Easter 2011

Last week was a busy one. Thank goodness this one won't be quite as bad. Monday the kids and I went to Caden's game, and it was 8:00 p.m. before Joe got home from work. Tuesday Joe decided to just spend the night in Greenville intstead of coming home. That was also the day I ended up taking Jolie to the doctor. She had been having a lot of accidents at school, and I started to think that something may be wrong. So I dropped off Josie and Joel with Quint and Sheila and I took Jolie to Pri-Med. Turns out she had a bladder infection. Here she is being silly waiting to see the doctor:

Wednesday Joe came home because we had a special service at Quint and Sheila's church we had planned to go to. It was a Seder Plate Service. It was really neat, and I was so thankful that he came home to go with me. The kids stayed with MeMaw and Paw-Paw so that we could fully enjoy the meaning of the service. Thursday Joe again spent the night in Greenville and I ended up with a migraine. I had us all in bed by a little after 7:00 p.m. and we all got a little over 11 hours of sleep that night. Usually it is hard for me to sleep when Joe isn't there, but my migraines about knock me out and I felt so much better in the morning. We missed our Maundy Thursday service at our church, but there would have been no way that I could do that with all three kids and a migraine. Friday Joel had his 6 month appointment even though he turned 7 months last Thursday. He weighed 21, almost 22 pounds; he is 28 inches long; and had a double ear infection. He goes back in 2 weeks for a recheck of his ears. Here he is waiting to see the doctor:


I ended up staying in town to pick up his prescription and Joe and the girls met us at church for our Good Friday service. After church we ate dinner and went and put the kids to bed. After that I headed to Sheila's house so that she and I could shop for the Easter dinner we were doing for the family on Saturday. We also made up as much of the food as we could so that we could spend our time with the family instead of cooking all day. I got to her house around 9:00 p.m. and I left her house to go home around 1:30 a.m. Caden had a game the next morning at 9:00 and the kids were up bright and early at 6:00 a.m. Becca and Angie came up for the day and were there to see Caden's game. He hit the ball off the machine for the first time. He had a whole section of bleachers screaming wildly for him. We were so proud. After the game we went back to Quint and Sheila's house and played for a little while. Then we went to lunch and went to see the Easter Bunny at Bass Pro Shop. We got there at exatly the right time for the kids to do the Easter egg hunt before taking pictures with the Easter Bunny.


After Bass Pro Shop we went back to Quint and Sheila's house to dye Easter eggs and "quiet time." Quint took the kids outside while Angie, Becca, Joe, Sheila and I got the "stations" set up for the kids to dye the Easter eggs. Of course, being good parents, aunts, and uncles we had to test things out to make sure that the dyes really worked. The kids kept sticking their heads in asking if it was time to dye eggs and we kept telling them not quite. Finally, we gave in and let them come in and dye eggs. Josie, Caden, and Jolie each got to dye 21 eggs. They did a great job and no one made a mess. They made some pretty eggs. After all the eggs were dry, the kids had to lay down for quiet time while Angie, Quint, Becca, and Joe hid the eggs outside. Sheila and I made deviled eggs and finished up the bananna pudding. After quiet time the kids went outside and hunted eggs and blew 3D bubbles that I got them. I think, once again, us adults had more fun with the 3D glasses than the kids did. After that it was time to eat. Our spread: Paula Deen Ham, Paula Deen's recipe for broccoli casserole, grean been casserole, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatos, squash and zucchini, deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, rolls, bananna pudding, and apple cobbler. Everything was homemade except the ham, rolls & cranberry sauce. We visited for a little while after eating, helped Sheila clean up and wash dishes and we all headed home. This is the only picture I took of the afternoon. As soon as Sheila or Becca send me theirs I'll post them.


Sunday morning the girls got up to see what the Easter Bunny had brought them. This was the first Easter morning Joe had gotten to spend with us in a long time so it was really special to me. The gils were so excited about everything and I love watching them. We got ready for church and headed to town. We put our flowers into the cross as a family, and enjoyed a beautiful service.

After church we went to Other Mamas and Pap-Paws for the day. We had a ymmy lunch and spent the day playing.

The girls were nasty by that evening after playing so hard outside and in the creek. We bathed them before we left Other Mama and Pap-Paws, took Nanny home, and went home to clean.

The beginnig of this week is busy, but after Wednesday we have no plans. Tonight some great high school friends are coming to visit. I can't wait to spend time with them. It has been awhile since we have all been together. Tomorrow night we have Josie's kindergarten orientation. The kids will go stay with Quint and Sheila while Joe and I go. Wednesday the girls have Awana.

This was the best Easter I have had in a really long time. We spent the entire weekend with family and it really meant a lot to me. It just makes me appreciate all the more the sacrifices that Jesus made for me.

I want to thank all of you who got the kids Easter Baskets/goodies or sent cards or called. They loved it!!! You know who you are, and we can't thank you enough. It really makes them feel so special.

Jesus knows me, this I love!!!!!!!

Crazy Weather

I am not sure that the old adages concerning the weather apply anymore. March-Come in like a lion and out like a lamb. April-April's showers bring May flowers. I'm not sure if it is global warming or what, but the weather has beeb crazy this year. Hot then cold, rough storms, we even had some snow here in Alabama during the winter. This past Friday we had some horrible storms that swept through Alabama. A tornado hit the golf course where Joe works. This was his weekend off and his boss was generous enough to tell him he didn't have to come in, but now he and are trying to decide if he should spend the week in Greenville to help clean up.





For those of you who have ever been to Cambrian Ridge, it is beautiful as are all the RTJ sites, and it is difficult to look at these pictures. This could not have come at a more horrible time, we have something planned every day this week by Tuesday (Monday: Caden's game; Wednesday: Church at Mt. Hebron; Thursday: Maudny Thursday service at our church; Friday: Good Friday service at our church, Joel's Dr. app; Saturday: Easter with the Burdicks and Caden's game; and Sunday: Easter and Easter with the Andersons). That is a lot to do with three kids by myself, but if they don't get the golf course cleaned up that is a lot of revenue lost, and no revenue means hits to the employees. RTJ has already been a raise freeze and retirement contributing freeze for 3 years now.

Now on to happier things. We got the cap and gown pictures that the school took of Josie. Well, maybe that isn't a happy thing. Well, okay, bittersweet.


Friday the girls had a field trip to Disney on Ice. I knew ahead enough that I was actually able to take off and go with them. Caden and Sheila got to go with us also. This was the girls' first field trip and I felt so lucky to be able to go. The show was amazing. I loved it. Josie and Caden sat transfixed the entire time. Jolie, well it took her awhile to be ok with the dark and loud noises. She alternated between Sheila's and my lap.





During the show is when we got the news of bad weather heading our way. Thank goodness it held off until the evening when we were safe at home. Joel was supposed to have his 6 month appointment Friday, but the pediatrician's office closed early because of the weather. His appointment will now be this Friday. (He will be seven months old this Thursday.) Needless to say we spent a quiet evening at home watching the weather station.

Friday morning we had planned to go to Riverfest but for some reason we just never got motiviated to go. It worked out perfectly though because we got to keep our niece, Ansleigh. Sheila had to leave for Birmingham to take care of something and Quint had to work, so we picked her up from Sheila around 11:30 Saturday morning and she spent the night with us and went to church with us the next morning. Friday afternoon the Town of Elmore (where we live) had an Easter Egg Hunt. We got there at 4:02 p.m. and the kids got to hunt easter eggs. After hunting, the town had goody bags, sunglasses, cookies and capri suns for the kids.





The next morning Joe had to leave at 6:30 to help get the church setup for the church picnic. He got home just in time to help me finish getting all 4 kids ready for church and out the door. Sunday was Palm Sunday so the kids go to walk in with the Palm Branches. They all did a great job and were so cute!!


Sunday afternoon we played outside with some friends and went to bed early. We were worn out from the weekend.

Again we have a lot going on this week and are excited about the Easter Bunny coming this weekend. Happy Easter everyone!!

Josie is Officially Registered for Kindergarten

This has been an experience. As most of you know Josie is our first child and is of age to be registered for kindergarten. We are completely new to all of this.

Like I've said in my previous blogs, Millbrook has 19 kindergarten teachers, and you can only request teachers during the month of April. Yesterday was the first day of registration and they held it until 6 p.m. Every other day you have to go inbetween 9-1. So Joe took off early to go register her. (We both figured this was best because I probably would have been an emotional wreck.) To make a request you have to list your top 4 choices. If you do not list four teachers, they will not even honor any of your requests. So I asked Sheila, Josie's teacher Ms. Jessie, Ms. Debbie (the woman who keeps Joel, all 5 of her kids have gone to Millbrook) and I myself looked at the list. You can click on each teacher's name and read a bio written by the teacher about themselves. When I was looking at the list I actually found a girl I went to school with, played softball with, and see her parents almost every Wendesday night, so I put her as my first choice because (1) I love her dearly and (2) it would make me feel so much better for Josie to have a teacher that I know. I then picked from the lists that Sheila, Debbie, and Jessie gave me and I came up with my list of four teachers.

Before Joe and I actually decided who would be taking Josie, we had been trying to figure out how one of us was going to have the time to go do it. One day I made a comment to Ms. Debbie and she asked me how would that work, Josie needs to go. I had no clue the kids themselves have to go as well. They have to do a "placement test." Some of you may have already known that, but we didn't. It never even crossed our minds and it is in none of the paperwork they pass out telling you about this procedure.

So Joe took her yesterday afternoon. Joe filled out tons of paperwork while Josie went back with the principal to the placement test. A few people asked me how it went and I really didn't know how to respond. Joe filled out paperwork and Josie met with the principal, but we had no clue how it went with the principal. So this morning when I dropped her off, Ms. Jessie asked me how she did. I said I don't know, Joe wasn't allowed with her. And then she asked if they had told Joe that there was anything we needed to work on with Josie, and I said no. She said then she did super great. I was like, wheew, now I know what to tell people when they ask. Ms. Jessie has been working very hard to prep "her kids" for the placement test, and she said so far all of hers have passed. I think that says a lot about her as a teacher.

Joe said there were tons of parents there without their kids because they didn't know the kids had to be there either. He also said one little boy came out from his placement test and the guy told the mom, he couldn't tell me his name, his age, etc. The mom said he knows all of that and she asked him and the boy started giving her all the right answers. These kids are 5, how in the world do these teachers know when they really don't know the stuff or when they are just too shy to say anything?

Josie was excited because she got her first kindergarten pencil. We won't know until the end of July or first few days of August who her teacher is. Right now she is just super excited about it all.

In other Burdicks news, Jolie has begun teaching Joel. We have had to separate the girls in the van because they fight too much. So now on the row behind the drivers seat is Joel and one of the girl's car seats, and then a car seat on the last row. The girls alternate who gets to sit by Joel. The other night coming home from Caden's ballgame, it was Jolie's turn to sit by Joel, and she was trying to teach him the word Spaghetti-rows. She kept repeating Spa-get-ti-rows. She was so cute we didn't have the heart to correct her. This morning's lesson was body parts. He started chewing on one of her babydolls and she thought that would be a great opportunity to tell him and show him the baby's head, foot, legs, hands, nose, and ears. Ohhh how she loves that little boy. She is going to be a great mommy and maybe teacher one day.

Still Doing Good

All is still good in the Burdick household. We are still having allergy problems, but nothing horrible. We had another good quiet weekend. Friday evening we hung at home and watched a movie. Saturday Joe had to do some yardwork at church so the kids and I hung out at the house until he got home. He was gone from about 8:45 a.m. until about 1:00 p.m. I did manage to do some dishes, get the kitchen floor swept and mopped, and put out some Easter decorations while he was gone. It is always a huge accomplishment when I can get any housework done when it is just me and the kids. After Joe got home we loaded up and headed to Wetumpka to walk the "River Walk." River Walk is a sidewalk the City has built that runs beside the river. It was a beautiful afternoon and the walk was great. We fed some ducks and even saw a groundhog. We interrupted our walk for dinner and icecream at DQ and made the trek back to the van in downtown. We then decided to head over to see Pap-Paw and Other Mama. Sunday we went to church and afterwards Josie went home with Other Mama while we spent some quality time with Jolie and Joel. We had to pick up some things from Target like Joel an Easter basket and then we went to Bass Pro Shop. We told her she could pick out candy and she was so sweet because when she picked up her bag of cotton candy she picked up two so Josie could have a bag. That evening after Josie got home we went for another walk. Last night we went to Caden's first real game of the season. He is doing a great job and we are so proud of him. The girls keep up with him the whole game and are now asking when they can play. Although Josie goes back and forth between playing ball and being a cheerleader. It broke my heart to tell her she couldn't play until we could manage Joe's schedule a little better. There is no way I could get them to all their practices and games by myself. Plus a lot of these teams have practices at 4:30 or 5:00. What do working parents do???

Tomorrow night the girls have Awana and Joe is taking Josie to register for kindergarten. It is probably for the best that Joe is the one taking her because I am not sure that I could handle it emotionally. At least I have 2 more years before Jolie starts and another 5 before Joel starts, but I know these years will probably fly by even faster than these past five years.

Caden has two more games this week on Friday and one Saturday that we will try to make. Joe works this weekend so we will have to see how everyone's moods are before we head out for the Saturday morning game. Next Friday (the 15th) the girls have their first real field trip and I am getting to go with them. We are going to Disney on Ice. We got ring side seats. I think I am probably as excited as I am. Also on the 15th Joel has his 6 month appointment. I can't believe my sweet angel is already 6 months old. Last night I was rocking him to sleep and I looked at Joe and said I can't believe I gave birth to something so calm and peaceful. I'm a little high strung and worry about things and can get quite emotional, and the girls are the same way. So to look at him just laying there on me snuggling with me, it is so refreshing. I don't remember the girls still doing that at six months old. They were wiggling wanting to move. Joel still lays there or sits there and is relatively still in your lap. He loves to be rocked to sleep and as long as he will let me, I'm going to do it. I don't care what the books or doctors say. He is my baby and I know this won't last long.

I'll end with some pictures.

We finally have a picture of Joel's teeth. Granted you have to take our word that it is our son because you can't see his face, but that was the only way we could get a picture of his teeth:


Joel and Pap-Paw: