MACSA Track and Field!

It was a cold, rainy day but Hadassah did well again in track!!! 

Yesterday, Hadassah left the house early and Mike dropped her off at school by 7 AM.  She was excited to get to go and compete in long jump at MACSA.  Although, we really would have loved a nice, warm and sunny day, the kids all did great!

Hadassah had packed extra clothes.  An extra pair of shoes.  An umbrella and her lunch.  We knew that with the forecast saying rain, rain, rain ... we tried to keep her as dry as possible.  She had made a list the night before for her lunch and for her clothes.  I love how responsible she is when she really needs to be!

I was so happy to be able to ride along with Sherry Zook later in the morning!  Sherry and I headed for Messiah College at 9:30 AM to watch our kids do their jumping and Brandon's many running events!  We got there with the rain coming down and the wind picking up.  There were three small canopy's set up for our school kids and so Sherry and I were able to sit outside, under the tents, and watch the kids perform.  I was so glad to not have Ashlyn along with me.  She was much better being with a sitter indoors!!! 

All the kids that did their events were to be in their school gym uniforms when performing.  This meant that many of them were in shorts, tanks and so cold during each event!  One time we had girls from our school waiting to do the relay race.  They were all jumping up and down to try to stay warm.  They were wet and the rain just kept coming down.  I finally ran down and gave them an umbrella till it was time for them to take their running positions. 

When it was Hadassah's turn to do long jump, I went with her down to the jumping sand pit.  There were two other girls from school joining with her.  The rain wasn't too bad but the wind seemed worse.  The girls again shivering and cold and wet.  I told them that normally a mom would not allow their kids out in this kind of weather.  They nicely told me that they wouldn't even want to be out if it were a choice.  They didn't complain too much though and really took it all in stride.  There wasn't a thing we could do to change the weather (although I did tell the girls that it was just that morning that I read when Jesus calmed the rains and stormy seas while being in a boat)!  I watched and cheered as Hadassah jumped well with all four jumps!!!  I was so proud of her again!  Her best jump was 11' 1 1/2"!!!  With eighteen other schools participating, she ended the day in 6th place!!!  She was smiling and we celebrated with hot chocolate and a big cookie on the way home!!!  Placing this good for a sixth grader is great!!!  I am excited to see how well she will do for our school track and field event in May!!!

Our three teachers that were in charge of the students yesterday were all very proud of all the hard work and the final results!!!  Both boys and girls ended in 2nd place over all!!!  The hard work and wet students should be very proud of this!!!  It has been a few years since we brought home a trophy from MACSA!  Great job everyone!!!

We couldn't wait to get home and take hot showers and get into warm, dry clothes.  My roast in the crock pot smelled so yummy!  After getting dry, my family chowed down the mashed potatoes and veggies with our meat!  Relaxing inside all evening was perfect!!!

Good job Hadassah!!!  I love watching you jump and I love your attitude!  Thank Jesus for your talents!!!

Here's a view of the track and the college.

Here is where most of the runs began.  Puddles all around and wet people waiting to race!

The three long jumpers from school!!!  Good job girls!!!

They got some practice runs and then for the real deal, the jackets and warm layers of clothing had to come off.

Trying to stay dry and warm ...

This was us up on the hill under the red, white and blue canopy's!

Go for it!!!

She landed well and got a great score!!!  I am wondering if now I will have less sand on the floors at home???  :)

Here are the girls waiting to run the relay race.  It was just raining at the time and all they could do was wait for their turn!

 PLEASE ... lets move faster!!!  :)

All the wet clothes are now clean again and dry.  I keep thinking of the high school kids that are in track today!!!  They announced ... "rain or shine".

It's almost May and April went by so quickly!  I really, really hope that our May weather will be full of nice sunny days.  Surely, one of these months will bring us lots of sunshine and warmth!!!  :)  I am thinking maybe soon my tomatoes, peppers and watermelon plant will be planted!!!  I am grateful for the rains though and I sure hope that our lawns will stay nice and green all summer long!!! 

I can't wait for May!!!  Bring it on!  We've got a full calendar with school events, a planned fun trip to the mountains and lots of Spring work do yet outside!  I love May!!!

School life ...

We are counting down the weeks of school and we will be ready for a summer vacation in a few more weeks!!!  This is always the time of year when things seem to get a bit crazy at school with all the final tests, the field trips and all the many events.  It's also a time though that I seem to enjoy!!!  I love being involved with the kids activities in their school and so this is exciting!

We had a busy day at school yesterday!  Our annual Trash-a-thon Fundraiser took place.  We are on this committee, so it required lots of hard work to keep this a fun and safe day for the kids!  I took the children to school and stayed to watch them divide into their groups and go out to pick up trash.  The fundraiser was a great success so far and we still have only a few more days to bring in more funds!  We all met back at school at 11:30 and ate lunch together.  After that, we were all dismissed.

Hadassah went with Courtney home and then made some quick stops to shop before heading to LMH for track.  Hadassah has been doing well with long jump at school and she was chosen to go and compete with many others.  I knew that being at school for most of the day and then heading out at 3 would not be a good situation with our little miss that still requires a nap!  :)  Thanks Sherry for taking Hadassah!!!  Meanwhile, Jayden and Matthew got to be together here for the afternoon.  They got the four wheeler out and played with Matthew's air soft guns.  These two entertain themselves so well!  I dropped them both off at Jayden's house at 4.  Lena had stopped by with Hunter to say hello and she offered to take Ashlyn along home.  That freed me to go watch Hadassah long jump at 4:30 alone!!!  It was a blistering, windy, chilly Spring day ... so I was happy to not have to take little ones along to this event!

Hadassah was happy to see me before she jumped.  I could tell she was nervous and with this being her first time here, everything was new.  Even the jumping sand mound was different than our school's.  That seemed to scare the girls a bit when they went to jump because the track extended further out than they were used to.  When their feet finally reached the sand, it looked like they hadn't jumped very far.  Reality though was that the distance was the same.  They got a few practice jumps and I thought Hadassah did well.  She wasn't very happy with her jumps because normally she gets better scores.  You only get three jumps and then she was finished.  It felt good to get into the vehicle and out of the cold air. 

Girls from school ... waiting for their events.

The Long Jumpers!!!

Waiting to practice ...

Here she goes!!!

Speed ...

Making sure her toe isn't over the white mark ... perfect!!!

And then jumping!!!

Landing ...

Being sure her hands don't fall back because they measure your score with your shortest marking.

This is what was different from our school's long jump sand pit.  You see where they start to measure to where Hadassah's feet landed?  It looks like she barely reached the sand but the marking was still good!  She had three good jumps!  Good job girl!!!

Her scores ... her best today was 10 feet 6.  She was disappointed because she can get 11 feet something at school.  I was still proud of her because it was her first time ever to do this at a higher level and I thought she did great!!!

Earlier, I prepared a big pot of chicken noodle soup for when we get back home.  Everyone sat and sipped on the hot soup and chatted about the day!  Mike and Matthew were then off to another ball game.  I have not gotten to any Gator games yet because if Mike is not playing but coaching, I can wait to see that when it warms up a tad more!!!  :) 

My outside work came to a stand still this week.  I did get more flowers on Monday but most of them are still in the garage.  Our weather was chilly most of the week.  I figure there's no reason to being cold while planting my summer flowers and mulching!!!!!!  I can wait for a warmer day!  My mulch waits too.  My tomato plants are growing but not in the garden yet.  I keep telling myself to not rush it.  I don't like to be out covering plants before going to bed in case the frost gets it.  My geraniums did get a snap when the snow came the other week.  I think they will be OK though but they need some warm sunshine and not so cold nights!  However, my sugar peas and radishes are peaking through the garden dirt!  The start of garden veggies will be only a few more weeks!!!  That excites me!

Hadassah and I are happy, very happy, about starting our yard sale adventures this weekend!!!  We love to do this together every spring and we are pumped for Saturday morning!  Some may call us crazy or hard up ... we call it time together, having a blast, and looking for bargains!  I'll let you know if we find any treasures!!!!  :)))


Come on warmer spring weather!!!  I am waiting!!!  :)

Little League has begun!

Little League began this week!  Matthew is one that loves to play baseball and does enjoy little league.  He loves to play the game but really, honestly, he loves it the most when he is playing ball with his dad.  He loves it best when both of them have a glove on their hands and are throwing back and forth.  Or when Mike pitches and Matthew hits a five gallon bucket full of softballs in the back yard.  It's something they started doing together again this spring and it really makes a big difference in Matthew's game.  Practice really does help and he played great at his first game last night!!!

Matthew and Hadassah both need new gloves and they have been taking turns with taking Mike's ball glove to school.  They both know to be responsible with it because Mike also still needs it and uses it!  Before Matthew's game time last night, Mike made a stop at the neighborhood sports store just down the road and Matthew was delighted to get a new pair of spikes.  His other ones are too small and he went up two sizes.  I am seeing another growth spurt in him! 

Matthew hit and fielded great last night.  The first few games are always on the chilly side and Ashlyn and I wrapped in a blanket as we cheered and watched!  Mike was the pitcher for the Rockies!  Hadassah also enjoyed the night at the park with some of her friends.

 Team pitcher ... the best ever!!!  :)

 Got on second base ... twice!

Watching these boys play last year together and then watching them last night, I was impressed how much better they got!  It's just the start of the season but I think these little men will have a great team!  We will be spending lots of time at the ball parks this spring and summer.  Between Matthew's games, Mike's games, and Mike coaching the Gators ... it will all be fun!

Way to go Rockies!!!  Winning your first game is a great start!

Easter Celebrations!!!

HE IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD!!!  JESUS IS ALIVE!!!

Easter is such a special celebration for me!!!  For all of us actually!  Reading again the story of Christ's crucifixion makes me so grateful that He died so we may live!!! 

Our weekend was packed full of fun!  The kids had an early dismissal at school on Thursday and I was thankful for their help with cleaning dad's shop and getting our bags packed for the mountains!  Thursday was a very busy day for me with many things on my "to do list" and so by evening, I was ready to relax.  Mike slipped out for a quick ballgame to coach while the rest of us here at watched more of Jesus life on TV.  We are really enjoying watching some 'real life' on the life of Jesus as a little boy and growing up so He can die for our sins!!!  We watched "Mary, the mother of Jesus".  It was the story of Jesus' life but showed lots of views from his mom, Mary.  I can't imagine all the pain and heartaches she went through just watching her son get beaten, spit upon and die!  As any mother's heart, I'm sure hers was breaking into many pieces!  Then three days later to see her son risen from the dead!!!  I would love to read her diary!!!  :)

Friday morning. we sat together as a family and read about the crucifixion and terrible death of our Lord!  Jesus died willing but not without much pain and grief!  He was buried.  In the grave for three days and then rose again!!!  Oh what rejoicing there must have been for those who believed!!!  What confusion there must of been for those only seeing with their eyes and not believing in their heart!  The guards, the towns people, the Pharisee's, the governor and many others surely tried to make sense of it all.  Even the disciples were not all sure of all the happenings!  One thing for sure ... Jesus died and now lives!!!

The kids were eager to get on the road and head north for a quick cabin getaway with my family.  We loaded everything up after lunch, dropped Ginger off at Sadie's, and then headed for the mountains.  It was a sunny, lovely day and when we arrived ... everyone was there to greet us.  Mom and dad had an Easter egg hunt for everyone.  The kids got eggs with candy and the couples got a big egg with $$$!  Fun!  We played lots of games!  Dutch Blitz, Kan Jam, kick ball, Frisbee plus took rides on the golf cart and four wheeler.  Every day was beautiful giving the men time to work on their food plots.  Mike usually likes to ride the tractor and mow dad's huge field.  Jason did most of that this time but then suffered from back ache from all the bumping around on his seat.  The food was amazing ... especially breakfast.  The kids played so well together.  Ashlyn and Shakia were good friends and twice got caught before there was trouble.  I caught them just getting ready to play with some four wheeler gas.  They had spilled a little on their clothes but I put a stop to that!  Then Mike caught them with a tube of grease that they thought would make good lotion.  A close eye on them was needed but they had a blast.  The twins played with the toddlers too.  Hadassah and Morgan had fun!  Baby Shaelyn did great up there.  The boys loved the outdoors and the four wheeler!

(This was Matthew on Thursday at his school Easter celebration!!!)

 

 Addison at the cabin!!!  We got the biggest charge out of this girls energy!!!  She doesn't hold still for a minute!  She's such a blast and watching her happy, busy little body go and go is very entertaining!  :)  Darling!

Taking a ride on the tractor is always fun!!!

Mom and Dad lined up buckets for each of the kids before going on their egg hunt.

She played and played with the corn cobs that were out for the deer.

Hunting for her eggs!!!

 

 Mom and Dad hid one egg for each couple to find.  We were trooping all over the woods to find ours!  We ended up by the wood pile to finally claimed our $20!!!  Thanks Dad's!  :)

Every year, Mom gives Dad a big chocolate bunny because there is not many people I know that like candy and chocolate as much as my dad.  Then she gave each of the children chocolates too.

The campfire was going 24/7.  I can't wait to have more campfire gatherings around home!

 

 

Mindy had a picture on her phone that she took of an 'Easter basket hair braid'.  Jody took a look and combed Melanie's hair like it.  It looked so cool and cute!

 

LaVern throwing the boomerang while he gives rides.

 They both adore each other.

 Matthew with his bucket of goodies!

 Morgan had a birthday up there so we ate some cake and gave her gifts.  Happy Birthday Morgan!  Melanie had her hair done up with lots of ponytails and a neat basket weave in the back!!!

 

 

We stayed at the cabin till Sunday after breakfast.  Then we loaded up again and headed home so we could be on time for another Easter dinner!  Mike's mom and dad had the whole family over for nice meal, more eggs and candy and time with cousins and family! 

 

Mike's mom always gets the kids Easter baskets and fills them with candy and accessories.  Then she hides them outside and the kids need to find their basket.

 

We sat and chatted and enjoyed the children till well after dark.  They had mom's toys all spread out and everywhere but by the time we were ready to head back home, her house was cleaned up.  It's such a blessing to have loved ones and family to share special celebrations with!!!

 

Sophia and Ashlyn running to find their baskets!!!

 Keep looking ...

 I combed Ashlyn's hair like sister Jody had Melanie's at the cabin.  This is how the back looked.

 Sisters ...

Matthew got a basket and a big chocolate bunny!  Jeff and Hadassah still loving the gifts from Mommy!!! :)

 

It may seem like we think Easter is all about eggs and chocolate.  Well, we did have fun with them but really we do know the real meaning!!!  We try hard to not let the real meanings of all our celebrations get distracted with other fun!  Easter is a wonderful celebration!!!  I am thankful for Jesus!!!  I am thankful that He died to save me from my sins!!!  For the empty tomb!  It's only through Him that we can have eternal life in heaven!  Praise Him!!!

 

Happy Easter and celebrate that He is alive!!!