We've had a roller coaster week! On Tuesday, we found out that our beloved principal is leaving us to be the director of elementary schools for the county. This is certainly a gain for the county, but it is a huge loss for us. For anyone who doesn't know our principal or who is not familiar with our school, it is really difficult to explain how much we love and respect her and how devastated we are by her departure. Parents, students, faculty, and even our principal have shed many, many tears this week. We know we will be fine, but we can't imagine our school without her. She is truly one of the most amazing people I have ever met, and I am so thankful we were blessed to have her for the past four years (she's been at the school for 18, so some have been blessed by her for many more years than we have). We will be reeling from this for a while.

On the other end of the emotional spectrum, we are so excited that my Favorite Boy and Coach Dad will be in the championship game in the league basketball tournament on Saturday. They have had a great season with only a one-point loss to mar their record. Unfortunately, they play the team that beat them in the championship game, so it will be a tough one. No matter the outcome, they have had an awesome season, and we are very proud! Sadly, I will miss the game because of my half-marathon. As much as I hate that, I am certain my nerves will be better off if I am not at the game, and I have lined up some moms to take plenty of pictures for me.

I'll be leaving in the morning for the land of the Mouse! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Labels: Family and Friends, My Favorite Boy

I haven't posted in a week, mostly because I was busy with day-to-day things as well as cleaning and cooking for company to come over on Thursday and Saturday evenings. Additionally, my Favorite Boy's basketball tournament is keeping us busy, and I am making final preparations for my half-marathon trip this weekend. With flu, strep, and a stomach bug making their rounds in our area, I am praying that the germs stay away until next Monday!!!! After I've trained for so long, I don't want to do a 13.1 mile race feeling badly, and I also don't want to leave my husband with sick kids. Maybe we should just lock ourselves in the closet until Friday morning.

It's time for the monthly Nightstand carnival at 5 Minutes for Books. From my list last month, I completed Another Dawn by Kathryn Cushman (review coming soon at 5M4B), Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock (review HERE), and The Maker's Diet by Jordan Rubin. I read a few others as well, and I need to update my reading list in the sidebar. I am still working on Parenting by The Book by John Rosemond and Logged On and Tuned Out by Vicki Courtney, and I am adding the following books to my pile:

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Fade to Blue by Julie Carobini
Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gloria Gottschall

I am excited to take my new Nook with me to Disney this weekend. I have Unbroken on it, so I will enjoy trying it out at the airport and during down time. I also got a free copy of the Bible, so I can have a Bible handy without taking up a lot of space in my suitcase.

I may post sporadically (if at all) for the rest of the week, but I'll have lots to say next week!

Labels: Books

My husband and I don't celebrate much on Valentine's Day (his opinion is that Valentine's Day is a holiday created by the card companies). :) However, we do make it a fun family day. Last night, we went to Ruby Tuesday for dinner and had a great time.

I give the kids the same present every year: candy and a Shutterfly photo album from the year before (this year's books chronicled 2010). It always makes me smile when my Favorite Boy peruses his book. He loves looking through the pictures from the previous year. Although he tries to be Mr. Tough Guy, this reminds me that he does have a little bit of a sentimental side!

After dinner, we went to Kripsy Kreme for dessert. We had some of their Valentine cards, so we were able to choose one free doughnut each. My Best Girl wanted a sample-sized ice cream cone instead, so she nicely gave her doughnut to her brother.

We enjoyed our Valentine's Day! Of course, the kids started Tuesday morning off with an argument. I guess all the loving feelings don't last indefinitely. :)

Labels: Family and Friends, Fun, My Best Girl, My Favorite Boy

This morning, I completed my last long run before my Princess Half-Marathon trip. I did 13.0 miles (I didn't want to do the full 13.1 until Disney). It is 60 degrees and sunny, so I had perfect running weather. I am glad I had the opportunity to run in warm temperatures once before the trip, or else the Florida weather might have thrown me for a loop! I will be leaving in less than two weeks, and I am so excited. I may lock myself in my closet until then so I am sure to stay well. :)

In other news, our sweet little Oreo is at the vet today. It will not be a pleasant Valentine's Day for her, but we wanted to avoid little Oreos running around, so it was a necessary visit. We don't get to pick her up until tomorrow afternoon, so the house will seem empty tonight.

I'm off to help with Valentine's parties at school. Happy Valentine's Day!

Labels: Me

I guess this post should be about playing in the snow, but we don't really have enough to play in (enough to cancel school, but not enough for fun). Instead, we are enjoying the day with friends. My Best Girl and her friend just finished making Shrinky Dinks. Here are two amazed girls watching the shrinking magic happen in the toaster oven (if you are wondering why my Best Girl has shorts on when the temperatures are in the 20s, I'll share that in another post). The boys are enjoying a game of basketball in the bonus room, and I am thankful that they have a fun way to spend the day!

In other big news, my Best Girl lost a tooth during the night on Wednesday. Last night, the tooth fairy left a silver dollar under her pillow. She is one excited (and very silly) girl!

Labels: Family and Friends, My Best Girl

We used our eighth snow day today. We'll be using our ninth tomorrow. You know you've had too many snow days when the kids groan at the call from the county!

We have one more snow day built into the calendar. After that, we'll have to make them up somehow. We all hope that doesn't happen!

Looking at the forecast, we are thrilled to see that it's going to be sunny and the temperatures are going to be above 50 (and even into the sixties) ALL WEEK. That hasn't happened since November. We are so excited! After enjoying those wonderful temperatures, we won't want to see winter again. We hope this snow is our last!

Labels: Family and Friends, Me

Saturday was my husband's 37th birthday. For the next six weeks, I get to be a "year" younger than he is. He got a new pair of (ugly) running shoes a few weeks ago, and he wanted that to count as his present. So, we celebrated by going out to eat. Instead of him getting a present, he and the kids presented me with a gift! They decided to give me something for completing my half-marathon. I haven't really completed it yet, but they wanted me to be able to take my gift with me when I travel to Florida.

Here's what I got:

When my husband suggested to the kids that they get me something for my efforts, my Favorite Boy thought they should give me a Nook (he was really proud of himself, and I was impressed with his idea as well!). Before giving it to me, my husband did talk to me about it (without the kids knowing) to see if I wanted the Kindle or the Nook. Initially, I thought the Kindle would be best. I am an amazon girl, and with the 3G version, you can use the (primitive) web browser. Since I don't have email on my phone, this was appealing to me. However, I ended up with the Nook because I am also a library girl. With the Nook, you can access the library's e-book system, and with the Kindle, you can't. It was a tough choice, but I had to go with the free books! The Nook does have a web browser as well, but it's only accessible with wi-fi.

I will always love the feel of a book in my hands, but I am am really going to enjoy having this, especially when I travel. Thanks so much to my sweet husband and children. I love this gift!

Labels: Family and Friends, Me

Sixteen is a special number at our house. My husband played second base on our university's baseball team, and his number was 16 (completely by coincidence, my Best Girl was 16 on her first softball team last year). In the years since, he has always chosen this number as his favorite.

Sixteen years ago today, my husband and I went on our first date (it was the day before his 21st birthday). We went to lunch at Ruby Tuesday together and then joined up with some friends to travel to an away basketball game. After the game, I surprised him with a birthday cake (we were friends first, so it wasn't weird that I made a cake for him on the day of our first date). The cake was decorated to look like a baseball, and I worked the number 16 into it somehow, even though I can't remember exactly how I did that. I am planning to make him another dessert today to celebrate the 16th anniversary of this special event!

I am so thankful he asked, especially since he didn't know he'd be stuck with me 16 years later. I could not be more grateful to have him!

Labels: Family and Friends

I spent much of 2009 on antibiotics and steriods. I have been very excited that I have not needed antibiotics since April 2010. (The antibiotics and steroids probably worsened my reflux.) I was hoping to make it an entire year without needing any, but that was not meant to be. On Sunday, I started a round of Augmentin to cure a sinus infection. I really wanted to get better on my own, but the infection is so bad that my entire face hurts, and I can't breathe through my nose at all. Also, my race is in less than four weeks, so I need to be well. Although I did manage to do 12 miles yesterday, not feeling well made it very difficult. I want to feel good while I am running at Disney World!

I don't want to get back to the point where I am on so many medications, but I am thankful we have them. Hopefully, my face will quit hurting in the next few days!

Labels: Me