Happy Birthday, Jacob!!!

My little buddy is 6 years old today!! Happy Birthday, Jacob!!! We love you!! We are off to Concord for an overnight trip to the Great Wolf Lodge to help him celebrate!!!

Two Posts In One

I am combining two posts in one. First of all, Jacob's last day (and Joshua) was today. He enjoyed a party and got his awards. He was the only one with perfect attendance. They both had a great year.

My next post is of the deals I scored this week. I got all of this (except the juice and BBQ) for $2.50 this week at CVS, and I got $9 back!!! The juice box and BBQ came from HT. I actually made $50 cents off the BBQ sauce. This was just a few of my deals. HT had triple coupons this week (they do it the last week of the month) so I pulled everything together. I saved OVER $14 alone in coupons, and then another $20 or more by having my card, so my bill came down quite a bit. It makes it worth clipping coupons to know that I can save $14+ . I think I'll start saving most of them for the "big monthly sale"

Class Picnic Day At School

Today Joshua didn't have to go to school. His class met at Lake Benson Park for a picnic from 10:30-12:30. It was such a nice park (we haven't been there for 2 years and they have redone the park). It was a nice picnic and then he rec'd awards. He got awards for doing superstar math, enough book reports, overall great student and then for the "A" honor roll (for which I am very proud). Mrs. Harris said he missed "pastor's list" by just a little bit, so he has come a long way. He would have had perfect attendance, but he came home half day Thursday. He had a headache and a low fever for about an hour. I tried to send him back the next day, but they wouldn't let him come because it hadn't been 24 hours....otherwise he would have had it!!!! It's hard to believe that tomorrow is a half day and then our first year at Southside Christian is over. It has been a great year, and I am so thankful that God led us to this school!!!

More of Graduation

Here are more pictures of graduation. My days of preschool are over for a few months. The bad part is that I don't get much of a break. Tuesday Jacob has something special at school, Wednesday Joshua has a picnic and Thursday is a half day and it's all over. Oh well. I always enjoy graduation because the parents start hugging you and telling you how much they will miss you and how happy they were for their child to have you. Although I rec'd many gifts, the cards the parents write to you mean so much more. My boss gave me a $25 gift card to Chilis. (which was already spent) Some of the gifts I rec'd from parents: $25 American Express card, $15 to Hudson's Garden Center, $15 to Subway, $10 to Starbucks, candles, bath and body shop products, and stationary. My favorite however was a note written by one of my 4 year old mom's. The card itself was very touching, but inside was $25 for "ALL About Me" a salon where Jenna and I can go spend time together and get our nails done and she bought that so that Jenna and I could have a special day before kindergarten (it's designed for tweens). I always need this day, not to receive all the gifts, but to realize no matter how bad things get, these children are special and they and their parents love me. It also makes me realize that I am good at what I do!!

Graduation Day!!!

Today, my "baby" graduates from preschool, and it makes me happy and sad. I'm sad to see my baby go off to kindergarten, but happy for her accomplishment. I took these pictures before graduation today, so come back later today or tomorrow for more. Congratulations, Jenna!! We love you!!

School program

Joshua with his friend, Sutton

Jacob with his teacher, Miss Sabo

Last night the boys had a school program. It was mainly 3-6th grade, but the k4-2nd graders has a small part and sang a couple of songs. The play was about Heros of Faith in the Bible, so they had to dress up like Bible characters. Thank you Monica, for letting me borrow some costumes or my child would have not looked so great!

Fun in Sun/Field Day

Friday was a big day. Jenna had fun in the sun day at preschool and the boys had field day at school. I was just amazed how God held back the weather that day for us. When we left for school, it was raining in Durham, but we never got a drop. It was fun for everyone. I was glad to have the day off to spend with the boys, and when I picked Jenna up from school, I was able to get a few of her too.

What God Thinks.....

Recently I have been reading on contentment and also about being concerned about what God thinks of us, instead of what man thinks of us. I'll be honest, I struggle in both areas. Sometimes I think I am doing ok, and then I realize I haven't gotten there yet. Case in point this week....I was very concerned about someone I don't know really well seeing my house. My house was not clean, and for some reason I get embarrassed that we don't have a big house. She ended up not having to come to the house, and I was relieved. Second case....we had to go to someones house this past week and the house was GORGEOUS!!! I kept thinking to myself....if only I had this house....think of all the room we would have....where we could put this, where we could put that. I hope in a couple of years at the most that we will have a bigger house, but right now, I have to realize that is not possible. More cases this week.....I was put with a group of Christian women who were very kind to me, but yet because I do not go to church with them, I lacked that common bond. I found myself trying harder to be 'accepted" when actually I already was...it's just that I don't know them as well because of that. Why do I care what these people think anyway? Even one of my children made a comment to me about how another mommy was "skinny" as was able to play sports....and well, lets just say that's another post!!!
I have daily learn these lessons of contentment (and I should just be thankful that we have a place to call home, even though I can't decorate or make it fancy) and learning that I don't have to go through life trying to please everyone when all I need to do is make sure that God thinks of me.
So, do any of you guys struggle in one or both of these areas, or am I the only one that struggles?

The End of Soccer Season

The end of soccer season happened this week. All three of the kids scored goals this year. Jenna and Joshua scored at least one goal in every game. Joshua was really challenged last night by a good team. They jumped ahead of us 2-0 and then we came back and one by 3. I was proud of how he worked to get that first goal. The opposing team was really good and protected their goal. After that his other two came easily and some others scored as well. It makes me proud to see how much passion he has for the game and he puts everything into it.

A Day Off

I have the day off today and tomorrow. Tomorrow I'm going to field day with the boys at their school. Today, I have nothing planned!! Yeah!!! I need a day off! I had one day that I didn't use and she does not let us roll it over or take it with pay, so it is take it or lose it. I decided to take a Thursday since my 3's wear me out most of the time and can be difficult. I wish now that I would have gone on another field trip with one of the boys, but you never know when you will need a day!!! So on my day off, here is what I hope to do:

• clean house
• change sheets on the bed
• get a few clothes ready for a uniform consignment sale Saturday
• shower
• rest
• make/take meal to a friend
• clean some misc areas that need special attention
• catch up on laundry

That ought to keep me busy for awhile!!!

Mom's Taxi......

My "taxi" service will slow down a little bit this week as soccer comes to an end (if we don't get rained out). I've enjoyed the season and I have really enjoyed watching all three of them play, but I'm glad to have a break again too. I'll probably be begging for all these things once summer starts and I have nothing to keep them occupied!

Stand Proud

I had a nice mother's day. I went to church, came home and the family took me to Lone Star for lunch! Wow, it was so good! We then headed to my moms and took the kids to the park to feed the ducks and then let them play on the playground. We also got to see some old friends.

The title of my blog is "stand proud". Every mother's day, I think of my friend, Stephanie. (she doesn't read my blog). My friend Stephanie is very unique in the fact that we never met! There was a time where I was trying very hard to get pregnant with Joshua. It really hurt me every year to sit there on Mother's Day when they would ask the mothers out there to stand, and I was still sitting. Everyone around me was getting pregnant, except me. I remember stumbling on this website (don't even ask me how I got there) and finding comments of other women trying to get pregnant. Some of these women were rude and mean, but there was one comment from a girl named Stephanie. Again, don't ask me why, but I felt moved to make a reply to her comment. She emailed me back and we started talking and connecting. Come to find out she went to BJ the same time I did, was a Christian, etc....so we became instant friends. We would email one another and she became such a help because she knew the pain I had. she also struggled to get pregnant. Long story short, I obviously got tripled blessed and she ended up having two of her own. Every mother's day I tell her to "stand proud" Stephanie!! What a miracle that God sent her into my life! To all my mom readers....stand proud every mother's day and to all my readers without children, may you know that I know how you feel.

Mothers Day Tea

Jenna had mother's day tea at preschool Wednesday and today we had it for the 3's. Jenna made me a nice book, a tote bag with handprint, a placemat and card. She was very excited to spend time showing me the stuff she made, and I enjoyed spending our last mother's day tea at preschool together!

So, what is your mother's day wish? A gift? An act of kindness?