November

My final view of Indianapolis.

It was one of the best weeks of my year!

 

 

 "Aunt Lizzy, you need to take a picture of my mohawk."

 

 

LOVE my parents & sister!

(well really, I love ALL three of my sisters, but Sarah was the only one in this pic. She's amazing!)

 

Good ole family movie night =)

Brings back a LOT of fun memories!

 

Micah was still waking up.

So daRn cute!

 

Snoopy's bed is a great place to just relax! ;-)

 

Uncle Abraham was a favorite!

 

Abraham surprised Momma by bringing her some turkey skin after it was baked.

Finger lickin good!

...well, at least that is what Momma says!

I won't try it ;)

 

Momma gives the best cuddles!

Micah is a Momma's boy!

Katie is an amazing mom of 3...#3 should be arriving May 19!

 

The "Child Whisperer" (also known as Lauren) helped Micah see how funny a vacuum sucking your hand can be!

 

Papaw & Super Man paying the bills!

You can only call Nolan by his name if his pajamas aren't on.

If he has the pajamas without the cape, he will only answer to "Clark Kent"

If the cape is on, "Super Man!"

He is hilarious!

 

Playing with our phones

 

MUST have!

Currently drinking the Pumpkin Spice Latte with only ONE pump of syrup.

So yummy!

I had 6 in one week....YIKES!

 

Beautiful Christmas tree at my parents' church.

They are the sweetest group of people you will ever meet!

They have helped by brining laughter, helping make sure Mom had whatever she needed so Dad could go to church, welcomed me into their group while I was there!

 

Plus...I had the most DELICIOUS HOMEMADE Sugar Cream Pie!

For all you Southerners that haven't tried it, you are deprived!

I also learned it is the Indiana state pie!

 

Look! A REAL grocery store with FULLY stocked veggie shelves!

I died and went to heaven in this place!

I miss having a wide variety of delicious, fully ripened fruits and veggies!

 

The last boarding gate before I was finally home in Indiana!

 

Kaden did not think I should go without him!

Poor baby had a very rough week!

No Momma to give him loves!

Stephen did his best, but just isn't the same!

 

This is last Tuesday 11/26 when they put my stint back in...yay....

 

I went for a walk in downtown Natchez and saw this beautiful picture!

It just begged to be taken!

I am SO proud of my Coast Guard Chief!

 

Handsome puppies!

 

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving break! I am going to bed. I'll share the stories hopefully in my next post. Love to you all!

So thankful.....

Well, it's hard to believe it, but my little brother is officially 29! That is entirely impossible as it seems just yesterday he was 8 and picking in me. I, who was completely innocent of all transgression, did not retaliate by breaking apart Lego sets, tossing his GI Joes in the bedroom trash, etc. hard to believe how time has flown! I am so blessed to have such a sweet, God fearing brother! He is the one in the bright blue! Above him is my sister Lauren (technically sister-in-law but that takes too long to type!) Then my Dad, Esther (baby sis) and my Momma!

This past month saw several other birthdays as well! My sweet Momma had a birthday back on the 13th! This pic is from last year. I will get an updated one next month!!!! Promise!

My super sweet Daddy had a birthday right after her. He is the younger one and so neglected and abused, as you can tell! ;)

 

This is everyone that was able to make it to our Labor Day get together! I am SO thankful that Solomon & Katie (middle on the couch w/ the 2 adorable munchkins!) were able to host us!

 

Abraham also had a birthday!!! His was on the 25th! It's a busy month in my family! Lauren made his day extra special by getting him some cool cds, camping stuff, and I can't remember what else. But basically Abes said it was a wonderful day! They are the cutest couple & we love them!

 

I couldn't get enough of this little man! Micah is the smiliest (is that a word?) baby I have ever met! Very active! He loves having his Daddy's & Papaw's full attention!

 

RAndom sideways picture of a gorgeous sunset! My blog won't allow me to straighten it despite my best efforts!

 

Don't ask where this bridge is, I can't remember. I think it was from coming home after our trip to FL. But I found the picture and thought you'd enjoy it!

 

Nanna, Esther, & Lauren were trying to help Nolan get out of his case of the grumps. He didn't want to go to bed and miss any of the fun!

 

Another picture this blog won't let me straighten!

But I do love this picture! Momma & Esther! Plus the sign my sister Katie drew! She is so artistic and great at decorating!!

 

Lauren was sweet enough to let me jump in to this picture! It's the same as the one for Jon but with me instead of her.

 

I just love this sweet face!

 

Esther is showing what this trip was all about!

Sitting around having fun playing and watching people play!

So wonderful! The only thing that would have made that weekend perfect is if my Hubz & kidz could have been there!

The wonderful Katie, Solomon, Nolan & Micah walking Frankie!

 



We had 2 other birthdays in September! Yep, it's true!

 

Jim had his 20th birthday on the 24th!

 

Aunt Jo also had her birthday on the 24th!

This is her with her new birthday gift!

They moved to the sunshine state and ride more miles in one day than I have ridden in a month!

 

I am loving teaching! Stephen is back after a 5week Chief's School! Kidz are loving having him home and getting the extra spoilings! When I am not looking, veggies are skipped & dessert given.

No wonder they think I'm mean!

 

Here are some peeks at today!

No captions because I need to get to work, but beauty none the less!
 

 

 

Love & Prayin for you!

Hello September!

I can't believe it is already here! I know...I know...I am always saying that.

But for rizzle! (the nerdy version of fo-shizzle!)

Nerdy - true - but I work with first graders so the craziest things are HILARIOUS!

So true.

My current favorite joke came from my 3 year old nephew.

Knock Knock!

 

Who's there?

 

It's me Mommy!

 

Yep, he told that to his Mommy, the amazing countingjoys!

 

I got to spend a whole weekend with my family! Yep! Labor Day weekend found me flying solo w/ 2 dogs to Franklin, TN. I spent Saturday thru Monday morning soaking up every available second w/ my brothers, sisters, parents, & nephews!

 

The ONLY thing that could have made it any better is if a sister, my hubby, & my chillins could have been there! We laughed! We teased! We ate the most delicious food (courtesy of countingjoys & skafoure!) I have to say that my sister in law makes the most DELICIOUS mac & cheese dish ever! In fact, it inspired the Macaroni Dance! I'll try to post that once I get permission  & figure out how to load it up! It's SOOOOOOOO cute!

 

No offense to my brothers, sisters, or nephews, but my most favorite part was seeing my parents. They are the sweetest, most self-less people you will ever meet.

Lift them up in prayers, my friends.

They are fighting a battle and have been for about 5-6 years.

My Daddy never complains, never tires, is always encouraging, & dotes on us all.

My Momma is fighting an uphill battle with being sick.

I won't write more....you can go on FaceBook & look up Praying for Donna Kafoure.

Lymes disease is messy - let's just put it that way.

 

I have made it through my first few weeks of teaching!

I LOVE my class! I LOVE my coworkers!

I LOVE having my babies so close to me!

 

We are in the whirlwind of school, football, cheerleading, church...

We run non-stop!

Both kids commented that they feel like we run non-stop!

However, despite the crazy - they've both said they wouldn't trade it!

Abby is LOVING cheerleading!

Kyle LOVING football!

The dogs?

Meh - they don't like this time of year....too bad! Lol

 

We love, hug, play with them as much as possible.

 

It's late ya'll. Hope ya'll had a wonderful day & get some rest this weekend!

It's a Day for Learning!

Today I learned that it is necessary to check, double check, triple check, and occasionally

quadruple check.

 

Our walk was beautiful this morning!

We even found a bug!

 

We saw Daddy while he was at work!

Or rather, he saw us as TINY ants on the river front!

He was up in the boat and made the kids day by searching for them.

 

We ran to get shot records, went to work, pestered people with a million questions!

 

Might have had a little trouble breathing with my over planning-itis.

It's also called "control issues"

I just don't appreciate that term very much!

 

In short (aka long - because it's opposite night)

 

I got to school & found the walls beautifully painted!

The Maint guy still had one more coat to do & will put the 2nd coat on in the morning for my shelves.

It's gorgeous!

 

I can't move my desks, need more desks (that is being taken care of because these people are AMAZING!!!!) We found out Kyle's supply list if four parts, not one. I didn't have everything I needed for my room. Abby's uniforms will have to be ordered. Kyle had his first conditioning practice for football. I was originally all gun-ho for that. The boy is SO much  tougher than he knows! But let me just tell you, seeing your son out on a football field in 95 degree weather running sprints, sweating up a storm, then coming home and doing 100 pushups & 100 situps .... This momma heart just about said, "enough!" He pushed through and finished! I couldn't be more proud of him!

Bless his little heart, he was so tired when he finished everything he literally just fell on my shoulder & cried! My heart just broke into little pieces for him!

 

My  favorite Kyle line of the day?

 

"You look a little crazy, but I still love you!"

 

=) =) =) =) =) =) =)

 

He was in a VERY talkative mood today!

 

Non-stop from 6:15am up until practice.

No joke.

Through food, drinks, everything!

 

Abby was all smiles all day long!

I mean seriously people, you call  the Engineering Chief on  a boat - he climbs to the top of his boat (there's a technical term that eludes me based upon lack of sleep & ... well, just lack of sleep) and uses super powerful binoculars to find you!?!?! Heck yes your grin will be from ear to ear!

 

Her sweet moment?

 

"I chose my outfit so I will match your room because it is so cute & you did a good job!"

 

She did! Her shirt perfectly blended with my walls! =)

 

I'll put up pictures later. I am currently writing while printing things for my  room. My printer is picky tonight, so I can only print certain things right now.

 

Both puppies did very well with being cooped up in the house.

I confess to having one in the mud room and the other free in the house. I didn't want to deal with two caged up pups getting rowdy  and breaking something. Or one puppy not being able to eat because big puppy ate everything. Right now they are cracking me up by playing keep away.

Crazy  puppies!

 

Did I mention how great my kids are?

 

We left our house around 8am and didn't get home for good until 8pm.

That includes not eating lunch or dinner here.

No complaints. No whining. No fits. No guilt trips. No begging!

They ate their lunch in the car (original plan was classroom but curveballs just kept coming!) Dinner was at McD's because I didn't have time to cook and they were being SO amazing!

 

Abby got to stay with her bestie and play the whole time we were at practice!

Kyle had his bestie with him at practice!

My In-State Bestie (who is UUUUUUUUHHHHHHH-mazing!) kept my Babygirl!

 

yeah, we were all spoiled.

Words are FalIng and so is speling.

sweet dreamsi !

Epic End to a Vacation

Well, vacation has ended and we are all back home.

 

Kids...hubby & me... puppies...it feels so good to be all together!

 

Now, if there were only a way to be all together and on vacation!

 

Saturday morning we decided to pull out around 8:30am. Give ourselves time to eat breakfast (courtesy of Jim) with the family, bathroom breaks, and home at a decent hour! At max, this trip typically takes 12 hours. Tears came, goodbyes were said, we yelled "Goodbye" from the truck and drove off.

 

A few sweet pictures from this week =)

 

Kyle's first jump into 8ft deep water!

Abby's first jump w/o a floaty!

 

 

Mema (not to be confused with Meme) our Princess and Super Sweet Niece!

 

I just love her smile!

Cousin snuggles!

 



 

Inseperable!

 

I love my Lukey!

 

 

 Stephen sandwich anyone?

 

 

We pulled out of the drive and headed out!

 

We didn't pray first.

 

Two hours into our trip I heard a *BANG* and felt the truck begin to vibrate! I glanced in my side mirror just in time to see part of our trailor tire explode out the back! We pulled off and found it too hot to touch right away. Our tail light cover also got knocked off from the tire! I collected the light cover just as the first wave of rain hit.

 

Did I say rain?

 

I meant torrential downpour!

 

It only lasted a few minutes but it was heavy! Stephen worked tirelessly (haha! get it? flat tire? tirelessly? =) to get the bad tire off.

 

Another wave of rain.

 

He crawled under the trailor to get the spare.

 

Another wave of torrential downpour!

 

This time I was sent to the truck to wait it out. Stephen was soaked. Cars, trucks, & semis all roared unnervingly close to our truck despite the fact hazard lights were on and we clearly needed help! I have never prayed so hard for protection on me & the kids but more specifically my poor husband who was in the rain and completely blinded from view in his gray shirt & shorts that blended in with the rain! The rain stopped yet again just in time to find out the spare was not spare - it was flat. Flat as a pancake! Flat as Indiana!

 

More torrential downpour.

 

After some effort and almost getting smooshed by the trailor, we hooked the trailor back to the truck and moved further off the road. How did we almost get smooshed? Oh, you know, because the rain softened the ground enough that the block keeping the front wheel from rolling gave way...at least I think that's what happened. I'm still so tired the details are fuzzy.

The trailor really did almost smoosh us! That part I clearly remember!

We prayed. I took the kids, left Stephen, and drove 28.6 miles to the nearest store to get tires.

 

 

We made it safely back to Stephen and he put the new tire on! Thank goodness it didn't go flat! He hooked up the boat, and we prayed...immediately! The new tire did wonderfully!

 

*PBFT!!!!*

 

Oh yeah, second tire GONE! We pulled off and quickly changed that tire out. Thankfully Stephen had told me to get 2 tires! This time a very kind State Trooper offered to help us. However, we were at the point of tightening the new tire on. Did I mention in the midst of this we had 3 important phone calls come in? I mean, the kind you really can not at all keep from answering? Yep! Thankfully there was no rain from the time we left Stephen to get the tires, until after all four of us were safely tucked into the truck and headed BACK to Walmart to fix the valve on whichever tire hadn't blown and not to be confused with the dud of a spare.

 

A Small Collage in tribute to our adventure!

 

Overall the kids did VERY well! We had about 10 minutes of "She's touching me!" "Well, he's in my  space!" They calmed, we (and by we I mean me) turned around to check on them....Do you still think they were worried with space?

 

 

Those are heads under those blankets...They had stacked their heads to sleep!

 

 

The rest of our trip was pretty smooth! No more tire trouble! We just had construction,  scary drivers that drove to close to us or tailgated (sp?) us, or drove REALLY slowly!

 

Around 5:30pm we all got antsy...how fast were we traveling?

 

Oh we were JUST at Pensacola by that point...we stopped at a Denny's and had the most wonderful restuarant service we have had in a VERY long time! Christina did a GREAT job of making sure we were well taken care of! Kyle blushed like crazy whenever she came around, but firmly stated he did NOT like her OR find her attractive ;)

 

 

See that flag?

 

It took us until MIDNIGHT to reach that flag!

 

We are still recovering from the lack of sleep from that drive!

 

Love you! Hope your trips are SO much smoother!