~ KC Wheelers~

Resurrecting the Blog

2010-02-04T19:54:00.002-06:00

After nearly a year, I'm making an effort to resurrect my silent blog. No, I don't have any amazing reason for the silence. Life happened and the blog didn't, so I'll make a stab at hitting the highlights of the past year.

The kids are growing and maturing. Kelcie graduated from cosmetology school last May. She worked hard and graduated at the top of her class. She even received an award for Most Outstanding Student. She aced practical exams with flying colors, but not without a little stress. Kelcie has been working as an apprentice at Nevaeh Salon in Leawood, KS, and is proving to be a quick learner, a hard worker, and an excellent stylist. She's a bit of a homebody and her best girlfriend is her little sister. It's so much fun watching her grow into a responsible adult.

Kylie is a high school senior. She has a fun personality and she's a joy to hang out with. Her best friend is her big sister. She's involved with our church youth group. The group went to Denver after Christmas for Wesleyan youth conference, which was an awesome experience. She's working at a cool little shop in Prairie Village, KS, called the Victorian Trading Company. Kylie has a bit of an artsy flair and her job is a great fit for her personality. She's even discovered that she has a some talent as a budding artist. She's into painting, design and photography. At this point, Kylie doesn't have a clue what career path she'll choose. We just pray she'll use her talents doing what God has planned for her.

Jimi Hendrix 24x36 oil by Kylie

Jake is the youngest. He turned 14 a couple of weeks ago. He's busy dude and I've somehow found myself being his full-time taxi driver! When Jake has a free moment or two, we can usually find him on his laptop creating a new video game. In his not-so-free-time, he's busy doing homework, practicing his upright bass, or going to private bass lessons, playing baseball, football, or his new-found enjoyment, wrestling. Much to my dismay, Jake was injured a week ago at wrestling practice by a shoulder dislocation! That put an immediate halt to his wrestling, at least for a the next month. Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the bass guitar. He and his buddies have a little "garage" band, which also take some practice time. Jake's an easy going, funny, studious, hard-working kid. I'm proud to be his mom and taxi driver.

Garry and I have been busy being parents. We work, try to manage the household and even manage to spend a little time together when we can. Life is good and we have SO MUCH to be thankful for. Life is good!

Laughter Lives Tuesday: Funny Pics

2009-02-10T10:50:00.008-06:00

This post is part of "Laughter Lives! Tuesday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check our their blog to read everyone else's "Laughter Lives!" posts.

This post is for Abby. She is four years old and is fighting the Cancer Battle.

Abby, you are SUPER STRONG. If I am ever sick, I hope that I can be as brave and as tough as you! The Wheeler family in Kansas City loves you and we are praying for you to be ALL BETTER soon!

Hope these silly pictures make you smile, Abby!

Chico wears doll clothes. We haven't told him that boy dogs shouldn't wear girl clothes.

     Kylie Makes A Shower Mohawk
   Some doggies wear diaper, but Exie HATES hers
        Exie's HUGE Tongue
       Parker Wears Big Girl Boots
     Kylie is just plain GOOFY!

Evil Puppy
Fat lips can happen if you play softball with your sister!

Old Boots

2009-01-31T15:00:00.005-06:00

These old boots are part of my youngest memories. As a tiny little girl, I thought that these boots were the ultimate in ugliness. They belonged to my mom. These ugly boots were her winter snow boots. Many times I tried to talk her into purchasing new, modern, stylish boots, but she graciously declined.

It's been a few years since Mom went to Heaven, and no one really remembers exactly when the boots came to haunt us. I do remember the fact that Mom's old boots, archaic as the were, got her through all of the winters that I was able to share with her.

Mom passed away in May of 2003. Kylie, then 11, wanted Grandma's boots. I thought she was being silly, but somehow, Kylie saw the beauty in her Grandma's old, worn boots.

Kylie is now 17 years old. She is a junior in high school and attends a very large public school, but that doesn't deter her from wearing Grandma's boots to school, or wherever she feels like wearing them.

I'm pretty sure that time has gotten the best of my mom's old snow boots, but little Kylie is doing her part to keep the memories of her grandma alive.

Kylie, thanks for being such a brave and classy girl. Love you bunches and I'm so proud of the person you are becoming!

Love,

Mom

Happy 13th Birthday Jake!

2009-01-18T08:30:00.021-06:00

Birthday Boy proud of his iTunes giftcard and Kylie, unable to keep herself out of mischief
   Jacob Duane... is he SERIOUSLY 13??
The birthday gang-Andrew, Jake, Kylie, Kelcie and Kyle
   The cake before the pink candles
      Birthday dinner at Dos Reales

Jake and Andrew playing foil football at Dos Reales

Foil Football

Jake's 1st cellphone... 6th grade graduation gift
Kelcie talked Jake into waxing his 'unibrow'
Buried in the Florida sand wearing Paigie's hat

Jake was the ONLY one brave enough to conquer the Skycoaster over Royal Gorge in Colorado. He was 8 years old.
   Jake and Papaw Wheeler
   Jake's first solo at Overland Christian
   Jake and Bruiser
   Dracula... 5th grade
   Future Tony Hawk
Jake learned that it might be a REALLY good idea to wear a face mask when playing catcher for Kylie who was practicing for fast-pitch softball
Our Canadian "Mountie" 6th Grade Country Project

Fall 2008- Offensive Right Tackle & Defensive Nose Guard
Jake, the cellist

Happy 13th birthday, Jake! I can't BELIEVE our baby is now a teenager! YIKES!! That means we have three teenagers in the house!

Jake is such a great kid. He's an easy going, conscientious, kind-hearted kid who is incredibly easy to love and parent. He loves sports and music. He plays cello in orchestra and guitar in a little band with his buddies. Jake's a video game expert and has a knack for computer animation. He studies hard and makes excellent grades and is on the Principal's Honor Roll. He's a tough kid with a great sense of humor and a gentle nature. He doesn't give us a lick of trouble... at least not yet! : )

We celebrated his birthday last night because of scheduling conflicts with his buddies. We had dinner at Jake's favorite Mexican restaurant and he opened his gifts at home. (I forgot to pick up candles so he was stuck with pink candles from his sister's birthday. Good thing Jake's easy-going)! He invited his buddy Andrew and almost-like-a-brother, Kyle. His other pal, Dakota will join in on the fun today.

Happy birthday, Jake! You're an AWESOME kid! You would make any parent proud... ESPECIALLY your dad and me!

We love you TONS!!!!!!!!!!

Mom and Dad

p.s. I spent way too much time scanning baby pictures yesterday, only to discover that there is a new glitch with Blogger. It now finds scanned files as 'corrupt'! Too bad. I had some great pics to post.

Merry Christmas 2008!

2008-12-24T23:50:00.003-06:00

Needless to say, this little family has been swept up by all of the busy activities of the Christmas season. It's Christmas and finally time to take a breath, relax and enjoy the fun. Just wanted to take a second to send out a "Merry Christmas" wish.

Garry, the kids and I made some Christmas Eve memories. For Christmas Eve dinner enjoyed some great Chinese food at the Dragon Inn. (just think Christmas Story) : ) We had to make our yearly trip to see the Plaza lights, and of course, we hit Starbucks. We even braved the cold and snow to see one of the hokiest Christmas displays EVER, and no Christmas would be complete without a drive through Candy Cane Lane.

I'd better hit the bed. I'm pretty sure I just heard the sound of hooves on my roof top.

Merry Christmas!

Garry's Thanksgiving Folly

2008-12-02T20:28:00.005-06:00

Well...this little family is safe at home in Kansas after a fantastic fun-filled time with family in Indiana. (tune in for Turkey Day pictures in the near future.

My camera battery is currently on the low side and I'm pooped after a crazy day with lactating mommies, fussy newborns and a 7pm middle school winter concert, so I'll take this opportunity to make a very quick post at my beloved hubby's expense.

The story opens with a traffic jam in St. Louis, MO. Apparently, Garry forgot all about the WWJD rule (what would Jesus do). We were stuck on the highway in deadstop traffic and he was careful not to allow anyone to cut in front of him. The kids began to give him a hard time...something about "Driving Karma"...so Garry let one person in front of him, complaining all the while.

Cut now to Vandaila, IL. I was busy playing Solitaire on my phone and the kids were all occupied with iPods and DVDs while Garry tootled down I-70, when I heard him excitedly commenting about a Subaru that was flying past everyone. Shortly after, when everyone had resumed their quiet road trip activities, Garry again grabbed my attention. He was excitedly chattering about the flashing lights in our rearview mirror. He ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN the guy in the Subaru was "gonna get nailed"!

Not a chance! The officer in the white Suburban pulled right in behind poor ole' Garry. Yep...he was clocked doing 92mph in a 65mph!

Suffice it to say that I nearly choked to death trying hold back an "I TOLD you so!!"

I'm sure our old college buddy is getting sick of providing pro bono services for the Wheelers.

Happy 17th Birthday, Kylie Ann!

2008-11-24T08:37:00.007-06:00

17 years ago today, a lively little bundle made her entrance into the Wheeler family. She was born on her great-grandma's birthday and weighed 6 lb. 5 oz., was 18 inches long with blonde hair and blue eyes... an absolute beauty. We named her Kylie Ann.

Kylie is such a joy to have in our family. She enjoys life and loves to have fun. (she definitely keeps her dad and me on our toes)

Kylie is a free-spirited little gal. She loves music and is a huge fan of the Beatles. She enjoys spending time with her family and her many friends. She likes cooking and can be a great help around the house... if I can catch her in the right mood!

She's a good student and stays out of trouble (as far as we know) : ) and most importantly, Kylie loves Jesus.

Kylie, Daddy and I are so proud of the beautiful young lady you have grown into. Keep making good choices.

We love you SO much!

Happy 17th Birthday.

Doggie Downer

2008-11-17T11:47:00.005-06:00

The Wheeler blog has been silent for far too many days. We have all been busy with nothing more than life in general. The kids are all busy with school. Garry and I have been working, trying to hold down the ranch-style fort that we call "home".

Everyone in our household is happy and well with the exception of one little doggie named Exie. She is our one year old chihuahua, who, much to her humiliation and dismay, is experiencing her graduation into "doggie puberty". I'm not sure how we have procrastinated that spaying!

I discovered Exie's current "situation" after returning home from working all day on Saturday. Upon said "discovery", I searched our residence for an old pair of "doggie panties". I had no luck in my search and soon found myself at Petco. I nearly fainted when I saw that the cost of an XS pair of dog undies was an unbelievable $24.00! I decided to opt for some disposable diapers, but soon gave up that idea when I saw the price of $16.99 for 12 little diapers. (I don't really give a hoot if those little doggie diapers have tiny pink flowers on them or not!) Instead, I opted to go for some newborn diapers from CVS. I don't mind cutting a tail hole, but little Exie absolutely minds wearing them. I know we shouldn't be getting such laugh out of her misery, but you have to admit, she looks pretty funny!

I really hope the vet will consider a mid-cycle spaying! : )

My Aunt Sheila... written by Jake

2008-10-29T09:14:00.004-05:00

My Aunt Sheila

by Jacob Wheeler

Do you like going to your Aunt’s? I do. Her name is Sheila, Aunt Sheila. She lives in Columbus, Indiana or so called Hoosier. She is a very caring, patient, trustworthy person. Just like I said, Aunt Sheila is a caring, patient, person that has a good sense of humor.

She is a very caring person. What probably seems like just about everyday, she takes care of her grandchildren, which are my cousins. On top of that every Thanksgiving she cooks a huge dinner for all of them including my family of five. That’s about 17 people! From experiencing the chaos of all my cousins coming over everyday when we’re there, and Aunt Sheila, and the baby’s parents having to control it. I learned to care about other people other than myself. Now I think of others instead of me all the time.

Well, on top of caring she is also patient. She has 6 grandchildren to take care of at one time! What do you expect? Even though that may not sound like a lot to some of you, it can be. Especially if some of them are trying to take a nap and you hear the toilet flush and then an “oops” or “uh-oh” coming from the bathroom. All though taking care of little ones can be frustrating, it can also be rewarding especially when they want to help cook, or clean, or something easy. Yes, I know cooking can be hard, but you get the point, I hope. Well, what I learned from all this, is just to be nice and friendly and don’t throw a fit whenever you don’t get your way.

Aunt Sheila also has a very good sense of humor. And I have a story about that somehow that. An Easter egg story like Ms. Zeckser has. Ok, so apparently she has a maid that comes over every Monday. And the week before they had an Easter egg hunt with her grandkids. Sheila said that they don’t use real eggs anymore just in case they don’t find one. Well, what do you know? The maid comes running downstairs with 3 eggs. 2 plastic and 1 REAL egg! It was hiding in a Longaberger basket for almost 4 years and it smelled really bad. Remember, even aunts have a good sense of humor.

Overall, aunts are very good people. It doesn’t matter how old or weird they are (hint, Aunt Puss Chapman. Not Aunt Sheila), I can still strongly say aunts are very good people.

(The above is a speech written by Jake. His assignnment for 7th grade Communications was to write a speech about someone who has directly impacted his life. He dressed up and presented this to his class this past Monday)

Homecoming

2008-10-29T06:34:00.006-05:00

This past Saturday was a an exciting one for our little family. It began with an early morning football game. The late morning and afternoon were filled with a stop at the Sprint Store to repair Jake's phone, lunch with my girls at Panera, cosmetic shopping at Walgreens, Garry washing my car, cleaning the house, a trip to the florist, etc... No doubt it was like the Saturdays of most people I know.

Kylie's big excitement of the day was a homecoming date with her friend, Kenny. He attends Rockhurst High School, a fairly prestigious all boys' school in Kansas City. It took a little while, but Kenny eventually worked up the nerve to invite Kylie to Homecoming at his school. She was excited (I'm pretty sure she thinks Kenny is pretty sweet & cute) to be going to Homecoming at a different school, other than Shawnee Mission East.

Kelcie got the chance to practice her cosmetology skills. She spent most of Saturday afternoon beautifying her little sister. She applied Kylie's makeup, fixed her hair, and even waxed and tweezed her eyebrows. Kelcie's hard work paid off. Kylie was absolutely stunning!

Her date arrived at 5:15 p.m. We quickly snapped a few pictures and then headed to Kenny's house for group picture with his buddies and their dates. (of course Kylie's pal Kiley was Kenny's friend's date...imagine that!) Some of the kids were a little late arriving for pictures, but we quickly snapped a few and they all rushed to Kyoto Japanese Restaurant. They missed their 6:00 dinner reservation and had to wait for the next available table. They eventually made it to the Homecoming dance, which Kylie declares was WAY more fun than the one at her school. : )

The kids looked fantastic and they all had a blast!

Football's End

2008-10-28T07:01:00.014-05:00

The curly headed boy in the middle-front is Robin Brett, George Brett's youngest son

As the saying goes, "Time flies when you're having fun". We, at the Wheeler house, have also discovered that time also flies when one is busy.

Jake started is first year of football this past July. Since then, he has endured forty intensely grueling practices and eight games. His team was made up of 7th grade boys from his school district, and this was the first year of football for a lot of boys on his team. They started the season a little confused about the game, but quickly grew into great team of boys who proved they were difficult to defeat. They finished the regular season with 1 win and 3 losses in their division. But, the Lancers finished the season strong, going undefeated in the cross-divisional tournament games, giving them a total of 4 wins and 4 losses! The final score of the last game was Lancers 27-Huskies 0!!

Jake emerged from the football season as a strong, tough player. His coaches liked him enough to make him defensive nose guard and right offensive tackle. (for those of you who have no clue, that means he ended up playing the ENTIRE games on both offensive and defensive positions) : ) He is thrilled to be finished with practices, but we're all going to miss the games and are already looking forward to the next season!

Go Lancers!

Go Jake!

Ready For New Homes

2008-10-17T07:01:00.005-05:00

Eight weeks have quickly flown past and my little puppies are very close to being ready for their new homes. My kitchen, once filled only with the sounds of cooking and hungry people, is now a very busy place. One can hear miniature yips, which are really the barks of two very little puppies, then, what one could interpret as growling. This is nearly always followed by the sounds of eight teeny-tiny feet, scampering to and fro across the kitchen floor, then silence as they collapse on their bed for a nap. They are 1 1/2 pounds and are an energetic pair who always do their little happy-puppy dance for anyone who looks in their direction.

I admit that I will the happy faces of these adorable little puppies, but not enough to keep them!

Today I will give them their last set of shots. They will also get a second dose of tasty worm medicine. And I'm sure they'll be less than happy about their baths and mani/pedicures, but with all that, they will be ready for adoption. I'm hoping for some phone calls very soon!

A New Look For Kylie

2008-10-08T08:08:00.003-05:00

It's taken a little time, but family genetics finally caught up with Kylie. She's sportin' some new glasses! After realizing that she was having a little trouble seeing street signs, I finally took her "I can't see" complaints with some mild seriousness and stopped in to see one of our local optometrists. Dr. "Handsome" (smile/sigh) did a thorough exam of Kylie's vision and declared that he had discovered the reason my little teenager had been experiencing some headaches. She is near-sighted in one eye and far-sighted in the other. I'm sure there is someone in the family tree she can thank for her new specs! With a little getting-used-to, Kylie is now able to see clearly, and she's pretty sure she's the cutest thing wearin' glasses!

My Hero...

2008-09-25T07:10:00.010-05:00

Four years ago today, the world's most incredible man made his entrance into Heaven. He was rugged and sturdy. He was made from the fabric of those born during the Great Depression. He was, by nature, a hard worker. He could do anything he set his mind to. He could look at an object and replicate it with his own ingenuity, only he made it much better than the original. He was generous to a fault. He was the most Godly man I have ever known. He was rough on the edges, but incredibly loving and gentle at the same time. He was considered a "best friend" by more people than I could have ever imagined. He was a spiritual giant. He was, by far, the strongest man I have ever known. He was a rock. He was my hero. He was my dad.

His name was Glen Duane Brown. Most people just called him "Duane", but his closest buddies called him "Brownie". I simply called him "Dad".

My husband, Garry, called him "Pops". The two of them were best friends and spent many hours on the golf course, hitting balls into the water. Nothing shook Garry's world any more than the day my dad decided it was time to leave this world for a much better one.

I have three kids and to them, he was "Grandpa". They were his pride and joy. He spent many hours letting my little girls comb his hair and adorn him with hairbows. He changed a few poopy diapers and taught all three kids how to fish and ride their bikes. He even taught our oldest daughter how to drive.

He loved the outdoors. He loved hunting and fishing and always dreamed of living in a cabin in the woods. He taught me how to whittle, shoot a gun, clean a fish, bait a hook, skin a rabbit, ride a bike, hit a baseball, mow a yard, rake leaves. My dad taught me how to live, how to love and embrace life. Through my mom's journey through cancer and her eventual death, my dad taught me that it was possible to love someone enough to allow them to go, when the time came. For my dad, his time to go came much sooner than I expected, and it was less than easy to let him go.

There are a thousand hilarious stories I could share about my dad, like the time he gave himself a haircut and how as a teenager he would answer the doorbell in nothing but his tighty-whities. Oh yes, when I was a teenager, my dad did all he could to embarrass me. But today, crazy stories aside, I want to honor the man who has made the greatest impact on my life.

In my dad's absence, we have been left with an incredible void. Thankfully, my family and were taught not to dwell on our sadness, but to move forward and create new memories. Even though it's been four years, we are still learning to live life without Dad and without Grandpa. It hasn't been easy, but we are all looking forward to the day when we will see him again!

Thanks Dad, for your simple greatness. Thanks for being the world's coolest dad, and for being the most awesome grandpa my kids could have ever dreamed of. Thanks for being true to the Lord and for loving us so much!

We miss you!

Keeping Up With the Kiddos

2008-09-17T14:46:00.005-05:00

This morning the FedEx delivery guy paid a visit to my front door. He was delivering a slightly belated birthday gift, courtesy of my fantastic spouse! I guess he decided it was high time I step into the current decade and enter the world of iPods. : ) ...so...I am now the proud owner of the newest iPod Nano, and a red one, at that! I'm not quite sure how I'll keep it away from Kylie since hers was stolen from her car, but it's engraved with my name and cell #, so it shouldn't be hard to identify.

Thanks for being SO thoughtful, Garry! You're amazing! : )

Brycen and Grandma's Birdbath

2008-09-10T08:38:00.004-05:00

Little Brycen Thompson is currently the youngest of my great-nephews. It's a good thing he's such a little cutie. He is chock full of energy, sometimes quiet and a little sneaky. One never knows what he might be up to.

A couple weeks ago, I found myself keeping an eye on the little ones (three two year olds and one ornery four year old) while Kerrigan, age 8, and Parker, almost 6, played backyard baseball with Jonathan, Jeff, April and Kelcie. Karen was busy indoors on her laptop, Sheila was taking a much-needed rest in the recliner, and who knows what Bob was doing. I suddenly realized that I hadn't seen Brycen in about 30 seconds, (usually NOT a good thing), when I heard faint splashing sounds. All I can say is that I'm glad I had my camera, and even more glad that Grandma Sheila had just scrubbed the poop out of her birdbath the previous day.

I'm thinking this might be good video material for AFV!

Football Season

2008-09-09T09:26:00.005-05:00

Football season is officially here. Jake has 20 practices and one game under his belt. He's battered, bruised, and slightly confused, but he's loving it! Being one of the biggest boys on his team, he is what the coach, Bear, calls, one of his "hogs". He's a lineman and plays right offensive tackle and left defensive tackle (or something like that).

I'm pretty sure game days will be just that...game days. There are over 3000 boys playing football in the FCCJC league this season. Yep that's over 3000 kiddos. All games are played at one outdoor football complex on 10 football fields each Saturday and Sunday. One can only imagine what a mess traffic and parking is like, especially since the entrance/exit is on a little two lane country road. Luckily, all of Jake's scheduled games are on Saturdays, so we shouldn't have any interference with church.

So...here's to a great football season with minimal injuries, some hopeful wins and lots of fun.

Good luck, #64!

We love you!

Trip to Hoosierland

2008-09-08T08:01:00.004-05:00

It's a cool, rainy morning in Kansas City. I'm up to my eyeballs in laundry and housework, but what better time than now to post some belated pictures of our recent trip to Indiana?!?!

Kelcie and I took our first mother/daughter trip to Indiana to visit my sister and her family a couple of weeks ago. She is on break from school and I had a few days off work. We spent most of our time playing with all the little munchkins, who have grown way too quickly, and making up for lost time with the grown-ups. My sister arranged for an all-girls trip to Nashville, IN on Saturday while the guys babysat. Kelcie and I even managed to land two incredible tickets to the Colt's pre-season home opener in their new stadium (THANKS Elvis! Sorry you had to miss the game, but Kelcie and I had an absolute BLAST)!

Sheila, thanks for putting up with us! It was SO nice to see everyone and to spend some time together. Even though it was a rather short trip, it makes "missing family" a little easier.

In Memory of Elliot

2008-09-01T21:04:00.002-05:00

This evening our family bid farewell to Jake's beloved pet rat, Elliot (yep...Elliot, the girl rat with the boy name). The poor little thing managed to survive in our crazy menagerie for 14 months or so. I never intended to have a rat living with us. However, I fell victim to Kylie's persuading during a seemingly harmless visit to Petco and next thing I knew, we were walking out the door with a "free" rat, including cage and accessories. Someone had returned her claiming they could no longer care for her so poor little Elliot was available for a "free adoption". Ha!

Long story short, we surprised Jake, who was away at church camp. He thought his new rat was pretty cool, even if most of us were grossed out by her bald rat-tail. Eeewwww!

I noticed Elliot wasn't looking so good the last few days, but I thought maybe it was just me. Apparently not. Jake took some food to her and she wouldn't eat. (TOTALLY out of character for her) In a short time she was lying with her face in her food. Jake and I took her out of her cage and held her, only to discover a rather large tumor on her "underneath" side. It wasn't visible when she was in her normal rat position, so we hadn't noticed it. I think it help Jake to see the tumor. It made saying goodbye just a little easier for him since he knew she would no longer be suffering. He and I held her for a few minutes and she quietly slipped into Rat Heaven. : (

So tonight we added another little body to our pet cemetery.

Rest in peace, Ratatouille!

While We Were In Hoosierland...

2008-09-01T07:45:00.008-05:00

After a fun-filled trip to Hoosierland, Kelcie and I are safe and sound back in Jayhawk territory. We spent most of our time catching up with family and playing with all the Thompson/Walden monkeys! Far too much time had passed since our last visit and the kiddos had grown way too quickly!

While we were away, all was not necessarily quiet on the home front. My first clue that "something was up" came in the early morning hours when I woke for the day and tried to put my very pregnant chihuahua, Shadow, outside for her morning pee. She gave me a "you GOTTA be kidding me" look and refused to exit her ready-for-having-puppies box. I gently picked up her swollen little body and placed her outside. In less than 30 seconds she was barking to be let back inside. She ran straight for her box, I showered and quickly finished getting ready for the morning's flight, but not before snapping a lovely photo of a most pregnant little chihuahua.

Kelcie and I said our goodbye's to the family and dogs, hurried to the airport and before we knew it, we were having lunch at Steak and Shake with my sister, Sheila.

My cell phone rang about 3pm. I kind of expected to hear Kylie's voice on the other end telling me how boring school had been. Instead, I heard the VERY excited voice of Kiley Lawrence (Kylie's BFF). She was yelling "Kylie and I just walked in the door from school and Shadow is having puppies and Kylie is helping!!"

Apparently, my little mommy dog had delivered a stillborn little boy first and was attending to her newest born tiny, white little girl, weighing 4 3/8 oz. She was in the process of getting her cleaned to a spit-shine when the girls returned from school! Kylie handled the unexpected situation like a little pro. Much to the horror of Kiley, Kylie put the dead puppy in a ziplock bag and placed him in the freezer! : 0 I quickly advised Kylie to please remove the decease puppy from my freezer and attend to Shadow. A few minutes later, Shadow's water broke and out came an even tinier little boy, weighing only 3 1/2 0z. Kylie said he got a little stuck so she had to help pull him out. He was a little limp after his rough exit, so I reminded her how to suction his mouth and stimulate him to breathe. Kylie did a FANTASTIC job and now has some solo hands-on experience for her future in the medical field. Besides, she and Kiley Lawrence now have a great story to share.

Now to find future homes for these sweet little babies. : )

Heading To Hoosier Country

2008-08-20T21:44:00.007-05:00

Kelcie and I are busy packing tonight. We are getting out of Kansas City and flying to Indiana in the morning. We are both excited to see our family. It's been a long time and this will be the first trip the two of us have taken together. Kelcie just finished her first semester of school and is on break until Sept. 15th. Kylie and Jake just started school. They are a little more than disappointed that they aren't tagging along, but they'll get over it! : )

Gotta run throw things in my suitcase. Oh, I need to grab my camera while I'm thinking about it!

TTFN!!

Kylie's Loss, My Gain

2008-08-12T21:48:00.004-05:00

NOT ME!

In the past three months, I have come to realize the perks of having a daughter in cosmetology school. So far, I have endured one day as a model for perm rollers (NO chemicals were involved, only rollers, because the older I get, the funkier my hair has become). Next, I was Kelcie's haircut model, then three weeks later, I fell victim to her first hair coloring effort. Thankfully, she did a fabulous job and I am not bald. Friday was my last scheduled day as her model for this, her first semester. I was happy to have volunteered for a most relaxing spa manicure, which included a hot wax treatment and a hand and arm massage!

Kylie was on Monday's schedule to model for a spa facial and a spa back treatment, since Kelcie decided that Kylie most in need of a facial/back treatment (kind of a 16 year old acne thing).Unfortunately, Kylie had received her class schedule on Friday and discovered that she had been enrolled in Spanish 2, instead of Spanish 1. Knowing that the error needed correcting on Monday, she asked if I would volunteer in her place. DUH!!! Of course!!!

Needless to say, I "endured" three hours of darkness and soft music, warm skin treaments, steam therapy, hot towels and massages! Definitely Kylie's loss, and I am more than happy to be a volunteer model anytime Kelcie needs someone...except for maybe the waxing. OUCH!

Boobie Cupcakes

2008-08-06T21:26:00.004-05:00

Monday, after a long day's work, I found myself spending my evening tackling a little project that was a little out of the ordinary for me... making breast-shaped cupcakes.

The first week in August our little lactation department is expected to promote the annual World Breastfeeding Week, which my boss happens to think is a very big deal. She insists that we "LC's" do what we can to encourage the nursing staff to be supportive of our breastfeeding moms.

At this point I need to interject the fact that I have around 20 years of NICU under my belt, and by nature, I thrive in the critical care setting of the NICU. Due to some changes in family dynamics, i.e., the death of my parents, I needed to find a flexible job. That's kind of a rare deal for most RN's, but after a couple of years as a Catholic school nurse, (another story entirely), I managed to worm my way into a fantastically flexible position as a Lactation Consultant.

That said, I worked the weekend and noticed a post-it note with the days of the week and the names of the LC's beside each one. My name was by "Tuesday" and after a little research, I discovered that I was responsible for snacks for Labor and Delivery, Mother/Baby, NICU and Women's and Children's. (that's a LOT of people)

Being a bit of a smarty-pants, I decided to have fun with my food assignment. I decided to make "boobie" cupcakes, complete with cultural diversity, areolas and nipples! (I considered adding a little hair, tattoos, nipple rings...you get my drift, but it was enough work to try and manage the color diversity)!

I was SO exhausted after several days of work that I completely forgot to snap some pics. The trays of pink, peach, brown and dark brown breast cupcakes were a hoot. Sorry I don't have photos of the entire lot, but I did bring a couple home, and my kids were thrilled!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the lovely "Skin to Skin" shirt I've had to wear!! I'll save that for another post too. : )

I can't believe some of the things I get myself into!

A Tale Of Two "Kilies"

2008-07-29T09:01:00.004-05:00

Two blonde 16 year old girls have been spending most of the summer together. Each day usually finds them spending time together, doing what most 16 year old girls do best...just hanging out and being goofy.

The two blondes just happen to have a lot in common, but initial common thread between them was the fact that they both share the same name, only the spelling is slightly tweaked.

My daughter's name is Kylie Ann. One of her best friends in the "entire universe" is Kiley Anne. They met their Freshman year of high school and discovered they share the same name. Being the silly girls, they have squished their first names together and now collectively call themselves the "Kilies". And yes, things can get very confusing when they are together. One can't simply yell the first and middle name. The last name has to be included. ; )

This past Friday, Kylie and I attended Kiley Lawrence's horse show. It was a rather big deal, and was a lot of fun. Kiley competed in driving class first, then in the riding class. Apparently, they saved the biggest competition for the last event. (The sole judge happened to be one of the Gatlin brothers). Fortunately, he noticed talent when he saw it and Miss Kiley Lawrence came home the 1st place Grand Champion. Talk about happy!

What a great way to spend some fun time with my Kylie on a Friday...Mexican food for dinner and a horse show. Next time, I won't wear white jeans!

Hair Color Model Day

2008-07-26T13:38:00.002-05:00

My Thursday morning began by taking a little leap of faith. I volunteered to be Kelcie's first hair color model. Frankly, I think she was a little more nervous than I was. I know where lives and I'm pretty sure I would be able to think of some ways to get back for a bad hair color job! Seriously, I knew she would do a great job. We had a blast and I left with a nice, refreshed color, which I love! Kelcie and I had a blast! I'll definitely be volunteering for something else at the beauty school. Hope you enjoyed the LOVELY (said sarcastically) before, during and after pictures. : ) Yep, my wrinkles are showing in the sunshine! : o

My Sports Buddy

2008-07-24T17:20:00.003-05:00

Summer is flying and sports seasons are quickly changing. The beginning of the summer was filled with lots of baseball games. It finally came to a halt with a very excited bunch of boys...who call themselves the Vipers...winning the championship and taking 1st place! Talk about some happy boys!

Jake is now ready to start football. His practices will begin on Monday, July 28th. He was dreading our trip to the local sporting goods store, and after some convincing and trying on a mountain of football pants, we managed to get all of his gear. Jake even managed to admit that our little shopping trip turned out to be quite fun.

My sports buddy is geared up and ready to begin his first year of football. (I'm guessing the coach will run them till they barf)!

Happy 19th Birthday, Kelcie Lynn!

2008-07-20T00:00:00.007-05:00

Today is Kelcie Lynn's 19th birthday. It's hard to believe my tiny little first born has grown SO quickly into a beautiful young lady. She entered the world July 20, 1989 at 2:51 a.m. Little Kelcie weighed 5 lb 6 oz and was 16 3/4" long...or rather "short". The years have passed too quickly and now I'm looking up to my former shortie.

Happy Birthday, Kelcie Lynn! Your daddy and I are so proud of the choices you are making with your life. You're an incredible daughter! Thanks for working hard and for staying true to who you know God created you to be!

We love you!

Mom and Dad

This One's For My Sis & Karen

2008-07-18T17:20:00.004-05:00

Finally and update for Big Sis and Karen Lynn. Here I am with my new short hair cut. I worked today and went curly, just to spare some time with the straightener. I am NOT a fan of having my picture taken and a much less fan of posting my own picture, but here ya go. Who knows...maybe I'll even post another picture when I do take the time to straighten it. : ) Notice the Fulkerson frown lines, Sheila? ; )

Kylie's Haircut

2008-07-17T09:08:00.003-05:00

Yes, it's true. Kylie has a new haircut. She braved the shears of her sister and is sportin' a new 'do'. She has had long since the 4th grade. I love her new style, but catch myself doing a double-take every time I look at her. Jake is the only family member who hasn't had a "Kelcie cut", and I'm sure it's just a matter of time for him.

Up-Do's At Beauty School

2008-07-11T20:11:00.015-05:00

For those of you sporting up-do's these days, you may be interested to know that the newest cosmetology class at Johnson County Community College had an "up-do" competition today. After spending most of the week studying fancy up-do's, the students chose a package from a bag. Each package contained items that represented a theme...Mardi Gras, Hawaiian, Mexican, etc. All of the gals had to plan, design their own unique hairstyle and figure out how to incorporate the theme items into their up-do's. They ended up with some fun and interesting styles. The mannequins will remain on display for the next three weeks and votes will be taken for the #1 up-do.

Kelcie Lynn happened to have her camera handy and snapped some great shots. I know she specifically had a couple of bloggers in mind this week as the class studied the latest Up-Do styles. : )

Any ideas as to which one is Kelcie's?

(Sheila and Karen, click on the picture of the mannequin sporting the veil to enlarge, then check the poster in the background. Recognize anyone?)

Vacationing With Friends

2008-07-09T15:23:00.006-05:00

We survived our weekend in Branson, and what a FUN weekend it was! Somehow, we managed to squeeze a million activities into a few short days.

The Wheeler/Sparks mini vacation began by hitting the road early on Thursday morning. We high-tailed it down the highway (now four lanes ALL the way) and made it to Lambert's Restaurant...home of "throwed" rolls...just before the lunch rush began. We gorged ourselves on way too much fried food and fresh bread. What a way to start a road trip!

Diane managed to nab some incredible nightly rates at the new Hilton Promenade, which happens to be built right on Lake Taneycomo and sits on top of the Branson Landing shopping area. There were all kinds of restaurants and shops just outside our hotel door. Perfect, since we all love shopping and eating.

The weather was a bit questionable from the get-go, but the storms did cooperate, giving us nearly perfect temperatures and lots of sunshine during our time outdoors.

We survived a day at Silver Dollar City. Of course, Diane and I stupidly told the kids we would ride the American Plunge log ride with them first thing in the morning. I should have known better! We were drenched from head to toe! (remember that feeling, Sheila?) ; ) Di and I were looking incredibly hot the rest of the day! The kids got their fill of rides and we even made the trek through Marvel Cave (Garry got a little snap-happy with the camera in the cave).

Everyone had a blast and we were completely exhausted before the day was finished. We wound up the day by relaxing at the pool and then enjoyed an outdoor dinner at the Liberty Tavern. (Talk about COLOSSAL sandwiches)!!

White Water was incredible fun for the kids and relaxing for the adults. I didn't have any luck persuading Diane to go down the new straight drop water slide. We spent most of our floating in the Lazy River. We decided everyone had enough sunshine late in the afternoon and took the kids do ride go-karts.

Mexican food seemed to be the food of choice after a long day of swimming and riding go-karts, so Garry and I took our friends to our favorite little unassuming Mexican dive in Branson, Casa Fuente. (Karen, I'm pretty sure the food, as well as the service, is better than ever)!

We wound down our little trip with more shopping and a customary trip to the Belgian Waffle House. Of course, no trip to Branson would be complete without a visit to Dick's 5 & 10.

The final stretch of the trip ended with the Wheeler's first visit to Osceola Cheese. We have driven past it a thousand times, and never stopped. Now we know what we've been missing, and I'm pretty sure we'll never drive past again without making a pit-stop. They have hundreds of cheeses, and samples of all of them. Some were a bit weird, but most were amazing!

I'm pretty sure there are very few people we would vacation with any better than the Sparks. The kids all got along fantastically. My girls laughed with Drake until their sides hurt!

We made some memories well will cherish forever.

Thanks for a great weekend family,Todd, Diane, Grant and Drake!

It was a BLAST! Let's do it again, soon.

Getting Outta Kansas City

2008-07-02T21:32:00.012-05:00

Summer has been a little crazy for the Wheelers and we are SO excited to be getting out of town for a few days. No doubt it will be an absolutely crazy weekend, but we are welcoming a change of scenery.

Tomorrow morning we are heading to Branson, MO, with our good friends, the Sparks. They have two boys, ages 12 and 13, and all of our kids get along great.

I stopped by my hospital this morning and got 2 day passes to Silver Dollar City and White Water. (I'm not so excited about the prospect of spending public time in a swimsuit, but if I were a bettin' gal, I would wager that I won't be the worst looking ole' gal in a swimsuit) :)

We will be heading back home sometime Sunday afternoon. Kylie and Jake are leaving for church camp in Nebraska on Monday morning, so we have to get back in time to finish packing them...the bus leaves at 6:15 a.m. Monday morning!!! : 0

So for now, fair readers, I'm signing off. Here's to snapping a few pictures of our adventures in Branson. Who knows...maybe I'll have some good enough to post.

Until then...have a great July 4th...

Man Month At Heartland

2008-06-29T21:50:00.005-05:00

I thought Sunday was meant to be a day of rest! There must be an exception for nurses. I worked the weekend, which meant the end of a very busy work week. In my absence, Garry and the kids did the normal Sunday thing and went to church without me.

Since Father's Day falls in June, this month has been declared "Man Month" at Heartland Christian Fellowship (0ur Wesleyan church). All sermons have been geared towards the men and fathers who attend. In other words, manly sermons.

Today was marked the end of Man Month, bringing the second annual car show to Heartland Christian Fellowship. We also had an all-church cookout and even had a moon walk for the kids. This may sound a little more than outlandish to some of you blog-lurkers, but this fun event brought some people to church to hear God's message that may never otherwise darkened a church door. Ya just never know what method God might use to minister to someone in need.

I had Garry take the camera and snap some shots of the day's events since I couldn't be there to join in the fun. Take a look...if you look closely, you might see someone you recognize.

Kylie's New Car

2008-06-28T18:00:00.004-05:00

Kylie FINALLY has a car. I have spent a lot of time searching for the best car for what we could afford. We have been waiting for almost seven weeks for the damage payment from Kylie's Mother's Day wreck. We had nearly given up on every receiving money from the uninsured driver. Police officers, the city prosecutor, our attorney and nearly everyone we talked to said we would never see our money. We decided it was best not to wait to search for a replacement for Kylie's "Pilly-Winks".

After a lot of car shopping and test drives, a friend of ours, who happens to be a car dealer, called last week to say he was sure he had found "the car". It turned out to be a 1997 Honda Accord LX. The previous owners had taken good care of it and all of the original paperwork in the glove box. We took it home for a test drive and are now the proud owners of a little black car that Kylie has dubbed "Carmelita Malbetto". (She's been watching too many Laverne and Shirley dvds).

I guess you could say that we purchased Kylie's car in good faith that Pascaline would eventually come through with some cash, even though most people thought we were a little crazy to be so hopeful. We bought the Honda on Monday of this week. I got a call from Pascaline on Thursday saying she had just gotten the money. Kylie and Garry met her at a local bank branch today at noon and Pascaline took care of her debt. I guess there are still a few honest people left in this world. (I can't wait to tell my cop friends "I told you so"! ; )

Time For An Update

2008-06-25T19:17:00.014-05:00

Ok, ok!! I've gotten some flack from "certain relatives" recently and I'm gonna try to make an effort to update this little blog.

First off, let me say that I never intended to begin blogging. I just sorta got sucked into it. I'm pretty sure I have a little adult ADD going on and my thought are a little too fragmented to put into words on most days.

I think a million things have happened since Memorial Day.

Jake graduated from 6th grade. I have my fabulous sister to thank for honoring not-so-little Jake since his lame-0 mom didn't make the time to do it herself. I might have been a little more inspired if a single picture from his graduation ceremony had been clear enough to tell which one was Jake. Below you will see the second best picture of the day. : ) Please enjoy my husband's photography for a moment. The blur in the checkered shirt is my baby.

I must mention that I have been working a lot since the school year ended for my youngest two, which means that I am gone most Saturdays and Sundays. Garry has graciously taken on the task of shuttling kids to and from their various activities during the hours I slave away at work.

A few weeks ago, on one such Saturday, Garry found himself being Mr. Mom of the year. Jake has decided to play tackle football this year and we were advised to arrive early at the sign-up. Garry, being a great dad, hauled Jake out to be the first in line. Boy was he wrong!

By the time Garry and Jake arrived the front of the line wasn't even visible. Poor Garry was sweating a little not knowing if they would have time to get Jake through the line and back to our part of town for softball pictures at 11:00. My guys waited over two hours in line. The good news is that persistence paid off. Jake is signed up for fall tackle football...gear and all. They even managed to make the 11:00 a.m. baseball team pictures, and then on to the noon baseball game. Neither had eaten breakfast, so I fielded the call of my two starving guys and came to their rescue with drinks and power bars to get them through game time.

It isn't every day you get to see a kid wearing a baseball uniform with shoulder pads and a football helmet! ; )

Here's to the great dad who managed to squeeze so much into a Saturday. Thanks for all you do, Garry! You're definitely a keeper! (even though your photography kind of sucks)! : )

Roses For Mom

2008-05-27T08:14:00.004-05:00

It hardly seems possible that today marks five years since my family and I buried our beloved mom and grandma. She was a woman full of love and grace and we still miss her more than words can express. Little did we know that in 16 short months, Dad would be joining her.

Yesterday, Garry, the kids and I, made a trip to Johnson County Memorial Gardens and took some of Mom's favorite flowers...pink roses. Without a doubt, our frugal father would have disapproved of the little splurge, but I know he would agree that Mom was worth it.

I know my sister wished that she wasn't over 500 miles away so she could honor our parents on Memorial Day. I really wish she was closer, but as life goes, she is in Indiana and we are in Kansas...so...for now, I'll be happy to take care of the flowers for Mom and Dad.

Kansas City Star

2008-05-22T09:44:00.007-05:00

Kansas City is celebrating today. We have a new Kansas City Star.

Our own David Cook has been voted as the new American Idol!

Last August American Idol was hosting auditions in Omaha, NE. A young man named Andrew wanted to audition. He talked his older brother into going with him to the auditions. David, the older brother went along to support his little brother, and had no intention of auditioning himself. Despite his plans, David was talked into auditioning. He found himself with a Golden Ticket to Hollywood for the 2008 season of American Idol. David Cook had no idea how much his life was about to change.

Two weeks ago the comptetion had been whittled down to three contestants. The remaining three were allowed to go home for a day and greet their hometowns. I'm sure no one received a warmer welcome than Kansas City's own David Cook.

My girls and I have followed the American Idol show for several years, but this is the first season we have voted. We decided it was the perfect time to make some memories so Kylie missed her first day of school this semester and we headed to the new Power and Light District in downtown KC for David's homecoming. (Jake is also a fan, but he opted for dissecting a squid at school in lieu of seeing David Cook). We arrived 2 1/2 hours early and found the perfect spot right next to the stage. We made some new friends, which made the time pass quickly. The crowd was crazy and nearly everyone was acting like 12 year old girls!

Kelcie, Kylie and I loved David Cook from the beginning of the season, but have grown to really love and appreciate him most for his talent, originality, and his humble sweetness. He isn't afraid to show his sensitive side and had been known to shed more than a few tears in front of the camera (and on local radio, much to his embarrassment).

No doubt, David Cook has experienced the ride of his life with the contest coming down to the final two...David Cook and David Archuletta. Last night David Cook won by a landslide 12 million votes!! Kansas City is celebrating in style!

Please keep David Cook and his family in your prayers as his older brother, Adam, is fighting brain cancer. From the latest reports, Adam was too ill to attend last night's season finale of American Idol.

We love you, David Cook!

Cosmetology School

2008-05-21T09:35:00.005-05:00

Yes, it's been about a week since my last post. It's been a crazy week with end-of-the-school-year happenings. Jake will be graduating from 6th grade soon and Kylie will be finishing sophomore year on Friday, so life is a little crazy!

Monday, May 19th, was Kelcie's first day of cosmetology school and we finally got a peek at our whopping "cosmetology kit" purchase. (It's amazing what $1,900 will get 'cha). Kelcie brought the entire kit home on day one because she and the other new students were waiting for their locker assignments. She has three mannequin heads, all sorts of hair, nails, polish, facial products, a blow dryer, curling irons, straightener, scissors, a razor, manicure stuff, and tons of things I don't recognize...all stuffed into an enormous duffel bag.

Kelcie had 7 new students in her class, which means a low student/instructor ratio. She is excited and has loved her first two days. (I hope so...she'll be attending class 8a.m.-5p.m. Monday-Friday for the next year).

Last night she had some homework. One of her assignments was making a poster that represents her life. It's great have her excited about doing something she really enjoys.

No Panic Mode Here

2008-05-13T21:43:00.004-05:00

It's been a couple of days since our Mother's Day gift of "safety". The Kelcie and Kylie are physically unscathed from the wreck...with the exception of the lingering stench of deployed airbags imbedded in their sinuses. Transportation is a bit of an issue, but in the whole scheme of things, is no big deal, just a little tricky.

I spent a big part of Monday on the phone with insurance agents, getting the police report, etc. This morning I was focusing on my mounting pile of laundry when the phone rang. It wasn't a number I recognized, and I briefly thought about ignoring the call, but a little something made me push the little "talk button" and say, "Hello". The nervous voice on the other end asked to speak to Kylie. I let her know that she was at school and asked who was calling. The even more nervous voice said, "Well...this is Pascaline"...a name I immediately recognized as the name of the driver who rammed into Kylie's car. (Pascaline was definitely not calling to make my day). My heart fell to my feet when she said she was calling to let us know that her insurance had lapsed and she has ZERO coverage. She admitted that the accident was clearly her fault and said she wants to take care of things properly. She murmured words about her insurance company saying she needs to provide us with an rental car and that we need to get independent estimates for the value of the totaled car...blah! blah! blah! All I can say is, I hope and pray that she isn't full of poo. It's a situation that may get a little sticky and troublesome. (being an uninsured motorist is DEFINITELY gonna be trouble for Miss Pascaline) For now, I'm making a valiant effort to keep the family panic-mode to a minimum.

There is no point for the posted picture. It just makes me smile.

Mother's Day Miracle

2008-05-11T15:28:00.006-05:00

I have to admit that life with teenagers is rarely dull and today has been no exception. Our 16 year old daughter, Kylie added some big-time excitement to this mommy's day! I'll try to make a long story short...

I had to work this morning and made plans to meet Garry and the kids after church for a Mother's Day brunch. Garry and Jake were in one vehicle with Kylie and Kelcie following behind in Kylie's little Honda Accord. Kylie was driving in the left lane of a very busy highway when someone side swiped her, catapulting her into the guard rail. She ended up on the other side of the median, heading into oncoming traffic. It's a miracle the girls weren't killed or badly injured. The officer said when she arrived on the scene, she was sure she would need more than one ambulance. Miraculously, neither of my girls received a single scratch...not even a mark from the airbags!

I have SO much to be thankful this Mother's Day! My girls are safe. We'll have to tweak our schedules a little and figure out our new transportation issue, but in the whole scheme of things, that's no big deal.

No doubt the adorable little Honda is completely totaled.

Feel free to check the below link for the slideshow. :)

http://picasaweb.google.com/greatkidzmom/MotherSDayMiracle

String Fling and Spring Choir

2008-05-09T18:21:00.004-05:00

The 2008 school year is winding down and we are finding ourselves attending concerts and musicals. Jake has been in choir and orchestra this year. Thankfully, he is now in advanced orchestra, and the concerts are much easier to listen to. :) He's been good at practicing without too many reminders. Jake will have his 6th grade musical this coming week and then will wind up the musical portion of his school year with an orchestra tour on Friday. He's really excited not to have to practice for a while after that.

Good job Jake! We love you!

Another Day, A Little Poorer

2008-05-08T08:25:00.009-05:00

Johnson County Community College

The saying "another day, another dollar" should really be "another day, a whole lot of dollars poorer"!

Our oldest daughter, Kelcie, has recently been accepted into the cosmetology program at Johnson County Co

mmunity College, for which we are very proud. It's an excellent program and very difficult to get into, but Kelcie was accepted without a problem (and without her boyfriend's mom's help, who happens to be Director of Human Resources at the college). GO KELCIE!!! Yesterday, she and I made the dreaded trip to pay tuition, book fees to make a one-time purchase for the required "Cosmetology Kit". The "kit" is to be paid for at the student bookstore and will be delivered to class on the first day, so we really aren't sure what we paid for. I paid the nearly $1,000 tuition at the business office and then proceeded to the bookstore. In the bookstore we paid for books first, which was a mere $566. The cashier and I nearly had a heart attack when she scanned the sticker for the mysterious Cosmetology Kit!! The grand total for said "kit" was $1,905.93!!!! All I can say is that kit had better be a good one and Kelcie had better be at the top of her class! She does have a natural gift for styling and coloring hair, so I'm sure she'll do great. Kelcie Lynn-Future Cosmetologist

Kelcie begins the full-time one year program May 19th

Good luck, Kelcie Lynn!

Just For My Sister

2008-05-07T09:34:00.002-05:00

Here goes my first attempt at blogging. This is entirely for my sister, Sheila. She and my niece, Karen have hooked me into checking their blogs daily. I definitely don't have time to be starting my own blog, but much to my surprise, I recently discovered that I have one. I didn't realize that in searching for my sister's blog on our new computer, I had started my own. Duh!!

I'm sure that blogging can be a real time-sucker. I know this because I have already spent a good portion of the morning working on this one.

I have a long to-do list for today, which includes waking my sleeping 18 year old. She and I need to make a run to the local college to purchase books and pay tuition today.

My to-do list also includes searching for and finding a couple of rather unique costumes for my 6th grade son. Apparently, he has taken cultural diversity to a whole new level. He has chosen to play two characters in his class musical, which are rather challenging for a very caucasian boy. He is to play an Ethiopian child and a Chinese boatman!! Wish me luck as I search through Kansas City's local thrift stores today, hoping that perfect costume.

Let me know if you have any ideas on how to dress my son.

I'm hoping our 16 year old daughter won't text with another errand request.

I'm off to tackle the day!