One month...

and counting!

Growing pains?

 Teddy and I had a date the other day.  He had been complaining of back pain for three weeks. Yes...to be honest...we were concerned.  Ok...maybe I more than Ted...but he was the one that said to get him in and checked out...by a doctor.  I got a name of a pediatrician and we had a date.  The doctor looked  (evaluated us...judged us...etc) at us, asked questions (history...and family history...enter story about Alisa) , checked Teddy out, and gave me a plan.  Blood work and x-ray..."if you could do it today...I will have results today."  So they took blood right there...Teddy's first time ever for something like that!  And then we went for lunch...because he is always hungry and I had no idea how long we would wait.

 A beautiful day...to be stuck inside...waiting!  Teddy experienced hospital time and he wasn't overly impressed.  Actually, for being a "walk-in style prescription" we didn't wait too long!

I was called into that door to take a phone call from the doctor concerning the x-ray findings.  Yes...my heart caught in my throat and I fought for composure when he said, "we've found something...that looks like arthritis...no tumors or anything...we will do more testing...we will take it one step at a time."  We will meet with a specialist our doctor recommended on May 12.  Teddy was relieved by somewhat of an answer.  I took a deep breath and Ted says, "We will deal with whatever comes our way." We will seek God's wisdom and direction as we always have and wait to see what His answers are.  Meanwhile...this kiddo is working and playing hard like he always does...sometimes that means a dose of ibuprofen and ice.

My little sassy friend

 She insists on sitting on my lap every morning as I get ready.  She wants to be right by me whenever I sit down...lately...she is willing to sit beside me as I grade papers...much to the chagrin of my students, "Velle didn't leave any teeth marks on MY paper!"  They are bummed about that...she has gotten better about stealing papers from my lap and my piles!  "Hey, Mom, you look irritated in this picture."  Thanks, son, for taking it...I was concentrating.

 Velle is ready for bed each night about 9:00.  We are softies...she sleeps with us and lays on my head or face at night.  I am thrilled for the nights that she goes all night without having to go out at 2 or 3am...it is bound to happen when she goes to sleep so early!

We are still smitten with this little furry friend.  To prove it...the kiddos videoed our latest duty...giving her a chalky tasting medicine for whipworm...that she evidently got before we got her but took awhile to show up??!!  Hmmmm.  Anyway,  our encouraging children were so disappointed in our method of delivery this night!  The first night...we had it all over her face and all over us.  "We actually look like we know what we are doing now!"

A week's snapshots

I tweaked my back getting out of the Yukon on Sunday and tried so hard to deal with it using past cures...to no avail.  I ended up meeting a nice chiropractor and I am almost back to normal.  The clock in the waiting room caught my attention.  I laughed...after I looked at it carefully...yep...exactly how it is...I lost three days this week to pain.

 Three Junior high MACS participants from our family this year!  Teddy did a humorous interpretation. Ashlynn played her flute.  Alisa played her clarinet.  So neat to see them growing in these areas!

 It is that time of year again!  Thankful for Mr. Ice's building skills and students quick painting skills! The play is this coming week!

 I guess this is what talking on the phone will get me!  She was quiet...but I could hear the scratching sounds...I thought she had her toy or one of the girls' flip flops...nope...the new pack of TP!

 I had come from a chiro appointment, a quick stop at the store, and couldn't bend over...so sweet Teddy cleaned it up for me after school.

 It is going to be difficult using at least two of these rolls!  OI!

School is busy with all the end of the year activities.  We started a month countdown chain this week in K5!

A couple new tricks...

 I put Velle into her cage when I went to pick up the kiddos.  We had a stop to make, so I didn't bring her with me for the after school pick up.  Guess who was greeting us when we opened the door!?  She scratched enough on the inside to move the zipper!  Hence the reason for our errand trip on Saturday...a new big girl cage!

 Same night...as Alisa was making cards...Velle hopped up on the bench like it was no big deal.  Great.

She sat on Alisa's lap for awhile...so Alisa thought she would stamp Velle's paw to make a card...that was the end of sitting still...she hopped down!

My love...

 likes to spend time with me!  And I him!  We had some errands to take care of and Saturdays are the day for that!  After sleeping in and having a lazy morning...we were out around lunch time...so we checked out a new place.  We needed our strength to go grocery shopping! That job is so overwhelming sometimes...and I love it when Ted will go with me.  "We make a great team, baby.  We knocked that out in 45 minutes and kept it under $200!  Efficiency in action!"  he makes me laugh.  "And that is why we go to Aldi!"  I also love that our three chair fillers willingly help unload the groceries and put them away!  It only seems fitting...since they are the ones eating us out of house and home!

And Velle...she just always wants to be where the action is...but nobody calls her helpful!

Date Night!

 The kiddos had a spring banquet on Friday, April 8th.  It was a dress up affair.  They all looked so nice!  Alisa said, "I feel like Cinderella."  It is fun to find pretty things to wear...fix hair...do nails and makeup...  Teddy is much easier to outfit!

 No longer little kiddos...yet, they keep us busy!  They make us laugh...and they make us shake our heads...some days.  They had so much fun and buzzed about the evening the whole ride home and then into the next day!

 We were excited too...we went on a double-date for Uncle Pastor's birthday!!!  Ted had two special places picked out that he had not taken me...and Brad and Mari hadn't been either!

 My sis...made me laugh!  She ordered a yummy pasta, chicken, vegetable dish and daintily picked out all the mushrooms.  "I just can't do them."  We then strolled the downtown street to The Yum Yum Tree for dessert!  We all oohed and ahhed over the place and "Of course, the teacher in the group would be fascinated with the book at the table."  Yep, I was!  This will be great for Grandparent's Day next year!!  And it is a cool place when they serve ice cream...coffee...and books at the table!!

 We laughed...we talked...we laughed...Our nutty blonde holding the menu that offers Nutty Blonde as a dessert!

 The birthday boy sharing dessert with his brother-in-law...what you can't see...the separate plates..."Dude, that just isn't right for two dudes to share off the same plate!"  We were so full and both guys "just wanted a bite off yours, girls."  We wanted our own choices...and didn't want to share...because we know how that goes..."Why don't you two share then?"  We laughed some more.

                                                        We all enjoyed date night!!!

Pretty Puppy

 Velle was groomed on Tuesday and she looks like a different dog!

 She went from scruffy to fluffy...

and she is wearing a scarf these days!

Due to technical difficulties...

I can't post pictures right now.  I can't figure the problem out and my patience is on empty. I need to watch/read to be able to figure it out...but...I just can't handle one more thing right now.
I've made to the point in the year that I am feeling a bit overwhelmed in my brain...and things keep getting put on my brain...and I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it (read as...brain will explode).
It is not a calm and peaceful feeling.  I feel like I'm juggling a bunch of balls and I am about to drop them and watch them scatter all over the floor...and then...for good measure...trip on them. Oi!
In other news...the chair fillers at our house are busy...studying, preparing for MACS, growing, and being teenagers.  They are counting down the days till school is done, their birthdays, and their special Florida trip sans parents.  Ted's responsibilities have him hopping...literally around the world.  Velle is busy grabbing socks from Teddy's room, growing (7.9lbs), sleeping, and playing around outside instead of remembering to potty while OUTSIDE.

Easter Sunday 2016

 We took pictures after church...because we all looked very bleary eyed at 6:25am!  We had to be to church early for sound check for the 7am service.  What a blessing our services were as we remembered that Jesus came to earth to live and then die on a cross for our sin.  I'm so thankful that He didn't stay in that tomb...He arose from that grave three days later...and ONE DAY...He is coming again...O GLORIOUS DAY!  We enjoyed breakfast at 8am and then our second service at 9am.

 When did they get so grown up?!  We gathered at Stille's house for Easter dinner...and I didn't take one picture of our tables, guests, and fellowship around the table. uff da.

 The guys played basketball in the driveway after dessert and the girls gathered around after dishes.

 Dogs...

 Laughter...

 Trying not to think about wisdom teeth removal the next day for Bryn and Allison...

 not sure who is more jealous here...

Some days are just like that...

"Grandma, I still like my Olaf!"

                                              I carry him around and can make him talk!