Out of the house finally!

YEAH - I was sooooooooooooo ready to come in to work today. 2 days in the house with both kids and the hubby is plenty! I love the fact that I have the flexibility and can work from home when able, but it's also nice to get out of the house and come to work - especially on Fridays - no students, just me and the MPS player blasting! :-)

As you saw in yesterdays post, the girls have been enjoying the snow at home - they got their Dad to take them to the park in Albany yesterday for a little sledding. Today, they are supposed to go to the reservoir for some sledding - pray for no broken bones and that nothing gets twisted!

David was supposed to go back to the Dr Wednesday to get his stitches out and hopefully, get released to go back to work - but, the snow closed the Dr's office. So, now he doesn't go back until next Tuesday - he's itching to get back to work too.

Isn't it weird how we complain about going to work everyday, but then give us a few days off and we are ready to go back?? Well, some us anyway. :-)

Snow Days

The last 2 days have been snow days at the Silvers' home. The girls have been home from school and so have I. The school I work for doesn't have students on Wednesdays, so there was no reason for me to get out in all the lovely snow, so I had a home office day. Then today, my school was closed as well - so I had another home office day. The nice thing about my job is that I have the ability to work from home...but I must admit...I'm looking forward to actually going IN to work tomorrow...and to the kids going back to school (hopefully)!

The girls have definately made the most of the snow and enjoyed the time off. Here are some pics of the last couple of days:

Pictures

I had the day off work today and the girls had the day off school, so I thought I'd take them to get their pictures taken. I've been wanting to do this for awhile now, just could never really find a good time. I scheduled an appointment at JCPenney - we hadn't been there since Abby was like 2 or 3 and a co-worker recently had her little one done there and they were really good - so I thought I'd give them a try again (we normally go to Sears).

First of all, I felt more like an interruption than a customer. On top of the stress already associated with getting pictures taken - I'm a tad-bit of a perfectionist when it comes to things like pictures being taken - so I want the outfit, hair, everything just right. The photographer did some really cute poses with the girls, but she didn't pay much attention to their clothes or hair.

Secondly, after the session was over, it took FOREVER to get the pictures loaded on the computer to see them...while the other employee conveniently took her break and left the one employee to cover 2 customers plus the phone. Once she got them loaded and we were able to view them, she kinda left us on our own - which is good, until you get to the point that you are done or need help and no one is around. While she got some really cute poses, remember, I said she didn't may much attention to their clothes or hair - the good shots all had either something wrong with a piece of clothing or someone's hair over their eye or in their face.

So, after the "non-service" and none of the pictures really satisfying us...we left without purchasing anything....and went to Sears! What should have been an hour experience turned into almost 3 hours...but we got some really good pictures and I, once again, learned that I should just trust my gut on some things and go with what I know!

After today's experience, I think I'll wait awhile before we tackle a new family photo - but you can bet, I'll be making that appointment at Sears...not JC Penney!

MC Guard Pictures

Abby with their 3rd place trophy

Abby and Emily stretching in "staging"

Abby and Emily in full makeup being their usual silly selves!

"Homeroom" - just one word of caution - no lighters or any other kind of flames allowed...seriously - the room would ignite in an instant with all the hairspray! LOL

New Adventure part 2

Well, the first guard competition of the year is over and we all survived...and they placed 3rd. I was really impressed with all of the girls. It also brought back a lot of good memories...especially the smell of hairspray...I didn't know they still sold Aquanet! LOL

Here are a few pictures:
Well - my internet connection isn't cooperating at the moment, so I'll have to try the pictures another time. It keeps timing out and reloading. Sorry!

I finally flew solo in the 2-3 year old classroom at church today. I was supposed to do this 2 weeks ago - and I ended up sick, then last Sunday, we didn't make it due to the ice and weather. Of course, I had some helpers too - thanks to Melissa and Abby for the extra hands. I always freak out and get all stressed out before things like this, but once I get started...it all seems to come together. The only bad part is I hear Pastor Pink delivered a great service today - guess I'll have to get the dvd! That is one of the area's I always struggle with when it comes to helping out during service - I don't like missing service or worship. Haven't decided yet whether I'm going to commit to anymore "teaching"...we'll have to pray on that one and see where God leads me.

Glad to hear that the mission team has landed safely in Jamaica. I hope you'll join me in praying for them.

New Experience

Tomorrow, Abby will be experience a first and I will visit a memory from 8th grade - now that was a looooooong time ago!! Abby will be participating in her first guard competition with the rest of the MC Winter Guard and I am going along as a helper/chaperone. I participated in guard in the 8th grade and planned to continue on in high school - but back then, they made us choose between band and choir - and you had to be in band to be in the guard. Well, I had been in choir since elementary and had one goal when it came to high school and choir - make Swing Choir. We had 3 choirs in high school and you had to try out for all of them. Typically, you moved up the ranks and if you were serious about choir - you wanted to be in Swing Choir. Our music shows were full-out musicals almost, props, lights, dances - we didn't just stand there and sing. And we had a pretty good reputation and did well at contests. So, long story short - 8th grade was my only year in guard because there was no way I was dropping choir in high school.

I'm looking forward to the contest tomorrow. I'm hoping it gives Abby a better picture of what it's all about. Right now, she's kind of "unimpressed"....along with tired and stressed out with school, guard, and basketball. She committed to finishing out the committment she's made - but next year, she says that if she makes the basketball team - she won't take on guard as well. I can respect her decision and I'm proud of her knowing her limits and taking responsibility...but, secretly, I hope guard wins out. I'll support whatever she decides to do...and who knows - she's 14, she could change her mind multiple times between now and next year!

I've got my assignment as a helper - a box with my name on it that I take on and take off the floor once the tarp goes down. I've got my mp3 player loaded with music for the bus ride and I've got my bag-o-snacks...I think I'm ready!

Wish the MC Guard luck - I'll try to Twitter a few updates throughout the day.

Thoughts

It's COLD and I hate winter!

Wonder if the basketball games for tonight will be cancelled? (secretly, I'm hoping they are)

I love Wednesdays at work - no students - just me and a teacher or two (if they decide to come in as opposed to work from home).

Have I mentioned - I LOVE my job!

Lots to do today - shouldn't be bloggin right now...but it won't take too long. :-)

I'm excited about Saturday - I'm going with the MC Guard to their first competition of the season. Got my assignment and ready to cheer them on.

David has his carpal tunnel surgery tomorrow - hope and pray everything goes okay and that this will help alleviate the pain in his right arm.

Wish I was someplace warm and sunny!

Need to turn on the radio to listen for possible school announcements.

Praying that the Jamaica team has safe travel and are able to touch many lives on their trip.

Looking forward to getting back in to the groove of small group next week.

Gotta get off here and get back to work...thoughts are now of the work I should be doing! :-)

Work on Saturday

No, I don't normally work on the weekends - seeing as how I work at a school, it's typically only Monday - Friday. But, today, we had a VIP visiting our school - the President of K12, Inc. - which is our parent company and backer for Hoosier Academy. He came in yesterday from Virginia and spent some time at the Indy campus yesterday and then with us today. Nice man - great vision for education. I'm glad that I'm part of that vision.

Didn't know if I was going to make it here this morning though - just about didn't make it out of the neighborhood with the ice covered streets. Pulled out of the garage and down the drive way to the street to just sit there and spin my tires. Finally got some traction and realized that the direction I was headed entailed going "up hill" before getting out of the neighborhood. so I turned around and headed out of the neighborhood the other direction. The main road wasn't too bad. I had to take Abby to the school for guard practice before heading to Muncie - went totally out of my way, but I wasn't chancing the county roads.

Well, visitors are gone, so we are headed for some lunch then back home. Hope we don't get any more rain/ice mixture.

Multiple Blessings

I've been reading a book I requested and received for Christmas, "Multiple Blessings, Surviving to Thriving the Twins to Sextuplets" written by Jon & Kate Gosselin from the Jon & Kate Plus 8 tv show. Now, first of all - I DO NOT VOLUNTARILY READ! I've always hated reading and have never been able to get in to just leisurely or voluntarily reading a book. When I start reading, I can't concentrate or absorb what I'm reading because my mind wanders and starts thinking of everything else I should be doing. So, the fact that I even requested the book is a miricle in itself! But, I'd heard a lot about it and how Kate writes a lot about her faith in God during their pregnancy with the sextuplets and beyond. I deperately want to develop a deeper relationship with God and trust in my faith, so, I thought this would be a good place to start. Plus, I watch the show regularly and think they are great people and marvel at what they do.

Each time I pick up the book to begin reading, I have to make myself stop. Sunday, I almost finished it (I have 1 chapter plus some of Kate's journal entries to finish). I made myself stop because I needed to get off the couch and take care of a couple things. This couple are amazing! Within 5 years, they had 10 children - first twins, then sextuplets. Jon lost his job TWICE and was unemployed from pretty much the onset of her pregnancy with the sextuplets...and Kate's faith in God is unbelievable! Can you imagine being an unemployed father of twins, your wife is pregnant an on bed-rest with sextuplets and you literally have no income coming in?? There were so many obstacles they faced and so many chances to question why...but they never did...and still don't.

I would highly recommend the book to anyone struggling with their faith in God or wanting to strengthen your faith. It's definately been a good place to start for me and I'm actually looking forward to finding my next reading assignment in this same venue. Any suggestions??

Happy New Year!

Here, we are already - 2 days in to 2009. I never believed anyone when I was younger when they would talk about how fast time goes by...I do now that I'm living it. Just have kids, time will absolutely FLY by! Just doesn't seem possible that I'm 40, have been married for 15 years, and have 14 and 11 year old daughters.

We spent New Years Eve at the Roberts' with the Bickfords' and had a great time playing games, eating, playing the Wii, eating, talking, eating, and did I mention...eating?? Haven't been up that late in a LONG time...didn't get home til 2:30, but it was a lot of fun and THANKS Roberts' family for opening up your home to us once again. Looking forward to the 3rd annual New Years Eve gathering!!

New Years Day was spent taking down all the Christmas decorations and getting the house back to "normal". Also spent about 4 hours cleaning out Holly's room and came out with 3 totes of Goodwill donations, 2 more totes of outgrown/not wanted clothing, and 2 totes of trash (which includes broken stuff and stuff just not worth giving away). She has the smallest room of the 3 and I truley believe, the most stuff in it! It's refreshing to walk in to her room now and actually see the floor and have room to move around. We'll see just how long it lasts! :-)

Just 2 more days till the crazy, busy schedule commences once again. I work for a charter school in Muncie, so I've been off most of the past 2 weeks along with the girls. It's been so nice not having something going on every single night. That will soon come to an end though...back to work, back to school, back to basketball practices and/or games just about every night...if not basketball, then guard, girl scouts, pto, smallgroup...always something. Eventhough it gets a little overwhelming at times, I'm glad that the girls are active and that we all have the opportunties that we have. God puts us where he wants us for his purpose and we just have to trust in his plan.

Happy New Year everyone - I pray that we all grow closer in our relationship with God and have an awesome 2009.