Menu Plan Monday

We need milk, peanut butter and syrup from the store. Otherwise, we're eating from the pantry this week. I hope...Breakfasts and lunches are almost always the same at our house, so I'll spare you the deja vu-

Monday-leftover buffet from the stuff we ate over the weekend-tacos, breakfast casserole, nachos, tomato soup

Tuesday-chicken enchilada soup-a homemade gourmet favorite!

Wednesday-meatloaf with potatoes and green beans

Thursday-Garlic Basil pesto pasta w/ grilled chicken and sauteed zucchini

Friday-I'm thinkin' pizza!

Free Voice Lesson

Embedded Video

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Thoughtfull Thursday

Today is already full of changes in our schedule. I don't always handle change well. Especially when I don't initiate it.

• Presley was supposed to have her 6m checkup and shots today. The dr. is sick so it's rescheduled for Monday.
  
• My uncle is having heart surgery today. He was supposed to have this surgery several months ago. But he formed a blood clot and had to heal from that first. If you will, please pray for Bob Keating. That the surgery would go well and that healing would take place. My parents came down to be with him, so we'll make a trip up to the hospital as well, I assume.
  
• I received Avery's progress report yesterday for the 2nd trimester. One advantage of homeschooling is that she can work on her own pace. For instance, she is 82% done with Math and 63% done with History. The other subjects are somewhere in between those 2. She has done an excellent job this year.
• What's up with this weather forecast? A winter storm? You've got to be kidding-my daffodils just started blooming....
• started reading Twilight last night. I'm a little behind, I know. We watched the movie on Monday and I have questions that need answered. I did this with Wicked, too.
  
• We ran out of paper towels yesterday and I'm wondering how long we can manage. I don't like making trips to the store for just one item. Mainly b/c I never only buy just one item.
• I wrote my first letter of recommendation last night. A former voice student of mine is applying to grad school and asked me to write one. I feel special.
• our car has been in the shop twice in the last week. Both with big price tags.
  
• we're in the process of refinancing our home. It will cut 8 years of payments off. That's sweet. But we'll have to pay some out of pocket now. Can we ever make it one month where everything is in accordance with the budget? I didn't think so...
• Avery's front tooth is literally hanging by a thread. I told her she couldn't eat breakfast until it was gone. I'm afraid she'll swallow it, it's THAT loose.
  
• McKenna made another classic remark last night. Kevin told her he was going to feed Presley (cereal) while I fixed supper. She responded by saying, "but Dad, how can you, you're not a mommy."
  

My Old Kentucky Home

I miss Kentucky. I miss Kentucky in the spring. It's beautiful there during any season, but now is when I miss seeing the trees and flowers blooming in the bluegrass. We left KY in 2004 to move back to the land of OZ (or Ahhhs) Kevin and I reconnected with some friends via facebook yesterday and, now, I'm longing for my (not so) old Kentucky home.

• I miss our friends the most, of course. Friends from seminary, church, UK, work
• I miss the salty ham at shakertown-and the celery tomato soup and the salsafee casserole. And the people that make us "kindly welcome"
• I miss fans going crazy over UK basketball. KU fans are no where near as passionate as UK fans are
• I miss Bella Notte-everything about it
• I miss shopping. I shopped a lot more when we lived in KY. I miss NY&C at Fayette Mall the most
• I miss our first home-it would be way too small for our family now, but I miss it, none the less. We had some great memories in that house.
  
• I miss being just a couple. Does that sound bad? I don't mean for it to. The first 4 years in KY, we we're just a married couple, not yet parents. I miss those times being husband and wife. Seems like another life ago...
• I miss sight seeing and weekend excersions-natural bridge, the Gap outlet, Bardstown, Cumberland gap, High bridge, Gatlinburg, the Horse Park

Now, I'm bummed. I don't know when we'll get back to Kentucky. Soon, I hope. ok-your turn. What (or who) are you missing today?

Back to school

I have a renewed sense of energy and purpose for homeschooling this week. I really needed a spring break. This week Avery is working on the following in school-

• In Math, she is subtracting with numbers 3-8, reviewing money and addition.
• In Phonics, reviewing digraphs and trigraphs, reading In the Shed, Jig and Nip, and some of her favorites.
  
• In Language Arts, reading various poems and the Velveteen Rabbit
  
• In History, studying George Washington and Thomas Jefferson
  
• In Science, learning about the seasons, specifically spring
• In Art, learning about dimension using clay

In our bible time, we're going to learn and memorize the Lord's Prayer. This morning, I found out the girls already know most of it. I would like them to learn a contemporary version, though. We're also reading stories about Jesus, the childhood years(there's only one) and leading up to his death.
McKenna will join us for the most part. She will continue to practice writing her name. She will also learn about the letter B. And do various worksheets, as time allows.

Church thoughts

We've visited 3 different churches in the last 3 weeks. 1 Non-denominational, 1 Methodist, and 1 Evangelical Free, all claiming to have 700+ in attendance. Here are my thoughts so far-Warning. These aren't meant to be critical or negative, just what I was thinking at the time...

• The spirit of God is alive and well at these churches. There was definitely a sense of family. Although, as a visitor, I felt like an outsider at each one.
• 2 churches had great info on their website for newcomers and visitors. 1 did not.
• I'm reminded that, while worship isn't about me, I definitely have a preference. Is that wrong?
• I was used to being entertained in worship. I realize that worship is a verb and I need to start participating
• security for kids is a must-1 church had adequate security, 1 church was questionable, 1 church hasn't heard of the word before...don't expect me to leave my baby with you if you don't have a system in place.
  
• it's hard to create a sense of flow in a liturgical service. I had a hard time with this when I was in charge of planning worship services. I was reminded of that today.
• I HATE the awkward "turn to those around you and say hello" time. Yes, I used all caps. And I meant to.
  
• One church specifically asked the congregation to ask the people around them if they were new. No one asked us.
• 2 churches had ladies standing behind the "visitor center" who had no clue what was going on or how to help visitors with kids. Note-if you volunteer at church, make sure you know what's going on, or don't volunteer
  
• the word "contemporary" has many different meanings
• Please don't sing to a tract if you have someone who can play for you. Ever. I didn't even know they made accompaniment tracts anymore.
  
• It's pointless having people on stage singing into a mic when no one in the congregation can hear them. This happened in all 3 churches.
• I could get used to Saturday evening worship. Then, spend Sunday morning at home for family worship and use that day to rest. Most of our Sunday mornings are spent arguing with the girls over what's "appropriate" to wear to church and complaining b/c we're running late. Kind of defeats the purpose of Sabbath, huh?
• Finding a church home shouldn't be hard. Maybe that's why there are so many non-churched people in Wichita.

ok-your turn. What are your church thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know-

Menu Plan Monday

Here's the menu for the first part of the week. My parents are coming to town on Thursday, so we'll "play it by ear" after then...

Breakfast-cereal w/fruit, yogurt w/ granola, green smoothies w/ toast, repeat, repeat, repeat...

Lunch-reuben sandwiches w/ carrots and pretzels, sandwich buffet (PB and J, turkey, or ham), Chef salad, tomato soup w/ grilled cheese

Supper-Breakfast for supper-waffles, eggs, sausage and fruit, tilapia w/ spinach cheese rice casserole, taco soup w/ cantaloupe

I have bananas screaming at me to make bread out of them, and I bought some zucchini to make bread also. And I have a freezer meal to make. If this all actually gets done, I'll post some recipes later this week.

Cora's playground

Last month, my mom sent me a link to this blog. I thought this family lived miles and miles away from us. Turns out, they live in the very next town. We've been keeping our eye on their Etsy page, thinking we could buy something. They keep selling out, which is a good thing. Just saw that they were featured on the local news and wanted to share. Go here to watch the video.

Purpose Driven

Heather, over at Whittaker Woman, wrote this post yesterday. At first glance, I just read through and went on. I went back later to read her comments and realized that a lot of women struggle with what their purpose is. WARNING-I'm not here to judge anyone, this is just my story. A bunch of random thoughts on my purpose.
I majored in music in college because I thought that it was the only thing I was good at. I got a masters degree because I couldn't find a teaching job in KY with my KS certificate. And, because I wanted to be a better singer.
The minute I held Avery in my arms, I knew what my purpose was. I knew I wanted to be at home with her. I vividly remember begging Kevin to not "make" me go back to work. I couldn't bear leaving her. My heart ached at the thought of working outside the home. But, at the time, we needed the income my job provided. My purpose was to be the best teacher, wife and mom I could be.
There were many times where I would just cry to Kevin about having to work. I would tell him over and over, "I just want to be a mom." He would always tell me, "you are a mom- and no job inside or outside the home is going to change that."
About 2 years ago, I went from working full time to working one day a week. I consider myself a stay at home mom. I LOVE the season of life that I'm in right now. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is my purpose right now. I know that God has equipped me to do this job, with His help. I know that it's a hard job, at times. There's no paycheck and the list of responsibilities seems to grow each week. I have an amazing husband who supports me, who wants me to take care of the home, who appreciates me and the job I do.
I haven't taught in the public school classroom since 2004, and that was in KY. My KS teaching certificate expires next year, and I've been told (by the government) that it won't be renewed unless I have 2 years of teaching experience in the state of KS. Part of me feels like such a failure for letting this certificate "go." I'm still paying for the degree that got me the certificate, I think that's what makes me mad the most. That I'm in debt for a degree I'm not even using. I'm not about to go back into teaching full-time, though. It's not my purpose. Again, I'm not here to judge, if God called you to work outside the home, then, by all means, work hard to be the best at what you do. And don't forget to give Him the glory when you succeed.
I'm working hard to be the best wife and mom I can be. On Fridays, I work (kind of:) hard to be the best voice teacher. My purpose hasn't changed much. My location and hours just fluctuate.
God will never instill a desire in your heart that He won't allow and equip you to fulfill. It may not be on your timeline or on your terms. It may not unfold the way you envisioned, but God's Will will be done.
Charm is deceptive, and beauty if fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30

Thoughtfull Thursday

Thoughts for the day-

• Presley is doing so well on this new 4 hour schedule. She has slept 2 nights in a row. I'm the one needing more time to adjust. I was used to nursing her every 3 hours. This was my break to be with her... and get a way with watching some TV. My TV shows haven't changed times with this new schedule and my body is having a hard time adjusting, too.
• Speaking of TV, Glenn Beck was supposed to do a segment on homeschooling yesterday. He didn't. I'm trying to decide if I should tune in today or not.
  
• During breakfast, I asked the older girls if they could have one wish, what would it be. Avery didn't answer, McKenna said, "That Trinity would be my sister." When I asked why, she said, "so she would only have one house to live in." I'm still processing this one. You see, Trinity is the granddaughter of one of our neighbors. Her dad has been living with his folks(our neighbors) since January. Her parents must be going through something b/c she comes to stay there every other weekend.
• Still wondering what to do next year for Avery's school. I/We change our mind every other day, it seems. LVS needs an answer by the end of the month. Leaning more one way than the other, today, anyway.
  
• We're enjoying spring break. I switched out all of Presley's 3-6m clothes for 6-9m spring/summer clothes. The only 3-6m item I left out is her KU cheerleading outfit. Hope she gets a chance to wear it after tomorrow. You could never tell by the looks of it now, but I've cleaned and organized the living room. Now, if I could only find that 3rd phone we lost a few weeks ago...
• One of the blogs I follow had a couple of posts this week about family worship. You can read them here and here. I'm wondering where we can get these books, cheap. I doubt they have them at the public library. I remember doing family devotions when I was little. We always read the Upper Room daily devos, after breakfast, while waiting for the school bus. I also remember memorizing Ps. 23 and the Lord's Prayer while waiting for the bus with my dad. Good times. And, I also remember throwing up on that same school bus, not so good times...
• Speaking of the Upper Room. I think my sister and I were in one of the stories back in the early 80's. If I remember correctly, Curt G., a good family friend, wrote a story about us and it was published. I'm sure our names were changed to "protect our identities" so I can't prove it. You'll have to believe me.
  
• I still need a high chair. Getting out with 3 kids to shop for one doesn't sound like fun to me, though.
  
• I'm off to watch Felicity with Ave and Kenna. This movie has John Schneider in it, from the original Dukes of Hazard. Brings me back to the 80's, again...

Yellow and Blue make green!

ok...so...I'm done with St. Patrick's day. I'm exhausted. We had a great day. Most of our "learning" was this morning. We hit the park after lunch, with all of W. Wichita. Is there a book, or blog, about playground etiquette? If so, no one has read it. I'm always amazed at how bad kids act. Not my kids, of course. They were fine. I think I was the only mom paying attention. Oh, well-another post for another day. This morning we melted yellow and blue crayons in the oven. We let them cool, then cut them into shamrocks. We made green smoothies. They were good, really. The girls liked them, too. For supper, we had green eggs and ham, orange rolls w/ green icing, and apples (not pictured) As if I didn't have enough planned, I decided today to put Presley on a 4 hour schedule, instead of 3. She did really well today. I'm praying she makes it through the night.

Top of the morning to ya!

We have a day o' fun planned-

• I had a few things planned for today, but after I woke up this morning, I got onto this site. Printed off some coloring sheets and math sheets and we're good to go.
• The girls got dressed in their green t-shirts before they left their room this morning. There are days when we're still in our pj's at lunch...oh, wait. That's just me...
  
• had green milk for breakfast
  
• took broken yellow and blue crayons and unwrapped them. they're in the oven melting. After they cool, we'll use a shamrock cookie cutter to make green shamrock crayons. The jury's still out on if this was a fun project. Results will follow...hopefully
• Found Ireland on the globe. We talked about St. Patrick and how he used the shamrock to explain the trinity to the people of Ireland. Cool stuff. Talked about what it means to be a missionary, witness. I didn't go into the whole snake issue. But, I'm intrigued and I'd live in Ireland for that reason alone, I think.
• I only had one cup of coffee this morning, b/c I ran out of creamer. Ugh-I'm trying to decide if it's worth it to load up 3 kids and make a quick run to the store. I think I'll just pout instead :(
• The girls are reading the Jonah story to Presley. So cute.
  
• I hope to post a recap tonight. While I'm enjoying a green margarita :)
  

If they're not wearing GREEN, pinch 'em-If they are...kiss 'em! Happy St. Patty's Day!

Misc. Pix Monday

2 MPM's in one day-Menu Plan Monday and Miscellaneous Picture Monday. Here are some pix I've taken in the last few weeks that are just now making it out of the camera. My parents were staying with us last week and my dad (the pastor and non wine drinker) found a new use for our wine rack. Here is Presley in the bathtub, aka kitchen sink. She loves bath time. Presley also found her feet last week and loves playing with them. She pulls her socks off and just laughs. I don't know what Abby is doing... Here is Avery, McKenna and their friend, Grace at Slim Goodbody a few weeks ago. A friend from college is Slim. Below is Slim Goodbody and us, Avery is hiding behind me. Kevin's mom's birthday was yesterday. I found a cake like this in a magazine 6 weeks ago and planned to make it for her birthday. After 3 trips to the store and a trip to a fancy cake shop, here it is... The girls had so much fun making this. Boxed strawberry cake. Homemade frosting. We rolled out spiced drops and used a flower cookie cutter to make the flowers. Then piped frosting in the middle to act as a glue for the skittles center. The grass is green coconut. We(I) piped green frosting for the flower stems.

Menu Plan Monday

I haven't posted this in a long time. Still planning our menus, though. I had a great trip to Dillons yesterday, spent $90 and saved $86! Yea, me! Here's what we're eatin' this week-
Breakfast-raisen toast, yogurt, smoothies, cereal, waffles, green milk and rolls with green frosting(on Tuesday), banana coconut bread.
Lunch-Reubens(on Tuesday), chef salad, leftovers, turkey sandwiches,
Supper-Sweet and Sour meatballs w/corn and brown rice, chicken enchiladas w/ salad and black beans, homemade pizza w/ salad, green eggs and ham (Tuesday), Cheeseburger meatloaf (homemade gourmet) w/ potatoes and green beans,

I'm looking forward to tomorrow. We have some fun green things planned. And, we haven't had reubens in a long time, so I'm excited to make them. That's as close as I can get to corned beef and cabbage, it's a stretch, I know. Actually, my grocery bill would have been around $70 if Reubens weren't on the menu, but it will be worth it, I'm sure.

Churches of my past

Lately, I've been thinking of the churches I've attended in the past. There's been a lot. The churches that have shaped me into the disciple I am today.

1. Benton UMC-1980-the first church I remember going to. I accepted Christ at a family camp sponsored by this church. A "little old lady" told my parents she thought I could sing at this church. I sang LOTS of songs in this church. My sister leads worship there now. Benton will always hold a special place in my heart.
2. Wilmore UMC-1986-our family attended here when my dad was in Seminary. I went through confirmation at this church. And, I continued to sing. "People Need the Lord" by Steve Green was my first solo at this church. Wow, that dates me...
3. Rolla UMC-1988-my dad's first pastoral appointment. I sang here, too, in case you're wondering...lots of Sandi Patti, Twila Paris and Amy Grant.
   
4. Plymouth Congregational Church-1994-this was more of a job than anything else. I got paid to sing in the choir and do a solo every so often. It paid enough to make my car payment each month-1990 Buick Grandsport-Made some great friends here. Also challenged my theology a bit. To say the least-
5. Eastminster Presbyterian-1996-Another church job. My choir director from Plymouth took a position at Eastminster and I was able to follow him. Loved this church. Got involved. Kevin and I attended Crown here. We went to our first marriage conference here. I was able to lead a children's choir here. We made many dear friends at this church. However, it was here that I realized I am not a Calvinist.
   
6. Centenary UMC-1998-we went here after Kevin and I moved to KY. We were hit and miss here. We liked singing, but never really got involved. Heard "Shout to the Lord" for the first time here.
   
7. Andover UMC-1999-Kevin and I got plugged in to this church plant and later, spent 2 years leading worship here. We had our first real small group experience here. Made some lifelong friends here.
   
8. Southland Christian Church-2002-After a painful split from Andover, we went to Southland. We were dealing with infertility issues at the time and it was becoming extremely hard to serve in the midst of our own private pain. We were able to be anonymous at Southland, and we're able to heal in this church.
   
9. Emmanuel UMC-2004-Back in KS. I served as the Worship Arts Pastor here. Made some great friends and had our kids baptized in this church. Loved my job, most of the time.
   
10. Gracepoint UMC-2007-we had a history with this church, even before moving to Wichita. When we moved here, this seemed like the logical place to attend. Met some great friends through a life group here. Our girls have been taught, nurtured and loved here.
    
11. What's next? Only God knows, because I sure don't...
    

Sleeping with Wolves

Lots of dead, stuffed wolves. I don't think Ashley Judd would approve. Oh, well. We had a blast on the quickest vaca ever. We left our home at 7:30am. We left Wichita at 8-fyi...Dillons does not sell dramimine. We had to cross the street and go to Walgreens for that. 2 girls in the back of the van NOT complaining of tummy aches the whole way to KC was worth it.

We spent some time at Cabelas. The girls loved the fish.

No pix to show, but after Cabelas, we ate lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise. A little overpriced, in my opinion, but the atmosphere was fun on a cold winter day.

We checked into our hotel around 1pm. Hit the pool soon after and swam until supper time. We ate at the hotel restaurant, which was very good. After supper the girls slipped into their PJ's and headed to the big clock tower for story time. Here is McKenna saying goodnight to Wiley the wolf.

The older girls slept great. Presley, on the other hand, not so much. She slept from 2-4:30am, just b/c Kevin put her in her car seat and swung it back and forth. At home, she has been getting into the habit of waking up around 4:30am. Not hungry, just wants to be held. Ugh....We don't know what to do about it-other than hope the other one wakes up and takes care of her. Yes, honey, I'm onto your little trick :)
The hotel had starbucks coffee and Krispy Kreme donuts, which we had for breakfast. We packed up, checked out and swam 'til around 1pm. Got showered, dressed, then headed back home. Made a couple stops, Sonic for the girls, Chipotle for us. It was a great 2 days. We're exhausted. Kevin and I decided we "needed" to stay 2 days so we could actually rest and not swim the whole, entire time. I'm glad we went during the off season, I'd hate to be there during peak times. Thanks, LVS for the great homeschool rate. Hopefully we'll make this an annual trip. Be sure to check Kevin's blog for his review and more pix. Be patient, though, he's working on his dissertation today. And, after watching KU lose, looks like he'll have more time to work on it.

Kansas City, here we come!

Like I said last week, we're heading to KC for a little R & R. We got a great rate at the Great Wolf Lodge. We'll leave first thing in the morning, make a quick stop at Cabela's and hit the water park. I'll be surprised if the girls don't ask to wear their swimsuits as soon as they wake up. McKenna wore hers all afternoon today. Needless to say, they are quite excited. I had thoughts of leaving Presley with Grandma, but decided this was a family trip and she needed to be with us. She LOVED getting in the water when we swam at the YMCA with her last month. I'm excited to see how she does.
We spent today trying to cram 3 days of school into one, doing laundry, packing and getting caught up on LOST.
I'll post pix and a recap sometime Thursday. Unless Kevin beats me to it...

Break-up and First Date

This week has been long, and I'm glad it's over. If you read my husband's blog, you know that the church we attend basically left to form a new church. This has been devastating to many people. This has deeply impacted our family. There's blame on both sides. I/we thought things could/should have been handled way better than they were. Hindsight is always 20/20, I guess. I'm disappointed in the whole situation. Both sides. So, Kevin and I decided it was time for a break from any church labeled Gracepoint. As we came to this decision, I thought of how this is much like an actual breakup-

• People come from out of the woodwork to tell you how bad your "ex" is/was
• You find out lots of things that happened prior to the breakup that affirm your decision to make the break
  
• Friends of your ex wonder if you'll still hang out with them
• People wonder if they should break up, too

Today, we had a first date-with a new (to us) church.

• It feels a little like cheating, you're wondering what your ex is doing and if they're having more fun than you
• It feels different, but in a good way
• wondered is it was ok to have our Wesley study bible with us-this wasn't a Methodist church
• We're hesitant to make a commitment, just coming out of a 2 year relationship
  
• We're not ready to go all the way i.e. put the baby in the nursery, etc...

And so the search begins...

Change of Plans

I think that should be the title for my blog. My life is full of changes in my plan.

• My plan was to live in the same town my whole life. That lasted until I was in 5th grade
• My plan was to make a career of singing. This plan has changed frequently throughout my life.
• I thought, when we married, that Kevin was going to be a doctor. 2 months before we graduated from college, he told me he felt called to go to seminary.
  
• I thought we'd have a baby when we wanted to. After 3 years of trying with no luck, I finally gave up control.
  
• My plan was to have Avery and McKenna go to Abilene for a couple of days so I could work on cleaning/organizing this house. Avery backed out at the last minute.
  

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Praise God, he has plans that are far better than my own.

• If I had lived in one town my whole life, I would have missed out on several dear, meaningful relationships.
• If I had a career in singing, I would have missed out on my true desire, to be a SAHM.
• If Kevin was a dr. I'd rarely see him, and we'd be in way more debt. I would make a horrible dr.'s wife.
  
• If I got pregnant when I wanted to, I wouldn't have finished my masters degree (in voice performance)
• If Avery went to Abilene, I would have missed some special mother/daughter moments that could have only happened today.

Thanks, God for your perfect plan for each and every day. My life is better because You're in it.

Thoughts about Mom

I stole this from Sally. My girls are a little young for these questions, but I asked them anyway, mostly for a good laugh. My thoughts are in parenthesis.

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Avery-clean your room, McKenna-feed Abby (that's about right)

2. What makes mom happy?
Avery-when we obey you, McKenna-when we clean our room

3. What makes mom sad?
Avery-when we don't obey, McKenna-when I write on the table (actually, these things make me mad, not sad)

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
Avery-I don't know, McKenna-when she does silly things

5. What was your mom like as a child?
Avery-I don't know, McKenna-

6. What is mom's favorite thing to do?
Avery-get on the computer, McKenna-go to the zoo (seriously?)

7. What does mom do when you're not around? Avery-clean the house, McKenna-I don't know

8. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? they didn't answer

9. What is your mom really good at?
Avery-teaching me stuff in school, McKenna-feeding Presley

10. What is your mom not very good at?
Avery-nothing, McKenna-being a fireman

11. What does your mom do for her job?
Avery-teach people how to sing, McKenna-feed Presley (can you tell I'm still nursing. Every. 3. hours?)

12. What is your mom's favorite food?
Avery-healthy food, McKenna-mexican

13. What makes you proud of your mom?
Avery-when she obeys, McKenna-

14. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? they didn't answer

15. What do you and your mom do together?
Avery-school, McKenna-shop

16. How are you and your mom the same?
Avery-we have the same color eyes, McKenna-we both have rock chalk jayhawk shirts

17. How are you and your mom different?
Avery-I don't know, McKenna-different color of eyes

18. How do you know your mom loves you? Avery-she always tells me, McKenna-b/c she always says, I love you

19. Where is mom's favorite place to go?
Avery-zoo, McKenna-zoo (again, seriously?)

As I was finishing this post, Avery says, "Mom, when you're finished typing, tell them that we think we have the best mom ever, because we really do!" (She must want something...)

End of the weekend thoughts

Another weekend, come and gone. Another busy week ahead. Another month is starting.

• Spent Friday night looking for a highchair. Didn't find one. Any suggestions?
• Kevin and I were supposed to go to Winter Jam, but his mom got sick and couldn't watch the girls, so we stayed home. I was so bummed about not seeing Toby Mac. He was supposed to do a concert here in Wichita last year. I bought tix as soon as they were available. Then the show got canceled. Bummer.
  
• Made waffles last night. I tried a new recipe that called for separating the eggs and beating the whites, then folding them back into the batter. The waffles were so good.
  
• Watched Tropic Thunder after the waffles. Dumb movie. I mean, seriously. STUPID.
• Went to church this morning, as usual. Church, however, was nothing usual. We normally have 2 services and, today, combined for one. The best worship set I've ever heard. More thoughts to come later...
  
• Trying to save money and do the coupon thing is frustrating at times. I get irritated when I read/hear of deals at Dillons, then go there and the deal is gone, sold out, etc...I signed up for the grocery game last week. Hopefully, this will aid in my attempt to decrease our spending in this area. Today, I went to Dillons armed with coupons that would allow me to get 4 free toothbrushes and 10 packs of gum. Guess what? They were already sold out of both items. So, I'm not the only couponer in W. Wichita. They did give me a raincheck, though. I'm still pouting.
  
• We did some school over the weekend b/c Avery and McKenna are going to Abilene for a couple of days this week. I have big plans for cleaning this house. And Sleeping!
  
• Tomorrow, we're going on a field trip. A friend from college is Mr. Slim Goodbody (I think that's the name, or something like that) and he's doing a show at the Orpheum in the morning. We're meeting other friends there for the show and lunch afterwards. Should be a fun day.
• One of the many perks of homeschooling is getting good deals. LVS sent us info about some GREAT rates at Great Wolf Lodge for homeschool families. We're going there next week for a couple of days. I'm so excited!
  

That's all for tonight. 2 girls asleep. One screaming for my attention. Better go.