Shoot Me! 36 of 52

It is Thursday and I am participating in Carin's Shoot Me challenge. 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.

This is my school directory photo taken during school picture day! This photo is on the school's website and on my school ID badge that I wear every day at work. I cannot believe that gave me copies of this photo. Now what do I do with the photos that they gave me?

Take care,

Michelle

Gymnastics Parents' Night

Erica decided to not take dance this year. We didn't fight with her about it because it was her choice. But, the rule at our house is that you must be involved in a physical activity. As a result, Erica decided to give gymnastics a try. This really surprised us because she cannot do a cartwheel, but she wanted to give it a try. Her first eight weeks of classes are over and tonight she starts her next session of gymnastics. She really enjoys the class and has a lot of fun. I'm not sure if gymnastics is for her, but she is trying her hardest and that is all that we ask her to do.

The instructor told the class to hold this bridge while reciting the alphabet. If they fell, they had to start the alphabet over.

Erica walking the balance beam. Her good friend, Charley, is in the blue in front of her. I was impressed with her balance.

Justin watching Erica climb the rope. It was very hard for Ashlin and Justin to watch Erica while sitting on the side. They wanted to run and play on the mats and equipment.

Take care,

Michelle

Decorated Pumpkins

There was a pumpkin decorating contest at school two weeks ago and all three of the girls took pumpkins to participate. These are some of the photos of the end result.

Ashlin with her ghost pumpkin.

Cara's jeweled spider web with three spiders.

Erica's jack-o-lantern decorated with jewels.

This was another ghost pumpkin. Unfortunately, this pumpkin had to get tossed because the bottom went out. I had to throw another one out this afternoon because it was moldy. Hopefully, I will have a few more photos for Halloween.

Take care,

Michelle

Pumpkin Hunting

On Saturday, I was invited to a pumpkin painting/carving party at the home of one of the preschool students. Kadee's family runs a produce farm business. They grow pumpkins, watermelons, cantaloupes, tomatoes, sweet corn, etc. The whole (extended) family works with the produce. Kadee invited the afternoon preschool class to pick as many pumpkins as they wished.

This is one of the pumpkin fields. There were other fields of pumpkins also. We rode on a flatbed to get to the field. Justin thought it was so much fun. The dirt is sandy therefore, perfect for growing produce.

Ashlin with the pumpkin she picked.

Justin deciding which pumpkin he wants to take home.

Erica, Ashlin, Justin and Tyler painting their pumpkins. You could either paint or carve. My kids chose to paint. Kadee's mom also had snacks for the kids, goodie bags to take home and a ghost pinata filled with candy. The weather on Saturday was forecasted to be cloudy and cold with a 70% chance of rain, but the weather man was wrong. The weather was sunny and warm and we didn't get a drop of rain (we could really use the rain though).

Take care,

Michelle

P.S. Did you hear me scream last Friday??? Cara scored well on her Social Studies test. She missed two questions. We are very proud of her for doing her best!

Shoot Me! 35 of 52

It is Thursday and I am participating in Carin's Shoot Me challenge. 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.

Sitting at the computer a few weeks ago after work catching up on e-mails. Cara took this photo because I was so EXCITED about the grade she received on her Science test. Cara and I studied for 2-3 weeks for this test. I had heard from other parents how hard this test was going to be and we studied hard. We used flashcards, computer games, old worksheets, etc to study for the test. The test was on plants, seeds, the parts of a flower, etc. I wish I could have taken the test. Cara scored a 103% on the test. She missed two questions, but there were a few bonus questions that she got right therefore her grade was over a 100%. When she told me her grade at school, I let out a scream and gave her a BIG hug right in the school commons area. Other students standing around stared at us, but I didn't care because I was so excited!!!.

Take care,

Michelle

P.S. Today Cara has a Social Studies test over the New England states. I wish I could take the test for her. I was drilling information into her head last night and this morning. I hope she does well. If you hear a faint scream, it is me because she scored well.

Shoot Me! 34 of 52

It is Thursday and I am participating in Carin's Shoot Me challenge. 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.

Keith and I sitting at our table ready for dinner to be served last weekend at Spirit.

Take care,

Michelle

Spirit 2010: Part II

Every year Keith and I attend this event we leave the house with a budget amount in mind. In the past we have sometimes stuck to that dollar amount and other years failed. This year we spent more than anticipated, but we agreed that we bought items that we would use and are practical.

These banners were hung throughout the gym. The silent auction runs from 5:00 to 7:30. Different portions of the silent auction are shut down in phases so that you have a chance to bid on all sorts of items. The silent auction has hundreds of items to bid on. At 7:30 the guests are seated at their assigned tables for the meal. The meal consists of prime rib or chicken, baked potato, dinner salad, vegetable, dinner roll, and dessert. The event is also open bar all evening.

This year we were pleased to have the State of Nebraska's Governor and his wife in attendance at the event. The Governor and his wife donated lunch for 8 people at the governor's mansion. This item on the oral auction sold for $1600. Sorry this is not a very good photo, but our table was not very close to the stage for a good photo.

This is another photo of the VIP table that evening. The photos from that night do not do the event justice because of the dim lighting in the gym during the event. The gym is pretty much lit by lots of candles and lanterns.

On the silent auction you can purchase Norfolk Catholic sports items. We purchased this photo above. It is a photo of this year's volleyball team. The photo came with a certificate for little girls' volleyball camp next summer and a t-shirt from the team. Cara will be attending volleyball camp again. I ended up giving the photo to a senior volleyball player and she gave Cara a poster of this photo in exchange. We also purchased a certificate for little girls' cheer camp on the silent auction. Ashlin can't wait to go to cheer camp.

There are items on the silent auction for the home, such as this Peggy Karr glass plate. I did not get this item.

Each class donates a basket of items to the silent auction. This Christmas themed basket was donated by the 1st Grade Class. Many times the class baskets will go for $300 a piece on the auction. Cara's 4th Grade Class had a picnic basket theme, Erica's 2nd Grade Class had a BBQ theme, and Ashlin's Kindergarten Class had a Little Learner's theme.

This cross garden statue was in the religious/holiday theme category. I loved this item, but I couldn't figure out where to put it outside. Therefore, I didn't bid on it, but I sure loved it!

This painting titled "The Pope's Steps" was truly amazing. I loved it also, but I can't bid on everything that I want.

This table centerpiece I was given at the end of the night for all of my hard work during the weekend at the event.

This candle and holder was the item I got out of the $25 women's grab bag. The women's grab bag items range in value from $25 to $100. But, you only pay $25 for the bag. Also, you could purchase a 1 in 100 chance to win a Traeger Grill, you could purchase a $25 raffle ticket for the chance to win $1000, $2000, or $3000 in cash, and a $10 chance at a split the pot game valued at $1000. We didn't win any of the money.

But, we did go home with some other great items in addition to the two camps that I spoke about earlier. We were the high bidders on two tickets to see the Minnesota Vikings on December 5th (Keith is still deciding who to take along). We also purchased the camper rental again like last year (this was the one item that our kids told us to get again before we left the house for the evening). We are splitting the purchase of garden fresh produce for next summer with our neighbors, Scott and Nicole (all of us can't wait for this and we are plotting to make homemade salsa and freeze sweet corn).

And then our final LARGE purchase of the evening was $50 a week in groceries for a year. This item was donated by Affiliated Foods and must be used at one of their stores. Keith and I are very excited about this purchase because our groceries are pre-paid plus we paid less than face value for these groceries.

It was such an enjoyable evening!!!

Take care,

Michelle

Spirit 2010: Part I

Saturday was the annual fundraiser for the catholic school that our children attend. This year was our 3rd year to attend, but it was the 20th year for the annual fundraiser. In this one night over $100,000 is raised for our catholic school. Around the first part of September, invitations arrive in the mail. The theme this year was Spirit of the West.

The gym at the school is transformed into a night of entertainment for all. There are curtains hung on every wall in the gym so that the walls and bleachers are not visible. Then against the walls tables are placed displaying the oral and silent auction items. Then the room is filled with tables for the guests and in the center is the VIP table which is auctioned off each year and these guests get extra attention by waiters/waitresses, appetizers, champagne, etc. This is how a table looked Thursday night.

This event is planned for a whole year. The transforming of the gym begins on Wednesday night when carpet is laid on the gym floor. Then on Thursday at noon the decorating begins. A company comes in and starts setting up tables, chairs, hangs curtains, drapes risers, sets up a stage, etc. Then parish volunteers start setting tables, setting up auction items, etc. The setting up process continues until Saturday afternoon. Guests for the evening start arriving at 5:00 p.m. for an evening of fun. This pergola was where the VIP guests sat. This photo is from Thursday evening also. The pergola was an item on the oral auction.

A few months ago I was asked by one of the event organizers if I could be a volunteer for the event. One of the chairwomen had a nephew getting married on Saturday and they needed a person to take her place for the weekend. Jodene is responsible for all the computer work. She assigns bid numbers to guests, inputs RSVPs, prints reports for the kitchen on what guest is eating what, assigns table numbers, inputs all of the silent and oral auction items, etc. The list is endless. I was Jodene's replacement for the weekend. Thursday afternoon I helped put items together. Friday I sat at a computer 90% of the day and evening typing and Saturday morning I completed last minute items. I will help again next year, but I already said that I want a different job. This photo is one of the centerpieces for the guest tables. You could purchase a table centerpiece for $25 that evening. The lit candle was placed in the lantern for the evening.

These mugs held a black dinner napkin and a red bandanna. Each guest took home the red bandanna and the mug as a gift.

Tomorrow I will share more photos and details of the event.

Take care,

Michelle

Shoot Me! 33 of 52

It is Thursday and I am participating in Carin's Shoot Me challenge. 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.

Ashlin and I painting the bottoms of the pumpkins. Hopefully, we will have completed pumpkins by Sunday.

Justin had to be close to the painting project, but he told me to not get the paint on his clothes.

Take care,

Michelle

Pumpkin Picking

Last Thursday when we were at my parents' house the kids all got to pick pumpkins. Grandpa and Grandma Korth had a bumper crop of pumpkins. Grandma did not plant very many seeds, but the seeds produced many pumpkins.

Erica with her pumpkin.

You can tell Justin is on the farm. He has on his John Deere tractor shirt and Grandpa's hat. He helped Grandpa pick many pumpkins.

Helping Grandpa.

The pumpkins that we picked. We took eight pumpkins home with us. Hopefully our pumpkins will be decorated soon and we will have photos to share of how they turned out.

Take care,

Michelle

Ashlin Singing

Last Wednesday, the Kindergarten class walked from school to a nursing home to sing songs for the residents. Justin and I met them at the nursing home to listen before I had to go to work. Mrs. Hammond, Ashlin's teacher, said that it took them quite a while to walk the few blocks because the students had to pick leaves and jump over sidewalk cracks. Some of the students were very surprised to see me there. They forget that I am not just at school, but that I am also a "mommy". They were saying "Hello, Mrs. Leader" and some even stopped to give me a hug on the way by. The students sang songs about apples and bears.

Ashlin and her classmates waiting for the singing to begin.

No song is ever complete unless it has actions.

The Kindergarten class just completed a unit on apples in Science, therefore, they know quite a few apples songs. Ashlin learned about the star in an apple, different apples taste different, Johnny Appleseed, how to make crock pot applesauce, etc. I am impressed with how much she learned.

Take care,

Michelle