Card Girls start their own businesses!

1. Card Farm Fresh Eggs - $3.00 a dozen
2. Liz's Amazing Massages - Only $1.00 for both feet and hands (about 15 minutes total). Testimonial from a frequent customer (Mom) "Liz is an absolutely amazing masseuse! She really knows how to knead with her fingers and use her whole hands to really get in deep. It is soooo worth the $1.00!"
   
3. Elizabeth's Homemade Cookies
   
   1. Email my Mom the type and amount of cookies you want.
      
   2. 1 dozen cookies - $3.00
      
4. Lizard's Weed-B-Gone Service
   
   1. Weeding - $1.00 per 15 minutes of weeding (but some big weeds I can't pull out)
      
5. Katie's Window Washing
   
   1. $1.00 per 15 minutes of window washing (I might need a chair to reach the top of some windows)
      
6. Kathteryn & Elizabeth's Pet Walking Service
   
   1. Small to Medium Dogs or animals only
      
   2. $1.00 per 20 min. walk
      
7. Picture Perfect
   
   1. Katie, Liz or Ally will draw you a picture or write you a story or poem.
      
   2. .50 cents per picture or poem, $1.00 for story (with illustrations)
      

Back to School 2008

We are so lucky to have such a great school for the girls to go to - it's a privately run public school (a charter school) called Arthur Academy. (Katie in pink, Liz in blue)

Katie and Liz, then and now

Here are Katie and Liz in 2001, and now back to school in 2008:

Now and Then...

Here was Ally in 1999 and 2001, and now in 2008:

Vitality

Health is not the absence of sickness, but the presence of vitality.

So that's what I'm aiming for. A month or so ago, I applied for some additional life insurance and found out my cholesterol was high. I had some more tests done and found out last week my thyroid isn't working properly - which is why I have been achy and tired and slowly gaining weight, even when trying to eat healthy and exercise. So now I am on a "anti-inflammatory" diet which means no sugar, processed foods, wheat or gluten, dairy, tomatoes, corn, potatoes, and citrus fruits. I have been eating this way for a little over a week now. The most interesting thing to me is that I don't have any food cravings. I eat meats, fruits, veggies, nuts, rice, barley, rice or almond milk and protien shakes. My favorite things to eat are apples with almond butter and avacados with a little salt. I have a bunch of supplements to help my thyroid, which I get to try for three months and if that doesn't get it working (along with the diet) then I'll start on thyroid medication. After four weeks on the anti-inflamitory diet I will start adding things back into my diet one at a time and see how it affects me.

Here's to health!

Score!

Ally scored her first goal today. The smile on her face when she looked over at me afterward was absolutely priceless.

I really love reading Ally's papers that she brings home from school, not necessarily for the school work, but because she adds all sorts of little drawings and writings in the sidelines and on the back of her papers. For example, they are reading "A Wrinkle in Time" and along with that studying astronomy. On the back of one of her worksheet she drew a new constellation with this title:
The Game
Discovered by Allison C. on September 11th, 2008
Looks like two girls playing soccer.

Here is the latest quote, found written in the side column of her spelling test:

The long eternal hours,
The time that work desires,
School.

And her teacher's response written in red ink underneath:

Only 16 more years, Ally :)

Oh the pains...

When I asked Ally if she noticed she was stronger after completing a third week of tough soccer practices, she said, "The only thing I noticed is that my body is so worn out and tired that when I get kicked or hurt or fall down, I don't care anymore." I laughed and so did she.

A conversation a little later:
Mom: I'm really proud of how hard you worked today at soccer. I could see you were really tired, but you kept on going. Remember that book Dad and I got you for your birthday, "The LDS girls guide to true beauty?"
Ally: Yes
Mom: Do you remember in there where it talked about how you may not be the star of the soccer team -
Ally (finishing the sentence verbatim out of the book): but you can be a strong supporting player!
Mom: Yes! You are a superstar at some things -
Ally: Like reading!
Mom: Yes! and remembering things exactly that you read like you just did!
Ally: Well I did read the book, Mom!
Mom (laughing and hugging Al): Yes, but never everyone can remember things so well like you can. You might not always be a superstar at soccer, but it is great for your body and expanding your talents. Do you feel good about being the best supporting player that you can be?
Ally: Yeah, I do.

Just one of those precious experiences with kids when you feel like you were a part of a true inspirational moment - for both of us!