I got several invites to join MySpace and so I finally joined it.

My MySpace is pretty boring and probably won't have too much on it but you're welcome to visit it and leave me a message:

 

 

 

Enjoy!

I went to Marshalltown  to watch the Freshmen Girls play two games and then I brought Elainie, Emily, Sierra, and Emma to Ames for the McMaken tournament where Elainie, Emily, and Sierra played for Boone Thunder vs. Emma playing on Ames Cyclones.

 

Boone Thunder lost their first game Fri. July 6, to Ames Cyclones Orange.

It wasn't too bad of a game though. They were all real nervous the first inning where Ames scored 3 runs.

Ames then scored 1 run in the second inning and so did Boone. The rest of the game was scoreless. There were some really good plays by both sides. But the most important thing was that Boone girls were smiling and having FUN the entire game. No one got down on anyone else. And everyone praised the good that the team did. Great start for this new team!

 

They have very hard games ahead of them tonight. So, I wish them the best of luck!

 

 

Emily Hackenmiller

Paige Hilsabeck

Adrienne Mier

Shelby Miller

Katelyn Moore

Sierra Owen

Sami Seeman

Katie Seeman

Elainie Stensland

Sam Waddy

 

The last few weeks have moved fast. ..

The LL Royals had their team party at Seeman's. The girls had a blast with a big water balloon fight and water coolers full of water. Plus they decorated Ashley's car with saran wrap and sticky notes.

When the party died down for that and some people left, a new meeting began. Which brought about the announcement of building a new ASA 14U team. Boone Thunder was born.

There was a team meeting once it was established that there was enough interest.  At the meeting the girls changed the name to Boone Thunder & Lightning. Kris took sizes and numbers for shirts. Those are ordered and we are awaiting them to come in.

The families picked tournaments that they want to go to, but nothing is written in stone yet, except the Harry McMaken Ames Tournament July 6 - 8, 2007. The first practice went well, looks like a great group of  11 girls! They all had so much FUN and that is what we are stressing that this team is about... having FUN! So what if we lose a game. As long as the girls had fun playing and take a learning experience away from each game, then the day was a success.  There will not be anyone who has a down beat attitude, nor will they say rude comments to or about the other players on the team. FUN! That's what THIS TEAM is all about!

 

 

Good Luck at McMaken in Ames!!!!

My report card came for my class. I did better than I felt I did... I got a B+!

All along I felt like I was struggling and I wouldn't pass the class. The instructor made it feel very difficult. so, I feel very happy with my grade.

 

Alexis was promoted to Level 3 for Gymnastics. She LOVES it! She is always wanting to go and practice, which is awesome! So, between gymnastics, tumbling (yes there is a difference) , and softball, she is one very busy third grader!

 

Elainie is done with track now. But has started Freshmen softball, so between that, Little League, Dancing, and church, she has a pretty full schedule.

 

John has been keeping busy looking for a car online. Ha, ha! Seems he thinks we should buy him one and we're like - No, you have to buy your own... so then he came up with that maybe we could buy him and Elainie a car to SHARE. Yeah, like that's going to happen! I can  hear the constant arguments now... "It's MY turn with the car tonight.. Mom, tell John it's MY turn."

 

Anyway, around the home - Jason it putting new cement against the house on the North side. Nothing fancy, just angling it more so rain goes away from the foundation.

 

I'm working... a lot of hours! I'm hoping to switch to days before the beginning of next school year in Aug. We'll have to wait and see what happens with that.

 

All 4 now!

I am done with my FINAL EXAM for BIOL733. It was hard, and so I am not sure how it actually went.

Hopefully, I did well. ;-)

 

Update on Girls :

Royals won the game mentioned below. plus they beat Madrid 38 - 8, in four innings last night. Sleeper of a game. I hate those kind. It played from 6:00pm - 8:43pm. Just way too long for a four inning game! Their next game is Friday at 6:00pm, then Saturday at 9:00am.

 

Alexis' team has lost two and won one game. They play tonight if no t rained out. No Minor Games on Sat. because of the Shrine Circus for 3rd graders. Alexis will miss that though because it is her VICTORY DAYS performace for Gymnastics at Iowa State. But she doesn't seem to mind. Gymnastics is he FAVORITE thing in the world. And that is good!

 

Shimmer has been doing well. But she has a chewing problem. She is not the smartest puppy, as she doesn't learn very fast when scolded not to do something.

 

Gotta run for now. Have a great one!

 

It has been awhile since I've written a blog... to update u all on the fam. So, here goes...

 

what's new? Hmmm....

 

My best friend Tina has thankfully gotten through her surgery for skin cancer. She was very sore for awhile but is doing well... her future looks good!

 

We built a practice bar for Alexis in the back yard next to the swing set for her to practice mounting the bar and whatever else she can possibly do with one bar. She loves it! John and Elainie have played on it too. I've included photos in Alexis' album. Her softball team lost their first game of the season.

 

Elainie has been enojoying being on the track team. They have gone to two meets now. She got 4th in a Discus event at one of them. She also ran in some relays and she likes doing that. She is also enjoying softball with the Royals. Having FUN is what it's all about! They won their first game, the second was rained out and the third is being played as I write this. Elainie plays third base as she usually does in Little League.

 

The weather has been rainy the last few days and our sump pump in the basement went out so we had about six inches of water inthe basement yesterday. Sucked! Jason called all around and couldn't find one so he ended up having to go to Menard's in Ankeny to get one. This one is submergable and has been doing very well. But theground is just saturated and the thing pumps almost constantly. Our neighbors around the corner said their has been also. Some of our other neighbors are on a cruise... I hope they don't come home to a basement full of stinky water! John helped in the basement and got a bit of a zap that freaked him out! Nothing like a little jolt of electricity to wake him up!

 

We got a new puppy. Photo album is already up. Shimmer is an AKC registered yellow lab. She is such a delightful pup! Very timid. But she is still a pup and has to be housebroken and we have to watch because she chews on everything! She is now 11 weeks old. Her and Destiny are getting along well. I took them both to the vet to get shots on Friday. $180.! But, the joy they bring our fam is worth every cent!

 

So, why am I home if Elainie is playing softball right now? Well, I got injured at work on Wednesday night. The nurse and I lifted a heavy resident and she wasn't bearing weight well and she started to go down so we quickly grabbed a w/c and set her in it as she was going down. She wasn't injured, nor was the nurse, but I got the brunt of it and it strained my back. I've been doing only things that I have to do since, well, you really do have to do what you have to do and that is ... continue working and going to school. Everything else has been put on the back burner for now. Luckily last night we were training a new CNA and so we had extra help. The trainee will be there again tonight, which is really good! Then I have the weekend off, which is terrific! Time to heal up before going back!

 

So, everything is not perfect, but we've accepted that and moved on...

have a great night!

 

 

Elainie got a new bedroom set! I'm almost as excited about it as she is!

She picked out an excellent set!

I bought her a new dresser with mirror, armoire, and headboard at Redeker's.

Then we went to The American Store and got her a new double mattress and boxspring set.

It is a very nice set. Elainie loves it!

 

Some photos are included below:

 

New headboard next to old bed

Armoire

New dresser next to old dresser

 

We decided to start tearing her room apart for it's remodeling this summer. So, another photo album will be on it's way!

 

Have a good one!

 

 

It's official. Jordan Motors was taken over by Lithia Motors.

Jason went through filling out a job application, knowledge testing, and interviews to keep his job.

It has been a long three months, but it's great to finally know that he gets to keep his job. Yeay!

 

Mollie, the RN I worked with got a new job. She is a very good nurse and will be missed!

 

My vacuum cleaner wouldn't suck and this has been going on, off and on for several months so I finally went out and bought a new one. The old one is a Bissell, the new one is a Hoover Cyclonic. It sucks up the dirt TONS better than the old one. Fills up so fast that it makes me wonder IF the other one ever sucked!!! LOL!

 

Alexis went to Gymnastics practice on Sat. and they spent a lot of time on the Balance Beam this time. Alexis landed several cartwheels on the low beam. That was pretty exciting to her. They've also been practicing the uneven bars and floor tumbling and falling flat on their backs on the mats. They are working on the vault now also... running and jumping onto it. Fun!

 

In Tumbling class at CR Dance Studio, Alexis' class is learning thier dance recital routine. Alexis, so far has to do a Running round off followed by a stradle jump across the stage by herself. She has been working hard on this and now says she wants to do something harder... LOL!

 

Alexis and I watched the Gymnastics American Cup yesterday on tv because there is a gymnast from Iowa who competed. Her name is Shawn Johnson and she WON the American Cup title!!! She is 15 years old and she entered on that level just to gain experience... boy, did she ever! She may be on the 2008 USA Olympic Team.  That would be so exciting for her and for us to watch her. Stick it, Shawn!

 

Alexis also got news that she is on the Minor Girls softball team coached by Teri Ward. We don't have any other information at this time.

 

Alexis also decided that we needed to redo her bedroom. She picked the colors and everything. It is not complete. We have things on order that haven't come yet, but you can get a sneak peek at her room in the Home Improvement Photo Album.

 

Elainie has been busy with Freshman Hitting practice & confirmation class. More news for her below.

 

John has been, well, hanging out.

 

Both John and Elainie got their driver's permit last month - so, stay off the sidewalks!

 

;-)

 

 

 

 

 

This sat. I took Alexis to her gymnastics class. Afterwards she got sick. She spiked a quick 102.9 temp and it fluctuated all weekend not getting less than 100.4, until yesterday afternoon. Then she was feeling better and back to her normal self. She went back to school this morning. Yeay!

 

My test in Anatomy was horrible. It was over the skeleton and muscles and motor neurons, plus tissues and cartilage. That was a lot for one test. I would've liked to have seen it parted with skeleton as one test and muslces on another. But, I don't make the tests unfortunatley. LOL!

 

Our fridgerator gave a us a lake on Friday night. That was pleasant. Almost funny really. Jason opened the fridge door and out came a ton of water all over the floor. So we had to go fridge shopping.There are quite a few varieties, sizes, options... just almost endless. And prices... man, they can go sky high! I found one I liked and Jason didn't want to pay that much for a fridge because, well, because we have lived in this house almost ten years and have replaced the fridge twice. Not good. But I picked one out and then Jason had to go shopping on his own bcause I had to stay with Alexis. He was constantly calling..."Is this one sounding ok?" Finally I just told him to pick one out and I'd live with it. But he knows better than that... haha... he called and called and finally he called and asked about one. It was the exact same one I had picked out originally. It was a bit cheaper at this store than where I originally looked at it and they were offering some sort of sale on it. I said YES! Buy it and get it over with! Lowe's delivered it the next day. Our neighbors probably thought we were weird. We had food thrown out into snow banks in the yard. LOL! Nice thing about this happening when it is cold out! The kids really like it also. I had to scold Elainie a couple times because she would just stand there with the doors wide open. She kept saying, "This is cool!"

Okay, she was fascinated with a refrigerator. Could be worse things I guess.

She helped me load the food into it. Then she said that the other fridge looked full with all this food and this one looks half empty. Yep. This fridge is a MONSTER! We had to take out a small, decorative wall to fit this one in and it BARELY fits! Plus we had to dry and repair some flooring. But looks nice again now.

Plus it has an ice maker and water on the door. A feature that the kids really enjoy playing with also.

I've added photos to the Home Improvement photo album and quick snapshots below for your amusement.  

Later babes!

 

 

 

 

Today  in class we started the disection of our cats. We had to find and seperate muscle tissues.

The layers were paper thin seperated by even thinner connective tissue.

The cats smelled horrible and when I got home I could still smell it on my clothes and hands so I had to change and find something very powerful to clean my skin. I tried Lava. It worked pretty good.

On Thursday, the instructor will help us name the muscles we seperated so that when we have a test on Tuesday, we will know what they are when she pins and marks them. Fun!

My group named our cat "Garfield". Garfield was a black cat. He still has black fur on his head and paws. The rest of his body had been skinned. His tongue hangs out of his mouth almost reminesent of a panting dog.

Just disgusting!

The disection will continue next Thursday. Can't wait!

I've added another photo album for you all to see the home improvement projects we do outside of hte remodeling project.

 

These are small things we are doing to make the house feel a little more homey.

 

Check back every so often to see the latest!

 

Thanks!

All I can ask is... what was I thinking when I signed up for the Anatomy class!

 

I've had two class periods including one quiz and I feel like I am so far behind already!

I will tell you that I got 2.5 questions right out of TEN on that quiz! It was BAD! But I can say that I don't feel completely stupid because the two others at my table both got big ZEROs.  Which made me feel pretty good until the one said that they thought the THIRD time would be a charm. This person already FAILED this class twice... so then I didn't feel so good again.

 

I've done all my homework and have been reading and looking at charts... but I just can't seem to recall much for this week. Not a good sign! Especially since I reread some of it last night! I know we are having another quiz today. Plus, now I'm thinking if her quizes are THIS HARD, what are the TESTS going to be like?!?!?!!? The first test will be Jan. 23rd! (Nail biting already!!!)

 

I better go get some rest and wake up a little early to study a bit.

 

Stay warm out there... it's -8, right now... but will get to 5 degrees by Noon! ;-)

 

 

 

P.S. Below is a photo of a cell in what phase of Mitosis? (This could be on my quiz today!)

 

Answer: Anaphase (Early)

 

Have a great day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a roller coaster beginning of 2007!

 

We spent part of New Year's Eve celbrating at my sister Teresa's house with her, Brandon, Logan, Ernie, Russ, Mom, Chris, and Jay. We had home made pizzas, dips, chips, lil smokies, brownies... all kinds of goodies. But then I had to go to work.

 

We had a resident that wasn't doing too well and she passed away shortly after Midnight. Loving woman, will be missed greatly!

 

I got my report card from my PSYCH121 (Dev. Psych) class. I got an "A". Yeay! Loved the class! I got my final paper back in the mail and got two points higher than the possible score. Awesome!

 

I signed up for the BIOL733 (Anatomy) class and FINALLY was able to get in! Yeay! Never seen anyone so excited about taking a class where they disect a cat, have you!?!?! Well, it's taken three tries and I finally was able to get in and not have to sit on a waiting list!  The bad part about this class is the BOOK costs as much as the class and it is new every semester. I can't imagine the anatomy of anything changing too much every five months, but hey... they gotta make money somehow.

 

Jason's Grandpa Ben had a TIA (transient ischemic attack aka mini-stroke) last weekend. He is doing very well and is at home. If you didn't know him, you would not be able tell that anything had happened to him. Which is GREAT!

 

I got the big Christmas tree down and most decorations put away except the Nutcrackers. I always love having htem out and hate putting htem away so they are still hanging out above and around the fireplace. I also haven't taken doen the lights and greenery outside yet. But I can blame that on cold weather. They still come on at night because they are on a timer and I've just been too lazy to actually unplug that and get it all put away. I did take the wreath down from by the front door. Better than nothing, eh?

 

We rearranged the furniture in the Family room so that the TV is on the west wall under the windows. Looked strange for awhile but it's grown on me now. Jason wants to get a new couch for the family room so we went out looking at Redeker's, Homemakers, and The American store. Suprisingly, Jason picked out a white sectional... WHITE! With our black lab and messy kids! We didn't buy anything but it was fun looking. I think we both liked one that was sort of black and white with burgandy specs on it. That may be the one we get when spring comes.

 

I'm looking forward to doing a really good spring cleaning this year. I want to eliminate all the clutter to makethe house easier to clean! LOL!

Easier said than done but that is my final thought for the night.

 

Nighty, night!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy belated New Year!

 

Not much has been happening...

work, sleep, work, sleep... about all that's been going on.

 

The kids had a good Christmas. If you are on my A list, you got the video slideshow of Christmas morning. That was fun!

I think the kids had a good Christmas!

 

I signed up and got into the Anatomy class that starts Jan. 9th and runs through May. I've heard it is an extreeeeeemley hard class and that we will disect a cat. Fun!  Blah! But gotta do it to keep going. Sometimes you just gotta do things ya don't like.

 

I've added a couple more photos to the Project John's Room photo album... woodwork photos.

 

More later!

 

 

Dec. 1st marks the day when we start decorating for Christmas at our house.

 

This year we have three trees up in the house, with a fourth one still waiting in the basement to see if we choose to put it up this year.

 

We have the front porch railing decorated with greenery, red, green, and white lights. There are a total of 1040, lights this year on the railing alone. A change this year is that I didn't swag the greenery, it just goes straight along the railing, plus it is new greenery that is more full than what I've used in previous years. I also left the white flower boxes this year. In the past, I've always taken them down and put them away. This year I filled them with red and white poinsettia and white lights. Sure looks unique.

 

I don't know if we are done outside yet. Usually I put lights on the bushes also. I can still add that if I want.

 

Inside we have the three trees decorated:

 

3 ft. - white lights, red and green raffia bows, red and gold glass balls and clear with gold glitter icicles.

 

4 ft. - red, white, and green lights, red and gold balls, red tipped with gold glitter poinsettia, and red beads.

 

6 ft. - This tree is taking on a different decorating style this year. In the past it has had white lights, purple beads, purple and gold glass balls, plus oblong gold and silver glass ornaments, green/purple ribbon ... and so on. This year it still has the white lights with an added set that changes to twinkle or whatever you set it at. Alexis likes the twinkle to change so it alters in speed a bit. It also keeps the purple beads. From that point on, it will be however the kids decorate it. They get to decide what they want on it this year. I will add that photo to the album when they get done decorating it.

 

I spent this morning setting up the Nutcracker Collection. It has spread from the fireplace top to each side of the fireplace this year. It just keeps getting bigger with every passing year. (NOTE that the fireplace mantle has finally beed added and stained!!! That is also new this year!)

 

We also received our first Christmas card in the mail from John and Joan Peterson in Arkansas yesterday! That is something I have to do soon. I went to WM to pick out a box. I didn't like anything they had, so it's off to shopping somewhere else for Christmas cards.  Has anyone else noticed the lack of Christmas stuff at WM this year?

 

Anyway, everyone have a great day!

 

 

 

Elainie had a family birthday party on Nov. 4th, then a friends party on Nov. 17.

 I've made a photo album that includes photos of her cake from her famiy bday party and the rest are from her friends bday party.

The kids came over for snacks, then we took them to the Middle School for fun night.

After we picked them up, they made home made pizzas, played tag outside, sat around the bonfire to roast marshmallows for s'mores, then watched Elainie open her cards and gifts. I think they all had a pretty good time!

Elainie was really happy that so many of her friends showed up!

 

Included in the photos are:

Megan B.

Megan M.

Spencer L.

Carina K.

Audrey

Chelsea R.

Cassie S.

Adrianne M.

Jess

Pierce

Austin

Josh

Nick

Amanda

Sierra

John

Chris

Olivia

Elainie and Alexis

 

Enjoy the photo album!

Me! Who did you think?

 

On Friday I got my hair cut. I went to Salon 908 where Kelley Howard did a most excellent job!

It's whispy and fun... and straight ... perhaps makes me look a lil younger. (I wish...LOL!)

 

Then I worked PRN for NC that night. It was a good night. Well, I got to talk to alot of my old resident friends that should've been sleeping but we had some good chats. It was fun!

 

When I got home Sat. morning I went right to bed and slept until 2:00pm, when Jason woke me up so we could hit the road. Sioux City... Tom and Jennifer Murphy's big party. We got there around 6:30pm and we ate tacos that Jen had made. They went through some packs of beer and margarita mixes. There were quite a few people there and everyone had a great time. Especially Tom. Man can that guy tell stories all night long! Of course, Jason had to warn them all that the stories Tom told about them in high school... only half were true and it was the half that seemed extrememly exaggerated that were the true ones! Then there was Andy, Tom's room mate at Wayne... poor guy! He had to live with Tom for awhile! The stories they told! Some I had heard before... whenever Tom and Jason get together they tell a lot of the same stories. But they are always funny!

 

We went to bed around 1am. We got the luxury suite at the Murphy's Palace... the trophy room! One of the upstairs bedrooms is reserved for all Tom and Jen's trophys and collector cars. See, Tom has a Chevy Chevelle and (sorry Tom) an old truck and Jenn has a 2004 Chevy Monte Carlo, Dale Earnheardt Jr. Edition that they take to auto shows. They do very well. Plus the room is filled floor to ceiling with collector cars. So, we were honored to be allowed to sleep in the Trophy Suite at Murph's Palace (*****).

 

We woke up in the morning and the four of us went to a Chinese restraunt for lunch. It was really clean and nice, and the food was good. Then we went to Tom's parents house to visit them and his younger brother's family who was also there. Then we headed back home and arrived back around 5:30pm.  We will have to get together more often. Always a blast!

Anyway
Martina McBride

Verse 1:

You can spend your whole life building
Something from nothing
One storm can come and blow it away
Build it anyway

You can chase a dream that seems so out of reach and you know it might not ever come your way, but dream it anyway

Chorus

God is great, but sometimes life ain’t good, and when I pray..it don’t always turn out like I think it should…but I do it anyway, I do it anyway

Verse 2

This world’s gone crazy and it’s hard to believe that tomorrow will be better than today, believe it anyway
You can love someone with all your heart, for all the right reasons, and in a moment they can choose to walk away, love ‘em anyway

Chorus

Verse 3

You can pour your soul out singing a song you believe in, that tomorrow they’ll forget you ever sang, sing it anyway….yeah sing it anyway…..yeah yeah

I’ll sing, I’ll dream, I’ll love…anyway...

(I guess I'm not too certain about the chorus and the line that comes after When I pray... but it's what I've remembered so far.)

See their costume pics in the new photo album below!

 

Sorry, for some reason it won't load the photos the correct direction... I will work on it!

 

Enjoy!