The McAfee Family

Still Here!

2012-02-11T18:18:00.002-06:00

We are still alive and well in our little home in Mississippi. I haven't posted in awhile because I am so far behind on all our events and keep putting it off. So far now, I am just going to update our life and try to do pictures later. We have been very busy with life, just as everyone else is. I spend a lot of time working, exercising, and doing school with the kids -- sometimes in that order. I have several resolutions for this year, including weight loss, fitness level improvements, house decluttering, and making school work a bigger priority. When one tries to do all these things at the same time, sometimes stuff doesn't get done. That happens a lot in our little part of the world. The goal is always -- DO BETTER TOMORROW! I have done much better in the weight loss, overall eating better, and fitness level. I have lost over 40 pounds; I am eating much better; and I am running much faster. I ran this afternoon in the cold, and the wind, and ran faster than I have ever completed a 5K before. I am very excited to see what this year holds for my running. I have a goal of completing a 5K in under 30 minutes. Today was 31:08, just running in town, so I think it is very doable. I am also planning to run a 10K in May (right before my, gulp, 40th birthday). I think a great birthday present to myself will be to see how close to one hour that I can run this race. I realize that it will be tough, several of my friends ran many races before they cracked the one hour mark. But, that is my goal! I ran this same race last year and struggled to a 1:23 finish, so anything better than that will be a win in my book.

I plan on decluttering my house a little at a time. As I have shed the weight, I have seen the benefit of getting rid of wasted food that I put into my body, so maybe the same will transfer to my house. Here's hoping anyway! If I can get my pack rat family to turn loose of stuff, my job will be so much easier. I am willing to move in small steps and hope they catch the DECLUTTER BUG!!

The kids are also doing much better about staying focused on their schoolwork. They have become much better at independent learning. I still oversee their work everyday, but we don't have too many day to day struggles. Alec is a lot like me when it comes to grammar. It never made sense to me in school, even though it finally makes sense to me now (as I am teaching it for the second time). Maybe he will catch on way before I did. Kirsten is very focused on writing and wants to be an author later in life. She still has a passion for animals, but is very certain that she wants to write novels. Some of my mother's piano students have an author for a father and an authoress for a sister. Kirsten has read all of their books so far and is eagerly awaiting the next ones. I am researching a novel writing course for her to take next year and also want to put together a home ec course. All of this takes time, and that is a hugh commodity right now. But, as my dad always said, "we have the same 24 hours to work with that everyone else has!" Alec's goal in life is to be a Lego designer/creator. He spends most of his free time playing with Legos and building stuff. He has a very active mind and I hope to see him put it to good use. Both kids are getting back into the routine of running four days a week and they do an ab workout the other three days (at least for the most part). They have daily chores that they perform, but need to learn to do them more thoroughly. That is an everyday struggle for everyone, I think.

ONWARD and UPWARD -- MOVING FORWARD EVERY DAY!!

IT'S CHRISTMAS!!! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN??

2011-12-24T15:30:00.002-06:00

We are knee deep in last minute Christmas preparations. I just finished wrapping the last present. Supper is about to be prepared. House has got to get cleaned (or at least cleaner than it is right now). We have managed to accomplish all of our "traditional things" up til Christmas Eve night. Tonight, we will eat steak, baked potatoes, and bread -- one of our favorite meals, EVER! After supper and cleanup, we plan on family time that consists of movie watching, game playing, or a combination of the two. Then we try to get the kids to bed at a decent hour (they do not sleep much the night before Christmas). After they are in bed, we get all the gifts out of their hiding spots and put them under the tree -- we never have presents under the tree early, it adds to the excitement of Christmas morning. Then we try to sleep a little until the kids wake us up. They are not allowed to come downstairs or wake us up until at least 4:30. We are lobbying for a more reasonable time this year, like 5:00 or even 6:00. I know they are excited and I still remember that excitement, so we may let them wake us up at 4:30.

After presents are opened and breakfast is eaten, we will begin to get ready for church. We are looking forward to worshipping our Lord on Christmas morning. Every worship time is special and I am sure that the Lord will richly bless us tomorrow as well.

We will celebrate Christmas at my mother's house tomorrow evening with presents and a traditional Christmas dinner. We will be so full, but it will all taste so good.

We want to wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a JOYFUL NEW YEAR!!

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum

2011-11-10T19:37:00.005-06:00

After the homeschool nationals race was over, Lisa and her kids and my kids and I drove to Mansfield to visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum. The girls especially enjoyed stopping here.

Standing in front of the sign leading to Laura and Almanzo's house.

This is the house that Almanzo built for Laura. We were excited to go inside and look around, but were disappointed that we couldn't take pictures while inside. It was very strange to look at the kitchen that Almanzo installed for Laura, including the cabinets he built and the sink he installed for her. Kids were excited to go inside the house.

After viewing the interior, we were able to take pictures of the exterior of the house.

This part of the house was an addition to the original house. They added on to the house two different times in the course of their life.

Kirsten was fascinated to look around at the trees while imagining that Almanzo probably planted some of them.

We were able to look at many things inside the museum, including Pa's fiddle. Everything was so fascinating and I was wishing that I could photograph everything, but that was not allowed. It was a surreal experience to see many of the items that Laura wrote about in her books. We wish we could have stayed a little longer to fully absorb all the things at the museum, but we had a long trip home.

SHAVING CREAM WAR

2011-11-10T19:31:00.006-06:00

One of the highlights to the Cross Country season is our annual shaving cream war.

The kids are all trying to be patient while listening to instructions before the war begins.

At the beginning of the war, they played tag and then Chinese tag before the free-for-all started.

Kirsten trying hard to avoid being tagged.

Ready to go in the free-for-all.

Time to get shaving creamed!!

The kids all love this part.

The messier the better, as far as Kirsten is concerned.

Alec loves to be covered in shaving cream.

Team picture!

My two "lovely" children.

Coaches Sheri and Heather got in on the fun too. Although Coach Sheri didn't get involved in the fight.

HOMESCHOOL NATIONALS -- SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI

2011-11-10T18:40:00.008-06:00

October 21, a caravan of Spartans and their families left on a road trip to the Homeschool Nationals Cross Country Meet in Springfield, Missouri. We all had fun on the way to the course. We ate at Cici's Pizza for lunch and then drove straight to the course, so the kids could run it before the race the next day. Then we all went to the Springfield Mall to eat at the food court before heading to the hotel to spend the night. There was a mix-up at the hotel about the runners rooms, so once we got that all figured out, Coach Heather held a team meeting and then went to bed.

The next morning we all got up early to eat and then get to the course to be ready for the big race.

Alec was not too happy to have his picture taken.

Mr. Jimmy and I usually end up with a picture like this. He takes pictures of me, while I take pictures of him.

Some of the girls visiting while trying to settle their nerves.

My sister, Lisa, my first cousin, Amanda, and me before the races began.

All of our girls, varsity and junior varsity, started at the same time. They huddled to pray for a good and safe race before the start.

Nervously waiting the start.

There they go!!

Kirsten makes her first lap of a very difficult course.

Coming into the finish. So proud of you, Kirsten!

The junior varsity boys before their race began.

On their way!

Alec only had to run one lap and he ran as fast as he could.

Almost there!! What a great race, Alec!!

All the girls got participant medals and long sleeve t-shirts.

The boys got medals and t-shirts too.

Listening to Coach!

TEAM SPARTAN!!

The Walnut Firehouse 5K

2011-11-10T18:30:00.003-06:00

On a cool October morning, we drove to Walnut to run in the Walnut Firehouse 5K. This race is always a good one to run and has a lot of community support.

Alec did not run his PR at this course, but he was very close. Kirsten ran a good race also and really enjoyed herself.

Spartan Team Pictures 2011

2011-10-27T10:51:00.002-05:00

Team Picture (Tupelo)Varsity and Junior Varsity

Team Picture (New Albany) -- not everyone can make it to both practices, so we took pictures at two different locations.

Tallahatchie Riverfest 5K -- September

2011-10-27T10:43:00.003-05:00

The Tallahatchie 5K is a great favorite race for my children. The course is extremely hilly in sections, but the race is always a big one and lots of fun. Alec did not run his fastest race on this day, but he still finished with a good time.

Kirsten also enjoyed running on this day. She got to run the whole way with her friend Sophia.

Saltillo XC Meet -- September

2011-10-27T08:29:00.008-05:00

In September, our XC team competed in the Saltillo XC meet. There were somewhere around 18 schools who participated in this meet, so there were lots of runners in all six races.

Kirsten nervous before the start of her race. Alec was pretty nervous too.

Ready to GO!

Run FAST!

Junior Varsity Girls' Race

There they go!

Kirsten passed three runners coming into the chute.

Junior Varstiy Boys' Race

Look at them go!

Alec runs for the finish line.

Awaiting the awards.

Orange Beach Trip --- September

2011-10-27T07:30:00.006-05:00

In September, we went to Orange Beach for a few days and had a wonderful time. The day we drove to the beach was extremely rainy and windy. A hurricane had moved through the area just days before, so the remnants were still hanging around and made traveling tough. We almost canceled our trip, but decided to go ahead and hope for the best.

When we arrived at the condo, the kids couldn't wait to get their suits on and head to the beach. We told them that the waves were too high to get in the water, but that they could get their feet wet. I told them NOT to get their clothes wet, yet I was the first one to get mine wet. I was trying to take pictures of them and didn't realize that a big wave was coming. They laughed at me when they saw how wet my pants were. This is a picture of how big the waves were that day. I can only imaging how big they were the few days before when the worst of the storm went through.

We took the kids to Lambert's to eat and they had the best time. They would have caught the "throwed rolls" all night if we would have let them. The food was really good and we had a great family meal together.

The next morning, we got up and got dressed to run on the beach. I had run on the beach before but this morning's run was really tough. We didn't run as much as we had planned on, but we did get a good workout in.

We also took beach pictures.

The last night we were at the beach, we all got dressed in matching clothes and took family pictures on the beach.

A kind lady, from the eighth floor, saw us swapping out people and camera, and she came all the way down from the eighth floor, to take a picture of all of us together. Thank you so much, KIND LADY! I am so glad that we have these pictures.

We had driven past this VW van several times and decided that since the kids liked it so well, that we would stop and take a picture with it.

They had such a good time playing in the water.

We all played poker in the condo and had a GREAT time.

Orange Beach, we miss you and hope to return soon!

Half Marathon Training

2011-10-15T19:28:00.003-05:00

The kids and I are getting geared up to run a half marathon in December. This will be my sixth half marathon and the kids first half marathon. Kirsten begged to get to run the race with me, so we both signed up in July. Alec also begged to run, but I thought that he was too young to do it. However, several of his friends were planning to run it, so I relented and signed him up to run it also. We are running the St. Jude Half Marathon in Memphis on December 3. They are so excited and I know that they will enjoy the day. This race is very well organized and the spectators are awesome. They really are not enjoying the long training runs that we are having to put it to be prepared for this race. I knew that this would be a struggle for them, but we are all learning alot about patience. Alec doesn't enjoy running as much as Kirsten does, but he is a much stronger runner than she is. They both have been faster than me for a long time and I fully expected them both to beat me to the finish line. However, I have recently lost 30 pounds and have really been pushing myself and have gotten quite a bit faster, so I may beat one or both of them on race day. The race is seven weeks from today so we still have a lot of miles to get in before we are ready. Kirsten has at least two friends that she hopes to run with that day, and Alec has one or two that he hopes to be able to run with. I hope that they will be fast enough on race day, because I know from experience that running a long race with people you know is a much more enjoyable experience than running it by yourself. I am trying to prepare them as much as possible for the endurance they will need to accomplish this goal. I have focused on the fun aspects of the race instead of the difficult ones. We will be discussing all parts of the half marathon many times over the next seven weeks. This has been a mostly enjoyable experience for all of us, spending significant portions of time running together towards a common goal. I also hope they learn many life lessons as we press towards this mark.

Playing Catch Up

2011-10-11T10:25:00.012-05:00

We have been extremely busy all summer long. I have been meaning to catch my blog up to date and just haven't taken the time to do so. A friend of mine reminded me recently of my shortcomings in this area, so here goes...

In July we drove almost 2 hours with a big group of people to go to this small coummunity water park/pool. It is very affordable, and not very crowded -- two essential things for me. We ate a picnic lunch together and then went inside the park to enjoy some water fun.

Kirsten went down this slide last year, one time, and declared it off limits, This year she went down it multiple times and declared it AWESOME! So glad that she overcame her fear and tried it again. Alec went down this slide so many times that even he lost count. He is my little daredevil.

He also enjoyed this smaller, slower, curvy slide. I also enjoy the curvy slide better, although I went down the other one as well.

At the end of July, I had a hysterectomy that sidelined me for a few weeks, although I was back up and going well before most people thought that I should be. While I was in the hospital, Mitch drove home so that the kids could participate in the BMC Fun Run at Blue Mountain College. The kids had been looking forward to the run for a long time. It was a combination 5K/obstacle course/mud pit. All the participants declared it a success and my mother and sister took lots of pictures of the event.

Getting ready to start the race.

Alec getting down and dirty in the mud pit -- this was his favorite, even though he didn't feel 100% on this day.

Kirsten enjoyed the mud pit also. It is refreshing to them, when they are "allowed" to get dirty. I have spent so much of my mothering time, telling them to NOT PLAY in the mud.

Kirsten is proud of her muddy self.

Nearing the end of August, our Cross Country team, the Spartans, got back up and running in full training mode. Our first XC meet was a practice meet at TCPS, in Tupelo. Kirsten was sidelined with an injury to her knee, but Alec was so excited for his first participation in an actual meet.

Ready to go!!!

Our Spartan tents and families.

The Junior Varsity boys getting ready for the start of the race. Our teams ran very well for their first race.

Some Sunday afternoons in the fall, we try to get together with several other families from church in order to play paintball. Our church has a morning service, a lunch together, and an afternoon service every week, so this leaves the afternoon and evenings free for family time. Several families have boys that love paintball, as well as DADS that enjoy it too. The Moms have fun visiting together and everyone enjoys the snacks.

Mitch, Kirsten, and Alec are ready to play some PAINTBALL!

The boys were nice enough to let the girls play in some of the rounds.

Alec has fallen "in love" with this sport.

One thing that we always enjoy doing is taking a picnic lunch to Tippah Lake for the afternoon. We lots of times will go on Wednesday afternoons, and the lake is pretty deserted and we feel like we have it all to ourselves. We take scooters, roller blades, and rip sticks and the kids enjoy riding them all over the park.

Alec found this little praying mantis and we all enjoyed looking at him.

Kirsten, Claire, and Sophia enjoy some girl time. Scarlett couldn't be here for this picture; she was in Memphis getting yet another cast put on a broken bone. We missed you, Scarlett!

Kirsten took the camera around and was taking several pictures. I think I have a budding photographer on my hands.

Alec didn't want to be left out and he took several pictures, including this one of Kirsten.

Here is the whole group together.

That about catches me up to the first of September. I will try to finish catching up my blog throughout this week. I have had to work some extra hours at work, school is in full swing, we exercise almost every day, and we have cross country two days a week, plus races on many weekends. I cannot use busyness as an excuse anymore, because I have the same 24 hours in the day as everyone else. My priority has not been my blog and I am committing to do better right now.

Happy Birthday, AnnaBeth!

2011-07-23T21:21:00.006-05:00

Kirsten had a GREAT time at Anna Beth's skating 50's party. Hannah, Kirsten, Martha

Standing in the malted shake line.

YUMMY!

The bouffant ladies -- Amy and Yonea!

Skating a train!

Awesom likeness, Amy!

Sweet Sixteen, Anna Beth!

Sweet picture!

The whole group -- that's a lot of poodle skirts.

Yonea and her girls.

Hannah and Anna Beth

Katie and Anna Beth

Camp Moriah 2011

2011-07-23T16:54:00.007-05:00

The third week of June always finds us at Camp Moriah. We have a fabulous time and Alec loves to paint t-shirts on T-shirt Day (Thursday). This is his masterpiece!

The see-saws are always a "happening place."

The canoes are ALWAYS in use!

Volleyball is ALWAYS being played by someone.

Bible Study happens everyday.

The kids always learn so much during the week.

Bro. Kevin teaches the little kids and they just LOVE him.

They end each session with a group hug.

Alec has a GREAT week.

Even I get in on the action of volleyball. This sport has long been one of my favorites and I would love to play throughout the year and not just during camp week.

Phoebe, Martha, and Savannah

Kirsten ready for Evening Worship.

Alec ready for Evening Worship.

The boys groups usually do a skit on Thursday and this is Alec's group.

Kirsten's group sang a song and acted out a skit.

Alec played in a basketball tournament and decided that he wants to play basketball instead of running. However, he doesn't make the decisions in our family, and he WILL be running this fall.

Kirsten Gets Feathers!

2011-06-12T07:42:00.002-05:00

Redneck Waterslide at the Hatfield's House

2011-06-12T06:42:00.006-05:00

On Memorial Day, we were invited to the Hatfield's house for a cookout and some fun on a "Redneck" water slide. This slide was a 30 x 60 tarp that went down a hill and into a pond. Brooks learned to "fly" off the ramp.

The kids patiently waited their turns.

Kirsten learned how to slide to make sure she made it all the way to the pond.

Carson had so much fun on the slide.

"Swamp Man" Mark!!

Blake hit the water in the pond so fast every time.

Alec finally slid far enough to make it into the pond.

Michael and Blake slid two at a time.

This time did not fare so well.

Seth Turns FIVE!

2011-06-12T06:36:00.004-05:00

On Seth's birthday, Keith wanted everybody to see his ride his NEW bike. He was so excited about his new, big bike. He has learned to ride this summer and quickly advanced to a bigger bike. My sister Kathy made this yummy chocolate cake with yummy M & M candies.

The birthday boy!

Nonie with some of her grandchildren.

Koon's Care 5K/10K Race

2011-06-11T21:20:00.006-05:00

This race was a combination of a 5K and a 10K race. It was run in Ripley and about 80 people total ran this race. Kirsten chose to run the 5K and Alec wanted to run the 10K. Kirsten ran well on this very hot, hilly course and finished 2nd female overall and 1st in her age group -- way to go, Kirsten!

Alec finished 26th overall in the 10K (male and female) and won 1st place in his age group -- proud of his determination to finish a hard run and with blisters.

Preston ran the fun run for the 2nd year in a row.

He got a race t-shirt and a medal!

Visiting with family and friends while awaiting the awards. My good friends from Texas, Pam and Joe, spent the weekend with us and she came to the race to watch the kids run. It has been about 4 years since we have seen them and it was great to catch up.

Alec proudly displays his 1st place trophy!

Kirsten is proud of her 2nd female overall trophy.

Brandon, Claire, Kirsten, and Alec all received trophies at this race.

Gumtree 10K Race

2011-06-11T21:11:00.003-05:00

The kids begged to be able to run the Gumtree 10K the week after the Coca-Cola 10K, so we decided to let them run. The weather was much hotter and the kids did not run this one as fast as the week before, but they were both glad they ran it. This race had over 700 runners competing. Alec runs for the finish line!

Kirsten is happy to be done!

Kirsten's First Piano Recital

2011-06-11T20:56:00.005-05:00

Kirsten performed her pieces very well for her piano recital held on May 14. My mother's students all came to her house for a very entertaining recital.

Kirsten played a piece from LORD OF THE RINGS, and there were words and these girls volunteered to sing the vocal parts. The highlight of Kirsten's day was meeting Mr. Bryan Davis, one of her favorite authors. His daughters take piano lessons from my mother and he came to the recital. His books include the Dragons in Our Midst series, Oracles of Fire series, and Dragons of Starlight series.

Alec also enjoys his books.

Coca-Cola 10K 2011

2011-06-11T20:33:00.006-05:00

On May 7, 2011, our family traveled to Corinth, MS to participate in the Coca-Cola 10K. The day was cool at the start, but quickly warmed up. There were over 1200 participants and it was a fun race.

The kids and I before the big race began. Alec finishes the race with a lightning fast speed of 53:12!!

Kirsten finished with good time of 1:06:30!

And I just finished -- every step of every mile, but did not enjoy it at all.

Alec got in this Coca-Cola truck for a picture while waiting for the awards.

Kirsten had a turn in the truck also.

Children's Mansion 5K

2011-05-07T22:14:00.006-05:00

The kids begged to run the Children's Mansion 5K on April 30, so we headed to Tupelo at 5:30 in the morning in order to arrive for the 7:00 start. It was a beautifully cool morning and that made for a great race day.

There was a great turnout for this well managed race. It is chip timed and the finish line support staff was AWESOME! Alec gets a hand from Mr. Jimmy as he heads for the finish line.

He ran one of his fastest races ever. Way to go ALEC!

Kirsten ran one of her fastest races in a year and has definitely picked up her running in the last month.

The girls visit while awaiting the awards.

Such sweet girls! And boy are they fast too!

Hunting Easter Eggs at Nonie's House

2011-05-07T21:55:00.006-05:00

What a CREW!!! All these kids enjoy hunting Easter eggs, so we just hide a bunch of eggs and they have fun finding them. Keith shows off his HAUL!

Scarlett and Claire are proud of their eggs.

Alec checks out the contents of his eggs.

Scarlett, Claire, and Sophia pose for a picture.

Carson, Luke, and Jackson take time out for a picture.

The girls count eggs to see who found the most.

Kirsten didn't want to hunt this time, but joined the girls in the counting.

The little kids had a GREAT time!

Eating candy and counting money.

Alec found the most eggs!

That's a lot of eggs!

Hunting Easter Eggs at Grandma and Grandpa's House

2011-05-07T21:40:00.005-05:00

After an inspiring Easter Sunday service at church, we headed to Middleton to celebrate Easter with Mitch's family. We ate a great lunch and then went outside to hide eggs so the grandkids could hunt them.

Kirsten, Wesley, and Alec are RARING to go!

Easter Portraits

2011-05-07T21:26:00.005-05:00

Every Easter, I try to get the kids in their Easter finery and take their pictures. They don't even complain anymore, cause they know, it just won't work with me. I will take pictures!!

Nehemiah 5K

2011-05-07T21:17:00.003-05:00

April 16 was a great day for a race. Alec wanted to run in Pontotoc in the Nehemiah 5K. This race was organized to raise money for a missions team. Many Spartans ran this race and it was fun to see them all run their hardest.

There was a pretty good turnout for this race. Alec time was 25:57 and we were very happy with his effort and finishing time.

Alec's Birthday Party

2011-05-07T20:47:00.012-05:00

Alec's COOL birthday cake! On April 12, we celebrated Alec's birthday with a NERF party. WE had a great time and so did all the boys! About 25 boys showed up to do battle on our hillside. They all came armed with Nerf guns and bullets and were raring to go. Some of the boys had marked the time to the party, from about a month out.

Boys, boys everywhere!

We found bullets EVERYWHERE!

The moms hang out visiting while the boys were shooting each other.

All the boys gathered around Alec as he opened his presents.

Alec blows out his candles, so that we could dive into this delicious cake, lovingly made by Sherrie Thomas. She always turns a cake into a masterpiece.

Several girls came to run with Kirsten and visit while their brothers were having fun.

We even bought Camo face paint so they could feel like "real soldiers."

After hotdogs and chips, cake and ice cream, the boys headed back to the field for more shooting fun.

Alec loads up one of his new guns, while Parker looks on.

Andrew Jackson 5K, Half-Marathon, Full Marathon Weekend

2011-05-07T20:22:00.008-05:00

On April 8, Kirsten and I traveled to Jackson, TN, so she could run in the Andrew Jackson 5K and so that we could watch some dear friends run their first full marathon. It was a great weekend for me, but all of the runners really struggled due to extremely hot temperatures -- actually they were called RECORD breaking temps. We missed the start of the full marathon but arrived to see several of our friends start the half marathon.

There were over 300 participants in this year's half marathon. Kirsten, Hannah, Sarah, and Julie stretch before the start of the 5K.

I don't know how many runners ran this race, but it was not a large race.

The runners head off down the beautiful Union University Campus.

Kirsten struggled a lot in this race. The temperature was almost 90 and she was not ready to run in this warm weather.

After the end of the 5K, we all watched the finishers of the half marathon, while waiting on the finishers of the full marathon.

The girls hold up a BIG banner cheering for Roan and Lynn.

These women are so impressive! It was a very difficult race to finish, they did not achieve their goal, but were still able to raise their arms and be excited about their accomplishment.

A Sermon in a Picture

2011-04-10T09:40:00.003-05:00

My precious friends, Aaron and Susanna, sang their newborn son home to Heaven. This is the true picture of faith in God. The song they sang was called "How Sweet To Die."

"Farewell, vain world I'm going home, My Savior bids me come,

Sweet angels beckon from on high, Then, O how sweet to die.

I'm glad that I am born to die, From grief my soul shall fly

Sweet angels beckon from on high, Then, O how sweet to die.

I'll praise my Savior while I've breath, I'll praise Him after death,

I'll praise His matchless name on high, Then, O how sweet to die.

I soon shall pass this vale of death, When I shall lose my breath,

And then my happy soul shall fly, Then, O how sweet to die."

Their heartbreaking story began last Monday. Susanna delivered a very healthy baby boy named Jackson Emmett. About four hours later, he suddenly stopped breathing. Even today, they still have no medical explanation for what happened in his precious body. Six days he stayed at The Med in Memphis, while doctors did so experimental treatments on him and his tiny brain. But yesterday, they made the excruciating decision to remove the ventilator and sing him home to our merciful Heavenly Father. These two precious people, even in extreme grief, clung to His promises to never leave us or forsake us and praised God as He took their firstborn home to be with Him. The above picture should leave no on unaffected. The grief on their faces is so evident and yet they sang "How Sweet to Die." Jack's young, brief life affected me and thousands of others in ways that few sermons can do, and my life will forever be changed by the testimony of his family's faith in trial.

March Update

2011-03-26T07:40:00.019-05:00

March has been filled with lots of activities, lots of working, lots of school, and lots of pretty weather (until today) - it is YUCKY out there! Alec finished all of his "official" school requirements on Thursday evening and Kirsten will be done with all of hers today. So that is ONE big accomplishment for us. We will take a week off and then start on some extra school things that will supplement our school year. One thing I want us to focus on is penmanship and writing. I am not a creative writer, but I hope that with a little encouragement that the children can learn to be better than I am.

Another thing that is keeping us busy is Cross-Country practice. We started meeting once a week this month and will continue until sometime in May. The kids are supposed to run at least three days a week and also have a cross-training day. They are enjoying it and I am staying active along with them. I am running two to three days a week, myself, and walking many of the other days.

Last Saturday, we drove to Pontotoc so the kids could run a race that they have run several times before. It is a challenging course, but one that they enjoy.

Alec, Brandon, Claire, and Kirsten act silly before the start of the race. The girls were trying to have their "game" faces on and the boys were just being goofy.

The race was a little smaller this year, but the kids were raring to go.

Preston stood on the fire truck while we were waiting for the kids to finish.

Brandon ran a flying fast race and finished in 22:47 and won 3rd place in the male 10-14 division. He just turned 10 and entered a new level of competition - a tougher one!

Alec ran a very good race and finished with a time of 26:56. He was disappointed that he didn't medal, but it was a very good time for him.

Kirsten sprinted up hill to finish with a time of 30:30 and was so excited -- she also placed 3rd in the 10-14 female division.

Claire was more focused on encouraging the other runners than running a fast race. Several people told her after the race that they were happy with the sweet way she encouraged them. She finished with a respectable time of 31:42 and was very happy with her time.

Alec won this camo hat as a door prize.

Kirsten is so happy with her medal.

Brandon is also happy with his medal.

That evening, our family drove to Tupelo to eat at Chili's to celebrate Alec's birthday and our anniversary. Both of these were on Sunday, but we decided to celebrate the night before.

18 YEARS!!! Hard to believe!

YUM!!

DOUBLE YUM!!

Alec was so excited about his birthday that he woke up at 4:15 and finally got me to crawl out of bed by 5:30. He said he couldn't wait any longer.

This LEGO set was what he requested and he couldn't wait to put it together.

On Sunday afternoon, we had a small gathering for cake and ice cream and 4-square. A girl from our church is 1 hour older than Alec and I invited her family over to play and eat cake. Alec also asked two other boys to come after church, so a small party turned into a bigger one. We had a great time and are looking forward to Alec's party in April. He has asked to have a NERF war party with a bunch of boys from cross-country. More pictures will come from that day, but maybe that catches everyone up on our family for now.

February Update

2011-02-24T15:38:00.002-06:00

We have been pretty busy this month. We are trying to finish school in the month of March. At my job, two girls will be going on maternity leave very soon, so I have the possibility of working extra hours. The kids have really buckled down and are doing a good job at their schoolwork. We have been doing "double days" for a month now and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I do not recommend this as a regular school day, however, it is only for this semester and we will be done. I do not plan to let them be idle until July. I am looking at writing and history books that will interest them and that they can accomplish something every day while I am working extra hours. We will be done with all of our "official" school work hopefully in the next two or three weeks.

We have been doing a little extra housecleaning as well -- spring cleaning!! The weather has been so pretty the last two weeks and we have opened the windows and turned up the stereo and cleaned, cleaned, cleaned. We had company this past weekend, so I did have a goal in mind while cleaning. Since we don't have company coming this week, I have let a few things go, but I hope to get them caught back up on Saturday.

Cross-country practice is getting ready to start back up and the kids and I have been trying to follow their schedule of running and workouts. I was trying to exercise every day, but have had a little trouble with my back and have not been as faithful as I had been before. All three of us want to run the Coca-Cola 10K race in Corinth on May 7 so we have a lot of miles to put in between now and then.

Kirsten's Birthday Party

2011-01-26T14:58:00.008-06:00

This past Friday, we had a pool party/sleepover at Mr. Marshall's pool house. Most of Kirsten's friends were able to come and we had a BLAST!! Most guests arrived by 4:30 and didn't leave until 10:00 on Saturday morning. The girls wanted to swim first of course and they swam and swam and then swam some more. They enjoy just being together as much as doing fun stuff like swimming. After they got somewhat tired of swimming, it was time to eat supper. We had sandwiches, chips, veggies, and fruit - YUM!

We managed to get all the girls at one table and there was a whole lot of talking and laughter going on.

After supper, it was time to open presents. Kirsten got so many pretty things and some fabulous hand made gifts. I took pictures of all of them (I don't want to post pictures of too many of them, because most of the girls were still in their swim suits). One of her favorite gifts was a beautiful handmade nightgown and robe set made by Mrs. Heather and her girls.

Olivia made her this awesome owl bag and all the girls were squealing when this one was opened up.

This AWESOME cake was designed by Kirsten (on paper) and handcrafted by my friend Sherrie. She always does such a fabulous job with her cakes and each one is a TRUE MASTERPIECE! Every part of this cake was edible -- even the knitting needles and the surprise Knifty Knitter (on top). It is always a highlight of our parties to UNVEIL a Sherrie Creation!

All the girls sing Happy Birthday to the birthday girl.

After all the festivities, the girls snacked on candy and popcorn while watching "Singin in the Rain." Of course, they all had to pull out their knitting or crocheting while they were watching the movie. They girls hands are always moving -- almost as much as their mouths move.

Olivia shows off another one of her many abilities -- braiding hair.

Danielle always has fun at the parties.

Thing 1 and Thing 2, Martha and Catherine, show off their amazing skills as the double elliptical team.

Lexie and Danielle proudly display their mind linking head bands that Julie made during the movie.

A group picture on Saturday morning -- the girls had to swim ONE MORE TIME!

Kirsten is 13 Years Old!!!

2011-01-26T14:47:00.002-06:00

I cannot believe that my baby is 13!!! Scary thought!!! On her birthday, Kirsten requested a Mom and Daughter excursion to Tupelo. She wanted to spend her Hobby Lobby gift card, get stuff for her birthday party, and eat lunch somewhere yummy.

After we went to Hobby Lobby, I asked her if she wanted to go get her makeup done at the Clinique counter. She thought that would be fun, but she also had a few reservations about the experience.

Once she could see each step of the makeup process, she started grinning bigger and bigger. She could really tell the difference with just a little foundation, and was excited about each new addition to her face.

This look is with foundation, eye shadow, and a little blush.

This is the finished look -- completed by mascara and lip gloss. She was so excited and I know that she will remember getting this done on her 13th birthday.

After we were done being "super girly", we went to Applebee's for a fabulous meal. Kirsten wanted the chicken finger basket and I changed my mind about what I was going to order and got one of the same thing. We had to choose something non-carbonated to drink (because we have cut that from our diet for now) and we chose to drink lemonade. Mine was a pomegranate lemonade and Kirsten had the raspberry lemonade -- both were WONDERFUL!

After eating, we finished shopping and then drove home. Kirsten had to look in the mirror several times to "check her makeup" and I was thinking, "Boy, have I created a monster!"

We had a very fun day and I am glad that we got to spend it together.

TIme with the Thomas Family

2011-01-26T14:34:00.002-06:00

Every year, between Christmas and New Year's Day, we travel to Marion, AR, to share Christmas with some really good friends of ours. Their son, Steven, and our children have always been really close and enjoy seeing each other when we can visit.

They are super ready to exchange gifts.

Alec and Steven especially are close (in age and in likes). They both love Star Wars Lego sets and Nerf guns. When they get together the air around them is teeming with flying darts and light saber duels. It is always a wonderful day of visiting and eating good food.

SNOW 2011 -- A Winter Wonderland of FUN

2011-01-10T17:50:00.008-06:00

We woke up this morning to over 8 inches of snow. In some places it was near one foot deep, but most places were anywhere from 8.5 - 9.5 inches deep.

One of the first things that Alec always does, is to make a snow angel.

Kirsten loves to make a snow angel too.

Redneck sledding on pool floats. Around these parts, it is difficult to find a sled and it is too expensive to have them on hand for the little amount of snow that we get every year. So we southerners have to do the best we can with what we have. And we will use anything that will slide on the snow.

Kirsten had a great time having a snowball fight with her Uncle John. She had fairly good aim, too, and got him in the face more than once. Go Kirsten!

This picture shows how much snow we really got! Amazing! I don't remember this much snow in over 25 years.

Alec loves to slide down the hill.

Kirsten poses with the snowman that I made.

I decided to pose with the best snowman that I have ever gotten a chance to build. The snow was perfect and plentiful.

Alec made his own "camouflage" snowman. It was really cute.

Parker built this man all by himself. Good job, Parker.

The guys worked together to build this "ginormous" snowman.

This afternoon, we went for a long walk in the woods. We tramped all over -- for over an hour -- and burned a whole lot of calories. It was hard work to walk in the snow and our legs and knees and cardio got a great workout.

Rachel and her kids paused for a group picture in the woods.

Lisa and her kids took time to take a picture too.

Luke was almost buried in the deep snow. So much fun for the kids!

The Blue Mountain College golf course provided a blank slate for walking in the untouched snow. All the kids had fun making their own way through the snow.

I thought this made a great picture.

So did this one.

Kids and the Gator Bowl

2011-01-01T17:41:00.000-06:00

New Year's Day brought with it the Gator Bowl -- an awesome football game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the University of Michigan. It was a very good game and one that we enjoyed watching and cheering for our Bulldogs. The kids were wishing that they could ring their cowbells, but Mitch was asleep so we had to cheer quietly (or should I say responsibly. For those of you not from Mississippi - the State fans are supposed to ring their cowbells responsibly - that is, only at approved times). It was a fun game either way.

* HAPPY NEW YEAR *

2011-01-01T08:05:00.003-06:00

Wishing everyone a very safe and happy new year!! We spent part of the evening with some great families from church. Then we came home to watch the ball drop in New York. We managed to stay awake until 12:00 and then off to sleep.

Here's hoping and praying for a productive and enjoyable 2011.

Christmas with Mitch's Family

2010-12-28T18:53:00.002-06:00

The day after Christmas, we drove to Middleton, TN, to spend time with Mitch's family.

Alec enjoyed opening up his gifts from everybody.

Kirsten loved all her gifts.

A picture of Mitch's brother and two of his sisters.

His sister-in-law Lisa pets Oddball.

Christmas with my Mom

2010-12-28T18:39:00.004-06:00

We had a couple of unhappy kids for this picture of the grandkids with my Mom. We took several shots, but didn't have a good one in the bunch.

I was happy with my family's picture.

Alec gets excited by this Lego set that he opened from Nonie.

Kirsten picked out Legos also.

Christmas Morning

2010-12-28T18:11:00.004-06:00

Christmas morning is my favorite thing about the Christmas season. Waking early is not one of my favorite things, however. But, I remember being a kid and being so excited that I couldn't even sleep. So, I have pity on my children and let them wake us up at 4:30 to open presents.

We overdid the presents again this year (as I always do), but we had a great time.

Alec was thrilled with his MSU cowbell!!

Kirsten took one look at Alec's bell and looked for another package the same size and opened her cowbell and was just as excited.

More MSU gear, now we are ready for the Gator Bowl!

Kirsten looks pretty in her new coat. Unfortunately, it was a little tight in the sleeves, so we will be returning this one.

Alec loves Christmas morning.

A cool video spy watch!!

Alec loves NERF and asked for some nerf gear for Christmas.

Kirsten loves Christmas morning!!

Alec poses with his loot.

Kirsten holds some of her stuff also.

Ornament Traditions

2010-12-28T18:04:00.003-06:00

I have a special aunt and uncle, Susan and Bruce, that send the kids ornaments every year.

This year, they sent Dutch ornaments. The kids loved them.

All the ornaments were Dutch blue.

The kids show off their neat ornaments.

Christmas in Cotton Plant

2010-12-28T17:49:00.004-06:00

We made our annual trip to Cotton Plant to see the awesome Christmas display.

Alec poses with the GRINCH!!

The kids love all the blow up decorations.

Sometimes the kids get tired of posing for pictures.

Sometimes they love to pose -- Pictures with Bully!!

Boo on Colonel Reb!! (we actually wish that Colonel Reb was back at Ole Miss, but we don't actually like Ole Miss!)

Being silly!!

Our Christmas Tree and Gingerbread House

2010-12-23T14:59:00.005-06:00

I love having a real, decorated tree every year for Christmas.

Kirsten worked really hard on this gingerbread house.

Notice the detail on the roof. She did much better than I could have done.

Alec decorated the bottom half of the house and did a really great job also.

They are proud of their house.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

2010-12-15T15:34:00.003-06:00

On Saturday afternoon, we took the kids to watch The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. This is the third installment of the Narnia series. It was awesome. I have not read the book since I was a lot younger and I don't remember anything about it, but the movie was very entertaining.

Alec, Parker, Jackson, and Kirsten are excited to watch the movie.

The movie is about to start. YAY!!!

Alec is excited also!!

Another picture after the movie is over. What a great movie!!

Decorating Cookies at the Coffee Addict

2010-12-15T15:17:00.007-06:00

On Saturday, we were invited to spend the morning at the Coffee Addict with the Spartan girls and their moms. We all got to drink coffee, hot chocolate, or smoothies and then the girls had a great time decorating Christmas cookies.

Yummy!!

These two are so crazy -- they have been talking awhile about being mind links, so one of them crocheted this mind link for them to wear. The shirts were not really planned either, thus proving the true mind link that they have.

Drinking coffee and visiting.

Kirsten works hard on her cookies.

She made this very colorful Christmas tree.

I also like this snowman that she made.

Spartan Skating and Ornament Exchange

2010-12-15T14:52:00.010-06:00

Last Thursday, we attended a party for all Spartans and their families. It was great fun. The kids don't need to have a reason to get together, they just love to be together. We all met at the Skate Zone so the kids could skate and then exchange ornaments as well as other gifts.

Kirsten with some of her friends.

Alec was so excited to see everyone again.

More friends!!!

Kirsten leads the skate train. What fun!!

Some of the girls waiting their turn to pick an ornament.

Kirsten opens her ornament.

Next, the boys had to wait their turn.

Kirsten models the hat that Olivia made for her. These girls are so talented and can make almost anything with yarn.

St. Jude Half Marathon 2010

2010-12-06T19:29:00.010-06:00

On Friday, Alec and I drove to West Memphis, AR, so he could spend the night with a friend. Kirsten was spending the weekend in Memphis with some Spartan friends and actually got to come cheer me on at the race on Saturday. After I dropped Alec off, I drove back across the bridge to meet friends at the Cooke Convention Center to pick up our race packets.

Just a few of the people I know that were running the race on Saturday -- Yonea, Lynn, Amber, Me, Roan, Julie, and Olivia.

Another shot of our group with Mr. Kelly in the back, excited about running his first full marathon. After leaving the Expo, we drove to a church in Memphis to eat a spaghetti supper with some friends who were also running this race. After supper we drove to where we were sleeping, to attempt to get a good night's rest before the big day.

Race day came early for us and we were dressed and ready to run. Me, Yonea, and Amber getting ready to drop off our bags at the bag-check and then to go to the starting line.

Penny and me before the race. Penny ran awesome in her first ever full marathon! So proud of her!

Waiting on the full marathoners to come in with Amber.

We are a happy bunch, now that we are through running anyway. I did not have a great race and I was so glad to be done. Didn't achieve my goal time but glad that I didn't quit. Already thinking about next year though!!

On the way home, several of us stopped at Huey's to eat their world famous hamburgers.

The girls always have fun getting together and visiting.

Heather and me at Huey's.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2010-11-25T06:12:00.002-06:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! It is so easy to LOSE this holiday in the midst of Christmas preparation and CRAZY shopping. I intend to enjoy this day and worry/think about Christmas tomorrow. Whether or not, I get the best deals on presents or whether or not, I get my house decorated perfectly, this day is about thankfulness.

I am thankful for my Heavenly Father who has provided ALL for me!

I am thankful for my husband and my children!

I am thankful for my home! I am thankful for my extended family! I am thankful for my church and the family I have there! I am thankful for plenty of food to eat! I am thankful for plenty of clothes to wear!

I am thankful for the ability to run!

Many of these things, I often find myself not quite content with, there is so much I want to change about my life and the things around me. But, I should be content with everything because our great GOD has given me exactly what I need, exactly when I need it. So please just be thankful today! He is an AWESOME GOD!

Sav-a-Life 5K

2010-11-20T18:45:00.007-06:00

We had a beautiful morning for a run in Ripley.

Several Spartan families participated in this race.

Alec runs in to the finish, just barely ahead of Eryn. He finished with a time of 27:32.

Kirsten ran well on this difficult, hilly course.

Kirsten awaits the awards. She finished with a time of 33:32 and finished 6th in her age group.

Alec with his 3rd place medal in the 10-14 male category.

Forrest won overall with a time of 17:40. Danielle won overall female with a time of 21:38; Martha won 2nd female with a time of 21:49; Kendra won 3rd female with a time of 22:17.

Mercy won 1st in the 0-9 female group with Mycah winning 2nd place in the same group. Macain won 1st in the 0-9 male group with Brandon winning 2nd and Tyler winning 3rd; Caleb finished in 4th place in this group. Leslie won 1st place in the 10-14 female group with Margaret in 2nd, Eryn in 3rd, Claire in 5th, and Kirsten in 6th. Mark won 2nd place in the 10-14 male group with Alec in 3rd and Thomas in 4th. Emilee won 2nd place in the 15-19 female group. Nick place 4th in the 15-19 male group. Amber won 2nd in the 30-34 female group. Ginger won 1st in the 40-44 female group with Penny finishing 6th. Don finished 2nd in the 40-44 male group with Wade finishing 7th. Yonea won 2nd in the 45-49 female group. Bobbie won 2nd in the 65+ female group and her husband won 2nd in the 65+ male group. GO TEAM SPARTAN!!!

Art with Mrs. Vicky

2010-11-20T18:30:00.006-06:00

Kirsten has been taking art lessons from Mrs. Vicky for several years now. She has learned so much and loves taking art.

Mrs. Vicky demonstrates a technique on Kirsten's snowman tile.

This pretty church was completed in two sessions.

She painted this angel for Christmas.

Kirsten displays her finished tile.

Claire, Scarlett, Mrs. Vicky, Kirsten and Sophia

Christmas Portraits

2010-11-18T18:55:00.005-06:00

Last week, I took the kids Christmas pictures for our Christmas cards. I chose to make these black and white (just for fun). The cards will be in full color. I did not use these pictures for the cards, but thought they turned out really well.

NCA 5K -- October 30, 2010

2010-11-07T08:18:00.008-06:00

It was a very cold morning for the Northeast Christian Academy 5K run in Ripley. Only a few people came out to run, but it was still an entertaining race.

Alec started out near the front of the pack and stayed that way for the whole race.

He finished 5th overall (only people who beat him were grown men).

Kirsten did not quite meet her goal on this day but still won first place.

They only awarded first place medals in each age group. She beat all girls 19 and under.

Alec beat all boys under the age of 19 and was so excited.

They are showing off their medals.

Trip to Red Robin and Memphis Zoo

2010-10-30T19:10:00.023-05:00

This past Tuesday, Mitch and I took the kids to Memphis to eat at Red Robin and to visit the zoo. I have been wanting to eat at Red Robin for a while now. I love hamburgers and have enjoyed seeing the commercials and my mouth has been watering to taste these delicious burgers.

Kirsten and Alec enjoyed their soft drinks while waiting on our appetizers. Mitch ordered a chili/nacho appetizer and the kids and I ate the marvelous mozzarella sticks.

Alec wasted no time chomping down on his amazing burger.

Kirsten enjoyed her "clucks and fries" (aka chicken strips and fries).

Alec and Kirsten love the zoo a little more than I do, and that is a lot. Mitch graciously decided to accompany us on this excursion, even though he does not enjoy the zoo very much.

This snake was part of the Halloween decor that was very visible all around the zoo. Kirsten "staged" this picture, and I must admit that it turned out very well.

This family of monkeys was so much fun to watch. The big monkey on the right is the mama of the one on the left and also the small orange-headed one in her lap. The interaction between these monkeys was astounding. We also enjoyed it when another monkey climbed the pole and try to "irritate" the mother and she just started swatting at him with her free arm.

Alec has always been partial to the Komodo dragons and we enjoyed being able to see them up close. The trainers were there for their weekly feeding and they were telling us how fast they are and how well they climb (even over the zoo access doors).

At first, these dragons barely moved and almost looked like statues, and we just thought that it was because they are cold blooded reptiles and they were cold. But, these marvelous creatures became really excited when the trainers got close. I don't know if they smelled their food or saw the maroon shirts that the zoo keepers wore, but they were almost dancing in excitement.

This hippo was fun to watch. I had already been watching for several minutes and one hippo was under water (for a long time) and this one was standing at the edge of the water just resting. I don't know if it saw my camera and decided to "smile" or if it was irritated at me for standing so long just watching. Either way, I am glad that I was patient and got this shot.

This tiger is truly magnificent. He didn't move the whole time that we were watching, but he is still a beautiful creature.

Alec and Kirsten pose in front of the tiger pen.

The snow leopard is so unique.

The cheetah is one of my favorite creatures of all time. I told the kids that cheetahs are cats with ADHD, because they are in constant motion, never sitting, never standing.

This makes a great fall picture.

I love this picture of this fish in its habitat.

Alec and Kirsten stand on a pretty red bridge in the China section.

I love polar bears. This bear just sat and posed on this rock.

A bald eagle always makes me well up with national pride.

The kids got tired of me taking their picture, but they still complied with my wishes.

I love this sign in the newest section of the zoo. This houses the wolves and grizzly bears.

The bears were so cute. The zoo has three half grown cubs and they were playing and interacting for us.

My family is being silly while watching the bears.

Spartan End of the Year Party

2010-10-30T13:06:00.008-05:00

After Race for the Cure, the Spartans got together at the Saltillo Park for an end of the year party. We ordered pizzas and let the kids play together.

Some of the girls talk to Mrs. Heather and get ready to eat PIZZA!

After supper, several of the kids played football. Most of these kids ran a fast 5K in the morning, but didn't look tired at all.

These girls did not want to play football and decided to play tag instead.

The team all gathered together for speeches from the coaches and team awards.

Alec receives his award.

Kirsten receives her award.

Forrest and Cale open presents and read poems as senior Spartans.

Race for the Cure 5K

2010-10-27T17:33:00.003-05:00

On October 23, we drove to Tupelo so that the kids could run the Race for the Cure 5K. This race is on a very flat course and many people run their PR. Kirsten and Alec were very excited about running this race.

It is always a very well attended race and you have to move fast to break out to the front.

Alec races Eryn all the way into the finish line. He passed her at the last second as she slowed up thinking she had already finished.

Kirsten had a very good last sprint into the finish and ran her best time since breaking her arm in March.

Some of the Spartan boys got together for a group picture while awaiting the awards.

Kirsten always has fun with her friends.

Several Spartans and some of the parents won trophies. It was a GREAT RACE on a beautiful day!

Shaving Cream War

2010-10-27T15:17:00.005-05:00

For the last day of cross country practice, we all gathered at Veterans' Park in Tupelo.

Claire, Kirsten, and Alec on the monkey bars.

After running for 30 minutes, the kids all sat down to get their instructions about the Shaving Cream War.

Catherine has a unique way of holding her shaving cream can.

The kids started off by playing tag with shaving cream, but it quickly went into a free-for-all.

This is one of the things that the kids look forward to doing all year.

Getting Ms. Heather is another favorite for the kids.

Alec

Kirsten

Silly boys

Group shot.

Pumpkin Patch 2010

2010-10-27T10:50:00.017-05:00

Last week, some friends and I took our kids to the pumpkin patch in Blue Mountain. I have taken my children every year (except one) since they have been born. I keep thinking that they are outgrowing this experience, but so far, they still want to go.

I took this picture of this beautiful pumpkin while out at the patch.

My children are so used to posing for pictures, that they can drop into position, with a smile on their face, at my command. I cannot believe how grownup Kirsten looks in this picture.

This old pickup makes a cute backdrop for photos.

Alec was having a somewhat difficult day on this day and didn't cooperate quite as much as I would have liked for him to do.

Running together to be the first one to ride the trikes at "Haytona Speedway."

Just swingin' on the swing.

We had all the kids pose together for this photo.

Alec picked out his own shirt for this outing. I wish that I had made him change now that I got some good pictures otherwise.

Riding in the wagon to the patch.

Alec picked out a great pumpkin to bring home.

Kirsten took a little longer to make her final decision.

Crazy Hair Day

2010-10-20T11:21:00.011-05:00

Yesterday, for cross country practice, the kids had crazy hair day. It was sooooo much fun!!

Forrest lost a bet and had to wear all pink to practice. He was a good sport about it though and we all had a good laugh at his expense.

Hannah won the best crazy hair award. It was AWESOME!!

Booneville 5K

2010-10-20T10:53:00.007-05:00

On Saturday, October 16, most of our team drove to Booneville, MS, to run in this 5K.

Most of our Spartans led the pack on this beautiful day over this fast course.

Alec ran a good race.

Kirsten was able to run the whole race without walking and that was her goal for this race.

Alec enjoyed a funnel cake and a frozen drink after the race.

Kirsten and Martha enjoyed visiting after the race.

Wacky Obstacle Course

2010-10-20T10:39:00.006-05:00

Our cross country fall practice schedule is coming to an end, so we have a few really fun activities for the kids to participate it.

Coach Sheri gives last minute instructions for this Wacky Obstacle Course Race.

All of the kids had to put on multiple articles of clothing and then run to the other end and take them all off and run back to tag their teammate.

Alec's turn to get dressed.

Kirsten runs fast for her team.

Having a Jonah Day and Pictures from this Weekend

2010-10-13T11:33:00.011-05:00

Have you ever had a Jonah Day? It is a day when everything is going wrong and you just want to run away from home (at least that is what it means to me). Alec woke up in a good mood, but it quickly soured and has gone from bad to worse and he has just not snapped out of it -- it doesn't seem to matter what his punishment is and what the consequences are. I am praying that it will end soon. Today, he has just decided to question my authority and my parental control over him on every issue.

So, I am taking a short break from dealing with him and posting pictures from this weekend!

Alec, Brandon, Macain, Mark, and Tyler all ran in the Walnut 5K on Saturday morning.

Alec ran into the finish line with a time of 24:30 (a new PR). However, this race is a tad short so that time translates to a 25:26 for a full 5K. It was still a great time for his finish.

Mark won 1st place in the 10-14 boys; Macain won 1st place in the 0-9 boys; Alec won 2nd place in the 10-14 boys; Brandon won 2nd place in the 0-9 boys; and Tyler won 3rd place in the 0-9 boys. Way to go SPARTANS!

10-14 male winners!

Before the XC meet in Ripley, an open 5K was held with several Spartan participants.

The boys Varsity race was exciting to watch.

The girls Varsity race was GREAT!

The JV boys and girls ran together and had a great race.

Kirsten runs into the finish line.

There was a one mile fun run that some of the smaller Spartan kids ran.

Coach Sheri with some of the girls and the 1st place trophy!!

Corinth Rotary 5K and Union University XC Meet

2010-10-05T20:02:00.007-05:00

Saturday morning, Mitch took Alec to Corinth to run in the Corinth Rotary 5K.

Alec really enjoys this course and was excited to run this race.

Alec and Eryn S. running into the finish line. They were neck and neck...

...right until the end, when Eryn edged Alec out. Alec had to stop twice to tie his shoes and he also lost his racing chip but they were able to figure out where he finished and what his time was. He finished 2nd in his age group of 10-12 year old boys with a time of 26:49.

Alec is so happy with his 2nd place trophy. This race gives out tennis shoes as awards along with the medal, because it is sponsored by Austin Shoes.

Kirsten and I drove to Union University in Jackson, TN, on the same Saturday morning to compete in a XC meet. This is a picture of most of the Spartan girls.

The Varsity girls ran a very good race and finished 3rd out of 11 teams with a total score of 79. There were a total of 76 runners competing in this race.

The Varsity boys finished 10th out of 11 teams, but most of our boys set a PR (personal record) for this distance. We were hoping for a better finish, but once we saw their times, we were very excited. Eighty-one runners competed in this race. Their score was 276 and we see big things in the future for this team.

Some of the Junior Varsity runners get loosened up for their race and some last minute instructions from Mr. Don.

The JV boys and girls ran in one race and there were 118 runners total in this race. Our boys finished 5th and our girls finished 4th, but several runners also set a PR for this race and we are proud of their effort. This course was a difficult course with two long uphills to conquer in addition to them running a full 5K instead of the 2.1 miles they normally run.

Kirsten is rounding the last corner for the finish. We are proud of her effort in each race and hope for fast times in her future. Once she conquers the uphills better, her times will improve.

BMC XC Meet

2010-09-25T20:37:00.010-05:00

A muddy day for the start of the BMC XC meet did not stop these girls from smiling and giving it their all.

The Junior Varsity girls before the race.

A picture of the start...lots of girls and a narrow track through the woods.

Kirsten turned it on at the end and passed this girl right at the last second.

The junior varsity boys are excited about their race.

The varsity girls got off to a very fast start and went on to finish 1, 3, 6, 14, and 21. This means that we won the 1st place trophy! GO SPARTANS!

The varsity boys race was every bit as exciting as the girls race and we are looking forward to the rest of the season.

Silly girls waiting on the awards.

Danielle accepts the trophy for the team.

Fun at the Saltillo XC Meet

2010-09-19T19:32:00.006-05:00

We arrived at the Saltillo XC meet at 7:30 on Saturday morning. We had to get there early to get the tents set up and to get some of the nerves out of our runners. We always have a fabulous time together as a team.

The varsity and junior varsity boys talking race strategy (I hope).

The junior varsity girls were in the first race of the day and Kirsten was so excited to run. She was glad that they got their run over early, as the day got hotter and hotter.

There were 173 runners in the girls Junior Varsity race and we saw some very fast runners and some good competition coming into the chute.

The boys Junior Varsity race had 188 runners and it was a fun race to watch.

The girls 1A-3A Varsity race was our favorite of the day. Our girls finished 2, 7, 8, 9, 13, 29, 70, 74, 80, 88, and 90 out of 121 runners. We "won" the first place title but because we had to race as unattached runners we didn't receive the trophy. We are so proud of our girls and don't need a trophy for everyone there to know that we placed first. GO SPARTANS GO!!

The 1A-3A Varsity boys race was super fast and our boys ran well in the 179 runner field. Many of our boys had not even run in a cross country meet before and we are pleased with the team's performance.

Kirsten was able to pass one runner and almost caught another runner coming into the chute. Way to go, Kirsten!!

Danielle finished a close second (16:53:43) to the super fast overall winner (16:50:12), and we could not be prouder of these fast girls. Our varsity team is full of some fast runners and we are looking forward to the next three weeks.

Catherine gave it everything she had to edge out this racer at the last possible moment. I did not take this picture but am glad that someone on the team captured this moment.

The team awaits the awards ceremony.

Sherman Days 5K

2010-09-11T19:40:00.004-05:00

My new reality (races every weekend) is still continuing to excite me. We had a big turnout for the Sherman Days 5K.

Kirsten and Alec both had fast goals for today, but the heat and the hills held them back somewhat. We are hoping for better improvements every week.

Alec ran a good race, although it wasn't his fastest at this race.

Kirsten gutted it out even though she was very tired.

Team Spartan won many medals and trophies. We stacked most of the age groups and most of the parents that raced, won trophies also. We are very excited for our upcoming cross country season. We will be competing in 4 cross country meets in the next few weeks.

Mt. Zion/St. Jude 5K on Labor Day

2010-09-06T10:55:00.005-05:00

This morning was an absolutely beautiful day for a run. We drove to Falkner, MS, so the kids could compete in the Mt. Zion/St. Jude 5K. We have run this race five years in a row and it is always a good race,

Forrest, Riley, and Brandon lead the pack at the beginning.

Alec had a goal of under 28 minutes and finished in 28:02. The race clock was 8 seconds slower than the official time. He was very disappointed, especially considering that he would have sprinted harder if he could have seen the clock. They had the clock facing the opposite way so that they could take better pictures with the runners. I don't think many runners liked it this way, so hopefully they won't do it thay way next year.

Kirsten finished with an official time of 29:57, her fastest time since the end of March. She also managed to run the whole race without stopping to walk and is so proud of herself. Now that she has conquered that goal, we hope for great strides in the speed part of her training.

Alec got 4th place in his age group. He is in a very tough group of competitors and there were about 12 runners in his group.

Kirsten is proud of her 5th place finish. There were several that finished after her.

Brandon won 1st in his age group, Claire edged out Kirsten for 4th place in her age group.

Kirsten won this shirt as a door prize. It is a 2XL shirt and both kids can wear it at the same time.

Homeschool Entomology Lesson

2010-09-01T21:17:00.003-05:00

This morning, one of the kids' cousins saw this praying mantis attack and stun this cicada/locust creature. They watched him (or her, as the kids told me it had to be female; maybe they pay more attention to the bug lesson than I do) suck out the inside of said bug. They were totally fascinated by this visual demonstration of the food chain we have been reading about in our science studies.

Kirsten brought this bug-eating creature into MY HOUSE to show me that she was holding it. Of course, my first response was, "Get that out of the house!!" Kirsten, being my child, said to me, "Don't you want to take a picture of it first?" She knows me so well, and of course, I had to get the camera out to document this occasion.

The mantis sat on her hand for quite a while just eating away at this creature. You could watch is disappear a little at a time. I am sure that this lesson will stick with the kids far longer than anything we learn about bugs in our textbooks.

BMC Topper Day 5K

2010-09-01T21:02:00.005-05:00

Saturday, August 28, the kids ran a 5K in Blue Mountain, sponsored by Blue Mountain College. We had a good turnout of Spartans and some parents and it was a great morning to run.

Alec struggled a little during this race. There were three pretty hard hills, one at the beginning, a really tough one in the middle, and one at the end.

We are proud of Kirsten for finishing this race even though she struggled with the hills.

Alec won this cup during the festivities after the race.

Bits and Pieces

2010-08-26T20:11:00.004-05:00

The kids had fun playing on this blow up slide on a hot day.

Alec slides down for his turn.

Kirsten bounces down on her turn.

I got a new haircut this week. I went a lot shorter than I ever have and I think I like it, though I am not totally sure about it yet.

Kirsten got some new running spike shoes for running on cross-country trails. She is super excited about these shoes.

Today, after practice, the Spartans lined up for some relay games. They had a lot of fun and didn't realize just how much exercise they were getting.

After practice, we all met together for a pizza supper. They were very tasty and hot!

We had fun eating together to kick off our fall running season. First race is on Saturday.

BUSY! BUSY!

2010-08-15T15:19:00.002-05:00

We started school on Tuesday this week and got in four good days of studying. The first two days were really fun and enjoyable, the next two were the opposite of fun and enjoyable. I will be spending much time in prayer this year for the attitudes of my "precious" children. I truly believe that the farther we get in the school year that the better they will buckle down and concentrate. Right now, I have a lot of comments like, "It's too hard!" "I don't remember how!" "You're mean!" I am also requiring them to earn their video game time on the weekends by doing their best in school and in their cross-country training. We will see how that progresses as they find out that I really mean business.

We are repeating what we did last year of NO electronics until after 3:00 p.m. and they slipped right back into that routine and are finding new ways to entertain themselves once school is done for the day. They really complained about the video game on the weekend rule at first, but now are not even complaining about it. I have realized that kids are very adaptable to rules and they need to see just how serious you are about the rules they are to follow.

This year in school we are doing "character training." By this I mean a concentrated effort to every day have a discussion about manners and other attitudes that build good, strong, Godly characters. One book I am reading with Alec is Boyhood and Beyond by Bob Schultz. We have thoroughly enjoyed reading it together so far and are looking forward to finishing it and reading the next book by the same author, Created for Work. For Kirsten, we are reading Beautiful Girlhood, by Karen Andreola and we are enjoying that one also. I have a few more books for each of them directed at their appropriate age and gender that I hope to read with them next. Last year, we all just endured school and I got to "check" off each day as if I really accomplished something, but in reality, all we did was check off some "busy work." I hope to this year, in addition to our studies, to really focus on the really meaningful things in life -- becoming Godly men and women, helping others with a joyful spirit, and living life in such a way that will bring honor and glory to the holy name of our loving Father. We are also reading (all of us together) Everyday Graces, by Karen Santorum. This is a book that I have been wanting for several years but was waiting until it went down in price. This year, I decided that it was not going down ever and just to buy it anyway. We are really enjoying it also. She takes excerpts from classical literature, poetry, and other stories and adds a life lesson to the end of each one. The kids are learning a lot from this book and we are looking forward to many good lessons from it.

With my work schedule, two days per week, cross-country practice, two days per week, and life and exercising, for me, my life is VERY full. We spend much time away from the house and try our best to get our schooling done in a timely manner. I hope that both Kirsten and Alec will start to show good discipline in their schooling and their running and that we will just enjoy each other and enjoy life.

Spartan Running Camp 2010

2010-08-08T19:57:00.003-05:00

I am finally back from running camp, which was very fun by the way, and going to try to journal our activities for the week. On Sunday, we left from church to meet up with Coaches Heather and Dorothy in New Albany to drive to Memphis to buy the groceries for the week. Our first stop was Sam's and that was an interesting excursion. The kids we had with us were very helpful and we had the groceries bought and loaded up in a short time. However, our vans were very packed. We drove to Meeman State Park in Millington, TN, and unloaded groceries and then Dorothy and I drove to Wal-Mart to buy the rest of the food we needed. By the time we got back, most of the male campers were there and moved into their cabins. The first order of business was to prepare a snack of brownie sundaes (they were good, too) and then to the first session of the camp. After the session, Mr. John spoke a little while for the boys' devotion before turning in to bed.

Monday started early (6:00 am) for a 30 minute run. Well, it was supposed to only be 30 minutes, but 5 boys (they were older) took a wrong turn and were gone around 45 minutes longer. We were thankful to have them return and they were glad to be back. Every run was followed with a recovery drink of milk and Nestle's Quik - fortified with vitamins and protein. Then shortly after that the boys did their cooldown stretches and then we served breakfast. Mrs. Kristie spoke for the first session about workouts and then the boys moved indoors to workout with Coach. We drove them to a playground later in the morning to play on the slides and to play frisbee. When we got back, we had a delicious lunch of sandwiches, vegetables, chips, and fruit. After lunch, we introduced the boys to a rousing game of 4 square. Most of them had never played before and they loved it. Around 2 we drove to the pool for a water workout, freeswim, and diving off the diving board. After a wonderful supper of spaghetti, salad, and french bread, the boys and dads played capture the flag. One team was the Wal-Mart bag team (they had bags tied around their arms to distinguish them from the other team). Then they played kickball and did some team building exercises which included the hula hoop pass, untangling arms, crab walking, wheelbarrow, and a relay race with coke bottles. After devotion it was time for bed. Most of the boys and all the dads decided to move the mattresses into the dining hall to sleep in the air conditioning.

Tuesday morning the boys were up early again for a 2 1/2 or 5 mile run, depending on their endurance level. Then it was time for breakfast and some free time. Around 10:30 we took the boys hiking to a creek to play in the water.

This picture was taken at the beginning of the hike. While at the creek, the boys saw a print that very much looked like a bear track (we were hoping it was a big beaver print) but you never know. After hiking back to camp, we ate lunch and then Mrs. Kristie did a hard strengthening workout with the boys. The afternoon was spent playing cards, watching a movie, or playing four square. After supper, the boys were excited to perform their lip-syncing skit. Each group of boys (there were four groups) picked a song to perform for the whole camp. These performances were very entertaining. After the contest was over it was time for devotion and then to bed.

Wednesday morning was another early morning run followed by breakfast and capture the flag and kickball. Some parents and the female campers arrived at camp between 11:00 and 12:00 and we served them joint lunch of hotdogs, chips, and fruit. After the parents and boys left, it was time for the girls' first session with Coach, Then they had a workout in the dining hall before driving to the pool (which was closed due to a power outage). We came back to camp and the girls ran a short run and then played kickball before supper. The girls then had a session with Coach and then devotion with Mrs. Pam and then to bed in the dining hall.

Thursday morning the girls got up early for a 2 1/2 of 5 mile run before breakfast. After breakfast, they had a strength training workout with Coach before hiking to the creek.

This picture was taken of the girls at the top of the hiking trail. After the hike, it was back for lunch and then to the pool for a water workout, freeswim, and diving fun. The girls also had a handstand "competition" with all of them doing a handstand at the same time. After supper, the girls played capture the flag with some girls having tape on their shirts and the others not. They took showers and then it was time for coke floats and then devotion and bed.

Friday morning was another early morning with a run before breakfast. Then a workout, lunch, and then back to the pool. After the pool, Coach Dorothy played water games with the girls, which were a whole lot of fun. After supper, we had a special speaker -- Coach Heather's former coach came to speak to the girls. Coach Campbell was very inspiring for the girls and he brought an old VHS tape of Coach Heather running in high school. After he left, the girls had a snack and then entertained us with their lip-syncing skits. These were so funny and the girls did a wonderful job. We finally settled down for the night and got a good night's rest.

Saturday morning, Kirsten, Claire, and I left early before the morning run and we were so glad to get home, but we are so glad we went.

I would post more pictures, but I haven't decided which of the 800+ pictures that I am going to post.

The Countdown Has Begun!

2010-07-31T10:23:00.002-05:00

This is my next to last weekend before school starts. We are going to be very busy next week participating in a Spartan running camp. Alec and I will leave tomorrow to check in by 6:00 and then he will stay until Wednesday after lunch, when Kirsten starts her half of the week. It is looking to be a very hot week and this camp does not have air, except for in the dining area. I am so not looking forward to that, but the kids are so excited to be with their friends. I am sure that the coach will keep them very busy and they will be exhausted by the time their half is over. Kirsten and I will come home on Saturday after the camp is cleaned up. I am hoping that this week speeds by, but I am afraid that the nights will be so dreadful (I can't sleep when I am hot) that it will be never-ending. I, however, plan on taking my big girl pill and toughing it out. Yes, that's how much I love my kids. After camp is over, I will work on Monday and then we start school on Tuesday. I cannot believe that the summer is over already (I just wish the weather knew that, HA HA!) I am trying to get excited about the school year, but I am so not there yet. The kids are not ready either, but I think that once we get started that we will all find some enjoyment in it. Kirsten is starting 7th grade and Alec is starting 5th grade. Can't believe that my babies are that old already. After this year, Kirsten will only have 5 more years of school -- UNBELIEVABLE! She loves to tell me that she is almost a teenager -- SCARY!

Fun at the Water Park

2010-07-22T21:03:00.003-05:00

This morning we drove to Red Bay, Alabama, for a picnic and some fun at the small water park. This water park is owned by the city of Red Bay and is very inexpensive for family fun. There are only two slides, but they are loaded with fun. It was not crowded and they also have other pools to swim in. We had a great day!

This is a picture of both of the slides.

Alec goes down the "scary" straight down slide. I rode it twice but didn't care for it too much.

Kirsten rode the scary slide once, but much preferred the speed and longer slide of the "curvy" slide. I rode this one multiple times and had a blast.

Alec's South Carolina Trip

2010-07-18T17:51:00.029-05:00

Alec had a great week in South Carolina with Steven and his parents. He arrived home this afternoon and we were happy to see him.

Alec and Steven enjoy their breakfast and some candy on the way to South Carolina.

Alec loved this chocolate shake that he got on the way to the beach on Sunday night.

They brought a few toys to enjoy at the beach house. They played so well the entire week and did not fight or quarrel one time.

Alec gets ready to ride the waves on his boogie board.

Riding the waves with Steven.

Steven, Alec, Sherrie, and Stevie riding the "Sea Thunder" to see the dolphins swimming.

Sitting in the captain's chair.

Look closely to see the dolphins swimming in the ocean.

The boys got pretty wet from the spray from the boat.

Alec talks to the captain of the boat. The captain had asked for people with unusual talents to come forward. Alec went forward and showed how he could touch his nose with his tongue. I did not know that this was a talent and I am sure that some people just rolled their eyes at this redneck from Mississippi.

Playing in the sand.

Alec plays skeeball at a pizza joint.

This is a great picture of the boys.

The boys stopped at a bookstore and they each bought a book. Alec bought a Lego Star Wars dictionary and Steven bought a Star Wars the Clone Wars book.

This is the floor at Steven's grandparents house while the boys were playing.

This water fountain is at the entrance of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Museum that just opened a couple of months ago.

Alec in front of Dale Earnhardt's famous black #3 Chevrolet.

This picture shows the banking at Talladaga Speedway. Sherrie was standing on the flat ground taking this picture. The racetrack really is banked this steeply in the corners.

Alec and Steven tried to stand on the banking and had to hold onto the bars to stand up.

They really got to announce a race and it was broadcast throughout the museum. Sherrie and Stevie said that they did a great job.

I love this picture.

This was a section called a Memory Wall. People are supposed to write memories about Dale Earnhardt and drop them in the slot. They are then posted on a big wall. Alec wrote that Dale Sr. was a good driver and that he wished that he could see him race again.

This section was a pit crew challenge section. Each participant got to jack up the car, change a tire, and fuel the car. This is Alec's turn to jack up the car.

This is Alec changing a tire.

And finally fueling the car.

Each person was timed for all the sections and then their collective time was displayed on this screen. Alec had a fast time of 40.96 seconds. Way to go, Alec!

Alec drives this simulator - in Tony Stewart's #14 car. Sherrie said that both boys did better than most of the other people who drove these simulators.

They stopped at the Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch at the museum.

Swimming the Summer Away

2010-07-06T18:26:00.006-05:00

One day last week and several hours today were spent at a special lady from church's house. She graciously allows us to come swim and jump off her diving board. We usually bring a picnic lunch and stay for awhile.

Alec is looking at the bottom of the pool hunting his "toypedo," a water toy that is so cool.

Claire spent a lot of time trying to get on top of this football pool toy. She finally accomplished the task and floated for awhile.

Kirsten is learning some new tricks to do off the diving board.

Brandon decided to put all the pool floats on himself for a laugh.

Parker decided to follow in his footsteps with the floaties.

Silly, silly boys.

Tyler swims around with his brother in the boat.

Alec follows in his cousins footsteps and puts on multiple floats and jumps off the diving board.

Toy Story 3

2010-07-04T19:04:00.002-05:00

Went to see Toy Story 3 today -- it was AWESOME! Not better than the first two but very entertaining. We laughed many times throughout the movie.

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T09:34:00.003-05:00

These are some of the pictures that I took last night at Ripley's 4th of July celebration. It was a lot shorter this year than last year, but still awesome and worth attending. I must admit that I was thinking more about how much it was costing the city than the beauty of the fireworks themselves. Happy 4th to all!! I love AMERICA!!

Star Spangled Celebration 5K Run in Ripley

2010-07-03T09:41:00.005-05:00

What a way to start off the 4th weekend of celebration!!

The awesome American flag graced the finish line.

Kirsten is excited for the race to start. Alec is always a little goofy at the beginning of a race.

And they're off!

Alec runs for the finish line.

Kirsten comes in to the finish line.

Alec and Brandon are joined by Jackson and Parker.

Martha won the overall female trophy .

Alec won first place in his age group and received these fireworks.

Kirsten won second in her age group, but I did not get a picture with her prize.

Camp Moriah 2010

2010-06-27T21:10:00.008-05:00

We spent this past week enjoying the beautiful campgrounds of Camp Moriah -- a church camp located in extreme northern Mississippi. It was very hot this year, but we still enjoyed our week. I thoroughly enjoyed the air conditioning that our camper afforded me. I also enjoyed my own bathroom and the fact that I didn't have to shower with bugs and frogs.

My nephew, Keith, spends time playing in the playground.

His brother, Seth, makes a silly face for the camera.

Arts and crafts for the girls this week included a knitting project. The girls had fun knitting together and visiting.

Every morning the kids and I participated in "The Challenge." This started a few years ago simply as a physical activity that began each morning. An incredibly engaging young man turned it into "The Challenge." Every morning starts with jumping jacks, push ups, and several other cardio exercises. This is followed up with running and often relay races. On Thursday of this week, he decided to get the camp canoes involved in the exercise. Everyone was supposed to help carry the canoes, but when he realized that some were not quite tall enough, he decided to put them inside the canoe. These smaller guys truly enjoyed the ride.

Next, he decided to have a race that involved jumping over the canoes. The kids really enjoyed this one.

Kirsten moaned and groaned every morning when I told her that it was time to get up and run, but she really enjoyed the challenge after she was done.

The next exercise was a race between teams carrying canoes. It was interesting because not everyone runs at the same speed and there was a lot of cooperation involved.

Alec enjoys a short ride in the canoe.

One day they played relay races and Alec's team won the first round.

Every year the kids paint t-shirts and it is one of the things that they most look forward to at camp. Kirsten poses with her shirt.

Alec really tried hard this year to make his shirt neat.

This is Kirsten's Bible study group.

Alec truly enjoyed his Bible study group.

Alec's quiet time counseling group (combined with Brandon's group) performed a skit about Gideon and his army of 300 men that defeated the other army with God's help.

Kirsten's quiet time group performed a song for the entire camp.

Two different days the younger kids were involved in water games. This does not always happen, but it was so hot this year, that we decided to let the little kids have fun while cooling off. This game was a pass the wet sponge over your head game.

Kirsten, Martha, and Margaret watch the kids have fun with the water.

After the games were over, the kids all lined up to get really soaked. The older helpers with the games just tossed buckets of water over the kids. I am really happy with the way this picture turned out.

Every year, the men play a softball game and it is always well attended and cheered on by the other campers. Some of these guys really play for fun while others play to win. It is always very entertaining.

Lots of volleyball is played every year. There are two different recreation periods and this court is never empty. I played two different days. I love to play but sometimes it was too hot to even have the desire to play.

Alec is being goofy in this picture. I think the heat was starting to affect him (just kidding).

On a totally different note, there is only one reason that I was sad that I was not at home this week. On Wednesday, Mitch texted me about a historic tennis match that was taking place at Wimbledon. At first I thought that he was crazy and had his numbers wrong. He said that this match was already over 10 hours long and the fifth set was tied 59-59. If you follow tennis at all, you already know about this match. I was so sad to know that this match is one of those never to be forgotten matches and I was in a location where I could not watch it. However, had I been at home I would have wasted three whole days watching this match. The game started on Tuesday and didn't finish until Thursday. The final score in the fifth set was 70-68 (are you kidding me?) That is a score for basketball, not tennis. There is no tiebreak in the final set at most grand slam tournaments and you must win by two games. The fifth set alone took over 8 hours to play which is two hours longer than the longest-ever entire match. All records of any kind were broken in this match -- most aces, most games, longest match, as well as many others. I have gotten to see many highlights since I have come home and have enjoyed watching these two players battle it out for the win. The players were John Isner (from the University of Georgia) and Nicholas Mahut. We will see many great things out of John Isner in the years to come. Go USA! Go Andy Roddick!! (He plays tomorrow).

5K Run in New Albany

2010-06-19T11:03:00.003-05:00

This morning the kids ran a small 5K in New Albany. It is the same course as the Tallahatchie 5K and they love that course, so they wanted to do this one.

Alec is just getting started on his run. Boy, was it hot today.

Kirsten looking good early. The woman she is behind eventually won the first female overall.

Forrest running for the finish line. He said that he was bit by a dog on this course and that slowed him down. I asked him if he kicked the dog at all after being bitten and he said that he was afraid that would make it madder. I think I would have kicked the dog anyway. I have absolutely no use for a dog that bites people.

Alec coming into the finish line. He was a tired as he looks. His time was 27:35 and he won first place (there were however no awards, no recognition, no nothing). I am most perturbed that the race cost $25.00 to enter and they didn't even hand out awards.

Kirsten finished in a very respectable 32:35 and won first place in her age division also. She is glad she ran it even though it was hot. I think that she might have the confidence (again) to start pushing herself.

My children after the race. I am so proud of them for wanting to run in this heat.

Birthday Party at the Warehouse

2010-06-19T10:34:00.006-05:00

Last night we went to a place called the Warehouse located in New Albany. Case goes to our church and invited everyone to share in his big day.

This velcro wall was highly anticipated by the kids, but, unfortunately the velcro did not stick very well. So they had fun just trying to jump up high.

Seth had a very good time jumping and playing. Bro. Isaac throws his son high in the air against the velcro wall.

There was a Wii game going on. they were playing bowling and having a great time.

This was drawn on the wall in honor of the birthday boy.

Case blows out the candle on his cupcake.

Alec watches Case open his presents.

Preston was having a lot of fun inside the jumpers.

Kirsten enjoyed turning flips.

Frog Level 5K

2010-06-12T15:34:00.010-05:00

OH! SO HOT! for the runners of this fast, flat course. Most runners did very well, but most were a little slower than usual due to the heat.

There were frogs everywhere -- even live frogs, for a frog race later on.

At the start of the race - we had several of our team running this one. These are the overall male and female trophies -- very cool! I thought this made a great picture.

Here comes Sherrie (first female overall)! More important than that, she beat her husband by what seemed like a long time (HA!HA! I had to say that just for Don.)

I think Don was more frustrated than tired in this picture. He gave his all trying to beat his wife, but in the end came up a little short. He did, however, beat Brandon which was his second goal.

Brandon came in first in his age group again and had a good race.

This picture is of Noelle just edging out her brother at the finish. It was fun to watch these small races within the race take place. The apples don't fall far from their parents' tree. This time the girls rule in the win column, but I don't know about next time. I think a fire was lit under the feet of these guys.

Alec finished the race in 26:17 and won first in his age group. He was proud of his race!

Caleb's face is much like his dad's face -- he just couldn't catch his sister this time. Better luck next time, Guys! (Although, I don't think that luck has anything to do with it. I think it is more like much hard work). This family of runners is AMAZING!

Lynn comes to the finish much happier than last week. Her time was not where she wanted it to be, but I think she felt better than last week.

Danielle runs along beside Joseph as their Mom looks on. Danielle graciously volunteered to babysit so her Mom could run this one.

A great family of racers -- Sherrie, 1st overall female; Noelle, 2nd overall female.

Brandon shows off his first place trophy.

Alec was soooooo excited to win a trophy in this race.

Alec won 1st and Parker won 2nd in the 10-14 male division.

Jamie's Wedding

2010-06-06T07:33:00.005-05:00

After running the race, we drove home to get ready to drive to Cordova, TN, to attend the wedding of Mitch's niece.

Jamie looked beautiful in her wedding dress.

These two young people were totally in love with each other and so excited to arrive at this day.

This is Wesley, Kirsten and Alec's cousin, who was the ring bearer.

This is a beautiful wedding cake. It had "W" all over the cake -- both of their last names start with a W.

Kirsten and Alec wait patiently for the bride and the groom to arrive at the reception site.

Enjoying their first dance together.

Jamie's mom looks on tearfully as her daughter dances with her father.

Cutting the cake -- I tried to get a better picture, but this was the best I could do.

The groom's cake had the Memphis Tigers logo on it.

Jamie had to throw her bouquet three times before she finally got it right. The first time she tossed it straight up; the second time she tossed it too far. She was a great sport about it and laughed the whole time.

Leaving the wedding to start their new life together.