sunflowers

Today I took the girls (Jenna and Addi) to a sunflower garden.  It was really pretty.

 Each flower had so many bees inside!!

Sweet Summertime

I love summer!!  The break from the hustle and bustle have been just what this momma needed!!  I am especially going to need it before I return to working full time in August.  I am on full time staff now at Southside.  From about late March until the end of the year, I was getting 40 hours in, so I know how hard it is to manage the house and the job.  I think things will be a little easier now since I don't have to do after school care twice a week.


I am not keeping the two boys this summer.  I was asked, but it was more trouble than it was worth so I actually had enough nerve to say "no"!!  I am glad.  It has really freed my schedule up.  I am keeping Addi, a rising 7th grader at SCS, two days a week, but she just goes with the flow.  We usually end up going to the $1 movies or to the pool with her, so it's not any trouble with her.


We took our summer trip early to Universal Studios at the end of school.  We did that in hopes that Josh would be working with the brick mason again this summer, but the man never returned Josh's texts and emails so that fell through.  He helps me clean Southside, and he helps a man from our church once a week.  He is gone for two weeks, so I am not sure if the summer job will pan out this year or not.  He will start soccer in August so it might be hard to get something going, especially trying to juggle school, soccer practice/games and then basketball season.


Jacob and Jenna went to the Wilds last week.  They had a blast.  The house was pretty quiet.  This week and next Josh is there at CIT.  I miss the fellow!!  I just wish I could talk to him or see a picture of him.  I know it is some intense training, and I know he is up to the challenge, but I really do miss him.  Ugh, the thought of him possibly going away next year makes my heart sad!!


We had the pleasure today of trying Duck Donuts.  I must say I have heard so much about this place.  I got some lemon blueberry, orange, strawberry and maple with bacon.  I was so apprehensive about a donut with bacon on it, but it has been my favorite.....it absolutely melted in my mouth!!  Definitely a treat for us.  And that's about it for right now.  That pretty much sums up from the end of school until now. Sorry...pictures got jumbled up and I couldn't move them back.

President and Vice President

School is out for summer!!  Yahoo!!  Southside had student council elections for next year.  I had a talk with the kids earlier and just told them to think about running.  Two of the three went for it.  Jacob was a little shy about doing it knowing that there were two that would definitely get it.  Josh and Jenna both ran.  Josh had 4 in his class including him and Jenna had 3.  They had to come up with poster boards and then give a speech in front of the entire upper campus.  I wish I could have heard them, but I decided to just do my job and not go in there and make them more nervous.  Josh wasn't sure that he would get it as there is one popular girl who gets EVERYTHING in the class (and we don't even need voting as she will be homecoming queen) and then one who is also semi-popular.  He ended up getting vice president!!  Sure enough he didn't beat the girl who gets everything, but I am still proud.  Jenna ended up getting president for her freshman class!!  That blew me away!!  I didn't get a picture of Jenna's posters.....there were two.  She made cupcakes on her board that said "bake my day and vote for me" and then put strawberry candy at the bottom that said "it would be berry nice if you did".  Candy gets ripped off the boards very quickly so I had to restock several times.  Josh's poster board said "don't BLOW it, "Chews" me" with bubble gum on it.  Any case I couldn't be happier for them both and I hope that Jacob will decide to run in a future year.

End of the year......

It's May which means the end of school is in sight.  Soccer is over for Jenna.  She liked it but it isn't her sport.  She played up this year on varsity, which was a new experience for her.  She also has been promoted to work in nursery since she turned 14.  Our director allowed her to come in with us in March.  We were bombarded with kids and she was only a few weeks from turning 14, so she allowed her to come in.  Today was the third time she was in there and she is obsessed with this little boy!!  She also has been bombarded with cupcakes.  One lady asked her to make 5 dozen for her son's surprise 50th birthday party and this week she has a huge order of 300, plus a cake to make for the middle school soccer team.

My Boy is Growing Up!

Last night was Southside's Jr/Sr. banquet.  This is all new to me.  I have never had to get a child formally dressed up before.  I know it will be hard when Jenna has to do this, but I was surprised on how difficult it was to get a male out.  First we had to go suit shopping, and that was an adventure.  Of course he needed shoes as well.  He took his "friend" Ashlyn to the banquet and they were both pretty nervous.  Maybe they eased up a little once the parents got out of the way and stopped taking pictures!!  Seriously, we love Ashlyn.  She is a very sweet, quiet girl (she would have to be quiet the way Josh talks)

Spring Break

It has been an awesome week here at home.  We are on spring break, which means a much needed rest from life and school.  I have been working 40 hours a week now, which is a change for me.  It is hard to do that and maintain a household and run kids to various activities (thankfully Josh can drive to some).  My hats off to women who do this.  It's hard.  I am tired and run down.


We've had a good week.  Monday we just took it easy a little and Jenna and I got haircuts. Tuesday was my birthday so we went to Carowinds for the day.  I just love roller coasters, so it was fun to get away and the weather was beautiful.  Wednesday Josh and Jenna went with me to Smithfield to do some shopping.  Today (Thursday) Jenna and I went to pick strawberries and then later went to thrift stores and to a new place called the Milk Lab.  It's really cool to watch them make the ice cream.  I wish my video would upload but I guess it was too much.  It was pricy, but it was fun to experience one time anyway.  I would recommend sharing.  Tomorrow we are ending our week by getting pedicures!!  Its kind of a splurge week but Jenna's birthday is next week and she will be in school so we are trying to get everything done in one week.

spring?

It's spring, but I don't think mother nature knows that.  We had some really warm weather in February, but here we are in March with the second bout of snow about ready to come.  Jenna has started soccer.  She moved up to play varsity so that they would have enough players.  It is a really sweet bunch of girls.  Soccer is much easier than basketball.  The schedule is much lighter and practice is just a block away.  She has also been busy baking, which my waistline does not like!!