Makinze's Mom

Mak & I on the track! Watch out NASCAR! We had fun...but got into a little trouble for bumping!

Ready to race!

Hello from Branson! Rob, Mak & I are here for the rest of spring break. Each year my dad takes us & my sister's for a family vacation. This is our second year in Branson. It such a great time that we have together & Grandpa enjoys spoiling his four grandchildren! We came a day early and everyone else will arrive tomorrow evening.

After departing this morning we drove to Strafford, MO--just outside Springfield to the Exotic Animal Paradise. It was a great time feeding all of the animals on a five mile drive! Mak loved it...and so did Rob & I!

Feeding the zebra! She tried really hard to pet this zebra.

Giving kisses to a llama!

Hungry elk! This guy was inside the van just moments before snapping this picture! He would've eaten out of my hand if I would've let him!

Makinze & Daddy driving!

She has a soft spot for ponies! She only would feed this pony.

This baby monkey is only 7 days old!

After our drive thru seeing the animals we stopped by the petting zoo. This camel (as Mak calls canimal)-wanted a little something to eat too!

Ok, for all of those that went to college with me---you will shake your head & say..."That's Tracy!" Of course, last Thursday, March 2 was NEA's Read Across America Celebration! I couldn't help but make a day that my students will talk about for the rest of their elementary years at least! Highlights of our day:

• Green Eggs & Ham for breakfast (Thanks Edna for changing the menu!)
• Guest reader, board member, Rick Turner reading Green Eggs & Ham
• Finding the 50 different words used to write Green Eggs & Ham after Theodor Geisel was bet he couldn't do it!
• Author Study of Theodor Geisel
• Guest reader, Steve Shanks, Principal reading Oh The Things You Can Think
• We got the laptops & played games at seussville.org
• Guest reader, Deanna Ross, reading Barthlomew & the Oobleck
• Photographers from the Drumright Gusher came & took pictures!
• Making Oobleck (cornstarch & water with green food coloring) THIS is what the kids will remember when they are old--we got it ALL over the room, in the carpet--it was bad!
• Birthday Celebration complete with balloons & cake!

It was such a fun day and they really learned a lot about Dr. Seuss!

Ok, it may not be glamourous but this is Mak's job 2 times a week. She puts the bag in the trash can after spraying it down with Lysol! She actually created this job herself. One afternoon we came home from school and she asked where the bags were...I didn't think anything of it at all--then I saw her putting it in the can--WOW! I think she likes to take care of her daddy.












Last weekend I went to Ladies Retreat for church. Our speaker, Sharon Ackerman gave us a list of things to teach your child:

1. Manners
2. To set goals higher than Hollywood
3. Common labor
4. To give of themselves
5. To fail
6. what real success is
7. Not to let others determine how you act
8. Respect

She also said to,

1. Allow as much freedom as they will let you give them
2. Surprise them by asking them their opinion
3. Clarify expectations
4. Be realistic and reasonable
5. Parents-Ask for advice from peers/mentors
6. Be willing to tell your child, "I am sorry, I was wrong."
7. Offer undeserved mercy (Just as GOD has us)
8. never lose your humor
9. People treat you the way YOU let them treat you.
10. Explain why they feel so weird (teenage years)

1. 
   

That is Makinze on Grandpa's lap in the back! She was SUPER sad that she only got to see him for about 2 minutes before they left...but well worth our 10 minutes away from the house on a Sunday afternoon. Makinze keeps saying, "cool motorcycles mom"!

(Ok, so now I realize that I put these in backwards order--but I'm not going to fix it--sorry!)

Grandpa pulling in...ok, not a car/truck person so I don't know any details...

Sunday afternoon we received a call from my dad.
He asked us to go wait at the Coop and he & some
friends were coming through town.
Here is a pic of Makinze waiting for Grandpa!