a big deal....

well.  the past two weeks have been kind of a big deal for us.
if you know us, you know that adam, since college, has had his own business.  it has become very successful over the years.  it hasn't been easy.  not one ounce of it has been easy.  it is a family business, and it is nothing shy of being that.  we often spend evenings and weekends working together, either behind the scenes or on the front line getting things accomplished.

the past two weeks have been NUTS for the family business.  adam was alerted that there was a business going out of business that was very similar to his.  but it had the printing aspect to it{-he contracts out for printing and does embroidery in house.} it was a very lovely deal.  the only unlovely part-it's about 35 minutes south of where we are.  there was no staff. there was a building, there was printing machines, but the people to run it-wasn't there. 

adam told me about the situation.  it was a no brainer....although my wife brain was saying WHAT THE WHAT?  it's 35 minutes south of where we live and the office is, he/we know little about screen printing and the process of it, and oh, don't forget there are no workers. 

the transaction was complete.  adam took the girls and I to the new location. (by new I mean additional).  it all fell into place.  the owner had decided she wasn't going to leave, she just didn't want to work 90 hours a week with 5 kids by herself.  (I get that)  she would like to sell outside the office.  the banner making lady (I don't know how else to refer to her) was called, and offered her job back, a screen printer who works far away from where she lives was offered a job, and accepted it.  she now works 5 blocks from her house. customer service positions are coming together, and adam is just there most days over seeing and making sure everything is falling into place.  the Good Lord once again had His hand on this deal and held us CLOSE!

after church today he and I went to the office and worked.  and worked.  and worked some more.  I complain often about how much he works-or I used to.  because I didn't understand why on earth it takes that much time to run a company.  after many years, I completely understand.  and while I don't love that we aren't always able to go to events together, and that we aren't always snuggled on the couch on a cold sunday afternoon, I get that it takes all a person has, and then some. 

I'm so excited for treetop, and adam, but am also slightly overwhelmed with all of it.  and that is okay.  hasn't been the first time for that feeling for us! :)

keep us in your prayers.  we thank all that have supported us through listening ears and prayers all these years!

here are a few pictures. I forgot my camera.  they are all from my phone. :(

this is the front of the building...it doesn't have adam's business sign up.  I couldn't get the whole thing.  but you get the drift.

the front office/lobby.  this is it.  it's  a store front.  another frontier that we don't know about :)

a storage room.  filled with shirts.  my job was to sort that stuff.  good times.

this is a banner making machine.  who knew that's what it looks like.  decals.  banners.  signs.  that's what they come from.

chat soon!

Destination Imagination

Anne has been involved with a school club called Destination Imagination for the last two years.
This year I was the team manager (let's just say I didn't really volunteer for the position....) 
For some reason, it wasn't the easiest thing I had ever dealt with.
It could be that I'm a little bit more of a black and white thinker then I thought. 
This program promotes working collaboratively, using imagination, and solving problems.
I think it's an amazing thing.  The kids are awesome at it.
We work for 4 months or so to prepare a performance that the kids perform for judges at a tournament.

Anne's school is known for doing very well in the tournament. They take it seriously.  I was trying to remain very calm about it.  I was newbie at this.  Was feeling as if maybe I didn't do all I could. 


We made it to the tournament.  We had everything ready.  We practiced our hearts out.  THEY DID GREAT!  I  have to admit, I was a sweaty mess through the 6 minute performance.  BUT we made it. :)

We didn't stay for the award ceremony.  The day started at 8am and the ceremony was to be held at 5pm.  We all decided to head home and just wait.

The other ladies that helped me and I all thought we had a heck of a chance.

5pm came.
5:01 came.
5:05 came.
5:20 came...the phone rang.
we got fourth place.
That means we would not be heading to regionals.  The other two teams representing our school would be heading there.  We would not. 
I was totally bummed.
Totally.
More then I expected.
BUT we learned what needs to be changed for next year.  The kids had a great time, they learned from each other, and were totally cool with the results.  At the end of the day....that is what completing a project means. Not winning! 

Want to know more about destination imagination?  Read about it here.

this is the team.  the DI-NERS! :)

explaining final details to the judge

getting ready to cross the line.  do you see the line?

everything was made by them.  no adult help can be given

the whole story was based on the life of van gogh from the kids point of view. 

this is van gogh. 

the whole skit had to be acted as a comic strip.  they chose to use text bubbles to support the comic strip idea

the judges asking questions

this is mr. fishburn.  all but two students are in his class from this group.  he gave up his Saturday morning to support his kids!

36 on the 25

Adam had a birthday last week.
Adam is kind of quiet about birthdays.
He doesn't know why.  But he is.
This year was a little different for him.
His business has gotten bigger.  There are lots of employees. 
They are all very close, it's like a family.
One of the sweet girls texted me to know how old he was going to be.
I told her.
Then I said, WAIT! He doesn't like a big to-do about his birthday.
She said, oh. Okay, we can change our plan.
I said, NOPE!  Pour it on him!
And they did....
Lunch, decorations, cake with candles, balloons. 
Everyone participated.
He was grinning ear to ear when he got home.
It was awesome.
We had a quiet evening of dinner, and cake.
The girls and I gave him a wooden photo album with all of the hunting pictures we could find (from youth on) , organized them and put them into the album.  The pictures have always been in cruddy envelopes, shoved in boxes, in the basement.
He loved it.
It was complete by a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday sung over the phone by my momma! :)
I think his day was great.

 

 

Well. Good morning.

March, 3.  Another snow day.
For me, this is day 11. 
Good possibility of another one tomorrow.
I do love snow days.  But, honestly, after 11...they lose their luster.
Especially with a high of 10 degrees. 
I've really, really, really been trying to focus on bettering myself and our house this winter.
Sometimes I'm good at it, sometimes I'm not. 
Today, I reminded myself that, I needed to work out, and keep de-cluttering our house.
I hate doing both of those things.
BUT they need to be done, and the sun is out. SO I thought it was a direct sign I needed to be productive.
I jumped on the little exercise machine downstairs, turned on my little program that tells me when to do what, and away I went.  I completed it, and was super proud of myself (most would laugh hysterically at my 'little work out', but we have to start somewhere, right?!).
I proudly, and sweat-ily walked up stairs to get a drink of water. 
Out of the corner of my eye, near the deck door, I saw something move. 
I blinked, thinking, I must be nearing over-heating stage and was starting to hallucinate.
Then I saw it again. 
OHMYGOSH it was a BIRD!
A bird. Right there. On the kitchen floor. ALIVE.  And MOVING.
HOLY MOLY HOLY MOLY HOLY MOLY....
Maybe you do not remember. Sara Louise-HATES BIRDS.
Like HATES THEM!
THEY CREEP ME OUT!
I took a deep breath and said "SARA, DO THIS!"
I flung the deck door open.  The bird FLEW THE OTHER DIRECTION.
OH *&^%.
I took another deep breath and did the only thing a 37 bird a phobe would do....
I said...wait for it, wait for it....
SHOO!  SHOO BIRD SHOO!
REALLY?
The little ball of feathers and germs slammed itself RIGHT INTO OUR DECK DOOR (the closed part of course).
Great, now I'm gonna have to clean up feathers, germs, and BLOOD.
The little guy shook it off and took flight, opposite direction of the door.
REALLY?
By now, Anne seems to pick up on my sprinting through our kitchen, dashing away from my mortal enemy....I said STOP. THERE IS A BIRD? 
She starts giggling.  And giggling.
I say THIS IS NOT FUNNY.
 THIS IS ALMOST AN EMERGENCY!
By this time, the bird realizes where the exit is, and USES IT!
Good Lord.  Why does weird stuff like this seem to always happen to me?
So weird. 
Luckily, there was no loss of bird or mom life here at our home.
I guess, it's just another Monday...
~chat soon!

birthday party

I'm obnoxiously behind with blogging.  And, that is okay.  I get around to it eventually. ;)
Anne celebrated her 9th birthday at the bowling ally. 
It was a very relaxed party.  Her girlfriends are cute and they are all really growing up.  (aka-no one cried!)

Anne had a great time.