Life and Times of the Sharp Family

Today we headed out to Granny D's Christmas Tree farm to select our Christmas Tree for this year.  The kids sang Christmas songs the entire way out to the farm, and once we arrived, we bumped along on the back of a tractor-drawn wagon to wooded fields full of blue spruce, Scotch pine, and Douglas fir. The kids were troopers despite the abundance of thorns and prickers we walked through.  After carefully considering optimal height and girth, Colby dropped to the ground and used a handsaw to bring it down.  We negotiated our prize back through the brambles and thickets, and the kids thumbed a ride back on the tractor. One of my favorite parts of the day was embracing my inner redneck with my husband, as we used rope to lash our tree to the top of the van.  No need for a rack or a truck bed in this family.  I laughed when people drove by wide-eyed as we tossed bright yellow rope to each other back and forth over the top of our van.  Hey, ...

I braved the crowds this afternoon in order to visit Target. My plan was to stay away from all things retail today, but sadly, our Elf on the Shelf, Hermie, was nowhere to be found.  Since he was scheduled to make his yearly appearance today, Colby and I needed to either find him quick, or buy a replacement in a hurry. After much frantic searching, it was decided that I would go to Target.  In exchange, Colby would vacuum and clean the bathrooms while I was gone. Target wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting.  In addition to Hermie the second, I also purchased a second pair of window treatments for my living room and Christmas Eve Jammies for my entire family.  Because they were so cheap, I also got myself an extra set of non-Christmas Eve jammies just because.  Can you say consolation prize? I am so thankful for my new jammies.  They are incredibly soft fleece that feel like I am wearing a blanket without looking like a snuggie.  Now I am sit...

On the way up to my mom and Bob's house for Thanksgiving, Colby and I tuned in to home.fm, who started playing all Christmas music that morning. All the way up to Holt, the five of us sang loudly and with reckless abandon.  We may have butchered the second verse to "Jingle Bells", but no one sang it with more gusto than we on this day. I love how my kids give themselves over entirely to music.  I am thankful for the opportunity to see their faces light up each time a new Christmas song came on that they could sing to.  I am grateful for the chance to teach them songs to cherish like I do. Our spontaneous sing-a-long breathed life into our ride north and gave me a whole 'nother reason to be thankful before our meal ever began. Thank God for some Thanksgiving caroling! Dear Lord, thank you for my family and for the way they enjoy singing with me.  Thank you for our time of singing together today.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Today, around noon, we decided to call our favorite triple playdate family, the Messers, and see if they were interested in joining us for another triple playdate at the Bounce Castle. The three pairs of kiddos had a giggle-shriek-filled time bouncing and running about the cavernous space.  Too soon, however, those giggles turned into whines as they voiced their feelings of hunger and thirst.  To be fair, it was almost 6 o'clock and none of them had yet eaten dinner. We decided to do a group outing to Little Caesars for some pizza, bread, and hanging out. The kids were remarkably good and we had a chance to enjoy each other's company even longer, which is always a good thing. Sometime in the middle of dinner, Breslin and James made up a secret handshake, which Breslin and Dharia re-create here, because I didn't have my phone with me last night! I am so thankful that Breslin has a friend that he cares about.  He has lots of acquaintances, sure, but James is som...

Year after year, I find myself repeating, "I just have to make it to Thanksgiving." Not that the school year is ever so terrible that I can't wait for some time off, but it is the longest stretch of the year without any breaks.  It's too early for snow days, there aren't any holidays to create long weekends, the days grow shorter, and we look forward to the blissful promise of a relaxing Thanksgiving holiday. It's the first chance to legitimately be at home on a Wednesday afternoon in sweatpants.  And you don't even have to be sick or have a sick kid to take care of to qualify. All of us, including my students and my kids, needed this time.  I'm grateful tonight to say that we've finally made it. Thank God we made it! Lord, thank you for helping us get to Thanksgiving break.  I pray you would fill it with rest and relaxation so that we can return to school reinvigorated.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Remember how I was excited to have groceries yesterday? Well, it spilled over into today too. I purchased some "lunch-friendly" tomato soups at Meijer and packed one in my lunch this morning. It was delightful. I had spent all morning shivering in my cold room.  My soup not only tasted delicious, but warmed me right up.  I left lunch happy. Thank God for a tomato soup lunch! Lord, thank you for simple things that bring us joy.  Thank you for a tasty lunch.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Tonight, my mother-in-law was gracious enough to watch the kids for me for a bit so that I could go to the grocery store. I cannot tell you how thankful I am to be able to have food and supplies in my house again. I am actually looking forward to my lunch tomorrow because it has been pretty lame for so long. I can clean my toilets because I now have cleaning supplies. I can make cookies because I stuff to bake with. It's awesome. I am so grateful for the opportunity to get out for just a couple of hours in order to take care of this stressful, but important task. Thank God for some groceries! Lord, thank you for the chance to do some shopping tonight so that we are better equipped to face the week.  In your name I pray, Amen.

One of my favorite things about working at WHS is my teaching partner, Jeff.   If you don't believe me, read this.  An added blessing to our friendship is that he and his amazing wife, Kim, have three children whose ages stack up almost identically with ours. Ever since Dharia was a brand-new baby girl of 8 days, she has been friends with Mia.  The girls spent every school day together at day care as infants and toddlers, but this year have gone to different elementary schools for kindergarten.  As it turns out, AJ has bonded strongly with Mia's little sister, Mary, and the two of them are also incredibly close. Last weekend, Dharia was in tears because she missed her friend so much, so I talked to Jeff and asked if there was any way that we could get together so that our kids could see each other.  Tonight we piled up in the van and headed over with some Gina's pizza for a triple playdate. Seeing Dharia's face light up when she saw Mia was a an amazing s...

Tonight I went with April, Brian, my dad, and my kids to the Jackson Christmas Parade in downtown Jackson. Afterwards, my kids were starving, so we hit up Wendy's on the way home. Somewhere along the line, Breslin got into his head that the Saltine cracker he was eating looked like a state -- I wish I could remember which one was the original ... New Hamsphire, maybe? Anyway, after this initial discovery, we went on to challenge him to make different states, which he did gleefully by nibbling on the corners and edges until his cracker remarkably resembled the outline of a state.  His renditions of Texas and Wisconsin were especially impressive, and he cracked up when he did Colorado by simply holding up his uneaten cracker and saying "done!" I am thankful for an awesome time hanging out with some of my most favorite people.  I feel blessed to have a son who is so smart and creative. Thank God for state crackers! Lord, thank you for a memorable evening with peo...

Breslin and Dharia are staying overnight with Grandma Sharp tonight. Colby is in Boston at the NCTE Conference. And so, I am spending the night with just my littlest one. We started the night by going to Taco Bell together.  We ate dinner and got enough for both of our lunches tomorrow. Then, we headed over to the Bounce Castle, where AJ played and I worked on grading papers.  It was perfect. We got in a little shopping before heading home and snuggling up with a movie at home. It was a perfect, wonderful night.  I feel so blessed that I was able to spend all of this quality time with my amazing three year-old. Thank God for just AJ and me! Lord, thank you for the great time with AJ tonight.  Thank you for the chance to enjoy each other's company and have some fun.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Breslin learned a good lesson today. Last night we caught him defacing a library book. It's really bad, but it's not nearly as bad as it sounds at first when I tell you the back story. Colby is always bringing home awesome books for the kids to read.  One of Breslin's favorites lately has been Battle Bunny,  which showcases a kid changing a sweet story about a bunny to a more exciting story by drawing on the characters and adding his own word bubbles. Breslin pulled his own Battle Bunny  last night and the book formerly known as Monstore  is now something different. We had a long talk with Breslin about what it means to vandalize something and how important it is to take care of things, especially things that belong to someone else. We took him to the library, where he apologized to the librarian and offered to pay for the damaged book.  Later this evening, he counted out 17 Ziploc bags containing $1 from his piggy bank to give to the library to pa...

This really happened tonight:  http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MnjFrfix8-E# It was awesome. Dear God, thank you for my funny son. Thank you for the things that he says that make us smile. Thank you for everyday moments that fill us with joy. In your name I pray, Amen.

Tonight, I rode my bike while the kids and Colby went to swim practice. In short, it was horrible. But, you know what?  I didn't quit! That, in itself, is a victory.  I am thankful for the strength to be able to say that I completed my training for today. Thank God for my awful bike ride! Lord, thank you for helping me finish my training today, even though it was awful.  Help me to use this victory to continue on.  In your name I pray, Amen.

I have very much enjoyed hearing the wind scream and howl outside today.  I have loved hearing the rain come down on my roof.  I took a blissful nap and sat scrunched under blankets watching football.  I even rode my trainer on the porch, happy for the breeze to cool me off.  I am incredibly thankful for a storm who seemed to say, "Don't think about going anywhere or doing anything.  Stay home.  Relax." Thank God for this dark, stormy Sunday! Lord, thank you for your incredible power and for allowing us the opportunity to glance just a tiny bit of it today.  Thank you for this relaxing day spent at home.  In your name I pray, Amen.

I have been struggling with my triathlon training this time around. When I decided to do Lake Placid, I was uber-focused and determined.  I did each and every workout that was listed in typical OCD fashion (at least "typical" when it comes to working out...I'm not sure the term OCD applies to any other area of my life).  If I missed a workout for any reason, I rearranged my schedule to make sure I fit it in somewhere else.  I never truly missed a workout. This time, I am rarely doing anything.  I'm not sure that's going to pan out.  It's almost like I haven't really decided that I'm doing the race in January.  I don't really know what my problem is.  But I do know it's scary because 1) it's sort of terrifying to do an Ironman without having really trained for one and 2) not training isn't really me.  I don't miss workouts.  I don't skimp on training. Today I said, out loud, "I am doing this Ironman."  Colby asked...

I feel like I have really struggled this week.  I haven't struggled in any one particular area, just life in general.  I have desperately needed the weekend as a chance to catch up and regroup. Well, I'm thankful to say that Friday evening is finally here.  I am breathing a thankful sigh of relief, just knowing that tomorrow I have some unstructured time without any obligations. I'm celebrating by doing absolutely nothing productive.  And it feels so good. Thank God it's finally Friday! Lord, thank you for a breather.  Thank you for seeing me through this week and giving me the weekend as a chance to catch up and regroup.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Today was a good day at school. I have been trying so many new things this year with our available technology and my improved classroom set up.  When you do a lot of new, you're bound to have a lot of snags that go along with it.  Today, I decided to go with some tried and true activities.  They just so happened to also not need any technology to work. It was beautiful.  I finally felt like I was being effective.  Kids were having fun, they were verbalizing how much they were learning, and everything went off without a hitch. It was such a blessing to have a day where I went home feeling like I had done a really good job. Thank God for a good day! Lord, thank you for an encouraging day.  Help it to buoy me up for the weeks ahead.  In your name I pray, Amen.

I love playing the "Whatever you do, don't smile" game with my kids. I got to go to Dharia's parent-teacher conferences tonight, and I am amazed by my daughter.  I mean, I know how incredible she is.  But to hear others talk about it is truly a blessing. After not seeing her all day, I picked her up from grandma's house and caught her being "Lumiere" from beauty and the Beast.  With a corn dog.  And a popsicle.  She's so awesome. Anyway, I'm so thankful for my daughter, for her smile, and for the chance to bask in her glow tonight. Thank God for my corndog Lumiere! Lord, thank you for my daughter and for the wonderful heart she has.  Thank you for the way she brings joy to all those around her.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Things in our life may be crazy, but they are also fun.  Check out what happened after swimming tonight, when my kids are supposed to be all tired out: I'm so thankful that even when things are crazy, we know how to laugh and enjoy each other. Thank God for the crazy! Lord, thank you for the crazy times and helping us through them together.  In your name I pray, Amen.

I've been reading a really good book lately.  It's super nice to have something to look forward to.  Even at the end of a long day, I am excited to curl up in my pajamas with a pile of blankets and read.  It's wonderful to know that I am guaranteed a few moments of bliss. Thank God for a good book! Lord, thank you for the blessing of a few relaxing moments every day.  Thank you for the joy and comfort that books bring.  In your name I pray, Amen.

On the way home from Grand Rapids today, Colby and I stopped at an independent bookstore in Kalamazoo called the Bookbug. For two hours we were in heaven as we browsed the shelves full of childrens' and adult books and gifts.  We happily exchanged what we found and searched for favorite titles.  We giggled when we heard the other exclaim out loud from the other side of the store. Best of all, we left with some great Christmas gifts, excited to be supporting a local small business in the process. It was a great trip and I'm so thankful we got to experience it together. Thank God for the Bookbug! Lord, thank you for this great bookstore and for the chance to visit today.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Colby and I were out having a drink together at a bar in Grand Rapids when a stranger sat down kitty corner from us. He ordered lunch, Colby and I talked--it was all pretty standard. A couple of time, he punctuated our conversation with polite questions or comments.  Toward the end of our second round, he asked, "Are you two married?" We, of course, said yes.  Then he asked, "How long?  If you don't mind my asking." When we told him ten years, he was shocked.  He said, "You guys don't seem like you've been together for a long time.  You still seem like you're crazy about each other." It was such a nice thing to say.  I was so thankful for the way it made me feel. Thank God for a nice thing to say! Lord, thank you for a nice compliment.  Thank you, especially, for some time with my husband today.  In your name I pray, Amen.

The Western High School Theatre Arts program is putting on Beauty and the Beast, the musical, this weekend. Because I wasn't sure if or when I'd be able to go see it, I had taken the kids to see the dress rehearsal on Tuesday afternoon.  We could only stay for the first half before we had to leave for swimming lessons, but the kids enjoyed it more than I ever could have imagined. Throughout the rest of this week, I had them asking me if they could go back again. I have to admit, I loved it too, and I relished the thought of being able to support my students in this show that was so important in their lives. So when they got home last night, I scooped them up, piled them in the van, and took off for the high school.  We bought balcony tickets and watched the show--just my three kids and me.  I had AJ in my lab and Breslin and Dharia snuggled up close on either side of me.  It was heaven. At intermission, we ventured to the teachers' lounge, where we snacked ...

A couple of days ago in the teacher's lounge, one of my friends was making some coffee in the Keurig machine.  Now, since I am pretty much a total cheapskate, I don't ever use the Keurig machine because I don't buy the K-cups.  I made a comment about how good this particular brew had an amazing odor.  She responded that she enjoyed this "Mocha Swirl" flavor K-cup with a chocolate biscotti in the morning.  We went our separate ways, her with the amazing scent of mocha swirl lingering behind her, me choking down my cheap Folger's swill, complete with grounds.  Okay, it's not that bad, but it felt like it at the time. When I got to school today, I checked my mailbox.  In it I found a mocha swirl K-cup and a chocolate biscotti.  She even left a note that the biscotti was vegan friendly! I went back to my room and enjoyed my treat before any students came in and it was a wonderful way to begin my day. I am so thankful for this lovely and generous gest...

I have put off getting into the chiropractor for way too long.  It seems that the only time I get in is when my back or neck is so bad that I can't stand it anymore.  So, today, I told myself that if I got nothing else done during my prep hour, I would call and make an appointment for an adjustment. When I called, the receptionist informed me that there had been a cancellation this afternoon and that there was now a 3 pm massage available if I was interested. Ummmm...heck yes? So, I was able to leave school at a very reasonable time and get to an early afternoon massage and adjustment.  It was wonderful.  I feel so much better already.  I am so grateful that it worked out for me to get in today. Thank God for a massage! Lord, thank you for the ways you work every day, even in the small details like allowing me to get a massage.  Thank you for this treat and for the way my body feels better because of it.  In your name I pray, Amen.

After swim lessons tonight, the girls and I cuddled up in my bed to read some books. Then, we fell asleep all curled up together. I felt so lucky to feel their warm bodies snuggled up and against mind and to breathe in their sweet scents as I fell asleep. Thank God for cuddling! Lord, thank you for giving me this precious time with my girls tonight as we all fell sleep.  In your name I pray, Amen.

All three kids started swim lessons tonight through the Albion Aquacats program.  AJ was so excited to be a finally be a part of it all. I am thankful that my kids are able to be active through this intense, fun, and affordable program.  I am grateful and proud that even though they did a lot of sitting tonight, they were patient and kind as all of the kids were ability tested. I am very much looking forward to watching them progress as we move throughout the season. Thank God for swim lessons! Lord, thank you for an opportunity to have my kids involved in swimming.  In your name I pray, Amen.

A few weeks ago, we went to a Halloween party, hosted by teachers from Western who have a daughter in kindergarten.  Dharia has been friends with this little girls since she was only a few days old.  Until this year, they have spent almost every day together at daycare or preschool. Anyway, it was an awesome party, and tonight on Facebook, I got to see a couple of pictures that were reminders of the fun and merriment. One, in particular, was especially wonderful. I am so thankful to have a nice family picture of us to remember this day. Thank God for an unexpected family picture! Lord, thank you for reminding me of a fun day today.  Thank you for a fantastic picture of my awesome family.  In your name I pray, Amen.

It's been way too long since I've ridden my bike.  For some reason, I was convinced that I couldn't get in on the trainer because of that fact that my new wheels are smaller.  It's been too cold and wet to safely ride outside -- at least for me.   But, my darling husband was up to the task, and yesterday morning I was able to put in an hour and a half on the bike before heading out to MIS for the cross-country state meet. Even though it did not feel good to bike (it was embarrassing to be so out of shape), it did feel good to be back in the saddle.  I had been avoiding it so much and making so many excuses to not workout that I was beginning to wonder if I was really going to do this Ironman or not.  Yesterday was a good start and I'm proud of myself for getting back to it. Thank God for getting back in the saddle! Lord, thank you for helping me get a bike ride in today.  Please help me to be strong and make good decisions so that I can complete this ...

Today we were given an uncharacteristically long lunch during our professional development. Now, you have to see that, as teachers, we are used to a 25 minute lunch period. Today, we were given 90 minutes. A couple of ladies and I decided to take the opportunity to go out to lunch and it was absolutely lovely.  It is amazing how different life feels when you can take your time and enjoy your meal.  It's been a really long time since I've felt any kind of relaxed during a school day, but thanks to our lunch break, I was able to take a little bit of a breather.  I desperately needed that.  I think it was really good for me. I am grateful for the time and opportunity to go out to lunch, as well as for the phenomenal ladies who invited me to go with them. Thank God I went out to lunch! Lord, thanks for a great lunch and a chance to relax.  In your name I pray, Amen.