Family and Friends Fun Night

It is always fun to have a fun family night, but it is even more fun to have a family and friends fun night.  We have many good friends here that we enjoy hanging out with.  Tonight we spent some time with some good friends and went bowling on the Aresonal (the army base for those that don't live here).  It was one of those turn the lights off and watch the neon lights and spotlights come on to bowl.  We had a good time.  The kids laughed a lot, the adults had some good conversations, and it was just fun to get together.

Emilee was in the groove with her bowling expertise.  She is shouting for joy after one of her many spares.

This is my beautiful friend Christine and her kids are up above.  We usually have a ton to talk about, whether it is about books we have read, losing weight, school politics, kids, annoyances, and just about anything else you can think of.  Her kids and my kids get along great.  Even though my girls have a bit of an age difference from her little girl they still have tons of fun playing together.

I love my kids a ton.  They make me laugh all of the time.  Even when I am not suppose to laugh because they have done something not acceptable.  I still find myself having to turn my head so they won't see the little chuckle that came out of my mouth.  They have so much energy and they say some of the funniest things.  I love it.

I am here to say that I am a terrible bowler.  Tonight was one of my worst.  One would think if one grows up with a bowling ally in the basement they might be good.  They would be wrong.(That is not as glamorous as it sounds.  It really is no big deal.  Some people just get a pool in the backyard.  My dad must have decided a bowling alley was more practical.  I probably could have put a pool to better use.)

Father and son.  They make a cute couple.  

The night was ended with a treat from dad.  Ice cream.  Well, I think it is actually custard, but really what's the difference, right?  It's all good.

I love it when friends can get together.  Of course we have fun with just our family, but good friends make it even better.

Back to the routine of things

The time has come again.  School Time!  The anticipation is over and we are back to our old routines.  I have many friends who dread this day.  They say that the summer is too short and are sad to see their kids go back to school.  I myself do not feel that way.  I never have.  Does that mean I love my kids less??  I don't think so.  I  just love to get back to the routine of things.  Let's face it.  I do enjoy my time.  It is nice to get the house in order again and to finish projects that I have put off for awhile.  Some how it is always easier to get them done while the kids are at school.  Besides, the kids will never admit it, but I think they enjoy going to school as well.

They woke up refreshed and excited to go.  Outfits picked out for the last 2 weeks, hair done, breakfast eaten, teeth brushed, lunches packed, and backpacks packed.  They were off.  What did I do you say on the first day of school?  Exercised, laundry, finished some projects for the Young Women, ran a few errands, and before I knew it, the kids were back home on a most stormy day.  

Megan is in sixth grade this year.  It blows my mind.  I remember her first day of kindergarten and it feels like we just had it.  This year they are doing something a little different.  She is now at the top of the school in ranks.  Big sixth graders who have the rule, right??  They have a schedule, start out in homeroom and switch classes, but not as a class, but individually, just like middle school.  She came home and said she liked it that way much better.  She is also a little worried.  She knows they are more strict and worries if she is ready for all this.  I assured her she will do just fine as long as she always does what is expected of her.  

Emilee is in fourth grade this year.  WOW!  She has the same teacher Megan had, which I am so pleased.  Megan grew so much in that class and I know Emilee will do the same.  She had a fantastic day her first day.  She came home all excited as she told me all the things that she gets to do.  

Then there is Hunter.  My baby.  He is a big second grader now!  I still can't believe it.  I tell Jeremy all the time I don't think it is possible that he is in second grade.  He seems so much like my baby.  I suppose he is and he always will be.  I was also so excited to find out who his teacher was.  She will be awesome with him and I know I will see such great strengths out of him this year.  

So another school year started.  It is exciting.  I am so blessed to live where the kids go to such a great school.  They love it.  They love their friends and they love their teachers.  

Digging for Diamonds

Earlier this year, we decided that we would take the kids to a diamond mine in Arkansas and go dig for diamonds.  Now, let me be the first one to say, this did not excite me.  Think about it.....driving 7 hours with the kids to go dig in the dirt in the hot sun.  Not my dream vacation.  Well, I have to admit.  It wasn't too bad and it was an experience I think the kids will always remember.  Did we find anything you ask?  Well, it depends what you think is a treasure I guess.  I found a lot of fools gold, Megan found some cool rocks that she took home, and Jeremy found a shady spot to sit down in. 

Emilee of course was her happy excited self, Megan found the mud.  She always finds the mud.  Hunter thought he would find the diamond that would fund his dream playground set.  I guess he will have to keep dream'in.

We got to this mine about 8:30 in the morning, thinking that it would be cool enough and then as the afternoon began we would be done and off to swimming we go.  Well, it got hot a lot faster then we thought and it was humid.  I was dreaming of a white sand beach down in Florida.  There are three ways to dig for diamonds.  One way is a surface walk.  Just walking through the mine and spotting what may be on top.  Another way is digging in the dirt and dry sifting it through a screen.  Both of these consist of being out in the hot sun.   By the way, the brighter the sun the better, cause then you can see the sparkling little gems.  The third way is to shovel dirt into a bucket a sift it through a screen in the water using an area under a shaded area.  Well, once I figured out the third part.  It wasn't so bad.  The girls and I had a blast getting all wet and dirty searching for diamonds.  We talked to tons of people from all over the country.  I think I actually had a good time.  Shh, don't tell anyone though.  

Here we are, all dirty and ready to go swimming.  They had a great pool next to the mine that you could go to.  Had water slides and everything.  When we hosed off before we got in the pool, it was like a huge mud slide going down the drain.  Let me tell you though....that pool felt so good.  

The next day, we spent the day in Hot Springs.  We shopped through the downtown shops, went miniature golfing indoors ('cause it was to hot outside), went to the mid-America Science Center, and closed the day with a magic show with a master Illusionist.

This was a cool show in the Science museum.  It was a demonstration of a Telsa Coil.  Now, most of us have seen this in some sort of glass ball, but this was huge and it was very loud.  We learned that tons of things we use today came through this technology such as fluorescent and neon lights, cell phones, cars, televisions, and tons of other modern conveniences we might use today.  Afterward the kids got to go up there and touch part of the demonstration using there bodies and other objects to produce negative and positive energy.  They said it tickled their bodies.

That evening, we went to a magic show.  Because we sat on the front row, Megan and Emilee got picked to help out.  Now, they were totally excited, but when Emilee got up there she freaked out.  He rewarded her with a drink of her choice and about 3 bags of candy and a bag of popcorn.  Megan was doing great.  She had some dance moves that I didn't know she had.  She laughed tons and was having a great time until he brought out the guillotine.  Her face changed expressions very quickly.  It was very funny.  I think it was a pretty good show and the kids enjoyed it tons.

That was our trip.  Not much else to say about it, but we did have a good time.  Now it is time to get ready for school, which I have to say is very exciting.  As much as I love my children, I love it when they are learning in school as well.  By the time summer is over, I am all worn out and so ready to get things back to normal.

Almost 40

Another year has come and gone.  It seems the older I get, the faster they come.  When I turned 30, it was pretty easy.  Just another year.  I had just had my second baby girl and I had felt on top of the world.  Now, nine years later as I come closer to 40, I find that it is a little bit more difficult to take. WOW!  I always thought 40 sounded so far away, but as I come closer to it, I find out how fast life really can come racing past us.  I have noticed how we can go through our day to day events of our lives and sometimes forget to breath. 

I decided to look back and see what happened the year I was born.  Turns out tons.  First of all the average cost of a home in America was about $27,000 and gas was .55 a gallon. 

In history, five white house operatives were arrested for burglarizing the offices of the Democratic National Committee which was the start of the Watergate Scandal and Pres. Richard Nixon orders the start for the space shuttle program.  Movies that were popular were The Godfather and Fiddler on the Roof.  TV shows that were popular were Sesame Street, The Brady Bunch, Hawaii Five-O, and The Price is Right first premiered on CBS.  Music that most loved came from artists such as ABBA, The Eagles, Simon and Garfunkel, Don McLean, Elton John, and Led Zeppelin.  HBO was first launched, digital watches were introduced and you could buy the first hand held scientific calculator for $395.  The Volkswagen Beetle was the most popular car sold and Atari kicks off with the first generation of video games with the release of PONG which became the start of the video game craze, and the first call with a cell phone was made in New York. 

Now here in the present I have learned many things.  Patience for one.  Now don't get me wrong.  I still have a lot more to learn about patience, but after having three children growing up before my eyes can blink, an awesome husband, a live in mother-in-law, a dog that I still can't figure out became a part of our household, church callings, great friends who put up with my crazy thoughts and theories, and of course just me being me, I think I have made leaps and bounds.  I have much to be grateful for.  I often tell my kids that I am 25 again and they proceed to tell everyone just how old I really am.  Well, I am here to say, "40, here I come!" 'cause in the grand scheme, it really is not that old. 

Rough'n it!

One day, Jeremy came to me with an idea to buy a tent.  Now, let me tell you.  I am not much of a camper.  It's not that I hate it or anything, but I do love my blow dryer and other modern conveniences.  What girl doesn't, right?  Well, he sold me on it and we decided it would be fun to take the kids camping a few times a year.  The first place we decided to go was this KOA spot in the corner of Georgia and Tennessee near Chattanooga.  It wasn't totally without some modern conveniences.  Each site did have electricity and water.  Bathrooms and showers were available and it even came with a pool, playground, and a giant jumping pillow for the kids.  So, we packed the car, checked the list, of course, the kids had to check the list as well and we were off.  Now, I have to laugh.  We told the kids over and over not to forget certain things, including their pillows and wouldn't you know it.  After everything was set up, Jeremy and I discovered what we forgot was, our pillows.  Let's just say, I don't sleep well without my pillow.  Go figure.

After the tent was set up, air mattresses blown up, and bedding put into place, (except my pillow), the kids wanted to cool off by jumping in the pool.  Even Jeremy jumped in, which doesn't happen very often.  He is not much for swimming, but I am so proud of him.  Two days in a row he went swimming with us.  How cool is that.

Then it was dinner time.  What do you think we had.  Yep, hot dogs and smores.  Yum!  I will say, it was way fun.  I really haven't done that since I was a kid.  

I have to laugh at Megan.  She is funny.  She is definitely turning into a tween.  She spent a lot of time in the tent with her MP3 player on and drawing while the rest of us were outside.  Though Emilee did join her sometimes as they played their DS games together.  After the kids went to bed, Jeremy and I had a nice time talking and relaxing underneath the stars.  It was nice and quiet.  Like I said before, me and him forgot our pillows, so sleep was not good, but we survived and when morning came we were excited to get breakfast going.  Pancakes for the kids with bacon on the side and Jeremy made some breakfast sandwiches for himself.  I would have joined him with one of those sandwiches, but I think I ate too many pancakes.  

Now, when we went out on this little camping adventure, we had no idea what we would do the next day.  I think we thought we would hike, play around the camp site, relax, read.  Nope.  None of that happened.  Instead we decided to head to Chattanooga and go see Ruby Falls and Lookout Mountain.  Ruby Falls is a big waterfall that is in a cave in Lookout Mountain.  They say at the top of Lookout Mountain, you can see seven states when looking out at the top.  Hmm, who knew??  Now I have been in a lot of caves.  This particular cave was a bit pricey to go into, but I have to say, it had a lot of neat things to look at inside and the falls were quite amazing.  Very nice!  If you live around here and you want some place to take your visitors who come see you,  it could be a definite place to go.  Even my kids were impressed.

After the falls and lunch, we took the kids to the children's museum in Chattanooga.  That is always a kid pleaser.  

 After we left the museum, we went back to the camp site, swam, roasted, and played all night.  As soon as the kids went to bed, I enjoyed the silence once again.  I think I slept that night, but let me tell ya, after breakfast the next morning we went back home and I took a long nap.  I think I could get use to this camping thing.  We are interested in going to a KOA in the Smokies next.  I'm not sure when, but when we do, it will be  an adventure, I'm sure.

Police Camp for Megan

Megan had the opportunity this year to go to a Madison City Police Camp.  This is a program that is set up for 5th and 6th grade.  It was for one week and she went from 8 am to 3 pm.  I have to say, I think it was probably the best $50 that I have spent for her all summer long.  She loved it and the kids learned some very important things.  She came home every day with some great stories to tell.  On the first day of camp SWAT came in.  They got to go in there trucks and look at all their SWAT weapons and tools.  They listened to stories about SWAT and they even had a helicopter land right on the field for them.  The second day, they went swimming and had belly flop contests.  OUCH!  The third day K9 came with their dogs.  They watched the dogs find drugs around the school (that were planted of course by the police officers in charge)  They looked at all sorts of kinds of drugs.  Some included, weed, cocaine, crack, meth, and maybe some others.  They learned what they looked like and they learned all about the consequences of using them.  Not good.  Megan said they looked really gross and she couldn't understand why anyone would want to use them.  That's my girl.  Keep it up.  Megan loved the dog, of course.  His name was Timber.  The kids were told not to play with the dog.  He was working and on serious duty.  They watched him train with his partner and she was in awe.  The fourth day, they played in the mud.  Mud fights, tug-of-war, and other mud things to do.  Let me tell ya.  I had to throw those clothes away.(We knew that before the day started though)  When she came home, she said she could play in the mud all day.  YUCK!  On the last day, they learned all about crime scenes and investigations.  In their teams, they were suppose to look at a crime scene set up, follow procedures, and solve it.  Points were taken off for mistakes and at the end of the day, they told the kids which team had the most points.  Megan's team came in second.  Just 2 points away from first.  She also got to drive drunk.  OK, not really, but they had provided golf carts and drove with drunk goggles on.  Megan had said that she crashed into tons of cones without the goggles let alone with them.  I said that perhaps she should just not ever drive.  One can dream, right??  They also had many other in between activities through out each day.  I went to a program at the end and saw a slide show of all the activities.  I could tell that the kids loved every minute.  If you live here in Madison, you ought to look into it when your child gets into 5th grade.  They will love it.  I thought it was a great week for her and she loved every minute of it.

Happy Birthday Kids!

Birthdays, birthdays, and more birthdays.  I have been blessed with three wonderful adorable children.  I will have to say, that they are some of the bestest of the best.  Now, I'm not sure what I was thinking , except for that I taught and so I always went for a summer baby.  What do ya know, all my kids were born at the end of May and they happen to be all in the same week.  So, for us, the end of May is like Christmas!  Now, they don't all have parties every year.  They take turns and this year it was Emilee.  Her birthday is the last of the three, but since it landed on Memorial Day this year, we decided to do her party the week before so we will start with hers.  She turned nine.  WOW!  I can't believe it!

Emilee looked on the internet all by herself and came to me with the idea of having a "Rock Star" party!  It was so much fun.  We had the girls dress up as rock stars plus I had a bunch of things here they could dress up in and whatever they chose to use, they could take home.  I asked a friend to pant their faces, we made guitars,  and we had Kareoke singing going on.  I even made up a stage area with a backdrop curtain.  The girls loved singing.  Watch Out American Idol!  Your future is ready to sing for ya. 

I wish I could take credit for this cake.  I want to so bad, but I can't.  My good friend Marie made it for us.  I didn't want to cut it, it looked so good. 

Emilee has always been a little crazy, but we sure do love her.

There they all are, Rock Stars and all.  It was a fun day and I'm sure Emilee will always remember it.

Next up was Megan.  Her birthday is actually the first of the three.  She turned 11 this year.  She had a party last year so this year it was strictly family.  She got to pick where to go eat dinner and of course she chose a Chinese Buffet.  She always asks to eat a a Chinese Buffet.  She will say to me, "Mom, I really feel like Chinese food tonight so can we go?"  Ya right!  So we packed up the presents and cake and went on our way to the buffet.

I think I have mentioned this before, but Megan loves cinnamon rolls.  This year she asked instead of having a cake, could we have cinnamon rolls instead.  I didn't see why not.  I was going to make them for her, but then her next request was if they could just be from Cinnabon.  Well, I didn't see why not except the only Cinnabon I knew of closed down and then I remembered they had one on the army base.  Guess what?  I can get on base so off I went to pick them up and that was her birthday cake.  Fun, eh?

I have to laugh.  The waitresses were so funny.  They gave us decorations and a candle to decorate her cinnamon roll.  I love it!

Now that is a girl who loves cinnamon rolls. What a mess!

Last, but of course not least is my little Hunter Man!  He turned seven this year and his birthday

 actually lands right in the middle of the two girls!  I can't believe it!  My youngest is getting to big.  He also had a party last year and so his as well was strictly family.  On his birthday he actually had a father and son campout with the church, so we had to celebrate his day the next day when they got back.  He asked to go to Cici's Pizza and was so excited to get a Harry Potter ice cream cake.

Hunter is hilarious.  He is always asking for a tuxedo.  I don't know why except he wants to impress I guess.  So I had found this T-shirt and thought it was perfect for him.  He loved it.

Whew!!  Another year done and gone!  It is always a little stressful, but we always get through it.  The great thing is about having all the birthdays in the same week is that I'm done!  I don't have to worry about it for another year. 

I love my kids so much!  They are tons of fun, most of the time.  I wouldn't change a thing.  I know it is a little late on the blog, but Happy Birthday kids!  You are so the best!