Tyner Tellings

Day 3- Magic Kingdom- Pcitures Cont.

2009-01-03T21:07:00.000-08:00

December 5- Magic Kingdom- Day 3

2009-01-03T20:28:00.000-08:00

We had planned 2 days in Magic Kingdom, so I thought it would be easier to concentrate on 2 areas and cover them thoroughly. So, we choose Fantasyland and Frontierland. But on our way around the castle to Fantasyland, we ran into the Fairy Godmother. She was so nice. Once in Fantasyland, Noah decided he was not interested in the "baby" rides so he and Chris went off to tackle the bigger rides.

We saw Ariel in her Grotto first and then moved onto Dumbo the Flying Elephant. We kept missing Mary Poppins, but were thrilled to see Pooh, Piglet and Tigger. Pooh was so sweet with Jonah. We did it all: It's a Small World, Peter Pan's Flight, Pooh's ride, Snow White's ride and the carousel. Jonah and Leah had a blast. It was so much fun seeing it all through their eyes. Grammy, Leah and Jonah rode the Tea cups. I did not want to push my Bonine so I passed. From there we went to Mickey's Toontown Fair. We stood in line for 45 minutes to see Princess Aurora, Cinderella, and Belle. Jonah was totally smitten, especially when they kissed him on the cheek, leaving lips. They were all so personable and took the time to visit with us. They were beautiful in their gowns. We got into another line and stood for another 30 minutes to go into Pixie Hollow. They sprinkled pixie dust on us so we would shrink. We saw Iradesa, Tinker Bell and Fawn. Tinker Bell was so excited she made my annual calendar and was honored to sign it. Fawn was extremely disappointed she was not in my calendar and pouted some. They were tons of fun.

From their we moved onto Frontierland. The Hall of Presidents was closed to add the newest president to the rest. I was a little disappointed. Noah would have loved it. I still remember how Abe Lincoln looked so real. Oh well, we will catch it the next time. Good excuse to go again. We headed to the Haunted Mansion. This was my favorite ride as a kid. Jonah was my partner for this and he begged to ride it again. This child is afraid of nothing. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was next on our list, but poor Jonah was 1/2 inch too short. Leah rode it with Aunt June and Jonah and I went to get ice cream. Leah also rode Splash Mountain with Aunt June and Jonah and I got us a spot for the parade. The parade started where we stood. It was a fabulous parade. There were a ton of characters. I am amazed at their costumes. Disney has some incredible seamstresses. After the parade, we continued on around. We road the Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise. Then we met up with the other half of our family that was arriving. My Aunt Libbie, Uncle Robert, Cousin Chad, Cousin Jeremy, his wife Karie and their boys Riley (age 11) and Brantley (age 7) from Oklahoma joined us. We rode the Magic Carpets and then the park was closing for A Very Merry Christmas Party. We found Noah and Chris who had been around the whole park about 5 times (Noah loved Space Mountain and rode it about 5 times). We ate dinner at my favorite, Chick-fil-A and called it an evening.

The exciting thing that happened this day was Aunt June riding Jungle Cruise with Kelly Ripa and her family. Of course the picture she took was blurry. I would have been excited too. Apparently, a bunch of stars were there that weekend for the taping of the yearly Christmas Parade shown on Christmas day. We heard Hannah Montana was there, but we didn't see her.

Hollywood Studios- Day 2- Pictures Cont.

2009-01-02T21:37:00.000-08:00

Hollywood Studios- December 4- Day 2

2009-01-02T21:03:00.000-08:00

We stayed in a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house with a covered pool and laundry room. It was off property and was about 15 minutes to Disney with a Chick-fil-A on the way. We split it with my mom and aunt. It was fabuous. I would highly recommend going that way if you have others you can split the cost with. We didn't really use the pool because it did cool down in the evenings and we were up early and home late after full days at the parks, but the kids thought it was super cool.

We went to Hollywood Studios for our second day. It was a Thursday and the crowds were a little larger than the day before at Animal Kingdom. We talked Leah into going on the Tower of Terror and promised her a trading pin. Noah wouldn't ride no matter what we promised. Chris, Leah and I loved it and she got an awesome pin with Mickey on the Tower of Terror. From there we went to Rock'n Roller Coaster. It was fabulous and Chris's favorite. Leah was too short, so she had to sit it out, but Noah had no problems going on this one. It was super cool, but you know you are too old for rides like this when you have to take 1-3 Bonine to make it through the day. I am officially too old. Thank God for the medicine so I can fake my youngness.

From there we split up. Noah and Chris headed off to do their thing and Grammy, Leah, Jonah, Aunt June and I headed to Playhouse Disney. So much fun. It was fun to watch Jonah interact and enjoy "his" Disney friends. We also enjoyed the High School Musical 3 parade and show, the Little Mermaid show, the Narnia video and the awesome action packed Lights, Camera Action show. Jonah fell asleep and slept through the whole thing. It was so loud, I am not sure how he did it.

We saw tons of charcters: Chip and Dale, Goofy and Pluto, Mike and Sulley, and Lightning McQueen and Mader and our FAVORITE Buzz and Woody. We had so much fun getting pictures with them and getting their autographs (except for Mike and Sulley; they don't do paperwork, and of course Lightning McQueen and Mader; as they are real vehicles).

The new ride at Hollywood Studios is Toy Story Mania. It is amazing!!! So much fun and worth the 45 minutes we waited in line. About halfway through the ride, it stops. We waited a few minutes and then they came and escorted us off the ride but they gave us fast passes to come back after they opened up again. It was a fun adventure to walk off a ride. We had never done that before.

Meantime, Chris and Noah saw the Indiana Jones show, and the Jedi training show (2 times) Noah was choosen to participate the 2nd time. Noah got to fight Darth Vader. He was thrilled. They also got to see the Green Army Men from Toy Story perform. They joined us for Buzz and Woody autographs, riding the Toy Story ride and the Lights, Camera Action show.

We ended our day with the AWESOME and FANTASTIC Fantasmic show. How genious of someone to think of using lights and water to entertain people. It was truly an amazing show with so much to see and so many characters, it gave me goosebumps and brought tears to my eyes. The kids also enjoyed the famous Mickey chocolate dipped ice cream bars. (Jonah didn't finish his, so I got to eat his, YUMMY)!

We planned two days at this park, so it was nice not to feel rushed as there are so many things to see and do and lots of things only happen at certain times so you do have to plan. We took food and water in with us. This really saved us a ton of money and time. The kids seemed to want to eat while we were waiting in line, so that really worked to our advantage. I am a big supporter of multi-taking so this thrilled me.

No one got lost and I don't recall any serious meltdowns, so all in all, a successful day.

December 3- Animal Kingdom Pictures Cont.

2009-01-01T15:24:00.000-08:00

Walt Disney World- Animal Kingdom- Day 1- December 3

2009-01-01T14:48:00.000-08:00

Thought I might as well start blogging our trip. I have all the pictures loaded, just need to make it to King Soopers to print them. We had a great time in Animal Kingdom. The weather was a tad cold that morning, but warmed up quickly.

We started our morning at 8:00 AM with a character breakfast with Donald, Mickey, Daisy and Goofy at the Tucker House. It was so much fun. The food was wonderful. I loved the Mickey waffles!

We rode all the big rides including the Kali River Rapids, Mt Everest and the Safari Ride. We loved them all. Noah's favorite was Mt. Everest. We saw tons of characters at Camp Minnie and Mickey. It was so much fun to see all the Christmas decorations and the characters in their holiday garb. We saw Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Turk, Coda, Pocahontas, Lilo, Stitch, Baloo, and King Louie.

My kids each had the Disney pins to trade and had so much fun trading. The adults enjoyed it too. It was when we were trading pins with a guy from Indonesia that our nightmare started. We had just gotten off of Kali River Rapids and were on our way to It's Tough to be a Bug. We stopped at a fork in the road to trade pins and continued left to the big tree. About half way to the tree I froze and said, where is Jonah? We all split up and started looking. Leah stayed with Aunt June, my mom headed for the lost child station and Chris, Noah and I headed back where we came from. I parked Noah at the fork in the road, talked to the guy from Indonesia and then headed back to the Kali River Rapids. I was SCARED!!! In my mind I had already planned Christmas without him and could picture him in a bathroom with his clothes being changed and his hair being cut. I have never been so grateful for his white spot in his hair. The security man we talked to was way too calm. I needed action. I was crying, praying, running and calling his name. I couldn't figure out why I couldn't hear him crying. Chris was as calm as a cucumber. It was only about 20 minutes, but it truly felt like an eternity. The security man informed us that they had found him and were bringing him to us. He was fine. Thank God!!! The disney folks brought him to us. He never did cry. They had given him a Donald pin and a finger toy. I am pretty sure it was I who needed the pin and toy. Apparently what happened was, when we went to the left at the fork, he went straight. I knew better than to not put a sticker with our information on him (being that he is 3 1/2) but thought it couldn't happen to us since we have 4 adults and 3 kids. It was a very humbling lesson. I am extremely thankful it was a happy ending.

Once that excitement was over, we were able to make it to the big tree. The bug show was by far my favorite. Disney does such a great job of bringing in all of your senses. Next we caught the parade. It was so much fun. Full of characters, music, great decorations etc. Jonah was up on Chris's shoulders and by the end of the parade had fallen asleep with his head on Chris's. When we pulled him off, he was drooling. We thought it was hysterical, Chris, not so much.

We missed the Nemo show and The Lion King show. Both of which I understand are awesome.

All in all, we had a great day and had lots of be thankful for. After we left Animal Kingdom, we headed for Chick-fil-A for dinner and to Walmart to get food and snacks. We found some great souvenirs at Target and Walmart too.

I will post more of our pictures and adventures in the days to come. Happy New Year!!!

Family Pics

2008-11-09T11:14:00.000-08:00

Brian Dawson took some great pics of my family last weekend. Here are a few of them. His camera broke (before we started the photo session) so he used my camera. I had been praying that God would help me be more content with my camera and that I could learn to take some great pics with it. I think my prayer has been answered. Now I just have to read the manual and figure out how Brian programmed it and get it ready for Disney. Thanks Brain!!! You are amazing.

Halloween 2008

2008-10-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

Wizard of Oz was the Tyner Theme for Halloween this year. Leah was Dorothy, Jonah was the Scarecrow and Noah was the Tin Man (although reluctantly). We had pictures taken at Target last week, but they are not back yet, so I took pictures on our way out to the kids school festival. Tomorrow will be a whirl wind of 3 school parties and trick or treating in the neighborhood. Noah and I always have as our goal to get every house. The weather looks looks like the best ever for us in CO and with the time change being after Halloween, I think we will make our goal with year. We are already planning Scooby Doo for next year. Chris-Fred, Amy-Daphane, Leah-Velma, Noah-Shaggy and Jonah-Scooby Doo. Jonah said Grammy could be the Mystery Machine. Always exciting times during Halloween at the Tyner household.

Amy's Sewing Adventures

2008-10-30T16:31:00.000-07:00

I took a sewing class with my mom this fall. I agreed because I love setting my table for the holidays. My thought was I will cut the fabric and she can sew the fabric. However, she had other ideas. Horror of Horrors, she made me sew my own tablerunner. I have sewn one other time in my adult life when we first moved to CO. Me and two of my good friends decided to take a "make a quilt in a day" class. I love choosing the fabrics. That is my favorite part. And although I loved taking the class with my friends and learned a lot, I didn't feel like adding sewing/quilt making to my hobbies at this time. I have collected a few quilt books over the years and someday, desire to make quilts, I haven't figured out when that will be. However, back to the tablerunner class. I was a fun class, I enjoyed doing it, but when my mom asked me if I would like to make more for gifts, I politely declined. It took me nine hours and although I feel a huge sense of accomplishment and very domestic, I will just enjoy my beautiful tablerunner. However, during this domestic process I did discover a machine I love. The serger. I surged the 12 tableclothes we use for our MOPS tables. That machine is amazing. So if you have an needs for a serger, I am your gal. However, my mom must be around to help me thread the thing.

1st MOPS Meeting in Frederick

2008-10-30T16:15:00.000-07:00

I thought you would enjoy seeing our awesome decorations from our first MOPS meeting. The theme this year is Adventures in Mothering. I have a terrific team who loves God and loves the moms He sends our way. This is our first year at our location in Frederick. We consistently have about 40ish moms and tons of kids. Our speakers have been fabulous. We have 3 meetings left this semester. I can't believe how fast it has gone. This next week one of my families good friends who is an awesome photographer is coming to give us Photo tips: Capturing the "mom"ents in life. Our second November meeting will have a party planner come to give us tips on having parties. And our last meeting in December will be a Candy Cane Brunch with lots of red and white decorations and ornaments for our moms to take home with the the story of the candy cane. Our wonderful Mentors will have a panel who will give us their Christmas traditions. Although leadership has not been without its challenges, seeing the fruits of His kingdom make it all worth it.

Day Out with Thomas

2008-10-30T16:05:00.000-07:00

Back in September we went to see Thomas in Golden, CO. We first saw Thomas in New England when Noah was 4 years old. We drove hours to see Thomas while vacationing in New England because Noah loved Thomas and we thought we would never have the opportunity to see him again. God has such a sense of humor. The next summer we had moved to CO and Thomas stops every fall in Golden, CO about 45 minutes from our house. We have been fortunate to visit Thomas many times over the past few years. This year was Jonah's year to be in love with Thomas. Noah (being 10) was not thrilled with going. But Dad was out of town so he went. Golden does a wonderful job hosting Thomas and their train station is full of fun and tons of history. Even though he probably wouldn't admit it, I think Noah had a good time. Jonah loved being there and Leah enjoyed herself too.

Next Generation of Sewers

2008-10-30T15:48:00.000-07:00

My mom has been taking Leah to a sewing class the past few months. The following are a collection of pictures of Leah with her creations. My mom is "Queen of Sewing". She can do anything with a sewing machine. She took 4 years of homemaking in school and is extremely talented. I can sew, but choose not to. Why should I? I have a wonderful seamstress out my backdoor. Therefore, Leah will be the next generation of seamstresses. Kudos to the two wonderful sewers in my life. I love you both and am impressed with what you can do. I would appreciate it if you would continue to hem my pants and sew my buttons on and whatever else I need done. Thanks!! The first picture is Leah with the pillow case she made. The next is with the sling bag (she made another one for a friend's b-day) she made and the last two are her with the placemat she made (it is reversable). They are in the process of making doll clothes for Leah's American Doll Nikki. Leah is learning it isn't as quick and easy as it looks. I am thankful she has my mom to teach her.

Monthly Highlights

2008-09-24T20:11:00.000-07:00

Ok, lots have happened in the past month. I will give you the bullet points and maybe someday post pictures and more details.

* spent approximately 10 hours in conflict management for MOPS leadership (Looooong story, but please pray for me as being a coordinator is much HARDER than I thought)
*Through it all I learned I have a wonderful family and terrific friends who love and support me and an awesome God who does not leave me
* had first MOPS meeting with 38 moms and 51 kids. It was a terrific meeting and I am blessed with a wonderful team (leadership is also very rewarding, thank God)
* I leave for Dallas, TX next Thursday-Sunday for the MOPS convention (I will also hit Sam Moon, Ikea, Half Price Bookstore etc.)
* had a root canal on a dead tooth (it was the highlight of my week that week), the front tooth that began turning dark 10 years ago, is finally white again
*Last Friday, I put my faithful companion, Angel (blonde cocker spaniel) to rest. It was one of the most horrible things I have ever had to do. I miss her terribly. She was 15 years old. Chris got her for me 13 years ago a few months into our marriage. She has been my shadow ever since.

I am looking forward to a better October.

*not to just focus on the difficult, I know I am a very blessed woman with many things to be thankful for.

Newfound Freedom

2008-08-22T09:36:00.000-07:00

Ever wait for something for what seems like forever with complete excitement and when it finally gets here, it is more bittersweet than you expected? I am sitting in Chick-fil-A enjoying my sweet tea and #3 Combo with bacon all by myself. I am enjoying my first 3 hours of kid free freedom for the first time in ten years. Noah and Leah started 5th and 2nd grade on Monday and today, Jonah started 3 year old preschool. I have truly dreamed of this day and all the awesome things I could accomplish in my treasured 3 hours, but now that I am there, I am kind of sad. It is VERY quiet. I am sitting in a new spot (opposite of the play area) and I am overwhelmed with my new found freedom. Is this what it is going to be like next year when Jonah is in 4 year old preschool 4 mornings a week, and then the next year when he goes off to Kindergarten? I know this is where we want our kids to be, gaining their independence from us, but what do we as moms do now? I guess I will start by praising God that I am a mom and that I have 3 beautiful, healthy children who love Him and life. I pray they continue on this cycle of gaining their independence and that God would bless me with the gift of letting them go and grow. I pray He would fill me with His presence as together, we begin this journey together.
*Chick-fil-A is a great hang out. They play the best praise music ever. I am already enjoying my time in His presense.

Miss CO 2008, Princess Leah

2008-07-25T15:36:00.000-07:00

I just recieved Leah's professional pictures of Miss CO. This is her second year in the Miss CO Princess Program. Last year we were paired with Maggie Ireland, Miss Littleton(thank you Britt Travis for hooking us up). Maggie is an amazing young woman whom we have had so much fun getting to know. Maggie ended up winning the title Miss CO 2007. So, we had to be there this year as Maggie gave up her title. She did a wonderful job representing CO this past year and we are very proud of her. You can learn more about Maggie and the Miss CO Princess Program here. Leah looked adorable and truly felt like a princess. We went and had her nails and toe nails done along with her hair fixed. A special thank you to Leah Dawson for letting us borrow her beautiful dress. We are also very proud to announce that our cousin, Rebecca Robinson was crowned Miss TX this year. check out her beautiful pictures and story here. Becca will do a fabulous job representing Texas this year and I can't wait to see her in the Miss America pageant

Long Time, No Type

2008-06-25T13:52:00.000-07:00

Ok, I am feeling the peer pressure to post. I do appreciate the urging and encouraging to get something out there. Thank you to my 6 devoted fans. I keep waiting for summer to slow down, but we are almost halfway through our summer and I still can't find time to do much besides cart kids her there and everywhere, work and play with kids. My projects list is still growing and so are my posts. So, for those of you who have asked, I will post a few pictures now and let you know I am alive. I will continue to keep my list of "things to post" handy and add to it daily and suprise you occasionally with words and pics. Here is a quick summary of what our summer has consisted of: the zoo(twice), Noah's camp at the Longmont Humane Society, Leah participating in the Miss CO pageant, movies, games, karate (even Jonah), working two days and watching 6 two other days, baseball 3 evenings a week (Noah), a day trip to Estes Park, a closet redo (great story) and various other activities. I currently have all 6 kids sleeping so that is why I am able to post. I am looking forward to a nice relaxing day at work tomorrow. And I am very excitied about my trip to Silverthorne this weekend for our MOPS steering retreat to plan the coming 2008-2009 year. I will post lots more on that someday. Enjoy the pics and know even if I am not typing or reading your blogs, you are in my thoughts and prayers. I love you!!! The pictures: Leah dressed up to go to a birthday tea party, Jonah at Karate, Noah playing catcher at baseball, and our trip to the zoo.

Blogemic

2008-06-01T20:27:00.000-07:00

I was told today by a good friend that I was a "blogemic- one who goes forever without doing blogs and then throws up tons of words and pictures at once". I can not argue with that and would say I very much resemble that quote. Therefore, I will be purging very soon our latest activities for the past 6 weeks. Stay tuned...

Spring Break Part 3 (The End)

2008-04-16T18:42:00.000-07:00

Jonah's Firetruck party was a hit not only for the kids, but the adults too. Our Firestation was so awesome. They let us do the whole party in the bay of the Firestation. The kids were able to climb on the outside of the truck and also sit in the drivers seat. I got some great pics. The firefighters did a great job showing us everything on the truck and also what it is used for. Then, one fireman put on all his gear (which they have 1 minute per item to get on) and show the kids his transformation from regular man to alien looking firefighter. The kids were able to go up to him with all his gear on and see that he was not scarey, but their friend. All that gear they wear weighs over 50 pounds and they have to wear it while driving the truck (I can't even drive my van when I have my coat on). Then, they had Chris put on the fireman gear. He looked great! I was wishing we could have had it for later that night when we were alone(just kidding). Now let me share with you what not to do for icing a cake. Anyone who has tried to make red icing knows how hard it is to obtain red color that is not pink looking. Therefore, to achieve the non-pink firetruck color we added 2 1/4 bottles of red Wilton coloring. The cakes looked great (except that they leaned to one side and looked like they had flats) however, adding too much icing makes the taste VERY BITTER. Needless to say my cakes (after pics) ended up in the trash. The kids enjoyed the ice cream cups and after we got home my uncle went to the grocery store and got us a cake. It was fabulous!!! My favorite part of Jonah's b-day week is the way his face lights up when you sing the Happy Birthday song to him. It is precious. My favorite story about Jonah right now is that when you ask him what his name is, he says, Jonah and the whale. Jonah being his first name and the whale being his middle name. We have watched the Veggie Tale Jonah and the whale DVD a few times.

Spring Break Part 2

2008-04-16T18:10:00.000-07:00

I had a few activities planned/prepared to keep the kids busy while I finished up tagging/taking and working the Consignment Sale. A few of the crafts I picked up at Michael's for cheap. They will come in hand for summer break too. Other things I found in magazines. One awesome activity was with the loops from back in our day of making pot holders. Well, they showed you how to make a jump rope. We are still working on it, but it is awesome. You can go to http://www.familyfun.com/ to find the instructions. Another activity was using marshmellows and toothpicks to make different formations. (very cheap project and the marshmellows for great snacks too). Along those same lines, was making formations with straws (also very cheap). And my kids favorite standby, playing with playdough. I had found some great recipes, but we still have so much of the store bought stuff I decided to save that for later. My aunt and uncle came in town from OK mid week. We made lots of trips to Target and just watched movies at home and at the new theatre down the street. The new theatre had a free day on the day before their grand opening. Everyone enjoyed seeing The Waterhorse. Then, the adult girls stayed and watched PS I love you. Also a great movie. On Friday, we met my aunt and uncle that live in CO at IHOP to celebrate Jonah's b-day and enjoy the Horton Hears a Who pancakes. They were yummy! Then my aunt and uncle from OK took Noah and Leah to see the movie Horton Hear a Who while the rest of us came home to clean, nap and finish getting things ready for Jonah's Firetruck party. I will post party pics and details in Spring Break Part 3.

Consignment Sale Total

2008-04-16T18:04:00.001-07:00

I got my Consignment Sale check today. I am thrilled to report I brought in over $770. 25% will go towards MOPS and my check was for a whopping $550. I think that will buy at least 2 Disneyworld tickets. With your check, you also get back the bottoms of the tags. I originally took over 600 items (tags) and I got back 225 tag bottoms (so I really only sold 1/3 of my stuff). The second day of the sale, items with pink tags go half price and then after the sale they get donated. As best I can estimate, I sold about equal both days and best of all, my garage is cleared.

Spring Break Part 1 Consignment Sale

2008-04-11T15:29:00.000-07:00

Colorado has Spring Break late compared to my friends back in Texas. Here, it is always the first week in April (always on poor Jonah's b-day). We didn't have anything huge planned, just a few projects and day trips. My aunt and uncle from OK were driving down and then at the end, we would celebrate Jonah's 3rd b-day. However, before I could officially relax and enjoy Spring Break, I had to price all my stuff for the MOPS Consignment Sale. I have never gotten rid of my baby stuff. But since we are now "medically done" I could see no reason to continue to hang onto everything baby. I really didn't wait until the last minute, but I ended up not finishing it all until the last minute. I priced over 600 items including maternity clothes, baby clothes (boy and girl), shoes, toys, and other misc. baby stuff. It took me all night (but once the kids were in bed it was sooo much easier). It was actually kind of fun remembering the kids wearing the clothes. I prayed for my kids and the blessings I have from them, prayed for those who had bought whatever item and prayed for those that would buy the items. My neighbor and best friend, Tori, also had some items to take, so she borrowed a trailer for us to haul it all. Thank goodness she did. It was the best feeling to get it all out of the garage (where it had been stored since Oct.) and then to clear it from my living room (where it had been for a week while I priced it all). This is the one big fundraiser our MOPS does. We really needed this to be a successful sale as next year with the opening of our new campus in Frederick, we will launch another MOPS program. I have agreed to be the coordinator. The Consignment Sale is HUGE with over 150 consigners. It takes loads of volunteers. MOPS receives 40% and the consigners receive 60%. Praise God, we made approximately $34,000. I look forward to seeing my personal total. I will keep you updated.

Noah's Field Trip to the Capitol

2008-04-11T15:16:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to be choosen to be the chaperone on Noah's 4th grade field trip. I didn't figure I would be choosen because they did a lottery and I never win anything. However, Noah told me that when his teacher was drawing, his classmates were chanting, "Mrs. Tyner", and my name was pulled. I LOVE going on field trips. I have already been told I am weird. Anyway, the trip was to the Colorado Capitol. I haven't been there since I was probably 18 (a long time ago). The trip was fabulous, (except for the weather, cold and rainy). It was very interesting and the kids were very well-behaved. I learned a lot and got some great pics. The building has been there over 100 years and is gorgeous inside. We got to go up to the dome (which is made of gold). Leah's field trip is next week and I am going. We are going to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Look for pics of her trip coming soon.

Easter

2008-04-11T14:59:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful and bizzare Easter we had this year. We did the Good Friday service at our church Friday evening and a few different community egg hunts on Saturday and then on Sunday we awoke to snow. We went to church for the 8:15 AM service and then came home to see what the Easter Bunny left. We took pictures in our Easter outfits and then had a silly string fight in the front yard (the Easter Bunny gave everyone some in their baskets). The silly string fight quickly turned into a snowball fight (which helped melt the snow). Then we went inside for our Easter lunch. After lunch we got ready for our own egg hunt in the front yard. The kids took turns hiding eggs and finding them for hours(the neighbors joined us). Then right before bedtime, we hid glow-in-the-dark eggs we had painted and the kids used flashlights to find them. WAY FUN!!! I have saved these eggs to use throughout the year for a fun activity. I plan on putting money and candy in the eggs as extra-incentive for those to find them.

Chick-Fil-A

2008-04-11T14:53:00.000-07:00

This is the very sweet colt we see on our drive to our church. We love this colt and named it Chick-Fil-A since it looks like the Chick-Fil-A cow. It is very fun to watch him grow a little more every day. I had been trying to take a picture of him for a few days and then, one day on my way home from work, he was sitting right by the fence. What a good boy!

Winter

2008-04-11T14:24:00.000-07:00

March 17, 2008- Sunday night it started snowing and Monday morning we awoke to a beautiful Winter Wonderland. This kind of snow is my favorite. The trees look so gorgeous, but the roads are completely clear. It reminds me of the movie Narnia, very magical, but no inconvenience for getting to work/school etc. We need the moisture, so this is one way to get it.

Back Again

2008-04-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

I know you are all shocked to hear from me again. Sorry for the very long hiatus, I am not sure where all the time went, but between my last blog and now, I have many subjects to cover. So, over the next few days I will attempt to post with pictures on the following Tyner activities: Winter Pics, Chick-fil-A colt, Easter, Spring Break, MOPS Consignment Sale, Noah Field Trip to the Capitol, and Jonah's 3rd B-Day.

Girl Scout Cookies

2008-03-04T21:58:00.000-08:00

Wow! This is our first year as a Brownie so this was our first year to experience Girl Scout Cookies. I have learned alot. 1) I have NO self control when it comes to Thin Mints; 2) I have NO self control when it comes to All Abouts; 3) I have NO self control when it comes to Samoas; 4) I don't like Tagalongs (thank goodness); and lastly, 5) selling cookies outside in CO can be VERY cold. The first weekend the girls sold cookies we sold at Walmart and the weather was good (windy not too cold) they sold 225 boxes of cookies; the next time, we sold at a grocery store and it was very snowy, windy and extremely COLD. The store was very nice and after an hour let the girls come inside the front of the store, the girls sold 58 boxes of cookies. Leah did very good her first year out and we thank all of you who supported her. She ended up selling 180 boxes.

Jonah

2008-03-04T21:47:00.001-08:00

Jonah has been wanting me to take pictures of him lately. So, I have some cute ones to share. It is easy to see that he keeps us entertained. Please keep him in your prayers. His poor angels work overtime keeping him from getting hurt. I call him my "ER" boy. We have fortunately only been in the ER once for staples in his head from a fall from a cart at Kohl's, but we probably could have been a 1/2 dozen times except that God protects our Jonah. God is good.

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-03-04T21:38:00.000-08:00

This was our Valentine's picture taken on Valentine's day. I thought it was too good a picture of the three of them not to post even though it is way past Valentine's. Sending our love from CO to you.

Father Daughter Dance

2008-03-04T20:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend Leah had a Girl Scout Father Daughter Dance. The theme was 50's 60's and 70's. Leah went as Jackie O from the 60's. Her Daddy got her a wrist coursage and she had her hair cut the day before. She looked and felt like a million bucks. I told her before she left to let her "date" open the door for her and treat her like a "princess". I told her "date" to treat her like a princess, so that when she started dating for real (when she is 30) that she would know how she should be treated (no pressure Dad). The dance started at 6:30 and was supposed to end at 9:00. I got the impression from Chris that they would probably be home early. So I was suprised when they didn't get home until 9:30. The report was they had a really good time. Leah said Daddy only stepped on her foot one time when they were learning the Waltz. Before they had left, I had heard the song from Steven Curtis Chapman, Cinderella. Talk about tear jerker. It was totally appropriate for this special evening. Make sure you have a box of Kleenex handy when listening.

Upward Basketball

2008-03-04T19:46:00.000-08:00

What a season this has been. Leah has practice on Mondays and Noah on Wednesdays. Leah's games are in the mornings on Saturdays and Noah's are in the afternoon. This week was our next to last practice and Saturday is our next to last game. I am amazed at how much my team and my children have improved. I love coaching Leah's team. It is so exciting to watch them play and actually do what you have taught them. It is doubly exciting to see them make their first basket. Leah is my athlete. She is short, but very fast. She is an awesome defensive player and very aggressive, but can surprise you with some amazing outside baskets. She amazed the crowd each week with her skills and abilities. Although I am looking forward to a break, I can't wait until next year to see what my team can do. Noah is athletic, he is not aggressive at all. He would rather pass the ball than shot it. He is an excellent coach and loves to shot plays and tell his team what they should be doing. His favorite thing is to "set a pick" for his team. He makes me laugh. Noah had a wonderful coach this year and has really learned a lot htis season. I am so thankful for Upward and the opportunity for my kids to experience this sport in such a positive and christian way. I encourage anyone to find an Upward program in their area for their kids next year.

Boys will be Boys

2008-02-19T17:31:00.000-08:00

Noah is going through an Army phase (at least I hope it is a phase). He loves army/war anything. I know it is partly because Chris's brother (Uncle Scott) just returned safely (thank God) from his tour in Iraq. We had an Army b-day party last year, Noah plays for hours in his room with those $.99 cent plastic army men, and plays war games on his PS2. So for his b-day, Chris picked up an official Iraq uniform (like Uncle Scott wore) in a kid size. He even had his brother get patches. It was wonderful to see his face when he opened his gift. To say he was thrilled is an understatement. It is his new favorite outfit and wants to wear it everyday. Uncle Scott even sent Noah his own 1st Cav patch. Noah wouldn't smile when I took the pics, he was in full army mode.

In addition to everything army, for Boy Scouts, we had to make a vehicle cake. Noah decided he wanted a tank cake. So, after looking online, I got a general idea of what to do and we went to work. Noah and I had a blast making it and it ended up looking way cool. We ended up winning first prize and brought $16.00 to Boy Scouts of America.

Mad Scientist B-Day Party

2008-02-19T17:12:00.000-08:00

For Noah's 10th b-day we had a Mad Scientist B-day party. It was one of the easiest parties I have done, least expensive and so much FUN! We invited all the boys in Noah's class (14) but only 7 were able to make it. It was a great number. Before the party I had gotten some science experiment books from our library. I picked 22 experiements and made a booklet for the boys to take home. Chris made me narrow that number to a smaller one for the actual party. I choose 8, some the boys did and some Chris (Dr. Einstein-Tynerhoff) demonstrated. The favorites were the ones that exploded (mentos in a 2L soda makes a gyser) and a fuji film canister with vinger and antacids). Besides the booklets for party favors I had sacks with extra stuff for them to do experiments at home (with parental supervision), pop rocks candy, magnifying glassess, and other weird candy (the Dollar Tree was an excellent resource). I did individual Volcano cakes (mini bundt cakes with a scoop of icecream on top and chocolate frosting (slightly heated) drizzled on top. They were a huge hit and very yummy! The boys and adults had a great time and even learned something.

My Little Princesses

2008-02-18T19:32:00.000-08:00

Jonah loves to play dress up. He has gone through a Spiderman phase, a Thomas the Tank Engine phase, a Darth Vader phase and his latest phase is princesses. He alternates between Snow White and Cinderella. The Snow White costume is really long, I think he looks more like one of the 7 dwarfs. It is hilarious. I found him a Cinderella costume that is much shorter and he can actually walk in it. He always makes sure his costume is complete with dress up shoes and crown. He also likes to include others in his dress up endevours. He loves for Leah to dress up with him and will always bring her the Sleeping Beauty dress, shoes and crown. I had to capture this on camera. He and Leah were more than happy to pose for pictures. Jonah kept looking over at Leah to see how she was standing so he could be just like her. It was precious. I got these costumes after Halloween for 90% off. Chris is so proud.

Like No Udder

2008-02-12T11:55:00.000-08:00

This is my first official post with pictures. It is also my first post with a card. This is a Cow Thank You card for my friends at Chick-fil-A Larkridge. In August we finally got a Chick-fil-A only 15 minutes from our house. It was almost better than Christmas. What is sad, it that on the day it opened, we were there for every meal. Six months later, we aren't in there 3 times a day, but we are in there at least 3 times a week. The staff know us (they even know how important sweet tea, light ice is to us). We are very serious about our love for Chick-fil-A. It started in Texas (where there is one on every corner). If you ask my kids what they want to eat, they say "Chick-fil-A". I am a proud mother breaking the cycle of past generations of McDonald's fast fooders. My kids were even Chick-fil-A cows for Halloween. Noah was a spy cow, Leah a cheerleading cow and Jonah the origianl Chick-fil-A cow. Anyway, back to the card, for my birthday, the sweet team at Chick-fil-A gave me an awesome gift. (a liscense plate frame, small plush cow and a few coupons). So this is my thank you note to them. On the inside it says "Moochas Gracias". It was made with a cloud stamp, black ink, a piece of scrap red ribbon and a gold bell. It took about 2 minutes to make. You could also make this card with "Thank Moo, I Love Moo, or Like No Udder". So, in summary, I encouarge everyone to find a Chick-fil-A close to you and enjoy!

Quirks

2008-02-04T21:26:00.000-08:00

I was tagged by Jenn for my first MEME.

Here are the rules:
(1) Link to the person that tagged you.
(2) Post the rules on your blog.
(3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
(4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs. (I tag Lisa, Amy #2, Beth, Kerri, & Brian.)
(5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

I think I have way too many quirks to limit it to 6, but I will try to do a top 6.

1. When I eat candy, I have to eat them in even increments, which can cause more problems than not.

2. Everything has to be done the night before for the next day, ie. lay kids/my clothes out, lunches made, back packs ready etc. Also, everything has to be picked up and put away before I go to sleep. Before we leave to go anywhere in the morning, all beds have to be made (and if we don't get to it before we leave for whatever reason, before I get into my bed at night, the bed must be made).

3. I am a sucker for a coupon or a sale. My kids know they have a better chance of getting something if mommy has a coupon or it is on clearance.

4. After I fold the laundry, I have to put it away. I have tried not doing it immediately, but I just can't do it.

5. I can't sit still, I usually have at least 3 projects going on at any given time. If I am watching a movie, I am cutting paper, writing cards and/or checking email etc. I am a multi-tasker to the extreme.

6. My kids (all three) are all born on the 1st of a month. They are dressed matching for all major holidays and most minor ones. For Halloween, their costumes are in the same category, ie. last year they were chick-fil-a cows and this year we are all ready for the Wizard of Oz. And I take tons of pictures to scrapbook someday. (I have even bought stickers and then taken the picture to match the stickers)

Blessed

2008-02-02T03:18:00.000-08:00

I am an extremely blessed woman. I turned 35 today. I received so many phone calls, cards and special gifts. It was a marvelous day. Thank you to all of you for making my day so special. I look forward to using all my special gifts. My cards are beautiful and your thoughtful words make me feel so loved. I truly enjoyed the phone messages or talking to those who caught me. Turning 35 today was a lot less painful than I thought it would be. I feel loved and treasured by so many.

The other reason I am so blessed on my birthday is because 10 years ago I received a pretty awesome gift, my oldest son, Noah. It is very special to share this day with him. It has been amazing to watch him grow and mature over the years. He has become such a fine young man. I am so proud of him and all his achievements. Sunday we will have a Mad Scientist Birthday Party. It should be a blast (no pun intended). In between now and then we need to test the experiments and make a volcano cake. I will attemp to post pictures next week.

Closing 2007, Opening 2008

2008-01-04T17:30:00.000-08:00

Last year for my birthday, I got a Franklin Planner, not the small compact one, but the large 8 1/2 by 11, so it could hold everything. I feel I am a fairly organized individual, but thought the FP could take me to the next level. I must admit, I love my FP. It does hold everything and is a great place to record anything/everything. I feel it is sort of scrapbooking, because it holds everything I have done in the year. I had a blast yesterday going back and reviewing my year. Here are a few of my accomplishments. I stamped over 500 cards, I mailed over 200 cards (not including the Christmas Telegram), I scrapbooked approximately 60 pages (really pathetic but only scrapped over two weekends this year), read over 30 books (including rereading the whole Harry Potter series), and between stamp camps and card selling, netted approximately $1500 (not bad for a "hobby"). It was really exciting to see what I had done over 2007 instead of feeling like all I ever do is laundry, dishes and kids stuff. I am looking forward to a new year and all the opportunites it holds. I think I will continue tracking all my stamp stuff, but I think I will add a few more, like movies watched(at the theater and at home, DVD's purchased, workouts etc. What can you track? Have fun! I promise I will learn more about blogging and get some pictures out soon. Thanks so everyone who left comments. It is so good to hear from you. I will be sure to learn how to add your blog address so I can keep up with you too. Happy 2008!!!

Presentation is Everything

2007-12-13T18:13:00.001-08:00

Although I feel I am a very detailed person, there are a few things I do not feel detail is important. This Christmas I am working on changing my views on gift wrap, lingerie, and cakes. These are the three areas I struggle with getting fancy and creative. My philosophy has always been it is going to be ripped apart, taken off, and eaten; so why go the extra mile. I was at Hobby Lobby today and found some really pretty and coordinating wrapping paper and it got me thinking, maybe presentation is everything. My goal this season and into the coming year will be to create beautiful packages to give to those I love, put on lingerie for my husband to enjoy, and decorate gorgeous cakes that everyone will want to devour. If you are like me, I offer this challenge to you as well.

From one blogger to another

2007-12-12T19:39:00.000-08:00

Ok, I finally did it. I am a blogger. Thanks to Lisa, Jenn and Amy for all your encouragement in getting me here.