Why I haven't blogged in forever

 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.

Gratitude day 3

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. 

A Trip back in time

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

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.

Awana awards night

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

Sisters

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

Football 9-4-09

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