Still

I saw this idea on another scrapper's blog and I thought I'd give it a try.  She wrote an entire post around the word "still." This pretty much describes my life right now...

Still enjoy watching my two year old eat ice cream (I had to post pictures with the blog, it's just what I do.)

Still don't like seeing Tyler's bedroom floor covered in dirty clothes, sports gear and gum wrappers.

Still love being a mother and a kindergarten teacher.

Still am proud of Madison who got a 100% on her spelling test this week! 

Still can't keep up with all the laundry.

Still love the Twilight series and wish for a 5th book.

Still am behind on filing papers in my room. 

Still think about what the next photo of the day will be. 

Still am grateful that Andy is employed, even though he works in Kansas (seems like permanently).

Still am going to Disney to see Mickey. 

Days 111-115

I just haven't run out of ideas of what or who to take pictures of for this project.  I almost anticipate what to take for the next day.  I am loving the outdoor shots!  It's my favorite time of the year!

Saturday, April 18th - We are in Elkhorn for Tyler's first ever baseball tournament.  Grandpa Oogie is tossing around a soft baseball with Grant and I caught Grant's throw in mid-action and love the look of the scenery around them.  
Sunday, April 19th - We are back for one more game in this Elkhorn tournament and it's freezing and windy for a 10am game.  Brrr!  Tyler's team lost all three games, but this last one was the best (coldest too).  They were up after three innings and it was 6-1 and then they just didn't "show up" for the remainder and lost 10-6.  Good news...no more games for the day! :)
Monday, April 20th - I asked Madison if she'd vacuum out the dirty van after all the baseball weekend fun and she agreed.  Nice work, Madison!  
Tuesday, April 21st - The kindergarteners experienced their first field trip to the BNSF train yard.  The kiddos got to see a turn-a-bout in action, tour a train engine and take a short ride on this mini train.  Each child also got a take home bag of goodies that included a cool train whistle.  
Wednesday, April 22nd - Tyler had a scrimmage tonight in Waverly against the "Rattlers".  The game was short (1 hour 20 min.) because they weren't doing well.  The score 10-2.  I accidently took this picture on the wrong setting, but after looking at it, I liked the artistic feel of the photo.  I think the fencing centers Tyler at bat....cool effect!  

Kids Against Hunger

Sunday afternoon Tyler was able to take part in a wonderful philanthropy project that our church and many other organizations in our community do called Kids Against Hunger.  This non-profit organization is based out of Minnesota, but there are 18 states with satellite programs working for this great cause. 

It's so neat seeing all the kids work so hard to feed children here in the United States and around the world.  I saw on the Kids Against Hunger (KAH) website that they said, "Every hour of every day 12 children per minute die of starvation or malnutrition related diseases."  So the solution is to create packages of fortified rice that are developed by food scientists from places like Pillsbury, Cargill and General Mills.  Since it's launch in 1999, KAH has provided over 100 million meals for children and their families in more than 40 countries through the efforts of over 200,000 volunteers.  What a wonderful thing!  

I forgot my camera (can you believe that?) and quickly went home to get it just to capture a few photos of Tyler's youth group partaking in this worthwhile task.  Unfortunately, I was too late, so I didn't get any "action" shots, but did make Tyler put the hair net back on just for the picture.  I am just the meanest mom!  :)

St. Mark's filled 2,480 packages like the one above in only a few short hours.  Each one of these packages feeds 6 people and costs only 23 cents a per package!  Amazing!  Just think of that the next time you eat out, huh?! 
Here's my darling son sporting his apron and hair net, just to make mom happy for a photo. Thanks, Ty!  

No smoking, please!

Today we ate at one of my favorite restaurants, T.G.I. Friday's, just outside of Douglas County in Omaha.  We once had a Friday's here in Lincoln, but to my disappointment it closed several years ago.  I decided that after Tyler's baseball game today we would have lunch somewhere in Omaha that we cannot eat at in Lincoln, so Friday's was a great choice.    

Then we walked about two feet into Friday's when it hit me....cigarette smoke!  Gasp, gasp, cough, cough!  Ugh, I instantly realized that smoking is still allowed here until the statewide ban goes into effect mid-June.  Now this is not true for businesses in Douglas County, but this holds true for this restaurant that is just blocks outside the jurisdiction of the ban.  Wow...I realized quickly how nice it is to live in Lincoln.  Lincoln has had it's smoking ban since January 2005.  We thought it was just two years ago that this changed, but I "googled" it and it's been over four glorious smoke-free years!  Hallelujah!  

Do you recall the outcry in 2005 from local businesses, bar owners and smokers that we were taking away their civil rights to smoke?  Or when they said that we would be putting lots of bars out of business because smokers would go out of town to drink and smoke?  Outlandish? Justified?   

As an asthmatic, I truly love the fact that Lincoln is a smoke-free community.  I feel blessed that I can walk into any business without needing to grab my inhaler, feel the burn in my eyes or having my clothing smell like an ashtray!  So, a belated thanks to the 62% of Lincoln voters who made it happen!

Days 106-110

Monday, April 13th - Madison had the day off from school, so Grandma Betty came to Lincoln to have a "Girls Day Out".  Madison got to a new outfit from the Children's Place and lunch with Grandma.  What a fun day!  
Tuesday, April 14th - It was one of those hectic nights with Madison's soccer practice and a meeting for the new middle school that we (Mom, Tyler and Grant) decided to eat out.  It is a lot of fun watching the two interact with one another.  I have to say Tyler is very patient and loving with his little brother. 
Wednesday, April 15th  - Andy needed a dark suit jacket to wear at Abe's funeral on Friday, so we went to JCPenney's after dinner and found one. 
Thursday, April 16th - Grant threw up repeatedly last night, so it was a day off of work for me.  Here he is in Madison's bedroom eating her chocolate bunny, unfortunately.  I was doing laundry when I couldn't find him.  He apparently was feeling a ton better!  Oh, I decided not to Photoshop the sore on his nose out that he got over Easter weekend.  It was caused by rubbing his nose on the carpet!  Long story!  Ugh!
Friday, April 17th - Today was our long awaited Farm Program.  The kids were adorable and they did a fantastic job singing.  My kiddos were chickens and the other rooms were turkeys, horses, pigs, sheep and cows.  

The Dreaded Stomach Flu

I just had to add this above picture to show you Grant in action this morning.  By the title of this blog, you might have thought I'd use a different, less attractive picture, but I wouldn't do that to you.  What I witnessed last night is not something I'd want anyone else to have to see! 

So, here's Grant putting in his favorite Thomas the Train video on his own.  The kid is a pro at electronics!  Really, he's managed to disassemble three tv remotes in his first two years of life.  Unfortunately, he did not manage to put them back into their original, working condition.  But, I am sure he's a genius in the making.  Andy and I are hoping he's the next Bill Gates and can set his mother up in a nice, comfortable nursing home someday.  Anyway, I wanted to point out that this child is capable of running a DVD player, but can not vomit in a trash can or begin to potty train.  It's truly a wonder!  

Here's how our eventful night began....Grant demonstrates that he has the flu bug at about 10:30pm all over his bedroom carpet, which requires the Rug Doctor.  I am so happy we own one of those machines!  Then he got sick three more times during the night, which required me to change his bedsheets three more times, of course!  Lots of laundry!  I then began writing out my lesson plans at 11pm and went into work at 5am to get the classroom set up with sticky notes everywhere.  I got home at 6:30 so Andy could go to work and Grant soon woke up and crawled into MY bed and threw up AGAIN!  More laundry!  

Well...I got the two older kids off to school (thanks to the help of nice neighbor Tracey) and talked to Christi (Grant's daycare provider) to learn that two other children from two different families also have the flu bug today.  Go figure!  Highly contagious!  Let's just hope that Andy doesn't get it tomorrow since he's a pall bearer for Abe's funeral or me who has the Kindergarten Farm Program tomorrow afternoon! 

Grant just ate a bowl of Trix cereal.  Glad to see that he is feeling better!  I am hoping I won't be seeing a rainbow of fruit flavors all over my couch!  :)

Days 101-105

Wednesday, April 8th - Here we are 14 years later looking much older and not so much wiser on our anniversary.  We went out to eat with the kids tonight at Carlos O'Kelly's.  A great night since I didn't have any cooking or clean up to mess around with.  
Thursday, April 9th -  Madison and I went for our yearly pedicure at Krystal's Nails.  Last year I took Madison for her first pedicure and she loved it.  She couldn't wait to go today!  She loves the attention.  The technician even painted her finger nails for free to make her feel special.  
Friday, April 10th - Good Friday!  We spent the day dyeing Easter eggs.  Grant loved it and made a huge mess.  So, it was more like watch Grant create a disaster while we clean it up.  
Saturday, April 11th - We went to Kearney for Easter and to partake in Hanna Vance's baby shower.  Hanna is Andy's cousin who lives in South Carolina where she teaches Kindergarten. We had some great teacher conversations.  Hanna is expecting a boy in late May.  
Sunday, April 12th - Easter - I tweaked the color on this photo for a change and gave it an "antique" appearance.  Here the kids are with their Easter baskets filled with candy.