One crazy night!

Last night was a crazy upon crazy night. Tink has ballet in another town on Monday's so we leave at 3:30 for dance. She had a soccer game re-scheduled for last night that I found out about at lunch time. So we changed from dance clothes to soccer clothes in the car and I took her straight to the game. Once I dropped her off I had to run across the street to the ball park for Man-Man's first t-ball game. He was so excited! I remember his first game last year he was so scared he wouldn't even bat. But this year he was all about it! It made it even more fun that Miss Jessica came to pick him up from his game to take him skating! I'm not sure which he was more excited about!!!

I made it back from t-ball in order to watch the second half of Tink's soccer game. They are a great little team who only lost one game this year (and that was by one point!). They had a team party at Chick-fil-A after the game so we rushed over there for supper. What a crazy...but fun day! Who says homeschooled kids aren't socialized???!!! We just do it when/and with whom we want. That, my friend, is the difference!

Enjoy the pics.

Jill

Spring Break Playdate!

Soup of the Day!

Note: title provided by Dee Dee!


I honestly don't know how to begin this post. But as Jeremy was retelling this story to me I knew immediately it would be on the blog.

Today was a georgeous day! The kids played outside for most of the afternoon after helping me clean out closets this morning (yes, I must be getting Spring fever)! Anyway, I went down the road to mom's to mow her yard and Jeremy stayed with the kids who were playing outside(I begged to mow the yard... one whole hour with no kids!). It was heavenly!! Beautiful breeze, sun going down, peace and quiet!!! Ahhhh!!! Anyway, Jeremy walked up to mom's house towards the end and brought Princess so she could ride home with me on the riding lawn mower (you didn't actually think I was push mowing did you?). As we were walking home Jeremy said Man-Man was inside in time-out. I could see a little sly grin escaping from Jeremy's lips. "What did he do?" I asked not sure I wanted to know the answer.

Well, Tink, Man-Man, Princess, Emma (a friend visiting from Texas), and Drew (a neighbor) were playing outside while Jeremy was talking to another neighbor. Evidently they all decided to raid my kitchen bowls to make soup. Usually this soup consists of leaves, twigs, sticks, berries, and water. Well, evidently the water was a problem to find today. Now, why they didn't walk back inside and fill the bowls with water from the sink I'll never know. But apparently my son decided to supply everyone's soup with his own water. Oh, yes! His OWN water!

See, I'm an only child. I had a couple of boy cousins who were like brothers but I don't ever remember them peeing on thing...or in things. I know that this is just something little boys do but I'm so grateful that Jeremy was the one that the other kids ran to to tattle on. I know it was all he could do to keep from laughing (as well as our neighbor to whom Jeremy was talking) as he talked to Man-Man and put him in time out. Oh, this little boy is surely teaching me things! I am just trying to imagine the thought process that led him to decide on this course of action. I mean, I know the girls didn't come up with it. And Drew, bless his heart, is probably ruined for life (I'm sure boys in India don't act like that!) So that leaves my son as the instigator and designer of this plan. Oh, my! What could be next?

Jill

Update: It was revealed to me today by big sis that infact it was Drew that told Man-Man to pee in the pot. Tink was very upset with Drew because "he was the one that told (Man-Man) to do it and then he was the one that went and told on him when he did"! We had a good lesson in not doing everything our friends tell us to do. :)

Man-Man's soccer game!

What a fun, yet busy weekend! We were at the soccer field and the softball field on Saturday. I'm so glad we were able to be outside on such a beautiful day. The weather was perfect and after last weekend's rain, cold, and SNOW (yes, in MS) we enjoyed a beautiful Saturday with 80 degree weather. My mom got a new camera so she was the photographer for the day. Here are some pics of my little man! Isn't he precious! He's the joy of my life.

Thanks to Gidgi for the beautiful pics. I know there will be many more to come!

Jill

Nine wonderful years!

Nine years ago today I married the man of my dreams, my soul-mate, and my best friend. I remember each and every moment as if it were yesterday.

Walking to church from my house holding my mom's hand (like I always did as a little girl)

Seeing Jeremy for the first time in front of the gazebo where he asked me to marry him

Our wedding party meeting outside at the gazebo for shots at that special place

Holly taking that silly picture of the groomsmen impersonating Jeremy

The beautiful Spring weather,

Friends from as far away as California and Arkansas finally seeing my home town

The flowers that my step-mother so beautifully prepared,

The beautiful cake my aunt made for us,

Jeremy's delicious grooms cake made by his mother,

Waiting in the balcony as the family and friends started to arrive

My two dads walking me down the aisle

My cousins, best friend, and mother serving as my bridal party

Jeremy's brothers walking his mom down the aisle

Lighting the candle in honor of our grandparents

The pastor's mic breaking up at different parts of the ceremony

Chad and Paige singing "Awesome in this place"

The congregation reciting the Lord's prayer

The kiss

Leaving that stage and the preacher announcing "Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Jeremy Kyser"

The group shot of all who attended in front of the church

Emily catching the bouquet

Trent catching the garter

The cake pull with the bridesmaids and Emily (my best friend and stand in the night before)

Leaving the church to the sound of cowbells and cheers from our wonderful friends

Being so hungry that I thought I'd pass out when it was all over!

These are but a few of those precious blessed memories nine years ago today. But most of all I remember watching Jeremy as I walked down the aisle and knowing that this was the man of my dreams. God created him just for me and I would be his wife forever. Each day has been even better and more wonderful than the last. Thank you, Jeremy for nine wonderful years. I can't wait for the other 80!

Jill

The pictures are of the beautiful flowers that my husband suprised me with today. Although he had to go out of town on business he met us for lunch and brought these with him. Ladies came out of their stores to "ohh and ahhh" over such beautiful flowers. He ordered nine peach roses (my favorites) with one white one in the center representing our Lord as the center of our marriage. I told you he was amazing! And along with pictures of our flowers there are also pictures of our beautiful children. They are the best anniversary present I could ever ask for.

Gidgi of the year!

(note: this entry contains a lot of rambling and quite a bit of whining...read with caution~ you've been warned!)

Craziness! That's about all I can say about the first part of the weekend. I was stressed about it already because I knew I needed to be in two or three places at once and didn't know how to make a twin of myself on such short notice. I knew this weekend was going to be busy with a soccer tournament for Tink but I just didnt' know the dates or times until earlier in the week. I also knew that we had been invited to one of our college students summer missions banquet on Friday night and I was trying to set up childcare for that. Of course all it took was one phone call to Gidgi and she selflessly volunteered for whatever we needed. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

THEN the tournament schedule came out. Game at 6pm on Friday, game at 8am on Sat, game at 11am on Sat. O.K. I guess I should stop here and let you know what my soccer games have been like recently. Basically it's me running around after Princess keeping her off of the field and out of the way. She is non-stop action and she doesn't ever sit. Tink is on a very talented and fun to watch soccer team and I knew that three games in 18 hours was just going to be too much for both Princess and I both to handle. Add to that the fact that Man-Man's soccer game was at 900am Sat. and it was on the other side of town. Yep, that was three games on Sat. morning. Help! So, another call to Gidgi and again...all was taken care of. She would keep Princess on Friday night and Sat 8am game and then we could all go to the 11am game. Yeah!

THEN I wake up Thurs morning to an email from our coach saying that there is a make-up game that night at 630. What?? A make up game right before a tournament weekend? O.K. change the plans and deal with it. Are you counting? That's five Kyser games within 36 hours all with an 18 month old who won't sit still!

THEN I remembered the missions banquet for Alleta. Oh, is Tink's game going to be over in time? Can we show up late? What do I do with the kids? So, you guessed it...another call to Gidgi. After the soccer game we could bring all of the kids to her and Jeremy and I could be off to the missions banquet even if we were just a tad late. Great!

THEN at 4:10pm on Friday afternoon Man-Man comes to me looking horrible and asking for medicine because his ears hurt. O.K. this child has an incredible pain threshold. I've never heard him complain, even when he's sick. The night before he didn't sleep and mentioned that his ears hurt but once he woke up he never said another word about it. So I figured we were in the clear. No! Right before the Dr. closed (and too late to be seen at the regular office) he tells me this. I immediately call the Dr. and they say I can be at the after-hours clinic for a 6:10pm appt. Uh, can I just get a prescription for Amoxil right over the phone? I know that's all they're going to do anyway. The flu is very bad here and the last thing I wanted was for him to catch something bad just because he went in for the earache. Nope! I had to see the Dr. After a mini-breakdown I pull it together and...you guessed it...called Gidgi. I would take Man-Man to the Dr. Jeremy would take Tink to soccer. Gidgi would keep Princess. When Tink's game was over he would drop her off with Gidgi and go to the missions banquet. Once I was out of the Dr. (which btw is in Jackson- 25 minutes away) I would drop Man-Man off and be late to the banquet. It wasn't ideal but it was all we could do.

After a 45 minute wait in the waiting room (we were the second people in there too!) we finally got in to see the Dr. Three minutes after we were called back we were walking out of the door with a prescription for...yep, Amoxil! Sigh! Double ear infections 10 on a scale of 1-10. Long story long...I made it to the missions banquet right in time for supper and it was a wonderful night. During all of this madness I kept clinging to one verse, "For I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I knew that I couldn't get through last night and this morning on my own. I knew that only He could get me through it and help it to all work out. God is so good!

THEN (yep, you thought I was done rambling) we get to this morning. Remember Gidgi is showing up at 730am to keep Princess (and now Man-Man since he's sick) so that we can go to Tink's game. We get to the fields and at the last minute they postpone all of the games 2 hours due to water on the fields. Uh, what is two hours going to solve? These girls were ready to play. There were hundreds of people already there who were ready to play. Away we go. We call Gidgi and let her know that our games are now at 1000am and 100pm. Of course each time I tell her she's not expected to keep these kids the entire time. But each time she selflessly tells us that she will do whatever is needed. Amazing! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

So we finally get to play at 1000am and it's now 15 degrees colder and misting! Not a smart idea to delay the games. The girls played great but due to an inexperienced ref who allowed three goals to count for the other team that were illegal (i.e. handballs and indirect kicks that went straight into the goal without touching another player) they lost by one point. 4-3. That one point ended up keeping them out of the championship game. It was heartbreaking because they played two other perfect games and didn't allow any points to be scored on them. They were by far the best team out there but I guess you can't win them all. I'm so proud of Tink and the Hurricanes! They are having so much fun.

But I am most proud of my mother...the best Gidgi in the world. Who gave up her entire weekend to be at our beckon call. She cooked for us, kept sick kids, bathed them, watched movies with them, and even took one home with her this afternoon so the rest of us could crash! You're the best mom! I can't thank you enough. Now...about next weekend....

Jill

First tooth (teeth)!

You know, I don't remember loosing teeth being such a big deal when I was little. I mean, I remember losing a couple of them. In first grade I was kicking leaves during recess and thought it would be cool to do a high "Pride of the Tide" type kick (think Rockettes for those of you not from Picayune). I kicked my front tooth out. O.K. it was loose anyway but I remember it miraculously landed right in my hand. Other than that I remember mom threatening to tie my tooth to a door handle and slam it a couple of times but that was it. I'm sure she remembers more.

I have not had any memories of my kids losing teeth until Friday. Tink has had a couple of loose teeth for a while. One was so ready to come out that I didn't see how it was still hanging on. I had a dentist appt. on Friday so I took Tink with me. She loves going to the dentist and since her appt isn't for another month I let her go. After Dr. Everett checked my teeth I told her about Tink's first tooth. She asked Tink if she wanted to trade seats with me so that she could get a better look. She told Tink that she had "sleepy jelly" that she could rub on the tooth and make it not hurt anymore. Before I knew it I was asking for a camera so that I could take before and after pictures. One quick shot with Dr. Everett's camera and that tooth was out!

Well, I knew that Tink's two big teeth were already coming in behind her baby teeth and Dr. Everett knew she needed more room. Yep, more sleepy jelly and the next minute the other tooth was out. This one hurt quite a bit. I felt so bad for Tink because she had no idea what she was getting into. This wasn't even her appt. The second tooth was just slightly loose so the root was still very much intact. Sleepy jelly only goes so far and she hurt for a while. Now somewhere in the middle of this I did what any guilty parent would do and kinda started promising things to Tink to get her mind off of what was going on. So not only did the tooth fairy leave a VERY generous first tooth (teeth) gift under her pillow but I had to also immediately go get her a vanilla frosty from Wendy's (per Dr's orders) and I had to go to Wal-Mart and pick up High School Musical 3 which she didn't even know had come out on DVD earlier that week.

Well, that was the end of the traumatic dentist visit. Poor thing...I'm afraid she may have to have another pulled in March when she goes back. Her big teeth are just coming in faster than her baby teeth want to leave. Of course, I have NOT mentioned this to her. Oh, what a visit that's going to be. She won't be fooled the next time.

Jill