Flathers' Family

Twas The Night Before Christmas

2011-12-24T13:49:00.000-06:00

Saw this on another blog and knew that I wanted to share this with everyone.

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the town,
St. Joseph was searching, walking up roads and down;
Our Lady was waiting, so meek and so mild,
While Joseph was seeking a place for the Child;

The children were nestled, each snug in their beds,
The grown-ups wouldn't bother, there's no room they said;
When even the innkeeper sent them away,
Joseph was wondering, where they would stay;
He thought of the caves in the side of the hills,
Lets go there said Mary, it's silent and still;

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,
Made pathways of light for their tired feet to go;
And there in a cave, in a cradle of hay,
Our Savior was born on that first Christmas Day!

The Father was watching in heaven above,
He sent for His angels, His couriers of love;
More rapid than eagles God's bright angels came;
Rejoicing and eager as each heard his name;

Come Power, Come Cherubs, Come Virtues, Come Raphael,
Come Thrones and Dominions, come Michael and Gabriel;
Now fly to the Earth, where My poor people live,
Announce the glad tiding My Son comes to give;

The Shepherds were watching their flocks on this night,
And saw in the heavens and unearthly light;
The Angels assured them, they'd nothing to fear,
It's Christmas they said, the Savior is here!

They hastened to find Him, and stood at the door,
Till Mary invited them in to adore;
He was swaddled in bands from His head to His feet,
Never did the Shepherds see a baby so sweet!

He spoke not a word, but the shepherds all knew,
He was telling them secrets and blessing them too;
Then softly they left Him, The Babe in the hay,
And rejoiced with great joy on that first Christmas Day;

Mary heard them exclaim as they walked up the hill,
Glory to God in the Highest, Peace to men of good will!

By: Sister St. Thomas, B.N.D. de N

Life is flying by....

2011-10-18T21:49:00.000-05:00

Life just seems to be flying by at a much faster rate this year. The past ten days are a good example. During this time many things happened that showed that my girls are growing up.
On October 7th we started off with Senior night for Both Band and Football. Senior Night is the last home game of the season and the seniors are always honored as it is the last time they will perform on the home field. The night started off with the band and a small reception for Seniors and their parents

After the band reception was over we went back out for the football game. The parents of the senior members of the football team, cheerleaders, cross country and boys golf were to meet at the west end of the field before the varsity game. At this point all of the players were introduced as they walked to midfield on the track with their parents.

After the game the seniors line up at one end of the field and walk the field for one last time while the underclassman are applauding them for their years of service.

thanks to a friend for a few of these pictures. My picture taker was crying so hard that she couldn't get a clear shot

So that was my first night of the 10 days, just a few days after this, Sarah had her birthday and is now an adult. So funny to think that my child is grown up.

I ended the 10 days with yet one more activity that showed that my girls are growing up. Kristen was the acolyte at church for the first time. She did a great job. It seemed so strange to sit by myself and not have to remind a child to be quiet or pay attention.

5QF 7-29-11

2011-07-30T20:42:00.000-05:00

Yep, once again I am running a tad bit late with this. How in the world am I going to stay on top of it when school starts.

1. Vow renewal ceremonies-yay or nay?

Might be kind of fun to do, especially if I could lose enough weight to get down to what I wore when we got married. Of course if I could do that then any celebration would be worth it.
2. What sound/s annoy you the most?

Fingernails on a chalkboard. Oh how I hate that sound. Sends shivers down my back. Thankfully anymore most classrooms have a white board in them. So much nicer, plus there is no chalk dust.
3. If you had to pick, would you have only all boys, or only all girls for kids?

Since I have 2 girls, 2 fur babies that were girls and no boys, I would have to say all girls. I am not sure what I would have done with a boy.
4. Do you believe in alternative medicine?

it really depends on the type of alternative medicine. Some of the alternatives are very successful, but some of them in my opinion may be a hoax. You really need to look into what you are putting your trust into and make sure that it is legitimate.

5. Would you take a family members children and raise them if they needed it?
Of course, they are family after all.

7-22-11 5QF

2011-07-21T20:28:00.000-05:00

It is time for another 5 question Friday and I am actually on time for a change

1. If your husband had the BIG V and you got pregnant what would your first reaction be? For the dudes, what would your first reaction be if your wife told you she was pregnant after the Big V?

I would probably be in shock and then want a test done to make sure that the process hadn't reversed itself. I do know someone who became pregnant after her husband had the big V. After testing, they discovered that the process had reversed itself on him.

2. Best memory about this summer so far.

I was able to go to the Model Schools Conference this year. What a great and exciting time. I learned so much and was refreshed.
3. How often do you change your sheets? Your kids sheets?

I am ashamed to actually admit this, but we change at least every season, and then only as necessary.

4. Having just gone through TSA, would you rather have a full-body scan or a pat-down?

Full body scan. I just went through the system and didn't find the process that bad.
5. Since it is fair time...what's your favorite fair (county or state) memory?
Now this one is easy. We just ended our county fair and the best memory for this year is my youngest daughter earned reserve champion junior exhibitor, in other words out of all of the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade 4-H members in the county she had the 2nd highest point total of all of them.

A late 5QF, but so busy with the fair

2011-07-17T05:58:00.000-05:00

So I have been so busy with the fair this week and prep stuff for the fair, that I am off by 2 days. This years fair has been so full of ups and downs. Good things happen only to get disappointed with something else, or thanks to all of us being ill we ended up forgetting important things like judges comment sheets. However, there have been a few good things as well, including a surprise award this morning. I will post more about it tonight or tomorrow along with the pictures from the fair. Another thing that happened at the fair is that I finally upgraded the phone plan so I know have a smart phone. Still trying to learn how to use it however. Haven't got it all figured out yet.

Well on to this weeks questions
1. If you knew your best friend's spouse was cheating on her or him, would you tell her (him)?

Good question. Since I have never been in this situation it is hard to tell what I would do. I do have a friend whose husband was cheating on her and then got the other person pregnant so I know how bad that hurt her. I guess I would hope that I would tell this person, but also be able to find a way to do it as gently as possible.
2. Soda in a can or a bottle?

I will take my pop any way that I can get it, however, I have really been trying to cut down on the amount of pop I drink and instead drink more water. Sometimes however (like at the county fair where there is a heat advisory) it is really difficult to do. I do kind of miss the old glass bottles that pop came in, compared to the new plastic versions.
3. What do you wash first, hair or body?

I start first with my body, then move to my face and finally my hair.
4. What advice would you give to any new mama?

First off, don't worry about the house, sleep when the baby sleeps and second, do not make night time changes and feedings a fun time. Keep the house quiet, be very business like with the little one. He or she will soon learn that it is more fun to be awake during the day and sleep during the night. Also, don't bring the baby into bed with you no matter how easy it is.

5. What is your best hangover remedy?

No idea, never been drunk or in need of one, but I have heard that coffee works. And I will never forget watching the old Little House on the Prairie movie, where Pa keeps dunking Mr. Edwards in the water to bring him out of it.

Another 5 question Friday

2011-07-07T22:02:00.000-05:00

I don't know if anyone is really reading these, but the questions are making me think and I am having fun with them.

1. Do you think cursive writing is overrated? (Schools in Indiana have now voted to take teaching cursive writing out of their curriculum.)

With the advent of computers and most students having to do their work on a computer I would have to say that yes, cursive writing is sadly on its way out. With that being said I will admit that as a teacher I prefer to have students turn in work that was done on the computer. It is so much easier to read than some of their handwriting and this way there can be no discussions that the word was spelled wrong.

2. Do you still use a pocket calendar or notepad or do you keep your info on your smart phone?
Since I don't have a smart phone, I use the calendar on my email system to record everything. This is so easy to do and I can find something in a minute or two.
3. What 3 things would you save if your house was burning down? (family & pets are already safe)
The first thing that I would go for is all of my pictures. So many cute and adorable family pictures including family members that I never knew, but I would hate to lose them.
The second thing would probably be the computers, because anymore it seems like so much data is stored on them.
While there are many other things that I could grab at that point I am thinking everything else would be replaceable, or at least easier to replace and wouldn't matter as much.
4. Country Mouse or City Mouse, err Person?
I grew up in a town, but am proud of my families farm background. I spend many days on the family farms as a kid and have fond memories of most of it (except for gathering eggs) and feel sad that my children will never experience this kind of life.
5. If you could pick ANY reality show to go on, which would you pick?
None, I think that they are stupid, but I did hear of one that has been proposed (tongue in cheek). Something like this I would support. I am not sure that the general business person in the United States really knows what it is like in the classroom setting. Now don't get me wrong I love teaching and my students, just getting tired of teachers getting all of the blame. I don't want a lot of bad comments because of this, yes, I know that there are bad teachers out there, I have had them, my kids have had them, and yes I may have even worked with some of them at one point, but I just spent last week with over 7000 highly committed teachers and educators learning all of the new things and ways to get every student involved.

I have received this in many emails.
Next Season on Survivor….
Have you heard about the next planned “Survivor” show? Three businessmen and three businesswomen will be dropped in an elementary school classroom for 1 school year. Each business person will be provided with a copy of his/her school district’s curriculum, and a class of 20-25 students.
Each class will have a minimum of five learning-disabled children, three with A.D.D., one gifted child, and two who speak limited English. Three students will be labeled with severe behavior problems.
Each business person must complete lesson plans at least 3 days in advance, with annotations for curriculum objectives and modify, organize, or create their materials accordingly. They will be required to teach students, handle misconduct, implement technology, document attendance, write referrals, correct homework, make bulletin boards, compute grades, complete report cards, document benchmarks, communicate with parents, and arrange parent conferences. They must also stand in their doorway between class changes to monitor the hallways.
In addition, they will complete fire drills, tornado drills, and [Code Red] drills for shooting attacks each month.
They must attend workshops, faculty meetings,and attend curriculum development meetings. They must also tutor students who are behind and strive to get their 2 non-English speaking children proficient enough to take the state’s standardized tests. If they are sick or having a bad day they must not let it show.
Each day they must incorporate reading, writing, math, science, and social studies into the program. They must maintain discipline and provide an educationally stimulating environment to motivate students at all times. If all students do not wish to cooperate, work, or learn, the teacher will be held responsible.

The business people will only have access to the public golf course on the weekends, but with their new salary, they may not be able to afford it. There will be no access to vendors who want to take them out to lunch, and lunch will be limited to thirty minutes, which is not counted as part of their work day. The business people will be permitted to use a student restroom, as long as another survival candidate can supervise their class.
If the copier is operable, they may make copies of necessary materials before, or after, school. However, they cannot surpass their monthly limit of copies.The business people must continually advance their education, at their expense, and on their own time.
The winner of this Season of Survivor will be allowed to return to their job!

5QF a little late

2011-07-03T19:17:00.000-05:00

Because I was gone this week, went to a totally awesome conference. The Model Schools Conference, learned so much, met some neat people, and hope to go again, I am late getting this weeks 5 question Friday done. I am way behind on my blogs and am playing catchup.

Here are this weeks questions

1. If you had the opportunity to bungee jump, would you?

Are you kidding? I value my life. There is NO way you are going to tie some elastic band around my ankle and convince me to jump from some really high spot.

2. Would you rather go to the movie theater or to the drive-in?

I actually went to a drive in once when I was very little. Saw Bedknobs and Broomsticks and then fell asleep during some movie about monkeys. I don't remember much else about it, except that mom popped a bunch of popcorn. I might be willing to go to a drive-in again if the conditions were right.
3. Do you have your groceries delivered?

No, I am not even sure if that is an option where I live. Even if it was, I don't think I would get them delievered as I actually enjoy grocery shopping. Of course, the girls are old enough to stay at home, so I either get to go by myself or with the hubby. I find it to be a relaxing time with no arguing.
4. Eyebrows: Do you wax, thread, pluck, or stay au naturel?

I go au naturel. Not really much of a makeup person
5. Would the people you went to high school with be surprised by your life today?

Possibly, I was kind of quiet in high school. I am still kind of quiet but get out more and am involved in several things.

5QF 6-24-11

2011-06-24T16:08:00.000-05:00

1. What is your current favorite tv show?

I can honestly say that I don't have any current favorite tv shows. I am not really impressed with the new shows, but do enjoy watching some of the older ones that are rerunning on a couple of the older channels. We are enjoying Everyone Loves Raymond, The Nanny, Bewitched, Cosby Show, Our House and Highway To Heaven. Why can't they put on more family friendly shows?
2. What's the worst haircut you ever got?
I honestly can't think of anything for this question. Of course, I can say that I don't like my hair and would love to find something new that also looks nice, but is easy to care for. I don't want to take the time to use a curling iron.
3. What was something that you did as a child that you thought you were so cool for doing?Boy I must live a really dull life, because I can't think of an answer to this question either. Don't recall doing anything that was considered "cool" or that I thought I was cool for. Of course I do remember being afraid to do much because of the fear I had of my dad and how he would disciple.
4. Do you have any GREAT frugal family fun tips?
Get activity tickets and spend time at your local high school and their athletic and activity events. Many schools now have a family pass, then the entire family can get in to most events. Much cheaper than professional sporting events or the theater and concerts. Plus the kids really do a great job and need the encouragement. Just make sure that you feed the kiddo's before hand and then set a limit on concession stand food, or bring in your own snacks.
5. Would you drive across country if you had the money to fly?
I would if it was for a vacation and we were going to take our time and do some sightseeing. Many landmarks, historical places, and other things I would love to see and expose my children to. If I had to be someplace for a meeting and didn't have time to spend, then yes, I would fly.

5QF 6-17-11

2011-06-17T08:21:00.000-05:00

Before I start with today's post, a simple shout out to my Husband of 22 years. Thanks for the past 22 years.

Now on to the topic at hand

1. What is your favorite summer time activity?

I guess I would have to say county fair and when we can make it The Iowa State Fair. I have been going to the county fair since I was a little tyke, then became involved in 4-H which meant going to the fair for the full 10 days. Now my girls are involved in 4-H, I am a leader, and am also on the Creative Arts committee.

2. Do you have one laundry soap you stick to, or do you buy whatever's on sale?

My husband does the laundry and he likes Era, so that is what I stick with.

3. What is your favorite dinner to make in the summer?

My girls say it needs to be fajitas. When I make them I prepare both steak and chicken, plus a vegie side that includes sweet peppers (as many different colors as I can get), onions, and tomatoes. My youngest surprised us and loves just having the vegetable fajita. I would say anything that is done on the grill so it doesn't heat up the house.

4. Do you have any talents?

I use to play the clarinet and alto clarinet in band. Now my oldest plays my clarinet. I enjoy sewing, but wouldn't say that I am an expert at it.

5. If you could instantly be an expert in something, what would it be? Why?

Since I teach high school and have a high school student in my house, but a middle school student in my house, I would say that I would love to be an expert on dealing with teenagers.

5QF 6-10-11

2011-06-11T16:44:00.000-05:00

Found a new idea, think I will give it a try. It is called 5 question Friday. Each week there will be five different questions asked. You post those questions on your blog, answer them and link up to this blog.

So here are the questions for this week and my answers:

1. How close to your childhood dreams is your life now?
I would say that I am fairly close. I dreamed of being a teacher my entire life. Yes, I am teach English/Language Arts and At-risk classes for a local school district. As a child I knew I wanted to teach and then as I progressed through the school systems I couldn't decide between English and Science for a subject area. I ended up choosing English because of my love of books. At the time, I had never heard of at-risk, but found that I had a desire to help those who needed a little more assistance, so the at-risk became a natural extension for me.

2. What is one must have item for the summer?
I am not sure about this one, except maybe for shorts. I stop wearing pants the day the school year ends (students, not teachers) no matter what the temperature and I don't put them on again until the first day of classes. Of course, lately there have been these wonderful things called capri's so I am able to put of pants longer in the fall. I will wear them on the weekends as long as possible.
3. Do you have your kids stay up on school stuff during summer vacation? (Or, if you don't have kiddos, did your parents make you keep up on school stuff during summer?)
I have found other ways to keep their minds sharp during the summer. We are actively involved in 4-H. The girls are 4th generation members, so summer is a time of learning still, we just learn different things. The girls carry such projects as sewing, clothing, food & nutrition, music, leadership, health, pets, computers, music, child development, home improvement, etc. After the projects are completed the girls need to write about their projects so this keeps their writing skills intact also. I also try to encourage them to read, but have found that is a losing battle. Believe me it is really disappointing to be such an avid/lover of reading and teach language arts, and then produce children who don't enjoy reading.
4. Do you can or freeze fresh produce?
I don't. As a girl we had a huge garden and would always can and freeze fresh produce and other goodies, such as our own tomato sauces, pickles, jellies, etc. While I don't miss the work of the garden, I really miss the fresh food and having the produce all winter. If I could find a CSA or some other arrangement so that I could get plenty of fruits or vegies, I would enjoy canning/freezing them. I can taste those homemade pickles, jellies, and frozen vegies now.
5. Do you get ready for the day first thing in the morning?
Yes, I am one of those people that need to get up and get moving right away. I have discovered that I am a morning person. I can get tons of stuff done in the morning, but once I take a break, it is hard to get moving again. Maybe that is why I get to school a half hour earlier than I need to in the morning.

Why I haven't blogged in forever

2011-03-06T18:01:00.000-06:00

It has been a long time since I have blogged and I thought that maybe I should do an update. Figured the best way was to show you why I haven't blogged in forever. The following pictures and video are from my weekend.
This weekend Sarah was in the pit for the high school musical. We haven't seen much of her the past month, between cheerleading, pit rehearsal and work she has been a busy girl. Friday night we went to see "The Music Man" at Clinton High school. The kids did a great job.

On Saturday, not only did Sarah have another performance, but Kristen was competing in the Awana Games held over in Moline, Illinois. This group of girls did really well and it was fun to watch them compete. Learned that Kristen is a speedy little girl. Time to look into a pair of spikes for her maybe? She was paired up with another girl for the three legged race. Those two were awesome and lapped the other teams.

The Clinton team came in second place. They lost by only two points. They were DQ at one point and had a couple of other things that kept them from scoring. When a team is tagged from behind as they are being lapped that team is supposed to leave so that the other team can keep going. The team that Clinton tagged didn't get out of the way and kept the other teams from passing them. Way to go Kristen.

Finally on Sunday, while Sarah was busy performing at the Music Man, Kristen was showing off her musical skills also. Kristen's piano teacher was holding her annual piano recital She holds the recital at a local assisted living home in their chapel. Many of the residents look forward to this every year. I even heard a couple of them talking this year about how fun it has been to watch musicians grow and progress. This year Kristen not only played the piano but also shared her first public performance on the flute.

Here is a video of her flute solo

And a video of Kristen's piano solo,

Sorry it is crooked at the beginning, I have been taking photos with a vertical tilt and flipped the camera out of habit.

Reading Challenge for the year

2011-01-17T18:43:00.000-06:00

Do you love to read books about the Amish? I know that I do, so was excited to see this challenge. Come join me with this challenge.

21 days to organize challenge

2011-01-02T19:43:00.000-06:00

as part of goal to get more organized and purge stuff that we don't really need I am going to try and participate in this challenge. Yesterday's assignment was to clean out your junk drawer and then organize it. I was supposed to take a picture of my drawer before it was organized, but I forgot. So instead I took a picture of all of the stuff that I pulled out of the drawer. Can't believe I had that much stuff in the drawer.
The bottom picture is of the drawer after everything was straightened out and organized. This will make it much easier to find items. Now if only the rest of the house (or at least the two girls) will actually take the time to put things back away in the right spot. That is what usually keeps me from getting and keeping things organized.

Book Blast Event

2011-01-01T07:17:00.000-06:00

I just heard about a book blast event that will be taking place on another blog. As an English teacher I am always up for hearing about more good books. Of course my beliefs surrounding books is too many good books not enough time.
Any way head on over and check it out. I can't wait to see what new books I am going to want to add to my list.

Make your own banner at MyBannerMaker.com!

Gratitude day 14

2010-11-14T17:05:00.000-06:00

Today I am thankful that my husband helped me with the final parts of the loft bed for Kristen's room. Now she can start moving everything back into her room. However she is only going to put in what I think should go in there. She still has many things from when she was younger and those things either need to be given to others or packed away.

Gratitude day 13

2010-11-14T17:03:00.000-06:00

Today I am thankful that I was able to spend two days scrapbooking. I would really like to get caught up with my pictures. I am about 1 1/2 years behind for Sarah and 6 years behind on Kristen's pages. I really need to get them done and soon.

Gratitude day 12

2010-11-14T17:01:00.000-06:00

Today I am thankful for good friends. I have the fun of spending today and Saturday with some good friends scrapbooking. It is always nice to have friends to spend the time with

Gratitude day 11

2010-11-14T17:00:00.000-06:00

Okay now blogger won't let me upload a picture. Not sure what is going on.
Anyway today I am thankful that I live in the United States where we have the freedoms that many do not. I am also thankful for Veterans and soliders that fight to keep our freedoms.

Gratitude day 10

2010-11-14T16:58:00.000-06:00

Today I am thankful for my health and the health of my family. When I hear about others and the struggles that they go through, we are blessed to be as healthy as we are. Basically we only worry about the occasional cold and flu. Nothing serious

Gratitude day 9

2010-11-14T16:56:00.000-06:00

It has been a few days since I have posted, been swamped. Lets see if I can get caught up.

Today I am thankful that I not only have a job, but one that I enjoy doing.

gratitude day 8

2010-11-08T21:09:00.000-06:00

Today I am thankful for the pets that have been in our lives and what they have taught us. What a great way for a child to learn some responsiblity and also unconditional love. They are also great for a smile or laugh with all of their cute antics.

gratitude day 7

2010-11-07T21:23:00.000-06:00

Today I am thankful for organizations like 4-H that allow our kids to grow, become leaders, mentor the young and basically assist the parents in helping them to become productive members of society. My girls have the privilage of being 4th generation 4-H members. Since 4-H has only been around for a little over 100 years, that is about the best one can do. As a senior member, Sarah is taking a leadership role and has joined the county council. Tonight she was able to practice speaking in front of large groups of people and handing out awards. In the top picture, she had the privilage of giving her little sister Kristen her very first 4-H award. 4-H is really such an awesome organization that has produced many of our nations leaders, Faith Hill, Reba McIntyre, Jacqueline Onassis, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton , Luke Bryan, Vince Gill, Roy Rogers, Herschel Walker, Archie Manning, Charley Pride, Glen Campbell, Johnny Carson, Jermaine Jackson, Russel Honore, Lamare Alexander, Ben Campbell, Pat Nixon, Al Gore, Reggie White, and Jerry Huckaby for a list check out this site National Associaton of Extension 4-H agents. No 4-H isn't just for farmers and their kids, it is for all of our kids. Get them involved now.

gratitude day 6

2010-11-06T16:38:00.000-05:00

No picture again today. I meant to take a picture this morning, but forgot. Today I am grateful for friends. Even though we were shoping for the food and stuff for the retreat, we had a lot of fun.

Gratitude day 5

2010-11-05T19:13:00.000-05:00

No picture today as I really don't know how to show todays gratitude in a picture. Today I am thankful for that heat that is coming in my classroom. I haven't had heat in the room since we moved in, but I think that the construction crew working on the new addition fixed my heat when they connected it to the new addition. So nice to feel the heat when I walk in the morning from the outside.

gratitude day 4

2010-11-04T19:56:00.000-05:00

today I am grateful that we have two cute and adorable cats. They bring such joy and laughter to our household. Tabitha (in the picture) likes to pick up the dog slipper and carry it around the house. Our other cat Sox will attack either Kurt or myself if one of us is scolding or yelling at one of the girls. She seems to be really protective of the girls.

Gratitude day 3

2010-11-03T13:30:00.000-05:00

Today I am thankful for my youngest daughter Kristen. You can see her here holding her baby cousin. She is always smiling and so full of energy, unless of course she hears the word NO. She loves to help those around her who need assistance and seems to have a special knack of making others feel accepted.

Gratitude day 2

2010-11-02T20:41:00.000-05:00

Today I am thankful for my oldest daughter Sarah. You can see her here holding her newest little cousin. This little guy seemed to really like her. Anyway, she is turning into a very nice, responsible, young lady. She is now at the age where we can do things together (see a movie, scrapbooking etc.), she is also turning into a great help around the house. Many times she makes supper for us if it is a hectic night. I am really proud of how you are growing up Sarah

A month of gratitude

2010-11-01T20:55:00.000-05:00

The challenge out there is to spend the month of November blogging about something that you are grateful for each day. Sounds like a fun challenge, but since I have a hard time blogging, we will see if this really something that I can do.

I am going to start the month off saying that I am grateful for my husband.

I just wanted to share

2010-10-30T19:35:00.000-05:00

My cousin and his wife wrote this for my Uncle Gary's funeral. I loved it so much that I wanted to share it with others.

His harvest may be over,
But in my heart it’s not
Because I still can see him
In my every waking thought
I can see him at the counter
Drinking his cup of coffee,
eating a slice of pie
I can see him walking out the door
Grabbing one more donut,
kissing Mom good-bye
I can see him in his coveralls
In his boots and cap
I can see him in the recliner
The paper in his lap
I can see him in the tractor
Driving in the field,
plowing up the land
I can see him at the lake
Standing on the dock,
fishing pole in hand
I can hear him in the church
Greeting friends and chatting,
singing hymns with abundant cheer
I can hear him in the cattleyard
Hollering at a stubborn steer
I can hear him with the grandbabies
Playing in the sandbox, playing a game
I can hear him chuckling and laughing
Loving being Grandpa
Loving when they say his name
I can hear him in the kitchen
A phrase he always used to say
“There’s always tomorrow.
And if there is no tomorrow
It doesn’t matter anyway.”
There are no more tomorrows
For this great man is gone
But always in our hearts
His memory will live on

silly cat

2010-10-16T15:16:00.000-05:00

The other day I went into the bathroom while my husband was showering only to find this:

It seems miss Tabitha is starting to understand the concept of a bathroom. She was busy giving herself a bath in the sink while dad was in the shower. She had even managed to turn on the faucet and had a small stream of water coming out. I would guess that Uncle Duane picked out a smart kitty for Kristen.

A Trip back in time

2010-10-02T19:01:00.000-05:00

Kristen in pioneer finery

The girls walking through the quarry

An old log cabin

Root cellar or sod house

The town

Covered bridge

watching a gentlemen make wooden kitchen tools. HeHe spent a lot of time explaining nad showing how he carved, whittled the tools

The girls looking out the window of the covered bridge

The church

Kristen learning to weave

cooking over an open fire

dutch oven with the hot ashes below and on the lid.

One of the demonstrators, showing Kristen all of the layers that were worn.

Kristen in front of the waterfall

We live close to a place called Heritage Canyon. It is an old quarry where they used to dynomite for limestone or something similiar. Several years ago a couple bought the abandon quarry and started turning it into an old time village. Every year they have a fall festival where the cabins, school, church, and different stores are open with American Crafters in several of the buildings. They are dressed in the period clothing and crafts. Always a fun day walking through the canyon, with the smell of smoke in the air. Kristen really got interested in the old crafts and way of life this year. So much so, that she wants to join the American Crafters associate and begin participating.

Back to School

2010-08-20T20:06:00.001-05:00

Can't believe that it is time for yet another school year. Even more scary is that Sarah is a junior and Kristen is a 5th grader. It seems like just yesterday I was walking Sarah up to school for her first day of kindergarten and then heading to a doctor's appointment. I was supposed to have my gestational diabetes test that day. Now how did I go from that day to the day when my oldest is an upperclassman and the little one is at the top of the so called food chain at the elementary school.

Sarah and Kristen with their 5th grade teacher Mrs. Pailsey. This is the first time that both Sarah and Kristen will have had the same teacher. Kristen has been in the same room as Sarah many times, but never the same teacher. This is actually the first chance they had to have the same teacher. Kristen came home on the first day with an interesting fact. 3 other people in her class also have an older sibling that had Mrs. Paisley and they were all in Sarah's class. What are the chances.

Kristen at her desk ready for a new scchool year to begin. She is so excited and can't wait for all of the cool stuff that she gets to learn. This year that includes American History.

Already looking away and talking to someone else.

Kristen at her locker. Next year she get a lock on her locker.

Both girls ready to leave for their first day. Kristen is already dressing like a middle or high schooler. Of course she loves to dress up and has always been very concerned about the clothes she wears.

Kristen heading up the hill to Whittier. No book bag because it was left at school last night during back to school night.

A slightly different picture of Sarah leaving for school before I have always taken a picture of her walking, but this year she will be driving her self to school so that she can go to work right after words or head to dance after cheer practice.

Fair 2010

2010-07-29T15:49:00.000-05:00

Well the Clinton County Fair is over and hopefully the Flathers family has survived. This was Sarah's 7th year in 4-H and Kristen's first official year. She has been a member of the Clover Kids program for 3 years, but is finally in a tradition 4-H club. Both girls had a good year. Sarah received 8 blue ribbons and 2 red. Kristen finished the year with 1 purple ribbon, 11 blue ribbons and 2 green (outstanding junior) ribbons and reserve champion cat. She also had top dressy for Clothing Selection and Honorable Mention for Fashion Revue.

She's Got a Way about her, Carousel Adv. Jazz

2010-07-02T20:54:00.000-05:00

Sarah's final dance of the night. The advanced Jazz students planned this as a surprise for the studio owner in honor of the 50th anniversary.

Kristen ballet performance 2010

2010-07-02T20:45:00.000-05:00

Kristen loves to move and make noise. She is always humming or singing or talking under her breath. She was on stage for the entire ballet and didn't dance until the very end. She had to stand still and not move for about 2o minutes. This was very difficult for her but she managed to do it.

Carousel Studio at Great America

2010-06-07T15:35:00.000-05:00

Every two to three years Carousel Dance studio makes a trip to Six Flags/Great America to dance for their Dance Contest. Both girls danced this year. Kristen to Sisters and Sarah's group to Sing, Sing, Sing.

Happy Memorial Day

2010-05-31T09:29:00.000-05:00

Awana awards night

2010-05-05T19:54:00.000-05:00

Kristen receiving her Excellence award from Laura Norman the girls T&T director

Kristen with her leader Di Wheeler

Kristen with her Excellence Award, you get this award after completing 2 T&T books (This is actually the 12th book Kristen has completed for Awana.) She started as a Cubbie

The award up close

Kristen's award is on the left, Sarah's is on the right. The award has changed over the past 6 years. At least we will never get confused as to who's award is who's

Kristen Desert Caravan

2010-04-25T20:06:00.000-05:00

Kristen had her piano recital today. She has been working hard to perfect her two songs, Coconut Shuffle and Desert Caravan. I had high hopes of recording the entire thing, but my camera decided not to work. Thankfully Sarah figured out what was going on and quickly whipped out her camera and was able to capture at least part of Desert Caravan. I really like this song as it sounds just like camels moving through the desert.

Sarah played her clarinet solo during the recital also, but alas I wasn't able to capture that at all. Of course my camera wasn't working and the battery went dead on Sarah's camera.

No one to play with

2010-04-17T10:25:00.001-05:00

I think that I just made a little 2 year olds day. Her older sister came over to see if Kristen could play and the 2 year old tagged along. I broke the news to them that Kristen is grounded, the older one then asked if Sarah could play. Of course Sarah isn't home, so I pointed out that Sarah's car is gone. The older one said there is no one to play with. I told her that I was sorry, but she could still play with her litle sister. The little girls face lit up, she gave me a huge smile and then turned to catch up with her sister yelling, yeah, lets play together. She kept repeating lets play together. It was so cute.

Tick Tock Clinton High School Basketball stunt

2010-02-07T20:40:00.001-06:00

Sarah was surprised to see me show up for her pep assembly for pride week. Sorry, not the best video, I really need to get a camcorder.

Kristen's 4th grade program

2009-12-16T21:40:00.001-06:00

The final song from Kristen's program last night. Only one more elementary Christmas program to attend.

NorthpoleNewsletter

2009-12-14T07:45:00.002-06:00

http://www.mdmgames.net/npnWalgreens/?v=KDcPbLMlfsciTr98iSjNZA%3d%3d

Check out the newsletter we received from the Northpole.

CHS sophomore cheer squad

2009-12-10T21:40:00.001-06:00

Another video of Sarah's squad

CHS sophomore cheerleaders half time of Assumption game

2009-12-10T21:38:00.001-06:00

Sarah's squad cheering for the girl/boy double header at Clinton High School

Clinton's Acappella Choir-The Lord Bless and Keep You

2009-11-12T21:37:00.001-06:00

Kristen and school song

2009-11-07T07:09:00.001-06:00

Kristen at the Clinton High school playoff game. My little cheerleader. She loves the fact that her big sister has taught her all of the cheers.

Meet Your Neighbors

2009-10-31T10:41:00.002-05:00

Every Saturday the Clinton Herald publishes an article about someone in the area, that is doing something special, but hasn't received any recognition. Check out this weeks post.

There she goes

2009-10-13T17:03:00.003-05:00

I just entered a new stage in my life. Instead of rushing to run Sarah anywhere or go to pick her up I just have to tell her to drive safely and call when she gets there. She turned 16 yesterday and of course her 16th birthday would fall on a Monday. The driver's license station is closed on Mondays, however they would have been closed anyway yesterday as her birthday falls on a federal holiday, Columbus Day. So I hurried home from school today so that I could drop Kristen off at piano lesson and then we went to get her license. It was so easy, no written test, she already passed that two years ago and since they didn't stamp her driver's ed certificate she didn't have to drive, just show the certificate, pay money and smile for the camera. Of course Sarah wanted to get home as soon as possible so that she could then driver herself to dance. It was such a strange feeling to watch her take off in that car all by herself. Part of me is proud of her for growing up, part of me is excited that I won't have to spend every night running here, there, and everywhere, and part of me was a little nervous as she took off in that car.

Drive Safely Sarah.

Sisters

2009-10-11T14:52:00.003-05:00

My girls are so different it is hard to tell that they are sisters somedays. Taylor Swift sings a song called You belong to Me. Now this song is about a boy and a girl but the chorus also describes my girls. Kristen wears short skirts and loves to dress up. She is really concerned about how she looks and the image she portrays. Sarah on the other had is most comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt with sneakers. She really doesn't care how she looks. Sarah is the cheerleader and Kristen plans on playing sports. Right now she has been attending Volleyball camp. She really seems to enjoy playing and wants to be the best. She also wants to play softball and tennis, even though I am not sure about her motive for playing tennis. Tennis players get to wear skirts and she will do what ever she can to wear a skirt. Sarah doesn't care about being the best, she is satisfied with whatever happens.
But she wears short skirts. No matter what happens however They belong to each Other. With all of their differences, they are as close as possible. Sarah watches out for her little sister all of the time, almost to the point of not allowing Kristen to experience her own problems. Kristen loves spending time away with Sarah and has a hard time whenever Sarah is gone. Yes, as the song says You Belong To Me.

I wear T-shirts
She's cheer captain
And I'm in the bleachers
She wears high heels
I wear sneakers
She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers

Clinton Football 9-11

2009-09-12T06:28:00.001-05:00

Clinton High Schools School Loyalty

2009-09-12T06:24:00.001-05:00

Sarah with the Clinton High School Marching Band playing the school loyalty song. Sarah is wearing the red shirt and shorts instead of the uniform.

Football 9-4-09

2009-09-10T18:33:00.001-05:00

Pictures from Friday Night's Football game against Davenport West. This year Kristen has moved to the sidelines for the sophomore game.

Take a chance on me

2009-08-11T21:38:00.002-05:00

Tonight was the 16th annual Carousel of Dance's Summer bandshell concert. Both girls danced in the show. Sarah was in quite a few numbers since she is a member of Design. Kristen was in only one number, but we are all very proud of her tonight. Many of the kids in her class took the summer off and then the other kids chose not to dance for the recital. Kristen basically ended up with a solo performance. This was a different dance then the one in June, so she only had 3 weeks to learn this dance. Tonight's performance is just another sign that my baby girl is also growing up.

July 25th 2009

2009-07-25T21:00:00.004-05:00

Today started off very relaxing, slept in for a while and then Kurt and I went to pick up the meat from the steer we purchased off of a friend of ours. So exciting to have a freezer full of beef. Can't wait to eat some of those roasts and steaks. yummy. In the afternoon Sarah had a dance recital at westwing. I had told Grandpa that I was coming to pick him and take him somewhere but never told him where we were going. At first he thought that I was going to have them talk to him about moving in to the nursing home. (sorry that is not my responsiblity, his kids can handle that). Then he saw Sarah in her costume and the activities director came over to ask if he had a grandchild dancing. Well now he knew what was up. This is the first time he has seen Sarah dance and she has been dancing since she was 3. After the show Sarah and I ran back home and changed clothes so that we could attend a wedding reception with Kurt and Kristen. The two of them went to the wedding and got home about 5 minutes after we did. Great timing I would say. Both the bride and groom are coaches at the high school (the bride also had Sarah in homeroom this year). Because of their love of sports they had the entire wedding party introduced like the starting lineup of a basketball game. They even used the same music that Clinton uses for their games. How very fun. Below is a short video of one of Design's songs. Enjoy

Clinton County Fair 09

2009-07-20T17:46:00.001-05:00

Just a few highlights of the Clinton County Club Show

Champion Cat 2009

2009-07-19T19:59:00.004-05:00

Introducing the Clinton County Club show champion cat Sox. Sarah was so surprised to hear the announcer saying that the Champion Cat belonged to Sarah Flathers. She has come so far from the junior 4-H club member who was devasted when she received a red ribbon for her cat. Since then Sarah has learned more about how to care for a cat and this year was able to answer all of the judges questions. Sox on the other hand could have cared less about her champion status and was just overjoyed to get back home.

County Fair Day 1

2009-07-16T21:24:00.005-05:00

Today was the first full day of the Clinton County Fair. We were there by 7:30 to help with Creative Arts judging today. My friend Penny came to judge the scrapbooking division (Thanks a million Penny). I did better than expected with only 2 reds. Found out that Penny likes horses, so I had Sarah grab a couple of pictures of the horses from the horse show. (These are for you Penny). Kristen did really well this year with her entries. This is the last year for her to exhibit in the open class division for 9 years. Next year she will be in 4-H and will have to put all of her entries into the 4-H show. She did enter 2 items in 4-H for Clover Kids and was judged without ribbons for this year. She did an excellent job on her conference judging. I entered several cards and scrapbooking items as I am always worried that there won't be enough entries. Guess I can stop doing that this year. Also entered 3 of Sarah's photo's as she had hit the limit for 4-H but couldn't enter them herself. She received 2 reds and 1 blue. In 4-H Sarah so far has 1 state fair entry, 1 state fair consideration, 4 blue and 2 red. 3 more items to be judged on yet this year. Came home around 3:00 as Sarah had to dance in East Moline tonight. Had a very quiet ride home, both girls fell asleep. Went back out to work in the lunch stand for Sarah's club. Was finally allowed to leave at 9:00 tonight. Back tomorrow for pedal tractor pull, share the fun, and fashion revue.

Conference judging day

2009-07-12T16:59:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was conference judging day for 4-H. Can't believe we actually had projects done and ready. A month ago Sarah hadn't even started on her projects. She ended up with 8 projects. She still has 3 to go.
Kristen was able to be judged for Clover Kids this year. The 3rd grade Clover kids didn't get a ribbon, but did get practice with conference judging so she is ready for next year. Both judges really liked Kristen's projects and said she didn't an excellent job. Sarah actually ended up with one project advancing to the state fair. Her leadership project which was about Clover Kids.

Soggy 4th

2009-07-04T18:56:00.004-05:00

Today was a soggy but still fun 4th. We went ahead and went to the Bettendorf parade. Usually the parade takes over an hour, but this year it was done in 30 minutes. It did seem a little strange not to have the bands and other floats be we survived. After the parade we went back to my mom's for a cookout. Sarah was thrilled to be moved to the adult table and Kristen was thrilled to be the oldest at the kid's table. Didn't have to worry about being bossed around. After lunch Kurt was chasing my niece Grace around. She is 2 years old. Finally he sat down and allowed her to "get" him. She then decided that "I like him".

Even with the all day rain, we were able to have fun and enjoy being together as a family.

Riverboat Days

2009-07-02T21:42:00.004-05:00

Both Kristen and Sarah were in tonight's Riverboat Day's Parade. Sarah knew that she needed to march with the band, but she was able to get Kristen in as a future River Queen Cheerleader. Kristen was thrilled to be in the parade and not over shadowed by Sarah. Look at the way she is waving her hand. Do you see future homecoming queen with that wave? Both girls had a good time with their respective units and are looking forward to their next chance to be in a parade.

Sarah's Dance Recital

2009-06-27T14:36:00.001-05:00

Kristen's dance recital

2009-06-27T14:35:00.001-05:00

6-17-89

2009-06-17T08:26:00.004-05:00

No words, just pictures from 20 years ago.

Life got in the way

2009-05-26T20:02:00.005-05:00

Wow, I can't believe how long it has been since I posted. In my defense life has gotten in the way. I will try to post some pictures of what we have been doing the past month.
Kristen finished Awana and received her first book award along with a silver and gold pin.
Sarah took Drivers Ed and passed. Now she just needs to turn 16. Anyone have a car they want to give to her?
Sarah had her final concert for both band and choir. She also made the 3.0 club and had an awards ceremony for that.
Sarah is now gainfully employed at Clinton Medical Pharmacy in Lyons. She loves working and earning her own spending money.
Of course we have also been attending many graduation parties. Can't believe I will be hosting is just a few years.

Easter

2009-04-12T18:59:00.004-05:00

Easter morning starts really early in our house. First up is Kurt at 2:30 so that he can get ready and go to church. He likes to be in charge of the Easter Breakfast and several other things at his church. Next up was me at 4:30 so that I could get Sarah up. Her ride was coming at 5:30 am so that she could finish helping with Easter breakfast. Finally Kristen was awakened around 5:00 am so that she had time to look for her Easter stuff and get ready before we left around 6:30. After church we went down to my Mom's in Bettendorf. My sister and her family plus my brother were already there. The girls had fun showing off their dresses. Kristen and Grace almost had the same dress. After lunch the little girls enjoyed some special playing time with their cousins. It was so cute to hear Grace yelling at Kristen to come outside because I want to play with you. Finally home and early bed for all of us. Hope your Easter was just as nice.

I have been tagged

2009-03-25T18:43:00.001-05:00

I Got Tagged !!
(4th Picture Taggng)

This is what you're supposed to do:

Go to the place on your computer where you store all your pictures and open the 4th folder. Open the 4th picture. Post the picture and give an explanation of what it is. Tag 4 people. DO NOT CHEAT!! You cannot edit or crop the picture!!

Okay,
here are my 4 blogs that I tagged
1.Missy
2.Susan
3. LindaLee 622
4. Sue

I have become my Grandmother

2009-03-24T15:46:00.004-05:00

My Grandma Holst had a pair of glasses that she had to wear for reading. One thing I remember about her is that she was always misplacing the glasses. I remember many times being asked to look for Grandma's glasses. We would always find them, sometimes on top of her head.
Yesterday, I took a step towards becoming that Grandmother. I have been wearing glasses since 5th grade and contacts since I was a sophomore in college. Now, you need to understand that I swore I was never going back to glasses because I hated wearing them. Contacts were so much better. For the past few years, I have had trouble with reading small print. About 2 years ago my eye doctor broke the news that I needed bifocals. Argggg. At least I could get them in contacts so I wouldn't have to go back to glasses yet. The past several months it has been getting harder for me to read small print with my contacts in. I actually discovered that I could read better when I took out my contacts. I mentioned this at my last checkup a little over a month ago. I was told that it shouldn't be too hard to correct the problem, just a stronger bifocal strength for close up reading. The new contacts allowed me to read just fine close up and I loved it, until I was driving or needed to see far away, now that was hard for me to do. I had to be almost on top of a sign before I could read it. Not good if you are driving somewhere totally unfamiliar. So it was suggested that I get reading glasses and go back to my old prescription contacts. So now, I can see things in the distance, and if I put on my reading glasses I can also read stuff close up and small print. I am going to beat my Grandma at her own game however. I am planning on purchasing 6-7 pair of reading glasses and placing them in strategic places. 1. My classroom, 2. My purse, 3. My car, 4. My night stand, 5. With my computer and where ever else I discover that I might need a pair. Any one with suggestions

First High School Layout

2009-03-14T17:23:00.005-05:00

Last night I created my first high school page. Still having a hard time believing that my baby is almost done with her freshman year of high school. Any way, I love how this layout turned out. Sarah not only was the manager for the varsity football team, but she was also a freshman football cheerleader. To make the initials on the bottom of the page, I use large brads, cover with card stock, used a rub-on letter then covered the entire area with liquid accents. This is the first time I have used the liquid accents, but love the effect that they have on the embellishment. Not sure but I might try printing a very small scanned version of her numerals and varsity letter to attach to the page yet.

Week 8

2009-03-10T20:17:00.001-05:00

8. What is one moment of Faith for you?
After thinking about this one for a couple of weeks, I would have to say the day after my dad died. I was sitting in a chair at my mom’s house. My husband had gone with my brother to buy a tie (he forgot to pack one) and my Mom and little sister were sleeping. All of the sudden as clear as day, I heard the following words. “Willy, come with me, your son is coming home and we are going to meet him.” Willy was my grandfather. I don’t know that I will ever forget that moment.

All about you in 52 continued

2009-03-10T20:08:00.001-05:00

I just realized that I have not been posting my entries for All About You for several weeks. I am going to do a multiple post here.
4. 7 decisions that changed the course of your life
a. To choose Love over a grad assistant and master’s degree.
b. Walking away from my job as a preschool teacher and heading back to the high school level where I belong
c. To become a creative memories consultant, sight unseen
d. Choosing to major in English education instead of Science. Way too much math in Science.
e. Deciding to attend University of Northern Iowa and pursue a degree in Education

5. Whose Life Have You Influenced Outside Your Immediate Family?"
Now this is an easy question. As a teacher, I hope that I am influencing many people. I have been privileged enough to have a few former students come back and thank me for the part I played in my life. What a joy to see a former student and have them thank you for the role you played in their life. I also know that I played a part in a few other girls’ lives. A few years ago I received a letter from one of the girls that had been in the youth group at a church that I worked with. This girl would always sit in the front of the van and stay awake on the way home from an outing. She would ask me all kinds of questions, about life and adulthood. I found out a couple of years ago that she would then take the information I shared with her and share it with the girls. Many of the girls made decisions about many things based on the information that I gave to CP and she shared with the group. I also hope that I am influencing my daughters’ lives. Even though we are in the teen years, I am sure that both S and K will take to heart some of the talks we have had.

6. Who are the story keepers in your family?
My Grandpa Holst was always telling stories about the farm and when things were built or happened. I really wish we had been smart enough to record some of these stories. One of the stories that I most remember him telling is about the time when his parents, my great-grandparents, added on to the farm house. They added the part that is now the kitchen and summer kitchen along with an attic that my aunt and uncle turned into a family room when I was in junior high. Of course, according to my grandfather this addition was added because Grandpa was such a beautiful baby.
I also remember stories that my Grandma Steinhagen told. While I remember many of their stories, I would love it if they could be back with us, sharing those stories to the next generation.

7. If you could freeze one moment in time what is that moment?
I would love to be able to have our family vacation to DisneyWorld back again. It was such a nice time. My husband wasn’t yelling at the girls all of the time, we didn’t have too much fighting between the girls, and I believe it was a time when we all had fun. Usually when we take a “family” vacation, it is when Kurt has meetings, so while he spends the day in his meetings, the girls and I spend time together. Disney was a time that we all spent together.

Scrapbooking at Grace Camp

2009-03-09T01:59:00.004-05:00

A group of us from church have been getting together on a regular basis to scrapbook. We decided that it would be fun to have an overnight crop at the church's campgrounds. We had close to 30 people join us. Everyone had a great time and we can't wait to do it again.

Concert Band season

2009-02-08T18:10:00.002-06:00

Today was the first concert for the year. The band concert was so awesome. Some of the music was so fun to listen too and you could tell that it took a lot of work to get it down. Considering all that has happened to these band kids they deserve a tremendous round of applause. They have overcome their problems and are stronger than before.

Cold is a Relative Thing

2009-01-30T17:25:00.002-06:00

This came in an email from school today. Thought that it fit
COLD IS A RELATIVE THING. . . . . . .
65 above zero:
Floridians turn on the heat.
People in Iowa plant gardens.

60 above zero:
Californians shiver uncontrollably.
People in Iowa sunbathe.

50 above zero:
Italian & English cars won't start.
People in Iowa drive with the windows
down.

40 above zero:
Georgians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves, wool hats.
People in Iowa throw on a flannel shirt.

35 above zero:
New York landlords finally turn up the heat.
People in Iowa have the last cookout
before it gets cold.

20 above Zero:
People in Miami all die.
Iowans close the windows.

Zero:
Californians fly away to Mexico .
People in Iowa get out their winter coats.

10 below zero:
Hollywood disintegrates.
The Girl Scouts in Iowa are selling
cookies door to door.

20 below zero:
Washington DC runs out of hot air.
People in Iowa let the dogs sleep indoors.

30 below zero:
Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
Iowans get upset because they can't start the Snow-mobile.

40 below zero:
ALL atomic motion stops.
People in Iowa start saying...'Cold enough fer ya?'

> 50 below zero:
> Hell freezes over.
> Iowa public schools will open 2 hours late

Week 3:If you could have changed one thing about ourself, what would it have been?

2009-01-25T18:22:00.001-06:00

This weeks journaling was a little difficult, it brought back some memories, that I am trying not to remember.

3. If you could have changed one thing about yourself, what would it have been?

This is a thought provoking question. My dad was convinced that I was overweight (even though I wasn’t) while I was in high school. Because of this he watched everything I ate and I had to have a weekly weigh in with him. If I stayed the same or gained weight I was in trouble. Usually that meant being grounded and spanked. Because of this I was afraid to eat and would starve myself so that I could lose weight to keep from being in trouble. This self taught behavior has now led to the weight problem that I have. Once I was able to get away from home and my father’s disapproval, I started to eat all of the things that I was denied. Now I struggle with a weight problem. I know that I also do quite a bit of emotional eating also, and I think that stems from those years also. I was never good enough for my dad. I ate too much, I didn’t start on the sports team, he didn’t like my choice of friends (by the way none of them were in trouble, many came from our church) I didn’t lay out in the sun every summer getting burnt (actually I was forced to every summer.), I could go on, but you get the idea. Not sure what I would have changed, but maybe the way my Dad treated me.

Week 2: What do you want to be

2009-01-13T20:00:00.000-06:00

2. What did you want to be when you grew up.
Now this is an easy week. I have wanted to teach all of my life. As long as I can remember I have dreamed about teaching. I used to play school when I was really little. My grandmother taught in a one room school and was so proud of the fact that I wanted to teach also. I choose to attend the University of Northern Iowa, since it had a great reputation as a teacher’s college. In fact the school originally started as the Iowa State Teachers College and grew from there. I have taught high school English and Health, preschool and now high school alternative and at-risk. I would have to say that all levels have their separate challenges and rewards. The key is finding the type of student that you want to work with and then following through.

Project 365

2009-01-10T20:22:00.001-06:00

I am participating in a year long project to journal the year in pictures. So as not to overwhelm this blog, if you are interested jump over to a blog set up just for this project. www.365flathers.blogspot.com thanks for looking

All about You in 52

2009-01-10T12:25:00.001-06:00

Okay, I joined another scapping challenge. This one is to create 52 layouts about yourself in a year. Since I very seldom do anything we me in it, I thought that this would be a good challenge.

I have the journaling done, just need to create the LO. Here is my journaling
1. Who Influenced Your Life the Most?
This is a hard question that will require some thought. One of the people that has influenced my life is my English teacher Mrs. Hultgren. I had her for American lit my junior year and English Lit my senior year of high school. She was a very demanding teacher that expected her students to perform at the top. She would push you until you succeeded. I remember one of her comments to us, was that no student of hers was going to go to college unprepared. Another teacher that played an important role in my life was Ms. Schwartz. She taught Rhetoric. How I hated having to write 20 sentences using linking verbs without repeating one. However, it was because of her that I learned to write an expository paper. Knowing this style of writing greatly helped me in college and later on in life. When I see the writing styles of some many people now, I cringe as there is no structure whatsoever to their papers.
Of course other people have also influenced me, but not necessarily in a positive light. I see in this list many people that have treated others or me wrong. While I won’t mention those people here, I do want to say that they have showed me the way to NOT treat people. Forcing people to do what you want them to is NO way to gain someone’s respect. Making fun of people also is not the way to go.
.

JYC Jan 6th

2009-01-07T21:49:00.000-06:00

January 6th Even good things come to an end
When I started this class it seemed like such a long time, and here we are the last day already. It has been fun to write about Christmas past and present. I will now be able to spend some time creating my layouts. Hope to have the album done by the end of the month. I am sure that we will really enjoy having this in years to come. I do know that I am looking forward to next year’s class.

JYC Jan 5th

2009-01-07T21:48:00.002-06:00

January 5th Putting it all away
We are working on getting everything put away. Normally by now I am done as we start to take things down on the 2nd of January. This year I had to work and then we were gone for part of the 3rd. Plus the girls wanted to help more when it came to setting up and now I am having trouble finding the boxes for the different items. Looks like the best thing to do will be bring up all of the boxes and then sort through them this weekend. While this doesn’t sound very fun, it will make sure that next year is easier to decorate.

JYC Jan 4th

2009-01-07T21:48:00.001-06:00

January 4th Notes for Improvement
1. Start saving money for Christmas NOW!
2. Address Christmas cards in July
3. Get Christmas decorations better organized

JYC Jan 3rd

2009-01-03T17:13:00.003-06:00

January 3rd A little better than the rest
I think that the one thing I have enjoyed the most about this Christmas season is the Peace and rest that we have enjoyed. Our vacation started with an extra day off, thanks to the weather. We haven’t had too many pressing items that needed to get done. Wrapping was done early, the house was clean, and cookies were baked, so we were able to enjoy some family time. I really enjoyed getting up in the morning without having to rush to get ready. I would come out to the living room, turn on the Christmas tree lights and sit and check my email in the peace and quiet. I am going to miss this peace as we now get ready to head back to the work and school world.

JYC Jan 2nd

2009-01-03T17:11:00.002-06:00

January 2nd A Childlike Innocence
I have been thinking about this topic for two days and have not been able to come with much to write about. I do think that even though I am almost 44, I approach Christmas just like a little kid. I get just as excited to open gifts as I did when I was younger. Of course now, I think it is because I want to see what others think about what I have given them. I especially want to know if I have given them something handmade.

JYC Jan1st

2009-01-01T18:40:00.002-06:00

January 1st Welcome to Something New
Many different ways to take today’s entries. I could write about how we spend New Year’s Day, I could choose to reflect on what will happen this year, (the only thing I am fairly certain of is that we will add a third driver to the family next fall) or I could make a list of resolutions. Think maybe I will do a mixture of all 3.
Resolutions
1. Do a better job of keeping the house straighten up.
2. Work on decluttering the house
3. Eat healthier. Goal is to make sure I eat at least 1 fruit a day and 2 vegetables.
4. Walk at least 5000 steps in a day. I know you are supposed to get in 10,000 a day, but sometimes I only make it to 2500.
5. Complete Project 365
How we spent the day
As usual, we had our tradition football bowl bash. Kurt makes up two pots of chili, one with beans and one without. I then make up several other types of munchie food and we invite several different people over to watch the games. It is nice to have a day where all we do is munch and sit around watching TV, even if it is football. It is nice to spend time with family and friends.
The next year
While I am not sure what all will happen this year a few things are already in the works.
1. Sarah is planning on traveling to Hawaii
2. Sarah will be able to drive
3. Planning on taking Kristen to Adventureland
4. Kristen will finally be able to join 4-H

Here is hoping for a prosperous new year

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T07:28:00.001-06:00

From the Flathers clan, we wish you a Happy New Year. May you have a successful year.

JYC Dec 31st

2008-12-31T21:03:00.001-06:00

December 31st One Last Night
Here we are the biggest party night of the entire year, it is 8:50 pm and I am already in my pajamas. It has been a few years since we have gone out. When I did go out, I prefer to go to a friend’s house and just sit around talking with good friends. No big glitzy parties for me. I was always ready to go home shortly after midnight anyway. I do remember one New Year’s Eve when I was in college. I was home from school for the holidays. The college group from church was getting together at a friend’s home. Many of the parents were also together. We spent the time, talking, getting caught up on what had happened the last semester and of course munching on food. One member from the group needed to make an appearance at another party and left. The weather had started getting bad, so he called us to tell us to stay put and not go home. Most of us checked in with our parents and they all agreed that the roads were getting bad and we should stay put. At some point after midnight we all began to fall asleep. The next morning the parents of the person whose house we were at came home to find about 20 of us all asleep. People were laying all over, on the floor, on the couch, etc. I am sure it was quite the picture. Looking back on it, I wish I had a picture. Not a single parent was worried about us as they knew we

JYC Dec 30

2008-12-30T10:00:00.003-06:00

Todays assignment was to create a year in Review. We choose the top 10 items for the family. Notice quite a few are of Sarah, but that is a sign that she is growing up and becoming an adult.

December 30th 2008 in Review
1. Family trip to St. Louis
2. Sarah made Football Cheerleader
3. Sarah qualifies for State Fair with two different exhibits and Share the Fun
4. Kristen’s First Piano recital
5. Sarah is confirmed
6. CHS football team made it to the first round of playoff
7. Kurt missed first football game in 22 years
8. Sarah was gainfully employed for first time.
9. Sarah travels to Colorado without parents
10. Sarah starts high school

JYC Dec 29th

2008-12-30T09:45:00.001-06:00

Today's assignment was to create your album cover or title page. Since I am in the process of cleaning the house for a party on Thursday, I chose to pass on this for now. Will take care of it after the holidays are over.

JYC Dec 28th

2008-12-30T09:44:00.000-06:00

December 28th Indulgences ( what do we do this time of year that don’t normally do)
1. Stay Up late
2. Sleep in
3. Eat Christmas Cookies
4. Stay in Pajamas longer in am
5. Getting together with friends
6. Spending time with immediate family
7. Sitting in the living room with nothing but tree lights on in the morning before rest of family wakes up.

JYC Dec 27th

2008-12-27T19:47:00.002-06:00

December 27th Sleep
What a timely topic. I came down with a little problem while at the restaurant last night and wasn’t able to get to sleep until around 1:30 and then woke up about every 75 minutes for the rest of the night. Went to the Doctor’s this morning and got some antibiotics. I came down with something else after getting home. I tried to get a nap in, but just couldn’t fall asleep. Kristen has spent the past two nights sleeping in the living room. She must really like to do this as she is always begging but we only let her on special days, when there is no school. I have noticed however that I am able to sleep in during break which is something that I never used to be able to do.

JYC Dec 26th

2008-12-27T19:44:00.002-06:00

December 26th Boxing Day
In the United States we don’t celebrate Boxing Day but we do have some of our own traditions. Many people take advantage of the clearance sales that start today and are out shopping picking up the rest of the Christmas items marked down at least 50%. I don’t jump on the shopping bandwagon. I really have no desire to fight with the crowds over some cheap wrapping paper or lights. Instead we are spending the day just enjoying the family. We all slept in late. I even made it to 6:30 am; that is really late for me. We have watched some tv, spent some time cleaning bedrooms so that we can put away the new toys and clothes. (I really need to clean out Kristen’s closet and see what either doesn’t fit or isn’t “qualified” to wear. She is really picky regarding her clothes. To get her to put on a pair of jeans requires force and threats. At the moment we are watching Emergency on TV. Hoping to watch Kristen’s new American Girl movie Kit and my new movie Wall*E yet today. We did get Kristen’s movie watched but didn’t watch Wall*E. Instead we went out with some of my Scrapbooking friends. Kurt hadn’t met most of them, but he still had a great time. We went to La Feria, I had never been there but the food was good and not too expensive. Hope to go back soon.

JYC Dec 25th

2008-12-25T21:06:00.002-06:00

December 25th Christmas Day
What a peaceful start to the day. It hasn’t always been like this however. Woke up around 6:20 and went out to the living room and sat with just the tree lights on. How restful. I decided to take a couple of pictures of the after effects from last night. In a little bit the rest of the crew woke up. Kurt and Sarah got ready for church. Kristen and I stayed at home and cleaned up the mess from the night before. We also cleaned up the kitchen and made breakfast. Kristen whipped up the coffee cake while I fried potatoes, bacon and sausage. Sarah called when she and Kurt were leaving church so that I could scramble up the eggs. We enjoyed eating breakfast together and watching the rest of the Disney Parade. (I almost forgot about it this year) We spent the rest of the morning watching Kristen’s new movie Matilda. Sarah loves this movie also, which is why I think she bought it for Kristen. Of course Kurt had to take his traditional Christmas Day nap. In the afternoon we watched Sarah’s new movie Mamma Mia. The girls danced to the show a couple of years ago. In between movies the girls spent time cleaning their rooms so that new gifts could find their new homes. Left for Jean and Marv’s around 4:00. We ate supper around 5:30, Turkey, ham, rolls, and mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, cauliflower & broccoli with cheese sauce, corn, jello jigglers, deviled eggs, and a fruit salad. After getting everything cleaned up we opened presents. Since I have known Kurt, his older sister Jean has always passed out the presents. Today as we sat down, she asked Sarah to hand out the gifts. Sarah was a little surprised to be awarded such an honor. Kristen received clothes. She was thrilled with each of the outfits from her aunts and uncles, from her oldest cousin she received some bath stuff, and she also received a butterfly watch from Aunt Jean. Sarah choose to enter the draw this year. Mary Kay had her name and purchased stuff from Bath and Body Works. She was thrilled. Jean had my name and gave me the movie Wall*E and a gift certificate to CJ Banks. Dean had drawn Kurt’s name and gave him two movies, Spiderman 3 and Fantastic 4. I think that everyone’s favorite part of Christmas this year was little Allison. She is Justin and Rachel’s first child and is 3 ½ months old. When I was a kid, my great aunts and uncles all seemed old. Now Kurt and I are great aunts and uncles, but I don’t feel that old. Kurt and the girls both took turns holding Allison, but I choose not to since I have been fighting a cold. Didn’t want to take a chance on getting her sick.

JYC Dec 24th

2008-12-25T12:15:00.003-06:00

December 24th Christmas Eve
4:56 Woke up early so I went out to the computer and turned it on. Watched Santa take off on NordaTrack. After watching Santa take off I went back to bed. Stayed in bed for about an hour and then woke up. Went back to the living room
6:30 While sitting in the dark on the computer Kristen came out. We turned on the Christmas tree and cuddled in the dark with just the tree lights on, watching Santa travel in Russia, New Zealand and the South Pacific Islands
7:00 Rest of the family join us.
8:00 Everyone is getting cleaned up. Plan is to leave for Grandma Holst’s house around 9:30.
9:15 left for Mom’s for the day. Took us a while to get down to Bettendorf. We took the long route since there was a snow storm. Hoping to avoid the country roads. Kurt and Sarah arrived about 10 minutes after we did. We ate lunch around 11:30 and then cleaned up. After eating we opened gifts. Sarah was thrilled to discover that she had received her own copy of two CD’s that grandma has in her car and Sarah loved. Kristen was thrilled to see a new crayola art kit from Aunt Beth and crew, plus a matching case for her scrapbooking stuff. Both girls also love the silver necklaces they received from Uncle Dan. He has a job that requires him to travel all over the world to the different army bases. He picked up the necklaces for the girls in Iraq. He also gave my sister and I necklaces with the tri gold from Iraq. After playing for a while it was time to leave for church. Kristen not only was an angel in this years program but was also one of the soloist. She did a very nice job. Once we arrived home we discovered that the big jolly elf had arrived. After a short wait Dad and Sarah came home and we opened the gifts from Santa. Kristen was thrilled to receive PixO’s, High Musical Game, and makeup. Sarah was thrilled with DVD’s Mamma Mia and Prince Caspian plus a new stereo. Kurt received a couple of Batman DVD’s, a Brett Favre book, an Iowa Hawkeye Football book and a special comic book. The comic book was fun. Santa didn’t leave it under the tree instead he hid it in the house and then left clues as to the books hiding spot. Kurt had to follow the clues to find his gift. I am not sure who enjoyed it more, Kurt or the girls. I received many nice things. The girls gave me some Christmas embellishments for my Christmas Journal project, and the movie Christmas Shoes. From Kurt I received a new pair of pajamas, the last two Laura Child scrapbooking mysteries that are out, a panther fan lives here sign for outside, some candles and room freshners, holiday grungeboard, a gift certificate for Scrapaganza (for a new paper cutter), Bath and Body soaps and lotions, two hallmark ornaments, and of course some bra’s. At my mom’s house, I received a new toothbrush (we all had new toothbrushes) a hallmark ornament (tradition) mints, pocket kleenex’s and chocolates in my stocking. From Beth and Dave I received a Party lite snowman candle holder, from Dan the bracelet I mentioned earlier and from Mom a snowman light up decoration.

JYC Dec 23rd

2008-12-23T19:45:00.001-06:00

December 23rd The Stockings were hung by the chimney with care…
I really miss having a chimney to hang the stockings by. When we were kids we would carefully hang our stockings above the fireplace (no mantel). The girls have stockings that were made by their step grandmother Roberta when Kristen was a baby. Kurt has a Ram’s one that I picked up and then he purchased a snowman stocking for me. Last year my MFL Secret Pal sent me 4 Disney Stockings 2 with Minnie and Mickey and 2 with Pooh on them and then this year my Secret Pal sent me a really nice red stocking with Mickey and Minnie on the front dancing and my name embroidered on it. The girls stockings are hung on the piano. Kurt’s stocking is also hanging from the piano. He has a Batman hanger that I also picked up for him. My stockings are strung on a piece of twine and hung from the top of the entertainment center. As kids I remember getting a tangerine in the toe of my stocking. To this day, I love tangerines, but think of them as a Christmas treat. When packing the stockings for my family, I always try to include an ornament or two, plus some candy. There is usually something else but it depends on what I find that will fit.

JYC Dec 22

2008-12-23T19:44:00.001-06:00

December 22nd Making a List
With only a couple of days, just what is left to do.
1. Wrap presents (Kurt is hard at work on this and should be done tomorrow)
2. Clean Living Room (seems like we are always doing this)
3. Still have a couple of Christmas presents to pick up
4. Get Christmas Cards ready to be mailed. (Just why do I hate this so?)
5. Make Turkey and Stuffing for Christmas Eve supper
6. Get Car started so that we can get out of house. (note here, finally had car towed. They fixed it on Tuesday said that it was the cold and this car can’t handle the cold.)

JYC Dec 21st

2008-12-21T13:17:00.000-06:00

December 21st A bit of reality.
Today’s assignment is to record how the house is decorated. I am choosing to use a series of pictures.

JYC Dec 19th

2008-12-21T13:12:00.001-06:00

December 19th Dr. Santa
As a kid we always wrote letters to Santa, but for some reason it hasn’t been as big a deal for my kids. Since today ended up being a snow day we are home for the day so I was able to get the girls to write a letter to Santa. Kristen was thrilled and couldn’t resist, but Sarah was another story. She grumbled about it the entire time insisting that no 15 year old writes letters to Santa anymore. She made her letter short and sweet. It seems that she only wants 3 things. I know that she is getting one of the items and one of the items there is a NO way she will be getting it. We will have to see about the final item. Depends on what we find tomorrow when we go shopping.

Dr. Santa,
I haven’t written to you for many years. It does seem a little awkward to be writing to Santa again, but I will try it. What do I want, not much just a few things. I would really like a clean house and some time to myself so that I can get some scrapbooking done. If you can’t get me that I will accept some books to read, some scrapbooking supplies (new trimmer, page protectors, adhesives etc.)
Thanks Santa,
Colleen

JYC Dec 18th

2008-12-21T13:09:00.002-06:00

December 18th Food
What would Christmas be without all of the extra food around for the month. Cookies, candy, munchies types of food, sweet breads, turkey dinner with all of the extras, it is a wonder that I don’t gain an extra 50 pounds during the month. I will admit that some of my favorite cookies and candy are ones that I don’t make, but that my mom makes. I love her lemon snowflake cookies and the butter toffee candy that she makes. I also like the traditional turkey dinner. I miss having the turkey done just before we eat it. One tradition that we almost always include is herb bubble up buns. We have been having this for our family meal for since I was in elementary school. My aunt Kathy introduced the bread to the family one Christmas and it has been included in every family meal since then. When the entire family gets together we need between 2-3 batches to feed everyone. I am getting hungry just thinking about the food for the month.

JYC Dec 20th

2008-12-20T13:35:00.000-06:00

December 20th Something unexpected came in today’s mail
Nothing to report yet, but still a few days before Christmas so hopefully I will have an entry for today. Otherwise I plan on using parts of all of the cards and letters we received in the mail.

JYC Dec 17th

2008-12-17T21:25:00.001-06:00

December 17th I saw this and thought of you
It is so hard to find just the perfect gift for many people. I love it when I am able to see something that says that person’s name. This year that hasn’t happened, so I guess that I won’t need to worry about giving away any secrets. I do know that I love a gift that is thought out and really fits what my personality is versus just giving me something. This is hard to do for people as it is much easier to just buy them a present from a list or give people a gift card. I do strive to give the perfect gift, but I am not sure that it always happens.