Being a Twin

Being a twin sometimes has it perks and two different sweets. My sister has always wanted a chocolate cake with white icing and I was completely the opposite. Sometimes it was a cookie some years it was a chocolate chip cheesecake. So what will it be this year?? How about the obvious one and maybe a cookie for a change; talk about a sugar rush. Here are the two pics of the dessert. Of course there needs to be more work on the cake like putting it together and icing it but you get the idea. Dad was wondering how to make a huge chocolate chip cookie--the secret is two rolls of chocolate chip cookie dough in the fridge isle. The family is coming over on Saturday night for a cookout so we will see who will eat from the two desserts. On the top of the cookie are mm's randomly tossed on with supervision from the dog.

Mizzou vs Kansas

On Saturday my sister, brother-in-law, niece, cousins, and grandma all came over for food and football. Here are some pics of my niece in her x-mas outfit ready for the game.

Baby Nephew Update

Here is one of the cutest pics of my baby nephew on Thanksgiving day.

Fantasy Football

This year my brother decided to sign all of us for Fantasy football. I must say that with this came the headache of which player to start, which player should be benched which defense/special team to get. The order of the waiver list is also a headache because the person or persons or even the defense you want someone else may get just because they are higher up than you and therefore gets the person(s) defense special team and then gets more points and wins and improves their record while others settle for what is left and then ends up losing and having the worse record. There are family members who drafts a certain team then completely changes their team around and then has the highest score of all involved. I think that if you draft a team at the beginning of the season that you should not be allowed to make changes unless a player is hurt or has a bye week and then must go back to the original team. Then comes the football games and you are rooting for a certain team to do well and then root against other teams so that your opponent does poorly so that you win. What ever happened to just watching a football game for the fun of it and rooting for the team you like (ie Patriots)?? All I know is that I would rather just watch the football games for fun and not have to worry about how my players or defense is doing. Your life revolves around this fantasy football and wondering how others are doing and hoping doing worse than you are or rooting that they do worse than you. In my opinion one should just watch the games for the fun of it and not have to worry who getting you the most points who should sit down who should start and other stuff. When did it not become just a game called the old pigskin games??

A kid again

Growing up it was always a privilege to watch tv in the parents room. Last night I was watching a show in the family room and mom said that I could finish watching the show in her room. I told her that I could go to my room and she replied "my tv is bigger" how can refuse on that. On another note I took Ginger to get her hair cut and mom picked her up and she looks alot better and not like the shaggy dog from sesame street.

football vs sunburn

On Saturday the eight of us (grandma, cousins, mom, dad, myself, sister and brother-in-law) went up to Waco for the MU Baylor game. We were in the sun throughout the whole game and the temps were in the mid 80's. The whole left side of me (the part that faced the sun) got sunburned bc I wasn't thinking sunscreen in Nov. It was a beautiful day and a positive outcome with MU beating Baylor 31-28. Northwestern also won beating Minnesota 24-17 so dad was pretty happy that both of his schools won today. It is to stay in the 80's through this week. Gotta love November in Texas!! :)

One Year Later

I can't believe that we have been in Georgetown for a year. The past year has been a little crazy with the move in September, going to Florida in October, after getting back from Florida we added a new member of the family Ginger who is a cockapoo. In November mom and dad went back to Chicago (maybe they missed the snow) and took the dog with them. For Christmas we went into Austin for X-mas eve dinner with my sister and her husband their daughter, my cousins, grandma, and my aunt. In February my cousin came down for an interview at a golf course in Round Rock and moved down here in March. The wife came in April and grandma came in June. From the end of April through May mom and dad traveled the US with the dog and the cousins took me in fed me and let me stay with them if I wanted to. July came and my sister and her husband went to China for a conference and to do some sight seeing. So with them in China mom, dad, and I invaded Austin to take care of my niece and the two dogs. Ginger of course went with us and by the time we came home she was exhausted from playing with the big dogs. In August mom and dad went to east Texas for their wedding anniversary. September came and we welcomed another member to the family as my brother and sister-in-law welcomed a baby boy weighing 7lbs 5oz and I house sat for a family from church who has two dogs plus her daughter's dog. The end of September came and my sister and brother-in-law went to Austin City Limits (ACL) so dad and I took care of the baby and mom went to Chicago to help out up there with the new baby. I am finding that being with kids can be challenging at times but I do love it a lot. I work with my best friend in the after school program and then on Friday nights I do child care for a life group; one on the first and third Sunday; and Discovery Zone on Wednesday nights. My life is pretty crazy and pretty full as I put a lot of hours up at the church helping them out with bulletins, organizing the library books and doing the newsletters once a month.

Pictures

As promised here are some pictures of my baby nephew. All of my nephews and nieces in Chicago have "an" in their name which was my brother and sister-in-law's goal.

New Addition

My brother and sister-in-law welcomed their son into the family Monday night weighing 7lbs 5oz. He wasn't supposed to be born until the end of the month but decided to make an early entrance. The other four kids didn't make their due date so I guess he wanted to be like them. The youngest niece missed hers by just an hour and five minutes and the oldest one was two weeks late. As soon as I recieve pictures of the baby I will post them for all to see.

My niece

Here are some pictures of my niece who lives here in Austin when she came out to the house a while back when she could not go to daycare. She loves being outside and was very interested in the deer that were in our backyard.

New Job

This past week I started a new job at Kidsport. I am working with my best friend and sister in Christ and together we run the after school program for kids from K-5th. This past week was our first week of school and next week we will start with an actual schedule for the kids. I will be in charge of tutor time the first hour (3:30-4:30) and then kid fit (4:30-5:30) where we will use different activities to get the kids fit and eating healthy. Attached is the website if you would like to see who all works there. There is no picture of my friend Amy but you can see the boss lady (who used to live in IL). The kids are very good and some of them are little trouble makers. I am still trying to learn names and so far ok. The website is http://gtgym.com/default.aspx I am working part-time in the afternoon and I look forward to going to work and still able to do Discovery Zone at the church on Wednesday nights. On Fridays until it gets too cold we let the kids swim in the pool that is there by the main building. Next week I will be in the pool as a "life guard" to keep peace in the pool.

Olympics in Sun City

We have a 50ft red leash that we put Ginger on outside in the back yard since there is no fence. She likes it because then she can go anywhere and we can still bring her back with just a little tug. This afternoon dad had her out back with it on her and she decided that she would invent a new Olympic event called doggie rhythmic gymnastics and here are some photos from the event. Ginger of course won the gold in the event with a perfect score. :) There was not a medal given but as you can she is bowing after finishing the event.

Freedom

Ginger has been given the option to get out of the crate while we are gone. We put her in her crate with her cong with treats and stuffing in it and just close the door but not lock it. She has been found in different parts of the house including mom and dad's bedroom on the bed in the midst of the pillows. She was also found in my room on her back. Here are some photos of the little puppy ruling the house.

It's Here!!!!!

Pro football season has arrived!!! I am glad that this whole issue with Brett Favre and where he wants to play is over and he has gone to the Jets and Pennington was released by the Jets to go to the Dolphins. Will the Dolphins lose every game this season again or will it be a better year for them?? In exactly six weeks will be the start of regular season and it should be a great year.

Huge Answer

About a month ago I was let go at a position that I had for eight months. I was stressing over how I was going to pay for all of my meds that I am on with one of them costing over seven hundred dollars. I was told about some of pharmaceuticals that help people with no insurance and limited income to help pay the cost of the meds. Last month I recieved a letter and then a phone call saying that a company has approved me for one of my meds (the cheaper of the three) and then tonight when I got home from my sister's house I found out that a different company approved me for the most expensive med and that they are waiting down at the psychiatrist's office to be picked up. Both of these companies have approved me for one year with a possibility for a renewal. So with that off my mind and not have to worry about how to pay for them was a huge answered and a huge blessing.

Ginger training

This past week I have been working with Ginger off the leash in the yard. She is doing very well, but once in a while she does run off but not far. When I tell her to stop she does and then sits. She helped me water the plants on Thursday and did very well staying near me. She misbehaved at grandma's house last night but once we got back to our house she was good. I have been rewarding her with freeze dried liver and she likes that idea a lot. She loves being outside and doesn't want to come in so I use treats to get her in the house. She can go all around the house and I don't take the leash out anymore with me and she doesn't need it. Well, she won't go poop without being on the leash. I do leash her at night because of all of the wild animals that we have roaming around after dark. For instance last night we saw a bunch of deer and Ginger was whining because we wouldn't let her go play with them. I work with her for about ten or fifteen minutes at a time since she is only a puppy and needs to have some fun time now and then.

VBS Final Count

Last night was the last night of VBS and the kids raised $453.26 ($205 of it was from the last night). All the money that was raised will be sent to Brazil to buy bibles for the kids. The bibles will be in Portuguese since that is the language they speak (hey I learned something new I thought they spoke Spanish). It was a great week and lots of learning and having fun.

VBS

This past week was Vacation Bible School (VBS) and our theme was Outer Space so all of the stations had to do with space. Every evening (a little cooler than during the day) we start in Alpha Base (sanctuary) from there the kids go to five different stations and we go in the same order every night. I am with the second graders and the other leader is a high school student and he is good with the kids. The first station for us every night is Theater of the Galaxies (bible drama); from there we go to Asteroid Alley (Games); from there we go to Super Nova (crafts); from there it is snack time (and time for kids to burn off some energy); from there we go to Deeper Space (Bible Memory and Music); from there we go to Wonder U. (Laboratory) where the kids do Science experiments and learn about Science (I wish they would teach Science like this in school); we then go back to Alpha Base to end the evening and where the parents pick their child(ren) up. Our group is known as the Purple Pulsars. I think that any church that has kids program should add this to their list of things to offer. This is the first time that I have done VBS and I can say that even though I missed the first day the rest of this week has been an adventure that I am glad to be a part of. I have enjoyed working with these kids and have learned things from them as they learn from the teachings in a fun and safe environment and light up as they can put money into the offering. I gave some loose change to kids that weren't able to have money to put into the offering and they were excited. We are raising money this week to buy bibles for the kids in Brazil and right now we have raised close to $200 dollars. I will have a final count tonight along with some pictures from the evening.

Ginger

Ginger has grown quite a bit since we first got her. She is still very hyper and very active and a puppy. She loves to play with other dogs but sometimes the other dogs don't want to play all the time. She has recieved many toys because whenever the parents go to Pet Smart to get dog food or kong stuffing dad buys another toy for her to play with. Pretty soon she will have more toys then I have had. Here is a picture of Ginger playing with my sister's dogs who are black lab and a black lab collie mix.

Another Mover

In a week my grandmother will be moving from Missouri to Sun City, and from what I have heard she is very excited about moving. She will join the other members of the family who already live in Sun City and in Austin and now all that is left outside of Texas is my brother and sister-in-law who live in Chicago and my aunt in Oregon. I am not sure if we will ever get them to move down here but maybe frequent visitors. My parents will be closing on my grandmother's house next Tuesday and then will leave for Missouri to help move my grandmother down here. I can't wait until she moves down here and can visit her frequently to see how she is doing. I do not have any pics of her yet but after she moves down here I will take one of her outside of her new home.

Cousins

For the past two weeks my parents were traveling the US btwn here and Chicago. They made a stop at my grandmother's house on the way up and on the way back to visit with her. They also brought some of her boxes back with them and the kitchen table that I grow up around. So while they were gone my cousins who live about a mile from our house adopted me and took very good care of me from feeding me to watching scary movies. I also helped hang a mirror and watched dancing with the stars (a show that I am now hooked on thanks to grandma and my cousin). It made the time of my parents being away a lot easier and not being at home by myself with nothing to do. I haven't moved bc I still recieve mail here and I do sleep here but most of my time was spent with them. It is really good to have relatives nearby to help one get through the emptiness of a house and to be with others to lift up my mood and spirits. As you can see I am really close to them and have my kind of soda in the fridge anytime I want one. A major plus to having family nearby. I love my cousins a lot and am sooo glad that they are here and nearby. Love you cousins. :)

Before and After II

This past weekend I took a trip with my sister and her daughter to Chicago for my niece's first birthday party. The top picture was taken on Friday when we arrived and the bottom picture was taken in Florida back in October when they were about 6 months old. I have found that the two babies like each other. The two babies are two weeks apart and live about 19 hours from each other. My oldest niece liked having two babies there bc she was able to help my sister out quite a bit. On Sunday I went to my old church and it was quite interesting seeing everyone again and that everyone was surprised that I had showed up. One person asked if I was moving back, and I said that after the winter I had here in Texas I don't think I could ever move back. My parents are still up there with the puppy which makes the kids happy bc they like the puppy quite a bit.

Ginger Update

Ginger has calmed down a lot since we first got her. She has been going to training class one day a week and can do most commands. She only comes when you have food but then who wouldn't come if you were offering food. I know I would!! Ginger has found that riding in the car and in the golf cart is a lot of fun so whenever someone says they are leaving she is right there at the door ready to leave and if she can't go she starts to whine and then goes and lays down on the parents bed or if she is to be locked in her crate she lets out an even bigger whine which you can hear in the garage.

Beautiful Sunrises

When I open at work (arriving at 8:30am) I leave the house a little before 8am since there is a lot of traffic and the school buses, I get to see the sunrise. This mornings sunrise was beautiful as the clouds covered the sun so that you could only see the rays of the sun and look so pretty that I wanted to stop and stare but knowing that I had to be at work so therefore I couldn't stare nor take a picture of it. The sunsets here are just as nice and the stars go on forever on a clear night.

Spring in Texas

Spring has come early for one who isn't used to it. The past few weeks the highs have been in the upper 70's to low 80's with the lows in the 60's. It was beautiful this past Sunday that mom and dad went shopping for plants to put outside on the patio and the front porch. Ginger is still a hyper little puppy and loves to go on long walks and with the weather being the way it is there are plenty of days to walk her. Most of the walks are over two miles (walking the third golf course that is being built behind us). She has been going to training class one day a week and can sit and stay but not come (hopefully we will master that). She still runs off at any chance she can get so she is not allowed off the leash which is a good thing since we recently found coyotes in our backyard. We have seen quite a few deer so driving at night in Sun City is very cautious because they can come out of nowhere and stare at you. Life here is very different but have adapted pretty well, but there are times that I wish I was back in the Chicago area but just not when it is cold and snowy, because for some reason I just can't miss that. I am always up for visitors that want to get away from the snow and see what spring is like.

A Family Tradition

Every year on or near Easter us three kids have always dyed eggs and then on Easter Sunday we would use the eggs to have golden rod eggs (a recipe that my grandmother started). Now that I have accepted Christ the true meaning of Easter has changed it no longer means chocolate bunnies, egg hunting, and eggs filled with candy. To me Easter means that Jesus rose from the dead and payed the penalty for our sins. Here are some pics from our dinner with friends and family. Mommy and daughter making the same face. Baby lasted only a few minutes before wanting to get down and play so mommy finished up with the egg dying.

Good Book

I am reading this book that our church is doing a series on and so far it is really good. The book is "Just Walk Across the Room" by an author who is a pastor in a Chicago suburb. The Pastor at my church gives a sermon on Sunday about part of the book and then we have small groups that meet throughout the week (including Sunday night) to talk about the book and to watch a video about the topic. So far the book is really good and I am eager to read ahead but knowing I shouldn't so that I won't get confused with what we are talking about. I will update as we continue to go through the book. The whole thing is to take four weeks ending the week before Easter.

Patriots vs Giants

As the post season comes to an end with only two teams left. My patriots verses my sister-in-law's giants. Who will win?? Of course the Patriots will win in two weeks and finish the perfect season 19-0. I am expecting the game will be close but the Patriots will come out on top. I have to work that day but will be home in time for the game.

Before and After

Here is Ginger being goofy. Ginger gets her toys out and then gets in the basket.

Ginger Update

Here are some pics of our puppy. As you can see she is growing more and more each day. Her hobbies are that she likes to pull the towels down from the oven handle and run around the kitchen wit them. Just recently mom and I went to Wal-Mart to buy groceries and we found a basket for Ginger's toys. Ginger thinks it is fun to get in the basket and play with her toys that way. She will dump the basket if she can't get to the toys that she wants.

Recap of 2007

As I say goodbye to 2007, I want to take time and recap the year. In August I had to say goodbye to my best friends, to the AWANA kids, and to the church. In Sept we moved to Texas where on my birthday the temp was 80 degrees which I truly enjoyed it and not have to dig my car out of snow. In October I went to Florida for a few days and was able to see my brother, sister-in-law, and their four kids. My sister and her daughter were there for a conference as well. In December I joined a church down here and truly love it and have become a leader of the 2nd and 3rd graders in Discovery Zone and attending a small group. Along with joining a church in December I was hired at a bank called First Convenience Bank. It is a lot of fun going to work and the other employees are very nice and letting me practice on their drawer. I will get my own soon and I think I am ready for it. For Christmas my aunt, grandma, and cousins came to visit and my aunt got me hooked with rowing and we have joined together to row together in a virtual rowing challenge. I have rowed over 4,000 meters in three days and I am going to row on my days off until I get a set schedule and then row around that. In November we added a new member to the family which has changed all of our lives in different ways. She is a cockapoo and she is very active and loves to run throughout the house like she owns it. She is about ten pounds and eats everything that she get her mouth on. I look forward to what God brings me in 2008.