Whoo Hooo Garden is in for 2010

Well we have our garden planted for this year. Excited to see how we do. We planted some new things we haven't planted before and some of the old that we just "can't" live without. :0) Our garden is something we enjoy doing every year and can't wait for the produce.

This year we planted: Better Boy Tomatoes, spinach, bell pepper, peppercini (sp), lettuce, onion, jalapeno peppers, Brussels sprouts, corn, cabbage, cucumber, zucchini, yellow tomatoes, and we already had strawberries and rhubarb planted. Our garden space isn't very big so I hope it's not too over crowded but I guess we will see how it goes. I will try to keep you updated......

It's in the Little Things....

It's in the little things that Matt does that he shows me he loves me. Doing the dishes for me, cooking something to eat, offering to watch the kids so I can do something. Others may enjoy big overpriced vacations and I'm sure they are nice but for me it's the little things that count. When my husband thinks of bringing me a drink just to be nice, going with me to the grocery store or better yet offering to go by himself so I don't have to get out, bringing me a new shirt just because he saw it and thought I would like it. It truly is in the little things that he lets me know how much he loves me. This week I was reminded again when I started a project in the bathroom and he finished it for me (until 2:00 a.m.). Also when I came in from school and on the table sat the beautiful bouquet of Lilacs. Every spring my dear husband brings in a vase of Lilacs just to show me how much he cares for me. I appreciate that he is sooo thoughtful and I sometimes feel bad because I don't feel like I'm near as thoughtful as he. It truly, truly is the little things that matter most to me. Thank you Matt for all you do....I love you and you mean everything to me.

New look...Great Taste

For a while now I've been telling Matt I would like to do our bedroom in black and white with red accents. However, I don't like to spend money on myself and definitely when it isn't a necessity. So...I wasn't going to spend the money on this project. But....Matt saw this bedding set at Wal-mart that was being clearanced. He kept telling me go look at it. If I want it I better get it. And if I don't hurry they will sell them all and I won't have it. But I still didn't' want to spend the money on it. So I didn't. One night I had somewhere to go and he couldn't go with me. For those of you who know us you know we don't do too many things separate. We are you usually together when we go somewhere. (Just the way we like it. lol) However, this does pose a problem when you are trying to buy surprise presents. So he took this opportunity while I was away to go and get my Valentines present. When I got home this beautiful bedroom set was sitting out for me to see. I just love it and can't wait to change our room. Still trying to decide on a shade of gray or a shade of yellow for the walls. So that project is not started yet. But I really love the bedding and I have a great decorator for my husband. He always does a good job helping me pick stuff out.


Check it out..... This is what I came home to. Isn't it just beautiful!!!

This is the bedding set we got.

Fast Forward:

Just one month later, March 16...my sister-in-law, Kristi, calls me and says, "Can you guys stop by later this week?" She goes on to say she has bought a black and white comforter for their new bedroom and wants a second opinion on whether the burnt orange she wants to go with it will look right. I tell her that we are changing our bedroom to black and white too. She says, "No way. I wanted to have blue and brown but didn't because I didn't want you and Matt to think we were copying you guys." I tell her I wouldn't have cared if she had. She goes on to tell me that she isn't sure she will like it because it has flowers in the pattern. I tell her ours does too. She says she got it at Wal-mart on sale and I tell her Matt did too. We are on to something here...lol. Then she asked if ours was Better Homes and Gardens....and low and behold it is. lol We got the exact same bedding. So funny she was trying to avoid copying our colors and totally picked out the exact same bedding that Matt had just bought me. Way too funny....either we both have really horrible taste or we both have really great taste. I choose, "We have great taste." It will be interesting to see the difference in how we each pull it all together.

Regional Student Convention 2010

That's my boy. I am soooo proud of him. Great job Austin!

Margret Coleman and Austin

Austin getting ready to in run 100 meter dash.

Austin and Dalton

Margret and Yajaira being silly. Their blowing Austin kisses.

Margret Coleman, Austin, and Yajaira Baltierra again.

Me and the girls. Yajaira, Me, Janiece Cooper, Melissa Watson, and Britnee Derscheid

These girls were so kind to share their room with me this week. We had a lot of fun. And I am so proud of them.

What a great week we've just experienced. We (Austin and I) spent the week at Ball State University with Frankfort Covenant Academy and four or five other ACE schools. We had so much fun this week at the Regional Student Convention. They had 97 entries in the 52 events they signed up for. And the kids brought home medals in at least 40 different events. They worked real hard all school year to be successful this year and they sure pulled it off. I am so proud of each one of them. As our students would go up to receive their medals I would tear up almost every time. I sit there thinking, "Man, I'm a big baby." But that is okay I'm just real proud of our students.
Specifically I'm proud of MY student. Austin expanded his horizons a little this year and entered in woodworking, basketball, 100 meter dash, and the small ensemble. He also entered five photos...color still life, B + W still life, B + W scenic, Color scenic, and color plants. And I think Mr. Coleman even made him enter the Bible Bowl but not real sure on that yet. He brought home FIRST PLACE with his Color still life photo, and SECOND PLACE with the small ensemble, and FOURTH PLACE with the basketball team. We are so proud of him and ALL of his hard work. At this rate as he keeps building confidence and working hard at his entries he will get better and better every year. I truly is exciting to watch Austin and all the other student grow in confidence and skill. GREAT JOB AUSTIN...WE LOVE YOU!!!

Sledding at TPA

Isabelle and I had so much fun sledding with Kristi and the kids today at TPA park. Each year we look forward to going out there and sledding so when Kris called today to ask if we wanted to go there wasn't a question in my mind. Of course we wanted to go....that is part of the fun of living in IN and we always want to be a part of the fun. Anyway for the most part all was well but there was a few "spills". Mikhi did a flip or two and got ran over like a bowling pin by Mason. But the best fall of all had to be Kristi.....lol....she got ready to take a step forward and well.....down she went right to her back side. I should have said the Humpty Dumpty riddle to her but didn't think that was really good timing. No really it was funny but I hope she isn't hurting too bad tonight. Anyway you'll have to check out the picture of her at the top of this post. We had a great time together today....don't let this winter season pass without getting out and having some fun together yourselves. And have a very Merry Christmas this year too.....

First Snow 2009

The first snow is always soooo beautiful. I always enjoy the snow and look forward to having lots of it. My thinking is if it's going to be cold anyway it may as well be pretty. I want lots of snow where we can stay in have hot cocoa and play games. With no where to go and nothing to do but stay home and enjoy being together.

I've been waiting for this day!!!

Okay, I have been waiting for the day the kids would volunteer to do the dishes....it finally came yesterday. I'm not really sure what they were up to but I sure was glad they did them for me. Maybe it was just the fact that it was rainey and cold out I don't know but it was nice. No they weren't stacked nice and neat but they were clean and done and that is all this mommy cares about at this point. I wonder how many times this will happpen....

The greatest kids in the world!!!!

I have some of the greates kids in the world. We went to their parent teacher conference today and each teacher told us how respectful our kids are. I care a lot about their education too. But it sure makes you proud when all three of your kids respect adults. I think sometimes we worry more about their education (which they do have to have) but we tend to forget that if they do not respect authority then their education probably won't mean a whole lot. If you can't respect authority then most employers will not keep you at their place of business. I was just glad to hear this great news. Don't get me wrong the kids are doing well in their learning too but I was glad to hear my kids are respectful to the adults in their life.

Moving on up....first day of school.

Mr. Ron Coleman...what can you say....he is a blessing to our school. You don't always have to agree with him on everything but you have to respect the fact that he wants whats best for our kids. He loves them and expects them to do their best. He would do whatever he could to see that each one is successful in the future and in their pursuit of serving God. He asked us in parent meeting if we set our children down on the couch could we truly look them in the eye and tell them we wanted them to be just like us. Could we say I want you to pray like me, react the way I do when I am angry, worship like me, talk like me, etc. I don't remember word for word what he said but had to say ouch a couple times. Sometimes we forget that we are the example our children have to be like Jesus. Now don't get me wrong, Mr. Coleman does not expect us to be perfect parents ( he actually said there are no perfect parents) but he was wanting to remind us that we all as Christians are to be like Jesus. This is the student body. They sure did look sharp for the first day of school. We have I believe 62 students this year. We are looking for a wonderful year. I've been praying for a revival in our school. Imagine what 62 students can do in our world to further the cause of Jesus. We don't want to loose one of them. Isabelle is still reading very good after her summer break. We are excited for her to be in the lower learning center this year and know she will do very well. It's sad to see our baby girl grow up (kind of) but we are expecting her to grow with Jesus in her heart and touch the world around her. She is a very determined young lady and if she will be that determined for Jesus she will do many wonderful things in her life. This is Isabelle's new teacher, Mrs. Shelley Coleman. We are so blessed to have her in our school. She truly is an example the girls in our school can follow. She's a very loving and caring teacher and wants her students to serve the Lord all the days of their lives.The big first graders minus Kendra (she will not be able to attend for a couple of weeks due to a burn injury). These girls were so excited to be in the lower learning center. Just doesn't seem like they are big enough. But kids must continue to grow and mommies just have to except that. Given the alternative...grow baby grow. Isabelle in her new big girl office in the lower learning center. She was so happy when she came home because she "got a locker." Wow if we could just learn to be like our children. It sure doesn't take much to make them happy. Our little big man, Cody. We are very excited to see how much he will learn and grow this year. Seems like he is growing by leaps and bounds. If you had asked us eight or nine years ago we never would have thought we would see the day that he would be able to live with us and go to our school. God is truly good and we are so blessed to have him in our home and getting a Christian education. He's been living here since kindergarten and is starting fourth grade this year. Wow....where has the time gone. Cody with his new teacher...Mrs. Debbie Norfleet. You will never meet another teacher that cares anymore then she does about her students. I am very confident that she prays and cares for every one of her students. Cody in his new office in the middle learning center. Austin absolutely loves doing the first day of school pictures. LOL You can tell by the expression on his face how much he likes it. Well anyway he didn't change learning centers but he sure his growing into a fine young man. We are excited to see where God will use him for His work. Austin loves the staff at school and is always respectful to them. We never get a complaint from the school that Austin is disrespectful to the staff or the students. That sure makes for a good parent/teacher conference. We are happy with how much Austin has improved his study habits in the last year or two and hoping that he will keep improving. He was even kind of excited to go back to school this year and that is definitely an improvement. In years past he would grip and complain about school starting again. I am sure he will do well this year.

I told him we were going to keep taking pictures until he smiled. This was as good as I could get out of him.

We went to the free Jim Gill concert at the library!

The girls had so much fun at the Jim Gill concert at the library last week. He sings really silly songs like Face the Facts....

I must face the fact. My swimming arms are back.
We must face the fact. Our swimming arms are back.
They are splashing, flapping, stretching, lapping
one full mile exact.
We must face the fact. Our swimming arms are back.

I must face the fact. My scissor legs are back.
We must face the fact. Our scissor legs are back.
They are cutting, clipping, slicing, snipping,
trimming the rick rack.
We must face the fact. Our scissor legs are back.

I must face the fact. My driving hands are back.
.........

I must face the fact. My binocular eyes are back.
......

I must face the fact. My jumping jacks are back.
.....

Anyway we had so much fun listening to his silly early childhood songs.