Our trip to Kentucky this weekend was nice. Got to visit lots of people. I didn't take any pics, though. We were just too busy.
My dad is doing Weight Watchers and we've been eating healthier, so there was lots of talk about food, weight, points and calories. Wyatt has been really good about doing the treadmill for the last couple of months now (not always without some urging, of course). Anyway, he got on the scale and we realized he's lost 8 lbs! That's huge for him and he is so excited and proud of himself. He's totally into it now and is counting his Weight Watchers points. Even when we ate out this weekend, he made healthy choices----a baked sweet potato! Are we talking about MY son? He even had me pack his lunch today with healthy food. Hopefully his enthusiasm will last!

Today was a pretty big day at school. We had our "QAR", or Quality Assurance Review. It's where a team comes in and interviews teachers, support staff and students and then forms an overall opinion about our school. They then meet with us at the end of the day to tell us how we did. I happened to be one of the people picked to interview. I was kind of nervous, but it was fine and more laid back than I thought. They asked us what we felt our school's weaknesses/strengths are and how we felt we could help support/improve them. I'm so proud of our school. We had 2 commendations which is the highest level you can achieve. One of them was on our "team" spirit and how we all support each other and are there for each other and how we pull together to achieve our school goals. It was just really nice to hear that. It is an awesome place to work and to send your kids to school and I'm glad that was obvious to them. They also talked about how much kids who have gone here really remember it and I found out there is actually a facebook page called "I Was A Hinkle Creek Cougar"---it's pretty funny. Anyway, everyone is glad it's over---so jeans day tomorrow!
It's snowing again here---ugh! SICK of it already! Plus we are planning a trip to KY this weekend and I really don't want it to ruin that. It's even bad down that way, too. We'll just have to play it by ear.
Dinner's calling!

We had a great long weekend. Actually got to go out to dinner without the kiddos on Friday night. Lily was at a sleepover and Wyatt was at a church function with a friend. We tried a new local restaurant and it will now be one of our favorites----so good! We tried another new place(Mexican) on Saturday with the kids and it was great, too. Sunday after church Lily and I ran around all day shopping and running errands. Lots of little things I've been meaning to get to and have had no time. Then Monday we made our monthly Costco trip and another interesting shopping trip I can tell you about in a couple of weeks. We also spent over an hour at the library. Wyatt wanted some new books and before we bought them decided to check the library. They had them all. Can't see spending $8 on a paperback when we can check it out for free! Especially when he is reading 400 page books in a day!
Oh, and I keep forgetting to mention my Lia Sophia jewelry party I had last month. If anyone ever asks you to host one and you like jewelry---do it! I got $800 worth of jewelry for $150 and I love it all! And it was no work at all-the rep does all the work with the invites, etc. It was the easiest home party I've ever had and I got the most stuff I've ever gotten, too. Anyway, you'd think I was selling it(not going there again). Sometimes you're just not as happy with stuff from a catalog once you see it in person, but I thought these all looked better in person, so I was happy.

Lily and her friends at Tori's birthday party.
They went to see Charlotte's Web at Beff and Boards----a play. They all got pig noses to wear. It was a cute play-we always enjoy their productions.

I was messing with settings on my camera before Lily's Valentine's party so here happens to be a picture of my room at school from the vantage point of my desk. The table is where I work with kids a lot.
Lily with her Valentine craft.
One of the beautiful flowers Jeff sent me at work on Valentine's Day. It was such a nice surprise. They are gorgeous!
Lily with Alissa and Wilbur after the play.
Lily with Charlotte. She had the best singing voice.

80'S GIRL

Lily had her Girl Scout father/daughter dance last night. She and Jeff had a great time. It was an 80's theme. We had fun coming up with an outfit. Brought back lots of memories! Of course picture taking turned into a photo session with Lily-she loves to pose. I got some cute ones.

FASHIONISTA

The funky look.
Check out those abs! Is that a 2 pack?
Disco fever?
What would you like?
Gotta accessorize! I think that's a skirt as a poncho-very resourceful! Project Runway-watch out!

I haven't taken many pictures lately, but I was going through some old ones. At Christmas time, Lily organized a fashion show for her and her younger cousin. They went in the bathroom and Lily put together the outfits and they did a runway show. She has a really good fashion sense, I think. Love the "waitress look" with the towel over the arm-ha!
She loves clothes. Hmmm--wonder where she gets that from? She picked her clothes out last Sunday night for the week-I'm talking shoes and all. And I didn't even ask her to do it! She's so darn organized. Definitely gets that from her dad!
Anyway, just thought the pics were cute and wanted to share.
PF Chang's for dinner tonight-can't wait!!

All you Webkinz lovers out there---have you seen these? TYGIRLZ I don't think they are new, but they are to us. Lily got her first one this weekend. It's like Webkinz where you go on and register your particular girl, but the games are geared more toward girls Lily's age. She loves it! The dolls are really cute, too! They are the same price as Webkinz, too.

Lily's class performed nursery rhymes for parents Friday. She was the evil stepmother in Cinderella. She did great. She is so into any kind of performing. She even memorized all her lines. All the kids did a great job-it was fun to watch.
We went to the Hannah Montana concert movie yesterday afternoon. It was great. I especially loved the behind the scenes stuff. I really like her and hope she continues to be the good role model that she is---and doesn't go the same way as so many others. She seems to have a really good head on her shoulders. We'll see.

LIKE A WEED....

Well, it's finally happened. Wyatt is now as tall, if not taller, than me. Last night I was standing in my sock feet ( I almost always wear a bit of a heel) and I realized I was looking straight into his eyes. Weird. It wasn't like that a month ago. I think he's grown a couple of inches in the last couple of months. He's such a good, sweet boy and I'm so proud to have him as my son!

Wyatt played his first game with his stitches Saturday. He wore a big knee pad--just in case. He would have gotten to play last weekend, but he fell playing dodgeball at a church function the Friday night before and busted it back open which entailed ANOTHER trip to the emergency room. I was in Kentucky at the time. What made him think it was OK to play dodgeball with stitches in his knee? He asked if it was OK to play football with all the neighbor boys yesterday----boys! He gets them out Tuesday, so hopefully he'll be good to go after that.

Well, getting ready to start another busy week. Doctor's appointment, hair appointment, dance, jewelry party, guitar lesson, after school club, play at school and I'm sure I'm forgetting something---I'm so glad Jeff's in town this week!

It's been a while since I've posted. Last weekend I drove to Kentucky for my Aunt Barbara's funeral. She was my mom's sister and they were very close. She also helped raise me as she babysat me when my mom worked. It was so sad, but also so nice to have our large family together. There were 35 of us in the family section alone. It was a very nice funeral. The pictures above are of a plaque that was made for her great grandaughter. My cousin,the mother of this 1 year old girl was the flower girl in my wedding 18 years ago.
Barbara had requested a certain song to be played at her funeral. It's called If You Only Knew by The Inspirations, a southern gospel band. It was so perfect for her situation. Some of the lyrics are:

Have you prayed for a loved one struggling hard with pain
You asked the Lord for healing, yet their healing never came
And in spite of all your efforts, the good Lord called them home
And it's hard to let go when you're trying to hold on
Chorus
If you only knew, I'm just going home, your prayers have been answered
My sickness is gone; things look much better from heaven's view
The Son always shines; we're having a time, if you only knew


She will be greatly missed.

COLTS AND STITCHES

Jeff and Wyatt before the game.
Wyatt before the game.
Wyatt took this one.
At the emergency room.
Close up after stitches.


Eventful day yesterday. Long, too. Jeff and Wyatt went to the Colts game. They left at 9am to get down there, get parked and meet the people they were getting the tickets from. I talked to Jeff a couple of times during the game and they were having a great time. Major bummer that the Colts lost, but still fun. Well, about 4:30 or so, Jeff called and said they were walking to the car and he'd call me when they got there. They had quite a walk. When he finally called back, he said they were going to make a stop on the way home. OK. Well, he finally told me that Wyatt had fallen on a very slippery(it was sleeting), jagged, metal sidewalk grate and cut his knee. They still had 12 blocks to walk after it happened---poor guy. He couldn't tell me how bad it was on the phone because he didn't want to upset Wyatt. Anyway, after 3 hours at the emergency room, he ended up needing 7 stitches. It was a bad injury. He even "lost" a bit of skin. Lovely. He was a trooper through it all and the stitches come out in 2 weeks. After dinner we finally ended up getting home after 9pm. A 12 hour day for them-whew!

"I'm open!"

Going for the rebound.
Lily and Chloe.

Wyatt had his second basketball game today and they won again. He's enjoying it and it's such great excercise for him. I'm still experimenting with settings on my camera to get good indoor action shots. Any tricks, Amy? I'm signed up for a class for my particular camera next month, so I'm hoping to get some good info there.

Jeff and Wyatt are going to the Colt's playoff game tomorrow. Jeff got the tickets and surprised Wyatt kind of as a reward for his all "A" report card. Wyatt was so excited that he cried! I may or may not have pictures. I have to talk Jeff into taking the camera!

Lily, Emma and Savannah.
Wyatt and Trevor.
DS crazy.

We went to Chuck-E-Cheese today with Tracee and the kids. Our last outing before school starts back. Fun was had by all. It hit a record hi of 67 degrees today and it's supposed to be even warmer tomorrow. Weird.

I think we're all ready for school to start back. It's been a super nice break. Relaxing, yet productive. And it's gone really fast, but in some ways I'm anxious to get back to work and the kids are ready for the routine of school.

Well, off to enjoy an hour and a half of alone time while Jeff takes the kids to basketball practice.

BASKETBALL

Wyatt had his first basketball game yesterday. He played hard and did very well. We won 30-19. He's looking forward to his next game.

Jeff totally surprised me with a camera for Christmas that I've been wanting forever!!! I took these pictures with it. Wyatt wasn't up for a session---but Lily was, of course. I'm really happy with the way they turned out-I can tell a huge difference in these and the ones from my other camera. I'm going to take a class on how to use it to get the most out of it. I'm sure these could be even better-I just took them on the automatic mode-no special settings. I'm anxious to learn how to play with those.