Good News and Bad News

I'll Start with the Bad News:

 The Summer is slowly coming to a close. . . .

 Which means no more endless supplies of Watermelon : (

Or fresh corn on the cob ! : ( !

But now for the Good News: 

This Tuesday, with the help of a phone call from Mountain View-I was able to  get an interview at a local high school in our county. The interview went really well, but when I got a call the next day from a principal from a local middle school saying he had gotten my name from the principal I had met with the day before I knew I hadn't got the job, but agreed to go in the following day and interview at the middle school. Well that day was today and a couple hours after I got home from the interview I got the job offer! I will be the newest 7th grade Language Arts teacher at Bay Creek Middle School. Praise God for such a huge blessing and "Go Rams!" (And BEARS!!!) : ) 

 Thank you so much to everyone for all your faithful love filled prayers for this provision for Shane and I. This will probably be my last blog for a while-but that won't mean there will be a lack of activity! 

-M.W.

Lorielle's Georgia Getaway

Pictures like this have made many recent appearances on this blog : )

Here is Shane snacking on some swedish fish during our long trek back down to GA

Lorielle stayed happy with her Gardettos in the back seat : )

Her bed away from home. She's in there somewhere.

Lorielle thought it was only appropriate while she was visiting to do a famous "Lorielle and Michele Cook Off/Bake Off" So she decided Brownies would be the item we competed over.

Why is it that Brownies always seem to look so......gross.

2 identical plates with two very different brownies to be tested.

Shane was so bummed he had to be the taste tester : P

It looks like we are torturing him. . . . but I promise he was not harmed in the process of judging

Right Brownie

Left Brownie

The Winner!

Shane made sure to finish his testing samples and some.

In our attempt to go to the "city" we took Lorielle out to Yeah Burger in Virginia Highlands.  We had never been to this location before on the other side of the city, and it was great to check out a new part of Atlanta.

Hungry and waiting. ...

Enjoying the outdoor patio before we devoured our food!

Afterwards we hit up the Yogli Mogli across the street for some refreshing Frozen Yogurt.

Shane was very excited..hahah

After Fro Yo we took a walk around the surrounding neighborhood and we fell in love with all the amazing houses that each had such distinct character. I loved this one! Now if I only had half a million dollars to buy it (It's for sale!!!).

House Dreaming.....

I had to be quick with pictures because I was afraid people sitting at home eating dinner would feel stalked! We loved this neighborhood! Its so secluded and cozy with amazing houses that are just a quick walk from a cute ecclectic downtown as well as being right near the actual city!

Lorielle hasn't had a working microwave at home for some time now so she was overjoyed at the thought of some good ole homemade microwave popcorn : )

Everyone always asks Shane and I if we have visited Stone Mountain, so we figured with Lorielle in town to visit we should finally make a drive up so we can finally say we've been!

Here we go-not knowing what to expect!

Trying to figure out how to get out of the touristy amusement parkesque section and get to the walking trail.

Map Check, Camera Check, Phone Check.

We hadn't felt like were in the South more than in this moment.

Confederacy pride runs deep.

A pole on our way up the mountain covered in gum-it was pretty disgusting.

Sisters

On the way up there were all different types of carvings people had made in the stone. 

We made it to the top just in time for the sun set. It was an amazing view that we struggled to capture on camera.

As the sun set in front of us we turned to find a full moon rising behind us-again the camera did no justice.

The beginning of the famous "Laser show spectacular" they project on the side of the Mtn.

Sweaty and exhausted, we geared up for what was supposed to be an amazing show.

The Full Moon!

One of the many projections of GA schools and sports teams accompanied by music. Not quite what we had in mind. The show started with a firework or two which got me excited, but soon it turned into a strange tribute to the confederacy and the civil war-needless to say we snuck out before the crazy traffic (the place was PACKED) during the laser shows tribute to GA music, and said goodbye as they played "The Devil Went Down to GA," an appropriate ending to an interesting night!

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Lauren recently sent me a new Gluten Free cookbook for my birthday and I was eager to try one of the recipes! I picked the Texas Pecan Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Icing.

The recipe called for roasting the bananas first, which I had never done. . . .

But Lorielle seemed to approve : ) It turned out amazing and with the icing it is definitely worthy to be called dessert!

Thursday night Lor and I decided to make dinner together and made homemade Lasagna bake (with little mini gfree lasagna noodles instead of the traditional large noodles). We put together a salad and some garlic bread as well and enjoyed the last meal the three of us would share together on her visit.

It was good!

Friday Shane had his last day of running Youth Camp and a coaching retreat til late into the night so Lorielle and I hit up a local ceramics studio and spent some time working on projects. 

My tedious plate. . . . (Shane grew up using a "special plate" on birthdays, so we decided I would make one for our family to start the same kind of tradition). All in all we were there for 4 hours! The time really flew and it was a nice relaxing afternoon (minus some nerrotic kids that came in to work on/ destroy things in the shop)

Lorielle's icecream cone jar

Can't wait to pick these up at the end of the week and see the finished product!

It was so great to have Lor become a part of the Woodward family for the week. We already miss her, but are greatful for the memories we made in the past week.  We flew Lorielle home on her first trip on an airplane (alone!!) and she did an awesome job. I know my parents are glad to have her back and hopefully we will make it back soon too to visit!

-M.W.

4th of July in Chicago

 The week before heading to Chicago, Shane and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary! We had dinner at Wildfire and I enjoyed eating out and being able to order from a Gluten Free menu! 

 Just days later Shane made me a surprise Birthday Dinner!

 

I was soooo impressed! He made a pasta dish with pesto, ricotta, and chicken and I would pick Shane's culinary skills over WildFire any day! It was so yum! Love Him : ) 

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We woke up at 4 a.m. to get a head start on our drive in hopes to miss Chicago Traffic. Sadly

even though we ended up in Chicago at 2 p.m. it still took us another 3 hours to get to Dundee!!!!

 

Needless to say it was sooooooooooo good to be in Dundee with the fam! 

 

 

Mom and Dad

 

Gideon entertaining everyone while I opened my birthday presents. 

 

 My birthday cake Lorielle made me-looks store bought-I know.

 

 She looks upset-but she was really loving it.

 

Mom and Byron out in the yard

 

 

Shane and Dad competing in Bags

 

 

Lor and Chanel on the Hammock

 

Gideon looking at the planes : )

 Auntie Nicole keeping Gideon warm

'

I wonder where Gideon ran off too?

 

 

 Papa patching the little guy up

Gideon crawling up to snuggle with mommy

 

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

 

   My parents had a big get together on the fourth and it was great to be able to see extended 

family while we were in town.

 

 

Shane excited to see Nani and to taste test her homemade buckeyes : ) 

 

 

The man I love

 

 

Lor and I

 The Guys at the Grill

 

 

Shane and Adam

 

 

As usual I don't think we had enough desserts : P

 

 

Cousins : )

 

 

Some of the crew

 

 

Gideon saying "Cheese" while eating a cookie : )

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 The day after Mom, Dad, Lor, Dan, Shane, and I all went down to Foster Beach for the afternoon.

We weren't there for long but Shane and I definitely needed to utilize the Aloe later that day. 

 

Getting some sun!

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On our last afternoon we took a walk through Dundee with Racquel and Gideon and made a visit

to the local candy store that we grew up walking to. 

 

Gideon traveled in style as usual : )  

 

Gideon with Uncle Shane

 

 

Gideon taking it all in

So hard to decide! 

 

Mommy teaching Gideon how to eat a candy necklace : )

 Who would have ever thought!  : )

. . . . . . . . .

We were so happy to be able to be in town for Nick and Anne's wedding and we are so excited for them and love them so much!

Nicole, Hannah, and Justin (the next to get hitched! ( minus Nicole))

Chanel and Shane

 

 

The Cute Barn

 Cupcakes!!!

 Shane wasn't a fan of the carrot cake, but highly approved of the chocolate : ) 

. . . . . . . . . .

It is always sad to leave, but Shane and my parents are flying me up to Chicago in October, and

hopefully I will get to meet my next niece or nephew that is on the way!

Can't wait!

-M.W.