Mantracker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koxuqSpTnCU


I've been wanting to share with you all one of Todd and mine's favorite show. We look forward to the night it is on and watch to see when the new season begins again. If you haven't heard of it, here's a quick glance. I think it looks like so much fun!

You've got to be kidding me!

Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed trying to keep the house organized and neat. My life just feels so much better when things are put in their proper places. We are constantly rushing to one commitment or another that it is such a hassle to look for something. Most of the time it's looking for the kid's something so we can take them to a kid's activity. Why am I running around doing all the work? Well, not anymore. I have put a lot more responsibility on the kids (that would be Adam and Clarissa) and to make their job easier, I have taken away a lot of their possessions. I reassured them that they are simply packed away ready for the move. They are welcomed to switch out what they currently have for something else whenever they want. This has made all the difference in my life. I created a new system of clean for them so that it can be done quick and easy. I have even signed Adam up for a prepaid card with the bank to put allowance on it. All he has to do is show some responsibility and he'll be getting paid (or charged) for whatever he chooses to do. But can you believe the work it required to get there? This hot mess is from me deciding to take everything out of Adam's room and starting all over again. I spent 4 - 4 1/2 hours giving his room a fresh new start. And then I started watching "Hoarding: Buried Alive" to help me learn how best to help this boy from becoming a hoarder some day. Pray for me!

Koblers Come to Visit

We took an extra day of Spring Break and it was so wonderful...... because the Koblers came to visit with us! It was the best fun we have had in a very, very long time. The greatest 1 1/2 days ever! We had a scrumptous meal at the Golden Corral. I haven't dared to eat at one of their restaurants ever since they made me sick back when we lived in Louisville! It is one of Nick's favorite's restaurants and I totally see why!!! We spent half of our day at Frankie's Fun Park playing video games and winning those ridiculous tickets to collect those lame prizes. But hey, it was fun for the kids. Then we tried to do some other thing but it didn't work out. I took them to the cheap movie theatre, not open during the show time listed on the web for some reason. I tried taking them to the children's museum with our guest passes. Not opened on Mondays. At least not until after Memorial weekend. So, we went back to the house where the kids played until they just couldn't stay any longer. We had a great homemade meal, extremely tasty dessert, (have you made them since you've been home, Kim?) and all the noise a kid could ever want to make. It was sad to see them leave. They returned to their vacation at Myrtle Beach and we returned to a schedule of school and homework, yuck! Summer will be here soon enough and we'll visit once again! Miss you guys so much!!!

Spring Break

We had a really nice Spring Break. We didn't leave town. I think that's two years now that we've stayed close to home. But each day we did something different that was very enjoyable for the whole family. We took the kids to the YMCA and swam. They loved it since they have been begging to go for a very long time. We went to the movies with some friends. Afterwards we went off on our own to McDonald's, it had a cool play place, and then to Ft. Jackson for a round of miniature golf. (The girls didn't last very long but it was good practice for how to behave in public. And since we were the only ones there we had all the time we needed for that : ) We also spent time at the baseball diamond to play and give Adam some practice. There was also a day that I got to go shopping all by myself. It was so very glorious! I have no idea what Dad and the kids did and I wasn't too concerned either : ) We had a fun week!

Testimony of the Book of Mormon

If you're ever left wondering, "what in the world is that crazy girl doing?" Well, here's your answer. I don't always get it right. When things don't go right, this explains the panic in my voice and the frenzy in my step. It's me trying to get it right or at the very least trying to figure out what that even means. This is my faith and I put all my heart into it.

General Conference

I do love General Conference but I don't love the interference with Easter. Some of my favorite memories are from Easter. My mom would make matching dresses for my sister and me. (Same pattern, same print, different color) We had the adorable gloves, the hat, the purse, and the new shiny white shoes and ruffle socks. We would walk to our church for service and have Easter egg hunts and wonderful goodie baskets. I loved it all! We did most of that today, except go to church. Todd was very diligent in getting the conference from the internet up on our big TV. The sound was a little off but it was nice to be able to sit at home and listen to our leaders' messages. The kids had a packet of activities to complete while they listened. Adam was very good at staying on task, so proud of him! The prophet always speaks at the end so we gathered together to listen to his final words. It was so nice to have everything so perfectly quiet during that time. (Of course Molly sleeping might have had something to do with that too : ) I asked what their favorite part of President Monson's message was. Clarissa quickly replied that she liked it when he said that he loved her and when he said that Heavenly Father hears her prayers. Adam liked how he complimented those who were recently released from their callings for all of their hard work. And I took to heart his hope that the messages of this day would find expression in all we do at home. It was a very nice conference. You can listen too at http://www.lds.org/

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone! We had a good day. When I wasn't busy trying to fabricate Easter memories that is. First we had to get dressed up for photos, even though we weren't going to church. Then I wanted to make sure I had a video clip of each child. And the Easter Bunny had emailed special directions for the kids to follow so that they all had the same amount of eggs to gather. I definitely will simplify it a lot more next year! But the kids loved getting their Easter goodies. If you look at the photo of Adam in front of his candy, I do believe that half of it is gone already. Yep! Breakfast this morning was candy! But we had one good meal to try and balance it out. I decided to take a picture of my (clean) dining table to show our decorations. I always wish that I had more fun decorations for our home. But I just don't like to move everything around. And so I have come to realize that instead of a bunch of lovely decorations scattered throughout our home, the kids have come to look forward to how the table is going to be decorated for the holiday meal. So we get a fun tradition that still allows me to store all holiday things in one box. Love it!

Cultural Arts Day

Bridge Creek Elementary School started a tradition when they first opened their doors with a Cultural Arts Day. Other schools I know have a field days activity the day before break for the spring. And I remember how much fun those days were when I was in school. I especially remember winning first place in the 50 yard dash back when I was in the 1st or 2nd grade. But if you're not going to have a field days, this is a great alternative. Last year I gave a presentation on the Mayan people and gave a sample of a common drink of the region. This year I stayed relatively quiet. I worked the beading station and got to see Clarissa. And then I moved over to the finger painting station with her. (There is a local artist that actually uses fingerpaint to create paintings worthy of an art gallery. It is amazing!) He came and talked to them about his art and then let them have fun. I didn't get to see Adam during his stations but we stopped and had lunch with him in his classroom and then went out with his class for recess. At the end of the day, the Carribean Cats steel drum band, that would be 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students of our school, played a recital. Before dismissal, some of the teachers got up and surprised the kids with a recital of their own. I actually got a little tearful because I looked up at that stage and thought, what a great school this is. I am really sad that we have to leave. There have been some really nice memories here. (Definitely enough to offset the horrid kindergarten teacher of last year : )

Clean At Last!

I took an hour to really get that dining table cleaned. Yeah! We could eat there now if we wanted to. Only I usually don't want to. It's carpeted in there. Not good for a little person named Molly. Of course it meant putting little piles all over the couch. I did eventually get the piles put away into their appropriate baskets for the responsible people to clean. And before I knew it, everything was all clean again. I am determined not to let the table get cluttered like that ever again. And with only three more months left in this house, I might just be able to manage that.