Bragging Rights....

And this time, it doesn't include my family!!!

Tonight was a really great night for me. Tuesdays are my night to teach my two A-town twirling lines. This year I have 5 on my Middle School Line and 6 on my High School Line. None of them will ever read this, but I just want whoever does read this to know how great my girls here are!!!

My first practice of the night was with my MS girls. We are getting ready for their "first" pep rally and football game next week. Yes, I love teaching them twirling, but I love the things that go with that a lot more. For example, we got our uniforms tonight. I can't tell you the look of awe in their faces as they pulled them out and tried them on. For these girls, this is the fanciest thing they'll ever wear until the Jr./Sr. Prom. Twirling uniforms are all about glitz and glamour. And they loved it. It was great to see them "feel" pretty. MS girls have a hard time accepting their bodies, so it was great to see them all "feel" pretty tonight. It's also amazing how effective the rest of practice was. They worked so hard.

After practice, one of the girls asked if she could interview me for an English paper. I said sure. One of the questions, though, really made me think. It was, "Why do you enjoy teaching twirling so much?" Well, my first response was that I love twirling. It's a passion of mine. But then as I thought deeper, more came out. I love teaching twirling because of the relationship that I get to have with each girl I teach. I hope and pray that in some small way, I can influence their lives. I want to show them that you can be a modest young lady (in all ways), and still be beautiful, smart, successful, and HAPPY. With twirling, modesty is sometimes a challenge. You all have probably seen twirling uniforms - it's like dancing in a bathing suit - a one piece, grant you, but still! I love teaching them how they can still be modest while performing in not much. And I hope it carries over into their every day life.

Enough with Jr. High - then my HS girls came. I have always been blessed with good HS lines. Every year is good. And I'm so proud of these girls, too. These ladies are great young people who have a lot of life going on. They are involved in many other school activities. But they are learning what it takes to be successful. Not necessarily a lot of time, but good use of the time you take.

I don't know why I feel so strongly about taking the time to brag about these girls, but I do. If you're a teacher, you know how good you feel about class after everyone participated in the discussion or you walk away feeling they really understood the concept you were trying to teach. That's how I feel tonight. We had a great practice, but there were also many great "life" moments. Yes, I'm a stay at home mom, but those are the things that keep me teaching - helping guide their lives!

1st Grade

Wow! How time flies and people change!

One year ago I was an emotional wreck. My baby began her first day of kindergarten. I was so excited for her, but devastated at the same time. I couldn't believe my little Tae was old enough to start school. Last year, it was all about me and my emotions. "My" baby was growing up, "my" baby was going to school, "my" baby was.....

Now first grade is here. It wasn't near as hard this year to send her off. I'm so proud of her and the young woman she is becoming. She is so polite, respectful, and courteous. She makes friends easily. I guess this year I'm figuring out (though I've really known it all along) that it's all about "her". She loves school, she has another great teacher, she has a good class, and, really a good grade full of kids. I'm very proud of how she handles herself.

Then there's the whole looks side of it all!!! I can't believe how much more mature Tae looks. But wow, I can't get over how much Addi has grown!! She was a BABY last year.

I guess I really don't have much to say. I'm just proud of my girls and I pray that we continue to raise them to be respectful, young ladies.

Wonderful Vacation

At the Albuquerque Zoo!

Bar D Ranch in Durango

Navajo Lake


Vacation was a blast!!! We really had a good time. We stayed with Jake's family all week, but got to do a LOT of things that we wanted to.

We started out in Albuquerque at Jake's Grandpa's home. This is usually where we meet up with his parents. But this time, it was just a quick stop. We got to see Jake's Grandmother Liess and it was her first time to meet Addi. Wow, was she in for a treat!!!! Then we got to do the zoo before going on to Farmington.

Once we got to Farmington, we continued the fun. Jake's mom and dad live across the street from a city park and the girls were in HEAVEN. I think they wore grandpa Bill out going to the park. We got to shop downtown Farmington, see some beautiful scenery downtown by the river, and Taelor loved seeing where grandma Cindy works.

On Wednesday, we went to Durango. I loved it. Some people aren't into the "tourism" thing, but I love it. We wanted to do the train, but it was booked. FYI - book your tickets in advance! But we did spend the day downtown and the evening at the Bar D Ranch. It's a chuckwagon dinner with entertainment after. That was a really fun thing to do with the entire family.

Then Thursday was just spent around the house. On Friday, our final day in Farmington, we went to the lake. Taelor got up early and went fishing with dad and grandpa. She even caught one! Then Addi, Cindy, and I met up with them later on. It was a great day at the lake. The weather was wonderful and the girls really had a good time on grandpa's boat.

Saturday we began our drive home. Again, we stopped in Albuquerque for the night and came on home Sunday. We were so glad to see our home and friends again. But we really had a great family vacation.

Now it's really time to get focused for school. As much as I might say I dread school starting, I really am looking forward to it. I love new beginnings and the start of school is just that. It's fresh and new and the possibilities are endless!

Enjoy the rest of your summer!!!

Vacation

It has been wonderful!!! Jake has really enjoyed being back at "home" for the first time in 8 years. A lot has changed in those years.

The girls are having a wonderful time, too. Across the street is a park and they are at it all the time!!!!!

I added a new (old) friend to my blogroll. Staci was one of the first girls we met in our youth group in Oklahoma. She really didn't know what to think of Jake & I, but she and her family quickly became some of our closest friends. She's great! I'm so glad that I can keep up with her through a blog now!

I'll post vacation pics and stuff later when we get home.

Just a few pics

Taelor riding on the fire truck in the 4th of July parade. (Last one on the end)

Addi riding with Jake, and yes, sucking on her finger during the parade. But she's still got the wave down!

My favorite summer pic so far. Taelor in her All-Star uniform and Addi ready to cheer for sister's team!
One of the few pics they both look sweet in!

Vacation

I'm am so excited. We actually get to go on a vacation this summer! We leave tomorrow evening after Jake gets off work and will come home sometime next weekend.

I know that a lot of families normally take a summer vacation - we haven't had a chance to. At Dillard's, Jake wasn't allowed to take time off during the summer months (they have certain days "blacked out" for vacation time). So now that he has a job with real benefits, we are leaving town.

We are going to Albuquerque and Farmington (his hometown). Yes, we'll be spending a lot of time with the in-laws, but at least it's not in A-town. Jake's poor mom, Cindy, has been in Alb. all summer long taking care of her dad. Cindy and her other two sisters stay with him 24-7-365. Cindy's turn is always in the summer since she's a teacher. So, anyway, her turn in up on Saturday, so she's going to go home and check on her home before we arrive on Sunday. We're planning on taking the girls to the zoo and maybe check out Old Town in Alb. before we go on to Farmington.

Once we're in Farmington, I think we'll take it easy. We are planning on going to Durango, but we really have no firm plans for this trip - not even a firm return date! We're just going and doing what we want to when we want to! It'll be great.

The sad part is, once we return, there's not much left of summer. I don't offiicially start back with twirling until the 11th. But there are still things that need to be done before then. So, summer is basically over - how sad.

Enjoy your remaining few days of summer - how bout this crazy July weather?!??!

A GREAT 4th

Happy belated 4th to everyone! I hope yours was as good as ours was!

We started the day with our parade in town. Yes, A-town has a parade. Taelor rode a firetruck and Addi rode with Jake in his company's "gator". (I am aware of how redneck this parade is sounding...) Both looked so cute. Addi sat in dad's lap and sucked her finger the entire parade while waving at the crowd. Mom and I sat and watched and realized that parade's aren't as much fun to watch without being able to see it through a child's eye. Last year, Taelor was in the parade and Addi was with us. She was SOO EXCITED to see every float, every person, every siren. It was fun getting to see my own kids in the parade, but the rest of it didn't hold quite the same sparkle as it does when you are watching it with your kids.

Then we spent the rest of the day at mom and dad's. Our 4th has always been about spending time with family. This year, it was extra special. A) my grandparents (who are both in the 80's) felt well enough to come and B) my nephew made his first outing since being released from NICU!!!! Brock got to come visit. He is so sweet and such a trooper. It was pretty cool to watch my parents as they enjoyed having all three grandkids around for the first time. And I can't tell you how excited my dad is to have a grandson (though Addi really does have a lot of "boy" in her). It was just a very special day to have the family there and to now have the newest addition healthy enough to come visit.

The evening was concluded with a great fireworks show here in A-town. It's really a fabulous little show. And you don't have to mess with ANY traffic. We sat with several of our friends from here in town and just enjoyed each other's company as we watched the fireworks. Then, since we do live in a small town, we came home from the official fireworks show, only to watch about 12 more going on around us! Only about 4 of them were legal and being done outside the city limits. The rest were going on all around us. So, we didn't get to bed until somewhere around 1am this morning. But you know, it was all worth it. We even let Taelor stay up until midnight watching the fireworks. Back to that "watching things through the eyes of a child" thing. She really loves fireworks, and the fact that she had mom and dad to herself!

Happy 4th to everyone and I hope you all feel as blessed as I do to live where we do and have all the freedoms that we have. God bless America!!!!!!