The second week of school is in the books!

It was another busy week and we are all tired!
Kindergarten is busy and full of fun times.  I am enjoying my 16 little kinders!  We are practicing many rules and procedures.  We are using our pencils and crayons.  Cutting and gluing proved to be a bit of a small challenge.  We reviewed our short vowels.  My favorite time of our day is the beginning...pledges, singing, Bible time, and memory verse work.  I am so proud of them...we have the first four verses of Psalm 23 pretty well memorized....as we plan ahead to K5 graduation...we are tucking this chapter away in our hearts.  They love to sing and often sing while they color or practice writing their letters...I haven't stopped them...because it squeezes my heart!  "Safe am I, safe am I...in the hollow of His hand!"
Ted sprang for Chinese food after all the ball games tonight.  The kiddos are crashed in the living room watching the A-Team.  Ted is relaxing. I am learning how to use my new school tool...we had to update our computer.  I'm overwhelmed by the support that Ted constantly gives to his family...always sacrificing to provide for what we need.  What we all need most...right now...is a good night's sleep!

My kind of humor these days!

The sweetest 46th birthday I ever had!

 This picture text sent all the way from Florida made my day!  It was a sweet "29th and holding"!  29 is the new 46...right, Dad!?!

Birthday treat with my family.  I am blessed!  I am thankful!

Transitioning from summer into the school year

 My summer job ended and I started transitioning into my new responsibilities.

 I only had 4 kiddos on our last day of Popcorn, Pop, and a Movie!

 Ashlynn and Teddy started preseason practices and have played a couple games.

 Alisa has been my helper extraordinaire!  She laminates and I cut.  I laminate and she cuts.

 I hang things up.  She collates endless papers.  I walk in circles.  Ted texts and asks if I am napping.  Alisa laughs.

 I'm still trying to show an interest in homemaking skills amidst it all!  We made pizza on the grill again...this time we added a dessert pizza!  Peanut butter and jelly on warm pizza crust...MMMM!

 More cutting!

 Making cards to send to my 17 students!

 Things are coming together!!!!

 Inservice began this morning with breakfast and meetings.  Refreshing to be with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

 6 tables is not giving much space for much!

 I've added little pieces here and there to embellish...it is what I do.

Ted asked me if I was going to go crazy after school starts.  "I didn't think I was crazy.  Am I crazy right now?"  There was silence.  "I thought I was just keeping the crazy in my head.  I'm sorry, I can't turn off all the ideas.  I think the crazy lists are settling down now.  Oh...am I really crazy because I have been trying to be conscious of my first two jobs...wife and mother...and I know I'm mentally tired.  I really don't think I'll be crazy when school starts...by that time...it is what it is!  Why do you ask?"  Well...I know how you are...and I was just wondering how it is going to go.  Is your room ready?  Do you have what you need?
**I just re-read what I wrote...ha, ha, ha, I sound crazy.  I get it now.  I guess, I have been a little crazy!**
I am so grateful for Ted's encouragement and concern.  He does know me.  He has watched me.  He has supported me every step of the way.  Today...I do feel a deep settled peace and calm as I walk into my classroom.  I'm ready for K5!  I shared with my co-workers today, "I'm not trying to fill Mrs. S's shoes this year.  I am walking in my own shoes.  It might get mucky, but that's ok!  I'm thankful for WCS/FLPD and the opportunity to teach again!"

"You and your wife have a unique relationship!"

We do! 

 I am thankful too!  

Ted sent this text to me the other day...while he was in a meeting and I was at work.  This came through at exactly the moment I needed it!  I needed to laugh or I was going to have a meltdown and cry...dealing with small children and parents every day can wear on a person.  He also shared the picture with others in the group and the women thought it was terrible.  Of course they would...because it came from a man and because it was Ted and because other men in the room laughed.  When I responded, they wanted to know if I was mad.  He showed them my response...somethings to the effect of "Funny and thanks, I needed to laugh right about now." 

I am thankful for Ted's sense of humor and how he shares it with me!  I love that our children see us laugh together...with...at...for...about...you name it.

We have learned to laugh together even through the hard things in life...there can be laughter.  Ted puts up with a lot of female crazy...but he willingly signed up for it for better or worse...and I love him for it! 

I know Ted loves me for who I am...and there is comfort in that truth.  

He knows I love him...

and only point out the red lights ahead of us in extreme instances, or the green lights when he is a million miles away at the moment it changes, or ask why he didn't turn where I thought he wanted to go...

and I will continue to be his help-meet whenever and however I can.  I made that commitment 17 years ago...and I look forward to many more!

Happy Anniversary!

We make a great team!

Ted, I love you!

Working in the classroom...

 Counting textbooks today!

 Cutting laminated things.

 Trying to keep my sense of humor with the rising urgency to get things done...amid the various and many distractions that seem to always follow me!  Thank goodness it was finally 3:30 and time for preseason to start!  Teddy on the soccer field and Ashlynn on the volleyball court...

and my helper girl sorting pages and pages for me!  We sent this to Ted when he asked if I was napping...silly guy! 

"I knew it was going to be a rough day!"

I shouldn't laugh...but I did.  This is how one of us started the day...today...Monday...the day after being gone from work for three days..."at least you don't have cream in your coffee, that adds to the mess, I know!"  I haven't even tried to scrub the stain out in earnest yet...it is going to take more effort and concoction than I had in the bottle.  It is Monday.  It will be there tomorrow...maybe Cinderella will be able to deal with it better on Tuesday.  Praying for my love to have a better day on Tuesday too...we celebrate 17 years!

My crafty friends will appreciate my flop!

 I have a pile of braided tshirts!  I am ready to make a cute rug for our reading area in the K5 classroom!  Bright and cheery!  Hand-crafted fun!  Read how to do it on Pinterest.  Ready...set...sew!  I don't have time to sew it by hand...or rather...don't want to devote that much time to sewing by hand.  Starting out nice and flat...needle can handle it...
But something isn't right...I keep flattening it out and stretching it..."Um, I think you have a Pinterest Fail!" Ted chuckles. "Why do you keep sewing?  It isn't getting better."  I pull it off and it curls up more.  "Mom, I think you should make it into a basket or a bag!" encourages Alisa.  Teddy laughs.  Ashlynn wants to know what I am making...yes, she has been in the same room with all of us while I explain what I am doing and why.  I GIVE UP!  I text Mom.  She laughs, "Email Aunt Gail."  I email Aunt Gail. She laughs and suggests hand sewing.  I DON'T WAAAANT TO HAND SEEEEWWWW.  Dad says I need a winter hat.  Alisa restates the bag idea.

 

 I sat and ripped it all apart.  I have wasted most of my Sunday afternoon now.  I start sewing again...this time more of an oval shape...it is working better...we'll see...later...I had to walk away and go to choir.
***Monday update...I haven't touched it.  It will be there tomorrow.

One more trip up north before school starts!

 It was another gorgeous day to travel north!  Our Michigan weather this summer has really been perfect!

 We were able to book three days at Matson's Campground and once again stay in the same place we stayed last year.  It was so quiet and peaceful there!  We enjoyed sitting around with the kiddos playing "Would You Rather".

 We really do appreciate the spirit of our children.  They are a blessing to spend time with...yes, I just said that about three teenagers!

 Ted finally started to relax too!  It is amazing how many emails he had to field on our three hour drive.  My...I hope they can make without him the next couple days!

 Reception and lack of wifi proved to be more difficult to stay tuned in...hmmm...rats!  Ha ha ha

 We had to laugh...wet wood...again!  This time the guys were prepared!  We brought starter logs and the blow torch!

 Thursday morning we slept in (HOORAY!), packed a lunch, and headed up the road to go kayaking.  We had a little bit of a fear factor meltdown, but quickly recovered and geared up to head to the river...after a pit stop...the girls stopped short of entering the bathroom "BECAUSE THERE IS A LIZARD!!!!"  Oh...good grief!  I charged ahead and stomped to scare it away, "At least it eats the bugs that would otherwise be in the campground bathroom.  City girls!  Now get in here and go!  The guys are waiting on us...again!"

 "Uh, Mom, there is a bug on the door."  Yes, there is.  It is a walking stick...keep walking!

 We dropped off our vehicle at the end point and hitched a ride with the outfitter to our start point.

 As you can see...we had a blow up boat and two kayaks.  Not our original plan and not what we would do had we had a "take two" opportunity.  We made a decision to keep our number four chair filler from totally losing it in front of the man who was giving us tips and cautions.  Alisa had a comfy ride...while two of us did most of the work in this boat.  The other four of us took turns enjoying the ease of kayak maneuverability!

 The river was FULL of hairpin turns and a good flowing current of very chilly water!  The nice man who helped us forgot to mention how MUCH HARDER IT WOULD BE TO STEER THE BLOW UP LIFE RAFT!

 Ted and I laughed our way through the excessive paddling...till pain took hold and redirected our choice.  It turned out to be a great teaching moment for our fearful daughter, our two have-fun-inspite-of the change kiddos, and a reassurance that we as parents need to push our kiddos through those fearful times...even if there would have been tears...it would have been the better choice.  5 Kayaks.

 Ted asked me later, "Do you think about what you can learn from the daily choices and struggles?"  Honestly, I don't really think about "learning moments" in the "small matters of life".  I usually hone in on those big ones that turn your day or life upside down!  It was a good question for me to consider.

 Kayaking down the Pine River with our family was a special activity on our vacation...relatively not a big deal...but taught us a great deal about how we handle things...and will handle things in the future.

 It was a beautiful day with beautiful scenery...a definite "would do this again" thing!

We saw more wildlife as we headed back to camp.  Ready for bed...already!

 Friday was a beautiful day for a beach day!  We packed a lunch and enjoyed the waves!  I got in too.

 The water was pleasant and the air hot.

 The sound of the crashing waves is soothing!

 Ted indulges us with beach time...still not his favorite..."you are sitting in a huge ash tray or litter box...take your pick!"  Sad to say...he was right...we were surrounded by smokers who just threw their garbage all over the beach...it is just nasty.  And then...there were the dog people who don't seem to be able to read the signs that say NO DOGS ALLOWED ON THE BEACH...hello, it is a city beach on top of it!  The one gal stopped while her dog did his business looking back at her guy...who walked up and kicked sand over it...while the mother or mother-in-law came walking up behind them not knowing or seeing...and walked right through the same area.  Oh my head!!!  I enjoyed Ted's narration through the entire episode.  People are always interesting to watch.

 After sunburning ourselves to a nice shade of red...no thanks to the SPRAY ON SUNSCREEN...we headed back to de-sand and eat some supper...and then took another drive to town...

 at the request of the kiddos and the desire of the dad!

 House of Flavors...you have to get the Bear Claw...in a waffle cone!

 More wildlife across the road in front of us...and in the fields beside us!

 One last crackle of the campfire...

 before the mosquitoes chased us inside the cabin.

 The smell and sounds of the woods was refreshing!  The rest needed...and all too soon it was time to pack up and go home on Saturday morning.

 Teddy had asked if there were any places that had pasties.  We found one and enjoyed them for lunch as we traveled...perfect way to end our trip up north!

Time to prepare for Sunday! Laundry was started as soon as we got home.  The girls cleaned the sand out of the Yukon.  Ted's company made it work without him.  Chevy was glad to come home.  My head started whirling with all the things to do.  The kiddos are looking forward to preseason.  I guess...this was our official end to summer.  So thankful for the opportunities that were allowed us...wish we could bottle up the sights, sounds, smells, and rest that we have enjoyed to use on those extra busy days!