Friday, April 24, 2009

shaky nerves!!!

Jon and I are just about ready to hit the road to Nashville!!! I've been training now for just about 15 weeks for my 1st 1/2 Marathon!!! I have a gamete of emotions right now! I'm very excited and feel that I am well prepared! I also am scared and have some self doubt and that comes more from a personal time goal that I have set for myself when really I should just have a personal goal of finishing!! I also was very tearful this morning leaving my girls.....not sure where that came from. Jon and I are usually ok with leaving them for a few days, especially because they are in good hands (with both sets of grandparents). So if anyone is reading this pray that I will be calm and pray that God will give me endurance to finish this race and that I will find some SELF BELIEF!!!! I am excited too because I am meeting up with some high school/college friends! We should have a fun weekend!!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

....."you must be the best mom"

Woke up this am to the sun beaming through the window shades and knew we would be heading outside to do something! The girls are usually pretty civil with each other but this morning was one of those off days where I felt like I was threatening each of them to spend the rest of their day in their room and we would do NOTHING FUN AT ALL!!! "Oh I promise I'll be good" is the response I got and then back to the sister fights they'd go!!! This left me feeling like a horrible mom.....why do they fight when we're headed out for some fun, is it me??? We made it out the door because realistically I knew being inside would do nothing for ALL our moods but make them worse! We started out at the library for story time/craft time and "rented" a few books! We then headed outside to the park where everyone's moods were quickly lifted.....sun beaming down and a nice breeze to just settle these girls down (including myself), shoes off, sand toys out, playground with endless possibilities, quilt laid out on cool grass, books to read, lunch to eat as you please......smiles and laughter to fill a mother's heart! As the girls took off a little boy walked up watching them run off to play. He then said "hey they're not wearing shoes"!!! I said "I know"! He said "are you the best mom ever??? Do you ALWAYS say yes??" I said NO not to everything but what can dirt/sand hurt?" He walked away a little puzzled,  it made my day though......as I thought back to our morning at home feeling a little less than the "best mom"!!! But for them maybe a few hours outside barefoot made up for a little craziness at home! 







On the way home from our "outing" Kayden all of a sudden said...."I don't feel good"!! For some reason she had that look that she was gonna puke. I kept asking "are you ok? are you ok?" and she continued to reassure me that she was. We pulled into the neighborhood, me thinking ppphhhew we're almost home when all of  a sudden the flood gates opened out of her mouth!!! Everyone got bath's, car cleaned, clothes in the washer. I HATE PUKE....I know I'm a nurse but I HATE IT!!! I really could gag myself! Please pray for me not to get sick too because I'm running my first 1/2 marathon this Saturday and I have trained to long/hard to not do this!!! Hoping it was just a fluke thing for her! 

Monday, April 20, 2009

Bowling

It has been raining like no body's business here in the beautiful state of TN!! I shouldn't complain because we were in somewhat of a drought last summer! It's no good for the outdoorsy people though!!! Anyways while Karlie was here 1 week ago it was of course raining and so we decided a little bowling might burn off some energy! We had fun laughing at each other and the kids!!! 

My beautiful sister and girls!
I'm sure that Kristi will want to frame this one!!!
The competitor of the group!
Kayd thought if she got a running start it might help.....not so much though!! You practically had to blow the ball down it moved SO slow!!! But she gave it her all!
I think this ball weighed about as much as Em but she was determined to carry it herself!
This was Em's little "helper"....helped soooo much I think she beat everyone!!! Strikes and spares galore!! 

Friday, April 17, 2009

Eggs and a Bunny visit

It was yet again a great Easter! Not only with remembering what this holiday is all about but being able to be with family. My younger sister, Karlie came in from Knoxville for a long weekend and we had a great visit! I did have to work on Sunday but otherwise we were all off work and able to spend lots of time together. Saturday afternoon/evening we dyed eggs. We actually tried a couple new ways this year.

A bit hard to tell with this picture but my niece is growing up and decided she wanted her hair cut off!!! It's soooo very cute!! 
Kristi found a marbleizing kit and it was quite fun to make them!
We had NO spills this year!!! Yeah for the OCD mommy!!!!
The other dying method we tried this year was dying naturally!! My mom has been dying eggs using purple and brown onion peels for years (my great grandmother got her started on this tradition). They turn into the coolest brown eggs....not perfect but it makes them all the more unique! Then we used the liquid from cooked purple cabbage and it turned the eggs into this beautiful turquoise color! This is a definite repeat for next year except we will be experimenting with tumeric, beets, dandilions, and more! 
Mom made bunny cookies with the girls.....the girls had more fun playing with the dough and flour than decorating the cookies I think!!!
....and delicious they were!...well I guess they were, you'll have to ask Jon!!!

The girls were squealing with excitement (per Jon cause I was at work) when they woke up and found out a bunny had visited! "He" left a trail of jelly bean down the stairs.....
......and sidewalk!
Hunting

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Sonrise '09

Sabbath before Easter Sunday we have for the past several years attended the "Sonrise" at Southern Adventist University (which is where I went to college). It is an actual walk thru and very real.....I don't want to use the word enjoyable for all ages but it truly captures the attention of both young and old. This year we were able to get tickets for the first walk thru of the day and we definitely will try our best to do this for future years. We were able to get close up to each scene and it made it all the more real. There are times that the scene's are quite graphic and Jon and I found ourselves wanting to shelter to the girls. But then realized that this is something they need to see, we read about this in the Bible and hear about it but it's ALL THE MORE to see it in person.....and this is just "acting". Jesus suffered SO VERY much for each of us. Tears rolled down my face on and off through the couple hours we were out there, just imagining all that he did just for me and for you. I pray that I can be more of a servant for Him and be ready for His GREAT return!!!!

We start out in the Collegedale Church and you see glimpses of current events.......very sad. Parents loosing their children, house foreclosures, school shootings, fires, gang activity, drinking/drugs, homelessness, ect.  I know that I feel very heavy and sad when I think of each of my family's/friends burdens but to think that Jesus knows and carries each of our burden's is just totally mind boggling for me. After each "scene" is lit up angels start walking down the long isles of the church to each set up people.....candles are lit and Jesus comes out to the stage and everyone is "healed". I cannot wait for that day!!!!

***If you have kids and are looking through these pictures together please look first as there are some graphic pictures.....at your discretion to allow them to see or not***

We then start the "walk thru".....starting with lots of animals for the kids to pet and on the opposite side the blind/crippled/people with leprosy begging for money.....
The girls were a little scare but didn't need too much encouragement to go give them some money.
We then started walking the streets of Jerusalem.....lots of different items for "sale".
A group of women selling wheat....I especially took this picture because the lady in the middle laughing is my best friend's (Heather Robberson) mom Sharon!!!
The Disciples bringing Jesus through the streets of Jerusalem on a donkey....
Making pottery 
Selling baskets 
While walking down the "street" a man called out "is that the Zimmerman lady's??"!!!! It was my coach from high school who I haven't seen since then!!! So just about 15 years! I almost cried, just one of those GREAT teacher's who made your high school the BEST it could possibly have been!!!! Great to see you Mr. Wilson!!!!.....and what a memory I might add!!

Jesus at the Last Supper with his Disciples 
The Disciples walking Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane 
Jesus praying....His soul overwhelmed with sorrow. You can see satan in the black robe...
Jesus being taken to go before Pilate

Jesus being taken to be crucified 
Jesus walking with the cross
Judas after hanging himself
Jesus on the cross....sorry about the electrical wires.
Mary with Jesus prior to going into the tomb
Jesus coming out of the tomb....serious emotions during this part!!!!

Monday, April 6, 2009

Beautiful weekend

It was a beautiful weekend and with no specific agenda we took advantage of being outside to enjoy the weather! Saturday afternoon after church we took a bike ride from Jon's parents house to a park in Collegedale called Imagination Station. There is a nice trail which makes it easy for biking, walking, running, ect. Kayden decided she wanted to ride her bike, I must admit I was a little doubtful that she would want to ride the whole way....there and back which is in total about a 4 1/2 mile ride. I thought she would get tired on the way back because we knew that we would take a break there and let the kids play at the park. But she surely proved me wrong!!! 

Emery in her seat which Jon and I would LOVE to ride in ourselves somedays! Jon takes her "off trail" and goes over little hills and bumps which she finds EXTREMELY fun!!

Prior to starting our biking adventure
Once she was able to see Jon's parents house from the road she was sooooo proud of herself that she had done this! The victory pose!!!

That evening we went up to our friends, the Highfields, the kids always have fun together....even if they don't fall asleep until 10 or later!!! 

These manly men showing off with a big game of thumb wrestling! Ha!!

We always have fun when we get together! 
Sunday the kids played outside for a big part of the day and then we headed over to my mom's for dinner and some more outside time! 

Yummy veggie white chicken chili my mom made us! 

Taylor keeps a scooter at mom's and Jon jumps on it every chance he gets.....he really wants a skate board again. We totally would need long term health insurance before that ever happens!!!
People were laughing that Em was wearing a helmet while riding this bike, hey you gotta be cool like your older sister!! Safety first! 

We also are determined to help this girl learn to ride without training wheels this summer. I love training wheels just like training pants. The both prevent accidents but I have to let them grow up some time....I guess???!!!

This is an old game board from my Grandma and the girls love it even though we don't really know how to play the game.....we just make one up. Mom pointed to  the number 23 and asked Kayden what # it was and she said  twenty three! Now maybe you have a 5 y/o and this is no biggie but we've been working on her recognizing double digits and being able to say 80 or 63, ect. Last night was as exciting for her as us! Another proud moment for her, needless to say she took the board home as she wants to show off her newest "learn" to anyone who will listen. 


I have to add that we have been working with Emery to be able to spell her name....and by that I mean saying the letters out loud. Well last night I asked to spell her name for mom and she did...E-M-E-R-Y!!! Oh the joys of  teaching them and then seeing them learn new things!!