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Nice Weekend so Far!

2010-10-02T16:30:00.004-05:00

Our weekend started a little bit early because Matthew & Jacob were both off from school yesterday, and I took the day off from work to spend the day with them. Unfortunately, Rob wasn't off work...but we made the best of it anyway! We slept in...which is always nice! Then we went to Barnes & Noble for hot cocoa and to look at books. We then picked up McAlister's Deli for lunch and headed to the park. We spent a good part of the afternoon there...it was gorgeous outside. Nice day.

This morning, Jacob had another flag football game. This was the first Saturday that Rob hasn't worked in probably two months and he was excited to get to go! Jacob was hot today...he scored two touchdowns and pulled three flags! He was excited. The first touchdown happened so fast I didn't even have my camera out of the bag...the second I got him from the back...you'll see him carrying the ball in the top photo...he's number 5! After the game, Rob headed out to combine beans, and I took the boys to Pioneer Orchard's fall festival. We had fun...but it really started to get cool & windy, and Matthew wasn't feeling the greatest. They made sand bottles, rode horses, went thru the hay maze, and ate. We had a fun time. We've been home now for a while...we made mini apple pizzas and the guys are now watching a Scooby Doo marathon! Fun day.

Congratulations to Stacy today...she's getting married in Louisville KY. Even though we couldn't be there today, we wish her and her husband a lifetime of happiness.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Parent/Teacher Conferences

2010-09-28T22:56:00.002-05:00

Rob & I were able to meet with both teachers this evening for Parent/Teacher Conferences. We were so happy to hear that both boys are doing great, and have adjusted quite nicely to their new schools! This is such an answer to prayer! The boys are so blessed to have two wonderful teachers that really care about their students. We couldn't have asked for a better transition.

To celebrate, we took the kids to the batting cage and they were thrilled!

Have a great Wednesday!

What a Lovely Monday...

2010-09-27T22:22:00.002-05:00

can you sense the sarcasim??

Around 11:00 am I received a call from the school nurse at West Lane Elementary. Matthew was complaining of stomach aches but he was not running a fever. I went to pick him up and as we just stepped out of the school doors, he threw up. I headed back inside to let the secretary know...she happily said..."we'll take care of it"!
After about 5 more episodes of that at home (thankfully he made it to the bathroom each time!) he felt well enough to go to Jacob's flag football practice.

When I went to pick Jacob up from school at three...he walked to the van with an ice pack held up to his mouth and he had tears in his eyes. :( He had fallen in his classroom face down on the floor...he really didn't know what happened! His sweet teacher took care of him and by the time I held him a little bit when he got home, he was fine. He wasn't going to miss flag football practice!

All is well now...both are asleep.

Jacob got his first science test back today and he didn't miss one question! He was very proud...as were we!

Parent-Teacher conferences are tomorrow night...hopefully all will go well.

All About Me by Jacob Moore

2010-09-26T20:44:00.002-05:00

Jacob will be Star of the Week this coming week at school! His teacher sent home an "all about me" page that he had to fill out. Here are his answers:

1. My favorite color is: Camoflage

2. My favorite book is: Lego Star Wars Dictionary

3. My favorite T.V. program is: Spongebob

4. My favorite sport is: Football

5. When I grow up, I want to be: a fisherman

6. I'm special because: Jesus Loves Me.

7. The place I'd most like to visit is: LegoLand

8. My favorite food is: catfish

9. One thing I really want to learn is: skateboarding

10. The best thing about me is: that I love my family

11. The people in my family are: my Dad, my Mom, my brother Matthew

12. I have a pet: named Oliver and Calli, two cats

13. My best friend is: William

14. The person I most admire is: my Dad

15. My favorite subject in school is: reading

Pics from Johnson's Shut-Ins, Labor Day 2010

2010-09-26T20:37:00.001-05:00

2010-09-20T22:04:00.003-05:00

When I picked Jacob up from school today, he was SO excited. He has his 1st science test tomorrow and he was ready to study! His test is on different habitats...the wetlands, forests, oceans & desert. We studied together and I think he'll do great! I do NOT remember taking a science test in 1st grade! Matthew is eagerly awaiting his first science test to come back from the teacher graded!

Tonight was Upward Flag Football practice for Jacob and he was supposed to wear his Jersey and boy was he ready to go! He had a BLAST...his first game is Saturday morning. His team name is the Chargers and he's number 5. He was so excited to get Albert Pujols number...and he's not even in football! In the meantime, I'll be checking in to a "football for dummies" online course! Ha Ha! I have a lot to learn...as does Rob! We were in the same boat when Matthew started soccer many years ago.

2010-09-19T22:19:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday to my brother, Paul, today! Hope you had a great day!

We started off today by going to church, and boy am I glad we did. Our pastor's message today was on grace and he gave this analogy...God's grace is like when you're sitting on the edge of the vast ocean and the waves keep rolling in...one right after the other. God's grace is like that...continuous and never-ending. Great sermon today!

After church Rob & Jacob (it was his turn today!) headed out to the farm to finish combining the corn. Matthew & I took the van...I hadn't seen the combine yet and wanted to take a few pictures. Jacob had a wonderful day...he got to play in a big corn bin...and then Rob helped him make a spear...with an actual arrowhead. He was on cloud 9 when they got home.

We ended the day with a double-header baseball game...Matthew's team won both games. Yeah!!

Catch Up!

2010-09-18T20:02:00.003-05:00

It has been SO LONG since I've posted and there is so much that I want to share, including photos! We've had a busy last month or so and I'm going to try and remember as best I can what we've been up too!

Rob: He's been so busy lately with work. Penzel has acquired several bridge jobs and each one has a specific time-line. This past week he has left home at 4:00 am and hasn't gotten home until 8:00 pm. We miss him! It's been rough on him but he never complains. He has missed going to the boys' sports practices but knows that it is only temporary. He has also started shelling corn this past week, well, this past Friday. He was off work and then had to work today. Weird! We are now combine owners! He found an awesome deal on a combine so he bought it...just needed a few touch-up things done to it and now it works GREAT. Corn prices have gone up overnight so we are thankful that God has provided this extra income for us. It will be very helpful for us over the winter when Rob isn't working as much.

Becky: Not much to say about me! I continue to work part-time @ Siemers & Pizza Pro and am completely happy with that! I stay busy with the boys' activities and helping with homework in the evening. Been spending a bit of time lately reading...just finished "Choosing to See"...a must read.

Matthew: We celebrated his 10th birthday while on vacation in Florida in July. He got BRACES in August and he just looks GREAT! His smile is really cute and he hasn't complained yet! This fall he has started soccer training again and he'll play fall baseball...his first game is tomorrow afternoon. At school he has joined the Mark Twain lunch club...he did this on his own and just told us afterward! They meet once a month over lunch and he has to read some of the nominees for the Mark Twain award. We are so proud of him that he has developed a love for reading!

Jacob: We recently celebrated Jacob's 7th birthday in September! He got a skateboard for his birthday (he has asked for one for 2 years now and we finally gave in!) and he is doing GREAT with that...helmet, knee/elbow/wrist pads are a must! No exception! He seems to have given up soccer...which is okay! He wanted to play Upward Flag Football this fall so we signed him up! He's had two practices so far and loves it...his best friend is on his team so I'm sure that helps! He loves school! One morning he was visited by the "desk fairy"...she had left him a lollipop for having a clean desk...he was thrilled!

Family Stuff: We were able to take a wonderful vacation at the end of July to Orlando, Florida. We had absolutely nothing planned and we ended up having a wonderful time! We spent a lot of the time in the pool areas at our condo, we went to Sea World, Downtown Disney...and the highlight was our day trip to Daytona Beach! It was awesome there and we would love to go back.

The Thursday before school started we took the boys to Kansas City to see the Yankees play! This was a dream trip for Matthew...but I must say that we all enjoyed it and want to do it again! It was a quick trip...the game was Thursday night and Rob had to work Friday! The things Rob does for us! Even though it was one day, we will never forget it!

The boys started new schools this year! Jacob now attends Orchard Drive Elementary and Matthew attends West Lane Elementary. They are within walking distance of each other, and of our house. The transition was a smooth one and I want to thank all of you that have prayed for us about this. The boys LOVE their schools, their teachers...and are learning and having fun at the same time! Matthew's school has already had grandparent's day and both Rob's parents and mine were able to go and have lunch with Matthew!

On Labor Day we went to Johnsons' Shut-Ins State Park. It was a beautiful day and we even did a little hiking! It's a GREAT place to visit and we'd love to go back!

That's about it in a nutshell! We give thanks to God each and every day for the blessings he has given us...good health, work for Rob, family & friends...all of the things that are really important in life!

Thanks for reading our blog...hopefully I can keep this up on a more daily basis!

Tuesday and Wednesday

2010-07-28T09:04:00.002-05:00

Tuesday we went to an outlet mall and swam the rest of the afternoon at the condo. Went to Planet Hollywood for supper...cool and LOUD!

Today we're headed to Daytona beach!

Monday

2010-07-26T08:25:00.002-05:00

After legoland in downtown disney (we could not get the boys out of there!!!), we ate at the T-Rex...like the rainforest cafe but with dinosaurs...pretty cool. Rob fixed bacon & eggs this morning and now we're headed to Sea World for the day. Kids get in for five bucks so we can afford to go!

Sunday

2010-07-25T13:42:00.002-05:00

Had a late breakfast at Ihop this. Spent a couple hours at the pool. Getting cleaned up, eating lunch here at the condo. Then headed to Downtown Disney to Legoland!

We're Wimps!

2010-07-24T14:37:00.003-05:00

Didn't make it straight thru driving to Orlando! Had to stop about an hour past Atlanta @ 3 am. We'll be at our condo in about 1 hour. The boys are ready to swim and so are we! Happy Birthday, Matthew!

Headed to Florida!

2010-07-22T22:57:00.001-05:00

We are taking off for a few days to Florida...will hopefully post while we're there!

A FUN night and a SAD night...

2010-07-07T21:47:00.002-05:00

at the baseball park tonight. I'll start with the sad news and a prayer request. There are 13 boys on Matthew's all-star team. One of the boys, Brody, is at St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis with inoperable brain cancer. They found out only a few short days ago. At the last practice that he was at, he was having great difficulty seeing so his parents took him to an eye doctor. This is how they found out. Please pray for him and his family. He is actually going to be at the all-star game on Saturday watching from the bench...these are his wishes. The boys are having his initials monogrammed on the back of their hats to show their support. It is just so sad. Regular eye exams are a must...I've heard that lots of medical conditions/problems can be seen thru the eyes. Just made the boys their appointments a week ago. Please pray.

The coach told all the boys the news about Brody...then he gave them the option of having practice or not, or just having a fun game of baseball. The boys wanted to play against the Dads...so that's what they did and they all had a great time. Jacob even got to play on the team with the Dads and had several good hits!

Give your kids an extra hug tonight (or today)...you never know what tomorrow will bring.

All-Star Baseball Scrimmage

2010-07-05T20:58:00.002-05:00

Matthew was asked to play on the Baseball All-Star 9 year-old team to represent Jackson. He was thrilled! Since the end of the season, he's been practicing with this team and tonight they had a scrimmage against the 10-year old team. Pretty rough...until the bottom of the 4th. Bases loaded, Matthew is up to bat. Score is 5-0, we're losing. Matthew hits a blast over 1st base and scores 3 runs! Then he steals 3rd & home...end score was 5-4...!!!! They lost, but Matthew didn't really care! 1st tournament is this weekend here in Jackson, Saturday night at 5:00 is their 1st game. Should be exciting!!!

The Yankees take 1st Place!!!

2010-06-30T23:01:00.003-05:00

Matthew's team tonight took 1st place in the 9-year old baseball tournament to end the season! They were undefeated going in to the tournament and remained undefeated to the end! Tonight Matthew hit a triple and had 2 RBI's. They won 14-4. GREAT night for a baseball game!

Happy 36th Birthday, Derek Jeter!

2010-06-26T22:11:00.002-05:00

In honor of Derek Jeter's birthday today, we had a little celebration which was Matthew's idea (of course!) The pictures tell all!

Jacob...Doing What He Loves BEST...FISHING!

2010-06-20T21:54:00.003-05:00

One of the nights that Matthew was gone at camp, Rob, Jacob & I went out to his parent's pond to let Jacob fish. He is quite the fisherman, and I believe that he would sit ALL DAY fishing. He baits his own hook, catches the fish, and unhooks the fish from his line...all by himself!

He Makes All Things New ~ Revelation 21:5

2010-06-12T18:55:00.004-05:00

Pinecrest Summer Camp 2010

Matthew had a GREAT time at camp this past week. They went to Fredericktown, MO this year (instead of 5 hours away past Nashville!) and Matthew claims that it was even better than last year! (when he got back last year he said it was the "best time ever"!) Summer camp just keeps getting better & better, I guess! The verse at the top of my post was the theme for the week, and all memory verses, Bible discussions, etc. were based around this verse. The electives that he chose this year were: Clay Works, Woodworking, Fishing, Sports & Tie-Dye Shirts. Free time was spent swimming in the lake, swimming in the pool, and it seems there was a lot of WRESTLING going on during free time! I am so glad that our church provides this camping opportunity for the kids...it goes until age 12...then on to Junior High/High School Camp! Jacob MIGHT be able to go next year...he says he's ready! I'm posting a couple of pictures but as soon as our chapel website posts more I'll post some more on here.

What a Ballgame!!!

2010-05-26T20:46:00.002-05:00

Tonight Matthew's baseball team, the Yankees, played against the only other undefeated team in their league, the Diamondbacks. The Yankees WON 12-1!!!!! Matthew had a great night...2 hits (a fly ball to the outfield & one down the 3rd baseline) and a walk. Then, he slid in to 3rd on a hit and was safe! Awesome night. Now his team is the only undefeated team in the league!!!

Doesn't this photo just scream...CUTENESS?!?!

2010-05-18T23:06:00.001-05:00

Back-Up Again! 3rd Grade Basketball - Matthew

2010-05-14T22:30:00.004-05:00

This past January & February Matthew played basketball on a parochial school league with the boys in his class. He had a great time playing but, as always, the season was too short! Here are a couple of photos...sorry for the blurriness!

Melaina Cunningham Playground Walk-A-Thon

2010-05-12T22:29:00.003-05:00

Back in March (I'm playing catch-up again!) several of you had donated to a walk-a-thon that Jacob & Matthew's class at school had participated in...thank you for the donations! The Walk-A-Thon raised approximately $10,500 for Melaina's playground! It was a HUGE success. Here are a few photos:

{4-21-10}

2010-04-21T22:07:00.002-05:00

We were sitting at the supper table this evening when Jacob wanted to tell us something very important. It was so cute...he sat there very excitedly and then said, "Mom, I've just got so many things right now going on in my head that I just can't get one thing out...you know, like baseball, reading, school, my friends...it's all in there and I just can't get it out"! I thought to myself, "Jacob...I know EXACTLY what you mean!"

{April 19, 2010}

2010-04-19T21:31:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to remember this...Matthew asked me tonight if I wanted to see his "signature". I said "sure"...then he wrote his name and he said, "This is how I'm going to sign my name when I get drafted by the Yankees"!!!

Building an Animal Habitat (April 2010)

2010-04-18T20:58:00.004-05:00

Matthew had to build an animal habitat for a school project that is due on Tuesday. He chose a white-tailed deer for his project...we NEVER would have guessed he would pick a deer (ha ha...it IS his favorite animal!!) Because Matthew was building one...Jacob wanted to also...he chose to build a dinosaur habitat! How cute. Here are a few photos:

Jacob & Upward Basketball - Jan-Mar 2010

2010-04-11T22:55:00.004-05:00

This was Jacob's 1st year to play Upward Basketball. Upward is an awesome program for youth that Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape sponsors. Jacob had Bible verses he had to learn and he learned alot about good sportsmanship & showing Christ-like behavior while playing the sport. He LOVED it...he's ready for next year already! At the end of the season there was a closing at the church that involved a LOT of fun and the kids were all given Upward backpacks. Here's a few photos!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T21:53:00.002-05:00

Wishing all of you a very blessed Easter...Jesus is the reason we celebrate today! My Mom & Dad joined us for church today at Cape Bible Chapel, and then we headed out to Rob's parents' house for the afternoon. It was an awesome day...baseball, fishing, riding in the mule...and more fishing! Here are a few pics:

Jacob's Hospital Stay back in January

2010-03-25T21:52:00.003-05:00

I'm going to try and do a recap of a few things that have been going on since the beginning of the year. January 5th (Tuesday) rolled around and we had to admit Jacob into the hospital...he had Preceptal Cellulitus in his right eye. It was quite serious for a while with his cedrate (infection rate) slowing elevating. Jacob had an MRI on Thursday of that week and it revealed further infection behind the eye. That was not good news. However, on Friday, blood tests revealed that the cedrate was starting to come down...great news. He had to stay thru the weekend and he was released on Monday morning. God was watching over Jacob that week and we had so many family/friends praying for him. God was in complete control. A follow-up visit to the doctor that Friday revealed he was completely fine. Here are a few pics of his stay.

Happy 16th Anniversary to Us!

2010-03-12T10:08:00.002-06:00

Today is our 16th Wedding Anniversary! We are celebrating tonight by going out to dinner and seeing a movie...something we used to do ALL THE TIME before we had kids!! Matthew's going to a sleepover birthday party and Jacob is going to Mark & Cheryl's for the night...they are both very excited!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T16:27:00.001-06:00

Halloween 2009!

2009-11-01T15:29:00.001-06:00

Fun at the Park!

2009-10-21T21:56:00.003-05:00

After school today the boys & I headed to the park...it was just gorgeous outside and we had no soccer, no baseball...no nothing! I told the boys if I could just get a couple of fall photos that then we would play some football, soccer or whatever. They took me up on it! We had a great time...too bad Rob had to work in Patton until 5:30. :( Anyway...more days like this would be just fine with me!

Happy Belated Birthday to our nephew/cousin, Joshua...and Happy Early Birthday to my sister, Elizabeth! God's Blessings to you both!

Soccer, Soccer...and MORE SOCCER!

2009-10-07T22:18:00.006-05:00

Not sure where to begin...my last post was right after Jacob's birthday in Sept! Since then, we've spent a weekend at Paul & Kristi's for a soccer tournament...and 1/2 of us spent a weekend in Columbia for ANOTHER soccer tournament! It's been fun...but crazy at times! Here are a couple of photos!

My sister, Elizabeth, and Levi watching a very early Sunday morning match (7:30 am)
Matthew throwing it in...

Noah & Ira having fun watching the game on a very cold Saturday afternoon!
Jacob has a blast playing (and socializing!)...he especially loves playing goalie!

Matthew playing a little bit of fall baseball...we couldn't get him to take a baseball break!

At a tournament in St. Charles...

Paul & Kristi in New Town

Jacob on his 6th Birthday!

2009-09-20T21:47:00.003-05:00

A Funny...

2009-09-17T22:19:00.002-05:00

tonight on the way home from soccer training Matthew asked me if he would have to wear a cup when he played soccer...before I had a chance to answer Jacob was like..."what do you mean, Matthew...like a drinking cup???" !!!!!

Happy 6th Birthday, Jacob!

2009-09-13T20:38:00.002-05:00

We celebrated Jacob's 6th birthday this weekend! It is so hard to believe that he is 6 years old already! We love you, Jacob!

(I will post pics as soon as I can...lots of camera issues, Walgreens photo-processing issues, etc. etc. etc....will be getting new camera on Friday!)

Montauk - August 2009

2009-09-03T21:43:00.000-05:00

Trout Fishing

2009-08-28T15:51:00.002-05:00

As soon as Rob gets home we are headed to Montauk for trout fishing this weekend! Rob's parents have been there for a couple of days so we are meeting them there. The boys are ecstatic...as is Rob...I'm trying to get in the mood! I've got me a good book, a bike to ride, and maybe I'll try a little fishing with the boys! I'll post pictures next week.

Have a GREAT weekend!

1st Day of Kindergarten & 3rd Grade

2009-08-19T19:24:00.003-05:00

What an exciting day for Jacob today! He started kindergarten and he just loved it. Couple of things he shared with us (he's definitely going to be my "talker" after school!): At lunch he had eaten all of his lettuce and his friend, Layton, didn't want his...so when the teacher wasn't looking, Layton gave him his lettuce! LOL!!! Then, during center time there were 2 girls (there are only 4 girls in his class, with 15 boys) up in the loft reading. Jacob and two of his friends wanted to be in the loft but only 4 at a time could be there. FINALLY, as Jacob said, his teacher made the girls come out so the boys could go in! Another LOL!!! P.E. today was WAY to short! And...NO HOMEWORK! Those were the things that Jacob shared today!

Matthew said he "had a good day and thinks he will like 3rd grade"! That's all I got out of him...oh, and that he got a burnt pizza at lunch!

Here's a couple of pics:

Fearless!

2009-08-06T22:37:00.002-05:00

First off, just wanted to share that Jacob is now TOTALLY ready for kindergarten...he got a new pair of sneakers today!

Secondly, as I shared on FB, I am thankful this evening that my heart is still beating. Tonight at a pool birthday party, Matthew decided he wanted to go off the diving boards. Fine with me...we were at the pool yesterday afternoon for a playdate and I encouraged him to go off but he wanted nothing to do with them. Well, tonight, he went off the low board first...a dive...not a jump. He did great...I knew he could do it. Then, as I sat lounging in my chair, he walked right over to the high dive, walked up the steps, took a jogging leap, and did a front flip off the dive. I just couldn't believe it!!! He told me on the way home that it was like shooting his first deer...he was nervous at first but he knew he could do it...and he just did it!

OMG!!!!!

Great Weekend!

2009-08-02T22:34:00.002-05:00

We started out the weekend by going swimming Friday at the McCoys. Always some great conversation with Shelly while the boys play/swim. :)

Saturday was my 38th birthday! Somedays it just seems like I can't possibly be in my 30's already! Time really does pass by quickly...we should be thankful for each and every day that we have. We stayed home on Saturday and I was so content with that...even Rob was home which is unusual for a Saturday! We just hung out and watched a couple of movies/tv...then after supper we headed to the park and played some baseball. The boys have been loving doing this so we're trying to go at least once a week.

This morning we headed to church and then we went out for lunch at Ruby Tuesday. Came home and watched one of the Rocky movies that was on tv, napped, and then headed to the park. Matthew was asked to play on a traveling baseball team for next summer...first base (!!!) which is his favorite position. The games will mostly be during the week, in nearby towns. We've only had one practice so far since we didn't start until the rec season was over. Tonight the team played a scrimmage against the other traveling team in Jackson. Matthew's team, the Jackson Tomahawks, won by 1 run! Matthew played excellent at 1st base...he needs to work a bit on hitting, although he did hit 2 out of 3. Awesome night...the weather was perfect!

The boys are going to VBS again this week, just for 3 nights, at Rob's parents church. They should have fun. Jacob chose to do this instead of basketball camp this week...that's great with us...VBS doesn't cost (except for our offering) and the camp did!!!

Have a great week!

Branson - July 2009

2009-07-26T21:57:00.003-05:00

We went to Branson a couple of weeks ago for about 4 days. That's pretty much our only vacation this summer...we had such a great time! We spent a lot of time in the hotel pool (indoor and out...the kiddos especially LOVED the hot tub!), riding go-karts, riding the bumper boats, etc. We went down to the Landing and ate supper and spent some time at Bass Pro. One night we went to a show to see "Noah: The Musical"...it was awesome! Our favorite part of the trip was the day we decided to rent a boat and spent the day out on Table Rock Lake. It was so much fun...words just cannot describe the fun the boys had...including Rob! He grew up going to the lake with his family...I think he would love to eventually buy a boat and do the same thing with the boys! Anyway, it was a ton of fun and we didn't have to go very far! Here's a slide show!

Happy 9th Birthday, Matthew!

2009-07-24T21:55:00.002-05:00

I've just got to jump right in here and start blogging again...and there's no better time to start again than today...Matthew's 9th birthday!

2009-05-24T21:55:00.002-05:00

Since Rob had to farm all day Saturday, I decided to take the boys up to the Magic House for some much needed FUN time! The addition that was built on is just incredible and we had the very best time...even though the boys missed their daddy! We took our time and saw and did things that we had never done before there. And the new addition was completely new to us so we enjoyed every bit of it. Matthew & Jacob both said that their favorite part was the gigantic beanstalk that they climbed in. It was so cool. We ate lunch there at the Picnic Basket cafe and then played some outside in the water area. We just had the best time. If you get a chance to take your kids this summer...you should! There's a coupon in the Drury summer flyer for "buy one adult get one child free". The day was a perfect start to our summer vacation...even though Matthew has a couple of days left of school!

Baseball Game Recap

2009-05-21T23:13:00.002-05:00

I must warn you...you're probably going to get bored with some of my posts on the baseball games...but it's my way of keeping track! Most of the time it will just be a little comment in addition to another post.

Tonight's game went well. Matthew went 1 for 3, with a double. 2 RBI's one run. He played 1st & outfield...he got several runners out at 1st! The great thing tonight was that several of his best friends were on the opposing team...and one of them caught one of Matthew's pop flies! They had fun...Matthew's team ended up with a win, 14-13.

Jacob's last day of Pre-K is tomorrow...it's kind of sad. But, I know that he is so looking forward to kindergarten so that makes it a little bit easier.

One more thing, yesterday, as part of a reading milestone, Matthew got to walk down to Pizza Pro to have lunch with his teacher. His teacher told me that he carried on a great conversation with her...something that she has seen rarely this year from him! He had a cheese pizza with a Sprite. And, the best part, according to Matthew, was that he got to drink his Sprite at his desk the rest of the afternoon!

Move OVER soccer...here comes baseball!!!

2009-05-20T21:29:00.003-05:00

For a little while any way!!!! We saw the end of the 3-weekend soccer tournaments this past weekend. After winning 2 games and having a tie in one game, we were tied point-wise in our division with a Perryville team...the same team we had beaten last weekend in Perryville for 1st place! They ended up having a kickoff...which I absolutely HATE (hate is a very strong word...but I think it's appropriate here!!)...and lost. Ughhhhhhh. Matthew's team finished in 3rd place. The highlight of the weekend though was on Sunday when Matthew scored a goal...he'd been wanting to do that for the past three weekends but because he is normally a fullback he doesn't have much opportunity to score. We were just thrilled for him!

Right after the tournament Sunday afternoon Rob headed to mow some hay down and I took the boys to Matthew's baseball practice. Not so good. I bet Matthew tried to hit at least 25 pitches with the pitching machine and just couldn't connect. I could tell he was getting very frustrated. Things changed a bit last night when they had their first game. His team won 12-6...Matthew went 2 out of 2, both hits down the 3rd base line. He scored 2 runs himself and had 1 RBI. WOW...things had changed a bunch since Sunday at practice! Sorry for the details but I think Matthew's Uncle Sam might like to hear the play-by-play!

The school year is quickly coming to a close. Jacob's last day of Pre-K is Friday, and Matthew goes thru next Thursday, half a day. Lots of stuff going on...I'll try to post when I can!

Graduation!

2009-05-17T19:13:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to our nephew, Zachary, who graduated valedictorian of is 8th grade class at Trinity Friday night! Way to go, Zachary...that is quite an accomplishment.

Saturday, Jacob graduated from Pre-Kindergarten at St. Paul. He was very proud of himself with his white cap on! They first sang some songs, did fingerplays and a pantomime (sp?)...Jacob did do the motions to everything but he didn't do much singing! Then, they put on their graduation caps and received their diplomas. So cute! Here's a few pics!

{Happy Mother's Day & Other Stuff}

2009-05-10T19:14:00.004-05:00

Couple of things to share today, but, first & foremost, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all of my friends & family who have been so blessed to be called "Mom"! I thank God every day for our boys!

We spent the past two days at a soccer tournament in Perryville. 2 games yesterday and 2 games today...we even had the priviledge of attending a church service outside at the soccer field today...it was just gorgeous this morning! And, best news of all...Matthew's team finished 1st place in their division! They were thrilled and we were so proud of them! Below are a few pictures.

On a very sad note...one of my best friends and former boss, Julie, had to have her sweet cat, Lacey Jo, put to sleep today very unexpectedly. Lacey Jo had been part of her life for 13 years. For those of you that are pet lovers, you know exactly how it feels to lose a pet. Please say a prayer for her and give your pets an extra hug or two.

Jacob's Kindergarten Screening

2009-05-07T20:46:00.002-05:00

This afternoon Jacob was scheduled for his kindergarten screening. He passed with flying colors...he is so ready for kindergarten! One of the teachers that did his screening told me afterward that she had asked Jacob whether he had any nicknames, like "Jake" or something. Jacob said, "Nope, but my big brother shot a big "Jake" once"! We NEVER know what will come out of his little mouth!

Marion Soccer Tournament...A MUDDY, MUDDY Weekend!

2009-05-05T06:04:00.004-05:00

We had a GREAT time this past weekend at the soccer tournament over in Marion, IL...despite the MUD! After the games on Saturday we hosed down at a car wash before going to our hotel...unbelievable! Here are the results for Matthew's team...he played a total of SIX games!

Jackson White vs. Saline Co.: W 4-1

Jackson White vs. Union Co. 2nd Grade: Tie 1-1

Jackson White vs. Marion 2nd Grade: L 6-1 (the other two teams that Marion 2nd grade played they beat 11-0 and 10-0...we were pretty proud with the kid's scoring 1! And, Matthew's team was the first team to score on them in two tournaments!)

Jackson White vs. Perryville Panthers: W 2-0

Semi-final game against Marion 2nd Graders (again!): L 5-0

Final Game playing for 3rd place: WON against Marion 1st graders: 3-0

So...the team ended up finishing in 3rd place out of 11 teams...not bad! Here are a few pictures of the weekend!

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble!

2009-04-30T08:10:00.002-05:00

Last weekend Levi (the boys' cousin) shot his 1st gobbler! Congrats, Levi! Rob shot him a nice size bird as well!

So Much for Trying to Get Caught Up!

2009-04-26T21:31:00.002-05:00

This is gonna be VERY short & sweet! We had a great weekend...even though Rob wasn't able to spend very much of it with us! He's extremely busy right now getting our ground, and the ground we rent, ready for planting. He's exhausted...but did manage to kill a nice size gobbler very early this morning! The weekend started Friday evening with baseball practice for Matthew...and girls night out for me with a couple of good friends...we went to the Cup & Cork downtown...great little place. Saturday the boys and I went bike-riding/scooter-riding/walking on the trail over in Cape. Then I surprised the boys by taking them to see Monsters vs. Aliens in 3D...we had a blast with the 3D part! Then, Saturday evening we were invited to go to LaCroix's evening service so we went...Don Piper (90 Minutes in Heaven) was there speaking...what an awesome, uplifting service. Bright and early this morning we were at St. Paul because Matthew's class was singing at the 7:45 service. We then all went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast, Rob included...and then headed to Matthew's cub scout advancement ceremony. Came home and chilled for a while...then headed back to St. Paul for a musical celebration in which my brother-in-law, Mark, was a part of.

Craziness...but fun! Need to get to bed as I am heading with Matthew and his class to the zoo tomorrow for a field trip...pray for NO RAIN!

Spring Soccer!

2009-04-14T21:59:00.003-05:00

What a great, short, rainy spring soccer season it has been! Even though we missed several practices & games due to the rain...the boys still had a great time. Hope you enjoy the pictures...most of them were taken two Saturday's ago when the boys' grandpa was able to come! Jacob's got one more game and Matthew has two...hope they're not rained out! Oh...BTW...Matthew made it to the ALL-STARS again this season!!!! He was just thrilled! We'll be gearing up for 3 weekends of soccer tournaments and lots of fun!

Trying to get caught up!

2009-04-13T21:47:00.002-05:00

Lots to post from last week so I'm going to do this a little bit at a time. :)

Last Monday Matthew's 2nd grade class went on a field trip, a service field trip, to Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary in Fruitland. This is a no-kill animal shelter that will not turn any animal away. I was asked to go along so I jumped at the chance since I hadn't been out there before! OMG! The kids were asked to clean litter boxes, feed the kitties, provide fresh water, and just LOVE on the animals. There are SO MANY adorable kitties that need homes...check out the website! Right now they are in the process of raising funds to build another shelter for these homeless pets. Here's the link:

www.safeharboranimalsanctuary.org

They've also opened up a new thrift shop in between Cape & Jackson...check it out!

Today...

2009-04-12T18:43:00.003-05:00

Outside My Window… leaves blowing in the trees and birds chirping

I am thinking… that it was so nice that the rain held off today until AFTER the Easter egg hunt.

I am thankful for… our Risen Savior!

From the kitchen… lots of colored Easter eggs

I am wearing… a green t-shirt with my favorite pajama pants

I am creating… writing

I am going… to finish up the laundry tonight

I am reading… A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book the Third, The Wide Window

I am hoping… it's a sunshiny day tomorrow

I am hearing… Matthew & Jacob playing with their Easter goodies upstairs on the table

Around the house… the kitchen is clean, thinking of finishing up the laundry, wanting to do MORE decluttering

One of my favorite things… my grey sweatpants

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: meeting tomorrow night at church, soccer practices, don't really know what else since I've not looked at my calendar yet

Happy Easter!

A Brand New Week

2009-04-05T21:37:00.003-05:00

WOW...glad to see a new week roll around! Jacob started throwing up last Sunday and was completely sick for the entire week...rounding off the week on Thursday with another round of throwing up! After that...he was a completely changed little boy and back to his old self, thank goodness! Friday he pretty much rested all day and then Saturday we were back to the soccer fields!

Today we started the day off, well, Matthew & Rob did, by turkey hunting. This weekend was the youth turkey hunt and Matthew got one this morning! He was pretty excited since it was his first one!

After they returned home from hunting, we headed to church and then out to eat. It started hailing and raining so we just knew their soccer games would be cancelled. They each had one at 1:00 & 1:15. We headed home from lunch and started to get comfy and rest when I decided I better check on the soccer games...they were still on! We quick got ready and headed to the soccer fields...Jacob was about 10 minutes late for his and Matthew was right on time. Since they were at the same time we decided that Rob would watch Jacob's game and I would watch Matthew's game. Matthew scored 2 goals and he was just thrilled...their team today really worked like a team. Jacob didn't score but he really doesn't care...he has fun no matter what! The games got called after the 3rd quarter when it started pouring...I don't think I've ever been so wet in all my life with regular clothes on! We were drenched!

After the game we headed home for some much needed rest time. We had rented the movie "Bedtime Stories" and the guys watched that... I was asleep in about 15 minutes...what is it with sitting down to watch a movie???? I rarely make it thru without falling asleep! They said it was really, really great.

Sounds like it's going to be a cold, cold week. We got free tickets to the Cardinal's game on Friday night...will we be watching in the snow???

Have a great week and stay warm!

March 31, 2009

2009-03-31T22:17:00.005-05:00

Can't believe the month of March is almost over! Where does the time go...that's the question!

Just thought I'd get a quick post in before heading to bed. We're in full soccer-mode now. Several games and practices have already been cancelled due to rain, which is typical in the spring.

I spent this past weekend at a scrapbook retreat with several of my best friends...what a great time! Here are a few photos.

"Steps Towards a More Sustainable Life of Less"

2009-03-16T14:24:00.002-05:00

I read this today and thought I'd pass it on...some interesting things to think about!

Post written by Leo Babauta.

When my grandparents were young, none of the appliances (let alone hi-tech gadgets) in our homes were in common use — not the refrigerator, electric stove, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, toaster, television, computer, air-conditioner, microwave, etc.

None of it. They had cars, but they walked far more often than we do today. They had telephones, but not cell phones or Blackberries or iPhones, and they weren’t using phones all the time. They had stores, but they didn’t order things online and they didn’t buy all the time. In fact, during their Great Depression childhood, they bought very little and used very, very little technology.

And while the last 70-80 years have advanced our lives in amazing ways, and there’s no doubt that the comfort and convenience of our lives have improved tremendously … we rarely stop to consider whether technology and consumerism have always changed our lives for the better.

I mean, I am as big a proponent of the miracles of the Internet as anyone, but have we given up too much of our lives that used to exist offline and outdoors? It’s great that we have such comfortable cars that can drive incredibly fast and take us anywhere we want to go in minutes … but have we thrown away the joy and the health benefits of walking places?

It’s great that we can communicate instantly from anywhere with our mobile devices, but have we given up personal face-to-face conversations and the pleasure of being outdoors, disconnected from the world?

It’s great that food is so convenient these days, but have we given up the pleasures of slow eating for fast food, the joys of cooking for microwaving, the wonders of real food for processed food?

It’s great that we can buy pretty much anything we want these days (and often do), but have we allowed the abundance of cash we’ve had (until recently, but even now we’re still pretty rich) to force us to have bigger houses just to store all our stuff?

I propose a life of less. A life that’s more sustainable.

And yes, some will wonder if that will hurt the economy even more — buying and consuming less will mean people will lose jobs, no? Not necessarily. Scaling back our lives means we need to find jobs for people that are based not on producing more goods, but on producing more value — valuable information, valuable inventions that require fewer resources, valuable contributions to the community. But how will all of this be paid for if no one is buying stuff? There will be less wealth produced because less is being consumed … but if we consume less then we actually need less wealth. We just need to get off the escalating cycle of consuming and producing more.

We work more than ever before, despite advances in labor-saving technology that mean we should be able to work less. We do so to support a lifestyle that has become more expensive than ever, because of the new levels of convenience and abundant consumer goods that we’ve become accustomed to. We can break out of this trap, by consuming less and then needing to work less.

I’ve thought these things for awhile now, but it struck me most as I was walking to a meeting with a friend and business partner. Most people where I live don’t walk — cars are used all the time, even if the destination is just a few blocks away. I’ve been getting into the habit of walking places — for traveling, not exercise — but I’m a weirdo for doing so. And it struck me that only 50 years ago, I would have been normal — everyone walked back then.

And I wondered how we lost this valuable activity — walking to get places.

We lost it because convenience and speed have become more valuable to us than health and frugality and the enjoyment of the world around us.

I propose a life of less. A life that is more leisurely, a little more spartan, a little less expensive, a little less heavy on consuming the Earth’s resources.

I don’t think we can change the economy overnight. We can’t even change our lives overnight. But we can make a gradual change in that direction, with small steps.

Here are but a few ideas — I’m sure you could contribute some of your own:

Can we walk to more places and drive less? We’d get fitter and use less fossil fuel. We’d have to loosen up our schedules to do this, but I think that’s a good change anyway.

Can we start building more livable communities, where things are less spread out, so that we can walk more instead of driving everywhere? Where everything we need is a 10-20 minute walk away, or at least reachable by bike or public transportation? You might already live in a place like that, but not where I live, and not in lots of places. Even work should be close by. Again, this is a long-term change, but I think a good one.

Can we start living in smaller houses, so that we need less heating and cooling and land and maintenance and cleaning? We can if we buy less stuff, which leads to …
Can we start buying less stuff? We don’t need all the stuff we buy.
Can we start celebrating things like birthdays and Christmas without spending sprees? We could do nice things for each other instead, or make things, or bake something.

Can we start buying locally more? I know a lot of people already do this, but it would be great if this trend continued. It supports local farmers and drastically reduces the amount of resources needed to get food to our homes.

Can we start packaging food less? Even non-food items (like toys) come with ridiculous amounts of packaging these days. I’d like to see a return to olden ways, when you scooped flour out of a huge bin into a container or something like that. Packaging we throw away (or even recycle) is so wasteful.

Can we stop buying so much processed food? Real food is so much healthier, requires fewer chemicals and resources, and tastes better once you wean yourself from the addiction to processed foods.

Can we eat slower, and enjoy the food more, instead of rushing through meals?

Can we stop our addiction to mobile devices and being connected all the time, so that we can enjoy the pleasure of other people’s company without interruptions, or enjoy solitude or a nice quiet walk without being connected?

Can we design cities and towns so that they aren’t based on the automobile, so that perhaps private vehicles parked at the outside of cities, and then people used public transportation or walked within the cities? We’d reclaim the streets for the pedestrian, make them alive once again with street markets, cafes, parks, children running around without fear of death, people exercising and doing tai chi and jogging and walking and enjoying a fume-free outdoors.

Again, these are just a few ideas. There are thousands more.

And I’m not saying we should give up techonology. I love connecting with people from around the world! I love being able to access information instantly that I would never have had access to just 15-20 years ago! I love the ability to express myself online that is unprecedented in human history!

But I also think we need to keep the good things that have come with the advances in technology, and throw out the bad, the things that have made our lives worse.

St. Louis Cardinal Stadium!

2009-03-15T14:48:00.002-05:00

Here are some photos of the boys with their Uncle Paul & Aunt Kristi in St. Louis. They had so much fun! Thanks for taking such great pictures, Paul & Kristi...can't wait to create some layouts for our scrapbook!

Our Wedding Day, March 12, 1994

2009-03-12T09:39:00.002-05:00

15-Year Anniversary

2009-03-12T08:51:00.003-05:00

Today, 15 years ago, Rob and I got married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friedheim...my home church. It actually snow flurried that day! To celebrate our anniversary, we took a much needed weekend trip to Tan-Tar-A at Lake of the Ozarks this past weekend. We had such a nice time...I can't remember the last time that we went overnight anywhere without the kids. We got there pretty late Friday evening and ate at the Black Bear Lodge Restaurant there at Tan-Tar-A and then watched a movie (of our choice...not the boys' choice!) in our room. Saturday morning after breakfast (we had the most amazing omelets at breakfast each morning!) we spent a little time down by the lake, just enjoying the scenery. We then headed to the outlet mall and spent a few hours there...and, yes, Rob did enjoy it. He actually got in to the shopping a little bit. Especially at the Crocs outlet...he had a blast picking out several Jibbitz for the boys' Crocs! Found several bargains at the Nike outlet and then had pretzel sticks from Auntie Anne's...yummy! We skipped lunched, since we had the pretzels (and also a late breakfast), and headed back to our room and watched another movie since the weather had kind of turned bad. But, by the time the movie was over, the sun was shining. We then headed out to dinner at J.Bruners...amazingingly great dinner and the atmosphere was lovely. Quite pricey...but, hey...it was our anniversary! Sunday morning we had a late breakfast and then headed back to the Nike outlet to pick up something that I wanted that I didn't buy the day before. We then had a nice drive back to St. Louis. One other highlight was that Rob treated me to a full body wrap in the spa at Tan-Tar-A! It was so relaxing for me...I think my skin still feels soft! It was truly an enjoyable weekend for us...we've promised to do it more often...at least once a year anyway!

A HUGE THANK YOU to my brother & sister-in-law, Paul & Kristi, for keeping our boys in St. Louis with them for the weekend! They had such a great time...Friday evening Paul took the boys to the park, they watched some videos, played games. Saturday they took the train downtown to the stadium and had a picnic lunch and then toured the stadium (with the Cub Scouts)...they then walked down to the Arch. Sunday was church and then we picked them up around 1:30. The boys had so much fun...I hope they didn't wear Paul & Kristi out! We really, really appreciate them taking care of them!

WooHoo for Matthew!!

2009-03-09T22:02:00.002-05:00

Matthew came home from school today VERY excited. Right before their math test today the phone rang in their classroom. His teacher answered and then told Matthew that he had something to pick up down in the office. He went downstairs and in the office was a delivery of a balloon tied to a bottle of water that said "Congratulations!" Inside the card it read "Good Job! Keep Reading!" It was one of the prizes for doing his AR reading. We are just thrilled that he has taken up a love of reading...way to go, Matthew!

Jacob Rides Bike WITHOUT Training Wheels!

2009-03-01T21:09:00.005-06:00

This has been a long day coming...but, this past Monday, Jacob wanted his training wheels OFF his bike. So, Rob took them off and Jacob had a blast...even when he kept crashing!

2009-02-19T10:32:00.001-06:00

Mahatma Gandhi:

Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.

2009-02-16T12:32:00.003-06:00

Thank you, Amy F., for being a follower of my blog! It helped me "fix" whatever was wrong with my blog...now I can make it "pretty" again! So weird!

I have Matthew home with me today. He got sick last night around midnight and OMG...it was the biggest throw up I'd ever experienced. Not fun. Today he has just been sleeping and having free reign of his favorite tv shows. He definitely does not feel good.

Jacob had another little playdate today...his social life recently has been more active than mine! He was picked up from pre-K and went with Noah M. to McDonalds and then to bowling. Needless to say, he was so excited!

Last week was just absolute craziness for me. Between having our taxes done, 2 Parent Teacher conferences, 2 Valentine parties, basketball practices, work, etc. etc...I was feeling a little bit overwhelmed. I had a friend sub for me at Bunco so I could just stay home...thanks Misty! Friday morning was MOPS but I wasn't able to go...babysitting plans fell thru... :( So, instead, I took the boys to Creative Ewe pottery and let them choose something to paint. They both chose piggy banks...Matthew a basketball and Jacob a car.

Saturday morning Matthew had another basketball game and scored one goal! His team won the game 32-13...the kids are playing really good together and are really learning the game.

Saturday evening for Valentine's Day we went to Pizzeriaadagio for supper. Have you ever been? www.pizzeriaadagio.com It was so much fun! When we pulled up my friend, Julie, was just pulling up taking her great nephews' and niece out for Valentine's Day...the kids had a great time together. While you wait for your pizza, they have a room with an air hockey table, pool table, an Xbox, a huge race car track, a smaller race car track & a train. And the best part of all...it's all FREE to play with. The kids had a blast! They're only open on Friday and Saturday's from 4-9 pm.

After that we came home and played a game of Farkle. We then headed to Zachary's all-star basketball game. Fun times.

We ended the week going to Noah's bowling birthday party yesterday afternoon.

Busy week...this week is a little bit better. Hope you enjoy yours!

2009-02-10T11:28:00.003-06:00

I'm supposed to be cleaning. I guess I'm just taking a little computer break. Jacob is at a friend's house playing Star Wars and I'm sure just having a blast! When Layton's mom called this morning to see if Jacob could come over, Jacob just said, "I just can't believe that this day is finally here, Mom!" And he just kept saying, "I can't wait to tell Matthew!"

It was a day of basketball games on Saturday...Matthew had one in the morning and then Zachary, our nephew, had one in the afternoon. Both teams won. Later that evening Zachary was picked for an all-star team and they'll play again this Saturday. Way to go, Zachary!

Sunday we went to church at St. Paul because we had a Cub Scout banquet to go to right at 12:00. It was a pot-luck luncheon and then the scouts were recognized for what they had done so far this year. Matthew, and several others, got to throw pies in their leader's faces for filling up their popcorn sheets with orders. That was a blast...there's a photo for you to see! Matthew also got his money for selling popcorn...$60! He was so excited...he had been planning to buy himself a new Star Wars figure...and then he decided he would buy Jacob one as well. We were proud of him for that! He also bought a backpack for his DS...he put some in savings, and he took out some for Chapel this week at school. Thanks to all of you that ordered popcorn!

We have parent-teacher conferences today and Valentine parties later this week. Hope you're enjoying the warmer weather.

Jacob's Comment @ Church & Other Stuff

2009-02-04T22:23:00.002-06:00

This past Sunday I had left the church service to go "peak in" on Matthew & Jacob during children's church (Jacob has had a few issues lately and I wanted to make sure that he was okay). Jeremy, the children's ministry pastor, was talking about super-heroes and had asked the kids to name some of their favorite ones. Many hands went up and there were several answers...Spiderman, Superman, Batman, etc. etc. Jacob raised his hand and Jeremy called on him and he said simply, "My Dad". Wow...talk about Rob's heart just melting when I came back in to church and whispered that to him.

I forgot to mention about Matthew's basketball game on Saturday. He scored his first goal! He was so excited...he tried several times that morning and one finally went in. Woo-hoo!

Random Thoughts...

2009-02-02T18:26:00.002-06:00

1. Check out www.stevehaskamp.blogspot.com ... this is my sister, Elizabeth's, brother-in-law who is an artist. He has done some awesome work and has prints available on etsy for purchase. Fun stuff.

2. I was "snubbed" by someone today whom I thought was a good friend. It made me kind of sad and it was totally unexpected and kind of caught me off guard. I just wanted to say thanks to all of my true friends...I value your friendship and I am thanking God for all of you today.

3. We had an absolute blast last night at a Superbowl party...we're not big football fans but I think we easily could be (well, I'm thinking it was probably just the fabulous company that we were surrounded by!)

That's about it.

SEMO Redhawks Basketball & Rowdy's 4th Birthday Party!

2009-02-01T14:51:00.002-06:00

Amy's Blog Challenge

2009-01-31T10:58:00.002-06:00

8 Things:

8 TV Shows/Movies I watch regularly:
1. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
2. Sweet Home Alabama
3. My House is Worth What?
4. House Hunters
5. House Hunters International
6. American Idol
7. Sporting events other than golf
8. The News

8 Things That Happened Yesterday
1. Rob & the boys went to the farm to play.
2. I enjoyed a quiet day at home by myself.
3. Rob & I went on a date.
4. I watched "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"
5. I made a couple of valentine treat boxes.
6. I kept the fire going in the wood stove...that's a major thing for me.
7. I took a short nap with my kitty cats.
8. I talked to my mom on the phone.

8 Favorite Places to Eat
1. El Torero
2. Gordonville Grill
3. Olive Garden
4. Wib's Barbecue
5. My mom's house
6. Pizza Pro Take-Out
7. O'Charleys (LOVE the bread)
8. Red Lobster

8 Things I Am Looking Forward to:
1. Our 15-year anniversary get-away to Lake of the Ozarks in March
2. Scrapbook Retreat in March
3. Vacation this summer...where...not sure yet!
4. The SEMO basketball game tonight with friends
5. My new figure...after I eventually decide to lose some of this weight!
6. Summer
7.

8 Things on my Wish List:
1. Canon Digital Rebel camera
2. Living room furniture
3. ?
4. ?
5. ?
6. ?
7. ?
8. ?

I'll tag Shelly on this...since she's new to the blogging world!

More Snow?

2009-01-31T07:23:00.002-06:00

Rob & I got up this morning around 6:00 am...Rob's mom was bringing the boys home on her way to work...and it looked like we got a little bit more snow! It was beautiful outside.

Since our parents' night out at church had to be re-scheduled, Rob's parents offered to keep the kiddos last night so that we could have a date night! Needless to say, we took the offer! We went out to dinner at the Gordonville Grill and then went to see a movie...The Reader. It was okay. I love Kate Winslet so I suggested we see that. Like I said, it was okay. The boys spent the night so we had a quiet night to just chill out. Nice.

This morning we're going to Matthew's basketball game if it doesn't get cancelled...haven't heard anything yet.

Tonight we are going to a SEMO Redhawks basketball game with Amy & Shelly and their families...so looking forward to it. Go SEMO...maybe they'll win tonight!

Have a great day...gotta head to the shower.

Snow/Ice Day #3

2009-01-29T06:53:00.003-06:00

Just wanted to share a few photos of the past couple of days out in the snow! Matthew is home now and it's day #3. Every evening when I check the school closings and I tell him he doesn't have school, he just says "YES". Rob had to work a little bit yesterday over at the high school so he took each of the boys with him for a while and let them ride in the backhoe with him...they loved that but soon got bored and wanted to come home to play in the snow! Have a great day and stay warm!

Ice, Ice, Baby!

2009-01-26T22:43:00.002-06:00

Man, are we getting the ice tonight! School has already been cancelled for tomorrow so I'm looking forward to a day home with both boys!

After church Sunday Matthew & I had to run in to Target to pick out a birthday gift for a swimming party that he was going to that afternoon. While we were there, we picked up FARKLE...a dice game that my friend, Amy, had told me about. HUGE loads of fun...the four of us played last night and tonight (I was taking a small chance tonight by letting them stay up late...we didn't know that school was cancelled until about 10:00 pm.) and just had so much fun. It only cost about five bucks. If you're looking for a fun game...go pick it up!

We had another basketball game to go to Saturday morning. Matthew's been kind of disheartened a little bit because he hasn't scored yet. He's made about 4 assists so far so we've tried to encourage him with that. He's really patient with the ball and tries to find the open man. They won the game 14-10 against one of the I.C. teams.

Last Friday night Amy & I went to see Legally Blonde at the Fox and boy did we have some fabulous seats...well worth the money! Absolutely a great time with a little shopping mixed in. Before the show we ate at a steak house right across the street from the Fox. You holler, yes...holler, your order out to the chef and by the time you get your salad & dessert, your food is ready for you. It was very reasonable in price and the food tasted incredible! If you're ever up that way you should go!

Tomorrow is kindergarten enrollment day at St. Paul. Jacob will be a little kindergartener next year...so hard to believe.

Wednesday, January 21st

2009-01-21T21:37:00.002-06:00

I had the priviledge this afternoon of filling in for one of the 1st grade teachers at St. Paul. I had 3 groups of about 17 kids each, for about 30 minutes each. I always like to get to know the kids a little bit so I asked each of them to tell me their names...one of the boys, just as serious as ever said, "My name is Obi Wan Kenobi". (character in Star Wars) We watch a Star Wars movies a LOT at our house so I knew exactly who he was talking about. Gotta love what comes out of their mouths sometimes!

One more thing today...a CHALLENGE! 1-18-09

2009-01-18T21:32:00.004-06:00

Had to share this today...we went out to Logan's for lunch today after church since I had some really good coupons. I gave the waiter my coupon and he came back and said that our meal had already been paid for! We had a pretty good idea of who did this...but that wasn't the point. The point is, is that someone was kind to us today and it was so unexpected. So...I'm challenging myself, and you, to do something kind this week for someone...without expecting anything in return. Here are a couple of ideas:

1) As you are paying for your coffee, tea or whatever in the drive-thru...pay for the person behind you as well!

2) Pick up the mail for an elderly neighbor.

3) Write a thank-you note to a child's teacher that you really appreciate.

4) Bake cookies or brownies for someone least expecting it.

Have a great week and I would love to hear what you've done this week to be kind to someone!

I'm so aggravated! 1-18-09

2009-01-18T18:29:00.003-06:00

I've been trying to put a cute little Valentine background on my blog from www.thecutestblogontheblock.com and it just isn't working! Hopefully soon I'll figure it out!

This past week has just flown by. Jacob & I went to the Mudpuppies program at the Conservation Department on Tuesday...the topic was turtles. Jacob loved it...they had a regular box turtle there that had been mistreated and mis-fed as a "pet" and so the conservation departement has just become it's home. Then they got out a huge snapping turtle...the entire time that the gal held him to show the kids his mouth was wide open...ready to take a bite!

On Wednesday evening we went to a basketball game at St. Paul. Our nephew's Zachary & Joshua, who play for Trinity, were there playing with their team. Joshua's team beat St. Paul but it wasn't so good for Zach's team. It was fun.

Friday I had signed up to go read to Jacob's class for 15 minutes...I just loved that. His class is learning all about nocturnal animals so we read a couple of books about owls...one where an owl took up residence with some roosters on a farm...the kids seemed to love it!

Friday was Crazy Croppers and I didn't feel the greatest so I stayed home and hung out on the couch...ended up getting up around 9:30 and worked on a couple of layouts...it drives me nuts to not be able to go and scrapbook with my friends...knowing that they're getting a bunch of stuff done! And, well...I really enjoy their company too. :)

Saturday morning we headed over to Cape for Matthew's basketball game. They played St. Vincent's, I think, and it was one exciting game. The game ended in a 10-10 tie. They then gave them 2 additional minutes to play. We scored, then they scored, then they scored again. Matthew's team lost 14-12. It sure was exciting for it being second graders. Both sets of grandparents were able to make it so Matthew was really happy about that. Matthew made his first foul while blocking a player about 2 times his size...we were proud of him! After the game we headed over to our niece, Cameron's basketball game. She is such a sweet girl. They got blown out of the water...but it was great none-the-less!

We then went and got Matthew a pair of basketball shoes...he has told us repeatedly that it will really help him play better. Well, we broke down and bought him a pair...Jacob got a Star Wars shirt that I found on clearance so he was really content with that.

That's been our week in a nutshell...hope yours was great as well.

Basketball!

2009-01-10T13:41:00.002-06:00

Matthew had his first basketball game today. He's playing on St. Paul's 2nd grade team and they'll be playing other church teams. They played Trinity and won 18-8. Both teams just did great for it being their first game! Matthew had his first assist within 5 seconds of the game starting...he found the open man, passed, and Seth scored! It was fun...and something to do to keep Matthew active in the winter!

{right now}

2009-01-05T14:17:00.002-06:00

Out of my window: Watching the squirrels & birds play in the trees; gray skies.

I am wearing: My favorite grey sweatpants and a very old Atlanta Braves sweatshirt.

I am hearing: Jacob play his Star Wars DS game...we've definitely had to limit his time playing...he could play all day; the fire crackling in the wood stove.

I am thinking: About what we're going to have for supper; about picking Matthew up from school - we've missed him today; about why no one (except me) can seem to fold up all of the throws that lay piled up on the couch!

I am thankful for: My family, the warm home that we have, being raised in a Christian home which has helped me have the faith that I have today, good friends, our pets.

I am creating: Scrapbook pages to put in my very own albums!

I am going: to pick Matthew up from school soon, to play Bunko this week, to Matthew's first basketball game on Saturday.

I am hoping: for a bit of snow this week, to get a little bit of reading done this evening.

I am reading: "Waiting for Morning" by Karen Kingsbury

Around the house: it is fairly picked up, clean kitchen, laundry is caught up.

One of my favorite things: reading to the boys in the evening, a nice hot beverage, watching the boys (Rob included!) shoot their slingshots at the farm (what was I thinking?????), candles burning.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Bunko, working a couple of hours at Siemers & Pizza Pro, basketball practice & a game...that's about it...pretty quiet week.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-05T14:14:00.002-06:00

Wishing you all a joyous New Year! We had a wonderful Christmas season...aside from each of us being sick, one at a time, during the whole month of December! We shared the holidays with almost all of our family and had a great time. Thankful, though, to get back to a routine today.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T00:53:00.004-06:00

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas...one shared with family and friends...and remembering the reason for this season...the Holy Christ Child.

Gingerbread House 2008!

2008-12-22T20:39:00.001-06:00

Hi Everyone,
I apologize for the delay in posting...one of us has been sick every week since the beginning of December. Hoping we are on the uphill slide now! Here are a few pics of our gingerbread house that we built last week.

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-11-27T21:25:00.006-06:00

We were so fortunate this year to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with family on two separate days! This past Sunday we went out to Rob's parents and stuffed ourselves to the gills on ham and all the fixins'! Then, today, we spent the day at my parents with most of our family present. It was so gorgeous outside...the kids played football & kickball most of the afternoon. And, OMG...the food was so, so good! It was such a great day...the adults played Apples to Apples & Password...good times. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and/or friends.

Just to remind me...

2008-11-27T21:16:00.002-06:00

I never did post how Matthew's last soccer tournament in Cape ended up. On Sunday morning, we played the Farmington Fireballs and won 1-0 (we think...I KNEW there was a reason I was going to blog about it the very same day...my memory is not so good!) We then played Sikeston Red in the Semi-Finals and won 2-0 (I think!). I do know our team won...because we moved on to the FINALS!!!! Playing Fredericktown...they won the tournament in Sikeston and in Perryville! It was such an exciting game...we lost, however, 1-0. Such a bummer but our boys did great! We were all so proud of them for making it to the finals and winning 2nd! It's been a fun all-star season!

Jacob's Pre-K Thanksgiving Feast!

2008-11-26T07:00:00.001-06:00

Spiced Tea...Mmmmm, Mmmmm Good!

2008-11-20T14:04:00.002-06:00

This morning was our last Bible study session before Christmas. We watched a video and then had a time of fellowship and EATING. WOW...lots of fantastic food! Here's one recipe that I'd like to share:

Spiced Tea

18 oz. jar of Tang or 3 tubs of sugar-free Tang
1 1/2 cups sugar or 1 c. granulated Splenda
1 c. instant tea
1/2 c. cinnamon red hots
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Mix 2-3 tsp. per cup of hot water.

You can store this mixture in an air-tight container and just scoop it out when you want a hot cup of tea. It was so good.

Just gotta love a hot drink on a cold, crisp day. :)

Gotta Love Tuesdays...

2008-11-18T12:22:00.002-06:00

As some of you know, Tuesday is one of my favorite days of the week. It is on this day that Jacob & I can do WHATEVER we want. We have absolutely no obligations, no expectations, NOTHING. I really treasure these days because I know they are short-lived. Take for instance, this morning. After taking Matthew to school, we came home,fixed breakfast, watched Curious George and snuggled on the couch for a little bit. We played a little bit of MarioKart on the Wii...so FUN. We then headed out to the Dents Make Cents grocery store. Going here has almost become a "usual" for a Tuesday. Jacob loves the fact that he gets a free piece of chocolate at the checkout line! Today was a good day. Here's what we found:

canned corn $.45
canned new potatoes $.45
canned sweet peas $.45
individual applesauces $.15/each
chili beans $.40
Chef Boyardee Lasagna $.65
Chef Boyardee Beefaroni $.65
canned saurkraut $.45
Juicy Juice Cans (the kind you mix with water) $.80
individual juice pouches $.10/each
individual Kool-Aids $.15/each
Wonder 16-pack hot dog buns $1.25
Hostess Ding Dongs (12-pack) $1.50

Quite some deals...I'd rather spend less on groceries...that just means more to put in savings or to spend on other FUN stuff! If you havn't gone hear, you should try it sometime...you never know what kind of bargains you'll find!

Oh, yesterday I tried a super easy crock-pot recipe that I got off of another blog that I read.

6 pieces chicken breast (skinless, boneless, frozen or not)
2 cans cream of chicken soup or 2 cans cream of celery soup
salt/pepper to taste

Place in crock pot on low for 12 hours. Serve with rice and veggies. So simple and it was really good. Great for a MONDAY.

Matthew Shoots 1st Deer!

2008-11-15T21:47:00.002-06:00

Jacob and I were at Nathan's birthday party today when we got a call from Matthew around 4:30 pm..."Mommy, I shot my first deer!" He was so excited...not sure who was more excited, his Daddy or Matthew himself! It was a 4-point buck and Rob said he just did great...all by himself. Awesome memories!

More Soccer Games and Misc.

2008-11-08T21:58:00.004-06:00

It's been quite a busy week and I'm ready for hopefully a calmer week next week!

~ This past week our nation elected a new President. I'm thankful that the election is over (although I've felt rather important lately considering I'd gotten phone calls from some VERY important people regarding the election!) and I'm now in the mindset to pray for our leaders and our nation.

~ We've been to two soccer practices this week at the JAYF field...since they have lights (I thought Matthew would be off the hook this week because of the time change...no such luck!)

~ Cub Scout meeting.

~ Rob is extremely busy planting wheat...just about all of our acreage & his Dad's is planted now.

~ We celebrated our nephew, Zachary's, birthday with Dairy Queen ice cream!

~ Our nephew, Ira, won 4th place in a Spelling bee...he competed against other Kindergarten-3rd Grade kids...he's in 1st grade! Way to go, Ira!!!

~ Bible Study Thursday morning and a bit of Christmas shopping that afternoon.

~ I had the priviledge of being a Parent Helper in Jacob's Pre-kindergarten class this past Friday morning. Those kids and teacher are just awesome...we are so thankful that Jacob is in such a caring environment...and, he's learning a bunch!

~ Soccer Tournament in Cape today. Matthew's team beat out Bonne Terre this morning at 8:00 am...1-0...way to go!!! Then, at 12:30ish, they played and beat Dexter, 1-0...way to go!!! Matthew has had such a blast playing with this team...it will be kind of sad to see the tournaments end! One more game in the morning at 9:00, then possibly one at 12:00 and 2:00.

~ Everybody's asleep and I'm headed to the couch for a while...have a great Sunday!

Be Sure And...

2008-11-02T20:57:00.002-06:00

scroll down and check out all of my posts this weekend...there are several of them!

Halloween!

2008-11-02T20:52:00.002-06:00

We had a fun Halloween night! The boys went to all of our usual stops, and added a new stop this year...the Jackson Manor Nursing Home. It was fun. After trick-or-treating, we headed home and carved pumpkins. Another great year!

Pumpkin Carving!

2008-11-02T20:46:00.002-06:00

We carved our pumpkins on Halloween night this year! Matthew did his all by himself...with Rob standing very anxious and nervous behind him! Jacob drew his face on his pumpkin all by himself and was VERY proud of that...he needed help with the actual cutting part though...he sure did love digging all of the seeds out!

Sikeston Soccer Tournament - Days 1 & 2

2008-11-02T20:32:00.004-06:00

WOW...another exciting soccer weekend for us! We headed to Sikeston bright & early Saturday morning for the start of the tournament...we had a game at 8:00 am against Cape. Rob's parents met us at our house and rode down with us. We beat them by a score of 5-1...we were off to a good start.

Our next game didn't start until 10:30, so we took a break and headed to the Sikeston Outlet Mall so that my mother-in-law could pick up a couple of things. We soon headed back to face Farmington. We beat them 3-0...our team was really working well together! Matthew is continuing to play in the fullback position...he and the other fullback, Michael, play this position really well together.

We were off to a great start! Sunday morning we had another bright and early came at 8:00..against Fredericktown. They were the team that beat us last weekend and ended up in 1st place at the Perryville tournament. It was 0-0 for the longest time, then Fredericktown scored. Several minutes later our boys got it together and scored! Tied, 1-1. There was about 1 minute left to play and Fredericktown scored! They won 2-1...it was just unbelievable...we thought we would be headed for a tie. The Fredericktown coach told our coach that we were the team (this weekend and last) that gave them the most competition...that made our boys feel good.

So, after the game this morning...we didn't know yet if we were still IN or not. There were 3 divisions...4 teams in each division...we placed 2nd in our division...Fredericktown was first. 4 teams advance to the semifinals and since there were only 3 divisions, there was a wildcard spot. We were beat out of that wildcard spot by Dexter, I think. Bummer! Our coach really praised our boys for doing a great job this weekend...they are really working great together as a team.

One more tournament next weekend and then we're done for the season...it's been a lot of fun!

Cousin Levi's 1st Turkey!

2008-11-01T19:32:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to share photo's of Matthew & Jacob's cousin, Levi, with his 1st turkey!!! This past Monday his daddy called one in for him and he made the perfect shot! Congratulations, Levi!!!

Perryville Soccer Tournament - Day 2!

2008-10-26T21:15:00.002-05:00

OMG...what a day! Matthew's team had their first game at 10:30 against Fredericktown...they were unbeaten. The coach switched up the players and Matthew played a fullback position (after about 4 years of soccer I'm STILL learning positions!). The game was so exciting...it ended in a tie...0-0. After the game, we had to wait until the Sikeston vs. Perryville game was over to see if we got to advance. I think I mentioned yesterday that eligibility to advance to the playoffs is based on points. We ended regular play with 11 points (we got 3 this morning for the tie). Coach finally came back from checking and we were IN...playing for 3rd against Raiders United (I'm not sure where they were from)!!!

The boys were excited. We left for a quick, light lunch (Matthew told us this evening that his coach told them that if you want to eat a lot...go play golf!) and came back for the game at 1:00. Rob's parents joined us for lunch and then for the game.

The game started and it was just as exciting as ever. The game, once again, ended in a tie, 0-0! They then played 2 - 5 min. periods...after that the game was still tied. Then they had what I think was called a kickoff...5 players from each team got to kick against the goalie from the opposing team (I felt so sorry for the goalies!) Matthew was first and he kicked it right into the arms of the goalie! No score...back & forth...the opposing team got 2 in...they won. What a bummer! Our boys were disappointed...but they shouldn't have been...they played awesome this whole tournament...and the teams were so evenly matched as far as skill level. So, we got 4th! Not bad out of 8 teams!!! We were so proud of Matthew! It's been a great weekend...looking forward to Sikeston next weekend!

Perryville Soccer Tournament-Day 1!

2008-10-25T17:01:00.002-05:00

What an amazing day! We headed up to Perryville today for Matthew's 1st soccer tournament. Their first game was at 9:15. Matthew was a starter in the center postion...his coach told him he had the best kick and he wanted him in that position. (Please forgive...I'm just a very proud soccer mom today!!!) Within about 5 minutes, with the help of several teammates, Matthew scored the first goal against the Perrville team!!! It took a while for the boys to "gel" together...and they still need some work...but all in all they did great. They ended up winning game 1 with a score of 2-1 (total points=8...you get 6 points for winning and 1 point for each goal scored up to 3).

It was then time for a break...we didn't have to be back at the soccer park until 12:45. We headed to Rhodes for a break and then went to the tractor store (Rob's big idea!), and then went to the park for a while so the boys could play.

We got back in plenty of time. Game 2 was against Sikeston. Matthew played the center position again. Before the half (they play 2 - 25 minute halves) Sikeston had scored 1 goal. After the half, the ball was down in scoring position almost the entire time for our team, but they couldn't seem to score. Sikeston ended up winning 1-0. So, we ended the day with total points of 8.

Tomorrow, Matthew plays at 10:30 and then at 1:00, for either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. It was such a beautiful day...hope tomorrow is the same. Matthew had a great day...he was so excited about his new jersey!

Check back in tomorrow night...I'll have an update on how the day goes!

What's Been Going on Around HERE?

2008-10-22T19:42:00.004-05:00

Well, lots of stuff! I haven't blogged in almost 2 weeks, and I, once again, had to go grab my calendar. In short, this is what we've been up too:

~ Soccer, soccer & MORE Soccer! Matthew has 2 practices during the week and one on Sunday. He plays in his first tournament this weekend in Perryville. He's excited!

~ Birthday celebrations! Our good friends, the Franklin's, had a party for their son, Carson, who turned 7! And, our nephew, Joshua, turned 12!

~ A trip to the Dentist! Jacob & Matthew both had dentist appointments that just went perfectly! Next spring, we'll be talking to an orthodontist about a palette expander for Matthew. Not looking forward to that for him, but, it's the perfect time to start.

~ Scrapbook Night w/Friends! Always fun for me to get to do this!

~ Scrapbook SHOPPING trip! This past Sunday was a little getaway for me...all day...just the girls...great times.

~ Mudpuppies at the Conservation Center! This week Jacob and I went to a program called "Missouri's Magical Trees". We learned all about the changing leaves and we went on a nature hike and looked at all the different types of leaves. It was a gorgeous morning for that.

~ Parent/Teacher Conferences! We attended those this week for both Matthew & Jacob. All GREAT reports from their teachers...that is such a blessing to have 2 boys that (right now!) LOVE school! We couldn't ask for any better teachers...they are amazing.

~ 4-Wheeler Helmets! Took this boys this past weekend and bought them official helmets for their 4-wheelers. They always wore helmets (don't freak out anyone!) but they probably weren't the safest on their little heads. We're all set now...check out the photos!

~ Rob! Still working a BUNCH...but the Lord is so great to provide work for him even in the midst of economically hard times.

That's about it in a nutshell! Wanted to say a huge "Happy Birthday" to my sister, Elizabeth, whose birthday is TODAY!

Prayer Request: Please keep my friend, Christy, in your prayers this evening and in the next few weeks. She delivered her 4th baby today by C-Section and he died within a couple of hours. It was completely expected, but it doesn't hurt any less. Please pray that God would comfort her and her family (they have 3 girls) and that she may recover quickly from her C-Section.

Bible Study, Barnes & Noble & Soccer

2008-10-09T21:34:00.002-05:00

This gorgeous day today started off by taking Matthew to school and then heading to Bible study. It took me the longest time to decide if I wanted to spend one of my mornings off at church participating in a Bible study. After all of the excuses that I had made about not wanting to go...I still felt God leading me there. This has been the third week there and I am so glad I decided to go. I am not a big "sharer", but I am so thankful that some women are. Without going in to detail, I have just been so greatly encouraged by what other moms/women have had to say about what God has done in their lives, whether it be big or small.

After Bible study, Jacob and I headed to get lunch for Rob. He was so completely busy that he had to eat "on the run" so we didn't get to stay and eat with him. (P.S. His boss called him today and told him what an incredible job he had been doing lately...working so much and not complaining...having lots of responsibility and just getting the job done...it's nice for him to hear that every once in a while...his boss is not one to say that too often!) We headed to Barnes & Noble. Jacob had gotten a gift card from his Aunt Magdalene & Uncle Mark & cousins Zachary & Joshua. It was finally time for him to get to spend it! He chose a book about how a seed grows in to a pumpkin for himself, a book about the 1st Thanksgiving for Matthew (I didn't even have to encourage that...he just said that he wanted to buy Matthew a book...Yeah, Jacob!!!), and then a stuffed Donald Duck! He thought that his Mickey Mouse needed a friend!

We got a call this evening from the Soccer All-Star coach. Matthew made it to the All-Star Team!!! I can't tell you how big the smile was on Matthew's face when we told him. He has just really improved this year and has really liked the game. We are so proud of him...looks like we'll be at the soccer fields for three more weekends starting at the end of October. He'll have tournaments in Cape, Sikeston & Perryville. Congrats, Matthew!

Please remember my friend, Linda, and her family, as they have the funeral for her brother-in-law tomorrow who died recently of cancer.

~Becky

Where's John McCain, Mommy?

2008-10-08T08:19:00.002-05:00

This morning Jacob & I walked Matthew to his classroom. On the way back down the hall, heading to Jacob's room downstairs, we were admiring the artwork of the 3rd graders. On the opposite wall there were individual portraits of the Presidents. Jacob said, "Mommy, look, all of the Presidents." Then he said, as Mr. Perr (one of the 3rd grade teachers) was standing right in the doorway of his classroom, "Where's John McCain, Mommy?" Mr. Perr & I got a little chuckle out of that!

This isn't exactly "tomorrow" but...

2008-10-05T21:40:00.003-05:00

here are a few photos taken last Saturday at Busch Stadium!