Vacation is here!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

We made it to vacation time. I am relearning how to relax, and the kids are enjoying the dry weather by playing outside. Paul gets to work until midday on Christmas Eve. We have had little time for making goodies, but we did manage to make some chocolate covered pretzels. Yum! Yes that is chocolate on their faces.

Here what our tree used to look like. It is has been thoroughly attacked by Ella the cat now. All the decorations have been knocked off. The lights are still on, but that is only because they are wrapped around the tree.

Eliza went wild decorating. She did the front and back side of her bedroom door, cut a piece of hedge from our neighbor's yard, placed it in her room for a Christmas tree and decorated it, and created a faux fireplace with several stockings.

How a field trip saved my education

Two hours ago I turned in my last assignment for my child and adolescent development class. I have to say I truly didn't think I was going to make it through that class. I wanted to quit school at least once a week throughout it, and one night I nearly did. Luckily for me, Luke had a field trip the next day. I decided to blow off my paper due that day and enjoy the day with my son instead. I even went to the Trunk or Treat at church that night. Although my stress was not gone, I felt much better after that and managed to get my paper written the next day.

Feeling stressed? Go on a field trip and discover the world again through the eyes of a four-year-old.

Hazel and Dan's Birthday

Papa Dan turned 90 a few days ago, and Grandma Hazel will turn 87 later this week. They are a joy to us! We celebrated their birthdays today. Grandma's mind was doing well enough that we all enjoyed the day. What a blessing!

Luke helping with the candles.

Paul and his sister, Jennifer.

My mother-in-law, Jane with Grandma Hazel

Halloween

My children had a great Halloween. Eliza spent the evening with a friend handing candy out at the home of one of our local millionaires. No, I'm not kidding. She came home with lots of goodies. When Luke got home, he promptly sorted his candies into three piles.

The hard candies, the melty candies and the chewy candies.

Leah was a fairy, Sarah a vampire, and Luke was "SUPER LUKE!"

New kitten

After crying several days in a row, I decided to go to the Humane Society and adopt a kitten. After playing with several cute kittens, we chose this three-month-old. She was very playful but didn't mind being cuddled. We named her Sassy Ella. The name was the best compromise we could come up with. She is adjusting well and so are we.

By the way, thank you for all the cat offers, but we are good with the one :)

A very sad day

Yesterday we lost our sweet kitty cat, Serafina. She was hit by a car up on the big road. The older kids saw her remains on the way to school but hoped all day that it was some other cat. I cried all day missing my buddy around the house, worrying about the kids and stressing out about telling them the sad news.

Serafina is and will continue to be sorely missed. She was a member of our family, and it is our hope that when we are in heaven she will be with us too.

Here are some of our favorite pictures of her.

Update

1. My class is going great so far. There is a lot to learn about the program itself. That is what we are focusing on right now. I feel like I am making it okay so far. I have been assigned to a Learning Team, and one of my peers lives in Japan! How cool is that!

2. Eliza had a bike accident today. She got scraped up a little, and she hit her head on the pavement. She had a massive headache at first. It got better throughout the day, but she went to bed with it still aching. No, I don't think she had a concussion. Her stomach never felt sick, and she didn't get dizzy or anything.

3. Luke told me yesterday, "Mom . . . I LOVE SCHOOL! Today we had Cheetos for snack." This week Luke learned to identify cylinders, spheres, cubes, cones and rectangular prisms. A couple of his older sisters couldn't identify the shapes as such, but Luke could. Watch out sisters!

4. Leah remembered which way to write her letter P on her spelling test, and she made a 100!

5. Friday the kids dressed up for spirit day at school. Since the school is small, even the elementary kids participate in school spirit stuff and pep rallies. This week the theme was "Accident Prone." My girls got really into it. They borrowed crutches, a sling and a wrist brace from my mother-in-law. The mother of one of Sarah's friends said that Sarah's fake bruises were pretty convincing. Sarah's grade won the spirit stick at the pep rally.

6. Paul continues to work hard. His employer has increased production! This is wonderful considering that in the last year half of the employees were laid off. They have also begun hiring people back. Paul also continues to play guitar everyday.

School days

I should have posted this a couple of weeks ago, but here they are now. What cute kids! They were up and ready to go bright and early. I'm still not used to getting up before 6 p.m. I was really enjoying sleeping in over the summer. Oh well, at least the sun is still shining in the early hours. I hate getting up when it is dark outside. It just seems wrong.

For the record they are: Luke, Pre-K; Leah, first; Sarah, third; Eliza, fifth.

Luke and I at his school. I will have to get pictures of his classroom. It is the coolest ever!

Gap-toothed Leah! And yes that is a potty chair that no one has used for a very long time. It was drying on the carport. It is all clean and ready to be owned by someone else:)

Sarah has this thing about wearing her hair in a ponytail with a headband. I think it is overkill, but it's her head. Whatever! Plus she's cute regardless.

This one is growing up way too fast! Are any of you other moms freaking out that their children are growing up faster than you ever imagined. Everyday Paul looks at me and says "they are getting big, aren't they?" or something to that effect. Scary! Eliza is ten. In another ten years she will be 20 (I'm good at math, see?) She could be married by then, and I could be a grandma! AHHHHHHH! Surely those thoughts cross someone else's mind too.

Here I go

I found out today that I was accepted into the online master's program through the University of Phoenix. I am relieved and anxious. It is a 23 month program and in the end I will have a master's degree in education and a K-8 teaching certificate for Arizona and Alabama. Everyone please bear with me. I'm not exactly sure what the next 23 months hold, but I am sure it will be challenging and rewarding. I am so grateful the Lord has guided me to this point. I wouldn't have imagined this a year ago, and yet here I am.

Home alone!

Yes, it finally happened. I had my first day home alone. No children. No husband. I didn't even get emotional. It was just blissfully peaceful. I listened to good music and worked around the house doing "whatever" all day. Ironing was even enjoyable for the first time. Crazy, I know. Oh, and my husband took me out for Chinese. What a sweet guy!

As for the children, they started school today. Luke is attending a Pre-K class all day, and my girls are in 1st, 3rd and 5th. Everyone had great first days. Eliza gets a locker this year and changes classes. Sarah's teacher reads Junie B. Jones every afternoon, and Leah was excited because her teacher reads Bible stories to them everyday. It delighted Leah to no end. Hurray for happy children and a great first day of school!

Summer veggies

My generous neighbor shared a little from her garden this week. She shared enough that I got to prepared these veggies for the freezer. Blog worthy? No, but they looked so yummy I had to snap a picture and share. Enjoy or ignore. Your choice.

Teeth business and the last week of summer vacation

I wasn't joking when I said Leah had more loose teeth. She lost another this week. Now she can stick her tongue out at you with her teeth clenched. Two more are loose on the bottom.

The rest of these photos are just some from our week. My children are growing up so fast.

One semester down . . . more school to come

It is true. I took my last exam today. My brain feels like mush, but I think I did well. I was told my grades will be mailed to me. I will now be applying to the Univ. of Phoenix to begin the master's in Education K-8 program. It is a 20 month program including teacher observation and student teaching. First I have to apply though, and I am putting that off until next week because . . . School starts next week!

Yes, it is true! My children begin school Monday, so I am going to devote the last few days of summer to them. Everyone will be attending school full time this year. I will have Luke in Pre-K, Leah in 1st, Sarah in 3rd, and Eliza in 5th. Scary and exciting and scary all at the same time! I obviously have mixed feeling of euphoria and guilt. My husband has promised to take me out for lunch Monday, so I hope I'm not a basket case. I keep thinking about all the tasks that I will be able to accomplish without my kids around: family history, food storage menu, file organization, writing, sewing, painting, etc. then I get overwhelmed and sad because I won't have anyone to share it all with.

I'm afraid I'm not going to handle this well. Please pray for me!

Summer 2009

The frequency of my posts has been pathetic this summer. With school beginning again in a week, (I know crazy how time flies, right?) I thought I ought to share something from our busy summer months. Here it is:

Check this out. Blueberries. These are from a plant in my own backyard. I originally planted 3 blueberry bushes, but the last several summers have been very dry and this is the only one that survived. These are the first berries we've eaten. Yum!

Eliza and Ezra, my nephew. So cute! He loved Eliza.

Sarah had fun climbing trees after a hike with the family in NC. We had so much fun hanging out with family this summer!

Leah and Luke were modeling this day for me. I love the hat especially.

Paul is jamming out at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in this picture. He and a bunch of friends played for the company picnic. I will try to upload the video so you can hear him singing and playing. He did amazing! My husband ROCKS!

While I went to Girl's Camp, my mom and sister took care of my children for me. When I got home, we spent a day having fun together. Here we are in the house we built at the hands on museum.

Leah has had a very fruitful summer. She started the summer with one missing tooth and has lost 2 more. Cha-ching! That totals three missing on the top. She another loose on the top and two more loose on the bottom. You'd think she was having a difficult time eating, but she isn't. Where there is a will. There is a way.

This photo is of the climbing wall at Girl's Camp. I very nervously climbed to the first platform. No big deal for those of you with no fear of heights, but a big accomplishment for me!

My siblings and I at a lake in NC. Don't ask me which lake. My memory isn't that great anymore. I'm so glad we didn't kill each other as children. I love you all so much!

Lastly, my sweetheart and I at the Mint Museum. We went on a double date with my brother Mike and his wife, Erin. How cool to have a picture of my husband and I together. It is a very rare thing to find. Thanks Mike!

Grateful

I am grateful for many things, but tonight I am especially grateful for dollar movies, popcorn, bite size candy bars and chocolate chip cookies.

Paul is off playing guitar with friends, and Eliza and Sarah are spending the night with their cousins. Sleepovers are a very rare thing around here, so this is especially exciting for my girls. It also means that it is especially difficult for the younger siblings. So to appease Luke and Leah I resorted to the above mentioned goodies. I even let them pick out their own movie. That is also a very rare thing around here. After renting the movies we came home, made the popcorn, turned off all the lights and watched Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit until way passed their bedtime.

We (mostly I) decided one movie was enough for tonight, so we are going to watch Bee Movie as soon as we wake up in the morning. We will have to make some special letter B and actual bee shaped pancakes to celebrate our morning movie madness.

Preschool

My mom came for a visit and shared these photos with me. The first is one of my childhood homes. My family lived here when I was born, and we didn't move until I was in the middle of first grade. I have so many fond memories of sneaking down the staircase when I was supposed to be in bed, riding Tonka trunks down the drive, stepping on a nail in the old silo pit, sliding down sand piles (a gravel pit was located a ways behind our home), and sliding in snow too.

I was especially happy to see this little red school house standing though. This is where I went to preschool. I remember playing Farmer in the Dell, playing musical chairs and singing "I Know an Old Lady." So Fun! I'm so glad I have decided to become a teacher so I can go back to school.

Help!

Our little preschool did not get receive the grant we were hoping for, so I will not be employed full time this fall. What will I do? I'm not sure. I'm reconsidering my options. I'd love to hear what you, my dear and devoted (if you are still checking my blog after I haven't posted for so long) friends and family, think.

Option 1: Keep going to school part-time.

Option 2: Go to school part-time & teach part-time for minimum wage.

Option 3: Go to school full-time.

Option 4: Substitute teach at the "big" school.

Option 5: Pursue none of the above and maintain my stay at home mom status with no children at home during the school day.

I'm not sure which is scariest to me? They are all freaking me out!

Quick note

Real quick  (I'm supposed to be studying) . . . 

Here are some photos of Eliza as the catcher. She found her new calling when her team's normal catcher didn't show up one game. She did great and has played in the position every game since.

In fairness, I should also share that Sarah has found a new position as well. Her coach has moved her to first base. I don't have any pictures to share though. Sorry Sarah.

Also . . .

1. I am finally caught up on my math for the first time this week. Hooray!

2. After promising to support me, my children are already rebelling and wishing mommy wasn't in school again.

3. Our great grandma Hazel is going to live in the nursing home come Monday morning. Sad, but very necessary. Eighty-nine-year-old great grandpa is even in agreement which says a lot about how bad the situation is.

4. I have the best husband in the world. He is really picking up my slack around the house.

5. Girl's Camp is next week, and my parents are coming from NC to care for my children while I'm gone. They ROCK!

6. What about my school work you may ask? Hmm. I still haven't figured that out entirely.