A Little Family Fun

Thursday was Matthew's Second Grade Family Fun Night. So... with Andrew and Darci gone, we loaded up and headed over to the elementary school for the program. I didn't take that many pictures, and the ones I took aren't very good, but, well, my hands were a little bit full. :)

Ella was ready to watch the singing.

Matthew was doing a little pre-game warmup with one of his buddies.

Haleigh was ready too.

In fact, Haleigh was so ready, that I think she would have been right up on the stage with the big kids if I had not scooped her onto my lap. And I didn't get many pictures of the actual program due to the fact that I had to keep her in a vice grip bear hug to encourage her to stay put.

Matthew was front and center during the singing, surrounded by girls. I like the picture below because of the little guy in the blue shirt right in the middle. He seems especially pleased with the performance.

Matthew enjoyed his brownie, even though he didn't want me to take his picture. Of course.

Haleigh had a snickerdoodle.

Nana came along, and held Ella during the refreshments.

After the songs, the group moved to the first gym for a bowling demonstration. They had fun knocking down pins, and taking turns setting them up for one another.

 Haleigh liked it when the pins fell down. She kept a tight hold on her cookie while she watched.

Ella liked it as well.

The group moved to the second gym for the bumper car activity. The students hold the 'steering wheel' and walk on the lines of the gym until they meet another student. They 'bump' (gently) and turn away in the opposite direction.

They start with a small group, and gradually add more students until it starts to look like rush hour traffic. They had fun, and we had fun watching.

Haleigh is just waiting for the day when it will be her turn. Soon, Haleigh, very soon.

Thankful Thursday

Thankful for these precious, sweet, silly girls,
and the time we have shared with them this week.

Thankful for Cheerios spilled on the couch.

Thankful for sharing with little sister.

Thankful for happy mornings.

Thankful for milk.

Thankful for silly poses.

Thankful for sweet chubby cheeks.

Thankful for her bunny.

Thankful for fun with toys.

Thankful for naps.

Very thankful that baby did not fall down the air duct! 

Oh no! That was close!

Thankful that Ella can turn on the TV all by herself. 

The remote is really her favorite toy, 

and she's very good at crawling with it in her hand.

So thankful, so blessed.

No Lion, It's the Hodgepodge

Yay for Wednesday, and another Hodgepodge. It's a busy week here at the old homestead, with two little granddaughters spending the week with us while their parents are on vacation. Having a toddler and a crawler around takes me back to those by-gone days when I was a young mom. I am no longer a young mom. :)
We are having a great time with the little ones, and I am loving their smiles, giggles, hugs, and kisses. Truly priceless.
Thanks to Joyce for hosting the Hodgepodge. Enjoy my answers, then click on the button to visit her blog.

1. Did March come in like a lion or was it something less ferocious in your neck of the woods?

Definitely a big, roaring, ferocious lion. Last Friday afternoon, tornadoes struck several towns in southern Indiana. This is a photo of the high school in Henryville, just a couple hours south of us. Please pray for all those affected by the tornado. Many lost loved ones, homes, churches, and businesses. Clean up and relief efforts have begun, and the needs are great. There are many ways to give, and many agencies accepting donations. The United Methodist Church is just one of many groups working to give assistance and hope to the areas devastated by the storm. They have given some suggestions for ways to help, including prayer.

2. Speaking of lions, which one's your film favorite...The Cowardly Lion (Wizard of Oz), Mufasa (The Lion King), Elsa (Born Free), or Alex (Madagascar)? You may notice I left Aslan off the list. Including him would have made this question way too easy for many of you.

Of course, it's The Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz. It's always been a favorite of mine, and our children loved it too. And who could resist the cute little cowardly lion in the picture below?

Halloween 1988

Jonathan 16 months, Andrew 4, Jennifer almost 3, David almost 6

3. What's your favorite spot from which to view the sunrise or sunset?

I would have a favorite spot to view the sunrise, if it started later in the day.
My favorite place to watch the sunset is Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman Island.
Best. Sunset. Ever. These are just a few of my favorite sunset photos from past trips.

4. To what extent is knowledge power and to what extent is truth power? What's the difference?

I have most often heard it said that knowledge is power. Being well-informed is the best way to make wise decisions. Right now, that's all the deep thinking I can manage.

5. What's something peculiar you've seen recently?
 I don't know if it's peculiar, but I thought this was a mighty fancy suit this guy was wearing.

6. Bottled water...your thoughts?

Bottled water is nice for convenience sometimes, like on hot days at a ball game, or at the county fair, but I'm fine drinking plain old well water from the faucet.

7. What's your strongest sense?

My children would probably say it's my hearing, but I think it is my sense of smell. Both can be a blessing and a curse in a family where boys are the majority. I would like to invent a vehicle with an exhaust fan. Just sayin'.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
We are just 52 days away from the wedding of our daughter Jennifer, and her fiance, Bryan. It is so much fun, and a little hectic, getting every detail planned and finished. On Saturday, she was given a wonderful shower, including a delicious brunch, a sweet candy bar, and many lovely and useful gifts. Here she is back at our house sorting the gifts, showing them to Bryan, and packing them up to take to her house, which will soon be their home together. It is such an exciting time for them, and it is a blessing to see the love that they share as they plan their future together.

Too Cute Tuesday

Tuesday morning, and we're all ready for MOPS. I'm the mentor for the group this year, but I usually only have to get myself there! I managed just fine, and we were there on time, fed, dressed, and happy. I guess it does come back to you! These sweet girls are a blessing.

Haleigh decided she needed a little pepper in her bowl while I was taking care of Ella.

She kept saying, "nose, nose." I guess she likes things spicy!

Shayne was here with Aunt Janet this afternoon. Haleigh showed her the magnifying glass.

They were taking a close look at each other.

They shared a hug when it was time for Shayne to go home. Sweet girls.

Matthew came on the bus after school.

He had a quick hug with Gumbo,

and then got busy practicing his spelling words. His words are a little trickier than the words I remember from second grade. Behavior, cooperate, obedient, companion, reprimand, and confident were just a few of them. One of Jonathan's fond memories of grade school is having spelling words that all rhymed. I guess Matthew is past that.

Of course, Haleigh was anxious to do some 'spelling' of her own.

Ta dah!!

Happy Ella was following Gumbo to give him some love. He kept moving, and she kept following. Good thing he is such an easy going dog!

Hello Monday!

Not much time for blogging with two little girls in the house,

but I wanted to post just a few pictures from our day together.

Big girl Haleigh!

'Drawing' a picture.

"Cheese!"

Ella, you've got cookie on your nose.

All clean!

All ready for bed.

Night night!

Oh the Madness

The month of March brings St. Patrick's Day, spring break, and, of course, March Madness. Growing up in the Hoosier Boilermaker State, basketball is a big deal. This time of year we are in the midst of high school sectional tournaments. If you have ever watched the movie Hoosiers, you get a little taste of what it's like to experience basketball in Indiana. Our beloved Pirates will play tonight against arch-rival Batesville for the chance to play for the sectional championship tomorrow night. For the first time in school history, the Pirates are undefeated.
As in Un. De. Feated. Do you know how hard that is? They are the only team in the state of Indiana with a perfect record this year. We are proud of them, and it will be a hot time in the ol' gym tonight. Go early, or you may not get a seat!

Of course, my two all-time favorite players are now semi-retired from the game, but we sure did enjoy watching them play for the blue and white back in the day. They were not undefeated, but it didn't make us any less proud of them. In fact, learning to be a good loser is just as important as learning to be a good winner. Participating in sports allows kids the opportunity to learn life lessons about hard work, perseverance, being a team player, and keeping a positive attitude no matter the final score.

My Favorite (basketball) Pirates

Andrew

 Jonathan

In keeping with the March Madness theme,  we'll go a bit deeper into the archives with a nod to our Boilermakers. It was March 1995 when we made the trip to Lexington to see our Boilers play in the first round of the tournament. The team was anchored by the 'Big Dog', Glenn Robinson, and we were excited to see just how far they could go. 

Our nephew, Kevin, flew us down in their airplane. Here we are, ready to go, at our tiny little local airport.

 That's Andrew, David, and yours truly in front,

Josh, Kevin, and Jim behind us.

We were thrilled with our court side nosebleed section seats at the top of Rupp Arena. I honestly don't even remember who we played, but I do remember we cheered when the other team came out on the floor. It's hard to see from way up there!

(Do you think the boys kept their #1 fingers up for the entire plane ride?)

We did win that game, though, and we continued with our team spirit during spring break in the Cayman Islands. Here is Andrew watching the game. Must have been an exciting one! :)

Happy March Madness everyone! 

Go Pirates! 

Boiler Up!