This is Jenna on the FIRST day of school. She spent the weekend before with my parents and came home running a fever of 102.4. She ended up having a "red throat" and something possibly viral. Jenna was put on an antiobiotic just in case it was bacterial - Get it in there and let it kill anything that MIGHT be there. Well one more trip to the doctor and she was better. Of course she did pass it on to her sister which resulted in 2 more trips with Julia. Jenna is loving school now and is having a great time.


Julia, Jenna and Abby. Three little girls that get along very well. Julia and Abby are both 2 and inseparable. If one is on the swing then the other has to be on it as well. We are very glad we met them (the Naves).

Julia Payne turned 2 on September 19. She is full of life and personality - she reminds me of her Aunt Piggy. I cant wait to see where her life takes her.

Another school year begins...

I begin this school year with A LOT more on my plate and on my mind. I will now have to cover Kindergarten to Fourth Grade -- to count it up that's: about 740 students, 7 Kindergarten Teachers, 8 First Grade Teachers, 9 Second Grade Teachers, 8 Third Grade Teachers, 8 Fourth Grade Teachers, 14 Special Area Teachers, 2 Clinic Assistants, 2 Receptionists, 1 Secretary, 2 Guidance Counselors, 2 Vice Principals and (last but not least) 1 Principal. Wow that was a mouthful. Oh yeah, I also get to do this in two different buildings (two offices). Here's another twist to the year - I get to experience all of this as an employee and as a parent. My Jenna starts Kindergarten this year. Her teacher is Lisa Panigoni and she is excited to start. Orientation is tomorrow; her daddy and Aunt Piggy will be taking her (I have to work it). I hope Jenna does well for Lisa and doesn't try any of her normal tricks.

I hope all out there have a wonder school year and I will keep you posted.

Oh yeah --- Julia is doing wonderful. She has this amazing personalty that can build you up at one point and the next give you a look that will make you feel about an inch tall. Only one month until she turns 2!!!!!

Moments as a Mom.....

I have to admit that there are days when I would love to go back to being single or maybe even married without children. All the other mom and parent out there will probably be able to admit this guilty thought as well. Then every now and then there comes a moment, no matter how small, that you sit and think "yep, that's why I'm a mom/parent". It might only come once a day, week or even month. With Jenna I had this thought A LOT and with Julia not so much. Here recent I can say I have ad this thought more and more. Julia is becoming her own little person and getting such the personality. At this moment I am trying to keep her away from my camera bag and not falling out of the "big girl" chair (no booster seat) she thinks she is entitled to sit in.
If it not that its always wanting to be held -- this REALLY drives me nuts.

All of this to say I had one of those great MOMMY MOMENTS today. Here it is below. Enjoy!!!

You might be a school employee if....

I saw these today and thought they were funny. You might have seen them before.

Jeff Foxworthy on School Employees

1) YOU might be a school employee if you believe the playground should beequipped with a Ritalin salt lick.

2) YOU might be a school employee if you want to slap the next person whosays, 'Must be nice to work 8 to 3:30 and have summers off.

3) YOU might be a school employee if it is difficult to name your ownchild because there's no name you can come up with that doesn't bringhigh blood pressure as it is uttered.

4) YOU might be a school employee if you can tell it's a full moon or ifit going to rain, snow, hail....anything!!! Without ever lookingoutside.
YOU might be a school employee if you believe, 'shallow gene pool'should have its own box on a report card.

5) YOU might be a school employee if you believe that unspeakable evilswill befall you if anyone says, 'Boy, the kids sure are mellow today.'

6) YOU might be a school employee if when out in public, you feel theurge to snap your fingers at children you do not know and correcttheirbehavior.

7) YOU might be a school employee if you have no social life betweenAugust and June.

8) YOU might be a school employee if you think people should have agovernment permit before being allowed to reproduce.

9) YOU might be a school employee if you wonder how some parents MANAGEDto reproduce.

10) YOU might be a school employee if you laugh uncontrollably when peoplerefer to the staff room as the 'lounge.'

11) YOU might be a school employee if you encourage an obnoxious parent tocheck into charter schools or home schooling and are willing to donatethe U-HAUL boxes should they decided to move out of district.

12) YOU might be a school employee if you think caffeine should beavailable in intravenous form.

13)YOU might be a school employee if you can't imagine how the ACLU couldthink that covering your students chair with Velcro and then requiringuniforms made out of the corresponding Velcro could ever bemisunderstood by the public.

14) YOU might be a school employee if meeting a child's parent instantlyanswers this question, 'Why is this kid like this?'

15) YOU might be a school employee if you would choose a mammogram over aparent conference.

16) YOU might be a school employee if you think someone should inventantibacterial pencils and crayons...and desks and chairs for thatmatter!

17) YOU might be a school employee if the words 'I have college debt forthis?' has ever come out of your mouth.

18) YOU might be a school employee if you know how many days, minutes, and seconds are left in the school year!

Kids say the funniest things...

I just wanted to share two quick Jenna things before I go to bed.

1) Jenna was over at Paul and Cheryl's the other day and as usual they were outside. While there they saw a red headed wood pecker in a tree. When I got there we all were sitting at the table eating cake. Well here is how it went from there on:

Paul: Jenna tell mommy what kind of bird you saw today.
Jenna: I saw a bird pecker!!!!
Mommy: HHHHHHHAAAAAAHHHHAAAAHHHHAAAAHHHHAAAAHHHHAAAA

Honestly how do you really react and then recover from that. Needless to say I had to have her tell that over and over all weekend.


2) Today I got in a laundry mood and got all of the grils clothes washed and put away. As I was in Jenna's room hanging up some of her clothes I sprayed one dress with Downey Wrinkle Releaser (whick is the best) and some got on her. She looked at me and said "now you have to shake me out". Once again I busted out laughing. She is all too funny.

School is almost over (for the kids anyways)...

As I sit here tonight I cant help but think how fast this shool year has gone by. It want that long ago that I was just walking Jenna in to her first day of PreK 4 with Mrs. Kelly. Now in just 4 short days I will be able to say that I am the mom of a Kindergartener. WOW --- I can remember bringing her home from the hospital not that long ago. She has grown into this amazing little girl that I love to just sit and listen to.

















Jenna was the pig that "got none" and that is her with her teacher.

I know kids have to grow up and my parents, hopefully, thought the same thing when it was me but there are days when I would love to keep her this age so she will always want me areound and want me to "snuggle" with her.

Jenna --- you are an amazing little girl with a future that is wide open. Take advantage of the world around you. I love you, Mommy.


P.S. -- on another note -- please pray that at the end of this school year I have a job.

Mother's Day

As always my sister had a wonderful gift idea that John knew I would love. This is a picture my sister put together for me. The big fat feet on the right are Jenna's and the skinny stubby feet on the left are Julia's.



















In addition to the beautiful I got a new shirt for work and a lightweight pink Wildwood jacket. I would not trade any of my gift or time with the girls for anything in the world.

Get a Blue Shirt...

WILL YOU WEAR BLUE???

International Picture of the Year Here are two very touching photos honored this year
First Place :
First Place
Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News
When 2nd Lt. James Cathey's body arrived at the Reno Airport , Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac.
During the arrival of another Marine's casket last year at Denver International Airport , Major Steve Beck described the scene as so powerful: 'See the people in the windows? They sat right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what's going through their minds, knowing that they're on the plane that brought him home,' he said 'They will remember being on that plane for the rest of their lives. They're going to remember bringing that Marine home. And they should.'

Second Place:

Second Place

Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News
The night before the burial of her husband's body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of 'Cat,' and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. 'I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it,' she said. 'I think that's what he would have wanted.'

Blue Fridays
Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing blue every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the 'silent majority' We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing.

Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something blue. By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of blue much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in BLUE and it will let our troops know the once 'silent' majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on. The first thing a soldier says when asked 'What can we do to make things better for you?' is .'We need your support and your prayers.' Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear something blue every Friday.

Yard Work....

Well for those of you who either dont know or havent heard the story here goes. In December 2008 we started to have some standing water in the back yard. We called to get it looked at and they said we needed a new drain field. We said OK thats not too bad. Then the whole process started. John went to the Sumter County government office and filled out the paperwork to get the permit. Well about a wekk later we had all the paperwork filled out and were ready to pay. Then got there to turn it all in and pay and then their credit card machine didnt work. So we had to find the money to pay for it. FUN FUN!!! To bring this long BORING story to an end ---- they came out the fix the drainfield and found out we needed a whole new tank. The good news just kept on coming.


Since January 2009 we have had a backyard full of nothin but dirt. I would not let the girls play back there and get nasty (All I had were visions of pinworms). Finally here we are in April 2009 and we have put down sod, started a flower bed, started a new swingset area, and will be working on an area for seating.
New Sod

New Swing Set Area (new swing set soon)














Seating Area

Derby Day - Week of the Young Child

Last week The Villages Early Childhood Center took part in all sort of activities. On Friday they had what has become known as Derby Day. The PreK 3 kids made horses and rode those and the PreK 4 kids had "derby cars". Let me take a minute and describe these "cars". You're probably thinking miniture cars --- wrong ..... Picture banana boxes painted with all car pares made and attached. They were too funny and had a wonderful time.