Family Frenzy Friday

The kids have been out of school for an entire week and they are already bored...of course.  There initial task is to finish unpacking.  Tony and I have managed to unpack the entire house and yet our kids (responsible for only their rooms) are still sitting with boxes in the corner.  For the most part they are done, but there is still a box or two.

I started going to the chiropractor this week and had my first acupuncture last week.  I'm still hurting, but this is not going to be a quick fix.  The doc has me coming in 3 times a week for 4 weeks for massage and adjustments.  The massage is fantastic.  The adjustments are just weird.  They haven't hurt, but to hear your spin crack like it does it really crazy.  I have to remind myself to continually relax.

The kids both got haircuts yesterday.  I think they both look great (but of course I'm a little partial).

We have a big weekend planned, so I'll have lots to talk about next week.  Have a great one!

Family Frenzy Friday

I've not done a FFF post in a long time.  Not sure why...it certainly isn't for a lack of things going on.  So, here's a breakdown of what's going on in our house...

Ashton...
She is wrapping up 7th grade...only one more week.  Dance competitions are over and she only has the recitals left.  I'm proud of how she has grown this year and can't believe she'll be in the 8th grade.  7th Grade was a challenge...especially science...but boy did she kick butt in math.

She and I have had some pretty major squabbles lately...teenager girls and moms don't get along real well.  I'm hoping these are simply blips on the screen and not going to become the norm.  I'd hate to have to ship her off to boarding school.

Quinn...
This boy!  Wrapping up his sophomore year.  I'm in huge denial that he only has two more years of high school left.  There is something seriously wrong that.  He's achieved another 4.0 year and just took his first AP exam yesterday.  We're all anxious to find out what his score is.  He finds out next week if he will be part of the band leadership.  He's hoping to be section leader.

The National Student Leadership Conference is coming up in July.  I booked his flight this week and quickly burst into tears.  It is physically painful for me when I think about him going that far away from home on his own.  (There is still time to help support his trip too...http://www.gofundme.com/8bzsn4)

Tony...
My darling hubby is burning the candle at both ends.  I'm not sure he knows how to "take it easy".  He is presently working 3 jobs...and might possibly take on fourth.  He's at the fire station 10 days a month, works part-time at Dick's Sporting Goods and takes care of the lawn for his two "girlfriends" (sweet little ladies from church).  The fourth job he might take on is being a coach at Crossfit.  I'm exhausted just thinking about it.  And he does all of this for me.  So I won't have to go back to work full time.

We had our 19th wedding anniversary this week...and I count my blessings every time I think of just how lucky I am to have to him.


Me...
I love my part-time job.  Working from 9-1 is perfect.  I feel guilty that I'm not working full-time though.  (Especially since Tony is working an unbelievable amount.)  Tony says it's my turn and he would actually prefer I don't work at all, but after 15+ years of bring home the bacon, it's weird to not...ya know?  I seriously miss my days of just laying around in my pjs though...I did get spoiled to that pretty quickly.  

Somehow, being out of the house and not just laying around has caused me to gain a few pounds...ugh!  So, I'm tracking my calories on the MyFitnessPal app and I've started trying to exercise some.  I seriously think my POTS is getting better, but I'm still scared to push myself too hard.  I refuse to go through a fatigue crash where I'm stuck in bed, but I also refuse to let this syndrome control my life.

On top of trying to eat better and adding exercise back into my life, I've also starting drinking a Zeal Wellness drink each day.  Zeal is pretty fantastic if you ask me.  I've been on it for a month now and I can tell the difference.  I can tell that my body is doing better at fighting off sicknesses too...especially with the serious fluctuation in temperatures lately.  You can visit zealforlife.com for more about what is actually in the drink.

I promise to try to do better at keeping up with my FFF posts.  Especially with summer fun coming up!!!

Family Frenzy Friday

Can you believe it?  I've actually posted every day this week.  Holy smokes!

The other can you believe it moment, is that my baby boy has turned 16.  Is it really possible that I am the mother to a 16 year old?  I'm in my twenties still....right?

For his birthday, Tony and I surprised him with a '97 Jeep Wrangler for him.  It was a complete surprise and probably the hardest secret I have ever had to keep.  We both almost slipped and told him on several occasions.

The Jeep is a project Jeep (but aren't all Jeeps projects?).  Quinn (and Tony) has already started his list of "wants".  The boy either needs to get a job or start knocking on doors to mow some lawns in our neighborhood.

The party was a lot of fun.  His cake was a driver's license cake and it was crazy how neat it looked.

 

He took his driving test on Monday and passed it with a 94!  So disappointed that he didn't ace it ;-). 

It's been easier than I thought it would be to let him leave and go somewhere without us.  Ashton is chomping at the bits every evening and begging him to take her somewhere.  Now she can bug him instead me...hehehe.  This is the start of all of the grown-up things that will take place in Quinn's life for the next several years.

Family Frenzy Friday

Five Things on this Family Frenzy Friday

1.
Summer band camp culminated with a parent preview night.  This year we have approximately 210 kids...that is a lot of feet to try to synchronize, huh?  I know they work and I know they'll improve as the year goes.  I can't wait to see what the final performance looks like when they take it nationals in Indianapolis again this year.

2.
During August Quinn started driving school.  He's done his drives and the instructors said he is a really good driver.  I can't wait until he gets his permit in October...that way he can drive us everywhere.

3.
Ashton, her friend Maggie and I went to the Mustache Bash.  We had a lot of fun and enjoyed being silly together.

4.
School started for the kids on August 16.  Ashton is in junior high this year and Quinn is a sophomore.  It is so hard for me to believe that I have a 7th grader...let alone a 10th grader.

5.
We've had our first football game and I had forgotten how fun it is to be at the game and see my boy have so much fun playing in the stands and marching on the field.  I am one proud momma!!!

Family Frenzy Friday

Our 4th of July this year was pretty laid back.  We didn't have any major plans.  Tony was at the fire station both the 3rd and the 4th.  Since it was just me and the kids, we made plans to head out to my parents.  And I guess I wasn't just a glutton for punishment with two kids...nope, I let each kid bring a friend.

We stopped at the fireworks stand just outside the Shawnee city limits.  The girls bought pretty and sparkly fireworks, where as the boys bought the ones with the biggest BANG!

It was all fun and games until someone got hurt!  Ok...not really someone, but there was an injury...to the grass at my parent's neighbors lot.  Yep!  My kids started a grass fire.  Even better than that...the kids of a fire fighter started a grass fire.  And please go ahead and tell me I am a bad mom, because I was not outside when it happened.  Thank goodness the neighbors were and everyone acted quickly and got the fire put out before it got too large.

It was a really nice day.  I enjoyed spending relaxing time with my parents and seeing the kids enjoy themselves.

Family Frenzy Friday (Picture Overload Warning!)

Our trip to Wisconsin was a ton of fun!  But a lot of people keep asking me, "Why Wisconsin?"  The truth of the story...we looked at a map and said, "Hey, we've never gone North.".  So we looked at my parents time share and found a location in Wisconsin Dells which just happens to be "The Water park Capital of the World".  (Of course the majority of the water parks are inside, so they can have business year round.)

Our resort was absolutely beautiful.  In the wintertime, it is a ski resort, so it was neat to see the ski lift.  I wanted to ride it, but I guess they don't run it during the summer...boo! :(  All of the pictures below were taken at the resort.  Maybe one day we can go back in the winter and ski there.
 

On our first full day, we did The Lost Canyon tour.  The tour is given in a horse drawn carriage.  The scenery was beautiful and our guide had a pretty funny sense of humor.  I highly recommend this tour if you ever make it to The Dells.

 Our second day was spent at Noah's Ark Water Park.  We had initially intended to go on Thursday (the warmest day of our trip), but when we found out Tuesday was the last day the kids could get in free with an A on their report cards...we sucked it up and went then.  I say sucked it up, because the temperature when we got to the park was in the low 60's.  The water was crazy cold, but we still had a lot of fun.

On our third day we took a boat tour on the Wisconsin River.  The rock formations in The Dells are absolutely gorgeous.  We took The Upper Dells tour which was 2 1/2 hours and involved getting off the board and walking around in two of different areas...Witch's Gulch and Stand Rock. 

Our last day in The Dells was a bit of bummer for me.  Unfortunately, the night before, I was walking down the stairs in our room and fell.  It was not a graceful fall either.  My butt is totally bruised and I was sore for several days.  I was very thankful I didn't majorly hurt myself.  At first, I wasn't actually sure though. 

When we found I was losing my job, we told my parents we weren't going to be able to go on the vacation.  My parents sat and talked with us and we reached an agreement that would allow us to go.  I am so thankful that Mom and Dad talked us into going.  It was a much needed vacation and I enjoyed spending the time with my parents and my sister's family.  Our family vacations are so very special to us!

Family Frenzy Friday

Man, it's been a bit of time since I posted on F(cubed).

Quinn's Band Banquet was held in May.  I had no idea what to expect.  I was surprised to see a HUGE banquet room full of people...I think there were over 300 in attendance.  It was a lot of fun with awards presentations, skits and the end of year video.

Quinn earned a letter for band, now we just have to find a jacket for him.

The tornado hit the Monday of the last week of school, so school was cancelled.   Ashton's 6th grade awards assembly and graduation was cancelled too.  The schools were opened for a few hours on the day that was scheduled for the last day of school though.  It was a time for the kids to pick up their supplies and awards and say goodbye for the summer.

Ashton was awarded with two medals...one for citizenship and the other for getting over 100 AR points.  She also got a certificate for the As & Bs Principal Award and one for the Moore Elementary Honor Choir.

It was a bitter sweet moment to say goodbye, since she'll be in Junior High next year.  Not the best way to end her Elementary career.

More to come next week....