How was YOUR mud day????

It is raining.  No outside activity for papa. Oh well. Maybe he'll rest? Fat chance.  He is still sleeping. It is only 6:30 in the morning though.  I think he is having mixed emotions about this "retirement" thing. He is happy about not going in every morning.... but he isn't big on "change" and this will take some getting use to.   A chapter is closing in his life and a new one opening.  I just hope he isn't seeing this as his final chapter!!!!  If it is.... it will be a very, very long chapter!  i love how God works and has us where He wants us to be..... like where I am now. Total God thing and I am making a difference! I want Him to get the credit and glory, too!

Yesterday at school was good. I got our field trips scheduled with the bus and bus driver!  Woohoo! One is coming to my beach and sledding down my hill with cardboard (not from the top) and having a picnic!  It will be fun!  I am excited about it!

We took 12 kids down to the nasty mud beach!

We celebrated International Mud Day yesterday!  We took the kids down to the mud flats (beach in Liberty Bay). They had a good time!  It went different than I imagined, though.  I thought the boys would go crazy in the mud and the girls would be dainty!  Nope! The boys went crab hunting and the girls went crazy!  lol!  There are these teeny sand crabs hiding under rocks the boys were collecting.  The girls started stomping in the mud and by the time we left...3 put it in their hair! LOL!  Here are some pictures!

When they first got there they were clean!

Not so fond of getting splashed by the mud!

and the splashers!

Ms. Juanita getting a stuck little girl out...look how mad the boy looks on the right! lol!

They started splashing Ms. Juanita!

Mud in the hair.... ewww

 

Dirty kids back to school!

Time to wash out the mud!

She is cold, muddy and wet! lol! She loved the mud the most!

Can't seem to get it all off!

Always smiling...even cold!

Time to warm up with blankets... thanks Ms. Marcey!

 Today we have a firefighter coming in to talk to them about fire safety (we are focusing on that and the 4th of July... the mud was a little diversion).  The kids have been making decorations all week for our parade tomorrow through the Nursing home... all three floors.  We'll be wishing the "grandma's and grandpa's" Happy 4th of July with the kids, music, and decorations.  It will be so fun!!!!! I will be the photographer again.

Well.... I hope you have a great day... what ever you choose to do! :D

Weather to Expect:
Today: The chance of seeing a few showers. Temperatures on the cool side with mid to low 60s.
Friday: A dry Friday on the way. Tems will be hovering around 70 degrees.
Saturday: Mostly sunny day with temperatures in the mid 70s.
Sunday: With a few light scattered showers. Temperatures back down into the upper 60s.
Monday: Sun breaks out again on Independence Day. Temperatures rebound back into the mid 70s for your 4th of July plans.

And in 4 hours it is finished!!!!!

I am so, so very proud of my husband.  This morning was the last morning he goes to work at Bangor Base.  28 years of entering naval gates....and today he turns in his badge.  Seems surreal.  I cannot imagine the mix of emotions he is feeling.  I am feeling so much love and pride.  He worked hard and stuck with that job through the good and bad.  He said this morning "You have to do what you have to do.  The problem is some people think 'You have to do what you want to do.'"  That is a true statement. I am so happy for him that the day arrived!  He still wants to keep his 4 hours a day at walmart.  It is his choice... but the big job is done.

Now he has more time to run errands!

.... and take naps....

...and go to the beach with his dog...

He is going to love retirement!!! He deserves it!  He told me yesterday his boss, Steve said these words: "I have worked with Lanny for 17 years and in all that time I never heard him use a cuss word or talk bad about anyone. Now I am going to cry."   That is so true and brought tears to my eyes.  That is an amazing accomplishment in the work place.  I am proud of him!!! I am proud to be his wife and his children and grandchildren should be proud. I know his mama would be.

 

We will be having an amazing party for him! The day of his party is Karla's 36th birthday. That freaks me out!  I was just 36... there is no way Karla can be there already! Anyway....that night the grand kids are all staying and we are having an amazing slumber party!!!!!  Papa will bring out the fire pit for s'mores! The next day we are going to Tara's for Parker's birthday party!  He is turning 14. Wow. That boggles my mind! I don't know if we will make the fireworks in Poulsbo at mama's Sunday night or not (yes, Poulsbo celebrates the night before) and I imagine we will rest on Monday... the 4th. At least I will be! lol! Sounds like God is going to give us great weather! I praise him for all He does and has done and will do!

Today is  International Mud Day for children.... and we are partaking!  How fun is this going to be? Everyone is bringing extra clothes to change into and we are playing in the mud! It might even rain which would make it better!  A mom is checking out "how clean and safe" the mud is down in the bay.... so we will see if we have to create our own or if we can walk down there.  She brought it up last night. She is very environmental.  She agreed to talk to the kids about recycling at the end of the month! Yippee!  That is taken care of.  Pray for me today. The playing isn't the hard part... it is the cleaning up! lol!  It begins at 2 and some of the parents agreed to play too!  I remember when the kids were little....the kids and us built roads on the bank in the dirt and played with big trucks and it started pouring and we kept playing.  It was a good memory for them! Clean up was interesting because we lived at Shorty's and had no shower, one tub....and they got cold! lol!

I want to wish our friend, Lester, a very happy birthday!  We have known him for about 25 years now!  He is a great friend to Lanny and we love both him and Cheryl!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY OLD MAN (or Papa Smurf as Heather calls him!)

Hope you all have a great day today! God's blessings showered on you all! ;D

Just a Tuesday!

What a beautiful sunrise.  I love the view from my computer in the morning of the sun on the water. I love getting up early! 

Papa just left... Toby looking out the window.

with a flash....

I have to get my computer work done. This morning I am printing out a transformer, picture of bugs, McNuggets, Spiderman, etc... for the two "Stars of the Week".... their favorite stuff. Then I need to stop at walmart to print off the picture of them I took yesterday (works out better than my printer). 

Things are going to change at work.  They have decided not to hire Katie. Which means my job will change.  I will be working in my office from 9:30-1:30.... straight office time. Cherie will be giving all the breaks and lunches to Juanita and Hailley.  Which will be great! Then when Juanita gets off at 2... I will take her class (preschool).  Hailley and I are going to do merge our classes to do craft together, have snack together, recess, and reading.  Will work out great! Hailley and I love working together. So it will all be good!  I am actually looking forward to it!

This is Papa's last full day at work! Then tomorrow is a half day and he is so done! This is so exciting! I don't know who is happier.... him or me?  Probably him....lol!

I am really looking forward to the party!  People are starting to respond whether they are coming or not...knowing an approximate count really helps. Especially when serving food!!!! Weather is still holding out!

I don't have much to say except post a few pictures!

The only picture I could find from this date was Lauren at Fort Flagler in 2003! She is so cute!

Monday, Monday.... can't trust that day!

From June 27, 2008... one of my favorite pictures of Lauren playing in the pool!!!

From June 27, 2004 Parker's birthday party!

Good morning whoever is reading this!  I usually don't check to see how many read my post, but yesterday must have been a busy day for all.... only about 14 read it?  My life is a bit calm right now... which I love!  I don't have anything interesting to write about. Well, I don't even know that you can call it calm. Work is incredibly busy!  And getting ready for papa's party has us busy!  Yesterday I thoroughly cleaned the den.  It looks really nice, too. I have a place for my mama to sit at the party where she can see a lot and be comfortable.  I am bringing photos out.  I like it.  I cleaned off the dining room table a couple times... but stuff keeps piling on. And I cleaned the toy room (aka was Andrew's room... sorry bud, toys back in there.)  When you have a lot of people coming to your home....you want it to look nice....but then with that many people no one really notices.  Except the bathrooms! lol! 

Papa always takes time to walk Toby down the road to the beach. Toby whines with excitement when he sees papa getting ready.  He will love retirement almost as much as papa! ;D

The birdbath is old and battered, but I love it!

Lanny's mom loved these flowers. They grow every where around here. He loves them because she did. ;D

My foot is still sore, but I am resting it a lot.  We'll see if that flies this week.  Papa now has the same thing in his foot. (copy cat) Saturday he cleaned our 25 foot trailer. That is a job!

Yesterday he mowed and did the weed-eating.... watered plants and worked outside & in the garage. I cannot even describe how excited he is about retirement!  This is his last Monday morning getting up early!  Then he has tomorrow... and Wednesday he is only working 1/2 a day! That is it! I am so happy for him!!!! A new chapter in our lives. ;D

This is how Washington State rolls..... scroll down to see what the weather was going to be this week and look at this one..... how fast it changed! yuk!  All I care about at this point is next Saturday and it is looking nice past the 4th of July! Yippee!!!!

Have a great week!!!!! xoxo

Busy, busy, dreadfully busy, you've no idea what I have to do!

Beautiful Sunday.... beautiful Son day!!!!

Does anyone recognize my title? It is from VeggieTales. I love those songs! I love those shows! I am posting it at the bottom of my post! I hope you love it too!

I wanted to share these pictures I took driving home from Kingston yesterday ... Port Gamble was having the Civil War enactment they have every year and I grabbed some pictures. No time to stop. Some year I will check it out. lol!  There are characters all over the place!

There are tents every where. The people in the program camp as they would back then all weekend.

Even the kids and women are dressed up!

Up on the hill is where they do the re-enactment.

...and more tents!

Yesterday was SO BUSY!!!! 1. First we picked up Lois. 2. Then we went to Burger King. 3. Then we went to Albertsons for some groceries for mama. 4. Then to Rite Aid to get her medicines! 5. Then to mama's where we put away her groceries... she was happy with the brownies and stuff, too! I love my mama and that sweet tooth. lol! 
6. Then we took off to Costco to join again. It is like a Sam's Club. We haven't been in this Costco in over 5 years.  Things have changed.  We got what we needed and then some. Lois was done long before us. We browsed a lot. 7. After Costco we went to Walmart for some lotion and stuff for mom. 8. Then we had to stop at Rite Aid again for a prescription I had to call in for mama that they forgot! By now....my foot was KILLING me so Lois ran in for it.  9. Went back to mama's.... took her some pictures of her great, great grandson Bentley I had copied at Costco. She loved them!!!!  It is her first and only great, great one! She is waiting to meet him!

How could you NOT love this baby!!!! I can't wait to meet him either!!!!  Last time they were at mom's we were just talking about them trying for a baby.... and tada!!!!!

10. After we left mom's and we dropped Lois off we came home.  I about died.  I hurt so bad. I sat in my chair and fell asleep for 2 hours!  Papa washed the trailer.  I called Jordy, my grand daughter, who is in tournaments again this weekend. She was hit by a ball but is ok.  Hope she is ok today. They lost all 3 games.... but in their defense... they are playing teams "select" teams... teams that are older and better. Doesn't seem fair to me, but oh, well.  I hope they win today!!!  I won't be going any where. I really need to rest my foot.  I get up and do a bit of cleaning and then I am down again. Mostly resting.... I don't have a choice. :(

I hope you all have a great Sunday and enjoy all that God has given you! xoxo

Verse of the Day!

Joke of the Day!

Seattle weather for the week....

 Veggie Tales... the Story of Fibber-O-Loo! Your lesson for today! I hope you take time to watch it!

Great day at the Center!

ahhhh... Saturday morning!  Papa already walked Toby. We have lots to do today. Joining Costco again.... haven't been a member for years but Papa wants to....sooooooo....

Yesterday was a good day!  I left early and went to WalMart and printed pictures and got Gloria a gift. Today was her last day. We had a pizza party! It was fun! The kids loved it!

Ms. Juanita is presenting Ms. Gloria with a shirt the kids all drew on!

The kids having pizza!!!!

 After the pizza party and Gloria left.... she came back with her baby... about 15 months old and the cutest little baby!   I got to hold her for a few minutes until Ms. Cherie took her! Couldn't blame her. lol!

Next we had our guest speakers... life guards!  My friend from high school has been doing it 40 years... now her sons and daughter are lifeguards too and swim in competitions.  She had her son, Mikal, and daughter, Ingrid, with her.  The kids loved it.  One little boy loved it so much... we had to call him Mikal the rest of the day. lol!

Mikal showing how a life preserver fits.

Ingrid, Norene, Ms. Juanita and kids watching!

Ms. Norene showing how it should not fit! lol!

 Now, I want to introduce you to our staff.... my friends and colleagues.  I posted some of the following pictures on a little board to outside my office.  :D

Our kindergarten teacher, Allison, is on break to have her baby... plus it is summer! She will be back in September! I miss her already!

Ms. Juanita teaches the preschool age... mostly 4 and some younger 5's.

Cherie is our cook and so much more! She cleans and helps with the kids too!

Then there is the site coordinator that coordinates these people and kids. lol!

Our newest member... Ms. Hailley... teacher of 5 year olds... pre-k! She is awesome and I think it is going to be great having her here!

Ms. Teresa has been here the longest... she has become a great friend and mentor at the center to me.  She does so much... all the finances and ordering and more! Her job is huge!

Now you have an idea of who I work with! Marcey wouldn't let me take her photo. She said she never takes a good picture. whatever. Everyone says that, don't they?  But you know me!!!! I can find pictures of people!!! bwa-ha-ha!!!

A picture of Marcey (my boss and the one who hired me) in the middle. She is much prettier than her picture!!!!

Joanna is Marcey's boss!

And Chad is boss of all of us! He is the CEO and the one who complimented me the other day on the center!  Really nice guy!

Well, papa is out of the shower... need to go to Walmart, get mom's med's and go fill them, go join Costco and a bunch of other stuff!!!  Hope you have a great day today!