2-15-2011

It's Tuesday...only 3 more days and we are on our way to Florida! Can't wait to feel the hot sun and not worry about bundling everyone up just to go outside! Usually by now I have everything packed and thought out...not so much this year. I don't know why I'm leaving it to the last minute, but we'll see how it goes! This year the weather is supposed to be in the mid to high 70's with maybe a few days in the 80's!!! Just what the doctor ordered! I've been working on some sort of point system for the kids to make our trip to Florida (20 hours in the car) a little fun and rewarding! For every hour they behave and get along with one another they can earn 100 points! There will be rewards set up for 200 points, 500 points and so on! I don't have all the rewards planned out...still working on that! I ordered a Kids Road Atlas and a couple other traveling books that will hopefully help entertain them. A friend of mine mentioned having some colored pipe cleaners handy in the car as something the kids can do to be creative...what a great idea! I can already picture the crazy, fun things the kids will make out of them! Another item for my list of things to pick up before Friday :)

Yesterday Craig took Levi and I to Bahama Breeze for lunch! Yummy! The kids had fun at their Valentines parties at school and we had a quiet evening at home together as a family! I love those quiet evenings...

Drew & Autumn both have 100 day of school projects to do so we got creative and came up with some fun ideas...pictures to come! Drew took a square lego board and we took 100 little legos and spelled out "100"! It was my idea and he really resisted at first. I decided to start building it and see what he thought. Once he saw how cool it was going to be he got excited and finished it up! Autumn wanted to do Legos too, but I told her we could come up with something better that suited her better. I picked up a big white poster board and we laid out pink heart shaped marshmellows to spell "Autumn"! Looks so cute! Now just hoping the glue will hold them on the board!!! I have never been a crafty mom, but always wanted to be...if that even makes sense. I don't like the mess and clean up, but I love to see my kids as they are working hard on projects and the finished project is always so fun to see!

This post is all over the place...just some random things I'm doing and thinkin about this week!!!

February 7, 2011

Monday...

We had another busy weekend...last Friday I drove down to Perrysburg, OH to visit my sis-in-law and the boys and pick up my computer that my brother was working on. He cleaned it all up for me and it's working great...thanks Chris! Levi had fun visiting with his cousins and I enjoyed my time with Mandy. Levi slept all the way home. He got home around 2:00 and had no power at the house. We already had plans to go to Ellen's in the evening for small group so I packed up some clothes and our pillows in case we had to stay the night. Picked up the kids from school and they said school was without power the last hour too. We got over to Ellen's and I got a text from a neighbor saying power was back on! We ended up staying at small group pretty late...kids in bed by 10:30pm.

Saturday was a stay home day around here...we all slept in and got to work cleaning up the house. I started in the living room and told the kids to work in their rooms. Next thing you know, we were cleaning out and rearranging both big kid rooms. It was fun, but a lot of work. The kids were excited for bed that night in their "new" rooms! We got another 3 inches of snow so once the kids went to bed I headed outside to shovel it off the driveway.

Sunday was a another great day! We went to church at Walled Lake Central and Autumn's friend Melissa came home with us to play for the afternoon. They had fun dancing, playing dolls, and putting on make-up. Melissa's favorite part was playing with Levi! We drove Melissa home around 5pm and headed to Ellen's for a Super Bowl Dinner and a little bit of the game! We got home after half time and Craig was home.

Today the kids had school and Craig, Levi & I just hung out at home. It was nice to do nothing! We've been trying to plan our April vacation to Florida. There are lots of people to see while we're there, but since it's Craig's vacation week we really wanted a nice, fun place to stay. We went onto www.vrbo.com and found a great house to rent right outside of Orlando. 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath house with a private pool in the backyard and a clubhouse with pool, gym, video game room...it's going to be great! Can't wait!!!

BUT first things first...I have a busy week ahead...Bible study tomorrow, Thirty One party on Thursday night, Girl Scout Cookie Pickup on Friday, then packing, packing, packing for our trip to Florida next Friday! I am ready for some sunshine and warm weather!!!

January 31, 2011

Just another Monday....

Back to school for the kids and a trip to the grocery store for Levi and mommy! It wasn't just a regular day at Kroger for us...it was crazy! There were people everywhere. The weather man says a BIG snowstorm is coming Tuesday to Wednesday...I've heard 8 to 10 inches and as high as 10 to 15 inches. I guess we'll have to wait to see what we really get! People forget we live in Michigan and snow is expected in Michigan. Most posts on facebook are about the snow coming or the crazy grocery stores!!!

Snow like this just reminds me how blessed we are...food, shelter, family, friends...the list goes on. We have it all! Everyday I dream of a new house, new furniture, new everything...I don't need it. God has blessed me with so much! I have a great husband that works SO hard to provide for our family. We are in a position of saving some money and not living pay check to pay check like so many around us. We have a house big enough for all 6 of us (and a pull out couch when Ryan comes!!!), 2 vans that get us where we need to be or where we want to be, we are blessed! I am blesed to be a stay home mom and wife. It is easy to get caught up in what we want and what we don't have...I am guilty of this for sure. Time to count my blessings!!!

January 30, 2011

Sunday...

The kids and I started out our day at church at Walled Lake Central at 10am!!! It was a good service. Worship was really good and I didn't hear much of the speaker cause I was out with Levi and his runny nose. I went back and forth...do I go to church and get as much as I can since Levi won't be in the nursery or do I just stay home and hang out with the kids...well, being the "social" person that I am, I chose to go to church. The kids love it and want to be there so that was a good enough reason for me. Plus, I take Levi in the service with me and at least get to worship before he gets antsy and needs to go in the hall! I made the right decision for sure!!

After church we grabbed a bite to eat at Wendy's while Levi napped in the car (much needed nap) and then Alex had another Flag Football game. He is loving this sport and is really good at it. This is the 3rd sport he has tried and really succeed at! I'm one proud sport mom!!! The Buccaneers pulled off another win by 1 point in the last few seconds of the game.

The rest of the afternoon and evening we played games by the fire and relaxed! Craig got home around 7pm from a 4 day trip. Levi gets so excited when he sees daddy walk in the door!