Just Updating

Catching up to keep this current. I got a new part time job that I started this past Wednesday the 27th of Jan. I'm working at the First Baptist Church of Garland in the childcare dept. The church provides free child care for those attending the ESL (English as a second language) program and for those going for their GED's. We had 20 kids age three and under, fourteen of them were Hispanic and of those fourteen only two spoke English. It was much different from childcare at our church, Lake Pointe. Not that it was bad, but just different. The lack of communication was the hardest, but in the end, the kids just really wanted to be loved and made feel safe away from mom and dad. I held the crying 18 month old for an hour and a half before he finally gave up and fell asleep. I didn't feel like I helped out much, but the ladies I worked with said that it was the best way I could have helped. Everyone seemed to be really nice and the parents seemed to be appreciative. It is hard breaking from the norm and stepping out of my comfort zone, but I think this will work out just fine. I'm working Wednesday and Sunday nights, and then also one Friday night a month. It isn't much money but some is better than none. I now have three part time jobs. I'm really trying to do anything I can so that I don't have to go back to work full time and put the kids in day care.
Katelyn is old enough and responsible enough to leave at home, but Owen is not and would have to go to Day care.
Last weekend our garage door broke. Joe left for work and when it came down the spring broke. I heard the noise but didn't think much of it, just thought it was thundering outside. The kids and I got up and got ready for their basket ball games and when we were leaving I tried to open the garage door and it started to twist and bend. My first thought was...great we don't have the money to fix this, and then the second one was of the noise I heard earlier.
Quickly called a friend and asked her to take Katelyn to her game. One crisis averted. Next I called Joe at work and told him what had happened. He came home and took apart the garage door so we could get my car out. We ran to Home Depot and to Lowe's to see about getting a new garage door, but they were very expensive and five to six weeks out.
Joe and I decided we would just try to fix the door as best we could to at least get it closed and keep the house secure.
He went back to work and I continued my day.
When he got home we hammered the two bent panels back in place as best we could and then put the door back together.
At least the garage was closed.
On Sunday of last week our microwave caught on Fire. We got it out and taken down which left a lovely hole in our kitchen where it once was. Boy, I never realized how much I use the microwave until we didn't have one. I must admit I'm to spoiled. I kept thinking of the times before they had such luxuries and wondered how they made it. Sounds terrible I know.
The week was crazy and extremely busy. I'm exhausted but have no time to rest as I have to be to work in about three hours.
This week is gearing up to be another busy one. I'm thankful that we are all healthy, I have so many friends who kids are sick right now. Praying we don't fall ill to that.

Literacy Night 2010

First grade book by Owen

Katelyn as Lady Bird Johnson

Giving her one minute speech

Literacy night at Shannon... only one week ago Katelyn came home with this living museum project she was supposed to do. Research, props and costume to be ready in one week, one minute speech needed to written, edited and memorized. Our first reaction was..."Seriously".

Like we have nothing else to do. Like Katelyn doesn't do anything but school. Once our tantrum was over we set down and got to work. It actually turned out to be fun, exhausting but fun. First thing to do was choose who to write about. After looking over a list of names forty names deep we came across Claudia Johnson, better known as Lady Bird Johnson. She just seemed to fit. She and Katelyn share similar ideas. Katelyn loves the environment.

Last night was so busy at school, Owen wrote a story that they edited and published and he dedicated it to his whole class. It was so sweet to have him read it to us, and see how much pride he took in it. Katelyn's speech was heard over and over by many. They were supposed to be like a wax figure, and when someone pushed the button on their poster they turned on and gave their speech. She did great, and was exhausted when it was over. I was so proud of our kids, our school and our teachers. Shannon Elem. really takes pride in making reading such an importance in their education. The fifth grade parents also sold Pizza, cookies and drinks for dinner as a fund raiser for the Sky Ranch trip coming this May. All in all last night was lots of fun. I'm so very proud of my kids. Great job Katelyn and Owen.

Any given Saturday

My basketball stars

Flamin Rockets acting silly

My sweet children

Owen practicing for the game

Katelyn and her friend doing a dance

Flamin Rockets showing their joy

Going over the plays before the game

Katelyn securing the ball

Katelyn bringing the ball down the court

Prayer before the game

Owen bringing ball down the court

I'm open, I'm open...

Doing a great job guarding

My baby, so tall compared to the others

Prayer before the game

If your looking for us on a Saturday, you better check the courts...basketball courts that is. Both of the kids are playing basketball this season. Owen's first time ever, and he actually is pretty good. He has made the first point in the last two games. He is much better at this than he was a flag football and seems to enjoy it more. He has a awesome coach...his dad. Joe signed up at the last minute when we found out that Owen's team was without a coach. There were two assistant coaches, but since they don't attend our church they could not be the head coach, so in stepped Joe. He was just supposed to do the devotionals, but it has never been that way. He instantly was in there teaching the boys, who are in first and second grade how to play ball. They are fun to watch, lots of traveling, some double dribbles, but when a basket is made the excitement they show is better than any words. Owen is having a great time playing and the boys are learning to work together as a team.

Katelyn has a new team this year. Her coaches from last year wanted to move up to play the extreme league against seventh and eighth graders. Joe and I talked about it and spoke with Katelyn about it and choose to not put her into that type of situation just yet. We figure she will grow up fast enough as it is, their was no need to push her to play sports against girls, two to three years older. We wished the coaches from last year good luck and looked forward to meeting who would be her coach this year. Coach Hanson is her head coach and Joe is her assistant. They work well together, and Coach Hanson is doing an awesome job. Funny thing about it is Katelyn knows almost every girl on her team, one she hasn't seen since Kindergarten. This is how we spend our Tuesday and Thursday nights, as well as our Saturdays. So if you need us just look to Lake Pointe and come cheer on our teams.

Just a few more of the Surprise Party

My sweethearts

Friends since they were two
(Katelyn and Emily)

Opening her gifts

Opening Owen's gift

Does she look happy or what???

I love her smile

More Birthday Photos

Picture frames the girls made

Such sweet friends

Table decorations

Balloons (forgot to turn this photo...sorry)

Cookie Cake (made my mom)

My daughter turns 11

My first cookie cake

(didn't turn out that great)

Hollywood was the theme

this is a retake of the SURPRISE
(I missed the first one and this doesn't
do the first one justice.)

Girls being silly showing off their craft

Katelyn was princess for the night

(wow her socks are dirty)

My sweet and beautiful girl turns 11 today. The time is flying so fast. She is getting so grown up and I see her pulling away from me in more and more ways. Today was the first day since she started school that I didn't go see her for lunch. She didn't want me to. To grown up for that. I acted like it didn't make me sad, but actually it really did. Things have been tight money wise for us lately and we had told Katelyn that she would not be able to have a party this year. She was very upset about it, but over the course of the last few weeks had come to grips with it. Well, Joe and I decided to give her a SURPRISE party about a week ago, and tonight was the night for it. She went to school kind of sad about not having a party and I told her we would take her where ever she wanted to go for dinner as long as it wasn't too expensive. She wasn't upset by this, but still would have rather had a party. It was so hard keeping the secret from her. I invited six of her close friends and all of them came. When Joe picked her up from swim team practice, he brought he back home to where she thought she was just going to get me, but instead walked into the house where we all yelled surprise. The look on her face was priceless. The surprise went off like clockwork and she had a great time.

Yes 11 years ago my daughter was born, I have been so blessed to have been able to stay at home with her and watch her grow. From her first step to the loss of her first tooth, to her first set of braces and lots of other firsts I can't recall right now, I have been blessed to watch her grow. Happy Birthday sweetheart, I love you so very much, you make me so proud to be your mom.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year...O.K. so I'm four days late, but the greeting is still one that I mean. It will be a happier new year for this family. I choose to make it one. We may not have all that we want but we are still blessed. We are healthy, happy and ready for the wondrous blessings God has in store for our family this year. New Year's Eve was spent for me away from family babysitting three sweet little loves. The chance to make an extra dollar or two was my incentive, and though Katelyn and Owen weren't all that happy that I wasn't going to be with them when the ball dropped, they soon got over it. Dad was home with them and that always makes things better in their eyes. I would have to agree with them. I love it when Joe is home too. We had a few days off together and oh how I enjoyed our time. New Years day was spend not doing much. We did some grocery shopping and then back home where the kids played outside. It wasn't the warmest, but better than in days past and they were itching to get outside. Joe and I took advantage of the alone time and watched a movie together. Owen has been at a friends house the last two days and I really miss him. He left yesterday around one in the afternoon to go to Six Flags with some friends of ours who bought him a season pass the week before Christmas. He was invited to spend the night which he was so excited about. It was his first time away for the night without having Katelyn with him. My baby is growing up so fast and I hate it. He got to go to Six Flags for the first time and I didn't get to see his face or his eyes as he rode the rides. It was hard at first and I have to admit I cried a little that day, but soon got over it and was filled with joy in knowing we have such good friends to do something so nice for one of our children. I picked him up today for a dentist apt. and was asked if he could come back over and spend the night again. Since we haven't got to do much during Christmas break I said yes. He could hardly wait to get the dentist apt. over and get back over to his friends. He has spent the whole day there and will sleep over again tonight. Tomorrow we will be back together. Joe said he missed his little buddy. Katelyn and I have enjoyed our time together. Shopping, playing the Wii and watching movies together. Girl time, it is great and I really enjoyed it. Yes, this year is going to be a good one. :-)