Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Leaves 2009

Because we live in a house surrounded by many old trees, we have the joy of raking every fall. This past fall was no different...except for the fact that Greta got to participate this year.

 Those are some good looking boys!!!

The Return from Portland

Chris started his Masters work this past year. He's going for his Master's of Divinity through George Fox University in Portland, Oregon. He travels to campus twice a year then does the rest of the work online. Four years from now we're all planning on flying to Portland to watch him graduate.

It's hard on us when he's in Portland (see my earlier post...) but I know that the sacrifice will be worth it in the end. I believe the boys are working on Welcome Home signs for Chris in this picture. It also looks like I had recently steam vac-ed the carpet. Notice the large hose on the table...


Chris likes surprising the boys with something small when he comes home. This time it was the new Skippy John Jones book: Lost in Spice. We love that book series, so we were super excited to read the newest one...

MUC Nature Center and Drew's Class

Before I get to the Nature Center...

Drew and Greta are buddies. Actually, they have a love-hate relationship. I captured a love moment...


Drew's class went to the Mount Union College Nature Center to observe fall in full swing. I believe they plan on going during each season, so be prepared for more Nature Center pictures!

Drew's class.
Waiting for the bus.
This captures my Drew perfectly. He's a crazy kid with a tender heart.  <3


Another class picture at the entrance of the Nature Center.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Dinner with Mrs. Bowser

Drew's kindergarten teacher is amazing!!! She was also Jonathan's teacher. She recently invited Jonathan and two other former students (Jade S. and McKenzie F.) to dinner. They decided to wear red shirts for the big night, and I let Jonathan bring the camera to capture all of the special moments. Here's some of what he brought home.


Clearly they had a great time!

Meaningful Songs

This was written October 2009...

So I was driving to school today and feeling badly for myself. Chris has been gone for eight days on business,  our house on the market, and I'm questioning my decision to teach. These three songs have been very meaningful to me as of late. I hope they speak to you too.



Lay 'Em Down by Need to Breathe
         (based on Jeremiah 29:11)

Come down to the river
Come and let yourself in
Make good on a promise
To never hurt again
If you're lost and lonely
You're Broken down
Bring all of your troubles
Come lay 'em down
All you sinners
And the weak at heart
All you helpless
On the boulevards
Wherever you are now
Whatever evil you've found
Bring all of your troubles
And come lay 'em down
We're all tied to the same old failings
Finding shelter in things we know
We're all dirty like corrupted small towns
We'll bring our troubles
We'll bring our troubles lay 'em down
All you rich men
And the high above
All those with
And without love
All you burdened
Broken down
Bring all of your troubles
Come lay 'em down
In His Most Precious Love....and with mine!!!

Your Grace Is Enough by Chris Tomlin


Great is Your faithfulness oh God
You wrestle with the sinner's heart
You lead us by still waters in to mercy
And nothing can keep us apart

So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God

Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me

Great is Your love and justice God
You use the weak to lead the strong
You lead us in the song of Your salvation
And all Your people sing along

So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God

Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me [x2]

So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God

Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me

Your grace is enough
Heaven reaching down to us
Your grace is enough for me
God I see your grace is enough
I'm covered in your love
Your grace is enough for me
For me



By Your Side by Tenth Avenue North


Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

(Chorus 2x)

Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go

(Chorus 2x)



p.s. Ended up buying the newest Need to Breathe CD: The Outsiders. It is amazing!!!

It's Official...The Blog is BACK!

Yes, it's been almost a year since I've posted anything. I apologize. I'm still learning how to juggle working full time with doing everything I did while staying home... I'll let you know when I figure it out.

I'm pretty sure there are pictures on my mom's camera that I need to blog but these are the first I found on mine.

I hope you enjoy catching up with the King family!!!

************************************
The 2nd Annual Dog Show

Our church hosted 2nd Annual Dog Show a few weeks after school started and we decided to enter Greta in the 'Waggliest Tail' competition (she lost...)

The church goes all out for all of their community events and this was no different. There was a vendor for 'fair food', a K-9 unit, and a local radio personality hosted the event.

The highlight of the afternoon was Chris being attacked by the police dog. He volunteered. Can you imagine?

Monday, August 31, 2009

First Days 2009/2010 School Year

Jonathan started school on August 24th this year. My first day was also that day, but mine was a work day. My kids came Tuesday. Drew started on Thursday the 27th. We all had a fabulous first week, although I am exhausted!

Both the boys seem happy with their teachers and are learning the ins and outs of their new classes.

I have around a million students but I am loving it! OK, maybe just around 135 but still...

My days go super fast and I haven't had a whole lot of discipline problems. My only complaint is that by the end of the day my feet kill and I am exhausted.

Going to bed early is the new cool thing to do at the King home. When the alarm goes off at 5am I just keep telling myself that the early bird gets the worm.

I am so grateful that I have a job. I'm also grateful that the boys have GREAT teachers!



Awesome new backpacks ready for school!


Jonathan's First Day of First Grade...What a Stud!
Headed to Rockhill Elementary






Drew's First Day of Kindergarten
Alliance Early Learning School...Eat Your Heart Out!






Happy School Year!


p.s. Julie...the author's name is Chris Rice and the title of the song is Billy Joe McGuffrey. Yep, I just Googled it. I really didn't know the chorus words were 'first aide.' Sooooo thought they were 'first day.' Nice to know...

Which reminds me of a conversation Chris and I had not that long ago...Chris King not Chris Rice...about a song from the 80's I think. Chris thought the chorus went like this:
'tonight you'll call my breast love's nest...' when it really went like this:
'tonight you'll calm my restlessness...' That's from 'Hands to Heaven' by Breathe.

If anyone in my blog community cares, here are the lyrics from Chris Rice's song...

Now Billy Joe McGuffrey was a really clumsy kid
On the first day of first grade, I'll tell you what he did
He tripped over a pencil box, flew up in the air
Landed on a kangaroo who pulled out all his hair

First aid in the first grade
First aid in the first grade
First aid in the first grade
You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid

Now Billy Joe McGuffrey was a really clumsy kid
On the second day of second grade, I'll tell you what he did
He slipped on a banana peel, flew up in the sky
Landed on a chimpanzee who poked him in the eye

First aid in the second grade
First aid in the second grade
First aid in the second grade
You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid

Now Billy Joe McGuffrey was a really clumsy kid
On the third day of third grade, I'll tell you what he did
He fell out of a fishing boat, splashed into the sea
Landed on a moray eel who bit him on the knee

First aid in the third grade
First aid in the third grade
First aid in the third grade
You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid

Now Billy Joe McGuffrey was a really clumsy kid
On the fourth day of fourth grade, I'll tell you what he did
He went out on a tadpole hunt, slipped into the creek
Landed on a large-mouth bass who bit him on the cheek

First aid in the fourth grade
First aid in the fourth grade
First aid in the fourth grade
You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid

Now Billy Joe McGuffrey was a really clumsy kid
On the fifth day of fifth grade, I'll tell you what he did
He went into the garden shop looking for a rose
Sniffed a baby's breath and got a bee caught up his nose

First aid in the fifth grade
First aid in the fifth grade
First aid in the fifth grade
You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid

Now Billy Joe McGuffrey was a really clumsy kid
On the sixth day of sixth grade, I'll tell you what he did
He went out on a field trip, the first one of the year
Backed into a sabertooth and pierced both of his ears

First aid in the sixth grade
First aid in the sixth grade
First aid in the sixth grade
You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid

Now Billy Joe McGuffrey was a really clumsy kid
On the seventh day of seventh grade, I'll tell you what he did
He tried out for the talent show to show how well he sung
Cracked a grin, a wasp flew in, and stung him on the tongue

First aid in the seventh grade
First aid in the seventh grade
First aid in the seventh grade
You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid

Now Billy Joe McGuffrey was a really clumsy kid
On the eighth day of eighth grade, I'll tell you what he did
He tried to play some basketball went up for a dunk
Landed in the bushes and got squirted by a skunk

First aid in the eighth grade
First aid in the eighth grade
First aid in the eighth grade
You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid

Now Billy Joe McGuffrey was a really clumsy kid
On the ninth day of ninth grade, I'll tell you what he did
He fed the pigs on grandma's farm, two piglets and a sow
Slipped on their slop and then got stepped on by a cow

First aid in the ninth grade
First aid in the ninth grade
First aid in the ninth grade
You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid

Now Billy Joe McGuffrey was a really clumsy kid
On the tenth day of tenth grade, I'll tell you what he did
He went out on some water skis and hit a sunken log
Wiped out all the lily pads, got spit on by a frog

First aid in the tenth grade
First aid in the tenth grade
First aid in the tenth grade
You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid

Now Billy Joe McGuffrey was a really clumsy kid
On the eleventh day of eleventh grade, I'll tell you what he did
He swept and missed an alley cat while taking driver's ed
Ran into a tree and bumped the dashboard with his head

First aid in the eleventh grade
First aid in the eleventh grade
First aid in the eleventh grade
You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid

Now... Billy Joe McGuffrey was a really clumsy kid
On the twelfth day of twelfth grade, I'll tell you what he did
He walked into financial aid, fell and broke a bone
Showed them all his bills and got a great big college loan

First aid in the twelfth grade
First aid in the twelfth grade
First aid in the twelfth grade
You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid
You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid
You could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid!


Here are the lyrics to Breathe's song:

As I watch you move,
Across the moonlit room.
There's so much tenderness in your loving.
Tomorrow I must leave,
The dawn knows no reprieve.
God give me strength when I am leaving.

So raise your hands to heaven and pray,
That we'll be back together someday, hey.

Tonight, I need your sweet caress.
Hold me in the darkness.
Tonight, you calm my restlessness.
You relieve my sadness.

As we move to embrace,
Tears run down your face.
I whisper words of love, so softly.
I can't believe this pain,
It's driving me insane.
Without your touch life will be lonely.

So raise your hands to heaven and pray, (And pray.)
That we'll be back together someday, hey.

Tonight, I need your sweet caress.
Hold me in the darkness.
Tonight, you calm my restlessness.
You relieve my sadness.
Tonight, I need your sweet caress.
Hold me in the darkness.
Tonight, you calm my restlessness.
You relieve my sadness.

Morning has come, another day,
I must pack my bags and say,
Goodbye.
Goodbye.

Tonight, I need your sweet caress.
Hold me in the darkness. (Darkness.)
Tonight, you calm my restlessness.
You relieve my sadness. (Sadness.)
Tonight, I need your sweet caress.
Hold me in the darkness. (Hold me in the darkness.)
Tonight, you calm my restlessness. (You calm my restlessness.)
You relieve my sadness.

NICE!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Family Style Corn

This post is purely for Chris's enjoyment. OK, I guess you'll find it humorous as well. We have been getting lots of veggies from his mom and step dad's garden lately. The newest batch included yummy sweet corn.

Chris was kind enough to cook the dinner when we had the corn. Grilled chicken sandwiches, corn on the cob, and chips. Mmm. What a great meal! I wasn't home when he shucked the corn, but he saved me this amusing find...


Nice!

The Last Day of Summer Vacation

Today marks the last day of summer vacation. We went to church, ate at Friendly's, came home, I went to Wal-mart, then we had Papa John's for dinner. I know what you're thinking...does the girl
EVER cook? Well...yes...just not today...

ANYWAY

I think the boys enjoyed themselves today. They partook in some trampoline action, Lego action, and other awesome adventures.

Here's the parts of our day that I captured on film:


FRIENDLY'S

What a smile!

Drew is not happy because we just told him he was not allowed to go to my parents' house.

Chris told us that if he were ever on Death Row (...OK...) he would request the meal he ate. Some sort of cheeseburger and fries. And a sundae. And a vanilla Coke.


Still pouting...


BACKPACKS

I told them to smile for real this time. Notice Drew's glasses? Check it out...he's been wearing them all day. Actually all week. Maybe longer. They are his Cyclops something something goggles. I can't remember exactly what he calls them but I'll come back and update when I ask him. Notice the color.

Chris and I decided to spend a little more on backpacks this year in hopes that they will last longer than any previous backpacks we've purchased. The boys chose their own colors and have matching lunch sacks too. Nice! Drew's color of choice was orange...his favorite color as of late. Notice the flip flops? Jonathan chose blue. I'm not sure if this is his current favorite color or if it just called to him.


BEDTIME

Andrea and I un-bunked the boys' beds a few weeks ago. The change was a direct result of Drew not sleeping well for a few nights in a row. He complained of being scared and hot. It was our hope that un-bunking the beds would kill two birds with one stone.
The boys love the new look of their bedroom, and I think they like being side by side. Drew no longer complaines about being hot but he still struggles with being scared. Poor kid! Breaks my heart.

Just a few minutes ago I had to go up and tell them to go to sleep AGAIN! Jonathan said he was trying but just couldn't. He then asked if I would sing him 'the song' that I sang to Drew a few nights ago when he was scared. Melt my heart! How could I not? After Jonathan's turn was over, Drew requested 'the song' as well. They both held me tight as I sang and had genuine smiles on their faces. I think I hope it will become a nightly routine. The song is from the movie The Sound of Music...see if you recognize it...

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens.
Brown paper packages tied up with string,
These are a few of my favorite things.

When the dog bites,when the bee stings,
When I'm feeling sad...
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad.

Might have to watch the movie soon.