We did survie!

I know...rumors of my demise were greatly exaggerated! We did make it home from San Antonio...better late than never! Let me tell you...air travel STINKS! Or, maybe it is just the airline we chose. Or maybe it's trying to fly out of a very small airport....whatever the cause, it was no fun!
After canceling our original flight, we had to fly out a day early. On Monday, we were running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to get things ready to go, showing my parents around town, etc...and we got a phone call that our 5:00 flight was canceled and that we needed to be at the airport in less than 2 hours to catch an earlier flight...and we live an hour away! Talk about STRESS!!! We made it to the first of 4 flights that day. No direct connection here. Not even the one transfer we had booked...yes, we went UP and DOWN 4 times!! Three separate planes! We left 2 hours earlier than planned, and arrived in San Antonio 2 hours later! It was midnight when we arrived and then caught the shuttle to our hotel. We were blessed that we didn't have much on Tuesday until evening, we slept a lot!
The conference itself was AWESOME! At pastor's conferences, the wives sometimes feel like tag-alongs...not terribly important, just added on as a second thought. This was different. The wives (called partners) are an integral part of the program. I felt very important and cared for. I was greated with a hug from one of the leaders of the program...and while hugs make some people uncomfortable, I'm a hugger! Getting together with other wives of pastors is always a wonderful experience. There is just an instant bond...an instant connection. We hae a unique roll, experience unique challenges and blessings. We were put together with what is called a "collegial" group...a small group that we will be with for the next 4 years. The men get together 3 times a year (I think) and the women come with the guys for the yearly conference, and have a partners retreat on our own once a year. We get along so well with our entire group! What wonderful people! We have two couples from California, one couple from Texas, one couple from Arizona, and a man from Illinois (I think that's where he was...his wife chose not to come because she was worried about people trying to put her into the pastor's wife cookie cutter...not happening here, so we are trying to get her to come next time!!!) and us!
We learned so much...mainly looking at our gifts, passions, abilities, and where God is already using us. I felt so affirmed in my role not only as a wife and mother...but also as a teacher/director. My ministry is so important and such a gift. We learned a lot about ourselves and our partners. We were able to spend time together just studying and praying. We were to try coming up with a family mission statement, and we did! We took the kids to the lake earlier this week and chatted about it with them. Here it is:

"A joyful family of integrity that shows the love of God through service."

So...what do you think? "Joy" was a word that kept coming up in my week. Joy...the ability to be joyful doesn't mean you are always happy....joy is being able to remember what is important (Christ's love) even when things aren't going your way.
After a wonderful week of study, learning, pondering, and time with my husband, it was time to go home. We missed our children SO much, and were ready to see them! We arrived at the airport in SA to find out that our flight was already 2 hours delayed! Luckily we had already planned on a 2 1/2 hour layover in Denver, so we would still make our connection...many of the PLI couples on our flight were not so lucky. They had to make other arrangements and some ended up staying in Denver over night and not getting home until a day later. By the time we got to Denver, we were hungry...and we had an hour, but wanted to check into our next flight befcre we ate...good thing! We had forgotten to figure in the time change. We were to board our next flight 5 minutes after we checked in! EEK! McDonald's drive-through at 11:30 pm never tasted so good!
I heard my mom getting ready the next morning..she was even getting the kids up and ready so that we could sleep a bit more. She didn't remind them that we were home. I sat up on the couch just as Abbie was coming down the hall. She stopped dead in her tracks for a moment, then she RAN full force and wrapped her arms around my neck and didn't let go! SO WONDERFUL to hold my babies again! Soon, Andrew heard us and came running down the hall. I think he became airborn about 6 feet from me and landed in my arms. He wrapped his legs around my waist and his arms around my neck and squeezed so hard I couldn't breath! Dad was coming down the hall with his walker, and Bethany was right behind him. He kept going from side to side so she couldn't get around him...such a tease! As soon as she could get around him, she came running, too. She then became my leech, and didn't let go for a long time. It was nice to be able to give each of them their own time, not having to love on them all at once. Oh, how I missed my babies!
I cannot thank my parents enough for taking a week out of their lives to take care of our children. I didn't worry about them at all...I worried more about my parents than my children! Speaking about my parents...my dad is having a knee replaced on Monday. Please keep him and my mom in your prayers...His LONG hospitalization from a year ago still weighs heavy on our hearts and we just want him home!! Pray that the surgery is a success...and that he gets the mobility and strength that he needs...and that he recovers QUICKLY! :o) I LOVE you guys!
Besides all the "normal" (is there such a thing?) stuff going on this week...my preschool had enrollment. Right now, we currently have 59 students enrolled for the current year. After only two days of enrollment, we arlready have 65 children enrolled for next year! Our preschool board will meet this week and finalize how many children we are going to have in each class...I think we already have a waiting list!
So, yes...busy week...great conference...wonderful time with my husband...and wonderful to be runited with my children! God is good!!!

Time flies!!

Has it truly been an entire month without blogging? I am so sorry!!! If anyone ever bothers to read here again (and I don't blame you for not coming back...not much to keep you returning!), thank you! I keep thinking that soon life will settle down, and then it doesn't. I thought it would settle down once wrestling was over...well, it is over and life is still crazy. One by one we are finishing school-year activities. Dance will be over after tomorrow's recital. Like I said, wrestling is already over. Boy scouts is over (by the way...Andrew's car won FIRST place in the Pinewood Derby!!!). After-school choir for Abbie and after-school art will go until the end of the school year as far as I know. Girl scouts will probably be over here in the next few weeks. 4-H runs all year long. Of course, my school year will be over in 6 weeks, however the summer looks busy as well! In June we will have t-ball for Bethany, softball for Abbigail, and baseball for Andrew. Then there is the ever popular activity of swimming!! During the summer I will need to get everything in place for next school year and there is always VBS to plan!! EEEKKK!! I really need to learn how to say "NO!" and mean it!! On the plus side...I've started working out again. I have started joining some other ladies three mornings a week for aerobics. The first morning I thought my legs were going to fall off...well, I HOPED they were going to fall off. MAN they hurt!!! The next morning we focused on our arms, backs and abs. MUCH more doable! I have survived....I can't wait to see what we do tomorrow....and I am curious to see how badly my legs hurt after the next "leg day"... Hubby turned 35 this week. So I have approximately 3 1/2 months to tease him about how OLD he is! :o) Then, magically, on July 21, 35 won't be so old after all! ;o) Well...we're off! A pancake supper in support of a new park that the community wants to build here in town...Dance recital tomorrow...I'll try to post pics! I know everyone always wants to see pictures of the kids, but this is a picture that we took recently of Hubby and I...do you like my new haircut/color??

CRAZY weekend!

Abbigail is better...for the most part. I don't believe she had the tummy flu or anything, I think she just got worked up playing at McDonal*s play pl*ce and started coughing. She was pretty congested and I think she gagged on her mucus...sorry, TMI!! She was feeling better on Saturday, so we had tons of work to do!
The preschool where I teach has a scholarship program. We want to be able to let all children in our community have a preschool education, no matter of their financial status. We do fund raisers throughout the year to help fund our scholarship program. This year nearly 1/3 of our children are attending with the benefit of a scholarship! We are so blessed by our community support to assist in this program...one of the fund raisers we do is selling pizza pockets. Not the frozen kind....fresh baked, homemade, YUMMY! So, yesterday, the preschool board, teachers, and a bunch of the moms got togther and made 200 dozen pizza pockets! Yes, 200 DOZEN!! Some of us measured out the dry ingredients on Friday morning...and then the lady at the donut shop allowed us to mix the bread dough in her BIG mixers! Starting at 6:00 Saturday morning, we worked nonstop until 6:00 pm...LONG day, but fun! I didn't actually get there until around 8:30 because I wasn't sure how Abbie was going to be...but she was fine. Unfortuantly all of my babysitters were busy, so I knew my kids would have to come with me and send the day there! We took games, movies, and then of course, all the toys at preschool to keep them busy. Considering how long we were there, they were excillent! Bethany came in and said "Andrew is being mean!" a few times, but they didn't fight all day, complain about being bored, and they didn't run amock around the methodist church! I was/am proud of them. Today, my feet are sore from standing all day, my shoulders and back are sore from rolling out the dough all day...but I did claim one of the "easy" jobs...I was the "scooper." My job was to scoop the filling onto the big pieces of dough and then someone would come along and cut the dough and fold it into a pocket. Quite an assembly line we had going! We had wonderful women working all day...which was the only thing that made such a long day bearable!!!
Last night when we got home, I just collapsed! SO TIRED!
Bethany is going to a birthday party this afternoon...a "Fancy Nancy" birthday party...she gets to be all gussied up in a FANCY dress. She is SO excied! I will try to take pictures of the fancy girls and post them soon!
Did I mention earlier that my brother-in-law, Nick, got to leave Iraq this week? His tour of service is over!!! He is currently in Hawaii for debriefing or something like that. I actally chatted with his wife this morning, and she is in Hawaii with him right now. What a blessing that he is safe, and they get to spend some time together again!!!
See...three posts in a week! A bit better!!! BTW, Mom and Dad...you wanted me to blog, where are the comments??? ;o)

ICK!

Cranky, sad, lonely...yup, that's me.

Sickenss continues. Bethany got better after staying home two days. But the night she was feeling better, Andrew began throwing up (that was Wednesday night). So, he stayed home from school on Thursday...thankfully, Hubby was able to stay home with him so that I could go to school. He was better on Thursday, so I decided to send him to school on Friday. After school and after school ativities, I took the kids to Little Big City for some shopping and time OUT of town. (Found a GREAT winter coat for Bethany for next year 75% off!!!) We went to Appleb**s for dinner to use a gift certificate we received for Christmas. Momma even got a margarita! (small one since I was driving!) The kids behaved relatively well, so I treated them to a McD's ice cream and time in the play-place. When we left McD's and realized the wind had really kicked up! Decided since the wind was SOOO strong I should probably get some gas. In normal weather, I could have easily made it home, but with the wind blowing completely at me that my mileage would be WAY down...and it was! About 10 minutes out of Little Big City, I heard Abbie yelling, but couldn't make out what she was saying because the wind was SO loud...turns out she was saying "Pull over, I'm gonna puke!" Yea, got that after the fact. So...I opened the back windows and kept driving...what else are you gonna do in the middle of nowhere, by myself with three kids...night time, with 50 mph winds?? Keep going!! I did pass a cup back to her and told her if she was going to puke again to try to get it in the cup. She feels horrible, poor kid.
After we got home, sent the other two to bed, Abbie to the shower, and myself back to the garage to shampoo out the van.
Now, I'm finally getting to sit down, and I think the cat just peed on the floor...more shampooing!

Man...what a day. Is it over yet?

Oh, and Hubby is out of town...he'll be home tomorrow.

Cranky, sad, lonely...yup, that's me. But, thankfully tomorrow is a new day.

Family, Sickies, and Wrestling (OH MY!)

BLOGGING! BLOGGING! BLOGGING!! I am BLOGGING!!
Thank you...Thank you, Thank you!

Sorry mom and dad...I'll try to do better!

What have I been busy with lately? Sick kids, wrestling, more sick kids, more kids' activities, more sick kids...and MORE SICK KIDS!

It seems like this entire town has it bad! There are so many different illnesses going around that once you finally kick one, another comes to take it's place! I started with a sinus/cough thing about a month ago, Hubby soon caught it and his quickly turned into his pneumonia that he was still recovering from. Since then, all three of my kids have had it. Bethany started coughing about the same time I did, but never seemed really sick. However, she has been running a temp on/off since Friday (I know...I'm sorry I exposed you all to it on Saturday...please forgive me! I thought she was over it!) Today it is right around 101, even with tylenol. So many in our town have had this, and it has even hospitalized 3-4 kids that I know of! The kids act fine, except the cough and fever. Not feeling icky, just coughing. So we (parents) let it go, treat the cough and the fever, but don't get worried...and it has turned into pneumonia in those kids and they end up in the hospital. There is also a stomach virus going around which we have NOT caught at our house, YET! I know it is coming, it's just not here yet. Our neighbors have all had it, and the kids were all together yesterday, and another one of their kids came down with it today...so I know it is coming. :o(
Hubby was able to stay home with Bethany this afternoon while I went to teach at preschool. While we were there, one of my co-teachers started feeling sick to her stomach. Another teacher's daughter called from school, sick..."Mom, come get me." I had to come home this afternoon to be with Beth...that left us with one, ONE, teacher. God does provide! One of our normal subs is actually helping out in the church office this week while our secretary is on vacation, but another lady generously offered to come cover the office so our sub could come to school...and one of our parents agreed to stay and help cover both classes. We ALL got our stuff organized and ready for tomorrow...Only God knows what tomorrow will bring! Prayers for health and healing are very much appreciated!!!
On the subject of healing...I have a problem with one of my feet. I have been experiencing a lot of pain in the mornings, and some days all day. So, I took myself to see the doc last week. I have planters fascietus (No idea how to spell that!!) Which just means that the lining covering the tendon that goes from the calf to the toes is inflamed. She gave me stretches and exercises to do to help the pain, and told me to take ibuprofen to help with the inflammation. I can get insoles for my shoes that might help. Most days, after I get up and stretch it out, walk around for a while, it feels better...but yesterday and today it has been just a nagging pain. Guess I'd better go look for those insoles! Prayers for healing for my silly foot are also appreciated!

Andrew wrestled in another tournament this weekend and my parents, brother and his family were able to come and cheer him on. Wrestling is such an intensive sport! It is so tense and stressful for the 3-5 minutes your child is wrestling, then you wait 2 hours or so until it is his turn again...hurry up, wait, stress, boredom, AHHH, YAWN! Andrew ended up taking 4th in his weight class, which was pretty great considering he was smaller than the other kids and should have wrestled in the next class down...long story. Anyway, he did great. The last kid he wrestled was bigger, stronger, and way faster! I think he had been wrestling a few more years! He kept picking Andrew up and slamming him into the mat! I almost couldn't watch! I kept saying "Don't hurt my BABY!" but of course I was WAY up in the bleachers and there is no way anyone could hear what I said...but I had to say it, even under my breath. But, even while being manhandled, Andrew didn't give up. He fought with the heart of a lion. He did his best and I'm more proud of how he fought that last match than many of the matches that he has won...Way to go Doober!! (sorry...his nickname, someday he's gonna hate it!)

ANDREW IS THE MAN!!!

We just got home from Andrew's first wrestling tournament this year. He had to wrestle 3 other boys, and he won against ALL of them!! He pinned his first opponent, and won by points with the other two!!! OH, YEA, THAT's MY BOY!! He worked so hard! I told him I am so proud of him for working SO hard!!

Sorry I haven't been around much...I'm a bit under the weather. There is so much "yuck" going around, and I think a preschooler or two(hundred) coughed on me this week...and gave me a yucky cough, sinus headache, etc. Feeling icky, but keeping on keeping on. Too much to do to slow down for long!

And, now we are off! Gotta pick both girls up from birthday parties and then we need to run to "little big city" to do a little shopping and go to a concert. One of our church college kids and her college choir have traveled all the way to Kansas from South Dakota...so we are going to go listen to the beautiful music!

um....here I am!

Sorry to all my faithful blog readers...I will try very hard to get back to updating my blog at least a few times a week. Getting back into "real" life after Disney has been hard to do. The term "Disney Hangover" really applies. This week was very crazy, on top of normal vacation make-up work...my husband was out of town. My co-teacher has had the stomach flu. I've been able to get a sub to help me out in the mornings, but the afternoon classes I've been on my own. After school, I've been on my own with my kids. It has been crazy...I think I cornered one of the dads at preschool drop-off just to talk to another adult!! But, Hubby is now home...my co-teacher came back to school yesterday afternoon. I am not the only grown-up anymore!!
I have a mountain of laundry, and a kitchen full of dirty dishes to catch up on. We don't use our dish washer very often because it just doesn't do a very good job. But yesterday, I decided I was going to use it to help with all the dishes...I opened it up and GROSS!! There was MOLD in the dish washer!! ICK! I put some detergent and bleach in the dishwasher to run it empty and see if it could clean it out. Well...the dishwasher ran for a bout 10 minutes and quit. Water sitting in the tub, won't start...nothing. We've been talking about getting a new dishwasher, but I guess this makes it a bit more urgent...no, I don't use the dishwasher very often, but I don't want a completely broken appliance sitting in my kitchen taking up room!

With the new year (after vacation!) come new resolves. I want to get back to the treadmill...back to eating better...back to cooking! Along with those resolves, I have walked over 4 miles on my treadmill this week. I'm back to doing the slim-fast more often. I think I've lost around 5 pounds since we've been back from WDW...so that's a little step in the right direction.

Hubby and I are getting ready for this Pastoral Leadership Institute. We have both written our letters of recommendation for each-other and are only waiting for one more letter from a colleague. We are planning for a trip in April to Texas. But, Andrew is not very excited about this prospect. He has started having dreams that I (his mom) is flying in an airplane, and jump out...but I forget my parachute! I have tried to assure him that I will not be leaving ANY airplanes until they have come to a full and complete stop, ON THE GROUND!!!! But he has dreamed it 3 times and wakes me up and he is just SHAKING like a leaf. He dreamed that the "yeti" was getting me one night. One thing that makes him happy about the trip is that my parents will be coming here to stay with the kiddos during the week we are away. He has 3 months to get used to the idea of us being gone for a week....which means I have 3 months as well. I've never been away from my kids except the once-yearly pastor's wives retreat I try to go to. But I didn't even get to go to that last year because the kids were sick. My brother and his wife go on trips (usually business related) quite often and our parents and my sis-in-law's mom play grandparent tag team to take care of the girls. Sometimes (ok, quite often) I envy that they have baby-sitters at the ready. They can go out to dinner, shopping, or just have some time alone nearly any time they want/need to. I am SO thankful that my parents are able and willing to come spend the week at our home with our kids so our children don't have to miss any more school...

Ok....Marilyn, you asked me to come back...I'm back, but I don't think I am making any sense! My mind is kind-of all over the place today. I guess I just emptied a bunch of my mind here...enjoy! :o)

And, since I can't go without remembering WDW...here are a few pictures!
These were some beautiful little flowers growing on a bush right outside our resort room.

Trying to pull the sword from the stone (or anvil) to become the new rulers of England!

And, our day at Animal Kingdom...

Funny story...there is a ride called "Test Track" where you are in an 'experimental' vehicle and they are taking you through road tests (breaking, cornering, bumps, acceleration, etc.). This was one of our FAVORITE rides. We rode it many times! Now, I can't accelerate in my MINIVAN without the kids yelling "TEST TRACK!!!" It is so funny! Sure to bring a smile to my face!

Disney Pics...

I have added a TON of Disney pictures to my Facebook account. If you would like to see them, JOIN FACEBOOK!!! :o) Let me know and I will add you as a friend so you can see them. It's EASY, really!!! Mom & Dad...Aaron is on FB, so he can help you out if you need it!

I'm sorry I haven't been as faithful with this blog as I used to be...but I have become rather addicted to FB!! I have reunited with old friends from high school that I haven't talked to since graduation!! Seminary friends, and current day friends. SO fun!

We're home!!

What a WONDERFUL, MAGICAL week!! We had a wonderful time with eachother, and having fun at Disney World. We are now home, and back to "real" life. Laundry is waiting, refirgerator is empty, school is calling...Hubby is even back to work already! I will write more and post more pictures when I can keep my eyes open!! Love to you all!
A

Still here...

Yes, I am still alive, but barely! I have survived two children's Christmas programs and have yet one more tomorrow. The kids and I are out of school until we get back from our vacation to Florida. They have a bunch of homework to work on before we leave. I have a TON of housework to catch up on. This house is falling apart! At least the neatness factor is falling apart. I've just been so busy and over-extended that I have let things here S-L-I-D-E!!! So, this week, while the kids are working on their homework, I will be working on my HOME work! I also need to spend time getting ready for a state inspection at school, and preparing things for my substitute...so I guess I'm not "out of school" quite yet!!!
Hopefully I will have time, soon, to post pictures of all three of my Christmas programs. They have been so much fun! The three-year-old program was all of 10 minutes, and then Santa came for a visit. The 4 year old program was a bit longer. They acted out a book as I read it. It was along the same lines as the "12 days of Christmas" except we put together a "live nativity" as we read the story. For example, the first day of Christmas was "Baby Jesus, sleeping peacefully." The second day was "Two parent's smiling" (Mary & Joseph). Day three was "Three wise men giving." etc. etc. etc. (Thanks to my sis-in-law, Jill, who gave this book to MY kiddos a few years ago for Christmas! It was so much fun!) We finished the 4 year old program around 2:30, and then I ran over to the elementary school so I could be there for my older children's Christmas parties. By the time I got home, I had two messages from mom's of my 4 year old classes about how much they loved the program, so that was a great boost!!

Well, on to prepare for Sunday school and see if there is anything I have forgotten about tomorrow's program...I'm SURE there is!!

PS...Hubby has his "yearly" Christmas cold. Sinus pain, cough, etc...Abbie also has it. Prayers are greatly appreciated!!

Abbigail funny!

Tonight was Abbigail's Christmas program. She did wonderfully!! She was chosen to do a special quartet with 3 othe little girls. She did GREAT!! And she was so cute if I do say so myself!
After the program, we went to Wendy's for supper. Couldn't eat at home because we didn't have water! Hubby has been working on installing a water softner, my Jack-of-all-trades! He lined everything up, hooked up the new pipes...and then shut off our water to splice the new pipes into place. Only problem is that it didn't go together quite as quickly as he thought it would, so he just had to leave it in place so we could go to the program. After we went to eat, he finished the project...and we have water again!!!
Ok, now to the Abbie funny!!! While we were sitting at Wendy's, Andrew told us that he was learning about Kwanza at school...we wanted to find out what he knew, but he didn't know much. He said it was a holiday to celebrate principles. He wasn't sure what that meant. Abbigail perked up and said "I bet Mrs. R would love that holiday!!" Huh?? OH!!!HAHAHAH!!! Mrs. R is her princiPAL!!!! Principle, principal...what's the difference??? :o)

What a week!

I'm going to say this...and hope I do not regret it! Everyone is healthy! After Bethany was sick on Tuesday, she went back to school on Wednesday...all good. Thursday morning, Andrew woke up and no longer sounded like a dog barking. He had turned into a seal overnight. Plus his throat hurt. No school for him. He missed his school Christmas program Thursday night, which upset him so much! This little boy loves to sing!! Friday he was feeling better, but was not allowed to go back to school since he had a temperature on Thursday night. Saturday everyone was fine! Yippee!! Now it is Monday and everyone still seems fine!!! I had a little cough last night and was worried...but I'm fine today. Thank You, God, for restoring our health!!!
So, I have been busy with sick kids, planning and organizing 3 children's Christmas programs, working on our Christmas letter, laundry, making Christmas goodies, and even starting to get things together for our trip to Florida. Busy, Busy, Busy...but I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I weren't busy!
I'm going to a fun party soon...a Christmas goody exchange. The idea is that we each make 6 dozen of some sort of Christmas goody (cookies, candy, etc) and then we all exchange. I purchased some containers at Wal-Mart this weekend, so I'm going to fill 'em up for gifts! What a great idea these two friends of mine had!!! It should be fun! Then I'll rush home and get Abbie changed for her concert.
Really, I am savoring the season. I listen t wonderful Christmas music about 10 hours a day (thanks Honey for hooking me up!)...I read wonderful Christmas stories with my preschoolers, and with my kids. We watch Christmas specials on TV...we are doing a lot to savor the reason for the season! We are SO blessed!!

um...not so much on the treadmil

I decided at about 3:30 this morning that I was NOT going to be getting up at 5:15 to go walking. After being up with Bethany until midnight, and again from about 2-3:30...I decided that sleeping until 6 was a better idea.

Yup, she's got the icky crud that Andrew had last week. Breathing treatments, cough meds, no sleep, and now she has even pulled her little tummy muscles coughing so hard. One interesting thing is that the nebulizer treatments make Andrew just a bit talkative, they send Bethany into orbit! She gets so hyper! She's exhausted because she didn't sleep last night, but she just can't stop. She plays, talks, wiggles...I'm sure she'd be running marathons if she could breath well enough.

Hubby was able to take B to work with him this morning so I could teach my lovely 3 year olds (I love those guys!) and I took the afternoon off so that I could be with her to "take a nap." How did that go down? Well, it looked a little like Mommy watching the Grinch Who Stole Christmas with her eyes shut while Bethany played and made a mess in every room of the house. When I sat down she was snuggled up next to me, when the show was over, she was gone and I woke up...um, who stayed up all night? Oh, right...both of us! Maybe I should breath more of the neb meds...they would probably put me out completely! Hopefully tonight will be better and tomorrow everyone can be back to normal. Hubby has a funeral tomorrow morning, so if B isn't well enough for school, I will need to find a sub. Prayers are appreciated!

Great News!!!

Ok, first....I'm sorry, no Halloween pictures just yet. Long weekend. Not feeling so great, not absolutely sure where the camera is...somewhere in the dining room or living room...anyway, they are still coming.

Great news!
1. Our congregation has approved sending Hubby and I to Pastoral Leadership Institute. This will mean classes, study, reading, papers, trips, small group with other pastors and their wives, trips, oh, and did I mention TRIPS!! We will be making at least one or two trips ALONE for the next 4 years!!! We get to go to retreats with out small group. We go to "large group" things for a week once a year. And, in the 4th year we get to go on a 2-3 week international mission trip! I am just so excited (and a tiny bit nervous...ok, a bit more than tiny...nervous). I am so excited and proud of Hubby for being nominated for this. It is a huge honor. He is a wonderful pastor and I am just so proud!

2. Did I mention that we get to go on trips...together?? :o)

3. Hubby told me some exciting news this weekend...a new restaurant is going to be built in our "Little Big City" soon. The city is growing...Sam's just opened last week, and that is SO AWESOME! Now, they are building an A&W hot dog place...not the exciting news. OLIVE G*RDEN is coming!!! YIPPEE!! This is one of my FAVORITE places!! Can you see my smile???

Enough good news, like I said earlier, I'm not feeling so great. My throat feels like I'm trying to swallow glass. Guess I'm going to try to get back into the doctor. No fever, no coughing, no sinus pain this time...just a sore throat. By evening I almost have no voice...not that that is a bad thing ;o) (according to hubby!)

Don't forget to VOTE tomorrow!!

Weekend over...

Friday, Pumpkin patch...probably 10-15 families came. Lots of pumpkins, muffins, and MUD! Lots of giggles and muddy shoe smiles.

Saturday, Garage sale...LOTS of BIG stuff is gone! YIPPEE! Car seats, toddler slides, tricycles, and small bikes...not to mention bags and bags of clothes. However...still have TONS of clothes left. I'm thinking Goodwill is going to get a BIG load soon!

Sunday, Church and preschool dinner...went well! Well over 1/2 of our preschoolers were there to sing, so that was a great turn out! I spent the afternoon hemming Abbigail's Cinderella costume for Halloween. I bought it WAY too big and have had to take it up in the shoulders and hem a lot off of it...doesn't look very good, but she's not wearing it to prom! Andrew's costume is ready. Bethany's needs just a bit of work, maybe 1/2 hour and it will be ready! Now I'm trying to figure out a costume for myself...any great ideas?

So I have decided I should have gotten stitches in that finger of mine. I cut it on Wednesday, and every now and then it still starts bleeding. And, every time I even gently tap it on something, PAIN! OUCH!! Oh, boy does it hurt! But it's too late for stitches now, so I just keep bandaging it up until the band aid falls off, leave it off for a while, and then put a new one on. One friend keeps saying I need to superglue it...any thoughts?? Have any of you ever actually super glued a cut? I used this stuff called "New Skin" on Andrew's chin a few years ago...would that work here?
Anyway...I'm going to get somethings done so I can go to bed!

Surprise...

Well, I said I wouldn't be around this week, but I've blogged more this week than in many previous weeks...go figure!

Parent/Teacher conferences are tomorrow, so no teaching for me. I have to meet with the parents, but I usually talk to them every day, so I don't think it will be TOO big of a deal. No real concerns with my kiddos..they are just so much fun!

In the evening I have to meet with Andrew and Abbigail's teachers for their p/t conf. I hope they are doing well in school. Everything I see says they are doing fine, but I guess you never know unless you are their teacher! I've worked very hard with Abbigail making sure she brings EVERYTHING home and gets it all in on time. So hopefully that issue has been corrected since the progress report.

Garage sale stuff is mostly in boxes, priced, sorted, and in the garage. The garage still needs a bit of work, but Hubby said he would take care of it. Friday morning is the pumpkin patch with the preschoolers and their families. After we finish at the pumpkin patch, I will probably spend the rest of the day setting up for the garage sale. Saturday morning is the garage sale...hopefully I will get rid of A LOT of stuff!!! (And if I make a little $$ in the process that would be GREAT!)

Sometime between now and Saturday morning, I need to make a pumpkin cake for our preschool dinner on Sunday, and also a salad for the meal. I need to finish reworking Abbigail and Bethany's costumes to make them fit properly. Bethany's is almost done, but I still need to hem Abbie's.

Ok...off of my "to do" list!

Here is something I am thankful for: Not needing stitches! It was so cold and windy here today that I just CRAVED soup all day long. So when I got home I grabbed some stew meat out of the freezer and began making a big yummy pot of veggie beef soup. I always think the big chunks of stew meat are too big, so I cut them into bite sized pieces (much easier for the kids!). Well, apparently the knife slipped...my finger has never bled so much...ICK! I started yelling (ok, screaming and crying!) and thankfully Hubby was home. He came and made sure I wasn't passing out and that my finger was still attached. (thank goodness I just took the first aid course! ;o))...I applied pressure with a paper towel for a long time, but each time I tried to switch to a band aid it just bled so badly! I was really thinking I was going to need stitches! Hubby wrapped gauze around my finger and then a REALLY tight layer of that stretchy tape stuff. I did make him loosen it when I realized that the end of my finger was PURPLE and COLD! About an hour later, I took that off and it was still oozing, but not RUNNING out. I have gone through 3 band aids, but I think it has stopped enough that it will heal on it's own. OOff Da...what a night. But boy was that soup good! Even have enough left to put a big tub in the freezer for later, and some in the fridge for left-overs. :o)

Bethany has been very tired lately. She's still trying to cope with not napping in the afternoons. More than a few days she has fallen asleep when we get home. Just laying in the middle of the floor, on a chair, the couch, car seat, anywhere! Every time I see her snoozing somewhere "odd" I just think "AWW, How cute!" and then snap a picture. So...wanna see some cute snoozing Beth? Here you go!

She fell asleep on the living room floor...as the sun started to set, it put a sunbeam right across her little eyes. Didn't bother her, though, she just kept on snoozing! (I did adjust the curtains so she wouldn't be BLINDED! But being the good blogging momma that I am, I took a pic first!)

She went out to ride bikes one day after school, then came in to see what Daddy was up to. Sat down to watch him play a video game, and lost it...with her bike helmet STILL on!

On Sunday I had her try on her costume "one more time" so I could check the hem. She begged to wear it for just a little while...so I let her. 5 minutes later, Cinderella turned into Sleeping Beauty.

Tonight I was sitting in the recliner checking my email. She crawled up next to me and leaned on me. Pretty soon the phone rang and I went to answer it. When I came back, this is what I found. Poor sleepy girl! She is sleeping at night, but apparently not enough. Abbigail did nap every day until she went to 1st grade when she was 6, and Bethany is only 4 1/2...my babies are growing up!

AHHHH!!! What's next? UPDATE!

I took all three of my kids today to get their flu shots. I can't get mine because I'm on antibiotics. Boy does my hubby owe me a BIG margarita for doing that one on my own! I was holding Bethany and trying to DRAG Andrew out of the van with the other hand! Boy is that kid strong! It took me and another nurse to hold him down while the other one gave it to him. He even agreed that he would not go on our trip to Disney if he didn't have to get that shot! What a DRAMA KING! Anyway, three kids, three shots...and the only bruising will probably be on Andrew from fighting so hard!
When I got home from that fiasco, the phone was ringing that Bethany's child care provider's little girl is sick, so Bethany can't come over there tomorrow. Normally that wouldn't be a big deal, she could just go to work with Daddy, or he could work from home, but he is out of town tomorrow. Hmmm...I am so blessed to have a wonderful neighbor who is willing to keep her in the morning while I teach. Ok, that's taken care of....but this evening one of my teachers called to let me know that her daughter has strep throat. Ok, that sort of thing happens....I have called 5 subs so far. Two have sick kids of their own, twp have other obligations, and I'm waiting to hear back from the last one! Of all the days for Hubby to be out of town! I'd recruit him to help out in a second!

Please pray for me!!! Thanks!

Update: I found someone to come in and help...but I also just talked to Hubby and he is sick, too. He thinks he'll still make it to his meeting tomorrow, but not certain. Nyquil is now taking it's effect on him and he'll sleep good, for a few hours at least!

TTFN...

Ta Ta For Now!
No, I'm not shutting down my blog. I know I haven't been around much lately, I'm sorry....but I won't be around much this week either. This week is going to be pretty busy. We are having parent/teacher conferences on Thursday for my school (need to get ready to meet with 17 sets of parents) and my kiddos' school....need to go chat with their teachers. No school on Friday, but I'm going to be meeting with as many of my preschool families (all 65 families) who want to go at the pumpkin farm. We wanted to take a field trip, but couldn't find transportation for as many kiddos as we have. So...all the families are responsible for their own transportation, and instead of just having the kids, it will be a family outing. Fun, but that's another thing I need to plan! We are having a preschool dinner on Sunday to help raise money for our scholarship program. Also, do you remember last spring when a friend and I had a garage sale? Remember how I said we have a bunch of "fall/winter" stuff left....well, we just decided that it's time to get rid of it. We're going to have a garage sale here at MY house this weekend. So, this week, I need to go through a bunch more stuff, price it, sort it, etc....and clean out the garage. Somewhere in there I hope to get a little extra rest to help myself continue to get better, and not relapse with my infections.
Now, if you know anyone in the market for kids clothes from newborn - size 7-8 (girls and boys), car seats, strollers, adult clothing, Halloween costumes, movies, etc...and you live anywhere near the "Middle of Nowhere" Kansas...send them my way! :o)
So, if you miss reading all the silly things we do around here....come back later, I'll try to update once in a while, but I'm not promising anything! Just wanted to let you know in advance what's going on so you won't worry about me.... Thanks for visiting! :o)

So guess who is sick??

No, THANK GOD, Abbigail is healthy as a horse. I guess the walk in the cold rain just made her wet and cold, but she stayed healthy. Nope, it's me. Actually I'm starting to feel human again after feeling pretty lousy for over a week. Last Thursday, my sinuses started feeling like a concrete truck had left it's load in my face. Friday when I woke up my throat, eyes, ears, and teeth felt like they were all going to explode. Each day I thought I would surely be better, and some days I did feel a bit better...but not much. Finally by THIS Friday (Yes, a WEEK later) I decided I had had enough, and broke down and went to the doctor. I have a double ear infection and a sinus infection...guess I was not just being whiny...I really was/am sick. But now I am on antibiotics and steroids, so I should be feeling fine soon...already am feeling some better. The concrete truck has come back for some of it's load, and my ears only pop every other time I open my mouth now. Feeling better, but a long ways to go.
Andrew and Hubby spent the day at a boy scout outing. Andrew got to shoot a bow & arrow, BB gun, throw a hatchet, and all sort of other manly activities. The girls got to spend the morning with a baby sitter...which in their book is pretty awesome...while I went and retook my CPR and first aid training. I have taken this course every-other year for at least 12 years...probably longer. It's amazing how things have changed over the years, but it is actually easier now. Instead of having to remember X number of compressions to Y number of breaths for each of the different age categories (infant, child, adult)...now it is just 30 compressions to 2 breaths. Period...for everyone! The only difference between infants, children, and adults is that for adults you call 911 before starting any of the CPR stuff, while with infants and children you do 5 cycles and then call 911 (if alone, if others are there...have them call 911 right away). Anyway...that was my morning, CPR and First Aid.
The weather was so beautiful after I got home that I thought a girls trip to the zoo would be a perfect way to spend the afternoon. I thought we could meet the "boys" for dinner when they were done with their manly activities. The girls and I loaded up and we drove to the zoo (40 miles away mind you). Only to find that our FREE zoo was closed for "Boo at the Zoo" and you were only allowed in if you had prepaid for tickets. So what was I going to do with these two girls for the next 3 hours until dinner? Well, we went to a park to play but unfortunately it didn't last too long because SOMEBODY had to go to the bathroom. So, shopping is what we decided to do to use our time. We got a tierra for Abbigail's Halloween costume, some tights, socks...oh, and the girl's Christmas dresses. Or at least what I'm thinking about using for their Christmas dresses. JC Penney has their "holiday" dresses on sale for 50% off, so the girls both picked one out. Abbigail fell in love with one that is pink and brown. It is really pretty, and she says she feels all grown up in it (BE STILL MY HEART!) and all she needs is lipstick :o)!! Bethany feel in love with a pink and black one. Also cute, but they don't match. My family Christmas cards won't look quite as good if their dresses don't at least coordinate. So, I went ahead and got the dresses...with the agreement that we will think about them. If I can find one that will coordinate with the other, we'll be in business!
Well all...I'm going to get to work on the house and other things that haven't really been touched in the last week since I've been feeling a bit under the weather. Nighty night!

BRRRR...and GRRRR!

When we went pumpkin picking a week and a half ago, I thought something was seriously wrong with picking pumpkins when it was 91 degrees outside. Well, apparently we've decided to skip fall and go STRAIT for winter. Today's high was 44, and rain. COLD! BRRR!! I've had a chill in my bones all day! Turned the heat on at school, and here at home.
Now for the GRRR! Hubby was out of town at a meeting today, so I went to pick Abbigail and Andrew up from school. When Abbigail came out, I noticed that her hair was wet. HMMM....well, I didn't think TOO much of it. We went home, did some homework, and then I took her to girl scouts. I picked her up a little early from girl scouts because the phone guy was supposed to be coming to fix our phone and Internet that apparently don't like the rain. (BTW, that's one reason I haven't been online a lot lately...it's been down off and on for a week now!)
So anyway, we get home and she's freezing, but so was I so I didn't think much of it till she took off her shoes and socks. Her feet were little blue prunes! They were SOAKING WET and COLD! Apparently there was a special visitor at the high school today, someone who played violin, etc. Cool...the students WALKED to the high school which is 3 blocks away. Do you remember that I said there was a HIGH today of 44 and it rained ALL DAY LONG! They made the kids WALK 3 blocks in the rain!! How smart is that???? No umbrellas. Nothing! Yes, she had her brand new winter coat on, which kept her mostly dry, but her feet were soaked, and so was her head! Abbigail didn't complain, she loves music...she would do just about anything to see someone play music...but come on...don't you think the adults should use some common sense??? I'm planning on going to the school during my 15 minute lunch break tomorrow and talking to the principal. Who is going to pay all the doctor bills from the kids who are going to get sick from this? No, I didn't send Abbigail with rubber boots because I didn't think anyone in their right mind would send kids out in 44 degree RAINING weather to play, let alone walk 3 blocks! Yes, I know it is only 3 blocks, so bring in 1 bus and shuttle them...keep them DRY!
As a teacher, I try to take my kiddos outside if at all possible. Even when it is COLD, as long as it is dry I try to take them out for just a few minutes of fresh air. But in the rain??? GRRRR!!!
Thanks for letting me rant...I'll let you know how it goes.