Kake play of the week

Haven is up for the KAKE football play of the week. Voters have till Thursday to submit votes. http://www.kake.com/highschool/headlines
Caden is in the video, during the play and the TD celebration.

Haven Wins!!!

Tonight, Haven football won it's first game in 2 years! We beat Belle Plain 27-18. The game began last Friday night on the 10th, but was postponed to tonight due to weather. We were up 20-12 at the half. So, it was a great ending to a huge drought for HHS football. Caden did great, and the boys were very excited.

Went to Pizza Hut after. After eating I discovered a fly in the cheese shaker that I had been using all night. We all got a big kick out of that. Honestly, I didn't even care, cause, We Won A Game!!!

Good job boys! Finally a payoff to all the hard work and dedication. Well done!

The weather was perfect

for some football tonight! Kobe's first game of his MS career started with a huge win over Hillsboro. 36-14! He started at center and played an entire game of offense. He played defense for the 5th quarter and showed some intense drive as he took out some of their lineman! It was nice and cool out, around 65 degrees.

Looking forward to Caden's opening game tomorrow night against Kingman. They are talking about him over there...possible double team coming his way.

I am blessed with great kids and their God given talents!

Black and Gold Scrimmage

Spirit night was last night. Booster club hosted a big carnival, silent auction, and raffle. There was a hamburger feed, performancse from the chorale and band, and a dance. Both boys scrimmaged. Kobe went against the 9th graders and won! He was pretty excited. I think he enjoyed throwing down a Jr. Caden did well with a recovered fumble. Overall a good showing. Michael won a Sony Reader for me, which was awesome!!! Been wanting one of those.

Today was our varsity volleyball pre-season tourney in Pratt. Saw many good things, but unfortunately didn't get the wins we wanted. Needless to say, I am exhausted from 2 days of little rest and lots of business to handle.


Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. ~Winston Churchill

Back to school

School has started! Caden is a Jr and Kobe is in 7th gr! I am so shocked how they have grown up right in front of me. My eyes see, but my mind remembers how small and helpless they used to be. Now, they could probably survive on their own...well, for at least a week. Once the food ran out and the underwear was all dirty, desperation would set in! Anyway, football is also underway. Had a cooler week to start, thankfully. Temps in the upper 80's all week, with some rain. Sat, they both had their scrimmage. Along with the O line, Caden will also be playing Def end and special teams. He had a good showing on defense at the scrimmage. Kobe will more than likely start center, and has been exhibiting a great attitude so far. I wondered how a daily practice would work for him, and so far, no complaints. He showers and crashes everyday when he gets home. Ha! I am coaching volleyball at the high school this year. I have the C team and it works pretty good with my work schedule and the boys' games. The other coaches are great to work with which makes it fun! We have another week of practice before matches/games start. Friday night is Spirit Night with the Black and Gold Scrimmage and lots of fun activities hosted by Booster club. Sat, the varsity squad has a pre-season tourney. I'm excited to see what we can do.

Looking forward to a busy season with 2 football games a week and 2 volleyball dates a week. Michael and I are also directing Cubbies again this year. A replacement wasn't able to be found, so I was led to continue. It will be a little stressful during VB, but we will make it work. Maybe next year we will be able to take a break.

End of another season

This week was the end of the kids' church softball seasons. Kobe is on the 12 and under team, while Caden moved up to the 18 and under league this year. Both of our teams placed 3rd and ended with double header wins the last night! It was a great summer!

We are in the middle of re doing our entire yard. Had a well put in on Wed. Will kill all the grass, level the yard, install a sprinkler system, seed, and landscape. We are bartering services with a friend who needs a roof. He runs a landscaping company. This has helped with the expense of it all for sure. Can't wait to see the final result.

We are praying about what to do with our roofing company. This summer has hit us pretty hard. Business is non-existent and we are contemplating closing shop. The extra income from the company gave us comfort, and at this point we are beginning to feel the pressure. Just unsure what to do. It costs every year for insurance and licensing, and when we aren't doing any jobs, it doesn't pay to even be open. So, we will see! In the end, we know God will provide.

A couch and a truck

The boys are all on a scavenger hunt with the church youth group. "The Great Couch Event" is an annual event involving a truck with a couch in the back. The groups must complete a list of tasks with the couch and a video cam. Sounds like a good time.

I am so sad to see summer go by so quickly. Less than a month till school starts. Trying to get things organized around here before the craziness of football and school set in. Kobe is excited for Middle school and is ready to go. He can't wait for me to buy his new calculator. Ha! That's all he talks about these days.

Not sure we will be able to get to Dallas before school starts. That was the original plan, but with everything coming up so quickly, not sure we will have the time or the money. Steve, Steph, and Mia were here last weekend. We were able to have a big family lunch at Gambino's. Both sides of the fam came to eat and fellowship.

Grandpa had some scary times last week. His pacemaker wasn't functioning correctly, and once they finally figured it out, a new lead wire was placed. At one point his heart rate was dangerously low. He spent some time in the hospital and is home recovering. Darian and his fam are coming to visit this upcoming week from Indianapolis. I think we are all getting together next weekend for a Mexican meal! Duane's were here a couple of weeks ago from S. Carolina.

Another work week ahead. Michael's company is on shut down, but he is working. 7 days a week! Whewy! Looking forward to a rewarding week!

Ciao

Caden got home from LIFT camp last night. He was excited to tell all about it. Sounds like he had a great time and met some new friends. He is speaking in church tomorrow. I think they are doing a skit of some type. Anyway, it's good to have him back home!

Tomorrow is July 4th. We are having a special church service with music, video, and a patriotic sermon. I'm singing the Star Spangled Banner with a trio. Michelle and Lizzie are here for the night and will come to church with us in the morning.

I have to work on Monday. That's sucks. Kobe and Michael head off for the Jr High Road trip on Tues. They are going to Denver to do a service project, attend a Rockies game, go to an amusement park, and do some hiking. Should be a good time. It's definitely going to be quiet around the house that week.

Weather is rainy and dreary out. Hope it clears up for the 4th. Gotta blow some stuff up around here!

Michael's lucky day Thurs, June 17th, 2010 as seen in Hutch News

Two men injured in porch collapse

"Two men were injured Friday evening when part of a roof they were working on collapsed at 1406 W. Second Ave.

Acting Battalion Chief Jason Holland said two men were working on the roof of the house and a third was standing on a ladder. One of the men had just stepped from the roof of the house onto the roof of the porch when the porch collapsed to the ground, also taking the man on the ladder with it, Holland said.


The man who fell from the roof, Michael Littlejohn of Haven, was flown by helicopter to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. Sgt. Bryan Stephens said Littlejohn's injuries were not life threatening. Holland said Littlejohn had been in and out of consciousness immediately after the fall, and Stephens said Littlejohn was being taken to Wesley as a precaution.

The man on the ladder, Gary Vincent of Hutchinson, suffered an ankle injury and was taken to Promise Regional Medical Center."

God was definitely protecting him that night. It's truly amazing that with the fall, and the roof falling on him, that he didn't have more serious injuries. He is still sore, but walking and breathing. Praise the Lord!

Team Mexico 2010

Let's try this again. Was trying to blog our Mission's trip the other day, and the power went off. So, here goes:

I'm 36 and Caden is 16. We are headed to Merida, Mexico with 13 others to help build a church! We are excited and ready for whatever the Lord has for us there. There are 11 from our church in Hutch, and 4 from Grace Baptist in OKC. Me, Chase, and his mom Shelly are the only adults. The rest are teens. Amber, Lyndsay, Mallory, Lacey, Ashley, Lindsey, Caden, Jeff, Jonathan, Caleb, Chris, and Wes.

Day 1, June 1
Bus picks us up in Haven. Kobe was sad to see us go. We are driving to OKC to meet the others and get to know them a little before we fly out tomorrow. Once there, we play games, some VB, have dinner, and a Bible study. Girls spent the night at Shelly's and guys went over to Chris'.

Day 2, June 2
Up for breakfast at each house. Loaded up and headed to airport for flight at 1:10pm. Lengthy layover in Houston, and finally arrived in Merida around 10pm. Took awhile to get through customs and had an hour drive to the church where we will be staying. First thing I noticed off the plane were the heavily armed guards and how stinkin hot it was! OK Lord, get me through this. We all know how much I LOVE the heat of summer...not! We met the local Mexicans and had sandwiches for dinner. Vickie is the Smith's 15 yr old daughter. She will be will us for the entire time to help with translating. She immediately fit in with our group, which was great. Most of our team slept in hammocks, but there weren't enough hooks so some of us, including me, got beds. Pretty sure the hammocks were cooler, with the extra air flow, but I was OK with a bed. I kept running the scene from Gilligan's Island through my head. Took a cool shower and got to bed around 1:30am.

Day 3, June 3
Didn't sleep well. Noises of nature all around, and the heat...oh my goodness...was bad. Up at 6am, to begin our first day of work. There's a huge load of dirt (or should I say rocks), that has to be moved into the floor of the new building. I helped with that. We had to shovel into wheelbarrows, then transport up a ramp, and dump. A couple people leveled all the dirt. This was pretty intense work. Chase and his group mixed mortar, moved cinder blocks, and began to build the walls of the new auditorium. This was very intense work. Add in the high temps and 100% humidity, and it was downright difficult. Some painted chairs for a bit, but the majority of the day was spent moving dirt and building walls. Stopped for breakfast at 8am. Had eggs n ham with veggies, beans, and OJ. It was delicious! The wonderful ladies from the church have volunteered their time to cook for us, every meal, all week! We are blessed. Worked till noon time, had some sweet bread which was cooked over a fire pit. It was yummy. It was break time as the heat of the day was at it's highest. We walked to a local swimming hole which was located underground in a cave of limestone! It was the most amazing place I have ever swam. We wore our nasty work clothes and just enjoyed the crystal clear water and coolness. One of my favorites places in Mexico for sure! After the swim, we enjoyed another great Mexican meal of fajitas, rice, and beans. The siesta follows lunch. We relaxed, napped, and got some much needed rest. Back to work around 4pm. It was so hot and muggy! Stopped at 6pm. Everyone showered, and unfortunately we ran out of water! A couple kids had to use a cup and bucket! The heat is so crazy that I would sweat constantly, while I ate, slept, or showered! CRAZY!!! That evening we headed downtown Motul to the square where all the action is. Some of the kids rode in the back of a truck, standing! Walked around, went into the Governor's house, and had some ice cream. Got back around 9pm, had a dinner of tostadas that were to die for. One weird thing is the eating schedule. We eat breakfast early, then late on lunch, then really late on dinner. I asked if this was typical, and Vickie, said not really. Bed by 10:15pm. Our roommate the little lizard, is quite noisy, so little rest again for me.

Day 4, June 4
Up 5:45am. Worked till breakfast. Pancakes and fruit. Really good! The am was cool, but after breakfast, the torturous heat arrived. Some teens stamped Bibles, while the rest continued on with the walls, and dirt. Today was our last day in Motul. Swam again around 1pm, and actually got a little chilly in there! Lunch was fried fish with a wonderful carrot sauce, tortillas, COKE. It really does taste better here! After siesta, we passed out the Bibles (Books of John), to the locals. We split up into groups, Jon was with me, and we went up to the homes and shouted, "Buenos Tardes!". It was quite the experience for me. Completely out of my comfort zone for sure. But the people were nice, and didn't laugh to much at our Spanish. Had a Spanish church service that evening. Caden and Wes gave their testimonies. 4 of the kids that Caden's group gave a Bible, came too. And they got Saved!!!! PTL!!! Enjoyed their choir, and singing with them. Dinner after, tostadas with a cream sauce. Got to bed around midnight. Lacey and I decided to sleep outside, due to the heat. I was still very restless.

Day 5, June 5
So we got eaten alive overnight. Lacey has little bites (chiggers) everywhere, and the mosquito's feasted on me. It's Sat. Worked till 8am, finished 2 dump truck loads of dirt!!! The kids did an awesome job of working hard, with no complaining. Even when it seemed impossible, we kept going. Definitely with some help from above. The pastor and missionary were very impressed with all we had accomplished. Breakfast was cheese empanadas, which was a favorite for many. We relaxed till 10am, then headed to the beach. Stopped at some ancient ruins for around 30 min. Kids climbed the pyramid, and we walked around. It was off the beaten path, and no one was there. It was beautiful, my mom would have loved it. Playa De Coco was the beach we ended up at in the Gulf. Swam for a bit (once again in our clothes), and then went to a place where we could swim with big, freshwater fish. Cost around 880 pesos for all of us. We rode in boats down a forest covered canal, powered by a man using a long stick. This trip took at least 30-45 min. The mosquito's were ridiculous! We tried to use bug spray, but it didn't matter. I, once again, got attacked. Big time. I counted over 100 bites later that evening. Thankfully, Richard took me to a pharmacy to get some calamine. I am eternally thankful for that! So after the long boat ride, we get to the swimming area. It's not freshwater at all. It's slimy from all the algae, and the fish are huge! I got in for a short time, but it was pretty gross overall. Kinda reminded me of Lake Cheney. EWW! Rode the boats back, and headed back to church. I rode with Kique. He stopped on the way home to get us a Pepsi. Here he has very little, but gives it all. This is how we should live. Had lunch around 4pm. Pork with tortillas. Amazing again. Showered and go on the road to Merida for a youth rally. Mallory and Jeff gave their testimonies tonight. Service was in Spanish again. We sang for them. Trading my sorrows. Went pretty good considering we didn't prepare much. After church, we hung out in their outdoor fellowship area. Played games, mixers, and had some really good Mexican pizza. Got to bed pretty late.

Day 6, June 6
Woke up with my right eye swollen shut from another stupid mosquito! I'm pretty miserable with all the bites. We packed up and cleaned. Breakfast was corn flakes, fruit, and choc cookies. HA! We sang happy bday to Amelia the head cook. She is truly amazing! Had church, and after we were presented with a couple of banners telling us thanks and that we will be missed. It was a wonderful moment for our group. The fact that we don't understand each other, yet can communicate, was awesome. Had lunch and then our group and all the Mexicans all sat around the table and played games. They taught us one, and we did them. They played "down by the creek bank". The connection was made. People exchanged emails, took lots of photos, and said their goodbyes. Vans were loaded, and we were on our way to Merida, and a hotel!!!! AC and WIFI!!! Had church that evening in Merida. Chase preached and Richard interpreted. Lacey, Jon, and Lindsey gave testimonies. After, Richard and Valarie took us to a restaurant where they have the world's best tacos (according to Valarie). She was correct, they were great! We also had coke in a glass bottle. Went back to hotel, and the teens all walked to town square in Merida. Us adults were exhausted. Bed by 11:30pm.

Day 7, June 7
Up at 7am. We have rented cars to travel. Each adult has one. Plan was to go to breakfast at the Smiths. Had no address or directions. Vickie would guide us. Except she wasn't in my car. We all got separated. I had no idea where I was, or where I was going. I knew they lived on the same street as the hotel, so I just started driving. Needed gas, so stopped. Ended up giving the gas attendant a really large tip, as I had no idea how much was normal. Ha! I guess it's usually 5 pesos, but I gave 50! Oops. The speed bumps in this country are insane. There are different types and are located randomly everywhere! Pretty sure I caught some air a time or two! Anyway, after getting lost, returning to hotel, and calling Richard, we were finally able to make it to their home. 1 hour late. Had mango muffins, cereal, fruit, and yogurt, with some really amazing mango juice. I was able to call Kobe from their vonage phone. He was still a little sad, but it was good to talk to him. Ten of us traveled to Tahdzibichen to help build again. Chase and Jeff did concrete walls, while me, Caden, Lyn, Mallory, Vickie, Chris, and Wes dug a foundation for a wall, and mixed mortar. So digging was hard. Huge lime stones had to be pick-axed and then dug. Wes had to physically lift gigantic boulders out of the way. He was impressive to all, including the Mexicans. And we forgot our gloves! So this first day here was trying on us all. I did get to use a machete!!! That was fun, for like a second, until I couldn't breath....ha! Lunch was some amazing bbq chicken, noodles, beans, and ice cream. YUM! The other group stayed and helped out at the church in Merida with painting and cleaning. On our way home, I was leading and missed our exit. Mainly because we were all laughing hysterically due to me hitting a speed bump at a high rate of speed. But Chase got us home. Hotel by 3pm , showered, and rested. Went back that night for a volleyball tourney with all the guys. I had 3 Mexicans on my team, along with Mallory and Lyndsay. We pretty much rocked! It was a cement court, but lots of fun! Dinner was tortas. The bread was so good.

Day 8, June 8
Breakfast at Smiths. Pancakes, bacon, fruit...so good. The bananas in Mexico are excellent! Worked again. Lunch was chicken fried steak, rice, beans, COKE. They filled their pool for us, so we were obligated to use it. Most of us just put our feet in. We were not clean! A couple swam. Got to hotel around 4pm. Walked down town, had dinner at a coffee shop. Had a great time bonding as a group. Did a little shopping. Bed 11:30pm.

Day 9, June 9
Slept in till 8am! Met as a group to talk about trip so far. Everyone spoke of unity, and teamwork. This experience has definitely changed the hearts of all involved. Breakfast at Smiths. Cereal, cranberry bread. Left Kobe and Mom as message. Drove 2 hours to the Chichen Itza ruins. It was so awesome! Saw the sinoche (altar) where the Mayans did virgin sacrifices. So hot again. Just us and the sun! Had tortas that the Smiths had packed for us. Valarie came along. There were lots of vendors, so did more shopping. Got Mia a Mexican dress! Got into some heavy rain on the way home. These rental cars are a pain. Not power steering, or tilt steering, and little leg room. I'm more sore from driving than from all the intense manual labor I've been doing. Church tonight at Tahdzibichen. Chris, Amber, and Ashley all gave testimonies. Home by 10:30pm. Gave the kids a 1am curfew. They want to spend time with Vickie before we leave in the am.

Day 10, June 10
Up 4:15am to get to airport. Lupe took our luggage. Richard and Valarie came to see us off. It was especially hard to say goodbye to Vickie. We were her favorite group ever. Took a few more group photos, then boarded. In Houston, customs took forever, and we were cutting it close to making our next flight. Caleb ran to stop the plane. We had to run through the airport and made the 10:20 flight at 10:19am! CRAZY! Once again, we were sweating! Got to OKC around 11:30pm. Chris' dad took us to Panera for lunch. Even though the authentic Mexican food was amazing, it was great to eat "normal" food again. We all shared our favorite moments. We will miss the people most.

All in all, this trip was for one thing. To show God's love to the people of Mexico. To do whatever they needed. That's what we did. In the meantime, we made friends, built relationships, and saw decisions made. We want this same unity and commitment here in Kansas. We want to all be on the same page. We want to win the battle we're in, not just complain about it. We live in a wonderful country. A country with power tools, air conditioning, proper transportation, safe water, sewer systems that can handle toilet paper, etc. We have everything, but give very little. The people of Mexico have little, but gave everything. We learned a lesson while there. Don't take anything for granted, and live for God, not yourselves.

So I can't remember who all gave testimonies and which day! If you know, tell me please!

Camp

Dropped Kobe off at Camp Mennoscah yesterday afternoon. He was pretty excited cuz his buddies from school will be there. Camp ends on Sat, so this is the longest he has ever been. His cabin was small and stuffy. Very hot. It stormed last night, and the river was already really high, so I doubt they will be doing any river play this week. Praying for good weather and fun memories.

Home sweet Home

So we are home from Mexico. Full of God and His glory! Many awesome moments and stories to share. Lots of great food and so many wonderful people. Missing them already! It's great to be home to recover from 10 days of hard work, hot temps, bugs, and no AC! My ankles have never been bigger than they are right now. Sunday the Missions team will present testimonies about our adventures in the Yucatan. We all kept journals, and very soon, I will document some experiences on my blog. I'm ready to get a great night's sleep for now. I appreciate all those who gave and prayed.

Team Mexico

Tomorrow Team Mexico from WBC will be off for an awesome, inspiring, experience on the Missions field in Mexico. Caden and I are among a group of 15 headed to Merida, Mexico in the Yucatan peninsula. We will be leaving from OKC on Wed, the 2nd, and will return on the 10th. I will try to blog updates for my own personal benefit, but all depends on the cellular service available. Anyway, I'm pretty excited! I know I'll be changed as a result. Just hope I don't melt in the meantime.

Tonight was Kobe's last concert in grade school. He played in the band, and did a steel drum act, sang with the choir, then danced the night away. I was impressed with the marching band! Even earned a standing ovation! Hard to believe there are only 2 more weeks left for my babe to be in grade school. Never thought I would see the day!

I traveled with Caden and the high school band to Branson this past weekend. Unfortunately, I got sick and was unable to partake in all the weekend's activities. Did enjoy seeing Dixie Stampede and eating a huge meal without utensils. Caden had a great time with his friends and is now saying how sad he will be to see some of them graduate. Caden will now give you the run-down on this past weekends events:

Well Branson was fun....we rode on a bus for more than 13 hrs of bus riding to and from there....our hotel was crappy....My friend Marilyn fell and cut her toe walking back from Olive Garden which was probably 2.3 miles away from our crappy hotel...I taught my friend Josh the "black hand" and my friends Marilyn and Oliva some BP!...I also went in a house of mirrors...I also broke my glasses and took lots of cool pictures...also SNL with Betty White was on in our hotel and that was probably the best part of the trip...I even bought the episode on my ipod....also Silver Dollar City was pretty sweet...I went around the park with my friends Emily, Brooke, Preston , Josh, Jessica, Madison, and Bri...we had a blast. so....be jealous. BP FTW!!!!! :)

As you can see, it was full of teenage who-knows-what. Anyway, good memories, right?

Tomorrow night is the AWANA awards. This will be my last night to present as director of Cubbies. I am stepping down as this is Kobe's final year also. I'm planning on coaching vb at Haven High next year and won't have the time to put into it anymore. Kobe will be receiving a big award tomorrow night. The Timothy award is presented to someone who has completed every book in AWANA. 9 total books of Bible memorization and application. I'm not sure what the total number of verses he has memorized, but it's A LOT! Caden got this award nearly 4 years ago! It is very difficult to earn this, and both of my boys did it! Proudy proud!

Encore

Tonight is Haven High's variety show "Encore 2010". Caden will perform several acts, his favorite being the Wildcat Singers rendition of the Blue Man group.

State music was a success with his trumpet trio earning a "1" rating and the Wildcat singers a "2". In order to qualify for state, each ensemble had to get a 1 at regionals.

Track is coming to an end. Seems to go by fast. Caden has PR'ed in all events this year, which is great. At least he is improving. He was excited to break 100 ft in Javelin on Tues. His weight man' s relay, AKA, 4 X fat, has competed in 2 meets. It's quite the entertainment. Caden is actually pretty speedy, I clocked him at 12.5 for his split. He starts for the relay.

Kobe is the king of dodge ball these days. We have to construct a castle for a class assignment, which is just one more thing to add to my list of "stuff to do". Sounds like a job for Michael...

My dad is recovering nicely. Has his last PT tomorrow, but still has 4 more weeks off work. I think my mom is dealing with him pretty well. She hasn't flipped out publicly yet...lol.

The wind is outrageous right now. The boys and I have suffered with crazy allergies the past few weeks. The temps are wonderful though.

My dad had knee replacement on Monday and is coming home tomorrow. Of course, I will be taking him home and to therapy when I can. Thankfully I am able to do this for my mom since she works all the time. I am feeling a little bad for her considering the type of patient my dad tends to be. She has probably been enjoying these last few nights with the bed to herself and someone else taking care of him. LOL. Anyway, thankfully the surgery was a success and he will be on the road to a full recovery with less pain and suffering.

Bring on the pain meds!

Caden placed 4th in Javelin and 5th in Discus today at the Moundridge meet! He PR'd in both as well!

Kobe started another season of dodge ball tonight! It's fun, wild, and he loves it.

As we go through the rest of this week, I am a proud mom. I pray my boys' futures will be full of achievement, honor, and integrity. I pray they grow old, be healthy, and love life. I pray they will not go with the flow, not succumb to peer pressure, and that they try to always do the right thing. Time is too short to take dangerous risks. I pray I have raised them to succeed.

Circumstances surrounding us this day prove my point. Do good. Try hard. Be smart. Make good choices. Don't play with fire. Be free. But, mostly, love God.

First skype with Mia last night. Talked to her tonight as well. It's wonderful having technology to keep us in touch from such a far distance. Love the kisses too!

Another track meet today in Fairfield. Caden did well and the team got 1st overall. We've been having warm temps, but it got downright cold toward the end of the meet. Looks like we might be getting our first bout of spring thunderstorms soon.

Kobe finally ordered his guitar he's been pining for all year. He saved up most of the cost, and used a little from his savings to pay for it. He will be replenishing his account as soon as he starts earning some money from helping with his dad's lawn care business this summer. It's a Les Paul something or other...no idea. Anyway, it should be here any day now.

Springtime

Tomorrow is Caden's first track meet where he will be throwing the Javelin, shot, and discus. It was 82 degrees today and I look forward to a wonderful day tomorrow at the meet. It's crazy that it's already April. School will be out very soon, and we only have 5 more AWANA club nights. WOW!

We will celebrate Easter with the Littlejohn's on Friday night with dinner and family. Not sure what we will do on Sunday, but the boys will go over to the Shadoin's to be with their dad's family. We have 2 busy church services Sunday morning, with special music and video. Looking forward to it. He is Risen!

Spring break

Last week was spring break. The boys and I left on thurs the 18th to go see the 1st rounds of the NCAA tourney in OKC. We were able to see both KU and KSU win. It was a long day, from around 9am till 10pm that night. We decided to make the 3 hrs drive to Dallas instead of getting a room for the night. Steve and Steph are in Los Colinas and we wanted to get there asap. We arrived around 2am.
Fri the 19th, we hung out with Mia at the apartment. Went out for some dinner when Steve and Steph were home from work, but were still recovering from the tiring day before.
Sat, we all just hung out, watched the KU game. Had to watch via computer cuz they were playing the Baylor game instead. KU lost and it was a horrible game. This was supposed to be their year, but they seemed to play less and less like a team toward the end. Anyway, we were pretty depressed for the rest of the night.
Sun, after Steph got home from the hospital, we went shopping at the outlets in Allen(sp?). The weather was cold and windy with some snow/rain. I guess Kansas got hit pretty hard with lots of snow. We also made a stop at IKEA where we got Mia an easel. She had a great time with the chalkboard.
Steve and Steph had to work all week, so it was just us and Mia. Mon we took a picnic to a nearby park, fed the ducks, and blew bubbles. Mia quickly caught on and was blowing bubbles everywhere. Temps were in the 70's! Tues we took Mia to the Ft Worth zoo where she rode the carousel, petted an armadillo, and saw lots of animals. The weather was awesome getting into the upper 70's again. We spent 5 hours there and were exhausted, but had a great time. Mia and I had to sit on a bench on the carousel cuz she wasn't too sure about the horse. Wed, we decided to go to Chuck E Cheese for lunch and some fun. Mia had to do a little warming up to Chuck E, but eventually gave him a fist pound. She refused to ride anything automated, but loved running around looking at all the games and rides. Of course, Caden and Kobe were able to use up all the tokens in a timely fashion. I think, Kobe even refilled his game card once. After we got back to the apartment, the boys took Mia swimming in the non-heated pool. She loved it. Caden about froze to death, but it was fairly warm outside. We spent half the day on Thurs playing with Mia. We left around noon, and Mia was not a happy camper. Neither was aunt kimi. Anyway, we had a wonderful time with them. Mia is getting so big, and is still a very happy child. She will be going to daycare part of the time, which I'm sure she will love. We missed her the minute we drove away. Thank God they are closer.

Kobe's 6th grade team placed 2nd today in their last BB tourney of the season! They won 3 and lost 1. Kobe also perfomed at KCDA yesterday for the Treble Honor Choir. As the were singing one of their songs, the lights went out. The funny thing is they all kept singing in the pitch black and even cut off together! Talent, for sure! They restarted the song only to have the lights go out a second time. Crazy! The choir sounded great.

Kobe's last Grand Prix

This is Kobe's last year in AWANA. Our church doesn't have a Jr High program. The Grand Prix was last night and Kobe's car won 3rd place in design. It was a Hershey's bar with a bite taken out of it. Pretty cute. He was happy, as this was the first time he had ever won anything in the Prix.

Once again, another last event for my kids. (Sigh)

Caden's great news and Kobe's new journey!

Just a quick note to tell of some more exciting news in our world. Caden found out yesterday that he made the sub-state team! This is big for him. Only 12 can suit up. He wasn't able to suit up for the Rupp tourney in Jan., but has been playing well and consistent. He was picked above a junior player and the other soph who has been on var since the beginning of the season. Needless to say, he was so happy. He has gotten some playing time on varsity, depending on the score of course, but this year has definitely been good for him.

On Feb 1, 2010, Kobe set out to get strong and healthy. He will be entering middle school next year and is excited to make an impact. He has struggled with his weight since 1st grade and I can tell it is beginning to affect his confidence and self-esteem. So, we have started to eat healthier. He is doing amazingly well, as this is quite the lifestyle change for him. Since the 1st, he has lost 5 inches and 4 lbs. We will continue to monitor his measurements weekly, throughout the summer, with a 40 lb weight loss goal in 6mos. I am also trying to be as supportive as possible, with Caden and Michael following along. We will see what happens!!!

Caden suits up for varsity!

Caden learned last evening that he would be suiting up for varsity for tonight's game. This was exciting news for him. He understood that actual playing time would be minimal or more than likely none, but he was happy non-the-less. So, we played Lyons tonight and had a pretty good lead throughout the entire game. 5 min left in the 4th quarter, and Caden goes in! Of course, I wasn't expecting this at all, so I didn't have the camera with me. He finished the game having 2 great shot attempts which was awesome! All in all, he got his chance to play with the big boys and he did reasonable well. I am proud!

Goodbye 2009. Hello 2010!

Happy New Year! It's 2010, and I'm excited for what this year holds. I'm pretty sure it will just fly by, so I plan to take it all in and enjoy myself. My brother is finally in Dallas with his family! We are just thrilled to have them closer! I think they are planning a trip to KS this month as Steph starts her new job in Feb. Steve will be on the hunt for a job. He is ready to get back to work for sure. As for Miss Mia, she is growing fast! I hear that she has been getting more ornery also. I can't wait to see her, it's been 3 mos...too long indeed. I don't see how anyone would want to discipline that sweet little thing...lol.

Well, only a few more days off from work and school around here. Then it's back to the old bump and grind. Kids go back on Tues. They've been staying up till the wee hours of the morning and sleeping till after noon everyday. I've actually enjoyed the quiet mornings with Michael out hunting and the kids snoozing.

Lastly, we experienced a "first" this past week. On New years eve, Caden drove ALONE to his Aunt Kristy's house. This was a little frightening for me as I watched him back out of the driveway and go around the corner. Ha! Their house is literally AROUND THE CORNER! Anyway, I was nervous and proud to say the least. Now I know what my mom was going through every time we left the house. Bless her heart!

Wishing you all a blessed 2010 full of love, joy, and happiness!