Fall is here, fall is here!!!

I love this time of year.
 It's been cool in the mornings

 but still in the 80's during the day.

But today, the high is in the 60's and the low tonight is in the low 40's.

I have all the windows open. 
The windows with an inch of dirt in the area between the window and the screen and the thick layer of dust on the blinds...but that is for another day, I had to pretend it wasn't there today.  I had to enjoy the fall day.

 

I went to breakfast with friends this morning when it was cool and beautiful out minus the always present gusting winds...

Then I ran many errands since I worked last weekend.

 

Speaking of last weekend...

I am working a private duty job and there is a family member there that is, how should I say this, odd, wacky, different...

I really thought nothing surprised me anymore.

But last weekend. 

I was surprised.

Surprised when the family member walked into my patients room carrying a cat.

a DEAD cat. 

yep...there I was just working away and I look up and there is someone with a dead cat carrying it like a baby, having it say goodbye to the patient before they buried it.  A more than 24 hr dead cat.

Craziest thing ever.

And as hard as I tried I couldn't sneak a picture of it. 

 

This seemed to set the tone for my week...

There were kids with crazy complaints, rock in an ear, and a little drama at the school.  But no dead cats...

 

And tell me all parents get texts like this.  Please.  So much for not texting during school.

 

My poor deadly sick kid just has the common cold I believe.  We opted to wait on the Dr after I could see her throat in person.

 

She is at the Corn Maize as we speak in the wind and cool weather even though I reminded her she was 'deadly' sick...
And the oldest is headed to the drive in to freeze tonight. 

Enjoy the fall weekend!

Firsts

 

I was the first one gone this morning. 

I got to school early and was ready for all the craziness of the first morning at my school. 

That was a first.

But I missed dropping a kid off a school.

Because now they go the same High School. 

Just one year of togetherness. 

One year of Katie driving her to school (and some friends that tagged along). 

I texted Katie to see if she had seen Kellie during the day.  The answer, "yea, I had lunch with her".  It made me tear up. 

A year of them in the same school for some reason makes my heart happy. 

They fuss about the "first day of schoool" picture every year but I made them promise to let dad take one.  I can't believe they even smiled.

 

 

 

When I asked Kellie if she was excited or scared she said "NO... it's just another day of school" and when I asked Katie if she was excited it's her senior year she said "NO...I'm just ready for it to be over..."

Well, I was scared and excited for them.  And as I could have predicted, Kellie had "just another day at school".  She is so easy going it was just no big deal to her.  And Katie called me as soon as she got out to talk a little more about where she wants to go to college.   She is really ready for it to be over.


A first day of high school and a first day of the last year of high school.
 I think I'm really not that crazy about either of those.
It's going too fast.
That thought or sentence is really NOT a first...
But it sure is fun.

I always think it's for the kids

I'm back from a week at youth camp. 
I have realized that even though I leave for a youth camp thinking it is all about the kids I come home knowing God put me there for a reason.

The chance to watch all those kids get closer to each other, watch them worship and really minister to each other, watching my own kids grow in their faith is a privilege every time I go.

I always question my girls to make sure they want me there.  I have been involved with their children's groups and their youth groups and don't want to be there if they need some space.

 

It was funny how little I saw my own kids or really interacted with them at camp this year. 

 

 

And as usual, I came away knowing God had put me there for my growth and not just to help.
Getting to know other leaders (this year I wasn't the only leader above 25) was truly a gift. 

And I mean really getting to know their hearts, see their passion for Christ and their love for those kids.
Laughing and laughing and laughing.

Staying up way too late.















Bonding over coffee with the other coffee lovers in the group.

The worship was just for me I'm convinced. 

 I can't get this song out of my head.  I needed to be reminded I guess...

 

Your plans are still to prosper,

You have not forgotten us
You're with us in the fire and the flood
Faithful forever,
Perfect in love
You are sovereign over us

 

Being in Texas, we encountered a HUGE tarantula while we were there.  And of course the sign that makes me laugh every year

I won't make you look at the mascot statue and what is wrong with that.
On second thought

 

Mayhem

Mike left Monday afternoon to fly to Phoenix for a job interview.  I dropped him off at the airport at 3:45 and I think it was 9:30 ish before he got to Dallas and had to fly on to Phoenix the next morning.
He headed home yesterday and once again flights were canceled and delayed due to weather in Dallas and he texted me about 1 this morning that he was finally in Dallas at the hotel and had the same room he left that morning.  A quick trip has turned into a couple of days spent in airports.

School is winding down and I still can't believe it's the last week.  I'm not sure where the spring went.

Speaking of where the time goes, I called and scheduled Katie's senior picture yesterday.  I'm sure this is the first of a busy year with her.  Kellie will join her at the high school next year.  And I can't believe either are this old!

Last night the youth had their third "Mayhem" event at church. 

I got a text asking me if I would mind being there in case someone "broke a leg or something".  Ummm, sure.

 

A slip in slide covered in baby oil and water and not a single injury, amazing.

 

my girls and their group sat safely on the sidelines

 

photobomb success

 

 

 

 

Mom's and really expensive cookies

Happy Mother's day to all the mom's in my life and in my children's.  I have always said that it takes a lot of Mother's to raise my kids.
I was so lucky to have two sweet Mom's who owned the day care my children went to. 
Then there is Jennifer who could step in for me if die.  They love her that much.
My sister and her ever present threat of spanking them with the fly swat can't be left out.
And all my sweet sweet friends who have invested in my children.

While we were all piled up in the bed this morning (my favorite part of the day)

 I told my girls again this morning how much my mom would have loved them if she could have met them.  Kellie said she was sure she would have been her favorite...

And because something is wrong with me I wanted to spend my Mother's day afternoon baking.  My grandmother would have understood, my mom, not so much...

The girls asked for cookies.

 I decided I wanted to try Macarons...

The seem to the popular cookie right now.

My opinion - they are very sweet, good, but I prob. won't make them again....

You pipe them onto the cookie sheet and I dropped the metal piping tip down the garbage disposal.  It is stuck on the blade now and won't come off...
Looks like the macarons are going to cost me a plumber visit...
They defiantly aren't worth the price I'll pay for that!

 I'm about to wear my present out to get some dinner with all my people.  Have a good Mother's day!

Eighth grade is coming to an end

First prom, now 8th grade banquet...
It's too much.
They are almost grown...
But I am loving almost every minute of these teenage years...

 

we did a little spray tanning

 

 

a little make up

 

 

 

 

 

and dinner before the dance

 

They followed up the dance with swimming at one of the friend's.

 

A good time was had by all (I hear)

 

 

 

 

The first of the lasts

Oh what a weird week we've had.
It has been crazy busy. 
Katie backed into a friend's new truck at church Wed. night.  And by new truck, I mean brand new, off the lot, picked up about 4 hours before Katie put a dent in it. 
She has been just devastated over this.  She feels so bad.  "He can't even enjoy his new truck...." (read while crying loudly to get full picture)

Last night Katie had her last dance recital.  I didn't think about this fact till right before we went.
Mike really hated to miss the draft and when he mentioned skipping it I suddenly realized that this is the last one.  That made me a little sad.  And by a little I really mean I don't miss them going to dance every night and competitions but hate we are at the point where we are doing things with her for the last time in high school.
That explanation got Mike to go without complaining.  He did want to know if he could check it on his phone while we were there so that he could say things like "he is the worst general manager in the history of football"....

 

There seems to always be a weird dance

 

this year they were insane asylum patients

 

 

Make's a mama proud...

 

Rabbits run fast but I don't think they swim

We're all back to normal after the blizzard.  I need another one actually. 
Only four more days till Spring Break starts...
I'm busy getting us all ready to go in different directions for Spring Break.

To welcome March I borrowed a bunny from a friend and scheduled some Easter pictures.
Both teens and their friends also wanted to go for pictures.  One friends' mom tagged along to play with her camera and take a few pictures with her daughter and then there were four sessions with babies....

 

There is no shade in this town right now for good pictures.  This is the field I love in the summer and fall but with no leaves on the trees, not so much.

She would not approve of me posting this picture but I loved it! 

 

The bunny only made a run for it twice.  I may or may not have shrieked a bad word while taking pictures of our youth minister's kids when the bunny sprinted towards the water.  We did find out that the bunny wasn't interested in swimming though.  It was a pain to get through the weeds but the bunny stopped at the water's edge (thank goodness).

 

Do you know what happens when you take pictures of four babies in one short period of time?  You squat down about a million times and wonder the next day what is wrong with your legs.

 

 

But it sure was fun

 

 

Happy March

 

 

Time flies when you mark off the weeks

I just finished working on week five of Project Life... I really notice how fast it's going doing this.

It was a fun week but nothing out of the ordinary.  That's always good.

 

A few close ups of the week

Katie texted me the above note... she was worried I'd be mad.  Now, I would love for her to be in the top ten but there nothing wrong with a 94 and the kids are all so close together in GPA...
When I went to school unless you were in the top three no one worried about what number they were...Getting into college is so very different these days.

Speaking of college...

We have two college visits scheduled for the next few weeks.  I get a little sick even saying that.
I am excited though, it will be fun.
We have tons of things on the calendar for the spring. 
The college visits, church events, Spring Break, a wedding, Prom, Eighth grade banquet and I'm sure there are other things I'm not thinking of.  You know that's a little fuller than I like my schedule!

Love those girls (and our new youth minister who snuck into the picture)!  I'm trying to soak up every minute I get with them (when they are being nice and not all teenager-ish).

That's five hours I won't get back

Today has been one of those days. 
One of the days that you did things that needed to be done but a big chunk feels a little like wasted time...
Since I couldn't breath lying down I was up at 5.  By 8 I had straightened up, cleaned the kitchen, been to the grocery store, back home and then headed out for the day.  The first part was some quality friend time but the the afternoon, that's another story.
All the girls in the house needed a hair cut and highlights. 
I've never minded getting my hair done but when there are three of us it turns into a 5 hour project.

Kellie and I have new haircuts and we are all a much better shade of blond now!

 

Kellie cut off about six inches of hair today.

 

Katie just got a trim

Mine is a lot shorter and even Ellie got a new short hair cut.  We weren't in the mood for pictures tonight though.
Some cold medicine and a few episodes of "Buying Alaska" and I'm a much happier girl this evening...

This morning I spent a bit of time with my friend working on our Project Life and then we met another friend for lunch.

I am just loving Project Life.  I just basically round up pictures we all took on on our phone during the week and start there.  Kellie isn't sure we will need documentation of everything we did but I'm having fun with it!

 

Week 4

Worship yes, camping no

Last night we had a youth worship service at church.
We had a great local Christian band...

David's Plea, check them out...

We had a great speaker.  He's a local school counselor who I knew was a great guy but didn't know he could preach!  He had a great talk for those kids.  Really relevant.  And above all, he was really 'real' with those kids. 
Watching those kids listen and take in all the truth he was telling them was such a blessing. 

Here are words I thought I would never say, but I love working with those teenagers.  I love that my girls don't mind me being involved.  I love that the other girls call my two out if they give me grief!
I love that the girls tried to talk me into going on the camping trip. 
One of the staff told me I should go as the nurse because there might be rattle snakes. 
I love more that it was canceled!  Like I would be any help if there was snake bite!


It's a wonderful thing to see my girls worship but it's also exciting to see them wanting to share their faith and their church with friends. 
I'm a lucky mom.