Hey Good Lookin' Whatcha' Got Cookin'?

  

Looks like BROWNIES...

 YUM

Jazzy Jingle Bells

 Happy Holidays from the City Children's Choir!

Of which my little brother is a proud member.

He wore these light up reindeer antlers that he had to keep switching on constantly throughout the concert because they only blinked for 20 seconds or so after pressing the button.  So, of course he had to keep reaching up and pressing the button.  I don't know who bought him those antlers.  *whistles innocently*

Luke and his friend Elizabeth.  "Choir is FUN!!!!"

And with little siblings.  Who are adorable.  :)
 

Hello. I'm Here.

Well we got home from Virginia last Sunday night and I jumped right into working, and all those other things that happen during the week that suck up time like a dry sponge. 

What HAVE I been doing the past week?  I don't even know... 

This trip really exhausted me, so I've been falling into bed and sleeping hard every night... dragging myself out of bed in the morning, literally not being able to keep my eyes open long enough to get the coffee started.  Isn't that interesting?  No?  Well, that's my excuse for not posting.  :)

The tournament was amazing.  I spent a lot of my time in the library atrium of Regent University watching Luke and Sarah play and freezing, freezing, freezing!  I think the A/C in that place was set to like 30 degrees or something.  When I got a break from babysitting I watched speeches.  And blinked in awe.  For a girl like me who can't speak in front of a crowd to save her life and has always been of... let's say "average" intelligence :) the things I saw these kids do was astounding.  Talent by the bucket loads, and I'm not even exaggerating. 

Just for a little taste...  This is the Duo Interpretation that won first place.


I was actually in the room watching this exact performance and when they were done Mom and I turned to each other with huge eyes and said "WOW."  These kids are AMAZING.  It's a little intimidating to be surrounded by so much talent, let me tell you. 

I wish I could explain more about what NCFCA is...  but I know I wouldn't do it justice.  If you are interested you can poke around the website and see more of what it's all about.  There are so many different speech categories that I don't really know all of them, not to mention debate.  I got an opportunity to watch some "Persuasive" speeches, and that may have been my favorite part of the event.  I saw 8 students give speeches that they had researched, written and performed themselves on whatever subject they felt strongly enough to speak on.  The whole point is to be able to persuade the judges of your point of view.  I saw speeches on everything from Sarcasm to Homosexuality in the Church, Autism, Being a "Doer", Gun Control, Terrorism...  I was in awe.  They all persuaded me. :) 

We also got to do fun things like go to the beach, visit Monticello, Richmond, swim in the pool (or, in my case, watch Luke and Sarah B, swim in the pool) :)  It was a good trip.  Long, but good. 

But, as always, the best part?  Coming Home.  :)

Matchy- Matchy Cards Fans

   The boys and I were matching today.  We all wore Cardinals shirts.  :) 

Here's how it went:
ME: "Oh!  We're all matching!!!  Let's take a picture!"
LUKE: *Immediately adopts his current favorite pose for pictures which means he puts both thumbs up*
JOE: "Ok, here you go!" *picks me up and ignores all protests while I hang on for dear life*
SARAH BETH: *is the only person available to take the picture and proceeds to take 3 blurry pictures which you will see below*

ME: "NO!  No more goofy pictures!  Let's take a nice picture!  BOYS! NO!  The yellow pepper canNOT be in the picture!"

 ME: "Ok, now just smile nicely"
MOM: *wanders into the room and "helps" Sarah Beth take the picture.  Immediately the boys straighten up and smile nicely*

I Promise I'm Not...

   Ignoring you on purpose! 

I know this excuse is as old as the hills, but I honestly mean it when I say, my life has been CUH-RAZY!  

Things of note before I rush out the door this morning:

• Work has been very, very, very busy.  This is a good thing, of course, more business means more revenue, more revenue means more job security... you know.  Anyway, I've been working a lot more than I normally do.  So, that's part of my busyness.
• Also, My parent's kitchen is being re-modeled as we speak.  This adds a whole new level of interest and complication.
• I've been working in my yard, it's that busy time of year when the weather turns warm, the perennials start coming up and I start frantically trying to get a lot of things done all at once.  I've already made one trip to the greenhouse and anticipate several more.  :)
• This weekend my brother and mom are out of town at my brothers speech tournament.  Pray for him if you think of it.  Of course, I think he's amazing and should win every award they've got to give.  But, I suppose every family member feels that way.  
• Due to the ^ above reason I've been helping out with watching the two littlest siblings, Luke and Sarah Beth.  Yesterday they came to work with me for a little while.  Luke organized practically every roll of ribbon in the place.  This is not an easy job, let me tell you, but he rose to the challenge and even gave us all a great motivational speech about "Never giving up" and "What do you do when you're stuck and you don't know what to do?"  Sarah Beth answered easily that of course, you "Call Mom."  Which I thought was a great answer, but turns out the answer he was looking for was "Ask God to help you."  Which is also a good answer.
• I have not been getting much reading done, sadly.  
• Going to visit Grandparents this weekend and plant some flowers for them.  Then home again bright and early Sunday morning to make it in time for church and Luke's spring choir concert.  
• My sister Katie is working on her Senior Violin Recital.  That will be on Tuesday and then...  after that....  
• I think my life will slow down again.  
• May, come soon!!!!!

Luke Comes to Visit

    
He kept us very well entertained.  :)

Luke Swims

   

The Luke-man's final swimming lesson was on Saturday.  He invited/begged the "WHOLE FAMILY" to come and watch. 

This is him doing the butterfly stroke, I think.  It's really hard to tell, the camera on my phone isn't spectacular and it has a delayed reaction.  I snapped the shutter when his head was in the air and he had the cutest little concentrating look on his face. But, obviously, by the time the picture was actually taken he was back in the water.


SO cute.  :) 

It's quite impressive really.  I suppose maybe a lot of kids grow up learning how to swim but I never learned.  I do a version of doggy-paddle and can do a backstroke (I think) but I can't tread water, float, or do a cannonball off a diving board into the deep section of the pool.  And I certainly can't dive for rings.  (How do you go DOWN into the water anyway?  I could never do it.) 

Luke did all of those things on Saturday.  And he was even relaxed enough to stop and wave at his adoring fans every 2 minutes.

Luke and Sarah B. Must Have Found the Wardrobe....

   Because it sure looks like they're in Narnia!

Photo credit/photo-shopping goes to SUSIE and there are more pictures on HER BLOG so check it out!!! 






 

This week

begins a flurry of many things...
most of which I am looking forward to. :)

It's probably going to be a very busy week, but I promise to do my best to get on here everyday and post something interesting for you all, wonderfully faithful blog readers!

Right now, I just want to say a couple of things (or, to use Sarah B.'s new word "several" things)

1. I love my town. Really. Good, down to earth honest people, and I love feeling like I'm part of the community. Seriously, people, get involved in your community if you can. It's good.

2. I have some new books from the library, but I don't forsee much reading time in the near future and that is a VERY disappointing feeling.

3. I love my babies. Love 'em! Story of the day: Yesterday while eating hamburgers and french fries Susie was putting a bib on Sarah. Which was a good thing, because the girl loves her ketchup. Sarah (ever the mindful motherly type) said: "Does Lukey need a bib, too?" to which Susie replies: "No." and Luke jumps in: "No, Sarah Beth, brother doesn't need a bib, he's a big boy." At this point I turned around to look at him, just in time to see him using his napkin to wipe ketchup off his shirt all the while explaining that "brother is a big boy." LOL!!! to his credit though, he VERY quickly realized the contradiction in his words and actions and started laughing. I tied a napkin around a neck.

4. I wish I had more time to study the Bible.

5. Pray for me? I'm still not feeling 100%... or even 50% sometimes... and I have a LOT going on this week...

hopefully, a Dr. Jak's fashion post coming tomorrow... :)

We Go Greenhousing... part 2

We love our babies!

Greenhousing involves very serious Mr. Freezee eating.
Which involves intense concentration.

We make goofy faces. Because greenhousing is fun!

We Go Greenhousing!

Sarah B. smells a geranium

I love Verbena... *happy sigh*

Susie and Luke try to decide where to start...

Luke and Sarah B. can cook too!

They can help spread caramel sauce over the ice cream

Luke takes a break to check the basketball game

They both can sprinkle oreos on top

Joe makes sure they don't eat any

Brett Favre

If you don't live in Wisconsin you probably won't understand....

Let's just say he's the most popular guy in the state. He's been threatening retirement for 3 or 4 years now. Every year,
we all hold our breath, we say things to each other like:
"He'll never do it, he loves the game too much."
or
"He can't leave after a season like the one we just had."
and then some pessimistic person always says:
"He's getting old you know."

At the end of the last season, we all thought it was over. We watched the last few minutes of the last game and knew it would be his last. Lukey cried.

But! He came back!! Yahoo!!

I delivered Packers balloons to high school boys that missed the announcement because they were in class.

Then the team had a good year. They almost made it to the super bowl. But, they didn't. When they lost that last game, Lukey cried again.

Then, the big day came. Favre made his decision. He decided he really was getting old. He retired.

So, Dad took Lukey on his lap, and said gently: "Luke, Brett Favre decided that he's done playing football, he's going to retire. He won't be back next year."

Luke's response? "Who's going to replace him?"

Dad: "Well, Favre is done. This is it." (trying to drive home the point)

Luke: "That's ok. I reacted too much last time."

Luke wanted to go to the party too

But, we had fun at home.

Our boys think they are super heroes

I think this is the "Buzz Lightyear" pose... but it might be "Superman"...

Today....

Is my little brother's 6th birthday.
Yippee!!!!!!

French Toast for breakfast.... more excitement to follow....

Gettysburg

"Soldier" at Gettysburg: "Are you a Billy Yank, or a Johnny Reb?"

Luke: "Well... I'm a Cardinals fan"

Soldier: "Are you a Rebel?"

Luke: "No!"

Soldier: "Well, are you a Yankee?"

Luke: "No!..... I'm from Wisconsin"

Soldier: "Oh, you're a Yank."

Backyard Barber

Once month or so Mom sets up shop in the backyard




And gives free haircuts
To her sons

More Washington D.C.

Dad bought Luke a genuine replica George Washington Hat and Sword.

And this is what Luke looked like for the rest of the trip...

We were excited to see "Constitution Ave"

We're pretty easily amused...

After the Smithsonian we went to the National Archives It was truly amazing.

We saw the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and The Magna Carta among other things. Flash photography isn't allowed because of the damage the light does to the documents so I dont' have any pictures of them.

But, here's the front of the building.
And here we all are!!
The Capitol

Arlington National Cemetery which was SO MUCH bigger than I had imagined. It was very sobering to read the inscriptions and think about the men buried there and everything they sacrificed for our freedom.

As a Good Soldier of Jesus Christ

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

-Matthew 19:14