Spring piano recital

Here is just another way in which I torture my children, or so they think.

Some day they will thank me!! You think??






For some unknown reason, the sound on Noah's is really low. Turn your volume way up to hear it.



Hope you enjoyed this more than my kids enjoy playing. I'm such a mean mom :-}

Kendra

Weekend Joy

I feel like I am so behind in my blogging. I was going to publish earlier, but I have come down with another SPRING cold. I outlasted all of winter, but spring is killing me!!

Here are a few pictures of events from last weekend that I thought you might enjoy.

Saturday morning, the local park district's ball leagues had their annual pitch/hit/run contest. Marilyn also had a softball pitching clinic which Brian took her to. She was not able to do the contest because of her clinic.

The contest was to start at 8:30, but didn't get started until 9:20. We predicted that though ~ they were not too organized with the event. However, it went very well. The boys were in different age groups: Noah in 11/12 and Joel in 9/10.

Joel won 3rd all-around in his division.


Noah won (in his division) 1st place all-around, 1st place pitching, and 1st place hitting. Notice in this picture how far the coach is looking out into the field. Nice hitting, Noah!

Here he is accepting his awards. He now has qualified to attend the regional event, which we don't know where and when that is. We might be going, but it will depend on when it is held.




We finally got done with the pitch/hit/run competition at 11:15, and we headed over to a local soccer field to watch my niece Anne (Brian's brother's daughter) play soccer. She is #13 in the field. No goals or assists today. I'm just glad we saw some of the 2nd game!!



Afterward, we headed to Steak 'n Shake for lunch. They have these cute 50's/60's cars for the kids ~ keeps them entertained while waiting for food. The wait for food is usually very quick, though. This is Anne's sister, Ashley (our other niece), with Marilyn. The hamster in the car is Ashley's ~ it is NOT real!!



Sunday was Rihanna's 1st birthday!! Yea!! We are still very prayerful that Jim and Angie will be able to permanently adopt her. Quick details are that her biological father is not willing to give up custody (the mother already has), however the state child welfare office would like to close the case and precede with terminating his custody. Sounds like a horrible legal battle. The "dad" has personal issues that we hope the judge considers this when it all comes to court in June. Anyway, here are pictures from her BIG 1!!



Here are my 3 with their "cousin-to-be??"


This week is very busy, like most. Watch for more updates! Hopefully I will have time!!

In His GRACE,
Kendra

The largest "garage" sale you have ever seen!

As a member of the local twins club, one of the perks is being able to buy and sell at the semi-annual sales.

We just had our spring sale. Our club has grown alot in the last 10+ years that I have been a member.

These sales in the past were quite small in comparison to the current ones. We had 54 sellers this past weekend, compared to maybe 20 when I joined the club. It would have been good to have 20 back then!!

We set up at a local health club and use all of their big gym room. It is an area that can have 3 basketball courts set up in it.

All the strollers!! We had a lot this sale.



All the toys!! OH MY!!


This is Wendy L., one of my twin mom friends, and also follows my blog! Yea!! Friday night during the "members only" buying, all the big equipment and big toy items are sold in a fair manner. If you want to buy an item, you put your name on it. If you are the only one, you get to buy it. However, if someone else wants it too, then they draw a name to see who "won" it. Wendy "won" the riding horse. Congrats on the horse, Wendy! :-}


See, Wendy, I told you I would post you!!


Tammy M. is another one of my twin mom friends. She is also my Creative Memories consultant. I don't have enough time in my day to do everything I would like to do. This is especially true of my scrapbooks. Someday. . .

It is amazing that I have time to blog. But if you notice, I usually post after the kids are in bed.


These ladies are friends of mine from church. And they scored the biggest seats in the house on Saturday morning (when the sale goes public). THEY WERE 1ST IN LINE!! When I walked out to check out the line, (and take pictures for my blog!!), I was blown over to see them FIRST!! They arrived over 2 hours before we opened the doors at 8:00 AM. Look how happy they are! And this is before 8:00 in the morning. Way to go, Mary, Ruth, and Ruth's mom!!!

Mary is the mom of a precious little girl and 2 precious little boys who simply love my Marilyn. Marilyn can't wait for her babysitting days!!

Here is the line. Notice the laundry baskets. That's right ~ the experienced people know to bring them for their haul.

Here is the line out into the foyer, wrapped around a few times. Over 500 people through the door for our sale.


I like doing the sale, but I am exhausted afterwards. Yes, I think I am getting too old for it. It is alot of work!!

But it is FUN!!

Let the garage sale season begin!!!

Kendra

Timing is everything

I was sick last week.

Yes, all week long. Friday and Saturday were the worst days. Spent them doing nothing but laying in bed feeling sorry for myself. I was truly pathetic!

I missed Marilyn and Joel's final indoor soccer game Friday night. Apparently, it was one of the best all year. Joel usually is in the goal all of the game, but since this was the last one, he got to "come out of goal" for the last 10 minutes.

And he scored 2 goals!

One of them was a reverse kick for GOOOOOOAAAAALLLL!!

And they won by 2 goals!!!

And Marilyn played the last 40 seconds of the game as goalie!!!!

And they had a ice cream party afterward!!!!!

Here are a couple pictures Brian took of the team.



Self pity is a horrible thing, isn't it.

Well, I am feeling better now. PTL ~ I am too busy this week to be sick. The kids are doing their annual standardized testing today and tomorrow. We are watching a baby on Thursday for family. Friday and Saturday is the bi-annual Mothers of Twins sale. Sunday is RESURRECTION DAY (or Easter if you prefer) and I am in charge of the nursery at church. I would also like to squeeze in watching Tiger Woods at the Masters this weekend :)
Busy? Absolutely. I hope all this does not sound like complaining, because I'm not.

But, things happen in life that remind you family should always be your #1 priority. My 96 yr. old Grandma Ruth is in the hospital. She was admitted late Sunday night. Tomorrow night after Brian gets off work we will travel 1 1/2 hours to visit her. I hope the doctors will be able to help her, but I am not convinced. Only God knows how much longer she has left on this earth. What I can pray for is that her last days here will be comfortable, however much longer that might be.

My schedule, however busy it is, will change according to my priorities.

And my priorities are, and will always be, my family.

If I am healthy, that is!


Kendra

Friends and snow

Running behind in my posts, but not in my thoughts.

I keep thinking I need to update the blog ~ so much happened over the weekend ~ but I have this job being my kids' teacher that takes priority. I have to admit though that we all have that spring itch. It is hard to do school work on beautiful days. Remember Ferris Beuller? Well, imagine that here in our house daily in the spring!

My last post included a couple of Marilyn's BFF's. This time I will highlight Joel.

Peoria Christian School had their spring break last week. Caleb H., who goes to school there, is one of Joel's good friends and we invited him to spend a night and day. Two peas in a pod. And they dress alike. What is that all about? I thought only girls did that!! If we cut Joel's hair short like Caleb's, they could pass for twins. I'm thinking Joel does need a haircut. . .



Like the muscles?? They have quite a pair of "guns"!!




It snowed about 6 inches between Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Is it spring yet? Outside our kitchen window Sunday morning was a fox looking for his next meal. I'm glad Gretchen and Tracker weren't out there. The snow was beautiful. Thankfully, it didn't last long.






After church, we went to Olive Garden for lunch to meet with a good friend of mine from college who lives in Chicagoland ~ Laura D. It was like no time had past. I have seen Laura a number of times since graduation, but it is just not the same as it was back then. Yet, we always seem to pick up right where we left off. She is just a bundle of joy!! Full of the Spirit. Love her!! She also is on FB now, so we chat and play more often now. What a great friend.



Spring has sprung!!
Kendra