hardie happenings...

Hardie Family Christmas Letter~2011

2011-12-12T10:57:00.000-08:00

Hello family and friends!
Here is just a quick update on the past year for us 3....

Kyle
~working at RBC (so thankful for a job!)
~writing columns for The Operative Word (departments' monthly newsletters)
~enjoyed being a part of EBC fishing league again this year, including a trip to Vermillion
~playing hockey recently, and hoping to do more in the coming year

Mel
~year off of teaching 1st grade to stay home with Miss T, and LOVING IT!!!
~teaching 16 piano students, 3 nights a week....God is so faithful!
~watching Miss E part time as well...so fun to watch her and T play together, and love having her in our home during the week
~been enjoying hobbies like reading, scrapbooking, sewing, and "getting crafty"

Miss T
~the love of our lives!
~walking, talking, so much fun!
~loves her "daddy time" when mommy is teaching piano
~knows who her little friends are and lights up when they come over to play
~lots of snuggles from the grandparents

The 3 of us
~enjoying watching Miss T experience so many "firsts" this year
~fun trips to the grandparents'
~camping at the North Shore with our small group (Miss T stayed with gma and gpa)
~Felicia is living with us and it is such a blessing to have her around. T loves the extra love and attention she gets from her aunty!
~EBC...still love attending, volunteering, and our small group

We have so much to be thankful for!

Praying that you enjoy Christmas with the ones you love,

and that 2012 is a year filled with joy!

1 year!!!

2011-11-22T18:06:00.000-08:00

Kyle here, I can't believe it's been a whole year since our sweet baby was born. It seems like the first few months were such a blur. Looking back, I'm so thankful for the good and bad times, because for every one difficult moment, there were two extraordinary moments with my family. I'm so excited to see what the next year holds for us.

Mel here. Wow...there is something unique about celebrating your baby's first birthday. So many of the challenges of birth and the newborn stage are fresh in your mind, which I think makes the celebration even more rewarding. Look where we have come from! :) And now to enter the toddler stage--wahoo! We are so thankful for the last year that we have shared with our sweet little babe, and all of the ways that she has changed and blessed our lives. We are also so thankful for all of you that have invested in her life already, and supported us as her parents. God is so faithful!

Here are a few things are 1-year-old is doing....

~walking, climbing stairs, into everything!

~saying a few "words", and siging a few as well

~gives hugs (so sweet--I love this!)

~spends lots of time "reading" her books...she will go to her nursery, pull books off of the shelf, and bring them to whoever's around and sit down in their lap to hear her story :)

~Can find her nose, and show that she is "1"

~DONE with ZANTAC--wahoo!

~Loves to eat, especially by herself :)

It is so exciting to watch her learn and grow, and we're excited to explore many more new things with her in this next year.

11 months

2011-10-23T11:32:00.000-07:00

Wow! Teigan has entered her last month as a baby....a lot of mixed emotions come with that realization. :) I have been working on her 1 year scrapbook and it is amazing to think of how much she has changed in just a few short months. We have been enjoying a lot of things this Fall, especially during the past few weeks of gorgeous weather! Here are a few updates for our almost 1 year old....
~taking steps/standing up on her own
~eating anything that she can put in her mouth
~playing with friends--she still enjoys being social, and gives HUGE smiles to people when they come through our front door...so sweet!
~signing please (with both hands if she wants food--ha!)
~her first tooth! YAY! (bottom, middle)
~first trip to the apple orchard; hayride, picking apples, picking pumpkins
~down to only 2 bottles each day (morning, and night)
~giggling/laughing, especially when she plays with Daddy....she loves being thrown up in the air by Daddy

"sooooooo big!" :)

Crafty...

2011-10-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

Staying home with my little babe has been a blessing for so many reasons. But another benefit has been getting "reaquainted" with my crafty side. :) I've always loved making things, sewing, scrapbooking, etc.... so it has become a fun challenge to see how much money I can save by re-using things, or making something instead of buying it. I almost always find it more fun to give a gift that I have made too--an extra element of love. :) Here are a few of my favs so far:

table runner (T thought the buttons were great!)
baby hats...thinkin' I need to make T one too! :)

t-shirt scarf w/ rose (thanks Jill!)

love these for the little guys

...have to admit...I've kept a few of these for my little babe's hair

10 months

2011-09-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

"Well, I suppose I can smile for one, but I will NOT look at the camera!"
" ...this is so lame mom..."

"...are we really still doing this picture thing?"

We are loving all of the new things T is learning and doing. She is so curious and intested in new things. She is definitely experimenting with standing independently and wanting to take steps, but she hasn't completely "gone for the gold" yet. :) She's eating a lot more finger foods (black beans, green beans, rice, cantalope, mango, cheerios) and loves making a mess at mealtime. We have also entered the stage of having her cry when we take something away that she wants, or hearing a whimper/whine if she wants something. We are bracing ourselves for the toddler stage, but are excited for all of the fun that comes with that stage as well.

9 months

2011-08-26T07:20:00.000-07:00

Well, this post is a few days late because it took me a while to get a decent picture of her. Sitting still for pictures is apparently WAY over rated. ;) This is just such a fun age...she is learning so much and growing so fast. One day she can't do something, the next day she can. What a miracle! A few things she is doing right now:

~turning the TV on/off

~walking behind her walker

~going "new" places (stores, library, etc....)

~playing with friends--it is so interesting to watch her play when other kiddos are around. Her personality just continues to grow :)

~She has started waving "bye-bye" and signing for milk/water...however, these 2 gestures are VERY similar, so sometimes it's hard to know which one she's doing

~first ear infection (BOO)

We're excited to experience this next month with her, and to watch her take in the world around her.

8 months

2011-07-23T19:18:00.001-07:00

Miss T is growing and changing more each day. Her personality keeps coming out more and more too...such a little ham. :) Here are a few things she has been doing this past month:

~crawling everywhere

~pulling herself up

~trying new foods

~ECFE class--she loves seeing new people and playing with the new toys

~new sounds and noises (many resemble spitting....oh dear!)

~She has been saying "da-da" for quite a while now, but has recently said it a few times actually TOO Kyle--yay!!!

~She is also starting to do the sign for milk when she wants her bottle

She's SO busy, and SO much fun! :)

Thanksgiving

2011-07-05T06:56:00.000-07:00

So I'm sure you're thinking that motherhood has really gotten to my head--we just celebrated the 4th of July, not Thanksgiving! Well, it may have gotten to my head :) but "Thanksgiving" describes a common theme popping up in my life right now. I've been reading and studying the discipline of gratitude with my small group girls in the book One Thousand Gifts. At first it was really hard for me to get into the book because the author is so gifted at writing poetically, and I am...well....not gifted in that way. I found myself having to read, and re-read things and becoming more frustrated than grateful. But with the help and accountability of my lovely sg ladies I've gotten into further chapters and it is truly changing how I see the daily happenings of my life.

Then, while enjoying some time up in Breezy this past weekend, out of the blue, someone mentions this great new book they've been reading about how to be thankful for all of the "little things". How doing this has helped them not to worry so much, and to really see the blessings in every sitaution. "What book?", someone asks....."One Thousand Gifts. Ha! There it is again!

This morning, I was writing down a memory verse for the "Siesta Sisters Memory Verse Challenge" that I'm doing with my mom (Beth Moore, Living Proof Ministries blog). Honestly, I've gotten a little behind in memorizing some of the longer/newer verses I chose so I was looking for an "easy one" this morning. Pathetic, I know, but that's for another time. :) I decided to post a verse that has become somewhat of an anthem for my life the past 5-6 years, Philippians 4:6-7. I started writing the verse from memory (yes, I'm sure it's against the rules to post a memory verse that you have already memorized--don't tell Beth!) "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." As I finished writing I thought I'd better double check my verse, just to be sure I quoted it correctly. Low and behold, I discovered that I had missed 2 very important words right in the middle of the verse. "...by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God..." No way! I have known this verse for years! I even knew that those 2 words were in there, but for some reason this morning I just skipped right over them. And yet they are really the heart of the whole verse. Whatever I am going through in life....big, small, happy, sad, scary, new, alone, together, exciting,....when I bring my requests about a situation to my Heavenly Father, I need to do it with THANKSGIVING. That is when the peace will come. Wow. So I guess I've gotten a few reminders that I need to keep working on this gratitude thing! :) I'm excited to see how it will continue to change my outlook, and to truly know how much I DO have to be thankful for. How 'bout you.... ;)

7 months

2011-06-25T15:25:00.000-07:00

Sitting up for her pictures--what a big girl!

We're already more than half done with Miss T's first year....wow! She is SO MUCH FUN! I am realizing how much I love this stage, and just how fast it will go. Here are a few things she has done in the past month...
~sitting independently

~rocking (almost crawling--yikes!)

~new sounds "dada, gaga, etc..."

~trying more new foods and liking them ALL :) (peaches and pears are the most recent)

~fake coughing (hilarious)

~"hamming" for the camera....pretty sure she's not going to be a shy one ;)

~getting into everything! We have moved all of our tables and shelves downstairs--bring on the baby gates!

~chewing on crushed ice--no teeth yet, but maybe coming?!?

~into "cat napping".....I'm trying to nip this in the bud with a new nap routine/schedule...prayers appreciated--ha!

~She also took in her first 2 Twin's games, even surviving one in the rain by sleeping under my poncho :)

There is so much more, but we are just loving her more each day. She is busy, energetic, full of joy, and we are so thankful to God for each day we get to spend with His precious blessing to us.

trying to crawl to the ball...so close!

Enjoying the Twin's Game on Father's Day in the RBC Suite

Tribute to Dads

2011-06-17T13:07:00.000-07:00

Well, motherhood is an interesting thing. Like feeling SO frustrated and SO in love with this little person all at the same time. Or the protective instinct that arises in different situations. Or the things I say and do, or FORGET to do now that she is vying for all of my attention and time. All of the laundry, hugs and kisses, boundary setting, picking up, rocking, etc... is an endless but TOTALLY GRATIFYING job. However, today I want to write about Dads....actually, a few specific Dads.

First, my hubby! He is such an incredible Dad! It blesses me to watch him love our daughter. To pray for her and with her, to take care of her and play with her in different ways that I do (which is SO good for her), to protect her, and teach her. I am so thankful for the ways that he has been an "involved Daddy" from day 1. Changing diapers, washing bottles, up for middle of the night feedings, doing her luandry, staying home with her so I can get out,...the list could go on and on. Kyle, I am so thankful that you are T's Daddy. Next, my Father-in-law, Dave. He has welcomed me into the family from the very beginning! He is so fun to watch as a Grandpa ;) He is generous with his time, gifts, and talents not just to Kyle and I, but to ANYONE! He is so willing to serve. I am thankful for the relationship he has with Kyle, and had when Kyle was growing up to mold and shape him into the husband and father that he is. I'm so blessed to Dave as father-in law.Finally, my Dad. How can I even put into words the way I feel about my Dad? He has seen me through the best and worst of times. He is such a godly influence on my life. Growing up, I knew I could go to him for anything, and still can. He is so wise, loving, and giving. He was "Dr. Dad", Mr. Fixit, Driver's Ed. helper, Youth Sponser at Youth Group, and always there to support me in sports, music, or whatever I was undertaking. I can tear up just thinking about how much I love him and am thankful for him in my life. I know that this life is so short, and things can change so fast, so I am thankful for each moment that I get to spend with my Dad.Whether you have your Dad with you or not, whether your Dad is a great dad or not-so-much, I pray that you have a "Dad" in your life that you can celebrate this weekend.

6 months

2011-05-29T10:59:00.001-07:00

We can't believe that our little baby is already 6 months old! It truly does happen as fast as people say it does. She is rolling all over the place, talking up a storm, recognizing people (and aware when she doesn't know people), grabbing everything (as I type this she's trying to put my shoe in her mouth--gross), eating new foods, and just smiling as much as ever! We love her so much! She also had her first "accident" this week. She fell off of a chair (actually, the red one that is in the picture below) and broke her fall with her head. Nice. She has a goose-egg, and a skinned knee, but otherwise is no worse for the wear. :) Praise the Lord! It is one of those moments where you praise God for his protection each day, even in the small things.

We can't wait to see what she learns to do in this next month, and how much she grows. We are looking forward to summer and more time spent with family and friends.

We are also very excited because Mel only has 2 weeks left of school, and then she will be taking the next year off of teaching to stay home with Teigan. She is adding 11 new piano students to her evenings, which we are very thankful for. It will be an adventure, and a leap of faith as far as finances go, but we are thankful for the chance for her to stay home with Teigan for at least the next year. We have been so blessed to have family and friends watching over her while Mel has been at work these past 3 months as well....if that's you....THANK YOU!!!

Mother's Day Musings...

2011-05-08T11:39:00.001-07:00

Well, I've always said that I learn a lot from the kiddos in my class, and this year is no different. We had been working very hard on our sweet Mother's Day projects this past week. Part of this project was for each kiddo to fill out a questionaire called "How Well Do I Know My Mom". Below I included a few of the questions and answers (in the kids' spelling, of course).
What is your mom's favorite outfit? ~Wading jrase (wedding dress) ~Comfy Pants
What do you wish she would wear more? ~White jres (dress) and a krwn ~Her blue shirt because it's fancy ~Shirts (ha!!!)
What is her favorite kind of music? ~Slow mochen, when she dances with my dad (I asked her to tell more more about this and she said that her parents had just put a bunch of "slow motion" songs on the iPod and the kids caught them dancing in the kitchen the other day--how sweet!)
What is your mom's biggest pet peeve? ~When I don't pick up my messes ~When Daddy forgets to take our the garbage ~High heels :)
What is her favorite TV show? ~Jary Spinger (Jerry Springer...WOW...) ~The Kissing Show (when I asked him to tell me more he said" it's the show where they kiss a lot and then at the end I think they get married"..I'm guess The Bachelor)
What does she like to do in her free time? ~Get a misogh (massage) ~Spend time with me ~Be alon ~Be lazy and wach TV ~Work on her school stuff
What is your mom's wish? ~To have a good family ~To be free (when I asked what this meant he said "on vacation without us kids") ~To not have so much work ~To have "a thousand bucks" ~To have more money ~To be skinny ~To be prettier ~To have a bigger house with a movie theater
So many of the responses were adorable and hilarious, but as we got toward the end about "mom's wish" I started thinking about just how much these little ones are picking up on. I'm sure none of their moms walk around intentionally saying "I wish I was skinnier, prettier, had more money, had a bigger house" etc... but kids catch onto those things so quickly. As I have entered into this crazy journey of parenthood, this made me think about what messages I am already sending to my little one. Does she sense that I love her Daddy? That I love her? That we have all we need and more? Or is she sensing that I want more clothes....wish I looked differently....or even that I worry too much instead of trusting the Lord. I guess time will tell (I'm already a little nervous for her Mother's Day card from 1st grade--ha!) I am so grateful for the example my Mom has set for me, and I'm just praying that I am already setting a good example for my little one....and that she will have grace and forgiveness on the days when I fall short. :)

5 months (and 1 week)

2011-04-30T11:45:00.000-07:00

Whoa! So I'm a bit behind on this post...sorry! We are just LOVING her more every day, and it is so fun to see all of the things she is observing, taking in, mimicking, etc... Her personality is becoming more evident with each day (even the stubbornness--hehe!). Some new things she is doing this month are:

~rolling from back to tummy BOTH ways

~squealing

~copying noises that people make

~whining....not crying or fussing, but truly whining...oh dear!

~eating more food--so far her favs are peas, green beans, and squash. When she eats she already wants to be in control of the spoon, which makes for a lot of messes, but it's so cute :)

~I think we FINALLY (dare I say) have this colic/acid reflux stuff more under control...she's eating like a champ, and her nights are MUCH better. She's even moved out of sleeping in her carseat at night to sleeping in her crib--YAY!

Here are a few favorite pics from the past month. We are so thankful to God for this blessing, and the things He continues to teach us about Himself through our journey as parents.

4 months (and 1 day)

2011-03-24T20:32:00.000-07:00

side sleeper, and folding my hands....so sweet!

YAY! I'm 4 months old!

Playtime with Daddy

tummy time

Spring Break....nice!

Well, better late than never, right? Yes, it's true...Little Miss T is already 4 months old. That's 1/3 of a year already!!! Wow.... She is getting more fun, and more loveable with each day.

A few things she's doing at 4 months:

~She loves taking all of her naps on her SIDE in her crib

~She is SOOOO close to laughing...I can't wait to hear it

~Sitting in the Bumbo has been new the past couple of weeks, but she definitely still needs a little help

~Blankets--she has really taken a liking to her taggy blankets, and the small blankets with the animal heads on them too...she'll even fall asleep when I'm rocking her with one of them tucked under her arm. SO CUTE!

~Tummy time is going slightly better...she can last a couple of minutes, and actually hold her head up high enough to see the world :)

~She's got the beat! She has been enjoying dancing in the kitchen and singing songs when we move her legs and arms to the beat of the music

~We've learned that she prefers to have her baths during the day right now...there is significantly less fussing when getting out of the warm tub when she's more awake and happy.

~I think she's gotten "longer"...her 4 month appointment is on Tuesday, so I guess we'll know officially

~I finished packing away all of her 0-3 month clothes and had to wash all of the next biggest sizes. Fun and sad at the same time....she'll be stylin' when Spring weather comes!

I could go on and on with all of the fun things she's doing, but I guess I'd better stop here. She has also started spending time with family and friends while Mommy and Daddy are at work. It's hard to leave her in the mornings, but we are SO BLESSED to have wonderful people caring for her and loving on her while we're away.

3 months

2011-02-22T07:06:00.000-08:00

Wow! Miss T is already 3 months old...times flies when you're havin' fun! :) Here are a few things she is doing at 3 months...

~She is talking a TON! She loves talking to Kyle the most, and she's also very talkative in the morning. Kyle is SURE she gets this from me--hehe

~Rattles and toys have started being GRABBED, although she does not enjoy when she hits herself in the face. ;)

~We have enjoyed reading lots of books together. Her favorites lately are the peek-a-boo books with their bright colors and fun words.

~She loves being diaperless and kicking her legs on the changing table. I'm pretty sure she could hang out almost all day that way! This has, of course, led to a few messes.

~Sleeping through the night--hooray!!! This is not always super consistent, but we'll take the sleep when we can get it!

~She is trying to figure out how to suck her thumb, but she still has a little ways to go. So far she just gets one, or both fists up to her mouth and licks them like a lollipop. She has only gotten just her thumb in her mouth once so far.

We are falling more in love with her every day! We're excited to see what the next month holds...

A Day in the Life...

2011-02-09T09:36:00.000-08:00

Well as the date for returning to work nears, I've been trying to soak in as many memories as I can with my sweet baby girl. Hopefully these will get me through the 3 1/2 months of the rest of the school year! Here are a few favorites:

~eating lunch with her~she sits in her bouncy seat on the island, and I can sit next to her on the stool and we have little lunch dates :)

~naptimes~this is a favorite for obvious reasons, but I just get a kick out of her when she sleeps! Her little grunts, the way her arms flail around when she gets out of her swaddling, how peaceful she looks,...it's so sweet! Today she even fell asleep laying next to me in her boppy holding my finger--my heart was so full!!!

~playtime~she loves things that make noise, and loves to smile! I especially love watching her play with her Daddy--it is so sweet the way she smiles at him!

~reading books~whether it's "reading" her favorite crinkly book, or reading Bible stories before bedtime, it is so fun to watch her look at books and listen to the way our voices sound when we read. I can already tell she's going to love reading!!! ;)

There are so many more moments that I enjoy throughout the day (and of course moments I don't enjoy too!) and I'm going to soak up every last minute with her before I head back to school.

All Smiles

2011-01-31T17:18:00.000-08:00

We've been enjoying doing just about anything goofy to get Teigan to smile! :) It's hard to catch it on camera because she always stares at the camera as soon as it comes out, but here are a few smiles that Kyle caught...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YxBRzp5aW0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozBlZLS0NhM

2 months

2011-01-26T16:14:00.001-08:00

We can hardly believe that our sweet little girl is already 2 months old! WOW! It's so true that the time flies by, and she is changing so fast. Here are a few of the things she loves to do at 2 months...

~look at lights
~have Daddy read to her
~bathtime
~swings and bouncy seats (this is definitely a new development over the past month--yay!)
~smiling, especially if you make funny faces at her
~kicking her legs and putting her hands by her face
~the music in her mobile
~having her feet massaged (just like her mom--hehe!)

There is so much more, but those are just a few highlights. We are still so very thankful for her, and the blessing of family and friends to support us.

It Takes A Village...

2011-01-03T06:06:00.001-08:00

Yes, I'm still alive! :) So it has been months since I've posted but never fear, I have some new revelations to share! Here 'goes...

So anyone reading this blog knows that we have welcomed a sweet baby girl into our family. Parenthood has rocked our worlds, and we are so thankful for all of the ways God is showing Himself ever-faithful as we embark on this journey. As the title of this post eludes to, we have seen His faithfulness so clearly through our amazing family and friends. Never before have we needed so much help, support, and prayer....and never before has God delivered like He has these past 6 weeks. We are so blessed! We've had family stay over to help, pray, friends bring groceries, come hold her so I can shower (yes!), pray, bring meals, bring clothes, pray, clean, do laundry, call or stop by for some company, pray.....you get the idea. It literally has taken the "village" of our family and friends to help us get started on this wonderful, but crazy new role as parents. Thank you is not even enough to begin covering the blessings you all have given us--we hope to be able to bless you all this much as we all continue to do life together.

Another revelation is how powerful God's Word, even His name is! So many nights in the first month especially I would find myself just saying certain verses over and over again...literally clinging to them...or just praying and saying His name over and over again. Even in the hardest hours He was there! It didn't always FEEL like it, but I can see it now. It is amazing how relevant God's Word is in the midst of trials. His Word proves true--He gave me peace and joy--He restores my soul! Thank you Lord!

Finally, I am beginning to understand more clearly and fully the love that God has for us. To give up His ONLY SON to save me from my sin? Wow! I cannot imagine giving my sweet baby up for anyone/anything....parenthood is definitely bringing a new viewpoint to the sacrifice that Jesus gave with His life. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son. So that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life." I know it's a familiar verse that we all know, but what a miracle! What a priceless gift! If you're reading this and not sure what I'm even talking about, or are curious about how you can have this peace and eternal life in Heaven, PLEASE call me or stop by. I would love to share with you! :)

Again, THANK YOU to those of you that have been "our village" the past 6 weeks. We love you all, and pray God's blessings on you in this new year.

**ps. for those still reading, I updated/added pics to our Latest Hardie Pics too :)

Family and Friends

2010-09-16T16:53:00.000-07:00

**warning** MORE sappiness to follow
(maybe I'm a bit hormonal right now?!?) :)

I have become increasingly aware at many points in the last several years about the importance of family and friends. This is one of the biggest blessings that I am thankful for so often; I am surrounded by a great circle of people that I love and care about, and who feel the same about me. I am especially thankful at this stage in our life to have this network of care. Here are a few reasons why...

~listeners! It can be so hard to find a good listener (I know that I am rarely one--need to work on that) but I am so thankful for friends and family that will just LISTEN on those days when you need to vent.

~manpower! Finishing our bathroom....bathroom/bedroom....basement has been quite the consuming task. We know, and thank God OFTEN for the support we've had from family and friends as we've stumbled through this journey. From "manpower", to donating time, resources, money, trucks, encouragement, to painting skills, .... the list goes on! We're closing in on our goal of having a "livable space", and every time I get overwhelmed (which is often, just ask Kyle!) I know that we wouldn't even BE at this place without the help and support of family and friends.

~advice! Entering into this new season of parenthood has been very exciting, and of course scary. Change has been a tad hard for me, so I am continually thankful for the wise advice of many godly women in my life.

~fun! I just LOVE spending time with family and friends. Building memories and relationships with the people I love is something I find so much joy in! I can look back on so many moments with various family and friends, and a big smile will just break out on my face. I love it!

My list could go on and on, but I will spare you more "sap". All this to say, I'm thankful for YOU! Whatever our relationship, know that it means a lot to me. I probably don't say it enough, but THANK YOU!!! Doing life wouldn't be the same without you in it. :)

A Good Reminder...

2010-09-03T07:36:00.000-07:00

**warning** a little sappiness coming up :)

We had our "Meet and Greet" night at school on Wednesday. This is a night for all of the students and families to come and meet their teacher, bring their school supplies, and check out the school. It's always a busy night with a whirlwind of activity for 90 minutes straight.

On this Meet and Greet night though I had a good reminder in the midst of the craziness. Several of my students and families from last year came back to my room to say hi and give me a hug. This has happened before, but for some reason it meant a bit more this time. Maybe it's because my class was so challenging, or maybe it's because I'm hoping I can still have an impact on my class this year even though I'll miss 1/3 of it on maternity leave, maybe a little of both.... For whatever reason, seeing them reminded me that this job is a special one. For all of it's difficulties, those moments of reward help you make it through. To have those kids rushing in to give me a hug, to have those families stop by and say "thank you" (a rare thing sometimes), was just the thing I needed to get me ready for the year ahead.

As I continued to meet most of the students in my class for the coming year, I noticed (as teachers do every year) the range of needs that will be gracing my door everyday. Some told me they didn't have money to buy school supplies, while some had parents with matching Cadillacs. Some have already exceeded standards several grade levels above mine, and some are still trying to master their letters and sounds. Some come from loving homes with lots of family around for support, and some come from home situations that are far less than ideal for a little kiddo. Some were very excited and social, others were withdrawn and nervous.

What I do know is that for 5 days a week, 40 weeks of the year, all of these kids need me to love them, to make them feel safe, to help them learn, and to teach them how to be a better person. I know I won't succeed at those things every day, but that image of my former students and families running in to see me gave me a boost of courage to take on another year. Our school's theme for the year is "It's Possible", and I'm sure it's no coincidence that one of my favorite verses popped into mind.... "Now to Him who is ABLE to do IMMEASURABLY MORE than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus..." Eph. 3:20 It's going to be a GREAT year! :)

Door County Vacation

2010-08-20T16:54:00.001-07:00

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A little more time off...

2010-07-27T13:01:00.001-07:00

As we head into August I am so thankful that there's still small glimpses of time off in the near future. Kyle has finished his last "regular class" for his MBA and has the whole month of August off before he starts his capstone class and project. I am so proud of him! He's been so diligent and perseverant through some really tough courses (and maybe a few boring ones too). I have 2 more weeks of summer school left, but then have a week free of school AND piano lessons. YEAH! And what will we do with all of our free time, you ask? Vacation, reading, work in the garden (some good harvests despite some weird weather), more work on the basement, and maybe even get started on the nursery! :) Life gets so busy, and I'm thankful that before we speed things up even more in the Fall that we'll have a little time for some R&R and getting things done around the house. I hope that you have a few moments like this coming up on your calendar too! :)

Celebrating at Houlihan's--yum!
From the garden to the dinner plate :)

Half way and loving it!

2010-07-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

We've passed the 20 week mark and are so thankful for how everything is going so far. Every appointment we've had has been positive, particularly with baby's heart and mine. I had my ECHO today and everything looks good. I was even told that I'm a "boring heart patient"--yay--and won't need any special treatment unless something drastic changes! Baby's ECHO is in 2 weeks and we're praying for more positive news regarding the development and functioning of the heart. Thanks for all of your prayers and support!

20 week picture :)

July Fun

2010-07-13T12:58:00.001-07:00

Well July has been going W-A-Y faster than I thought it would :/ but it's still been a lot of fun. Here's a peek at what we've been up to...

Check out the babe! We got our 18 week ultrasound....so cool! Boy or girl?!?!

We had my dad and our family friend come up and work with Kyle for 2 1/2 days on framing the basement. They worked hard and got a lot accomplished. My mom and I got TONS of stuff organized and kept the guys fed too ;)
Bonfires :) No picture for this one, but we FINALLY busted out our fire pit and enjoyed some S'mores last night in our backyard. It was great just to be outside, relaxing, and talking.

There have been many enjoyable moments already in July (reading good books, walking and catching up with friends, being with family, grilling, etc...) and I'm hoping the rest of the month holds more of the same! Hope you're enjoying your July!

So thankful

2010-07-06T07:29:00.001-07:00

I've been enjoying a slow morning after a great weekend, and reflecting on the many things I have to be thankful for.... freedom to worship our Creator! I am so guilty of taking this for granted--every weekend! I'm thankful for my wonderful family. We had such a wonderful time walking, eating, boating, talking, etc. over the 4th. I'm so thankful for the relationships we share. I'm thankful for a month off--definitely a HUGE perk of my job :) I'm thankful for Drs. and the healthcare we receive. We just had our ultrasound today and it was amazing to see the babe moving, it's little body forming, all of the healthy organs working away (even the heart!)...Praise the Lord! I hope you had an enjoyable weekend with whatever you were doing, and that you are able to take some time to reflect on what you're thankful for.

Vinegar :)

2010-06-25T15:10:00.000-07:00

OK, so I know I'm probably WAY behind on this, but we've been cleaning our tub/shower with vinegar lately and really like it. Then today, a friend told me about a website with 1,001 uses for vinegar--amazing! And it's so cheap! Just thought I'd share....enjoy :)
vinegar tips

More from the kids!

2010-04-20T19:15:00.001-07:00

This post has been long overdue...I've been writing down funny quotes from the kids on random scraps of paper, and I'm sure I've lost some along the way, but here are the few that I have left.

Giving a spelling test.....
Me: "hoof" I heard the horse's HOOF on the trail.
Student: "hoof"? Isn't that the sound you make when you sneeze?

I was reading the story Titanic to the kids (we got it at the book fair, but still a tragic story for 1st graders). We had gotten to the part where the boat was going down and all of the women and children got on the boats and the men stayed behind. This led into the following conversation....
Student 1:"Mrs. Hardie, isn't that kind of mean to make all of the boys stay on the boat?"
Me: "Well, it's something people call chivalry. When you're a guy, sometimes you let girls or people smaller than you get to safety first just because."
Student 2: "But ACTUALLY it's because boys are stronger and smarter and so that's why they stayed on the boat because they can swim better and they know more stuff than girls, right?"
Me: moment of silence....."let's see what ELSE this book will tell us about?" :)

One of my little ASD kiddos loves to learn new phrases and then say them over and over and over....this week his new phrase to say when he gets mad about ANYTHING is "That's an outlage!" (I'm pretty sure he means outRAGE--hehehe--but it's so cute!)

I overheard 2 little boys having this conversation on the carpet one morning.
Boy1: "Did you hear that Bretty Favre is a grandpa?"
Boy 2: "What? I don't get it..."
Boy 1: "You know....he's a grandpa. He has a grandkid."
Boy 2: What? You mean like BEFORE he played football?"

Today we read a great story, "When I Am Old With You", about a little boy and all of the things he likes to do with his grandpa. We were discussing the story when one of the kids asked a great question...
Student 1:"How will the boy and grandpa BOTH be old together?"
Student 2:" Well, the grandpa is probably about 46, and then when the boy gets to be 46 he will be old too and the grandpa will still be old."
46?!?!? Sesrously?!!?

These kids definitely keep me on my toes....8 more weeks!

Anniversary, year 2

2010-03-10T19:22:00.001-08:00

We celebrated our 2 YEAR ANNIVERSARY on Monday. Well, actually we celebrated all weekend by going out for dinner, a movie, trying new recipes, taking Monday off of work, watching our wedding video, and working on our "never ending puzzle" :) Here are a few snapshots of our weekend...and to all of you that continue to pray for us and help us grow as a couple, THANK YOU! We're excited to see what God has in store for the year ahead.

Out for dinner at Red Oak

Our free anniversary dessert--yum!

We tried a new recipe for chicken fried rice
We also tried a new quiche recipe for breakfast
Out for lunch at one of our favorite places....Chipotle!

Almost done with the puzzle....

Quotes from the kiddos

2010-03-02T19:22:00.001-08:00

Alas, the kids never let me down with their quirky comments. Here are a few highlights from the past couple weeks....

"Why do they call Dr. Seuss a Dr.? He doesn't help people feel better...."
(They don't miss a thing!)

I was having a conversation with a little girl who is both a piano student, and a student in my First Grade class while she was at her piano lesson.
Me: "I'll have to do that when I get to work tomorrow."
Student: "You don't work!"
Me: "What do you think I do at school all day?"
Student: "You don't work.....you teach!"
Well.....at least I have HER fooled!

While reading a book about George Washington (to celebrate Pres. Day), one of my students inquired.... "Man, he was born a long time ago...who was the FIRST person ever born?" Another student quickly replied, "Obviously God, and then Santa!"

Student:"What do you smell like?"
Me:"Is it my perfume?" (as I wave the scarf I was wearing in front of his nose.)
Student:"Yeah. I don't like it. It smells bad."

Just a few chuckles that keep me pluggin' through each day! :)

5 Day Challenge

2010-02-15T17:38:00.000-08:00

Our church has been pushing us to go deeper in our compassion and action through the Micah 6:8 Project. Micah 6:8 says "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

On Monday we began our (short) journey into living on less than $2 of food per day. To do this we decreased our portion sizes to 8 oz. (1 cup). We ate 3 meals a day of beans, rice, tortillas, lentils, or a few bits of fish or chicken, and tap water. We had many different thoughts during these few days. "This is harder than we thought it would be." "We are SO much more blessed that we realize." "We have so much variety available to us." "We've experienced this....now what? What can we do?" "At the end of these 5 days, we can go back to our grocery store or restaurants and eat 'like normal' again.....for most of the world, rice and beans is it." "I can't even eat these foods 'plain'. I've added brown sugar, or butter, or seasonings." There were many more thoughts and conversations throughout the week, but I guess one of my friends said it best... "Lord, break my heart for what breaks yours." I hope and pray that this doesn't end here. That my awareness leads to an action of some sort. What that is...I'm not exactly sure.......
It's an interesting challenge, and I would recommend it (to those physically able), for even just a day or two. :)

Valentine's Day through the eyes of my kiddos...

2010-02-12T15:05:00.000-08:00

Well, today was one of the rare moments where I was able to step back a little bit and observe my kiddos as they celebrated Valentine's Day together. First, we wrote about what "love" means to us. Here are a few things they wrote...
LOVE IS...

considerate of others
letting go of your anger
family and friends, hugs and kisses
not hurting your animals
colorless (yes, one of them came up with that on their own!)
giving presents to people and being nice

Another cute moment today was during Math. I had given the kids each a box of "sweethearts" to sort and graph. I was just walking around the kids letting them do their own thing when I overheard them whispering...

"These hearts are inappropriate for school!"
"Yeah, this one says 'FIRST KISS'!"
"Oh yeah?!? Well, mine says 'HEY BABY'!"

hehe--I guess the kids are still innocent about some things ;)

Kid Stories

2010-01-14T16:34:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been a rough couple of weeks, but there are always a few moments that keep you laughing, and keep you going. Here are three from this week...

A group of students were reading a book about an opera singer getting kidnapped. It was a tricky book for them, so I wanted to stop part way through and check their understanding. As we paused, I asked someone to summarize what had happened in the story so far, and one little girl stated (in a very frantic, concerned voice)..."Mrs. Hardie, they kidnapped OPRAH!!!" HA! Guess we need to do a little lesson on the differences between opera and Oprah.

We were working on writing what OUR dreams were for the world, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. One little sweetheart's dream was.... "My dream is for everyone to be treated nice, no matter what color their shirts or their skins are." hehe--too cute ;)

Also this week, a co-worker of mine knew I needed a laugh so she came into my room one morning and told me the following story.... One of her little girls came into her First Grade room wearing a beautiful, pink velvety sweatsuit. She was watching this little girl unload her backpack, and as she bent over, the pants slid down to reveal a THONG! Seriously?!!?? She's 7!!!!! Do they even make them in that size???

I'll keep you posted as more stories come... ;)

Florida with the fam

2010-01-02T19:18:00.001-08:00

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Quotes from the kiddos...

2009-11-24T19:36:00.000-08:00

WOW! It has been a LONG time since I've posted! I didn't even realize it....yikes! As stated at the beginning of the school year, this year has maybe been a little more intense than funny, but there are always a few laughs that sneak into each day. Here are a few from our field trip on Friday...

1. The kids were supposed to get dressed up, and one of my little kiddos came in strutting his stuff right away. He marched right up to me and said "Look at my handsome shoes!"

2. On the bus ride I put my sunglasses on (both for the sun AND to escape into my own little world away from the chaos) and one little boy said "Mrs. Hardie! You look stylish in your sunglasses!"

3. Talking about the play on the way home...."That princess was adorable!"

4. Tattling on a little boy: "Mrs. Hardie....he keeps talking about his peanut!" (Seriously?!?!)

We learn a new "Way Cool Word" every week to increase authentic vocabulary instruction, and are always trying to get the kids to use them (correctly!). Here were some of the sentences the kids used with our Way Cool Words while on the field trip....
"There is a commotion in the play!" (the actors were running around into the audience)
"How long 'til we're there?" "Is it innumerable minutes?"
"Mrs. Hardie, the play was similar to the books we read!"
(So proud of my little kiddos for learning, and using their new words!)

Just a few, but hopefully it gives you a little chuckle!

Fall Fun

2009-10-11T14:49:00.001-07:00

We've been enjoying our favorite season to the MAX this weekend...football, baseball playoffs, and hockey included. :) Here are a few pics of some other "Fall fun" we had this weekend...

Carving pumpkins
Eating roasted pumpkin seeds...YUM!
Getting our garden and yard ready for winter (yes, it's coming....)

We finished up our hard work with a bonfire, S'mores, and apple cider! We hope you're taking some time to enjoy your favorite Fall traditions too!

So You Think You Can Dance

2009-10-10T19:15:00.001-07:00

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Hmm....

2009-09-23T15:47:00.000-07:00

Well, if this story is any indication for how my kids feel about me, I'm in trouble. We finally finished up our VERY stimulating lessons on Bus Safety (seriously, the most DRY lessons ever, but I DID try to beef them up a bit). They were finishing up a thrilling dot-to-dot bus picture, and one of my kiddos was adding many details to his pictures. Conversation that followed between me and student:

Me:"Hey, I see that you added your bus number to your picture. Way to go!"
Student:"Yeah! Do you see the stop sign?"
"Yup."
"Do you see Kelly?" (friend that rides his bus)
"Yes, right there."
"Do you see the busdriver?"
"Yeah, but where's Mrs. Hardie in your picture?"
"Right here..." points to the person he's drawing right in the front of the bus in the danger zone, about to get run over--HA!

Overall, things get a little better everyday, and I just keep praying for joy, love, and patience as we ALL try to survive the chaos that is our class :)

One week down...

2009-09-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

It's funny how after one week of working with these little kiddos, I can learn so much about them, and about how the year is going to look. Overall assessment.....it's going to be a doozy. I suppose I should have been more prepared for this, considering it's been a couple years since I've had "one of those classes". However, in spite of the difficult first week, there were a few moments of laughter mixed in. Here are a few of my favorite quotes....

At the end of the first day, the kids and I were sitting on the carpet talking about how we felt the day went. One kiddo (who has already turned out to be quite dramatic) just looks at me and says, "I'm depressed! Wanna' know why?...." To this, I responded "Nope." ;)

There's a picture of Kyle and I from our wedding as my desktop background. I closed out of the file we were working on, so the picture popped up. The responses just starting flooding the room..."You're married?!?!" "Is that your wife?" "You're white!"

One of the things they're most excited about in First Grade is having their very own desk. No more tables, or sharing space, they have a spot that's all theirs. They of course are obsessed with looking in their desks, playing with what's in their desks, and really just opening and shutting them over, and over, and over.......On Friday, I was trying to bring home the point that we can't all be opening and shutting our desks while others are talking because it's distracting and LOUD. To which one little smarty replies "Well, I guess you just need to get some oil then." Wow....

Here's hoping next week is an improvement :)

It's almost here.....

2009-08-27T04:52:00.001-07:00

Oh man! I've been working in my new classroom off and on for the past 3 weeks, and can't believe that it's already time to do this again! As I've been sorting through things from my kiddos last year, I've found a few precious notes and pictures that are good motivators. :) However, yesterday I stumbled upon a quote from one of my kiddos from the beginning of the school year. He simply said, "Did my mom sign me up for this?" HA! And there in lies the task I, and countless other teachers, are embarking upon. In my one room, in my group of 25+ students, I'll have the kiddos that leave me notes and pictures and want nothing more than to come to school and learn everyday.....AND the kids who truly believe their parents have just signed them up for a boring activity that they don't want to do. I guess that is part of what makes teaching so exciting, challenging, frustrating, and rewarding....figuring out how to get all those kiddos to learn something by the end of the year, and maybe even enjoy school! As promised last year at this time, I'll keep you posted on the many stories that these kids always provide. Here's hoping for a great year ahead!

Vacation at Lake Vermilion

2009-08-19T16:44:00.001-07:00

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Wascally Wabbit!

2009-07-29T06:49:00.000-07:00

Well, it finally happened. I woke up this morning to find a rabbit munching on our garden! To make it even worse, it chewed off the only bean plant that grew from the first planting. Go figure! Guess it's time for a fence. :)
We did have our first "harvest" which was fun....we're hoping for lots of tomatoes and peppers in the near future. :) I put a few other shots of the garden on the "Latest Hardie Pics" link, so check 'em out!

Perfect Summer Weekend

2009-07-20T12:40:00.001-07:00

I LOVE SUMMER!
We started the weekend with a Friday night wedding.
Saturday Kyle went fishing, I sang at church, and came home to dinner cooked and candle's lit! :) Then we decided to explore a new ice cream shop we heard about....The cone in the picture is a KID'S SIZE! $3---I think Nelson's Ice Cream changed my life--ha!
Then Sunday was church, and a birthday party at Como with friends, food, and a fierce game of kickball.
I hope you're enjoying summer....don't let it slide by too fast!

July 4th Fun

2009-07-06T13:40:00.000-07:00

What a great way to celebrate! We had fun with family and friends all weekend...here are a few pictures, but check our Shutterfly link on the side for the rest. (They're at the end of the "Memories from '09" album)We were the losers of the first night of Lawn Golf...but we still had fun! :)

Gina and I, working on breakfast

Andrew, Daniel, and Aaron trying out our cool 3D firework glasses!
Enjoying the fireworks from the Hardie's backyard, by the campfire

New Pictures

2009-06-15T12:25:00.000-07:00

Hey all! We've updated our Shutterfly site with the latest pictures of the outside of the house for those of you that haven't made it out to visit us yet. Yes, we finally have grass--woohoo! Just click on the "Latest Hardie Photos" link, and the pictures are at the end of the "Memories from '09" album. Remember, we'd love to have you over ANY TIME! :)

Kid Stories...they just keep coming!

2009-05-22T19:21:00.000-07:00

Quick disclaimer that I was not present for 2 of these stories, but I just had to share them. These kids sure to keep you on your toes!

Because I teach such little people :) I often get tapped in "the wrong spot". I was monitoring my students in the lunch room when I felt a little finger tapping me on the butt, yes right on my navy capris. I turn around to see what the little guy wanted and he holds up his ORANGE hands and shrieks "Did you know that Cheetos are the messiest food in the world?" Glance down at my rear end....Yes. They ARE the messiest food.

2 of my little ELL guys were reading with another teacher, and she was timing one on reading a story. The other little guy saw this as an opportunity to get a drink of water, which he proceeded to spill EVERYWHERE and his clothes were SOAKED--it looked like he had taken a shower! :) By now, this teacher is getting frustrated and told him to sit down, at which point he missed his chair! Now the other student bursts out laughing. The teacher, at her wits end says, "Have you two ever heard of 'Laurel and Hardy'?". They both got very serious, and the first little boy said "Yes, we know Mrs. Hardie". The other stammered "but...but....we do NOT know Laurel". hehe ;)

**Disclaimer**This does not involve my students, but it's hilarious! The same teacher mentioned above was working with a group of Kindergartners. She was introducing a new story by saying "Today we're going to read a new book called 'Yes She Did'". To which one student's immediate response was "Oh no she didn't!"

Walk of Shame....continued....

2009-05-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

Man! We cannot seem to catch a break with our neighbors. First, we believe the "staring neighbors" (mentioned in Walk of Shame part 1) have moved out. There has been new activity over the past week in their home, and it looks as if new people have moved in. Sad....we will never reconcile that event and will always be "those weird neighbors that got stuck in front of their mailbox...twice". Well, in an attempt to forget the past and move on, we decided to walk over to another neighbor's house, 2 doors down from us. All we know about her so far is that she has 2 very big dogs. I had been baking cookies for Kyle's work treats, so we decided to pull out a few good cookies, put them on a cute plate, and walk them over to her house on our way by (we were going to take a walk anyways and enjoy the nice weather.) We knew she was home because we had seen her with another woman and dog in the back yard about 20 minutes earlier. So, off we go on our merry way! We get up to the door and notice that she has the same doormat--so fun! We ring the doorbell, and hear the dogs--eager anticipation of new neighborhood relationships flood my mind....and then....she comes to the door laughing kind of awkwardly.
"Hi! We're your neighbors from 2 doors down".
"um (chuckle)....I'm just a friend...from far away(laughing)....in Chaska...."
"Oh! Well nice to meet you. We just brought over some cookies for her".
Enter--NEIGHBOR WOMAN IN TOWEL!!! WHAT?!?!?
She starts talking to us from the top of the stairs (still DRIPPING wet and IN HER TOWEL), and her friend just keeps standing in front of us laughing very loudly and awkwardly, the 3 dogs barking at us like crazy. Oh dear! We got her name, shoved the cookies into her friend's hands, and went on our way. Seriously?!?! Not sure how this neighbor relationship is going to continue. But alas, we will not be discouraged. I wonder what interesting neighbors we will meet next.....perhaps the little boy that I caught staring at us through our BACK BASEMENT WINDOW! I'll keep you posted. :)

Kid Stories, Part 3

2009-04-05T08:45:00.001-07:00

Well, I've been saving up a few precious quotes from my students, and I thought it was time to share. Who couldn't use a laugh on a COLD, SNOWY APRIL DAY?!?!?

I was testing one of my students on his Math. This is a timed test, so sometimes they feel a little pressure and have a hard time getting their numbers out. This little guy was having a little trouble with the test, and all of the sudden he stopped and shouted "Come on brain! THINK!"

I also have a little guy who's pants....well.....they never seem to be able to stay up (refer back to "plumber's crack" in earlier kid stories). We were having our Morning Meeting and he blurts (picture a sweet Spanish accent with a little lisp), "Mrs. Hardie! I need a seatbelt! My pants keep falling down!" We didn't have a "seatbelt" to offer him, so he spent the rest of the day with First Aid Gauze as his belt! Maybe this will become a new fashion statement in my room. Oh dear....

There are many students in my class that speak dual languages because I am the ELL cluster. Apparently, they pick up more than I realize because as one of my Spanish speakers was heading out the door at the end of the day, his farewell was "Bonjour Madmoiselle!". Seriously? :)

About a week ago, we had been reading stories about Earth Day, Arbor Day, recycling, etc... Each day during Reading, the kids have time to write their responses to various questions that are posed. Because they'd been learning all about how to help the Earth, the question for that day was tying together all that they'd read from the stories to come up with an idea for how THEY would help the Earth. Apparently, one student had been reading some different stories on her own, because her response was.... "I would not shoot the animals. Then they will die and become extinct." No worries, she definitely had a picture to match, shotgun and all!

As always, there are many more stories and moments throughout the day where I just have to laugh at these kiddos. However, some of them are not appropriate for posting, and others, well, you just have to be there. :) Hope this gave you a good laugh, and here's hoping that Spring is just around the corner!

Help!

2009-03-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

I was checking Ginna Hardie's blog (linked up on the side) and saw something alarming. President Obama has a plan to rescind the Conscience Clause. If he overturns this decision, pro-life doctors, nurses, etc. will all be required by law to participate in abortion procedures even though it completely violates their beliefs. You can go to her site to read more details and sign the petition, OR if this info is enough for you to sign the petition now, I have the link below also. This announcement was made March 6, and there was 30 days given to speak out about this, so time is running out...

http://beheardproject.com

Thanks everyone!

Our First Anniversary...

2009-03-08T17:04:00.001-07:00

One year has gone by already....wow! We spent the weekend together reminiscing about our wedding day, and the many things that this past year has brought. Kyle surprised me and took me to The St. Paul Hotel on Saturday night. When we arrived in our room there was another surprise awaiting me.....sparkling cider and chocolate covered strawberries! We walked around St. Paul, and tried to find a Caribou, but no luck! We of COURSE had to stop at the XCel Center and see Herb Brooks.....Herb was excited that we made it through our first year too! :)
After walking through downtown for a while we headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. Kyle had gotten us reservations at The St. Paul Grill where we shared a delicious meal, followed by cards and presents we had gotten for one another. We also enjoyed the CABLE in our hotel room and were able to watch part of the Wild game and "John and Kate + 8" :) Sunday morning we ate breakfast at the M St. Cafe--the BEST french toast I have ever had! When we got home we watched our wedding video and looked through our pictures.
It was such a great weekend!!! Life tends to get so busy and we truly enjoyed reflecting on the past year, praying for the year ahead, and just being together. We feel so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends that supported us not only on our wedding day, but also through our first year.

Favorite memories of the year:
Wedding/Honeymoon
Our first apartment
Our first house
Celebrating holidays with family and friends
Kyle getting accepted into and starting his MBA at Bethel
Summer--Breezy, Branson, Duluth, and the Priola cabin
Recording our worship and Christmas CD's with Heart Song/3Pete
Joining our small group at EBC, and singing there
Fishing!!! (My 39 1/2 inch muskie!)

Here's to a new year full of adventures and memories....enjoy the journey!

Kyle saves the day...

2009-02-22T18:12:00.000-08:00

...or at least the sink! :) I was getting ready for work and dropped the little plastic top of my hair product bottle in the sink. It was one of those "slow-motion" moments where I knew it was going to go down the drain, but I couldn't react fast enough to stop it. Kyle took the project on like a man, head lamp and all! He took apart the drain pipe, and with the flashlight and some tweezers he managed to get the piece unstuck from the drain. Way to go!

Walk of Shame

2009-02-01T08:55:00.000-08:00

So about a week ago, I was driving home and decided that I should stop and get the mail since Kyle was gone. For those of you that haven't seen it yet, our mailbox is 1 of 4, across the street and to the left of our house. It is also right in front of a set of townhouse windows that are also across the street. It was another snowy/slushy/cold night so I wanted to simply drive up to the mailbox, roll down the window, and grab the mail. As I pull up to the mailboxes my car starts skidding and gets sucked directly into the snowbank (thank you snowplows!) in front of my mailbox. I try to drive our forwards, backwards, sideways--ARGH! Nothing is working, and we haven't met any neighbors yet so OF COURSE it doesn't occur to ANY of them driving by in their big trucks to stop and help me ;) I proceed to climb out of the PASSENGER side of my car and walk the block to my house to call Triple A. EMBARASSING! About an hour later, the tow truck guy comes with lights flashing and horns beeping to pull me out...this is where the "walk of shame" goes to a whole new level because of COURSE the neighbors decide "hey! Let's stare at this goofball who got her car stuck in front of her own house!" How embarassing! He finally gets me out, and even though it's dark I'm pretty sure the neighbors can see my red cheeks glowing from across the way....oh brother. Needless to say I did NOT get the mail that night.

The NEXT NIGHT, I'm in the kitchen making dinner when I get a phone call from Kyle. He says, "You'll never guess what I did..." "What?" "Look out the window..." I race to the kitchen window only to see Kyle's car stuck in the EXACT SAME SPOT! Are you serious? So of course, same thing happens again....neighbors drive by, no one stops, call Triple A.....tow truck comes--SAME GUY! He says "Dude, I had to pull someone out here yesterday too." Kyle's response was, "Really? No way!" ;) Again, SAME NEIGHBORS staring out the window (pretty sure this will be the talk of the neighborhood BBQ--if we get invited!) Kyle didn't get the mail that night either--HA! Now every night it's a joke to see who has to get the mail because you never know when we'll have to do the "walk of shame" again.....HURRY SPRING!!!! :)

Ice Fest Fun

2009-01-16T06:02:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we loaded up the Avalanche (and by "we" I mean my dad!) and headed up to Breezy Point for Ice Fest. The guys went snowmobiling ALL day on Saturday, and had a blast! Thankfully everyone stayed safe! :)

The girls were planning on going snow-shoeing, but with the below-zero windchill we decided that coffee shops, talking, and shopping sounded like a lot more fun! We met the guys for lunch at the Marina--YUM!! Kyle and I finished up Ice Fest by ice fishing. This was definitely not the "roughin' it" ice fishing....we got to use an ice house with a little gas fireplace/heater, 4 holes that were already dug out for us, AND Kyle baited my hook for me! We fished for 2 1/2 hours, but the only luck we had was the Rock Bass that I caught. Maybe next year..... Thanks for all of the fun Hardies! :)

Christmas '08

2008-12-30T06:58:00.000-08:00

I was taking a peek at everyone's blogs and saw all of the fun Christmas pictures, traditions, and updates so I thought I'd better join in the fun! We had Christmas with just the two of us first and exchanged a few small presents. My favorite was an exercise ball! Funny....first Christmas as a married woman, and I'm getting exercise equipment...hmmm...(Although Kyle frequently reminds me that I asked for it, it wasn't HIS idea--hehe!)
We headed to the thriving metropolis of East Chain after work on Wednesday. We had Shiho (one of our foreign exchange students from 4 years ago) and her boyfriend Kohei staying with us over Christmas. It was fun to celebrate and share family traditions with them. We had our big feast (steak and shrimp--YUM!) on Christmas Eve and opened stockings...here are a few favorite pics...

Shiho decided it would be fun to WEAR she and Kohei's stockings! :)

The guys all got the same "AWESOME" pens in their stockings.

On Christmas Day we went to church, relaxed, played games, and then piled up our plates with yummy snacks to get ready to open presents. A few more favorite pictures...

Rylee was a central participant in all of the family fun.
She was just glad that she got to be in the living room, and not outside!

(L-R) Kyle, Mel, Felicia, Cameron, Kohei, Shiho

TOOLS!
(Can you hear the manly grunting???) :)

On Friday we headed up to Breezy and just beat the snow/ice. We had another fantastic Christmas meal with something new to try for me--king crab legs! They were so yummy!!! We openned presents, played more games, went to see Marley & Me (GREAT MOVIE!), and enjoyed a wonderful church service on Sunday.
Whew! We had so much fun with family over Christmas, and were continually reflecting on how thankful we are for them. We had many great times of remembering Christ's birth, and thanking Him for all He's done for us as well. We hope you had a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Our First Christmas and some "Wild" fun!

2008-12-24T10:59:00.001-08:00

Wicked

2008-12-16T06:12:00.001-08:00

If you EVER get a chance to go see "Wicked"....DO IT!!!!! We went last weekend with some family members and friends as part of a fundraiser for Gillette Children's Hospital, and it was AMAZING! I will never watch "The Wizard of Oz" the same way.

We're Home Owners!

2008-12-16T05:42:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone for "patiently" waiting for the update :) I put all of the pictures I had on our Shutterfly website, but I know that my mom took some really great ones of the Saturday moving crew as well, so I'll update more later. We have officially lived in our new home just over 2 weeks. We feel more "at home" everyday. Although last night we already had a police officer knocking at our door!!! YIKES! She wanted to welcome us to the neighborhood, but someone must have tipped her off to how wild and crazy we are....hmm.....;) We are still waiting for a mailbox, and waiting to meet neighbors (I think everyone is hibernating!) but we are enjoying the area, and being "up north".

We are just SO THANKFUL....

1. For the help and support of family and friends. We wouldn't have been able to consider moving into a home without your help--you are blessings!

2. For the help on moving day (and pre-moving night!!!) You were all troupers!

3. For a warm place to live, and to share with others. You're ALL welcome to stop over, or stay WHENEVER!!!!!

4. For a garage--hehe!!! :)

5. For laundry machines that do not cost $1 to operate :)

The list could go on and on....

We hope you enjoy Christmas with family and friends, and celebrating the Reason for the Season--Jesus!!!

Almost done!

2008-11-16T12:30:00.001-08:00

Hello friends and family! We just visited the house again yesterday, and it's true....they're almost done! We updated the website with pictures just in case you want to see. :) Everything looks to be finished on time, and we've got almost everything we own in boxes, ready to move.

A few things to continue praying about:

Safety for moving weekend
Peace as we transition to a new neighborhood, and from renters to home owners
Sublet for our apartment (Dec-Jan)

We have felt so blessed to have such a great support system around us through the past months and weeks. We have seen God's faithfulness through your love, encouragement, and support. His timing was definitely better than ours too, and it's been exciting to see how He has been in all of the details. We'll try to update the website once more when the house is finished, before the move.

Thanks again for everything!

Moving Day...

2008-10-29T19:36:00.000-07:00

It's here! We just heard from our Realtors that we will get to close on our house the day before Thanksgiving. What a big blessing to be thankful for! We'll be moving out of our apartment and into our home that weekend. Mel doesn't have to work on Friday (perk of teaching!) so she'll be moving small items, food, breakables, etc.... that day. Then "the big moving day" will be on Saturday. Thanks again for all of your prayers as we finish up this process. We have felt tremendous peace through all of the decision making, and overwhelming support and excitement from you all! We're going to take a "drive-by" look at the house in the next few days, so we'll update the photosite with new pictures soon.

Thanks again for everything, and we can't wait to have you all over soon!

Our Pumpkins! :)

2008-10-22T17:57:00.000-07:00

Since we don't have a great place to display fun, big, carved pumpkins we decided that we would paint some little ones! I think my little guy might be scared of the WILD pumpkin!

Translation...

2008-10-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

I've now had the kiddos in my class for 2 months and am beginning to see the humor in the little things they say. I thought some of you (especially fellow teachers!) may enjoy some of these little comments, with the translation for what the kiddos are actually TRYING to say! :)

Direct quotes from kiddos . . . . . . . . . . . . Translations from Mel

"Oh guacamole!!" ........ Oh no!

"Hodie! Hodie!"(sounds like "hottie") ......Mrs. Hardie (they can't ever say the "r"), I need help!

"I don't have a girlfriend D*%&#*%#!!!!"...... Please stop saying I like that girl.

"Bachum" (while pointing to specific body part) ...... Can I go to the bathroom please?

"Hodie, what words octopus?" ........ Mrs. Hardie, what words am I supposed to put?
(it took me a while to figure this one out!)

These are just a few favorties from this week......I'm sure there will be more to come! :)

Quick housing update...

2008-10-12T13:20:00.000-07:00

Things with the house are moving along! Last week we picked out floors, countertops, cupboard doors, doorknobs, and light fixtures. Who knew there were so many choices? When Natalie (our GREAT sales lady) pulled out the samples for laminate counter tops, there were OVER 300 CHOICES! Craziness....but we really are feeling good about everything so far. It's a little hard to choose flooring based off of a small sample and feel like it's going to look good all over your house, but we just went with our gut. :) We stopped by the house again last weekend, and they had added insulation--I guess we'll be warm when we move in winter! They're still saying that they are ahead of schedule with the move in date, so we could be moving as soon as the middle on November. WHOA! We'll keep updating as many of you have said you're up for helping with the move--THANKS!

Kyle's big catch!

2008-10-12T13:14:00.001-07:00

Many of you know that Kyle has been in the fishing league with Eagle Brook Church for the past 2 years. They had a "species challenge" this weekend for muskie, and.....he won!!! He caught the BIGGEST MUSKIE EVER! :) It was 39 1/2 inches long! He caught it doing a "figure 8", which apparently was a good thing--I'm still learning all of these fishing terms. He had another big one follow his lure, but instead of grabbing the lure, he just bit off the tip. Bummer. Here's the picture of his big catch!!!

Praise the Lord, we got a house!

2008-09-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

We met again with our Realtor tonight, and after much prayer and consideration, 3 1/2 months later we finally found a place to call home. We posted the pictures of our "framed house" on our Shutterfly link, along with the pictures from the "model home". The layout is the same but floors, cupbards, countertops, fixtures, etc. will be a little different! Thanks again for all of the prayers, encouragement, advice, and shared excitement that you've all provided. We still have a few details to work out with the process, but we think we'll be moving in about 45 days--YAY! We can't wait to have you all over! :)

This one, or that one?

2008-09-26T19:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a REALLY QUICK house update. We found out this afternoon that we got a verbal agreement from the bank on the "Coon Rapids House" that we will have a contract ready to go by Monday. Whoa! GREAT! We also found out this week that through a connection we have, we are able to purchase a brand new detached-townhome in Lino Lakes for the same price. What?!?! We went from no offers, to 2 within a few hours! Sometimes I wonder what God is doing up there?!?! ;) We posted the pictures on our "Latest Hardie Pics" link, so take a peek and let us know what you think! Hopefully before the weekend is over we'll have our decision. We're going to look at both homes again on Sunday afternoon (we think our parents can come with too, which would be really nice) and we're PRAYING DESPERATELY for peace, clarity, wisdom, and discernment in making this decision. Thanks again to all of you for your prayers and advice. We'll let you know as soon as we know! :)

How are the kiddos?

2008-09-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

The past 2 weeks have been tiring and full, but my students and I are starting to get used to each other, and there's been a little less "testing the teacher" going on. We actually got to experience something very special together last week--my parents were up in the cities for Cameron's knee surgery, and they decided to stop by my class. My dad brought soybean plants and corn stalks (which are 8 feet tall), corn and beans for the kids to run their fingers through, and little toy models of his combines and tractors. The kids were completely enamored by the corn, beans, and machinery. It was so cute to watch them try to process all of the statistics my dad was giving them, and the child-like questions they asked him: "Do you have pigs?" "Do you have cows?" "Do you have ANY animals?" "You don't look like a farmer...." This was fun for me to watch and really remember how many of my little ones have so many things they have not experienced yet. Even though they're stinkers a lot of the time :) they really are hungry to learn.

In the past 2 weeks we've also had some "interesting moments". One of my kiddos looked up at me in the middle of the morning and said (with a lisp and a Spanish accent), "Mrs. Hardie! I have gum in my shoe!" Sure enough--HUGE piece of chewed gum in his sock! Huh... Needless to say, he went sockless the rest of the day. Another favorite, was my little Eduardo (who the kids keep calling EGGuardo--oh boy!) When I returned to the classroom in the afternoon after they'd had a substitute teacher all morning, he said: "Mrs. Hardie, you look....you look....you look good!" I think he was trying to say he missed me...nothing like a 6-year-old to boost the ego! Finally, I have a number of kiddos whose parents only speak/read Spanish. Fortunately, I have all of our Math homework and family letters in Spanish. One day last week I forgot to give the kids that needed them the Spanish homework. One little guy came running up to me, waving his English homework, and screaming (literally) "Mrs. Hardie! I need the Mexican papers!" Oh dear--he's not a shy one. ;) I wish I could show you pictures of them, but pretty sure posting them online without parent consent is a BIG NO-NO! ;) While this crew is a LOT more work than my classes the past couple of years, I am learning to find them endearing and love their little quirks....like how several of the little boys tell me "I love you" instead of "I'm sorry" when they're in trouble--wonder where they learned that from? And I think they'll learn to love First Grade too....Here's hoping!

Back in the game...

2008-09-15T08:37:00.000-07:00

We went to see 9 houses on Saturday, and of those 9 there was 1 that really stood out. We went to see it again last night in hopes of putting in a lower offer than list price. However, when we met our Realtor we found out that there were already 2 offers that were made Thursday and Friday. So AGAIN we are the third offer on this house. We were told that putting in a full price offer DID give us a really good shot at getting the house this time, so here's hoping! We'll let you know as soon as we hear anything. IF we get it, we'll put up pictures too! :) Thanks for all of the prayers during this process--we're really trying to be patient and trust that God has our best interest in mind!

You can take the kids out of the country...

2008-09-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

...but you can't take the country out of the kids! :) Kyle and I had our first adventure of freezing corn this weekend, just like we used to on the farm. This felt a little funny considering we were husking corn on the deck of our 3rd floor apartment, overlooking County Road D--HA! What a process this is! The best part was that I had NO VOICE--I got a cold and spent too much time "talking sternly" to my students this past week, so by Friday night I couldn't say a word. Throughout the night when I needed to get Kyle's attention to help me out by stirring corn, bagging, etc...I resorted to stomping my feet on the floor (sorry Ann!), clapping by his ears, and waving my arms in the air! What a sight! By the end of the night we were covered in corn (as was our kitchen), laughing hysterically at my communication attempts, and SO tired! Overall, it was a great night and we know that in the dead of winter, when we pull a bag of YUMMY sweet corn out of the freezer, it will have all been worth it.

Bittersweet Football...

2008-09-10T06:46:00.000-07:00

Our house hunt is continuing on! We found out that we are "the middle offer" on the Bittersweet House. We don't know how much higher the top offer is, but we decided that we're not willing to go any higher than we already have. The bank is still processing the offers and hasn't given us the official "no", but we're going to move on assuming that they'll go for the highest offer. PLUS, it's been 3 1/2 weeks since we put our offer in--CRAZY! The Football House turned out much like the Vikings' first game.....just shy of winning. When we put in our original offer, they told us that there were no other offers on the table--BIG LIE! They countered yesterday with a price ABOVE the list price (don't they know what's going on with the market these days?!?!). Again, the other offer is just above ours, but we're not willing to go any higher because we don't want to be "house poor". So, the Bittersweet House turned out to be just that, and the Football House disappointed much like our favorite team. We'll be on the hunt again hopefully by next week. We're feeling really encouraged that there are still so many homes available, and we love the place where we're at, so there's no rush. That's the latest, and we'll keep you posted on any new developments in the future!

3 days down...

2008-09-04T17:54:00.000-07:00

...177 to go! :) How shall I sum up the first week with the kiddos....hmmm.... I think I have the most culturally and racially diverse class that I've ever had! I was talking with someone and telling them about my kiddos, and they asked "Aren't you in the 'northern suburbs'?" Sort of, but things are changing! In my little class of 20, I have students from MN, Bosnia, Ukraine, Africa, Jerusalem, and Mexico. WOW! It has been so sweet to watch the kids help each other fumble through these first few days, often with more patience than I exhibit. (That's one area that I know I'm going to need to keep at the forefront of my prayers this school year!) Anyways, as I get to know these little ones, and meet their families, it is interesting to ponder how we all came to this point. Some just new to the country, others new to the school, some have been in the neighborhood for years, others struggling to communicate with me and yet I know they care so much about their child's education...and here we all are... Some of you know that there were times when I thought teaching at a different school this coming year HAD to be where God wanted me. But alas, as I look back with a little "hindsight" and perspective, I can begin to see now why I am at my school, with this special group of kids. It's not always going to be easy, but it's a good reminder that God's way is always going to be best. Maybe not my favorite all the time, but best. Anyways, here are a few highlights from the first week of First Grade to leave you with! Hopefully they make you smile (or roll your eyes)!

~several of my sweet English Language Learners began the morning in OTHER teachers' rooms because they couldn't find ours!
~we were making "hopes and dreams" for the school year, and one little guy told me that his dream was "to become a man".....WOW....not sure where THAT came from!
~"Who farted?!?" (there's one in every crowd!)
~"Teacher! Help! I have to pee SO BAD but I can't remember where the bathroom is!!" (Need I remind you that the bathroom is IN our classroom! hehe)
~getting hugs from each one of my kiddos as they leave for the day. That's really why we tough it out through some of the "rough patches", right?

Here 'goes nothing!

2008-08-31T14:23:00.000-07:00

So, do you ever have those days at work where you feel like you aren't quite sure what you're doing? I always feel a little bit that way on the first day of school. All of these little ones come traipsing into my room....some speak English, some don't...some have had a wealth of experiences in their lives already, while some have never gone outside of their neighborhood.... There is such a variety of families, countries, backgrounds, and experiences represented. That's when I take a big GULP! and think, "Oh man...I'm supposed to teach them all to read? do math? be socially and emotionally developed?" YIKES! Here in lies the miracle of teaching; with so many wonderful professionals in my building, we somehow go from having 25 little ones in September who aren't quite sure how to read and write, to 25 not-so-little ones in June who are reading and writing so fast I can hardly keep up! It happens every year, though sometimes I'm not sure how! My students will be the source of many postings and updates to come, as we get to know each other and learn together this school year. However, on the first day of school, I know the phrase running through my mind will be "Here 'goes nothing!" Followed by a little prayer for strength, patience, and a hope that the best is yet to come! :)

House Hunting Stories

2008-08-18T20:10:00.000-07:00

We have loved our apartment since day one. (Especially sharing recipes with our cute little neighbor downstairs!) However, since June, we have been on "the house hunt". This is quite the process! With the market being the way it is, and us not having a home to sell, we've been looking at a lot of great deals....unfortunately, everyone else thinks they're great deals too! We've been to about 20 showings, and so far we have had one house get "swiped" 10 hours before us, 3 others that got "swiped" before we made it to the showing, and another that we just put an offer on (but so did the other 2 people that saw it last week!).

Another unique part of house hunting is the, shall we say, extras that we encounter in each of these homes. Our favorite example: as we were wandering around one house we headed down to the basement. Much to our surprise, there was a strange man lying on a mattress in the middle of the basement living room. He was watching a battery operated TV (because of course there's no power in the house), had a month's worth of non-perishable food lined up around the room (because of course he can't use a fridge or a stove), and just sat and watched us look around the basement. YIKES! When asked if he knew there was a showing scheduled, his response was, "Uh yeah. They said somethin' 'bout that, but I didn't know when people were comin' so I thought I'd just stay here". WOW!

Needless to say, we've really enjoyed the house hunting so far, and are learning a LOT! We're also getting some very good lessons in communication and patience as this process continues. We'll keep you up to date as the process continues...

What's in a name?

2008-08-17T19:02:00.000-07:00

So many people have been urging me to get a blog, and today I finally caved. I find the pressure of starting this a little overwhelming. Like picking a title...this is the name that everyone will see when they come and check for updates. What should it be called? The layout of the site...colors, fonts, and style? Postings....when to write a post? what to write? what type of post should it be? funny? serious? contemplative? So many choices, SO LITTLE TIME! Needless to say, I'm VERY new to "the blogger world" and I'm sure it will take me a while to get the hang of this. BUT, I'm so excited to be more connected to so many of you now--here's to many more postings to come!

hardie happenings...

Hardie Family Christmas Letter~2011

1 year!!!

11 months

Crafty...

10 months

9 months

8 months

Thanksgiving

7 months

Tribute to Dads

6 months

Mother's Day Musings...

5 months (and 1 week)

4 months (and 1 day)

3 months

A Day in the Life...

All Smiles

2 months

It Takes A Village...

Family and Friends

A Good Reminder...

Door County Vacation

A little more time off...

Half way and loving it!

July Fun

So thankful

Vinegar :)

More from the kids!

Anniversary, year 2

Quotes from the kiddos

5 Day Challenge

Valentine's Day through the eyes of my kiddos...

Kid Stories

Florida with the fam

Quotes from the kiddos...

Fall Fun

So You Think You Can Dance

Hmm....

One week down...

It's almost here.....

Vacation at Lake Vermilion

Wascally Wabbit!

Perfect Summer Weekend

July 4th Fun

New Pictures

Kid Stories...they just keep coming!

Walk of Shame....continued....

Kid Stories, Part 3

Help!

Our First Anniversary...

Kyle saves the day...

Walk of Shame

More Kid Stories :)

Ice Fest Fun

Christmas '08

Our First Christmas and some "Wild" fun!

Wicked

We're Home Owners!

Almost done!

Moving Day...

Our Pumpkins! :)

Translation...

Quick housing update...

Kyle's big catch!

Praise the Lord, we got a house!

This one, or that one?

How are the kiddos?

Back in the game...

You can take the kids out of the country...

Bittersweet Football...

3 days down...

Here 'goes nothing!

House Hunting Stories

What's in a name?