Movie night-loving these bowls

Uhm I would have peeled that for you, monkey

Weather, weather, and more weather

I have lived in Arkansas since the age of 3 and can't ever remember a year where we spent so much time under tornado warnings. Watches are as common as rain, but warnings tend to be just a few a season, not a week. Elijah started asking, "am I going to have to get in the closet tonight?" It has become almost routine. Fitting the 7 of us in our little 2x3 hall closet isn't fun. The 3 older kids sit on the floor with the two little ones on top of them. David and I wait til the last minute (watch out the back door and listen for the train...) and will then get in and close the door. We would only fit by standing over the kids on the floor. Has made me think moving isn't such a bad idea.


We were supposed to have 2 events this week. One in Searcy last night and the other here in Little Rock tomorrow. We found the perfect sitter situation. Our good friends have two daughters, one in 9th grade and the other in 7th (they also have a 5th grade daughter and a 4th grade son). Abigail was excited to have some friends over who could help her babysit :) So it was a win for all. We didn't go last night because of the possibility of more weather, though thankfully it all went around us, but never upon us. Tomorrow's was cancelled. We don't go out on dates. We rarely get sitters in order to go to stuff, but never "just because." Decided to tomorrow since we already have a sitter. Noah got so excited when he found out we were going on a date. Before bed he asked if I was going to have another baby. I said "do you think we are celebrating?" He said "yeah." I told him we are not having a baby. He was disappointed. But how sad the child thinks something big is happening just b/c we are going out!
Not only that... I posted about Noah on twitter and David's friends got to talking. We are going out in style. A car will pick us up and take us to the Capitol Hotel for dinner. Should be fun. I'll post pictures :)
What to wear what to wear...

Easter

Our Easter morning began early, though not because of anxious kids looking for baskets. Had to be at church at 8:15 to go over this song

except we did it with 12 people :) and I think Bro. Jerry did a much better job on the solo. I've never done a whole lot for Easter. We are always getting ready for church and that is enough to deal with in the morning and I don't want to add to the stress when I want to be focused on what the day is about, not stressing over all the things that take away from the real meaning of the day. I'm not a fan of the traditional aspects of easter... not easter baskets before church or massive lunches after. It makes for a crazy day and I don't think that is how it should be.

This is my favorite resurrection song, though it could be sung any time:

After church we went to Ron and Kathy's for lunch. She did a crazy big lunch and ended up missing the easter egg hunt b/c she was cleaning itall up. We all went outside after eating- I thought she was going to wait a minute before cleaning up, but she went back in saying she was just going to put the deviled eggs in the fridge and ended up not coming back out. I'll hopefully get the videos up on youtube soon.

At home I made up some clues for them to follow all over the house to find their treats. They figured them out faster than I thought. The 2nd to last one said "Isaac was here" and lead them to the bonus room from our room. I thought they'd be up there for a while giving me plenty of time to put their treats on the futon downstairs. The last clue was "Gramma's bed." "Isaac was here" is painted right inside the hole leading to the attic. I thought they'd have to think for a minute... but Abigail got it right away. She was jealous that she didn't get to paint "Abigail was here" so I guess it stuck with her more than it did Isaac!

We had dyed eggs on Saturday. Didn't hide the real ones. I don't love dying eggs, but it is one of those things you have to do. My kids fingers will be different colors for the rest of the week.

I smoked a pork butt (which isn't really a butt, I have no idea why they are called that) for over 10 hours Saturday. I love smoking meat... but you have to be home all day in order to add charcoal every hour. Wasn't planning on eating it that night... took it off the grill right before going to bed. May try it tonight. It is another first for me... so we'll see how it tastes.

I'm so ready for things to calm down. I'm always on the move, and I'm tired. I always get like this this time of year. I'm always ready for the new school year in August, but come April/May... I'm worn out. As I suppose all teachers are. My day starts way too early (today was 6:20) and then I work all day (Levi is being unusually happy watching TV in his high chair allowing me to blog) and do not stop til about 10. Then I have one hour to relax a bit before going to bed. Levi doesn't sleep through the night, so the 7 or so hours of sleep don't do what they would if they were 7 solid hours.

And now I want to delete what I just wrote b/c I don't like to complain. I am so blessed. I have nothing to complain about... and really, I'm not complaining... it is what it is and I do the best I can. But, that is why I have eliminated all I can from my life but what I have to do. I don't need extra stressers or more work. I am not superwoman and don't try to be. I have enough to do just maintaining :) THAT I can do!

So I shall leave my complaint :)

Becca Sanders
forgive spell check- typed with swype

My awesome choir kids.

I've been posting pictures intending to return with a story to go with them... but the stories haven't happened until today. Levi woke up at 6:30. Cleaning lady came yesterday. What else am I going to do?

We went to state last Friday. They made a superior rating. So proud of them. I also posted a picture of my seniors. I have such good kids. We went to Waffle House afterwards and sang our a cappella version of "Don't Stop Believin." I recorded the end- battery was almost dead. I was singing along at first so you hear me duh duh duttin above everyone... but only for a few seconds :) (Find the 3 students who were in no mood to do anything silly.... ha)

Spring Concert May 16 at LRFBC at 6:30!

I thought Levi shoved a piece of sponge up his nose. He'd torn one up... and he is ALWAY putting things in his nose and ears. He was over his ear infection (3 kids had ear infections in a week's time) but started getting all swollen face and drippy. Knew something was up there. Tried to suction it out, didn't work. When he was in the tub last night I kept massaging down on his nose. It'd make him sneeze. Kept trying to hold the other nostril down when he sneezed, but I couldn't get to it fast enough. But it still worked. Saw something sticking out... and it was a not too small piece of apple!!

Also got Mia spayed. Found a place near here that charges $100. Much better than the first place I called that said $350! Glad I dont' have to worry about more kittens. Sweet as they are.

No news on the moving front. Maps won't be finalized til JULY, which will give us 3 months to move... if we have to. Not a great time to be selling a house. But, if there is anyone looking for a larger home in a more affordable neighborhood than chenal... then maybe ours will sell just fine. There aren't many around here the size of ours. Which could also make it more difficult to sell... we shall see.

Elijah complained of pain around 9pm Wednesday night. Before that he was fine. He wasn't even congested anymore. Doc said one side was totally clogged. Other side was infected.

He said "there, I all ready"

This was taken about 5 hours before he was crying over his ear. It was raining, so he had to have a coat and hat (according to him, I wasn't making him... it wasn't cold, the boy thinks he'll melt or something). he went to church, happy as can be... but 9pm and OH MY he was in so much pain.

I posted this picture and forgot to say what this was... I was getting ready for the tornados. David didn't think we could all fit in the closet. I pulled all this out and said "I believe we can." If all that junk could fit, the 7 of us could too. The kids could all fit sitting on the floor, and David and I could stand over them and shut the door if we had to. We were watching the coverage on TV and waiting to get in. Nothing came. It must have been real high in the sky b/c it apparently went over us but we heard nothing.

Another one came a couple hours later. I was sitting on the stairs waiting to wake up the kids til I HAD to. Weatherman said it was diminishing, so I didn't want to get them up if I didn't have to. I was 3 minutes from waking them when he said it was no longer a threat. Hurray for better weather coverage. Glad we no longer have to depend on sirens that go off if there is a warning anywhere near the county... often too late.

it really is taller than the house

This is across the street from where the boys take piano. This picture doesn't do it justice. Quite a sight. It's a tulip tree... apparently they have shallow roots. We have one in the backyard, but it is tiny. And further away from the house than this one. But they get huge. It'll be 50 years before our tree is anything like this one. Odd how little the ground was torn up. REALLY shallow roots.

My seniors

' tear

"When I grow up, I want to be a dinosaur."

That and "Ironman" is all I can get out of Elijah. He's supposed to dress like what he wants to be for Grandparent's Day. He says "dinosaur" most of the time. I explained jobs to him, told him what various people do... then asked him again what he wants to do when he grows up. He said "nussing, I don't want to do anysing." I said "you just want to sit and lay around?" (was thinking he could go as a couch potato...) but he said, "No, I don't want to be a person. I want to be a dinosaur." I don't think that is what they have in mind. Last week was, of course, crazy. Last regular week of the session. Craziest day was Thursday when I got a call from David saying he needed me to meet him at the capitol b/c he doesn't have time to come home. "For what??" He said "you're kidding, right?" I had no idea what he was talking about. We had 2 parties to go to, but he neglected to tell me. I had 5 min to get ready. Hung up the phone without knowing what I was supposed to wear. Figured a black dress/boots could be dressed up or down, so that's what I wore... and left. Thankfully my mom was in town. The weekend was filled with thoughts of moving. With the census, comes redistricting. We may have to move in order for David to run as an incombent (he may get drawn out). I like the thought of moving... and I hate the thought of moving. There are plenty of houses I like... but when I'm home, I'm totally stressed out. With every turn of my head I see stuff that needs to be done. I can't put it out of my mind... I feel a tightening around my chest constantly. Not a very "home sweet home" feeling. The not knowing is awful. If I knew we had to move, then ok... let's do it. But sitting around waiting for maps to be released not knowing exactly where the district will be... stinks. Prom is this weekend... another teacher and I head that up. Busy at school finalizing all that. State is next Friday so I need to be perfecting "Praising Song" but I get stuck doing stuff for prom. BLEH This is one of those "this too shall pass" times. And it shall, and we shall all be fine... and I shall be unstressed. Soon? Elijah has never seen Ironman. He has the Burger King toy.