Catching up

The past month has been a bit frazzled.

• Relay Idol was a great success. We had 13 singers and raised $400. I was so very happy with the turn out for such a great cause.
• The school year ended and we are now in the beginnings of summer vacation.
• I managed to get in 85 miles of my 100 mile challenge. I was pretty happy with that considering all the rain we had in May.

Now that we are into summer vacation I'm trying to find things for us to do that will keep us active and learning something. I am determined to not have a summer of laying around the house watching tv and playing video games. Yesterday we took a 9 mile bike ride from Mullan to Wallace. It's really a pretty easy down hill ride but was great nonetheless. Today we are going to hike the Polaski Trail with friends. Kim has Vacation Bible School at Grandma's church this week. Summer Reading program at the library on Wednesdays and then at the end of the month our Wednesdays will be filled with Kid's Club at our church. We'll have to see what else we can find to keep us busy.

2nd Annual Relay Idol

Next Saturday I'm holding the 2nd Annual Relay Idol competition. Raising money and awareness for Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society. I'm really excited to see how this year turns out. Last year we had 6 singers and raised $460.

I changed venues for this years event. Hoping to maybe have a bigger presents. The new location has karaoke every weekend with consistant singers. So I'm hoping to have a few more participants then last year. Either way it will be a great time for a great cause. Singing for a cure.

I'm limiting it to 15 singers, but there are still spots available. So if you would like to join the competition and sing give me a call. And if not then still plan on coming and supporting your favorite singer. And a great Cause.

100 Mile Challenge

I've set myself a challenge. The plan is to walk or bike 100 miles between now and then end of May. It will average out to be abour 3.5 miles a day. I got in 2 miles yesterday with our walk in the parade. So 2 down 98 to go. I've been looking at my treadmill for far to long and not using it. And with the weather getting nicer it's has been nice to get out on the bike trail with Kim. So this is the plan. Anyone want to join me in challenging themselves?

Rainy Day Parade

Today was our Loyalty Days parade. Normally it's a beautiful sunny day for the event but alass it was pouring down rain instead. Kim's T-ball team was supposed to walk in the parade to we walked to the parade starting point (it ends very close to our house) with our rain gear on and our umbrella. We have this wonderfully paved bike trail that runs behind our house and takes us to the school where the parade starts. It's a mile from our house but makes for a great walk or bike ride.

We got to the parade start and began looking for the rest of Kim's team only to find that they had not come. It's no wonder it was raining so hard but we pushed through and walked with another team.By the time we got to the end we were both soaked, even with our rain gear. The VFW is who puts on the parade and they always give the kids who participate ice cream at the end. Kim and I both agreed that it was a day more for hot cocoa then for ice cream. So we headed over to the convenience store and got ourselves a couple of cups and a nice little treat to take home.

Even with all the rain and cold it was still a great day. I am so proud of my little girl for not bailing on the parade and how well she did representing her team all by herself.

One Thousand White Women

I recently read a really good book that left me wanting the rest of the story. I love getting a good book that I just can't put down. But hate when I get to the end of it because it leaves me wanting more. There has to be more to the story. Even off shute stories of the rest of the characters. I want to know more.

The book I read is One Thousand White Women: the Journal of May Dodd.

It's a fictional story based on a true moment in history. It left me wondering though how much of the story could have possibly really happened. And I would also love to see this one made into a movie.

So what have you been reading lately. I'm always of the search on the next good book.

Away to long

I have been away from here to long. I must get myself back in the groove. I've been home and not working since the end of January. I have been really enjoying the extra time I have to spend with Kim. But I have still been busy. I've been spending a lot of time volunteering at Kim's school. Reading mostly and really enjoying it. I get so excited when one of the kids in her kindergarten class begins to grasp to reading bug. They have an accelerated reading program at school where after the child reads a book with little to no help then they take a test on it and get points. As they read and test on more and more books then their reading level increases and they are rewarded with a prize based on the number of points they have earned. I love the idea of making ready fun and giving the kids an incentive to want to read more.

I recently started watching a couple of kids at home during the week as well. I'm so looking forward to having the free time this summer to be able to do the things with Kim that I've been wanting to do. Last summer she missed swim lessons, t-ball and soccer because of my work schedule.

I also started a new part time job at my church this month, secretary for my Pastor. It's only 1 day a week but that is plenty for now. I get to help her get the extra things done that need to be done at the church and also have some time to work on stuff I need for the worship team. I'm really liking it.

We started playing t-ball in the last couple of weeks. Practices have been fun and we are looking forward to games starting the first of May. There are only about 25 school days left of this year. Kim has the count down going.

Moving Continued

So this has been a hard working weekend. We started out on Thursday night after work and moved the wood pile. Thankfully we were able to get that all in 2 loads. Yesterday we tackled the garage. We cleaned out the storage area and all of Larry's machines. Many loads later and thanks to the help of my brother-in-law and my nephew we got so much accomplished. Today we started on the stuff inside the house.

The plan is to collect many more boxes this week and continue packing the house up so that Friday morning we can hit it hard and get it done. I so want to be done moving everything by Saturday so that Sunday afternoon can be spent cleaning the old house so we can be done with it.

I can't wait to start putting things away in the new house. The kitchen is going to be so wonderful. There is so much storage space, a dishwasher and a garbage disposal. And I will have closet space to hide the vacuum. Isn't it funny the little things that can make a girl happy. :)

Moving

I think I can honestly say that I've have move more then my fair share of times in the past 17 years. Larry's job has taken us to many new place and then back to them a few times as well. And now here we go again. The house we live in is VERY small and cramped, even for just the 3 of us. The windows are in terrible shape and the roof needs to be replaced. We are renting and while the property management would love to take care of all that the home owners refuse to put any money into the house. So we are moving to a bigger house. It's just across town so not to far. But then in all the moves we've made I kind of think those far away moves are easier. Get a big truck and load everything in it and make one trip. Instead of taking one load at a time and making many many trips across town.

I have been feeling so out of touch on here and haven't blogged anything in forever. Hopefully we can get moved and settled and through the holidays and life will slow down again.

Where have I been?

WOW it's been a while since I stopped by here. Summer has flown by and now we are into September. We had quite a busy summer, August was especially crazy.

We made it through Relay for Life. Woke up that morning to a pouring rain storm. I stood in the shower thanking God for the rain and asking for it to stop. Thankfully it did and we were able to stay dry during the night. We raised a bit over $15,000 for the American Cancer Society this year. And had a great time doing it.

Kimmie also had a birthday and turned 5. We had her party at home this year instead of going to the park as we have in years past. Her friends came over and she had a great day. She wanted a Hula Girl party. So all the girls got leis and grass skirts and the boys received beach comber hats. We had a water balloon fight and the pinata was a hit as well.

We've gotten through the first full week of Kindergarten. Hoping to get a routine and slow down a little very soon.

What moves your soul?

I've been thinking about this question all week. For me it's music. For me music can completely transform an attitude, a situation, a place. Music can take me back to a place and time within just the first few measures of a song. Roxette's Joyride always takes me back to Republic, Wa in the beginnings of Larry and I's relationship. That song starts playing and I'm right back in that town. Shania Twain's Come On album puts me in Elko.

I have known people who aren't really "music people". The prefer silence or talk radio to hearing songs play. And while I understand completely that everyone has different like and dislikes, it's a bit strange to me.

Music has always been a big part of my world. As a kid my mom had hundreds of albums, back in the days of vinyl. She had them all organized alphbetically by artist and then each artist by release date (oddly enough I do the same thing). But she would start at the beginning of the alphabet and play them all the way through till she got to the last album and then would start over. We got to hear weeks of Elvis. Well I'm sure it probably wasn't weeks but she had a lot of them. One of my favorites as a kid was a Moody Blues album she had. I honestly couldn't tell you what was on that album I just like it because the vynil was blue. It was really pretty cool. I would sing at the top of my lungs to singers like Reba, Sylvia, Tammy Wynett. There was a lot of country in our house.

Over the years my likes have changed a bit. But I can always go back to something I liked years ago and listened to a lot of and still enjoy it. Even if it's not my favorite pick for that day. I still sing at the top of my lungs. I'm sure my neighbors think I'm nuts. Working in the garden with my Ipod on and singing so loud the world have hear me. If you look at my cd and Itunes collections today you'll find everything from Classical to ACDC to Jesus Culture. There are some things that I just can't listen to. I find that some things, especially at a certain volume, instantly make me angry so I don't listen to that stuff ever. I prefer to feel other emotions when I listen to music. I love a good song that just makes you want to get up and move. My Kimmie is a dancer too (of course now if she thinks you are looking she won't move a muscle but deep down I know she wants to shake her booty). There are even days when I can sit on the floor and play a song over and over and just get out a good cry. Someday I just need to do that.

Lately you will find me listening to more praise and worship songs then anything else. I can be having the worst day and put on my Ipod and start singing for God and it totally changes my mindset and my attitude. I've even written a couple of songs in the past few months and had the priviledge of sharing one of them at church this past Sunday. That was quite a leap for me I think. Sharing them with Pastor Carey but my confidence level isn't such that I would have just shared them with everyone else had she not said "I think we need to sing this one". I hope everyone enjoyed it but at the same time it really doesn't matter because the song wasn't about me or what everyone else thought of it. It was about Him and that what's really the most important.

Where have I been?

Wow it's been forever since I got over here. It's been a busy couple of weeks since school ended. Working the out in the yard and in the garden, birthday parties and fundraising. Work, work work. Can I relax now?

Last weekend was especially overwhelmingly busy. Saturday afternoon we had my neice's birthday party, then that night Relay Idol and Sunday afternoon my Grandma's 85th birthday party.

Relay Idol was a great success. This being our first year and we had to compete with two weddings that day but we still had a great turn out. We had 6 singers who all did awesome and we raised $440 for Relay and the American Cancer Society. We are looking forward to doing it again next year.

Sunday I threw my Grandma an 85th birthday party. I think that 85 is a big deal plus it had been far to long since the last time our family got together. Almost all of us were there and she really had a great time. We made her a t-shirt with all of her Great Grandkids' (who were there) hand prints. Leaving room for the ones that weren't able to come so she can add them when she see them.

We should be able to slow down a little bit now. Well I hope anyway. I know that I do tend to take on more then I need to. But that's something that I need to work on too.

Catching Up

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending a Worship Seminar in Missoula. It was a long day but so worth it. I learned a lot and had a really great time. Came home with some new books that now I really need to find some time and read them. If you ever have an opportunity to go to one of these I highly recommend it.

Monday was Kimmie's first official day of Summer Vacation. She's loving it. Sleeping in and spending the day at the sitter's playing with the other kids. Thursday she had to take donuts with her to share with everyone. Right now she gets to spend Tuesdays at home with me and Fridays at home with Daddy. That is as long as we have our days off during the week. Friday they surprised me by showing up to my work just as I was getting ready to leave for lunch. They took me to lunch with them. It was such a nice surprise to be able to spend some time with them like that.

Wednesday I had a flat tire on my way to work. A nice guy stopped (not sure where he came from though as he wasn't behind me and didn't pass me) but anyway he stopped and changed my tire for me. I was very thankful to him for that help. The tire was completely shot so I had to buy a new one. New tires are on my list for this summer so I guess now I have 1 down and only 3 more to go.

This weekend is going to be spent relaxing a bit. I need to do some house cleaning and weeding in the garden. I'm going to enjoy it though because next weekend will be crazy busy.

Kindergarten

I registered my Kimmie for Kindergarten last week. They have 2 classes and after talking to quite a few parents and teachers who have had interactions with both teachers I decided it best to try and request one of the teachers and not the other one. Reports of things that have gone on in the one class room with how the teacher talks to the kids and handles behaviors in her class are really not where I want Kimmie to be. It seems there is a lot of yelling and screaming from the teacher to the kids. Well I found out yesterday that even after my request she was placed in that class. Now I'm having really mixed feelings about the whole thing. Do I call the school and be one of those demanding moms and throw a fit (if needed) and have her moved to the other class? Or do I sit back and see what happens? Do I wait and see how Kimmie responds to this teacher? Do I just wait and see if maybe there is an opportunity to share with this teacher how we hold the preciousness of others to heart and how we speak to each other? And how we don't allow Kimmie to speak to others? And how by her speaking to her class in that manner she's diminishing how valuable God sees each and every one of those children? I can't imagine it would go over very well to have Kimmie stand up in class and inform her teacher that saying something like "Shut Up" are stinky words and we don't speak to people that way. And maybe having a harsher teacher will be good for Kimmie. She does seem to do better when there are stronger boundaries (give this kid an inch and she'll run over you to get the whole mile).

This is definitely going to be something to pray about a lot. What do you think? What would you do?

Memorial Day Weekend and Kindergarten

Tuesday we registered Kimmie for Kindergarten. She's so excited about going to the new school. All she's been talking about is going to her "high school" and riding the bus. I really hope the actually school year meets her excitement and expectations and more.

We had a wonderful weekend here. 3 wonderful days of warmth and sunshine. It was a great kick off to summer for us. We had some nice relaxation and still got a lot accomplished.

I worked my rear end off and got the garden completely planted. Now I just have weeding and watering and eventually harvesting to do. We planted lettuce, spinach, turnips, carrots, peas, beans, squash, watermelon, cantaloupe, pumpkins, cabbage, strawberries, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash and corn. I think that's everything. I did end up with a bit of sunburn on my lower back from being bent over but it'll be OK.

Kimmie and I were able to get in a couple of good bike rides too. She's doing so good and is such a trooper. Saturday we road 6 miles to my sister's house and back. Then today we did 8 miles. We road to Grandma's, went to lunch and then back home again. On our bike ride today we got to see a couple of quail and a snake on the trail. The snake kind of startled me a little bit but we stopped to check him out. Kimmie wanted to stomp on him because as she put it "he was like Satan". I think she has taken the story of Adam and Eve very much to heart. But of course I wouldn't let her and we nudge him on his way across the trail and back in to the protection of the bushes.

It's a short week for us here. We only have 3 more days of school/work. Then Friday we have her bike-a-thon and school picnic. Then summer will officially be here.

Relay Idol

I know that some are saddened that American Idol is over. I can't say that I'm really one of them. I only really watched it this year during the auditions. I really didn't follow the rest of the competition. However, for those who live in the Silver Valley we have the excitement of extending our Idol "fixes". I guess we'll put it that way.





I'm planning a fundraising event for my Relay team, Relay Idol. I'm really excited about it. It's always so wonderfully amazing to see how our community comes together to support a good cause. I have a wonderful friend who has a karaoke/Dj business. He does the best job and really is quite spendy for his services. But he has been so generous and offered to donate his services for the evening.





We will have 15 singers, who will each sing their choice of song. After all the contestants have finished singing then the voting will begin. Each singer will have a sack to collect their votes (1 vote for each dollar collected). The singer with the most votes (money) will win the competition.

This evening should be tons of fun. I'm really excited about it and can't wait to see how it goes. So if you think you are going to go through withdrawls due to missing American Idol come see the show. And help us support Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society.

Needing to Decompress

I've been looking at my schedule for the next couple of weeks and feeling so overwhelmingly busy. Thankfully school will be out next week so that will make our morning rush a little less rushed. But there is still so much to be done.

• Relay for Life meetings
• a Bike-a-thon with Kimmie's school
• a Fundraising event for Relay that I'm putting together
• a birthday party for my Grandmother
• finish planting the garden (must get that done this weekend)
• on top of many other standing weekly appointments and meetings

Today when I met with my Pastor to put together our Sunday Worship Song Set I was really feeling the need to slow down, decompress and just try to put myself in a better position to really be able to focus on what's most important. HIM.

Happy Birthday Daddy

Friday was my dear husband's 40th birthday. So of course our little girl had to make Daddy a birthday cake. She was so very proud of herself and couldn't wait to show him her tasty surprise.

Gathering everything in a mixing bowl

















Stir, Stir, Stir

















A Perfectionist at work


















And of course you have to lick the batter.

















Topped with sprinkles and a #4 candle.


















And then you have to sing Happy Birthday to Daddy.

















Now it's official. Daddy is part of the "4 Club". Along with Kimmie (4), Momma (34), Grandma (54) and Grandma Whipps (84). Soon we'll be starting the "5 Club" but Daddy won't be able to join that one.

Happy Birthday Honey hope you had a wonderful day.

Bronchitis Again

Kimmie has been coughing up a storm for the 2nd time is less then 6 weeks. So this afternoon I took her back to the doctor just to find out that she again has bronchitis. This is so frustrating. My poor little girl has this awful hacking cough. Her voice is about gone. And now we are back again on a round of antibiotic. Our doc seems to think that this is just where the cold that is going around at any given time is settling in with her. Some people it's in there head, my sweet girl gets bronchitis.


Yesterday on our walk she got a flat tire on her bike. She was so upset about it because she's worried that it won't be fixed and she won't be able to ride in her bike-a-thon. Larry promised that he would fix it tonight when he got home. Unfortunately he got the tire apart and found that she needs a whole new tire. From her riding and skidding on the breaks she has worn a hole in the tire itself. So tomorrow I will be on the hunt for a new white tire with pink walls. Hopefully I'll be able to find it so she doesn't have to have 1 white and 1 black tire on her bike.

Happy Mother's Day

It was a beautiful day. We got up early and had a great service at church. Then came home and enjoyed some sunshine. Kimmie played outside and I worked a little on the garden. Getting rows lined out and ready for planting.

Then we went and picked up my mom and brought her to our house for dinner. Onion Pork Chops with Mashed potatoes. YUMMY!!!

My excitement of the day came during pre-service prayer time at church. I was really kind of getting in a zone of worship when I suddenly heard my sweet girl crying. I looked down to see her running up on the stage to me with blood on her nose. She was supposed to be back in the back room with another little boy playing. When I got her calmed down and cleaned up and asked what happened. She informed me that she had snuck outside to play on the front steps and fell on the stairs.



She's got quite a bruise that runs up her forhead. Hopefully she doesn't have a black eye tomorrow. I'd really hate to have to tell people that she got a black eye at church. That doesn't sound to good really.

A Nice Day Bike Ride

On the 29th my Kimmie has a bike-a-thon for her school. It's a fundraiser to help with tuition costs and other expenses that the school has. Some of the kids will be riding 13 miles but the younger kids will be riding almost 7 miles.

Today we finally had a break from the rain so I thought it was a good day for us to have a practice ride. We had Larry take us and our bikes to my mom's house and we rode home. Kimmie did great. She peddled her little legs on her little Princess bike. And we had a great time. We only road 4 miles today but it was still a great ride.



We have a wonderful trail to ride one here. The railroad stopped running through our valley years ago. So the powers that be decided to pull out the tracks and pave the railroad over. It runs 70+ miles through our beautiful valley. It's so nice to be able to ride/walk/run on a nice paved path. With no traffic to worry about.