Praises!

The Juggling Act

I remember those olden daze when I was a master at baby juggling (ok--maybe not a master... but I did have those days).

It's more like this now! I'm juggling everything but the kitchen sink.

...only, put me on a ball, because while jugggling I must also balance everything.

I've been practicing my juggling skills a few times a week on the Wii. It's very true to life. I even get to have a few bombs thrown at me just to see how I handle it. I found out after the first few tries... You don't want to catch the bombs. You want to dodge them!! just like in real life. If you get too close to a bomb it explodes and throws off your whole game. It takes a while to regain the juggling momentum. REAL LIFE PEOPLE!

I love the Wii.

I've been practicing my Kung Fu. So don't mess!

And my waistline should be improving and slimming down by the day, with all my expert hula hooping! I'm seriously workin' it, my friends.

I also do the traditional work out stuff with my Wii trainer. Strength training. Yoga. And then on to other balance and aerobics games.

This is what I want to get to next. Wii Pee.

The Fifth of Six

I know what it's like to be born 5th out of six children. Just like Lizzy, I was the 5th born of six. And now I know what it's like to be the parent of six! Not always the easiest life to lead. Although it is enjoyable.

Elizabeth (she goes by Lizzy) is my 5th child and her birthday is coming up on Wednesday. She'll be 12 years old. WOW! We opted for having her party this past Sunday, since they didn't have school on Monday. It was just girls.

They dressed up and got all fancy for a photo shoot! I had absolutely nothing to do with any of it. I was exhausted. Jennah took the role of party planner along with Annabel. Those girls are amazing!!!

There was a spill on the carpet of some kind of very bright red powder. NICE!!!

They went to the movies, came back and had pizza and played the Wii... and eventually they camped out on the hard wood floor and fell asleep if they were able.

Jennah made the happy cake. Isn't it cute?! hahaha

In the morning, I realized that I was in a major dilemma. Nate had basketball practice at 9, Jennah had volleyball practice at 9:30, and Anika and Elizabeth had orthodonist appointments at 10. How was I going to get all these girls home before I needed to leave the house?? At 8:30, I announced my situation to the groggy-eyed sleepy heads and asked them to all call home to see if they could be picked up by 9. There was no way I could be the bus driver and make it to anything on time. It all worked out and the party had a "real" ending time. Yippee. I even was able to secure rides for Nate and Jennah. My life needed to catch a break by Monday morning.

How was your weekend?

The Climax

Remember how I mentioned that January was jam packed and I was feeling really concerned? Well, this weekend was definitely the climax of all the anticipated action... and everything turned out quite well.

Jan 4th was a women's tea and candle exchange where I was asked to lead in some worship music time. I hadn't been with the ladies from my church for quite some time (since I've been playing the organ at the methodist church for a year now). Anyway, I was please with how that went, especially since Tina had an interpretive signing ready for a song I wanted to sing. It was beautiful. Ladies were crying and all that! So we know that means that it was incredibly annointed (right Sohailah).

As the week went on it was PTO mtg, volleyball game, Basketball game, work, and then HMEA
rehearsal. HMEA is the Hamptons Music Educators Association music festival. Students from schools in the Hamptons are hand picked for band, chorus, orchestra and world drumming. Anyway, I was asked to accompany the chorus. YAY!

The following week meant 3 basketball games, a volleyball game, taking school yearbook pictures for basketball team, two more HMEA rehearsals, work, hosting a youth group fundraiser dinner (organizing the feeding 215 people... a delicious steak dinner), providing entertaiment at the dinner (which no one took a picture or video of--sad to say), and then the HMEA performance. I loved it all. This morning I was exhausted. I really didn't want to go play the organ... but I did.

Oh... Amos had another one of his classic, back-handed comments. A woman was giving me a lovely compliment about the music this morning and the pastor and Amos were standing there listening. Amos said to the woman, "Oh, she's improving every week." THANKS AMOS, FOR YOUR EXPERT MUSICAL OPINION!!! Pastor Juhye covered over his comment saying, "Karen is such a gift to us. A wonderful gift." Thank you, my dear Juhye.

I lovingly [smirk] received a speeding ticket on the way to church this morning. I was soooooooo angry. I couldn't drum up those tears until the officer left in his car. BLAGH!!!

After church, we had a nice family pot roast dinner and than I drove Luke almost to the city to catch his ride back to college. It's been a long break for him (5 weeks). He's finally going back! to hit the books and the autobody work. I decided I could better handle driving him in and having a wonderful ride back in peace and quiet, and I would let Terry take 10 girls to the movies for Elizabeth's birthday party. They are all here now and plan to sleep over tonight. [heavy sigh] Happy 12th birthday, Elizabeth (on Wednesday). I have nothing left to give to this party, so Jennah is running it. Terry and I have retreated into our bedroom to relax.

This coming week is another busy one, but I think I'll survive. I HOPE!

Happy Birthday to the New Decade--the 10s.

I can't say that I've made any resolutions or anything, but I think I should make a list of 10 "things" every day--things that need to be accomplished for that day.

I did about 10 loads of laundry today. The boyz had been saving up all their dirty clothes for at least 3 weeks. Can that count for at least 4 things?? I vacuumed!! But it was the first time for vacuuming since our raucus party on New Years Eve. There was still glitter and confetti in every nook and cranny of the house. At least we can all assume that I don't have OCD... not in regards to keeping the house clean anyway. I did a lot of other house work today and part-time job-work and... well I played the Wii by myself for a while. That must mean I got my work-out in. Do you know how I can tell? MY MUSCLES ARE SO SORE!!! I think it's the boxing, but it could be the bowling or tennis as well. (One of the funniest things I read this week was Nickernoodle's comment on FB that asked, "Could it be a sign of playing Mario Cart too much if, while sitting at a stop light, you have the overwhelming urge to rev the engine?" LOL)!


January is making me nervous. The calendar is completely full and there is still more to be crammed in there. Basketball games, volleyball games, PTO mtgs, ski trips, part-time work, the possibility of third part-time job (I took the census exam and they are looking for crew leaders and clerks as well as census takers. I'll let you know what happens). There's the big youth group fundraiser dinner, 2 HMEA performances (it's a music festival for middle school & high school students, and I was hired to accompany for the middle school chorus--yay!).

[BTW I wrote this post three daze ago and left it unposted, just in case that vacuuming thing grossed you out].

And for the record... the "list of 10 things" has been very helpful and motivating so far!!! I'm three days into it, and planning to do it everyday this month. Maybe I will have formed a great organizational habit by then, like my FB farmville habit. (I'm so good at farming).

Have any of you good people, made a change--or resolution if you will--upon the turn of the new decade that is just feeling quite right?