Evan's First Academic Team Meet {2015}

Before the crack of dawn this Saturday morning, our little family was loaded up and waiting in the middle school parking lot.

Evan and Stephen had their very first Academic Team meet. Uncle Billy, Aunt Kary and Emily all went too. The boys' team was competing in a Divisional Tournament in hopes of earning a spot at Regionals. We had to leave very early to be at a little town that bordered the Arkansas state line. Along the way, we witnessed a beautiful sunrise.

We also saw very tall rolling hills. There are lots of hills where we live, just not near this tall.

We got to the middle school that was hosting the tournament in plenty of time. I was a ball of nerves! I was nervous for Evan. I was also really worried that Addi and Karsyn would not remain quiet. I knew that asking a 5 year-old and a 3 year-old to not talk at all was expecting an awful lot out of them. The team was in Room B for Round 1. Evan didn't play in the first half. When he got up to play in the second half, he looked nervous. He looked at me and I mouthed, "You've got this!" That seem to put him at ease. He did awesome. He buzzed in and answered a lot of questions correctly. Their team won! Payton sat back and took it all in. I think one day she'll be on the Academic Team. Addi and Karsyn were wonderful. They spent the entire round coloring and playing with stickers. By Round 2, Evan's nerves were gone. His teacher left him in for the entire round and once again he did great. During the lightening round, their team picked "College Nicknames and Mascots." Evan knew every single answer and they swept the round in 42 seconds. It was awesome!!!! Their team won once again and that put them in the bracket to play for first place. I was so proud! I was also really proud of the girls. They stayed quiet playing their tablets for Round 2. We had to move to Room A for Round 3. Even though the girls had been good, I decided to take them out to the hallway to play Barbies during the final round.

We had a snack and played while the boys' team was competing. Pay snuck over to the door to listen for updates. Unfortunately, she didn't bring back good news. The team lost Round 3. The good news, was that they took second place in the tournament and that earned them a place in Regionals. We were all over the top excited! Here's the team. (Jason put these nifty stickers in place for me.)

To celebrate the boys' big win, we crossed the border and ate lunch in Arkansas with Uncle Billy, Aunt Kary, and the kiddos. All the adults decided that we wanted to form a parent academic team that has middle school questions. Ha!

For the next few weeks, the boys will compete with local schools until Regionals. Here's to making it all the way to state!!!

Pineapple Angel Food Sheetcake

I'm so sorry that I've been a little MIA this week. My computer is down. It should be an easy fix, but we have to wait for a part. Hopefully, I'll be back to posting regularly again very soon. Until then, I can post from my phone. It's just not easy for a long winded girl like myself.

Like every year, I make the resolution to get in shape and lose weight. I've been pinning recipes like crazy and found this great recipe. Pineapple Angel Food Sheet Cake is not only yummy, it's low fat and low calorie. It's also very easy to make. 

Here's what you need:

1 box of angel food cake mix

1 can of crushed pineapples

1 tub of low cal cool whip.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13 by 9 cake pan with cooking spray. Mix the cake mix with pineapple, juice included. I used my mixer on medium. I think you can get by with hand mixing. Bake for 30 minutes. After the cake cools, top with cool whip. It's very good and it smells great in the oven.

If you give it a try, let me know!

Tracy

Bidding Adieu to 2014

Well like most years, it seems as though 2014 went by quickly.  Especially the last half of the year...that seemed to really fly by.  Other than my normal lose weight and get healthy resolutions, I plan to be a little more festive in 2015.  I don't plan to do anything too over the top, but I do plan to make holidays just a bit more fun. =)  And with that, here's a look back at 2014.

January 2014

Blogging always seems to come to a lull in the month of January for me.  That was true the first month of this year.  We spent just about every Saturday during the month of January watching Evan and Stephen play basketball.  Addi and Payton took a painting class together.  We also spent an unseasonably warm day at the zoo as a little family.

February 2014

February was a big month for our family.  Uncle Chad officially adopted Jessi.  We were so grateful to be a part of that day.  Evan and Stephen's basketball team took 2nd place in the season closing tournament.  Since the boys hadn't won a game all season, they were awarded at school for having the life principle of perseverance. We celebrated Valentine's Day.  Evan MC'ed his school talent show.  Payton went on her very first non family sleep over.  We also spent some time playing out in the snow.  We went to Family Fun Night at our elementary school.  Payton, Addi, and Karsyn were excited to wear their matching sister coats.  Addi also loved showing off her new sparkly purple leo for gymnastics.

March 2014

In March, we watched Evan and Payton play soccer every Saturday.  We went to Missouri a couple of times.  Once, was to get Jessi and bring her to Oklahoma for a few days over Spring Break.  While she was in Ok, we visited the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History with our Uncle Billy, Aunt Kary, Natalie, Emily Stephen, Nana and Papa.  On the way back to MO, Aunt Becky and I had fun texting each other road trip pictures.  We explored Route 66.  Evan and Payton went on their first motorcycle ride. Evan went on a Gifted and Talented field trip and performed as Hercules in his class play titled "What Does The Mortal Say?"  We went to the zoo.  We also spent some time with our second cousins. It was a fun and busy month!  We took lots of road trip selfies. =)

April 2009
In April, our big guy Evan turned 10.  We celebrated both Evan and Emily's birthdays with a trip to Incredible Pizza with Nana and Papa.  The kiddos and I went back to Misssouri with Nana and Papa to celebrate Easter.  Karsyn and I went to Addi's class party.  We hunted Easter Eggs at Grandma and Papa's house.  We spent a lot of time at the soccer fields.  Addi was a cute bunny at dance class.

May 2014
May was a busy, busy, BUSY month for our little family.  Jason took a new position at work and it has had such a positive impact on our family.  We LOVE being able to spend more time with him.  Evan graduated from the 5th grade.  Addi graduated from preschool.  She was also in her first gym meet.  Payton and Addi were in their first dance recital.  We enjoyed time at the lake.  Daddy celebrated a birthday.  Together, we celebrated 13 years of marriage.  Evan participated in the 5th grade boys vs teacher basketball game.  We celebrated Memorial Day and Mother's Day.  Evan and Payton finished out their soccer seasons and had a great end of season party.  It was such a busy full, blessed month.

June 2014
School was out for the summer!  Payton turned 9 and Addi turned 5.  Addi and Karsyn started summer preschool gymnastics.  Evan went to a basketball camp and started playing a summer league.  We took a big family road trip to Branson, MO.  We also made at stop at Devil's Den Arkansas.  We spent a lot of time enjoying summer by going to movies, the library, the children's museum, playing at the splash pad and bowling.  We also spent a lot of time hanging out at the flip house pool.  We also went to Black Gold Days.

July 2014
Karsyn turned 3 years old in July.  We had a joint birthday bowling party for Addi and her.  Our decade long diapering sweet baby bottoms came to an end when she finally potty trained.  Yay!  Aunt Ashley and Jessi came down for a fun night of fireworks.  We went to Grandma and Papa's house for more fireworks.  Payton started taking a summer gymnastics class.  We went berry picking.  Evan finished up his summer basketball league.  The kiddos had a fun photo session with watermelon.  They also had all of their summer time check ups.  Papa and Evan hosted a World Cup Party.  Germany won!!!  We visited the zoo 2 times and rode camels.  The kiddos also went to VBS.

August 2014
We were back in Missouri in August to meet and celebrate our new foster nephew's birthday with Nana, Papa, Grandma Shirley, Grandpa James, Uncle Billy, Aunt Kary, Natalie, Emily and Stephen.  We spent a lot of time swimming at the flip house.  Payton became a glasses girl.  We learned a new normal of having 4 kids in 3 different school with a working mama.  Daddy's new position allow him to take the girls to school a few times a week.  We learned that it takes a village - Aunt Kary and Grandma Shirley and Grandpa James take the girlies to school some days of the week too.  Evan started 6th grade, Payton started 4th grade, Addi started Kindergarten, and Karsyn started PK-3. I was so excited to be her very first teacher!

September 2014
After a fun filled summer, we got back into the swing of things with our extra curricular activities.  All 3 girls started dance.  Karsyn was so excited to take her first class.  Evan started Fall Soccer. He was picked to be the team goalie. Evan joined the school band and started playing the trumpet.  Daddy helped Payton and Evan both learn how to play.  We went to Missouri for the last time of the year.  We got to go to Uncle Chad and Aunt Ashley's new church's first service.  Karsyn started Pre-K gymnastics.  I took Evan and Payton to play Bingo for the first time.  We welcomed in Fall.  Papa, Evan, and Daddy went to a few high school football games.

October 2014
Addi and Payton got to be cheerleaders for a night.  They danced and cheered in a high school football game preshow.  We went to the pumpkin patch with Grandma and Papa.  We celebrated Halloween by having the best time with Uncle Billy, Aunt Kary, Natalie, Emily, Stephen, and Leon.  We spent nearly every Saturday at the soccer fields. We went for a fall swim...in a heated pool.  Karsyn always amazed us with how brave of a swimmer she is!  Karsyn went on her first friend from school play date.  We had fun going to lots of birthday parties.

November 2014
I celebrated my birthday.  We went to loads of birthday parties.  Evan finished up fall soccer.  Evan and Payton started Art classes.  We celebrated Thanksgiving and had dinner with our extended family at our favorite Amish restaurant.  Grandma and Addi had a Thanksgiving feast at her school.  Karsyn and I had Fall parties at school.  We put outside Christmas lights out for the first time in years!

December 2014
We went on our very first Christmas carriage ride with Papa.  The kiddos got their Christmas pictures made...although I didn't get them back in time to make Christmas cards. boo!  Evan had his first band concert.  We had breakfast with Santa.  Went to our little town's Christmas parade and to the Festival of Trees. The girls all had class parties.  Aunt Becky, Uncle Eugene, Kellie, Kyle, Katelyn, Aunt Ashley, Jessi, Spiderman and Superman all came in for Christmas dinner and for our annual light tour.  We went to Grandma and Papa's house for Christmas.  It was a wonderful month!

I love that our little family got to spend so much time with family and friends over the past year.  I look forward to what all 2015 has in store!

Ringing in the New Year

Happy New Year!  We brought in the new year celebrating at home last night.  Payton and Addi planned a wonderful party for us.  I let them take the reins and that made them so happy.  Payton loves to plan parties and Addi loves to help.  I may have future event coordinators on my hands.  If not, I'm sure they'll always throw great parties. =)  When we went to Wal-Mart to pick up the party supply list that the girls wrote out, I let the girls pick out sequin dresses.  After Christmas clearance marked down made them $2.48 each! The girls LOVED being fancy. 

I made fajitas for dinner while Daddy and the girls decorated the living room.  They put up streamers and balloons.  We named Evan the game coordinator and he decided that we would play UNO.

Karsyn and Daddy played on a team.  She did an awful lot of trash talking.  Every times she sat a card down, she would say, "Got any grapes?"  It was cracking us up.  Addi was my partner.  She opted to take a few selfies while we were playing.  If you ask me, she's pretty good at it.

Despite Karsyn's trash talkin', Payton won big at UNO.  Then, she served us all a snack tray.

After our tummies were full for a second time, the crowd started fading fast.  It kind of happened in waves.  The littlest ladies were first.  This was at about 9:30.

 At 10:30, I knew when Daddy laid down on the couch that he was a goner.  Evan and I were on the other couch.  I asked him to scoot over a little.  That's when I noticed that he was sleeping, even though he was sitting up. ha!  I told Payton that it was just the two of us at about 10:45.  When she didn't answer back, I looked over and she was fast asleep in the rocking chair.  I was really tired, but I hated the idea of not ringing in the new year awake.  So, I set an alarm on the phone for 11:45.  I'm so glad that I did, because I fell asleep next.  Jason and I both woke up with the alarm.  He poured us glasses of sparkling apple cider.  We started 2015 with a kiss and a toast.  I think we were both asleep by 12:05. 

Since the kiddos didn't make it all the way to ring in the new year, we are going to drink sparkling cider tonight and let them do their party poppers.  Who says the party has to stop at midnight?  We had a wonderful New Year's Eve evening. I think next year that I'll let the girls expand on their party skills and we'll have a bigger party.