paying it forward

A few weeks back a fellow home school Mama posted this to her facebook page.  I happened to be on at the time she posted and I was one of the first to respond.  A few days later she called me and asked if I had plans for Wednesday evening, she wanted to send the girls and I to see Disney on Ice.  When I signed on, I was thinking I would get paid forward with a starbucks or maybe a play date so Ben and I could do on a date.  I have no idea, how I'm going to pay my friends forward, not sure that is the point, but we had a fabulous night out.  Thank you Nichole and girls for treating us.

I'm participating in this Pay it Forward initiative: the first five people who comment on this status with "I'm in" will receive a surprise from me at some point during this calendar year-anything from a book, a ticket, something home-grown, homemade, a postcard, absolutely any surprise! There will be no warning and it will happen when the mood comes over me and I find something that I believe would suit you and make you happy. These five people must make the same offer on their Facebook status. Once my first five have commented "I'm in" I will forward you this message to put as your status. (Don't share it) so we can form a web connection of kindness. Let's do more nice and loving things in 2014, without any reason other than to make each other smile and to show that we think of each other. Here's to a more enjoyable, more friendly, and love filled I'm participating in this Pay it Forward initiative: the first five people who comment on this status with "I'm in" will receive a surprise from me at some point during this calendar year-anything from a book, a ticket, something home-grown, homemade, a postcard, absolutely any surprise! There will be no warning and it will happen when the mood comes over me and I find something that I believe would suit you and make you happy. These five people must make the same offer on their Facebook status. Once my first five have commented "I'm in" I will forward you this message to put as your status. (Don't share it) so we can form a web connection of kindness. Let's do more nice and loving things in 2014, without any reason other than to make each other smile and to show that we think of each other. Here's to a more enjoyable, more friendly, and love filled year LIVE HAPPY!

update to the rough day

12 am - HR is still waking up at night crying, but now R2 and Daddy are up coughing and congested
3 am - turn off alarm and sleep walk to the office to get some sleep
7:45- wake up on my own accord
9:45- teach class #1
11:30 - teach class #2
1:45- take a nap cuddled with my favorite 3 yr old in my air conditioned house (got fixed finally yesterday)
3:00 - check the girls' modified school work, only 3 subjects to wrap up to finish the year!!
4:00 - eat frozen grapes (my favorite new snack)
5:00- serve chicken and spaghetti, courtesy of two blonde chefs
6:00 - teach class #3
7:00 - personal workout (it has been a week since I got my own workout in)

Teeth are still causing me discomfort, will have them worked on in the next couple of weeks.  New mouth guard and $19 toothpaste prescription seem to be helping.  Trying to oil pull, but not real consistently.

Rough day

1 am - up with sick baby and toddler who was awakened during the ordeal
3 am - daddy up with sick baby
6 am - hit snooze 3x before deciding gym is not going to happen today
7:30 - get text my younger cousin has passed away due to heart failure
9 am - teach aqua (decide to jump in, so I can get some physical activity)
11 am - HR diagnosed with strep for the third time in 3 months
11:30 get the text we have to turn off the ac till Friday (at the earliest) to make sure our warranty doesn't expire before ac can be repaired
12:15 - drop off prescription
12:30 thanking God, my kids like pb and j
1:30 - drop off girls at book club
1:50 arrive at friends' house to pray/consult her
2:15 - pick up portable ac's from Pastor Steve
2:30 come home to find R2 in front yard bc he woke up from his nap and couldn't find anyone (Ben was on conference call and didn't hear him)
4:00 - dentist appt, find out I have 3 chipped teeth bc I'm grinding my teeth at night
7:00 - 9 search frantically for subs or babysitters for my two classes tomorrow bc Ben has to go into work.
9:44 - kids finally in sleeping bags at foot of parents' bed bc one portable ac upstairs, one down.
9:47- mama inserts ear plugs into ears and prays for a better day

last minute camping trip

Last Thursday at 3:30, my mom called and asked if I wanted to meet her in Marble Falls to watch Jacob (my younger cousin) play baseball and go camping for the weekend.  At 5:30, we were loaded in the car pulling out of the driveway.  Have I ever said how much I love spontaneity?
We arrived for game #1, which we lost, but enjoyed camping at the Hofbrau RV Park.  The next morning, we had a camp breakfast and then went to Sweetberry Farms for our yearly supply of berries to make jelly.  Lunch was at my fave fast food joint, Taco Casa and then we spent the afternoon at the city park.  The girls met some other home school girls and put on a show for the parents/grandparents.  Then, back to the ballpark, where Jacob rallied his team and they won 7-2.  He was even interviewed for the local newspaper.
Saturday morning was spent at the "treasure store" where I scored 9 books for our summer reading challenge and then an afternoon baseball game, which we lost and were eliminated from the playoffs.  Jake is graduating so it was his last game.  Hard to imagine, my two year old ring bearer is graduating next week.   Daddy met us that afternoon and we spent another evening at the campgrounds.  The girls made a new friend who lived in the RV park and they spent the evening playing games while the grownups looked on.  The next morning we had breakfast and had to load up before the 11 am checkout.  Such a fun weekend, made me want a camper even more.

Cinco de Mayo celebration

We celebrated Cinco de Mayo last week at the church I teach my fitness class.  It was a lot smaller crowd than the Fall Fest, but had just as many fun things for the kids.  Boo killed a minion pinata.  We visited a petting zoo, face painting, bouncy houses, cookie walk, fun games and free nachos and fruit cups.  Daddy stayed home with HR so it was just the bigger kiddos.

My Mother's Day

I am beginning a grass roots movement to make all Sundays Mother's Day.  My family spoiled me this year.
The day started off at 5:30 a.m. when R2 woke me up to cuddle.  Thankfully I was able to get him back into his bed until 6:30, but Ben got up with him at that point b/c everyone else was awake with anticipation.  LE and Boo had gotten up early to straighten up the living room and plan her surprise for me.
For breakfast, I had my yearly request of breakfast tacos (including the flour tortillas).  And then, I was sent on a scavenger hunt for my surprise.  I went all over the house and backyard looking for clues (they were inspired by C-mas morning).  I ended up back in my bedroom on top of my new massage table (the table arrived earlier in the week as my gift from Daddy), but the girls had planned a spa day for me.  I got a makeover, a pedicure and a massage.
For lunch, Daddy made steaks, grilled mushrooms, roasted new potatoes and asparagus.  He also cleaned the kitchen afterwards.
That afternoon while the boys napped the girls and grown-ups played a intense round of Disney's Apples to Apples and Sequence (capital and states edition).
The kids had an early dinner of their choice and then it was light saber i.e noodle wars in the backyard.  After kids' baths, we put on one of my fave Pixar movies Ratatouille and Daddy sneaked out to pick up Cheesecake Factory.
It was the perfect day.  Well, except for the fact I had to work off the massive quantities I consumed this week
, but it was worth it.
I am so blessed.  And, yes Ben, you take excellent care of me.

End of the Year Tea Party - keepers

 This past week was our Keepers' end of the year tea party.  The girls earned 7 new badges this school year including reading Genesis and Exodus.  They memorized the books of the Old Testament (and some of the new).  They received badges for playing the piano, bike safety, first aid, and butterflies.
This is LE's last year as a little keeper, next year she will be in the class for ages 9 and up.  I am undecided on whether I will lead the club next year.  This year was kind of hard to get volunteers and I had two uncomfortable encounters with other moms.  Of course not reasons to quit, but I have learned a hard lesson this year, which is just b/c I can do something doesn't mean I should.  Every day I am reevaluating the choices I make as to how they effect the kids and our time.
My friend, Morgan blessed me with flowers at the tea party b/c she knew the struggles I had and how many times I wanted to quit.  I love to lead the club, but I don't want it to distract from our family.  Still praying about it, the girls really want to participate next year, so we will see.

butterfly badge

The girls recently went to Lady Bird Wildflower Center with our keepers' club.  I skipped this time as it was the boys' nap time, so they rode with their friend Lily and her mom.
Some of the things the girls learned, butterflies make chrysalis and moths make cocoons.  Moths make cocoons on the ground and butterflies build chrysalis high in the tree.

next generation of thrower

presentation day 2014

The kids took advantage of our home school communities' presentation day again this year.  Boo chose to read her original story, The Lonely Teddy Bear, that she wrote.  LE played the Star Spangled Banner on piano.  Both girls put their journals out for display and R2 displayed his art work, the Snowman, he created when he was learning about the shape, circle.
It really hit me this year, how invaluable this opportunity was, when Pastor Steve came to support the kids.  He was telling me what a great idea it was b/c the kids really don't have the opportunity to present in a public setting or practice speaking in front of strangers.  It made me grateful, the kids were able to do this and I could see such a sense of responsibility in their work and pride when they were presenting.

wordless Wednesday - big helpers

last zoo hoorah

This past week our zoo membership expired, and it was our off week from school so we invited a few of our friends to join us for a zoo play date.  (I left the big camera and HR at home this time).
I don't recommend going late in the day.  I called the zoo office and asked if we were in the park at closing time if we could still walk around and see the animals, but by 4:30 the zookeepers began locking exhibits and putting the animals in for the evening.  We went later b/c my friend and I were killing two stones that day by attending the Waco used curriculum sale that evening.  We made a stop at Chick-Fil-A and then hit the sale.  I struck out this year at the sale, but LE found a set of  Little House Chapter books to complete her collection, an AG Samantha Christmas craft book and a Calico Critters nursery school set.  It was still a nice day to get out with friends.  We will do the zoo membership again, it was worth the expensive for a family of six.  We went more this year b/c we had the passes and we were able to share extra tickets with friends.

Crowe's Nest Farm

During our last school break, we took a field trip to the Crowe's Nest Farm.  We learned how they milk a cow, saw lots of Texas animals, and how not to get near an ostrich egg that has been in the Texas heat.  Let's just say Mama was glad she was not one of the pregnant Moms on that field trip.  We took a hay ride and had a picnic lunch with friends.

new senior fitness classes

I have been at the gym for three years this spring and I LOVE my job.  I have been trying to get them to add silver sneakers since we opened b/c of the number of seniors who participate in my aqua classes.
I have been through three gym managers, three human resource directors, five group X managers during this time.  Several have pushed for the classes, but nothing ever came of it.  But my newest club manager is interested in senior fitness as I am and beginning this Monday, I will be the new senior fit instructor for 24.  They decided with my knowledge, we could just brand our own fitness classes.  It will be similar in format, but SS is very present in the area and they did not think we had the numbers to support another club.  I am just so excited for my members b/c so many of them are too intimidated to venture into the weight room, have issues that prevent them from participating in classes that would cause joint pain, and when the pool is cold, they won't workout.  It will be a combination of low impact cardio/strength training/balance and stretching.  Can't wait!

Easter at Mimi's

This year our we celebrated Easter at Mimi's.  Aunt Francy is teaching this year and b/c of the bad weather makeup days, she had to teach on Good Friday and could not prepare for our annual Saturday Easter party at her home (even though I offered to help with cleaning).  Gigi was in Washington for the week so we celebrated as a family on Easter Sunday and it was another rainy one.  We had to postpone our egg hunt till later afternoon and wait for a break in the rain.  We had brisket and the fixin's and of course our tradition with cascaranas.  I had ordered 15 dozen of the stuffed eggs in February from a lady in my class (5 dozen for each party), so PawPaw's front yard was sprinkled with confetti by the end of the fun.