Family Fun Night ~ BADminton!

Family Fun Night last night was certainly, um, Fun(ny)!

Last week Kyndal and I found a badminton set on sale at Aldi for $12.99. She asked if we could buy it to use on a Family Fun Night.

Last night was the night.

It took a little longer to set up than we thought, so by the time we were ready to get started it was beginning to get dark. We waited and waited and waited for Kyndal to finish changing clothes so we could start.

In the meantime, Rick and Brynne practiced with Dawson.

Then Kyndal finally arrived ....

.... in this!

We played two games ... one to 21 and the other to 7. It was Rick and I against Kyndal and Dawson. Although you would have thought we would have been blinded by Kyndal's outfit, Rick and I still beat them both games!

I'm not very good. In fact, I told the kids that I was the best player on their team.

After I finished playing, I stopped to take some pictures. I was squatting next to the pole, and got a birdie to the head. It was so funny! The paparazzi gets no respect in this country!!

Eli spent the whole night in the house. His idea of a fun family night is for us to all go outside and leave him alone inside.

There was lots of laughing going on. We had a really great time, even playing in the pitch black dark, and will pick our game back up tonight.

Today is Brynne's birthday party at the zoo, so I'll be posting about that tomorrow or maybe even later tonight.

Rick Rocks ~ Because He's a Great Daddy!

Although initially it doesn't seem that this is directly related to being a good husband. But, if you're a wife and mother, having your husband also be a great daddy makes him an even more incredible husband! And, it also makes him even more attractive to you ... or at least it does to me.

Rick is more than great with the kids. He is a total hands-on daddy. He baths, changes clothes, fixes meals, cleans up, plays, works in the yard, cuddles and more. He will spend entire weekends with them so I have time away to recharge, and I don't have to worry for one second about whether they will be cared for the way I want it done.

He went with me to take Eli to kindergarten for the first time. And last night when Eli was going to bed he told Rick that he wanted him to just stay home with him and "hang out".

On Brynne's birthday he took her to breakfast, just the two of them, and gave her a special gift. (Okay, he had a little help from me, but to her it was so special!!)

On Wednesday nights when Kyndal goes to youth service, she wants Rick to come pick her up, not me. It's because he's more fun. This week they played the question game on the way home. They have some great talks.

When Dawson has his play tower sleepovers, Rick's the one out there helping him run the extension cord to it so the boys can play their video games and watch movies.

I don't know what I would do without Rick as the father of my children. I'm not saying he is perfect. God knows he and I both make lots of mistakes as parents. But, I know lots and lots and lots of wives who do nothing but complain about how absent their husbands are in the upbringing of their children. I can't say that. All I can say is ...

Rick Rocks ~ Because He's a Great Daddy!!!

Thankful Thursday

Maybe it's because it's a rainy, rainy day. Or maybe it's because I'm feeling some strong effects today from some damaged relationships in my life. But, I feel that pit in my stomach today.

Reading Loren's Thankful Thursday post took me back to the first months after we moved here. Kyndal was really having a hard time with the adjustment and was upset all the time. She and I started a Gratitude Journal. At night when she went to bed I would have her tell me three things she was grateful for from that day, and I would list my three. It was a wonderful time for us to spend together, and it really did help her start to look for the positives in her days.

So today I will join the Thankful Thursday girls and concentrate on those things/people I am thankful for.

1. I am thankful that Rick is the kind of husband who is willing to always be growing in our marriage relationship, and in the relationships with our children, even when we are going through or coming out of difficult times. I am so grateful that we can talk openly with each other about even the most intimate things and that he is one of those husbands who actually shares his feelings. I always tell him that he's "such a girl", but I am really just thankful that he is. Because of that we are always able to work on making our marriage and family better!

2. I am thankful for relational kids. Kyndal came home from school yesterday and immediately told me that she had met a new boy who was friends with a boy in our neighborhood. He is also the son of Brynne's pre-k assistant teacher. When I told this teacher that Kyndal had met her son, she was so relieved! They had just transferred him to our school district and she had been worried about him all day. She thanked me for Kyndal reaching out to him. And Brynne's friend was very nervous about her first day of pre-k until she saw Brynne in her class and then she immediately felt better. All of my kids are relational in some fashion, and it make me so happy!

3. I am thankful for my friends Steph and Loren. I posted about Steph here when it was her birthday. She is just always thinking of me and I feel so protected in her friendship. Loren is just a gift from God all the way around and I feel surrounded by God just by being friends with her. Last year we started having coffee on Thursday afternoons, but had to stop this summer because of family commitments. I am happy to say we are starting that back up this afternoon!

4. I am thankful that God continues to prod me and prune me and change me. He doesn't let me give up on relationships just because they have become difficult. He continues to show me my faults in those damaged relationships. Although I don't know, at this time, how to "fix" anything, He does and I am thankful He will continue to guide me in the right direction.

5. And, I am thankful for DVR. There, I said it! I am thankful Project Runway starts back up tonight and that all my favorite shows will be starting their new seasons soon. I will be recording them and watching them all and that makes me happy!!

Blog Awards

If you are a regular blogger, you know all about Blog Awards. 

I'm terrible at receiving them.

I don't want any giver to think, for even one second, that I am not grateful for them or even a little excited about getting them. But, I feel weird (I'm not sure that's the right word) about being the recipient and then posting about them.

I feel like I am bragging about something I have no business bragging about when I post that I have received them, or if I add the award to my side bar. 

This is not an uncommon issue with me. Even though I am the "life of the party" usually, there is a huge part of me who doesn't like to be pointed out! It's a complicated mixture of emotions.

So, I wanted to take a moment to thank Loren for the awards she has given me this summer ~ the Friends award and the One Lovely Blog award. Thank you for thinking of me and for your kind words.

Yesterday I received the Your Blog is Fabulous! award from Kendra, one of my new DFW blogging friends. That was very sweet for you to think of me, Kendra, and the things you said about me made me feel so good. Most importantly, by quoting something I said in the first few minutes you met me, makes me feel important and listened to. Thank you for that!!

So, ladies, the Blog Awards are very much appreciated!! I think you are awesome too!

The First Day of School ~ 2009

Today is the first day of school. What an exciting day!

Round 1: Kyndal and Dawson

Kyndal and Dawson rose bright and (too) early at 6:15 a.m. to get ready for their first day. 

Dawson wanted to ride the bus with his best bud Antonio, so no pics of him at his school the first day. I did take this one of him and Antonio yesterday when we were finding his locker and walking his classes.

And then these this morning before he got on the bus to head to the 7th grade!

Kyndal's friend Caitlyn came over for me to take them to school. Here's a picture of them together. They are in high school now!! It literally seems like last week that I was taking Kyndal to kindergarten. I can still see her in her braids with her huge Barbie backpack walking down the long sidewalk. After the first day she wouldn't let me drop her off at the kindergarten loop anymore. She made me drop her off at the sidewalk in the front of the school, furthest away from the door, so she could walk as much of the sidewalk as possible and enter with the big kids.

Here's a picture of Kyndal before we left for school ...

... and her last look as she got out of the car for her first day in high school.

Round 2:  Eli and Brynne

I type this with tears in my eyes this morning because we took our little Eli (aka "Boogie Bear") to kindergarten this morning. He was very excited and looked so handsome in his big boy outfit. Seriously I can't believe he is going to be away from me all day every day. It didn't seem to phase him a bit!

After Brynne got him settled in his chair (she was literally yelling at him across the room that she had found his chair .. he was taking his time looking at each one trying to find it himself), we slowly exited the room to allow him to grow up. But, it was hard! I can't get over how big he looked sitting at that table, coloring his first page in kindergarten.

(** On a side note, Eli and Brynne are in the very first kindergarten and pre-k classes to be at our new school. It is a state-of-the-art facility that is so amazing! It's a fun school! There are "pods" that house 4 classrooms each, with a central activity area. Each pod has a different insect mascot. One is ants, one is ladybugs .. I haven't seen the rest. There is actually a big ant and a big ladybug in the carpet. It is so cool! I am thrilled my kiddos get to go to this school!)

Brynne was slightly disappointed that she couldn't go ahead and stay at preschool, because she goes half-days in the afternoon. But, we walked her down to where to room is going to be and then headed home for the morning.

Morgan and Makenna started coming again today, so we played outside for a bit before it started raining.

After lunch, it was time to take Brynne to her first day of pre-k. (We are blessed that the pre-k program is at the new school where Eli goes, which is literally about a one-minute drive from our house. If you have any idea about the driving schedule I have had in the past three years, you would know how excited I really am about the new school!)

As you can see she was very upset to be being left at school .... NOT!!!

The child has obviously been living for this day. In fact, she pushed her way to the very front of the line so she would be the first one in. The girls and I were about 10 families back.

Now I sit here, at my computer, in the silence, finishing this post, happy as can be! I actually spoke to my husband on the phone with no interruptions, am getting ready to eat my lunch and then will finish up a tad bit of housework before it's time to bring them all home!!

"Me" Has Returned

I feel like the true "me" has come back from a long summer vacation.

I told my daughter yesterday (actually in a hissy fit of sorts) that I was worn out from the "free for all" that has been occurring most days this summer.

I am a schedule girl. I am working to try to be a little more spontaneous, not needing quite so much order in my day. But, when it all comes down to it, I need a certain amount of order!!

Today I have been completely in my element. I got the teenagers ready and off to school. I got Eli ready and off to school. I have gotten some housework done and am getting ready to get lunch prepared for the girls. Then I'll take Brynne to school and put the girls down for a nap and finish a little more housework (in the peace and quiet). Everybody will then start to come home from school and work and our nightly "routine" will continue.

Somehow in the midst of all of this, I feel an immense amount of peace!

Last night we started our new routine of getting everybody moving toward bed by 8:30 p.m. So, Rick and I were sitting down, together, alone, in the quiet, watching t.v. by 9:00. It was great! With some family cooperation, this will make our nights so much better!

Come back later to hear all about our first day of school!

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today  ~  August 18, 2009

Outside my window... It is cloudy and cooler after quite a rain storm last night (I said the same thing last week!)

I am thinking... about how today is my baby brother's 30th birthday and how I should call his old butt right now (it would be 6:30 a.m. his time) and wish him Happy Birthday! Instead, I'll let him sleep in and then I'll call his old butt!!

I am thankful ...  for my great kids, even though two are preschool age learning to assert their independence and two are teenagers .. wait .. also learning to assert their independence. Does it never end??? Now that I think about it, I'm 38 and still trying to assert mine.

From the learning rooms... oh, school starts tomorrow. Reality for all (and some peace for mommy) is about to set in!!

From the kitchen... I sit .. tired, needing some coffee, and thinking about all I need to do today!

I am wearing... my pjs and my robe. This will be my last day of doing this at this time of morning for a long time!

I am creating... an idea for a creation to hang on one of our walls in our kitchen (I've been inspired by the DFW bloggers). And I'm getting all of our plans ready for Brynne's birthday party this weekend.

I am praying ... for some final acceptance of relationships, restoration and some peace for everybody involved.

I am going... to spend my days sorting my kids' clothes, boxing up all of the things that are too small and making some order out of school clothes versus play clothes.

I am reading... "One Weekend to Change Your Life" by Joan Anderson.

I am hoping... that I'm not as tired tonight when it's "me and Rick" time. I've been exhausted this whole week, I guess recovering from my "relaxing and refreshing" weekend away!

I am hearing... "Tom and Jerry" on the t.v. and Brynne whispering loudly, "Clifford .. Cliiiiiiiford!" (he's our cat).

Around the house... I have a sleeping family. They aren't going to enjoy having to start getting up early when school starts! (I said this exact same thing two weeks in a row).

One of my favorite things... is the first day of school. I loved it when I was in school, and I love it now that my kids are in school. There is just something so new and fresh about the start of a new school year. The smell of new school supplies makes me smile (after I've gotten over the shock of how much I paid for them!) I love the nervous energy and the tears! And then the kids tell me to get a tissue and an even bigger grip, and then they're ready to start!

A few plans for the rest of the week... Today we are just organizing and getting prepared for school tomorrow. Dawson and Kyndal and doing "one last summer thing" and going to the movies together. They went bowling together last night. And tomorrow is the big day!! Thursday we meet with our Life Coach for the first time in a long time. On Friday we are having our Family Fun Night. We bought something to do as a family, and it should be fun! You'll have to stay tuned for that! Saturday is Brynne's birthday party at the zoo. I've been planning this now for about 9 months (seriously!). On Sunday Rick is playing golf with a friend. After church I might just take a nap while the kids play. And then on Monday I have to have a medical procedure for a recurring medical problem I am having. I am not looking forward to it at all and could definitely use prayers for good results.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing..

Kyndal loves to edit photos on Picnik. She did this one this week. It made me smile that even with all of the issues we have as a normal family, and the additional ones we have as a blended family, she still feels this way about us AS a family.

Get to know other Daybookers at the Simple Woman's Daybook.

To The Point of Being Ridiculous!!

The cost of school supplies continues to rise. With four kids in school this year, I knew things would get expensive.

I already bought all of Eli and Brynne's supplies because their class lists came out a month or so ago. Their supplies probably cost me around $20-25 each, not including a new lunch box for Eli. They are reusing their backpacks from last year.

But it's the older kids' supplies that really get me! Typically they don't get their lists from each individual teacher until the first day of school (Dawson's in middle school, Kyndal's in high school). I did go ahead and get supplies for each of them that I knew they would need regardless, like a binder for Dawson, pencils, paper, spirals, etc. I am making them reuse their backpacks from last year because (a) they were expensive ones (they had to have Under Armour and Hurley) and (2) they are still in perfect condition.

When I took Kyndal to get her schedule today, only one teacher had her list out. It was for science. $25.00 later, I had all of her supplies for one class!!! Seriously? At this rate it will cost me about $150.00 for her supplies and equal that for Dawson.

When I was in school, you got a binder, a spiral and some pencils. If you had an assignment that required you to color something, you took it home and colored it. But now, you have to have colored pencils for about each class, not to mention a long list of other things. If I buy colored pencils for each class, that's about $10.00 in colored pencils alone! She could just use one pack in every class. And now we have to supply ziploc bags, kleenex's, sharpies, expo markers and such for every class. It's irritating!

Sorry to vent here, but seriously? I'm going to have to start getting a summer part-time job just to fund school supplies from now on. As if school clothes wasn't painful enough!!

Anyone else experiencing this, or am I the only lucky one?

Menu Plan Monday

Wow. After a weekend of doing nothing but eating and having fun, it's time to get back into a normal eating schedule (and back to the Y .. although I was too tired to go this morning ~ shame on me!)

Here's what we are having for dinner this week:

Monday ~ Chicken fettucine

Tuesday ~ Steak fajitas with the works (bought marked down sirloin a couple of weeks ago and froze it for this rare treat!)

Wednesday ~ FFY (Fend for Yourself) - although I might come up with something fun because it's the first day of school. Any "school" ideas???

Thursday ~ Asian chicken stirfry (my favorite meal)

Friday ~ Pancakes and turkey bacon

Saturday ~ Probably a Papa John's pizza (this is Brynne's birthday party day and after a long day at the zoo celebrating, I'm not going to be too excited to cook!)

Sunday ~ Chicken and dumplings (my son requested this a few weeks ago. I attempted it, but it was slightly disastrous! I have plans to perfect it, so am giving it one more shot before giving up!!)

Head over to the Org Junkie to get more menu ideas.

If your kids are headed back to school this week, enjoy them! We only have two more days.

Pen Pal to Best Pal

On Friday, the girls and I drove to Dallas for the purpose of meeting up with a group of bloggers from that area. What started out as an opportunity for me to spend some time with my best blogging friend, Jen, turned into a party with 17 fun women.

I didn't take a whole lot of pictures, but here are some of the girls whose blogs I follow everyday. My friendships with these women have gone beyond blogging, to routine e-mails and even a phone call or two of encouragement.

Here is me and Jen. Can I just say that I now love her like a sister. She is a sweet, sweet woman and I am so proud to call her my real life friend. (More on Jen in a minute.)

This is Jen, Stacy, Alicia and me. It was so great to hug these ladies, each one of whom has become an even dearer friend than I thought possible.

Me and Alicia. She is as real and down home in person as she is on her blog. She is very funny, and so incredibly sweet!

Me and Stacy. Oh how I love Stacy and after all we she has gone through this year it was so nice to be able to hug her and tell her how proud I am of her!

Here is a group picture of all who attended (minus a couple who had already left). I think it has been decided that these DFW bloggers will try to get together once a quarter. I hope to be able to make it once a year.

Then on Saturday, my girls and I spent the day with Jen and her three amazing kids. Kyndal and Jen's 12 year old daughter hit it off famously. We went shopping most of the day, and had lunch. Then that evening we went to Jen's house for dinner. The girls painted fingernails and hung out. At the end of the night they exchanged e-mail addresses and telephone numbers. It was so great to see their friendship bloom out of Jen and my friendship.

Brynne found a new best bud in Jen's 5 year old son. They had a blast together all day. And Jen's little 2 year old was so precious! She has a smile that melts you!

I cannot express enough how great it was to hang out with Jen and her family and to build on our friendship. Some may say our friendship was formed by chance, but I say our friendship is completely God. 

Today the girls and I are going to finish our mini-vacation by doing some school shopping at Grapevine Mills. It has been a great weekend, very refreshing!