Monday, December 31, 2012

Turning Over a New Leaf....

Bedtime at our home can sometimes be long, drawn out event.  It frequently involves many reminders to put away laundry, clean, up, floss, brush, etc, etc, etc.

I recently had a wonderful, refreshing chat with a very wise mom. She has always been a source of encouragement, experience and wisdom.  She suggested a list might help my little buddies remember what they need to do each night.

My little dude was very concerned about the list.  His response to the ideas was, "But, Mama...I can't read everything yet."  

So I went to a modified list--with pictographs.

Tonight, 12-31-12 was our first night.  


It went well.  Little Dude took the "No Mess" part very seriously.

What a blessing it is to have such wonderful friends. 

First snow...

These are our snowmen.  

They are vegan. 

Brussel sprout eyes
Carrot noses
Sweet red peppers for lips
Come to think of it, that is more vegetables than some people eat in a year...


That is not a leopard or a cheetah next to the snowman...that's Kate.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

morning at the lake...

Today was a beautiful, warm day and we seized the opportunity to head down to the Lake.  We had a wonderful breakfast at one of our favorite coffee houses and then walked over to the beach and marina.

K & S really wanted to go into the water...until they realized how cold big Lakes are in spring.


A girl has to have her shades...


A guy has to have his baseball hat...


jumping the "waves"...

We loved the warm breeze and time together as a family.  Maybe summer really is around the corner...

Monday, April 30, 2012

Pascal Aristotle 
May 15, 1998 - April 29, 2012
He brought our family great joy, companionship and love.  We will miss seeing him in the window, playing with his glitter balls, chasing any thing that resembles string, purring so loud it can be as heard across the room and cuddling on the couch. 

He was the first pet our children had and we will miss him deeply.  

Today we are sad.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Mutiny?

Prepare to be intimidated...
Here are two very scary warriors...
Do not mess with her...she leaps great heights with her foam sword....
He defies gravity and has a mighty swing...
Armed with his *iPhone* and a foam ax, the king would successfully defend his kingdom from the blond serf

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Flex-Strength-Skills n Drills

If you want to get the leotard with your gym's name on the front and your name on the back, you have to work hard.


Your coach tells you, "It's your responsibility to do your training at home and bring your skills folder back every Saturday to show it."


If you forget your work chart, you worry your coach will be mad (she wasn't).  Then you don't forget it the next week...because it's your responsibility.  


Flexibility:
right split x 1 minute
left split x 1 minute
middle split x 1 minute
rainbow bridge x 1 minute
pike stretch for 30 sec x 2
shoulder stretch x 1 minute
pancake x 1 minute 
backbend down & up x 1 minute
forward lift kicks x 10
side lift kicks x 10
back arabesque kicks x 10


Strength:
handstand hold at the wall x 1 minute
handstand pushups
pike hold on floor 
straddle hold on floor 
tuck hold on floor 
triangle pushups 
triceps dip 
2 footed squats 
right leg squats
left leg squats 
V-ups 
crunches 
scissors in hollow hold 
superman holds 
lock holds on toe 
press handstands


Skills/Drills
handstands with flat backs
practice scales with chest up
practice running on toes
practice splint jumps


Then you learn how to do harder and trickier stuff.  But, you don't try it at home until your coach says you can do the harder, trickier stuff outside of the gym.  You listen to your coach cause she wants you to be safe and you respect her...ALOT.


You do all this stuff because you want the leo with your name on the back.


When you get that leo, you will have earned it! 

Sunday, March 25, 2012

life...

last week I...

...comforted a patient in the trauma bay at the hospital...I asked if the patient was scared...they replied..."no, it's in the good Lord's hands..."

...rounded on that very patient the next day in the ICU...the patient started telling me cute little jokes...

...whacked my shin on the fluoroscopic machine in the O.R....almost got a fracture while trying to help treat one...

...hugged a patient who told me about being married to the spouse they lost after 56 years...cancer sucks...

...was reminded that people don't just have physical pain...

...learned to sit on the edge of a patient's bed and listen...

I will learn more this week.

I hope I don't hit my tibia on the x-ray machine again...

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Celebrate!

Last Sunday was Little Gymnast's last gymnastics meet at her current level. Her cheering section included her parents, brother, Grandma S and one of her teachers from preschool & 4K. She said having a teacher there made her nervous. (the rest of us were chopped liver, I guess...)

It was her best meet to date...she scored 1st in all events and in the all-around competition.

She has worked so hard this season and learned alot. She grew with a coach with high expectations, strict discipline and a strong work ethic.

There were days when she never thought she would learn a new skill, but she never gave up...she practiced both in the gym and at home...

She sat in the stands and cheered, encouraged and celebrated her teammates when her turn to perform was over...

She watched the "big girls" (higher level gymnasts) and admired them...following them around some days like a little puppy...

She did more sit-ups, planks, stretches, frog leaps, v-ups, splits, push-ups, pull-ups, and drills than we can count...

She is blessed with physical talent that has nothing to do with us...but we are so blessed to watch her develop her talents...

So, what better way to celebrate your wins with your Dad and a can of whipped cream!?

Who needs hot chocolate as a vehicle for your whipped cream when your Dad just shoots it right in?
She's begging for just a little more...can you say no to that look?
Her Dad could not say no...he folded like origami...
Congratulations, Peanut! You worked hard and we are so proud of you!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

First Travel Meet

Last weekend we traveled as a family to Little Gymnast's first "away" meet. We decided it would be fun to spend a weekend together in Indianapolis a few weeks prior to the Superbowl.

Much to Little Dude's delight, our 17th floor hotel room overlooked Lucas Oil Field. He pronounced it, "The best room ever!" He also suggested that we ought to just live in that hotel room forever! Who wouldn't want a great view, a pool,an amazing workout room and a maid everyday? I think he is on to something...

Runner Boy and Little Dude settled right in.
Runner Boy decided to photo bomb our picture...
We were at a gymnastics meet when a track meet broke out...she's got quite a kick at the end of a sprint. Clearly she needed to work out some energy after we arrived in Indy.

We had time to explore the hotel, downtown and a lovely church before competition...


It's important to nourish yourself properly prior to competition. So she perched on a stool overlooking the $tarbuck's barista waiting for her chocolate milk.

With so many gymnasts at the meet, we had great opportunities to watch different levels compete, cheer on her teammates and meet new friends.
Little Gymnast was so excited to see her beloved Aunt & Uncle there, too.

Every time she goes out to compete, we ask her to do two things:
1) do your best
2) have fun
She did both of those things in Indy. We are proud of your effort, your medals and your sportsmanship!

Little Dude, you are now part of the fraternity of brothers who have endured such competition!

Your sister will have to attend your activities with grace...she owes you one!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

monster


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wpclipart.com



It appears the green-eyed monster has moved in.  He reared his ugly head briefly this morning and then showed up tonight.


Little Dude had his room painted and his bed was lofted over the Christmas break.  This morning Older sister said, "Daddy, I am mad.  Little Dude has a better bed than me...now Neighbor Pal will like his bed the BEST!"  


After reading our Bible story up in the loft tonight, Older Sister climbed down from the loft and said over her shoulder....


"Have a good time in the FUN bed that I DON'T have!...I mean...I am really grateful for the bed I have...but I wish I had his...but I am thankful..."  (Note tug of good and evil in this sentence...)


the Monster roars softly...

Monday, January 2, 2012

As we begin 2012...it is time to take a moment or two to look back on 2011...

January 2011...the Packers won the Super Bowl and Bucky...did not fare so well at the Rose Bowl...come to think of it...Bucky didn't do so well in 2012 at the Rose Bowl either...

February...a Valentine Princess...

March...2011 was a bad year to be a crocus

April...blowing bubbles on Easter...
...always wear "eye black" while coloring eggs...you never know when a football game will break out...
May...hockey?!
June 2011...training for the Tour de Tundra starts young...
July...the birthday boy celebrates with a cowboy party...
August...summer comes to an end and school is on the horizon...little dude is thrilled...

September...celebrating her birthday with a family night...

October...a cute kitty gets to trick or treat with *Charles Woodson*!

We celebrated Turkey Day with our family and K got to go down the slide with her littlest cousin...

December 2011...after watching HGTV, they decorated their own gingerbread houses.
So thankful for the blessings of 2011...grateful to God...shaped by the challenges of the year past.

On to 2012...

Gotcha Day!

There are few days in our lives that can be as special as the arrival of a child. Regardless of the way a child joins a family, it is an amazing, life-changing experience. Little Gymnast joined our family in December of 2005. One thing that I particularly cherish about that day is that we were able to share it with three other families. We all had precious girls placed in our arms that day. We shared the joy, wiped tears from little eyes, tried to get their little lips to turn to a smile, and took many pictures. Each of us started a journey to a little girl from a different place and we all ended the paper chase that day.


We have a tradition of Runner Boy taking a photo with our little girl on the anniversary of that Day...
Gotcha Day 2006 and 2007 photos appear to be an a file that I have temporarily misplaced...oops:

So imagine pictures of cute guy and little kid here....I gotta find that file.

Gotcha Day 2008...it was snowing that day...

Gotcha Day 2009...in our new house...

Gotcha Day 2010...

Gotcha Day 2011...

As she grows older, her thoughts about her history will evolve. May she come to a deep understanding of the depth of our love and of her heavenly Father.

Gotcha Day is a day to celebrate her adoption into our family and the gift that she is to our family.