17-year emergence

Kentucky is having their 17-year emergence of these little guys this year. And just in case you haven't had the pleasure of meeting one of these little guys they are Cicadas.

Il had their emergence last year and living in the suburbs we weren't really affected so much. As a matter of fact when we found one last year it was a treat.

But where mom Jones lives in Kentucky, not so much a treat! These guys are soooo loud!!! And everywhere. My bug-a-phobe Faith didn't leave the house the whole first day for fear of running into one. Which wasn't a hard thing to do, since they were swarming everywhere and looked like little birds flying around.

I thought they were cool and considered catching one and bringing it home for the boys to see, but decided that may not be the best idea.

Faith's desire to see granny's horses over ruled her hate for bugs and she eventually did go outside.

And when they returned from seeing the horses Kylee had a tick crawling up her neck.

That was the end to the outside adventures for my city girls.

Also wanted to thank all of you for praying for my mom in AZ. She is home from the hospital as of last night and doing really great! She is going to have to be on dialysis for some time but she is feeling much better!

Kristen

A Tale of Two Walmarts

The Walmart in Glasgow, Kentucky is different in a lot of ways. But here is a brief dramatization to explain the major difference. For your own enjoyment you may want to do a thick southern accent for the Walmart employee in Ky.

Walmart Chicago suburbs today-

Chicago Walmart employee- "Hi, How are you today?"

Me- "Good thank you."

silence while doing her job.

Chicago Walmart employee- "That will be $27.89."

Chicago Walmart employee- "Thanks have a nice day."

Me- "You too!"

I leave.

Walmart Glasgow, Ky last week-

Glasgow Walmart employee - "Hi There! How is the weather outside today?"

Me- "It's nice."

Glasgow Walmart employee- "OH MY GAWD!!! This Peach has my name on it!! Can you believe this peach has my name on it???!!! Can I have the stick'a off a your peach?"

Me- "Sure."

Walmart employee removing tag off my peach and sticking it on her name tag- "My name is Zimmer, ya just don't see my name on peaches!!"

Me- "No, I'm sure you don't."

Glasgow Walmart employee Zimmer- "Oh artichokes, you know these things have little spikes on them, so be careful. You would be surprised at the people who don't know they have spikes. How do you eat your artichokes?"

Me- "Oh, usually with butter or mayonnaise."

Glasgow Walmart employee Zimmer- (with a dreamy look) "I wonda what they would taste like friiiiiied?"

(Just a note here, you have the zucchini, mushroom, potato, okra, pickle, green bean and even the twinkie can we just go ahead and leave the poor artichoke unfried?)

Glasgow Walmart employee Zimmer- "Okay that will be $20.56....Oh My GAWD she looks just like that girl, that one actress. Ya know that one actress?"

Me- "No."

Walmart employee Zimmer- "The one lady, from Joan of Arc, she looks just like her but miniature ya know?"

Me- "Okay, thanks bye now."

Walmart employee Zimmer- "Okay bye now, have a good day." (speaking to the next customer) "So how's the weather outside?"

Kristen

Mom's Head

We are home!! Had a busy week in Kentucky and am so glad to be back home to my boys!!! All three of them!

I just had to post a picture of mom Jones' head. You really have to see it to believe it.

The girls and I cooked and cleaned and ran errands while we were there. I don't know how much help we were but it felt good to see mom and know that she was okay.

And as a side note the GPS got me there in about 7 hours and home in about the same. And I didn't get lost!

Also, found out last night my mom is in the hospital. She is back in for some dialysis treatments. So prayers would be great! We want her to get the treatments and be released soon! The hospital always seems to mess up her meds and make her worse so she needs to get out of there quick!

My kids were all so glad to see each other, they ran out the door to their friends,and even took the boys with them!

I am exhausted from my 2 hours of sleep last night and 7 hour drive, so I am going to go and zone.

Kristen

Lots Going On

Where do I start?

A few years ago Mike's mom had surgery on her...brain. She did really great after the surgery and really hasn't had too many problems.

Until recently and now they are pretty sure she needs to have surgery to fix something they did the first time. I don't really know all the details but I do know that sometime next week she will most likely be going into surgery again. The girls and I are going to drive down to Kentucky and take care of her for a few days. I am looking forward to seeing her and making sure she is okay. The girls can't wait to go and take care of their granny.

I am going to be on a panel of women (talking about being a mom) for the three services this weekend at church. I am a little nervous and hope that I can say what God wants me to say.

I am a little behind in my school schedule which doesn't make sense to me because we should be ahead, since we have taken very few days off. But we did start later than the schools here so maybe that is why it feels like we are behind. Anyways I was hoping to be finished with the main curriculum the week before the kids leave for Az but it looks like we will still have three weeks to go. I was stressing but now I am not. I think we will just finish it up when they come back and start our summer math/science unit after that.

The kids all leave for AZ in 6 weeks. They will be gone for two weeks!

I have decided to give Faith a standardized test. I have never done it and gone back and forth on reasons to do it and reasons not. The not has always won. But this year I am looking at it from a new perspective. Feel free to correct me.

I think that Faith really needs the practice taking a standardized test. She will have to eventually. Whether it is to get into college or to take a class at the high school she will have to test. So it isn't because I don't think she is at or above grade level, because I know she is, and not to compare her to other children, because I don't need to do that, but to give her the experience of taking one of these tests in a friendly comfortable atmosphere.

Chicken Pharaoh is coming out of his salt captivity today. I hope he doesn't smell.

Josh has learned to snap. He is driving Seth crazy because he can't.

And it's going to be 80 today so we are going to the park!

I think that is it. For now

Kristen

Accompanied Minors

For the last couple of summers the girls have gone to visit my mom and dad and their aunt and uncle in AZ. They get to see their cousins, and play with friends that they used to know when they were little, and get spoiled by Nana and papa.

And this year, Papa has already got the tickets but with one change. The boys are going also!!

All four kids are going to AZ for two weeks.

The kids keep asking me what I am going to do for two weeks without them.

I told them I was probably going to have a great time for the first....three hours....then I was going to miss them terribly and wish they were home!

Seriously, I am going to read a ton of books and lay by the pool. It better be warm!

Maybe I will go to work with Mike and be his personal assistant. I am sure he would love that!

Another weird change is that Faith will be 12 this year so she is no longer an unaccompanied minor. Therefor none of our kids will be unaccompanied because Faith will be with them. I really wonder though, who decided that a 12 year old is old enough to be on their own to fly across the country. Seems like an odd age to pick.

In reality nothing really changes. We still get to walk them to the gate, but Faith is responsible for them on the plane and for getting them off the plane. She will do fine.

Kristen

A Great Snow, A Great City and A Great Dinner

Trying to get back to life today. Mike took me away for our anniversary and it was awesome!!! You can read about it and see pictures here.

People tell you not to talk about your kids while you are on a date or away on a trip and make it sound like such a big deal, not for us!!! We had such a great time together and didn't struggle with the no kids thing at all!!!! Don't get me wrong I love my kids but I love my husband more and he is such a fun person to be around. We had a fabulous time talking and laughing and being silly.

And the food!!! Oh my! Scott, rocks!!! I almost called him several times during the meal to thank him for recommending it. It was a whole experience. Fabulous.

The walk 6 blocks in the falling snow in my cute black dress and high heels was romantic and really, really cold and wet!! Chicago is incredible in the falling snow at night. You have to experience it. If it weren't for children I would beg to live in the city.

Our hotel was perfect. A perfect mix of new and old. Traditional and contemporary. I loved it. Unfortunately Mike and I are too old and the youngsters down the hall wanted to party till 5. I will ask the median age of people staying on our floor next time!!! Still a great night.

I love my sweet man and love that he went through all the planning for me. It was awesome.

I looked at the traditional and contemporary list for his gift. For 13 the traditional is lace and the contemporary is textile or fur. I got him new tennis shoes with LACES and a cool new jacket. Jackets are hard for Mike because he doesn't wear them. So I got him a lighter weight one that I thought was pretty cool.

Okay so I have to pack up Christmas today and do laundry. Nothing like laundry to bring you back to the real world:)

Kristen

Isn't Technology Great?

I got to see and talk to my girls today with a little video chat! Man, I think they have grown!

They are having a great time with their Nana and Papa and being utterly spoiled. But it also sounds like they are helping out. Mom and Dad just bought a new house so there is lots to be done. Kylee has been out in the yard with Papa preparing it for grass and plants and Faith has been inside helping Nana clean and cook.

8 more days and I get them back!!

Kristen

I Saw a Bear and I Almost Threw Up...

Mike and I were blessed this last week with the an awesome gift. We received an overnight stay here.

So after church on Sunday Mike and I loaded up the kids, our suits and a ton of junk food and headed out of town. Grand Bear is in Starved Rock, not too far from our home. I quickly decided as we drove into town that this has got to be our next camping destination. It is really a pretty area.

Our family suite had two queen beds and a pull out couch, a mini fridge, and microwave. We didn't want to spend a fortune on food so we loaded up our fridge with drinks and snacks. After we settled in a bit we headed to the indoor amusement park. This is where Mike and I discovered that we are no long kids. I know that at some point I was able to ride rides that twirled you in circles. But apparently, I can't any more, so the boys were on their own. Mike was a trooper and hung with them as long as he could with out hurling but I could not ride any the first day. Pathetic!

We quickly decided that our focus here was going to be the indoor water park. So we changed into our suits and headed under ground. We had too much fun at the pool!! It was great. Not too crowded and lots of fun things to do. Both our boys are great swimmers so they just had fun swimming and playing.

Sunday evening we had a smorgasbord of microwave nuggets, chips and cheese dip, cookies, pudding, crackers and cheese, and the all important twizzlers. And the highlight, I let them eat in their bed. Hilarious! I wish I had a picture but unfortunately I forgot the camera.

On Monday we spent most of the day at the water park again having fun, splashing and playing. We decided to give the amusement park one more try. Before lunch. So we got cleaned up, dressed, and walked over to the Enchanted Forest. I rode one ride and was out for the rest of the time. I know I am so lame. But Mike hung on and rode three or four rides with the boys. We convinced them to go and have lunch seeing that it was almost three o'clock. I made some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at the car and we found a gorgeous spot for a pick nick right next to a canyon with a waterfall. Before we left I remembered Mike brought the Mac so we got one picture of the kids and I by a bear.

We drove home to a very grateful Jasmine who our neighbor very kindly had let outside twice while we were gone. She missed us though and stayed attached to the boys all night.

We finished up the weekend with a little shark week television viewing until bed time.

I feel so blessed for this gift. It is definitely something we wouldn't have been able to do for our selves. It was a much needed break. We missed the girls coming with us but loved the one on one time we never get with the boys.

Kristen

Blast from the Past

This is too cool. I have a friend in Arizona that I have been friends with since I was Faith's age, her name is Amy. Even through moving and going to different schools we always managed to keep in touch while we were young. Then she got married and I got married and we kind of lost touch.

Well, when I was in the hospital after having Faith Amy called my dad at home to try and get in touch with me again. He told her I had just had my first baby and she called me at the hospital. She had a nine month old girl at the time, and we agreed to get together.

Ever since that moment our families have been great friends. She has four kids just like me and we even both home school our kids! Unfortunately, we left AZ when Ashley and faith were still little so they didn't have much of a chance to grow a relationship.

Well, last year when the girls were in AZ they met up with Amy and her kids and they and really hit it off. Faith really wanted to see her oldest while she was in AZ this year and Amy and Brandi have arranged for the girls to be able to sleep over at Amy's one night this week!!!

Kristen

It's a Dry Heat

After a half hour delay for take off and a packed plane ride the girls made it to AZ.

Their Aunt and Uncle and three and a half boy cousins have them for a week, then they will be spending ten days with my mom and dad.

I talked to the girls when their Uncle Keith picked them up from the airport and they were pretty ramped up.

When I asked Kylee how the plane was she said, "Hot!" I thought she must have heard me wrong and thought I meant AZ! (It was 103 with 70% humidity yesterday, they don't tell you about the monsoon season there do they? ) So I asked her again and emphasised "on the plane" she said again, "Hot!" I asked her why she didn't just turn the little air thing on herself and she said she couldn't reach it....I don't know.

But it is a tad bit funny because I tried to convince her to wear her sandals on the plane which she refused. She hates sandals and wears tennis shoes everywhere she goes. Her reasoning was that her feet get cold. (the real reason: you just can't run in sandals) So after realizing it was a losing battle and not a hill I wanted to die on I conceded and let her wear her tennis shoes. Funny, I have to wonder if, just maybe, she hadn't had those socks and tennis shoes on if she wouldn't have been a bit cooler on the plane.

Yes, these are the things I think about. That is what makes me a mom.

Kristen

The Girls Leave Today!!

Today the girls leave for their trip to AZ.

I am missing them already!!

They will be gone for two and a half weeks to visit family. I wish we all could have gone. But I know the girls will have such a great time.

I still remember the summers that I went to stay with my grandma and how much fun it was. We never really did anything exciting, just hanging out was great.

So instead of being focused on sadness that they are gone I am going to channel that into preparing for the coming fall school year. I am hoping to have everything ready to go by the time they get back. We shall see. I am sure I will have a lot to write about once I get my new curriculum and start planning for it.

Kristen

Withdrawl

One of the other great things about our trip to North Carolina was our nightly card games. When we lived in NC Venessa and Willem were our next door neighbors and we often would walk through the hedge and have dinner together with cards to follow. We usually played Skip-Bo which sounds innocent enough but let me tell you it could get pretty cut throat! Of course Venessa and I were always on a team and we usually won.

Willem and Mike get pretty obnoxious.

And they cheat.

So with all that against us Venessa and I didn't do so well the week of our visit. We played a total of nine games three of which we won, five of which they won, and one game I am counting as a misdeal. (Although they won't admit to it)

We had so much fun playing and talking and I now haven't played cards in seven days.

Todd and Paula are you up for some Skip-Bo?

Mutant Hillbillys?

This is the only picture I got in West Virginia. I really wanted to stop and take some pictures in this state. Some awesome old barns, old houses and green pastures. Oh, and of course the occasional porch with a few couches and refrigerators on it, it was a true picture of the south.

But here is something you may not know about Mike. He is not going to stop in West Virginia. Unfortunately, while living in NC some friends convinced him that stopping in WV was not a wise choice. Ever. So that combined with one too many mutant-killer hillbilly movies and an irrational paranoia is born!!

So until he gets some counseling for this we will not be staying in or visiting WV....

Kristen

A Long, Long Way Home

What a long night!! We went to Elevation Church in Charlotte yesterday morning which was an hour drive from where we were staying. It was great to sit next to Mike during the service, but we missed The Orchard so much! After we got out of there and ate it was 11 o'clock IL time and we started home.

What should have been an 11 hour trip turned into a 15 hour drive home. We pulled in at 4 am exhausted. Of course, the children slept most of the way and were bright eyed and bushy tailed first thing this morning. So Mike and I are up but I can't really say we are awake.

I was hoping to take a ton of pictures on the trip and be able to share them. But unfortunately I got just too relaxed, and slacked on the picture taking. I do have a couple that I will share in the next few days. I am pretty full of NC stories right!! I will have to get them all out.

But for now I have a ton of laundry to do.

Have a great day!!

Kristen

North Carolina Family

Hey there!! We are with our North Carolina family!! We are having so much fun eating, playing, sitting outside in the warm NC sun, playing card, and just relaxing! I don't think I can go home....

We are having too much fun! More about the trip later.....

Kristen