On Your Mark, Get Set, GO!

Wow! I can't believe I finally found a minute to sit down and write a new post. Sorry you had to look at those green pictures for so long! We just finished our big Mission weekend at church which has taken up most of our free time planning that. It's a really fun weekend where our church hosts missionaries for a Mission fair, banquet, projects and other activities. We've also been to a soccer tournament in Murray, KY where Caleb's team played well and finished in 2nd place! In the championship game, we watched the other team's coach get thrown out of the game for arguing with the ref! Then on the drive home I was pulled over by a policeman in Cairo, IL and given a speeding ticket! What a crazy weekend!

I think I mentioned before that Caleb is running track for the first time with his school team. He's had 2 meets and seems to love it! He's running distance so his events are the mile and the half-mile. He's not the first runner to cross the line, but he's doing really well and even shaved a few seconds off his time from last week's race! The only thing he doesn't really like are the uniforms and you'll see why in the pictures! You know he is still all about fashion, even while he's running!

Caleb is the 7th runner from the left of the photo (black uniform). That's his school in the background.

Sizing up the competition! Caleb is 3rd from left in black.

On your mark........

Sprinting to the finish line! It doesn't look like it, but there were still a few guys behind him!

Strickland Engineering Goes Green!

Our little cousin Abby along with the office manager Cathy planned a St. Patrick's Day party for Mark's office yesterday. We had a great time eating green cupcakes and cookies and drinking green foamy punch! The kids even had a shamrock maze to challenge the engineers and an office scavenger hunt. I think it might become an annual event! Thanks to Abby and Ms. Cathy for a super fun party!

Spring Has Come and Gone....

Just a few days ago Spring arrived at our house! The weather was warm and beautiful, the kids were wearing shorts and playing outside. So glad I took a few pictures because just as quick as it arrived Spring is now gone again--today it's cloudy, cold and snow flurries are in the forecast! Crazy!!!

The boys' Spring sports practices started up last week. That means we're living in our van once again each day from about 3:00-8:00 p.m. Caleb is running track for the Jr. High school team this year and still trying to keep up with his soccer team. Levi is still jumping for the jump rope club and will start running track for the city team next week. Caleb loves running about 3 miles a day but look what it's doing to him:

These last few pics are of Lydia with our little puppy that sits on our front porch. The kids named him "Jay" after our Grandma J. who passed away a few months ago. The kids gave this puppy to Grandma because the lantern in his mouth lights up at night. She loved it, so now Jay sits on our front porch. Lydia pets him every day and says Grandma J is thinking of us when he lights up! I know Grandma is happy that her puppy is being loved!

Daddy-Daughter Dance

Saturday night, our city Parks and Rec dept. hosted their first Father-Daughter dance. Several of Lydia's little friends from church were going so Lydia invited her Daddy to go too. She was so excited to get all dressed up in her princess dress, have her hair done and wear sparkly make-up. I had fun trying to figure out how to do her hair since I was too cheap to have it done! Daddy even dressed up in his tux for their special night! Mark was going to drive her in the van, but she wanted to go in Daddy's truck! She had a great time having pizza, decorating crowns and cookies, doing silly dances with friends and just hanging out with her Daddy. The night was special for them--I hope she still wants to do this when she's 16!

Spring Makeover!

It's March so Spring has to be just around the corner, right? Thought it was time for a little Spring makeover for the blog! Leelou blogs has the cutest stuff and it's free and super easy to do. It has to be for me to figure it out! Stay tuned for a slide show of the Daddy/Daughter Dance from this weekend. Lydia and Mark looked adorable and had such a fun night together. Can't wait to share the pictures with you, hopefully later today or tomorrow!

The Red Envelope

I found this idea on another mom's blog yesterday and thought it was really neat and super easy to do. I'm going to send some and I hope you will too. Go to this website to read more about the project:

www.sendaredenvelope.org

Here is all you have to do:
Get a red envelope, or buy a whole package at Staples or the party store to send out. On the front, address it to:

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
Washington , D.C. 20500

Seal the envelope and on the back, write the following message:

This envelope represents one child who died in abortion. It is empty because that life was unable to offer anything to the world. Responsibility begins with conception.
Even you, President Obama, stated during the National Prayer Breakfast " There is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being."

Put a stamp on it, then put it in your mailbox and send it. Then send this website to every one of your friends who you think would send one too. I wish we could send 50 million red envelopes, one for every child who died before having a chance to live. Maybe it will change the heart of the president.

Our Valentine's Weekend...

As you can see we had a fun Valentine's weekend! The kids had their school parties and then they were out of school for six days due to teacher conferences and workdays so we had lots of time to celebrate. Friday night the kids spent the night with my parents so Mark and I could have our date night to Outback and the movies. Thanks Mom and Dad! They had lots of fun going to dinner, making sugar cookies, dipping strawberries and playing Mexican train dominoes (they are now addicted)! Saturday morning Levi played basketball, we had heart quesadillas for lunch then went bowling as a family. Lydia beat us all and even scored over 100! The boys say she cheated tho because we let her use bumpers and not them. It was great fun till Levi hit his mouth with the bowling ball and chipped off his front tooth! Our good dentist friend took care of it quickly tho and Levi now looks like a new man! The last picture is from Sunday night's silly hat night at church. Lydia's purple cowgirl hat even lights up! I know it doesn't fit the valentine's theme but I had to share it anyway! Hope your Valentine's Day was filled with lots of fun too!