Back to school!

School has officially started.  I am working part time in my classroom and part time with the school district as a new teacher mentor focusing on new learning center teachers.  The district has issued me a car to use as I will be traveling to many different schools.  Although it is not much to look at (see picture) I am very grateful to have the vehicle.  I spend every other day in my classroom, and then the other day I spend traveling.  I realize that I am wearing many different hats, many of which I didn't know about.  I am running non-stop, but I feel that it is a good challenge for me and I am enjoying working with my students and with teachers.

Jon got a job which he is very excited about.  It is a part time position with more hours and more pay than the attendance tracker position.  He will be working as a prep time specialist teaching computers to K-6th graders at Syracuse Elementary School.  He starts the day after Labor Day.  

Patrick started first grade.  We had to have a long discussion with him about making healthy food choices at lunch.  Chocolate milk and chocolate cake just don't cut it.

Kimber has started walking.  Both she and Sam are back at daycare.

Anyway, things are going well here.  We love you all!

playing catch up....

Wow! This is the first I've got a chance to sit and read up on the blog since vaca!! Too busy playing catch up at work, with friends, at home, etc, as I'm sure the rest of you are as well! School officially started this week for me as well so that's taken up some additional time. Add in the time I've spent just stressing about it and there are days of my life lost to it ....lol!! I decided to take the big jump (for me anyone) and get a laptop to help alleviate the stress of sitting at a desk at home and at work. Also it's easier then having to kick rocky off the computer when I need to use it! Thank you again laurie for helping me get it set up and for showing us what to do on the home computer to get it running better! we may still need to do a little tweaking, but i can tell you when we installed the new anti-virus software we had to remove 51 various spyware and/or viruses! scary i know! other then that really nothing new here. getting ready for our 2nd trip of the month...headed down to Arkansas next weekend to move the parents :- ) we get free stuff out of the deal, just have to pay to rent the u-haul trailer to get it back so i say it's a win win situation :- ) mom and dad are being patient enough to live half and half til then so rocky and i did not have to take any time off work to get there. i know mom may not get a chance to blog during this transition time, but right now she is living in memphis in a hotel room and going home to jonesboro for her days off to spend a bit of time with dad. he is on his own otherwise, sara is in charge of going to visit and take him out for meals. i try to call him at least once a day since i know moms not there. i know i for one will feel better about things when we get them moved back into the same place!! i worry about him being on his own for so long. well....i suppose that's it for now, its getting late and i have lots to do tomorrow :- )
it was great seeing you all!!! cant wait til we can do it again!

just an interesting read...

I received this link in an email.. thought I would pass it on. Feel free to read, if not go ahead and close it. =o)

http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org/2008/August2008a.html

Just not meant to be...

Well the house we were going to put an offer on sold. So we're back to the drawing board, but atleast one hurdle is behind us...

SOLD!!!

Well after a few weeks and rollercoaster moments... the house is sold. Bryan is going to have the realtor over to g'ma and g'pa's tomorrow to sign the papers. The house was listed at $44,900 and we agreed on $42,000 and buyer is paying her own closing costs. Most likely tomorrow we'll be writing an offer on the home we found this weekend.

http://cbmays.com/content/area_listings/area_listings.php

click on that link, choose residental, quincy il, then pick 100,001-150,000 - it is at the top of the list. 3834 Sequoia Drive

Yay!!!

Nikki & Bryan

A few more photos

It was so great to see you all!

We just loved having a chance to  hang out with all of you. As always, the time was too short, the space a little tight, the bugs a bit intimidating, so I know we missed some fun stuff (but if any sister wants to fill me in on the girl talk call me on my cell at 801-633-2616.) A HUGE thanks to Chris for letting us invade her home Thursday night. We never could have made our Friday flight if we had tried to drive it. Tony was such a good sport--coming home from a long day of work to find us draped over every couch and chair. Thank you so much to everyone who organized and planned. Thanks to Laurie for finding us our very own Washers Game. Missed you so much Margaret and Don. Here are some highlights: 

We had a marvelous time.  Thank you, thank you everyone who put the reunion together.  What an undertaking.  The boys loved going to play with Grandpa Dave and Grandma Carolyn, and their cousins.  They also loved swimming.  (You probably noticed that as they never left the pool.)  Sam declared that the little pool was "awesome."  

I thought the location was beautiful.  It was my first time in the Ozarks.  I couldn't get enough of the scenery.  

I am back to work.  Students don't start school until the 25th, so I have a little time before the chaos starts.  Jon is still on the job hunt.  The kids are enjoying the extra time they get to spend with dad.

We loved seeing everyone.  Good luck Brady and McKenzie at school.

So long to summer!

The summer is nearly over... Last to-do is the state fair today. Wednesday marks the start of classes at Wilder Elementary. And a brand new school which... ummm... isn't finished. But the road is done (kinda) so they can now get to their empty (no desks) classrooms, not touch the wet paint & hope it's dry out (no sod or playground). It'll be just like camping! No distracting phones or computers. No refridgerators. Maybe there will be a miracle :).

Brady's shiner is healed but for a scar which we hope will fade. Just in time for soccer & flag football. He had quite a bruise from the mini golf. Good thing he didn't have to go to school or his file would've been flagged.

We also had a great vacation! Favorite memories- Brady impulsively singing "WE ARE FAM-I-LY!" as he went down the slide at the pool... The unexpected girls talk... teaching my M-I-Law to play mini golf for the first time (she loved it)... James' BBQ ribs & drinks... boat rides. Holding those beautiful babies.

Well off we go- the weather is beautiful which is very rare for the fair. Beats the downpour Kenz & I got caught in Thurs night after a concert. She, of course, insisted we skip through the torrential rain and was absolutely delighted.

Good luck on the move Susie!

Love you all!

Les

Whew!

I've got a few but just have to sit in one place long enough to throw them on here!

To people with digital cameras:

OK, peeps. I know some of you fancy-pants digital-camera-having folks took vaca pictures. I expect to see them soon. I have old-school disposable cameras still, and I have to finish the camera before I can get them developed. And I want pictures. :-P

Happy Friday!

Wish I was on vacation still!

You can email me pictures if you want!

Juliet00c@hotmail.com (don't spread it around)

Hello Elvis!

Just thought I would post our new address effective 8/31:

8289 Vardon Ln Apt 202
Cordova, TN 38018

It wasn't the complex that we had originally wanted-they did not have any ground level openings-but it is actually better! It is located directly across the street from the store and down one block which will let me go home for lunch if I want.
It is a beautiful apartment with LOTS of windows, which I love, and decent size rooms. We have a guest room so if you want to visit......
The complex is gated and offers tons of amenities from housecleaning to pet sitting to gift wrapping. We are looking forward to it!
I spent a few days in my new store this week, my coming hasn't been "announced" there yet so I took the opportunity to observe a little. It will definitely be a challenge and a very different environment then I am used to here, but I hope I can help them become a better store.
Well, I am off to work...two days left here on "easy street"!
Love you!
Sue

Home Again Home Again

Hope everyone is safely home-what a fantastic week we had! I am looking forward to seeing lots of pics posted since I am lame and did not have a camera!!
I know it wasn't the best vacation spot-but I TRULY enjoyed it! Just hanging out with everyone is all I ever need for a vacation-it is my very favorite thing in life!!
And all of the babies were so much fun-it has been awhile since we had so many!!!
Hmmm-favorite memories anyone????
I have two to start-our girls night chat which got way more intense then we planned and Chrissy getting out of bed-I laughed till I cried!! :) I guess you had to be there to appreciate that one!! Oh! One more-watching everyone just hanging out at the pool-I love to see our kids connect!!
Love you all!!
Sue

packing

Hmm... Trying to get packed & wondering what we are forgetting. Have the odd things like flashlights, puzzles/games for kids, balls, frisbees & whatnot, tennis raquets, pool stuff, rain stuff, sweats for boat nights, bug spray. Will stop for stuff to stock kitchen. A good book. Medicines. OK- what else?????

Last Call.....

Last call for canned goods. I'll check the blog first thing in the morning before we leave in case someone wants anything else. So far here is what we are bringing: Choc. pudding, corn, greenbeans, mixed fruit, 2 applesauces, chunk pineapple, crushed pineapple, mandrian oranges, 2 sliced potatoes (no one asked for that one but we can either use them for fried potatoes or potatoe salad) 2 baked beans, and ketchup.
Leslie thanks for bringing the boat, John didn't want to be the only one out on the lake... like that would happen!!! James will most likely want to get in on some fishing too.
Well here come my first four for the dayso I need to go.
See everyone in 1 day and appx 8-10 hours, not that I'm counting or anything.
Val