Huge "Ketchup"

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." 1 Peter 2: 9

Wow!  I am just so far behind with blog posts.  I think the best way to "ketchup" is just through pictures of events over the past few weeks.

I recently had two weeks off due to the fact that I teach at a year 'round school.  It was nice having a week alone at home to clean out the junk without anyone going through my trash piles telling me they still needed the headless horse figure or notebook that has papers from the last decade.  The following week when everyone was at home we loaded up the Suburban and headed to the beach to use our travel trailer for the first time this year.  

This was the view out the back window for our week.  HA!  Notice the rain on the window.  It was cold and raining at the beach the entire week.  The boys did enjoy the indoor pool, and we had a few days where we were able to enjoy a game of miniature golf.  The twins think they are putt-putt pros.  Somehow they think when their golf ball finally (and I do mean FINALLY) makes it in the hole that they have made a "hole in one."  I didn't have the heart to tell them that twenty-five strokes was not really a "hole in one."

We ate out every night just because it was too cold and yucky to grill and vacation for me does not include using a stove or oven.  Seafood (no spirits) is a favorite and we tried a couple of new places on this trip.

The Colonel and Nick playing "pig" while we waited on our food.

Blake trying to help John Ryan beat me at pig.

My dinner plate one night which I cleaned.

Lisa (AKA "Lucy") put together such a fun birthday party for her son Miller.  The boys had the best time celebrating with Miller.  I am just amazed at Lisa's ability to put together a birthday party while taking care of a newborn.

The boys enjoying themselves at Miller's party.

Pizza time!!

This little cutie is Lisa's niece.  It was so good to see her mother and catch-up with her.  I had the pleasure of feeding this sweet thing cake and ice cream.  

And this sweet thing is Ellis.  She is such a good baby.

Sorry this post is all out of order but here are a few more beach pictures

This picture cracks me up because the boys wanted to "try" the outdoor pool.  Nick's expression should tell you how cold the water was and about how long we lasted in that pool.  HA!

This was our outdoor den that we didn't get to enjoy at all.  It was just too cold and wet.  

On the only day with sunshine, we took the boys to Alligator Adventure.  It was amazing to see all the turtles sunning themselves around the little pond on the way into the mini reptile zoo.  Nick loves turtles so he was in heaven and wanted to "pet" them all.

This was sort of creepy to see.

Petting the alligator

One night we tried to get tickets to see the Pirates Voyage dinner show but it was booked, so we opted for Medieval Times.  Blake and the boys enjoyed the show and food but it was no where near as good as the other show.

Easter Sunday was amazing!!  The music, the sermon, the testimony, everything was just wonderful at Shandon.  I was so looking forward to Sunday and Shandon did not disappoint!!  

Dr. Lincoln's sermon came from these scriptures.  I so enjoy a pastor that preaches the Word and is lead by the Spirit.  There is always so much joy and energy and love at Shandon.  I did not want to leave this place!!

My Easter outfit got changed due to weather.  I ended up in pants because it was too cold for the dress I wanted to wear.  We took family pictures after church but they did not turn out good at all.  We were doing everything else in the pictures but looking at the camera.

After lunch, the boys and Sister decorated cupcakes.  They turned out cute but the candy used to make the bunny faces tasted awful.

Wacky Wabbits

Thankful for the 30 Day Shred that enabled me to get back into my white slacks.  HA!

Happy Easter everyday for Christ loves us every minute of everyday!!

"Ketchup" TIme

"Consider what God has done:  Who can straighten what he has made crooked?  When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider:  God has made the one as well as the other.  Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future."  Ecclesiastes 7: 13-14

I've gotten behind with my blogging.  The big rooster is still working and enjoying his job.  He got his first paycheck and he and the Colonel went to open up his own checking account.  He was so proud as well he should be.  His report card looked really good and that keeps the teacher-mom happy.  I am thankful that he is still making good decisions.  

The little clucks are into baseball and still have Legos all over my house.  They are enjoying school; although Nick did tell me one day last week that he was bored.  I asked him why he was bored and he said, "Mrs. Stewart made me too smart."  I howled.

Yesterday was birthday #47.  I slept half the afternoon away.  I have been trying to get this house clutter-free and clean.  Yesterday I think my efforts just caught up with me and even the sugar from the cake couldn't keep me going once I sat down on the couch.  

John Ryan was sick yesterday and this morning.  Not sure what is going on with that cluck.  He has managed to keep down a few bland food items.  We will see how it goes the rest of the day.

School is a bit busier than usual.  Spring fever has hit and that makes things a tad bit harder.  Dealing with some issues that I have decided to put in God's hands.  I feel that I have done all I can as a teacher.  I'm staying in my lane and allowing God to work and I'll step back in when He so desires.  (Thanks to Alberta and my Sunday school class for lifting those babies up for me.)

I'll let the pictures tell more of the stories over the past few weeks.

The Clucks asked for CiCi's for their birthday dinner.  

They eat so good at CiCi's until it is hard to deny them a trip there.

The big rooster ordered an entire plate of cheesy bread.  He and his girlfriend Amber ate the entire thing.  I would be sick.

Ready for presents

Still silly at seven

Forget the cake...They grabbed a box and flew to the floor to start building...

Gesh, they look like kids out of the novel The Grapes of Wrath.  So proud of their Lego Coast Guard ship they put together all alone.

We are at the ball park twice a week.  It really is fun to see the little ones improve.

John Ryan waiting on the perfect pitch.

The Clucks love Schiano's homemade meatballs.  They each get a bowl of just meatballs and a medium cheese pizza.  

The Colonel and I split a special calzone.  They are soooooo good at Schiano's.

This is a chair I had my big Rooster and his girlfriend go pick up from beside the road.  They brought back two of them that were in pretty decent shape.  They need scraping and a couple of coats of fresh paint and they will be perfect in the corner of my ugly backyard.  

I re-purposed this last week.  It was the stand that went to Blake's snake cage.  I have been trying to think of something to do with it for ages.  I ended up turning it into a table that was cute enough for my non-formal living room.

T

I got a board for the top, curtain to cover the ugly wood and a table runner and shopped in my spring bin in the basement and ended up with this little table. I took the picture before I ironed the curtain/cover.  Sorry, but you get the idea of what I did. (And that entire paragraph will make ever speaker of the English language cringe.  HA!) 

New sermon series at Shandon--Loving it...Hate that I missed today but can't help when clucks get sick...I'll listen to the sermon Wednesday night once it gets online...

LOVE THIS PLACE!!

My birthday cake has four pieces left.  Who ate it all?  (SShhhh!)

Baseball, Birthdays and Blake

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." ~ Colossians 4: 2

Super busy weekend for the Dew Crew.  I was hoping for some rest due to PASS writing in the Forest this week.  Testing is just boring and tiring but a fact of life for a teacher in South Carolina.  

Friday night we took the Roosters to CiCi's so they could see Blake in action. I was amazed at the fact that the big Rooster knew how to clear a table or sweep a floor.  He seems to forget those skills at home.  HA!  He is so excited to be sixteen with his first job.  The gentleman that hired him was there Friday night and had kind words about my Rooster.  I'm proud of the fact that Blake wants to earn his own money and is still able to keep up with his grades--thus far anyway.  He is getting more hours than I would like, but he is handling them at the moment and seems to enjoy what he is doing.  

Saturday was Sister's birthday.  We had lunch together, shopped all day long and then had a small celebration at my house.  I was worn to a frazzle, but I think she enjoyed her day.  

Sunday was spent enjoying the morning in worship and then the Roosters picked Applebee's for lunch.  I usually cook Sunday dinner, but I was too worn out from Saturday.

The Forest Fitness Foxes are starting level two of our workout.  I have been to the doctor a few times regarding some neck and shoulder pain I have been having.  It started before I began this fitness quest, but I am hoping there is nothing on the DVD that will exacerbate my aches.  Getting fit really feels good.  I am actually enjoying my near death experiences each day after school.  (HA!)

And, of course, a blog post wouldn't be complete without a few pictures to tell the rest of the story.  

Saturday also included some feather plucking at Hair Doodles.

I bought Sister cake squares for her party.  I saved enough points so that I could eat one of these jewels.  The frosting was almond flavor and was so good.

"Let it go!  Let it go!!"  (And that is all I'm going to say about this.)

I just got Progressive lenses and Friday was my first day trying to wear them.  They have really been tough adjusting to the different magnification levels.

The boys look so little to me.  It is hard to believe that Blake was this age when we moved back to Columbia.

This was Sunday's lunch and only 12 points.  

The Colonel helping John Ryan with a puzzle while waiting on lunch.

The waitress brought the Roosters an ice cream Sunday since they told her they would be seven "in four days" when she asked them how old they were.  Seven?!!  So hard to believe that the Roosters that had me running like a hen when they were chicks are now seven.

Here is a shot of a nest in one of the trees I keep up with to let me know when my school year will end.

I bought this menu board from Southern Living "back in the day" and use it to outline my week with just the important events.  I keep it at the end of our kitchen table so that I see it every day as I walk out the door.

The Roosters turn seven Thursday, so we are headed to the beach for a cold weekend there.  This will be the first time since last summer that we will use the camper.  The place we keep it has an indoor pool, so we are going to head to the ocean to celebrate their seven years on earth and our seven years of survival.  HA!  (Isaiah 41: 10)