The 'Tainer

Between an older sister and three older girl cousins who hand down their clothes, Noelle rarely gets any new clothes. Of course, she doesn't know the difference and is thrilled with everything "new to her." One day someone (I think it was my mom) asked her if she had gotten new shoes. "No," she replied happily. "They're from the 'tainer." Priceless.

One more thing...

Bonnie was labeling the things naughty children get from Santa:

"Sticks, rocks, and light bulbs."

I guess light bulbs instead of switches.

Yes, it has been forever since I wrote a blog entry. So, I will briefly catch you up on what has happened since April.

Kellen "graduated" from Kindergarten.
Josh and I celebrated our 11th anniversary.
We took a road trip to see my dad in Dayton, OH -- 9 states in 10 days!
Noelle turned 3.
I started back to work full-time.
Kellen started 1st grade, Bonnie started Kindergarten, and Noelle goes to preschool two days a week.
Noelle was in the hospital for 2 nights with a nasty infection called Shigella.
Kellen turned 7.

I'm teaching junior high math at a small school near where my mom lives, so she takes care of Noelle during the day. It's a wonderful situation. I don't get to blog/Facebook/shop online much (and really don't miss it), but the kids are doing awesome and I really love coming home at the end of the day ready to spend time with them. We leave school (they go with me) at about 4, get home about 4:30, and they play/do homework/practice piano and basketball while I fix dinner. We have dinner, have baths/clean up, and then it's time for bed. Then, of course, I usually have to get back to work. But it's really a great situation. I love being able to see Kellen and Bonnie during the day without having to teach elementary school. And Noelle couldn't be in better hands.

I may not blog again for another 8 months, but we are still here and thankful to have happy, healthy kids.

Merry Christmas!

400th post - January 2011

I'm going to try to get caught up with the blog over the next few days. I noticed that this is the 400th post. Cool.

In January Kellen started playing basketball on a team. He improved greatly over the season and had a lot of fun. The league was an Upward-style program run by several of the churches in our town.
The cousins came and spent the night one night. Everyone did great. This was the toothbrushing line.
A random picture of Noelle with a puzzle. She can't do them all on her own yet, but she likes for us to work them together and have them all over the floor.
Bonnie turned 5 in January. She was SO excited to turn 5, and graciously accepted all of Kellen's (very unsolicited) advice about what being 5 is like. I must say, she is really growing up. She's reading well (it's great to have 2 readers in the house!), and is just fun to hang around. I registered her for kindergarten today.

She had a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's, which was her little heart's desire. I took most of those pictures on my dad's camera, and they are on a flash drive somewhere, but just let me say I will never do that again. It was crazy! We did go use the rest of our tokens during spring break at about 10 on a weekday morning, and that was much more my speed. But I had no idea what it would be like on a Saturday at 5.

And to close today, another random Noelle picture. Poor neglected 3rd child just had to go to sleep on the floor since no one would put her in her bed.

Who's On First?

Conversation w/ my mom (Texas Tech grad):

Me: The Aggies are playing tonight.

Mom: How are they doing this year?

Me: Uh, they're doing pretty well. They're playing LSU in the Cotton Bowl. (Thinking: "Duh!")

Mom: Oh, I was thinking the basketball team. (Because basketball is all we talk about around here.)

Me: No, football.

Mom: Wait, who did Tech play?

Me: I think Northwestern.

Mom: But what bowl did they play in?

Me: I think the Ticket City Bowl.

Mom: Oh, I thought it was the Cotton Bowl.

Me: Well, it was at the Cotton Bowl, but it was the Ticket City Bowl.

(Silence)

Me: OK, the Aggie football team is playing LSU tonight in the Cotton Bowl, but it's at Cowboy Stadium.

This is not to make it look like my mom doesn't know anything, it was just a funny conversation.

On a side note, wouldn't it be clever to call it the Cotton Boll? OK, it wouldn't.

December 2010 (pre-Christmas)

The kids had their Christmas program early in December. PreK got to participate this year for the first time, singing "John 3:16" and "Jingle Bells." Super cute.Kellen's class sang "Rudolph" and "Silent Night."
Bonnie had the title role in our church's Christmas production of "Alabaster."
Just too cute.
Busted!
When your mom works at the preschool you have to pitch in to clean up.
K's class had a birthday party for Jesus. They drew names and had a book exchange.
Happy Birthday Jesus!
Bonnie and her girlfriends from class.
Christmas party craft.
Josh's brother had surgery last week, so the Jones Family Christmas Bash was here this year. All 10 cousins:
And the whole family:
The after-effects of Gran's present. She gave the girls totes full of lotion, bath stuff, makeup, powder, etc. I put a sheet down and let them go at it.
Since we stayed in town last weekend instead of going to Lubbock, we had time to go out to Mom's and cut her Christmas tree. Heading down the road to find the perfect tree.
Got it! A perfect juniper.

Heading back. Are you hyperventilating from the excitement of it all yet?

Taking a break to swing.

Family Pictures

We had family pictures taken this morning at the cheap/convenient place. Here are some of the good ones. Noelle is pretty much noncompliant when it comes to picture taking, and I was really pleased with the smile Kellen managed to produce. He's had that awkward/forced thing going on for awhile now. Overall, I'm happy with the pictures and I know in a few years I'll be glad we just went and did it.



I didn't order this picture. On the CD that you get they include all the pictures, and from the thumbnail view one can't tell that eyes are closed; you guys get the idea.