Mountain Springs Elementary!!

This is where I will begin my new job in August! I just got hired today to start at the new elementary school in Cabot, AR!! It will hopefully be ready to move in by June, and I am so excited about beginning here!

I feel like this was definitely a lesson from God about working hard and how you must go down random roads to get to your destination! I did not get hired until August 8 last year. I had 10 days till the first day of school in Pre-K....a grade I knew nothing about! I then spent this whole year trying to figure out how to teach a Pre-K class and help these children grow and learn. I have loved every minute of it, and I love my babies.....but my heart was not content there!

When I found out about this new school being built, I began to question whether I should apply or not. Kyle and I began praying hard about what I was supposed to do! I felt like I should apply for it and let God do the rest. I went in for an interview and with God's blessing...they called with a position!

I have learned so much my first year of school, and I feel like God placed me at Westside to make a name for myself and meet people that would help me get this new job! My Lord is so good to me and taught me so much about being content in my position in life. I have also learned that God listens...no matter how long it takes for Him to answer... He is listening!!

Thank you Father for the blessings in our life! Thank you for 2 successful years of Medical School and for answering my prayers for a position You have pulled my heart towards!!

I am a 3rd grade teacher at Mountain Springs Elementary!! =)

Anniversary Trip

The Carnival Triumph is what you see above. This is what Kyle and I will be boarding on June 21 this summer!! After the BIG Step test that Kyle will be taking on June 16...we will be home free for a nice vacation together! After that, we will only have a few weeks before Kyle begins "Year 3" of medical school. July 7 is the day he starts his clinicals, which will begin a crazy year of random hours and a lot of new adventures.

We figure before he starts his third year, we should begin on a good note....like a cruise for example!!

TOMS TOMS TOMS

So...I think I am in love with these shoes! I got the polka dotted ones in September, my gray ones in January and I just bought my silver ones today!! I am a huge fan!!

Wye Mountain Daffodil Festival

Kyle and I decided to spend Saturday morning at the Daffodil Festival on Wye Mountain before the weather turned bad! It could not have been better weather for our adventure!!

Kyle was able to get some shots of the different types of daffodils they had growing!!

These above were little white ones...

These yellow ones were tiny ones that grew in little groups together!

These two yellow ones were some of the huge daffodils that grew! They were amazing!

Kyle also decided to play with the camera some to get some good color shots!!

The Daffodil Festival was a great time! It will be so much fun to go back again next year! We had a blast and it was a great start to our relaxing Spring Break!!

From there, we headed to Conway and ate at Stobys (so long over due)!! It was a great lunch before we headed to run some errands and then back home!! This Spring Break will consist of lots of relaxing together and home projects! We are looking forward to some peaceful, low stress time together. I will update on our projects over the week!!

She Awakens the World!!

So...I went to the Women's Event at New Life Church last night! It was called "She Awakens the World." The guest speaker there was Christine Caine...and she was amazing. She spoke such truth about how we live our lives full of excuses that keep us from following in the will of God. It was truly convicting to think about all the times I told God why I couldn't do something. I thought that I knew better then Him...as if He didn't already know what the outcome would be. She leads Equip & Empower Ministries and has a heart for human trafficking.

www.equipandempower.org

Here is her website where you can read more about her and what she does. It was an amazing event and I am so glad I did. I am currently reading her newest book called "Can I Have And Do It All, Please?"

A Rainy Day in the Kitchen!

With all the nasty weather that was here today, I decided it was a good day to try this new recipe one of my pre-k parents gave me. It was called "Cake Balls"!! Here is how it goes:

1. You pick any cake of your choice. You can do one out of a box, but I figured with my spare time...what the heck?!?! I'll make it all from scratch...so I picked a chocolate cake. Here is the recipe:

1 cup and 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white sugar
1/8 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup shortening
1 eggs
1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

You mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the rest. Beat on low 1 minute, then on medium 2 minutes. Then you bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes. This recipe has been cut in half, so it is only for 12 servings. (It still makes a lot!!) I used a 9x9 pan so it would not burn.

2. You can use 1/2 tub of icing of your choice, or make it from scratch. Here was the recipe I used for my chocolate icing:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine

1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/6 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. I also had cut this recipe in half so it would only make about 1 cup instead of 2 cups.

3. After all this is made and somewhat cooled off, tear the cake into crumbs and mix the icing together.

I realize it looks kind of gross, but it tasted wonderful!! From here, I just rolled it into balls and placed it on a baking sheet. Once you do that, you want to freeze them for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

4. Once they are frozen, melt almond bark, dip them in, let them cool and ENJOY!! They are wonderful (we also used the extra almond and threw some candy canes in to make peppermint bark!!) YUM!!

It was a fun day of trying new things!! Hope you had a wonderful rainy day as well!

My First Valentine's as Mrs. Basham

"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams."
— Dr. Seuss

This was my first Valentine's as Mrs. Basham! This is a picture of Kyle and me in St. Louis in 2007! He got me tickets to see Anberlin...one of my favorite bands, for Valentine's Day 3 years ago! It was also on this Valentine's Day 3 years ago that he told me he loved me for the first time...and it's been bliss every since....

For this Valentine's Day....we spent the majority of the day just relaxing and enjoying some quiet time! We went to church this morning and heard a great sermon and I worked in Little Life Nursery for the second service. After that, we went to Furniture Row. We are on a hunt for a new dining room table and we have our eye on one! I'll update you if it comes true!! =)

We watched movies and napped all afternoon, and then got ready to go to my surprise dinner! While getting ready, I found this hidden in my bedroom....

It was a beautiful teardrop pearl necklace! It looks just like me and I absolutely loved it....and of course had to wear it that night!!

Here we are getting ready to head out to our dinner! Kyle took me to Brave New Restaurant. It was wonderful!! They had amazing food and it was very elegant! We had so much fun just enjoying good food and good company!!

My Valentine's Day was wonderful and I love that boy so much! It has been the most wonderful 3 years since our first Valentine's and a wonderful 1st one as

Mrs. Basham!!