The Shack

A friend at work passed on a book to me called The Shack. I enjoy reading books and thought, yeah, okay, I will give this one a try. It is a book about God and is based on a man who receives a note to meet God under some circumstances that I don't want to give away. The timing for me reading this book couldn't have been better. I read it the same week that Katelynn was going to Vacation Bible School. Everything in our household was relating to God and Jesus that week starting with Katelynn's homework from VBS, to my reading this book, to the music we were listening to. The book was a very good read and I do recommend it to anyone who is possibly looking for some answers to hard questions. Where is God when the bad things happen? Why doesn't he stop the bad things that are happening in the world? What do I do in my life to live according to the way He wants? I do have to say it made me look at how I judge people and will probably continue (or at least try) to ask myself many times, who am I to judge? It also hit a spot for me on love and respect and how these are the main pieces of any relationship and if we work at those two pieces we can have a true relationship. The book has definitely left me with questions and it is still hard to know who and what to believe with so many religions and followers of different types in the world, but it has left a positive impression on me and I am glad that the book was passed my way. I hope that anyone who reads my blog will also take the time to read this book. I would love to hear any comments on other's thoughts.

The Shack

Vacation Bible School

Katelynn is going to Vacation Bible School this week and is loving every minute of it. She has come home singing new songs, dancing around, and telling us about it. I am so grateful for our daycare provider and that she takes her kids and is able to let ours join in. The cost was only $10 to send her. They have a CD of the songs that they learn during bible school for sale for another $10 and Katelynn told me tonight that she just had to have the CD. I had to explain to her that with swimming lessons coming up, horseback riding lessons, and sign-up for dance class in the next couple of weeks that I just couldn't pay for it. I gave her the option of going into her piggy bank and spending $10 of her own money on the CD if she wanted and she actually jumped at the idea. She even seemed to grasp that mommy had other things that she was paying for, for her to do and that this was something she wanted bad enough to spend her money on. She rationalized it and said if she paid for the CD then I would still pay for the other things for her to do. Sweet child! And so, she will be getting her CD. A little side note: She doesn't understand money quite yet - she said that she didn't care about the dollars anyway, just the coins~!

The Guilt of a Mishap

It was time for Dan and I to have a much needed date night and there was a co-worker of mine whose daughter had just turned 16, got her license and was looking for work. I called her mom and asked if she could drive to our town and her mom said she thought that it would be all right so I gave her a call and we were all set to go. Everything went pretty smoothly. Dan and I enjoyed a dinner out and did some window shopping and had a few drinks and headed home. The kids did great with their new babysitter and she said that she would love to come and babysit for us again. Great! We got a phone call a few minutes after she left and she had gotten a little mixed up leaving our sub-division. Dan went and found her and brought her out to the road that would take her where she needed to go. I called her cell about 10-15 minutes later to check on her and be sure that she found the right turn for the highway and left a message on her cell phone. Dan and I were pretty excited to have a high school student who was really good with the kids and would be available and started planning different things that we would like to go do. In the morning on my way to work I noticed that I had a couple of voice mails and listened to them. Well, one of them was my co-worker and she had called at around 10:30pm the night before. Her daughter got mixed around in the dark and ended up getting in a car accident. I immediately called her to find out what happened and be sure that she was alright. Thank goodness she was okay, but she did hit a car that was in a turning lane head and smucked up her car. Let me tell you how bad Dan and I felt - HORRIBLE! I still keep replaying what we could have done differently - better directions, sent her home a different way than she came, numerous things. I still feel bad. Here you have a brand new driver who is now probably a little gun shy of driving, she now has no car to drive, and she has to go to court for the accident. UGH. I talked to her mom today and she is doing okay and has gotten behind the wheel again. She is also upset because she wants to come and do some more babysitting for us and is probably a little embarrassed. I think for a few times (if she can use one of her parents cars) we will have her come and watch the kids on a Saturday or Sunday during the daytime until she is more comfortable with how to get to our house and then her mom said if we could pick her up to watch the kids she could come and get her or meet us halfway. I still feel just horrible, but her mom said that it's not our fault and then at the end of our last conversation said, You are released of all of your Catholic guilt. (I thought that was a little funny).

4th of July Weekend 2010

We had another great 4th of July this year! We invited some friends and neighbors over to BBQ and lit off some fireworks in the rain. The party started around 2pm and we were in bed at 11pm. It made for a long day for everyone, but so much fun. There were tons of kids running in the house and outside. The adults hung out and we played some lawn golf. Dan did a great job making brats for everyone. Katelynn was so exhausted from no nap that day and staying up until 10:30pm that she actually slept in until after 9 am the next morning, too bad I had to get up with Junior!

We of course had our 4th of July shirts on again this year for pictures. As we were getting ready to take our pictures before our guests started arriving we were all rushing outside and Junior was in the front. He must have felt rushed or excited, but he didn't step down quite right and then toppled over and BANG! head plant into the cement. What a bummer, the poor little guy. If you look at his head you can see the red mark. I figure next year we may not host a BBQ because we won't have the following day off, but you never know. I would also like to try to get home next year if possible for the 4th and head to my lake cabin.

Daddy & Kids

Mommy & kids

Kids

Dan & I

Katelynn

Locomotive Train

Here are a few pictures of the Locomotive train that came into town. Katelynn, Junior, and I walked over and took a few pictures, but it was hot and humid out that day. We had just come from Katelynn's horseback riding lesson and had an hour and half before heading to a birthday party. It was a busy day. For those that like trains, I thought I would share.

Horseback Riding Lesson

Me & my little cowgirl!

I found a place in Greeley, Crossway Farms, for Katelynn to start horseback riding lessons that are convenient for my work schedule and I can afford. I don't know who was more excited, me or her! We went and found her some boots at Target (I know, I know - Target?, but I didn't want to spend too much if it didn't stick). Her trainer is actually from Minnesota, how ironic, huh. She did an amazing job. She first taught Katelynn about walking behind the horse safely and all the different brushes and how to care for the horse before you ride. She then brought out an English saddle to saddle the horse and I about tipped over. English? I have only ridden Western and preferred Katelynn to learn the same, but then thought maybe they start with an English saddle so they won't be tempted to hold the saddle horn the entire time. I kept my mouth shut and Junior was keeping me busy chasing him around. Katelynn then was shown how to get on the horse and then she lead her around the arena. Then she put on a lounge rope and had Katelynn doing circles with her arms and then not holding on at all. She was a little nervous doing some of this, but did really good. She is excited to go back this Saturday for lesson # 2.

Katelynn brushing her pony before the ride.

Lounge rope time.

Teach Them Early

Here is Junior helping me with the laundry. He is such a good little helper! He will put toys away when asked (obviously not every time, but here & there) and always wants to help run the vacuum cleaner. He will grab a broom and try to sweep the floors. He is obsessed with the garage and anything that Dan has in there with a motor, especially the leaf blower. He tries to start the blower and the lawn mower by pulling the cords already and the little bugger is strong and can get them pulled out, thank goodness it's not ever fast enough to start them!
Of course will all of his helping ways and wanting to be everywhere fast he has new bumps and bruises every week. He has fallen at least 3 times on the cement outside. I swear our daycare provider probably thinks I throw him on the cement every weekend.

Family BBQ Time

We had visitors from Minnesota at Paula and Joe's house a couple weekends ago and got the Colorado family together for a BBQ in Louisville. It was so much fun! We arrived around 11:30am and didn't get home until 10pm. Of course the food is always so good at Paula and Joe's! Always start out with appetizers and move on to the main course. It was really hot out that day and Paula had a good idea to keep the kids busy; she bought them water balloons. We had no idea what the kids were doing on the side of the house until later. The "Plan" was to Get Dan. Joe, Paula and I were in the house and had locked poor Dan, Brad, and Alonda outside. The kids had a plan to corner Dan and made a circle around him and he was soaked when it was over. Don't worry though, Dan got a couple of them back by just running up and giving them a bear hug and their arms were full of water balloons. The kids had fun later having another water balloon fight amongst themselves. We did a lot of visiting and just watching the kids play and had a lawn golf tournament. It was a good way to spend a Saturday!

Dan and Adrian siting in the sun to get dry.

The Guys!
The Ladies!

Joe at the end of the night!

Definitely had a good time.

Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better!

Katelynn had her first Dance Recital a few weeks ago. Wow, I can't believe that she was in dance every Wednesday for an entire season, she did awesome. There were really only a few times that she said that maybe she didn't want to go to practice; she really loved it and having something of her own. I loved it too because I had 45 minutes to myself at the dance studio to read a book or talk to a friend. Dan and Junior got a lot of bonding in!

I was getting a little nervous a few weeks before the recital because she really didn't have the routine down very well. We started doing a little more practicing at home here and there and made Daddy be our audience. The night of dress rehearsal I don't think she realized that she would really be up on stage and in the lights! She was watching other classes go up and perform and she looked terrified. I could see the terror in her eyes, poor little thing. She got up there and her class really didn't know much of there dance. The night of her recital she was in the second half so she was able to sit in the audience with us and watch some of the other kids perform. We had Ashley and Adrian come and watch Junior for us so we didn't have to try and keep him quiet and entertained and boy were we glad we did. There was no way we could have done it there. Paula came up and watched with us too. What a joy! I took Katelynn back to the waiting area and bobbie pinned her hat on and took a few pictures and wished her good luck and back to my seat I went. It felt so weird leaving her back there with other people and then knowing I would be watching her up on stage. Her class was finally up and they had been moving them along pretty quickly, but Katelynn's class took a long time to get on stage. We still are unsure of which little kiddo was probably scared and didn't want to go on stage. Katelynn did such a good job. Honestly, compared to what I had seen at the last couple of classes, at home and the rehearsal I couldn't believe how much of the routine she remembered. It was like watching someone else. She did just awesome! We were so proud of her. Dan and I took her out for ice cream at Dairy Queen afterwards for an extra special treat. She was in her glory.

They danced to the song "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better". I will forever have that song imprinted in my brain now after hearing it every week over and over for 4 months.

This is right before I left to go back to my seat.

Doesn't she look like a little doll?!
Katelynn and Auntie Paula

2 very proud parents and one awesome little tap dancer!

One happy little ice cream eater.

Pool Time

Here is the happy little crew in their pool.

Time to Plant

The weekend after Mother's Day it was finally sunshiny and warm out. I refuse to plant my flowers every year until I can enjoy myself in shorts and a tank top and catch some rays. Dan gets jumpy every year and tries to pressure me to do it sooner; maybe one year he will learn.
This Saturday morning we were all up early and had a great breakfast and then at around 9am it was out the door and off to the green house to buy flowers. I didn't really have a very good plan together this year. The only item I knew that I would not leave without was a beautiful hanging basket. The place that we go to has the most beautiful baskets, although you will pay an arm and a leg for one, I had huge regrets all summer last year that I didn't splurge and buy one. We got to the place and got a cart and Katelynn and I went around picking flowers for around our trees and looked at the hanging baskets. Dan of course was on the hunt for vines yet again for our trellis; Junior was in tow and hopefully was enjoying all the bright colors. I think I could literally spend hours in this place looking and reading all the different flowers and how they grow. Dan started to rush me at the end and I hadn't had a good chance to determine what to put in my flower bed yet so I grabbed a couple of things and he paid (good man!) and off we were to have some fun in the sun in our back yard.
After Katelynn I planted the flowers around the trees and dug and cleaned out the flower bed I knew that I didn't get enough or exactly what I wanted and had more time to reflect on my flower bed. It was back to the green house we went; just her and I this time. I ended up finding another hanging basket that I liked better than the one I was rushed to pick and then picked up the rest of my flowers. Back at home we had a little picnic in the backyard and then it was time for Junior to take a nap. Dan and Katelynn ended up running to Ace Hardware for a few things and came home with a kiddie pool. Junior and Katelynn were pretty excited. It felt so good to spend the day outside and just enjoy our time.

Poor Dan, this will be his 3rd year trying to grow vines. Each year we try something different and they seem to do well, but don't come back the next year. The first year vines we put in were so damaged by hail they didn't do anything last year, but have a glimmer of hope of growing now after a year of recovery - time will tell.

Katelynn thinking she is going to hang from this little tree limb, she got the big "N-O" from me because daddy would have kicked her little behind!

Preschool Graduation video

Preschool Graduation

A few weeks ago Katelynn's preschool had a little graduation. Although Katelynn didn't "graduate" because she was part of the 3 year old class they did get to participate. They sang little songs on stage and then had to present a graduating preschooler with a carnation on the stage. She was pretty excited about it and it was so cute seeing her present the flower and then hold hands with the little boy and walk across the stage. We definitely could hear her singing her songs as well. I have a couple pictures that we took that night before hand and then a quick video of her on stage. We were sitting in the way back so we couldn't get any good pictures when they were singing.

The Art of Aging

Summer has begun and with it brings lots of birthday's and birthday parties, including Dan's, mine, and Katelynn's. Dan and I have had many conversations lately regarding "Getting Old" and I tease him all the time about the big 4-0 looming over him. For men, it is receding hair lines and/or going bald and then the infamous big beer belly (that nicely Dan does not have!) For woman it is usually gray hair and a big behind. Of course, I cannot follow the easy path on the art of aging. I do not have any sights of gray hair, but instead I seem to be getting varicose veins already. I knew the time would come eventually because they are hereditary and are on both sides of my family, but really this soon? I noticed it awhile back, but with winter you can cover it with your pants and jeans. As short season and summer are now here, I have obviously been sporting my legs to attempt to get some color on them. The other day Dan finally noticed it on my leg, "What is that?" - That darling is a lovely reminder of me getting old, it's called varicose veins. After that was a big conversation on how to get rid of them and about my mom and all the times that she has fixed hers and I am sitting their in the back of my head thinking again, here goes all my money to medical bills. I think I would gladly trade my girlfriends for a few strands of gray hair that I can then have an excuse for additional trips to the salon than to have these veins tormenting my legs.
Sign of the time # 2. Most woman will gain weight as they get older, which I have now determined is because we do not have time to exercise, our days are full. But once again this is not the problem that I get to face. I instead have been dealing with being unable to sit on my ass because when I decide to get out of the chair my tailbone has decided it doesn't like me anymore. This pain started when I was pregnant with Junior and I went to the chiropractor a few times and it was solved. Well, it's back and has been for about 2 months now. It was a funny joke for awhile with people that maybe Dan needed to take it a little easy on me, but alas, it is funny to me no more! I have finally went back to the chiropractor and let me explain what a joy (sarcasm) it is to have some random guy asking you questions about your tailbone and why it hurts and then having to feel around the area (of course in an appropriate way, but you know where your tailbone is!). Last week I had an appointment and discovered that I have issues with my ass (my terminology), my muscles do not get stretched and I do not exercise enough or stretch and it's making all the muscles stressed and is causing some of the nerves to freak out and thus causing my tailbone issues. The chiropractor is going to show me some stretches and continue to do some adjustments at the same time, but I have to get off my butt and work out - oh joy, at least it's summer. I'm not sure how the Doctor took me when he's explaining that my "glutes" are tight and blah, blah, blah and I turn and say to him "So, you are telling me that I have to go home and tell people that it's not my tailbone that is the issue, it's my ass?" I couldn't help myself, really. And yet again, in the back of my mind I hear a little "poof" which is the money from my wallet once again leaving me for the cost of medical help. I think again that I would rather have a little weight gain issue that I could at least work off on my own, because I now have to start working out and pay for it!
So this week, woe is me as I start trenching up the ladder of age.

The Ditch Saga Continues

Ugh - - the ditch situation in our subdivision will not die and even with having a sub-committee formed last month it still seems that I am doing most of the work. After last months meeting of getting yelled and screamed at for 2 hours by about 60 residents I was ready to run the meeting tonight a little bit differently. In my oath of trying to keep residents more informed I had sent out the agenda and we sent out a newsletter stating when our next meeting was. Well, only about 8 people showed up and then the Chair of the sub-committee for the ditch called me on my way home and said he would be unable to make it, so again it was up to me. Yes, I put an Assessment out for $75.00 to complete this project and yes, it adds up to a lot of money, but really people it's only $75.00 dollars per person (unless you own multiple lots). I just do not understand how people do not want their subdivision to look presentable and avoid a flooding. The funny thing is, is that everyone that has emailed me or attended meetings is under agreement that something needs to be done with the ditch. I don't get wanting to put a band-aid on the ditch and do little things here and there over the next couple of years knowing the problem will get worse and then we will still need to pay for a long term fix. I haven't let on to residents that come into the meetings yet that my family does own and business and I work on business process and such at my job, but it's funny to listen to them state that they are business owners and blah, blah, blah. Well looking at this business wise and taking the personal piece out of being a resident, I would state that we have foreclosure properties and we have empty lots and we need people who pay dues to move into those homes and build homes on the lots that will pay the dues in ordering to keep up with our bills. So, if it takes a little bit of money, such as $75.00 to make our common area and ditch look presentable and welcome prospective buyers into our subdivision, doesn't that make sense?! To me the return on investment could be pretty good for all of us currently living here and paying dues, it means more cash flow and more respectable people moving in, granted I can't guarantee that, but if you look at subdivisions that have beautifully landscaped common areas, they tend to care more about their own property and appearance. We will see how everything continues to unfold. We may be starting a Facebook page to open communication between the HOA board and the residents - I am hoping that I will not regret that!