Let's Race

I really don't like to clean house. I've tried all kinds of systems. I've tried getting my kiddos to do it all. I've tried living in squallar. Nothing has worked. Oh... I'm just kidding about some of those things.

Well - one thing that seems to work is egging my kiddos on that I can BEAT THE PANTS OFF OF THEM. They seem to have inherited my competitive gene. ::giggle::

So --we had a race.

First we divide up into teams. Tori and I are usually the captians. Why? Because she and I clean about the same. I know -- she's only 12... that just goes to show.

Anyway... since she is younger... I let her chose her team mate. ::Sigh:: She chose the hardest worker... not necessarily the oldest either... but we are working on that.

So -- we team up.

Then I write down all the rooms we are going to clean, and they draw for rooms. My team gets the latrine, living room and the dining room, and the stairs.

Tori's team gets the kitchen, entry way, and the den.

We only focus on the downstairs today... we'll do the upstairs later.

The results??

Ta Dah...

Apparently the boys got so hot they had to dis-robe. We got 7 rooms done in under an hour. Woo Hoo... then my dear husband brings home supper. What a guy!!

2008 AAU Super Pee Wee Tourney, Match 1

FIREPROOF - Never Leave Your Partner Behind

Fireproof

The following is taken from the Fireproof web-site. It's coming... the movie is coming out August 2008!
At work, inside burning buildings, Capt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter's adage: Never leave your partner behind. At home, in the cooling embers of his marriage, he lives by his own rules.

After seven years of marriage, Caleb and Catherine Holt have drifted so far apart that Catherine wishes she had never married.

Neither one understands the pressures the other faces—as firefighter and she as the public relations director of a hospital. Regular arguments over jobs, finances, housework, and outside interests have readied them both to move on to something with more sparks.

As the couple prepares to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb's father challenges his son to commit to a 40-day experiment he calls "The Love Dare." Wondering if it's even worth the effort, Caleb agrees, but more for his father's sake than for his marriage. When Caleb discovers the book's daily challenges are tied into his parents' newfound faith, his already limited interest is further dampened.
While trying to stay true to his promise, Caleb becomes frustrated time and again. He finally asks his father, "How am I supposed to show love to somebody who constantly rejects me?"

When his father explains that this is the love God shows to us, Caleb makes a life-changing commitment to love God. And—with God's help—he begins to understand what it means to truly love his wife.

But is it too late to fireproof his marriage? His job is to rescue others. Now Caleb Holt is ready to face his toughest job ever ... rescuing his wife's heart.

Kirk Cameron plays the lead role. From the teaser that I hear on the radio -- he sounds like he has really given this his all. I'm excited to see it.

I heard on the radio, and it's backed up on wikipedia, that Facing the Giants cost $100,000 to produce, then through movie ticket sales, and DVD sales, they made $10,000,000 (that's million). Victoria said, "Did we give a little bit of that?" Why sure we did... it was a keeper. Dan bought it. Ü

Of course they have a blog. Doesn't everyone? LOL They are blogspotters. Woo Hoo. The production blog was fun to read. I love those behind the scene stories.

I'm heading to the theaters for this one. For some reason -- we missed Facing the Giants in the theaters... but probably a good thing... since I blubbered through several scenes. I'd better grab a hanky before I go. Those Kendrick boys sure now how to write a good scene, and they just keep giving God all the glory!

New Specs

I've updated my look.

What do you think?

Tori says they look like my sister Genell's.

I think it makes me look like Grandpa Phillips. LOL What do you think Dad? I've got his nose, I think. Now I've got his eye glasses.

The flash is doing weird things to the lenses. They are NOT touching my face... it looks like they are. That must be a reflection of the flash or something.

I'll still wear my contacts most of the time -- but it'll be nice change to be able to wear glasses if I want, and not get a head ache because they are outdated.

Interesting thing about my visit to my optomologist. She had me return so I could get my eyes dilated. Oh joy... she mentioned to me that she could see evidence that my blood pressure was high. Oh really... that's nosey.

But -- that was the 3rd time in 4 weeks that I'd heard my blood pressure was too high for my own good. Usually -- when I hear things in threes, I start to pay attention. I mentioned that to her... that she was #3. She turned and looked at me and said, "Oh yeah, when the Lord brings something to my attention three times, I try to do something about it."

Hmm... yeah... um... OK. Did I mention she was a christian? She treated me like a sister. "Jennifer -- get it under control now, while it's easy, before there are permanent consequences."

So -- now I'll lose weight. Seriously... I will. Today -- one temptation passed by. I was in Wal-Mart by myself (dramatic pause) And I did NOT buy myself some candy and eat it all before I got home, so I didn't have to share with anyone or explain myself to anyone. Thank you Jesus for THAT smidgen of will power.

Did you know the optomologist could tell you that sort of thing? The eyes are the window to your soul, or the peeping tom at your scale. You choose.

Milo

Milo was looking for an egg up too high. Determined to get it. Standing firm. Not going to give it to anyone else that was more... clever... taller.

Loves, loves, loves chocolate. Much like his mother.

Serious kid sometimes.

But not always. He makes me laugh often. He really enjoys life.

Our Easter Best

Bless you Danielle....
Let's try again.

Milo singing, "I've got a song in my heart." Nice buddy -- but not now.
Let's try again.

Wayne laughingly says, "My mom is trying to get us all to smile, look at her, stand up straight, and not sing out loud all at the same time... I find that to be hilarious!"

Ohhh... you are cute buddy... let's try again.



Oh.. OK Tori, I can take a hint.

Let's try again... next year.

::sigh::

EXPELLED

Have you ever been? Expelled -- that is.



No -- I haven't... but I want to see the movie EXPELLED. It'll be in theaters April 18th.


There is a blog you can read ahead of time, you know.. if you read blogs, that is. Well, actually, there are a LOT of things you can read ahead of time. Movie trailers to watch. Get updates.

AND... you can go watch the movie and come back here and comment on it!! I want to know what you think. Also tell me if you bought some very expensive paraphernalia... I want to point my finger and giggle at you.

But don't miss the Big Science Academy. Now that school is something.
"No Intelligence Allowed."
Some motto.

Dan Didn't Get His Fill

He's going back. °Ü°

He and Mansel are headed to the arena to watch the K-1st graders wrestle. I'm pool side with the other 4, while they are swimming.

We have a late check out today from the motel. Did you know you could do that? You don't necessarily HAVE to leave by 11:00. That makes it nice. So the kiddos will swim until they are sick of it (I may be here a while), Wayne just came to report in. "so fun." Then we will pack up and we'll call Dan on the cell phone and he'll come get us. We are going to watch some of the boys that Mansel and Milo trained with this season. This small town community is fun for wrestling. Our family traveled to Chariton and Carlisle to wrestle with them after the Twin Cedar's season ended. Mansel was able to train with a 2nd grader that ended up getting 1st in his division yesterday. That was fun!

TekFall.com has some photos from the tournament yesterday. We don't think we saw Mansel... although if you see a kiddos with the #56 on his hand, that was where Mansel wrestled. That was the size of the kids, location, etc.

We'll stay at the tournament today until Dan gets his fill, then head home...

ONLY TO WATCH MORE WRESTLING!! LOL

It's a disease -- I swear.

Actually the NCAA finals are on tonight. Iowa is doing well!

What a week for wrestling around here.

Anyone smell chlorine? Yuck... I'm ready to leave...

Hey Kiddos... done swimming yet?

Yeah?? Nope -- I didn't think so. ;)

6th Place

The first place wrestler gets to take home the bracket. This shows how many boys were in the bracket. We think Mansel wrestled 6 times today. Some of the boys wrestled less... some more. The boys Mansel wrestled were key -- he pinned one boy -- who helped him get placed higher than a boy who actually beat him.

Here is our guy on the podium, on the left step. YEAH!




zoomed in... Mansel showing his wrestler's face. Crazy kid. Who ever said wrestlers shouldn't smile is CRAZY! It sure wasn't a mother.

Here he is icing his injury. I was thinking it was a sympathy injury -- nursing his wounded pride rather then his wound... but he really does have a bruise there at the nap of his neck... in his hair line. Poor baby. I'd rather it be a bruise then a *snap*.

I saw one dislocated shoulder... oh boy... that little boy was flopping.. I knew immediately he was really hurt. Good grief. Makes me want to quit being a mat-side mom. His dad was so calm... well -- what I saw of him anyway. I had my eyes covered and kept telling the kids... "don't look". 1 boy out of 250 wrestlers getting injuried...that's not too bad.

So -- now it's time for bed. We'll have to wait until I get home to show you some video. This free wireless isn't letting me load video tonight.

Tori keeps threatening to shut the lights off on me. I'd better get the other kids to bed.

Thanks so much for praying -- if you did. We had fun. It sure make the day go fast when you are winning. Last year when we came, and Mansel got pinned 3 times in a row, it druuuuug out and it was CROWDED. LOL

I didn't seem to mind the crowds today.
°\0/°

/ \
° °
Congratulations Mansel -- We are Proud Of You!!

**!!We are Celebrating!!**

Oh friends -- Mansel did a GREAT job today.

I'm going to load photos and movies to the computer and I'll get back to you -- just want you to know that alls well that ends well.
°Ü°

Can I be a proud mother?

I think I'm most proud that at the end he thought he was getting beat badly, but he didn't give up. He only started crying when he got hurt -- and he's got bruises to prove it. Oh his neck no less... eekk!!

What a guy. What a awesome little guy. Oh me... this mat-side-mom just might cry.
I'd better go. But I'll be back.

Weighed In

Mansel has weighed in at 56.8 pounds. So he'll wrestle in the 56# class.

He and Dan got out of bed at 6:30 a.m. Good for them. I got to snooze with the rest of the non-wrestlers.

We got to take our time and then eat breakfast at the motel. Aren't you glad they started doing that? I think that is AWESOME. No bundling up and hopping into the van for breakfast. Or skipping it... or bringing junk in a cooler. I had sausage and biscuits. Yumm... and yogurt.

This year they, the ones in charge, are doing it a bit differently. All the K-2nd graders wrestled at the same time in 2007... and it was CROWDED!!! Crowded, crowded, crowded. If you got up -- you lost your seat last year. So I camped out. It was very thrilling.

This year -- same location -- but it's only the 2nd graders today. Tomorrow it's the K-1st graders wrestling. I'm praying it won't be so crowded.

Dan said during weigh in -- he walked right in and got Mansel weighed. No line. Last year -- we waited in line for a long, long, long time. I think I mentioned it was crowded. So -- no line this year... that's a good sign.

We are camping out here in the motel. We did our swimming yesterday. 2yo Wayne said, "Oh Mom... I'm having so fun." Ü

Now we've got PBS going and Milo is playing a new hand held game Dan got the kids yesterday. He thinks it will be good entertainment for them while we are waiting today. You do a lot of waiting at wrestling tournaments. But for now -- Milo and Dani are watching Anderson Cooper in a garbage can. Hmmm... He's saying Gastroenteritis. He's talking to Dan Rather Not. Ha ha haaa...

So -- what are we doing now? Dan is headed to Wal-Mart to buy me some hairspray, and I'm about to change a stinky diaper. I know -- it's so exciting, I can hardly contain myself. We are playing the waiting game until the wrestling starts at noon. They've got to get all those wrestlers who weigh in, put into brackets. Dan is praying (but not fasting) that Mansel gets a few easy ones at first.

I'm blogging with free wireless. That's so cool! ;) I'm praying Mansel doesn't have to wrestle a girl, but I'm not fasting either.

We are Headed to a Wrestling Tourney

The last one ever... this season.

Mansel is going to wrestle at the Pee Wee State Tournament. Last year Dan and I took him, alone. My folks watched the rest of the clan.

This year -- we all are going together. I've dug through our "summer" clothes boxes and found everyone's swimming suit. Woo Hoo... the excitement level is so high here -- you could probably cut it with a knife. Well... not right this minute actually, most of them are asleep. But just wait an hour -- then this house will be hopping!

The one person who is awake (me) is not all that excited. I'm still sick. I've got bronchitis. It's the silent kind apparently. I'm not coughing, but am running a low grade fever. Who knew?

So... I've got the camera ready -- gonna take the lap top -- maybe I'll post some photos while we are gone.

Last night, if you were looking, you would have seen Dan and Mansel watching tapes. Is that what it's called? They were watching video I'd shot of Mansel wrestling this season. LOL too funny... Mansel's only 8yo... but they are very serious about this sport.

While we are gone Steve is going to come clean our carpets. Now THIS I'm excited about!!! Oh.. I can't wait to walk in the door upon returning and smelling... FRESH carpet smell!! Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!!

Maybe when I return I'll blog about my blood pressure, my cholesterol, and my weight. Or not... hopefully when I return it will all have magically returned to it's intended state of perfection. Ya think? Even my eye doctor told me yesterday... ya got to get this under control. ::sigh:: I am taking my running shoes... I will be exercising. I will... I promise.

OK -- here I go. I've got to pack. why? Because I will still loading my dryer at 10:00 PM last night. I've got to now fill my suitcase. I'm last -- everyone else is done. How does that happen?

Ta ta for now!

Spring Has Sprung

I was getting a wee bit jealous seeing all these signs of spring on other's blogs, and not seeing any where I live. I normally LOVE winter. Sweaters, bonfires, warm white mittens, snowmen, cocoa...
::sigh::

I've had enough.

Ta Dah... just in time -- tulips. The are coming up.


Hooray! Not much... but just enough!


They sure won't be lacking any water just yet. All that snow we've gotten this winter -- it's melting. Quickly. Ü This is another sign of spring... my kiddos "fishing" in the puddle in our yard. The reason why this isn't draining is because there is still snow piled up over the opening on the other side of the drive. It won't be long now. This week is supposed to be highs of 50's. Can we all give another cheer? YEAH!

Our road is going to need some tender loving care soon. I'm afraid to go get the mail, lest I slide into this crevice, never to be seen. OK -- that's really only a few inches deep... but a sure sign that spring is here!

I'm all for spring this year.

Bring out the short sleeves!!!

Hopelessly Midwestern

Thanks Tirzah (a Hearthkeepers Friend) for this tip...




HA! I'm a corn fed Iowa girl. No denying it. Hopelessly Midwestern. Right Uncle Jim?

How Many of Me?

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 693 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

That's funny... one of me is about 30 miles from me. She goes to the same clinic. I always have to give my birthday so they don't confuse our records.

BUT -- this is the part I new KNEW.... but I was a few off... I was guessing 4,000,001.

• There are 1,414,749 people in the U.S. with the first name Jennifer.
• Statistically the 21st most popular first name.
• More than 99.9 percent of people with the first name Jennifer are female.

OK -- so there are only 1,414,749 of us... not 4,000,001... but I was close!!

Oh... so then I did my maiden name. There there are even MORE of us. I had one of me close to me when I liked in Osky... and she would rent movies and keep them, then they would call ME and say, "Your movies are over due." Who... ME?

Hmm... I just did one of my kiddos. There are 0 of him in the United States with that name. Really?? 0? This might be a flawed database. LOL or... he doesn't have a very common name. Which one do you think it was?

There are 4 of another one of my kiddos. YEAH!! We did a good job picking a few of the kids names. All the other kids are at 100 or more similarities. What fun that is.

So -- how many are there of YOU?

And what's the deal with the .01% of Jennifer's who are NOT female... poor guy.

Do you got your green on? Ü

Ebony Vs. The Opossum

Aww... look at that cute opossum.



He wandered into our yard -- in broad daylight -- searching for some food.

Oh.. found it. He snuck into our "cat door" that is too small for the dog, but just the right size for the cats and certain opossums. See his tail... he's quick. That's all I got of him STEALING our food in broad daylight.

But never fear... I've got a 8yo boy. With a big stick. He called Ebony -- our fearless dog -- and opened the door with his weapon of choice. (The stolen A&E Milk carton came into our family LONG ago, and could probably still be returned, but I didn't steal it -- I'm still praying about that one. I'll let the Holy Spirit deal with that thief, in his own good time.)

Anyway... We use that milk carton weighed down with rocks to keep our greedy dog out of his food.

OK -- so here comes Ebony. Ready to defend his food.

And here go I, quickly retreating indoors. Not really willing to see all the blood and guts that I envision will come forth.

Boy am I wrong... Ebony apparently trotted right back out after I went inside and left the opossum to his dog and cat food buffet.

Dan stood up for the mutt -- he said, "Opossums play dead... maybe he thinks it's dead."

Yeah right... After my walk with him, and his quick retreat this day, I'm thinking we've got a coward as a guard dog. All bark and no bite. Just don't tell the burglars that.

We have since moved the food, and Mansel is convinced that next time the thief comes around -- he'll not call the dog... he'll take matters into his own hands. I pray I'm not at home!!

It's a Sad Day

Milo has lost something.

In spite of how these photos appear...

He is VERY PLEASED WITH HIMSELF!

He has lost his first tooth.

WAIT A MINUTE....

Yes... his first tooth -- which happens to be on the TOP row... hmmm...
After some questioning, I discovered it was pushed out rather abruptly by the table, not wiggled loose with tongue and fingers. Hmmm...

He likes how the bottom row of teeth now fit into the top row of teeth.

Alls well that ends well -- right Milo? Since this was an unplanned exit of the tooth from the mouth... that hole will probably remain open for a long time. Too funny... good thing he's a cutie... he'll be able to pull that off all right.

Wayne

Update on Wayne's condition.


He likes brownies.


His bottom lip works just fine.



His ears are nice and strong... holding up hats and various other things.

His grip is getting stronger every day.

Just so ya know.
°Ü°

THANKS for praying!!

This is my friend Steve.

His son Steven.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Their entire family was at the Project Fair Night Friday. Yeah -- it's a miracle. Thank you Jesus for saving my friend. We sure like having him around. Accidents happen, and when the outcome is good they sure are good reminders of what a great God we serve. Tricia could name off several ways that God had visibly intervened that day. To God be the glory. We love you Steve and Tricia.

Thank you blogger friends, who prayed!

2008 Project Fair Night

It's that time of year again. Our family participated in our Home School Groups Project Fair Night. Mansel and Tori worked on the Old Testament Tabernacle Model. We did that a few weeks ago with the My Father's World curriculum, so I decided to save it and use is as the project. Dan helped Mansel make the back drop, while Tori and I typed up the informational sheets all about the tabernacle. Tori and Mansel had to stand by their table for 20 minutes and talk to the adults all about it. Makes a mommy nervous. They did very well -- they could answer every question asked of them. Whew... Milo helped with the project too, at home, but he didn't have to stand there... he got to go scope out the other projects.




Which he did. He found his favorite. SPRINT CARS. Wow... neat display. The orange car was his favorite, he said.

Danielle said the chocolate chips cookie display was her favorite. This girl was smart -- bring along some SAMPLES... people will linger. LOL. They were good too. I know... I sampled.

My favorite? The BAT. This young man MADE this bat... from scratch. He found some wood in the old barn... and made a bat. Wowza... I was impressed. Rather menacing fella... isn't he? Funny kid... I like him... and his bat.

So -- another year -- another fair. My kids are already talking about NEXT year. I said.. MAYBE I'll let them chose their own projects next year... maybe... if they start working on them NOW... maybe they'll be done in time. We'll see. LOL