Outside

I've been getting a little frustrated with my camera lately...it seems to be taking FUZZY pictures!?! What the heck!? I mean, it COULD be MY eyesight, but I don't think so...I'm thinking I need to bring it in for a good cleaning, but I don't want to part with it for even a DAY!! (I'm a freak, I know). Maybe I need to change the "focus" settings?

So, I took it outside after basketball camp (where it really seemed to be sucking) to see what the deal was. I dunno...it's not like I'm in the market for a NEW camera, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this one, but the fuzzy pics are pissing me off cuz I can't tell they are fuzzy unitl I get them uploaded! GRR! Maybe it's just inside pix (like in a dimly lit, yellow lighted gym!)...thoughts? Close ups are FINE, far away ones are "ify". I can't even post one of the fuzzy ones because I got so mad I deleted them all!!

Mom, Am I A ROCK STAR?!

Oh dear...that's all I've got for this one...I have NO IDEA how she dug this outfit up! I just heard her running down the stairs yelling, "MOM!! Am I a ROCK STAR!!?". How do you say "no" to that!? Microphone? CHECK!
Rock Star Hand Sign? CHECK!

Rock Star Moves? CHECK! Cute Face (C'mon, you know you've gotta be cute to ROCK OUT LOUD!)? CHECK!
And a sweet demeanor to boot! I guess I'd have to say the evidence points to YES, Sweet Pea...you ARE a ROCK STAR!

Yummy RIBS!

Somedays we get lucky...but things have to go just right...tonight was one of those nights! We already had baths, mom was about to get our snack, and dad comes home with RIBS! He got them ready, threw them on the grill and HERE WE ARE!! YUMMY! Thanks dad!

Guess What I Did Today!?!?

Monday, May 31st, 2009

I got to go to BASKETBALL CAMP for the FIRST TIME! My mom waited to tell me about it until last night and I was SO EXCITED I kept saying, "I can't believe it, I just CAN'T BELIEVE it...I'm SO LUCKY!" It's all I talked about until she picked me up from daycare at 1240 (mom said she'd be there to get me at 1245, but I asked her to come at 1240...she agreed!). After camp, she took me to the gas station for a SNACK and Gatorade!! Man! This day ROCKS!!

Guess who's at camp with me!? My buddy from next door, Benny!! Are we STUDS or what!?
Learning to dribble WHILE running! This is how you shoot with proper form...if you do it right, the ball goes straight up and then lands by your feet...yeah, go ahead and ask what the gym looked like the first time we attempted this!
I earned suckers for relay races and for my line being in the right spot when the coach asks!

The End of Another School Year

Wow! Third grade has sure flown by and brought with it fun, friends, an inspirational teacher and rockin' projects! Parker has sure grown into an amazing young man this year, I am SO PROUD of him! He has a gentle spirit, a very kind heart, a vicious loyalty, and a curious mind...plus, I think he's pretty cute! As he struggles with the kinds of heartbreak that growing up bring - the hormones that drudge up emotions that are hard to "label" at that age, the cruelty that can be shown by others, and the GIRL thing (don't even get me STARTED!!), I hope and pray that we have taught him well and continue to provide him with the love and support kids these days so desperately need. I also hope he remembers that he can come to me with ANYTHING at ANYTIME, I am his biggest fan, his loudest cheering section and my love is unconditional...

The MARVELOUS Mrs. K!! This is the lady responsible for the amazing projects I've been posting...plus, she has an EXCELLENT insight to kids!
Startin' off the picinic with a game of football! Parker and his fun friend Sam! These two are GOOFBALLS!

I know you've seen pics of this darling little man before! Parker's buddy Nicholas!
After eating, a game of kickball was in order! And THIS time, the girls were allowed to participate!!

Parker and his buddy Ethan...they went to daycare together for 6 years and love to hang out!
S-A-F-E!!

This Struck A Chord...

My sister sent me this in an email...I rather enjoyed it:

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written.

"My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone for everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back. ** I like this one ;)
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."
"The greatest pleasure I know is to do a good action by stealth, and to have it found out by accident." -Charles Lamb-

Golfin' Like A Putt-Putt Champ!

Sunday May 23rd, 2009

Well...maybe not CHAMPS, but we did our best and had a TON of FUN in the process!! Since Chad ALWAYS has a BIG sale on Memorial Day, we usually end up staying at home over the long weekend (it IS the busiest day of the year, after all!!) and try to "celebrate" a little on the ONLY day off during the "week" that he has....SUNDAY! It was a BEAUTIFUL, sunny-bright day and we were at the Thunder Mountain Family Fun Park as soon as they openend (that would be NOON...is North Dakota, "dontcha know"!). The kids had fun mini-golfing and then we had lunch there - PIZZA! After that, we headed to the GO-KARTS!! Parker was SO EXCITED (and a bit nervous, although he'd NEVER admit it!!) because he was FINALLY tall enough to DRIVE HIS OWN CART!! He was a little cautious...there were also some high-school "punks" in our rotation that were being total DICK-HEADS and wiping people out left and right (GRRR!!)...dude, I GET it...I've BEEN there...but can you just NOT be a weiner for 5 minutes!?!? Your mom would be so proud...I digress...ON WITH THE PICTURES!

Let's GET IT ON!! Hi Parker! Savannah...well...she has the patience of her mother...let's just leave it at that!

"When is it MY turn!!?" "The Brothers"
Cute!
Get it??....Thunder MOUNTAIN!?!?
Time for a quick daddy & Sweet Pea pic! Aren't they darling!?

Ready to rock the Go Kart! Not a flattering pic of me, but WHO CARES!? We're racing a Go-Karts here people!! ha, ha, ha....I took those corners FULL OUT & all Savannah did was LAUGH!! That'a girl!!

It was really loud and I couldn't get anyone's attention...or are they IGNORING ME!?!?
Now driving car #6 (his favorite number!)...PARKER JUNTUNEN!! *and the crowd goes WILD!*

I Got Me Some Helpers

Today the kids and I slept in a little...it's Saturday, no big rush to get dressed, teeth brushed, that kind of stuff. By 9:00 the neighbor boys were knocking at the door ready to play - my kids are still in their underware, but NO BIGGEE, the neighbor boys come in and play with their DS's while my kids dress, eat quick and brush their teeth. I was feelin' a little like cleaning and Parker mentioned that he would like to EARN some Pokemon cards (latest craze, I've mentioned it before..if you recall, I'm not a fan!). Parker also said that while he was at another friends house the day before, he helped the boy pick up his room and his mom bought him a treat at Wal Mart. Yep, you can already see where this is going. So, I tell the boys (neighbors included) that if they help me with an extra large task (something above and beyond what I already expect the boys to do), I would purchase them each a pack of cards.

WELL! That got them moving! I decided that a GREAT job would be to arrange some of the toys we have in the garage into the appropriate rubbermaid containers! It was pretty fun watching them sort through stuff, find toys that they haven't seen in a LONG TIME, and play a little with them. Ultimately, they arranged them nicely - I supervised (in my jammies because I hadn't had the chance to shower yet!) and it all got done! They were GREAT helpers and definately earned their reward!

Savannah found a lot of things she could cook with - even an apron! In case you were worried that I didn't re-imburse her for her hard work (as Pokemon cards are not fun for her!), she got to pick a treat out too! She ended up with chocolate flavored Goldfish...a "WHOLE BAG that I don't have to share!!" These two cuties were SO EXCITED to have these packs. Not gonna lie, they worked harder than my boys did!
Aiden was a happy camper as well! I wonder if I've started a tradition that's gonna cost me! Oh well...I don't mind! Parker ended up earning his cards a couple of days later...I don't know what the deal is with a 9 year old whining and talking back, but it DOESN'T fly in THIS house!

MARS

May 21st, 2009

Parker had yet ANOTHER AWESOME project at school - this one involved the PLANETS! His planet was MARS and he had to complete a report, make a poster and present it. Here is a pic of his poster...it was VERY creative!

Facts I learned about Mars from reading Parker's presentation:

* Mars' name came from the Roman God of War

* Mars is the 4th planet from the sun and is 288 million miles from it (sun)

* Mars' diameter is 6,786 km

* It takes Mars 687 days to orbit the sun

* Mars has a valley named Mariner Valley that could stretch across the U.S.

* You can see Mars without a telescope

* Mars does not have any liquid on it's surface; however, we once thought

there was water there

* Mars has a thin, unbreathable atmosphere...."Do you think Mars is as interesting as I do?" (that was at the end of the report - HOW CUTE!

Parker received a 98% on this project!! You are AWESOME, BUBBA!! Teacher comments: "This was very interesting to read! You wrote great facts and you wrote them using some of your own words. Excellent Job!"

Told Ya!

I'm so excited that we've been able to have fun with my fire pit purchase! I love sitting around warm and toasty chatting with whomever is sitting with me, and the kids love the fact that I'm so content sitting there that they can run around the yard with the friends that come over and stay up "just a little" later than usual!

The kids ready to roast marshmallows! Of course they are in their jammies! We'd already taken baths EARLY so we could go sit out by the fire in our bare feet and run around the yard...ummm...don't ask!

Livin' the dream!

Our neighbor friends!

"BUDDIES"

I like my marshmallows burnt!

Yes, I even found the "Funky Flames" at WalMart...I think they would work better AFTER it got really dark, but we can't have children up until 10:00! That would make for a TERRIBLE next day!

Yea! Daddy's home...he's GREAT to cuddle with!

The End

Savannah's Spring Program

May 18th, 2009

I can't believe we are at the end of yet ANOTHER preschool year! Our daycare/preschool Small Wonders put together a wonderful Spring Program for the kids! They sang songs in English AND in Spanish (they have Spanish once a week). All ready to sing! I picked out my own outfit today!

Singing about a "fuzzy little bunny"

Singing the months of the year (in both English and Spanish)

Savannah was BY FAR the loudest singer in the group, it did not phase her ONE BIT to have a big crowd watching, and she did ALL the actions! Way to go baby girl! We LOVE to watch you shine!

This is Savannah with her best buddy Ashley! They are QUITE the pair and need to be reminded to "stay on task" when they start talking and giggling!

I DID IT!