Why Do You Relay???

Robby and I bought our house in Rita Ranch in 2006 with the hopes that I would secure a teaching position in Vail before the new school year began. As luck would have it, we moved into our new home in February, I had my interview in March, and was offered a teaching position at Desert Willow in April. My first year teaching in Vail I was introduced to the ACS Relay for Life. I have participated every year since!

We relayed for Kim!

This year the Cottonwood team relayed for Kim Conca. Our relay shirts were made in her honor.

I relayed for Boppa!

Bobby spent more time in a hospital than any infant should. Thankfully, he was there as a visitor and not a patient. Less than a month after Bobby was born, Boppa underwent surgery at TMC to remove the cancer cells that had been found in his bladder. His entire bladder was removed and a new one was constructed. Bobby went to visit his Boppa every day that he was in the hospital. It has been almost 7 years since his surgery and today we can say that Boppa is cancer free!

I relayed for Nana!

During my first year teaching in Vail, Nana was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. She immediately underwent an extensive surgery called the whipple procedure. Bobby and Katie visited Nana regularly during her stay at TMC. In addition to her surgery, Nana underwent 6 months of chemotherapy. It has been over 3 years since her surgery and today we can say Nana is also cancer free!

Boppa, Nana, Bobby, Katie, and Andy

Diana, Apryl and I

Charlotte

Debby and Sonja

Katie Cakes

Dave, Antonio, and Autumn Conca

Andy (AKA: Punkalicious)

Mrs. Lane and Bobby

Maggie and Mia

Ami

The Bunchkins

Mary and Hunter

The caregiver lap

The Cottonwood Dodgers!!!

Celebrate!

Remember!

Fight Back!

If it feels good, just keep going!

The title of tonight's blog comes from my FANTASTIC friend and parapro, Charlotte! Today at lunch she came up with these words of wisdom. I promised that it would be the focus of my post tonight.

"If it feels good, just keep going!"

(Katie was so tired from her play date with a school friend today

that she crashed as soon as we came home! Sleeping Beauty!!!)

So that is where I am going! It has been a fun day, but a long one. This mommy is T-I-R-E-D! Tomorrow I promise to post some Relay for Life pictures. Goodnight friends!

That's My Story...and I'm stickin to it!

Due to unforseen technical issues, our blog-a-day marathon was interupted yesterday for "system maintenance." Thankfully, my friend Ami took a picture of the message to prove that posting was beyond our control yesterday. This post has been back dated to cover the gap in service. That's my story...and I'm stickin to it!

Follow the Yellow Brick Road...

I took another blogging idea from the link Ami sent me when we began our May marathon. Tonight's inspiration is idea #98: Start an award and hand it out every week to other bloggers. After a little internet research on how to create my very own button, I used my tech savvy to design my award.

A little personal history before you read any further. I grew up on a farm in Kansas. I have so many fond memories of the days on the farm...picking strawberries right off the vine, playing hide-and-seek in the corn fields, swimming in the creek, and SO many more. One of our family traditions was to watch The Wizard of Oz together every year when it was on television. (Not an easy feat when there is only one television in a home that houses 5 adolescents!) Dorothy, an adventurer from Kansas, somehow ropes her newfound friends into following the yellow brick road with her. Despite the dangers they encounter along the way, the resounding theme of friendship and home can be seen throughout their journey.

I decided to create an award that lets the person I award it to know that I value their friendship (whether near or far) and am glad that they are a part of my journey. These friends have fearlessly linked their arms with mine as we skip together down the yellow brick road called life. (Possibly singing in our best munchkin voices "Follow the Yellow Brick Road"!) These friends have been there though the good and not so good times. They've seen me at my best and at my worst. And I like to think they love me anyways... :) These people inspire me to be a better person, a better mother, a better wife, a better friend, a better teacher, and a better blogger.

I named it Follow the Yellow Brick Road Award as a reminder that life is what you make of it. Live life to its fullest every day. Take nothing for granted. Inspire laughter and love in those around you, during times of happiness and times of sadness!

Drumroll please...

This week, I am bestowing my award on Ami Bunch! Thank you for inspiring me daily! To my readers who have not had a chance to stop by and become addicted to her blog, I will warn you in advance. You can't read just one. Ami is not only the amazing mom to three incredible triplets, she's an absolutely fantastic writer to boot! I encourage you to visit her blog if you haven't already!!!

Tumbling Down

We just got home from Bobby's baseball game. The kids just finished dinner and now we are getting baths started. Hopefully bedtime will soon follow. Knowing that it was going to be a long day, I guess I should have planned ahead and made this blog yesterday. :)

Tonight is going to be short and sweet. Katie had loads of fun playing on a grassy knoll at Purple Heart Park tonight. She decided to teach her little brother how to roll down the hill. First, she explained to Andy that they had to climb to the top of the hill. Then she showed him how to lay down and roll down the hill. Katie even had words of encouragement for her little brother.

Direct Instruction

Guided Practice

Independent Practice

EEI must run through her veins! She's such a good teacher and I love that she is such a good big sister!

Got words?

When I committed to a Blog-A-Day in May, Ami nicely sent me a list of ideas for blogging. One fun idea is to post a picture and let your readers caption it. I decided to let each one of my little ones have their own picture roll. These are some fun ones of Andy from the last 6 months. Caption just one or caption them all. I can't wait to read your comments! :) So, what should I title these Andy pictures???

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Happy Mother's Day

Today, I am enjoying my time with my 3 precious little ones.

Happy Mother's Day to you all!!!

Create your own free digital greeting