2012 Week 1

Welcome to those of you who are new to our family blog!


As the New Year has been around for 8 days now, I've procrastinated about updating the blog. Actually and honestly work and life has gotten in the way and I haven't had time. Anyhow, as it rains outside my dining room window, Mikie is at drill and the kids are in the basement watching a movie and taking naps, I decided to take a few minutes and check in. 

I am going to attempt to do better this year in succeeded at my goals. I don't make resolutions because I know I will break them. I set goals, that way I don't have to feel as guilty for not completing them. Not that I feel guilty over much of anything anyway. 


My goals for this year, 2012 are,
1. Blog at least once a week. Even if it's an update on our week.
2. Exercise everyday physically and spiritually. So far so good!
3. Send at least one card or letter each week. (I'll be sending 2 tomorrow :)
4. Simplify, Simplify, Simplify! Too much stuff gets in the way of serving God and others.
5. Keep the house company presentable at all times. (Yea, I know that lasts about 15 minutes with 4 kids.)


There they are and other than the cards I haven't failed yet.


So now for this weeks update. During Christmas break Mattie, Maggie and I had some doctors visits. 


Mattie's heart murmur was heard by the doctor again a few months ago. She had an echocardiogram and it was discovered that she does indeed have a small hole in between the 2 upper chambers of her heart. She has an appointment with the cardiologist at the end of the month and will most likely have a TEE--trans-esophageal echocardiogram sometime soon. Basically a scope down her throat to make sure there is nothing else going on. At that time will know what we need to do about it.


Maggie visited the allergist for a peanut butter tasting test and PASSED! No more food allergies in our house. Of course she still doesn't like the taste or texture but the pistachios fear her when they see her coming. 


I have an abnormally enlarged goiter which is pressing on my vocal cords. It has given me problems since the summer and I couldn't figure out what was causing me to be hoarse and not able to sing. I see the doctor next week to find out what we are going to do about it. Obviously my constant talking wasn't the cause. It was nice to know that my husband was WRONG for once, it's not all in my head. 


We've enjoyed time with family and friends throughout the holiday season and look forward to a wonderful year of fun.


Mattie and Maggie have participated in the Director's Writing Contest at school and have placed. Mattie placed third in the poems category and Maggie first in non-fiction. There writings will move on to the next level of competition. 


Rec-ball has started and Mattie and Maggie both are looking forward to getting to play this year. Michael and Mollie are justing hoping Paw comes to some games so they can buy some stuff at the concession stand. 


I am gearing up for nine weeks of drama. My afternoon school is doing Alladin Jr. My morning school is still in deliberations with me as to what we are going to do. We don't have an auditorium there so staging logistics for a full drama is hard. 


Mikie is working all the time either at the air guard or in the workshop or folding clothes. Usually folding clothes. :)

Kellie came over Saturday and played. The kids enjoyed a picnic in the rain in the backyard. It was a day of missing kids and runaways but all is well now. 


I'm sure there are really more interesting things I could tell you about our week, but I can't think of any right now. 


I'm glad you stopped by and will be praying that you have a fun and blessed 2012!

Who Inspires You?

We all have those people, besides our parents, in our lives who have really helped us become who we are. When I was in high school my piano teacher encouraged me to teach piano to younger children in my home. I did and loved it! From that experience I knew I wanted to be a music teacher. Because of the love and support of Ms. Omega I majored in Music Education in college and taught public school music for seven years before becoming a stay at home mom. I continue to teach piano to several students and enjoy hearing and seeing their excitement as they succeed one song after another.

As my youngest looks forward to starting kindergarten in the fall, I see another chapter of my life opening up, thanks to my children's kindergarten teachers.  My oldest two girls had the same kindergarten teacher, Mrs. McAvoy and my son has had her teaching buddy, Mrs. Duckett this year.

Over the three years that we have been in kindergarten I've come to realize that I will eat my words. I remember my very first day of teaching music. I had three kindergarten classes back to back and I told myself there is NO way I will ever teach kindergarten. Fast forward thirteen years, I'm chewing on those words right now. After teaching kindergarten through eighth grade music, staying home with my children and volunteering in the classrooms of those beloved kindergarten teachers mentioned above, I am proud to announce that I will be adding my K-6 elementary education endorsement starting this summer and praying for a kindergarten position. Although I know it won't be at the same school with these ladies cause that means one of them would have to quit.

I can honestly say both of these ladies have greatly influenced the last four years of my life. Watching as they involve themselves in the lives of each child in their classroom, working with parents, teaching the basics of kindergarten as well as life skills, these ladies can do it all. They have allowed me to step into their lives and considered me a friend, we've shared laughter and tears. We've comforted each other in time of pain and sorrow. We've chopped apples, dressed like pilgrims, dyed Easter eggs, panicked over emergency phone calls from parents, sang silly songs and they've taught me to bite my lip.

As summer break approaches I will miss my Wednesday fun of working in Mrs. Duckett's class with her and her extra special children and spending time with Mrs. McAvoy and her class when they team up for activities. As much as I don't want my youngest to start kindergarten in the fall, I also can't wait to get back into those kindergarten classrooms to learn more from those amazing teachers. I know that all of the kindergarten teachers at our school are as amazing as these two ladies it's just that I've spent more time with these, so please don't think any different.

So as I start the next journey in my life's book, I am thankful for teachers who not only take my children under their wings but also me. Who are willing to be "real" and themselves in the classroom just like they are in their own homes. Who inspire, encourage and believe in all from the youngest to the oldest (me) students in their classes. Thanks ladies for changing the lives of not only the students that you teach but this mother also. As the book by Robert Fulghum says All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.




Has someone inspired you to make a life change? Leave me a comment below and you will be entered to win a copy of the book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

Contest ends Friday, May 27, 2011.

Disclaimer:
I have not been paid for citing this book. The book being given away was purchased with my own money.

I have barely touched the ways these ladies have inspired me, writing it all down could be a book.

My girls have had wonderful teachers every year, I've just spent more time in the classroom with these.

One lucky winner will be drawn. Good luck!!!

Chaos in the Sanctuary

I told myself I wasn't going to do this but it is far too funny to let it pass.


Our two oldest daughters had the pleasure of spending Saturday night with the Worley family. The Worley's have five children ages two through eleven, four girls and that sweet little two year old boy. 


When me and the youngest two arrived at church this morning, I sat in our usually pew, (Mikie was at drill), and the kids went a pew back to sit with part of the Linsley family.


The choir made its way through the hall as the Worley crew, plus my two and another young lady shuffled into the pew behind, in front of and beside me. We joked about them beating the choir into their seats. 


The worship part of the service was fairly calm, other than sweet J turning her pocket inside out to drop her change in the offering plate. Then deciding that she only wanted to give a dime. I can't tell you who the deacon was at the end of the pew waiting on the offering plate because I was laughing so hard. 


As Pastor Bob started into his sermon, I hear this sound, singing, talking, maybe a cell phone, I couldn't tell. I notice my youngest was under the pew and the four kids sitting on the pew where she was supposed to be were giggling. While everyone around was checking their cell phones, I'm snapping my fingers to get her attention. Her stuffed animal that she swore was broken and didn't make a sound had suddenly revived itself with some French love song. Once it was passed to me I realized the switch had been broken off and had to make a not so discrete exit to the hallway to leave the animal. 


Back in the sanctuary that sweet little two year boy of theirs got upset and very loudly informed his mom that his dad had told him not to talk. Dr. C. got up to take him to the nursery and my pew of girls and I thought they were going to meet the floor. We still aren't sure what happened but there was a pretty good lunge and sudden straightening.


Michael asked to go to the potty so I let him go alone. In a minute J (same age as Michael and possibly a little too flirty together), needs to blow her nose. So K let her go out to the restroom. Six minutes later Michael and J return with grins on their faces. I asked if they had been in the bathroom together, which I was told no, that she had waited on him in the hallway.


After service Dr. C told me he only needed little C potty trained not J, (Michael has helped potty train 3 little boys in the last year. Were thinking about starting a potty training business.) 


Pastor Bob does an awesome job at ignoring the chaos on the first three pews, and so far hasn't asked any of us to move to the back.  


And in the words of the oldest Linsley child, "when your family, my family and the Worley's are together, the best you can hope for is a scene."




Disclaimer: 
1. I used initials for the other families because I didn't ask permission to pick on their kids. 
2. It probably isn't as funny as it was if you were there! 
3. Mollie found her singing dog on the table in the hallway. I didn't throw it in the middle of the road like someone had figured I did. 

Maggie's Bull Frog

During Vacation Bible School I taught the 2 year old class. I always have a kiddie pool full of sand outside the fellowship hall for the kids to play in. This year was no different. I covered it with cardboard each afternoon. That particular week in June found us under tornado watches and warnings three afternoons. By Wednesday the pool was full of water on top of the sand and the kids couldn't play in it. Friday afternoon during clean up it was still full and I couldn't lift it to empty it. This past week, 6 weeks after VBS, Mikie and our family friend Mark, went to empty the pool. When Mark tipped it to pour this weeks worth of rain out something jumped out at him. I wasn't there but would have loved to have seen Mikie and Mark's faces. What jumped out was a large bullfrog and a smaller one.

Mikie hollered for Maggie to come see what they had found. He picked up the larger frog, the little one hopped away, and handed it to Maggie. She carried it through the parking lot to the pavillion before she headed to the playground to show off her frog. The kids on the playground were terrified of the frog. They were running around and screaming, trying to get away from her. She pretended to kiss it. She was so close that if it had moved she would have kissed it.

Maggie got in the car, Slimy the frog in hand, and we rode home. I told her, "If you let that frog go we won't make it home." I just knew she would let go, Slimy would jump across the seats onto my shoulder or lap, I would panic and we would wreck. Well, fifteen minutes later we unloaded at the house, Slimy still in hand. Everyone of our kids held it. Mattie pretended to kiss it too.
Maggie carried Slimy around to the patio and placed in the plastic pool. It had just a little water and lots of bugs. Frog paradise? So we thought.

The next morning before we went to register Mattie for second grade we went to check on Slimy. Maggie couldn't find him. One side of the pool had fallen over, she lifted it. "Slimy shrunk," she yelled. Out hopped a smaller, bumpy frog. Definetly not Slimy. The look on her face was priceless. She really believed that he had shrunk during the night. She couldn't catch him. So while my eggs burned on the stove I chased Sparkles around the patio. Finally she was back in the pool. We fixed the pool in hopes that Sparkles would not escape. Off to registration to meet Mattie and Maggie's teachers.

When we returned home Sparkles had jumped over the side of the pool and was gone also. Maggie was sad and looked all over the yard for Slimy and Sparkles but neither could be found. An exciting evening and morning, a new pet gone. A little girls heartbroken but ready for another adventure.

Maggie will catch something else one of these days. She's afraid of nothing. For the time being we will keep Green Eyes the cat, and an aquarium of fish and snails. But come Knoxville Fair time we hope to bring home a huge bunny. And to answer Uncle Buddy's repeating question, "Why can't you get those kids a normal pet, like a dog?" Dogs are fun but catching your pets is more fun. I figure I'm going to be catching that bunny a lot in the next few weeks.