A Group Of Stahrs

Our Family Life…All Together

11 Sep 2012
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Hero Day

Today was Hero Day at school.  The teachers and students put on a little ceremony honoring the local firefighters, police, and military.  It was pretty special.  While walking into the school, I took a picture of the pinwheels for peace the students made…and the heroes vehicles…

The students sang a few songs with a slide show and special speakers.The kids all made homemade cards for the various heroes which they handed out as the heroes paraded around the school.Then the kids joined Dad in the reception area for some juice and cake.It was a special way to remember.

Posted in Adventures and tagged
04 Sep 2012
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Board Break-A-Thon

Every year the U.S. Taekwondo Center raises money by breaking boards for local charities.  This year our goal is to raise $50,000 for the Memorial Hospital for Children.  The Board Break-A-Thon is on September 15.  If you are in the area and want to watch us break some boards, come to the City Auditorium (doors open at 9:30).  It’s a free event!  And for a small donation, you can break a board too, if you want to try it out.

So here’s the real deal.  Mazie, Jamie, and I are breaking 5 wooden boards each.  We are also competing between each other to see who can reach $200 first.  So far the girls have $25 each and I’m straggling behind with $10.

The break-a-thon has been so much fun in the past.  There are special demonstrations and some surprise guests.  There is also a silent auction.  I hear that Stahrs Cakes is donating a few goodies, in case you want to bid ;-)!

Ok so here’s how you donate…

1.  You can send a check (made out to Memorial Hospital for Children) and send it to us and we will make sure it gets to the break-a-thon.

2. You could send us cash.

3.  You could go online.  Just make sure you state who you are donating on behalf (like the girls or all of us specifically).  Also, if you can shoot me an email letting me know you have donated on our behalf that would be great.

On the website, the tax id # is listed, in case you need it.

Thanks, in advance, to those of you who donate.  We appreciate it and we will be having fun next Saturday breaking the boards!

Posted in Adventures, Taekwondo and tagged
30 Aug 2012
2 Comments

The Big Dog Brag

Jeremiah and I thought it would be fun to sign up the whole family for a mud run.  There happened to be one close to our house that was kid friendly.  The Big Dog Brag was the name of the event.  We opted for the 2k so the kids could do it with us.  They were all so excited about doing an obstacle course.  Jacob was the one who was hesitant at first about the whole thing.  He was so worried that the mud would be just too much.  It wasn’t until after I told him that we were supposed to end up very muddy at the end of the race that he started getting excited.

Here is a before picture of the clean kids…I have to say it was a long 1.25 mile.  It was a hot, sunny day.  There were so many people doing the run that we ended up waiting in line as most of the obstacles.  It was the first year and there were a few kinks that I’m sure will be smoothed out before next year’s race.  We had so much fun though.  Our first obstacle was a mud slide.  Jamie and I went down together, holding hands, because I was the chicken.  We ended up so filthy and muddy.  It was awesome.  I washed my hair three times before I felt like the mud was completely out!

Our filthy family…And our no longer running shoes…We really did have a great time.  It is something we will be doing again!

Posted in Adventures and tagged ,
24 Aug 2012
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Jacob’s Turn

It’s Friday!  Jacob is loving full day kindergarten.  He comes home with all his class work and is so proud of himself.  He is exhausted by the time we get home, however.  It’s been an adjustment.  But he does love it.  In fact, when the kids had off (yes, that’s right three days off after going to school for a week!) for literacy testing, he was so upset.  He couldn’t figure out why they could just test them during the day.

None of my kids have ever been criers.  You know, the kids who are screaming for their mamas or dads at the beginning of the day.  While I am so glad they never have been and feel for the parents who have to go through all that, it still tugs a little that none of them have ever missed me.  I do get a hug from each of them when they leave and a hug when we meet again at the end of the day.  This is what I get instead…This cute little stinker just unloads his stuff right in the middle of where ever he feels…Typically right in the middle of the kitchen, right in the way of the bathroom which everyone seems to need to use as soon as we get in the door.  But he is so excited about telling me about his day and I’m way too excited to suck up all his attention.  How am I supposed to tell him to stop a sec and move away from the door?Would you be able to do it?  Yeah, me neither.

Posted in Kids and tagged
22 Aug 2012
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Wednesdays with Jamie

Jamie had an assignment of making a newspaper-like poster for her class.  Each week a different student is selected to be the Star Student of the Week.  Their poster is displayed for the class to see all week long.  There are fun facts about the students on these papers.  It’s a fun project.

So while Jamie was working on her poster, I snapped a few of her deep in concentration.She happened to be working on the “Meet My Hero” part of the paper.  Her hero happens to be her dad.  She drew a picture of him and explained why he was her hero.  It took some serious concentration.  Check out the tongue hanging out…Do you happen to see the new glasses?  Yep, new school accessory.  She loves them.  She only has to wear them to see the board and to read but that’s how mine started out in third grade.  I guess one of the kids was bound to have bad eyes like their mama.  But, again, she loves them and takes such good care of them.

It took her about 30 minutes to pick out a pair of frames.  I’m pretty sure the technician was secretly wishing we would have come on her day off but she was patient, nonetheless.  I think they look good on her…tongue hanging out and all…

Posted in Kids and tagged
20 Aug 2012
2 Comments

Mazie Monday

Have I mentioned that Mazie signed up for band?  Well, she did and wanted to play the flute.  So we took my old flute to the music store to have the key pads replaced and it polished up for her.  Mazie was so excited to get started on it.

When school started they didn’t need to bring their instruments until the following week.  So last Monday was easily Mazie’s favorite day of the year because she was taught to put the flute together and actually blow a sound out of it.  Then came Tuesday when she was taught her very first note.  She worked on new things all last week and spent time this weekend showing off her mad skills on Skype…Mazie has been so excited about making music.  She’s actually not bad for making her first note last week!  She’s already on to piecing several notes together with rests while keeping a beat and counting…I’m pretty impressed.  She has mentioned that band is her favorite class each day.  She asked me for help on a note today and asked if I could play it for her so she could hear it.  While I am not conditioned to play for long periods of time anymore, I was able to do a scale for her.  She was pretty impressed, I think.Band, both concert and marching, were so important to me when I was in school.  I am so glad I get to share a little of that with Mazie.  It’s nice to see her so excited, even more than she gets with algebra II or science!  So I tell her to keep up all the tooting.  It will all pay off soon.

Posted in Kids and tagged , ,
13 Aug 2012
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July

The post is about the rest of our summer since we only have two months before schools starts.  July 4th was kind of uneventful due to the fires.  Firework shows were cancelled so I tried to celebrate with the kids.  I made star-shaped sandwiches for lunch…I dipped some ice cream sandwiches in some patriotic sprinkles and the kids thought it was pretty cool (pun totally intended) ;-)!Jeremiah and I celebrated 13 years of marriage (and 17+ years of dating, 3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 different states, many memories and lots to look forward to) with a night out for just the two of us.  I love you, Jeremiah!The kids had lots of time to play in the sprinklers this summer with it being so hot most of the time.  I love this picture.  Jacob typically stays out of the water just enough so he can really get his sisters soaked…the little stinker…We also took a day to go to the Denver zoo.  It was a nice sunny (but very hot) day.   Jacob blurted out the differences between Bactrian and dromedary camels and noted that while they were not full of water the Bactrian camel has a B with two humps and the dromedary has only one hump. Mazie and Jamie thought this looked like the giraffes were out at recess or on a lunch break at school…The kids were really looking forward to seeing the polar bear and the flamingos.  The polar bear was sleeping in the shade of a corner in his little cave so he was kind of a disappointment.  The flamingos were a hit though…On a crafty day, the kids decided to try their hand at papier-mache.  They wanted to make bowls.  So Jeremiah blew up a few balloons and the kids went to work…

The bowls took a few days to dry but the kids were pleased with their handiwork.

July wasn’t full of things for us to do.  Instead it was a nice relaxing month of lots of family time.  Just what we needed before school started!

Posted in Adventures, Random
03 Aug 2012
2 Comments

Back To School: Part Two

Today was Mazie’s first day of middle school.  She couldn’t wait to see who was in her classes and meet all her teachers.  She was so excited.  I was excited for her…and nervous.  But she made it through the day (and so did I :-))!Mazie happens to love all her classes especially band.  Yep, that’s right.  She’s decided to try out Mom’s old (refurbished) flute.  *Insert pride here*I think middle school will be fun.   She apparently thinks it’s fun already since the minute we got home from school she had to call Pop Pop to tell him about her first big day!

It’s moments like those that I really miss her being her squeaky-voiced, curly-haired, two-year old self.  *sigh*

Posted in Kids and tagged
02 Aug 2012
3 Comments

Back To School: Part One

Today we headed back to school.  Mazie went to a team building day with the other new sixth graders but wanted tomorrow to be documented as her first official day of school.  She didn’t have classes today so she couldn’t justify counting it as her first day.

Jamie entered third grade and was the big sister on campus since Mazie was no long at the school.  She took her big sister duties seriously and let me know that she was watching out for her little brother!  Jamie was so excited to start school.She picked out a purple dress complete with purple dangly earrings which coordinated nicely with her tan wedge sandals and sparkly grey backpack.  It’s all about the fashion for third graders, didn’t you know?  She was so happy when I picked her up after school.  Those who know Jamie know she isn’t much of a talker but she didn’t stop talking about her first day.  It’s nice to hear her so animated about school!

Jacob was the one I was worried most about.  I wasn’t really ready for him to be going all day every day.  I thought I had another year of him being home with me for half the day without the girls.  But the district decided to change their kindergarten program to free all day school.  Jacob couldn’t have been more excited.  In fact, when we got there this morning, other students were organizing their supplies and he was trying to be patient.  He put his head down on his desk and said, “When are we going to start learning!”When I picked him up at the end of the day, I asked how his day was.  He answered, “Interesting”.  He was so tired.  After he got his second wind though he told me all about it.  He said he learned so much that instead of going back to kindergarten tomorrow he was ready to go on to first grade.  Then he said he was joking that he liked kindergarten and would just stay there.

Last week when I asked the kids what they wanted for their back to school supper, Mazie said spaghetti and meatballs, Jamie said fettuccine alfredo, and Jacob said chicken, noodles, and broccoli.  Since I actually didn’t have time (or desire) to make all three of those meals, I decided to opt for the easier route of Noodles & Co to rescue me.  I decided to make a treat instead.  You can read about the treat on the business blog which is going to be updated more regularly now that my husband found all my pictures!

Posted in Kids and tagged
31 Jul 2012
1 Comment

Ten on Tuesday

1.  School starts for the kids on Thursday!  They are so excited.  Jacob can’t wait to be at school all day.  Jamie can’t wait to be the big kid at school.  Mazie can’t wait for middle school.

2.  I’m a little worried about middle school.  It’s scares me.  I’m not sure if it’s because I didn’t have a middle school to go to or if Mazie’s just so small or if I’m just being a mom.  Does anyone wanna help me out?

3.  I’m a little worried about Jacob going all day long.  I’m mean, I’m sure he’s ready.  I’m just afraid for him at lunch.  The girls didn’t have all day kindergarten.  I’m also a little worried about what I’m supposed to do all day long.  (Again, with the help?)

4.  I have to say I’m a little worried about Jamie being out in the modular buildings and not in the school.  The district didn’t build the school big enough for all the students.  Third grade gets to be out in the modulars (and I think one 4th grad class).  She’s just so small.  But Mazie was fine being out there in third grade so I guess Jamie will be too, right?  (OK that one I’m just being a mom)

5.  We’ve had a lovely two months of summer.  It’s been crazy hot but we’ve done a few family outings here and there.  I’ll post July events soon.  Quite a few of our outings I just didn’t take the camera.  I just enjoyed them instead of stressing about getting pictures.  And this year, I’m ok with that.

6.  Did I mention that I have the best husband?  Well, I do.  You remember my computer woes back in May.  It took until the end of June for Best Buy’s Geek Squad to do a data recovery and find pictures that I was so afraid that I had lost.  Pictures from my date with Jacob, Jamie’s birthday party, most of May things.  I was devastated that those pictures might not be there.  We received the external drive back and I just couldn’t bring myself to open the recovered files.  Jeremiah decided to look for himself and found everything I was worried about!  I could have cried when he said the pictures were all there.  I’m no photographer but my pictures are still very important to me.

7.  Which makes me rethink some of our adventures this summer that I didn’t take the camera…

8.  The girls and I went for our annual back-to-school pedicures today.  I love watching the girls get pampered.  They are fun to watch.

9.  Tomorrow is their back-to-school dental check up.  They are all so excited about having polished teeth for school.

10.  It’s funny how I started and ended with back to school things.  I didn’t try that.  More to come of our summer adventures.

Happy Tuesday!

Posted in Random

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