the Burk life

Blue Bunny Giveaway!!

2011-07-31T17:43:00.002-05:00

Who doesn't like a creamy, icy treat when it is 107 degrees in West Texas??!!??

Enter on my friend Holly's blog:

A Mommy's Blessings

Baseball!!

2011-07-21T09:49:00.011-05:00

It is a well established fact that

WE. LOVE. BASEBALL.

So it is only fitting that Miss Jaci be introduced early. We got great seats for a Rangers game next week, so we decided that we should take her on a trial run to see how she would do. We got tickets for a Rockhounds game last week. She did pretty well for about 4 innings and then she just got too tired. Starting game time was an hour before her bedtime, so she was wiped out before it really got going. Thankfully, Grandma and Grandpa can keep her for us and it's only one night. We hate to leave her out since we go every summer, but she's just not quite ready yet! Good thing is Grammy & Papa Jim got her a shirt so she can wear it and watch the game from the comfort of Grandma's lap and hopefully see us on TV!Watching the Rockhounds/Missions game. Jaci's first time at the ballpark.Just so tired.My new Texas Rangers shirt.Littlest "Biggest Fan"

Jaci - 4 months

2011-07-19T23:06:00.003-05:00

Jaci - 3 months

2011-07-12T11:32:00.002-05:00

Jaci - 2 months

2011-07-12T11:31:00.003-05:00

Jaci - 1 month

2011-07-12T11:27:00.004-05:00

Jaci - 1 Day

2011-07-12T11:15:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday Miss Jaci!

Poll Results

2011-07-12T11:02:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone who shared their experience with me concerning solid foods for babies...we're gonna take it slow and just see what happens.

Here are the results!!
First introduced:
Rice cereal - 5
Veggies - 1

Age started:
4-5 months - 2
6-9 months - 4

Father's Day

2011-07-01T12:53:00.006-05:00

Glen enjoyed his first Father's Day with Jaci!!

Goodies from the Protein Bakery...all the way to Rankin from the Big Apple.

Summer Trip #2

2011-07-01T11:35:00.018-05:00

I started this post two weeks ago...I guess I've been having too much summer fun to be blogging...so here's this dish on trip #2.

We packed up Friday, JUNE 24, and headed to Snyder to see the Burks. Everyone was there so it was a full house! We enjoyed getting to see everybody and and Jaci had a first while we were there! Friday night Charlie and Sasha (grandma and grandpa's doggy) were playing in the living room and Grandpa was holding Jaci while we were all watching the pups play. Jaci busted out laughing at them. Of course...she has the cutest laugh ever. She was pretty tickled! and we were so blessed to hear those little giggles!

You think Grandpa is taken with her?

Grandma!!!

Jaci and Uncle Sam

Saturday, the Trinity UMC friends had a little meet and greet in Jaci's honor and we were again blessed by their generosity! Thank you all! Cute clothes, fun toys and lots of hugs and laughs!! Jaci pooped out at the end of the party, but Ms. Sharon was a comfy shoulder for her.

Sunday, meant time to worship, so went in to town and Jaci got to spend her first time in the nursery with Mrs. Ellie. Thank you for taking such good care of her, Ellie, it was great to get to enjoy the service with Glen. Then we all headed to Dairy Queen for lunch. All who were there can attest to how sub par the service was, BUT we can all also be thankful that we got to spend ALOT of time visiting and that's always fun!

Monday we packed up again and set our sights on Lubbock. Glen and I met and married in Lubbock, Texas, so we have lots of good memories there. We didn't stay for long, but we stopped in at Orlando's Italian Restaurant! Chicken Broccoli Casserole for Glen, Tortellini for me and fun with Daniel and Jada! After stuffing ourselves, we hit the road for Amarillo. We were greeted with yummy hamburgers and hot dogs straight from Daddy Jene's grill. Mama Ally, Aint Dutch (no, that isn't a typo), Lesa, Jene (the Jr.) and Emilea joined us. Thank you all for the viztin' and the precious gifts!

Mama Ally, Daddy Jene and Jaci

Tuesday we just hung around and visited some more. Aint Dutch took us to Hoffbrau Steak House...yummy! Wednesday we made the long trip home. Ton's of fun!! Love you all!

Charlie keeping watch over Mama Ally & Dady Jene's yard.

Aint Dutch and Jaci playing as I read over this...I notice a lot of food mentioned...you'd think we didn't have any restaurant selection Rankin...hahaha :)

Summer Trip #1

2011-06-15T20:17:00.008-05:00

Yay, Summer has finally arrived!!! The Burk fam took a little road trip to Hondo, USA and visited Grammy and Papa Jim (that's the name-flavor of the week--but I think it might stick). Some wonderful family friends threw a shower for us and we had great fun!! Not quite as hot as Rankin...whew!

Jaci's first dip in the pool. I was so excited about buying her first swim suit...but low and behold, I skipped out on Target last time we were in Midland becuase I just new I could find one in Hondo---NOPE! So she had to go in her skivvies. {I know what you are thinking Grandma...don't buy her a swimsuit :) } She was so laid back...of course, this whole bit was way more for Glen and me, but we think she had a good time, too!

Hmmmm....this is a large body of water....
Daddy...are you sure about this??Our bathing beauty...And who can forget our pet kid, Charlie...he actually got in on his own this time. Such cute, stickly legs! See his last swimming venture.Grammy wrapped her up!This is one of my favorite pictures of all times!!Papa Jim and JaciNew Jungle Gym...thank you Judy W. and Debra Z.!! She is really enjoying it!!Jaci enjoying her Bumbo...thanks Aunt Briana and Uncle Sam!!
Now, if you made it through all those pictures....here are my questions...

I've done tons of reading and every resource is different...so, when in doubt ask the people who have some experience!

When did you start solid foods for your little one?...vote in the poll and/or leave a comment!!

What did you start on?....vote/comment

Summer...

2011-06-07T14:37:00.004-05:00

It has bee great getting to be home with Glen & Jaci. Our summer feels like it hasn't started for a few reasons. BUT, soon we will be off to visit Grammy & ______'s (still haven't come up with a good grandpa name for my dad). A few names are being tossed around, but we haven't stuck on one yet. Here are some fun pics. Maybe then work will have some closure and summer can begin!!Watchin' Mommy hang clothes on the line.Glen made me a clothes line in the back yard...mostly for hanging the diapers up to bleach, but comes in handy for other items as well. I'll have to get a picture of the diapers hanging up...it's pretty cute. Charlie...look what I have...
My first time at the dinner table. Dad...what's going on here...?

You remember Alice from the Brady Bunch??

2011-06-04T17:38:00.004-05:00

I'm not really sure if this is what the creators of this website were going for, but it made me think of Alice, the housekeeper, from the Brady Bunch. This online retailer of household products is going to be a great addition to my life. Since we live in such a small, remote town and have to travel 20+ miles for things like laundry detergent, dog food and toothpaste, I'm pretty excited about it. I was reading a Family Circle magazine my mom had and it highlighted this online service.

I have created my account and started adding items to my product list. Many of the items we regularly purchase are available and it seems that they add more each week. Most of the prices were comparable to what we pay for the items at Wal-Mart and HEB. I'm excited about not having to hassle with these items at the store, becuase we are always trying to get in and out before Jaci decides that she has had enough of her carrier.

Anyway, check out the link and see if it might be something you would enjoy...I highly dislike shoping for non-fun things like cotton balls, tissue and trash bags!

Check it out! Use this link (or the banner to the right) for $10 free: ALICE

This Week's Accomplishments

2011-05-28T15:25:00.008-05:00

...made it through...only one more week of leaving my baby at home (at least until school starts again)
...pumped 5 oz. of breastmilk in the school suburban while on a fieldtrip...fun...NOT
...found my first gray hair...well two of them actually
...spent some time with my husband...feels like it has been forever...living in the same house, sleeping in the same bed, caring for the same precious baby...but not being able to look into his eyes and not fall asleep was wearing me out
...turned in my school supply order...hope I didn't forget anything
...got thrown into some fires

...put out some fires
...ate way to many double chocolate chip cookies...thanks Kayla
...spent a few minutes in prayer...wish there had been more minutes
...listened to the AC run almost all day becuase it is 116 degrees outside
...snuggled the cutest baby alive
...changed one incredibly gushy dirty diaper...and laughed the whole time
...watched yet another friend move out of my physical life...I'm glad for phones and internet, but sometimes shoulders are nice
...ordered a wet bag for Jaci's diapers when she goes to daycare next school year
...did some laundry...but not that much...cause my mom is awesome!!
...drank some sweet tea
...watched some baseball

Now...for next week...
Monday - Memorial Day - day off of work
Tuesday - make tie-dye t-shirts with Kindergarten kiddos
Wednesday - field trip to Gattiland...oh suburban how I love thee
Thursday - awards assembly...guess I better get on that
Friday - swiming party and staff luncheon, Graduation
Saturday - FREEDOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!

Keeping Me Posted giveaway Entry

2011-05-21T13:59:00.004-05:00

This is a cool giveaway by Valorie at Chronicles of a Babywise Mom for a site where you can create birthday invitations/baby announcements/holiday cards. I checked them out at http://www.keepingmeposted.com/ and really liked the Sasha announcement.

Pretty cute, huh?

Easter & Bath Time Fun

2011-05-03T22:54:00.006-05:00

Easter

First Easter!! Of course...Mom got me all dressed and then I spit up on myself...but we got it together and I look sweet! Check out my cute Rumparooz - Lux diaper peekin' out.

Tummy Tub Bath Time I can hold my head up!!

I love bath time!

I want to win some Rumparooz!!

2011-04-25T08:12:00.006-05:00

I'm a nerd for these giveaways...but I've won some of them, so it is exciting!! I'm really excited about this one, because it is for Rumparooz!! These are the cloth diapers we are using on Jaci. I love them, Glen loves them (well, I don't know if we can go that far, but like for sure) and of course - Jaci loves them...as much as a six week old can. At least she gets to have some soft fluffy on her bottom and NO diaper rash!!

The SWEEPSTAKES is for a Rumparooz Cloth Diaper Kit which includes:
24 G2 One Size diapers - amazing!!
a Wet Bag - going to need this for the babysitter's house next year
and a Pail Liner - we have one but we need an extra

If you want to enter you can on Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by Rumparooz and Kelly Wels. If you find yourself not in need of the diapers and you want to donate them to me...I won't refuse! Hahaha!

I made a post about the Rumparooz before Jaci was born...so here it is LINK. We love them!!

And here are some pics of Jaci in her Rumparooz.

Eco Owl - Who Loves the Planet??

White - Hangin' out with Daddy

Brown - Lovin' Miss Angie's blanket

The Protein Bakery

2011-04-24T20:46:00.004-05:00

This has got to be the perfect product for my man! I can get the chocolate fix and he can get the protein fix. This is a match made in Burk heaven!!

Enter this giveaway...or don't...'cause I really want to win...A Mommy's Blessing

Protein Bakery

Image: http://www.proteinbakery.com/cookies/index.html

I WON!!

2011-04-23T21:34:00.006-05:00

I won an online giveaway!!!! From Chronicles of a Babywise Mom - WINNERS

It looks pretty cool. It is a computer coloring book!!

Neat Blog

2011-04-22T15:23:00.001-05:00

This looks like a neat one for all you Mom's out there!

Saving Cents with Sense

Fun Times

2011-04-19T09:50:00.003-05:00

Jaci's cord came off - 4 weeks and 4 days!!! Yay!!

Last birthday in the 20's

2011-04-13T17:40:00.012-05:00

My first birthday as a Mommy...it's amazing how little it mattered this time around. I was too tired to be worried about it :)

We celebrated on Saturday. Some shopping, a little Olive Garden, sweet time with my honey and baby.

new earrings

new shoes..and yes, they are VERY comfortable!!

Here are some more pics of our precious little girl:

Jaci's Story

2011-03-31T14:31:00.009-05:00

Photos are of top priority these days, so I will make sure to include some (hahaha). I apologize to all for my slow-moving-ness, but then again...I have been really able to enjoy her since I haven't been on the internet that much the last two and a half weeks! To be quite honest, it has been nice.

So here is Jaci's story. I guess, it is really our story, her's and Glen's and mine. It is different than I expected, but none-the-less, it has a wonderful ending, with much yet to come.

Knowing that most babies do not come on their due date, I was fully expecting to have her before March 13, during our spring break, but she had other plans. When Monday (the 14th) rolled around and I hadn't had any contractions to make noise about, I headed back to work. Everyone was surprised to see me, there I was, still pregnant. Tuesday came and I went to work again, but at about 10:15am, I had to rush to the restroom because my water had broken. I stayed home from work after lunch and so began the journey of Jaci's birth.

I had Braxton Hicks contractions 15 minutes apart all evening. I called Dawn, my midwife, and asked what I should do. She advised to just get some rest and that I would probably need her the next day. Glen and I went to bed and wondered what was to come. We woke up Wednesday morning and at about 9:30 I started having contractions about 7 minutes apart. We called the midwife and she said she would head our way and be there around 12:30. At about noon, I got in the birth pool and just worked on breathing through my contractions. It was incredibly neat to feel the progress and know that Jaci would be in our arms soon. Dawn arrived and began preparing her equipment and getting things ready, I kept working in the pool and Glen kept gently coaching me. I labored for about an hour and a half and then it was time for the pushing. After about 45 minutes, Dawn suggested that I might need to go to the hospital because I wasn't really progressing. I was adamant that I didn't want to go, so I really amped up my efforts, but in doing so Jaci, got turned the wrong way and her heart rate dropped dramatically. Since we are so far away from Midland/Odessa, Dawn said we needed to go to the hospital. Of course, I was in anguish because I had wanted to have her at home, but we just did what she said. My friends, Dawn F. and Linda were at the house preparing to help after the birth and praying for us, so they gathered up our stuff and we all got in the car. It's funny how it seems so lackadaisical now, but it was quite harrowing/frightening/fast and furious at the time. I think about it now and wonder what it must have looked like. All I had on was a robe and flipflops, dripping wet, fully dilated and baby at the ready. In the car, Dawn kept monitoring her heart rate and it went back up to normal. I kept pushing, but my efforts were diminished because I was in a state of shock. We arrived at Midland Memorial Hospital and I was taken directly to the delivery room. I had a contraction in the lobby and amniotic fluid was gushing out all over the place. Glen and Dawn had to hold me up and I'm sure we left a mess along the way. Without all the details, and lots of pushing, Jaci was born about 50 minutes later at 6:25pm on Wednesday, March 16, 2011. We spent the next 3 days in the hospital. They gave us lots of reasons why, but we were and are both healthy. The only explanation for why I couldn't have her at home is that she got in a bad position and my uterus went a little wonky (according to Dawn).

I know there are some out there thinking..."I knew that 'having the baby at home' was foolishness" but it was the right choice for us. It was so relaxing and I felt so much at peace...the hospital made me a nervous wreckI'm glad it was available when I needed it.

So here she is:

Jaci Elizabeth Burk
March 16, 2011
7lb 3oz
19 3/4 in

My co-workers and students are so great! I love you guys!!Happy 1 Week Birthday, Jaci!

First bath!! Splish splash!

Weighing in

Earthquake in Japan

2011-03-11T09:33:00.003-06:00

Glen and I were amazed to see all the footage of the earthquake and following tsunami in Japan this morning. Right now, a girl who graduated from high school here last year is on her way/arriving in Cambodia for trip with a group from West Texas A&M. I know I don't remember all the facts correctly, so Ceci, please forgive my mistakes. She wrote an essay about a book that all the Freshmen students were reading about Sex Trafficking in Cambodia. Out of 300 hundred essays, she and 13 other students were chosen to go to Cambodia on a humanitarian trip. Knowing Ceci, it will be much more than that. Right now (9:45 Texas time) we are estimating she is in Seoul, South Korea. We can not wait to hear about the trip, but right now we just want to know that she has been spared from the waves.

God is for you Ceci, that is what the Bible says. Hear from you soon!!

Here's more info: West Texas A&M Readership WT
Here is their blog: ReadershipWTCambodia

The Birth Pool

2011-03-09T22:36:00.007-06:00

My sister-in-law was curious about the pool. This has been a part of our life for so long, I don't even think of it anymore, but here is some info about it.

First we spread out a plastic tarp and then a sheet on top of that to protect the carpet.

Next there is a 5ft. diameter foam floor pad that goes down to make the bottom of the pool.

Then a 3 ft tall, two part, hard plastic piece is connected and placed on the perimeter of the floor pad to make the pool sturdy.

After that a two piece foam liner is placed directly inside of the hard plastic to make the sides padded.
After the foam liner, two water bed heaters are placed inside the tub against the walls of the pool to help regulate the temperature. There is also a copper probe (you can't really see it in the picture) that turns the heaters on and off.
Then a heavy duty (and very thick and heavy) plastic liner is placed inside the pool and pulled down over the edges of the outside. It is like a water bed bladder (Glen says) without a top. Here you can see it. It looks oversized, but you have to work out the wrinkles as you fill it. So this is empty.
After the liner is in, you have to connect a garden hose to your faucet and fill it with hot water. This is our "clean" hose, used only to pump water in. We also have a "dirty" hose that will be used to pump water out into the toilet after the birth. Our hot water heater is currently set on the hottest it will go and at full blast we can get about 10 minutes of over 120 degree water. So after 10 minutes, we turn off the water and let the water heater refill. As the pool fills up, you have to manipulate the liner to flatten out the bottom and sides.
The first time we filled it up we didn't figure out how to flatten out the sides, only the bottom. However, one of our heaters wasn't heating so, we had to drain it and the midwife brought a new one. So now the sides don't have any wrinkles or bubbles. I forgot to take a final picture today. We also have a nifty rubber ducky thermometer that tells the temperature of the water. It is currently reading a toasty 105. Too bad it doesn't have a bubbler...that would make a great hot tub.
So there it is!!

We are ready!!

2011-03-08T12:30:00.008-06:00

Little Bit's due date is this Sunday! No one at work can believe I haven't had her yet. They were all determined I would deliver over a week ago. But we have been praying for her to come when she is full term, so any day now we expect her. We will see if she decides to stay a little longer, but I don't think it will be too much longer. I know her grandparents and aunts and uncles are about to scream with anticipation!! Glen and I have spring break this week. That has been really nice because at the end of last week, my ankles and feet were huge...they have since gone back to regular size...so no one freak out!! The midwife is coming today for my weekly checkup and we will see what she has to say. We...meaning Glen...set up the birthing pool. I know some of you out there can not believe all of this, but don't worry and don't speak bad things over us. This is a safe procedure and I am in very good health, so there is almost no risk of some terrible thing happening AND if it does we are prepared AND Glen and I, along with our families have been saturating this with prayer.

Birthing pool with nice warm water!!

Birth supplies, music dock, relaxing candle, first outfit, hard candy for energy, lamp for low light, SOFT robe!!

Closet organizer---has nothing to do with the birth, but I had the camera out. This isn't a very good picture, but the door is blocked by the pool. Our family and friends have been very generous. We have over 20 receiving blankets (and I think more on the way), lots of cute shoes, 4 handmade afghans, 2 handmade quilts, lots of fluffy blankets, and almost literally a ton of clothes! To the right, there, are some vintage clothes...circa 1982...thanks Mom :)

Glen's students all took guesses on birth date, weight, height, and names. So I made a little prize pack for the winner. Date is the first level and if there is a tie we will go to weight, then height, then name.
Dates range from 3/6 (sorry CP, you didn't win) to 3/17.

Weight ranges from 5 lbs (sorry JM, she's already past that) to 8 lbs, 3 oz.

Height ranges from 11 inches (sorry MD, no dwarf babies for us) to a whopping 27 inches (JG...she must have gotten that from her Daddy)

Names...well there are a host of them...I can't say if any are correct...Avril, Jessa, Haley, Kaile, Jocelynn, Jessica, Christine, Lily (3), Brook, Meagan, Nicole, Gracie (2), Jordan, Olveda Lunar, Alyson, Isabella, Anabelle (2), Mia, Glenda, Samantha, Andy, Breelyn, Ashley, Kylie, Addison, Carly, Shaylnn, Hannah, Kayla, Emily, Bailey, Kelly, Kelley, Lyra

Oh, what we will do for something FREE

2011-01-30T21:16:00.003-06:00

Yes..I'm totally foaming at the mouth for a chance to win a free Rumparooz from A Mommy's Blessings. I really hope I win! I'm not too worried about local competition...seeing as I think I'm the only crazy person in this town who is even considering cloth diapers. But hey, we do everything else differently...why not this.

I really hope I win!!

Rump-a-rooz

2011-01-18T20:45:00.004-06:00

YAY!!! So excited!! The Rump-a-rooz arrived today! They are soooo cute. Cloth diapers with "internal gussets" to keep the mess contained.

Getting Closer

2011-01-15T18:25:00.001-06:00

Order Birth Kit - check

Thanks!

2011-01-10T22:55:00.004-06:00

My friend Angie made this beautiful blanket for little bit...She will love it! Dad and I do!

THANKS Angie!

Cool Products

2011-01-10T22:01:00.010-06:00

Well....the clock says 10pm...tomorrow I will be zonked I'm sure, but I don't feel like I could go to sleep right now anyway, so I'll share some of my most recent cool finds.

1. Met with Barbara Stone yesterday. She is a lactation consultant and she was so helpful and informative. Wednesday, I should have my registry up at her store. A link will be available on her website: www.lactationservicesofpb.com. A few have asked me what we need/want so this would be a good place to look. We also have a registry at Babies R Us.

2. Tummy Tub. Diggin' this! Baby relaxes in the fetal position for bathing. Doesn't look goofy like the ones they have at Babies R Us. And looks like it makes baby easier to contain...flailing arms and legs.

3. Wubbanub. Keeps pacifier from falling on the ground with the weighted stuffed animal. 4. Zaky: This is a weighted pillow that simulates parents warmth, touch and scent. For use as a comfort/sleep aid.
5. Moby Wrap: I have heard a lot about these. Some seem to like them, others not, but I tried one on and it seemed pretty nifty and it would work for Glen also, where other slings would not. Looks a little complicated, but I'm sure it gets easier as you use it more.Products I'm interested in:
Tommee Tippee - best selling product in Great Britain for 50 years. The lactation consultant said the milk flow was too fast, but I have read some very positive reviews from moms who are breastfeeding and I will need a bottle for when I go back to work after my maternity leave. Glen likes them because they fit in his hands...bonus for us!

ThinkBaby: Lactation consultant said these are the best bottle out there for breastfeeding moms who have to supplement with bottles while at work. She said the sucking action that the baby is required to use with these bottles is more like the real thing and they have to work to create milk flow. Added bonus, the bottles convert to sippy cups later. Their website was a little to environmentally friendly...meaning it seemed more about sustainability and eco-friendliness than what was good for mom and baby...made me wonder.
OK...bedtime now....

Images:
tummy tub: http://daddytypes.com/2005/01/12/the_tummy_tub_dutch_for_baby_bucket.php
wubbanub: http://www.wubbanub.com/wubbanub-pacifiers.html
zaky: http://www.zakeez.com/en/zaky/zaky.php
MobyWrap: http://www.mobywrap.com/
Tommee Tippee: http://www.tommeetippee.us/ctn/522430.html
Thinkbaby: http://thinkbabybottles.3dcartstores.com/thinkbaby_c_18.html

Funny Lunch Menu

2011-01-08T10:31:00.005-06:00

Mrs. Burk: "Today on the tray is steak fingers." (cafeteria lunch)
DK: "Salad."
JL: "Tray."
KA: "Steak Fingers."
JW: "Brought my lunch."
TM: "Steak Fingers."
MD: "Mrs. Burk, I want finger steaks!"

Free Time...

2010-12-30T20:50:00.007-06:00

While I was watching TV, I saw a commercial for Discover. Since we don't do credit cards, I almost flipped it but the lady talking is the CEO of HappyBABY. Seeing my current interest in all things baby, I Googled her and found the website: www.happybabyfood.com.

I'm sure that we will be contributing some percentage of our monthly income to this company!
Has anyone tried it? What do you think??

Also currently on my reading menu is The Baby Book. My midwife has suggested and loaned me several books by Dr. Sears. I'm really digging this current one. AND Dr. Robert Sears, son of Dr. William Sears, is the Medical Advisor to HappyBABY.

Christmas Break

2010-12-30T15:04:00.008-06:00

Wow! Christmas break is almost over. I can't believe it. Here's a run down:

Trip to Hondo - good to see Mom and Dad...cute baby stuff and great relaxing

Trip to Snyder - good to see the Burk clan...Charlie didn't maul the blind cat...workout room and swimming pool at the hotel...POW!

Prenatal Checkup - Baby girl is doing great! 130 heart rate and growing on track. We started our birthing classes and it's starting to hit us that she will be here VERY soon! EXCITING!!

Met new co-worker - God blessed my principal and schoolboard with wisdom to hire another teacher to help out with the 27 kiddos in Kinder this year! Yay, Mrs. Aguirre!!

Finished my nursing gown - In case you were wondering...maternity patterns are hard to come by these days...fabric departments are getting smaller - BUT, I found a Nurse Uniform pattern and I just upped my size a bit. I'm hoping that after Baby is born, I'll shrink enough to fit into the size I made.

Now all we have to do is...oh, too much to list :)

Found a new, cool website: http://www.naturallife.net/ Well actually, I went shopping with mom and bought some cute gifts for my shower hostesses and this is the product website. FUN!!

Thanksgiving & Thanks!

2010-12-05T17:41:00.003-06:00

We went to Junction to celebrate Thanksgiving with my Uncle A, Aunt L, and cousins E & B. We had fun sitting around the fire...even though I was a wimp and had Glen take me to the hotel early. It was great to see them and my parents. Charlie had fun getting to hang with the big dogs. I did a ton of baking before we went, so I felt very domestic and Betty-Crockeresk. Here are some pics of some Pumpkin Empenadas. I also made apple pie, pumpkin cream puffs, and dressing. Oh, so yummy!
Our neighbor friends J and J brought over some of their little girl's clothes for our little girl-on-the-way! I think I owe them a few peach cobblers...they have been SOOO generous to share with us. They brought 2 1/2 boxes, plus the stroller and other items they brought a few months ago. THANK YOU J & J!! Here are some of my favorites, but by no means close to all of them.

Flu Shots

2010-12-04T16:38:00.003-06:00

Interesting info about the Flu Shot...I'm kinda glad I procrastinated.

Nesting

2010-11-21T20:37:00.002-06:00

Daddy's putting the crib together...

It looks great, but I'm gonna wait on the big reveal....we didn't get the matress or the bedding yet....groceries were waiting in the truck while we picked it up, so we had to come on home.

Thanks J&D for letting us borrow your truck!

Just a note...baby is a girl...a few people didn't know about the blog here, where I make the announcements. Have a blessed Thanksgiving holidays!!

What a Day!!

2010-11-16T16:54:00.002-06:00

I have 26 (twenty-six), count 'em, 26 little people in my classroom as of 5 days before Thanksgiving break. I can NOT believe it. We are tripping and trampling on each other. Say a lot of prayers for us!

22 Week Sonogram

2010-11-09T17:52:00.005-06:00

Here are the pictures from our Week 22 Sonogram!! We are so pleased to announce that Miss Baby Burk is happy and healthy.

Profile

Left arm and right foot hiding her face. She was a bit bashful for the big day.

Legs straight up in front of her face.

So cute!

Snips of our sonogram DVD with mom narrating.

School Tally

2010-11-07T21:37:00.002-06:00

Glen and I surveyed our students and here are the results...very scientific:
Glen's kids - 4 more votes for girl than boy
Sarah's kids - 8 for boy; 15 for girl
Girl name suggestions from Kinder

Miss Burk (actually 2 kids said this)
Sency
Madison
Adalia
Alejandra
Dora
Baby Grant (??)
Marie
Rose
Maria
Luka
Cady Poodle (nickname of a girl in our class, given by a boy)
Cat in the Hat (thanks to the poster on the door)

Boy name suggestions from Kinder

John
Ryan
Hoy (rhymes with boy)
Wuzabuh (pet turtle's name)

Tomorrow is the big day!!! We can hardly wait...thankfully there are lots of things with which to pass the time. Just a few more hours...

The (Not So) Long Awaited...

2010-11-01T17:52:00.008-05:00

I know my little brother has been anxiously awaiting this picture, so here it is. I was especially proud of this little outfit I put together this morning. It makes me look bigger than I actually am (that's not why I liked it). I liked it becuase it was very comfortable and I felt quite stylish...which is, of course, a matter of opinion, but I whatever! Dark brown corduroy pants, orange tank, and the blue jean jacket. (Thanks to Amanda E. for my newly expanded wardrobe!!)So, today is aproximately 21 weeks pregnant. Baby is about 10 1/2 inches long (according to babycenter.com) and 3/4 of a pound. I feel great! Amazing, actually, and I am so thankful. I know God has everything to do with that! I have some more pictures, but they are on Glen's phone, so, not on the computer yet. I can feel the baby moving a lot, which is super exciting! Lots of kicking, thumping and somersaults. Next Monday is our first sonogram and we should be able to find out if we will be having a boy or girl. Make sure to vote (up top right) on what you think!!! Voting ends midnight next Monday!!

1 Samuel 1:27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord granted me my petition which I asked of Him.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Psalm 35:27 Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of His servant.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very well-proved help in trouble

Big Day Tomorrow!!!

2010-08-30T20:51:00.001-05:00

New School Year

2010-08-21T10:40:00.002-05:00

Well, the school year is about to start and we are super excited about it. New things to try, new things to ponder, new faces! Last touches this weekend and kick off on Monday!

Day 11 - Amarillo

2010-07-10T14:05:00.005-05:00

Day 11 turned us south toward Texas. I posted on Facebook when we passed through Texline. We were SOO glad to be back in Texas. It's crazy becuase we were still over 14 driving hours away from home, home but something about being in Texas was like a big breath of fresh air. We wanted to see Mama Ally, Daddy Jene and Aunt Dutch since we missed them at Christmas time. Before we got to their house, we stopped at Cadillac Ranch and left our mark. We enjoyed dinner with them at The Big Texan and then got to visit and catch up with them. It was so good to see them!

Cadillac Ranch - can you see our mark?This was my go at it inside one of the cars...that's not my can by the way...I put mine back where they go.The Big TexanGlen and Mama Ally.Glen and Daddy Jene.
We didn't get Aunt Dutch...bummer...we love her a bunch though!!

Day 10 - Pueblo, Colorado

2010-07-10T12:45:00.008-05:00

Day 10 was a travel day as well. We drove clear across the state of Colorado and again saw some more of God's amazing creation. I love the fact that He has molded it all for such a perfect purpose. Every part of this Earth, the rainy parts, the dry parts, the humid, stick places and the beaches and rain forests are all perfectly crafted to make this planet inhabitable.

When we got to Pueblo, we checked in at the Abriendo Bed & Breakfast. This was our first B&B...different for sure. We can't decide if we liked it or not. I mean the hostess was great and the place was great, but the whole B&B thing is just a different animal. After checking in we found a place called Bingo Burger for dinner -- this is a HIGHLY- HIGHLY RECOMMEND! The burgers were made from hot grass fed Colorado beef patties, wheat buns, cold veggies AND sweet potato fries. We also had shakes - mine was chocolate and Glen's was the Elvis: chocolate - peanut butter - banana. That is his favorite combo of flavors, so it was a real treat to be able to get that.

After Bingo Burger we made our way to Pueblo Motorsports Park for the Friday night drag races. Tons of fun!! The '66 Nova made the quarter mile in 7.97 seconds - amazing. This was my first trip to the drag races and it was way fun!!

Colorado Wine CountryBeautiful.Driving through the mountain tunnel...Glen was feeling pretty artistic about this one. :)Still beautiful...thank you Lord!Snow capped peaks. We passed Vale and the Continental Divide...the air is different up there.Abriendo Inn...thanks for a great stay, Pam and Lucy(her dog). Lucy really made us homesick for Charlie. Our room was in the attic that had been converted to three rooms. This home was built in 1905 by a beermaker in Pueblo.Bingo BurgerFriday Nigh Drags!!!!!!!

Day 9 - Grand Junction

2010-07-10T12:28:00.004-05:00

Day 9 was a travel day from Las Vegas to Grand Junction, Colorado. We were more than happy to pack up and leave Vegas in the rear-view mirror. We started the eastward portion of our trip and made it through Utah. When we got to GJ we managed a free meal and dessert at Texas Roadhouse...they forgot us twice....it was neat to get the bless the waiter with a tip equal to the value of our meal, since we didn't have to pay for it. We also got 98% of our laundry done at the hotel where we stayed which was really nice because we had a mountain by that time.

It's amazing to me to see the layers of the earth exposed. After millions of years of sediment and rock formation under the ground have been exposed as modern life has tunneled through for roads. As we drove this leg, I was reminded of the Geology class I took in college and I told Glen a few times how it was my favorite because we got to learn about how the layers were formed and shifted. I remember thinking how creative God is, and it was cool to think back on that.

Day 6-7-8 - Las Vegas

2010-07-07T10:10:00.008-05:00

NOTE: Everything in GREEN is a link, so click away!!

After Hoover Dam, we set off toward Las Vegas, Nevada. I can definitely say I've never seen anything like it. I can say with much certainty, that there is a very low chance of ever going back. We had our fill and by the time it was time to go, we were more than ready. It wasn't terrible, but just not our type of relaxing. We spent a grand total of 4 dollars on the penny slot machines and won an astounding 29 cents...I don't really think that is considered a win. Anyway, we did have fun looking in the hotels and there were lots of pretty things to look at. We bought a few things, mostly clothes...somewhat ironic I think. On Tuesday night we saw the Blue Man Group at the Venetian. That was excellent! I would HIGHLY recommend it! On Wednesday night we saw a Cirque du Soliel show called Mystere. It is the original show and had great acrobatics. I think my mouth was open in awe the entire time. I would HIGHLY recommend it as well. Pictures and videos are not allowed in the shows, so I don't have any, but they were amazing shows and I got really good deals on great seats at retailmenot.com. We were within ten rows of the stage for both shows. Although, I'm not sure there are bad seats in any of those theaters. We stayed at the Aria, which is a relatively new place on the strip. I think it has only been open 6 months, so it was very nice. It was right next to the Bellagio. We forked out for it, but it was worth it. The only real complaint was that we had to pay $30 per person per day for the workout facilities (which we didn't), but that's not a priority for most when they visit LV. Glad we did it, glad to be home now!

The Aria CityscapeI felt like a princess sleeping in this bed...like on a cloud...The Monte Carlo from our widow on the 28th floor. The Stratosphere.Dancing fountains at the Bellagio.Cesar's Palace.Harley Davidson Cafe. EXCELLENT - period! I had the chicken fajitas and Glen had a Philly sandwich. Both great food and lots of cool motorcycles!! Blue Man after the Blue Man Group show. Thanks to the random lady...heeheehee. Cirque du Soliel at Treasure Island.

Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. We love the History channel show Pawn Stars. It was chaos in there with all the tourists, but we managed to get some rockin' t-shirts. This just made me laugh. I guess I thought these Vegas weddings were like an urban legend or something for the movies, but we actually saw a couple who had just gotten married. "Drive Up Wedding Window" cracked me up -- for real!?!?

Day 5 - Hoover Dam

2010-07-02T17:13:00.011-05:00

After a good night's rest, we packed up and left Flagstaff for Hoover Dam. This was my most favorite stop on the trip. We were able to make the Power Plant Tour and the Dam Tour. The PP tour takes visitors through the part of the Dam where energy is generated by water. The Dam Tour takes visitors down into the dam into the maintenance tunnels used by inspectors. Since this was my favorite part, I really want to tell a million stories, but for the sake of keeping this actually interesting....I'll try to keep it short and simple.

Approaching Hoover Dam.

Lake Mead side. The white section of the canyon walls are mineral deposits left by the water in the Colorado River.Spill ways on Lake Mead side. Our guide said that it is impossible for water to flow OVER the dam. That is because as the water level rises in the lake the water flows into the spillways and is diverted through tunnels in the canyon wall to the other side of the dam.The water on this side of the dam (opposite of Lake Mead) has gone through the generators in the power plant and has been converted to energy. Hydroelectric power supplies tons of electricity to many states in the southwest US. The bridge over the river is almost complete and will divert traffic away from the dam....for those who don't want to stop and visit.This was the start to the Power Plant Tour. It was a little eerie walking in this tunnel. One neat thing they told us was to notice the seepage (they said not to use the "L" word). Thousands of gallons of seepage are collected each day and are funneled into the river.Turbine.Generators. There are two cranes overhead (see the flag) and both are needed to lift the generators out to complete maintenance. Each crane can lift some enormous amount of tons like hundreds of tons and both cranes have to be used to lift each generator. It is surprisingly quiet in this room. Our guide had to talk loud, but she didn't have a microphone.After the Power Plant Tour we entered the bowels of the dam. This picture shows one of a few vents in the dam. We were taken into the maintenance tunnels of the dam that were never intended for visitors. It was SO, SO, SO cool!!Inside the tunnels, you can see the wood grain in the concrete walls. The grain was left behind after the wood frame was removed from the dried concrete when the dam was built.Inside the tunnel, earthquake sensors measure movement of the dam during an earthquake. Our guide said she was giving a tour when a 3.7 earthquake hit and she didn't even feel it. She said that the dam is a very safe place to be in an earthquake because it moves independently with the earth during a quake.We got to stick our cameras out the vent, so this is looking down.

this is looking up, out of the vent.

this is looking back. Howdy from inside Hoover Dam!Glen says HI!

At the conclusion of the tour, we rode the elevator back up to the top of the dam. Our guide showed us the one remaining (three originally) bunker built by the government during World War II. At that time guards were inside the bunkers and had orders to shoot on sight anyone on the dam who was not with a military escort! NUTS!

Day 4 - Grand Canyon

2010-07-02T16:33:00.006-05:00

We left the Courtyard by Marriott after some yummy fruit for breakfast. We probably didn't make the most of our visit becuase we just didn't know what all to do, but we saw the Grand Canyon Movie at the National Geographic Visitors Center in Tusayan, AZ (pronounced tu-see-yon). Then we went to the South Rim and took a billion pictures.

This was the smoke we saw on the way to the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon....AMAZING!!CUTE!!

Dangling over the edge....woooooo The orange-ish spot right in the middle of the picture is the flames from the forest fire licking over the mountains. This was the view from our hotel window.There were about 10 Shelby Cobra replicas's hanging out at our hotel . I liked this one in particular. :)

After we got back from the Grand Canyon, we cruised the shopping scene...it was nice. There was some kind of music festival going on so there was lots to see and we had some shaved ice - lime and tiger's blood...mmm.

Day 3 - Continued

2010-07-02T15:11:00.010-05:00

We are back at home now (whew!) so here's all the stuff you missed due to no internet, spotty internet, or untrustworthy internet at the places we stayed...

We left Hotel Artesia and our friends and headed west.

Day 3 was a travel day, so we were on the road from about 8am to 5pm. We ended the day in Flagstaff, Arizona and traveled through the Petrified Forest and saw lots of awe inspiring glimpses of our country. As we left town we saw a really cool looking storm and about 60 miles outside of Flagstaff, I noticed a clould that looked like train smoke....little did we know we were headed toward a huge forest fire.

Storm.

View.Smoke that looks like a train.Fire control helicopter.

Day 3 - Hittin' the Road

2010-06-20T22:36:00.005-05:00

So Saturday we headed west from Artesia, Flagstaff bound. Before we left we picked up the Artesia paper and found these comical prints in the ads section.

The internet at this hotel where we are staying is not working very well....so I'll continue this later!

Day 2 - Artesia

2010-06-18T22:33:00.004-05:00

Hung out with the friends today. Had lots of fun...tennis, shopping, playing with the kiddies (happy times makebelieving....the joy of children), watching soccer, eating, jumping on the tramps...

in this one, KW2 was really upset because Glen was jumping on her trampoline. She and KW1 use the same one's each, every day...so they are a bit possive. She was really upset...but it was really cute.

Chris' dad let Glen ride his 2007 Suzuki Hayabusa for a bit so that was a big thrill. Didn't get a picture, but it looked pretty sweet. I think it rode nice too ;)

LOOK MA....The Official Birkenstock Blog...i will be stopping at the Birkenstock store in LV,NV! I have a link now...yay!

Day 1 Fun! - Carlsbad Caverns

2010-06-17T21:38:00.022-05:00

Carlsbad Caverns was so amazing. The whole time all I could think was how small I was compared to God's creation. I felt like I got to see His handywork in action.

"Whale's Mouth" formation of draperies and slowflows.

Glen and I next to stalagmites.

Fairyland - popcorn covered stalagmites.

These formations were formed in water that is now drained out so they are flat on top.

We thought these look like the hangy-down thing in the back of your throat.

These are our friends kids KW2 and KW1. We had fun bouncing on the tramps at their grandma's gym after we ate at LaFonda (no relation to Napoleon Dynamite).

Our hotel is really nice! My mom's little saying came to mind: "Well, aren't we livin' high on the hog!" We are about to head over the Health Club that we get to use complementary with our hotel stay. Woo hoo for working out on vacation!!

I miss Charlie...

Summer

2010-06-09T10:49:00.000-05:00

What to do on my first full day of summer?

...

More Randomness

2010-06-07T16:09:00.002-05:00

Last day of school - notice OUT TEMP. Yes that's right 110...it was at 114 at one point. I think it is a little off becuase we didn't get that on any of our other miscellanious thermometers...but that was a shock! Where's Waldo?...I mean Charlie...can you spot the little guy? I dumped out all the clothes to sort and walked into the other room and he made himself a little nap spot.

Sweet gift... Mom of one of my students tells me this story:

Mom: G, what do you want to get Mrs. Burk to give her at the end of the year?

G: I don't know.

Mom: Well, what does she like?

G: Gardening...she likes to plant stuff.

Sarah inserts - we had just done a big long lesson on planting and I had told them about my garden...

Mom: That sounds good, what about Mrs. Busby, what does she like?

G: Handwriting!

Mrs. Busby is my aid and she teaches the kids handwriting....guess she's pretty stuck on it....hahaha!

My Cuties

2010-06-07T15:49:00.005-05:00

I don't think these photos turned out very well, BUT...here we all are. A little older...a little wiser...all ready for summer swim party! We autographed and tie dyed t-shirts to we wear to to the swimming party. We got tons of compliments on them and we looked smashing if I do say so myself....and I am!!! Congratulations class of 2022!! {picture removed}

My shirt: front (above) back (below)

Randomness

2010-06-07T14:42:00.002-05:00

report cards - check

technology scanned -check

DATE Grant - check

put up centers - check

clean desk - check

Now for pictures

This isn't that inspiring in the picture...I think it looks much better in person! And look at our cute little pet-kid....awwwweee :)

Update --yea for progress!

2010-06-02T22:50:00.003-05:00

report cards - in progress
parent note - check
work for kids - check
technology scanned - X
DATE Grant paperwork - X
awards - check
Reading Counts - X
picture CD's - check
pics with kids - check
put up centers - X
clean desk - uuummmmm

I got alot done today...I guess I should have. I got there at 6am and left at 7pm. Field trip to Gattiland was a blast! KW threw up....this is the second time this year I've had to clean up vomit on a field trip. I'm just glad we didn't have any bathroom accidents. That is a major accomplishment for this bunch! I love them and I am sad to see them go, but I guess that's just how it is. Award day tomorrow - we have, just to name a few - the Safety Award (helping others follow the rules...could be called tattling); $1,000,000 Memory for the boy who gives lots of details; Awesome Handwriting Award; and the Blue Chair Award.

Then swimming party and early release on Friday! Can I get it all done?...with the LORD's help! Thank you Jesus for swift hands and feet!

End Of Year Checklist

2010-06-01T22:58:00.003-05:00

TPRI - check
Dibles - check
supply orders - check
fax grant app - check
tie-dye shirts - check
professional development plan - check
journals, hw tablets, ABC scrapbooks, math practice - sent home - check

report cards - X
parent note - X
work for kids who don't get to go on field trip - X
technology scanned - X
DATE Grant paper work - X
awards for Thursday - X
Reading Counts - X
Picture CD's for parents - X
pics with kids - made, need to be laminated
put up centers - X
clean desk - yeah right!!!

Summer Checklist/Goals
Charlie haircut
finish booking vacation
new planner
detail cars
kennel cover
curtains
ceiling fans
fun projects with mom
work out

SLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!

I'll update in a few days...we'll see where I stand...

Summer Trip

2010-05-17T12:59:00.002-05:00

Glen and I decided to go to Las Vegas this summer. We are going to Carlsbad Caverns, then Artesia for a few days to visit friends, then the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam and then Las Vegas. We are going to stay at the Aria and see the Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soliel.

Any other suggestions? (click comments to leave a comment)
Take our poll as well!

Warriors in the Garden

2010-05-17T12:34:00.005-05:00

I'm not sure if my garden is growing anything but ants and weeds, but I'm trying!

It's not a great qualtity video, but a tiny ant is carrying a dead fly!

Baby Shower Time again

2010-05-17T12:16:00.005-05:00

Another friend in town is having a baby...so here are some cute decorations for her shower. I really hope she doesn't read this...hahaha (all you need: 6 oz bottle, m&m's or skittles, 2 1/2 diameter styrofoam ball, straight pins or T-pins, hot glue or tacky glue, life savers, ribbon.

The pattern I got this from used pastel skittles and pastel lifesavers, but TP isn't a pastel kind of girl and the baby is a boy, so I went with a little darker colors. I think they came out really cute.

I'm really proud of this one! I really hope she likes it!

March 2010

2010-04-18T11:34:00.004-05:00

March 2010 marked our 4th anniversary of marriage. It falls during spring break, so that is always a bonus. We had a great time! We went to a great pizza place in Midland: Double Dave's. Then we went to the bowling alley and bowled a round and had fun doing the thing that passed the long days before we were married....pool. That game holds such a special place in my heart, because Glen and I spent a lot of time at Brunswick in Lubbock learning about each other and shootin' some pool.

Also...
Lots of friends having babies, means fun with the sewing machine. My 1984 Singer works like a charm. I couldn't really get a good shot of the final product, but it was super cute! I like to pray over the baby while I make them. It's fun to think about covering babies with God's word while they are being knit together in the womb.

February 2010

2010-04-18T11:20:00.005-05:00

Glen surprised me for Valentine's Day with some personalized M&M's. Purple...my favorite color :)

My sweet kids at school brought me flowers and my Granny's pitcher..my one request upon her death. It made a great vase.

January 2010

2010-04-18T11:13:00.006-05:00

Happy Birthday, Glen!!

That's 28!!

KT, Jayton, and Patrick came over and played on the snow day in January. This video is real speed. Cracks me up!!

in Austin

2010-02-09T21:24:00.002-06:00

I'm at the Texas Computer Education Assoc. Conference in Austin. Hey Scott! I'm here! You can tell by the time of my post it's been busy.

There is so much to see and do! It's amazing how many opportunities there are and free stuff to know about. I wish I had all the time to implement all the cool stuff I've seen and heard about.

We also go iPod iTouch-es. I never would have guess how many ways they can be used in the classroom. NUTS!!

What A Day

2010-01-23T14:27:00.003-06:00

what a DAY!!! Yesterday was a doozy...but it turned out all right!

1. KW came in bawling becuase big brother was being mean to her. She needed a hug.
2. LM & JG got into a brawl...a push and tummy punch...becuase one said he wasn't the other one's friend. Lunch Detention.
3. Computers messed up.
4. Parent problems.
5. Computers messed up agian.
6. LM punched somebody else...no fun Friday activity.
7. Didn't get report cards finished.
8. Locked myself out of the house, so I couldn't get in for lunch.
...All this by 10:50 AM yesterday.
After lunch was much better.

nice relaxing weekend...watching Walk the Line...great movie.

Bush Home

2010-01-14T22:00:00.001-06:00

Mom...you gotta check it out...you'll love it. from my friend Bert Home of Two Presidents...

Must read...

2010-01-07T22:41:00.004-06:00

From the LPM blog....a must read. Thanks Beth!

Fixation...where is yours?

2010-01-07T21:59:00.005-06:00

This is brilliant...I needed to hear it!

"Being thankful in all circumstances shows that we’re acting in accordance with the will of God—who always gives us what is best for us. Often we struggle with an attitude of ungratefulness because our eyes are fixed so fiercely on the gift. Some things that God allows to come into our lives are genuinely hard to be thankful for. But if we fix our eyes on God, we can see beyond the difficulty of the gift into the heart of the Giver. Regardless of whether we asked for it or want it, it’s a gift of God’s grace, and our response should always be to receive it with thanks.

Is your response to difficult gifts based on your feelings about the gift itself, or on your desire to honor the Giver and do His will? Is your closed fist extended in anger, or is your open hand lifted to Him? Only an open hand receives the blessings that accompany difficult gifts, and sometimes it’s only in a package wrapped in heartache that we receive the fullness of God’s grace.

Faith is the most essential ingredient for gratefully receiving whatever God lovingly allows, and it can be the greatest source of blessing in our lives when we learn to see what it sees. But to do that, we have to look at our lives from the right perspective."
-Jennifer Rothschild

2010-01-01T16:54:00.004-06:00

Here are some pics of our 'pet-kid.' Charlie in his Christmas sweater...Thanks Mom!

On the trip to Hondo Charlie liked his vantage point on the chairs in the back of the Tahoe.

Happy Birthday, Charlie!!! He really liked his new bone.

Home, Sweet Home

2009-12-27T18:23:00.004-06:00

It's so nice to be home. It was fun visiting family this weekend in Snyder and Hondo, but it's great to be back with my own stuff. And our new stuff....now to find a place for it all!

Also...a neat little surprise...I won a $50 gift certificate to spend at Recessionista, via Simply Modern Mom! THANKS A TON!!

May you know the love of your Creator and rest in the grace of your Savior.
Sarah

100 Miles!!! &&&

2009-12-15T20:04:00.006-06:00

I did it! I ran 100 miles....it took me just over 80 days! Someone left me a comment a while back that said "Boring!" He or she didn't leave his or her name....I deleted it....I don't really care if anyone thinks it's boring...I needed something to keep me accountable and it worked! To anyone who is thinking...I couldn't do that...YOU CAN! It doesn't have to be 100 miles, just pick something. And hey...along the way you might loose about 12 pounds...I did!

Anyway! Something you might be more interested in. Here's our tree, presents and whatever else!

Here is our tree at school. The kiddos did such a great job on their ornaments. I did the glitter, but they got to color them an choose their glitter color and cut them out. I love them!! (the kids and the ornaments...heehee)

Here's mine!

Christmas preperation FUN!!

2009-12-13T21:37:00.010-06:00

I love baking and sewing and wrapping presents! This is the first year since Glen and I have been married that we have had some real wiggle room in our budget. We've planned all year long for Christmas and it has been fun to reap the rewards of planning. So I've been baking and wrapping this weekend and having a TON 'o FUN being domestic.

So my thanks to:

my loving Father in heaven for giving me the reason for this season! Thank you, Jesus, for coming to Earth to live and die so that I could spend eternity with You. How great is my sin, how even greater is Your redemption.
Dave Ramsey, for the Total Money Makeover - it has really been a blessing to have a plan for our money and we'll be debt free really soon, God willing. His books are on sale for $10.

my good friend Michelle - I wish that I could tell you why...let's just say she helped me with my Christmas shopping.

Amy at the The Idea Room for the cute idea for Reindeer Food. I'm going to give each child in my class a bag as their Christmas gift from me. I'm not quite finished with them yet, I'll get pics up when they are done, but she has some on her blog.

my great husband for finding the cookie press, randomly, at HEB. It was so fun making cookies.

the good people at Microsoft for making it really easy to make cute labels.

So here are some of my creations. I used the Wilton cookie press and the Spritz Cookie recipe on the back of the packaging, Glen tested the cookies...he said they are fit for eating! I made the labels on Microsoft Word and the cellophane bags are from Wal-Mart.

Tomorrow (Monday), I'm having a Gift Wrapping party at the house...so if you live in Rankin...feel free to come by between 7 and 9pm! All you have to bring is your gifts and a roll of wrapping paper. I have the tape, ribbon, tags, and such.

Also, I looked up the word redemption. The definitions make me tremble with thanks to my Lord. 1. and act of redeeming 2. deliverance; resuce 3. deliverance from sin; salvation 4. atonement for guilt 5. repurchase, as of something sold 6. paying off, as of a mortgage, bond, or note 7. recovery by payment, as of something pledged

Giveaways

2009-12-08T20:59:00.004-06:00

Not that long ago I googled something and found a blog that has lead me to all these amazing blogs...

If there were such thing as a next life on earth...which there isn't...in case you were wondering (there are only to options for the afterlife...one with Jesus--which you want, or one without Him-which you don't want)...I would say that I would like to be super crafty like these ladies.

I love my life right now, but there are some other things I'd like to try as well...and you know this whole working thing just gets in the way of some of the them.

Anyway...there are some fantastic giveaways going on blogger sites and tonight, I found myself at http://www.simplymodernmom.com/ . As my may or may not know...I'm not a MOM, but it's still a cool website and it lead me to another website called http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/ which also seemed pretty nifty...so go check 'em out....seriously...GO!...oh but wait...not 'till you look at my super cute pics of Charlie!!!

Sarah :)

The Week

2009-12-05T18:35:00.006-06:00

This week has been a bummer on the running. Last weekend I was superwoman and ran 5 miles and my left knee is pretty jacked up. Anyway, the 2 1/2 this week leaves me just 3 1/2 short of my 100 mile goal. The pain is excruciating...but only when I jog/run...so that's good news.

This week we also had snow. It was fun to have the day off from work. Here are some cute Charlie pics. This was his first experience with the snow. It was fun for all three of us. It came up to his little belly and he didn't like that too much, but as you can see he had fun running around in it.

So close

2009-11-28T19:05:00.003-06:00

Hey guess what! It's really a great idea to put a trash bag in the can when you take it out. We wanted to make sure that we didn't have a stinky surprise when we returned from Snyder. Anyway, all day I've been chunking stuff: all the packaging from the new tree, ornament wrapping, tags from little items, debris from sweeping, raw chicken from dinner prep. Anyway, I decided to take the lid off to clean the supper plates into the trash can and found a lovely UNBAGGED mess! I was truely thankful that I didn't have to scrub down the inside of the can after all that. The transfer to the bag was successful.

An update on my running. I did my very first 5 mile run today. A new personal best. 56:15 was my time so a little over 11 minutes per mile. Not great, but I'm satisfied since it was my first time. So that gets me to 94 miles!

Hebrews 1:35-39 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while,
"He who is coming will come and will not delay.
But my righteous one will live by faith.
And if he shrinks back,
I will not be pleased with him."
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T21:00:00.001-06:00

I love peach cobbler....mmmm

Miles

2009-11-23T21:19:00.003-06:00

getting closer: 87+2=89

We'll be in Snyder for Thanksgiving! I'm so excited because I'm going to try some new desserts. I'll try to take pics as I bake... that's always fun. So I'm going to try Key Lime Cheesecake Bars, Turtle Pumpkin Pie, and Philadelphia Chocolate-Vanilla Swirl Cheesecake. Totally not traditional, but very rich and I'm sure they will get eaten!

I'm totally loving having this week off. Glen and I have finished our Christmas shopping, the house is looking SO good...(thanks to my introduction to FlyLady) and I've worked out 3 days in a row and Charlie got a walk.

What WILL i do tomorrow?

:)Sarah

2009-11-21T13:45:00.001-06:00

82 + 1 + 2 + 2 = 87

2009-11-10T17:30:00.005-06:00

+ 2 = 82 miles

2009-11-09T18:40:00.002-06:00

2 + 1 1/2 = 80

2009-11-08T12:47:00.003-06:00

+ 1 + 3 =76 1/2

Steaks on the grill....more running this afternoon! Yay...shredding the fat.

Check out this cool give-away. I just added this blog RecessionistaParty to my list...it looks like a fun site. I'm hoping I win the Jessica Simpson purse. I've also added it to my blog list anda button, so whatever you do...go check it out!

2009-11-04T21:38:00.002-06:00

70 1/2 + 2 = 72 1/2

2009-11-02T19:53:00.002-06:00

+ 2 = 70 1/2

Costumes...oh my!

2009-10-29T21:40:00.006-05:00

OK!!! 4 miles today...that makes 68 1/2. Yahoo!!

Check out these pics! Joni (my co-worker) and I dressed as deputies for Halloween. The kids had a blast trick-or-treating and our last stop was at the high school. The guy in this picture, AD, is one of the youth kids and football players. OH my!! We just couldn't pass up this photo op.

dun, dun, dun...the internet

2009-10-28T21:10:00.004-05:00

Yay!!! We got the internet back! It's so sad...three days without and we didn't know what to do. Less than 10 years ago, I didn't own a cell phone and we had dial-up internet at home...unbelievable! What a life of luxury!

Check off this cool blog: http://theidearoom.blogspot.com/

3 + 1 = 64 1/2

The Track

2009-10-24T14:15:00.003-05:00

back on track...literally...running is so great...i've missed it
55 + 2 + 3 1/2 =60 1/2 YAAY!

In Case You're Wondering

2009-10-21T18:47:00.003-05:00

In case you're wondering...which you probably aren't....I got flat sick on Saturday and haven't worked out since. I could have gone yesterday but I have a big presentation coming up at work tomorrow, so that's been eating my time. It's like 7pm and I'm just putting up work. Dinner, dishes, a little TV and then it's time for bed. Not my ideal...but it will all be over at 6pm tomorrow. Then back to running! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-10-17T18:14:00.001-05:00

+ 4 = 55

The BIG 5-0

2009-10-15T17:20:00.001-05:00

+ 2 1/4 = 51. Half way there!!!

FUNNY!!

2009-10-13T19:41:00.005-05:00

I ran 2 miles today so that gives me a total of 48 3/4. Also, while doing some research for a presentation at work, I stumbled upon a brilliantly funny website that lets you upload pictures and make funny faces. Glen and I have been laughing our heads off!!!

2009-10-12T20:25:00.004-05:00

4 miles today = 46 3/4

40 miles

2009-10-10T18:37:00.004-05:00

40 MILES!!!! oh my gosh...i've run 40 miles in 20 days!!!!!

So 4 today. 38 3/4 + 4 = 42 3/4

Thursday

2009-10-10T08:44:00.005-05:00

Thursday's run was 2 miles and then plyometric drills.

So that brings the total up to 38 3/4.

Today we're in Lubbock visiting Daniel and Jada so we are going to Freedom Fitness with them.

It's cold in Lubbock.

unbelievable until today

2009-10-06T20:30:00.005-05:00

+ 4 = 36 3/4

whoo hoo...I have NEVER run 4 miles at one time!! Until today...YAY for endurance...to run ALL races in every part of life!

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

2009-10-05T20:34:00.004-05:00

+ 3 + 1 = 32 3/4

2009-10-03T13:57:00.004-05:00

+ 3 1/2 = 28 3/4miles

2009-10-01T21:48:00.007-05:00

+ 2 + 2 1/4 = 25 1/4

2009-09-29T19:13:00.001-05:00

+ 1 = 21