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Knitting Projects Await Me

2012-02-13T15:25:00.001-06:00

In January, my favorite knitting shop has it's annual sale with 20% off all in-stock yarn. This year, I took advantage of the sale to stock up on my supply. In addition to having a little stash of "craft money" ready, I was blessed to receive a gift certificate to this very shop for Christmas from a dear friend. Yes!

While in my mind I was dreaming of all kinds of new projects I'd love to knit, I was worried that I didn't have the skill set yet to carry them off. After talking with the staff at the knitting store ( I love these people, they are so very helpful), I think this Spring I'm going to take a "class" and make a felted purse while I sit in the store and have ready hands to help. I think it will be my birthday gift to myself.

This year, I decided that I should really make some blankets for two little girls I know. You see thus far I've made six blankets and only one of those actually stayed in our house. The rest were all gifts. How I wish those first two blankets I made (oh, they were bad) I could take back and remake, but thankfully since they were both baby gifts they probably were destroyed by spit up anyway!

I decided that Miss M and Miss A really need their own blankets. I'm using patterns I've done before. That way they should be easy and faster to make. Miss M is getting a basketweave blanket and Miss A is getting the Blythe Blanket pattern I used this spring for a baby blanket. Each girl is getting her blanket in her favorite colors and I've promised I'll have them done by their birthdays. Lord willing!

For my final project, I picked up some great woolly yarn in hopes of making an everlasting scarf. I have this great pattern that mimics a Gap scarf sold this year. The problem is that it's a 1purl / 1 knit pattern and the fact that I knit Continental style and purl English throw style makes it very complicated to switch back and forth between the two styles. I'm hoping that my mother in law can teach me how to purl the "right " way this March. Sadly, my muscles and brain are slow learners ( just watch me at the gym and you'll know it's true) so I don't know if I can.

From Hockey Pucks to Girls with Basketballs, She's Ready to Cheer

2012-02-08T16:38:00.030-06:00

Miss A is always up for a sporting event. I think it comes to her naturally. When she was an infant, she spent most of her time sleeping in her car seat at her siblings' soccer, baseball and basketball games. She was often the team mascot of sorts and had most of the parents and siblings on the teams ogling over how adorable she was.

Now of course, she's the one on the field playing both soccer and basketball, but this girl still loves to sit in the crowd and cheer for the home team. She's a great spectator and if you throw in "snacks," she is very willing to go to any type of "game."

Miss A had the opportunity recently to spend two nights in row doing just that watching area college teams play their hearts out on the court/ice and cheer along side some of her favorite people. On Thursday, it was her basketball team watching a local woman's team win a "big" game on the court. Miss M and Miss A and P and I had a great time cheering and while it's amazing to see how few people come out for women's sports (even a winning team like this on was), Miss A had a great time with her friends and the girls soon became a favorite of the cheer squad that was sitting near us. Miss A even walked away with a signed poster!

Miss M had a great time at the game too, but left empty handed having tried twice to "catch" a t shirt from the yell squad. Both missed her by inches. Rumor has it her softball coach is concerned that she's lost her touch and needs to hit the gym with a glove. At least that is what I thought I heard my husband say!!

Friday night when Dad came home with Hockey Tickets, Miss A again jumped at the chance to go while M and I choose to stay home and watch a chick flick (The Help). Love that movie and book.

The boys and Miss A, however, were hooping and hollering at the Ice Arena while enjoying waiter service since they were sitting on the club level. When a fight broke out on the ice, they texted Miss M and I to say we were missing it all! The pictures that Dad sent our way were a great representation of how much Miss A loves to be in the middle of the action. Mr C and his friend J were no match to Miss A's cheers. This girl has gusto for a team!

Gotta love a girl who can cheer for teams in victory or defeat. A good spectator is a treasure.

Poor Poor Walter....

2012-02-07T16:15:00.008-06:00

Poor Walter. Our friendly snowman must have gone wandering on Sunday night and decided to take a siesta on the driveway. Sadly, when P left for the office on Monday morning, he didn't see Walter (guess it was still dark outside) and ran him over.

Now my husband is not a cold blooded killer, I'm sure it was purely an accident. My children, however, are not so convinced. Their first reaction (besides tears and wailing) was that they always knew Dad hated winter. They think his "burnt orange" blood has infected him so much that he would even kill a snowman!

Dad came home from work that night full of remorse and was apologetic. He claims that Walter must have blended in with the little dusting of snow on the driveway and he never saw him.

We've all learned a lesson. Next snow, we are going to have to tell our snowmen friends that nighttime journeys around the neighborhood are not allowed!

Sisters Sledding

2012-02-06T19:50:00.012-06:00

The title sounds likes an 80's Hard Rock Band, but in actuality, it's just two sisters having a blast at sledding down the hill at the school yard. Dad took the girls up to the school on Sunday afternoon and there was much rejoicing in the land!

Miss A and Miss M had a wonderful few hours of going up and down the hill at the school yard sleds in hand. According to P, there was much giggling and screaming and jumping of moguls. The girls were thrilled to see that a group of boys who had been there earlier had set up a fabulous "jump" on the hill. According to A, the "Air" you could get was out of the world. Miss M might have even tried skiing a little bit.

Maybe we should take these kids skiing!!

As a bonus while Dad was keeping an eye on the girls, he cleaned out the inside of my van and even found my sun glass clip! Of course he also found the battery charger for the camera that I had lost last month. Sadly, I'd just replaced it days before!

Snow Day: Wait It's Winter? Who Knew

2012-02-05T19:11:00.014-06:00

It's been the strangest winter in these parts. In fact, it's barely seemed like winter at all. Last Monday, it was nearly 70 degrees so Miss M and I walked to the elementary school and picked up Miss A after school. By midweek, they were forecasting a "winter storm event" even though we were setting another record and we were playing outside.

Thursday when I went grocery shopping for the weekend ahead, it was as if the world was coming to an end. The Grocery store was packed at 10:30 a.m. Really. I've never seen so many people at Trader Joe's either. I told my husband all I wanted was some wine for the Super Bowl. I'm thinking that the grocery stores were paying off the weather forecasters telling them to illicit fear in the people and send them shopping for supplies. Wouldn't it be a shame to run out of Wheat Thins?

Friday night, they were forecasting anything from 12 to 24 inches of snow and something very "dangerous" called Thunder Snow! Really scary sounding, isn't it? Of course, it didn't happen. We ended up with a measly 10 inches of snow. Nothing really. Way more than we've had lately, but not a blizzard or Armageddon.

That didn't stop the kids from having a blast playing in the snow on Saturday afternoon. It really was the perfect snow for playing and the temps were warm enough that you could actually enjoy some time outside making snowmen (that is Walter with the girls), sledding, and even shoveling the driveway. Mr C even trekked through the neighborhood to a friends' house to watch movies. We told him to put his name in his pocket in case he got lost in a snow bank, but he didn't!

It was a great snow day with tons of homemade hot chocolate, no plans forcing us to venture out of the neighborhood, and time to start some new knitting projects while watching movies!

If this is winter, it's not too bad. Of course, those 70 degree temps are welcome to return anytime.

Computer Crashes and Preconceived Ideas

2012-02-02T17:17:00.000-06:00

I think my neighbors are starting to wonder about me after all the repairman I've had in the house in the past few months. Honestly. Since fall/winter has begun, I've had the washer repaired twice, the dryer repaired once, the furnace checked and rechecked, new appliances installed, and now a computer IT repairman here twice this week.

My laptop which is one year and twelve days old crashed last week. At first, it was just the keyboard and the mouse that didn't work, but after 3 1/2 hours on the phone with an HP repairman in India the whole motherboard wasn't working. Nothing.

Now having had a computer crash a few years back, I had learned my lesson and sent my pictures to Picasa and Picasa Web, I send photos to Walgreens for storage and print out pictures, and I back up my entire computer onto a remote hard drive thus safeguarding me from a total crash and losing everything.

I guess, however, that I wasn't running my anti virus nearly enough ( the IT guy thinks I should run it everyday) and a result I got a virus. A bad virus.

So, after nearly three hours on the phone, I told the lovely man from India that I did not have the time to spend sitting on the phone by my computer so what would be my next choice. He'd send someone to my house. For the low price of $139.99, he could send someone to fix my problem and get me back up and running. Really. "All the way from India" I asked, only to get a chuckle of this nice gentleman who said they would probably use someone more local. Thank goodness.

I'll admit I was a little nervous to have a "techy" come to my house so much so that I called my neighbor just so they would know that I would be having "stranger" repairman at my house. I might have even said "just in case I get murdered, I want someone to know."

I shouldn't have been so quick to judge. My repairman was the nicest gentleman ever and not only did he get my computer completely backed up he came back the next day to reset up my printer, Microsoft office, and email. All together he was here almost 6 hours.

K is a godly young man from Ghana who came to this country three years ago to get his masters degree in computers with the goal of returning to homeland to set up a business to teach his country about technology and educate young people. During the long " downloading process," we talked about our World Vision child from Ghana, Shakum and the future of his homeland. We talked about how Americans are so blessed financially, spiritually and with a life with everything at their disposal and yet how easily we complain or compare or give up.

We talked about how much he loves his Church in America, a church that is filled with men and women from Africa who love Jesus and see themselves as here for a mission. I was amazed at this young man's courage to come all by himself to a foreign country to learn and grow so he can go back "home" again to share all this knowledge with the country he loves.

Mr K fixed more than computer this week, he restored a part of my optimism for our country and our world. He gave me much hope for the future. In him, I saw a hope for Shakum a little boy in Ghana who loves God and Soccer. It encourages me to write to Shakum and tell him about this amazing young man I meet and that I hope someday he can meet too.

While the process of getting back a perfect laptop was long; the end result is so much more than I could have imagined.

Scrapbooking Once Again

2012-01-31T19:16:00.023-06:00

For years, I thought it would be fun to take some friends out to the Lake for a weekend and Scrapbook. Last weekend, four friends and I went to the lake and had a great time creating pages, organizing pictures, and getting baby photos in books.

Friday afternoon, P and I went out to get the house ready for the weekend, dropped off the food and scrapbooking supplies, and walked through the process of making it ready for a group of women. In other words, P showed me how to turn on the water and turn up the heat!

Later that evening when all the women were busy creating and crafting, I knew that this long awaited dream was well worth the effort involved. Not only was I scrapbooking again and really enjoying making my way through 2008 and 2009 pictures and events, I loved that these ladies were getting a chance to get away from all of it for awhile too. Sometimes Moms just need a break and I'm grateful that our husbands (and P especially) were willing to pick up the slack while we were gone.

I don't think I've ever scrapbooked until 3 a.m. before in my life, and while I might have missed out on some sleep, the results were well worth it all. We laughed, visited, watched movies, and I made my way through almost 480 photos and got them all in order of "events." I might have cried a little over the "months that vanished" in our old computer crash, but I quickly realized that these missing events would make 2009 go much quicker!

Saturday was filled with even more fun, progress on pictures, and great conversations. I'm thinking that had we more time, we could have solved a number of the world's problems. Instead, we just set a summer camping trip with brownies and daisy girl scouts, talked through great places to go on vacations, and discussed our favorite movies.

In fact, I think I need to go rent "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" soon; either that or spray some Windex!

By early Sunday morning, it was time to go back to reality and while I was exhausted from all the fun, I was glad that when I returned there were hugs from little girls, cleaned carpets thanks to my husband, and a basketball game to attend.

Now, I just have over 30 spreads that need some journaling and a few more months of 2009 to scrapbook and then I'll only be two years behind. I know a few moms who are hoping this could become a monthly or quarterly event. I just need to talk P into the deal!!

Got My Crafting Gene Working Again

2012-01-27T11:56:00.014-06:00

I have been wanting a "Screen" front door decoration for months. I've seen them in cute boutiques and coveted them for my home, but have never felt the need to spend 40 or 50 dollars on something that hangs on a door for a weeks at a time.

You know the ones I talking about; the cute Snowman, Giant Pumpkin and the adorable Heart for Valentine's Day. Deep inside I kept thinking I could make one. I could create my own for tons cheaper. I guess you could say I'm a closet crafter, but often my dreams are bigger than my abilities.

Thankfully, I had a good friend who decided to make the jump into making a Valentine's Door Hanger with me. We figured we could commiserate together. Can I even tell you how much fun we had on our "Crafting Day?" We are all ready thinking of the "next" project we want to make. Who knows where this will take us!

Here are the details on the project:
1/2 yard of Red Burlap
Ribbon with wire
Wire from hardware store (to make the Hanger)
Grocery Sacks for stuffing
Craft paint and Foam Paintbrushes

The simple instructions: Take a Template of a Heart, trace on the burlap and cut out with fabric scissors. I folded my fabric in half so I only had to cut once. Paint around the edge to make a border, paint dots on the heart and let it dry. Sew together the two pieces with embroidery floss leaving a hole to stuff.( My friend used her sewing machine to do this step) Take grocery sacks and scrunch into balls and stuff. Finish sewing. Take wire and make a loop for hanging. Have your friend make an adorable bow as a finishing touch and then hang on your door.

D and I each made a heart for our front door and then made one to give away to a dear friend. If I do say so myself, this was a fun and easy project that I will definitely try again. I see a cute Easter Door Hanger in my future!

Feet, Fiats and Family Pizza Night

2012-01-24T19:49:00.020-06:00

We had a fabulous Saturday and, while the girls and the boys spent most of Saturday split due to different activities, we had the chance to reconnect over a great pizza dinner that night. Our Korean son joined us for the weekend so the boys could go to the Auto Show. P and C have gone sporadically to Show since C was a little boy carrying around matchbox cars. Jin had hinted at Thanksgiving that he'd really like to go so the boys made the sacrifice.

Jin and C are convinced that they should purchase a Fiat once they turn 16. In fact, C has already picked out his favorite color and "Coach" style interior. He's still debating between the hardtop and the convertible version, but knows that a Fiat would be a perfect stylish car.

P might have loved the Fiats too, but is dreaming instead of a new Honda CRZ which is a super cool two seater. I'm not sure how we would fit our family of five inside, but he'd sure look cool scooting around town in this car! Guess that means Momma won't be getting rid of her mini van anytime soon! Yeah.

While the boys were busy at the Auto Show, the girls were busy getting Pedicures. At least the younger girls. I'm not convinced I'd like someone touching my feet. I will say that these girls are all for pampering. I got the biggest kick out of watching Miss A's face during the experience. She loved every minute and between the massage chair and the water bath for her feet, she was giggling and laughing the entire time.

Miss M, since it was here second ever salon pedicure, controlled her giggles a little more, but still had a few all over body laughs. The nice nail tech was even smiling watching their little faces soaking up the fun and she offered me a little time in the message chair saying that a busy mom "needs a little pampering." Hard to argue with that logic.

I told my husband that the big smiles on the girls faces and the joy they had in showing off their toes to any and all over the next few days was well worth the price. The fact that little girl pedicures are half price as the moms helped too!

That night when the two "groups" got together to enjoy a little pizza at a family owned Pizzeria, we were all exhausted from a full, but fun day. I love Saturdays.

Funny Things I've Seen Or Heard Lately

2012-01-23T14:14:00.017-06:00

I'll readily admit that these "funny things" posts are totally just for me so that years from now I can remember these days! Thus, I'm listing them in no order whatsoever...

1. Miss A had been disappointed the first day back to school after break. She thought her brother (who did not have school yet) was going to come and have lunch with her and see his old 1st grade teacher-now her teacher. It was a big misunderstanding, but she was crushed when he didn't show up! Bad mom moment too. To make up for this indiscretion, I promised to come up that Friday for lunch and bring homemade mac and cheese from home!

She agreed. That Friday was crazy busy for me and I tried to cram too much into a short period of time and arrived with just seconds to spare before "lunch," but with the promised mac and cheese. I was thrilled with myself for making it; her response "I didn't think you were going to show!" Really. We had a fun lunch in which I opened five milks, two puddings and prompted two friends to wipe their face to catch the messy gunk falling off of it. We laughed and talked and I really enjoyed myself. Miss A said it was her best lunch ever.

It was then time for "us" to go out to recess and I asked Miss A if she wanted me to go (I've always gone in the past) and she said and I quote " No, I'm done with you, you can go now.!" I think I was dismissed.

2. Last week Miss A was home from school on Thursday and Friday suffering from a bad cold. We watched some Little House on the Prairie shows and played some games and read books. By late afternoon on Friday, she was back to normal so we did our "regular" weekend plan. Monday morning as she was getting dressed for school she knocked on my door and said she needed to talk to me. She was worried if people heard what she did over the weekend they would think she was cheating. "If I tell people that I got a manicure on Saturday, they might think I was faking being sick."

Really is this a normal thing for a first grader to worry about? She had already told me on Thursday when she woke up sick that she wished it was a weekend since she hated to miss school. Miss A was worried she might fall behind.

Thankfully, Miss A was able to return to school on Monday and no one questioned her character. When Miss M heard this story, she said that at her school some people take a "mental health day" and skip out to do fun things or just sleep in. Mr C, of course, quickly pointed out that Jr High and elementary school are so easy there is no stress and no reason to need time off. High School, on the other hand, is challenging, stressful and that chilling out on the weekend is a requirement to get through the rigors of the daily grind.

I'm thinking that a mental health day is when all my kids are in school for an entire week! Oh, and if the mother gets a weekend away to scrapbook with friends, that's as good as a Caribbean Vacation. Just don't tell my husband that when I'm gone next weekend, I've convinced him its all work and stress getting our family scrapbooks back on track!

The Hamburger Joint to End All Hamburger Joints

2012-01-23T09:12:00.000-06:00

Mr C finally got to celebrate his Amazing Race win last season with dinner out on Saturday night. If the truth be told, he "won" with a Mexican Cantina as his choice, but we kindly asked him to reconsider. None of the girls in the family like the restaurant he choose. Thanks Mr C for caving into peer pressure (sister pressure?) just this once!!

The "winning" restaurant is an old fashioned Hamburger Joint that serves it's burgers on paper napkin. It's a place that I used to go with my grandparents and we'd scout out the Fly Boys from a nearby Air Force Base. Only back then, the restaurant was in a small old house that while it served great burgers and fries left much to be desired in decor.

Today, its a hip restaurant with fun nostalgic pictures and memorabilia and big flat screen televisions. Their burgers, however, are just as good, and maybe even better than I remember. Miss A said their grilled cheese might have been the best she's ever tasted and Miss M and Mr C thought the fries were to die for.

There is something about a great burger joint that just makes you feel All-American. The fact that the San Francisco 49'ers game was playing in the background only added to the atmosphere. I think Mr C is contemplating trying the "Stellanator" the next time we go. It's like 8 patties, buns and all the fixings. Considering the record is 156 attempts and only 3 successful patrons, I'm not thinking he has a chance. His picture sure would look cute on the Wall of Shame though!

Teenage boys have bigger eyes than stomachs even when they are growing like a weed. I'm glad this Burger Joint is a little bit of a drive for us because if he had the chance to build up his stamina he might just make it.

We can hardly wait for the next Amazing Race Season to begin; I'm already planning my winning restaurant. I've got to win one of these times, don't I?

My Adventures with Rose

2012-01-19T16:57:00.001-06:00

Miss A and I use to have so much fun running errands together when she was a "little girl" at home with me. We'd run to the grocery store or Target and sing songs in the car, make up funny games to play in the store, and of course the customary trip to the "cafe" for pizza or a pretzel. We lived it up. As the youngest, she benefited from having mom all to herself, and a mother who knew these days were numbered.

There are still days off that we get to do fun things and run errands together which we cherish. We miss each other. This week, at Miss A's request, I got the privilege of taking Rose with me on my errands. She wanted Rose to experience some adventures while she was at school so Miss A begged me to take Rose along for the day.

We had a grand time. I had promised Miss A that I would take some pictures of Rose while we were out and about. When A returned home from school yesterday, she was thrilled with the "evidence" I produced. Her only complaint: its does not appear that Miss Rose had a pretzel with me at Target. I guess I'm out of practice and I forgot all about the pretzel. Plus, I was on my way to the gym so I didn't want Rose to get a tummy ache from eating right before exercise.

Rose and I had a grand time at Michael's Craft store. They were having their dollar sale so we stocked up on paint and paint brushes for craft time. Of course, Rose choose some colors that I thought were hideous, but I gave into her demands. At Target, we had to return an item, which of course meant a long line and then we went in search of a Tea Strainer for the new Kettle. No luck. We even asked the Starbucks guy and he just looked at us weirdly. Whatever.

I allowed Rose to sit in the front seat next to me, but I buckled her in and turned off the air bag. We sang along to the Disney Channel on FX and then a little David Crowder Band too. She has a nice voice, much better than my own.

At the gym, Rose looked lovingly at the Tennis Courts hoping that we could play a few sets. Thankfully, they had snow on them because it was only 10 degrees outside and I'm not that nice of a person to play in those conditions. Rose sat by the Track and watched me do my workout. I waved at her from the elliptical machine, but she was still pouting and would not speak to me. After I did my "arm routine" on the weights, she demanded that I carry her to the car saying something about not having the will to walk to the car in 30 mile an hour winds. Wimp!

I thought maybe Rose would help me with the vacuuming and laundry once we got home, but she was more interested in watching some DVR'd Biggest Loser episode. Guess the trip to the gym got her motivated.

All in all, Rose and I had a fabulous day; and it was fun to again have a buddy tag along on my day. I'll admit however that I think Miss A, Miss M and even Mr C (on a day that he's willing to tag along with dear old mom) are a lot more fun!

Celebrating MLK Day in True Girl Style

2012-01-17T16:42:00.021-06:00

Poor Mr C did not have MLK day off from school. In his mind, he was among maybe two others in the whole country that had to get up early and go to school on this national holiday. He was threatening to hold a "sit in " to protest this injustice, but we convinced him that was just asking for demerits. He did, however, tell his Freshman Dean that the school day was infringing on his ability to "celebrate" the holiday in true style. The Dean said he has all evening to make up for it! Gotta love private school deans; they don't hold back the truth.

Thankfully for Miss A and Miss M, their schools are more politically correct and they had a day off to do as they pleased. After a make up piano lesson, we headed to mall to "finally" spend some Christmas cash and gift cards. You would have thought that Christmas was months ago with the mold they thought was growing on their cash!!

Mom pulled a big surprise and took the girls to Applebees first for lunch. We needed our energy for shopping. Miss A had gotten a gift certificate from school for completing her Addition Math Tests and she was thrilled to use it for some great Chicken Nuggets!

After much discussion, it was decided that we would go to Justice, Claire's and Build a Bear to check out the sales, look for fun new things to buy, and of course try on a few things. Miss A found the "A" Blanket she'd always wanted and fancy new pink purse that is oh so styling. Miss M choose a fun frilly shirt and tank top that will be perfect to add a little sparkle to a dull winter day and I was able once again to avoid getting out of Justice without taking out a loan.

Miss A really wanted to buy a new "stuffie" and told me that she loves to go to Build A Bear. It's her favorite thing ever! In her ideal world, we would go a few times each year to add to her collection and give her new animals to play with online at Bearville.

Miss M, having already spent a little of her money at Forever 21, was also interested in going to BAB for a new animal. When I suggested something a little "older," she told me that "you know you are only a little girl for so long, I might as well enjoy it while I can." Preach it sister is what I wanted to scream!

Miss A choose an adorable Pink Kitten with a Heart Eye that she wanted to name Hearty, but we helped her pick out "Rose" in honor of Rosa Parks (or maybe the rosy color, but it was MLK day so work with me) and Miss M choose the softest puppy ever and named him Biscuit. No cleaver marketing tool with that name, sorry.

There was of course some new clothing for the animals too! You don't want a naked Dog or Cat running around do you? By the time we left the mall a few hours later, I was glad that I had ordered an extra Ice Tea at lunch as I needed the caffeine to keep me going.

It was a fabulous day off from reality and fun afternoon of doing "girl things" with A and M. At dinner, Mr C was quick to point out that he has the day after the Super Bowl off from school, meaning he can cheer until the wee hours without fear of being too tired the next day. I'm not thinking Mr C and I will be doing a mall trip on his day off, but you never know!

What a Difference a Day Makes

2012-01-12T17:13:00.000-06:00

There is an old saying around these parts that if you don't like the weather stick around an hour and it will probably change. Really. We've been having a weird winter this year. In fact, according to Miss A, the only thing negative about Christmas Break this year was that there was not a stitch of snow on the ground. Nada. Nothing.

This weird weather has been the discussion everywhere I've gone; the grocery store, the gym, my kids school. It was as if we were skipping winter this year. In fact, on Tuesday when the temperature was 54 degrees, I wrote on the kitchen chalkboard a cute little message "Spring Fever in January." A friend of mine told me she was already thinking spring plants.

Last Thursday after school, I took Miss A to the park since it was 65 degrees out and sunny. In January! We got ourselves a Sonic drink and joined a number of other moms and kids running off steam at the park. Mr C even played intramural football with some buddies after school. It was spooky how much it seemed like March.

Then Tuesday of this week when the temperature was once again "unseasonably warm," it was off to the park again. This time I went with both M and A to play tag along with half the neighborhood!

Sadly, I knew this was too good to be true. Really too good. Yesterday the wind was 50 mph, the temps dropped into the 20's and the icy snowy mix coated the streets right in time for rush hour. Winter has made a grand re-entrance. This morning, as Miss M and sat in my warm car at the bus stop, we talked about the fact that we both knew it was too good to last, but boy was it nice. At least that's what I think she said as the wind howled outside and the heater tried to keep the 10 below wind chill out of the car!

Gotta love the Midwest! I wonder if that's what the Annie song "Tomorrow" is really talking about .... that snow and bitter cold are only day away!

New Years' Eve at the Lake

2012-01-06T11:57:00.021-06:00

New Year's Eve was never one of my favorite holidays. That is until the past three years when our family has spent the New Year's celebrating at the lake with some good friends. In years past, we'd have a quiet family "celebration" with fake champagne and an early ball drop. Oh how I love our new tradition of hanging with the H family while spending a few nights away from everything playing games, relaxing, refocusing, and having fun.

With this year's unseasonably warm weather, we were able to play Football outside on New Year's Day! Really. We were wearing light coats and gloves and hats. Mr C was beyond thrilled as it had been his hope that we could arrange a game between the two families. He was even dreaming up plays in his head. Little did he realize that Miss A, Miss M and his mother had no idea what he was talking about when he shouted out plays. Not a clue.

Miss A did however like hiking the ball. Miss M like the huddle the best and well I can say that I'm pretty good at kickoff and throwing. Blocking, running and making it to the goal were rather hard. The look on Mr C's face, however, was priceless and worth any amount of shame I felt for my inability to play football with the "guys."

Our New Year's Eve dinner was scrumptious. We pulled out the fondue pots that have been gathering dust and had steak in red wine; cheese with bread and veggies, and for desert, the best chocolate fondue ever with angel food cake and fruit. It was messy, yummy and perfect for a celebration. I'm thinking we won't be waiting a whole year to make fondue again.

The only incident of the weekend was when I sclied a part of my thumb off chopping onions for the fondue on NYE. In hindsight, I should have gone to the ER, but didn't want to miss the party. I'm glad I could take one for the "Team" however and have yet another "blood incident" on a holiday. Thankfully, it's healing nice and while I'll never be a hand model again with the big gash missing it was worth it to have a great evening and steer clear of the crazy people at the Emergency Room on New Year's Eve. Can't even imagine!

New Year's Eve at the Lake was perfect start to the New Year.. We had a fabulous time! Happy 2012

A Christmas Wedding

2011-12-30T20:20:00.026-06:00

The big day was finally here. We were thrilled for Cousin L and her soon to be husband K who had dated for seven years and most of those long distance. Miss M and Miss A were over the top with joy at having a part in this special day. Miss M had been asked to be the Guest Book Attendant, Miss A was in charge of handing out the programs, and Mr C was in charge of "Protection Services" aka watching the gift table and being ready to attack any threats to the gifts!

Miss M and Miss A took their roles very seriously and listened attentively to directions from the Bridal Coordinator and Mr C slid on some "shades" and got into fighting position. I'm thrilled to say that the girls did a fabulous job and looked stunning in their dressy clothes. Thankfully, Mr C's combat skills were not needed, but he was ready and he would say "able."

Mr C also had the privilege of walking his Grandparents up the aisle of the Church and holding Bestemor's arm. An extra special part of the day was the fact that C was wearing the bow tie his grandfather had worn for his own wedding 52 years ago. He looked so dapper.

The wedding was an intimate worship service that not only united these two young people, but dedicated their love and life to God's service. I found myself getting a little chocked up during the Parental Blessing thinking of the fact that, in the what will probably seem like a blink of an eye, this will happen with my own children. I'm pretty sure that Miss L was a little toddler I met in Pennsylvania just the other day, but in actuality that was 18 plus years ago!

Of course, the part that M and A were anxiously awaiting was the Wedding Reception with a Coffee Bar Table and all the fixings. I'm sure that Miss A and Miss M had enough caffeine, coffee, and sugar in a short period of time to keep them jazzed up for days. Mr C on the other hand was more impressed with the "Scrumptious" Turkey and Cheese Tray. He has sophisticated taste.

Miss M continued the tradition of wearing someone else's shoes at a wedding and switched shoes with her cousin and allowed Miss E to wear her flats for awhile, all the while enjoying the fancy heels E had worn as the Maid of Honor! I love this girls fashion sense and I'm thrilled that she gets to indulge in fancy shoes once in awhile. Her day will come someday.

We finished out the evening with a Chicago Deep Dish Pizza party at Uncle S and Aunt C's house and M and A got to play around with the cousin's "old " American Girl Dolls and all the fancy clothes that Bestemor had made for their dolls. Miss A even recognized some of the material that B had used to make her Ruthie and Kit clothes, too!

It was a wonderful Christmas Wedding in Chicago! May God bless these two fabulous young people with many years of joy and abundant blessings.

PS: I did finish the Wedding Blanket I knitted with days to spare and got to show it off to my sister in law before mailing it off to the married couple's home in California. Pictures to follow.

Who Doesn't Love Chicago at Christmas?

2011-12-30T19:48:00.019-06:00

Traditionally, we don't travel at Christmas. It's a crazy time of year for my husband at work, it's crazy expensive to fly anywhere, and since P's parents come for Thanksgiving (and we send presents back with them for the Chicago crew) along with weather that can be dicey for us, we just stay put.

Not this year. No way. No how. Our eldest niece was getting married December 28th and we would do whatever we could to make it to Chicago and be part of the festivities. Miss A and Miss M would never have forgiven us if they missed this wedding and the fact that they had adorable new dresses to wear for the event was just part of the equation. They love weddings.

So two days after Christmas, off we went to Chicago land. The amazing part is that nowhere along the route did we run into bad weather or a stick of snow. In fact, we didn't even see any snow on the fields or roads anywhere. It looked like we were traveling in March instead of late December. Not that my weather channel loving husband was complaining at all.

It was a short, but oh so sweet trip to Chicago with the Wedding on Wednesday and a work day on Friday for P and, of course, our annual New Year's Eve celebration that weekend.

After a long day of traveling and getting settled into our hotel room, we enjoyed "cocktails" with Bestemor and Bestafar in the lobby. Mr C. Miss M, and Miss A had their first taste of Tonic Water with Lime. Let's just say I'm not thinking they will be hitting the bars later in life for high balls. Yeah. (May that be the case Lord, please) They did however enjoy the free cookies and popcorn. Good choice.

We had a fun dinner at a "healthy" Mexican Cafe' where the food was so good you didn't miss the fat and calories. Then we spent a few hours walking around an outdoor Outlet Mall in the Suburbs and while Christmas Cash and Gift Cards were burning holes in two little girl's purse. They did a good job of not overbuying or settling for something. They are their father's children!

As we all tucked into bed that night back at the hotel, the excitement was evident; Miss A and Miss M who I had the joy of sharing a queen sized bed with could hardly fall asleep. They were looking forward to the wedding so much that it was hard to sleep!

Christmas Day: It's Going to Be a Loud Winter

2011-12-28T16:32:00.020-06:00

Even though Dad had requested an 8:30 a.m. wake up call, our first visitor was actually at 4:30 a.m.. Believe me, even though she's adorable, we sent her back to bed with strict orders to not get out until she heard her brother in the hallway. Teenage boys always sleep in right?

Of course, Mr C failed this test and was up at 7:30 much to our chagrin. Really. We then tortured the kids for at least a half hour saying we couldn't go down yet as we had promised Santa eight thirty. Finally at eight, we gave in to peer pressure.

Miss A was in seventh heaven when she saw the guitar! Her screams were so loud I checked to make sure that the windows stayed in place. Miss M was giggling when she saw the digital camera for her and Mr C was surprised to find a weight set on the fireplace. Well in actuality it was just a single weight as Santa brought the rest downstairs to the bench. C is looking forward to some great matches on the Foosball Table he got and has already proven a worthy opponent. His mother no so much. I said it was due to the fact that I spent all my time in college studying or campaigning and his father obviously was off at parties!

It was a fun Christmas. No rush to get anywhere. No pressure to open presents in a hurry. Pecan Rolls and Cranberry Juice for Breakfast. A great brisket in the oven for Christmas Dinner and plans for Nana and Papa to come and enjoy a lazy afternoon of domino's and football games.

We had a wonderful Christmas season this year and were abundantly blessed with time with family and friends along with opportunities to bless others this year. I really could not have asked more.

Now, we just need to figure out who can teach Miss A how to play the guitar and I need to spend a little time working on my skills with the Foosball table. Thankfully, Miss M will be able to capture all the moments as I'll be busy covering my ears and using my feet to more my "guys" on the table.

Christmas Eve: Let the Celebrations Begin

2011-12-27T12:47:00.076-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve celebrating starting with our worship of the Newborn King and then with our family for a Feliz Natividad Dinner at Nana and Papas. When the invite arrived a few days before written all in Spanish, I was thankful that Mr C could translate! At least then, we didn't show up with our jammies expecting a sleepover!

Before heading to church, we had a few "special" deliveries to make. This year, we were beyond blessed to be a small part of adopting three families for the 12 Days of Christmas and we always take the last day; you know, the12 Drummers Drumming. Not only do we love giving on Christmas Eve, it also means that the kids get to be a part of the surprise drop.

At the first house, Miss A and Mr C both decided to drop the "Drum" on the front porch, and because we know the family and they know our car, we tried to "hide" and have the kids run. The drop went off without a hitch except for when they returned to the car. Mr C was running in his Ninja Style and Miss A, skipping along ahead of him jumped into the open car door and Dad starting pulling off while Miss M closed the door. Only problem, Mr C was on the opposite side of the car still running. We all screamed "we've left C" and Dad halted the car. It was the funniest thing ever according to Miss A who did not feel it was necessary to get C, but thought we should just let him run home.

Our second"surprise" stop went much smoother. However when we circled around to make sure that the gift had been picked up, we almost ran over a cat in the middle of the road. Not exactly stleath in our approach. I don't think the CIA will be calling us to do undercover work anytime soon!

Thankfully, we didn't need to go undercover to the Christmas Eve Worship Service because Miss A's smile was too big to hide. She loved that our "whole" Omaha Family was sitting in two pews in the same church. There is just something about Christmas Eve worship that means so much to me and seeing all my children catch that thrill is joy beyond words.

Our Fiesta dinner was topped off with our traditional Norwegian Rice Pudding Dessert so I'd say we are very ethnically diverse. Next year, it looks like Cousin L is in charge of bringing the prize for finding the almond in the pudding even if Miss A was trying with all her might to find it.

No family gathering would be complete without a few puzzles to complete, some bumper pool competitions, and the traditional Christmas play which this year included the entire crew and was an improvfest. Dad and Uncle S even got "caught" up in the action when Miss A put a paper bag over their heads. It was all part of the fun.

It was a fabulous start to our Christmas Celebration, and I heard my husband declare as we drove "out of sight" Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night." Later that night, he might have said to our children the same quote with just an added phrase "don't let me see the whites of your eyes until half past eight in the morning."

A man can dream can't he?

Ice Skating: Another Holdiay Event, Another Bloody Face Incident

2011-12-22T17:18:00.019-06:00

Tuesday of Christmas Break, I thought it would be fun to go to Ice Skating and enjoy a little fellowship with friends and the balcony girls. We could get some winter exercise and have some fun. After introducing Miss M and Miss A to skating last winter, they have been begging to go again.

We had a fabulous twenty minutes of skating on a nearly empty ice rink and Miss A was getting pretty confident in her skills and Miss A was enjoying her friends. Off to the side of the rink, we noticed a little practice arena where you can "skate" on dry land and practice up on your skills. Our only problem was didn't realize that the "hill" was actually suppose to be climbed up to practice "walking on ice" and not slide down.

On her second "run" down, Miss A skidded out and fell on her face putting her two front teeth through her bottom lip. Thankfully, I was standing right there and quickly applied pressure and cupped my hands to catch the flowing river of blood. Miss A was a real trooper and other than a few tears, remained calm allowing my friend H to access if we needed to head to the ER for stitches. Thankfully, we were able to stop the bleeding and see that besides a deep cut there was no real damage to her teeth or lip.

Having already had one set of stitches on a lip and realizing that "they" don't really like to stitch a lip because it's too moist; we just keep the lip closed and moist. Let's just say that Miss A was thrilled when she learned no Dr visit would be required. However, she decided that she was done skating. She told me that she would not be ice skating ever again. When Papa came to rescue her (thanks Dad), she was more than happy to go home.

My father being able to come and retrieve Miss A is really only one part of the blessings in this story. By God's provision, I had asked another mother stay to "help" and she just happens to be a nurse. I could not have asked for a better set of hands to help out in a crisis. I got the biggest kick out of H when she went to town telling the Ice Arena that they needed to update their First Aid Kit or close their doors. She was adamant that they were not prepared for an injury.

Maybe that's why Miss A was offered a free Sprite and all the ice cubes she wanted! By the end of the day, Miss A had amended her previous claim that she would not ice skate ever again to the new philosophy that "I'll give it one my try, but if anything happens I'm done with skating forever." Gotta love that she will at least give it another try.

With any luck, our "holiday injury curse" is over for this Christmas Season! You never know!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

2011-12-21T16:53:00.021-06:00

We are deep in the midst of Christmas preparations. Miss M and Miss A had a few days off while Mr C was busy taking finals so we are attempting to do all the "girl things" before he joins us. Let's just say Mr C is not into crafts!

Over the weekend, while Miss M was suffering from a cold, Miss A and her brother went out to C's school for "Breakfast with Santa" Of course, Miss A was quick to point out that he was not the "real Santa." Guess that the real one is only at the Train Station. However, she did tell this "fake Santa" that she's still hoping for a Guitar! Might as well cover your bases. C said that even if he wasnt' the real deal, he could pass her request onto the "big guy."

Mr C has been hitting the books pretty hard in preparation for his first cumulative exams ever. He did notice that the house smelt pretty and thought that maybe Cinnamon stimulates the brain cells as he was really absorbing all the Biology and Algebra II facts. I think he was hinting that he wanted to eat some cinnamon rolls. However, I must admit that when there are 20 pans of Cinnamon Rolls sitting on your dinning room table, it is a very pleasant aroma!

We still have big plans for the rest of our Christmas prep week including a trip to the ice skating arena, shopping at the mall for sibling presents, and of course a few late nights watching Christmas movies or sports depending on who has the TV remote.

The only thing missing from our Christmas excitement is a little of the white fluffy stuff. It's my fault since it's been my prayer for a dry run into Chicago after Christmas. Maybe we can dream of a "White" January.

Bells are Ringing, Children are Singing, Christmas is Here!

2011-12-19T16:34:00.054-06:00

Friday night was our annual family Bell Ringing shift. In his great mercy, the Lord allowed it be 40 degrees outside for most of the evening. What mercy he bestowed on us. You might think I'm mocking the whole role He played in the weather, but after a few years ago worrying that we might get frost bite, we all rejoiced that this year it was glorious. (Well as glorious as it can be in the Midwest in late December.)

I brought along a few bells of our own to use as the Salvation Army only provides you with one bell per shift and who wants to see children fighting because they don't have their own bells. Next year though, I'm getting something better than the "door hangers" I picked up at the Dollar Store. Let's just say a few of the bells did not make it to the end of the evening.

Since we only had a two hour shift, we broke with our tradition of eating at the "grocery store" restaurant during our shift and instead we ate first at Five Guys. Nothing like Hamburgers and Fries to warm the cockles of your heart.

Mr C brought along a friend from school and some great friends joined us too. Our festive group had a great time and really got into the Christmas Spirit. Miss A was dancing a "jig" drumming up business for our kettle and Miss M and the boys were singing carols . Twelve Days of Christmas was especially loud and maybe off key just a little bit, but the joy was evident. Miss A of course belived that she and Mr G were filling the coffers just by being adorable! Mr C and Miss M and friends claimed it was their charm and great singing.

It really was a perfect evening. Of course, the hot chocolate, warm snow boots and pie at Village Inn that ended the evening made it even better. I think this could be my favorite Christmas Tradition. Great memories.

Where Oh Where Has This Blogger Gone?

2011-12-18T12:47:00.000-06:00

Can someone please tell me where the first half of December went? While you are at it, you might explain how it is that it's almost 2012 and I've only just begun to write 2011 on anything. One minute I think I'm ahead of the Christmas hustle and then the next thing I know, it's almost Christmas break and there is nothing under the tree.

Yes, I've purchased most of the gifts, but I've yet to wrap a single one. Wait! That's not true, I wrapped the ones that went to Chicago in November. Come to think of it that the last time I was ahead of the game!

I've been busy. Making Cinnamon Rolls, attending Girl Scout Christmas Caroling events, high school band concerts, dance recitals at retirement villages and, of course, a few "secret" things that I don't want to give away yet. I like to be busy. Really. I like a "to do list" that is chuck full, but I especially like it when I cross a whole bunch of the items off the list before midnight. My preference is really by 5 p.m. so that I can "enjoy" the season a little each night.

Thankfully, I'm beginning to see these moments of chaos as blessings too. I can't imagine my life without my family and friends. I love to bless them with cinnamon goodness. I love to write a little personal note at the end of our generic Christmas card. The days of band concerts, dance performances, and singing carols are short lived and I want to savor them while I can.

All those "moments" are what add up to my life and, if in those moments I'm not thanking God for the chaos and the joy, I'm missing it. Plus, with life around these parts, I'll have plenty of time to catch up on my sleep this winter sitting by the fireplace. Hopefully, those moments will include a good book and a skein of yarn or two!

Christmas Dancing, Lights Aglow and Mary and Joseph Up Close and Personal

2011-12-13T15:15:00.000-06:00

With a stellar weekend forecast and a few Christmas items already on our calendar, we decided to go full out Christmas by taking in the lights about the city, making another batch of caramels, visiting a live Nativity and watching Miss M dance in the Christmas program for her dance studio.

It really is beginning to feel a little more like Christmas every day.  Our family has enjoyed a new Advent devotion we've been working through and while we might have attempted to get all fancy and make/reuse items from around the house on an advent tree (bare branches that were originally used for our tree of Thankfulness), we've abandoned those crafty dreams and are just grabbing the items and then putting them back in their place around the house.

If only we could adopt the same philosophy with school supplies, shoes, dirty laundry. Oh, I digress.

Miss M was thrilled to dance on a big stage and have her Aunt, Grandparents and entire family there to cheer her on. Mr C tried to beg out, but when we said that Chic-Fil-A was involved, his plans changed quickly. I'll admit that watching hundreds of "little girls" dance is getting a little old after ten years (they all look about the same), I love the opportunity to watch the older girls, especially my own, dance. It really is her most favorite of things! Even when the music stopped in the middle of her "Tin Solider" dance, she did not flinch.

After the dance recital, we enjoyed our second trip to Chic-Fil-A in our hometown and then were on a mission to find the best Christmas lights in the city. Miss A was keeping track of which house was our favorite and we all had a chuckle out of her "shorthand" on named streets. At one time, she might have yelled out in frustration "Come on people, lets just call it G Street number 7" even though the street name had no letter G in it.   Not sure we could find our "number one" house any longer with her cheat sheet.

Sunday afternoon after church, Jill whipped up a batch of caramels (three hours isn't really whipped up is it?) after Miss A's final basketball game of the "year" and then we went to a church's Living Nativity.  I can't really tell you how amazing it is to see the Nativity up close and really feel what on a very small scale what it must have been like to be Mary and Joseph in that dirty little stable with their tiny newborn baby.

The best part was that the final "scene" of the Nativity had a Cross draped in black and with a Roman Solider bowing down before it. Wow! What a message of the "Real Reason for this Season." Way beyond just a tiny baby. All three kids wanted to drive through again just to see it one more time.

Miss A of course was even willing to try for the record at the Nativity: 10 times through in one night!
It's hard to complain, however, when your child wants to go through "just one more time to see Baby Jesus." Oh, may that always be the case.

I'm thinking that these December weekends might be my favorite weekends of the year!

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Caramel King.....

2011-12-10T17:15:00.022-06:00

Making caramels is a Christmas tradition that I love. For the past several years, I've made caramels for teacher gifts and friends The process is long, but the results are fabulous. In fact, I believe the Mr C made straight A's in junior high because of my caramels (it might have had a little to do with the grades, but you never know.) Let's just say his "teachers" might have cried when he graduated 8th grade.

This year, I wanted to share the joy with caramels with a few friends and decided I'd pretend to be Martha Stewart and host a caramel making session in my home. Let's just say that things did not go as expected.

Try as we might, the ladies and I did not end up with a successful batch of caramels.

We had all the right ingredients, we measured and stirred, and watched the temperature on the candy thermometer just like you are supposed to. The first batch turned out hard as a rock and the second "double" batch might have worked as caramel ice cream sauce, but not as something you could wrap up and give away. I even tried to put them in the fridge to harden them up which not only did nothing for the texture of the caramels, but resulted in one tray spilling all over my fridge.

Now I could count this up as an epic failure. Proof positive that I should not be a cooking teacher and that I should just give up my hopes of a vast empire of crafts and cooking. OK, maybe I should give that dream up, but the morning was anything but a failure. I spent the morning with friends and shared with them a love of making homemade goodies for friends and family. I was able to encourage them to step out and try something new. We learned together that failure in the kitchen is just that, a mess up. All that was really lost was a few simple ingredients and a little pride.

Plus, I got to learn how to take my new refrigerator apart, removing the shelves, figuring out the veggie drawers and I rearrange a few things to make it even more efficient for our family.

The funny story we have to tell about our morning of caramel making will last much longer than a batch of caramels Of course, today I had to prove to myself that I haven't lost the caramel making touch and I made a double batch for the junior high teachers. Hey, I'm no fool I want Miss M to have straight A's too!

Listening to the that Still Small Voice

2011-12-08T09:27:00.001-06:00

In the hustle and bustle of my daily life, it is often hard to hear the still small voice of God whispering to me. However, I can't tell you the number of times in the past few weeks that listening has made my life so much easier. You can go ahead and call me weird, but I'm beginning to see that God's provision for me often comes in getting me prepared ahead of the disaster.

Guess you could say that God knows that I'm a list maker and a planner by nature so when things crop up that are not on my "to do list," they can throw me off. While I'd prefer that God go ahead and just let me in the details, He has been doing a great job of preparing the way ahead of me.

For instance....

A few weeks ago, I decided to strip all the beds in the house, to wash all the towels and to even clean out Mr C's closet, drawers and prep the room for company. I went so far as to move the trundle bed into his room. It was an all day cleaning job. The time went quickly and I was so impressed with how everything was clean. I vacuumed every bedroom, cleaned the bathrooms and by the end of the day my house was sparkling.

I had a supply closet full of cleaning supplies because a few days prior I had a nudge at Target to get my winter cleaning stuff all ready. I picked up the disinfectants, paper towels, Lysol, laundry detergent, and of course soda crackers and sprite too.

Wouldn't you know it that very afternoon and my house was cleaned from top to bottom, my youngest child came home "sick" and while there was still lots to do to care for her, my house was so clean.

Days later when Miss A was still suffering and had now gotten the stomach bug, we had a long night together watching a Hallmark movie between trips to the bathroom and Miss A said this has not "been my week." While I agreed, I said how blessed we were that God had gotten us all ready. My calendar was somehow empty and we had fun things in the craft closet to do.

Little did I know that in a few hours, our heater would go out on a Sunday morning, and the only reason I would be able to call and get a repairman to come was that I was home with a sick child. By God's provision, I had the heater checked just weeks prior and when I called the emergency number that morning, they said they would have someone out within the hour.

The result was it was a fluke, nothing wrong. No charge. All because I had the Furnace Check weeks ago.

Finally, on Monday, I "felt" the need to get caught up on the cleaning once again. By Tuesday morning, I had washed sheets, towels and all the clothes in our house. Hours of washing and folding and putting away. Wednesday morning I went to "fluff" a few items in the dryer and guess what it would not work. Nada. Nothing.

I called our appliance repair man and by God's provision the phone call ahead of me was a cancellation and they could come out that afternoon. I told my husband that after weeks of marathon washing due to illness and guests, the dryer waited until I was all caught up to go out. Amazing. Now, with a new pulley system in the dryer, we should back on track today.

Listening to the still small voice has really saved me a lot of headache in the last few weeks. I just need to remember to be "still" myself long enough to hear Him whisper, nudge, and encourage me to act; and then do it!

Psalm 46:10
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Santa Take Two with a Side of Culture.

2011-12-03T20:55:00.045-06:00

Friday night was the annual Ethnic Festival we love to attend. While I did a bad job of taking any photos, I did capture the moment that Miss M decided to "change" her previous request to Santa and add a few caveats. In other words, she got brand specific, color specific, and laid out her case for why she deserves this gift.

At the end of the conversation, she gave the jolly man in the red suit a big hug while his poor unsuspecting wife looked on. It was hilarious. I told my husband its too bad the TV camera crew captured the moment from the week before.

We tried to tell Miss M that Santa does not deal in brand specific requests, but since she's playing the Santa card for all it's worth she said Kris Kringle seemed fine with the updated information!

Mr C, meanwhile, was more interested in finding the ethnic food booths and tasting unknown delicacies from around the world. He definitely does not get his adventuresome food tastes from his mother. Both Mr C and Mr P tried their hand at Native American, Croatian and Polish food topped off with Norwegian cookies. Miss A and Miss M, more like their mother, had Crab Rangoon from China. I had Diet Coke from the giant conglomerate Coca Cola (don't tell the wall street protesters please.)

Did I mention that we had stopped at Chick Fil A on our way to the Ethnic Festival. Yes, that's right they have finally opened a Chick Fil-A in the city, and while it's just an express location, we are feeling mighty Southern these days. Words can not express the joy it brings us to have this icon of Chicken within our grasp. We soaked up the joy of all that is a chicken sandwich with a pickle on the bun, waffle fries, and all the fresh lemonade we could swallow. Sweet tea just doesn't do it for us north of the Mason Dixon line.

Really, Friday night was an adventure in all things Ethnic if you consider the South a "culture" which us Midwesterners tend to do since they do have all those weird words and drawls that make their English sound a little bit different. Plus, if you throw Texas into the mix, they consider themselves their own country so that's cultural too.
Nothing better than some ethnic exploration and Santa smooziing all in one night. Right.

My Junie B Experience: Learning to Lighten Up

2011-11-30T12:37:00.029-06:00

I'll admit that as a parent I've become a bit of a slacker with the third child. Blame it on years of parenting experience, reality or age. I allow her to "do" things that I never allowed her elder siblings to do. Now I'm not talking here about big things or dangerous things nor have I slacked off on moral or value issues. I'm still tough as nails on TV, movies, clothing etc.

I've given in on Junie B Jones. Miss M was never allowed to read those books. The grammar it is atrocious! A few years back you would have thought that I was evil mother for not allowing Miss M to get all the books she circled in the Scholastic Book Order. We read real fiction books. Classics. Little House, Maddie Books, Beverly Clearly and the like where the grammar was real, the kids were cleaver but not sassy, and the overriding theme was wholesome.

The problem is that Junie B Jones books are just the perfect length for Miss A to read on her own and she loves them. A few months ago, Miss A and I read out loud the Junie B Jones book Handsome Warren and lets just say everyone else in the house wondered what was so funny. Miss A and I were laughing so loud as we laid on her bed. Miss M ran up the stairs to see if everything was alright.

Now I'll admit when I read out loud the JBJ books, I correct the grammar. I read the "right words" when there are words that Junie makes up. We use the sassy attitude and sometimes the mean spirit that Junie has towards her friends/parents as teaching moments. Miss A lives in the real world and she knows how kids can be, so she's not learning anything new. We realize that Junie B often does things that aren't the best, that she tricks others, or laughs at them behind their backs.

Which leads me to the final thing we did on Thanksgiving Break; Miss A and a I and a bunch of her friends went to see the play Junie B Jones Jingle Bells Batman Smells. We had a great time. The actress who played Junie B was hilarious and the girls all had a great time laughing at the antics of Junie B.

Of course, we've now read the Jingle Bell Batman Smells book and laughed again. But my favorite of all times is seeing that, by reading these silly books, Miss A is even more interested in reading the books that I love so much. Having the joy of reading sparked by these books has been worth giving up the rules just a little.

I'm thinking that Miss A will find a stack of classic children's literature under the Christmas tree this year to keep that spark alive!

Tree Lighting, Santa Visit and Almost Famous....

2011-11-29T18:23:00.000-06:00

Our Friday of Thanksgiving Tradition never goes out of style. Seeing a huge Christmas Tree lit up for the first time just gets you in the mood for Christmas. The sparkle of the lights and the big wide eyes of my children gets me every time. Watching Mr. J experience this event for the first time made it even more special. The wonder and joy.

The boys were thrilled to find that their school was actually part of a big map of the city in the train station. Small world. There were cookies to decorate or more accurately overdose with sugar and frosting with a dose of chocolate milk to wash it all down. Ymmmm

Bestemor and Bestefar found us a fabulous spot to see the big event, and we were thrilled to be the scouts. My only complaint while I held our place in the Santa line was that I had left my book at home. It was a long line and I'm not one for waiting patiently unless I have something to read! I might just have to learn how to use P's Nook so I can "take it with me anywhere."

Mr C's only request was that we not take pictures of him on Santa's lap. He planned on asking Santa for a laptop and all rights to the photos. Mr J on the other hand asked for a Ferrari. Amazingly, at the same time C asked for no photos, a camera crew showed up from a local TV station and started filming Santa. When I told them that Mr J was from South Korea and this was his first visit to the Train Station (or downtown in anyway), they wanted to interview him.

Sadly, the footage of the interview must have ended up on the cutting room floor. Thankfully, we have photographic evidence ourselves to prove that we were "almost famous."

We ended the day with a pizza party at the hotel swimming pool room and enjoyed watching the kids "swim off some steam." A perfect start to the Christmas season and a great "new" twist on an old tradition.

Puzzles and Bingo and Turkey Oh My!

2011-11-28T17:26:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving Crew: This fun group of kids, tweens, and teens made for a great day of game playing, football watching, puzzle creating and feast eating. Our guest Mr J and the cousins' guest Mr D fit into the family perfectly.

Nana loves to have puzzles ready for us to put together. This years' selection was a little challenging, but thankfully we brought along a puzzle expert; Mr J . Miss A had spent a little time helping Nana get ready for the feast and had her Nemo puzzle all finished and ready for us to admire. Of course, we had to get a picture of this great accomplishment. I'm not sure Mr J was as convinced he needed to pose for a picture with his 2nd completed puzzle of the day, but I twisted his arm.

The newest addition to the Thanksgiving frivolity was the Bingo Game that Nana had all ready. Once the kids heard there were prizes involved, they were all in. I'm thinking a few of these kids must sneak out on Friday nights for Bingo Games at the Catholic Church. They had some "hot cards" and were winning snacks and candy right and left.

I, of course, was busy knitting away as I have a few Christmas projects I'm working on and that calendar keeps slipping away from me. It was fun to observe all the hustle and bustle and know that my kids are storing away memories of fun family times. What a blessing it is to have both sides of the family gathering together once again.

For my husband, the best gift that this Thanksgiving brought was a victory over A& M. Too bad the 118 year tradition of these two teams meeting has to end, but he would say at least the Horns pulled out a win.

Thanksgiving: Zoo Trip

2011-11-25T21:31:00.018-06:00

By the time Tuesday rolled around, we were all ready for a little break from reality. It was time to create some new memories and enjoy some holiday traditions. In other words, Thanksgiving Break was a godsend.

Mr C and Mr J were game for anything over the weekend and Mr J said that sharing a bedroom with just one guy after months of bunking with forty was a treat. In fact, by the end of the weekend, he might have said that sleeping on our trundle bed was like heaven!

Since our weekend guest had not seen much of our fine city, we decided to try to show him some of the best. First stop was the Zoo. In all honesty, first stop was a Mexican Catana with some of the best tacos in town, but I'm not sure that it constituted the best the city had to offer as it was only tacos.

Mr J told us that his last visit to a zoo was when he was five years old so he was in for a real treat. The weather was a little chilly; but thankfully most of the animals we wanted to visit were part of inside exhibits. It can't get any better than walking through a Jungle when its cold outside. J told us that he was really impressed with the Sand Dunes in the Desert Dome, the orangutan house, and the fact that the Zoo was so large.

It was so much fun to see the Zoo through J's eyes and experience the exhibits and animals for the first time all over again. It was amazing to watch the lions, tigers and bears with eyes of wonder. Miss A said that she wishes we could go to the Zoo every week. She loves the animals and would spend hours just "hanging" around the jungle or climbing on the "apes." Miss M thought it was so much fun to be the tour guide and show Mr J her favorite spots to watch the monkeys or where her mother always makes the kids take a picture.

We had a fabulous first day of Thanksgiving Break and know that the fun was only beginning.

Balcony Girls: Come On Ring Those Bells!

2011-11-22T19:14:00.016-06:00

Bell Ringing Take One. Our family loves to "Ring Those Bells" during the Christmas season and we already have the date set on our December calendar, but the Balcony Girls really wanted to ring bells too. Of course on the date we chose, a few were unable to attend, but our small but mighty enthusiastic crew covered two sets of doors at a grocery store on one of the busiest days of the year; the Monday before Thanksgiving.

Did I mention that it was "Free Turkey Day!" It is the day when if you buy a ham you get a free turkey. Lets just say the crowd was bustling. During our three hour shift, the girls were enthusiastic, crazy silly, and very festive. There was singing; Gobble Gobble Turkey Song, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, and some form of Turkey Blessings.

When another mom showed up to lend support and brought extra kids along, the competition between the two Red Kettles grew intense. I was just thrilled that all it took to "wind" this crew up was Hot Chocolate and Cookies! I'm sure the Kettles were getting more action due to the cute factor of these girls. Charm might be deceiving, but when you use it support a good cause it can't be all that bad can it?

Nothing brings you greater joy than giving back and, to see the faces of the balcony girls that afternoon, you could tell they were catching that spirit of giving.

My takeaway from the day is that next month when I ring bells - I'm wearing my snow boots! My tootsies were cold even if my heart ands spirit were overflowing with warmth and joy.

Of course it was freezing. Windy. Cold.

We Gather Together? It's All the Same.

2011-11-17T20:19:00.000-06:00

We are counting down the days until Thanksgiving around these parts. We are beyond excited for our houseguests and have been marking down the days on the kitchen chalkboard. Not only are we looking forward to Bestemor and Bestefar's arrival for a visit, but this year we will be having a new guest in our home. Mr C is bringing home a classmate from Korea for the long weekend.

I'm not sure that Jin Seo has any idea what he's getting himself into. As Mr C told him when he found out that he was an only child; "I'm sorry I have two sisters, hope you survive." In reality, we can hardly wait not only to have Jin Seo share in our Thanksgiving traditions, but to get a glimpse into a different culture for a few days. As Miss M pointed out, we already have the German, English and Norwegian traditions at Thanksgiving, now we'll get a little Korean on the side.

Today, when I needed a little encouragement in the midst of a trying week, I had posted on the bulletin a little verse along with the countdown. I love the song "We Gather Together" and had written the following "We Gather Together to Ask the Lord's Blessing; 7 Days."

A little while ago, I noticed that Miss A had decided to write her own message (above) her only change "I switched Lord to God, its easier to write." I love how she taken the liberty of changing "ask the Lord's Blessing" to "celebrate God's blessings." Her version is right; we are celebrating the blessings He's already given us.

She's also chosen to take a day of the countdown, it's day six now in her mind. Gotta love her enthusiasm.

Bringing Home the Trophy: Dance Season Begins

2011-11-15T17:17:00.024-06:00

On Saturday, Miss M's Dance Team won 1st Place at their first competition of the year. M was thrilled to have returned to the world of competitive dance. I was happy for M and pleased that while I still cringed at many of the dances, costumes and suggestive moves, Miss M's studio did not "play that way." Thank you Miss K and Miss A for again showing that it is all about the dance technique and choreography and not about shaking your booty on the dance floor.

Miss M was out of bed early on Saturday morning. She was unable to sleep because she was so excited. This girl loves to dance. All the time. She loves hanging out backstage and being with her friends, practicing and practicing, and being part of the team. There is no doubt when you see this girl's face light up on the stage that she belongs there.

I'll admit that I am far from a Dance Mom. In fact, while I enjoy watching M and her studio dance a lot of the time, I was busy knitting away. I texted my husband a few times that I was shocked with the dance moves, the costumes, and the music selections of some of the dance teams. No sixteen year old girl should be on the stage in Lingerie "dancing" to the song Life of the Party. I averted my eyes and thanked God that M was backstage and Mr C and my husband were at home.

The funny thing is that Miss M and her friends saw some of the costumes and were amazed at how little material was involved in the making.

I could go on and on about this part of competitive dance which is the part I despise, but this post is about Miss M and I how proud I am of her and her team. They danced their hearts out and they loved every minute of it. So did this Mom.

Oh, and trust me Miss M was told to "wash that gunk of your face the minute you get home, you are 11 years old and there is no need for makeup." Then we went with Miss A and Dad to see the movie Puss and Boots. You are only a kid once and I like to keep that way!

My Ever Grateful Table

2011-11-13T17:44:00.000-06:00

I am blessed this month to host another Dayspring Inspired review. This time it is for their Ever Grateful line of products. I was thrilled to receive a Table Runner that not only celebrates Thanksgiving and our gratitude to God, but looks stunning on my table. It's the perfect size for both my kitchen and dining room table (72 inches by 14 inches) and its two sided design shows off perfectly with any fall decorating.

The message on both ends of the runner is "Let There Be Thankfulness to God" and this is really my prayer this month for our family and for our country. Displaying this message on my kitchen table everyday reminds me to turn my heart toward thankfulness daily, not just at Thanksgiving. What could be more important than that!

We had company for dinner this past week and it gave me the perfect backdrop to use this table runner as the "centerpiece" for my table. I was able to use my "old" white tablecloth and napkins and they looked fresh and new with this beautiful runner. All I did was add a few little touches and repurpose some left over ribbon as napkin rings. Stunning.

I have always loved Dayspring Cards and Gifts, but their new lines of home decor are among my favorite. Not only are they beautiful, they allow you to have God's Word and messages of faith throughout your home. What a great witness for your guests.

I'm spying a few fun Christmas items that I might want to add to my decorations this year. Be sure to check out their website for some great items for your home and family.

Finally, in the interest of full disclosure, I must disclose that I was given this Table Runner from Dayspring at no cost, all they asked in return is that I give a honest review of the product. All comments and pictures are mine alone.

The Stop Sign Incident: Body Shop Version

2011-11-12T07:40:00.027-06:00

The stop sign incident is now fully in my rear view mirror (love that car humor), but some of the life lessons I've learned are still fresh.

Thankfully, after a trip to the body shop, my "new" van looks as good as before and the physical evidence is no longer. I'll admit I'm so happy to have it perfect again. For a few weeks, it was almost like my hood was laughing at me. I might have even closed my eyes each time I walked in front of the car. Call it avoidance, but I think of it more as protecting my damaged heart.

The office staff at the Jr. High says that while the "incident" will always be a part of school lore, they hope it doesn't stop me from bringing my famous chocolate chip cookies to spoil them. I think I might have told the secretary that calling me the 'stop sign lady' might take her off my Christmas Camels list. Not that I'm petty.

I will say that the grace and kindness I've received from my husband has been a real blessing. Not once did my insurance agent husband raise his voice or call me on the carpet for such a "dumb act" of driving. Even when I told him the final estimate price, his response was "it's just an accident, no harm" and he was willing to give me his car for the three days I was "carless.' Of course, he did get to drive around in a Honda Accord Coupe in pristine condition thanks to a kind coworker. I think he only put about 15 miles on it, but he loved every minute of his return to youth. He used to drive a Acura Integra before kids and I think there are days he really misses the sport car life.

I was also humbled by how kind and honest the Body Shop workers were, Not once did they laugh at "how" I ended up in their shop. They not only gave me assurance that my car would look good again, they said I was fine to drive it for a few weeks until I could fit the repair into my schedule. Their price was nearly 100 dollars less than the competition and that was before I told them they had come highly recommended from our old body shop friend who had retired.

Driving away with my van last week, I was shocked that the car smelled like a new car again; the seats and floor had been vacuumed and they had left me with a box of Russell Stovers Chocolates as a thank you. While I hope I won't be needing their services anytime in the future (please God), it's nice to see such honest hard workers who go above and beyond.

I'm chalking this whole experience up as a learning lesson in grace, patience, kindness of strangers, and the need for stop signs to be permanently placed in curbs and sidewalks. They just don't belong in the middle of the road.

I'm just saying.

Veterans' Day: Thank You for Your Service

2011-11-11T09:50:00.011-06:00

In honor of Veterans Day, the Girl Scouts at our elementary school led the entire student body in a Flag ceremony and Pledge of Allegiance followed by a moment of silence It was a moving experience to stand among 600 young children in perfect silence in gratitude to those who have given all for their freedom.

Let's be honest, there might have been a few tears rolling down my face when I thought about the gravity of what some in our country have "given"by not only in laying down their lives, but for the mothers and fathers and wives/husbands who have sacrificed so much for me.

On days like this, I'm so proud to be an American and so grateful to God for all the blessings He has poured out on our Country. Thanks be to God.

Little House is still a Big Part of our Family

2011-11-10T08:26:00.000-06:00

It's been a few months since we took the girls to the Little town on the Prairie, but we are still talking about our trip and enjoying bits of Laura in our home.

Miss M had to give a presentation in school on a famous person whom she admires. At first, she was thinking of Taylor Swift, but after awhile she changed her mind and chose Laura Ingalls Wilder. "There is so much to admire about Laura. Her whole life was an adventure." Miss M said and I agreed. She focused on how different the Little House television series was from Laura's real life. She wrote about how the show started out pretty accurate, but as the years went on the plot included made up characters and events. Miss M pointed out that Mary actually went blind in real life way before she did on the show!

Of course, "we" had to put in a few hours of research watching the Little House series on Hallmark Channel, finishing up the books, and reading lots of websites devoted to Laura's life. Miss A has now become a great fan of all things "Laura" too, and we often watch a little bit of the show before school. The other day, Miss A told me that she wishes she'd lived in Laura's day. However, when I explained what "all" that meant; chores, no TV or computer, sharing a bed with M, and oranges and red mittens for Christmas, she did change her mind.

Miss M did a fabulous job on her project, putting together both a creative and in depth display board and a great power point. Not surprisingly, she came home with an A and kudos from her teacher for going above and beyond. Now, she's trying to come up with a way to go to Missouri to see Laura and Almanzo's homestead. A girl can dream.

I love that a great family vacation has now become such a big part of our family life.

Balcony Girls: Sweet and Sour Words

2011-11-08T07:20:00.035-06:00

I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, but I'm loving the Balcony Girls materials and walking along this journey with a special group of girls. Our meeting topic on Monday was gossip. Whooza. If that doesn't hit home with a group of preteen girls (and their leader), I don't know what would.

Junior high can be rough. The comments and rumors that go around in a typical day can eat away at a young girls self esteem. My goal for this meeting was to help the girls stop the gossip and to help them think of ways that they could end a conversation that was going "sour" easily.

We played the game "telephone" while the girls were working on their fleece blankets for badges and it was hilarious the way the words changed as girls whispered ear to ear. I think at one time the phrase was "I like kicking soccer balls" and by the end of the line, the new phrase was " Cantaloupe is a yellow fuzzy ball." Nothing like seeing how words can get mixed up as they spread.

What I really enjoyed was seeing the heart of these girls; they get it. They know that words can hurt and that half of what they "hear" at school is nothing but gossip and false truths. It's hard to see through gossip when you are eleven years old because it sounds so fun and innocent, but these girls really grasped how much it can be sour. They grasp how words can pierce and things can quickly snowball out of control Many have been on the bad end of the gossip and hurtful words. Each girl had great ideas on how to stop a bad conversation and how what might sound like caring is really gossip. These balcony girls have deep insight.

I loved it when the girls asked if that's why the snack was Dreamsicle Slushes since they were both sweet and sour; just like gossip. Words that might sound sweet and really meant to be sour. Are these girls the best or what.

To keep it real, they did complain a little this week. They couldn't believe that I expected them to cut out their own fleece blankets. They thought I would do the hard work for them like I have before. I told them I full trust in them that they could lay it out, pin it, cut it and tie the knots. I believed in them.

I think it was my own daughter who said that I sounded so sweet saying it like they were growing up, but it was a little sour that they then had to do all the work! Love these girls.

Cornicopia or Hodgepodge Whatever You Want to Call It...

2011-11-07T12:21:00.025-06:00

Just for the record books or in my case the scrapbooks that keep sitting on the craft table starring at me, here are few real life things from the past few weeks that I want to remember. None are all that exciting, but they are the glimpse of our day to day life that I don't want to forget in the years ahead. It is in list form because it's easiest and doesn't require complete sentences!

1. P and I celebrated our 18th Wedding Anniversary on Sunday November 6th. Amazing. We enjoyed a great date day on Saturday when we went to the NU Game and saw the Huskers lose to Northwestern. Shocking. I told my parents I don't think I've been to a winning Nebraska game in years. We tend to go every year around our anniversary or when they played Texas. Maybe the team should ask me to stay home next year! It was a great day for football and we had so much fun talking without interruption. Score, I even knitted on the car ride.

2. Our actual anniversary was spent at church and then at a pancake benefit for one of Mr C's classmates families. I hate Pancakes and all Breakfast food, but ate some as it was for a good cause. My husband actually tried to say it was like taking me out to eat!

3. Mr C wakes up about 30 minutes before he needs to go to school each morning. He calls this his "transition to awakeness time" and its crucial for him. He also wakes up each day and says "I think I might dress up today?" Hello, he has no choice; its his uniform. Sadly, he's grown a little more lately and all the dress pants we bought him in October are beginning to look short.

4. Miss A was helping me the other day before school to sort the dirty laundry. She loved it. The piles of colors and whites were so fun for her make. She did everyone in the family's overflowing laundry basket. She told me not to ever do this again without her help. Where is that enthusiasm from the other children. No one offers to help put it all away when it's clean either.

5. Miss M has her first dance competition this weekend. Its a local event and includes an all day dance convention. She told me that she's so looking forward to this weekend, but she needs me to purchase some more hair spray. Can't have that dance bun falling out I guess. For the Saturday event, she told me it's OK if I bring my knitting along, but I need to remember to watch when she performs. As if I'd miss it.

6. We boxed up our Operation Christmas Child boxes last week and I've never been so excited to think of the boys and girls getting their packages. Friday night, the whole family went to the Dollar Tree and filled the boxes to the brim. Mr C picked out some fun things for a little boy and, of course, the girls picked girls their ages to shop for. It's very hard to go shopping to buy things for others and not leave with anything for yourself, but it was a great life lesson for the kids.

7. Finally, we are a little old fashioned about Christmas decorating (at least I am) and won't allow anything up until after Thanksgiving. I always feel so bad for this non commercial holiday, it gets lost in the commercialism of Christmas. So sad. Anyway, I've obviously been too vocal on it. On the way home from Church on Sunday, Miss A announces that she plans on going to the house on the edge of the neighborhood and tell them you must take down your "Halloween decorations before you put up your Christmas decorations. Come on people, it's lets not forget about Thanksgiving!" We kept a close eye on her Sunday afternoon and did not let her ride her bike too far away!

Whew. I feel a lot better getting all those "things" off my chest. Now, I can know these memories are safely kept right here and giving me more brain room for Thanksgiving planning.

My Creative Bunch of Trick and Treators

2011-11-01T16:10:00.046-05:00

I'm not really a fan of Halloween. I love Fall and I love the idea of pretending and dressing up. It's the "other side" of this holiday that I don't really like. It is not only because as a Christian I find many of the secular side a little evil, but because I think the scary side of the holiday has taken over the fun parts.

As a child, I have great memories of picking out a fun costume to wear, having my mom make me a costume (I had a great clown costume and she had one that matched!), or making a costume out of old clothes and dance outfits. We had a pumpkin or two on our porch and a few Thanksgiving decorations and that was it.

Do you know that Halloween has become the 2nd most decorated holiday? Right after Christmas. Really.

That being said, I still allow my children to participate in some fashion in the Halloween festivities, I just really work to make it as acceptable as I can. I volunteer to help with the party planning at the elementary school, I supervise the costume ideas, and always have them focus on either things they would like to be when they grow up, funny creatures or animals or just plain adorable outfits. Rarely, if ever do we purchase a pre-made costume. We make them.

Now before you think I sew and am all creative, I'm not. We use "real clothing" that can be re purposed later as clothing we wear, use felt and glue guns, cut up boxes, milk cartons or plastic tubs. Whatever is needed. We use my mother to sew. We try hard to make costumes that are neither offensive, scary, evil nor inappropriate.

If you think its easy to find pre-made commercial that fits the bill, you are wrong which is why we make them. Who wants a hooters looking outfit on a seven year old? If you think I'm kidding about outfits you should read this article. Amazing is only reasonable response to all of this.

This year Mr C handed out the candy at the door, but earlier in the week had an opportunity to dress up for his schools' dance. He went as the Travelocity Roaming Gnome. Not only did he look smashing, he scored some great slippers as a result and now has soft and comfy clothes to do homework in at night.

Miss M went out with a group of girls as a Spa Girl in a soft and fuzzy robe, new flannel PJ's and a facial cucumber mask. She looked the part and except for the fact she took a shower after "all that walking," she could have just gone to bed.

Miss A's outfit could have been one of most favorite ever. It's in the running with the Amelia Earhart, NASA astronaut, and Clown Costume. We called her the Bathtub Girl, but her uncle thought she was the Bubble Bath Girl. It was super easy and really only required us to cut up a big bucket, blow up a few balloons and add a shower cap. Miss A now has some sweatpants to wear for BB practice too!

While my family's way of celebrating might not work for everyone, it is what is best for us today. In our old fashioned way of participating, our kids have fun. We have opportunity to talk about why we celebrate the way we do and I get to see my kids enjoy a childhood ritual of dressing up and pretending. I hope that part never goes out of fashion.

By Grace Through Faith:Mr C's Confirmation

2011-10-31T13:18:00.001-05:00

Mr C reaffirmed his baptismal vows on Sunday at his Confirmation. He stood before the congregation and acknowledged that it was only through faith in Jesus and by his amazing Grace that he can enter heaven one day. He received the blessing of words and prayers by the pastors as they shared his confirmation verse and prayed that God will also be the focus of his life.

I'm so grateful for that his confirmation is not the end of Mr C's faith journey. He does not see confirmation as a graduation from learning and growing in his faith and knowledge of Jesus. Rather, the knowledge he's gotten from three years of confirmation classes have encouraged him to look deeper into the Word. He's asked deep questions about faith, doctrine, and Biblical truth. These lively discussions have been just another spark in his soul (and ours).

I love seeing Mr C's heart and hearing his deep faith grow and mature. I'm proud of the man of faith he is becoming. The testimony of his faith is evident in the choices he's making and the goals he has for the future. I know there will be bumps in the road and there might be times that he will doubt or question his faith or God's plans. My prayer is that the Word he has hidden in his heart, the faith that is deep in his soul, and the Grace of God will build him up in times of trouble.

My husband and I know that God has big plans for Mr C in the future and are anxious to see how they unfold. Our prayer is that Mr C will always live out his confirmation verse and that it will be the life verse that leads him daily.

Of course, to celebrate this big day, we had a great dinner at our new favorite Thai restaurant. Mr C tried the Thai Iced Tea, but quickly realized that he's more of hot tea fan. Miss M of course was willing to trade with her brother! Miss A even enjoyed the food, which if you know her, is rather impressive. P and I decided that we are now entering the phase of "dinning out" where its worth it to go a little nicer and enjoy the experience. Who knows Miss A might even request a real restaurant next year for her birthday. No more BK for us!

Romans 1:16 New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

She's Trained and Ready

2011-10-30T19:13:00.061-05:00

Miss M is now Infant and Child CPR trained as part of her Red Cross Babysitting Certification training . This means she's now ready to babysit real live children. Your children!

Miss M along with a few of her friends and fellow Balcony Girls spent their day off last week sitting in a classroom for six hours learning all about taking care of children, how to save their lives, and what to do in case of an emergency.

M learned how to interview the parents of prospective babysitting families, the proper diapering of babies, how best to handle strangers at the door, choking children, and what to do if your customer is late returning home. I sat in on a little of the session and I'm not sure how I ever took care of my own three children.

The girls learned how to give CPR to babies and it was not the old fashioned rescue breathing way, but by chest compressions. Miss M supposedly got a little carried away, and might have broken a few ribs but the "child' survived. Isn't that all that really matters. Hopefully, this is a skill she'll never need! I've been CPR trained for years and am thankful its a card in my wallet I've never needed to "activate."

I can hardly believe my little girl is at the age that she could be in charge of other children. Not because she's not ready, but where have years gone? She was the little girl excited to have a babysitter come to our house to play. She was the girl who would wait at the door for her favorite sitter so they could make crafts and read books.

Now, she'll be the girl that other little girls and boys are waiting for, the sitter that moms will call because they know Miss M will play with their children and not just sit on the couch reading a fashion magazine. Mr C told his sister that, if she did a good job, she could earn good money and buy herself the Itouch she wants. Of course, he could buy one today with all his umpiring money. Miss M said with Christmas coming maybe he could just be the good brother and buy her one today!

Miss M made up some adorable little cards announcing her skills and newly acquired certificates. She can hardly wait to hand them out to Miss A's little friends' families.

Life Lessons: Not Everyone is a Winner

2011-10-29T12:16:00.039-05:00

There are winners and losers in life and sports. Often, as parents and coaches, we might try to sugar coat this reality, but our kids see through these veiled attempts to make everyone feel like a superstar. Just go a little league baseball game or soccer match and even when no one keeps score, every player on the field knows who scored the most points and won the game. We might say "everyone is a winner," but the reality is sometimes we lose, often the other team is better than us, and some days we get out played and end up in second place. Or worse.

Mr C just finished his first ever season of Football as a freshman. He played on the freshman only team and then suited up for a few Reserve games that had both freshman and sophomore players. He wasn't a star player and he didn't get in on every play. But when he played, he gave his best. One game he even got "hit" and was thrilled that he even had some bruises to show for his effort.

Now, I think Mr C would be the first to admit that his school is not known as a football powerhouse. They are a small school with about 220 students in four grades, but due to the fact the school wants to compete against bigger schools in academic competitions (drafting, engineering, speech, math, science), they "play up." and compete against these bigger schools in athletics as well.

It can make the match ups in football especially a little uneven. In football, its all about having depth, multiple players who can play a particular spot. When you only have 62 boys in the freshman class, its hard to be very deep. Don't think I'm some football expert. All this info I've gleaned this year on the sidelines was from my husband. When I cried foul the first few games thinking the other team was stacking the field with upperclassman, my honey tried to calm me down by giving me these insights.

All of this leads to the fact that Mr C's team did not win a game this season. At times, they were crushed by the other team and other times they put up a gallant fight and just fell a little short. What I was most proud of was how they played the game. Each and every time, they gave it their all, they never gave up, they never lost spirit and each time they went into the game with the goal of winning and giving their best.

Watching the Varsity team play with the same result while seeing and hearing the school body cheer for them with gusto brought me great pride. These upperclassmen continued to fight until the end, to give it their all on the field, and proved that real winners don't necessarily win games or awards, but show grit and determination. The lessons these young men are learning will take them far in life. In reality, few of these young men will play football in college, the scholarships they earn won't be for their achievement on the playing field.

There is something to be said for being a gracious loser. Showing up on the field and giving it your all when time and time again you walk off the field with a loss takes courage, faith and strength that you don't always see in young men (or women) today. It's an old fashioned trait called Valor which means great courage in the face of danger, especially battle. Seeing it among these young men and their coaches gave me such hope for this generation.

Valor is a life lesson that can only be achieved when you've been through the battle and fought the good fight. There is so much to be said for that. In my book, these young men are the real winners in life.

This Girl Loves to Have Fun

2011-10-28T22:05:00.017-05:00

Miss A had Thursday of last week off from school for Parent Teacher's Conferences. As the sole elementary student in our family, it meant that she was all alone in having a day off. Perfect excuse for a trip to our favorite children's museum about one hour away with one of our "little" friends.

We had a great morning exploring Space, Water, Gravity, Farming and the world of Engineering. Really, where else can you experience so much in so little time? Miss A's imagination was running full as we played each other in football and volleyball, as she grocery shopped to fill her basket with healthy choices, and trying time and again to make a ball go up a chute of piping tubes.

I've been to this museum probably two dozen times with various children in our family/friends and cousins and its a fun experience every time. Miss A and I had a fun time with our little buddy and his Mom. According to Miss A, our lunch out at the Noodles Company allowed her to eat her favorite Mac and Cheese ever. It's so yummy and made with real to goodness cheese. "Well I do like your Pioneer Woman mac and cheese too mom, but this is really good." I believe those were Miss A's words when she saw my sad puppy dog face.

I love to watch this girl of mine have fun and experience new and old things. She is a real joy.

Balcony Girls: Lesson Two, Pumpkin Crafts and Confidence

2011-10-26T09:10:00.000-05:00

I'm really loving leading this group of sixth grade girls through the Balcony Girls material. Yesterday was our second meeting of the year and, since it was a week before Halloween, I used the fourth lesson which included an adorable craft you make with pumpkins.

Thankfully, this meeting did not involve a "life lesson" for the leader.

The topic was Confidence and from the look on the faces of the girls as we sat around the dining room table, it hit home. I loved the visual of crumpling up a crisp twenty dollar bill and asking the girls what the value of the bill was now that it was all crumpled up and messy. The examples of gossip, rumors and friends breaking your trust as a way you might get "messy" really struck a cord with each girl.

Making our Pumpkin Flower Pots and getting all "messy" on the deck and digging out the guts of the pumpkin so that we could put a little "beauty" back into it was a great visual. My back deck was a mess of pumpkin seeds and potting soil at the end, but it matched my previously clean kitchen with the remnants of the "homemade apple pies" we made as our snack using biscuits and apple pie filling. Yummo! But a little mess was so worth it in order to connect with these girls and pass on these life lessons.

It does my heart good to be leading these girls through our Balcony Girls/Scouting year. Next on the agenda is to make homemade fleece blankets to display our GS patches. We've even talked of creating our own balcony girl patches so we can remember these lessons in the years to come. Better get my creative juices flowing.

Loving Uniform Life

2011-10-23T21:37:00.028-05:00

Mr C is really enjoying wearing a uniform to school. No, really! Seriously! In fact, he might be enjoying it so much that he's thinking we should petition the elementary and Jr high schools his sisters attend and convince them to implement uniforms. He told Miss M that she and her friends would really benefit from uniforms. It would allow them to sleep in more, no stress over what to wear, and they would do better in school because they wouldn't be looking at each others clothes and shoes! Gotta love how quickly he's jumped on this bandwagon and how "willing" he is to pass on his knowledge with Miss M.

Last week was Spirit Week at Mr. C's school meaning the "uniform" rules were waved a little bit to allow for some celebration. Monday was Crazy Sweater day and I'm sad to say that mine was closet he raided for that event. Mr C said he got a lot of complements on my Norwegian Sweater. I told him to hold his tongue as it's still in my rotation of wearing ( I love it still B& B- almost 12 years later) and at least I don't have any Christmas sweaters anymore.

Tuesday was Flashback day and he asked his father if he had any "old fashioned" ties that he could wear. My husbands response got a big laugh from me and a confused reaction from the rest of the family. He stated, "All my clothing is old fashioned, you are the only people who get new stuff!" Guess this makes Christmas shopping easy, he wants new ties. ( I could go into how my husband is now jealous of C's fresh new dressy wardrobe including new shoes, ties, and dress socks but I'm not stupid, P reads this blog)

Mr C's flashback day outfit however was the best ever. He wore his father's University of Texas fraternity shirt. P wore this shirt to carry in the big Texas flag at UT games! It fit like a glove and I think my husband might have been the one having flashbacks to his old college days. He might have even threatened C not to spill any lunch on it and might have suggesting stripping at lunch to protect the shirt. Thankfully, it's a single sex school!

Mr C said that he got quite a few cheers and jeers wearing the UT shirt and he came home without a spill on it. Thank goodness.

Wednesday was mismatch Day which meant that Mr C, who normally prides himself on wearing smashing outfits, went to school with a tie, shirt, and pant combination that clashed. Let's just say I think he looked like your average young man.

Thursday was the last football game of the season, so the boys were allowed to wear Spirit Gear and they could even wear jeans to school. A sweatshirt and jeans ! Mr C was excited, but admitted that while it was fun to "dress down" he really did notice a difference in how the day went and how it almost didn't seem like school.

I'll admit I'm loving uniforms too, however it has made sock put away a little more difficult. My husband says I should just put the "nice" socks in C's drawers and the "holey" ones in his.

Trip to the Apple Orchard

2011-10-20T08:18:00.000-05:00

We are always in search of fun fall things to do as a family and last Sunday's family outing was probably one of our best in the past few years. We went to a small town nearby known for all things "apple" and had a blast exploring nature, picking apples, and just marveling at Gods' beautiful creations.

We could not have asked for more perfect weather. It was sunny and in the mid sixties; perfect for a light sweatshirt. Our first stop was a tree farm that Miss M and I had visited a few years ago with her Girl Scout Troop and we enjoyed sharing the adventure with Mr C and Miss A. There were hammocks to make out of fabric, a tall tree house to climb, and a trail that took us deep into the woods.

Miss A complained that she had never walked so much in her life, but the huge smile on her face told of her joy. Mr C believed that the sign declaring the trail at 2/3 of a mile was just to trick unsuspecting guests into venturing out on a forced march. In his "expert" opinion, it was closer to 2.5 miles! (The Boy Scout comes through) Miss M's only complaint was that there was so much to see "off " the trail including big drop offs next to streams, walking paths that promised treasures, and of course trees that would have been perfect to climb. Too bad mom and dad are such rule followers that we made her stay on the path.

There were so many photo ops; the bridge over the leaf covered stream, the walking path covered with leaves of all colors, and the "three little bears" chairs that were just adorable. Even big man Mr C looks mini in that big chair. Next year, we are dragging the kids there in their Sunday best and capturing a Christmas Card moment. This year was all about making the memories and having fun.

Finally, our afternoon would not have been complete without a trip to the orchard for "pick your own apples." When the hay rack ride driver told us to be sure to sample the different types to help us pick which ones we like the most, some members of our family took him at his word. I think between Mr P and Mr C a least 10 apples were consumed. Miss A and I decided that Jonigold were our favorites, while Miss M and the boys are divided between Winesap and Braeburns.

Really, can anything taste as good as fresh fruit right off the tree? They are right when they say that Fresh Local is the best! Our ten pound bushel of apples is nearly gone, just a few days later and I was told in no uncertain terms that I should just leave them plain, no apple crisp, no apple pies (which is good since I don't know how to make pie crust anyway.) or any other apple "snack."

We finished off the afternoon at the cafe eating apple pie, sampling apple wines and apple slushies, and resting our happy bodies before calling it a day! I think this could become one of my favorite top ten days of the year! Happy family equals Happy Momma.

Amazing Race Season 19: Go Big or Go Home

2011-10-14T15:26:00.001-05:00

It's our favorite time of the year, Amazing Race season, and it is time to kick back on Sunday nights and watch a little adventure. This season started off a little differently with no one eliminated the first week, and two teams kicked off the 2nd week making it hard to draw teams until the now 9 teams were finalized. With only nine teams, I volunteered to be one man down from the beginning. I figured I'd "go big or go home" and would pick a fancy restaurant and would hold out hope of finally making it to the finale and winning. I am the only one who has yet to win.

My team (random drawing obviously) was Kaylani and Lisa the Cocktail Waitresses from Vegas or as Miss M calls them "the Show Girls from Sin City!" My restaurant choice: Bonefish Grill. Go big or go home remember was my theme. Of course who knew that the first week out I'd be going home? I'm out.

Thankfully, I enjoy cheering for other teams too. In fact, as it became evident that my team was going to be out, Miss A jumped up and said not to worry as she'd be sharing with me. Mr C and Miss M volunteered too, but they weren't as enthusiastic. My husband volunteered too, but I think it's because he was just thrilled no Bonefish Grill.

Here's our picks for Season 19: All randomly drawn

Miss M:

Amant and Marcus (former Pro Football Player)- Red Mango for dinner
Bill and Cathy (grandparents) Panera for Lunch

Mr C:

Ernie and Cindy (newly engaged) El Agulia Mexican Restaurant
Liz and Marie (twin sisters) Cine and Dine Movie Theater

Miss A:

Justin and Jennifer ( brother and sister) Five Guys
Laurence and Zac (father and son) Yogurt Shop and Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Dad:

Andy and Tommy (pro snowboarders) Netties Mexican Cafe
Jeremy and Sandy (engaged couple) Stellas Hamburger Joint

I think this is going to be a great season even if there is no shot of me winning. Now, I can watch without trepidation of wondering who is going to be eliminated.

Life Lessons: Facing the Music after a Goof Up

2011-10-12T20:41:00.001-05:00

Miss M came home from school last Tuesday and told me that I should never show my face again at her school. I was the laughing stock of 6th grade. No less than 500 people had come up to her and asked if it was her mother that had run over that stop sign. They called me the idiot, the crazy mom, and the stop sign lady.

At first, my thought was fine; I'm never going to that place again. I don't like confrontation and hate teasing so it's like my worst nightmare.

However. that's not the lesson I want to teach my children. I want them to stand up for themselves and for others. I want them to tackle the "tough stuff" and not just hide it under the rug. Of course, I had the opportunity to show my face at school the very next day when Miss M had her choir concert and I had to do it all alone. C was at football, M was at soccer, and P had a dinner meeting. Just me.

To soften the blow in my heart, I'd made cookies for the assistant principal and office staff and took them with as a thank you for their efforts on my behalf. Within minutes of my arrival (1/2 hour before the concert so M could rehearse), I'd run into another assistant principal who shared how funny she thought it was that it was me, someone so many of the staff knew. Then, it was the principal who asked if my day was going better than the previous one and hopefully no more accidents.

Sitting in my seat waiting for the concert and knitting away, I figured I'd made it, no worries. Then I heard the family behind me talking about the "funniest thing ever" about a crazy women who ran over a stop sign. They laughed and chuckled at what an idiot she must have been. So distracted. Must have been talking on her phone. Really can you believe someone could be that stupid.

I just sat there. Silent. Calm. You know the real life lesson here is that I could have been that women chuckling at another's calamity. I could have been sharing stories of how stupid other people are, judging them, and making value statements without facts. I've done it before. In my mind, I've said "idiot" when others have messed up. Gossiped about others who have done dumb things without thinking.

It was hard to "hear" of my goof up and know they were laughing at me; not with me. But it was a lesson in humility, a reminder not to be that person who laughs about someone else or judges others too harshly. Eating crow is not easy. Walking into a placewhere you are afraid people (OK, sixth graders along with all the staff/teachers) are laughing at you and facing it to some small degree isn't easy. But, as my husband so kindly pointed out, it's better to laugh at yourself then to make it a big deal. By tomorrow, someone else will do something else that's stupider and you'll be back page news.

Yes, I was the laughing stock of my daughter's middle school for a few days. In some respects, I should have been as it was stupid thing to do. However, it's a life lesson that I'm glad I could take for the "team" as it's easy to judge, gossip, or laugh at someone else until that person is you. I need to not only watch where I am going when I drive, I also need to watch my tounge when I rush into judge.

Next Lesson on Facing the Music will be the Auto Body Shop.......

Freestyle Preacher Man

2011-10-11T07:15:00.049-05:00

For theology class, Mr C was asked to read a book by a Christian Author and then give a persuasive speech outlining why the rest of the class should read the book. Now to put it in perspective, I should say that Mr C hates to read. Unlike his two sisters and mother, he's never meet a book he's loved or been drawn to read just for fun. He reads only what is required and it's still a challenge to get him to read that.

Now don't be feeling sorry for the boy, he can read. He's been reading at a 12th grade level for six years. In fact, he scored higher on the reading part of the ACT test in 7th grade than the math portion. Math you will remember is his favorite subject. (Yuck. Sometimes I wonder where this child came from!)

Of course because his mother loves to read, I had plenty of books to offer the boy. He took both David Platt's Radical and Francis Chan's Crazy Love. Not easy reads, but oh so powerful. Crazy Love was his final choice and Radical went home with another unsuspecting young man. I'm thinking that book might have scared his parents and him, but hey that's the gospel for you. It will rock your world.

He loved the Crazy Love. In fact, he read it all and is thinking of reading it again this winter after football season when he can really digest its deep thoughts. Now that's my boy!

Mr C is a little radical himself in his faith. If you don't believe me just ask Miss M who dies of embarrassment each Sunday during worship when Mr. C will do the actions to Days of Elijah or to Love the Lord Your God.  The boys in Mr C's math class at school (all sophomores and then Mr C) call him the Freestyler for his prayers before class starts. Most boys say the Lords Prayer or a just a quick Thank You God prayer, but not Mr C. He prayers protection for the football team on game days, clear minds on test days and gratitude on early dismissal days! Freestyle prayers, what a gift.

Here's Mr C's speech on the book Crazy Love:

    Have you ever wondered if we are missing it? Just take a moment to process this. the creator of all the Universe and everything around you, loved you so much that he sent His Son to die for you. Jesus died for you, one of the worst deaths imaginable, while you were still a sinner. Would you die for a man like Osama bin Laden or Hitler? God did the equivalent for you. We just don't have the capacity to love like Him.
   That is what Crazy Love is all about. The author Francis Chan, did a great job explaining how much God loves us, in a way we can understand. One of his main points in the book is to profile a lukewarm Christian. This is somebody who does things to be good, but doesn't really have a real relationship with God. Chan talks about how God doesn't want a lukewarm person, but commands us to follow him. He doesn't say" when it fits your schedule" or "how ever you want it" God wants us to love Him, be obsessed with Him.
   You should read this book because it will show you what Christ wants you to live like, because when you are madly in love it changes everything!

Preach it brother, preach it! Love that boy!

It Will Be Well Worth Your Time

2011-10-08T06:17:00.027-05:00

Miss A has a way with words. She often uses phrases that are a way beyond a normal seven year old daily vocabulary and, for the most part, she uses them in the right context. She'll say things that get right to the heart of the matter and often tug at those heartstrings as well. Daily, she'll say things that stop me in my tracks or give me a giant chuckle.

My husband says she repeats a lot of the phrases that I use with other adults or say to either my mother or husband in conversations. While I hate to admit he's right, he is. Sometimes, though, she'll say things that I know I've never said!

This week alone she's said things that I just want to document for future reference. On Wednesday night, I was at knitting and Mr C was at grandparents night at his school (with both sets of Grands!!) so P was home with the girls. It was a perfect Indian Summer Night and, now that Miss A knows how to ride her bike, she and Miss M are outside ridding along whenever they can.

P was inside reading when Miss A comes in and tells him that he needs to come outside. "It will be well worth your time" she said. So, outside P goes and she directs him to walk up the hill with her to watch her bike ride. You see, she's now learned how to start at the top of the hill and ride all the way down the hill by herself without stopping. Y'all, its a big hill and this is only day four of no training wheels. But she did it and without a doubt it was well worth P's time to watch. You Go Girl!

The second incident was Thursday morning at the breakfast table. It was just Miss A and I as the rest of the crew leaves early. I was going through our plan for the day and I asked her if she knew what day of the week it was. She replied, "PE day." Yes, it s the day you have gym class, but what "day "of the week is it really. "Well, it's Thursday."

I asked her if she remembers what happens on Thursdays. I have drop off at dance for M at 3:45 and then have to rush to Miss A's school for pickup at 3:55 which means I go through the drive up lane rather than park and exit the car to get her. It gives me about five extra minutes and I need every last one of them.

She told me she's knows that its "drive thru" day, but she doesn't like it one bit. She said she can't understand why Miss M can't get to dance even earlier or why I can't park and come get her no matter the time. I went on to explain that two weeks ago I did rush to pick her up, parked the car, and ran to the building only to "slide" thru the crossing path wipe out and scrape up my knee and elbow.

That's right she said, "it's all about you, don't forget I'm the one waiting and waiting for you!" My that girl has moxie. I said sorry Miss A, but its drive up for you.

Seriously people I could not make this up.

Balcony Girls Begins

2011-10-07T13:17:00.000-05:00

We are looking to try something new with Miss M's Girl Scout troop this year so we are incorporating the Balcony Girls curriculum from Sally Couglin and I'm loving it. This is now our seventh year of being "together"' and, while the numbers have shrunk, most of these girls have been with me from the very beginning.

Last year when M made the jump to the junior high the dynamics of our troop changed, I'll admit I struggled with the girls and how best to make it fun, relevant, and life impacting. Seeing all the drama that marks pre-teen and teenage girls, I wanted to help these girls handle the changes ahead and also just have fun being girls.

I'll admit I'm not a camper. I'm also not one who has a lot of domestic skills in my back pocket that I can pull out and share how to sew, carve wood, build a fire or rough it in the wilderness. I'm a suburban mom and it shows. However, one thing that Girl Scouting taught me a young girl was how to be a leader, how to stand up to peer pressure, and to be confident in my abilities.

Balcony Girls takes a lot of these skills and life lessons that I've so much wanted to share with my girls and puts it in a lesson that can be done once a month/or more in an hour and half and includes a snack, lesson and often a craft to drive home the concept. It does all the work for me! Plus, because of the way the lessons are layed out, I can use them in the confines of Girl Scouting and the girls will get the best of both.

So this year, we are bringing the troop into my home once or twice a month right after school. Our first lesson was on caring and we talked about how to build people up rather than tearing them down. We role-played giving people our "applause and cheering for them" and felt what it felt like to be the one giving and the one receiving. We talked of filling up each other's buckets and realizing why some girls act "mean" or bully when all they are really looking for is someone to fill them up a little.

Let me tell you these girls filled my bucket this day. It had been a rough afternoon and I had so much fun chatting with the girls, giggling, and learning. Each girl got a special Balcony Girl journal that they wrote a little something about our lesson that I'm keeping for them (in a locked drawer with no peaking) each time. Sitting on the back deck, they had a chance to just think for a minute what it meant to be a person who cared.

Two girls told me that this was the best meeting they had been to ever. It was intimate, private and they really connected. Miss M said it just felt right to be in our home doing this rather than the industrial cafeteria at the school. We've planned a tea party for later this month, we'll be making a blanket to for our Girl Scout badges, and have some great ideas for field trips we want to work around the GS and Balcony Girl materials.

New life into a old troop; fabulous. Life lessons shared among friends and with an adult who is crazy about the young women they are becoming. Priceless.

Not My Best Monday

2011-10-03T21:24:00.002-05:00

Accidents really have a way of putting a damper on another wise stellar day. I was excited for Miss M's Balcony Girls/Girl Scout troop meeting, I'd gotten the house ready for the meeting and it had been a perfect fall Monday. I'd been to the gym to work out, ran a few errands and even had time to work on my Bible study.

I'd arrived at the Jr. High a little early, anxious to meet the girls before the bus and drive them to my house for our first meeting of the year. The first parking stall I'd chosen didn't seem right; I thought if I exited the car others would be stuck behind me. Listening to the radio and planning in my head the next few hours of the day, I did not see the Stop Sign in the middle of the road ahead.

Now to give you a little background. It's a short stop sign and it's not always there. Really. I ran smack into it. My lovely ten month old Honda Minivan (that I'd just washed and vacuumed that very day) ran over a five foot stop sign and it was now wedged under my car. I tried backing up. Nothing. Going forward. Nothing.

I ran into the building as cars loaded with parents watched, and said I needed help ASAP to get the stop sign out from under my car. You see not only was the sign stuck, I was stuck in the middle of the road. Blocking traffic with just seconds to spare before the bell rang.

The Assistant Principal came out and said," Mrs. B let's see what we can do;" and between the off duty police officer and himself they directed me to backup and get out of the way of oncoming traffic. By now, the bell had rung and hundreds of 5th and 6th graders are piling out of the building and snapping pictures of my car and laughing. I'm holding it together, but worried about the Girl Scouts, my car and how I would ever explain this to P.

The principal comes over to offer his condolences, er help, and then it becomes evident that we'll need to jack the car up to get the pole out. In the course of the next fifteen minutes, the asst. principal jacks up my car, my husband arrives ( Miss M had frantically called him from my cell phone, poor guy thought from her screaming that I'd been impaled by a stop sign), and it's still stuck.

By now, most of the kids have been picked up sans my little group of girls and the entire staff has been notified of my "situation." The Junior High Football Coaches arrive and offer to lift the car up just a little bit more so my husband can pull it out. It appears that the base of the sign is just caught up under the undercarriage with no significant damage underneath. One big grunt and the car is up and the sign it out. Hurrah!

The damage to my car really is very little, just a small dent on the hood and I'm thankful to say the damage to my ego really isn't as bad as it could have been. A friend saw me in my moment of stress and offered help and a hug, the staff at the school jumped into my rescue, and my husband said there was no need to apologize, I'd beat myself up enough already with the whole school watching.

All in all, it was a good lesson for my Girl Scouts, to stay calm in a crisis, to ask for help and receive it openly and to really pay attention where you are going and not get distracted. Accidents can really mess up your day if you let them or they can be just a little glitch on your day.

Accomplishment by any Definition

2011-10-02T18:41:00.001-05:00

ac·com·plish·mentNoun/əˈkämpliSHmənt/

1. Something that has been achieved successfully.

2. The successful achievement of a task

According to Miss A, today was a day of accomplishing a big hurdle. Today was the day she got her training wheels removed from her bike and she was able to ride up and down the hill and even do a few U turns.

She was so proud of herself. Of course, at first, she was a little nervous and thought that Dad should really stay with her and not push too hard. When Dad was standing right next to her, it was easy to be brave, but as when he left her at the top of the hill and she edged closer and closer to the hill pedaling with all her might it made for some sweaty hands.

We live in the middle of a big hill, our driveway is a big hill, and it can be a little daunting to learn to ride bikes under those circumstances. In fact, Miss A rarely wanted to ride the bike with the training wheels as she wasn't confident she could "stop." But today when Dad took her to the top of the hill without the training wheels, she finally got it.

With Dad's help, she learned to start, stop and even make some U-ee's. She was absolutely thrilled despite that serious look of concentration. I'm sure her tongue was sticking out to the side just a little too. She went from driveway to driveway learning to control her speed. She watched for traffic, but really wanted Dad to handle that duty. (Thankfully, we live on a very quiet street) The pride was evident despite the serious look on her face.

When she came in for a little drink and watched me make dinner, she told me that today was an Accomplishment. Sweetie it really was. We are so proud of you!

Watch out neighbors, she's a girl with wheels and she's not afraid to use them!

Happy Fall Ya'll

2011-10-01T17:31:00.001-05:00

It's officially fall so it's time to get my porch decorated for the season. I have friends with a flare for decorating whose front porch/entry way looks like a harvest boutique set up. I can only dream to be that classy. I'm what you call decorating delayed!

On Wednesday, I went and got some mums. Only to find out once I got home that 4 of 5 were one color and the last one was red. I blame it on the sweat in my eyes from mowing the lawn that morning. I went to the hardware store in my "mowing clothes and shoes" praying I wouldn't run into anyone I knew. Figured I'd be playing in the dirt so why shower and change.

I wanted to buy some pumpkins and gourds at the store, but decided the price was too steep and I knew Miss M and Miss A would kill me if I did this part of the decorating without them. Then, on Thursday, I saw a good friend's front porch display and grew jealous. Her pumpkins were rocking huge and the display was just too darn cute.

On Friday, Mrs. H told me of a secret "pumpkin farm" not too far from our house. It was just a little farmer who sold his own crop and the prices were way cheap. Others chirped in that this was the place to go, so this morning after soccer the girls, hubby P, and I went to our new favorite pumpkin patch. Now, I'll admit it's not charming. We didn't pick our own pumpkins in the field, but the prices were fabulous. Stalks of Milo for $2. Pumpkins from 75 cents to $2, and even a selection of gourds for free.

With a little harvest bucket and small hay bale from Hobby Lobby along with my husband's help organizing, I now have a front porch that says" Happy Fall Y'all !" I love it. Best of all, it cost under $25 for everything.

Now I'm good with decorating until Christmas!

Kickin' Cancer's Bottom

2011-09-30T17:37:00.001-05:00

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month; an irony not missed on our family as we prayed for our friend Cole this week. Sadly, Cole's family is not the only we know that has been touched by childhood cancer. A dear friend lost her daughter five years ago to cancer. There are way too many families that can call that their "story."

Miss A's school in honor of CCAM was collecting "coins for cancer" all week and lets just say what was once a full jar of change is now nearly empty. On Monday, Miss A said she had to take some coins to school for Cole. Tuesday, she wanted to bring change in honor of Brooke, and the rest of the week it was all those little boys and girls at her favorite children's hospital.

Friday afternoon as a way to celebrate the great coin drive, the entire school walked to the nearby neighborhood park. I had wanted to go just to take a few photos, but at Miss A's urging I walked with the kids and it was so worth it. While I might have had on flip flop sandals, carrying a huge purse and camera, it was as if my burden was nothing in comparison to the families that are walking the road of childhood cancer.

Plus, I got to hold hands with my favorite first grader and a few of her little friends. What a perfect way to end a week that had been a hard one on my heart. It was aweaome to see these healthy fun loving kids honoring those who for now could not walk beside them. They were in essence walking and raising money so that in the months and years ahead none of their classmates would be laying in a hospital instead of running the sidewalk.

Of course there were complaints about how "long" and "far" the walk to the park was and how difficult it was to walk the entire way. Miss A even said I sure hope this cures Cole's Cancer as this has been a very long and tiring walk! To pass the time, we decided to march and sing.

"Hut two three four, kick cancer out the door"
"Hut two three four, no more cancer anymore"
"Hut two three four, no cancer here no more"

Of course the funniest was from a little girl who said she couldn't keep walking, it was too hot, too far and she was so very thirsty. "Hut two three four, I can't take this anymore!"

While September might be over now, we'll be praying that all those effected by childhood cancer will feel our prayers and love all year through.

Be Strong and Courageous

2011-09-26T20:01:00.001-05:00

Life can be hard and it can break your heart to hear of friends going through challenges that rock their world. On Saturday, good friends were shocked to hear that their eleven year old son had Leukemia. While his prognosis is excellent, it will be a long road back to health and my heart breaks for the fact that in an instant their lives have forever been changed.

Yet through it all, they are pressing forward relying on their faith and have adopted a family motto for the battle ahead; Be Strong and Courageous.
In my CBS (Community Bible Study) class, we've been studying Joshua and in the first chapter alone, God commands Joshua to "be strong and courageous" three times. When God says something that many times, He means it. Our Bible memory verse for last week was Joshua 1:9
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified: do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

This is the perfect verse for Cole's family as they walk through this storm in the months ahead. Not only are they not to be discouraged or terrified, they are to be confident that God is right there in the midst of it, at their side, feeling their fear, hearing their prayers, and bringing them comfort.

I'm confident that the story this family will have to share on the other side of this storm will bring God great glory, it will be one of God's constant presence and peace. He alone will see them through and He will never leave them or forsake them.

Be Strong and Courageous Cole. I can't wait to hear how God is using this young man in the years ahead to do mighty things, just like Joshua!
I love this song by Matthew West "Strong Enough" and I think it's a great reminder to that God will give us the strength and courage to face the challenge He sets before us. We don't have to be the strong one as Christ will be our strength when we are weak.

We'll be praying for you everyday.

Funny Things I've Heard or Dreamed Lately!

2011-09-22T18:25:00.000-05:00

Mr C is playing in his first JV Reserve football game tonight. It's an away game which means he's traveling by bus to the school. Due to scheduling, neither my husband or I are able to go. It's dance night for M , I have a meeting to get a kindergarten Daisy troop started (praying someone will step up to be the leader), and P is traveling until this evening.

I told C I felt bad no one would be there to cheer him on and he said it was no big deal as he doesn't think he'll see any playing time. It's JV not freshman so it's a tougher team and rougher play. I was feeling bad the other night about this enough so that it invaded my dreams. I had a dream that C broke his ankle and had to go by helicopter to the hospital. I rushed to meet him at the emergency room, but Mr C would not talk to me. He was too mad that I had missed his game.

When I told Mr. C about my dream his only question, "what was I doing when I got hurt, was it a good play?" Seriously!

I told him I had no idea and I was more worried about the ankle bone. Plus, in my dream, I had to rush from the hospital to a meeting at the Jr High about a field trip to Spain. Mr C was going to be a chaperone on the trip (his one year of Spanish had obviously paid off) and I was concerned he wasn't fluent enough. The teacher who responded to me in French said it was OK since everyone spoke English there anyhow. When I asked my husband why the Spanish teacher was speaking French, he said it was because she was from Switzerland.

Can you tell Mr C had been reviewing European Capitals and Spanish vocabulary before going to bed? I love crazy dreams.

Miss M when she heard about these crazy dreams of course claimed it was unfair that C would get to go to Spain, she never went anywhere! Lets remember it was a dream.

Finally I must tell on Miss A and how sweet and innocent seven year old are. I just love this age so much. A student at Mr C's school was expelled and while we had talked in hushed tones about the reason, she obviously had picked up the "reason." She told me the other day that she hopes that C's school doesn't find out that he uses Nasonex for his allergies. She'd hate for him to be kicked out too!

Really, I could not make this stuff up. Sadly, it looks like I've been the fodder for more and more of these crazy moments of late. Must be my fall allergies causing my brain to misfire, or the lack of sleep. Certainly couldn't be my norm.

Nah.

Fall Crafting and Craziness is in the Air

2011-09-21T18:16:00.000-05:00

I'm so behind in my blogging lately. I'd love to say it's because I've been on an exotic vacation or secluded away somewhere writing a book, but reality is that September gets me every year. Without a doubt, it's the most hectic time of the year for our family. Every event is up and running and between Open Houses at schools, athletic games, and meetings for scouts and Bible studies, we are never home. Last week, there was one evening in which we had six events from three in the afternoon until eight thirty at night with only two drivers and three children. We had to make a spreadsheet to figure out who went where with who!

Of course, I say every September that it's going to get better, but then again it comes around and hits me like a ton a brinks. Add to the picture the fact that with Mr. C playing football, he's not home until six fifteen most nights and twice a week we have events starting at that exact same time. Can you say dinner in shifts? Last Friday night, we were finally home together for dinner at the same time so I made homemade Chicken and Dumplings courtesy of Boomama and they were "slap your momma" good as she would say! Everyone loved them!

In addition to cleaning out closets and rearranging drawers of late, I've gotten the crafting bug and have been itching to make a few new things for myself and for gifts. I'm desperate to make a new wreath for my front door and have some great "fall" fabrics that I think will really pop. After a trip to my favorite knitting shop, I also have some fabulous yarn to make a gift that for a special event this winter. Yeah!

While I've yet to get very far with either of the craft items yet, it brings me great joy to know that they are standing ready for me to dig in. I have deadlines in my mind for both so if I don't want to pull all nighters, I better get started.

Before I start feeling sorry for myself, I should say that while my calendar has been crazy busy lately I've also been able to have a few "fun dates" with my husband, my father, and friends. P and I snuck out one day to see the movie "The Help" and loved every minute of our matinee. My dad and I had a walk down memory lane at one of my grandfather's favorite burger joints that "fly boys" frequent and loved remembering how much he enjoyed this hole in the wall that has now become a fabulous family diner. Just wish my grandpa could have been there to shared the fries with us.

I've also been able to grab a few fun lunch dates/coffee dates with friends and have really enjoyed some sweet fellowship and fun shopping trips. Next week it's lunch out with my mom, maybe even a little "shopping" on the side. Girl time is so worth it!

I'll never complain about the newness of September and the start of my mom's Bible study groups. This sweet time with other women studying God's word makes all the crazy hectic days of the month worth the chaos.

Fall Festival: Girls Have Fun While the Boys Work

2011-09-20T19:43:00.030-05:00

Mr C's school has an annual Fall Festival complete with games, rides, and a fantastic Cake Tent filled with all type of goodies. If you ask C why he choose to come to the school, he might admit it's because last year he won a cake in the "cake walk." As "parents," this year we were asked to bring six "cakes" or baked goods. I brought six pans of Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls. They not only are delicious, but are really the only baking I know how to do.

I was thrilled to see they had the rolls marked for fifteen dollars a pan and within the first hour had already sold one pan. While we were in the tent (for about ten minutes), two separate buyers also scored a pan once they saw the note saying it was PW's recipe.

P and Mr C were signed up to work the Enchilada booth, but they refused to allow me to photograph them dishing up the Mexican goodness. According to P, they are going to volunteer for this booth again next year. It's the nicest couple who run the place and the enchiladas are to die for. I really wanted a picture to capture the moment, but I'm trying hard to let Mr C be and not embarrass him with my photos.

While it was a little chilly in the early afternoon, it was perfect for a Hay Rack Ride around the property and the girls I loved seeing the school grounds, the horse barn, meadow, and back to the football field. I loved that the hay rack ride was without any "hay" which was perfect for our sensitive allergies. Mr C's campus is beautiful and the view they have of the prairie from the edge of the property is remarkable.

The girls also got a chance to go on a short horseback ride. There are a number of horses on campus and it was fun for the girls to get a chance to ride. I'm thinking maybe later this fall we can volunteer to take some apples to the horses and see them up close at the barn.

I can see why Fall Festival is a yearly tradition for so many families. We were there for such a short time this year do to the other "activities," but next year we'll block out the day for some fun family fall traditions.

His "Signature Look" for Fall 2011

2011-09-19T18:57:00.030-05:00

This is not normally a fashion blog nor am I a fashionista, but for today I'm going cutting edge and debuting Mr C's fall fashion "must have." After an exhaustive search or at least an afternoon of shopping for fall clothing, Mr C has decided on his favorite style for fall or as he calls it his "Signature Style."

His go to look this fall is the sweater vest with a bow tie. Perfect. Not only will it fit the dress code which is a tie with a collared long sleeve shirt, it will allow him to show a little personality. Plus, as a child of the 80's myself, I must admit I swoon for the idea of having a preppy looking son. Looks like all those hours of reading the plaid Preppy Handbook paid off!

Mr C and I had a fun afternoon of shopping on Friday as it appears that since the last time he wore long pants (it's shorts and golf shirts until October 1st), he's grown another few inches. Either that or the "laundry fairy" has been shrinking all his pants. Good thing the mom waited until it was almost pant season before buying all the clothes for school. Thankfully, he now has some dress pants and khakis along with two fabulous Bow Ties to wear. We even scored a purple stripped dress shirt which according to Mr C, makes the black vest and black bow tie rockin.

Mr C's sisters would like to point out that not only does he really look swell in his "signature look," he's less likely to spill his lunch on a bow tie than a regular tie. I'm not sure I agree. The bow tie is very close to his mouth!

Out of My Element: They Don't Speak My Language

2011-09-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

I'm come to understand that I don't speak everyone's language. At least not the people I've had to talk to the last few days. I've seen the blank stares, the shaking heads and the looks of wonder as I've asked questions or sought help in places outside my element. In many ways, they have talked a different language than me and their surroundings are not familiar. I've felt like a foreigner as I've looked around their "homes" and it's made me nervous.

Most of the time I seem to hang around people who speak my same language whose experience is similar to my own and who have "homes" that I feel very comfortable walking into and being a part of.

Not so much the people I've visited lately.

The lawn and garden worker at Lowe's looked at me as if I speaking a different language when I asked him if they carried that "thing" that makes the weed whacker actually whack the weeds. He looked even more confused when I confessed that my lawn mower had just stopped working and that I thought it might have something to do with the oil that spewed out the week prior when I hit the oil cap on the house. Maybe he had something to get it started again.

He looked at me as if I was talking gibberish when I asked how would I know how much oil to put in the thing and if I needed to mix it with anything or just pour away. He even tried to scare me to death (the tactic of those in charge) saying I might have blown up the engine.

A few days later, I returned (mower works fine, thank you very much) to get the "do hickey" for the edger. According to P, it was no longer edging and he needed a new blade. I went armed with the right words thanks to my husband, but two separate stores had nothing for me. They recommended I go the the source, the Dewalt store, which of course is not open on the weekend.

So yesterday, I ventured to the store for all things Black and Decker and upon opening the door realized that I was in way over my head. There were blades and knives and weaponry of all forms and all packaged in little boxes labeled with foreign words. Thankfully, a kind soul who looked like he lived in the land came out and asked if I needed help. I handed over the old dead blade and asked him to replace it and quickly as I needed to get back home. He chuckled and said this was the saddest, smallest, and most pathetic looking edger blade ever. Then he went into the backroom and and came out a new one.

Then I asked him if he sold Sawzaw blades too. It was not like I had any idea what I was asking for, but I was just repeating the words P had given me. We needed to replace some blades after the Eagle Scout project

Mr Tool then asked a whole bunch of questions about what I would be needing the blades for; metal, wood, cutting up people, etc. At least I think that's what he said. I had that blank stare that happens when you have no concept what the person is talking about. So, I called my husband and asked him to translate. Minutes (maybe hours) later when I walked out of the store with blades and more blades in my hand, I called my husband back and shockingly he didn't answer.

I left a long message about the fact that I refused to go to anymore of these places where they don't speak my language. I'd rather hang out a fabric store or a knitting shop. I get those people. I might not understand everything they say in one of those shops, but I get them. They get me.

As P would later tell me it's like I speak Ebonics in the Knitting Shop. Not quite the proper English, but close enough.

Girl Scouts at the Lake: Take Two, New Crew

2011-09-14T10:01:00.000-05:00

Miss A's lifelong dream of having her friends to the lake for a party has finally been realized! For at least the last three years, she has asked me every summer to have group of just her friends out to swim and hang out at the lake. She's wanted either a birthday party at the lake complete with boat rides, a sleepover party at the lake for at least ten little girl friends, or a no parents party that included a bonfire.

Really, what little girl doesn't want a huge beach party with a bunch of little girls who don't know how to swim? Well, at least that little girl's mother didn't want that responsibility.

Thankfully, this past weekend, Miss A's dreams were realized and the event was perfect. The first grade Daisy troop had a retreat out at the lake on Saturday and every little Girl Scout brought her mother along. Perfect! The weather was just right for swimming and the girls were not the least bit afraid of jumping into the lake.

Miss M came along to help and we nicknamed her the Pied Piper as the little girls just followed her around and did whatever she did. M took out the paddle boat on four different tours so that every girl got a chance to ride along. She even beached it on the opposite shore and played Chinese fire drill so they had a chance to ride shotgun.

We made a troop flag (copied the idea from the older girls years ago, yeah for keeping that thing around) with our hand prints, planned our service projects for the year, and had a great afternoon of bonding. I love our troop leader. She's so organized and I love the fact that I just have to stand by as the assistant leader and offer her encouragement.

With the help of some great moms, we had a gourmet Hot Dog dinner on the grill and then Mr. P and Mr C came to the rescue (after the airshow) to make a fire in the pit for s'mores. I am a fire novice so this was a great help to me. The girls even earned their "S'more Fun" patch for their daisy vest.

It was the perfect kickoff for our second year of Girl Scouts for Miss A and her buddies. It's a great group of girls and moms. I think this might be a new tradition for our troop.

Labor Day: Water Sports Edition

2011-09-10T23:45:00.000-05:00

You can't go to the lake without taking a few trips in the boat and, if our kids and neighbor kids have anything to say about it, there needs to be a few trips to the Marina involved. It's all about the candy. One tradition that the boys love most of all is a race between the paddle boats down the cove to the Marina.

While you can't actually reach the marina on paddle boat (following the no wake cove), you can park at the community center and be within feet of "nirvana."

Last weekend, the smack talk about the "boys" boat crushing the girls boat was sky high. Since there are only three boys in the group, Miss A was recruited to join the boy boat. She was fine with the idea because her buddy N was on that boat and she could sit in the back and just enjoy the ride. The girls including Miss M and Cousin N were overstuffed in the girls boat, but they were ready for the challenge.

Sadly, within a few feet of launch, our paddle boat (boys) lost it's rudder. It just fell off leaving the captain of the boat without any means of steering. A few futile attempts to make due with an oar and pleas by the boys to make it the tradition happen brought the girls boat back to the dock. No one wanted to call it a day, but it appeared we were now down to one boat! The girls valiantly took off and the boys promised to run the shoreline to the marina! Mother's wisdom said that running in sand would be even slower than an rudderless boat so the boys piled in the car along with Miss A for the ride to the end of the cove to await the girls.

Let's just say there was still a little challenge ahead as the boys decided to run the shore, catch the girls, and began to drag the paddle boat into the dock. It wasn't what they had hoped for, but the group had big smiles on their faces. After feeding their faces with candy and ice cream, the boys opted to paddle back while the girls happily joined me in the car along with "former teammates" Miss A and Mr N. It was a full car load, meaning Miss M got her wish and rode in the trunk.

Let's just say we are a little lax on rules at the Lake!

I love how these kids didn't allow a little change of plans rob them of their joy! They made due with what they had and made the best of it. As a consolation prize, we took a boat ride to Sand Mountain and had a ton of fun surfing down the sand!!

Labor Day Say It Ain't So

2011-09-10T22:16:00.001-05:00

I refuse to believe that summer is over. While we've been in school for weeks already, I'm still thinking this is summer. Going to the Lake for Labor Day is suppose to be the capstone of summer, but this year I'm not having any of that nonsense. I'm not kissing summer goodbye until at least September 30th which means there are still lots of "lake days" left for this family. We are still rotating our summer recipes and eating chicken salad with tomatoes and cucumbers from our garden. I'm refusing to buy mums for our front porch for a few more weeks. It's still summer.

We had a fabulous time at the Lake last weekend (see I didn't say it was Labor Day weekend) with both our family and our wonderful lake friends. There were football games to watch, boat rides to sand mountain, s'mores to create, and of course lots of time to just chillax on the beach.

One of my most favorite moments, however, was taking the whole gang on a walk to river. Ever since Miss M and I went on a walk around the lake last fall with the GS troop and found this "way cool" trail to the river and railroad bridge, we've been wanting to take the family to our new favorite spot. This weekend was the perfect opportunity to show off our secret spot, the weather was cool, dry and we had time on our hands.

I think everyone had a great time "skipping down the road" and exploring the area beyond the lake. While we might have needed to avert a few eyes at the graffiti on the bridge and convince a few nervous nells that we would survive walking on the train tracks, Miss M admitted it was one her favorite parts of the summer. There is just something about showing off to others something you've discovered. It's part pride and part excitement over sharing a little bit of yourself with others. I'm just glad everyone thought it was worth the hike!

We only wish a train had come along the tracks so we could have stood safely away, but still have felt the sound! Maybe next time.

Thursday Afternoon Gridiron

2011-09-07T07:44:00.019-05:00

Mr C took the football field for his first official freshman game last Thursday night. Thanks to my brother and his wonderful photography skills and kickin camera, we have the photos to prove what a football stud C has become.

He looks so tough in his uniform! He cheers on the team from the sidelines. He gets the play from the coach and passes the call onto to the huddle. All in all, he's a great player. He jukes so fast that the other players don't even touch him. He runs the plays just like they are called and is wide open in the backfield waiting for the ball to come into his hands.

Here's where I'll admit I have no idea how to tell which player is in the game; they all look alike in their pads and jersey's. For the first few plays, I was looking for #8 only to find out that's his away jersey number. In actuality, he was wearing black #41. Thankfully, when he was in for a down (doesn't that sound like I know what I'm talking about), he was on our side of the field and I could almost see his face. Football it's a whole new world, these boys are big and there is a lot of hitting!

One of the joys of early football is that it was about 100 degrees in the shade and sweat was dripping down my face blurring my vision (OK Texas, I know that seems to be your norm lately, but it is unusual here). I've never been so hot. I was even sporting a big umbrella over my head in hopes of blocking some of these deadly rays of heat. I'm becoming "that woman" yikes. Funny thing is that I know by the time we go to the final game of the season in October, I'll be sitting on the sidelines with a heavy coat, blankets, and gloves. Love the Midwest.

In all honesty, I've never been more proud of Mr C. He took the field and sidelines like a pro player. He didn't complain about the heat or worry that his team was trailing. He just looked excited to be part of the action. While they might have walked away with a loss, in so many ways this was a win for the team. They got better as the game went on and fought until the end scoring a touchdown with just minutes to spare.

Love this boy! Go Knights!

Eagle Scout: Finishing Up and Ribbon Cutting

2011-09-05T22:43:00.026-05:00

Even though our workday on Saturday was so productive, there were still a few loose ends that needed to be finished on the playground. The Wiggle Walk pieces need to be bolted in placed. Tuesday night was the night, the cement footings were ready, the weather was cool and Mr. C and P along with the professional installer got busy. It was a long evening and Mr C still had homework to finish, but it's beginning to look like a playground.

Mr C commented that while he wishes we had been working on this during the summer rather than the first few weeks of school, we are all just grateful that it's finally getting done. I think none more that P who had to return again Wednesday night for a long evening of tightening screws, cutting bolts, and gravel moving! What a guy!

By Friday, we were all ready to celebrate.

The entire school, was invited outside to the playground for a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. In preparation, Mr C had written a speech. We'd strung Red Ribbon (from Hobby Lobby's Christmas collection) all along the perimeter of the playground and the whole family was there to cheer the accomplishment. As promised, Miss A was going to get to christen the wiggle walk. Let's just say that her smile was huge.

What a blessing to see the young man stand before all of Miss A's schoolmates and telling them that he used to be a student at that same school, that as a Kindergartner he'd played on this same playground, and now he'd overseen the construction of a new playground that his youngest sister and her friends will enjoy for years. It's amazing to think that time has flown so quickly by!

The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was the perfect capstone to this Eagle Scout project. It was an excellent way to not only thank the school community for it's support of the project, but also a fabulous way to celebrate the new beginning. According to Mr C, the only thing missing was a pair of ceremonial scissors; the huge kind they use a ground breaking ceremonies. Not something you normally can pick up at Target!

All in all, the Eagle Scout project process was an experience our family will never forget. For years, we'll be able to look at the playground and recall the hours of work, sweat and prayers that went into the process. Mr. C has grown through this process and gained skills that will serve him well in life. So very much worth the effort.

Eagle Scout Project: Installation Day

2011-09-01T13:33:00.049-05:00

We could not have asked for a better day for the playground installation. It was sunny in the mid 80's and the ground was dry. Honestly, it was the best you could ask for in mid-August though we only wish it had been June so that Mr C (and us) would not have been balancing all of this with the start of school God was good, however, to give us such a glorious day! July was so hot in these parts.

P and Mr. C meet the certified installer at 7:00 to work on putting together the climbing wall and prep the holes for the concrete footings. The wiggle walks needed duraforms and meant another trip to Lowe's, but thankfully Dad took this run to the store as I've become a little to known by the Lowe's crew the past few weeks. Let's just say I don't really know my way around a hardware store, but they were so nice to me.

By 8:30, a great crew of Dads and Boys had arrived to get this party started. According to P, the timing could not have been better. Literally, the moment the installer said "we are ready for the concrete now," the Cement Truck pulled into the school parking lot. Thank you God for perfect timing! The installer said that he'd never seen it work out so perfectly before. Normally, you wait and wait for the cement truck.

Mr C and the guys got busy hauling wheelbarrows full of wet concrete to the playground, dumping them into the holes, and creating footings. Let's just say football practice and conditioning has really paid off for Mr C, he's got some muscles.

These guys really hustled and the concrete footings were in place in about an hour and way ahead of time. That's when we called in Nana to give the guys a cookie break so that when the next crew arrived at 10:30, there would still be plenty to do. Of course, there was still all that gravel to move back into place> It was a little like Groundhog Day as it seemed like we'd already moved that gravel once!

Oh, that's right we did.

I was then on lunch duty. Mr C's number one request for installation day was that he really wanted a "big sandwich" for lunch so I was off to Blimpies to pick up two 3 foot sandwiches. Guess the way to get boys to work is to provide food! The crew was big and hungry and in no time they polished off almost all six foot of food, chips, cookies and lemonade!

Our original plan had us working until about 2:30, but after lunch they plowed through it all and by 1:30 we were already on clean up duty. It was an exhausting, exhilarating, and productive day. The progress we made was amazing. Of course, the work was not quite complete, but welcome to the world of construction.

We are so grateful to all those who came out to help us on Saturday. Mr C's scout troop was fabulous, never have we seen so many dads and boys show up to help with an Eagle Scout project. There were others who came to help Mr C who were not Boy Scouts, just great friends who wanted to be a part of this day; thank you. To Nana and Papa were always ready to help with the girls, making cookies, or moving gravel. Aunt J ,Uncle S and A who came up to help and provided us with tools, shovels and all kind of gadgets.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the financial support of a lot of our friends and family who have supported Mr C's efforts. This was a huge undertaking on many levels and we couldn't have done it on our own.

Thank you.

Eagle Scout Work: Digging Holes

2011-08-30T09:39:00.032-05:00

After waiting nearly two months for the playground equipment to arrive all the parts are now in place, we are finally making progress on the Eagle Scout project. Of course, before you can install big pieces of metal and steal, you need a base of cement to put them in. At least that's what my husband and son have explained to me. I, of course, thought it would be like Lego's and you'd just set them on the sand and snap together.

The thought of digging almost 15 holes of various sizes in clay type material was enough to put fear in our eyes, but thankfully through the generous help of a fantastic landscaping company, they are done! On Thursday evening, a nice guy came with a Bobcat with an auger attachment and, under Mr. C and my husband's gentle guidance and careful measuring, he dug all the holes for us in under 2 hours time.

I think that the small amount of money it cost to pay for the holes to be professionally dug saved us hundreds of dollars at the chiropractor.

I told Mr C that this construction job has been a chance to live out his little boy dreams of being up close to trucks, tools, and machinery! As a toddler, he would point out all the dump trucks, sideloaders, and cranes as we drove around town. He loved to come across a construction site and quiz his mother with the names of the various trucks and he normally stumped me!

Mr C has gained a lot of knowledge working on this Eagle project that is invaluable; patience, persistance, strong work ethic and how to interact with Adults. Watching him with the landscaper, I was so proud of how confident he is and how mature he's becoming. He's a long way from the little boy in the back seat of the car yelling out " dump truck", "semi truck", "combine."

Happy 50th Anniversary

2011-08-29T08:03:00.071-05:00

My parents celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary on Friday. It was truly a golden celebration. What a blessing to have such a wonderful example of love, marriage and commitment to watch all these years. P and I consider it a honor that both sets of parents have been happily married for five decades. It is a great accomplishment and testament to God's blessings.

It's amazing to think that just the "other day" my parents renewed their vows for their 25th anniversary and I walked down the aisle as my mother's attendant. I was in college at the time and thought that 25 years was "forever." At that time, I could hardly imagine being married and not to mention for that long,

In fact, I would walk down that same church aisle on the arm of my father for my own wedding just a few short years later and am now only seven years away from celebrating my own 25th Anniversary. (See honey I do now how long we've been married)

I understand why my Dad said he can hardly believe it's been 50 years and that in his mind he's only in his 60's thus meaning he would have married Mom in his teens! Time really does fly by too quickly.

Friday night, we celebrated this wonderful milestone with a Family Dinner. Miss M said it was the nicest restaurant she'd ever been to and probably her best meal ever. Mr C enjoyed his filet and entertained his cousins with conversations about 401k's and Yacht prices. Guess you've got to play the part. Miss A of course was just thrilled to be surrounded by her favorite people, sitting by both cousins L and N, and chatting away.

After dinner and family pictures, we hung out at Nana and Papas and had Wedding Cake. Sadly, it did not have buttercream frosting on top, but it looked beautiful. Then of course, there was entertainment which mostly involved the kids doing crazy stunts and making us all smile. Mr. C unknowingly has mastered the look of a blind man. Wearing Nana's sunglasses, he strikingly looked the part, and of course being the comedian he is, he quickly grabbed a cup and asked for spare change.

Poor Miss A tried to duplicate the look with some crazy shades, but of course she's too cute and adorable to really pull it off. Thankfully, cousin A who turned 17 this week, which is even more evidence that time flies, looked fresh in his new Oakley's and showed Mr C how to really look cool!

All in all it was a perfect evening. One of the benefits of surviving 50 years of marriage is getting to have these crazy moments with your children and grandchildren. At least that's what I hope to be reaping when Mr. P and I reach that milestone!

Congrats Mom and Dad on your Golden Anniversary. We love you A & F.

Funny Things I've Hears Lately

2011-08-25T13:55:00.001-05:00

The new school year, start of fall activities, and the lack of television watching has added to the crazy thing my children have been saying of late. While I try to encourage my kids to support, build up and encourage one another, they've gotten a few jabs at each other. Often, they jab without even trying.

Mr C was talking about his freshman football team and how practice was going in the heat. He mentioned that one player got hurt and is out for the season with a knee injury. As a result, he's become the team manager. Miss A in all sincerity spurted out the following: "too bad that wasn't you Mr. C, you'd love to be the team manager." Ouch!

After a long day of practice (six hours-two a days they call, he calls it torture), Mr C said; "you know this is a lot of work for someone who just wanted to ride the bench, I'm actually getting pretty good at football."

Miss M was a little worried about the summer musical and if she'd remember to speak loud enough, hit her lines exactly, and tell her jokes without stumbling over the punch line. Mr C with a straight face told her," I've never known you to have trouble talking and talking and talking..." Gotta love brotherly love.

Miss A needed to change quickly into her soccer uniform after her musical performance on Saturday. The locations were about as far apart as possible in our small town and we were rushing. Miss M tells Miss A to strip in the car, just pull your pants down in the car seat, move your little tush around, and I'll get you going into your soccer clothes." No problem she says; I do this all the time."

I'm hoping she was talking about getting out of dance clothes and not stripping in the car!

Miss A is loving first grade and leaves each day with a smile on her face, but she's missing home a little too. Monday morning she told me, "I miss spending time with you when I'm at school all day; we had some great times together you and me. I miss my Barbies too, but I miss you more."

Glad to know I rank above the Barbies. I'm thinking its a close second however.

Finally, the best line of the week belongs to my husband. On Sunday when our family was doing Step Out (a day of service to the community that a bunch of churches do), we were weeding a garden when Mr. C found a garter snake. I screamed. He then proceeded to chase me around the garden with the snake in his hand. I ran faster thankfully.

I told my husband that I couldn't believe Mr. C would be so mean to his mother. P in all seriousness said, "Oh Jill it was just a snake!" He had a big grin on his face.

Really honey!

The Ultimate Superstar : Girls Shine in Summer Musical

2011-08-23T08:00:00.024-05:00

As a capstone to a fabulous summer, the girls had their Summer Musical performance this weekend. Both Miss M and Miss A had a part in our dance studio's Christian Musical; the Ultimate Superstar where M served as the Talent Show Host and one of it's acts, the Country Girl Comedian, while Miss A was a Ribbon Dancer.

Saturday morning, the show went to the local homeless shelter to perform for the moms and kids. Sadly, there wasn't a great number in the audience, but like Miss A said, "they were performing for an audience in heaven and He showed up." Plus, it was a great way to get the kinks worked out of the performance before the family and friends version.

Sunday evening was the main performance for the parents and both girls were super excited. The show included dinner (which of course means that Mr C came along). I think that Mr C went back for thirds. I assume that was from all the hard work he'd put in that afternoon at our church service project day! Trimming trees and pulling weeds makes for a hungry boy!

The performance was perfect. Miss M really does a great job acting in front of a crowd and her Texas accent wasn't too bad either. Of course, her jokes were a little "cheeky," but I think that was the idea. Miss A loved their ribbon dance and she just looked so happy twirling around on stage. Really, is there anything better than seeing your kids shine in their element and glorify God with all their hearts?

The Dance teachers have been doing the summer musical for four years. Each year, I am amazed at how professional and entertaining the show is, but even more so how it always draws you back to God and using your talents to bring Him glory. What a gift and blessing this musical is to our girls and our community.

Miss A, of course, thinks now maybe she should add Dance back into her schedule (she says it every year after the performance), but we're concentrating on soccer and basketball this year. Who knows maybe Miss M will get her sister to join her at the Studio soon.

Friday Night Lights:Mr C's Debut

2011-08-22T16:08:00.000-05:00

It's a whole new world. Last Friday night was the first of our adventure into Friday Night Lights, the high school version of football. Mr C took his first ever steps onto the field to play Wide Receiver in the Black vs Red Scrimmage. I think #8 looks pretty snazzy in his uniform. I mean tough, rough, and ready for the gridiron of course.

At the Football Parent Meeting and Team Introduction, I started to feel a little more comfortable with the whole football experience. The Head Coach shared his vision for the team, philosophy on how football should be played, and told us his goals. He also explained that, while the Knight have not exactly had a winning season in a while (3-15 the last two years), he loves the spirit of the team. He loves that the boys are spending so much time in the weight room. That's where the winning begins.

We didn't send Mr C to this school to make him into a football star; but to turn out a well rounded young man. The coach praised the freshman boys on their strong start. He said they show great promise to build this team going forward. Watching each player introduce themselves and give their positions and church affiliation, I got a little lump in my throat. It's going to be exciting to watch Mr C progress into a football player.

My husband commented that he never dreamt that we'd be spending our Friday night (OK really Thursday afternoons-since he's on the freshman and JV reserve teams) watching our son take the football field in a high school uniform. I didn't either, but I think if I can pray enough, trust enough, and believe in my son and his coach enough, I might just enjoy it.

In all honesty, I wasn't too disappointed that the scrimmage got called early due to lightning. Of course, according to Mr. C, it not only meant he didn't have to play on the defensive side of the ball, but it also meant that the freshman beat the sophomores 7 to 0. Go Knights!

We Survived the First Week of School

2011-08-20T19:16:00.000-05:00

We made it through the first week of school and, all in all, we did pretty well. Of course, the full impact of our fall activity schedule hasn't started yet so I'm sure there are some rough days ahead trying to figure out how to get people to the right place. But we'll make it.

I could be all nostalgic on how I can't believe my first born child is a freshman in high school, but attending his first ever high school football scrimmage proves that it's the truth. Not to mention the fact that in the last few days he's done more homework than he did in the previous eight years of school combined. He loves it and in so many ways our expectations have been exceeded with the choice of school.

At the opening Mass/Family Picnic last Sunday, I knew when we sang the Chris Tomlin song "You are the God of this City" that God has placed Mr C at this school for a reason! I can really see him thriving in this environment academically, spiritually, and socially. Plus, according to my husband, he's gotten a ton of muscle mass from football conditioning!

Miss M is now in sixth grade and, while there are still a few kinks in her schedule that we need to fix, she is taking everything in stride. The academic advisor really complemented her when he said that Miss M has a reputation of staying out of the muck of girl drama. While she might dump on us at home (which is what she should do), she always has a positive attitude in the classroom.

Miss M is most excited that after a few years off of competitive dance she's joined the team again. She'll be dancing twice a week and is thrilled to get to go on a trip this spring to her favorite town of Chicago. This girl just loves to dance and act. We just love to watch her use her God given talents.

Miss A loves the first grade. According to her, it's a lot like kindergarten. It is just a different teacher and schedule. The biggest change is how they do lunch. I'd explain what the change is, but I'm still not sure I understand. She has some great friends in the class and has made a few new buddies as well. We are thrilled that she has our favorite first grade teacher ever and the same one as C and M.
The biggest complaint Miss A has about school thus far is that it interferes with her Barbie playing time. Every morning, she plays Barbies for a little bit before school and then within minutes of eating her after school snack is back in her room busy with her imagination. Last Wednesday, I walked into her room and saw a lineup of Barbies (and a few Ken and Skippers) all facing her Barbie Townhouse. When I asked what was going on with the Barbies she explained it was a Drive In Movie Theater. A double feature. The next day, however, they were all gone and in their place was the Barbie Airplane, Convertible and Bicycle. Guess they were off on a road trip.
First Week over and out. Let the Fun Begin.
(* You'll notice I have pictures of C and M's first day of kindergarten too, Miss A's extra picture is of her first year in preschool; age 4. I love how Mr. C looks almost the exact same in Kindergarten and then now freshman year of high school.)

Next Time I'm Wearing a Hard Hat and Other Lessons

2011-08-17T11:37:00.000-05:00

It's very quiet in the house today. School has started for everyone and its seems as if its all going well. I have pictures to document the new year and funny stories to share, but its just the first day for Mr. C so I'm waiting until I get the scoop first. Miss A and Miss M have already two days under their belt and according to A the school year is just flying by. You'll just have to wait.

First, I've learned a few lessons over the summer I thought I would share. List form is always best I've decided for lessons. It takes me back to my college days and meticulous note taking from lectures. Don't get me started.

1. I might want to wear a Hard Hat when I mow the lawn. Today was a little like Hitchcock's The Birds movie in my backyard. A barn swallow (think HUGE bird or maybe not) was dive bombing me. At least that's what is seemed like. He wanted the fresh "bugs," but he kept coming in so close to my head I had to duck. Then he decided to bring along four friends. It was a dive bombing party. I was not a happy guest.

2. A few weeks ago while mowing I almost gave my neighbor a heart attack I screamed so loud! A huge rabbit ran across my shoes as it escaped from behind the air conditioner. My neighbor came running to see if I've run over my foot with the mower! No, I'm just afraid of small little "rodent like animals."

3. Mr C learned to mow the lawn this summer, but that might be a slight exaggeration. He mowed at least six rows of the lawn; all flat, in the open areas and only on cool days. His excuse for not doing more; football conditioning every day, two weeks of camp and of course the need to chill. Next summer, it's all yours buddy. There will be no more coddling from your mother.

4. I've decided that mowing the lawn is really good for your skin. It's like a little pore cleansing session every time. You sweat out all the bad stuff, shower off the dead layer of skin, and you even get a great farmers tan. I'm not sure it's good exercise as I can only run so fast behind the mower and the hills I push it up aren't really that steep, but on really humid days you feel like you've run a marathon.

5. Finally, I really meant to have my lawn mowed for back to school pictures, but life just got in the way and I didn't want to waste the last precious moments of summer mowing. I'd rather be running around like crazy to Target, haircuts, football practice and the lake. I have my priorities in order plus my front porch plants are dead anyway so I'll be photo shopping the pictures to make it look like I'm a good gardener and lawn care person.

Who says you can't learn things over summer vacation.

Back to School With A Purpose:(In)Spired Deals

2011-08-16T05:30:00.002-05:00

Mr C is just days away from the beginning of his freshman year of high school at an all boy Christian school. While it does not seem possible that we are entering a new phase of life with a high schooler, what is even more amazing is the young man we are sending on this path. A young man who is not ashamed of the gospel.

We are a public school family and, while it's been frustrating at times to have to "work" with the system to find ways to share our faith, its always been our goal as a family to be "salt and light" at our schools. Mr C has been active in FCA, See You at the Pole and has never been one to hide his faith at school. Let's be honest, this boy has worn a bright orange (think neon) T-Shirt with the words "Jesus Christ Saves Me"to school.

When I was given a chance to try out Dayspring's newest line of Back to School notebooks, folders and binders I figured its something we'd end up giving away to friends. We'd use it to witness to others, knowing it would not only be top notch stuff, but would have messages that would encourage others to seek Christ first.

However, when the Dayspring Box arrived, it was barely out of the box when Mr. C claimed it as his own. He really wanted to use the binders and notebooks himself. Not only did he love the design, black and red (his school's colors), the message really spoke to him. "This Message is Illegal in 53 Countries" because not only does he appreciate the fact that he lives in a country that he's allowed to live his faith out loud without fear, he loves the fact that after a decade of being in the public school system he now has the chance to impact a school that acknowledges God and shares his faith in Christ.

I love the fact that even though his mission field has changed, he's still wants to be a missionary. Having these fabulous notebooks and binders will be the opening for him to talk to others about his faith. Because you know what, even though he's going to a Christian school, doesn't mean everyone has a personal relationship with Jesus. Going to a school that professes faith doesn't make you a Christian!

Thank you Dayspring for giving Mr C the tools he needs to go Back to School with a Purpose! If you are looking for some fabulous "mission tools" for this coming school year look no further than

(In)spired Deals. Great Message. Great Quality. Great Price. Fabulous all the way around!

Check out the entire Dayspring Collection to see all the other Back to School with A Purpose supplies, and the (In) Courage Blog!

Full Disclosure: For my review Dayspring sent me the "This Message is Illegal" back to school packet. All opinions are my own and Mr C's.

Trip Down Memory Lane

2011-08-15T21:54:00.003-05:00

upper left: My great grandmother, brother and me at cousins wedding. Middle: Aunt Liz; upper right My Dad, brother and me-love the clothes; Middle left: Aunt Liz and Uncle Keith in 1975; Bottom left: My parents and brother; Bottom Right: Uncle Keith and Aunt Liz.

Last week, I made a quick trip to Minnesota for the funeral of my great aunt. That might seem like a very distant relative, but in many ways my Aunt Liz was more like my mother's sister (Nana is an only child) since there was only twelve years between them. I joined my parents and my brother for the trip which brought back memories of many trips before.

My Aunt Liz and Uncle Keith lived in a beautiful lake house in a small Minnesota town. For most of my childhood, my family would spend a week of our summer vacationing at their home. We'd swim, boat and water ski and we became great friends with the neighborhood children. The memories I hold in my heart from these trips are among my best ever. I'm sure that's why I love passing on my love of the water with my own kids at our family lake house. It's my way of sharing this wonderful legacy.

Aunt Liz had a fabulous library in her house. It was filled with books and I loved going into the room just to soak up the smell of books. I'm sure a part of the reason I love to read so much is because of how cool it was to sit on comfy couch surrounded by Nancy Drew, the Hardy boys, and tons of great books! It was always so much fun to talk books with Aunt Liz, and she never failed to ask me what I was reading.

Because my cousins were all a few years older than I was, a number of my memories of visits to Minnesota also involve a fun wedding with lots of dancing. When my family went to a wedding last spring for my cousins' daughter, I was able to share this love of wedding dances with my own kids too. Miss A still counts that as one of her favorite trips ever.

Aunt Liz was the only person in my life that call me JillBaby and you know I never minded. It was term of endearment and I knew it. My brother had a nickname too, but I know better than share it with the general public. He might kill me. Coming from a very small family, it's been a great joy to have Uncle Keith and Aunt Liz's family as a part of ours. I'm so happy that my kids have Christmas Stockings made by Liz's hands, that my kids have become friends with Liz's grandchildren and enjoyed hours together at both our lake house and at Mall of America.

My heart is sad that I've said goodbye to a wonderful Aunt and that my mother has lost one of her best friends. But I know with all my heart that this is not the end of the story. First and foremost, I will see my Aunt and Uncle again in heaven some day. I'm thrilled that they are there walking streets of gold together after almost 12 years apart. I'm rejoicing that they are seeing my cousin Leigh Ann again who died seven years ago from Breast Cancer.

I also know that the relationship between the cousins has become even more vital. My brother and I have the responsibility and the privilege of carrying our family bond into the next generation. What a blessing that my cousins are such great people, it's not a burden. This loss also reminds me that life is fragile and that I must take every opportunity to show those I love how much I love them.

I'll miss you so much Aunt Liz, can't wait to see you again!

Off the Knitting Needles: Basketweave Blanket

2011-08-12T17:42:00.023-05:00

I've finally finished my Basketweave Blanket. I started knitting this blanket back in February and while I was making great progress this winter it became the project, I kept putting on the back burner. I made numerous washcloths for gifts, a baby blanket for Mikey, and a few other projects too.

Considering it was a project I was making for myself, I wasn't in a real rush. I loved the yarn I used, the pattern is easy, and makes for a beautiful completed project. I think this is a pattern I will use again and, while my own blanket is full of mistakes, I think it's something I could do mistake free for a gift.

I finished the project by blocking. It is the same exact process I used for the baby blanket. Because there was a sizable border on the blanket, there wasn't much rolling on the sides, but I loved the soft finished feel of the blanket after it had been washed and laid flat.

I'm making progress in my knitting. I still have a long way to go before I tackle those complicated patterns and multiple needles but I'm happy that now I have a "go to" pattern. Who knows, maybe you'll be seeing a blanket in this pattern soon for a future wedding I'm invited to?

He Needs a Better Story

2011-08-09T16:05:00.000-05:00

Miss A's birthday party went off without a hitch until the last fifteen minutes. The girls had been playing in Miss A's room for awhile and it was now time for the Pinata. In all our years of Pinatas, we've always used the old fashion baseball bat to "hit it to death" and, normally without fail, we've had to call in reinforcements (older siblings, cousins, dad) to get it to finally fall and give up its candy.

This year, A's favorite Pinata was one with ribbons that you pull until the candy dumps. Perfect. No bats, and the girls would all get a chance to make the pinata open.

P decided that since the grass was little damp, and muggy we would not hang the Pinata from the swing set, but he'd just hold it from a broomstick. Great plan. You would think so.

It was going great; three girls including Miss A had pulled the string, and then the broom handle lost its "handle" and flew up and hit P in the lip. Within seconds there was blood everywhere. Seven little girls just stood in shock as the Pinata Guy went into the house with a busted lip. Thankfully, one of Miss A's friends' Mom had arrived early and was able to keep the party going while I nursed the patient.

It was obvious within a few minutes that Mr P was going to need stitches. As Miss M said, there was a lot of blood and no end in sight. Thankfully, our great neighbors agreed to take P to the doctor while I wrapped up the party.

To add to the comedy, I had sent P to the office where our primary doctor worked thinking there was an urgent care office there as well, but there wasn't. So on a Friday afternoon at nearly five o'clock, P walked into the our primary care physician's office with a bleeding lip, a story about a Pinata gone wrong, and walked out with two stitches and a tetanus shot.

I think P made a number of nurses, office staff, and a Doctors' weekend. He gave them a real story to tell and found Monday when he called for the follow up appointment that they all had. Of course, they were sure to point out to him that they did not use his name. HIPPA violation you know. By the time the girls and I arrived at the office, the receptionist asked if I was Mr. Pinata's wife!!

Poor guy he looked like he'd been in a big fight. No one knew it was Pinata that put up the fight. I'm starting to think that there is a connection between Miss A, Candy, and the ER. I think that next year we are just going to throw the candy out on the lawn and let the kids run for it!

The Birthday Party Extravaganza

2011-08-09T10:01:00.000-05:00

Miss A celebrated her seventh with a Crafting Party at the nearby Michaels' Craft Store. It was a perfect way to have some fun without having to deal with the mess at home. Miss A picked out a wooden jewelry box for the girls to paint and bedazzle along with a slap bracelet they could decorate.

Miss A has the nicest little girl friends. They all get along so well, and while a couple of her friends couldn't make the party due to end of summer vacation plans, it was fun to see all the girls one more time before school starts. Their biggest topic of conversation of course was who would be in whose class and how would 1st grade be different than kindergarten. There was even talk of the dreaded homework.

I loved how the girls all used their artistic skills to create adorable little boxes. They even got to be creative with decorating their cupcakes. Lets just say there was a lot of frosting on top!

After we finished all our creative endeavors, Miss A opened her presents and then we headed home to for a little playtime and the pinata. I'd love to show you some pictures from this part of the party, but that is a story in its own! Let's just say the girls had a great time, but poor Dad has a story to tell.

Vacation Wrap Up: Sioux Falls

2011-08-07T22:23:00.011-05:00

Our final stop on our trip to Laura Ingalls's homeland included a visit to "The Falls" at Sioux Fall and a walk around their downtown. It was a hot and steamy day in South Dakota, but that didn't stop us from traversing over the rocks to enjoy the sounds of the roaring water.

I realize in relation to Niagara Falls this is a tiny little fall with very little water, but for the middle of the Midwest its a great little scenic view. The Falls Park is clean, accessible, and a wide open space to wander and explore.

Plus, its entirely free. Even the observation tower that allows you both a great view of the falls and of the city itself is open to the public. What a treat.

Downtown Sioux Fall or DSF as they call it had some adorable shops, a fun little cafe we had lunch, and a great used bookstore where we found almost all of the Laura Ingalls books for a fraction of the cost. Miss A and Miss M now own all but Farmer Boy for the low cost of $19.00. Miss M has already started on reading every book. Miss A and I have decided that we'll start from the beginning of the series and read the books aloud this fall.

An enjoyable afternoon in Sioux Falls was the perfect wrap up to our trip to South Dakota, plus it was the capstone of our "water tour" as we saw Gavins Dam on the front end of the trip and the Falls on the back end.

Finally, we got to witness the flooding that the Missouri has caused all the rest of the way home. Amazing. Entire farms are underwater and on more than one occasion we were driving on the interstate between sand bags and with rushing water just feet away. Wow!

We had a fabulous trip, but were thrilled to get back home and make the most of our final days of summer.

Our New Favorite Seven Year Old

2011-08-06T16:21:00.002-05:00

We always tell Miss A that she is our favorite six year old in the whole world. Today, we need to change that. Miss A is now our favorite seven year old in the whole wide world! Time really does fly, wish I could invent a way to slow it down. I don't want to keep them young forever, just want to remember to number my days and enjoy each one.

Miss A, I hope you know what huge joy you bring to our lives. You are a little ray of sunshine, a burst of rainbow, and a true blessing from God wrapped up in a little girl. May you always know how much we love you and treasure you and that God loves you even more.

Happy Birthday to our favorite seven year old!!

Winding Down Our Laura Journey

2011-08-05T16:46:00.000-05:00

Our afternoon at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead wouldn't be complete if we didn't have some time with the ponies. The girls loved their little ride on the buggy. Miss A thought the pony was adorable. Miss M too, at least until the baby pony decided to take a little nib on her back.

Miss M was bitten by the baby pony. Who according to the staff is a little ornery. Really? Not only did the pony try to take some of M's skin, we saw it rolling around in Ma's garden and flower bed. Bad pony!

At our final stop at the homestead, there was a replica of the wagon that Laura, Pa, Ma, Mary and Carrie would have traveled in around South Dakota. Miss A and Miss M could hardly believe how small it was. We told them that people would have traveled across the country in something similar filled with all their earthly possessions. I think they were thankful our form of transportation was roomy, comfortable, and air conditioned (and that we brought a DVD system for movies)

I can't say enough about how much we enjoyed our visit to Laura's Little Town on the Prairie. We had the best of both worlds; hand on experiences for us to do as a family and a chance to walk in history at the homes and homestead.

We finished our day with a dip in the community pool and a picnic dinner at the city park! Miss M even treated the family to ice cream at Dairy Queen using a birthday gift card . A perfect way to top off our visit to De Smet. When we laid our heads down that night back at the Heritage House, I think all of us dreamt about being a prairie pioneer. Well, maybe P had a dream about college football or insurance!

Our trip was almost over, but we still had a fun things on our agenda.

Homestead Experience: Hands on De Smet SD

2011-08-05T08:19:00.001-05:00

Our afternoon visit to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead was a complete "hands on" experience. While our morning was full of Wilder history, our afternoon was an opportunity to try out pioneer life on the prairie and on the same land that Laura's family homesteaded.

But before we headed to the Homestead, we stopped off at one of the "postcard" locations the spot where Pa planted Cottonwood Trees. Five of Pa's trees still remain.

The Homestead Site has a replica of the types of homes the Ingalls lived in before building their home on the land. They had both a sod house built in the side of a hill and dugout. We decided that we would have wanted both, one for summer heat and the other for winter cold. The smell in the sod home would have been a little bit too much for me.

At the replica of the Ingalls home, the girls got to try their hand doing Laundry Prairie Style with a wash bucket, plunger and a clothes line. Miss A said she could have stayed here all day trying to do laundry. Miss M was in agreement and both girls even came back later in the day to do a few more "loads." If only I could get them to do the real wash at home.

I'm thinking I might adapt Ma's Weekly Routine at home. If I can just convince Miss A to do both the ironing and mending, I'll be golden. Miss M can handle the wash and hanging the shirts on the line.

Next up was our Wagon Ride to the Schoolhouse. It was a pretty smooth ride thanks to gentle mules and nice wheels. I think the Ingalls ride into town was a much bumpier one. The girls got to "drive" the mules on the way home. They loved holding the reigns and talking to their charges. What fun.

Our schoolhouse visit, complete with a teacher, was a treat. Not only did the girls get to dress up in adorable little smocks and bonnets, they sat at desks like Laura and Carrie would have and learned all about the one room schoolhouse and what that meant for a student. At the end of the "school day," there was even a spelling test which both girls passed. Miss A had to spell Cat and Miss M spelled Prairie. She missed the first time due to the prompt that there were a lot of "i's" in the word, just not that many.

After school, it is was time to try our hands at some rope making and corn husk doll creations. Who knew how much fun it is to make your own rope, poor P even "bleed" a little in the process of making one for Mr. C. Thankfully, it was already a deep red rope! Miss A again was fascinated with the machinery and loved shucking the corn cobs.

Pioneering is fun. With sundown still a few hours ahead, our fun wasn't over yet.

The Houses that Pa Built: Laura Ingalls Wilder

2011-08-03T22:08:00.002-05:00

Pa Ingalls was a hard working man. As we discovered on our journey to De Smet, he not only made a living as train surveyor and farmer, but he also built his family's homes both at the Homestead that they purchased on the edge of town and a nice big home in town in later years.

At our visit to the "in town" home of the Ingalls, you can really see the workmanship of his hands. Not only did he build a home near the school that Laura and Carrie attended, it was just around the corner from their church and just blocks from Main Street.

Location. Location. Location. Isn't that the motto of home ownership? Pa got the point. He also built a home that allowed them to add on as they had the resources. We saw the upstairs bedrooms that when Pa and Ma got older and needed income, they rented out to boarders and where when they were young, Carrie and Grace wold have slept.

We also got to try our hand at a few things here at back at the visitor center. Miss M and Miss A got to play a replica fiddle that use to belong to Pa and Miss M played the organ that all the Ingalls girls had played. At the Discovery Center, we even got to try our hands at Braille using peas and tried writing our names on a tablet with our eyes closed. Not easy. P discovered that he could sew. His mother would be so proud. Miss M decided that she likes wearing a bonnet, it keeps out the sun, and Miss A just enjoyed it all.

It was then time to go back to town, eat some lunch, and shop at the Loftus Store. Homemade Lemonade and Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches at a cafe that doubles as a craft/general store. If that doesn't say small town America I'm not sure what does.

What a fun morning.

Laura Ingalls Wilder's Homestead: The Historical Tour

2011-08-03T21:57:00.002-05:00

I have way too many pictures of our fantastic trip to De Smet, but since this is my way of journaling and scrapbooking these days, I'm going to go ahead and just inundate you with all of them. By the time I actually get around to putting them in a scrapbook, I'd hate to have forgotten the details.

The first part of our trip down "Ingalls Lane" was in the town of De Smet at the Laura Ingalls Memorial Society. Here they have the actual Surveyors House that Laura, Pa, Ma, Mary and Carrie lived in that first winter. It's been moved from the original site, but inside it's intact and contains artifacts from their home. Because of the age of the home, no photos were allowed.

Amazingly, they considered this little three room home to be spacious. In fact, they would often have up to 15 guests sleeping on the floor in the winter for days on end. There really was only the main room with a stove, a small room off the main that had Pa and Ma's bed and a loft with a bed and dresser (real one that Pa made) for the girls.

On the site, there is also the Brewster School that Laura first taught in. The school was originally 12 miles north of town (a four hour wagon ride on a good day) and it is small. The girls loved hearing about how the boys and girls would bring Lard and Bread Sandwiches for lunch and if they were lucky, they would also bring baked potatoes in their pocket to keep their hands warm on the long walk. The potatoes would then go into the school stove to stay warm until lunch.

Miss M could hardly believe the Laura taught school at age 15 without a high school diploma. The fact that she did this to help her family pay for Mary's Schooling at the Blind School in Iowa only made her thankful Dad hasn't asked her to get a job to pay for her brother's private schooling this fall. Just wait M, it could still happen!

The De Smet School where Laura and Carrie attended is in the process of being refurbished. It's remarkable that under all the layers of wallpaper, they found in tact many pieces of the blackboard including a drawing of a child's face from the 1880s. Amazing. Miss M and Miss A could hardly believe that the walls were all covered in blackboard at one time, because that's how they wrote out their math facts, took tests and memorized long essays by writing them down on the blackboard.

No Smart Boards or Laptops in those days.

It's amazing to think of how challenging it was to go to school on the Prairiey from the long walks to and from, the lack of writing materials, and the fact that boys were often needed to work the fields and missed numerous days. The school year would only run from Mid October (after harvest) to early March (before planting) and several days to weeks were missed due to blizzards and bad weather.

Yet somehow, I think those children learned more in their daily life than my children do going to school nine months a year!

Miss A and Miss M could hardly believe the you would have to go outside for water. No indoor plumbing or water fountains here. Miss A thought it was fun that the doorbell for the school was actually inside the door. Both girls are also considering adding Chalk Slates to their Back to School list. I'm just not sure that Target carries them these days!

This is just a start to our trip. More Laura to come.

Bed & Breakfast Staying in the Prairie: DeSmet South Dakota

2011-08-02T21:24:00.000-05:00

When we first decided to journey to the "Little Town on the Prairie" of De Smet South Dakota, it just didn't seem right to stay at a normal hotel so we booked a Bed & Breakfast in the heart of the town. It was perfect.

The Heritage House Bed & Breakfast is the site of the original Bank in De Smet and it's right across the street from the Loftus Store and just blocks from the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society's Museum. For our "big city" girls, it was a special treat to experience small town life and we took full advantage.

I have to give Kudos to De Smet and the great atmosphere they have created in their town. They not only pay wonderful homage to Laura Ingalls and her family, they are very welcoming to outsiders. Both the Society and the Homestead go all out to take you back in time to experience what Laura so brilliantly wrote about in her books. De Smet is the setting of four of the "Little House" books; By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Little Town on the Prairie, and These Happy Golden Years.

Pa Ingalls was the first resident of De Smet South Dakota and he along with Ma would make it their final resting place as well. It was here that the Ingalls family would claim their homestead, build a big house in town, and where Laura and Carrie would go to school. Ingalls history abounds.

We loved our accommodations at Heritage House. Laura's Loft as our little three room suite was called had plenty of character, space, and charm. P and I had our own bedroom as did the girls. Their was loft for playing or sleeping and we had a nice little living room to watch TV and relax. Breakfast was scrumptious and the Innkeeper was warm and friendly. We purchased a great package that included not only two nights stay at the B&B but a picnic "lunch" and tickets to the area attractions and the community pool.

Our first night, she gave us the heads up on a great family restaurant about 15 miles down the road. It was yummy and very reasonable. We had "cheese balls" in honor of "Laura's" Minnesota roots and were very impressed with the service and food. The restaurant is near the junction of two big highways: 14 and 81 and they cleverly use that as their name.

We'd also been told to buy the Laura Ingalls Wilder Scavenger Hunt from the Society that leads you to various sights throughout the town and learned more about Laura and her family. At each stop, you picked up a fun postcard and put together a few more pieces in the puzzle of the this Little Town on the Prairie. P and Miss M found a few postcards our first night in town and Miss A got into the action the next day.

Before bed we had a few rounds of UNO in the formal room downstairs at the B & B. It was a great way to close out our day. Our adventure was really just beginning in the Prairie.

Gavins Point Dam: First Stop on our Journey

2011-08-01T21:15:00.000-05:00

Last week was our trip to Little Town on the Prairie with stops at both Gavins Point and Sioux Falls. We made what you might call a 'water tour' on our Laura trip. Considering that the visit to the roaring water sites was my husbands' idea, I think that maybe it was his way to make this girly trip a little more palatable!

Gavins Point Dam is the Natural Resources Districts flood control mechanism for the Missouri River near Yankton, SD. Until this spring, it's not something I gave much thought to. However, the fact that the river is flooding in Iowa and Nebraska due to the increase in water being released at Gavins Point, I've become more aware of its role.

Driving through the rolling hills of Nebraska, we talked about how grateful we were that we made this trip in the comfort of our Honda mini-van with air conditioning and leather seats. Sure beats a covered wagon! However, I think any Pioneer mama would have been knitting away at a blanket just like me. However, they just might not have had Fox News on the XM Radio and sounds of the girls' DVD player in the background. If we had brought our old player with just one screen maybe that would have rivaled the pioneer trek.

Gavins Point Dam was awesome and the mighty power of water is absolutely amazing. They are currently releasing 165,000 cubic feet of water a minute, surpassing any previous record. Normal is about 30,000 cubic feet. The Dam Road is currently closed due to the power of the release and we had to view the Dam from both the Nebraska and South Dakota side by traveling the long way around the city of Yankton.

On the Nebraska side, there is an excellent Lewis and Clark and Gavins Point Museum with lots of hands on exhibits. The girls loved dressing up in the gear of the Lewis and Clark era and Miss A was especially happy to drive the Steamboat. I think she was hoping we could go down the river on a Steamboat!

Because the Hydroelectric Power Plant is on the NE side, you can't get very close to the Water or the Dam, but the views from the Museums' overlook are amazing. We had a little picnic lunch before heading across the river to South Dakota to see the action up close.

Standing right up next to River, the water is spraying and misting so much its almost impossible to get a picture with steaming up the lens of the camera or your glasses. The sound of crashing waves is LOUD and you can really appreciate the power of water. Wow!

Witnessing up close the amount of water coming through this Dam, its understandable why it's flooding downstream. We told the girls that hopefully they will never see this again in their lifetime. At least that is our prayer.

Gavins Point Dam was an amazing start to a wonderful getaway!

All the Chickens Are Back Home

2011-07-31T09:38:00.000-05:00

Last night, all four bedrooms were filled with sleeping bodies and my heart was happy. I felt like the mother hen with a full house.

P, the girls, and I just returned from our trip to Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little Town on the Prairie and C returned from church camp in Colorado. I have much to share of our adventure on the Prairie, but we have just one short day with Mr C before he goes to camp on Monday at his high school.

That means that I have loads of laundry to do, catching up to do with our favorite son, and time to enjoy one of the last few Sundays of Summer. Homemade Chocolate Zucchini Bread (from the garden) for Breakfast, Late Church and then it's chilling time. At least between trips to the laundry room!

Mikey's Blanket Finished

2011-07-27T09:35:00.000-05:00

Mikey loves his new blanket! His mother sent me this photo a few days ago and it made me smile. What an adorable boy.

After tons of advice from knitters, blogs, and my favorite knitting shop, I finally decided to Block the Blanket. I wasn't thrilled with how the sides rolled up and, while I knew my friend would love it rolled or straight, I wanted it to be perfect.

Here's how I blocked the blanket:

Got the blanket wet, with a spray bottle of water. Not soaked, just damp
Rolled wet blanket in a clean white towel to ring out excess water
Laid out the blanket on another clean and dry white towel. Thankfully, the blanket was small and it all fit on one towel. I put this in a corner of our bedroom that was clean, freshly vacuumed and away from foot traffic.
Measured the blanket before and figured out how much I wanted to stretch the blanket. My goal was to get it a little bigger without compromising the design.
Stretched the blanket and remeasured
Used quilting pins to secure the blanket to the towel.
Let the blanket "block" until it was completely dry (two days)

I was thrilled with the final outcome. Not only did the sides lay flat, the blanket was softer and felt more finished. I loved this pattern and plan to use it again for either a baby blanket or for a family snuggle blanket. I might try the real pattern and make it in blocks.

What a joy it was to send this off to Mikey, a much loved baby!

Beginning of Girls Week

2011-07-25T22:45:00.001-05:00

My husband is already feeling a little outnumbered and it's only been a day. Mr C left for a week of church camp in the Colorado Mountains leaving P back at home with just the girls. He thinks we are a little too chatty, giggly and much too worried about what we wear. Sunday morning when we left for church with a picnic basket packed for a trip to the Zoo along with spare clothes for the experience, I think he thought we were nuts.

Church was contemporary and casual so P just wore shorts while the girls and I changed from our church appropriate skirts and nice shoes to shorts and flip flops. Girls. Of course, if we'd left the boy in charge, we wouldn't have had a lunch packed, so he should just be thankful we over plan.

Rumor had it that it would be a cool afternoon and a nice change from the 100's of the week so the Zoo seemed like a perfect idea. The weatherman lied. Shocking, I know. However, we obviously weren't the only people to buy the lie as the zoo was packed. Thankfully, P was able to talk the girls out of the petting zoo in the heat, but he did make us climb Pachyderm Hill (the furthest place in the zoo, far far away) just to see the Rhino. Boys!

I've never been more grateful that we have so many indoor exhibits at the zoo as I was Sunday. Even if my glasses did fog up coming in and out, at least I was able to cool off. The best part of the trip of course was the IMAX movie "Born to Be Wild" about the elephants (which we didn't see at Pachyderm hill, since there aren't any anymore) and orangutans orphaned in Borneo.

It was a stellar movie, beautiful, touching, adorable and heart tugging. Plus, it was air conditioning and 3D on a huge IMAX screen. Miss A loved the 3D glasses and couldn't believe how it "even starts out as 3D, wow!" Miss M not as easily swayed by red plastic glasses has decided that she might just movie to Asia to help with the orphan orangutans; she's always wanted one as a pet.

I'd say the beginning of girls week was a success. Hot, sticky, and exhausting none the less, it was perfect. The fun as they say, has only begun!! Don't tell Mr C.

Farmers Market a Perfect Recipe for a Summer Saturday

2011-07-24T22:33:00.001-05:00

Our garden plot is coming along. We've enjoyed some zucchinis and cucumbers but as of yet, no red tomatoes. However, we have faith that this hot weather will be producing an abundant harvest soon, at least that's what I've told my trusted garden helpers. Mr C is already dreaming of BLT sandwiches!

We do not have pickling cucumbers planted this year so off we to the Farmer's Market to get our July fix of those small little green babies. I'm not sure if the kids like going to the market for the fresh produce, the free samples, or the people watching, but I think the homemade Root Beer might be a key reason.

Saturday was perfect for strolling among the booths and dreaming of making salsa, pickles and grilling up some sweet corn. Mr C wasn't so thrilled when I made him carry the heavy bag with new potatoes, but he likes to eat so he was willing. Miss A and Miss M's hands were already full with balloon animals and we didn't want "them" to get hurt.

I put the pickling cucumbers to use immediately and, with my husbands expert chopping skills, we now have both fridge pickles and bread and butter pickles stashed in the fridge. I have the feeling I'll be needing to restock soon; they are yummy.

Of course, when you are already downtown in the big city, you might as take in the sights and enjoy lunch out. Maybe that's only what I told my husband so I wouldn't have to cook. We did stand in amazement at the mighty river that's overflowing it's banks. Wow.

I've never seen the river with actual rapids, but I'm sure that's what I saw. It's fast and furious and does not care what's in it's way. Looking at the pictures, you can see the big patio umbrellas that used to be in the middle of the riverwalk, but now are actually part of the river. Miss A thinks that we shouldn't plan on taking a walk there anytime soon. Miss M just hopes they remembered to empty the trashcans along the way or they might get stinky before the river retreats.

Plan B Isn't So Bad But Sometimes C and D Are Even Better!

2011-07-22T21:56:00.000-05:00

We had big plans yesterday. Friends were lined up for both Miss M and Mr C to bring to the lake for a day in the sun and sand. Dad was even planning on skipping out from work early to drive the boat. Thursday was suppose to be a stellar day. After days of heat in the 100's, it was going to be just 88 and sunny. Best laid plans.

When I woke up around five a.m. to the sound of thunder and rain, I started to get a little nervous. I knew that there were three kids still asleep and dreaming of their day with friends. I began to formulate another plan; an inside plan, while still holding out hope that this would be a passing shower and our lake plan would hold.

By nine o'clock, when the sky was still dark and the radar looked ominous, I began to think that Plan B was looking brighter than Plan A. Now I just had kids to convince. Thankfully, they have my father's and their father's blood running threw their veins (weather channel junkies) and when we watched "local on the 8's," it was really an easy call.

Who wants to go to the lake and sit inside. Who wants dad to waste a day off and not take us out on the boat. Not us!

Plan B meant we would go Bowling. However, a few hours later when the we got to the bowling alley, that plan fell apart. No public bowling from 12 to 3 due to day cares taking all the lanes. Bummer.

Plan C quickly came together; the boys ( Mr C and his friend C) would go to our gym and "hang" out playing basketball, tennis, ping pong and of course see who could bench more. According to Mr C, his buddy is the hulk and can bench 300 pounds. Don't even ask about his lower body strength, it's outstanding. A perfect day for boys full of sweat, competition and fun.

The girls ( Miss A and M and M's friend) would go to the Pottery Place and be creative. The older girls decided to make Ice Cream Cone Jewelry Boxes; one in purple with blue spots and the other blue with purple spots. Adorable.

Miss A wanted a mug, When she saw the one with the green shamrock, she loved that it had a flower on it. When I told her that Dad's birthday is St Patrick's Day, she thought it was extra special. She's becoming a real artsy girl like her sister and was very focused on the task of painting.

All in all it was a great Plan C day. After a great dinner of steaks on the grill, we even made a trip to Red Mango for desert. Really can it get better than a full day of fun, yummy treats, and a sleepover? I think not. Gotta love summer even when plans are crushed.

Summer is Almost Over: Say It Ain't So We've Got Plans

2011-07-21T12:20:00.001-05:00

If I wanted evidence that school is almost back in session, a trip to Target yesterday confirmed it. There were "signs" everywhere that summer is almost over. In addition to the huge clearance section of rafts, pool toys and summer fun items, there might have been a big school supply session. Not to worry, we ignored the signs.

July is the month in which Mr C is gone more than he'll be home. He leaves this weekend for a week long trip to Colorado for church camp and then after his arrival he goes straight to camp at his high school. I hope to get some of his laundry done in the short time between engagements as it's less than 24 hours! He's going to have a blast white water rafting, rappelling, growing his faith, and seeing the mountains (His order, not mine). The second camp is all boys; swimming, outdoor games, lots of food and of course bonding with other incoming freshman. Maybe there is no need to wash those clothes from camp, he'll probably not change his clothes the whole week anyway.

We still have things to cross of our Summer Wish List so to keep myself accountable, I'm going to list a few here. A few will be a girls only event with C gone, but we hope to cram in a few of these as a whole family things too....

Trip to Laura Ingalls hometown in SD
Pedicure at a Salon (NO BOYS ALLOWED - OK, that was pretty obvious)
Homemade Ice Cream and cookout with friends at the Lake
Bowling
Nighttime walk to catch fireflies
Pool swimming with friends
Sand Mountain with friends
Picnic at the Park
Miss A's Birthday Party
Boys Campout at the Lake
Dining al fresco on the deck
Eagle Scout Playground Installation
Miss A and Miss M play dates with friends
Movie Night with Popcorn
Water park

Now, I know that this is an adventurous plan for a few short weeks, but I'm willing to carry a few over into September and live in summer mode until then. School starts in Mid August and I know that I can't avoid the school supply aisle forever, but I like to pretend that it's still summer for a little bit more.

The fact that it was 103 degrees yesterday confirms my faith in summer. Here's to making the most of the summer days ahead.

Early Birthday Party: Just the Beginning

2011-07-20T09:58:00.000-05:00

Miss A's birthday is two weeks away. I know this because she's counting down. Let's just say she loves a time to celebrate and if she's the honored guest even better.

While we were on vacation last week, Bestemor planned an early birthday party for Miss A including cake with pink frosting (her favorite), pizza, and of course presents. It's a joy to get to celebrate birthdays, but when it's with out of town family it's a real treat.

Miss A was spoiled with a new fleece robe, a fun window painting kit, and even a little spending money for Miss A to pick out her own little special something at the mall.

I think this soon to be seven year old is really blessed! I have the feeling she's going to love celebrating her birthday a few more times this summer. Can you really blame her? Nope.

Family Vacation: Going Seperate Ways

2011-07-19T09:56:00.000-05:00

We were on a family vacation of sorts last week. I say it loosely as we all went out of town, but we didn't really spend any of our time together. Yes, we all still get along. It just worked out for the girls to spend some quality time with grandparents while Mr C had some male bonding with his uncle while P and I went to a business meeting a few hours away.

Before you think I was at an exotic location soaking up the sunshine on a beach, you might as well know we were in a small town in Indiana. Great quality time spent in the car and over dinner at night, but too bad it couldn't have included a few sunsets with an ocean view.

We did have some great family bonding time before we left including having the kids learn how to make homemade ice cream the old fashioned way by hand cranking it out. Who knew you could have a workout at the same time you are creating an ice cream taste treat. Thank goodness we had our new muscle man around to finish the job. Even if his sister did grab the paddle first for tasting!

My kids had a fabulous vacation. The girls made memories that will last a lifetime; picking blueberries, making cookies wearing new aprons, and of course a few trips to the pool. Miss A to keep her streak alive even made a hole in one at mini golf. Miss M points out that even though she missed an ace, she won the round.

The girls had some great stories about "birds" living at the pond, the perfect way to feed the hungry fish and how much ice cream they had. According to Miss A, it's not a trip to visit B & B without a walk around the neighborhood to find golf balls. Grandparent spoiling is the best.

Mr C had a great time sans sisters and was thrilled to show his aunt and uncle what life with a teenage boy is like. I think they might have been shocked with the amount of food he can consume and how quickly he can get ready in the morning. According to C, we've missed out on some of the best parts of Chicago, a park with a fantastic walking trail and canoeing down a quiet river.

He even got to cross an item off his bucket list by eating a Chicago Dog on Navy Pier. What could be better? Guess you could say that walking around downtown Chi Town with some natives gives you access to great museums, people watching, and train rides. A perfect adventure for this boy.

All in all, it was a perfect family vacation; memories with those we love, quiet time to read and knit for the mother, long conversations in the front seat, and lots of laughter in the car.

Jumpin' In: Bible Study Group at the Lake

2011-07-12T22:21:00.000-05:00

What a fabulous day! That's the phrase I heard no less than four times on my drive home Monday afternoon.

Monday was the annual Mom's Bible Study lake party. It is one of my kids all time favorite days of summer. I can't even tell you how much my kids look forward to this crazy day in the sun. Even though they know no one will be there before noon/twelve thirty, they were ready to leave at 9 a.m. just to make sure we weren't late.

Over the past eight years, this group has evolved. What used to be dominated by Mr. C's group of friends and their mothers is now made up of a multi aged-different stages of motherhood group of ladies and I love it. Those core members who have been a part from the beginning have been so welcoming to the new crew and the kids just mesh regardless of the fact that we range in age from 3 years to high school with one even in college.

While we missed a few families due to "summer madness and schedules," it was a perfect day to just sit by the water and watch our kids soak up summer fun.

Everyone found their own little niche and there were groups on the sand making creations, paddle boat riders touring the cove, floaters who found the water the best place to beat the heat, and of course there were moments of complete chaos when little girls tried to push big boys into the water, cousins tried to prove who was stronger, and girls who found water as the perfect place to play.

I loved watching my kids (and thus the other kids too) just having an great old fashioned day at the beach. Everyone went home having "spent" their wad of fun for the day, a little bit sunburned, a little exhausted, and a lot happy.

My favorite moments from my own kids:

Mr C was invited on a play date to his new friend J's house; even though he's all of three I think Mr. C is contemplating how to make him happy. When C told his dad about J's invitation, dad called it a babysitting opportunity

Miss A has a group of girls to hang with playing on the shore and in the sand. She and Miss K and Miss E had a blast jumping in and even trying to push the big boys off the dock.

Miss M took on the role of hostess to the little kids and enjoyed catching frogs with the boys. She about scared the pants off her mother and a few others when the frogs she caught thought it was fun to try jumping out of their safe location in the sand bucket. Yuck. She too has a new playmate in Mr. J and is trying to work it out for she and Mr C to go "babysit" and she's willing to let C be in charge!

I think I understand why this is one of my kids' all time favorite summer events. Its a real blast for the Mom too.

There's Something About a Small Town Festival

2011-07-11T22:11:00.000-05:00

We live in an average sized town; not too big, but not too small. Within a few miles, you can shop any big box store you want, dine at any number of chain or hometown restaurants, and we have plenty of fun activities to keep you busy. Really, beside Chick Fil a we have it all.

However, sometimes you have to go to a real small town to taste a bit of America. Nothing is better for feeling nostalgia and pride than a small town festival. Thankfully, the Lake is in a small town and they know how to put on a town festival complete with a Pie Parlor, Guinness Book of World Record attempt, children's festival, and antique auto show.

This weekend was the annual event and, even though the weather made me think we'd moved to Texas (hot, very hot and humid), we took in a few of the events for fun. The girls and I had a fun morning at the Children's Festival complete with carnival games, face painting and free snow cones. In Miss A's mind, it was perfect. The fact that they gave out candy to winners at the carnival games made it even better. Miss M is a little too good at Spinning the Wheel and won three huge Nerds Ropes. Let's just say she's not going Vegas anytime soon.

Of course, the boys were checking out the Antique Auto Show and dreaming over what kind of hot rod they would drive if they could. After lunch, we checked out "world's largest open face sandwich" made with Spam. That's a delicacy I'm not sure I understand, the smell alone was a little too much for me. According to the kids, it looked disgusting!

Finally, before we headed back to the Lake, we made a detour to the Control Line Model Aviation show. The boys have dabbled in model aviation, but have not really tried this type of flying before. Mr C and P were thrilled when they were offered a moment in the "ring" and each of them got a chance to fly the plane.

Small town fun. We topped off our day with a few jumps in the lake, a boat ride, and of course S'mores. What an All American Day.

Space Shuttle Lauch Memories

2011-07-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Image NASA: Bill Ingalls

Watching the Space Shuttle launch brought back lots of memories and I was thrilled that Mr. C, Miss M and Miss A were able to watch history today. I wish we could have been in Florida to see it live because I'm sure that, while this is the end of an era of space exploration, it will open up space in new ways.

My husband grew up in the Houston area, a stone's throw from NASA's Johnson Space Center. He went to high school with Astronaut's kids and lived in a neighborhood where they lived. As a result, he has a vivid memory of not only watching NASA TV in his living room for successful flights, but has the date of the Challenger Disaster burned in his memory. He still talks about coming home from UT that weekend and nearly losing it when he saw the flag atop the McDonnell Douglas building lit up at half staff.

I grew up in the Midwest miles from either Houston or Florida, but I can remember watching the news whenever NASA took flight and was glued to the television on the freshman dorm when Challenger blew up. I had watched it live in a classroom setting and then rushed home to see the coverage.

When Mr. C was just a little boy, he would talk about his desire to be an astronaut and go the Moon or Mars in a Rocket Ship. I wasn't even sure how he knew about Space. He would devour books with pictures of the planets and rocket ships. He might have been the only three year old who could name all the planets in order. He was an astronaut for Halloween one year with a milk jug air tank and a silverware drawer on his chest to stimulate the electronic panel on the space suit. Still my husband's favorite Halloween costume.

When he was in Kindergarten, we watched Columbia takeoff. He counted down the days until they would return from earth. He drew pictures of the rocket in his kindergarten journal, and talked of his hope one day to join the space mission.

When the Columbia blew up on re-entry that Saturday morning, we had just turned on the TV to watch it live and to cheer on another successful mission. As P figured out something was very wrong when contact was lost, I shuttled Mr C to another room to play trains until we could figure out if another disaster had occurred. We knew the news would shatter him and it did. His Kindergarten journal from the days following the disaster show a sky filled with fire and raining down pieces of the rocket. Above the picture he wrote in his own kid write, "they went to God, not home."

A few months later, Mr C told us he was rethinking his future. he thought maybe its wasn't safe to be an astronaut and maybe he should now focus on building Rockets and Space Shuttles that would be safe. He told us that's what an Aerospace Engineer does for a job ( I told you that he read a lot of space books) and he thought that was a safe way to change space. Maybe he'd design a Hovercraft to make commuting and travel quicker.

Now who knows if that dream will become reality, if he'll become an Aerospace Engineer or an Astrophysicist, or a Anesthesiologist. That's still unknown, but NASA helped to nurture that dream. The shuttle program opened up a world to him that he might not have known otherwise.

We'll miss seeing the rocket boasters drop away from the shuttle. We'll miss the calm voice of the man who counts down, but we know deep down that Space is still the final frontier and we've got lots still to explore. I know one young man who might want a piece of that journey.