John 3:16

Simply Refreshing

While I was running errands yesterday afternoon, Holly treated the girls to a few hours of fun in the backyard.  She hooked up the "sprinkler" and let them enjoy the warm weather and the water.

  She also took a heap of pics.  Holly is on the yearbook staff at her high school and has really gotten into photography.  She has a very artsy way of looking at things.  Her photos for the yearbook have won her quite a bit of acclaim among her peers.  

I told Holly she needs to teach me to "not be scared" of my new Camera.  Her reply, "Read the book Mom.  When you get something new, the first thing you should do is read the instructions". OK OK - she is sooooooooo right... but I am waiting for the time when you can just "bluetooth" the directions to your brain!  : ) Much easier!  ... but I would still have to ask one of my teenagers to help me turn on the bluetooth!  : )  

Ready for School

The girls were up and ready so early this morning, we decided to take a few pictures for daddy! 

 Lilli is loving all the new summer clothes.  She has grown so much that nothing from last summer still fits.  She could still squeeze into a few size 24 month items last year... this year she is all 4T.  I think it is all the peanut butter... this little one could sit down and chow down every day on a few pounds of celery and a jar of peanut butter.  Her FAVORITE!  

As for Abby, color is not really an option that she enjoys.  She will join the army I am convinced as she her favorite colors are camouflage and white.  She also thinks her daddy hung the moon and stars and makes the sun rise each day...  a "cool army man" as she calls him!  She could follow in his "boot" steps!    : )

First "Summer-ee" Day of 2009

This was the first day this year that the temp called for breaking out the summer clothes.  A friend of mine does this cute entry on her blog each week where she lets her girls dress themselves and takes pictures.  I followed in her footsteps today.  Lilli has been foaming at the mouth every time she looks at her summer dresses - today she picked her favorite and a cute pair of leggings and her pink crocs.  Abby retreated to Daniel's closet after slipping on her elastic waist gap jean capris and plain white tee.  She emerged with an ever so slightly too large baseball jersey.  Her black stretchy boots were her footwear of choice - especially since her daddy took her Australian Work Boots back to Canberra in order to hunt down  a bigger size for next year that are exactly the same.  : )

The girls busted out the back door around 9am and have pretty much remained outside with Jordan all day long.  They will sleep sooooooooooooo good tonight!  YEAH for summer-ee days!  

Not Your Typical Blond

Holly was making yarn hair for a school project.  Lilli decided this was the perfect time for her to find her inner blond... Hannah Montana blond that is!  

"Any More Tomatoes Coming?"

What a surprise!  I had no idea that our new hometown was subject to tornado warnings... and tornadoes.  I have never lived anywhere that had warning sirens.  WE DO... and they have blasted a lot lately.  The weather has been going between cold front and warm front and that is the perfect mix for twisters.  

I have gone over the drill with the kids.  We all get our helmets on and go to the large interior storage room under the stairs.  I think my fear and stress have been noted by the littles (the bigs know how crazy and overly emotional I am already).  Add that to the fact that we have been in the closet and in the neighbors storm shelter more than a few times in the last week and this is what you get....

Lilli was getting ready for bed and it was raining a bit.  She climbed in the covers and gave me a huge hug and kiss.  She peaked out the window and with a very concerned tone and equally serious look on her face and asked, "Are there any more TOMATOES coming?"  

I had to think about that one for a second... but then the light went on and I understood her concern.  I assured her that there were no more TORNADOES headed our way and she could sleep tight!  

 

You say tomatoes, I say tornadoes.... 

BUSY is an Understatement

To describe my life as busy would be the understatement of the year.  I think that statement would hold true for any parent.  It is a full time job with double overtime getting my five where they need (or want) to be.  

We have been to dozens of sporting events, a few movies, Playhouse Disney Live, etc etc etc.   Holidays are coming /going quickly.  My birthday is even around the corner... I will be 28!  ;)  

The kids have 4 weeks left in the school year - the longest in their lives as they have been in the same grade for nearly a year and a half - started in Australia in January 08.  When we moved back to the US this past summer, they started again in August in the same grade... so yes, Joey has been a Junior for a year and a half!  If he were still in Australia, he would graduate in about 5 months.  Poor Joey.  

Joey and Holly both had to enter the Social Studies Fair as a school requirement.  Joey's project on the Boston Tea Party received 3rd place.  YEAH!  I think Holly - SWEET Holly - shocked everyone with her slightly morbid project on the Salem Witch Hunts.... her project last semester was the History of Root Beer - BIG CHANGE!  : )  

The older kids both did FABULOUS on their ACT tests.... BRING ON THE SCHOLARSHIP MONEY!!!   Joe and I are so proud of them... and happy that all of their hard work has brought them such academic success!

Daniel FINALLY decided he wanted a short hair cut... you can see the before - in the group shot of the kids above - and the after - in his self portrait taken by the camera on the computer.  I am the only one that has not given him grief about his shaggy hair... I knew he would eventually come around and decide that hair in his face was not the way to go.  I can't tell you how happy this haircut has made my mother!!! : ) She now has nothing to nag me about!  : )  

Joe will be home in 12 weeks - FOR GOOD!!!!!

In addition to racking up the miles on my Armada, I have been working on the house.  I LOVE every millimeter of this house... but there were/are some paint and wallpaper problems (UGLY) and a few other cosmetic issues.  I made a list of things that I wanted to "tweak" and make more our style (that would be Casual/Asian/Eclectic/French Country).  The list starts with easy things that I can do without Joe... and then gets more complicated for when Joe returns - i.e.  Master Bathroom complete overhaul.  

After living in Embassy housing for sooooooooooooooooooo longggggggggggggggggg, I can not tell you how much fun it is to pick out paint and enjoy a little color on the walls!  I painted the kitchen green and the foyer a nice beige... all were bright yellow before.   And wallpaper - this is a first for me! I picked out a pretty brown French Country wallpaper for the powder room to replace the green and burgundy non-descript stuff that was in there before.    I could sit in the wallpaper store for hours!  I have even made  curtains for the kitchen, living room, and master bedroom.  I am going to leave the dining room to the experts!  

I guess that is about it.  There are some pics at the top... taken with my old camera.  I am still a little "gun  shy"  with the new one.  I NEED to take a photography class.  HMMMMMMMMM... won't have time for that until 12 weeks from now!  : )

I Think I am Done With PCs

One Word... Conflicker!  

I hope Microsoft finds these (*^*&($)  and locks them up for EVER!  

Saturday morning, I woke up and went directly for my laptop (as I do each and every morning) so that I could read my daily "Good Morning" email from Joe.  PROBLEM... as soon as I double clicked on Internet explorer, my computer went nuts... blinking and flashing and doing ALL KIND of weird stuff.  I knew what it was instantly.  I shut it off and went for Daniel's laptop.  Nothing will stand in the way of my getting my daily fix of morning email from Joe... PROBLEM... the second I double clicked the Internet explorer button on Daniel's laptop (only a few months old), the SAME exact NONSENSE started.  It ended with a pop up prompting me to buy antivirus software from a company that I have never heard of.  I shut the computer down asap and unplugged my modem.  

Immediately after Abby's T-Ball game, I raced to the local computer whiz.  He confirmed that I indeed was the proud owner of not 1 but 2 Dell Laptops infected with the CONFLICKER virus.  

I will find out tomorrow if they were able to be "cleaned".  I was feeling pretty guilty until I saw that the University of Utah had nearly one thousand computers infected... and they have a team of IT Brains on their campus.  I have myself (I am really good at Internet shopping, updating this blog on occasion, and running my photo software) and 5 kids... not the perfect IT team... but in the end, the bad guys beat us all!

I have decided that I am done with the whole virus thing... and all other problems that come with PCs. Holly's first computer was a Purple G3 Apple.   The first laptop that I bought myself was an Apple.  I passed it down to Holly and she has recently upgraded to a new Apple MAC Book.  NEVER have any of these given us a seconds worth of trouble... so I have gone  completely RED... as in Apple red.  : )  

This is my first post on my new IMAC.  I am in serious LIKE!  

Happy Easter

Getting Over Jet Lag on the Driving Range

Abby was up at 6:03 this morning - and at that very moment started asking Joe - I mean BEGGING Joe- to take her and Lilli to the driving range. By 9:30 - our 2 very PERSISTENT littles had worn him down. With a little teamwork, they loaded their clubs into the back of Joey's Element, had me move the carseats to the Element... and then off they went.

I am at home to receive Joe's suitcase, as it was lost in Denver. It made it to the south this morning and should be delivered in the next hour. Then I will get dressed and meet Joe and the littles for a nice lunch. At that point I am sure it will nap time for 3 of my family members!

I'm Going to the AIRPORT Today!!!

YEAH! Joe is flying in for a week to enjoy a tball game and a tennis match and a little "home" cooking! We also have a court date to legally change Abby's name - No "automatic" name change as with adoptions from China... so we have to go through the family court system. This is the never ending adoption story; however, there is light - big and bright - at the end of the tunnel!

Speaking of Abby, she received the "game ball" after her tball game yesterday afternoon. Why? Well, let me just say that for a very little girl, she packs a mighty powerful swing! She had the most amazing hit! I just love that sound when the bat hits the ball just perfectly.... Sweet!