Hello everyone! Welcome to our family's blog. Be sure and check out the other pages to find out what everyone has been up to lately. Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave comments to let us know you've been here.
Now that I'm trying to catch up on my posts, I'd like to mention that I finally got a mom vacation a couple of months ago. Nicole, one of my oldest friends from as far back as junior high moved to South Carolina a few years ago. I had always wanted to see Myrtle Beach ever since I saw the movie "Shag." So finally, 15 years later I was able to go there. Unfortunately I did not get to see the famous pavillion, but still had lots of fun anyway.
It was kind of a non-stop vacation where we tried to see as many places as possible in three days. I was able to take a horse drawn carriage tour of Charleston, where I learned many fascinating historical facts about the city and its part in the Revolutionary War... which sadly to admit, I never even knew part of the Revolutionary War took place anywhere near Charleston until my tour guide enlightened me. Upon returning home, I have since re-rented "The Patriot" for another lesson in American history. And because I found out it was filmed in Charleston.
We drove to Asheville, NC where we toured Biltmore, aka the "big house" according to my girls. I really loved Biltmore and finding out the history behind the Vanderbilts. We ate at one of the restaurants on the property and spent lots of time shopping at the winery and in the gift shops. I brought back some toys and candy for the girls. Every time they talked about my vacation, they would say, "... and momma went to the big house," or "Momma just got back from the big house." Finally, I had to inform them that from now on they would need to refer to it as "Biltmore" because "the big house" was another way of saying "prison." Maybe I should let them watch more television after all.
Our last stop was Myrtle Beach. Kevin made reservations for us at Kingston Plantation. It was really a great way to end a hurried vacation. We just spent the day relaxing at the pool and on the beach. Our one non-event was having the fire alarm go off as we were leaving the hotel for dinner. We drove to Broadway on the Beach (which really isn't on the beach) and ate dinner at Hard Rock Cafe. After making the rounds, picking up various souveniers and riding the giant swing, we headed back to the hotel... which was still standing. Nicole, ever the party girl, wanted to have one last drink before we headed up to our room. I'm sure we were the only two people in the lounge under the age of 60, possibly 65. It was funny though, even if not exactly fun.
I really had a great time getting away and being able to relax without worrying about the girls. I should do it more often! Right honey?
Today is our first day of school here. Seventh grader, check. Second grader, check. Kindergartener, check. Pre-algebra book, check. Feeling overwhelmed, check. Loving being able to stay home with the girls, check.
So, I have been totally unfaithful to our blog. I kept thinking I was going to start a new blog somewhere else, but really. Who am I kidding? I can't even keep up with this one, let alone start a new one somewhere else. I need to figure out if changing isp to cox will help my pictures upload faster. Then maybe I'll change blog sites. Until then, this one will just have to make do.
It's been a good year... lol Apologies for not posting since February. Obviously, lots has happened since then. We've got Brinklee in gymnastics again, Jocie in gymnastics, again... and to make it complete, Lillebeth in gymnastics again. Add to that three budding ballerinas, two tap dancers, one pianist and two cast members of the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Nutcracker and our life is quite full right now.
With so much to tell about, and so little time, I'll have to update in short stories over the next few days. Hopefully I will find time to upload new pictures as well. Until then...
Wow, 39 days since my last update! How did the time pass by so quickly? Was it because Kevin left me alone for 8 days to try out single motherhood? Or because after my week of going it on my own, I spent a week with Kevin in Dallas? Then after only a few days of being home we lost electricity. Who knows.
It's crazy, how quickly time flies by. Already we're into February of 2009. Already February 6th is only a few days away. February 6th is the day my baby turns FIVE! Five years old, I can hardly believe it. I've had a child age 4 or younger since December 1997. Now, I'll officially be toddler-less. I'll be forced to live vicariously through my other friends with babies, because sad as I may be, I do not want another baby.
Overall things are good around here. I did have (get?) to spend five days with my mother in her house full of five dogs plus our Akita. I'm home now though, so all is well. Though it may not seem like it, I am grateful that we were able to go to her house while our electricity was off. Just because the television stays on in their home 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks per year does not mean that I was ungrateful about having a warm place to live. I mean, what harm is there in subjecting your children to mind numbing television hour after hour? Okay, okay... must stop now and start posting pictures.
So I'm a day late, but did you really know that without looking at the date of my entry? We've had much going on lately, and just not enough time to post as often as I'd like. But this isn't facebook or anything. So I don't feel obligated to get on here everyday and tell you what mood I'm in. If it were, today I'm sure mine would say "Angry." I'll spare you the details of why though and just go on with catching up on our life's adventures. 
Last month Kevin and I went to the OU-Texas Tech game in Norman. (See #11 on the thankful list.) I'm pretty sure that Zach Robinson and I were the only two people in the stadium wearing OSU apparel. Since I didn't actually see him, I can only speak for myself. It was probably just me, as he was trying to lay low I'm sure. Unfortunately for me, his scouting didn't help much as OSU still lost the following week when they played OU. However, it was really a win/win situation for me anyway. Had OSU won the game, I could have been happy for an hour or so, but then it would have passed and I would have had to get on with my life. You know, being a mom, wife, doing laundry, cleaning, etc. However, had OU not won, my life would have been somewhat miserable for the next 10 months at least. Kevin tends to not get over OU losses very well. I don't think he got over the Texas loss until Texas Tech beat Texas. Please God let OU win the national championship!
Nutcracker is over. Whew! Thank God, literally. I am so glad that is done. I love Nutcracker, I really do. I think I just love watching it more than actively participating in it. While you may think that moms don't actually perform, you are wrong. You may not see us performing on the stage, but we are definitely an integral part to the success of a ballet. If it weren't for us driving these kids there every stinking weekend, how else would rehearsals take place? Do you think the director would send a bus to come pick up everybody? No, she wouldn't. I can answer that question for you. A successful production requires countless willing mothers to taxi their children to and from practice after practice.
Jocie and Lillebeth turned 11 and 7 respectively. While there were times I wasn't sure Jocie would live one more year (at least not with some kind of handicap), she made it. Of course I love Jocie, I just feel like she's entering those tough love years and I'm beginning to understand why I see headlines reading, "Man drives son to Nebraska from Florida to utilize safe haven law." Too bad there isn't some kind of social networking site that could get parents like that connected. Then I could have asked that man if he wouldn't mind picking up Jocie on the way. 
The definition of demented that I found was 1. mad, insane 2. suffering from dementia. So, according to The View hostess Joy Bahar, since my kids are home schooled, they are likely to be demented and afraid of other children. Not that I ever watch The View. I don't get up that early, and even if I did I wouldn't waste my time with such a nonsensical program. Besides, I can barely deal with the drama my three girls give me. I certainly don't need the menopausal-induced drivel that comes from those females to start my day. I was told of the ignorant remark made by Ms. Bahar on one of the online home school groups I am a member of. Of course, the statement made on public television has enraged most home schooling families across the nation, many of whom are demanding an on air apology. However, I do not need Ms. Bahar to apologize for saying, "... those kids are demented" while referring to home educated citizens. Why should any of us care about what someone so obviously uninformed has to say about children she has probably never even met? That statement alone only magnifies her own lack of education. Remember, we are to judge a tree by its fruits. Apparently, Ms. Bahar produces nuts.
My daughters are not demented, by definition. I may be on the verge of it, but they are nowhere close. As for being scared of other children; the only other kids my girls tend to avoid are of the opposite sex. Don't most little girls lean toward their own kind? After all, boys are gross, stinky and dirty! That only applies to my two youngest anyway. My oldest child has yet to meet anyone she would not play with, male or female. I think that intimidates most other girls who are indoctrinated by the public school system. As you know, in public school you are not allowed to talk to anyone who is not part of your "group," lest you become exiled yourself. In order to become a part of any group (hive), you must serve the queen (kiss @ss). If there weren't numerous other good reasons to home educate my children... that silly little chic clique thing would be enough reason for me to keep my girls out of the circus that has become public education.
While Kevin and I were both suffering through our sinus infections, we took a little trip to Granbury, Texas. Kevin already had the trip planned before the onset of our illnesses. Since he was going to do a store set up in a nearby town, the girls and I tagged along so we could hang out at the hotel and swim. We were pleasantly surprised that the hotel was located right on the town's newly formed lake beach. Being that it was during the week, there were almost no other people there. The girls had a great time playing in the sand. Hopefully I can get the pictures posted today.
Due to Kevin's sickness, we stayed an extra day so he could get some rest. I did feel bad for him, being left all alone in the hotel room while I took the girls out to the lake. But I know it was for the best. I sat under the gazebo and let the girls look for "seashells." If I would have felt better I would have showed them how to dig in the shallow water and try to find live clams. However, sitting on the beach blowing your nose incessantly is not all that fun. It's actually kind of gross. I'm glad no one else was there to witness it. When we got back to the room I half expected Kevin to be dead. lol I'm kidding. Although the thought did cross my mind a couple of times, so I said prayers for him while we were out. I found him lying motionless underneath the sheets. I ran over and shook him to see if he really was dead. Then I lectured him about never sleeping underneath the covers. After all, that is how babies die... from breathing in their own carbon dioxide. And God knows Kevin requires a lot of oxygen. Therefore he must be putting out a lot of carbon dioxide. I would know because when we sleep at night, I have to face away from him or I can't get enough air!
Anyhoo... despite our poor health, a good time was had by all. We even managed to squeeze in a stop at the American Girl Boutique in Dallas on the way home. 
So it's been a long time since I last posted. A few days before my birthday I started having a sore throat. Unfortunately it developed into a weeks long (self diagnosed) sinus infection. Yuck! I never realized that much disgusting stuff could be inside my head. Where does it all come from anyway? You would think that eventually it would all come out and there wouldn't be any left. Maybe that's what finally happened since it took a month to get it to go away. Anyway, I decided it must come from my brain because during most of the time I had it, my brain was not functioning properly at all. All kinds of unusual things were happening to me. Like going to use the restroom at a store and finding out that my pants were already unzipped. Lovely. I wondered how long they had been that way, then figured it was probably since the last time I had used the restroom. Be thankful you weren't in the same store as me that day. The next day I went to pick up our dog and when I got in the van my jeans started coming unzipped. Well, that was because they weren't even buttoned! Even better!
Thankfully I started my recovery last week. A friend suggested that I try taking enormous doses of vitamin C. It was either coincidentally nearing the end of my illness, or the vitamin C actually worked. Either way, I am glad to be feeling much better. My sense of smell has even returned, along with my taste. Living without smell for weeks was rather odd. Living without taste was just awful. I ate lots of peanut butter sandwiches and oatmeal. Why bother wasting calories and fat on good food when I can't even taste it?
Unfortunately Kevin did not escape the sinus infection either. His started roughly 10 days after mine. He had all the same symptoms I did, just later. At least I got to stay home most of the time. Poor Kevin had to go to work and travel frequently during his bout. He ended up seeing the doctor who officially diagnosed him with a sinus infection. He is almost finished with his antibiotics and is feeling better also. His smell and taste have returned as well. We're planning a big date night to celebrate the return of our senses. Now, if he can just get his hearing to return properly I won't have to keep calling him grandpa.
We've had lots of birthdays to celebrate in the last week. Last Sunday was Kevin's dad's birthday, he is 60. Then on Monday, my paternal and only living grandfather turned 85. Yesterday was Kevin's mom's birthday... being a lady, it is bad manners to state her age.
Although, my own birthday is coming up very soon and I have no problem admitting I am just a few days shy of 33! While I do think 33 sounds very, very old for myself... I am over it. Once you turn 31 you just become 30-something... so does it really matter if you're 31 or 39? No, it really doesn't. You are old either way. Now, I just need to find a new store that will ask to see my ID and continue to feed my ego. lol In the beginning, like back when I was 25, I felt quite indignant when someone would ask to see it. But, by the time I turned 30 I was actually pretty grateful that there were still a few unsuspecting souls out there with apparently bad eyesight. (Sigh) I fear that 32 is the last age I am ever going to be carded.
Last week was my turn to drive the carpool to ballet. I am so grateful for the carpool. I am pretty sure I couldn't handle driving there three times per week, every week. I fear that I am not cut out to be a pre-professional ballerina's mother. Or a pre-professional soccer mom, musician, or any other activity that requires practice every day. So for sure olympics are definitely out of the question. I would need the Lord God himself to tell me to mortgage my house before I would invest that much money in a possible gold medal. Yikes! It makes you wonder if the real reason these kids won the gold medal is because they were the only ones with parents crazy enough to sacrifice shelter to get them to the olympics. At least in the United States anyway. In China, one only needs to sacrifice the child... which isn't altogether a bad idea sometimes.
If you ever read my thankful list, you'll notice that number nine states that Kevin is a better cook than I am. While having a husband who cooks better than you might make some wives feel inadequate, I find it overwhelmingly refreshing and think that I am undeservingly blessed.
Just today Kevin prepared a quiche for dinner while I was out taking Jocie to dance. This happened after he cleaned out the garage and fixed the rabbit pen. How great is that? While his cooking skills are somewhat limited to the charcoal grill and the oven, who am I to complain? That means perfect carnivore meals and awesome desserts for me! Kevin is also a one dish kind of cook, but I like to think it's because he's trying so hard to perfect the main entree... and besides, isn't it the sous chef's responsibility to make the side items?
Two years of high school and five hours of college French does not a fluent French speaker make. (Especially when I was so silly as to sign up for the 8:00 am, five day a week class my first semester of college. It was only after arriving on campus did it occur to me that no one would actually make me get up and go.) Sadly enough, all I really know how to say is "quelle heure est il?" and "je ne sais pas." The latter means "I don't know." I love answering Kevin with that from time to time when I don't know the answer to his question. Then he doesn't know what I said... it's all very amusing (in my mind, at least). Anyhoo, I have taken it upon myself to go through the Learn to Speak French course along with Jocie. Maybe by the end of the year I'll write an entry en francais. Yeah, not very likely... je sais.
My dad was released from the hospital Friday, August 22. He is home now and appears to be doing much better. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for him.
Beginning last Monday, the girls' dance classes have started for the year. We are carpooling with a couple of other families from our town two days a week. Hopefully, the joint effort will work out for all of us. If not, I see ballet being greatly reduced in the number of days attended per week. (The studio is @ 45 minutes from our home.) While out last week, I noticed that gas was $3.39 at one particular station. I was so excited to see it be that low. It's amazing that $3.39 gas is a good price these days.
Last Wednesday my dad went to the hospital to have a procedure on his prostate. Two days later the doctors found blood clots in his lungs and moved him into ICU. Five days later he is still there. On Monday, my mother called me to say that my dad was doing much worse. She was all distraught (who wouldn't be?) so I packed the girls up and headed for the hospital an hour and a half away. Thankfully, my dad seems to be doing better, although not completely out of critital condition.
The little girls and I stayed with my mom in the waiting room for about 15 hours total between Monday and Tuesday. I've played countless games of go fish and crazy eights. The bright side being that Brinklee is beginning to recognize numbers better... even if she does call it one one, instead of eleven. The Olympic games on television were another plus to help keep the girls occupied. They love watching swimming and gymnastics. We can all do without beach volleyball though. My girls think the women are completely immodest. How can women expect people to respect them for their athletic ability when they wear barely more than a string bikini, while their male counterparts wear shorts and tank tops? It's one thing to wear a two piece swimsuit to the pool, where your only purpose is to lay there for people to look at you. (And yes, I admit I've been guilty of this at some point in my life.) But it is quite another to be barely clothed while you're supposed to be playing a sport. Okay... so I'm stepping off my soap box now.
Back to the waiting room experience... This isn't the first time the girls have had to endure hours of sitting in the ICU waiting room, where technically they are not allowed to be; my dad spent several days in ICU last summer. There is a large sign that says, "No children under 14 allowed in ICU waiting area." Although I'm sure it is not completely Christ-like, I completely ignore that sign and bring the girls in. I do make sure that they are very quiet and non-disruptive. Several extended family members commented on how well-behaved they were. Being well-behaved does not mean they are perfect though. By the end of day two Brinklee was starting to be quite cranky. Jocie also seems to like testing her disrespectfulness level by arguing with me in front of my mother. I guess she thinks I won't smack her across the face for smarting off to me if my mom is present. Perhaps she doesn't realize that I acquired that skill from my mother!
All that said, it was a good experience for all of us. Sometimes we just need to take a step back from our own lives and priorities, and be there for someone who needs us.
Last night after the home school group sign up (which I didn't even sign up for), Kevin and I went to an Arbonne meeting. He only agreed to go because it was held at a coffee shop, but still, at least he went. It actually turned out to be really interesting... more than I thought it would be. In all truthfulness, I was kind of in it for the coffee too :o) But the best part is that I won something! Not just something small and useless either (not that I think Arbonne has anything useless); but something I've been wanting even! Yea! I love free stuff!
Back to the home school group... I decided that I would wait to sign up until I was sure our family would actually participate in something the group has to offer. After all, twenty bucks is twenty bucks. Besides, don't think that public school doesn't seem tempting at times. But I guess that's what satan does... tempt you. lol Just kidding all you public school people :o) Someone has to send their kids to school there... who else would home school children test better than? Seriously, I imagine that someday at least one of our girls will end up in public school. I'm just not sure when that will be. Maybe very soon, considering I have to start Brinklee along with the older girls next month. We'll see how that goes. 
So we've had much going on lately and I haven't made time to update our pages. I'll try to catch you up briefly with some of the highlights of my summer.
First, I rode 4 hours to a dog show in OKC so our puppy could meet his father, who lives in Washington and was the #4 akita in the country last year. In case you are dog show ignorant as I am, that means he was in a ton of shows last year! Wow! Who knew what a big business this whole dog show thing is?! Also, as a side note, the real reason we went was so Kevin could meet Logan's father... I think Logan actually started to pee when he saw his dad. Maybe Kevin too... you should have seen that dog, he actually looked like a bear.
The girls went camping with their dad. Even if it was just in our backyard... technically, sleeping in a tent outside is still considered camping in our family. Of course, that wasn't enough. You give kids an inch, they want a mile. As soon as the night was over, Lillebeth wanted to know when they could go camping somewhere in a forest, not just our backyard.
The summer session of ballet has finished up, and I just took Jocie to her national competition for Arkansas Kids in Branson yesterday. This means I have 4 full weeks with not a thing to taxi the girls to. Think of the gas I'll save. And that will give me plenty of extra time to vacuum, since Logan is shedding his puppy coat. I've been vacuuming every day it seems. I've even vacuumed the dog. I was hoping that would suck all the hair off and save me excess floor cleaning, but it really didn't help much that I've noticed.
My life, very exciting, don't cha think?
A couple of weeks ago, Lillebeth and Brinklee went to "soccer camp" at FBC. It coincided nicely with the week that Jocie went to stay with my mother. That was a great week for me... so quiet and peaceful all morning. It was good in another way as well... because before that experience Brinklee insisted that she wanted to play soccer. After that experience Brinklee has told me how much hard work soccer is and she doesn't want to play. (The picture of her sitting in the box above is what I found her doing most days when I went to pick her up from soccer camp.)
This week, Jocie has been going to JBU's soccer school in the mornings, and the little girls are back at FBC for "cheerleading camp." After just one day of cheerleading Brinklee has again informed me that this is hard work. I know she is only 4, but seriously... I am not going to allow her to be completely lazy and worthless. I realize that at some point in cheerleading, it does become quite hard work... but not when you're 4 and you only go 3 hours a day, most of which is spent playing games, hula-hooping, etc. This morning she started to have a tantrum and Kevin asked, "Brinklee, do you want to go to cheerleading today?" To which she immediately responded, "No!" An exasperated Kevin then turned her over to me to "deal with."
If it had not been for one day last week, when I took the girls on a 3 mile walk, I probably would have let B get away with staying home. But I know that kids can do much more than adults think they can. On this particular day, I brought the wagon as usual, because Brinklee alternates walking and riding when we go on walks. We were nearly a mile from our house when Brinklee started whining about being hot and wanting a popsicle. I told her if she would get out and walk the rest of the way home I'd give her one. Yes, she made it; yes, she whined (a lot); no, she did not suffer any long (or short) term damages. Kids are amazingly resilient when it comes to getting something they want. Miraculously enough, Brinklee came home from cheerleading this afternoon in perfect health... even admitting that "... cheerleading wasn't such hard work today."
So the day is almost over I realize... but happy father's day anyway. Not that I think any dads actually look at this site, aside from Kevin at least. We had my parents and brother over for dinner this evening, so I've been too busy cleaning & cooking to post it any earlier.
Hope you had a great dad's day Backes. You're the best dad (& husband) in the world! Thanks for taking me shopping on your weekend. You so rock! 
Summer break has officially arrived. Lillebeth's dance recital is over and I have no other weekly commitments until August. It's nice really... finally being able to stay home for awhile.
The older girls are still doing schoolwork to keep themselves busy. Not everything, but just enough to stay out of too much trouble.
Kevin and I finally completed Meryl's outside play yard and cover for her hutch yesterday afternoon. (My body is still recovering from the effort. Who knew how hard attaching wire to some boards would be?) And just when I thought Meryl would never have to come inside again (at least not until winter), I woke up this morning to a hail storm. Kevin dutifully went outside to fetch her and bring her into the playroom. Although Meryl was in no danger of being hailed upon... he thought the thunder to be too frightening for her. How do bunnies in the wild survive? Or those other brown bunnies in our backyard, for that matter? Hmm... interesting that millions of rabbits survive hundreds of storms without my loving husband to bring them in.
This is just an ongoing list of things I want that I really have no need for. Most are just fun things that I used to have and remind me of loved ones. This list is also intended to give my wonderful husband great gift ideas!
That's all for today. I'm sure I'll have more later.
That I love American Girl dolls as much as, if not more than my daughters? Or that I drove to Maumelle, Arkansas (2.5 hours from here) to buy a used Marisol (AG GOTY 2005) for myself?
That Kevin has green eyes even though both his parents have blue eyes? Hmmm... very interesting 
Perhaps I need to speak with his mother about this!
That I love blue eyes and would like for at least one of my daughters to marry a blue eyed man in hopes of having a chance for a blue eyed granddaughter? (Preferrably Brinklee, since her eyes started out green, I feel like she has the best chance of passing on a blue eyed gene.)