Kids in "BIG" Church...

Okay, no pic (Sorry, but I didn't bring my camera to church!)but I need to share a sweet story about church today. When there is a month with 5 weeks the kids are asked to worship with their parents. So this morning (coming from experience) we packed up a special "keep quiet bag" and off we headed to church! The kids sang with us(I love to hear them sing) and for the most part the kids did perfect. All in all, I am pretty proud and realizing my kids are getting older and we can handle these Sundays with much more grace. This was all before we head up front for communion (I have never let my kids have communion with us until today but that is another LONG story. Let's just say Thanks Uncle Bob for helping these silly parents through some of our parenting struggles!) Anyways, as we get up to the front of the church, I see Ron start to grab Liz's hand because she is almost running back to our seat. Hum... However, as we stopped to take communion, Jonathan starts to make this wonderful gagging noise. Not too loud but loud enough for the people in front, the people behind us and those already back sitting in their seats to have a little giggle. When we got back to our pew Jonathan gives me an explanation. "You guys sure do have the strong stuff! That was horrible!!! The juice in our Kid's Church tastes much better." After we finish trying to keep quiet and stop laughing hysterically, Liz explains to Ronie that she didn't understand that we needed to stop because as she put it, "Downstairs we use the Grab and Go method!" Oh my! You gotta love my kids!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We want to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! We are so very thankful for each and everyone of you and all of the love and support you give us! Our lives are enriched and full because of all of you and we hope that you know how much we appreciate you!! We love you!!

Ron and Deb Plus 8?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

We were asked to watch my cousins on our day off before Thanksgiving. Of course Teila and Aly were at our house because without them, my children just simply cannot cope! (We love them though and think of them as part of our clan!) After talking to my "parent teachers" at school, I decided that I need try to do some more "crafty" things with my kids. Some of my parent teachers are amazing!! They can do all sorts of arts and craft projects and they can do even more in the kitchen. So, I figured why not! What a perfect day to spend with the kids in the kitchen making old fashioned sugar cookies that I loved growing up! Well....let's just say that I need to listen to the stories a little bit more before I take on such a project! After making a HUGE batch of dough, the kitchen was cleaned up and we were ready for the actual rolling and cookie cutting, Ron tastes the dough and spits it back out! Hum....apparently, the word sugar in sugar cookies is VERY important! With a range of children starting at almost 1 year to 14 years (or 34 if you want to count Ronie but that would be another story in itself!) keeping them all entertained while a select few used the counter and the cookie cutters was also quite a challenge! We had to take a few timeouts and watch Charlie Browns Thanksgiving (My poor niece Teila of course has never made sugar cookies and never seen this classic! I swear that child acts as if she has never been out of the house!) but this provided a much needed rest time for the little ones! With 9 children (Elizabeth was dying to have her friend over and we figured what could happen with one more! We love you Miranda!!!)Ron and I definitely felt outnumbered!!! However, we had a GREAT time and loved every minute of it!!!! I was proud of all we had accomplished in one day and we were able to spend some quality time with family and I believe that is what the holiday is really about!!!

ThE fIrSt SnOw FaLl!!

Yes sir ee Henry!!!! You read it correctly! It snowed for the first time this year! It didn't stick but it sure made us excited to get the Christmas stuff out! (Ron told us NO with a firm face, so we will just have to wait until next weekend after Thanksgiving!) The kids were so excited and the dog loved the company outside! While Ronie and I enjoyed a nail-biting Boise State game, the kids (along with Teila!) played outside! Here comes winter, ready or not!!!

HaPpY bIrThDaY tEiLa!!!

Our little Teila turned 14 on Friday! She is getting so grown up like! I still remember (Oh my! I am getting old! I am telling a "I still remember...story!) Bob and I rushing to see her the day she was born! I get to be her bus driver every morning and I completely enjoy every minute of it! She is beautiful, a lot of fun and is growing up to be a wonderful young lady! I am so thankful I get to be her aunt! So Happy Birthday Teila! We are proud of all you do and how much joy you bring my family! Thank you for being you and letting us be a part of your life! We love you so very much!!!!

Judo

It may well be said that the primary objective of Judo is the perfection of character. ~H. Seichiro Okazaki
This weekend we took Jonathan and Teila to the Idaho State Judo Tournament. I am not sure that I can correctly recap the days events but here is a list to give you an idea....
*Weigh-In Table Confusion
*BAD brackets
*Lack of Organization
*Chaos
The list can go on but aside from the pictures, I want to tell you about one event that both summed up the whole day!! We knew from Ronie watching at the score table that Jonathan placed 4th. Now we have been wrong in the past but this time we were pretty sure and Jonathan knew as well. However, when it came to the awards ceremony, they called the other little boy for 3rd but grabbed Jonathan and put him on the stand. The pictures were taken, things were done and then the other little boy comes up and wants his medal. He had every right-I am not arguing that point but these two boys were now caught in the confusion and chaos. They took Jonathan off the podium, pulled of the medal (Again, it wasn't his,he didn't earn it, we weren't going to keep it but in front of all of those people......!) and put it on the other little boy. Jonathan stood in confusion but walked up, bowed to the three winners, shook their hand and walked back to us. Ronie rushed him to the locker room to try and help the train wreck that we knew was going to happen! For goodness sakes, you should have seen me let alone a 9 year old little boy!!
Well, a Sensei walks up and asks if he can chat with Jonathan and told me how impressed he was by him and his sportsmanship. Of Course he could!!! Silly man! So Jonathan comes out and the Sensei tells him who he was, how he watched Jonathan and was so proud of how he handled the situation and how he had brought medals for his team to give for various reasons but he wanted Jonathan to have the one for sportsmanship! Oh my! The best speech I have ever heard! Thank you Sensei! You helped a little boy through a hard situation but also helped build some character in everyone that watched and listened to you! It made me want to sign up for Judo!! Anyone else game?!??!?! p style="visibility:visible;">

I'm An Esme!

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results! I am thoughtful and care deeply for my family. A loving home is of great importance to me and I always try to make people welcome. Although I have a great capacity to love, I have a great capacity to hurt, so at times I can be sensitive. I am firm when I need to be but people trust my judgment and appreciate the kind way I handle things. Hum..what do you think? Take the quiz and find out which Twilight character you are most like!

Head of the Class!!

We were invited at conferences to come to an assembly today to celebrate the top 5 students in Elizabeth's class! As I am sure you guessed, one of them was our little Lizzy! We were so excited to come and watch her get acknowledged for a great performance during the 1st quarter. However, Mrs. Curtis made us even prouder when we went to pick Liz up after the assembly. I guess there is a little girl in Elizabeth's class that has been very shy and hardly ever does her work. At conferences, I guess the parents shared with Mrs. Curtis how the little girl always goes home and talks about how sweet and smart Elizabeth is and how she even wants to be "smart like Lizzy". Then Mrs. Curtis went on to share how every since the conference, the little girl has been raising her hand, turning in her homework and trying very hard! Oh my! So Liz seems to be adjusting just fine! We are so very proud of her! I still get a little teary eyed when I think about it!!!! Way to go Elizabeth!!!

Jon Gets Promoted!

Our little man has been promoted to Hachikyu (Yellow/Orange belt)! We are so very proud of him! Congratulations Jonathan!

Look what happens to a little girl when........

she is tired from spending the night at Grandma's, has a cold, and everyone is watching the Boys in Blue play ball on TV? I had to share this picture! I got up from watching the game and find my sad little girl in the hallway! Poor little Elizabeth! At least the dog will listen to her!! (Check out her Dad's boots?!?!?!) She is so darn cute!!!

Happy is the man that finds wisdom!

The kids are back at it in church this year. Bible Quizzing this year is covering the book of Exodus. (I remember doing that book when I was in quizzing too!) Last Saturday, we had our first quiz meet of the season. I am always amazed at how well the kids do! There were so many plagues and signs plus some of the time Pharaoh hardened his own heart and others God actually did it, that I can still get confused. Oh my! However, the kids did great!!! Elizabeth, Aly and Raina took gold and our little Jonny (His head must have been on football!)received a silver! We are so very proud of all of them!

Boo Bash!!!

Of course, Halloween is not Halloween without a Grandma Terry party! The lady just lives for holidays! The kids all brought friends this year which meant we had a house full but it always a great time! Thanks Grandma Terry for the annual Boo Bash! We LOVE you to pieces and all that you do for us! Next year Grandma Phyllis, we are going to just steal you, so you can come and watch the fun!!!! We miss not having you there!

Candy and friends, who needs more?

This year for the first time, my kids got to experience trick or treating with friends in an actual neighborhood. Jonathan went one year with the girls and Grandma Phyllis but Aunt Tammy took him to the first house and it scared the pants off of poor little Bob the Builder and he has never wanted to go again! We were invited to go around Brandi's neighborhood and decided, why not?!?!?! Actually, it was a lot more fun than I thought it would be! We walked (great exercise!) and the kids had a great time! WAY too much candy but isn't that what the holiday is all about?!??!?! So Thank You Brandi and Miranda for the invitation! Thank you Tammy, Zack, Tammy, Teila, Kenzie and Josh for going with us on our very first Trick or Treating experience! We had a blast!!! Want to make plans for next year?

Trick or Doughnut?

Silly Grandma Terry decided that everyone needed to head to Krispy Kreme Doughnuts to begin an already sugar filled holiday! Instead of sleeping in and getting the rest we needed for the day, we were up at the crack of dawn to go and watch the doughnuts! I tell you that lady gets nuttier all the time! We love her though and had a great time. So, thanks Grandma for a silly suggestion that started our sugar high earlier than most kids were allowed too!!!