tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63407515922500316082024-02-20T12:05:25.841-08:00The Many Adventures of C & KA place to share tidbits of our blessed life!ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.comBlogger155125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-62804607797873780892013-11-10T18:16:00.001-08:002013-11-10T18:16:15.029-08:00Fall, Halloween and Red Ribbon WeekFall here in Texas is just not the same as my home state of Michigan. This is the time of year I truly miss Michigan (the state, not the people---I miss them all the time). Fall in Michigan includes beautiful colored foliage, cider mills and pumpkin patches. Here in Texas, it's often still really hot in October (it was this year) and the leaves just don't change the same way---it's rather a one tree here, one tree there occurrence, and sometimes they just drop without the color change! We did try out a local pumpkin patch after some friends said it was "awesome". When we drove up to find a flat field with pumpkins strewn about, I wasn't impressed. Add to the fact that it was 99 degrees and we had a bummer of a "fall" experience. But we did get pumpkins!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We ran into one of Kendra's besties in the corn maze. The sheen of sweat on them indicates the heat, right???</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had big plans for these two pumpkins. Sadly, time got away from us and they were unadorned for Halloween. :-( The skinny one was going to be painted and be a candy corn. The round one was going to have holes drilled into it for a polka-dot effect with a candle.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Halloween:</div>
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This year, Kendra decided to trick or treat for canned goods instead of candy. Actually, she did more than that. She chose to do this as a value project for her Personal Progress for Young Women in church, and she proposed to her principal that it become a school-wide project. She met with the principal, who loved the idea, and then it became the first project for the new Leadership Club. They did posters, went on the announcements, made flyers, and hyped-up the "cans instead of candy" campaign. She collected 62 food items, and the school had more than 500 items collected for a local food bank. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dog throws her off--she looks like Dorothy, but she's actually Wendy Darling from Peter Pan</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People in the neighborhood were really kind and supportive to Kendra as she collected cans!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first costume of the season--I was a "Party Animal" at our church party</td></tr>
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RED RIBBON WEEK:<br />
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Red Ribbon Week always falls on Halloween week-=which makes for a ton of dressing up. This time was especially exhausting, but also fun!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2d6lsqYjP_Mw380UTKVxZ6aw9qBXqGgE9YWHsW53TCFEhDU5K8AktSTA25M4hkN9fG5uWugcnx-gKauSNoKe__JD2R4Pb6w5ewQTrbuBCNIySWX6sFSrzKgwzTXwOut1jh9ZGo3nIA_HJ/s1600/IMG_1006%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2d6lsqYjP_Mw380UTKVxZ6aw9qBXqGgE9YWHsW53TCFEhDU5K8AktSTA25M4hkN9fG5uWugcnx-gKauSNoKe__JD2R4Pb6w5ewQTrbuBCNIySWX6sFSrzKgwzTXwOut1jh9ZGo3nIA_HJ/s400/IMG_1006%255B1%255D.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On Jersey Day, this cutie surprised me by wearing my team!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxlGvJitvW1mlpp23_QZm4EHnba4fF7vFLQi4X45V7hd5VzQK7t6cEpM8m9FEKdD3fzX4fdgS6P-M4NhOQmlo4nYCpfGo1nhwGa11K9qbohQ6GRKQagH8NBOJ5dbU8XWs5HcZWRniEpLg/s1600/IMG_1051%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxlGvJitvW1mlpp23_QZm4EHnba4fF7vFLQi4X45V7hd5VzQK7t6cEpM8m9FEKdD3fzX4fdgS6P-M4NhOQmlo4nYCpfGo1nhwGa11K9qbohQ6GRKQagH8NBOJ5dbU8XWs5HcZWRniEpLg/s400/IMG_1051%255B1%255D.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nerd day was fun!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhNW40MeLsWUPmkT9FBQRaT0Rl3y1BONBDrVszgvD6wBxAM94go8iygpukd_S2QQ4bWTskMaLQAuOm8dIjxuuAsyqcas1guik3XeZnpCE-3hMB_pu5VwngSzYMs8siuq7ody7Hqu5C1su/s1600/IMG_1036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhNW40MeLsWUPmkT9FBQRaT0Rl3y1BONBDrVszgvD6wBxAM94go8iygpukd_S2QQ4bWTskMaLQAuOm8dIjxuuAsyqcas1guik3XeZnpCE-3hMB_pu5VwngSzYMs8siuq7ody7Hqu5C1su/s400/IMG_1036.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had a Science Hat Vocabulary Parade and my team decided to be Mad Scientists. Yep, that's my real hair, all hair-sprayed up and crazy!</td></tr>
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Halloween Parties:<br />
This was an odd thing for me---this year Kendra was invited to a Halloween party and I had one, too, on the same night. It was weird for us to be at our own different parties!! Just the beginning, I know...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpT3-dBo7XDbL1snyUn9VvkCMsv29nF5bCcGQUPxcUd04SlxBdAvuiPKOH67tuSBkmkFFoeoW8-MSZb5c3VNOhYbsDoU9ybUKCzYHPoyensHXDald39ayRaWD-4F71TeybXWkU2m9LRm1_/s1600/faith%2527s+party+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpT3-dBo7XDbL1snyUn9VvkCMsv29nF5bCcGQUPxcUd04SlxBdAvuiPKOH67tuSBkmkFFoeoW8-MSZb5c3VNOhYbsDoU9ybUKCzYHPoyensHXDald39ayRaWD-4F71TeybXWkU2m9LRm1_/s400/faith%2527s+party+2.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kendra with two friends at her party--Cookie Monster was the hostess. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8c5VjoSL4NGyXOny9qPqCTTooTgrQ9DLoIHHV6acCmT2dWRFOmLlwyV9wLesbukRkBhfSvmPhlIw8FtG74swIODn5jw_hw9lURuXkxUtKAghsEGUjjqkPEOFBCNoUSrdmM21Y9HGgG-Fx/s1600/Faith%2527s+party.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8c5VjoSL4NGyXOny9qPqCTTooTgrQ9DLoIHHV6acCmT2dWRFOmLlwyV9wLesbukRkBhfSvmPhlIw8FtG74swIODn5jw_hw9lURuXkxUtKAghsEGUjjqkPEOFBCNoUSrdmM21Y9HGgG-Fx/s400/Faith%2527s+party.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The whole group! It was a super fun party, according to Kendra! The mom did a Fear Factor game with them, they got to spray paint on their fence (on butcher paper), there was a trampoline, great food, great decorations, and GREAT kids.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My party--hosted by the Ballards. They turned their home into Hogwarts. This is just one stunning example of the extremes to which they went--it was AWESOME. No stone was left unturned...the details were amazing. I wish I had brought my good camera (again!). </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8TWIo6yqBIwc3lG2chZTX3UA27LC74bkCdu11VQwdkfMAF3PfYrhBEFTjd8JvawKbpzYf7KWdqQu41y3TplYDcYvp9goeL1JNSWIkY87S-DBLlcL68iroNK15XfkNX1xy1vplGPx2mCw/s1600/IMG_1061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8TWIo6yqBIwc3lG2chZTX3UA27LC74bkCdu11VQwdkfMAF3PfYrhBEFTjd8JvawKbpzYf7KWdqQu41y3TplYDcYvp9goeL1JNSWIkY87S-DBLlcL68iroNK15XfkNX1xy1vplGPx2mCw/s400/IMG_1061.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On my way to my party---from the feedback I received, I make a pretty awesome Maleficent. I wonder if my students agree with the "wicked queen" label... ;-)</td></tr>
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<br />ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-6132888866250241312013-11-10T17:51:00.000-08:002013-11-10T17:51:14.731-08:00Fall Choir concertLast year Kendra got to audition for the top choir at her school--the varsity choir. She made it, and she really loves it! She had her first concert on October 17th. As usual, I was duly impressed with what her director can accomplish in a short 7 weeks!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1rsKhRVI1v3Kcer6k4ZfyjNx6qg-j2Uu_rkTCblxYe0sBLdJlHew-jypS4twEjiW2PRXiLRSPUaVTp2l5h4NI_XEvgNl0g1o5hw8gAbfdoPArvSX5ie3CfcFeG6i8x8zZxIW7n-Du194/s1600/IMG_0927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1rsKhRVI1v3Kcer6k4ZfyjNx6qg-j2Uu_rkTCblxYe0sBLdJlHew-jypS4twEjiW2PRXiLRSPUaVTp2l5h4NI_XEvgNl0g1o5hw8gAbfdoPArvSX5ie3CfcFeG6i8x8zZxIW7n-Du194/s400/IMG_0927.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think she looks lovely, but she really hates the choir dresses!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGT4e-oTVHjszOoDxA2ICEHKSwytVT2SFF6ze3j6zNUBsvdXBjWUtZcetJC7SiTrPetlzPLEwpQAJdAujAqB2NRQe_7WubZWRIj1ueMrkMFlRIt0s7fC6wQQE0_V7IjWukOHOlj0_rBfmb/s1600/IMG_0928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGT4e-oTVHjszOoDxA2ICEHKSwytVT2SFF6ze3j6zNUBsvdXBjWUtZcetJC7SiTrPetlzPLEwpQAJdAujAqB2NRQe_7WubZWRIj1ueMrkMFlRIt0s7fC6wQQE0_V7IjWukOHOlj0_rBfmb/s400/IMG_0928.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I forgot my good camera! Ugh...iPhone pics in bad lighting. :-(</td></tr>
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On a side note, Kendra had the opportunity to audition for all-region choir. This choir is comprised of 7th and 8th graders from 4 districts locally. They had a Saturday rehearsal, then had sectionals before and after school for several weeks in preparation. The audition took most of a Saturday morning (mostly because I volunteered to be the parent-in-attendance and ride the bus to help out the director). The kids were told they would receive a phone call from their director by 6:00 p.m. if they made it. Kendra has three close girlfriends in choir and they were anxiously texting each other as the time grew closer. Kendra was thrilled to receive a call, and she made it! She placed 9th chair out of around 60 girls who auditioned in her room, and was selected to participate in the "top mixed choir" which is the best-of-the-best. It was bittersweet, though, as only one of the three close buddies also made it. She's definitely entered the time in her life where this kind of thing is going to happen a lot, especially since she's in music and theater. The awesome thing is that her friends are so awesome and supportive of each other. The all-region choir has an all-day rehearsal coming up next weekend and it will culminate in a concert for parents. I'm looking forward to it, and I'll bring the good camera!!! <br />
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<br />ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-66938069922913730452013-11-10T17:34:00.000-08:002013-11-10T17:34:26.534-08:00State Fair and Lion KingOur wonderful friends, the Ballards, gifted Kendra with two tickets to see the Broadway musical The Lion King at Dallas Music Hall (for her birthday). The show was being performed at the same time as the State Fair of Texas, and because the Music Hall is on the edge of the fairgrounds, our tickets allowed free admission to the fair on the day of our performance. Luckily, our tickets were for a student holiday from school (and I took the professional development day off). (For the record, this was October 11, 2013)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Years ago, when we came to the fair the first time, this was Kendra's favorite attraction. It's a mini-farm which is all interactive. This little apron was huge on her then!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She's rather proud of this pic---she loves that she is WAY too big for the tractor this year!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my friend, Mr. Camel</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our treats of choice: Dippin' Dots for her, Funnel Cake for me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We did a super quick change-o in the car and voila! Ready for Lion King. It was spectacular!!!</td></tr>
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<br />ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-82804291245217908942013-11-10T17:21:00.003-08:002013-11-10T18:16:39.090-08:00First day of school...yeah, 11 weeks later...Goodness, this is lame. I'm blogging about the first day of school, which was August 27th, on November 10th. Yikes. Well, at least it'll be here for posterity! :-) This year: Kendra--7th grade, Colleen--4th grade (I must be doing something wrong...it's my 7th time!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The RIDICULOUS amount of supplies required for 7th grade. Not at all sure what they'll do with 300 boxes of markers (2 per kid required--seriously??)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All packed up---she had to schlepp all this in!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awwww....reminds me of when she was a wee baby.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucy doesn't get to go, but she'd like to!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7th grade, baby! Have to take pics inside--it's pitch dark when we leave in the mornings!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4th grade, again!</td></tr>
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<br />ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-65774055032765401422013-08-09T08:54:00.001-07:002013-08-09T08:54:26.658-07:00Birthday Party #2--Friends and Scavenger Hunt!Kendra invited three friends over for a pool/scavenger hunt/sleepover party to celebrate her birthday. I've said it before, but Kendra has a real gift for discernment when it comes to people. She picks some GREAT friends. They were loud, they were crazy, but they are such good girls---it was a lot of fun for ME to hang out with them, too! :-)<br />
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The girls arrived around 1:00 and the first item on the agenda was some pool time! <br />
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We were having one of our famous 1,000,000 degree days, so after about an hour we decided that we would move on to the next thing on the party agenda and return to the pool after the sun stopped baking us to a crisp within moments of exposure!<br />
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So, the girls showered up and we piled into my car and headed toward the mall! I had planned a scavenger hunt for the girls. The clues would lead them to certain stores or mall locations and they had to do something and pose for pictures. Instead of making gift bags for the girls with useless junk they would just throw away when they got home I gave them each $10 to spend in the mall on anything they wanted. They LOVED that! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtM4CJUqKUhRiFH4oShszHal3io6Bn03VhIz2qEfr_HM8APOA1VEpyPBTcgZpN5G6q9u6bY3dTmKsrtfedNWbDv6QaN5kU7he_oU9q_B2hnOkAqHG06OTFUFzaYWmS3EiYs4fJyfqEcM1/s1600/IMG_6989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtM4CJUqKUhRiFH4oShszHal3io6Bn03VhIz2qEfr_HM8APOA1VEpyPBTcgZpN5G6q9u6bY3dTmKsrtfedNWbDv6QaN5kU7he_oU9q_B2hnOkAqHG06OTFUFzaYWmS3EiYs4fJyfqEcM1/s400/IMG_6989.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The clue cards...I tried to use the names of the stores somehow in the clue.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqo49dvg9SLpfmLlFY4gZHk0JqPpHcYeHKNvEnJMNfT6rgwsmbpjf4LpuPmCc3XiSR5iItjKz3-KbSEcCgQR_wihxhmJmk0m_6mEZUmUjWRmUOEBgE3WQYwHrNxg-DO5IxpvS9tCyyqHV4/s1600/IMG_6992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqo49dvg9SLpfmLlFY4gZHk0JqPpHcYeHKNvEnJMNfT6rgwsmbpjf4LpuPmCc3XiSR5iItjKz3-KbSEcCgQR_wihxhmJmk0m_6mEZUmUjWRmUOEBgE3WQYwHrNxg-DO5IxpvS9tCyyqHV4/s400/IMG_6992.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And...they're off!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnHWUPV46qfn6TNoWbT6vK9vX4QB-G_89SaBzgcsakRCi11Pa_Ux5XaUsKssiUuCLwDscs1MJqNbj9BNtXAfmO9MmCOmYd11F4yWN8FtQl05iVAhaJDRel2U4hL0kG2buqBdG8JFld_kP/s1600/IMG_6993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnHWUPV46qfn6TNoWbT6vK9vX4QB-G_89SaBzgcsakRCi11Pa_Ux5XaUsKssiUuCLwDscs1MJqNbj9BNtXAfmO9MmCOmYd11F4yWN8FtQl05iVAhaJDRel2U4hL0kG2buqBdG8JFld_kP/s400/IMG_6993.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This clue said to choose a cap for your favorite team and represent! (For the record, Kendra wanted a Detroit Tigers cap, but they didn't have one!)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMY8wDeZuWRTIGx0Pm4o5ohnNLRKSgDYb7N8ffgGGG3vHZszGbQEWyKbCw4eTr1i_TtJCUHmOznTkKagSRDNHKFmC1i-w9_QKwBvzPp0tKZqpFQm7qA6KnQfhyQlbtAk4HXEN1ZAZGqlXc/s1600/IMG_6994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMY8wDeZuWRTIGx0Pm4o5ohnNLRKSgDYb7N8ffgGGG3vHZszGbQEWyKbCw4eTr1i_TtJCUHmOznTkKagSRDNHKFmC1i-w9_QKwBvzPp0tKZqpFQm7qA6KnQfhyQlbtAk4HXEN1ZAZGqlXc/s400/IMG_6994.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This clue said to relax their tired tootsies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9OM0idG_D_1oW8rmzRq-9ue_L3hEDC9vnnz77sRLo0JhwOmz44JILOizrHQ0zjF04oShxzEFjfNI6jCv7TEBI3Doz2haPaQB0_IhlWWr-4ZlWquQB2xCXXRPJMT3T0WC5D2w138ywTBZ/s1600/IMG_6995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9OM0idG_D_1oW8rmzRq-9ue_L3hEDC9vnnz77sRLo0JhwOmz44JILOizrHQ0zjF04oShxzEFjfNI6jCv7TEBI3Doz2haPaQB0_IhlWWr-4ZlWquQB2xCXXRPJMT3T0WC5D2w138ywTBZ/s400/IMG_6995.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was in Aero where they were supposed to pick something they'd like to have for Back to School. They all went for a scarf instead!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgzcgsGRJe7vFMk5l63Fs0m-ojuG_3gxLTE_WJRHy9pvUqgZc0FX9wLyR-i1qfDBmbpJHDdG2XipFwdIsdBvw_Gg0RD5wysXUBMqQ5Y8wUgl3VpXpvRfvaqwGzZVf_HxmaSyp3Mhk-tGR/s1600/IMG_6997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgzcgsGRJe7vFMk5l63Fs0m-ojuG_3gxLTE_WJRHy9pvUqgZc0FX9wLyR-i1qfDBmbpJHDdG2XipFwdIsdBvw_Gg0RD5wysXUBMqQ5Y8wUgl3VpXpvRfvaqwGzZVf_HxmaSyp3Mhk-tGR/s400/IMG_6997.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This clue said to find the sign for the year of Kendra's mom's birth, showing the GAP in our ages. :-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMRP_5UtFYP-s-Tzl8W22VD3wvFjNdQQ2cmC9HXerv4nSir6mvRNljgvKSfC8CrI_atUhBfzuYcSLAhkrEO85UxhfMVIoWlkoyV-Aqza_IVfA0ai807tG6-huOOK7jiEhhc5cZXzZzUOM/s1600/IMG_6998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMRP_5UtFYP-s-Tzl8W22VD3wvFjNdQQ2cmC9HXerv4nSir6mvRNljgvKSfC8CrI_atUhBfzuYcSLAhkrEO85UxhfMVIoWlkoyV-Aqza_IVfA0ai807tG6-huOOK7jiEhhc5cZXzZzUOM/s400/IMG_6998.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The clue told them to try on some lip gloss at Bath & Body and pucker up!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-992IEa7lQM7no9Nn0aNF-R-KJi3dnrpyrOsinI5UVpyEHuPVQi1HAwuaYdfkSvIVGbJhIL_zi6zH5Snk5jbp005bZTm5mGQg_cQFNs7BpQxBTm1ZBnmiL5xdm-QjsjiNdrHlS1b-7sN/s1600/IMG_6999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-992IEa7lQM7no9Nn0aNF-R-KJi3dnrpyrOsinI5UVpyEHuPVQi1HAwuaYdfkSvIVGbJhIL_zi6zH5Snk5jbp005bZTm5mGQg_cQFNs7BpQxBTm1ZBnmiL5xdm-QjsjiNdrHlS1b-7sN/s400/IMG_6999.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They all had to pick shades with Kendra's favorite color: Sparkles!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYAktEsmyKBjUegjz6ZTBM-JMcYMGvpnEFyZcAyiMqVComx2bhsu9kVadNBUof857w3uN5_cksmQ7aBpeu7pPCZK0uxFNCMlt5qLSnauouOs7IzobDj4kUgnWlCuDWa-oLXxT39lkddYIQ/s1600/IMG_7002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYAktEsmyKBjUegjz6ZTBM-JMcYMGvpnEFyZcAyiMqVComx2bhsu9kVadNBUof857w3uN5_cksmQ7aBpeu7pPCZK0uxFNCMlt5qLSnauouOs7IzobDj4kUgnWlCuDWa-oLXxT39lkddYIQ/s400/IMG_7002.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying on crazy shoes (they all were DYING to get them off because they HURT!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tM_M52p0lHfjcl231tupdj2PxgfufZqpl0gSRaCSq7hRFio49i3gEaMVUvxCar7PUYQLbiJY-NmqOF3I6y_Tw-xwgwVdZwdnPaFojE6mNS69AZ7OtOmKIJvxzL484leEO0riQnqB0yts/s1600/IMG_7003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tM_M52p0lHfjcl231tupdj2PxgfufZqpl0gSRaCSq7hRFio49i3gEaMVUvxCar7PUYQLbiJY-NmqOF3I6y_Tw-xwgwVdZwdnPaFojE6mNS69AZ7OtOmKIJvxzL484leEO0riQnqB0yts/s400/IMG_7003.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last clue said "Time's up...choose a fun watch and take a pic"</td></tr>
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There is a pretty cool photo booth thing in our mall that Kendra has been dying to try for a long time. I told her to wait until her birthday party because it was kind-of pricey. But it turns out it was a pretty good deal---for $6 the girls got to take 5 pictures with 5 backgrounds of their choice which were then printed on a sticker sheet, but the best part of the deal is they were then emailed to us! We entered in all of our email addresses, so each of the girls got a full set of pictures that they can print or use however they want! They loved it!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZe7g5mKrjgKs1Ogffts5Fn7hnnzdsHamrQalpa4ImttH-s35QtjaW1Ea6I_k12vHda7lpimaNewDA7v8oLh-w0uhkm3KCS0Gm7_U_rCvE1wsLtHa1ZsqKqPD3QKvFnYwDJAzQrmOKczO/s1600/IMG_6996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZe7g5mKrjgKs1Ogffts5Fn7hnnzdsHamrQalpa4ImttH-s35QtjaW1Ea6I_k12vHda7lpimaNewDA7v8oLh-w0uhkm3KCS0Gm7_U_rCvE1wsLtHa1ZsqKqPD3QKvFnYwDJAzQrmOKczO/s400/IMG_6996.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C almost dropped Kendra on her head! </td></tr>
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Here are the five pictures sent via email. SO CUTE! (the funniest part was that since the booth used a green screen and J wore a green shirt it looked like she did a costume change for each picture! ha!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HZwwbB6h-2g0ZyqRId79382yd1HMtnXiaXX5MRbp8ZCOIRa1EdmhvGc1dQCiG9qQWrBo3JM4l8TTEMSrPUdumxU5E1zKHTx-CYePFqnvBVXOf1jIgR8gCAf8Nf8HCd_bWjbnotA8xlO5/s1600/final_photo_335832745_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HZwwbB6h-2g0ZyqRId79382yd1HMtnXiaXX5MRbp8ZCOIRa1EdmhvGc1dQCiG9qQWrBo3JM4l8TTEMSrPUdumxU5E1zKHTx-CYePFqnvBVXOf1jIgR8gCAf8Nf8HCd_bWjbnotA8xlO5/s400/final_photo_335832745_0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0Y_v8UGrFyVxB9qn_YRLyi5IGO7bMs2eyGS2_0YLgs8s5UF4Y1d2tHeCYaxHZO2kR93y9AVgQ8YitCvgZhS0y2oyF5XJv7EuFOdLl0hclEB79t4Uu9ZDcclgUfHh8ByLziHb9TK5bayP/s1600/final_photo_335832745_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0Y_v8UGrFyVxB9qn_YRLyi5IGO7bMs2eyGS2_0YLgs8s5UF4Y1d2tHeCYaxHZO2kR93y9AVgQ8YitCvgZhS0y2oyF5XJv7EuFOdLl0hclEB79t4Uu9ZDcclgUfHh8ByLziHb9TK5bayP/s400/final_photo_335832745_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2SHlSWHvqSnVbGrZiuGgfo2KJrjZSJUk3BPe5R9di-GkzPGATaBOTDKUeXOazVQaY_2yH3gktrnd4tLMSMxojM9_yVlyes_wLD5zC5tvycwzLEmLvNseBwXoSNxMYOGiBvHc1OUGpCrHg/s1600/final_photo_335832745_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2SHlSWHvqSnVbGrZiuGgfo2KJrjZSJUk3BPe5R9di-GkzPGATaBOTDKUeXOazVQaY_2yH3gktrnd4tLMSMxojM9_yVlyes_wLD5zC5tvycwzLEmLvNseBwXoSNxMYOGiBvHc1OUGpCrHg/s400/final_photo_335832745_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittl3NEevTeecLPOBXhCLopvYVktyjorKd8s-BApq2EGVw1-SxFqUJ_YWw52dsjg62kRv26asm7dV0-_orGUtXcLHdcGYUR8eXh3PydSjuza_bBftXPrVvUN9gJcGbfu-Rqb9VGBLFjCos/s1600/final_photo_335832745_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittl3NEevTeecLPOBXhCLopvYVktyjorKd8s-BApq2EGVw1-SxFqUJ_YWw52dsjg62kRv26asm7dV0-_orGUtXcLHdcGYUR8eXh3PydSjuza_bBftXPrVvUN9gJcGbfu-Rqb9VGBLFjCos/s400/final_photo_335832745_3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOXA-VSIoIhKjhT5Zzb2I807NwNcxj4nPj3DYZ6O3DRTOWZOkfPo2VsDnchPufN0f9JMuikE1GX0rmIHilEGzNu970hEzVWbXct-kKh0GrauX_fyKISpQzjNkMKIigp_NtAKkxV3Y9wgPq/s1600/final_photo_335832745_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOXA-VSIoIhKjhT5Zzb2I807NwNcxj4nPj3DYZ6O3DRTOWZOkfPo2VsDnchPufN0f9JMuikE1GX0rmIHilEGzNu970hEzVWbXct-kKh0GrauX_fyKISpQzjNkMKIigp_NtAKkxV3Y9wgPq/s400/final_photo_335832745_4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
After the scavenger hunt we went to a few stores for the girls to spend their $10 cash-ola. Two of them bought things and two chose to save the money. Then we headed back to our house for yummy pizza!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAb1yLgAeKMKszvkrnDzOZm3n4fTDKLR6qHIxWo13_ZwQW7a7IExegmv1iSpdJXtbGRvCQwZnyNDdAamuU8fugQrJsUnCFJbb5cZqhfchUD0cX7S71qfpDJRYtIO9UAG-0xypfzUq1x_H/s1600/IMG_7006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAb1yLgAeKMKszvkrnDzOZm3n4fTDKLR6qHIxWo13_ZwQW7a7IExegmv1iSpdJXtbGRvCQwZnyNDdAamuU8fugQrJsUnCFJbb5cZqhfchUD0cX7S71qfpDJRYtIO9UAG-0xypfzUq1x_H/s400/IMG_7006.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Next, the girls gave Kendra the gifts they chose for her. Background story on the first pic: Kendra's friend F had asked her via text what she might like for a present. Kendra didn't really have a good answer, so F said, "Ok, I'll get you some plain black socks, no sparkles!, and a Barney video." We got a huge laugh at the time...little did we know that F would be true to her word!!! :-)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRyeSITOa6czEaZ3hD2TdsiSju-oEc3OCsZI-7DWIm_w5pMG7Fit_3BUkYLLLbvJOqYA1ToZkPjz5NKZ5SMpEHV9FgP4fgYpWyXkYxFmbKUW9ltxWTyL1Mxe4CF4CDWe0ng-VzKylrjqb/s1600/IMG_7007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmRyeSITOa6czEaZ3hD2TdsiSju-oEc3OCsZI-7DWIm_w5pMG7Fit_3BUkYLLLbvJOqYA1ToZkPjz5NKZ5SMpEHV9FgP4fgYpWyXkYxFmbKUW9ltxWTyL1Mxe4CF4CDWe0ng-VzKylrjqb/s400/IMG_7007.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I LOVE how much Kendra is laughing at this! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iBR1HiGAAy4VNLYitIjhonu8g5OcF_TE8odyeF2cG8V8k0aQ30gmUm_2Riq1sQNmaMPNSz042IKAQC6VHz-H7DbhjYNa7_jtMfDuFNnyMsYYBubmXo2NBjtllF2ZZx8UEtjKBupXHuxs/s1600/IMG_7009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iBR1HiGAAy4VNLYitIjhonu8g5OcF_TE8odyeF2cG8V8k0aQ30gmUm_2Riq1sQNmaMPNSz042IKAQC6VHz-H7DbhjYNa7_jtMfDuFNnyMsYYBubmXo2NBjtllF2ZZx8UEtjKBupXHuxs/s400/IMG_7009.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kendra was spoiled by her friends...a cool custom notebook, pens, a neat t-shirt, several earrings and hair bows, nail polish, and fun "nerd" glasses!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A closeup of the back of the tshirt---I couldn't get the pic to turn!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We headed back to the pool...so much better without the beating sun!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YUMMY ice cream sundaes!!! (Love that Lucy is front and center!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWiNdyx7nmQ7vwejYe7GBQSP0o6NuYC8YAuIQqoba3XkYl8ceq4zWbzDnDDp933Fgf-DhFKLJi2PNEWcgP1g_u5Nd6eOPohyVaVu9e99LsG2_Xg-lJ3pXwifiBNCRUZUlFG9MTFBjoM2p/s1600/IMG_7016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWiNdyx7nmQ7vwejYe7GBQSP0o6NuYC8YAuIQqoba3XkYl8ceq4zWbzDnDDp933Fgf-DhFKLJi2PNEWcgP1g_u5Nd6eOPohyVaVu9e99LsG2_Xg-lJ3pXwifiBNCRUZUlFG9MTFBjoM2p/s400/IMG_7016.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nail polish fest in the a.m. before parents came to get them</td></tr>
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Kendra said she had a total blast with her friends. Mission accomplished!!!ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-13386471307784278202013-08-04T17:53:00.002-07:002013-08-04T17:53:39.880-07:00Birthday party #1--Fruit Ninja style!!!Kendra is lucky in that she usually gets TWO birthday shin-digs each year. One is a family party in Michigan and the other with a few friends when we get back. My sister's family has four kids, and throw in grandparents and good ole mom and you have a pretty decent sized par-tay! <br />
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This year I saw an idea on Pinterest (<a href="http://www.nobiggie.net/fruit-ninja-party/" target="_blank">credit</a>), made some adaptations of my own, and Voila! We had a fun party that everyone enjoyed. My sister's kids range from age 9-almost 16, so that's a challenge! My sister graciously offered to let us host at her house!<br />
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We did some of the prep for our party at home in Texas...we painted paper plates to look like sliced fruit and bought the paper supplies. After getting Kool-Aid flavor pouches for a steal, I decided to do water bottles instead of soda and customized them for the kids with their names (plus Ninja!). I also bought candy fruit slices for decor and munching, and the paper products HAD to include sparkles (Kendra's favorite color, you know.)<br />
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I even got sparkly birthday party hats, which I was sure would be a waste of money. The kids proved me wrong---they loved them! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sister rockin' out the cone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaaaaannnd...my brother in law going for the unicorn look. Classic.</td></tr>
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We checked off two more "Michigan food items" from our list for dinner---a Greek salad from this really yummy place and Hungry Howie's pizza! <br />
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Next came dessert! Instead of doing a cake or cupcakes, we stuck with the Fruit Ninja theme and went with Fruit Pizzas! I had the idea of doing personal sized ones and letting the kids make their own---they LOVED it. I made yummy sugar cookies and the "sauce" was a frosting recipe floating around online---vanilla pudding and cool whip. HUGE hit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOVE this pic...what an awesome bunch!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKX783jEa_M7er718d0KE901Dtpkac5ytO-m-9lLEi32m8PR2J4S_A4vGNsxk6bt33KK9JaaJv9mObzIsYw5euVURmCwX6r0lUKyoiwlCHxHWCr3UrWmlx161-JY4VAhdtYsA38hrqCbz/s1600/IMG_6912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKX783jEa_M7er718d0KE901Dtpkac5ytO-m-9lLEi32m8PR2J4S_A4vGNsxk6bt33KK9JaaJv9mObzIsYw5euVURmCwX6r0lUKyoiwlCHxHWCr3UrWmlx161-JY4VAhdtYsA38hrqCbz/s400/IMG_6912.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sister will love that I posted this...here she is, the Frosting Ninja. :-)</td></tr>
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Next, presents of course! Her major gift from me was our Disney trip, and her dad sent her some money to go shopping (a favorite pastime!). She received a pair of Toms shoes from my mom and Troy, money from my dad and step mom, an Amazon gift card from my brother's family, and a curling wand from my sister's family (which she discovered she wanted when we were there and Gracie "wanded" her hair). It was decided a long time ago that Kendra could begin wearing makeup at age 12 since it is the age she joins our young women's program in church, so I got her a makeup bag and some makeup to unwrap, too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO90cNxssKjrALWnnDzglQiRV0Hc8CqN-HvjR41ZJM6mjYhCT3ucD1WBxdWa_5i9RX-IwHrGy7kC6RITU8Iobs-eM_7L0Sl5Xr4EK7zVpkwiyb363P-AA1tKZA8ZEGvVlkSLslV9OOpZJ5/s1600/IMG_6900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO90cNxssKjrALWnnDzglQiRV0Hc8CqN-HvjR41ZJM6mjYhCT3ucD1WBxdWa_5i9RX-IwHrGy7kC6RITU8Iobs-eM_7L0Sl5Xr4EK7zVpkwiyb363P-AA1tKZA8ZEGvVlkSLslV9OOpZJ5/s400/IMG_6900.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little happy with the makeup! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4aqx-18_tLTgA4WTBNoRepnn5wngylTJoHFOV8MR0FfHUEPYeVmiS2eB6id_I0qaJqKaeQKUs899x0xQVUkTDGpRReGysEQsEBgIfsBZ8wLop2RPGkQpgsQMcAc-Ok76Pi8anV2Qn1OSt/s1600/IMG_6901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4aqx-18_tLTgA4WTBNoRepnn5wngylTJoHFOV8MR0FfHUEPYeVmiS2eB6id_I0qaJqKaeQKUs899x0xQVUkTDGpRReGysEQsEBgIfsBZ8wLop2RPGkQpgsQMcAc-Ok76Pi8anV2Qn1OSt/s400/IMG_6901.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And the wand...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMomtV8li7jld0fkdPv7-PZ6vAf-Ly5GWWAwfn6K3WFecKz60Gh3uFYjEr2vtHerUmrkasT7RYAIkXSs5nNelkKxv2YgQ-0Dp2f65x7I0HCcJl57AXbsg2Ez96u8VH15ipfVCZO3Sf_M_/s1600/IMG_6902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMomtV8li7jld0fkdPv7-PZ6vAf-Ly5GWWAwfn6K3WFecKz60Gh3uFYjEr2vtHerUmrkasT7RYAIkXSs5nNelkKxv2YgQ-0Dp2f65x7I0HCcJl57AXbsg2Ez96u8VH15ipfVCZO3Sf_M_/s400/IMG_6902.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know what she was opening but I love this laughing face!</td></tr>
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Our final activity to the party was....Fruit Ninja---Water Balloon Style!!! We blew up a ton of water balloons, cut up some Ninja headbands from one of Papa's old t-shirts, and borrowed my nephew Luke's wooden ninja sword! Everyone LOVED this!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YhiX057O07eJtTPcpQOhrSltXfLs3A5yXWP6-oIFrfcuMIaqQkrADbPJMS6pC8yi0pmuXsBnG9uP6Ai7qdqIyt9mjAANu3RvA0C9RYtWis9TlkYTu3uxNwg02VfK_FLzdtgnFkPvYJ2Y/s1600/IMG_6914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YhiX057O07eJtTPcpQOhrSltXfLs3A5yXWP6-oIFrfcuMIaqQkrADbPJMS6pC8yi0pmuXsBnG9uP6Ai7qdqIyt9mjAANu3RvA0C9RYtWis9TlkYTu3uxNwg02VfK_FLzdtgnFkPvYJ2Y/s400/IMG_6914.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ninjas READY!</td></tr>
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Even us adults got in on the action! </div>
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THEN, my brother in law Jack got sneaky....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMRUYaHuxwx0ccOkzqXFlyHhfV9rzujhS49O6K2Cwm0V5B2slelNmRUGxCI_BT4sFLF4lgqp50MJnh_imAA46ok1kY3nhn9ab_j2zfL2wRa2O7V_5wPOi016enaY7ojhUilXsaye7dLqA/s1600/IMG_6973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMRUYaHuxwx0ccOkzqXFlyHhfV9rzujhS49O6K2Cwm0V5B2slelNmRUGxCI_BT4sFLF4lgqp50MJnh_imAA46ok1kY3nhn9ab_j2zfL2wRa2O7V_5wPOi016enaY7ojhUilXsaye7dLqA/s400/IMG_6973.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love that he's still wearing his hat!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go ahead, try it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nailed them!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUt3xPqbvTX4xf_lvLrK8dL3FozX2eC4AsvExdFPdZ4onWYcM3BoktJDlMio9Y3kxXzUFTGLsyCc6O1DrJfdx-tEqEAft9HwyRpYiYiB35mDJETzf5OysAs3ZyzyDtvBKqZkPbGCXV7Cx/s1600/IMG_6979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUt3xPqbvTX4xf_lvLrK8dL3FozX2eC4AsvExdFPdZ4onWYcM3BoktJDlMio9Y3kxXzUFTGLsyCc6O1DrJfdx-tEqEAft9HwyRpYiYiB35mDJETzf5OysAs3ZyzyDtvBKqZkPbGCXV7Cx/s400/IMG_6979.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One cold girl...Michigan hose water is FREEZING!!!</td></tr>
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The party was super fun and Kendra loved it! <br />
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The next day was Kendra's actual birthday, and we continued tradition with the birthday pancake. Gracie and Tessa slept over after the party, so they got to choose a special shape for their pancakes, too. Then we met my sister's family at Toby Keith's for lunch. Can't ask for a better birthday!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvLotIie2ZWkq9TeZ5sHzc3A4InLnCA3IYHk-jh1t92ivFU1rEhkrkdgsrMee2lBgMKQiT21wlQvRJPSi88qO-T8eXYqCAVJfNDd7l-Kok0Eio4SxOcZRZdOMK1PHagIzpCzPvCkkxxK_/s1600/IMG_0737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvLotIie2ZWkq9TeZ5sHzc3A4InLnCA3IYHk-jh1t92ivFU1rEhkrkdgsrMee2lBgMKQiT21wlQvRJPSi88qO-T8eXYqCAVJfNDd7l-Kok0Eio4SxOcZRZdOMK1PHagIzpCzPvCkkxxK_/s400/IMG_0737.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the sleepy eyes. I wonder how much longer she'll let me post pics like these?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wZvAbKVUuP4_8N7_pqAeT9-FGM6bqlUPKLSvk3e5tssYV0bWO-xEpmBU0LOvKbIBInoyDz_e2Enm5zc27R4m-EI2XlKcwZCcz2F5pd1LkaGWzwL7C_sax7wIdY483OitRd1Zh5dj-Mvg/s1600/IMG_0751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wZvAbKVUuP4_8N7_pqAeT9-FGM6bqlUPKLSvk3e5tssYV0bWO-xEpmBU0LOvKbIBInoyDz_e2Enm5zc27R4m-EI2XlKcwZCcz2F5pd1LkaGWzwL7C_sax7wIdY483OitRd1Zh5dj-Mvg/s400/IMG_0751.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mickey ears and a heart for the other girls!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_hEE0SxFcJ457B3ATECY89btg5WSrJPVcXtd1g2mxdBFUy_28tue_FR02tK7YKbIHt1JVP0F5i9sCA2VcVSryXyRvfkSbAuZ_sUkuPSNxBz2vosK-0IxDbB7MAJ8ccpgEDKFIcDqCUIgw/s1600/IMG_0755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_hEE0SxFcJ457B3ATECY89btg5WSrJPVcXtd1g2mxdBFUy_28tue_FR02tK7YKbIHt1JVP0F5i9sCA2VcVSryXyRvfkSbAuZ_sUkuPSNxBz2vosK-0IxDbB7MAJ8ccpgEDKFIcDqCUIgw/s400/IMG_0755.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We found this orange yumminess at a local stand in Michigan...so refreshing!</td></tr>
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We left Michigan to come back home the day after Kendra's birthday. When we got here, the Young Women's organization at our church had decorated our front door welcoming Kendra to Young Women's (she joined the youth program when turning 12)! She is in a class called the Beehives, so they left her this cute note saying "Welcome to the Hive!" and the girls in her class also wrote sweet notes on the little bees. Sadly, the Hershey bar succumbed to the Texas heat, but nothing a little time in the fridge couldn't solve! Kendra felt really special that they left this for her!<br />
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<br />ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-89796199398968566532013-08-04T14:51:00.000-07:002013-08-04T14:51:58.425-07:00July photo purge, including Michigan trip!Usually we head north to Michigan at the end of June and spend most of the month of July there. This year, my sister's family had plans to camp out of town for the week of July 4th, so we decided to wait to go up until they would be home (Kendra would explode if she didn't get to see her cousins upon arrival!). So we didn't leave town until July 5th---which gave us the opportunity to do a few things with friends and spend July 4th on the lake with our Ballards.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCVQ5yFS2PhAzcVJmePfVxS6RzhTB8xxsKv6t7D2DQeaQxmhkL6o7KBqBSKjRRxPWjIiwygCWEw3AaEocUt6wOwYtUyT0yfMNfGWcCewm7SfqCzpq_KxEbvWh_dG6c97acQ2Rw-H1H-Kh/s1600/IMG_0597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCVQ5yFS2PhAzcVJmePfVxS6RzhTB8xxsKv6t7D2DQeaQxmhkL6o7KBqBSKjRRxPWjIiwygCWEw3AaEocUt6wOwYtUyT0yfMNfGWcCewm7SfqCzpq_KxEbvWh_dG6c97acQ2Rw-H1H-Kh/s400/IMG_0597.JPG" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We learned that Kendra had severely outgrown her bike---so she bought a new one from one of my teacher friends. The new one is a woman's size, so she should be good for a while!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBXvUPGPNjZh6_p6LFWBsxMkJc1apevDudE2DGTrbO569SrcfKeEEYCpIhCbcyIAnZO83RF275XYCewNz0bPQXWkcVNVjb9fr3BHKEZYo5rBybEy93o7E0egVjpdVG6CRS5OEs283mpLT/s1600/IMG_0604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBXvUPGPNjZh6_p6LFWBsxMkJc1apevDudE2DGTrbO569SrcfKeEEYCpIhCbcyIAnZO83RF275XYCewNz0bPQXWkcVNVjb9fr3BHKEZYo5rBybEy93o7E0egVjpdVG6CRS5OEs283mpLT/s400/IMG_0604.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the boat before fireworks on the lake with Sherry on July 4th!</td></tr>
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We packed up the car and hit the road. This was our first long trip with our new puppy, Lucy. We were unsure how she would do on the trip, but she pretty much sat on Kendra's lap the whole time and did great at our hotel stop, too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VABmxehgh7FY8yXtaRQac4u6IxJir4VcRcz-izttbNtiQDDvV-MGeflUVff5m6XqxBQtcMncH66KT4MPlSb00qhalHLWM8KVYdcTaLNkXSJHAYRqximqau36-soeXeZcQsIAKPG0GuB3/s1600/IMG_0610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VABmxehgh7FY8yXtaRQac4u6IxJir4VcRcz-izttbNtiQDDvV-MGeflUVff5m6XqxBQtcMncH66KT4MPlSb00qhalHLWM8KVYdcTaLNkXSJHAYRqximqau36-soeXeZcQsIAKPG0GuB3/s400/IMG_0610.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tiny bit jealous of the nap opportunity in the car? Yep!</td></tr>
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The next bit is the Michigan trip photo purge....<br />
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We enjoyed much cooler weather most of the time! There are always a few food must-dos, and getting Ray's cinnamon ice cream is one of them. (Others are eating at the Mexican restaurant near my sister's house, enjoying Ziggy's ice cream, and nachos at Toby Keith's...mmmmmmm!)<br />
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We watched LOTS of baseball and softball...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZf2M1mLcnqRfCjsXF187AQDjoyikJVtpTlO1BUEgUggE_AME_cJ63IY_TpOSS9401Ighys8V9orx4elBRttooOsJZ9B696NLCJOV45NvW6SUWXOl1XEGnOVDliwHo3J4UevP453nZ5x6z/s1600/IMG_6842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZf2M1mLcnqRfCjsXF187AQDjoyikJVtpTlO1BUEgUggE_AME_cJ63IY_TpOSS9401Ighys8V9orx4elBRttooOsJZ9B696NLCJOV45NvW6SUWXOl1XEGnOVDliwHo3J4UevP453nZ5x6z/s400/IMG_6842.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L-R: Me, my dad, my sister Erin and her husband Jack. Assuming the position for baseball!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5RUUXYf7vOEzo-aWT7lx3rfCJoFDCqbRDoTgUk0xD6GNE74vyJCI5iKVeDLd-MBMRXFBxbkufDVRt1n3KhtENRBqNy9Ul9cVlZAQQ5VFizqJHU-TSZOcg8tOXsy0k1mSTVyRT2sxvX9XN/s1600/IMG_6686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5RUUXYf7vOEzo-aWT7lx3rfCJoFDCqbRDoTgUk0xD6GNE74vyJCI5iKVeDLd-MBMRXFBxbkufDVRt1n3KhtENRBqNy9Ul9cVlZAQQ5VFizqJHU-TSZOcg8tOXsy0k1mSTVyRT2sxvX9XN/s400/IMG_6686.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My nephew Luke, who is one amazing baseball dude. He's got true instinct for the game! Doesn't he just LOOK like a ball player????</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqn8fGgnnJuSdutdKj3772pYny5Z1Ni9eLfXj1RYrt6fqjhQWChLgHRbj9TH-4QVRXoiX-VxkRhMvZEThzApQuBE0on7mxO7UuyezKcWrkZ4rOKJ10l5lgKRzLr-YeBJF2GKej0ouAB5oD/s1600/IMG_6726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqn8fGgnnJuSdutdKj3772pYny5Z1Ni9eLfXj1RYrt6fqjhQWChLgHRbj9TH-4QVRXoiX-VxkRhMvZEThzApQuBE0on7mxO7UuyezKcWrkZ4rOKJ10l5lgKRzLr-YeBJF2GKej0ouAB5oD/s400/IMG_6726.JPG" width="311" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My niece Gracie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1uBKAhirXyfuDKyHPvoe8S16__nwkXL65jDHXS0AfXFxengvopopzJrcdc9ABCixvlwGoy6kylIqfXGBRIg6kU7__V553RP4MGvUpWR2LFbqm0PVWYl40TGWiC7nNuxQoqKRk6kRJ5Jc/s1600/IMG_6737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1uBKAhirXyfuDKyHPvoe8S16__nwkXL65jDHXS0AfXFxengvopopzJrcdc9ABCixvlwGoy6kylIqfXGBRIg6kU7__V553RP4MGvUpWR2LFbqm0PVWYl40TGWiC7nNuxQoqKRk6kRJ5Jc/s400/IMG_6737.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My niece Tessa</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjj2is2n9Di3wjwQsIkQgBzsYK11F3nWK8lr7PMkhDXG794IFL961uFD5ecxWBdRq7HsagtssJtcpibwyv6zBzh58tvpqy-PzCKrcB9dznm0GwQgC5B2C1mJF6CNuEaag-ImqSIHcZOuS0/s1600/IMG_6794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjj2is2n9Di3wjwQsIkQgBzsYK11F3nWK8lr7PMkhDXG794IFL961uFD5ecxWBdRq7HsagtssJtcpibwyv6zBzh58tvpqy-PzCKrcB9dznm0GwQgC5B2C1mJF6CNuEaag-ImqSIHcZOuS0/s400/IMG_6794.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My nephew Jack, who is looking WAAAAAY too old for this aunt's taste! Jeez! </td></tr>
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We visited my dad and step-mom's house and they got a pool! The kids had a BLAST.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6Z9C0bkgR67vsiR4gOpLu67C5C_HyuA1eDxU-nSVXURBTG-NTj384tQgUoSIW29XaogpZg0m_Hj5P9bBFQqSc_ZyKN2m8WP4Sdps58zDQ-5XsPgcYFhUbBJgvyFYicT9WlJgFoZSw3jW/s1600/IMG_0768+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6Z9C0bkgR67vsiR4gOpLu67C5C_HyuA1eDxU-nSVXURBTG-NTj384tQgUoSIW29XaogpZg0m_Hj5P9bBFQqSc_ZyKN2m8WP4Sdps58zDQ-5XsPgcYFhUbBJgvyFYicT9WlJgFoZSw3jW/s400/IMG_0768+crop.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My niece got a case for her iPhone that lets it go underwater. Cool!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The five monkeys underwater</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luke</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tessa</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gracie</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice air, Kendra!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ohmmmmmmm....</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch at Papa and Grandma Janice's house!</td></tr>
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My sister and I always have a project of some sort when I go up to Michigan and this year we decided we wanted to make the Ultimate Teacher Binders, which we dubbed our Binders of Awesomeness. Since Erin teaches 1st grade and I teach 4th, AND we teach in different states, we some sections that were different but both of us are super excited to have a central location for stuff that we both previously had in multiple locations. We both shopped for our actual binders separately, but funny enough, chose the same one! :-)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSLJ74chTgcd6DzAeW1BXfWZIABmAwRg-uIEZkLA1uik0qllVMeoAWRzRRyW7ogfZbmyXUyM0_ReAc_pkI2pMZB-DVptgQU-Ot1M4qDKAD4m5sq9nYuXQnefQs_NdCqc-BIjmOkdq_UMh/s1600/IMG_6785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSLJ74chTgcd6DzAeW1BXfWZIABmAwRg-uIEZkLA1uik0qllVMeoAWRzRRyW7ogfZbmyXUyM0_ReAc_pkI2pMZB-DVptgQU-Ot1M4qDKAD4m5sq9nYuXQnefQs_NdCqc-BIjmOkdq_UMh/s400/IMG_6785.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We had many sleepovers...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcHXde2nkKaTRCblYN3STCmGbV2cbBJwZmDfkguqBqNIbezZer6kayj4P7SQUz6eVc1amghrhD8iTftQsI2pAfTPilDoCJ1jgL8ret_orCaoBy93sM8nGCXDZ43-o3tsBkxjY8nswATFq/s1600/IMG_0672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcHXde2nkKaTRCblYN3STCmGbV2cbBJwZmDfkguqBqNIbezZer6kayj4P7SQUz6eVc1amghrhD8iTftQsI2pAfTPilDoCJ1jgL8ret_orCaoBy93sM8nGCXDZ43-o3tsBkxjY8nswATFq/s400/IMG_0672.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We call these the sleepover party ball hairdos. :-)</td></tr>
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We played a few fun summer games...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kwwH9DZETXeE58hcju_-EbwYagD7rUeGbvmLwRqxnTfp_2Rugxz8aq5dWWEtTumVRPO0AKCRb0dRV5luo6nEomAEwyo1XLttEuwLzRnfDp09UjzP30t8MvA8UkIfIHV4t8JEmGjrSG5e/s1600/IMG_6980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kwwH9DZETXeE58hcju_-EbwYagD7rUeGbvmLwRqxnTfp_2Rugxz8aq5dWWEtTumVRPO0AKCRb0dRV5luo6nEomAEwyo1XLttEuwLzRnfDp09UjzP30t8MvA8UkIfIHV4t8JEmGjrSG5e/s400/IMG_6980.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glow stick bowling. Guess who thought there were 9 pins, not 10? Major brain lapse...</td></tr>
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And we celebrated Troy's 50th birthday with a party (my mom's hubs)...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjExZRQznKDyKMDQ1yO3Ox5NOFBAclYI-a93Q7syjKYSuIU1Q1w9_MATtMsSohTkSwRS2ISKXNlcNYOo0q4tXdff9HGANFXPqpj7dR6Vkvs7UEmKYt5dyE5uS2uEXZgLtywN7vA2QObQpZ/s1600/IMG_0687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjExZRQznKDyKMDQ1yO3Ox5NOFBAclYI-a93Q7syjKYSuIU1Q1w9_MATtMsSohTkSwRS2ISKXNlcNYOo0q4tXdff9HGANFXPqpj7dR6Vkvs7UEmKYt5dyE5uS2uEXZgLtywN7vA2QObQpZ/s400/IMG_0687.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Think he's having a good time????</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHuO8HVmEZxSEeAKU2VGIs4qLX6lueYzeEXQfK5SZTOOGmkmMDZcstGXMtx9r6ZrHkBytiF43AcgcBqMay_nESYMRdG9g4ggp9FDsHN5Z0zFDznDzWPG5eUajyC-WVX57l5mO2hcxVa-o/s1600/IMG_0692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHuO8HVmEZxSEeAKU2VGIs4qLX6lueYzeEXQfK5SZTOOGmkmMDZcstGXMtx9r6ZrHkBytiF43AcgcBqMay_nESYMRdG9g4ggp9FDsHN5Z0zFDznDzWPG5eUajyC-WVX57l5mO2hcxVa-o/s400/IMG_0692.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little blurry, but a kid took the pic. My sis, me, and my cousin Heather. Side note: we all three decided to do a sunglasses shot because we wanted to hide our eye wrinkles! Ha!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZtZljWsB7IIkeeM-iZbtkP84zSddyOi_fduyxKtAQjGWyZBkQx6EK4s9jK8PmkXtYWofankaQVre-EeG6AWKKbs4xyK4ecCByNAS2bQiNCmwXhZ87yqoTrHH8FwcHJmkq2eIXqT5Xjhw/s1600/IMG_0693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZtZljWsB7IIkeeM-iZbtkP84zSddyOi_fduyxKtAQjGWyZBkQx6EK4s9jK8PmkXtYWofankaQVre-EeG6AWKKbs4xyK4ecCByNAS2bQiNCmwXhZ87yqoTrHH8FwcHJmkq2eIXqT5Xjhw/s400/IMG_0693.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Troy with all the kids at the party</td></tr>
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We also got to see some friends, but I was lame and didn't take any pics. We decided to stay 2 1/2 weeks and it was the perfect amount of time!!! Kendra would love to stay longer, but I loved the shorter trip! We also celebrated Kendra's birthday while there, but I'm going to make that it's own post. <br />
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<br />ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-79582828730273508462013-06-29T15:16:00.000-07:002013-06-29T15:17:09.371-07:00Random June happeningsFirst, let's have a moment of silence for the fact that it is June 29 and a month of summer has departed.<br />
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Thank you.<br />
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School year goes fast, but dang! Summer goes faster. Sigh.<br />
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The first week of June was at Disney. See prior post. We got home and I'm constantly amazed at how I work a full time (+!!!) job and get anything done the rest of the year! We made a list of "extra" house jobs to do that we never have energy and time for during the school year. Completed so far are: cleaning out the garage, organizing the junk drawers, organizing and cleaning out bathroom drawers, organizing Kendra's desk in her room, etc. There are a few things left to do before our annual trek north, but we'll get them done (unless I keep adding to it, which I keep doing!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7pmh76z0UtkUn2-vMTOpEcuvMkVAlHbtzDBQONJ5V7ecaXzTHJxmFbJFNWD1gG8ia_H-2CaSW7scwrZMZIQ6k056-1hi0UF8rabJiZFfYKFbmS939Q-eummdH0M0ghhprpikSgSm5KyV/s458/IMG_0595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7pmh76z0UtkUn2-vMTOpEcuvMkVAlHbtzDBQONJ5V7ecaXzTHJxmFbJFNWD1gG8ia_H-2CaSW7scwrZMZIQ6k056-1hi0UF8rabJiZFfYKFbmS939Q-eummdH0M0ghhprpikSgSm5KyV/s400/IMG_0595.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a regular activity in our summer...drink stops at QT!!! Coke Zero with vanilla for me, Freezonis for Kendra!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Kendra had to get 11 year old booster shots this year (she's almost 12---we waited until the last possible moment!) The problem with booster shots is that the kids don't remember how shots feel from the last time---and that they really aren't that bad. Poor Kendra was totally stressed about it the whole morning and through the appointment.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIK_b6KiapOV9b5fikd6hhq7vd4EmbIgXT2dXrau7KMen_GSTa01cUmkNB2ZryovRhPbrSum0WN08fi4YDBLYlpylYTqWENPjSS7mqUkTgfbpN1V0ZcGV4y6aEWcyiSz33mbOIrP4pR7I/s1600/IMG_0559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIK_b6KiapOV9b5fikd6hhq7vd4EmbIgXT2dXrau7KMen_GSTa01cUmkNB2ZryovRhPbrSum0WN08fi4YDBLYlpylYTqWENPjSS7mqUkTgfbpN1V0ZcGV4y6aEWcyiSz33mbOIrP4pR7I/s400/IMG_0559.JPG" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep, that's a worried face!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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But then after the shots the first thing she said was, "That wasn't bad at all!" They never believe the mama....<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ahhh...glad that's done. (She had to stay laying down for a while after because she held her breath!!)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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We celebrated my birthday in Florida at Disney, but also got to have a lovely dinner with our friends the Ballards who made my favorite--yellow cake with chocolate frosting. My mom also sent me these cute shoes.<br />
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We spent time at our neighborhood pool, but not nearly as much as we have in the past years. Our pool buddies (the Rodgers') moved away, darn them. But we did hang out with some church friends occasionally---Kendra is a big help because they have five kids under age 9!!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">E loves Kendra!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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One of my parents from my class this year owns an art studio where they host mom-and me painting classes. She gifted me with an evening to paint with Kendra---we had a great time!<br />
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We started Kendra's bedroom makeover during Spring Break, but didn't get the vinyl decor stars up and finished until now! It's all done and she loves it!<br />
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A rather big-deal thing happened for me early June. I have been itching to change teaching assignments for a couple years now. I put in a transfer for a spot at the middle school where Kendra attends. I really like the principal and the staff there is awesome, plus the bonus of being where Kendra is again is great. The principal called me to interview for a Reading Interventionist spot---and I immediately got so excited because it would be a PERFECT fit for me. I would be doing intense interventions for struggling readers. I really prepared for this interview and walked in with a bunch of great ideas. The interview went pretty well---there are always questions you wish you had answered a little differently, though. I interviewed on Monday, and he said he'd let me know by Friday. Friday came, and I didn't get the job. I was devastated. I honestly couldn't think of a better fit for me. He told me, though, that he really saw me as a classroom teacher, impacting more kids. He said I was on his "short list" and that sometimes it takes a while for his short list people to get over to him in a perfect fit spot. Even though he said it wasn't a major factor in his decision, I think part of it was that at my school I was the last person standing on my fourth grade team. The other five people left this year---one moved down to 2nd grade, two are moving out of state, one retired, and one wasn't invited back. So I was the only person left with experience teaching fourth, and I think he felt like he'd be leaving my current principal in a bind if he took me (not to mention the fact that my principal is new this year too!) :-( I know my current school needs me. I KNOW the Lord has a plan and I'm where I am supposed to be. I just wish sometimes His plan and my wishes would be more in sync. I know I'll look back and be glad it went the way it did, but right now it is still a bitter taste, I'll be honest. But, at least I got myself a snazzy new outfit for the interview! :-)<br />
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There is a new drive-in movie theater in downtown Fort Worth so we went on opening night for Monsters University. On advisement from several people, we got there super early---TOO early. But we brought some games and books and just hung out together. The movie was cute, and it wasn't too hot--we had all the windows down, the sun roof open, and the back hatch window up so had a decent breeze. Can't imagine doing it in July or August in Texas, though!!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We played Headbandz...cool view of downtown, especially after dark</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We also were smart and brought pillows!! :-)</td></tr>
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This last week Kendra participated in an acting camp through the community theater we love, the Artisan. It was an improv camp and she went for three hours each afternoon. She had a blast and I received some nice compliments about her from the teacher. She said Kendra was "very talented, very mature, and very smart." She urged her to try out for some shows at Artisan. Kendra hopes to audition for the production of Little Women the Musical if there is a part age-appropriate for her---she's hoping there is a Young Amy part. :-) We'll see....<br />
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We're off to Michigan next week in search of cooler weather. Last year when we were there the temps rivaled and even beat Texas heat....we DO NOT want a repeat, please!!!ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-88940693233046100572013-06-29T07:36:00.002-07:002013-06-29T07:36:51.006-07:00Disney 2013The very day after school was done we headed to Orlando, Florida to the Happiest Place on Earth! Yes, I was VERY tired from the school year, but our district is one of the few that finish at the end of May so we try to take advantage of the lesser crowds by going right away. <br />
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Our flight out was a bit crazy. We were late leaving DFW because of a scheduled repair on the plane that somehow didn't get done while it waited on the tarmac for 2 1/2 hours before our flight. :-/ Our connecting flight layover was tight--only 50 minutes. And of course, the gates between the two flights were the absolute farthest possible distance apart---seriously. We arrived at gate 2 and had to board the next flight at gate 28. Ugh. Luckily the flight crew on our first flight asked anyone who didn't have a close connection to stay seated to let the ones who did get off quickly. I told Kendra we had to run, and knowing that she can run faster than me I sent her ahead. She's 11, fit, and runs a mile every week in PE. I'm not 11, not so fit, and was carrying a 20 pound backpack. You do the math! So she got to the gate and told them I was coming (I was only about a minute behind her, so I was proud if not very winded!!). We made it! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we are before our first flight leg</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we are after running to our connection!</td></tr>
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To add insult to injury, we then arrived over Florida to a massive storm which kept us in the air for an additional hour before being able to land. We finally landed and waded through the parking lot rivers to our rental car and headed to the condo. Neither of us had eaten since breakfast and it was after 9 at night, so we stopped to eat of course. It continued to rain....not a good sign, I later realized.<br />
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We are grateful to friends who let us use one of their timeshare weeks---we stayed in a very nice condo for about $400 for the whole week! It had a full kitchen, washer and dryer, and all the comforts of home. We stayed there the last time we went, too, so we were familiar with the area for shopping and restaurants, and I knew how to get to all the parks via the "back way" from our place. <br />
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This time we got tickets for both Disney and Universal for the week. I'm just going to do a photo purge now, sharing our week in pictures. Sadly, we arrived just when a tropical storm decided to come, too. We dealt with a LOT of rain. You expect afternoon gully-washers in Florida but they usually stop after a short bit. This time they rarely stopped, so we probably didn't use our tickets to the maximum capacity we could have (after a while we just didn't feel like staying wet), but we still had a great time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvNBgjE-kvkPBaLXVXl9LAXSmIpqRWagoD3TrrsJsL9wHvOl2T62YFXaU2UApGhC_4258XDpVd02xBmo1F0pxZ1i1K1WdtLMxvCKBO_Sqy-k-02ScatVSKWnFv6IA-9Euip4PbyYsiFag/s1600/IMG_0523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvNBgjE-kvkPBaLXVXl9LAXSmIpqRWagoD3TrrsJsL9wHvOl2T62YFXaU2UApGhC_4258XDpVd02xBmo1F0pxZ1i1K1WdtLMxvCKBO_Sqy-k-02ScatVSKWnFv6IA-9Euip4PbyYsiFag/s400/IMG_0523.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She's got the whole Epcot ball...in her hand!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDtolfFU_efnttQaoB01C_MixzDl_-j2m60yOTEdYWfzkJXdj0ijdiPKwEtFaLRsSE6gM4MtabBJOdqzjDzC3KJ87z97NQO6bYAAkllmRr6cIapy68Jiy1CQGlfJfBpYnC_ceYG9Xjg2o/s1600/IMG_0530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDtolfFU_efnttQaoB01C_MixzDl_-j2m60yOTEdYWfzkJXdj0ijdiPKwEtFaLRsSE6gM4MtabBJOdqzjDzC3KJ87z97NQO6bYAAkllmRr6cIapy68Jiy1CQGlfJfBpYnC_ceYG9Xjg2o/s400/IMG_0530.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4hco_nsd2azJIiMZJlzJaiWLvOKEJQ5MCHAVmhlAelhuOW9LpNWNSCbZTbiVE9L6TIDfS5YhWskXQNpicRTO5WYd8sx9vJIW3UTKjlVwN3cdlm7Tl62VelkeEUONraRFiGIRUg8np9ab/s1600/IMG_0533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4hco_nsd2azJIiMZJlzJaiWLvOKEJQ5MCHAVmhlAelhuOW9LpNWNSCbZTbiVE9L6TIDfS5YhWskXQNpicRTO5WYd8sx9vJIW3UTKjlVwN3cdlm7Tl62VelkeEUONraRFiGIRUg8np9ab/s400/IMG_0533.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOtx4Njfb1IMXomOQHq1q9bODkqQAIAm4hpvkASaUkThVYnnzmBGXrL5hsD7bBf3BRg4-CooNuZb1JZGgDh0oX_QOzV2WDcAqlPoywZWWOWIm-jWsWwA1otb0lKMqqXeSEUOPtPkilZME/s1600/IMG_0535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOtx4Njfb1IMXomOQHq1q9bODkqQAIAm4hpvkASaUkThVYnnzmBGXrL5hsD7bBf3BRg4-CooNuZb1JZGgDh0oX_QOzV2WDcAqlPoywZWWOWIm-jWsWwA1otb0lKMqqXeSEUOPtPkilZME/s400/IMG_0535.JPG" width="290" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_kImdIUhtBHzwtc4tPlviDh9mrDKPKPZRau7XxyC_pkuqxxGYmy88NHyI1Ey6aF986qY1usnN99lduYgKk3_-fOekyfDo_mZ1teQnFJ4IObtL36w7ZfqBD_MSNZK0qfyALSvEiNgwEus/s1600/IMG_0537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_kImdIUhtBHzwtc4tPlviDh9mrDKPKPZRau7XxyC_pkuqxxGYmy88NHyI1Ey6aF986qY1usnN99lduYgKk3_-fOekyfDo_mZ1teQnFJ4IObtL36w7ZfqBD_MSNZK0qfyALSvEiNgwEus/s400/IMG_0537.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my beloved Napoleon pastry from the French patisserie in Epcot. I got this TWICE. Sigh....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAOVvv3r-cHS2L3sPnZ57iW75gzhG5u5PlWrezf9ezzKUby2nPibShblYR0OWgGKSNIc5cHgkGW3a2qWaeii6zxiUPk8XHHrIgSf_lSV0-31pS-falwWz6B7VbC7slwKAXTBMLLgGXE7l/s1600/IMG_0538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAOVvv3r-cHS2L3sPnZ57iW75gzhG5u5PlWrezf9ezzKUby2nPibShblYR0OWgGKSNIc5cHgkGW3a2qWaeii6zxiUPk8XHHrIgSf_lSV0-31pS-falwWz6B7VbC7slwKAXTBMLLgGXE7l/s400/IMG_0538.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gotta love the poncho!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLBEM2YbX0GRf2_xgWGvA-CAX_6ygnhDMN_AhRdqaB8evY88jTUEWg_CRo-rmTtgw5ypn6-7YZaUgRjTnn4BpG2dcfxpD0nYVgffEKnYx9H14Aq4M0hk1a8lC3ClQMWx2DXHJ71JKHKC7/s1600/IMG_0539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLBEM2YbX0GRf2_xgWGvA-CAX_6ygnhDMN_AhRdqaB8evY88jTUEWg_CRo-rmTtgw5ypn6-7YZaUgRjTnn4BpG2dcfxpD0nYVgffEKnYx9H14Aq4M0hk1a8lC3ClQMWx2DXHJ71JKHKC7/s400/IMG_0539.JPG" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We lucked on this photo op---we tend not to wait forever for character pics. This is Kendra's favorite princess!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwi84B-c1LiAFwT28TwfYcFI4wuIFLei1I4DM17xAWpFjVkOpOmm7kgw30GjP9lfljjyIo1KtCD1t6kNUmH_OyNM7ApbNkHJ4rKsd40w0mUGdZPlhSu7GOLVjlBHG0DcuI_ZevQq8_ufg/s1600/IMG_0540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwi84B-c1LiAFwT28TwfYcFI4wuIFLei1I4DM17xAWpFjVkOpOmm7kgw30GjP9lfljjyIo1KtCD1t6kNUmH_OyNM7ApbNkHJ4rKsd40w0mUGdZPlhSu7GOLVjlBHG0DcuI_ZevQq8_ufg/s400/IMG_0540.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the castle from the Swiss Family tree </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0QtTsosrWOhsMqUzHalbY4ayNM83dGtFF0N_OfVXyBAu77MzhwYVIoEPpgJVeYqIdgbkKa5hd0eApmHE4p5HLauQkfbZZvdGbxEzk5JCsSAWuQRgtUC7Kp1pz_GWllHhnMYEiN55412Z/s564/IMG_0541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0QtTsosrWOhsMqUzHalbY4ayNM83dGtFF0N_OfVXyBAu77MzhwYVIoEPpgJVeYqIdgbkKa5hd0eApmHE4p5HLauQkfbZZvdGbxEzk5JCsSAWuQRgtUC7Kp1pz_GWllHhnMYEiN55412Z/s400/IMG_0541.JPG" width="340" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard to get pics of the castle without three million photo bombers! :-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYVrB4aN2kofFlHB5-68ooHM-F1C4LntBCXCTy3aHRgqvi8T6cutIDbe8QmtG97TL4dThs9dP2DqmDJh0e69dVEyGHyRJs3l7zALXSezTH_dR5eQp-r_rOTEs9H0Y62girbVR_LIJB5fN/s1600/IMG_0545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYVrB4aN2kofFlHB5-68ooHM-F1C4LntBCXCTy3aHRgqvi8T6cutIDbe8QmtG97TL4dThs9dP2DqmDJh0e69dVEyGHyRJs3l7zALXSezTH_dR5eQp-r_rOTEs9H0Y62girbVR_LIJB5fN/s400/IMG_0545.JPG" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybe someday???</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCpN9lUrvhob-Y-U2-YJip5uyIfKXt1FQTzhdsGiunrfkaNSNJ5d7aM-6gUjONBtAyTriB-h3ZXWkx1yoktAKGX4aaMoEU1RZsvv15iVgGhWzg4HE8ZwkN1Y_YLu6rY4Xf95dgRkwdAp6/s640/IMG_0546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCpN9lUrvhob-Y-U2-YJip5uyIfKXt1FQTzhdsGiunrfkaNSNJ5d7aM-6gUjONBtAyTriB-h3ZXWkx1yoktAKGX4aaMoEU1RZsvv15iVgGhWzg4HE8ZwkN1Y_YLu6rY4Xf95dgRkwdAp6/s400/IMG_0546.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was my birthday!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOhwMAFyYKoCbq7d_no3MBILaRhPRcKG6YpybiI87UIBHx0jMjarhF6FFP2jqO_eqE3dbKu-KePELmxZSRXQ4zxUAeNXqmQElAdBVqY8o2HwEWve-H_zZ-wf0Mp6TbOWwZNbyQxlBQEmD/s480/IMG_0548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOhwMAFyYKoCbq7d_no3MBILaRhPRcKG6YpybiI87UIBHx0jMjarhF6FFP2jqO_eqE3dbKu-KePELmxZSRXQ4zxUAeNXqmQElAdBVqY8o2HwEWve-H_zZ-wf0Mp6TbOWwZNbyQxlBQEmD/s400/IMG_0548.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Being silly and bored waiting for an evening show. Gotta get your seats hours ahead of time.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGveWk3XyxGRauc17EY__hzsHs37-7zoEZ6F5BDAmop89_cRJ4c6ugleha6jxmErk1oU27j_WtW1HYfY2XRKUqPBlVvRpduvj6XBVmgant26J-kRizzcgA2XRXyEdIhAC_Iy_JgIZIs7sY/s1600/IMG_0552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGveWk3XyxGRauc17EY__hzsHs37-7zoEZ6F5BDAmop89_cRJ4c6ugleha6jxmErk1oU27j_WtW1HYfY2XRKUqPBlVvRpduvj6XBVmgant26J-kRizzcgA2XRXyEdIhAC_Iy_JgIZIs7sY/s400/IMG_0552.JPG" width="363" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful castle in one of our favorite shades</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_j7rhjyyGyTk5YhuQd1A1x78tg9UMNt21z-xQD7l1OXULc6k_ZD65TqCKNmEjQgvoEZPkPW2YwEMwO1zq0gWrw2FdNNrRue8Xu-atR_CplFH596CSinim4P8PSA8IdXuxWmKkI_SfErxy/s1600/IMG_0555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_j7rhjyyGyTk5YhuQd1A1x78tg9UMNt21z-xQD7l1OXULc6k_ZD65TqCKNmEjQgvoEZPkPW2YwEMwO1zq0gWrw2FdNNrRue8Xu-atR_CplFH596CSinim4P8PSA8IdXuxWmKkI_SfErxy/s400/IMG_0555.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying a butterbeer at Harry Potter world, Universal</td></tr>
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Probably the most disappointing day was the last day. It was my birthday, and we planned to go to Universal for our most anticipated part of the trip===Harry Potter world! We'd been watching the crowd and wait times via an app on my phone all week, and we discovered that the Harry Potter ride wait time was always enormous in the morning but almost nothing in the mid afternoon. So we decided to take it easy, sleep in a bit, and headed out around 1:00. We went straight to the HP main ride in the castle. It had a 40 minute wait but you wait as you tour the castle. We jumped into the queue. The castle was very neat. We got to the very end of the wait and there was a video of what the ride itself looked like---lots of tossing around, turning, etc. There were warnings all through the line about motion sickness, etc. Kendra was really going to be a trooper, but that last video did her in. We bailed at the last minute. Kendra felt terrible, but I told her it was more important to me that she enjoy the rest of the day and not be nauseous, and we got to see the castle so it was fine! We then explored the rest of Diagon Alley, first getting a yummy frozen butterbeer. Then we went into the Ollivanders Wand Shop, where Kendra was chosen from our group to be the "wand chooser". It was really neat. It was so dark in there that I couldn't take any pics, though. She ended up purchasing Ginny Weasley's wand. <br />
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There were many other neat places we wanted to see and do in Universal, but unfortunately another HUGE storm came through just after we finished in Harry Potter. We took shelter in a big top restaurant place and had to stay there for almost an hour before it was possible to walk through the park without drowning. We didn't bring our ponchos with us---just had a small umbrella---so we got soaked even after waiting. Sadly, Universal is very different from Disney in that almost all their rides are outside, so everything was basically shut down, and my weather app on my phone indicated that the storm wasn't ending anytime soon. So we decided to just leave and it ended up raining the entire rest of the day and into the night. It was a bummer way to end our trip, but what can you do???<br />
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We realized that this might be our last Disney trip together! We take a major trip about every three years, and there are two destinations we want to do yet. We want to go to NYC to see a Broadway show or two, and then do something tropical like the Bahamas or maybe even Hawaii (thinking senior trip). Then Kendra will be off to college---ugh!!! We didn't do everything we wanted this trip, thanks to Mother Nature, but we still had a fabulous time. I love vacationing with just my girl and me!!!ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-17127851878441608622013-05-29T18:11:00.000-07:002013-06-01T16:29:53.154-07:00Wrapping up 6th grade!We are in our last week of school---only two more half-days left! Whew! I'm beat (as always) and simply cannot wait for a time in which I feel rested. Kendra is excited for a jam-packed fun summer, but is a little sad about finishing such an awesome year. She had remarkable teachers, made amazing friends, and has had simply a GREAT year.<br />
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One stand-out (among many!) this year has been choir. I've blogged about her ridiculously talented choir director before and how impressed I've been with how the choirs sound with a bunch of adolescents whose voices are still working on their final timbre. Kendra has adored choir and she loves her director. Some kids don't love her as much--she's very loving but kinda tough. Hmmm....sounds familiar! :-) Anyway, my house has been filled more with music and singing and less with the sounds of TV for a while now--a welcome change. Kendra's spring concert was totally fun. They step away from the formal music and put on a show of fun contemporary songs. This show also included some vocal small groups, and Kendra got to be in one of them. She was thrilled that she was selected for her first choice--they had to audition for the parts. Kendra had told me that there was an award given at this concert for Outstanding Choir Student, one to each of the classes (there are two girls' and two boys' classes). Kendra thought for sure that it was going to be given to one of three girls in her class. So, there I sat, right in the front row of a packed house, completely unprepared for the photo-opportunity when Kendra was given the award!!! I gasped audibly, and Kendra had the most funny shocked look on her face, but of course I didn't capture it. I wasn't shocked because I didn't think she deserved it---I know Kendra is a stellar student and her director loves her. I was shocked because KENDRA didn't think she'd get it! Super proud momma moment!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3H1ydWN2zAsTVcTFNIVQR1SBsa9SbCqVTiH5_Xmwx-_X6Tm9yCXYP7MhBfLdnOeinK6UUvIDUz-UM1UnjDFCtLlYtsDdCmfLtyFwfpsGucEBQwoEgnY4GBjbuOtUGr33oZZ0Yjy23vUOK/s1600/IMG_0446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3H1ydWN2zAsTVcTFNIVQR1SBsa9SbCqVTiH5_Xmwx-_X6Tm9yCXYP7MhBfLdnOeinK6UUvIDUz-UM1UnjDFCtLlYtsDdCmfLtyFwfpsGucEBQwoEgnY4GBjbuOtUGr33oZZ0Yjy23vUOK/s400/IMG_0446.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for the concert to begin. Crazy kids.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsf23bMygpAR0rHesaw4167u4JascAukbYvscX0iFyaXM7Mc1snI_XJITzh8RlzhU9HI_dcTnnEZ7lxIioups_21uioCgxmfDyWgeFVqBIxboj9ebyTF_PVHXZcd_80SnhXAiTd1OMiLAy/s1600/IMG_0452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsf23bMygpAR0rHesaw4167u4JascAukbYvscX0iFyaXM7Mc1snI_XJITzh8RlzhU9HI_dcTnnEZ7lxIioups_21uioCgxmfDyWgeFVqBIxboj9ebyTF_PVHXZcd_80SnhXAiTd1OMiLAy/s320/IMG_0452.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kendra also received a medal for her solo in private voice lessons competition</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YcUxR-HS1H5gQjyd028tiP0WTqCKMrweHPdJu0ApJctAe8I9RLqgupGw1Bc93gHPea26O6y2sgwl5xSmZRgfIhK8XiLfwneIxIBLpIwfQUkDdL7JoMMhs_byqqrn34zdxXNQ4YBNoatZ/s1600/IMG_0454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YcUxR-HS1H5gQjyd028tiP0WTqCKMrweHPdJu0ApJctAe8I9RLqgupGw1Bc93gHPea26O6y2sgwl5xSmZRgfIhK8XiLfwneIxIBLpIwfQUkDdL7JoMMhs_byqqrn34zdxXNQ4YBNoatZ/s320/IMG_0454.JPG" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blurry because I was flailing around trying to get my camera after she won the award!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8v8O_cQwfrwC_VtB9QJXOPSc-kBvSEQZLS8cLfmEtkj4ani1v4m9fWdnB4KUcYE7yzqDf4u0dUwgBk5TWcq03wvYW_QYo9iRPVgeV3c8Cc0gIdUl6oi0cLyPZCEPthVzT9xy8BobazWNs/s1600/IMG_0456+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8v8O_cQwfrwC_VtB9QJXOPSc-kBvSEQZLS8cLfmEtkj4ani1v4m9fWdnB4KUcYE7yzqDf4u0dUwgBk5TWcq03wvYW_QYo9iRPVgeV3c8Cc0gIdUl6oi0cLyPZCEPthVzT9xy8BobazWNs/s320/IMG_0456+edit.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kendra with her director, Jennie Crawford</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_V9OEGZiJ7DhsV8E1L8IwQ8VQZMFhCMyzdFE_Kg9UL0bcY5RAih8M9gRzuZypJZDV9ZYGLkPDLavYSLCLqOLhOaXA1W31Q43KG8jZzduu1onw6Ri623dgCrm1i5J51ub1z_jlzVSJtY1/s1600/IMG_0457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_V9OEGZiJ7DhsV8E1L8IwQ8VQZMFhCMyzdFE_Kg9UL0bcY5RAih8M9gRzuZypJZDV9ZYGLkPDLavYSLCLqOLhOaXA1W31Q43KG8jZzduu1onw6Ri623dgCrm1i5J51ub1z_jlzVSJtY1/s320/IMG_0457.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Engraved with her name and everything! </td></tr>
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Kendra has auditioned for the varsity girls' choir for next year...will find out if she made it on Friday. We're both excited to hear, as the director said she is only taking about 20 out of the 90 or so girls from her choir. Kendra feels good about her audition, so we'll see!! *****May 31st update: She made Varsity!!! Woo woo!<br />
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Truly, it has been a terrific first year of middle school. If I could thank her teachers three million times each I would. She got the cream of the crop this year.<br />
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"So, Kendra, what are you going to do now that you have finished sixth grade?"<br />
"We're going to DISNEY WORLD!!!" Stay tuned because yes, we are! :-) <br />
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<br />ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-75461876846295966162013-04-22T17:03:00.001-07:002013-04-22T17:03:11.849-07:00Destination Imagination State Tournament Part 2After shopping, we headed back toward the high school where the competition was being held because the main challenge scores were ready. Unfortunately, they were not very good. :-( I had a feeling they wouldn't be, as I had seen their last rehearsal back at school and their performance here wasn't nearly as good. But one thing I love is that the judges are so encouraging! The judge who came and showed the kids the scores kept saying positive things, and they received these post-it note pages from their particular scoring judges:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can imagine that this was well-received by Kendra! :-)</td></tr>
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Next was the Instant Challenge, which is the part that had essentially won the kids first place at regionals. They absolutely killed it there, and they really grooved as a team so we thought they'd do the same. This is the part that parents aren't allowed to watch, so we gathered as a group in the cafeteria area. The conversation hovered around the possibility of them making it to Globals. Most of us were really hoping they wouldn't qualify (the top four teams in each category qualify). Two families had kids who were graduating from high school the same weekend, and some of us (me included!) were unsure if we could afford to go. Our district didn't pay for any of us to be at State. Our school scrounged money to pay the registration and for the teacher/manager's hotel, but the rest of us paid for our two night stays, meals, gas, etc. out of pocket. The kids came back from their Instant Challenge and they were SO EXCITED. Their teacher said that again, they killed it. Seriously, they did whatever it was perfectly and gained extra points, too. Worried looks crossed the table between parents. What if the same thing happened like at regionals---we never thought they'd make it to state, and yet here we were! Would we be Globals-bound?<br />
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It happened to be one of the teammates, Jacob's, birthday on this day, too! His mom picked up a cake and balloons, and she invited the girls to the boys' hotel to swim and have a small celebration. The girls picked up a small present for him at Charming Charlie's---a robot key chain who was wearing a tie (Jacob enjoys tie-wearing!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I feel like these are going to be life-long friends!</td></tr>
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It was time to clean up and head back for awards. It was LOOOONG day! Awards didn't start until 9:00 p.m.! We took the opportunity to take some team photos with their awesome coach/mentor/manager/teacher, Nicole Silva. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep, that's a Flat Stanley. Blake's cousin sent him to visit, so he came to awards!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crazy!</td></tr>
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Unfortunately, the kids didn't place this year. :-( We wondered if they might win the Instant Challenge award in their category, and when the scores came out later the next week we found out that they had come in 2nd for that! Their main challenge just didn't pull off the way they'd planned. But all in all, it was a fantastic experience, the kids learned a ton (teamwork, problem solving, etc), and they are all great friends now. Kendra told me on the way home that she doubts she would be such close friends with this group if it hadn't been for DI. All six of them plan to be a team again next year!<br />
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<br />ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-39964965150668402752013-04-22T16:44:00.000-07:002013-04-22T16:44:07.242-07:00Destination Imagination State Tournament Part 1Kendra has been a member of her school's Destination Imagination team. They competed in their regional tournament and won first place which secured their participation in the state tournament. (You can read more about the regional tourney and what DI is <a href="http://www.colleenandkendraz.blogspot.com/2013/03/destination-imagination.html" target="_blank">here</a>.) So on April 12th, we took off from school early and headed south west to a 'burb of Houston called Katy, Texas.<br />
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The road trip was uneventful most of the way--sunny skies, loud tunes, a big ole Diet Coke, and views of Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes along the highway (quite stunning, actually!). Uneventful, that is, until we were within minutes of our hotel. We had not one, not two, but THREE navigation devices in our car and yet not one of them could successfully guide us to our destination. NOT fun in Houston's metro traffic! I stopped and called the hotel to be guided in--finally!!!<br />
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There are six members on Kendra's DI team--three girls and three guys. As fate (and overbooked hotels) would have it, we couldn't all make reservations for the same place, but it ended up that the girls were all in one place and the guys in another. Their teacher and team manager, Nicole Silva, luckily ended up with the girls. :-)<br />
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The first night was a "mixer" in which the team came, their managers registered them, and the event of the night was pin trading. Each region has their own pin and the kids come with a bunch of their regional pins to trade for other pins. Kendra bought 10 pins to trade.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The regional pin--it lights up!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pin trading crowd and Kendra</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her pin trades on her regional medal</td></tr>
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Saturday morning was the big event. They had their main challenge at 11:00 a.m. (they did the same skit they did at regionals, with some tweaks). It was a little nerve wracking as the boys (who had ALL the props) left their hotel late and squeaked in just in the nick of time. The performance room was a theater room, I guess, and the walls were completed covered in black curtain. It made for TERRIBLE pictures, but I did get a few before they got in. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excited to go in!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVya5rkN0slsUeHEBPF5YKwl8GfhPEec0jPCFOosefl-Yrk1IM_P0LzY8aK0eLv15juUIvy_mprpO-JWXymfRxQYWn9j94VmTq4X1lWv46njgbJXjZFPS-f79OMh9JaDapMGCvFwyzEi7/s1600/IMG_6404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVya5rkN0slsUeHEBPF5YKwl8GfhPEec0jPCFOosefl-Yrk1IM_P0LzY8aK0eLv15juUIvy_mprpO-JWXymfRxQYWn9j94VmTq4X1lWv46njgbJXjZFPS-f79OMh9JaDapMGCvFwyzEi7/s400/IMG_6404.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The team In Disguise! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9v7IKdL1e3Z4URh22AWM19o6bzn2nIERt7mqcIn4ds41jie6USuWAkPckSPqT8cDzGbqw-4_WYBWskJTIvRx2BWgGbOxpIK8_MyKcLj_rf1ewtZu3SPaR2UYy7_f6LhXBv-fn9mPadVQt/s1600/IMG_6405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9v7IKdL1e3Z4URh22AWM19o6bzn2nIERt7mqcIn4ds41jie6USuWAkPckSPqT8cDzGbqw-4_WYBWskJTIvRx2BWgGbOxpIK8_MyKcLj_rf1ewtZu3SPaR2UYy7_f6LhXBv-fn9mPadVQt/s400/IMG_6405.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure what's up with this here... ha!</td></tr>
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Our friends, the Rodgers', who moved away from here this past summer were also at the tournament because their son's team was also competing. We were so happy to see them, but unfortunately due to hectic competition schedules we only saw each other very briefly. They did come to see Kendra's main challenge performance.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHj52N3-wEHRPNkXDKb8viTUVewk45vNrHoLls2gTbG-A9ediYTrTEISMspkdop6KL_-LKG5wbiHKmnis8_Pj9pKs1w3N9hUyPAHvPKjXIA_u1I-vpEAh-ApNhNhj5iYfcZpjh0kcc4QV/s1600/missie+and+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHj52N3-wEHRPNkXDKb8viTUVewk45vNrHoLls2gTbG-A9ediYTrTEISMspkdop6KL_-LKG5wbiHKmnis8_Pj9pKs1w3N9hUyPAHvPKjXIA_u1I-vpEAh-ApNhNhj5iYfcZpjh0kcc4QV/s400/missie+and+me.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Missie and me!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2lFhJeZDD2YFpDhtqtoXxJbS5M7R1tPOiqJTkhjsTXwppo_cT8ymWlWP9mElc_n895HuXuvblXJ-nszyUHX-9QARXWWtd_-i1AAfbkheUP1I1lynLK9vPYtR3Bg_7o_pWEwZKtRtbkXz/s1600/rodgers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2lFhJeZDD2YFpDhtqtoXxJbS5M7R1tPOiqJTkhjsTXwppo_cT8ymWlWP9mElc_n895HuXuvblXJ-nszyUHX-9QARXWWtd_-i1AAfbkheUP1I1lynLK9vPYtR3Bg_7o_pWEwZKtRtbkXz/s400/rodgers.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Randy, Reagan, and Kendra right before her performance</td></tr>
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We also had another unexpected supporter! Kendra's science teacher, Karel Stewart, made the five hour drive down to Katy and spent her own money on a hotel stay to come support the kids! Can you say OUTSTANDING TEACHER???? The kids were so excited she came, and I know it meant a ton to them because it meant a ton to me as a mom!!! Karel is one of a kind, to be sure. Love her!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdX3WykPxmjzTPSqbb5pe8BqAbrLQ8yX_9s8FuATikVMUm-Ngmr8pyj4aP3GPjjeaCI57sZcAiL7EKRX_1ZrxVQ4Msv_OxZDP0QJnA7ERlxLJKWQYAtPk0fReD9vWOr5xwOEsDsZaZjUM/s1600/mrs+stewart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdX3WykPxmjzTPSqbb5pe8BqAbrLQ8yX_9s8FuATikVMUm-Ngmr8pyj4aP3GPjjeaCI57sZcAiL7EKRX_1ZrxVQ4Msv_OxZDP0QJnA7ERlxLJKWQYAtPk0fReD9vWOr5xwOEsDsZaZjUM/s400/mrs+stewart.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids with Karel!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebKB-_ye1ERJMIA_y-hzUQcLvcBIPtlan0G2cbt9AbA9KB3AAkomvDj9gUdrEAMn-tv4jcVEdyfuRw5UQBg_QIHD3y8820V_3njh06nyJq4eRhk9MVt6akpHXnOJBAJj21AKYu-PDbFP-/s1600/IMG_6422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebKB-_ye1ERJMIA_y-hzUQcLvcBIPtlan0G2cbt9AbA9KB3AAkomvDj9gUdrEAMn-tv4jcVEdyfuRw5UQBg_QIHD3y8820V_3njh06nyJq4eRhk9MVt6akpHXnOJBAJj21AKYu-PDbFP-/s400/IMG_6422.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch at Jason's Deli between challenges. This is Kendra's good friend, Cami.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">After lunch we did a little shopping at Charming Charlie's, an accessories type store here. The kids were crazy trying on women's dresses, jewelry and shoes. I ended up with new pair of sunglasses as mine were scratched to bits! <span style="font-size: small;">For some reason <span style="font-size: small;">Blogger is going wacko an<span style="font-size: small;">d won't let me do anything past this picture<span style="font-size: small;">, so I guess this post<span style="font-size: small;"> becomes two!</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-45377810073517236292013-04-22T16:02:00.001-07:002013-04-22T16:02:32.446-07:00Easter & New BeginningsEaster was pretty low-key this year. We almost forgot to color the eggs! Sigh. I guess that's what comes when your child gets older! We had a lovely dinner with the Ballards and enjoyed a lovely church service where Kendra sang with a group of other Primary kids (she had a small solo, which she didn't want to do. She is SO done with Primary!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The basket's contents are becoming more sophisticated with time, too!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gotta love a sleepy face! Flip flops are Easter basket tradition around here.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodOCrW6uJuUtspuxt4E0xipvVM3Nidfl3m-SC7jyX29F5F-XYmZuHpwoC0v_nG1ZWxhcqZRp95zNj7O7K-KNLxAMCH3dD_yZzCd-sgg1jw42mjeKK15tGNEXBZGc1ss3T8Sht4G7vD8gE/s1600/IMG_6396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodOCrW6uJuUtspuxt4E0xipvVM3Nidfl3m-SC7jyX29F5F-XYmZuHpwoC0v_nG1ZWxhcqZRp95zNj7O7K-KNLxAMCH3dD_yZzCd-sgg1jw42mjeKK15tGNEXBZGc1ss3T8Sht4G7vD8gE/s400/IMG_6396.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There she is, all prettied up! (But notice eyes are still tired! We are NOT fans of 8:30 church!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBZV2NuqlNVQKJTTQS1FKUS5yidV1larNcLQ1zYZtncym9UyMJLAsIEVFyVZvZWP4vAQc-b6vzHvJxOX7gKJ4ISlUMu2tBttZc9sJwKi32LWtyDUbTGwffS6a0Pk8dDEJv8DfZtCuG6MP/s1600/IMG_6398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBZV2NuqlNVQKJTTQS1FKUS5yidV1larNcLQ1zYZtncym9UyMJLAsIEVFyVZvZWP4vAQc-b6vzHvJxOX7gKJ4ISlUMu2tBttZc9sJwKi32LWtyDUbTGwffS6a0Pk8dDEJv8DfZtCuG6MP/s400/IMG_6398.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Ballard/Zitzman sandwich! Poor Sophie!</td></tr>
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We also had Young Women's New Beginnings Night! I'm a leader in our church's Young Women's program, and in July Kendra will be joining this program! Each year there is a special evening to welcome the girls who will be coming into Young Women's in the year. This year's theme is Stand Ye in Holy Places, so we did a "shoes" theme. Each pair of shoes had a tie-in to one of the Young Women values we teach. I am in the presidency of this organization with some amazing women. They did all the decorating without me---they did it during the day when I work. :-( We had a lovely dinner of chicken salad croissants, fruit salad, pasta salad, veggies, and I made individual brownie parfaits for dessert. The girls decorated sugar cookies (we learned how to "flood" them with icing) that were the take-away gift, and we also gave the new girls a pair of flip flops with value colored ribbons they could use to tie and decorate. It was a very fun night and it has excited Kendra even more to become a Young Woman! <br />
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ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-63333919835839073462013-03-17T14:17:00.000-07:002013-03-17T19:53:44.365-07:00Our other spring break activities!The majority of our week was spent in re-doing Kendra's bedroom (see previous post) but we did squeeze in some other fun (and not-so-fun) things as well.<br />
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First, Kendra started her break by flying to Utah to see her dad get married. He flew her out on Thursday afternoon and she came home Sunday so it was a fast and furious trip. She got to see almost all of her family on her dad's side, which was fun for her. Her new step-mom is really nice and she has two sons and two daughters, so Kendra now has step-siblings. She really likes all of them a lot. I like that she has other people to visit when she goes to see her dad. Here's a picture of four of the five kids (her oldest son is on a mission for our church).<br />
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On Monday we took my car in for some service. I had an issue with a headlight (replaced the bulb but still wasn't working) and I took it to the dealer first. They were going to charge me $120 just to look at it, so we said we'd come back later. Took it to a local oil change place that I really like and they said they could do an electrical diagnostic for half that price, so I told them go ahead. $55 later and it turned out the replacement headlight I bought at a parts store was a bum light. :-( Lovely. I guess it's good that it wasn't a larger electrical issue, but still! <br />
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Tuesday we took our REALLY shaggy doggie in for grooming. At Christmastime we took her in and received a call saying they wouldn't groom her because she was biting. What? Seemed strange. I tried brushing her myself and she was trying to bite the BRUSH, not me. I trimmed up her face and let it go. I got a recommendation from a friend for a certain groomer at the same place so decided to give it a go. She did GREAT, but unfortunately because her fur had gotten so long she was matted all over the place so she had to get buzzed. We thought we'd be taking home a little rat, but it doesn't look too bad at all and we've actually come to like how she looks.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I forgot to get a "before" picture, but trust me, she was a disaster!</td></tr>
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Wednesday we checked out a new science museum in Dallas called the Perot Museum. SO COOL. It is four floors and was really, really neat. Unfortunately it was spring break so even though they only sell a certain amount of tickets per time slot (a cool way to manage crowds), it was very busy. We will definitely go back to see it again when it is less busy!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging with the mammoth</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They had a "create your own bird" activity</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sports area--Kendra served a volleyball while they recorded her motions</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then she could watch her form </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We just thought this was cool.</td></tr>
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Thursday we did a little shopping...Kendra had a gift card from her dad from Christmas to Aeropostale, so she bought three pairs of shorts, a pair of capris, and a lightweight hoodie jacket--she is getting all set for spring!<br />
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Friday was our theater day--we went to our favorite local community theater, The Artisan, and saw the children's show in the morning and volunteered and saw the mainstage show (Thoroughly Modern Millie) in the evening. When you volunteer you get to see the show for free--we love it!<br />
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Saturday was spring cleaning day around the house and getting geared up to go back to school. :-( We also threw in some yard work this week (trying to de-weed my yard is a constant process---I inherited a mess when I bought this place!). It's been a great week--lots of sleeping in, enjoying gorgeous weather, spending time with my favorite gal, and getting things done. Spring break = success!ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-61086432877135644692013-03-17T13:55:00.004-07:002013-03-17T14:24:03.035-07:00Kendra's room re-doThe major project of our spring break was painting and re-decorating Kendra's bedroom. It was the first room we fully decorated when we moved in six years ago, and it's the first room getting a re-do (and I have no plans to redo anything else in the near future---I do NOT like to paint!)<br />
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Here's Kendra's room when we first moved in...<br />
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We added baby pink and hot pink polka dots and a fun canopy soon after this. I don't have any pictures of that (I don't know why) but you can see them both in this picture:<br />
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This is from Christmas this past year when she got her new bedding. Because much of the accents in her room are pink and hot pink, like her desk chair, book bins, and round chair, the room re-do needed to incorporate pink somehow (since I'm not Mrs. Moneybags). We decided upon three colors and challenged myself with the task of painting straight lines on textured walls (what was I thinking???)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step one done---a pewter grey on top</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step two--add a bold pink line. Bottom is jagged because we will cover that next</td></tr>
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Then came a small disaster. We made our 7 millionth trip to the Orange Depot (you know the one), and we saw a glaze treatment that was supposed to add sparkle to the wall. We consulted a HD paint person, who said we just apply it with an old t-shirt or sponge, and it was pretty easy. Since Kendra's favorite color is "sparkle" and this treatment was less than $10, I thought, why not? Well, here's why not:<br />
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Yep, just looks like dirty wall, doesn't it. Well, the lovely HD associate failed to mention that you shouldn't use that glaze treatment on textured walls, nor on satin finish paint. Both of which we have. I could have cried. It looked TERRIBLE and we had used all of the grey paint. I knew we had to re-paint, though. Luckily, the customer service at HD is also kind, and they gave us a new can of paint at no cost to apologize for the bad advice. Unfortunately they couldn't give me back the time it took to re-tape and re-do it all! Argh!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGOHgWl6zLdYGJ4eHt1ZCheOKcq6J5Rau0ejvHWokt9lVKFt5QrpRo6X1mG930e2zVVcqi5_Du9SfPSgi4XVhT59cS4GE3-bTT4F6ngz3FQFP59bIrQgFmEwQLJxGUaL0hLTfxWGaxQ3l/s1600/IMG_0382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGOHgWl6zLdYGJ4eHt1ZCheOKcq6J5Rau0ejvHWokt9lVKFt5QrpRo6X1mG930e2zVVcqi5_Du9SfPSgi4XVhT59cS4GE3-bTT4F6ngz3FQFP59bIrQgFmEwQLJxGUaL0hLTfxWGaxQ3l/s400/IMG_0382.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we are, a bit silly from paint fumes, I think...</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlrMMDIKkVQRt1SDw1mGJcStW4_nPpmmOy4P_oWLYZt9E14cYvOgBKcHwKJmsNbBQiRvMGo-e1sWUhY1Vct9dR0vNOCyZvqUz8TbTPch_SaNV4HLJgHKC9PEmXshaRVfBLERkQmer-iNVA/s1600/IMG_6376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlrMMDIKkVQRt1SDw1mGJcStW4_nPpmmOy4P_oWLYZt9E14cYvOgBKcHwKJmsNbBQiRvMGo-e1sWUhY1Vct9dR0vNOCyZvqUz8TbTPch_SaNV4HLJgHKC9PEmXshaRVfBLERkQmer-iNVA/s400/IMG_6376.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bottom half first coat---painting with black is NOT for sissies. Had me worried...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But came out great with the second coat. Repainted the grey next... </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDRxJGG6jNGxd9sKvPRBWdiX9BKY_2Hx-TYaZ-jfev7aAt2hrArzoyvua3ljLtHqiYTKSfST0jxeXTNNNJKxpnwtUZ2KUICngz0-Y8V1dEUol8ChhJpxGt9voKGz0kgP5muS9Zfj-Soc-/s1600/IMG_6377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDRxJGG6jNGxd9sKvPRBWdiX9BKY_2Hx-TYaZ-jfev7aAt2hrArzoyvua3ljLtHqiYTKSfST0jxeXTNNNJKxpnwtUZ2KUICngz0-Y8V1dEUol8ChhJpxGt9voKGz0kgP5muS9Zfj-Soc-/s400/IMG_6377.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My helper---she did a FANTASTIC job. She truly did half of the roller work!</td></tr>
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Removing the tape and putting everything back... </div>
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It isn't completely finished yet. I bought some white, black, and hot pink stars (different sizes) in vinyl to decorate and Kendra purchased five Broadway musical posters and framed them for the walls. But we have to wait a couple weeks after painting before we can apply the stars, so I'm sure I'll have a post with the final result when we can put it all together!! It was a lot of work, but it was really great to work together like we did to accomplish this project. Kendra loves it!<br />
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<br />ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-91352677453219015532013-03-15T15:40:00.001-07:002013-03-15T15:40:46.219-07:00Great Wolf LodgeI wanted to have a little getaway around spring break but didn't want to drive or fly far away. One day I got an email on a good deal for Great Wolf Lodge (which is only about 40 minutes away from home) so we that's what we did! We went on the Friday the weekend before spring break, hoping it wouldn't be terribly busy. It wasn't too bad!<br />
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Kendra invited her friend Katherine, and I picked them both up from school and we headed out. We grabbed a pizza on the way there, which was great because we ate the leftovers for lunch on Saturday. We arrived and jumped into our swimsuits right away. We hung out at the park for a while but the girls got tired (it had been a long week) so we got some ice cream from the little shop inside the hotel and settled in our room to chill.<br />
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We spent most of Saturday in the water park, eating leftover pizza and buying a cookie the size of my head. The park started getting really crowded around 4:00 when the Saturday/Sunday crowd was coming in. The girls had had their fill, so we headed out, stopping for some shopping at a nice shopping center on the way home. Kendra has picked some really great friends, and it was delightful to spend the time with these two girlies.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In our cozies after nighttime swim/play</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The big bucket that dumps on your head</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dumping of the bucket. The girls are in there somewhere!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kendra loves crossing these lily pads</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cookies as big as your head...</td></tr>
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The best part for me? I went on exactly ONE slide---and then read my book the rest of the time. Kendra had a blast with her friend and I did, too!!! :-)ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-89936719196971453652013-03-15T15:27:00.000-07:002013-03-15T15:27:33.999-07:00Destination Imagination!Kendra is a member of her school's Destination Imagination team. DI is a competition in which kids work on problem solving challenges. They are given a "main" challenge that they develop over the course of the year, then at the competition they present that challenge as well as perform an "instant challenge." One of the coolest things is that they are allowed to receive ZERO adult input on their challenges. Their coach is a teacher at the school, but she is not allowed to give any advice or suggestions on the challenges. Nor can the kids get help from parents or other adults. They have to come up with the solutions on their own. Pretty neat (but also hard for this teacher mama not to open her big mouth with suggestions!). <br />
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The Saturday of the challenge came and we headed out to a school about 35 minutes away for the day. Each kid was responsible for bringing parts of the costumes, background, props, etc. for the main challenge. The premise of their challenge was they had to perform some sort of skit with some required elements (a disguise and a mask that morphed into something using "technology") and some team elements that they designed themselves. They decided to have their skit be a disco competition in which the boys declare "No Girls Allowed." So the girls disguised themselves as guys and win the contest. The mask was the hard part; they had planned to have it change color using heavily colored water in a spray bottle. Here's where it got crazy. The boy who was supposed to bring the food color forgot it! So the kids are freaking out but also problem solving, trying to think of what they could use instead of red food color. Someone thought of ketchup and so I took off running to find the concessions. Unfortunately we were at the middle school, and concessions was across the street at the high school. I had to hoof it quite a ways to get it, but I got it! It was gross, but they had ketchup water so they weren't disqualified. The main challenge was cute and they did pretty well.<br />
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Next was the instant challenge and they felt like they did pretty well. They were successful in achieving what was required---but I can't tell you what it was! It is TOP SECRET---the kids have to promise not to divulge the elements of the challenge until they are 52 years old (or some such thing ;-) ) The only thing Kendra could tell me was that they were required to have things a certain length/height and if they got it longer/taller it got them extra points, and she knew they got a LOT of extra points. <br />
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Fast forward to the awards. I was sitting with another mom while the team sat on the coliseum floor, and we were hoping the kids would at least get a medal. They awarded medals for 6th place and up, and there were 13 schools in their category. They awarded 6th through 2nd place, but then waited to tell the 1st place winners until the end. As our category was announced and our team didn't get called, the other mom and I were sad for the kids. You see, we knew that they hadn't gotten a really high score on their main challenge. We kept watching the kids and they seemed hopeful still, and we were both worried they were going to be crushed. We headed down the bleachers to the rails nearby the kids as they were getting ready to announce the first place winners and I mouthed to Kendra, "I really don't think its your team, honey." (complete with an "I'm sorry" expression). She mouthed back, "I know." I hitched up my purse straps to my shoulder, ready to hug my sad child when they announced first place---and THEY WON!!!!! The other mom and I turned to each other and screamed, "WHAAAAATTTTT????" The kids were screaming and bouncing and hugging each other, then they ran full gainer up to the front to receive their medals. We could not believe it! Apparently they absolutely NAILED their instant challenge, which gained them the win. It was crazy! <br />
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So, now we're headed to the State competition in Katy, TX in April. We are ALL still amazed. But honestly, I hope they don't win at State---I don't think we can afford Nationals!!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The team!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The team being goof balls...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to start their "main challenge"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You should be dancin', yeah!" (Tell me you also hear the Bee Gees...)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disguised as boys--going to enter the disco competition</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winning the disco trophy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out for lunch together between challenges</td></tr>
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<br />ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-14618014359400710332013-01-01T19:09:00.000-08:002013-01-01T19:09:35.561-08:00Ooooooooo---KLAHOMA!Where the wind goes sweeping down the plains....<br />
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A couple weeks before Christmas I got a call from my friend Missie (good friend who used to live here in FW but <strike>betrayed</strike> moved away from us this summer...sniff...). She said she had to talk to me about big plans for Christmas. I knew they'd be in town, so I figured we'd get together for a girls night or something. Instead she said that her family was getting a cabin in the woods in Oklahoma, and there were only four of them but the cabin slept six so would we like to go with them??? Uh, YEAH! We'd LOVE to go!<br />
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So on December 28th we packed up the car, took Lucy to our friend's house (the Hills' family from church kept her for us, thanks so much!), and headed north east. We arrived to the cabin about four hours later and it was so nice!!!<br />
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Vacationing with the Rodgers' is awesome...they are much like us. We are go-with-the-flow, sleeping-in, must have showers and Diet Cokes (that part is me) kind of people, and so are they! :-) Another family that the Rodgers' know camped in their fifth-wheel nearby, too, and they were great! We each brought stuff and prepared a dinner meal and went to dinner in town once, spent time hiking, playing in the snow, fishing (Randy and Scott, not the rest of us), reading in the company of the wood burning stove, playing games, and just relaxing. It was AWESOME.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hat bought just for the trip...it was COLD!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Exploring the Beaver's Bend National Forest Museum. Got us some oxen.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kendra and her bestie, R, did photo shoots of each other. Nice composition, R!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out the Dam. There was some fun had saying we were on the Dam Road. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deer right outside the car window in the park.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYLULJwDj_76Xhs9Us0HtarZ6ECnZ_u4kUkDihj4kBJaEEZpDyR5KcHQxKpvvfxXmT9ILS9BLWUlGa8n_hpUfutuiToaBDULzzCX57bwPusSViWm7P_yY_b3irBFci1GGeD-NBDtS8kKnp/s1600/IMG_6212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYLULJwDj_76Xhs9Us0HtarZ6ECnZ_u4kUkDihj4kBJaEEZpDyR5KcHQxKpvvfxXmT9ILS9BLWUlGa8n_hpUfutuiToaBDULzzCX57bwPusSViWm7P_yY_b3irBFci1GGeD-NBDtS8kKnp/s400/IMG_6212.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kendra LOVES to eat snow...here she is begging to take a bite.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYxYTkgTNaJJl5mvfcQtMTUxOuS7o8zpITxJrym9m4TjC3a4WdhHk6OXGxTC-cOpXiGMdysSmyVEB1I0JSgt-FVl0DPMoRT-wk2SzOyNjZ1bsa9-B0j0EPEtS4KSOOH26y0cJSLOMovRLT/s1600/IMG_6231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYxYTkgTNaJJl5mvfcQtMTUxOuS7o8zpITxJrym9m4TjC3a4WdhHk6OXGxTC-cOpXiGMdysSmyVEB1I0JSgt-FVl0DPMoRT-wk2SzOyNjZ1bsa9-B0j0EPEtS4KSOOH26y0cJSLOMovRLT/s400/IMG_6231.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On our hike by the river.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSv7LATRqAq3w3weaE-_6nSatBpjVp3N7Rv0cPK8lbUnCwnf2KwK1n7H-37-iBeA84J-aDZlhImO65Su0R8NuV7L4UkkAu2S2z5rhiYE4K_0_ZgZsvHnO4D045p1rFxD5hGHF283wHJKn/s1600/IMG_6232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSv7LATRqAq3w3weaE-_6nSatBpjVp3N7Rv0cPK8lbUnCwnf2KwK1n7H-37-iBeA84J-aDZlhImO65Su0R8NuV7L4UkkAu2S2z5rhiYE4K_0_ZgZsvHnO4D045p1rFxD5hGHF283wHJKn/s400/IMG_6232.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Randy found a geo-cache!!! Just scooted a rock over and said, "Oh, here it is!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehctijEIODkmjPlJavHYUqf4xwXJVtGUf_18YH3hhBUBbVCZz6iIRwHQ70JivdU16sekU6ufSCVLWguRrnTWbCgHMMPipXcRAeNewFrdBSxRikHR_Z_w6VxGsKF1mrJQTv31Mt3sSfhVC/s1600/IMG_6234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehctijEIODkmjPlJavHYUqf4xwXJVtGUf_18YH3hhBUBbVCZz6iIRwHQ70JivdU16sekU6ufSCVLWguRrnTWbCgHMMPipXcRAeNewFrdBSxRikHR_Z_w6VxGsKF1mrJQTv31Mt3sSfhVC/s400/IMG_6234.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We took a hippie rubber ducky from the cache, and left behind some neat pennies stamped with a cross that Scott brought with him.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Zl6LqZJOz1z1CmpxhaNTt_XUvzZkHnTfR-4KZSr0aZwYXDGdLZVq7X0PR1Bee4s8x4pEFVT55FnZrQiCrHHHbXGMv_yNbux-ss2DaM5dPB2fjNE-1ffEGqNLARpSOBjB9edTHMiMpmsY/s1600/IMG_6246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Zl6LqZJOz1z1CmpxhaNTt_XUvzZkHnTfR-4KZSr0aZwYXDGdLZVq7X0PR1Bee4s8x4pEFVT55FnZrQiCrHHHbXGMv_yNbux-ss2DaM5dPB2fjNE-1ffEGqNLARpSOBjB9edTHMiMpmsY/s400/IMG_6246.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proof that I was actually there. (My arm is awkward because I'm holding a branch back from whacking my kid in the face)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6YN3xc8O2qBEoAT_w0lBPBM5pSYEX59TtxlqYCWChUN20RKnFfL5ImkqENXBsHWPskx-hZa6sePSYG04yuiaPY1nDndDnZ8eu5mTuw_L6LgP0gIwH2eTtqv8z5ZVh5cQY9ZN9dm_fvQX/s1600/IMG_6249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6YN3xc8O2qBEoAT_w0lBPBM5pSYEX59TtxlqYCWChUN20RKnFfL5ImkqENXBsHWPskx-hZa6sePSYG04yuiaPY1nDndDnZ8eu5mTuw_L6LgP0gIwH2eTtqv8z5ZVh5cQY9ZN9dm_fvQX/s400/IMG_6249.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had one short-lived campfire--it was raining and cold.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieM7RNI_lpFcbCTMgEPQZTd-GH2clW4fPOl_Izs4dIfVqYY7pY0e0DEgn6UvIj-xezpu3Lyn14PqB59PYtzTm4puQQxluVnKplWqkPcpAZelmngzE678lPrawXDxuHXMmiPUkd7HcHshAn/s1600/IMG_6251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieM7RNI_lpFcbCTMgEPQZTd-GH2clW4fPOl_Izs4dIfVqYY7pY0e0DEgn6UvIj-xezpu3Lyn14PqB59PYtzTm4puQQxluVnKplWqkPcpAZelmngzE678lPrawXDxuHXMmiPUkd7HcHshAn/s400/IMG_6251.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Missie and I with our s'mores!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4WwGM2dtNUGLbeuQ0_UoA77iGyYxllInrUDWvUET8UCVKYqO3mYFYodoE9ITrVhKHGixeFmngMvTdhM3LKaRDuIRc6YYxeL4TZkp-9XxZIm10JJodGqotb7fyzzYC0n2LJMACF7LZcgd/s1600/IMG_6254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4WwGM2dtNUGLbeuQ0_UoA77iGyYxllInrUDWvUET8UCVKYqO3mYFYodoE9ITrVhKHGixeFmngMvTdhM3LKaRDuIRc6YYxeL4TZkp-9XxZIm10JJodGqotb7fyzzYC0n2LJMACF7LZcgd/s400/IMG_6254.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Livin' large on NYE---noise makers and Uno! What more could you want???</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We had a blast...THANK YOU Rodgers family!!!ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-31607221443394303512013-01-01T18:33:00.003-08:002013-01-01T18:33:56.590-08:00Yay for Christmas!!!Christmas came fast as our school break started the closest to Christmas day that it ever has since we came to Texas--December 21st! Top that off with Kendra having two Snow White shows on the 21st and one more on the 22nd and we were rushin' and crazy! Thankfully, I had all the shopping done, and our wonderful PTA at school had given me a 1/2 day off earlier that week so I had done the wrapping, too! <br />
<br />
Christmas eve arrived with me feeling rather puny (found out later that I
had the flu and a brewing sinus infection) so Kendra and I chose to
stay in. Kendra pampered me with a spa night---she got me a hot bath ready complete with bath salts and rose petals, and then lit candles and put on Christmas music for me. The hot bath really helped me feel better!<br />
<br />
We were awakened in the night by one doozy of a thunderstorm!
It was LOUD and it went on for hours. Definitely a first for
us---thunderstorms on Christmas night! Normally I have to wake up my
Sleeping Beauty on Christmas morning (every year!) but this year the
storm did so we got up at around 7:00--a record early time. :-) Kendra
enjoyed opening her gifts---highlights this year for her were new
bedding from me (we're redoing her room slowly) and gift cards from her
dad (she LOVES to shop!). Kendra spent her own money to buy me a beautiful sweater and to put a Lifesavers Book and toe socks into my stocking. Awesome.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLs0k7z_fKHdINPXy0qpwRDamjWWht3OvFRz9i7XlLC5o5SGjJUS29Z88QASURwoY_dFsi4geNgpKcZSOuUosUWsPU7885oKJRdbJokKL198qg6rOEa0SGQ6gA8Msx_31n9FXuWqmmNaeD/s1600/IMG_0224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLs0k7z_fKHdINPXy0qpwRDamjWWht3OvFRz9i7XlLC5o5SGjJUS29Z88QASURwoY_dFsi4geNgpKcZSOuUosUWsPU7885oKJRdbJokKL198qg6rOEa0SGQ6gA8Msx_31n9FXuWqmmNaeD/s400/IMG_0224.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An awesome blanket from her dad and his fiance---it is embroidered with "I'd Rather Be Acting!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHiOsQsHaEADujq5KBw0H9a178e0KSwWzt-oZP-_S1VpUI2ZHr-wl-3rqcXPqXayWqBqQW2H28tlcfoGEzE1DvtPTGBQ-WEazqWykaGVQODmBZzEYHssYmOjA8h86M2_D75crwNIdzDKXc/s1600/IMG_0225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHiOsQsHaEADujq5KBw0H9a178e0KSwWzt-oZP-_S1VpUI2ZHr-wl-3rqcXPqXayWqBqQW2H28tlcfoGEzE1DvtPTGBQ-WEazqWykaGVQODmBZzEYHssYmOjA8h86M2_D75crwNIdzDKXc/s400/IMG_0225.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gift cards!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWus2Ovy4t3-QY_IR5ROOpqxr-zBkwttaFvIM0qmGxbdhDzy8t3JS_-E8sKzPpVEDePNNeOuJ2njHgcWNXUWUfjU7XbnxgspS0VEdO5gZQgxro5MfQH012oBeNi1rIVkFkzXte3gnTyZgX/s1600/IMG_0228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWus2Ovy4t3-QY_IR5ROOpqxr-zBkwttaFvIM0qmGxbdhDzy8t3JS_-E8sKzPpVEDePNNeOuJ2njHgcWNXUWUfjU7XbnxgspS0VEdO5gZQgxro5MfQH012oBeNi1rIVkFkzXte3gnTyZgX/s400/IMG_0228.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surfin' the new body pillow on the new bedding set</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1PDVeBRQLyW5fKNHJ3lZfO26jC-0SUgW8GoHys2efxqBsH0G7vlkyr6t_K3s0K-6Tb-DN-SRiU7Whr0uHUW8sxQTEDZ5UJat_jrzu_THemMUIB5kpHBd4j10VQhbFDpUvUzWSBXY1Iis/s1600/IMG_6178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1PDVeBRQLyW5fKNHJ3lZfO26jC-0SUgW8GoHys2efxqBsH0G7vlkyr6t_K3s0K-6Tb-DN-SRiU7Whr0uHUW8sxQTEDZ5UJat_jrzu_THemMUIB5kpHBd4j10VQhbFDpUvUzWSBXY1Iis/s400/IMG_6178.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surveying the blessings!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTpkMrnlb1MKFQV422ciGgyxSlvdLpIy1tGbLkvDwj-lrIlUBKkviZj094CCcDX5pXSpN24v6Q01rd0lK3TMgTA70YydqnvjbYGSobRTm48jrtlJyFn7UQx-1TFzbGuklAxByQ4RPVOMT/s1600/IMG_0230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTpkMrnlb1MKFQV422ciGgyxSlvdLpIy1tGbLkvDwj-lrIlUBKkviZj094CCcDX5pXSpN24v6Q01rd0lK3TMgTA70YydqnvjbYGSobRTm48jrtlJyFn7UQx-1TFzbGuklAxByQ4RPVOMT/s400/IMG_0230.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweater courtesy of Kendra</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After unwrapping, I made homemade cinnamon sugar doughnuts...mmmmm!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zIlrkWv1Wa-yplfAS8K2-mu2oZbXJ79UIOCHnq5TlDvMWUEj5LyzSVf-qniRc5gbrmPVxVNeRJXP7LvVoGj8ydS-sKAHuNwbE7yHR8VzR5Z8evnVYeY3dUtxfoImUEcFjQ7pYie8GKxc/s1600/IMG_6181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zIlrkWv1Wa-yplfAS8K2-mu2oZbXJ79UIOCHnq5TlDvMWUEj5LyzSVf-qniRc5gbrmPVxVNeRJXP7LvVoGj8ydS-sKAHuNwbE7yHR8VzR5Z8evnVYeY3dUtxfoImUEcFjQ7pYie8GKxc/s400/IMG_6181.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time to make the doughnuts!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We got showered and ready for the next VERY anticipated activity of the day....we went to see Les Miserables!!! Oh man, great movie. I introduced Kendra to the amazing music about a year ago, and she loves it as much as I do. We can both sing the whole musical! But we didn't sing in the theater---that would be rude. :-) <br />
<br />
We walked out of the theater three hours later to find it was.....<br />
<br />
SNOWING!!!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQK5G3F7l76185qUOi5h7Fvf_J1xINjBGAF4nbOvCOrhg_uvxkEeFXH1Pl1k17g26zh2MeQoCCYyFGZT-RanGPooXFURwfRz-3ofcoHgxY2CP-QaRyCJ0eGkQ7n6g1yUCZXnvofz9C7ou/s1600/IMG_6182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQK5G3F7l76185qUOi5h7Fvf_J1xINjBGAF4nbOvCOrhg_uvxkEeFXH1Pl1k17g26zh2MeQoCCYyFGZT-RanGPooXFURwfRz-3ofcoHgxY2CP-QaRyCJ0eGkQ7n6g1yUCZXnvofz9C7ou/s400/IMG_6182.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It came down fast!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It made for a little bit of a dicey drive later on that night, but the snowy whiteness and the joy it gave to Kendra made it more than worth it. But holy CATS, it was also so COLD! We headed over to the (David) Ballards for dinner with our (Scott &
Sherry) Ballards. Kendra and I were both dim witted (or maybe just
trying to remember everything we needed to take with us) and didn't even
think to bring snow gear for Kendra to play in. The kids all piled
outside (minus Kendra :-( ) but they didn't stay out long in the bitter
air. We had a delicious prime rib dinner and enjoyed wonderful
friends. We exchanged gifts and were rottenly spoiled by our Ballards
yet again. I received a new pair of black dress shoes (desperately
needed) with a certificate to buy another pair of my choice, new flannel sheets, a
certificate for car washes, and a certificate for a 90 minute massage.
Kendra received a gift for both of us---tickets to go see Wicked coming
to Dallas!!!!! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLjHVA_-aDwcaf25_QXcbDcICDcIJAqf6NSNDL8-UzlkVUQiwXof0AabWK3poYG069d3jfu_rIX4SECj9ZJOcZr3f6d3B1hUHmi2NNH64DatMhqxw3RHvzFbgvS6YFrkb6nKqkqFEGpNA/s1600/IMG_0236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLjHVA_-aDwcaf25_QXcbDcICDcIJAqf6NSNDL8-UzlkVUQiwXof0AabWK3poYG069d3jfu_rIX4SECj9ZJOcZr3f6d3B1hUHmi2NNH64DatMhqxw3RHvzFbgvS6YFrkb6nKqkqFEGpNA/s400/IMG_0236.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are you kidding???????</td></tr>
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We had a beautiful Christmas...we are very, very blessed. ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-4594436103592730482013-01-01T18:07:00.003-08:002013-01-01T18:07:34.234-08:00Hall Decking and Holiday PrepJust a few shots of our Christmas preparations this year...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9TabeZIXftRnGt-iJnl-tMWNS79qhpjQCL5yyMRf5JG6hhnZbuGuoV6SxJSJVzlJEkpWjy3F7zFLzRux1L41Xe54dR8Iewpr35KjL4ufxifnJ_d6cdtJ2jM0bo2PqlUq2dc5x8Cw6V7W/s1600/IMG_0119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9TabeZIXftRnGt-iJnl-tMWNS79qhpjQCL5yyMRf5JG6hhnZbuGuoV6SxJSJVzlJEkpWjy3F7zFLzRux1L41Xe54dR8Iewpr35KjL4ufxifnJ_d6cdtJ2jM0bo2PqlUq2dc5x8Cw6V7W/s400/IMG_0119.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kendra with her nativity collection</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh Christmas tree!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRshTrF1taVSmHboA1FrOcAPu5PMw7HUSL4sSOfjMeS94bU06s7n6wF85qOku_dZCmKOvk_jyFiEZu_ef8AA8T658gNWaY11ajLvSgzft_Q9zmoVmZSHrlV_7e4Jt-XFk8a8hkD-Je2Hw/s1600/IMG_0143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRshTrF1taVSmHboA1FrOcAPu5PMw7HUSL4sSOfjMeS94bU06s7n6wF85qOku_dZCmKOvk_jyFiEZu_ef8AA8T658gNWaY11ajLvSgzft_Q9zmoVmZSHrlV_7e4Jt-XFk8a8hkD-Je2Hw/s400/IMG_0143.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Us in front of the Fort Worth Christmas tree downtown</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another decoration in Fort Worth's display</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our fifth annual picture at the nativity display at a church center in Arlington</td></tr>
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<br />ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-42435590107804100412013-01-01T18:02:00.001-08:002013-01-01T18:02:07.858-08:00A Snow White Christmas The theater bug bit Kendra some time ago---in fourth grade, I believe. Last year she played the lead in our school musical, and was a bit sad to learn that theater is not an elective offered to sixth graders at her middle school. We started thinking about other avenues for Kendra to pursue this (very big) interest, and a local community theater called The Artisan came to mind. They are a wonderful, family-owned and family-friendly theater that we've been attending as patrons since we moved here. They have cute children's productions and "main stage" shows that are out of this world. So we looked into it, and Kendra auditioned for the Christmas children's musical <i>A Snow White Christmas</i>. She earned the part of one of the dwarves/elves--Giggle Toes.<br />
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It was a big time commitment---rehearsals were usually three nights per week for 2-3 hours. I did a lot of paper grading! :-) When we arrived to the first rehearsal I was pleased to see the "seasoned" kids welcome Kendra into their fold quickly, and the moms were equally nice. As the time went on, I started to get a little worried---things seemed disorganized, the rehearsals seemed barely-controlled chaos, and the hours spent in rehearsal seemed to bear little fruit. Kids weren't learning their parts and only idle threats were given. Once, I sat in on a rehearsal and my teacher skin was crawling---I literally had to leave because the management of the kids was so poor. Kendra was frustrated, I was frustrated. We were both worried that her first experience at this place we LOVED was going to be a total waste of time and a complete embarrassment to Kendra---many of our friends had promised to come watch her perform. So, I wrote the managing director and owner an email expressing our concerns. Thankfully, both had seen similar issues and jumped in to help the newbie director get some semblance of control. Our confidence in the theater was restored. The shows were rough at the start, but eventually they came together. Kendra enjoyed herself once things got fixed, and she plans to audition for another show in the next weeks. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fBb3JwCL_B3v1z3N87tAoGEBgvERCMBp1A0nBcz4ng6oQTwVhFMom-d1EadPLFRyW-u8B4TTu_i9tOSq5NzvLoAWdivT_LKkxxkPn62AE4lSfGdRne-1JpMu-g-Xd7bgDnZwCRAkd_xi/s1600/IMG_0118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fBb3JwCL_B3v1z3N87tAoGEBgvERCMBp1A0nBcz4ng6oQTwVhFMom-d1EadPLFRyW-u8B4TTu_i9tOSq5NzvLoAWdivT_LKkxxkPn62AE4lSfGdRne-1JpMu-g-Xd7bgDnZwCRAkd_xi/s400/IMG_0118.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First show with flowers from our friends, the Aigners.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The merry band of elves!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On stage</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the mall performance</td></tr>
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<br />ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-69455413465114086202012-12-16T18:29:00.001-08:002012-12-16T19:00:18.986-08:00Our Bloggy Christmas Card---2012 in ReviewI'll admit it. Sometimes I'm cheap. I loooovve getting Christmas cards from family and friends. Love it! But I'm cheap. I don't want to spend the equivalent of a nice gift for someone on stamps! So I hope family and friends will forgive me when I do my card blog-style. The upside is that I get to have this year-in-review preserved here on my online "journal"! So, here we go!<br />
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JANUARY: We rang in 2012 and I declared my word of the year to be "balance." Have I achieved that? Well, if you count being able to do a tree pose in yoga as balanced....<br />
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FEBRUARY: I had the pleasure of chaperoning Kendra's fifth grade science camp with her. We had a blast together!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-UUn4vHEvSfale54ZELDNknxxz8CQ0iDo2zH-8lA3onKO1d804Hx37Z-FCoCvwCQ4dmcYsccJ5N4-M3kEwnOzSG6LpYRQQDCkNx-t2VBDD38MLHRW9Olz4IcGpvx9m3r7TF_p0iq0xZx/s1600/science+camp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-UUn4vHEvSfale54ZELDNknxxz8CQ0iDo2zH-8lA3onKO1d804Hx37Z-FCoCvwCQ4dmcYsccJ5N4-M3kEwnOzSG6LpYRQQDCkNx-t2VBDD38MLHRW9Olz4IcGpvx9m3r7TF_p0iq0xZx/s320/science+camp.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No that's not snow. We live in Texas, people. But it was chilly!</td></tr>
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Kendra surprised me by asking to be on our school's Battle of the Books team. It involves reading. She's not normally a fan of reading (which kills me). Maybe the bestie being team captain had something to do with it. They came in fourth place (not bad out of 23 schools).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsrwmrh9N3tv49tOmTn60DE5Y5H5Aqx5AKM_smuNOsgkBAR9zsdoqIUV2oydkCAOXkzWfLvpnZTkGfmPsMhjNgtp017hFFnMxbRD-ftKWpHNMUp24v8M2n0u4wcUkrdECxx1nuDjg2MXm/s1600/battle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsrwmrh9N3tv49tOmTn60DE5Y5H5Aqx5AKM_smuNOsgkBAR9zsdoqIUV2oydkCAOXkzWfLvpnZTkGfmPsMhjNgtp017hFFnMxbRD-ftKWpHNMUp24v8M2n0u4wcUkrdECxx1nuDjg2MXm/s320/battle.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kendra and bestie R, ready for competition</td></tr>
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MARCH:<br />
We got sick. A lot. But we got better. :-)<br />
We lost our dog, Grady, to a tumor in his belly :-(<br />
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We went on Craigslist and got a new dog, Eli.<br />
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Eli was a totally crazy dog who didn't do well in a one-dog, people-gone-all-day house---he didn't stay with us long, but he did end up with his own happily-ever-after.<br />
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APRIL: <br />
Crazy weather, lots of storms, even a "take shelter" at school!<br />
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MAY: <br />
I co-directed and Kendra played the lead in our school's first ever musical! <br />
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Kendra graduated from elementary school!<br />
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I earned my five year pin from my school district. Five years already???<br />
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JUNE:<br />
Kendra went to spend two weeks with her dad in Utah---first time she has ever been gone that long. It was hard!<br />
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I had a birthday and turned....<br />
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Kendra's three closest friends moved! One to Cali, one about 2 hours east of here, and one four hours south of here. :-( That was hard, too.<br />
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JULY:<br />
Our annual pilgrimage to Michigan--for the first time without a dog. <br />
Kendra cut her hair!<br />
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We spent lots of time with cousins.<br />
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Kendra had her 11th birthday! <br />
<br />
AUGUST:<br />
We got a puppy!!!!<br />
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I started my sixth year of teaching fourth grade, and Kendra started middle school! <br />
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<br />
SEPTEMBER:<br />
Kendra adjusted to middle school well and made some good friends.<br />
Kendra started having migraines and we started chiropractic care which worked!<br />
I was crazy busy with the demands of my job at the beginning of a school year. Sigh.<br />
We took Lucy to puppy training at PetSmart. She learned to sit, stay, come when called, and some other things. We're trying hard to keep her trained! :-) <br />
Kendra discovered she loves volleyball. Go figure---my non-sporty child found a sport. She even bought her own volleyball.<br />
<br />
OCTOBER:<br />
I attended Kendra's first choir concert as a middle school student. I was very impressed!<br />
We did the usual Halloweenie things. :-) <br />
<br />
NOVEMBER:<br />
Kendra auditioned for a part in a Christmas musical called A Snow White Christmas at a local community theater. She got the part of Giggle Toes, one of the elves (dwarfs)! November was packed with rehearsals 3 nights per week.<br />
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Kendra joined her school's Destination Imagination team. They will compete sometime in the winter. She's very excited about her team!<br />
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Lucy got her first big-girl-dog hair cut. <br />
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<br />
I was chosen as teacher of the month.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkdSMS2Rg_-2I6VPi0M_sWcFf8u9WDJWSP1HViGRSfiJuvUN0aMA1jrm6qzv0OyNHjQ-rHNE4kVC6_2LvID7eZdff1C71bC4eHXFRQzphTN0lJiQVjTSuXwwaV-ID97IAh_nvlnuWNQxK/s1600/IMG_0066%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkdSMS2Rg_-2I6VPi0M_sWcFf8u9WDJWSP1HViGRSfiJuvUN0aMA1jrm6qzv0OyNHjQ-rHNE4kVC6_2LvID7eZdff1C71bC4eHXFRQzphTN0lJiQVjTSuXwwaV-ID97IAh_nvlnuWNQxK/s320/IMG_0066%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
DECEMBER:<br />
A Snow White Christmas is in full swing <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hoypPs614be0gC0Y6nEMwnsrmcUzDTR7ALQBEPVT_OA9QvjU94dOLKuGZ2aGVrS7fEuAetTO0IJsMzLvE2zIwP2SDgbte06H56tknkGodPppInuIPQpCW6wbyQQllJHodoAzwY1j4BkM/s1600/IMG_0118%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hoypPs614be0gC0Y6nEMwnsrmcUzDTR7ALQBEPVT_OA9QvjU94dOLKuGZ2aGVrS7fEuAetTO0IJsMzLvE2zIwP2SDgbte06H56tknkGodPppInuIPQpCW6wbyQQllJHodoAzwY1j4BkM/s320/IMG_0118%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giggle Toes :-)</td></tr>
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We visited our favorite Nativity Display as is our family tradition.<br />
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Kendra's choir had a very busy performance schedule...first a concert, then two visits to nursing homes and a fun trip to the mall. Kendra takes private voice at school and also had a recital the same week. Have I mentioned I'm totally impressed with the music program at her school?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnhCKf8PaGYs7klK0MW58jV4OqlkD1JQQ0a0UpzPXc0sqWbTXBFLyjOsnhWbcsaugoZzlXOm7CYxTzuuuxHB7vgEIKpnsqjijTF54p2B1_q6ARl9JC9ZLXHlnlZu4DM-zD-iJ6hyl8uo3/s1600/IMG_0187%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnhCKf8PaGYs7klK0MW58jV4OqlkD1JQQ0a0UpzPXc0sqWbTXBFLyjOsnhWbcsaugoZzlXOm7CYxTzuuuxHB7vgEIKpnsqjijTF54p2B1_q6ARl9JC9ZLXHlnlZu4DM-zD-iJ6hyl8uo3/s320/IMG_0187%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Singing at a Nursing Home</td></tr>
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We are grateful for a break from school coming (even though we don't get two weeks like we usually do!). We are planning to spend time with great friends and just relax! We've also been blessed to be invited to spend several days with our dear friends who moved south---they are renting a cabin in Oklahoma and invited us to join! Can't wait!!<br />
<br />
We are a happy little family. We feel blessed to have a sweet little home, a good, dependable car, food on our table, and money enough for fun extras from time to time. We are ridiculously blessed with wonderful friends and family in our lives. We are ever grateful for our faith and the knowledge of a God and Savior who love us. We wish peace, love, and fun times to all!<br />
<br />
Colleen & Kendra<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-UUn4vHEvSfale54ZELDNknxxz8CQ0iDo2zH-8lA3onKO1d804Hx37Z-FCoCvwCQ4dmcYsccJ5N4-M3kEwnOzSG6LpYRQQDCkNx-t2VBDD38MLHRW9Olz4IcGpvx9m3r7TF_p0iq0xZx/s1600/science+camp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLhWh_YYHFqlIYv6R6QVwPhj3drJB0889efuIKUFr3_SKOi12mRJSassjLRbn8EWErzNViFFFsE-muUv-obqMCbXqhOfDhV5cnLmnzsT_-YpyOPl41wlJNfpXEp5CVz8NxAuVkwQ8QWMa/s1600/IMG_5333.JPG" imageanchor="1"><br /></a>ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-72322184550382609332012-11-10T15:29:00.000-08:002012-11-10T15:29:16.703-08:00Halloween 2012The newest decor this year:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9uLQYGfSE_cdVZGZgPDLHOHwGD7zX2ZwhQVCSaFrGT23wLvTjkDi5qlPCZLSxcOa_NzqaD3SZbkHkGTWNqguwBaaYEBB-4vejRZHzs-u5f0lDGK-ehhTVFDLHQV1sS5LHqIiONLnKwla/s1600/IMG_6043+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRvPMEooAryut2S8y3544TmouocBQJb0gG0qZmCwlNStBhykTdUEcxkLlAaPBexMau8zma3_o8cWafZOjtUpdl6Q5cgZNITVTHoWEOVxrpYwx-eu43YHbEFSiATAqD_z-q-4OQOOtnhVd/s1600/IMG_6045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRvPMEooAryut2S8y3544TmouocBQJb0gG0qZmCwlNStBhykTdUEcxkLlAaPBexMau8zma3_o8cWafZOjtUpdl6Q5cgZNITVTHoWEOVxrpYwx-eu43YHbEFSiATAqD_z-q-4OQOOtnhVd/s400/IMG_6045.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Idea found on Pinterest. So clever, yet so simple. </td></tr>
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<br />The pumpkin:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzz-Gse0ZkCVKO8YUTQSsIcAl-taTGxMHoyfVwcSJs51JN4hPr1SRKtR1aeajTK0d9cJ4RVDuCes37GHuETQG2PjmJyQRfD67X7DoY75MA2tL0a6z19hjbnzehrMVF_Cd55cOpnupX2jF/s1600/pumpkin+choice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzz-Gse0ZkCVKO8YUTQSsIcAl-taTGxMHoyfVwcSJs51JN4hPr1SRKtR1aeajTK0d9cJ4RVDuCes37GHuETQG2PjmJyQRfD67X7DoY75MA2tL0a6z19hjbnzehrMVF_Cd55cOpnupX2jF/s400/pumpkin+choice.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"We can't just get our pumpkin at Kroger, Mom. It's about the EXPERIENCE." :-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgB_QCWR6tkg8q8AKorPoLoUGMHRacaTSQAkK1qK0y4eUtj8Er9bKh7fHcd0v3qduN6Q4jdnmmGq7wlB2bjPPnop34gY_nRhlYidt8xBv_nXXtXnO6hQdzljmJhha8GaEnKmDvU0KqQeo2/s1600/IMG_6049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgB_QCWR6tkg8q8AKorPoLoUGMHRacaTSQAkK1qK0y4eUtj8Er9bKh7fHcd0v3qduN6Q4jdnmmGq7wlB2bjPPnop34gY_nRhlYidt8xBv_nXXtXnO6hQdzljmJhha8GaEnKmDvU0KqQeo2/s400/IMG_6049.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her favorite color: Sparkles. So we sparkled the heck out of it. The bonus: no gut-scooping! Score!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmb3ei4Vo-q5NnG2nWA-fVvU_he-L7yJcyMSMOtR45WCR82kPBHyDkv55oCTdLpnt5sGjZIGww6dWBzNHNjL_QElIcHZlAWmkZVQvVnxYOgBLOr8UtA9xUUFX0j91OfxHPtdDSwVIwcl16/s1600/IMG_6050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmb3ei4Vo-q5NnG2nWA-fVvU_he-L7yJcyMSMOtR45WCR82kPBHyDkv55oCTdLpnt5sGjZIGww6dWBzNHNjL_QElIcHZlAWmkZVQvVnxYOgBLOr8UtA9xUUFX0j91OfxHPtdDSwVIwcl16/s400/IMG_6050.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta Da! (She looks a little manic here...?)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Church Trunk or Treat:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SyfhqqPQeuP-Mi_auwRtQA2FpaSiFOfndHlJpX_h31ZQEbwinnPkqLBgktQRFX8YJE4Md9mMI5EsDaMYr0efukmFFWQaJ5TzaxJwb6Z0jYXuyZd7yfV4Ywm8JyLQ0AxKKedg8N1NfvbY/s1600/mummy+cupcakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SyfhqqPQeuP-Mi_auwRtQA2FpaSiFOfndHlJpX_h31ZQEbwinnPkqLBgktQRFX8YJE4Md9mMI5EsDaMYr0efukmFFWQaJ5TzaxJwb6Z0jYXuyZd7yfV4Ywm8JyLQ0AxKKedg8N1NfvbY/s400/mummy+cupcakes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We made Mummy Cupcakes for the cake walk</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMz9Wi2h-MTCS4HFSHJuTXD1kywI5EoIWCGEVIP-ZTn9dngARkOj-kgg8CnhS40mOcRhyxQwLsY1JuNEqRu8PrDrQlBmLqcv7h1FQqyQEwspWWd246s6eGjqVw4AEX4Wv4OENjIvlT7rJi/s1600/IMG_6044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMz9Wi2h-MTCS4HFSHJuTXD1kywI5EoIWCGEVIP-ZTn9dngARkOj-kgg8CnhS40mOcRhyxQwLsY1JuNEqRu8PrDrQlBmLqcv7h1FQqyQEwspWWd246s6eGjqVw4AEX4Wv4OENjIvlT7rJi/s400/IMG_6044.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black-eyed P! :-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9uLQYGfSE_cdVZGZgPDLHOHwGD7zX2ZwhQVCSaFrGT23wLvTjkDi5qlPCZLSxcOa_NzqaD3SZbkHkGTWNqguwBaaYEBB-4vejRZHzs-u5f0lDGK-ehhTVFDLHQV1sS5LHqIiONLnKwla/s1600/IMG_6043+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9uLQYGfSE_cdVZGZgPDLHOHwGD7zX2ZwhQVCSaFrGT23wLvTjkDi5qlPCZLSxcOa_NzqaD3SZbkHkGTWNqguwBaaYEBB-4vejRZHzs-u5f0lDGK-ehhTVFDLHQV1sS5LHqIiONLnKwla/s400/IMG_6043+edit.jpg" width="195" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basically the antithesis of herself---but don't you LOVE the actress in her? Such sass in this pic, and yet she is NOTHING like this in real life. So fun!</td></tr>
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Trick or treating the neighborhood with Lucy:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucy: "What did I do?" </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The angel and the devil (really should have swapped costumes, methinks)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AWWWW</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The loot. Look carefully at her face---she started getting sick while trick or treating. You can see it in her eyes. She asked to come back early, and had showered and was in bed (without eating one piece of candy) by 8:00 p.m. :-(</td></tr>
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<br />ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-9664878048893171302012-11-10T15:13:00.004-08:002012-11-10T15:13:56.040-08:00Spirit Week!Every year for Red Ribbon Week our schools have a Spirit Week. She had fun participating each day.<br />
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Day 1: Mustache Day! :-)<br />
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It had a little adhesive strip, but we both knew it wouldn't last the day, so we ended up putting the 'stache on a big Popsicle craft stick and she held it up all day. She actually got a zillion compliments on the pink-ness AND the idea to put it on a stick!<br />
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Day 2: TWIN DAY!<br />
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Kendra's bestie, R, moved four hours south of us this year. :-( But apparently, they made a pact that when their schools had twin day they would call and coordinate. They were twins from afar! Her mom sent me the pic so I could have both of them together!<br />
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I think it is extra cute they both chose the hands-on-hips stance, unaware that the other did the same. :-)<br />
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Day 3: DECADES DAY<br />
Dress like your favorite era. I thought Kendra would go with the same old sixties or eighties look like everyone else, but she said, "Mom I just read about Pompeii and I think I want to wear a toga like those people." Well, it paid off! On her announcements her Vice Principal was talking about everyone's attire and he said, "And I even saw a cute girl in a toga!" She was the only toga-attired person, AND she won her class award for most spirit that day! A friend of mine who does the PTA stuff for the district saw her pic on FB and asked to use it for a district PTA promo, and at the end of the week on her school's announcements they did a recap of spirit week and her picture was on there, too. Yay for creativity, Kendra!<br />
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Day 4: Wear Red Day. She did wear red, but we forgot to take a picture!<br />
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Day 5: HAT DAY<br />
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I wish they let the kids wear cute hats all the time. Kendra looks great in them!<br />
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<br />ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6340751592250031608.post-27998387722848525152012-10-13T17:42:00.000-07:002012-10-13T17:42:30.775-07:00Choir concert #1Kendra's first middle school choir concert was this week. It featured the choirs from all three grades--6th, 7th, and 8th. I volunteered to be a "chaperone", and the director asked me to stand at the auditorium doors preventing the mob of parents from entering before the allowed time. I got to be a bouncer! :-) I also sat amongst the choir children as they waited their turn to go on stage. I am well qualified for that job---I have no issue using my teacher-face to hush other people's children. :-)<br />
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Kendra was less than enthused with the polyester awesomeness of her required choir couture...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice of the gentleman chaperone to smile for my picture, too. :-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giving it her all! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the whole 6th grade combined choir--arrow pointing to Kendra. HUGE group!</td></tr>
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The concert was in the 7th week of school, so they only had six weeks or so to prepare. The 6th grade girls group is so large they have two different class periods, and the boys have their own class. They prepared their songs in class, but sang as a whole group only ONCE before the concert-- in a rehearsal just beforehand. I was very, very impressed! They sounded excellent! To be honest, I went with the intention to hide my grimace, expecting pitchy and off-color notes at times, but there was no grimace to hide! The 7th and 8th grade choirs sounded lovely and it was fun to see what Kendra will be doing as she continues in the music program. I chose this school for Kendra because of its music reputation, and the concert proved I made a great choice!ColleenandKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09127125135728280398noreply@blogger.com0