Tackle it Tuesday.....

Last night as I was talking to my daughter, hello, you know which one. I asked her if she had saved her e-mails about the subject we were talking about to which she said "no". So I told her to make a folder and save them. To make a long story longer, last fall, a different daughter, went to enroll in college. The college said that they could not get her transcripts so she called the college that would not send them, we will call it K. So K says she has a bill since 2008. I say no, we got money back from FAFSA so she could not have a bill because K would have sent it through their system and K would have sent us the extra, which was only enough to get books. K say no, we did not and we can not look back to see what her FAFSA was so we have no proof. I say, well, I have her FAFSA award letter right here if you would like it. I have it printed, I have it in an e-mail and I can personally drive it to you. Next day, debt is forgiven, we are done. I am glad I save all my e-mails because if not, we would have paid 1500.00 dollars more or less for something we did not owe. Lesson, save your e-mails. Well today, I got on to Tackle it Tuesday and guess what it is about, organizing your e-mails. SO enjoy and remember you may need one of those old e-mails to save you lots of money.

Sings My Soul Saturdays.....

In about a year, Nikki will be a Ridgway as she and Jeremy get married in June,(temporary date) and we are excited. Here is a song that I wish for them since is it Sings my Soul Saturday....



Enjoy!!! We are excited.

Sings my soul Saturdays....

Long time no post on here but here I am again. The David Crowder Band is a really great band and I love listening to them. Right now, because it can change anytime I hear another one of their songs, this is the one that I really think is so neat and am blessed everytime I hear it. So here is "How He Loves"



Hope this works again and Hope you enjoy the song...Have a wonderful Saturday and a Joyous Sunday with family and friends and take God with you!!!

Well, this is the final day of the Ultimate Blog Party....

I have been so excited to meet a few new people who love to blog and it has been wonderful to be back on here blogging some. I am still going around and reading some of the many blogs. Now we get to wait for the prizes. Anyway, I have homework to do and some more blogs to visit and oh, I have a twitter account. Only because it gives me another chance to win at the UBP. Have a wonderful day!!!!

Debra

Went for a run today....

Last spring I started to run but had some issues with my thyroid and so after being very sick with that and getting permission from my doctor to start running I was able to compete in my first 5K in October. I used a program called Podrunner and it has a program to work from five minute warm up, one minute run and then 90 second walk and then works you up to running a 5K. Well, I did it and it was so exciting but then I have not really ran since.

This year, I want to do a run called...Bridging the Gap. You can learn more about this at http://www.quincymedgroup.com/bridgethegap/ Look it up and maybe I will see you there. Now back to running!!!

IEP time....

Well, next Wednesday is the offical date of the IEP meeting.

After a very bad year of Kindergarten, don't want to relive that nightmare, Hope has had a wonderful year with a lot of goals she is near. We have had so much fun with a wonderful teacher and Special Education teacher who have worked with me and not against me and Hope is doing great. She is reading at a 1.0 level, in first grade. She counts to 30 consistantly, although she has some issues with the teens but that is always a hard one. She loves PE and I have not heard anything from art and music so I am assuming that is going well also.

Now to work on the next year.

Tonight we went to Carmen's track meet and watched her do her events and also had the joy of watching a young lady who has played basketball on an area team and was running track tonight. Gives me such wonderful hope for my girl.

Well, off I go to see if the instructor has put up the grades for my ELL class. Only 8 more classes to go and I will have my teaching degree.

Yeah

Welcome to the Ultimate Blog Party 2011

Welcome to my little corner of the world. I have not been very good with keeping my blog up to date but will work at it this week. I am excited about meeting all of you and looking through the many blogs that are here at the party.



Debra

Happy Birthday Shawn...

I just wanted to say Happy Birthday!!! I am not sure you will read this message or not or if you even know I have a blog. I think you know that but not sure if you know where. I love you and always will. You are my oldest, the first born. You are a wonderful son and I am sure you will have a wonderful birthday with your first born also. Love you son!!! Hugs and kisses.

Mom and Dad.

Well it is a new year and once again...

I really want to keep up on this blog but time will tell. So what has been happening in the Ridgway family since October, which, I believe is the last time I posted on here.

Rob has been working all the time. The company that he works for has locked out the union workers so Christmas was a blur because he worked all week. He has this weekend off and we are enjoying our daddy being home.

Deb, well I have been still doing college and work and taking care of the kids. I did recieve my Associates Degree and now am going after my teaching degree. I may even try to work on my masters. I love college and glad I waited.

Shawn, Kelly and Brendan Yep I have a grandson. Which should be one of the top most wonderful things that have happened to me but in November, we were asked to no longer contact them and although we are very sad about this, I believe we have been preparing for this for some time. So as of now, I have a three month old grandson who I am sure is one of the most beautiful babies in the world.

Joel and Traci are married. This happened in August. Everyone but Shawn, Kelly who were very pregnant were at the wedding. It was a blast and one of the most fun things I have ever done. Traci and I are getting to know each other and she has been a wonderful help to us with many of my family moving up to their area to work and go to school. I am blessed to have such a wonderful new person in our lives.

Isaac is now a shift worker. He got a new job and moved to the Cedar Rapids area in November. He is doing wonderful and we love having him around when he can down this way.

Jeremy and Nicki are doing well also. Jeremy was not able to get down here for Christmas because of all the snow that we recieved. It was nice to talk to him and hope he can get down here soon. Oh, and Nicki was out of town so we did not get to see here either.

Amy and Nate are doing well. Working alot and Amy is going to go to college in Macomb. She is excited and looking into teaching, if I am understanding her right.

Kaylyn is also in Cedar Rapids going to college there. She decided to go away from teaching and go in a new direction. I am sure she would tell me what it is but I can not for the life of me remember but when she explained it to me it sounded fun.

Becca is going to college here in town and going to be a nurse. Not mine, I want to make that perfectly clear. I am excited for her. She bought a big new truck and loves driving around in it.

Carmen is now a Junior in high school. She is also going to be a teacher when she grows up. She is working on classess at high school as these are paid for and so she goes free. This year we found a wonderful site to rent books. Saved us 100 dollars and they plant a tree for every order.

Jason is a Freshman and really hates it when mommy is at school. I think this have of the year I have two classes with him so I am sure he is not going to be happy. He is tall and wow, growing up fast. He is very involved in FFA and science fair.

Leah is the only middle schooler. She is in 7th and is doing cheerleading this year. I love watching her cheer and she is very good at it and enjoys it.

Jarod is in the final year of grade school. He is a fifth grader and now has very long hair and about to get it cut. He is my wild man and on the go all the time.

Hope is in first grade. Wow, my baby is not a baby any more. She is having a very good year. After the last two years, it has been a very refreshing time. Her new catch phase is "calm yourself" which seems to entertain many of the adults and older kids in her life.

Well that is a little bit about our family. I hope to do better on this blog but will probably only post about once a week to once a month. I will try to post pictures of Christmas, Thanksgiving and some of the snow we have gotten. Have a wonderful week.

Debra

Time again and I am already late for 31 for 21...

Grab This Button


It just dawned on me that it once again time to blog 31 days for 21 chromosomes. It is exciting to do and since I am already late, well, mine will be 31 -7 days for 21 which is ok also.

So lets start out with an introduction for those who do not know us.

I am Debra and my husband is Robert and we are the proud parents of 12 children. Then you need to add on two new wives or daughters for me. Three exchange students over the last four years and a few others who have adopted me, one who calls me the crazy lady with 12 kids.

My older son, who has been in the army and completed two tours in Iraq is married and they are expecting our first grandchild. A grandson. His great great grandpa Ridgway would be so proud that the family name is continuing on. The baby is due very soon and every time I post something about it, I wonder if they are at the hospital having the baby. I can't wait to be a grandma but it will also be hard because they live so far away. Thank God for all the technology and facebook so I can watch him grow. Kelly, you know you are in our prayers, cause I do know what this time of the pregnacy feels like. LOL

My second son married his new wife in August. It was a beautiful wedding and was fun. Besides Hope dancing the night away and I do mean that in every sense of the word. I danced some also. Tracy is a great addition to our family. They went on their honeymoon and we got to watch one of the dogs. I will be honest, I was glad it was Maggie, Layla is a bit of a hyper dog and is very excitable. LOL

Isaac is working and doing well. Jeremy and Nicki are both doing fine also. Amy and Kaylyn and Becca are all still working at the same resturant and doing well. Mila is our exchange student and we are excited to have her in our home. Carmen is now our oldest in school and is a Junior along with her "little" brother Jason who may be out growing everyone that is tall in the family. Leah is in Middle school and Jarod and Hope are in elementry. My husband's job has changed over the past year and I am once again working at the high school.

So on to the one who this is about for the most part. Hope is now six years old. Hard to believe that time has flown so fast. I have lots of pictures to post about her this month and lots to tell everyone about. I hope I can keep this up and maybe even make up a couple of the days I missed.

Hope all is well

Debra

So time for me to get busy and update this thing.....

So what has been happening since the last time I posted besides today when I posted to our new young lady coming to us from Serbia....?

Well, I have once again started college, although right now I am on a leave of absence and need to get busy with things. I have enjoyed my summer off and do not really look forward to finishing this but know I need to. I did recieve my Associates Degree and it was neat to get a nice looking diploma in a nice looking book type thing. It is sitting on a shelf in the envelope that it came in. I started running. I am using the Couch to 5K program to get this started and if 7 weeks ago you would have told me I would be running with a friend of mine/cousin twice removed or something like that, I would have laughed at you. I am now up to two miles in 25 minutes and I am loving the feel of being able to do this. There is a 5K race coming up in October and I plan on running in it. I have also lost around 40 or 50 lbs but who is counting? LOL ME!!!!!! I didn't do it the old fashion diet way but had a wonderful little friend help me along. My thyroid. I was pretty sick and in one 11 day period, I lost 15 lbs. Although I did not want to stay sick like that, I have really been thrilled with the weight loss. But alas that has come to an end. The thyroid is now with the right numbers and it is time for the old fashion way. One thing that has helped is remembering that what ever I eat, I will be running off the next day.

So now about the family....Shawn and Kelly are expecting our first grandchild. A little boy. They just had a three d ultrasound and wow he is going to be one cute little boy. We can not wait to see this wonder of life when he makes his arrival something in October. I guess I will need to get myself prepared to make a trip to New York although I am so unsure of how I will do on my own traveling. May have to take Hope and meet up with a few of the other mommies who have children with that little extra something.

Joel and Traci are getting the last of their preperations done for their wedding. This is exciting for them. Last week end I had the priviledge of babysitting my grand-dogs. Also was able to see Joel for a bit.

Isaac is working in Macomb and doing well. Jeremy and Nicki are in Ames and I believe both of them are in college and I know Jeremy is working hard. Amy, Kaylyn and Becca are all in the area and working at the Hut. We are now known as the family with the three girls that work at the Hut. Becca graduated this past May and is going to college to get her nursing degree.

Carmen will be a Junior this year, Jason starts high school and is keeping his fingers crossed that I will not be there. LOL Sorry bud!!! Leah will be my only Junior higher, Jarod will be in 5th and Hope will be in first.

As you may have read in the previous post, we will again be hosting a young lady from Serbia. We are excited about that and know that if it was our daughter overseas, we would want them in a good home and I believe we can provide that.

All and all everything is good. I hope to post more often but how many times have I said that many times before. Keep each other in your prayers, we all need them every now and then. Hugs from us.

Debra

Summer has started!!!!!

Well, it is the third day of summer vacation and I have been to Iowa City once, Cedar Rapids once and starting to cut out the invitations for my son's wedding. I can't wait till next week when I can finally start enjoying summer. Oh that is right, birthday party for Trevor on Saturday, trip to Cedar Rapids on Sunday, trip to Iowa State on Monday...What summer. Well, one thing I am planning on doing LOL is to be on here more to blog. This summer, we are looking over Hope's IEP and working to help reach her goals. So time will tell, how that all goes.

Have a wonderful summer.

Debra

Hope enjoying the outdoors

 

Hope not only loves to swing but she also enjoys making her mom just a little bit nervous.

Hope's Billboard debute

 

The billboard is for a friend of ours who has become a Doctor of Audiology. She asked if Hope would like to do this and she did a wonderful job. So here is her debute.

I often seem to busy to Blog...

As may have said, "I am a bad blogger" Really although Facebook is great for quick updates, I love going around and reading others blogs. Today as I was going back to the beginning of the list, I found a great post from a blogger who is known as the Unknown Contributor.

See, when I work at the school, I often hear the students say the word Retard, tard, and other variations of the word. Now if they say it in front of me and I have "scolded" them about it, they will often say, "sorry Mrs. Ridgway" But often they will continue with, really I am just saying a word and I am not meaning your daughter. Well, it does reference my daughter. This post is a great explaination why it really is my daughter and others and is not "just a word, get over being so sensitive."

Click HERE and read this post. Well done!!! I think it says alot.

Hugs from Debra

Definitely a Whale

Read this on another blog and enjoyed it!!! I really loved it so here it is...

Recently, in a large city in Argentina, a poster featuring a young, thin and tan woman appeared in the window of a gym. It said, "This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?"

A middle-aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym.

To Whom It May Concern,

Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans.)
They have an active sex life, get pregnant and have adorable baby whales.
They have a wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with shrimp.
They play and swim in the seas,seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Bering Sea
and the coral reefs of Polynesia.
Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs.
They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans.
They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.

Mermaids don't exist.
If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or human?
They don't have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them, not to mention how could they have sex? Just look at them ... where is IT?
Therefore, they don't have kids either.
Not to mention, who wants to get close to a girl who smells like a fish store?

The choice is perfectly clear to me:
I want to be a whale.

P..S. We are in an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my kids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver, and a piece of chocolate with my friends.
With time, we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room, it distributes out to the rest of our bodies...
So we aren't heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy.

Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think, "Good grief, look how smart I am!"

Grains of Gratitude....

Well, if my letters are either more than a space apart or they are stuck together, sorry. My computer is doing weird things.

So what do I have to be grateful for....

1. I am grateful for my God, my Lord and the Holy Spirit. I am so thankful for the patience they have with me. I am not sure if I would have that much patience for someone like me but they do love me any way.

2. I am grateful for my number 2. My husband for now over 30 years. I love him so much and I can't wait for the 10 sec. kiss tonight and that he is praying with me each night to thank God for what we have.

3. I am grateful for my children. I am praying for them each and every day as they go through their lives that they will find Him and make a meaningful relationship with Him.

4. I am grateful for the Word of God that was preached yesterday in Quincy at the Crossing. WOW!!!! is all I can say. I am so in awe when young people know God's word and are willing to relate it to us. I was so blessed and it was the glue that I needed to get me through the things that have weighed heavy in my life.

5. I am grateful that it is almost February...March....April....May....A little bit of June and I will be home with my kids for the summer. I can't way for spring. I am grateful for the winter, as makes spring all that much better.

So what are you grateful for today???

Post it here or on your blog and let us know....Have a wonderful and Blessed day!!!!

Debra

Grains of Gratitude

So it has been awhile but I wanted to start posting again.

1. I am grateful for my Lord and Savior and for all that he has done for me.

2. I am grateful for my number two...my husband Rob who I love and adore.

3. I am grateful for my family and I am so blessed by each and everyone one of them.

4. I am grateful for the fact that soon it will be spring, although I like winter it gets old after awhile.

5. I am grateful for a son who is now another year older. Happy Birthday Shawn!!! Love you.

What are you grateful for? Let us know!!!

Awhile back I was reading my Girlfriends in God web page and it talked about my relationship with God. The verse that they used was "Seek me and you will find me when you seek me with your whole heart." Jeremiah 29:13 and I as I read this verse and what they had to say the word that stood out was the word WHEN. The verse does not say if, it says when. The verse also says the word WHOLE. Not half, not some and not just any few moments of time I have extra but my whole heart.

So why do I write this. So I can remember that when I put only a little time in my quest to have a relationship with God and if I seek him with a few minutes in the morning as I jump out of bed and think a quick thanks God for the day or any other numbers of time that I feel like, "well, at least I talked to God, didn't say much but I tried" I need to know that I have gotten out of it what I have put into it. I really need to seek God. Not just a quick hello and see you later relationship but a real down deep and seeking Him first.

As I searched for songs about this, cause it is Sings my Soul Saturday, I ran into this neat blog about this same verse and an even different way to look at it. He talks about the verses before and after and why Jeremiah wrote this verse and well, it is interesting to read and see. He talks about this being written when the Jews were in Babylon and they were heart broken. They were not happy and running around and dancing, they were in a place they did not want to be.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart. I need to build a better relationship with God and seek Him and find Him.

Sings My Soul Saturday....

I need to get back to blogging. I miss it but I think I just don't have time because I do the whole facebook thing... So here is my sings my soul saturday.



I could and do listen to Selah all the time. It is my alarm to be honest. I hope you enjoy.

Debra

Grains of Gratitude....

I am grateful for so much but here are five for this week.

1. I am grateful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am glad that He loved me and was willing to die for my sins.

2. I am grateful for my husband and family. God certainly did know what we needed as a nice mix in our family. If we really think about it we compliment each other well.

3. I am grateful for passing my Para educator course and the wisdom not to do the early childhood course for this time. I really did enjoy the freedom of having my saturday.

4. I am grateful for this time of the season. I can not wait to get the Christmas decorations up and the tree up and enjoy a beautiful season.

5. I am grateful for all those I have met because of the diagnosis of Down syndrome.

So what are you grateful for today. Let me know or post it on your blog.

Debra

Ok, when you wash as much laundry as I do, sometimes

you just need to find a way to save some money!!!

Here is the answer. Make your own laundry soap!!!

I know, I know, I am a bit of a nut. I use to make my own babywipes and to be honest they were great. A little time consuming but great.

Now I am making my own laundry. Not only does it cost little of nothing to make 5 gallons of laundry soap, but it does a great job of cleaning clothes and it is green so I am even doing the enviroment a favor.

Here is the recipe for the liquid and the powdered.

1 Fels Naptha soap bar, grated
1 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax

Instructions:

Grate the soap bar into a small saucepan. Cover with hot water. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continually, until the soap completely dissolves. It is best to grate it because the first time I cut it into very small chunks and it to forever.

Put washing soda and borax in a 5-gallon bucket. Pour in the hot, melted soap mixture. Stir well, until all the powder is dissolved. Fill the bucket to the top with more hot tap water. Stir, cover securely, and let set overnight.
For top-loading machines: Use 1/2 cup of the soap mixture per load.

For front-loading machines: Use 1/4 cup per load.

Here is a web site that not only compaired costs but also did a test to see whether or not the homemade stuff worked the same or better than a leading brand. It worked the same, neither one got all of the mustard out alone but the white tee shirts were both very clean.

Here is that web site...thesimpledollar You can see for yourself.

You can also go to Fels Naptha Soaps website at....soapsgonebuyand see what other things you can do with this soap. I do remember having a beautiful little smocked dress that I made for my first daughter go through the dryer and get purple crayon melted on it and it got it all out. I swear by it and maybe your grandparents also did, mine did.


Here is the recipe for the powdered...

1 cup grated Fels Naptha Soap
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup 20 mule team borax
Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For normal loads, use 2 tablespoon. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons

Well there is our first thing to help save the planet and now on to recycling. We have never really did this and we started today.

Have a great week end

Debra

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