My Family by Avery Osborn

Avery is always doing a craft project or some type of art or story. Recently, she's been writing books. Here is the latest...

My Family by Avery Osborn 2009

My Family look's like this. Look down. My Dad and my mom my sister's and me. We also have a dog her Name is Abby

My Dad like's to work. My Mom like's to work out.

my sister Mckenna like's to play. my sister Presley like's to play to.

and I like to go to Grandma and Grandpa's hose. I am mooving to a Noo home. and it is ok but I do not wont to moov.

It is Fall 2009 the tree's are changing color's. Fall

Fall yes Fall yes yes

My family it is Fall the end

Pumpkins

The girls were still fighting the virus that hit us last week, but we carved pumpkins anyway.

Before we started, Avery read the Pumpking Patch Parable.

Presley doesn't quite know what to do.

Avery and her pumpkin

McKenna and her pumpkin

Cabin fever and SOLD!

I'm so ready for this week to be over.

Avery is finally feeling better. Still complaining about a sore throat and tummy ache, but no fever and the coughing has almost stopped. McKenna is starting day 6 of this virus. She got tested for the flu yesterday but it came back negative. So, we don't know what it is that's taken these girls down. Presley had a fever off and on yesterday, but this morning was really sick. She kept saying "uh oh" and just whimpering. I just put her down for a nap. McKenna is asleep on the couch downstairs and Avery is in our bed watching tv. I want to escape. I have cabin fever. The only time I've been out this week was to take the girls to the dr. I need some fresh air. I want to eat at a restaurant, where someone else cleans up the mess. I want to go to the Y and work out.

On the up side-we have a contract on the house! We plan to close on Nov. 24. We'll have to stay with family thru the Thanksgiving week, then we'll head west. We tried to sell "by owner" but we weren't having much luck and didn't have time to just sit and wait. I hate the roller coaster of emotions that come with having a house on the market. The constant cleaning and de-cluttering, hoping the phone will ring, wondering what people are thinking as they look through your home, wishing you could do more. On Tuesday night, the realtor put in online, and by Wednesday, we had an offer we couldn't refuse. I'm glad it sold, but my stomach hurts thinking about the money we're spending on having a realtor. Seriously, my stomach really hurts just thinking about it. Sigh...

So, we have a lot to do. Pack, pack, pack. Organize. We need to figure out if we can get rid of stuff here, or if we need to find a storage unit in Pasadena. We're moving from a 2400 sf. home to a 1300 sf. apartment. Fuller graciously offered an apartment for us to live in, for up to a year, so we could get out here and take our time looking for the perfect (and affordable) house. I know I shouldn't feel like this, but, I feel like I have a huge weight on my shoulders and I just don't know how all of the pieces are going to fit into place. Schooling for Avery, transition for all 3 girls, Kevin's defense, money for this move, closure for my students at Friends, finding a home for our dog who's been in our family for 8 years, Christmas, a family wedding in January. It's overwhelming right now. And, yet, I'm thankful, and hopeful. Or, at least I'm trying to be.

Appreciating your Pastor

For Pastor appreciation month (yes, they have a month for that, although it's perfectly acceptable to appreciate your Pastor every month) I thought I would list a few things I love about a Pastor I've known my whole life, my dad.

• He loves Jesus with his whole heart
• He loves John Wesley, and will go to great lengths to defend United Methodism
• He loves his family and is passionate about making memories with them
• He loves to fish
• He loves Colorado and western Kansas
• He loves the farm
• He (used to) love flying
• He is a perfectionist, he strives for excellence in everything
• He loves his wife and is devoted to her
• He is the best marry-er and bury-er I know-the weddings and funerals he officiates are always so good, very personal and life affirming
• He loves KU AND K-State, not many people can say that...
• He loves the church, even the people who claim to love Jesus but continue to complain, bicker, and gripe. But, don't think he's made of steel. He gets his feelings hurt, just like the rest of us and can only take so much.
• He's very good at seeing the "big picture"
• He loves his Mac and i-phone, just sayin'...
• He is loyal and takes his job very seriously

He is human. He lives out his faith every day. I never wanted to be a preacher's kid, I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but I'm proud to be Mike's daughter. Happy Pastor Appreciation Month!

Your turn...What do you appreciate about your pastor?

Menu Plan Monday, Realtors, and a nasty virus

A virus has attacked our family and is taking us down one by one. Avery got sick early Friday, and McKenna got sick Saturday afternoon. We hoped and prayed that Presley would be spared, but she now has a fever. We crazy thing is, the girls feel good in the mornings and then the fever comes back with a vengeance in the late afternoons. It's weird. They seemed so fine the majority of today, they were driving us crazy! Then, all of a sudden, they stopped bouncing off the walls and the fever returned. After $60 in co-pays and money spent on OTC medicine, I'm ready for it to go away. I finally got an Rx today for some cough syrup with codeine. That seems to help some. I should buy stock in Lysol. We've used a ton this weekend. Kevin was up most of the night with McKenna so he stayed home today. I'm so glad he did.

Today, I had to cancel a family photo shoot. I don't know if I'll be able to reschedule. I'd been looking forward to getting our family pix taken for, like, a year now. I'm so disappointed.

I called a realtor today. After 2 weeks of For Sale By Owner with not much activity, we're turning it over, hoping for some action.

Now for the menu-I'm starting to clean out the pantry and freezer, in anticipation for the big move. I also noticed that pomegranates are at Dillons now. $2 each. Ugh-but I bought 4 anyway. McKenna and I love pomegranates! Presley tried them and loves them, too. They're so good right now.

Breakfasts-cereal, banana bread, pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, yogurt, oatmeal, scrambled eggs

Lunch-leftovers, sandwiches, soup, pizza, etc....(although, today, on my 4th trip to Dillons in as many days, I got sushi for Kevin and me, yummmmm)

Dinner-

BBQ chicken pizza, apple slices

Chili, pomegranates

Chicken enchiladas, corn, black beans, apple slices

Waffles, sausage, fruit

Homemade Gourmet Gumbo, rice, cornbread

Tilapia, mashed potatoes, grean beans, orange slices

Leftovers, Chipotle, or, dare I say, Date night?

I heart my i-phone

I never dreamed I could love a piece of technology so much! Kevin and I finally took the plunge and traded our one mobile phone (I know, can you believe it? We shared a phone for the last 3 years!) for 2 i-phones.

We can text now. Yes, I know, welcome to 2004, right? Actually, Avery got a hold of my phone this weekend and quickly taught herself how to text. She's sent several to Grandma, her daddy and aunt Marla. I'm still trying to work out the kinks. I can't figure out ringtones. I'm hoping Kevin loves me enough to do it for me, instead of trying to teach me how. I don't have enough patience, I guess.

So far, I've downloaded several apps for the girls

• Doodle Kids
• Baby flash cards
• Tic tac toe
• Monkey Preschool
• Whiteboard
• Pocket Phonics
• Matches...aka memory
• Math Drills
• Line Up
• Christmas Countdown
• Flingfree

I have some apps for just me

• Facebook, of course
• E online-I use this one, probably more than I like to admit
• Grocery List
• You version Bible-LOVE THIS
• Chipotle (haven't used this yet, hoping to, soon)
• Bump
• Around Me
• Yelp
• Mixology
• Mint finance
• Pandora-use this ALOT at the Y
• Zippo-Kevin put this on my phone
• Alarm Clock
• Psych bobble heads-I love Psych on USA, just fyi

Speaking of Psych, I wanted to put their theme song as my ringtone. I just found out that the spanish version is free. However, I can't figure out how to get it from i-tunes to my ringtone section. Again...if Kevin loves me...

I actually use the ones that came with the phone, too

• weather-I can check on the weather in both Wichita and Pasadena. So far, Pasadena rocks!
• Voice memos-Avery and McKenna love this-they record stuff all of the time. I love listening to it. Sometimes, I can even record Presley. I love it.
• Stocks-believe or not, I've used this, especially when the DOW went about 10,000
• Camera-again, the girls love this. I sent several pics to my mom this weekend of my sick kiddos.
• Notes-I've used this for small grocery lists, quick reminders and random info.
• Maps-I'm sure I'll use this someday.
• YouTube-haven't had time to mess with this, yet.

So, what's your favorite app? So far, I think I've only paid for one. And that was just $.99. I could spend hours at the app store, just browsing. So, let me know what's your favorite, or what you think I'd like. Thanks!

Fall Break and Almond Tea

So, it's Fall break at Friends U. and Wichita schools. I was so looking forward to having a Friday off. I know, I know, I only teach one day a week, but still. I had planned to help my sister with a garage sale, the girls were going to sell hot cider there. Then, Avery and McKenna were going to a friend's house to play this afternoon.

At 6am, I heard Avery in the bathroom, coughing like crazy. When I went to check on her, she said her head hurt. I took her temp, 102. Ugh. I felt so sorry for her. Then, I thought of the plans we had to change and/or cancel today and my heart ached. McKenna went on to my sister's to "help" with Reese and sell the cider (I spent $15 on supplies for that cider). I made a trip to Dillons before Kevin left for work to get medicine, kleenex and a couple redbox movies (Hotel for Dogs, and Disney Earth). Now, my job today is primarily to keep Avery comfortable and keep her 2 sisters away from her. I'm finding that Lysol is my new best friend. I take it everywhere. Hoping is won't ruin my i-phone, because I keep trying to disinfect it. It has become Avery's new favorite "toy."

I just finished making some Almond Tea. It's a favorite in our family, whether we're sick or not.

1 cup boiling water

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup cold water

1 TBSP instant tea

1 small can frozen lemonade

4 cups water

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp almond extract

Add sugar to boiling water, on stove top. Dissolve all, heat through, serve hot. Enjoy-I doubled this today. It may turn out to be a long, sick weekend for the Osborn abode.