New School Year = Blog Revival!!!

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

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!

Lovin' Us Some Free Entertainment!!!

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

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

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!!!

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!!!

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!!!:)

Snow Snow Snow!!!

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!!:)

"No-Snow-Day" Breakfast

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.....

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!!!

Christmas FINALLY Came!!!

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

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

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

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!

Fun with Friends at the Coffee Shop

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?:

What a Beautiful Day!!!

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....;)

Halloween Fun

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!!!

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!!!

Look What I Did!!!!

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!!!!

What does one do while on Fall Break??

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....