LAST POST

This is my last post for 2016. I love this pic of the girls. We've all been through so much this year, but what always stays the same is the love my kids have for each other. We pray for each other, keep each other up to date on our lives, celebrate the good things in each others lives, and truly love each other.

This didn't happen by chance. We worked hard to come to a place where we don't love because of duty, but out of devotion. I'm most thankful for this family trait and I pray it always is the norm in the Rogers' house.

TOP TEN 2017

As is our tradition...we all remembered 2016 and the fun things we have done, places we have been, and people we love doing life with!

December

I love our calendar. I love using colored markers and making it look like our chaos is mostly fun...and planned. I love being a family with things to do, even if sometimes it seems like too much. It's good to have places to go to stretch our minds, our bodies, our relationships. I like to serve, it gives me great joy, and I like to give my kids opportunities to do the same. 

December is always busy, I've tried to do as much shopping as I can before the kids get out of school. There are always last minute things, so as much as I can do the better for my state of mind. We've taken our time decorating for Christmas, doing a little every week. I love our tree and enjoy getting setting up our nativities, our snowman collection and other things we've collected over the years. 

Jordan has played in both a school event "Caroling in the Halls" and had a band concert. Sheridan has had two or three basketball games each week and a choir concert last week. Both Jordan and Sheridan are playing JO volleyball with the Golden Suns. This is going to be a great experience for them. Right now they have two-hour practices twice a week. Cameron will be singing in church next week with Kid Life. 

Erin is home from school. Lauren will finish her finals this week. The littles 5 more days of school and I will take Richard back and forth to LR for his winter work meetings this week. We have big plans for the week before Christmas...it's the most WONDERFUL time of the year...why? ...Because my family WANTS to be at home and the reason is JESUS. 

Not a Factor

When someone thinks of volleyball players they probably think of tall, strong folks who can SLAM the ball over the net. Well, Sheridan is neither tall or particularly strong but she's playing! Her height is not a factor but her work ethic is. She's also a bit of fun on the court. I mean, she's a little taller than the lower ribbon on the net...she stands behind the TALLEST girls during some of the set up, and yet, she's getting a little playing time on the 8th grade team. I'm proud of her hard work and keeping her chin up even though she's not in the starting group and sometimes doesn't get much playing time. I'm glad she's not sitting at home wishing she could play. Thankful for coaches who see determination and let her travel and play.

Photo cred: Double R Sports plus

Not one clear thought...

I haven't blogged in two weeks and it's not for lack of content, but I can't get one clear thought about what we're doing or how we're doing it! We've moved, gotten school activities started, and I'm working every day on my upcoming event.  We mostly manage to eat meals and keep the floors swept too.

Highlights from the last few days: It's taken around 50 trips but we've finally got everything here...I mean, there's still my vacuum, a few cleaning supplies and a broom I'm missing...but we're here. Most of the things we use are put away in the house but the daunting task is the 2 of three garage bays filled with boxes and "stuff." We've already purged...this is furniture I'm going to sell and books we haven't seen in a year, a card collection and the mopeds. Someday, someday.

This happened. Jordan has been so ANXIOUS to get her tuba home! I mean, it will hardly fit in the back of my 4Runner but she's got to get that thing home! I'm thankful for the extra insulation in this new house. 

Volleyball season has started. Sheridan is the smallest player on the court...but not the quietest. She knows how to call the ball, is getting to be a really good setter and most importantly works hard on the floor. Cam loves volleyball because there is popcorn for $1. He was SET UP to watch on Monday night. 

The final details...pillars. Seriously, we've had SO MUCH RAIN...the yard is still a mess. But the finishing guys just took their sweet time getting back here to get the last touches on the house. I can live without pillars...but there's no reason to if the rest of the house is finished. They will cover the wood later in the week...so they said. Left to do: gutters, yard work, some electrical panel changes, and sorting the mess in the garage.

Back to School Week

3 packets of info to fill out, 1 picture collage, 10 new remind apps, and 3 full backpacks.
45 minutes in lines to get 3 kids after school today.
One parents night at the elementary school and a volleyball parent meeting with more paper work to fill out...concussion forms!?

This week:
Junior High:
$5 locker fee
$10 choir t shirt
$24 2 junior high booster club tshirts
$15 choir uniform fee
Middle School:
$30 band instrument rental fee
$45 generic instrument mouth piece
$11 beginner band book
$10 PE t shirt
$10 band t shirt
Elementary School:
$5 PTO membership

Summer Art Project

One day we pulled out the tissue paper, canvases, modge podge and paint brushes. It was time to do some art and use their creativity! The girls picked all their own colors (to match their new bedrooms) and thought about what they wanted on the canvases. We had our friend paint the verses they chose and we were all tickled with how they turned out. I'm so thankful for this project...just because it can't be bad to hang a verse of TRUTH in your room to see every day. These girls are growing up and we pray they have the TRUTH in their hearts every day. 

Snocones, volleyball and firsts!

Summer days are LONG...but we've managed to stay pretty busy! We stopped by the local sno cone stand one day and the kids chose watermelon, strawberry and tiger's blood as their top picks! It was a good way to cool off on these 100 degree days.

Sheridan has been going to open gym with both basketball and volleyball all summer. There are some kids who play on competitive teams all summer but we didn't think we could make that work this year. She's enjoying herself and played in a team camp at Tech with her classmates last Saturday. We got to pop over for a game. She's very short compared to the girls on her team, but she can hit as well as anyone from the floor!

We had our FIRST MEAL in our new house this week. Richard called me to come check some things and the kids were already with him. I wasn't going to have cheap pizza as our first meal in our forever home...so I made the trip across town for some Chick fil a. It's only right that you get your favorite fast food for your first meal! The counter was dirty and the floor was dirty, and there was no seating, but NO ONE minded! TWO WEEKS until we can get in!

SO much to say...wedding post #1

Whoa! It's Sunday afternoon and I've just gotten up from yet another deep-sleep nap from the chair in the living room. The kids were watching a movie but they've gone on to other things now. I'm thankful they know not to wake a sleeping Mama of the Bride!

I've hosted many events in the last years, I know how to plan, be flexible and take care of people. However, I've NEVER hosted a wedding, nor had to make plans with the main goal of making two people SMILE ALL NIGHT! I'm so thankful I can call our wedding a SUCCESS on all fronts! We knew at the end of the night they would be legally wed, but all the other details made the night super fun!

This afternoon I asked the 3 littles to tell me their favorite things in the wedding. They wrote and wrote and then we shared. It's so funny to see how they ranked their favorites, there were SO MANY wonderful parts it's hard to choose!

CAMERON:

Dancing with our cousins

Cake: baseball cake

Whip n Nay Nay

The funness/funner

The dancing

The watermelon and pineapple

The ring pop

The preacher

The people

The fireworks

JORDAN:

Food

The smooch

Lauren’s Dress – she’d like to wear someday

The rehearsal (dinner)

The colors

The father/daughter dance

The signing of the book (guest book)

The cupcakes

The wedding shower

The Jenga blocks

The Bs - she also might want to use these someday if she marries someone with a B last name!

SHERIDAN:

Ian & Lauren getting married

Vows

Getting to greet everyone and hand out programs

Chocolate Chip Dip

Getting to see old Clarksville friends (Suede, Lindsey & Lexi)

How pretty it was at Bona Dea for pictures

The wrap (sandwich) in the bridal party room, it was very good

Getting to pray over Lauren and Ian during the wedding

Seeing Lauren’s Falls Creek friends

Erin and Dad’s speeches

The leftovers we got to bring home

The special painted wedding signs

Getting to walk down the aisle with Jordan and Cameron

From a MOM or MOB's perspective:

~ALL my kids being home...Ryan found out on Tuesday he could get a flight home from Ft Benning

~When her flowers and our cupcakes came in and were EXACTLY like she wanted

~The smile Lauren had when she put on her dress and veil

~Praying over Lauren with her bridal party and her new mother in law

~Seeing people come to the wedding from all over who love Lauren (including band director from high school, friends from Falls Creek staff, friends from FBC Clarksville, new friends from their LIFE groups, friends from my Life Group, high school friends, former neighbors, and family from as far away as California!)

~The moment when Richard gave Lauren to Ian and gave him a huge manly hug

~The maid of honor speech by Erin and the father toast by Richard

~The father/daughter dance (choreographed by a friend and NAILED on the dancefloor!)

~The family who smiled, hugged and loved Lauren just by being there

~The smile on Lauren's face as she left with Ian for her HAPPILY EVER AFTER

More Surprises...

SURPRISE #8: Sheridan thought she was just riding home with our neighbor and friend, but instead they got to go to paint together and have frozen yogurt! Sheridan knows she is blessed to have such a sweet friend living right next door. This family is the best thing about our rent house and we'll miss living right next door! 

SURPRISE #9: Jordan and Cameron took Sheridan to the movies. No matter that the Jungle Book was a little scary (with things popping out of the jungle throughout the entire movie) but they said the XL popcorn and the drink as big as their head was awesome! 

SURPRISE #10: When Sheridan returned home from the movies her room was filled with 13 balloons and a card from Grandma and Grandpa Boogaart. It's fun for someone to think of you for your birthday! 

SURPRISE #11: Sheridan's second date with a handsome guy was with her dad. They both dressed up a bit and headed out for a night on the town. I love that he wants to do things with his girls and that she got his undivided attention!

SURPRISE #12: May 29th fell on a Sunday and we couldn't have planned a more beautiful day! Sheridan was cute in a blue polka dot dress, her big surprise was our lunch. Her favorite meal, or the one she requests most often, I haven't made for a year or more. So, we had shrimp pasta for lunch! The lunch with family was all about her! She also opened some presents from us and cards from long distance family.

One last surprise to go...