The Dolans: July 2009

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Viva La Mexico!

Hola! Andrew and I had such a blast in Cozumel, Mexico with Jake and Matt this week. The hotel was fantastic, the snorkeling was great and it was so nice just to relax and have drinks by the pool. Although we had the best time, there is no place like home and I am so glad to be back in Fayetteville with Bear Dolan! We are eating Stone Mill, catching up on the DVR, doing laundry and getting ready for our favorite Dolan clan to come visit tonight. Our niece Olivia is going to spend the week with us. I am very excited to hang with one of my favorite people! I took only about a million pics in Cozumel and below are some of my favorites. Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! Love, Ali

View of one of the pools from our balcony

This is Noemi, our favorite waitress! We loved her!!!

I was so proud of Andrew for wearing a swimsuit that wasn't red! That is all he ever wants to wear!!

Dinner at Casa La Mission

Tacky tropical shirt night. If not for the shirts, the boys could have been mistaken for the cartel:)

Hammock + Ocean = Heaven

How many times can I say I love my husband!

The hotel had a band out on the beach one night. The Waco girls and I decided to get a pic with them. They probably thought we were groupies.

Shopping in town

Results of lots of time together...

Enjoying a drink at Fat Tuesday's

The square in Cozumel

Girls we met from Waco and the Donatello Disco Bar Waitress, Eugenia. We decided she looked like Rosario from Will and Grace.

We had a great time spending the afternoon snorkeling

The boat we took to go snorkeling. They took us to two different snorkeling locations then the beach where they grilled burgers for us and played on their waterslides and trampolines.

My only complaint was that the hotel food was tragic. In the morning I loaded up my bag with Fruit Loops. I lived off those and Cheez Its. Amazed to say I lost weight on a trip!!!!

We went to the hotel restaurant one night. We didn't know they had a dress code, meaning no shorts. Andrew was denied entrance so they made him wear a pair of hotel pants. These were his shorts they wouldn't let him wear.

These were the hotel pants he had to wear. We laughed so hard we cried. Hotel high standards?

On the balcony before dinner

Spent a lot of time at the pool reading. Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews is one of my new favorites. She is one of my favorite authors and it is her new book.

Playing water BINGO. We all one once, prizes including a frisbee, a water bottle, and a silver rusted dolphin bracelet. Score!

Morning time in Cozumel

Jake's facial feelings about the food

We had a great time! Matt and Jake were so much fun to vacation with!

Friday, July 17, 2009

Planes, MARTAs, and Home Projects

Wow! It is so good to be home! I just got home from Atlanta for High Schools that Work and Orlando for Teen Trendsetters Leadership Summit. I learned a lot about helping my students discover their purpose and continuing to help them with their literacy skills. We were able to enjoy a lot of what Atlanta had to offer, including CNN Headquarters, great shopping and some interesting karaoke at Cheeseburger in Paradise. I will only say this, I love my colleagues and know how lucky I am to work with them. We had a nightmare plane experience to Orlando. If I had not had a student with me, I think the trip would have gotten the best of me but luckily it did not. In Orlando, besides spending the afternoon at Universal Studios, my student and I got trained for our reading mentorship program. I am teaching a new course this fall called Service Learning. I think it is imperative my students graduate Springdale High School with a sense of service and community. We will be working with Jones Elementary, Head Start, and many other community groups. I am starting to get excited about the upcoming school year. However, the summer is going entirely too fast so I am starting to slightly panic for not having finished all the projects I planned. Andrew came home yesterday and was shocked to see the yard had been totally made over and a bedroom upstairs and been painted and decorated all in one day!:) I have goals and I want to get them done before the school year starts again. My parents and sister Celia were kind enough to come up yesterday to help me with those projects. I have a few more to go but feel confident I can make it happen. I am in the process of trying to make important decision pertaining to work and Andrew and I's personal lives. Please say some prayers that I can make the best decisions possible. Time to start packing for the next trip: Cozumel with my amazing hubby and our friends Matt and Jake. I am sure I will have a lot to blog about when I get home.

Lots of Love,

Ali

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Andrew's Birthday and Fun Crafts

Andrew is turning the big 2-8 tomorrow! We went with The McClures, The Petersons, and The Yoes-Fouts to Shogun. We had a great time celebrating Andrew's birth and giggled through opening presents (Reggie's apron) and talking about Annie. I have to say I am so blessed to have such a fun and happy husband. We laugh everyday and I look forward to laughing from years to come. Happy Birthday Hubby!

During the summer, I feel like a desperate housewive, cleaning, laundry, cleaning, laundry, grocery...cleaning. Today I did complete a fun project. I sewed pillows for our outdoor furniture. Hancock Fabrics is having a great sale this week. If you are feeling the need to be crafty I recommend heading that way. I love sewing and was super excited about the fabric. Tomorrow morning I leave for Hotlanta for work. Looking forward to learning some cool things that I can use this upcoming year. Hope you all have a fabulous week! Love, Ali

Monday, July 6, 2009

Fireworks at Arvest Ballpark

The fireworks at Arvest Ballpark on the 4th were beautiful. We had a great time. Lyla wouldn't even take her bottle because she was watching the show.

Fourth of July Celebration!!

Fourth of July is my favorite holiday!! We, as Americans, could not be part of a greater country in the world. No matter what is happening in our economy, the freedom fought for our country beginning at the Framers of the Constitution to the Greatest Generation to the men, women and children who sacrifice their lives for our country, is the greatest gift we could be given! Can you tell I am a government teacher:)? I also love Fourth of July because the most fabulous nephew on Earth, Graham Dolan, was born on this day. Happy 4th Birthday Little Man! Sorry we couldn't be there, but I here you are loving the drum set!

Salem Village POA July 3rd Pool Party!