When God closes one door, He opens others!

We have been waiting on God's timing, and this morning we posted our IL house for sale. 
We are thankful to have had renters, but we do not wish to be landlords indefinitely.  We are thankful for the help of Dad and Mom as our eyes and ears across the miles!  We are ready to find a more permanent setting here in the Mitten state. 
We are praying that the Lord will direct our steps and give us wisdom in the days ahead.  He has done it before and we know He will do it again!  Will you pray to that end for us too?
If you know anyone looking for a cute house to make their home, here is the link to Craigslist.  Our renters have taken good care of things!  They have given it such a cozy feel, and I hope others can see its potential!

http://rockford.craigslist.org/reo/4497057772.html

"Hey, you guys, turn the light off when you go to bed, ok!?"

We say it a lot these days!  Especially when it is beautiful outside and the day is full and busy!  Last Saturday was one of those days...that ended with a first of the season grilled burger on our new to us grill.  It was wonderful!  Then we watched hot air balloons go right over our park.

The lilacs are gorgeous!  The scent floated down to our place...mmmm, spring turning to summer!  After the pounding rain this week, most of the little flowers were on the ground.

Such a clear, beautiful day for Memorial Day!  I love that our town lines the streets with flags.

When we asked the kiddos what they wanted to do...they picked mini-golf!

"How many was that, Alisa?"

Ted is posing by his extraordinary putt...see the red ball...in the rocks?  Yep, that was his!  Right after my hole in one!  Oops, the picture didn't load...gotta fix that!

"Oh, Dad, do you smell that?  That smells so good!" Teddy stated when they entered the go-cart line.  Yep, my guys love the smell of any type of fuel.  Ted challenged us girls, "Any one of you pass Teddy or I, I will get you a prize!  A special prize...your choice!"

We tried...but were not successful.  Oh well.  Maybe next time?!  We grilled out again and some of us enjoyed the evening on the deck.

Back to work tomorrow!  Summer schedule has begun in full detail.

Happy Birthday to our Son!!!

 Eleven years ago, I worked really hard to have Teddy join our family.  He has grown up so fast!  His Daddy really works hard training him to be the man God wants him to be.  What a joy he is to us!  Tonight...we celebrate...with his special requests!  Hamburgers on the grill with bacon and taters tots done on the waffle iron..."You know, tomorrow is a National Holiday...well, it should be!  It's my birthday!"

 and a "swirl cake (marble) that looks like the sand dunes" (he is looking forward to going with his Dad soon!) 11 years old.  Wow.  He is almost nose to nose with me.  How quickly these years go!  Happy Birthday, Son!  We love you!

And the school year is officially over as of this afternoon...

summer break has started!  We celebrated by shipping Teddy over to Caden's house to do guy stuff, and the three of us girls got a Wendy's Frosty on our way home.  It was actually hot when we got in the Yukon to head home!  84 degrees and sunny and just...nice!  I feel like I want to crash with the kiddos...but we need to keep pushing on to the new schedule of crazy. I am mentally, emotionally, and sometimes physically shot at the end of my day.  We have kept between 8 and 11 little friends busy the last three days.  Our new friends, 3 toddlers (so far) and 3 little Korean speaking girls (ADORAble!), are doing well, so far!  Thank you for praying for us, if you do!  I'm so glad Mrs. K is around this week!!!  I don't have to tell her anything and she doesn't ask me anything...we just know what the other needs.  She made my calendar look so pretty too.  Finally got that done and that weight off my shoulders!  Gonna miss having you here EVERY day, Mrs. K!!!   
We are learning different songs and finger plays.  Yesterday, we tried watercolors.  Today, we tried playing in shaving cream on the tables.  We read.  We sing.  We picked our noses.  We glued.  We played.  We ate.  We napped...well, most of us...the rest of us rolled all over our cots, stood on our heads, and made puppets on our hands with our socks.  Let the Happy Summer Fun Begin!

It is the truth!

Parents really do sit up late at night trying to figure out how to make their children's lives unbearable!  "I'm a genius!" Ted stated, "Come, look at this."  We have been reading about the Shower Manager...and giggling with delight.  "The money is worth it to me...think of the aggravation that could be cut down on and the money that will be saved in water usage!"  Yep, leave it to the resident Lean Manager and problem solver to finally find a solution...the Shower Manager.  "Look, it says you can set the timer for 5, 8, or 11 minutes.  It will cut the water flow by 2/3 from full power   down to a trickle...which will allow you to finish rinsing if necessary.  I am really liking this option...and you can't reset it for 5 minutes!"
This week has been rough in the parenting skills tests.  We've been teaching...and re-teaching...and teaching again.  We have given warnings...that have not been heeded.  Now...it is getting a little uncomfortable.  Are we going to be consistent and follow through?!  "I guess, we are going to have to see whose head is harder." said a Dad who wants to see our children do right...no matter what!  This Mom is in full support.  Interestingly enough...our SS lesson was on this very topic today...talk about walking the walk, not just talking the talk!  I'm sure there will be updates to this story...Ted is placing the order tomorrow.  "You know, it is a better deal to order two...I think...we could use one in our bathroom."

Sisters...a special bond and friendship.

 Mari and I got to go out this week for sissy time!  I had never been to the Cheesecake Factory and had a gift card..."Oh...we have to get the deep-fried mac and cheese balls!"  They were good.  I ordered a salad...so I could do cheesecake...and this is what was brought to me.  I laughed out loud...gracefully I'm sure!

 She was so right...yummy place!!!  And we only had to wait for 10 minutes...

and we stayed for 2 and 1/2 hours enjoying our food and time to catch up on all the adventures from their mission trip to Brazil!

 11 people from our church went for 10 days.  They left from the Detroit airport with 22 bags/boxes.

 They had a wonderful time with the missionaries and the church people.

 The men worked to build the retaining walls for the new church building.

 The ladies went visiting and handing out tracts/flyers.  They went into the schools.  They sang, played instruments, preached, gave testimonies, met with new friends, and worked at the site.

 They tried new foods...here is a quail egg.

 Meanwhile...back home...Papa and Grandma watched the kiddos and then we had a turn!  We attended Allison's spring voice recital.  She sang God's Been Good In My Life...and I sobbed through it. What a blessing!  Friday night fun...bowling with Uncle Ted and Aunt Kari.
 What a hoot!  We all stink!  We are better at Wii bowling!

 We laughed a lot!

 "The winner has to buy everyone ice cream!"  Uh...I'm winning...but I don't have any money, Uncle Ted.

 We found a new ice cream place!!!!!  Soft serve and hand-dipped..."Thanks, Uncle Ted!!!!"

 Aunt Kari and the cousins stayed the night and Uncle Ted went home to a quiet house!  We all slept in...and it was lovely! 

 Coffee and a bagel and praying for Uncle Pastor and the team as they get ready to travel home.  So glad that we are close and can help out like this!

A special treat from my sis...Brazilian wooden spoons and knife...

 and a hand-made chocolate with coconut in the middle.  So yummy!  Thank you, Mari, for a night together to catch up and hear all the special stories of your trip...and I'm glad you are back.

The end of our school year in K3

 Alisa made a new friend!  She will sit and color/craft with our little friends in the morning before she heads down for her class.  Little S cuddles right up for a story any time he can.

 Awwwww...look...they are sitting in a circle!  Criss-cross applesauce like we taught them.

 Oh...but all that can change in a moment!  We had to take a time out when the yelling and ramming around...ignoring the commands to stop...went to whole new level of crazy.  Mrs. K asked, "Are you twitching yet?  Because I'm pretty sure that I am.  How is it that you are not twitching yet?"  I smiled and said that I was a seasoned veteran...but I had also just taken some ibuprofen!

 Oh...look...pretty flowers...by the handfuls!

Little C drew a picture of Mrs. Kayla and Mrs. Kari...I'm the short one.  He tweaked his picture a little more...we had arms coming out our heads.

 Oh...poor Little L was having a rough time...and while I was trying to get to the bottom of the problem...I noticed what book he had collapsed onto...and we laughed out loud till he forgot what was wrong.  He looked at us and walked away.  Gotta try that more often!

 Our last day of the school program was yesterday.  We had all fourteen children!  "Do you remember the days of seventeen?" Mrs. K asked me at one point when we couldn't hear ourselves think.  "Yeah, I think we twitched a lot!"

Hooray!  We made it, boys and girls!

 

 Fun treats to hand out after our program...a crazy straw with Koolaid, flashcards, Smarties, and a hug.

 Counting and sorting activity...first Mrs. Kari had to sort...then our little friends had fun.

 All dressed up for our part in the K5 graduation program last night.  Red, white, and blue!

 All week...we were showered with gifts of appreciation from our students and parents.

 I was so overwhelmed after reading the cards on a couple of the days that I had to just sit down and cry!  All I wanted to do was be a blessing and help cover the Grammar classes, but it was me who was blessed!  We have a great group of teenagers in our school.  I really enjoyed being with them every afternoon!

 Our dear daughter made me a lunch on Tuesday.  It was so yummy!  "This was my contribution to Teacher Appreciation Week.  I thought it would help you if I made you lunch."

 

 So many gifts...and gift cards...and sweet notes!  Last night...so many pictures with our little friends and hugs and handshakes from parents.  We were so proud of our little friends!  We have seen them grow so much this year. 

"Well, we made it!  And we are still smiling...a little twitchy...but fine...right?!" we giggle as our husbands look on shaking their heads.  Some days we wonder if we are matched with the right age group...our experience is with older kiddos.  "Do you think we can do this again...a whole nother year?  Starting from scratch?"  I don't know...I feel a twitch coming on...but did you see that cool art project on Pinterest with the paper plate????  So thankful for our husbands that kept us grounded and supplied with coffee and Chinese food!  "You know, Kari, when I met you 16 years ago...this is what you were doing...and here you are doing it again!"  Now...I just get really tired and overwhelmed at times.  I am so thankful for the help and support from my love and our three loves...because I could not have done what I did this year!  And I'm thankful for my teaching partner and friend...we make a good team!

I Have Been Blessed...

with a Godly mother and mother-in-law who love me!  I talked to each of them this week, and was reminded of what wonderful friends they are to me.  Happy Mother's Day to my dear mothers!  You are loved.  You are missed.  You are appreciated.

Well, this is a first for me!

The guys in high school will think it is cool today...it is bigger!  I have proof once again of what my father has said for years..."All stress is self induced."  When things are internalized...they are bound to come out somehow, some way!  I was told I had a spot on my eyeball yesterday morning by a friend, "Did you sneeze or cough or poke your eye?"  No to each answer...so I looked it up..."Why do I have a bloodspot on my eyeball?"  All the reasons listed had been asked of me...and then I read on..."may happen due to stress."  I can feel it inside.  I know what is causing it.  I can't seem to get on top of it...yet.  I'm hoping and praying that it goes away soon.  I guess it is one way to get students to pay attention!?

Procrastinating...

for a few minutes.  My brain hurts.

 Time to focus on things outside of books!

This was a picture of the bushes a week ago.  It was another beautiful day today.  Time for another picture!  It is a busy time...and my head feels like it is going to explode as I sit grading quizzes and tests...so I took a break.  I am also trying to wrap my brain around the plans I have to put in print for the summer daycare/camp class that I will be heading up.  I am overwhelmed by the numbers that were given to me yesterday...20-25 children...not all on one day...but upwards of 15!  6 moving up from the toddler class and 3-4 non-English speaking children...all who will be new to the K3 room and way of doing things.  Mrs. K asked me (with a giggle) if I was starting to twitch.  I think I am...and she is not going to be around every day to help me.  School ends for us on May 16 and then we move into the summer mode with different workers/helpers/leaders.  Summer isn't looking to slow down at all! 

A few accomplishments the last few days...

 Mrs. K and I passed our Red Cross First Aid and CPR training "with flying colors"!  I am not strong in the soft tissue injuries...got grossed out by the fake blood and wasn't as careful of details.  We nervously giggled through our demonstration part of the test...praying the whole time that we wouldn't have to ever use what we know.  "I can check.  I can call.  I can care...but I won't be sad if whoever doesn't want to give me consent to care."

 

 Ashlynn got up super early to attend her first MACS Fine Arts Competition.  They had a good day and did very well.  We are proud of her accomplishments on the flute this year!

 We've been counting rocks in K3...and "blowing up stuff"!  We are on the last few letters...U-underground, V-volcano, W-water...

X,Y,Z come this next week...and then one more week...and our year is done in preschool!  Oh...we have learned a lot!  And I'm talking about the teachers!!!