Happy Thanksgiving!

I want to wish all family and friends a Happy, Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy all the good food but more importantly, enjoy just being around family.


Christian Glitter by www.christianglitter.com


I'll be up early cooking my share of dinner then enjoying tables overflowing with yummy food at my mom's home. Yum Yum Yum I'm dreaming of turkey, dressing, pecan pies, and yummy yams. Then just as the guys are cranking up the tv for their yearly football bash and when I am usually trying to find a quite space for a nap....instead I'll be heading home to earn some of that much needed Christmas cash. James and Jen plan to go volunteer to serve food at the salvation army.

vacation has been nice...

...but it's time to get back to the business of life. Well, for James anyway. The kids are out of school for the next week. I'm sure they will enjoy their break. As for myself...hopefully my forced vacation will end tomorrow with me picking up my good pal computer from the shop. They are waiting for a new graphics card.

James football officiating job has been such a blessing. It allowed us to replace the washer yesterday. It feels like heaven to be able to do laundry here at home again instead of having to spend $40 every week at the laundrymat.

I got some sewing done during my free time this week. I love sewing and making things. Love it. I generally find it relaxing and it gives me joy. Sadly, though, it is become a casualty of employment. I've had very little time for sewing since I started working. I hope/plan to do it more often. Anyway, Jen decided to try it and made the cutest baby rag quilt for her niece. I'll try to get a pic posted some time soon.


It is exciting times around here.....

We are making out an order for graduation announcements and a cap and gown!!! It's getting closer and closer and closer... I need to start working on addresses for the announcements. It will (thankfully) be a fairly short list. (Ha! I need to work on Christmas card addresses, too!)

And, second, TKD belt promotions were this past Tuesday. Jared and Jeff are now RED BELTS! Just two testing cycles, 4 months, away from their level one 1st degree black belt. I'm so proud of all their hard work.

Life is calling...

Terri, Scott, and Ella in China!!!

China Trip

adventures in computerland

My two sweet, precious boys were playing one of their favorite games on the computer one day last week. They just discovered that they can download extras from the EA games website for their Sims game. hmmm yea That spelled D O O M for my computer. Before long I heard them complaining that the computer froze..........and now it shuts down as soon as windows starts booting. Lovely. That means lost work time for me while I spend money to have it fixed. I bought this computer so I could work while that one is in the shop but can't seem to get any of the software to work with vista. drats

TaeKwonDo belt testing was Friday evening and both boys were awesome! I haven't had a chance to look thru the pictures. Promotions will be Tuesday evening. James is on vacation this week so he'll get to be there this time. YAY

Our family grew by one Thursday afternoon. Jim and A had an appointment with the youth pastor at our church to get married. It was just a private ceremony in his office so simple and sweet. Things are gearing up for the babies arrival in a few months. Jim is getting excited about holding his baby girl.

And we just can't seem to avoid laundry woes.........We finally get a replacement for the dryer so we don't have to make those expensive trips to the laundrymat every week and.........the washer breaks! It's a great, heavy-duty, commercial washer so we'll have it repaired but gee! Thank God for James ref jobs. Saturday's peewee games will be paying for the repairs.

Speaking of peewee games..........boy, did he have a doozy of a game to deal with Saturday! You would think that parents would be upset with the *kid* if the kid (8-10 age group) uses repulsive language that gets him kicked out of the game. But no, they blame the ref for kicking him out. Then the parents started fighting and.........well, it got ugly fast! It makes me soooooo happy my boys are not playing football. I was asking James about the coaches screaming, cursing, and being really mean to those kids and he was telling me that it's like that in almost all the different peewee organizations he has worked. Unbelievable. There is only one that doesn't treat their kids that way and at that one the coaches will have plenty to say to any parent/observer that does. It's called KIDS sports, people. Not PRO sports. I just can't understand how parents can behave that way.

Now, our very, very best news of the week.........Terri, Scott, and sweet baby Ella are home from China!!! What a beautiful, beautiful blessing.

Christian Glitter by

it's baa-ack!!!

I've been miserable the past couple of days. I never completely lost the cough from the cold a month ago. Instead, a cold virus has yet again invaded the house. James and I are fighting over the Theraflu. We had one dose left last night. I sent him out for reinforcements. My cough has now turned into a barking cough. I'm hoping I don't lose my voice. That wouldn't be good for the job.

James was on vacation last week so I kept pretty busy during my off time. The kids had no school Thursday so he took Jen to visit HBU. They both loved it.

Pros for HBU -

- closest to home, which I think will play a big part in the long run
- small community
- security - campus is completely fenced in w/carded gate access
- christian, which she loves
- high percentage of pre-med graduates accepted to medical school

We'll be visiting the others. Soon, I hope. :)


Friday was also report card day and awards for the elementary school. Jeff got his share. :)
















Let's see....
A-B Honor Roll, Perfect Attendance, Principal's Award for excellent behavior, 10 AR points...

I think that might be it.

Jeff with his teacher, Ms Lee

Jeff with his best bud, Brendan












James then had a game to officiate on Friday night. Jeff begged to go. He couldn't go unless he had someone to watch him. Jen didn't want to watch him. Guess who ended up going so Jeff could go? Yea, me. The damp air played a huge part in me fighting this cold, I believe. Anyway, 10 minutes into the game Jeff decided he was bored. "What can we do?" he asked. "How much longer is the game?" he asked. We made several trips to the concession stand. Then I found a fundraising table for one of the bands trip to play in the Rose Bowl parade and bought a *loud* noisemaker thingie. He *loved* that and commenced to make lots of noise. Later a dog wandered up so Jeff and another boy were playing with it. Then came the clencher of the evening....

This kid looks over at me and then back at Jeff to ask, "Is that your grandma or your mom?"

I about fell out of my chair!!!!!!!!