Happy Birthday Michael

Wow! I can't believe my baby boy is 10 years old today. Hardly seems possible. So much has happened over the past 10 years. He is celebrating his birthday up in Indianapolis. We went out to dinner at a pizza buffet/game place on Friday here in Louisville. Today he went golfing with Grandpa and is going to the Indianapolis Indians game tonight. What a great way to spend a birthday.

dr. appt

Today I had my annual physical. All you teachers know, it is something that must get done over the summer or it will not get done. Since school got out I have been dieting and drinking more water as well as taking Boo our dog for a walk every day (20 - 30 minutes). I have been very frustrated over the pace that I have been loosing weight - when I did this 13 years ago I lost 40 lbs in about 3 - 4 months. I have only lost about 12 - 15 lbs. so far. Anyway, my blood pressure and heart rate have all become "better numbers" so I guess that is pay off also. I just have to wait and see how the other blood work comes out to see if that has improved also.

Right now I just need some motivation to keep going and continue to eat healthier and stay active. I did go buy a wii fit last night as we were buying Michael's birthday present, and Target had a free $20 gift card if you bought two wii things over $39.99. So - I figured I would go ahead and get one. Now I just have to find time to use it when the kids are not there "watching" me and critiquing my moves.

this week

This week Emily is in Indy helping Gene & Holly.

This week I am "homeless" at school, as my classroom is out in the hallway, while they do the floors.

This week Michael gets to hang out with mom.

This week I get to play flute in Church at late service.

This week I go to the doctor for a check-up.

This week I made two trips up North already, and will make a third on Saturday.

This week Emily got her braces.

This week I canned 7 quarts of pickles - 4 dill and 3 bread and butter.

This week Michael and I tried to go see the 4th Shrek movie, but he got a stomach ache in the middle, so we left. Does anybody know how it ends?

This week I will praise the Lord for all his blessings! What an awesome God we have! He is full of surprises, and is the only one who really knows how this week will go.

PIctures from St. Louis

In the Red Bird Club at Bush Stadium

At the brewery in the brew house

Down on the riverfront - checking out the flooding

At the Daniel Boone home

At Montel Winery in Augusta MO.

St. Louis

We got back on Saturday from a week in St. Louis. We had a great time there and filled the week with many things. We headed out around 12 on Monday after taking Karen (Doug's mom) to the airport. We headed to Babler State Park to set up our campsite. After setting up, we went to some friend's house for a visit - they moved to St. Louis in the past year and we wanted to catch up.

On Tuesday we went to Six Flags. It was great reliving my childhood by riding on the Mine Train as well as Screaming Eagle. Emily loved the roller coasters - and could not get enough of them. By the time we left my shoulder was done in from riding them, and I told her we could not go on anymore. I hate feeling old. We arrived when the park opened and left around 7:00 after an exhausting day of rides and water park fun.

On Wednesday we went to some wineries in Augusta Missouri and then we to the Daniel Boone Home. We ended up buying 6 bottles of wine at one place, and 6 at the other. I have never bought that much wine at one time before - but it was very good. Too bad we can't get it shipped to KY or buy it in KY. At the Daniel Boone home we learned a lot & enjoyed seeing the historic items. We ate dinner at the campground and did some star gazing with our telescope.

Thursday started with lunch at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Laclede's Landing. We then headed to the Brewery for a tour and some sampling. After we toured my family places - Salem, Lutheran South, our childhood home and Reformation Lutheran. We went in Reformation as we noticed some cars in the lot when we went by. I enjoyed showing the kids where I grew up. Then we headed to the ballpark for a Cardina's Game. We had Redbird Club tickets right below the announcers booth. Awesome seats for a great game - the Cardinals won 7 to 1.

On Friday we went to the Art Muesum and then to Ozzie's for lunch. After lunch we headed to the zoo and ate dinner at Imo's Pizza by Forest Park. After dinner we headed to the Muny for Damn Yankees. We arrived early and were able to sit in the courtyard and were entertained by a male singer (don't remember his name). Was another fun evening.

On Saturday we packed up the camper and then ate lunch at Chevy's before heading to Ted Drews. No trip to St. Louis would be complete with out Ted Drews. After getting our Ted Drews concretes - cookies & creme, brownie, strawberry, and pomegranet - we headed out of town.

We arrived home on Saturday and spent the night unloading and getting laundry going. It was a great trip. Lots of family togetherness and memories.

I will post pictures later - I need to get to bed, it is already 11:00 and I am sleepy.

Kiley

Holly, Gene & Kiley outside while we are eating smores

sweet little Kiley!

I never did post any pictures of my new neice Kiley after the hospital pictures. She is such a cutie. Emily is going up this week to help out Holly with Kiley and the boys. Don't know who is more excited - she or Holly's boys. Michael is going up to help the following week - but he will go back and forth between mom and dad's and Holly & Gene's. Both are excited about the responsibility -and being the "big" kids.

Mom & Dad with Kiley

The oldest and youngest girl cousin bonding. Emily does love to cuddle Kiley


Not quite sure whose paci this is - Gene's or Kiley's

These pictures are ones we took over the 4th of July weekend when we were in Indy to celebrate the 4th. Mom & Dad, Holly, Gene, Andrew, Noah & Kiley were all there with us for our nation's birthday. We brought up our camper & had a camp out in mom and dad's yard with Emily, Michael, Noah & Andrew. To complete the campout we had a firepit with smores along with outdoor games and backyard fireworks.

On the 4th we went to the Indians game and stayed downtown for fireworks. It was hot but a fun time. Kiley enjoyed her first baseball game (or at least we enjoyed it for her). The Indians played the Louisville Bats to Michael enjoyed teasing Andrew & Noah about who was going to win.

camper

Here are some pictures of our new camper. We tested it out at Brown County last Friday night. We stayed in our camper along with a friend of Emily's who we were giving a ride home from camp. There were 5 of us and we slept comfortably. We found a few things that needed to be tweeked, and Doug worked on them today. He fixed a light and figured out how to better wire the air conditioner. I also fabreezed the camper. It did not smell bad and moldy like the old one - it semlled new and funny. So - hopefully that will help it smell fresh.

We are excited to use it later this summer for a week of family fun - camping at a park in St. Louis. We are going to Six Flags, a Cardinal game, the Muny, possibly the zoo and the art museum and the science center, and taking a day trip to Hanibal to see all the Mark Twain stuff. Lots to pack into a few days of family bonding.

off to camp

The kids have spent the week at Camp Lakeview. Wow! The time has gone by quickly, as today is already Friday. Emily had two friends from school and Michael had 2 friends from school and 1 from Church in their cabins. There were also about 6 - 8 other kids from our school there this week.

Today we are going to get our kids - I am sure they will be tired. We are going to extend their stay though by 1 night by camping in our "new to us" camper. We purchased it over the weekend and were able to pick it up on Tuesday evening. We have been emptying out the old one and filling the new one this week, in addition to putting on the air conditioner and getting some other things done. We want to camp in it one night before we camp a week in July. Hope all goes well - we are excited to have a new camper.

We will post pictures after we get back.

Soap Box Derby Race

On Saturday the kids competed in the local soap box derby race. Emily had decided to "retire" from racing, but they needed someone to race her car in order to get enough racers... thus she raced again this year. It will be the end for her as she barely fit into her car.

Michael started off winning and winning and having a good time. He ended up getting third place. He bobbled in one race, and got into the gutter. That scared him and he said his car was pulling to the right after that.

Michael ended up with a 3rd place trophy and Emily got a participation medal.

At the end of the day we were all exhausted. Michael fell asleep on the way home - he did not even make it down the road from where we were racing before falling asleep. We all just hung around the house and rested from around 6:00 on. After being up at 6:00 A.M. and being outside all day, it felt good to just veg.

I am proud of both kids and what they accomplished with their SBD day.

jelly & jam

Tonight I had a very productive evening. I started around 8 and ended around 10 making jelly and jam. I have 7 quarts and 6 pints sitting on the table. Some strawberry, some mulberry, and some strawberry/mulberry. I have lots of berries to make more... but I used up all the sugar I bought. I bought 14 lbs. of sugar and it is all gone. I am feeling rather sweet right now :)

My next project is I think I will try to find a mulberry wine recipe. If anyone has done wine before let me know of some tips. Jelly & jam was easy - so I am up for a challenge.

Welcome Kiley

Holly & Gene were blessed with a beautiful baby girl. Congratulations to a great sis & brother in-law. Kiley Joy was born this morning at 10:30.. She weighs 8 lbs. 1 oz. and is 20 inches long. Mom and baby are both doing well. We will see them all soon!

picking mulberries

This year I have picked more mulberries than I did last year - which was a bumper crop. They are going straight to the freezer to await my jelly/jam making week. I can't wait to make a fresh batch. We still have 4 or 5 quarts from last year left.

Picking mulberries is giving me an upper body workout - reaching & streaching. Boo is also giving me nightly walks (we are being more religious about them, since he started wandering the neighborhood). So - I am hoping these two things will help spur me to get more active and start to loose some of this weight that I have put on over the past 12 years.

I think of what weight I was before Emily was born - and would dream of being a size 8 again. Motivation is the key! Pray for motivation as summer nears and I have more time.

3 1/2 days to go

Wow! The count down is really on. We have 3 1/2 days to go. One is a field trip to the zoo with all the kids K - 8 who made their A.R. goal. Should be a fun time. What is funny is my students did not want to count that as a day of school - said that we only had 2 1/2 days to go. Guess they don't realize that taking 18 kids, 3 parents, and all the other classes (don't know numbers for them) to the zoo, in the heat, is hard work. It should count as 2 days of school - not subtract one.

Seems crazy though how fast this year has flown by. Look out summer.... here we come!

another game

Today Michael had an afternoon game. The first inning took 45 minutes - and after it the game was tied 5 to 5. Then the other team went up 10 to 5 & got us out 1, 2, 3. For the 3rd inning Michael went in and pitched. Since the length of the 1st inning, if the other team scored even one run, the game would be over. So - the pressure was on. Michael struck out batter one, batter two and then walked a man (after having 2 strikes). Then he struck out the fourth batter to end the inning. Their team had a chance to come back and tie it up - but they only scored 2 runs, ending the game 7 to 10.

Although they lost the game, Michael did an awesome job pitching. He came home with the game ball. One the way home he said, "Mom, do you think I earned my spot as a starting pitcher after that?" I told him that I sure hoped so, as he did great. We will see. This is the first season the kids are pitching - and they just started pitching the whole game last weekend. Until then they had 3 innings of pitching machine & the rest kid pitch until the time limit was up. Usually it was one or two innings. So - they are all very green.

I am a very proud mommy. Wanted to get a picture with him and the game ball, but my camera was at school. Will take it later in the week.

school is almost out!

We have only 4 1/2 days of school left! Yeah! Hopefully I can find enough to keep my students occupied - as I have finished almost everything. I am going to have to be creative and think of things to keep them occupied during the last week of school.

mulberry time

I noticed last week that the mulberry tree had tiny berries on it. Over the weekend they got bigger and started turning red. Tonight I went out and picked berries for the first time. I have a gallon of berries in my freezer put away to make jelly & jam. I can't wait to pick more. The kids are excited to help make more jam and jelly.

We pass two mulberry bushes on our walk and Michael's wheels started turning - he wanted to go pick from those bushes. I might have said yes, let's go ask the people (they always just let them land on the sidewalk and get mashed) but Doug is so against eating anything mulberry that what we have in our yard is probably more than enough.

I will have to keep busy and pick them every day now for a while as they ripen pretty quickly.

Boo is found!!!!

Yeah! A nice family found Boo on Saturday. They had taken him home and were getting ready to take him to get him scanned for a microchip today. They put an ad in the Courier Journal which Doug saw this morning. Thus, Boo has been brought home!!! Yeah!!! He will get lots of hugs and treats when the kids get home, I am sure of it! Thanks for all the prayers!

no Boo yet

We still have not found Boo. Yesterday it started raining and it rained all day so we made new signs with a picture and laminated them and put them up. Doug is going to go down to animal control today (as they were not open over the weekend). Animal control will not tell you anything about what they picked up over the phone, so hopefully he will find him there.

We have two very bummed kids - hope they are able to concentrate at school today. Michael feels like this is all his fault - since he left he gate open. Emily is just missing him very badly - and feels if she was at home, maybe she could have been able to help. So - pray for us all around.

Boo

This week Boo has taken to wandering. Monday & Tuesday evenings he got out. We plugged all the holes in the fence & we got his exit route figured out.

Yesterday Michael had a friend over. The two boys were playing in the backyard and they went to retrieve a ball from a neighbor's yard. When they did, the gate did not fully close - and Boo too advantage of the situation. It was just a few minutes before we figured it out - but enough for Boo to be nowhere in sight.

He has been gone since around 6:30 last night. Please pray we will find him.

Michael's baseball update

Last night Michael accomplished yet another new thing - he pitched an inning. He pitched 30 pitches (which was the limit until today). He got a strike out and did well with the other batters also, especially considering it was the first time he pitched.

Today they started pitching the whole game - no more pitching machine. Their team won today! They have lost 1, tied 1, and won 8 games. Wow! What a season!

Here is a video of Michael pitching. When we got home he and Doug measured out his pitching zone in the back yard - so he could practice. What is funny is on the way home from school on Friday Michael had asked Emily if she would stand 40 feet away from him as a target for him to pitch at. She said no - you will hit me, use your tee. Michael then responded, no, that won't work, a tee does not say ouch when you hit it! Then I responded, if you hit your sister with a pitch, I am sure she is going to say more than outch!