Pictures

Bekah's Valentine party at school.

Paul's Valentine party treat.

Paul's DI team. They did an improv play where they had to solve a problem. They had 30 minutes from they time they got their topic until they had to perform. They didn't win but I thought they did well considering they only had a short amount of time to prepare. The kids decided they didn't want any photography during the play so this is the only picture I got. Next year I may request that they not be given the option!

Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh..........

Spring Break! Hallelujah!

It seems like this semester had been the busiest and longest yet. I have sooooo looked forward to this day...when classes are out of session for a week. So, now that it's here, I have a sore throat and upset stomach. Well, what are ya gonna do?

We've had a busy winter/spring so far. Paul played flag football, which he really enjoyed. He was on the Chargers this year with the same coach and many of the same boys as last year. They were 4-4 I think, including the "championship" game. We wrap that up for good on Sunday when they have their team party. Paul was also on one of our school's Destination Imagination teams. This is a problem solving and team work competition. It's a really neat program and they did great. Paul's newest adventure is glasses. Yes, both the children have inherited our (Tim and my) eye genes.

Bekah has started soccer. She's been wanting to do this for awhile and we have a nice league here in our town. She only cried once during her first game! She gets confused about where to go on the field and it's comfortable enough to ask questions yet. But she'll get there. She did have a lot of fun. She absolutely loves school...has said she would skip spring break if she could. Crazy child!

Tim still has his job, thankfully. We are praising the Lord for that blessing as much of the construction industry is spiraling downward at the moment. They won the bid for a nice fat job in Waco at the last minute. Thank you Lord! The rest of his time is spent hunting and thinking about hunting :) He's found a new hobby in hog hunting, which actually isn't as easy as it sounds. We are getting some delicious dinners!

I have three labor intensive classes and one ridiculously terrible class this semester. Math, Physics and Geology...sooooooo much work! But they are good classes and I enjoy them. I made a 99 on my first Geology lab quiz and the prof said it was the highest grade she's given on a lab quiz! The education class (which should be my favorite since that's the field I'm going in to) is horrid. It's supposed to be about special populations in schools but is actually about how minority students do not get good educational opportunities because of white people. Puhlease! Most of my complaint stems from the fact that I disagree with the teacher's educational methods and philosophy (although she is a nice person in general). I have learned some important and valuable concepts that will help me with all students that may come into my classroom. So I guess it's not a total waste of time...but I can't say I enjoy the class.

Other than all of these fun and exciting adventures, we are active in our church. We are in the middle of Mission March which has been pretty fun. I am teaching the children's church and we are learning all about missionaries and how they teach people about Jesus. The ladies of our church had the opportunity to help feed the homeless in Austin last Sunday and that was a very rewarding experience. Things like that are waaaaaayyyyy out of my comfort zone and I'm glad I have friends that will push me into them.

I am really looking forward to this week off. Not having to be anywhere at any specific time will be soooo great!

Snow and Art

Brrrrrrrrrrr! Look at our snow! Ok, it's not as good as Emily's snow, and technically it might be sleet, but we count that down here!

Art Project: Four Color Schemes

Monochromatic, Tertiary, Complementary, Triadic (from left to right, I think)

Art Project: Illusion of motion

Art Project: Underpainting and Perspective

Art Project: Interpretation of Song: Dreamland Express by John Denver

So, I really had a good time with this art class. Some things were frustrating, like being able to get the paint on the paper nicely. But it was fun and I enjoyed painting. Maybe it'll be my new hobby :)

Decorating the Tree

I love putting up the tree! I love all the ornaments from years past and the stories that go with them. The kids had so much fun getting them out, looking at them and putting them on the tree.

Paul's new favorite past time is watching football. It's so funny how he gets hooked on something. He watches it, reads about it, plays it, anything.

Bekah Turns 7!

The pictures are backwards! Oh well. I can't believe my baby is seven. She is so smart and cute. I am so thankful for this little girl that God has given me.

Bekah and her friends got to ride ponies at the Christmas Festival in Bertram. Alyssa is on the right in the background and Taylor is on the left. They absolutely loved it!

Here are the girls just after we got on the train. They were wide eyed as it started (none of them had been on one before) and it was so cute. On the ride back the volunteer in charge of our car told them how they could hide inbetween the seats. He called it the cave and of course the girls loved that.
Here is Bekah with her stash of office supplies from Granny and Grandpa. She loved it all and her friends all wanted to share in the loot!

Bekah is getting used to new glasses. Apparantly she is blind and we never knew! She never complained about not being able to see. Anyway, we think she looks super cute!

Aunt Amy and Nana gave Bekah a bunch of cool girly stuff for her birthday. Bekah especially loves the Hannah Montana slippers and High School Musical hat. Let it be known that she has never seen either one of these shows.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEKAH!

Halloween

OK, this one's a little blurry. We trick or treated with cousins and had a great time.

All the cousins: Jacob, Caleb, Zach, Paul and Bekah. Aren't they cute?

At school we have a book character parade (no Halloween celebrating there). Bekah was Cinderella and even though we have several Cinderella books she insisted on using her teacher's book.

Here's Bekah's class lined up on the wall waiting for the parade. I didn't get a picture of Paul but he was happy about that so I guess that's okay. He just wore his football jersey and carried a book about football.

I must say, I have been enjoying the candy but I wish it would go away. It's a love/hate relationship!

Seriously! Really!

So, we got a notice on the door from DHL saying they had attempted to deliver a package. It needed to be signed for so they could not just leave it. We are not home during the day so I called the service number the next morning to make other arrangements. After being routed through the automated system, I received a message that the number was no longer a working number and to please call this other number. So, I hung up and called this other number which led me through the same system and to a message that said this is not a working number and to please call this other number (which was the number I had just called). So I tried a few more times during the day and received the same message.
Needless to say, I was getting a little heated at this point. When I got home, there was another notice saying that was the final delivery attempt. Knowing the service number was "not working", I hopped online and found a live chat option. Here is the transcript from my chat with the "shipment specialist":

Paul: Welcome to DHL Live Chat. How may I assist you today?
Peggy: Hi Paul, I tried to call dhl this morning concerning a notice on my door. I can't get through to talk to anyone. I get a message that says not a working #, call this # and then that number says the same thing.
Peggy: We are not home during the day to receive packages and I wanted to make other arrangements. Today I received a second notice and I don't want that package returned to sender.
Paul: I'll be glad to help you with that. Please give me a moment while I check the records for you.
Peggy: thanks
Paul: Please confirm us do you wish to pick up the package from the service center.
Peggy: is there another way to receive the package? The service center is not close to me.
Paul: The next delivery attempt will be made on the next business day, barring any unforeseeable delays.
Peggy: the notice I received today said it was the final attempt. Does the local office have a number I can call?
Paul: Due to security reasons I am unable to provide the contact number.
Peggy: So, what about the final attempt notice?
Paul: You can also contact our customer service at 1-800-225-5345. Once you contact our DHL representative will be glad to assist you further.
Peggy: That phone number does not work. It leads me through a bunch of questions and ends with "this is not a working number please call 1-800-225-5345", which is the number I just dialed.
Paul: Its the customer service number.
Peggy: But it does NOT work. Where do I go from there?
Paul: You can re try the number once.
Peggy: I have called the number several times today. IT DOES NOT WORK.
Paul: You have the option to pick up the package from the service center.
Peggy: What's the deal with the service number that does not work?
Paul: I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
Peggy: Paul, what country are you in?
Paul: We are located in Tempe,AZ.
Peggy: Where is my local dhl office so I can pick up the package?
Paul: The service center address is 2631 KRAMER LANE, AUSTIN, TX 78758. It will be open till 7:30 PM.
Peggy: So, why can I not talk to somebody using the service center phone number?
Paul: I sincerely apologize. Due to security reasons it is not possible for me to provide the service center phone number.
Peggy: I am not asking for a phone number for the local office. I am asking why your 1-800-225-5345 does not work.
Paul: Please give me a moment while I research this for you.Paul: Due to some technical error it might not have been working. However I request you can re try after some time.
Peggy: I will pick up the package by tomorrow afternoon at the office in Austin.
Peggy: Please make sure to note that so they do not send it back.
Paul: I will forward the message not to return the shipment to the sender.
Peggy: thank you
Paul: I have forwarded a message to the service center not to return the shipment.
Peggy: later
Paul: Is there anything else I can help you with?
Peggy: no

AAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH! I know it's the blasted service number...I've called it a hundred times today! And what's the deal with the security reasons for the local office to not have a phone number? Good Grief!

Here's another funny...When I went to pick up the package, I notice their motto is "Anything, Anytime, Anywhere". Then I notice a sign that listed like twenty things they would not ship. Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha!

p.s. The title of this blog comes from a hilarious segment of SNL. It's on on Thursday nights on NBC.