Lovin' Every Minute of It!!

New School Year = Blog Revival!!!

2010-08-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

Let's see if I even remember how to do this.....I know...I know....I have been a TERRIBLE blogger!!! I have gotten into Facebook and spent my time uploading pics. and info. there. That does not help my family, though....they aren't even ON facebook (except my sis). I promise we have been doing LOTS of fun stuff...that's the problem....lots of fun stuff = not much time to blog! Strange predicament, huh? Anyway, over time, I plan to blog all that fun stuff, but felt a little overwhelmed thinking of doing it all at once. SO, when the kids started school today, I thought it would be the PERFECT opportunity to have "new start" on blogging. I PROMISE to do better!!! Don't expect an every day thing, but at least more than every THREE MONTHS!!

Here are pics of the kids this morning...Parker - 5th grade....Kinlee - 3rd grade!

Here is a pic. of them from this time last year....I CANNOT BELIEVE the change!!! Love those kiddos! Gonna miss them around here!

Teapot Trot 2010

2010-04-30T04:59:00.000-07:00

Last night, our whole family participated in the Teapot Trot 5K. We had a great time - definitely see it becoming a family tradition!! The weather was great - a little windy....okay a LOT windy, but other than that, it was fine. There were about 220 participants in the race this year. Mark came in 14th overall (4th in his age group), Parker came in 41st overall (3rd in his age group), I came in 54th overall (5th in my age group), and Kinlee came in 179th. She was kind of bummed about her number, but I told her over and over again how proud we were of her just for doing it! That's a long way for 8 year old legs to go.....for that matter, that's a long way for 37 year old legs to go!!!

It was a great hometown, family event and I love those!! I even got chills at the beginning with the police escort, people cheering, all the participants....the chills soon came to an end, though, as I reached that first hill!!! Fun stuff!

Walk Your Child to School Day!!!

2010-04-28T14:19:00.001-07:00

It is Teapot Week in Trenton! So far, we have attended the Block Party on Monday night (didn't get any pictures of that one - didn't feel like lugging my camera around in the COLD!), and today participated in "Walk Your Child to School Day". We headed out around 7:15, walked down to City Hall, and then on to school.

We attempted to get a family picture made of the event, and asked our nice Mayor to take it at City Hall. Well....as Mark said, "He should stick to his Mayor-in' because he sure can't take pictures!!!" It was about a million miles away AND he chopped our heads off. SO, you'll have to settle for single parent pictures. Oh well, we tried. Stay tuned for pictures of the Teapot Trot 5K and the parade (if it doesn't rain)....

My Own Backyard....

2010-04-20T12:02:00.000-07:00

I love Spring. I love the images that come with Spring. Azaleas....Iris'....Dogwoods.....Green.....I was inspired by one of my favorite movie quotes to snap some pictures of "Spring" in my own backyard today:
In case you don't remember the quote I am referring to, it is the one where Dorothy says, "If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't go looking any farther than my own backyard. Because if it isn't there....I never lost it anyway."

Let us strive to be content with our "own backyard"....I know it is a challenge for me. I think I'm up for it, though....how about you???

Lovin' Us Some Free Entertainment!!!

2010-04-19T12:07:00.001-07:00

Anyone who knows me KNOWS that I LOVE free entertainment! So, when Mark drove through Greenfield on his way to a meeting one day and called to tell me that there was a carnival with FREE rides, I was all over it! So, this past Friday night, the Finton Family loaded up and headed to the Fiddlestick Festival for some fun! I found out while I was there that a "Fiddlestick" is some sort of ice cream bar. Makes me wonder whose idea it was to plan an entire festival around a frozen ice cream treat...hmmmm.....whatever the reason, we don't care! We spent almost 4 hours at the carnival that consisted of about 8 rides total! The kids had a blast, and we would have stayed even longer, but they shut the place down for the night!
A fun time was had by all, and the only money we were out was our dinner at Wimpy's Burgers (YUM!) and a couple of cokes at the carnival. YAY free rides!!!:)

Spring Break trip 2010

2010-04-19T11:35:00.001-07:00

On the Sunday that the Lads to Leaders convention ended, the kids and I met up with my mom in Nashville to leave on our Spring Break trip to West Virginia to visit my grandmother. Unfortunately, Mark did not get to go with us, but we hope to try and fix that in the future! We always have a good time while we are there. This year, we got to ride the ferry across the Ohio River, about 30 minutes or so from my grandmother's house. The kids had ridden it several years ago, but it had been closed the other times we've gone since then. They enjoyed riding it again - something you don't get to do every day...
While we were there, my cousin Wendi and her kids came for a visit. They all had such a good time! They always play so well together and are great company for one another. This year, I believe we started a new tradition....the Annual Cousin Basketball Game...!!! They waived the price of admission, but charged for snacks and autographs! It started out Parker & Blake vs. Camye & Chloe. Kinlee ran the concession stand, and Paul was there for moral support and half time entertainment!

At the beginning of the game, the boys thought they had it "in the bag", but the girls gave them a run for their money! About half way through the second half, Camye experienced an injury, so they had to call in the reinforcements (the concession stand girl) to fill in. She did a great job, but the girls just couldn't pull it out. They lost by a measley two points!!!
Here is a picture of their concession stand. Kinlee said, "We put it on the steps and then when someone pays for something, we slide it down to them....except for the older people. They probably can't bend down that far, so we'll just hand it to them." I was glad to see that my purchase hit the slide - I guess they don't think I'm too old yet!:) Fun times. I definitely see a repeat game next year!

Before we left, I had to stop on the side of the road and take a picture of my favorite "West Virginia House"...I love this place. It is so pretty, I just couldn't resist. I look forward to driving by it every time we go...

Lads to Leaders 2010

2010-04-19T11:26:00.001-07:00

I know....I know....I've been a terrible blogger AGAIN! After getting harassed on facebook about my lack of posts on here (WENDI!:)), I figured I'd better catch up on stuff! A couple of weeks ago, our family traveled to Nashville with an awesome group from church for the annual Lads to Leaders conference. Our family looks forward to this weekend every year! They work so hard to get there...it's the light at the end of the tunnel, for sure. This year was no exception! Like last year, Mark and I were in charge of the 4th grade puppet team - a GREAT group of kids. We had so much fun working with them. We placed 2nd in our age division, and the kids were SO excited! Way to go, guys!!
This year, Parker competed in Know the Books, Scripture reading, Speech, and puppets. We were so proud of him. He made it among the 6 (out of 15) finalists in speech. He was hoping for a higher placement, but handled it VERY well - made us even prouder of him. He is already gung-ho about his speech for next year - glad he didn't let it get him down.

Kinlee participated in Know the Books, puppets, scripture reading, drawing, and scrapbooking. Because of her age, her scrapbook was not judged, but we had a great time working on it together. It also gave us a chance to look at some of the others and get an idea of the competition for next year. She did awesome in her other events, as well.

Aside from the events (which took up a LOT of our weekend), we just had a great time hanging out and visiting with the people that came along in our group. Awesome group of people - the kind of people I want us and our children to be around for a LONG time!!!

Spring Soccer has Sprung!!!

2010-03-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

Parker and Kinlee have started Spring Soccer again. They are on different teams because of their age division, so it definitely makes for busy times! We did manage to get them to both have the same team color so that Mark, who coaches both teams, doesn't have to change shirts between games!!:) Parker's team is nicknamed (by the kids, of course) "The Money" - because they are green, of course!!! Their cheer is "1-2-3...Cha-Ching!!!":) They have won 2 games so far and are a really good group of kids. GO MONEY!!!

Kinlee's team is nicknamed "The Gators"...we thought about it later and thought we should have nicknamed them "Spare Change":) I don't think they would have appreciated it too much, though. They enjoy playing together and doing the "Gator Chomp" in the huddle! They have only played one game so far and won!!! They, too, are a great group and have a lot of fun!!! GO GATORS!!!

Lambert's 2010!!!

2010-03-23T11:32:00.000-07:00

Yes...I know...it has been quite a while since I've blogged. I will use the same ol' excuses we all use...we've been busy....it's been crazy around here....blah...blah....blah! It for SURE isn't because we haven't been up to anything around here! THAT has been the problem. I survived the Spring/Summer Consignment Sale - no pictures to prove it, so you'll just have to take my word for it!! It went well...done til' fall! One thing I DID document with pictures, though, was our annual "Tax Return Trip to Lambert's". (I really need to shorten that name!:)) Maybe I'll just call it "TuRTLe" from now on. Anyway, we had a really good time, ate entirely too much, and even managed to smuggle a few rolls home for some of the kids' teachers. As a matter of fact, the teachers at their school are all doing "The Biggest Loser". The kids took the rolls to school the next day, proceeded to find out who all was participating, and handed out rolls accordingly to try and sabotage their efforts. Little stinkers!! They only had one teacher actually turn them down, though....oh for the will power of that woman!!!
Some of the "roll catching" photos below are a little blurry, but it's pretty hard to get a good action shot while attempting to NOT get hit in the head with a roll!! We had a blast!!!

Until next year, Lambert's....we love you!!!:)

Still Recovering....

2010-02-17T12:19:00.000-08:00

Phew!!! What a week it has been! It all started last Thursday when I left on my trip to Texas. I was flying out of Little Rock on Friday, spending a couple of days with some friends in Texas shopping and chatting, and returning home on Sunday night....sounds delightful, huh??? Well, it WAS delightful, just a little more involved than I just mentioned! Let's just put it this way...I don't think Mark will EVER let me leave again!!!:) Here are the girls I ended up spending ALMOST A WEEK WITH!!! Here's what happened:

First of all, I regret to mention that this is the only picture I have to document said trip. You see, as I said, we were too busy shopping, eating, and chatting to take any more (excuses, excuses). Anyway, the trip started out as planned. I got everyone squared away here at the house with clothes for the next few days, a clean house, adequate food for while I was gone, and plenty of cash because I knew the food I had left wouldn't get eaten anyway - that's what fast food is for! I got to Lubbock as planned, and we had a wonderful weekend! We had a great time catching up and visiting, but it all came crashing down on Sunday. We had gone to an early service in Lubbock because my plane was set to leave at 12:30. I received my first (of many) phone calls from the airport saying that my plane had been delayed until 4:45. No problem - we now get to eat lunch together, and chat some more. After eating and chatting, we proceeded to head to the airport. On the way, I received another phone call that my flight had been cancelled due to fog until THE NEXT DAY!!!! What to do?? We head to the airport to see what our options were. We decided to switch my flight to Abilene (still the next day) so that I could go back home with the girls and spend the night there. Mission accomplished...until.....I get to the airport in Abilene on Monday morning, and all flights are a go! I double-check the flight in Dallas to make sure I am not going to be stranded there....again, all flights are a go! Fly to Dallas. Get off the plane. Call Mark to let him know the flight is on time to depart....oops - get a call from the airline - CANCELLED UNTIL TOMORROW!!! What?! I am in the Dallas airport!!!! Never fear, Steph (my TX buddy) has an aunt and uncle in Plano....20 minutes from the airport....they are on their way. Phew!!! I meet Tom and Nancy and we become house-mates for the night. Very relaxing stay, I might add. Meanwhile, Mark is at home with both kiddos, one of which (Kinlee) is VERY upset that I will not be returning home until Tuesday (or so we thought). The kids had been out of school all week because of snow, and he was having to take off work. Poor guy. Off to the Dallas airport on Tuesday morning, fly to Little Rock....finally closer to home. But wait!!! Those roads are too bad to drive on and there is no way I'll make it home before dark when things start to re-freeze. SO, spend the night in Little Rock, it is... This is getting ridiculous!!! Found out that Mark and the kids had Mac 'n' cheese, chips, popcorn, and water for supper - I must get home SOON!!! Wake up Wed. morning, things are still a little icy - I'm outta here! I finally got home Wednesday afternoon around 3:30. Phew - I am tired just typing it - I know you're tired reading it (if you even made it this far). Lesson learned- IF Mark ever lets me leave again, I don't think I'll be taking this trip in the winter. I had a great time ( and a longer-than-planned stay), but was very ready to get back home! Hey, look at it this way - the kids looked forward to my cooking when I got back!!!! Always a bright side!!! Thanks for reading! Glad to be home.

Snow Snow Snow!!!

2010-01-30T13:51:00.001-08:00

Well, the weather predictions rang true this time. Or, maybe it was the snow dance....either way, it finally happened. The Big Snow of 2010!!! The kids were out of school on Friday, so we definitely had to take advantage of the day. We caught wind of an awesome hill not too far from here, and we were able to get there without any trouble. We all had a blast....yes, even Mark with his "possibly broken knee" got in on the fun. I am pleased to report that no further injuries were incurred....unless you count my tailbone that feels like it HAS been broken, thanks to my first trip down "the hill".
We went out some on Saturday, too, but the wind was much stronger, the snow was deeper and harder, and we didn't stay nearly as long. The hill was much harder for Mark to climb (gimp) up the second day, plus Kinlee got snow in her face ( a HUGE no-no), so we headed home much sooner. I did manage to take some cool pictures of the front of our house - I love the way it looks in the snow! If you will look closely, you can see the sign that Kinlee put in her bedroom window yesterday. It says, "Let It Snow!!" You will also notice that her blue curtains are closed (which are usually opened during the day). I asked her why she closed them and in her "still mad from snow in the face voice", she said, "Because I didn't even WANT to see the snow anymore!" Needless to say, soon after that, she crashed on the couch and I haven't heard from her in hours!!:)

The Snow Dance and a Knee Brace....Not a Good Combo!

2010-01-29T06:33:00.001-08:00

Well....here we are. Mark hurt his knee at a retreat this past weekend playing football. We do not know for sure if it is broken, if ligaments are torn, or if it's just royally messed up. We'll find out for sure on Tuesday when they do the MRI. IN THE MEANTIME, though, he did not let that stop him from doing the Snow Dance last night. It seems to have worked....no school....snow is coming down.....they are predicting 7-12 inches before it's all over!!!! Wish us luck, though...Mark insists that he's sledding today. To be continued....

Am I Ready for This???

2010-01-12T07:37:00.000-08:00

For years, I've heard this terrible rumor that little boys eventually start to grow up. As those little boys start to grow up, they start to notice girls. As those little boys start to notice girls, they kind of begin to like what they see. We are there! I am a little bit in denial, but all in all, I am handling it okay, I think. (Depends on the day :)) This past weekend, Parker and his "friend that's a girl" (won't let him officially call him is "girlfriend" - again, I'm in denial) attended their first skating party together. He was excited all week long and couldn't wait to "couple skate".
As you can see....couple skate they did! He told me that they had to keep switching sides because their hands kept getting "sweaty". I had to laugh at that one. All kidding aside, Lexy is very sweet, and they are really cute together. She has gone to church with us a couple of times, and I am proud of Parker for inviting her. I had to laugh at this note that he passed me during church on Sunday, though. You see, the "sirmon" was entitled, "Give Love to Get Love":
So, for now, I will continue to be in denial, but also try to enjoy this next stage in our lives. Check with me tomorrow, though, and I'll let you know how I'm doing. Today, though, it's all good :)!

"No-Snow-Day" Breakfast

2010-01-08T09:11:00.000-08:00

That's right...the kids have a "snow day" with no snow. The schools let out here because of the extremely cold temperatures today. So, even though there is no snow on the ground, we are enjoying our day. I started our day out this morning with these "Snowman Pancakes". The kids really enjoyed them, and it was just kinda fun to make them, too. Don't know what else the day holds.....Parker wants me to help him sort some football cards, Kinlee has been working on Valentine cards for February, and who knows what else. The day is young....don't know if we'll venture out to play....something about playing outside in the brutally cold weather with no snow is just not quite as much fun....!

Guess Who's Bringing Dinner.....

2010-01-06T12:15:00.001-08:00

We are!! A few years ago, we started doing something extra special for the kids' teachers for their Christmas present. We present them with a "menu" form that they fill out by picking their main dish, 2 or 3 sides, a dessert, and a date that works well for them. They return the form, and on the date selected, we deliver dinner to their house. The kids help me prepare the meal, and everyone involved seems to really enjoy it!!!

This week was our week to deliver. Monday night, we took dinner to Parker's teacher, Mr. Casey. Mr. Casey is single, so we told him if he wanted to invite friends or family, we would fix extra. He did just that, and we made sure to send plenty. He chose: spaghetti, salad, french bread, green beans, and apple pie with ice-cream.Here is the recipe for the apple pie:

APPLE PIE

1 frozen crust

1 can apple pie filling

1/2 c. firm butter

1 c. flour

1/2 c. brown sugar

Add 2T sugar & sprinkle cinnamon to filling. Put into crust.

Crumb topping:

Mix flour, butter, and brown sugar until crumbly. Sprinkle on pie. Bake at 425 for 45-50 minutes.

Tuesday night was Ms. Jeanne's turn. Kinlee helped me make: poppy seed chicken, salad, rice, rolls, and sour cream pound cake. Ms. Jeanne also lives alone, so she invited her mother, 2 daughters, and a son-in-law to enjoy dinner with her.

Here is the recipe for the pound cake:

SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE

1 Pillsbury yellow cake mix (with pudding in it)

1/2 cup sugar

8 oz. sour cream

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

Blend all ingredients. Then, mix 2 T cinnamon with 4 T brown sugar. Pour half the batter into a greased and floured bundt pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 the cinnamon mixture. Pour the rest of the batter in the pan. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture. Bake at 325 for 1 hour.

It was fun to be able to help them out for all of their hard work. We have been blessed with great teachers this year. Thank you, Mr. Casey and Ms. Jeanne - hope you enjoyed it!!!

Liberty Bowl BOUND!!!

2010-01-05T10:59:00.000-08:00

On January 2, the boys decided to take advantage of the fact that the Razorbacks were playing in the Liberty Bowl just an hour or so down the road in Memphis. The fact that it was 20 degrees wasn't going to stop these two!!!

They donned their Razorback attire, put on a few extra layers, grabbed their football, and off they went. Here is a picture of Parker "calling the Hogs" at the game - doesn't he look cold?! He was! Also, they always find a place to throw the football themselves before the game. I asked Mark who took these pictures of Parker catching the ball, and he said, "I did." You see, he would throw the ball, grab the camera while the ball was in the air, and take it as Parker caught it. Not bad, I thought.... It was a cold night for them, but the Razorbacks pulled it out in Overtime, so it was worth it. They had a great time!!!Don't even ask....long story:

Oh, But we Weren't Quite Finished...

2010-01-05T10:46:00.000-08:00

As if we hadn't gotten enough already....we headed to Mississippi after Christmas to celebrate with my family. My brother was in from Ohio, so it was nice to get to see Uncle Ted. We received MORE presents, and Kinlee and my mom and I went on our annual after-Christmas shopping spree. We found lots of good bargains, and got a jump on shopping for next year. Ugh...that makes me tired to even think about!!

We had a great time there, as well. And, Mark and I even got ANOTHER date!! Can't beat that!!!

Christmas FINALLY Came!!!

2010-01-05T10:40:00.001-08:00

After much anticipation, the big day finally came! The kids were up bright and early at 6:00 - anxious to see what Santa had brought! Even before they started opening the gifts, they liked the looks of things:

The opening began. Parker was very excited to see that he received a jersey/football card that HE had been outbid on on ebay - you gotta watch that Santa!!! He also received some Arkansas stuff, more football cards, a couple of Webkinz, and many other treasures.
Kinlee was equally excited over new American Girl clothes (that she didn't EVEN ask for), DVDs, Pet shop stuff, a couple of Webkinz, and lots of other fun stuff.

I think it's safe to say that a fun time was had by all, and it was DEFINITELY worth the wait!!! Thanks Santa - you were GOOD to us this year!!!

Traditions, Traditions, Traditions

2010-01-05T08:20:00.000-08:00

As most families do, ours has lots of Christmas traditions. It just doesn't seem right to skip them, either. Sometimes they have to be altered for one reason or another, but they are still there in one form or another. One of our fun activities is making some sort of Christmas treat (or 2 or 3) in the days before Christmas. This year, we made and decorated sugar cookies, and made reindeer noses. The kids both got into the cookie decorating this year, and I must say, I spent a little more time and detail than usual.
Every year, Santa finds a way to deliver new PJs on Christmas eve. This year, the man got pretty creative....he sent them with the pizza guy!! What will he think of next..??? That reminds me of another tradition we have - pizza by candlelight on Christmas eve!! Thanks, pizza guy!!

We can't forget the reindeer food - they would not be happy! This year, it was raining, so the kids hiked up their pajama pant legs and headed out to deliver. I love the picture of Kinlee in Parker's shoes in the bottom picture!!!

Soon after that, it was a quick check for Santa on the internet radar, and then off to bed!!! Fun stuff!!

The Time of Year for Giving

2010-01-05T08:14:00.001-08:00

Take a look at this crew!!!! A picture is worth a thousand words, I'll tell ya!

This year, we were priveleged enough to participate in what I would hope may become a holiday tradition. Throughout the year, our Bible class collects money to be used to help other families from time to time. Christmas is usually our chance to really go "all out" with the funds we have collected. Since the family that we chose to help had several children in it, we decided to let OUR kids have a part in the shopping. They had a blast! They were each given cards with the kids' names and wish list on them, and with a "budget" in mind, they set off to shop! You should have seen them!! It was so neat to see them getting excited over buying for others, and not ONCE did I hear any of them ask for something for themselves!!
After the purchases were made, we headed back to the church building to wrap the gifts. They worked so well together. When we were done, we all went to the matinee of "Alvin & The Chipmunks" while another mom and her son delivered the gifts. The kids were so excited to hear that the family loved it all and the kids couldn't wait to open their new gifts on Christmas morning!! A great day, for sure....

Christmas in Arkansas

2010-01-05T08:08:00.001-08:00

This year, as we usually do, we headed to Little Rock the weekend before Christmas to celebrate the holidays with Nan and Papaw Carl. They traditionally have a huge Christmas get-together that weekend, but due to Carl having surgery, and Nan getting over pneumonia, it was just us....and it was kinda nice that way, I have to admit! Of course, the night we got there, the kids were more than ready to go ahead and open gifts. Unfortunately for them, though, they had to "suffer" through another day before they got the "go ahead". They managed, though, and that made it even more fun when the time did finally come!

So, after much anticipation, gift giving and receiving took place, and I think you'll agree that all were pleased with the outcome.We had a great time visiting, shopping, relaxing, and Mark & I even got to go on a date! Thanks Nan and Papaw ---- we needed that!

Mommy & Me 2010

2010-01-05T08:05:00.000-08:00

This year, Kinlee and I were actually invited to TWO Mommy & Me parties. Forgot my camera at the first one, so I only have pictures from the second. The girls had a great time eating a yummy brunch, doing crafts, and exchanging gifts. I like the picture of Kinlee in the bottom left - she was concentrating SO hard on her beaded ornament! I like that at these parties, while a lot of the girls leave their moms "hangin'" on the crafts, Kinlee is right there with me until the end. It is a great morning that we get to spend together! Thanks to after Christmas shopping, we already have our gifts for next year! We're ready!!!

I Did It Again....

2010-01-05T08:01:00.001-08:00

I let time slip by - WAY TOO LONG - without blogging. I would love to say that one of my New Year's Resolutions is to blog more often, but that would be a lie. You see, things have to slow down in order for me to have more time, and I just don't see that happening anytime soon. So, for now, just expect the mega-posts that catch everyone up on our lives a month or so at a time. Seriously, though, I do hope to do better in the near future...there, that's as much of a commitment as you're gonna get!!

Our Christmas festivities this year began with our annual class Christmas party from church. We usually do a progressive dinner and then play Dirty Santa at the last stop. This year was no different. As you can see, we had a great time, as usual. Please don't ask about the boxers....it's not worth the answer!!!

Christmas Shopping at its BEST!!

2009-12-17T11:53:00.001-08:00

The other day, Kinlee told me that she really wanted to buy gifts for some of her friends. She proceeded to tell me that she wanted to use her own money (all $3.60 of it!). Well, her list (very limited list) began, and she had plans. Well, after she got a 2 day advance on her next allowance and received $5 in the mail from her grandparents, she was excited to realize that her list could grow - to 11 friends!!! Do the math....that's 11 friends, and $12.20 available to spend. So, off we went today to shop. We had the best time and it was so nice to see her sacrificing her limited funds to buy for others. With blue wallet and list in hand, we headed to Wal-Mart (because, you know...miracles can happen at Wal-Mart)!!:) She had fun picking out the right gift, writing it on her list, and moving on to the next name. By the way, may I add that Wal-Mart's collection of $1 earrings and $1 Christmas ornaments ROCK!!! Mission accomplished.....11 presents bought and .50 left to spare. (Okay, I spotted her the 88 cent box of candy canes). It was really neat to see her shop for others. What was even neater, though, was that right after we shopped at Wal-Mart and went to eat lunch, we headed to one more store to pick up a few things. It was an awesome lesson learned when we got up to the register, received our total of $8.07, only to have the man in line in front of us hand the cashier a $20 bill and say, "...here, just take it out of this..." The look on Kinlee's face (and probably mine, too) was priceless. A great lesson in "give and ye shall receive".... Definitely a day to remember...!!!:)

A trip to the Pink Palace

2009-12-14T08:29:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday, I was able to go on a field trip with Kinlee to the Pink Palace in Memphis. Before arriving at the palace, the kids went to LeBonheur Children's Hospital and delivered some baby rattles that they had been collecting for the past several weeks. Although we did not get to go and see any of the kids there, I think it was good for the kids we took to be able to see that facility and realize how lucky they are to be up and walking around while so many kids are sick in bed.
A good stop, for sure...After leaving the hospital, we traveled to the palace. We got to see Santa vs. the Snowman at the IMAX theater, walk through the Enchanted Forest, view the museum (very interesting), and shop at the Museum Gift Shop. Kinlee and her friend, Raine, hung out most of the day. They had a great time, but they sure were worn out on the way home! I had a good time, too, but was quickly reminded that I do NOT like school bus rides! I definitely got my fill for quite some time. :)

Student of the Month

2009-12-14T08:26:00.001-08:00

Each month, the teachers at the kids' school pick 2 kids out of their classroom to be Student of the Month. A couple of months ago, Kinlee received the honor in her class (can't remember if I posted about that one or not - oops!), and this month, Parker received the same. It is nice to be able to send your kids to school and not have to worry about if they are going to behave or not. With the exception of talking out of turn here and there (wonder where they get that from), we are very fortunate that we do not have to deal with any major behavior problems. We are very grateful for that and very proud of both of our kiddos! Way to go!!!

All Things Gingerbread....

2009-12-09T07:17:00.001-08:00

Last year when we were doing our "After Christmas Bargain Shopping", Kinlee decided that she wanted to have a Gingerbread Man party when she turned 8 - almost a WHOLE year later. After the speech of "you can't change your mind if we buy stuff now", she agreed, and we were able to rack up on some great bargains. She dabbled here and there throughout the year on other ideas, but with much reminding and prompting, she stuck with her plan. Her party was this past Saturday, and she told me she thought is was the best one yet!! (I love hearing that!!). She invited 15 girls, and I think all but 2 were able to make it. They had a blast!!! We have found in the past with that many girls, it is easier to divide them into groups and rotate them around to different activities - girls like that sort of thing. The boys just want a football and a yard, but the girls want "crafts"! So, we decorated G.bread man purses, painted G.bread man ornaments, decorated cookies, and played a "build your own g.bread man" game:
I was able to scrounge around and find more Gingerbread man stuff around here than I thought I had. A day or so before her party, Kinlee said, "I sure wish I had a Gingerbread man shirt to wear to my party." Well, that's all it took. Not having enough time to run to Wal-Mart and there is NOTHING around here in the craft-y store department, again, I scrounged. So, with an already purchased black shirt, a tan pillowcase, some buttons, scrap material, and zebra print ribbon, the following shirt was created. I surprised her with it when she came home from school. Much to my relief....She LOVED it!!! Mission accomplished. It even gave me an idea of how to decorate the gingerbread man on her cake:
I have probably mentioned this in past birthday posts, but we have a tradition that also helps to get rid of all those balloons....at the end of the party, each child grabs a balloon, and outside we go. On the count of three, we all shout "Happy Birthday, ______________" and release the balloons. The kids have begun to look forward to it and love to watch the balloons fly away and see how many will get stuck in the trees - I think we only had 1 casualty this year!!!

It was a great day, and much fun was had by all. My job is finished....

Fun with Friends at the Coffee Shop

2009-12-09T07:10:00.000-08:00

As mentioned before, the kids won a costume contest at the local Coffee Shop on Halloween night. Along with some of their friends who also placed, they received gift certificates for free

drinks. So several weeks later, we rounded them all up one Friday after school and headed downtown to redeem their certificates. It ended up being a beautiful fall day, so the walk was perfect! They all had a great time "chatting" and playing - and I don't think Parker minded ONE BIT being the only boy. What do you think?:

Girl Scout Ceremony

2009-12-09T07:07:00.000-08:00

The same night as our flag football party, Kinlee had a Girl Scout ceremony. The girls received their next round of pins and patches, and "dedicated" themselves to another year of Girl Scouts. She is really enjoying Brownies, and now that our sports are over for a while, we can make it to more of the meetings. Girl Scout cookie sales are just around the corner, too - can't wait for that one!!!!

Going WAY back....

2009-12-09T06:47:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I don't think I have even blogged about our end of season sporting parties. We have survived a soccer and a flag football party. First was our soccer party. With 2 teams and about 30 kids total, we decided to combine the party and have both teams over to the house at the same time. So, representatives of "The Tornadoes" and "The Crush" came over to enjoy cake and ice-cream. You can see from the bottom picture that we had quite the crew:A few weeks later, flag football ended, and we had "The Colts" over for a similar get-together. I accidentally double-booked us and forgot that Kinlee's Girl Scout ceremony was the same night!!! SO, I headed to Girl Scouts with Kinlee, and Mark held down the fort here, with the help of some of the moms (thanks, gals!!). Because of this mishap, though, I failed to get very many pictures of that night. I did manage to take some of Parker (with his cool "Colts" tatoo on his head) and the cake before I left. It was cold that night, so I came home to a football game being played IN my house!! Very loud, but they had a great time. I guess that's what I get for leaving "the guys" in charge!!!! Fun times...

Where Have I Been????

2009-12-09T06:45:00.000-08:00

Good question!!! I've been here, we've just been really, really busy with "stuff". I have caught some recent criticism on my blog-neglect (thank you, Sandy:)), so it was nice to see that people actually read this stuff!! The following posts are some of what we've been up to.....hang onto your seats, grab a cup of hot chocolate, and read away!!!

What a Beautiful Day!!!

2009-11-08T20:48:00.001-08:00

Today was such a pretty day, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get some fall pictures of the kids. They cooperated very well, for the most part. Of course, we got off to a little bit of a rocky start - you know, the "squinty-eye smiles", to which I replied (frustrated), "What are you doing?? Nobody smiles like that! Don't scrunch your nose so much!" - you know, all those things that I can say that will keep me from winning "Mother of the Year"? (Don't act like you've never said them yourself!!!):)
Anyway, after a few of those, we ended up with some great shots!!! Here are some of my favs. of the kids by themselves:
Here are some of my favs. of them together (notice the comic relief in some - my attempt at an apology for the aforementioned statements):

I will admit that I am NOT sad that "planned photo shoots" only happen once a year. Maybe I'll even get Mark in on them next year - a WHOLE can of issues, in and of itself!!! Let's just put it this way - "squinty-eye smiles" would be the LEAST of my worries....;)

Go Colts!!!

2009-11-07T09:58:00.000-08:00

Flag football is officially OVER! With all the rain we were getting a week or so ago, I think we all wondered if we would ever get to finish up the season. Last night, though, was the "Super Bowl". It was kind of neat - the boys got to play on the High School field on Friday night. Couldn't help but think of all the Friday nights I'll be spending that way in the future. Can't wait! Anyway, Mark and Parker had a great time - Mark was more excited than him, I think. Wouldn't even eat supper until after the game. Had to wear the same clothes that he had worn in all the other games. You know, that kind of stuff.:) The Colts came out on top and ended the season undefeated! They were a great group of kids - hope we get em' back next year, too!!

GO COLTS!!

Halloween Fun

2009-11-02T11:45:00.000-08:00

What a fun Halloween we had! I think it was possibly our best one yet! The weather was awesome, the kids looked adorable (is it okay to say that about a 10 year old???) in their costumes, and we just had a great time!!!After Trick or Treating, we grouped up with some neighborhood friends and headed downtown to the coffee shop for their 1st Annual Costume Contest!! Well, both kids won best costume, and got a gift certificate for a free smoothie!! What a great finish to an already fun night...
So, now with Halloween out of the way, it's time to gear up for Thanksgiving, and last but not least.....CHRISTMAS! I cannot wait! I just LOVE this time of year....

Jack-o-Lantern Carving at its Best!!!

2009-10-28T05:59:00.000-07:00

Well, thanks to a rainy day and cancelled football games, the Finton family stayed in and finally had a chance to do some pumpkin carving. Somehow, in the course of it all, it turned into a competition between boys and girls. The boys revealed their "Razorback-o-lantern"......To which the girls, in turn, revealed their "Puppy dog-o-lantern".....

The judging was a little tough - 2 to 2, of course, so we decided on Originality for the Boys and Artistic Ability for the Girls. I really think, though, that if we would have let Noodle have a say in it, she would have DEFINITELY voted for the fellow pup!!!

Either way, though, it was a good night, and now the Halloween festivities may begin!!!

When is Your Son Also Your Brother???

2009-10-22T13:52:00.001-07:00

Sound like an interesting riddle?? Well, here is the awesome answer: Your son can also be your Brother when he is baptized into Christ. That is exactly what Parker decided to do last night. Talk about a proud, relieved, happy moment! An answer to a lot of prayers, that's for sure. Mark baptized him and they both did a great job. When it was over, Parker asked him, "So, dad, how did you hold up?" :) Needless to say, it was a very emotional moment for all of us. I never knew how proud I could be! Our prayer continues to be that he lead a strong Christian life and that we are right there beside him all the way, teaching him what it's all about!
We are very proud of you, Parker!!!

4th Grade Field Trip

2009-10-20T06:43:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, Parker's class took a field trip to an Agriculture Museum closeby. They were gearing up for their "Pioneer Day" celebration over the weekend, and our kids got to have a "sneak peek" at some of the exhibits. It was really neat, and really made you appreciate the things we have today and the things we can just go to the store and buy. They got to see how they used to wash clothes, quilting, pottery, goat milking (this one was about all Parker and his buddy, Timothy, could handle :)), basket making, and lots of other cool things.Here are some pictures of Parker that I managed to snap throughout the morning. He really seemed to enjoy himself. You can see in the bottom picture of this collage his reaction to the goat-milking.....

It was a cold day, but very interesting....I'm glad the kids got to go.

Look What I Did!!!!

2009-10-14T19:36:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I know this is probably no big deal to so many of you bloggers out there, but I was very excited to finally be able to figure out how to do this. Thanks, Sandy, for sending me to picnik.com to find it. As you can tell, I took the picture above, changed it to black and white, and focused color on only the pumpkin. I am so impressed. Like I said, I know it is "old hat" for so many, but new to me. Thought I'd share....Thanks for listening!!!!

Yummy Pizza Rolls!!!!

2009-10-10T16:25:00.000-07:00

Kinlee attended "Kiddie Kollege" last week during fall break. They participated in a cooking class, and she decided that she needed to try one of her new recipes out on us for supper one night. She insisted on doing it all herself, and she did a great job. These pizza rolls were very yummy. Here are the directions in order by rows in the following pictures:1. Gather ingredients: 1 can crescent rolls, shredded cheese, pizza sauce, pepperoni, ham

2. Unroll crescent rolls and spread pizza sauce on each one

3. Strategically place meats on top of the rolls

4. Sprinkle cheese on top of meat5. Take picture of cute chef

6. Sprinkle Italian spices and parmesan cheese on top

7. Roll up each crescent roll and sprinkle with more cheese and spices

8. Bake according to directions on crescent roll can

9. Time to eat - YUMMY!!!

Very easy and very good!!!!

What does one do while on Fall Break??

2009-10-09T10:04:00.001-07:00

With cooler temperatures and changing leaves comes the infamous Fall Break. I don't think we ever got a Fall Break when I was in school, but nevertheless, we get one here. It is a nice time out for the kids - gets them ready to hit it hard until Christmas. Over the first weekend of Fall Break, Parker got to go to a St. Louis Cardinals game with a group from school. The first two days of Fall Break week, Kinlee got to attend "Kiddie Kollege" at the high school. They had cooking classes (stay tuned in the next day or so for the recipe she tried out on us for supper), Spanish classes, and several others. They both really enjoyed themselves.

We also took advantage of some time off and nice weather to visit a local pumpkin patch. We grabbed a wagon, toured the grounds, and picked out just the right pumpkins for our decorating needs. I always look forward to that each year.

After the newness of the break wears off, though, one must get creative and find things to do. Granted, my kiddos have had their fair share (and then some) of TV, computer games, etc...this week, but I feel as if something was missing for them. Thus, the explanation of the next set of pictures:

Yes, those are my children hanging out on the roof of our house. And yes, those are my children who appear to be sleeping on the roof of our house. Bored? You might ask. Insane? You might ask. Where is their mother? You might ask. Don't worry - I was very close by. I could easily have watched them fall from where I was standing. Hey, you gotta do something with your hard earned time!!

Later in the day (after at least 2 hours on the roof), they decided a pillow fight was next on the schedule. Noone was hurt, so I consider it a successful activity.

Right now, I hear them upstairs in the bathroom bouncing a bouncy ball - doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun to me, but they sure seem to be enjoying themselves. Whatever works, I say...

Just think - we still have 2 fun days of this break left. Guess what - it's pouring down rain outside - the odds are NOT in my favor....

Where have we been???

2009-09-29T07:09:00.000-07:00

With the consignment sale behind us, fall sports have taken up a lot of our time. We are loving it! It definitely makes for some busy evenings and Saturdays, but I think we'd all agree that we wouldn't trade it for anything! Although we'll be glad when it slows down a little, we are having a great time now.

Soccer is still in full swing, but the season will come to a close in the next couple of weeks. Kinlee's team (the Tornadoes) is undefeated and have done an awesome job! Parker's team (the Crush) has won several games and hung in there, despite being the youngest team in their age division. Their playing and skills have definitely improved more and more as they have played kids twice their size!!!
Parker's football team (the Colts) began their season a couple of weeks ago. I keep forgetting my camera, so these are some of the first images I have been able to catch. They are undefeated, as well, and have really played well together. They have several games left, as their season runs through the end of October. Mark is coaching all three teams, so he definitely has his hands full!! I think he gets more excited before gametime than the kids do!!!!! As I said, it is keeping us plenty busy, but we are loving it! More updates to come, I am sure....

CUTE Keychains....

2009-09-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

Well, I survived the consignor's sale last night...it went great!

This year, I had a lady make and display some monogrammed keychains in my sale. They are so cute, and so perfect for gifts or for you!! She has every initial there is, along with "Teacher", "Mom", "Me-Me", and "Nana". I think she's even bringing some "Dad" ones. She sells them for $8 apiece, and she sold several in just the 2 1/2 hour sale last night. If anyone that sees this would like to order one, let me know, and I'll pull one for you. Like I said, they are $8 even - no tax. Just thought I'd share...

It's Sale Time Again....

2009-09-08T12:38:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I started a Children's Consignment Sale last year. I do it twice a year (fall/winter & spring/summer). Well, it is sale time again!!! It has been crazy this week with 45 consigners!!! I have been accepting clothes all week, and tonight is the sale for those who put things in it. It is gonna be a crazy 2 hours, but I love it!!! Below are some pictures of how our house looks.

Our sunroom is full of toys, furniture, games, books, and just about anything else you can imagine, and our living room is full of clothes and shoes. The sale will run this weekend, and then it will all go back to "normal" for another 6 months or so!! SO, if you've been wondering where I've been the past few days, here it is.....I'll post an update soon.

Football Friday Night!!!!

2009-08-30T05:04:00.000-07:00

The time has rolled around again for Friday night Football!!! We look forward to football season every year. High school ball is very big around here, and we fell into that very soon after moving here. The football stadium is about 2 blocks from our house, and we enjoy walking there every home game. We'll probably make it to a couple of away games this year, too.

Here we all are in our "Peabody" attire:
At the game, Parker was recognized with several other boys for going to the Football Camp this past summer. They all had their names announced and got to wave (or dance) to the audience - what a ham!!! Kinlee met up with a friend of hers from school and they had fun cheering, playing, and goofing off during the game.
Unfortunately, our team didn't win, but we had a great time cheering them on anyway. Hopefully, their season will pick up, but even if it doesn't, we'll be there anyway......(unless it's cold and rainy - that's where I draw the line!!!):)

Fall Soccer is Back!!!

2009-08-27T19:54:00.000-07:00

Tonight, both kiddos played their first game of the Fall Soccer season!!! Mark is coaching both teams, and it is already keeping us PLENTY busy! He will also pick up Parker's flag football team starting in a couple of weeks!!! It is so much, fun, though, it is all worth it.

Kinlee's game was first. Her team has been nicknamed "The Tornadoes". There was a shortage of coaches for the 6-9 age group, so each team has 18 players!! Spell it with me....C-R-A-Z-Y!!!! It is so hard keeping up with who played which quarter, who played which position which quarter, and is that kid even on our team?!!! They did great, though. We have several who haven't even played before, so that, combined with the large number can be a bit challenging! They came out with a win, good sportsmanship, and lots of hussle!!!
Parker's team - "The Crush" - played the second game of the night. This team has just moved up to the 10-14 year old league, and these guys are serious!!! It is a whole different ballgame, that's for sure. We have a really young team - all 10 & 11 year olds, so we are definitely having to work extra hard! They are stepping up to the plate, though, no question about that! Parker scored 2 goals, and while their team lost tonight, they didn't have anything to hang their heads about! They played hard, kept good attitudes, and got even better as the game went on!!!
We were very proud of both teams and expect great things this season! Way to go guys!!!!

Lamplighters 2009-2010

2009-08-24T06:43:00.000-07:00

Well, we have begun a new "season" of Lamplighters. We take off for the summer and pick up after school starts. One thing new for Lamplighters this year is our new T-shirts!!!! Now, I have never been officially "in charge" of designing, ordering, and delivering T-shirts for anything and didn't really realize how stressful it could be! Stressful? you might ask..... Stressful is right! What color do we get?? What design do we choose?? What verse do we use?? Will everyone like it?? Will the girls like the color?? Will the boys like the color??? UGH!! I finally told myself that if someone didn't like it, I would be off the hook next time because I would insist on them taking over the responsibility when the time rolled around again!
The T-shirts were delivered and made their debut yesterday, and I am pleased to say that there were no complaints and even TONS of positive comments. Now, I don't know what's going on behind my back, but on the surface, it was a thumbs up! Just kidding, actually - I really wasn't that worried - there are some pretty cool people associated with Lamplighters. Not the type that would bag over a T-shirt, whether they liked it or not. I guess it was mostly just me stressing for no real reason. I can be that way sometimes!! :) Anyway, everyone looked great in their shirts - I was pleased with the outcome. My camera battery was almost dead when we got there, so I didn't get as many pictures as I would have liked, but I'll do better next time. We look forward to a fun year of Lamplighters. Thanks to all the parents who signed up to help this year - it's gonna be a good one!!!

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!!!

2009-08-19T06:36:00.000-07:00

After much practice and anticipation, Kinlee performed in the Nite Lite Theater's production of "The Wizard of Oz" this past weekend. She starred as one of many Munchkins - a definite step up from the "rock" she portrayed in last summer's performance of "The Jungle Book". :) For several years now, Kinlee has been a big fan of the Wizard of Oz, so we were very excited to find out that it would be this summer's play. They performed 3 shows throughout the weekend and she enjoyed each and every one. The cast consisted of several kiddos from church and they all had a great time! Kinlee did a very good job and we are very proud of her. My mom was able to come to the Sat. night performance and brought flowers for our own little Munchkin. Kinlee was thrilled!!! We were all very pleased and surprised that all 3 shows were SOLD OUT!!!! They even brought in extra folding chairs for the Sun. afternoon performance to make sure everyone had a seat - it was great! Good job, KINLEE!!!

Happy Birthday, Parker!!!

2009-08-10T19:58:00.001-07:00

Well, this is it - we actually have a child in double-digits!!! Parker is 10 today! Definitely a bitter-sweet day. Sad that time is going by so quickly. Happy that he is healthy and growing. Sad that after this year, I can no longer show his age with just my fingers. Happy that he is happy. As I look back on his last 10 years (UGH!), here are some things I am thankful for:

Parker Blake Finton
His sweet nature
His gentle spirit.
How much he likes babies.
His willingness to "root" for the underdog.
His competitive nature.
His big brown eyes.
His intelligence and the ability to use it.
The fact that he still comes up to me out of the blue and says, "I need a hug!"
HIM!!!

Happy Birthday, Parker - we love you so much!!!

Parker's 10th Birthday Party - Go Hogs!!!

2009-08-10T11:26:00.000-07:00

I simply cannot believe that Parker will be 10 tomorrow!! That's double-digits, people! Where has the time gone?!
Parker chose an Arkansas Razorback party theme this year. It was a fun one to plan. I made a football field cake, football cupcakes, decorated with Razorback "stuff", and the guys spray painted a football field in the backyard, complete with the Razorback "A" and everything!!!
When I was beginning to plan the party, I asked Parker what he wanted to do. He replied, "We just want to play football, mom!" I was a little concerned on how we would fill 2 hours with "just football" on a really hot day, but it happened just like he wanted it to. They played the first half of their game (Razors vs. Backs), broke for cake and ice cream, watched presents, played the second half, broke for popsicles, pinata, and party favors. Mission accomplished - 2 hours came and went very quickly! I don't know who had more fun, though, Mark or the boys!!!
Parker got lots of great presents - money and football cards, mostly - JUST what he wanted!!!

As is our tradition at the end of parties, all the kids got a balloon and released it at the count of 3 as they yelled, "Happy Birthday, Parker!!!" I love the pictures from this tradition as all of the kids watch as the balloons drift further and further away. This year, I think only 1 got stuck in a tree - usually many more than that! I guess the wind was blowing in our favor this year!

Definitely a successful and fun party. Check back tomorrow for my "Ode to Parker" post on his actual special day!!!

A Night at the Fair

2009-08-08T05:30:00.001-07:00

Nothing screams "hometown" like a night at the fair!!!! This is the first time we have actually taken advantage of the fair that comes once a year - we usually avoid that side of town, as a matter of fact, as to not tempt the kids with it. This year, however, was different! A friend from church who does a lot of work at the fair offered our kids free armbands one night!!! YES - we were in!!! The kids were so excited!!Seeing how we have never been in the past, we really didn't know what to expect from said fair. Despite the "characters" that come from the woodwork to attend the fair as well, we had a great time. We were pleasantly surprised, as a matter of fact. At one point, while we were watching the kids have such a good time, Mark leaned over and said, "You know we're stuck from now on, right???" I knew he was right. And, that night, when we put the kids to bed, Kinlee asked, "If Ms. Joetta doesn't give us armbands next year, can we pay??" To which we replied, "Oh, probably so!"
The kids met up with several friends from school and church (what is it about little girls who have to hold hands everywhere they go together? I love it.), and Mark and I just followed them around and watched them play.
Above is some of the cast from the "Wizard of Oz" play that Kinlee is in next weekend. They were invited to sing at the fair, too. I know I will have lots of pictures from her performance next weekend.

So, THANKS Ms. Joetta for a night at the fair - we're hooked!!!!

Silly Boy....

2009-08-06T06:57:00.000-07:00

This is the sight that the dentist got when I took the kids for their cleanings the other day! Parker "won" these beautiful teeth recently at an arcade and just couldn't wait to wear them to his appointment. Imagine the look on the dentist's face when she said, "Let's take a look..." and he opened wide to reveal these chompers. Definitely a surprise and a laugh, too. He was very proud!!

Let the Games Begin.....

2009-08-05T06:24:00.001-07:00

Well, the little people went back to school today. I can't believe that I have a 2nd and 4th grader!!!! Where does the time go?? I have to admit I had a little bit of a lump in my throat today as I took them back. I guess I didn't hide it to well, either, because before we left, I was sitting on the couch visiting with Kinlee for a minute, and she said, "What's the.....are you okay.....you don't look like you feel good....are you gonna cry??" :) I'm gonna miss them around here during the day. I guess part of me is kind of ready to get "back in the swing of things", but I sure have enjoyed our summer as a family!!!
A couple of days ago, we decided we needed one more "blow out" before school started. (By the way, we have been milking this "last one of the summer" thing to death - one last blow out of the summer, one last lunch out together, one last ice cream night, etc..... ) So, the kids each got to have a friend over, and they had a great time. Above, you can see that we moved all the furniture to the walls in the living room, and they all played indoor baseball and volleyball. It got a little loud, but they had a blast!!! AND, nothing got broken - a bonus, for sure!! We also went bike riding, but I didn't get any pictures of that - forgot the camera :(.
For lunch, the kids each made their own pizzas. They were yummy, too (I had a piece of Parker's). I had to laugh at the detail and concentration that the girls put into their pizzas (top picture) versus the boys who slapped it on and were off to hit a few more balls before lunch (bottom picture)!! They all seemed happy with the outcome, though, so I guess all was well....

SO, stay tuned for new and exciting "school year" posts - I can't wait to read yours.....

The Value of a Dollar....

2009-08-03T04:23:00.001-07:00

Okay, so everyone that knows me KNOWS how much I love to shop at Goodwill! Well, this weekend, a lesson was learned at my favorite shopping facility. Not only a lesson for me, but for others, as well.

You see, Parker and Kinlee like to look at the toys while we shop. So, as usual, off they went. After some time, I hear them laughing (you know the "what are they up to?" laugh). Here they come holding a plastic hand-shaped back scratcher with one finger missing. Actually, the finger was in Parker's other hand. Parker proceeded to tell me that he had broken the plastic hand. When asked (with a disgusted tone) how he broke it, he replied that he thought it was a "slapper" and hit something with it. Okay, sounds legit. I, of course, got onto him for breaking the toy, to which he replied (always has an answer) that he was headed to the front to tell the lady and pay for it. Okay, I'm thinking - how much can this thing cost?? It's a plastic hand for Pete's sake! So, he and Kinlee go to the lady at the register, and this is what I hear:

Parker: Ma'am?
Lady: Yes.
Parker: Um, this is broken (handing it to her)
Lady: Oh, that's okay. Thank you for bringing it to me.
Parker: No, you don't understand, I am the one that broke it.
Lady: That's okay.
Parker: I'm going to pay for it.
Lady: No, honey, you don't have to do that.
Nice lady in line to pay: Did you hear that? What honesty! Here you go - here, this is for being so honest!

You see, the lady in line handed him a dollar bill!!! What?! That was exactly the look/expression on Parker's face. You can see him registering very quickly that, "okay, I broke a toy, I brought it to the lady, didn't have to pay for it, and got a dollar! COOL!!" The look on Kinlee's face was just as priceless. You could see her registering, "I wonder what I can break?!" To which I replied to the look and unspoken words, "Don't even think about it." I had to laugh as they journeyed back to the toy section, Parker leaned to me and under his breath said/sang, "I'm going to go break some more stuff!" To which I replied again, "Don't even think about it!"

What a lesson learned for BOTH of us. I felt bad that I was too busy getting on to him for breaking the toy in the first place that I didn't really even focus on the honesty. (I would have eventually gotten there, but as a mom, it wasn't my first reaction). You know, the kid could have just put it back on the shelf and walked away as if he had no idea what had happened to it. Parker's lesson came in the fact that honesty pays off (literally in this case). He did the right thing and it worked for him. I have to believe that lessons were learned for just about everyone around that witnessed the whole incident.

I was beginning to feel really good about our episode until later on in the evening, I hear a song that Parker has made up that went a little something like this: "I got a dollar for breakin' somethin' at G-o-o-d-w-i-l-l!!" I made him turn and look me in the eye, asked "WHY did you get the dollar?" He replied, "For being honest". Okay I felt better, but I can almost promise I heard him whisper as he turned to go/dance away, ".....and for breakin' a toy at G-o-o-d-w-i-l-l....!" Oh well, I tried.....:)

Pillowcases Aren't Just for Pillows Anymore....

2009-07-28T05:59:00.000-07:00

I have enjoyed making several of these dresses for different people lately. They are so easy, and I think they turn out so cute! I am sorry to say that I don't have a "pattern" persay - just Google "pillowcase dress pattern" online and you'll get a ton! Mine is actually a combination of several different patterns. This one pictured here was made for a friend's niece, Bella. I thought it turned out really cute!!! I added ribbon and a decorative border to the bottom of this one because it was a little bit more plain to begin with. I think it added just the right touch!!!

Like I said, they are super easy - if you can sew a straight line, you can make it, too. There is a lady at church with a monogramming machine who helps me out with that part and she does a GREAT job! (Plus, she only charges me $2.50!!!!!) One of these days, I would love to have my own monogramming machine, but I don't know if I'd even know how to work the thing!
So, until then, I'll keep saving my quarters to pay her and keep my eye out for cute pillowcases to turn into dresses! It's just cheaper that way....:)

Vacation in Little Rock

2009-07-25T07:31:00.001-07:00

We spent last week in Little Rock, visiting Mark's side of the family. We always find plenty to do when we're there, and this trip was no different! On the first night we were there, Mark and Parker went to see the Arkansas Twisters (the arena football team) play against the Tulsa Talons (BIG rivals!) You can see Parker sitting behind the Talons bench "laughing" at them... wonder who had him pose for that one???

After the game, the boys stayed around to get some pictures and autographs from some of the players and the coach! Mark said they were almost the last ones to leave the arena. Parker was on Cloud Nine as several of the players took time out to sign his Twisters shirt and get their picture made with him....he even brought Kinlee back a sweaty armband from one of them..:) Take a look at the coach - does he look familiar?? Mark said he's been in several movies - I think "The Waterboy" was one of them....A couple of days later, we headed to Hot Springs to ride the rides at Magic Springs. Here is our "before" picture - we didn't get an "after" shot - we were too gross and tired! Even though some of our favorite rides were down for repairs and remodeling, we still had a great time. EXCEPT for the part where I rode the Gauntlet (one of those inverted roller coasters where your feet dangle below you, you enjoy 3 large loops AND a corkskrew that seems to go on FOREVER) and ended up in the infirmary for over an hour - I am pathetic. Other than that, we had a blast!!! See don't we look happy - I wouldn't have been looking so jovial in the after shot - let's just put it that way....

On our last day there, we treked downtown to the Peabody Hotel for one of our time-honored traditions. Since the kids were little, they have loved going there and watching the ducks "march" down to the fountain for the day. I am anxious to see how long they want to continue doing this (the kids, not the ducks). Until then, we'll be there each trip we get the chance at 11:00 am sharp!!!
As always, we had a great time, but it's always good to get back home, too. We enjoyed getting to see family, spend time together, and have some fun while we were at it...!!!

Go, Red Rockets!!!

2009-07-24T05:29:00.000-07:00

We are finally back from our trip! We had a great time and I will be posting some "trip pics" in the next day or so.
Before that, though, I had to post about our last kickball game of the season. Last Saturday before we left for Little Rock, we played the Green Machines in the tournament championship game. Both teams went into the game tied for the regular season. The Red Rockets were on it! The kids played great, had great attitudes, showed amazing sportsmanship, and it worked out for them. We defeated the Green Machines 9-4 and came out on top this time! Again, we were so proud of this team - they played great together and had fun doing it.

WAY TO GO RED ROCKETS!!!

A little of this and a LOT of that....

2009-07-17T04:31:00.000-07:00

So, do any of your kids "collect" anything?? I mean, really, truly collect them. I mean save up every dime they have and when they find $ on the street they are beaming that they get to add it to their "fund"? Well, mine do.

About 2 years ago, Parker decided he needed to collect football cards. As you can see, he definitely has!! I have lost count as to how many he has now, but all I know is that it is A LOT! He does a great job of keeping them sorted (most of the time) and put in binders. He will spend hours sorting, resorting, filing, and refiling. It has been a fun hobby for him.
Kinlee's collection obsession is Webkinz. I am sure you all know about these on-line pets that they just KEEP adding to and adding to (I keep saying I wished that I had come up with that idea). Anyway, again, Kinlee saves and buys Webkinz. So, the ones you see below were mostly bought by her or given to her as gifts. They are great incentives, as well, for different things.
You will also notice the "W" on her floor - this is the one seen being demolished by the vacuum cleaner in the pics. from yesterday. One of the things you can "buy" (with fake money, of course) online for your pets is a "W pond". She felt the need to duplicate it in the middle of her floor!We'll see how long it lasts - it's been destroyed a couple of times, so time will tell.....

A Little Work & A LOT of FUN!!!

2009-07-16T05:45:00.001-07:00

Since the kids have been home for the summer, my normal "routine" of cleaning house has pretty much gone out the window! Too much other fun stuff to be done, of course! However, the time does come when it just has to be done. Yesterday was such a day. SO, the kids and I set off to get some good ol' cleaning done. Of all the times they have helped me in the past, I must say that this time went the smoothest! No real complaining, heavy sighing, or procrastinating.I was very proud of their efforts. Above are some shots to document the day - Kinlee vacuuming the staircase, Parker cleaning up a swept pile on the balcony, and both of them vacuuming their rooms - I'll explain the big "W" with rocks around it in Kinlee's room tomorrow... Can you tell how concerned she looks that the cord is messing it up??

As a result of their efforts, I took the kids swimming at a neighbor's pool (in exchange for some sewing I did earlier in the summer for her, we now have the pool "reserved" one day a week - I love trading services!!!) It was very nice and the kids had a blast, as you can tell. Hey....it just dawned on me, maybe the promise of the pool later in the day had something to do with the lack of complaining.....hhhhmmmm......maybe I'm on to something.....Okay, I admit it, I planned it that way - I AM a mom afterall!!!! (we know all the tricks - God just made us that way!!!) :)

A is for Animals, B is for Blueberries.....

2009-07-14T04:24:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite things to do as a family is to go and pick berries. Strawberries, blueberries, you name it, we like to go pick it! Last night after supper, we went to pick blueberries. It was the perfect time of day, too. The sun was not as hot, the bushes were shaded, and man, were they FULL! We picked a gallon bucket full in no time!We had a really good time, and those blueberries were YUMMY (not that we sampled as we picked or anything....)!

Not only were the blueberries so good, but we got an added bonus - a petting zoo!!! The guy that owns the blueberries (you know, the one that looks like he's hiding in the bushes in my picture at the top:)) also runs a petting zoo that travels around to birthday parties, etc. SO, we got to see some really cool animals. I didn't get pictures of all of them, but we saw a zebra, a camel, a kangaroo, a monkey, goats, horses, peacocks, and others that I don't even know what they were called! I think our favorite, though, was the monkey! This little guy LOVED blueberries. The kids kept going over and giving him some. He would take it right out of their hands. It was funny to watch him, though, because if you had a red one in your hand, either he wouldn't even take that one, or if he did, he would spit it out! We watched him for a long time - his name was Charlie.
After we got home, I washed some, froze some, put some back for pancakes and muffins later this week, but also kept enough out for a blueberry cobbler. YUM! Mark and I couldn't resist eating some after the kids went to bed, but there is plenty more where that came from. Below is the recipe. Enjoy!!!

Blueberry Cobbler

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup self-rising flour

2 cups blueberries

Melt butter. Whisk together sugar and flour, and then add the milk. Whisk in the butter. Pour the batter into an 8x8 baking dish. Add in blueberries, sprinkling evenly over the batter. Sprinkle blueberries with sugar (about 1/4 cup). Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice-cream, of course!!!

Football Camp

2009-07-13T04:41:00.001-07:00

Last week, Parker went to football camp. The camp is held here in town and is run by the high school football coaches. Several of the high school players also help. Parker got to play football all week long - his dream come true!! At the beginning of the week, the boys are divided into teams and given NFL team names. Parker was thrilled to be on the Titans! Each day, they play a series of games against eachother, and the week ends in the "Tide Bowl" on Friday. The 1st and 2nd placed teams in each age division play in the Tide Bowl.The Titans made it to the bowl game against the Vikings. Our own Parker Finton scored the winning touchdown for his team and they came out victorious!!! He had an awesome week having fun with his friends. He couldn't wait to have the players autograph his camp shirt on the last day. We were very proud of him, not only for his skill and ability, but mostly for his sportsmanship and attitude! Roll Tide (Peabody Tide, that is.....) :) Don't get too excited, Becky! :)

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's......

2009-07-10T04:08:00.000-07:00

....the newest addition to our family!!! That's right - we are the proud owners of a 1999 Mazda Miata - cutest car I think I know. When we got it, I said, "That's a sports car!", to which Mark replied, "No, it's a sports CART..." It kind of reminds me of our toy poodle - her bark is definitely worse than her bite:)

Here is how it all happened - a new (to us) car was defnitely NOT in the plan anytime soon. But, Mark's 1995 Nissan red truck that we have had for 8 years finally bit the dust! When you start having vehicle problems (transmission, air conditioning, ....) that will cost more than the poor truck is worth, it's time to do something. SO, to ebay we went, and here we are. He found a great deal on this one in Memphis, traveled there (gunning his truck just to get it up to 20 mph because the transmission was shot), and bargained his face off. We love it. When he got home with it, we all had to take shifts "riding around" in it because we couldn't all fit in it at once. It is going to be awesome (at 30+ miles to the gallon) for all the day-traveling that Mark has to do. Basically, as he describes it, it is a "people mover"....

Some drawbacks to the car? Well....

Mark's face and head are terribly sunburned from all of his travels with the top down.
Mark has yet to find a "cool" way to get in and out of it because it is so low to the ground.
Mark sat at the McDonald's drive thru for quite sometime the other day waiting for the lady to take his order because his car was so low, she couldn't even see him.
When he did finally get his coke ordered and drove around to the window, the poor lady had to lean so far down out of the window that she almost joined him in his cart.
You can't take these cars through the automatic car wash (with the top up, of course) - Kinlee and I tried that one.....Hey, leave us alone - we wanted to surprise him!!!:) I think it worked ;)

Other than that, it is a great addition to our family!!! All kidding aside, we are very blessed to even be able to work another vehicle into the mix. Mark and I haven't gotten to go in it together yet (you know....2 kids at home and all), but as soon as they go back to school, we have a day trip planned with the top down - we'll just be sure to bring the sunscreen!!!:)

A Fun Day With Hallie

2009-07-09T04:11:00.000-07:00

A year or so ago, some friends of ours, the Hardins, moved to China to do mission work. I have always admired people who dedicate their lives to such a work, and they are no different - especially with 3 kiddos! Hallie (their oldest) and Kinlee have always been good friends since we lived in Henderson. Hallie's grandparents worship where we do, so even after we moved here, they still continued to see eachother on occasion. Well, since their move to China, obviously, those times have been fewer and far between. The Hardins are in the states for a couple of months, so we couldn't let the opportunity go by!!! SO, last week, we headed to pick up Hallie for a day of friend fun! We first went to the park to play. Then, at lunchtime, we headed to Taco Bell. I laughed as I listened to my kids asking her questions such as:

My kids: Do they have Taco Bells in China?
Hallie: Probably in Shanghai.
My kids: Do you see lots of pandas in China?
Hallie: In a zoo, not just out on the road.
My kids: Do they have computers in China?
Hallie: (rolling eyes): Yes....
My kids: Do they have TVs in China?
Hallie: Yes, but we mostly watch DVDs - we can't understand their TV shows.
Me: Do they have different table manners in China?
Hallie: They think you'll get sick if you eat with your hands. (Of course, right at that moment, she caught me scooping up the last of Parker's nacho cheese with my finger at which she replied - "That.....they wouldn't like") OOPS! ;)
Anyway, she taught us some things about Chinese culture and even taught us a few Chinese words.

After the park and lunch, we headed home for the afternoon. The girls played upstairs for a while, watched a little TV (since it was in English), played a little on the computer (since they don't have those in China :)), and had about 2 hours of fun on the water slide! We ate supper, and then reluctantly, we had to take Hallie back to her grandparent's house. Kinlee did much better with "good-byes" than I thought she would. I was proud of her - it's hard. Thank you, Jen, for letting us borrow her for the day - they had a great time!!! (If I could spell it, I would type that Chinese word for "thank you" that Hallie taught us, but you know what it is.....)

Where Have We Been???

2009-07-08T04:21:00.001-07:00

Good question! I have seriously been neglecting my blog posting the past couple of weeks. I think it is called "busy summer syndrome" - not an excuse, just an explanation. I promise that I have continued to take plenty of pictures of our summer happenings, just haven't quite found (or taken) the time to get them here. So, here are some of our latest....

For the first leg of our "summer vacation", we traveled to visit my parents in Mississippi. We always enjoy our time there, and this time was no different. The kids had a good time playing on the slip n slide and relaxing in the "kiddie pool" - do you ever get too old for those?? Maybe too big, but never too old:
One of the days we were there, we went to the park in Ripley. The kids had fun playing, even though it was a little on the hot side. We followed it up with a trip to McDonald's, of course. Again, do you ever get too old for that place?? Okay - maybe so...

Later on in the weekend, we celebrated the 4th with our own "Fireworks Extravaganza"!!! We had a great time lighting fireworks, spending time together, and just having fun. Remind me sometime to tell you about "Cammo Ammo" - not good.....

But the Concert was GREAT......

2009-06-29T03:59:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I suppose you're wondering what these four images have in common. Well, let me tell ya! A couple of weeks ago, Mark and I had a belated 15th Anniversary trip planned. We had tickets to the Keith Urban/Sugarland concert in Memphis. With much anticipation and excitement, we ventured on our trip on a Friday afternoon. Kids were in place at grandparent's house, work was wrapped up for the weekend with Mark, the dog was at a friend's house, and we were foot-loose and fancy-free!!!! UNTIL.....

We head to Memphis and get there in plenty of time to get our hotel room before the concert, planning to relax a few minutes, freshen up a tad, and head out for supper beforehand. That was before the TORNADO hit, of course!! That's right - 5 minutes into entering our hotel room, the sirens were going off, along with the electricity, and we were sittin' in the tub in our room (not before the "Einstein" hotel host who barely spoke English offered to let us sit in the lobby for safety - WHAT?!). Anyway, we stayed safe (no thanks to the guy behind the counter), and the storm blew over. So, in the dark, we gather our things and head out for the concert, still in high hopes that it is all a "go". Trees were down, traffic lights were out, and it was a mess! We made it to the concert in time, and the forum had electricity! Things are looking up. We didn't have time to eat supper on the way, so we were stuck eating a $26 supper at the concert which consisted of 3 tiny chicken strips, a few fries, and a coke without a lid because they only have lids for the $5 drinks, not the $3 ones.......After a pretty long wait, because we thought the concert started at 7 instead of 7:30, the concert began. Our new motto in life now, by the way, is "But the concert was great!!!" (thus the title of the post, because the story doesn't end here.....)

During the concert (which was great, by the way), Mark had to go to the bathroom for a routine visit. When he returned, he was quite pale, and his eyes were as big as yo-yos. Among the cheers of the crowd and the music from the concert, I heard him say/read his lips to say that he thinks he had passed a kidney stone!!!!!! What?! I didn't even know he had one - neither did he, obviously!!! Anyway, all was well after a while, and the concert trecked on.....

The concert (awesome) lasted until about 11:30 and off we went. As we headed back to our hotel exit, we noticed that the electricity was back on. EXCEPT for our exit, of course! That's right - still no electricity in our hotel and it was HOT!!! So, we enter the lobby and the guy (that helped us so much earlier) popped up (literally) from behind the counter and about scared us to death! He said (I think) that they didn't know when the lights would be back on, but we were welcome to sleep with our window open. What?! No thanks - we're in Memphis. We decided we needed to leave, and without the offer of a flashlight, used our cell phone lights to feel our way down the hall, gather our things, and get out! We were not able to receive a refund - the computer was out, of course. We would deal with that tomorrow..... We headed to the Wolfchase area and paid WAY too much for a second hotel room, but were just glad to be somewhere with lights and air conditioning!!! The rest of the night (what was left of it) went well and we slept great (much like the concert, remember).

***I know this is long, but if you've made it this far, please continue!!! It's worth it!!***

The next morning, we had a full day of kid-free shopping planned. HOWEVER, when I woke up, my stomach just didn't feel quite right......I ignored it (sort of) and we went down the hall to eat breakfast. I still wasn't just feeling great, but we loaded up anyway. We hit a couple of stores, but the fact that my stomach felt like the tornado from the previous day had taken up shop in there kind of kept me from really getting into it. We head to Target to "look around" and I eventually ended up sitting on the bench in the front of the store, people-watching, trying to hang onto what I had eaten for breakfast. I called Mark in the store on my cell phone, told him to take his time, I was in the front, but sitting down. He soon showed up (kind of puts a damper on your time to browse when you know your wife is sitting on a bench, just moments away from decorating the floor and causing a scene)...Well, I did NOT decorate the floor, thank you very much, I at least waited until I got to the grassy knoll in the parking lot outside. That's enough of that part....I'll leave the rest up to your imagination.

We had to leave. That's all there was to it. No more shopping for this chick! So, we trek to Mississippi to my parents' house. We had been defeated. It was over. We get to their house, I popped a Dramamine, and I slept for almost 7 hours!!!! I woke up, still not feeling great (like the concert), but some better. HOWEVER, Parker was running a fever. What?! After much deliberation, we decided (at about 9:00 that night ) that we had to get out of Dodge! We didn't want to get my parents sick (they did not sign up for that), and I think we just wanted to be at our own house, in our own beds, with our own toilets (if you know what I mean). So, that's what we did. We made it home safely, all slept until almost 11:00 the next morning, and were all as good as new. Phew!!! I know that was long, but oh, so true!

I will say this, all joking aside, we were very thankful that we were able to take the trip in the first place, didn't get blown away by the tornado, drove safely wherever we went that weekend, that noone else got whatever "bug" I had, and that the concert was GREAT!!!!

Father's Day (a week late)!!!

2009-06-27T14:58:00.001-07:00

Last weekend, we had the joy of celebrating Father's Day ALL weekend long! On Friday night, we met in Jackson with my mom, dad, and brother, Ted, who was in from Ohio. We met to eat at Ryan's and visit - it was great to get to see all of them, even if it was for only a little while. On Saturday, we decided to celebrate Father's Day with Mark a day early. We figured it would be easier getting in and out of restaurants on Sat. instead of Sunday. SO, we headed to Chili's - one of Mark's favorites. After eating, we surprised Mark with a game of putt-putt golf.

As you can see, even though it was HOT, a great time was had by all!!

Thank you, Mark, for all that you do for us! We love you so much!!!!

VBS 2009

2009-06-26T11:52:00.001-07:00

I know, I know, it has been forever long since I've blogged. It happens. We have had a busy week, and I am just now getting around to it. I know you all understand!

This past week was our congregation's VBS. The theme was "Riders of the Great Roundup" and the lessons centered around some of the parables. I taught the 4-K class and had a great time! They were a good group of kids. We ranged from 9-12 kids each night, and that kept me busy! Unfortunately, besides a few pictures of my room, I don't have many "class" shots to show. I took my camera every night, but never managed to take many pictures! Sandy's post definitely puts mine to shame!!!

Each night in the auditorium, the kids got to see a skit that centered around our lesson for the night. Mark, Parker, and Kinlee got to be in some of the skits, and they really enjoyed it. Mark played a lazy servant and a large bird, Parker and Kinlee played various "kid" roles each night. Below are some pictures of the skits:
Don't you just love Mark's large bird costume! The picture certainly does not do it justice - he ran from the back of the auditorium, flapping his arms and squawking the whole way! His job was to steal the "seed" that the farmer sowed on the wayside. He definitely stole the seed AND the show! What a ham!!!

All in all, it was a great week. I think we were all relieved when it was over - it's a lot of work! However, I couldn't think of a better way to spend some extra time and energy. I do have to admit I'm glad it only rolls around once a year!!!

Kickball Season 2009

2009-06-19T09:40:00.000-07:00

Kickball has started in Trenton! The YMCA here has a kickball league that runs for about 8 weeks in the summer. We played for the first time last summer, and our team was a little lacking in talent (to put it nicely). However, following a 17-0 victory in our first game this year, things seem to be looking up a tad. The Red Rockets beat the Blue Bullets, and we are gearing up for a double-header next weekend (no games this weekend). Look for more updates on games between the Blue Bullets (again - we only have 3 teams) and the Green Machines!!!

Mid-South Youth Camp 2009 - Parker

2009-06-16T04:55:00.001-07:00

Parker had a great time his first "overnight" year at camp! So good that he did NOT want to leave when it was all said and done. I was glad to get to see him each day while I was there - I think it made him feel better, too. The first day I came, he "hung" around me a little bit more, but I noticed it got less and less as the week went on. I was glad to see him having such a good time with some of his "Henderson Buddies".I do have to admit that the "guys" weren't the only ones he was "hanging out with". He made a few older "girl" friends at camp, too. I think he was kind of "sweet" on this crew all week. He had "dates" with them to the hike, movie, and talent show, and bought them stuff all week long! They were very sweet and accepted his efforts. Thanks, Rachel, Kakole, and Ginny for your examples!

One of the biggest parts of the day at camp is Mail Call. Below, Parker is seen being sung TO while 2 girls are working toward receiving packages, as well as Parker himself singing in order to get the package we sent for his cabin. I think he had to sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."
In the end, we were very proud when Parker won the "Best Bible Student" award. We told him that was the BEST award he could have brought home, as far as we were concerned!!

We were very proud of him and glad that he got to go and have such a good time!!! He had a hard time leaving, but I think it will just make it that much easier for him to go back next year!!

Mid-South Youth Camp 2009 - Kinlee

2009-06-16T04:36:00.000-07:00

Well, I think I have officially broken a record. I have broken my own record of time gone by between posts!! It has been a crazy week or so. Good, but crazy! So, it is time! It is time to show what we've been up to the past almost 2 WEEKS now! The kids and I did Mid-South Youth Camp. Parker stayed the night for the whole week for the first time, and Kinlee and I traveled back and forth everyday with Jr. Camp. We all had a blast, but boy were we worn out!!

Because I can only post 5 pictures with each post, I'll start with Kinlee first. I was able to take more pictures of her because I was actually hanging out with her all week. I saw Parker here and there, but was still able to get plenty of pictures of him, too. Kinlee's favorite part of the whole week was swimming. The weather was kind of "if-fy" throughout the week, but always managed to clear up in time for swimming!!!
On Wednesday, the kids did the giant slip-n-slide instead of going to the pool. I think these always make some of the COOLEST pictures!

One of the days, we did have quite a bit of rain, so our "silly games" had to move inside. The kids still had fun playing Simon Says and the Marshmallow Blow (one of those "spur of the moment" games that was definitely a hit!) Plus, it made for some funny pictures!!!!
One of the best parts of camp are all the silly songs that the kids sing. I have to admit, by the end of the week, they got kind of old, but I'll be ready for them when next year rolls around - maybe! Kinlee also had a good time re-connecting with old friends, spending time with new ones, and even meeting some new faces. We had a really good group this week!
In the end, Kinlee ended up winning the "Arts and Crafts" award for her love of "crafting". Below, you can see some of hers and Parker's creations.
It was a great week. We had fun spending it together! Kinlee will only have 1 year of Jr. camp left and then SHE'LL be ready for "big camp!" UGH - where does the time go?!

Way to Go, Kinlee!!!

2009-06-03T07:17:00.000-07:00

At the end of the school year last week, 1st graders met in the cafeteria for Accelerated Reader awards. Parker's grade did not do awards this year for AR - the teachers said they were so busy focusing on achievement testing that they were not able to encourage and motivate the kids to participate in AR quite as much. Kinlee did very well, though. If you'll allow me a moment to "brag"... She ranked 8th in her grade for # of points, 1st in her class for 3 of points, and received the "Chapter Chompers" award for the most chapter books read and tested. We are very proud of her! Way to go, Kinlee!!! The kids are both enrolled in the local library Summer Reading program. Neither of my kids have ever been "recreational" readers (maybe Kinlee more than Parker), but this program has definitely changed that the past few days. Below is a picture I caught of them out in the backyard reading some of the new books they had gotten earlier in the day. I think Kinlee is up to 70 books read, and Parker is up to 50. Turn anything into a competition, and they are sold! We have already received some pretty cool prizes and gift certificates for their efforts. Good job, guys!!!

Summer Has Arrived!!!

2009-06-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

This has been the scene in our backyard the past couple of days. After our camping trip, the kids asked if we could get out the water slide.
We were both exhausted, but obliged and got the thing out. I think we were both pretty anxious to see how it was going to hold up after HOURS of play last summer. We were very excited and pleased to see that it was still in great shape, minus a couple of patched holes. The kids got right on it (Parker didn't even take the time to change into his trunks) and have played on it every day since. They were out until dark last night. We got on it earlier today (twice, to be exact), so we were able to take advantage of the daylight this time. I am sure that it will be blown up and deflated MANY times in the next few weeks. I slid down it once, but I didn't "fly" down it quite like they did. I didn't try again. It hurt.

A Campin' We Will Go....

2009-05-31T20:01:00.000-07:00

And that is exactly what we did do this past weekend! We went camping at Chickasaw State Park. The weather was wonderful, and we had an awesome time! I've always said that one night a year is about all I can take - well, we had such a good time, I might even be willing to go again IN THE SAME YEAR!!!

After we got there on Friday evening and we got our campsite set up, we ventured across the bridge to the big playground. The kids (as you can see) had a blast!!! Noodle the Poodle was even in on the fun - stay tuned for some pictures of how Noodle ACTUALLY felt about the whole thing!!
We stayed at the playground until dark, and then the kids spotted the lightning bugs! Then the fun really began. We chased lightning bugs for quite some time (I got lucky on the pic. of Kinlee's bug actually lighting up!) and then headed back over the bridge because it had gotten VERY dark and we didn't have a flashlight!

Needless to say, we made it back just fine and just in time for some yummy s'mores by the campfire. Notice below the picture I warned you about - Noodle was less than amused at the whole outing, but did seem to enjoy the campfire. When she wasn't being "lugged" around, she could be found curled up in the chair, lifeless, and unamused, thinking we had all lost our minds....
The next morning, we headed out on a nature hike. We saw some really cool things - baby geese with their mama, a frog on a log, a cool snail, and a tiny frog (Kinlee was so proud that she actually held one!)

Then, it was back to the campsite for some more relaxing, eating, and playing. Look at that campsite would ya - looks like professionals to me!.....
In case you have noticed some strange faces in the pictures, it is because we met up with a super-nice family (the Smiths from Memphis) that we spent a lot of the weekend with. They had 5 kids (4 of theirs, one was a friend), and they were all so nice. The kids enjoyed playing, hiking, and chatting with them all weekend. We exchanged numbers in hopes of another possible "camp date" in the future.

All said and done, we were exhausted, but it was so worth it! We had an awesome time - like I said, so awesome that I just might do it again......soon!

Thanks, Ms. Trudy & Ms. Sonya!!!

2009-05-28T10:10:00.001-07:00

For the kids' teachers, we wanted to do something extra special to thank them for all of their hard work during this past school year. So, we decided to put a little "twist" on our Christmas gift we gave them, and instead of bringing supper to their house one night, we surprised them with a homemade lunch at school! Complete with fancy china, goldware, flower, personal note from the kids, and candle light, they were definitely the envy of the Teacher's Lounge!!

Ms. Trudy, Kinlee's teacher, was first on the list. Yesterday, I got Kinlee out of class a little before lunch, and she met me in the Teacher's Lounge to help me get it all ready. Ms. Trudy was very surprised when she walked in and saw her special place setting.

Ms. Sonya, Parker's teacher, enjoyed her lunch today. It was neat to see even Parker excited about the surprise!! I wasn't sure if it would be "too cool" for him or not, but he loved it!! The kids were so excited to be "sneaky" that they couldn't wait for their teachers to come in the room!! (Sorry for Parker's "blurriness" below - I had some kind of smudge on my lens!)

The menu for the day consisted of the following:

Lasagna

Salad

Fresh Fruit

Garlic Bread Sticks

Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert

Lemonade

Here is the recipe for the Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert - very easy and VERY yummy!........

1 box of 12 ct. ice cream sandwiches

8 oz. cool whip

chocolate syrup/caramel syrup

crushed oreos

In an 8x8 pan, place a layer of ice cream sandwiches. Cover the sandwiches with a thin layer of cool whip and drizzle with chocolate or caramel (or both!!). Repeat with another layer of ice cream sandwiches, and the rest of the cool whip. Top with syrup(s) and crushed oreos. Put it in the freezer uncovered until everything is somewhat "set". Cover with saran wrap and foil until ready to serve. Cut like a cake - serves 9. ENJOY!!

Thankful Thursday

2009-05-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

Here is my list for this week:

I am thankful for life itself.
I am thankful that the kids just have a half day of school left after today.
I am thankful that we have a fun, full summer planned.
I am thankful for $1 night at the Diamond Jaxx game tonight. Admission is $1, hot dogs $1, drinks $1, and popcorn $1!!!!!
I am thankful for $1 large drinks at McDonalds (do you see a theme here?) Even though our coke dates are going to have to be put on hold once the kids are home for the summer, it's nice to know they are there if I need them!
I am thankful for nice weather for our upcoming camping trip this weekend. I like the outdoors, but this chick ain't campin' in the rain!!!
I am thankful for bills being done for the month! (always a relief to get those done....)
I am thankful for a great time we had in Knoxville this past week.
I am thankful for getting our carpets cleaned tomorrow.
I am thankful that I made it through the orientation for my online class I have to take this summer and it doesn't seem SO bad!

Can't wait to read yours.....

Girl Scout Finale

2009-05-27T08:48:00.001-07:00

A couple of weekends ago (I am just now getting to blogging about it - how sad is that!?:(), Kinlee's Girl Scout troop headed to Jackson for an overnight trip with the profit they made off of Girl Scout cookie sales. There were 16 girls altogether, and 4 adults - I was asked to go along as one of the chaperones, and was very excited to spend the weekend with Kinlee.

Upon arriving in Jackson, the girls ate lunch at Burger King. I watched as Kinlee interacted with certain girls, and picked my 4 to be "in charge of" based on that. Luckily, they were all about Kinlee's age and not TOO wild :). After lunch, we went and played putt-putt golf and fed the fish on the course.
We also traveled to the hospital to deliver cookies to the Intensive Care waiting room. This was a very good experience for the girls, and the people were VERY appreciative - who wouldn't love FREE Girl Scout cookies?!
We went and ate supper at Ryan's (YUM!!) before heading back to the hotel for some swimming. When we got to the indoor pool, we were the only ones there - who in their right mind would want to share a pool with 16 squealing Girl Scouts?! They swam for quite a long time and had a blast!!
After swimming, it was off to the hotel rooms for facials, manicures and pedicures, and jumping on the beds!! Needless to say, when bedtime finally did roll around (I was beginning to wonder if it ever would), they were beat!!! It was a great weekend and we look forward to many more to come....

Destination Imagination Global Finals 2009

2009-05-26T11:41:00.000-07:00

Well, we have safely returned home from our trip to Knoxville. We had a great time, and it was an awesome experience for all of us. The first day we were there, we attended the Opening Ceremony. All the participants were together in one place - 9 different countries represented!!! Below you can see all the flags of the different countries that had teams there.
Throughout the week there, the kids participated in "pin trading". I had heard about this tradition, but I didn't realize before we went how big this was! Each team brings pins that represent their state or country. The kids then trade pins with one another. It is a great way for the kids to talk to other kids they otherwise would probably just pass by without saying a word. We ended up with pins from many of the states, along with Korea, Turkey, Guatemala, and Canada. My kids have really enjoyed looking at and organizing their pins. Definitely an experience to remember!

On Thursday night, instead of attending the "dance" that they had planned, we took our kids to the fountains in World's Fair Park and turned them loose! They had a great time for about an hour and a half. For the longest time, they were the only ones there, and they were soaked!!! Later on , though, a group from South Korea came - it was neat to see our kids running around wild with kids from a whole other country!!!
On Friday, we didn't really have anything that we had to do on campus, so we took off for a family trip to Dollywood. I don't have any pictures from that because I didn't want to "lug" my camera around. We had an awesome time! It wasn't TOO crowded, and the weather was perfect.

On Saturday, the kids presented their challenge. They did a great job - we were very proud of them. We ended up tying for 36th place out of 60 teams. We were pleased with the results (although the kids were disappointed that they didn't place higher) and the experience outweighed any placement we could have gotten.Way to go, Team Hassellwood!!!! We are very proud of you!!!

Just a note.....

2009-05-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

....to let everyone know that the Finton clan has NOT fallen off the face of the earth!! (I know you were worried...). It has been a busy week getting everyone and everything ready for Parker's DI team trip to Knoxville. So busy that I really haven't had the time to post much. I have some pictures from Kinlee's Girl Scout overnight trip that was a lot of fun, too, but it will have to wait until we get back. We leave tomorrow morning (5:15 to be exact - UGH!) and will return on Sunday night. I know I will have lots to blog about, but until then, I plan to be reading yours whenever I get the chance. Until then, I hope everyone has a great week!!

Thankful Thursday

2009-05-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

A little late in the day for this one, but at least it's still Thursday.....

I am thankful for life itself.
I am thankful that after going to the dentist the other day for the first time in SEVEN YEARS (I am so embarassed), nothing major was wrong with my teeth! I was scared to death to go - scared of what they would find. Since it was good news, I am going every 6 months from now on - my mother will be so proud!!!
I am thankful that I have another "school day" to clean since it didn't exactly get done today. There's always tomorrow, right???
I am thankful that school is almost out for the kids. Summer is always an adjustment for all of us, but we have so many fun things going on - I can't wait!!
I am thankful for past experiences that allow us to help friends in need.
I am thankful for a lower gas and electric bill the past couple of months - I love this "in-between" weather.
I am thankful that Kinlee and I are headed out to a Girl Scout weekend together this coming weekend.
I am thankful that Parker's DI team is headed to Knoxville - all the money was raised, and then some!! We leave next Wednesday - please pray for a safe trip!
I am thankful for some "old" family friends in Knoxville to stay with - it's saving us a BUNDLE on hotel room costs!
Finally, I am thankful that Mark and I just celebrated 15 years of marriage yesterday!!!! I sure do love that guy!!!

Backyard Camping

2009-05-13T15:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, not so much the "camping" part, but we did have the campfire. Every once in a while, we like to build a fire in the backyard (I'm sure we are breaking all kinds of city ordinances) and roast hotdogs and make S'mores. Finally, the rain stayed away long enough the other night to take advantage of the opportunity. It was such a nice night, and lots of fun together.Later on in the month, we are planning a REAL camping trip (State Park, tents, sleeping bags, and all), so I'm sure I will have some more pics. to post after that.

Don't you just love our burning box??? We are not nature people, by any means, and don't just have tons of firewood lying around. The box was all I could come up with. The boxes don't burn long, so we had to have our hotdogs ready on their sticks for round 1 and hurry before the fire went out. Then, we loaded up the sticks with marshmallows for round 2 before we threw on the last box. Hopefully, before the real campout, we'll come up with some better equipment. We would never make it on Survivor, but for our backyard, it was just perfect!!!

A Parade and a Playground....

2009-05-11T09:48:00.001-07:00

....it just doesn't get much better than that!!!

The kids were out of school yesterday for the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival. It is not in our town, actually, but it is a BIG thing around here. It is in a town about 10 miles away - where I graduated High School, as a matter of fact!!

Since the Teapot parade here was such a rainy mess, we took advantage of the chance for Kinlee to ride on the Girl Scout float in this parade - which is MUCH bigger than the Teapot parade on a NICE day!! She was dressed up as a Tagalong (her favorite G.S. cookie) and rode through the parade singing and waving at the crowd. We enjoyed watching her.
After the parade was over, it was so nice out, we decided to play at the playground near where we parked to give the traffic time to clear. The kids had a great time there, too. We didn't attend the parade last year (can't remember for sure why?), but I think it will become a yearly tradition from now on.

Honeysuckle

2009-05-05T10:14:00.001-07:00

I love honeysuckle. I don't know for sure what it is I like about it. Maybe it's because it's such a "simple" thing to like. Maybe it's because it reminds me of being at my grandparents' house in West Virginia as a kid. Maybe it's because it's God's nature.

Yesterday after school, the kids hit the honeysuckle bush. They (okay WE) tasted a few for ourselves, and then they even bagged some up and delivered them to the neighbors (SURPRISE!!). I captured these pictures of them and wanted to share.

Victorian Tea Party 2009

2009-05-04T10:13:00.000-07:00

After the parade on Saturday, Kinlee and I rushed home, dried off, changed clothes, met up with a friend, and headed to meet my mom at our annual Tea Party. We have been going to this tea party for the past 7 years, and still continue to enjoy it so much. Kinlee looks forward to it every year. She had a fun time dressing up, eating wonderful food, making paper dolls, making doily corsages, and posing for the camera:Like I said, she brought a friend from home with her this time, and they had a great time. She also got to see a good friend of hers from Henderson while we were there:
Thanks for the tickets, mom- we had a great time!!!

Teapot Parade 2009

2009-05-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

Pardon all of the posts today, but it was "catch up" time after a busy weekend. Here are some pictures from the Teapot parade this past Saturday. The weather was downright awful, and it rained pretty much the whole morning! That didn't stop us, though. Girl Scouts don't stop for just a little rain (or thunder and lightning that we witnessed as we held our umbrellas on the parade route!!) Kinlee's troop theme for the parade was Recycling. They were asked to take leftover empty Girl Scout cookie boxes and make "outfits" out of them. Below is our creation. Also, Parker's DI team had a Bake Sale at the parade - didn't bring in much $ this time, though - I guess people didn't like to eat sweets while they were soaking wet!!! That's okay, looks like he had a great time anyway. It was very wet, but a lot of fun, too!!

Field Day at TES

2009-05-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

Friday was Field Day at the kids' school. As for most of the events this week, the rain prevailed, but attempts to have field day outside looked somewhat promising. The games were set up on the football field, jumpers were inflated on the practice field, relays were organized, and concessions were moved outside UNTIL the lightning came! You have never seen kids and teachers scurry so fast in all of your life! SO, inside everything went.

Kinlee's class managed to get some games finished outside before the storm, but didn't get to do the jumpers or play on the playground. The jumpers were moved inside, though, and they had a turn to play in there. Here are some pictures outside before everything went crazy:

Parker's class, on the other hand, got to do the jumpers outside, but had to play the games inside in the halls. Here are some pics. of him and his field day fun:
Even though there was a lot of moving around and rescheduling, the kids didn't seem to mind and had a great time!!! I was glad that I was able to be there to take pictures of the craziness and watch them "in action"!!!

Teapot Trot 2009

2009-05-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

To continue our Teapot Festival week of fun, Mark and Parker ran in the Teapot Trot 5k on Thursday night. It had rained most of the week, but the weather turned nicer in time for the race - then it poured down right after it was over!!! They both did a great job and represented the Finton Family well. During the race, I was able to take some pics. of the boys. I didn't post any of Mark's pictures, though, because just about every picture I took also had a pic. of a guy with no shirt on - not too pretty. I kept trying to take one without him in it, but he just seemed to keep "popping up". However, here are some action shots of Parker. The top pic. is of him and his teacher from school. He hooked up with her and ran/walked with her most of the way. I hear he chatted a little bit, too. Surely not!!

Thankful Thursday

2009-04-30T07:13:00.001-07:00

Here goes the list:

I am thankful for life itself.
I am thankful for the rain we have had recently. Although it has put a "kink" into some of our plans this past week, it makes everything look so pretty and green!
I am thankful for "Teapot" week in town. There are lots of fun things that we've gotten to (and will continue to) enjoy as a family this week.
I am thankful for good, clean Christian friends that we can have good, clean Christian fun with.
I am thankful for my kiddos. They each have their own special qualities that make me love them so much.
I am thankful for Mark. He is such a good husband and dad, and is great at what he does!
I am thankful for a house to clean - okay, maybe this one is just me trying to talk myself into the fact that I have to clean today....
I am thankful that I will be able to help with Field Day at the kids' school tomorrow. It is on days like that that I am reminded how blessed I am to be able to be at home.
I am thankful for the Tea Party that Kinlee and I will be attending this weekend. It is a good chance to spend time together and reconnect with old friends.
I am thankful for the fact that we are well on our way to raising the money for Parker's DI team. It hasn't been as hard as we thought, and people have been very generous. SO, if you have an extra dollar or two or $2,800 (not that that's how much we have left to raise or anything.....) feel free to let me know - LOL!!!

Can't wait to read your list.....

"Walk Your Child to School" Day

2009-04-29T11:08:00.001-07:00

Well, I don't know for sure that this has anything to do with "Teapot Festival" week, but on Wednesdays of that week each year, the kids' school holds a "Walk Your Child to School" Day. Today was the day. The walk starts out at City Hall where you get a ticket for a drawing, and ends up at their school where you drop off your ticket and hope for the $50 Savings Bond. So far, we haven't won it - this year was no different. :( The City Hall is just down the street from us - the OPPOSITE direction from the school - so we actually do a walk and a half, I guess. We had planned to leave the house around 7:15 in order to make it in plenty of time. Well, at 7:05, it was raining!! We gathered the umbrellas and decided to go anyway. Luckily, about 5 minutes later, the sun came out, and we were on our way. We took the umbrellas with us just in case - you know how it goes.....if we hadn't have had them, it would have poured on us!!! It was lots of fun, and of course, a great photo op!!!!

Teapot Festival Block Party

2009-04-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

The time has rolled around again for our town's annual "Teapot Festival". The festival lasts the whole week, and there are lots of fun activities all week long. Some of them we don't necessarily attend, but we have our family favorites. One of those is the Block Party. It is a lot of fun, and the kids enjoy all the "stuff". Each year, the kids at their school compete ahead of time in the Speed Stackers Cup Stack competition. The top student times in each grade take part in a demonstration at the block party. Parker finished 3rd in his grade, so he got to demonstrate. Here he is (love the tongue sticking out) concentrating very hard in front of his audience. He said he actually beat his fastest time last night!!!Kinlee enjoyed the jumpers and pony rides. Parker opted out of the hand stamp for the jumpers and rides, because he will be running in the Teapot Trot with Mark later this week - when everything costs money, you have to choose sometimes!!! Anyway, Kinlee met up with her friend from school, and they had a great time playing together. It is hard to get good pictures on those slides, but I managed to get a couple.

Later this week, Mark and Parker will run in the Teapot Trot, and Kinlee will be in the Teapot Festival parade with Girl Scouts. I am sure (if the rain holds off and it all actually takes place) that I will have lots of fun pictures to post!!!

One Final Puppet Party

2009-04-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

Okay, so, I am beginning to think that we just LOOK for parties to have so we can eat! I mean, how many puppet parties does one group need?! Nevertheless, we gathered together yesterday afternoon for one final blow-out. This time, it was to celebrate our success at Lads to Leaders, and again, EAT! As I said in a previous "Thankful Thursday" list, I have really enjoyed these projects that Mark and I tackle together. For this particular event, I was in charge of the food, and Mark was in charge of entertaining the masses after we ate. For our refreshments, I planned ice-cream sundaes. The kids got to "build" their own with various toppings that were provided. It was nice treat on a much warmer day, and the kids really seemed to enjoy it. If you will, please notice the pictures below. Notice how the kids are in nice lines, taking turns - a place for everything, and everything in it's place, if you will...
Again, please notice the children sitting politely eating their sundaes, smiling for the camera....
(also notice Mark in the background "chowing down" on his own creation):)
NOW, please notice the picture below of what I like to call, "Red Rover Gone Terribly Wrong!". That's right - this picture is from the part of the party that MARK was in charge of!!! Looks like fun, right?!Let me just say, in case you are wondering, yes, this child survived, and yes, Mark's team won. (That IS what it's all about, isn't it??!!) All joking aside, we had a great time, and I really did appreciate Mark's help (can't say for sure that Wade did, though!)

The Amazing Race - Church of Christ Style...

2009-04-26T18:59:00.000-07:00

Each month, our adult Bible class has a class-wide get together. A different family is in charge of it each month. We always have such a good time, but I think this month's activity was one of the best ones yet! The Ramakers planned a day of competition similar to "The Amazing Race". We were divided into teams (bummer that the Finton "blue" team was split up), had to figure out clues, enter coordinates into our GPS', and search the town for more clues to lead to our final destination. We had to complete certain events/tasks in order to get our next clue sheets, and travel all around town (NOT speeding or breaking any other laws, of course) to try to come out on top.The entire race took about 2 and a half hours, and we had a great time. We had 3 teams all together, and several broken laws, a very physical encounter at one of the stops (Mark says Joetta threw the clue far away so that his team had to search for it, Joetta says Mark body-slammed her as a result - it got ugly :)), and a lot of laughs later, mine and Kinlee's team came out on top. I won't say for sure who came in last, but I will say that 2 blue shirted boys were pretty bummed at the end....

All in all, it was a great afternoon of fun, fellowship, and getting to know eachother even better!

Spring Soccer is Over....

2009-04-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

Well, tonight, we finished up our Spring Soccer season. It seems like it just started, and now it is time to take a little break before starting kickball. As I stated before, Parker and Kinlee were on the same team this year and that made it SO much easier! In the fall, though, they will be split up again. This season's team has actually (with the addition of Kinlee) been together for about a year and a half now. They play so awesome together, and we are sad that some of them will be moving up to the next age league in the fall. That's really okay, though, because Mark will coach both teams, and have some of the current kiddos on each (did that make any sense?)

All the kids played hard all season and really stepped up to the plate when needed. They ended up winning the championship game tonight against another really good team. There was originally a 3 way tie for first going into the tournament, but after all the play-off games were said and done, they came out on top. This team definitely portrayed great teamwork and sportsmanship - we are very proud of them!! We will be having an "End of the Season" party at our house next week - stay tuned for pictures!!!!

WAY TO GO COMETS!!!!!

"Spot's" the Robot Dog

2009-04-21T19:37:00.001-07:00

Last week, Kinlee brought home a note from school saying that they were to create some sort of robot to go along with their reading story for the week. Kinlee immediately said that she wanted to make a "dog robot", so the creative juices started flowing. Now, I do consider myself a fairly creative person, but my creativity does have its limits. That being said, Kinlee and I started the journey. Technically (according to the note), we were not supposed to spend any money on the project. Well, I am limited to my share of metal and aluminum items, so I must confess that I DID purchase some wire at Wal-Mart. (tsk, tsk....).

We had a fun time creating "Spot's" (as the name appears on the collar - love the apostrophe), and I think she turned out pretty good considering I am NOT a mechanical engineer or anything. I was a tad bit mortified today when "Spot's" returned home in a bag, smashed in Kinlee's backpack, without a head. I knew for a fact that we had used TONS of hot glue putting the canine together, and I couldn't figure out how it could have happened. UNTIL Kinlee told me that she fell going into school today, and "Spot's" went flying - mystery solved. So, some more glue later and she's as good as new. Kinlee did tell me that her friend, Emma, brought a dog robot to school that actually walked and wagged its tail - - show off!!! Oh well, I think Spot's is pretty cute, and she will be returning to school again tomorrow. Hopefully she won't lose anymore body parts, though, I'm almost out of hot glue!!!

Fun at the Mall

2009-04-20T20:35:00.001-07:00

While we were in Nashville this weekend for Parker's DI competition, we had a little free time to spend as a family. We headed back to the Opry Mills mall, even though we were just there last weekend. This time, we ate at the Rainforest Cafe - that place is cool! For dessert (as if we hadn't had ENOUGH to eat), we stopped off at the Marble Slab Creamery for some yummy ice-cream!!!After eating (great timing), Parker and Kinlee each had a turn on the "Spider Jump". I think I would have definitely lost my lunch if I had done that right after I ate, but they got along just fine. Parker had done it before, but this was Kinlee's first go at it. She was a little hesitant at first, but it didn't take her long to get the hang of it!!!

Destination Imagination!!!

2009-04-20T20:22:00.000-07:00

A while back, I posted on the blog about Destination Imagination that Parker is involved in in school. A month or so ago, his team won the Regional competition and made it to the State competition in Nashville. Well, that competition took place this past weekend. So, off to Nashville we went for the second weekend in a row - UGH! We had a great time, though. This is all new to us, so we were kind of just figuring it out as we went and "going with the flow." The kids did their skits and instant challenges much like they did at regionals, with a few changes here and there.

His particular team's events were over by lunchtime, and we were very glad, because some of the teams had stuff spread out ALL throughout the day. The schedule for his team allowed us to slip away and have some fun family time that I will post about next. After some hangin' out and runnin' around, we returned to Lipscomb's campus for the results. The kids all lined up and anxiously awaited the awards.

Well, come to find out, Parker's team won 1st place and made it to the GLOBAL competition in Knoxville in May!!!! We were all surprised because we hadn't seen the other teams perform, and had no idea what we were up against. I found out tonight that their team is the first team from our hometown that has made it to Globals in 20 years!!!! They also said that there are teams representing 20 different countries at this thing!! So, as I said before, we are learning as we go, but this is proving to be a pretty big deal! So big that we have to raise $15,000 in a month to cover the cost of the team!!! Fundraisers, here we come!! I'm gonna be baking a lot of chocolate chip cookies for Bake Sales, I think!!! Anyway, we are very proud of them. I'm sure there will be plenty of posts and updates to come - wish us luck!!! (we're gonna need it!!)

GOOD JOB, TEAM HASSELWOOD!!!!

Puppets, puppets, puppets.....

2009-04-16T16:52:00.000-07:00

Like I mentioned in previous posts, Mark and I were in charge of one of the puppet teams for Lads to Leaders this year. We had 9 kids on our team (with another one being added at the last minute) ranging from 1st grade to 4th grade. I just wanted to say again what an AWESOME group of kiddos they were! We had the best time putting this show together and working with these guys! We had lots of support from their parents, and the kids themselves couldn't have worked harder. We definitely plan to do it again next year, and I hope we have them on our team again! We enjoyed it!!! Good job, guys!!

Thankful Thursday

2009-04-16T06:03:00.001-07:00

I have a morning full of house cleaning to do today, so I thought I'd get this done early before time gets away. Here is my list:

I am thankful for life itself.
I am thankful that I have a house TO clean today. I think sometimes I get bogged down with the day to day chores and cleaning that I forget to stop and be thankful for it!
I am thankful that we all traveled to and from Nashville for Lads to Leaders last weekend without incident.
I am thankful that we had an awesome weekend at Lads to Leaders!
I am thankful that my sister and her family are safe after the recent tornado that hit their hometown.
I am thankful that none of us have come down with the flu after Parker's latest bout with it. (*insert knocking on wood here!*)
I am thankful for my couch after we put the kids to bed. I love just flopping down on it and chillin' out with Mark when it's just us!
I am thankful moments when our kids show "generosity" and "unselfishness".
I am thankful our new Friends and Family plan on our cell phones. It allowed us to add 10 numbers to our plan that we can call without using minutes!!!
I am thankful for our "McDonalds Coke Dates". I know I have mentioned these before, but I look forward to it almost every morning, and really miss it when we don't get to go!

Your turn....

Lads to Leaders 2009

2009-04-13T11:43:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, our family traveled to Nashville with about 65 others from our home congregation to attend the Lads to Leaders Convention. Let me give a little "aside" here, though, before I continue. Parker had been sick since Monday. He had gone to the dr., and she had said he had an ear infection and sinus infection. No problem. Got an antibiotic and felt like it would be cleared up in plenty of time for the weekend. WRONG! He continued to feel bad all week, and his fever just wouldn't go away and stay away. SO, back to the dr. we go on Thursday. She was baffled, saying he didn't seem to have anything more than a cold, but couldn't figure out where that fever was coming from. We decided to run a flu test JUST to rule it out so that we could tell people over the weekend that yes, he was running fever, but no, he wasn't contagious. WELL, it was positive!!!! That's right - he had the flu and we were leaving early the next morning. When the dr. told him he couldn't go, he was so upset. He just flopped over on the bed and cried!!! What were we going to do?? He had a big part in our puppet show, was signed up to do his scripture reading, and had worked super hard since Christmas on a speech! Needless to say, my mom came to stay with him, the rest of us headed out to Nashville on Friday, and we did some "quick fixin'" to our puppet show on the way. We were all so bummed that he couldn't come.

Well, the kids did a great job on their puppet show, especially considering the fact that one kid had to switch to Parker's part, and we grabbed another kid from our congregation who had never seen the script OR picked up a puppet to fill in, as well. We were so proud of them! Kinlee did very well on her part, and the others did just as we had practiced.
Shortly after puppets on Friday, Kinlee participated in her scripture reading. She did so well! She said she was a little nervous, but she marched right up there and read like a champ! I was very proud of her!!! She received an excellent rating.

We had kept in touch during the day on Friday with my mom who was taking care of Parker. Turns out that he did not run fever all day long!!! SO, Mark hopped in the car Friday afternoon (despite tornado watches and BAD storms) and drove back home to get him!!! They left early Saturday morning to head back to Nashville in time for Parker to do his speech. He was so excited! The competition was pretty strong this year in his age division, but he did an awesome job! He actually ended up doing his speech twice before they were able to decide the 6 finalists. He was one of them.
We had to wait until the awards ceremony on Sat. night to find out how his speech and our puppet show ranked. WELL, Parker won 3rd place in speech, and our puppet show won 3rd place, as well. All the kids were SO excited!! We were so happy and proud of them!!

As crazy as it was, we ended up having an awesome weekend! The kids are already talking about what they want to compete in next year. We are so glad that we are involved in this program. The real excitement isn't even in the winning or not winning, it is in the fact that our kids enjoy it and it is helping prepare them for service in the future. Way to go guys!!!!

Easter Egg Hunting

2009-04-13T11:37:00.001-07:00

As stated in my Thankful Thursday list from last week, I am very thankful that my kiddos still enjoy hunting Easter eggs. It will be a sad day in my world when they stop thinking it is fun. I know that day will come sometime, but I hope it is very far away. This year, we did our hunt a few days before Easter because we were leaving for Nashville on Friday, and would be gone until later on in the day on Easter.

I hid Kinlee's eggs, and she had a great time finding them. There is still one out there somewhere, but none of us could find it ANYWHERE!!! Instead of candy this year, the kids' eggs were filled with money (quarters & dimes) and "coupons" for various things to be redeemed this summer. They really seemed to enjoy the switch from candy.
Mark had the job of hiding Parker's eggs. As you can tell from the pictures below, he found some very unusual places to hide his eggs -

They had a great time, and we really enjoyed watching them.

Thankful Thursday

2009-04-09T06:53:00.001-07:00

Here is my list for this week:

I am thankful for life itself.
I am thankful that the consignment sale is over, and we can get our house and our lives back to normal (for another 6 months, that is).
I am thankful that Parker's voice seems to be getting a little better (at least not worse), and that it looks like all things are a "go" for Lads to Leaders this weekend.
I am thankful for grandparents who like to "pitch in" on the "extras" for their grandkids from time to time.
I am thankful for the "snack room". Each year at Lads to Leaders, our congregation gets a suite at the hotel and we call it the "snack room". We pay $15 a person before the convention, and we are entitled to our share (and then some) of meals and snacks all weekend long! It saves us SO much money, and gives us a place to come and hang out with the others from our congregation during the weekend.
I am thankful for the recent "No Shipping" code at americangirl.com. Kinlee has really done well saving her money for her Molly stuff - it helps to be able to order it without her having to save up even MORE for the shipping. The code has expired for now, but hopefully we'll come across another one before the next purchase!!
I am thankful for nicer weather the past couple of days. Those cold days are really hard to take after we've been spoiled with warmer temps.
I am thankful that my kids still want to have Easter egg hunts. We are doing ours tonight since we'll be at Lads to Leaders on Sunday. Hopefully we can get it in before the rain comes.
I am thankful for a husband who works hard, but does a great job not bringing his work home with him.
I am thankful for weekly Subway dates with Mark - we haven't gotten to have one this week with his work schedule and Parker being home sick, but the week isn't over yet.....

That does it - how about you???

It is OVER!!!!

2009-04-08T06:59:00.000-07:00

Yes, that is right - I have survived the consignment sale. I am not complaining by ANY means, but it dawned on me about half way through this thing that almost twice as many consignors means twice as much work!! I was one busy chic! That's okay, though, because all the hard work definitely paid off! The sale this time did quite a bit better than my last one, and I am so thankful! I couldn't have done it, though, without the help and patience of my hubby and kiddos.

Now that all the "stuff" is pretty much out of the house and things are back in place, it's time to change hats and focus on Lads to Leaders this weekend. We will leave EARLY Friday morning and return home Sunday afternoon. We are so looking forward to this trip! The kids have worked so hard to prepare for it and I know it will prove to be a great weekend. I hope to have lots of pictures to post when we get back. Say a little prayer, if you don't mind - Parker has been home the last 2 1/2 days from school with sinus and ear infections. His voice is almost gone - not good considering he has a puppet show, speech, and scripture reading to do this weekend! I have had him whispering when he does talk, so hopefully he will be fixed and ready to go by Friday. Pray that he gets better in time and that none of the rest of us get it! Thanks!!!