I was Tagged!

I was tagged yesterday by Kelly at Our Family Ramblings.

This is what I am supposed to do...

1. Respond to and rework/answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you do not like with one of your own invention, and add one more of your own. (Whew)

2. Tag a few other people.

What is your current obsession?

Finishing the 21 credits that I need to get back into teaching.

What are you wearing today?

A blue top and khaki bermuda shorts.

What's for dinner?

Grilled pork chops and mashed potatoes.

What was the last thing you bought?

Milk, cereal, oreos, and mascara at CVS.

What are you listening to right now?

"Landslide" by the Dixie Chicks, and my family playing the Wii.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?

The beach at Sanibel Island.

Do you have kids? If so, how old are they?

A boy...10yrs old. Twins girls...6 yrs old.

What do you love most about where you currently live?

WINTER!!! It is so hot here in the summer, but anytime from Oct. 15 - March 15 is perfect!!!

What is your favorite color?

Blue & Pink.

What is your favorite food?

Hamburgers, french fries, and chocolate malts.

What is your favorite holiday?

I have 3. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

If you had $300 now. What would you spend it on?

A "staycation" for my family at a Disney resort.

What are you going to do after this?

Homework (YUCK!!!) and make dinner.

What are your favorite films?

Bull Durham, Steel Magnolias, The Sound of Music, Casablanca, A Few Good Men, and way too many others to mention here......

Do you collect anything?

I try very hard not too. Too much clutter and dusting involved!

What makes you follow a blog?

Common interests, similar life stories, good writing, someone who makes me laugh.

Do you like to comment on blogs or just lurk?

I like to comment, but there isn't always enough time.

What is one thing you dream about doing?

Going on an Alaskan cruise.

What is your biggest regret?

Not taking the education classes that I needed to become a teacher when I was in college...way back when...life would be much easier now if I had.

What is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?

Watch a good movie.

Do you have a tatoo?

NO.

You have one minute before you die, what will you say to your loved ones?

I love you and follow your dreams, do what makes you happy, don't listen to anyone who tells you that you can't do something.

If there was one thing you could change about your body what would it be?

I would have longer, thinner legs.

What is the first thing you would grab, other than your family, if you were running out of the door in a fire?

Pictures, and important papers.

Where were you born?

Minneapolis, Minnesota.

I tag...

Swoozie @ Mommy Kingdom

Ang @ Get Fit After 40

Stephanie @ A Pocket Full of Buttons

Mel @ A Box of Chocolates

I hope everyone has fun with this.

When Mom Is On The Phone...

This is what happens when twin six year-olds get a hold of your camera while you are talking on the phone...

Caitlyn's new calendar.

Caitlyn's countdown to MN calendar.

A Mickey Mouse gift bag.

Caley's new Tinkerbell journal.

Caitlyn with the Mickey Mouse gift bag.

A close-up of the Tinkerbell journal.

Tinkerbell journal in front of the Mickey Mouse gift bag.

Caley standing by Caitlyn's new calendar.

Caitlyn with her new calendar.

Well, I guess they had fun. Nothing was broken, and I actually got to talk on the phone for a short time without being interrupted. ;-)

10 Years Old

Ten years ago CJ came into our lives. Like all first time parents we were excited and nervous. What would he look like? Would we know how to take care of a baby? Would the baby be a boy or girl?

The day that he decided to make his grand entrance was a surprise to us. It was about 1 week before my due date and I really wasn't feeling any contractions yet. But, as life always is with CJ, when he decided it was time, he did not mess around. From my first real contraction to holding him was about 6 hours. Not bad for a first labor and delivery.

We were so happy to finally welcome our son.

We quickly found out that he had a big appetite and did not require a lot of sleep. The first few months were rough. Once he started to eat solid food, and could fill his stomach up, to his hearts content, he became a much easier baby.

This is CJ and "best bud" Shelby in December of 1999. It was just before Christmas, and he had just started sitting up on his own.

Here he is in the fall of 2000. He was a super easy kid at this point in time. I could take him anywhere. He never pitched fits, and was always content just to go along for the ride. On this particular day we went to an apple orchard near Minneapolis, MN.

This is CJ in the spring of 2004. He was 4 1/2 and was playing t-ball for the first time. I did not know then that baseball would become his favorite sport. These days he is a big NY Yankees fan and loves to watch the MLB network.

This is CJ now. This was taken after his first season of little league baseball.

It has been so much fun to watch him grow up. I can't believe how fast it has gone by. I am excited to see what the next 10 years will hold. I am also sad to see him growing up so fast. I hope he won't grow up too fast, and will always be my little boy. And I hope he will continue to need me just a little longer. I am not ready to let him go yet!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CJ!!!

I hope your day is all that you hoped for,

and you have a great day!

Wordless Wednesday ~ This Is Just How They Are!

For more Wordless Wednesday go to

5 Minutes for Mom

Random Tuesday Thoughts

1. Summer in Florida is HOT! It has been hovering around 100 for 4 days now. I said it once, I will say it again...Is It OCTOBER yet?

2. Going back to school is NOT fun. Going back to school in the summer when the kids are out of school is extra-double NOT fun!!! I am looking forward to next week when this class is over.

3. Every house should come with a gardener. Going back to it is HOT in Florida in the summer, the heat only makes the plants grow faster, so you have to spend more time in the heat, trimming, cutting, and pulling weeds, ugh! It is just wrong.

4. Thunderstorms at 4:00 am are scary. I'm glad the kids did not wake up.

5. This is the week that my first born turns 10! This will sound cliched, but where did 10 years go? It seems like he was just a baby, now he is one year away from middle-school. OUCH! I am thankful for all of the time I have been able to spend with him. I hope he will continue to need me for just a little longer.

So Sad

So, tonight is was revealed. Jon and Kate Gosselin announced that they will be divorcing. It was hard to watch, but as has always been true of their show, in my opinion, they were real. Neither one of them blamed the show, and in fact, Kate and the kids will still be doing the show. Jon may be around from time-to-time. It seems like he doesn't really know what he wants. Jon actually said he was thankful for the show, because it has given them a forum to tell their side of the story. The side that is real, not the side that the paparazzi and the tabloids want you to see. I do not and will not read, purchase or believe the tabloids. They are only in business to ruin peoples lives.

Still, the whole thing is very sad. Both Jon and Kate said that this had been coming for quite some time. Who knows all that is/was involved in their decision. Divorce is never an easy or great decision, but it has to be made by the two people involved, and no one else.

I will always remain hopeful that Jon and Kate can work out their differences. Maybe, now that some of the pressure is off of them, they can look back at the good times and the things that brought them together. Nothing is ever final as long as we are breathing. I will be hoping for the best for both of them, and most of all for their kids!

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day

to

Dad and the Grandpa's!!!

Love, Julie, CJ, Caley & Caitlyn

Free Chocolate Friday!

It's that time of the week again! Time to get your FREE Chocolate!!! Go to http://www.realchocolate.com/ to sign up for a coupon from the Mars company for your favorite kind of chocolate ~ FREE!

Thursday Thought

"Learning to ignore things is one of the great paths to inner peace."

~ Robert J. Sawyer

Lego Speed Build!!!

The theme of our summer this year seems to be ~ find things to do that are fun and inexpensive. In the spirit of both fun and free, this week we headed back to our local Lego Store for a "Minifigure Speed Building Event."

The rules of the speed building event on this particular evening were; build as many mini Darth Vader figures as you can in 1 minute. The winner was to receive a limited-edition Darth Vader minifigure. In addition, each participate would recieve a Lego Star Wars magnet.

CJ, although nervous, decided that he would take part in the speed building event.

After getting directions from the Lego employee in charge of the event, the kids were off and building. CJ got off to a great start. I could see that he was a little nervous - his hands were shaking - but he hung in there. I thought that he was going to win his heat, when suddenly, the boy next to him managed to finish one more figure than CJ. It was almost a tie, I think CJ would have had it, had he not been so nervous.

Anyway, it was a good experience. Each kid got their magnet and off we went to look around the store. We are looking forward to the next FREE event at Lego.

Off to a great start, CJ gets to work building his first Darth Vader minifigure.

One done, second one started! Will the kid to his right finish first?

To find out about Lego fun near you go to www.Lego.com, search for the store near you, and click on their "new and events" section.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Pool Fun

For more Wordless Wednesday go to:

www.5minutesformom.com

http://angiescircus.blogspot.com

Random Tuesday Thoughts

1. Job hunting is not fun. But, since I do not have one yet, the hunt is not over.

2. Just when you think you know how the game is played, the rules change.

3. What is the real deal with Jon & Kate? We (the kids and I) have been fans of their show since the beginning. It is heart breaking to watch them not getting along. I hate watching relationships fall apart. Ugh!

4. What is the deal with the price of gas? We are all just pawns in someones big game of 'let's see how much they will take.' It would be nice to go back to being a kid and not have to pay attention to or think about any of this stuff.

5. Tomorrow we need to go to the BEACH! It is time to take a day off and have some fun!!!

Boy, it feels good to get that stuff out of my brain.

What are your random thoughts for today?

Happy Flag Day!

June 14, 2009


Flag Day is a day when all Americans celebrate the flag by showing respect for the flag and its makers and its designers. One of the main symbols of the United States of America is the flag.
The original U.S. flag was authorized by Congress on Saturday, June 14, 1777. It had 13 stripes - 7 red and 6 white - that represent the original 13 colonies. There were 13 white stars in a blue field representing a new constellation.
Since 1777, there have been different versions of the flag that have been adopted. The red and white stripes with blue constellation have remained the same. Each state in the union is represented by a 5 point star. The number of stars have changed as states joined the union. There are currently 50 states that belong to the United States of America

Our Hero

On Thursday, we were invited to one of the Orange County Fire Stations to see our daddy being recognized for saving a life while on duty back in April. I always think it is funny that they choose certain "heroic" events to recognize police, fire fighter's, and EMT's. These people do heroic things everyday, but I guess some events stand out over others.

On Thursday this group was being recognized for working together to save the life of a young woman who was involved in a car accident. Chris's partner was the first to arrive on the scene. She found the victim in the backseat of the car with blood shooting out of a cut on her neck. Gloria jumped in the backseat to apply pressure to the wound. Meanwhile, Chris was speeding to the scene to help out. He took over with attending to the wound, until the fire fighter's and EMT's arrived. Chris actually rode in the ambulance, holding the neck of the victim, until they got to the hospital.

The victim could have succumbed to her wound, but with the quick work of Chris's partner, and all of the others involved, she survived to tell her story.

Congratulations to everyone involved!!!

Family photo with "Our Hero."

The kids got a chance to see the fire station, and some of the firetrucks.

They were the only kids there that day.

I think it was really good for them to see the result of the work that their dad does everyday.

Free Chocolate Friday!

I LOVE M&M's! What could be better than FREE M&M's? Every Friday through September, you can get a coupon for your favorite Mars brand candy by going to http://www.realchocolate.com/. Coupons are limited to the first 250,000 people, so hurry and get yours now!!!

Thursday Thought

"God is with those who persevere."

It's Pool Time!

A day without rain, can it be? Yesterday it actually happened, no rain, no lightening, no thunder; well it didn't rain where we were anyway. So, the kids and I decided to take a few hours and do a little pool hoppin'. We went to one of our favorite, not to be named here, places. Hey, we have spent a lot of money at this particular place, one little dip in the pool isn't going to hurt anybody. ;-O


Here are the girls, wearing their brand new swim suits. We were happy to discover that this particular place had just renovated their pool by adding a new slide and kiddie play area. Cool!

Caitlyn models her new swim suit. Both girls have wanted a two-piece suit for the past couple of years. This summer they each got one.

After a few hours of swimming we headed over to the gift shop to buy a few snacks and drinks. See, we do spend a lot of money at this place! Then, we found a picnic table, to sit and have a little snack, before heading back home. It was a nice day. It was so relaxing to just sit by the pool for a few hours and watch the kids swim. Can we do that everyday?

Wordless Wednesday ~ That is one CRAZY Balloon Hat!!!

To see more Wordless Wednesday pictures...go here.

Thursday Thought

"A life without love is like a year without summer."

~ Swedish Proverb

Wordless Wednesday ~ Last Day of School!!!

For more Wordless Wednesday's, go here.

Free Lego's!

How do you feel about FREE Lego's? Tonight the kids and I went to our local Lego Store to check out a fun, free thing to do. It turns out that many of the Lego stores offer FREE events throughout the month. Tonight's activity was called a "Mini Model build." Each kid, between the ages of 6 and 14 got to build and take home their very own Lego sailboat, and did I mention that it was FREE?

Our local store offers this event on the first Tuesday of every month from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. We had to wait for about 1/2 hour in line, but hey, free Lego's are worth their weight in gold.

The Lego stores offer many other events during the month, you can find out more by going on their website at http://www.lego.com/. Search for the store closest to you, and then click on that store's list of events.

It was lots of fun, and we will be going back again.

The kids show off their "Mini Sailboat Models."

2009 Crossover Campout

This past weekend was Cub Scout Pack 220's annual Crossover Adventure Campout. Each year, at this time, we plan a big campout with lots of fun activities, a crossover graduation ceremony and dinner on Saturday night.
This year's campout started on Friday night. After everyone had set up their campsite and had some dinner, we set up an outdoor movie theatre and showed the movie, "Night at the Museum." The kids loved it. I don't think I have ever seen a group of 25 kids sit so quietly for that long.
Saturday morning everyone got up early. We served a breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage and juice to the whole group. The morning activities got started at 10:00 am. The younger boys (Tigers and Wolves) stayed at the campsite to work on their geology belt loops and go on a nature scavenger hunt. The older boys (Bears and Webelos) went on a 3 mile hike. The park has a really nice 3 mile hike to a destination called "Split Oak."

Here are the Bears and Webelos, along with a few Boy Scouts from Troop 22o, at Split Oak. Split Oak is a spot in the woods where there is an actual "split oak." Apparently this 200 year old oak tree was struck by lightening. Each half of the tree has continued to grow. It was very cool to see. The boys did great on the hike and were able to see many other natural wonders along the way. We found lots of deer and raccoon tracks. We also found some frog eggs and tadpoles and saw a few different types of birds.

Saturday afternoon the younger boys made "creatures" out of the items that they collected on their nature scavenger hunt. They came up with some very cool little creatures made from sticks, leaves, pine cones, moss, and rocks. The older boys worked on earning their geology belt loops and geologist activity badges.

The big event of the afternoon was the end of the year Pack meeting/graduation ceremony. The boys were each awarded all of their last awards and advancements for the year. We awarded 21 boys their religious emblems for completing the God & Me and God & Family classes. We handed out recognition awards to all of the adult leaders to show them a small amount of appreciation for all of the volunteer hours that they put in during the year. And finally, the big event of the day was the graduation ceremony. Each den was called to the stage. The boys were painted with Native American style face paint and received the neckerchief and slide for their next rank. It was very exciting for all of the boys. Each one of them looked thrilled to be moving on along the scouting trail.

Here is my boy and his best friend during the graduation ceremony. The most exciting part of the day for them was to be able to wear their new uniforms. They graduated from the Webelos I to Webelos II rank. As Webelos II they get to wear the same uniform that the boy scouts wear. What a difference it made in them. They all walked around the rest of the day with just a little bit of "attitude" and a little bit of a swagger. It was really cool to see. Many of the parents of the Webelos II commented to me about how grown up they looked. We hardly recognized our own sons.

This is the Webelos II den after the graduation ceremony. They look great in their new uniforms. We are glad to have reached the end of another scouting year. We had a great campout and a very productive year. The boys are looking forward to their last year as Cub Scouts. The time has gone by so fast. Soon they will be earning the "Arrow of Light," and crossing over into the Boy Scout Troop.