One missing

Holly that is...she's away at basketball camp up at Taylor University this week. We go back to pick her up on Friday....which means another stop at Ivanhoes...yumm! We went early yesterday to make a stop at Ivanhoes for Father's Day dinner...and ice cream of course!

This is her 2nd year at Taylor camp - when we picked her up last year she said she was NEVER coming back...it was too much basketball! Amazing how a little time can change things! She even wants to run cross country this year to get into better condition for basketball...all this from a girl who hated soccer because you had to run too much! LOL

David went up to today to have lunch with her and the MC group - there are 5 other 5th grade...oops, I mean 6th grade now...girls there too. I think Abby and I might go up Wednesday and have lunch with them (hmmm, that would mean yet ANOTHER stop at Ivanhoes...I'm gonna need a few extra workouts this week!) That strawberry shortcake everyone was getting on Sunday sure looked good!!

Poor Mr. Kit-Kat misses his play-buddy already...or maybe I should say pest-buddy (but he doesn't seem to mind it). She's usually the one carrying him around the house or chasing him around the house. Maybe he can catch up on some uninterrupted sleep this week in preparation for Holly's return this weekend.

Geek Squad needed

Anyone know how to get the Reactions section at the bottom of my posts off? I can't remember how I put it there and I can't find where to remove it.

WEEDS!

Are a pain in my back, my arms, and the back of my thighs! My Girl Scout Troop finally got started on their Silver Award project today...re-doing the over-grown, weed-infested Alphabet Garden located on the k/1/2 playground at MCE. We spent about 2 and 1/2 hours today pulling and digging up weeds and only got about 1/4 of the way done. Of course, we were spending more time on this area, as it will be the area we re-plant. The remaining 3/4 we will just tear out and MC will flatten out. It really is a good project for their Silver Award - which is the second highest award a Girl Scout can earn. Not only does it meet all the "requirements", it's pretty cool to save something that Girl Scouts originally started - although, we aren't quite sure who - we have some research to do on that. The entire project has to be 40 hours, which can be broken down to no more than 10 hours in planning and the remaining 30 in actual "doing"...with the shape of the current "garden" (and I use that word very loosely!), I don't think we'll have any problems meeting those requirements! There's definately room to work some gardening in to the summer workout routine! We are schedule to return this Saturday for some more pullin and diggin.

I'm really proud of this group of girls. First of all, they are offically "freshmen" now...and being a Girl Scout through junior high isn't exactly "cool", but they have stuck with it and have been determined to earn this award. It hasn't been easy either. Trying to schedule meetings and outings around 5 junior high schedules has presented LOTS of challenges. We haven't really met all that much this past year because of that, but when we have met, they've been focused and gotten things done.

It will be interesting to see who continues on. There are several more awards they can earn. Most in the area of leadership. The highest is the Gold Award - which is the Girl Scout equivelant to the Boy Scout Eagle. I would love to see all of them earn their Gold Award. Not just for the award itself, but for the character building and leadership skills they gain along the way, and for the discovery of themselves that Girl Scouts allows.

It's been awhile...

Wow - has it ever! So what's been going on since April you ask...LIFE! Nothing major, just every day life with 2 working parents, a teen and a pre-teen daughter. So, get ready for a pretty random post...

Of course, we transitioned from basketball to softball, started conditioning for volleyball, ALMOST finished another school year (2.5 days left)...and in about another week or so, will include basketball once again for one. Seems like our lives pretty much revolve around what sport our daughters are playing...and it pretty much does! 4 softball teams between 2 daughters keeps us hopping from ball diamond to ball diamond...well it does for the husband anyway. I don't have to see every game. I'm okay to sit out a few, but not him. But, that's good - it's something he shares with the girls.

I'm kinda anxious about the summer and don't really know what to expect. With my job (working for a charter school), school is out, but I'm a year-round employee. Not quite sure what that means still...have to work out that schedule with the bosses...thankful that "working from home" is an option I an enjoy. Don't really have a lot going on this summer, but there are several things on the horizon for fall that we need to financially plan for - so the summer can't really be too extravegant. Was hoping to make a trip to Gatlinburg or Wisconsin Dells...but not sure the budget can afford much more than maybe a long weekend at Indiana Beach or Kings Island.

I am excited about a couple of things this summer. One is a new Bible study group I joined with some ladies from FFC. We are studying the book of Esther with It's Touch Being A Woman by Beth Moore. It looks really fascinating and I'm anxious to get to know the ladies involved better and have some fun expanding my Bible knowledge...which REALLY needs expanding! The other is my Girl Scout troop FINALLY getting started (and hopefully finishing) their Silver Award project. We will be re-doing the Alphabet Garden at MCE...which is basically an overgrown weed patch right now. It will look A LOT different when we are finished and have a new name. The only thing I'm NOT looking forward to is the whining :-) and trying to schedule 5 freshman girls to be in one place at the same time!

WOW - did I just say "freshman" girls?? I can't believe my oldest will be a freshman in 2.5 days. Next she'll be driving, then graduating, then college...okay, I have to stop or I'll start crying.

An Eeyore day...

Today is what I would call an Eeyore day...rainy and glummy outside - kinda reminds me of Eeyore. Top that off with the fact that I am at work and the security company is here working on the fire alarm...setting it off over and over and over...an over! I hope there isn't a real fire today...I'd never know it! LOL

But, the day will get better...regardless of the weather outside. Both kids are going to birthday sleepovers tonight and my husband is taking me out for my birthday. Haven't made up my mind on where yet - but I'm thinking Amazing Joe's - haven't been there yet.

Got a lot of "stuff" spinning around in my head today...so it's kinda hard to write this blog - can't seem to concentrate on any one thing for long...so, guess I'll just go with the thoughts that are popping in and out of my mind right now...

....why do people get so uptight about birthdays - it's just a number!
....I really need to get our Disney pictures put on disc and posted
....speaking of pictures, I need to send the ones we had taken of the girls over 2 months ago to the family!
....money, money, money...there is A LOT of it going OUT this month...softball, summer basketball, kings island x2
....and then there is still Abby's Wash DC trip we need to be saving for
....I would love to go back to Florida this summer
....wonder when we'll have some definate answers at work on how this fall will look
....no kids at home Saturday am - hey, I get to sleep in!!!
....oh no, the fire alarm AGAIN
....what am I going to take to Easter Dinner at Mom's Sunday
....already dreading Monday - gona be a long day in Indy (working)
....I need to get some GS troop planning done
....wish the sun was shining - even just a lil bit

See...there's a lot more floating around up there too...but I need to get back to work.

16 years ago today..

Was my wedding day- doesn't seem like it's been that long ago, especially doesn't seem like we should have a 14 and 11 year old!!

I remember lots about that day - which I find surprising because I'm not good at remembering things. I remember being extremely stressed out - mainly because I am a control freak (ha - who knew - LOL) and did just about everything myself. So of course, there was no one to blame but myself if something didn't go right. Sorry - no big story to tell of a big embarassing moment or major disaster...surprisingly, everything went well...except for the weather. I guess that was one thing I couldn't control. We had a "mini" ice storm that day and it wasn't a good day for traveling. But, as far as I can remember - everyone that mattered was there - actually, I don't recall anyone not making it.

I remember being amazingly calm, even though stressed. I wasn't nervous and had no doubts, I knew this was where I was supposed to be. And, even though there have been some bad times, I still know I'm were I'm supposed to be and with the person I'm meant to be with. God has a funny way of bringing us back to remembering that we are living out HIS plan, not ours.

I remember being surrounded by family and friends. I was recently going through wedding pictures and came accross one of me and my Dad. Of course, now that he is gone, it has so much more meaning - but it also helped me to put some things into perspective. Like - live for today, not tomorrow - be grateful for the time we have with everyone that matters in our lives - and most important - MAKE TIME for everyone that matters in our lives!

I remember having an absolute blast at our reception...and being relieved that it was all over.

I remember feeling on top of the world and feeling like the luckiest person in the world to have a husband that truely loved me for me.

I remember being full of excitement about the possibilites ahead of us!Thank you David for 16 years of wonderful memories (both the good and the bad!). Looking forward to many more years together- wherever Gods' plan may lead us. I LOVE YOU!

just an update and stuff...

Wow - didn't realize it had been so long since I last posted on here....which, by the way, is one of the reasons I hesitated to start this blog. I was afraid I would get negligent in posting to it.

Well, let's see...what have we been up to since my last post...oh yeah - we're goin to DISNEY!! :-) (insert happy dance here!) 10 days from today...we'll be southbound! Woohoo!!

Both David and I have been - as kids..and neither of us really remember much about it - except I remember that I wasn't impressed. Maybe that was due to the fact that I was there during some convention and every where we went - people spoke a foreign language...and it was so crowded. Don't get me wrong - I know it will still be crowded...but hopefully, we won't hit during a convention of foreigners! The girls are MAJOR excited, they have wanted to go to Disney since they were toddlers. I always said I wanted to take them, but wanted to wait until they were both old enough to not only enjoy it, but remember it...and oh yeah, there's that little thing about being able to afford it! (haha) **sub-thought** can anyone really ever afford Disney..or is it something you just do?

What else has been goin on? Hmmm...pretty much just every-day-normal-life...nothing major really. See...that's the other reason I hesitated to enter the blog world - my life is not interesting enough!!

I do want to give props to my pastor though...the Carpe Diem series was AWESOME! PK you ROCK! Especially the past 2 Sundays. I really wish my 14 year old daughter would have been in the sanctuary for the sermon this past Sunday...but she was in her usual location as a helper in the 2-3 yr old room. I did, however, order a copy of the DVD and have told her that we will be watching it when we get it...it was a very powerful message for a teenage girl to hear - as well as for us adults. David and I have had a rough past 6 months marriage wise and Sunday's sermon really got me thinking and it helped me come to the realization that I have to stop just telling myself that it's not all his fault and step up and let him know that too. I don't know why it's gotten so much harder for me to really talk to him about how I'm feeling than it used to be. You'd think it would get easier. I also have to remind myself to make the WISE decision when it comes to letting the little things get in the way or to escalate into an explosion, it's just not worth it!

Well, time to get some work done...til next time...c ya!