The Spann Family

a new year!

2012-01-08T08:51:00.001-06:00

It really has been the perfect Christmas Break for the Spann Fam. It was a tad bit longer than usual, which was just enough. Long enough that we're all ready to get back into the swing of things, and we're rested and relaxed.

We didn't travel this year, which I didn't miss, but I am a bit sad, because we didn't have any family visitors either. We love and miss them and wish everyone well.

Kelly finished the gate near the new fence (yay!) and has lost 9 pounds in his quest to begin the new year healthfully. We've watched a different movie each night as a family, thanks to a generous family member. Claire and Nolan have jumped on the trampoline for HOURS each day, thanks to the unseasonably warm weather. They've danced their booties off to Just Dance 3, read, rode bikes and Nolan shot a bird with his bb gun (it flew away, but he claims he hit it!). I baked and cooked and put on 9 pounds from all the holiday eating. (Not really, but it feels like it!)

Claire hosted a New Years Eve party, complete with a dance playlist, Twister, bonfire and fireworks. It was a great way to ring in 2012! And now we've had a full week to recover. It's been wonderful!

Personally, I have been on a couple of simultaneous, but separate emotional journeys which have spilled over into 2012. One filled with love, wonder and joy. The other with heartache, stress and turmoil. Family has it's way of making us feel both. I know it's quite cryptic, but that's all I need to say for now. I do know that life comes us at us, sometimes whether we're ready or not. I am ready. I am blessed.

Cheers to you & yours in 2012!

year in review

2012-01-01T11:24:00.000-06:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Grab your coffee & settle in, as we review 2011!

WINTER...

brought us frost, crazy hair day at AWANA, basketball, quiz bowl and cozy days at home.

SPRING...

Brought us races, Girl Scout cookies, swimming way too soon, baseball, softball, banquets, Easter, awards, field trips to NASA and NOLA and days spent outside.

SUMMER...

Brought us birthdays, parties, all-star softball & baseball, swimming, vacations, cousins, a patio revamp, butterflies, a trampoline, lazy days, canoeing, camp, books and the beach.

FALL...

Brought us faux-hawks, back to school, soccer, football, 5Ks, homecoming fairs, a goatee, trick-or-treating, Thanksgiving, nerf gun wars, playoffs, the violin, Jeopardy!, and braces.

And as we returned to WINTER...

We celebrated advent, shone like stars in the Christmas program, rode the in the Christmas parade, enjoyed the Christmas Festival, graduated from DARE, watched a different Christmas movie every night, went thuggin, got a Justin Bieber haircut (but don't call it that), rang in the New Year and now we continue to enjoy our break.

2011 was a truly wonderful year for the Spann Fam. We have so much to be thankful for. Blessings to you & yours in the new year!

joyeux noel

2011-12-24T08:47:00.001-06:00

It's Christmas Eve and I am at peace. At ease. In the comfort & joy of our home. It's quiet. Just the 4 of us. Kelly's mom will join us this afternoon. We are enjoying fresh baked scones & quiche. A pound cake is baking in the oven.

We didn't make the trek to Colorado or Florida this year, which means that we are without our extended family. I wish we together this year, but we are blessed with Natchitoches friends who we love dearly. The kids are filled with anticipation of what they'll find under the Christmas tree tomorrow morning.

The advent candles are on the dining room table, wax dripping down the lavender candlesticks. We are not a family of ritual, but we have participated in celebrating advent during the month of December. We read scripture, light the candles and listen to worship songs that speak of the coming King.

We dream of fried turkey to be enjoyed tomorrow and gumbo this evening. Not to mention the baking pound cake. We've been enjoying egg nog, Shirley Temples, apple cider, hot chocolate and of course, coffee with good cream.

The youngest Spanns will open one gift this evening - which just happens to be pajamas & slippers - they same gift they've received on every single Christmas Eve of their existence. Either they forget and really don't know what is inside the wrapping paper each year, or they just know happy it makes me when they are thrilled to open them each year.

We will visit with friends tomorrow and throughout the next few days. We will continue to exchange gifts, enjoy treats & good drinks and laugh & play. We will celebrate the greatest gift of all. The one who was sent to save us from our wretchedness. Who does so, without making us feel wretched.

Merry Christmas!

this little blog of mine

2011-12-16T23:26:00.000-06:00

This blog was born in August of 2006. Claire was 5 years old and ready to start Kindergarten. Nolan was 3 and obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine. Kelly was teaching & coaching and I stayed at home. We lived in Mayer, Minnesota and were ready to embark on a new journey - a move, new jobs, a new life.

Fast forward 5 years, 1200 miles and 341 blog posts: Claire is 10 and in the thick of 5th grade, Nolan is 8 and his obsession is now Star Wars, Kelly is still teaching & coaching (although in a whole new way) and I am working.

We lived the adventure - an in-state move, a temporary out-of-state move, and a long-distance, all the way down south move. We've embraced a new way of life, and truly love where He's taken us.

I like to go back and read posts from years gone by and re-live our journey. This blog has served as a scrapbook, preserving memories. It's been a place for friends and family to keep up with us. It has been a place to reflect and to vent.

Here are few of my favorite posts (in no particular order):

I am a C, I am a C-H, Nevermind... (where I get all deep & stuff)
Psycho (A recap of a 2 days when Kelly was coaching in Kansas City)

Whatever (I need to read this again - as a reminder!)

A Better Whatever (Part 2)

Backyard Photo Shoot (just because they make me smile)

The Great Room (Because I am still a blog-lover)
Claire Can Cook (It took her a long time to be able to laugh about this)

$3.06 (the best money I ever spent)

A Conversation (boys are funny, even if they're gross)

It's Gonna Be... (another Nolan story)

Family Love (they were so little and cute!)

I have not posted in a while, because I needed to step back. I am a blog-reader myself, and have a list of favorites that I check into regularly. I started to feel like my blog wasn't good enough, funny enough, spiritual enough, crafty enough. I found myself posting the same things here as I did on Facebook, it became old.

But I missed it. So I'm back. I still don't know what it will look like - I'm still figuring it out. But hope you'll still join me for the ride!

What Is?

2011-12-15T20:50:00.002-06:00

Claire & I had a little adventure recently. Let me start at the beginning. Claire's all-time fav TV show is Jeopardy!.

Did you know that the official title is spelled with an exclamation mark at the end? So, while I'm excited that it's her favorite show, and I admit that I over-use the beloved excitement mark (that's what Nolan used to call it waaay back in 1st grade), I am just typing it as I see it, people.

Thanks to the miracle that is DVR, she hasn't missed an episode in a year and a half. She's dedicated. So when they advertised that you could take an online test to star on Jeopardy! Kids Week, she knew she couldn't miss it. We registered online and waited a week or two to log in and take the test. It was on a Wednesday at 7pm in November. There happened to be a dozen or so high school football players at our house that evening, but it didn't deter her.

She logged on, took the test and did well (I watched). She missed a few, mostly the pop culture questions.(Should a 10 year old know who Usher is? I'm glad she missed that one.) We were told that if she passed and was selected, we'd find out some time during the next year. If she wasn't selected, we'd never hear back. Duh.

So, imagine my surprise when a week later I received an email stating that not only had she passed, but that she had been selected for an in-person interview, test and mock Jeopardy! game. We would have to travel to Houston for the in-person process. I confirmed our appointment and we counted down the days. Claire's teachers gave her encouragement, support and all kind of books and games she could use to study.

If you know Claire, she is the Cliff Claven of the Spann Fam. She is very smart, but also has the ability to retain trivial (and important) information in that beautiful little head of hers like nobody's business. So she read and studied, but these were things she does for fun anyway. Yes, we tell her that she a nerd, a title she wears proudly.

On November 18th, Claire & I drove to Houston and stayed with the beloved Mrs. Nowalk, Claire's 3rd grade teacher and now friend, enjoyed a lovely dinner out, a trip to Target and went to bed, filled with excitement. Yes, it is thrilling when I get to go to Target!

The next morning we headed to IHOP and ate a ginormous breakfast. Afterwards we headed to the Westin in downtown Houston. We shopped the Galleria a bit and was early for her appointment. When we arrived, we learned the following:

- Over 8,000 kids took the online test, 200 were selected for an in-person interview
- Interviews were taking place that same day in 5 different cities, across the United States, with 40 kids in each city
- Claire's group has 18 kids, 5 were girls and Claire was the youngest of the group

We filled out paperwork, had their photos taken and the kids were taken next door for the process. They were interviewed in a casual, group setting. They were asked how they would spend the money if they won, what they wanted to be when they grew up, that sort of thing. They took a 30 question, written exam, and had 8 seconds to answer each question. Claire said she knew all but 3. They played a mock Jeopardy! game and Claire won her round! They didn't keep a total score, but she said she answered most of the questions - correctly, I might add.

Before we left I got a bit of advice from a teacher at our school, who's husband was on the show a couple of years ago: Have lots of energy! Be outgoing! Have a big personality!

When Claire was done, she and the other kids rejoined their parents. Immediately Claire said, "I think they're going to pick me, I did well and had lots of personality. The other kids... well, they were kind of dull." I love that girl.

So, we wait. We will find out in February if Claire is one of the 15 10-12 year olds selected out of 200 to be on the show. Don't worry, I'll keep you posted!

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention... the week before we left, Claire had 6 (yes six!) teeth pulled and had braces put on. Yeah, I probably should have rescheduled that appointment.

waiting to go in

big breakfast - her braces were hurting

outside the Houston Galleria Westin

where it all happened!

heavy, man...

2011-10-23T20:35:00.000-05:00

wow, i just realized that it's been nearly a month since i've posted. it's not that i haven't had anything blog-worthy to share, quite the opposite! my days and weeks (and obviously months!) have gotten so jam-packed lately! i have a feeling that it will remain that way... at least until june!

beware - this is a photo heavy post (hence the title!)

cotton candy & games at the NCHS A-Fair during Homecoming Week

taking in some Chiefs football!

Claire & the UNDEFEATED Natchitoches RoadRunners!

More FOOTBALL! Chiefs are 6-2!

fun at Wal-Mart

fooball is fun, but friends make it even better!

just a cute girl...

gobs of candy acquired at an early Halloween celebration!

We're also hosting dinner for the football seniors every Wednesday evening, hosting the coaches after games, visiting the orthodontist, completing major school projects, earning ALL As on the kids' report cards, volunteering at non-profit events, cheering for the Rangers in the World Series and having a lot of fun in the process.

We have a few more interesting and exciting events happening in our lives, but those deserve posts of their own. I now have to detox from the above-mentioned candy!

love/hate

2011-09-24T09:15:00.000-05:00

We don't use the word HATE in our house. Or, as the kids get older and certain words have become allowed, we highly discourage the use of the word. It's rather harsh, and we discuss if we REALLY hate something or not.

This morning a list of things I love, and a few things I don't, are floating around in my mind. Perhaps I should have titled this post something else, but too late, I'm not going back!

LOVE LIST

coffee. good coffee.

cool, free fonts

cool, fall days (they haven't arrived yet, but I'm waiting!)

funny blogs like this one

claire's soccer games

family movie night (we watched her last night)

nolan's full body hugs

authentic mexican food

beautiful fall photos (since I can't see it in real life)

my backyard

having someone else plan my meals

~~HATE~~ NOT-SO-MUCH LIST

coffee without good cream

misuse of quotation marks

grocery shopping at the end of the month

washing my new cell phone

mosquito bites

lima beans

rude people

I could type plenty more in my ~~hate~~ list, but in the spirit of positivitiy, I will make sure that my LOVE list is longer! Happy Saturday!

Happy Fall, Y'all!

2011-09-21T21:16:00.001-05:00

It's almost upon us! Fall... Autumn, whatever. It has been a record-breaking scorcher this summer, and we've had a little bit of a break this month. It was still 94 degrees today, but it was a balmy 94. Oh, who am I kidding?! It's still HOT and I'm ready for HOT chocolate weather. {Why is it I drink coffee when it's 110 degrees, but hot chocolate only when it's cold? Things that make you go hmmmm.}

We're rockin and rollin around the here. Football is in full swing, and we've had fun cheering the Chiefs on to victory the last couple of weeks. Claire & Nolan are knee-deep in homework, projects, soccer, AWANA & Running Club - which is to say that I am waist-deep in all the aforementioned endeavors!

I did take the time to do a little DIY on the ol bloggity blog and I hope you catch you up on the more exciting events soon. I am charging my camera batteries as we speak. Lots of memories to capture, so little time.

See you back here soon, but until then - HAPPY FALL, Y'ALL! {There is no escaping it - I am Southern!}

Picture Day

2011-08-27T16:40:00.000-05:00

This past Friday was a special event... Picture Day! School picture day is an annual rite of passage each year. Uniforms are typically required at school, so when they get to wear what they want, it's special! Looking good, guys!

Who's Number #1?

2011-08-27T16:30:00.000-05:00

CHIEFS are #1!

ready or not...

2011-08-10T17:45:00.000-05:00

Today is May 27th. Oh wait, it's not? But today was a school day, and we haven't had summer vacation... What? We did? Oh, I vaguely remember something that resembled summer, but it was awfully short. Hmm.

Today was the first day of school and it was great. All was quiet in my neck of the woods (the office) and Claire & Nolan had a great day. Truly, it's like we never left! I was a little edgy this morning, preparing for the stress of the day, but it was easy peasy rice and cheesy. Just like I like it.

Does anybody know the two big kids pictured below. I think they're in 3rd and 5th grade...

Where has the time gone?

Last Splash!

2011-08-07T11:31:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, we hosted 25 upcoming 3rd and 5th graders for our 2nd Annual LAST SPLASH pool party. We swam, jumped (on the trampoline, and on each other, I'm certain), and snacked to our hearts content. Us moms sat in the shade and tried, unsuccessfully, to stay cool. I was so busy sweating, that I totally forgot to take pictures. Just imagine the scene below, filled with kids, laughter and good times!

Isn't our backyard looking good? We do love it, if we do say so ourselves!

camp!

2011-08-05T22:57:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, Claire and I ventured south for Girl Scout Camp. It was summer camp at it's finest: we slept in screened cabins with a ceiling fan but no other electricity, we trekked through the mud to our bathrooms, we made traditional Girl Scout crafts like rain sticks and sit-upons, canoed, swam, learned archery, performed in a skit, made up cabin songs and had a great time. It rained during much of our time there, which kept the temperatures down but also kept us wet & covered in mud for most of our stay. Four days was just long enough ("I could not have stayed for a week!" - says Claire) to make new friends and enjoy our camp experience.

The Cajun Monkeys (their self-coined cabin name)

Girl Scout Flag Ceremony

Canoeing with a Daisy (younger girl)

Mom & Daughter (she still likes having me around!)

Archery ("I want a bow and arrow for Christmas!")

Nice Shot!

Sweet friends, being girls

Until next year!

tool time!

2011-07-16T15:44:00.001-05:00

It's project time at the Spanns! Earlier this summer, we received a beautiful gift...

A 7-foot privacy fence!

The house next door was purchased by the hospital, which is one block behind our house. The building behind the house (you can see it juuuuuust peeking over the fence) is an empty doctor's office. As far as we know, the hospital plans to use the house as housing - it's currently empty - but may turn it into a billing or admin office eventually. Kelly, being the resourceful gent that he is, called the zoning board to see if the hospital would be responsible for installing a privacy fence, since the property was no longer owned privately.

Turns out, they were already on it! A local construction company installed the fence in a week's time and used the very best materials They even pulled up the old chain-link. The fence runs the length of our property up to the side of our house. The one thing they didn't do however, was gate it off. That is our job.

Kelly purchased the supplies (not quite the top-of-the-line fencing that they had installed, but hey, we're ~~cheap~~ frugal!). They are currently sitting in the backyard, waiting to go up. A table and part of the old chain link fence are keeping Daisy in the backyard. We're nothing if not classy!

We also treated ourselves to a new bed. King size, baby! Memory Foam! Ooooooh yeah...

We made a linen-covered, upholstered headboard, and I am so pleased with the outcome. I scored the linen at 40% off at Jo-Ann's with a coupon and used our noggins and decided on a foam mattress pad and batting for the upholstery.

I am proud of us - especially since we did run into a few minor snags. Just the fact that we didn't threaten to harm each other, well that's success right there!

I have a few more projects up my sleeve and some other finished ones to share... but I'll save those goodies for another time. After all, I want you to come back! :)

Getaway

2011-07-15T15:26:00.000-05:00

This year, our summer has been spent at home {with the exception of baseball & softball all-star tourneys to thrilling locations like Alexandria and Florien} up until last week. We were able to escape the hustle & bustle (ha!) of Natchitoches and made our way west to League City, Texas. What's in League City you ask? Friends, that's who!

The Spanns invaded upon Holly & Dan's quiet abode where we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. No schedule, beautiful weather, beach day, great restaurants, shopping, swimming, sand volleyball and even a work out or two.

I didn't take tons of photos... too busy being lazy. But we truly enjoyed ourselves and can't wait to go back! Thanks friends, it was a great summer getaway!

round 2

2011-07-12T22:09:00.000-05:00

We recently finished up Claire's All-Star Tournament... it was the tourney that would never end. It was a looooong series, but the girls played outstanding and clinched 3rd place. They also won the sportsmanship award, for the 3rd year in a row. What good girls we have. Now for the gratuitous action shots:

{okay, so this isn't really an "action" shot, but it totally cracks me up!}

Proud of this girl... now this week is soccer camp. Whew!

busytown

2011-06-27T09:33:00.000-05:00

Remember these guys?

I'm pretty sure Richard Scarry's books were a staple in most church nurseries and preschools! I can't help but remember Inchworm (was that his name?) in the little apple car...

While we may not be cartoon drawings of talking animals, we have been busy! After my family's quick visit to the {other} LA, we went PandaMania at Vacation Bible School where I spent the first 4 hours of my mornings with some very busy, but oh-so adorable 3 & 4 year olds. (Then I proceed to take a nap every afternoon).

Nolan was selected to play in the All-Star Baseball tournament, and after ~~weeks~~ days of practice, they made their debut as a team on Friday night. They played four games during the weekend, winning 3 (and surprising everyone!). We head back to Alexandria tonight for the cchampionship bracket. 2 more games this evening with a possibility of more games tomorrow.

Kelly also had a tourney this weekend, thankfully in the same city where Nolan played. That rarely happens, so I was relieved and excited! While the boys enjoyed non-stop baseball on Saturday, Claire and I headed an hour and a half north to attend a Girl Scout Tip-A-Canoe (say it fast and it sounds like an Indian name... I think that may be the point.) She learned about life jacket and water safety, how to canoe, and how to right yourself or save a friend should you, you know... tip-a-canoe!

We capped off the weekend with our VBS Commencement, where the kids danced and sang, and of course, I cried during 'How Great Thou Art'. Some things never change...

And today feel like my first real day of summer vacation due to the mere fact that I got to sleep in! We do have places to go (baseball & softball practice - Claire's All-Star tourney is this weekend!) and people to see (need to go to school to take care of a few things) but those extra ~~minutes~~ hours of sleep is what makes vacay VACAY!!!

Back to Busytown...

party all the time!

2011-06-22T09:02:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday was my 34th birthday. 34... it's really nothing special. Not a milestone or anything, just an even number. I'm feeling great as a 30-something, but I had a special reason to smile this past June 18th. On Friday morning I make the quick trip to the Alexandria airport to fetch my mom, sister, niece and nephew! We have made our home in Louisiana for nearly 4 years (in November - is that crazy or what?!) and this was their first visit to our humble abode.

I was spoiled! ...treated to a champagne breakfast, pedicures, shopping, presents, swimming and steak fajitas!

It was a quick visit, they made their way back to Colorado on Monday morning. We had lots of fun relaxing and enjoying our time together. Come back soon, family!! We love & miss you!

Summer {so far}

2011-06-15T09:30:00.001-05:00

According to Mother Nature, it's not officially summer yet. I've heard our friends in other parts of the country complain of cooler temps (and jackets in June!). Not so down south! This week we've reached over 100 degrees everyday {and let's not forget that pesky ol' heat index!}. So, regardless of what the calendar may say, it's definitely Summer for the Spanns.

Since I'm feeling hot, tired and stressed (I know - I should only be experiencing 1 of those 3, being Summer and all, but I'm in project mode and have overstretched myself a tad) I'm giving you our Summer {so far} in photos. Enjoy!

perception

2011-06-06T21:27:00.001-05:00

*Following story via this site

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:

The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children.. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly..

45 minutes:

The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

The questions raised:

*In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

*Do we stop to appreciate it?

*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.

How many other things are we missing?

Angela's Question: How many things of beauty do we miss because someone else doesn't deem it beautiful?

Extra Extra! Read All About It!

2011-05-29T21:45:00.002-05:00

So, have you heard the news?

Coach Spann is officially the Head Baseball Coach of the Natchitoches Central Chiefs! {I may have mentioned something to that effect a couple of months ago, but a lot has happened since then.} It's actually been official for a little while now, but I'm just now making a formal announcement on the ol' blog. You know, for the thousands of readers that stop by each day. No? Maybe not. Well, it is going to be in the Natchitoches Times on Tuesday. And seeing as how one of our family members is featured on a bi-monthly basis, it only seems fitting. Ahhh, life in a small town.

Summer ball is about to kick off, with new unis for a fresh start. Looking forward to cheering on the Chiefs to victory! Play Ball!

Summa Summa Summatime!

2011-05-29T21:41:00.000-05:00

School is officially out for the summer! The last day of school was Wednesday, and I have two more weeks, but we are in full-on hyper drive summer-mode. Staying up late, sleeping even later, hours in the pool and working outside has already filled our weekend.

Happy Summer!

it's my party

2011-05-26T18:48:00.000-05:00

Okay, it's not really MY party. Nolan didn't even have a real party. We are celebrating with friends and a trip to take in Kung Fu Panda 2 on Monday. But even without a party, I love to decorate for the occasion. I found the cute idea to make ruffled streamers and suddenly I was a mom on a mission. I decorated like crazy {or OOC - Out Of Control, in Kelly's mind - silly man}. Nolan was all smiles as he awoke as an 8 year old in a birthday wonderland!

Love this 8 year old!

2,920 Days

2011-05-23T19:09:00.001-05:00

We're celebrating this guy today!

In the past 2,920 days we have seen Nolan grow into a smart, hilarious, polite and generous 8-year old boy who loves Legos and all things Star Wars. He makes me laugh. Every. Single. Day.

Happy Birthday, Buddy!

Busting boredom by drawing with his feet

my life as a field trip

2011-05-16T17:26:00.000-05:00

I rarely leave Natchitoches. No, really. I live, work, worship, shop, dine and do all my living in our small town. I used to travel to far-away lands on a very regular basis, between Northwestern Baseball and Claire's travel ball team, we were on the road all the time. Then Kelly made the switch to high school and we didn't make too many away games this year. Claire is taking a break from travel softball, in order to enjoy life as a 9-year old should, which keeps us blissfully at home on Saturdays and Sundays.

While we do save tons of moola on gas, I find myself getting a little restless. Oh, how I would love to visit Target (!) or dine somewhere rather than the usual Natchitoches fare. Well, this weekend, Claire and I left town big time.

Friday I was one of many chaperones on Claire's 4th & 5th grade field trip to New Orleans. We boarded the charter bus, and in true field trip fashion, found my seat at the back of the bus. Right next to the bathroom. I was hoping to leave my secretary voice at home {"walking feet!"} but I quickly became the bathroom monitor {"no, you slide the door. go sit back down. i said sit!" - i really am a nice secretary}.

After 4 hours of bathroom bliss we arrived at the Aquarium of the Americas. We enjoyed the morning with friends while taking in the sights and sounds. We ate lunch and watched the IMAX movie, "Deep Sea 3D". Johnny and Kate (Depp & Winslet) put me to sleep with their sultry voices before we headed to the Insectarium.

Five minutes at the Insectarium was more than enough for me. I'm not a big fan of bugs. I prefer to know nothing about them, pretend they don't exsist and hope they leave me alone {even though I KNOW we need them, they're important to our ecosystem, blah blah blah}.Claire, on the other hand, enjoyed the bug exhibits thoroughly, even enjoying a snack of cinnamon waxworms. None for me, thank you!

Afterwards, we enjoyed some free time and made our way to Cafe Du Monde with friends where we enjoyed frozen cafe au laits and fresh beignets. mmmmm. We headed back to the buses after a quick stop at a jewelry story and Pinkberry where we enjoyed pomegranate and coconut frozen yogurt. mmmmmm again. We made our way home to the soothing sounds of Tom & Jerry playing on the bus DVD.

"That's great," you're thinking. "She gave us all the boring details. And made us look at pictures. But at least she left her small town. Good for her."

But that's not all, folks!

Since I wasn't tired at all (you may have noticed that I'm feeling a little sarcastic today) I didn't think it'd be a big deal to pack up 8 girl scouts and 1 grandmother into a 15 passenger van and drive them 5 hours to Houston to spend the night at the NASA Space Center. That's right! My field trip weekend wasn't over!

We arrived at the Space Center just before dinner. We checked in, hauled our sleeping bags and pillows from the van and joined over 300 other Junior and Cadette Girl Scouts for a "Camping in Space!" adventure. The girls enjoyed participating in badge activities such as making air rockets and learning about astronaut food while I drank coffee and took ibuprofen, I mean, watched and took pictures. The girls really had a great time before we climbed into our sleeping bags on the floor next to the space capsules (no, really!) at midnight.

The lights came on at 7 and we packed up and headed to breakfast. We ate early "just like the astronauts" before watching an IMAX movie (2 in 24 hours - quite an experience!) and taking the tram tour of Johnson Space Center. We spent mad money (some girls spent their lunch money - oops) in the gift shop before we blasted off to lunch. We met up with my friend Holly and ate until we couldn't eat any more at Jason's Deli before heading home.

It was a wild, wonderful weekend. And now I need a nap.

run, spanns, run!

2011-05-16T16:51:00.000-05:00

Not too terribly long ago, in a land not-so-very far away, the Spanns ran in a race. More specifically, we participated in a fun run to benefit and raise awareness for our local Women's Resource Center. 3 of us came home winners. That's right! You might be thinking, "oh poor Angela, she must have been so sad to be the only Spann not bringing home an award". Well, that's where you'd be wrong, sucka!

Nolan took 2nd place in the boy's 1 mile, Claire took 2nd place overall for the women's 5K (that's OVERALL - including grown women!) and I {embarrassingly} took 3rd place in the women's 1 mile. I mean really, who wants to be recognized for an 11 minute mile. Yeah, there weren't a ton of entrants in my category. But I ran and have a 2nd place ribbon to prove it!

We had great time and supported a wonderful cause! Run, Baby, Run!

Oh Yeah!

trivial

2011-04-28T08:55:00.000-05:00

Our new patio furniture is ready to be picked up. I've checked my email 5 times a day while on Spring Break, waiting for that little notification. I've been prepping the patio, cleaning out and getting ready for our new outdoor sectional. But considering what happened yesterday, it seems a bit trivial.

Early Tuesday morning, we were suddenly awakened by a frightening storm. The lightning was a strobe light around us as the thunder clapped down in a terrible rage. Rain and hail poured down from the skies. Kelly and I were up, thankful that the kids were still sleeping. We watched and listened as the tornado sirens rang throughout the city. I was worried about the old trees in our yard, afraid a limb would come crashing down. After just a while, it subsided and we went back to bed.

I couldn't sleep in, even though I was exhausted. I went to check out the damage. Other than a sad, lonely shingle on the front porch, Magnolia leaves in the pool and lots of dirt washed up on the patio, you would almost never know the strength of the storm just several hours earlier. We were thankful and ready to enjoy another day of vacation. No big plans, but we were all free - all day!

Then Kelly got a call from one of his fellow football coaches. They lived a ways out, and suffered some damage, Kelly said. A tree fell on their house and another on their car. He & Nolan headed out to help. Claire and I went into hostess mode, cleaning and preparing for them to stay, if they needed to do so. Not knowing, but wanting to be ready.

Kelly called and asked us to come out. They needed another truck. I asked if it was bad. He said yes. I asked if it was livable. He said no. We grabbed water, ice and granola bars and made our way out. As we made our way out of town, trees and limbs scattered the roads. As we got closer to our destination, the damage became more evident. Power lines down, giant oaks blocking the road. As we came to their house, I began to cry. A giant oak tree was resting on their small, while home. It was worse than I had imagined. The house leaned forward. As we came around, another tree had pinned a silver car to the ground. Fallen trees blocked the entrance. I went inside. Soaked ceiling tiles were scattered in every room. The roof timbers were splintered in the kitchen. You could see the oak leaves as you looked up through the ceiling. Everything was soaking wet.

We spent the next six hours, sorting, salvaging, and hauling their life out of the dangerous structure they once called home. Their life was sorted in to bins and boxes, ready for storage.

They are weary, worn and uninsured. Theirs was a rental home. The insurance adjusters came through for the homeowner. They took a few photos, looked at each other and said "total loss, let's move on". If only it was so easy.

They are with us for now. We have the room. Our hearts are broken for them.

I checked my email this morning. My patio furniture is ready to be picked up. It seems silly now. Tragedy happens everyday and the rest of the world goes on with life. Not so easy when you see the collateral damage. We're headed to pick up the furniture now. Not quite a giddy as I would have been 24 hours ago. Please pray.

He is Risen!

2011-04-24T09:08:00.000-05:00

Jesus has overcome

the grave is overwhelmed

the victory is won

He is risen from the dead

c is for cookie

2011-04-18T21:08:00.001-05:00

So, there was one little thing this past winter that I didn't share with you. I was Claire's Girl Scout Troop's Cookie Mom. To the average Girl Scout cookie consumer, this probably doesn't mean much to you. But here a little glimpse into my life during cookie season:

I know, right?! It was pure crazy! At one point I had over 3000 boxes of cookies in my dining room. It is safe to assume that the Spann Fam consumed more cookies than is probably legal. {sigh} But they were darn good. And I will never be cookie mom again. That's because I am going to be co-troop leader next year. I promise, I do say 'no'. All the time. Just not lately...

i know, i know...

2011-04-18T19:53:00.001-05:00

it's been far too long!

If you check back to this time (Spring!) for the last few years, I'll betcha one hundred smacks that my posts were scarce. I can't help it, it's just busybusybusy! You know, the usual. School, work, baseball, softball.

We've also been visiting the orthodontist (braces are in our future), running in 5Ks and attending AWANA, but the bulk of our time has been spent at the ball park. I'll post pics soon, its just that I've been busy coaching Claire's team and keeping the scorebook for Nolan's team... so I don't actually HAVE any photos. {Ahem,} I'll try to get on that.

The Chiefs' season is winding down. It's been an emotional one. Summer baseball will pick up right after school lets out, but hopefully it will prove to be easy, breezy, just as summer ball should be.

Claire is taking a break from her travel softball team. We've loved being a part of the Crushers, we were just on the verge of burn-out, and 9 years old is waaay to early to burn out from anything. We're enjoying having our weekends back and look forward to playing on a travel team again in the future.

Claire also served as the official bat girl for the Lady Cheifs softball team, which she L.O.V.E.D. She even attended an away game with the girls. I think she's got the job for life. Or, until she's actually ON the high school softball team.

Nolan's baseball team is doing great! Especially when you consider the fact the college fraternity that was sponsoring and coaching the team quit just before games started. Fortuntely, we have some great dads who were willing to step up. Proud of my Natchitoches Lion.

Claire's team (aka MY team)... well, we're struggling, to say the least. It was expected, but still not a bowl of cherries. It's okay, I'll get over it. In June.

Nolan ran and took 5th place in our Spring Fever Fun Run. He is a champ! Claire took first place in the girls division of the 5K. Oh yeah, baby.

Yeah... that's it. We are DYING for Spring Break, which starts Friday. Hallelujah! I'm looking forward to working in the backyard, and adding something that looks a little like this:

Okay, it looks EXACTLY like that, but whatev. Isn't it fun? Makes me want to take a nap outside... Or inside. Whatev.

coach spann story #1

2011-03-28T16:27:00.001-05:00

I've been a coach's wife for over 10 years. I've sat through freezing temperatures and blistering heat. I've consumed enough sunflower seeds and nachos to feed an army. I've endured more sunburns than is advised by my physician. I've cheered and I've cried over both victories and losses. I've cringed and laughed at my husband, his team, other fans.

I've been a player's mom for over 6 years. All of the above applies. Except that I have sat with my stomach in knots, cried tears of joy & pride, and cheered until my voice went hoarse because it was my baby on the field.

I've also complained. A lot. Waaay too much, actually. I've complained that practices are too long and too hot. I've complained that the coach is unfair, unknowledgeable, unkind.

This year, my chief complaint was that Claire's coach, while very nice... had never coached before. Not the worst thing in the world. We had lived through that before. But, as nice as her coach was, she knew nothing about the game of softball.

Long story short, she had no idea what she was getting herself into. She had eagerly said "yes" when asked if she was interested in helping, not realizing that she had stepped into the fast & furious world of youth softball in the south!

After hearing that she was looking for a replacement, and fearing that Claire wouldn't have a team to play on, I offered to take over. I am still wondering what the heck I was thinking.

We've had a week of practices... it has felt like a month! We have our opening tournament this weekend. Kelly was my assistant coach, but in another exciting turn of events, he has his own team to worry about! He would have been pretty scarce even as an assistant, as they are now playing district games, but as the head coach? Fuhgettaboutit! We are thrilled, but a bit overwhelmed to say the least.

So now, our plan is: Kelly will coach me, and I will coach the girls. I'll let you know how it goes! On the bright side, I don't have too much to complain about, right?

what's the buzz?

2011-03-28T08:05:00.000-05:00

Disclaimer: This post contains a lot of information that you may find... well, boring. This blog also serves as a family scrapbook of sorts, so much of this info is for me. Bear with me :).

I mentioned briefly that Claire was on her school's Quiz Bowl team. She tried out (took a test) and made the team back in January. They had a few practice meets after school, but this past weekend was the end-all-be-all Quiz Bowl tournament.

If you're scratching your head and making this face:

, I'll share a few details:

Our school has 2 teams of 6 students, made up of 3 fourth graders and 3 fifth graders. Team A & Team B (Claire was on Team A). In a meet or tournament, a Reader asks question in a category (history, sports, grammar, geography, etc) and the kids buzz in, old-school gameshow style. There are 4 rounds in each game, each round had a different format. 4 students play at a time, with subs switching in and out each round. (Get it, got it, good!)

Both of our teams had gone undefeated in the practice meets, with Team B tying against another school (hey, that still counts as undefeated!). Saturday morning, just after 8am, we journeyed to a local elementary school and waited for the competition to beign. Claire was nervous & excited, as was everyone! Along with the 4/5 grade teams, there were also 6th grade teams competing against each other, as well as 7/8 grade teams. (Which equals hundreds of stinky kids in a hot, sweaty gym, waiting to be dismissed to their assigned classrooms!)

It was a double elimination tournament which meant that we were in for a long day... A very long day. I'll spare you the details (I know, I know, you're dying inside) but after 8 hours of quizzing, Claire's team made it to the championship round! Team B went undefeated all day and secured a spot in the final round in the early afternoon. Claire's team, on the other hand, lost their 3rd game of the day, which sent them to the loser's bracket. After pulling themselves out by winning 3 more games, had finally made it to the final game too!

Really, you couldn't ask for a better scenario! We have a fantastic Quiz Bowl coach (who happens to be a friend and Claire's Social Studies teacher) who is wonderful. To have both of our teams in the final round, made us winners all around. We were thrilled! ...and incredibly tired. By this time, it was after 4pm, and we arrived at 8:30am. Our lunch consisted of soda, chips and candy, courtesy of the concession stand and my head was pounding. Quiz Bowl is intense. No, really!

We waited a long time for our Reader to arrive with the questions, while our kids & parents hung around in an empty hallway. All the other schools had left after being defeated. We finally began, and everyone was relieved that we had secured 1st and 2nd place and would be going home soon. The room was relaxed, instead of the tension-filled environment that usually exists between 2 rival schools. But in a twist of events, Team A, beat Team B in the championship round. Since it was a double-elimination event, Team B needed to lose twice in order to be knocked out of first place. So... we played a second game! (My head was THROBBING by this point.) Team B came out victorious in the end. But after 8 games and 9 hours of quizzing, we were happy for all of us, and really, really happy that our day had ended.

We took pictures with the giant trophies and our cheers echoed through the deserted hallways. My heart swelled throughout the day as I listened to Claire buzz in and give answers like: "the war of 1812", "contractions", "Paris!", and many others. All that knowledge, all that information, it finally had an outlet!

We celebrated with steaks at Trail Boss. We caught up with Kelly & Nolan to hear the details of Kelly & the Chiefs first district game. Oh yeah, he's now the head coach, but that's another post...

coach spann x2

2011-03-17T21:53:00.000-05:00

As of 12:39 pm today, I am Claire's softball coach. It's a long story, and one I'll share soon, just not tonight. All I ask... pray for me! I'm gonna need it!

where have i been lately?

2011-03-17T21:49:00.001-05:00

Let me share a little story, just to give a touch of insight...

In the hustle and bustle of our outrageously busy life now that softball and baseball season have begun, I have 2 goals: 1 - to be organized, using my handy-dandy purse-sized calendar, and 2 - to make sure that every supper does NOT include gatorade, nachos and sour straws from one of any number of concession stands.

In keeping with these goals, I've been planning my meals (thanks to e-mealz) and using the crock-pot. Yesterday, Claire had a Quiz Bowl meet (more on that later) after school and Nolan was at baseball practice with Kelly. Earlier that morning, I had half-defrosted 3 pounds of southern-style pork ribs and put them in our crock-pot. I put them on low, knowing they'd cook slowly all day to perfection. I was happy knowing that the boys would come home, pour in some bbq sauce and 30 minutes later would be enjoying a hearty 'man meal' before Nolan's baseball scrimmage.

Sadly, i got a call from Kelly at about 5:30, stating that the crock-pot was on, but it wasn't... plugged in. Ah! Mom/wife FAIL! I apologized (Kelly was really looking forward to those ribs - he had a rough day) and told him to go ahead and plug it in. It would cook all evening and at least we could eat them the next day.

A few hours later, we all made it home and the ribs were nearly done. I decided to add the sauce early and crank it up to high for just a bit, to make sure they were done before we went to bed. Done and done! I had salvaged the ribs and dinner would be covered for the next day. Yes!

This morning, as my mind was drifting back and forth between blissful dreamland and harsh reality, I heard Kelly say... "Well. I'm pretty sure the ribs are done." I was confused. Was something wrong with his ribs? Had be been hit by a ball again? Wait. Ribs. Dinner. Crock pot. Then he said, "I got up at 4am and turned off the crock pot."

Oops. Double FAIL.

My ceramic crock pot is STILL soaking in the sink and we've lit candles for days. That's where I'm at these days. Exhausted, but still smiling. How about you?

$3.48

2011-02-27T16:45:00.001-06:00

I have a long list of household projects I'd like to do. Did you catch that? ...I'd LIKE to do. Some I just don't have the funds for (like new kitchen counter tops & sink), for others I need a stretch of time (painting the hallway and bathrooms). Then there are all the little things that drive me crazy, that aren't terribly costly or time-consuming, but between practices, games, birthday parties and life, I just don't don't get around to (getting rid of all brass wall plate covers).

This weekend, however, I was surprised with 5 hours of uninterrupted alone time. All by myself. At home. I conquered one small project that has plagued me since we moved in: Rusted brassy outdoor lanterns on our front porch (lots of brass around here - lots).

I really would like to purchase big, beautiful new ones, but since they're not in the budget, I summoned some ingenuity and made them over. Buh-bye rusty brass, Hello hammered bronze!

Before:

Eww.

With the top and glass removed. Seriously bad.

After:

Ahh. Much Better.

All it took was a can of spray paint for the low, low price of $3.48.

Funny how something so small makes me so happy!

promise & possibilities

2011-02-26T08:17:00.001-06:00

I am a Promise, I am a Possibility, I am a Promise... With a Capital 'P'! I am a great big bundle of - Potentiality!!

As I wrote the title of this post the above song popped into my head. I believe I learned it in children's church as a wee one. Some things just stick with you...

As I was saying - Promise. February is on it's way out and I can feel it. The Promise of Spring.

“It's spring fever.... You don't quite know what it is you DO want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” - Mark Twain

Is that not so true? As the temperatures rise and I paint my toenails in order to sport last year's sandals, I am excited about what lies ahead. New growth in our garden, in our lawn, in me. Of course, I need to get to work. Pulling weeds, pruning back and getting rid of all the dead and wilted that this especially hard winter left behind. Everything is grey and brown. The pool is a little green. It has not been tended to. I'm certain that if we had prepared our pool, our yard and our lawn properly in the fall, we wouldn't have so much work to do. Same goes for me. I could do with a bit of pruning. I have some old weeds that need to be yanked up - out of my heart and my mind.

No one imagines spring and thinks of dull, life-less color. No, we imagine bright yellow, blues and greens. Not the pale pastels or florescent hues of plastic Easter Eggs. No, I'm talking about colors like this:

Those are the colors of my spring. Of my Promise. I am full of Potentiality!!!

thank you, mr. president!

2011-02-21T13:15:00.000-06:00

It's a Monday, and I've slept in, vacummed and mopped the entire house, shopped for new softball cleats and fed lunch and it's only 1pm. That means only one thing... It's President's Day!

We've gone from frrrreezing to perfect weather in just a week or so, and we are soaking it in! Lots of bike riding, tree climbing and just. sitting. in. the. sun. ahhhhhh.

Thank you, gentleman!!

b-b-b-b-baseball

2011-02-15T20:34:00.000-06:00

It's that time again, folks! Baseball season! Kelly is gone this evening to his first scrimmage of the season against Converse High School. We've actually had a break from the chilly winter temps of late and can feel the hope that only the promise of spring can bring.

Life moves by fast, and I feel like I've blinked just a little too long, because it's already the middle of February (a fav month of mine, if you remember). We've enjoyed an easy, slow winter. Most evenings have been spent at home, with everyone here with the exception of an hour here and there for basketball practice. We haven't felt this stress-free in quite a while. I'm trying to store this feeling up, since it's about to change here soon.

Claire has been practicing weekly with her school quiz bowl team since she make the team in January. Their first meet is next week. Nerdy competition! Right up her alley! And of course, you've heard my baseball/softball/baseball lament before, so I'll spare you the details (for now).

Instead, I'm pouring myself some mint hot cocoa, tucking the kids into bed and snuggling under a blanket until my Valentine gets home. Hey, it's still winter.

can't leave well enough alone

2011-02-15T20:26:00.002-06:00

...the blog, that is. If you've been around for awhile, you've seen the blog a billion different ways. not sure i love this one either. we'll see.

snow day?

2011-02-04T13:25:00.000-06:00

Today feels like a lazy Saturday. But guess what? It's Friday! School let out early yesterday at 1pm and was canceled today. Technically it's a snow day, and we have a scant amount of snow here and there. Ice Day is more like it.

No matter what you call it, Claire & I prepared a mexican fiesta for lunch and ate it in our... pajamas! No complaints here...

a change of plans

2011-01-29T16:19:00.002-06:00

This time of year, our Saturday mornings usually look like this:

(bad action shot - sorry. if you can't tell, that's my 9-year old basketball wonder!)

Today, however, we had a rare morning off. So this is what I did (after sleeping in 'til 8:45 and enjoying fresh brewed coffee, thank you Kelly!):

I've been wanted to try it ever since I saw it done here, and I'm happy, at least until we tile the back splash. Now just to paint the cabinets, replace the counter tops, get a new stove...

a whole lotta nuthin

2011-01-23T08:25:00.001-06:00

Yes, it's winter, so I get that it is colder than say... summer. But 28 degrees? It's been that cold for far too long! From what I understand, our Midwestern friends are experiencing temperatures that are similar to ours, but with a minus sign in front of the numbers! I've been enjoying the frigid temps by snuggling under my new cream chenille throw, with a cuppa something warm with my loves surrounding me... so what am I complaining about?!

In other (non-weather) news, we are approaching one of my favorite months (yes, I have more than one - weird, I know). February! My friend Feb is short, which is always nice on the budget. It includes Valentine's Day, which we don't go all out for, but is such a sweet day. We're attending a Mardi Gras Ball for the first time in February - I'll see my man in a tux, a definite plus! And knowing that March is around the bend, well, that's just the icing on the cake!

I don't have much to share (obviously- the weather and my fav month?!)... which means that life is good. I'm sticking to my dinner-making plan, which improves everyone's life immensely. I'm plugging away at my scripture memorization (it's only been 2 - but that's the goal each month!). And I'm staying somewhat 'chillllll'. Somewhat. I'm really trying.

I'm looking forward to a morning of worship and an afternoon of... nothing. Hmm. Maybe January should be one of my favs.

a better whatever

2011-01-16T09:35:00.002-06:00

Brothers and Sisters, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about these things. Phillipians 4:8

whatever...

2011-01-11T20:30:00.002-06:00

As I mentioned recently, one of my goals this year is to chill out. Ask most people who knew me 15 years ago, and they would likely say that I was pretty laid back. Like waaaay laid back. Like, so laid back that I wasn't so great with the grades in college. I was all, "eh". As the years have gone by, I have become more uptight, set in my way of thinking and find myself irritated easily. It makes no one happy and I just get stressed out. My new motto is... "whatever". Not the snotty, "Uh, What-ever!" teenage whatever, but a mellow, deep breathing, "whatever you need to do... is okay with me", or "whatever I can do to help" or "whatever works, I'm easy-peasy-rice-and-cheesy".

This worked well until about 2:45 today. It was a busy day, the epitome of a Monday (except on a... Tuesday). I received a phone call that threw me off the "whatever" track. I was ready to rant and rave (and did to the poor people who happened to be standing near me at 2:46) until a friend reminded me of my new mellow vibe. I eventually chilled out, but realized... this is going to be harder than I thought. Whatever.

what's in a name?

2011-01-09T10:34:00.002-06:00

This time last year we held the keys to what would soon become our new home. Yes - our realtor gave us the keys, so we could come by and measure, walk through, imagine and well, just 'be' in the space. There may have been no electricity, but we came by every chance we could get.

Now that we've actually lived in this house for nearly a year, the love that we felt when we walked in has been confirmed. We actually MISSED it when we were away for the holidays. We love being home. It's not perfect, by any means. The work that needs to be done here is overwhelming when I really stop to think about it. I will never show you our master bathroom (yes, it's that bad) and our kitchen is crying out for help. For heaven's sake, we still have brass outlet covers that need to be replaced and a hideous chandelier in the entry.

Still, we love our home even though it's 'in process'. We'll always be in that stage, won't we? I've been thinking that we need to name this home we love. It's definitely not a cottage, cabin or anything that resembles something that charming. But 608 just doesn't do it justice. Kelly suggested the 'Bat Cave', but I don't think so.

It'll come to me, and when it does, I'll share. Until then, here are some pics of what we're looking like lately...

Living Room

(lazy morning, watching tv... I didn't have the heart to kick them out just so I could take a picture. or move the laptop, apparently.)

the remote is a gun. yeah, he's shooting me.

I have big plans for this corner. Big. Plans. ones that don't include visible cords.

Book Page Wreath (love it!)

educational entertainment? nah. Fish Hooks!

I really need to clean out our little locker room. It's taunting me... can you see it, peeking at you?

Dining Room (hasn't changed much)

Study (ignore the pile of stuff on the chest-turned-table... big plans for that one too, of course)

the Mister working hard in the study.

with his camo pjs on. i know it's hard to see him, with the camo and all...
wish the 'puter cords were camoflauged.

More to Come!

construction worker

2011-01-08T18:02:00.001-06:00

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, Claire managed to find time to build the Eiffel Tower! Claire has wanted this 3D puzzle for some time now, and was thrilled when Gramma gave it to her for Christmas!

Claire waited 30 seconds after walking in the door upon our return home (and 16 hours in the car) before starting!

It took a little while to figure it all out, but we soon realized that punching out the little pieces is what would take the longest!

If I hadn't made her spread the work out into 2 days, she would have been happy to work on it all at once.

Another beloved tower for her collection!

the 'r' word

2011-01-02T15:45:00.001-06:00

It's an ugly word - "Resolution". I, personally, am not a big fan. When I was younger, I'd make New Year's Resolutions, only to forget about them weeks - no, days, later. So somewhere along the line, I stopped making them. This year I hope to be a bit different.

I have quite a list of things I'd like to change. Nothing major, just small tweaks and adjustments that I hope will make mine and my family's life a bit richer. I'm not going to call them "Resolutions", but changes, rather. And it just so happens that these changes are taking place at the beginning of a New Year!

In an effort to make these changes a permanent part of my life, I'm choosing to utilize tools to help me. Here's what I mean:

1 - I used to love to cook. I'd spend a lot of time on my menu, prep and serving. Lately, life is so busy and frankly, I'm just too tired come dinner time. I have really slacked in the area of preparing good meals for my family. I want to WANT to cook again. I've signed up for E-Mealz, a service that e-mails me weekly menus and shopping lists. I just decide which meal to make on which night, depending on our activities. I shopped this week from my first list and made my first meal today. I'm really hoping this one sticks.

2 - I really want to get into God's word more. Okay, I just need to do it, period. I have joined Living Proof Ministries (Beth Moore's blog) & their Scripture Memory Verse team. I, along with several thousand other women across the country, have committed to memorize one scripture every 2 weeks in 2011. That's 24 verses in 12 months. I am kept accountable by posting my verse and have recruited friends to join me!

3 - I just need to CHILL out. I find myself getting worked up over little injustices. Well, things that I think are injustices - to me, anyway. My goal is to relax, and remember that these things that I get so worked up about aren't really that important. I will be happier if I smile more and take a deep breath (and possibly a chill pill!).

4 - I like to think that I'm a nice person, but I am really going to strive to be kind. This is a tough one to put out there, since I am running the risk (and the likely chance) that you, or someone else, will catch me in a not-so-kind moment. So give me a little slack, and a look that says "remember that kindness thing" and I will do my best.

I have several more areas that I would like to improve upon, but this is all I'm going to share for now. I have to keep somethings to myself right? Yeah, I know, why stop now? Happy New Year!

Colorado Christmas

2010-12-29T22:36:00.000-06:00

We made it, there and back again! We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas with my family this year. We drove to Amarillo on Wednesday and stayed overnight before making our way to Colorado. A rare occasion in Colorado - no snow! Not only was there no snow for Christmas, but it was warmer in Denver than it was at home in Louisiana.

After a fantastic time with the family, we headed back on Monday evening, driving straight through. I drove the first hour, and Kelly... well, he drove the next 15. It was tough, but I made it!! I must admit, my husband is some sort of driving superhero!

Christmas Eve

Opening their new jammies before bed - a Christmas Eve tradition!

Cousins! (minus Samantha, she was already in bed!)

Lydia & Samantha on Christmas Morning

No snow = family walks to the park!

Gramma, Claire & Nolan at Noodles and Co.

Now that we're home, I'm in the midst of the annual post-Christmas purge. Cleaning out, organizing, scrubbing down and rearranging is in order! After several years of excitement, change and moving, we are looking forward to settling in, making our home, well, ours, and just... breathing. Happy New Year!

christmas in the rockies

2010-12-21T09:05:00.000-06:00

This is where we're headed tomorrow! We were hoping for snow, but it sounds like we may miss it this year! Kelly isn't sad that he won't be driving in it, but the kids and I were hoping to be able to build a snowman or two. Either way, we'll be with my mom, sister, niece and nephew for the holiday. I am giddy just thinking about it. We'll spend about 10 hours in the car tomorrow and 8 more on Thursday. Now to start packing...

Merry Christmas!!

Lights, Camera, Christmas!

2010-12-17T20:44:00.000-06:00

The school Christmas program was yesterday, and I just realized that it was the first that they've ever been in! Our kids have attended some wonderful schools, but I truly believe that NSU Elementary Lab is the best we've experienced. (Okay, so I'm a little biased, being the school secretary and all, but I felt that way before I worked there. My being there every day just increases that belief!) The kids worked so hard on their songs and parts, it was such a treat for everyone! As a part of Northwestern State University, we have the privilege to perform in the Fine Arts Center. It was packed!

Nolan's 2nd grade class (He's behind the mic stand!)

Singing "Must Be Santa" - it's been stuck in my head for the last 2 weeks!

'Up on the Housetop'

(Oh, that haircut!)

Even mom had a little part! Check me out, an A+!

Ah, take in the drama!

Claire's 4th grade class performed 'Silent Night' in sign language.

Many tears were shed! (Not just me, I promise!)

Action shot: Claire and Hunter swing dance to Jingle Bell Rock! They got moves!

It was all so fantastic, and well... a little exhausting. But now it's Christmas Break and we're settling into relaxation mode. Truly the most wonderful time of the year!

puppy love

2010-12-15T20:06:00.002-06:00

swap it!

2010-12-12T20:03:00.001-06:00

I love a good cookie exchange! I have attended several fabulous cookie swaps over the years and have always wanted to host one myself. Claire & I thought it would be fun to host a 'Mother & Daughter' Cookie Exchange this year! We invited 8 moms & girls to bake and share 8 dozen of their choice of special cookies yesterday. Claire and I baked up peanut butter cookies (complete with chocolate chunks!) while friends shared Coconut Macaroons, Sugar Cookies, Brownies, Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Sandwiches and White Chocolate Macadamia Nut. We had more than enough to share with neighbors. I think it may just become a yearly tradition!

8 Cute Cookie Bakers!!

Christmas Festival 2010

2010-12-06T19:46:00.002-06:00

I've mentioned the Christmas Festival a few other times, we had a blast again this year! The kids and I walked in the Junior Parade with the E-Lab Running Club (Rumor it was 5 miles! I didn't measure, but we walked and walked and walked and... you get the idea!).

Nolan and his buddies waiting for the parade to start

E-Lab Running Club!

The new feature this year was sledding! Okay, so they slid down a hill on boxes, but it's the closest to sledding we're going to get! It was a beautiful day spent with friends, eating great food, watching the Main Parade and enjoying the kickoff to the Christmas Season. It was a great time. And the fireworks this year were the best we've seen!

Sledding... I mean Sliding!

Waiting for the fireworks to start!

Merry Christmas!!

christmas card fail

2010-11-29T20:20:00.001-06:00

I staged an impromptu photo shoot this afternoon.It may or may not have involved a little of the following:

"Here put this on! No, not that shirt, this one! now smile! where is the dog? smile! no, not like that!"

I did manage to get a few for the photo card, genuine smiles and all, but here are some that didn't quite make the cut...

The fact that I took photos and ordered cards all in one night, is a Christmas miracle in & of itself!

Now, just to gather my addresses...

lucky gal

2010-11-28T18:10:00.002-06:00

We hosted family for Thanksgiving this year, as we've happily done for three years running. Kelly's Aunt Pam, Uncle Roy and Nana were with us through the weekend. We ate, visited, took the kids to a movie, ate some more, enjoyed the fireworks, climbed trees, climbed on the roof (!), relaxed and had a great time all around. Uncle Roy, being the handy guy that he is, gave us the early Christmas present of free labor! Thanks to Roy, Daisy now has a doggie door, we have gutters on the back of the house and a pull out kitchen garbage drawer (you know, the awesome kind that looks like the rest of the cabinets?!). I am a very lucky gal!

Uncle Roy!

Sky high!

'Boy in Tree'

Last weekend we caved and bought a... ~~fake~~ faux Christmas tree. We've always always had a real tree, until we moved to Louisiana, that is. Since we've been here we haven't had the room or desire to put up a full-sized tree. After a trip (or two) to Home Depot, we came home with a beaut. She's up and dressed!

I made book-page garland. Through The Looking Glass and Swiss Family Robinson.

The tree may not be real, but I added some greenery from the backyard. Texture, dimension, blah, blah, blah.

We head back to school tomorrow for a short week (yay!) and look forward to the Christmas Festival next weekend (watch Steel Magnolias if you're not familiar). It's party/cookie/baking/shopping/wrapping/travel season - and I couldn't be more thrilled! Happy Holidays, people!

giving thanks

2010-11-25T07:48:00.000-06:00

i am blessed. beyond even the tiniest scope of measure. here are just a few of the things i'm most thankful for:

a family in perfect health

coconut cream coffee creamer

a pool in our backyard

a few fantastic friends

a house that is truly a home

the spann van

daisy mae (even if she barks like a mad-dog)

a job that i love

my jesus

peppermint ice cream

our guest room

my sewing machine

my amazing husband

san luis mexican restaurant

my extended (and far-away) family

that kelly loves his job

christmas decorations

magazine subscriptions

a god that rules the universe & loves me more than i can imagine

and that's just the tip of the thanksgiving iceberg.

new (old)

2010-11-22T18:21:00.000-06:00

Since we moved in February, I have been picturing... dreaming... fantasizing about making changes. Changes to our living room, kitchen, bedroom - okay, like everything. I've made a few teeny, tiny changes here and there, but nothing too noticeable.

This week, the changes get bigger. New pillows, curtains, art (well, the DIY crafty kind), decor, oh - and TV (which changes EVERYTHING). Some things are old and are just being repainted, repurposed or recycled to have a new purpose.

Is it silly that these changes bring me such joy? Yes, I'm sure it is. But isn't it amazing that these small differences change the way I feel about my house, myself? Silly? Yes. Wonderful? Yes sir!

adventures in fall

2010-11-22T08:45:00.001-06:00

Last weekend, Claire and I headed to Shreveport for her last softball tournament of the year. I knew it was going to be chilly, but had no idea that it would be downright freezing! It was a long day, as the girls played 6 (count 'em - SIX!) games! It was too cold to come out from under the blanket to shoot too many pictures, but I did manage to capture this moment...

This pretty much sums it all up, I think. I was proud of the girls, who hung in there, even when our last game started at 9:15 pm.

On Friday, our Running Club took seventy 2nd - 5th graders across campus to the Middle Lab School to run in a 1 Mile & 5K race. Nolan and I ran the 1 mile, (which ended up being closer to 2 miles due to a slight error in the route markings - argh! kill me now!) and Claire ran in the 5K. She took 2nd place in her age division! It was another cold, cold morning, and another reason to be proud!

Our adventures over the past few days have also taken us to Alexandria, Chuck E Cheese, Shreveport, Olive Garden, and Christmas Tree shopping! The kids are at a 2-day basketball camp while Kelly & I clean, paint, volunteer, cook, shop and relax! It's going to be a great week!

playoffs

2010-11-12T19:54:00.000-06:00

As I type, Kelly is coaching the NCHS Chiefs in their first 5A Football Playoff game in over 10 years. They are 5 hours away, playing the #3 team in the state. I'm listening to the play-by-play in our bedroom. We're down thus far, but not out. No matter the outcome, it's been a fantastic season and am thrilled with the team's success this year. GO CHIEFS!

bliss

2010-11-06T16:22:00.001-05:00

What is 'bliss' these days?

Sleeping until 9am after my husband's team wins to make the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.

Making a quick trip to Goodwill and find a few treasures.

Crafting - making a Book Page Wreath, to be exact.

Baking an autumn batch of snickerdoodles while my husband naps and the kids play Legos, quietly.

Assembling ingredients for chili on a chilly evening.

Plans to hunker down with the family to watch a movie before getting up for church in the morning.

In other words: A Saturday without any commitments. Next weekend brings another football game and an all-weekend girl's softball tournament. Today... we rest.

i won, i won!!

2010-11-05T16:59:00.000-05:00

So, I've shared the fact that I love a good blog. Really, I do. I have a list of favorites that I peruse on a regular basis. One that I've come to know and love is Jones Design Company. Emily is an extremely talented designer - of stationary, family & home. Her blog is a generous one, she features simple tutorials like this gorgeous little flower pin that I made.

She features a monthly giveaway that is not one item, but a collection of new & vintage items that are absolutely perfect for each season. You won't believe this, but I WON the November giveaway! Can you believe it? Take a look at my loot:

Pure gorgeousness, no? Thank you, Emily, for the giveaway, but even more so for the daily dose of inspiration I receive each day! xo

sore

2010-10-31T09:14:00.001-05:00

I woke up sore this morning. But it's a good sore, you know... a "I ran a 5K yesterday and am pretty dern proud of myself" kind of sore. That's right, I actually participated in an event where I had to pay to run 3.1 miles along with a bunch of other people. Claire (being a veteran with 5 races under her belt, 3 of them 5Ks) and I ran together. She beat me, of course, but only by a little because she was sickly. What a trooper!

Did I love it and want to do it again? Kind of. It was a very weird feeling. Watch out Running World... here I come!

backyard photo shoot

2010-10-26T17:37:00.000-05:00

We dressed up this past weekend to attend a local church's "Trunk or Treat". Claire dressed as a French Artist and Nolan made his daddy proud as a Texas Ranger. We couldn't go before having a little backyard photo shoot, of course...

BIG NEWS!

2010-10-22T22:51:00.000-05:00

The Texas Rangers are going to the World Series and the Natchitoches Central Chiefs are going to the Playoffs! It was a very good night for the Spann Fam!!

*In case you're not in the know - The Rangers have never been to the WS, although Kelly has been a diehard fan his entire life. All four of us are fans of the Rangers and Josh Hamilton. The NCHS Chiefs won one game last year. They've come a long way, baby!

a decision

2010-10-22T19:19:00.002-05:00

This evening the kids and I made a quick trip to the grocery store. While I was handing bags to the kids to carry in, a man approached me in the driveway. He pointed to my disheveled yard, which my kind neighbor had just mowed (since he couldn't stand looking at any longer, I'm certain!). He mentioned that it was a mess. Of that, I was quite aware. It was on my "list". I had pulled out some sad looking shrubs but had left gaping holes and quite an eyesore. The tree was overgrown and the weeds were taking over the space. He mentioned that he was "dirt cheap" and would I want him to take of it? He was polite, very dirty and quite desperate.

I glanced to the street to see small grey pickup truck with a busted tail light, a woman and child in the cab and a lawn mower in the back. I asked him for a business card with the intention of talking to Kelly and having him return later in the weekend, as I really did need the yard work done.

He fumbled around in a notebook and said that he would like to complete the work now. I sent the kids inside as his wife and child joined his side and I listened to him tell me what he would do for "almost nothing". The wife had wanted cash, I'm certain their needs were immediate, and not altogether legal. It wasn't hard to determine that this couple had little resources, but had an expensive habit.

I made a split second decision and said - Yes.

As soon as I went inside, I questioned the wisdom of my choice. I told the woman I would give her a check when the work was complete. My stomach began to ache. Had I made the right decision? Kelly was not home, but it was broad daylight and several neighbors were out and about. I locked my doors as I watched the little boy, about 6 years old, play on the grass until his mother called him over to help. Inside, I prayed, tried to call Kelly, a friend and my sister. No one answered their phone.

They finished very quickly, much faster than I had anticipated. I handed over a blank check. $65 dollars for 17 minutes of work. The Camilla bushes were shaped, the weeds were hacked down, the tree was trimmed. They hauled the clippings and while it didn't look fantastic, it certainly looked better than it did 17 minutes before.

They drove away and I realized I was holding my breath. Is it possible to hold your breath for 17 minutes? I asked myself if I had just done something incredibly stupid. Kelly wasn't home, was it wise to allow them to work in my yard? Was I just a sucker, paying way too much for 17 minutes with an electric trimmer? Was I just being ridiculous?

After a few hours to gain perspective, I have determined that this family needed $65 more than I did, even if it is a week until payday and it wasn't a money tree that the gentleman had trimmed. I can pray that they will use the money to buy a meal, provide for their child or pay a bill. I can pray that Jesus will touch their lives, in some way, any way.

I can rest in my split second decision (which still has me a little nervous) that perhaps not all good deeds go unpunished.

'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40

a quick trip to the big o

2010-10-17T09:22:00.001-05:00

About a month ago, one of my roommates from college called to say that she was engaged, and that she was getting married. In 4 weeks!

We hadn't spoken for quite a while, but there are 5 of us who used to get together a couple of times of year - with & without kids and husbands. All with the exception of Michele. She was the only single gal in the group. I started the trend 13 (!) years ago and my fellow friends followed suit along the years. We all had babies (some more than others), again with the exception of Michele.

I knew her prince would come along one day, we just weren't quite sure when. Well, he showed up and I knew that I couldn't miss the big day. Especially since all 5 of us would be there! I made a call, got an inexpensive, stand-by {but first class!} flight and make a quick, wonderful trip to Omaha, Nebraska!

It was so fantastic to see the girls again, it had been way too long. That's what happens when your family defects from the midwest to the south, I guess... which is what made this trip really special. Hmm... now if I can talk my family into a trip to Nebraska. We'll see about that one.

just thought i'd share

2010-10-02T18:12:00.001-05:00

I'm sitting outside, feet up, comfortable in jeans and bare feet. Music is playing in the background, I watch the occasional leaf fall in the pool and listed to the tap tap tap of the laptop keyboard under my finger tips.

Claire is out front, riding her new bike, wind in her hair, trying to figure out the gears on the mountain bike. While she may not be riding up mountains, our street is a bit rocky, so it was a smart purchase, or so she informed me this morning.

Kelly is using his handy-man card, replacing the screens in our windows so we can enjoy the autumn breezes without the bugs and Nolan is lounging on the couch, tasting candy corn & reading (or playing nintendo, but reading sounds better).

Daisy is making her rounds, checking in on each of us as we relax on this lovely Saturday evening.

Good times.

(not just) another lunch

2010-09-19T09:50:00.000-05:00

I consider myself a fairly creative mom. When the kids were little we had fun, themed birthday parties, all with homemade decor and games. (This was pre-blog world, when you had to come up with ideas on your own!). I made fun lunches, cut into shapes, nutritionally balanced and fun to eat.

Then I went back to work, the kids got older and I came to rely on Lunchables, turkey sandwiches, carrot sticks, Capri Suns and granola bars. With the rare exception of an occasional school lunch (tacos for Claire and chicken spaghetti for Nolan), they bring their lunch to school. Kelly and I found ourselves fighting over lunch-making duties, though I've taken over that task this year. We didn't even have to come up with a contract like this one (hilarious - especially if you have non-school lunch eating kiddos!).

I had been feeling pretty good about myself... getting up a little earlier, making lunches, even if it is a Lunchable (especially those new ones with the drink, snack and EVERYTHING). That is, until I found Another Lunch.

Cute as a button Melissa (well, her avatar is anyway) makes these amazing lunches for her family everyday.

She fills bento boxes (I had to look it up - it's a shorter way to say expensive, earth-friendly, compartmentalized lunch boxes, that don't require baggies, etc) with awesome lunches for her kids and husband.

While I may never have the time, energy or interest to cut bunny shapes out of cheese (which is adorable, I say) she definitely inspires me to make a real sandwich and find something a little more original than the ol' granola bar (she makes hers from scratch!). Hmm... writing a note gives me mom points, right? Yeah, I need to do that.

a math problem

2010-09-16T20:12:00.001-05:00

football + running club + girl scouts + karate + student council + service organization + softball + awana + fundraisers + homework + school social + birthday parties + a pageant = september

september / 2 parents + 1 dog - 1/2 dad (due to aforementioned football) + 98 degree afternoons = one tired momma

momma + a quiet friday night a home = happiness

like it was yesterday

2010-09-11T11:03:00.000-05:00

kelly had kissed me goodbye while i was still in bed after getting up several times during the night. after he left for work, i woke up, snuggled and fed my 2 and half month old baby girl. we took our time, bundling up to head to the car. i was attempting this whole 'work at home' thing, employed by a rebate fulfillment company, doing data entry on a DOS system, trying to decipher the minuscule names written on wrinkled rebate coupons. i wasn't loving it, but was giving it a shot. i had to pick up my assignment for the day before 9am, in a town called norwood young america, about a 10 minute drive away. claire and i drove along the country road, listening to the radio, humming along to a praise song. i was feeling particularly smitten with my baby girl that day. well, that day and every day.

as i pulled into the parking lot, i heard the dj say that a plane had just flown into one of the twin towers in new york city. i sat in the car, listening to the report as they asked listeners to pray regarding the horrible accident. i felt an ache in my stomach, shook my head and said a quick prayer. claire and i ran inside, dropping off yesterday's work and picking up hundreds of tiny little rebate coupons.

when we get back to car, they report that a second plane has hit the other tower and at that moment, i knew. this was not an accident. the ache in my stomach deepened. i drove home, with an urgency i couldn't explain. i pulled into the garage and grabbed claire's carrier from the backseat, leaving my work in the car. i ran to the tv and turned on the news. i saw it happen. once. then again.

i picked up the phone and called kelly at the office. i was feeling frantic. "have you heard what happened? have you seen the news?" he had no idea. i told him to find a tv. now.

i sat on the couch, holding claire. crying. i was scared. i stood, i paced. my fingers trembled as i switched the channels. i watched katie couric report on the events in shock and awe. claire slept soundly in her bassinet, blissfully unaware of the turmoil happening in our country. i was glued to the television, unable to pull myself away. the story unfurled throughout the morning. i kept waiting for another plane to go down. 2 more did just that.

we didn't live in new york or washington. or anywhere near, for that matter. still, i felt vulnerable, exposed and very raw. my body hurt from the tension it was feeling. i tried to eat, but couldn't. i tried to sleep when claire slept, but i couldn't. i tried to work, but i couldn't.

i wrote. i wrote a letter to claire, in an attempt to explain to her and to myself what had happened, even though i really didn't have a clue. i held claire tight. when kelly came home that evening, we watched television until we couldn't watch any more. we talked to family members. we cried. we wondered what would happen next.

evenings and mornings, and the moments that made up those times turned back into days. days turned back into weeks and months. we wore patriotic ribbons and listened to patriotic songs and were proud of our country.

i wrote more letters to claire, in an attempt to yet again explain. and to remember.

months turned into years, and the years gave us time to heal. our wounds were only superficial, as we did not feel the impact as deeply as many, many others. we memorialized and would count the years as they went by.

this year was different. this year, claire is 9 years old. claire is in 4th grade. yesterday in social studies, they talked about the tragic events of that day. they watched video and discussed the details in a way that they likely hadn't heard before. claire wept as she watched the tragedy unfold on the now archived video.

when we talked about it after school, i couldn't control my emotions. it hit me that the vicious actions that took place 9 years ago are still affecting my family in a very real way. my husband's brother is in afghanistan for this very reason. i am angry. i am somber. and i remember. like it was yesterday.

silhouettes

2010-09-04T19:35:00.002-05:00

Have you heard of paint.net? It's a free program that's supposed to be similar to photoshop but you know... free. I've never used photoshop (heard it's fab) but I downloaded paint.net and this is what I made last night:

Pretty neat, no?

Last Splash

2010-09-04T19:29:00.000-05:00

Claire hosted a "Last Splash" party this weekend, to commemorate the end of summer (even it will still be h.o.t. for a good while now). A bunch of 4th grade kids living it up in the pool? A perfect way to do it!

2010-08-29T19:41:00.001-05:00

The new blog header is in honor of Kelly & the NCHS Cheifs' win on Friday night. Now tell me it's not fall! ;)

jumping the gun

2010-08-29T15:01:00.002-05:00

I know I'm waaay to eager for autumn, but I can't help myself. Here's a little peek of what I did this weekend...

Who cares if it's 95 degrees outside?

Do you spy sweet Nolan's painting on the end?

Happy Fall (almost)!

Feelin It

2010-08-26T17:37:00.000-05:00

I can totally feel it. Can you?

It just barely started yesterday. I went outside at 4:59 am (yes, you read that right) to meet my running buddy. I felt something unfamiliar. It was almost like... a chill. In the air. I couldn't believe it. (But so grateful, especially since we were attempting 3.5 miles, including an incline). It was positively pleasant! Until I started sweating and panting, of course.

Then today, as I headed out in my new running-style-cause-i'm-cool-like-that tank top, I shivered as I stepped outside. Shivered! I was almost chilly. For a second!

Can it be? Is fall rolling in? Pleasepleaseplease say yes!

Don't get me wrong, I have had an amazing summer. Even when it was 111 degrees, I was enjoying our Louisiana summer to the fullest. But now we're back in school, back to routine and I'm ready for autumn. The fall decor is calling my name. Jeans, scarves and sweaters can wait til winter (this is the south we're talking about) but still, I'm ready.

leaves in the pool - sure sign of fall!

Oh, and just for funsies - here are a few recent pics...

Old Front Door

New (ok, old with a new paint job) Front Door

... just wait til I get a fall wreath on that baby

Kelly reclining in our new accent chair in the study.

Yes, he's reading the Crown College Bridge.

Beautiful summer blossoms on our trees in the front yard.

Bad thing about fall, the leaves just end up on the lawn.

No pretty color changes for us.

Can YOU Feel It!?

First Day!

2010-08-18T19:20:00.000-05:00

Can you believe these two are in 2nd and 4th grade? How on earth did that happen?

Our first (two) days were great! How about you?

run, forrest, run!

2010-08-15T08:32:00.000-05:00

I feel it's time to put this out there:

I. AM. A. RUNNER.

Four words I never thought I'd say in my life. Am I a size 2, long and lean, marathon running machine? No. I am the same old Ang, my size hasn't changed (YET) and I can claim just under 3 miles. Do I walk some? Yes, I run 30 seconds, walk 30 seconds... sometimes I even run a full minute. Oh yeah.

Don't laugh. I am the same girl who had a doctor's excuse from running in 7th grade due to my medical condition. Condromalcia Patella. Look it up.

My friend is trying to convince me to sign up for half-marathon training. Not so sure about that, but we'll see. That is a BIG step for me. So if you see a girl with a bright red, sweaty face, half-running, half-walking throughout the streets of Natchitoches, don't call 9-1-1. It's just me. No, I'm not dying or having a heart attack. I'm just running.

Back to Life (Back to School)

2010-08-15T08:20:00.000-05:00

When I was asked to take the position of secretary at my kids' school, it was October. I had missed the frantic first days of school. Now that I'm all in, I'm beginning to understand what it takes to kick off a new school year. It makes me appreciate Claire & Nolan's teachers even more, knowing the hours they put in during their summer vacation to get their classrooms ready for their students. I have been putting in extra hours too, because stuff needs to get done! Many of those hours have gone into creating our new website (if you're really interested, check it out here.) Our school is pretty awesome, if I do say so myself!

A regular routine, lazy Saturdays and the excitement of a new school year I AM ready for. Homework, crazy schedules and hectic evenings... not so much. But we're scaling back, rearranging activities and menu planning (trying anyway), in the effort to make life as easy as possible.

We'll be headed to football games soon, which we can't wait for. Kelly has been at practice every evening for a few weeks now. Claire will be starting to play in fall softball tournaments and Nolan is getting ready to test for his orange belt soon. We will be joining AWANA on Sunday nights, freeing up our Wednesdays. Now only if it wasn't 105 degrees, it might actually feel like fall is upon us!

you can tell it's time...

2010-08-05T17:51:00.000-05:00

to go back to school when us gals get a new 'do!

Are You Ready?

2010-08-01T21:10:00.001-05:00

That's the question everyone has been asking me lately about going back to work. Usually with a sad look in their eyes (most of these people are teachers who have 2 more weeks of vacation). As I prepare to head back tomorrow, my answer, surprisingly to some however, is yes.

Don't get me wrong. It's been a fantastic summer. Better than fantastic! After working full-time for the last 2 summers, I have enjoyed every single day of my vacation. We enjoyed traveling, visiting, vacationing and just... being.

School starts in just over 2 weeks, and it will be my first "back-to-school" from this side of the school secretary's desk. I'm glad to a have a bit of experience under my belt as we get started and having nearly 2 weeks without students and teachers should be enough time to clean out (my desk!) and gear up (my energy level!).

I'm also starting running again tomorrow. At 6am. That, I'm not looking forward to so much. I do have a fun running partner and we talk the whole time (when we're not panting) and that I have missed. Not quite sure how I'll feel about it when we move the time to 5am when school starts. Hmm...

travelocity

2010-07-28T15:43:00.000-05:00

Denver to Dallas to New Orleans. By planes, trains and automobiles. Okay, so I didn't ride a train. But I saw a trolley car. Does that count?

After a wonderful visit with my mom, sister and her kids, I flew to Dallas where I met Kelly & the kids. The heat & humidity washed over me as I stepped out into the night air. My hair, which had been cute for 5 whole days went back to being it's old self and I swam to meet my family. We spent a whirlwind day at Hurricane Harbor and saw more belly button rings, bad tattoos and moms in bikinis than I need to see in a lifetime. We had a blast!

That night took us to The Ballpark at Arlington where Kelly watched his favorite players add another mark in the W column. We had great seats and cheered our hearts out for our beloved Texas Rangers. It was more fun than we can handle in one day, I tell ya. So much so, that we hopped in the car and drove home, arriving at 3:15am, so I could hop in another car and join friends in a quick trip to New Orleans. Another fabulous time. But you know what they say... What happens in NOLA, stays in NOLA!

I think I'm pretty much recuperated, as I'm trying to enjoy my last week of summer vacation. We celebrated Kelly's 36th, bought a new (to us) truck, ordered some new furniture, plan to paint the study, oh, and relax with movies and video games galore. Come on, school starts in 3 weeks!

mile high

2010-07-21T09:21:00.001-05:00

I come to you today from Denver, Colorado! I have enjoyed several days with my mom, sister, neice & nephew. Not having seen them for 18 months, it's been a treat for me to have a solo visit. Hopefully we can make it a family thang at Christmastime.

Today I fly to Dallas where the rest of the Spann Fam will pick me up. We've haven't told the kids yet, but we're spending tomorrow at Hurricane Harbor (Six Flags waterpark)! Kelly is buying the attractive water shoes today. Tomorrow night takes us to a Texas Rangers baseball game - Happy Birthday, Love! (Apparently Cliff Lee is pitching, and if you didn't know, it's a pretty big deal. We got him before the wretched Yankees could get their greedy little paws on him).

Friday is another trip - to New Orleans! We've got the 3 ,
'F's: Friends, Fun and a Free hotel. All squeezed into a little over 24 hours. It's gonna be a blast.

Hey, I can sleep later, right??

not your typical florida vacation

2010-07-15T12:42:00.001-05:00

As I was telling people that we were headed to Florida last week, friends wished us an oil-free beach vacation. Little did they know that the Spann Fam travels to another kind of Florida. The kind that is in the piney woods of the panhandle, where life moves a little slower. The Spann Family Reunion beckons each July and we come calling, for 3 years in a row now.

We visited with relatives, swam in the creek with cousins, ate (and ate some more) with family, and had a new experience: life on the farm. We slept in a barn (a renovated one, with air conditioning, a full kitchen & a pool table but felt like we were roughing it none the less!). The kids experienced some farm living, catching our supper and enjoying hearty, homemade southern breakfasts and homemade ice cream. Here are some of the highlights:

hand-cranking strawberry ice cream

enjoying the spoils of (claire's) labor

{and down 2 teeth!}

a little barn decor

sleepy head

livin the barn life

our view every morning (but not quite this close!)

picking potatoes for our homemade chips

claire had the first catch of the day

my mighty fisherman

supper!

Okay, so we did make it to our beach one day... I say "our" beach since that is what it was!

Blue Mtn Beach is our little slice of white sand and green-blue ocean. This is what we saw when we got there, though:

But this is what we found:

oil-free & beautiful!

It was a wonderful morning on the sand, but the barn was calling...

I think these city kids have a little country in em after all!

summer camp

2010-06-28T18:40:00.000-05:00

All her bags are packed...

She's ready to go...

She's standing here, inside the door...

I can't believe she's really off to camp for 5 days!

The Great Room

2010-06-26T09:11:00.002-05:00

I believe I have missed my calling.

I was born to be a wrestler. No, wait, that's Kelly. I was born to be a design blogger. Seriously, have you seen some of the blogs out there? Some are truly great. They share funny stories, but mostly give decorating/interior design inspiration and advice. The very best ones are designers/decorators by trade. It is their job. Some do "virtual" design jobs - give advice based on pictures. People pay them to do this. The most popular ones have advertisers on their blogs and are read by thousands of readers every. single. day.

Can't you just see it? Me, sitting in a stylish office, surrounded by color wheels and design magazines (currently being referred to as "shelter mags") typing, blogging, inspiring?! I would paint and re-paint my house, constantly re-arrange my furniture and make really crafty projects that YOU would want to copy. Again, people would pay me, just to be part of my blog.

Major companies would GIVE me things to try out and share on my blog. Then they would give me more free things to give away to my readers. I might even get to re-do my kitchen on someone else's dime, if I just write about the experience.

THIS IS FOR REAL, PEOPLE! How did I miss this? I guess while I was busy having babies, decorating my own house (dreaming of having my own consulting biz), and going back to work, I missed the whole pay-me-to-blog train. Oh, I caught the blog-about-whatever-you-want-and-maybe-a-friend-or-family-member-will-read-it-but-no-one-will-PAY-you train. Yeah, I'm in First Class. Oh, well.

As long as I'm on the topic, let me share some of my very favorites. There are waaay too many design blogs out there that well, aren't so good. Here are a few of the best:

designmom.com

thepaintedhouse.com

designspongeonline.com

thenester.com

theletteredcottage.net

Oh - and if you were wondering, mine would be called thegreatroom.com and it would be FABULOUS!! (Get it - The Great Room? A great room is a large family room/dining area... and it's Great! Am i amazing or what?!)

self-improvement

2010-06-23T20:24:00.000-05:00

For the past several months, I've been concerned with working on our house, our yard, our pool. I think about improving Claire's pitching and Nolan's swing. Even as I'm on summer vacation, I've spent time in my office making improvements as we prepare for new paint & furniture, sprucing it up with new decor. In all my concern for the things around me, I've forgotten about someone else who needs a lot of work, but has kind of been neglected.

Me.

As far as the outside goes, let's just say that it's an on-going project. One that has taken near-permanent residence on the back burner (waaay back - you know, the little one that you never use, because it never gets quite hot enough? Yeah, that one.) Well, I'm scooting it up front a bit.

Starting tomorrow morning (at 6am, I might add - I am on summer vacation, remember?), I will begin walk/running. It's an interval thing. Anyhoo, a friend asked me to start and I was thrilled to accept. I could say that I'm doing this to lose weight or be healthy, both of which are good things. But... can I tell you a secret? I'm doing it to be selfish. That's right. I want pure, unadulterated grown-up time. Outside. When it's not 100 degrees. With a friend who makes me laugh. And I may just improve the outside of me, just a bit.

To cover the inside (and I mean the deeeep inside - you know, soul, inside) I am hosting a study group with a group of gals beginning next week. I cannot tell you, dearest, just how badly I need this. I'm feeling all dried up, full of malcontent and complacency, with the full realization of just why I feel that way. I am not spending time with my God. And - Oh, how I miss Him. The only comfort in this thought is knowing that He misses me a million times more.

Will I improve? Only time (and my husband!) will tell. But in the midst of the busy-ness of this life, don't forget to take care of you. xo

enduring

2010-06-23T14:20:00.002-05:00

[Ed Note: I realized that I haven't blogged in awhile. My goal is to return to my former blogging "style" (ie more thoughtful posts). I have a lot to catch up on, but bear with me as i get my creative juices flowing again.]

Kelly's younger brother, Scott, nephew and father left for Texas just minutes ago. We enjoyed a visit with them while Scott was on leave from Ft. Collins, his current Army assignment in Colorado Springs. Scott has been in the Army for just under 2 years now, and his station is about to change. On July 6th he will leave for Afghanistan. He left a copy of his orders for us, and as I looked them over, the first thing I noticed were the words Operation Enduring Freedom.

It's been a long time since I've heard those words. The actions that began this war took place when Claire was 3 months old. Claire will turn 9 next week.

To be perfectly honest, I am not as educated or as knowledgeable about this war as I should be. It's not something I've really thought too much about lately. Nearly the past decade (and all of my children's lives) this war has continued on, and it has filtered into the background of our lives. Until now.

Now it's OUR brother, OUR uncle, OUR son who will be driving, fueling, fighting. It's personal. Close to home. And now I remember that it is enduring. For OUR freedom.

what the june?

2010-06-03T20:27:00.003-05:00

Really, I turn my back for one teensy-tiny second and BAM! it's June. May roared by with more activity than the good Lord intended, but we made it and had some fun along the way.

Lots of softball & baseball games were played (I know, you get really tired of hearing the "s" and "b" word but I can't help it.) Nolan's team finished the season in 2nd place and celebrated with pizza & ice cream. Claire still has one more game to play, and while her team *may* not be ranked quite as high, she had a great first year of pitching and is excited to play travel ball at the next level.

A famous 6-year old turned seven on May 23rd and we had 10 boys over to swim . The highlight was the splash contest orchestrated by Kelly, complete with a losers bracket. I'm telling you, when he coaches, he goes all the way.

School is over and summer is in full force with temps in the upper 90s. This is what we saw at Claire's last travel ball tourney:

We expect to see at least that this weekend as we head to another 2-day tournament. I'm happy to say that I've avoided a sunburn thus far. This is big, people. Huge. I hover in the shade and slather on the SPF. I'm trying to extend my years since the sunburns of years past haven't helped me any. Who wants to be old and wrinkly anyway?

This week & next finds me finishing up the year at the school, then it's truly summertime! My plans include: laying by the pool, painting various surfaces inside & outside the house, and laying by the pool a bit more. Ah, June... I welcome you with open arms! Bienvenue!

5,213

2010-05-19T21:01:00.004-05:00

I know I haven't been around lately. It's not that I don't want to blog. Really, I do! I want to entertain you with my witty comments and funny stories. ha. But even now as I type, my eyelids are drooping and my mind is, well, let's just say I'm a little slower than usual. School is winding down, but the work level is at an all-time high. Lots of really great, fun stuff. But stuff that keeps me very busy, nonetheless. My at-home computer time has decreased (although Kelly probably wouldn't agree. No really, I don't check ALL my favorite sites everyday any more!).

You, my faithful reader, however have not been so scarce. In fact, I just noticed today that my total visits have reached 5,213! (This doesn't include the entire first year of blogging, when I accidentally reset my counter. Oops.) Thank you for being a friend or family member that is actually interested in the mundane details of our lives!

And since that seems to be my specialty these days (the mundane, boring stuff), why change things up now? Truly, I had originally logged on to write a very thought-provoking post, but we'll just wait until next time for the good stuff, 'kay?

Here's a few photos of what we've been up to...

Claire ran (and finished second) in a 5K race last Saturday. I am so proud of this girl! She's all business when it comes to competition. She did say "Mom, it would have been okay if I didn't place in the top 2, because I would have done something new, and that is fun." Easy to say when you DO win...

This is pre-race. I'm pretty sure she's thinking "okay, mom, enough pictures".

Let's not forget softball. It's the Never-Ending Story. (We have to watch that movie this summer!) But really, her travel team plays all. year. long. The photo below is of a great Dixie Youth live-arm outing she had last week. (The second team she plays for. I know. Psycho.) Check out that bird wing! She's one determined double-jointed gal!

And a new hobby for the Spann Fam? Guitar Hero, of course! The kids and I made the rounds on a few garage sales recently and home with a brand-new set. We've had a blast though I would have never imagined for one second that I would hear my soon-to-be 7 year old sing "Livin' On A Prayer" in the shower!

He rocks on the drums, too!

(Can you believe he's going to be 7 on Sunday?

We have a major swimming party planned for next weekend. Oh yeah...)

A gal's gotta bust out the wardrobe, of course

And let's not forget the hard-core rocker dad in his FCA t-shirt.

Next time I'll address my thoughts on world-views, parenting and Christianity in general, but for now, I'll hum Bon Jovi as I lay my head on the pillow and get some much-needed rest. Night!

deep thoughts

2010-05-03T21:18:00.002-05:00

- i think i should go to bed. maybe in a few minutes.
- i think i'm going to repaint the study next month. 'chocolate pudding' is too dark. something lighter. with fat horizontal stripes perhaps.
- i'm considering highlighting or coloring my hair. i haven't done that in forever. of course, i haven't found grey hairs before either.
- i'm trying to decide weather to cut my hair or grow it out. it's in a weird in-between stage right now. not cute. of course it doesn't help that i cut it myself.
- i think i'm going to sign claire up for girl scouts. she's a pretty busy girl, but most of her activities are athletic. i'd have to go easy on the cookies, though.
- i am feeling thankful for my job. i love it. i'll really love it on may 26 when the kids have their last day of school. i'll love it even more on june 11 when i have 8 weeks off!
- i am honored that i was chosen as the outstanding support employee for our school. i was shocked when i found out that i had been selected as the winner for the district. they must have pulled my name out of a hat. or maybe i'm good at my job.
- i love having a swimming pool. it's a lot of work. and a bit of an expense. but seeing the joy on the kids' face makes it worthwhile. oh, and jumping in after working in the yard isn't so bad either.
- i'm getting a little burnt out on softball and baseball. kelly's season is done but the kids are wearing me out. 3 teams between 2 kids is a little much.
-oh, and nolan was invited to play on a travel team this summer. "just one tournament." that's what they all say.
- i can't believe claire is going away to camp for 5 days in june. am i old enough to have a child that's old enough to go to sleep away camp? no.
- i'm very close to being the mother of a 7-year old and a 9-year old. Odd numbers make them seem older. me too.
- i'm excited about planning our disney christmas. it'll be... you know, magical.

hmmm, not as deep as you were hoping for? sorry to disappoint, this is lady is feeling a bit shallow (and sleepy) today. perhaps next time. 'nite!

Naughty Dog

2010-04-22T21:03:00.004-05:00

Serious naughty-ness.

When left outside for an extended time, she found her way back in.

After tearing a hole in the screen.

I wanted to be mad, but I was amazed at her resourcefulness. I'm still sort of in shock. And really, how could you stay mad at a face like this?

pretty.

2010-04-22T20:58:00.002-05:00

A flower from a rosebush in the backyard. I spotted it while strolling around back today. It was hidden behind the fence. Thought we'd enjoy it inside.

The lovely bouquet I received on Secretary's Day. (Yes, call me a Secretary. It's on my name tag!). Don't they make you just want to dive into summer?

a boy

2010-04-22T20:09:00.004-05:00

No, not just a boy. The boy. MY boy.

A lover of Legos.

He is smart (straight As!), witty (oh, the things he comes up with) and has the manners of a true gentleman. (Truly, we receive compliments everywhere we go.)

He is incredibly imaginative. (King Nolan Day)

He brings us joy every single day and I light up each and every time he stops by my desk just to say hi (and let me know he hasn't had a color change!).

Testing for his yellow belt

He is a natural athlete and takes it very seriously. He is a very quick learner (tell him once, and he's got it.) He's very competitive. We'll often find that after we say goodnight, he'll get dressed for the next day so his sister doesn't "beat him" to the kitchen.

And best of all, he loves Jesus. His new hobby is writing praise songs. He's decided that he's ready to be baptized. Is there much more a mother could ask for?? Aside from the 100 goodnight smooches we shared this evening... no, I don't think so.

(fairy) godmother

2010-04-17T10:47:00.004-05:00

Okay, so I don't have wings or a magic wand. (I would love one though. I wouldn't turn a pumpkin into a carriage or anything, but if I could get my laundry to fold itself, my husband would be one happy man!)

I am a godmother, however.

This is all new to me, but am incredibly honored. My ex-boss (she would call me her co-worker, because she's just that type of gal) and I became very close while we worked together. While I am older than her, by 9 whole months!, we just clicked. Yonna is truly an amazing person and I am honored just to know her. When I was offered the position at the Elementary Lab, my first thoughts turned to her. My first instinct was to say no, only because I couldn't leave Yonna. She was on maternity leave and I was so nervous to tell her. Not because I thought she would be mad (again, she's not that kind of person) but because I didn't want it to negatively affect our friendship.

We don't get to see each other every. single. day. and I grieve the loss of our time together. (Sounds so tragic, I know.) Our time spent together is far more infrequent, but we remain the best of friends and know that because we no longer have that boss-employee relationship that it has only been strengthened.

Yo & I at her baby shower

I know this for many reasons, but was elated when she asked me to be her son's godmother. I cried (duh), she cried and I am thrilled beyond words. Amsden's baptism ceremony was held last Saturday morning and I was an honored guest. It was a small, private and beautiful ceremony, where I cried again. Seriously, you're not surprised, are you?

Is he not one of the most gorgeous things you have ever seen? He is such a well-tempered baby, and insanely cute. He smells like a dream. To know that I will hold a permanent place in his life, and he in mine, is the best part of all. Yonna and Alan have a beautiful family and I plan to be a part of it for a lifetime. Thank you.

Back to School

2010-04-17T10:08:00.004-05:00

Spring Break was glorious. But we returned to school and boy is it busy! This week was State Testing, which is high-stakes and a very big deal in Louisiana. A very big deal. 2nd-5th grades prepared, reviewed and tested their little hearts out. Being in the school for the first time, I was amazed at the amount of work that goes into testing week. (We are so fortunate to be at such an amazing school.) Claire wasn't too nervous, and her teachers said she did fantastic. Now we just have to wait for the scores. I'm not a Nervous Nellie or anything, but am eager to see how she did!

Before she put pencil to paper, however, Claire got her softball on. Her travel team won, and won big! The Cane River Crushers took first place in the Battle of the Bats Tournament last Saturday. It was a busy day as I joined the team later in the day, but it was worth the trip. The girls played 6 games in one day, winning 5 of them, including the final championship game. The final 4 games were played back-to-back with no more than 15 minutes between. They played their hearts out, in spite of illness and injury. I am one proud mama!!

Today brings more baseball (for both boys) and I am looking forward to a relaxing evening. We do have several plants that need to get in the ground however, so that just may take the place of all that relaxing I was planning on, but we'll see.

Next week doesn't slow down one bit, and truly, I don't envision much of a break for the Spann Fam until May 26. Am I counting down to the last day of school?? Maybe...

The high school is finishing up their season this month, with only 2 weeks left. It will be strangely different to not attend games in May, but Spring Football starts up, so no one will be bored!

The weather is perfect and I'm inside. I can't wait to get a laptop when I can blog and visit design blogs (my latest obsession) as I lounge by the pool. "Summer days, drifting away..." A girl can dream :).

a blog to remember

2010-04-06T20:13:00.003-05:00

So, I've been blogging for nearly 4 years now. I've always enjoyed going back and reading old posts, but I hadn't done it for some time. For whatever reason, I've been going back. Waaay back. It's taken forever, but this week I've read 2010, 2009, 2008. I'm still working on 2007 & 2006.

Some of the posts make me laugh and some make me cry. Some remind me of conversations and instances that I had totally forgotten about. I wish I had posted more pictures. Since that is what it is. A photo album. A journal. A memoir.

I can look back see where we've been and remember what I was feeling when I wrote it. I can remember exactly where I was when I was typing. At the kitchen table, in the office, at the library, in a coffee shop.

I can hardly believe all that has happened in the Spann Family since the beginning of this blog. It's been an adventure, to say the least.

And you've been there, reading along.

Some of you have been reading since the beginning. Some of you are new. Some used to read but now I'm not sure if you're around. I used to get comments but not so much any more. (I have a feeling that with the addition of Facebook to all of our lives, it may be a little redundant and I've lost some readers. )

So if you're here, I say thank you. Thank you for listening to me rant and rave, complain and whine, brag and boast, bore you and hopefully make you laugh once in a while. I write this blog mainly for myself. To preserve those memories that otherwise might be lost. But also for our far reaching friends and family, from Natchitoches to San Diego to Denver to Minnesota to Omaha and beyond. We miss you.

I don't have plans to quit any time soon. I just hope you'll hang in with me!

a fling

2010-04-05T16:55:00.005-05:00

Yes, it's true. We've had a fling. It was glorious, and I don't regret it for one second... Until it was over, that is. I'm talking about Spring Break. It's such a tease. It gives us gorgeous weather, days to sleep in, work around the house and just enjoy BEING. By about Wednesday by brain had completely made the transition to vacation mode and I actually caught myself thinking that it was summer vacation. Yeah, wishful thinking. We return to school and real life tomorrow.

Still, I have no complaints (we all had 10 days off! - what do I have to complain about??) and we truly could not have asked for a better way to spend our days.

Here are few highlights...

We did this everyday. Even when it was a pleasant 75 degrees outside but the water was much (MUCH) colder. They played through the pain.

Kelly & I both logged many hours of physical labor. I had intended to take before & after pictures of everything, but didn't think that you'd be interested in seeing ALL the details. Day one & two were spent outside loping (love that word) tree branches and overgrown shrubs, pulling weeds and tending to outside projects.

We tackled many inside jobs, too. What was once this...

Became this...

The wall color looks different in the two pictures, but that's only due to lighting. (Just another reason I love 'Relaxed Khaki'. Oh, the versatility.) I still didn't get rid of that yellow. Next on the list.

We were very fortunate to acquire some new furniture pieces. New to us, anyway. A fellow baseball coach has 4 (count em, 4!) storage units full of stuff that he's just dying to get rid of. We helped him by taking a few things. There is more I want to go back for. I felt a little greedy. Especially they all came at the low price of free-ninety-nine!

This little chest of drawers now hold my "unmentionables". All she needed was a quick sanding and a clear coat of poly. I really love her. She doesn't match the other, much larger, dresser in the room, and I think he'll have to go soon. Looking for a replacement.

Isn't she pretty? A little bit country, but I'm still smitten.

We also got this lovely little side table. I sanded the top and wiped on my trusty poly, once again. A basket I already had fit perfectly. Again, a little country, but it works.

We also got a round dining room set which we put in the study. It's exactly the size and shape I was looking for to use as a homework/craft/game table. I didn't take a pic, since I haven't decided if I'm going to refinish it or not, but I'm totally stoked on it (oh, there's the California girl in me coming out!).

I also hung some art, a Pottery Barn memo board, and added to the mantel. Here's the view as you walk through the front door:

Birds are EVERYWHERE this season. I don't mean the real ones. Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel and every design blog in the nation is featuring birds, nests & eggs. I really like it. Very seasonal. Mine only cost $1 - from the Dollar Tree. Chirp chirp.

I'm still tweaking the mantel. The left side:

We had some other transformations, too. Plain ol' white eggs turned into this, with the help of Claire & Nolan:

The next day, they looked like this:

Yum! I learned something about myself, too. While I love carrot cake, one slice is enough for me. So when I made an entire 2-layer cake, it was a bit of overkill. Not to mention, I under baked the layers and they sunk in the middle. I enjoyed my piece anyway...

I mean, who wouldn't, with all that ooey, gooey, sickening sweet cream cheese icing?

So now we're just counting down the days until June, when our real vacation begins. Spring Fever anyone??

spring has sprung!

2010-04-04T20:53:00.004-05:00

Last weekend was Les Amies' annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Lemee House.

(Last year - man they've grown!)

Ready to hunt

Gosh, I need a tan. And a trainer. And a haircut. Sheesh.

Major stress brought on by the lack of finding the golden egg.

They really do love each other.

To say that we've enjoyed our Spring Break would be a vast understatement. We have had a fantastic time, just being at home. Soon I'll catch you up on all that was accomplished, but for now, I've got one more day to squeeze in on my vacay before going back on Tuesday.

Happy Easter!

Here are Spann Family's top 2 songs to listen to on Easter morning. Enjoy!

Arise, My Love - Newsong

Hope's Song - Veggie Tales Easter Carol

gettin crafty

2010-03-22T21:15:00.003-05:00

I'm dying here people.

I have so many design ideas for our house, I'm about to burst! I have a clear vision of what needs to happen in each room, I'm anxious to translate it to real life.

What's stopping me, you ask?

The pool man. Sherwin-Williams (yes, we bought so much stuff we have a contractor's account!). Oh, and that pesky credit card that's almost paid off. Don't forget that note we pay for that big white thing I drive everywhere with the stickers all over the back. (You know, the ones that say NSU and NCHS and Cane River Crushers and NSU E-Lab... the ones I swore I'd never put on my vehicle? Yeah, those.) Fundraisers and tuition and groceries. I guess it's just called life.

It'll come in time, I know. I'm just being impatient. (Just waiting on Uncle Sam... thank you home buyers credit!!)

In the meantime, I have been getting a little crafty. Black craft paint here, white spray paint there... a project with Nolan, a scrapbook with Claire. And I'm keeping my sanity thanks to my newly converted Armoire du Crafts! Yeah, I know...

What formerly held our large, bulky, non-flat screen TV now has a back and shelves and STUFF. Craft stuff! It's not organized how I'd like to be {YET} but I know where everything is and it's at the ready when I need it. That, my friends, is half the battle. So yes, I'm posting about my craft cabinet. I love it, and this blog is all about me anyway, right? Right! :)

why go slow?

2010-03-22T20:46:00.003-05:00

when you can go fast?

Claire & Nolan played in their opening season tournament this past weekend. Claire started in her first fast pitch game ever. She's "playing up" which means that while she should be with the other 7 & 8 year olds playing coach-pitch, she's playing with 9, 10 & 11 year olds. She did amazingly well! She had 3 strike outs (and only one walk) her very first inning. I was beaming (and crying). Not too bad for this little 8-year-old, I'd say.

Nolan was stellar at 2nd base! Always at the ready and giving his all, baseball comes pretty easily to Nolan. It probably helps since he's been at the ballpark since he's been in the womb. That is literal, people!

Looking very tough

Claire's Cane River Crushers placed 3rd in last weekend's travel tourney. Are these some mean looking ladies or what?

Side note: When I was in college, I distinctly remember sitting next to my girlfriend at a basketball game. She and I were both faithful fans, if not actual athletes ourselves. (We left that to our other 2 roomies.) Anyway - the football coach and his family (which consisted of a gorgeous wife and 4 precious children) were at the game. "I could totally see myself married to a coach", my friend said. "Not me," was my reply. "I can't handle all sports, all the time. Give me an athletic guy, but I need someone a little artsy". Oh how funny life is! I actually laugh out loud now when I think of that conversation that took place over 14 years ago. (Wow, I'm old!). If you know Kelly, "artsy" is not a word that would remotely describe him. But I love my life. All sports. All the time. Who would want it any other way?