In the thick of it!

It hit me this weekend...next week is Thanksgiving week!  How quickly the days go by!  So many events make up each day...and my head is spinning.  We are learning all sorts of things in K5.  This is one of our latest projects...and they are each different and cute!  We are looking forward to Donuts with Dad on Friday and the Thanksgiving Feast on Tuesday...

                                      and then...December hits!  Already working on ideas for that too!

Thankful thoughts...

God always has our good in mind.  I am thankful for that reminder as I sit in my chair feeling miserable with no voice.  He has a way of making us slow down and rest...instead of pushing through to whatever is next on our "to do" list.  He has met every need along life's way...and even some wants too!  I love the coziness and warmth that the fireplace brings to our home.

We have a kiddo on a college trip!

 Is this really happening?!  Last night, a group from school headed south to Florida to visit PCC.  They drove all night and stopped for breakfast in Alabama.  An activity stop and then the remainder of the drive to Florida.

Ashlynn was really excited for this trip.  "I get to go to Florida!"  I'm hoping and praying that she enjoys the time away and her eyes will be opened to all the possibilities that await...around the next bend...with the concept of college!  For a second...my heart squeezed up into my throat and my eyes teared over...oh. my. the years are going by faster than I realized!

More pictures from Junior Convention

Teddy sang with the small ensemble...2nd place.  He preached on Being Content...even in loss and used Job as his example...2nd place.

 He ran the obstacle course.  Caden and Teddy and two other buddies also played in the 3 on 3 basketball game and won 1st place.  Ted and I enjoyed watching all the students participate in a wide variety of events.  It was a beautiful, gray, fall day in the mid-north of Michigan!

 All done...ready to load up the bus after awards

Dad trying hard to be...and stay taller than Teddy!  He is growing up so quickly...and this Dad is pretty proud of his son.

Special memories of our fuzzy friend came...

 Alisha designed a blanket.

 Ashlynn designed a pillow case.

 I'm not sure about the kiddos or Ted...but I got a little teary eyed when I opened the package!

 Teddy designed a throw pillow cover for his bed.

Some nights...it is really quiet without the jingle of a collar, bark for a treat, and the tapping of little feet across the kitchen floor.  Lollie and Caden are coming to stay with us for a couple days...so we will enjoy some doggie kisses...from Lollie, of course!

Helping at our Trunk or Treat

 Meet the Friendly Hunters...

 who love their Dunkin Donut coffee!

 We had a great turn out!  We had to move it inside due to rainy and windy weather.

The kiddos helped in the teen area...western was the theme.

Our Harvest Day

 Making our pumpkin chunkin' pumpkins for a game...gotta love the dollar stores that have orange washcloths!

 Dressed up as the farmer's wife...who spent the morning with some other farmers, animals, fruits, vegetables, a bat, a zebra, and water (little boy dressed in all blue).

 Reading the Pumpkin Parable and singing This Little Light of Mine and saying our verse John 1:1-5.

 Games...

 Relays...

 Races...

 Treats...

 Giggles...

Candy corn counting...
It was a fun and busy day!

A day with our kiddo at Junior Convention

This kiddo's last year at Junior Convention!  We both took the day off to go and support him.

 We took off and hit our favorite donut shop...which was just a half hour away from where we needed to be!  We watched the temperature drop almost 10 degrees after storm front moved across the state as we headed north.  As we drove and talked...my voice started to disappear a little at a time.

 Another welcoming challenge to each of the students...to soar and be what God wants you to be!  Today is a day that you once again spread your wings to fly.

Notice the year on his shirt!

One of my little Kinders had this shirt on today!  I didn't get a good look at what his shirt had on it till he was standing in line to go to recess.  The year I was born...on one of my students...he laughed and ran off when I told him that was the number of the year I was born!  He is one of my "number guys" in K5...I actually think he was amused!

It is never just a quick, easy shot!

 "Hey...guys...let me take a picture for Grampy and Grammy!  You look so sharp in your WCS polos! Come on...Ash!!!"

 "What? I'm just standing here."  uh...no...no you are not!  Here is the proof!

 "Ok...good! Wait..."

"Why are you gritting your teeth?'  Kids...always giving their mother difficulty in the little things...that should be easy, quick things!  There you go...Grammy and Grampy...now you have the whole picture of what went on!  Thought you'd like the whole process!  We love you!

A beautiful fall week!

                                  Michigan in the fall...when the sun is shining!?  Stunning!

 Thursday was a special day at our school.  We had our Serve-a-thon day.  This year we did something different...we packed boxes for our military!  I had a group of "big kids" come in to help my class do a quick craft and finish some coloring pages that went in the boxes.

 They traced their hands...because when you are from Michigan...you use your hand to show it!  We added a colored leaf...blowing a little bit of fall to our soldiers.  Aunt Sara inspired me with this last minute idea!  I remembered how much she misses the fall leaves of the Midwest.

 There were mountains of donations!  This picture was after a couple groups had gone through the line.

 My Kinders wanted to know who was going to get their box!  They were so cute decked out in Red, White, and Blue!  I added a face paint treat for them.

 It was fun to catch glimpses of our children helping all the little ones.

 My class was the first one to the gym.  In the middle was a pile of the white packing boxes, and they had the Kinders circle around it...and one of the Seniors "popped out" of the pile...no one cried, but their faces showed that they were not expecting that!

What a fun way to spend this year's Serve-a-thon!  It was a very patriotic day shared with all the classes.  My class was so excited to say the pledge with the big kids!  When the Star Spangled Banner song started...they all turned to look at me as if to say, "Hey, we know this song!"  We have been singing it this month.  We enjoyed some special video clips about soldiers and from a soldier from our church.  How much I take our freedom for granted each and every day!  Thank you to our military who give so much!