December Already???

Wow!  I saw that my last post was in August. Yikes! That is way too long.  So much has happened since August.

I am actually home from school today.  It was snowing in Mineral Wells but not Weatherford but that is not why I am home.  I have a head cold and I woke up with a bad migraine during the night.

Alan's basketball season is in full swing.  He is coaching the boys varsity team and they are doing well so far.  I forgot how much a  basketball coach is gone during this time of year but he is at least having fun with it.  Andrew is adjusting to third grade.  He is still really heavy into Legos creating all kinds of designs.  Anna loves Kindergarten and is learning to read.  Soon she will start having weekly spellling test.  My choir is getting ready for their winter concert next Tuesday.  Our school is  doing Rachel's Challenge tomorrow which I hope helps with some of the issues at our school.

I did take Andrew and Anna to Yogurt Story for their back to school treat.  We have been to the pumpkin patch, made cookies, went to Midland for Thanksgiving and squeezed in a visit to see my grandparents in Lubbock.  My parents have been here twice in November.  Once to go to Andrew and Anna's Grandparents Day event at Weatherford Christian and the second time on their way to Lubbock before Thanksgiving.

A strange start to a new school year but we are blessed!

For someone who likes a schedule, to do lists, planned menus for the week and gets rattled when the schedule gets off a little bit, the past 10 days has completely turned everything upside down.  Let's just say that in my career as a student or teacher, I have never missed the first day of school nor the first week.  I didn't really get to enjoy the first day of school with the kids because I was so sick.  I still owe them a back to school treat.

Every year my mom would do something special for our after school snack on every first day of school.  I have carried that tradition over to my kids.  I was going to take them to Yogurt Story and because they started school on a Wednesday, I told them we would go after church.  They were excited! However, I ended up in the emergency room and later admitted to the hospital and have been recovering since.  Andrew sweetly said last night, "I can't wait until you feel better so that we can go to Yogurt Story!"  Kids do not forget, at least they do not forget what they want to remember :) 

It has been a rough week, since I have not been able to do much.  Alan not only is carrying his load but has taken over my load.  He never complains but I am sure he will gladly hand over the things I do around the house to keep it running.  I am blessed to have a husband like Alan.  Without him, this week would have been worse than it was.  His parents made a mad dash to Weatherford on Thursday to help with the kids, household chores and groceries.  Our church family prepared meals for us each night so Alan didn't have to cook!  I have had family volunteer to come down and help if needed as well as close friends.  Even though this emergency surgery was not on my "to do list," we are blessed to be surrounded by people who will walk with us during times that are not fun.

 First day of School August 17, 2011.  Andrew third grade, Anna Kindergarten.  Notice that Anna has put the "Hello Kitty" lunch box in front of Andrew.  For those who think Anna is so sweet and quiet, here is proof that she has quite a sense of humor.

Summer 2011

We made it to Memphis on July 8 and celebrated the fourth of July on the 9th of July with my parents.  Better late than never right?  We left on Tuesday the 12th.  While we enjoyed visiting my parents, we did manage to find a little time to take the kids to Beale St. and shop at a crazy five and dime store and even met the Godfather of Blues, Clyde Hopkins.  We always buy a new blues CD when we go to Beale St. and when we walked into our favorite music store on Beale St, Clyde Hopkins was sitting there singing along with his CD.  We bought it, and he autographed it and I did have my picture made with him but on my camera phone.  We stopped by Dyers to have a coke and then decided to go back to my parents house where it was much cooler.

Since we have been home, I have been busy organizing, cleaning, cleaning, and cleaning.  I have also been tweaking our dinner menu for back to school.  I will miss sleeping in to at least 8:30 each morning.  5:30 is just too early!

We went over to our preacher's house for dinner the other night and they had baby kittens for the kids to see.  Anna fell in love with a female blond kitten.  She walked into the house holding it like a baby looking at  her daddy and me with her big brown eyes.  That is one of those moments that it is hard to be a parent.  I just reminded myself that I am allergic and kittens grow up.  Anna also attended cheer leading camp last week.  She had a good time and came home everyday teaching me the moves, cheers and the jumps (which really hurt......funny it didn't use to hurt when I did those jumps).  She received the Diamond award for having the best attitude all week and always doing what she was told.

Andrew has been working on his multiplication flash cards, creating things with his Legos, swimming, and playing  PAC man which his Uncle Matthew gave him.  He says he is ready for third grade but not for school to start.  He is past my shoulders now and his foot is almost as big as mine.  He had his two front baby teeth pulled at the dentist last Wednesday.  His adult teeth came in behind and his baby teeth were not budging.  When they were taken out, the root was still on both.  He did so good through the whole thing except for when he got sick on the way home.  Not fun.........poor kid.  He enjoyed the milk shakes, puddings, apple sauce and all the attention he got for the next 24 hours.  He took his tooth fairy money, along with the money he had left over from our trip and bought two beta's and a fish aquarium.  He loves having a pet again.

Alan was getting ready for football but canceled the season because he only had six players................and I will leave the rest to your imagination.

While the summer is drawing to a close, I reflect on all that I have seen and my family have seen, places we have been, movies we have watched, family time together.  These are sweet memories we are making.  It is time to go and learn more things, and make a difference in the lives of those we are in contact with everyday. May God's light shine through all of us this school year.

The cousins in their matching fourth of July dresses!

Anna and her Diamond award for cheer leading!

Trip South Day 4, 5........and So On!

I am not going to go into details as to why we are still in Alabama but I will say God decided our plans were not His.  We have helped Matthew and Andrea move into their really nice huge house.  Andrew and Anna have enjoyed getting acquainted with their new cousin Kate and playing with their cousin Rachel.  I have read, rehearsed and memorized songs for the Weatherford Peach Festival on Saturday if I am suppose to be back for that.  We have watched movies and I spend the mornings outside eating breakfast reading and listening to my MP3 player.  I have enjoyed holding my niece Kate and being with Rachel.

It is definitely a different culture than we are use to in Texas.  I have learned that some stereotypes are actually true about a place.  I just figured movies exaggerate things about places such as Alabama, and New York City but in some cases, they really do not exaggerate.

At some point we will go home......until then, we will just enjoy the laid back lifestyle of Alabama.

A Trip South Day 3

On Saturday, we were shown the school where Matthew and Andrea work and Rachel goes to school.  They took us to Craze where you get a flavor of frozen yogart in a cup and put what ever toppings you would like.  We also saw the parsonage house that Andrea and Matthew are moving into and then went over to the Frifth's new house for a cook out.  Andrew enjoyed playing with Rachel and Kate's cousins Nicholas and Grant and Anna just adored Allison.

Alan and Kate wearing her OU shirt.....Alan is covering up the OU.

Rachel and Anna having a fashion show at the Frith's house

The four cousins!

A Trip South Day 2

We drove down with the Johnson's to Panama City Beach for half a day.  This was Andrew and Anna's first time to any beach.  They loved every minute of it.  They stayed in the water forever catching the waves, laying in the shallow part to feel the sand leave their bodies under them, finding seashells and Anna and Rachel pretended to be mermaids.  There was a really nice outdoor shopping mall right there by the beach that we ate lunch at and the kids found souvenirs there as well. 

A Trip South Day 1

The past few years we make a summer trip to Memphis TN to see my parents.  My brother and family moved to Dothan, AL last summer so we extended our trip south to see them.  We left Weatherford about 8 am and got to Houston for lunch with Alan's Cousin and his wife at noon.  We then left there around 3:30 and got to Lake Charles to spend the night.  We ate sandwiches and the kids jumped in the pool with Alan and I went to work out in the exercise room at the hotel. 

We left the hotel at 5:30 AM the next morning and headed to Alabama.  We arrived at the Johnsons at 4.  That was a long drive.  Here is a recap of our day.

Summer Fun

I won a weekend for two in Dallas at a dinner I went to that was put on by the travel company we used for the New York City trip.  So we sent the Kids to Midland and Alan and I stayed two nights in Dallas.  We had a free dinner at Dallas Fish Market, our bill was $103.  I am so glad it was covered.  We also had tickets to the 6th Floor museum.  Alan and I love history and we really enjoy learning more about the JFK Assination.  After lunch we went to the Dallas Museum of Art and then Medieval Times.  All of their food is gluten free except for the bread and the pastry.  They brought me an Italian Ice for dessert.  It was a nice get away and a great way to celebrate our 14th Wedding Anniversary for practically nothing.  I left for New York the following Wednesday and the kids came home to Alan on the same day.

The kids have gone to "It's a Kings Thing" at our church on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have gone swimming everyday, and gone to the library and even spent some times with friends.

Garage Sale!

A Trip to New York

I had the amazing opportunity to go to New York City with the Mineral Wells High School choir where I work.  We saw many things, Union Station, Empire State building, Macy's, Time Square (and I had a gluten free cheese cake from Juniors! YUM) Museum of Natural History, Central Park, West Side, Statue of Liberty, China Town, World Trade Center Site (New Yorkers do not like it called ground zero) Saint Paul's Church, Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Intrepid Space Museum (where we had our first concert), The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine (our formal concert), Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Opera, Rockefeller Center, NBC Studios, Radio City Music Hall, FAO Schwarts, Trump Tower, and more.

Many people have asked me what my favorite thing in New York was.........I truly enjoyed everything except China Town.  I tell those who ask, I have a couple of  favorite moments.  My first favorite moment was when we were at our first Broadway show "Wicked," and I noticed the look on our students' faces.........it was priceless.  Most of our students would not get an opportunity like this and just the fact that some were actually on this trip and experiencing everything we had made me tear up.  The other moment was when I was directing the High School choir at the largest Gothic cathedral church in the world.  The acoustics were amazing.  We performed the song Festival Gloria.  Very fast in places and very slow and majestic in other places.  The last page of the song crescendos to a fortissimo (very loud) and is fast and when they held the last note and ended, the sound of their last note continued for 7 seconds, the kids and I just stared at each other in astonishment and we even smiled and enjoyed that moment as long as we could.  The rest of the concert was great but nothing will top that song.

Lion's Pride Run

Andrew and Anna ran in the Lion's Pride run at Weatherford Christian School May 13.  Andrew ran 22 laps and Anna ran 16 laps. 

Andrew is 8!

Seems impossible but the little 5lbs 10oz baby that was in such a hurry to get out and be born early, is now eight years old.  I remember he was feisty but did not like being separated from me.  He is still pretty much the same.  He is active, into everything, very curious how things work and wants to do everything himself and tryout things and still does not like to be separated from me too long. 

Like Anna, Andrew wanted to have a few friends over and have a small party.  He loves cars right now and had asked me to make him the CARS cake again, but I just didn't have the time to pull that off.  So he opted for a giant cookie cake.  Wow! that was the easiest creation I have ever made.  I wish I had tried that a lot sooner and it was a huge hit too!

A Royal Wedding with my Daughter

I remember very vividly the morning of July 29, 1981.  I lived in Early TX and I was the only one in the house that set my alarm and jumped out of bed (if you can believe that) and ran to the living room and watched in awe as Lady Diana Spencer became Princess Diana.  I was amazed at all of the pomp and circumstance and pageantry that London had on that early morning.  I was a Princess Diana fan for many years.  I admit that I was sad to see that their "fairytale" marriage, really was not a fairytale.

I remember the night Diana died.  I sat on the edge of my bed completely shocked.  I didn't cry but just could not believe the turn of events that happened that evening that ended her life.  I of course, got up early the following Saturday to watch her funeral.  I was sad for Prince William and Prince Harry.  They no longer would be able to run to their mother's arms as I had seen them do so many times on camera.

I of course have not been too excited of the living style that Wills and Kate have had the past 8 years.  Although the closer the wedding got, I found myself getting kinda excited and talking with Anna about this lady named Kate that was about to become a Princess.  Anna is really into playing Princess lately and here I was able to show her a real life Cinderella that found her Prince and was about to become his Princess. 

Last night, Anna and I watched all of the different pre-wedding shows and we both wondered what her dress would look like.  Anna wanted me to wake her up so she could watch the wedding with me.  I knew that I would be awake to watch the wedding but I would record it to watch it with Anna later after school.  As the Queen was making her way to Westminster Abbey, Anna comes walking in and says I want to watch the wedding with you.  So she crawls into bed with me and then Kate gets in the car and we both say wow!  I was very happy to see her in a more modest dress and it immediately reminded me of the dress Grace Kelly wore in her wedding.  Not two minutes later the picture of Grace Kelly in her wedding dress pops up on the screen.  I hope that she sets a new trend in wedding dresses.  I am so tired of seeing all of these brides in strapless gowns. 

As Anna and I cuddled and watched the wedding, Alan wakes up and rolls his eyes at us.  I said very sentimentally, "Anna will remember the day that Kate and Wills got married.  She will remember that she watched it with her Mom."  Alan says, "Maybe."  I just said to him, "You just don't get it, go back to sleep."

During the pre-wedding shows on Thursday night, a Kate size Barbie doll was shown and Anna said she wanted one.  I told her about the Prince Charles and Princess Diana dolls that I got for Christmas my Freshmen year in high school.  Of course, I had to go get them out of storage and show her.  I have a feeling that they will no longer be my dolls.

I watched Wills parents wedding alone and I watched his mother's funeral alone.  I however, will always cherish the memory of Anna and I watching Prince William and Princess Catherine's wedding (Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge).  I will also remember, that even though Alan said he didn't care about the wedding, He did watch it with us and he really could not stop watching :-)

Anna's Couch

Here it is!................Her princess couch that she wanted!

She has it out like a sofa bed with her blanket, book, shoes, Barbies tucked under the blanket and her drink!  She is quite content now!  She received her birthday gift from her cousins, Aunt and Uncle from Alabama today.  She put the shirt on right away and her face lit up when she saw the necklace they gave her with her name on it.  She is a happy little girl!

Happy Birthday Anna and Happy Easter!

Not only is today Easter (one of my favorite celebrations of the year) but it is Anna's 5th Birthday today.  The time has gone way too fast for me.  It seems that the days and years are speeding up.  Yesterday she had a couple of friends over to play and we had a tea party for her.  The girls dressed up, I made raspberry tea, brownies, cookies, and fruit.  I let them use my white china and they had so much fun. 

Today started early for me.  We had two services at church in which I was blessed to sing at both.  Andrew and Anna were up way before I left so I got to see them have their Easter Basket surprise.  During children's worship, the kids got to hunt Easter Eggs with scriptures and candy in them. 

Anna chose to go to Olive Garden for her Birthday meal.  While we were there, Azalee Tatum, an elderly member from our church that knows all about my (Johnson) side of the family,  had heard from our preacher's wife that we were taking Anna to Olive Garden for her Birthday.  She and Ben were having their Easter lunch there and she found Anna and gave her a dollar.  After she left, Anna said, "Good! I can buy that couch at Wal-mart."  We laughed and said, you need at least 35 more dollars to get that couch.  She found a princess miniature couch at Wal-mart and wanted it for her bedroom.  We told her to wait and see what she got later at her party.

We arrived home and I had to take their Easter pictures in their clothes because I was not there when they got dressed.  I had planned to have the Easter egg hunt but Anna insisted it was time for her party.  So we made a few changes and had her party.  She was so excited to get the money from her Gran and Granddad and from Bud and Marva and realized she had enough to buy that couch!  Andrew gave her the Barbie vacation house.  We gave her a pink scooter.  Her Nana and Papa gave her clothes and her Aunt Shara gave her clothes and Barbie clothes for her Barbies.  She was proud of everything.  Except she really wants to go to Wal-mart for that couch.

Alan then hid the Easter eggs and the kids had fun trying to beat each other to the eggs.  We hunted once in the back yard and once in the front yard.  Now everyone is exhausted.

Tomorrow, I get to take off of work and go with Anna's class to the Fort Worth Zoo.  I have not been able to go to any field trips with my kids and worked out that I could go this time.  I am so excited.

Enjoy the photos!  Happy Easter!

Birthday Tea Party!

Happy Easter! Anna is wearing the dress her Gran bought her!

All of my presents and my princess castle cake!

The hunt in on!



Speechless

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

A Crazy Week!

Our week started by my school having open house Monday evening.  Then I come home to find Alan telling me the air conditioner/heating unit isn't working. OK.....so we call our home warranty and get someone scheduled to come fix it.

Tuesday, was Andrew's Art Show which I was looking forward to.  I picked up the kids from school, and grabbed two Rosa's Taco platters and headed home.  I put everything down and went toward the bedrooms and I heard water leaking somewhere and I noticed the carpet felt strange as I walked on it.  The hot water heater had a corroded pipe and was spraying water everywhere. I am vacuuming up the water and did not get to go to Andrew's art show.  Alan had a football meeting with parents at the school after the Art show, so he took Andrew to it and took a picture of his award winning art, while I am at home trying to clean up a huge mess and waiting on the plumber to arrive.  On top of that, I was coming down with a sinus infection and was starting to feel terrible.  It is nearly 8:30 and I have made another phone call to our home warranty people and discovered that they really had not called anyone for an EMERGENCY call.  So we end up in a hotel for the night.

Wednesday, Alan stayed home from school and worked very hard all day trying to clean up all of the water damage.  He used our carpet cleaner to suck the water out and he told me he used towels to soak up water and then would throw them in the dryer and go back to vacuuming again.  When the towels were done drying, he would start the whole process over again.  Finally, a plumber showed up and replaced the copper pipe.  I then come home to help Alan as much as I can but after awhile, Alan looks at me and says, "I'm tired and your sick, go to bed and I am going to go rest."  I didn't argue.

Thursday, I went to the doctor and got two shots and two prescription and yes I still went to school.  I have UIL coming up............there is NO WAY I am missing any chance to rehearse my Junior High Ladies!!!!  The air conditioning man showed up after lunch to fix the air/heating unit.  Meanwhile, we are still trying to dry up the carpet in the hallway and the office.

I am expecting tomorrow to be much better. 

On a much happier note, Anna received her Bible at church for saying all 66 books of the Bible On Sunday February 20, 2011.  Eric and Mica Ribble ( Portis Ribble's Nephew) presented her with the Bible. Mica is the interim Children's Minister until we hire a new one.

Andrew received an EXCELLENT ribbon this year for his "Lion" art work.  I had no idea how much his Art work had improved.  This is the first piece I have gotten to see all year.  I can't wait to see what he brings home in May.  Way to go Andrew!!!!!

A Snow Week!

Remember when I said that it never snows when I am around?  Well, that is no longer the case. Not only did it snow early Tuesday morning, but it stayed below 12 degrees for three straight days and then on the fourth morning (this morning) it snowed again.  We have been stuck inside our lovely home for four straight days.  We finally made a break for it a few minutes ago to go to Sonic and to Walgreens.

We have slept late, played games, watched movies, exercised, drank hot chocolate, have bible studies, played super heroes, played on the computer and cleaned house.  I am quite sure I have left something out.  Today the kids finally got to go out and play in the snow.  The sun is out for the first time since Monday and it sure has made a difference in our house today.

We have all realized how much we miss going to school too.  Here are some of our pictures.  Oh and my Walgreens trip was very thought out.  The picture below will show what I bought and I only paid $1.40 and still got back $5 in cash rewards :-)  That made my day!

Dad is making Auntie Anne's Cinnamon Rolls

Andrew is a puppy and Anna is taking him for a walk.

Church was canceled Wednesday because of the icy roads, and the kids literally will cry if we miss church on Wednesday night.  So I created a bible lesson and activity for them.  That seem to work for them.

We studied Hebrews 11:1 and talked about having faith in someone (God) you can't see.  They drew pictures of the wind, air, gravity, a skeleton, and a heart.  These are things Andrew and Anna came up with that you can't see, but you know it is there.

Snowball fight!