Normalcy?

Soccer is done. YAY!

Now, we have 2 nights a week of t-ball and 2 nights a week of baseball, but Ju is done with school (another YAY!) and so I think I'll have more time to be back to normal posting and checking other friends' blogs. (Jeez, I missed so much on Dawn's, Karen's and Tonni's!!!!) I can't tell you how much I've missed chatting and emailing with everyone. Hope you all forgive me for my time off. ;-)

Camping...Wagner style

Cameron enjoying the pool

Ju giving me the goofy eye

Treepah showing off her red arms

Wayne kicking back

The coolest sisters ever...

Anna and Jordan swimming

S'mores!

Samantha trying to look cute for Jonathan

Me and the girls

Julia and Jordan

Hell Week has begun!

I was telling Tonni earlier about my week...this is why I had to curb my blogging:

Monday:
-helped in Julia's classroom, had to run to Anna's school to fix a broken hearing aid
-Cameron had football sign up at 6pm, baseball practice started at 7pm and goes til 8:30

Tuesday:
-Anna has t-ball practice from 6-7
-working on getting the camper ready for next weekend's trip

Wednesday:
-LAST SOCCER PRACTICES!! Last night for my team and for Cam's team...YAY!
-Cam has baseball from 6-8:30 again
-continue to work on camper....

Thursday:
-Anna has t-ball practice 6-7
-Julia is suppose to "graduate" from MSRP tonight 7:45-8:15 and it's her last day of school!
-Wayne and the girls leave for Benzie to go camping
-Anna has field trip to Ludington State Park 9am-3pm

Friday:
-Cam has field trip to White Pine Village 9am-3pm
-Riley has a haircut at 8:00am
-camping at Benzie!

Saturday:
-camping at Benzie!
-Anna and Cam's last SOCCER GAMES!!
-pick up Anna's friend, Jordanna...she's camping with us for 2 nights!

Sunday is suppose to be a day of rest, right??????????

I finally broke down....

This past week I've gotten a hair over using coupons. I always have a some sort of deal when I get stuff at JC Penney's. (Oh yeah, my entire family is the a poster child for their clothes!) I'm way past needing to look cool or different. Anyways...so I started my little coupon collection for groceries. With gas nearly $4.00 a gallon here, it's time to find ways to save a little. (Um, my jewlery supplies don't count!) So when shopping this past week, I sat down with the Meijer's ad and checked for things that I needed, and if they were only sale. Plus, I checked to see if I had a coupon. Yes, ladies...I've turned into my mother. lol!

Drumroll.....I saved $26.40 with just the coupons I printed out or clipped. Add the nearly $55 that I saved for buying what was on sale (like the Buy 1, Get 2's) and I'll be damned if I didn't save over $80. YAY! lol! Wayne joked that I could have been doing this all long. Ummm...maybe, but I didn't have the patience or time or energy when the kids were smaller. Diapers and formula never go on sale. So it seemed pointless at the time. Thank goodness those days are over...or so it seems. ;-)

So shopping takes a little more time, but...hey...saving a little is worth it. Otherwise Wayne is going to make me get a ~*gulp*~ JOB! Hahahaha!

He's baaaaccckkkkk!!!!

Indiana Jones...Harrison Ford. Be still my little heart! May 22...I can't wait!!!

Mother's Day

Here's me and the kiddos before we went to brunch on Mother's Day. Cam looks like Elvis Costello in his new glasses. :-) Yay for green grass (finally!) and it wasn't too cold that day. Hard to believe that Anna is 8, Julia is 4 and that Cam is 10. Where did the time go???

China Earthquake

As many of you know there was a horrorific earthquake in central China. I'm urging all of you to please pray for all of those families who have lost loved ones or are still searching. For all those that are now homeless and have nothing. I'm also urging you to find it in your hearts to donate to LWB (Love Without Boundaries) Earthquake Fund. I know LWB is an amazing organization and will use 100% of their donations to people who are in need. I will be posting more later. Here's the link to the LWB Earthquake Aid. Thanks so much!

My week, Anna's IEP, soccer, baseball and t-ball

I survived Teacher Appreciation Week 2008! And all I got was this lousy headache! Hahaha! Not really. It's finally over. I had a great time meeting and schmoozing with all the teachers. I knew that "Class Brown-Noser" award I got in high school would come in handy. ;-) Mason County Central has some awesome elementary (and hs) teachers. I feel very lucky to have the relationship with the kids' school. I stopped to drop off something to the Superintendant and he and I talked for well over an hour. I don't think that happens in very many districts. But Jeff (the supe) is a great guy and I like talking to him.

Oh yeah...the PTC asked if I would chair this project again next year (like, yeah!) and of course I will. It was a good time and I hope that I did the PTC proud.


In other news...We had Anna's IEP (Individualized Education Plan) this week. This is something that Anna has due to her hearing loss and ways to improve her performance (or to keep her from falling behind) in her general ed. classroom. Some parents don't want their children to be labeled or to have IEP's. Eh. Anna has a moderate hearing loss, of course there are issues for her. This is also the meeting were we confirm Anna's next year teacher (Yay! Mrs. Dahringer has agreed!) and she gets to check out the room. Wow. My baby girl is going to be in the upper elementary and in 3rd grade soon. Cam will be in 5th this fall and we're fairly certain that Julia will be in BK. I don't think that she's really ready for Kindergarten yet. We'll see. Either way, it will be so nice to have all 3 kids in only 2 buildings as opposed to 3 kids in 3 buildings. That sucked!!!!

Soccer.
Cam's team is 3-0. They are working really hard and doing great. I'm proud of all of the boys and they seem to have a good time playing together. Anna's team is a whole other story. We're 0-3 and struggling. But...they are also trying their best and having fun. I've got a fun group of kids but they are all fairly new and don't have many skills. The Purple Bullets are in a "rebuilding year" and hopefully we'll win at least one. :-)

Baseball and T-ball
Start Wednesday. DDDAAAMMMNNN. Anna's team needs a coach. Wayne is mulling that over. I hope he decides to do it. He'd be really good. 2 kids, 3 sports and one kid who isn't old enough to play anything yet.

I'm doomed. Yes, I'm a soccer coach/soccer mom....Yes, I'm a baseball/t-ball mom....Yes, I'm on the PTC and PAC...Who needs a career when you've got kids?

For Mother's Day

JUST A MOM?

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk 's office, was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.

"What I mean is, " explained the recorder, "do you have a job or are you just a ?"

"Of course I have a job," snapped the woman. "I'm a Mom."

"We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it," Said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar."

"What is your occupation?" she probed.

What made me say it? I do not know. The words simply popped out.

"I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations." The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had not heard right.

I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?"

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't) in the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.

I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another Mom."

Motherhood!

What a glorious career!

Especially when there's a title on the door.

Does this make grandmothers "Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations"? Oh yes.

And great grandmothers "Executive Senior Research Associates?" I think so!!!

I also think it makes Aunts "Associate Research Assistants."

Anna and Julia's new room...and new flowers

We finally got the girl's room done. Anna and Julia love the bunk beds, I love the fact that Julia is no longer sleeping in our room! Anyways...

Also, here are a few pictures of my wide variety tulips. I planted some A LONG TIME AGO and these rogue ones keep coming up. Pretty cool.

Cam's new glasses

Cam needed new glasses and here they are! He picked them out all on his own. The frames are blue on the outside and yellow on the inside. I think he's got a secret artsy guy inside his sport-minded body.

Julia wanted Mom to make a movie....

Earth Day

MAASE

Here's a picture of me and Lora presenting at the Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education "Cracker Barrel" session Wednesday in Lansing. We had a great time showcasing our DVD project. There were lots of compliments and ideas shared. I feel so lucky to have been part of this project. :-)

Taking a break

Hey all....

As most of you know, I'm coaching 2 soccer teams this spring. Well, assisting Cam's team and heading up Anna's...Anyways, I've been busy with lots and haven't felt like I've wanted to write or blog too much. I may post some random pictures or something small, but I want to take a break. I didn't think that I would keep this thing going this long. lol!

~Melissa

82?

So...I'm chatting with my friend Tim this morning...he informs me that it's suppose to be in the low 80's in Raleigh/Durham today. Geez! Ludington won't see 82 til July at the rate we're going now. Have I told you that I want to move? LOL!

Great illustrations by Gumball Grenade

I've been totally smitten (I love that word, btw) with Etsy again. There are some really great sellers that have caughter my eye. Gumball Grenade has some of the neatest little prints. Ok, I'm not about to write a review of Tanya's work, just wanted to tell all my readers and vistors to go check out her Etsy shop. Yeah, I'm a chump and haven't got anything from her yet, but I'm waiting til we finish re-doing the girls room so they can help me choose what they'd like. Oh! You've got to see the print titled "Your Wish", I'm thinking that is my absolute fave. I love the little guy in the striped pajamas that shows up in lot of the prints.

So, if you guys get a minute....go check out http://www.gumballgrenade.etsy.com/ Thanks!

Things in common

While checking out my own profile here at blogger, I was checking to see if any of my interests matched others. Well, the simple ones do. Like reading, writing, rugby...but my more off the wall ones like "wrapping up in a fuzzy blanket" and "riding with the top down" put me in a category all alone. LOL! So, I started to look at some of the people that matched my music interests. Well...that was kinda weird. So we like the same music. Big deal, right? Well, of those profiles that had the same music, also had other commonalities. Like reading Harry Potter or loving to write. Interesting to me none the less.

I think as much as we all like to think that we are individuals, we do things to keep us in groups. No one really likes be alone. It's just interesting in what connects us. Like my friend Daniel from Ottawa, Canada. Dan and I met on the Rugbyguide website. We have some other things in common besides our love for rugby or our desire to harass the admin at the site. Just like my friends in my adoption group. My friends Tonni, Dawn and Sharon. Not only did we all adopt at the same time, we each have a craft that we enjoy. Bows, Tutus, Websites, Clothes and my jewelry...who'd have thought? Karen, if you read this...let me know if you make stuff too!! :-) I don't want to leave you out.

Home opener for the Carolina Mudcats!

So, I've got a thing for the Mudcats...maybe it's the team's name. Maybe it's the fact that it's a little AA team in that plays in the middle of nowhere...Zebulon, North Carolina. Either way, since going to a game back in 2004, I've had a passion for them and keep up with games. Today is their home opener against the Montgomery Biscuits. (I kid you not!) So far they are 3-2. Yay!

Why I hate Highsical Musical

As you noticed, I spelled High School as one morphed word: Highsical. That's how Julia pronounces it. I love hearing her say it. Anyways...there's a song that has the lyrics "I just don't belong here..." Not what you want to hear your adopted daughter sing! Yes, I know she's just singing along...no biggie!! Just odd.