Carissa...

Carissa's artwork for school...

What can I say...she is ALL girl!

Daisy Scouts and Life

Carissa and I went to a meeting last night introducing her to the Girl Scouts...as of 7pm last night, Carissa is now a "Daisy Scout" She is pretty excited about it and so am I! I always wanted to be a Girl Scout, but it just wasn't really in the cards for me--I guess.

I'm traveling down a path that I hadn't put much thought into until recently...I DO NOT want to have my children SO busy that they don't have time to just "have fun" doing what they want. I have held back on her joining everything out there, but Girl Scouts seems to focus on how she can work with others, for others, and learn different things throughout her time as one. I think I will be helping with her "troop" because I am excited to see what they have to offer for young girls.

Jocelyn and Carissa are enjoying dance/tumbling/tap classes...Jocelyn is LOVING school, Carissa is LOVING it even more I think! I'm happy with what they are learning, excited to see what the future brings and elated that God is working in our lives on a daily basis.

Quiet...What is It?

Today is only my second morning of "alone" time at home...both girls are at school on Mondays and I haven't had time to sit and just "be" in the quiet that is our home.

I am amazed at how much goes on in our house...even with no children around. The phone keeps ringing, the A/C kicks on/off, the dryer runs it's cycle...and so on. I know it's always been like this, but I don't think I've ever really been here when it's been this quiet for more than an hour. I love the sounds of the girls playing, meals around the table together, the rush to get out the door in the morning, and even the little arguments that often erupt from the living room or the girls' bedroom. However, when all is said and done, I don't know if I'm going to ever get used to the quietness of the girls being gone on a daily basis. Never thought I'd say it, don't know if you'll see me say it again on here, but it's out there!

Today, I've handled some bill-paying, some phone calls that needed to be made (without anyone talking in the background on my end!), started everything for supper, and washed the dishes. My plan was to read my book for tomorrow, but I've become absorbed with housework instead! I will get into a routine, but it's kind of nice only having to worry about me. I worry daily that the girls behave, have fun, stay healthy and learn something new each day, but I know that God is watching over them and that they have had a good, Christian foundation in our home...is it always peaceful here? NO! Is it always sunshine and rainbows? NO! Do they know that we love them? YES! For this I am thankful...

Got a picture of the girls this morning before school...they are GREAT!

The Fair

So, tonight is the last night of the Tri-County Fair...we went with the girls to ride the rides on Friday night and then again last night. Thanks to my friend Pam, they got to go two nights (she had free wristband passes). And we didn't do to badly with too much "fair food" for any of us.

The girls rode quite a few rides last night, but one shocked me! Carissa and Jocelyn had both always had us slide down the big slide with them~not my favorite, but I do it for them! Well, after we (Carissa and I) went down once, she said, "Mom, I want to go down again~BUT by myself!" What?!?!?! Already?!?!?!?!!!!!! So, I reluctantly watched her climb the stairs by herself and she LOVED going down! She got to the top, waved to us, and down she went! She grinned the whole way down! I just couldn't believe it!

My girls are growing up...becoming more and more independent...I'm ready, but I'm not...is that wrong? I want them to learn how to do things on their own, but it all seems to happen so quickly!!!

The week was busy, fun, and exhausting...all at the same time! Brown County is one of my favorite times of the year and we're upon it! I love the time away, the time visiting with family and friends, and now I'm enjoying watching my children have fun with the same traditions I grew up with along the way!

Happy September Everyone!!!

Garage Sales

This weekend, I did a garage sale with two other people...sometimes, I wonder if the work is worth the results. However I feel about the whole thing, I am still always happy to see the benefits of the work! I don't ever want to know how many hours it takes to set it all up (sorting, purging, pricing, and setting up/taking down, otherwise I probably wouldn't want to do it again. Within the past 1 1/2 years, I've done three sales...I think I'm done for awhile (til at least next summer). We did pretty well money-wise, I only packed up two tubs of clothes to still try to get rid of and happy with the business we had!

Now, it's prepping myself for taking Carissa to school next week...I know I've said it before and I'll probably continue to say it, but she has grown up SO fast! What am I going to do with her? Can I stop her from growing up any faster?!?! AHHHHHHHHHH

Now, I'm ready to sleep, but school beckons my attention. So, tonight I will sleep; tomorrow I will do church, and then work on the paper all afternoon and evening. I have until Wednesday, but I just want to start it and feel more confident about my thoughts--getting them onto paper.

Summer's Coming to and End...

Carissa starts school in less than a week...can that be possible? We've done the dentist, physical, and vision screening. She will be getting glasses to wear all the time (no surprise since nearly everyone on both sides of the family wear some kind of corrective lenses or glasses), and she has most of her school supplies ready to go.
Jocelyn has her backpack, classroom items, and she is READY to go...however, she doesn't start until after Labor Day. She has been SO looking forward to being in "school" but I just can't believe they are both there already!
Dance/Tumbling/Ballet started this week...makes for a crazy Monday, but we'll adjust. Jocelyn goes from 4:30-5:15 and then Carissa is there from 5:15-6:30. Joe and Jocelyn ate when she got home and Carissa and I ate when she got home. Not ideal, but worked out okay for a first day! We will probably be doing "Crockpot" meals on those days as well as Wednesdays....Winter is always great for that!!! Kinda looking forward to that!
I will be going to my 3rd class session of my 1st grad class and I've been enjoying it thus far. We have a pretty big paper due next week and then a group presentation due the beginning of September....going well so far--at least I think so!
Well, that's that...I'm a parent of a kindegartner and a preschooler. That's AMAZING to me!!!!
Good luck to all you parents and kids--have a great school year!

Sidewalk Chalk Morning...

I'm babysitting today--only full day this week, so we will be outside as much as possible! The weather is beautiful this morning and we've been outside since about 8:15! Rained last night and cooled things off enough to open the windows, sit around and play outside and just enjoy the day!

The three girls have already "decorated" the driveway with Chalk Art...a few pictures of the art and "artists" of the morning...

Castle of Cards...

Carissa built a "Castle of Cards" tonight and I took these pictures...she cracks me up at her creativity! She's in the background of one of them--so proud of her work!

School Days, School Days...

Well, the time is quickly approaching...

I start grad classes in a little over a week...

Joe starts grad classes in under a month...

Carissa starts kindergarten in less than a month...

...and Jocelyn starts preschool in a little over a month...

Where did the time go?!?! Life gets us so busy, crazy, and waiting for a moment to breathe, while all the while time does go on! I can't say it's not fair, but is it? I am excited for everyone's milestone this year, but the time has flown by!!

Joe's at camp this week (I know, I know~pray for us girls!) and we are hangin' around the house most of the week. Carissa keeps saying, "Since it's a girls' week, can we ________?" She wants to do things, watch things, and just be what she thinks girls should do and be when the boy(s) are away! So far, they've found some new toys (old toys--just didn't know where they were) to play with, cleaned their dollhouse, and continuously enjoyed trying to make each other scream...when does the screaming stop? Well, we're going to work on it BIG time this week, otherwise, Mom's going to go crazy!!!!!!! We had popcorn for supper last night, leftovers for lunch and planning on chicken for supper...we kinda like "flying by the seat of our pants" meals! They did not have any kind of rest/nap time today, so they should be in bed fairly early...I HOPE! They are starting to become more and more independent and it's nice to see them finding what they need to accomplish any given task without me helping them with every, single thing! They are great girls and I wouldn't trade anything about them....Okay, maybe the screaming :)

Here's hoping for a safe, happy, nice-weathered week @ home!

Life...

There are things in my life that I get stressed out over...
~~Keeping my house clean--just in case someone stops by
~~Keeping up with the laundry
~~Debt...but don't we all at least somewhat stress over any debt?
~~And, currently, Vacation Bible School...It's very much a "Love/Hate" relationship. I love the excitement of getting people involved and watching the kids have fun! I don't like the stress I put on myself trying to make it "The Best" it can be...when I just need to realize that extravagance is not necessary for kids...I mean, heck, my girls could have hours of fun with empty boxes, tissues, or anything that I would deem "trash" once I'm done with the item.

I love the fun that kids have, but I struggle to understand my strengths and weaknesses in Directing VBS...this is only my 2nd year as a director, but I continue to "live and learn" in each step of my "VBS career" and hope that I will continue to learn something, or lots of somethings each day, week and year of VBS.

Fortunately, I still get to come home and continue my "normal" daily things...I love my life, sometimes frustrating for me, but I love my family, friends, and God...AND I want to continue to do my best~~ALWAYS!

Swim Lessons!

So, the girls are taking swim lessons this week...they both love the pool, but didn't really like to go underwater or think about getting too wet while we're there...

Carissa's fear of bugs and butterflies didn't even bother her last night...it was AWESOME! Jocelyn didn't really want to do much at lessons, but really just wanted to play! Neither one of them had taken a nap, so by 6:30 they were pretty tired (that was only 1/2 way through the lessons)!

Tonight, however, Jocelyn and Carissa were really great! They both went under and Carissa did it quite a bit! They are getting so independent~it's a little sad and exhilarating at the same time! I think you can click on the pictures to make them bigger, but they did really well tonight considering the water was stinkin' cold!!!

Happy Fourth of July...

Enjoy time with family, friends, and all who are in your presence today...God has given us a wonderful world to live in~it is broken, worn down, and tired...but it is our Earthly home with the promise of a Heavenly HOME with God...

Happy 4th Everyone...

"Cast Off Tuesday" Recap

Yesterday, Carissa got her cast off! Oh, happy days...she did great through the removal, x-ray, and follow-up with the doctor.

We spent the afternoon together as a family and then met up with my friend Kira, from school, to eat with their family...her kids are considerably older than ours, but they all sat together and we had a great time catching up!

Last week, I spent a few hours working in the church office, so my other "duties" were a little delayed and had to catch up this week. I commend you working mothers~I don't know how you do it,even if you work part-time or full-time! The girls just sat in Joe's office and watched a movie and enjoyed a Veggie Tales movie or two...

Today, we have been home most of the day and its been nice! The weather is ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! The windows are open, fresh air is moving through, and the girls are headed outside to ride bikes in the driveway. Tonight the girls and I are helping serve at the "Father/Son Banquet" and then back home after that. Tomorrow, we will be hanging around the house again, probably mowing for the July 4th festivities and then sticking around for some family time in the evening...we've been riding our bikes or walking most evenings and it's been nice to get out and about...

We have made a commitment to not eat out for the month of July~well, unless someone else is paying :) I know we do eat out too often, but I'm curious as to how much money we will save by not doing so at all for an entire 31 days! I know there are alot of people that eat at home all the time, but schedules get the best of us sometimes and we just get too lax in our commitment to eating healthier and cheaper at home! We'll see how this goes, but I think it will be a good adjustment for all of us.

$600~~FOR REAL!!!

I am not above advertising for something, someone, or anything that has value to me...

So, I say this with "nerdy" excitement...I will save over $600 by switching to PROGRESSIVE Auto Insurance!!!! ~Did that sound like a commercial? Oh, well!

I had been watching a show that gave ideas about how to save money in these "tough economic times" and I had already been considering the move to another insurance company anyway...so, I did it! It was all online (BUT, I couldn't just do it~I had to call to ask a few questions~just couldn't make the jump without a voice reassuring me :) I am so psyched because it really is going to save us over $50/month!!!! Couldn't get any better if I tried and tried and tried!

On another note, Carissa is still "battling" or overwhelming fear of "all things that fly" and it is getting to both of her parents and her sister! We are trying everything~IF ANYONE HAS ANY IDEAS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!

Went for a 5-mile (give or take a little) bike ride while the girls were at another church's VBS last night...I'm not gonna lie~I felt it this morning! Still, I'm feeling pretty good today~got 3 loads of laundry done, cleaned the house here and there, and will probably go out and trim the evergreen bushes tonight while the girls are @ VBS...I feel a little guilty taking them because it's not our church, but they had a blast last night!

Do you think they were tired?!?!

Wow! What a summer full of crazy weather...

There have been some crazy storms here lately...Last night it stormed, today it was calm (But STINKIN' HOT), and tonight there has been constant lightning...and pretty severe storms!

We were supposed to go to Springfield to meet my Dad's plane at the airport...The girls had made signs and everything, but the flights were delayed, he missed a connecting flight out of Chicago and ended up taking the Peoria Charter bus back home! So, we didn't go to Springfield, but did get some stuff done in Decatur...

Home now, watching some shows on the DVR and listening to yet ANOTHER storm getting closer and closer...GOOD sleeping weather :)

Tomorrow WILL be a better day!!!!

Even though we've been home from Disney for 10 days, I have not gotten around to posting any pictures...but we've kept busy!!!

Today, well actually last night, Carissa and Jocelyn were doing their "bridges" from tumbling class and Jocelyn decided to "jump" on her. Well, I thought it was a typical "drama cry" because we had friends over, so I got her ice and let her relax. I gave them bathes and hoped that they would go to sleep early. The rest of the evening was uneventful and I had hoped everything was fine...

This morning, her arms looked different from the other...so, I took her up to the ER and they took an X-ray and we waited...the Doctor came in and said, "She broke her arm--at her elbow." I couldn't believe it! Seriously?!?! I had said all along that I thought Jocelyn would be the one to break a bone first--and as my brother said it: "She did break something first--it just wasn't anythinng of hers!" TRUE, TRUE, TRUE!!!!!!!!

So, we took a trip to Springfield, saw a ped. orthaepedist, she picked her cast color, and on it went...she will have it on for 3 weeks (June 30) but won't be able to swim or get it wet at all. She has developed a FEAR of bugs, so she thinks she won't be able to play outside the whole time! Crazy thinker that she is...here are a few pictures of the doctor's work...

P.S. To top the day off, while picking up Jocelyn from a friend's house, I closed the sliding van door on one of my fingers!!! Went home, tried to shake it off, but it just kept swelling...SO, you guessed it...I went to the ER, had my own x-ray and found out I broke my finger!!!! Seriously!!!! How could that happen to anyone else?!?! So. they relieved the pressure in my finger (I won't go into details about this), put it in a splint, gave me some pain medication and sent me on my way!

Before and After...WOW!

Carissa is now a KINDERGARTEN STUDENT!

The first few pictures are from her first year of preschool and dance...then the next ones are of her last day (yesterday) of Preschool...WOW did the time fly! And she looks more and more grown up every, single day!

Ahhhh, Mondays...

Graduation is over...and I am so happy I'm done with undergraduate work...HOWEVER, I start Seminary in the fall (I got a pretty great scholarship, so I thought I'd try to get a good start on the work). The first picture above is of Brian C., Kira M., and me SOOOO happy to be done and now considered COLLEGE GRADUATES!!!!

NOW, we are preparing for Disney World. We have been counting down the days and they are down to "single digits" and we are REALLY excited! Tonight, the girls are watching VHS tapes of the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios--getting even more excited about the trip! Tomorrow we have Carissa's Preschool Field Trip to the Scoville Zoo, so we are going to rest up tonight and are really looking forward to the rest of the week and of course NEXT WEEK IN FLORIDA!!!!!!

DISNEY COUNTDOWN~4 days!!!!!!!!!!

What's Up Next?

I will be graduating in less than 4 days...I know they told us this would happen, but I'm already a little let down right now...not let down because I'm done, but wondering what is next?!?! I know I will start graduate school, but will I have the time/patience/ability to keep up on my schoolwork...
The girls are so excited for the upcoming events for us...Carissa's graduation, my graduation, tumbling show, dance show, and then...VACATION!! I know it will be crazy busy for us for the next 10 days, but it will be worth it!
Signing off for tonight...hope all are well and getting ready for a nice spring and summer ahead of us...

Disney Countdown~10 days (+/- a few hours)