17 thank you notes for VBS finished.

6 more to go.

If I have forgotten you on my long list of thank you notes, please, know that I am extremely grateful for anyway that you helped out with VBS.  I really appreciate all that everyone did to make this year so special.  It seemed to go really well.  Photos of the madness here.  Thanks to Nancy Anderson for shooting such great photos of the week for all of us to remember.  And to the rest of you that helped out, Thank you, thank you , thank you, thank you for all your hard work!!!  I had so much fun and I am looking forward to next year (Olympic themed - how fun).  I promise to be better organized next year. 

Mom, start thinking about how we should train the teachers next year.  You probably have all your notes that I can just borrow.  I was actually hoping you could help out with teaching the teachers next year.  Think about it and get back to me.  Hopefully we can find other teachers and you and Dad can be in the same class next year (if you want to teach again :) However, even if you don't want to teach, I still think you would be an excellent trainer.  Again, think about, pray about it, get back to me... you have some time - ha ha).  

Anyone who has any input on what you would have liked to know earlier, let me know.  We will try to work on it for next year. 

Thanks again.  You are the best! I am SO SO SO thankful for everyone that volunteered.  And thanks to a great director, Jeanne.  :)  Thanks for all the time we spent together organizing this VBS.  I have really really really appreciated all your hard work.  I know it hasn't been easy, but it was so worth it in the end.  Thanks.

Also, we are looking for another co-director next year.  Let me know if you are interested.  The material suggests that the co-director becomes the director the following year and the director takes some time off.  That way the leadership is always fresh, but at the same time you have a year of planning under someone that has already run the system.  

Being in baby nursery once every six weeks makes me happy.  Leaving baby nursery once every six weeks makes me even happier.  :)  I like entertaining small children and then giving them back to their parents.   Babysitting for my niece and nephews used to be a lot of fun (it used to be because I don't have the chance to anymore).  We are supposed to make gingerbread cookies again this winter.  They are hilarious. 

I bought a dress at Macy's yesterday for $0.80.  It was $10.80 on the clearance rack and I had a $10 off any purchase coupon. YAY.  Jared and I then wandered in Hobby Lobby and I bought a bit of fabric (I wasn't impressed by their fabric sections at all... very small).  The woman who was cutting my fabric was grumpy; she was telling me about how it was her last day because they fired her (or when they told her she would be working a different section of the store, she quit... not sure they really fired her).  I don't think I'll be going back in there for a long time, too much junk and stuff I don't need.  I am trying to pare down the stuff in my life; there is too much stuff!!  I sold 3 books on half.com from college.  More than two years out from grad school and I still made over $400 on 3 books.  Not bad.  Not bad.  I wish I had sold more books.  Jared is glad they are not sitting by our front door anymore on my to-do list. 

I am thankful for friends and family.  We spent some time with Jamie, Dasha, and Lydian this week (thanks for the delicious food!!).   And we spent some time this afternoon with the Catalliers in their lovely house (seriously, I want the colors and painting in their house - I want to be artistic!!).   The food was awesome with them too.  I think it is funny about how much I want my food to be perfect when I invite people over (and I worry and worry about it not being good enough).  But when I go over to other people's houses, I just want to spend time with them.  I don't even think about the food; I don't juege it because it is just extra to spending time with them.  I will have to remember that next time I let the fear of not having good enough food stop be from inviting people over.  People make me happy.  I am thankful for friends!!

Something good (to be thankful for):

My eyes are still healthy and better than 20/20!  YAY!

I made the most amazing chocolate cupcakes stuffed with peanut butter frosting and topped with peanut butter frosting and hot fudge icing.

Jared's thumb is getting better.

The weather is cooling down.  Yay.  I love fall.  It is my favorite season!!!

We finally got around to meeting our neighbors.   

I have the best job ever!  I love it. 

My interns remain amazingly helpful.

 

Something bad (pray for me to have patience):

Insurance company is still billing me incorrectly.  Which means that they are charging me an in network AND an out of network deductible.  This means that I have to pay over a grand more than I would if I only had to pay my normal in network deductible. 

BOO!!  Boo.  Boo.  Boo.  boo.  boo. 

When I was growing up, I often wondered why my Dad spent so much time on the phone with insurance companies; I wonder no more. 

 

Jared's surgery is being billed as out of network, meaning that instead of paying 20% of his surgery, I get to pay 40% and a higher deductible.  Why doesn't the system just work like it is supposed to work?!?  Sigh.  I guess I am about to spend a lot fo time on the phone with these people.  Not cool! IT IS LISTED ON THEIR WEBSITE AS AN IN NETWORK OFFICE!!!!  And I am arguing the emergency room fees... Boo boo boo, United Health Care.  Boo boo boo. 

 

In other, much more happy news, VBS is going well.   Everyone is doing a great job.  I am so thankful for every one's hard work.  And I got to spend time with little baby Ivy last night.  She might be the happiest baby that I have ever met.  :)

VBS is going wonderfully, better than I thought it would.  Everything is running itself at this point; it is great.  It is better than work because I don't have to follow up with people as much.  Everyone is just doing what they are supposed to.  I love it. 

Today I went to the allergist.  My back itches!!!  Apparently, I am allergic to a whole mess of dusts and molds and ragweed and dust mites.  Boo.  Oh, and cats.  I am extremely allergic to cats, but I knew that from the way my eyes itch and my nose runs whenever I go to visit my parents.   They are trying me on clariton and nasal spray and seeing me again in 4 weeks.  Anyhow, if at that point I don't feel better, we will talk about doing allergy shots.  I am really thinking about doing the allergy shots and getting everything over with.  What do you think?   Have you had allergy shots?  And if so, what are you allergic to?  

Today at VBS we learned about the fall, how man used to be happy and holy, but he had to go and mess it all up.  :)   I guess allergies are part of that.  Boo allergies.  Also, one more question today... do you ever smell things and they remind you of something?  I washed my hands at the doctor today and they now smell like Uncle Bill's (Dr. Taylor's) office to me (more specifically the doctor's in dr. Taylor's office).  ha. 

A song, a recipe, and a question...

I reliezed again today that I adore Coldplay's music and I was going to post lyrics on here, but I it was taking too long to search for them and copy them. 

I also realized that I couldn't copy the recipe that I wanted to share with you because the website won't let you steal text from the pages.  Boo.  I will type it out some other time for you because it is the best peach crisp that I have ever made (I have made it twice now, it is so good).  If you invite me over I might make it for you because I have 156 (minus the 4 I ate for breakfast, so 152) peaches sitting on my counter and table right now (I counted :) yes ).  I could possibly make it glutton free ... I think it will still turn out.  The flour is only 1/4 and oatmeal seems to do just as well.   Anyhow, that recipe is coming soon too. 

Now on to VBS week.  I am so glad it is finally here.  After it is over it means I can start planning vacation time for me. 

Tomorrow I am cutting the grass when I come home from work, VBS, work, and the gym (I might skip the gym).  When was the last time you cut the grass?  I used to cut my neighbors grass for two or three summers.  I am really glad I don't make my living cutting grass, but it was nice to get paid back in the day.  What was your first job? 

So, I was listening to NPR on the way home for lunch and I heard part of this interview with a democratic congressman.  He was talking about the tea party freshman in congress and he said something like this, "It is like they are on a mission to do what the people that elected them to congress want them to do.  They don't seem to care if they get re-elected or not."  He basically implied the entire time that they were so reckless and stupid to do that and that they were dangerous to the health of the nation because they were following the will of the people.  I just had to laugh.  *GASP* We would actually listen to the people that elected us?!?  ha ha ha.