Hey stranger

(me & my sweet Katey, taken July 09 at Reed family reunion)

Wow, I am the world's worst blogger. I haven't written a darn thing since June! Yikes. I have no idea if anyone is even out there reading or if anyone really cares that I haven't written for 4 months. Life has a way of just passing by so quickly. I have no good reason for not writing...but sorry (if anyone is out there!! :). Except maybe trying to come up with something important to say.

Loving this 3-day weekend... I am so much more productive knowing I have an extra day. Lots of laundry done, playing with my kids, trip to the library, church, DD #1 had 2 sleepovers, DD #2 fighting a cough & she's winning, oh & a Miley Cyrus concert to top it all off.

Also trying to wrap up 2 incomplete post-graduate courses I started last winter. The first class is proving more difficult, Helping students to become self-directed learners. Tough class!! No wonder I put off finishing it for so long. Finished 2 more lessons over the weekend, only 2 lessons left and the big paper! The second class I had started in the spring was soooooo much easier & more practical, The High-Performing Teacher. Very practical with strategies to prevent teacher burnout. After 15 years of teaching special education I was soooo ready for these strategies. Loved the class & finished it!!! Whoo-hoo!!! :) Go me!

Sweet little girl is calling my name, need to get her in bed...thinking of lots more to say, like I met Ali Vincent (biggest loser season 5) last week near home!!! She was awesome, great message, inspring story. Got my first autograph & picture with her, too! Will have to post those later this week.

Maybe I do have stuff to say after all. If you're out there, thanks!!

Spring Break 2009

Another late post but still great photos. We headed back to sunny, warm Florida for spring break, March 31- April 5, 2009. The weather at home was yucky & cold, so we were thrilled to arrive & enjoy warm, sunny days. We spent the first 2 nights in Palmetto (courtesy of Gr. & Gr. Herrin's accommodations), visited with Gr. & Gr. Reed. Spent a great day near St. Petersburg at Fort DeSoto, an old military fort with beautiful beaches. Then drove northeast to Daytona, spent 1 night there. More beach & pool time. Finally drove to Orlando, stayed at the Gaylord (amazing hotel) for 2 nights. Hit Downtown Disney & Epcot. Another wonderful FL vacation...oh I miss Florida.

Katey, Mommy, & Kelly posing at the Polynesian Hotel, our last night at dinner
So glad we found Mommy's favorite characters at Epcot one night

Katey still loves Donald! :)

The girls enjoyed the whole Nemo area at Epcot, posing inside Bruce the shark

My precious Kelly, 9 years old (doesn't she look too grown up here :(

at Fort DeSoto beach in St. Petersburg, FL

March 2009

Hello, these photos are from back in March but still cute! I've been having a LOT of trouble getting into Blogger and can't open my own blog most of the time. Ah the wonders of technology. Anyway, this morning it just happened to open. I should be getting me and the girls ready for church but am quickly posting a few photos.

On 3-29-09 at the beginning of our spring break, before we headed to sunny Florida...Kelly and I traveled down to Chicago to see Mary Poppins at the Cadillac Palace! We had an amazing time together, the show was fantastic. Kelly loved her first real Broadway show! The actors were so talented, the theater was beautiful. We had a great night together, just Mom & Kelly.

Katey singing upstairs in "big church" with her Sunday School friends, too precious

Katey our little ballerina went to a dance class at the park district in Feb. & March, she loved it. So cool how God created her to be a princess, dancer, tumbler, all the girly things...and she just as much loves to wrestle, kick the soccer ball, and rough-house with boys playing sports (now I'll have to post some soccer photos from April-May).

Rain

When will this rain end? It has been raining for days, with few to no breaks of sunshine. It is making me tired, annoyed, irritated, and blah! All you cheery people will say, oh but April showers bring May flowers. If that is indeed true, we should have fields of flowers everywhere come Friday.

First the longest winter ever from November thru March. Then more cold & all rain in April. Where is the sun? We need and want sun now! Sunshine to stay and stick around. I feel like we live in Seattle for goodness sake! We need to get outside, play, ride bikes, and walk our poor dog.

Lord, please send the sun to our corner of your world. Thank you!