Recollection Friday - vball, halloween and donut brain

another week, flown by.

sunday brought a decision on which club team to choose. grace got offers from the two we tried out for and sarah got one offer and one alternate.  by lunch time, after church it was made... we'd be going back to where we started. both girls are thrilled.  we were headed into commitment week as i like to call it.  it's THE week we commit ourselves into a crazy schedule of practices and games/tournaments, a commitment to long nights - staying up late to finish homework, commitment to eating out more than i like, commitment to hard core scheduling and note taking to keep myself sane.  why do we do this to ourselves?  Oh yeah, these two...

they love the game and it has so many benefits to their self esteem.  of course we have to do it! #lovenysvolleyballers

 

monday was halloween.  

halloween should be on a friday night, every year, seriously.  that's alot of work for a monday!

this year the dressing up was a breeze which this momma appreciated.  grace went as a volleyball player and sarah as a greek goddess (her sisters costume from last year).  they literally threw things on that night which was easy.  

each girl had their own friend over to t or t.  this is how you do it.  it used to be art and i with the girls but now, friends.  it was actually great, we all had fun.  we parked ourselves at the end of the driveway with our fire pit, roasted hot dogs, ate chips, cookies, drank lemonade - talked about how much candy was in store for us.  this is our first halloween in the neighborhood so we weren't sure what to expect.  we headed out once it got dark and were not disappointed.  our neighbor, her daughter and friend agreed to show us the ropes on merlin drive and i learned some new things.  

what did i learn about my new neighborhood you ask? 

1. my alderman lives two 4 doors down - he's very nice, introduced himself to me with a handshake and an offer for a candy bar.
2. orlando pace lived in my neighborhood, we trick or treated at his house.
3. there is a very old grave site, three to be exact, fenced off in a culdesac. it's so old, you can't read the stone.  me thinks i  will look into this 
4. our  neighbors go all out at halloween with elaborate decorations, full size candy bars, drink stations at homes with every bottled drink imaginable.  my kids were spoiled and their friends said they would be back next year! ha!

it was fun and i got 15K steps.  a win-win!

got a text from church, late night which is usually not good.  one of our little two year olds was taken to the hospital.  she was inconsolable and not moving her head/neck.  many tests and the threat of meningitis brought the conclusion of an abscess on her neck and surgery was done.  i visited this little girl in the hospital where we had taken grace when she had her seizures.  it brought back many memories, scary moments.  i understood what this mother was going through but i knew her daughter was in good hands at this children's  hospital.  i had a few sleepless nights over this little girl, she's a sweety.  she is home now, after surgery and recovering.  God is good.  it made me come home and love on my girls a little longer, scares like this make you reflect.  while i'm not sure what His plan was for grace and for this little girl, i do know he is perfect in all His ways and he was there for me and this other momma.

art's birthday is next week, coming up fast.  other than a new coffee mug i got nothing!  absolutely nothing!  art's not the easiest guy to buy for (he says the same about me).  i've asked for ideas because the girls want to get him something but nothing as of yet.  he traveled this week which  means i don't rest well.  house seems very big when he's gone. sarah ended up sleeping with me. she of course loves when he travels :).  truman has spent alot of time on our bed which is a no no while art's at home. he brings warmth and comfort that dog of mine.  

sarah's class won the candy contest.  they collected the most candy for the schools trunk or treat.  they won a cinnamon donut and apple cider party.  her teacher contacted me at the beginning of the week to see what she could have.  i have donuts and would send one.  that was wedensday when she asked, i wrote it on my planner and guess what friends?!? i forgot!!!  epic fail not only for my girl but for her teacher!  darn my absent minded brain, especially since i had written myself a note!  i made up for it though, i brought the teacher 6 plastic bins for operation christmas child shoe boxes.  no i wasn't trying to make up for my mistake.  in my defense i had purchased the bins before realizing i had forgotten the donut!   i made it up to sarah as well.  i delivered that forgotten donut to her for an after school snack.  all is well now.

but my brain people! if i don't write it down it gets lost in space (apparently even when i do write it down it's lost).  my system has failed me or maybe i've failed it.  either way i gotta get serious and get my head in the game.  it's times like this i think i'm headed down the dementia road already!!

back to donuts... i have officially sworn in hump day as our official, family donut day!  there's a donut shop not even two miles from our home.  it's also on our way to school (yikes for my waistline).  we could bike there and feel less guilty about indulging right?!?  good donuts are my weakness!!!  everything in moderation...

all this talk of donuts, now i'm hungry.

until next week...

fall at merlin drive

i love fall.

it's my favorite season.

things are cool and crisp.

sweatshirts have been pulled out of the basement boxes.

fall decor is up - starting with halloween.

we had fun pulling things out.

all made it safely from the move.

the inside.

this sun room is one of the reasons we purchased this house.

we love the light in this room.

i've enjoyed decorating this mantle thus far.

i've tried to keep things at a minimum.

i didn't want to compete with the view.

i already had the wooden box on this mantle but for fall i added faux leaves, sprigs of color and real pumpkins.
i like how it turned out.

i added this banner last year.
thank you dollar bin at target!

i made this two years ago.
still a favorite and my girls love the bling.
the slice of wood is from our backyard at the old house.
love it.

my grandmothers old bible and pumpkins.

 my new purchase this year.
not from the target dollar bin.
but from target $7.
fell in love with it.
it's fun on my coffee table.

fun with candle stands.
again, my girls like the blingy owl.

this scent.
yum.

now outside.
the front door.

mums and more mums.
art loves these and brought home four.
our tree stump that art worked so hard to bring down to the wood.
this was fun to move.

my kids have outgrown the little red wagon but...
the big pumpkin will be the one we carve as we get closer to halloween.

this scarecrow.
wouldn't be halloween without him.
my sister made him.
he's sporting a new shirt from goodwill this year.
he's so fun.

one of the mums, closet up.

and today i'm making my banana muffins.
no not pumpkin, banana because grace has been asking for these for awhile and it's perfect weather for warming up the oven and indulging.
here's the recipe.
the next batch will be pumpkin.

we're ready fall.

bring it on.

another volleyball post

we had a busy weekend

it was the lutheran middle school tournament

there were 8 teams from the area competing

we played some tough teams

we won some

lost some

in the end we got 5th place which the girls were happy about

grace received one of the "all around" tournament medals for her team.

it was funny because at first she didn't think it was a big deal until it was explained to us that throughout the tournament, coaches from the opposing teams would watch and vote on the team members that overall stood out in their playing.  that made my girl turn red and quietly giggle.  it was sweet and fun to watch.  art and I laughed along.  

we're super proud.

volleyball brings confidence for my girl and this team has been so great for her.

club was a good experience but there's something about playing with her bff's at school that makes her really click and shine.  at least in my opinion :).

i love how the 8th graders are supportive and encouraging to the lower class man.

it shows me we are in the right place for my girl.

grace got to see her friend who transferred to a new school this year.  

we sure have missed katie.

we got there and katie's team was already playing but as soon as it was done and the coach set them free, grace and katie were hugging.

they ended up playing each other, it was tough but in the end katie's team won out.

friends forever though.

once the tournament was all said and done grace and h er teammates ended up hugging on their friend again and congratulating.

look at those faces.

i almost cried.

such good girls.

i felt very blessed, again to be in the right place for my girl.

way to go eagles.

you shined this weekend.

i loved every moment of it.

where's fall?

this happy guy came home with me
he and his twin brother that is
my mind is on fall
we've had some cool temps but i'm ready for more
i love this time of year
can't wait

drama

my girl came home tonight with a note from a friend saying she didn't want to be her friend any longer.

ugghhhh....

i need a parenting manual.
something to help me navigate tween and teenage girls and their feelings.

i get it, been there, done that.
i was even able to share some moments from my childhood that were similar.
it helped her.

big tears came.
big talk followed after.
i listen and try to see the other side of the story.

my advice came down to... "show love, to all at all times."
it's what Jesus would do.

so i will pray as i send her off into school tomorrow.
i pray this will all be a fading memory and friendships stay intact.

Lord Jesus, be with my girls and their friends.  let their hearts be true to each other. let them show love and kindness at all times.  let them be a strong support group.  lead them together, closer to you.  calm my girls heart, surround her with your presence.  create a pure heart in her and her friends.  help heal her tender heart.  thank you for sending the friends you have in their lives.  i pray blessings over each and everyone of them and their families.  amen,

so much has happened this summer

we've moved.
it happened.
we weren't planning on it however God made us aware it was needed.
we lived in the car more than our house in the big woods.
it was tiring and took its toll.
we prayed, purged, cleaned and put the house in the big woods on the market.
three weeks later it was sold.
we were amazed and somewhat ready for the next adventure.
the girls were reluctant to the change.
all they had known was the house in the big woods, oh the memories we had made there. wonderful memories.
moving day came. we had our final walk through.  we stopped and prayed. tears came pouring out of us. it was all so bittersweet.
we left and like a scene in a movie, we watched the house in the big woods fade as we drove away.
kind of surreal for all of us.

God had his hand in it all and now we are here getting settled.
there are still boxes to unpack and will be for awhile.
there is a honey do list a mile long.
but we're home and we're already seeing the benefits to living closer to all the things we do and love.
the girls still question the change at times but being able to decorate their new rooms has been a plus.
with each new box we open they feel more and more at home.
God brought us to the house in the little woods.
i'll share more as we go along. some of the things that made art and i fall in love with the house in the little woods.

for now, here's a glimpse.

i have 7 more days of 12

grace is almost 13.

almost.

i held art's one year old niece this weekend while we celebrated this and found  myself reminiscing.

she was once that size, my one year old with cute pigtails that shot straight out from her head because i pulled up whatever hair she had to create them.

she came out bald with a red birthmark on the back of her head you can't even find now.

she's changed so much and become quite the young lady i wished would never come.

i'm learning to be a mom of a teenage girl. 

it's not an easy journey for sure but she's worth it all.

love every ounce of her.

her freckles.

her smile.

her laugh.

i have 7 more days of 12 and i'm holding on to them tightly.

oh my gracious.... April 2016

it's been so long.
i hate that.
this is how i document life in my nest and all the things going on in our family.
i've failed.
i'm trying not to be too hard on myself.
this season of life is a bit crazy with two busy girls. a husband who is on a good, but challenging path in his profession. a job that is part time but feels like full time (and i don't mean that as a complaint).

so where to I begin, hmmm....

April 2016
we had our first travel tournament with Grace's volleyball team.  All the way to KC, a good 4 hour drive :). my kind of sports travel.  i've appreciated her coach recognizing this team as a developing team, one that is a work in progress.  they are learning and growing.  they learned alot from this tournament. the experience was fun, crazy busy with lots of teams there all hoping to bring home a medal.  we did not and it was okay.  we learned, had fun, made memories, laughed and walked away a better team.

i was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the parents to go to 6th grade camp with Grace's school class.  there were alot of parents who wanted to go but i luckily got my name in first.  i find spending time with her class gives me insight to her life at school.  i walked away from the experience pretty proud of my girl and the choices she's made in how she handles conflict and how she chooses her friends.  i saw alot of disrespect with the students towards the adults.  at one point i wanted to put on my preschool whistle and give them a what's what but i watched and let the teachers lead.  the experience also made me feel the need to pray more for this whole class.  i've seen it before where a few make the whole look bad and i'm worried this is the case with this group.  

well onto the lighter side now (if you can call it that)....  we had three cases of strep in our family in April.  all got it but me which makes me wonder if i'm a carrier.  i've never had it in my life and hopefully never will.  i've heard it's horrible for adults, ouch!

April was beautiful with spring blooms everywhere. i love spring, it's my second favorite season - the first being fall.

in late April we had some pretty strong storms come through.  one was so strong it knocked numerous trees down in our neighborhood making it impossible to get home one night.  power lines ended up on the main road causing it to be shut down for hours.  we sat, waiting, gave up and headed into town to meet Art for dinner.  we got home late that night and slept in one room with no power.  it was an adventure which the girls loved.  uno by candlelight was our time filler.

Sarah's 4th grade class had their spring musical - The Agape League.  a group of devil fighting crusaders out to save the world for Jesus!  it was cute and her last official Spring musical as an elementary kid since next year she is a middle schooler.  yes their school recognizes 5th grade as middle school, SIGH.

week 11 2016

these eyes melt me

good sister

this sister is good

this sister travels six to eight hours each week to deliver older sister to volleyball

she cheers for her sister during games

this sister wears her PAO sweatshirt with pride

she's learned to do her homework in the car

this sister reads alot in the car

she occasionally grumbles about all the "car" time

but is overall patient

especially when her patience brings a mint shake from mom :)

oh the wheels

so i was cleaning out the garage this weekend

it was in desperate need of a good sweep and decluttering

i came across a pile of old wood that was stashed under Art's work bench

jackpot baby!

this was the beginning of my brainstorming

because my mind went to this pin

or this

there would be plenty of leftover wood to do this

or this

Art would be a busy honey if only we could slow down.

this keeps us busy

:)

week 10 2016

week 9 2016

week 8 2016

week 7 2016

week 6 2016

week 5 2016

week 4 2016

grace

 man she's changing.
everyday i see it.
it bothers me.
how do i hold onto her innocence?
how can i help her through tween-hood?
this is uncharted ground for me, her too.
i love her with every fiber in my being.
my first born.
my preemie.
all growing up.
sigh.