The Value of a Buck

I think it is totally awesome that kids have no knowledge of all the *crud* that we adults have to deal with.

For instance:

We pay a membership fee each month for our gym with a pool like this:





My kids are completely content with a 20 dollar blow up pool filled with water, dirt, grass, and who knows what else, thanks to my 2 year old.






Don't you wish that we still were able to find the fun in EVERYTHING and that we didn't need big expensive toys like televisions and movies and computers to make us happy? It is just one of the many reasons that my kids are the joy of my life!

Me, and Me, and Me

I was reading my favorite blog and she had a link to a really cool site where you upload your photo and it shows you what you would look like as a different ethnicity or age. I thought the following were the best ones:

Jen as an East Asian

Jen as a Guy (frightening!)

Jen older

Jen as a West Asian

My Favorite Sound

:)



And, just in case you were wondering, Brody is laughing at the tv. Not at the fact that he has his hands down his pants the whole time. Although, I wouldn't put it past him. Lordy. *sheesh*

The Many Colors of Our Garden

Brody is attending camp this week and next, the theme of which is "In The Garden".

Today, their craft was to make a necklace using all the colors of the garden. Should I take it personally and as an assault on my gardening skills that this is what Brody envisions as the colors of a garden?




Or should I be concerned for the well-being and development of my child that he chooses ALL BLACK as the colors he wants to use for his necklace? Would any other moms be just a *wee* bit freaked out by this?!

Black or White, it doesn't matter

I live in a time and place where it is simple to be a Christian. It is not easy to live as one in our world where sin tempts us daily, but I can freely express my Christian views without fear for my life. It is easy to believe in God and His grace when I am so blessed. When I always have food on my table. When my family laughs daily. When we never have to worry about where we will sleep each night. I am a Christian, but it is very simple for me to be one.

It isn't so for all of my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world, or throughout time. There are people that will die today because they have heard the gospel and praise Christ as their salvation. There are people that have NOTHING and still have the faith to thank God for his mercies and blessings.

How can we have a world of people who doubt God when they have EVERYTHING while there are people who have nothing that are sure of Him? It is so hard for me to understand that.

This video is so poignant. To hear how we are all connected to each other, all tribes, tongues, and nations, through the grace of God. It truly is amazing. It just gives us a glimpse of the New Heaven and the New Earth, where there will be no skin color or race or sex, just God's people together worshiping him. Praise God! Come, Lord Jesus!

A Daunting Undertaking

Okay. For those of you who know me, you know that I have never been a very athletic person. I have always been a musician, a singer, an artist, a thespian (an actor, for you non-drama people). I have always been so impressed with people that are athletes, that enjoy playing a sport and getting sweaty and hot and having their muscles burn.

Well, after watching Kurt ride in this past weekend from his MS150 bike ride, and seeing all the wonderful people who dedicated themselves to that cause, I decided to ride next year.

Mind you, I have about 50 pounds I would want to lose. I am petrified to be seen in any spandex. I haven't ridden a bicycle since I was young enough that saying you were "riding a bike" was considered a dirty joke and ensure much giggling(anybody else remember that?) and I can't even fathom doing something hot and sweaty for 2 days straight, HOURS ON END.

But, I think I can do it.

I have a year to prepare for this. To start getting in shape. To train. To actually get a bike. *grin*

Anybody care to share any advice? I am so petrified to do this, but at the same time, I know what an accomplishment it would be for me, and it would be something so worthwhile to do with my time.

I will keep you all posted!

So far (drum roll, please)...

I rode 5 miles on the bike at the gym this morning.

Hey, it's a start!

Nice Day for a Ride!

Kurt completed the MS 150 (He actually did 175 miles) this afternoon. I took the boys out to the Eastern Shore to see him ride in to the finish line.

Congratulations on making it in one piece, honey! We love you and are so proud of you!

In For The Long Haul...

Prayers for Kurt. He is riding in the MS150 bike ride today and tomorrow on the Eastern Shore. Some of you may remember that he broke his collar bone last year during the ride! Pray that he stays upright on the bike this year!

Also, my mom just had rotator cuff surgery. She has had a rough night and hopefully will begin to feel better soon. She has a long recovery ahead of her. We love you Mimi and can't wait to see you!

No, not yet. No, not yet. No, not yet. YES!

Finally, finally, FINALLY!

We live literally 2 minutes from our YMCA (which, by the way, is where Kurt just became a spin instructor. Go honey! Yay!).

We pass The Y going to school. We pass it going to the bank. We pass it going to Mimi and PaChucks house. And the pharmacy. And the doctor. And clothes shopping. And McDonalds.

Well, months and months ago, they started digging a pool and building a splash park. Right in clear view. Off the side of the road. I made the mistake of telling my kids that they were putting in a pool. I could have said, " Gee, I don't know what they are building. Let's wait and see." But no. I blabbed. And I have been punished by having to answer, "No, not yet." Every time we drive by. Sometimes 4 times a day.

Well, today, I was able to say, "Yes! It is ready! Let's go!"

We had a ball. That place is incredible and I am so thankful that it is there and that our membership fees already cover being members of the pool! Thank you, YMCA for making our summer that much more fun!


Look how cool this place is:






And, the kids really had fun.

Friends for Life

Abby, Emily, Brody, and Seth have all known each other as long as they can remember. Abby and Brody are just getting to that age where they are aware that boys and girls are different. Brody doesn't like to play with girl toys and Abby would much rather prefer Princess stuff to Transformers and Batman. We hope they can live through the awkward times ahead of them and always be friends, if not like brother and sister.

Life at Grammy and BooPa's

Life in Blacksburg is filled with swimming, golf, snacks, crafts, flowers, running around, cows, golf carts, cousins, and last but not least, chocolate milk. What a wonderful time! We love you, Grammy and BooPa! Thanks for a wonderful time! We'll see you again soon!

Cousin Fun

We spent an afternoon at the pool with the cousins, Will and Maddie, and then the kids came back and got as messy as possible eating push-up pops. Ahhh, Summer and Cousins!

Climbing Up The Walls!

While in Blacskburg, we went to a festival in Roanoke. There was a huge inflatable climbing wall and Brody made it all the way to the top! We were so proud, but none prouder than Brody himself!

Grammy's Garden

We went to Blacksburg last weekend for Memorial Day weekend and had a wonderful time! We made a checklist of all the fun things we wanted to do while we were there and had fun checking them all off.

Grammy had a flower bed designated just for her grandkids, so Seth and Brody planted their plots while they were there. They talk DAILY about going back to see their flowers!

Keith Hinton Group CHKD Gala

I have noticed that many people from the gala have gone to search google and ended up on my personal blog.

I hope you all had a great time at the gala! If you want to see the photos from the gala and find out our final amount, you can go here:

Keith Hinton Group Website CHKD Information

We are still waiting to get photos and people are still donating, so we will have a total soon!

Here is the presentation if you would like to view it again:





Thank you all so much for attending!

If you would like to attend next year, please visit our contact page and make sure we have your address! Just leave your address and comments that you came to the gala and would like to attend next year...

Contact Us Here

A Stolen Kiss

Look what I caught on camera.

I told them to give each other a hug, so they did... then they leaned in and kissed... and Brody was SO CUTE. He actually got red in the face and was a little embarrassed. :o} It truly was an adorable moment.

We will still be seeing Mary Kendall (Candle) quite a bit this summer.

Schools Out For Summer!

Let the games begin. My kids are both home ALL DAY with me until September! :) We are already beginning to plan playdates with the kids from his class so we all don't go bonkers over the summer!

Today was Brody's "Steppin Up" program. He has one more year in Preschool (and Seth will be going next year too!) and then on to Kindergarten!




Here is Brody with his good friend Joseph and Seth. We hope that Joseph and Brody are in the same class next year.

Gala Photos

Kurt and I obviously had a great time! Here are just a couple photos of us . We were even pulling out moves from our old swing dance lessons! We really had a blast!

Answer to an Age Old Question

You should feel privileged. I have an answer to a question that has plagued humans as long as we have inhabited this planet...

Why did God create mosquitoes?


God revealed the answer to me today. Let me set the stage...

I am sitting in the family room folding clothes, (yes, because all I ever do is laundry) Brody comes in from outside where he has been swinging.

I pooped outside.
What, you mean you pooped in your pants while you were outside?
No, I poopied on the ground.
Take me outside and show me the poop.

He takes me out, shows me the evidence of the deed. *sigh*
Get inside now and go into the bathroom so we can wash your bottom.
I have an itch.
That is because you have poopies on your bottom. Go into the bathroom.

We walk into the bathroom and I am helping Brody to clean up when what do we see, but a large mosquito bite RIGHT ON HIS BUM.

I have an itch.
Do you know why you have an itch? Because you pooped outside on the ground. And when you poop outside, which is what only animals are supposed to do, you get bitten on the bum by bugs. So tell me... where are you going to put all your poopies from now on.
IN THE POTTY!


Thank you, God... for creating mosquitoes to teach my child exactly where the poopies are to go.

The Gala

My team hosted a gala to benefit CHKD, Virginia's only free-standing, full-service pediatric hospital this past Saturday. It was a fantastic time! I was pretty nervous about how the evening would go until after the whole presentation was over, and then it was just dancing and enjoying my evening after that!

It was a wonderful time. I will be sure to point you to some photos when we get them back from the professional photographer!

Thank you everyone who attended. This even was so important to me. We spent so much of our time planning it and it was so wonderful to have you all there to support us! See you again next year!

Angry Parenting

I need help. Maybe it is just because it has been a very VERY trying week. Or maybe I am not getting enough sleep. But I find myself EXTREMELY angry at my kids on a pretty regular basis. In fact, I speak to them sometimes in a manner that I would NEVER DREAM of speaking to anyone else in. Why is that? How is it that I am able to use a tone and show so much anger to the 2 people that are among the most important in my life?

I readily admit that there are times when I am truly at a loss as how to discipline my kids. I am aware that anger doesn't work. It doesn't accomplish anything except make me feel terrible and make my kids sad.

So, how does one deal with a kid who blatantly ignores you when you tell him to do something for the 20th time? How can you "discipline with love" as so many websites and books tell you to do?

I want to break my habit of becoming angry and then disciplining my kids, I just don't know what the alternative should be.

Parenting is SO HARD.

Seth *Picking Strawberries*

Seth likes to take a loose interpretation of "picking strawberries".