Labor Day Fun

I'll have to start with Melanie. We all met (my teacher friends) at Melanie's new classroom or unfurnished portable with 100 boxes of stuff. Mel has to have her "new" room ready for 22 shiny first graders on Wednesday. As we unpacked, Kelli the Party Planner, invited all of us, our husbands, and about a dozen children to go to Brandy's house for a cookout. Now Brandy is a night owl, her family wakes at dusk and parties all night. The plan was to start cooking about 6:30 and eat close to 7:00. Good job goes to the Kaster's, we ate about 7:30. Brandy's husband Jay cooked hamburgers and hot dogs. Notice the beautiful picture of our Host and Hostess in the slideshow. John (aka the single dad since Becca was sick) came and brought Ian and Riley Roo. Riley loves animals and had a blast with the dog, Sam. Don't miss the picture of Riley feeding Sam ketchup from her fork. By the way, Becca, she was finished eating. I promise! Emma and I went alone to the party. Cleveland followed after a golf trip. Emma spent as much time as possible in the bounce house. Kelli, our party planner came with her husband Darrel and their boys. Brandy's teenagers were also in attendance, but hiding from us. I don't know if it was the smaller children or the grown up they were avoiding. Brady, Lily, Ian and Evan played games in the playroom while Ty "played" the piano. Everyone had a good time and I even caught a picture of the party planner for her Christmas card. Several sick and/or tired members of our group did not attend the festivities. As we left, we began to plan the next get together at one of the missing member's homes. They will not miss the next party! Thanks Brandy and Jay for a fun night!

School Starts for the Wallerichs

Well, it was officially the first day of school. Cleveland continues at Rider High School as the assistant golf coach. He will be teaching "big kids", no more freshmen. I have moved to "littler kids" (back to my past and my heart). Emma started first grade and thank you God, she likes it. She was surprised to see that she knew people in her class and even likes her first grade teacher. She was so in love with her kindergarten teacher that she wanted no one else. But now she has accepted Mrs. Headlee into her heart. I so wanted Emma to feel comfortable as soon as possible. She was a tiny fish in a big pond last year and sometimes she really struggled to stay afloat, but this year will be different with daily prayers and lots of work. I hope your first days were fun!

School Worries and Joys

School is starting on the 25th of August. I can't believe that it is already time. This time of year brings the worries about getting my classroom ready on time, showing up late the first day, what things I have forgotten to do, etc. Every teacher I know dreams of those worries and sometimes even has a nightmare about showing up naked the first day. This school year has brought more worries for our family. Last year, Emma had to deal with a bully in her class. She struggled to handle the situasion all year. We had many tears and stomach aches due to fears. As school approached this year, Emma's fears returned. As a teacher, it was very hard for me to have a child who did not want to go to school and cried at the mention of it. As Cleveland and I tried to help with prayer, hugs and kisses, assurance, Emma continued to struggle. The first day back to school to prepare my room, Emma "got sick" and went home with Nanny. All my fears for her returned. The next week as Emma visited my sister's family, I returned to school to work in my room. Every time someone asked me about Emma and if she was excited about school, I began to cry. I did more crying than working that morning. During my tears, I met the new first grade teacher, Becca Coe. God places the right person in the right place for us. Becca and I spoke of Emma and the coming school year. Becca sweetly reminded me to pray and let Emma know that God loved her more than I did and he would take care of her. Later that morning, I found out that the bully Emma struggled with would not be at our school next year. I hope this child is in the right place for them, but I am also glad that God found a way to give Emma some assurance in a concrete way. Thank you Lord for all you do for us.

Note: This photo is from the Kindergarten Program last year.

Lori

Mom's Birthday (aka Nanny)

We took Mom out to dinner at Cheddar's for her birthday. Jill, Todd, Alaina and Abby brought Mom into town. We all met at Cheddar's. A good dinner was enjoyed by most, I would not recommend the Chicken Alfredo. (Go to Johnny's instead for pasta.) The girls all ate Onion Rings and Chips and Queso with six hands fast as they could. I don't know if they ate much dinner, but of course they needed dessert. Emma had ice cream and Jill's girls shared some ice cream, chocolate chip cookie thing. The best thing about dessert was that we got it free. Which we should have after they dropped the first batch and took another 15 minutes to bring a replacement. Mom had a good time with all her girls. Cleveland and Todd held court at one end of the table. They try to pretend they are not with us, but they are stuck. Happy Birthday, Mom (Nanny)!

I moved the cookie recipe!

Chewy Chip Cookies-Everyone Loves these Cookies!


1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 pkg. (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups chips (chocolate, cinnamon, white chocolate, etc.
1 cup chopped nuts

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars, until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time beating well. Beat in pudding mix and vanilla. Combine flour and soda; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chips and nuts. Dough should be stiff.Drop by rounded tsp. 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 mintues. Cool on wire racks.This recipe says that it makes 9 dozen. I never get that many. I get about 6 dozen using a small ice cream scoop to make them.You can use different pudding mixes with different chips. We have combined cinnamon chip with vanilla, white chocolate chip with white chocolate, chocolate chip with vanilla.

This recipe was taken from a Taste of Home recipe.copyright Reiman Media Group, Inc.

Christmas in August

My friends laugh at me, but I normally have most of my Christmas shopping complete by now. I feel behind since I am barely started. I did find a few things. Emma wanted a guitar. Yeah right, Cleveland and I could never help her with that, so I found a lap harp. You know the kind that the teacher played at church when we were little. I have played it before and it is easy to learn. You can slide the music under the strings and pluck where the circles are located. Hopefully, Emma will like it and learn to play a song or two. I found a lamp at Discovery Store. com. It is really cute. The shade has two surfaces, like a pocket. You can slide in pictures, art work, etc. I think Emma will love it. She is always creating something for her family and friends.

Emma made 4 frames today for presents. I can not spill the beans and tell who they are for in case someone reads this before we deliver the gifts. Eveytime, I am working on a project and we go to Michaels or Hobby Lobby for supplies, Emma wants something too. On our trip to Michaels today, we also purchased a cookbook. The name is Little Cakes from the whimsical bakehouse. Emma is so excited to start on one of their fun projects. I have a feeling that we will be baking soon. The cupcakes and little goodies in this book are amazing. I am as excited as she is to get started. The problem will be deciding what we are going to bake first.

Family Dinner

My brother Mickey called and suggested we all get together and go eat at Bill's Catfish in Oklahoma. We all ate a lot of fish and hushpuppies and had fun laughing and playing with all the kids. Mickey, Amy and Kline drove. Cleveland, Emma and I rode with them. We met my sister Jill, Todd, Alaina and Abby at Bill's. A friend of Alaina's, Brianna, also joined us. After dinner, we drove back to Texas and stopped in Petrolia at Jill and Todd's house. Todd has been hatching baby quail all summer long and the little kids wanted to see the baby birds. They were pretty cute. After seeing the birds, the kids were playing outside. Amy, Jill and I joined the guys and the kids outside and had a photo session. Amy took a couple of photos of the kids with the horse. But of course I had to poise the children and try to see what kind of a masterpiece I could get. I got some pretty good shots, but I think it was the subjects. As Kline would say, "That's what I'm talkin' about!" We don't get to spend enough time together and tonight was great and a blessing. Be sure to look at these beautiful blessings (our kids) in the slideshow above this posting!