conferences

First night of conferences.
Went well until the last one.
Why do people have to act so
ugly sometimes?  I'm an adult.
I'm sitting right there.  I speak
English.  I know what you're saying
about me to these parents.  Grr...
So frustrating sometimes. 
You big BULLY!

(This is the conversation I would 
like to have with a certain someone.)
But, I challenged my youth group
yesterday to pray for the "ugly" 
people in their lives.  Not ugly, as in 
appearance.  Just ugly as in how they 
act or treat you.  (Jeremiah 29: 1-14)
Hmmm.. maybe I should take my own 
advice.  Seems better than the rant 
I would like to go on with this 
particular person.
I must go.  Pray. Love. (and maybe
eat some chocolate...) 


p.s.  Gracie did a few cheers with her friends, Sophie and
Victoria, today at recess.  They were super cute.  I think they
might have a chance at making the team in HS!  Cute!

Mini-Vacay

The Childs family were in need of a vacation.

Should they go to Disney World?
No.  Too expensive.  Not enough days off.
Although I'm sure Mickey and Belle would
have done just fine in Chad and Jody's job
positions...


Should they go to Omaha to visit family?
No.  Again, not enough days off.  And they're
headed there next month.

"Where should we go?"  they thought.
How about somewhere local?
Once Jody found out about "free day" at
some local museums, and Chad booked 
a room at a local hotel... they were set.
A mini-vacation just with the fam.

Exploration Place summed up in 
5 words:  free (on Saturday, with a coupon
from the internet), castle, train track,
pilot, and water.

Gracie mostly liked riding on the play equipment

cute decorations

snack time!

Pilot Chad

veggie stand

tornado (above photo)

Trey as receptionist for pet doctor

Vet Gracie

The train that Jada hid from Trey

She feels safe enough to leave the train set
now that her train is safely hidden.











Local hotel: restaurant eating, swimming, 
board games, popcorn, SNL

Two of her fav things: popcorn,
and a good book

Grapes!

Things that make you go hmm...

Things that make me go hmm...
1.  The fact that some second graders know the "s" word.
And that they make up stories about this kid having "s" with this kid.  Gross.  AND inappropriate.  

2.  Why is my son having screaming fits in the middle of his nap, or in the middle of the night? Is he getting sick?  sucky.

3. Why are my kids growing up so fast?  Stop it right now!

4.  How am I so lucky so have such a good class this year?  

5.  Why doesn't money grow on trees?  Then my kids could be in gymnastics, ballet, have new clothes for Fall (!), supper...

6.  Today is the last day of summer.  What was it that I didn't do this summer that I could do for the last few hours of Summer?

7.    Bed bugs are the rise.  If we go to a hotel this coming weekend for a short get-away... are we going to bring bed bugs home?  That's sick man, that's sick.

8.  Should I ask for gift certificates to Bed, Bath, and Beyond, or just save up money, for Christmas?

What makes you go hmm...?

Weepy

God sent my angel to school today.
He knew I needed someone to listen.
She did.
And she saw me completely broken.
The kids looked at my red eyes a little longer than normal.  
They knew.
But, I didn't care.
Thank you for listening, Mom.

Kansas State Fair

The Kansas State Fair.

 Yummy.

 Filthy.

Rides.

People.

Sweat.

Hand sanitizer.

Animals.

Water.

  We LOVE anything that is free at the state fair!    

This is pretty much the only thing

we like about K-State:

the vet building where the baby animals are born!

We let the girls pick two rides each.

Jada picked the Carousel;

 Gracie picked this large maze

type thing with a long slide

at the end;

Jada also picked the teacups;

And Gracie also picked the 

big, yellow slide!

We ended our time with the sprinkler park.  

Whoever thought to put a sprinkler park at 

the state fair for extremely hot days 

like today is a genius!

After a supper an Anchor Room, 

two of our children fell asleep on the

way home.  They were put

in bed, and about an hour 

later the third went to bed, too.

We are sunburned, dirty,

and happy!

  

It's Monday Night

Are you ready for some

FOOTBALL!!! 

I Need...

I'm needy lately.
I sit and think about all the things I need.
Why am I not content?
Doesn't God want me to be content with the things I have, and what I am blessed with in my life?

I would love to be content.
Yet, I need.
I need:
*to lose 20 pounds
*gain better control of my temper when the house is a mess
*a new mattress
*to call my grandma who just had another stint put in her heart.
*to have a better attitude about my husband's work
*to make time for one-on-one time with each of my kids
*to have a better chocolate stash at work
*Bangkok spring rolls from our favorite Thai place
*a date night with Chad
*this eczema attack to go away


See what I mean?  This is the short list.
Hmmm... guess I can just work on them one by one.
I think I'll start with... the spring rolls and a phone call!

These look very pretty- which is why I chose the picture.

But, they don't look as tasty as the ones we 

get at Bangkok Thai restaurant!

What could be better...

...than NEW PJ's!
After a brave phone call to a former student's mom asking if she'd be willing to sell me clothes that her daughter wore last year to 2nd grade... we hit the jackpot!  (Is it tacky to call someone and say, "Would you be willing to sell me clothes your daughter is too small to wear now?"  ?!?!?- I don't care if it is.  She was willing AND she made $30 that day!  Wohoo!).  

What, you might ask, is considered hitting the "jackpot" when it comes to pajamas?  Well, in Gracie's mind, it's anything High School Musical.  And there was one pair of pajamas in the mix that were just that.

Then, today at Wal-Mart, we found Jada and Trey some new ones.  I like to bargain shop, and when I saw these two pair for $5 each- well, I thought that I  had hit the jackpot!

One of a Kind

 Not Even Tired- with an alligator skateboarding

(He's saying, "Choo, choo!" while pushing his train.)

Speaking of that Wal-Mart trip- we also got Trey that KU hat he's wearing, and a baseball helmet.  Could be the age he is, or just that he's spoiled rotten... but we don't just go and decide to buy things like that for the girls.  They have to earn it somehow, have a birthday or Christmas, or change out candy at Valentine's day.  Does anyone else do this for their youngest ones?  I guess once he learns to ask for e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g that is on his "must-have" list, we can spoil him a little.  Besides, he's the only boy. It's not like we've stocked up on boy stuff, like we did for Jada.  (Poor middle child.)

 

preschooler

Here's our little preschooler! 

 Gracie is making a "P" for preschool with her hands.  She was so proud of Jada this morning.

Jada was so excited at open house that she said, "Bye mom!" when we pulled into the parking lot.  Then, the first day of school we pulled up in the parking lot, she got out and again said, "Bye mom!"  BUT, she was not fooling me.  I could tell Jada was nervous.  We got there early enough that when I left she'd have to wait about 10 minutes before Ms. Mari would actually start the class with circle time.  10 minutes can be a looong time when you don't know anyone else in the room.  So, I stayed and watched her play for a minute or two, but then had to leave- I had someone covering my class for just a few more minutes.  Of course she had more than a couple of goodbyes for me before I left.  I was so proud of her.  She seemed so mature about it.  I'm glad we waited a year to send her to preschool.  This time last year she was still attached to my hip.  
However, with all the smiles and cheerful goodbyes, we still heard at supper time that she DIDN'T have a good time at preschool.  The reason?  A boy stepped on her backpack, and she was mad about that.  We'll see if she goes back on Monday...

slow down

Dear Sweet Children of Mine,
Slow down!  You're growing way too fast!  We are seeing such changes in all of you lately.  
Gracie, you're 7, and have such a fun personality.  You and I giggled hard last night about something funny in a book- I love that you understand that kind of humor!  You and Daddy went on a bike ride together tonight- your first bike ride around the block!  You came back with the biggest smile and told me all about it!  Very exciting!  I love that you are independent, but that you still want me to read to you at bedtime.  A change I've seen in you lately is that you do NOT like it when I "embarrass" you in front of your friends.  You even told some friends the other day you wanted to prove me wrong!  Gracie!  You're only 7- isn't that supposed to happen later?  Like, in 5 years or so?

Jada, you're 4, and you're starting preschool tomorrow!  We have your outfit all picked out hanging on your bed. I'm sure tomorrow's post will be a picture with you and your big girl backpack at school! Trey, you, and I drew pictures with chalk on the driveway tonight.  Here's your butterfly:

  You also went on a "bike ride" with Daddy, only you decided to ride your scooter, then you decided to run alongside him instead.  You're quite the runner!  You love to have us read books to you at bedtime, and you are sure to give us plenty of hugs and kisses before we leave.  A change in you I've seen is that you don't seem "babyish" to me anymore.  What happened to my little Jada!!??

Trey, you're 17 months this Friday, and you're pretty onery.  But, you're also a very sweet boy.  You like to wear caps, but the ones you own right now are too small.  It doesn't stop you from finding them and putting them on.  You also like when we (Daddy and I) wear a hat.  I had to take you to the doctor today to see if you had an ear infection.  Luckily you didn't... but, we now know that you say the word, "Owie."  You also did sidewalk chalk with me tonight and you dribbled a basketball for a while. 

A change I've seen in you, Trey, is that you're saying lots and lots of words now.  You understand so much.  You're so smart!

Kids, you know that you have a silly daddy.  He isn't your typical daddy sometimes.  When you tell him you don't think he can do something- he tries to prove you wrong.  Like tonight, when you, Gracie, told him he can't climb a tree.  Well... he proved you wrong.

 Your Daddy works VERY hard at his job at Bethel, and we don't get to see him much right now because he's so busy getting to know the students.  But, his favorite part of the day is when he gets to come home and spend time with his family.

And I, your mommy, love you very much as well.  I teach second graders all day long, and I love it.  But, I don't get to have that much time with you either- just the evenings and bedtime.  So I like to do things like this with you:

And just because you would "get mad" at me if I didn't wear it- here's a picture to prove how spoiled you are, Trey Hawk.

G

God gave us three wonderful kids.  Please remember to thank Him daily for all the blessings He gives you. 

Love,
Mommy