Liberty Lions Football

Cam took Industrial Tech in his last "hexter" at school. One of the projects they did was choosing and designing a shirt of their choice. He chose to honor his Uncle Danny by doing a shirt with the Liberty Lions on it!! So here it is!!! Ketchup and all!!! :-) I did get the ketchup out...but somehow...it keeps coming back everytime he wears it. Hmmm.....

SkateDaze

About a week or so ago, Neihardt Elementary had a Back to School Skate at our local skating rink, SkateDaze. It was fairly cheap to get in for the kids, and Jeff and I got in for free. Cam and Jake skated the whole two hours...and Major and MaKenna played in the playdazium...which is like a McDonalds playplace on massive amounts of steroids. Tons of fun!!! I played with the two little people, and Jeff just kinda walked around. We had a great time!! I think everyone did!!!! Cam is in the orange.

MaKenna and Major lovin' the ball pit!

About a week later, Anderson Middle School had a back to school skate at SkateDaze as well. We let Cam go. We dropped him off and picked him up two hours later. We talked about how we wouldn't let just any of our children be dropped off somewhere, but that we trusted him....he is a very trustworthy young man. Anyway...I got there a little before 7...pick up time. He didn't come out. I gave him 15 minutes....still...nothing. I tried to go in and look for him...they wouldn't let me without paying, so my past helped me out...and I snuck in. Don't ask. Anyway...I looked EVERYWHERE for him...even freaked out some boy in the boys restroom...no Cam. I finally deducted that he must be in lazer tag and I would wait for the next group to get out. If he wasn't in that group...I would then start to panic. Sure enough, 30 minutes after pick up time, he came out of Lazer Tag in that group. He knew the minute he saw me he was in hot water. He explained to me what happened...and in his defense, it was a harmless mistake. HOWEVER, we did discuss how that can be prevented next time, and he wouldn't get a freebie escape if it happened again. After all the grief I gave my parents thanks to skating rinks...I get a little nervous.

Better luck next time Cam.....

Major's turn on Sparky!

So over the course of the summer, Papa took each of the kids to see the horse...one at a time...my kids and my sister's kids. Then he would take them out to lunch. He even took Mike, Rhonda and Jeff. It was Major and my turn a couple weeks ago. We let him be last since we could do him after school started. He LOVES Sparky...so it was quite the treat!! He is so comfortable on a horse...he is so comfortable with horses in general. They don't scare him at all...the size....the smell...the sounds...nothing scares him when it comes to horses. So here he is with Papa. Here he is completely on his own!!!

Papa had to get in on some of the action...after all...it IS his horse!! :-)

Of course I had to too....to bad my thighs and butt look so enormous on it.....

Major decided to try out leading Sparky. Sparky did pretty well with him leading!

Here is Major all on his own again!!!

How ya doin' ma'am????

HELLO!!!!!!

What's that in your nose????

So...how's life treatin' ya?

There's my precious little cowboy!!!!

Happy Birthday to my mom who would be 64

Mom's birthday was today. Mom would have been 64 if she were still with us. She died all too young. To celebrate her birthday we had a little party for her on Sunday after MaKenna's party. I will post pictures of MaKenna's party later...but right now I thought I would do mom's pictures. I didn't get pictures from Sunday for mom, but what I did was go out and buy 12 balloons. They were pink, and I got one for each grandchild...each of her daughters, their husbands and dad. We had all the kids right on the balloons...except Major who just put his hand print on it...then we went out front, sang happy birthday (even though it wasn't her actual birthday that day) and released the balloons. Some of the balloons didn't float well because I purchased them the day before like a dingbat....but it was fun watching some of them float up to heaven.

So that was Sunday because we knew we couldn't get together today, the 29th for her actual birthday....but I did go "visit" mom. My best bud Deana went to Milford with me to "visit" too. That was so nice of her to take time out of her day to do that...and she even drove! Thanks Deana! It was a quick trip though, because Wednesdays the kids get out of school early...so we had to be quick. It takes an hour to get to Milford and an hour to get back...so we were in speedy mode! Of course...what mom is ever in any different mode??? :-)

Here is a sweet picture of miss Lydi Lou on the drive!! I took one of the boys too...but it was all blurry. :-( The boys really enjoyed Blue Mound Cemetary. Here they are playing hopscotch on someone's family of footstones....sorry whoever belongs to those....but the boys had fun.

I took that white bear out and hung it on the fence behind mom. It says, "I love you mom" on it. I usually put it out on Mother's Day...but thought it would be nice to have there for awhile on her birthday too!

Here is Major "talkin'" with Nana.

Here are Major and Nehemiah having a really deep conversation!

It was a great day. I was a little sad....but, time heals all wounds. I know I will always miss mom though. After Major had to go pee pee on a tree...we decided to go to the gas station as Nehemiah would not do that. So we headed to the bathroom at the gas station, then I showed Deana where my mom grew up....then we went to the Milford park. The boys had a great time, then Lydi Lou got to eat too! We weren't there TOO long before we left to go to my cousin's farm to see the cows. The boys wanted to see cows. Well...they got their precious cows! We visited just a little bit before we had to head back to Omaha.

It was a quick trip, but I am glad I had someone to share it with. Thanks Deana, Nehemiah, and Lydia! Major and I appreciate all you do!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!

Broken foot...dog bite....oh my!!!

Okay...so a few days before that awesome game....I was riding my bike with Cam. While riding by a house about a block or two away, their german shephard, whom we KINDA know....ran up to us and was barking out of control. He then tried to jump on Cam, but I got in front of him, and he jump up and got me in the leg with his jaws of life. It didn't hurt right away...I kept riding. When I got to the corner though, it really hurt. I stopped...looked down my pants leg and saw something pretty knarly. We finished our ride...I know....I am a trooper...and went home. Jeff went and talked to the owners who were very non chalant about it. They said the dog was up to date, but Jeff didn't want to take the chances. So off to urgent care I went. Since I had to go to Urgent Care, the Humane Society had to be called. I hated that because I am a HUGE animal lover and I knew the dog (Josie) wasn't being vicious...she just liked tires...and I was sitting on them. Anyway...long story short, Josie was up to date on shots, came out healthy, I never got an infection and all was well. It looked pretty knarly for a couple weeks though!

3 days later....I am in a hurry to get to church. I walked the kids to school and I was walking back to the house so I could get to a meeting at church on time. I was walking quickly...but I was pushing the jogging stroller...so what is the harm in walking quickly...with heeled sandals? I took a step off of the curb and landed my foot wrong. I completely rolled over the foot and I immediately heard snap, crackle and pop all the way up my leg. My knee even hurt. With tears I practically crawled home and put on my ankle brace. I HAD to get to church...I figured I just twisted it like I have done to the other ankle a few times. I didn't get off of my foot until 9:30 that night because I also had to go to Tribe which is our Junior High Ministry at church, that evening. It was a VERY full day!

The next day I was in such terrible pain, I finally called the doctor. I got a hairline fracture on the top of my foot...along with pulled ligaments, muscles...you name it....it was pulled. :-( So...I know have a brace, wrap, etc on my foot. So much for my running. I have started riding my bike again though...but running it out for awhile. :-( Hope I don't gain all that weight back that I worked so hard to get off.

Nebraska versus Western Kentucky, Pre-Season Game

A few Saturdays ago, my dad called and asked if anyone would like to go to the Nebraska game with him. Since I had missed the Millard South game the night before that everyone else got to go too...naturally, I wanted to go. But...since I had a broken foot (next post), I thought it best I don't. Jake said he would go.

We went and ran some errands. When we got home it was time for him to start getting ready...suddenly he didn't want to go. Well...I guess I would HAVE to go then! :-) So, I got dressed...wrapped my foot as best as I could....loaded up on the Ibuprofen and headed out to Lincoln with my dad!! I hobbled several miles that night but it was well worth it! I just LOVE football!!! Here is a great picture of Nebraska beating the pants off of Western Kentucky! Another favorite of mine at football games...the band....

Trip To Indiana

Okay...so I am trying to catch up to date...but I am still plenty behind!! The day after school starting, August 12th, my dad and I took off to Indiana. My bestest buddy's (Deana Ramsey) daddy died and knowing what it is like to lose a parent before what we think should be their time, I felt like I needed to be there. Dad of course, loves Deana also, and wouldn't let me go alone...so being retired...he went with me!!! What else does a retired man have to do right? :-) Just kidding! Anyway...it was about a 12 hour drive. We left at 8 in the morning...maybe it was 9...I don't remember. It was nice to be with just dad in the truck. We had some great conversations....but boy...you put two talkers in one vehicle together and there is a LOT of hot air moving around!! There was NO air time what so ever! :-) We needed that time together though. We drove east on I-80 through Iowa to get there and then south through Indiana. They live in Austin, Indiana which is almost to the Kentucky border...about 30 miles north of it.

I had recently been reading a book about the Amana Colonies. I kinda remember dad telling me that he and mom visited there once. I just happened to ask dad about it...not really thinking we would be anywhere near them, and he said, "Yep...we will go right by them!" So, I asked as nicely as I could in my little girl, please daddy voice, if we could stop. He said we would be passing around lunch time so we would stop for lunch! YIPPEE! I was very excited!! So we stopped in the Amana Colonies, had a GREAT, AUTHENTIC German meal...stuffed our faces like a true German would...and looked around a little bit down town. Here are a couple pictures.
It was nothing absolutely spectacular...but it was VERY cool to be reading a book that was based out of that very colony...I was seeing street signs that were in the book, etc. Also...the German atmosphere was great...especially since our background is German. Very fun!

Anyway...after that nice, big meal...I was ready for a nap...but dad just kept yapping, and yapping...I couldn't have closed my eyes if I tried! :-)

We finally made it into Scottsburg about 2 miles south of Austin, where our hotel was around 9 or 10 that night....I think it was 10 because of the time change. Anyway....I can understand southerners...but this was a COMPLETELY different southern dialect. This wasn't Georgia southern (Carrie)...this wasn't Alabama southern (Tammy)...this wasn't Texas Southern (grandma/grandad)...this was something very different...I can't even explain it other than Kentucky southern. Neither dad NOR I could understand the little man behind the desk....it was not only the southern drawl...but he spoke well over a mile a minute. Yikes. I just kept shaking my head and smiling...thinking dad was getting everything. When we walked away I said, "What did he just say?" Dad said, "I don't know....I figured you would know..." Needless to say, we had NO idea where our room was after that!

That night there was some pre-season football on. Jeff is not into football like I am...in fact, I think I have watched most of the televised games this year so far and he has watched ZERO. My dad is just like me...we love football...so we watched a little of the game before we fell asleep around midnight. We got up around 7 and ate breakfast Friday morning. The funeral was that day...August 13th.

We headed over there...but got a teensy bit lost...that's right...a truck driver and his daughter lost in the middle of booneville....er...I mean...southern Indiana. We finally found our way, and we made it to Austin to the funeral home. We went inside, met Deana's mom and brother and sister...as well as other family and friends. The funeral was very nice. Rich, Deana's husband got up and said some things, and the pastor was fantastic. They all did a great job...it was a beautiful service. The kids did fairly well too...I was proud of them. Not my kids...they didn't come...Deana's kids...she has 4 as well.

After the service we went to the funeral. I found it a bit humorous that several plots had confederate flags flying on them....is that even legal anymore? :-) The graveside service was very nice as well. I felt terrible for Deana having gone through this a year and a half ago myself. I tried to help as much as I could with the kids because I know that the people who helped with my kids at my mom's funeral and before and after, were my saving grace...and Deana was one of those people.

After the burial, we went back to the church to have a FANTASTIC lunch. WOW! They may talk funny...but they know how to lay out the fixin's!!!! Yum...yum!!! Almost worth becoming even more of a hick and living there! ALMOST!

We stayed for about an hour then dad and I went and got our clothes, changed, and we hit the road for home. So...it was a VERY fast trip. We spent more time in the truck then anywhere else...but it was well worth it, and I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else.

We did choose a different route home though...that I-80 route was just BORING! We went home through St. Louis...which...parts of it is equally boring...but at least the whole drive wasn't brutal. Of course when we got to St. Louis at rush hour no less...we got stuck in a traffic jam for almost an hour. But...it gave me a great opportunity to snap some pictures....here is one.

We drove into my driveway at about 2AM Saturday morning. Deana and her family started home that Saturday as well. It is never easy to lose a parent. I know we all have to someday...but no matter their age...it is never easy...it's just even harder when they go too young. Mom and Danny Vanover are up in heaven just hangin' out now...that is if they can understand eachother! :-)

Mama's Family Update

GOOD EVENING!!!! Just an update to let you all know where our team is at!! We are STILL in the NUMBER ONE position for the ENTIRE state of Nebraska!!! WOOT!!!!! That is SO exciting!! Thanks to ALL of you who have joined our team, donated, or prayed!! We are SO thankful!!!! BIG thanks to my BIG sister (yes….she is older) Rhonda….who is our NUMBER ONE EARNER!!! Go Rhonda!!!! Not only is she OUR number one earner…but she is the NUMBER ONE EARNER FOR THE STATE OF NEBRASKA!!!!!! WOOT!!!!

Friends and Family
1. Mama's Family - $2,865.00
2. Blessed Times Two - $1,600.00
3. Offutt Fire Department - $1,484.00
4. Jazzers for Julie - $1,440.00
5. Bustin Out - $1,080.00

Team Member
1. Rhonda Flanigan - $2,625.00
2. ConAgra Foods WLC - $1,845.00
3. melody stark - $925.00
4. Kristen Kelley - $736.20
5. Lorri Hicklin - $565.00

If you are thinking now…wow….I gotta be part of this….well, PLEASE DO BE A PART OF IT!!! We would LOVE to have you with us!!! So…to join our team and WALK (we will have our kids with us) with us, OR to donate to our team or an individual team member, go here:

http://www.komennebraska.org/site/TR/Race/General?team_id=5560&pg=team&fr_id=1030

Please feel free to forward this on to anyone you know who may be interested! Prayers are still needed. Keep them going up!! We want NO more broken feet (yup…that’s me…just a hairline though)!!

VERY IMPORTANT!!! IF YOU ARE WANTING TO WALK ON OCTOBER 3RD WITH US HERE IN OMAHA, YOU HAVE TO REGISTER BY 4PM ON THE 17TH OF SEPTEMBER!!!!! After that, you can still register and walk….you just won’t be on our team…but I will let you walk with us…I won’t ignore you! You guys have ONE WEEK LEFT to register to be part of Team Mama’s Family!!!

Finally, let’s not make Rhonda work so hard!! Let’s get our family and friends and ANYONE who has been touched by this terrible disease, to donate to the cause…or at the very least pray…not only pray for funding…but for the walk, for nice weather, people traveling that day to get there, and mostly for those who have endured, are enduring or will endure breast cancer.

Thank you SO much for your support!!!!

-Tonya Filleman

• Romans 1:8 niv
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.

Electrolux Rumpled to Runway!

As Moms, we pull a lot of things together, from weekday meals to our little ones' back-to-school wardrobes. However, usually what suffers is our own wardrobe, as we pull wrinkled garments over our heads to make it out the door on time! Luckily, our favorite Mom/Brand team is getting together to show women everywhere how to go from rumpled to runway.

Electrolux and brand ambassador Kelly Ripa are partnering with some fashion-savvy bloggers to host a special fashion show to help raise awareness and funds to support ovarian cancer research.

Since September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, this fashion-focused event couldn't have come at a better time! This fun and innovative fashion show will demonstrate how Perfect Steam™, and a little fashion ingenuity, can take any garments from "Rumpled to Runway".

Even if you're not in the Big Apple to watch in person, you can cheer them on LIVE at www.Kelly-Confidential.com TODAY at 1 PM EDT. Be sure to visit www.Kelly-Confidential.com, because everytime you do, Electrolux will donate $1 to Ovarian Cancer Research. You can also follow along at Facebook/KellyConfidential and on Twitter @KCbyElectrolux.

Find out how you can help support the cause at Kelly Confidential and enter for a chance to win a daily shopping spree and the grand prize: a Perfect Steam™ washer and dryer from Electrolux.

*In exchange for this post, I have been entered for a chance to win the gift as part of the Electrolux program as well.*

First day of school!

The first day of school here in the great midwest was August 11th! Can you believe it? When I went to school it was always the day after Labor Day that we got started! Anyway, MaKenna started Kindergarten, Jake went into 4th grade and Cam went into MIDDLE school, for the 6th grade. When I was in school, you didn't hit middle school until 7th grade...but again...different state. Anyway...I think I had a much harder time sending Cam to middle school then I did sending MaKenna to Kindergarten!!! WEIRD HUH? I have NEVER sent a child to Kindergarten...so that part of it was weird to me. I have always homeschooled my kids up to a point at least...and so I never SENT anyone to Kindergarten, they were home with me for that year at least. Jake started school in first grade and Cam in third grade only because I was SOOOO sick when I was pregnant with Major...I couldn't even function. My sister in law Dixie and my mom had to finish the boys' year off because I would just throw up everytime I opened my mouth. Anyway...that is why I sent them to school. Well...I wanted to homeschool MaKenna as well....but her and I clash a little bit when it comes to learning. We thought it would be best for all parties involved if we just let someone else teach her.

That first day was tough on me. I dropped Cam off at 7:30 with HIDDEN tears in my eyes. Then back home to get the others up and dressed and fed. Here is Cam...this picture was actually taken after school because I forgot my camera at home! Funny story though....the night before I said, "Cam...do you want me to walk you into the building tomorrow?" I said this JOKINGLY knowing that a 6th grader wouldn't want me to. He says, "Yeah...that would be nice." I was like, WHAT? So then I said to MaKenna, "I will walk you in honey". She says, "No...I'll be fine, just drop me off at the corner." WHAT? Okay...something isn't right here. Needless to say, I DID walk her in, and I DID NOT walk Cam in. These pictures are a bit backwards, but here is Major checkin' out MaKenna's room. He didn't want to leave.

Here is a very nervous and shy MaKenna. I did walk her in, but she didn't want to hold my hand or anything! BOOGER! That lasted the first couple weeks...now she is regressing and is nervous to go to school. She wants me to walk her in everyday. But that first day...she didn't want to have anything to do with me.

Here is Major, Jake and MaKenna outside the school.

This is before we left for school...of course we walked. Major HAD to get in on the picture taking.

Here is MaKenna...all excited!!! Doesn't she look pretty? She picked her outfit out all by herself from the clearance items at Target! What a good girl! I showed her a different shirt at one point and she said, "Mommy, that tag doesn't have an orange sticker on it." So proud of my girl!! :-)

Here is MaKenna and Jake.

They all had a great first day, and a great first week. They are into their 4th week of school now. MaKenna is starting to not want to go everyday. The first day she said, "Mom...they don't let me sleep much at school." Poor baby...she was still taking naps this summer...I probably should have weaned her. The other night she said, "Do we have school tomorrow?" I said, "Yup!" She goes, "AGAIN?" Oh...little does she know...

Jake really likes his new teacher. He is BRAND new at teaching. This is his first year. I had to joke him that having Jake in his class was like a hazing. I shook his hand, and said, "Good luck man." :-) He looked a little nervous. Nah...Jake's a good boy...trouble just seems to...well...find him. It's not his fault...really....... :-)

Cam LOVES middle school. He loves his Industrial Tech class, and he is taking German. I have enjoyed learning German from him as the only foreign language I know is Spanish. I have always wanted to go to Germany though and find my ancestors....so knowing German will be one step closer for me!! He motivated me to go out and buy a Crash Course on German for the computer! I am very excited! I love to learn! My grandma used to speak it from time to time, so it is interesting for me to learn!

That's it for now....