Shoot Me! 32 of 52

Today I didn't have to work because all the teachers had to attend an archdiocese conference in Omaha. Therefore, the kids and I spend the morning at my parents' house. The kids played and picked pumpkins while I completed a project that has been sitting in my closet unfinished for months. I finally completed new slipcover pillows for the couch. I am not a sewer by any means, but this sewing project was so easy plus my Mom helped me.

I have been slipping on posting and participating in Carin's Shoot Me challenge, but I am back blogging. Today is your chance to post a photo of yourself alone or with someone. Too often, I am not in any photos because I am the one taking the photo.

The first step of the project was to cut out a square of fabric that was one inch larger than your filler pillow. My filler pillow was 16 x 16 so the front square of fabric was 17 x 17. Then my Mom cut out two pieces of fabric 12 x 17 for the back panel.

Then I hemmed the overlapping back pieces with a 1/4 inch seam. Then I sewed the front and back panels together, snipped the corners, and put the filler pillows into the slip covers.

The two completed pillows are now sitting on my living room couch. I now can throw away my old pillows that look gross and needed to be replaced.

Take care,

Michelle

Keith's New Work Building

Last week was a busy time for Keith at work. He works for Nebraska Public Power District and they opened a new building in Norfolk officially last week. After a year of construction, their new eco-friendly, green building was ready for the public to view. On Thursday, the company hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Nebraska Governor, the Board of Directors, and other dignitaries in attendance. Then on Friday, the company hosted an open house for the public.

This is a huge solar power panel that sits outside the building. The panel rotates during the day so that it is always facing the sun. This is one of the eco-friendly items the new building sports.

This is the front of the building. Notice all of the windows used for lighting in the building. The floor in the new building is polished concrete to make it a green building. The building cost roughly 18 million dollars and it is huge. Around 70 employees work out of this building. Previously these employees worked out of four buildings around town. Now they are all in one building. There is room in the building to house all of the work trucks. Another neat feature is that when a truck delivers supplies, it drives right into the building where it is unloaded and then the delivery truck exits out the other side of the building.

Another source of power that the building has is these three wind turbines. They produce power, but they are also used for educational purposes.

The kids and I went to the open house on Friday and Keith gave us a tour of the new facility. Then we enjoyed cake before heading home. The building is so large and has so many hallways that Keith could get lost trying to find his office.

Take care,

Michelle

My "Big" Birthday

On the 18th of September, I had a "BIG" birthday. It was a day that I just wanted to pass and for no one to know about, but that just wasn't meant to be. For a few weeks leading up to my birthday, Keith spread the word to everyone just how old his wife was going to be. One of our neighbors told a group of parents at school, plus she told all of the teachers at school that I was having a "big" birthday also.

The day started cold and rainy and stayed that way all day. I ran the church's 5K in the morning and Cara ran the mile and then we headed home to warm up. The high for the day was supposed to be 62 degrees, but it never got that warm. I don't think it made it out of the 50's. After a long hot shower I settled into the recliner with my sweatpants on and covered up with a blanket ready for a day of football. I stayed in the recliner all day and night watching college football, which is what I could do every Saturday. Keith made a big pot of chili soup for supper and it tasted awesome.

Keith, Justin and Cara went shopping for my present and birthday cake. As you can see by the following picture, Justin got to pick out the cake. All I said to Keith about the cake was "really! Thomas the Train". He laughed and said that Justin picked it out.



My mom gave me the following advice on my birthday, "Don't think of the digits of your birthday, just think of it as one day older than yesterday." That statement made me feel a whole lot better!

Take care,
Michelle

Downtown Dash

Last Saturday was the Downtown Dash sponsored by our church. There was a 1 mile run/walk for adults and kids and a 5K run/walk for adults. Medals were given out for the top 3 finishers in each age group with a trophy for the overall male and female winner. Cara and I participated in the event. The weather on Saturday was not favorable. We had weather overnight of thunder, lightning and rain. This weather continued Saturday morning and the temperature was about 50 degrees with a cold north wind. It rained before the race and it started raining shortly after the last person crossed the finish line.

Cara and I after returning home from the race.

Cara running in the 1 mile race. She commented when the race was over that her shoe came untied and was about to fall off for most of the race. I am in the blue coat on the sidewalk cheering her on.

There were over 50 adult runners for the 5K race. I am somewhere in the back of the pack. I was there to just complete the race. It wasn't about placing. It was just about finishing. We are getting our final instructions before starting.

There were two individuals in the 5K race that truly left Cara and I in awe and amazement at their courage and determination. One individual was a man that completed the race. He was 80 years old and has competed in over 700 races. He was so happy at the end of the race. He ran across the finish line where his wife was waiting for him in their pick-up to stay warm. He placed first in his age group.

The other person to inspire us was a young woman. This lady had only one leg. She was involved in a car accident when she was 16 years old. A drunk driver crossed the center line hitting her car. At the time, she was a runner in high school. She had just received her running prosthetic leg three months ago. The last few blocks of the race she was crying and in pain, but her family cheered on to cross the finish line. After crossing she almost collapsed, but her family held her up.

Here I am close to the finish line. Oh, I should also say that Saturday was my birthday. Along the route, friends at checkpoints were singing happy birthday to me and people were singing when I crossed the finish line. I have no idea what my time was and I don't care. I just wanted to finish and know that I had completed the run.

Take care,

Michelle

Silly Bandz

How many of you out there have children obsessed with these Silly Bandz?

The kids in this part of the State of Nebraska are obsessed. Everywhere you go you see kids of all ages with wrists/arms full of these shaped bands. Whoever came up with this concept is making millions. These bands come in all shapes, sizes, colors, etc. Some even glow in the dark.

Last week in Cara's Weekly Reader Magazine at school there was an article about these wrist bands. The article gave the pro versus con of schools allowing them during school hours. At the girls' school they are allowed by some teachers and some teachers do not allow them. If the child leaves them alone the bands are allowed, otherwise the bands must stay home or in their backpack. The main purpose of these bands is to trade them with friends.

I find it rather amusing that boys are wearing and liking them just as much as girls. Justin even wears them to daycare. He thinks they are cool! Justin is only 2 years old (does he even know what cool means?)!

So what is your take on this latest craze sweeping the nation?

Take care,

Michelle

Grandparents' Day Lunch

In honor of Grandparents' Day yesterday, today at school, grandparents could come and eat lunch with their grandchildren. The menu today for lunch was supposed to be hot dog, but since it was a special day the menu was changed to chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, peaches, and a dinner roll. The turnout was awesome. The kids were so excited to have someone there to eat with them and the grandparents were thrilled to eat with their grandchildren. Grandma Korth came and had lunch with the girls today.

Grandma had to stay for two lunch periods because Cara and Erica eat first lunch and Ashlin eats second lunch. She didn't mind staying for both lunch periods.

Cara eating lunch with Grandma Korth.

Erica with Grandma Korth

Take care,

Michelle

The County Fair

Every year the Knox County Fair falls the weekend before school starts. My kids know that we will attend the fair on Saturday for wristband afternoon. Our four kids ride the carnival rides for almost the entire five hours of wristband afternoon. They go from ride to ride having a grand time all afternoon. They may take brief breaks for snacks and drinks, but they love going to the fair. We look at the animals, the tractors, the 4-H exhibits, the school artwork, etc. Then when everyone is too hot and tired to go anymore, we head to Grandpa and Grandma Leader's house to cool off and play. Keith's parents live in Bloomfield which is where the Knox County Fair is held. This year when we were leaving Erica and Cara both remarked that they may have gone on one too many rides because their stomachs were a little upset.

Justin and Ashlin riding the dragons together.

A ride on the train.

The merry-go-round. You are never too big to ride this one.

I can't remember what this ride was called, but the thing they are in spun around. Ashlin is also on this ride with Cara and Erica, but you can't see her.

Take care,

Michelle

The Latest

I have been absent from the land of blog for over a week. A week ago Friday, the computer crashed due to a virus. Therefore, our household spent last weekend and the first half of last week minus a computer since it had to go in for repair. You don't realize how much you use your computer until you are without one. The computer repair man told Keith that they cannot keep up right now with all of the computer repairs due to viruses. But, the computer is back and Keith has gotten everything reinstalled and we are set to go again.

Update on the new job, "Every day is a new adventure in the land of preschool"! A few people have asked me what that means. Does that exclamation mean that I love my job or does that exclamation mean that I don't like my job? Well, it means both. There are good and bad moments every day just like any other job. I love the hours of my job - 11:15 - 3:15 every day Monday through Friday. I could tell you lots of stories about what they say and do. Without the students telling me how old they were, I could tell who was 4 years old almost 5, who had just turned 4 years old, and who was 3 years old almost 4. It is so obvious by the way they interact with others, listen and follow directions, there physical make up, etc. You have to vary your expectation based on the age difference between an almost 5 year old and a 3 year old. That is two years difference and that is a lot of difference at that age. After being in the preschool room for two weeks, I am so glad that the State of Nebraska changed the cut-off date for Kindergarten of being 5 years old from October 15th to July 31st starting next school year.

I have very busy with the students learning songs, reading books about farm animals, coloring, learning prayers, learning Bible stories, playing at recess time, learning letters and sounds, etc. The list of activities in three hours of preschool is endless. Singing songs with actions might be my favorite though.

One little boy in class called me "Mrs. Lola" for the first week of class. I think he heard how to say my name wrong, but he has since started calling me "Mrs. Leader". This same little boy is obsessed with trains and it is the first item that he plays with each day. Another little boy is obsessed with the flag. He loves to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. He knows to stand with his hand on his heart and the other arm behind his back. His mom told us that if you ever drive past their home and you see them marching up and down the driveway holding a flag, it is because he loves the flag. Each student has his/her own personality and it is an enjoyment getting to know each of them.

Take care,
Michelle