I Can Survive

Kevin sent this to me and it was so funny I had to share.

What is it?

Okay, I found out it's a woodchuck. It's living under the shed in our yard just beyond the grape vines. Bob said it possibly could have babies under there. GREAT!! :( Guess that's what we get for living in the country!!

We think we have one of these, a Nutria, in our yard. We saw it today in the backyard. Kevin has taken a picture and we'll show it to Bob who will let us know what it is.

I Can Only Imagine

We sang this song in Zoom Zone this morning and it's one I've always loved listening too. As I was singing it I got to thinking of a gentelmen that went to be with the Lord last night. Kevin and I never had the pleasure of meeting Mort. He and his wife attended another church however he had a great many friends at Berean. As I heard of the passing of Mort I looked at a good friend of mine seeing the pain in his eyes, knowing that someone he loved so dearly was no longer on this earth. Yet, listening to this song made me think of Mort and knowing that at that moment in time he was no longer here, suffering in pain but he was in Heaven with his Father. Mort no longer had to imagine what it would be like to meet Jesus because he knew. He was able to see his heavenly Father. Able to sit at His feet, hold His hand and walk with Him. Death is not easy. Kevin and I both know that. We've been through that many times ~ with Kev's father and my aunts and grandparents. However, knowing that someday we'll be able to see those love ones again makes it a little better. For now I will continue to listen to this song and Only Imagine what it will be like.....

Free Coffee Sample

https://dunkinathome.safeprocessing.com/

Dunkin' Donuts is giving out free samples. Just breeze on over to the above website and ask for your free sample. You just can't beat free samples!!

Girls are gone

Well, Kevin's nieces left bright and early this morning at 4:30am. The boys missed saying goodbye so we called them about 7:30 this morning and they were already in Nebraska. What a joy it was to have them here. Desi, Elizabeth and I or TED as we called ourselves had a great time bonding together. I love all my nieces and nephews yet there's something about having young adult nieces that I can talk and laugh with and be silly with. The late night trips to Walgreens and Dairy Zone. Oh lest we not forget my driving them to go get their noses pierced. This aunt would not let them go into the place as it looked too trashy to go into to. So, for now, they are safe from getting their noses pierced and I am safe from hearing "Come on aunt Trudy, just do it with us"!! Their noses may be a bit different when I see them in a couple months though!! Not only did the girls and I bond closer this week but I believe Desi and Elizabeth did too. Three days on the road with each other would certainly give them some bonding time. I will cherish the time I had with them and look forward to seeing them again when we go back in June for a visit. Love you girls!!

Pictures

In Zoom Zone at the church

Tuesday and the travelers

Kite flying with the kites Elizabeth bought for the boys

Zayvn's got stuck in the tree

Riding the Segeway at the capital

Here's some pictures so far of Desi and Elizabeth visiting us. Today we went to the State Capital and Jordan Creek Mall. Last night the boys flew their kites that Elizabeth bought them.

More visitors

As I write this Kevin's nieces Elizabeth and Desiree are making their way from Portland, OR to here. The girls are on spring break and they wanted to take a cross country trip to come see us. They left yesterday afternoon and stopped in Boise, ID last night. Tonight they will stop in Douglas, WY and then continue on tomorrow morning. They will arrive sometime tomorrow night. I am very excited to see them. I'm not sure what the girls will want to do while they are here but I'm looking forward to having a great time with them. We've cleared Zay out of his room again so they'll have a nice comfortable bed to sleep on. I'll post some pictures this week as time allows. With these two girls I'm not sure how much sleep I'll get!! :)

Daycamp Week

We have been quite busy this week with our spring break Day Camp. Go to our children's ministry blog at http://bereanzoomzone.blogspot.com/ to read all about it.

Daisy/Prim Overnighter

In just a few hours I, along with two other moms and five, 7 year old girls, will be heading to Boone, IA where our district campgrounds are. This overnighter is for the Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade girls throughout Iowa who are a part of the MPact program. We'll have a great night of food, fellowship and activites. I teach 1st and 2nd grade Prims on Wednesday nights so I get the privilege of going with the girls. I am very excited. It's been quite a long time since I've gone on an overnighter with the girls and look forward to a wonderful time. I've got my digital camera ready and two back up camera's so I'll have plenty of pics to share when I get back.

Baseball

Renn had his first practice for baseball tonight. He is so excited. We picked up his mitt yesterday and Friday we'll go get the rest of his gear. This is the first time he's played baseball and watching him in practice he was awesome!! Of course, that's a mom's opinion but seriously he was good!! There are also school mates on his team which makes it nice for him. We'll have practices two nights a week and waiting for the schedule to see when games are. I'll update the blog with pictures of his baseball soon!!

Trunk Monkey

Kevin had this sent to him by a friend of his. It was just so good I had to share it.

Blue & Gold Banquet

Right after church we headed over to the Elks Lodge for Renn's Blue and Gold Banquet. Blue and Gold Banquet is for all the Cub Scouts who advance to the next level. Renn has now advanced to Webelos and is very excited. He will begin Webelos in August as the Cub Scouts take from now until school starts off. As we were sitting there waiting for the banquet to start they had a program on the table. I started to read it and got to the back. This is what was on the back and I liked it so much I wanted to share it.

A Cub Scout Parent's Prayer
Look down upon my son, Dear Lord,
This smiling cub of mine.
Please take his hand along the way
So he may never stray.
Bless my son tonight, Dear Lord,
And Help him walk with Thee.
Give him comfort, warmth, and love;
He's all the world to me
Bless his daily efforts,
and make him strong and true;
For life's a heavy burden,
And wwe're all in need of You.

Royal Ranger Overnighter

Kevin and the boys went to the overnighter at the church last night. It started at 7pm with swimming at the Altoona campus http://www.altoonacampus.com/index.asp. After that they moved on to bowling. After bowling they had pizza at the church. Kevin brought Zayvn home about 1am this morning. We both felt that was quite a long time at the church and even though Zay had had a nap we knew what he would be like today. After dropping Zay off he went back to the church where the boys watched a movie. Some fell asleep and some stayed awake. Kevin and Renn blew up the air mattress and went to sleep in Kev's office about 3:30am. They came home about 7:30 and Renn went right to bed. Kevin took off for a meeting he had and then visited the JBQ team at First Assembly. He got home about noon and slept for about 4 hours. They all had great fun. Me? I went out to dinner with some friends and then came back home to a quiet empty house. Weird feeling for sure!!

Coupons

Can I just tell you that I LOVE COUPONS!! If you don't already use them you need to. Since moving back here God has certainly blessed us however we are still trying to get caught up from the three years that we were "walking in the desert." So, Kevin has me on a tight food budget and it's my job to figure out how to feed this family of six. Oh, I meant four. Just seems like I have two extras. These hungry boys in the house all the time. Anyway, I went to the grocery store yesterday and saved myself a whopping $30!! I had several buy one, get ones, three FREE coupons and several cents off coupons for $1 or more. It's sort of become a challenge for me now to see how much I can save. I have to explain my three free coupons. Here it is again: I entered an online contest and won three instant coupons for Kraft products. I was thrilled because as many of you moms know grocery prices have gone way up. As I'm at the checkout counter the cashier says to me: "Those are some pretty good coupons." The three I won but the others I found online or in the Sunday paper. Here's a link I found for coupons that is pretty good desmoines.momslikeme.com.
While I'm on the subject of coupons did you know if you go to a restaurant's website and sign up for their email club they will usually send you some good deals? Here's a few: Cold Stone Creamery, Applebee's, Arby's, Wendy's, Ruby Tuesday's. These are just a few. They will even send you a coupon for your birthday whether it be a free meal, appetizer or dessert. I love getting them!!

Pedi's, Coffee and a Friend

As moms, there's just something about pampering yourself with a good pedicure and coffee. What's even better is to have a friend alongside you to do it with. I received some birthday money in the mail a couple weeks ago so my friend Brenda and I decided to treat ourselves to a pedicure and coffee. Brenda and I share our birthdays within a week of each other so this was our birthday celebration to ourselves. We met up at Happy Nails (?) in Altoona and relaxed and talked as the girls worked on our feet. If you've never had a pedicure before you need to get one. They are absolutely relaxing. After our pedi we went and had coffee at Starbucks in Target. It was nice as we visited and chatted with one another. I didn't want the night to end but, alas, we have husbands and children that we must get back too. With a hug goodbye we parted ways. Thanks Brenda for a great night!! As I drove home, I thanked the Lord for the many wonderful friends I have encountered along the way in my 39 years of life. Friends I have known for 20 plus years and the friendship grows deeper and deeper. Friendships that bind two people together so much that each one of them can tell what the other one is going through by just looking at them or hearing it in their voice. I have many friends, but there's something about having a deep, long lasting friend that knows and loves you for who you are. They know my heartaches, sorrows and joys. They laugh and cry with me. I am blessed to have these friendships and I pray for my dear friends each day. Thanks B, A, S, L, D, C for your friendship too me. I am grateful to have you as my friend and thankful for you!!
"A friend sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24

Synergy

Buddy Barrell

Worship Team

Cousin Eddie

Memory Verse Time

Praise Time

Game Time

Beemer Brothers

Kevin preaching

Last night was Synergy at our church. Synergy is "bringing generations together" within the Berean fellowship. Zoom Zone had the service last night and boy, was it incredible. Cousin Eddie and Sister Rowena made a visit, games, Beemer Brothers, singing and just a ton of fun. Next month Collision (youth) will bring the Synergy to Berean. We are a multi generational church and we want to bring the old and young together to worship and enjoy those things of the Lord. What a great time it was and the whole Zoom Zone staff came together as a team. Kevin and I are blessed to work with such an awesome team!! Thanks to everyone for all your help.