Still here…

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So much has been happening lately and I’ve had every intention of posting pictures and thoughts about each activity…but haven’t slowed down much to actually make that a reality.  Instead of letting another day go by without at least recording the events for me to think back on someday, I decided to take 5 minutes and jot them down here.  Even a bulleted list is better than nothing, right?!

(Of course I have a few pictures of some of these things, and I really want to post them…I’ll try to add them sometime soon!)

  • January/February is coaching season for Hubs and this year, we’ve appointed the kids as managers.  So they’ve helped give water to the girls as needed, clean up the empty cups, put basketballs away and generally cheer on the 8th graders as they play hard!  It’s been fun and adorable watching them, and they’ve both picked up some basketball skills along the way too! :)
  • Buddy and I scored some last-minute tix to the Mother-Son Activity Night and we sure had a great time!  It was such a good reminder to take time just one-on-one with the kids!
  • We participated in our first ever Awana Grand Prix and learned that we’ll need to spend a little more time on the design and construction of the car than we did this year.  It was a good experience though!  Despite the reminders that it wasn’t about winning, there were still tears when trophies were awarded and he was handed a ribbon.  Hard lesson, but hopefully one that he’ll take to heart.
  • Sis and Daddy headed to the Daddy Daughter Dance on Valentine’s Eve!  She woke up at 5am the day of the dance, which also happened to be ONE of her preschool party days!  She wore the special dress to school and kept it spotless, so she could wear it for her big date that evening!  Hubs said she was a riot and that she didn’t stop dancing or smiling all the entire time they were there!
  • Valentine’s Parties!!  I used the new Silhouette Cameo I bought with a friend to cut some super cute cards!  We’ve been crafting up a storm with this thing!
  • Kids spent last weekend with Aunt Julie and got to see a few cousins, go swimming and generally get spoiled by treats, movies and later bedtimes.  They’re already asking when they can go back again!  We were able to enjoy a dinner out and then I took pictures at the Winterfest game, which was a lot of fun (and still on my list of projects to finish!).
  • For the first time since I can recall we actually had President’s Day off from school – no Professional Development or anything!  So we picked up kids from Julie then headed to Grandma and Grandpa’s house for dinner.  Afterwards, we all went into Aunt Cheri’s house and found GGMA and GGPA there as well as Aunt Meri and Uncle Jeff!  It was a regular Bigg Small Group! :)  We had a great time and spent the night with Mom and Dad before heading home the next afternoon.
  • We nearly escaped February without sick kiddos, but this past week, Sis woke up with a fever and a sore throat.  It kept her pretty much out of commission from Wednesday until today.  She still has a sore throat, but there wasn’t anything the doctor’s could find to treat, so we’re just hoping that she’ll continue to stay fever free (and that others in the house won’t catch whatever it was!).
  • This week we have a couple more basketball games, Awana, and Sis is starting gymnastics.  Then, a few family members are headed northward to celebrate Great Papa’s 90th birthday party, while one of us heads westward to photograph a wedding!

{Four Years and} Six Months Later

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Having resurrected this here blog over our holiday break, I began looking back through some draft posts that never quite made it through to publication.  I found this one, written in February of 2009 and I thought it was just begging to be published.  Ironically, one of the milestones I mention, is about to happen in the fall!

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Despite the waning frequency with which I’m sharing the ups and downs around our household, things really are happening!  I can scarcely believe that it’s already been an entire six months since my precious girl arrived!  All too often I focus on the stress, the crammed schedule, the piles of work (house and school) that remain untouched.

But today -  when I heard her waking earlier than usual, my arms ached to hold her.  Sitting there, in the dark of the morning, I smiled thinking back on the excitement that the day had arrived when my water broke – also before dawn.

Holding my sweet, sweet angel and feeling her contentment was an blessed way to begin my day.  I pray for the clarity to see these moments more often, and to cherish them, for if this half-year has passed so quickly, I can only imagine how soon it will seem that she’s starting school and then requesting the keys.

Quote of the Day ~ January 28th

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Just after breakfast, C offered up this little quote of the day.  I asked him to write it down so I wouldn’t forget it (there have been a few that I should have posted, but promptly forgot them as they were said en route to school or something).

Here’s a direct rendering of what he wrote!

SnowDayQuote

With this crazy weather we’ve been having – mid-60s one day and mid-teens the next, it’s been hard to predict whether or not we’d actually get a snow day this year.  As I zonked out last night, bleary-eyed from the incessant grading of papers and projects just submitted last week I offered up a silent prayer that we would, in fact, have the day off.

The anticipation was enough to wake me earlier than usual.  Ironic, I know.  As we watched the list grow, we saw our district name appear.  And then, we noticed the “Open” next to it, when all the other district names said “CLOSED.”  A quick screenshot captured the moment as we laughed at how cruel that would be.  Thankfully, it changed to match the others and I offered a sigh of thanks.

I wish I could say I’m completely done grading, but I’m not.  I am much closer and I think the kids enjoyed time drawing, reading, wrestling and making mud pies and secret concoctions out in the rainy wintry drizzle.

Quote of the Day ~ January 12th

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There’s something about a Saturday with no commitments that makes me smile.  A little grocery shopping, a few crafty projects, staying snug in jammies until whenever we feel like actually getting dressed – it’s absolute perfection.

While I had hoped for a little more leisure to get it started, someone else (a certain little lady) informed me she was ready for breakfast at 6:15!!  I suppose that’s technically sleeping in for me, so I can’t complain.  As we headed downstairs, I smiled in the dark at the feel of her hand squeezing mine tightly.  About half-way down, she said, “OK, Mom, so we’ve got lots of work to do today.”  Of course, she’s right and we did get lots of little crafty stuff done.

After finishing little pesky sewing projects – nothing fancy, we’re talking AWANA patches and rough-looking tooth fairy pillows – we started a little Valentine’s Day project, ate lunch and then headed out for a hike because it was nearly 60 degrees yesterday!  In January.  In Michigan.

Before we left, Sis ran and scribbled a bunch of circles onto a couple papers.  She was intent on bringing them with us.  When we arrived at the trail, she broke them out because they were our maps – of course!

We started strong – running, excited and ready for adventure.  About .5 miles into the 2.5 mile course, we stopped for a quick photo op of the the kiddos and Dad!  (Look closely and you’ll see her map peeking out from behind buddy!).

photo 1

We saw all sorts of cool rocks, tracks, and just had a great time being outside and together.  There was very little complaining about the walk, but G and I had to manufacture a few races here and there in order to keep the pace moving along.  When we neared the end, the map came out again and I told Sis just how proud I was of her for thinking of that and bringing it along.  She responded with our quote of the day -

ThinkersQuote

And since I rarely stop to actually get IN a picture, I decided that today was as good a time as any to actually be on the other side of the camera phone.  As much as the unseasonable warmth was enjoyable yesterday, I’m also love the big fat flakes I see falling just beyond my picture window as I type.

photo 2

Quote of the Day ~ January 9th

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On our way home from AWANA tonight, we were chatting about what the kids learned.  Sis was sharing her “God loves you” hearts with everyone in the van, and Buddy chimed in with this little gem.

MartiansQuote

It was the perfect way to belly laugh our way out of a long day of meetings and appointments, commitments and a few “grumpy bumpys” that tried to take hold.

So thankful for the little slices of humor God allows to squeeze into our days!