Grillmaster

Whether it's hamburgers, hot dogs, brauts, or chicken...
Mike is definately the master of the grill.

That's not to say that everything he cooks turns out wonderfully. We have had our fair share of overseasoned hamburgers and raw meat. But he is getting pretty good at tossing something on the grill and wowing us with the results.

My personal favorite is his grilled chicken. Very tasty.

Entertaining guests

When Dad and Christie came to visit, I wasn't sure what we would do the whole time. Our family isn't really that exciting. We spend a lot of time running errands and playing video games in the weekend. So we really lucked out that the weather cooperated while they were here.

One of the best things we did was go on a couple walks together. Once we wandered through our neighborhood and the one next to ours. Today we headed over to the Clear Creek Trail.

When we used to live in town, I spent so many mornings over at the trail rollerblading, running, and walking. Somehow, since we live further away now, we don't go there as often anymore. So it was nice to have an excuse to use the trail again.

It took some work to get Sammy's big bike there, but it was worth the effort. Mike and Jonathan opted to rollerblade. It was a fun walk for me, Dad, and Christie even though we were behind everyone else for the majority of the walk.

Bounce, bounce, bounce

One of the kids' favorite things to do when my dad comes to visit is to bounce on the trampoline with him. We were so lucky this trip that it was warm enough to be outside. Today was a beautiful 70+ degrees out and they all jumped for a while as they waited for dinner to be prepared. We love our trampoline and will really miss it when we move to England.

And we're off

For those of you who don't know, Mike has been job hunting for the past couple months.

Last week he went to England to interview with a company called Reckitt Benckiser. I hate to give too many details about the company as I am not clear on everything myself. It is a consumer products company based in Europe. Mike interviewed for three days, meeting with various people in the company. We kept in touch though email as it was very expensive to call home.

Fast forward to today...
Mike received an official written offer to work for the company. What does this mean for our family? Well, we're moving to England! That's right, folks. Our family is taking off and heading to a foreign country.

In case this isn't strange enough...
It's all happening in the next couple months! Mike will start his new job sometime in April and the kids and I will follow him with all of our belongings in June. I know, you are wondering "how crazy is she?" The answer is "completely". I never in my life thought I would live outside the USA. But life happens and I have to learn to roll with it. This is a great opportunity for Mike and the kids and I are excited to be a part of it.

Wish us luck, and plan to visit us!
Such fun!

An interesting encounter

This week Mike has been in England interviewing for a job. Today he had the opportunity to see the Queen of England. She was visiting Hull (the city he was staying in) to dedicate a new train and part of a children's hospital. He took several pictures, but this one is the best.

He was so close! I think she just looks like a sweet old lady wearing a yellow hat. I guess I was expecting a crown and purple robes. Ha ha. He joked that he was able to "kiss the queen" while he was in England.

So Sammy

When I walked into Sammy's room today, I found her playing on the computer. I wasn't surprised. Afterall, it's Saturday - translation: "computer and video game day".

What I love about this moment was how she was playing.
With several of her little stuffed dogs (and a bunny) sitting around watching her play the game.

Too cute.
And soooooo Sammy.

14 things I love...

I love it when...

(1) Jonathan and Sammy play nicely together
(2) I get to spend time scrapbooking
(3) a lesson goes well at school
(4) Mike helps around the house
(5) the scale reads less than the day before
(6) the sun shines and the weather is warm
(7) all of my fingernails are the same length
(8) my kids say "I love you" before going to sleep at night
(9) I get to take an afternoon nap
(10) I discover a new, tasty, and easy to prepare dinner recipe
(11) the kitchen is clean and the dishes are put away
(12) the lighting is perfect and the kids cooperate for a photo shoot
(13) I get to catch up on blogging
(14) I complete a project and can check it off my to-do list

Happy Valentine's Day!

ISSMA Competition

A good portion of our day today was devoted to supporting Jonathan. With the encouragement of his choir teacher, Mr. Upchurch, he entered the Indiana State School Music Association Competition.

He decided to enter two events.
Both a solo and an ensemble.

His ensemble consisted of about ten boys and girls singing the song, Ma Bella Binda, a song sung completely in Italian. The group received a gold for their performance. For his solo, Jonathan sang the song, Where is the Love, from the musical, Oliver. He did an amazing job and got a gold for this performance as well!

I can't believe how much courage it took for him to stand up in front of strangers and sing his heart out. We are all very proud of him. Congratulations, Jonathan!

winter wonderland?

Day two.
Big blizzard.
More snow than we usually have all winter.
It came down in two clumps...
Separated by a thick sheet of ice.
Mike made snow angels.

Sammy took her stuffed dog, Spot, everywhere with her. She even buried him in the snow a couple of times.

Jonathan kept attacking Mike with perfectly formed snowballs...only to have Mike retaliate by rolling him face first in the snow.

It was a fun way to spend the afternoon since we were snowbound, stuck in our house with no way out. The snow plows didn't even come until late this evening.

My favorite...

Seeing one of our neighbors pulling his kids on a sled behind his ATV.

Wheeee!

Happy Birthday, Sammy!

This year Sammy had a cooking themed birthday party. The results were cuter than the pictures suggest, but I was so busy keeping the party going that I didn't have tons of opportunities for great pictures.

The details:
The invitation was a recipe card for a birthday party. Ingredients, directions, etc. It turned out pretty cute.
Each girl got a personalized apron and a chef's hat (hand made by me) to wear during the festivities.
The cake was a girl (Sammy - complete with pigtails) wearing a chef's hat.
The kids created their own pizzas and decorated sugar cookies.
They also played an impromptu game of air hockey.
The take home goodies included an oven mitt, a wooden spoon, and a chocolate chip cookie mix.

Sammy's favorite gift was a "snuggie" blanket that I made for her. Essentially it is a blanket with sleeves. She had seen them advertised on TV and written down the phone number so I could order one for her. She was so excited when she opened her very own snuggie!

Our January Picture

Sammy dressed herself.
Jonathan just got back from martial arts.
I am 20 pounds overweight.
Mike hasn't shaved in weeks.
But this is us. Right now.
A family.

Alter Ego

I stumbled across a funny personality quiz online today. It asks a series of questions that help to determine what superhero you are most similar to. My results are below. Apparently I am most like Supergirl. Who knew?

You are Supergirl
Supergirl 80%
Superman 75%
Wonder Woman 70%
The Flash 65%
Spider-Man 60%
Robin 50%
Hulk 50%
Batman 45%
Iron Man 40%
Green Lantern 30%
Catwoman 20%
Lean, muscular and feminine. Honest and a defender of the innocent.

To take this quiz yourself, go to the following website.
http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/
Which superhero are you most like?

A New Year, A New Look

For those of you who don't visit very often, you may be surprised at the new design of our blog. Well, after spending several hours scouring the internet for new blogger templates and several more hours trying to apply the correct settings in the design I wanted, I have settled on what you see now. The design is called black splat. I'm not sure why, since it has a green spot on it, not black. Oh well. The point is that I like the new look. Some of the features from the old website have been eliminated, but I like the fresh, clean, simple look of this design. And I even learned a little bit more about HTML and XML and CSS in the process (and I emphasize a little bit). Suffice it to say that I am glad that I have decided to change the overall template for my blog only once each year. What a process!

Resolutions

As I tend to do at the beginning of each new year, I have decided to sit down and make a list of my goals for the new year. Having publicly posted my resolutions last year, I decided to look back to see what I had accomplished over the year.

Well, not much.
At least not toward the ten goals I set for myself last year.

Let's review...
Goal #1: exercise regularly
Well, that lasted about seven months. When I got a job in August, I simply ran out of energy and "took a break" from exercise. Not the best decision I've ever made since exercise really improves my overall mood and self-esteem.
Goal #2: get more sleep
I actually did a pretty good job at this. Rest is necessary, I've learned, in order to make it through each day. An early bedtime became a good habit I developed this year.
Goal #3: seek out therapy
Been there. Done that. Got some great medication too.
Goal #4: be more patient
Did I actually think that could be accomplished in one year? Better add it to this year's list too.
Goal #5: take at least one family picture each month
Um, right. Another one I didn't do.
Goal #6: lose 30 pounds
Well, as the story goes, I did lose 20 pounds, but I also gained back 15. So do I get credit for the 5 I kept off?
Goal #7: play more and stress less
Ha! Ha! Ha!
Goal #8: look for the positive instead of the negative in each situation
I tried. Really, I tried. But this year had a few doozies.
Goal #9: say more thoughtful (and regular) personal prayers
I can honestly say that I worked on this one a lot this year.
Goal #10: put time on the calendar for me
Well, I didn't scrapbook two hours a week as planned, but I did go out for a couple girls' nights, went on regular walks with Melissa, scrapbooked with Jen, chatted on the phone a lot, spent a weekend away with Tracey and Jen, and read several good books.

Ok.
Let's put things into perspective.
I really did a pretty good job of working toward my goals last year.
This year I will attempt to reach some of the ones I didn't get to last year.

So my New Year's Resolutions for 2009 are:
1. exercise regularly - it was good enough to be first last year, let's try it again
2. have a little faith - trust that God will look out for me and my family and provide for us when we are in need
3. patience, patience, patience - a repeat that I guess I'll always need to work on
4. lose 20 pounds - and keep it off this time
5. take a family picture every month
6. enjoy my job - even on the hard days, find something that I can be happy about
7. schedule play dates - make time to have fun and play with Jon and Sammy
8. hold regular family home evenings - they've been sporadic over the years and shouldn't be
9. become a better cook - collect and try out new recipes for meals, not just new desserts
10. keep praying - even when things aren't the worst of the worst, keep up the regular communication with Heavenly Father

So wish me luck.
I'll need it.

The Hike

On our last day in Colorado Mike decided we would go on a hike...

UP A MOUNTAIN!

I agreed to go, as did Jonathan and Costa.

We bundled up really well, wearing lots of layers and snow boots, and took off to climb a mountain. (Just a small mountain - according to Mike.)

It didn't take long to realize that we were seriously out of shape and unprepared for what was ahead of us. The snow on the ground came up to our knees in some places.

It stuck to our pants, freezing them solid. It was slippery too, making it even harder to walk through.

It took us most of the day, but we made it.

I say that as though it was no big deal, but I should admit to being in tears at the top of the mountain. As we were climbing over the boulders, I was hoping I wouldn't slip and fall to my death right then! I should also mention that Jonathan's feet got so cold he had to take drastic measures and warm them up on Aunt Costa's belly. We all wanted to quit at some point in the day...except Mike.

When we started our hike, Mike assured us that when someone wanted to turn around and go back he would do it. Yeah, right. He kept pushing us a little longer and a little higher. Until we just couldn't go any further. In hindsight, I'm glad because it was very pretty up there.

Great for taking pictures!

Sledding

There was just enough snow to go sledding when we were in Colorado. And what better place than the side of a mountain? I was too chicken to go down the hill, but the kids and Mike and Costa had a blast barreling down the hill on the blow-up tube. Crash landing all covered in snow most of the time.

Candid shots

Colorado.

December.

Keeping warm inside.

Cute kids.

Gorgeous lighting.

Why not snap a few pictures?

All dressed up...

Monkey Suits.
That's what Costa calls them.
Whatever they are, they sure did keep us warm.
And make us look silly.

After Christmas dinner Costa and I decided to take a walk in the snow in the subzero weather. Mike helped us get all bundled up. Long underwear, hats, scarves, gloves, and monkey suits. It was worth it for a little fresh air that night.

And it made for a great picture, so why not?!?

Road Kill

Mike and the kids will tell you - I am definitely a nervous passenger in the car when Mike is driving. I do trust him and know he has been driving forever, but I am constantly afraid we are going to rear-end someone or run over something or drive off the road. While these fears are (for the most part) unfounded, it certainly doesn't stop me form being ultra-paranoid in certain situations.

Take, for example, our recent drive to Colorado.
It was late at might. I had maybe slept for an hour or two total that night. We were on back roads, winding through the mountains in the pitch black, snow was on the ground, and I was sure that an animal had run across the road in front of our car. Knowing better than to yell out when Mike is driving, I simply (and very innocently I might add) inhaled quickly and braced myself for the collision.

Mike slammed on the brakes and demanded to know what my problem was.

You see, when I react like that, he gets nervous and thinks it's something dangerous. It bugs him, but I truly thought I had seen something run in front of us. I explained this to him and he was less than amused.

You see, what had actually "run" in front of our car was a tumbleweed. Yeah, like the ones in the cartoons on TV. I really thought it was an animal, I tried to explain. He laughed and told me that animals have eyes that glow in the headlights and legs. Tumbleweed has no eyes and no legs. ok, I know that, but still. Is it alright to run anything without eyes and legs over with our car? Pretty much, Mike told me. Besides, he continued, didn't you feel the impact from that weed we just hit?

Har, har, har.
He's such a comedian.
And I ended up being the brunt of the jokes for a while after that.
I guess I deserved it...this time.

"Gingerbread" Houses

Yep, it was messy.
Yep, it was fun.
Yep, it was the second time that day I had created gingerbread houses.
Yep, it was way more exciting the second time around.

Sammy posed for an exceptionally silly picture with her partially decorated gingerbread house. She worked very hard to decorate it without knocking anything off. This house was a collaborative effort between Sammy and Mommy.

Jonathan had a plan. He and Daddy worked hard to get his gingerbread house to look the way he wanted it to. Very colorful.

Without a doubt, my favorite part of the gingerbread houses was watching Mike and Jonathan try to create an overhang with the graham crackers. Too bad the frosting was too soft to really hold it. That's OK. Jonathan settled for the next best thing...a torture chamber for teddy grahams. That's my boy. Ha ha.

Visiting Grandma and Grandpa

For Thanksgiving this year we decided to visit Grandma and Grandpa in Rockford, Illinois. It was a great trip. Not too far away, and just long enough to enjoy each other's company. We stuffed ourselves on Thanksgiving and spent time walking the food off outside.

The highlight of the trip for the kids was definitely the animals that live with Grandma and Grandpa. Maggie (the puppy) and Smudge and Sophie (the kitties) were on their best behavior. Jon loved having the kitties curl up on his lap. Sammy gave Maggie so much attention it was wonderful!

Happy Thanksgiving

I am thankful for my family.
I am thankful for a car that doesn't break down.
I am thankful to have a job.
I am thankful for my health.
I am thankful for understanding parents.
I am thankful for second chances.
I am thankful for technology.
I am thankful for my camera.
I am thankful for my Heavenly Father.

Boo

Despite the fact that I was feeling a bit "humbuggy" this Halloween, I managed to spend one weekend sewing the kids' costumes. They turned out pretty cute, if I do say so myself.

Over the years I have loved having a boy and a girl so that I could match their costumes. You know, Harry Potter and Hermione, Aladdin and Jasmine, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, etc. But this year - the last year they would go trick-or-treating door to door - I decided to let them be what they wanted.

Jonathan got a kick out of dressing up as a hippie and Sammy loved her pointy witch's hat. My personal favorites were the green flip flops and the purple and black striped tights. Sometimes it's the little details that really make the costumes great!

to blog or not to blog...

That is the question!
And also:
Does every photo I take deserve a blog post?
And does every blog post require a photo?

I've determined that the answer to the first is yes.
I want to blog.
I want to share my life and photos with others.
I want to be able to remember the fun things we've done.
I want to continue because I enjoy it.
I want to keep blogging because I want to create another blog book.
I want to post again because I am so behind in scrapbooking and this makes me feel better.

The answer to the second and third questions is no.
If I start forcing myself to blog about every silly snapshot I take, I will get overwhelmed. (Hmmm, that never happens to me, right?)
If I only post when I have a picture, I will limit myself. Or I will force myself to take even more pictures of absolutely everything so that I can write blog posts.

So, I have decided to continue blogging and to do it however the mood strikes me.

One last question...
Is it "legal" to stop blogging for several months and then return and write a bunch of posts and backdate them so it looks like I've kept up on things all along?
If not, then send me to jail. Sometimes it's the only way I can get things done.

Modesty Fashion Show

Sammy's activity day leaders came up with another really cute idea. A modesty fashion show. I was asked to be the official photographer. I loved watching them giggle as they put on make-up and got their hair done together in the bathroom.

Sammy modeled a cute brown top with rainbow embroidered jeans. Hse was too shy to come out on stage at first, but quickly warmed up to the idea and turned into quite the performer.

With so many negative influences out there these days, I am so grateful that she has these ladies and her church friends as positive role models.