No Moving Target December

     I had just read this post on Dec 1st at Hands Free Mama.  It's about not being a moving target.  When there is one more thing I could get done. When the day is so packed that my blessing get covered up.
  Our Saturday was just that.  I started hyperventilating about it over Thanksgiving at the Dells.  Just thinking what all we had to do on Dec 6th.  Except I would not have missed any of it for the world.
    First it was picture day at the Y.  Ashley has one more week of winter basketball at the Y.  She has improved over the last 7 weeks.

This is Ashley and her team.  She had wonderful coaches.

After basketball we went to lunch with grandma.  Ashley and lttle D love Station Six pizza.  I think they like it cause at the booths they have TVs.  I thought they liked the pizza. 
Then Ashley had a birthday party to go to a little boy from her class.  Ashley went for 1hour cause she had her big piano recital today at Parkland.

 

Ashley did wonderful.  When she plays it bring tears to my eyes.  I hope she learns to love piano and I hope she continues it for a long time.

You could tell that she was thinking very hard.  Her little foot was just a shaking during the performance.

When it was over I gave her some flowers.  Her eyes just light up - "For me" "Really" - made me stop right there and think - man "Am I missing really good moments in her life?  Am I a moving target?

The recital was the same time as little D - Forster kids Christmas party.  I am so lucky my good friend Tracey took Little D to the party.  I was excited our church hosted the party this year for the foster agency Lutheran.

Look at the beautiful cookies that were donated.  The church provided each family with a $40.00 gift card from Wallmart and $10.00 gift card from Jet's pizza.  Its funny Little D did not want anything to do with the cookies cause they had so many fun activities for the children to do.

After the piano recital we run off to Mahomet to Raphael's - Warm your Tummy Chili supper for his Boys Scout troop.  Raphael worked at it all day.  I also had to run Raphael to Mahomet after basketball this morning.  Raphael did not want to smile for me.  I hope his understands it is a great accomplishment that he is still in Boys Scouts as a Freshman.  I have loved going to these over the years.  I am really proud of the man Raphael is becoming.  I sure hope he is enjoying high school.  If he ever needs anything I hope he knows his family is here for him.

 

Then after the supper - Ashley had another birthday party to go to.  Yes two parties in one day.  This one was at the Y for swimming.  She had a wonderful time.  I can't believe my daughter is out till 8:00 pm.

 

I am so blessed to be Ashley mother.  I don't think the rest of our December Saturdays are this busy.  I know I am going to try real hard not to be a moving target.

 



Veterans Day

Today we were off school to celebrate Veterans Day.  Above is a picture of my Dad when he was in the Navy stationed in Washington DC.  Ashley loved learning about Veterans.  Her school yesterday had assembly and she sang a song in Spanish.

Daycare had a day of in service today so daycare was closed.  So I took Ashley, Little D, Sebastion and London to the indoor playground at our church.  London is my cousin daughter.  We babysat today since daycare was closed. Grandma brought pizza and we had apples and snacks to eat.  Indoor picnic at the playground it was great!!! Ah I just start hyperventilating thinking about my children growing up. One I don't want to get older and I don't want my mom to get any older.  Ashley said at dinner tonight the best Veterans Day ever.

 

This afternoon we still had a boys basketball game at home.  We played Kingsley.  Our 7th grade lost but our 8th grade won.  Tomorrow night we play our cross town school Edison.
After the game we went t eat at the local Mexican restaurant Dos Relas.  I sure hope Ashley has found memories of her childhood.  Not memories of her mother yelling at her or being upset with her.

Birthday Parties

   

 

 

   Ashley turned 7 in October.  Ashley wanted a Minecraft party.  Ashley is obsessed with the game minecraft.  Grandma was nice enough to let us have the party at her house. I searched pinterest for weeks.
   I wanted to have a bounce house - I thought I can just rent one from a local store and put it up with no problem.  When I went to rent the bounce house.  They told me make sure you have a truck.  I made sure we had a truck.  I went to go get it and the bounce house was so heavy.  We about never got it out of the truck and into the side yard.  You needed a army to move it.  They really should not rent this bounce house to a single mother.

 

Except the kids had a wonderful time.  All the work was worth it. 

 

We had a great minecraft cake from ricksbakeryurbana.com/cakes

 I also won a party from Kona Ice it's a shaved ice truck.  We followed the Kona Ice truck around all summer.  Ashley was so excited to have the truck at her birthday party.  It is also at Illini home football games for street fest. The kids loved getting shaved ice.

I love this picture of the group - we are so blessed with great friends.  Little D in the middle melts my heart.  He enjoyed the day also.

Kona ice was so sweet.  They gave Ashley a birthday bag and a t-shirt.  She looks so big in this picture.

I think they had a wonderful time at the party.

Ashley was so happy at her birthday party.  Ashley is so full of life. I can't wait to see her grow up into a beautiful young lady.  I sometimes wish I had a crystal ball so I could see into her future.

I need to step back and remember -

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you" declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future.

I LOVE YOU ASHLEY TAYLOR SAVELEY!!!!!

November

   

 
 I can't believe it's November!  Where does time go?  How did Ashley turn 7 in October?  How is she in the first grade?
    Another Cross Country season is in the books.  My girls XC team made it to State. Baseball made it to the regional championship game first time since baseball started 9 years ago at the middle school level.  We are finishing up another season of girls basketball at Franklin.  Just starting Boys Basketball season.  8th grade is off to a 3 and 0 start.  As 7th graders they finished 2nd in State - so the pressure is on.  U of I Football is 4 in 5 with 2 games to go.  Lots of tailgating this season.

 

    Little D and Ashley been involved in swimming lessons.  Ashley is playing Y basketball on Saturday mornings.  She is so fun to watch.  Ashley piano recital is coming up Dec 6th.  I have gone into practice practice mode with the piano.
    We had a great weekend.  Friday night we stayed in.  Saturday morning we had basketball in the morning at the Y.  Then we went with Grandma to the indoor market at Lincoln Square.  Then Ashley and grandma went off shopping for shoes.  Later in the afternoon Ashley and I went off to skate land.  They had Olaf and Elsa there from Frozen. You could skate with them and also have your picture taken them.  Ashley loves skating.

 

Busy Busy

We are still alive.  Busy, busy  Ashley is in 1st grade at a new school.  International Prep Academy.  50/50 Dual Two-Way Immersion program.  It is adjustment except I think it the long run its going to be great.
  Little D is still with us.  He just got a new case worker this week.  He has been with us for over a year.  Pray that a loving family adopts him in the upcoming months.  Its going to be really hard when he goes.  Little D is going to Chesterbrook in the morning and Pre-K in the afternoon.  He is loving it!!!

Raphael is in high school.  I can't believe it!!!!  He is maturing everyday.  I hope I have him next summer in behind the wheel.  Raphael is in the band at the high school.  We love going to his performances.

 

 

Sebastian is now 6 years old.  We celebrated his birthday today.  It was a great time Ileana's family came from Chicago.  He is loving kindergarten.  He played fall ball and seems to enjoy that.  He is so sweet.  He loves for Ashley to come over and they take over Raphael game system.

Happy Birthday Grandpa

 Ah today would of been Grandpa's Birthday...........  Most of you know Grandpa passed away on June 25th.  It's been the longest month of my life.  I thought I was ready but I guess you can never really be ready for something like this. I just feel like there is an emptiness in my heart.  My head hurts all the time now.

This was in the March - he sure did love Kyle's dog.  The poor dog has moped around for the last month.

Happy Birthday Grandpa!!!!  We love you!!!!!!!


 
   

Summer

We our having a wonderful summer so far.  I am teaching safety and btw in the mornings.  In the afternoons I play :).........

 The 1st week Ashley went to the Y camp and loved it.  They went off to a local zoo and swam 3 days of the week.  Ashley took the swimming test in the deep end and passed.  So now she can go down the slide at the Y.

 We have spent a few afternoon and Saturdays at the pool. The park district was having  a kick off to Summer on Saturday.  We spent from 12:00 to 6:00 at the pool, they had a band, face painting, duck races, lazy river bingo.

Sebastian loved having his face painted.  He was so proud.  Little D and Sebastian waited so patiently.  Did you see Little D got a haircut :).

 Summer is so much fun with these 3. Can they stay this age forever......

 Our duck did not win :(.  The ducks raced down the slide.

Also this month we went to Patrick's graduation party.  We were able to meet baby Easton.

On the same day we went from a graduation party to a baby shower.  Olivia our neighbor and is also Ashley and Sebastian preschool teacher and Ms. Olivia was also my go to baby sitter is having a baby in July.  We were so excited to celebrate her day with her.

This was a train that somebody made - I thought it was really cute. It was filled with presents.

 Someone made a dipper cake.  I have made those in the past - I always think they our pretty cute.

 Grandma made the stork on the table..  Olivia got some really nice gifts.

I have seen this on pinterest the motorcycle out of diapers.  I had never seen it is person till the shower.

 Ms. Olivia with her cake it was so thick.

It was the best day with Grandma and Ashley.  We just laughed and had a great time together.  Thanks to Tracey for keeping Little D.

Please pray for my dad he just sleeps all the time.  We our pretty sure his heart has  been shocked 4 times in the last month.  He was never up long enough on fathers day to get a picture with him.

Hope everyone is having a great summer!!!  The weather is awesome this week.