All-Day K

Well, it's official, Avery and Andon will more than likely be going to all day kindergarten next year. Arizona has been in an amazing budget cut debate that it was completely on hold. One by one districts have been announcing that they will be keeping free all day k and Mesa finally announced that they were keeping it, too. When we had decided that enrolling in Sirrine we completely had God's hand in it and we put all faith and trust in HIM in whether it was going to be full or half day.

I came to terms with that before it was decided, however, I am completely torn on how I feel about this now! From teacher side, I know that all day k has it's benefits. Half day when I can be home with them does too! I think I'm struggling the most because once they start full time school, they will be on that journey until they are 17! Playdates, lunch dates, early morning zoo trips when it's not busy on the weekdays all are coming to an end as we know them now. Sure those things can happen, but are the kids ready for that? Am I ready for that?

I can see myself crying my eyes out as I say goodbye to them and drop them off that first day of school....geesh, I'm crying my eyes out now just thinking about it! Yes, I will be able to attend church staff meetings, lunch meetings, Mark and I will be able to fully train for cycling races, help lots in the classroom, and hey, I just may have regular hair nail and massage appointments at mom's salon but really, I'm not sure why I'm struggling so much!

Ok, enough about that....

Ok, enough abouy that...

France pics 2

In front of the roundabout iinto Bedoin...Mark climbed the mountain behind it! This is why people come here so climbing this is a big deal! The snowshoers that he met at the top said that Mark was the first cyclist of the season that they had seen at the top!

The boar sausage stand...

In front of the Gigondas Winery...

Sand carvings in the woods behind our house...this one is a camel!

Our "France Car" in front of the gite...

France Trip Last Month

Last month, I can't believe it's already been a month, Mark and I were able to head back over to France. This was a totally different trip than the last two. We did not go to Paris but made our way to Bedoin, about 2 1/2 hours from the southern coast. We rented a gite, French for guest house, to a wonderful couple from the UK Sally-Anne and Christopher. It was much cheaper than a hotel and much more convenient. We rented some bikes, saw a pro cycling race The Paris-Nice, went to some local markets, visited some wineries(drank a little more wine that we are used to), saw a Roman theater, the Pope's Palace in Avignon and drove around all over the south of France....my favorite trip!!! Christoper is a writer so when Mark went out on a huge cycling climb to the top of a snow-covered mountain, I opted to stay at the gite and read one of his novels, Lonicera! It was a quick read but I really enjoyed it. We were able to sit first class on all the flights so we are now spoiled and will probably only visit int he down season because of that...I guess the kids won't get to go with us until they are 8 because that's the age that kids can sit first class on Delta!

I'm on stage at the Roman Theater...

A cute little bridge in the turnabout...

In front of the Palais de Papes..

Mark on top of Mount Ventoux...

Cycling near Flassan...

Time flies...

Life has been busy here in AZ...I will catch up on blogs as soon as life slows down which may not happen until the kids go to kindergarten in August!

I need to post about:
France trip last month
Easter visit with Grandma and Grandpa
Upcoming events

We are all busy as can be. The kids only have 5 weeks left of school and then they will move on to kindergarten! THey will be going to the same school that I went to, Sirrine, and I am looking forward to helping in the classroom and utilizing all my education and passion for kindergarten! Avery is still reading up a storm! Andon is energetic and is getting close to stopping sucking his fingers. If you know Andon, you usually see him with them in his mouth! We get a movie pass from the dentist when that happens so we are hoping to catch Monsters vs Aliens before it leaves the theaters!

Everyone seems to be having babies! We are still content on that subject!

I have been busy planning our DisneyWorld trip in June with the Chicago Bibbeys. It will be a grand trip with lots happening! The kids still do not know! I love my new position at church. It's been an added change in schedules but we are adjusting.

Ok, so I will get back to posting more pics in the next week or so, I promise...does anyone even read this????????

It's almost MARCH?!?!? What???

Seriously, where did February disappear to? I know, we have been so busy planning 2 vacations (France in a few weeks and Orlando in June), training for cycling races, flying airplanes, coordinating classrooms and MOPS meetings, figuring out what to do for kindergarten next year, getting pugs adopted, taxes (nice return this year, woo hoo), teaching Andon and Avery right from wrong (no easy task) and applying for The Amazing Race!!! That's not including our day to day stuff like cleaning and grocery shopping! SOOOO, if I have failed to stay in touch with you, now you know why!

We have been WAYYYY over-scheduled lately...not intentionallly, just lots happening. I think the kids are on crazy mode now that it's back in the 80's again. Some sort of weird, goofy shift occurs when the weather starts to warm up. I think we'll stay here though so hopefully the transition will happen fast!

I am loving my new position as N-2's Director at our church. We are finally getting used to the change in schedule. I have been working on establishing a new, strong steering team for our next MOPS year and we are well on our way! I will be stepping down this year, which will be hard after 4 years of leadership, but it's on to the next chapter of work, being an involved kindergarten mom, soccer games and more!

Mark is still flying people around the country and cycling around the valley. He helped get Focus Racing, a cycling team for the bike shop that he is attached to! It's still in the baby stages but they are official!

Andon is still as energetic as ever! He has started to calm down a little bit though as he learns self-control. He's doing very well in preschool and LVOVES going to school! Right now he is into riding the big bike (he's done with the Thomas bike) without training wheels and anything outside...although he only wants to wear pants and long sleeves for some reason!

Avery is a smarty pants! SHe is reading and writing anything and everything...the other day she read "Available" on a sign as we were driving to school! She has started with little readers at school and usually reads them once or twice and it ready to read it to the teacher. She loves to draw, sing, dance, read and write! Her next tap recital is next week and her teacher wishes she was 6 so she could move up to the next level because she's ready....doesn't she know that they grow up too fast as it is!?!?!

We drove up to The Natural Bridge last Friday and it's a good thing because as on Monday they closed the park due to funding. It's one of my favorite places to drive to and spend the day...maybe they'll reopen it in the future.

We still have our foster pug, Charlie, or as Mark calls him, "Old Man River". He's a good dog though so we don't mind him hanging around!

Well, that's enough rambling for now....hopefully I'll get on here more often!

Cracking Coconuts!

In our producce co-op basket this week there was a coconut....what do we do with a coconut??? Well we dug out the cookbook and found some info on getting the meat out. First we poked the eyes out with a screwdriver to get the juice out...not to be confused with coconut milk, which you have to make by cooking milk or water with the meat and straining it, who knew? The juice was really sweet and yummy but like the people on Survivor, I can get sick of it real quick! Then we put it in a baggie, wrapped it in a towel and hammered the heck out of it! It cracked open but we still couldn't get the meat loose. So, as instructed, we put it in the oven for 15 minutes and it loosened up...not without some prying though! The kids didn't like the meat but we chopped it up in the food processor and it's now sleeping peacefully in our freezer for future use in cookies, smoothies or pina coladas. Here is the one before picture we managed to snap before all the excitement began...

General Updates

Well, I'm just going to type away...
Today was my first official day as the N-2's Director. While it has taken about a week to get the major parts learned, I still feel like I have a lot of little things to learn. I do feel like I am able to start being creative now and have started a new theme in the classrooms that I am so excited to develop...Planting the Seeds of Faith. My job is primarily overseeing curriculum and nurturing, growing and developing the teachers and volunteers. Lots of hospitality which I love to do! I'm teaching the teachers and that's also something I love to do! I think that once I get the general routine and feel comfortable with what I'm doing, I'll be able to really have a blast with things! I have some great ideas that I plan on developing!

Avery started Tap,Jazz and Acro Intermediate last night. She loves it and it gives Andon and I soome date time at the library right next door. Andon will be starting TIny Tots Tennis tomorrow. He has played it on the Nintendo Wii at mom's house and has wanted to play it ever since. It works out that class is the same length as Avery's, 8 weeks, and we'll see how he does. We bought him his first raquet and tennis balls and he is SOOO excited to use them!

WE'RE GOING TO DISNEYWORLD!!! That's right, we are spending 8 days, 7 nights in Disney World with the Chicago Bibbeys. We arrive on Avery and Andon's 5th birthday and we will get a $75 gift card each for them to spend on goodies!!! They have the promotion where you get in free on your birthday in 2009 and since we purchased the 8 day park passes they get to choose one of the other options, the one of most value is the gift card worth the amount of a 1 day admission pass. Mark does not know his schedule yet and may only have a few days off but we'll do all we can to get him there as much as we can! DW has such a great promotion through June where you buy 4 nights you get 3 free...that includes tickets! We also don't have to get a rental car because we are staying at a Disney hotel we get free transportion! Because we are traveling with more than 8 people we get to do some Grand Gathering events...not quite sure what we can all do with that but it's supposed to be pretty cool.

Well, it's 10:45 and I need to get to bed....