Monthly Archives: September 2009

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Ten on Tuesday

September 29, 2009 – 1:01 pm

1. Did you hear about the canned pumpkin shortage? It’s all over the Internet. I may have to just bake, scoop and puree my own this year! I’m a little nervous at the thought.

2. I’m wearing boots today. And jeans. And a jacket. Because it’s 55 degrees outside. Shoot. I’m back to being a weather announcer.

3. Why don’t we take a moment to officially welcome Autumn!

_MG_87684. Just in time for the colder weather to arrive, we just received a shipment of long sleeved items for the girls. It’s tough because we only have one more winter here so we don’t want to over buy, nut on the other hand, I don’t want to do laundry for all of them every three days.

5. Or wait, maybe that’s teh key, less clothes to own, less clothes to launder.

6. All of our fall activities are in full swing- Bible study, piano, ballet, AWANA and on Saturday: Swimming!

7. I completely forgot that Andy’s birthday is next week. Any ideas on what he might like? I totally bombed last year, I’ve got some making up to do.

8. A word to the prospective eBay sellers out there: Make sure electronic items work before you sell them. I feel like a total knucklehead this week and want to crawl under a rock for the next two years.

9. Have you seen the cost of movie tickets these days? I thought about taking the girls to see a fun movie this past weekend, but post-poned since EACH ticket cost $10.50. Dude. This is the part where I say, I remember when the price of postage stamps was 22 cents.

10. Here’s the coolest thing since sliced bread- a new magazine for Christian teens titled- wait for it: Susie Magazine. I’m pretty stoked. What a cool title!

Happy Tuesday!!

By Susie | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (10)

Ballerina Duo

September 25, 2009 – 8:45 pm

While Ashleigh was getting ready for her creative movements class a couple of weeks ago, Lauren ran up and got her own pink leotard on for the class she was going to watch. Little did I know that she thought she was attending as a novice ballerina, but made it very clear to me that she was not happy with the decision once Ash made it into the class and she was left standing in the parents viewing room.

Or rather, laying on the floor with tears of disappointment.

Luckily little Lauren was invited into the class to try it out, despite being a few months shy of the intended age of the beginning class, she followed enough directions that she was invited back into the next session as a student.

And Ashleigh didn’t mind one bit. In fact, she liked that Lauren was in the studio with her.

Here’s my ballerina duo, right before getting to the 2nd week of class:

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Here are just a glimpse as to what the girls are doing inside the studio- apparently learning to stand on the toes is a big priority.

ballet1There are about seven other shots that I could put here, but this one makes me laugh out loud since it’s a little light on ballet move and a lot heavy on “Flashdance” move:

_MG_9043-Editha! Silly ballerina girl!

By Susie | Posted in Family | Comments (15)

T-2 Days: Buddy Walk!

September 23, 2009 – 7:47 pm

Meet Robyn Johnson.

RJ_BWIsn’t she a cutie?  I think so. This Saturday, we will be joining Robyn and her family, and the rest of our neighbor friends. in the local Buddy Walk to support people with Down syndrome. Until I moved here, I had never had the privilege of knowing anyone with Down syndrome, and now we have a four-year-old neighbor that has forever impacted how we see and understand people with Down’s syndrome.

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Robyn is one of Lauren’s favorite people and her face absolutely lights up at the idea of playing with “Ra-Ra,” her nickname for her friend. Robyn is one smart girly- she can read like no other four-year-old I’ve ever met and she is a whiz at signing. She is currently mainstreamed in one of the local public schools, too! Lisa & Rob, Robyn’s folks, are very active in the local Down syndrome chapter- the Miami Valley Down Syndrome Association- in fact, Lisa recently promoted the Buddy Walk on one of the local news networks- how cool is that? I love that Lisa discusses Down syndrome with positivity, information, and this important thought: We’re More Alike Than Different.

The Buddy Walk is a one-mile walk that occurs in local communities ALL over to raise awareness and educate the public on the inclusion of people with Down’s. We feel so fortunate to know Robyn and be apart of her Rock’N'Rollers team that will walk in support this Saturday.

We want to invite you out to support Robyn and other children like her with Down syndrome- to help raise awareness & promote programs for children with Down’s. If you are local and would like to come out for a great morning, join us at Delco Park in Kettering (9AM!). If you are far away and would like to make a donation supporting Robyn’s Walk’N'Rollers, you can visit her team page right here.

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Thanks for stopping by today and meeting our friend Robyn!

By Susie | Posted in Friends | Comments (4)

I AM A Runner.

September 20, 2009 – 7:05 pm

It’s funny how when you are born, you just instantly and without (too much) effort become daughter- you don’t earn that title, its just given to you and you are.

I AM A DAUGHTER.

Same thing when one becomes a mother (although, maybe a little more deserved with 9+ months of pregnancy), a few hours of labor, they place your child in your arms and instantly you are a mother.

I AM A MOTHER.

I never had a problem calling myself a daughter, or a mother. But it took me a long time to call myself a runner. I am not built like a runner. I do not get up early and pound the pavement early in the morning on a regular basis. I only recently learned some rules of the sport, but I run. And I train. And I sweat. And I love the runner’s high.

I AM A RUNNER.

I talked Andy into doing the Air Force 1/2 marathon with me a few months ago and as training schedules go- I set out on an 11 week preparation to get my PR- a personal record after last year’s first 1/2 marathon go. I signed up on a Friday for the run and the following Monday, I got a foot injury, putting a damper on my ambitious plan. I didn’t run for nearly six weeks.

Since the bill had already been footed, we thought we would just go out there and give it a go- but I had been feeling so good in the past week, that my ambitious runner’s side wanted to run ten minute miles the entire way.

Let’s just say, it didn’t happen.

And I got really down on myself. I thinkI know that the only way I made it to that finish line was because Andy was there encouraging me the entire way. He’s so much quicker than me, but he refused to leave me. He’s such a good partner, thank you, Andy.
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On the course, I was amazed by the fierce emotions that one could possess toward others- perfect strangers that happen by my side if only for a few strides, some for a good chunk of time.

The cancer survivor wearing his yellow “Surviving Cancer: Priceless” tee with pride. I was moved by him.

The two darling paraplegics in wheelchairs being pushed by some amazing men. I saw their giving hearts on the road.

Two more paraplegics in their own sporty chairs zoomin’ by. Their strength gave way to victory.

The husband that ran in his wife’s place after being killed during her own training regimen just last month. I did not see him, but I thought of him. And her. I thought of their story- that he was out there in her place because she couldn’t be. Her name is Michelle, and she was a fellow crafty mama, you can read her story here. I tear up just thinking about her.

For mile 5, I thought of my mom, my personal hero. She walked her own course of victory last weekend for breast cancer research, raising over $1,800 to get there. She has over come adversity in her youth, beat the odds of becoming smoke free after 30 years, and is in my book, the best mom. Well deserved title.

At mile 6, I dedicated the footing to my sister. I prayed for her and encouraged her to run her own race telepathically- perhaps one day we will together.

For mile 9, I dug deep and recalled the people to which I could share this run with. Or at least help pull me through. My dad, my brother. Anna. Crick. I thought of my uncle, because I love him and he never did a race like this. And I wish he had, I wish he had.

The volunteers out there handing out cup after cup of water and Gatorade- they were all smiles and encouragement. Same with the crowds on the sidelines- the fist bumps, high fives and cow bells that rang- they really DO help!

I am not sure how I got to the finish line,* but everyone has their story. How they got there, why they are doing it and how they get through it. When my body overwhelmingly told me I was not physically ready to do this, my mind kept looking for the people around me and the people in my heart to whom I could do this for, and it got me to the finish line.

The magic # for the day was 2:25, not a number I was hoping for on my finished record, but when it came down to it, it is apart of my story now.

I AM A RUNNER.

photo-3*well, it was Jesus, we talked a lot, too

By Susie | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (19)

Visiting the BIG basket!

September 18, 2009 – 5:46 am

Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit Dresden and Newark, Ohio, both homes to the largest basket I’ve ever seen- the Longaberger headquarters. I had just shared with Andy that I wanted to visit this magical place before we leave Ohio when an opportunity presented itself. I just couldn’t pass up the Heritage Days tour!

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Here’s a shot so you can see how large this building actually is:

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When we arrived, I saw this scene from the edge of the parking lot, and thought it would be  a pretty shot. How ’bout them apples?

_MG_8920Since it was Longaberger’s big Heritage Days event, I signed up to make my own basket. It was probably one of the highlights of the day- seeing how the sides come together so quickly and with minimal tools and supplies- fabulous:

_MG_8932_MG_8936I actually had some help on this- otherwise I would have come home with a pile of wood- here’s my hero and basket maker of 27 years- Wanda.

_MG_8943-EditThe inside of the factory has two sides as far as I could tell- the basketmaking side (which I could not tkae pictures of) and the shopping side:

_MG_8954There are countless baskets, liners and protectors here that are discounted for sale. There are about four or  five other shops that you can find on the premises, too, so if you’re into shopping (specifically for baskets and accessories) this is the place to go!

I paled around with these two lovely ladies all day since we had to leave our tour group and make our baskets. Sharon is on the left and Pam is on the right- I really tried to get them to jump, but this is as close as they got:

_MG_8979Aren’t they fun? Okay, one jump for old times, sake:

_MG_8977There were activities all over- a cake walk, the bread toss and corn hole were a few. Here’s me tossing a few bean bags at corn hole- I totally stunk it up and got a big fat ZERO:

_MG_8987There was a (very small) farmer’s market booth, too- how beautiful do these vegetables

By Susie | Posted in Adventures | Comments (15)

{share}

September 9, 2009 – 10:08 pm

I am holding onto these photos for a special wall project, but I just can't keep them to myself, these images just make me smile. Matilda Jane has been a favorite clothing line for awhile, but I've never had access to a  Trunk Keeper until recently. I just love how girly my daughters look- like little dolls. I'm hosting a Trunk Show in October to help showcase this gorgeous line of girl clothes and will be using some of these images to promote the party. Until then,  you'll have to wait for the invite ;)

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By Susie Sincock | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (17)

Count Your Blessings

September 8, 2009 – 7:53 pm

For a couple of months, we have known that we were going to begin Sarah in piano lessons this fall. A nice gal from our church offers lessons in her home and she came highly recommended. It seemed like a good time, since Sarah is excited to learn to play an instrument, but one thing has been weighing on us- we don't have a piano. Nor do we have a savings fund for one. And a piano and lessons kind of go hand-in-hand.

So, we've been looking at ways we could fund it- sell some photography equipment, pawn our good China (which doesn't exist, so it wasn't a viable option) or sell my overpriced, but adorable Ugg boots. Actually, in order to get the digital piano, we would need to have done a combination of all these things.

Do you remember that last week I mentioned we had a Jeep for sale? Andy had put his beloved first car on Craigslist a few weeks ago and hadn't received any bites. Not even a little critter nibble. So each week, he dropped the price about $500 or so until we got a call this past Saturday.

Thank you, Jesus.

Because that one call led to an appointment that led to a test drive that led to a sale. Did you hear me? The Jeep is SOLD! See ya, old friend. And guess how much we sold it for? Just $100 more than the price of the piano we wanted to purchase for our girls. Which covers most of the taxes.

You know what's so cool about God? He cares so much for us as well as the minute details of our lives. We could have called it a great day with being able to purchase a piano, right??  No, He desired to knock our socks off today!

Three more ways God made things happen today:

1. Andy had been sent a bill from the California Tax Board a couple of months ago- he sent a letter off to tell them we were exempt and then another request came. Arg. So Andy called and guess what? It had been taken care of- no $$ was owed. Hallelujah! 

2. We had to switch Ashleigh's speech appointment time since Bible study is beginning next week and the schedule allowed Ash to not only keep her SAME speech therapist that she is currently head-over-heels with, but the same time slot on a different day. Who does that? God does. 

3.On our way out the door, I checked the mail quickly to see if MAYBE one of Sarah's new piano books arrived- but with doubt since I only ordered them on Thursday. But one of the two had. Which is unheard of on Amazon!

Deuteronomy 28 reminds us that, "If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. 2 You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God…"

Here's a shot of three more blessings that put us on our knees before Him for protection and guidance each day:
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And let me tell you- today we are counting our blessings. Thank you, Jesus.
By Susie Sincock | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (11)

Ten on Tuesday.

September 1, 2009 – 6:29 pm

1. My (okay, our) truck got demoted in the sharpest-looking-vehicle-we-own department to this little creature:

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2. Which leads me to this: Jeep for sale!

3. After just about losing my marbles the other day, I took a hint from Lauren and helped her get acquainted with the toilet. She has been doing remarkably well with being potty trained since Saturday- quickest kid yet! Be encouraged! 
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4. I have been one crafty machine over the past few days- my current project is actually for a felt swap with the talented & very crafty Katherine Marie. Her little ones can look forward to loading some freight very soon!
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5. This past weekend, our neighborhood had a "Back to School" Cookout- and I have to say we live in the most creative neighborhood ever! Amy put together a baggie of crafts and stickers and smartees while Lisa made these super cute cupcakes with a small apple and chalkboard on top (I'll update if she sends a picture).  I was in charge of the adult goodies. Since we have two students and two teachers, I put together a 'bouquet of sharpened pencils' (can you reference the movie?). The container is simply a decoupaged wood piece purchased at Michael's, filled with beans and pencils (crayons for the preschool teacher:
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6. I went to give a hug to a nice lady at church the other day and she had a bug on her shoulder that was the size of a mini-bread loaf! I thought it was a pin, but it turns out, it was some cicada playing off a little hitchhiking action. She just grabbed that thing like no tomorrow!

7. Speaking of, I keep forgetting how many little toads are around these parts during the summer months. I"m too girly to touch them, but my kids are all about holding them. Proof they have some of Andy's genes in them.

8. I made a meatloaf ring for dinner tonight. It was like cooking something straight out of 1972. Just for the record, I still have to eat my meatloaf with barbecue sauce to down it.

9. I mentioned that I was going to be running the Air Force 1/2 Marathon this month, but I had an injury to my foot that sidelined my training schedule for over a month now. I've had a bone scan and an X-ray done and nothing seems to be coming up, but my foot is still in pain. I'm a little peeved about the whole thing, if you want to know.

10. I will be leaving typepad by the end of the year. Andy is helping me with some coding to get my site the way I would like- as in, combining all three sites I have. I'm very excited for this big move, so stay tuned!
By Susie Sincock | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (10)

How’d she become a Pre-K’er?

September 1, 2009 – 6:34 am

Ashleigh's first day back to pre-school was yesterday- and while she may not have been as excited at the whole idea of me leaving her, you wouldn't have known while she was taking a first day picture for me :)

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See, Ashleigh has been pretty timid about going into classrooms for about, oh, a year. She becomes really shy and somewhat tearful, and then clingy.

But when I pick her up, be it preschool or Sunday school, she's her happy joyful self and you wouldn't know how hard of  a time she had had going in.
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Before we entered her classroom, she stopped to say hello to the school's floppy-eared rabbit, Angel. 
Both Lauren and Ash are enamored with this thing. Heck, all the students stop to say hello before check-in.
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I'd like to say there wasn't a tearful good-bye, but there are no more pictures of this morning's event to post, because, it was a tearful good-bye. True to one's word, though, she was a happy little bee when I picked her up and she had a great time on her first day back at preschool!
By Susie Sincock | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (7)