Break a board for D.A.R.E

Last saturday John, Brianna & Jim participated in Break a board for D.A.R.E. Our local D.A.R.E chapter lost it's funding and now has to raise it's own money if they want the program to continue.

There was lot of demonstrations of karate. John, Brianna & Jim are all in different levels & classes so each one had a turn to get up there with their class to show off their stuff. I was out of video tapes so our digital camera had to double as a camcorder as well. Here are the pics I did get taken.

John, for some reason they only gave John's class their board after they broke it. They had to break it with a punch (chop) using their hands.

Brianna, I got her board breaking on video (not sure how to upload that). Her class had to use their foot to break the board. She was not given her board. This is her class pic. She is the third one sitting on the floor.

Jim, he's the one in the yellow belt, throwing the guy on the floor. They had to use their head to break their board. So there IS a good reason for his hard head (giggle).

A group pic of the kids (except John) w/the D.A.R.E characters (bear & lion) & McGruff the Crime Dog. In case you can't "read" the look on Andrew's face, it's sheer terror. He loved the animals/characters from a far, but about freaked out when we got too close. I mananged to snap this shot before the tears & screaming took over.

More fall pics

I got the rest of my pics taken for the fall. Not much more to post at this time, so just enjoy the pics.

Angel

All the kids, taken on our front porch

Fall pics!

Mandy

Brianna

John

Andrew

Just posting some fall pictures taken of the kids outside of our house. I still need to get a group pic and one of just Angel.

Tanner's Apple Orchard

We took our "annual" trip up to Tanner's Orchard. I do have to put clause to the annual because last year we never got to go. We were planning to, but an unexpected run in with Bambi complete threw our plans out the window. Our kids (sweet precious beings they are) commented more than once about how we NEED to go this year which followed by the "remember last year...." Ah, yes, they had been scarred for life & would continue to be so until we remedied the situation.



It was a rather warm day that we went. Our previous saturdays and the next the few were already busy with other plans. It was our only day left to venture up there. So despite the 70+ degree weather we took off last saturday afternoon. It was a little all too classic as we left town & the kids were bubbling with excitement. The hour long trip soon turned into some bickering (moooooom, she won't stop singing. moooooooom, he's looking at me) I even mentioned (ok, so maybe it was more yelled) the inevitable "if you want us to turn this van around RIGHT NOW, we WILL!". Just as we were hearing the never ending "are we there yet & how much longer" the orchard appeared on the horizon. Hooray! Three cheers for mom & dad, we made it!

We enjoyed our time there. It was Andrew's first time there. He was very taken in by the ponies he got to ride & the goats he got to feed. The older kids had a great time as well running all over the play ground & playing mini golf. The place is very quaint, perhaps a bit cheesy. It's your typical mid-western idea of a great time of family fun.

After a full round of apple doughnuts & apple cider we packed up and headed home. Mission accomplished. Our children can now beam about their great childhood filled with memories of Tanner's. All complete, of course, with the ride home full of "moooooooooooom...."

Angel (yes, she is as tall as mom now)

Mandy

Brianna (Angel & Andrew in background)

John

Andrew & Dad

It's here! It's here!

Wish I could be telling you about our baby being here. Although if I have had the baby then I would not still be referring to it as an it. Even though I'm anxious for the pregnancy to be over, it is a tad too soon for baby to make an appearance. Little one needs to simmer just a bit more.


I'm talking about Pepermint Mocha coffee creamer by CoffeeMate. Nothing gets me more excited and worked up than a good coffee creamer. They only put out Peppermint Mocha toward the end of the year & then it quickly vanishes after the Christmas holiday. I believe it was only last year that I had discovered this flavor.

I'm a good old fan of French Vanilla and am one to not like change. However, once I ventured outside of my comfort zone there was no turning back. Now a bottle of French Vanilla will last me months as I have 3-4 other flavors to sweeten my coffee (Chocolate Raspberry, Cinnamon Vanilla, Vanilla Caramel, Blueberry Cobbler). I really wish they would stop making "limited edition" flavors as well, because just when I get hooked on a new flavor they stop making it (there is one in particular that I LOVED, but can't for the life of me think of what it is called). GAAAH! So it came as a great disappointment when I realized that I could not buy Peppermint Mocha year round.

So it was an average Sunday morning a few weeks ago that I ran to the store to buy some essentials.....milk, eggs, etc. I had no intention of buying any creamer. I had already seen that Pumpkin Spice was out, but had yet to see the Peppermint Mocha. So when I passed the creamer I cruised on by not giving much thought. But you know when you have that nagging feeling, just that unexplainable urge to do something even though it makes no sense? As I'm cruising I look over anyway and behold what do my eyes see. I seriously think I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't just seeing things. I let out a squeal and chanted "it's here, it's here....yes, yes, yes". And yes, I'm sure I got some looks from other customers, but who cares, I was in total bliss at the moment. I am determined to buy a big bottle everytime I go to the store, reguardless if I even need any or not. I've been told that I can freeze the stuff and then use as needed. Just what I need in my deep freezer, a dozen or so bottles of creamer.

I was so thrilled of this occasion that I had the kids take pics of me enjoying my coffee that morning. Yep, curlers & all, completely enwrapped in my happiness. It really can be the simplest things in life that bring happiness.

MIA!

I've been missing in action here on our blog. It's been a crazy couple of week here at home. Jim's work schedule went bezerk due to some employee's retiring and then many others getting very sick.

I've already wrote about my nesting habits. It seemed to be magnified even more in the last week or so. And yet, there remains so much to still do. I've chosen to have some action filled days that have then left me in utter misery due to physical limitations. My body is more often protesting the fact that I am 33 weeks pregnant. I can't seem to get it through my thick skull that I need to slow down & take it easy.

I keep thinking of blog entries along the way. Even have taken some pictures just with that in mind. The few times that I have sat down here at the computer either leave me drawing a huge writers block or simply not enough time to write what I want to.

A few more days or non-stop action and I should then be able to spend some more time here. I might even come up with 3-4 entries all in one day.

Welcome October!

Just a "regular" week here at the zoo. October has arrived and we anticipate the cooler weather. This is my (Carmen's) second favorite month of the year. The leafs are beginning to change color outside and the scenery all around is just beautiful. I can't wait to get the camera out & snap some pictures of the kids.

Angel won a FISH award at school. The school picks 2 students per grade every month to receive this award. They did explain it to us parents at orientation, but I couldn't tell ya the exact specifications for it. In general they base it on outstanding students who go the extra mile. I expected that at some point Angel would be picked for this award. She is quite the special girl. But the first month & out of 100 or so other 6th graders. WOW! She will be awarded by picking another student & a teacher to join her for lunch off campus. All at the expense of the school. I told her (jokingly) to pick the Packing House, which is one of the most expensive places to eat here in town. She quickly reminded me that she only has a 25 minute lunch time and didn't think that would work into the schedule. She's picking Subway, her favorite place to eat. Yes, that child can eat a WHOLE 6" sub by herself. (I can barely eat a whole one myself). Way to go Angel on your FISH award!