Tuesday, September 23, 2008

More about my fav. TV shows...

Ok, so noone killed Horatio...sorry if I spoiled this for anyone! Now to another show that I really like!

EUREKA!!! Have you seen this one? It's on the SciFi channel. It is so funny!!! The storyline is that they've brought the smartest people in the world and moved them to this little town where they invent and make awesome stuff. It is hilarious. Each week one of their inventions make some sort of trouble...and another invention helps to save the day. Not so much violence, not the "beautiful people" factor (though they aren't ugly), they aren't perfect, but the morality seems MUCH better. Just a good funny show in my opinion. If you haven't seen this one, and get SciFi...you gotta check it out! :o)

Monday, September 22, 2008

It's BACK!!


CSI is back!! YIPPEE!!! Oh, have I missed it! I LOVE the new episodes, heck, I even like watching reruns. CSI...ANYWHERE! LasVegas, Miami, New York, etc. I know the morals are sometimes questionable. I know sometimes it glamorizes violence. I know it glamorizes the "pretty people." But the good guys win! I NEVER watch it when the kiddos are around. I DVR it and watch when they are in bed...or even save for days on end.


Sorry, I gotta go, gotta find out who killed Horatio.

Friday, September 19, 2008

My Hubby is AMAZING!

I am so proud of my husband. He is considered a "young" pastor, but he has been nominated for a very prestigious program. It's called "Pastoral Leadership Institute" or PLI. You have to be nominated by your peers and approved by our district president. Not very many pastors each year are nominated and accepted into this program...just to be nominated is a very exciting thing!
PLI is a 4 year program that involves a lot of study, travel, service, etc, etc. But one exciting thing about it is that the wives are a big part of it! Wives go on a lot of the trips with the pastor and are a very important part of the whole process.
He just found out today that he was nominated, so please keep the whole process in your prayers. First of all, we will need to pray about it and decide if this is something we want to persue as a couple and family. It does take a lot of time and trips...and with already serving a vacant congregation, time is something that seems to be in short supply. If we decide this is something we do want to pursue, we also need to have the support of our congregation. This program is not free, and the congregation is expected to pay the majority of the costs. As you all know, money does not grow on trees, but God will provide if this is what He wants Hubby to do!
Thank you for letting me brag on my man for a while!!! He really is pretty awesome!
Did I mention that he stayed home and worked from his laptop this week when Bethany was sick! He's such a MAN! Love you, MY MAN!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

A week alrady???

Can it really have been a week already since I posted? Time seems to be FLYING by lately! We've been busy, as usual. Meetings, school, preschool, church, boy scouts, girl scouts, choir, 4-H, etc, etc, etc. And now, Bethany is sick again. She's got that terrible cough, AGAIN! Thankfully, hubby was able to stay home with her today. A slight fever, coughing so hard she throws up, poor baby. She ended up crawling in bed with me around 11:00 last night, hubby wasn't in bed yet so she chose his pillow. He said he just didn't have the heart to disturb her since she was FINALLY sleeping, so he slept on the living room floor. I guess the floor was better than the couch...but I don't know how! :o)
In other news, I ordered a stroller off of ebay on Monday. I'm so excited. Hubby keeps saying "I thought we were done with strollers!" but I have my reasons! With our trip to Disney coming closer and closer I knew I would want a different stroller. We have your basic umbrella type of stroller, and that is fine for what we use a stroller for now-days. Bethany is 4 and can walk pretty much anywhere we go...however, I know she won't last at Disney. So, what's wrong with the umbrella stroller you ask? (So did hubby!) It's just a bit weak, I don't know if it would last the entire trip! Plus, Andrew and Abbigail would not be able to take a break in it if they wanted, or it would collapse! The stroller I ordered can hold 55 pounds, so if Abbigail and Andrew are exhausted, they can take turns in the new stroller. The one I found that I wanted was a Maclaren, which are very expensive! But I've read enough reviews and talked to enough moms to know that they are worth their cost! So, being the cheapie that I am (oh, I mean FRUGAL) I checked on Ebay. Yup, they have them there! However, the used ones go for almost as much as the new ones! (Can you say RESALE!) The one I got is a 2007 model, so it's not the current model, but it was an overstock, so it's still new in the box. It even PINK, so Bethany is excited. I got it for $65 (and that includes shipping) and new in the store they are over $100. I ordered it on Monday morning, and 2 hours later UPS already had shipping info. Boy was that quick!!! It should arrive here on Thursday. This is my first ebay purchase, so I was a bit nervous...I'll let you know how it turns out!
We had a COLD spell last week. Highs in the 60's are NOT normal for September. However, right now it is 83, so that's more like it...but I think I like the FALL weather!
My parents had 11 inches of rain this weekend....now they have waterfront property! ;o) Hopefully the rain will stay away and their lawn will emerge from the water, not to mention their basement, the road, etc...I hope the rest of my Wichita family survived relatively unscathed. By the way....I'm coming to see you guys this weekend...a very quick trip! Probably won't even get to see you all, unfortunately, but I'll be there for a few hours.

I think I'm finally getting this new routine down. I've cooked a few times, and I think I am getting my school/teaching thing down again. It's a lot of fun. Hopefully Bethany will be better and get to come back to school tomorrow, I missed seeing her smiling face and getting a hug!
Well, hope that catches you up on our lives, I need to go pick up my 'Brownie' from scouts. Blessings to you all!
Andie

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Bullets....

No time for a LONG post, I promised myself I would get to bed early, and it's not going to happen if I do a long post. However, thought I'd try to do a quick post. So, here goes:

  • Bethany had her first night-time accident last night. I think she was just so tired that she didn't wake up, so I put her to bed EARLY tonight (7:40!). Hopefully this will help her tomorrow.
  • Andrew had cub scouts for the first time yesterday, sounds like fun!
  • Andrew also had speech yesterday for the first time...also SOUNDS like fun! He already has made improvements on his sounds. I really don't think he'll be in it long enough to even get an IEP....he's doing great!
  • Abbigail lost a workbook, she never even brought it home! I KNEW it was at school somewhere. I went in early with her on Monday and we looked and looked with no success. I was thinking we would just have to buy her a new one. However, when she got to school today, SOMEONE had found it and put it in her cubby. THANK you, whoever found it!
  • Preschool is fun, busy but fun! Hubby had meetings all day today, but is home safe now. I missed him! I'm really thankful that he is picking up the older kids from school so that I don't have to rush out to get them and bring them back to preschool so I can finish up. I did this today, it is ok, but not ideal. The kids like that little extra time with dad, too!
  • Abbigail started after-school choir yesterday, she had so much fun. She really has an amazing voice for a youngster, and she is always singing! I'm hoping she has a great time and learns even more!
  • Hubby has been doing his low carb thing again, and he's doing great. I don't know how much weight he has lost, but his jeans and belts are all getting way big on him. This morning he was showing me how loose his pants were and Abbigail said "Good job Daddy, now you can give them to Mommy to wear!" WHAT???? I sure hope her perception is just off...Gotta get walking again!!!
  • Mom and Dad called on Sunday night...Dad WALKED himself out of the pool at his physical therapy on Friday. He WALKED UP 8 steps!!!! Dad, I am SO PROUD of you!
  • Ok, now, I'm off to bed!!! Keeping that promise to myself...maybe I'll promise myself to get up and walk in the morning...now that would be a promise worth keeping!

Monday, September 8, 2008

I'm not upset!!!

Ok, I guess that last post caught people off gaurd. I'm not upset, just sarcastic. I get that way sometimes. Please, don't think I'm mad or depressed or feeling blue...really! I'm fine. Busy myself, so I haven't been writing as much as I would like. Sorry...I know everyone's lives are busy...I understand! I WAS JUST KIDDING! Please forgive my sick sense of humor!
Please come back....
Andie

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Apparently no one missed me. :o(

I was gone for 8 days...no one emailed. Then I do post, and no one responds. I guess no one missed me....Oh, Woe is me... (As my dad used to tease...)
Nobody likes me.
Everybody hates me.
Guess I'll go eat worms!

ICK! Whoever thought that up was just out to hurt himself!

Really, I'm not upset, just wondering if I chased all my readers (all two of you) off with my downer post. I hope not, I'll miss you!

Another good day at school today. I felt a little more on my game, and Bethany went to Miss Terri's willingly. I'm really enjoying getting to know the other ladies I'm teaching with. I wasn't sure that we would all get along...not sure our personalities would mesh. But, we are getting along. We are having fun. We are becoming good friends. Thank You, God. I need more friends!

Preschool and going to Miss Terri's seems to be completely exhausting to Bethany. She fell asleep on my lap last night at 5:30, I woke her up to eat at 6:30, and she was down for the night before 8:00. Tonight she fell asleep at 4:45, and woke around 6:00 to eat. She went to bed at 8:00...and is exhausted still! Maybe I'm going to have to move her bedtime up to 7:30...7:00? Abbigail napped every day until she went to 1st grade at 6 years old. Bethany just being 4 could still use a nap, so I guess she's just taking a late nap in the early evening. That's fine, as long as she still sleeps at night, but then she is sad because she misses out on the playtime with the neighborhood kiddos. Maybe she will adjust to this new schedule and not need the extra sleep, but if she does, we will just have to up her bedtime.

Abbigail is trying to adjust to 3rd grade. I am completely surprised at the difference between 2nd & 3rd grade. Her amount of homework has increased, but more than that, is the amount of responsibility she is being given. She has a homeroom teacher who teaches the majority of her classes. She does go to other classrooms/teachers so she can get a few of the subjects (reading and math I think) at more of her own level. All the 3rd graders are mixed for these classes so the ones who need extra help can get it, and those who need extra challenges can get it...I believe Abbigail is in the "needs extra challenges" groups. The 3rd graders have a "agenda book" that they are to keep track of their assignments, and parents are to sign them each night. This is great, but Abbigail doesn't always write quickly, and sometimes doesn't get the assignments written down (I know this is something she needs to work on). We are also working on making sure we bring home ALL our homework (and our lunchbox!! Yogurt left in lunchbox, at school, over Labor day weekend...EWWWW!). I'm also trying to help her take responsibility for her actions. When she doesn't do something, she always has someone to blame (someone was talking to her, the teacher didn't give her time, I didn't study her spelling words with her {I didn't even know they had started spelling last week!!}). I'm trying to help her understand that these are her responsibilities, yes, I will help when I can, but I can't help her with something I don't even know about! She's having a lot of fun with her teacher, a MAN! He has so many fun ideas. Last week they studies about cells in science. Each child made a cell at home with their families. On Friday they had a "Cell-abration" and showed off their cells and each of them recieved an award...Abbigail's was "Clearest Cell" because it was made out of baggies, M&M's, a piece of bubble gum (UNchewed), a piece of cotton. Just one of his fun ideas!
Andrew has the same teacher that Abbigail had in 1st grade. She's really nice, and already doing a bunch of fun things with them. One cool thing is that each child has a binder that they bring back and forth each day. There are folders and pockets in the binder for everything from homework, library books, reading lists, notes for the parents, lunch menu, and checked homework. There is even a section of plain notebook paper for us to write notes back and forth to each other. I use a folder with my preschool parents that has paper inside as our "parent communication folders"...so I think this is great!
Well, I need to finish a few things before I can go to bed...so "That's All Folks!"

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Where have I been???

Has it really been over a week since I last posted? And what a post to leave you all with...such a downer. Sorry about that. Life really hasn't been THAT bad! It really hasn't. School is going well, and I've only chased off a few families. (Wink, but really, I have...long story...maybe I'll share some time, you know I'm just really a terrible person who won't work with ANYONE!) Bethany is enjoying school(when we meet at recess now, she comes and gives me big hugs and then runs off to play, YIPPEE!), Abbigail and Andrew are as well. For September, there are WAY too many viruses going around already. I kept Andrew home from school on Friday for a terrible cough, and he's still coughing, but not as bad. Bethany got it on Sunday and she's doing much better. Abbigail started coughing yesterday and is already mostly over it. I tell you what...those asthmatic lungs just take a while to get over stuff like this. I'm going to give my doctor a call tomorrow if I remember and ask him if there is anything Andrew and Bethany can take as a preventative type thing for the winter. They were just SO sick last winter with all that crud, I don't want a repeat!
We had a wonderful weekend!!! My mom and dad arrived Friday evening and stayed till Monday. My brother and his wife and their little girls even came on Saturday-Sunday. Mom and Dad haven't been here since Thanksgiving of '06...Dad got sick in Jan. of '07 and has been recovering ever since. Aaron and Jill haven't been here since Bethany's baptism in May of '04...before their girls were even born! The kids had so much fun playing together that there were MANY tears when they had to leave on Sunday. We didn't do anything "BIG" while my family was here, just spent time together, played a lot of games, Guess Who, Monopoly Jr, Uno, and Rock Band. Ask my mom and dad how "Rock Band" is!! That was HILARIOUS!! Love you guys!
Life is good...tiring, but good. I don't remember being THIS tired when I taught full time 9 years ago, but then again, I am older....and now I have my 3 blessings to add to the mix. I will get used to it, and hopefully have some energy again soon! My hubby decided to do something special this weekend. He started thinking about how many meetings and times he gets called away in the evening for church (his work) stuff, so he is now taking a couple of hours off in the afternoon to be with our kids. I was racing from preschool to pick up our other two at the elementary school (they dismiss 10 minutes later than us) and then bringing them back to preschool to get ready for the next day. Well, now he picks the older two up from school and brings them home, gets them started on homework, etc. He stays with them till I get home, and then if he doesn't have a late meeting he goes back to church until supper time...if he does have an evening meeting, he just stays home until supper, then goes back. The kids are getting time with their dad, and that is so wonderful...plus it really helps me out so now I don't have to race over to get them and then have all 3 at preschool while I'm trying to get stuff done, and this was all his idea!!! Thanks Honey, you are such a wonderful husband and father!!!
I have gotten some complements about some of the things I have changed at the school, so that is always nice!! :o)
There...is that better? Not such a downer??? I'm sorry, I didn't even take any pictures this weekend with my family here, just two of my parents playing rockband...I'll post those as soon as I have time!
Thank you all for your prayers and support, it really does mean a lot to me!