Dear PC...

Dear PC,

You have been a part of our household for a little over a year now. You have provided us with information, storage and play. You have not caused us any trouble...until now.

PC, why did your hard drive have to crash? Did you think about my pictures of the kids? My Quicken software? Did you think about the e-mails and addresses that you so hastily took away without even a glitch?

I hope for your sake, the nice repairman that brings you a new hard drive will be able to save some of those things. Otherwise, my trusty MacBook computer from work is looking better everyday. She doesn't crash or steal my pictures. She is trustworthy and dependable.

Of course, PC, it couldn't be our fault for not backing up our data. No, we thought of you as dependable and young. I guess you have taught us a lesson~ Always back up your data and buy a Mac!

Sincerely,
Me

I Trust You'll Treat Her Well

Congratulations Emma!

1st grade here she comes!

Emma getting her Kindergarten "diploma" this morning.

My battery died right after this picture...I couldn't even zoom in!

Kindergarten Graduation

I found this poem last fall and never got it posted. (Sorry about how long it is, but I thought is was worth sharing!) It seems to get me every time! I think we made it rather well through the first year. Lots of learning, 3 stitches, 1 office referral (we won't talk about that one!) and lots of smiles.

I Trust You'll Treat Her Well

By Dan Valentine

World, I bequeath to you today one little girl in a crispy dress...with two blue eyes...and a happy laugh that ripples all day long, and a batch of light brown hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs. I Trust You'll Treat Her Well.

She's slipping out of the backyard of my heart this morning and skipping off down the street to her first day at school.

And never again will she be completely mine...

Prim and Proud, she'll wave a young and independent hand this morning, and say goodbye and walk with little-lady steps to the nearby schoolhouse.

Gone will be the chattering little hoyden who lived only for play, and gone will be the delightful little gamin who roamed the yard like a proud princess with nary a care in her little world.

Now, she will learn to stand in lines...and wait by the alphabet for her name to be called...

She will learn to tune her little-girl ears for the sound of school bells, and for deadlines...

She will learn to giggle and gossip...and to look at the ceiling in a disinterested way when the little boy across the aisle sticks out his tongue.

Now she will learn to be jealous...and now she will learn how it is to feel hurt inside...and now she will learn how not to cry. No longer will she have time to sit on the front porch steps on a summer day and watch while an ant scurries across a crack in the sidewalk...

Or will she have time to pop out of bed with the dawn to kiss lilac blossoms in the morning dew. Now she will worry about important things, like grades...and what dresses to wear...and whose best friend is whose. Now she will worry about the little boy who pulls her hair at recess time...and staying after school...and which little girls like which little boys...and the magic of books and knowledge will soon take the place of the magic of her blocks and dolls.

And she'll find new heroes. For five full years I've been her sage and Santa Claus...her pal and playmate...her parent and friend. Now, alas, she'll learn to share her worship and adoration with her teachers (which is only right).

No longer will her parents be the smartest, and greatest in the world. Today, when the first school bell rings, she'll learn how it is to be a member of the group...with all its priveledges, and, of course, its disadvantages too.

She'll learn in time that proper young ladies don't laugh out loud...or keep frogs in pickle jars in bedrooms...or watch ants scurry across the cracks in a summer sidewalk...

Today, she'll begin to learn for the first time that all who smile at her are not her friends. That "the group" can be a demanding mistress...and I'll stand on the porch and watch her start out on the long, long journey to becoming a woman.

So WORLD, I BEQUEATH YOU TODAY ONE LITTLE GIRL in a crispy dress, with two blue eyes, a happy laugh that ripples all day long, and a batch of light brown hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs.

I TRUST YOU'LL TREAT HER WELL.

Sunday Fun

We had a great Sunday. Spent lots of time outside which wore everyone out! We traveled south to Red Rock for a part of the afternoon and walked the trails.

The girls

Dad, Emma and Matthew

After our picnic on the deck, we got out the sprinkler for the girls. Emma and I had fun running through it.

Miss Em

Madie and Emma

What a great day!

RAK...

My sister, bsktgirl, loves to do RAK's (Random Acts of Kindness). I think I should listen to my sister more often. Today at school, I was working with a little guy who, I think, has come to speech every day dirty. Dirty clothes, no bath, etc. He is a sweet little boy who only aims to please. I thoroughly enjoy my time with him. Anyway, today they are having their penpals come to visit. He was filthy. I told him that on the way back to class we would stop and he could wash his hands. (I won't even talk about the fact that he had just come from lunch!) He gave it a good try but was still a little dirty. So we walked together down to his classroom and I scrubbed his arms up really well. We watched the dirty soap run down the sink. After we got done he gave me a great big smile and went and sat down. The kindergarten teacher thanked me for the lesson in hygiene. Then, as I was going to leave I looked back. There he sits, looking at his arms with the biggest grin you had ever seen. It was like he was seeing his own skin for the first time. Makes a person think 1) how lucky we really are and 2) why don't I take the extra 2 minutes everyday? Why don't I??? I think that may be a project of mine for the next school year...

The object(s) of his affection

Just a few of Brandon's favorite things!

Football. Need I say more?

Sundays in the fall are not complete without a 12 hour marathon of football. I am sure now that the basement is finished, the NFL Sunday Package on Direct TV will be discussed.

Jack Bauer - 24
Special 2 hour Season Finale is tonight! Can't miss it!

The all new 2010 Chevy Camaro.

Good ol' American Muscle redesigned.

The stars are aligned...

AGAINST us getting well!!! My poor baby boy has had the worst luck with illness this winter. He doesn't have tonsillitis, he has Mono. Of all things. Poor baby is sleeping 18-19 hours a day since last Sunday. The dr. says it doesn't last as long in children more like 2 weeks or so. So...we can expect him to sleep for another week or so.
I am patiently waiting for summer. Only 10 more days till school is out, contract days are over and summer break has arrived! Hallelujah, the end is near! I think we need a little quarantine from school!

Countdown to sanity ~maybe

Only 12, count 'em 12, contract days left until summer break. I cannot wait for summer to get here. My hope is that a couple months at home will help little man to get well - for more than a week or 2 at a time! He has done well for a couple weeks and then last Thursday I ran him to the dr~his ears were full of fluid. Not red, just fluid so we waited for the antibiotic. By Friday night he was ready for it. Sunday we started a fever so I begged the ENT to get us in early. Bless their hearts they did. Imagine my shock and surprise when the ENT says, "His ears look perfect, he has tonsillitis." Great. Lovely. Fantastic. Here we go with tonsils. So there isn't anything we can do. Thank goodness Grandma G. was on her way down to get Jacob and Ry so they could move into their new house. Gram came early and took care of Matthew, or rather cleaned my house while Matthew slept all but 5 hours during the ENTIRE day. Thank you Mom!

This is how little man has been for the last 4 days. Sleeping. This bug has wiped him out!

Matthew and I during one of his few waking moments today. The fever looks to finally have broke though ~ 'bout time!

Grandma Madie and Matthew. Emma was already on the bus and missed this photo session.

Miss Madelyn. She wasn't about to smile!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!

We love you!

The Fortunate One

Yep, I think I am the fortunate one. I sometimes get caught up in the day to day stressors like everyone else. But when it comes right down to it. I am pretty lucky. Brandon and the kids are my life! I got home today and had 2 hand-made with love cards waiting for me. The girls made them at school and couldn't wait to give them to me. Brandon also gave me my gift from the kids... a new mother's ring. I love it. Sometimes these things can be a little over the top but this is perfect! The stones are a purple, light blue and ruby. He did a good job!!!

Emma is all about her brother and not so much about smiling for the camera. She put him to sleep here.

Miss Madie decided she can fit into Matthew's old swing. Looks like fun! Here she is all ready for Bam Bam ball (t-ball)

Good stuff!

Hi everyone! So sorry for the long lapse in posts...we have been busy around here. Doing what, I don't know. Just busy.

I have a taco dish at The Cheesecake Factory that I LOVE! It is to be savored! Anyway, the taco is covered with a tomatillo sauce. Absolutely delish. So I found this recipe for tomatillo sauce. Brandon really liked it with a softshell chicken taco. I also make a little mix of roma tomato, red onion and cilantro instead of salsa. The girls didn't even try it as it has jalepeno in it. If you are making tacos - give it a try! The tomatillos may be a little hard to find but I have seen them at Target and Hy-Vee. They are small green tomato-like things with a husk on the outside.

Tomatillo Sauce

6 tomatillos - husked and washed
1 jalepeno
6 sprigs cilantro
1/2 small white onion chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup water

1. Boil the tomatillos in salt water 8-10 minutes or until just soft.
2. Put tomatillos, onion, jalepeno, cilantro in blender and chop until slightly coarse
3. Add 1/4 cup water or until sauce-like consistency. (I didn't have to add the water but I though I better put it in) Add salt
4. Let sit for 30 minutes before using