Daddy/Daughters Date Night

C and the girls had another great date night at the Livin' Lovin' Luau, a yearly event by the Parent Connection. Such a wonderful organization! I LOVE how they have programs to support and encourage families, especially programs that really encourage the relationship between fathers and their children. So important for kids, especially daughters!

The girls just love going! And it is especially special because they get to spend time with Daddy-o! I didn't tell them until after naps today that they were going *C registered them for the event) but once I mentioned the place, they were all excited to go.

What a great time they had tonight! C says the night flies by. They start the date with dinner out. Then they get to the Y, sign in and the fun begins! The big hits are the inflatables and shaving Daddy (shaving cream and Popsicle sticks.)

There are a lot of other activities but these have been their highlights. They also get a really nice goodie bag that includes a new book and passes or discounts like a free bowling game or discount to an inflatable play place.

C's favorite part is surprising the girls with a stop for ice cream after the event. (I even got a treat too! I am enjoying a yummy turtle sundae.)

So again, a great time for them! I am so glad they went. I am so glad they are building these memories and bonds.

Ice Skating Queens

S finished her ice skating "lessons" tonight.

We started about a month and a half ago when a friend, who was a former skater and instructor, invited us to a local rink for lessons.

S was so excited to take lessons. This was something she really wanted to do. Well, she's enjoyed ice skating so much that she usually wants to stay out as long as she can, which was about an hour. In this time, she's become confident on the ice. She can go around the rink pretty good and is gliding more and she was starting swizzles. I am so proud of what she has accomplished.

All this time, I have been on the ice as well, mostly to provide encouragement and because it's fun. I tried to get M out the first time, which was not successful. In fact, it was stressful because I hadn't been on the ice since high school, maybe, so there I was trying to get my legs under me and remember how to ice skate and then try to hold up this little 3-year-old who was pretty skittish about the ice. So eventually M had had enough and sat with Daddy.

Tonight was the last night (the arena will be getting rid of the ice for home shows and the like during the summer) so Miss L decided to have a little party for her students (about 4-6 girls.)

I asked M if she wanted to go and initially she wanted to stay home with Daddy but then decided she wanted to go to the party AND try to skate.

I was a little nervous about that, given the first experience, but figured we'd give it a try and if it didn't work out, so be it.

C took her out on the ice, held her hand for a short time until Miss L came up and said to M "Why don't you let go of Daddy's hand?" M did and she fell but Miss L showed her how to get back up. After that M was pretty much on the go! She had so much fun! She just took to the ice right away. It was so cute to see her and S skating together.

M fell quite a bit so she'll likely be sore tomorrow. Sometimes she fell on purpose, either because of goofing or as a way to deal with a little wobbling. But she got stronger and stronger each time she got up. She did take a couple big bumps on the bum but again, she got up and kept skating.

I am proud of the girls and I can see this being an activity for them for years to come. S talks about being a professional skater (among her many other interests) so we'll see.

If she is truly dedicated, then we'll consider formal lessons. For now, we will enjoy what has become a fun family activity. Even C was on the ice a couple times!

And I think we'll try to hit the skating rink this summer! That should be a lot of fun.

Still here!

Hey folks!
I am still here. January was my last post but it seems like much longer. I know I have been slacking on the blogs. I think it might have to do with the fact that I don't have a laptop anymore (it died shortly after Christmas). But I still use this computer a lot, mostly for freelance work but the culprit could also be Facebook. Not that I do crazy games and stuff but I do jump on and read statuses and the like. I also find myself doing a few Swagbucks searches during the day. So lots of computer use spread all over! And then sharing the computer so C so he can do Internet searches, billing and more.
Time so share some of the love with my blog.
Family Update:
We are all doing fine. S now has a cold but nothing too bad. M had a similar cold last week and it was very short-lived and so far C and I have been OK.
C has been really busy on a work project. He goes into work early and stays until 6 and even works evenings after the girls go to bed. It's been a long haul and the end is not in site yet. But I am so proud of him and all that he does for us.
M is finally getting her own room....in that we are making changes so that it is her room and not the move in ready room it has been for the last 2 years. C put up new mini-blinds and a ceiling light/fan last weekend and I found the purple curtains we used in S's Greenville room. We are going to paint the room (green walls with purple butterflies) in the spring and put up a wallpaper boarder that was also supposed to go in S's old room. And we plan to convert the toddler bed into the full bed but we need to get a mattress.
Huge news is that my total cholesterol is below 200! Last fall is was at 237 and now it is at 192. My HDL is still the same (32) and my LDL, while improved is still lousy. But the doctor says diet and exercise should continue to improve those numbers.
Since last summer/fall, we have made a lot of dietary changes here. (Skim or soy milk, reduced fat cheeses, healthier oils, whole grains, meat alternatives like Bocca and Morning Star, lean meats and fish, more beans and trying to add more fruits and veggies). I have tried to cut back on snacking (not an easy task). Through all that, I've lost about 8 pounds. I FINALLY started exercising again. I was making too many excuses and said enough is enough! I started about three weeks ago and it' s been really good. I exercise in the mornings, which is pretty much the only time to do it as afternoons while the girls nap are really a busy computer usage time (mostly freelance work, really!) I do the Leslie Sansone tapes and a exercise ball program. I really enjoy both.
I have been to the doctor recently because of chest like issues. I've had them off and on for a few weeks now. So I went in and everything seems OK. My EKG was completely normal and the chest X-ray didn't show anything unusual around my heart, etc.
I do worry that I may be getting carpal tunnel as I've had some random swelling in my left thumb area. I'll have to monitor it some more before getting it looked at.
Life has been busy. Lots of little things that pile up into one big thing. :)
Looking forward to the spring and warmer weather and getting outside, biking, walking and trying my hand at some gardening again. So anyone with container garden tips, please contact me.
Well, freelance work beckons again. I'll try to keep more up-to-date and get some pictures out.
Adios!

Haiti

Like many, Haiti has been on my mind. I hear about it everywhere. The events, as they unfold, slice through me. I can’t completely wrap my mind about what has happened. It is almost like after 9/11. And I want to help but the only way I know how is to pray and pray and pray.
My heart bleeds for a country I honestly know little about. I remember learning about Haiti in school. My thought was it was always a poor place. That was confirmed last year when our church did a Reaching Farther emphasis, with a focus on the countries like Haiti. Our church has many out-reach efforts there and we helped raise money for a storage container full or dried beans and rice. It was an impactful time. The church has more missions planned, including one next month. And just last Sunday, a couple days before this deadly earthquake, we heard from a local doctor who has been to the country on medical missions time and time again.
Through all these stories in the last few days, I find I am just in awe and inspired and amazed by those who leave their homes and lives to go to Haiti, to reach out with love and compassion for the people there. It is truly amazing! I praise God for those loving people and their courage and bravery and love and desire to go time and time again.
We have members, a family, from our church there right now. They are spending three-months in Haiti, where their adopted son is from. They are about four hours away from Port-Au-Prince but they will likely feel the affects and will have more need to minister to a people suffering.
I can imagine too that those who have been to Haiti, who have seen first-hand the poverty and suffering that was there before this disaster, are chomping at the bit and making any and all efforts to get there. I am sure they feel helpless here in the states while people, families, children they know are suffering or worse.
So many people have connections to Haiti….the stories continue to amaze me.
I pray for the missionaries and aid people already there. I pray for their safety as they minister and serve while they are likely hurting as well.
I pray for those trying to get to the country and for their safety as they get in the midst of it all.
I pray for those here in the states. Maybe, like me, they feel a little helpless and wonder how to help. We are witnessing a world, broken and on its knees. We need to help them stand again.

2010 here we come!

The holiday hustle and bustle is over! I think I am recovered. We will see as we enter a new week. C will return to work and we will return to our routine, as it is.
We enjoyed the holidays. We spent Christmas Eve and part of Day here at home. It was so nice to wake up in our own beds and delight over the gifts. I will eventually get pictures out. They are still on the camera. :)
The girls got toys that will encourage their imaginative play: dress up dolls, play food, Play Dough and a super cool puppet theater that C built.
S is in her glory with the play food. She has really been into playing a chef and operating a restaurant. Tia got her a super cute apron with hat and oven mitt and pad. So cute! And Tia got S a Melissa and Doug sushi set. Again, super cute and S is in her glory!
M loves to play with ALL the toys. She got Elefun and Play Dough so that has been huge. She also got a Mega Blocks Kai Lan Dragon Boat set and has enjoyed putting that together.
I received some much needed Creative Memories scrapbook pages and page protectors. It might sound boring to some but I need those because they are being discontinued and I already have the albums for them. So it was buy them or be stuck with books that I can't fill with the new size pages. I also got some yummy chocolates, super comfy socks and PJ's.
I took advantage of several photo book offers and gave C and the girls each a book with various memories. For C, the RV trip we took to NC shortly after we married. For S, our Chicago trip and for M, our MOA trip.
C was very surprised about his gift from the girls and I: A GPS! He has had a lot of fun using it. No, we have not named it. Although he did have it set to an Australian man's voice so I think of Connor from Ugly Betty or Hugh Jackman from X-Men. C thinks Paul Hogan from the Crocodile Dundee fame. :) C also received a couple neat toys: an Open It tool, which has come in handy many times already; and a cordless screwdriver.
We spent the rest of Christmas Day and that weekend visiting family in the southeastern part of the state. It was a nice time. We came home for a day (which we spent in out jammies) and then headed off to the Western part of the state to spend a couple days with the family. We returned New Year's Eve and basically chilled out over the weekend. No super late parties for us! :)
Now, I guess, is the return to normalcy. C goes back to work. :( And we will once again see a schedule with various activities like ballet, story times, play groups, the return of my church mother's group and so forth. The girls will participate in a couple parks and recreation programs next month. I plan to resume homeschooling with S and, maybe try some things with M. (Suggestions anyone??) Reading is one of the things we plan to begin with S. And we will be enrolling her in kindergarten this month, I believe! She is very excited for school to begin. She even created a picture with her name surrounded by hearts in the middle and, in each corner, a picture to represent the seasons. She "checked off" winter (depicted by little circles to represent snowflakes) and knows when we get to fall it will be the start of school.
With any luck, this winter will pass by and we can look forward to warm spring days! :)

December pictures

I realized I am behind on some pictures from this month, like pictures of the girl's birthday party with friends, the blizzard, a visit with Santa and the girls in their Christmas outfits that they wore at church for their big performance on the big stage.

M's first dental visit

M had her first official dental visit on Monday and was a pro! The visit went so well! She has been to the dentist before when S had her cleanings. Also, we had the dentist look at a front tooth that seems to be two teeth joined together.

I think it also helped for this visit to have M watch S get her cleaning done first. But once S was done, M was anxious to get into the dentist chair!

She was so sweet! She opened her mouth wide when directed. She would wave to me as her teeth were getting cleaned. She laughed when the water squirter would rinse her teeth. She said her teeth were crunchy (because of the tooth polish). She did such a good job! I am so proud of her!