Breast Cancer Walk (part 1)

This is now posted on my other blog. It is quite lengthy, and I don't want the hassle of reformatting it on this blog as well. So, go to www.jenis3day.blogspot.com to read up on this event. There will be more coming over this coming week. This event was HUGE and AMAZING! I wanted to split it into smaller chunks.

HUGS!

A quick update on the breast cancer walk...

We had a very successful yard sale this weekend. I was overwhelmed with gratitude to our community, neighbors and friends. We had neighbors who donate time and items for the sale... furniture that was a big part of our success. We had friends donate their time and money. One particular family decided they would like to run a bake sale which the girls manned. They were able to gather almost $54 in donations! When all was said and done the yard/bake sale generated $612. This has been donated to my walk, which brings my total to $1,042... almost half way there.

Thank you Blaine for the advise on socks, my feet are happier, though now I need to look at getting better shoes...grrr. I will go to our local Fleet Feet and see what kind of good things they have there.

I will post pictures of the yard sale when we get back from our trip to Las Vegas. Our plane leave tomorrow AM at 6:30. Still have packing and other things that need to get done. Thank you to all for your support. I truly appreciate it. HUGS!

Way too much has happened...

I have been lost in the comings and goings of this summer and haven't been vigilant in my posting. So, to those who actually look here rgularly -- my apologies -- once school is back in session and life gets back to normal, the posts will be more regular.

Father's Day

Josh had a pretty good Father's Day. Ceithlinn decided that he needed his own piggy bank so, with a old shoe box and construction paper made one. We taped a couple coins to the top of the Radio Theater "Chronicles of Narnia" and put them in the piggy bank.

We had borrowed these fantastic CDs from a friend a couple years back and really wanted them. So, when they dropped to about 75% off we bought them. We enjoy listening to them on long Sunday drives. Better than any portable DVD player. Ceithlinn gets so enthralled with these that she will ask us to drive a little longer so she can finish listening to the book. It will be great to read these together as a family and see how closely the Radio Theater followed the books.

(Josh with his new bank -- CDs on the computer desk)

Fourth of July

We spent the afternoon with friends having a BBQ and swimming in their pool. That evening we went to their parent's house and watched as they lift off fireworks. The kids enjoyed playing with the sparklers and throwing the little popper things. I liked being away from crowds.

(Ceithlinn and friend Aiden) (Jeni helps Matthew hold onto the long sparkler)

Matthew's worst spill this summer

I always know Matthew is hitting a growth spurt when he falls down a lot and is a walking, talking bruise and owie. He was being watched by a nice couple while Josh, Ceithlinn and I were at play rehearsal. Apparently, he picked a fight with the sidewalk... guess who won. He was actually pretty proud of these. We really are lucky he hasn't had worse... knock on wood.

(Matthew's chin, eye and wrist... can you say ouch!?)

Birthday Fun

We had birthdays... my 34th and Ceithlinn's 7th. I woke up at about 5 in the morning with the flu so, spent most of my birthday curled up in bed trying to ignore my body. That said, Ceithlinn still insisted on cake and getting me red roses. She is very thoughtful. I was able to get out of bed for a short while and spend time with the family. I let Matthew blow the candles out on my cake... that's his favorite part and I didn't want to pass the flu.

(Happy B-Day to Mom)

Now that Ceithlinn is 7 she can say things like, "Mom, do you remember years ago when I was in 1st grade?" To which I usually respond "Yes, you mean last year?" She feels older and that is what is important.

She was given a fantastic gift, the Little House on the Prarie series. Last year she brought one of the books home from the school library. I told her that Laura Ingalls Wilder is a distant cousin. She then said she could not finish reading the book because she needed to have all of them. So, thank you Grandpa Dave and Grandma Jo Ann for the books. We are enjoying them as a family.

(Ceithlinn was so excited to see inside... reading the note to Laura's cousin [her], from Laura's cousin [Granpa Dave])

The Blue Angels

We, well the kids and I, spent part of a day watching the Blue Angelswith our friends, the Flannery's. This is an annual tradition that I have written about in depth before so will not do so now. We didn't stay as long as we usually do because we were hitting triple digits... this is unheard of for Washington, hottest summer on record and no air conditioning... We LOVE watching these jets. They are so impressive. Almost makes me want to be a pilot, almost.

(The jets getting ready to take off... Matthew watching the Blue Angels... Ceithlinn before they take off... the kids and Jeni after the Blue Angels had landed)

(Ceithlinn posing with a Blue Angel cut out, Matthew prefered the commerical plane)

(This is just one of my favorite pictures of the kids goofing off and having a good time. They both wanted tobe in their robes and have pictures taken.)

Training for 60 mile walk!

I continue to train for my Breast Cancer 3 Day walk. This will be Sept. 11-13. I am getting a bit nervous. The reality of how many hours of walking that will entail is really starting to hit. 60 miles! in 3 days! I know once I get going things will be good. I really think I will look back at this with awe. I really feel like this experience will be an amazing experience in my life that I will look back on again and again.

Savior of the World

We have also been involved with the musical play "Savior of the World." This is one we have done before. Josh played a shepherd, Reuben in Act 1 and Cleopas, one of the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Act 2. I was asked to play Joanna, one of the women who Christ appears after his resurrection, about a week and a half before opening night. The thrill of being asked to play this role is I was able to be in a scene with Ceithlinn who played Rebekah. Ceithlinn was so thrilled to have a speaking role! She felt very important and did an amazing job!

(I will post pictures and more details soon.)

That's the nuts and bolts of our crazy summer. I know, you are all wondering, why didn't she go on and on? Well, honestly I have tons to do before my Yard Sale on Friday ... all proceeds to my walk and was just taking a little bit of a brain break. Maybe I will write a novel next time. :)

Gymanstics with the kids

We have been blessed to be able to put the kids in gymnastics this year. They both have really enjoyed it. Ceithlinn is beginning to get some upper body strength and really figuring out how to use her body. She is working on learning a cartwheel. It is slow going, but she continues to progress. She has figured out momentum, which is huge when you are trying to flip feet over the head. Now she just needs to get the straight up and down, instead of out with the legs. She'll get it.

(Working on splits, a backbend(ouch!), cartwheel, handstand and balance beam)

Matthew really enojys the warm up time and doing somersaults. He loves to see how many he can do in a row. I haven't counted recently, but last time I counted it was 5, then the he ran out of room, literally. He gets really frustrated with anything but walking on the balance beam, but is getting quite good with not falling off.

(Warming up, Matthew's backbend, walking on the beam, somersault down the ramp! (look at that grin), somersault on the mats)

Ceithlinn's Impromptu Talk

A couple weeks ago in church Ceithlinn decided to write this talk. She then asked to speak in Primary (the children's group). The leaders were happy to oblige and were very impressed. I was, too. She never ceases to amaze me. I will type it as written.

"Hevenly Father sent us Here on Eath. The chrch makes me feel like I'm in heven with Jesus Christ of Latter day Sanse. He loves us all very much. We lern aboaut Jesus at chrch. god and Jesus made us all speshl and to love others around the world. I love god and Jesus and I will love them forever."

Written May 3, 2009 -- age 6

Duck, Duck, Goose

Have you played Duck, Duck, Goose lately? We did, just last night. Ceithlinn was in charge of choosing an activity for Family Home Evening. She chose Ring-Around-The-Rosies and Simon Says. Matthew decided on Duck, Duck, Goose. We played all three games for quite a while. We really enjoyed just being together as a family without any electronic device on. The kids laughter is better than any laugh track on a sitcom. I triple dog dare you to play...

The Tooth Fairy

Ceithlinn decided to write a letter to the tooth fairy last night. She placed the note and two small treasure boxes with her teeth under her pillow and quickly went to sleep. Her letter says this, "How big are you? Were do you look like? (then she says, I forgot to write what) Were do you liv? Love, Ceithlinn P.S. I belyv (believe) in you!" She also drew a pictures of the tooth fairy with a wand.

The tooth fairy left a note for Ceithlinn on the back of her letter. It reads, "Dear Ceithlinn, Thank you for the beautiful picture of me! I am this big. I look like this. (self portrait) I live in Neverland with Tinker Bell. Thank you for believing in me. Love, The Tooth Fairy P.S. Tinker Bell says, Hi!!" The self portrait includes a bag/purse that says Teeth on it and a wand. The tooth fairy also has a necklace with a little tooth on it. Ceithlinn decided that the tooth fairy took the teeth and made jewlery and then sold them to her other fairy friends, and kept some for herself, too.

When Ceithlinn read this note she said something like, I knew Neverland was real! She was so very thrilled for the note. The tooth fairy also left $5... didn't have anything smaller and since there were two teethand they were the first and in good condition... Honestly, Ceithlinn was more thrilled with the note than the money. The note is definitely a keeper.

Lost Teeth

It had been a couple months since the great discovery of Ceithlinn's loose tooth and it still was in. I didn't remember it taking that long to lose a tooth so I decided to take a look inside her mouth to see what was going on. I discovered that the tooth still wasn't very loose and the permanent tooth was growing in behind. So, made an appointment with the dentist to see if he needed to pull it or what else needed to happen.

We went there today and Ceithlinn explained that she had a "shark" tooth. Then went on to explain the sharks had rows of teeth and that is what was happening with her mouth. That is some pretty good thinking if you ask me.

After looking at the tooth he decided that it and the one next to it, which was also loose and having the permanent beginning to grow, needed to be pulled. Ceithlinn was very nervous and asked that I hold her hand. So, I did as they numbed up the gums and then gave the Novocain...she screamed at that part. Once things were a bit numb the dentist pulled out her two teeth. The fear was replaced with elation that the tooth fairy is going to come!

Here are a couple pictures of what she looks like. She looks different with her teeth missing, and listening to her speak with a little lisp is pretty cute.

Hair Today...Gone Tomorrow

As a few of you know I am preparing to walk 60 miles in Septemeber in the 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk (for those that don't know you will know more very soon). So, I have been thinking quite a bit about what I can do to raise money and help other battling cancer lately. Well, I was getting pretty tired of my hair so, I decided that I would cut it off and donate it to Locks of Love the web site is listed here if you want to know more about this organization. http://www.locksoflove.org/ There is another organization called Wigs for Kids (http://www.wigsforkids.org/) that is similar. I chose to donate my hair to Locks of Love because it benefits men, women and children. Though, next time I do this I may donate to Wigs for Kids.

Here are a couple pictures. Honestly I was really excited about doing this until my hair was in the braid and she picked up the scissors. At that moments I got a bit nervous and realized how much hair was really going to come off. She hesitated a bit until I reassured her that I was truly okay with this and that I knew what I was asking her to do. She cut off about 13 inches of hair!

The beautician did good job with the hair style. I am quite pleased. What do you think of the new do?

(do you like the goatee?) :0)

Ceithlinn's Jog-A-Thon

Every year Ceithlinn's school hold a jog-a-thon to raise funds for the PTO. Money can be pledged as a flat rate...$10 or by lap...$1.00 a lap. This money goes to the school for new playground equipment, field trips and other activities for the kids.

I like the jog-a-thon because it isn't selling overpriced junk or junk food. This is encouraging the kids to be a bit more healthy and using their own bodies to raise money for the school. I can get behind this one 100%.

The plan for the jog-a-thon was that Josh would take a couple hours off work so I could run with Ceithlinn and he could take pictures, watch Matthew, and mark laps. Our car had another idea. The starter went out half an hour before the jog-a-thon began. So, Matthew and I hoofed it up to the school...20-25 minutes later we arrived just in time to it to get started. Poor Matthew was a little tired by the time we got there. I carried him for part of it, but with him being 40 pounds, and me out of shape....

So, the jog began and Ceithlinn was pretty strong. I told her that Matthew and I would join her on lap 3 or 4. That we did. Matthew was pretty rested and enjoyed the little run. As you can see by the pictures she was getting pretty tired... well, at least the diva part in her. Look at the picture with the two kids and you will see what she really looked like during the jog.

Honestly, I was a little disappointed to not run with her. I did run another lap with her and had her (and some of her classmates) chase me. Seeing a mom run gave these kids motivation to kick it into gear at least for a little bit.

By the end Ceithlinn was able to complete 9 laps in 30 minutes... that is about 2 miles. Not bad for little legs and a girl recovering from a cold and with an ear infection. We found this out the next day when we brought her to the doc for pink eye. We are so proud of her! Way to Ceithlinn!

A story by Ceithlinn

Ceithlinn dictated this to me. She wanted to enter a writing contest the local PBS station was putting on. In the end she changed her mind about entering the contest, but I thought the story was worth keeping. What do you think?


Once upon a time a leprechaun named David SpaghettiO'Patrick lived in a tree on 33 Leprechaun Street.

David had a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. He used the gold to obuy clothing, food, blankets and candy for children.

One day the rainbow disappeared and took the pot of gold with it to 33 Garbage Street.

David saw his gold was gone and started looking for it. He went to the gardening place first. the pot of gold wasn't there. Then he went to the Leprechaun Park. He saw his friend Lizzie. She said she saw a rainbow with a pot of gold at 33 Garbage Street.

He went to 33 Garbage Street and found his pot of gold. He carried it home with Lizzie's help. He was happy.

He lived happily ever after.

THE END

Fun Ceithlinn-ism

We were driving down the road the other day talking about the weather. We started Spring Break with a nice snow storm. I know spring is coming. I see blossoms and hear spring birds. I just don't know when it will finally appear. I know the groundhog said 6 more weeks of winter, but I think he lied. Anyway, Josh was telling me about how the mayor in Denver had issued a state of emergency type thing because they had been covered in blizzards. Ceithlinn piped up from the back, "WHAT!?!? He was covered in LIZARDS!!" We both had a little chuckle and then explained what a blizzard was. I just love the way kids hear things and look at the world.

Matthew's 4 year check

We had Matthew's 4 year check yesterday. As part of the physical they give us the "Denver test." This is a developmental questionairre. Can your child do this or that type of thing. One of the things I was to do was ask Matthew a few questions and write down his response. It went like this... What is a chair used for? "Sitting!!" What is a pencil used for? "Drawing!!" What is a cup? "I peed in a cup!" This is a true statement. Something he found a little strange. I hope the doctor or nurse who reads that ressponse has a good chuckle. I know I did.

Matthew is growing by leaps and bounds. He is now 40 pounds and almost 41 inches. Just a side... Ceithlinn stood on our scale a couple days ago and was 43 and a half pounds. She still has a few inches on Matthew, but not many.

As part of his physical Matthew got an iron test and 4, count them 4 immunizations. He didn't whimper or whine or anything really. He just looked at the nurse like "what are you doing?" He fussed a moment when she trapped his leg between hers, not because the shot hurt, but because he wasn't free to move. Then another moment of fussing when he stood up. Then he just rubbed his arms and was off to the treasure box. It is so nice to have one that doesn't scream and carry on. (Ceithlinn is my screamer. That is my "mother's curse" coming back to haunt me. We just had to drive within a couple blocks of the health buildings and I would start crying.)

The BEST DAY EVER!!

Two weeks ago Ceithlinn got off the school bus and announced, "This is the BEST DAY EVER!!" Now I hope I can describe the way she reacts sufficiently. First, there is the huge grin, then the feet start jumping, the voice getting really happy, excited and loud, the eyes get so wide they look like they may pop out of the head, the arms start flailing with excitement. She looks like she may just self destruct when she is this excited.

What made this THE BEST DAY EVER you may ask? Well, let me tell you. First, we went to the dentist... I know, you are thinking what is so great about that? While she was getting her teeth cleaned the dentist found her very first "lost" tooth! You and I know it as a loose tooth. She went back to school completely the happiest first grader in the whole wide world. She made the announcement to her class and there was much rejoicing in room 6.

The second thing that made Feb. 26th the BEST DAY EVER, was the great news that Ceithlinn's reading is on level 14. This means that her skills are good enough that she can read "CHAPTER BOOKS IN CLASS!!" This is a huge rite of passage for the kids. She was so excited about that great news!

The third thing that made it the BEST DAY EVER, was the new leotard, short outfit she got at gymnastics... the official terms is a biketard. It has black shorts on the bottom and hot pink on the top with silver swirls. It is such a beautiful biketard. We will get a picture and post it so you can see this beautiful piece of clothing.

I love the way a six year old can have BEST DAYS EVER!!! When was the last time you were that excited about things that happened in your day? I will have to think about it myself. I have some really good days, fun days, happy days but best days??? Hmmm. Honestly, seeing her pure elation made that day one of my BEST DAYS EVER, too.

Did I mention that it was the BEST DAY EVER!!!

Dragon Lawyer

How many of you have seen "Kung Fu Panda?" Well, that is one of the kids new favorites. The closing credit roll and they pretend to be kung fu experts. Well, Matthew has started to pretend that he is "the dragon laaaw-yer." (this is said in a hushed tone of great awe) "I am the (hushed awe, feel the suspense...) dragon laaaw-yer."

If you haven't see the movie this will make no sense to you so I will try to explain. The is a search for the dragon warrior who is to defeat the bad guy and bring balance to the force.... oh, wait, that's another movie. He basically will bring good things about for the people. The panda, Po, ends up being this dragon warrior. (hope I didn't spoil the movie for you.) So, Matthew really likes being the "dragon laaaw-yer."

There may truly be some dragon lawyers out there. Have any of you met one?