Halloween 2010

Halloween is a fun time for us - I love to get the children dressed up in costumes. This year Addison had decided to be Strawberry Shortcake and Rhett was a Tiger. We began our Halloween festivities with the Harvest Party at our church (Rhett was not in attendance due to a fever). Then on Saturday night we went to my Grandma's house (the last time we saw her before she passed away) and showed Grammy JoJo and my parents my kids dressed up in their costumes. We then made our way to Jeremy's parents house where we sat and chatted for awhile and showed off the costumes. Then on Sunday evening we went over to Jesse and Jeni's house and trick or treated around their neighborhood with them. The kids made a haul and it was a lovely evening. I was glad that we spread Halloween out this year so that the kids were able to make adequate

use of their costumes.

A fun fall day

Discovery Center

A few weeks ago we were fortunate enough to spend a day full of fun fall activites. The first thing we did was make our way to the Discovery Center in Boise to take advantage of their "free" admission. We were able to meet up with some of our church friends there and we had a great time exploring all of the fun actvities that the Discovery Center had to offer.

The second thing we did was go and visit one of my bestest friends and her new baby. Rhett was able to play with his new friend Alex and they had a great time on the blow-up bounce house. It was so nice to see them and catch up on all of the crazy things that are happening in our lives.

Alex and Rhett

Me and Jamilyn

The final thing that capped off our busy day was our annual pumpkin carving contest. We began this tradition when Jeremy's parents moved to Nampa about seven years ago. We've been doing it ever since and look forward to it each year. We meet at Primo's for dinner then we go to my in-laws and carve pumpkins. This year the theme was superheros and so Jeremy and I decided to do a batman theme - and who would have guessed that we would come out of it $50 richer because we won first place. It was a great way to end a fun day.

our first place pumpkin

The kids got to paint their own pumpkins!

Trick or Treat bags

My kids have never had trick or treat bags so this year I decided to make them. It was really cheap and my kids are excited to use them!

Cabin!!

Another trip to the cabin is always in the forefront of our minds as we approach a long weekend. On
the second week in October it just so happened that I had a few days off and Jeremy was able to get Friday off so we decided to head on up to the cabin (our favorite getaway). We went with my parents and my sister and her husband. We had a lot of fun sitting around the campfire in the middle of the day, watching the kids throw rocks and pinecones in the river, collecting pinecones for Christmas craft projects, playing many games of Settlers of Cataan and enjoying the yummy fall food (pumpkin bread, baked apple doughnuts, caramel apples, roast and potatoes and carrots, etc . . . )

We had so much fun and look forward to another trip hopefully sometime soon before it's closed up for the winter!

Happy Birthday Rhett!!!

Two years ago on October 3rd I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy - what a blessing he was right from the start. He was born big and has always been a big boy which has claimed him a wide array of nicknames from all of our friends and family, the most common name being Bruiser which seems to fit him perfectly. He walked at an early age and is now talking in complete sentences - I still can't believe that my two year old can carry a conversation with me like he was five. He has such a loving personality and lights up our lives more than you can know. I'm so grateful that God gave us Rhett - he is such a wonderful addition to our family and I look forward to watching him grow into a young boy, a carefree teenager, and then one day into adulthood, and I pray consistently that he will grow up to be a light for Jesus to those around him.

For his birthday this year we decided to have a Mickey Mouse birthday. He kinda chose it while wandering around at Zurchers. Grandma Nancy made him a Mickey Mouse birthday cake which was super cute and we had a good time eating and opening gifts. His favorite gifts were his Toy Story toys, His brown bear book, His weebles play toy and his Mickey Mouse racetrack.

Right now Rhett likes:
* Anything Toy Story
* Watching movies like Doodlebops (much to dad's dismay), The Jungle Book, Monster's Inc. and Shrek.
* He is beginning to enjoy coloring
* He likes playing with his cars and balls
* He LOVES to read and will sit and listen for a VERY long time. His favorite books are "Brown Bear" and the snap-snap books
* He loves to eat Macaroni and cheese, pickles, grapes, olives, grilled mushrooms and suckers
* He likes to climb into our bed in the middle of the night - and being the tired working parents that we are we usually just let him - something that will definately change in the near future.
* He enjoys being outside and swinging on the swingset

He is such a blessing!!

Happy Birthday Baby Boy - We love you bunches!!

Lazy Saturday!!

This past Saturday was spent being lazy and enjoying our day as a family. Just before dinner we decided to take the kids to a park for some much needed "out of the house" time. They enjoyed playing and the weather was beautiful. I'm blessed to have such an amazing family!!

Public School

I went to public school - I loved it. So much in fact that I became a teacher myself - and after 25 years I still love public school. Yes - changes have been made in the curriculum, the stress level for teachers these days is difficult to describe (because where do I begin), the state requires more testing - but in the midst of all the political caos there is still not much difference from when I grew up in school. Kids are still kids, teachers are still teachers. You will run into a few bad ones - kids and teachers - but life can't always hand us strawberries and whip cream right? We just have to roll with the punches!


I have a mission field where I teach and I strongly believe that I'm there for a reason. I also believe that my children should be implemented into the public school system. Am I nervous that they are going to have to experience things way younger than I did - Yes! (But they will still be at an age where as a parent I can discuss these situations with them and provide Christian guidance and mold their young minds to be observant, aware and alert against the enemy - as teenagers I may not be so lucky.) Am I nervous that they will get into bad relationships - Yes - but that can happen anywhere - even at church. Am I nervous that some crazy kid will come to school with a gun - Yes - but it's more likely that they will encounter someone with a gun at a grocery store or gas station than an elementary school. Am I nervous that a teacher will not give them the structured education that would benefit them the most - Yes - but being a teacher myself I can monitor progress and fill in the gaps when needed. Am I nervous that they will get chicken pox and lice - Yes - but they could get that anywhere. Am I nervous that someday my children will have to be taught certain "subjects" that are against my moral standings as a Christian - Yes, but as of right now those controversial issues are far from being implemented into our classrooms, especially in Idaho - thank goodness!


The reason I write this post is not to dog on those that homeschool, send their kids to charter schools or private schools - I have many, many friends (in fact most) and family members that believe that is what is best for their family and their children and I highly respect them for that. However, I do get a little bit upset when I here people getting after the public schools - I know it's not directed to me personally but I do take it personally - I can't help it - I am the public school and I won't stand by and not defend it - because I still believe in it. I teach precious young children, some of which will only find love within my classroom walls during the course of 9 months - how could I not take it personally?


There may come a day when I decide that the public school system is no longer doing my children justice by what they are teaching, but not yet - not by a long shot. As a teacher I am well aware of my curriculum and the curriculum taught in my school district (K-12), and if there ever came a day when the state requires me to teach something that goes against everything I believe in I will be the first to hand in my resignation, find my children a private school or homeschool myself. There may come a day when that will happen and I will be prepared for it. But right now - that is far from true and if we take the Christian students and parents out of the public school system there will be less people to fight against those issues being pushed into the school system and it will slip in easily and somewhat unnoticed.


I don't mean to offend anyone by writing this blog. This was not my intent!! I am just expressing some of my frustration with the trend of the public school being dragged through the mud and having a bad reputation.

I do understand how lucky I am to teach in Melba, a place where parents are actively involved with their children's education, a place where teachers stay until they retire, a place where the kids are loved and hugs are given daily, a place where learning is fun and exciting and the students are not stressed. I understand that not all public schools are like that and I know I'm blessed. However, I have many friends and family who are in other public school systems and they will be the first to tell you that the public school system is still a great way to educate the young minds of our future.

I look forward to my future and my children's future in the public school system, and I will stand up against controversial things being taught as part of the regular school curriculum if that time ever arises while my children are in school - even if I stand alone!!