently! :) Enjoy!

A Proud Aunt. :)

2008-04-14T11:35:00.004-04:00

The day before Easter, we drove to Michael's sister's house to celebrate Easter. Laura had just turned 3 and Matthew was just a week old. Man, I loved this day. In just 2 years, I went from having no nieces and nephews to having one of each! Laura is so smart and Matthew is growing more and more each day. I feel so blessed. I have a wonderful family of my own and I married into a wonderful family!!! Does life get any better than this?

Being Healthy...

2008-03-31T07:22:00.004-04:00

For various reasons....Michael and I decided to start taking vitamins. Do you think we are taking enough? :)

Fingers On The Words!

2008-03-24T09:42:00.000-04:00

We're reading now - well, 95% of the class is reading. And those that aren't, are close. My biggest thing right now is for them to keep their fingers on the word while they read. Even my one that cannot read at all can keep his fingers on the words as I read. :) Yay for them.

My first two sewing projects!!!

2008-03-21T07:34:00.000-04:00

My sister in law just had a baby and my best friend is having a baby in July. So...I decided on blankets. The first one is for Matthew and the second one is for Mia. :) I was pretty proud because they were my first sewing projects ever! I need to learn to make clothes now. I have patterns, but I have to just spend some time cutting them out and figuring them out. :)
Enjoy!

Picture Time Part 2

2008-03-19T07:37:00.000-04:00

Seaton Weekend - While I went to a bridal shower, Mike went with them to Chic-Fil-A and took lots of fun pictures. That night, we went to dinner and the girls went to a Carrie Underwood concert! Fun times!!! :)

Picture Time Part 1

2008-03-18T07:22:00.007-04:00

In the elevator on the way to see Matthew!!!

Kathryn and Matthew

Amy and Laura

Amy and Bev

Precious Laura

Amy and Matthew!

Baby Matthew

Amy and Matthew

Big Weekend!!!

2008-03-17T07:51:00.003-04:00

I had a big weekend!!! First, we went to Nashville for a wedding shower. I got to see friends I hadn't seen in 4 years!!! Then we got to hang out with The Seatons! Fun times!! Saturday night I went with the Shinn/Seaton girls to the Grand Old Opry to see Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Randy Travis, and more! Fun times!!! FINALLY - Michael's sister had a baby! Matthew Gardner!!!! WE LOVE HIM!!!! We went to the hospital on Sunday to hold him. YAY!!!!

Pictures will be up soon!!! Are you surprised?? :)

Photo Shoot - Laura

2008-03-14T07:30:00.006-04:00

Our niece, Laura turned three a few weeks ago. We went up to their house last weekend and were able to spend a nice afternoon with their family. Michael took pictures of Laura and some family shots. Kathryn is due in April and we are so excited to meet baby Matthew! :)
Enjoy!

Lunch Time!

2008-03-07T09:40:00.000-05:00

This is what I have for lunch everyday. Every single day. I haven't gotten tired of it yet - we'll see how long it lasts.

Tagged!

2008-03-03T11:34:00.004-05:00

I was tagged by Lori Felder! I am supposed to list 8 random things about myself that you may not know. I am going to show how opposite my sister and i are. :) Here it goes:

I was named Teacher of the Year this year at my school.
I have dyed my hair every color...except the crazy ones. Blond, Brown, Red, and even Black.
I have never ever ever been athletic, but I have always longed to be. Maybe one day.
One of my high and lofty goals in college was to have my picture in the Treveccan (the Trevecca Magazine). FINALLY (after 6 long years), it was in the issue talking about our graduation. FINALLY!
I have seen every episode of LOST.
I started out in college as an Education major, hated it, and then moved to religion, got saved, and went back to Education. :)
In 10th grade, I had to give a speech on how to make chocolate chip cookies and I passed out.
when i was in school and the teacher would pass back tests i would always hide my paper assuming I would have the worst score and I was embarrassed. I normally didn't do too bad, but I was always self conscious.

OK...here's the rules:-

List 8 random things about yourself that people may not know.

- Link the person who sent this to you, and leave a comment on their blog so that their readers can visit yours.

- Post the rules on your blog.

- Tag random people at the end of your post, linking their blog. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

I am tagging, Amy M., Michelle S., Brook G., and Marcia L.

I don't know how you all feel about being tagged...so feel free to not do it. It ain't no thang.

Times Tables

2008-02-29T09:37:00.000-05:00

I taught 4th grade one afternoon a few weeks ago. They were fun, but OH the attitudes!!! It made me appreciate my 1st graders all the more. :) They showed me this new game. What you can't experience through this photo is the noise and yelling of the correct answer behind them. We eventually had to stop the game because it led to name calling. Boo.

Chattanooga Aquarium with the Seatons

2008-02-25T16:31:00.001-05:00

For Bella's birthday, we met the Seatons in Chattanooga for a trip to the aquarium. We had a blast!!! I can't believe Bella is 2 already!! And another on the way! What excitement! :)

Ticket To Read

2008-02-22T05:41:00.000-05:00

There is a reading game on the internet that is sponsored through our reading curriculum that the kids LOVE. It is called Ticket to Read. Over half of my class goes home each day and continues it there. As you can see, this little girl is very into her game. :) It's times like this that I love teaching.

Christmas/Winter Pictures (Long OVERDUE) :)

2008-02-20T05:40:00.000-05:00

Below are several pictures of various things we did in the winter. :) Fun times, eh??

Michael's parents have parking lot duty at church. Aren't they cute? I love them! :)

Embarrassingly enough, before we were married, I practiced signing our names to cards. Yes, I am that girl. Well, here was my first time actually getting to do it! :)

For one of our date nights (actually date day), we went to the Sundial for lunch. The Sundial is the spinning restaurant in the Westin Hotel in downtown Atlanta. We had a blast - though I did get a little dizzy. Then we walked around downtown and went to the Centennial Park.

I am a freaking 4 year old on Christmas Day. I always have been. I love it. :) We decided to make this a big Christmas since it was our first. I am even wearing my new Christmas morning outfit. I got the robe from Mike's mom for the wedding.

Don't they look JUST ALIKE?? :)

Umm...we love being married. Haha.

Not looking so hot... definitely tired. :)

Sew Excited!!!

2008-02-18T19:46:00.002-05:00

My sister, Lori, got a sewing machine. My friend, Lauren, has a sewing machine. I've become intrigued...and so I got a sewing machine. I had my first lesson today. It was a blast! :) There will definitely be more posts to come of various projects!!! :) Yahoo!!! A new hobby!

Valentine's Day/6 Month Anniversary Weekend

2008-02-17T09:27:00.008-05:00

Let me just say that I have the best husband in the world. Valentine's Day started for me on Tuesday morning. I went to the car to go to work and there was a card in there for me....the same on Wednesday...the same on Thursday....and the same on Friday. He included gift cards to my favorite stores in the cards. On Thursday, he had flowers delivered to school. :) Beautiful!!! We went to Agatha's on Friday night - a dinner theater/murder mystery. It was a blast! I even had a speaking part. Ha. :) Fun times!! On Saturday the condo was being shown so we went to another park in Atlanta and took fun pictures. :) Marriage is the best.

Number Order ALWAYS

2008-02-14T05:23:00.003-05:00

My kids have numbers. Names too, but we save those for outside the classroom. They have numbers on their cubbies....numbers for the teacher station....and they line up in number order. This just makes it a more smooth transition. No one is yelling, "He JUMPED me!" That stressed me out last year. This year, they invite each other in to their appropriate places in line. It's cute, actually. Until a parent came in for a conference and was telling me that her son did not know anyone's names. (It was January). She asked him who his best friend was and he said, "number 19." I laughed a lot. Probably more than I should have. The thought of him running around at home talking about his friends by their numbers was very amusing. We've definitely had lessons on each other's names since that day. :) But we will keep our numbers. Maybe I'll call them by their number until they go to middle school.

Crazy Old House Wife

2008-02-10T18:32:00.002-05:00

Photoshoot at Piedmont Park

2008-02-10T18:19:00.003-05:00

Our house was being shown on Saturday so we decided to have a picnic in the park. It was such a beautiful day. We took the camera and Michael took some shots of me. We're hoping to get good ideas for when he gets deeper into photography. Silly, maybe. Fun? Yes!!! Enjoy!

8th Grade Memory

2008-02-09T10:28:00.002-05:00

When I was in 8th grade, we had to write a poem about what we wanted to be when we grew up. At the time, I wanted to play piano.... high hopes, huh? Well, I stood up in front of the class (which was horrifying...) and I started by saying the title of the poem....Pianist. Only, I didn't say pianist...I said a certain male body part that sounds like pianist. Of course, everyone laughed. Of course, I cried. (You could have probably guessed that if you knew me at all growing up). Needless to say, that's the last day I ever wanted to play piano for a living. Sigh....middle school sucked.
Why do I love them so much now? I probably can just sympathize with their pain and agony.

Junk No More

2008-02-09T10:27:00.005-05:00

That's it, folks. It's gone. Junk no more. I have this container in my room full of treats for the behaving children. I have not dipped into it since before Christmas. Now, I know....I shouldn't deprive myself. But, if I have one...I have 50. So, I have taken to snacking on foods such as cheese and fat free whip cream. (not together, of course). So....no more Laffy Taffy for me. Michael even put it in my stocking! Awww..he knows what I LOVE!!! :) So....my vow....JUNK NO MORE.

Voting Day!!!

2008-02-05T19:10:00.002-05:00

I've always voted by absentee ballot. Today...I voted for real. I stood in line. I voted. :) I was excited!!!

Date Night!

2008-02-03T08:17:00.005-05:00

We have continued to have date night every week since we were married, just like we planned. Sometimes we go on double dates, sometimes we go on group dates, one weekend we even drove to Nashville to have date night with Matt and Katie. :) I love date night. Last night we went to the same restaurant as the night we got engaged. Then we came home, played a game, ate dessert and watched a movie. Fun times. :)

Crooked Smile

2008-02-01T18:26:00.001-05:00

We've started a "Boy's Club" at school which is essentially a way for the boys to have positive male role models. They dress up every Thursday for events. This is one of my students. I bet I re-attached his bow tie 15 times that day. Eventually, I just left it. It totally fits his quirky personality anyway. He sits in his chair and raps all day. If his academics were struggling, I would probably ask him to calm down a bit, but he's a very bright boy. So, I've decided to let him go...let him rap...let his talent blossom into something beautiful (or vulgar, whichever the case may be).

Tips!!!

2008-01-26T10:26:00.001-05:00

I have never been a girlie girl. I've never really worn make-up on a regular basis. I've done it in phases...but never really knew what I was doing during those times. My best friend, Katie, did my hair and make up for my wedding. I loved it. I love looking back at these photos. I've even considered taking a class on how to put on make-up. I just want to know how to even out the colors on my face...and make me eyes "pop." Ok, I felt silly saying that...but it's true. So, if any of you readers out there have any ideas or know of any websites or any advice...leave them!!! :)

My turn!

2008-01-23T05:57:00.001-05:00

I figured that I had to do a "shot in the mirror." So, this is me - and I am attempting to take fun pictures.....or maybe even be a photographer. We'll see how it goes. :)

Photo Stroll Shot 11

2008-01-21T18:25:00.002-05:00

Photo Stroll Shot 10

2008-01-21T18:24:00.002-05:00

Photo Stroll Shot 9

2008-01-21T18:23:00.005-05:00

Photo Stroll Shot 8

2008-01-21T18:23:00.004-05:00

Photo Stroll Shot 7

2008-01-20T12:07:00.002-05:00

Photo Stroll Shot 6

2008-01-19T21:12:00.002-05:00

Photo Stroll Shot 5

2008-01-18T13:12:00.002-05:00

Photo Stroll Shot 4

2008-01-16T14:07:00.002-05:00

Photo Stroll Shot 3

2008-01-16T14:05:00.001-05:00

Photo Stroll Shot 2

2008-01-16T07:14:00.002-05:00

Photo Stroll Shot 1

2008-01-15T11:47:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, Michael and I walked around Buckhead and took photos. It was my first time (since I was 8) using film. I enjoyed it! Michael really enjoys the urban, abandoned, graffiti filled parts of town to take pictures of. I like the pictures I took, though I will keep keep exploring, taking pictures, and find what I like!!! :)

Crazy Peaches

2008-01-14T17:37:00.002-05:00

This is my family. We were trying to take serious family pictures at my sister's wedding a few years ago. These pictures still crack me up. I love my family!!

My husband, My inspiration

2008-01-03T06:23:00.002-05:00

The first time Michael and I took a photo stroll (October, 2006) he brought me a camera. I hadn't ever just walked around to take photos. It was a very enjoyable experience. We've done a few photo strolls since then, but last Saturday was the first time I used a film camera. I really enjoyed it. At first, I felt like I was not supposed to be taking the pictures...like I was violating something.

I will be choosing my favorites and posting.
I have also struggled with wanting to write, but not knowing what to write. This will help me know what to write about. :)

So...here is my NEW HOBBY in 2008!!! :)

Check back soon for photos!

I chose Atlanta. :)

2008-01-02T20:22:00.002-05:00

You Know You're From Atlanta When...

You give directions starting with, "Go down Peachtree" and include the phrase, "When you see the Waffle House."

You only know your way to work and your way home.

You only drink Coke or Diet Coke - drinking Pepsi is blasphemy.

You know to wear sneakers to the airport.

The 8:00 AM rush hour is from 6:30 to 10:30 AM. The 5:00 PM rush hour is from 3:00 to 7:30 PM. Friday's rush hour starts Thursday afternoon, and lasts through 2:00 AM Saturday.

You use "Sir" and "Ma'am" if there's a remote possibility that the person you're talking to is at least 30 minutes older than you are.

You can say Ponce De Leon Avenue correctly.

The falling of one rain drop causes all drivers to immediately forget all traffic rules.

If a single snowflake falls, the city is paralyzed for three days, and it's on all the channels as a news flash every 15 minutes for a month. All the grocery stores will be sold out of milk, bread, bottled water, toilet paper, and beer.

If there is a remote chance of snow, and if it does snow, people will be on the corner selling "I survived the blizzard" t-shirts, not to mention the fact that all schools will close at the slightest possible chance of snow.

If you are standing on a corner and a MARTA Bus stops, you're expected to get on and go somewhere.

Construction on Peachtree Street is a way of life and a permanent form of entertainment, especially when a water line is tapped and Atlanta's version of Old Faithful erupts.

Construction crews are not doing their jobs properly unless they close down all major streets during rush hour.

You never go 55 on "The Watermelon 500 or the Georgia 400.

You know you're not allergic to pollen, because if you were - you'd be dead already.

You've never gone around the block and ended up on the street you started on.

You haven't been downtown at night in years

You've woken up at 4:30 am on workdays to beat the traffic to work, intending to leave work before 3 pm to compensate.

You know at least five different ways to get to work, none of them ideal.

You know what "sunshine slowdown", "auto-flambe'", "topside" mean, and what color a H.E.R.O. is.

You know where PIB, JCB, FIB, MLK, PDK and "Grady curve" are, and you try to never go there during any of the nine hours of rush "hour"

You've thought about getting a blow-up companion for the front passenger seat

You hope you are the one to spot the vehicle that is the subject of the latest "Amber Alert" which has been flashing for ten minutes on the DOT message board exactly 13.5 feet above the hood of your SUV

You've been in traffic on 85, 75, 20 or 400 (choose one) - wondering if your fuel, your cell-phone battery and your bladder will make it to the next exit, just 1/2 mile ahead

It's 4:30 pm Sunday, you're stone-cold sober and you've just finished the last left-over hot dog when you realize that in exactly 12 hours you have to get up and go to work - again

You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from Atlanta.

Weight Loss Blog

2008-01-02T14:06:00.002-05:00

I've created a blog for my weight loss! Feel free to visit it and encourage me! :)

http://mwlg.blogspot.com/

:)
Amy Nelson

Happy New Year!!

2008-01-02T01:06:00.002-05:00

So, I have had the same NY resolution every year since I was 15. Lose Weight. And every year I do. But, I gain it back. I have been going to Curves for 2 months and Weight Watchers for a few weeks. I'm going to do it this year. My sweet, encouraging husband bought me an elliptical. I am going to do it. By December 31, 2008, I am going to be healthy. I am going to be (for the first time since middle school) in my healthy weight range according to whoever makes those stupid charts. Happy New Year to me!

Wedding Photos!

2007-12-22T17:03:00.001-05:00

Michael had finished our family photo blog. :) This is where all of our pictures will be from now on, though I will still write on here.

http://theothermikenelson.com/family/

:) Enjoy!

Merry Christmas from the Nelsons!

2007-12-21T17:42:00.001-05:00

A Nelson Family Christmas Letter

It's Personal

2007-12-16T14:17:00.002-05:00

Let me start by saying that I have disabled comments simply to avoid debating. Any responses, disagreements, etc.. are welcomed, but through email. aepeach@gmail.com

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At church this morning, we heard the third part of a sermon series called "It's Personal" by Andy Stanley. Today's sermon is called "Undeniable." The following is a link to the most recent sermons at church, including todays.

http://www.buckheadchurch.org/messages

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Who I was in the past combined with personal experiences combined with what I was taught have all shaped me into the person that I am now and I will never ever be anything but thankful for that. The hardest thing for me has been being able to acknowledge that there might be truth outside of what I was taught.

Here are a couple of examples:

The church that we attend has a very big music production. The lights, the power points, the band, the songs, (and today even the trash can drums in the isles) are all big. I loved it. First of all, I love music. All kinds. Though every week when the music starts, I get the feeling that something is not right. Maybe it's because the church that I grew up in was not very uppity. They had a piano, the organ, the occasional guitar, and in recent years, a small praise team. Is one music ministry better than another? I don't think so. I'm beginning to realize that it's alright to enjoy the worship at my church. It's alright to worship Jesus when the music is louder and the power point has more color.

I started Weight Watchers this week. It is being held in a small church down the street. It is led by a lady that is also involved in ministry of the church. She was telling about her week and how she was at a party and opted to just have a couple glasses of wine. I grew up believing that a Christian having a drink of alcohol was a sin. I never really understood why I thought that...and never had a valid argument for it....but I know that I argued it relentlessly. Is it a sin? Or is it simply getting drunk that is a sin? Below is a link to great sermon on alcohol.

http://www.marshillchurch.org/audio/alcohol_driscoll_5pm_south_03_24_02.mp3

I have lived a life full of questions....big and small.
Should I go to that party?
Should I steal that gum?
What college do I go to?
Should I date him?
Should I hold that grudge?
Should I forgive?
Am I supposed to stay at this church?
Do I go to a church that better suits my needs?
Is it even about me?
Should I leave this church ministry?
Should I join that church ministry?
Am I Nazarene?
Am I Calvinist?
Am I simply a follower of Christ?
Once saved always saved?
Predestination?
John Calvin?
John Wesley?
Jesus Christ?

Here's my answer.....

"God, If you are to be known, I want to know you more than I want to know answers to my questions."
~Andy Stanley

My Most Memorable Christmas

2007-12-08T10:50:00.001-05:00

My sister, Lori, encouraged her readers to post Christmas memories. Here's mine...

My most vivid Christmas memory was the one that I got stuck in Kentucky for 2 days. Blah. I left Nashville at midnight and it took me 3 hours to get to Clarksville because of the snow. People were sliding off of the road right and left. I opted to get off at the Oak Grove exit a little past Clarksville. My goal was to find a hotel. Of course, they were all filled up. No room in the inn.

As I was driving away from the hotel, I got stuck. An older man happened to be walking from his car and I asked if he could help. He got in my car with me as the passenger and attempted to drive my car. He got it as far as the McDonalds parking lot and told me he was done helping me. i noticed that there were people in the McDonalds so I knocked on the door and asked if I could come in. They said no. So, I sat (not even being able to get into a parking spot) in the parking lot for a few hours. During this time, my heat went out so I opened my suitcase and put on as many article's of clothing as I could. I looked ridiculous, to say the least. As I was sitting there, the stupid McDonalds kids opened the back door and they were sledding right in front of my car. Mocking me.

I finally got a hold of my dad which basically proved that there was nothing he could do. I know he felt helpless as did I. I got up enough courage to attempt to drive across the street to the truck stop. After an hour or so of getting stuck and forcing my way out, I made it. There was a little diner in the truck stop and thankfully the sweet little old waitress let me sit there without buying anything. I had only enough money for gas to get to KC. I sat there for about 6 hours calling anyone I could think of. I had a friend that lived a few hours away in Kentucky, but we both decided it would be pointless for him to attempt to come to where I was. I got a hold of Brian Wilson (a friend of the family) and he looked up a hotel close by and secured me a room for that night. I was so grateful. The only problem would be getting there. It was a couple of miles up the road...(uphill).

Later in the morning, I noticed that more cars were attempting and succeeding so I thought I would brave the storm. I made it. :) I gathered my things and slid across the parking lot to the hotel lobby. I told them my name and they informed me that the only way I would be able to have a room was if someone checked out (which was unlikely because both exit ramps were closed due to trucks sliding and blocking them). So, I sat in the lobby with all of the other stranded motorists. I made a few friends (sadly we did not keep in touch). I even babysat children while their parents walked to fast food restaurants to get lunch. Without mentioning that I had no money, 3 different families bought me lunch. There really is kindness in strangers.

There is one girl that I met in particular. She was traveling from New Orleans to Ohio for Christmas. She was deciding whether or not she was going to go back home. We had just found out that this storm had been declared a national state of emergency and that everyone should find shelter and stay put until the guards can come and clear the roads. She kept saying she was going to leave, but finally we talked her into staying at least the night. Around 6:00, a few rooms became available so after sitting in a lobby all day, I went to my room. I remember that being one of the loneliest feelings ever. My family was hours away. No familiar faces close by. It was a few hours until Christmas Eve. I really wanted to make it home.

I finally drifted off to sleep and woke up around 8 the next morning. Christmas Eve. I made the decision to try to leave. I really wanted to get home. I went down to the lobby and one of the hotel staff informed me that he had a big truck and that if I got stuck to call him and he would come help me. Again, the kindness of strangers. :)

I left and while it took me a while to get up the ramp and onto the highway, I made it. Until St. Louis, I was in bumper to bumper traffic. After that, it was smooth sailing. I made it home at around 9:00 on Christmas Eve. :)

Over all, it took me about 42 hours to drive from Nashville to Kansas City that Christmas. I have a friend that left Germany after I did and made it to KC before me. Ha... :)

Merry Christmas. What are your Christmas memories??

It's a Nelson Thanksgiving

2007-11-25T18:13:00.001-05:00

Our first Thanksgiving was perfect. :) We had dinner with Mike's family the Sunday before Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving Day, I cooked for Michael (he made the gravy). On Friday, we went and cut down a tree and decorated it. :) It was a perfect week.

Weekend with the Seatons!!! :) (Post 2 - Date Night and Best Friend Pictures!)

2007-11-13T06:53:00.001-05:00

After taking best friend pictures, we went to The Melting Pot for dinner. Yummy!!! Then we went to Wal-mart and bought a game and played late...fun times with great friends. :)

(****See the previous post for the pictures Michael took of their family****)

Weekend with the Seatons!!! :) (Post 1 - Seaton family pictures)

2007-11-12T19:22:00.002-05:00

Little Bella turns 2 in January, so we went up to do her 2 year old pictures. We figured we would make them family pictures while we were there. They turned out beautifully! My husband has a gift. :) Enjoy!

Blonde or Brunette?

2007-11-09T11:49:00.002-05:00

No Aplaughs Necessary! :)

2007-10-29T06:54:00.002-04:00

Michael and his friends coined a term a few years back. Paugh. I have only been exposed to this for the past year. I am unable to put this into words. Here is the site they created: www.paughsome.com

Enjoy.

In the mean time, we had a "paugh-rty" (party). One of our friends is moving to San Diego and we had a going away party...we were to dress paugh. We would vote on the winner....the most paugh. Guess who won! ME!!! :)

Here are some pictures from the evening.....

That was then. This is now. :)

2007-10-24T07:17:00.002-04:00

We spent the weekend with family. We were sad that Lori, Ben, Danny, and Megan were unable to make it, but are hopeful that an entire family reunion will be coming soon. :)

The first pictures are ones from years past. Hayrides and motorcycle rides are just a couple of the ways we bonded. Playing wolf and witch were among those ways. :) Tick-a-lock!!!

The second grouping of pictures were taken this past weekend. We had such a fun weekend. Andy and Roxanne's wedding was beautiful. Well done, Morris family! :) After the wedding, we spent the day at Juan Horsetown's home. Almost 30 people! I love being with family. I'm so glad that I moved closer and am able to see them more. On Sunday, a handful of us went out to the farm. I wanted Michael to experience it. I would say it was a great experience for all of us. Uncle John hooked up the wagon and we went on a hayride! What a perfect fall day. :)

I love you, family.

Then:

Now:

Love,

Amy Nelson

Raise your hand if you like my new haircut!

2007-10-17T07:10:00.001-04:00

We're going to Nashville this weekend for my cousin's wedding.....there will be pictures soon. :)

My Talented Husband

2007-10-05T05:38:00.001-04:00

Michael is in the process of starting a photography business (wedding, portrait, high school, maternity, you name it...). For his birthday, we got him the studio equipment he needs...it is currently in our living room (see below). :) We have our first engagement shoot on Saturday and our first wedding in the spring. Fun times. We are definitely hoping to find a nice house with a basement so we can keep everything set up. We had fun trying out the lights and the settings on his camera. :) Enjoy.

Can you tell we're serious about being married???

2007-10-02T07:04:00.001-04:00

(The rest of the wedding photos coming soon)