Our Top 12 for 2012

12. We took several trips this year, including cousin Megan’s wedding and Thanksgiving at cousin Kimberly’s and of course camping.

11. All four of us attended 4-H Camp Wahsega: Macey as a Cloverleaf camper, Ansley as a teen leader, and Haley & Logan as chaperons.

10. Along with Logan’s brother Reid, we threw a surprise 75th birthday party for their mother, BJ.

9. Logan has passed all the tests for his bus driver license and will finish up next month.

8. Haley started her 20th year teaching (How did that happen?!?) and is working on her gifted endorsement.

7. Ansley finished middle school with straight As and was selected for Honors English (where she made a 99 and will go on to 10th grade Honors English next year.)

6. Ansley started high school (9th grade) and enjoyed marching band (clarinet). She continues to take piano lessons too (and is becoming quite accomplished!).

5. Macey started middle school (6th grade) and was accepted into 3 accelerated classes.

4. Macey is in chorus and has started playing percussion in band. (She was the first to get to move up to snare drum from the marimba, and she got to play the chimes in the Christmas concert.)

3. Macey is continuing her dance education (ballet, jazz, and tap), and Haley is back to tapping too. ;)

2. Ansley got contacts.

1. We are blessed beyond measure!

Spring Is Here!

It has been almost forever since I've posted here, so I thought it was time to write an update. Because today was so incredibly gorgeous, I took a break from grading approximately 437 papers (end of the 3rd nine weeks and all) and took a few snapshots of the prettiness in our yard.

First, this is the view out my front window from the living room. Unfortunately my camera doesn't seem to capture the color as prettily as it is in person. (I will have to work on different times of the day to see if I can capture it more exactly.)

Our frilly solid yellow daffodils have all spent themselves out, but these lovelies (in two different locations) are still going strong.

Now for an update on all of us:

Logan is working hard clearing some land with his brothers-in-law (easier to type than my brother and our BIL) and getting the RV park ready for its spring reopening.

I am of course busy with school (see aforementioned grading papers) but am also working hard to take better care of myself. It is paying off too! I managed to walk/jog 3 miles on the treadmill this morning in under 48 minutes (a personal record). I am also really enjoying yoga class once a week. It is such a workout, but I feel amazing doing it. I'm still managing to find a bit of crafty time and have some projects completed with a few more in progress.

Ansley is so busy with 8th grade! She is participating in extra band practice once a week to get ready for a competition/Six Flags trip (plus the spring concert is coming up soon). She continues to progress nicely on the piano with a lesson each week. She's also involved in 4-H poultry judging with weekly practice until the competition in early April.

Macey is staying busy with two dance classes each week (fortunately on the same night) and is practicing daily for 4-H DPA (District Project Achievement) competition this coming Saturday. She placed first in her class for her presentation on Pompeii, and she is really hoping to place first at district too. After the competition is over, we have promised to take the girls to see the movie "The Hunger Games." Ansley has read all three books and absolutely cannot wait for the movie.

Hopefully you're enjoying your spring weather too. We are praying that this nice weather will remain, although many people say this year's weather pattern is the same as the year of The Blizzard (3/13/93). So far so good! Wherever you are and whatever you're doing, stay safe!

Happy Thanksgiving!

My turkeys and I would like to wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving! We have so much for which to be grateful: family, friends, faith, home, health... What more do you really need?

We devoured a delicious turkey dinner with Logan's mom (and brother, top left). Her housemate, JC, just got a new "baby," a chihuahua she's named Philippa.

Do you have big Black Friday plans tomorrow? Not I! I can't stand the crowds, and I didn't see very many items on our wish lists. Saturday will bring more turkey with my side of the family. What a wonderful long weekend! Hope you're enjoying yours!

Veterans Day

Please pause today and give thanks for our veterans! We owe them so much, especially our appreciation and gratitude. Thank you, veterans, for your service to our country!