Spirit Week!

What a fun week this has been!!!  Tuesday was Hat and Flip Flop Day - bring on the cowboy hats and Rockies' flip flops!  Yesterday was Black and White Day - I loved some of the kiddos' outfits - such great creativity with black and white tights, black and white shirts, black and white hair accessories, everything!  Today is Pajama and Dr. Seuss Day - just the thought of not having to get dressed but hanging with your friends while reading Dr. Seuss books?  Bliss!  Grammy Darls sent her Cat in the Hat along and he has an honorary chair in Mrs. Kasper's classroom.  Tomorrow is Bobcat Day - red and white school colors!  What a fun week before testing begins next week!

Hannah's teacher took this of their class today - cute!  I love that Hannah has her book upside down, and her hat had just fallen off!  HEHE

President's Day

Maybe one of these years I'll actually join the throngs of people that have this day off...  But until then I revel in the joy of knowing that Joshua and Hannah are spending the day with Dad and Mom. You would think they were packing to be there a week (and they probably wish they were!)! Hannah had no less than three giant Littlest Pet Shop "things" going along - and Joshua filled his basketball bag with Legos and other contraptions. And it's not like there aren't a thousand wonderful things already over there for them to play with - hehe! They absolutely love just hanging out over there! and me? I get to look forward to visiting there after work and eating Dad's elk chili! Life is grand!!!

Milbrandt Vineyards Riesling

After all those years that people spelled and pronounced our last name wrong (they SO wanted to put an "N" in there) - our friends went to Washington a while back and brought us back a Milbrandt Vineyards Riesling - can you even believe it?!?! ...popping it open tonight... :-)  We had a fun Valentine's Day - Joshua had baseball tryouts this morning, we spent some time getting things done around here, and then went and saw Tooth Fairy followed by nibbles at Baker Street Pub! Happy Heart Day!

Valentine's Day Celebrations Underway

The kiddos were SO psyched this morning! The BLS 2nd graders have gone to a local nursing home for over 20 years to deliver homemade valentines, play their handbells, and sing - Hannah was thrilled that it's finally her turn (she also wanted to be sure she had a new dress for this very special occasion!). They go this morning and then return to school in time for lunch. Both of their classes are having parties this afternoon - fun games, party food, and valentines!!! I used to love going through all of the cute cards and enjoying all of the sweet treats from my buddies :-) 

Funny One-Liners From The Car Ride

Thankfully we have a pretty short school commute, only about 12 minutes one way, but I hear the funniest things on the way…
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious – even though the sound of it is really quite atrocious (not so funny all by itself, but sung lately by both kiddos in a variety of different tempos, styles, and voices)
Mom – why is everyone asking if we want girlfriends? (could it be due to Valentine’s Day coming up?)
I still can’t believe we ate this whole box of Tagalongs in the car (mind you, no one bothers to remove the empty box)
We’re cool – we know it – uh huh – oh yeah (chanted by Hannah while showing us her and Gracie C’s “super-cool new handshake”)
Does anyone want this Hershey’s Kiss? (seriously ~ discovered after who-knows-how-long-it’s-been-in-the-car)
Hannah, will you hand me the blue guy without the head? (huh?)
Since we carpool with an older student, I’ve also discovered who the favorite substitute teachers are, which are the best school lunches, and the pros and cons of outdoor lab!
Oh yeah - I'm definitely learning something new everyday - which I guess, makes me cool, I know it, uh huh, oh yeah!

Anderson Cooper: Why I'm Back In Haiti

This is straight off of Anderson Cooper's Blog - I love that he's back on the ground to remind us all that the work has only just begun in Haiti. Whatever God might be calling you to do, please do it!

I was asked to write a blog about why I wanted to come back to Haiti. I'm not really sure how to answer that question. No one I've seen today in Port-au-Prince has asked me that. If anything, people here ask why I left, and why so many other reporters have left as well. I don't really know what to tell them.

I was here for more than two weeks immediately following the quake and, the truth is, I left because I needed a break. That's not the kind of thing you can really tell someone who is living on the streets of Port-au-Prince. They know a lot more about exhaustion than I ever will.

I spent last week in New York, but, the truth is, it felt very strange. When you know something monumental is happening so close to our shores, and yet you don't see it on a daily basis – it's an odd disconnect, and it doesn't feel right.

Later this week is the one month anniversary of the earthquake. To say things are getting better here is probably technically correct, but it's still miserable for hundreds of thousands of people.

The homeless are everywhere, the hungry are as well. They are still finding bodies all the time. Twenty-five people were shoved into old crypts in a city cemetery today. We watched the remains of a mother and her son being sealed into a crypt.

It's not the kind of misery that makes for headlines perhaps, and clearly it's not the kind of sorrow that demands a place on the nightly news, but it should.

There is more happening here than 10 American missionaries in jail. I guess I came to remind myself of that. No one deserves to die in silence, and no one's struggle to live should go unnoticed as well.

Tonight, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and I report on the situation here, along with CNN's Karl Penhaul. We'll also investigate the history of corruption in Haiti and try to find out where all the money that's been poured in here for decades has gone.

http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com

It's Been a Wild Ride!!!

The ups and downs of employment - yikes! After months of being unemployed Greg was hired in November to manage the customer care department for an animal shelter here. It was a great position in a terrific work environment and things were going extremely well. But shortly after starting there he was recommended to a national company to build their customer service department. After much deliberation, he accepted that position. The shelter was pretty bummed but they certainly understood the family factor. The best thing - it's a traditional Monday-Friday work week and they're done at 5:00 everyday! Considering he had been working Sunday through Thursday at the shelter and getting home between 7:30 and 8:00 at night - this is definitely a blessing! The kiddos (and me, also) are thrilled to have him back in our evening routine :-) God continues to bless us in so many ways!!!

The Cookies are Here! The Cookies are Here!

Hannah and I joined a few other families on Saturday for Cookie Central - over 1,000 boxes sorted for our Troop! Yesterday she sorted her own list, put thank-you's on them, and started delivering...  and of course, stopped for a few of these...

Tagalongs - our family favorite!!!

Heaven on Earth

My walk yesterday morning was beautiful, cold and snowing, but so refreshing! No one else was on the trail - I was really hoping to get a picture of the coyote we saw Saturday, but my only companions were a few birds and squirrels. So amazingly peaceful, a great way to start the day!

Bringing "Change" to Haiti

Right after the earthquake in Haiti, Elly was talking to Kimberly about what she could do to help the people in Haiti. A few conversations later we were underway! Posters and flyers were made and we were getting the word out - we began collecting loose change for Haiti. Just 8 days later our BLS families had gathered $1,038.69 - and that amount will be matched by High Rock Foundation! Awesome!!! Yes, one person can do huge things in partnership with others! What a great way to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the people of Haiti.

Hannah made the poster on the bottom - she's hoping to hang it on her bedroom wall!

Fun at the Party Store

...it's the little things in life!!!

Go Red For Women

Tomorrow, February 5th, is National Wear Red Day. Thousands of Americans will be wearing red to draw attention to this startling fact: Over 430,000 women are silenced each year by cardiovascular disease – and most of these deaths are preventable. So get your red on. It's a simple yet powerful way to raise awareness about heart disease and stroke. And then, take the time to visit www.goredforwomen.org and learn more about taking care of yourself! ~ The Go Red For Women movement challenges women to know their risk for heart disease and take action to reduce their personal risk ~

All About Me continued...

More Favorites

An actress whose performances you admire  - Julia Roberts – she’s done the full-spectrum – light-hearted in Pretty Woman, serious in Sleeping with the Enemy – and everything in between!

An actor whose performances you admire - Andy Garcia – he’s just SO sexy – oh that voice! – loved him with Meg Ryan in When a Man Loves a Woman

A TV show you watch regularly - Anderson Cooper 360, The Biggest Loser, Friends and That 70’s Show (re-runs, of course, but not regularly)

An artist whose work you highly respect - Leonardo da Vinci – obviously, since we have “The Last Supper” prints all over our dining room!

A piece of clothing you love to wear - My walking shoes – especially with Tanner and family in tow!

A monument you would like to have a view of from your bedroom - Colorado National Monument (locally referred to as “The Monument”) – a part of the National Park Service near Grand Junction, in the western part of our state; nearby are the Book Cliffs, and the largest flat-topped mountain in the world, the Grand Mesa; and of course, our dear friends live and make wine near Grand Junction!

Your favorite time of the day - Early mornings – especially in the summer when I’m hitting the pavement at 5:00 am – I love the smell of everything growing along the greenbelt and the blanket of dew across the fields!

Your favorite place to sit at home - Wrapped up in a fleece blanket at the end of our couch in the family room – almost always with a book or magazine in hand!

What you most like to do on Sunday - Early Church and Sunday School followed by treats at the Kolache Factory!

Your Motto - Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - chocolate and wine in hand - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming

“Woo Hoo – What a Ride!”

Ballroom Dancing 101

I love this! Joshua has been learning ballroom dancing - the 5th and 8th graders are gearing up for the Spring Ball in April (which we get to attend and dance right alongside). Last night he was giving Hannah a few tips...