We're Home...

We had a great trip. It wasn't great because we had a bunch of monumental adventures. It was great because I got to share my humble roots with my girls. It has been more than ten years since I have spent time (literally more than a couple of hours) with my mom. I showed them the house I lived in as a child and my grandma's house that I spent most of my childhood moments in. I just kept protecting my girls in a bubble where they are the center of the universe and while they are that very center for me, life isn't always "perfect" and doesn't always cater to them. They needed to be patient in a world that isn't used to little ones, in a world that isn't exactly in their family reference right now. I needed to be taken back to life "before" I started my own family. We are so blessed, but from where I came has everything to do with where I am. Tears were shed when we left, because the visit was more than a blip on the radar. It meant something to us all. Love doesn't always look the same, but it is always important and meant to be shared.

Final Gratitudes...

Of course, not my final gratitudes EVER, because I am always feeling blessed, but because the girls and I head out on our journey tomorrow.

Today I am super thankful for...

~Getting to meet Alec and Blake. They are so tiny, adorable, precious, loved, sweet, etc. etc. etc. I just can't believe they are here (double gulp). When we pulled up to the house Kyndra said she was so excited she had butterflies in her tummy. It was so peaceful at the house. Of course Taunya, Tony and their moms have a schedule worked out and all is well. I only held Blake because he was fiesty (aka Little Tony) and Alec was snoozy (aka Little Taunya). I didn't want to wake Alec because they are still having to wake to feed every three hours. I can't wait to see them again and again and again. You may note that Kylee is looking a little grouchy in the pictures (blurry I may add... TONY). Don't be too shocked, but she was a little angry and pouty. A little pizza did clear that right up.

~This was one of the deer that made its way through Tony and Taunya's yard. Kyndra loves deer and has great aspirations about hunting. She was proud to tell Tony B. that she is getting a beebing (yes, beebing) gun when she turns seven. She wanted us to take many pictures of the deer. This is the only one that made the cut if you know what I mean. I do love that she enjoys nature and says that the woods are her favorite place to be.

~This beautiful bird quilt that Anne made for our house. I don't know if I have blogged it yet, but I always look at it and smile.

~ Kylee said she missed Kyndra about ten times from 7:00 until 8:30, because she left for a sleepover. Even though they get crabby at each other I know they really really love each other.

~Today our calendar said family day and it really was. We ate pancakes together for breakfast, watched "The Wind in the Willows", drove to LaGrande to see the babies, ate pizza for lunch, got Kyndra dress shoes for her Christmas concert, bought a present for a birthday party she was going to, took her to the party, went to D and B to buy socks, cleaned together for a couple of hours, built a fort, ate leftovers for dinner, hugged Kyndra goodbye as she left for a sleepover, watched "Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" (again), and played Polar Express train. It was a busy day, but that is what our "family" is like. I just need to go with this flow and take in as many moments as I can.

Signing off for this Thanksgiving holiday... God Bless :)

Friday & Saturday Morning Gratitudes...

Ooops I was a little too busy, followed by a lot too tired to post last night. I am here to catch up :)

Yesterday and this morning I am thankful for...

~A wonderful feast with my students! The kids all did a great job reading their essays and making their bread. We had many visitors and smiling faces.

~Lessons plans done for the week we get back from our week long break.

~And, of course our week long break. I am so excited to spend time with my family. It has seemed a bit too busy lately and I know December will be even more so. This break will help us reconnect and gear up for the busy, magical holiday season.

~Fun times playing bunco last night. I even WON the big prize!

~That twenty dollar prize will purchase some Starbucks for our trip to LaGrande to see Alec and Blake.

~Last but not least I am so thankful that I will not get lost in my own home thanks to the signs that Kyndra has posted all over. I am also in luck if I need to find a yard sale, deer, bugs, ham or jerky.

Have a great Saturday :)

Thursday Gratitudes...

On this Thursday I am thankful for...



~Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving special



~Swiffer sweepers



~A clean organized fridge



~Kyndra loving school. She wrote a very sweet note to her teacher today... she also wrote a note to a boy. It said Dear Zach, I like you. You are nice. From, Kyndra. She included a picture of the two of them. SO NOT READY FOR SUCH THINGS!!!



~Kylee's honesty... today she is very grouchy and told me so. When I asked her why she was so grouchy she told me it was because she didn't want to be happy. Okay then.



~A big storage area to hide away Christmas presents.



~Our afternoon free of obligations.



Ta Ta for now :)

Wednesday Gratitudes...

Today I am thankful for...

~My sweet Kyndra telling me about a boy in her class who doesn't live in our town. I asked her what town he lives in and she said he lives in Rodeo City, which some of you may know is a motel just outside of town. I had to explain this situation to her. She was broken hearted and wanted to know if we could help them. I am so thankful today and ever day for my kind hearted daughter.

~Kylee writing her name on her paper in CCD class tonight and completing her work on her own. I have recently been informed by her pre-school teacher that I just may help her out a little too much on her work. We have been working to curtail that learned helplessness and it was working tonight.

~Listening to Kylee sing "I'm In The Lord's Army". The lady leading the songs said, "Oh, we shouldn't be too loud." Has she met my children? They don't understand too loud, but I don't mind them being too loud when they are shouting AMEN!

~Clay relief maps gone right in my class today.

~Working together as a family on our new chore chart. What began as really stressful has now turned the corner to relieving stress.

~The fact that I can go to bed right now at 8:30, because I have a headache.

Good night all... sleep tight.

Tuesday Gratitudes...

Today I am thankful for...

~Kyndra washing and conditioning Kylee's hair this morning. We only asked her to go check up on her sister in the tub and she went the extra step to help her out.

~The big tub of train tracks, Tony's old Matchbox cars, planes and various other things with wheels that we got down out of the closet. The girls have had no interest in TV since we let them dump it out in the office and play to their hearts content.

~Fishy swimming lessons... I love all of the opportunities for kids our town has. Kylee is now a fishy and loving it. Kyndra is now a fishy with flippers.

~Cinnamon Life cereal for dinner.

~And, oh yes, that fence job that Kyndra's teacher had for us. Some of you may be familiar with "The Farm" from the bridges math curriculum... well the our fence job is for just those farms that have invaded our school hallways for years. Now I am thankful for being a mom of a first grader who is going to create one of those farms, and we get to cut the thousands of pieces of fence. I really am thrilled to be able to help :) Just wondering where this farm will end up after it is completed???

~Three new magazines in the mail today, including Family Fun with lots of fun holiday ideas.

~The turkey centerpieces the girls and I made this weekend and the generous certificate Tony's mom sent us to purchase our holiday bird with. The best news out of these turkey gratuities is that Tony's parents get to spend Thanksgiving with us.

Catch ya tomorrow :)

Thankful Series...

I am going to start my first blog series (well, maybe second). I wanted to blog each day next week about the things in life that I am thankful for, but I realized that one of those things would be that the girls and I will be gone to visit my family. And, so it begins now and everyday until we depart that I will focus on all the many, many things in life that I am thankful for.

Which are...

~My dear friend Taunya who will no longer have much time to read this blog, as she is the proud mother of twin boys. Alec William and Blake Anthony joined us on Taunya's birthday, November 7th. They are little, but doing well. I am completely overjoyed for my friends. I seriously think Taunya may have been a little sick of me forgetting her birthday, so she just had to give birth on that day. Now if I forget I will really feel bad.

~The upcoming trip that the girls and I are taking to see my mom and dad. We are staying in a hotel in a town near where they both live. We are going to make ourselves completely available to visit with just them. I have no idea what those three nights and four days will include and that is the beauty of it. As necessasary, I have no expectations. In the very least we will swim in the pool, jump on the bed, eat happy meals, and shop at the second hand stores that I used to go to with my grandma (gulp, a few tears at that thought). In my greatest hopes, my girls will get to spend some quality time with my mom and dad. They will get to better know these two little angels that we are blessed with.

~The wonderful essays my students are working on about what they are thankful for... and our upcoming feast on Friday. I was nervous to pull off a feast on my own (minus my six year teaching partner who has moved on to snottier noses aka. first graders), but I think it just may be wonderful. I am learning not to underestimate myself.

~My star student of the week's photo montage that was the talk of the class. She, that would be my friend Grace, was beaming as her classmates admired her pictures (thanks Anne). There was laughter, conversation, and most importantly a huge smile on Grace's face as her friends gathered 'round her pictures. It melted my heart.

~Our new bed that will be delivered tomorrow. I feel that we have come full circle as our current bed was our first "big" purchase together. It was such a huge deal all of those eleven years ago. And now we are starting over, this time with a head and foot board as well as a pillowtop... ahh!!! Dreamy!!! Best of all, our old bed that really isn't awful is going to a single mom with four little boys who is starting from scratch... total and complete scratch.

~Our dinner tonight of ham leftover from the church breakfast, scalloped potatoes from a box (I know that probably mortifies some people... sorry), mini pancakes (not from a box) and scrambled eggs (from a chicken). Kyndra hardly took a breath as she was so excited about dinner. Really it is those $1.13 per person dinners that really pack the most bang.

~The fact that my wonderful husband is going to Kyndra's class tomorrow to pick up fence that needs to be cut. I am not exactly positive what the fence is for at this point. I am sure it is the construction paper variety, but nonetheless I LOVE that he is willing to help and be present. I really struggle with not being present and truly appreciate his efforts.

More to come tomorrow and the next day and the next day...

I would love to know what everyone is thankful for these days :)