Scripture Memory - Verse 20

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (King James)

Here is the link to the LPM blog for Verse 20

The cutest 4 year old cheerleader I know....

And that's tough, since she asked me to coach a group of 6 absolutely adorable 4 year olds....but perhaps I'm a tad biased.

This one might just be the cutest one around.

This picture was taken during her second weekend of cheering. 

These next few were taken last weekend....it was also picture weekend for her squad, and wouldn't you know it, it happened to be windy?  Funny how that works out.

After her turn to cheer for her assigned game, we were watching Kellen play.  There weren't any cheerleaders cheering for that particular game, so she decided that she wanted to cheer.  Considering that cheering for her brother was what got her wanting to participate in Upward cheer in the first place, she did a great job as a solo cheerleader and cheered her heart out for her brother and his team!

Isn't she just precious?

And she was just precious doing it!

Happy visit for Kellen

Since our move (less than a mile down the road), which resulted in a change in elementary schools, Kellen's back-to-school adjustment has been, well, an adjustment.

It's been a challenge this year.

Not that the things that he's been working on have been bad......just challenging.

It's been little things.  Spending over his 'allotted' time in the library looking for a particular book.  Not listening to directions.  Talking.  Going too fast on his math homework or papers and thinking he knew what he was supposed to be doing - but not really and getting grades below what he's capable of earning.  Lining up with his hands next to his side rather than together behind his back (ok, ok...even I have to question that one, but whatever)....

So after almost two weeks straight of 'pulling tags' and getting yellow warning marks, he really turned it around.

And he got a Happy Visit as a result.

He was thrilled.  Over the moon.  And apparently when you get a Happy Visit, your picture goes up on a wall and stays there.  For the entire.year.

He was so proud.

And so were are we.

Scripture Memory - Verse 19

For we are all God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

Review of Running - September

1 - 2 miles
2 - 2.5 miles (1 mile sprints X 2, .5 mile cool down walk)
3 - 6 miles (5 miles in 1:01:30; 6th mile in 12:32)
4 - 2 miles (walked)
5 - 3 miles (11:54, 11:15, 10:42 -supposed to be 3 miles 'easy')
6 - 3 miles (9:57, 10:55, 10:15 - 1 miles sprints X 3)
7 - 4 miles (11:31, 11:46, 11:11, 11:08)
10 - 7 miles (1:17:8 - yes...an 11 minute pace!!  Whoo hoo!!)
15 - 4.5 miles (4 miles (average pace 11:23 minute/mile) with .5 mile cool down)
16 - 3 miles (11:25 average pace/mile)
17 - 8 miles (no good, very bad run, average of slightly less than 13 mile pace)
19 - 5 miles (54:59 total time, 10:59 minutes/mile pace)
20 - 2.5 miles (.5 mile warm-up; 2 1/4 mi sprints; 2 1/2 mi sprints (one was 4:15!!!); .5 mile cool down) The GPS feature on my app on my phone was messing up, so my overall stats were goofy...
27 - 2 miles (23:28....after being sick for 2.5 days, I'm ok with that time!!)
29 - 2.5 miles (2 miles at 10:21 pace, .5 mile cool down)


September mileage total =56 miles

Miles per day = 1.866 miles/day
2011 mileage total = 224.28 miles
2011 Miles per day (273 days) = 0.82 miles/day
Started September with deficiency of 74.72 miles
Ended September with deficiency of  48.72 miles - Whoo hoo!!

Bathtime fun.  

Isn't she just the cutest??

(picture taken when Jacey was 14 months, 2 days)

Thinking ahead

So I came across this post today that pretty much sums up great ideas about not getting caught off guard for Christmas when it comes to presents....

Check it out.

Scripture Memory - Verse 18

But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews 5:14 (NIV)

Here is the link to the LPM Blog for V18.

Scripture Memory - Verse 17

In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help.

Psalm 18:6a (NIV)

Here is the link to the LPM blog for the Scripture memory V17.

Review of Running - August

7 - 3 miles
8 - 2 miles (at noon, which should either give me bonus points for determination or take away points for crazy)
18 - 3 miles
25 - 2 miles
26 - 1 mile
27 - 5 miles (1:00:00 (12:00 min/mile pace) as part of the CS Running Club)
28 - 3 miles (1 mi sprint repeats w/ 3 min rest)
29 - 3 miles
30 - 2 miles (.5 miles warm up; 1/4 mi sprint X 2; 1/2 mi sprint X 2)

August mileage total = 24 miles
Miles per day = 0.774 miles/day
2011 mileage total = 168.28 miles
2011 Miles per day  (243 days) = 0.6925 miles/day
Started August with deficiency of 67.72 miles
Ended August with deficiency of 74.72 miles

Wardrobe Challenge, Week #5

Monday



Tuesday

Wednesday

In my selection for Wednesday, I decided to inventory my clothes against what I have already worn in this 'challenge' to see if I was truly nearing the end. 

Come to find out, after selecting my outfits for Wednesday and Thursday

(I *have* to get back on board with selecting my outfits at the beginning of the week - but moving put a rather large kink in that system), I realized I still have 10 tops that I haven't worn!!

Thursday



Wardrobe Challenge, Week #4

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

It feels like I'm coming to the end of my wardrobe, and it seems like the most challenging part is simply remembering what I've worn and what I haven't!



Scripture Memory - Verse 16

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
James 1:5 (NIV)

Here is the link to the LPM blog for Verse 16.

Wardrobe Challenge, Week #3

Here is the third week of my wardrobe challenge....Monday, August 8th - Friday, August 12th.  The photo section of this challenge is most helpful for me so I can remember what I've worn and haven't worn!

True to the suggestion last week, on Monday night I decided on the outfits for the remainder of the week and took all of the pictures.  What a stress reliever to not have to worry about what to wear!  A tip if you're going to do this, though...be sure to check your calendar so you know what meetings/appointments are (currently) scheduled for you.

Monday, 8/8

Unfortunately, I was dealing with a sick kiddo today, so my wardrobe isn't a 'work' wardrobe.

Tuesday, 8/9

Wednesday 8/10

The color seems very off in this picture, but the top is actually a nice shade of purple...promise!

Thursday 8/11

Friday 8/12, also...Graduation here in Aggieland!!  I'll certainly be sporting my Aggie gear today!

Experiment: Mini Pizzas!

Don't they look yummy?

I'll let you in on a little secret.....

...they were.

Better yet, they were SUPER SIMPLE!

Take your Grands biscuits, preheat your oven to the specifications on the container (or don't, I didn't). 

Tear the biscuits in half and place into a greased cupcake container, making it thin on the bottom and up the sides, like its own container.

Put a spoonful of spaghetti sauce in the dough.

Put some cheese on the spaghetti sauce (I used 2-3 cubes of cheese we keep cut up for Jacey).

Put a piece of pepperoni on top of the cheese.

Bake per the specifications on the biscuit container.

Pop out of the cupcake container and place onto a place.

Let cool (if you must), and eat!

Good Attitude Award

Let it be hereby known, 

that on Wednesday, August 3rd, 

Tatum Elizabeth Hapes was awarded the 

"Good Attitude Award!"

She was bestowed this award for 

"Being an AMAZING helper!" 

from Miss Christina in Montessori I 

and it was also noted that she had a 

'Great Attitude and had a WONDERFUL afternoon!!!"

She was so proud!  

This picture doesn't do her smile justice. 

Not one single solitary bit.
I love the days when the pixels are like this.....

Weekend fun!

It had been a-g-e-s since Jules and I had gotten a chance to catch up, so we tried to get together this weekend to do so.

We planned a zoo trip, then decided to hit the splash pad.  The kids had loads of fun, and we decided that we would have to make our family get-togethers at *least* an annual occasion.  We also decided that we would have to meet up sans kids to actually get a chance to catch up on each others lives. :) 

Here is our day in pictures.

The kids were worn.out. by the time we got home, and quite honestly, so were Matt and I! 

Wardrobe Challenge, Week #2

A friend of mine had a great idea about laying out my clothes for the week ahead of time.  I'm not sure why I don't do that with myself, since it's something I use for Kellen during the school year to stay organized.

So...I may give that a shot.  The upside, I won't have to worry about picking something out each morning, but even better is that I'll be able to look at what I have worn vs what I haven't to keep up with the challenge!

Week #2 of the Wardrobe Challenge (Aug 1 - 5)

Monday (as you can see, this wasn't exactly a 'work' outfit. Tatum got sick Sunday night and we had a sick girl, stay home day)

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday (no, I don't normally make it a practice to wear a bathing suit to work, but I took a group of students who are participating in our summer research program to Schlitterbahn on Thursday.)

This is the awesome group of students I spent the day with at Schlitterbahn!

Again, Friday was a 'Spirit Day', so Aggie gear!  Two weeks down, and no problems, other than my trying to figure out my system for remembering what I've worn and what I haven't!

Our vacuum sucks!

And I'm certainly glad that it does!

Matt and I received our vacuum as a wedding present from his Nanny.  Unfortunately, it hasn't been working as well as I would like it to for a while.  It's a twin chamber bagless upright - a good vacuum - so I've been cleaning what I can on it, checking the brushes on the bottom, you name it, trying to figure out why it wasn't working at its initial power.

And I couldn't figure it out.

Then one day, I was walking around in Wal-Mart, looking at prices for a steam cleaner for the carpet (not buying one, but considering that the vacuum isn't doing such a hot job I wanted to see what options were out there for some deep cleaning action), and I stumbled across replacement filters.

Um, yeah.  We've had the vacuum for over ten and a half years and the filter has never been replaced.  I have cleaned the filter in various ways such as putting a bag around it and knocking it senseless on the ground and taking a cleaning toothbrush and 'brushing' it off, but replacing....never even crossed my mind.

So when I saw the filters, a lightbulb went off.  But of course, I couldn't buy one then, because I wasn't sure of which one I was supposed to get.  And I made a note to myself on my Blackberry.  Fast forward a month or so (I really wish I was kidding) and I finally remembered to check the specifics on the vacuum and put the information into my Blackberry note for the next time I was at Wal-mart.

Which was Monday.  So I replaced the filter.  And while I was at it, I rinsed out the HEPA filter, too.  And cleaned out the 'twin chambers'.

Who knew that a ten year old vacuum could look almost brand new?

Now that I've shattered any notion that I had it 'together' on the home front (as if anyone who reads this might think that anyway!), I just want to say....I'm really glad that my vacuum now sucks again!!

Operation: Girls room clean up!

So in what seems like a not-so-recent illness bout of Jacey's in June, I attempted to do some reorganizing.  I wanted to tackle the girls room.  Well, more specifically, their bookshelf.  So I began this project in June.

Here is the "before" picture.  Crazy, right?

So I went through all of the hair and head accessories.  There are some headbands I have for Jacey that would leave all kinds of marks on her big ole head.  So I quickly purged through those types of things.  You know, the small bows made for babies with just a little hair.  Can't use those - especially on a little girl with no hair!

I hung up all of the bows (how in the world we manage to get so many royal blue, red and purple bows is beyond me!) and realized that I need another bow hanging solution.  That's a project for another day, though.

Then I tackled the books.  I did a quick purge for any books that were messed up (=9), then decided to inventory what was left.

There were 93 books.

93!

And this is *just* the girls room!

That just seems like an absurdly large number of books to me.  So I'll probably go through them for another purge and donate some.  And just in case you were wondering, the Dr. Seuss books are in Kellen's room...so I can't even blame that number on those kinds of books.

After some discussion with some friends, I think I've realized what bothers me about the books, and it has to do with the quality of the books we have, not so much the quantity.  Anywho....

Next up, the toy bins.  Do we need that many toys?  Many of them are for Jacey, and after looking closely at them, I realized that many of them were not age appropriate.  They were all too little for her.

*sniff* *sniff*

My baby is not so much of a baby anymore.

*sigh*

At any rate, here is the finished product.  Tatum played dress up this weekend, so the dress up bins on the bottom aren't 'staged' for photography - this is how they look.

All-in-all, I'm pretty happy with the way this turned out.  I am thrilled that Tatum likes to play dress up so much, and I wouldn't dream of impeding her creativity, so I don't mind the craziness of those bins.

Now....for the rest of the room!