A Tribute to Great-Grandma Cook

January 18, 1909 - June 20, 2006

I hope everyone enjoys these pictures.

Happy 4th of July!!!!!!!!!

We have our pool (which is cholorine free).

And we have some more dogs hanging around.

Left to Right: Lucy, Missy, Salsa, Pepi (in back), and Tasha.

Pepi is the lone male. The other four dogs are female. Missy and Salsa are pedigrees and need to be slimmed down.

And the "Nature Lessons" continue...

As we were getting ready to leave for VBS one day last week, we saw a turtle in the road in our cul-de-sac. We, okay I, quickly picked him (or her) up and we put the turtle in the doggie pool. One of our neighbors told us it was a boxer turtle and that it would not bite us. We ended up naming the turtle and keeping it for a few days. Here are some pictures of "Franklin Jordan Boxer the Third" (sometimes called "FJB3" and "Trey").

After 3 days of fun with a turtle...sweet freedom was granted to FJB3. We let FJB3 loose in the woods behind the house near a creek and far from the road.

First it was birds, then it was...

I caught some pictures of some lizards PLAYING! Nature abounds.

End of School Update (I forgot to post)

I didn't realize that I didn't post this at the end of the year.

Amber and Alyssa both did great this year in school. They both made the "Merit Roll" for the year. This basically means that they averaged A's & B's for the entire year. Alyssa had A's & B's all year. Amber had A's & B's except for 1 C. I think the girls have done an exceptional job this year.

Aunt Laura should be impressed with the art talent that both Amber and Alyssa have. The art teacher awards 3 certificates per class: "Outstanding Artist" (1 for a boy & 1 for a girl) & "Most Improved in Art" (1 per class). And the winners are:

Amber won "Outstanding Artist" (Girl) for her class.

Alyssa won "Most Improved in Art" for her class.

If you remember the painting I did, you will know they didn't get their artistic talents from me.
Here is a sample of their artistic talent.

"Peace Beach" by Amber Stowers

"Rainbow Garden" by Alyssa Stowers

Next year Amber will be in 5th grade and Alyssa will be in 4th grade.

Sorry for the delay in this info. I will try to make sure I post my drafts next time.

FYI.......

Everyone may not really know the families on our links, so I thought I might do a little clarification.

1. Callie's Blog is my cousin's blog for his 2 wonderful daughters (Callie & Avery).
2. Malachi's Blog is my cousin's blog for her wonderful son (Malachi).
3. Lisa's Blog is my cousin's (you are still very much my cousin) blog for her 3 wonderful boys (Josh, Stephen, and Andrew [A.J.]).
4. Lisa's Homeschool Blog is the aforementioned Lisa's blog where she discusses homeschooling issues.
5. Lisa's "Love Letters 4 Jesus" Blog is the aforementioned Lisa's blog where she opens her heart through creative poetry to God. This blog is a great place to read if you need your spirits lifted.
6. Lilly's Blog is my Uncle Andy's blog where he shares about his times with his granddaughter (Lilly).
7. Gabehart's Family Blog is my cousin's (Brian's side of the family) blog for her wonderful son (Austin) and her wonderful daughter (Alex).

If anyone else has a blog I would love to add you to my links. I hope that this helps everyone know who my links are for.

Baby Birds

We had a nest in our yard with 6 baby birds. I think that only 5 show up in each of the picures. I hope you enjoy our baby bird pictures.

Momma Bird

Baby Birds

Baby Birds

Alyssa's Bargain

Alyssa was a real bargain shopper!!!! Alyssa bought a huge basket of chocolate at her school carnival's auction. She paid $40 for the basket. She has returned about half of the chocolate (the stuff she doesn't like) to Walmart. Her returns came to $43.25 and we still have 6 more things to return (1 item is a $4 from Sav-A-Lot). I guess Alyssa is a pretty good "Bargain Hunter".

Alyssa's thinned out "Chocolate Basket" which she got for free since she has re-couped all of her money!!! What a BARGAIN HUNTER!!!!

This basket was overflowing with CHOCOLATE. It took me 4 trips from the care to carry all the chocolate into the house. I carried this basket piled over the top and then carried 3 more armloads into the house. This basket should last Alyssa a while. She is being very good about eating a little at a time. Any one wants some chocolate - Alyssa might give you a small bit (or maybe not). She really loves chocolate.

School Carnival

The girls school had their 14th Annual Spring Carnival yesterday. I know what you are thinking -- school carnival's are kind of hokey!! This school has the carnival down to a science. They charge $15.00 for a bracelet. This bracelet allows you to participate in all games. I bought the girls each a bracelet. We got to the carnival at 11 am (which is when it opened). They actually had a pretty decent carnival. They had 2 blow-up obstacle courses for little kids, a paddle boat lagoon (huge shallow pool with 4 boats to race in), 4 easy (easy, easy) games you play until you win (you get a prize no matter what!!), a blow up boxing rink with jumbo boxing gloves (the gloves were almost bigger than Alyssa - Alyssa and Amber could barely lift them), a blow up Q-tip battle rink (you know those sticks with cushions on both ends - they had to stand on these foam stands and hit each other off), a blow up bungie run race, a huge blow up slide, a blow up tweety cage (strictly a bouncing cage), and a monster size blow up obstacle course. They also had a cake walk, manicure station, face painting station, and (temporary) tatoo station and bingo.

The carnival ends at 5 pm and is followed by an auction. Let's just say that we were there from start to after finish. We stayed for the auction. It was my first auction. Some stuff went at bargain prices while others went ridiculously high. A teacher paid $190.00 for a reserved parking space up front next school year. They had a lot of great items in the auction. Each classroom had to enter something in the auction plus each grade level also entered a grade level item. Examples: Amber's class did an "Arts & Crafts basket" - it sold for $30.00, Alyssa's class had a white round table painted with "fingerprint bugs" on it and the name of each child with their bug - it sold for $75.00 (I stopped bidding at $45.00), a handcrafted oak porch swing - sold for $250.00 (the girls wanted that), a child-size wooden picnic table - sold for $75.00, a bookcase dollhouse (created by special ed class) - sold for $290.00 (the girls wanted it - I stopped bidding at $40 - it just wasn't worth more), the 3rd grade had a "desperate chocaholic's basket" this laundry basket held a ton of chocolate - sold for $40.00 (needless to say...Alyssa wanted this and she won it too - she bought it with her birthday money). We ended up leaving school around 8:15pm. I decided next year I am getting me a bracelet too, I can at least play some bingo and try to win a cake in the cake walk. (I got tired of just walking around for six hours while they played.)

Alyssa went through the chocolate basket that she "won" (bought) and picked out everything she didn't like (surprisingly she pulled out 2 walmart bags of chocolate stuff that she didn't like and still has a huge laundry basket full of chocolates. If I calculated about right, Alyssa paid $40.00 for about $65.00 in chocolates. I told Alyssa since she bought it she could decide what to do with the chocolates she didn't like -- she gave a (very, very, very) little to her grandparents and wants me to return to Walmart anything they will take. She will recoup some of her money that way. She is planning to share some of the chocolate with her sister (who is mildly allergic to chocolate) and her mom (who is also allergic to chocolate). We had fun at the carnival and learned that all school carnivals are not hokey...at least their auctions can be lots of fun. They had a professiona auctioneer - he actually won some stuff because no one wanted it. He was very fun to listen to.

Alyssa is turning "9"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought I was only 18 years old, so how can I have a children that are 11 and almost 9. I ask you how???????? Alyssa is so excited about turning 9!!!! Every day after school, she gets in the car and tells me how many more days till her birthday. She is growing up. Soon I won't have a child in the single digits!!!! HELP!!!!!! Where does the time go????? It seems like just yesterday that I brought Amber home from the hospital and that was over 11 years ago!!! I just have to remember, even though they are getting older - I am not!!!! After all, didn't that lady think I was 18!!!!!

I got in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I received my acceptance letter today for the Nursing Program !!!!!! I will start classes in September 2006. I am so excited.

I thought that I would get in, but I wasn't going to be completely comfortable until I knew for sure!!! Now I am comfortable!!! I can't wait to register for classes and get started. I am looking forward to the challenges Nursing school will provide me.

The girls were excited upon hearing the news. They know this means that mom will be out of school in about 2 years.

Amber's Musical

Amber's musical went well. They did a great job. I would have to say that Amber's class did the best out of all the classes. (No, I am not biased!!!!!) The musical was just the 4th grade classes. The musical was about making music, thus all the classes played some type of musical instrument. I apologize for the bad pictures, but the lighting is not great in the gym and they are moving so you are limited in the camera mode you can use.

I hope you enjoy the pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How old am I???

Yesterday I stopped at Publix to buy a Lottery ticket ($265M payout - why not try!). I went up to the Lottery register and asked for a "quick pick" Mega Millions ticket, they lady around 45 yrs old) asked to see my ID. I told her "Bless your soul". I handed her my license and told her "I am 38 years old" . The lady said, "I can't believe I was 20 years off on my estimate. You look very young." I know this made my day! It might have even made my year! I guess if I win the lottery it would top it!

Happy Easter to all!!!!!!

We wanted to wish everyone a Happy Easter. Here are some pictures of us in our Easter finery and the girls Easter goodies.

Happy Easter from Kim, Amber, and Alyssa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amber

Alyssa

Kim

All three of us

Here's their goodies
Amber's (left) & Alyssa's (right)

Grades Have Come In...

It has been report card time at our home. The kids outdid their mom very easily. I was very proud of the girls. I was disappointed in my grades. I keep reminding myself that my classes were hard last quarter and that most students struggle with these 2 classes, but I still wish I had done better. I still don't think I know anything from the Medical Mircobiology class.

My grades:
Anatomy & Physiology - C
Medical Microbiology - B

Amber's Grades
Reading - B
Language Arts - A
Math - B
Science/Health - A
Social Studies - B
Comments - I enjoy having Amber in my room. She assumes responsibility
wee, excels in academics, and is well liked by her peers. She has helped to make
my year a pleasant one.

Alyssa's Grades
Reading Comprehension - B
Reading Vocabulary - A
Fluency Rate - 133 words per minute (year-end goal is 120)
Spelling - A
Language Arts - A
Math Concepts - A
Math Facts - A
Science/Health - A
Social Studies - B
Comments - Merit Roll for a 3rd time! Keep on working!

Middle School Already?????

After much deliberation, a few weeks ago Amber started attending the 5th grade girls Sunday School class at Church. This is where she actually should be age wise. Our church prefers you to go by grade if possible. Amber expressed that she didn't feel she had very much in common with the girls in her 4th grade Sunday School class. So, I let her try the 5th grade girls class. She loved it!!!!! We have been told that you can't be in both children and student ministries, which means she has to be a 5th grader in everything or a 4th grader in everything. After talking it over with Amber, I agreed to let her promote to the 5th grade at church in everything. The children's choir director is letting her finish the year up in 4th grade so she can earn her trophy as there is less than a month remaining in this choir year.

The IMPORTANCE of this decision is that starting this summer Amber is considered a part of the student ministries. She is a middle schooler at least at church. And this means MIDDLE SCHOOL SUMMER CAMP!!!!!!!!!! Help me!!!!!!!!! I am not quite ready for that, but let me tell you she is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She is so excited about getting to go to camp. She will be going for 4-5 days (June 19 - 23) to Talladega, Alabama. The only family member that will be on the trip is her Uncle Ken. Her Uncle Ken is a counselor at middle school camp and teaches 6th grade boys Sunday School. Amber is only saddened by the knowledge that Christopher has promoted out of middle school camp. I know Amber will be talking everyone's ears off about camp in the near future. The girl is so excited that she has already bought her 1-pc swimsuit for camp (she hasn't been excited about buying a 1-pc swimsuit since about the age of 6).

Continue to look for new posts.

It has been a while....

As I promised here are the pictures of the girl's Valentine boxes. They really turned out great. Amber's box came in 2nd place in her class. Alyssa's class didn't vote on their boxes, but if they had she would have done great too.

Amber's Box

Alyssa's Box

I know I may be biased, but I really think they designed beautiful boxes. I thought they did great. They got lots of Valentines and candy. Fortunately, we do not have any serious boyfriends yet!!!!!!!!!

I will actually be posting several messages over the next few days to catch up!!!

What's going on...

The girls are doing great. This weekend we had to decorate Valentine Boxes for classroom contests. The girls painted shoeboxes that I wrapped in Kraft paper. They had me do the glitter writing, but they gave me specific instructions on the layout. I will try to post pictures of the boxes later.

Amber also had to work on her Science project that is due on Wednesday. She has to do a report on the Solar System. This report consists of 2 papers: 1) at least 3 facts on each planet and the moon and 2) minimum of 1 page about 1 planet of your choice. Both of these papers have to be hand-written. Amber has picked Mars as her planet of choice.

We found some very cool websites while searching for facts on the planets. We found one website that tells you how much you weigh on each planet (make sure you are in the Kid's eye view) http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Sun&Display=Kids (just click on the planet and enter your weight, then hit go!)

On Earth: 116 lbs (Kim)
On the Sun: 3248 lbs
On Pluto: 9.3 lbs
On a Comet: 0.071 lbs

If I were weight conscious I would want to avoid most of the other planets and especially the Sun. We also found a website that told you how old you are and when your next birthday would be on the other planets http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/age/index.html (it's based on each of the planets years [length of orbit]). I am: 157.6 Mercurian years old and will celebrate my next birthday on March 19, 2006 on Mercury; 20.1 Martian years old and will celebrate my next birthday on August 28, 2007 on Mars; and 0.152 Plutonian years old and will celebrate my 1st birthday on October 5, 2216. We found our research to be quite fun.

I made my 1st 100 on a Medical Microbiology Exam. I was quite please with this feat. I hope to keep this effort up. I am doing pretty good this quarter. My Anatomy professor thinks I'm crazy for taking both Anatomy & Physiology and Medical Microbiology at the same time, but I have to have them done by April 1st to qualify for the nursing program this fall. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Amber had a school performance at the last PTO meeting on 2/8/06. She played a drum and she sang in the chorus. She did great. I will also try to post some of the pictures for that. Both of the girls are performing in the Children's Choir musical on 2/19/06. Amber is in an ensemble plus the chior and Alyssa is in the chior. They are both excited about this performance. They are extra excited because their Dad and their Nana & Pappaw will be there to see the musical.

Happy Valentine's Day (I know it's early) to all. I need to go to bed. (It is late.)