Boys State

Every year American Legion posts in all states except Hawaii choose a delegate to attend Boys State, a program to teach high school juniors about government. The program takes place for a week in the summer after the student's junior year in the state capital.

There are many veterans in Florida, so there are many American Legion posts. Typically, two different posts have chosen their candidates from Citrus High School in Inverness. The number of interested young men has been decreasing as there is more and more to do. So, one of the local posts decided to look for a homeschooled candidate this year. They contacted the local Civil Air Patrol squadron for suggestions, and the Commander recommended Landon.

He had to give a speech to the members of the post and answer their questions. They voted to send him to Tallahassee as their delegate for Boys State.




Isn't he handsome? He's so excited about going as he LOVES politics!

Happy Birthday Carys!

Well, I'm almost a week late writing this post. Carys' 4th birthday fell on a Sunday this year, and she and Landon and Greg and I were at a Hampton Inn in Cocoa Beach for the CAP Special Activities Selection Board. Gerren and Chase were back in Inverness for the Disciple Now weekend for the youth at Cornerstone Baptist Church. We didn't haul all her presents to the hotel, so she had to wait until we got home in the late afternoon to open them. We did enjoy lunch at Sweet Tomatoes in Orlando on the way home.

Here's Carys with her pile of gifts.


Chase went to the Dollar Store and loaded up with stuff she thought Carys would like: a coloring book, Reese's peanut butter cups, Tic Tacs, and gummy worms.


Gerren gave Carys a big bottle of bubbles, and Landon gave her an umbrella. (Of course, I picked out both these things.)


Gran gave Carys this Polly Pocket set, and Uncle Jeff and Aunt Kay gave her a $20 bill.


Grandma Epie and Papa JoJo gave her $500 for her college fund.

The ONLY good thing about a birthday so soon after Christmas is hitting the sales. I got this My Little Pony set for half price.


This baby doll was on sale as well.


I wanted to get Carys her own jewelry box, but they didn't have them at the Walmart in Inverness (about the only local place to shop). So, we got her this LeapFrog Fridge Words instead.


Well, on Saturday, we went to a Walmart in Cocoa Beach to get a couple of things, and lo and behold, they had these jewelry boxes on clearance for $5! We snatched one up.


Cary has played with these ponies every day since her birthday.


We were so surprised when Carys didn't fall asleep in the car on the way home from Cocoa Beach. Well, she made up for it. At around 6:30 that evening, she climbed up in Greg's lap and was asleep in 5 minutes. She slept until 8:00a.m. the next morning!

Where Has the Time Gone?

Here it is January 10, and I haven't blogged all year! Well, it's been a madhouse around here since December 30. Plus, I'm too busy reading other people's blog and Facebook statues to post my own. Bad, bad!

Anyway, on Monday, December 28, they called Greg's mom from the cardiologist's office. The 30-day heart monitor she was wearing did not look good. They sent her to the ER. On Wednesday, December 30, she had a pacemaker installed. She began having pain in the area under her left breast that evening. She had one or two bad episodes of pain every day. She would be moaning with tears running down her face. They had to give her a Darvocet every time. They did an x-ray to see if the wires to the pacemaker were all in place. They also did two cat scans. Everything looked fine.

On Saturday, a representative from Medtronics, the pacemaker company, came in to test her pacemaker. She was having a pain episode at that time. He seemed very concerned about the situation and said he'd never seen anything like it. Still, he said her pacemaker was fine. He called and talked to the cardiologist on call who later came and examined her. He told us the pain was not caused by the pacemaker and was coming from "the outside". We had no experience with pacemakers, so we assumed that they had just yanked her around while placing it and pulled muscles that were having spasms. She went home to Jeff and Kay's since she was not supposed to be by herself for 4 weeks.

On Sunday night, she came to our house since everyone is at work at Jeff & Kay's during the week. She continued to have these pain episodes as well as a very strong heartbeat that you could feel with your hand in the same place. By Wednesday, I decided that this should be better by now. It had been a week after the surgery. So, I called the cardiologist's office and explained to the nurse what was going on. She said to bring Colleen in.

When we got there, she used the same machine to test the pacemaker that the Medtronics rep had used on Saturday. However, she found that the ventricular lead was not working. The pacemaker then operates at a very high voltage trying to make the lead work and this was causing her diaphragm to spasm. Now, why didn't the guy find this on Saturday? He also mentioned that someone was supposed to have checked her pacemaker on 12/31. No one did. He was the first person we saw, and that was on 1/2. Greg is furious, to say the least. She has to go in tomorrow and have this lead repositioned. Another surgery, anesthesia, etc. We will NOT leave the hospital this time until it is right. Mark my words!

That's what's been going on here - in addition to starting school last Monday. This week, we'll hopefully get Gran's problem taken care of. Then on Friday, Gerren and Chase are attending the Disciple Now conference at Cornerstone. Greg, Carys, and I are taking Landon to Patrick AFB for the Special Activities Selection Board for CAP. You must go before this board in order to participate in many of the national activities that take place during the summer for CAP. Greg got a free weekend at a Hampton Inn in Cocoa Beach for Christmas from the Hampton where he works. So, we're taking advantage of it.

The Aftermath

Things haven't slowed down here much since Christmas. On Saturday, the 26th, Greg and Landon drove Gerren to Tyndall AFB near Panama City, FL, for winter encampment. Gerren is serving as the Bravo Flight Sargeant for the week. Another cadet from his squadron is giving him a ride home this Saturday, so we won't have to make the trip or spend the money for gas again. The girls and I went to Citrus Park to do some shopping that day. It's really getting fun to shop with Chase, and Carys was pretty good considering!

On Sunday, I played keyboards with the worship band at Cornerstone for the first time. It was fun to be back in the saddle again, but I'd forgotten how much work it is to prepare. We had lots of positive comments. I'll be playing again this weekend. Then, we'll see what the future holds. Today, we slept in a little and are trying to catch up with everything that was put on hold for the holidays. Landon and Chase are playing wii, of course!

Christmas Day

Well, I need to do this Christmas Day post so that I can get all the gifts listed here for our family record. Feel free to ignore this post! :)

We were blessed by a check from my parents that allowed us to do Christmas at all this year. Without it, we would have skipped gifts completely. Paying the mortgage and eating are more important!

Last year the kids didn't get up until 10:00am. This year, we woke them up at 8:00am. We had Toffee Apple French Toast Casserole and sausage for breakfast, did our last Advent Calendar devotion and began opening presents shortly after 9:00. Chase was the only one who made a list this year, so most of the kids gifts were a surprise to them. What fun!

Before Greg got laid off, I had actually purchased a studypod for the each of the three older kids after reading about them on Lisa's blog. Lisa is a reviewer for a homeschool magazine. I bought 3 different colors: black, blue, and pink. I forgot to watch the colors when I wrapped them, so Landon ended up with the pink one. Thankfully, he's good natured and laughed about it. After Chase opened hers, they traded.


Landon was shocked to receive a cell phone. We got him a Tracphone, and one of his other gifts was some minutes for the phone. After that, he's on his own!


Instead of the kids purchasing a $5 gift for each of their siblings, we drew names this year, and they purchased a $15 gift for the person whose name they drew. This made it easier to find a gift.

Gerren had Landon's name and gave him a $15 iTunes gift card. He weighted the box down with cans of cranberry sauce so Landon couldn't figure out what it was.


The three older kids received a iPod/radio alarm clock from Grandma Epie and Papa JoJo and $20 from Gran. Landon spent his $20 on a new airsoft mask.

Gerren received some ear buds (the specific type he requested but they don't stay in or on his ears, so they'll be returned).


He also got an Axe gift set. He loves Axe but was using it a little too liberally. He had to prove to me that he could be more conservative before I would buy more. He's done a good job of it, so he earned some more!


Carys drew Gerren's name, so she got him a $15 iTunes card which he always appreciates.


Gerren was shocked to receive an airsoft gun. He's been asking for one for a LONG time, but we said he had to show some more self-control before we'd buy one or even allow him to buy one. So, he hasn't been asking for awhile now. He had NO idea we were getting one for him.


Gerren also got a black studypod, an iPod alarm clock from Grandma Epie and Papa JoJo, and $20 from Gran which he said he's going to use to pay off his debt to us. :)

Chase didn't have many surprises under the tree since she actually did make a list for me. Landon drew her name and bought her the Tinkerbell Lost Treasure DVD that she wanted.


When she opened the Bendaroos she asked for, she got this funny look on her face.

I said, "That's exactly what you asked for!"

She replied, "It is. It's just... you spent way too much. I've been a bad girl. I've been reading Allison's diary, and a got a D on a spelling test, and I forged your signature..." which is from a Target commercial. We all cracked up!


She traded the blue studypod she unwrapped for Landon's pink one. :) She also received this hummingbird locket necklace she wanted. She plans to put a picture of her best buddy Sarah in it.


She also received the iPod alarm clock from Grandma Epie and Papa JoJo and $20 from Gran. She already spent part of it for a Tinkerbell doll at the Disney Store.


Carys really enjoyed this gift which is a set of Melissa and Doug wooden magnetic "paper" dolls. I bought these on a whim because they were on sale for a great price at Amazon.com. I'm so glad I did as she has played with them a lot.


I found this $50 camera at Overstock.com for $30. She calls it a toy camera, but it actually takes pictures (no flash) and has a USB cord to load them on the computer. So, far we've just deleted them, but she loves taking pictures.


Carys got her own small set of Polly Pockets. Chase appreciated this because Carys keeps losing the tiny parts (like shoes) to her Pollys.


I snuck in an educational gift for her as well with a Colors, Shapes, and Counting DVD. Chase drew Carys's name and gave her this Webkins. Carys has named her Sarah (which seems to be her favorite name right now).


Since Carys doesn't really "get" money, I took the $20 from Gran and bought her this Crayola Magic Light Brush paint set. After she painted my carpet in the school room twice during Personal Finance class this fall, I thought this would be a good gift. (She broke into the child proof lock on the cabinet to get to the paint, by the way!)


She loves this gift as well, but she's used up all the purple paint already because she wanted to paint everything purple.


Grandma Epie and Papa JoJo gave Carys this water table which has also been a source of fun. We put it on the back porch where she can play with it on warmer days.




Finally, only one present was left under the tree to the Meahl Family from Grandma Epie and Papa JoJo. Gerren opened it and the shouting commenced.


They couldn't believe it! It was a Wii.


I have always been pretty anti-video games. But I like the fact that with most of the Wii games, you have to be up and active. So, I relented. The kids have had a blast playing it ever since. Poor Gerren had to leave on 12/26 for Winter Encampment where he is on staff as a Flight Sargeant.

Greg and I really didn't do presents this year. Well, that's not completely true. I bought him John Grisham's new book which was on sale at Walmart on Black Friday for $9.


He bought me a desk chair for my desk in the kitchen which I did not ask for and do not want. It's a regular office-looking desk chair and wouldn't match well in the kitchen. So, it's going back. He did buy me a new kitchen scale that I wanted, sort of. I found the one I wanted on Amazon.com which weighs items up to 11 pounds. He doesn't do any Christmas shopping until the last minute and can't buy anything online consequently. So, he bought what he thought was the same scale at Target. But it only goes up to 5 lbs, so it's going back as well. Let's just say that gift giving is my love language and it is NOT Greg's love language.

We headed to Greg's brother's house to pick up his mom. She joined us for lunch where we had Peppered Rib Eyes, Caesar salad, twice-baked potatoes, rolls, and Candy Bar Cheesecake. Yum!

After dinner, we all went to see The Princess and the Frog. I was disappointed at the scary voodoo scenes, but otherwise it was a pretty good movie. Carys liked it, and wasn't really scared by it.

We did stockings later in the evening. Greg put licorice in my stocking, which he knows I loved. Unfortunately, I like cherry or black licorice. He doesn't pay attention, I guess, and bought me strawberry licorice. Yuck! I gave it to the kids. The kids got candy, $10 iTunes gift cards (except Carys), razors and shaving cream (the boys), pencils, notebooks, hair glitter (the girls), etc. in their stockings.




It was a great day, and everyone felt very blessed.

Christmas Eve

Greg had to work Christmas Eve day, but he was home in time for services at Cornerstone. I was disappointed that it was not a candlelight service, but otherwise it was very nice. We were home before 7:00pm for our traditional take-out Chinese dinner. Then the fun began. This is the second year that I did not put the kids real names on their gifts. Instead I used characters from The Lord of the Rings. The kids had to guess who was who. I wrote all the names on this dry erase board.



It took them three attempts to figure it out: Landon - Gimli, Gerren - Frodo, Chase - Merry, Carys - Legolas. They have a lot of fun just guessing.

The Christmas Eve gifts were pajamas. The boys got sleep pants - a light fabric which is better for Florida than flannel.


Chase got two pairs of flannel pajamas (which I got at Walmart for $3 each the day after Thanksgiving). Chase got a Tinkerbell "spa" set (another Walmart Black Friday find) with thermal pajamas, slippers, glitter emory board, nail clippers, buffer, etc.


Gerren has made it his mission to hide from the camera!

4th Sunday in Advent

I forgot to list the 4th Sunday in Advent family gift which was the set of Drive Thru History American History DVDs. We loved the ancient history DVDs from this series that we already own, so this was a no-brainer addition to the set! We watched the first one yesterday, and it lived up to its reputation.